So, these two episodes were about Hamza-Mareena and Ameer-Mehru with a bit too much of Shakra (Hamza’s mother) in one episode doing her gasping,weeping bit. Hamza and Mareena are back from their honeymoon and Hamza comes to visit his mother. I am the sort who tears up when contestants are kicked out in programmes such as The Voice but Hamza’s ‘emotional’ scene with his mother was anything but. All I could think was keh bhayee, all is right with the world again. It had appeared in the earlier episodes that Shaheen Khan had finally landed a role where she was not the silly, weeping woman she is in every other drama and I felt odd, like the world had moved on and I had missed something. Apparently not. She was her usual senseless, weeping self today. True, Shakra had not anticipated that her husband would die so soon but she had really pushed Hamza to marry Mareena and when she said how can you leave your mother alone now, I could only shake my head.
When Hamza and Mareena leave his house, they run into Mehru and Ameer outside. I found Mareena’s initial interest in Mehru a bit misplaced and strange how she was so eager to be introduced to her. Since Ameer knows all, Mehru has nothing to hide and she also does not really care what he thinks so says what she pleases. However, Hamza has been cagey about his past and Mehru’s double edged comments make Mareena suspicious.
I sat with such a silly smile on my face and so engrossed during the whole ‘Ameer getting beaten up and Mehru taking care of him’ scenario that I just about managed to connect back with the real world in time to rescue the chicken tikkas I had on the stove from turning into halwa! I loved how Ameer gets annoyed by the men ogling Mehru and the way he says Mehru Ji and his voice raises a notch when she argues and he confronts the men and then Mehru takes care of him and and and…you get the idea!
Like Ameer, I had begun to think Mehru was, if not falling in love just yet but at least beginning to accept her marriage and make an effort but just like Ameer, I too was snapped rudely out of that bubble. Mehru makes it clear that since she can not (does not) want to go back to her father’s house and Hamza is not an option anymore then she wants to stay with Ameer but only until she can finally support herself and then she will take her leave from Ameer too. She makes it clear she is not asking for his permission and that if he were to stand in her way then she would just leave him now.
I feel for Ameer, I do and I admit Mehru is a bit too harsh with him especially when she slapped him in the earlier episodes but if I am to be fair, I can not blame Mehru for thinking the way she is right now. Well, sort of. Her father played with her emotions and pretty much bullied her into marrying Ameer. Hamza was hardly a pillar of support before her nikkah to Ameer and although she was silly and rash and well it was wrong to tell Hamza that nothing had changed and she was going to get a divorce from Ameer and marry Hamza but when he married Mareena, Mehru felt that Hamza had let her down. I am in no way endorsing her actions but I can see how Mehru would believe that she has been wronged. That is why we do not see Mehru thinking about him whereas Hamza is running around like a headless chicken trying to retrieve the shirts Mehru had gifted him and hanging onto her memories.
To be honest I did think it was a bit too sudden how Mehru would suddenly change and accept Ameer as her husband and everything would be hunky dory. I can relate more easily to her accepting her circumstances for now and trying to keep things as pleasant as possible with Ameer without giving him any false hopes for the time that she is staying with him.
I also do not understand Mehru’s father. At times he gives the impression of a father who is doing what he truly believes is right for his daughter and he seems concerned when she does not visit him and asks how she is. But then his conversations with Ameer about her are strange. I know he believes Ameer is a gem of a person but purposely saying things to sort of make him behave less nicely towards Mehru is a bit weird.
Watching Mareena is well, exhausting. There is definitely some split/multiple personality disorder scene going on here. I could digest the rich, spoilt brat but the way she switches from smiling Mareena to scary screeching Mareena is doing my head in. I do not even know what to write about Hamza and Mareena because it was just the same scene playing out over and over again. In short: Bubbly smiling Mareena – Hamza says something (read: puts foot in his mouth) – Mareena’s eyes narrow or widen, doesn’t matter which one as both actions imply she is angry – Mareena yells, pushes,hits,flounces or all rolled into one – Hamza manaofying Mareena. And replay. Waisay, I have often seen the ‘lipstick rubbing all over your face’ scene in quite a few dramas and for the life of me have never understood it and the philosophy behind it. I am sure it is something very deep (dripping sarcasm) but I do not care to know.
Anyhow, so either Hamza will be able to ‘change’ Mareena or Mareena will finally take the plunge from borderline mental to full time mental or- and this seems to be the least likely possibility – both will find each other midway and live happily ever after.
Whatever Hamza and Mareena end up doing I do not care for much, as my interest lies in Ameer. Well, I mean Ameer and Mehru, of course. I think! I can not praise Ali Abbas enough for how he has really made us feel for Ameer. Sonia Hussain is perfect as Mehru especially as there were no crying scenes in these two episodes. Overall, I find the pace at which the story is moving to be good. I know Mehru finally falling in love with Ameer would be a predictable end but I really would not want it any other way. As I have said before, the story does not seem to offer anything new but the direction and cast has really made it stand out.
Right! Time to do a ‘jee’ detox! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on these two episodes!
Kunwal Javid
