One of the most frustrating and overdone gender stereotypes is the one claiming that a women’s place is in the kitchen, or that a kitchen is exclusively a woman’s domain. Everyone needs to eat, and anyone can learn to cook, regardless of gender.
And that’s exactly what the advertisement (video above) for a biryani spice mix – heartwarmingly, it’s from Pakistan, not known for gender equality – is trying to prove. Using biryani as the premise, the advertisement tries to redefine masculinity through its protagonist, a groom-to-be from Karachi, who is initially dismissed by his burly brothers-in-law-to-be.
All hope seems lost for the aspiring groom, until the all-male crew loses their cook. It’s the son-in-law) to the rescue. To be sure, the video is a commercial advertisement, but it does its bit in questioning gender norms.
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