Ohkay so, Day 2 & 6 episodes down so far. So much has happened in the story & what more has to come, I can’t predict. This is what I am loving about this drama that nothing is predictable & they have took me by surprise at times pleasantly & at times sadly with the turn of events.

I resumed watching the play when Bano decides to join Muslim League & becomes an active member of the campaign. Surraiya while taking in consideration her husband’s detest, does what she think is suitable & the least she could do. Giving away her jewellery as a token of support to fund Muslim League’s campaign was heart warming. Even though later on she seeks for her husband’s forgiveness but the way she stands by her decision spoke volumes about her character.

Hassan faces what Saleem wanted him to face but despite all that, his family manages to seek Bano’s proposal. At that moment when Bano senses that her eldest brother Saleem isn’t happy with her engagement, she tells Faheem to help her call off the engagement. This showed how much Bano kept her family close to her heart. It also went to show the seeds of respect, courtesy & compassion Bano had towards her family. Even though she loved Hassan with all her heart & wanted to be with him but just because her brother seemed unhappy, this made her believe that sacrificing her love for her brother’s dignity was the right choice.

Saleem’s character was worth sympathizing with because his mental state was a representation of a lot such Muslims who actually took Hindus as being their well-wishers. Saleem was so brain fed by Raam & Ravi that he was even ready to give away his only sister in a marriage to him. Again it shed a light on the acceptance Muslims had of Hindus & how inter-religion marriages were done to save the families & give a name to the friendship they shared. The time when Saleem learns about his friend’s intentions & cries in helplessness was executed brilliantly. He then understands that whatever the supporters of Muslim League said was right because Congress was a Hindu dominant political party where no one ever intended to help Muslims in this hour of need. Saleem’s frustration surfaced when he wished that Bano had gone away after being married to Hassan, leaving his family shaken in shock because a family member who had so much faith in his political party was at a loss of words, making all the others burdened with worry.

The episode in which the whole family fights & dies was absolutely gutting. I took it fine but the moment Faheem pleads to Bibi that she should strangle Bano to death was what made me teary & overwhelmed. Samina Peerzada & Sanam Baloch should take a bow for such brilliant performances. It was heart-wrenching from there onwards. Surraiya’s last moments were heart-breaking & the way all of them die in just a jiffy tell us about the painful reality that we can not even imagine of. Bibi’s last interaction with Kaminee & her last moments were depressing. The guy who lead the caravan & motivated them had a very small role to play but it was again a powerful performance. The moment he died showed that at that particular time no one was sure of how much time they were left with & no one knew that would they ever be able to make it to their new found home – Pakistan.

What Ravi did to protect Bano was again an unpredictable turn but then I wished if he had manned up a little earlier when Saleem seeked for some help, then things wouldn’t have been the way they were. Raam’s murder by Ravi himself was a proof that Ravi at least once in his life thought of them as a family. Later when that Sardar brings Bano home made it a bit more realistic because I am glad they just didn’t just show that all the Hindus & Sikhs were against Muslims. There were many such Sikhs who actually gave shelter to Muslims & protected them.

I think the recent entry of Basant Singh & his mother is my least favorite so far. I believe they have gotten a lot more screen time than they actually deserve & things are getting a bit slower from now on. Not sure what his intention is but at least it makes the drama a bit light hearted again. It was sad to see Rasheeda & Hassan worry about their family but after not getting any heed of them, sadly Rasheeda kind of moved on but Hassan was naturally stuck in the past showing how sensitive he was. Hassan’s proposal to Bano & then their parting was impactful. Who would’ve thought that when they will see each other again, they’d have suffered so much. Bano’s first ever letter to Hassan was filled with warmth & hope. Little did she know that Basant had no intention of posting it in the first place but at least if this gave her restless heart some peace, then it was worth it.

So far the drama’s going strong. I love how they have again & again labeled Pakistan as ‘Paak Zameen’. We really can not imagine what this partition meant to the Muslims living at that time & how much of a blessing they took it as.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

We have decided to start this segment of Drama Of The Week in which one of us is going to write an overview of one of the old dramas, so that all of us here can get a chance to talk about some of the most popular dramas from the past.

I did not watch drama serial Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishan when it went on air and decided to catch up only recently since I felt that it was a must-watch play. The play has been written by Umera Ahmed, It has been directed by Babar Javaid, it has been produced by 7th Sky Productions and the main cast includes; Sammiya Mumtaz, Faysal Qureshi, Samina Peerzada, Adnan Siddiqui, Sarwat Gillani, Imran Abbass, Mehreen Raheel, Ismat Zaidi,. Khayam Sarhadi and others.

First of all I would like to say that one aspect of the play which I liked the most was that unlike many of the dramas that are on air nowadays, I wasn’t left wondering what the characters were going through. I am all for leaving things to the viewer’s imagination but sometimes I feel like our directors at times show us more than there is need to and at other times they fail to emphasize on what is important in an intelligent manner and therefore the audience is left clueless. Every time Sara (Sarwat Gillani) wondered about something important, the director ensured that the viewers got to hear her thoughts. Sometimes expressions and gestures are not enough to convey the exact feelings of a certain character and things need to be spelled out loud and clear. When Arfeen (Faysal Qureshi) finds out about Saba’s death and visits her grave, Sara finds it strange that a cousin her mother had not even seen for years felt so strongly about her mother’s loss. There were many other times when I couldn’t help but appreciate the director Babar Javaid for the clarity with which he presented the story on-screen.

Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishan is essentially a story of regrets, betrayal and self-discovery. Like most of Umera Ahmed’s writings the story has a religious and spiritual element which leaves a very strong impact on the viewer. I must say that the different messages/lessons that were highlighted in the play could not have been brought forward in a more apt manner. Here are some of the messages in the play which you can’t help but ponder upon.

The Inside Is More Important Than The Outside

How often do we judge people based on how they look like from the outside? Women who cover their heads and say their prayers are always considered more righteous than the ones who do not do both these things. Umera Ahmed touched upon a very sensitive topic by refuting this belief. Sometimes those who look pious from the outside can do horrible things too. Arfeen’s mother (Samina Peerzada), who is considered as an exemplary woman by everyone in the family and his father who is respected by all do something terrible to someone who may not pray five times a day but is God fearing.

The conversation between Saba and Sara that was shown in one of the last few episodes was heart touching and very meaningful. I feel like I must quote it here….

Sara: Ami kabhi kisi ne ap ko buhat takleef di hai?

Saba: Nahi mujhe kabhi kisi ne takleef nahi di

Sara: Aur aap ne , kya ap ne kisi ko takleef di hai?

Saba: Shayed

Sara: Aisa nahi ho sakta, ap kese kisi ko takleef de sakti hein, ap tu itni ibadat krti hein aur ibadat krne wale log kese kisi ko takleef de sakte hein

Saba: Allah se mohabbat krne wale kisi ko takleef nahi de sakte, sirf ibadat krne wale de sakte hein. Mein Allah se mohabbat krti hun sirf ibadat nahi krti

This scene and these dialogues have to be one of the many in this drama which are soul stirring. They leave you pondering upon things we don’t often think about and shake you to the core!

Making A Mockery Out Of Your Religion Merely To Get What You Want In This World Can Have Serious Repercussions

Arfeen’s mother was so blinded by her desire to keep her son from marrying Saba that she forgot all about the consequences of her actions. She did not think twice before making a mockery out of her religious beliefs and was actually very content afterwards, when she managed to get what she wanted. She had no idea what was coming her way.

Is Forgiving Others As Difficult As We Make It Out To Be?

I must say that the message of forgiveness that has been put forward by this play is beyond impressive. Saba forgives everyone, only to please Allah – it is so simple yet so complicated!

The following conversation of Haider with his father was very meaningful and deep.

Arfeen: Mera tu koi kasur nahi tha.

Haider: Aap ko yakeen hai papa ke ap ka koi kasoor nahi tha?

Arfreen: Haider, mein buhat pyaar krta tha Saba se. Agur ama yeh sub kuch na krti tu mein usay kabhi talaq na deta.

Haider: Sara qasoor dadi jan ka nahi tha papa, kuch kasoor aap ka bhi tha.

Arfeen: Mera kasoor sirf yeh tha ke meinay apni maa ki baat pe aitebaar kiya. Such aur jhoot ke beech mein tameez na kur saka….agur meri jaga tum hotay aur bazahir tumhari biwi gunehgaar sabit ho jati tu tum kya krte?

Haider: Mein? Mein usay maaf kur deta!!! Such aur jhoot ko janchnay ke liye Quran ko beech mein lanay ke bajaye agur aap aala zarfi dekhate huve un ko maaf kr dete, unke bazahair nazar anay wale gunah ki pardaposhi kur dete tu buhat si zindagiyan buch jati papa……agur ap yeh kehne ke bajaye ke mein tumhei talaq deta hun keh dete ke mien tumhei maaf krta hun!!! Aurat ko bhi maaf kr dena chahyhe….ghur, rishtey aise tootney nahi dene chahyeh!

People Who Fear Allah and Respect Him Turn To Him In Adversity

Saba might have had a very difficult life in the world and all the people in her life let her down but it was this adversity that brought her closer to Allah. The conversation between Saba and Arfeen when he comes to take her with him was another impactful conversation – one which one can listen to over and over again.

Saba: Aap ne mujhe judge kiye Arfeen. Mujh Mein khot dekha tu berehmi ke sath mujhe sooli pe charah diya. Aj begunah paya tu phir mere pass a gaye. Kul phir se gunehgaar hone ka shuk huva tu phir se dhudhkaar dein gay mujhe.

Arfeen: Ab aisa nahi ho ga….tum meri mohabbat ka yakeen karo

Saba: mein gunehgaar hoti aur tub aap mere sath aa kur khare hotay tu ap ki mohabbat ka yakeen kur leti

Arfeen: kon hai Saba aisa jo kisi gunehgaar ke saath khara ho sake ?

Saba: Allah…..Allah hai na. Wo gunehgaar ki sunta bhi hai aur us ko bakshta bhi hai , us ko nawazta bhi hai.

Arfeen: Wo Rub hai Saba aur mein insan hon. Vo jesa hai vesa koi nahi ho sakta.

Saba: Haan jesa vo hai wesa insan nahi ho sakta…koi nahi ho sakta!! Faisla krna buhat aasan kur diya aap ne mere liye!!

The play also emphasized the importance of marriage and how vital it is to try to make this relationship successful for both men and women. I think this was a very important message as well because in most of our dramas we are shown that it is only the duty of the women to make a marriage work.

While watching the play, I couldn’t help but think how important it is for parents to have faith in their children. Saba’s parents chose to believe what others were saying about her rather than their own daughter. They ended up losing their daughter forever.

Sara’s track is very important in the story because it gives Arfeen and his family a chance to redeem themselves. If it wasn’t for Sara, Haider would never have found out what happened in his father’s life in the past. There were times when I felt like the story could have been more interesting if it was not shown in flashback mode.

I found a few similarities between this play and Shehr-e-Zaat. Both of these plays are about a woman’s journey of self-discovery which brings her closer to God. But I must say that MZZBN had more of an impact on me than SeZ. Saba’s character has been beautifully portrayed by Sammiya Mumtaz and etched out brilliantly by Umera Ahmed. There are no loose ends in the story. The play has been directed very well too. Samina Peerzada plays a role entirely different from what we see her playing on screen and she does it so remarkably. Faysal Qureshi’s character reminded me of his character in Qaid-e-Tanhai. He excels in showing remorse and regret. The scenes in which he is reminded of his past had to be my favorite as opposed to the ones in which he plays the young Arfeen.

The beginning few episodes were slow for my liking but the mystery element of the plays keeps you hooked to the screen. As the story moves forward, it is a completely different experience altogether. This drama definitely takes you on a spiritual journey and gives you a lot to think about. The drama is intense, heavy-duty, inspiring, extremely touching and poignant. The OST of the play has been beautifully sung and the lyrics are extremely heart-touching too.

I am surprised at the number of times Mehreean Raheal has played roles similar to the one she plays in this drama. She has to be one of those actresses who have been typecast to the limit.

Do share your thoughts about the play. I felt like I had to add all these dialogues because most of the viewers must have watched this play when it went on air so the dialogues may help some of you remember few of the scenes I mentioned.

Fatima Awan

So, after a lot of recommendations & after facing a lot of haw haye’s I decided to give this blockbuster a go. I must say I am impressed. Day 1 – down with 5 episode & counting. I thought I won’t be able to do justice with the drama in just one review after I finish watching it, so decided to divide the reviews as I go.

Ohkay, speaking of the first impression. I was in an awe of such a huge star cast. I must say I am totally impressed by the screenplay & the direction. The way they have brought back to life the olden era is definitely a treat to watch. The feel of the drama with a special consideration to both Urdu & Hindi languages is what has contributed a lot to this drama’s success. I am so far enjoying all the characters but the one character that has made a mark for me until now is that of Surraiya, even though till now all she does is hide behind her ghoonghat but her minute expressions tell a million feelings within. I have never been so convinced by Saba Qamar as an actress but I think she is phenomenal as well as beautiful in this drama so far.

Yes, the story as we all know emphasized on the co-existence between the two religious communities of pre-partitioned India. Starting off from Punjab, no doubt we have a clean history of Muslims & Sikhs living peacefully together. I found this a lot more convincing that they showed the time lapse in between to elaborate the progress & crisis people faced altogether. Not only Muslims in India over all faced the blood shed but very convincingly they have brought down the story to the happy household in Ludhiana & the toll partition took on their close-knit family.

I must admit that when the drama began I wasn’t much into the character of Bano because I thought Sanam Baloch over did it but I am glad as the story is progressing Bano is showing more of her real nature. Fawad Khan as Hassan is phenomenal – an Engineering student, active & proud worker of the Muslim League political party, the most sought after bachelor & a kind hearted person, I can’t even begin to imagine what this character would be meaning to his fans. ;) I loved the note at which the drama began, showing all the festivities, harmony among the people, all the tehzeeb & adab o lehaaz where a wife shied smiling at her husband even behind a closed door & a sister thought her brother has gone disrespectful just because he took his wife for a little outing.  I loved the situational comic moments they showed because this is what I as a viewer look in a drama. Some sweet moments, some overwhelming ones & a few bits that bring a smile to the face is what all I need. So, I am ticking all the boxes for now.

I thought Ahsan Khan had a strong role to play as Saleem & no doubt he did play his part well & acted out his character brilliantly but Saleem’s nature is of someone who has a few complexes & had no such insights. At first when Hassan & Saleem had a difference of opinion about supporting Congress or Muslim League, I thought it was because Saleem had a few convincing arguments in his bag but this came across as something which wasn’t the case. Saleem is someone who is scared of taking a stand on a larger scale, despite the fact that he is being stern on his family, he actually has no guts to stand against the people he has shared the shelter with. I thought Saleem’s support to the Congress was based on the positivity but till now I believe just because Hassan is an active member of the Muslim League, Saleem has to oppose it because like he says to his father, he has always faced some sort of a comparison to Hassan all his life which shows us more that the mere disagreement had a little backing of personal feelings too. This sheds a light on those few innocent Muslims who thought supporting Congress was the right thing to do because the Hindu’s sugarcoated their hatred in front of a few such Muslims & made them believe that they meant no harm to them whereas deep down, they were only happy when Muslims were just a minority & nothing else.

The story of Bano & Hassan as a side note is sweet & done really well. Luckily for Hassan, Bano also shares the same ideology as him. I think now the story is going to take a serious turn but till now I am totally hooked to the show. All the characters have played their parts extremely well but this had me thinking. When I looked at the direction & the locations & all the characters, it shook me with grief that just a matter of years ago this phenomenal & record breaking drama was produced for the Pakistani audience & shown on Hum Tv, but don’t know what got wrong with the channel that they have stooped to the level of Ek Tamanna La Hasil Si & Rishte Kuch Adhoore Se type of dramas? I think when they could pull off such sort of brilliant dramas in the past, why can’t they redeem themselves & get back to this level again? I will end my say on this wishful thinking with a sigh!

I am being a little mean here, I hope & request that I don’t get to come across ANY spoiler alerts but sadly I know what will happen to Bano in the end but for now I want to enjoy this moment of glory. Share your say with me & those who recommended me Dastaan & awaited the reviews, there you go & a big fat THANK YOU! :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers.
Zahra Mirza.

This drama is a roller coaster ride through and through. It has so much depth to it that sometimes I have to re-watch the scenes to understand its implication. Dania is clearly obsessed with Bunty and she gets insecure at the slightest things when it comes to him. She has found how it is to feel young and in love all over again because of him. She wants all his attention and time, and in return she wants to shower him with material things that Bunty had never even dreamed of.

But Dania has forgotten that she has never been lucky when it comes to love. She knew that Bunty was involved with some girl but chose to ignore it for a while. She was upset with Bunty when he went out on his own to Jedi’s house, and she did not know how to explain her own reaction. She chose to avoid him for a while to hide her feelings; she does not want Bunty to know the extent of her feelings for him. Ironically, Bunty is too innocent to understand anything; he had no idea as to why she was upset with him over such a small issue.

Dania changed her decision to avoid him when her servant made her understand that Bunty does not even understand why she was upset with him in the first place, and she was back to normal. She probed him again and again to tell her about the girl in his life but he chose to lie to her every time as he feared that she would not like it if he tells her about Mehwish.

She is trying to gain Bunty’s attention through her money and he once again got his wish fulfilled as soon as it comes out of his mouth. Bunty had always dreamed of a heavy bike and Dania gifted him one. Dania felt happy and alive when she rode on the bike with him. She thought that this would distract him and get his attention away from the girl in his life, and he might start liking her too, but her plan clearly did not work.

The stubborn, rude and egoistic Mehwish is just not the right girl for Bunty who is innocent and madly in love with her since years. She only thought about him after Dania changed his appearance and status, before that she was not the least interested in him. He was heartbroken when she refused to accept his ring, but she soon realized her mistake and accepted his love. Bunty was on the top of the world when Mehwish finally accepted his love. Mehwish is not too happy about Dania being in Bunty’s life though, and this is one of the main reasons why they fight all the time.

Dania was clearly heart broken when she overheard Bunty talking to Mehwish on the phone and caught him red handed. She chose to remain cold and aloof with him for a while till he explained that he was scared to tell her the truth and apologized. Dania was almost on the verge of breakdown but she somehow composed herself. Saba Qamar was absolutely superb in this scene! The scene where she looks at her frame and tells Bunty that it has been years since she really laughed showed how lonely Dania feels.

Woh Usse Lekar Ajaye Ga Aur Tum Dekhti Reh Jao Gi                                                      

Mein To Hamesha Dekhti Reh Jati Hoon

The sadness in her eyes when she spoke these words showed her longing and desperation for love. She acted normally in front of Bunty as she did not want him to know the real reason why she was upset. She invited Mehwish to the house and made the best arrangements for her. She even went to Mehwish’s house when she refused to come to meet her. She wanted to see who Bunty loved and she wanted to test her. She only wanted the best for Bunty and she wanted to make sure that Mehwish’s love was true. From the looks of it, Mehwish failed the test because she would accept Bunty as long as he was rich; she had no interest in Bunty if he returned to his old life.

The show is getting more interesting by the week!

Do share your views about the episode!

Till Next Week!

Mariam Shafiq

This episode was one of the best episodes so far in terms of acting. Sheheryar Munawar Siddiqui took my breath away with his amazing acting. This guy might be a bit weak in delivering dialogues, but he sure can cry! Two scenes were the highlight of this episode; first, when he goes to his mother’s grave and second, when his Dudi dies. The scenes were so heart wrenching that one cannot help but cry with him. It was a devastating loss for Aaliyan to lose two of the most important people in his life in the span of two days.

He was already feeling so guilty because of the way he had treated his mother. He wanted his mother’s love all his life but when he finally met her, he was cold towards her. He regretted that he could not even say sorry for his rude behavior, but now it was too late to regret.

He went to the only person who he knew would understand his feelings and he shared all his feelings with Dudi, only to find that she had also left him like his mother. His screams and cries tore at everyone’s heart! This guy definitely deserves a round of applause for this scene. Now Aaliyan has another burden on his conscience, he had misbehaved with Dudi when he last saw her and never got a chance to apologize.

The main reason for Dudi’s sudden death had been guilt. She regretted not telling Aaliyan the truth about his mother before her death. She had been protecting her son, but now it was too late to regret. Aaliyan, however, thought that his father’s misbehavior is the reason for her sudden death. It was truly heart breaking to see Aaliyan so shattered and upset.

Rana and Sultan’s behavior after Dado’s death was pathetic. Rano was whining about everything and had no interest in entertaining the guests and she was pretty vocal about it too. Sultan, on the other hand, was busy entertaining his important and influential business partners. I cannot believe he told Aaliyan to entertain a guest because he had an important upcoming deal with him. Sultan was too busy thinking about his business even at his mother’s death.

Natasha was least bothered about Dudi’s death as expected. She was, however, upset that her shoot would be disturbed because of her death. Her fake concern for Aaliyan when she called him just made me roll my eyes, and I am so glad that Aaliyan did not talk to her. She should have been by his side if she really cared. She is under the misconception that now that Dudi is dead, Aaliyan will move to America with her. Aaliyan knows what a self obsessed person she is and he will never go back to her now.

In such difficult time, he turned to the only person he knew would understand his situation. He called Qudsiya and simply cried on the phone, and she understood that he was very upset and needed her by his side. He immediately went to him to console him and her presence soothed him. He wanted her to stay by his side like he had when her father died. He also made the confession about his lie that day and it truly shocked Qudsiya.

Qudsiya also cleared his misunderstanding about her and Shahnawaz’s relationship. Aaliyan should have asked Qudsiya why she was living in Shahnawaz’s house instead of making his own assumptions. He now wants Qudsiya back in his life now that he has no one left. This is not fair with Qudisya, she should not be treated as the last resort for him. Now the question is how long will it take for Aaliyan to convince Qudsiya to come back to him?

Share your views about this episode!

Mariam Shafiq

Right after such a shocking elimination I’d just move on to the results. I am stunned at what just happened & not sure what the public of Pakistan is looking for in their very first idol!

The first three contestants who came to get their results were Shahmir Aziz Quidwai, Mohammad Shoaib & Abdul Rafay Khan. At this point I was sure that Shahmir would be in the danger zone because it was what we all expected & it would’ve been justified considering his last performance but what shook me the most was that he didn’t even make it to the red seats & was completely safe with a considerable margin of votes. I was content with the results about Abdul Rafay Khan & Mohammad Shoaib because Abdul Rafay is a fine singer & Mohammad Shoaib is at least showing some improvement but sadly Shahmir is improving downwards & is still being saved. A BIG QUESTION MARK!

Next contestant to face the result was Zamad Baig, he came to get the decision of the public alone & like it was expected, he was safe. It was a good decision because he deserved the spot in the next round.

After him the contestants who came for their results were Kashif Ali, Waqas Ali & Ali Asad Zaidi. I was hoping that all three of them would be safe but it was sad to know that Waqas Ali was in the danger zone. Ali Asad Zaidi was good in the last episode & because he has a huge fan following, the result was in his favour. Kashif is Kashif & who doesn’t know what a phenomenal singer he is. So, at this point I was gutted to see Waqas Ali – such a mature singer to go to the danger zone AGAIN!

Next to face the results were Rosemary & Sana Zulfikar. I was happy to know that Sana Zulfikar was sent to the danger zone. I think she needed this close call to up her ante because in her comparison Rosemary has shown her versatility so far in the competition.

Last lot to get the result was of Syed Sajid Abbas, Waqas Ali Vicky & Asad Raza Sonu. All three of them were again brilliant in the Friday night’s episode but just because Waqas Ali Vicky’s song selection was a little tricky it was pretty evident that out of the three he would be the one in the danger zone & I was right.

Finally, the moment came when the final elimination had to be announced & not that the results weren’t shocking & none of the three deserved a spot in the danger zone but I hoped that IF the decision had to be made choosing one of them, it was against Sana Zulfikaar, because the other two are definitely better than her but sadly & unfortunately Waqas Ali of Rawalpindi was eliminated.

It was an extremely unfair decision & poor choice made by the public to vote out such a brilliant singer who was not only mature as a singer but sounded mature too. He was definitely ONE OF THE BEST singers of the lot & it literally felt like we lost one such contestant whose caliber was to make it to the TOP 3 because he deserved to be there.

I am shocked at the people who are liking Shahmir Aziz Quidwai, a guy who is clearly confused till date as to which genre to associate himself with. Calls himself a rock artist but sounds like a playback singer of the 80’s. Clearly the contestants in majority chose Shahmir to have performed the weakest this time around & even in the judges Hadiqa Kiyani & Bushra Ansari agreed to them but still we saw what happened. The rate with which this guy is getting the votes, I am dreading to see him win the title because his voters clearly do not have an ear to the detail.

I have to have a say about Sana Zulfikaar here, it’s not that she was facing the eliminations for the very first time that she nearly had a nervous break-down. Last week, when she actually should’ve been worried about going through the process of facing the results for the very first time, she was perfectly alright just because she was confident about her performance. This time when we clearly saw how she performed, she literally ran out of words because of her weakness. I think she knows the drill of the show & she knew what she was getting into, so to put forward an excuse about her health is the last thing we all need to know. I feel she should take a leave & rest if she is so physically & emotionally weak. I know this can happen to anyone but why only Sana is coming forward as the most sensitive & fragile contestant of the show? Sana dear, you aren’t going to earn the votes by telling us how emotionally weak you are, you should give us your 100% & the votes will automatically follow!

Anyways, coming to Waqas Ali – his last performance & all the reactions were heart-breaking. It was absolutely sweet of Waqas Ali Vicky to actually tell people who did they eliminate because yes, he was a very knowledgeable singer who had the insights & know-how of the singing which was visible through his singing. It was a very poor decision & his departure was sad.

I am sad at his elimination & I wish all the luck, success & power to him.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

I must say this drama is getting better & better. They never cease to surprise us & for me this had to be the best episode so far. I loved the pace of the episode & the approach with which they showed what they had to. There were undoubtedly the amazing performances by the actors tonight & I enjoyed the episode thoroughly.

Ehtashaam obviously grew closer to Roomi more than he expected. He loved doing things for him & being around him. The episode began at such a sweet note where Sania could actually see what Roomi has started to mean to Ehtashaam. I am glad they showed a time lapse of few months in between because in the mean time Sania got the push she needed & it unrealistically didn’t happen over night. No one forced anything on each other & the time took it’s toll on them. Just when I thought to myself that they haven’t shown the state of Ehtashaam’s career, I got my answers. Atif has gotten to a higher position on the expense of Ehtashaam & Sania wanted to help him by telling the truth about their relation thinking it would be some sort of a help to him.

There were some amazing conversations in this episode as well which is the essence of this drama. To the point dialogues, enough to make things clear is what was the best part of this episode. I loved how Sania tried to convince Ehtashaam of giving Sehrish another chance but Ehtashaam not being egoistic spoke what he had in his mind because no doubt, he on his own is justified for not giving any reasons for Sehrish to act irrationally like the way she did. Ehtashaam’s confession about how Sehrish has earned his resentment was true, this is what I like about his character that he doesn’t beat around the bush & stick to what has to be said.

I felt for Sehrish & her anguish was portrayed beautifully too. She is shown as an insecure person because she is aware of the incapability she has. The truth is that those who are insecure about a certain issue in life end up making themselves believe that whatever happened has happened because of that particular fact. This is exactly what Sehrish pushed herself to believe because according to her Ehtashaam got involved with someone else because she was unable to give him a child.

Now coming to the proposal. It has to be one of the best scenes I have seen ever, backed by the brilliant performances by both the actors. Whatever & however Ehtashaam said to convince Sania & to make her understand what she actually feels was absolutely perfect. How Ehtashaam told her what she & Roomi mean to him & how he was aware of the fact that Sania has started to rely on him more than she knows was just relayed beautifully. Sania who is just capable of being courteous, considerate & compassionate still felt it was her obligation to remind Ehtashaam of his wife but I think Ehtashaam had more power in his argument & Sania actually had to submit to his will. I loved how they should them as a happy couple with an adorable kid. The kid Qabool hai scene along with the chocolate-cheers was the best way to begin their marital bliss. Sania looked gorgeous & Ehtashaam looked like a true gentleman who was content because he made the right decision. I loved how they showed some color coordination in the couple’s outfits, it was picture perfect.

As much as I was happy for Sania, I also felt bad for Sehrish but not so much as she drove them both closer & what happened was just because Sehrish chose to believe the otherwise. Her conversation with her mother actually showed how much she wanted to make things right & how after a long space & gap she got back to her right state of mind. I think Ayesha Khan has nailed her character as Sehrish because she has made her believe in her character & her sufferings effortlessly.

The best thing about this play is the way characters have been etched out with perfection. The director gets a full credit for bringing out the best in all the actors & for perfectly executing the story. Each one of the character has been through hard times but never losing the control has made all the characters relatable & our favorite. The preview of the next episode shows Sehrish’s plea to make things work for herself even if it means she has to accept Sania as well. I am sure this is still going to get better. Can’t wait for the next episode.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

ps: I am covering for my friend Fatima Awan but do stay tuned for her say on this in the comments. ;)

So, matching the date. the theme of tonight’s episode was based on romantic songs or more like the dedicated to those songs that had some feelings of love etched in them. I enjoyed this episode as well & felt all the contestants have improved a lot. The judges seemed at ease today as well & their little bit of dance moves were worth a laugh (in a good note obviously).

So there we go:

Waqas Ali (WA) of Islamabad sang ‘Tumhe Jo Meinne Dekha’ from the Indian movie ‘Main Hoon Na’. As always he sang it really well but I found him weak at the beginning but from that moment onward he got a grip of the song & sang it beautifully. Ali Azmat said he must now focus more on the song selection seriously but Hadiqa Kiyani said song selection doesn’t matter, what does is the way a singer sings it. He still got great remarks from the judges as he is a good singer undoubtedly.

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin sang ‘Mukhray Ton Nazran Hawatan’. I felt like a heard-before performance, no doubt he was great like always & seemed more confident on the stage now but yes a good performance but not worthy of leaving an impact on the listeners. Hadiqa Kiyani & Bushra Ansari both appreciated his singing & Ali Azmat felt he sang it from his heart & also commented on his confidence.

Asad Raza Sonu (RS) of Lahore sang ‘Kabhi Jo Badal Barsay’. It was a brilliant performance from start till the end. I found it the best performance of the episode because it was full of emotions & there was a feel to this performance. Hadiqa Kiyani commented on how soulfully he sang it & said he always instills the emotions in his singing. Ali Azmat liked his song selection & I appreciate Ali Azmat for emphasizing on the importance of song selections because it can make or break a mark that any contestant sets.

Sana Zulfikaar (SZ) of Lahore sang ‘Ye Mera Dil’ from the Indian movie ‘Don’. She was good but once again similar to Zamad Baig I think not a memorable performance. Hadiqa Kiyani felt she held back a little & didn’t perform with ease because this was not her genre. Ali Azmat gave her remarkable comments that she is making her place in the show by showing what she is capable of. Bushra Ansari also liked her performance & appreciated her a lot.

Kashif Ali (KA) of Karachi sang Sajjad Ali’s ‘Sohni Lagdi’. It was a power-packed performance, I enjoyed it thoroughly but did feel that he ran out of breath at times because the song was of high-energy & he only had one-take to sing it so this much was justified because he actually didn’t go off-beat or bad on notes at all. Hadiqa Kiyani liked it as always, Bushra Ansari commented on his breathing issue as well. Ali Azmat found his enthusiasm commendable & it indeed was a great performance.

Shahmir Aziz Quidwai (SQ) of Islamabad sang ‘Tum Hi Ho’ from the Indian movie ‘Ashiqui 2’. His performance was self-explanatory & I think it was the only weakest performance of the episode. Weak start & weak ending, he just couldn’t sing this song at all. Judges weren’t clearly impressed right from the moment his performance began. Ali Azmat thought he tackled the song by the end but Hadiqa Kiyani felt he was weak through out but liked his expression.

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar sang Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s ‘Afreen Afreen’. One of my favorite songs of NFAK & what an improvement I must say. I don’t know what that is but his performance has that essence to it which clicks for me. I absolutely enjoyed his performance & felt that he has improved a lot. I did hope that he would get good remarks from the judges so that if he secures a spot in the top 11, he won’t seem guilty & I am glad it happened that way. All the judges enjoyed his performance & said that he showed a great improvement. Hadiqa Kiyani said this was his the best performance so far & it was evident. Bushra Ansari told him to ignore or work more on the ‘sargam’ but over all he got a great feedback.

Abdul Rafay Khan (RK) of Karachi sang ‘Dil Sambhal Ja Zara’ from the Indian movie ‘Murder 2’. Like he said it was his favorite song so he selected it, he did complete justice to it & made his performance a treat to listen to. He is for sure a very very strong contender of the season & he has been consistent with the great performances. Hadiqa Kiyani loved his performance but said his ending was clearly weak. Ali Azmat spoke a lot about his age & looked like he was making a vote appeal for Abdul Rafay by telling the audience to keep in mind his young age. At this point Hadiqa said age is not a counting factor. Bushra Ansari found his performance flawless. Over all he got great remarks too.

Syed Sajjid Abbas (SA) of Karachi sang ‘Aj Kal Tere Mere’ from the Indian movie ‘Bhramchari’. Once again a very cute & sweet performance from him. It was enjoyable & amazing but I feel he should work a little bit to make his voice over-lap the loud music, he sounds too soft but he is obviously an amazing singer & one of my favorites. At this performance they showed the judges enjoy themselves by dancing to the beat, even to see Ali Azmat being laid-back yet shaking his head with those glasses on was really funny. Sajjid got amazing comments from the judges & Ali once again said that his song selection was great because it suited his vocal tone. Bushra Ansari found it soulful & Hadiqa also felt it was filled with emotions.

Rosemary (RM) of Karachi sang ‘Ye Ishq Haye’ from the Indian movie ‘Jab We Met’. I enjoyed her performance & felt she changed her voice to match the original song. She sang it with ease but got mixed comments from the judges. Ali Azmat once again spoke about her young age & said she did well considering her experience in the singing. Hadiqa Kiyani didn’t enjoy her performance much & even Ali Azmat agreed to a certain extent. Bushra Ansari as usual pointed out the mistake she feels Rosemary does & it was related to her breathing. But overall her performance was good too.

Waqas Ali Vicky (WV) of Mian Channu sang ‘Gustakh Dil’ from the Indian movie ‘Dil Maange More’. He sang it effortlessly & it showed that he can attempt & sing these type of songs as well. I enjoyed his performance a lot but Ali Azmat said his song selection wasn’t impressive. Hadiqa Kiyani disagreed & commented that the song selection is not an issue because he dealt with it properly. Bushra Ansari liked his performance as well but felt he fell weak in the middle of the performance.

Ali Asad Zaidi (AZ) of Karachi sang ‘Tera Hone Laga Hoon’ from the Indian movie ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’. He added his touch to the song but I felt he changed the feel of it. The song has a happy tone but looked like Ali turned it into a sad song. Ali Azmat said it was the most appropriate selection considering the theme of the episode & also commented on how he adds his bits to the song to make it his own. Hadiqa Kiyani thought that it was a soulful performance & he has improved a lot which was pretty evident as well. Bushra Ansari said he has shown his vocal range in this particular performance so yes, he succeeded in leaving an impact on the judges.

So, this was it from this episode. I think the strongest performances were from Asad Raza Sonu, Syed Sajjid Abbas, Kashif Ali, Abdul Rafay Khan & Mohammad Shoaib. The weakest goes without saying was from Shahmir Aziz Quidwai. I hope after this performance, all those who actually deserve make it to the next round.

Whose performance did you enjoy the most & who do you think should be eliminated? Share with me. :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.