Burka Avenger

Burka Avenger (Urdu: برقعہ ایوینجر‎) is a Pakistani animated television series created, directed and produced by Haroon.[4]

Burka Avenger
Series logo
Urdu	برقعہ ایوینجر
Genre	Action comedy Superhero fiction Edutainment
Created by	Haroon
Written by	Adi Abdurab Asad Zafar Arslan Naseer Haroon Khaya Ahmed Shehzad Ghias Nida Hasan Fancy Syed Zain Raza Ahmer Naqvi
Directed by	Haroon[1] Uzair Zaheer Khan[2]
Voices of	Ainy Jaffri Hamza Ali Abbasi Wes Malik Sardar Xin Khan Anum Zaidi Amjad Chaudhary Sara Rubab Adi Abdurab
Theme music composer	Haroon
Opening theme	Burka Avenger
Ending theme	Lady in Black
Country of origin	Pakistan
Original language	Urdu
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	52
Production
Producer	Haroon
Running time	Approx. 22 minutes
Production company	Unicorn Black[3]
Release
Original network	Geo Tez (season 1) Nickelodeon Pakistan (season 2–4)
Picture format	PAL (576i) HD 1080p
Audio format	Stereo
Original release	28 July 2013 – 13 January 2016
External links
Official website
Production website

Unicorn Black founder and international pop star Haroon (AKA Aaron Haroon Rashid) created the series as a way to emphasise the importance of girls’ education in Pakistan and abroad, as well as issues such as equality and discrimination.[5] Burka Avenger originally premiered on Geo Tez, but moved to Nick Pakistan from season 2. Four seasons, containing a total of 52 episodes were directed and produced by Haroon at Unicorn Black, have been launched to great success in Pakistan.[6] It then made its international airing in Afghanistan, India and Indonesia[7] and dubbed in many languages including Turkish, Arabic, Tamil, Pashto, and Persian.[7]

Named by Time magazine as one of the most Influential Fictional Characters of 2013,[8] the Urdu series first aired on 28 July 2013.[9] 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"[10] at an all-girls’ school. Jiya fights corrupt politicians and vengeful mercenaries[11] 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'.[12]

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.[10][12]

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".[12] 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	"Channo"	Ali Zafar	2013
5	"Jeet Mein Haar Mein"	JoSH	2013
6	"Hum Hain"	Haroon	2015
7	"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[13]	N/A	Won	2013
2	International Emmy Awards[14]	Kids: Animation	Nominated	2015
3	Prix Jeunesse International[15]	International Gender Equity Prize	Won	2013
4	Asian Media Awards[16]	Best TV Show	Won	2014
5	Canada International Film Festival[17]	Animation	Rising Star Award	2014
6	Accolades Global Film Festival[18]	Viewer Impact: Content / Message Delivery	Award of Merit (Special Mention)	2014
7	LUMS International Film Festival[19]	Animation	Won	2014
8	National Innovation Award[20]	Art & Design	Won	2017

Broadcast

Burka Avenger has been launched successfully in Pakistan in Urdu language. It then dubbed in many languages including Arabic, Pashto, Persian, and Indonesian for international broadcasts, like in Afghanistan, India and Indonesia.

Network	Season	Date	Language
Pakistan
Geo Tez	1	July 2013	Urdu
Geo Kahani	1	July 2014
Nickelodeon	1	November 2014
	2	February 2015
	3	June 2015
	4	December 2015
ATV		22 July 2017
AVT Khyber	1	July 2016	Pashto
India
ZeeQ	1 and 2	13 June 2015	Hindi
			English
			Tamil
			Telugu
Afghanistan
Tolo TV	1	11 January 2015	Persian
	2	15 November 2015
Lemar TV	1	25 January 2015	Pashto
	2	29 November 2015
Indonesia
ANTV	1	8 April 2017	Indonesian

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.[21] In an article on Burka Avenger, the Huffington Post stated that "Disney could learn a thing or two".[11] 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".[22] 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."[23]

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."[24] Pakistan's Dawn News referred to Burka Avenger as an "international phenomenon" due to its content.[25]

Burka Avenger has been praised for its promotion of women's education in Pakistan.[26] This is Pakistan's first animated female superhero.[27] Reviewers have noted parallels between the series and Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani girl who was shot in an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen.[28] 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.[29][30]

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.[31]

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.[32] Massood Sanjer, head of Tolo TV in Afghanistan, said Burka Avenger "has had a significant impact on the promotion of girls’ education, women empowerment and tolerance in Afghanistan," adding: “We believe Burka Avenger will continue to contribute to positive social changes in the future.”[5]

Burka Avenger launched to huge success in Indonesia in April 2017. Burka Avenger was the most watched children's show in the ages 5–14 category in its first month of launch and the nationwide slot leader.

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.[26] 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.[33] "We chose the burqa because we wanted a local relatable flavor.”[34] "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 (referring to the 1970's TV series), and that certainly would not work here."[33][35]

See also

• List of Pakistani animated television series
• Team Muhafiz, a superhero comic-book series also based in Pakistan
• 3 Bahadur, an animated film series 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. http://www.c21media.net/burka-avenger-takes-on-indonesia/
6. "'I want the Burka Avenger film to be as good as a Pixar movie' – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
7. "Pakistan's cartoon 'Burka Avenger' swoops into India to empower girls". Reuters. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
8. Alter, Charlotte; Dockterman, Eliana. "The 11 Most Influential Fictional Characters of 2013". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
9. "Geo Tez launches Burka Avenger: Pakistan's new animated hero". Geo.tv. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
10. "Burka Avenger".
11. Davis, Lindsey (2013-29-07). "6 Lessons Disney Could Learn From Pakistan's 'Burka Avenger". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2013-13-08
12. "Meet Pakistan's Burka Avenger". Dawn (Pakistan). AP. 25 July 2013
13. "Burka Avenger". peabodyawards.com. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
14. "Awards – Nominees – International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences". iemmys.tv. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
15. "Burka Avenger bags Gender Equity Prize". The News International. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
16. Desk, Entertainment (29 October 2014). "Burka Avenger brings home Asian Media Award for 'Best TV Show'". Dawn. Pakistan. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
17. "Canada International Film Festival | Screenplay Contest – 2014". www.canadafilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
18. "Awards of Merit – March 2015 |". accoladecompetition.org. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
19. "Multi-award winning TV show Burka Avenger returns with Season 4". arynews.tv. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
20. "Burka Avenger bags another national award". Aaj News. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
21. Alter, C., & Dockerman, E. (12 September 2013). "The 11 Most Influential Fictional Characters of 2013". Time
22. Neel, Aly (8 January 2013). "Burka Avenger, Pakistan's new superhero". The Washington Post.
23. O’Neil, Lauren (2013-29-07). "Burka Avenger promotes girl power in Pakistan" CBC news
24. Rosenberg, Alyssa (8 December 2013). “What Western Superhero Stories Could Learn From ‘Burka Avenger,’ A Pakistani Superheroine” Archived 5 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Think Progress
25. Sheikh, Shazeb. (8 April 2013). "Spotlight: Black with a vengeance". Dawn (Pakistan)
26. Khan, Faiza S. (7 August 2013). "The Ridiculous 'Burka Avenger' Backlash". The Daily Beast.
27. 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.
28. Mahr, Krista (1 August 2013). "Burka Avenger: Conservative Pakistan's New Animated Liberal Superheroine". Time.
29. "Burka Avenger: cool or conformist?". NDTV. 31 July 2013.
30. Ehrlich, Richard (9 August 2013). "New Muslim superhero is a Wonder Woman-like education warrior". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
31. Mukhtar, Zeeshan (30 April 2015). "Pakistan's burqa-clad cartoon superhero makes foray into India". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
32. "Evaluation and observational study of the Burka Avenger TV series (tolo) | ATR Consulting". atr-consulting.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
33. "Lady in Black: 'Burka Avenger' Fights For Pakistan's Girls". NPR. 31 July 2013.
34. Swasti Chatterjee (17 August 2013). "Burka Avenger to be made into a Bollywood film". The Times of India.
35. James Oaten; Del Irani (11 August 2013). "Burka Avenger: Pakistan's first female superhero". ABC.

External links

• Official website
• Developer website
• Burka Avenger at IMDb