Ohkay so, finally Aap Ke Liye ended last night & I think it was good that they gave everything a proper closure but again, I feel where the last episode should have given Washma & Shaheer’s relationship some coverage, the entire screen space was taken up by Nishat, which was so unfair, because that lady has literally taken up the entire drama, so at least, they should have left her out in the last episode at least because people didn’t sign up to see ‘her’ journey.

So, Nishat realized that everything slipped away from her hands because her husband left her & even her brother confessed that he knew every single thing that she was upto. Shaheer said all he had in his heart to Nishat because he had to come clean in front of Waheed. Nishat did realize that she hurt Shaheer a great deal but even then she couldn’t stop planning & manipulating Shaheer into saying stuff about Washma in front of Waheed that wasn’t true.

So, finally, Shaheer got to say everything to Nishat on her face as he was eager to tell her that he wasn’t oblivious of what she & her husband did all this while, but one thing that seemed odd was that Shaheer said he knew it right from the beginning, so why didn’t he try to amend the situation with Abeera before meeting Washma, since he knew that Abeera wasn’t at fault? Also, another thing that I found a little off-putting was that if Nishat hadn’t told Shaheer to go to Washma, he wouldn’t have done that? Yes, I do realize that for Shaheer, Nishat was everything but to see him staying silent at her wrongdoings doesn’t put him in a good light too. Anyways, Areesha got some screen time too & it was good to see her tackling the entire situation with a lot of maturity, where she not only went to Washma to plead Shaheer’s case, but also consoled Nishat knowing that she has hit a rock bottom!

Waheed was proud of what he heard from Shaheer about Washma & that’s when he knew that things will be alright. Shaheer finally gave everything a closure, apologized to Abeera & went to Washma to tell her how much he loves her, which was sweet. I so wish they had given us some more moments of Washma & Shaheer in the last episode & also in the overall episodes, because their couple was the best thing about this drama & now when I look back, I feel I didn’t get enough of them!

Overall, this drama was strictly alright, it could’ve been way better if the director or the editors had omitted out the coverage that was being given to Nishat & Imdad because with an influx of negative characters on our screen in the last few years, we already knew what they were going to offer, so there was most certainly NO need for them to be getting so much of screen-time because their characters were one-dimensional & nothing new! I would surely have put this drama on a recommendation list but I won’t, because I will then suggest everyone to forward 80% of the drama as it was filled with Nishat & Imdad & they are not fun to watch, so the viewers won’t have anything left to watch either! The writer commendably wrote such nice characters like Waheed, Maryam, Washma & Shaheer but sadly, this drama seemed more about Nishat, than about Washma which was unfair. When the stories are simple & one-dimensional, it depends solely on the director as to how he executes them to make them memorable but it seems that the director was a fan of Waseem Abbas & Samina Peerzada that he made them the focal point of the drama while completely forgetting about the ‘good things’ that the story had to offer!

There were a few good things that this drama offered which deserve a mention too. First & foremost, the character of Washma, it was good to see such a young girl being so confident about herself that she took everyone’s life by storm. Washma entered the marriage with Shaheer for the sake of adventure but it was her love for him that pushed her to such a limit where she challenged the system that was prevailing in her husband’s personal & professional life. Washma surely made this drama worthwhile. It was also good to see Shaheer transitioning from a very rigid person to someone who learned to go with the flow because Washma introduced him to a new perspective of how one can life their lives. It was equally appeasing to see such a strong & positive bond between a Nand & Bhabhi, because it is a rarity in our dramas. Yes, Washma & Maryam both had a fair share of cat fights with each other but it was also a reflection of how much they loved each other. Maryam empowered Washma every step of the way. Maryam challenged Washma & pushed her to the limit & it was actually because of Maryam that Washma got the courage to face the obstacles. It was equally amazing to see Waheed supporting his sister through thick & thin because he had his blind trust in his sister which was also refreshing to see. Waheed was an unconventional sort of a brother who didn’t deal with his sister by keeping his ego intact, he trusted her, he knew his sister won’t do anything wrong that is why he took matters in his hands as he knew that for the most part of it, his sister wouldn’t be wrong. Then comes the relationship of Washma & Shaheer, which was so unique, created at a spur of a moment but changed their lives & would last forever because they both began to love each other & accepted each other with all their faults & shortcomings. I so wish, I so so so wish we had gotten some more insight into their relationship because now when the drama has ended, it just doesn’t seem enough. I tuned to the last episode of this drama all excited thinking Washma & Shaheer will have some beautiful moments to share, only to find out that they were spotted together in the last minute of the entire 40 minute episode!?!?!?! Anyways!

The director surely needs someone to teach him how to keep a steady hand while directing a drama, as the way the camera moved actually made it quite tiresome to watch Aap Ke Liye. The entire bokeh effect that the director added as a wow-factor was an epic fail too, because most of the times I felt like touching the TV & removing that white cast off my screen manually to get some clear visibility of the frame as it was so very annoying. Faysal Qureshi & Arif Fatima’s acting was brilliant, so was Saife Hassan’s & Salma’s. Samina Peerzada ruined this drama for me & traumatized me for a long long time because it was hard to keep up with her expressions as most of the times I ended up having a headache. Waseem Abbas needs to get rid of that wig & that ugly beige silky night suit ASAP. It was no fun to watch such experienced actors overacting so much as if they had a point to prove that they know how to act, like we have been watching you guys since childhood so we know you guys can act, so there most certainly was no need to overdo anything!!!

I thank all the readers who watched & experienced this drama with me, thank you guys for making it possible to sit through this drama. Please share your thoughts about the entire journey of Aap Ke Liye!

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, these last two episodes of App Ke Liye were interesting because the story shifted the focus on Shaheer, who was pretty much in the background the whole time. I think it’s about time that this drama should be wrapped up, may be in next 2 – 3 episodes because the drama-makers have compelled the viewers to invest a lot of time in it already. Also, I am not sure why but looks like App Ke Liye will again be airing once a week, which means we’re stuck with it for a lot of weeks once again!

Washma finally got a chance to expose Imdaad Hussain in front of Shaheer & she made possible with Asad’s help. I think Washma overestimated the strength of her relationship with Shaheer & she also overestimated the trust Shaheer had in her because of which she assumed that everything that she will say will be accepted by her husband without any resistance but little did she know that Shaheer was still weak when it came to the matters concerning Nishat.

I thought that Shaheer’s meeting with Abeera will help him in putting things into perspective but he chose to ignore everything that she said & assumed that Abeera herself was jealous of the fact that Shaheer was happy with his 2nd wife. I think Abeera wasted an opportunity & in stead of stalling, she should have just clearly told Shaheer that it is Nishat who can’t see him happy with anyone. Shaheer is quite a simple minded person that is why he trusts everyone easily, so I don’t really understand when it comes to Washma, why Shaheer has issues in trusting her? Why does he always put her & her word after everybody else’s? Also, not sure why Shaheer also grew a little uncomfortable with the fact that Washma hired Asad to work in their firm? I think more than Shaheer, Washma has put her heart & soul into this relationship, so at least she is entitled to this much of trust from her husband but anyways.

Nishat & Imdad planned to drift Washma & Shaheer apart & for the time being they succeeded but they both didn’t have an idea that Areesha learned the truth about what Nishat was planning to do. Fortunately, Areesha chose to listen to Omar & she also paid heed to the fact that Washma was always supportive of Omar, even more than Nishat ever was, that is why after getting to know about Omar’s opinion on everything, Areesha did some digging & found out about each & every single lie that Nishat had told to her & how she was making a fool out of Areesha. It was good that Areesha chose not to stay quiet & without informing anyone, she spoke to Shaheer. The timing was definitely better because that’s when Washma also told Shaheer about everything that Imdaad was doing & handed over the evidence too that she had gathered but Shaheer chose to stay quiet & sent Washma away.

It was pretty obvious that Shaheer learnt the truth about Nishat & he didn’t want her to hurt Washma more, that is why he chose to maintain a distance for the time being. I think it was also because Shaheer himself was in denial & he was emotionally shattered & broken to learn the truth about his elder sister, who he trusted more than anything & anyone in his life, so even he was struggling to deal with it & just because he knew that he won’t be able to bluntly tell Nishat off, he chose to do what she wanted in order to tell her that her opinion still mattered to him & he still respected her. Also, Shaheer knew that Washma won’t be able to understand but he wanted her gone so that he could figure things out on his own, in her absence & just when he will make things right, he will bring her back. I think everything that Shaheer did was because of Areesha’s confession & not because of Washma because till date, it has been made clear that he doesn’t trust Washma blindly in comparison to his sisters, but it still makes things better that now Nishat’s days in Shaheer’s home are numbered!

I really hope they wrap things up quickly because a lot of episodes have been dedicated to quite a simple story already. Please share your thoughts about these two episodes of Aap Ke Liye.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, the last three episodes of Aap Ke Liye were actually enjoyable because things have been moving forward at this stage of the drama. I think what further developed my interest in the show is the fact that Aap Ke Liye is airing twice a week, which means more content to watch & less episodes to go. I think this was the best decision that the channel made because it seems even they got a little bored with the pace & wanted to finish this drama off quickly.

Washma had no idea what she was about to do when she decided to expose Nishat infront of everyone saying that Nishat only went to Omar’s place to reject him. Areesha also believed Washma because she knew that Nishat was never in Omar’s favor & she was capable of doing what Washma was saying. The only person who chose not to believe Washma was Shaheer because till date he is unable to see the real face of his sister & can not conceive of the fact that Nishat can not actually wish well for her siblings. Obviously, Washma wanted to help her husband & his younger sister that is why she made a rash decision of saying the truth out loud without even thinking things through because if she had, she would’ve approached everything with a little plan & manipulation. Obviously, Nishat got informed that Washma was telling on her, therefore she changed her plan & to score some brownie points in front of Shaheer & Areesha she accepted Omar’s proposal.

Washma left only to get a chance of reflecting on things & her marital life in general but I am sure she will thank Maryam later because if it wasn’t for the drama that she created, Washma had never gone back. Maryam knew that Washma will do the exact same thing that she will be told not to, that is why she took a chance & hurt Washma’s ego, only to push her to go back to Shaheer’s home & fight the battle with Nishat properly. Yes, Maryam knew that in the course of her argument she will hurt Waheed too but she knew when she will explain everything to him & come clean about her intentions, her husband will understand her too.

Washma went back stronger & better & she made sure to let Nishat know that she won’t give up. By swooping in between Areesha’s proposal scenario, Washma gave a clear message to Nishat that she is read to fight & will make everything happen that Nishat doesn’t want to see happening. Washma treated Omar’s family with respect & literally saved Areesha’s relationship because she knows that Areesha loves Omar, he himself is a very decent guy & belongs to a good family. Nishat thought that just by agreeing to the proposal she saved herself from getting exposed but planned on maligning Omar’s mother’s heart against Areesha so much that she will end up refusing to go ahead with the marriage herself but it was Washma who outbid Nishat by making sure that things don’t go against Areesha. If Nishat knows the art of manipulation, so does Washma, that is why just to settle everything she apologized to Nishat in front of Shaheer so that he knows that Washma wants to start afresh, because after that she will do everything that even Nishat wouldn’t have thought about.

It is not only Nishat who is after Shaheer’s wealth, Imdaad Hussain too is involved in this agenda that is why he tells Nishat to help him send Shaheer away so that he can go ahead with a business deal that he finds lucrative. I liked the fact that Washma decided to join the office, even though at first she wanted to relax & enjoy being a wife of a business tycoon, she learned the fact that she needs to be independent to shape up her own life & have her own identity.

Overall, these three episodes were definitely worth a watch, however I will say that even though Samina Peerzada is convincing as Nishat & her acting is good too but most of the times she goes overboard which most certainly wasn’t required. I think if she had subtly played the character of Evil Nishat, it would’ve left an impact because now her portrayal seems borderline fake to me. Shaheer & Washma’s scenes are done really really well, I like how the writer has developed their feelings for each other over the period of time. Even though it was hard for Washma to leave, this short-lived separation taught both Shaheer & Washma that they have gotten used to the idea of being around each other, that is why not only Washma was missing Shaheer, Shaheer was feeling lost without her too. Also, I am glad that in such a typical sazishi story, the writer has given us some very candid & natural moments that the couples enjoy with each other like watching a movie, listening to music, dining out & making each other smile.

I am definitely looking forward to what Washma has in store for us. Ever since the channel has decided to air this drama twice a week, it makes me feel how much of a difference a fast pace makes. Imagine covering all these happenings in 3 weeks wouldn’t have grabbed our interest as much as it did in a week or so. My complain with the director & the cameraman still remains, I hate the movements & the white cast-like boarder in all the frames. Also, I know the director tried some new angles like capturing Washma’s face from the wood carving of a chair, but sorry, in stead of looking good, it makes it look like the director was a spy & he was spying upon people & trying to capture their personal conversations. Arij Fatima has acted effortlessly in this drama & she makes Washma fun to watch. Faysal Qureshi has done his part really really well too but Faysal, please keep a light hand on the makeup. It is not fun seeing a makeup clad ken in a 1080p HD quality video as every speck of makeup screams out loud & seems very unflattering. Also, even though Arij’s acting compensates a lot, her unblended black edges of her eye-makeup still seem distracting to me, I wish someone had handed her a blending brush probably Sigma e40 so that she had blended those harsh black lines & edges. Also I think Arij or her makeup artist should have kept her look natural at least in the scenes where she just got out from bed, it seems a little too fake to wake up with a black smokey eye look. Anyways, please share your thoughts about these 3 episodes of App Ke Liye.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, I got to watch 3 episodes back to back because I had no idea that they aired Aap Ke Liye twice last week & just when I was excited that I will get enough content to watch, I was actually a bit disappointed at the pace at which the things moved forward. What’s amusing is the the 11th & the 12th episode literally had nothing to offer, whereas some progress was made in the 13th episode, so I am glad they aired the episode # 11 & 12 in a week, because it eliminated the number of slow episodes that were & are remaining!

Washma is just being herself even after her marriage, which is a good thing but then at times I find her immaturity a little too forced. She knows that Nishat doesn’t like her, then there was no reason for Washma to go & act all cute in front of Nishat’s friends. I know Washma is someone who doesn’t filter what she says but then participating in someone’s gathering does not suit a carefree girl like her. Nishat has made it quite obvious on Washma that she can’t stand her but I like the fact that Washma doesn’t seem to care.

Honestly speaking, after seeing the amazing characters like Anmol & Washma that Faiza Iftikhar penned down, I was a little disappointed in seeing a character like Dilruba being a part of her project. I think we are past that stage where throwing in such old school ideas will make things work. Dilruba’s confession that she can attract any man towards her in a jiffy was off-putting & cringe worthy because firstly, I don’t see the need of such a character in this script, secondly I don’t really understand why a woman is being demeaned like that. It has been quite obvious that this drama will have a very typical plot, but to see it being reduced to this level of typicality does leave a bad taste in mouth. Nishat planted Dilruba to create some tension between Washma & Shaheer but then again, Nishat should’ve known better because of all the girls in the world, Dilruba is not the one who can grab Shaheer’s attention since she is not classy, poised or elegant & most importantly definitely not the kind of a girl that Shaheer would even want to associate with.

Nishat & Imdaad’s scenes are too long, boring & forced. I definitely accept that some women like to keep themselves dolled up but sorry, no one speaks in such an artificial way. I wish Samina Peerzada, with so much of experience up her sleeve had made Nishat’s character a little believable because it depends a lot on the actor as to what sort of a treatment they want to give to the character that has been assigned to them.

Washma & Shaheer’s scenes were good to watch. They both have started to develop an understanding for each other & even though they are polar opposites, things are looking pretty good because Washma shows Shaheer such an approach & perspective that he was never aware of & Shaheer teaches Washma importance of so many little things that she has overlooked all her life, so I like how they both balance each other out & even though they have nothing in common, they aren’t hesitant in exploring each other. Washma has started to grow concerned about Shaheer & that is something that is convincing him that he didn’t make a wrong decision. I like how Washma tells him to take a stand for her in the matters concerning Nishat, but at the same time, she tells him to be considerate towards Areesha’s feelings as she can relate to what she must be going through as Washma has first hand experienced what it feels like when your brother gives importance to his wife over you. I enjoyed watching all such moments where Shaheer was skeptical & resistant but chose to go with the flow & enjoy things Washma’s way, as it showed that he is giving this marriage a chance despite telling Nishat that this marriage doesn’t mean anything to him.

I think Shaheer’s ex-wife was only made a part of the drama so that the editor could get a chance to play the OST in the background because she has been a done & dusted character even when the drama began, so I don’t see an importance of her character nor do I look forward to what she has to offer & I will also add that the loud OST in her crying scenes does not evoke any sympathy for her.

Looks like Nishat has already waged a war against Washma & she is ready to let Washma know what she can do to someone she hates. I am sure her visit to Omar’s house was only to reject him but she must’ve changed her mind only to score some brownie points in front of Areesha. Nishat doesn’t want to upset her sister as she needs some support & one more family member in her team to shoo Washma away. Washma created a scene because she eavesdropped on Nishat where she was telling how she will reject Omar, but now when Nishat will do the opposite, Washma will be blamed for lying about Nishat Apa. Areesha is someone who can be persuaded easily as she doesn’t have a mind of her own that is why she immediately grew suspicious of Nishat’s intentions when she heard everything that Washma was saying but Shaheer on the other hand respects Nishat completely & trusts her blindly, so I am sure he won’t let her off the hook.

The preview of the next episode already suggested that Shaheer & Washma are going to hit the rock bottom & their new formed relationship will suffer & Nishat will continue to add fuel to the fire because she will find out that Shaheer was supporting her & was mad at Washma for how she accused his sister. Overall, these three episodes weren’t interesting & this has become one of those plays that can be tuned to while you’re busy with something, more like a background noise that you might want at times. Even though the characters of Nishat & Imdad are annoying, I am kind of disappointed at the way Samina Peerzada & Waseem Abbas handled these characters. I never really imagined that I will get to see Waseem Abbas in a ‘silky satiny’ beige shirt & then those overdone expressions. I feel that Samina Peerzada has gotten way more coverage than required because the moment she comes on screen, that’s the time when I know I don’t have to pay heed to those scenes as she has nothing meaningful to say. Arij Fatima & Faysal Qureshi have been quite impressive & their characters are perfectly written too. The director & the cameraman once again gave me a headache by the continuous movement of the camera, I so wish they don’t opt for this technique ever again in their future projects, it seriously is a headache provoker. Anyways, please share your thoughts about these episodes of Aap Ke Liye.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, the production of Big Bang Entertainment, the direction of Baber Mehmood & the writing of Faiza Iftikhar; App Ke Liye hit our screens tonight & I must say, it was quite a decent introductory episode of a highly anticipated drama. The first thing that grabbed my attention towards this project was the name of Faiza Iftikhar & then the pairing of Faysal Qureshi & Arij Fatima, so I am hoping that the writer & the main leads succeed in keeping our interest intact in the drama till it lasts, so let’s keep our hopes high.

The very first episode introduced us to the two families that consists of the main characters. The first family is of Shaheer (Faysal Qureshi), who lives with his sisters Nishat Apa (Sameera Peerzada) & Areesha (Ghana Ali). Looks like after the demise of their parents, Nishat along with her husband Imdaad Hussain (Waseem Abbas) shifted to Shaheer’s place because Areesha was quite young, so Nishat has been living with her siblings ever since. Shaheer lives a very robotic life & has worked hard to give his family a comfort of luxurious living. Shaheer is a man of principles & that is why, he has made it clear that the things that matter to him the most are his principles, values & rules. Nishat loves her brother & takes care of her younger sister but seems like Areesha doesn’t enjoy the restrictions that Shaheer has set for her.

The second family consists of Waheed (Saifi Hassan), his wife (Salma Hassan), their daughter Nimrah & Waheed’s sister Washma (Arij Fatima). Washma is an independent girl who is quite opinionated & has a strong personality but she is quite laid back & casual when it comes to her responsibilities. Washma is a talker more than a doer & just because she knows she is a good-talker, she thinks she can persuade her way out of her duties easily. Washma’s sister in law doesn’t hold a high opinion of her because she gets ticked off by her laid-back attitude, however, she has gotten Washma engaged to her one & only brother Asralan (Asad Siddique) 3 years ago, in a hope that she will finally be able to get a upper-hand at her husband Waheed & his sister Washma.

Washma works at Shaheer’s office as his personal secretary. Washma might have a totally different approach in her personal life but when it comes to her professional life, she takes her responsibilities seriously & that is why, she has left quite an impact on a rigid & stern businessman like Shaheer. Washma has an endearing personality & she doesn’t mind putting it to good use & when it comes to Shaheer, he is focused, driven & mature. They both have an opposite personality types but somehow, they both work well together & that is why, so far Washma hasn’t given Shaheer anything to complain about.

Things get difficult for Washma when Areesha shows up to meet Shaheer & just because Washma takes her job seriously, she doesn’t allow Areesha to proceed unaware of the fact that Areesha happens to be Shaheer’s younger sister. Imdaad tries to use the tiff between Washma & Areesha to convince her that only he could save her but Washma knows what she hasn’t done anything wrong, therefore she doesn’t care much about what Imdaad says. I liked the fact that even though Washma has a non-serious attitude in certain things, she does have an instinct to know that Imdaad tries to make advances at her & very wisely, she doesn’t let him succeed in his mission. Imdaad tries to bring Washma down by making a complain against her & sadly, Shaheer believes Imdaad’s version more than Washma’s because he assumes that she must’ve decided to go out with her fiancé despite not getting the permission to do so.

Arsalan doesn’t seem too thrilled with the idea of getting married to Washma this year as his sister suggested because he is interested in someone else. I guess just because Waheed is financing his education, Arsalan finds it hard to tell Washma the truth & may be that is why he will rely on Washma to do the talking in front of her brother & make it all about herself that she is the one who doesn’t want to get married to Arsalan, because he & his girlfriend spoke about getting a help from Washma as they know she is far more gutsy & straight forward. Even though I know that Washma will bounce back from this break-up but it seemed nice how she was at a happy place in this relation & like any other girl discussed her future plans with her fiancé, it made her character look genuine & realistic.

Shaheer is at a brink of getting divorced from his wife Abeera (Faryal Mehmood) & looks like their marriage only lasted for 3 months & after that it was Abeera who decided to call it quits & demanded divorce. Shaheer believes in punishing her by not giving her what she was demanding but after Nishat convinces him, he decides to divorce Abeera finally. Looks like Nishat has her brother wrapped around her finger & she makes the most of the fact that her brother trusts her blindly & respects her a tad bit too much, but may be Shaheer will find out that what Nishat does or says is mostly not in his best interest.

Overall, the first episode was pretty decent. All the actors did a great job especially Arij Fatima & Faysal Qureshi. When it comes to Faysal Qureshi, it is a done deal that he can pull off any sort of character but I must say, Arij Fatima took the crown in this episode. She is a natural actor & I loved how effortlessly she portrayed the character of Washma on-screen. I especially loved the cold-shoulder she extended towards the over-friendly Mr. Imdaad, it was like she could read his mind & knew exactly how to tackle him. I actually really liked how the character of Washma has been written, where at times she can be labeled as an immature girl but then she is quite smart for her own good as she can pull herself out from any trouble. As much as I am impressed with the main leads, I wish I could say that about Samina Peerzada & Ghana Ali, considering they’re also playing an important role in this drama. Honestly speaking, I actually forgot that Samina Peerzada was going to play a part in this drama so when I saw her on the title cover, I was actually excited to see what she’ll have to offer, only to find out that her character & the treatment that it got was quite OTT, OTT to an extent where she didn’t seem realistic & being an actor with such an experience, I wish she had toned down the overall personality of Nishat’s character a couple of notches because seriously, curls & diamonds, silver silk dress with black smokey eye & all that jazz on a breakfast table didn’t really sit well with me & most certainly didn’t make her character look realistic, also may I add that her dialogue delivery seemed a little too fake too. Ghana Ali was good in bits & bobs, like she picked up the right attitude of a spoiled young sister but at times even she took it a bit too far. I hope as the episodes progress, these two actresses regress in terms of acting & styling because that would look realistic. Salma Hassan was good but she didn’t offer anything new because as far as I remember, these are the only kind of roles that I have seen her play since I can’t even remember. Anyways, I am glad that the protagonists, their characters & their acting is enough of a motivation for me to tune to this play next week. Please share your thoughts about the very first episode of App Ke Liye. :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.