Let’s start this review by telling you that it’s NOT about Cheekh or Ranjha Ranjha Kardi. While they are both excellent dramas with great storylines and have won the hearts of audiences across the country, we are going to talk about two new dramas which have just started, which we feel you must start watching now.
MERA RAB WARIS
Starring the charming Madiha Imam and Danish Taimoor, “Mera Rab Waris, is the story of two young people who are on opposite sides of the religious spectrum. Despite their vast differences and conflicting belief systems, they fall in love. Danish Taimoor plays Haris in the drama, and upon meeting Ayesha and discovering that she observes pardah, scoffs at his father (who wanted his playboy son Haris to marry someone who can provide some balance in his life). Haris finds it incredible that his father wants him to spend his life with someone so religious. Well, God has different plans – a certain turn of events leads him to catch sight of Ayesha’s face, whom he finds irresistibly beautiful and arresting.
As destiny has it – Haris falls in love with her and wants to marry her. Ayesha is already besotted with Haris’s good looks and dashing personality, but the path to love is always strewn with thorns of course – Ayesha also has another admirer; her childhood friend and neighbor, who is in love with her but apprehensive of disrespecting her by disclosing his true emotions. The story will keep you engaged to find out if Haris and Ayesha will ever live happily ever after, or will the childhood friend eventually get what he wished for.
Mera Rab Waris is beautifully shot, the script is strong and the story keeps you guessing as to what will happen next. It’s also very uplifting to note that the writer has chosen to highlight a subject that’s prevalent in our society and a problem that is faced by many around us – how to balance our religious beliefs and the demands of our loved ones.
The producer has tackled an issue that is relatable to so many of us, and that stands apart from the normal run-of-the-mill love stories or in law conspiracies. The young love between the two during the initial episodes is also very endearing and brings a smile to our faces.
We do expect the story to take a turn with conspiracies and unexpected obstacles for Ayesha. But till then, Mera Rab Waris is a light, refreshing and engaging watch. If you are looking for a meaningful story that grabs your interest and also digs deeper, beyond the obvious, then THIS is the one to watch.
We must give a special mention to the soundtrack. The OST of Mera Rab Waris has been sung and composed by Sahir Ali Bagga. It’s hauntingly beautiful and you will be listening to it on the loop.
TV Channel: GEO
INKAAR
Written by Zafar Mairaj, who gave us dramas like Sangat and Mehram, Inkaar features Yumna Zaidi , Sami Khan and Imran Ashraf in lead roles.
Although Inkaar is initially a bit slow-paced, the story keeps you engaged to find out why Yumna Zaidi, (who was a brilliant student and a position holder), left college all of a sudden. The story revolves around Sami Khan, who is Yumna’s class fellow and in love with her. Yumna, however, has a secret that changed her life overnight and involves Imran Qureshi, who plays an influential and wealthy son of a landlord. Yumna is engaged to Sami Khan and gradually falls in step with leading a normal life again, however, an ill-fated encounter with Imran Qureshi from her past pushes her back into regression. The OST of Inkaar shows Yumna going to court to fight out a case against Imran Qureshi.
Inkaar has a very likable feel to it. The gradual romance between Sami Khan and Yumna is infectious and slowly wins you over. You find your self rooting for Sami Khan as he so charmingly tries to win over Yumna, (trying hard to break her stern and reserved persona). The drama is about relationships and the local judiciary system, Yumna’s strength in taking a stand and then following it through despite all hurdles. Inkaar highlights issues that young girls face every day around us, in universities and homes. Till now there are no needless conspiracies or contrived Bollywood-like plots. It’s a simple story of ‘weak versus powerful’ interwoven beautifully in-between a love story. We don’t know if the drama will be able to sustain its upward trend and deliver a strong story line and engaging content, but as of now, it looks very promising.
TV Channel: HUM