I have only one complaint with this latest episode – it ended too quickly! Mera Naam Yousuf Hai always proves to be very engaging and it always leaves you wanting more of the beautiful characters and their stories every time it ends. Zulekha has finally fallen for Yousuf. In the last episode most of us felt like Zulekha was being selfish but in this episode when Zulekha thinks of Yousuf right from their first meeting to the last one I was pretty sure that Yousuf was the person she had been waiting and looking for all her life. Zulekha told Hajra in one of the previous episodes that whenever she got married she would like it to be a love marriage, it was just a matter of finding the right person. The fact that Zulekha tried her best to stop this marriage but decided to leave things to fate when the marriage was inevitable made it easy for me to connect to her character. Zulekha is strong but she also knows when to surrender. That is probably the only difference between Zulekha and Afia Begum, both of them like to have their own way but unlike Afia Zulekha is not willing to put everything at stake.

Yousuf and Daa Ji’s plan was pure genius, I am sure many viewers like me did not see that coming at all. Ultimately what they did will land them in trouble but they managed to stop the marriage for now and the preview of the next episode showed that what Yousuf did will finally prove to Zulekha that everything that he said about loving Zulekha was true. Zulekha’s conversation with Hajra showed that she needed reassurance. She wants to be loved the way Yousuf loves her but she also had a difficult time accepting that his feelings for her were genuine. Yousuf’s conversations with Madiha went to show how different their views about love were. Yousuf believes that everything is fair in love and war but Madiha feels that putting someone’s life in danger is never justified which was the primary reason why she never told Yousuf about Zulekha’s nikkah. Madiha is a very sensible girl she tried to stop her brother from telling Yousuf what was going on but when it was inevitable she decided to tell him herself which I thought was a very wise move.

The scenes with Madiha and Daa Ji in them were touching as usual. The ” tumhei ami aba yaad aa rahey thay” was the perfect way to start a conversation which was not an easy one to initiate. Daa Ji understands what Madiha is going through and he feels helpless but at the same time he is also very convinced that Yousuf should be with Zulekha. Noor Mohammad’s ” kitne kaam adhure reh gaye” dialogue went to prove that he was looking forward to his nikkah with Bushra more than Zulekha’s wedding. Zulekha’s wedding was only important to him because that was the only way he was going to get married to Bushra.

The best thing about this play are the beautiful characters, apt portrayals and the perfect direction. I love the attention to detail; the samosas, the hot tea and the beautifully shot scenes kya baat hai! All the actors including Maya Ali acted exceptionally well in tonight’s episode. I missed Yousuf’s parents in tonight’s episode.

The preview of the next episode suggested that Yousuf is going to get into trouble once again but this time Zulekha will feel very differently about the situation. MNYH is the perfect play to watch on a Friday night when you want to relax, unwind and be entertained.

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

This episode was picture perfect in every way, it is the sort of episode which you can watch over and over again because it keeps you at the edge of your seat. There were no major developments in tonight’s episode but whatever happened in this episode laid the foundation for one of the biggest twists in the story which we will see soon enough. I must say that until the last episode I wasn’t sure if I loved this play enough but after watching this episode I am convinced that MNYH will continue giving us wholesome entertainment. Imran Abbas owned this episode every step of the way. He is very convincing as the true yet naive aashiq, he makes you feel for him. Mansha Pasha (Madiha) is another actor who stands out more than any other character/actor in the drama. Honestly speaking sometimes I can’t help but feel that MNYH is probably more about Madiha and Yousuf than Zulekha and Yousuf.

While Yousuf’s love for Zulekha is very genuine too but Madiha’s love for Yousuf is more mature. Yousuf is learning to love, he needs guidance to figure out what he should do and what he shouldn’t. Yousuf had no idea that the way he had been openly declaring his love for Zulekha might damage her in some way but Madiha knows only too well where she needs to draw the line. Although for the first time we saw Madiha hiding something very important from Yousuf which would determine the fate of his love story but it was too obvious that she did it for all the right reasons. I really liked the way Madiha’s thought process was shown all through tonight’s episode. From overhearing Yousuf’s song to having the nightmare, everything was spot on. Usually we find ourselves wondering why certain characters took major decisions in dramas but there is no such confusion in this play till now. Understanding the characters and their motives has never been an issue because the characters are brilliantly etched-out and the director and the actors have done complete justice to them.

This episode had so many beautiful and touching scenes which were made even more appealing because of the eloquent dialogues! The way Daa Ji brought up the subject of Madiha’s feelings for Yousuf and the manner in which he reacted in front of his sister and behind her back was just what all of us expected from him. He loves Madiha and he wants her to be happy but he also knows that she has no future with Yousuf. He cried because he felt helpless!

Is Zulekha in love with Yousuf or is she only relying on him because Yousuf is her only hope? I kept on going from thinking that Zulekha might just have feelings for Yousuf to wondering if Zulekha was only using Yousuf! Zulekha came across as a very desperate person who would resort to anything at all in order to stop this marriage. She cannot stop this marriage herself because she does not want to put her father in a situation where he might feel insulted but if Yousuf does that dirty job for her she will not be blamed for anything. Afia Begum has given up hope too and she couldn’t do much when Noor Mohammad brought the suits for Zulekha to select. Noor Mohammad thinks his daughter has the right to choose what she wears on her nikkah but she does not have the right to choose who she ties the knot with! Noor Mohammad now comes across as a very selfish person who is using his own daughter to get what he wants.

The highlights of this episode were Zulekha realizing that Madiha loves Yousuf, that was totally unexpected but very convincing, Daa Ji sharing the discovery he made with his sister, the song of course which was picturized beautifully and last but not the least Madiha thinking things through. The preview of the next episode looked very enticing…will Daa Ji keep the secret Madiha asked him to keep because that is in Yousuf’s best interest? Will Zulekha get married to Imran Mugheez?

Just like all the previous episodes of MNYH this one too was a visual treat right from the get-go. The freshly painted red flower pots and Zulekha’s red duppata stood out along with many other beautiful colors throughout this episode which basically goes to show that the director and the director of photography put in an extra amount of effort in making this drama look good on screen and the final product clearly shows that their efforts paid off. Mehreen Jabbar has brought out the best in all the actors and every single scene has been directed with precision. Khalil-ur-Rehman’s witty dialogues and beautiful characters make this play entertaining. I must give due credit to the person in charge of make up and lighting because everyone looks their best in this drama. For me yet again this episode belonged to Imran Abbas and Mansha Pasha. Am I the only one who can’t help but root for Madiha and Yousuf more than Yousuf and Zulekha?

Do share your thoughts about this episode.

Fatima Awan

The story is moving forward smoothly and the genuine characters in the play remain the highlight of the drama. Yes! Yousuf’s love for Zulekha cannot be explained in a logical way but I have absolutely no trouble relating to how Yousuf feels for Zulekha. Imran Abbas has played his role really well, I felt for Yousuf every step of the way today. Madiha’s character is one of a kind since if this was any other play Madiha would have been utilizing all her energies into creating some kind of a misunderstanding between Yousuf and Zulekha that would completely destroy any possibility of them getting together at some point. Madiha on the other hand stays very neutral when it comes to Yousuf’s love for Zulekha. When Zulekha called her today I was expecting her to say something that would end this chapter forever but quite contrary to my expectations Madiha’s love for Yousuf is completely selfless. She has been yearning for Yousuf’s love and attention since her school days but she is not going to use any kind of unfair tactics to win that love. It is refreshing to see all these sensible girls on screen who are anything but desperate. Mansha Pasha has brought out the best in her character by not making Madiha look like as big a victim as we were afraid she might turn out to be the ultimate bechari. The character has been written in a very balanced way as well. Madiha is a brave girl who knows how to handle her feelings but you do feel for her.

Zulekha’s conversation with Madiha clearly showed that she only felt sorry for Yousuf because whatever happened to him was very cruel and unfair. She feels absolutely nothing for Yousuf and she most certainly does not want to lead him on. Zulekha’s father’s insecurities and his selfishness are getting frightening with every passing episode. Noor Mohammad intends to go ahead with his wedding and also that of Zulekha at all costs. This arrangement probably suits him more now that he has his mind made up that he will get married to Lubna. He cannot think of a better way to punish Afia Begum and fix his bruised ego. Noor Mohammad fails to see his daughter as an individual, that is the reason why even after Zulekha openly shared her thoughts about her future her father did not even give it a second thought. Like a dictator he felt insecure but he did not feel the need to pay heed to what Zulekha had to say. Zulekha’s sermon about democracy fell on deaf ears because people like her father and brother do not believe in democracy but they believe in dominating and dictating. The only reason Zulekha and her sister haven’t grown up to be docile girls without any opinion is because of Afia Begum’s larger than life personality who has managed to be vocal and confident even after being married to someone like Noor Mohammad for all these years.

The way the policeman who was incharge of making sure that Yousuf gets punished was convinced of his innocence reminded me of how Khalil always managed to win everyone over because of his genuine feelings for Shano. This love story however is very different from that of Khalil and Shano’s love story because for now it is only one-sided. There wasn’t much of Afia Begum in tonight’s episode and I definitely missed her witty dialogues in tonight’s episode.

The word yakhni was overused in tonight’s episode and the yakhni played an important role in making Yousuf’s step-mother figure out what was going on. We also got to see a nice close-up of the yakhni which was quite convincing;) Yousuf’s step-mother’s role is another character which breaks away from all the clichés that have ever exited about step mothers! It seems like Yousuf’s father got married only recently therefore Yousuf still is finding it hard to accept his father’s new wife.

Overall, this episode was not very happening but it was pretty decent. The story is moving forward gradually and at the moment it looks like nothing can keep Noor Mohammad from getting his daughter married. All the actors are doing complete justice to their characters but Imran Abbas and Mansha Pasha’s performances stood out in tonight’s episode more than any other. All the scenes were short, to the point and shot beautifully. This episode of MNYH didn’t have the dhuwandaar dialogues like the ones in the previous few episode so I definitely missed those but I am definitely looking forward to the next episode because I can’t wait to find out how this love story unfolds.

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

Yousuf’s love story took a serious turn in tonight’s episode and it also became obvious that Zulekha does not feel anything for Yousuf, not even sympathy. Yousuf confessed that he knew that Zulekha did not even like him but loving her was not in his control. Zulekha’s sister’s character provided the comic relief which I am sure all of us needed tonight. I must say that her dialogues and her character is turning out to be extremely interesting.

Khandan ki naak lrkiyu k dil se kyun juri hoti hai! Everything that Zulkeha said to Imran Mugheez was music to my ears but apparently Imran Mugheez is nothing like Ali Hamza. The whole family was quick to judge Zulekha but no one questioned how wrong they were in getting this girl married to someone she was not even interested in. Girls in our society get married like this every day but no one questions these arranged marriages which do not include the consent of the girl. Zulekha is a girl on a mission but like she mentioned she does not want to see her father losing either. She is not doing this because she wants to hurt her father but she is doing this because she does not want to marry someone she does not like which sounds very plausible. Khala’s sudden change of heart was also an interesting development in the story! The dialogue ” khala chahey saagi hi kyun na ho bhanji ke character pe compromise nahi kr skti” was hilarious. I think the writer has questioned many of the norms of our society through these witty and fun dialogues. Many dialogues like this one are funny but ironic at the same time.

Yousuf’s father might be liberal but even he considers Yousuf’s love for Zulekha madness. He most certainly would have liked it if his son married someone he loved but if the girl does not love him back and she is getting married in a few days then he is definitely not going to allow Yousuf to indulge in such fantasies. Behroze Sabzwari has always been a very convincing performer therefore he had no difficulty in portraying the “other side” of Yousuf”s father. He showed that he is quite capable of telling his son off when it is needed.

Noor Mohammad is proving to be a big hypocrite. He won’t allow his daughter to have a say in her marriage but he thinks it is okay for him to have an affair and even get married to someone secretly. Noor Mohammad comes across as a very selfish person who wants things his way.

I am glad that Daa Ji found out today that Madiha has been talking to Yousuf and I want to find out what he does with that information. Madiha does not want to be involved in Yousuf’s love story in any way for obvious reasons. There wasn’t much of Madiha in tonight’s episode but I am really looking forward to seeing more of her.

This latest episode moved the story to the next level; Yousuf’s secret is out and so is Madiha’s. Just like all the previous episodes of MNYH this one too was directed very well. I must say that tonight’s episode belonged to Imran Abbas; he owned his character every step of the way. Yousuf might not be a brilliant student, he does qualify as a “lofer” too but he is innocent and genuine. Will Zulekha ever be able to love Yousuf the way he loves her? It seems most unlikely at the moment.

Do share your thought’s about tonight’s episode!

Fatima Awan

This latest installment of Mera Naam Yousuf Hai was just as refreshing as all the others. This drama is proving to be a breeze of fresh air mainly because of all the interesting characters and the quality of dialogues. I have praised the direction and picture quality of this play many times before but I can’t help praising it over and over again. Every single scene is beautifully shot with special attention given to detail. I am very certain that the colors which the actors were going to wear in different scenes were also decided after giving it a lot of thought because sometimes the similarity in colors and at other times the contrast makes the drama a visual treat. I watch this drama purely for entertainment and until now I see absolutely no reason to find logic in anything at all because doing that would I think ruin the beauty of the play. I absolutely loved the addition of different songs in the background, that was a really different touch, all of them are classics.

Yousuf is just plain adorable!! His love for Zulekha cannot be explained through reasoning but his faith in his love for her is admirable. I have never liked Imran Abbas more in any other character. Anyone who is a fan of Imran Abbas must watch this drama! Yousuf’s meeting with Zulekha was just what the doctor ordered. Our hero managed to make the most of the one minute which Zulekha gave him by convincing her that this marriage was not going to take place! Zulekha had already made up her mind that meeting her suitor was the best way to get him out of the way, she had done that once and she could do it again. Maya Ali is superb as the confident Zulekha. I like Zulekha’s confidence mainly because she isn’t invincible. She did give into her father at one point and she is very scared of him as well. Afia Begum constantly keeps on reminding her daughter that she cannot give in and everything that she said to her tonight worked like a charm.

Noor Mohammad and his love interest has to be my least favorite of all the tracks in this play. Noor and Lubna’s scene together showed that Noor like many other men his age is using his wife’s attitude as a tool to get sympathies from a woman and Lubna is just too eager to rekindle old flames! I have no idea where their track is going but I have complete faith in Zulekha! She will make sure that her marriage with Imran never takes place which means that Afia Begum is here to stay!

I truly felt for Madiha in tonight’s episode. Madiha has been in love with Yousuf since childhood but Yousuf feels absolutely nothing for her. The fact that Yousuf fell for someone he saw for the first time but never even had a soft spot for Madiha goes to show just how unlucky Madiha has been. Daa Ji is completely unaware of Madiha’s feelings for Yousuf but he does come across as someone who would stand by his sister even if he found out that she is interested in his friend. Daa Ji’s character along with that of Madiha and Zulekha’s sister has to be one of those very strong supporting characters who make you look forward to their scenes. I must say that one thing that stands out about Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar’s scripts apart from his dialogues are the beautifully etched out supporting characters. Whether they are positive or negative, they are all extremely important in their own way and together all these characters complete the drama.

I must thank the entire team of MNYH for a job really well done. Watching this drama till now has been a very pleasant experience. Really looking forward to what Zulekha, Yousuf and all the MNYH characters have in store for us next week.

I am really enjoying the ride till now, are you? Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

This episode of Mera Naam Yousuf Hai just like all the previous ones was filled with some very interesting conversations and some brilliant performances. The relationships of all the characters with each other and the chemistry between all the actors which is probably the result of Mehreen Jabbar’s direction makes every scene of this drama pure entertainment. The story has absolutely nothing new to offer but the way it has been presented on screen makes you look forward to more. The fact that there is nothing heavy duty about this drama at all till now makes it stand out.

The “war” between Noor Mohammad and Afia Begum which actually should have been Zulekha’s battle seems to be headed towards a draw! Both the parties are not willing to give up on their stance. Afia will leave Noor Mohammad the day Zulekha gets married to Imran Mugheez and Noor Mohammad has a plan of his own! Noor Mohammad has not been able to live in peace ever since he found out that his wife never loved him, he wants to teach his wife a lesson by getting married to Bushra who was introduced in the most interesting manner by Afia! Afia’s dialogues are hilarious! I know that I have praised her dialogues and the way Hina Bayat has translated this character on screen again and again but I think they deserve a special mention in this review as well. This woman either takes everything too seriously or she does not understand the gravity of the situation at all! Afia’s dialogues went to show that she was not willing to put up with Noor Mohammad having his own way any more! It is ironic that neither Zulekha’s father nor her mother cares about what their daughter wants!

Mansha Pasha’s acting was beyond brilliant in tonight’s episode; she portrayed Madiha’s fake enthusiasm and her real feelings in a superb way. Madiha did not play any games but went ahead and conveyed Yousuf’s message just the way he wanted it to be conveyed because she does not want him to commit suicide! Zulekha does not see Yousuf as an option at all at the moment although it was quite apparent that she had not forgotten him which means that one way or the other Yousuf managed to leave an impression on her. Zulekha knows that if she doesn’t get married to Imran, she will have to get married to Ali Hamza therefore she would much rather not fight her battle. All the conversations in tonight’s episode just like all the previous episodes were very political in nature. My favorite one had to be about the politicians who give statements which threaten United States in any way! Those were very bold dialogue but definitely very true as well.

Yousuf decides to give up his music which probably is his life after hearing about Zulekha’s wedding but his friend’s idea that he can still do something to stop the wedding clicks with him instantly. It remains to be seen just what Yousuf will do but the preview of the next episode showed that we will finally see Yousuf and Zulekha together. I must say that Mehreen Jabbar has brought out the best in all the actors. Yousuf is adorable even though he doesn’t have much going for him, Zulekha is cute even though Maya Ali has played this character many times before and all the side characters have a beauty of their own too. When this episode ended tonight I really wanted to see more of all the characters because all of them are interesting in their own way. MNYH is definitely entertaining and very well written. All the dialogues are brand new although the story is very old! Every episode gives you a reason to look forward to more. I am very happy with the way things are going so far and hope that this drama does not disappoint us.

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

The opening scene of this episode was absolutely hilarious! I must say that Maya Ali is a pro at playing these characters now because she has played the girl who is an expert at making her suitors regret the day they decided to propose to her many times before too. Ali Hamza is no match for Zulekha, he does not even wish to marry her any more, in fact he feels for the person who will end up marrying Zulekha because her ideas about love scare him to death! The actor playing Ali Hamza has made his character come to life the way no one else could have. Zulekha wants to get married to someone who truly loves her and Ali Hamza is not that man. Zulekha recognizes love and she believes that she will get the “signals” when she finds someone who has that kind of love for her in his heart.

Afia Begum’s dialogues and the confidence with which they are delivered by Hina Bayat make her scenes a treat to watch. The conversation between Afia Begum and her husband are witty and intelligent. Afia is a go-getter and nothing that maulvi sahab says will make her back off. The way she kept on reminding her husband that it was 2015 and not 1915 was very refreshing!

Yousuf is lost in love and he could not care less about Madiha’s feelings for him. Mansha Pasha is doing complete justice to her role but I am not looking forward to all the rona dhona. I wish she hadn’t taken the rejection so seriously! Yousuf thinks that Madiha can help him get in touch with Zulekha who has been on his mind from the day he saw her. I felt for Madiha and also felt like Yousuf was using her without thinking how difficult all this must be for her. I am watching two dramas with Imran Abbas in them right now but I am never reminded of Haadi when I see Yousuf on screen not only because the characters are poles apart but also because Imran Abbas has translated them on screen very aptly too.

The relationship between Zulekha and her sister, Madiha and her brother and the bond between Yousuf and his sister is heart warming. It isn’t very often that we get to see such siblings on screen. The acting by all the actors playing the roles of the siblings is effortless and the chemistry between them all makes their scenes stand out. Yousuf’s scene with his sister showed that he is anything but a genius or that he is very distracted!

The dialogues in this drama have a very “political” tone to them which makes them refreshing and fun to listen to. Mera Naam Yousuf Hai isn’t a new story but so far the quality of script, performances, direction and the pace of the play has been top-notch. The picture quality of the play is simply outstanding, every single color comes alive on screen and it looks like the director of photography paid special attention to lighting and even the colors of clothes which the actors wore on the set. It is obvious that different shades of blue have been used to enhance the beauty of each scene and the idea has worked like a charm!

Did you watch this latest installment? Don’t forget to share your thoughts here!

Fatima Awan

Our hero managed to grab the attention of his Zulekha by his unconventional ways. Zulekha might not be consciously thinking about Yousuf but subconsciously he managed to make more of a place in her heart than any of her suitors. Zulekha has been brought up in a very strict environment but she has a very strong personality. She does not have the guts to show her disapproval for both these rishtas directly in front of her father in particular but she knows she can do everything she can in order to scare Ali Hamza away and she is going to do just that. Apparently every second man in Zulekha’s family is in love with her and will do anything to marry her. I must say that watching Maya Ali play a role she has played many times before too isn’t very exciting but watching the light/comic moments was definitely a relief. Maya Ali is somehow very often given roles in which she is a smart girl who is not interested in getting married therefore she has to look for ways to escape marriage. Ali Hamza was definitely not what I had expected him to be. There is a very good reason why Zulekha does not want to marry him. The actor who played the role of Ali Hamza was very convincing. It is really good to see new faces in this drama and also actors who act well but we don’t get to see them on screen very often.

Afia Begum has an agenda and she will do anything to ensure that her husband does exactly what she wants. In most of our dramas only the husbands threaten the wives of divorce (which is also very unpleasant of course and something I have criticized many times) but in Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar’s dramas we see the women threatening the men in this manner when they want to get something done. We saw Rasheeda threatening Amin with divorce and Afia did the same in tonight’s episode. Both characters are poles apart of course but both of them believe in having their own way. The way Zulekha’s father refused Ali Hamza’s rishta was very amusing. Zulekha’s father has already decided when he is going to marry Zulekha off. Waseem Abbas is playing his part really well.

The opening scene of the episode revealed that Yousuf’s mother was not his real mother. The step-mother and step-brother jokes were really funny. It is good to see a step-mother who does not come across as a step mother at all. She is strict no doubt but I guess when you have a husband like hers you have to be strict in order to balance the situation. Yousuf’s father is an exact opposite of Zulekha’s father. He finds it exciting that his son is in love with someone and he can’t wait to know more. Yousuf is still in denial about his feelings for Zulekha, something which was quite evident from both the conversations he had with his friend. The conversations between Yousuf and his friend are definitely one of the best things about this drama so far. Yousuf’s best friend’s sister Madiha (Mansha Pasha) is in love with Yousuf. Her love for Yousuf is very different from Yousuf’s “love” for Zulekha. Madiha has fallen in love with Yousuf over the years while Yousuf’s love for Zulekha was sort of predestined. I wish the women in Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar’s dramas would stop getting physical with men in order to get their attention! The men feel uncomfortable but the women don’t! I love watching strong women on screen but this does not count as “strong’! This is the kind of bold most of us probably don’t want to see.

Yousuf’s dream sequence was really well done and it had to be my favorite part of this episode. There was a reversal of roles and situation in his dream which showed Yousuf’s wishful thinking and also that he could not get that incident out of his mind.

Mera Naam Yousuf Hai doesn’t have anything new to offer but it has been directed really well and it is not very heavy duty at least till now.

Do share your thoughts about this second episode, I will look forward to your feedback.

Fatima Awan

Am I the only one who felt like Yousuf was in a rush to move on? These new developments in Yousuf and Madiha’s track in particular would have been far more convincing if a few months had elapsed before Yousuf finally decided that he could “gift” Madiha her love even if he couldn’t get his. In a way Yousuf’s decision was in line with his character because it was an impulsive and emotional decision but it was definitely disappointing to see Yousuf acting on this impulsive decision this quickly. Zulekha was always sure that Madiha deserved and perhaps loved Yousuf much more than she did therefore the fact that she decided to let Yousuf be with Madiha although she could very easily be with Yousuf now did not come as a surprise but I must say that given the fact that Afia and her daughters are free of Noor Muhammad’s dictatorial rule now and Imran Mughees has divorced Zulekha, this was the perfect opportunity for Zulekha and Yousuf to be together. I was hoping all through tonight’s episode that Madiha will get in touch with Zulekha one last time and somehow she will be able to convince her that she belongs with Yousuf but that was not meant to be!

I must say that Afia Begum’s decision to walk out on Noor Muhammad and not giving him the satisfaction of having any control on her was the most gratifying part of this episode. Afia knows now that her son is by her side and she is no longer financially dependent on Noor Muhammad therefore it was far easier for her to move out of her house – something she couldn’t have imagined doing a few days ago! There are times in everyone’s lives when things start changing for the better and if Afia begum decides to stick to her decision her life will surely change in a good way.

With all the money gone, Noor Muhammad is no longer in a position to keep his new wife in a separate apartment and feels that he needs to mend fences with his other family. The news that Imran Mughees gave divorce to Zulekha was nothing short of a surprise and I must say that it entirely changed my perspective. Imran Mughees left Zulekha so that she could be with Yousuf but it is ironic that Zulekha is choosing not to be with him so that he can be with the girl who in Zulekha’s eyes is Yousuf’s Zulekha! Zulekha thinks that she can see something which Yousuf and Madiha both fail to see. Yousuf’s conversation with his sister in which she questions his state of mind was one of my favorite conversations from tonight’s episode.

I must say that watching Madiha and Yousuf getting married in the next episode while Zulekha sat right next to them was not something I did not want to see. I understand why all of these people are making these sacrifices but I can’t help but wonder if things would have been far more perfect had Madiha made one big sacrifice instead of two people sacrificing their love! I am still hoping for a miracle and although usually I am all for tragic endings, this time I would really want to see our lead couple together since there’s nothing that is stopping them except their own logics about love and how they see it!

This episode had some mind blowing dialogues as usual and I absolutely love the picture quality of this drama. All the colors have been used very intelligently by the director and highlighted aptly by the director of photography which make this drama a visual treat! There aren’t too many people who can make a pink gate mingle with the surroundings so well! Once again all the actors involved gave brilliant performances which never fail to impress you. Afia Begum was the star of the show tonight, it was refreshing to see a woman standing for herself and knowing exactly why she needed to do that.

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

What an episode! It was spot on right from the get-go. The opening scene was the perfect start to another flawless episode. It is amazing how all these characters can read each other’s minds because they have been nothing but sincere to each other till now and also because of the connection they share. Madiha could tell that Daa Ji had done something he was ashamed of and she knew exactly why he did it. It was good to see Daa Ji sharing exactly what was going through his mind when he made that phone call. Whatever Madiha said to Daa Ji and what Daa Ji said to Yousuf clearly showed that Daa Ji did not make that phone call because he wanted Yousuf out of this turmoil but he wanted Madiha to get her happy ending. Zulekha was married now and this was the perfect time for Yousuf to see how much Madiha loved her. It was great to see Madiha speaking her heart out when she told Daa Ji that she knew exactly what he had done and why he had done it but she did not want all of this. This first scene set the stage for what was coming ahead and I must say that this had to be one of my most favorite episodes of this play. Daa Ji’s confession was totally in line with his character and one cannot blame Yousuf for reacting the way he reacted.

Watching Noor Muhammad taking his naye naveli dulhan to cinema did not come as a surprise at all since we already know the man has shocking double standards. He is pampering his new wife and playing a second fiddle to her gladly and Bushra is going to make sure that Noor Muhammad stays away from Phupo! Phupo has to be the real loser in this whole game till now; she has a bahu who she cannot control, her son does not listen to her any more and Bushra wants nothing to do with her. Noor Muhammad is getting exactly what he deserved. Wali Muhammad has proved that his mother’s upbringing didn’t go to waste after all. He finally realized how he had helped his father do something very wrong and in order to undo the damage he did exactly what needed to be done. Wali knows that Bushra won’t stay with Noor Muhammad for long if he did not have all this money. It was an absolute pleasure to see Noor Muhammad getting the shock of his life and I am waiting to see how Afia Begum deals with him once he goes to see her.

Like every other episode of MNYH this one too had many power packed scenes to its credit and some mind blowing dialogues but I must say that Zulekha’s determination, her dialogues and the way Maya Ali translated this character on screen had to be the highlight of this episode. Even when Afia Begum tells Zulekha that she had no choice but to spend the rest of her life with her husband she made it very clear that she was not going to live her life based on that dictum that aurat is a daak ka lifafa! We have finally come to the point where Zulekha’s character has shaped up in a way which is very refreshing and inspiring. There are times when Afia Begum loses hope for obvious reasons but it is plain to see that Zulekha knows exactly what she wants now and she is not going to accept things the way they are. She does not feel duty bound to live in the house and according to the rules of a man who could not even stay loyal to his wife. We also got to see in this episode why Imran Mughees had a change of heart. Zulekha showed him the other side of the picture and since he is not as blinded by malice as his mother therefore he was able to see what was going on.

It was also very nice to see a man’s perspective on being controlled. Imran Mughees’ response to his mother when she tells him “aik choro dus mil jayen gi” made me feel for him for the first time. He has also been controlled by his mother all his life just as much as Zulekha was controlled by her father.

MNYH never fails to impress, everything about this play is perfect; the characters, the direction and the performances. The fact that there is no ambiguity ever regarding the motives of the characters and everything is crystal clear yet the story has depth sets this drama apart from others and makes it a treat to watch. The way different tracks are gradually wrapping up indicates that we will get to see a very decent ending.

The preview of the next episode showed Yousuf proposing Madiha – which for me was shocking but I have complete faith in Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, I am sure that there will be a very good reason for that.

Honestly speaking this drama deserves all the praise in the world and more. It contains some very strong messages but is thoroughly entertaining at the same time. The performances are always up-to-the-mark, in fact there have been times when some of the actors have outdone themselves in this play. I can’t thank MNYH team enough for giving us one of the best plays of this season.

Don’t forget to share your thoughts about this drama:)

Fatima Awan

Daa Ji might have fooled some of the viewers but he most certainly did not fool Yousuf for a second. Everyone does not have the courage to face what Yousuf has been facing for a very long time. I was most certainly not expecting Daa Ji to do something like this but it looked like part of him genuinely wanted Zulekha out of Yousuf’s life so that he could finally move on. Daa Ji’s decision might be partially influenced by his concern for his sister. He looks at everything impartially, he can see that Zulekha is married now and Noor Muhammad can even kill Yousuf to get what he wants. Daa Ji’s betrayal was absolutely wrong but even then somehow I can’t help but think that he had Yousuf’s best interest at heart. He had no right to make this decision on Yousuf’s behalf but he probably thought he was helping him by doing so. Daa Ji has obviously had a change of heart because there was a time when he would do anything to support Yousuf but things have most certainly changed now and there is no definite way of telling why this change of heart occured. It could be because of all the circumstances that Yousuf has been facing or it could be because Zulekha is married now.

Imran Mugheez proved today that he is a much better person than Noor Muhammad and Wali Muhammad. The way he looked at Daa Ji when he came to take Yousuf to the hospital showed that he did not want to be a part of any of this. Imran Mugheez can obviously see that Zulekha is a living and breathing human and not a piece of object which he can own and keep in his house without taking her feelings into consideration. Watching Noor Muhammad get exactly what he wanted at the expense of his wife and daughter’s happiness was painful! It made me think of all the men who manage to get away with all of this and more in real life and their women can do absolutely nothing about it no matter how intelligent, beautiful and brave they are. The way Noor Muhammad openly declared that he did have an affair with Bushra before the wedding was cringe worthy and the way he let his new wife brag about her ex-husband was even more so – shocking double standards! Afia said only once that she never loved him and he went all out to make sure he hurt her but he had nothing to say to his new wife. That particular scene showed what Bushra is capable of which made me think that Noor Muhammad deserved her!

The highlight of this episode had to be the scenes in which Zulekha told her Phupo and her daughter loud and clear what she was capable of doing and this time she meant it! Also the scene in which Afia reminded Wali that this was her home and he was not welcome to stay in it was just what the doctor ordered. It looks like the women in this play are finally going to do something which will make the viewers believe that they are much more than just talk. If I had to pick one favorite scene from tonight’s episode which was perfect in every way, it would be the one in which Hajra rushes to tell Afia what had happened and Afia gets up as if there was something she could do to change things but very soon she realizes that all she can do is pray! It was a perfectly timed scene, beautifully directed.

It is funny and ironic how scared phupo is of other women. She sees every strong woman who can in any way influence the men who are related to her as a threat. She wants to be the only woman telling all these men what they should be doing with their lives – phupo does not like to share!

Yousuf’s stepmother tried to reach out to Madiha, hoping that she will share her true feelings with her but Yousuf’s love for Zulekha will never let Madiha do that. It isn’t easy spending your life with a man who you know loves someone else and Madiha obviously is not ready for that kind of a commitment.

I was expecting this episode to be nothing more than just plain sad but yet again the team of MNYH gave us an episode which was emotional, entertaining and very filmi. I absolutely love the song that played in the background when Zulekha reached her Phupo’s house and Yousuf was out looking for her. All the actors just like always gave brilliant performances but it was Imran Abbas (Yousuf) and Hina Bayat (Afia Begum) who made me feel for them the most. Even after doing everything he could and more Yousuf could not combat his “bad luck” and for that he holds himself responsible. Yousuf’s father’s continuous support for his son is also very touching. It must be very difficult for someone like Waji Ahmed to see his son going through all this but even then he manages to buck Yousuf up every step of the way. Maya Ali was flawless as the fearless girl who knew exactly what she wanted.

The preview of the next episode looked very promising, looking forward to it already.

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

“Bahadur lurkiyan buzdil lurkon se shadi nahi krti”…. This was yet another episode of MNYH which had so many meaningful conversations and powerful scenes to its credit. I am having a very tough time deciding which scene was my favorite because all of them added something amazing and unexpected to the story. Tonight’s episode opened with Yousuf and Zulekha’s conversation in which Zulekha made it very clear that she was not going to be with a man who was not brave enough to protect her and all of us are very well aware by now that Yousuf is anything but a coward! The scene between Zulekha and Yousuf was dreamy as usual – very filmy and touching. In the last episode we saw Mahrukh rooting for Madiha, asking her to marry her brother but in this episode things had changed dramatically. Mahrukh can clearly see now who Yousuf wants to be with and because of her love for her brother more than anything else she probably cannot help but fall in love with Zulekha as well.

The fact that Madiha wants to get married to anyone at all before Zulekha and Yousuf get married goes to show how scared she is of facing that moment although she never lets it show. She has always been very supportive of Zulekha in particular and she does it because she knows what it feels like to be in love and since Yousuf is in love with Zulekha she knows just how much he will hurt if he does not get to spend the rest of his life with Zulekha. The change in Daa Ji’s behaviour towards Yousuf was more apparent today than ever. Daa Ji obviously feels that Yousuf should stop trying to win Zulekha and he should see the love that Madiha feels for him. He wants his sister to be happy and he cannot see his friend ignoring everything that Madiha feels for him. He feels the pain that his sister is going through even though she makes it a point to never make it obvious.

We found out today that 25 years back Noor Muhammad left Bushra for Afia and now he has a complete change of heart. The conversation between Noor Muhammad and his sister had to be my least favorite one from tonight’s episode because it sounded repetitive and it was too long for my liking. This conversation of course led to what happened in the end.

“Yeh tu mujhe buhat baad mei pata chala k aap murdo ne buzdali ka naam gherat rukh diya hai aur aise moqu pe jaan churane ke liye ghairat se bara bahana koye nahi!” Yousuf’s step mother like always kept on reminding Waji Ahmed what he should be doing in the given circumstances but Waji Ahmed is incapable of taking that kind of a stand. He has enough courage to let his only son go after the love of his life in the middle of the night even though it could mean that he could get into a lot of trouble but he does not have the courage to do anything more than that. I must say that Behroze Sabzwari makes you understand Waji Ahmed’s fears and insecurities with his body language and expressions more than his dialogues.

“Science ne tu abhi buhat taraqi krni hai. Na jane kya kya ejad ho ga magar na judai ka ghum jaye ga, na hi bicharnay ka dard. Is ki na koi dawa banti hai na hi milti hai. So saal baad bhi log bicharney pur usi tarah roya karei gi jis tarah so saal pehle roya krte thay.” If I had to pick my favorite conversations from tonight’s episode they would definitely be both the conversations which Madiha and Zulekha had. Zulekha understands Madiha’s love for Yousuf but at the same time I felt like she feels threatened by her. She thinks that even if Yousuf does not have her in his life he would still be able to live without her because Madiha is the antidote which would put an end to all his miseries. I love the relationship between these two women, it is very unusual yet extremely appealing. When Madiha told Zulekha about the stories of her neighbours she was clearly trying to ask Zulekha if she could live her entire life being loved alone – what if she got nothing more, would she still live with Yousuf? Madiha’s concern for Yousuf always takes me by surprise. Even though she is planning to move on but she cannot help but look out for Yousuf in whichever way she can. The way Khalil-ur-Rehman has rightly interpreted the whole concept of a girl leaving her house for a just cause was another superb part of this episode. No one stops for a second to reflect why a girl had to leave her house but saying that “vo bhaag ke aye hai” pretty much does all the explaining for most people and puts the blame on the girl.

Afia begum yet again proved that she will not let anyone deter her at this point. While Waji Ahmed even after all those years sat and questioned what people would think if he gave Zulekha shelter, Afia Begum does not care what anyone has to say about Zulekha’s decision to get Khula. It was sad to see Noor Muhammad taking Zulekha with him and the preview of the next episode was even more upsetting. At this point I don’t see Zulekha and Yousuf’s love story ending happily.

Overall, this episode had so much going for it – the powerful script, superb direction, outstanding camera work and power packed performances by everyone involved. Thank you team MNYH for giving us something amazing to look forward to every week!

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode and I would love to know which was your favorite scene from this episode.

Fatima Awan