So, after a hectic day I wasn’t in the mood to tune in to watch the episode, but as soon as I turned on the TV to watch the first episode of Parizaad I was hooked. The show had a completely different vibe to it and it felt like I was teleported to a different world where Parizaad lived. Within a few minutes I was totally invested in the life of this seemingly ordinary man, Parizaad and wanted to spend some time sharing his life journey. The cinematography & direction by Shahzad Kashmiri were on point along with Ahmed Ali Akbar’s portrayal of the character to create a tangibly mysterious aura, and if there were any gaps to be filled in, the ensemble cast was there to do so!
The premise
The story is centered around a laborer’s son, Parizaad played by Ahmed Ali Akbar who is an ordinary boy left unacknowledged by his family and others. He is sensitive and fragile but has a heart of gold, ready to sacrifice his time for others and offer a helping hand to any one who needs it. The story travels back and forth in flashbacks, setting the base for Parizaad’s narrative.
Parizaad like his other family members struggles to make ends meet and presses on the need to get education. He gives Urdu language tuitions to earn money & contribute to the joint family of whom ge us the youngest member, while pursuing his education. One of his tuition’s leads him to the house of Naheed (Ushna Shah) and with their first interaction Parizaad‘s story takes a turn.
Subsequent events unfold, leading Parizaad getting framed for a crime he didn’t commit. What was he framed for? Will he be proved Innocent? Tune in to the first episode to get the inside on the story.
A male-centric story line
The first thing that got me hooked to Parizaad was that writer Hashim Nadeem’s story centers primarily around a male and his life struggles – one which we do not get to see often in Pakistani dramas. Well, this one most certainly has something original to offer!
It is nothing short of refreshing to be treated to Urdu Poetry & dialogues that make us pause & reflect in the fast-paced world of musical OSTs & dramatic sequences.
The mention of Ghalib brought a smile to many hearts for sure, and no doubt, many more might ponder over the meaning of this one:
“Kehte hain qudrat kisi ko na mukammal nahi banaati, yeh hum hain jo alag alag pemaane taraashte hain”
Hashim Nadeem, Parizaad
Hashim Nadeem, in true poetic style is drawing us into a mindful conversation with ourselves.
The performances
I must say Ahmed Ali Akbar, from the onset, made his character totally believable and one to which we connected immediately. His body language, his hunched posture & clenched fists depicting a sense of discomfort revealed his overtly nervous nature. Furthermore, his effortless dialogue delivery was deserving of praise. It is safe to say ( despite this being only the first episode), that he did a commendable job with his role and we hope that he continues to do nail it as we get to see the journey of Parizaad depicted through him.
On the other hand, we didn’t get to see Ushna Shah too much for now. Her character needs to be developed further and we hope that unfolds duly as the story progresses.
But where are the others?
Well, much as we are not complaining that Ahmed Ali Akbar took over screen presence and frankly, we thoroughly enjoyed it, but maybe a sneak peak into the lives of the ensemble cast could be a reason for us to fall fully in love with Parizaad?
I feel that many fans were waiting anxiously to catch a glimpse (and more) of Yumna Zaidi, Saboor Aly and Urwa Hocane & Noman Ijaz on screen, but were a tad disappointed when they realized that they have to wait some more. Maybe a parallel track involving any one of them to keep us intrigued will satisfy viewers?
Will we be tuning in for the second episode? Well, yes for sure! What about you guys? Did Parizaad live up to your expectations? Do let us know!
