Ohkay so, another episode, another layer lifted off the characters, which showcased the depth the writer has added in each & every single character. Just when you think you know every other character in & out, the writer surprises you with a new detail which further helps you in forming an opinion about it. This is what I love about O Rangreza, there’s so much that the writer wants you to explore due to which you never find any scene, any scenario uninteresting & this is what the brilliance of this drama is!

All this while, I had a firm belief that Khayyam was a coward & he has proved it time & again but in this episode, we also got to learn that Khayyam was not only conniving but manipulative as well. The way Khayyam devised the entire plan went to show that he believes in having everything that he wants by hook or by crook. Since Khayyam knew that Sassi could create a havoc over his & Sonia’s marriage & she was capable of not allowing it to happen, in stead of backing out, he chose to give her what she wanted; the permission to join the film industry but then again, there was a catch which Sassi at that point couldn’t see. Since Khayyam is a coward, he now wanted Sassi’s future husband to do the heavy-lifting on his behalf, because then Khayyam wouldn’t have to face the world & answer their questions as to why he allowed his daughter to become an actress as then he would easily say that Sassi is doing everything with her husband’s permission. Khayyam really thought things through & he did all this because he can not afford to lose Sonia Jahan, with this he proved how selfish he is because he for once can not give up on his desires for the sake of his daughter. Khayyam still hasn’t been able to understand that this was the right time where he could set an example for Sassi, where he could show her the right path by doing the right thing himself but he chose the easier way by making a deal with her because it guaranteed him his own marriage. If Khayyam would’ve been genuinely concerned for Sassi, he would’ve said that fine, I won’t get married to Sonia & you should stop dreaming about becoming an actress too but he chose not to give up on his own desire & still came up with this strategy of getting her married, thinking it will work. It is so easy for Khayyam to blame Mumtaz for faulty upbringing but has he ever analyzed what part he has played in raising his children & what sort of influence he has had on them?

Khayyam really is underestimating Sassi by believing that she would get married & settle for the deal he made with her. Sassi obviously didn’t show much of a reaction because she knows when the time will come, she will deal with things her way. I just couldn’t believe what a coward Khayyam was & how he was now trying to get rid of Sassi by choosing a husband for her, like in stead of dealing with his daughter on his own & understanding her concerns, he was actually trying to turn a blind eye for his own mental peace. Ever since Khayyam understood that Sassi’s responsibility is overwhelming for him, he decided to create a distance between himself & her & for him marriage is the perfect answer for this!

So, Khayyam’s pick for Sassi was Qasim. It was interesting how Khayyam subtly reminded Qasim of everything that he has done for him so far but when it came to the actual proposal, he made Mumtaz say it because his inflated ego didn’t allow him to ‘request’ Qasim. Khayyam is so egoistic that he couldn’t actually put forth Sassi’s proposal in front of Qasim himself as that would give Qasim an edge over him that he was the one who approached Qasim for this marriage. Like Kareeman Bua said, Qasim is another Mumtaz & in this episode we saw that Khayyam was exactly trying to do that by turning him into a scapegoat. Khayyam knows that by using Qasim as a stooge, he will be able to control Sassi as well – another scenario which showed how manipulative Khayyam was. Once again, Khayyam now told Qasim that he has to stop Sassi, like this is something that he should be doing himself but he appointed Qasim for it because Khayyam the coward doesn’t want to take the responsibility of tackling his daughter himself!

Sassi proved that she is going to do what she wants to & for that reason, she herself went to see Wajih Kamal. Even though Wajih didn’t show much interest in her but the way he told her that she was missing the spark was basically his way of testing her as he wants to see how far she can go & how driven she is towards her goal. I loved the way in return, Sassi tried to rile Wajih up by bringing her father’s name because she knew that one way or the other, Sonia will be made to face the brunt which would indirectly hurt her father, again this was Sassi’s way of getting back at him!

I loved Kareeman Bua’s excitement when it came to Sassi & Qasim’s wedding but then again Qasim is happy but still not ready to let Sassi know that he is the one who has been chosen for her. Qasim can already see that things aren’t as simple as Khayyam was making them look like because with just one sentence, one reminder of what he has done for Qasim & what he expects from him, Khayyam brought him down to the ground. Qasim also knows that Sassi will never accept him because he is not her ideal, he is not like Khayyam & he was already feeling burdened by it. At least it is good that Qasim has Kareeman Bua on his side, Mumtaz is a failure so she could obviously not encourage him the way Kareeman Bua did. It was nice to see Kareeman assuring Qasim that he was perfect & supporting him to tell everything to Sassi because the sooner the better!

All this while I was excited to see Tipu’s character & even though I know he is going to contribute to the story a great deal but after seeing his short introduction, I am not too sure because I didn’t really get the actor playing the role of Tipu. His acting was completely off & the way he was delivering his dialogues was a bit odd too. I know it is a bit too quick to judge but in the first impression, his character wasn’t well-received, anyways let’s see if that will change in the episodes to come.

Overall, this episode was quite interesting & I loved seeing how the writer further elaborated Khayyam Sani’s twisted character. He really is a depiction of all those men out there who want everything for themselves & who try run away from any such responsibility the moment things get a bit overbearing for them. I liked Omair Rana’s performance in this episode, like he came for a brief moment but he was absolutely convincing as Wajih Kamal – the director. Sajal Ali & Bilal Abbas Khan are making this drama a treat to watch, I just love them as Sassi & Qasim. The preview of the next episode seemed promising as well, I am waiting to find out how Sassi will react when she will learn that her husband-to-be is Qasim, but then again I am already feeling bad for Qasim as Sassi’s attitude towards him will be insulting & that will hurt him, which he doesn’t deserve, so let’s see how things roll. Please share your thoughts about this episode of O Rangreza.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, what a brilliant episode of O Rangreza. I love the way the story is moving forward & the pace is perfect at this stage too. As the story is progressing, we are getting to understand the writer’s perspective more & more, where through Sassi’s character, he is highlighting the double standards of men. It is praise-worthy that even after so many episodes, we get to know more about every single character every single time. What I also loved about this episode was how even in such serious circumstances, there was a touch of humor which made things quite lighthearted & easy to grasp.

So, just when things became a bit overwhelming for Khayyam, he decided to get Sassi married. When things were perfectly fine between him & Sassi, Khayyam was the one who dissed the idea of her marriage at such an early age because he didn’t see her as a burden but now when Sassi was giving him a hard time, he thought this was the only way to deal with Sassi rather it was the only way out of this situation. Now at this stage when Sassi needs his guidance the most, when she needs his attention & his love, Khayyam is turning a blind-eye. This decision of Khayyam showed how he is someone who loves to run away from his problems, like he doesn’t have enough spine to face the obstacles like a man. Once again, this entire scenario highlighted the fact that despite posing to be the man of the house, Khayyam was just a coward who was now trying to get rid of Sassi for his own convenience.

The entire rishta scene was quite interesting. No one thought that Sassi would do such a thing. Even though Khayyam had told his friend that Sassi was a bit unconventional & unpredictable, Sassi outdid her father because she did what he never had imagined. I love how Sassi plays with everyone’s mind, like where her family thought that she would create a havoc over the news of her sudden marriage, she remained calm & collected & in the end did something that shook them to no end. For the first time, Khayyam was blank, like he was helpless as well as clueless because he was finding it hard to deal with Sassi. Sassi has made it impossible for Khayyam to come to a conclusion as to how he should deal with her? Yes, being a father, Khayyam still has some soft corner for Sassi in his heart that is why he was worried but then what she has put him up with is also bothering Khayyam to no end!

I must say, Khayyam displayed a lot of selfishness when he once again approached Sonia Jahan. He knows that it is because of her & Sassi’s desire of being like her that has put him under such an awkward position in his life but still he chose to let her know that he wants her. Sonia Jahan was hurt at what she heard from Khayyam that is why she decided to close his chapter off her life because even she understood that it was perfectly alright for Khayyam to love her but it was strictly not ohkay for Sonia to influence Sassi. It’s like Khayyam wants the best of both, he wants the one he loves irrespective of what she does like he said, but on the other hand, he forbids his daughter to idealize the one he loves because he would never condone that. Khayyam Sani is a typical man who thinks he is entitled to do whatever he wants because he is a man whereas when it comes to his daughter, he wants her to abide by the rules set by him & the society because that in any case hurts him & his pride. Khayyam knows that no one might question him for his choice of getting married to Sonia but the entire world would question him if Sassi would choose that path so once again, out of his own selfishness he disapproves of Sassi’s choices!

Oh well, I think it is safe to say that I am tired of Mumtaz, like when I saw her crying buckets, I felt nothing for her. I loved Kareeman Bua in this episode, it was like she gave words to the viewers’ feelings when she said ‘shadi har maslay ka hal nahi hota’. Khayyam & even Mumtaz were trying to find a convenient way out of this situation by marrying Sassi off but good that Sassi took a stand for herself, in an outrageous way but she did because she has the right to. So yes, back to Mumtaz, yes, I am done feeling sorry for her because her submissiveness is the reason behind her sufferings. Yes, I get it, she has given up, she has accepted failure as her fate but the least she can do is stop following Khayyam’s lead blindly. Yes, she has no control over Khayyam or even Sassi but she can draw a line because that’s something that is totally under her control but she chooses not to & that makes my sympathy go out of the window for her! Mumtaz herself brought Sonia back in Khayyam’s life because she already assumed that she couldn’t do anything for both Khayyam & Sassi!?!

I loved the scenes between Sassi & Qasim. Qasim actually thought that he will get a clear cut answer from a girl like Sassi who is completely twisted (in a good way). Qasim thought since Sassi is over Khayyam & she doesn’t idealize him, now he stands a chance but Sassi has someone else in her mind. I am not sure if she is going to go after Wajih Kamal because she would want to hurt Sonia Jahan or she genuinely likes him. Sassi is someone who is going to make the weirdest of choices because she doesn’t want to fall under the bracket of ‘normal’, she doesn’t want to settle for ‘normal’ ever & she has made that quiet clear!

Overall, this episode was brilliant. Even though Sajal Ali has proved her mettle as an actress but by playing Sassi’s character, she is showcasing what she had in her because this is the type of performance that we never got to see before from her & it is mind-blowing. Noman Ejaz is doing a wonderful job as a helpless father & so is Irsa Ghazal, though I may not be a fan of her character but yes, that doesn’t take away the fact that she has performed convincingly too. Qasim as meesni bili is flawless as well, I love the titles Sassi gives to him & the way he accepts everything is also amusing. Yes, Kareeman Bua was right, Qasim is another Mammo & she could see him being walked over exactly like her. I so wish the scholarship & his time away from this setting brings a change in Qasim’s personality, I really am looking forward to it. The way they have made this drama a visual treat with all those vibrant colors & aesthetically appeasing backdrops is phenomenal, it goes to show the amount of effort that has gone in this project & it shines through. Please share your thoughts about this episode of O Rangreza.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this episode was more like a decider which will now change the course of the story. This episode had a major twist to its credit & it will bring a drastic change in everyone’s life. It is quite interesting how with each passing episode, the viewers are getting to know the characters more & more, like every single time they show us something new, which we haven’t seen before to further form an opinion about them.

Khayyam has read Mumtaz inside out, he knows what to say & how to say anything to her in order to get it done & this is exactly why, he softened his tone, took her hand in his hand & then put forth his decision, making it manipulatively sound like a request that he wants to get married to Sonia Jahan. There’s a limit to walking all over your spouse but Khayyam Sani has no barriers. It was ironic how after getting Mumtaz’s answer, which he obviously was aware of, he had the audacity to ask her if he was being unfair or not? Has he left any choice for her? Has he given her any edge, any security, any respect or equality due to which Mumtaz would’ve told him that she disapproves his decision? That she was hurt? That he was being unfair?

Again, I totally get that Khayyam never respected or treated Mumtaz with love but upon being asked by Kareeman, Mumtaz had the same answer, that he wouldn’t have changed his mind if she would’ve told him. It is like Mumtaz has already given up, yes Khayyam has played a major part in shaping her mindset like that where she believes that nothing that she’d say or do would make Khayyam change his decisions but then again why was Mumtaz so sure? Why was she so sure that stopping Khayyam wouldn’t work? Mumtaz thinks being submissive is her only duty as a wife but then, showing possessiveness, demanding attention & putting forth her own opinion are also some of the responsibilities she has as a woman & then as a wife. That entire conversation was a life changing moment for both Khayyam & Mumtaz but the irony was that the outcome was pre-decided because both Khayyam & Mumtaz knew what was going to happen!

So, Sassi decided to have a conversation with Sonia Jahan, may be she wanted to tell her to back off only to get back at her father. Sassi would now do everything to take away the one Khayyam loves just the way he decided to take her away from the dreams she has always had. So, Sassi found out the truth about Sonia Jahan & her husband Wajih Kamal (Omair Rana). Sonia & Wajih both have an unhealthy relationship & Sonia is comfortably deceiving him by two timing with Khayyam. I loved Sassi’s reaction when she returned to her home after witnessing everything, like she could see how hard her father was going to suffer now. I know it is mean but Sassi is like that, she is finding repose in her father’s suffering. It was quite interesting to note how after getting a green signal from Mumtaz for his second marriage, Khayyam’s tone & attitude changed where he was again belittling her for being uncultured enough to even make a call & complain about the phone!

I loved the conversation that Sonia & Khayyam had, where Khayyam was now trying to act as her husband, questioning her about her choices & relations but Sonia on the other hand expected Khayyam to not act like a typical man, exactly what Sassi expected. I laughed at how Khayyam told Sonia that before this decision of his, she was just a celebrity but now she belonged to him, so all of a sudden his standards for her had changed. Sonia is just another Sassi that Khayyam will have to deal with, who will not budge & won’t put up with his double standards. Just a single confrontation was enough for Khayyam to have a break down so he really should analyze before jumping into the marriage.

Qasim’s break down was heart-breaking. It is sad that without even knowing Sassi can push Qasim to such a limit. Ever since coming back, Qasim has really been sensitive in the matters concerning Sassi & because of that he is only hurting himself more & more. Until Sassi sorts her stuff out, Qasim should really keep himself composed because if he will continue to sway with Sassi’s tantrums & attitude, he will end up hurting himself further.

I loved this episode overall & thoroughly enjoyed everyone’s performance. Noman Ejaz was phenomenal today & so was Irsa Ghazal. I am really looking forward to Omair Rana’s performance & character, I am sure he is not going to make things easier for Sonia & Khayyam both. Sana Fakhar has been at the top of her game now & it is a treat watching her on screen. Sajal Ali didn’t get much screen-time but her laugh was all that was needed to leave a mark. Bilal Abbas Khan has been phenomenal as Qasim, I don’t see any other actor fitting the character of Qasim like Bilal has. Definitely looking forward to the next episode, can’t wait. Please share your thoughts about this episode of O Rangreza.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, the story took a massive twist with this episode, it was intense but real. Who would’ve thought that this drama would not only be a breath of fresh air but it will question the chauvinist mentality so openly. The way the message that has been embedded in this story is coming across, is not only interesting but it is something that actually does make you ponder about what the writer is trying to tell here. I love these sort of dramas where the message gets relayed without things becoming too preachy & the fact that the writer took the responsibility to show us the other side of the picture is just brilliant!

Sassi never would’ve imagined that the father that she idealized all her life would turn out to be the biggest hindrance in achieving her dreams. It was so obvious that she saw everything through Khayyam’s eyes & that is why, she ended up shaping her character in a way that she assumed would be approved by her father. Sadly, now when she is forced to wake up & smell the coffee that her father Khayyam Sani is not as unconventional & is just as typical as other men, she is shaken to the core because for her, it is like she is being told to re-live her entire life with different set of standards, different mind-set, different dreams, different aspirations, different ideology – only because the man she followed is not happy with her choices!

Finally, it felt like luck was on Qasim’s side & he was brought back into Mumtaz’s house, despite not wanting to. It was good to see the considerate side of Khayyam because he genuinely seemed concerned for Qasim & couldn’t really put two & two together as to why was Qasim sleeping at his shop. I love the subtlety of Qasim’s character, like he is always just so engrossed in his own thoughts but is still far more aware of what those who love him, expect from him. Qasim can’t take Sassi out of his mind but just because Mumtaz has said no, he can’t think beyond that & he wouldn’t even try to change or influence Mumtaz’s decision. I loved when Qasim came back he was expecting a warm welcome from Sassi, but just when he didn’t get it, he was clearly upset. It is interesting how Sassi brings out this different side to Qasim without him even realizing because he is always just so calm & composed but when it comes to Sassi or anything related to her, it seems that he is under a spell; with no control over himself & his emotions whatsoever. The way Qasim snapped at his colleague went to show that he just can not contain his emotions if there’s anything that has to do with Sassi, yes, when he is in front of her, he really can be calm without showing her the signs of the storm brewing inside him!

So, Sassi finally got to channel out her anger & her frustration because she thought it was a high time she should tell Khayyam what was bothering her & why. It was so realistic that Sassi targeted Sonia Jahan’s photos in Khayyam’s room because she knew they were like his Achilles Heel & it would hurt him the most, probably just as much as she was hurt. Khayyam actually thought that he would play the typical dad with no-means-no attitude & it will work on Sassi but she got him familiar with the truth in such a way that even Khayyam couldn’t imagine. I loved the fact that Sassi didn’t tell Khayyam directly that his fixation with Sonia Jahan was what got her fascinated by her personality too, she in fact brought in Mumtaz to tell her father about his double standards. Every single word that came from Sassi was based on the bitter reality that Khayyam himself was oblivious of & probably the one who is so good with words was left speechless because the girl standing in front of him, confronting him, looking him into his eyes had a valid point & there was nothing that Khayyam could say that would change the truth that he was a hypocrite.

To be honest, I actually thought that Mumtaz would understand Sassi, especially after the stand that she took for her but the way Mumtaz went to console Khayyam saying that he wasn’t at fault made me feel like I lost quite a lot of sympathy that I had for her because honestly, she has inflicted this upon herself & since she doesn’t see anything wrong with the way Khayyam treats her, then there’s no point in seeing her as a victim. I feel if Khayyam is a wrong influence on Sassi, then so is Mumtaz because she showed Sassi what a wife should not be, how a mother should not be & most importantly, what a woman should not be – hopeless, clueless, with no control & zero self-respect. I always thought that it was Khayyam who influenced Sassi’s behavior towards his mother, which actually is true but then seeing how Mumtaz behaved I felt she herself has left quite an impression on Sassi, an impression enough to teach her that no woman should become a doormat like Mumtaz. So, this is what Sassi conveyed to Khayyam & even Mumtaz but if only they both could understand their faults in stead of blaming it on someone else like Khayyam did or brushing it under the carpet like Mumtaz!

Qasim finally tried to have a conversation with Sassi but since she is so not in the right place emotionally, she even saw Khayyam’s shadow in Qasim. Who would’ve thought that the girl who wanted her partner to be like Khayyam & the one who didn’t see Qasim as a man enough like Khayyam, would be so shaken by what she experienced that just the faintest similarity that too being a result of her own assumption would make her turn away from someone like Qasim who has been her support for such a long time. Sassi really is not getting what turn her life has taken & she is leaving no stone unturned to make it obvious to everyone around her, thanks to Khayyam that along with so many other things, he taught her consistency as well!

I so wanted to know what Khayyam’s answer to Sonia Jahan’s question was but they left it for now, however even after hearing so much from Sassi, Khayyam just stood there looking at Sonia’s performance without batting an eyelid as if this was his birth right & it had nothing to be ashamed of. I actually felt like banging Khayyam’s head on the wall when he once again blamed Mumtaz for turning Sassi away from him, like seriously, this man is literally blind to his own faults, to such an extent that even after so much has happened & the havoc that Sassi has created, all he could deduce out of it was that everything happened because of Mumtaz & she turned Sassi against him? It is shocking that even such a clear cut reality check from Sassi couldn’t make him think about his own faults, but I really wish he goes through something so huge that would actually make him realize how wrong he has been, probably all his life!

Overall, this episode was brilliant, I just couldn’t keep my eyes off the screen as the performances were outstanding & everything was just so intense. Sajal Ali should actually take a bow for breathing life, heart & soul into Sassi’s character & for conveying her with so much of perfection & clarity. It is definitely not easy playing a character like Sassi but Sajal has shown what she is capable of. Noman Ejaz, Irsa Ghazal & Bilal Abbas Khan have given such amazing performances that seeing them on screen is nothing less than a treat. O, so looks like Sonia Jahan has a secret that she is hiding which will probably be revealed in the next episode – another chapter that would unveil the double standards of men I believe, so looking forward to it. Absolutely loving this drama so far & just can not wait for the next episode already. Please share your thoughts about this episode of O Rangreza.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

PS: First & foremost, I would love to thank my dear friend Fatima Awan for covering for me while I was away. :) I would also love to thank all the dear readers for their kind wishes & prayers on the birth of my baby, I went through all the comments & it really warmed my heart. Thank you so much, it means a lot. :)

Also, Eid ul Azha Mubarak to all the Reviewit Readers. :)

Ohkay so, what a spellbinding episode filled with spellbinding performances, like I seriously just didn’t want this episode to end & when it did, I was actually disappointed. This drama takes you to some other world, I haven’t felt like this in ages about a drama but O Rangreza is proving to be something else. I love love love the detailing with which this drama has been directed, like there are so many moments where you actually see how the director made sure to convey something without making it a bit too obvious. It ends up looking like a mystery box where you keep on exploring so many different things & it keeps you engaged. Loving it so far!

Who would’ve thought that the episode that began on such a light-hearted note would turn out to be so intense & deep. This shows the intelligence of the writer & his vision because he succeeded in grabbing the attention of the viewers through some very easy-going moments & when the viewers were having a good time, the story took such a turn that it engaged them further. I awed at the scene where Sassi went to meet Qasim, like it is so obvious that she misses him, but since her ego gets in the way, she doesn’t want to admit that. It was amusing how Sassi used Qasim to drift two friends apart & her strategy worked, whereas the one who was being used i-e Qasim was oblivious of the rumor Sassi had spread. Seeing Sassi standing alone while feeding the birds also showcased how she missed Qasim’s presence around her, even if she doesn’t realize but Qasim is like her one & only buddy that she grew up with, that is why she is used to the idea of him being around & now when he is gone, she finds ways to see him.

So, Sassi planned a big surprise for her father & she assumed that since Sonia would be with her, it will make her case stronger & she will be able to convey what’s in her heart to Khayyam because she knows he sees things differently every time Sonia is in the picture. Obviously Sonia had to fulfill Sassi’s dream because for her, Sassi is quite special too & there was no way she was going to refuse her request. Speaking of the overall ambiance that was created for Khayyam’s birthday at his home, I will say it was magical, all those candles & the sparkling hangings reflecting those lights were just beautiful. Coming to the performance of Sonia & Sassi, who would’ve thought that the scene which was appeasing Khayyam would turn into his worst nightmare. It showcased the double standards of Khayyam Sani perfectly where he didn’t mind everyone looking at Sonia Jahan; the one whom he is in love with but he just couldn’t stand seeing his daughter in front of the same crowd.

Coming to the confrontation between Khayyam & Sassi, it was intense & perfect, like I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen during that scene I must say Noman Ejaz & Sajal Ali were beyond brilliant during that conversation. So, Sassi like an immature child came & told her father that she wants to be like Sonia Jahan, while completely ignoring the fact that her father was not only disturbed but was furious as well. Since Sassi has never seen Khayyam like that, she couldn’t even read his expressions but just one slap changed everything. The inquisitiveness in Sassi’s eyes said it all, it was like she was seeing her father Khayyam for the first time & the man that she was looking at was unfamiliar to her so she was trying very hard to figure out who he was. Sassi, who all her life has seen Khayyam idealizing Sonia Jahan, looking at her with so much appreciation & affection in his eyes, could never imagine that he would react so sternly when she will try to fit in the same image too. Khayyam was open about it, he didn’t appreciate what Sassi did so he made sure to convey it to her & there were no two ways about it but for Sassi it was a shock of her life as she never could’ve imagined that she will be met with such a response from her father. From there onward, it was a bitter reality that Sassi had to deal with because now the image of her father has changed in her eyes & she has to figure out how she will deal with him.

‘Wo bachay nahi bigarte jin ke ghar mai koi bigaar dalne wala mojood na ho, bahar ka rang usi pe charhta hai jiss ka apna rang kacha hota hai’, oh well, it was ironic that throughout this conversation, Khayyam was blaming Mumtaz whereas if he would’ve had some insight, he would’ve realized that he was talking about himself. It is so obvious that Khayyam uses Mumtaz as a punching bag & for him, she is a soft target to put the entire blame on. It is surprising that it hasn’t occurred to Khayyam till date that Mumtaz has no influence on Sassi & she is basically his own carbon copy, because if he had paid a little more attention to Sassi in stead of directing all his energies on demeaning & blaming Mumtaz, he would’ve seen that he is the one who Sassi takes after. Khayyam has turned a blind eye & since he is so used to the idea of holding Mumtaz responsible for everything, he thinks everything that Sassi says or does is only because Mumtaz is a bad mother & she has failed at motherhood. However, one thing really caught my attention was Khayyam’s dialogue ‘na tum betay ko sambhal saki, aik beti baqi reh gai thi usay bhi barbaad…’, did they just imply that Khayyam & Mumtaz also had a son & may be they lost him? Is this the reason why Khayyam is so cold towards Mumtaz? Does he hold her responsible for it too? I wish they lift the curtain from this in the upcoming episodes as well.

Khayyam was obviously feeling bad for what he did & how he treated Sassi, but then again, he should know that this is exactly what is going to make Sassi believe that she can do anything that she wants because her father will always take a step down in front of her. Khayyam did tell Mumtaz that she should never ever blame Sonia, which is right, because in this entire situation, neither Mumtaz is at fault nor Sonia, it is Khayyam himself who still hasn’t realized that it was because of his obsession with Sonia Jahan, that Sassi started idealizing her too!

Sonia Jahan has met Khayyam & now she has started to desire more from this relationship, due to which she is compromising on her career, for which she has worked so hard all her life. This is exactly what her manager Mushtaq tried to convey to her that she is sacrificing her success, her career, everything because she has been distracted but Sonia chose not to pay heed to what he was saying. It is so obvious that Sonia Jahan is tired of putting up a facade, faking an image, that too for those people who only look at her from the outer surface & do not bother getting to know who she, as a person, as a human being is. May be this is what she has seen in Khayyam that his curious eyes are trying to get through her fake image, only to get familiar with her true-self, that is why she is ready to give up on everything because she wants at least someone to love her for who she is & she believes it is Khayyam who would do that.

Since Sonia has also started to expect so much more from Khayyam, she didn’t notice how he was screening her phonecalls, she just didn’t see how he was ignoring her because for him, what happened the other day was way too much of a burden to deal with. However, Sonia actually came to know what’s in his heart because may be she wants to make some final decisions regarding both her personal & professional life & Khayyam Sani’s answer will help her as like she said, what he thinks of her is what matters to her the most & nothing else. It did look like Sonia spread the news/pictures herself, as a publicity stunt because Mushtaq did remind her that the competition was cutthroat & she was being forgotten. I don’t know why but the way Sonia reacted to the news in front of Khayyam made me feel that it was basically a way for her to know what he was thinking, like if his opinion about her would change or will he still be as smitten by her as he was before this news made it to the media. This will definitely put Khayyam & his feelings to test because he never would’ve imagined that there would come a time when Sonia Jahan would expect something more from him & he’d have to prove himself to her!

Even though Qasim is pretty much out of the family, I like the fact that he isn’t forgotten & he always has these amazing moments which give us so much to love about him & Sassi together. His dream sequence again with Sassi was spellbinding, it was perfect & just beautiful. Also, the fact that the entire scene was shot in one go goes to show Bilal Abbas Khan’s & Sajal Ali’s caliber as actors, they just performed brilliantly & their chemistry is something else. Qasim has put Sassi on such a higher rank in his heart, he has the most beautiful feelings for her & he words them in such a unique way too for her but sadly, she had no idea about it. I want to see what will Qasim say in the future that will actually strike a chord & melt Sassi’s heart away for him because I am sure that moment would be magical too!

Overall, this episode was beautiful & I just didn’t want it to end. Once again, like I always say, the wait for next Friday is looking never-ending. I loved the way this episode was directed & written, like it started off from a light-hearted note but ended at such an intense moment. What will Khayyam’s reaction be? Really looking to find that out. Also, looks like Sassi will tell Khayyam what she is made of. Khayyam’s worries are far from being over, I wish in the course of Sassi’s rebellion, Khayyam himself realizes that he is solely responsible for how Sassi has turned out to be because in front of Sassi, he never gave Mumtaz an opportunity to have some authority, some control, some hold over their child & this was his biggest mistake. Noman Ejaz & Sajal Ali were the stars of this episode followed by Bilal Abbas Khan. I must say the amount of effort & hard-work the entire team has put in is evident. It shows that all the actors have put their heart & soul in these characters, that is why they are just exceptional. I must say I loved the detailing as well, especially during the dance performance, like it was so obvious that Sassi wasn’t good at dancing but she was just copying Sonia Jahan out of excitement, like where Sonia’s dancing was perfect, Sassi’s lacked finesse. Sajal Ali looked like a doll in that attire & Sana Fakhar looked beautiful in this episode as well, in both heavy dresses as well as simple ones. I will definitely appreciate the no-background-sound strategy in the scenes where the characters were having serious conversations, like it just helped so much in keeping the entire focus on what they were saying, it’s small things like these that make it a unique drama-watching experience. Massive props to the entire team. Please share your thoughts about this brilliant episode of O Rangreza.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, another week, another brilliant episode of O Rangreza. I love how the layers from each & every character are still being lifted to give us more & more insight into their minds & souls. I must say if there’s one word that I would use to describe this drama, it would be mesmerizing, like every single aspect about this drama is on another level, be it in terms of writing or direction or art direction & even acting, it is rare to find perfection of this sort in our dramas these days & I am glad O Rangreza is proving out to be such a treat for the viewers who tune to it!

I love how the writer makes sure to shift the focus on different characters in different episodes, it maintains the novelty even in the middle of story where the viewers might think they have understood everything about the characters. This time around, the focus was on Mumtaz & also on Sassi. I feel for Mumtaz a lot, I most certainly do, but then again, like I said last week, I am not sure how long I’d be able to feel for her especially seeing how she doesn’t believe in doing anything to change things around her. There was a lot of focus on Sassi & Mumtaz’s relationship as well where time & again Mumtaz was reminded of where she stands in Sassi’s life!

Since Sassi is so not used to listen to her mother, I didn’t really feel that there was a need for Sassi to lie to her that she was going to see her friend when she was actually going to visit Sonia Jahan’s place. Sassi is used to ignoring what Mumtaz says plus when she had already made up her mind, she could’ve told Mumtaz honestly where she was going because Sassi is upfront, honest & straight forward. Anyways, Sonia Jahan steered Sassi’s thought towards Qasim in a way that even Sassi couldn’t decipher for now. Sassi has always seen Qasim as her ‘buddy’ who she can boss around easily that is why it seemed like a news to her when Sonia said that there was something special between them.

I enjoyed the conversation that Sonia & Sassi had. Even though Sassi is in an awe of Sonia & she is too young to read between the lines but I have a feeling that Sonia will make Sassi familiar with a lot of aspects of men & their mentality that Sassi hasn’t really paid attention to. The first lecture that Sassi got was about not falling for a man because of his looks, it was too obvious that Sonia Jahan was sharing her own bitter experience of a failed relationship with Sassi, that is why she not only seemed disturbed but depressed as well. Even though Sassi is not too mature to understand what Sonia is sharing with her at this stage, but since she pays heed to everything that Sonia says, I am sure Sassi will start grasping all these things in her subconscious slowly & will be able to relate to everything later!

I liked how Sassi went to see Qasim, like she obviously misses him & but is too stern to admit that therefore it was her way of seeing him & making sure if he was doing alright. This is what I love about Qasim & Sassi’s relationship the most, like it is unconventional & unique, there’s nothing typical about it, even though the way Qasim smiles at her & lets her know that he is happy, Sassi never reciprocates those emotions & that’s what makes everything even more interesting. There was no need for Sassi to come & threaten Qasim but she just came because just like everyone else, even she was missing him.

So, Qasim hasn’t gone to his uncle’s place, he doesn’t want to burden him & then he is also hiding the fact that he is staying in his shop because he doesn’t want to bother Mammo either. I love how obedient Qasim is to Mumtaz, at least there is someone who acknowledges her & gives her some right to have an authority over. We can see that Mumtaz does try her hands on having some sort of power or control but it only works on Qasim & not anyone else, including her own daughter. I think Mumtaz’s conversation with Khayyam regarding Sassi was another way of showcasing how helpless she feels in front of both her husband & her daughter. Mumtaz can see that Sassi is getting a bit too independent for her & even Khayyam’s liking, that is why she wanted to inform Khayyam to at least do something because she is well aware of the fact that the moment Sassi will commit some mistake, Khayyam will blame Mumtaz the most. Even though Mumtaz tries but there’s always this defeat in her approach which shows that she has given up even before seeing the results of her attempts & that I think is the actual reason why everyone walks all over her because she herself is not confident enough!

Oh well, Sonia Jahan spoke about Khayyam turning her into a puppet whereas she doesn’t know that Khayyam is doing everything to qualify as her stooge himself. Khayyam went to see Qasim only because Sonia told him to & not only that, he also rewarded Qasim on securing 2nd position because this is what Sonia said as well. It is demeaning how right in front of Mumtaz, Khayyam shows this side of his that would be ideal for his wife, like he obeys & listens to Sonia Jahan whereas this is how he should be in his marital relationship. It shows that Khayyam is perfectly capable of being a good husband but just because he has no interest in Mumtaz, he doesn’t put much effort rather he doesn’t even bother!

Another conversation, another reason for Sassi to think outside the box. Sonia once again subliminally told how she was just an illusion & just like all the other men, even Sassi saw her as that without trying to get deeper into her existence to see & understand who Sonia Jahan actually is. I am actually interested to see how & when Sassi will start analyzing the bittersweet truths that Sonia has whispered in her ears over these conversations, like Sassi has met her plenty of times to get over with the ‘star-struck’ phase, now she needs to get over that in order to understand Sonia & her struggles.

Overall, this episode was amazing & I had a great time watching it. I loved the tiff Sonia’s Manager & Sassi had & how Sassi settled the score. I am sure there’s going to be more to this tiff & I am definitely looking forward to it. Oh well, I loved loved loved the dream sequence of Qasim & Sassi, the chemistry between Bilal Abbas Khan & Sajal Ali was so strong in that particular scene, it was just beautifully & perfectly portrayed. I just love the usage of the OST, I think the editors & the sound engineers should be commended for using this song so intelligently, it just ties everything together in a very unique way, it’s like they know that the song is something else but haven’t overused it or over-relied on it. The direction keeps on getting better & better & the same can be said about the performances too. I must commend all the actors especially Irsa Ghazal, Noman Ejaz, Bilal Abbas Khan & Sajal Ali for taking their performances a notch higher every single time. Sana Fakhar is very graceful & elegant as Sonia Jahan, she has given her 100% as well & it is a treat to watch her. After watching the preview of the next episode, I just can’t wait for the next episode, looks like this will be the first time when Sassi’s bubble will burst where she thinks her father as an ideal man who believes in giving women a complete ‘freedom’ that they desire & require. Please share your thoughts about this beautiful episode of O Rangreza.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.