This episode couldn’t have been more perfect; all the tracks in the story were wrapped up beautifully in a logical manner and it kept me glued (literally) to my television screen. Just like the serial as a whole this episode too was engaging right till the last second and even though it was the last episode I couldn’t help but wish I could see more of Haya and Haadi. I must say that this last episode belonged to Haadi (Imran Abbas). Anyone who hasn’t watched this episode must keep a box of tissues handy while watching it because it is sure to make you cry!
Like any other person with some serious issues like the one’s Rameez had, Rameez’s present behavior could be traced back to his childhood too. Now we know why Rameez always insisted that it was very important for him that the person who is married to him should be his alone and why he reacted the way he did once he found out that Haya loved Haadi. Haadi regained the faith he had lost in himself when Aroosa died on the operation table by saving Haya and even more so because of the trust Haya had in him. Haya and Haadi need each other more than ever now and there couldn’t have been a more perfect time for the two to be together. Right till the end the writer and the director made sure that the viewers could not guess whether Haya will survive or not. I am glad that no one died in this episode because that would have been too convenient and sad!
Alvida can most definitely be termed as an ultimate entertainment package. This drama gave us a story we looked forward to every week and characters which were in no way perfect but very interesting and left a lot of room for the viewers to interpret them in different ways. Shehzad Kashmiri’s direction was top notch throughout. I am very certain that he chopped down a lot of detail to make the screen play more enticing. Nowadays when every second director and producer banks on filler episodes to keep the drama on air for a longer period of time especially when it is likely to get a positive response by the viewers, Shehzad Kashmiri, Momina Duraid, Hamayun Saeed and Shehzad Naseeb did their viewers a huge favor by putting entertainment first. Samira Fazal proved yet again that she can still give us dramas which are in no way heavy duty, do not contain lectures on morality and ethics, have no big lessons to offer but can still be extremely relatable with their believable characters and by showing things which some people out there can benefit from. Alvida for me was the story of a few people who made some very wrong decisions in life and the whole story revolved around how they dealt with the situations that followed.
I must say that our hero Imran Abbas is back with a bang in Pakistani dramas. Although Haadi’s character wasn’t very deep or complicated but Haadi had a story to tell just like all the other characters in the play and Imran Abbas most certainly told that story effortlessly and made the character very likeable. Like always he managed to bring out the best in his character. Sanam Jung’s polished performance proved that when confidence meets talent you can’t help but appreciate the outcome. The undeniable chemistry between these two remarkable actors made this play a treat to watch. Sarah Khan’s brilliant performance as Farisa made us hate the character but love the actress for giving the best performance of her career. Zahid Ahmed’s brilliant portrayal of Rameez’s character made him the star of the show. The episodes in which Rameez was given more screen time belonged to Zahid Ahmed alone. He deserves an award for his exceptional acting. There were times when I felt that Naveen Waqar wasn’t really comfortable playing Uroosa’s character but there were also times when she couldn’t have been better playing that role. If I had to find the weakest link in the play it would be Naveen Waqar. Side characters play a very important role in making a drama a success or a failure and I must say that Haris Waheed made the perfect debut playing Saim’s character to perfection – a man who we thought was harmless until he was out to take revenge! Lubna Aslam and Mahmood Aslam played the cool yet very sensible parents flawlessly. The actor playing Haya’s father and the one playing the annoying Khala also played their parts well. Danish Nawaz and Huma Rehan also fit perfectly in their roles as Faiz and Kaukab. Danish Nawaz impressed and surprised me with his performance because this was the first time that we saw him playing a negative character. I have always loved Sahir Ali Bagga’s compositions and Alvida’s OST was another one of those tunes. Shafqat Amanat Ali sung the OST beautifully and a big thanks to Imran Raza for the beautiful lyrics.
I would like to thank everyone who was involved with this project in any way for keeping us hooked to our television screens for 20 weeks. Alvida ended at a time when we were still enjoying it to the maximum and looking forward to more, which is a big accomplishment too! Thank you team Alvida for giving us a reason to miss this play on Wednesday nights and for wholesome entertainment. It isn’t easy bidding farewell to Alvida.
A big thank you to all the lovely readers who took time out every week to read the reviews and participated in the discussions – it wouldn’t have been the same without you all. You make the drama watching and review writing experience more fun.
Don’t forget to share your thoughts about this last episode, I will look forward to your feedback.
Fatima Awan