Opening Thoughts – Impactful Script:

Ohkay so, this episode of Khaas was exactly what the majority of the viewers didn’t want it to be. The drama which was so convincing ended on such a note that unfortunately confirmed the fears the viewers had, who had invested so much time & emotions in Khaas. The final episode was enough to ruin the beautiful journey that this drama has been but still I won’t let this take away the fact that the drama-makers gave us a very memorable drama with so many perspective altering lessons. Khaas was a well-executed, well-written & well-directed drama which covered a subject which was not explored in such a detailed manner before. In the past we have come across a lot of dramas that have revolved around dysfunctional relationships, broken marriages & divorces, but Sarwat Nazeer picked up a complex subject like that of a toxic relationship & elaborated it in such a simple manner that it definitely has left an impact on the viewers’ mind. This definitely is a success for the entire team that came together for this project.

Lessons That Khaas Taught:

This has always been the strength of Sarwat Nazeer’s scripts that she picks up difficult subjects & conveys them in such a way that every intricacy or complexity gets across in a clear manner. Khaas had many lessons along the way but none of it was conveyed in a preachy manner. Khaas definitely tells mothers to raise better sons, it also tells parents to believe in their daughters first. Khaas also touched upon the subject of how the entire burden of a divorce should not be put on a woman & her family shouldn’t behave irrationally, putting societal pressures on their daughter who is already going through the toughest phase of her life. Khaas also touched upon the subject of how important it is for the siblings to become a support system in times like these, rather than blaming & name-calling. This drama has shed a light on the fact that toxic relationships exist & are very much a reality – such relationships which seemingly are perfect but drain every ounce of energy, confidence & self-esteem out of the people involved. What I loved the most about Khaas was that Sarwat Nazeer never once showed Saba believing that she was a victim. Yes, in the initial episodes she did look like one but as the episodes progressed & Ammar’s real personality was revealed, Saba’s character evolved. For the most part of the drama, Saba continued to work, mend ways & do everything in her power to save this marriage as well as trying hard to accept Ammar the way he was while also trying to change him but she could not succeed. Khaas showed that one should never judge or hold the girl responsible for not trying ‘enough’ because when a person is done trying is when they want a closure. Khaas has also shown how respect, encouragement, support & love are key factors for a healthy relationship & what all these qualities can do for a woman.

I will always remember Khaas for all the Khaas reasons. I admit that I am disappointed after watching the last episode, I was actually furious but now when I am reviewing it & looking back on the entire journey, I feel better. For me, Khaas ended last week. I will remember it as the last episode where Saba & Fakhir lived happily ever after. I will definitely wipe this episode off my memory because it is something I don’t agree with. Yes, the writer wanted to show the reality but I am sure giving Saba & Fakhir a happy ending wouldn’t have changed the overall journey that Khaas has been – filled with so many meaningful messages. I found this twist in the end forced & uncalled for. Fakhir could’ve lived longer, cheering for Saba, being her partner & support system, raising their son together. I am not sure why it was was necessary to be shown that Saba didn’t need Fakhir by her side, because now she could just live her entire life as a single mother relying on the life-long lessons that Fakhir taught her? No matter how strong a woman or a mother is, a husband & a father figure not being in the picture always leaves a huge void. I know, by showing Saba as a strong independent, self-reliant single mother, the writer must’ve tried to pay tribute to such strong women in the society who are faced with such situations & are living their lives with strength & bravery, but considering that they had already shown Saba having her fair share of miseries by being in a toxic relationship with Ammar, it definitely wouldn’t have hurt to give her a happy & peaceful ending with her second husband!

The Final Episode:

So, Sonia said whatever was on her mind. I am glad she gave every woman in Ammar’s family a reality check, something that they all were in dire need of but then that’s where it all ended. I know the director didn’t want to go much into the detailing & didn’t want to waste time by elaborating the thought process of every character but I do wish he had shown Ammar’s mother being regretful & acknowledging the fact that she played a huge part in turning Ammar into a narcissist. After Nida’s engagement was called off, Kanwal did think about how Saba must’ve felt when no one believed her but I feel that wasn’t enough. When Sonia was giving everyone a piece of her mind, I so wanted Farah to speak up too but she was edited in like a silent spectator, which she was already turned into for the most part of the drama. Farah was shown as a lively & opinionated character, yes, she herself went through a heartbreak & a transition but still, she was at this much of ease where she could say whatever was on her mind to Kanwal, so for her to just roll her eyes & be uneasy was kind of hard to watch. Farah did have a conversation with Ammar but I guess more than that, she should’ve had it with Kanwal, telling her that Saba & Salma were not wrong!

I feel Ammar’s regret would’ve made sense if they had edited out the last scene where he still believed that he was every woman’s dream. Why show him being regretful when eventually it had to be made clear that he hadn’t changed? Yes, it was obvious that no matter what Ammar said or did would not have changed the way the viewers thought about him, so I really feel either they should’ve shown that he chose not to change or he did mean everything he said to his friends about him realizing his mistakes. Changing was not in Ammar’s control. He could not do anything to fix his issues because in order to do that, he had to first start acknowledging the fact that he had certain problems, but being a person that he was, he could not bring himself to that point to first admit & then try to sort those issues. I don’t think showing Ammar recalling his atrocious behavior with Saba did anything to give his character a proper closure.

Fakhir passed away & he did everything he could to secure Saba & their son’s future. Fakhir could totally feel that something was going to happen to him, or may be let’s just say that he manifested this himself. When the episode began, I actually felt may be the drama-makers were just playing with the feelings of the viewers but oh well, they had made up their mind that Fakhir had to die. One thing I am the most happy about is that this drama didn’t turn into a Halala story. Saba chose not to go back to Ammar & to be honest, I couldn’t be more angry at Javeria. When Javeira had to show up at Saba’s house to help clear her image in front of Faraz & Sadaf, she couldn’t find the time to do so but now when Ammar told her to plead his case in front of Saba, she immediately hopped in her car & went straight to see Saba. How twisted seriously! Anyways, I am glad that Saba silenced her & let her know that she had burnt all the bridges & Ammar was nothing for her!

Closing Thoughts – Job Well Done:

Khaas definitely had a weak & unconvincing start but after a few episodes, it not only kick-started but ended up becoming one such drama that I used to look forward to the entire week. Khaas actually turned out to be Khaas. Sarwat Nazeer’s script along with Danish Nawaz’s strong direction made Khaas what it is. The actors also played a huge part in the success of Khaas because if it wasn’t for their strong & phenomenal performances, Khaas wouldn’t have been this successful. Sanam Baloch definitely chose an amazing script & she played Saba’s character to perfection. She made us feel for Saba, understand her struggles & frustrations. Sanam Baloch has always been a very strong performer, so it is good to see her getting back in her element. It is good that Sanam Baloch is at that stage of performing where she believes in giving her characters a realistic look. Her clothing, basic hair & makeup in certain scenes went to show that she wanted to give a very genuine & real treatment to Saba & she did a great job. However, being a morning show host for so many years has definitely taken a toll on Sanam Baloch’s voice & now when she is venturing back into acting, she definitely should pay heed to this aspect for sure.

Ali Rehman was at his finest in Khaas. I don’t remember seeing Ali Rehman being this convincing in any of his projects before. Ali Rehman made Ammar’s character look very real, his mannerisms, his antics, his entire body language showed that Ammar was an over-confident narcissist who only believed in his own perfection. Ali Rehman should definitely take a bow for such a phenomenal performance in Khaas.

Hira Tareen was another star of this drama, even though her role was short but she made her presence felt in such a short span for sure. Her minute expressions & fierceness while delivering such harsh dialogues were brilliant, she definitely gave Salma’s character the kind of treatment it required. Also, Hira Tareen didn’t allow people to hate Salma, rather with her excellent performance, she convinced everyone that she was who she was – unapologetic & selfish.

Haroon Shahid also played the character of Fakhir to perfection, he gave Fakhir the look & feel of being the acha insaan that Saba was in search of. Haroon Shahid should definitely experiment with more characters because I am sure he will excel in portraying them too. All the supporting actors like Natasha, Mashal Khan, Amna Malik, Anum Gohar, Saba Faisal, Lubna Aslam, Behroz Sabzwari, Sajida Syed, Shehryar Zaidi, Maryam Mirza played their characters convincingly as well.

Danish Nawaz definitely deserves full points for having a vision & bringing it to life in such a convincing manner while directing Khaas. Sarwat Nazeer should also take a bow for bringing such a unique subject to the table & doing complete justice to it. The overall journey of Khaas was definitely Khaas & I will remember it for all the good things it had offered. Congratulations team Khaas for a successful drama. Please share your thoughts about the final episode of Khaas.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.