The two parallel worlds of Zanjeerain: one is brilliant, while the other heavily underestimates its audience.
Let’s talk about what was absolutely spectacular:Rabeeya keeping Shireen busy in the kitchen so she could slip away and check her room was masterfully done. It was thrilling, tense, and left us sitting on the edge of our seats, wanting to shout, “Run, Rabeeya, run!” when Shireen was approaching her room.
Rabeeya coming to Sarbuland’s aid after he was shot was a twist we were completely unprepared for. The bathroom scene blew our minds. First, the performances were absolutely stellar and deserve a massive round of applause.
Second, the entire sequence was imperfectly perfect.
Rabeeya was terrified, crying, and overwhelmed, while Sarbuland—writhing in pain—had to guide her through the process because she was his only hope. Their chemistry was beautiful, delivering a scene that will likely become iconic in the landscape of Pakistani television.
It was also beautifully poetic, bringing their journey full circle: from Sarbuland saving her, to Rabeeya now saving him.
What frustrates and saddens us:When a drama is capable of giving us such brilliant moments, why does it cut corners on crucial details? Do the creators think the audience won’t notice, or do they believe viewers will just accept anything they show on screen?
For starters, the first-aid box looked like it had been lifted straight from a hospital operating theater, which made no sense for a home kit. Furthermore, how does Sarbuland suddenly know how to perform surgery and extract a bullet? Even binge-watching Netflix can’t prepare you for that level of medical precision. The writers needed to provide some context as to how an ordinary man suddenly acquired the skills of an expert surgeon.
We also missed out on seeing exactly how Sarbuland managed to reach the haveli—a frustrating omission when so many other scenes were perfectly executed. His car had been riddled with bullets by Torsam’s men, making it a miracle he even survived such a relentless onslaught. In fact, given the sheer number of gunshots fired at the vehicle, it’s a surprise the petrol tank didn’t blow up entirely.