Jo Bichar Gaye – The latest drama on the true events during 1971 & the separation of East Pakistan hit screens last night.
Needless to say, not only did Wahaj Ali & Maya Ali light up the screen in a first performance together, the ensemble cast sent us into a 50 year rewind time warp.
Ensemble Cast & Praise-worthy Performances
Shout out to captain Farrukh aka Talha Chahour who delivered an eye-opening performance in episode 1, as well as Usman Zia playing Sonia’s brother – we have our eyes on you! But that’s not all. The cast also includes Nadia Jameel, Adnan Jaffar, Sajid Shah, Fazal Hussain, Rana Majid, Aurangzaib Mirza, Omar Darr, Ahmed Abbas, Shireen Zahid, Usman Zia, Omar Cheema, Zaheer Taj, and Fahad Hashmi among others.
Adnan Jaffar cut a believable figure in an army uniform as Fakhruddin & Nadia Jameel was a vintage pleasure onscreen.
The period frames & costumes from 1971 were aptly reminiscent of the times. Maya Ali as Sonya stunned in a yellow gold sari, but more importantly, her performance was on point, finely chiseled & so refreshing.
Wahaj Ali took on a Bengali accent & kurta-pajama with a flair that is only Wahaj.
The drama is scripted by Ali Moeen, based on a narrative penned by author Col Z. I. Farrukh’s novel. It is said to be based on true events surrounding the 1970 – 71 riots, revolt & unrest in East Pakistan – the first episode traces the Agartala conspiracy.
The Storyline
Onwards to the storyline. Jo Bichar Gaye is one of several recent projects highlighting historical events from the 1971 Indo-Pak war. As the narrative progresses, we have insights into the events in Dhaka at the time. Dhaka University has been shown as the center point of activities.
The story is being told through a real-time method of narration, where the events are captured chronologically, with precise time coming up on the screen as events unfold. This, by default, creates a sense of curiosity & urgency, incorporating thrill & anticipation in the viewer – a refreshing visual experience for sure.
Sonia and Roomi though belonging to the same family, represent two ‘polar opposite’ schools of thought that existed within East Pakistan during 1971.
Will Jo Bichar Gaye be able to depict a balanced perspective of events? We see mention of outside forces interfering with the state’s business, specifically RAW came up in intelligence reports. How the story plays out will have to be seen.
It is directed by Haissam Hussain. He is known for having directed famed dramas like Dur-e-Shahwar and Dastaan. The writer, Ali Moeen, also has a long list of dramas he has penned including Khwaab Nagar Ki Shehzadi, Makaan Number 47, and the upcoming Mor Moharan.
Jo Bichar Gaye promises to be a riveting watch – intense & ‘keeping us on the edge of our seats’ kind of content.
A refresher history course is advised to all viewers in order to follow the storyline better. Or perhaps, the drama will motivate us to read up on the events of 1971 and draw our own conclusions!
Catch Jo Bichar Gaye every Sunday at 8 pm on Geo.
Till the next episode airs, catch up on the latest Drama Gup:
