Ohkay, so as much as I was looking forward to this episode I feel that the layout of every single episode is becoming very monotonous with the factor of excitement subsiding especially. It’s getting pretty obvious that the beginning 10 minutes of the episode will be dedicated to the judges, next 30 will be allotted to the haphazard cooking followed by the judges’ patrol asking the MasterChef Pakistan’s signature question ‘kya bana rahay/rahi hain’ & the remaining minutes will showcase the tastings & the final result. I think if they’d focus more on showing the techniques, they’d be able to make the episodes a lot more engaging. Like in this episode, everyone put up some great dishes which involved the hardcore desi techniques that have been the essence of our local cuisine since ages but sadly, the execution team couldn’t do justice to anything in particular. As much as the task was interesting, I feel the episode lacked the wow factor.

The task that was assigned to the contestants was to prepare food that represented Pakistan’s provinces. Everyone got the cuisine randomly & with the immunity pin up for grabs for the first time in the competition, everyone worked really hard. Zain had won himself an advantage in the last round so he had to use it this time by picking any cuisine that he liked & exchange it with someone he thought of as a threat. Zain got Balochistan & he replaced it with Punjab & exchanged it with Maryam. The dishes were great & I feel that all the contestants performed brilliantly by showing some amazing techniques. Madiha, Khurram & Zain got Punjab. Maryam & Ammarah got Balochistan. Amna & Gulnaz had to represent Khyber Pukhtunkhwa through their cooking & Rayyan, Iqra, Saad got Sindh.

Khurram served ‘Palak Gosht w/ Naan & Lassi’. Chef Mehboob liked his dish a lot & felt that the meat had a very good flavour. He felt that Lassi had a ratio of milk more but other than that his main dish was perfect. Chef Khurram liked the presentation along with the flavours but also wanted him to add more colors while plating the dish. Chef Zakir felt that the meat was tender, succulent & flavoursome so for that he appreciated Khurram a lot.

Rayyan made ‘Katakat & Daal’. Chef Mehboob felt that the whole dish was sour & the daal had a lot of soya sauce in it. Chef Khurram didn’t quite get the taste of daal. Chef Zakir didn’t like the roti that Rayyan cooked either.

Gulnaz presented ‘Ghata Roojee, Chapli Kabab & Rumali Roti’. Chef Zakir liked the kababs a lot. Chef Mehboob thoroughly enjoyed her whole dish specifically for the balanced flavours. Chef Khurram enjoyed both the components of her dish too.

Amna came up with ‘Channa Mewa, Chapli Kabab & Qehwa’. Chef Mehboob liked the taste of qehwa & he also enjoyed the flavours of channa mewa but he did feel that cabab didn’t have a balanced flavor. Chef Khurram commented that he could feel the essence of Pukhtun flavours in Amna’s dish. Chef Zakir liked the main dish but felt that raita had no salt in it (!?!?!?!).

Maryam served ‘Namkeen Gosht, Channa Daal, Bhindi w/ Roti. Chef Mehboob liked the dish a lot but he felt that the daal was over cooked but other than that her main dish which was namkeen gosht was cooked to perfection. Chef Zakir praised her for improving herself over the weeks & he liked namkeen gosht but felt that daal has no flavour to it. Chef Khurram commented that his mother used to make similar bhindi & liked her dish over all.

Iqra presented ‘Sindhi Biryani & Thadli’. Chef Mehboob found that the chicken was raw so he didn’t taste it but felt that the rice had a great flavour. Chef Khurram told her off for not taking care of the protein that too at this stage of the competition. Chef Zakir felt that she put in a lot of effort on her side drink but if she had paid more attention to her biryani then she could’ve come up with a dish of the day.

Zain presented ‘Murgh Channa, Daal w/ Roti. Chef Mehboob felt that he made a mistake by switching the province as he didn’t perform well because the daal had no flavour & rice had no salt in them. Chef Khurram liked the presentation but he felt that he was eating karahi masala. Chef Zakir felt that he came up with channa chat because murgh channa is supposedly made with the chicken stock so for this his main dish was weak.

Ammarah came up with ‘Balochi Gosht & Roti’. Chef Mehboob felt that the meat didn’t have a right balochi flavour because of the usage of ginger in particular; he was kind of disappointed & commented that he didn’t find what he was looking for. Chef Khurram felt that it was more like a whole different dish & wasn’t what she claimed she presented.

Madiha made ‘Saagh, Makai Roti & Lassi’. Chef Mehboob found the roti was too dense & dry plus saagh was more on a sweeter side. Chef Khurram liked the lassi & the technique of it, he also liked the texture of saagh but the flavour was too sweet for his taste too. Chef Zakir wasn’t satisfied with the roti specifically as well.

Saad came up with ‘Sindhi Biryani & Suji Ka Halwa’. Chef Mehboob didn’t find the biryani spicy enough but liked the halwa. Chef Khurram liked the plating but felt that the chicken was undercooked & the rice overcooked. Chef Zakir felt that he tried to do the things right but the result wasn’t upto his expectations.

The judges for the first time selected top 4 dishes instead of top 3 as they were impressed by 4 dishes that they tasted. Judges appreciated the efforts of the contestants a lot & felt that everyone tried to instil the essence of the local food to the best of their ability. Maryam, Gulnaz, Amna & Khurram were in the top 4 & surprise surprise, Gulnaz won the immunity pin which she can use anytime she wants to back out of any specific challenge.

I feel that the contestants tried to use a lot of different techniques but none of them were covered properly. I was more interested to see how Ammarah sealed the wok & how Madiha churned the lassi but seems like the main focus was on spoon stirring & veggie chopping throughout the episode. Even though the contestants have started to speak to the cameramen while they are cooking but none of them actually talk about the dish. All I hear them speak is about how hopeful or confident they are about their dishes. I feel that the contestants should speak more about the food & the techniques rather than being vocal about the results beforehand. Khurram, Ammarah tried to talk us through their dishes but the rest didn’t.

In my opinion, I feel that Khurram should’ve won the immunity pin but as Gulnaz is no doubt performing well I feel the judges have a soft corner for her therefore she was chosen. It’s good to see that the contestants are now getting along well with each other where they were being cordial & are being supportive of each other as well. Gulnaz got a great response & everyone was happy for her. Good to see her emerging as a strong contender. I don’t know why, I may be wrong but I felt that the way Chef Zakir changed the name of Gulnaz’s dish & made it sound similar to Rayyan’s dish, he was kind of personally attacking Rayyan for not being able to perform well. I know I may be wrong because it’s my assumption but the way Rayyan is being treated, it won’t be a surprise. Anyways, let’s see who goes this week so yes, please remember ‘no spoiler alerts here’. Share your say on this episode.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

ps: I wish Ramadan Kareem to all my dear readers. I hope everyone gets to make the most of this blessed month & may Allah bless every single believer, Ameen. :)

The mystery element of the play along with the fact that for a change the central character in the story is not a female but a male and the story is not about a love triangle or about marital problems is what makes this play stand out in the crowd. Having said that I must admit that this may not be the kind of play that will hit a home run with the masses mostly because of its overall outlook. If the lighting and colors were slightly more alluring then it would have been a perfect package.

Daniyal is determined to find out about his background. When you find out that your whole life was a lie all of a sudden, some people have a difficult time coming into terms with the truth and they decide to go on with life pretending that they don’t need to know the truth but most often they react the way Daniyal did. He appreciates everything that his adoptive parents did for him but he cannot rest until he finds out about his roots. Daniyal’s entire personality has changed ever since he found out the truth. The carefree man who was full of confidence has been replaced by one who is lost and feels a great burden on his shoulders which will only be lifted when he finds out who his real parents were.

Dilawar’s character is a very interesting addition to the play. Dilawar and Laila both are not the usual characters with feudal backgrounds which we see on screen. Dilawar is a very likeable character and the way Laila helped Daniyal was either because she is a genuinely nice person or because she also wants to find out why Daniyal is looking for Peer Murtaza Shah…we will find out soon enough. The conversation between Laila and Dilawar about that piece of land he wanted went to show that Laila isn’t as “enlightened” or soft hearted as she appears to be.

Naina finds it very difficult to forget Daniyal but her mother is bent on getting her daughter married in an uncha khandan. The way Naina’s mother compared damaad and bakra was outrageous but then those lines portrayed her thinking perfectly. The turn of events in tonight’s episode were very intriguing indeed. Daniyal and Naina’s paths will meet yet again or maybe not! Will Naina end up getting married to Dilawar? She is definitely not the kind of girl who will let anyone else make such an important decision of her life but you never know.

I felt for Daniyal’s adoptive parents all through tonight’s episode. The actress playing Daniyal’s mother has failed to impress me with her acting, her dialogue delivery is very filmy. The story is unpredictable so far and the drama is moving ahead at a very good pace. I really like the OST; it is different and appealing but the background music can be a little too melancholic at times. It is good to see Mikaal Zulfiqar playing a different character. I am not a big fan of Sadia Khan ever since I watched her perform in Devar Bhabi but I must say that her acting in this serial is much better. Her performance is definitely not power packed but there are no glaring flaws in her acting either. In my opinion she needs to emote more.

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

I hate to start this review on a harsh note but after watching 3 episodes of Mausam back-to-back (including the latest one) I must say that this drama serial puts HUM TV’s tradition of Friday night entertaining plays to shame. In these 6 weeks Mausam has gone from being a drama that has shown done-to-death clichés to the limit to one which is turning out to be lame and not the least bit entertaining.

There isn’t even a single character that has managed to win my sympathy or evoke any emotions in me at all! Shazia, the ultimate spoiled brat and drama queen has her mother wrapped around her little finger now since the doctor who probably had psychic powers evaluated in a very short period that Shazia was under stress. People faint for a lot of reasons and Shazia for one is not the sort of girl who would have a nervous breakdown but on the contrary she is quite capable of giving someone else a mental breakdown. Shazia’s character makes me sick, Yumna Zaidi should put her talent to good use by starring in more quality projects and doing different kind of roles.

Saman calls her husband-to-be Faisal bhai only few days before her marriage. Yeh kya honey ja raha hai, mujhe buhat dur lag raha hai is the only reaction she gives to such a shocking news. The latest developments were not the least bit convincing. I understand that Saman is a good girl who will never go against her phupo’s wishes but doesn’t she have any self respect? Saman and Faisal’s marriage appeared to be a very forced twist in the story. Saman is going to turn into an even more of a bechari very soon when Faisal refuses to accept her as his wife (easy guess!!). Faisal’s mother’s shrill voice is getting on my nerves, as if the drama is not annoying enough as it is!

Mehreen saves the day by telling Hashir’s mother about Saman and quite surprisingly Hashir’s mother is willing to marry Hashir to the love of his life.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Ahsan Khan’s acting but it seems like he intends to be a part of every mediocre show that we are going to see this year. He must be tired of getting married to the wrong girl by now, he really should give himself a break. This drama could easily pass for one of those plays which you keep on watching for killing time or out of curiosity, otherwise it does not deserve to be watched at all.

Mausam isn’t my cup of tea at all, the production values are great but that’s about it! If this was a calendar I would have been very impressed with the colors etc but this is a drama which requires much more than good production values to enthrall the viewers.

The preview of the next episode showed that Saman gets married to Faisal and it is only after her marriage that Hashir and his mother come to Saman’s house with the proposal *yawn*.

Fatima Awan

What a sad turn of events! The only person in the world who truly understood Laila and who gave her the strength to survive in her difficult circumstances is gone for good. And what is even more sad is that this happened when Laila finally decided to open up to her father. Laila had made up her mind about her future and her father was going to be the pillar of support for her like always but it was not meant to be. I must say that the relationship between Laila and her father had to be the sweetest thing about this play. I enjoyed their meaningful conversation, the way her father felt things which Laila never had the courage to say and most of all the fact that Laila’s father was like oxygen in her life. Whenever she felt suffocated, she used to turn to him to unwind and get herself charged again. Qazi Wajid stole the show right from the get-go as the caring and nurturing father. The chemistry between Alishba Yusef and Qazi Wajid coupled with the intelligent way in which the relationship between the two was established by the writer gave us an unforgettable father-daughter relationship to watch on screen after a very long time.

There is nothing new about the story of this play but the treatment is brand new. Laila’s reaction when she finds out about Mansoor’s extra marital affair was definitely not what we usually see on screen. Laila, it seemed, was already prepared to deal with the situation or maybe she had been through so much in the past few months that nothing surprised her anymore. The events in tonight’s episode reinforced my guess that Laila already knew about Kukoo and Mansoor so when the “secret” came out in the open she was prepared to move on in her own way.

What was even more interesting and unusual was that Laila actually turned to Kukoo for helping her establish her business. It is amazing that even though these women are linked together in the most bizarre way but they understand each other so well. For once these two women do not blame each other but they blame the man involved. I love the change in Laila’s character; the character development has been very convincing indeed. Laila is done with pleasing everyone, she has decided to take her father’s advice and do what makes her happy.

Mansoor’s character is very well etched out too. His explanations for not marrying Kukoo and the way he justifies his behavior towards Laila is another interesting and convincing part of the show. Sohail Sameer has outdone himself in this role. Mansoor is losing control on Laila fast and he is not sure what to do about it.

This episode was picture perfect like always. The only thing that bugged me was that everyone kept on referring to Laila and Mansoor’s daughter as “bachi” “choti” etc…doesn’t the child have a name?

The most outstanding aspect of this play is that the script is very coherent and well articulated. The director has a firm grip on the screenplay and the details. The actors are doing a brilliant job, the credit for which goes to the director and the writer too. When you have an outstanding script and director to work with then you can’t help but give it your best.

Pehchan is turning out to be even better than I had hoped it would be. The meaningful conversations and the story is getting better with every passing episode. This drama is extraordinary and unconventional. This drama is about strong women who we don’t get to see on our screens any more. It shows that a woman does not need a man to save her. A woman’s “pehchan” is not the man she marries. I have very high hopes from Pehchan now and I am quite sure I won’t be led down. A Big thank you to the producers Seema Razi and Raziuddin Ahmad for investing in something different.

Do share your thoughts about this latest installment.

Fatima Awan

Ohkay, finally I can sense that this drama is on it’s way to an end & I hope it happens in another couple of episodes because I see no point in dragging such a story.

As much as I have been irritated by the boldness of Sofia’s character & the choices the writer has made in regards to her role, I wish where they have shown a 12 y/o being involved in a questionable flick, I hope they also had shown someone smacking her face, either Jazib, Zara or Dua so that her batameezi could subside. I am sorry but this little lady is a pain to watch & I will make sure I don’t follow any of the dramas in which she has a role to play. I know she’s playing a character of a girl who comes from a broken family but this just does not justify that a girl resorts to such stuff at such a young age. If the writer had nothing better to show then she should’ve opted for a girl who was at least in high-school or let’s say was 16 years of age because that still makes some sense but to show a girl who hasn’t even stepped into teenage years & is worried more about some guy thinking she can do whatever she wants, is a sick mentality & I feel the writer should reflect on the choices she makes while writing the scripts & should definitely be ashamed of giving such a twist to Sofia’s character.

Jazib is also a depiction of those weak men that frequent our TV screens every single day. I think he was having pre-withdrawal symptoms of Zara therefore he managed to overlook the past & was amazed at how amazing Zara was. It’s kind of upsetting to see such men having a win-win situation in the most nastiest of the circumstances. He has a young wife who takes care of his family & food & home, so that he gets the time to rekindle the feelings that he omce had for his first wife. A little sympathy does make some sense but those glances & gasps, that speechlessness because of Zara’s beauty was uncalled for.

Good for Zara that she is getting the attention that she wanted but it was ridiculous that she snatched that sweet moment & turned it into a complaint box regarding Dua. I even got to hear Jazib say that Zara has brought up their kids well & I am questioning the judgment of Jazib because we can clearly see how much of a good job Zara has done with Sofia especially. One thing I just couldn’t understand was the turn that Zara’s character took because the same day when Sofia was planning to hang out with her friends, Zara & Jazib were gone for dinner but the same night when Sofia went & confessed her feelings, Zara had a scarf wrapped around her head? That just didn’t make any sense but then it shows that the director is in a rush to end the drama so it comes as a good sign!

This time around I actually felt bad for Dua that no matter how hard she tries, she can never earn the respect of Zara but then after watching next episode’s preview, I think Zara will finally surrender & will confess her fears to Dua which for her sake I hope happens soon. Over all this has been a very average drama which makes me feel that if this drama wasn’t produced, we weren’t missing out on something big. Share your views on this episode.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.