Fazal Baksh and his cute antics entertain throughout the drama, never boring us for a minute. The saga of Sukaina’s nikah at risk thanks to her father’s principles continues in Ishq Murshid. The plot takes a very dramatic turn as threats of divorce are thrown around like loose cannons. We kept waiting for Fazal Baksh to dive in and save the day.
Fazal Baksh – A Total Heart Winner
Fazal Baksh claiming to go to London or France, brought a smile to our face. Since Shibra is not aware that he actually can. Poor Fazal Baksh couldn’t get Shibra to make him a cup of tea, though he did try. “Yeh nahin huwa chai pila dey jhootay moon ek” … Bilal Abbas Khan makes Fazal Baksh come across as a total heart winner, as he walks down the stairs, muttering under his breath, in the most natural way.
Fazal Baksh’s efforts to save Sukaina’s wedding, by getting her husband a job failed. Of course, no one would have believed that he could have landed him a job. But we wish the mother could be a little less toxic and tone it down a bit.
Sukaina & Zohaib’s Marriage At Stake
Interestingly, the sister thinks that Suleiman Sahib’s solution to arrange money by offering his provident fund and allowances after retirement to Zohaib to run a business is like buying her son and obliging her. But how is that different from Suleiman Sahib using his connections to get him a job? In both cases, it is a favor from him towards Zohaib.
Th director orchestrated palpably tense moments in the divorce scene as Zohaib’s mother pressurized him to give Sukaina a divorce and thereafter, Sukaina also totally losing it. We waited anxiously to see what happens next; will Fazal Baksh step in to save the day, will Zohaib finally muster up the courage to refuse his mother? But none of these events happened. It was Shibra who ended up breaking the tension. Her telling off both Sukaina and Zohaib was enough. The slap was really not needed. She could have just held her tightly or shook her by the shoulders.
Thappar Scene … But Why!
Did Suleiman Sahib have to slap Fazal Baksh? Wasn’t that a bit of an extreme reaction? Showing a grownup man receiving a resounding slap should be a well-thought-out decision rather than as an excuse to move the story forward or evoke sympathy for a character. What was even more disappointing was the fact that Suleiman Sahib seemed to take it in his stride, as if striking someone was no big deal, by saying “dekho, naraz to nahin hai”?
Two slaps (thappars), and both not necessary in the storyline. Sadly, regardless of repeated criticism, our creators don’t seem to think that showing a slap onscreen makes a big difference, or they have no qualms in normalizing it. The thappar was wrong on a number of levels. Firstly, Suleiman Sahib physically striking someone in the workplace is a big NO! And secondly, the fact that he is striking someone who does not belong to the same social or income level as himself is a red flag in itself.
Chemistry Between Shibra & Fazal Baksh
We are missing Shahmeer’s interactions with his mom, which showed us his vulnerable side. Shibra’s sadness is something Fazal Baksh cannot bear to see, and we will see Shahmeer taking action in the next episode.
Ishq Murshid keeps giving us dream moments between Shibra and Fazal Baksh by way of Fazal Baksh’s daydreaming. We anxiously wait for the time when Shibra will finally change her attitude towards Fazal Baksh. While we try to enjoy the combo, Shibra repeating options as “aaptions” doesn’t come across as funny. It makes the character appear a bit mean, especially since she doesn’t know the true identity of Fazal Baksh and believes him to be a clerk in her father’s office.
