Bhai - Episodes 26-29 - Shafqat Cheema, yo!

Haye, so where do I start? Last week, a reader commented on how much misery there is in this drama, how one tragic event after the other occurs and while I did not deny the fact, I still thought Bhai was working for me. But these four episodes left me feeling almost physically sick with the depths of misery and despair being portrayed here!

Hammad’s death, in my opinion should have been the pinnacle of tragic events. It was shocking enough, the death itself and the way it came about. Ashraf too was shocked out of his madness and that should have been enough. But, no. I gaped at the introduction of this Shibli character (Shafqat Cheema). What in the world is Shafqat Cheema doing here? And then it clicked what had been niggling me all along – Bhai should have been a film, a movie – not a drama serial. When I saw him in his banyan dragging I -don’t- know- what heavy stuff along I thought Mamma Mia! Now what! I have never watched any of his films, ever! And after seeing him in Bhai and the ugliness of his role – I am glad.

So, it seems Shibli has a bone to pick with Ashraf. Shibli used to work for Ashraf’s father and when he fell ill, Shibli tried to take over his business and assets. He is however bullied into stepping back by Ashraf who was also redeemed in his father’s eyes and how he became in charge of the family business. Shibli finds with Ashraf locked up, this is the perfect opportunity to settle the score with him.

The whole Ifrah-Shibli scene was so awful and distasteful I could barely make my listen to whatever he was saying to her as I moved my earphones away. I could barely bring myself to watch it – let alone listen to the screams and what they were yelling about. Was it really necessary for Ifrah to be shown to go through all that? When he kicked her, I really felt physically sick. So Ifrah has lost the baby now too and Shibli has run away and can not be found anywhere.

Hammad’s death has left me confused now. The constant ‘ Ashraf nay dhakka nahin diya’ and ‘Hammad ka paoon phisla tha’ has left me confused too. Were the two not linked together? Ashraf did not push with the intent to push down the roof but well he did push, did he not? And the push did throw Hammad off balance so yes he slipped but are the two not linked together – without laying the blame on Ashraf or Hammad. Anyways, seems like Professor Sb was as confused as I am and dropped charges against Ashraf and he is released from jail.

Writer nay tau Professor Sb ko bhi nahin chora. Ifrah and her mother are truly truly alone in the world and in danger as Shibli is still on the loose. Bas, to establish this the writer threw in the awful Shibli character and scene and wrote off Professor Sb. I get Ifrah’s grief and also how people react in grief and I was relating to it but her confrontation with Ashraf seemed so bizarre the way Maha Warsi was shrieking. Grief makes you do crazy things but Ifrah is an educated girl – seeing her yelling ‘tu’ and shrieking hoarsely and then when she pushes Ashraf it seemed like she was going to collapse in his arms when he was holding her hands and I thought what the hell?!

I do not know what to make of Ashraf’s feelings for Ifrah. Even in jail he was recalling the moments when he first met her. I can not blame him for his feelings for if I am being fair he did fall in love with Ifrah before Hammad came in on the scene. So it is not as if he developed feelings for his ‘bhabhi’ – rather his lady lurrrve ended up being his bhabhi. But after Hammad’s death, hhis concern for Ifrah is not in the light of a bhabhi. He acknowledges her grief and how wronged she feels, he mourns the death of Hammad but his feelings and concern for Ifrah are purely his own.

Ashraf’s mother has channeled her grief into hatred towards Ifrah. Well, maybe not hatred but she believes Ifrah has cursed the family and has only brought misery ever since she came into their lives. However, I find this change came about after Ifrah loses her baby. I could totally relate to her relief over having Ashraf back home and Ashraf has returned a subdued Ashraf making it even easier for his mother to reach out to him and take care of her first born who she almost lost too. His parents seem to believe Ashraf is not responsible at all for his brother’s death whereas his sisters feel differently. His mother’s behaviour while sad, is not new. Now that the final link with Ifrah has also been taken away, she wants nothing to do with her.

So really what is left now? Ashraf trying to win over everyone’s hearts. Although to be honest, he has shown no concern for his sisters since his return. His only concern is Ifrah and finding Shibli. Does he really intend to kill Shibli when he can lay his hands on him? How would that help? He would end up in jail again – but hey, he would have avenged Ifrah’s ‘honor’. Uff – I hope this is not the way this drama is progressing now.

While I could relate to Ifrah’s grief earlier but Maha Warsi’s constant screaming and wailing is beginning to give me anxiety now. Thankfully there was very little of Saboor Ali in these few episodes. I actually missed Noman Ijaz in the earlier two episodes and it only reinforced my belief that this drama’s saving grace really is Noman Ijaz. The subtle changes in his character and how the harshness has slipped from his personality for now is totally believable.

Suspense, murder, mystery, thrillers – I have no lain dain with them. I prefer light, easy on the mind and romantic stuff. Bhai is getting so dark now. The twists and turns were still watchable because the pace was fast and I felt adventurous watching something different but I felt like I literally had to shrug off all this misery from myself after I watched these episodes! I wish the director and writer had turned this into a movie instead of a drama – God knows it has all the masala with gundda bhai, beatings and shouting in the family, brothers falling for one woman and then one brother dying because of the woman and then uggh, Shafqat Cheema!!!! I hope this drama gets wrapped up in a few more episodes now and please I will not and can not digest an Ifrah-Ashraf union. I hope it does not happen. My apologies, Ashraf!

On a lighter note – what’s with these baby named gunndas in our dramas?! There’s Dabbu in Mera Yaar Miladay and then when you hear the name Shibli you think this: