24 episodes down and this show is still entertaining as it was in its first half. Despite of the fact that story is unfolding quite slowly, still strong dialogues and above all its perfect cast is more than enough to  glue its viewers in front of their television screens. Further, this show is bringing back the “family drama” trend and I hope that drama-makers will now be more sensitive in producing the quality content – Content that all of us can comfortably watch and enjoy with our families.

When a child is in trouble, a mother’s instinct tells her about the ongoing crisis through which her child is passing. But this time, it was not only Afzal’s mother – Every person related to Afzal felt as if there is some ongoing trouble at Afzal’s end. Yasmeen’s impatience clearly depicted that how much worried she is for Afzal. Kher se , we came to know that Afzal is all well and he will be discharged within few days.

Now coming to Hyderabad, Farah’s every single action narrated that she is not at all feeling comfortable after rejecting Afzal. This is the time when the feeling of remorse and regret of refusal is burning her deep inside and for the peace of her mind, she decided to go to Karachi with her Father. Indeed, it felt very nice to watch how she slept in the car just for the sake of going to Karachi to look for Afzal – After all, she knew that she won’t be able to wake up early in the morning and she didnot want to take any risk this time.

Farah’s visit to Yasmeen was quite interesting to watch; The way Farah inquired all “aglee pichlee”  stories from Yasmeen showed how desperately she is yearning for Afzal. There was a huge grin on my  face while watching whole of Farah and Yasmeen’s “rapid fire round”.

Farah took no notice that she was talking to her father when she came back from Yasmeen’s home – Ofcourse, she was habitual of using those few trademark words every time she opens her mouth and now that she is all alone with her father, she can’t help herself to stop uttering them. She was unable to open up infront of anyone so she started cursing Lubna after meeting Yasmeen. Farah’s rage and jealousy pointed out nothing but her love for Afzal.

On the other side, Lubna’s disappointment after knowing  the details showed that she was in no way pretending to love Afzal – rather she was actually fond of Afzal. Yasmeen apni jaga paraishan thei that who Farah is and whats her relation with Afzal. Her mother was clever enough to judge that who will come for a security guard unless there is some ongoing chemistry between them?

Wali’s cheapness was at its peak today but this time Yasmeen confronted him confidently because she knows that Afzal will be there for her now. I laughed every-time Khala slapped her bhaanja – he deserves to be slapped again and again. Episode ended with a very sad note; Babu Hameed became Wali’s victim and I am dead sure, Afzal will not spare him this time.

With whom would you want Afzal to end up ? Farah or Yasmeen ?

I would love to read your comments about this episode.

Rabia Basharat.

I watched the play Mere Pass Pass when it went on air a few years back but when I sat down to watch it again now so that I could do justice to my review, I realized there was very little which I had actually forgotten. Yes Mere Pass Pass is one of those plays which leave a lasting impression on your mind. The play has been written by Samira Fazal, it has been directed by Misbah Khalid and produced by Momina Duraid. When Mere Pass Pass went on air Noor-ul-Huda Shah was part of the Hum TV network too and I think it was a time when both Noor-ul-Huda Shah and Momina Duraid used to take special interest in the scripts that were being written for Hum TV. That was probably why the scripts back then had much more clarity. The main cast consists of Deepak Perwani, Nadia Jameel, Moammar Rana, Aysha Khan (senior), Faisal Shah and Ayesha Sana.

The story of Mere Pass Pass is unusual; it is the story of a man Shariq (Moammar Rana) who falls in love with a married woman. It is a case of love at first sight, he has no idea that Eman (Nadia Jameel) is married to Adil Kamran (Deepak Perwani) – a man who visits the gym owned by Shariq quite often and is definitely not among Shariq’s favorite clients. The way the characters are related to each other is very interesting indeed. Unlike the recent plays written by Samira Fazal, the personality traits of the characters stay the same right till the end. I am all for character development but this play is more story driven. The writer does a superb job of sticking to the main story right till the end. You can’t help but fall in love with Shariq’s character in particular. There are times when you wonder if people like him really exist and there are times when you want to believe desperately that human race would be nowhere without people like him! Shariq’s commitment to Eman and his silent love for her is the main attraction of the play. I found myself rooting for them all through the play.

Eman and Adil stay happily married for five years. Although, they are poles apart but Eman’s love for her husband and compromising nature keeps the relationship going. Adil Kamran is a very practical, headstrong, heartless and an unreasonable person, so much so that nothing in his life is more important than the goals he has set for himself. He is definitely a person who is made up of his complexes; his sole aim in life is to have a good lifestyle and he cannot put up with people with a “middle class mentality”. Eman respects the way Adil wants to live his life, not only this she tries her best to mould herself according to her husband’s wishes. Eman does all this for Adil because she loves him, she never thinks that she is doing anything extraordinary by trying to live the life Adil dreamed for them. Eman believes in deriving happiness out of simple things; this is one trait of her personality she cannot grow out of despite of Adil’s insistence that she should change herself.

Shariq is simple, genuine and crazy in love with Eman. Shariq gets the opportunity to get closer to Eman when he starts living next door to her. Eman and Adil’s marriage breaks apart because of Adil’s stubborn and unreasonable behavior (I am not going to give away the main twist in the tale because some people may not have watched the play). The way Shariq and Eman evolve from being complete strangers to best friends is shown brilliantly. Faizer (Faisal Shah) and Shariq’s friendship is also a very special part of the play. Faisal Shah’s dialogue delivery is not impressive most of the times but the cuteness of his character more than makes up for it.

The beauty of this play lies in its simplicity, the perfect characterization and a very engaging screenplay. Every character and actor leaves a lasting impact. The casting is faultless and all the actors share superb on screen chemistry. There are times when the camera work isn’t very impressive but overall the direction and editing is spot on. Nadia Jameel is flawless as Eman and Moammar Rana is equally brilliant as Shariq, he brings out the best in his character. I just wish both of them would have paid a little more attention to their wardrobes. Deepak Perwani was the perfect choice for playing Adil; his body language and dialogue delivery are very convincing. I really enjoyed watching Ayesha Sana after a long time; she is such a fine actress, I wonder why we don’t get to see her in dramas any more. Ayesha Khan (senior) stole my heart as Shariq’s mother, I loved her character and her acting. The baby playing Ana is adorable. Samira Fazal deserves due credit for showing some of the most extraordinary mother in laws in her drama serials.

Eman may have been an emotionally weak and vulnerable person at one time but Shariq’s love gives her the strength to let go of the past. It was a pleasure watching a woman following her heart and making a wise choice in the end. There were a few minor details which were not at all convincing like the way everyone left their front doors open all the time and why was Emaan still wearing her engagement ring right till the second last episode? I am not sure if the recap of the entire serial was needed before showing the last episode since the play was short and to the point.

The OST of the play has been beautifully sung by Hadiqa Kiyani and Atif Aslam. I enjoyed listening to it over and over again. All the episodes are available on youtube in good quality. The play had a sequel as well; it was the first Pakistani drama with a sequel. I think this play is a must watch for everyone who has not seen it.

I would love to hear from all those viewers who have watched the play.

Fatima Awan

After watching both episodes back to back, all I can say is that the story of the show is unfolding just the way I expected it to be unfolded. Every artist in this show is doing great job and it seems that the casting team have done special efforts and by learning deep insights of this novel, they decided who would fit in the role of the respective character.

Aiman is finding herself very uncomfortable and unfit for this upper class society and for that she is failing to gel in with everyone. She feels so empty deep inside because her father is not there when she needs him the most. Despite of the fact that they are ultra loving and caring people,she is living with Haider and his Bibi half-heartedly because she feels completely lost.

The scene where Aiman talked to her father was worth watching ; Sanam Jung literally outdid herself.She had mixed feeling of hatred and reproach while talking to her father. She wanted to open her heart out and to tell her father that how hard her life was when she was with her mother and he left them,  she wanted to complain and cry out loud but all she can do is just to listen and answer to Taufeeq’s straight and serious questions. The  pain in her voice when she talked to her step mother,Almas, was clearly depicting that how difficult it is for Aiman to gulp the fact that Taufeeq Kamal left Zainab(Aiman’s mother) solely for Almas and now that she is dead, Aiman has no option but to live and do what her father opts of her.

Previously, we knew that Sajeela and Mazhar are living a life that is nothing but a comprise. But after watching these two episodes,we came to know that Sajeela literally fought to marry Mazhar. As she said, her father always cared for her the most but when he came to know that Mazhar belongs to middle-class family ,he rejected him just like that. Sajeela find it difficult to live without Mazhar and she left her house. I am glad that Mazhar proved Sajeela’s father misconception to be wrong – He was definitely not after the wealth that Sajeela owns. They said their good byes and I must say that the whole good bye sequence was way too much extended for no reason; They could have wrapped up that flashback of good bye within few minutes .By the way, that was the only point in both episodes where I felt a bit bored else I found every scene interesting.

Haider is being so kind to Aiman and his kindness is somehow leaving an impact on Aiman that he is caring for her because he cares for Taufeeq Kamal. I really enjoyed that gift part where Haider was the teacher and Aiman was trying to be a good learner by following every instruction that he gave her and the cute thing about that scene was that Haider treated Aiman like a kid. And for that, I want to give a special mention of Adnan Siddiqui’s acting skills – Typically, male artists confuse being caring with flirty kind of expressions but Adnan was completely out of that.I mean not for a sec, he gave an impression that there is some ongoing chemistry between them or somewhat closer to that.

I really enjoy the direction of this show at some points like when Haider took Aiman for dinner and shopping ,we even enjoyed to see that mouthwatering seafood platter and after that the use of folk and knife by Haider and Aiman having her food all by her hands, pointing the difference in her living standard ,was also one of the minutest details that was taken care of during direction. Acha, I thought she will be using and trying harder to have her food with folk and knife too laken shukar hai she was confident enough to have her meal just the way she want it to be eaten.

Episode ended when Sajeela came to know that Mazhar is already married. Lets see how the story will unfold and what else this show has to offer in upcoming episodes.

Whats your say about this show ?

Rabia Basharat.

Ohkay, so finally Nayab’s nightmare has been materialized. I couldn’t help feeling anything but sympathy for her because of how she was paying the price of losing her mother. It’s like she had to lose everything once she lost her mother because all the promises Nayab’s mother made were now buried too.

Gaitiara didn’t lose hope & knew how to get what she wanted. She knew just exactly who was the right person to talk to even after finding out that both Nayab & Almas have rejected the proposal. Gaitiara flaunted her wealth & material blessings in front of Almas’s husband because she knew he’d fall prey to her tact. Sadly for Nayab, Almas turned out to be as cruel as anybody else because Almas was so blinded by Gaitiara’s status that she started weighing Nayab’s luck on the basis of the wealth she’d attain after she’d get married to Daood, plus as an excuse she wanted to make it clear that by no means she’d make her husband angry & walk an extra mile for her sister, so for that she was backing out.

Very clearly Gaitiara also told Almas that Daood is heart-broken but she knew all of her son’s shortcomings will be concealed because of his bank balance. Despite knowing what Zaid meant to Nayab & also how Daood would be least bothered about her sister, Almas got convinced that the luck was approaching Nayab herself therefore she forced her into this relation.

Zaid on his own was instinctive about what was about to happen & his worst fears came true when he got to know how Nayab was being pressurized. I thought his mother would never agree to a sudden marriage but she did because she knew her sister had promised & sealed Nayab’s relation to Zaid while she was alive. At least she was more compassionate & sincere towards a promise that was made by someone who died but sadly Almas didn’t quite have a second thought that she’d be breaking off her mother’s promise.

I felt Urwa Hocane acted really well in that particular scene where she was trying to convince Almas for rejecting the proposal. She has done a brilliant job as Nayab. Nayab’s utterance that it seems like she is paying the price of staying at Almas’s place was just so real. The last scene seemed a bit too filmy but never-mind, it was done perfectly well too. Zaid made it to Almas’s place just at the right time but he knew he was too late to undo anything that had just happened.

Finally, after this I think there would be nothing left for Nayab or Zaid to hold onto because their parting has been sealed. Let’s see how rest of the story unfolds.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

So, with this episode, the 2nd week of MasterChef comes to an end & also the boot camp has ended where the final selection has been done & we got the first lot of top 16 in our very first season of MasterChef.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the episode & also the challenges that were set for the contestants to make it through to the next level. The first challenge also seemed comparatively simple yet again but it wasn’t because the judges knew what they were looking for. Another 10 contestants were selected in the potato peeling round accumulating the number of selected contestants to 30.

The main & the last challenge of Boot Camp was held in Moin Khan Academy where 30 contestants had to fight for securing the spot in top 16 that too by showing their BBQ techniques & skills. The contestants got sea food, red meat & white meat randomly & they had to decide what they were presenting the chefs spontaneously.

I am glad that we got to see some brilliant performances because one really can’t experiment with the looks of the barbecued meat but the way the contestants presented the food was brilliant. The judges set the criteria of ingredients, taste, presentation & creativity on which they’d be making the judgments & they themselves were glad to see the contenders coming up with absolutely brilliant dishes that too in the time frame of 60 minutes.

A lot of great contestants made it to the top 16 & a few were left behind. It may be wasn’t their day but I am glad that they showed a sportsman spirit & accepted the decision of the judges pretty well. I was glad to see Adnan Qureshi, Iqra Yasin, Madiha Khalid, Maryam Nida, Amna, Gulnaz, Ali Shah, Saad Ali, Azam Hafiz, Rayyan Durrani, Khurram Haroon, Ammarah Numan, Anila Qamar along with few others making it to the next round.

I was hoping that they’d unveil the MasterChef Kitchen this week but it didn’t happen. The preview did show a few glimpses & I must say I am totally impressed. Everything looks top-notch & the finesse is praise worthy. The project managers have done an amazing job in providing the quality that was required of this kitchen. I thought by the end of the selection process they’d show a ticker of the top 16 with their names & their respective cities but it didn’t happen. By this time around they should make a move & help us in memorizing the names of the contestants because it gets harder to remember & keep a track of them. But never-mind, 2 weeks down & still totally impressed. The team has done their job really well.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Once again, this week of MasterChef began at a high note where a lot of people got selected in the top 50’s as well. Most of them were great but I actually looked forward to the Boot Camp & as expected that was a treat to watch too.

I am liking the fact that real & genuine people who really have passion for cooking are coming to the show. People know what the title of MasterChef means & no one is mocking the opportunity. For me the best thing about the show is that we’re getting to see people from all walks of life, all sorts of backgrounds who have a dream related to this industry & have confidence in themselves. I like this as well that the judges are staying true to their seats & have remained honest & upfront about everything they come across in anyone’s cooking. They are not holding back when it comes to the appreciation nor they are sugarcoating if they come across something questionable.

A lot that was selected in this episode was:

Iqra Yasir from Karachi who made ‘Papparadelle in Arrabiata Sauce & Tiramisu’.
Amna a passionate cook who traveled from Kuwait & she presented ‘Lemon & Parsley Chicken w/ 3 Dipping Sauces’.
Maryam who made ‘Fusilli Pasta w/ White Cheesy Sauce’.
Siddique Wali a video editor who made ‘Chicken Ala King’.
Azam from Karachi who presented ‘Grilled Stuffed Chicken’.
Mohammad Muzzail from Islamabad who runs a roadside cafe, he made ‘Chicken Karachi & Tikka’.
Rayyan Durrani, he came up with ‘Fillet Mingon & Churros for dessert’.
A few others who got selected were Asma Khan, Zainab Ahsan & Madiha Asad.

Now when the top 50 were selected, the judges had to select top 20 in a challenge that they had set in a Boot Camp. A challenge that may look comparatively simple wasn’t that easy. In this round all the 50 contestants had to slice & dice the onions which is the most beginning stage of a Pakistani cooking. The judges clearly said that it doesn’t matter if all the contestants we have are home cooks but now they are competing for the MasterChef title & for that they need to show their knife skills.

Chef Zakir showcased how it was supposed to be done & what was the precision that they wanted to see from the contestants. After the top 20 were selected the judges felt that they should probably give a second chance to those who remaining 30 who were out of the race. So, in the next episode the judges will pick 10 more contestants & then the remaining 20 would have to leave.

I am finding this show a lot more interesting.  In this episode the stand out contestants were Iqra Yasir, Mohammad Muzzamil & Rayyan Durrani. I am glad all three of them got selected in the top 20 & can’t wait to see them cooking. I’d conclude by saying that the judges are definitely paying attention to the tiniest details & I can’t wait to see the challenges the judges will keep coming up with to test the contestants & train them as well. Share your thoughts about the show. :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay, so it was a pretty interesting episode of Bashar Momin. I enjoyed it through out but once again had an issue with the way the episode was shot. Previous episode seemed too dull & shadowy while this one was just so bright that it could impair someone’s vision. I think the people behind the camera have tried to use in some different techniques by experimenting or have actually tried to give a certain feel to the whole drama by using unusual lighting but they are failing miserably because most of the scenes seem spooky. I thought everyone in this drama was really rich so why don’t they switch the lights of their homes on? No doubt the execution of the drama is brilliant but I am actually quite annoyed with the way the lighting has been used!

Anyways, the episode was more interesting than it seemed in the preview. I kind of enjoyed the fact that in stead of becoming a girl who’d be baffled & confused at the recent turn of events, Rudaba took it pretty well & gave everyone a tough time. Previously she may have sugar coated whatever she said to Tayyaba but now she was blunt & straight forward because she knew how to hit Tayyaba’s Achilles Heel & she did it pretty well because that’s the only way Rudaba can make  Tayyaba realize how wrong she’s being. Rudaba didn’t take much time in figuring out that Tayyaba has starting taking interest in Buland & her brother is trying to buy that toy for his baby sister & felt it was just the right time to let them know that she has decoded their game plan.

Of all the people in Bashar’s family, I thought Tayyaba was different, compassionate & was just the right kind of a person who was supporting Rudaba through out but seems like Tayyaba is so much indulged in self-pity that she can’t even understand how much mean she is becoming. Tayyaba used to cry before because the guys never loved her so does she really think that Buland will be able to love her ever?

As much as I like the character of Buland & as much as I find him suitable for Rudaba, I think he must leave & shouldn’t be with her because Rudaba deserves someone better & certainly not someone who has trust issues. Rudaba may have fallen in love with her fiance Buland but I think if he can’t trust her & she has to keep on explaining everything to him every single time, I feel she must let go off him too.

I think Faisal Qureshi nailed his performance in this particular episode because he played the bechara perfectly & then the beast perfectly as well. Whatever he said to Buland was true that Rudaba has never ever confessed anything to him but the way he twisted the obvious & used it against Rudaba & in his favour was cleverly perfect. Rudaba was clearly not thinking anything other than Buland when she hurried her way downstairs to meet him but I am sure she mistook Bashar as Buland & got a bit too cozy with him. I think Buland might see that & this would prove to be the last nail in the coffin.

I enjoyed this episode a lot & just when I was questioning Adil’s return, the preview suggested he’d be back soon just to find out the mayhem that has overtook Rudaba’s life. Buland might probably be gone by this time & I hope he doesn’t come back. Can’t wait to see more.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, even though this drama has a few hits & a misses, I enjoy watching it. I know the major downer is Bashar Momin being a domesticated don but other than that this drama has a different plot which makes it worth a watch.

Bashar has called dibs on Rudaba & now he is leaving no stone unturned to call off her engagement with Buland. According to Bashar, Buland is a suitable prospect for Tayyaba but definitely not for Rudaba because he himself wants to win her over. I must say when the drama began I thought Rudaba’s character would be nothing new & she’d be this simple, emotionally handicapped girl who’d never know how to put forth her opinion or fight for her right but this episode certainly gave me more reasons to like her character. She may act like that in front of Bashar because she is petrified of him but the way she told Buland everything & how she literally snapped him out of the misunderstanding was brilliant because it showed what this relationship meant to her. Buland picked up the pieces & understood that she was all for him & wasn’t even interested in Bashar because she respects him like her own brother Adil & he was thinking too much about the situation whereas there was nothing to worry about.

Finally, when they both got back together Tayyaba & Bashar felt their plan slipped away from their hands & they had nothing left to misuse & turn them against each other. Buland is a perfect gentleman who not only loves but respects Rudaba a lot & she is enjoying the royalty but now very clearly she has understood that people are transpiring traps against her & Buland because she has sensed Tayyaba’s interest in Buland as well.

Rudaba clearly knows that Buland is possessive of her & for that she has tried to do everything possible to avoid any interaction with Bashar but she didn’t know this thing would be used against her but just because Saira clearly has an issue with Rudaba & she got just exactly the right point to thrash Rudaba’s reputation in front of Adil especially.

The episode ended at a perfect note because I enjoyed the showdown between Rudaba & Bashar & then Rudaba & Tayyaba as well. Rubada has understood that being polite won’t do any good to her therefore she is being straight forward about everything. She told Bashar off sternly & reminded him of his right place & that is him being more like a brother figure to her plus she also felt it was pretty much necessary to tell Tayyaba how strong her & Buland’s relation is so therefore she mustn’t try to get in between them.

Ushna Hussain has acted really well in some particular scenes except in the beginning where she is hurt & crying, she certainly doesn’t know how to cry & that’s a done deal. I must commend the dress designers for sticking to the Eastern dresses through out because this is something which we are rarely getting to see in our dramas too. The dresses may be at times a bit elaborate for daily wear but at least they have sticked to Pakistani dresses & that is something worth appreciating.

I thought this was ‘the most’ expensive drama ever made in the history of Pakistani Television but every time I see the cut-paste backdrops in the scenes of Saira & Adil, I doubt the claim. They should’ve bought the ticket to either Thailand or Malaysia & shot a few scenes there in the CBD areas because those pasted foreign backdrops are nothing but hideous. Another thing that I found really irritating through out the episode was the bad bad lighting projected on the faces of the actors. Most of the times the scenes are too dull & dark & the faces look shadowy which makes it really disturbing to see because you really can’t understand the expressions on the faces. I feel in stead of investing so much on the gaudy furniture & the expensive wallpapers, they should’ve invested in technicality because that is definitely missing in this drama.

Over all I enjoy watching Bashar Momin because it has no saas bahu k jhagray or dukhyari aurtain filling buckets with their tears to later use them for laundry purposes. All the actors have done really well but I wish someone else had played the role of Tayyaba because she looks a little…hmmm…meh! Plus yes, Faisal Qureshi came across as a lot more tolerable in this episode so yay for us!

Share your thoughts on this episode plus yes, Bashar Momin would be reviewed regularly. ;)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

The time that Zeeshan spent in his house while he was recovering from his injury has been a learning experience for him. Nabeel fell in love with Romaissa primarily because of her genuine nature; her relationships meant more to her than anything that money could buy. It is almost as if Zeeshan never knew just how insensitive and selfish his family members were before, maybe because he spent a lot of time away from home. Nabeel knew his family members only too well because he had to deal with them a lot. He made sure that Romaissa was financially secure because he had no expectations from his parents even.

Maham is adorable, I am surprised that Zeeshan took so much time to warm up to her. I was hoping that this episode would be much more fast paced than the last few because the drama is going to end in another 2 episodes or so but some of the scenes were stretched without end. The scene in which Romaissa is cleaning the room was painful to watch! On one hand there is Romaissa who is dutiful and always there for Zeeshan and on the other hand his family members don’t have any time for him. While his parents have forgotten all about him while he is still alive, Romaissa has kept Nabeel’s memories alive even so many years after his death.

Hamnah was expecting a few months back (in the last episode) but there was no mention of the baby in this episode. There are no signs of Nabeel’s family paying for their wrongdoings, I am not sure that we will get the satisfaction of watching them suffer the way they made their son’s widow and daughter suffer. Zeeshan’s mother’s obsession with getting her son married is beyond me.

Zeeshan’s feelings towards Maham and Romaissa completely changed in this episode. For me Zeeshan and Maham’s scenes together were the highlight of the episode. The episode could have been much more fast paced but I guess we all know by now that the director believes in showing every little detail. It is time to wrap things up now.

I was hoping that the last few episodes will give us something to remember but that seems unlikely now. I am tired of watching Romaissa crying and working, we all know how the play is going to end so why not just end it without making the viewers suffer even more!

Fatima Awan

Do opposites really attract? Both the couples in this play have nothing in common; Kukoo and Khurram are worlds apart and Laila and Mansoor are like two completely opposite people who have been caged together for life. Laila tries her best to hold on to every single remotely loving/caring gesture by her new husband; she spends every minute trying to convince herself that this stranger who isn’t really letting her in to his life as openly as she would have wanted him to, actually loves her the way a husband should love his wife.

Mansoor’s mother was right, he is “farmabardar” no doubt. He knows how to keep his mother happy. He could have taken a stand to marry Kukoo but he didn’t do so because he knows she will be a part of his life even if she is not his wife. This man has no respect for women at all; he couldn’t care less about their feelings either. The only woman he truly cares about is his mother.

There was a time when Laila lived a life very different from the one that she will be living from now on. Laila was outgoing, adventurous, progressive and ambitious but her mother was in such a rush to push her towards the next phase of life that she totally forgot that this should have been more of Laila’s decision than hers. I think the scene in which Laila finds out that her room had been completely changed said a great deal. Is change really good? Why are some parents so eager to introduce these changes into their children’s lives without even giving their children’s likes and dislikes a second thought. Laila looks up to her father like a role model and for good reasons too. She would have liked to be married to someone like him but Mansoor is nothing like the lively, fun, understanding and positive person that Laila’s father is. It is sad that parents like him do not get to have more of a say in their children’s lives. Laila is her father’s daughter, she is positive and does not fret over things that may upset her. Mansoor’s mother isn’t exactly the perfect mother in law and Mansoor is definitely not the ideal husband but we still see Laila making the most of the situation. She loves her husband and wants to be loved by him although she barely knows him! Because that is how every girl is expected to feel after marriage.

Laila’s mother wants her to enjoy her new life; she has given away everything “old” which belonged to Laila. These old things probably meant more to Laila than anything new that she has now. Laila doesn’t want to feel like a guest in her own house but she happily accepts the fact that this is not her house any more and she should move on. The dialogue “Ab mei chot ke dur se koi khel na khelon” says a lot about her personality. She places other people’s happiness above her own that was something which was very apparent from the telephonic conversation Laila had with her father before leaving for Murree.

I feel for Laila and Kukoo both. Both of them have more than their fair share of unhappiness but they are equally brave and positive. Kukoo may have tried to end her life once but overall she is indeed a strong woman married to a man who will keep on exploiting her for as long as he can. Khurram “steals” from Kukoo but when she offers him money for leaving her, he declines. Khurram is just as controlling and selfish as Mansoor.

Mrs. Khan’s subtle messages to Kukoo are ignored by her every time. The relationship between these two women is special and relatable. The scenes between Laila and her father were really well done too. The conversations between the two were meaningful, engaging and touching. Mansoor’s character has been etched out and acted out brilliantly. I feel that Sohail Sameer shouldn’t have been forced to say a few lines in English in every episode if he was not comfortable with the language. It just seems out of character when he has a difficult time pronouncing every single word. He is doing a brilliant job and would have been just as convincing without the use of English language. Overall, the play has been directed really well; the creativity and hard work shows in every scene. I love all the old songs that have been played in the drama so far. Pehchan has a very different feel to it. There was a time when I thought that the play maybe too slow but now I feel that it is more subtle than slow. Definitely looking forward to the next episode.

Fatima Awan

Phew! It was such a slow & boring episode plus a lot louder & negative than required. I know they have tried to tell how the break up between parents can affect the whole family but I guess the loudness could’ve been lowered a couple of notches down to make it tolerable.

I am having serious issues in understanding Jazib’s character & what exactly he wants. He tells Dua to be like a mother to Sofia & Tabrez but the very next moment he sets his record on a loop telling Dua that Zara is the actual mother of those kids, so when he knows it & clearly he seems least bothered about them, why can’t he once & for all tell Zara to take & keep them with her?

Very conveniently Jazib took an off from the whole fiasco & went to Dubai to make Dua suffer & without a doubt Jazib himself knows that kids are giving her a tough time so why not take her along? I feel for Zara a lot especially how she has been left alone but I found her a bit unnecessarily loud & unreasonable in this particular episode. It’s like at first she doesn’t trust Jazib & Dua both with her kids but now when Jazib’s gone & Dua is on her own, Zara still agreed that the kids must stay at Jazib’s place that too when she knew Tabrez thought an intruder broke into his room? I feel it’s a huge flaw in the execution of the story. Zara scurries back to the kids & longs to keep them with her but now when she had a good opportunity of doing so, she actually wasted it. She clearly dislikes Dua & thinks she can’t do anything right related to kids, so was it that necessary that kids actually spend the night at Jazib’s home because for the rest of the day they were with their mother? They could’ve easily stayed with her, at her place like they usually do on the weekends!

This episode focused more on how Sofia is getting affected by her parent’s separation & how bitter she is becoming but I feel both Jazib & Zara are being too lenient & ignoring the root cause. It’s like they never sat together again & told the kids how they need to cope up to the change. Jazib is clearly disinterested in what his kids are feeling but Zara takes care of the tiniest details, so I guess she needs to be vocal about the issue & encourage them that she’s there for them, rather than just performing her duties of a driver all day long.  The teacher was spot on when he said that both the parents need to come out of their own misery to deal with the kids properly.

When the episode began & Sofia spoke ill of Dua, I thought Zara tackled it brilliantly by stopping her straight away but she isn’t understanding that no matter how much she tells the kids to be nice, she herself has to be nice to Dua so that the kids can pick that thing up & treat them as something. Zara herself treats her miserably & then expects that the kids would come to terms with the fact that Dua has filled the spot next to Jazib which was empty.

I really like Sofia’s acting but I feel the poor kid was yelling irritatingly. I just couldn’t handle the shrieks & the shrills at the lower volume too. I hope they can do better because for now it looks like they lack the substance in the story so they’re trying to drag the drama on the basis of the kids, their attitude & their sufferings which is now becoming repetitive.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Guess what? Alvira’s father may be stubborn, egoistic and a little unreasonable but he still loves his little girl. I must say that I was expecting much more love from him for an akloti aulad but we will have to do with this much for now. I was also expecting Alvira to take two steps forward and maybe call her father but she sent a message saying thank you to him through her mother. Yes, I agree everything in the drama is very real, it is almost as if my own life is playing there but something is just not right. Every episode is like a few more days, weeks, months and now years in Alvira’s life but nothing changes. I agree Alvira, your life really is monotonous, it is putting me to sleep as well!

Every woman wants to spend quality time with her spouse but most of the husbands who are struggling to make a career are exactly like Hamza. The wives have to be patient and steal that quality time out of a very hectic routine and make the most of it. “My husband doesn’t give me time” is every second woman’s complain but does it destroy their marriage? Most often not. Couples who truly love each other find a common ground and live happily ever after. Life is not a fairytale and married life is much more than a never ending honey moon. Once you have children, money is important, if not in abundance then definitely in a decent amount. Good education costs a lot right from day one and if the husband doesn’t sweat himself then in this time and age he will probably end up getting fired!

Hamza and Alvira’s life went from being picture perfect in this episode to being stuck in a rut all over again. There are times when every couple feels like they maybe living in the same house but they are not spending enough time together but like I said it is not that big an issue! Spending a few hours every week can sometimes make up for it. I am still finding it hard to relate to Alvira’s problem – yes life after marriage is like that only!! She should count her blessings; she has a husband who loves her and does whatever he can to keep her happy. He isn’t earning so that he can go on a holiday but he is doing it so that he can give his wife and daughter a better life.

Zainab’s (Salma Hassan) character was introduced in the play today. She has just moved in next to Alvira’s house and the two of them have become really good friends. Whenever they sit down together Alvira complains about how dull her life is with the exception of one scene (thank fully) in which she gives Hamza some credit for all his hard work. Zainab and Alvira’s friendship reminded me of Silla and Zoya’s friendship in Dil-e-Muzter.

The viewers are taken 6 years ahead at the end of the episode and the one scene which is shown goes to show that nothing has changed in Alvira’s life. I am wondering where the story is going to go from here because for now it is going around in circles. All the actors are doing a decent job but the drama isn’t quite taking off.

Did you watch this latest episode? Do share your thoughts.

Fatima Awan

La Hasil, writing of Umera Ahmed which was dramatized by the production of Momina Duraid & direction of Angeline Malick. I remember it was one of those few dramas I watched when HUM TV had just started & this one remained with me for years. I loved watching it from beginning till the end because of the message this drama carried, backed by some brilliant performances.

The cast includes:

Noman Ijaaz as Mazhar Adaab
Angeline Malick as Katherine/Khadeeja Noor
Fahad Mustafa as Zain Adaab
Faiza Hassan as Maryam
Seemi Pasha as Nuzhat
Khalid Ahmed as Shuja
Yasir Akhtar as Firoz

La Hasil:

It’s a story of redemption of someone & regrets of someone else. It’s a story of bringing out yourself from filth & then walking on the path of self-rectification & self-righteousness. It’s a story that tells when someone finds the light by the Grace of Almighty then nothing else matters anymore. It’s a story of Katherine who becomes Khadeeja Noor. Story of an escort who in the later years of life elevates herself to the level of piety & puts the rest of those self-proclaimed pious people to shame.

Katherine who grows up to see her British mother being deceived & ditched by a Pakistani father always had detested Pakistani men until she meets Mazhar who instantly falls in love with her. Because Kathrine never had seen a father figure in her life who would be protective of her, who’d set the limits of right & wrong for her, she chooses the easiest way of earning money but always feels she needs to come out of it. In the form of Mazhar she gets that leading figure, someone worth leaving all that for & she decides to set herself free from everything she was involved in. Mazhar promises to spend the rest of his life supporting Kathrine but even though she wants to tell him about the past, Mazhar always insists her past doesn’t matter because he knows that to which social background she belongs, having meaningless affairs is a norm. Mazhar accepts her wholeheartedly but even though he lets her know in the very initial stages of their married life that he is conservative & would appreciate if Khadeeja would accept everything he tells him, Khadeeja surprises Mazhar when she molds herself according to Mazhar’s liking & proves herself to be a sincere & devoted wife.

While Khadeeja learns & explores more about Islam, she finds it necessary that nothing must remain a secret between her & her husband but because the Mufti tells her not to disclose her past as Allah forgave everything she used to do the moment she embraced Islam, then there’s no point in letting the past haunt her present, she chooses to remain silent because she doesn’t want to hurt Mazhar. Khadeeja’s life shatters when an acquaintance from her past & Mazhar’s best friend pays a visit to their home. That night Mazhar finds out everything about who Khadeeja was as Kathrine & because he chooses to overlook her present over her past, he divorces her straight away & leaves her alone taking their 3 year old baby boy Zain along with him.

Khadeeja even stumbles upon her best friend Samantha who tells her she needs to let go of the values Mazhar taught her because he’s gone but just because the Khadeeja finds herself attracted to the path of righteousness, she decides that nothing will make her go back to what she was. Khadeeja gets married to a man twice her age in Pakistan in the only hope that she’d ever be able to meet Zain.

Shuja her current husband finds out everything about Khadeeja because she chooses to tell him everything & waits for his decision of leaving her but Shuja surprises her when he tells he can see her present & it doesn’t matter what she was before. Khadeeja & Shuja then adopt a baby girl Maryam & raise her as their own child. Maryam never finds out that she Khadeeja & Shuja rescued her from a garbage bin near their home & always degrades Khadeeja for spending a life way too simply despite belonging to the UK. She dreams high & big & the moment Zain approaches her for marriage, she agrees. Khadeeja because of Zain’s surname finds out who he actually is & agrees to their marriage.

Zain happens to find out that Khadeeja is his mother but after finding out everything about her, he not only forgives but accepts her & tells her that he loves her because of who she is now & not who she was before. Khadeeja’s lifelong misery ends when she spends the last days of her life with Zain.

Brilliance of La Hasil:

La Hasil has been one of my favourite stories written by Umera Ahmed because of the obvious reasons. She touched a very complex topic in this writing of hers but opened a window of new thinking. The experience of La Hasil gives us an insight about how weak people can get when it comes down to judging others. Mazhar who had promised Khadeeja a lifelong togetherness & support leaves her just like that because he can’t see himself coming to terms with the fact that Khadeeja was an escort. Even though Khadeeja never gave him a reason to doubt her after their marriage but Mazhar, a weak chauvinist felt he was being wronged & was deceived.

One thing that is marvelous about La Hasil & makes it a unique story is the fact they have shown brilliantly; that a human being can never forgive but it is only Allah, Who not only Overlooks but Forgives, not only Accepts but grants Respect too. Khadeeja who chose to come to the path of Islam was abandoned but the way her life was shaped up because she remained on the right path went to show the power of faith.

I feel Angeline Malick directed & enacted the character of Khadeeja brilliantly. Drama does have a slow start but the moment it picks up the pace, everything falls perfectly into its place. Through the character of Maryam they told what actually the value of a human being is. A girl who thought she has conquered the whole world actually didn’t know that her life started off in a garbage bin & the woman she doubted & detested was the one who may not have given birth to her but gave her a shelter, an identity & a meaning to her life.

Fahad Mustafa was beyond amazing in his character of Zain because he questioned Mazhar for his values rightly so. I feel this has to be one of the best performances of Fahad Mustafa till date because he breathed life into this character. Faiza Hassan left no stone unturned in making us hate the character of Maryam by the end of the drama. I must give a special mention to the soundtrack of La Hasil which was written by Khawar Kiyani, sung by Hadiqa Kiyani & composed by Imran Ali. It has a feel to it & the whole experience of this drama would’ve been incomplete without this soundtrack.

I think this has to be the very first drama that I cried while watching because of the suffering of Khadeeja Noor, someone who could’ve easily gone back to where she came from, could’ve left the rope of Allah but just because she tasted Imaan, she knew that she wanted nothing more from her life but just the acceptance of her repentance from her Creator; Allah. La Hasil emphasized on the fact that one can never judge a person & one should never try to judge a person either because it is Only Allah who can fill the hearts with His Love & The Faith. I could’t resist feeling overwhelmed because there were some really heart-touching moments like when Khadeeja goes back to her home to get her belongings after she gets divorced, the first time Khadeeja meets Zain in Pakistan, the time Zain finds out Khadeeja was his mother & the ending when Khadeeja’s on a death bed & Mazhar seeks her forgiveness. Those were some brilliant but emotion-stirring moments which make you understand that Khadeeja’s life met a perfect ending & just because she elevated herself & retrieved her soul from the filth, she wasn’t left alone. I have a very high regard of this story & feel that the dramatization did justice to it.

Share your thoughts on La Hasil.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.