Muamma sits a world apart. It’s not your regular story where girl meets guy, falls in love, third person enters to spoil the fun, or a toxic in-law drama aka samaaj ki deewar takes over the narrative, tearing the two lovers apart. Muamma hits different, and the creators seem to know it. So if you’re into the run-of-the-mill Pakistani drama watch, Muamma is NOT for you. Read on as we tell all.
Saba Qamar aka Jiji in Muamma seems to be prying out the ‘unfaithfulness germ’ in men – young, newly-wed couples whom she takes on as tenants. Unbeknownst to the couple, the husband must prove his faithfulness to his wife if he is to be worthy of her, and this test is what Jijii puts him through once the couple has set up abode in her territory.
Sounds interesting? No mothers in-law lurking in the neighbourhood. It’s all about Jiji, her secret double-sided mirrors and so much aura – from seductive to even more seductive, if there was ever such a thing, that keeps audiences and her new tenants fully invested. Zeeshan has already been tested and failed miserably, next up are Junaid and Maira played by Ali Ansari and Anoushay Abbasi respectively, the newly married couple who has set up house as Jiji’s new tenants.
Jiji has a past, as depicted in flashbacks, with Syed Jibran playing the character of a man (her husband presumably) who seemed to be stalking her, then turned violent and/or threatening. The Jiji in flashbacks is a submissive version of what we see today. This one is an enigma, one moment warm and amicable, as with Maira, the other moment, calculating and practical, as when she negotiated the rent details, and then, clearly psychotic as she leaned back to mimic a fall, making onlookers believe Zeeshan had pushed her when in fact, it was her all along.
And then there’s the philanthropist Jiji who sponsors a wedding for an orphan girl, the sharp Jiji who silences Asia’s husband Aashiq into ‘talk less, do more’ mode and one wonders, what is this woman all about? Is she a mysterious ‘do gooder’ – part psycho, part saviour, for all the young women who deserve better? Or is she just out to wreck a marriage because well, hers didn’t turn out the way she wanted? A time-travelled case of the sourest grapes? One must wait and see what really drives Jiji to act in mysterious ways.
Muamma will be fielding a formidable ensemble cast and the genre itself is interesting as every few episodes, audiences expect to see the story of a new couple unfold. This narrative itself is a refreshing shift from the everyday drama genres and reminds us of how Saba Qamar has always sought out scripts that delivered more than just a story. Take a look at Sar e Rah, Pagal Khana and currently on air Case No. 9, not to mention Pamaal. Not just that, but the character seems to be tailor-made for a female protagonist who can carry the story as adeptly as Saba – not many actors can slip so comfortably into a role that demands the spotlight and keeps it, practically throughout the episode.
Production-wise, the episodes are slick, with attention to detail in every frame, from Jiji’s delectable cakes to her overall appearance and outfits, if perfection had a name, the flashbacks and even the action bits – Zeeshan being held down by Junaid and Ashiq, Jiji falling back in the drive way as well as the interior aesthetics, from the kitchen to the tenant residence and furnishings equipped with a double-sided mirror, unbeknownst to the people residing inside. The camera angles add nuance, especially where Jiji is peering in at the couple from the other side, adding a sinister feel to the screenplay, even as she prepares luscious cakes and tea time for her clients or tenants. It all comes together as a well-packaged, appealing watch, leaving viewers thoroughly entertained throughout the episode.
Muamma is setting up to be quite the crowd-puller and the story certainly has enough to push it through the ranks as a drama watch that surfaces through the debris of cliched narratives to give us an original story. Muamma is certainly, a far from the madding drama watch and on our watchlist as of now!
Have something to add to Muamma, drop us a comment below!
The drama is written by Imran Nazir (Nazr-e-bad, Muhabbat Aag Si, Pinjra, and more) and directed by Shaqielle Khan (Behroopia, Gumaan, Uraan, and more). The cast includes Saba Qamar, Usman Mukhtar, Maria Wasti, Ali Ansari, Anoushay Abbasi, Shahzad Sheikh, Nabeel Aijaz Zuberi, Mahnoor Malik, Nimra Shahid, Hassan Fareed, Anjum Hasnain Habibi, Hina Rizvi, Ahin Babar & Others
It is an excellent series showing human vulnerability and complexity of relationships. Nothing is as it seems. Saba is such an excellent actress. There is no one like her in Pakistani drama and film industry.