Thanks ! I just finished watching it today so my thoughts were fresh ! Yes I agree with you, this kind of behavior is often (dangerously) romanticized and I'm so glad they didn't do that here. I simply loved the fact that the FL never let the ML's abusiveness get to the core of her, to her spirit. You could sense the remoteness and detachment she maintained from him even when forced to stay in close contact with him. And I'm glad it all didn't end happily ever after. I wish such stories would serve as a cautionary tale to men who think they can treat women like crap and get away with it.
In fact from what I have read on the show, at the time Gul-e-Rana aired, people were watching it with the expectations that this would be another one of those "romance" stories where the abusive man is reformed and becomes a loving husband. So the ending enraged people. But Gul-e-Rana if you watch it clear-eyed, you would know it never ever gives any leeway to the ML. His descent is quite complete and his weaknesses are such that you can see how low the FL's opinion of him would be. In fact, when Adeel says that your love might have changed me, Gul-e-Rana's response is clear. Why should it be up to me to change you? The acting of course makes it such a compelling watch but it is a very unsettling drama precisely because it makes you end up questioning all the other shows one has watched where similar types of abusive behaviour has been forgiven and forgotten and romanticised as "passion".
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