Cyclones come and cyclones go, but whether the weather is good, or whether the weather is not, Pakistani Dramas continue to hit our screen and enter our conversations like it’s raining stories every day! But who’s complaining? So whether the storm with a recap of the onscreen dramas that filters into our offscreen conversations! Here goes…
Week In Pakistani Dramas
The week has been good to us with new drama Gunah taking centre stage for me at least. And so it should be for you, I hope because, Rabia Butt and Saba Qamar in one frame is all my emotions can handle at one moment in time, so we begin at the beginning …
Gunah – The Crime Thriller That Will Have You At First Watch!
If mini episodes series just became a trend, we’re so here for it. Add to that a crime thriller and sassy female characters that keep you invested from the first episode and you have a story … and a half!
Gunah on Express TV entered the Pakistani dramas field as a new batsman but played like a seasoned player. And mind you, it wasn’t just the star power it brought along, (although that helped immensely), it was the characterizations and the casting, the execution and the dialogues that blew audiences away.
Views pe mat jayen please, (Express TV is getting there slow and steady), story pe jayen, performances, casting and the feel of the frames, color grading, etc etc etc, I can’t stop, that’s how good it was.
From the silent yet threatening feudal lord feels exuded by Sarmad Khoosat aka Malik Hayat Khan, to the seductive onslaught of Saba Qamar aka Gul Meher and then, the police officer we’d all love to have in our neighbourhood – Sabiha aka Rabia Butt, the story only got better every minute.
There were feels of Aik Thi Laila in the initial script as Gul aka Juggun Kazim disappears allegedly with a young tutor and though one wonders at the age old blame game on women eloping with lovers, a lot more lies beneath the surface. The crime has been committed, (possibly) but who’s to know? One can only guess if all is well or not in the Hayat Khan camp. Lots of secrets to be revealed and the fact that it’s a mini series spanning 6 to 10 episodes max adds a thrill of its own. We know we’ll get to it faster than ahem, Tere Bin, Mujhe Pyaar Hua, Pyari Mona, … etc etc etc? But I digress!
Final note, loved the cameo that was SHO Saleem aka Adnan Sarwar – a full-fledged actor in the making if I may say so, where have you been all this while? And the background score by Mohsin Allah Ditta spectacularly added to the suspense, drama and thrill of the moment! Cinematographers Omar Daraz and Zaid Safdar Sandhu deserve special mention!
And on that note, we move on to …
Guru – The Story That Is Warming Up To An Off The Beaten Track Kinda Watch
Guru is not your ordinary drama among dramas. It’s not about the poisonous susraals or cheating wives or husbands, it’s not about unrequited love or marital contracts (ahem, quite the trend these days). Guru is so much more. The Khwaja Sira community has been portrayed in a multitude of ways and each one sits well with viewers when the representation is on point … and that’s what is going for it here.
To depict a character who can easily be shown as OTT, exaggerated body language and nuances are such a norm, but the new age dramas are showing that they’re getting it right (just like brown people in Iman Vellani’s Ms Marvel), thankfully.
Ali Rehman Khan plays it subtle. From the physical representation to the emotional feels, Guru’s character shines through as one with a heart, a sense of deprivation; tenderness with an abandoned new-born baby is finely balanced with a tough exterior with his housemates – Guru makes us sympathize with his dilemma every step of the way.
What I loved best was how, we stopped looking at this character as a Khwaja Sira but more as a living, breathing person with emotions, hopes, dreams and tragedies of his own. If Khwaja Sira narratives can make us change our mindsets about this sadly marginalized community one episode at a time, then why not?
On another note, Zhalay Sarhadi as Fakhra delivers an emotive performance as she struggles to make sense of the reality around her. Well played there.
Guru, just two episodes down is doing a phenomenal job already by making us think about why this community is deprived of leading a normal life, why it is not more integrated into our society and less on the peripheries. If the drama can make us do one thing; stop our children and us from ridiculing this community, it would have created a ripple effect which will, hopefully, carry through!
Would like to see more on how the baby can stay integrated in Guru’s life as well as lead an existence where she has access to schooling, family, love and acceptance in society as well as being the cause of filling the gaps in Guru’s heart – to love and be loved by another! A tall order indeed, but more on that as more is revealed next week!
Neem – The Drama For A Cause
You would think girls’ education is an issue we don’t need to tackle in Pakistani dramas any more but … sooner said than done. Here’s what you need to know …
Pakistan has over 22 million out-of-school children aged 5 – 16. This accounts for 44% of all of Pakistan’s children in this age bracket and is currently the 2nd highest number of out-of- school children in the world.
Teach The World Foundation
Hence, I would say Mawra aka Zimal is doing a great job but … the message needs to be delivered more engagingly. Zimal talking to young girls on the marvels of education became a tad challenging to watch, because, well, we have multiple distractions in life, and today’s talks are about interaction and engagement.
I want Neem to be that drama that delivers a message in a fashion that the youth stand up and listen, that will propel young people to educate one child per person and turn the statistics around. I want Zimal to be a girl who aspires young girls to get a Masters degree, just like Samiya in Kuch Ankahi might make them brave.
The imminent conflict with Karamat might make Zimal do just that, what Saif did for Samiya. But more on that later. For now, enjoying the mystery and (a bit creepy feel) that is Ashhad aka Ameer Gilani and even the evil genius that is Karamat. Poor Shazil doesn’t stand much chance in between, and one wonders about the relevance of this character, frankly. Hoping the writer (Kashif Anwar of Sabaat) proves me wrong! Till then, enjoy the scenic side of Pakistan and hope Zimal is able to recover from the catastrophe about to befall her.
On a final word, Neem is a drama to be taken in like hot cup of tea, slowly, one sip at a time, the story is on a slow burn now, let the flavours come into their own and have patience. In German, there is a phrase – Es Kommt – It will come. Patience, my friend, says my heart, and I’m listening!
Ehraam e Junoon – What is The Drama Really About? You Tell Me!
Is Shani your two timing guy or is Shanzay the girl who needs to see the red flags in her all time crush? One moment he’s all there at the beach, the next moment he questions her motives for asking him about his cousin, he goes on to NOT tell her about his engagement, but tries – Oh the usual Pakistani drama gambit when two people meet everyday but can’t divulge what’s REALLY going on in their lives!
But here’s the flip, normally it’s the girl who’s playing the mime show, remember our dear Hala in Mere Humsafar? The roles have been reversed here with Shani being the uncommunicative one. The narrative seems to make us feel he is at the mercy of his mom and sister and his beloved of course – Sajila doesn’t seem to mind Shani’s hold on her. Or…is she okay with an “open ‘relationship? Oops, that’s me going on a tangent. I mean, why would any girl be okay with her fiance playing chaperone to another girl? And, not even be curious to meet her?
But seriously, Shani is as much to blame. He knows Sajila will leave him without the car and perks, and hence, continues to play a double game with Shanzay. But I’d love to know what’s his long term game plan? Coz’ the cat’s going to be out of the bag sooner or later! Fun, fun, fun – yeah, that’s the devil in me!
Anyway, this story is for all those who are bored with thinking too hard and need a time-pass amidst the intense dramas around us, really, I kid you not. So don’t take it to heart when Shani’s mom instructs him to accompany Shanzay to a wedding (thank God it’s not his!) and asks him to be at her beck and call – poverty apparently makes you do strange things and more.
But, and here’s my next question …
Is Pyari Mona Still Giving us Hope?
Mona is in a dilemma – to divorce or not to divorce Babar. Pyari Mona is all about accepting and being happy with your body and someone else’s too. When this becomes a source of strain and divisiveness in relationships, how do we deal with it. Mona has gone full circle, from taking on Babar full throttle over her sister’s death, to succumbing to Ayaan’s pain and marrying Babar, to trying to make a cursed marriage work, to tolerating an extra marital affair and public embarrassment – does she need to stay back only if Babar apologizes or shows remorse? Does she need to stay back for Ayaan?
But, think before you say yes to the last one: Does Ayaan not need to see a normal, happily married relationship at home, or no relationship at all? A toxic one won’t do her much good!
I hope the writer Haseeb Ahmed addresses all these concerns and fast. It iI love it that Mona is not giving in to Babar but I don’t like it that Babar’s (and Shaista’s) character has shown zero growth. I mean, where and how will I forgive him if she eventually goes back to him? He hasn’t given me much to stand by him. Neither has he given Mona much. I also liked how Ayaan refused to go back to him – a very real depiction of how young children behave when a parent is missing in action or they feel they have been abandoned or wronged.
Lastly, I love Khalid! Adnan Jaffar and Sanam Jung depict a fabulous father-daughter relationship – one for the books! It is so uplifting to see him stand by his daughter, facilitating her, keeping a camaraderie going and doing it, without making his wife out to be the villain she is. Great parenting messages there, keep it going Khalid!
And while we wait for Pyari Mona to take her decision and wonder what Kinza and Irfan have to do with all of this, let’s move on to the big three … shall we? The dramas that make it to my watch list every time!
Yunhi and Kim Is Becoming My New Favourite!
From trying to swim through dada jaan’s cob-webbed mindset with great courtesy (appreciate how she put her point across without being rude, despite being asked multiple times to stay silent), to appreciating that Dawood is not that husband whom Daniyal or Basharat might be, Kim gave us hope, yet again – that all men have a choice. (Wish Saif in Kuch Ankahi could see that too, but I guess we’ll wait for that conversation).
It was also great to see Kim telling Dawood that she’s researched on her Faith and knows more now than she did before. Personal growth begins with a place of ignorance yet awareness that one must educate oneself in order to stand for something, hence we too, are listening more to Kim now than we did before.
Daniyal unfortunately, is a lost cause and I wish that Dawood, despite his TLC for his wife, would also take a stand for his sister. One must know the difference between culture and religion, especially when one negates the other. Dawood is fully aware now, with Kim by his side, yet, it is hard to shake off years of cultural conditioning.
While I want Dawood to do it now, before Suraiya flees the nest, I know that he is such an obedient human being, goes by the book in all things cultural and will, perhaps, take a long time or a huge push to take the leap – oh well my dear boy, the push is about to come in the form of a shove – just watch Suraiya shut that door in the middle of the night and y’all know what I mean!
Anyway, Yunhi is the drama amongst Pakistani dramas which, despite the relaxed pace, delivers thought provoking conversations and all I want to say is – give me more of Dawood x Kim romance or cute moments because, we’re all here for them!
Keep going strong Yunhi, we still wait to see Zulfi and Iqbal’s story unravel. In which note I just want to mention that it’s great that dramas are now giving us fully fleshed out, well developed characters other than the leads and we are totally invested in their story, in fact, as much as our hero and heroine and that means a lot for the bottomless scope of talent that is the Pakistani entertainment industry.
And with that, we move on to MPHT as Maheer ‘Friend Zone’s our hero – yet again!
Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha – Friend Zone Again & What’s Up With Neelo?
So what’s up with Neelo?
I’m just going to let that question stay there, because, frankly, I dunno what’s up with her. If you have a clue, please do tell in comments, I’m up for a conversation on this one!
Were we watching a different drama? Neelo and the rest of us? Did Maheer not shove, push, throw Areeb out of the home and tell him that she hated him? Why do we have a repeat performance of a Neelo meltdown then? Is it because it did well the last time and the makers wanted more traction in this episode? Is it because there aren’t enough toxic female characters in Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha? Let’s see – Maheer’s mom, Areeb’s mom. Faha, Anabia, Neelo and now, Neelo’s mom too.
Laiba is our only hope guys, so let’s stick with her! Anyway, if someone has a logical explanation for Neelo’s illogical meltdown, do tell. I’m dying to hear what I don’t know!
Onwards to Maheer and Saad. Now tell me this. Do the drama makers have a sadistic urge NOT to give us Saad & Maheer moments? I mean, they were about to go out on a romantic date when Areeb emerged from thin air, walking in, uninvited. Viewers are telling me the drama has a good 30 plus episodes going and Maheer x Saad moments will come. But you know what, all I see is Areeb planning revenge – again, what am I missing here?
Now if Maheer could embark on a journey of acknowledging that she’s in love with Saad, and Saad could somehow be made to say it to Maheer (oh the diary is also there for him to never say it_…okay. rewind) – if Maheer could somehow read Saad’s diary then all would be well. End of Friend Zone, beginning of Love Zone and all would be well in the Maheer-Saad camp!
Okay guys and gals, let’s root for this plot twist before Areeb enters again to spoil our love story! That or we could have ended it there, with a final cute moment, some romance and Areeb cutting a sad, lone lover figure, doing social work rather than being the obsessive villain he’s become!
I digress again. This is a review and not a possible plot change so excuse my roving mind as I look forward to more unfinished cute moments from Saad and Maheer to address the unfinished cute moments between, yes, you guessed, it – Aliya and Salman in Kuch Ankahi!
Kuch Ankahi – Aliya Comes Through But This might Not Be The Final Word!
Kuch Ankahi finally tells us what’s on Aliya’s mind and it’s not Salman! She’s too weighed down by the worries of the world, Tanya’s rights movement and her new car plus the family property issue to worry about a non issue which Salman is making into an issue – OFC I’ll marry you, you silly Tarzan wanna be, just give me time to breathe, and while you do that, look less insecure and desperate!
Anyway, Aliya did it in a cuter way than that and I love the way Sajal Aly and Bilal Abbas Khan delivered that roooftop scene – kudos to Nadeem Baig and Mohammad Ahmed for giving us characters who are not your normal girl-boy relationship!
I do wonder though, what Aliya will do when Asfar opens his heart to Aliya (which he’s about to do). I also wonder why half the female fan population is rooting for an Aliya-Azfar romance?
Is it because we dote on the alpha male stereotype, despite rooting for its anti? When push comes to shove, we still love the macho Murtasim and Asfar rather than the committed yet silent, giving, Salman and Saad? Is that why we have caged our heroes (and men) into watertight compartments? Is that why we criticize Aliya for being more assertive, calling the shots in a relationship because, well, she’s not a Samiya?
But … coming to Samiya now, while I leave the above thoughts to fester (cook) in your mind!
Samiya is NOT your average self sacrificing daughter in-law and wife. She just threw us a curved ball and we didn’t even see it coming! SHE didn’t see it coming. Or, did Saif throw her the curved ball? We often reach out inside ourselves to eke out the strongest fibre within us when faced with the hardest competition.
Normal mujhe boring lagta hai
Saif to Samiya in Kuch Ankahi
That was the dialogue that did it! It is significant to point out here that Samiya represents all those girls who give a poor, compromised choice a chance for survival, a chance to flip it over. She worked, became independent, suffered a contentious mother in-law and possible “other woman” threats in her marriage to try and make the best of a bad situation. She tried her best.
When a woman decides to walk out of her marriage, she better do it with no regrets – with the satisfaction that she gave it her all, there’s no looking back and she can move on! And Samiya did just that.
The fact that she is now financially independent does not guarantee a happily married life but it gives her a choice and that is why Samiya turning her hobby into a full fledged means of income was so, so significant in her story and for all of us to witness!
Whatever she decides now, one must acknowledge that men like Saif exist in our society. I feel it is not just that he is aware he’s quite messed up, but the fact that he is in love with Shagufta – a person who celebrates his messed up mind, that he cannot let go. Normal is really boring for him unfortunately, hence he cannot appreciate the goodness that is Samiya. And that’s that with the Saif and Samiya chronicles. Don’t think he’ll make it in Samiya’s books anymore.
Oh and btw, I would like to say that everything in Kuch Ankahi happens for a reason – throwback to the Khula clause Sophie phoppo had insisted on in the Nikah nama – yeah, that one! It might come in need now!
Speaking of Sophie phoppo, I see a softening stance towards Thanvi, what do you think?
And on a quick note, the Mona twist with Tanya was definitely an interesting turn of events, sending out multiple messages, more on that as the story develops. For now, I just want to see Salman & Aliya fighting it off together – Tarzan has a Jane too, remember?
And that’s all folks! Adios from me. Hope you enjoyed the week in dramas. I apologize for nt giving you Muhabbat Gumshuda Meri, Jhok Sarkar & Jhoom – awaiting more developments and back with them soon! Till then, keep on watching and waiting for more! Do tell what you loved most about the review and what you want more of! Ciao and cheers for the weekend!
