Khaani Episode 1 Review – A Happening Start

This new drama aired for the first time today and it certainly looks promising, to say the least. Story seems a little cliched as in a happy family, middle class income and abundance of love and happiness. On the other hand, a powerful man, his spoilt son, unlimited money and the associated animalistic pride. These two collide in the worst possible way, in which the weaker side suffers and suffers and has all their happiness snatched away from them before justice is served or the natural law of so shall you sow, so shall you reap tips the scales in favour of the meek and poor. Saying all that, the way these characters are executed and the storyline unfolded in the first episode, it cannot be passed as just one of those. This play does seem to carry its own weight and endearment for characters, that will hopefully make us look forward every week.

So what happened today was that the better part of an hour was shown in telling how close knit Khaani’s family is, who herself is a scared young girl. She constantly needs her parents and twin brother Sarim’s support to navigate life as she is afraid even of plastic mice that her younger sisters plant on her bed as a prank. The girls’ first encounter with the feudal family of Mir Hadi happens as he upturns a poor rikshaw wala’s vehicle. Both of them are moved but Khaani wants to disappear from the scene and chaos while her younger sibling Sara wants to make sure the offenders are caught.

Khaani and her twin brothers are about to be given a surprise birthday party for which their bank officer dad and montessori teacher mother are joining resources as they are shown to do often for their kids’ desires. Sarim is waiting for a scholarship which he gets and the news delights the whole family. The next most powerful scene and the most important happening of the drama was amazingly touching. It was executed brilliantly and despite knowing where the events are leading, you couldn’t help wishing, praying… no, please no. It wasn’t to any avail though as the mere request to move his car by Sarim rubbed the arrogant and rich Mir Hadi in the wrong way. He pushed and shoved Sarim to which he responded in the same way. Mir Hadi could not bear this retaliation and he killed the boy by pumping four bullets into him. As in this  episode, Sarim’s family have no idea that their very beings have been shaken ruthlessly to the cores, as he couldn’t take that last call from his twin sister. The light note on which the drama started soon turned into an emotionally packed and brutally charged one and from the teasers, it can be incurred that it will continue like this now. Stay tuned to see how Khaani’s family come to terms with their absolutely irreplaceable loss.

As far as the actors go, Sana Javed seemed  a little odd in the first few shots, since I still remember her from “Zara Yad Kar” but soon she related well to the gentle and timid Khaani. Feroze Khan also impressed as the spoilt and arrogant Mir Hadi. It seems as if he is both the villain and hero in this drama, and from his entry, I think he is going to carry the contradiction well.

Do let us know in the comments section if you feel like following Khaani after this first episode today.

Mehwish Mansoor