Tan Man Neelo Neel: A Drama That Dared to Speak

Introduction

The drama ‘Tan Man Neelo Neel’ has been written by Mustafa Afridi. It has been directed by Saifi Hassan and produced by Sultana Siddique. There are five young characters, including Muhammad Usman Javed as “Kami,” Arsal Khan as “Laddu,” Ali Ammar as “Moon,” Sehar Khan as “Rabi,” and Shuja Asad as “Sonu.” The main leading roles are of Rabi and Sonu, portrayed as friends to lovers, while the Kami is Rabi’s cousin. Moon and Sonu are dancers with four more friends. Rabi runs her YouTube channel with ambition, while Kami organizes protests and engages in vandalism on behalf of politicians.

The three main supporting characters are Nadia Afghan, Noman Masood (Portrayed as Rabi’s parents), and Samiya Mumtaz (Sonu’s mother). Leyla Zuberi and Tanveer Hussain are husband and wife and are Rabi’s chacha (father’s brother) and chachi. The team shot the drama in Lahore, showcasing the city’s culture, colorful streets, and historic buildings. There are eleven episodes of drama, and the story revolves around Rabi and Sonu and their parents. The drama smoothly discusses several other issues, including sexual assault, patriarchy, corruption, social inequality, the role of social media, blasphemy, and more.

Content Analysis of Tan Man Neelo Neel

The Patriarchal Structures

In the first episode, the bond between mother and daughter shows the importance of communication and parental roles. As a mother, Nadia Aghan is a sensible character. She discusses everything with her daughter, which comforts Rabi to discuss everything with her, too. Once, Rabi’s father said, ‘Thank you’ to his wife. She cried with happiness in front of Rabi by telling, “Aaj tumhare baap ny Mujhe thank you bola.”

This highlights women’s position in society and the way they are treated within their homes. Rabi’s mother is a housewife. She works all day for them and fulfils all the needs of her husband without him asking. She even gets happy with the bare minimum. Majid describes her character as ‘her storyline touches the desire for autonomy in a society that often seeks to control women’s choices, making her a relatable and empathetic character’(Majid, 2025).

Role of Women in the Society

Sherry B. Ortner, in her work “Is Female to Male as Nature is to Culture” (Ortner, 1972), describes how women have been given importance in many cultures, but there is a difference between how they are symbolised and treated in their everyday lives. Ortner’s idea of women being “in-between” nature and culture suggests that women occupy a middle ground where they are seen as essential to family life. However, society does not fully recognize them as part of public or cultural leadership. As discussed in this critical examination of influential figures and gender norms, media personalities often reinforce traditional marital expectations in subtle yet powerful ways. This drama emphasised this debate by showing how women are important but still have no choice in decision making and romanticise the bare minimum. The way modern entertainment intertwines love with aggression is troubling, as explored in this analysis of violence glamorization in media.

Male Molestation and Sexual Assault in Tan Man Neelo Neel

The Moon gets sexually assaulted by the politician, and Sonu with other friends, could not do anything but feel helpless. This raises a serious issue that happens with boys. Most of us always talk about the girl’s safety, but there is very little talk about male molestation. Bacha Bazi is always a part of Pakistani culture, mainly happening in indigenous tribes and rural areas. Over time, crime has increased in cities, but people avoid talking about it due to cultural taboos, as victim blaming extends beyond just females. Men who have been victims of sexual assault are never encouraged to talk or share their experiences with anyone. This continuous silence motivates more people to indulge in the crime, and this cyclic exploitation never ends anywhere.

People in the comment section reflected their perspectives on it by saying male molestation is concerning, while sexual assault is severe, but no one talks about it. Many boys are accused of it at an early age, even in jest, which either causes them lifelong trauma or motivates them to do the same to other young boys. The comments included, “So proud of the director for taking an initiative to talk about men’s harassment and assault,” and “we do not talk about such issues in general because when we do, people label such dramas as portraying homosexuality. But there is a big difference between promoting and spreading awareness.”

Awareness Towards Girls’ Safety and Empowerment

In episode two, Rabi sends her location by taking a picture of Sonu and the old building to go inside before entering the building to her mother is a great lesson for both genders, especially for the girls. In contemporary times, many incidents happen due to a little carelessness, so this initiative can protect many girls from any unfortunate incident. People in the comment section encouraged others to share this message.

Rabi’s mother in episode four talks about women’s empowerment. She says: “Those who earn themselves get feasibility and more right to make their own decisions. Take a chance; maybe you also get free“. This is an immediate taking initiative, as girls are now more prone to independence and do not want to settle for the bare minimum, while Rabi’s mother has tolerated her husband’s ignorance towards her for all her married life, so she encourages her daughter not to settle for less. Mothers should support their children, especially their daughters, to become empowered and financially independent, so they don’t have to tolerate toxic behaviors like she did. People also liked their bond and appreciated it, as it is a must for parents to have such a bond with their children, so they do not feel the need for someone else.

Highlighting the Importance of Social Media

The importance of social media as a platform to earn money was shown, but people expressed concern in the comment section, saying, “It is promoting TikTok.” Moreover, few people considered it a concern to promote girls with just a dupatta without hijab, and freely working with men. But it is all about the choice. In contemporary times, many women are working in job sectors with men, but wear hijab, while others do not. It is all about personal preferences and family dynamics.

The Rabi’s family had no issue with what she wore and with whom she worked until she could secure and protect herself. Rabi’s mother also highlighted the Pawri girl (Dananeer Shah) by emphasising the importance of social media, how a single video can make anyone famous, which could change their lives. Moreover, Kami says, “Bardasht aurton ka wasaf hota hy. Mardon ka is sy kaya lena dena” (Tolerance is of women’s glance, what can men do with it?). This shows what Sherry B. Ortner said, that women are often seen as having a lower status in societies worldwide (Ortner, 1972). This is supported by evidence such as cultural norms that devalue women’s roles, symbolic practices like restrictions on women’s mobility, and societal systems that limit their opportunities.

Tan Man Neelo Neel: Stagmatization and Spoiled Identities

In episode three, Sonu explains to Moon about his silence by saying, “Tou toh aisy keh raha hy jaisy hum society ky bary izzatdar log hein. Maon ky ilawa kisi ko koi faraq nhi parta. Hmein log Bhand, Marasi, Kutty, Kanjar keh ky bulaty hein” (You are questioning me like we are very respectful people of this society. no one cares other than mothers. People call us clowns, prostitutes, and lowlifes). Another dialogue is, “Agar hum mar bhi gaye toh log bolein gy ‘bury kaam ka bura nateeja. Nah nachty nah marty’ (Even if we die, people will say ‘it is the bad outcome of a bad profession. If they had not danced, they would not have died). The quote of Sonu shows how cold and judgmental society can be. Instead of understanding people’s struggles, society quickly says, “It is their fault.”

Even when the Moon got encouraged to get justice, the police inspector says, “Agar koi shreefana kaam hota toh aik minute mai parcha kaat deta. Yh zara bezati wala mamla hai. Hoga khuch bhi nahi, ulta tum hi badnaam hojao gy. Jidhar sy guzro gy log kahein gy ‘Woh dekho ja rha hy Nauman- jis ka chand Qaiser bhai ny charhaya tha’ . (If you were in some respectable position, I would immediately cut the FIR, but this is a matter of disgrace. Nothing will happen, but you will end up being the one to blame. Wherever you go, people will point and say, “Look, that’s Nauman urf Moon, the one whose moon Qaiser bhai has raised.)”

Reflection on Spoiled Identities

Goffman’s book ‘Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity’ (Goffman, 1963) explains how individuals or groups are socially rejected when their identity does not match the societal norms. The same is true for people like Sonu and Moon; society labels them as “dishonourable” and considers their identity “spoiled.” According to Bourdieu, social capital is what allows people to gain power and safety (Bourdieu, 1986). But these marginalised groups have low or no social capital, which is why society feels it is okay to ignore their pain or blame them for their struggles. The society uses their talent but shames their identity.

Irrationality of Groups

In episode five, Kami says, “Mery pass hajoom hy or hajoom ko kisi saboot ki zaroort nahi parti. Usy bas aik ishara chahiye hota hy baoo. Agar mai ny aik ishara kardiya toh aag lag jaye gi or zinda jal jaye ga. (I have a crowd, and the crowd does not need any evidence. It just needs a signal. If I even give a single signal, a fire will break out and he will burn alive.) This raises concerns about the group’s power and how easily people in the group can be manipulated. Le Bon in his book “The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind” (Le Bon, 1896) argued that ‘In a crowd, individuals lose their sense of self, rationality, and moral responsibility. Emotions, suggestions, and collective sentiment easily manipulate them.

The Fragile Family Structures

Episode six of ‘Tan Man Neelo Neel’ shows the family dynamic in Pakistan, mainly portraying most of the family structures. There is always a communication gap between parents and children, as happened with Rabi and her father. She, throughout her childhood, wanted the attention of her father. For that, she even did bad things just to get a chance to talk with him. She says, “Choti choti khawaishon ka shaher hai mery ander. Jisy ujharny sy bachany kay liey do do takay ky functionon mai jati hoo.” (There is a city of small desire within me, and to protect it from falling apart, I attend cheap functions).

Hierarchical Structures in a Society

The seventh episode is mainly about how politicians use lower-class people like Kami to further their interests. They use them and then let them face the consequences while protecting their white collars. This is what Karl Marx said: “The ruling class (bourgeoisie) uses the working class (proletariat) for their benefit.” When the lawyer tells Moon that, ‘Nah hi koi gawah hai, nah hi koi saboot. Or tum ny 48 ghanty mai nah koi FIR katwai hi or nah hi koi medical test hy“, he tells the procedure. It is must for a victim to get an FIR on the perpetrator within 48 hours and must get a medical test. The episode was for awareness, which people encountered and liked. Many of us do not know such information and seek a professional for it, but dramas are common. A majority sees them, so it is a great way to spread awareness on such issues.

In the last episode of ‘Tan Man Neelo Neel’, Kami uses the group of people to attack Sonu by blaming him that he danced in the sacred mosque. When one of Kami’s friends asks him, “How can we prove the old house belonged to the Sikhs? What if the blame falls on us later?” the Kami responds, “By the time the truth comes out, the crowd will have already done its job.” This is what Le Bon said about groups’ irrationality and illogical thinking. The Kami sparked the hate by saying, “Look at the name, he’s a Muslim, just like us. And look at what this man has done to our sacred place. Were we born into Muslim households to sit silently while a non-believer dances in the house of God?“

Mob Lynching of Mashal Khan Highlighted in Tan Man Neelo Neel

The group immediately got furious in the name of religion and launched a mob lynching on Sonu, Rabi, and Moon. In the end, the Kami himself got the part of that mob lynching and died to protect his father. This was to show a karma side that whatever bad we do to others, it returns to us. The drama ‘Tan Man Neelo Neel’ discussed various social issues, but its main focus was on mob lynching. It highlighted how people use religion to provoke public anger, causing others to follow blindly without rational thought. The drama was specially made to highlight the real-life lynching of Mashal Khan, a university student at Abdul Wali Khan University of Mardan. A mob falsely accused him of blasphemy in 2017 and killed him. The drama aimed to raise awareness about the weaponization of blasphemy and deep-rooted intolerance in society. It showed how these issues can lead to tragic incidents like mob lynching.

Conclusion

The drama was liked by many people because it talked about important problems in our society. Viewers appreciated how it helped create awareness about serious issues, such as corruption in institutions, where people in power do wrong things and hide the truth. It also talked about the sexual assault against men, which is not often talked about but is important to discuss. It also highlighted how people from poor or lower social classes are often treated badly and not given respect. However, the focus of the drama was mob lynching. It focused on how people can be influenced by others, especially in the name of religion. In return, they react without thinking, which can lead to tragic events.

However, some people had raised a few questions on how a girl works with men by considering it against Islam. Also, people were not happy with how social media was promoted. For them, dances, singing, and women in front of the camera are not something that should be openly accepted. They consider it a challenge to societal and cultural norms. In conclusion, although the drama has inspired many by discussing social issues, there has been some criticism of it. However, change arises gradually, and the drama ‘Tan Man Neelo Neel’ has contributed to putting efforts into breaking stereotypes towards the issues we do not talk much.