Baala always needed love, and Billo always wanted control and power. Baala proposes to Qamar-un-Nisa, and Billo is ready to give a false oath on the Quran for her survival. The characters in Mitti De Baway demand to be loved, despite all their shortcomings, and they have succeeded.
MDB breaks the standard definition of what a hero used to be in Pakistani dramas that served up an above-par script. The storytelling and characterizations assert that humans are not perfect; they carry emotions, they make mistakes, and they may not live up to the moral standards we expect of them, yet we are made to love them.
Actually, many classic Western shows build a dark world, such as that of a mafia or the life of a criminal, where we love the world and the individual despite their questionable actions. MDB does this too. It creates a world, invites us in, and asks us to leave our self-righteousness at the door to simply enjoy the story.
Baala feels he is the victim and does not consider Zarina’s emotions, even though she is the one who was lied to and betrayed on many levels. He justifies his attraction to Qamar-un-Nisa without realizing that his visits and attention could lead to allegations against her character.
What is fascinating is the parallel the drama draws between the old Baala who fell in love with Bilqees and the current Baala who has fallen in love with Qamar-un-Nisa. This simple life represents who Baala really is; he is happy and free to be himself. He no longer feels the need to act harshly for the sake of the world. When he fell for Bilqees, her beauty was likely the reason, and now with Qamar-un-Nisa, her beauty is again a factor. Thus, the same Baala has returned.
The creators must be credited and the actors appreciated for making us feel the romance and attraction between Baala and Qamar-un-Nisa, to the point of forgetting that he is cheating on his wife. The funniest moment was when he said, “Mera to ghar hi nahin hai,” which had us laughing out loud. Wah Baala wah!
Qamar-un-Nisa, with her innocence and endearing attitude, is a heart-winner. The way she is falling in love with Baala is truly heartwarming. Kudos to Hina Afridi for such a great portrayal.
Billo, on the other hand, has her own agenda. She is fascinating in many ways, which speaks to how the character is written and how Mahira Khan has performed her. She is a woman trying to survive who refuses to let any man determine her life or future, and she will go to any lengths to achieve that.
While Baala is busy drowning his sorrows in love, Billo is scheming to become stronger. Baala always needed love, and Billo always wanted control and power.
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Mitti De Baway is penned by Faiza Iftikhar, directed by Wajahat Hussain and features a star cast including Mahira Khan, Wahaj Ali, Amar Khan, Hina Afridi, Mubashir Mehmood, Junaid Khan and more.
