First of all, let me confess that after seeing the torturous episodes of ‘Shukk’, I had given up on Ary drama serials! I vowed not to watch ‘Shikwa’ but it just so happened that I was flicking across the channels and drama serial ‘Shikwa’ really caught my eye. Well, believe it or not, it’s worth-watching!
The main characters are Munazzah (played by Irsa Ghazal), Mehar Bano (played by Sonia Hussain) and Saqib (played by Waseem Abbass).
Munazzah and Naveed (played by Javaid Sheikh) have three children, and Mehar is their eldest daughter. Mehar is a pretty, young girl who has an easy-going approach towards life. The most interesting and relatable character you will find in this play is Saqib, an unmarried, middle-aged man who is Naveed’s second cousin and lives in the upper portion of Munazzah and Naveed’s house.
Saqib is a selfless and compassionate man. Though he is not one of Naveed’s immediate relatives but he is far more sincere and co-operative, and is always ready to lend them a hand! But Saqib’s own story is very sad and heart-wrenching. Being the sole bread-earner of his family, Saqib had devoted his entire life to his family. He strived to make life better for his siblings and took the responsibility of getting his sisters married. But once his sisters got married and settled, they got wrapped up in their own lives and never glanced back at their altruistic brother who had sacrificed the prime years of his life for their well-being.
Mehar is a college student and for her, life is all about movies and entertainment. A guy named Mateen (belonging to a showbiz background) is head over heels in love with Mehar. But he isn’t Mehar’s sole suitor :P Mehar’s phupo (Badar Khalil) also has a wicked son who is dying to marry Mehar.
Misfortune strikes when Naveed’s brand new shop catches fire. Unable to bear this immense loss, Naveed dies from a severe heart attack. Life turns upside down for Munazzah and her children. As Munazzah goes through this traumatic experience, selfish and acquisitive relatives start revealing their true colours. They accuse Munazzah of having an affair with Saqib and force Saqib to leave their house for good. Meanwhile, Mateen steps in with his desire to marry Mehar. This Mateen-Mehar scene gets disclosed in an abhorrent manner. Tired of the endless accusations and infuriated by her daughter’s love affair, Munazzah hastily decides to bind Mehar and SAQIB in the bond of marriage!
Being married to a man who is old enough to be her father makes Mehar bitter and indignant. She finds it impossible to cope up with this marriage. Seeing her frustration and aggravation, Saqib tells Mehar that he will set her ‘free’ and will ask Mateen to marry her.
In the latest installment of ‘Shikwa’, they just showed us how Saqib approached Mateen and asked him whether he is still willing to marry Mehar.
Well, now that I am done with the summary (phew), let me tell you why I enjoy this drama. Firstly, the story is so different, exceptional, and unpredictable. Unmarried middle-aged men who sacrifice their prime years for the sake of their family’s well-being, social pressures, how people belonging to showbiz backgrounds are frowned upon, the true colours of your immediate relatives, generation gap and you name it-all such themes are reflected in this simple yet powerful drama serial! And yes, the characterization will surely not leave you unimpressed.
Irsa Ghazal, Waseem Abbass and Sonia Hussain are all giving power-packed performances!
So, add this drama in your watch-list!
Maryam Mehdi