“Tum bachi nahi ho, shadi shuda ho, aik beti ki maa ho…stop dreaming!”  I love the way this drama gives its viewers a chance to rethink all the clichés and double-standards that exist in our society. Once a girl gets married, she is supposed to dedicate her life to making her marriage work, nothing else in the world matters. The second a girl gets married she should stop dreaming because that is the start of practical life; stop dreaming about being happy…Is that really fair or right? Bee Gul’s script forces you to question all the preconceived notions about married men, women and marriage in general. Is marriage just a social obligation or more than that? Is a woman only a wife and a mother after marriage or does she have a pehchan of her own too? And if a woman loses her pehchan as an individual after marriage why doesn’t the same hold true for the man as well? Why does the society expect the woman to deliver and the man is not questioned because as long as he provides for his wife and kids he can get away with everything. Pehchan rejects all the stereotypes which we have been seeing in our dramas for a very long time now. It is refreshing in its own unique way. Laila has stopped looking for excuses for Mansoor’s less than attentive behavior, she knows that there is no point in hoping that one day things will change for good and she most certainly is done with putting up a show for her mother.

“Jis rastay pe tum chal rahi ho, us rastay pe chalnay wali aurat ko hamare masharay mei jis naam se pukara jata hai, janti ho?…..Buhat achi tarah janti hun, magar ap jaise mard ko kis naam se pukara jaye yeh nahi janti!!”…so true and so ironic! They are so many names for women who cheat on their husbands, who fail as wives because our society loves to label and judge women but what do you call a husband who cheats on his wife and who fails to make her happy? Although this episode like all the previous ones was loaded with powerful dialogues that cast a spell on you; the sort of conversations that stay with you long after you have heard them but my favorite scene in tonight’s episode was the final confrontation between Mansoor and Laila. Laila may think that it is her financial independence that has given her the courage to stand up to Mansoor but something tells me that it is not just that. There are many financially independent women like Kukoo who think they are incomplete without a man but Laila knows that she has an identity of her own, which she can only safeguard if she goes away from Mansoor. Laila also knows that she gave this relationship her best but Mansoor failed as a husband; he failed to give her the love she deserved. Laila would have happily let her husband be her new pehchan had he given her enough love to earn that status. Men do not get respect, love and everything else that comes with a marriage simply by entering into nikkah with women, they also need to work hard to earn all that. Mansoor warns Laila again and again that without his pannah Laila is vulnerable and weak but Laila knows better. Sohail Sameer has outdone himself as Mansoor, he has been brilliant throughout the play. Whoever selected him for this role deserves special appreciation.

“Tum buhat masboot ho Kukoo, tum ne mujh jaise admi ka bhoj saha hai…Mansoor Jaise admi ka stress saha hai!” Khurram and Kukoo both failed each other and they decided to be honest about it when they parted ways. Khurram explained his relationship with Kukoo brilliantly. He was always like a spoiled child and Kukoo like his mother, maybe that is the reason why he never wanted a child of his own! A child does not know that he has duties too but he only expects the mother to be there for him whenever he needs her. Similarly Khurram forgot that this marriage was a two way road, he did not realize that one day Kukoo may get very tired of all this and turn to someone else for the kind of love Khurram never gave her. Khurram always got what he wanted from his relationship from Kukoo but he never gave much consideration to Kukoo’s wishes. He never even tried to understand her. He knew what she wanted but his own happiness was much more important to him. Khurram is not perfect in any way at all but at least he was man enough to admit his mistakes and he forgave his wife for what she did. Mansoor on the other hand still thinks that he did nothing wrong. Kukoo felt liberated after Khurram left, it looked like she was eager to move on.

Kukoo and Laila both have an opportunity to start afresh; how are they going to make use of this opportunity, remains to be seen. Will they be able to find their pehchan without a man? Will Laila be able to stick to her decision? I can’t wait to find out. Pehchan has been a masterpiece till now, it is refreshing, enlightening and very well executed. Bee Gul and Khalid Ahmed make a superb team, I hope we will be seeing more plays from them in the future too.

Do share your thoughts about yet another impressive episode of Pehchan.

Fatima Awan

Pehchan is storytelling at its best. Khalid Ahmad deserves heaps of appreciation for giving us innumerable scenes that convey so much even when they don’t involve a single dialogue. Khalid Ahmad obviously believes in innovation; that is something that shows in the locations and also in the way the characters convey their emotions. You know what these characters are thinking or feeling long before they utter a single word. The clarity with which Khalid Ahmed has translated Bee Gul’s equally impressive script on-screen is truly commendable.

Tonight’s episode opened with a very worried Kukoo sharing with Mrs. Khan how she felt about Khurram’s present state. Later on when Kukoo gets the call from the hospital I felt as if she was crying because she was relieved and scared at the same time; relieved because she still had a man in her life but scared/terrified of falling into the same rut again with Khurram. Did she have the courage and patience to continue leading the fake life which she had been living with Khurram for so long? She obviously didn’t. I also felt like Kukoo was ready to let go of Khurram, as if she had said her final goodbyes and in her heart she was ready to move on. When Khurram went on and on about Kukoo’s loyalty towards him she could not stop herself. She finally came out with the ugly truth because she felt guilty every time Khurram presented a perfect picture of her. I absolutely adore Laila’s character now and the way it has developed in the past few episodes. There was a time when I thought Kukoo will be another strong woman who will never know her worth but now it seems like she is gradually getting there. Even if she does not find her way, I will be quite content because she is not relying on these men now the way she was before. She is not scared of losing either Khurram or Mansoor.

When Laila is getting ready to go out with Saadi, she thinks twice before putting on the lipstick and then she decides not to put it on. Later on she tells Saadi she is married and has a baby, as if she is reminding her own self that. The guilt pangs never leave Laila too, she does not want to do all this but she also does not want to do anything that will make Mansoor happy. Most of all she wants Mansoor to know that he doesn’t own her, at least not any more! Mansoor is a lost soul. He does not know what to do about his bruised ego, he tries threatening Laila but nothing can make Laila change her mind now. He gives Kukoo a desperate phone call; a man who needs saving himself pretends that these women cannot do without him but he is not in control any more. Not being in control is something Mansoor cannot handle.

Laila’s conversation with Saadi about her life, when she says that she has everything and apparently nothing is wrong but something just isn’t right either was simply beautiful. It was probably one of those very few conversations which many women probably have with themselves every now and then and most of them probably convince themselves that there really isn’t anything to worry about but like Saadi rightly points out that Laila is unhappy which is something that just cannot be brushed under the carpet.

Another conversation which was one of my favorites in tonight’s episode was the one in which Kukoo talked to Mrs. Khan about Laila not being able to realize her own self worth and relying on mard ka sahara! That was an amazing conversation which went to show how easy it is for someone to judge others but it is so difficult to see your own life in the same manner.

Tonight’s episode had quite a few scenes that left me in awe of Khalid Ahmad’s direction but the one scene which was my most favorite was when Khurram cries on the shoulder of that kid….very very well done indeed! Khurram doesn’t say much but he is heart broken. The preview of the next episode showed that Laila and Kukoo both will be on their own very soon.

The Voice Of America headlines in the middle of the drama came out of nowhere without a proper commercial break, I was left wondering if it was a mistake or was it done on purpose.

I can’t praise all the actors enough for performances that completely blow you away. Iffat Omer has completely won me over and Sohail Sameer has truly outdone himself. The meaningful dialogues leave an impact on you that lasts long after you’re done watching the episode. Really looking forward to finding out how the story unfolds in the upcoming episodes.

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

Hamei kya bura tha mrna agr aik baar hota! This was Laila’s state of mind when she walked towards her house. Every time she goes home to Mansoor she feels dead because no matter how hard she tries to strengthen her bond with Mansoor she knows that there is no real connection between them. She also knows that things between them can only change if there is a genuine effort from both sides. On the contrary she feels more alive when she is with Saadi and she misses him when he is not around. At this point Saadi may not be anything more than a friend from the past who brings with him beautiful memories or someone who gives Laila the kind of attention which every woman her age wants. Laila’s marital life has been a nightmare come true right from day one. Mansoor has never been the kind of husband Laila deserved, the poor girl has not seen one happy day in her life. Just like I predicted Kukoo gave the present Mansoor brought for her to Laila and at the perfect time too. Laila needed to know that Mansoor was not worth giving a second chance. Kukoo getting the locks changed was the perfect start to the episode which went to show that Kukoo isn’t having a change of heart anytime soon.

The dialogue about Mazloom mard who has an annoying wife but he is compromising because of his children was so very true! Most of the men have this exact explanation for having extra marital affairs. They are convinced that they deserved better therefore they go out looking for someone who they truly deserve to be with – someone they can have an affair with but not get married to because they have to stay married to their children’s mother! Most of these mazloom mard are like Mansoor, only their wives truly know who is at fault. They never put in the effort which is needed to make a marriage work but are never willing to take the blame when things fall apart.

Laila takes Kukoo’s advice and she decides to give herself a second chance. I thoroughly enjoyed Mansoor’s helplessness and Laila’s damn care attitude when she walked out of the door. She did not think that she owed Mansoor an explanation and she needed a break from her married life, I just wish that this break did not involve another man! I strongly believe that what goes around comes around but I also believe that two wrongs do not make a right! If Laila wants to end her relationship with Mansoor, she should go ahead and do that. Laila is of course still confused, she still thinks about the early days of her marriage and forgets that she has a dinner date with Saadi. She is trying very hard to be strong but her marriage has been a very painful experience for her which is not going to be easy to forget. Mansoor broke Laila’s trust over and over again but even then ending this marriage isn’t as easy as it would seem.

Laila for the first time does not sugar coat things when her mother asks her why she didn’t go out for dinner with Mansoor but she still does not have the courage to tell her mother that she is tired of making her relationship with Mansoor work. The reason for that could be that she knows only too well that her mother will never understand. The dialogue about Naani getting the responsibility to take care of her grandchild was so true and Laila’s response was spot on too.

Khurram’s heart attack was actually a good news and I was hoping that he would finally be out of Kukoo’s life now but we see Kukoo baby-sitting Khurram in the next episode – so not looking forward to that! I love the bond that Kukoo, Laila and Mrs. Khan share; they laugh and they cry together and most of all they are always there for each other. We have hardly seen girl friends having this kind of a relationship in any other Pakistani play, it is definitely very refreshing.

The whole conversation about mard ki izzat and aurat ki izzat was music to my ears. Women are always expected to uphold a man’s honor but there is no such responsibility on the shoulders of men.

This episode was picture perfect in every way, just what the doctor ordered! I still can’t seem to like Saadi though. His “words of wisdom” are annoying because those dialogues just don’t sound right coming from someone like him. Overall, this episode was great. I thoroughly enjoyed all the conversation today; they were deep, meaningful and engaging. A big thanks to Bee Gul in particular for a very though provoking script. Really looking forward to the next installment.

Fatima Awan

Mansoor should take his mother’s advice and start valuing things that really matter in life before he loses more than he already has. Tonight’s episode had some very deep and meaningful dialogues to its credit. I must admit though that Saadi’s character has been a complete disappointment. The character is etched-out well but the actor playing the role has failed to do justice to his character. Saadi should have been charismatic but unfortunately that is not the case. Alishba Yusef and the actor playing Saadi’s character have absolutely no on-screen chemistry, this is also the reason why their “connection” with each other seems forced.

While Laila was willing to give Mansoor another chance, Kukoo reminds her that she does not even know the man she is about to give a second chance. Kukoo’s dialogue about Laila and her being the same was so true. They are the same for Mansoor because he has used them both in ways that suited him. Kukoo was the perfect mistress for Mansoor but she didn’t fit in the criteria which the society and men like Mansoor have for a wife. Laila was the perfect wife material because she was young and submissive and most importantly because she was his mother’s choice. Mansoor only apologized to Laila because he wanted things back the way they were but this time around Laila wasn’t willing to go the extra mile to make this relationship work. Mansoor is not interested in Laila full stop! Laila is no longer in denial and therefore she is not willing to give Mansoor benefit of the doubt. Laila’s comment about Mansoor’s friend bringing his phone at night went to show that she is not being fooled at all. It is quite apparent by now that Mansoor wants to look good in front of his own mother and he wants Laila’s mother to have a good opinion about him too. Laila is wise enough to know that and therefore indirectly she threatened Mansoor by mentioning the phone incident.

I wasn’t expecting Mansoor to change therefore whatever happened in tonight’s episode did not come as a surprise at all. I think what Mansoor did tonight will prove to be the final nail in the coffin. This could be Laila’s ticket out of this dysfunctional marriage. Kukoo’s reaction to Mansoor’s advances was an absolute pleasure to watch. Mansoor wants to be in control of Laila and Kukoo’s life and he is finding it very difficult to accept the fact that both of them have moved on. Mansoor may think that Kukoo and Laila are ganging up against him but in reality both these women are doing what is good for themselves.

I am waiting to find out if Laila’s mother will realize at some point that a woman needs much more than a handsome husband who earns well. Will she ever be able to see that this man is incapable of making her daughter happy? Or will Laila just stop caring about what her mother expects from her and she will make a decision that will make her happy? With the exception of “Saadi” all the other actors are doing a commendable job. Every actor in this play is probably playing one of the most memorable roles of their career.

Fatima Awan

Laila has come to that stage in life where she has nothing to lose; this shows in her attitude towards life and towards her marriage as well. She gave Mansoor her best and does not wish to invest in her relationship with him any more. Gone are the days when Mansoor had both the women in his life doing exactly what he wanted them to. Although, it seems like Laila may just forgive Mansoor and give him a second chance, Kukoo has clearly move on. She has realized that Mansoor’s presence in her life was nothing more than “crap”. I must say though that I was actually disappointed to see Kukoo flirting with her client and she obviously has another “friend” to keep her occupied. Mansoor has been replaced by another man, I wish she had learned some other important lessons from her relationship with Mansoor like you don’t always need a man to make you happy! Having said that, I must admit that Kukoo’s characterization is not far from reality; women like Kukoo keep on looking for that one man who will fill the void in their lives which is there due to loneliness. Mrs. Khan is finding it very hard to relate to this new side of Kukoo. She obviously enjoyed sharing all her woes with her, Kukoo is too preoccupied now and too happy to be bothered with all that.

Who is Saadi? An old friend I suppose. Laila was pleasantly surprised to see him, she enjoys his company and he obviously has feelings for her. Laila confesses to him in a weak moment that she is tired of everything but she does not allow him to console her. Laila never had feelings for Mansoor but she always felt obligated to make her marriage work mostly because of her mother. Although, she keeps on saying that she is done with making people happy and wants to do something for herself now but the fact is that she still feels that she needs to make her mother happy. It is only human to want more from life and from relationships than financial stability therefore I find Laila’s state of mind very relatable. Her mother keeps on reminding her that she needs to give her house and her husband more time and Laila keeps on wishing that one day she can make her mother understand her situation.

While talking to Kukoo, Laila says that her daughter looks exactly like Mansoor but when Saadi sees her daughter for the first time they are both quite sure that she looks exactly like Laila! I found it really odd when Laila got up and left without carrying her daughter’s cot with her after that conversation.

Mansoor knows only too well that he cannot pressurize Laila into having his way this time around so he decides to apologize at the end of the episode. The preview of the next episode suggested that Laila decides to give her marriage another chance even though Kukoo tells her that Mansoor isn’t worth it at all. I found Mansoor’s conversation with Shah Zamir very interesting, it was one of the best scenes of tonight’s episode. It was like a reminder to Mansoor about how lightly he had taken his marriage and how he had refused to change anything about his life after Laila entered it. The mystery regarding Mansoor and Laila’s daughter’s name was finally solved in tonight’s episode; the child does not have a name after all!

I must say that after watching the last episode I had huge expectations from this one but I am not sure how I feel about the latest developments. I am waiting to find out of course how the story progresses in the next episode. Do share your thoughts about this latest installment.

Fatima Awan

What a sad turn of events! The only person in the world who truly understood Laila and who gave her the strength to survive in her difficult circumstances is gone for good. And what is even more sad is that this happened when Laila finally decided to open up to her father. Laila had made up her mind about her future and her father was going to be the pillar of support for her like always but it was not meant to be. I must say that the relationship between Laila and her father had to be the sweetest thing about this play. I enjoyed their meaningful conversation, the way her father felt things which Laila never had the courage to say and most of all the fact that Laila’s father was like oxygen in her life. Whenever she felt suffocated, she used to turn to him to unwind and get herself charged again. Qazi Wajid stole the show right from the get-go as the caring and nurturing father. The chemistry between Alishba Yusef and Qazi Wajid coupled with the intelligent way in which the relationship between the two was established by the writer gave us an unforgettable father-daughter relationship to watch on screen after a very long time.

There is nothing new about the story of this play but the treatment is brand new. Laila’s reaction when she finds out about Mansoor’s extra marital affair was definitely not what we usually see on screen. Laila, it seemed, was already prepared to deal with the situation or maybe she had been through so much in the past few months that nothing surprised her anymore. The events in tonight’s episode reinforced my guess that Laila already knew about Kukoo and Mansoor so when the “secret” came out in the open she was prepared to move on in her own way.

What was even more interesting and unusual was that Laila actually turned to Kukoo for helping her establish her business. It is amazing that even though these women are linked together in the most bizarre way but they understand each other so well. For once these two women do not blame each other but they blame the man involved. I love the change in Laila’s character; the character development has been very convincing indeed. Laila is done with pleasing everyone, she has decided to take her father’s advice and do what makes her happy.

Mansoor’s character is very well etched out too. His explanations for not marrying Kukoo and the way he justifies his behavior towards Laila is another interesting and convincing part of the show. Sohail Sameer has outdone himself in this role. Mansoor is losing control on Laila fast and he is not sure what to do about it.

This episode was picture perfect like always. The only thing that bugged me was that everyone kept on referring to Laila and Mansoor’s daughter as “bachi” “choti” etc…doesn’t the child have a name?

The most outstanding aspect of this play is that the script is very coherent and well articulated. The director has a firm grip on the screenplay and the details. The actors are doing a brilliant job, the credit for which goes to the director and the writer too. When you have an outstanding script and director to work with then you can’t help but give it your best.

Pehchan is turning out to be even better than I had hoped it would be. The meaningful conversations and the story is getting better with every passing episode. This drama is extraordinary and unconventional. This drama is about strong women who we don’t get to see on our screens any more. It shows that a woman does not need a man to save her. A woman’s “pehchan” is not the man she marries. I have very high hopes from Pehchan now and I am quite sure I won’t be led down. A Big thank you to the producers Seema Razi and Raziuddin Ahmad for investing in something different.

Do share your thoughts about this latest installment.

Fatima Awan

Bee Gul, the writer of Talkhiyan and Khalid Ahmad, the director are back with Pehchan. Talkhiyan was anything but conventional so I expected Pehchan to be just that too and the first episode proved me right. Pehchan is bound to be dark and depressing just like Talkhiyan was but I expect it to deliver because Talkhiyan managed to engage me completely despite of its gloomy outlook and story. The drama has been produced by Seema Razi and Raziuddin Ahmed. Bee Gul is also the Associate Director of the play.

This first episode introduced the viewers to the characters in a very creative manner that demanded the viewers’ complete attention. We are going to be taken from the present to the past just the way we were in Talkhiyaan. Every character is narrating their own story this time around and a third person is not doing it for them. Pehchan is the story of Cuckoo (Iffat Rahim) who is a strong and independent woman on the outside but deep inside she is very weak and vulnerable. Cuckoo has a flourishing business but that does not compensate for the loneliness she feels inside because her husband is immature and irresponsible. Cuckoo is everything that her husband wished for and more but Cuckoo is tired of earning for him. She wants a normal married life and more than anything else she yearns to be a mother.

Mansoor Ahmed (Sohail Sameer) enters Cuckoo’s life at a time when she is emotionally vulnerable, he lifts her up and gives her the kind of love and attention which every woman wants. What Mansoor and Cuckoo have is very special but we don’t know yet why Mansoor is getting married to someone else. Was it Cuckoo who could not get a divorce from her husband? or did Mansoor back out at the last minute? Cuckoo cuts her wrist in the most unconventional manner on the day of Mansoor’s wedding. Cuckoo is a very strong woman but she is terrified of being left alone, that was probably the reason why she put up with a loser husband for all these years. Cuckoo’s work is like an escape for her, she fears that if she has enough time to sit down and think about her life she will not be able to cope. The opening scene was very intense; I am sure many viewers like me had no idea what they were going to see next.

Mrs. Khan is Cuckoo’s regular client who is always asking Cuckoo to make her look like celebrities her husband likes. Cuckoo keeps on reassuring her that she is beautiful but Mrs. Khan needs that assurance from her husband more than anyone else. In tonight’s episode when these two women meet, they know that something about both of them is not the same. There are many things weighing on Cuckoo’s mind and maybe there was a lot on Mrs. Khan’s mind as well.

The actor playing Cuckoo’s husband (Fawad Khan) could have done much better. He did not look younger than Cuckoo at all; I understand that the character is meant to be unorthodox but I felt that it would have been much better if we could see why Cuckoo married this man in the first place. I guess when you are lonely you end up making some very foolish decisions.

This first episode was on the slow side but by the time it ended I wanted to know more about the characters. I love the OST already. Erum Nafees has done complete justice to Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poetry. The music director Arshad Mahmood, has done a superb job with the composition; the song is melodious and impactful. The styling and make up was very impressive and it seemed like the director took some time out to find the kind of locations which we don’t usually see in dramas. I am waiting to see Alishba’s character in the next episode.

Did you watch this first episode? Do share your views about it.

Fatima Awan