Parizaad, which follows an unconventional storyline and has been wildly popular, is coming to an end. The journey that started with a young, deep-toned boy going through the chaos of life and its unpredictable circumstances has left viewers in awe of the actors and writers.

Based on a novel of the same name, the show garnered attention straight out of the gate, becoming a subject of discussion and memes on social media. While it had its controversial moments with blackface, most people overlooked that in favour of the storyline and the actors’ prowess.

Parizaad follows the life of a boy from a working-class background who is mistreated due to the colour of his skin. This is reflective of our society, where racism is not as prevalent as some other countries, but colourism is still very rampant. People are known to have been looked down upon, bullied and neglected due to their skin tone, which sometimes leads to self-esteem issues.

The irony is our society usually sees fairies as being fair-skinned. The drama tells us that beauty lies inside a person and that one should not be too quick to judge anyone by their appearance.

It also portrays the difficulties faced by people from a working-class background. As a young man, Parizaad dreams of playing on an exquisite pianoforte. To many, this may seem childish, but Parizaad has a deep connection with it – his mother.

What makes Parizaad stand out from other shows on-air currently is that it breaks away from the stereotypical storylines. This show does not retell the story of the difficulties of married life. Instead, it highlights issues like poverty, the bond of love between a sister and a brother, sacrifice, growth, love and finding who you really are.

We see Parizaad losing the love of his life to a morally ambiguous character. Parizaad takes this rejection on the chin and moves on with his life.

This show does not retell the story of the difficulties of married life. Instead, it highlights issues like poverty, the bond of love between a sister and a brother, sacrifice, growth, love, and finding who you really are.

He then sells his poetry, his most prized possession, to help his brother-in-law out of a difficult situation and helps two friends in every way he can. He does this despite knowing that his sister and brother-in-law do not like him. The brother-in-law and sister had had to raise him and grown to dislike him, seeing him as a burden. He respects them to the end.

This show stands out the most in its discourse surrounding societal issues that do not get talked about much. It addresses issues like gender identity and colourism.

A girl can be a ‘tomboy’ during adolescence, but once she comes of age, she is required to behave in a more conventional manner. Saboor Aly Ansari’s character touches upon this. She has gender identity issues tries her best to make her parents understand the problems she faces.

This topic is rarely touched upon in Pakistani media.

Then there is the issue of transgender people. Over recent years, awareness of the problems and the acceptance of transgender people have increased. However, there is still a lot that we need to do to make life easier for them. This drama aptly highlights the difficult lives they lead.

Being of pure heart, Parizad accepts those that are different from him. He knows firsthand what it is like to be looked down upon and treated differently for not fitting into traditional moulds of attractiveness and appearance.

Parizaad also ventures into his internal struggles. The problem of cognitive dissonance is explained beautifully.

At times, we have to do something that does not go with our beliefs or our values. At such moments, we are stuck and unsure about what we have to do. Parizaad faces this dilemma after he takes up the position of CEO.

This journey of dealing with and handling tough situations inspires introspection and self-exploration amongst viewers.

If nothing else, this drama has taught us to care for others and let life take its course. If something is meant to happen, it will. There is no need to fight it. Instead, we can learn from our mistakes and make the best from the hand that we have been dealt.

In the end, it is the journey that teaches us the most important things. The future, where ever it may be, will guide us to the destination.

The author is a psychology graduate who works in digital content creation.