Dhanak Rung Zindagi by Hayat Khan

About this novel

Dhanak Rang Zindagi (Urdu: دھنک رنگ زندگی) by Hayat Khan is a complete Urdu romance about Zara, a tomboyish girl who loves bikes, not make-up. Her glamorous friend Alisha is by her side, and a commanding young singer makes everyone fall silent.

The novel opens with the writer’s playful theory: there are two kinds of girls. One kind takes great care of herself – goes to the parlour, buys matching dresses, shoes and purses, keeps an eye on diet and fashion, and spends two hours on make-up; these are “daddy’s princesses”. The other kind can go anywhere, any time, wearing anything – they hate wasting time at the parlour, their wardrobes are full of shirts and jeans, they don’t care about matching shoes, they love sports and they do eat, too. Their hair is fine, their look is fine, and they’d rather be bikers than princesses. “We’re talking about the second kind,” the writer says. “This creature’s name is Zara.”

Then the fun begins. Alisha is trying to wake Zara: “If you don’t get up in one minute, I’ll pour water on you!” Zara jumps up in shock, wondering what the fuss is so early. Alisha screams that she nearly had a heart attack: Zara was sleeping with her feet on the pillow where her head should be! Zara, unbothered, tells her a person shouldn’t be so cowardly. Alisha reminds her that she has a race practice today and her instructor will be angry if she’s late. Zara retorts that, unlike “darling Alisha”, she doesn’t waste time on make-up – and finally gets moving only when Alisha warns her she has exactly five minutes.

بائیک کی شوقین زارا، فیشن والی علیشہ، اور ایک رعب دار گلوکار۔

Elsewhere, a young man gets ready for a meeting with his music director. A servant brings his coffee, his black dress, his coat and polished shoes, his phone and watch. His personality is so commanding that everyone around him is in awe. By his personality, the writer says, he should have been a politician or a businessman – but he is a singer.

Hayat Khan writes with humour and colour, and the title – “a rainbow-coloured life” – suits this lively romantic comedy.

You can read Dhanak Rang Zindagi online here or download the complete PDF for free. More by Hayat Khan: Dastak Dil Pe, Rang Zindagi Ke and Talab E Wafa, or see all Hayat Khan novels.