The second last episode we had all been waiting for finally aired tonight. Jahangir, Mahir’s father, was definitely the star of the show in this episode. Mahir has fallen from grace, which is actually unfortunate because he was such a likable grey character. Hadiqa Kiyani translated the subtle changes in Mehru’s attitude superbly on screen. The way Mehru reacted to the information Babar had to share was quite contrary to my expectations but also in line with her character. However, this episode was not as happening and powerful as I was expecting it to be. The dialogues were well written and unlike the previous episode, this one focused completely on Mehru and Mahir. I was expecting Mehru’s character to come into its own eventually but that did not happen even tonight. Mahir and Narmeen’s mother continued giving the kind of advice and support which was disappointing, to say the least. The last scene of this episode did suggest that Mehru had made up her mind. Dobara has, for the most part, been an entertaining drama and some of the dialogues were meaningful as well. The overall content of the drama could have been slightly more meaningful given the subject matter and how it started.
Irreparable Damage
This episode opened with Narmeen’s mother teaching her how to make money out of her marriage with Mahir. While her mother cares about nothing but financial gain, Narmeen seems to be more sensible. She has questioned her mother more than once but is still going along with the plan. She is greedy but not greedy enough to be completely ignorant of her wrongdoings. She has not justified her actions even once but is not holding back when it comes to putting the plan into action. The scene covering Mahir and his mother showed that even though Mahir needed his mother’s support, he kept on reminding her about her own actions in the past. Also, the way she discusses Mehru’s age with Mahir suggests as if Mehru is 60! That’s probably how old she feels Mehru is compared to her son.
One of my favorite dialogues was the one covering Mehru’s state of mind and intention behind her welfare project. Even though Mehru’s journey has disappointed me in many ways but her kindness has always stood out. This was also such a good message put forward in a subtle and sweet manner. I have to admit that Hadiqa Kiyani’s portrayal has played a major role in making Mehru likable. The ways she carries herself and delivers her dialogues make all the difference. Adeela and Jahangir’s conversation in this episode was endearing as well. Adeela’s perspective toward life and everything else has changed for the better. There was a time when she used to be extremely insecure and bitter. Tonight, she asked Jahangir to not only meet Naheed but also forgive her. Like the main characters of this drama, this side track also shows how important it is for people to forget their past and move on with life. If people continue living in the past, they ruin their present experiences. Mahir and Mehru’s conversations in one of the previous episodes also centered on that.
Jahangir has more faith in Mehru than his son! He gave Mahir a reality check once again. The way he addressed Mahir with the utmost respect (until he tested his patience) without compromising on the basic essence and purpose of the conversation made this scene even more wholesome. Jahangir did not let Mahir blame his upbringing for the decision he was about to take. I couldn’t help but think that more than once Mahir has blamed his parents for his wrongdoings. It all made sense before but at this point, his failure to take responsibility for his actions came across as a lame excuse and not a logical reason. Shabbir Jan always makes such scenes an absolute treat to watch since he makes sure that Jahangir’s character comes across as honest and genuine. He is also always persuasive without raising his voice. He is another character that has come a long way! Jahangir and Naheed’s meeting ended with Naheed thinking about the impact of her words on her son.
Mahir and Mehru’s scene at Madiha’s dholki could have been far more subtle. While it is realistic for someone to pass such an ageist comment once, watching those girls go on and on about it and that too so loudly was not convincing at all. Mehru yet again chose to ignore and this time around Mahir did not tell them off either. If Mahir had heard someone say all this a few months back, he would have confronted them for sure. Mehru did not think much of Narmeen’s presence in the office but gradually she realized that Mahir did not feel the same way about her anymore.
Final Remarks
Bilal Abbas Khan and the writer Sarwat Nazir made us fall in love with Mahir’s character and now both of them have successfully managed to make the viewers fall out of love as well! Mahir’s character has been a disappointment in more ways than one, Mehru definitely deserves better. The preview of the last episode suggested that Mehru will let Mahir go without any protest; I hope that the drama ends in a meaningful manner. Right now, I am not rooting for Mahir and Mehru at all but I am definitely looking forward to Mahir paying for his thankless and selfish attitude. Mehru will obviously handle this with as much grace as she has handled everything else but she should not forgive him if he eventually comes back.
Did you watch this latest episode? Do share your thoughts about it.