Burka Avenger

Burka Avenger is an animated television series about a school teacher who dons a Burka at night to turn into a superhero that fights villains attempting to abolish education in her town. However, her Burka is creating a bigger storm across the world than her fight for education! Read on to know more. In this articlePopularity of Burka AvengerPlot of Burka AvengerThe Burka Tool of Empowerment or Symbol of SubmissionBurka Avenger A Role Model for GirlsDon’t mess with the Lady in Black, a poster of Burka Avenger proudly proclaims!Gentle school teacher by day, and ferocious superhero by night; Jiya dons the burka at night to fight evil in the form of greedy feudal lords, villainous goons-for-hire, and chauvinistic bigots who claim that education is wasted on females.While Burka Avenger has no Lasso of Truth like Wonder Woman or high-tech gadgets like Bat Woman, what she does have is her father’s training of takht kabbadi; her burka, worn to hide her true identity and her books and pens to use as weapons against evildoers. Taking the old adage, a pen is mightier than the sword literally, are we Jiya?Popularity of Burka AvengerWith over 20,000 fans on Facebook, a phone game, and fast-selling merchandise before it was even launched on television, Burka Avenger is the first made-in-Urdu animated series for children to be aired in Pakistan and promises to be a musical extravaganza with acts from some of South Asia’s biggest musical stars such as Ali Zafar, Haroon, Ali Azmat, Josh, etc. Aaron Haroon Rashid, the creator of Burka Avenger, is a Pakistani pop star who decided to create the series to spread awareness after hearing of extremists shutting down girls’ schools in his native Pakistan. However, her choice of attire, namely the Burka, has upset liberal activists so much so, that the social messages that she is trying to deliver are almost lost in the backlash against the Burka.Plot of Burka AvengerIn the first episode of the Burka Avenger series, Jiya is a school teacher in the fictitious town of Halwapur. The greedy sexist feudal lord is attempting to shut down the girls’ school in order to pocket all the money that would otherwise help run the school. He raucously proclaims, “padh likh ke computer thodi ban jana hai” (What is the point of educating girls...It’s not like they will become computers after studying). He hires ruffian magician Baba Bandook, and his sidekick to help close down the school but they are all thwarted by the timely action of the Burka Avenger. Burka Avenger uses well-aimed pens to immobilise the goons and beats them up with the help of her books and superfast reflexes courtesy of her father’s martial arts training.Burka Avenger is slated to be a 13 episode serial and every episode will end with a clear social message for the youth. Burka Avenger, along with three young kids Immu, Mooli and Ashu help fight all evils like corruption, discrimination, child labour, oppression of females, sectarian violence and so on. The Burka: Tool of Empowerment or Symbol of SubmissionWhile Burka Avenger is to be lauded for highlighting the importance of education at a time when Malala Yousufzai and other education activists are fighting a formidable battle against hard-line extremists such as the Taliban, Jiya’s choice of apparel to fight baddies, namely the Burka, has ruffled a lot of feminist feathers. Many human rights activists, such as Marvi Sirmed, vociferously announced that the series was wrong to glamorise the burka as a means of empowering women when in reality it was a symbol of the oppression faced by women. Bina Shah, a Pakistani feminist, was especially vocal in her unhappiness with Burka Avenger for suggesting the burka gives girls superpowers when in reality it takes power away from them. She fears that young girls may get brainwashed into wearing burkas to be more like their hero, the Burka Avenger and get superpowers like she does.While it is true that the burka has been viewed as a symbol of oppression by most liberal activists, one cannot argue that in a land where the nationwide female literacy rate is just 12%, the Burka Avenger may succeed in shedding a positive light upon education which has been severely blighted by the Taliban blowing up a number of girls’ schools to terrorise and discourage them from going to school.Many believe that in the case of the Burka Avenger, her Burka is source of power. After all Jiya does not wear a burka in her day-to-day life, only when she needs to become her superhero alter ego does she don the burka which helps her to fly not unlike the capes of the superheroes in the west.As creator Haroon points out, the western superheroes are all portrayed as sex kittens. Objectifying women would not work well with the modest Pakistani culture; Burka Avengers attire is a demonstration of her strength, not her sexuality.Burka Avenger: A Role Model for GirlsWesterners are of the opinion that Burka Avenger is a far superior female role model than any animated character of the west. Jiya is neither vain about her looks, nor is her strength a depiction of masculinity as is the norm with most superheroes. Her main concern is to save her village and ensure that all children have access to a good education. She does not need a man to lean on and she fights against real world villains like corrupt politicians, vicious mercenaries and hard-line extremists instead of evil witches and wicked stepsisters.Is it so wrong that the series has simply twisted the old superhero cape to more effectively resonate with the culture their audience is used to? Is Burka Avenger simply collateral damage in the age old fight liberalists have waged against the Burka? Is her attire simply distracting most from receiving the message that she wants all of Pakistan to hear? Yes, many perceive the Burka to signify submission. But not Jiya, and definitely not her alter identity. After all, doesn’t Burka Avenger set out to protect the weak, fight for her village’s rights, and take a stand against all corrupt and discriminatory practices occurring around her? Isn’t that the same battle that liberalists have waged and struggled against since decades? Then maybe it is time that one focuses on what she is doing instead of just what she is wearing. The Burka Avenger is all set to deliver positive social messages to the young ones in a medium that they not only accept but also covet.Instead of fearing that children will begin to glamorise the Burka, shouldn’t people hope that the first-of-its-kind animated series will motivate children to stand up for their rights, set right all wrongs, and fight against discrimination of all kinds? The series idealises girl power and education in a way that excites children to do the same. As Burka Avenger emphatically asserts at the end of episode 1 – “Talim aapka hakh hai! (Education is your fundamental right!)”Would you let your children watch Burka Avenger? Do you think that Burka Avenger is a good role model for girls? What are your views on the Burka being used as a superhero cape? Discuss here.

Burka Avenger is an animated television series about a school teacher who dons a Burka at night to turn into a superhero that fights villains attempting to abolish education in her town. However, her Burka is creating a bigger storm across the world than her fight for education! Read on to know more.

Don’t mess with the Lady in Black, a poster of Burka Avenger proudly proclaims!

Gentle school teacher by day, and ferocious superhero by night; Jiya dons the burka at night to fight evil in the form of greedy feudal lords, villainous goons-for-hire, and chauvinistic bigots who claim that education is wasted on females.

While Burka Avenger has no Lasso of Truth like Wonder Woman or high-tech gadgets like Bat Woman, what she does have is her father’s training of takht kabbadi; her burka, worn to hide her true identity and her books and pens to use as weapons against evildoers. Taking the old adage, a pen is mightier than the sword literally, are we Jiya?

Popularity of Burka Avenger

With over 20,000 fans on Facebook, a phone game, and fast-selling merchandise before it was even launched on television, Burka Avenger is the first made-in-Urdu animated series for children to be aired in Pakistan and promises to be a musical extravaganza with acts from some of South Asia’s biggest musical stars such as Ali Zafar, Haroon, Ali Azmat, Josh, etc. Aaron Haroon Rashid, the creator of Burka Avenger, is a Pakistani pop star who decided to create the series to spread awareness after hearing of extremists shutting down girls’ schools in his native Pakistan. However, her choice of attire, namely the Burka, has upset liberal activists so much so, that the social messages that she is trying to deliver are almost lost in the backlash against the Burka.

Plot of Burka Avenger

In the first episode of the Burka Avenger series, Jiya is a school teacher in the fictitious town of Halwapur. The greedy sexist feudal lord is attempting to shut down the girls’ school in order to pocket all the money that would otherwise help run the school. He raucously proclaims, “padh likh ke computer thodi ban jana hai” (What is the point of educating girls...It’s not like they will become computers after studying). He hires ruffian magician Baba Bandook, and his sidekick to help close down the school but they are all thwarted by the timely action of the Burka Avenger. Burka Avenger uses well-aimed pens to immobilise the goons and beats them up with the help of her books and superfast reflexes courtesy of her father’s martial arts training.

Burka Avenger is slated to be a 13 episode serial and every episode will end with a clear social message for the youth. Burka Avenger, along with three young kids Immu, Mooli and Ashu help fight all evils like corruption, discrimination, child labour, oppression of females, sectarian violence and so on.

The Burka: Tool of Empowerment or Symbol of Submission

While Burka Avenger is to be lauded for highlighting the importance of education at a time when Malala Yousufzai and other education activists are fighting a formidable battle against hard-line extremists such as the Taliban, Jiya’s choice of apparel to fight baddies, namely the Burka, has ruffled a lot of feminist feathers.

Many human rights activists, such as Marvi Sirmed, vociferously announced that the series was wrong to glamorise the burka as a means of empowering women when in reality it was a symbol of the oppression faced by women. Bina Shah, a Pakistani feminist, was especially vocal in her unhappiness with Burka Avenger for suggesting the burka gives girls superpowers when in reality it takes power away from them. She fears that young girls may get brainwashed into wearing burkas to be more like their hero, the Burka Avenger and get superpowers like she does.

While it is true that the burka has been viewed as a symbol of oppression by most liberal activists, one cannot argue that in a land where the nationwide female literacy rate is just 12%, the Burka Avenger may succeed in shedding a positive light upon education which has been severely blighted by the Taliban blowing up a number of girls’ schools to terrorise and discourage them from going to school.

Many believe that in the case of the Burka Avenger, her Burka is source of power. After all Jiya does not wear a burka in her day-to-day life, only when she needs to become her superhero alter ego does she don the burka which helps her to fly not unlike the capes of the superheroes in the west.

As creator Haroon points out, the western superheroes are all portrayed as sex kittens. Objectifying women would not work well with the modest Pakistani culture; Burka Avenger's attire is a demonstration of her strength, not her sexuality.

Burka Avenger: A Role Model for Girls

Westerners are of the opinion that Burka Avenger is a far superior female role model than any animated character of the west. Jiya is neither vain about her looks, nor is her strength a depiction of masculinity as is the norm with most superheroes. Her main concern is to save her village and ensure that all children have access to a good education. She does not need a man to lean on and she fights against real world villains like corrupt politicians, vicious mercenaries and hard-line extremists instead of evil witches and wicked stepsisters.

Is it so wrong that the series has simply twisted the old superhero cape to more effectively resonate with the culture their audience is used to? Is Burka Avenger simply collateral damage in the age old fight liberalists have waged against the Burka? Is her attire simply distracting most from receiving the message that she wants all of Pakistan to hear? Yes, many perceive the Burka to signify submission. But not Jiya, and definitely not her alter identity. After all, doesn’t Burka Avenger set out to protect the weak, fight for her village’s rights, and take a stand against all corrupt and discriminatory practices occurring around her? Isn’t that the same battle that liberalists have waged and struggled against since decades? Then maybe it is time that one focuses on what she is doing instead of just what she is wearing. The Burka Avenger is all set to deliver positive social messages to the young ones in a medium that they not only accept but also covet.

Instead of fearing that children will begin to glamorise the Burka, shouldn’t people hope that the first-of-its-kind animated series will motivate children to stand up for their rights, set right all wrongs, and fight against discrimination of all kinds? The series idealises girl power and education in a way that excites children to do the same. As Burka Avenger emphatically asserts at the end of episode 1 – “Talim aapka hakh hai! (Education is your fundamental right!)”

Would you let your children watch Burka Avenger? Do you think that Burka Avenger is a good role model for girls? What are your views on the Burka being used as a superhero cape? Discuss here.