“Aap ko happy ending pasand hai na? Mujhe bhi!” Because happy endings don’t always mean that a couple with the most dysfunctional marriage resolves all their differences magically in the last episode. Sometimes happy endings can be convincing too. Laila preferred Saadi’s friendship even though Mansoor did his best to convince her that she was lost without him. Tonight I felt like Mansoor really was desperate to get Laila back not only because he wanted to control her but he wanted her back in his life. People like Mansoor do not change of course and I am glad that Laila knew that only too well, which is why she refused to take him back. Mansoor realized that he had lost someone very precious and there was no way to win Laila back now, regret and remorse was all he was left with. It was good to see Mansoor’s real self coming out when Laila told him that the marriage was over because otherwise the change in his personality would have been unpersuasive.

Laila’s mother’s ego did not allow her to accept her daughter for what she was now wholeheartedly but the way things were moving forward there was definitely hope for the future. Mrs. Khan consoled herself with lies like always; yes some things never change and I am glad that Mrs. Khan’s track was wrapped up like this because people’s lives and personalities don’t change overnight. Kukoo and Khurram ended up being good friends; Kukoo’s letter to Khurram at the end was elaborate and pretty much summed up everyone’s life.

I am glad that Pehchan ended tonight because even a die-hard fan like me was feeling that the conversations were getting repetitive. The ending was gratifying in every way, I could not have asked for more. I think Pehchan was the best play of the season because it excelled in all the departments in which a drama can stand out. Bee Gul and Khalid Ahmed gave a brand new treatment to an age-old story and added the zing which a good drama needs. It may have been too slow and unconventional for many viewers therefore it did not the kind of attention that commercial plays get but I hope that will not stop the producers, writer and the director from continuing experimenting.

I feel like I owe Bee Gul in particular a big thanks for not banking on the more easy (which don’t require a lot of thinking) and conventional ways to get attention from the viewers. Her dramas have not been getting the appreciation which they truly deserve but she continues writing artistic scripts and does not rely on run-of-the-mill-stories. All of her characters are multi-layered and definitely not black and white, with the exception of Laila’s mother. Her characters are so real that you can’t help but connect with them, feel for them and understand them even when it is a character as negative as that of Mansoor. I also love the way these characters are revealed to the viewers gradually; the way Laila and Kukoo’s journey of self-discovery was penned down and executed was perfect. I would really like to see a male character as the main protagonist in one of Bee Gul’s upcoming plays because until now she has been focusing on women leads.

Khalid Ahmed brings out the best in Bee Gul’s scripts because he understands the depth of the characters and the narrative. Not just that he made Pehchan a masterpiece by making it esthetically pleasing. Khalid Ahmed’s direction proved that he believes that his viewers are just as intelligent as he is unlike most Pakistani directors who think that the viewers will not understand the underlying messages in the story unless they spoon-feed it to them. There were quite a few scenes in every episode that conveyed the feelings and situations of the characters beautifully even when there were no dialogues involved. I personally feel that Pehchan was a labour of love; Bee Gul assisted Khalid Ahmed herself which must have made a huge difference too and which goes to show how seriously she took this drama. The Director Of Photography Naveed Malik deserves special appreciation for a job well done. A big shout-out to the producers Seema and Razi-ud-din Ahmed for giving the Pakistani viewers a reason to believe that there are still people out there who care about more than just the TRPs. We definitely need more people like them in the drama industry.

I really want to thank the person/s responsible for choosing the cast. It was an absolute pleasure watching Alishba Yusef play the character of Laila. Laila’s feelings and personality underwent a major transformation within two years of her marriage and Alishba Yusef portrayed different shades of Laila’s personality impeccably. Sohail Sameer outdid himself as Mansoor. He played the bad guy without going overboard, it is amazing how a good script and direction can bring out the best in an actor. I don’t have enough words to praise Iffat Omer; everything about her was perfect from the acting to her make-up and hairdos. Parveen Malik played Laila’s mother’s role very well and her character which was very different from the roles she has played till now. We may not have liked her character for obvious reasons but she was definitely in her comfort zone. Qazi Wajid and his character both were adorable; the chemistry that Qazi Wajid and Alishba Yusef shared on screen brought the father-daughter relationship to life. Anita Camphor did complete justice to her character, she is a very gifted actress.  Sumbul Shahid played the role of the proud mother of a son perfectly. Fawad Khan unfortunately brought out the worst in Khurram’s character, he has a long way to go! Faris Khalid and Saad gradually grew on me in the last few episodes but in the beginning he was sticking out like a sore thumb. I think the reason for that could be that Faris Khalid wasn’t very comfortable with Urdu language. The OST of the play was beautiful, Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poetry coupled with Arshad Mahmud’s composition and Erum Nafees’ beautiful voice gave the viewers a song which they can listen to over and over again.

Watching Pehchan and reviewing it every week has been a delightful and insightful experience. A big shout-out to all those readers who read the reviews regularly and shared their thoughts here.

Did you like the ending? Do share your thoughts.

Fatima Awan

Ohkay so, it was another one of those interesting episodes. No matter what they show, I always feel I want to watch the whole serial in one go. It’s totally amazing & what adds more to it are the characters. For a change, I really feel that the uncommon cast has done wonders & I truly appreciate the casting director for going for all these actors because I am sure if it would’ve been let’s say a few of those actors that frequent our TV screens regularly, it wouldn’t have made such an impact & for this I am glad that Maya Ali, Fahad Mirza & Noor Hassan opted for this script & are doing their job really really well.

Finally, Hashim broke the ice & shared all those preconceived notions he had about Rohaan & people like him but the best part was that Rohaan took it very lightly because for him, what he heard from Hashim was nothing new. He knew that people end up judging those who choose to look religious therefore, he laughed at it & made him understand that not everyone’s the same & there’s no probation on enjoying the life within certain limits (by the way I loved the PG13 statement of his).

Hashim & Rohaan’s friendship took off really well because both of them took steps towards each other. Rohaan made sure he helped Hashim in understanding him better & Hashim felt he was misunderstanding Rohaan all this while. I truly enjoyed their conversations & the best one & the most realistic one for me was when Rohaan told Hashim about why he chose to endorse the Sunnah of Nabi Mohammad (SAW). No matter what it is, but it is the truth that people often tend to mistake Muslims as Non-Muslims because they don’t look like it. I liked the fact that very subtly they touched the point that as much as it’s important to be a good Muslim, it’s equally important to look like a Muslim too so that people can instantly figure out what your true ‘identity’ is.

Both the families of Rohaan & Annie are worried about their proposal that’s why where Huma is trying her best to get Annie married to a guy of her standards, Rohaan’s mother ended up choosing a girl according to her criteria too. Huma may come across as someone who’s (not so) cool & (not so) yo, but she certainly is very conservative when it comes to her daughter’s proposals. She thinks that those who’re religious are very rigid but she forgot that she being not so religious is quite rigid too. I didn’t really understand why Amjad gave in & allowed Huma to do whatever she deems fit in Annie’s case. All this while he was pretty much supportive & appreciative of Annie’s choices but now seems like he’s also worried about her proposal & he is tired of seeing people rejecting Annie left, right & centre because of her Hijab, so is that why he decided to side with Huma as well?

Seems like Kashaf & Annie’s relation has hit the rock bottom because the rejection of Annie is somehow affecting Kashaf too. Even though Kashaf is considerate to make Haris wait for her proposal because she wants Annie to get married first but she can’t seem to cope well with how Huma starts considering every single proposal that comes for Kashaf after they end up rejecting Annie. For Kashaf, the best thing for Annie to do is to get rid of her Hijab so that people show more acceptance towards her. Even though Annie takes all of Kashaf’s rants really well on the surface, but deep within she feels hurt & depressed especially seeing how her family considers her wrong & end up being unsupportive.

Annie did the best thing to bring the families of Amjad & Ahmad close again. She made sure to make Huma understand what she was doing wrong & for a change it was good to hear Huma appreciate Annie’s thoughts because she made her realize that breaking the ties with the relatives wasn’t the right thing to do. Huma knows how positive Annie’s attitude is, but she still can’t seem to come to terms with her Hijab, which I hope, happens soon & Huma accepts Annie for who she is & what her choices are.

It seemed like Hashim was kind of missing Annie that’s why he spoke about her to Rohaan because I think now when he has gotten a chance to be in the vicinity of such a person who is also religious & modest, Hashim will now kind of understand Annie & her mentality a lot better. I liked the fact a lot that even though Rohaan has made Hashim comfortable, he still doesn’t forget to share his inner most feelings regarding the religion with Hashim, which makes it a very casual conversation & doesn’t seem too preachy. These little conversations on such lines will help Hashim understand the religion a lot more & I am sure will help him in changing too. & yes, like I said, the reason for which Rohaan was avoiding the video chat sessions with his family was because he doesn’t want them to see the change in his appearance now as he knows that his family will flip out. It was kind of hasty on Rohaan’s mothers part that she got him engaged without even bothering much about her son’s choices. I am sure that when Eesha & her family will get to meet Rohaan in person, they’ll call off the engagement because of Rohaan’s get up as Eesha’s family seemed pretty liberal & materialistic.

The attack on Rohaan was another portrayal of the real & dark picture that Muslims tend to face in the name of racism. Where Hashim thought Rohaan shouldn’t have reacted, the argument Rohaan presented was justified as well where he thinks enduring the wrath proves that you’re a coward & Rohaan knows that he’s anything but that. Being a peace-loving Muslim doesn’t mean that you allow people to walk over you & for this, he thought he was justified in retaliating which he definitely was.

This episode was a treat to watch because a lot happened this time around too. I totally enjoy the pace of this episode because even for a second it didn’t lose the grip of a viewer. Even though what they showed in the preview was kind of what we’ve seen before where Kashaf & Huma will be angry at Annie, I actually want to watch what Rohaan will say to Hashim. I think this time around may be Rohaan will return to Pakistan & his ordeal of judgments will begin by then.

I know it’s a random thought but I really like the way Fahad Mirza says ‘Ya’ after every sentence of his. I’ll see you ‘ya’, I’ll call you ‘ya’, have food ‘ya’. Haha! Can’t wait to find out more & please share your say on this episode of Shanakht & do let us know how much you’re enjoying watching this drama ‘ya’. :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Alright, so here we are, done with Shikwa’s 17th episode. Initially, I was getting the impression of’been there seen that’ kind of thing. But in the later half, I found the episode engaging. Sonia Hussain deserves a special mention for owning her character. The portrayal of Mehar’s feelings and emotions has been done to perfection.

Though we often see plays that revolve around matchless marriages but in this show, the way they have portrayed how age difference becomes a hindrance -it’s all truly commendable. In the matter of Sidra’s marriage, Mehar has made her strong opposition very obvious to her mother. A person’s ‘naseeb’ is solely responsible for what happens in one’s life- that’s the ‘justification’ Mehar’s mother came up with to explain that Mehar and Saqib’s marriage was something inevitable as well as ‘ideal’. I know that ‘fate’ and ‘destiny’ are two important factors which influence your life the most. But I don’t think anyone can make up for his/her wrong choices by taking the help of these big words!

I admit it’s not nice seeing Mehar as the ‘plotter of the play’ but like I mentioned, her feelings have been portrayed beautifully. What she is doing can’t be justified but then again, that inner battle she had with her conscience went on to show that only her circumstances made her bitter. When Mehar’s mother talked to Saqib about Shariq’s proposal, he did what any sensible guy was supposed to do-give a thumbs up sign. But this infuriated Mehar even more and quite naturally, Saqib started having second thoughts as to whether Mehar is actually happy with him, or is her happiness and satisfaction a part of her pretence?

And yes, Firdaus Aapa came up with another ‘brilliant’ theory- ‘agar shohar ki umar bari ho tou biwi ko bhi bhurhapa tari kar lena chahye’. LOL! I know she meant to say that in such a case, the wife should be more reasonable and practical but the way she put it, was complete comedy! Zubaida Aapa, maan gaye apke totkon ko ;)

Listen to this: Mehar and Sidra’s father ‘magically’ appeared in their phupo’s dream, asking-no, in fact ‘pleading’ her sister to go ahead and ask for Sidra’s hand. Of course we know that Mehar’s phupo is a big fat liar and the way she ‘explained’ her dream was just plain bizarre! History is repeating itself folks. In Mehar’s case it was Mateen vs. Yasir, and now it’s Shariq vs. Yasir. Please note that Yasir remains to be a constant competitor LOL! Iss kay liye aur koi rishte nahe hain kia? Haath dho kay apni cousins kay peechay par gaya hai!

Well, this was pretty much it. The latest installment was comparatively better; let’s see what developments await us. Did you watch the episode? Share your thoughts please!

P.S: I apologize for submitting the review so late  Sorry you guys had to wait!

Maryam Mehdi

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! Don’t know how to begin this review because whatever has just happened is ridiculous & I really don’t know how to put it in decent words. I know it’s going to be a big struggle for me to maintain the limits that certain someone has just crossed.

So, Haya there you have it, another proof of Awazaar’s sincerity towards you, LOL! While he was there promising his remaining few years of life to Haya, he ended up making a lifelong promise to Sofia in a form of their child. That’s just so cool, isn’t it? How do we put it, at one point Awazaar is so innocent that he lisps, but on the other hand he’s just…hmm chalain rehne dete hain!

Haya’s bechargi has reached the seventh sky too where she knows that Awazaar’s spine’s pretty crippled that’s why she took up the job of being a Maali along with being a Maasi of the house too. Haya’s so considerate that she knows if she’d do the chores that Awazaar’s supposed to do, it will result in a few moments of nazr-e-karam that she might get from her zang laga sartaaj. Haya’s well aware of the fact that Awazaar’s spineless back must be hurting from swaying like a pendulum between the two wives, therefore she thought let’s help him out. I really don’t understand what the writer here’s trying to tell that girls who get wronged are supposed to put up with every single crap that comes their way? So, why didn’t she name the Baby Biwi a doormat instead?

Sofia’s ready to enjoy the new phase that has just begun in her life but I am sorry to say, she looks like a loon who’s so self-absorbed that she can’t sense the indifference of her husband? All this while, she kept on nagging about the distance she felt was coming in between them but can’t she see her husband’s forlorn face that has become 1 foot long? Can’t she see that he’s not even excited to hear the news of a baby? Obviously, he should’ve been a grand-dad by now but still, no signs of happiness at all? All he does is ask her to rest so that he can rekindle the affair with Haya, but Sofia mistakes it as his love & attention?

Once again the unwanted stone (Ruby) tumbled in with her bizarre ideas thinking she’d prove to be Sofia’s saviour whereas she was the one who went to the hospital & heard what the doctors said, that Sofia supposed to stay happy but nahi, ye to hain hi adaat se majboor, so a gain apni Shukki shaksiyat ko le ke.

Even after Sofia said what was brain-fed to her, Awazaar lisped thinking whatever she did was right? Another shock that came to me was the news that this mansion consisted of only 2 rooms, that’s why they couldn’t accommodate Haya somewhere else? LOL! I mean how spineless can Awazaar be where at one point he supports Sofia for her stupidity but the very next moment he makes himself look more stupid saying he knows what Haya’s going through? I hope he can grow up a bit & become in charge of the house rather than being a pedo-bhai-in-the-house.

I think the best solution is to pack Haya’s bags & send her to Pakistan, but then oh, Sofia’s going through the most unusual pregnancy where she can’t even walk (!?!?!) so Awazaar ke parathay maray jayeinge. Chalo Haya ko koi aitraaz nahi to hamain kya? I am glad that this episode ended at a funny note for me at least because by the end of next episode’s preview, I loved the way Bumble Bee swerved & fell down (not to be missed, that too in her signature sleepwear). Itna drama to meinne kisi dramay mai bhi nahi dekha. :D Share your say bhai!

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Drama serial Laa has to be the only play of recent times that ended at episode 13, not that I mind that but I can’t help but question why plays like Mujhe Khuda Pe Yakeen Hai, Mausam, Izteraab, Ahista Ahista and many like them are dragged to the limit even when there are some major flaws in them and a play like Laa which may not have been a masterpiece but was certainly better than many other plays that are currently on air had to be ended so quickly? The OST of the drama is mesmerizing, it literally completely disconnects you from the world around you. Sarmad Sehbai’s poetry has a depth which touches your soul, Sahar Ali Bagga composed the song equally brilliantly and Javed Bashir’s voice is spellbinding but the entire OST is not available anywhere online. If Laa did not have enough viewership, it could easily have been shifted to a weekday the way Mere Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley was but somehow the producers decided to end it sooner than many viewers expected it to.

Anyway, coming to tonight’s episode, I have to say that while I am happy for Daniyal and his parents but many pieces of the puzzle didn’t quite fit in. Firstly, I did not expect someone like Naimat Khan to forgive Dilawar and Dai Maa so easily. He lost his daughter and many years of his life because of Dai Maa. His sole focus for more than half of his life was planning his revenge but I guess he missed out one detail which was that he could only take the gadi from Dilawar if Daniyal co-operated with him. It was quite apparent right from the onset that Daniyal was not the kind of person who would be interested in money or status but somehow Naimat Khan did not see that. The way he let Dilawar Khan go was unbelievable. There was absolutely no need for the writer/director (whoever is willing to take the responsibility) to make a hero out of Naimat Khan! He should have shot Dilawar! He always had a soft spot for Daniyal therefore I wasn’t surprised when he let him go.

I understand that Daniyal did not want to cause more misery to his parents but one visit to his birth mother for whom he had given up everything would not have hurt. Hina could have gone to see her son since she was willing to give up her life for him, the letter alone was definitely not enough. If Daniyal said all those things to Hina in person they would have had more of an impact. Daniyal’s gift to Laila was sweet and I think that particular track was wrapped up nicely. I always found the romance/ relationship between Daniyal and Naina very powerful but the way Daniyal smiled when he saw Naina even before she told him anything was rather strange since he should have still been in the same state of mind in which he was before – lost and depressed! The direction of this particular episode was very weak because some of the very strong moments were either not shown or were lost because of the imperfect timing but it was good to see that Daniyal’s journey did not end at a sad note. All the letters were beautifully written because they conveyed everything in a few lines.

Overall Laa proved to be a gripping play that kept me glued to my seat primarily because of its fast pace and a different plot. There were some episodes that were directed so beautifully that watching 40 minutes of Laa was like watching a mini film and there were some which simply left you wondering how Daniyal kept on hopping from Lahore to Karachi and back! Farooq Rind could have done a much better job if he paid attention to minute details. The over-dramatic romance between Daniyal and Naina however actually fit in perfectly in the story because of the kind of spiritual bond that these two individuals shared. The biggest strength of Laa was that I could easily connect to all the characters big and small. Another aspect of this play that made it interesting for me was the way the focus always remained on the actual story and the way all the different tracks were interlinked. The characters were intriguing and the way their stories unfolded was even more exciting. Most of all it was refreshing to see Mikaal Zulfiqar playing a different role. It is always a pleasure watching Rehan Sheikh on screen. This time around he was simply brilliant as Naimat Khan. Khalid Malik proved to be the perfect choice for playing the chooza seth. Sabreen Husbani’s perfect portrayal of Laila made me feel for her. Qavi Khan is another actor who never fails to impress me, I could always relate to Daniyal’s father’s feeling for him more than how his mother felt. Sadia Khan of course was the weakest link in the play but I must confess that I was expecting even worse from her because her performance in the telefilm Devar Bhabi was even more disappointing than her acting in Laa. I must say though that although it was great to see Laila Zuberi on screen after quite some time but there were times when she went overboard; I expected a much better performance from her. Laa could have been one of the best dramas of this season if the director paid more attention to detail and the final editing of the play. The strength of the play lied in the mystery element in the narrative and a unique storyline. Sarmad Sehbai may not be happy with the final product but the fact is that even with the weak direction, his script managed to engage many viewers..

Laa was not perfect but it was most certainly one of those plays you enjoy watching and reviewing. I would like to thank all those readers who read the reviews regularly and were kind enough to share their opinions under the reviews.

Fatima Awan

I must confess that while watching these two episodes I had a tough time believing that this indeed was a horror show. The drama is interesting and it keeps you entertained but the horror element of the show definitely does not stand out. There were hardly any horror scenes, there is definitely mystery surrounding the demon (lambe balon wali churail, as someone called it under the drama video and rightly so too haha) but is it the sort of play that gives you goose bumps? Most certainly not!

The Demon has befriended Ali and together they think of ideas to get back to Emaan for her rude behavior towards Ali. I am totally missing the demon bit here because somehow I have accepted the nice and sometimes naughty demon as Ali’s invisible friend who keeps him company. The demon comes up with mischievous plans every now and then just like any other kid which cause problems in the house but it is definitely not half as evil as Emaan and her mother! The way Emaan and her mother are having a negative impact on the bond which these family members share is more of a concern right now than the demon itself. The Demon listens to Ali and decides to spare Bua. Bua keeps on saying she feels bharipan but no one in the house has time to sit down and do something about it because the problems Emaan and her mother are causing are taking up most of their time. Shahood Alvi is the start of the show with his natural acting, he always makes it very easy for me to connect to his character. Other than that this is turning out to be just another drama with a nakchari bahu who wants to have her own way!

When Zubair and Bua go out looking for neighbors and children who can help them recite the Holy Quran so that the house will be safe from evil eye and demons, they are shocked by the response they get. Bua’s reactions most of the times are over dramatic but the bond which she shares with members of the family is actually very sweet. when Emaan’s mother calls Bua Churail and is very sure that she is the one who is responsible for Emaan’s condition Zubair and his wife tell her off but she is definitely not one of those people who get the message easily. Umair, on the other hand sides with her wife-to-be and mother-in-law this time around. Bua insists that she doesn’t want to stay in the house any more. Like I said for now the demon seems to be the troublesome neighbor/tenant who likes to see people fighting!

Ali’s parents finally started considering the reason behind his new invisible friend. I must say that the child star Bilal Khan is doing a commendable job yet again. Learning such long dialogues and delivering them with perfection must not be easy for a child his age but he makes it look like it is a piece of cake.

I am not sure if a demon who likes to steal jewelry and generally enjoys creating misunderstandings and trouble in the house is actually something to be scared of! Things disappear and then reappear, door and windows shut and open – is that supposed to send shivers down my spine? The Woh team clearly did not invest as much money and creativity in this project as they should have. Like I said the play is watchable and entertaining but not terrifying in any way.

Fatima Awan