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Burka Avenger

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Burka Avenger
Series logo
GenreAction
comedy
Superhero fiction
Edutainment
Created byHaroon
Written byHaroon
Asad Zafar
Arslan Naseer
Khaya Ahmed
Shehzad Ghias
Nida Hasan Fancy
Ahmer Naqvi
Directed byHaroon[1]
Uzair Zaheer Khan[2]
Voices ofAiny Jaffri
Hamza Ali Abbasi
Wes Malik
Sardar Xin Khan
Anum Zaidi
Amjad Chaudhary
Sara Rubab
Theme music composerHaroon
Opening themeBurka Avenger
Ending themeLady in Black
Country of originPakistan
Original languageUrdu
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes52
Production
ProducerHaroon
Running timeApprox. 22 minutes
Production companyUnicorn Black[3]
Original release
NetworkNick Pakistan
Release28 July 2013 (2013-07-28) –
13 January 2016 (2016-01-13)

Burka Avenger is a multi-award-winning Pakistani animated television series created by Aaron Haroon Rashid (a.k.a. Haroon).[4]

The series was produced at Unicorn Black in Islamabad, Pakistan. It was originally premiered on Geo Tez, but from season 2, Nick Pakistan is it's original network. Four seasons, containing a total of 52 episodes of about 22 minutes each, have been launched to great success in Pakistan,[5] Afghanistan and India[6] and dubbed in 10 languages including Turkish, Arabic, Tamil, Pashto, and Persian.[6]

Named by Time magazine as one of the most Influential Fictional Characters of 2013,[7] the Urdu language series first aired on 28 July 2013.[8] The series has received worldwide acclaim for its focus on social issues and delivering it in an informative and entertaining manner.

Plot

Burka Avenger is set in the fictional town of Halwapur in northern Pakistan. It features a superheroine who wears a burka as a disguise to conceal her identity while fighting villains. Her alter ego is Jiya, an "inspirational teacher"[9] at an all-girls’ school. Jiya fights corrupt politicians and vengeful mercenaries[10] who attempt to shut down girls’ schools, using "Takht Kabadi", a martial art that involves throwing books and pens. Together with children 'Ashu', 'Immu' and 'Mooli', the Burka Avenger fights the evil magician 'Baba Bandook', his henchmen and corrupt politician 'Vadero Pajero'.[11]

The main characters include three children, twins Ashu and Immu, their friend Mooli (who takes his sobriquet from his enthusiasm for the vegetable of the same name), his pet goat Golu, Jiya (the Burka Avenger), the villainous magician Baba Bandook, corrupt politician Vadero Pajero, and Jiya's adoptive father Kabbadi Jan.[9][11]

Music

Episodes of Burka Avenger feature music from artists such as Ali Zafar, Ali Azmat, and JoSH, as well as Haroon. Rapper Adil Omar and Haroon released a music video featuring the Burka Avenger called "Don't Mess With the Lady in Black".[11] Popular music videos released to date featuring music and animation from the series include the following:

S. No. Song Artist Year
1 Lady in Black Haroon & Adil Omar 2013
2 Baba Bandook Ali Azmat & Haroon 2013
3 Vadero Pajero Qayaas feat. Haroon 2013
4 Jeet Mein Haar Mein JoSH 2013
5 Hum Hain Haroon 2015
6 Rocket Rickshaw Haroon 2015

Awards and achievements

Burka Avenger has won several major international awards and accolades including the following:

S. No. Awards / Accolades Category Result Year
1 Peabody Award[12] N/A Won 2013
2 International Emmy Awards[13] Kids: Animation Nominated 2015
3 Prix Jeunesse International[14] International Gender Equity Prize Won 2013
4 Asian Media Awards[15] Best TV Show Won 2014
5 Canada International Film Festival[16] Animation Rising Star Award 2013
6 Accolades Global Film Festival[17] Viewer Impact: Content / Message Delivery Award of Merit (Special Mention) 2014
7 LUMS International Film Festival[18] Animation Won 2014

Broadcast

Burka Avenger has been launched successfully in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India and dubbed in 10 languages including Arabic, Turkish, Tamil, Pashto, and Persian.

Pakistan
Network Season Date Language
Geo Tez 1 July 2013 Urdu
Geo Kahani 1 July 2014 Urdu
Nick Pakistan 1 November 2014 Urdu
Nick Pakistan 2 February 2015 Urdu
Nick Pakistan 3 June 2015 Urdu
Nick Pakistan 4 December 2015 Urdu
AVT Khyber 1 July 2016 Pashto

International broadcast

India
Network Season Date Language
ZeeQ 1 and 2 June 2015 Hindi
ZeeQ 3 TBA Hindi
ZeeQ 1, 2, 3 TBA Telagu
Afghanistan
Network Season Date Language
Tolo TV 1 January 2015 Dari
Tolo TV 2 November 2015 Dari
Lemar TV 1 January 2015 Pushto
Lemar TV 2 November 2015 Pushto

Reception

Burka Avenger received mainly positive reviews and praise for its female empowerment themes and also inspired many. Time magazine rated the show as one of the most Influential Fictional Characters of 2013.[19] In an article on Burka Avenger, the Huffington Post stated that "Disney could learn a thing or two".[10] The Washington Post elaborated on this, stating "Pakistan's new superhero makes the hoop-skirted, Prince Charming-obsessed Disney princesses look downright antiquated. She was not born into royalty. She does not obsess about her beauty. And she definitely does not want or need to be whisked off on some white horse or magic carpet. No, Jiya, or the Burka Avenger, is too busy defending women’s rights and education for all. Now that’s what I call a role model for girls".[20] CBC News put Burka Avenger's rave reviews down to "its colourful animation, pro-education message and cross-generational appeal", going on to state that "many are proudly referring to the character as Pakistan's Wonder Woman."[21]

Alyssa Rosenberg is a Features Editor of Think Progress. Her writings are based on the intersection of culture and politics. She commented that “American superhero stories could stand to think more about Jiya’s dual role, and how she turns perceived disadvantages or the tools of her trade into strengths.”[22] Pakistan’s Dawn News referred to Burka Avenger as an "international phenomenon" due to its content.[23]

Burka Avenger has been praised for its promotion of women's education in Pakistan.[24] This is Pakistan's first animated female superhero.[25] Reviewers have noted parallels between the series and Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani girl who was shot in an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen.[26] The fundamentalists in the series who try to shut down the girls' school have drawn comparisons to the Taliban who have destroyed hundreds of schools in Northwest Pakistan.[27][28]

Women’s groups in India have welcomed the move to air Burka Avenger. "A lot of problems that women in India face stem from the cultural upbringing which conditions the mind of children," said Noorjehan Safia Niaz, founder of the Ashana Trust, which supports women’s initiatives for justice and development.[29]

Burka Avenger is also the most watched children’s TV show in Afghanistan. According to a survey conducted in Afghanistan from mothers and focus groups in urban areas, 85% of children watch Burka Avenger in Afghanistan.[citation needed]

Criticism and response

Much of the initial commentary on the series focused on Jiya's choice of attire when in disguise (the burqa) and peaked prior to the broadcast of the show, which aired for the first time on 28 July 2013.[24] Politician and former Pakistani Ambassador to the US, Sherry Rehman, commented on 27 July 2013 that "Burka Avenger is good, but I don't like the feudal stereotyping or the burqa. A dupatta (head scarf) could have done the job of relating to context." In an interview on Australian TV Channel ABC News, Haroon responded to criticism, stating, "Most superheroes wear disguises and a show about a woman not wearing a disguise would be a different show." When asked about the choice to clothe the superheroine in a burqa, Haroon emphasized that the character 'Jiya' does not wear a burqa, headscarf or veil by day.[30] "We chose the burqa because we wanted a local relatable flavor.”[31] “We wanted to hide her identity the way superheroes do. She doesn't wear the burqa during the day — she doesn't even wear a headscarf, or a hijab or anything like that; she goes about her business as a normal teacher would. And so she chooses to wear the burqa only as a disguise, she's not oppressed ... and on the other end of the spectrum, a lot of female superheroes in the West are objectified, and sort of sexualized in their costumes, like Catwoman and Wonder Woman, and that certainly would not work here."[30][32]

See also

  • Team Muhafiz, a superhero comic-book series also based in Pakistan

References

  1. ^ "Haroon revels in series of firsts - The Express Tribune". 24 December 2015.
  2. ^ "Uzair Zaheer Khan".
  3. ^ "Burka Avenger returns with Season 4".
  4. ^ "Interview with Haroon, Creator of Burka Avenger". Peabodyawards.com. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  5. ^ "'I want the Burka Avenger film to be as good as a Pixar movie' - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Pakistan's cartoon 'Burka Avenger' swoops into India to empower girls". Reuters. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  7. ^ Alter, Charlotte; Dockterman, Eliana. "The 11 Most Influential Fictional Characters of 2013". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  8. ^ "Geo Tez launches Burka Avenger: Pakistan's new animated hero". Geo.tv. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Burka Avenger".
  10. ^ a b Davis, Lindsey (2013-29-07). "6 Lessons Disney Could Learn From Pakistan's 'Burka Avenger". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2013-13-08
  11. ^ a b c "Meet Pakistan's Burka Avenger". Dawn (Pakistan). AP. 2013-07-25
  12. ^ "Burka Avenger". peabodyawards.com. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  13. ^ "Awards - Nominees - International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences". iemmys.tv. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  14. ^ "Burka Avenger bags Gender Equity Prize". The News International. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  15. ^ Desk, Entertainment (29 October 2014). "Burka Avenger brings home Asian Media Award for 'Best TV Show'". Dawn. Pakistan. Retrieved 4 April 2016. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  16. ^ User, Super. "Canada International Film Festival | Screenplay Contest - 2014". www.canadafilmfestival.com. Retrieved 4 April 2016. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  17. ^ "Awards of Merit – March 2015 |". accoladecompetition.org. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  18. ^ "Multi-award winning TV show Burka Avenger returns with Season 4". arynews.tv. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  19. ^ Alter, C., & Dockerman, E. (2013-09-12). "The 11 Most Influential Fictional Characters of 2013". Time
  20. ^ Neel, Aly (2013-01-08). "Burka Avenger, Pakistan’s new superhero". The Washington Post.
  21. ^ O’Neil, Lauren (2013-29-07). "Burka Avenger promotes girl power in Pakistan" CBC news
  22. ^ Rosenberg, Alyssa (2013-12-08). “What Western Superhero Stories Could Learn From ‘Burka Avenger,’ A Pakistani Superheroine”. Think Progress
  23. ^ Sheikh, Shazeb. (2013-04-08). "Spotlight: Black with a vengeance". Dawn (Pakistan)
  24. ^ a b Khan, Faiza S. (7 August 2013). "The Ridiculous 'Burka Avenger' Backlash". The Daily Beast.
  25. ^ Kapur, Isabella (26 July 2013). "Burka Avenger: Pakistan's First Animated Female Superhero Is A Teacher By Day, Crime Fighter By Night". The Mary Sue.
  26. ^ Mahr, Krista (1 August 2013). "Burka Avenger: Conservative Pakistan's New Animated Liberal Superheroine". Time.
  27. ^ "Burka Avenger: cool or conformist?". NDTV. 31 July 2013.
  28. ^ Ehrlich, Richard (2013-08-09). "New Muslim superhero is a Wonder Woman-like education warrior". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  29. ^ Mukhtar, Zeeshan (30 April 2015). "Pakistan's burqa-clad cartoon superhero makes foray into India". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  30. ^ a b "Lady In Black: 'Burka Avenger' Fights For Pakistan's Girls". NPR. 31 July 2013.
  31. ^ Swasti Chatterjee (17 August 2013). "Burka Avenger to be made into a Bollywood film". The Times of India.
  32. ^ James Oaten; Del Irani (11 August 2013). "Burka Avenger: Pakistan's first female superhero". ABC.
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