So we take a time leap in episode 6…it’s been at least 4-5 years since the last episode as Kulsoom now has 3 girls and oldest (Rabi) seems to be about 4. Vasim has been having an open affair with Noor Jahan (NJ) for all these years and NJ’s mother seems to be content, whereas I am thoroughly appalled at her. Chacha disgusting sold his daughter to Vasim for 30K rupees, but a nikaah was involved (although the legitimacy of that nikah is debatabl). Khala disgusting is knowingly and willingly letting her grown, divorced daughter (with a son) have an illegitimate relationship and that too in her own house…and all fo this for money and expensive things. I shudder to think what would have happened had Chacha disgusting married Khala disgusting!
Vasim is wasting all of his money on NJ and Khala disgusting, while his own family (2 wives, 3 daughters, and a mother) are left with little or nothing. He comes home every few weeks and wants his kids hidden away. As Shamim is getting ready to sell her earrings and other household stuff, we hear lines like “pata nahi hum auratein in mardon ki itni mohtaaj kyoon hoti hain?” Vasim wants to marry NJ, but Khala disgusting will not allow it until he signs over his store to her. I’m sorry but this entire storyline is completely unnecessary, not to mention the acting of Nosheen Shah as NJ and Khala disgusting. The writer will really have to justify this story line and it better be something other than the entirely predictable scenario in which NJ shows her true colors, Vasim is left without his store, and money, and at the mercy of his two wives and mother.
On the Akmal front, he seems to be doing really well for himself. His father has passed away, and Akmal is still completing his education while taking care of not just his family, but also Vasim’s. He is also using his own money to run Vasim’s store. He convinces Shamim to let Kulsoom complete her education and starts tutoring her again. While Akmal is tutoring Kulsoom Vasim comes home seems drunk actually) and starts being abusive to everyone including Akmal. He then leaves telling them that he is marrying NJ. Episode 6 ends there.
Episode 7 starts out with Vasim complaining to NJ about Kulsoom studying. She clearly showing the background she comes from) suggests that Akmal and Kulsoom are both young and good looking and are clearly having an affair (takes one to think like that) behind Vasim’s back making a fool out of him. Vasim at first says no and he knows Akmal since he was 10, but NJ is quite convincing and has him believing her.
There is a death in Shehnaz’s sister’s in laws and Shehnaz and Shamim go to Hyderabad for condolences, hesitantly leaving Kulsoom alone with the 3 girls. Shazi gets a fever and faints. Kulsoom goes out and calls Vasim’s cell but NJ picks up and doesn’t let her talk to Vasim even after hearing Shazi fainted. NJ hangs up and we find Akmal was standing right behind her (that wasn’t predicable at all). He takes Shazi to the doctor and brings her home. Meanwhile when Vasi wonders who was on the phone NJ doesn’t tell him what happened and even suggests that Kulsoom was calling from Akmal’s phone. Vasim goes home to find Akmal and Kulsoom alone and all hell breaks. Shamim and Shehnaz also show up at that time. Vasim starts strangling Akmal and even ends up hitting his mother and Shehnaz. He tells Akmal to give the keys to the shop to him. Akmal throws it at him and leaves. When Shehnaz hears Vasim’s accusations she has had enough and thrown Vasim out telling him to never come back. (This by the way was one of the 2 saving graces of this episode).
Vasim tells NJ what happened and she does the “I told you so’ scene. She also asks “waise teri biwi ko sharm nahi ayi us se chakkar chelate hue?” Hello Pot, my name is Kettle! In the morning Khala disgusting reminds Vasim that there will be no nikah until his store is in NJ’s name as Haq Mehr. Vasim goes to Chaha disgusting (why is he still alive is beyond me) and wants him to be the peacemaker between him and his mother. Tells him about the non-existent affair between Kulsoom and Akmal and Chacha disgusting believes him. What else can we expect from someone who sells his 11 year old daughter?
Meanwhile Akmal is now getting into a small business with a friend. His mother is still mad at what happened and says “kabhi kabhi to dil chahta hai ke us Shamim ko khari khari duna doon.” Umm, she just did like 7 minutes ago…did the writer forget or was there an issue with editing?
Shamim has now decided that the women will work and take care of themselves so they don’t have to depend on anyone. Chacha disgusting shows up and starts yelling at Kulsoom. Shamim (and this is the other saving grace of the episode) tells him off like there is no tomorrow and tells him to never come there again. She also tells him to tell Vasim that she will break his legs if she ever sees him near her house, uttering “aisa beta hone se beher hai Insaan be aulad rahe.” She has said this before also and I’m offended on behalf of men like Akmal. Why couldn’t the writer compare Vasim and Akmal and instead of going to the extremes say something like ‘Beta ho to Akmal jaisa, warna na ho…?’ There was a great chance to show a son in a positive light, yet it passed.
Episode 7 ends with Vasim’s 3rd marriage to NJ as he has finally transferred the store in NJ’s name.
I’m sorry this review is not very positive but, seriously episodes 6 and 7 were highly predictable and very unimpressive. Rehaai started out very strong and even with extremely nauseating scenes, was commendable. However now it has just become another run of the mill story where women are victimized. I’m really happy that women empowerment through education and work is being shown, and had the focus been on that instead of the unnecessary storyline of Vasim and NJ, it would have been better. There was no need to show that ‘aurat ki dushman aurat hi hoti hai.’ Nosheen Shah did not at all impress as NJ. I found her to be extremely unbearable. Samina Peerzada excelled in her role though along with Danish Taimour. I do feel like Rehaai has become more about Shamim’s struggles than anyone else’s. Maria Wasti was only there for 2 scenes I believe. Munawwar Saeed was wasted in this episode. Why did Vasim go to Chacha disgusting to make peace with his mother is beyond my understanding. Even Vasim knows how much his mother hates him, so why did he think she would listen to him? Farhat Ishteaq has proved to be a great novelist, but episodes 6 and 7 prove that this should have been written by a strong writer who has already written for television. Not whose novels have been made into dramas.
It is very early though so maybe it’ll get better.
