The first episode of the star studded Faraar, aired this Sunday and here’s what we think!
A timeline of Faraar: First there is the hype as news of the cast is revealed online, then comes the teaser drop, each character finely curated, to evoke key audience reactions, and then, the drama itself…
Great Expectations
But was Faraar’s first episode successful in meeting audience expectations?
The tricky situation with a star cast featuring the likes of Hamza Ali Abbasi and Ahmed Ali Akbar et al, is the pressure to live up to the hype. Add to that, a story by Mustafa Afridi and direction from some of the best in the playing field – Syed Wajahat Hussain and Mussadek Malik and you have a blockbuster in the making?
Said audiences, … we’re just here to wait and watch!
Both Hamza Ali Abbasi and Ahmed Ali Akbar rose to audience expectations and delivered performances that made us want to watch more, and more… One is instantly reminded of why these two are indeed, superstars and able to carry off the story, scene and feel of the narrative in ways that defy the imagination. Danyal Zafar too, engaged audiences in a split second and it is necessary to mention Sohai’s intensely challenging scene as Nazish navigates a tough intro sequence. In fact, the entire cast came together to deliver a first episode that merely fell short in that there was not a second one next day, because the week just became very long! Yes, that is, but fair dialogue on a first episode that capped off the weekend with all stars!
Star Characters In The Making
From mapping out multiple stories and the characters within, in the first episode, to eliciting both sober and laugh moments in a matter of minutes, not to forget the superhero feels from Batish aka Hamza Ali Abbasi, with Fasih aka Ahmed Ali Akbar, matching the vibe, we have to say, Faraar promises a power-packed watch.
The political backdrop, a story that is about to take off with politician Azam Shah (as ruthless as they come), in the driving seat, adds to real city feels as the canvas transitions from Karachi to Sawabi to Lahore with arresting frames, each scene fine-tuned to deliver just the right punch. How it will all tie in – Fasih to Batish to Babrik and the rest, is the magic in the storytelling. Hot-headed Babrik essayed by Danyal Zafar delivered unexpected smile moments juxtaposed by Nazish Baggi aka Sohai Ali Abro’s wretched torture sequence, the directors juggled humour and the dark side in each story sequence – be it Batish navigating the underworld or his beloved Sadia played by Mamya Shajaffer, who will surprise him with his next hit.
Visually Appealing Storytelling
Particularly stand out scenes included Fasih fighting off the street mugging, again, paisa vasool on the entertainment front, with Ahmed Ali Akbar’s sharp moves, and then Batish driving home a reality check at Snooker play.
What hits one with the screenplay and narrative (and it’s only the first episode), is that despite the drama, promising violence and action overload (the teasers, not us talking), the makers are invested in making it watchable, interjecting romance, satire, entertainment and action in an all-in-one Sunday night package.
The screen takes on a larger than life feel, almost cinematic in its angles, zooming out to catch a drone shot from above, (Sawabi), and teasing the eye to rewatch the same old (Karachi inner city scenes) from a new perspective. The directors are certainly having a field day with the lens!
And that, folks, is our Faraar review in a nutshell as we await episode 2. So with no further ado, go watch Faraar and buckle up as this one promises a rollercoaster ride, definitely not for the faint at heart!
Credits
The drama’s ensemble cast consists of Hamza Ali Abbasi, Sohai Ali Abro, Ahmed Ali Akbar, Mamya Shajaffar, Noor ul Hassan, Sami Khan, Danyal Zafar, Merub Ali, Nadia Jamil, Hassan Niazi, Noor ul Hassan, Iffat Umar, Haroon Shahid, and others. It is written by Mustafa Afridi, directed by Wajahat Hussain and Mussadek Malik and produced by Samina Humayun and Sana Shahnawaz under Next Level Entertainment.
