Alif Episode 15 Story Review – Momina & Qalb e Momin’s Transition

Another week, another brilliant episode of Alif. This episode did not allow me to look away even for a second. The detailing, the acting, the expressions & the essence that has been captured & breathed into every single scene & frame of Alif sets it apart from all the other dramas that have made it to our TV screens ever. This episode was a perfect balance of past & the present. At the forefront it might not seem that the story has moved forward but the way they take us in the backstory & give us all the details definitely shows how important it is for the viewers to understand what happened in the past & the consequences of it in the present. This episode definitely had some of those amazing moments that left me in awe but yes, after watching the preview, I am more than looking forward to what they have in store for us.

Momina’s Trials & Tribulations

I have always felt a lot for Momina’s parents Sultan & Suraiya, but for the veryyy first time while watching this episode, I really felt Momina could not win, no matter what she did. As much as I do understand the issues Momina’s parents are dealing with, that makes me feel a lot more for her than I feel for them. Suraiya & Sultan have lost their son, but they do have each other, don’t they? I will only take their characters as a reason that the writer has chosen, in order to show that while Momina was stepping on one level of success after another, her personal life was full of tests & trials, where one awaited her after another. Surraiya is suffering from schizophrenia, that entire scene was dark, disturbing & actually conveyed the essence of how hard things were for both, Momina as well as her mother. Surraiya was attached to Jahangir & she could not deal with his loss. To top it off her entire surrounding was changed, new place, new home, no contact to her old life that she was used to ended up allowing her to develop this mental condition. I thought Sultan will somewhat ease Momina’s pain but he had his own baggage. I love how they have shown Sultan as well as Surraiya as selfless parents. They are not selfish, like they themselves are a victim of harshness & cruelty of life but it is unfortunate that they are now bringing Momina’s spirits down. I do feel for her parents but I feel for her a lot more.

Alif Episode 15 Story Review - Momina & Qalb e Momin's Transition

Qalb e Momin’s Transition

The way Hamza Ali Abbasi showcased the emotional & mental transition Qalb e Momin went through after losing Dada Jaan was absolutely phenomenal. Every step of the way, through his facial expressions, the dejection in his body language, even his eyes spoke how far he had come in just a few months after losing Abdul Alla. Qalb e Momin has changed, people around him can already feel it but he has yet to realize it. The same Qalb e Momin who would not speak to anyone nicely was now welcoming people in his personal space only because they were somehow associated to his Dada Jaan. I must say, the highlight of this entire episode for me was the short scene where Qalb e Momin was watching Momina’s interview on TV. His minute expressions were beyond impressive. Qalb e Momin looked like a fan who was happy to see Momina on the TV & not only that, he was actually getting impressed by her maturity & wisdom which she displayed while answering all of the questions but then, Qalb e Momin was hit with a harsh reality. He was taken back & got a reminder of the time when he used to be ruthless. He actually felt miserable learning about Momina’s brother & his demise. Qalb e Momin has slowly started realizing that he has hurt & probably crushed a lot of people in those days when he was ignorant & arrogant. His embarrassment & humility was evident. Brilliant performance by Hamza Ali Abbasi I must say!

The Past

Taha & Husn e Jahan. They had a dysfunctional marriage & what broke my heart was seeing young Momin being a part of the equation where he could see his parents in such a miserable mental & emotional state. Qalb e Momin was young but he was at such an impressionable age that he was picking up little details – he was compassionate enough to shed a tear when he saw his father disturbed. He was also observant enough to see that his mother’s demeanor had changed too. In those disturbing scenes which showed two people struggling hard, young Momin’s presence was not only sweet, it was heartwarming. He was trying to find happiness in such a place where there was nothing but emptiness & darkness. I felt for Momin a lot & knowing how these experiences have shaped Qalb e Momin’s personality & life at this stage, I feel for him even more.

Alif Episode 15 Story Review - Momina & Qalb e Momin's Transition

I am sure there are a lot of details that will be given out in the future episodes, but honestly speaking, I am not sure what to think of Taha’s character. I am just wondering if he had behaved the same way if he had gotten married to anyone & not just Husn e Jahan? A wife in this situation would’ve been a distraction for him anyway, so because he was miserable himself, he held Husn e Jahan responsible for everything? I do understand his character; he was guilt-stricken that he had disappointed & estranged his father who loved him wholeheartedly, he was also struggling because his father chose not to forgive him when he sought his forgiveness. Taha was a victim too but then, calling his marriage to Husn e Jahan a mistake made me upset. He easily accused Husn e Jahan of cheating too just after he found out that she was in contact with Sultan. Why would he do that? Didn’t Husn e Jahan prove herself to him enough, didn’t she show him that she was loyal & had actually left everything behind? I found Taha to be rigid & unforgiving. Yes, he was fighting his own demons but holding his wife solely responsible for everything made me not appreciate his character as much as I would’ve loved to. Yes, he was flawed, he was weak, he was guilt-stricken & he was struggling but then, would he have behaved the same way if he had gotten married to anyone because eventually he’d had blamed his wife for not being able to concentrate on his calligraphy & losing his aesthetics & art? I feel for Husn e Jahan & Qalb e Momin more.

So, Momina started reading the script written by Qalb e Momin – Alif, ‘ye kaisa naam hai’. In that moment, she had no idea that this script was going to change her life. She was going to learn so much more about her father than he had ever told her. The preview of the next episode was enthralling & I can not stop thinking about it. The way Sajal Aly depicted Momina’s developing interest in the script immediately after she started reading it was another brilliant moment of this episode. Momina Sultan has no idea what she’s about to get into. Qalb e Momin has definitely written a script based on the life of his parents, it sure is going to move everyone & touch everyone’s hearts.

Beautiful Episode

This episode was absolutely beautiful. It was filled with such heart-touching moments. It was like a movie. I absolutely love the instrumental music they play in the background, it really doubles the charm & makes the drama-watching experience enjoyable. I must say, camera wise the best scene of this episode was the walk of Qalb e Momin & Husn e Jahan after he picked flowers for his mother. That scene was absolutely adorable & captured the unconditional love that a child has for his mother beautifully. This episode of Alif once again had some beautiful moments to its credit. Director Haseeb Hassan definitely deserves the credit for always adding so much detailing in every frame, every scene, every single episode of the drama. His visionary direction has made Alif what it is. Hamza Ali Abbasi, Sajal Aly, Ahsan Khan, Kubra Khan & Pehlaaj Hussain have been brilliant throughout. Special mention definitely goes to Pehlaaj Hussain for giving the young Qalb e Momin not only an adorable face but phenomenal & realistic portrayal. I am most certainly looking forward to the next episode, especially the confrontation of Momina & Sultan. Please share your thoughts about this beautiful episode of Alif.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Zahra Mirza

Zahra Mirza got associated with Reviewit.pk in 2012. After moving to Australia, Pakistani content was a way of staying connected to the roots, language & Pakistani culture because it felt home. Eight years ago, review writing began as a hobby but has now turned into a passion.

41 comments

  • Zahra

    Plz tell me what do you think who will win best director award

    Nadeem baig for mere pas tum ho

    Or

    Hasseb hassa for alif

      • Thanks for the detailed review Zahra. You and Fatima reviews are always treat to read. I guess there is no comparison of Alif and MPTH. Both are good but alif as a story wise is a master piece and character Umera Ahmed has created are larger than life. First time i liked Hasseb Hassan as a director for adding too much detail in every frame. Specially when Hamza ali abbasi is sitting on a breakfast table and his bowl is full with cereal and other items of breakfast on the table. These minor details will show that how much hardwork n home worke you have done. Acting of both Hamza and Sajal is also adorable specially Hamza truly translated the character of Qalbe Momin on screen. As i also read the novel so i feel Hamza proved himself to be the perfect choice for the role so is Sajal too. The distress of Taha also portrays very much natural as people in such condition blames other for their wrong doing

        Perfect review once again and looking forward to the next episode.

        • Thank you so much Laeeq for your kind words of appreciation & encouragement. Yes, Alif is a masterpiece, it surely has been directed with vision & clarity, that is why every scene has so much detailing which is a treat to notice & explore. It really is a unique experience watching Alif with full concentration. :)

          Yes, all the actors have done a brilliant job for sure. Hamza & Sajal are doing complete justice to these characters. :) Ahsan Khan was phenomenal as Taha too.

  • Like every review on Alif, this was also brilliantly written and perfectly analyzed, Zahra. And just like every other episode of Alif, this was yet again beautiful I’m every way.
    I knew Hamza Ali Abbasi to be a good actor, but an actor of this extent and magnitude.. Woahh! When he is watching Momina’s interview on TV, his minute expressions were a complete treat to watch!! At this point I’m dying to see Momin and Momina together ( and although Sahad fans might kill me for this, but Sajal and Hamza share a nice on-screen chemistry together;-)
    About Taha’s character, yes, it is an apparently complex and ambiguous character, especially bcz of the Sufi element in it. But I can understand Taha’s frustration and the guilt he is facing; on one side from marrying Husne Jahan, and on the other from losing the ability to to do calligraphy. Being a human, it is quite natural that Taha would blame someone else for the mistakes he has done. That is the beauty of Umera Ahmed’s characters, they represent all aspects of human nature in the most exquisite manner. I also find Taha’s reaction to Husne Jahan’s letters realistic, because he trusted her alot.
    Eagerly waiting for the next episode as always..

    • Thank you so much Ibrahim for appreciating the review. Thank you for sharing your insights about Taha’s character, indeed he is a complex character who has gone through a lot, his reactions were realistic but holding Husn e Jahan accountable for everything did not make him seem wise or competent as much as I would have liked to. & yes, Hamza Ali’s expressions during the interview scene were beyond impressive, he sure is a very powerful actor.

  • nice review zahra, you explained in detail the scenes between taha and husnejahan, agree completely, cant understand why he is blaming her for everything, that realization should have been shown to us, why he feels like that. wat i dint like was why husne jahan was being so possessive abt the letters, she didnt want to throw them, that will make anyone more angry.

    as for momina’s parents, its becoming too much now, really the most irritating thing in the drama, i hate their scenes, and literally had to forward them, first time in alif. hamza was outstanding in all his scenes as usual, sajal is also always perfect.

    im confused abt a few things now . if momin witnessed all these things in his childhood, that means he clearly knows the point of conflict between his parents, and this is wat he has also written in his script, then why he kept asking dada, as i feel now that he has seen everything, knows the reason, then he should have been able to differentiate between right and wrong, why he went on such a path then . something is not clear yet.

    anyways im not completely happy with the direction, i feel some better director was needed for this story. this director’s mann mayal and sanam were also boring, and now even this serial he has made it in a very slow manner.

    • Basically there are lots of riddles in the drama that are going to be solved one after another. And the missing links will be connected with present. Suspense or confusion. At one moment you feel you think you know it all but then something else confuses you. So Lo and behold abi tu party shuru hui hay

    • Thank you so much Tiger. I feel Alif has a very decent pace, they definitely are taking things slow but every episode has so many developments & revelations that it seems complete & engaging. Yes, Momina’s parents are being an emotional burden. I hope to see them happy for once, while acknowledging all that she has done for them.

      I think Qalb e Momin has only written what he remembers but yes, he does not know the reason why Taha left her. He was too young to put two & two together. Plus Husn e Jahan also never told him about her mistake, therefore he is still unsure.

  • Alif! To be honest, i have no words to praise this masterpiece. Acting, Direction, Story, everything is superb. Looking forward for upcoming episodes.

  • another brilliant episode & of course your review too, i too loved the scene where Momin is picking the flowers i was surprised that in all that wilderness Momin still managed to find about 4 or 5 flowers

    • Thank you so much Shameem. Oh that scene was absolutely beautiful. A child’s compassion & eagerness to make his mother happy. Simply amazing. :)

  • Best review as always.
    I would agree 100 percent about the character of taha ecen i thought the same thing while watching that he’s character is confusing. What i think is he turned into such a guilt stricken person is because of his father’s words that Allah shirk ko maaf nahi karta where as what taha did was only loved someone and got married which is something that won’t take you away from Allah but kabira sins takes you away from Allah subhanallahu tawla but if someone does tawba he’s forgiven even shirk is forgiven if someone reverts back to islam.
    Taha didn’t think if he left his wife and kid who are his responsibility he’ll be answerable to Allah. That’s what islam is all about leading a life fulfilling all responsibilities obeying Allah at the same time.

    • Thank you so much Waqee. Absolutely, I also felt that if Taha would’ve decided to get married, would Abdul Alla have disapproved of it too? Getting married, having a family is not a sin but Abdul Alla made it seem like it for Taha, that is why he was guilt stricken. He also could not do well in his life because his father chose not to forgive him, he constantly asked the postman about letters, it was like he still had some hope after all these years that his father will forgive him but he didn’t. Very sad indeed.

  • This episode was amazing and so is your review..! That scene where Momina was giving interview and Momin was watching interview was cute, as well as reality check for Momin…. Can’t wait for next episode.

    • Thank you so much Ramsha. Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed watching that scene too. Isn’t it amazing that in such short & precise scenes, the director clarifies so much. That scene showcased Momina’s feelings for Momin clearly & how he was regretful of his behavior. Amazing!

  • What a perfect review for a perfect episode.

    I loved the scene in which momin was watching momina on tv. Felt like there’s a connection establishing between both of them. Another favorite scene was when momina was reading the script, the way she reacted was brilliant. I am thoroughly enjoying it.

    • Thank you so much Ali. Yes, that scene was superb, it was amusing at the same time was so powerful because it hit Momin & showed what Momina feels for him at this point.

  • Zahra please review YDM. I don’t like jhooti, ishqia teasers. Will watch Pyar k sadqy due to yumna and bilal. But farooq rind saab or zanjaabeel asim se koi umeed nhi h mjy…

      • Can’t wait till you start YDM. IZN started well and then dragged so much that I lost interest. So many people have complained. It’s so unfair to limit you guys to a certain number of reviews & dramas. There are so many crap articles this site is posting, sorry to say. I’m
        Sure most of us feel that the USB for this website have always been the reviews and not the other stuff !

  • Excellent Review Zahra.
    Tbh I am no more a fan of Taha anymore as well. I thought that he would have found a connection with Allah but I am pretty sure that a suspicious husband with a failed marriage can never found solace. He turned out to be a typical distrustful husband who is blaming his wife for all his inabilities and insecurities.
    In last episode I thought if “Husna” loved Ibrahim or Taha. She might be mesmerized by Taha, due to his (fake) Islamist behavior, but only Ibrahim gave her love and trust.
    I don’t know what will be the future tracks since the past will be explored. I guess it ends at 20 22 eps.

    P.S: I only hope that my boss doesn’t find out that Tina & Daud are looking for work. I might lose my job as they can do everything in my line as well as they excel in their current jobs: from appointing stylists, signing advertisers, hiring writers to casting actors, they even make coffee and double up as assistant directors on sets.

    • Well i have read the novel… in this scenario it is qalb e momin who is grasping that taha is accusing his wife of betrayal…but later on it will be revealed that taha was not accusing husne jahan because he was suspecting her infact he was afraid that she might leave him for showbiz again as she might be regretting her decision…taha hinself was unemployed thats why he was insecure much too….

      • Bro, Suspecting is actually Accusing. Taha is an insecure person who had made HusneJahan left showbiz at her peak.
        I am pretty sure even if Taha hadnt married HusneJahan, he would have been accusing some other woman too, blaming her of cheating to satisfy his inabilities.

    • Thank you Sarmad. I think Husn e Jahan found solace with Ibrahim because he himself came back to the right path after losing his track. For Taha, it was the opposite, he was leading a peaceful life but when he got distracted, he ended up blaming everyone. I won’t call his behavior fake Islamist behavior – these terms sound fancy & stuff but real human emotion is clearly portrayed in this case that he was suffering from a lot of different failures simultaneously. It is a little amusing that the moment we see a pious or religious character on screen, we take no time into ripping it apart if they commit a mistake. Taha’s character should be seen without his attachment to Sufism or religion, he was flawed like everyone else is.

  • Thank you for the review. I understand Jahangir left a big hole in his parents life. But need to be stronger for Momima. She is also struggling badly. Since they have driver now, why dont they go visit old neighbours, volunteer somewhere or meet some relatives. This way they can stay busy.
    Taha seems to one of those who blame others around for mishaps. Husne Jahan had left her family and luxuries to be with him. So he can at least be nice to her. She was demanding money for new clothes and trips. And whatever was going at home was impacting little Momin.

    • Exactly, Mominas parents are the ones who dont want to move on at all and are deliberately ignoring Momina and accusing her of being pretentious (Bohat Paise a gaye hai tere paas).
      Taha too turned out to be a crybaby. Till last week I was like how can HusneJahan love Master Ibrahim. But seeing Taha mistreating her, I have no doubts. He was a failed parent, a failed husband, He was only a Dancer with fake claims of spirtuality.

      P.S: Sorry for last week’s comments. I got carried away a lot. Peace 🏳️

    • You’re most welcome Pakistani. Yes, unfortunately I so want to feel for her parents but I can’t anymore because they are now bringing Momina down. They are not acknowledging the fact that she has worked day & night to make their family debt free & the least she can expect from them is to just show her that they are fine & trying to move on. I am not too sure about Taha’s character at this stage of the drama myself but I am sure there’s a lot more left to be revealed, so let’s see. :)

  • Apt review Zahra. Everything about alif is perfect, it is a masterpiece indeed. Direction, cinematography, performances all are flawless.
    As a novel reader I would say there is more to know about taha’s character.
    Ishq zehnaseeb is going to end soon I hope you’ll start reviewing yeh dil mera, eagerly waiting for your review. Something seems missing to watch drama without your review,story and performances of all the acotors are top notch especially Ahad Raza Mir.

    • Aw thank you so much Shifa. I will definitely take Yeh Dil Mera after Ishq Zahe Naseeb ends. I am eager to watch it too, have waited a lot for it. So glad Ishq Zahe Naseeb is ending, it was bringing my spirits down.

      I so agree with everything you have said about Alif. I am glad there’s more to Taha’s character now. It is Umera Ahmed after all, situations are not what they seem in her stories, so excited to explore more. :)

  • Hi Zahra, the episode was brilliantly detailed, and you explore all those details more clearly for us. Thanks. You described thoroughly the situation of Momina with regards to her parents. They should show little support to Momina. However, more than Jahangir’s death, the new surroundings, new home, haunts them much. It is not just with them, but with most of the elderly parents who move out to a superior location because of their kid’s status of living and end up being alone all day with each other or alone when one partner dies. Their sons go to job, daughter in law & grandkids gets busy in school & home routines, and all neighbors interact with each other only on each other’s invitation or at some bad moments. The neighborhood in all high society areas are pretty plastic and this makes parents more feeling inside and this is also one of the reasons of her mother getting schizophrenia. The way Sultan describes their empty day & night schedule, was very painful. But as you said, it affects Momina’s growth indirectly. We can feel Momina’s mind condition through her facial moments when Sultan was detailing out to her, also her white dress was looking great on her. The arrogant to soft toned transition of Qalb-e-Momin was perfectly done by Hamza. The way you described her change in tone & fan moment while watching the interview, was to the point. He was effortless in all these scenes. About his past, the little Qalb-e-Momin scene with his father Taha about painting & hands tightened, were very cute & as well as painful. I agree with you about Taha. Though he became poor in his work, he should not blame everything on Husn-e-Jahan. Really, little Qalb-e-Momin & Husn-e-Jahan has suffered a lot because of him. Qalb-e-Momin is trying to balance both sides. He keeps close to his father, also noticing sorrows of her mother and getting her flower, which she used to wear initially, was all his innocent struggles to keep the balance or emptiness around him. Really the child has suffered a lot mentally.

    • Hello Aamer. Thank you for your insightful comment. Yes, absolutely, all the details that Sultan handed out to Momina about his routine were realistic. This is exactly the reason why Surraya has developed schizophrenia but then again, Momina is doing all that she can for her parents. Surraya even used his money against her saying she’s got a lot to waste on doctors? Like I feel for them but I feel for Momina that with parents like these, she just can not win.

      Taha was dealing with a lot of failures simultaneously but then holding Husn e Jahan responsible for everything was unpleasant. Again, they have established the fact how not being forgiven by Abdul Ala was causing so much stress to Taha that he ended up ruining his marital life, which he chose over the life he was spending with Abdul Ala as his obedient son. Young Momin’s scenes were absolutely beautiful but it was painful to see him dealing with two emotionally disturbed parents who did not have anything to give to him apart from these grievous memories.

  • Zahrah the reason taha blamed HeJ was not because he married her but because he started painting her which led to him not being able to do calligraphy. Like abdul alla told him that he would not be able to paint allahs name if he started painting something else i.e. Allah would not be pleased that yhe hands that painted His name had begun painting the body and face of a woman. But taha did not believe his father but now thats exactly whTs happening. Even then it’s not husne jahans fault and blaming her is wrong, but this wouldn’t necessarily have happened had taha married somebody else even without his father’s approval, because he would not have painted pictures of her and thus would not have lost his ability to do calligraphy
    Btw. My daughter is few months old… Her name is also zahrah :)

    • Thank you so much BeA S for sharing your insights & trying to show the other side of the picture. :) Yes, I totally understand that Taha is guilt-stricken, I think more than painting or calligraphy, what’s eating him up inside is the fact that his father is angry & he has not forgiven him. This is what has totally affected Taha’s ability to behave & react rationally. As much as I do understand his struggles, I so wanted him to not blame his wife for that. He was not too involved with his adorable son either, I am sure he did not do anything wrong for him to be cold towards Momin. :'(

      Aw, that’s so sweet. Please give my love to your beautiful little princess Zahrah. <3