Week In Dramas: If Wahaj Ali had a third character to play in this drama season, I would have to rename the article to The Week With Wahaj. Luckily, he’s getting super competition from Sar e Rah still on top of my list, and though not on others, Pinjra & Kuch Ankahi!
So drama lovers don’t really have much to complain this season. My one, secret fear that I don’t want to voice in case I jinx myself is, is this the best we’ll get this drama season? With so many hot stories colliding together in a mega dramatic universe, one would think it can’t get better than this, and the only way is downhill from such a height? I hope not. I hope my fears are merely that … just fears that will find any substance as we continue to scale new heights – come Ramazan!
And that said, I have to say, just as relief, the upside of a riveting drama season is also to be able to divert our attention from the mega rise in interest rates, heavy prices and the dismal state of the economy – at least the ‘stars’ in the Pakistani drama camp are looking up!
And with that thought in mind, let’s move on to our very illustrious list of dramas, beginning with …
Sar e Rah!
Oh, what a beauty of an episode – from young Sarang’s beginnings, his conversations with his father, to the older Sarang’s sense of dread as his father, his entire world, threatens to leave him soon. Sar e Rah has, once more, allowed us to connect with characters in a matter of minutes. The story unravels with just the right detail, substance and messages – not too fast, not too slow, not too much detail, not too little.
If anything, just the fact that the 4th episode, speaking of the social, mental, emotional dilemmas of intersex individuals has left us with refreshing yet simple answers!
How can we as a society, deal with marginalized individuals? How can we be supportive, how can we help facilitate their journey? The dialogues sought to educate a society that is vastly ignorant or unaware of the issues of a challenged community. But what I loved most was the twitter outpouring of support for the narrative, which meant people welcomed the journey. The takeaway? Education is in fact, the key to solving or rather, surviving most problems in life. Your problems might not go away, but you will be better equipped to deal with them, when the time arises. One reservation, I wished they had shown Sarang’s father educating his other son to be a support system for Sarang as well – a lost opportunity there.
But the drama is taking us to new places inside our mind and that is reason enough to celebrate! Read more on the intersex debate here.
Onwards to Pinjra then!
Pinjra is taking a quiet turn for better days, at least for Abaan. The councillor-musician twist was such a breath of fresh air! I wish they could have shown Abaan singing the song or playing the guitar. It would have taken the drama up a notch or two. Regardless, a ray of hope in Abaan’s life and the manner in which he made him change course, turn back and listen to him was just awesome – music finds a path for sure.
But what really touched me was Azaan’s decision. Being a role model really doesn’t mean attaining top grades, acing uni admissions or making your parents proud at the cost of another family member. If one family has come weathered this storm, learning to change his stance on things, it is Azaan. The experience has been life changing, him standing by his brother, realizing that just getting him out of jail is the beginning, not the end of things is just so heartening and relieving. I wanted to literally reach out and give him a hug, … at least someone gets the game plan here Thank Goodness! Javed is a lost soul unfortunately, Khadija still floundering her way around and Abeer is yet to come into her own!
But Azaan is right up there and I love this character for all his stumbling imperfections! Which is brings us to Wajiha and her collision with a chance at love and being the mother of teenagers – a sensitive plot twist there with Dua retracting into her shell. Wajiha disappointed a tad, I wanted her to take charge and own the situation. Even if she was unsure of her relationship status or future with Arsalan, she needs to sort out the mess with her daughter and son first. She seems to be frozen in limbo, which is so unlike Wajiha. Let’s hope she recovers before it’s too late. Wajiha gave us single mom goals and I don’t want to her see let go of that. Yeah, I placed her on a kinda pedestal, but she has, in fact, held our hand throughout the Pinjra ordeal. Perhaps it’s much harder when your own family is under the hammer, but I fathom Wajiha can come out of this one a winner, if she would, but give her children the same Wajiha confidence and sass we saw in her earlier!
So as we hope things will start looking up for the Pinjra clan, we turn to Tere Bin, shall we?
Tere Bin was a disaster in Romance but a winner in the new comic drama genre!
I mean, who can make an entire scene turnover on its head, from borderline cringe romantic to a Tom & Jerry kinda race for who gets the bed? And no two people can sleep in it at one time. I mean, it’s large enough right? So much as I wonder every week why I tune into Tere Bin, the laugh fest last night told me to just sit back and chill! This drama is for all those people who’ve had a tough week, are die-hard Wahaj x Yumna fans and love the S in steroids and sensational – because the story is both and without apology!
Other than the Meerub- Murtasim shenanigans on which we have written a lot! (Check them out here and here and here to name a few), I have to say both Yumna and Wahaj have given us expressions, performances and characters that speak volumes. If they seem to be enjoying themselves on the set, the fans have caught onto the euphoria. Tere Bin is your rare genre of drama that critics love to call out as inane, but that does offer respite from sober, sad screen time and just gives us laugh moments twice a week. That’s all folks, take this one as your time to switch off and enjoy the show!
Kuch Anakhi is My Love Letter to Pakistani Dramas over the Ages
This story will always have my heart. It is written in a fluid, unassuming sort of way. Characters grow on you, they give you people you have seen, met up with, and we empathize with them, even when they do loads of wrong! Like Samiya’s mom’s unrelenting stance on getting her daughter married, or Samiya refusing to let go of a doomed engagement, or Agha Jaan being territorial about his property with Sophie phoppo, or Sophie phoppo being too assertive about her life decisions!
What will it take for Samiya to say no? Despite having my sympathy, I wish she would snap out of it. her reasons for sticking to her guns (log kya kahenge) is a vintage, archaic kind of reason that needs to relinquish its hold, but then, Samiya is not our Aaliya or Tanya. It will take a lot out of her. And the fact that Mira Sethi has made us love Samiya despite wanting to shake her is credit enough that performances and casting are on point!
I want Salman & Aaliya to pick up the pace now. I also want Sophie phoppo and Thanvi to melt the ice and I want Shagufta to get into action, because that’s what she’s there for, right/ To take things into her own hands! So do it girl! I also want to give a big shout out to Salman’s mom who is the perfect mother in law figure and it’s great that where Kuch Ankahi gives us Saif’s mom, it also gifts us these gems we die to have in our hoes and families!
That said, the conversation between father and daughter was the best one. Where Agha Jaan explained to Samiya that she has the right to evolve beyond her mother, and the fact that he did that without putting down his wife – a common formula in most dramas, was just all heart! And if yiu want more on Kuch Ankahi, here we go, and there’s more here.
So, shall we wrap it up with Mujhe Pyar Hua Tha?
Aaand, it’s our man Wahaj Ali again! uff, what to do, the guy is fast becoming a drama sensation! His family will probably want him to take a long break after these two back to back projects – imagine the world of Saad and Murtasim coming together in one household! Exactly … the image is mind boggling to say the least!
Anyway Saad needs to learn to be happy coz Maheer ain’t going to be the one who takes the first step. I have to say, I am a bit tired of Maheer’s helplessness. After last week’s episode where she actually spoke two words to defend Saad before her mom, I’d love for her to move on, move beyond, and surprise us … and Saad! But does the writer want that? I have nooo idea!
It was great to see Saad ignore Areeb’s sudden appearance not to add to Maheer’s discomfort, it would also have been great if Maheer made him feel more comfortable too. But Maheer is still lost in her Areeb world it seems. I fear the only way she will snap out of it if Areeb turns heavily negative towards her which is kind of sad too. Anyway, I’m wondering if in this drama too, Wahaj aka Saad has to suffer a platonic relationship with his bride, kinda hard for the poor guy to do it ion tow places but I guess, he knew what he was doing when he picked the script!
Is Maheer expecting Saad to carry on a ‘friends only’ relationship? Should they not have sorted out the relationship dynamics first night before poor Saad had to twist and turn himself restlessly all night long, obviously in a great deal of discomfort. Where I loved the drama for delaying the rukhsati for obviously humanitarian reasons, I wish they had educated newly married couples to initiate a conversation when they have an unsteady and unplanned start to their relationship.
Saad and Maheer are great friends first and that’s why, they could have made the perfect starting point to this conversation – hopefully all is not lost yet and we might still see some in the coming episode!
Lastly, just a shout out to Neelo and Saad’s sibling bond. MPHT is one the few dramas that is showing a loving, endearing bond between brother and sister. Hope other dramas catch on to the super performances here!
And that’s all folks! have a great weekend and I look forward to talking on Yunhi once it warms up a bit! What’s Love Got To Do With It Is Out! Catch it over the weekend, I get to watch over 8th March – Women’s Day and looking forward! Oh, and there’s more – Noor is an award winning Pakistani short film to watch over chai break. Watch it here!
Adios and Ciao! Please tell me in comments what you loved best and what could have been better! And, are you able to forget the rising price of fuel and tomatoes as you sit down to watch Tere Bin? Or is that you with a cup of Tim Horton’s and a donut to take you through Sar e Rah?
