OMG!! Bus itna bata do, kis saayyy Shikwa karain aye khuda!!! Jeetay ji hum tou mar hi jayengay! What in the world was that?? What did I just witness? 20 years later?! Is this some kind of joke Team Shikwa decided to play on the dear viewers? Things have turned out to be soooo revolting that I don’t know where to begin?! This episode could have been a perfect ‘LAST’ episode because it had all the typical ‘last-episode’ features, excluding the ’20 years later’ ticker of course.

I would be honest here-till the 30th minute of the episode, I was thinking to myself: what a nice way to wrap up all the tracks! I liked the way they showed karma getting back at Mehar’s phupo for all the years she made life a complete torture for her brother’s family. She came to the rescue and for the first time, her timing was perfect. This is exactly what I was hoping for: Saqib’s ambiguities finally dissolved and I enjoyed the way Firdaus Aapa also played a part in making Saqib realize that like any other human being, Mehar too has some flaws; she is impulsive and emotional but the quality that makes her shine is her honesty. She speaks her mind but that doesn’t make her ruthless: that’s actually what makes her stand out from the rest of the hypocrites and dual-faced people who have plagued our society. Sidra’s temporary problems also came to an end when Sobia got committed through Saqib’s contacts. Sounds perfect for a happy ENDING, haina? BUT right when I was beginning to restore my faith in the play, the ’20 years later’ SHOCKER left me in a state of nausea!! Qasam say! I would have had a lot of good things to say about this episode, if they would have ended it right at the birth of Mehar’s daughter. OR if they were so obsessed with the idea of showing a boorhi, boring Mehar, then a 2-minute scene would have been enough, showing that Saqib has passed away, Mehar has moved on and is now content with whatever life has given her to cherish AND there are no shikwas left. But what they just did is a perfect example of ruining a play that COULD HAVE been one of the memorable plays of the year (yes guys, its the Shukk scenario all over again). Of course, people will still remember Mehar’s close-to-reality and perfectly etched out character and the way Sonia Hussain totally nailed it! I must say this girl has come a long way and she is definitely the one to look out for. But as far as the play itself is concerned, it’s nothing short of a wreck!

Just grab a rubber band and STREEEEETTTTCCHHH it to the point that it breaks. That is possibly the only way you’d be able to understand what is happening to Shikwa, or all the other ARY plays for that matter. In Soteli too, all the childten have grown up and a bunch of newcomers have been hired who are completely hopeless when it comes to acting. But the point is that Shikwa’s main plot and central idea had absolutely NOTHING to do with the nasl of Mehar and Saqib or Sidra and Shariq. Things can’t get any worse, right? WRONG! The worST part is that after witnessing Sidra-Shariq’s putting-to-sleep love story, we would be forced to see their SON running after Mehar’s DAUGHTER. MY GOD!!!!  Sidra and Shariq’s track was completely pointless to begin with, and now to see their SON struggling with his love life is expecting too much. I am having Disprin and taking a nap because it’s too much to handle!

Don’t forget to share your thoughts!

Maryam Mehdi

P.S: Since there’s nothing else I can NOT expect from this play, I think we should also be mentally prepared for Saqib’s comeback after a game of calling-the-spirits. Anything can happen now, remember?

You know what? It was kind of sad to see Sonia Hussain wasting so much of her ENERGY for the sake of an episode that had nothing new or productive to offer. A couple of people losing their consciousness (in case you are wondering, they are Sidra and her Mommy dearest :P), Mehar’s ‘Mei bohat buri hun. Mujhay maaf kardain’ phase and a few outbursts here and there are not exactly my idea of ‘redemption’.

It seems like they added Sidra’s track just because they wanted Mehar to learn something from her nasal-voiced ‘unfortunate’ behen and acknowledge the fact that she is extremely lucky to have a husband like Saqib. ZZZZ (that was me yawning) I found it a bit appalling how Sidra made it sound as if Mehar’s life is enviable perfect?! Sidra too is going through a lot but at least she got married to a young gentleman who loves her, in contrast to Mehar, who has to live her whole life with an uncle who has mastered the skill of eye-rolling . If the writer is trying to portray as if Mehar’s life partner is ‘ideal’, I am sorry I don’t agree with her twisted logic. And yess, since day one, I have seen everyone in this play intent on proving that Mehar and her bewaqoofiyan are responsible for all the mishaps! Okay I get it, she made a lot of mistakes, but holding Mehar responsible for all the bad things going on in her life just doesn’t seem right to me! Mehar’s outburst (this must have been her 50th outburst by the way) was harsh but I will not blame her for anything because had I been in her place, I would have ended up in Hyderabad ka paagalkhaana too! And just so you know, her mother’s sudden heart attack didn’t build up any tension  whatsoever.

So it’s revealed that Zeba Ji was Saqib’s boss after all and she had to stay at Saqib’s place because she missed her flight! Khoda pahaar aur nikla chooha LOL!  Tables have turned for sure: initially, it was Saqib who always seemed to be thinking of ways to please Mehar and now it’s Mehar who is desperate for his attention and love. I used to find Saqib’s character so relatable and likeable but he has taken a disastrous U-turn, just like the play itself! Hayee those good old days when I actually used to WAIT for this play!

On a humorous note, I would put forth the question: Did you guys observe EXACTLY the way Sidra fainted? ;) Well, I did and it was LOL X 10

Maryam Mehdi

Zeba JIII, why don’t you just leave?? Haha, this was one engaging and mazaydaar episode! Zeba Ji’s entry is a great twist to the play and the writer was clever enough to add it exactly when the story was going downhill.

Zebi Ji and Saqib are all set to make Mehar feel squirmy and insecure and they are using just about everything they have (by the way, that includes Josh Malihabadi’s ‘Yadon ki Barat‘ LOL) to fulfill their ‘aim’. Zeba Ji and Saqib have common interests and therefore, they are quite fond of each others’ company. Saqib’s taunts and the deliberate and obvious ‘clues’ he is constantly giving are enough to convey to Mehar that something is very wrong. But I don’t know why is it so difficult for a girl like Mehar to put two and two together and figure out WHAT has actually created the rift between her and Saqib. And Saqib-as far as I can recall, this guy was raved for his forethought and burdbaari, then why is it that bringing a ghair aurat to his house was the only decent solution he could think of for his marital problems. And that mehmaan-mezbaan discussion went on for too long; it was way too absurd! A buzarg like Saqib doesn’t seem to realize that ‘woh meri mehmaan hain and mein un ka mezbaan’ is NOT the justification one is supposed to give to his wife for the sudden appearance of a ghair aurat!? Had it been the Mehar we USED to deal with, this episode would have been full of tantrums, cheekh pukaar and rona dhona. But since Mehar has gone through a transition, she clenched her teeth, cringed and winced but-she endured it all! However, I still think something is lacking-Mehar is taking it all way easier than I anticipated. Okay, don’t throw a tantrum but at least take a seat, make some chaye (which she seems to be mastering) and TALK to Saqib about everything that has been going on in their lives more seriously! Well finally, Saqib revealed in front of Mehar’s mother that he works in Zeba Ji’s office. Sometimes, I get the feeling as if Zeba Ji is indeed a nice person but when I witness her nauseously flirtatious acts/dialogues (yes guys, I am referring to her meaningful smile accompanied by, ‘Mein Saqib ki koi baat taal hi nahe sakti‘ and some other cheesy dialogues), I start to have second thoughts! So far, I can glean that all of this is a part of Saqib’s plan OR perhaps Saqib only flatters her because she really is his boss (the latter seems a bit implausible though, because you can’t just ‘hire’ your own boss for such an outrageously absurd task).

Amid these juicy developments, Sidra’s scenes served as an interruption. I think its actually her nasal voice that’s getting on her SIL and MIL’s nerves :P

On a side note, I would like to say that Sabahat Bukhari SHOULD kindly come into terms with the reality that she is no more a teenager and its not exactly her age for sleeveless, okay? Khair, so what do you guys think of Zeba Jii? Share your thoughts on this one ;)

Maryam Mehdi

Okay so this was one ‘’happening’’ episode, and the story did progress. I admit it over and over again that no one could have owned Mehar’s character the way Sonia Hussain did and she has come a long way for sure :)

The way Firdaus Aapa analyzed Mehar’s personality is the best way to understand our heroine. ‘Mein nay tumharay chehray par sirf zidd aur ghussa daekha’. And that’s a 100% true. Mehar is impulsive and stubborn but she is nowhere near wicked. I must say Mehar’s character has to be one of the most well etched-out characters of this year. There’s just one thing: a mere conversation with Firdaus Aapa coupled by a gradual realization caused Mehar to change herself completely? Is it just me or Mehar’s transition and her new get-up seems slightly unconvincing? Throughout the serial, Mehar went through so many changes but I for one believe that this is the FINAL change in her personality. Guys and gals, Firdaus Aapa finally said goodbye today. I am pleased by the way they wrapped up Firdaus Aapa’s track. Deep down, she was a nice person and it was a treat to see how she praised Mehar in front of her son.

I am NOT enjoying Shariq and Sidra’s track at all because of the obvious reason-there’s nothing new about it. Sidra has this constant pained+confused expression on her face and Shariq has this staunch I-can-leave-anyone-but-Sidra policy, which is actually quite understandable but the newlyweds are wasting too much of our time. In order to tackle this whole situation, Shariq has taken Sidra to his place without a proper and formal rukhsati and if you are aware of the fact that Humaira Zaheer is playing Shariq’s mother, then you can easily predict what her reaction (and expressions/dialogues) must have been.

The major part of the episode was, as I call it, ”‘The Theft’’ :P Yasir stole Mehar’s Samsung Galaxy S5 (haha, that was the correct model, rite?) and apart from sending those sea-view pictures to Saqib, he even called and brainwashed him that Mehar is the one running after him and begging him to spend some time her. The only good thing about that scene was the much deserved slap he got from his mother (i.e. Mehar’s phupo) who tried to talk some sense into Yasir and reminded him that he too has an unmarried sister and despite all odds, Mehar is her bhateeji.

On the other hand, Saqib, with that seed of suspicion already growing in his mind, became convinced of Mehar’s infidelity, followed his impulse and came straight back to Pakistan, bringing along an unexpected (not to forget, female) guest with him, named Zeba (Sabahat Bukhari). Whoa, now that was one shocking development, and for me, it made up for all the previous dull and dreary episodes! Is Zeba his colleague, friend, or perhaps, his wife??

I am definitely looking forward to the next installment :)
Did you watch the episode? What do you think of it? Please share your views!
Maryam Mehdi

Let me start by making an announcement: this play really IS turning into a shukk-causes-destruction drama. The episode literally had ‘been there seen that’ written all over it.

Anyone watched drama serial, ‘Meri Beti’? You see, thinking of a whole NEW story, and a completely FRESH development is a bit too exhausting, don’t you think? So our dear writer tried to take some ‘inspiration’ from Meri Beti. Samjha karo yaar! Writers bhi thak jatay hain, akhir ko who bhi insaan hain! In order to see her daughter tie the knot, Shariq’s mother wants him to agree to ‘watta satta’. And what amuses me even more-the actress who played the role of Junaid Khan’s sister in Meri Beti is Shariq’s sister in Shikwa too LOL. Shariq and Sidra’s side track was already a complete lackluster and by this obvious attempt of plagiarism, I am convinced that their main aim is to put the viewers to sleep. Believe me-now I can expect absolutely ANYTHING from ARY.

For a change, Firdaus Aapa was a tad bit tolerable (if not likeable) in this episode. That phone conversation with her son went on to show that even though she doesn’t admit it a loud, she does regard the way Mehar cares for her. Chalo, ek aur taraqqi hogayi! And I also liked the way she defended Mehar in front of Yasir. Haha, I never could have imagined myself using the word ‘like’ for something Firdaus Aapa had said/done :P

At first, I was getting the impression as if Mehar is deliberately trying to get extra-candid with Yasir but no- even when she went to the beach with Yasir, she made it clear that ‘Mei Mrs. Saqib hoon’. However, I still think going to the beach with someone like Yasir just to ‘kill time’ wasn’t something quite appropriate-especially when Mehar knew what kind of person Yasir is. Apart from getting a job overseas, Yasir’s purpose behind spending time with Mehar was also to make her develop feelings for him (at least that’s what I could gauge).  The only scene I found a ‘bit’ likeable was the last one. Firdaus Aapa and Mehar both gave Yasir a long-awaited shut-up call. By the way, don’t you think the camera focused on his facial expressions for a bit too long in that particular scene? I think Yasir now has some kind of revenge brewing up in his mind OR maybe the way Mateen was pushed out of the picture, Yasir would be gone for good too (I hope so). See, this is what I was talking about-the writer uses Yasir just for the sake of some tension and climax, and that’s about it! Now the only person who concerns me is Saqib. He seemed pretty sure kay ‘Mehar mujhay dhoka day rahi hai’. To be honest, I think the writer is too tired to have a clear plan as to what to do with the story.

All in all, it was one dull and dreary episode. As much as I enjoyed the last couple of episodes, this one proved to be an uttter disappointment. Did you guys watch the episode? Please share your thoughts on it.

Maryam Mehdi

Okay guys, so 20 episodes down and seems like the play is heading off to a different direction. I don’t want it to turn into another shukk-causes-destruction sort of story. Firdaus Aapa-uff! This woman doesn’t have an ounce of khauf-e-khuda in her. Look at her age and her actions. Have you seen any ‘buzarg’ in their right mind, going on and breaking homes by sowing the seeds of suspicion and that too without a motive?
Quite frankly, if you ask me, I enjoyed Episode 19 a whole lot more than the latest one. I am so sorry for the delay in the review guys! Lekin khair, to begin with, Episode 19 mei taraqqi hogayi-Mehar’s mother realized that ‘meri beti ab bari hogayi hai’ (phew). Congrats on growing up Mehar! And yes, the biggest taraqqi-Sidra and Shariq got nikkah-fied! In one of the initial scenes of the episode where Mehar told Firdaus Aapa about Sidra’s proposal, she looked so sullen and depressed. And while seeing Sidra and Shariq together, she couldn’t help indulging into self-pity. She is clearly noting and feeling the obvious differences between Shariq and her own hubby, Saqib -the former being handsome, well-qualified and most of all-kam-umar (by the way I LOVED how Mehar winced at the word ‘kam-umar’).

I think fate has been a bit too hard on Mehar: she got married to a man twice her age and what’s more-she has to live a thousand miles AWAY from him AND has no option but to bear that ranting machine in the form of Firdaus Aapa! But one thing is for sure-Mehar’s nature has taken a 360° turn. She not only does ‘unite’ Shariq and Sidra, but also helps Sidra with her shopping and stuff. The duo owes Mehar a big one! All in all, it was quite a pleasant episode, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I loved the Dholki-Yasir was the man on the dhol LOL :P Mehar looked stunning in Sidra’s Dholki and Nikkah. Needless to say, if there’s one thing that did put me off was Firdaus Aapa. I seriously loathe her!

The latest installment was a bit too dull for my liking. Like I mentioned before, Mehar’s frustration is completely justified. Who would want to live the life she is living? But what’s sickening is the fact that no one-not even her own mother can relate to her daughter’s feelings. Apart from keeping a check on her daughter, there is nothing else Munazzah’s good at. I don’t like the way they are using Yasir for the further progress of the story. It seems that whenever the writer feels she is running out of ideas, she uses this all-time farigh character she created (aka Yasir) to carry the story forward. Okay-so Mehar and Yasir danced at the Dholki, Mehar went to the parlour with him and they both went out to eat ice-cream. Big deal! Now can we please get over it? Is it that necessary to show tyrant nunds and shukk-driven husbands in every SINGLE play? Shariq and his family are getting undue attention and coverage. His sister’s engagement broke off and what happened following that had ‘been there seen that’ written all over it. Sidra was labeled, ‘Manhoos’ by her MIL, which didn’t come as a shock either because we all know that Humaira Zaheer is competing for the award of, ‘The Most Despicable Roles Ever Played’ and The question that arises is: will these problems solely affect Shariq and Sidra, or will they somehow, indirectly have an effect on Mehar too? I am soo loving Shariq’s character-aisay gentlemen bhi hain Karachi mei? ;)

The direction, acting, camera work-everything has been up to the mark till now. Let’s see how things shape up ahead.
So, this was it folks! Did you guys catch up on these installments? What do you think of them? Please feel free to share your views.

P.S: My apologies for the delay guys! School work :/

Maryam Mehdi

My God! I am all praises for today’s episode. I must say this play has stood out primarily because of it’s natural (not to forget unpredictable) twists and turns. The incredible thing about this play is the fact that the main developments will be nowhere near your expectations. And I think this is exactly where the writer succeeds :)

Needless to say, the highlight of the episode for me was Mehar and Sidra’s emotional confrontation. Mehar’s character has to be one of the MOST natural characters of the season. And the writer,in particular, has etched it out perfectly.

Initially, it was sad to see Mehar preferring a guy like Yasir (for whom she had nothing but strong contempt) for her very own sister. Since our heroine is conscientious, deep down, she knew that what she is doing is by all means wrong and unjustifiable. But there were a couple of things that literally led to Mehar’s change of mind. Firstly, that conversation with Saqib proved to be an eye-opener, because it was then that Saqib talked sense into her and rightly pointed it out that it’s her jealousy that’s compelling her to see her own sister go through the same bitter circumstances that she went through. And then, of course, the scene where Sidra poured her feelings. Mehar then realised how her envy had concealed all the love and affection she had for her sister. Seeing Sidra helpless and teary, Mehar realised that if she couldn’t have a life partner of her choice, at least seeing Sidra with the guy she wants to be with would serve as redemption. Watching that particular scene, I couldn’t help pushing this thought out of my mind: Kaash Sidra ka role koi aur actress play kar rahi hoti!! Hayee- me and my wishful thinking :'(

One good thing was to finally see Mehar’s mother standing up for her daughter. She wasn’t that strong-headed when it came to Mehar but at least she mustered the courage to support Sidra in front of her extremely manipulative relatives. I thought ‘blood was thicker than water’, but now I am thinking of  challenging these proverbs :P

I think now is the right time to end this play.This was the 18th episode and I am expecting it to end within a week or two. The viewers are enjoying it, the charm hasn’t faded and we are getting a strong underlying message, so what’s the point of dragging it now? We don’t want it to suffer the dreaded fate of ‘Shukk’, do we?

I am eager to see what you guys think of the latest episode. So please share your thoughts!

Maryam Mehdi

Alright, so here we are, done with Shikwa’s 17th episode. Initially, I was getting the impression of’been there seen that’ kind of thing. But in the later half, I found the episode engaging. Sonia Hussain deserves a special mention for owning her character. The portrayal of Mehar’s feelings and emotions has been done to perfection.

Though we often see plays that revolve around matchless marriages but in this show, the way they have portrayed how age difference becomes a hindrance -it’s all truly commendable. In the matter of Sidra’s marriage, Mehar has made her strong opposition very obvious to her mother. A person’s ‘naseeb’ is solely responsible for what happens in one’s life- that’s the ‘justification’ Mehar’s mother came up with to explain that Mehar and Saqib’s marriage was something inevitable as well as ‘ideal’. I know that ‘fate’ and ‘destiny’ are two important factors which influence your life the most. But I don’t think anyone can make up for his/her wrong choices by taking the help of these big words!

I admit it’s not nice seeing Mehar as the ‘plotter of the play’ but like I mentioned, her feelings have been portrayed beautifully. What she is doing can’t be justified but then again, that inner battle she had with her conscience went on to show that only her circumstances made her bitter. When Mehar’s mother talked to Saqib about Shariq’s proposal, he did what any sensible guy was supposed to do-give a thumbs up sign. But this infuriated Mehar even more and quite naturally, Saqib started having second thoughts as to whether Mehar is actually happy with him, or is her happiness and satisfaction a part of her pretence?

And yes, Firdaus Aapa came up with another ‘brilliant’ theory- ‘agar shohar ki umar bari ho tou biwi ko bhi bhurhapa tari kar lena chahye’. LOL! I know she meant to say that in such a case, the wife should be more reasonable and practical but the way she put it, was complete comedy! Zubaida Aapa, maan gaye apke totkon ko ;)

Listen to this: Mehar and Sidra’s father ‘magically’ appeared in their phupo’s dream, asking-no, in fact ‘pleading’ her sister to go ahead and ask for Sidra’s hand. Of course we know that Mehar’s phupo is a big fat liar and the way she ‘explained’ her dream was just plain bizarre! History is repeating itself folks. In Mehar’s case it was Mateen vs. Yasir, and now it’s Shariq vs. Yasir. Please note that Yasir remains to be a constant competitor LOL! Iss kay liye aur koi rishte nahe hain kia? Haath dho kay apni cousins kay peechay par gaya hai!

Well, this was pretty much it. The latest installment was comparatively better; let’s see what developments await us. Did you watch the episode? Share your thoughts please!

P.S: I apologize for submitting the review so late  Sorry you guys had to wait!

Maryam Mehdi

It’s a surprise why I didn’t doze off while watching the latest episode. The dialogues are getting way too repetitive and throughout this episode, I could easily predict the coming dialogues/actions of Mehar, Saqib, Munazzah, Firdaus Aapa and Sidra. The level of monotony was such that I exactly knew how the other person would react and what would s/he say. The element of enthrallment was completely missing this week.

Perhaps the only ‘significant’ development was that Shariq’s mother talked to Sidra’s mother about the official proposal, and following that was Mehar’s reaction. Mehar can’t help being jealous of her sister and she is clearly indulging into self-pity. Sometimes, it seems as if she considers herself the luckiest person alive to have a husband like Saqib (remember that cake wala shaer she wrote in her letter). And at other times, we find her complaining about her bad luck. I do understand Mehar’s feelings; we all know that her mother was indeed unfair to her. But why is she after her sister’s happiness? Like Sidra rightly pointed it out, it’s not her fault that Mehar got married to Saqib. The way Mehar tried to persuade Saqib to refuse to this proposal was obviously not appropriate. I hope Saqib is not foolish enough to fall for that (which I think he will)!

Thankfully, we didn’t get to see much of Dr Dimwit, but Sidra did make up for his absence. Without any exaggeration, her scenes can actually make any dynamic and active person yawn!

Do I even need to tell you guys what Firdaus Aapa said or did the entire episode? You all are intelligent enough to guess that complaining and lecturing are the only things one can expect from her.

Mehar was constantly in a bad mood today! I felt like dragging Sonia Hussain out of the screen, giving her a chocolate and asking her to just, ‘Lighten up girl!’ A hangout with some friends was much needed. But my my! Considering how hysterical Mehar’s mom became, I was getting the impression as if Mehar did not go out for a few hours-but for a few weeks instead!

This episode consisted of the two things I LOATHE in our dramas a) jealousy between two sisters b) the growing seed of suspicion between husband and wife. I was appalled by the fact that when the news of Mehar’s ‘mysterious disappearance’ reached Saqib, he even considered the possibility of calling and interrogating Mateen! Come on guys…Give me a break please!

If you ask me, the purpose of episode 16 was just to prolong this drama serial. The preceding installment was much more engaging. I completely fail to understand the writer’s plan. As far as I can recall, ‘sister-rivalry’ and ‘shukki husband’ were NOT the focal points of this serial, or were they?

Did you guys watch the latest episode? What do you guys think of it? Please share your views!

Maryam Mehdi

Well, 14 episodes down and I feel that the story is getting a bit monotonous now. Yes, there were some developments but I didn’t find anything totally out of the ordinary.

I just fail to understand Munazzah’s psyche. At first, she forced Mehar to marry a man who was old enough to be her father. And now that Mehar has finally come into terms with the reality, I don’t know why Munazzah doesn’t like it when Mehar defends her husband. Plus that conversation between Sidra and Munazzah at the beginning of the episode was totally uncalled for! I mean, it’s crystal clear that Mehar has wholeheartedly accepted Saqib as her husband, so now what’s the point of discussing that, ‘Saqib itna acha shohar hai. Mehar ko kab aqal ayegi? Uss ko kis cheez ki kami hai akhir?’

Saqib finally left for Sharjah. Seeing Mehar teary and emotional went on to prove her sincerity. It was only then that Munazzah realized Mehar has accepted Saqib as her husband. Don’t you think this realization came a bit too late? If there’s one actress in our TV industry who can cry real tears effortlessly, it’s definitely Sonia Hussain! Maybe I am wrong but Waseem Abbass looked a bit bored today. His dialogue delivery and expressions are getting repetitive now. That departure scene was well-executed though. And yes, one more piece of info: there are doctors these days who offer transport services to their patients’ behenois :P I mean, I completely understand that Shariq is doing all of this to prove to Sidra and her family how efficient and caring he is, but come on guys! Who does this these days? But then again, they call it a drama for a reason, right?

Firdaus Aapa marked her entry this time. Oh my! She is clearly the most irritating, finicky and ungrateful lady I’ve seen. No wonder her daughter-in-law couldn’t tolerate her! She is way too hard to please and I am surprised how a strong-headed girl like Mehar has survived a day without complaining!

Shariq and Sidra’s intimacy is clearly making Mehar jealous, and the last scene totally caught me off guard. Shariq should receive an award for blurting out all the important details in one go. What he said literally went on like this:’ Sidra, how are you? I know you don’t mind but I am calling to inform you that I am sending my mother to your house for proposal.’ TADA! Did I mention that he said all of this without a pause? I hate to be the bearer of bad news Dr Charming, but actually it wasn’t Sidra-it was Mehar who picked up your phone call! Yes guys, you heard me right! It just so happened that Shariq called, Mehar picked up the phone, and though our hero is a doctor but he is too naïve to know that BEFORE you start talking just like that, you first inquire who’s on the other side of the line!! Well, the episode ended on that note so we are now left with assumptions only.

So, this was it for this week folks! We all can sense Mehar’s growing jealousy but it’s difficult to imagine her as the villain of the play. The thought of Sidra marrying Shariq will surely fill her with disgust but I seriously can’t imagine her being an obstacle in Sidra’s marriage. Alas, we should all give up on the actress playing Sidra’s role.

Let’s see how the story unfolds now. Share your thoughts on this installment. I will be looking forward to your feedbacks!

Maryam Mehdi

Okay, so this was another decent episode of ‘Shikwa’. Apart from Mehar and Saqib’s growing relationship, Sidra’s Prince Charming and some greedy relatives’ schemes, the story didn’t progress much.

Mehar has finally accepted Saqib as her husband whole-heartedly. She has come into terms with the reality that she’s now Mehar Saqib! She can’t stand anyone looking down upon Saqib. And this is the very reason she was enraged by that ‘abbu wala comment’. One thing did confuse me though: when Saqib confessed his love for Mehar, why did she seem so surprised? She watches so many movies and all, so why Saqib’s confession caught her off-guard? I mean, after all Saqib was doing for her, you didn’t have to be a psychic to guess that he was in love with her! Well, Saqib and Mehar have now started living a normal married life. Saqib’s slightly romantic side was a bit too umm ‘funny’ to digest but then again, I won’t say the scenes were lackluster! Saqib really deserves his share of happiness.
Saqib is about to leave for Sharjah and one of his friends has planted this seed of suspicion in his mind of ‘not leaving Mehar all alone in an empty house’.

Moving on to the side-track, our handsome doctor does have a name-Shariq! Shariq lives with his mother and sister. Munazzah and Adeel are clearly impressed by Shariq’s thoughtfulness and good manners. He even drove them home from the hospital. Up till now he looks like a pretty decent guy, and it’s evident that he has grown fond of Sidra! I don’t understand what were they thinking when they picked that girl for playing Sidra’s character. Since the side-track has to do a lot with her, she should know how to deliver her dialogues properly but sadly, the director didn’t pay much attention to her.

“Greed is the lack of confidence of one’s own ability to create.” I think this explains the cheap tactics of Mehar’s relatives. Mehar’s Phupo is keen on getting his son employed in Saqib’s company while Mehar’s Chachi wants her brother to go abroad through Saqib’s reference. I wonder why these greedy relatives are given so much coverage-they better have some significant role to play in the upcoming episodes because right now, their constant nagging is putting me off.

After watching the whole episode, I couldn’t help thinking why Mateen and his mother were totally out of the picture this time because considering the end of the preceding installment, I feel they should have showed how Mateen reacted to this insulting rejection.
So, this was it folks! What did you guys think of the latest installment? Feel free to share your thoughts!

P.S: I apologize for submitting the review so late this time. This weekend was quite busy for me. Sorry guys!

Maryam Mehdi

Alright, now from where should I start? 11 episodes have passed but this exceptional drama has succeeded in keeping me on the edge of my seat! As the story is progressing, I am getting hooked to this play. The beauty of this show is that you will find each new turn realistic and rational. They have kept the scenes simple yet engaging!

Well, now that things were finally looking up for Munazzah and her family, there came the dreaded news of Adeel’s accident. However, it wasn’t a life-threatening accident and Adeel was safe. The hospital scenes may have seemed unnecessary at first-but then I came to realize that no-they actually played a fundamental role in Mehar’s further character development. After watching Saqib comforting her family, showing his concern for Adeel and looking after him in the hospital, Mehar couldn’t help thinking once again about her decision. Although there were no particular dialogues, some flashbacks and Mehar’s expressions were enough to tell that it will not be very easy for her to walk out on Saqib. For once, Mehar stops being impulsive-she starts thinking sensibly. Mehar also starts having second thoughts about Mateen when she learns the fact that Mateen hasn’t discussed anything with his mother yet.

Adeel’s doctor (played by Emmad Irfani) is a new character introduced this week. Well, for some reason, they haven’t disclosed his name yet but all we know up till now is that this guy has developed a liking for Mehar’s younger sister Sidra. I am guessing they have introduced his character for the sake of adding a side track. As long they don’t spoil the MAIN track because of the side one, it’s totally fine with me!
The most crucial part of this episode was-the ‘confrontation’. Mateen’s mother FINALLY paid a visit to Saqib’s house. Mateen’s mother callously insulted Saqib because that lady had had enough of Mateen and Mehar’s love story. And here comes my favourite part: Infuriated by her outburst, Mehar stepped in and made it clear that this was HER house, and Saqib was HER husband and no one had the right to insult him like that. At the spur of the moment, Mateen entered but right in front of him, Mehar confessed it aloud that she is happy and content with Saqib. Well folks, you heard it right! Mehar actually stood up for Saqib! To be honest, this scene held me spell bound. After watching the preceding installments, we couldn’t even predict this sudden change in Mehar’s personality. But the character development in this show leaves nothing to be desired. This was indeed a sudden change-but not an unreasonable one. They clearly showed us how Mehar was moved by Saqib’s decency and goodness. Mehar’s transition from an imprudent, impulsive girl to a thoughtful, sensible young lady is something truly spectacular! I must say Sonia Hussain has breathed life into Mehar’s character. From her dialogue delivery to her expressions-everything is top notch!

After watching this episode, my expectations have been raised even further! How will Mateen react to this sudden rejection? Will he now unveil his ‘evil’ side? Whatever happens, I am curious as to how will the story shape up now.

On a humorous note, I would say that thankfully, Adeel’s doctor didn’t fall for Mehar because THAT would have complicated the story even more :P

What do you guys think of this episode? I would love to know your views!

Maryam Mehdi

At last, the whole ‘Shikwa’ journey has come to an end. After so many tantrums, cheekh pukaar, rona dhona, thappar  and hospital kay chakkar, it took them 27 episodes in total, to finally convey their message: Muhabbat ka taluq dil say hota hai, umar say nahe! The message itself is thought-provoking but incessant dragging and some unconvincing elements made it  ambiguous. This is clearly not the way to wrap up a show. They wasted sooo many episodes in Firdaus Aapa, Sidra-Shariq and Zeba Jii and the ending that was supposed to be lucid and logical became rushed and irrational.
Mehar’s daughter, Maria (Noor Khan) is a girl who would simply be labeled as ‘’boring’’ by other people of her age. This was evident in the conversation between Maria and Ali, where Ali, like any normal teenager said that he enjoys action and comedy movies whereas Maria expressed her interest in more serious, historical movies. Also, she openly confessed that she likes sober and mature people and immature guys like Ali are simply NOT her ‘type’. I liked the way how Ali took her rejection and realized that there’s no use running after her if she is not interested. She is head over heels in love with her Media Sciences professor, Sir Feroz (Faisal Rehman). Hayee a moment of silence for all those viewers who were not expecting things to get any worse. See, I warned you all to be prepared for anything team Shikwa throws at us. I think it was a mistake on the director’s part to introduce this track all of a sudden that too in the second last episode. From her brief encounter with her professor, I could glean that Sir Feroz never gave her any misleading signals and he discerned the line between a teacher and student. But Maria finds some hidden ‘charm’ in him and she remained persistent, even after he told her about his divorce. Doesn’t Maria remind you of serial, ‘Malaal’s Maahi (Sarwat Gillani)? Mahi too confessed that she likes serious and mature, Al-Pacino or Robert De Niro sort of guys. AND that’s why she fell for Danish (again played by Faisal Rehman):P. But ‘Malaal’ was an entirely different league of course and we can by no means compare it to Shikwa! Hey, don’t you think Faisal Rehman could have been a much better Saqib? He has the aura, the personality and best of all, he makes his presence felt. Also, he has a good fan following and I am sure many more people would have watched Shikwa after seeing him play the lead against Sonia Hussain because a considerable part of the audience had a hard time digesting Waseem Abass in the role of a gentle, romantic husband since we have always seen him playing the cold-hearted, betiyon say bayzaar abba. He doesn’t actually have the hero sorta aura the audience is always looking for.

Many readers were raving about Noor Khan’s impressive acting skills and indeed, she is a talented new-comer and I hope to see more of her in future. And one thing I found really pleasant was the bond Mehar and her daughter share with Adeel (Tipu Sharif). Adeel is the one who stood by Mehar all these years and looked after Saqib’s business. It was refreshing to see a bhanji confiding in her mamu. Haha, I was surprised to see Tipu Sharif playing the role of that once seedha saada, mobile phone ki zid karta hua, Mehar Baji wala Adeel.
‘Mera maazi phir say meray saamne aakar khara hogaya hai.’ This pretty much sums up Mehar’s state of mind after she learns about Maria’s interest in her professor. Mehar was forced to marry someone twice her age and her daughter, on the other hand, is herself choosing a middle-aged man over a guy her age. Kia yeh khula tazaad nahe hai? ;) Mehar, from her personal experience, knows how this age difference affects marital life. As much as she appreciates Saqib for his decency and integrity and loves him for who he was, she knows it all too well that as time passes by, the difference in age becomes more prominent and obvious than ever, and by referring it to her own case, she mentioned how she wasn’t able to understand the worth of Saqib’s genuineness and when she finally did fall in love with him, life got even harder as Saqib’s frailty grew by the passing day. Saqib passed away; leaving Mehar all alone with the huge responsibility of Maria’s brought up. Therefore, Mehar’s opposition to Maria’s hasty decision was quite justified as she didn’t want her daughter to go through the same circumstances. Maria’s outburst reminded me of Mehar’s outbursts but I don’t completely agree with her. Look, I agree that Mehar, all her life, was indulged in self-pity but to say that she doesn’t know a thing about love because she never loved Saqib, would be a bit too harsh because despite everything, Mehar did have genuine feelings for him. After her outburst, we saw karma striking again and Mehar too lost her consciousness and recalled all those times when she had been harsh with her mother. Ohkay, her mother was helpless, majboor and mazloom BUT I still hold her responsible for a lot of things that went wrong in Mehar’s life. Firstly, the decisions she made for Mehar always lacked foresight and sensitivity. Before forcing her young daughter to marry someone as old as Saqib, she should have taken into consideration that in cases like these, usually the husband dies earlier and his wife has to deal with widowhood at a young age. And I didn’t like the way she started seeking suitors for Mehar after Saqib’s death. Once again, she didn’t bother to put herself in Mehar’s shoes.

Coming back to the last episode, the unconvincing part was that in the end. it was Ali who managed to persuade Mehar to succumb to Maria’s wishes?! I mean, to begin with, Ali’s role wasn’t even significant and I wasn’t expecting him of all people, to change Mehar’s mind and in turn, the course of the ending. And what happened following that was even more implausible: After Mehar’s green signal, Maria went out (literally) in the search of her Professor Charming AND perhaps the worst aspect of the ending is the way she and Sir Feroz got together. This Feroz guy was NOT interested in Maria, remember?? Then why is it that he changed his mind at the eleventh hour? Matlab, this suddenX10 change, without any STRONG base or background is way beyond me, qasam say! Some of you may think that what made him change his mind was the way Maria took a stand in front of her mother but no, we are not talking about a 17-year old guy who can easily be blown away by a heart-felt speech. We are talking about an adult, educated, not to forget a ‘divorced’ professor who very well knows how impulsive and obsessive a young girl can get
So in the end, all I could scrape together was that Maria and Sir Feroz are together and Mehar has let go of her self-pity phase. You know, a teacher-student relationship is based on respect and dignity. It concerns the exchange of knowledge, but the light such tracks shed on this muqaddas relationship is not something the young generation should be introduced to. Therefore I believe that this play could have ended far earlier, at a much more pleasant note. The biggest draw-back of this play was the way it was stretched like a rubber band to the point where almost every character and track lost its charm.

Sonia Hussain totally outdid herself as Mehar and I will surely remember the impulsive, emotional yet sensitive Mehar because of Sonia Hussain’s splendid performance. Irsa Ghazal was outstanding like always. Waseem Abbas did a commendable job, considering the fact that earlier on, he had been ultra-busy with mastering the role of a zalim and shukki shauhar/abba.
Did you watch the last episode? How disappointed or pleased you are with the ending?
Maryam Mehdi
P.S: Since it’s the end of the ‘Shikwa’ journey, I would take this moment to thank all my regular readers who made this experience a memorable one, especially Sabahet, Amirza, Farah Ahmed, Ms Khan, Ms Asim, Silver Eyes, A, Tricksy, Aima and even if I haven’t mentioned your name, don’t forget you all have proven to be wonderful readers :D And yes, how can I forget my fellow awesome reviewers, Areeba Mohsen and Fatima Awan. Thanks a bunch, guys!

Alright… so this was one engaging episode, with some minor developments. However, there were a few things I found a bit unnatural this time. You see, the whole ‘khandaan’ knows that there is one person amidst them who never included the word, ‘NO’ in his dictionary. Seeing Saqib’s stability, Mehar’s envious relatives seized the opportunity to secure their future. But thankfully, Mehar does know how to say ‘NO’. The shut-up call she gave to her relatives was much awaited. I hope these irritating relatives don’t get any coverage in the upcoming episodes because we have had enough! It is high time that Saqib also learns something called, ‘standing up for yourself’. I do feel that our dramas should now also focus on balancing the use of these two words, ‘YES’ and ‘NO’.

Now that we were done with Mehar’s relatives, Saqib’s sister stepped in with her dukh bhari kahani. See, I told you everyone is aware of Saqib’s inability to say, ‘NO’. So, this time around, misfortune has struck Saqib’s eldest sister, Firdaus Aapa and she is relying on Saqib (again). She is being mistreated by her son and daughter-in-law, and has turned to Saqib for help. Saqib, being the qurbaani ka bakra that he is, offers her to come and stay at his place. I guess Saqib doesn’t want Mehar to stay all alone when he is gone, so that’s more of a reason why he invited Firdaus Aapa to his house. I must say Mehar has proved to be quite sincere and she didn’t have any issue with Firdaus Aapa’s stay at her house. But quite surprisingly, Mehar’s mother harbours some negative feelings against Firdaus Aapa so I am guessing her arrival will bring some not-so-good changes.

Well, enough of these relatives! Let us talk about Prince-no, Doctor Charming :P Well, this episode had a lot to do with Dr Shariq. He made the first move and called Sidra. Had it not been for that girl’s poor dialogue delivery, I would have enjoyed the conversation between them! Now come the parts I found a bit unnatural. ‘Aur Mehar aur Saqib kaisay hain’? When Shariq asked this question on phone, I couldn’t help thinking how come it is possible for a doctor to remember the names of his patient’s family members (and that too so accurately)? I know it’s a minor detail but still! And when Adeel got bored, he called his doctor to give him company? To be honest, I never knew people call their doctors to get rid of boredom! Upon Adeel’s request, Shariq paid a visit to their house and seizing the opportunity, he flattered Sidra with flowers, chocolates and compliments! It seems Sidra has now developed a liking for Shariq too! Seeing her sister getting attention from a young, educated and handsome guy, Mehar’s jealousy streak was exposed today. But I must say I don’t blame Mehar. She must have had so many dreams and desires, which every other girl has about her life partner. I think her envy is justified for now.

Okay, so it turned out that Mehar, Saqib and Shariq-they were all invited for dinner. Shariq is thoughtful and considerate for Sidra and Adeel but I found it a bit inappropriate the way he ‘explained’ how 40+ people need frequent checkups. I am sure he is right and he must have had no real intention of hurting Saqib but still-he could have been a bit more thoughtful. But once again, Mehar came to the rescue and defended Saqib again-I must say this girl surely knows WHEN and HOW to speak :P

And yes…they also introduced Shariq’s mother and sister in this episode, which goes on to show that we would see Shariq more and more in the coming episodes. Shariq lightly mentioned to his mother that there is a girl he is willing to marry but like a typical mother we see in our dramas these days; she is intent on getting his daughter married first. I don’t know why but I can sense drama serial Meri Beti’s scenario repeating all over again. There is this insecure mother who will bear a grudge against her daughter-in-law because she will consider her son’s choice as an obstacle in her own daughter’s marriage. But you know something interesting? The daughter herself won’t have any self-pity problems! Talk about irony!

I guess we will not be hearing from Mateen again. It seems like this guy is too embarrassed to make an appearance! I was expecting Saqib to leave for Dubai in this episode. But that didn’t happen. I hope the next installment focuses on some major developments.

So, this was it folks! Are you looking forward to the next installment? What do you think of this one? Please share your thoughts!

Maryam Mehdi

Before I begin, I would like to say that throughout this episode, there were scenes that made me cringe, scenes that made me laugh out loud and finally-scenes that forced me to lower down the volume.

Starting with the part that made me LAUGH! This episode began with the scene where Dr Dim-witted (yes that’s what I am planning to call Shariq from now on :P) called and talked about sending his proposal. Mehar dropped the call but she wasn’t as infuriated as I expected her to be. Shariq is so dim-witted (hence the name) that he safely ‘assumed’ that he must have dialed the wrong number! I mean, this possibility didn’t even cross his mind that perhaps it was someone OTHER than Sidra who picked up the phone, since he wasn’t calling her on her personal cell. I couldn’t help laughing out loud on the level of his stupidity.

There was too much of Firdaus Aapa in this episode. Firdaus aapa ka naashta, Firdaus Aapa ka ‘tail’, Firdaus Aapa ka cough syrup and-you name it! To be honest, ‘Shikwa’ might lose some of its viewers mainly because of Qaiser Naqvi’s way too irritating voice, her painfully monotonous dialogue delivery and expressions! I just HAD to lower down the volume every time she appeared on the screen. As much as I am loathing Firdaus Aapa’s character, I have fallen in love with Mehar’s character because after a long time, I am seeing the character of a girl who is NOT Miss Goody two –shoes and she’s definitely not dim-witted. She never pretends to be someone she’s not and unlike the rest of our senseless heroines, she always voices her opinion at the right time. I truly felt for Mehar when she was recalling how her father had great plans for her.

I guess we all knew that soon after Saqib will go abroad, they will add some ‘romantic’ letter-writing bits. And that happened right in this episode. Oh my! ‘Cheesiness overload’-it’s the only ‘phrase’ that hit my mind when I heard Saqib saying things like, ‘aaj pehla mauqa hai kay apni mehbooba ko khut likh raha hoon’ and ‘tumhari yaadon nay iss kamray ko rangon say bhar diya hai’. In case you are wondering, these were exactly the scenes that made me cringe. Maybe these dialogues would have been a tad bit likeable if Waseem Abbass had not been the one reading them aloud :P However, the scene where Mehar attempted to write back, was actually kind of cute. Needless to say, Sonia Hussain’s acting has been spectacular! The way she was carefully choosing her words and tearing one paper after another-it was all top-notch. I must admit that the letter-writing bits were well-executed and enjoyable (excluding some lame dialogues for sure :P).

Moving to the side track, Shariq’s sister finally got committed and as soon as this milestone was achieved (honestly, they made it look that way), Shariq’s mother magically transformed into a kind and understanding mom. For the first time, I saw a glint of ‘happiness’ on that lady’s ever-scowling face! As Dr dim-witted promised (did I mention he’s very desperate), he, along with his mother and sister, went to pay Munazzah a visit. But apparently, they didn’t talk about his proposal yet. Thankfully, that misunderstanding of Mehar being Shariq’s love interest wasn’t prolonged. I don’t think any guy in his right mind constantly nudges his mother and whispers,’aap meri baat kab karain gi’, and that too when he is sitting right in front of his future MIL.

The way things are shaping up, I don’t think Mehar will turn into a vamp. I just hope things don’t take a shocking U-turn. This was it folks! Did you guys watch the latest installment? What do you guys think of the latest developments? Please share your thoughts; I will be looking forward to them!

Maryam Mehdi