Hit ad swaps gender roles with the man in the kitchen

Anew ad campaign in Pakistan is challenging gender stereotypes and social media users in the country are ecstatic.

The advertisement by Shan Foods, a Pakistani producer of packaged spice mixes, puts a young man in the kitchen and questions the norms that dictate that a kitchen is a woman’s domain. And it doesn’t end there.

They also challenge the stereotypical situation wherein a young woman feels the pressure to please her prospective in-laws in order to be welcomed in the family.

In this case, the situation is reversed and the young man arrives at his prospective inlaws’ house and is judged by every male member of the family.

The ad has gone viral since it was posted online, with more than 7.7 million views on the organisation’s Facebook page and is being shared on twitter with #OneBiryaniOneFamily.

Tweep @Iamyousraa wrote: “This time, it’s the men who are in the kitchen. Totally love this concept @ShanFoods! #OneBiryaniOneFamily #SachaZaiqa”

The ad, which was directed by Indian film director Imtiaz Ali, received a lot of praise on Facebook as well, with many sharing it from Shan Foods’ official Facebook page. It currently has more than 35,000 shares.

Tanzeel Munawar shared the video on her Facebook page and wrote: “Will Pakistani men now accept that men can cook and women can work?”Huma Sahir posted on Facebook: “And finally Shan Food breaks the record. Making this amazing concept of man cooking and impressing the in-laws. Fantastic job Shan Food.”