Wallahi, this Jazib guy needs to be imprisoned. I am glad that the episode ended at a funny note & I had a fair share of laughter. Jazib found so much peace & relaxation that he even forgot he had an office to attend & the kids had to go to the school.

I really don’t get why Jazib hurried into the decision of marrying Dua? Why didn’t he prepare his kids for it or why didn’t he pep-talk them into it? It’s like he was actually waiting for Zara to leave so that he can fill in the blank ASAP. I really didn’t even get Khala Masooma’s phulla hua muh? She kept on haunting Dua for how she wronged Zara but was she actually THIS hopeless that she couldn’t prevent this from happening? She couldn’t stop Dua from replacing Zara? She couldn’t stop her only daughter to make such a huge mistake? All her dialogues were repetitive & her frowning face was annoying. I mean if she actually & really regretted what happened & knew all the consequences before-hand, why didn’t she retaliate at all? It’s like she gave her a permission & had a celebratory party within her heart seeing her daughter conquer a rich handsome guy.

I must say the child artists have performed their roles so well & the girl playing the role of Sophia actually portrayed what children in these sorts of situations go through, really well. I still couldn’t help but feel for Zara because she never lagged in her responsibilities & was a really good mother despite being hands full.

I must say I laughed a lot at Jazib, his excuses & his justifications. He goes around saying ‘mujhe Dua jaisi biwi ki hi zaroorat thi’ ‘ye ghar Dua jaisi larki ka hi muntazir tha’. The spark on his face when Dua mentions that she’s going to make breakfast with her own precious hands was worth a watch. It’s like Dua was a hasil of his life & now his life is complete. I was like ‘yeah right’ when Jazib told Khala Masooma that Zara was never the girl he wanted as his wife & whatever he said at the dinner table back then was nothing but a truth. Jazib’s question that ‘Khuda janay is mai kya maslehat thi’ was asked masoomiyat-ly too. Does he really don’t know the answer? Maslehat ye thi k Jazib ko itne garam parathay milain k wo obese ho jaye. I am not sure if this will happen but I do want Jazib to regret his decision & understand the importance of Zara – a headstrong girl in his life who knew how to lead a family & not be someone who is submissive to a point where she herself doesn’t know what she needs to do.

The ending scene where Jazib & Dua fail to wake up was actually really funny. Jazib’s messed up hair made things a bit more humorously real & how easily he told Dua that next time the kids should never be late for their school & she goes like ‘jee’. I mean is he even worth being a father when he keeps tossing his part of the work on his wives? Whatever he said to the kids about Zara was ridiculous. It’s like he is keeping them in a dark & telling them a bunch of lies that Zara left with her own choice & she doesn’t want to reconcile? Did he even try & why didn’t he tell his kids that he is a wuss who got swayed at the sight of garam garam parathas that he decided to throw his marriage out of the window & didn’t even take a split second to think about his family & moved on selfishly.

The ending scene of Khala Masooma was absolutely ridiculous where she tried to make Dua guilty again. I mean what does she want now & does she really think that all her wisdom talk will undo the chaos in Zara’s life? It was Khala Masooma who was worried about her daughter Dua & now all of a sudden, out of a blue moon she is feeling for Zara like she’s unable to breathe? I am glad that Sophia is giving Dua a hard time & Zara is not at all compromising on the things related to her kids because she left them at Dua’s mercy because Jazib assured that Dua can be a better mother, now it’s time for Dua to prove herself. Let’s see what happens next!

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

This was a very fast paced episode which made me wonder if the writer intends to wrap the play up in 5 episodes! If the play continues to move ahead with the same pace then I have no issues at all but if the story doesn’t have enough to offer then there is enough room to take it easy at the moment. Hamza and Alvira got married in tonight’s episode, six months passed in a jiffy, Alvira is pregnant and the problems between Alvira and her mother in law do not escalate much. Alvira’s parents do not get in touch with her at all and Alvira doesn’t attempt to make one phone call even.

I must say that there were many things about this episode which seemed very unrealistic. First of all in this day and age everyone has a UPS if not a generator. Secondly, the way Hamza handled the problems his mother had with Alvira was very unconvincing . How can you not take these things seriously when you are living in the same house! Such issues are very serious and you cannot brush them under the carpet just like that! Alvira also put up with all that her saas had to say with a smile – yes she complained every now and then but her overall approach towards her mother in law’s attitude was actually very unbelievable. I wish that more girls can be like that but seriously is it really possible? The fact that Alvira’s mother never tried to get in touch with her and Alvira did not even call her parents was also very unbelievable for me.

I am all for a fast narrative but I felt like I couldn’t enjoy every moment in the newly weds life the way I would have wanted to. The marriage ceremony wasn’t shown properly either. We didn’t see Alvira and Hamza outside of the house even once because of which I felt like there was no novelty in the scenes. Almost all the scenes were shot in the house, I actually felt suffocated watching Alvira spend her entire married life till now in that house! I would have liked to see Alvira and Hamza together on the bike and in restaurants maybe! I felt like we were being rushed into the future without being given a chance to know the dynamics between Hamza and Alvira’s relationship better. Yes, everything seemed too good to be true. I must sound like a sadist who wants to see the characters in the play having never-ending issues with each other but I think a balance should have been maintained to make the happenings more relatable.

I liked the way Hamza’s mother turned to green cardamom to calm her nerves, that was brand new! Some of the scenes between Hamza and his mother were really well done. i felt for Hamza at times because he was trying so hard to keep his wife and mother happy at the same time. There were other times when i felt like Hamza and Alvira were living in a vacuum. The good thing about this play is that it is not overcrowded with characters but unlike the last two episodes I found it a bit hard to connect to Hamza and Alvira’s relationship because of the fast paced narrative.

Fatima Awan

Mera Naseeb, a writing of Samira Fazal, direction of Adnan Ahmed & production of Momina Duraid for Hum Tv. Aired in the year 2011 with a total of 21 episodes.

If we put it in simple words Mera Naseeb was a story of imperfect but strong headed females who met the weakest men in their lives but just because they had so much conviction, the ladies compelled those weak men to rectify their mistakes & reflect on where they were wrong. I liked this drama a lot because of those few strong female characters which reflected the light on the women power. By far, Mera Naseeb has been the only women-centric drama that has done justice to the courage women carry within themselves & a special mention goes to the writer for etching out all these relate-able yet imperfect characters to perfection.

Mera Naseeb was a star-studded drama & the list of the actors & characters is as follows:

Syra Yousuf as Nazia
Sanam Saeed as Shazia
Imran Abbas as Moeez
Adeel Hussain as Shehbaz
Imran Aslam as Fahad
Ayesha Gul as Rafia & Shehbaz’s sister
Rubina Ashraf as Sajida & Shazia’s mother
Samina Peerzada as Salima & Nazia’s mother
Sakina Samo as Habiba
Bushra Ansari as Saba & Fahad’s mother
Sajjid Hassan as Moeez’s father
Sabahat Bukhari as Zahida & Moeez’s mother
Rehan Sheikh as Azeem
Ali Afzal as Firasat

Mera Naseeb:

Story of two sisters Shazia & Nazia who were born at the same day but remain oblivious to the fact that they are actually biological sisters. The moment they were born a fortune teller predicts that Nazia will always have a negative effect on Shazia’s life. Being brought up in a strict orthodox family where they were allowed to attend the college clad in a Naqaab & Abaya, Nazia accepts this way of living but Shazia always retaliates. One fine day on their adventure spree they come across Shehbaz who falls in love with Nazia. Somehow both Nazia & Shazia get exposed & Nazia is forced into marrying Fahad straight away. At first Nazia does plan to elope with Shehbaz but when her Pupho Habiba tells her the reality of her mother’s relation to Shazia’s father, she changes her mind & also she takes it as her responsibility to pay back what Sajida & Shazia have done for them all their life. At that particular moment Nazia decides she can’t think selfishly & can not become the reason for her family’s embarrassment.

Their real ordeal begins when they step in their practical lives where Nazia meets a very strict mother in law & a mama’s boy as her husband who does fall in love with his wife & proves to be a very understanding partner but is always keen about his mother’s wishes to a blinding point. Shazia on the other hand gets married to a seemingly perfect guy to later find out that he has lead a disturbed life because of his parent’s abusive relationship. At first Moeez promises Shazia all the happiness but later when things begin to go wrong he unconsciously becomes a replica of his father where he hits his wife & loses a track of his life like falling for Nazia, blackmailing her, drinking & ignoring all his responsibilities forcing Shazia to become the bread winner for herself & her husband.

Nazia’s marital life hits a rocky track when she finds out she is expecting a baby girl where her mother in law demands a baby boy. Unable to cope up with the pressure, Fahad commits suicide & Shehbaz who never had let Nazia slide off his mind proposes her straight away. Alongside, Shazia’s life starts shaping up where Moeez realizes his mistakes & takes control of his life especially after he finds out that they are expecting their first child. In the end they all meet happy times after coming out of the miseries of life with their heads held high.

Brilliance of Mera Naseeb:

First of all I commend the director for such a flawless direction where he not only did justice to the script but brought out the best in all the actors. It was the first time when I saw the performances of Syra Yousaf, Sanam Saeed, Adeel Hussain & Imran Aslam & I was amazed at their acting skills. I must say this has to be one of the best performances of their respective careers till date.

Even though the story revolved around the domestic issues, the execution made it worth a watch. They touched all the issues that women may face in their lives but that too very tactfully without making it boring for even a second & without overdoing any bit. I liked Mera Naseeb for a lot of things like how women on their own can lead a life with each other’s support. How a girl like Shazia who always got scolded for her impatience understood the delicacy of her difficult life & concealed it gracefully. Just because Shazia had faith in herself, she chose to get married to the person she knew didn’t love her. She tolerated everything with the hope that everything will turn out to be in her favor & the faith that she had in her husband more than he had in himself was absolutely brilliant. Shazia’s character as a wife showed how much patience, compromise & sacrifice it takes to make a marriage work. Those were some really nice moments when Sajida after finding out about the abuse Shazia has to go through asks her about Moeez but she chooses not to complain about her private life even to her mother.

I also liked the emotions of trust they showed in Nazia & Fahad’s relation where girls may easily forget everything that may have happened in the past but Nazia’s dialogue while showing Shehbaz’s letter to Fahad saying ‘mai appse chuppa nahi saki’ went to show the level of love & respect she had for her husband & backed it by literal honesty where she didn’t believe in keeping secrets. Plus the way Fahad accepts her past & just asks her to assure him of never leaving his side was heart-warming.

Another very important aspect that they touched subtly in this drama was about the outer appearance. Nazia who always got praised for her beauty had a pretty hard luck whereas Shazia despite having average looks & a turbulent beginning of her marriage didn’t go through the level of pain that Nazia had to face in her life. The belief in the predictions was crushed very decently that no one is capable to run or ruin anyone else’s life. Everything happens the way it is meant to be & everyone meets the destiny that’s destined for them to be. The arrogance of Moeez’s father & Fahad’s mother was put forth brilliantly because later they realize their mistakes & it went to show that no matter if you end up realizing how wrong you were, in the end you’re left with nothing but regrets because then it’s too late.

I must say the relationship, ladies of the house shared with each-other & with the daughters was just amazing. They realized their daughters needed everything but sympathy therefore the way they encouraged them was a perfect lesson to teach. Nazia’s conversations with her MIL & then her mother by the end of the drama were very truthful where she is convinced to move on in her life & snap out of the misery of her husband’s death. Nazia’s final decision of leaving behind her past & joining a college again for her own sake was another one of those commendable moves which showed that how important it is for a girl to get hold of her life & how easy it becomes when she has a strong support system.

Adeel Hussain as Shehbaz, Imran Aslam as Fahad, Imran Abbas as Moeez were brilliant & I loved their acting. Syra Yousaf as Nazia & Sanam Saeed as Shazia must take a bow for their perfect performances. Even though Sakina Samo as Habiba did have a side role to play but she was that important link that bind the whole family together. The drama did get a little slow after the 16th episode but nevermind. For the first time I also focused on the OST & it was amazingly sung by Komal Rizvi. I loved the ending of the drama where they showed some shots of the life Shehbaz & Nazia were living together. That particular bit made the drama a wholesome gift wrapped with a ribbon with a perfect bow on top because they didn’t let the viewers imaginations roll & gave them something to smile upon.

No wonder why Mera Naseeb got the appreciation because they changed a lot of perspectives about a lot of things through this drama. Share your views about Mera Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

I must confess that I love happy endings even if they are slightly unconvincing at times! The ending of the play was predictable because the only way for Hiba to be happy and the only way in which Kamal Hassan’s son could redeem himself was by giving Hiba her happy ending but it was gratifying nevertheless; I feel satisfied and content knowing that these two sisters got their happy ending. What is even more gratifying is that Kamal Hassan and his family gift wrapped their happiness and handed it over to them in the shape of their old house and by giving Hiba the love of her life. I must say that Rohail’s change of heart was too sudden but like I said I am glad it happened. Tooba decided to marry Arsal only after she found out about Hiba’s feelings for Rohail; something that was completely in line with Tooba’s character. Tooba always loved Arsal, she only moved on because she knew she couldn’t marry him because Hiba did not want her to. Arsal went against his mother’s wishes and married Tooba, something which he was always willing to do.

I loved the way Bilquees played the anti hero in the play. The change in her personality was mainly due to her love for Kamal. I couldn’t help but feel for her character; no one should have to go through what she went through. Bilquees has learned the art of loving!!

Ranjish Hi Sahi had a simple narrative but it stood out because of a different story, grey shaded characters and beautiful conversations. I want to thank the writer Maha Malik from the core of my heart for the beautiful dialogues and most importantly for her command on the language. I said it before and I want to say this again that there are hardly any dramas nowadays in which we hear such good Urdu without any use of English language. The director Nadeem Siddique made this play a visual treat by playing with colors and by using locations which were new and pleasing. The scene in which Yumna and Kamal sit on the white bench with a green background was amazing. Every single scene was like a beautiful painting; well thought out and surely a labor of love. I must admit that I am not a big fan of Maya Ali but her character really grew on me towards the end and her acting was impressive in the last few episodes. Sana Javed made Tooba’s character stand out; I am sure that she will go a long way. Emmad Irfani and Mohammad Ali did very well for newcomers; whoever discovered them and gave them a chance have done great service to the viewers by introducing talented new faces. I must add that I think that the director went an extra mile to polish these new actors so he also deserves due credit.

I started watching this play only because of Faisal Rehman and Samiya Mumtaz. Samiya Mumtaz’s character may not have been given a lot of screen time but she made Yumna’s character unforgettable only in a few episodes. Faisal Rehman is a gem; he can never go wrong. The chemistry that Samiya Mumtaz and Faisal Rehman shared was beyond amazing. I never support extra marital affairs or second marriages but Yumna and Kamal won me over completely.

Saba Hameed was perfect as Bilquees Kamal right from her very first scene till the last one. Humera Ali did complete justice to her character. I must say that whoever was responsible for the casting did a splendid job. The actors who played the supporting roles for a little while also did very well. There aren’t too many dramas in which everyone acts so well. We usually see even the big production houses and directors compromising on supporting actors which basically kills the overall feel of the play. The production values were extraordinary throughout the play. Overall, it was absolute pleasure watching and reviewing the play. I would definitely be looking forward to more from the RHS team.

A big thanks to all those readers who followed the reviews and took time out to comment…where would we be without all of you.

Fatima Awan

Hmmm, another good episode with a decent progress in the story. I am glad that they have started to introduce the new characters by now & have stopped resorting to a lot of flashbacks. They have pretty much given us the insight about the past & the family background so now sticking to the present seems like a perfect choice.

Daood has stood by his promise & still tries to talk Momenah into marrying him but now Momenah has promised her mother that she will do everything to avoid & forget Daood therefore she knows there’s no turning back. Momenah being a daughter naturally feels a lot more for her mother & blames Gaitiara for the nasty she has instigated. Momenah is unable to understand that Sherbano’s behaviour with Gaitiara has forced her to not feel a thing for Sherbano now but she is overlooking the fact & tells Daood that she is over their relationship because he didn’t support Sherbano in front of Gaitiara.

In this hour of need Sherbano has her sister by her side who is ears to all her problems. No matter how honest her caterwauling regarding Momenah is but I fail to feel a thing for Sherbano’s character because I think it’s her time to payback & sadly it involves Momenah sacrificing her happiness but for the sake of Sherbano I say she deserves what she’s being put up with.

Momenah’s khala ceased the opportunity & convinced Momenah to move on & starting afresh with her cousin & Khala’s son Fahad who is going to return from The States very soon. Momenah thinks rushing into another relation will help her come to terms with the fact that her engagement with Daood has been called off & she will reach to some sort of a closure. Momenah did make a hasty decision but definitely the news of Daood getting engaged helped her in taking this step.

A new family of Gaitiara’s mother’s family friend was brought into the picture where Almas has all her sympathies with Gaitiara because she is not only her dress designer but shares a relation with her that dates back to the friendship that both of their mothers shared with each other. Gaitiara who now wants Daood to settle down will find just Almas’s sister a perfect match for him.

Daood has retaliated a lot & I liked the fact that he stood by the decision he made but now when Momenah herself has backed out, he can’t seem to undo what happened & have an issue concentrating on things around him. He needed Momenah’s support to overcome this obstacle but now when she isn’t ready, Daood is bewildered & depressed. This episode introduced Urwa’s character as a simpleton girl embodying shyness. I hope her character remains the same & she gives us the reason to like her presence in the play. I am glad they have come up with a decent story with an up to the mark direction to fill out the prime time slots on the Sundays & I must give a special mention to both Sonia Hussain & Ahsan Khan for playing the roles of Momenah & Daood effortlessly. Sonia Hussain looks stunning & she has breathed a life into her character. Share your views about the latest episode.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW, ALI ASADDDDD ZAIDIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII. :/

The competition came to a certain level where all the viewers were actually torn between the top 3 contestants because each one of them is a competent & a well deserving candidate for winning the title. Like I said at this point whoever’d go would leave behind a lot of regrets because everyone has developed an emotional attachment to all these contestants especially the TOP 3.

Sadly, it was Ali Asad Zaidi’s turn this time but I think just because of his outstanding personality & the aura, he already has become a star. Yes, he may not be the winner of the title but he is a winner in his own way. I think if anyone’d remember the first ever lot of Pakistan Idol’s contestants, Ali Asad Zaidi is one of those names who’d never be forgotten.

It was really emotional to see his VT & especially when he shed a few tears. AWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!

Judges like always had some amazing things to say about Ali Asad Zaidi. Whatever Hadiqa Kiyani said was spot on because yes he has stood out the most & we wish him ALL THE BEST & I hope all the eliminated contestants especially Ali Asad Zaidi get to perform in the Grand Finale. It would be treat for all his fans.

Congratulations to the rooters of Zamad Baig & Mohammad Shoaib. The countdown has just begun & now let’s wait for the GRAND FINALE. :)

By the way on a side note, after Ali’s elimination I’d like to mention that those who have questioned the authenticity & the fairness of the voting system might find some peace with what I am about to say. An insider once told me that the management has already chosen Ali Asad Zaidi as a winner & now his elimination says it all. I am glad that the voting system has been declared fair & I believe in it completely, not that I had any doubts but after Ali’s elimination, I’ve got my clear cut answer!

I wish all the luck, happiness, brighter future to our ROCKSTAR Ali Asad Zaidi. By the way was it just me, when Hadiqa Kiyani was giving out her comments about Ali Asad a wishful thinking emerged that she must do a duet with him too because the way Hadiqa has performed all those pop songs, Ali’s voice would fit so well with her, isn’t it? I just couldn’t help recalling her song ‘Hona Tha Pyaar’ a duet she has performed with Atif Aslam, I mean her & Ali’s voice would compliment one another so well in these type of numbers. I hope she does a collab with Ali Asad Zaidi too because that’s going to be a massive hit.

Share your views on this.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

This was the lamest episode ever! It doesn’t deserve to be reviewed at all but I am going to write a few lines only because I would like to hear from my regular readers. When Saniya left the house, I couldn’t help but wonder………Why is Ehtesham still living in the same house as Sehrish? Why can’t Ehtesham just divorce Sehrish? Why is Sehrish still complaining? Why does she even think there is a way for her to make Ehtesham change his mind or more like his heart? So many questions but there can’t possibly be any logical answers to these questions because none of what we see on screen now makes any sense whatsoever. Sanam Saeed’s red lipstick and the candle light dinner definitely did not save the day!! The reason Ehtesham tried to please Sehrish, all over again was beyond ridiculous….he didn’t want Saniya’s qurbani to be wasted…yes lame!!

I can’t see Saniya as a bechari even though we are being pushed into believing that she is very special and a bechari at the same time. Why does Saniya get so effected by everything that Sehrish says? Doesn’t she have a mind of her own? Oh wait, I forgot, all the characters lost their mind along with their personalities when the producer decided to make the most of the viewership that Shukk had because of a strong storyline and characters they could connect to…something that is ancient history now!!

Now that Sehrish’s mother in law has left, she has her mother to give her expert advice. I wish one of these women was wise enough to advice her to leave Ehtesham. The episode ended on a lame note too! Guess what, there was no preview for the next episode either … as if we are dying to find out what happens next!

I hope and pray that the play ends next week.

Fatima Awan

Hmmmmmmm, interesting episode but not what I was expecting at this point of the competition. The episode was split into two halves where the contestants had to perform two genres first Bhangra & then Classical with Fuzon performing as their band by their side.

I must say Abrar ul Haq was great & the only guest judge whose performance was worth watching & probably the only performance by the guest judge that I have not only watched but enjoyed as well. He set the mood really high but the note at which the episode ended was disappointing. I didn’t enjoy Fuzon’s presence & looks like they brought out the worst in the contestants. They have created the so-called self-proclaimed best songs but it left the contestants bewildered because to be honest, classical training takes ages or at least when the show started they should’ve notified the contestants to practice classical because they’ll have to face the challenge.

I feel they should’ve conducted the classical round solely where the contestants didn’t have to have a divided focus on some other genre along with this one too because it clearly showed that the contestants focused more on the Bhangra & they tried to perform Classical with the best of their ability but didn’t shine in this genre. I feel just because they had to perform twice, they couldn’t do justice to this particular genre at all & it made the ending of the most awaited episode a lot more boring.

I must comment that Hadiqa Kiyani looked beautiful this time around but Bushra Ansari seems to be defying her age. Someone please get her a rattle & a pacifier because she is becoming a BABY ANSARI. I just can’t imagine where does she get the confidence to be so OTT given her age.

The commentary on the performances of both Bhangra & Classical genre is as follows:

Ali Asad Zaidi (AS) of Karachi performed Sonu Nigam’s ‘Nagara Baja’ in the Bhangra round. I think even though he tried he couldn’t do justice to this genre because naturally being an Urdu speaker he can not bring in the Punjabi touch which is needed for Bhangra songs. Abrar ul Haq commended him on his feel & said he performed it better than his expectations. Ali Azmat felt that his dance moves & body language seemed abrupt & he looked hesitant therefore it affected the feel of his performance but other than that he was in full-form & performed brilliantly. Hadiqa Kiyani said she loved his performance & Bushra (Occhi) Ansari complimented him on his expressions.

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar performed Daler Mehendi’s ‘Mai Dar Di Rab Rab’ in the Bhangra round. Being a Hindko/Pushto speaker he nailed the feel of the Bhangra. Abrar ul Haq said his performance was a wholesome package with expressions & the feel but said the moment he started enjoying himself, that took a toll on his performance. Bushra Ansari said he stole the show. Ali Azmat agreed to Abrar ul Haq but still said that he did maintain the notes & his performance was great. Hadiqa Kiyani praised him a lot, gave him a fighter jet & said that he has improved a lot.

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin performed Abrar ul Haq’s ‘Jatt Charheya Kachehri’ in the Bhangra round. His performance was good because he is a Punjabi speaker & bhangra comes naturally to him but there were clearly some breathing issues & also he forgot the lyrics not once but twice & that’s a MAJOR fault which can not & shouldn’t be ignored at all but he clearly got away with it. Abrar ul Haq said that Zamad is the first person who did justice to Abrar’s bhangra. Hadiqa Kiyani said his performance was the best in terms of notes in comparison to the other two performances. Ali Azmat once again stated the obvious that he had an unfair advantage being a Punjabi speaker but he sang it well. Bushra Ansari commended him on being a sensible singer.

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar performed Shafqat Amanat Ali’s ‘Madhvanti’ in the Classical round. He had such a weak start & he showed his disappointment himself but as he moved along he got his performance under control. Fuzon’s Immu & Shalim praised him for having a strong yet soft touch to his vocal tone. Ali Azmat said that never let the crowd know that you’ve made a mistake, ignore it gracefully & make people forget it but overall praised him for attempting a difficult song & somewhat doing justice to it. Hadiqa Kiyani labeled his performance as a boundary & said she is waiting for the next 6er. Abrar ul Haq said that rehearsel was very important & he was better in the Bhangra round. Bushra Ansari said that being an untrained singer in classical genre, he attempted a very difficult song & it was a good effort.

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin performed Ramez Khan’s ‘Soona Soona’ in the Classical round. His performance was good once again but his mistakes were pretty audible in the lower notes. Immu & Shalim of Fuzon praised him for the scale he chose & said he did a remarkable job. Abrar ul Haq said that Fuzon has very difficult songs but Zamad sang it with such an ease & definitely better than the bhangra round. Bushra Ansari gave him a standing ovation saying he was flawless. Ali Azmat said he was proud of Zamad & also said being a non-classical untrained singer he sang it with ease. Hadiqa Kiyani said his performance was soulful & truthful. She also said that Zamad always owns the songs he sings.

Ali Asad Zaidi (AS) of Karachi performed Ramez Khan’s ‘Neend Na Aye’ in the Classical round. This was again similar to those songs which he always performs but he did sing it well. Shalim & Immu of Fuzon said he improvised & did a great job. Ali Azmat said he had an emotional connection with the song & sang it really well. Abrar ul Haq said he’s God gifted & he must thank Allah for his voice & also gave him a standing ovation. Hadiqa Kiyani said this was the best performance of the night. Bushra Ansari said it was a beautiful but a very difficult song but his notes were just perfect. On a side note I must say the most memorable thing for me in Ali’s performance was the guy behind him holding the rattle-like instrument, his expressions were just brilliant & I had a good laugh.

So, this is what the whole episode was all about. I enjoyed the Bhangra round a lot because it was exactly what we needed at this stage. Not sure who will be eliminated but it would definitely be a shocker because all three of them deserve to be in the final. I have compiled a list of the songs that these contestants have performed starting from the auditions till this last gala round & I must say Mohammad Shoaib & then Ali Asad Zaidi have been the most versatile in their song selection whereas Zamad Baig has mostly performed similar type of songs.

So, here’s the list as a quick recap to their journey & their performances:

Mohammad Shoaib:

Auditions: ‘Kinna Sohna Tennu’ NFAK
Piano Round: ‘Kise Da Yaar Na Wichre’ – NFAK
Gala Round 01: ‘Ranjish Hi Sahi’ – Mehdi Hassan
Gala Round 02: ‘Afreen Afreen’ – NFAK
Gala Round 03: ‘Kaho Na Kaho’ – Aamir Jamal
Gala Round 04: ‘Albela Sajan’ – Ustaad Sultan Khan
Gala Round 05: ‘Na Na Na Re’ – Daler Mehdi
Gala Round 06: ‘Mai Tennu Samjhawan Ki’ – RFAK
Gala Round 07: ‘Watan Ke Sajeele Jawanon’ – Noor Jahan
Gala Round 08: ‘Akhiyan Nu Rehn De’ – Reshma
Gala Round 09: ‘Masti Ke Din Hain’ – Ali Zafar
Gala Round 10: ‘Mast Nazron Se Bachaye’ – NFAK
Gala Round 11: ‘Mai Dardi Rab Rab Kardi’ – Daler Mehendi
Gala Round 11: ‘Madhvanti’ – Shafqat Amanat Ali

Zamad Baig:

Auditions: ‘Ye Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai’ – NFAK
Piano Round: ‘Kali Kali Zulfon’ – NFAK
Gala Round 01: ‘Kiya Hai Jo Pyaar To’ – Ahmed Rushdi
Gala Round 02: ‘Mukhray Ton Nazran Hawatan’ – NFAK
Gala Round 03: ‘Khuwaab’ – Ali Azmat
Gala Round 04: ‘Teri Deewani’ – Kailash Kher
Gala Round 05: ‘Mai Tera Hero’ – Mika Singh
Gala Round 06: ‘Sanu Ik Pal’ – NFAK
Gala Round 07: ‘Pakistan Pakistan’ – NFAK
Gala Round 08: ‘Jiya Dharak Dharak Jaye’ – RFAK
Gala Round 09: ‘Dastaan-e-Ishq’ – Ali Zafar
Gala Round 10: ‘Ye Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai’ – NFAK
Gala Round 11: ‘Jutt Charheya Kachehri’ – Abrar ul Haq
Gala Round 11: ‘Soona Soona’ – Ramez Khan

Ali Asad Zaidi:

Auditions: ‘Pappu Yaar Tang Na Kar’ – Ali Azmat
Piano Round: ‘Meinnu Tere Naal’ – Najam Shiraz
Gala Round 01: ‘Dunya Kisi Ke Pyaar Mein’ – Mehdi Hassan
Gala Round 02: ‘Tera Hone Laga Hoon’ – Atif Aslam
Gala Round 03: ‘Sar Kiye Ye Pahar’ – Strings
Gala Round 04: ‘Nadaan Parinday’ – Mohit Chauhan
Gala Round 05: ‘Batameez Dil’ – Benny Dayal
Gala Round 06: ‘Dil Se’ – A.R Rehman
Gala Round 07: ‘Junoon Se Aur Ishq Se’ – Ali Azmat
Gala Round 08: ‘Bin Tere’ – Shehkhar Ravijani
Gala Round 09: ‘Dekha Jo Teri Ankhon Mai’ – Ali Zafar
Gala Round 10: ‘Dam Mast Kalandar’ – NFAK
Gala Round 11: ‘Nagara Baja’ – Sonu Nigham
Gala Round 11: ‘Neend Na Aye’ – Ramez Khan

So, now it’s time for us to anticipate who’d make it to the finals. Let’s wait for the last elimination & wish our respective favorites GOOD LUCK! :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

The OST of the play has really grown on me, I listened to it many times today and the line “aye muqadar koi hisab tu rhuk , kon jeeta hai, kon hara hai” is totally in line with the storyline. So, I was emotionally charged when I started watching tonight’s episode; all set to feel for the characters and to understand Romaissa’s situation but I completely lost interest fifteen minutes into the play. Every episode seems to be the same; Romaissa thinking about how life has changed, some flashback scenes and Nabeel’s family’s conniving ways. The only new thing about this episode was that Zeeshan has completely changed. He may have gone ahead with the nikkah but he is running away from the situation. There isn’t much that he can do to change the situation but he is venting out his anger and frustration by alienating Romaissa and his brother’s daughter completely. Zeeshan is not expected to take his relationship with Romaissa seriously so there is no family pressure either. On the contrary his parents would really like it if he continues treating Romaissa and Maham this way. Zeeshan was the only person in Nabeel’s family….well he was the only person in Romaissa’s life who felt for her and supported her in any way at all and now he has turned into a different person too. I think Zeeshan’s father knew that Romaissa will lose his support if this nikkah took place.

Romaissa has been living like a servant in the house for all these years only because she has nowhere else to go. It is ironic that she is the one who has a financial edge over everyone else legally but in reality her situation is the worst. I was actually shocked to see how much Maham has grown, did that mean that Zeeshan hadn’t visited the house for a year or so? He still hasn’t gotten over Rabbiya but Rabbiya has clearly moved on. Nothing has changed between Hamnah and Hassan and Bushra continued talking about Hassan and Romaissa’s affair as if all of that happened only yesterday.

There were times when I felt for Romaissa’s character but there were many other times when I thought her situation could have been shown in a much better way so that more viewers could feel for her character. None of the dialogues touched me the way they should have considering everything that Romaissa has been through till now. I fully understand Romaissa’s situation but the dialogues and the scenes are not intense enough. The director could have been a lot more creative and I know for a fact that Umera Ahmed is capable of writing very powerful dialogues. The actors are giving their best performances but their characters don’t have much to offer. The little child star playing Maham is adorable!

19 episode have gone on air so far and unfortunately except for a few episodes, rest have been very average. We see the story unfolding on screen every week but the play has completely failed to leave a lasting impression. The preview of the next episode showed that Romaissa will finally react to the unjust treatment being meted out to her and her daughter – I hope she changes for good. It remains to be seen if Zeeshan will accept her as his wife and protect her and Maham the way he should have right from day one. There was a time when I really thought that Hum TV’s tagline “Hum jaisa koi nahi” was so true but that is not the case any more!

Fatima Awan

Bee Gul, the writer of Talkhiyan and Khalid Ahmad, the director are back with Pehchan. Talkhiyan was anything but conventional so I expected Pehchan to be just that too and the first episode proved me right. Pehchan is bound to be dark and depressing just like Talkhiyan was but I expect it to deliver because Talkhiyan managed to engage me completely despite of its gloomy outlook and story. The drama has been produced by Seema Razi and Raziuddin Ahmed. Bee Gul is also the Associate Director of the play.

This first episode introduced the viewers to the characters in a very creative manner that demanded the viewers’ complete attention. We are going to be taken from the present to the past just the way we were in Talkhiyaan. Every character is narrating their own story this time around and a third person is not doing it for them. Pehchan is the story of Cuckoo (Iffat Rahim) who is a strong and independent woman on the outside but deep inside she is very weak and vulnerable. Cuckoo has a flourishing business but that does not compensate for the loneliness she feels inside because her husband is immature and irresponsible. Cuckoo is everything that her husband wished for and more but Cuckoo is tired of earning for him. She wants a normal married life and more than anything else she yearns to be a mother.

Mansoor Ahmed (Sohail Sameer) enters Cuckoo’s life at a time when she is emotionally vulnerable, he lifts her up and gives her the kind of love and attention which every woman wants. What Mansoor and Cuckoo have is very special but we don’t know yet why Mansoor is getting married to someone else. Was it Cuckoo who could not get a divorce from her husband? or did Mansoor back out at the last minute? Cuckoo cuts her wrist in the most unconventional manner on the day of Mansoor’s wedding. Cuckoo is a very strong woman but she is terrified of being left alone, that was probably the reason why she put up with a loser husband for all these years. Cuckoo’s work is like an escape for her, she fears that if she has enough time to sit down and think about her life she will not be able to cope. The opening scene was very intense; I am sure many viewers like me had no idea what they were going to see next.

Mrs. Khan is Cuckoo’s regular client who is always asking Cuckoo to make her look like celebrities her husband likes. Cuckoo keeps on reassuring her that she is beautiful but Mrs. Khan needs that assurance from her husband more than anyone else. In tonight’s episode when these two women meet, they know that something about both of them is not the same. There are many things weighing on Cuckoo’s mind and maybe there was a lot on Mrs. Khan’s mind as well.

The actor playing Cuckoo’s husband (Fawad Khan) could have done much better. He did not look younger than Cuckoo at all; I understand that the character is meant to be unorthodox but I felt that it would have been much better if we could see why Cuckoo married this man in the first place. I guess when you are lonely you end up making some very foolish decisions.

This first episode was on the slow side but by the time it ended I wanted to know more about the characters. I love the OST already. Erum Nafees has done complete justice to Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poetry. The music director Arshad Mahmood, has done a superb job with the composition; the song is melodious and impactful. The styling and make up was very impressive and it seemed like the director took some time out to find the kind of locations which we don’t usually see in dramas. I am waiting to see Alishba’s character in the next episode.

Did you watch this first episode? Do share your views about it.

Fatima Awan

Hawww I just started enjoying this drama & it ended. :/ Ohkay, we all want dramas that should end by 16th-18th episode but what I don’t get is the rushed ending all the directors opt for when they direct the very last episode of the play. I am not sure if I am happy or satisfied with the ending or I’m actually annoyed with what was shown in the previous episodes making the ending seemed totally rushed & rubbishy.

Is this what Kiran & Teeeeeepu’s story was important for? Teeepu divorced Kiran & left as if he had that huge of a spine but now when his mother called, he dumped Neha straight away as if his spine froze in the chilled weather of Turkey & he came back like a loser to embrace the girl he literally walk upon as a doormat. I am sure if they hadn’t wasted so many episodes on Kiran & Teepu, this drama would’ve become a hit & memorable as well but seems like the writer didn’t want it to happen.

What they revealed by the end was quite interesting but sadly it wasn’t tackled properly. If they had dealt with that part of the story with utmost attention & had even spread it in more than a couple of episodes, I am sure the ending would’ve seemed more justified & appropriate. They finally showed how Shabbi found out about Surmed’s past & what he did to her mother Neelam & also what Neelam did to Surmed. She obviously gathered a lot of sympathy for the guy who had to go through so much in the early stages of his life but still nothing seemed to have fallen in the right place now when the drama has ended.

Shabbi’s phone conversation with Usman & also the way Surmed was destroying Jameel Ahmed’s business, no light was shed upon those issues & I still can’t get over the fact that they actually had to sacrifice the screen time to show the Happy-Halala of the most faarigh couple on the face of the earth i-e Kiran & Teeeepu. I am actually gutted by seeing another Halala taking place in another drama of ours where the whole family seemed satisfied at what was happening. The smug look on Teepu’s face as if he did sawab ka kaam was just sickening followed by the squinted smile Kiran passed at him, I mean seriously!?!?!

I liked the whole Arif & Karam Din’s twist in the drama because it was something totally unpredictable & I so wish they had shown us more of it because I believe Surmed & Shabbi were the lead characters & the drama was based on their story but the way they were blind sided was absolutely ridiculous. It’s like one fine day Shabbi woke up & everything was fixed supposedly & did they really think we’ll have an AWWWWWWW moment seeing Kiran get annoyingly chummy with Teeeeeepu, sorry to be bursting the bubble but it was an eeekhhhhhh moment instead of an awww one.

I feel they successfully trolled the viewers by promising something else & showing something entirely different. If they wanted to end the drama on 16th episode, they should’ve started wrapping up the story from 13th episode onward so that the ending had seemed justified but just because they wasted a lot of time on Kiran/Teepu’s useless track, it looks like they were told to chop down the story & they had to literally re-edit the ending & fit it in the 16th episode or may be you never know the writer went into deep slumber after writing the 15th episode so whatever seemed suitable was put together to make such an absurd & abrupt ending.

Our drama makers need to understand that either they must not draggggg the story like anything or when they plan on ending a drama in lesser number of episodes, they must learn to finish it off smoothly by establishing the grounds for the climax 3 – 4 episodes before the drama actually ends with the support of flow in the scenes to compliment their purpose. Anyways, I’d label Rubaru as a 5 on 10 drama because of the obvious reasons. Share your thoughts on another one of Hum’s shahkaar.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so it was another fast paced episode with so much happening & next to zero room for boredom. I enjoyed watching this episode but had my fair share of giggles too.

Zara has finally decided that she wants out of this marriage & I feel that’s the right thing she’s doing because she just couldn’t earn the respect of her husband so why waste her life for a man like that? Very conveniently Jazib didn’t even try to talk her out of her decision & then easily blamed Zara in front of Khala that she was the one at fault. Why didn’t Jazib tell her how he used to belittle her & underestimate her? Khala Masooma very easily told Dua that whatever happened was destined to happen & it didn’t happen because of Dua so she isn’t at fault but then whenever she got the opportunity to make a point, she told Jazib how bechari Dua was & how her name was being pulled in their own marital problems. Khala kept on saying ‘log kya kahainge, log kya kahainge’ & I kept on wondering where were the ‘log’ she is so worried about? I didn’t see anyone else ever intrude in their issues?

I am not too sure but looks like Khala Masooma is two faced. I don’t know what her name is but I am going to name her Khala Masooma because she portrays herself as soooo masoom that even an innocent baby might feel ashamed, so yes, for that, Khala Masooma is the right name for Khala Masooma.

I actually felt for the kids a lot when Zara tells them she is getting separated from Jazib. The kids took it pretty well but later on spoke to each other how much they missed their mother. It was actually very touchy & goes to show the effect these sort of issues have on the kids. I feel Saba Qamar acted really well in this whole episode & she has been actually successful in making us all feel a thing for the character of Zara more than anybody else’s.

I lol’ed when Zara tells Dua ‘tum Jazib k liye rotiyaan pakao’ & then Dua scurries to her mother telling her how ungrateful Zara is. I mean Khala Masooma knows that Dua’s entry in Jazib & Zara’s life hit the last nail on the coffin so why is she persistent in stating & then believing the otherwise. Even Dua keeps on telling her mother that nothing happened because of her & it’s like they know they have played an important part in the separation of Zara & Jazib but they are choosing to ignore the fact completely & they are pep-talking themselves that they ain’t responsible.

I didn’t even like when Khala Masooma told Jazib ‘Dua se shadi kaun karega?’. I mean please, she knows Jazib has called his dibs on Dua so why is she masoomiyat-ly posing a question to him? Even now when she knows that her husband has asked her to come back, she doesn’t want to go, which she should’ve done the moment she found out that Zara has left & Jazib has become a khulla sandh once again. Later when Jazib told her she must leave she goes like ‘Allah ki zameen bari hai’ & I was like there she goes again, Khala masooma with her masoomiyat that she even knows how to mend the situation in her favor by emo-blackmailing her damaad-to-be. I know she is sweet & masoom & what-not but she is unreal, lol!

Jazib’s last words in the episode had me rolling my eyes. He moved on a tinsy bit quickly then we thought. It was like he was awaiting this to happen & since it happened, he ceased the opportunity & grabbed the best available short order cook he had in his sights. I am dreading that the story which has been fast paced ever since it began might derail & lose the pace but if that doesn’t happen, I am sure we’d remain entertained  by the bunch of masoom people. Let’s see what happens next.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

I must say that this episode had “been there seen that” written all over it. The direction in which the story moved forward was quite predictable and I was reminded of Dil-e-Muzter while watching the play. The circumstances are completely different but the way Alvira’s father reacted reminded me of Silla’s father in Dil-e-Muzter. There were also times when the story seemed like a mixed version of some of the Tarang telefilms put together. The good thing was that Sajjid Hassan’s character is much more subtle than many of the rigid and unreasonable fathers we see on screen nowadays. Sarwat Gillani was superb in the scene when she calls Hamza to tell him that her father wanted to meet him. I really like Alvira’s relationship with her parents; she is very open about her feelings with them just like a “princess” should be! Alvira had faith that her father will understand her feelings for Hamza but Hamza had his reservations right from the start. The happenings in tonight’s episode were very filmy but they were presented in a non dramatic manner.

Alvira’s father like many other rich fathers thinks that Hamza is after Alvira’s money and offers a deal – yes absolutely nothing new there. We all know already that Hamza is not after Alvira’s money so his reaction did not come as a surprise either. Alvira’s mother watched the entire drama unfold without uttering a word. One would think that someone as modern as her would have a little more say in the house. It would have been nicer if Alvira’s mother could have discussed matters with her too because they did seem like they were very close. Alvira’s father is out to make a point and he doesn’t care about his daughter’s feelings.

Our hero did not turn into a lost soul after Alvira’s father’s proposal, that was definitely good to watch. He has faith in his relationship with Alvira and also in himself. Hamza’s mother of course is more interested in what her daughter in law will be bringing with her in jahez. She is going to be very disappointed when she finds out that Alvira’s parents are not going to support her in any way. Mujhe tu larki baghair dekhe hi pasand aa gaye dialogue was funny.

I don’t like the way the cigar is being used as a prop for no good reason. I am sure that Alvira’s father’s character could have looked “elitist” even without it. I appreciate the fact that there is a warning that smoking is injurious to health every time dad makes his appearance with the cigar but was it really needed? Somehow I am finding it hard to take Sajjid Hassan’s character seriously. The direction of the play, its picture quality and the chemistry between the main leads is standing out more than the script at this point. This is only the beginning of course, we will only know in the next four episodes or so if the story has something new to offer or not. The characters of the main protagonists are very likeable too. They are normal people with no complexes, issues or a baggage. I think Fahad Mustafa owns his role as Hamza, he is doing really well.

As it turns out the coming episode of Shukk is the second last one even though it was advertised on the channel and the FB page that the next episode will be the last one. Talk about using cheap tactics to get viewership!

Fatima Awan

The play Durr-e-Shahwar is very close to my heart for two reasons. Firstly because it has to be one of the most inspiring, engaging, intense and relatable plays I have seen in a very long time and secondly because this was the first play I reviewed when I started writing so there are many memories related to it. Durr-e-Shahwar has been written by Umera Ahmed, it has been directed by one of the best directors in the industry; Haissam Hussein. It has been produced Six Sigma Productions and Momina Duraid. The leading cast consists of Samina Peerzada, Sanam Baloch, Qavi Khan, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Nadia Jamil, Nauman Ijaz, Maya Ali, Umer Naru, Saba Faisal, Muhammad Ahmed, Kiran Haq, Sophia Saeed and Tasleem Kausar.

The opening scene of a drama says a great deal about how the future episodes are going to be like. Kudos to Haissam Hussain for introducing the characters in a very creative and beautiful manner. Durr-e-Shahwar is one of those rare plays that completely win you over right from the first episode. Durr-e-Shahwar is aesthetically and visually pleasing every step of the way. Every single scene is well-thought-out, all the conversations have depth and the casting is flawless. The contrast between Shandana and Shahwar is shown right from the first scene; the morning in Shahwar’s house is totally different from that in Shandana’s house. Shahwar’s mornings are peaceful and happy, Shandana’s mornings are rushed and chaotic. I could relate to everything in the play right from the get-go. I must confess the tranquility in Shahwar’s house in reality is not found in too many houses nowadays which are run by the younger generation. We are not as patient as our parents were and we also complain a lot more than they used to. Shanadana has a lot on her plate therefore she finds it very hard to cope for obvious reasons.

In my opinion Durr-e-Shahwar is not just the story of two generations but it is actually the story of three generations; Sophie was also a very important part of the play. When Durr-e-Shahwar and Mansoor had compatibility issues and communication problems during the early years of their marriage, they made sure that Shandana knew nothing about the problems between them. Even later on Shahwar only revealed those secrets to Shandana when she thought that it was the only way in which she could save her daughter’s marriage. The best aspect of this play is that women and men from the older generation can connect to Shahwar and Mansoor and those of the new generation can see a reflection of their own selves in Shandana and Haider. Haider is insecure, he thinks his wife wants to dominate him and because of this insecurity he feels that he does not need to do anything to make their relationship better. Shandana tries to make him realize that he needs to spend more time with his family but Haider shuts her out every time. It is almost as if he is punishing her for being a strong independent woman. Shandana does not have the patience to put up with Haider’s attitude. Both of them are impatient, uncompromising and immature. Haider is too busy watching television and playing Solitaire, going on a vacation with his wife and kid is not on top of his list of priorities. He has completely given up on his married life. Shandana and Haider both know that they are incomplete without each other but their egos won’t allow them to make the first move. The way the viewers are transported from present to the past was beyond impressive. The relationship between all the characters has been presented very skillfully; every little detail has been taken care of.

The drama focuses on the importance of being patient through the first few years of marriage and it also shows how important it is to have someone to guide you through difficult times. Shahwar had her father to guide her in the right direction and Shahwar does the same for her daughter. The play shows how daughters look up to their fathers. Shahwar’s father was her hero, Shandana thinks her father is perfect and Sophia loves her father more than anyone else in the world.

When Durr-e-Shahwar gets married she expects her husband to give her his undivided attention but her new life is entirely different and quite contrary to her expectations. She feels “ajeeb” in her new house;Mansoor and his family members are constantly judging her. Durr-e-Shahwar is right in thinking that there is no place for her in Mansoor’s life because his life is already over crowded with people who are his first priority. Mansoor’s family gets all his attention. Durr-e-Shahwar’s in laws are poles apart from her own family. Her father keeps on assuring her that there will be a time when Mansoor will put her above everyone else in his life even though he himself isn’t sure if his daughter’s marriage will work out. The conversations between Shahwar and her father are very poignant throughout the play. I fell in love with Shahwar’s father’s character like many other viewers out there. Muhammad Ahmed made this character memorable by breathing life in to it. Sami sahib is wise, gentle and very loving.

Some of the viewers thought that DeS was regressive because it was asking women to compromise alone while the men had no such responsibility. There were others who thought that DeS was targeting working women. I am a huge supporter of having strong female leads and for punishing men for their mistakes but DeS always worked for me. Mansoor and Haider both were not able to tackle with the ups and downs of early years of marriage tactfully other than that both of them loved their wives and were good human beings. They were not abusers (like Sikandar in Kankar), they did not marry the first woman they got close to after their wife walked out of the door (Adeel in DeM and Shaam in Shukk) and they most certainly did not cheat on their wives (Salman in SeZ and Hammad in Mirat-ul-Uroos). In my opinion both these men deserved another chance and if their women decided to give them that chance then they did nothing wrong. The fact that a woman is a home maker is actually very true, I agree both parties have equal responsibility to make a marriage work but the manner in which the responsibility was shifted to women’s shoulders was actually very well done. The script was written in such a way that it makes compromising seem like a virtue which does pay off after a while. There is nothing wrong with it if people let their egos take a backseat in order to save a relationship if the person they are doing it for deserves it. The play also shows that relationships need work; no matter how happy someone looks at present there may have been times when they had to fight to keep the relationship going.

The most touching scenes of the entire play had to be the one between Durr-e-Shahwar and her father. The conversation between the two on Shehwar’s rukhsati was powerful, tear-jerking and heart-rending. The first few years of Shahwar’s life were covered perfectly; the writer did a commendable job of showing how small things make a big difference. It is of utmost importance that the In laws should be willing to acknowledge their daughter in laws as individuals if nothing else.

Durr-e-Shahwar’s story is very old but the treatment given to it is brand new. Sanam Baloch and Mikaal Zulfiqar shine in one of their best performances in the play. Durr-e-Shahwar has some very powerful performances to its credit. The play is fast paced, beautifully written and directed.

The background score is played generously especially when the viewers are shown past events. The background music is haunting and mesmerizing; it fully gels in with every situation. Durr-e-Shahwar stayed with me for a very long time and is one of those very few plays which I watched again without forwarding a single scene. It was as effective the second time as it was the first time I watched it.

Sadly, Durr-e-Shahwar never got the attention it deserved from Hum TV in particular. Even at the time it was on air, it was never promoted as much as Hamsafar was. The fact that DeS aired in the same year as Hamsafar made a huge difference of course but even then the actors, the writer and the director deserved more recognition for their work than they got. Samina Peerzada was absolutely brilliant as the old Shahwar, Sanam Baloch owned her role as the young Shahwar, I have never liked Mikaal Zulfiqar better in any other role, Qavi Khan played the old Mansoor with precision. Nadia Jamil was flawless as the confused, bitter and depressed Shandana. Noman Ijaz nailed his role as Haider. Hassan Naru and Maya Ali couldn’t have been better as newcomers. Muhammad Ahmed won me over completely, he made Abba’s character unforgettable. Saba Faisal was equally wonderful as the controlling mother and mother in law. The actress playing Shahwar’s mother also did complete justice to her character and lets not forget Sophia. Haissam Hussain proved once again that he can create magic on screen. A big thanks to Umera Ahmed for some of the most heart-warming, soul-stirring and effective dialogues. Durr-e-Shahwar is a classic which every drama fan must watch. If you haven’t watched it do give it a go, it will transport you in a world of its own right from the get-go. You cannot watch it without crying buckets of tears. One review cannot do justice to this masterpiece.

I would love to hear from those viewers who have watched the show:)

Fatima Awan

So, 20 episodes down and Farah is still unaware of the fact that she loves Afzal;Or maybe she knows but hesitating in confessing it infront of everyone. Whatever the reason maybe, I started watching this show with a note that tonight, this love thingee should be confessed by Farah. And I am glad that they put a step ahead of what Farah thinks and feels for Afzal now. Because despite of that fun element and strong dialogues, from last couple of episodes, I was thinking that they are dragging this show and they should let Farah disclose that she is in love with Afzal.

Today, we saw more of concern from Maulvi Saheb for his son. Now, at this point, we all know that not only Maulvi Saheb but Afzal’s whole family is extremely worried for Afzal and loves him to the fullest. So, I think that concern scenes should now be ended and they should find something else to show whenever they think to show Afzal’s family.

Another thing that I pondered upon today was that “Bhaie” part where everyone called him “Afzal Bhaie, Afzal Bhaie” and Afzal took it so seriously. I mean, I know that it feels awkward when no one talks to you and soon after an incident everyone start paying regards to you. But why they have to highlight that word “bhaie” in that ? Are we living in such society where “bhaie” is taken in terms of an underworld don rather than an “actual bhaie” ? Bhaie ko bhaie he rehnay dou bhaie..

Moving on to Farah and Lubna, Farah se zyada pagal khatoon mai ne aaj tak nahi dekhi; She is so much confused about what she thinks and what she speaks. On her visit to psychiatrist, she was not even sure what she spoke about earlier and what she should tell to him.By the way, as soon as I saw Vasay Chaudry in psychiatrist role, I smelled something funny in forthcoming scenes but he proved himself that he is not better with comedy roles only but is good when it comes to act serious too.

Farah’s father was so right that sole reason of Farah not telling her mother about her feelings is the communication gap between her and Farah. Its duty of mothers that they should create such atmosphere at home where daughters feel close to them. I have seen many cases where daughters are so close to their mothers that even it’s so hard to guess whether they are mother-daughter or friends and I am glad that I am among those types.. :)

Immediately after seeing Sohai Ali Abro in the serial, I guessed that she will definitely be liking Afzal in next episodes and that is what exactly happened.Its the time when Afzal should give her a signal that he is not at all interested in her “pink lipstick” but in her “chicken ginger”..

Only scene that gave a new turn to the story was the discussion between Farah and Lubna. Farah was not ready to confess her love for Afzal and Lubna was not ready to accept that Farah is telling her the truth. And as soon as Farah went to Lubna to clarify herself again, Lubna asked for permission that if Farah is not in love with Afzal than permit her to marry Afzal.. Uss k baad kya tha..aik zor daar thappar jis ke goonj sab ne suni.. 

As far as I can predict, that was a stunt performed brilliantly by Lubna just to let Farah accept that she wants Afzal in her life. Another thing that can be guessed is that she was seriously asking Farah for her marriage to Afzal.What do you think ? I would love to read your feedback.

Rabia Basharat.

So the story has taken another turn. I like the production value of the drama & even the direction is fine too though I do feel that the on-screen chemistry in the families is missing. Apart from the couples, I feel everyone has been very hesitant in making an effort to contribute in forming the on-screen family that’s why we can clearly see the disconnection they all are sharing with each other. May be it will take another few episodes when the actors may have get comfortable & this thing will subside but for now there seems to be some sort of a barrier in between them all.

Daood has not surrendered in front of his mother but Gaitiara & Deeba both are acting ridiculous. I do feel for Gaitiara because at first she was insulted & now her daughter had to face all that, that too from the same family but when I saw Sherbaro being ashamed, I found Gaitiara to be lesser evil. Sherbano was right that she never had thought there might be a time when Gaitiara will have an upper hand but now she knows that when it comes to affairs related to daughters, how hard does it get. Gaitiara was someone’s daughter too but Sherbano never thought of that in her ignorance & arrogance but now when Momenah is going through a tough time Sherbano is trying to play the mazloom card which just doesn’t suit her at all.

Even though they have tried to show Gaitiara as stern & selfish but this fact can’t be ignored that she endured everything quietly because she wanted her marriage to work & she definitely didn’t deserve what she had to go through. Deeba’s involvement in this whole Daood/Momenah break up was very bizarre & absurd. She could’ve done better because being a young girl & Daood’s sister as well as Momenah’s cousin she should’ve understood how much Daood & Momenah were attached to each other, so for that at least selflessly she should’ve tried to make Gaitara understand that her breakup with Abdullah doesn’t mean Daood has to pay the price.

Even though Daood has retaliated but now Momenah has backed out because for her, her mother’s pride & dignity means everything & after seeing her mother being insulted, she has agreed to what Sherbano has requested her of & that is leaving Daood & starting afresh. I feel she should’ve at least given a chance to Daood so that he could explain what his take was on this whole scenario but Momenah doesn’t want to fall weak again therefore she has starting to ignore him completely. Deeba has once again come up with another suggestion to hit the final nail in the coffin & that is to get Daood married to someone else & by doing so at least it will satisfy the egos of Deeba & Gaitiara both.

I think the drama is moving forward at a very reasonable pace. There aren’t much loopholes as such & for the sake of watching a drama, Marasim is a suitable option to tune into, during the weekends. Personally I do feel that Sonia Hussain has dressed up a lot more modern than it was required because given the history of her family background, she belongs to a family with mediocre values & for that, such modernism ain’t suiting her role much, rest everything’s pretty well in this drama so far. Let’s see what happens next!

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Awwww, what a sad elimination. :/ Even though it was what we all somehow expected to happen but now seeing the contestant eliminated really set the mood down.

I liked the pattern of how the contestants were called on stage to hear their results. Indeed what the contestants had to say about their journey in Pakistan Idol was again very interesting. It’s like you do get emotionally attached to such things in life & their feelings came across as pure & straight from their hearts.

It was Ali Asad Zaidi & Zamad Baig who were called for their results. It was pretty evident who’d be in the danger zone & it was Ali Asad Zaidi.

Along with Zamad Baig, Kashif Ali was called to get his results. This time around Zamad Baig was safe & was sent back to the safe zone.

Now it was the time for the last two contestants Kashif Ali & Mohammad Shoaib who had to face their results & yes as expected Kashif Ali was in the danger zone.

Finally, it was time for the moment of truth when Ali Asad Zaidi & Kashif Ali had to hear the final results & sadly but rationally Kashif Ali was eliminated.

To see a young lot of boys cry their wits out for each other was actually something positive to see & spoke volumes about how nice of a people they actually are. It shows their feelings that they had for each other despite being in the competition & even though they all are fighting for the same title, they didn’t  let it affect their relation & they were equally sad for their fellow contestant.

The judges had to say really good things about Kashif Ali because obviously he is a great singer & there’s no doubt about that but what he lacked was the versatility & yes, it does matter in a show like Pakistan Idol. Hadiqa spoke about how much love he has gathered during his journey & how Mohammad Shoaib promised to leave his seat if he wouldn’t make it to the Galas as a Wild Card Entry. Hadiqa Kiyani as expected also promised to be doing a duet with him so yes, we can anticipate Kashif’s brighter future because he has been Hadiqa’s favorite & he deserves this limelight for sure.

Ali Azmat & Bushra Ansari both were overwhelmed at his elimination but they were right, at this stage who ever’d go would’ve made everyone sad because everyone has built a relation of emotional attachment to these contestants of Pakistan Idol by now. Can’t wait for the next Gala round because the contestants will perform twice & it would be last the elimination before the Finale!

I wish Kashif Ali all the best for his brighter future.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.