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A screengrab from the ad. Image Credit: Facebook/Screengrab

Dubai: A new ad campaign in Pakistan is challenging gender stereotypes and social media users in the country are ecstatic.

The advertisement by 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 in-laws’ 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”

@omar_quraishi tweeted: “Shan’s new advert shows a man cooking — that’s not something you see on Pakistani adverts... Good to see this trend change.”

Tweep @noor_daudpota added: “Why is no one talking about how good the new #Shan #biryani ad is? #onebiryanionefamily”

The ad, which was directed by Indian film director Imtiaz Ali, received a lot of praise on Facebook as well. 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 Thaver posted: “Great ad breaking stereotypes. Need more such forward-looking and family-oriented mind openers.”

Ayesha Zee Khan added: “Wow! An all male advertisement, good to see. Very innovative.”