Just like all the previous episodes of Sangat this one too kept me glued to my television screen right till the end. Ayesha was shown as a very sensible person right from the start; someone who believed in fixing problems and not creating more and watching Ayesha mustering up the courage to look her rapist in the eye and telling him to do what needed to be done in order for Ayesha to move on was definitely in line with her character. Similarly Ayesha’s outbursts and impatient behavior showed how much she has changed over the years. There was a time when she had the patience to deal with everything but now she does not feel the need to satisfy anyone’s curiosity whether it is her husband or her mother-in-law, which I believe is a way for Ayesha to vent out. She cannot share what happened to her with anyone but even then her husband has been supporting her by putting up with this behavior without asking for explanations which is why it appears to be that Ayesha’s faith in Adnan has been restored. Adnan and I would say even her sister-in-law have played a pivotal role in making Ayesha come out of the depression she was in.

Ayesha knew that she could only start afresh if Shahwez was out of her life for good. That was only possible if she talked to him herself because her mother was not willing to listen to her. I really liked the way her anger towards this man was justified in front of her mother and later on the way she justified it in front of her sister-in-law. The fact that there was a reason for her feeling that way about Shahwez made everything more realistic otherwise her mother and her sister-in-law would have many questions to ask. There was a time when I thought that the only way for the story to progress decently was that Ayesha should tell Adnan and her mother the truth but the story has been very convincing even without that development.

My favorite part of this drama has to be the powerful and relatable characters, meaningful dialogues and flawless acting by every single actor; it is almost as if all these actors were meant to perform these roles. The casting director deserves a lot of credit for choosing a brilliant cast. Like I said before Mikaal Zulfiqar is the weakest link in the play but his character makes up for the average acting. You can’t help but like Adnan for not being the typical husband we see in our dramas all the time. His love for his wife and his daughter is genuine; you feel for him just as much as you feel for Ayesha. A man like Adnan does not deserve to go through all this. This story is just as much about Adnan as it is about Ayesha.

The preview of the next episode showed how Ayesha will be forced to bring Shahwez back in her life because she is desperate to save her daughter’s life. The birth of Sangat has changed everything for Ayesha; she feels the need to protect her daughter more than her own self. I felt like that was the reason why Ayesha decided to have that conversation with Shahwez, she feels that she needs to move on so that she can focus on Sangat. I must say that I am very impressed with how Zafar Mairaj has taken the story forward till now and the director Kashif Nisar deserves all the credit for adding life to every single scene of this play. I am anxiously looking forward to the next episode of Sangat.

Do share your thoughts about this latest episode.

Fatima Awan

What I like the most about Sangat so far is the fact that the story has been very convincing, engaging and unpredictable. Another aspect of this play that makes it stand out from many other plays that have been made on this issue is that it covers different tracks flawlessly while Ayesha remains the central figure of this story. When Shahwez came to give blood in the last episode we knew that it was going to be a development that will have a huge impact on Ayesha’s life but no one could have ever guessed that the story was going to go in this direction.

Like all the other episodes of Sangat this one too had a great deal to offer. The viewers found out more about the kind of relationship Ayesha had with Shahwez when she was little. The flashbacks and Ayesha’s mother’s conversation with her showed that Ayesha was never too fond of Shahwez but he ‘fell in love’ with her at some point! It is obviously impossible for a person who loves someone to destroy their life the way Shahwez destroyed Ayesha’s life but at least Shahwez thinks he is in love with Ayesha. Personally, I see it more as an obsession. Shahwez’s character is an interesting one because we are being shown a man who made a lot of wrong decisions in his life but there was one decision which he made and followed through which is going to haunt him for the rest of his life. I hope and pray that we see this man paying for what he did in the end because what he did to Ayesha is unforgivable.

I think the writer has done a commendable job of etching out characters which seem real and are free of clichés! Adnan’s mother’s attitude before Sangat’s arrival in the house and her reaction when she looks at Sangat for the first time was an excellent example of how different this character is from the usual mother in laws we see on screen. This woman can be very typical and mean but in her heart she loves her son. Farah’s character is another one which is anything but typical yet I have no problem accepting or relating to her character. I guess the viewers are so weary of watching the stereotypes on screen that such characters are a breath of fresh air.

I have said it before and I am going to say it again that while I do not like the way Ayesha’s mother is unintentionally bringing her rapist closer to her, the way it is being shown is very believable. The relationship Ayesha’s mother had with Shahwez in the past and the one they have now and the fact that she is lonely makes it all convincing. The only part which can easily be termed as a big flaw in the story is that Adnan keeps on suggesting that he met Shahwez when he came to his house although we were made to believe that he never knew about Shahwez’s visit until his mother told him about it and it is also strange that Adnan does not recall that he met Shahwez in the hospital with Ayesha’s mother once. Also, the viewers were made to feel that Ayesha recognized Shahwez when she saw him on the night of the incident and later on she did not tell her mother who he was because she did not want to hurt her but in tonight’s episode we were shown that Ayesha did not know that her mother knew Shahwez.

All these flaws aside, overall, Sangat has an interesting storyline and not a minute goes by when you don’t feel for Ayesha. Now that Shahwez is living with Ayesha’s mother I wonder how Ayesha will stay away from him because it looks like she has no intentions of telling her mother that he was the man who raped her. Also, what will happen if Adnan meets him there?

The preview of the next episode definitely gave me something to look forward to. All the actors did a commendable job as usual but Zahid Ahmed and Saba Qamar were stars of the show. The director has done complete justice to this story and I am waiting to see how the story unfolds in the future.

Do share your thoughts about this episode and also about the preview of the next episode.

Fatima Awan

Sangat is getting more interesting with every passing episode. There was a great deal of development in this episode just like all the previous episodes of Sangat. This time around the focus was more on Shahwez’s character and on showing how he is gradually getting closer to Ayesha’s mother. Professor Zubeida obviously has no clue that this is the man who ruined her daughter’s life, on the contrary she looks at him in a completely different light; he is the boy who thinks of her as his mother and he is the one who rescued her when she needed help. Professor Zubeida feels that she needs to help this young man find his way and at the same time she also thinks that she can rely on him whenever she needs assistance. Although, Ayesha’s mother’s character is not one of my favorite ones in the drama and I don’t like the way this mother is bringing the rapist closer to her daughter over and over again unintentionally but I could relate to why someone like her would like to play the role of a mentor in a young man’s life.

Ayesha’s conversation with the psychiatrist and the flashback scene when Shahwez is thinking about his past revealed that even though Ayesha does not remember ever meeting Shahwez there was a time in their childhood when these two met each other or perhaps Ayesha reminds Shahwez of someone in his childhood. Shahwez’s conversation with his friend also showed that he knew Ayesha beforehand. I am sure all the viewers like me are waiting to find out when did Shahwez meet Ayesha, how does he know her? And howcome Ayesha does not remember him at all?

Shahwez ‘s chance meeting with Adnan was covered really well; the conversation and the guilt pangs were shown flawlessly but I could not help but wonder how Adnan knew that Shahwez was the person who came to meet Ayesha. In the last episode I thought that Adnan made up a lie to cover for his wife but apparently Ayesha did tell Adnan this story about Shahwez which also makes everything more believable but at the same time I was disappointed that Adnan did not really let his wife keep this one secret. She could have been worthy of his love and trust even if she did not tell him who this man was. Ayesha’s ‘sessions’ with her psychiatrist have to be the worst part of every episode. The psychiatrist never has a sound advice to give Ayesha and their conversations do not have a professional touch to them.

This episode belonged to Zahid Ahmed from the beginning till the end. He manages to give the perfect expressions every time. His acting has been effortless throughout and he has made me forget Rameez altogether because he owns this character just as much as he owned that one. I must also give credit to the director for not making the happenings over-dramatic but still managing to keep the emotions in all the scenes alive. All the characters have been brilliantly etched-out, even Salma’s character has been superbly written and acted-out. Her infatuation with this man and her desperate attempts to get closer to him might reveal something about him which she does not want to know. I have a feeling that she might have a bigger role to play in the story. The story of the play is unpredictable and every episode makes you look forward to the next one. Usually stories based on such tradegies are either disturbing or they don’t resonate with the viewers but this one actually has a very strong storyline, some very interesting characters and the play has been very intelligently directed so far. Mikaal Zulfiqar performed well too in tonight’s episode therefore for the first time I have no complaints about his acting.

How will Ayesha react once she finds out that the man who raped her donated blood for her as well? This will lead to even more trauma. Will she ever be able to tell her mother the truth? I would love to see Ayesha mustering up the courage to put this man behind bars where he belongs.

Most of our readers were absolutely right about the scene in which Adnan yells at Shahwez in the hospital – it really was a dream sequence so keep the guesses coming, you guys were spot on!!

Don’t forget to share your thoughts about this episode in the comment section below.

Fatima Awan

Sangat continues to be very convincing and engaging. The pace of the drama is just right, it isn’t too fast paced but we see some new development in every episode. The fact that the story has been quite unpredictable till now also makes the viewers look forward to what the writer has in store for us next. All the characters in the play are realistic and definitely not the usual stereotypes we see on television all the time. Character development has also been steady which has to be one of the best aspects of this play so far.

The developments in this episode changed a lot of things for almost all the characters in the play and the story has taken a new turn. Until the last episode the viewers were left wondering if Shahwez was indeed feeling guilty or was he only trying to stay close to Ayesha because of his fixation with her. In this episode we found out that he indeed is feeling guilty to the extent that he cannot seem to get close to any other girl now furthermore he really wants to do something to make things right. Taking a big step like talking to someone about what he had done and then going to Ayesha’s house for an apology went to show that he will do anything to get rid of the guilt he is feeling. We also found out more about the relationship between Shahwez and Salma. Shahwez has gone from flirting with this girl to completely ignoring her because he feels that he does not deserve to be loved or to be around another girl. This is the first time in such a drama that we see the perpetrator of the crime feeling guilty like this and trying to set things right. This story is not about whether this man will be punished or not but more about how the aftermath of this tragic incident will effect everyone’s lives.

Shahwez’s visit to Ayesha’s house has changed everything in her house. Before his visit her mother in law never for a second thought that there could be a man involved in this whole incident. Also, although Adnan has not said anything to Ayesha but he is obviously wondering who this man was. The way he covered up for his wife was very refreshing – definitely not something we see in our dramas every day! Adnan wants this matter to be settled between him and his wife and he does not want his mother to have anything to do with it. The way Ayesha tackled the situation was yet another development which goes to show that Sangat is showing things in a different light. She didn’t feel the need to explain anything to anyone and when she questioned her husband it was yet again a very mature way of dealing with the situation. A part of me felt like Shahwez’s apology to Ayesha has given her some courage to deal with people around her in a different way.

Ayesha’s conversation with the psychiatrist had to be the weakest link of this episode. Nothing that the psychiatrist said sounded like something that was coming from a professional. Ayesha’s answer to her question as to why children will be called by their mother’s name on the day of judgment was very meaningful and touching!

Sangat is going strong so far. Although Mikaal Zulfiqar’s acting in the play has been unimpressive but he looks good with Saba Qamar and they make a convincing on screen couple. Saba Qamar has been flawless throughout the play and her character has been very easy to connect to. Zahid Ahmed stole the show today with his brilliant portrayal of a man who is looking for some peace of mind. Zahid Ahmed plays the most negative characters in such a way that you can’t help but relate to what is going on in the mind of these characters. Kiran Haq as usual was a breath of fresh air in her brief appearance in tonight’s episode and Samina Ahmed stands out as the mother in law who isn’t perfect but who isn’t exactly negative either – a very realistic character which is likeable even with all its flaws.

The preview of the next episode definitely gave me something to look forward to. How many of you watched this latest episode, do share your thoughts about it.

Fatima Awan

PS: A very Happy Eid to all our lovely visitors and lots of prayers for all the readers out there, stay safe and stay happy.

This was another episode of Sangat which in a very apt manner emphasized on how much pressure the family puts on a rape victim to forget everything and move on because that is the only way to ensure that everything stays ‘normal’. Ayesha’s mother’s expectations from her daughter and the way she is unwilling to accept that Ayesha needs her emotional support more than the constant advices to think of everyone else around her go to show that she is not ready to understand Ayesha at all; it is almost as if that is not even an option. Everything that happened to Ayesha is supposed to be treated like a bump in the road after hitting which you do not get injured but you continue with your
journey pretending like nothing ever happened!! Ideally all rape victims would want to move on just like that but to expect something like this would lead to watching characters like Rameen on screen. I want Ayesha to survive this tragedy and I want her to live once again the way she used to before but I also find it easier to relate to her current situation because she needs more time and emotional support to overcome this tragedy.

Adnan’s character has been etched-out brilliantly; it is refreshing to see a ‘normal’ spouse on screen who loses his patience every now and then but he loves his wife and understands her. I wish I could say the same about the actor playing the character; unfortunately Mikaal Zulfiqar’s monotone dialogue delivery is not helping!! If it wasn’t for Mikaal Zulfiqar and Saba Qamar’s on screen chemistry the relationship between them wouldn’t have clicked with me at all. There is definitely a very strong bond between Adnan and Ayesha which is why it is easier to believe why Ayesha had so much faith that she could share her secret with her husband. Even when Adnan talked about how things would’ve been if something like that had happened to Ayesha, he talked only about how he would have been devastated by the tragedy and Ayesha has not been able to tell him because she does not want him to go through all that pain. Until now Ayesha has been trying to save everyone else around her from emotional damage and in that process she is badly damaged herself now.

We found out more about Shavez’s character today, he spends his days watching Ayesha’s pictures in his phone – which means he is till obsessed with her. His father does not trust him and finds it hard to believe that someone like him would go out of his way to help someone the way he is helping Professor Zubeida. Shavez’s constant questions about Ayesha and his sudden interest in helping her mother obviously means that he wants to know more about Ayesha and now after hearing the news of her pregnancy he is wondering if the child is his. Ayesha is also unsure if this really is ‘her Sangat’. I really liked the way Ayesha’s state of mind was portrayed on screen but I found it hard to relate to the news being spread around like that. Ayesha has one more person to look after now; one more person she is expected to save!! Shavez has an admirer who he does not like but someone who can tell that there is something different about him. His confidence suggested that he isn’t exactly ashamed of what he has done; he is afraid that someone might find out but at the same time he is finding it very difficult to stay away from Ayesha’s mother because that is the only way he can find out more about her. We still don’t know how and when Shavez met Ayesha and why did he plan someone so horrific.

I must appreciate the writer and director for not sensationalizing the scenario by showing another chance meeting between Ayesha and Shavez at this point. Also, the flashback scenes have been minimal which is good. Saba Qamar’s acting was flawless as usual but her fake nails, perfectly ironed crisp kurta and eye make-up stood out like a sore thumb. Zahid Ahmed has been very convincing so far and I am waiting to find out more about his character. Samina Ahmed is very persuasive as the mother who puts her son’s happiness before anything or anyone else! Kiran Haq is amazing as Farah and she should top the list of one of the best sister-in-laws in the history of Pakistani dramas! Mikaal Zulfiqar’s acting is mediocre; he appears bored and disinterested.

How many of you watched tonight’s episode of Sangat? Do share your thoughts about it.

Fatima Awan

I might sound like a broken record but I must say that this episode just like all the other episodes of Sangat was completely owned by Saba Qamar. Saba Qamar has managed to breath life into a very difficult character and she does that so effortlessly. I am really enjoying watching Saba Qamar play a role which brings out the best in her. I have always been able to relate to Ayesha’s character right from the start. Although Ayesha’s ‘advisors’ do not have anything new to offer but Ayesha’s character has been etched-out very nicely. I liked the way Ayesha reacted to what Adnan did to her. Everything that happened went to show that a husband cannot justify such a behaviour and it is inexcusable. There was no violence as such but Ayesha felt violated yet again and this time by her own husband. The fact that Ayesha did not just accept Adnan’s apology although it seemed quite genuine made me like her character even more. She felt like she was forced to do something she did not want to because her husband did not trust her word. I must also add that Adnan’s guilt pangs shortly after he dragged Ayesha to the Pir was also something we don’t see in our dramas every day. Most often we see men who think they are justified in doing something like this for some reason or the other. Adnan loves his wife and did not want to do all this to her but he gave into all the pressure. Adnan did not judge Ayesha for lying to him when she came back from the psychiatrist but confessed that he lied to his mother too which basically implied that he felt like he had no right to judge his wife when he himself was telling lies to cover up for what he had done.

The writer and director have covered the husband and wife ties flawlessly. Adnan is someone who loves his wife but he does not understand why his wife needs so much time to heal therefore he is resorting to desperate measures. Adnan wants everything to be ‘normal’ again and Ayesha on the other hand expects her husband to give her more time. She thinks that Adnan is being unfair because he is not willing to give her enough time to heal. Adnan does not have a clue what is it that is hurting his wife so much therefore he can do very little to heal her and being patient isn’t always that easy!!

I must appreciate the role of the Pir in the entire situation. It isn’t very often that we see such figures playing such a positive role in dramas. The Pir obviously figured out what was wrong with Ayesha but he knew that keeping her secret was the only way to help her. Asking her husband to stand by his wife’s side was a very wise advice. I also love the way the nand bhabi relationship is being shown in this drama. It was heartening to see Farah pleading Ayesha’s case and her conversation with her mother especially was very touching.

While this drama is showing us new perspectives in some areas in others we also see the same old line of thinking. The psychiatrist’s suggestions to Ayesha for example are the sort of advices which any woman can give to Ayesha. Ayesha’s mother’s attitude is shocking to the say the least. Is this woman even human? Someone harasses her and then snatches her mobile and it does not effect her at all. She thinks he was just a naughty kid!! We found out more about the character of the person who is responsible for ruining Ayesha’s life. Shahwez lost his mother when he was very young and guessing from his reaction when he entered Ayesha’s house he feels guilty about what he has done. His guilt of course won’t make up for the damage he has done but I am waiting to find out more about his character. What was the motive behind planning something like this??

The preview of the next episode showed that Ayesha is still not willing to forgive her husband and start a family with him. Shahwez will get closer to Ayesha’s mother and he will realize how much damage he has done to Ayesha.

Ayesha (Saba Qamar) remains the highlight of this drama. The character and the acting is absolutely brilliant. I must give credit to the writer and director for taking the story forward in a very fine manner till now.

How many of you watched this episode? Do share your thoughts about it.

Fatima Awan

Repetitive, predictable, lame, sickening and extremely disappointing – these few words explain this particular episode more than any other! It was quite obvious that the “saza” Ayesha had in her mind for Shahwez would be that he stays in her mother’s house in “that” room for the rest of his life. Although the writer and the director have tried their best to convince the viewers that this indeed would be the ultimate “saza” for this man but somehow I find it extremely lame and can’t relate to this man’s misery. The scenes between Ayesha and Shahwez make me cringe now, although Ayesha is doing all of this to make him suffer but they are spending a little too much time together considering their history! Sometimes less is more therefore it would’ve been better if all of this could have been summed up in one final confrontation instead of showing Ayesha “punishing” this man over and over again because no matter how many times she does it I still don’t feel for him and I still am very sure that this “saza” is not “saza” enough!!!

After watching this episode and many more before it I am wondering if this drama really was about Ayesha’s “saza” or was it about Shahwez’s “saza”!! The way Shahwez treats Salma goes to show that he has actually learned nothing from his “mistake”!! He still has absolutely no respect for women, even if that woman is crazy enough to love him even after knowing everything about him. The way Shahwez told Salma off every single time he talked to her made me wonder what was going through the writer’s mind when he penned down those scenes. The focus on Salma’s “love” for Shahwez is sickening. I always thought that Salma will be the one who will help Ayesha punish Shahwez in some way that might resonate with the viewers but now I fail to understand why Salma’s character is there. Is the writer trying to show that Shahwez is still the bad guy but he is a totally different person around Ayesha – is that supposed to be impressive in some odd, sickening way??

Adnan is still “struggling”, well at least we got to see a glimpse of him too doing whatever he has been doing for the past 4 episodes or so. Therefore the entire episode wasn’t just dedicated to the new found relationship Ayesha has with her rapist! I am extremely disappointed with the recklessness with which this script has been written and handled. Next time our writers want to create some controversies to gain the attention of viewers they should be kind and sensitive enough not to base such a story on a highly sensitive topic like rape.

As if watching what is unfolding in this drama is not depressing enough, when you see the promos of upcoming dramas or even those that are currently on air in the break you’re even more disgusted to watch that every other drama shows women crying and pleading sometimes because they are helpless and at other times because their husband sold themselves off to another woman!! Our writers and directors rely heavily on showing women being insulted in some way in dramas to gain trps. I am utterly disappointed, appalled and disgusted by the everything that is being shown in Sangat and by everything else that is being shown in our dramas nowadays.

Feel free to vent out!!

Fatima Awan

Another episode, another misunderstanding! That pretty much sums it up! The good thing about this latest episode was that it gave a glimmer of hope that this drama might be ending very soon. We found out today that Ayesha threw Sangat in the bin! Wasn’t Eidhi ka jhoola a better option? I completely understand Ayesha’s state of mind but it would have been good to see this woman mustering up the courage to give everything up and move out of the house. Right from the start we have seen Ayesha protecting other people around her, for once we need to see her looking after her own self. She should turn to her mother for support. Adnan’s reaction is realistic but it is not pleasant to watch. It is disturbing watching him turn to alcohol for comfort. While the man plays the victim and wants to escape the situation, the real victim is left to look out for him, for herself and for her daughter!

The story is going around in circles and honestly speaking at this point I don’t even care how it ends! This episode focused mainly on how the recent developments have effected Ayesha’s thought process and her relationship with Adnan. Sangat’s disappearance and what happened afterwards was quite predictable. Hopefully this would be the last time that Sangat’s disappearance is used to add some more outbursts and twists in the story. Zubeida aunty’s concern for Shahwez and her complete lack of interest in her own son in law came across as strange as usual but definitely not surprising!! When she called Ayesha to inquire about Adnan, I was quite sure it wasn’t Adnan she was worried about! Ayesha’s confrontation with Shahwez in which she tells him he was aik thappar ki maar could have been far more powerful if Shahwez didn’t appear to be dead scared of Ayesha! It is almost as if the writer and the director on bent on focusing on Shahwez’s “saza” just as much as that of Ayesha’s! While I do not feel an ounce of sympathy for Shahwez, I have always felt everything Ayesha has ever gone through. The only saving grace of this drama has to be Saba Qamar’s superb acting which has been top notch right from the first episode.

There was a time when I had hope that we would see Shahwez getting punished but tonight’s episode and the preview of the next one clearly showed that this punishment is not going to be one which many of us have been hoping for. Staying in Zubeida aunty’s house in Ayesha’s room is going to be Shahwez’s punishment which really does not resonate with me!! Shahwez tried yet again to leave aunty Zubeida’s house but it is like a curse which won’t leave him! I find it very difficult to relate to his situation, if this man could go ahead and ruin someone’s life single handedly, he can most certainly break a few more hearts to earn Ayesha’s forgiveness!

Shahwez’s meeting with Ayesha’s mother in law went to show how much aunties love this guy and they somehow think he is the perfect person to lecture! I found that scene entirely senseless! Shahwez has to be around for some reason or the other every time something of great consequence happens in Ayesha’s life which seems like a little too much of a coincidence!

The drama has reached a point where you find yourself wishing the next episode would be the last one! We have seen enough of everything – the confrontations, the emotional turmoil and the ups and downs, time to wrap it up guys!

Did you watch this latest installment of Sangat? Do share your thoughts about it.

Fatima Awan

Pata hai jub koi mur ke bicharta hai tu itni takleef nahi hoti lekin jub koi jeetey ji bichar jata hai tu buhat takleef hoti hai aur us se bhi ziada takleef tub hoti hai jub aik drama fazool mei TRPs ke liye stretch kiya jaye aur dekhne wala apna sur pakr ke beth jaye!!!

This episode like all the previous few was full of lengthy scenes with conversations that were over-stretched and developments that added very little to the story. It isn’t that the writer failed to comprehend that viewers have been shown most of what was shown often enough to get the message across but the real reason is that like all the other dramas, this one too must cross 18 episodes or so. When you have watched 14 or so episodes of a drama that has always managed to keep your interest alive, you can’t just stop watching it because you’re curious to find out how things will unravel and how it will end. Our producers know that only too well therefore every drama is stretched at this point. Most of the times the stories just get ruined in the process and the repetitive stretched scenes are inevitable.

For the past few episode, every episode of this drama serial has followed a certain pattern, here is how it goes.

* In every episode we see Shahwez saving the day sometimes more than once and there is one scene in which we are shown how desperately he is trying to get out of aunty Zubeida’s house but he is helpless!

* There are at least two or more scenes of Ayesha’s mother in which she yet again in some way expresses her love for Shahwez and this scene is usually followed by a lecture on the weaknesses in our social norms which most often seems out of place.

* We see Farah shouting at either Adnan or Ayesha in every episode for the same reason. Whatever she says is highly repetitive but every time she gets plenty of screen time as if we have no idea what is going through her mind. Her mother tries to make her understand she cannot intervene so much but she tells her off every time.

*There is always some screen time given to Ayesha in which we see her struggling with her situation and now apparently we will see Adnan getting drunk in every episode too! We saw Adnan’s true feelings for Sangat in the last episode and I guess we will be watching him showering the same affection on his daughter in the next episode too but only when he has some alcohol in his system!

All these happenings of course will eventually lead to something but by the time they do all the viewers would have lost interest in this drama. The only person who truly deserves screen time and who makes me feel for her character is Ayesha. Rest of the characters have been turned into caricatures because of the repetition. We see them going through and saying the same things over and over again therefore nothing that they say or do holds the viewers’ attention for long.

Salma’s character has to be the most disappointing and least likeable character in the play apart from Shahwez of course. The way she covered up for Shahwez yet again was just plain sad. She actually thought it was okay for her to put the blame on Ayesha! The way the “game” Ayesha played with Adnan to make him realize how he would feel if she left Sangat somewhere was very misleading. Ayesha was shown mourning the loss of her child although she was in the house.

The preview of the next episode showed that there will be even more problems between Ayesha because for some odd reason Adnan feels that his wife should trust him blindly! Who really is the victim here, Adnan or Ayesha? Adnan feels like he is the victim and Ayesha feels like she is duty-bound to do everything she can to make everything alright!

Did you watch this latest installment of Sangat? Do share your thoughts about it.

Fatima Awan

Like every other Pakistani drama that is on air nowadays, Sangat too has reached the point where it should be wrapped up in 2 or 3 episodes but we have been watching one filler episode after the other for the past few weeks. The only good thing about tonight’s episode was what Ayesha said to Adnan about Sangat not being an illegitimate child. I must say that what Adnan is going through right now could have been shown in a much better way if these outbursts did not include statements that are highly unpleasant to hear. Adnan loves Sangat and wishes she was his child. The way he treated Sangat when he was under the effect of alcohol clearly showed that he felt helpless and angry. He wanted this child to be his and cannot accept the fact that she isn’t his. He cannot take out his anger anywhere else therefore Ayesha is the one who has to face this entire situation alone. Adnan has kept the secret to himself which could mean that he will accept Sangat with all the history at some point.

Farah never has anything new to say. What she says is right but because it is being said over and over again in every episode therefore she sounds like a broken record. Ayesha’s mother’s concern and her lectures have never been appealing but lately they have been intolerable! There was a time when I thought that Sangat was a “drop everything and watch it” kind of a play but things have changed completely now. I feel the need to keep myself occupied with something else while I watch the show because otherwise it is almost impossible to sit through it.

Every single track has been given the screen time it needed, all the motives and character traits are well established therefore it is time to move the story forward. First we got to hear aunty Zubeida weigh the pros and cons of a nikkah in a Masjid and then the maulvi gave a long lecture about Salma’s dignity – not to mention the fact that while he did that the way he referred to her many times was not respectful at all. Nothing tangible came out of all these unnecessary scenes, well at least not in this episode. There was a lot of talking in this episode but not much came out of it. We have been listening to Shahwez wanting to do exactly what Ayesha wants him to do for the past so many episodes but no matter what he does to get away from crazy aunty Zubeida, he ends up with her!

This episode was a complete snooze-fest, the only two people who got the screen time needed to cover what was happening in their lives were Adnan and Ayesha. Other than that every other track needs to be wrapped up ASAP. I have fallen in and out of love with Farah’s character already because of the excessive screen time she gets and I have completely lost interest in Mr. clueless (Shahwez) and Miss. Desperate (Salma – of course!) Everyone who meets Shahwez falls in love with him – whether it is Salma, Adnan or Zubeida, enough of this fatal attraction – can we please move on!!

Do you think that Sangat is being stretched and we are watching one filler episode after the other? Do share your thoughts in the comments section.

Fatima Awan

All the developments in the story of this drama serial have always been unpredictable. There was a time when I thought this unpredictability was a strength of Sangat but the latest twists and turns in the story have taken the narrative to a point where I can’t help but wonder what exactly is it that the writer is trying to achieve here? Shahwez has done his father proud, made a girl’s dream come true, rescued Sangat in the most desperate of situations more than once and now he will do anything to save Adnan bhai too! Are the viewers expected to forgive this man because he is doing everything he can to “undo” what he did to Ayesha? I really hope that is not the case.

Once again I felt like Shahwez got a little too much of screen time and Salma’s father’s emotional dialogues seemed to be there for the wrong reasons. I was wondering why we were being shown all this emotional drama but later on when Zubeida aunty came like an angel to take this helpless father out of misery, the message was loud and clear!! I have said this before and it needs to be said again that Salma’s acceptance of Shahwez’s “love” for Ayesha is sickening. How can she ignore the fact that Shahwez violated Ayesha is the worst way possible and readily accept the notion that Shahwez did all this only because he was in love? Does that mean that it is okay to rape someone you love but cannot get as long as you feel sorry later on?

Adnan’s presence at the hospital was the only good development in tonight’s episode which hinted that Adnan is trying to accept Sangat. The confrontation between Ayesha and Adnan in the preview of the next episode however suggested something entirely different. Ayesha continued “saving” the people around her; she did not tell her mother what was going on in her life and she kept on apologizing to Adnan because she wanted everything to be okay. While I am very happy with the way the writer has shown a rape victim coming out of her ordeal with time, I would also want Ayesha to show a little more strength and do what really needs to be done.

Everything that Ayesha said to Shahwez was music to my ears. Shahwez’s helplessness is beyond me, there are times when you can’t help but think whether this man is really “paying” for his mistakes or reaping the rewards of feeling guilty after doing something horrendous. He goes out of his way to make Ayesha’s mother happy, he cannot hurt Adnan bhai but he cannot do that one thing which Ayesha wants him to do if he truly wants to be forgiven!! I really feel like the writer is completely losing focus here and if he wants the viewers to feel for Shahwez in some way then this is wrong on so many levels. If the writer is trying to prove that one act of a person does not define him then he is wrong because there are some actions which are so dreadful that no matter what you do to undo them, they still define who you are. And last but not the least, rape is a crime and one just cannot get away with it by saying sorry! Ayesha is trying to save everyone from further damage by trying to move on and forgetting everything but her actions send out the wrong message. A strong woman should have the guts to bring a rapist to justice. It would lead to a lot of “problems” but then is it okay to forgive and forget because it would be too much trouble bringing the person who violated her to justice? I really hope that Ayesha puts her strength to good use by telling her mother who Shahwez was and hopefully mustering up the courage to file a report against him. Am I the only one who feels that the only logical way to end this drama is to show Shahwez being punished for what he did?

Do share your thoughts in the comments section.

Fatima Awan

This episode was a complete disaster because of a number of reasons. The story has taken a very typical turn in which the victim who already felt like she needed to protect everyone around her is being pressurized even more into ensuring that she is the one who has to save everyone from further damage! Ayesha’s psychiatrist’s character has never resonated with me because the advices she gives seem to be coming from someone who hasn’t ever been to school! Right from day one she has been telling Ayesha to suppress her feelings, to hide the truth in order to save her marriage and now too she makes it sound like Ayesha is not the victim but someone who committed a huge mistake and now has to do everything she can to cover up!!

I am equally disappointed with the way Ayesha’s character has been turned into that of a woman who fails to see right from wrong. While I understand why someone in her situation would be unable to see herself as the victim since even her own mother refused to see her as one but at the same time it would have been so much better if we saw Ayesha getting strong enough to tell everyone what had happened so that the actual person who should be punished for his wrongdoings feels the heat. Ayesha’s situation looked even worse because we were constantly being shown how well Shahwez was doing in his life. He has a ‘mother’, he has someone who loves him even after knowing what kind of a person he is and is willing to stand by him and now he even has a job which makes it look like he has good prospects of moving on!!

It would have been so much better if the writer showed that Adnan was disappointed and hurt based on the fact that Ayesha did not trust him enough to tell him what had happened earlier or that he felt helpless and frustrated because he could not do anything to undo what had happened to his wife and as a consequence to him too. It is sad to see someone like Adnan who was a perfect husband giving up on his relationship completely like this and also of making plans to have fun in Bangkok because he feels like his wife ‘cheated’ on him!! How could someone like Farah have a brother like Adnan!! There was absolutely no reason to portray Adnan as a typical male because he had all the traits of someone who could rise above the confines of his own selfish concerns and most of all someone like him should have known better than to treat his wife like she cheated on him!

Although I really like Farah’s character but in this episode the repeated references to bhai wanting to get some sleep were annoying!!

I do acknowledge the fact that in Pakistan most rape victims are made to feel the way Ayesha has been made to feel till now but I must say that if the writer could show the rapist being treated as royalty he could have gone off the usual track when it came to the victim as well. For the first time Shahwez’s presence and Adnan’s absence seemed forced. Adnan’s reaction could have been shown in a much better way if his dialogues were more well-thought-out. Similarly the psychiatrist referring to Sangat as a “gaali” for Ashi was highly uncalled for!! The crime that Shahwez committed is much more than just a gaali for which he is accountable before law and his God! Feeling ‘sorry’ just doesn’t make up for what he did.

Even though I am disappointed with the last 2 episodes I still think this drama can have a decent ending if Ashi realizes that she needs to come out with the truth and Shahwez gets punished for what he did. Shahwez committed a crime and he should be punished for it. He isn’t a school boy who pushed a class fellow therefore he owes much more to his victim than a ‘sorry’!! I must say that the worst turn of events so far has been Salma’s acceptance of Shahwez’s crime.

Did you watch tonight’s episode? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.

Fatima Awan

This episode was extremely disturbing not only because Ayesha’s life has taken a turn for the worst but also because of how smooth everything has been for Shahwez so far and how much difficulty Ayesha had to face at every step. Yes, he feels guilty but is that really enough? I fail to relate to his guilt and cannot see past the man who did not think twice before violating a woman in the worst way possible. Salma’s reaction after learning the ugly truth definitely gave me even more of a reason to question why we see women like her on screen. Girls do get infatuated with men but to ‘stand by’ someone’s side like this even after knowing that he raped someone goes to show that Salma is just plain desperate! Salma really doesn’t care what kind of a person Shahwez is but she only wants to believe in the image she has of him. Nothing that he says or does can change that!!

Adnan was not as ‘understanding’ as Salma, he made it look like everything was all about him. I understand why Adnan would be upset; he just found out that his wife was raped and his daughter isn’t really his. But why does he fail to see that his wife is the victim here too? Just like everyone else in Ayesha’s life he did not see things from her perspective. I really did not want the story to take such an ugly turn but now that it has, I have a bad feeling that Adnan and Ayesha’s relationship will never be the same again.

The scene between Ayesha and her mother in law had to be my favorite scene from this entire episode. I must say that the way this relationship has been shown on screen is absolutely brilliant. This mother in law is not perfect but she is definitely a bigger support for Ayesha in many ways than her mother has ever been. At a time when she was willing to do anything to make things alright for Sangat sadly there is no way for Sangat to get that treatment unless Ayesha turns to Shahwez! Which is going to be another ugly twist in the story! I hope that we don’t see Shahwez laying down his life for his daughter, that would be the worst turn possible in the story!

It is actually painful to watch Ayesha’s mother worrying sick about Shahwez. The amount of screen time dedicated to her concern for Shahwez seemed quite useless. We all know by now just how close she is to Shahwez and how much he means to her therefore wasting more than ten minutes on a completely useless conversation was something that could’ve been easily avoided. I wish this mother had the same kind of concern for her daughter as well. Well! one thing we know for sure now, she might be a professor but she is not a good judge of character. Even with all his remorse and guilt Shahwez is not a good man but somehow she fails to see that. And even with her tough exterior her daughter is a very vulnerable woman, which is also something she has been unable to see.

I am hugely disappointed with Adnan’s reaction but not at all surprised and a part of me is still hoping that even after knowing the truth it won’t be easy for him to fall out of love with his wife or Sangat – which of course is a lot of wishful thinking! I would also have liked to see Salma walking out on Shahwez, it is distressing to see that he has so much support and Ayesha has none! Salma’s sympathies should also have been directed towards Ayesha and not Shahwez! I am wondering if Ayesha’s mother will ever find out the truth about Shahwez and at this point I am also wondering if she will be as ‘understanding’ even then as she is right now!! Now that Adnan knows the truth too, there is nothing holding Ayesha back – she should tell her mother the truth.

The preview of the next episode suggested that Adnan will stay the same and Ayesha might have to ask Shahwez for his ‘help’ yet again! I am definitely not looking forward to that and hoping that Ayesha will be able to help her daughter herself and now that she has the opportunity to do so, she will bring her rapist to justice since he is so keen to be punished! I must say brilliant acting by all the actors yet again, they never give me anything to complain about.

Fatima Awan

The latest developments in the story were not according to the wishes of many of the viewers and I also did not want the story to take this turn. Having said that I must say that the latest developments were shown in a very convincing manner yet again – the whole scenario was not over-dramatized and Adnan’s reaction to the results of the DNA report was spot-on. While the doctor broke the worst news possible, Adnan was more worried about how Ayesha would have felt if she was there to hear the news of these fake reports. While this turn in the story will make Ayesha an even bigger victim, it also goes to show that something like rape cannot be swept under the carpet. How could someone like Ayesha’s mother who is so practical not take any steps to ensure that her daughter did not conceive after she was raped – that was the first thought that ran through my head when I heard what the doctor had to say to Adnan.

The results of the DNA report added another ugly twist to the story which will only make matters worse and that too at a time when Ayesha has clearly moved on. She no longer wants to dwell in the past but she wants to look towards the future and do whatever she can to make sure that Sangat lives a cancer-free life. There was a time when Ayesha wasn’t sure if Sangat was Adnan’s daughter but now that she is certain that this really is Adnan and Ayesha’s Sangat, this ugly truth will change everything. It was touching to see a father willing to sacrifice everything for his only daughter. Adnan’s love for Ayesha and Sangat both is something we rarely see on television but this latest twist in the story will be the real test of Adnan’s love for his wife in particular.

The best part of this episode had to be Ayesha’s visit to her mother and the way she requested her for help and the response she got. For the first time we saw that Ayesha’s mother will do whatever it takes to make her daughter happy without asking a lot of questions or giving it too much thought. Ayesha’s mother unlike Adnan’s mother did not accuse her of being selfish although she is a widow too which was in line with her practical nature.

While I do not agree with the way Adnan’s mother reacted, I could not help but feel that this time around Farah took it a little too far. Parents do get attached to their house in their old age especially after they lose their spouses and such a reaction from her was although anything but ideal but it was too soon to judge her like that. I wish for once we saw Farah understand why her mother felt the way she did and made her understand things in a polite way. No one wants to see their mother leave their own house like that and when a situation like that does arise you console your mother and treat her with love. Later on we saw Farah blaming her mother for the DNA test’s results too, which was unfair. Although their mother is not flawless but she is a caring woman who loves her son in her own way, if Farah is so bright why can she not see that! Yes! for the first time I felt like Farah was being unfair.

I am gradually coming to the point where I see myself wishing that Shahwez was completely out of the picture and this story was more about Adnan and Ayesha. It would have been good if the focus was on how they cope with the aftermath of this tragedy as opposed to showing how Shahwez is dealing with the entire situation. To be honest, now I couldn’t care less what is going through his head and I only want to see him being punished for what he has done.

I must give the director full credit for bringing out the best in every actor and bringing out the best in the script. Saba Qamar stole the show yet again tonight with her brilliant performance. The preview of the next episode was enticing as usual, I am waiting to find out if Adnan will stand by his wife and Sangat’s side even after knowing the truth.

Do share your thoughts about this latest installment.

Fatima Awan

This episode was somewhat predictable as compared to all the episodes we have seen so far but like all other episodes the developments in tonight’s episodes gave me a few good reasons to tune into Sangat next week. I hope there is a good reason why Ayesha’s mother and Shahwez are getting so much screen time. I would have liked to see a few more conversations between Adnan and Ayesha as opposed to the ones between Ayesha’s mother and Shahwez. The circumstances that led to Ayesha asking Shahwez to donate his blood were shown in a very convincing manner like always. The second Sangat was fine Ayesha could not stand to look at that man and she asked Adnan to make sure that such a situation never arose again.

I have no idea what is the relevance of Salma’s track to the entire story but something tells me that Salma is being given so much importance for a reason. I am waiting to find out what that is. The conversations surrounding Shahwez seemed out of place at a time when Sangat should have been the sole concern of everyone associated with Ayesha or Sangat. Ayesha’s mother’s curiosity regarding Ayesha’s attitude towards Shahwez and everything Adnan had to say about Shahwez did not quite fit in the entire situation. It would have been much better if these conversations took place when Sangat was home. Ayesha’s mother’s conversation with Shahwez in the hospital was very meaningful. She feels that Shahwez was miraculously sent in her life as a savior, she has no clue that this man entered her life again for all the wrong reasons.

A DNA test was a development we were all expecting. The fact that Ayesha did not try to stop this whole process goes to show that right now she does not care about anything else except her daughter. However, Ayesha could not muster up the courage to tell Adnan the truth even when the opportunity presented itself. Adnan shared how he could indirectly be responsible for what was going on with his daughter but Ayesha could not share what happened to her. I wonder why Ayesha thinks that this was her “gunnah”, perhaps because she did not tell her husband the truth. It was disappointing to see Ayesha blaming herself for something like this. She is the victim and even if she did not have the courage to share what happened with her husband it does not mean that she betrayed anyone in any way.

It was good to see a real baby playing the role of Sangat, it is definitely something that helps the viewers look at the baby as a real person! Shahwez is back with Ayesha’s mother but I hope that he makes at least one more attempt to leave the house since a person like him won’t stay back only to make someone happy. He entered Ayesha’s mother’s life to make up for what he had done and now that Ayesha has spelled out what she wants from him nothing should stop him! All the actors gave top-notch performances which makes this drama stand out in the crowd. I am however getting tired of Ayesha’s mother’s obsession with Shahwez and her repetitive dialogues when she is talking to Ayesha regarding Shahwez. It would have been nice to see Ayesha’s mother and Ayesha in particular compromising on her looks when Sangat was in the hospital. On the first day they were coming from a function but on the second day there was no reason to look so dressed up.

The preview of the next episode showed that there will be some interesting developments in the next episode as well. What are the predictions for the upcoming episodes? Please share your thoughts.

Fatima Awan