I am not sure whether I take more breaks on the rare occasions that I work out or I did during this episode! I tried to get into it with all the ‘exciting’ events happening but kept finding myself pressing the pause button and tuning in a few minutes later. This is the second drama that I have been reviewing that has come to an end this week and that too before the 20th episode mark. I do feel very lucky, LOL!
I will admit I did not expect Shahzeb to die and Bari Sahab to collapse like she did. So even though this drama did rely on a lot of misleading dream sequences there were a few twists and turns to its credit, but still that did not manage to engage me totally. Sab ko maar, peet, bhaga kay, there was nobody left in the haveli anyway so it took a heart to heart between the nurse and Zainab which of course, Jahanzeb overheard to make him stop and ponder over how caring Zainab is. Sigh. So, Alisha has devoted her life to social awareness now and Mannat has gotten her happily ever after while we are left to assume Zainab may or may not have gotten hers. A number of things bothered me in these last episodes – why did Alisha have to take Zainab’s name, why call the press conference anyway when she knew it would cause further trouble and someone from Sikander or Bari Sb’s family would try to get to Mannat, when did Mannat and Shahmeer get married, is Zainab not in iddat now so why was she flitting around the city – I could go on. I am not sure if Zainab’s love for Jahanzeb and his constant resistance or rejection whatever you may like to call it, was meant to be bittersweet or romantic but it felt neither to me.
Sometimes a drama has a very typical and predictable story but the execution is such that you watch it anyway and enjoy it. After all, why do people watch chick flicks time and again even though they all pretty much follow the same pattern (I have given up on them, but still). Laaj was more filmy than like a drama with the feuding Sikander and Bari Sb, lives lost during the feud, the shehr wali larki, the parha likha walaiti son, the ‘selfless,undying’ love, the suffering granddaughter – the works. The set was colourful but some bits like the walls in the background and even the scene when Shahzeb dies and the blood was soooooo not convincingly blood made the presentation look a bit sloppy at times. Iqra Aziz has weeped her way through the play so seeing her smile in the last episode was probably the only thing that caught my attention, LOL! I do think that Kamran Jillani is quite the underrated actor and I liked how he portrayed his feelings over Shahzeb’s death. I missed Bari Sb in this last episode and would have been nice to see her conscious again. Asma Abbas as Bari Sb was phenomenal and although her ideas were outrageous at times, her dialogues and acting especially when it came to expressing her views over Alisha and Sikander thoroughly entertained me. I hope I never see Sabika Imam in a drama again. Zarnish Khan is an excellent actress and I hope for her sake she has better luck choosing her future projects where her talent can be appreciated.
I have seen promos of a drama with surprise surprise, Iqra Aziz and am assuming that will replace this one. Doubt I will be tuning into that! I would like to thank the readers who read my reviews and shared their thoughts, in particular Rida, Haider and Sabika and most of all Omm E Nida who would read and comment on my reviews every single week What did you all make of this drama and how it ended? Would love to hear your thoughts!
Kunwal Javid
