Ohkay so, another week another brilliant episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan. I am glad that even after 15 episodes, this drama exceeds our expectations week after week. I really hope it stays the same way because these days, praising Hum TV’s dramas is like giving the producers a ticket to drag the drama further because they think if the viewers are enjoying the story & the characters till this point, they will do too once it is prolonged which is most certainly not the case. I have seen so many dramas that lost the charm but I really wish that doesn’t turn out to be the case with this drama because its strong script & perfect pace are its strength!

Shahzeb had no other choice than to accept his past mistake because firstly he was bewildered that Nazneen could play such a game to embarrass him & secondly he couldn’t believe that he’d be questioned by Malik Hashmat for something which wasn’t truthfully presented in front of him. Shahzeb only said yes & didn’t even try to give out any explanations as he knew that nothing that he’d say would make Malik Hashmat change his mind because his tone was already decisive & he was just asking to further make up his mind. I liked the fact that in such a dark moment, Zaitoon chose to stand by her son as she trusted him. Shahzeb couldn’t believe that Nazneen would use his truthfulness against him, that too in such a way where she would tarnish his reputation. Shahzeb & Baba Jee’s conversation was interesting again as he told him that he shouldn’t bother about what the future holds for him but we’ll have to see what Shahzeb will do because he actually seemed emotionally shattered!

So, Nazneen definitely had a plan & she thought things through all this while. Nazneen already knew that the moment her father will find out the truth about Shahzeb, he’d call off their marriage & she will use that to convince Basit to save the day. I found Qadir’s presence totally convincing because just before their meeting happened, Basit’s mother did inform him that his father was working till morning in the farms. Nazneen knew that if she has to bring Basit into her life, she will have to trick him too. Luckily for Nazneen, Qadir fell for her drama, because if it would’ve been Basit, I am sure he wouldn’t have dared to say a word of such sort but just because Qadir felt that Nazneen was actually worried about her father’s pride & honor, he gave in!

Rani finally became Reena Begum & just when she was enjoying the taste of her new-found success she was forced to face the reality that everything came with a ‘price’ & she’d have to pay it in order to survive. Rani’s display of emotions in front of Shammo did show how Shammo reminded her of her past which obviously had everything to do with her family & that is why she couldn’t hold her tears because she made up her mind that there’s no place for her family in her life anymore, therefore she was trying hard to stay firm. Oh well, Rani understood the price Nigar Begum had to pay every single time in order to attain the wealth that fascinated Rani in the first place. However, I will say that before stepping into the vicinity of the brothel, Rani’s oblivion about the ‘other services’ that Nigar provided to her visitors was convincing but the fact that she was still unaware of this aspect even after staying in the brothel for so many months didn’t seem convincing. Rani was Nigar Begum’s personal servant so for her to not know where would Nigar Begum be & what would she be doing after her performances is a bit hard to believe, also it wasn’t only Nigar Begum, there were so many other courtesans too so it is hard to believe that Rani never heard about it from the rest of the girls. Rani has spent months in the brothel & she stumbled upon so many secrets like Fizza Bai’s death & even met Nawazish Ali by chance so for her to not know that there’s something else that happens in the brothel other than dance performances was unrealistic.

Anyways, Reena finally realized that she made the wrong choice, she finally realized that she lost the bit of respect that she had even as a beggar. Reena understood that the wealth that Nigar had didn’t come easily to her & she had to go to such extremes to earn it. Reena finally understood that all those values & morals that her mother taught her were crushed just after this single encounter that she had with a stranger. The way the mention of next ‘performance’ scared Reena showed that she wasn’t mentally ready for this new journey that she just found out about. We will have to see if she settles for this or takes this as a punishment for wishing something that wasn’t in her reach & if so, will she leave everything or not?

So, Qadir Ali finally put forth the proposal of Basit in front of Malik Hashmat for Nazneen. I don’t know why but I have a feeling that this plan of Nazneen would backfire because no matter what, her parents would never settle for their servant’s son for her. Even though Nazneen has played this game intelligently, she has definitely undermined the fact that her father has the final decision making power. If Nazneen will come forth & share what she wants then may be her father won’t be able to say no to her but if she will play this game silently then there are high chances that this will definitely go against her!

Overall, this episode was phenomenal & I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. I must commend the choreographer, the director & also the actors who kept the dance performances perfectly decent. Even though Ushna has showed a perfect transition as a beggar & then as a courtesan, I still feel Sana Fakhar set the bar really high & in this dance sequence, Ushna looked more like a performer. However, I enjoyed her emotional scenes a lot because she really showcased what Rani was going through after realizing what she has done in order to become Reena Begum. Kubra Khan’s performance was good too. I wish we get to see more of Imran Ashraf/Shammo & he plays an important role in Rani’s life. I really wish there’s more to his story than just becoming a famous makeup artist. The preview of the next episode seemed interesting I can’t wait to watch it. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Funny Story: While watching Yeh Raha Dil last night on live streaming, I saw this episode’s promo of Alif Allah Aur Insaan & they showed that there was this human being in black dress, white long hair standing next to Rani, I actually assumed that it would be Rani hallucinating about Nigar Begum & she’d see Nigar in such a horrifying avatar & that’ll be Rani’s undoing where she will lose her senses & Nigar Begum would haunt her. I was actually surprised when I saw that scene because I seriously had no idea that it would be a man & I was confusing him as Nigar Begum, lol!

Ohkay so, another week, another beautiful & intense episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan. I am loving how they are revealing the story even at this stage of the drama. It is absolutely commendable how even after giving away so much about the characters, the writer has still kept some secrets which she reveals at the right time & because of that, all this while, we’re compelled to make guesses about how the characters are going to react given the circumstances. It is amazing how even after so many episodes, the writer is giving us something or the other to keep us hooked to the show. The director also deserves a special mention here for doing justice to such a complex script with such unique characters & more so for giving equal coverage to each & every aspect because that shows his grip on the script & sheds a light on how he is doing justice to his role as a director!

I loved how they revealed another side of Rani’s character in this episode. Rani for the first time showed that she has all what it takes to become Reena Begum & she is not doing anything to let go of what has come her way. Rani herself has forgotten that she once used to be Rani because now she is entirely focused on becoming Reena Begum as she has a assigned a massive duty to herself that she has to make everyone forget who Nigar Begum was & what she used to be like.

It was quite interesting how they gave us an insight into Reena, which showed that she was always a rebel. She hated her life when she was a beggar because she had restrictions around her, later when she achieved her dream of becoming Nigar’s servant, she once again started hating everything because she had a new set of restrictions that were imposed on her & life didn’t turn out how she wanted it to be. Reena used to miss her family & she would cry for them because she knew that they were out of her reach & she couldn’t meet them due to those restrictions, which showed that her rebel nature always forced her to assume that the grass was greener on the other side but now what she has done was so expected yet unpredictable! Reena had all the opportunity in the world to reunite with her family because Nigar died & there was no one restricting her to meet her family but just because she got the freedom that she yearned for all her life, she reset her priorities immediately & sadly, her family wasn’t on the list. Reena knew that this was once in a lifetime opportunity that she was getting & if she wouldn’t make the most of it now, she’d regret it later. Well the time will definitely teach her a lot of lessons because everything comes with a territory & Reena will find out about it but right now, she thinks she has made the right choice. Who would’ve thought that Rani who used to call her father for help after getting beaten up by Nigar or who used to miss her mother’s comfort in times of distress would turn a blind eye when she’d be given the opportunity to see them? Yes, Rani has bitter memories of her father but her mother always supported her, so to see Rani forgetting all about her mother is heart-rending!

I loved Shammi’s role in this entire situation where he lied because didn’t want to hurt Reena’s sister & indirectly Reena’s mother by telling them the truth about her. Shammi once again tried to convince Reena to look through the grave mistake that she was making but Reena chose not to listen to him. It was quite interesting how Reena compared her opportunity with Shammi’s & also reminded him that he also wouldn’t want to go back to his family & his old life but then again, she is missing the point that Shammi’s situation was different & he earned everything on his own, at least not by crushing someone else’s realm or if we openly say it, by becoming a reason behind someone’s death. The note at which Shammi parted with Reena broke my heart, it was so obvious that he wasn’t emotional because of how Reena rejected him, but he was actually sad seeing this new Reena that he never imagined existed. Shammi can see that she is going to regret everything later in life & she will suffer but since he is feeling helpless, he feels defeated!

Basit’s thesis on ‘balance’ was backed by some amazing arguments & justifications. It was quite interesting to hear his thoughts on how he saw everything having a soul & a value because of it being Allah’s creation. Basit’s life has finally shaped up & he not only impressed the jury members but also bagged a job at his university. It shows how dedicated Basit was & how he was serious about shaping his life up, despite all that he was dealing with in his personal life. I really like how composed, focused, calm & collected Basit is, like he knows what he wants to achieve & he puts his mind & heart to it. To see Basit becoming a reason for this huge smile on his father’s face was actually quite sweet, I love seeing how his parents treat him with so much of love & affection because they really have raised an ideal son.

So, finally the cat’s out of the bag now & we know that Nazneen had a plan. I think Nazneen only went ahead & told her parents to fix her marriage with Shahzeb so that she could get back at him because she felt insulted so she wanted him to feel embarrassed as well because otherwise, there was no reason for Nazneen to go to such an extent of allowing her parents to fix the date & then telling them the truth about him. But then looks like Nazneen wanted to make things believable I guess for her parents that’s why she chose such a time when she knew they’d panic the most & would try to come up with a solution immediately with the wedding looming on their head.

Just when Shahzeb said yes to what Malik Hashmat asked him about, I actually for the first time felt bad for him. It is because Shahzeb loves Nazneen so much that he knew what she was trying to achieve & just because he didn’t want to put her in an awkward position by making her look like a liar, he ended up taking the blame on himself. I am sure Shahzeb will try to explain his position but he wouldn’t say much as he wouldn’t want Nazneen to face any kind of brunt for how she used his truth against him. He really does love her!

Overall, this episode was beautiful. I love how the writer has forced the viewers to become emotionally invested in all the characters & their stories. It is like a complete package with so much happening & with so much to process that you just feel they have taken you into another world. I am loving the fact that we have a drama so intense & so phenomenal that it just makes it a wholesome experience when you tune to it. All the actors have done a brilliant job, I must say Kubra Khan’s expressions were spot on in the last scene & even her parents acted perfectly in this episode. Shehzad sheikh is nailing the character of Basit & he has given him a perfect treatment, like he has made it easy for everyone to understand what Basit goes through & the pain he feels, which is brilliant. For me, even though the performance lasted for a few seconds, the performance of the episode was by Nargis Rasheed, like seriously, the way she talks so fondly of her daughter Rani & with so much love & hope that one day she will come back to her is so so so heart-warming & special. I just loveeee seeing a scene or two of Rani’s mother where she is always speaking about her & inquiring about her like a concerned mother. Also the way she cries when she realizes that she has to wait a little longer is just so touching yet beautiful. Nargis Rasheed should take a bow for making Rani’s mother’s character just so beautiful & real. Loving this drama so far. Please share your thoughts about this amazing episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan was absolutely incredible. I just couldn’t keep track of time & enjoyed everything that was revealed today. I must say the pace of the drama is absolutely perfect, so much happens in every other episode that it shows that there’s so much left to be revealed yet which makes it even more engaging. I really hope the journey of this drama remains just as amazing as it is at the moment & they keep on giving us one strong episode after another.

I loved the conversation between Qadir & Basit. The moment Qadir started speaking to his son, it was so evident that he was skeptical & was actually scared that his worst fears might come true but the moment Basit lied to him, his heart was put to ease & all of a sudden there was a change in his voice, expressions & body language. Even though Basit didn’t speak the truth but just seeing how relieved Qadir felt made me feel good about the entire situation. I really hoped that this visit & all those reminders from Qadir would serve as an eye opener for Basit & he’d realize how wrong he was.

It does seem like Nazneen has a plan up her sleeve, like she seems so comfortable in this entire messy situation & that is because she definitely has thought things through. Even though Nazneen knows that Basit will never be able to take a stand for her especially by going against his family, it looks like she has taken care of that thing as well & for now, all she wanted was to buy some time. It was kind of suspicious how Nazneen told Basit to stay quiet & keep their relationship a secret from his family because if it would’ve been any other girl, she would’ve been excited to know that her boyfriend is finally going to make their relationship official but she didn’t want that to happen. Even though the dialogue in the preview has left me confused but going by what was shown in this episode, the way Nazneen easily surrendered made me feel that she now was taking Shahzeb as a challenge & just because her ego was hurt, she didn’t mind drifting away from Basit in pursuit of being with Shahzeb? This entire situation is kind of confusing but intriguing as well because you just can not predict what is going to happen & how the characters are going to react, which makes it even more interesting to be honest & shows the detailing that the writer has added in every other situation!

At this point I can say I have started enjoying Baba Jee’s conversations & scenes because they have been written with so much of profoundness that you actually want to listen to what he has to say. ‘Sach ka raasta asaan hota to uska ajar itna ziyada na hota’, ‘jo insaan khud ko Khuda samajhte hain wo kabhi maaf nahi karte aur jo insaan samajhte hain wo bin kahay maaf kar dete hain’, what I love the most is the fact that in almost every other episode, they try to show us the difference between Allah & Insaan, like without even making things preachy, these conversations are executed seamlessly while still holding so much of meaning & depth. Shahzeb actually felt burdened that he chose to share the truth of his past with Nazneen but then Baba Jee tried to put things into perspective.

Chaman Begum surely handled everything really really well. She knew that the chapter of Nigar Begum was closed & there was no point in mourning over what, when, why & how everything went wrong, so it was quite intelligent of her that she decided to move past that stage in order to shape things up for the future. It was interesting how Chaman Begum immediately thought that Rani could’ve been the culprit but ‘ilzaam ka badla ilzaam’ conversation forced her to stay silent. Chaman Begum knows that no matter what she’d say, things will only get out of hands & the fact that she was the one who served Nigar Begum the juice could put her in trouble, so she decided to leave Rani alone. Ustaad’s conversation with Chaman also told her that Rani was the one who could save the sinking ship therefore Chaman decided to maintain her terms with Rani.

The split second scene where Rani was playing with the fountain water showed how she was trying to feel what it was like having everything in the palm of her hands. Yes, at first when the news of Nigar’s death broke out, Rani did feel a little scared but the moment she heard that Chaman Begum spoke about keeping everything under wraps, she immediately realized that she won at this battle without even trying & that is why she all of a sudden started feeling at ease & was seen enjoying this sense of freedom that she was experiencing after a long long time.

Sadly, the dancer Shammo & even the renowned makeup artist Shammi was never good enough for Rani. I loved how they showed that Rani was once again standing at a crossroad & life was giving her two opportunities, one that she was making for herself & the other which was being presented to her. Shammi showed her the other side of the picture where he promised her family, comfort, shelter & a lot of love but Rani felt she got the chance to fulfill her dreams, so she should make the most of it. Yes, this is going to cost Rani a lot & even though for now she doesn’t realize but the time will come when she will understand that she made a huge mistake but sadly, at this moment she is so blinded by the idea of fame, success & reigning that she is not thinking about anything else. So, Rani finally got what she wanted, she finally stepped on Nigar Begum’s throne, she was finally going to rule the realm that Nigar Begum left behind, but only the time will teach her that being Nigar Begum comes with a territory.

So, looks like just when Shahzeb completely lost hope, he got the news that Nazneen herself agreed for this marriage. I am sure there’s more to it because the way Samina & Razia were concerned, I can totally see something odd happening. I am sure things are going to get more interesting henceforth!

Overall, I enjoyed this episode a lot. I must say the art direction of this drama is phenomenal, like every other scene is a visual treat & has aesthetics that you just feel teleported to another world. It is pretty evident that they didn’t only focus on the execution of the script but actually wanted to breathe life into every single situation by adding so much attention to detail & it surely has worked. Even though his scene was short, I loved Noor Ul Hassan’s performance, like he portrayed the concerns of a father to perfection. All the other actors have done a brilliant job. I loved how Shammi cried when he once again got rejected, like he wanted to hide his tears but still couldn’t contain himself, Imran Ashraf is amazing. Ushna Shah has been the star of the show right from the beginning & it is amazing that she has done justice to each & every shade of Rani’s personality, like it was amazing to see how Rani’s attitude & body language changed when she got the power & I must add, she looked absolutely gorgeous in the last scene. The preview has left me confused, not sure what future holds for Basit & I am definitely interested to see what’s going to happen. Please share your thoughts about this amazing episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Another week, another intense episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan. When this drama began, I knew I was in for a ride but I never expected that it will turn into one of those dramas that just pull you in & force you to get emotionally invested in the story & the characters & Alif Allah Aur Insaan has done just exactly that. I find myself waiting for its episodes and I look forward to how the story is going to unfold. The writer, the director & the entire cast deserve a standing ovation for making Alif Allah Aur Insaan such a sucess.

So, Nazneen invited Shahzeb so that she could have a conversation with him but that’s where it all stopped for me because after that I couldn’t really comprehend what was running through Nazneen’s mind. Yes, I know that she is someone who hates to lose & she is someone who can not stand being on the same pedestal as someone else but then again, isn’t she doing the same thing with Shahzeb too? Even though Shahzeb was being honest with Nazneen but the fact that she couldn’t take what she heard was odd. I thought Nazneen will use this against Shahzeb but then just the mention of some other woman who Shahzeb vowed not being emotionally involved with made Nazneen restless, why? If that’s the case then how about putting Shahzeb in her situation & thinking for a second how she is two timing on him with Basit? In this episode especially, I didn’t really get what should be made out of her character because she seemed perfectly alright when Shahzeb was flowering her with all those praises whereas I thought she’d openly tell Shahzeb that she doesn’t want to get married to him. Where I expected that it would be Nazneen who’d come clean in front of Shahzeb, it was Shahzeb who did the honors only to evoke a reaction which he didn’t expect. Does this mean that even though Nazneen is not emotionally invested in this relationship, the mere fact that Shahzeb once crossed paths with random woman disturbed Nazneen to such an extreme? Nazneen most certainly is not entitled to this kind of reaction considering how she herself is cheating on Shahzeb & after this meeting I even felt she cheated on Basit too because she didn’t tell him that she invited Shahzeb for a meeting for no good reason & then gave him an edge where he could go on about how much he loves her? Nazneen is turning out to be a twisted character, like I commend the writer here for adding so many shades to Nazneen where she is not just your typical stubborn spoiled brat, I say that in a sense that her character has been written intelligently but it most certainly is twisted & not someone that I am a fan of!

For the first time I felt for Shahzeb, only because he was being honest but now he will feel guilty for being a bit too honest with a shallow girl like Nazneen. Only because of the love that Shahzeb has for Nazneen, he felt it was his duty to inform her about everything that has happened in his life but now when Nazneen, due to her own selfish reasons will reject him, he will think his honesty cost him the love of his life, whereas it is Nazneen who should be feeling guilty & ashamed, not Shahzeb. The conversation regarding ‘Shaitan’ & ‘Rehman’ that Zaitoon & Shahzeb had was very special, I love the dialogue writer’s way with words, like in every single episode you find these gems that make you smile, so I commend the dialogue writer as well!

Samina rightfully but in her limits tried to explain to her father about Basit & Nazneen’s involvement in each other. Obviously Basit’s father couldn’t fathom the fact that his son could do such a thing that is why he kept on blaming the ladies but just when he saw that even his wife was standing by what their daughter was saying, he was forced to think. Samina was obviously pushed to the limit to tell her father that Nazneen was chasing after Basit which obviously sparked some suspicion in his mind as well & I say the sooner the better, he should know what Basit is upto!

I don’t know why, even though I saw all the shades of Nigar Begum’s personality, I never hated her character, like I couldn’t because where she had this evilness in her, she had this niceness in her as well. I am all for Rani & I feel for her too but I don’t think she was entitled to sign such a verdict for Nigar Begum, that too when she got the ticket to her own freedom. Shammi obviously played a major part in convincing Nigar to let go of Rani & even tried to make her understand that she should go easy on her which to my surprise was something that Nigar not only accepted but followed too but sadly, Rani decided to do what the anger brewed inside her forced her to do. I actually felt a lot for Nigar especially in the last scene where she once again promised to pick up the pieces & move on from another bad phase of her life, like in such a brief moment we were made familiar with the constant failures, big or small that courtesans go through. All Nigar Begum yearned for was some love, affection & a security blanket & she had some dreams which weren’t materialized because of which she unleashed her harsh side but then again, the fact that she actually empathized with Rani & spoke about her dreams showed that she could actually relate to her but didn’t want to come to her level as she wanted to maintain a distance. However, it can’t be forgotten that whatever happened with Nigar was a perfect example of ‘what goes around, comes around’, like she devised a plan for Fizza Bai’s death & then similarly, Rani pushed her towards her death too but then, was Rani right in going to such an extreme? I like how the writer has opened a new dimension & has revealed this new side of Rani, like this new revelation & Rani’s verdict is always going to be open for different interpretations, which is quite intelligent & commendable. I don’t know why but for the first time I see a similarity between Nigar & Rani, they both had dreams, they both chased after their dreams, they both had their own agendas & just how they had a lot of niceness in them, they had/have this evil streak too, which is is absolutely amazing!

I loved this episode & I am so glad that this drama has exceeded my expectations, like I knew it was going to be a good watch but I never knew that it will be so so so soooo good. The writer, the director & all the actors should take a bow for such a successful drama. Needless to say but Ushna Shah & Imran Ashraf both once again outdid themselves in this episode. Just because this is going to be the last episode in which Sana Fakhar will appear, I feel she deserves a special mention for her phenomenal performance as Nigar Begum. I am sure no other actress could’ve carried this character the way she did & the treatment that she gave without taking things a bit too far is praise-worthy. While watching a courtesan Nigar Begum, I never once felt uncomfortable or questioned the director & the actor’s approach towards a character like Nigar, so special thanks to Sana Fakhar for her brilliant performance. Please share your thoughts about this very interesting episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, I must say right from the beginning till the end, this episode kept my eyes glued to the screen because it was so good. I will commend the director here especially for making this drama, especially this episode a visual treat & by giving every single scenario & situation a perfect mood because all these details add more charm to the drama-watching experience & made this episode even more special. There were so many little things that kept on adding more beauty to this episode & I thoroughly enjoyed watching it, I think after a good few weeks, this was one such episode that I not only found convincing but perfect in every respect.

For a change, it was good to see that someone else came to meet Baba Jee. I do understand Zaitoon’s love for her son Shahzeb & just because she is a mother & can not see her son suffering, she decided to put her heart to ease by finding answers to the questions that were bothering her. I absolutely loved each & every single word that Baba Jee said about Allah, I think after a very long time I got to hear such words which do justice to the concept & idea of Allah that we all Believers have, because usually in dramas, we have always seen how writers tweak with very simple & basic concepts to fit the theme of their drama. I will personally thank Qaisara Hayat for penning these dialogues & this entire conversation to perfection. Yes, Zaitoon got carried away & thought she could question Allah, something that everyone does when they find themselves at the dead end of something, but the beauty with which Baba Jee told her that everything is Allah’s plan was commendable. Baba Jee tried to make Zaitoon understand that if she thinks Shahzeb is suffering, she shouldn’t really bother because Allah must be testing Shahzeb. I liked how immediately Zaitoon realized her mistake that she was in no position to question Allah, I will say this has to be my favorite conversation out of all the episodes of Alif Allah Aur Insaan that I have watched till date.

The love that a mother has for her child was once again highlighted by showing Rani’s mother, who decided to contact Shammi to find out about Rani. I find it heartwarming how Rani’s mother is always thinking about her & is now even walking an extra mile to find a way to her daughter. I wish Shammi had received that phonecall because the disappointment on Rani’s mother’s face was heart-wrenching. Even though Zaitoon being a mother wants to make her son happy, I so wish in stead of trying to put a lid on the real problem, she had decided to face it & had given her son the courage to face it too. I found Zaitoon’s approach a bit irrational where she thought only to make Shahzeb happy, she should get on with the wedding preparations, while completely ignoring the voice in her head which wwas telling her that something was definitely not right. Like I have said this previously, I think Zaitoon should allow Shahzeb to see the reality in stead of putting a filter on it because that way, she will be able to save her son from a bigger heart break.

Even though throughout this drama, I was mindful of the curses that Shammo & Nigaar directed towards Nazneen & Shahzeb, this episode served as a bigger reminder of those curses because I could see Nazneen & Shahzeb taking steps towards their undoing. Finally, Nazneen convinced Basit & he gave in, but is it really going to be a smooth sail? Nazneen really is immature to foresee the consequences that is why right now she is just living in the bubble that now that she has finally won Basit over, she has achieved everything & Basit is actually lucky that she loves him? Even though Basit resisted but he had to surrender because all this while even he was struggling to keep his feelings for Nazneen at bay. I can already see that this commitment is only going to bring unhappiness & misfortune to both Nazneen & Basit but does Basit really deserve it? Yes, I know for Nazneen, it will be the curse that will harm her but does Basit have to suffer too? Even though I would hate to see him suffer but I guess yes, he will face the brunt as well because he consciously fell in her love with Nazneen while still being aware of every single obstacle that stands in their way. For Shahzeb, his heartbreak is just around the corner because now that Nazneen in her own little bubble is officially committed to Basit, she will ditch Shahzeb & then we will see Nigar’s curse coming into the picture as well!

So, Rani defeated Nigar in a race that she never was a part of. It is amusing how Nigar ended up losing everything only because of her own behavior but since she is so engulfed in the self-pity & self-victimization, she failed to see that everything that she was facing was not because of anyone else but because of her own-self only. Chaman Begum was right, she warned Nigar & told her to not get emotionally invested in Nawazish Ali too much but Nigar thought he was not only promising her his film, but his lifelong commitment too. Yes, it is understandable that since Nigar is tired of carrying this fake facade of contentment, anytime someone treats her with affection & respect, she assumes that he is her Mr. Right, but to actually hold someone else responsible for her own failure shows that she is someone who doesn’t want to face the reality & realize that she could be at fault too. I guess getting rid of Fizza Bai didn’t satisfy her cravings enough that Nigar actually had to resort to violence against Rani to make herself feel better & superior, that too when Nawazish clearly told her that it was because of her own display of selfishness & undue superiority that he didn’t want to be associated with her.

Overall, this episode was perfection overload. There were so many frames that gave this episode a little extra something, like the one in the woods where Nazneen confesses her feelings to Basit to add that touch of romance, then the daunting green lighting in the scene were Rani gets beaten highlighting the ugliness of the situation & then also the shot where Rani’s mother walks between those huts giving an idea of her new surroundings & poverty – I feel the director really took an extra step in making every situation not only complete but visually realistic & convincing too & for these little details, an observer like me enjoyed this episode the most. The acting of all the actors was top-notch but Ushna Shah once again took it to another level, Rani’s screams telling a tale of the physical & emotional pain that she was going through were daunting. The way Rani called out her father for help was so painful. I feel all the actors also took care of their overall get ups because they all seem to be living these characters which again makes everything quite convincing. I am definitely looking forward to the next episode, especially Shahzeb & Nazneen’s meeting because looks like Basit’s acceptance of her feelings has given her this new confidence with which she will make it clear to Shahzeb that she is not interested in him, also looks like Shammi will be making a way for Rani as well, I can’t wait. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this was a special episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan because it aired for more than the usual time & brought a lot of developments with it, which I thoroughly enjoyed watching. Even though the pace of the drama does seem a little slow but the new developments compensate for it big time & justify the mood of the story.

I think it is because of Baba Jee that Shahzeb has started becoming a little less obsessed with Nazneen. It definitely is because of Baba Jee’s constant reminders that Shahzeb has now understood that he really shouldn’t be too involved in the idea of loving someone or something to such an extent that it only causes pain. Nazneen’s attitude lately has also forced Shahzeb to think that she might not be the sort of a person who would appreciate so much of emotional investment from his side, that is why as the time is passing by, he has eased out a little bit, in fact so much so that even her bizarre attitude & indifference doesn’t bother him whereas I remember it clearly the first time Nazneen snubbed him & cut his phone call short, Shahzeb was quite upset but not anymore, this might be because of Baba Jee’s preaching or may be because he has gotten used to her attitude.

So, Nazneen chose to do what she promised Basit, which was wearing the suit that he brought for her for Eid. At first even Basit’s sister found it odd that she chose to wear a similar dress but then she later found out the actual reason when she saw Nazneen speaking to Basit so casually & explaining why she wore that dress. I liked Basit’s sister in this episode, just like her brother, she is also someone who reasons well & is totally rational in her approach. I liked how Basit’s sister could not only see the trouble that her brother will get involved in, but also chose to remind him of the difficulties that he will face along with the differences between him & Nazneen.

I really felt bad when everyone in Nazneen’s family started commenting on her dress, that too in front of Basit, because even though he has done nothing wrong, he is feeling this mental pressure & is experiencing this inferiority complex only because Nazneen is being stubborn & is putting him in an awkward position. Even though Basit is not guilty & he is not at fault but only because of Nazneen’s one-sided sudden-formed love, he is being reminded time & again of all the differences that are between him & Nazneen. I think before anyone else & for the sake of her love for Basit, Nazneen should at least once think about his perspective, should reflect on his point of view because her friends might have told her that she could eradicate the differences between Basit & her when it comes to love, but the reality is completely different & in reality, things actually are far more complicated than she thinks they are!

Once again, Nazneen chose to show Shahzeb that she was not interested in him or anything related to their commitment. The fact that she chose to wear the dress gifted by him was only because she was spending Eid at her home with her parents & it was her mother who told her that she has to wear those gifts, otherwise Nazneen wouldn’t have bothered. Yes, I did like her honesty when she clearly told Basit that she can’t be a ‘munafiq’ (hypocrite) for loving someone & then getting married to someone else, but then again, apart from that, everything else that she is doing is wrong because she is creating troubles for Basit that too when he hasn’t promised her anything.

So, Fizza Bai’s chapter came to an end. I really thought that Rani dodged the bullet but then Nigar was too sharp to know that the one who wasn’t present in the dinning hall at that moment was Rani, so she must’ve been the one who saw Nazeer & Chaman Begum committing such a heinous crime. It is amusing that Nigar says she can not tolerate disobedience, it’s like she has this garnered this sense of control, so much so that she doesn’t see anyone else as a human being & thinks everyone around is a robot or has to turn into a robot for her to stay in-control of her emotions. I must say, even though that character is meant to be that way, but I just can not stand Chaman Begum, especially because of the way she brings out the worst in Nigar Begum, like she herself heard that Rani was only telling Shammi what she dreamt of, not like she actually came with an intention of causing any harm to Nigar or her position in the brothel, but she chose to twist the reality & presented a twisted version in front of Nigar to rile her up further!

I must say my favorite bits of this episode were all related to Shammi, it was beautiful how he chose to visit Nargis & her friend on Eid. I loved the fact that Shammi didn’t want to earn all that money for himself, because the way he came back & offered financial support to his people went to show that all this while he had this sense of responsibility & wanted to return only after achieving his goal where he could promise some financial support to Nargis on a regular basis. It was heartwarming to see this refined version of Shammi who has not only empowered himself but due to his consistent hard work has enabled himself to empower others too, be it Rani, Nargis or even Rani’s sister Guddi. That entire scene was heart-touching & absolutely beautiful. Shammi also met Guddi & found out everything that he & even Rani wanted to know. I felt bad for Rani because she finally got to know that there’s no turning back & she’d have to rely on Shammi if she wants freedom from this cage that she is currently locked in. Rani finally got a clear cut answer that the shelter that she had, the place that she had in her parent’s home is no more & she has lost the right to be with her family due to her silly mistake & one bad decision. I hope she doesn’t give up & continues to share her worries with Shammi because he will definitely help her. Rani however is still underestimating Nigar because even though Nigar is looking calm & collected from the outside, she is fuming from the inside as she has now learnt about Rani’s intentions that she had when she first came to her brothel.

Overall, this episode was quite interesting & I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. Not even a single scene seemed out of the place & everything was unfolded in a perfect manner. This episode definitely kept my interest alive in the show right from the beginning till the end & the credit obviously goes to the writer, the director & last but not the least, the actors for making it so so so interesting. Imran Ashraf was the star of this episode, like there were very minute expressions & gestures that showed that he was in his element & he owned Shammi’s character. Ushna Shah has obviously given a 100% which shows & she really has proved herself as an actor by performing Rani’s character to perfection. I am actually looking forward to the next episode, looks like despite not wanting to Rani will defeat Nigar, that too in such a race which Nigar wouldn’t have imagined & won’t be expecting. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, to be honest even though the pace of this drama has slowed down considerably, I still have a good time watching it because it somehow matches the mood of the story & its characters. I like how detailed things are because even though there hasn’t been much background given to some of the characters, the slow pace helps us in understanding them a bit better. I like the fact that every episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan brings something new with it, which makes it an interesting watch.

So, finally Rani got to share her concerns with Shammi, I loved how the roles have been reversed, when Rani was a beggar & Shammi was just aimlessly wasting his life, Rani had a lot of confidence & she had this clarity where she knew what she wanted from her life & back then Shammi was scared to face the world but now we can see how the tables have turned. Right now, Shammi has obtained this confidence which has given him a completely different perspective of life, he has this belief in himself that he can do whatever he wants & Rani is vulnerable, now she is scared, for the first time Rani is at such a point in her life where she is ambiguous & uncertain. That is the reason why Shammi’s entry in Rani’s life back has given her some sort of ease because at least there is someone who knows who she was & where she comes from. Rani was busy forming a new identity & in the middle of that, she lost herself but it was good to see Shammi reminding her who she was & what her beliefs were. I felt so bad for Rani when she desperately asked Shammi to inquire about her family, like she said, she didn’t value her family before & now that she has been told that there’s no turning back, they’re all she can think of. I loved how in this episode Rani’s desperation & depression was showcased, like in every single frame you could see the spark that was missing from her eyes & the fear that has imbibed her heart & soul as she is lost & has no idea if she’ll ever be able to get out of this prison around her that she chose for herself.

Even though I am not into Nazneen’s character & her & Basit’s track but for the first time I felt I actually understood her situation & reactions. Nazneen is only doing what is in sync with her nature & character, she is someone who can’t take no for an answer & she is someone who would make sure to get what she wants, that is why she is persistently bothering Basit, while completely ignoring his point of view & his hesitations. Nazneen was introduced to us exactly this way that she is a spoiled rich girl who only wants everyone to obey her orders, that is why even though her approach towards Basit is wrong, but it is in line with her character. Nazneen is someone who has never learned what it is like to give someone else a chance to explain their position or reasons, that is why even though Basit has told her a lot of times that she should be mindful of the difference between them, she chooses not to pay heed to it.

Looks like Basit has started taking interest in Nazneen too but it is good that at least he is conscious of the fact that she is engaged to be married to Shahzeb, who according to Basit is better than him in every respect. I found it kind of realistic when Basit accepted the Eid gift that Nazneen brought for him, like even though he knows that he has to reject & refuse everything that she says & expects from him, but he couldn’t bring himself to refuse her gift, which she bought for him after putting a lot of thought into it. I liked the scene where Basit while sitting in his home was being constantly reminded of the difference between him & Nazneen & also of the fact that she is engaged to the finest gentleman. What added more to his woes was his sister’s mention of the Sadqa that Shahzeb’s mother Zaitoon gave to her. I kind of liked seeing the battle that was going on between Basit’s mind & heart, where at one hand he gets pulled towards Nazneen & on the other, he is constantly reminded of their differences & the difficulties that he will have to face if he consciously falls in love with her!

So, Nigaar got introduced to the producer who offered her a role in a feature film. I think that track was added only to show that Shammi started frequenting Nigar’s place & he was getting more chances to see Rani. Even though Nigar can see that Rani is not feeling herself & she has lost the happiness that she had when she joined this work, but then the way Nigar is behaving is once again in line with her character, because it shows that Nigar wasn’t in need of Rani in the first place, it was Rani who herself offered her services to Nigar, that is the reason why Nigar doesn’t see her as someone so important who she should be treating courteously. It was heartrending how Nigar was constantly reminding Rani of her background & where she came from, that is Nigar’s way of showcasing her superiority over everyone who is a part of her small world.

I think in stead of sugarcoating things & in stead of putting a lid on the reality, Zaitoon should allow Shahzeb to wake up & smell the coffee because even before him, she was the one who felt something off about Nazneen’s behavior towards her son & their engagement, so there is no need to make him look away from the real picture. Shahzeb finally & rightly noticed that Nazneen is not happy with their betrothment but Zaitoon tried to change his perspective, yes it is understandable that she wants to save her son from a heartbreak as she knows what Nazneen means to him but then, being realistic wouldn’t harm him & in fact it would save Shahzeb from further getting hurt.

Overall, this episode was beautifully executed & presented, I enjoyed watching it. I must say Ushna Shah continues to surprise me with her phenomenal performance, like just by looking at Rani one could see that her heart & soul wasn’t happy & her longing to be in this place was deteriorating, which is something that was perfectly portrayed by Ushna Shah. She really has made Rani’s character & I don’t think any other actress could’ve done justice to this role. Imran Ashraf was equally amazing as Shammi in this episode as well. I loved watching Rani & Shammi’s interactions, like those were my favorite bits of this episode. I am actually enjoying Shehzad sheikh‘s acting too, he really has given Basit’s character a perfect treatment. I wish I could say that about both Kubra & Mikaal but they are just doing ok. Sana Fakhar is quite convincing as Nigar Begum so far. Definitely looking forward to the next episode. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan was a bit slow but still came with a few developments in the story. I enjoy the treatment that the director has given to this drama & also the way the actors have portrayed their characters on-screen. Alif Allah Aur Insaan has a very unique, mystic feel to it which makes it a treat to watch.

So, finally Shammo came across Raani & what I loved about that entire scenario was how we got to see that Shammo not only loved her but also understood her. Just by reading the expressions on Raani’s face Shammo knew that she wasn’t going to comfortably communicate with him in front of Nigaar, therefore he made sure that he gets a chance to have a word with her in Nigar’s absence. Raani obviously couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw Shammo in such a different avatar but then again even she has changed, so similarly, Shammo was taken aback too & more so with the fact that she was in a brothel, taking care of a courtesan.

It was heart wrenching seeing Raani thinking about her family in the rain whereas Nigaar on the other hand was celebrating it not only by herself but by also treating her fellow courtesans. Nigaar is a control freak who loves controlling other people, if she is happy, she believes in making others happy too but if she is not, she doesn’t mind making others’ lives miserable as well. It was interesting to see Raani & Nigaar on a different tangent where Raani was concerned that her family would lose their home in this rain & Nigaar was seeing it as a blessing. Raani definitely never saw this coming that in such a short span of time, she will be time & again reminded of the fact that she & Nigaar were two different people belonging to two different worlds & no matter how hard Raani would try to close the gap, she’d fall in a deep pit.

Nazneen & her friends got a bit more coverage than I felt was required. Nazi’s friends literally covered 60% of this episode which I found unnecessary. I must say I don’t really understand her friend’s fixation with Nazi & Basit’s love story, it’s like they are making sure that Nazi falls in love with him & doesn’t let go of him. Basit on the other hand seemed a bit affected by Nazneen’s behavior but at the same time he was conscious of the fact that Malik Hashmat trusts him more than anyone, so he can not violate his trust. Seeing Nazneen trying to find ways to meet Basit made me feel bad for him, because Nazneen being thick-headed & self-absorbed can not understand Basit’s situation. Even though Basit clearly told Nazneen off but she still didn’t get the hint that he was drawing a line & for very obvious reasons. I think in stead of following the lead of her friends, Nazneen should think things through herself & analyze her situation on her own as she hasn’t told her friends that she is engaged, so they have a different perspective about her & Basit, but Nazneen is fully aware of the fact that she is engaged to someone else, so not sure why she is bent on putting Basit in an awkward position, that too for her ridiculously selfish reasons!

I would’ve liked if they had shown us something more about Shahzeb, like so many episodes have gone by & we still don’t know much about him except that he has a good relationship with Baba Jee, his mother cares for him & that he is in love with Nazneen. I say this because at this point I have started seeing his character as a filler & I don’t see much personality in him like I do in other characters.

Overall, this episode had some developments but the overall pace was a bit slow but I still had a good time watching it. I wish Nazneen’s friends don’t get much coverage in the upcoming episodes because they are pure fillers & not to forget, their dialogues are quite cringe-worthy. All the actors are doing a good job & the director deserves full marks for giving such an amazing treatment to this script. I had such a great time watching Imran Ashraf as a confident makeup artist in this episode, he has added so much of depth & dimension to Shammo’s character & has made him a treat to watch. Can’t wait for the next episode as looks like Rani & Shammo will get to have another conversation. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan was phenomenal. I loved how everything has been unfolding in this drama at every stage, like they are making us feel for the characters every step of the way & are revealing the true colors of some of the characters as well, which makes it such an interesting watch because you are forced to decipher everything as it comes as not everything is explained in detail but just a few hints here & there make you understand and think about the entire scenario, which is amazing. The director has shown what an amazing grip he had on the script & that is why he succeeded in getting the best out of all these actors & making all the situations insightful, which has turned Alif Allah Aur Insaan into a complete package.

So, Raani now known as Reena Begum’s dreams came crumbling down when she had to face such dire consequences only because someone else praised her for the talent she had which she was oblivious of. Nigaar Begum made sure to draw a line that too in a very harsh manner to kind of teach Raani a lesson that she shouldn’t cross that territory which Nigaar designed for her. I loved how for a brief moment they showed Raani’s mother thinking about her daughter even when she wasn’t feeling well & the next moment they showed Raani terrified, thinking about the one person who is all about comfort – her mother. For that brief moment Raani looked like a little girl in the park who gets scared if she loses her mother’s sight & this is what Raani was going through, she knew that she burnt all the bridges when she made the choice of moving to Nigaar’s realm, but now she was realizing that it wasn’t going to be easy, it wasn’t easy not being able to see or speak to her mother of all the people.

The conversation that the rest of the courtesans had about Nigaar, Raani & their own fate was heart wrenching as it described how helpless they were & how empty they felt from inside. The fact that they all felt bad for Raani showed that they knew Nigaar in & out & they were very well aware of what Nigaar’s colorful past where she stepped on others to come to this position that she was now enjoying the bounties of. I loved how each & every other conversation, be it the one that the courtesans were having or Raani’s notes to herself, revolved around the comparisons of what life was like inside or could be like outside this brothel. As harsh as it may be, but the reality check has struck Raani & she now knows that she didn’t make a right choice. I loved how there was a scene showing Raani standing behind iron window bars, it depicted that a free bird was now caged and she was restless because she isn’t used to this kind of life. I can’t wait to see what life has in store for Raani, how she will pave her way out of this golden cage. I want to see that if Raani will assure Nigaar that she won’t be taking her place ever, will Nigaar grow a little courteous towards her? I know Nigaar has made some very bizarre choices in the past to get where she is at this stage but I want to see if she will make any exceptions for Raani?

So, Nazneen has all of a sudden started showing interest in Basit. I think I would’ve found it a bit convincing if Nazneen had paid attention to Basit without anyone’s suggestions, like then her feelings would’ve seemed genuine but now it’s like just because she is under the influence of her friends, she is seeing Basit through a different perspective. Nazneen was introduced as someone who does what she deems right & doesn’t listen to anyone, so to see her following her friends’ instructions wasn’t in line with her character. Yes, this happens, like usually its the friends who push you into something that you have never paid attention to all your life but the sudden switch in Nazneen’s attitude was a little hard to digest. In the preview, when I saw the scene where Nazneen complimented Basit, I thought that would be just the beginning & she will take things slow that too after she will genuinely develop feelings for him but I was taken aback when I saw her openly hitting on him every chance she got while completely ignoring the fact that Basit was uncomfortable. I understand, Nazneen is quite self-absorbed & she is immature like spoiled to think about anyone else but to see her being completely oblivious of Basit’s discomfort was once again displeasing. This entire scenario as much as I thought would be interesting has had a shaky start, I do however feel that Shammo’s curse that he blurted for Nazneen will come to haunt her & may be that will be her undoing & we will see a change in her attitude, her nature & her overall personality but right now, things are still not as appealing as I thought they would be.

Even though things were awkward for Basit but I liked seeing his take on this entire scenario where Nazneen was getting a bit too frank with him & he was drawing a line. Not sure how long Basit will be able to ignore Nazneen’s advances but it was actually quite mature of him to remind her that she was engaged & that they had parallel paths. The way Basit’s attitude changed after Malik Hashmat’s call did suggest that for a moment he actually forgot about the differences between Nazneen & him & he also forgot that Hashmat has entrusted his daughter to him, but all of a sudden his phone call served as a reality check & Basit was forced to face the reality. I also enjoyed the conversation that Malik Hashmat had with his wife, it was interesting how he had so much of confidence on Basit & wasn’t actually bothered about the fact that his daughter could do something to displease him, whereas his wife on the other hand was far more practical & realistic as she could feel that so much of freedom & independence might push Nazneen to focus on other things in her life, which she can not afford to.

I loved the note at which the episode ended, I am glad they didn’t drag things & made it happen a bit too quickly, which was Shammi’s encounter with Raani at Nigaar’s brothel. I so want to see if Nigaar will now grow jealous of this little detail too that Shammi knows Raani or she will ignore it because if that happens, then Shammi will definitely be able to help Raani in getting out of this jail. Shahzeb’s scene was strictly alright, like even he has now realized that he is not Nazneen’s priority & even though he is hurt, he is trying to hide it from his mother but Zaitoon can see that Nazneen is becoming an emotional burden for Shahzeb.

Overall, I loved this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan, I enjoyed the direction of this episode the most, like the director has executed this drama with so much of perfection that a few little praises just aren’t enough. Ushna Shah once again stole the show, it was absolutely heart-wrenching seeing Raani crying out loud in fear & then shedding a few tears because she was saddened by the turn her life has taken. All of Raani’s thoughts are so easy to understand & the credit goes to Ushna for making this possible. Shehzad sheikh definitely shone in this episode, I feel no other actor could’ve given this sort of treatment to Basit’s character which Shehzad has. The preview of the next episode seemed interesting however, I will say that I am not looking forward to Shahzeb & Baba Jee’s conversation, lol. Basit will be sharing his feelings with his friend, which means he will get affected by Nazneen’s sudden interest in him. Things are looking promising & I can’t wait to watch the next episode. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan was interesting but slow at the same time. It did have some developments to its credit & for the first time I enjoyed watching Nazneen’s track too because it offered something new other than her tantrums. I feel the direction is the strongest point of this drama & the way everything has been laid out really makes Alif Allah Aur Insaan an enjoyable experience to tune to.

Rani, a free bird has been locked down in a golden cage & unexpectedly she learnt the bitter truth a bit too early. Just when Rani assumed that she was learning to fly on her own, she got a reality check that she wasn’t as free as she thought she was because this cage belonged to Nigaar Begum. I think this realization was sudden but somehow still quite convincing because Rani might be innocent but she is not dumb or naive to not understand the intricacies of life because the background that she comes from has taught her a lot already. For the first time Rani regretted choosing this path as now she knows she has no turning back but I am sure the fighter that she is, she will pave her way out of this cage. I enjoyed the conversation that Nigaar had with Rani, like I already see Nigaar getting a bit uncomfortable with Rani & her persona, may be she is already feeling insecure as based on her experience, she can see the heights Rani can go to & this is something that Nigaar won’t tolerate, that too in her realm which she rules, because other than that, she has nothing to hold onto. Nigaar can sense a change in Rani’s attitude & that is why she has already started drawing a few lines.

So, now that Nazneen’s out in the city, living her dream, she feels she has nothing to do with Shahzeb & that is why she didn’t reciprocate the feelings that he was constantly reminding her of from his side. Nazneen got what she wanted & now she has nothing to do with Shahzeb, even though she didn’t make it too obvious in the past but now she gave a loud & clear message to him which obviously hurt him. Shahzeb’s mother Zaitoon could see that the reason behind Shahzeb’s bad mood was Nazneen & her attitude, like she could sense that Nazneen might not be in love with Shahzeb but I liked the fact that in stead of saying any such thing in front of her son, she tried to make him understand Nazneen’s perspective where she asked him to give her some space to allow her to concentrate on her education. On the other hand Zaitoon felt the need to speak to Nazneen & remind her of a certain responsibility that she as a fiancée had towards Shahzeb, which again wasn’t well-received by Nazneen as she is too self-absorbed & immature to understand.

Just when I thought that may be Nazneen’s friends will exploit her I found it interesting how they tried to shape up her character & tried to show her the bigger picture. I think these friends will help Nazneen a great deal & will teach her to not judge everyone based on their status & social standing. Nazneen’s outing with her friends & their comments about Basit were the least impressive scenes of this episode, however I liked Shehzad sheikh‘s limited performance. I think it is actually quite sweet that Basit is taking his job quite seriously & is quite responsible when it comes to Nazneen. I can already see Nazneen getting interested in Basit, but I am actually more interested in seeing what Basit will have to say when he will find that out.

So, Rani showcased another talent that she had, which wasn’t well-received by Chaman Begum. I think Chaman has read Nigaar in detail, that is why she ignited the spark & warned Nigaar that may be Rani was trying to take her place. Chaman knows about Nigaar’s insecurities a bit too well, that is why she made sure to convey the matter in such a tone that would get a reaction out of her. I am sure Rani is going to get herself into a lot of trouble but I want to see her fighting back & not succumbing to any of the pressures.

Overall, this episode covered some little details which were conveyed nicely. At this stage I can say I am looking forward to Nazneen & Basit’s track. I wish Kubra Khan had relied a little less on the makeup, yes I know she is carrying a look of a girl from an affluent family but her neat curls & silk dresses would’ve done the job perfectly, as seeing her waking up from sleep with her makeup on-fleek did seem a bit unrealistic. We all have seen her looking absolutely pretty with no makeup look in Sang e Marmar, so she could’ve brought that in again, in some of these scenes, also she had a great example in the form of Ushna Shah in front of her, who has given a perfect treatment to Rani’s character in terms of makeup & overall get up, so yes, Kubra could’ve done that too. Shehzad sheikh is another actor who has really been impressive acting wise in the limited coverage that he gets. Rani’s outburst was conveyed beautifully by Ushna. Also, Nargis Rasheed has portrayed the worries of a loving mother to perfection. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan was pretty good & pretty straight forward. It came with a lot of developments in almost all the tracks & the best ones got the most coverage which was the best part about it. I like the fact how the director has balanced out the screen-time between all the characters & makes sure to keep the focus on all of their stories.

So, Raani became Reena Begum. Even though the flower vendor warned her about the pit she was going to step into but Raani being Raani didn’t bother listening to him as she was ecstatic for the new opportunity that she thought was awaiting her. I am sure if Raani had the slightest of idea about what she was going to get into, she would’ve thought things through, but I guess this turn was needed because otherwise she wouldn’t have learned about the intricacies of life. I feel Raani will now get to experience a very different life which will definitely shape up her perspective & priorities.

So, finally Shammo became Shammi & it was such an amazing moment. I loved that after Jamal, Shammo finally met another good human being who accepted Shammo for who he was & told him to explore new territories. I think the writer here deserves full points in showing how people can help others in their walks of life & how one suggestion is enough to change someone’s entire journey.

Even though for now Nigaar & Raani aren’t at the same page but I kind of liked this disconnect between the two. Raani thinks Nigaar has scored everything whereas when it comes to Nigaar, she is suffocated with the life that she is living. Nigaar has so much of emptiness inside her which Raani is unable to understand or relate to because in her perspective, just because Nigar has money, she has everything. I am definitely interested to see how Raani will start understanding Nigaar’s thought process & what she will deduce from it because it was kind of amusing how absorbed Raani was in her own philosophies while Nigaar was sharing her burdens with her.

So, Nazneen has moved to her hostel & as expected, she made quite an impression on her roommate. It was interesting how Sarwat told Nazneen to have some respect for those who love her but Nazneen wouldn’t understand since she is so self-absorbed & doesn’t take her relationship with Shahzeb seriously. Even though Shahzeb’s connection with Baba Jee is something special & a delight to watch but seeing the similar kind of conversations happening on the same lines in the preview of the next episode made me feel that it will lose the charm if they will keep repeating the same ‘falsafa’ over & over again because this is what usually happens with philosophies, they can force you to snap out of them pretty quickly. However, in this episode, Baba Jee’s perspective about Love for Almighty was conveyed nicely, also it was good to see how Shahzeb also was on the same track as him where he didn’t seem clueless, but in stead had a clear cut idea of what Baba Jee was trying to teach him. I feel Shahzeb’s heart-break will bring him closer to his Creator, may be that’s going to be the crux of the love that he has for Nazneen.

Oh well, Shammi & his transformation. It was so good to see him as a successful makeup artist & hair stylist that was in demand. I loved seeing this new Shammi who was confident & free from all the baggage that he was carrying before. I think Salma deserves credit for this because he allowed Shammi to explore things, to experiment & to find himself. Salma’s connection with Nigaar definitely forced me to think that this is exactly how Shammi will come across Raani now, where he will replace Salma as Nigaar’s makeup artist & will get to see Raani in the brothel.

I must say it was interesting to see how Raani got bored of taking care of Nigaar, like this shows that she is someone who won’t settle for something similar for a long time. Raani wanted to get into Nigaar’s realm & now when she got into it, she wanted to touch new boundaries. The note at which this episode ended was interesting like it took Raani from being happy & inquisitive to scared & confused because she got introduced to the dark side of the picture which she had never imagined, but since Raani is a fighter & she is someone who believes in making her own ways, she will find a way out of this too if Nigaar & her dictatorship will become overbearing for her.

Overall, this episode was interesting & offered a lot of new things. I loved watching the transformation of Shammi especially & then Raani even though life has become a bit stagnant for Raani but she will surely do something good for herself in the future. I must say Saife Hassan & Nargis Rasheed deserve a special mention for adding so much of life & charm in their very limited scenes. It was good to see Raani’s mother supporting her daughter & telling her husband that he was responsible for pushing Raani to the limit, not many mothers do that in our dramas where they stand by their daughters. Nargis Rasheed’s expressions when Saife Hassan threw the slipper towards her were priceless. Imran Ashraf was the star of the show tonight, he made Shammo’s transition into Shammi a treat to watch. Also, can we just take a moment to praise what an artist Hassan Noman is, like we have seen him as Ilyas Kashmiri (Preet Na Kariyo Koi) then Bulbul Khan (Sang e Marmar) & now Salma, like is there any role that he can’t play that too with perfection? I thoroughly enjoyed his bits too & hope his character stays in the story for long a time. Sana Fakhar has done a great job in conveying Nigaar’s burdens & void clearly & so has Ushna in conveying Raani’s inquisitive nature. Mikaal & Kubra seem to be least impressive so far but I am hoping something better in their tracks in the future. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, it was such an engaging episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan. I love the fact that the director has given equal coverage to all the characters. Apart from one of the tracks, rest of them are so interesting that you can not keep a track of time while watching their stories unfold. What I love about Alif Allah Aur Insaan‘s theme is that even though it is based on quite a lot of dire situations & showcases difficulties that people go through but the way they all have desires & hopes, it gives this drama a very positive feel.

So, we got to know about the very first interaction that Nigaar had with Shahzeb. It was a case of love at first sight & this might’ve been possible because out of all the men sitting as spectators, Shahzeb was the only one who didn’t see or treat Nigaar as a commodity. Nigaar is used to the idea of turning the heads around & she is so used to the attention, that when she didn’t get it from someone, she deemed it as a challenge to make it happen while still having this massive amount of respect for the one who didn’t look at her the way others did. I think it showed a very vulnerable side of Nigaar where she opened up to Shahzeb thinking he will understand her feelings because for the first time in her life, she experienced an emotion of love. Obviously, Shahzeb had to draw a line & glad that he did because it also showed Nigaar that not everyone believes in her way of expression of love. Shahzeb hurt Nigaar & the time will tell how the same emotion of love will become a reason for Shahzeb’s heart break too. Nigaar finally put a closure to this chapter & decided to move on but the love of Shahzeb still lingers in her heart but she definitely has promised to not hurt herself more & more by thinking about him.

Nazneen finally got an admission into the university & she is all set to pursue her dreams. It wouldn’t have been possible without Shahzeb’s support but since she got what she wanted, that’s all that matters to her. Nazneen obviously didn’t jump up with joy at the news of her sudden engagement with Shahzeb because she is clearly not into him. Till this point, Nazneen & Shahzeb’s track is the only one that I don’t really enjoy watching but now that she will step outside her village & will be around Basit, I will definitely be looking forward to their story as I am sure it will be a bit more interesting than the current situation that is happening. Still not too sure about Shahzeb’s character too like he is the only one who seems to be lacking a personality because apart from him being in love with Nazneen, we don’t really know much about him. Basit on the other hand didn’t get as much coverage but his character still seems appealing. I also like how despite being a son of a loyal servant, Basit doesn’t hold back in sharing what’s on his mind in front of Nazneen’s parents & I like how confident he generally is.

So, Raani finally got to meet Nigaar, her ideal. It was quite interesting how at that very moment, Nigaar, the courtesan spoke about living her life as a beggar while they showed how a beggar herself came to the brothel only to experience what life was like in there. Raani knows that the money that she will earn will keep her parents satisfied but she also knows that her parents will never approve of her choices, that is why she kept it as a secret but only handed over the money to her mother to give her a little idea of how much money she’ll be bringing home. I think it was quite sweet of Raani where she took her time & went back to her home after meeting Nigaar for the first time, like she didn’t want to make a hasty decision & needed some time to think things through because she was still a little concerned about her parents & their opinions. Raani still doesn’t actually know who Nigaar is & what does she do but its just that she is so fascinated by what she has heard or seen till date that she can’t get it out of her head.

After Raani’s track & character, I love Shammo’s story too. I feel this sort of warmth every time I see someone treating Shammo with utmost respect & affection. Shammo surely met a good human being who didn’t judge him for who he was but treated him as an equal & respected him based on his talent. Shammo showed that he has a knack for hair-styling & he believes in hard work, that is why his master recommended him to one of his students who now owns a big salon in the city. This will definitely open up more opportunities for Shammo & he will get to learn so much more. Even though Shammo has received so much of appreciation, his life so far has been so tough that he still hasn’t gained a lot of confidence, that is why the moment he senses that he will have to step out of his comfort zone, he gets scared & uncomfortable. I think this aspect also makes Shammo’s character & journey quite realistic & relate-able where they have shown how hard he is struggling to make a name for himself & is trying to earn a living with respect while still struggling emotionally. I find it quite endearing how Shammo acts almost like a child who gets uncomfortable at the thought of exploring new boundaries. The preview of Shammo’s interaction with his new boss has already gotten me excited plus the fact that Hassan Noman will be playing that character is definitely a treat in itself.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this episode. I must give credit to Sana Fakhar for playing the role of a courtesan & portraying Nigaar’s character with as much decency as possible, like not even for once I felt uncomfortable watching her on screen & she didn’t overdo anything. In fact in the scene where she interacted with Raani, I loved how respectful she was, like Nigaar has a lot of class & Sana Fakhar has elaborated that flawlessly. I am glad that Raani’s hair in this episode did looked washed & a little silky, even though they were untamed but still. Ushna Shah really has shown what she is capable of by portraying Raani’s character to perfection like no one could’ve imagined that Ushna Shah could do something like this, it sure is going to be remembered as one of her best performances. Imran Ashraf as Shammo has done a brilliant job, like I love how his personality has changed but his mannerisms are still the same & even he hasn’t overdone anything. I think what makes all these characters seem so real is the fact that the actors put a lot of hard work in perfecting the characters that were assigned to them, plus the director put in a lot of effort as well to make everything seem as realistic & as closer to reality as possible. Mikaal Zulfikar so far hasn’t really impressed much with his performance as Shahzeb but I think he couldn’t do much as there’s nothing more or shall I say interesting to Shahzeb’s character or personality. Definitely looking forward to the next episode. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, it was such an interesting episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan that I just couldn’t keep a track of where the time went when I was watching it. I love how all the tracks are unfolding & the developments that were made in this episode. I can already see how all these tracks will get linked in the future episodes but the way the director is taking the story to that stage is quite amazing. I will say that the director has extracted the best acting out of all the actors, like it doesn’t matter if their scenes are long or short, if they are getting less or more coverage, each & every single actor has done such a convincing job that it just elevates the level of the drama. This episode was truly impressive & I can’t wait to see more.

Before anything, I’d like to speak about the conversation that took place between Shahzeb & Baba Jee where he stated ‘mohabbat ki azmaish mai kisi ka zarf mat azmana, sirf apna zarf dikhana, insaan ban kar sochna, Khuda ban kar faisla kabhi na karna’ – beautiful! This entire conversation was so profound & important because this was a lesson that Baba Jee taught Shahzeb about love & being judgmental in general, but did Shahzeb actually get the hold of it? That was the real question that the writer very tactfully made us think about & in the later stages of the episode highlighted it very thoroughly. I loved how Baba Jee emphasized the importance of loving the Almighty & how he tried to make Shahzeb understand that the actual form of love is the one that you have towards your Creator, because it makes you complete & it empowers you like nothing else. Shahzeb surely will endure a lot because of the one-sided love that he has for Nazneen & even though he has been warned, this is just the beginning!

I must say, I love how all the women in this drama are go-getters; they all are strong & they don’t budge, which is something that was elaborated perfectly in all the tracks in this episode especially, which I absolutely loved. Nazneen, despite knowing that her parents weren’t in a mood to send her to the city for further studies decided to eradicate the cause that was stopping them from doing so, which was her life-long commitment with Shahzeb. Even though Nazneen is spoiled but she is also someone who knows how to pave a way towards something that she desires. It would obviously take a lot of guts for a girl in such a setting to take such a bold step where she was putting her father’s image & pride on the line to meet her fiancé, but she didn’t hold herself back. Even though everything turned out to be in Nazneen’s favor but the one who decided to do this for her has no idea what this chapter will bring to him. Shahzeb thought he was respecting Nazneen’s choices & by doing so, he was proving his love for her, which obviously was a genuine gesture but he doesn’t know that this means nothing to Nazneen. For Nazneen, all she wanted was to go to the city which was her wish that was granted & after that she really didn’t pay much attention to what Shahzeb did for her because she is neither in love with Shahzeb nor does she think much about him to respect his feelings. I am sure Nazneen’s move to the city will open up new chapters in her life where there will be no place for Shahzeb & then he will be reminded of what he was taught about how love will test him.

So, Raani’s father decided to marry her off for Rs. 20,000, like this was a custom which wasn’t alien to them because even her father paid money to get married to Raani’s mother. Even though it was for a brief moment but I loved the interaction Raani’s mother had with her, like for a moment it made me think that it doesn’t matter if someone is rich or poor, every single mother is the same, like the way Raani’s mother speaks to her with so much of love & kindness, it is something that I love the most. Well, Raani obviously doesn’t want to get married because she now has a bigger purpose in life, which is to make a lot of money just like Nigaar. I must say I loved how she earned herself a job at Nigaar’s place by telling her that she wants to serve her. Another example of an enthusiast go-getter who paved a way for herself.

Finally, Nigaar went to meet Shahzeb. I must say, the way Shahzeb grew uncomfortable at Nigaar’s mention definitely suggested that they both shared a history. Even though Chaman Begum did mention that Nigaar only met Shahzeb once & she fell in love with him after just one interaction but that still doesn’t give Shahzeb a clean chit because he has a colorful past which definitely was unveiled this time. Shahzeb definitely said a lot of hurtful things to Nigaar & the way he compared her love to Nazneen’s love made him sound a bit delusional because that is purely his assumption to believe that Nazneen loves him, which is not true & he will obviously find out the truth sooner or later. Shahzeb’s criteria of a life partner is to have someone who only has him in her heart & who only thinks about him, but little does he know that more than Nazneen, it is Nigaar who fulfills all those conditions but sadly, just because Shahzeb got a bit too judgmental, he failed to see that. I did feel for Nigaar though because she loves Shahzeb & may be she is only looking for one chance to leave everything behind but sadly, Shahzeb turned a blind eye.

So, Shammo got a little transformation, even though that scene was quite short & I missed Shammo in this episode but it showed that he was taking one step at a time. Also, his boss did speak about female hair styling in which Shammo could make a lot of money so I am sure he will gravitate towards that path too as he is focused & wants to stabilize himself financially as soon as possible.

I loved this episode & I loved the dialogues. It is actually quite refreshing to hear accurate Urdu & all the actors have definitely worked hard on their dialogue delivery which is commendable. I am glad we’re getting to see strong women in this drama as well, like they all are completely different from one another but they are strong in their own unique way. I love how fierce Raani is, her body language, her mannerisms, my goodness, I truly believe if there’s one actress who deserves an award for such a phenomenal portrayal of any character, it is Ushna Shah, like she just uplifts my mood even though I consider myself a germophobe but the fact that I have a smile on my face when I see this unkempt messy Raani on my screen is her win as an actor, also the little dance move that she did when she was parting ways from the flower vendor was flawless. Sana Fakhar has definitely made Nigaar’s character quite appreciable, like she is classy, poised & elegant, which is exactly the treatment the character like Nigaar deserved. It was good to see more of Shahzeb though but Mikaal Zulfikar didn’t really do something outstanding in terms of acting there. Yes, I will say that Shehzad sheikh has improved a lot & even though he didn’t have much scenes but the performed perfectly in the ones that he had, like his body language & his overall personality as Basit is perfect & in sync with his character. Two other actors who definitely deserve a mention here for their perfect performances as Raani’s parents are Nargis Rasheed & Saife Hassan. The director surely has worked hard & that is why he has achieved this level of perfection, it is amazing how the he has tackled all these diverse tracks & so many characters with so much of perfection. It is quite evident that all the actors have given their 100% because of which they made Alif Allah Aur Insaan what it is today. I love it & I can’t wait to watch it again next week. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, what a gripping episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan, that I thoroughly enjoyed watching. What I am enjoying the most about this drama at the moment is that it has so many stories & so many characters, that the moment a scenario changes, it immediately shifts the focus onto completely different situation, which once again grabs your attention. However, I feel, at the moment only the situations are unfolding & apart from a few characters, we haven’t really gotten much insight into the rest of the characters, which I hope will change & we will get to know all the characters in great detail. The writing & the direction is spot on & I am definitely looking forward to what the rest of the story is about.

I love Raani’s character, like I remember saying that before but I will say that again, I love her character & I enjoy watching her on-screen. The credit definitely goes to Ushna Shah for giving Raani’s character such a perfect treatment that she has become a treat to watch. I love the fact that where Raani is quite mature for her age, she still has this naivety about her, which makes her character very balanced & admirable for some reason. Considering the situation that she has faced all her life & the sort of experiences she has had because of the nature of her work, she still doesn’t have much exposure to know what happens in the world which is beyond her comprehension.

I loved the scene where Shammo came to bid his final good bye to Raani, like it was so sweet & heart-warming & can I just say how innocent that flying kiss of farewell was. Shammo really thinks highly of Raani & he has a high regard of her because of which, he actually took her advice to heart. Shammo was obviously having issues with the life that he was leading but Raani’s advice gave him the courage to step out of his comfort zone because it was Raani who told him to have some faith in himself that he can do anything that he wants & his life wasn’t only designed for singing & dancing. I know in real life, we may not see or feel for people like Shammo but I am sure, the portrayal in Alif Allah Aur Insaan especially through the character of Shammo will help us in changing our perspective & way we look at them, because this drama is surely going to highlight everything that they go through, be it harassment or violence. I like the fact that the writer had this unconventional approach where she brought a character like Shammo to life who despite not having much exposure still has the idea of self-respect & dignity in him, where he believes he can earn a decent living for himself, which is something so refreshing & new. I would love to see the transition & the transformation the character of Shammo will go through & I must say, the way Imran Ashraf has portrayed this character with so much of honesty & truthfulness, it warms my heart & I am looking forward to Shammo’s journey the most.

So, Shahzeb’s mother approached Malik Hashmat to ask for Nazneen’s proposal. I wish they had given us a little more insight into Shahzeb’s character because so far, all I know about him is that he comes from an affluent background & has fallen in love with Nazneen, but when it comes to his personality or his nature, I have no idea about him. So, Nazneen being Nazneen, didn’t really bother much about Shahzeb & his mother as she was more interested in going out with her friends. What I liked about the entire scenario was the way Nazneen shared her concerns with her father, like if you see Malik Hashmat, you’ll get an idea that despite being a loving father, he wouldn’t give much freedom to his daughters to voice their opinions, but it came as a pleasant surprise that Nazneen not only disapproved of Shahzeb in front of her father, but clearly said that she didn’t want to get married at the moment. It was good seeing Malik Hashmat being such an accommodating & easy going father, considering the social setup & environment he hails from. Well, yes, what also came as a surprise to me was how despite knowing about his daughter’s disapproval, he went ahead & fixed her marriage with Shahzeb, like even though Malik Hashmat did give Nazneen enough edge to be frank with him, in the end he made a point that he is going to be the one who will make the final decision.

So, the character that got introduced was of Nigar Begum (Sana Fakhar), a courtesan who is madly in love with Shahzeb. I am interested to know how & when Shahzeb & Nigar came across each other for her to fall so much in love with him to such an extent where she prays to see him, to be with him & has a man tailing him. The description that the flower vendor gave to Raani about Nigar was quite interesting & just when I was hoping that Raani doesn’t pay heed to everything that she has heard, I was proven wrong because it was all that Raani could think of as for her, the idea of a woman walking on money was something so alien & fascinating at the same time. Well, I don’t really blame Raani, like she spends hours asking people for money & she has never raised Rs. 500, that is why she wanted to know more about Nigar Begum who according to her makes money easily. I must say I love the fact that Raani’s character has so many shades, like she is mature for her age yet she is naive but she still has so much of confidence in herself, where she can look in the mirror, apply some kajal & praise herself for her beauty. All this makes her character so interesting & unique.

Just when I thought that we will get to see Shammo being subjected to harrassment & his journey won’t have an easy kick-start, I was pleasantly surprised that Shammo met two decent men who treated him as human being & showed some faith in him. The fact that Shammo accepted the tip only because he was told that it was an advance payment for his work goes to show that he has left everything behind & he seriously wants to make money based on his hard-work.

Overall, this episode was quite interesting & I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. I must say, even though I don’t agree with the concept of Dargah, they perfectly used it to add mystical touch to the entire aspect of love. Sana Fakhar has surely played the character of a courtesan with a lot of grace & elegance, like not even for a second she crossed the line or looked OTT. Sana Fakhar has given Nigar Begum’s character a lot of charm & personality, so well done Sana! Imran Ashraf made me feel Shammo’s pain, which goes to show how much emotionally invested he himself was in this character, which again is his success as an actor. Now coming to the star of the episode & for me that was hands down Ushna Shah, like Raani is messy & unattractive but she still has so much of sass & innocence that she actually made me fall in love with her character, lol. I am loving this drama at the moment & I can’t wait to see more. The direction of this drama has been top-notch & I love the locations. I love the poetry too that they have used in the background to describe the theme of this story & also the concept of love. Hope we’ll get an insight into the rest of the characters too, especially Shahzeb’s. Thoroughly impressed with the theme & the characters of the drama. Please share your thoughts about this beautiful episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, based on the novel with the same title Alif Allah Aur Insaan, the script of the drama is written by Qasira Hayat, it is directed by Ahson Talish & is produced by Momina Duraid Productions. Alif Allah Aur Insaan commenced tonight & will be airing at 8PM every Tuesday on Hum TV. The very first episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan introduced us to 5 families with completely different backgrounds, with extremely different situations, lifestyles & struggles of their own. The first episode was directed perfectly & it surely set the ground for the viewers to look forward to what is yet to come.

The story of Alif Allah Aur Insaan is set in Rural Punjab, with almost all the characters linked to each other. The very first family that got introduced was of Raani (Ushna Shah), who has a father (Safie Hassan), a mother (Nargis Rashid) & a brother. Raani’s family lives in a dire condition & the only means of earning money for them is begging. Despite not wanting to Raani is pushed by her father to go & make some money because that’s the only way he is able to fend for their basic needs.

Another character that got a detailed introduction was of Shammo (Imran Ashraf), a eunuch who is tired of the life that has been prescribed for him. His master Nargis actually brought him as a male in the house when he was just an infant thinking that he will become her support system but sadly, Shammo ended up following Nargis’ lifestyle & adapted everything that he saw happening in his surroundings. However, Shammo feels burdened because he fails to accept that this is the only option that is left for him to lead a life, which actually was something nice to see. The person who helped him restore this faith in himself was Raani, who was probably the first & the last person who treated him as a human being. Shammo’s one-sided short-lived love for Raani was quite sweet, because he immediately mistook Raani’s sympathy & courtesy as something else & assumed that she will reciprocate his feelings, which actually didn’t happen!

The third family that got an introduction was of Malik Sahab (Usman Peerzada), his wife (Aini Zaidi) & his two daughters Yasmin & Nazneen (Kubra Khan). Yasmin is getting married & the entire family is busy arranging this family affair. Yasmin is getting married to Suhail, who happens to be a friend of Shahzeb (Mikaal Zulfikar). Shahzeb’s mother believes that he should get married as well, but Shahzeb tells her that he hasn’t found his ideal partner yet. The last family that got a little coverage was of Qadir Ali (Noor Ul Hassan) who basically manages household affairs of Malik Sahab’s family. Qadir Ali is very loyal & sincere to Malik Sahab, that is why without even being asked for such a any such favor, Qadir tells his son Basit (Shehzad sheikh), who is an art student studying in the city, to come to the village & take part in the arrangements of Yasmin’s wedding.

So, this episode had a lot of meaningful, deep, interesting & heart-warming conversations which helped us in understanding the characters better. The first such conversation that actually set the base for what the writer was going to show through this story was the lecture that the teacher was giving to his students, where he spoke about the difference between Allah & Insaan (human beings). In very easy words & by coming to the level of his students, he explained how Allah was Different, how He was Complete, how He was Perfect & how He was Infallible, whereas when it comes to Insaan, us human beings, everyone is a slave to their emotions & these emotions force us to commit mistakes & sins. Even though this entire conversation was covered in the form of the lecture, but it definitely highlighted the theme of this drama in a very effortless manner.

I must say, I enjoyed quite a lot of characters in the first episode but the one character that actually left a mark was of Raani. Raani is pretty straight forward, she is also least judgmental but she knows her rights & wrongs. Even though if we consider the background that she hails from, it makes her character quite unique that she has a very different perspective when it comes to life & people in general, that is why she not only protected Shammo, but treated him as an equal, despite being completely aware of her & his differences. Raani knows what is right & what is wrong, that is why just after getting comfortable with Shammo, she honestly told her that what Shammo was doing to make a living for himself wasn’t right, but she also knows that being helpless can push you to certain boundaries that you might not deem suitable for yourself!

Nazneen, like her name suggests, is a pampered child who hails from a financially stable background, therefore just because her parents have raised her with such comforts, she is oblivious of the intricacies of life. Nazneen came across as someone who has a tunnel vision & believes in seeing things through her perspective which isn’t based on much exposure. At this stage, one thing that can be assumed about her is that she is a spoiled youngest daughter of the family, that is why she believes in having things her way, be it her jewelry or the sort of entertainment she wants at her sister’s wedding. Nazneen’s interaction with Shammo & her fellows shattered them all because she not only insulted them but reminded them of their shortcomings. It took just a few seconds for Nazneen to degrade them & treat them as sub-humans because she believed they couldn’t match her level as she was complete & they weren’t. Obviously, Shammo left quietly but her curse won’t leave Nazneen alone & she will end up facing the brunt of what she said. Nazneen has a lot to discover & she will learn such lessons in life which will teach her that every single human being is equal, irrespective of what they have & what they don’t! So, Shahzeb grew interested in Nazneen because he found her unique & that was the only introduction that Shahzeb had so far. Yes, he shares a very special bond with the Molvi Sahab (Qavi Khan) & I am sure their relationship will have a lot to offer in the episodes to come.

The way Nazneen hurt Shammo’s pride will definitely shape up his life. Shammo was looking for a reason to escape the life that he was living, but he always found himself bound because of Nargis, who emotionally weakened & blackmailed him, but the way Nazneen insulted Shammo, that was the final nail in the coffin & it pushed him to walk away & pursue his dreams. Shammo dreams of having a life where people will treat him with respect & he also dreams of making money after doing a lot of hard-work. It was good to see a person living in such grave situations aiming for such standards in life, it showed that all you need is a perspective & a go-getter attitude because by the end of the day, that’s all that matters. What made Shammo stand out from her colleagues was his attitude because where they all sounded defeated, where they all gave up & where all of them accepted this mistreatment as their fate, Shammo chose to stand up for himself & say no to this life.

Overall, the first episode was quite interesting & it seemed like such a long episode with such in-depth scenarios that introduced the characters a great deal. At first I found the characters a little caricaturish but as the episode progressed, the mood was set & it made everything work. All the actors stood out & brought out their A-game to breathe life into their characters. Imran Asraf & Ushna Shah deserve a special mention because of their effortless & flawless performances. The OST sounds interesting too, I am glad they didn’t overuse it & it was just played in the initial scenes which was enough to introduce us to the idea behind this story & the vision of the writer. The meaningful dialogues definitely elevated the level of this episode. I must say, spot on direction made this episode perfect, the usage of different locations, the choice of the sets & the right aesthetics gave this drama a very unique feel. The preview got me excited because looks like there’s a new character that is going to be introduced. Even though Shehzad sheikh & Mikaal Zulfikar got limited coverage but I felt Shehzad sheikh stood out more as Basit Ali. Kubra Khan seemed to be in her element & without overdoing Nazneen’s character she gave her the personality that her character required. I am quite pleased with the first episode & I can’t wait to see more. Please share your thoughts about the first episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.

PS: The reviews of Alif Allah Aur Insaan also have the no spoiler alert policy, so please respect that, thanks!

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.