Onscreen pairings in the Pakistani drama world can go horribly wrong, (naah, not naming any), or … hit gold! That’s the secret formula makers are desperately seeking and once they hit it, there’s no turning back! Which is why Sara Khan aka Asma and Imran Ashraf aka Mureed are about to tease audiences into a new saga of romance, intrigue and … some heartbreak before, hopefully lots of ahem – a spiritual kind of love!
Okay, enough of the predictions, we’re not sure of the story line here, but Namak Haram, as the name suggests, is embodied in the very dual-faced character of Mureed who seems to be subservient on the surface, but scratch beneath and you get a whole new level of deceit, complexity, and intrigue.
A Breezy Recap Of First Two Episodes & Performances
Imran Ashraf essays the character of Mureed who serves Asma’s family for generations. He is the right hand man of her father, Babar Ali, aka Amin Qureshi and is trusted and relied upon beyond your average servant-master dynamics. However, there is trouble afoot as Mureed isn’t all he seems and suffers from demons of his own, a backstory regarding his father’s death and his own reservations about his status in life vis a vis the family he serves. But not to worry, Mureed hides it like the smooth operator he is, get to know him better as the story prepares to give us a sneak peek inside his mind in episode 3 of the tale soon to drop next week.
Enter our leading lady Sara Khan aka Asma who is a no-nonsense kinda gal, offers her prayers regularly, more into spirituality than your average Gen Z. How Asma and Mureed find themselves face to face and the journey that will define their Fate has got viewers invested even though we are only into the 2nd episode. Yes folks, that’s the magic of an onscreen pairing that works like magic – remember Raqs e Bismil?
A Finely Chiseled Performance
Catch Mureed preparing breakfast for himself and sipping his morning cup of tea, wiping the dust off the main door and you get a window into a character that’s beyond the ordinary (no matter what his outward appearance tells you).
Catch Mureed managing Arsal (Aiman’s fiance’s) allegations on the one hand and then, casting doubts in the mind of Asma’s husband-to-be on the other. He is able to control minds, reset perspectives and turn the outcome in his favour purely by his choice of words and the power of his mind. Such is the intensity of Mureed.
Imran Ashraf seems to be enjoying serving us the finer nuances within Mureed’s character that set him apart from the other heroes he’s taken on so far.
More On the Story
Moving on, Asma’s sister Aiman is the spanner in the works. She has a thing for Mureed that no one in the family really knows about. Yet, she is daring, risk taking and definitely besotted by our hero. How Mureed fends her off is also quite amusing and clever, and adds to the watchability of the conspiracy plot – not your average hero this Mureed, his mind works in ways you wouldn’t imagine!
Asma’s dad has another thing going on the side with Malaika aka Sunita Marshall’s character that shows no one is totally clean in this tale of devious intent, intrigue and perhaps, eventual love?
Will Asma manage to find the Namak Halal that may reside deep inside Mureed? Will Mureed manage to overcome his inner turmoil and emerge a calmer, more peaceful version of himself? Will Aiman end up spoiling things for herself and … Arsal? The drama has set a breezy pace and just two episodes in, lots has transpired that leaves us guessing and wanting more.
We hope the narrative doesn’t turn into a cliched story of revenge and conspiracy. So far, the script has kept it interesting, with plot twists that keep audiences curious and spring a surprise or two as well.
What Could Have Been Better?
Perhaps insights into why Asma is so cautious of Mureed, the inner workings of the Qureshi household and the backstory which, we expect will be revealed soon. For now, the characters are in place and we hope the story keeps the pace going!
Note on performances: Sajawal Khan aka Arsal stands out as Aiman’s fiance. Hoping to see more of him in forthcoming episodes.
And that’s a wrap on the ABC’s of the new drama on the block. Namak Haram has our attention, well, because, like we said, it’s not just the story that we’re sinking our teeth into gradually, it’s the pairing – Sara Khan and Imran Ashraf fans are in for a ride this drama season. Hoping the narrative delivers beyond the onscreen chemistry to give us a gripping tale!
Namak Haram Airs On HUM TV
The cast features, among others: Imran Ashraf and Sarah Khan supported by a stellar ensemble including Babar Ali, Sunita Marshal, Aniqa Zehra Khawaja, Mohsin Ejaz, Sajawal, Salma Asim, and Nabeela Khan, the series promises a riveting narrative. Penned by Saqlain Abbas and directed by Shaqielle Khan, Namak Haram is a captivating project by FARS Entertainment and Momina Duraid Productions.
