The Pakistani drama industry, for the most part, has always thrived on the trope of female intrasexual competition. This narrative is overutilised, bizarre, abrupt and extremely limiting, as it contributes to the culture of women ostracising other women in the pursuit of attaining male validation and subsequent elevated social and financial status. It becomes even more problematic when this rivalry is projected between sisters, best friends and cousins. The element of female solidarity finds no sequence amidst the never-ending episodes of female characters conspiring against other female characters, gossiping and ultimately successfully convincing the male protagonist to disown the other woman. It reinforces patriarchal structures, as the entire narrative is outright male-centred and discriminatory against women.
The esteemed screenwriter Bee Gul has consistently countered this narrative by engineering such female characters whose fates are bound by a common male love/marriage interest, but they do not adhere to hostility, villainisation and otherisation of each other. Instead, they develop a cordial bond based on mutual compassion and genuine understanding of each other’s humanity and femininity. Moreover, the portrayal of these characters is done so remarkably by Bee Gul that their connection does not come across as artificial or utopian. She makes the audience convinced of the presence and possibility of these characters in real life by positioning them in real-world situations and by allowing such conversations and engagements between them, which highlight their mutual problems, crises and personal goals. In doing so, Bee Gul keeps voicing how women, despite their differences and disagreements, are more likely to find inspiring similarities and long-lasting friendships in each other in comparison to their dynamic with male individuals.
In her highly celebrated drama Dar Si Jaati Hai Sila (2017), Sila and Zaini were close cousins who spent their whole lives in each other’s proximity. Their families tried their best to create rivalry between each other after the arrival of their highly educated, groomed and well-mannered male cousin. Even though Hatim being their marriage interest was at the centre of their dynamic, they still chose to decentre him. Zaini helped Sila gain self-confidence, and Sila confided in her about the sexual harassment she had been facing for years. Zaini and Sila’s dynamic is inspirational as it presents a bond between a highly privileged woman (Zaini) and an extremely disadvantaged woman (Sila). Zaini exercised her privileges to not only uplift herself but also help Sila become a woman well-versed in her rights.
Raqeeb Say (2021) employed sensitive storytelling to bring forth two women who are connected in association with a man who once loved one of them but is now married to the other woman. Their initial interactions were quite awkward. The wife put on a brave front, but her valid insecurities became explicitly visible in the in-between moments and fleeting facial expressions. As the story progressed, Hajra and Sakina developed a close friendship. Their dynamic is not similar to two women coming together on respectful terms because of their shared feelings for a man as depicted in Sanjay Leela Bhansali movies. Hajra provided emotional and practical support to Sakina, a victim of domestic violence. Sakina tenderly witnessed and understood the lovelessness and emptiness of the apparently perfect marriage of Hajra. In this way, Bee Gul confronts the narrative inspired by the male gaze through ‘the oppositional gaze.’ The female gaze does not ostracise any party involved. It rather interacts with complicated bonds in a nuanced and sensitive manner. Thus, the rival characters written by Bee Gul coexist in harmony despite their uneasy circumstances. They witness and acknowledge the complete existence of their supposed rival in its entire humanity rather than hyperfocusing on the details of their contention.
In Aik Aur Pakeeza (2026), Bee Gul presented a distant yet supportive association between a female victim of cybercrime and the wife of her perpetrator. The wife submitted the major evidence of the crime to the investigation officer, and the victim witnessed the wife of her perpetrator as a separate entity.
Furthermore, a reputed lawyer and an illiterate woman found themselves at a crossroads as they were made aware of the fact that they had married the same man at different points in their lives. Bee Gul’s screenwriting is rooted in realistic foundations, and it becomes evident when these rival characters feel unease at the very first sight of each other. The esteemed lawyer found herself standing before the mirror and nitpicking her features in comparison to the illiterate but naturally beautiful woman. But as the plot thickens, the lawyer fights her loving husband in favour of his ex-wife. It reiterates that, even if female solidarity is not the first instinct, the healthy progression of difficult relationships should be the preferred choice. Additionally, Bee Gul managed to construct an empowering association between the women taking space in power corridors and the women barely existing at the fringes.
Other than intrasexual female competition, Bee Gul has provided an emancipating perspective on other animosity-driven female dynamics as well. In Aik Aur Pakeeza (2026), she presented a tender and deeply affectionate relationship between a stepmom and a stepdaughter, so much so that the stepdaughter considers her stepmother her only family. Furthermore, in the currently airing web series Pink Shirt (2026), an insightful and empathetic approach towards an otherwise demonised mother-in-law and daughter-in-law dynamic is being represented. The web series is yet to complete its course, but the spirit of rising above the patriarchal tension and enmity in both female individuals is precisely evident.
The aforementioned trope of unlikely and unusual friendships between rival female characters is currently exceptional to Bee Gul projects. The very trope needs to be normalised in every mainstream drama, and the efforts need to be undertaken by every faction involved. The stated trope has the refreshingly life-altering potential for the empowering social and cultural engineering of young girls.