This was another powerful and engaging episode of Laa. Every episode reveals something new about the characters in the play and the story is progressing slowly but steadily. Dilawar thinks that his wealth and status in the society would be enough to make Naina his “slave” forever but Naina’s answer to his proposal is Laa!! Naina may have let her parents decide who she was going to marry but she is not going to let her future in laws decide the terms and conditions under which this marriage will take place. I absolutely love Naina’s character; she is not swayed away by cast, social status or any of those things. She is liberal but spiritually enlightened. Dai Maa naturally wants a farmabardar bahu and not one who has a mind of her own. Dilawar is blown away by Naina’s beauty and he knows only too well that once she is married to him, he will manage to have his own way. This marriage does not mean much to him, he already has someone in his life who he considers his companion. Also, he is clearly one of those men who look at women as objects which they want to own and use according to their own wishes.

The way Dai Maa interprets everything that Naina’s father has to say to her said a lot about the kind of person she is. Dilawar knows how to manipulate Dai Maa and right now nothing means more to him then ensuring that Naina becomes a part of his life soon. The conversation between Dilawar and Dai Maa about Nazar ki raqam went to show how this drama is touching on different topics and is showing ways by which people like Dai Maa and Dilawar use people’s ignorance for their own benefit.

Not much happened with respect to Daniyal’s track in the first half of the episode but all that happened in the second half more than made up for it. Daniyal finally shares his secret with Laila and Naina also finds out the truth. Now Naina has absolutely no reason to go ahead with her marriage with Dilawar but the question is that does she have a choice? It is good to see that Daniyal’s parents are shown in every episode for some reason or the other. I am glad that they are not completely out of the picture and the entire development of Daniyal finding out about his past has been handled intelligently.

The preview of the next episode left me with a lot of questions; Is Daniyal Dilawar’s brother? Will Naina and Dilawar get married? Was Laila worth confiding in? Until now Laila seems to be a good person at heart. Sabreen Hisbani is doing very well in her role and this character is very different from what she has done already. Mikaal Zulfiqar owned his character as usual. Sadia Khan’s acting is not perfect but somehow her character has grown on me and I am actually finding the connection between Daniyal and Naina very relatable. All the senior actors are doing a commendable job; Rabia Noreen in particular has nailed her character as Dai Maa. I was blown away by tonight’s episode of Laa as usual particularly because I can totally connect to the characters and happenings without even making an ounce of effort.

Fatima Awan

The highlights of this episode would be Aiman and Bibi celebrating Haider’s birthday, Haider getting a reality check as to how much he means to Aiman, finally Aiman getting some confidence in herself after getting the first position in class and Sajeela developing an interest in Haider.

So let’s start with Aiman hurting her foot. Poor thing slipped on the stairs, got her foot hurt and the first person she thought of in her moment of pain was none other than Haider. As expected, Haider left everything he was doing to take her to the doctor. A good thing here was Almaas’ reaction. She felt for Aiman and seemed more concerned than her own father. It’s a good thing that this drama is showing a healthy step mother and step daughter relationship. Almaas is an educated and liberal woman and it shows in her behavior, never once has she ever let Aiman feel that she is not welcome in her house or that she is a burden. I can’t remember the last time I saw ZQ performing so well and doing such a positive, mature and meaningful character.

Aiman feels very strongly for Haider and by now she is used to getting his complete attention. When he felt like being alone and when he needed some time for himself, naturally she misunderstood. She couldn’t go through her day, she bunked classes, avoided her friends and finally burst into tears when she confronted him. In short, her reaction was very strong and naturally Haider was surprised. If you ask me after this incident Haider should have been careful in his interactions with Aiman. He is a mature and sensible man, he can clearly see that Aiman has started depending on him for everything but in the very next scene they were hanging out again eating ice cream and as soon as she called him to inform him about her first position, again he took her for lunch. I can understand that his intentions are very noble and in the beginning it made sense that he was taking Aiman out to restaurants, she needed the push. But by now, she has made friends in her class and has become a little more relaxed around her parents, by now Haider should make a conscious effort to minimize his involvement in her life. If she starts to fall for him in the next episode ( which by watching the promo, we know she will :) ) it would not be entirely her fault.

Aiman is also getting more and more confidence in herself, specially after getting the first position in her class. Her joy and excitement knew no bounds, she wasn’t even expecting this herself. Hopefully, now she will get out of her shell and will become a little less introvert.

In my last review, I sort of predicted that now that Sajeela and Mazhar are finally divorced, Sajeela might start thinking about Haider again. The one man who truly loved her and the one whom she deceived. As soon as she found out that Haider is still single, well that one smile said it all. Hareem Farooq is really good at acting, so it wasn’t hard to read Sajeela’s face. I must say if Mazhar was shameless than Sajeela seems to be no less when it comes to getting what she wants. Even if she had an ounce of shame, she might not have asked her sister about Haider in the first place. We have all seen the lengths to which Sajeela can go when she wants something and Heaven help Aiman if Sajeela sets her eyes on Haider :).

Now the story did not progress much in this episode but hopefully in the next episode we will see the much awaited ” Aiman’s makeover “. I am hoping that they will not limit her make over to just untying her braid and putting on make up but will also give her a new wardrobe :).

Also through the promos, we can see there will be a new entry in the show. Fatima, the girl Haider went to University with and Bibi and Almaas might even be considering her for Haider. How will Aiman react to this, this we will have to wait and see. And will Aiman finally accept her feelings for Haider, that remains to be seen. The situation will become even more interesting if Sajeela decides to join the bandwagon of the ladies interested in Haider ;).

Kiran Akhtar

Saman has proved to be a smart girl, she definitely deserved better than Faisal. Thankfully we have been spared the much dreaded rona dhona which most of us were expecting after Saman’s marriage. I can’t say that Saman’s reactions to Faisal’s cold and rude behavior are in any way relatable but it is wonderful to see Saman focusing on her studies. Saman has proved to be very practical, she knows that trying to win her husband will not be fruitful so she has decided to make the most of the situation. Hareem Farooq is doing her best under the circumstances since the character that she is playing doesn’t have much to offer.

The mystery behind Hashir’s depression should have been resolved in tonight’s episode. I feel that this drama could have been engaging even with a weak plot if the pace of the drama was not so slow. I could relate to what Hashir’s mother feels for her son much more after watching tonight’s episode. Hashir has grown up feeling unwanted for some reason therefore he feels like he doesn’t deserve to be loved by anyone. It could be because Hashir’s mother has been a single parent since he was little so she didn’t have a choice but to invest more time in her business. Every episode of this drama reminds me of another drama which I have already watched and this episode was not different. I was reminded of the play Ek Kasak Reh Gayee when Mehreen’s father lectured her about being so concerned about Hashir.

Shazia still feels that she has a chance, she tries her best to play her cards right. Although she is wise enough to know that you can’t make someone love you but she is still willing to give it her best shot! How many more lies will Shazia tell Hashir to convince him that she is his well wisher? The preview of the next episode showed that Hashir’s mother will finally decide to go to Saman’s house on her own and that is when she will find out the reason behind Hashir’s unhappiness. Mehreen also tells Hashir that Shazia did all of this on purpose, which means that there is no hope for Shazia.

I have no idea where the story is going to go from here but until now it doesn’t seem to be headed anywhere at all. In every episode the story moves forward a little bit but nothing about it intrigues me much. Saman can’t possibly continue living with Faisal and Shazia will do anything to have Hashir in her life. Yumna Zaidi is a very talented actress, I would really like to see her playing some strong characters. The production values and picture quality of the play stand out more than anything else but they are not enough to keep the viewers looking forward to more. I am actually surprised at the number of advertisements this play is getting, there are obviously viewers who are following this play. I would really like to know what is it about this play that is attracting the viewers! Looking forward to your feedback.

Fatima Awan

Mansoor should take his mother’s advice and start valuing things that really matter in life before he loses more than he already has. Tonight’s episode had some very deep and meaningful dialogues to its credit. I must admit though that Saadi’s character has been a complete disappointment. The character is etched-out well but the actor playing the role has failed to do justice to his character. Saadi should have been charismatic but unfortunately that is not the case. Alishba Yusef and the actor playing Saadi’s character have absolutely no on-screen chemistry, this is also the reason why their “connection” with each other seems forced.

While Laila was willing to give Mansoor another chance, Kukoo reminds her that she does not even know the man she is about to give a second chance. Kukoo’s dialogue about Laila and her being the same was so true. They are the same for Mansoor because he has used them both in ways that suited him. Kukoo was the perfect mistress for Mansoor but she didn’t fit in the criteria which the society and men like Mansoor have for a wife. Laila was the perfect wife material because she was young and submissive and most importantly because she was his mother’s choice. Mansoor only apologized to Laila because he wanted things back the way they were but this time around Laila wasn’t willing to go the extra mile to make this relationship work. Mansoor is not interested in Laila full stop! Laila is no longer in denial and therefore she is not willing to give Mansoor benefit of the doubt. Laila’s comment about Mansoor’s friend bringing his phone at night went to show that she is not being fooled at all. It is quite apparent by now that Mansoor wants to look good in front of his own mother and he wants Laila’s mother to have a good opinion about him too. Laila is wise enough to know that and therefore indirectly she threatened Mansoor by mentioning the phone incident.

I wasn’t expecting Mansoor to change therefore whatever happened in tonight’s episode did not come as a surprise at all. I think what Mansoor did tonight will prove to be the final nail in the coffin. This could be Laila’s ticket out of this dysfunctional marriage. Kukoo’s reaction to Mansoor’s advances was an absolute pleasure to watch. Mansoor wants to be in control of Laila and Kukoo’s life and he is finding it very difficult to accept the fact that both of them have moved on. Mansoor may think that Kukoo and Laila are ganging up against him but in reality both these women are doing what is good for themselves.

I am waiting to find out if Laila’s mother will realize at some point that a woman needs much more than a handsome husband who earns well. Will she ever be able to see that this man is incapable of making her daughter happy? Or will Laila just stop caring about what her mother expects from her and she will make a decision that will make her happy? With the exception of “Saadi” all the other actors are doing a commendable job. Every actor in this play is probably playing one of the most memorable roles of their career.

Fatima Awan

Ohkay, even though I found this episode very slow in terms of pace but the conversations by the end of the episode & those honest confessions of Zara were a perfect compensation for it. Seems like they asked us to invest our time in this episode so in return they gave us something to feel for the female characters at least.

In the beginning of the episode, I didn’t really get why Jazib was just so upset that just like a faffay kuttni, he reminded Dua of being a sautan to Zara? That just wasn’t appropriate especially coming from someone who knows how much Zara felt uncomfortable in Dua’s presence & how Dua was constantly being insulted by Zara. I think at least they should’ve shown Jazib as a rational person rather than just being someone who was responsible for getting these two ladies in one house. I wish he was sane enough to understand what each one of them was going through emotionally. For now, his priority is Zara; for the obvious reasons of course but that doesn’t mean that he can force Dua to do things out of the way to please his first wife? Dua has been patient & has taken care of everything pretty wisely but that doesn’t give him a right to misunderstand his 2nd wife just so easily.

Dua at least tried to bring a smile to Zara’s face but Zara’s phone call to Khala was just so odd. Zara has always been so upfront about what she felt for Khala but now all of a sudden she sighted the mood to thank Khala for calling Dua to Sialkot so that Zara can spend some time with her family? As far as what I know about Zara, she is someone who doesn’t really bother much about what others are thinking & doing so the whole calling-khala scene seemed quite pointless to be honest. Anyways, she found out about Dua & her supposed jhoot, but the way she reacted was once again annoying. I mean who stays so confrontational all the time? Is it really so important not to just be calm about any situation & literally be upset about every single thing? I feel as much as Zara has disliked Dua, she should’ve been satisfied for not seeing her face for the whole day but still she made sure she spent some time in reminding Dua about how jhooti she was.

Finally, Sofia made sure she clarified Dua’s image & made Zara understand that whatever Dua did was to make her happy & I am glad that the conversation with Sofia gave Zara an idea about Dua’s sincere feelings. Zara’s conversation with Jazib made me think that it would’ve been a lot better if Jazib & Zara had spoken on these lines before they rushed out of each other’s lives. It was actually just so easy all this while too given the history of them being totally in love with each other. Zara & Jazib could’ve sorted out their issues but seems like no one was bothered & there was a communication gap that too pretty unconvincing.

Anyways, the ordeal has made Zara understand that her family is in safe hands because Dua is a selfless person. Zara has learnt it the hard way but she now knows that she wasn’t there for her kids as much as she should’ve been but just because Dua’s always going to be there. She now understands how important it is to acknowledge her efforts & appreciate her for all the things she is doing for her family. The last conversation of Zara & Dua actually reminded me of the conversation Kajol has with Kareena, even though I don’t remember it clearly but I do know it was on the same lines as this one, so yeah to all those readers who make sure to remind me about Izteraab being a copy of We’re Family/Step Mom, I already know so now all you have to do is share your views on this episode without sharing the already known secret. ;)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

ps: On a personal note I feel Saba Qamar should’ve gone for some different & classy scarves because the one’s she’s wearing actually seem really tacky.

Ohkay, this episode was good because the contestants made sure they made it that way. This elimination round was based on Iftaar challenge, which was pretty simple yet it was complexed because the contestants were given a choice of creating a variety of dishes they themselves go for; in Ramadan. I must say I thought we’d get to see pretty much the same & typical dishes but the variety that all the contestants presented was not only interesting but showed their creativity.

The judges were accompanied by 3 special judges & they were Zain, Ammarah & Madiha. I feel it was fair for the other contenders that the co-contestant judges had a blind tasting session. I think this helped all three of them in staying true to their seats & because of that they gave honest opinions as they had no feelings to cloud their judgments to begin with. The comments however were random from all the judges on the platters they tried so once again even though I was not rooting for the eliminated contestant, I felt that the judges once again failed in giving us enough reasons regarding those dishes that made the remaining two contestants safe.

Maryam presented a platter of ‘Dahi Phulki, Pakora, Patties & Chicken Sandwich’. Zain liked the dahi phulki & also the filling of the patties; however he wasn’t impressed by the sandwich at all. Ammarah felt that the pakora batter was thick therefore it made the pakora dry after they were fried. Chef Mehboob found the sandwiches quite tasteless & felt that the chicken had no reasonable flavour in it. Chef Khurram felt that the patty filling was good but the dough was almost raw. Chef Zakir felt that the dahi phulki was undercooked as well.

Rayyan’s platter consisted of ‘Qeema Dahi Barey, Samosa, Mango Muffins & Batata’. Chef Mehboob liked the muffins a lot & also he liked the filling of samosas. Over all he was impressed by Rayyan’s efforts & his platter as he liked batata, muffins & especially the mango flavour that was instilled in the sauce. Zain found this platter very appetising & liked the muffins but he felt that the samosas were salty. Madiha enjoyed the whole platter & especially the sauces & muffins but felt that the drink wasn’t good. Chef Zakir gave him zero points for calling his dish dahi barey because he felt it had no component that is used in dahi barey.

Gulnaz presented a platter of ‘Mantuqh, Cream Chaat, Onion & Potato Pakora’. Ammarah liked the pakora & the drink but she felt that the dumpling wasn’t great. Zain liked the drink a lot. Chef Mehboob thought she should’ve used the immunity pin considering the weak performance this time. Chef Khurram liked the filling in the muntuqh but felt that the dough was chewy & undercooked. He also felt that the channa chat wasn’t up to the mark as it lacked seasoning & the cream was a bad twist to the simple dish. Chef Zakir felt that the pakora batter was dry & lacked seasoning as well.

Khurram’s platter had ‘Fried Fish, Prawns, Chicken Fingers, BBQ Wings & Potato Skins’. Chef Zakir didn’t like the chicken at all. He labelled his platter as a mystery box because he felt everything needed a little more preparation. Chef Zakir also felt that the portion size was too small to be eaten by 6 judges. Chef Mehboob felt that the platter was monotone & had no colours to make it look visually appealing. He liked the fish & also the prawns but felt they got a little overcooked. Potato skin which was served with a mash had no seasoning at all. Ammarah liked the fish & prawns but felt that the chicken was too dry. Zain thought that the platter looked quite boring because of the similar colors.

Amna came up with a platter of ‘Honey Wings, Buffalo Wings, Chicken Cheese Patties & Shawarma’. Chef Mehboob felt that the buffalo wings weren’t exactly like how they should be as the sauce is tangy & it has a strong flavour which wasn’t the case in Amna’s dish however he did like the honey wings & the flavours. Chef Khurram liked the overall idea of this platter but felt that the excess of parsley overpowered the rest of the flavours of shawarma. He liked the presentation & the patties too. Chef Zakir felt that the drink was too heavy & wasn’t Iftaar appropriate at all. Ammarah liked the honey wings but she also felt that the shawarma had a dominant flavour of parsley. Madiha also felt the same as Ammarah. Zain liked the drink.

Saad’s platter had ‘Chaat, Pakora, Dahi Barey, Berry Tart & Date Biscuits’. Chef Mehboob liked the chat but found dahi barey too grainy & undercooked. He also felt that the date biscuits had a burnt flavour to it & he shouldn’t have put them on a plate. Madiha liked the puff pastry of tart & the flavour as well as the idea of the platter. She also liked the date biscuit. Zain felt that the biscuits were burnt however he liked the chaat & puff pastry. Chef Zakir felt that the batter of dahi barey wasn’t smooth as it should’ve been.

It was now time for the results. Rayyan got some amazing comments as he managed to impress the judges so he was safe followed by Amna & Saad. They both managed to save themselves from getting eliminated because their platter had a few misses but some hits too. Khurram, Gulnaz & Maryam fell into the danger zone & Maryam was eliminated. She definitely had some limitations & couldn’t stand out like a few other contestants but once again I felt that the judges didn’t give us some actual facts & details as to why Gulnaz & Khurram got safe & why Maryam was eliminated. The judges pointed out the negatives in the main components of all the dishes so once again not sure why they couldn’t actually tell what were those winning points that made Khurram & Gulnaz while sending Maryam home.

Pretty decent episode but the promo had me excited. I just can’t wait to see how the contestants run an actual restaurant & perform under such a high pressure zone. Team & off-site challenges are always interesting so can’t wait for the next episode. Share your thoughts on the elimination & the episode.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Well, what can I say except that I am totally shocked at the recent turn of events in this drama. This drama already made it to everyone’s favourite list because of the story, execution & the characters but to see those characters, for whom we felt for, stooping so low is upsetting. I don’t know why but there’s still a glimmer of hope left within me that still makes me want to believe the otherwise. I am still hoping & to some extent sure that Daood & Momenah will not end up together & Nayab will find a happy ending.

To be honest, to listen to all such words like Islam, Gunnah, Mera Mazhab, Sharaee Haq, Islam Ki Ijazat; made me cringe so bad. I mean Daood & Momenah should be the last people to use such words because they themselves have no idea about the intricacy & fragility of the concepts that are related to the institution of marriage. While listening to Momenah & Sherbano’s conversation & all those excuses that Momenah used to add some weight to her argument made me actually feel that they were treating Shadi as a game-play. The way Momenah revisited the history of broken marriages in her family was actually enough reason to let us know that for them, Shadi was more like a Gudda Guddi Ka Khel. Abdullah’s first Shadi, then Abdullah’s second Shadi, Nayab/Daood’s Shadi, Momenah/Fahad Shadi & now the potential Daood/Momenah Shadi. Ekh!

To be honest, I felt nothing but animosity towards Sherbano because if, in the beginning; she had kept her ego aside, then Daood & Momenah would’ve been happily married but anyways, bygones are bygones, so this time around I just felt that if Sherbano had focused more on the better upbringing of her kids rather than planning & plotting against Gaitiara, then I am sure the Karma wouldn’t have bitten her so bad.

Daood; I swear, Daood was the person who was becoming everyone’s favourite but to see him turning things upside down was quite frustrating. I think people could’ve given a thought of his & Momenah’s reconciliation a second chance if he had dealt with the whole situation using some appropriate words. I really didn’t think that wrecking people’s homes & playing with their feelings was such a casual conversation which could be supported with the usage of ‘yaar’. I just felt that he was joking all this while because Daood himself didn’t seem serious & focused. It’s like he was bored to death so he sighted the mood for some adventure. Just because Momenah was on a vacation trip from Australia, he decided to tag her along in this. For the sake of Momenah & Daood’s stupidity, I felt it was good that they were at least giving their long-dead relation a try because they should at least go through it once again to fill their tummies with everyone’s hatred, so that they can get back to their senses because it seems like Daood would try to woo Momenah every single time she’d come to Pakistan, so it’s better to deal with it once & for all.

Momenah’s excuse of parting ways with Fahad was once again unjustified because seems like she has problems with Fahad being a workaholic. Momenah stated that she wasn’t one of those wives who like to wait for their husbands, which made me say ‘Yeah Right! Why would you wait for your hard-working husband when you yourself had no sincerity to offer’. Does Momenah actually think that Daood won’t work after he’ll get married to her? Like what’s the guarantee that Momenah will still be loyal & sincere to Daood if he won’t be able to give her the time she’d demand? To actually see Momenah & Daood looking for a house while still being married was once again a huge disappointment. It’s like it couldn’t get worse that while still being married to Fahad, Momenah was already dreaming about her new spouse, new home & how Daood ignored Nayab & Unaid’s presence in his life while planning the interiors of his new house? Do they actually think that they’ll be able to live a guilt-free life? Do they really believe that they’ll find their happy ending by hurting every single person in their lives?

For the sake of how awesome this drama was, I still hope that they snap out of it & give us a decent ending where Daood & Momenah are definitely not together in the picture. I hope for once that Gaitiara thinks like a rational person where she doesn’t take it as an obligatory duty to belittle Nayab by actually reminding her of a liability that she has been to Daood & everyone else. Share your say on this episode.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Tauba Tauba! Usually I always have a note to begin my review with but this time around I am speechless & have nothing else to say except TAUBA!!!!!!

This episode was such a mood spoiler in all different ways. The typical Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s high-pitch being echoed in the background repeatedly, Sofia’s shrilly shrieks & then Haya’s debut as a housemaid of the sleep deprived Zawaar, this is what the whole episode was all about. Once again they succeeded in failing miserably by not being able to make us feel anything about any of the characters. All I can deduce till now is that Sofia’s a vamp & an irritating one at that too, Zawaar’s a wuss, Haya is the satti savitri dream-wife of every Pakistani residing outside Pakistan because of the cooking & cleaning skill she has & Bee Jaan has got nothing to do, that’s it.

Yes, they did show that Zawaar felt good seeing Haya’s religious side so I am sorry to say if he was so deeply rooted & in touch with his eastern side, why did he get married to Sofia; a non-Muslim in the very first place? They have no grounds whatsoever to establish a fact that Zawaar can get swayed by a teenager so now they’re trying to show that just because Haya’s a Muslim home-maker, she’s definitely going to win Zawaar over.

Javed Sheikh’s entry was something unexpected but I hope he has a good role to play, to at least make us feel good about Pakistani men because the one we’re seeing getting pampered (literally & I can name the brand too) is just a loser. Throughout the episode, I was actually agitated to see Sarwat Gillani playing a role of an insecure negative person who has 1 high-neck shirt & 1 pair of pajamas (considering the huge mansion she lives in) because it’s like she is wasting her time & talent. It is upsetting to see such a brilliant actor playing such a weak role because she clearly looks uncomfortable. Apparently Sofia did try to voice her fears of not losing her demented trophy, oh I mean Zawaar because she’s had a tough life but sorry that message didn’t come across as clearly as it should’ve been because my ears were deafened due to her yells & screams.

I am happy that they showed the wholeeee next episode in the preview because seems like I can still review the episode without actually watching it. I think I’ll have to mute the TV because Sofia’s throat’s seems to be working fine. I hope that she had suffered from a loss of voice too because that would’ve been awesome, at least for us. Share your thoughts on this (sowwie) absurd episode.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Pretty average episode with a very typical format. Some instructions, some shopping, some chopping, some plating & some judgments & yeah not to be forgotten some bickering too. I wish to see more on-site challenges where the contestants get to compete against each other because it makes the episode a lot more interesting as compared to the in-kitchen challenges, which are always pretty much the same in the execution.

Today’s challenge was interesting but the dishes that surfaced were quite mediocre, in a sense that they didn’t spell MasterChef quality to me. 2 contestants opted for totally different ideas & turned them into the dishes but others made it a Paaye/Karahi Challenge. This time the contestants had to work with the offal or as they say organ meats. I thought we’ll get to see some exciting dishes but the food that was served was more on the home-cooking side & not unique.

Khurram won the last challenge so he got an advantage of extra 10 minutes but he also had to pick one contestant who’d have 10 minutes deducted from his cooking duration. Khurram picked Saad for it because he wanted to see what Saad will create. Judges also announced that those contestants who’ll make it to the top 3 will not only be safe from the elimination round but will taste & judge the dishes served by their co-contestants.

Maryam came up with ‘Beef Paaye & Naan’. Chef Mehboob liked the fact that the main ingredient was tender which was a plus point but over all her dish didn’t have the typical Paaya flavour which didn’t make it impressive. Chef Khurram liked the texture of the meat & the tenderness but just like Chef Mehboob, he commented on the lack of actual flavour too. Chef Zakir thought she had a lot of options but she didn’t plan well.

Rayyan created ‘Maghaz Karahi’. Chef Khurram like the taste of the gravy but couldn’t find the taste of the main ingredient at all. Chef Zakir spoke about the right ratios that should be used in Pakistani dishes because Rayyan clearly missed the detail.

Khurram came up with something different like ‘Liver Sandwich & Pâté’. Chef Mehboob felt that the sandwich had a very less filling which wasn’t that good either. Chef Khurram felt that the Pâté wasn’t smooth like it should’ve been. Chef Zakir also questioned the filling of the sandwich.

Gulnaz created ‘Oojhri Karahi & Oojhri Salad. Chef Mehboob liked the bread she served with her dish but other than that her dish didn’t have balance too. Chef Khurram liked the taste of the gravy but other than that he felt that the main ingredient had no flavour of its own. Chef Zakir didn’t find Salad impressive either.

Amna presented ‘Mutton Paaye & Garlic Naan’. Chef Mehboob felt that there was a dominant flavour of mixed spices in her dish & it wasn’t spicy at all. Chef Zakir liked the flavour but also commented that the mixed spices weren’t used in the right proportion.

Zain came up with ‘Brain Masala Cheese Balls’. Chef Mehboob liked the filling & the color of the coating. Chef Khurram commented on the presentation but other than that he liked the flavours & the crispness of the cheese balls. Chef Zakir felt that the rice needed a bit more of a seasoning.

Madiha came up with ‘Mutton Paaye’. Chef Mehboob liked the dish a lot of the balanced flavours but he also liked the spice blend that she presented with the dish. Chef Khurram liked the dish a lot as well because of the flavours, the texture & the perfect spice level. Chef Zakir liked the gravy & the tenderness of the dish.

Ammarah presented ‘Muttom Paaye & Naan’. Chef Mehboob felt that the dish had a unique flavour to it which was really good. Chef Khurram appreciated the taste, the level of spices & the texture of the meat. Chef Zakir felt that he could eat this dish as a breakfast because it was that good.

Saad made ‘Kaleji & Gurda Masala’. Chef Mehboob didn’t like the dish as he had to spit it out because of the reek of the meat. He felt that the smell destroyed the dish & the liver was overcooked. Chef Khurram found it salty & overcooked to an extent where it got hard to chew. Chef Zakir felt that it was a pretty easy meat to work with but the main task was to make it reek-free which he failed to do.

It was pretty clear that Madiha, Zain & Ammarah will be in the top 3 because they got some amazing feedback. All of them created perfect dishes & grabbed some great comments from the judges so yes; they made it to the top 3. Madiha in particular got appreciated because of the spice mix that she created because Chef Mehboob was all praises for it to a point where he himself asked for the recipe & was ready to pay for it. After Khurram, Zain created a totally unique dish & luckily it worked for him because he put in a lot of effort into it. Ammarah as usual cooked her dish with a twist but got amazing remarks. I am glad Madiha, Zain & Ammarah got the advantage of being safe from the elimination round & will judge & taste the dishes alongside the judges. I felt bad for Khurram because I think he was planning too much without having a clear direction in his mind, even though he decided to opt for an unusual dish, he couldn’t make it shine. Madiha should now understand that just because she sticked to a simple dish & worked on making it flavoursome, she excelled this time.

The spat of Amna & Gulnaz was obviously bizarre & what’s more bizarre was the coverage that it got. I was excited to see the technique of Khurram’s dish because I have seen it in some other cooking show but sadly they didn’t show how he made it. I think instead of covering other dishes like Karahis & Paayes & those verbal spats, they should’ve covered Khurram & Zain’s dishes properly as they were doing something different. It was good to see the contestants being happy for the top 3 because seems like all of them have a great relation to the rest of them. The remaining contestants might be expecting a bit of favouritism from their friends but I hope none of it happens & those who made it to the top 3 stay true to their seats. It was kind of funny that the judges had to remind the top 3 that they were more experienced than them, which was once again an unnecessary reminder as none of the contestants at first asked to be selected as the judges & now when they were selected, there was no need for the judges to be so insecure.

One thing that I find kind of annoying is the Pakistani version of background music they’ve opted for. Some of the sound clips are obviously the signature tracks of MasterChef franchise which completes the experience of the show but just because they’ve added some other sound effects, it’s making the show seem a bit too dramatic. Anyways, share your thoughts on the episode.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Aqlan shaklan wale keetay ishq ne kamlay jhalay…..Love comes when you least expect it; Daniyal did not go out looking for love and winning Naina’s “love” was nothing more than winning a foolish bet. Just when Daniyal’s life has taken an about turn and he wants to focus all his energies on something entirely different his heart aches for Naina. No amount of reasoning can change the way he feels. Seeing Naina right there in front of him gives him a chance to plead his case but Naina is probably too scared of being hurt again so she is not willing to give him another chance. Sadia Khan may not be a brilliant actress but the on screen chemistry she shares with Mikaal compensates for her weak acting.

Naina may pretend to be content with her engagement but the fact is that she has a special connection with Daniyal; a connection that pulls her to him, a special feeling of attraction that cannot be explained but can only be felt. It is this strange and perhaps spiritual connection between these two individuals that makes this love story different and appealing. I would give full marks to the director for portraying it brilliantly in this episode in particular.

On the one hand Dilawar seems like a very genuine person when he is with Daniyal and on the other hand his views about marriage and the way he tries to convince Dai Maa to sign those papers went to show that there is more to his personality. Khalid Malik has done very well in this role so far. Dai Maa’s conversation with Dilawar reflected in a very clear manner the difference between the two generations. Dai Maa’s comment “tuu maa ke purze purze krke plazay banana chahta hai” made me laugh but it showed how she felt about moving to the city and changing her lifestyle.

Laila’s views about love were very interesting; will Daniyal be the person who changes the way she feels about falling in love? I can’t wait to find out! Just when Daniyal starts questioning Naimat Khan’s intentions, he “distracts” him by telling Daniyal that Dai Maa asked him to kill Daniyal but when he didn’t comply his daughter was killed as a punishment. It is not going to be easy for Daniyal to find out the truth but I have a feeling that his journey is going to make an engaging story. Dilawar’s engagement with Naina did not come as a surprise at all but the surprising part was Daniyal’s reaction. I was not expecting him to react like this. The first scene between Naina and Daniyal was very intense. In my opinion, tonight’s episode belonged to Mikaal Zulfiqar all the way. This episode was fast paced, touching, well written and very well directed. It was the best episode of Laa so far. I am in love with the OST of the play and the way it was played in the background in tonight’s episode was spot on.

The preview of the next episode showed that Dai Maa wants the marriage to take place soon but Naina is still not sure if she should go along with this marriage. Will Naina go ahead with this marriage? Does she have the option to call the marriage off now?

Did you enjoy tonight’s episode just as much as I did? Do share your thoughts about this latest installment.

Fatima Awan

Four episodes have elapsed and we have another time change? ARYs lack of faith is disturbing. But then again, this drama has been going downhill for quite some time. I think the biggest dilemma is a lack of focus, a mediocre storyline and poor vision. Trying to throw in suspense elements hasn’t really helped much since we all pretty much know where things are headed.

Dania has succeeded in luring Nabeel into a marriage- there were a few hiccups along the way but the inevitable wedding took place. Nabeel gifted her a house for a wedding and ironically the house cost him his life’s worth of savings! Dania is over-the-moon initially being a homeowner and marrying the man of her new-found dreams but soon her bubble bursts when she is faced with the reality that Nabeel will only be a part-time husband and that too in secrecy. Maria is back and pulling the strings as she does best. She’s torn over the news that she can’t conceive and is suffocating Nabeel in the process.

The long dialogues between Dania’s parents serve no real purpose. There was a failed attempt at trying to get our pulse racing when Nabeel was trying to uncover the mystery behind who was keeping tabs on him and Dania. But just like that, he managed to quickly turn the tables in his favour and now the Private Investigator has sworn allegiance to Nabeel. Or so it seems for the mo. Maria’s bossy attitude continues and is no longer restricted to the home. She is now pushing herself into the workplace trying to keep track of every breath he takes. If only chocking your better half could guarantee faithfulness…

Dania is trying to throw tantrums of her own- Kyun Nabeel? Aaj ki raat rukh jao… Umm, okay, so didn’t she know what she was getting herself into? It surprises me that the characters suffer from short-term memory loss and forget their association with one another. Babar and Naeem have completely disappeared from the scene- Naeem tried to blackmail Dania but that backfired and he was tossed out of his job; Babar feigned an apology which fell flat. This is now simply the story of a man caught between two wives doing the juggling act as best as he can.

My issue really is with the number of episodes. All of this could’ve easily been wrapped up in 15 episodes. Had that happened, we may even have had moments of paying attention. But 22 episodes later, any efforts at redemption seem highly unlikely. Are my faithful four still on-board or have you stumbled off?

Yours in watching,

Kanwal Murtaza