While orthodox television is busy portraying women as damsels in distress, the new age of Pakistani digital narratives has arrived and streaming platforms have taken the plunge to change the narrative. After Churails, Zee5 is currently airing Qaatil Haseenaon Ke Naam which is set in the timeless lanes of a mythical neighbourhood called the ‘Anderoon Sheher,’ and showcases stories of love, lust, power, and redemption, woven in a web of betrayal and revenge. Each story from the anthology depicts the fearlessness of womenfolk and their determination to avenge deceit.
Written by Meenu Gaur and Farjad Nabi, the web series boasts of a female-centric narrative and features an ensemble cast that includes Sanam Saeed, Sarwat Gilani, Faiza Gillani, Beo Zafar, Eman Suleman, Saleem Mairaj, Ahsan Khan, Osman Khalid Butt, Omar Rahim and Sheheryar Munawar.
BOLD sat down with the team to talk about their experiences, delving into what the qaatil haseenas have in store for its audiences.
With a cast so impeccable, we asked Meenu Gaur about the casting process of these actors; “Each of the female leads in the series embodies a very different woman as well as femininity, hence the essence of the characters is what led us to each of these actors. Casting the male actors was really fun too because our team was aware that for many of them, we were going to go against their regular screen personas, and I think the actors enjoyed the project so much because they were able to sink their teeth into something different from their staple.”
Albeit, watching the trailer, a lot of people had been thinking that the series is Churails 2.0, given the list of similarities ranging from an all-female leading cast to its various comparable themes, but there’s so much more to this new series that cements the ‘noir’ genre within South-Asian entertainment. ‘’Yes, a lot of people are comparing Churails and QHKN, and I think the only reason is that it is also a female-oriented narrative. Churails was a very contemporary story of these women who wanted to set things straight, and not particularly murder anybody or kill anybody for their revenge. Whereas QHKN is very dark and different in terms of visuals. It swings between classic and neo-noir. Unlike the colourful and lighthearted characters of Churails, characters in QHKN are darker in personality.’’ reveals Sarwat Gilani. Speaking of the similarities, Beo Zafar also adds that the series leans more towards the noir and gothic themes while Churails was more linear and current.
While we have seen women as archetypes of patience, often forgiving the treachery they have suffered, the series itself unearths their unapologetic, unforgiving side. “The inspiration was writing women characters who neither want to be saved nor seduced. What they want to do is carve out their own stories,” reveals Farjad Nabi as Gaur recalls pitching the idea to him; “Nabi and I have been wanting to work with mystery and suspense for a long time. So when I suggested this noir anthology with a twist, he was really excited. This genre is usually told from a male’s perspective and is even considered a male genre, but we wanted to tell it from the point of view of the female characters.”
The female characters lack the power and strength that is actually needed to break monotony. “I think it is pertinent to the times that we’re living in that we talk about narratives such as QHKN and Churails because there’s a huge shift in the sort of narratives that are being told about women, but the problem remains that these narratives are often being told by men. So I think it’s very important that these stories should be said by women and through their perspective,” shares Sarwat Gilani who thinks that there is a dire need to bring forward more female-oriented stories. “We need to see fierce women take charge because there are a lot of women who are taking charge of so many things around us, but their stories are never shared. I believe patriarchy does not have a gender and people too are ready for this change.”
The first thing you notice about the show in terms of cinematography is its dark grimly aesthetic that adds to the gritty mood that sets the tone of the series; “The project that Mo Azmi had was to translate a Hollywood genre aesthetic to that of a desi genre, and in doing so, he has crafted a completely original visual language that you’ll see in the series. The production design and styling have all aligned with this vision which was authentic to its setting. This has possibly been one of the most exciting parts of the project for everybody involved,” shares Gaur.
Working in an atmosphere so poetic and noir-esque was definitely a new challenge for the actors, recalls Sarwat Gilani as she talks about the set: “Desi noir is definitely a new challenge for all of us. We’ve seen it in Quentin Tarantino films, and in movies like Blade Runner, Chinatown, Momento, whilst regional films like Gupt, Aitraaz, Ishqiya and Haider have given us those feelers before. There’s play around shadows and tilted camera angles to capture the noir-ey essence and earthy tones, which feel very Lahore. So it really helped us as actors to perform in that sort of mindset.”
The series aims to break stereotypes around women by portraying female characters who vary in age; from someone young portrayed by Eman Suleman to someone middle-aged being played by Samiya Mumtaz to someone older as Beo Zafar. “One of the biggest stereotypes related to femme-fatales or qaatil haseenas was about age. This is a male construct in storytelling that can only see younger women as the lead and that is because the male gaze is unable to see these women as anything but objects. When we make women the storytellers, the definition of femme fatale or qatil haseena changes, and she is neither a victim nor a vamp, but a woman who knows what she wants. And that can be a woman of any age,” shares Gaur.
Beo Zafar then goes on to explain: “The human spirit and struggle remain the same through the ages, only the specifics change.” Adding to the conversation, Farjad Nabi reminds us that it’s one of the many subversions of the popular fatale stereotype: the young, devious, cold seductress, in the series. Our heroines are not subject to their physical attributes, they’re so much more than that. “I think Gaur consciously kept different age groups in mind because women are subject to age and growing, going from young to frail. And it really affects their lives and the perspective that people have about them. There’s a scene in the second episode with Faiza Gillani playing a nurse that shows how men especially talk about older women or women getting old,” dishes Gilani as she joins in.
We’re looking at feminist noir, a sub-genre that promises to deliver chills and thrills in the show where femme fatales are no longer stereotyped as young, over-sexualised and objectified women. They are not confined to a certain class or age. They’re all from different walks of life and have different stories to tell, and we couldn’t resist but ask if the cast could relate to the characters they’re playing in the web-series. “Yes, there is a streak of their portrayal which is very close to our hearts and is very real to our own personalities. Because we live in a society that is very misogynistic and patriarchal, a lot of the cast members also felt that this was much needed and we’ve all wanted to be part of such a story that was very close to our real life and what is happening around us,” shares Gilani.
Nabi also added his two cents saying that whenever there is an incident of violence or harassment against a woman, an online debate takes off. It’s the “Not all men” versus “Yes, all men” debate. But many fail to comprehend that the number of men doesn’t matter, the fact that “Yes all women” can relate to these battles and struggles is evidence enough that the horrific effects of patriarchy are still rampant in our society.
Omar Rahim shared that while the branding of the show highlights the struggle and resistance of women against injustice, the actual narratives are both broader and deeper, “I think many of the characters (including some of the men) struggle for truth, for justice, or just to become masters of their own fate.”
Streaming platforms are allowing filmmakers to take risks they hesitate to take for TV and film, which is why it has opened up a whole new landscape of content for the new generation. Farjad Nabi thinks that this is the ‘golden age’ for creatives all around the world; “The writing and creative process for QHKN revelled in this freedom, which translates into a narrative ranging from the unusual to the playful.”
With a cast so refined and talented, Gilani and Rahim share what a normal day on the set was like: “We actually shot each episode separately so we didn’t get to meet everybody in the cast. Osman Khalid Butt used to be in panic mode trying to concentrate on his lines. Ahsan Khan, on the other hand, is a fine actor who has lived in Lahore for the longest time so for him, Lahore winters were no big deal but for me, the winters were unbearable. I was the only one who needed heaters all around, so the fog and the cold weather would take it away for me sometimes, but otherwise, there weren’t many shenanigans on set. We were so deprived of sleep as we were working 18 hours a day and sometimes even 20 hours a day. So we just wanted to give our best and get done with the scenes to go home and get some rest,” recalls Gilani.
Rahim, on the other hand, loved being on the set: “The set was very well-run. It generally feels like working in our industry is a permanent state of waiting and then a quick burst of takes start. Our production team made sure that our time was well-managed. Gaur is a gracious and supportive director who strikes a terrific balance between providing actors with vital guidance and encouraging them to make their own courageous choices. Mo Azmi is a super-efficient wizard behind the camera – quick, brilliant and full of good vibes. And Sanam Saeed is the best possible co-actor – spunky, smart and playful. This set was a complete joy to work on.”
As much as the set may have been incredible to work on, the final output of the show looks just as good. With the many tidbits people had gotten through teasers and trailers, fans were anticipating the series as a journey to remember, full of socially powerful narratives. Beo Zafar shed some light on what viewers can expect from the show; “People who watch this may question themselves as to how much they have lived on the fence and how much they have stood up for themselves when compared to the extreme actions of the protagonists of the show.” Nabi adds to that by establishing the timelessness of the narrative they’ve portrayed; “It’s going to mesmerise you and you’ll find yourself thinking about the characters for months to follow.”
The series finally went on air on December 10th, and we can’t help but side with Omar Rahim when he says; “Qaatil Haseenaon Ke Naam is definitely worth watching in its entirety.”
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