From this episode onwards I would be reviewing Shukk for you. I hope you would like my reviews. If not to g jo karna hai kar lena,mein naheen jaan chornay wala! Also, beware that I have been quite inconsistent with my earlier reviews of the two dramas that I was reviewing. But I intend to do this one till the end warna sub ko galliyan parain gee including me. Why did I decide to review this drama (I know nobody has asked me, phir bhee bataunga bhayiyon aur behno because I am the reviewer here! ), I found this drama very real and not over the top like other dramas on air right now so couldn’t resist reviewing it for you people.

Coming to today’s episode, it started with Maham urging Atif to find out where Sehrish is busy these days. Sorry if anyone’s offended but each time Mr. Atif appeared on screen I felt like you could fry an egg over his large bald head (ahem,what about my own hairfall,never mind!). Somewhere Maham’s voice sounded like someone else’s to me, maybe Ainee Jaffri but I could be wrong. Off course to err is human and going by this definition I am super human.

We also got to know in this episode that Sania and Ehtisham were once engaged but then this engagement was called off. The reason for engagement being called off wasn’t revealed. We just got to know that Ehtisham always liked Sehrish and got engaged to Sania on his mother’s pressure. In future, this would prove to be a reason for ‘Shukk’ or doubt by Sehrish on her loving husband Ehtisham and on Sania by his husband thanks to his mother.

The difference between the two mother-in-laws was brilliantly depicted. Sehrish’s mother-in-law is sweet and understanding. She doesn’t blame Sehrish for not bearing her grand children and attributes it to Allah’s will while Sania’s invalid mother-in-law not only curses and abuses her but talks negative about her to her son who’s working abroad. She also tries to create rift between Sania and her son Rumi.

Rumi has got a liking for Sehrish maybe because of the tense environment of his house. He threw his ball constantly inside Sehrish’s house which landed each time at Sehrish’s mother-in-law’s feet who wondered whether the ball had springs as each time she threw it out it landed back. This scene was especially very cute and nicely done as Sehrish got that it was Rumi who’s behind the ball trick and brought him inside. They had such a good time that they didn’t realize that Rumi hadn’t informed his mother or grandmother about coming to their house. When they took him back, Sania was quite rude to them and her mother-in-law also shouted from inside on which Sehrish went to her and khoob lattay liye us ke (sorry couldn’t find a befitting English word for it so thought thoree see English kee tang toroon jaisay aj ke dramas mein actors Urdu kee tang tor rahay hain!)

Because of Sehrish’s outburst, Sania’s mother-in-law ended up in the hospital leaving Sehrish quite guilty. It was another cute scene where Sehrish and Ehtisham were going to the hospital in their car and Sehrish was praying loud to Allah Mian to save Sania’s mother-in-law. However, once in the hospital Sania was quite rude to Sehrish who was making all sorts of offers of help to her. Later, Ehtisham confronted Sania about her rudeness to his wife on the road. Sehrish saw them from her window, seeds of doubt begin to take root. Hats off to Ehtisham’s mother who understood on her own why Ehtisham and Sania were having a conversation on the road even though she got to knew about it from Sehrish.

The episode ended with Sania indirectly taunting Sehrish about not knowing about children as she’s childless and Sehrish walking out of Sania’s home. It might herald a new beginning of friendship between the two and off course thicken the shadows of doubt already there.

Overall the acting of everyone was upto the mark. Ayesha was brilliant as she confronted Badar Khalil (Sania’s mother-in-law), when she was angry even while back home, the way she prayed for Badar Khalil in the car, the way her expressions changed in the last scene when she’s reminded me of being childless. Adeel was equally effective as the loving husband, Shamim Hilali as the good natured mother-in-law of Ayesha and Sanam Saeed as the subdued wife who is at the receiving end from her mother-in-law’s side. Badar Khalil was however, over the top and loud. I personally didn’t find her part convincing. The child who played Rumi was also cute.

I also lament the screen time devoted to the nosy couple Atif and Maham. I understand they are there for a purpose but need they be present in so many scenes. They aren’t exactly eye candy you now plus their irritating tactics. The one-location where Ali, Sania’s husband talks on cell to his family also stuck out like a sore thumb (off course they didn’t want to shoot abroad but why just this strange looking room as one location, it’s as if Ali had nothing else to do than to sit in his room all day, waila like me!).

Now that I have said all that I wanted to say this week, I hope that this review turns out to be every reviewer’s dream. Maximum comments, maximum and unlimited praise in simple words and words for which you need to open Oxford dictionary, no one disagreeing with me and people saying ‘where were you earlier’. O God I need to open my eyes now, I have rolled much far on the floor after having fallen from the bed. O no Masi, don’t broom me, I can bath, I assure you!

Haseeb

I am so glad that Shukk is finally over! Right till the last minute Saniya was still threatening Ehtesham that she was going to leave for Australia, so nothing new there. Sehrish acted like she needed some serious counseling! This episode was like many of the previous episodes except for the ending of course. Like I said, the purpose of the last few episodes solely was to convince the viewers that Shaam and Saniya were meant to be together and the ending proved me right. The play could have ended on this note weeks back too and had it ended at a proper time there would have been many viewers who would have been happy with the ending because many people were rooting for Saniya.

The child playing Roomi is extremely talented but I must say that there were a lot of times when Roomi was being “used” excessively to take the story forward in a very unconvincing manner. Where would Shaam and Saniya be without this little boy! I am dead sure that Saniya’s conversations with her mother were only included in this episode because people were complaining earlier that Saniya never discussed anything with her mother. It actually seemed odd to see her mother being so concerned about her because we have hardly seen her in all the previous episodes.

The moral of the drama was that if you suspect someone you love, your relationship with that person is ruined forever. It was a lesson that was spoon-fed to us repetitively until the viewers completely lost interest. There was a time when we really cared about what happened in these characters’ lives but later on when the characters took an about turn and lost all their personality almost all of Shukk’s fans lost interest in what was going to happen next and tuned in every week out of sheer curiosity.

In my opinion the story started going downhill when Shaam and Saniya got married. Their sudden marriage made absolutely no sense and everything that happened after that was equally illogical. I still think that two wrongs do not make a right and I think the only person who deserved to be punished was Ehtesham.

Team Shukk did a commendable job of giving everyone an unforgettable lesson in “How To Ruin A Perfectly Good Play In A Few Weeks!”. Shukk had the potential to be the top play of this year but now it will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Shukk had all the ingredients of a flawless play to begin with; a power packed screen play, flawless direction and top notch acting but it didn’t last. The acting and direction stayed superb right till the end and the production values were superb too but all of that is no good if the play doesn’t have a story to stand on;) I think this particular screen shot deserves to be framed!

I feel indebted to those readers who read the reviews right till the end even though some of them were not even following the play. So, how do you plan to celebrate Shukk’s ending? Do share your thoughts about this last episode.

Fatima Awan

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

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

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

I hope and pray that the play ends next week.

Fatima Awan

Saniya took an about turn yet again in tonight’s episode by deciding to leave Shaam for Sehrish because some of the words of wisdom from Shaam’s mom made her realize that she did destroy Shaam and Sehrish’s life after-all. Sehrish thought it would only be fair to find a house for Saniya since she was doing her such a big favor! I think tonight’s episode was meant to convince the viewers that Saniya is not such a bad person after all so that we should forget everything that has transpired in the past and happily accept Shaam’s decision to leave Sehrish. Not that too many people really care now who Shaam decides to stay with because most of the viewers feel nothing for any of the characters now. The conversations between Shaam and Sehrish yet again were nothing new. For some odd reason Sehrish could not care less about Shaam’s feelings and Saniya is no different either. Shaam is still confused and he feels like he can’t deal with the situation, so nothing new there too. Shaam’s mother’s presence in the house made little or no difference so all those episodes in which she was trying to patch things up between Shaam and Saniya were just filler episodes; in my opinion Saniya could have had this change of heart without Shaam’s mother saying anything to her too. The “who will sleep in which room” scene has been done to death by now , thank God the drama is ending next week.

The only scene that brought a smile to my face was the one in which everyone is having dinner in the bedroom and Roomi asks if Baba was going to be the next one who will give them all a reason to have dinner in the bedroom, other than that nothing interested me much. The new found understanding between Sehrish and Saniya is obviously going to be short-lived. Sehrish has nothing left to fight for but she continues to act like what Shaam wants does not matter.

We should all distribute mithai and celebrate when all these loonies finally make up their mind. This second last episode was full of useless conversations that did not add anything new to the story. I would have loved to feel for Saniya if all this happened a long time back. At this point, I just want this play to end! The acting by all the actors has been top notch throughout the play but what good is brilliant acting when the story and the characters lose their charm completely.

Fatima Awan

First of all the dialogues that deserve the most absurd dialogues of the century award

Shaam’s mother: mein tumhein kuch batana chahti hun lekin wada karo ke tum naraz nahi ho gay

Shaam: Yehi ke Sehrish pregnant nahi hai

Shaam’s mother: Tumhei kese pata chala!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Errrrr it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out, right guys?? Just when you think that it can’t get any worse, it does!! All of us thought that the characters and the story could not get any more twisted and the happenings more ridiculous and illogical but I would call that wishful thinking now. Shaam and Sehrish playing pretend in the opening scene was beyond absurd. Both of them knew there was no baby so they could at least be honest with each other when they were away from the house…away from militant mommy! One second Shaam’s mother was huffing and puffing and the next moment she was having guilt pangs! In one scene she was threatening Sania and in the other one she was feeling for her. Shaam’s mothers attempts to keep him in Sehrish’s room were the tactics an eleven year old would use but not something you would expect from an old lady. Nothing about Shaam’s mother’s character made sense. Same is true for Sehrish, if she does not want to fight for Shaam any more, she should just stop! There was a time when she was fighting for her husband because she felt she could not live without Shaam now that she clearly sees Shaam, Sania and Roomi as a family, she should just move on with life.

Shaam’s mother gave him a chance to divorce Sehrish but how lucky are we that he is still thinking things through! Sania and Shaam’s conversation in the study in which she apologizes was another pointless conversation in tonight’s episode. When I saw this particular scene I was reminded of the times when we had to write a long answer to a question in exams and I hardly had a paragraph of logical details in my mind, that was when you had to stretch all those details to fill pages even if what you said made no sense. Our writer my dear friends is following the same formula here! Samira Fazal knows only too well that there is nothing left in the story. The only way to stretch the drama is to fill it with conversations that go around in circles and have absolutely nothing new to add to the story.

My husband asked a very valid question at the end of this episode; he wanted to know how I was going to review this one because nothing happened!! Well, ranting always comes in handy in such a situation and that is exactly what this episode deserved. I will say once again that I am beyond disappointed. Team Shukk and ARY you maybe getting the TRPs you dreamed of but you have turned the love people used to feel for this play into detest…way to go!!

Fatima Awan

How many of you have watched the movie “Back To The Future”? Anyone remember how Marty McFly used to react when someone called him “chicken”? Well, Shaam is no different when someone does not trust him he makes sure he goes out of his way to change that person’s shukk into yakeen. I wish he believed in putting the same amount of effort into convincing the other person of his innocence. Shaam’s unreasonable behavior reminded me of Marty, who unlike our hero had a time machine which showed him the future so he found out beforehand where this habit of his could land him! Shaam has no time machine to do that for him so he will continue following his “instinct” which is not always right. Shaam has gone from divorcing Sehrish to pleasing her. I have no idea why an intelligent girl like Sehrish is going along with her mother in law’s ridiculous plans.

The pregnancy news was a lie (thank God!) so when Shaam “officially” finds out that everything was staged, he will probably go back to Saniya! I didn’t think that it was possible to make a bigger mess out of the story but I have been proved wrong. Tonight’s episode was very pleasing visually but other than that even the funny sitcom effect is quickly wearing off. Hurray!! So Saniya’s mother knew about the nikkah all along. Now if Samira Fazal is listening, it would be nice if we get to see how Ali feels about these latest developments because there can be no way in the world that he does not know about everything that has transpired. Ali was a nightmare husband and a terrible father but the fact that he left Roomi with Saniya when he had the choice of keeping him went to show that he cares about his boy. So, he must have called at least to stay in touch with Roomi.

Marriage is a sacred bond between two sensible individuals which is taken very seriously in our set up but this play has turned marriage into a gudday guddi ka khel for sure! I find Shaam’s mother’s attitude highly unreasonable but at least we know now who Shaam takes after! Not thinking before you take huge steps that can have serious repercussions runs in the family.

Shaam should understand now why Sehrish turned into a very unreasonable person when she found out about Saniya and Shaam’s past because even a woman like Saniya has completely changed now that she has to share her husband with his first wife (not someone else). Saniya’s conversation with her mother was very interesting; her mother seemed very sure that Saniya never really got over Shaam and that was the reason why she did not think much before marrying him. I am not even going to go into the details of the about turns that all the characters have taken this time around because it would be like saying the obvious. It almost felt like the writer wants the viewers to feel for Shaam at this point but I am finding it very difficult to feel for him at all. He knows that Sehrish is not expecting (for obvious reasons) but he is playing along only because he wants Saniya to realize that she was wrong. Hasn’t he done all this before too? He has already forgotten all the lessons her learnt from his previous mistakes? Shaam needs to stop blaming his first and now second wife for all the wrong decisions that he has taken in the past and those which he is taking right now. All he needs to do is to make up his mind and take action – is it really all that difficult? All the other characters in the play need to grow up!!!

Tonight’s episode was not the least bit entertaining. It was a visual treat but nothing made sense. What else can one expect from an episode which starts with a dialogue like “ap aj kahan soyen gay”…everything that happened in the entire episode revolved around this dialogue!!

Don’t forget to share your thoughts about this latest installment.

Fatima Awan

Round 2 of Who Will Win Shaam was not the least bit engaging. This was a filler episode which did not add much to the story. Shaam continued to “care” for Sehrish although he has decided to divorce her. The logic that he wanted to end this relationship on a good note sounded very twisted to me because when you divorce someone who loves you, you can’t possibly expect that person to have fond memories of you. Saniya continuously doubted Shaam’s intentions but that was of no consequence because he has made a decision and he will stick to it. I understand that the drama is titled Shukk but I must say that the word Shukk has been overused in the play! The story has come to a standstill now. If Shaam and Saniya are living in Sehrish’s house then they should move out without even thinking twice because I am sure many viewers like me are not interested in watching these two women making 2 cups of tea and arguing over who will have dinner with Shaam!

News flash…Sania samajhdari dikhatey dikhatey tang aa gaye hai!! But Shaam still has a very high opinion of her although she is not the person she once was. If Sehrish was being selfish and unreasonable at one time then Saniya is doing the same now. Her insecurities are getting the best of her. The dialogue “tumhari hur cheez ka khayal amanat samaj ke kiya hai, meinay tumahara kuch nahi churaya” was rather ironic! Saniya is slowly turning into Sehrish…does Ehtesham know what he is getting himself into? At least Sehrish was original, Saniya is turning out to be a cheap copy of his first wife who he does not even like anymore!

Everything that Roomi has gone through in the past few months has changed how he feels about his mother. There was a time when he used to run to Saniya for comfort and support but now he does not have that kind of faith in his mother. Saniya can blame Sehrish all she wants but the fact is that her relationship with Roomi has not been her top priority in the past few months.

After watching the previous episode I was quite convinced that Shaam still loved Sehrish but my opinion has completely changed after watching tonight’s episode – that is Shukk for you!! I really felt like Shaam had moved on and there was no place for Sehrish in his life. Sehrish’s attempts to win him over totally put me off, I really would like her to move on with life because there is no point of running after someone who does not love you anymore. That is especially true for someone like Shaam who didn’t take very long to fall out of love with Sehrish. He still feels there is nothing wrong with “flirting” with Sehrish to make her feel better!

I must say that the play has been elevated to excellence because of the extraordinary performances by all the actors and the superior quality of direction but the obsession with stretching stories unnecessarily in order to make the most of the viewership of a certain play leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I wish our producers in particular would understand that. Tonight’s episode was strictly okay. I really want to know where is Ehtesham’s mother and what happened to Ali!!! The preview of the next episode did not give away much and this particular episode did not give me much to look forward to!

Don’t forget to share your thoughts about this episode.

Fatima Awan

Tonight’s episode of Shukk had it all; a very surprising twist (Sehrish decided to stay), a heartfelt confession (Ehtesham confessed that he only got close to Saniya because Sehrish’s absence left a huge void in his life), an unexpected demand (Saniya asks Ehtesham to divorce Sehrish), a much awaited confrontation (between Sehrish and Saniya of course) and I must say some situations that actually made me laugh. There were times in tonight’s episode when I thought I was watching an episode of one of those sitcoms which excel in making fun of second marriages, which I most often do not find funny! But since this is a (very) serious play I wasn’t expecting to feel this way.

I have to say that I am beyond impressed with everyone’s acting in this play. Adeel Hussein outdid himself in the scene in which he shares with Sehrish what she meant to  him and how lonely he was when she left. All these years Sehrish had been a very important part of Ehtesham’s life, when she left he did not know how to move on with life and that is when he starting relying on Saniya for emotional support. Am I the only one who felt that Ehtesham still has feelings for Sehrish? Sehrish and Ehtesham have a very long history together and I always felt that it was impossible to fall out of love that easily (call it my wishful thinking). Saniya maybe a great person and a perfect wife but I felt that she was more of a good support for Ehtesham when he was very vulnerable emotionally than the love of his life. The moment that Ehtesham and Sehrish shared when he got the appointment letter was much more meaningful than anything that Ehtesham and Saniya have shared till now. In my opinion Ehtesham feels nothing but hamdardi for Saniya and he still loves Sehrish.

Saniya has taken an about turn, she is no longer willing to leave “her” house and “her” husband and asks Ehtesham to divorce Sehrish. Ehtesham may say that he will do just that but something tells me that it is not going to be that easy. I am actually glad that Saniya decided to put her foot down because the bechari facade did not suit her at all. She obviously got married to Ehtehsam because she loved him, therefore pretending that she would leave him so that he could be with Sehrish was very unbelievable.

Normally such a situation in a drama (when two women are fighting over a man like it is matter of life and death) would make me change channels but team Shukk deserves credit for presenting the most unimaginable situations in such a way that you can’t help but look forward to it every week. All through this episode I was wondering, “Oh My God, what now”!!

This was yet another brilliantly directed episode of Shukk. The performances were superb as usual but the best performance of this episode had to be by Adeel Hussein. His confession was so honest and heartfelt that for a moment I forgot everything that Ehtesham had done till now.

So, who do you think is going to “win” our heartthrob Ehtesham?? Will it be

a. Saniya or

b. Sehrish??

Yes, the story has actually come to that point where you have to ask such questions;). Honestly speaking, I think he is not worth fighting over!! In my opinion, the closeness that Saniya and Ehtesham shared could have been shown without all the physical contact. Same is true for Sehrish’s attempts to get closer to her husband.

Feel free to share your thoughts.

Fatima Awan

This was yet another episode of Shukk which was filled with situations which you see only in funny sitcoms and not in serious dramas. The way Ehtesham’s mother and Sehrish “framed” him was quite unbelievable, ridiculous but funny at the same time! It was actually good to see Ehtesham being put in such a situation because a man like him deserves just that. But at the same time when I paused to think about what Ehtesham’s mother and Sehrish were up to I actually felt for them; how could such intelligent and educated women come up with such an outrageous plan? Desperate times call for desperate measure suna tha, ab dekh bhi liya! Samira Fazal must have felt a desperate need for a twist, otherwise she wouldn’t have added this latest development to the story. If Sehrish really is expecting than that would be even more absurd! Ehtesham’s mother’s crazy plans reminded me of the Fairy God mother in the animation Shrek;)

I am quite okay with watching the Bulbulay family resorting to senseless and illogical measures to achieve their ends but the same logic does not apply to a drama serial which made a lot of sense once! All the characters seem to have undergone a huge transformation, more like a complete personality change which just cannot be explained. Ehtesham, who was once very level-headed has turned into a very unreasonable person. Sehrish has turned from dominant to doormat. Saniya was once dignified but now she has no self-respect. Roomi couldn’t stay away from his mother before but now he looks for excuses to be with other people. Not only this, one can’t help but notice how different they look; it seems like Shaam has been spending a lot of time in the gym lately probably because he can’t find peace at home, Sehrish has been stress eating;) and Saniya spends most of her time in front of the mirror while Sehrish and her mother in law babysit Roomi.

I still cannot understand what is keeping Ehtesham from divorcing Sehrish. The only plausible explanation for this delay could be that if he does that then the play will come to an end! The play must not end before 25 episodes (or maybe more) have gone on air because the rationality and quality of the script is not half as important as the TRPs. Yes, the viewers will continue watching this play till the last episode because they would want to know how it ends but it was the responsibility of the producer and the writer in particular to ensure that the play ended on a good note. The way the story is moving forward, it seems highly unlikely that Shukk will have a decent ending.

I must quote here some of the funniest and childish dialogues from tonight’s episode:

Saniya: Aap ki ami Sehrish ke liye tohfay bhar ke suitcase layen hein.
Ehtesham: Mein tumhare liye tohfay laun ga.

Ehtesham: Seeriyan nahi chur sukti, tu kya yeh no mahenay inhin sofun pe tangi rahe gi
Ehtesham’s mother: Nahi tum isay godh mein utha ke le kr jao gay!!! Ab isay utha ke le kr jao gay ya bulaun Mushtaq ko!

Are you serious???

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

So, another week goes by & no conclusions so far. No doubt the story is progressing but we are still kept in the dark about the ending of the drama & because of this nothing can be anticipated as to who will eventually win Ehtashaam over. I loved the performances today by all the actors but Roomi had me completely. What a brilliant little actor he is.

Sehrish; just how she promised is now leaving no stone unturned to part Ehtashaam & Saniya. Be it for a few hours, she thinks she can convert this little time-span into life-long togetherness. In the beginning of the episode, I wasn’t much into what Sehrish was up to because she has started to look like an unwanted person. Even though she has gotten to know about Ehtashaam’s decision clearly, she is still sticking with the hope of staying with him & making her broken marriage work. The whole ghar-mai-koi-ghus-gaya scene was to show how tactfully Sehrish earned some attention from her husband. When Ehtashaam decided to be in her room so that she can sleep peacefully, I thought not again! How long would it take to send an SMS to Saniya about the situation because she had just called him a couple of minutes ago? At that moment I thought Ehtashaam is one of those who thinks those who love him will trust him no matter what. We saw it happening before & even now he thought Saniya would understand why he was with Sehrish.

Saniya didn’t want to know why Ehtashaam chose to stay in Sehrish’s room but still she questioned him to make her point clear. I think this time around it was quite evident that Ehtashaam had made up his mind & decided to bring everyone out of misery by speaking adamantly to Sehrish about the divorce. Sehrish put the blame on him once again & wanted to know why he never stopped her from going, which I think was nothing but irrational of Sehrish to say so. Ehtashaam did the same by saying she initiated the divorce herself & he respected her decision, which again made me think now Ehtashaam was being irrational because if he knew Sehrish wanted a divorce, so why not send her the papers before signing the new ones while she was away?

Just when we thought the story was becoming stagnant, they had a special card to reveal & yes, it was Ehtashaam’s mother. I thought the poor guy was torn between the 2 ladies already so now one more will be doing the honours. It goes without saying that Ehtashaam’s mother loves Sehrish more than anything & she would side with her obviously. But I loved the conversation between Ehtashaam & his mom because he got the right person to share his inner-most feelings with but sadly for him, his mother thought the opposite & still supported Sehrish.

‘Kya izzat aur sharam aurton k liye hi hoti hai, mardon k liye nahi’, I must say before this conversation I wasn’t too sure of Ehtashaam’s moves but this dialogue went to show that he was also shattered because of what Sehrish put him up with. He wanted his mother to understand his perspective & also that everything affected him deeply as well. The second conversation that Ehtashaam had with his mother in the presence of Saniya went to show how much he wanted to ensure Saniya about his decision on this matter. Even though she had nothing to contribute in there but her presence was definitely necessary as Roomi was a part of the talk too.

I thought all the scenes of Roomi made the episode light-hearted again. Sehrish at that time felt like an outsider when she saw Saniya, Roomi, Ehtashaam & Roomi’s Daadi in one frame. I am not sure what’s happening but I feel Sehrish needs to accept the fact that she has lost Ehtashaam for good because her denial won’t benefit her at all.

The episode may not have given much in terms of story but the power-packed acting & brilliant direction was enough to enjoy the drama tonight. Shamim Hilali did a wonderful job & her re-entry as Ehtashaam’s mother (who sides with Sehrish) was definitely important as now it calls for a final decision from Ehtashaam. I am sure what we saw in the preview would be another antic pulled off by Sehrish to delay what Ehtashaam has promised her of, let’s see what happens next. Share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Keep supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

ps: I am once again covering for my friend Fatima Awan but please do keep a check in the comments section for her say. :)

Also to my dear readers, especially those who think that I side with Saniya & hence this is holding them back from sharing their opinions, I just want to tell that I have come to a point where I don’t feel anything for anyone. No detest towards Sehrish, no sympathy towards Saniya & also nothing for Ehtashaam, I am just enjoying the drama as it is & going with the flow. So, please you’re free to share whatever you feel like without the fear that the reviewer has an inclination towards a certain character. It’s all done & dusted! ;) 

I must appreciate the fact that Shukk is very unpredictable and the only play on air right now which keeps me at the edge of my seat. The actors never fail to impress you with their perfect portrayals but in my opinion the story could have moved forward in a more convincing and likeable manner. The latest developments in the story left me enraged and disappointed. I really liked Saniya’s character before because she was docile yet likeable; she always put her foot down whenever it was needed. But lately, I have been finding it very hard to like her. First she went ahead and got married to Ehtesham knowing that he was still married to Sehrish and now that Sehrish is back she is playing the savior. If she really wanted Ehtesham and Sehrish to get back together she should have gone to Australia. Did she get married to Ehtesham out of hamdardi too or was she hoping that Sehrish would never come back? Now that Sehrish is back Ehtesham and Saniya are finding it hard to disclose the news to her, something which I thought was very strange. Ehtesham should have “informed” his wife that he had a new wife when he married Saniya but since he did not do that, now was a good time to break the news to her. You just don’t go ahead and get married to someone like that; Ehtesham has lost my vote for good after tonight’s episode. If he loves Saniya so much then he should stand by her! And enough of Roomi ki kasme….the kid has done enough for his mom already!

I am very glad that Sehrish has realized her mistake, too bad Ehtesham did not wait for her for years the way most of the heroines in our dramas wait for their insensitive, insecure and insincere husbands. I am not saying that this is unreal in any way but what I am saying is that this is actually a little too real for my liking! How about showing for a change that it is not the responsibility of the women alone to go out of their way to save their marriages?? And if they don’t do so then their husbands are sure to move on.

Ehtesham and Sehrish may just get back together of course, how I wish that Sehrish would have begged Ehtesham for forgiveness rather than pleading before Saniya. Ehtesham is in love with Saniya now and he doesn’t feel anything for Sehrish except hamdardi maybe!! Sometimes I feel like our dramas are more of a reflection of the sad state of affairs in our society than I would like them to be. In most of our dramas women are punished to the limit if they fail to deliver in a marriage but men go scot free. Such ideas tend to click with the viewers more too because mostly people find it easier to forgive men rather than a woman. We forgave Asher and Adeel but we want to see Sehrish being punished! Ehtesham went behind Sehrish’s back and got married to Saniya, is that not wrong?

The fact that Sehrish and Ehtesham do not have kids and Roomi played a major role in bringing Saniya and Ehetsham together has been giving me sleepless nights! Is the writer in any way trying to imply that childless couples are more likely to grow distant? If Sehrish had a child who would constantly call Ehetsham to come save him like Roomi did maybe things would be very different today.

In my opinion tonight’s episode belonged to Ayesha Khan. I have not liked her this much in any other role in a long time. Sanam Saeed looked gorgeous in white and she performed brilliantly as usual. It is impossible to predict what is going to happen next. It is highly unlikely that Ehtehsam will divorce Saniya and Saniya will not let him leave Sehrish. What do you think is going to happen next? And please do feel free to share your thoughts even if you disagree with me because different opinions make the discussion more engaging.

Fatima Awan

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. ;)

Am I the only one who cannot help but praise the writer and director of this play over and over again primarily because they have left absolutely no loopholes in the story at all. It is probably the only play on air right now in which you can relate to everything that all of the characters are going through. When Sehrish decided to leave the house tonight, I couldn’t help but think that she was right in doing so. I always found it strange that Sehrish and Ehtesham were still living in the same house even after everything that had transpired. Whatever happened later on kept me at the edge of my seat. Every step of the way I found myself thinking “Oh! this is so not right!” but then the way things were taken forward was very convincing.

Ehtesham and Saniya had their first normal conversation after a long time tonight. Although the conversation ended abruptly and lasted for less than a minute but it was a huge development in the story. The way Saniya hung up on Ehtesham was the perfect way to end that conversation. Roomi depends on Ehtesham emotionally and otherwise too without being apprehensive because he can see that this man will do anything to make things right. He sees a father figure in Ehtesham because he has all the qualities which Roomi looked for in a father. If it wasn’t for Roomi, the story wouldn’t have moved forward in the direction in which it is going right now. Roomi kept on reaching out for “uncle” even though his mother kept on telling him not to do so. Even Roomi’s character and what he does is very relatable. Children usually have a very strong intuition; Roomi always saw his father belittling his mother and therefore he had no respect for him even though Saniya kept on telling him to listen to his father. Ehtesham on the other hand has always been there for his mother and him. He has never once insulted Saniya in front of Roomi or behind his back. This is the reason why he feels secure with Ehtesham.

Sehrish is officially out of Ehtesham’s life for now and Saniya is gradually getting closer to Ehtesham. Ehtesham still loves Sehrish, that is why he ran after her when she left the house. Even after everything that happened, he did not want Sehrish to leave. But right now he is not willing to go out of his way to bring Sehrish back because he knows only too well that bringing Sehrish back home is not going to solve the problem. The issues between them will only be resolved when Sehrish realizes that she was wrong all along. Sehrish, on the other hand is not willing to make the first move because she does not want to go back to Ehetsham on his terms and conditions. The fact that Saniya is living in their house now is not going to help the situation at all.

The child star playing Roomi has completely won me over; he is adorable and talented. Sanam Saeed has been superb as Saniya throughout. Adeel Hussein is one actor who never lets you down no matter what.

Thank you Team Shukk once again for a gripping episode with powerful portrayals, a storyline that keeps you looking forward to more and flawless direction. These 17 episodes have been action packed and thoroughly entertaining. The story gets more interesting with every passing episode and we can only guess what will happen next….now that is what I call wholesome entertainment!

Fatima Awan

There was a great deal of development in this episode, in fact there were times when I felt like this may just be the last episode. Roomi finally managed to convince his father that his place was with his mother, Saniya got her son back and an apology from a mother in law who never gave her credit for anything but Ali, in my opinion, still hasn’t paid for his mistakes. Yes, he is going to be very lonely now and he failed to win over his son but somehow that just doesn’t seem enough. Ehtesham and Sehrish still have to settle their differences or decide whether they want to live together or not. Sehrish’s visit to Saniya’s house did not help matters at all, she really needs to see things for what they are before she does further damage. Maham and her husband have yet to pay a price for the games they played; I definitely want a confrontation between Sehrish and Maham if nothing else. And hopefully such a confrontation would prove to be an eye opener for Sehrish. Saniya’s mother in law will have a lot of free time now to think about what she has done. I actually felt for her in tonight’s episode. Saniya also has to figure out what she will do with her life next.
Right now it seems highly unlikely that anything that Sehrish does or says will change the way Ehtesham feels. Sehrish needs to stop doubting her husband and stop believing in the stories Maham told her if she wants things between her and Ehtesham to get better.

I must commend the writer Samira Fazal for showing in a very apt manner how one wrong step taken in anger can ruin everything and how egos can destroy relationships. Ali had to swallow his pride and hand his son over to the woman who he looked down upon. He could not do much when his son ran away from him and into the arms of the man who he despised the most. Sehrish too has pushed Ehtesham to the point where he feels like he does not need to do anything to prove his sincerity. On the other hand, things are falling into place for Saniya, who has always had a very unconditional attitude towards all her relationships. Ehtesham and Sehrish maybe living under the same roof but Ehtesham makes it very clear at every step that Sehrish cannot question him in any way.

Tonight’s episode was fast paced, every scene was perfectly shot and all the actors were flawless like always. The last few scenes of Roomi and Ali together were the highlight of tonight’s episode. Ali knew exactly what he was about to lose and he also knew that it was too late to make up for lost time.

The preview of the next episode suggested that things are only going to get worse for Sehrish and Ehtesham. What do you think is going to happen next? Do share your views.

Fatima Awan

This latest episode of Shukk was slightly less happening than the previous few. I wasn’t expecting Ali to divorce Sania so soon but I also did not want Sania to go back to Ali, he does not deserve a woman like her. His inflated male ego did not allow him to give Sania another chance. Sania hardly reacted when Ali handed the divorce papers to her. At that time I thought she must be in shock and after a little while when she realizes what had happened then she will think about how her life with Ali had been, how everything they shared once was destroyed, did she have anything to lose in the first place? And a million other things that any woman would think about in such a situation. Ali is blinded at the moment so I do not expect him to think about all that just now. Unfortunately, all of Ali’s relationships are largely governed by his ego which gets hurt a little too easily. He expects to be loved unconditionally by others but does not know the first thing about giving love.

Sehrish’s mother’s interference did not change any thing. Ehtesham has made up his mind and nothing that anyone says or does is going to change how he feels. Following Sania and trying to help her however is only going to create more problems for her so I can only wonder how will he be able to make up for what Sehrish did.

Roomi was a very important part of this episode as well just like all the previous ones. He looks up to Ehtesham but despises his father. Ali hasn’t done much to make his son love him which is very unfortunate because mostly kids his age consider their fathers their heroes. The conversations between Sania and Roomi were very impressive and relatable as usual because of the outstanding performances by both Sanam Saeed and the child star playing Roomi…I cannot praise that kid enough, he leaves me speechless every time I see him on screen.

It was good to see Ijaz being supportive of Sania against his wife’s wishes. I like the way this particular track is being taken forward in a very convincing manner. I wonder if Sania’s mother will have a role to play in the future episodes because she will eventually find out what has happened.

Ehtesham’s encounter with Maham’s husband (yes the man does not have a personality or identity of his own;) was just what the doctor ordered. Ehtesham knows only too well who is responsible for ruining his relationship with his wife but sadly Sehrish has not been able to understand the games that Maham had been playing with her.

There wasn’t enough of Sehrish in this episode, I would have liked to see more of her. In the given situation it is very unlikely that Sehrish will have a change of heart; her husband told her that he feels nothing for her now and will do anything to help Sania. All the characters in the play are justified in feeling the way they do at the moment and all the actors are doing a splendid job.

Please share your views about this latest episode and also share with us what you think is going to happen next!

Fatima Awan

Sehrish’s regretful behavior in the opening scenes of tonight’s episode appeared to be very genuine but sadly Sehrish felt no remorse at all in reality. Her actions were meant to save her marriage but they proved to be fatal not just for her and Ehtesham but also for Sania. Sehrish has a lot in common with Ali; they are their own worst enemies. Sehrish’s lack of trust in Ehtesham has pushed his tolerance level to the point where he does not feel the need to reassure her of anything at all. Ali has always been shown as an insecure individual who feels like he needs to go out of his way to make his wife feel like a lesser human. He is bent on focusing on the negative, just like Sehrish. Ali wants to punish Sania at all costs even though it was quite apparent in tonight’s episode that he is finding it very hard to cope without her. Ali wants his son to love him but he is not willing to understand Roomi’s feelings. He thinks that he can make Roomi love him by using force which goes to show that this man knows nothing about winning people’s hearts, he is like a spoiled child or a dictator who wants only compliance.

I really liked the way in which Roomi’s feelings were projected in tonight’s episode, thumbs up yet again for the child actor who is playing this character. The director Yasir Nawaz also deserves due credit for putting in so much effort into making Roomi such an important part of the story. I would have found it impossible to believe if Sania or Roomi would have continued living without each other for more than a couple of days.

Ehtesham’s state of mind was portrayed beautifully in tonight’s episode. In fact you can’t help but feel every emotion that all the characters in the play are going through because the development in the story has been very convincing and the characters have been etched-out brilliantly.

Sehrish can make everything alright by paying a visit to Ali’s house so that she can convince him that there was nothing between Sania and Ehtesham but unfortunately she will not do so. Because in order to do so, she needs to be convinced herself that Ehtesham and Sania were nothing more than just colleagues. Maham has conveniently taken a back seat after playing havoc with Sehrish’s life. Sehrish is too blinded to see things for what they are. Ehtesham vowing to stand by Sania would only make her more suspicious.

The issues the woman of the house had with sharing servants and the noise Sania was making while arranging things mainly because she had to accommodate someone she did not want in her house were small details that made the situation relatable. Sania obviously won’t be able to stay in that house for long.

Overall, this was yet another engrossing episode of Shukk. What makes this serial an absolute delight to watch is that at the end of every episode you have a hard time deciding whose performance stood out more than others. Ayesha Khan is outstanding as insecure/gullible Sehrish, Sanam Saeed has breathed life into Sania’s character, you can’t help but connect with her character without putting in an ounce of effort, Adeel Hussein has played his part with perfection, well he always does and Jibran Syed plays the disgruntled husband who is very difficult to please superbly. The actors playing the side roles and of course the child playing Roomi leave you speechless every time.

Thank you team Shuk for providing us with wholesome entertainment and for giving me something wonderful to look forward to every weekend.

Fatima Awan

Here I am reviewing a play (out of my own free will) which I didn’t even think I would watch to begin with and that to me is the real success of team Shukk. I had my serious reservations about this play because lately plays written by Samira Fazal start off on a very good note but after a few episodes the story comes to a standstill and all that is left to enjoy are the characters that you fell in love with. Sanam Saeed and Adeel Hussain are two of my favorite actors so I started watching this show only because of them but very soon I found myself looking forward to more because Shukk has to be the most engaging play on air right now. The overall idea may not seem very appealing or novel but the way the story has progressed and the manner in which it has been presented on screen is outstanding. Shukk has a strong plot, a very engaging screen play and an excellent cast.

Sehrish ended up doing what Maham had “advised” her to do. She has come to the point where she is not willing to believe anything other than what she already believes. I must give credit to Samira Fazal for coming up with a very strong plot this time around. Sehrish and Ehtisham’s state of mind at the time when Maham told Sehrish about Sania was such that the misunderstanding between the two seemed more believable. They had a very strong bond but at that particular time they were very vulnerable emotionally, especially Sehrish.

Ehtesham’s statement “Agr tumhari in harkaton ki waja se us ka ghur kharab huva tu phir mein jo karun ga vo tum sari zindagi yaad rakho gi” did not help the present situation at all. His reaction however was justified because he has not done anything wrong and neither has Sania. Sehrish’s guilt pangs were successfully suppressed by Maham who for some odd reason is convinced that Ehtesham is emotionally involved with Sania. Maham’s character is very annoying but sadly she is one person many married women come across at least once in life! Most people can’t see other’s happy. If a married couple is picture perfect, people around them will try to find faults in their relationship in some way or the other. Unfortunately, two such people are very close to Ehtesham and Sehrish. Such people will do anything to make you miserable and just like Maham, they do it by triggering your weak point. In the past Maham continuously kept on reminding Sehrish that she will probably never have a child again as opposed to reminding her of all the great things in Sehrish and Ehtesham’s relationship. Maham is one of those people who keep on envying others rather than counting their own blessings. Jealousy is incurable and makes you do things that can ruin other people’s lives. Sadly, Sehrish has fallen prey to Maham’s negative mindset and keeps on turning to her for advice. Maham is what you call a toxic friend. Ayesha Khan is perfect as Sehrish but she really needs to pay attention to her hairstyles which are continuously changing not just in this play but in all of the plays she has starred in lately. When Sehrish is in the car and at Sania’s house, her hair is tied in a braid but when she gets back home they are nicely combed and loose.

Ali’s mother’s reaction to his decision was priceless! Badar Khalil is spot on as the controlling Mother In Law. She could not stand to see Sania working on her own terms and conditions and now she is lost without her! This woman has a love/hate relationship with Sania; she knows her worth and she also knows that she is a good wife but she won’t admit it to her son until she knew that she may lose her forever. I have always seen her as a very insecure woman.

The focus on Roomi all through the play has been commendable. Usually in plays like Shukk there isn’t much focus on children but in this play Roomi is as important as rest of the characters and the child star playing the character deserves a lot of appreciation.

This was yet another superbly directed episode of Shukk; There wasn’t a single scene that was out of place or irrelevant. In the beginning episodes as well, the introduction to the characters was quick and interesting unlike many of the other drama serials nowadays. I am waiting to find out how Ehtesham is going to react when he finds out about what happened in Sania’s house. Will Ali succumb to Roomi and his mother’s pressure and bring Sania back home? It is highly unlikely that he is going to do that, well I guess we will just have to wait another week to find out.

Do share your thoughts about this latest installment.

Fatima Awan