When you combine top-notch production and translate the thoughts of Qaisera Hayat for television, with the directorial skills of Amin Iqbal, and then, in the end, to perfect the blend, you sprinkle the right amount of star power, you are bound to get something as strong and great as ‘Ishq E Laa’.
We can safely say that it hit the bull’s eye right from the first scene! With Sajal reciting a translation of Surah Yusaf at the beginning of the episode and Nadeem Baig giving spiritual insight into the meaning of the word love, we soon realized that ‘Ishq e Laa’ is backed up by a strong narrative and that we will see a combination of romance, spirituality, the fight between right and wrong, power play and a lot more in the upcoming episodes!
In addition to all of this, we also have a strong supporting cast which has added a spark to the drama. From Seemi Raheel to Nadeem Baig, all were no less than amazing. And of course, how can we forget Adnan Samad Khan- our very own Gulzar from Ehd-e-Wafa. We loved this 180-degree change in his personality from his last role and we can see now why he won the Award for the Best Emerging Talent at this year’s LSA. Way to go Adnan!
As we await the narrative to unfold in the upcoming episodes let’s dive into the review of the first episode.
A Powerful Female Duo
One thing that we most certainly need more of is to see strong female representation on our television screens. And what can be better than having two of the strongest performers in our industry do just that! Sajal and Yumna both rocked the screen from the first episode and reiterated through their acting why we love them so much!
Sajal as Shanaya and Yumna as Azka both ruled the screen! They have contrasting social backgrounds but are bound by the zest to speak up and pursue their dreams. They are the portrayal of modern women with dreams and a will of their own.
Shanaya played by Sajal Aly is a news reporter who lives with her mother. Hailing from a comfortable background, Sajal is not afraid to use her voice and her platform to bring the positive side of our society to the world and highlight the social evils even if that requires her to step out of her comfort zone and put her life at risk. Needless to say, she was great and Sajal looked gorgeous as ever.
On the other hand, Azka played by Yumna Zaidi belongs to a middle-class family and has high aspirations of becoming a doctor. From the very first scene, she left an impact on us, giving us only positive vibes. We appreciate how she took a stand for herself against Abid and told her mother about his misconduct, yet respected her bhabi’s position and did not complain to her husband.
And a little trivia: Both Yumna and Sajal were wearing the same colour dresses, first white and then yellow. We cannot say whether it was deliberate or coincidental. Nevertheless, we considered it significant enough to mention!
Inspiring Mothers & Supportive Families – Just What We Needed To See
We are glad that ‘Ishq e laa’ did not follow the conventional route like most Pakistani dramas where mothers are either submissive, docile souls or carry a grain of toxicity. Both Shanaya and Azka are shown to share a close bond with their mothers who seem to support them no matter what.
Shanaya’s conversation with her mother about being fearless and fighting for a cause instantly gave us mother-daughter relationship goals! Also, the way Khadija (Seemi Raheel) comes to Azka’s rescue after she was forcefully engaged was a scene well played! Both Laila Wasti and Seemi Raheel are exuding warmth, strength and uber love onscreen!
Even Azka’s relationship with her brother is portrayed well. Sultan is shown as a positive brother and cares for Azka & that’s the kind of positivity we need to see on screen. The family dynamics seemed so natural and close to reality. Sohail Sameer has slipped into character so beautifully that it feels sketched from real life.
Azlan’s interaction with his mom was heartwarming. The mother-son greeting after a week away was so very naturally played out. Of course, with Ghazala Kaifi as Azlan’s mom, we felt the super strength of the supporting characters without whom, no project can be fully successful – a trademark of currently on-air dramas that are breathing life into the entire cast by allowing them space to perform.
And this bring us to the writer-director team. Writer Qaisera Hayat & director Amin Iqbal are giving us an above par script and direction to match. Unique camera angles & thought provoking dialogues are keeping this drama real, yet dream-like in execution!
Azlan – A Convincing Hero
Azaan Sami Khan was very convincing as Azlan from the very first shot! We cannot put our finger on it but there’s definitely more to him than meets the eye! That drop scene in the end was lit, and that look in his eye said a thousand words! We await to see his character develop further in upcoming episodes.
What to look forward to?
So far, ‘Ishq e Laa’ has managed to grab audience attention from Episode 1. We await the plot to develop further and follow the three protagonists’ story as they cross paths and share the screen. The story was fast-paced and it was refreshing to see all the characters allowed space to develop in the first episode. Moreover, from the next episode’s promo, we can expect to see Azlan and Shanaya share the screen – a much anticipated first!
That’s it folks. And awaiting Episode 2 of Ishq E laa already!
