“Mujhay yeh dekh kar khushi ho rahi hai keh meri beti ab samajhdar ho gayi hai, hoshyar ho gayi hai”. Wah, Chacha – you have no idea! Chacha has decided to take his wife and son Tahir and move out of the country for the ‘shame’ Faisal has brought upon them is too much to bear. He offers to take Zara along but she declines, citing exams and her university here as her reason but whether that is her topmost priority or the revenge plan she has hatched – we are none the wiser, and apparently neither is Chacha.

I have to say everyone in this play is quite infatuated with the idea of their own janazzah. Faisal’s parents ask him for the last time to choose between them or Mehwish and although he pleads with them to not compel him to make the choice – he chooses Mehwish with his father then announcing they do not need his ‘sahara for their janazzah’. Seeing a deep in thought and visibly upset Faisal, Mehwish announces that if he decides to leave her under pressure from his parents then he shall see her janazzah. Mehwish’s first husband and son have already had theirs. Seriously – enough!

So, with Faisal’s parents and brother out of the country, we are left with the happy (not) trio – Faisal,Mehwish and Zara. I wonder if this is the last we see of Faisal’s family or will they reappear later. Faisal seems to be developing a soft spot for Zara now and although he does not seem romantically inclined in the least (well for now) I am unable to fathom what he means when he keeps saying to Mehwish that ‘mera bhi haq hai Zara par’. Surely he does not mean as a stepdad?! I mean, yes technically that is their relationship now but – um, awkward!! He does seem to be taking indulging Zara a bit too far with the whole dress scenario and then the ice cream.

Mehwish feels something is amiss, rather something is up and instantly assumes the worst. She minces no words and wastes no time in making a scene when she accuses them. I could not believe she also slapped Zara and the accusations she flung at them. Her words along the lines of what possible reason can these two have to be spending any time together made Mehwish herself seem so small and ungraceful. Not judging Mehwish for her decision to marry Faisal here. I am just struggling to understand the character of this woman who seemed to be a much more likable woman – before she married Faisal! Her attitude and relationship with Zara is very abrupt and cold. She constantly whines to Faisal over how Zara treats her and I am glad when Faisal said to her that had she not looked at how she herself talks to Zara. Mehwish for me right now is the most interesting character in this play. A woman who seemed to be an independent, confident and mature lady is gradually turning into someone easily giving into insecurities and becoming a whining, jealous and not very admirable woman at this point.

Faisal on the other hand seems to be suddenly all there for the cousin that he barely said more than a hello to earlier. Zara feels that things are beginning to move along to her plan and that seemingly being her only purpose in life right now, satisfies her.

Bring on the ‘twist’ of the episode. Mehwish maa nahin ban sakti. I can not help it. I really wish the way everyone learns so much about each other with the constant eavesdropping, can everyone just somehow bring up their ages too? How old is Faisal? How old is Mehwish that she was much younger than her ex husband but much older than Faisal yet the mother of teenage (or older) children? How much older is Faisal than Zara? Aargh! So, when Faisal proposed marriage to an older woman who has older children – he was hoping to start a family of his own with her. Since Mehwish has lost the ‘sparkle’ in her eyes, is not ‘dressed up’ all the time and now can not bear an heir for Faisal – will she start seeming to be less desirable to him? I hope this is not the track this drama is taking now for it reminds me eerily of Adhoori Aurat(penned by the same writer) in a way but I have a feeling this is what may happen. I would love to be proven wrong though.

I have not watched Maria Wasti in a play for a long time so I am not sure whether she has always acted like this or whether I am finding it hard to distinguish between her and Mehwish but there is something missing here. Someone help me out please? Such a relief not to have Saboor Ali bawling her eyes out or intensely trying to damage her larynx. So far I like the pace of this drama and hope it does not begin to drag. I wonder if Faisal will confide in Zara and where that may lead. On a lighter note, not sure how well Zara will do on her exams for more than studying and scheming, she seems to be making endless cups of tea – and then some!! When Faisal came home early from work and called for Zara I thought – I bet he’s going to ask for a cup of tea again!

Still looking forward to next week’s episode and what further twists and turns and tantrums the next episode brings. How did you guys feel about this episode? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Kunwal Javid

I’ll be honest. I was looking forward to watching how the last episode plays out. While a small part of me tried to be prepared for a cliché and predictable ending where all is forgiven and everyone lives happily ever after, I did deep down think that the way this drama has been presented so far we would be saved from such an ending. I inched through the episode like someone treading in the dark all the while thinking you may bang into a wall. While I had thought I might need to dig into the typical idioms bag such as ‘reap what you sow’, ‘what goes round comes around’ (you get the idea) – I was instead presented with a rushed sermon on how dare women try to dream and the only ‘idiom’ that comes to mind is – what the hell?

I was left guessing till the end how things will fare out – I will give the writer that. But the whole idea of a woman berating herself for daring to think of herself instead of caring what society wants her to think and then her daughter and all confessing how they had been wrong and Mehwish had the right to dream and do what she pleases with her life – fell flat. So this is where the writer was getting with all this. While I, personally had no issue with Mehwish remarrying and that too a younger man what failed to get through to me was the fact that she would let it be the man her daughter was engaged to and then moreso, her attitude later and how she treats Zara. So even if the writer may have been trying to present a liberating perspective for how women should be treated, it went haywire.

I kept hoping for a heart to heart, an emotional interaction between Zara and her mother. Didn’t happen. And that stood out like a sore thumb for me – the lack of emotion and feeling between the two. Yes, Zara was worried about her mother and wanted to lay her life down just to have her live and Mehwish wanted to end her life so she could put Zara out of her worries – very noble and very honourable, yes, yes, but not once were there any hugs, any heartfelt dialogues. Zara’s speech at the end which seemed to give Mehwish some relief was not very convincingly delivered but oh well, maa tau Mehwish hai and she accepted it so who am I to complain,eh?

Faisal ‘inn ko, unn ko’ mourn kar kay will go back to Amber. If there was one thing I had been hoping for it was for Faisal to suffer at least in some way, and no those few tears do not count! I guess the whole idea had been to show how a woman must suffer the consequences for daring to tread a new path but where this whole story had been so controversial surely there could have been some surprises come Faisal’s way. By the way, Farhan Saeed had in my opinion fast become quite an actor to reckon with but his acting fell short in today’s episode. His bland reaction to the news Mehwish has cancer while I could have shooed away by saying he was shocked still felt very odd for announcing the next door neighbour’s cat had disappeared may have garnered more of a reaction, methinks!

This has to be one of Samina Ejaz’s lesser evils, I mean, less painful projects for save a few episodes the drama did have its interesting moments. And the biggest plus is that it has gracefully ended on the 18 episode note. While Maria Wasti is an actress who delivers effortlessly I really could not help noticing her makeup which remained quite intact till probably the last few scenes. The scene when she returns from the hospital with her make up intact and then the camera shows Chachi’s face (all dolled up) then Zara’s (all dolled up) and then Tahir’s (all dolled up) – yes, Tahir too! LOL.

Farhan Saeed acted well through out which is why I expected more from him in the last episode and while it is not as if he was wooden but personally, I felt he could have done better. Saboor Ali as Zara has been very convincing but while she has given up the hoarse screams it seems she has substituted that with another annoying habit, something I could not help noticing which is that she purses her lips at the end of every sentence and I found that a bit distracting. Not being overly critical but well, it sort of took away the edge of what could have been a more impactful scene at times, I felt. But besides that I can not believe I watched an entire drama starring Saboor Ali without wincing at her scenes, for I had almost believed that would not happen after Bhai.

Thank you to the readers who took out the time to read these reviews and contribute to the discussions especially Fatima, mrsmehmood, Fizza and Be La. No more Big Bang, Samina Ijaz, Saboor Ali and Faryal Mehmood for me for a long, long time though! What did you all think of this last episode? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Kunwal Javid

Well, well, well. This is interesting. The latest developments in the story? Well, no not exactly. I am referring to the fact that this was the second last episode which came as a shock to me for only today I was wracking my brain to see if I could recall whether Samina Ejaz’s dramas are dragged out and two names that popped up were Tum Meri Ho and Beqasoor – so I shook my head. A Big Bang production, writer Samina Ejaz, channel ARY Digital – and not touching the 20 episode mark? Yeah, when pigs fly – ah, maybe the time has come then!

Even though the chain of events in this episode seemed fairly predictable, there is still an element of unpredictability and uncertainty over how this drama will end. Upon learning that her mother is seriously ill, the rage that had consumed Zara and fed her desire for revenge seemed to fizzle out instantly and all she could think and wish for was her mother’s health and well being. We also learn that she was marrying Faizan only to spite her mother and she meets him and wipes out any such notions from his mind too. I was glad that the whole typical scenario of hiding the illness from the patient was cut short when Mehwish overhears Zara’s conversation with Tahir and his mother and steps in. It was also good to see Mehwish give in to Zara’s insistence and agree upon treatment.

Chacha and Chachi have taken it upon themselves to see Mehwish back to health again but they state they are doing this only for Zara’s sake. While Mehwish is seen to be reflecting upon the decisions she has made, she has not pined for or asked for Faisal and it would have been odd that Faisal is not shown to think of her for even a moment except that well, Faisal is Faisal. And that should explain it all. Mehwish seems content to have her daughter’s attention and the sound of laughter around her. I liked seeing Mehwish and Zara grow close again.

I felt a bit uneasy over the pressure being exerted on Zara to accept the proposal put forth by Tahir’s parents. I see how loving his parents are and how much they and Tahir care about Zara but that is something that should or could be highlighted to Zara in a positive way rather than make that the reason to accept the proposal so as to not hurt their feelings. Faizan accepted Zara’s confession gracefully but he is still present on the scene so I wonder if Zara may just end up with him.

Amber and Faisal were their usual nauseating self in their happy little bubble. I don’t want to be overly critical but Mehwish’s illness has been diagnosed, second opinions sought, treatment begun and ended and Faisal’s baby is nowhere in sight. How much time has passed? Anyway, I am curious to see how Faisal will react when he hears of Mehwish’s illness. We are given the impression that she is almost cured though now. Is she or will she die and when does Faisal reappear in her life, if at all? I will seriously be sick if there is some super rushed ending where Mehwish forgives Faisal and they all happily celebrate the birth of his baby or something to that effect!

I never thought I would say this, except I think I may have said it in an earlier review but oh well – Saboor Ali was not only bearable but has acted well enough that I could actually relate to her character today where she seems to have thrown everything into the background and become a child who is besides herself with fear over very possibly losing her mother forever. I am unsure how this drama will end but I am definitely looking forward to the last episode and so glad that this has not been stretched unnecessarily. What did you all think of this episode? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Kunwal Javid

You know what I felt was refreshingly different about today’s episode and the direction the drama has taken now? A wife not staying in the stupor like denial that her husband does not care for her anymore and reduce herself to a screaming, scheming shrew. Granted, Mehwish had become like that for a while but she seems to have snapped out of that state when faced with watching Zara take a decision which she felt would ruin her life. It was a relief to be spared from watching biwi number one battle with biwi number two over who shall feed the miyan, iron his clothes, have his attention etc!

Mehwish seemed to forget her own marital troubles while she worries about Zara. She feels this is happening due to her own ‘sins’. Marrying Faisal was definitely not a sin so I am not sure where she is coming from but well, bottom line Mehwish feels she is to blame. Faisal’s verbal diarrhea when he tells Mehwish about his own guilt over Zara and his reasons for continuing to live in this house further squash out any glimmer of hope Mehwish may have nurtured. After Faisal walks out and Mehwish is seething, I was surprised to see that her anger was not directed at how to exact her revenge but to prevent Zara from making the mistake she herself had made.

Zara seems to gain immense joy and satisfaction by throwing her mother and Faisal’s arguments back in their face. She is adamant that she will not back down from her decision to marry Faizan. Mehwish then reaches out to the one person who she knows Zara can not refuse. Although surprised and angry to have to even hear from Mehwish ever again, Chacha steps up and shows up at Mehwish’s house to ‘save’ Zara.

Meanwhile, Amber and Faisal are happy in their bubble and with the news of Amber’s pregnancy. Waisay what was all that scene in the mall about? Which mother lets a random stranger pick up her child like that? Cringeworthy and weird! It is really odd how Faisal lets out these streams of confessions of love and how his past was all a mistake, a bad dream, blah blah and Amber is everything for him now. Makes me wonder at Amber’s mental state too that she does not question how reliable can this man be who, ah well – we all know what he has done. Not saying what he has done is right or wrong but it definitely does not land him high up on the reliability spectrum!

Zara’s thoughts when Mehwish has taken ill gave me goosebumps. Mehwish threatens to kill herself and Zara calmly tells her to go ahead. Mehwish collapses and Zara says it is not her love rather her ‘anna’ that is making her react this way. I do have to say it makes me laugh how flippantly and matter of factly Zara drops snippets of information here and there. The way she told Faisal’s parents that he had remarried and moved out leaving them shocked was funny. I have never been a fan of Saboor Ali but she has acted so well and done full justice to Zara’s character. Her body language when she speaks to Mehwish and when she speaks to her Chacha, where you can sense her struggle of wanting to stand firm to her decision but at the same time not wanting to hurt her uncle. Her expressions making you wonder whether she even cares for Faizan at all or he is just part of her plan to get back at her mother. Amber’s character and Faryal Mehmood stand out like a sore thumb and the lesser her scenes the better I feel. I am glad she has moved out so the focus is now back on Zara and Mehwish.

Next week’s preview shows Mehwish is seriously unwell and I am honestly curious to see what change, if any, that may bring in Zara and Faisal. A story that started off so dramatically and then seemed to go a bit down the all too predictable and boring route of two wives seems to have picked up pace again and has me looking forward to the next episode. What did you all think of this episode? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Kunwal Javid

So I would be lying if I said I did not find this episode to be a bit more interesting especially as the preview for next week has left me guessing what will happen next which is why I tuned into this show in the first place, since it had a few unpredictable twists and turns in the beginning. While it still largely remains a story of two wives, with Mehwish continuously being painted as the evil one, quite a few developments did take place in this episode.

In the previous episode when Zara shared with Amber the news of her broken engagement with Faisal, quite a few of us shook our heads over how Amber seemed to see only Mehwish as the ‘bad guy’ in the whole scenario. However, Zara’s growing closeness and friendship with Faisal in the light of this new bit of information shows Amber feeling uneasy and she seems to have jumped on the bandwagon too with Mehwish and is wary of Zara. Her sudden interest in pairing Zara with Faizan is questioned later by Mehwish and Faisal but I also wondered if she had similar reasons as Mehwish where she wants Zara out of the house so she may not grow closer to Faisal or whether she genuinely wants the best for Zara.

Faizan’s daughter Fatima loves Zara Aunty to bits and although momentarily thrown off by Mehwish’s attitude, she is in love with Zara Aunty again and can not get enough of her. I get a child, motherless one at that, getting attached to a young woman who showers her with attention and love but I do not understand how easily Faizan and Bhua let Fatima spend ages at Zara’s house and even the first time Faizan met her, he let Fatima stay at Zara’s house and have her feed her! Stranger danger anyone? Oh well, that’s a different topic altogether and would stray from the story but still I find it odd.

Anyway, Amber encourages Faizan to send a proposal for Zara. It was very strange that Amber did not share this thought with Faisal at least. She did not pretend as if she did not know why they were there with the mithhai so then why not give Faisal some heads up at least? Faisal and Mehwish are together on this one and feel Amber is out of line and that Faizan is not an appropriate match for Zara. Zara’s expression shows she did not expect this proposal but we are not sure what she is thinking later. When she announces she is ready to marry Faizan and when Faizan tells her that Faisal and Mehwish’s relationship has no impact on his proposal, Zara’s expressions do not lead me to believe either way whether she genuinely wants to marry Faizan or she is doing all this to spite her mother.

Never have flashbacks been used as aptly in a drama, to my recollection at least, than they were in the scene where Mehwish relives the moments when Faisal professed undying love and passion for her. Faisal has to be truly fickle for where he could remain in love with Taayi while she cared for Taaya and her children surely he could have lasted a while longer in love when she asked him to move out for a while? Dents in their relationship did start appearing when he learns she is unable to conceive and then also when she became more of a screaming, jealous shrew but still. Which brings me to Amber’s pregnancy now. When she swooned, I thought chalo, khushkhabhri, ta da! Seriously, does a woman never know or wonder if she is pregnant until she actually faints?! It is absurd how even my eyebrows raise when a woman faints and doctor kay bulaanay se pehlay I can confidently announce she is pregnant!

So, with Amber pregnant, Zara all set to marry Faizan and nobody caring about or listening to Mehwish, there is quite a bit happening in Faisal’s household. I am glad this episode moved away from the constant attacks by Mehwish on Amber and did not focus on Mehwish and Amber trying to outdo each other for Faisal’s attention either. I have a feeling Zara will marry Faizan eventually but will Mehwish give in or will she fight it all the way? And what (drastic) measures will she take? Good for Faisal that both his wives work for between a jealous, demanding wife who is suddenly expecting transport services to work and back and dinner dates, and a pregnant wife who takes up lunch time, a baby on the way and a stepdaughter whose counseling and wedding seem to be his self imposed responsibility – I do not see this guy spending much time in the office!

Maybe it was me or maybe it was seeing Maria Wasti in a different role, then again probably because her initial personality in the drama and the one that appeared later seemed so different (so many disclaimers, LOL!) but over the past few episodes I have to say she has acted really well. Faryal Mehmood’s acting for some reason always annoys me so even though she is meant to be the sweet, ‘victim of circumstances’ character here – it still does not work for me. Curious to see how the end of this drama plays out although hoping it is not dragged and ends before the 20th episode mark. What did you all think of this episode? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Kunwal Javid 

And I should write….what? I mean, seriously, what? I sat through this entire episode in a daze, but then no, daze would mean I actually felt something, some shock, some surprise – I did not feel much of anything! I think the only time I may have perked up was the story of Chicky and I tried to see if there was a hidden comparison there and maybe that was the most entertaining part. Was Chicky Amber and the big cat Mehwish and the Daddy cat who came to the rescue Faisal? But no, that does not seem right so maybe Chicky is Zara and big, evil cat Mehwish and Daddy cat Faisal? Bit better but no, that seems odd too. Man, this whole drama seems odd!

So, Faisal has brought a sotan on Mehwish who is besides herself with rage and well, hurt. She tells Amber to not have any fanciful ideas and that Faisal has married her only out of hamdardi, a waqti hamdardi jo samander ki jhaag ki tarah baith jaye gi. No sooner have the words left her mouth than Faisal shows up to defend himself. So basically, Mehwish has a go at Amber, Faisal rescues her, Zara grins like a Cheshire cat, Amber moans about how she did not mean for this to happen – this scenario multiplied by 3 – episode over. As far as Faisal’s household goes.

Zara’s new neighbour was given more screen time in this episode. It is quite clear that Faizan and his daughter will make their way into Zara’s heart and I wonder if she will end up marrying Faizan out of love or as a means to escape or a bit of both. I waited for Zara (or anyone) but figured it would be Zara, to drop the little detail to Amber of how she had been engaged to Faisal earlier. Amber’s horror made me think she may think the trio were all crazy but all Amber could think was how wrong Mehwish was to marry her daughter’s fiancé. True, Zara is not to blame for those events but how about reflecting on how Faisal eyed his taayi who was also his fiancee’s mother. But no.

If there is anything to talk about in this episode, it is Faisal’s attitude, his personality, his stance, his mindframe! Yes, Mehwish due to her insecurities created a distance between herself and Faisal but Faisal has latched on to that as his free ticket to justify his marriage to Amber. Aap nay mujhay majboor kiya, mujhay apnay aap se duur kiya – the way he threw those lines multiple times made me cringe for he makes it sound like not only that this is all Mehwish’s fault but that it is absolutely right that if there is a distance or misunderstanding between a couple, rather than give it time, patience, some effort – you marry the first woman who pays attention to you. Also, the way he expects Mehwish to accept Amber in her house is so odd. Firstly this is really not his house. Yes, Zara has allowed them to stay there but for him to be throwing his weight around is so off the mark. What Amber said actually made sense to me about how they find an apartment and move in there rather than living with Mehwish in the same house!

Which brings me to the crazy bit. Yes okay, lots of crazy bits in this drama but well this one is really the prize. Faisal vows to not ever leave Mehwish or Amber. When he says to Amber mein tumhara saath kabhi nahin choroon ga and she smiles happily I let out a snort because really, with Faisal – how is that reassuring?! Sure he will not leave her, or Mehwish, or wife number three, or four, or fiancé number 1. He will leave nobody, he will just gather his flock and throw them in each others’ faces!

I get this is a drama. A drama which sometimes may have a message for its viewers, and sometimes not. At times characters which you can relate to and at times not. Although it does not happen that often in reality, or maybe it does, but there may be households where both wives are expected to live with each other. Even as Faisal puts it wearily to Mehwish about how she should just get over the fact he has remarried and move on. But these characters in this drama! Mehwish, a confident mother who falls prey to her insecurities and lashes out at her daughter, not shown to remember the son who died in front of her eyes. Faisal, woos and marries Mehwish (I will bang my head against a wall if I have to mention again what his double rishta was to her before this one) and then baray mazay se floats off to Amber. Amber, bechari (sarcasm dripping here) torn between love and guilt. I mean, who are these people? I thought Faisal was madly in love with Mehwish. Now he very easily claims that love was incomplete and he knows what was missing was Amber. This guy is either very smooth or very flakey….I would like to go with flakey!

I hope the writer is not trying to show Faisal as a bechara here either because that is not working for me. Rolling his eyes at a demanding, unreasonable Mehwish while Amber is the picture of understanding and big heartedness. Mehwish trying to win back his love while Faisal is sticking this marriage out because he is a decent (?) guy. The fact that these characters have gotten under my skin makes me accept grudgingly that Maria Wasti, Farhan Saeed and Saboor Ali have acted quite well. Saboor Ali especially has really toned down her over acting and her switches between taunting her mother and then showing up with juice and food in the next instant made me laugh.

I think Chicky’s story had nothing to do with the main characters. What do you all think – about the episode, that is? Would love to hear your thoughts 

Kunwal Javid

Chalo ji.. Neighbour in distress – marry her. Problem solved. Doesn’t matter that you are already married to an older woman who is the mother of your bachpan ki mangaitar and you have been kicked out of the house now to keep your wife’s daughter who is also your cousin and ex fiancé from trying to attract you towards herself. Brain in knots yet? At least that is how easily our serial nikkah-er Faisal solves the whole issue of neighbours questioning Amber’s character. This episode was neighbours overload. True, rights of the neighbours and all that but here neighbours, be it Zara’s new ones, or the faarigh interfering ones in Amber’s building or the neighbours that were Faisal and Amber – now Mr. and Mrs. Faisal (Number 2) – were in abundance!

So, Amber’s mother has passed away and left her all alone in the world – well, minus Faisal that is. Given that there are no other siblings or relatives in the picture, you could understand Amber’s loss and how bereft she looked after her mother’s death. Even though she is an educated, working woman I could still see where she was coming from when she said she was thinking of moving in with her aunt for she felt she lacked the confidence to stay alone and support herself and was not very thrilled with the idea of living with her aunt either. Faisal goes out of his way to check on her, help her out and take care of her and her affairs and with Mehwish traveling and a job that seemingly is not very demanding, he has plenty of time to give to Amber. They grow closer as expected, something the neighbours also pick up on and question their relationship.

I found the whole confrontation that led to the ‘proposal’ so absurd, I can not explain! Matlab, neighbour says why don’t you marry her and Faisal says okay, if that helps – I will marry her. He turns to a whimpering Amber, who a moment before very fiercely tells off the neighbours for trying to meddle and tell her what she should be doing, and pops the question and she promptly nods yes. Roll on the next scene (and this one had me laughing) for Faisal marries Amber and the witnesses and only attendees at the nikkah are the neighbours that moments earlier were at Amber’s doorstep and now are the ones doing the dua and then congratulating Faisal. I mean, what the hell?! Lol.

For someone who is very khidmat and bechara prone, Faisal sure as hell has a very thick skin. When he says to Amber that he never gives a thought to what people think, I thought truer words have not left this man’s mouth. He did not care what anyone thought when he married Mehwish, does not care about tongues wagging about him and Amber until it became a problem for Amber and then now shows up with wife number 2 and expects wife number 1 to ‘go with the flow’? I am not a fan of Mehwish’s character – far from it, but even I felt the casual way Faisal stated he has married Amber and brought her to live under the same roof was a bit hard to swallow.

Zara seems to have achieved her goal so what next? I was glad she stopped her mother from slapping her. Mehwish’s character is honestly so bizarre I can only shake my head. The only impression I get of her relationship with Zara is someone who is an inconvenience to her and a punching bag! I also do not understand Faisal and I am not sure if that is even a sad thing because on the one hand this guy was passionately in love with Mehwish and on the other he has not only married Amber so soon but decided to stand up against the world for her. I guess it was the chai that was his undoing – the scene when he thinks of how he would make tea for Mehwish and here this woman makes tea for him. And dinner. For the saying ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’ was definitely penned by a Pakistani keeping in mind a Pakistani man. I am not a feminist nor do I have anything against Pakistani men (I am alhamdolillah happily married to one, LOL) but that is just what is drummed into our brains time and again through our dramas.

I suppose Zara will develop more than a neighbourly interest in her new neighbour and his daughter and vice versa. Faisal will fall in love with Amber – until he meets his next prey (probably not while this drama lasts). Mehwish will lose her marbles –the few she had left anyway and everyone will gravely agree she has been dealt with what she deserved. And this drama will act as another domino in the chain that is about to set off and wipe away drama viewing from my mind altogether! When I write here I often sit and ponder – why did this happen, is this justified, is this person really evil, etc. and try to choose my words and thoughts carefully before I pen them down but our writers, it seems pick issues which may not have been addressed earlier and you tune in wondering how wisely and sensitively the writer will deal with it all – only to leave you shaking your head at the end because everyone seems to have lost the plot, especially the writer! I am currently reviewing Intezaar and was interested to see how the child abuse issue would be dealt in that. I had the same thoughts when I started watching this one except that both dramas seem to have started off well and now have turned into a complete mess, like a biryani that went wrong with overboiled rice!

Next week’s preview shows more of Mehwish’s tantrums and Faisal defending helpless Amber. Meow! Anyone else watch this episode? Would love to hear your thoughts 

Kunwal Javid

Subah tum say mulaqaat huee aur sham mein tumhari maa say – LOL! The constant assumption by everyone that Mehwish is Faisal’s mother is actually beginning to feel funny now. Mehwish’s obvious recoil at the words and empty stare seem to have become her standard response to such statements. What I find interesting is how everyone seems to be mentally marking Mehwish off as the evil one and labeling Faisal as the bechara who was snared into this marriage. True, Mehwish did marry a younger man and that too her daughter’s ex fiancé but how come nobody ever says Faisal married an older woman and that too his ex fiance’s mother in the same judgmental tone. Interesting – except that this is such a real portrayal of this aspect of our society.

Moving forward, the not so happy trio that is Mehwish,Zara and Faisal has begun to come out of itself and they are introduced to new faces. Mehwish has unwittingly thrown a vulnerable, lonely, ignored Faisal into the concerned arms of Amber and her mother. Amber’s mother while initially came off as a friendly neighbour looking out for a younger new neighbour seems to have become a serious case of elfy glue! If something ends up brewing between Faisal and Amber which seems to be a likely scenario and if her mother is horrified I shall have serious issues with her mental state! The constant bulawas’ and insistence to stay and have chai (haye, those endless cups of chai in this drama!!) or eat or chat and commenting that poor guy lives all alone – seriously what is she thinking?

Aap ki khushiyon ki keemat aap kay bachon nay adda ki hai. Okay, I have tried to give Mehwish a chance here. Since the day I started watching this drama and as event after event unfolded I had my own opinions but a small part of me gave Mehwish the benefit of the doubt, a possibility for her to redeem herself somehow. Mehwish tries to use the ‘I am a mother,wife,daughter etc but I am also a person first’ card and while I use that card to be able to sneak off for a power nap or have my tea in peace without the kids tearing each other apart – I somehow can not stomach her using that line to marry her daughter’s ex fiancé! Zara’s statement although a bit dramatic since her brother really did not have to commit suicide – yet is not far from the truth. I may not be a fan of her plan of action now but it does shed light on how a child views whatever her mother has done. Anyways, if we were to let bygones be bygones, then moving forward Mehwish is doing absolutely nothing to make Faisal, Zara or any of us warm up to her. Her wedding to Faisal and the circumstances etc be left behind how about the havoc she is wreaking now.

Zara’s wedding has become her top most priority. Every woman worries about her daughter’s wedding, fair enough. But Zara is still in college and Mehwish claims to have big dreams for her, wanting to see her educated, confident and able to make her own decisions but hey, u turn – Mehwish knows what’s best for Zara and at this very moment that is her marriage. Okay before Zara’s father died, yes there were talks of having Zara’s wedding date fixed but then considering how Mehwish resents how she was forced into a marriage, would you not think she would not bring that upon her own daughter. Also, this obsession of Zara’s wedding seems to be fueled more by the desire to have Zara married and out of the house so Faisal can move back in rather than Zara’s actual welfare!

The moment Mehwish sees Faisal talking to Amber was probably the only time I really felt Mehwish’s personality come through. I said in my earlier reviews that something was off with Mehwish and I think I felt that way because although Mehwish had taken a controversial step in her life I still wanted to be able to form an opinion about her, to see aspects of her personality aside from the new marriage. And the past couple of episodes had begun to show us how jealousy had begun to rear its ugly head but Mehwish scoffing at the new neighbours and slapping Zara and lashing out at Zara and Faisal coupled with how she is dealing with Zara’s marriage leaves no doubt in my mind of the kind of person Mehwish is becoming or maybe has been. Seems like Zara’s plan of revenge is not so far fetched and may happen sooner than later!

The past couple of episodes and preview for the next show how Mehwish is struggling to adapt to society’s perception of her. Faisal will find himself another mum-daughter duo and forgive me for this snide thought but I hope it is not Amber’s mother he falls for while Amber falls for him! What a fitting end to this drama this would be, ha! This guy’s past record he kuch aisa hai. Anyways, I am hoping there is more to this drama now than the seemingly obvious. I found this interesting in the first place due to the fast pace and wild chain of events but I have a feeling the drama will just focus now on how Mehwish will continue to be a negative, insecure character who ends up pushing Faisal away and Zara gloating at her success – the end! I would love to be proven wrong and have some more substance to this drama. I have finally made peace with Mehwish’s character and Maria Wasti’s acting as the insecure woman wallowing in self pity, destroying the few relationships she has left finally hit home with me today. What did you all make of this episode? Would love to hear your thoughts. For those of us watching Besharam, we know what Wahab Sunaraya thinks of his in laws – would love to hear what he makes of Mehwish and her ‘mentally poor’ clan!

Kunwal Javid

Sympathy. Anger. Disgust. Shock. Joy. Outrage. Indignant. Empathy. Which one, or combination of more than one or any am I to feel for these characters? Bewilderment at Mehwish’s (lack of) maturity? Wonder at Faisal’s new sprung ‘over’ maturity (if that even is a term). The problem is I know I should be feeling something and I want to feel something but I am not sure what I should be feeling. Ha!

This episode focused more on the claustrophobic trio that is Mehwish, Faisal and Zara except that the trio ventured out into the world and faced zamana’s backlash. Faisal’s colleague’s wife’s reaction when she met Mehwish was realistic enough but I found her eyeing Mehwish when her son’s cake was being cut a bit over the top. Faisal seems to take it all in his stride but people’s reactions are beginning to get under Mehwish’s skin and tongues wagging at the college do not help ebb out Zara’s anger either.

I am a bit surprised at Faisal’s reaction to Mehwish not being able to conceive. Not to say they should have taken me along as mediator when they spoke about marriage but did he really think through what marrying an older woman entailed? And Mehwish’s reaction when they talked about children gave me the impression that that was something she had never thought of, so maybe it would have made sense if they had talked things through. However, given how the whole nikkah scenario played out anyway, I guess they would not have had their senses about them to have spoken about this. Faisal seems withdrawn and quiet and Mehwish senses something is up but Faisal will not confide in her. When he says to himself that he should accept that not everyone gets everything they want in life, it made me think that maybe this is where he might move on.

Okay, it is understandable that Faisal wants to make Zara feel a part of the ‘family’ but he is going out of his way and that is not sitting well with Mehwish. I have to keep reminding myself that Zara is seething beneath all the outwardly sweetness for she seems genuinely concerned when Mehwish is unwell. What is going on with Mehwish, I wonder? A far fetched thought – is Zara mixing something in her mother’s food to make her react like that? Would she go that far? Or is Mehwish having anxiety attacks? Or is the beginning of some bigger illness?

Now the way Faisal is behaving with Zara, Zara’s ‘game’ and Mehwish’s suspicions and then her way of dealing with the situation – that is what bewilders me. I can not begin to understand how Mehwish was able to say to Faisal that she wants him out till Zara gets married. She basically just made it clear that she can not take the two being close together and I expected anger, outrage, shock at the suggestion but not this – how will I stay alone in the apartment, and Faisal bhai meri kissi say bhi shaadi karwa dain. I have said it before as well – Mehwish or Maria Wasti – something is off. Her expressions, her words when she tells Faisal that she will help him ‘settle’ into his new apartment were as if she were a parent comforting a child going off to university in another country. No, don’t shoot me – I have not joined the zamanay walay and being judgemental about the age difference and all – it is just the manner in which she talks to him.

I hope I am not meant to regret my words but I am pleasantly surprised at how ‘toned’ down Saboor Ali’s acting is. Yes, the screams in the initial episodes were hard to sit through but I can not complain over her acting in this episode for she is generally overly dramatic. I am not sure where the story leads from here with Faisal having been thrown out and his ‘love’ being tested. As far as relationships go, I do not think this was the best step forward for Mehwish but let’s see how that all fares out. Problems arising from society accepting this relationship was something anticipated but the jealousy and uncertainty Mehwish feels and Faisal’s state of confusion add more to the mix. This drama pace was something that had me hooked – I hope it continues to keep our interest alive.

What did you all make of Mehwish’s new strategy and today’s episode? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Kunwal Javid

So I umm-ed and aah-ed and almost sat down to write the review then changed my mind – and then came back to my laptop and here I am. Most of the dramas I have reviewed till date have been fairly seedhay saadhay and for those of you who have been following Tere Chah Mein you may understand where I am coming from when I say that though this drama has ‘strange’ (strange being a mild and safe word) events unfolding one after the other – it has captured my interest. Whether the story is controversial, religiously,morally or ethically wrong or right is something I do not wish to get into. The way the story is told and the sequence of events and how each character is etched out and the way their minds work is what has interested me in the first place. The unpredictable twists and fast pace of the drama also contribute to Tere Chah Mein being a show I find myself tuning into each week.

Produced by Big Bang Entertainment, directed by Aabis Raza and written by Samina Ejaz, Teri Chah Mein airs on ARY Digital every Wednesday at 8pm. Teri Chah Mein is the story of two brothers and their families. The older brother played by Salman Shahid is married to a younger woman Mehwish (Maria Wasti) and the couple have two children Zara (Saboor Ali) and Kashif ( Asim Azhar). The younger brother Chacha is played by Shakeel and he is married to Chachi Ami (Shaheen Khan) and they have two sons, Faisal (Farhan Saeed) and Tahir (Fahad Sheikh). Although Mehwish does not seem to be an overly doting wife, yet we are given the impression that she is content with her lot in life and has a fairly good relationship with her husband. She is a lecturer at a university and spends her days juggling work, her children and home. The two brothers and their families share cordial relations and we learn that Zara is engaged to Faisal. As the bachpan ki mangnis go as portrayed in our dramas, Zara is in love with Faisal who in turn is friendly with her but is uneasy about the growing talks of finalizing a date for their marriage. He finds ways to speak to Mehwish and finally gets the chance to tell her that he can not marry Zara – for he has feelings for Mehwish instead.

Mehwish’s husband overhears this outburst and suffers a fatal heart attack. Faisal tries to speak to Mehwish at numerous occasions but she seemingly wants to have nothing to do with him. He finally corners her and I am not sure how this seemed to work like a magic wand but he clears himself by saying that he said to her that he wishes to marry someone ‘like’ her and not her but now with her husband out of the picture – he would like to marry her. Mehwish seems to fall into a state of trance and during that trance goes ahead with the nikkah to Faisal. She feels torn between guilt and wonder and regret and horror – or does she? I am not sure what she feels really once the nikkah has taken place except that she stresses nobody must know of their relationship just yet.

Faisal’s father soon comes across the nikkah nama and takes Faisal to task and when the whole story is being revealed, Kashif overhears the entire conversation. Kashif has shown to be a very emotional being from the beginning of the drama – overly emotional and true to form, rushes home and confronts his mother and while threatening to kill her, turns the gun on himself and shoots himself. So few episodes down and Mehwish loses her husband and then her son. Zara collapses and stays at her Chacha’s house till she beings to recover. She returns to her parents’ home and is initially cold but she seems to transform saying she has accepted things as they are and wishes to move on and is nice to Faisal and Mehwish. A peek into her thoughts enlightens us – she plans to ‘care’ for Faisal so as to make her mother jealous. And that is her plan of revenge so far. Well!

You know, when I sat tapping away at the laptop furiously, my husband out of curiosity asked me – a new drama review? And when I told him the storyline his response was – Are you serious?! The story narrated sounds outrageous and the story on screen is not any less outrageous. What Mehwish faces is constant backlash from everyone – family, work, society. Interestingly with the exception of his parents, nobody seems to have taken Faisal to task or treated him to any jibes and taunts. I saw a poster of this drama asking whether love is ‘qaid’ by age and I am not sure what message this drama is trying to give if any.

There are so many arguments being presented by the main characters and then the side ones and then the general public in this drama and that come up in our minds that it is difficult to channel down each thought and viewpoint but here goes:

Mehwish was married to an older man against her wishes. She was emotionally blackmailed and pushed into a marriage which she saw through without demanding much else in life for herself. So, when given the chance to remarry and have her chance at love – is she wrong to go ahead with it? That would be Faisal and Mehwish’s argument.

Mehwish married a younger man and that too the man who was engaged to her very own daughter. Ouch! Tasteless, shameless, selfish etc . Mehwish is a mother – how could she put her own happiness before her daughter’s? – Chacha,Chachi, Zara and the general public’s argument.

Live and let live – Faisal and Mehwish.

Not when you trod over other relations in the process. Duniya kia kahay gee? – The Others.

Well!

Even though society frowns upon it, but marriage to a younger man is not as alarming as it is made to appear it is. There have been many instances, when a woman is widowed she is often married off to her dead husband’s brother. I have to admit this twist of marrying the dead husband’s brother’s SON threw me but out of curiosity I wonder what really the age difference is between Mehwish and Faisal for we are given the impression she is married to a much older man at a very young age. I am trying very hard not to be judgemental and pass any personal sentences here, LOL – but I can not refrain from saying that while Mehwish is justified in remarrying, choosing to marry the very man who was engaged to her daughter and related to her made me a bit queasy. As for Mehwish, I am not sure how I feel about her character and I mean this aside from her choice to marry Faisal. She comes across as a confident mature woman in the beginning, so then the way she went ahead with the nikkah was a bit unconvincing. Also, her attitude with Zara is confusing. Surely, to make your daughter accept her ex fiancé as her step father she needs more than yelling at to behave and be slapped? The conversation Mehwish had with Zara in the car where she explained her feelings did not seem to have any impact either. Maria Wasti is a great actress but I am unable to actually put my finger on whether it is Mehwish’s character that lacks a certain depth or Maria’s acting that makes it seem that she is a woman who is not as passionate about her relationships or as affected by what has happened so far. She has happily accepted Zara’s change in stance – so far. Farhan Saeed in Udaari and now in Teri Chah Mein has made me sit up and take notice for I find he has acted remarkably well in both serials.

Once I started watching this drama and then also looked up the name of the writer, producer etc I was a bit taken aback to find it had more strikes against it than I had imagined. In my book at least.

(a) Big Bang production. That name makes most of us uneasy and understandably so.

(b) Sameena Ejaz. The name sounded familiar and upon some research I found she has given us dramas such as Adhoori Aurat, Zinda Dargour, Doosri Aurat – need I go on?

(c) Big Bang & Sameena Ejaz – the most recent product of this duo was Be Qasoor. Ahem.

(d) Saboor Ali. After Bhai I had thought never again, no more screeching, hair strewn, tiny framed Saboor Ali being pushed around on screen for me. Yet here I am. Although there was plenty of screaming in the earlier episodes, I hope this is the end of it and a vengeful Saboor Ali has more to offer.

(e) Shaheen Khan. The helpless, perpetual woebegone expression plastered on her face actress has been on my screen far too many times.

Yet! In spite of all this, I just finished watching the latest episode last night. On the flip side, given the pace of the drama so far I am curious to see what further twists unfold. When Kashif died I had thought the rest of the drama would focus on how Mehwish faces this and her relationship with Faisal. But with Zara’s plan of action and next week’s promo showing Mehwish has caught on to Zara’s plan and is having her own tantrums, I can only hope that this play remains what it is to me right now – entertaining and interesting and does not begin to drag. I would like to mention that the director’s latest work Tum Yaad Aye was a treat to watch and this drama seems alright so far except please – can we do away with the ghostlike images hiding behind curtains or behind doors and eavesdropping on conversations which lead to drastic and even fatal turn of events! I personally like the OST too but then I do like most of Farhan Saeed’s songs!

How many of you have been following this drama and would you be interested in weekly/ fortnightly reviews? What do you make of it so far – would love to hear your thoughts.

Kunwal Javid

So it continues. This episode again focused on Mehwish’s insecurities and jealousy, the desperate hunt for a husband for Zara, Faisal’s long reflective ponderings – until the last ten minutes of the episode which then seemed to pave the way for new happenings. Mehwish is keen to have Zara married and while she claims it is because she thinks it is best for Zara to be married, I had my doubts about Mehwish’s ulterior motive and Faisal seemed to echo my thoughts. I do not understand how Zara being wedded off quickly is good for her in any way when she is clearly still in college and surely can wait a few years. From society’s point of view too, with Mehwish and Faisal’s marriage still so new maybe waiting a while would make sense too in the hope of having people forget the whole ‘scandal’. Then one can not forget all the ‘Zara should be an independent, educated, confident woman’ speeches then seriously why this desperate rush? Only thought that comes to mind, which Mehwish has clearly actually stated and now Faisal says is that with Zara wedded and gone, Faisal can move back in. I mean, seriously? I may not want to judge Mehwish for marrying a younger man, daughter’s ex fiancé and all that but this is rather hard to stomach. She insists she knows what is best for Zara but I was surprised that she did not even feign outrage over Faisal’s comment.

Anyways, with Faisal thrown out and living right opposite the ever caring Amber and her mother, he is beginning to grow close to them. Does this guy have no friends? Hobbies? With Mehwish being shown in an ever increasing negative light, Faisal seems to be even more angelic. He is genuinely concerned about Zara, genuinely concerned about his neighbours, genuinely in love and upset over his wife’s attitude. Uggh! Itna genuine keh bechara after rendering his services to others all day he has to resort to a candle lit (well, unlit) dinner of – bread and milk. It is quite obvious where the writer is going with Mehwish and Faisal’s track but somehow I am not feeling ‘poor’ Faisal. Oh well.

If there was any confusion over shades of white and black or grey in Mehwish’s character – it has been pretty much wiped out. Mehwish is insecure, jealous, petty and then some! Her character is shown to be a woman who has now stopped being a mother, a friend, a neighbour, a compassionate human being and all she is now is a possessive, jealous, suspicious wife. Period. Her demanding Faisal leave work and come to the apartment then not answering his calls, all this pouting and flouncing is so unbecoming! I wish her character was not shown to be so negative for I would have liked to see this drama tackle this track of their marriage while they remained the ‘normal’ish people they originally were rather than painting Mehwish openly as the evil one, giving Faisal a free ticket to stray which it seems he eventually will.

Saggi maa itnay maan se sawaal nahin daalti jitna Elfy Aunty does! But the end of this episode saw her passing away, leaving Amber all alone in the world. It seems so predictable where this is going but let’s see. Another new character was also introduced – the new neighbour that pays Zara a visit. Wonder what his role will be – surely not a prospect for Zara?

Is it just me or did anyone else feel that they were turning their heads at odd angles during some scenes? Such as when Faisal goes to the apartment and the elevator scenes. I admire experimenting with direction but a bit longer and I would have a crick in my neck! I am pleasantly surprised to see Saboor Ali’s toned down acting and hope I have not spoken too soon. Maria Wasti as Mehwish has finally come through for me as has Farhan Saeed as Mother (Teresa) Faisal. I started reviewing this drama because I liked the fast pace, the storyline was different and above all how the characters had not been judged and had their fates sealed as they seem to have done now. But the past few episodes have only highlighted Mehwish’s insecurity and Faisal’s mazloomiat so we get it, can we move on now? With Amber’s mother’s death, it seems that the story will move along – I sure hope so! What did you all make of this episode – would love to hear your thoughts!

Kunwal Javid

Ohkay so, this episode of Tere Mere Beech was going good for me & there came the scene consisting the crying face of the ultimate crier Zahida right by the end of the episode & ruined it for me because it was not only unnecessary but it was slow & stretched too. I just don’t understand why every single episode remains incomplete without Zahida & Co’s. crocodile tears???

Anyhow, it was good to see Shehla taking charge of Hareem’s life & trying her level best in making her financially stable & independent. Shehla contacted her family friend Hammad & informed him about Hareem. Hammad & his daughter Tania welcomed Hareem wholeheartedly & not only that, they were quite courteous towards her too because they wanted to help her knowing that she isn’t educated enough. The way Tania spoke to Hareem & told her to explore what she is good at was nice to see as well.

So, Tania is going out with Fahad & seems like this time around Fahad got really lucky because Tania is far more well-settled than Hareem was. Also the car Fahad owned went to show that he must’ve gotten it as a gift from Tania or he might be using someone else’s car in order to impress her. I really thought when Fahad will come across Hareem, he will bat an eyelid but he seemed least bothered about her because looks like he never truly loved & respected her. For Fahad, Hareem was just like an acquaintance & his reaction proved it as well. Also, he is such a heartless person because how could he extend a cold shoulder to a girl who is still married to him?

I actually thought that Hareem will go into a deep depression when she will see Fahad with Tania but she took me by surprise when she not only confronted him but threatened him too. Also, what I liked the most was that she didn’t keep anything from Shehla & informed her about everything that happened that day. I think this is the first step that Hareem has taken towards improving her condition where she has stopped keeping things in her heart & she has stopped harming herself emotionally. Shehla has helped her a great deal in that aspect that is why Hareem has started confiding in her.

The preview of the next episode suggested that Hareem will spend time with Fahad whereas in my opinion, it would be a dream sequence because the way Fahad treated Hareem definitely shows that he is done with her for good, so celebrating her birthday is out of question. I really think the last scene of this episode was unnecessary because I most certainly don’t understand Zahida’s flip & switch mode where one day she is trying act as a cute cupid who is rooting for Asad & Sadia’s marriage & on the other, she is crying out loud as if she is going to choke. I really think this terrible trio has gotten way more coverage than they deserve & once again, the topic of conversation between Nadia & Ali were Hareem & Fahad, like seriously, these guys are in dire need of a life. Also, considering this was the 20th episode, I truly feel this should’ve been the last episode & without wasting so many episodes, they should’ve introduced Shehla’s character probably in the 14th-15th episode so that they could’ve wrapped it up by now. Anyways, I hope this drama ends next week as they’ve shown us all & the last thing left to be shown is Fahad getting jailed for all the crimes he has committed. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Tere Mere Beech & let us know if you also feel that this drama should end now!

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.