Mausam tu badalte rehte hei Saman, zindagi ke mausamu ki tarha….The Khizan ka mausam finally came to an end with this last episode; Hashir and Saman both got their much deserved happy ending and they entered into the spring of their lives. Both these characters went through so much pain in this drama that it actually was very gratifying knowing that all their troubles had finally come to an end. There couldn’t have been a more perfect ending to the play. This last episode definitely fit the bill in all ways possible. Even after all the plotting and planning Shazia could not get her heart’s desire because Hashir and Saman both realized that they had to put their own happiness first. The change in Saman’s personality had to be the best aspect of these last few episodes. Saman decided to gracefully exit from Shazia and her phupo’s life because she did not want to be a burden. Even after Saman left Shazia kept on feeling insecure just the way a person does when they try very hard to own something which belongs to someone else. Shazia learnt her lesson well and I am glad that her mother realized that she could not continue supporting her daughter’s outrageous desires.

Mausam was most certainly not the best play of this season but all the tracks of the story were nicely wrapped up in the last few episodes. Faisal’s exit from Saman’s life and the way Shazia’s true intentions were revealed to him and Saman couldn’t have been done in a more convincing manner. The way Saman realized that she did not want to let Hashir go and that she deserved better was also done in a subtle way. Until the last episode I could not imagine Saman having a change of heart but the way it happened was very believable. Now only if the writer had the same grip on the story right from the start too then Mausam could have been a very good play. Unfortunately, the story was stretched to the limit because there wasn’t enough substance in it to cover twenty episodes. The characters were too black and white which was the primary reason why most of the viewers found it very hard to relate to them. If the drama started with the same pace with which it ended then it could have been a very engaging play even though the script had nothing new to offer.

I must confess though that even with all its flaws the fact is that viewers who followed this play throughout and watched Mausam till the end must be very happy with the way it ended. I am sure that many of the popular dramas which were far better than Mausam in every way were not able to give the viewers this kind of ending. This is exactly how everyone wanted this play to end. Mausam was a visual treat, there is no denying that but vibrant colors and good picture quality is not all that viewers want. Although all my sympathies were with Hashir in the end but Ahsan Khan needs to stop playing Romeo ASAP and I hope that Hareem Farooq gets to play a better role in her upcoming projects. The director did the best he could with the kind of script he had to work with. In my opinion the script of the play was its weakest link but I enjoyed the last few weeks of watching the play and reviewing it.

I want to thank everyone who followed the reviews and especially those readers who took time out to comment. How many of you are looking forward to Sadqey Tumharay?

Fatima Awan

This was another slow and dull episode of Mausam which literally put me to sleep. Things are moving at a snail’s pace because most of the conversations in every episode are very slow. Sorry guys but “slow” is the word of the day!! Viewers who are following this drama through the promos must be enjoying watching it much more than the ones who watch the entire episodes. Every preview of the next episode promises some action but non of the episodes which have aired so far have delivered.

There has been zero character development even after nine episodes. Hashir has been a lost soul right from day one. The reasons behind his constant sad face and attitude are revealed in every episode but do they leave an impact? Most certainly not. Every scene falls flat on its face because of the weak direction. The story is already as old as the hills and the characters are not strong enough either. A very talented director could have turned this play it into a filmy and engaging fast paced show, the story still would have been unconvincing and weak but then Dil-e-Muztar’s story wasn’t out of this world either but it worked for many people because of the strong direction.

Any way coming back to tonight’s episode…Faisal’s character makes me sick, the way he keeps on showing his interest in Shazia shamelessly is nauseating. I must say though that I am very impressed with Mazhar Yasir’s acting. His character is nothing like the one he played in Bashar Momin but he is doing a commendable job. The character of course does not have much to offer but he has managed to portray Faisal’s character brilliantly. I love his choice of wardrobe too,  it is just as annoying as the character itself.

Mehreen’s father’s decision to talk to Hashir’s mother was another filmy development in the play which had little impact! Somehow all the conversations are always stretched so much that they lose their significance. I understand Mehreen’s father’s concern but I fail to appreciate the way these ladies are obsessed with Hashir.

Fayyaz Hassan is the new character that has been introduced in the play. He is Hashir’s father and nothing like the person his son thinks he is. The cat is finally out of the bag, Hashir knows the truth and he is going to confront Shazia in the next episode. Am I the only one who feels that all the actors other than Mazhar Yasir look bored and disinterested?

This episode was pretty much like the all the previous ones; stretched and boring. Mausam is a great drama to watch before bed time because it will instantly put you to sleep! Good night guys!!

Fatima Awan

Saman has proved to be a smart girl, she definitely deserved better than Faisal. Thankfully we have been spared the much dreaded rona dhona which most of us were expecting after Saman’s marriage. I can’t say that Saman’s reactions to Faisal’s cold and rude behavior are in any way relatable but it is wonderful to see Saman focusing on her studies. Saman has proved to be very practical, she knows that trying to win her husband will not be fruitful so she has decided to make the most of the situation. Hareem Farooq is doing her best under the circumstances since the character that she is playing doesn’t have much to offer.

The mystery behind Hashir’s depression should have been resolved in tonight’s episode. I feel that this drama could have been engaging even with a weak plot if the pace of the drama was not so slow. I could relate to what Hashir’s mother feels for her son much more after watching tonight’s episode. Hashir has grown up feeling unwanted for some reason therefore he feels like he doesn’t deserve to be loved by anyone. It could be because Hashir’s mother has been a single parent since he was little so she didn’t have a choice but to invest more time in her business. Every episode of this drama reminds me of another drama which I have already watched and this episode was not different. I was reminded of the play Ek Kasak Reh Gayee when Mehreen’s father lectured her about being so concerned about Hashir.

Shazia still feels that she has a chance, she tries her best to play her cards right. Although she is wise enough to know that you can’t make someone love you but she is still willing to give it her best shot! How many more lies will Shazia tell Hashir to convince him that she is his well wisher? The preview of the next episode showed that Hashir’s mother will finally decide to go to Saman’s house on her own and that is when she will find out the reason behind Hashir’s unhappiness. Mehreen also tells Hashir that Shazia did all of this on purpose, which means that there is no hope for Shazia.

I have no idea where the story is going to go from here but until now it doesn’t seem to be headed anywhere at all. In every episode the story moves forward a little bit but nothing about it intrigues me much. Saman can’t possibly continue living with Faisal and Shazia will do anything to have Hashir in her life. Yumna Zaidi is a very talented actress, I would really like to see her playing some strong characters. The production values and picture quality of the play stand out more than anything else but they are not enough to keep the viewers looking forward to more. I am actually surprised at the number of advertisements this play is getting, there are obviously viewers who are following this play. I would really like to know what is it about this play that is attracting the viewers! Looking forward to your feedback.

Fatima Awan

I hate to start this review on a harsh note but after watching 3 episodes of Mausam back-to-back (including the latest one) I must say that this drama serial puts HUM TV’s tradition of Friday night entertaining plays to shame. In these 6 weeks Mausam has gone from being a drama that has shown done-to-death clichés to the limit to one which is turning out to be lame and not the least bit entertaining.

There isn’t even a single character that has managed to win my sympathy or evoke any emotions in me at all! Shazia, the ultimate spoiled brat and drama queen has her mother wrapped around her little finger now since the doctor who probably had psychic powers evaluated in a very short period that Shazia was under stress. People faint for a lot of reasons and Shazia for one is not the sort of girl who would have a nervous breakdown but on the contrary she is quite capable of giving someone else a mental breakdown. Shazia’s character makes me sick, Yumna Zaidi should put her talent to good use by starring in more quality projects and doing different kind of roles.

Saman calls her husband-to-be Faisal bhai only few days before her marriage. Yeh kya honey ja raha hai, mujhe buhat dur lag raha hai is the only reaction she gives to such a shocking news. The latest developments were not the least bit convincing. I understand that Saman is a good girl who will never go against her phupo’s wishes but doesn’t she have any self respect? Saman and Faisal’s marriage appeared to be a very forced twist in the story. Saman is going to turn into an even more of a bechari very soon when Faisal refuses to accept her as his wife (easy guess!!). Faisal’s mother’s shrill voice is getting on my nerves, as if the drama is not annoying enough as it is!

Mehreen saves the day by telling Hashir’s mother about Saman and quite surprisingly Hashir’s mother is willing to marry Hashir to the love of his life.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Ahsan Khan’s acting but it seems like he intends to be a part of every mediocre show that we are going to see this year. He must be tired of getting married to the wrong girl by now, he really should give himself a break. This drama could easily pass for one of those plays which you keep on watching for killing time or out of curiosity, otherwise it does not deserve to be watched at all.

Mausam isn’t my cup of tea at all, the production values are great but that’s about it! If this was a calendar I would have been very impressed with the colors etc but this is a drama which requires much more than good production values to enthrall the viewers.

The preview of the next episode showed that Saman gets married to Faisal and it is only after her marriage that Hashir and his mother come to Saman’s house with the proposal *yawn*.

Fatima Awan

This drama is full of stereotypes, I am not sure where to start from! The rich outgoing aunty who doesn’t have time for her son(remember Zaroon’s mother?), the wealthy boy who has everything in the world but he still feels like there is something missing from his life (Zaroon?), the annoying Khala (Romaissa’s Khala most recent one), the spoilt younger sister (we have innumerable examples!), the sidhi sadhi older sister/cousin (choose any one from the countless sister rivalry dramas we have seen on our screens in recent times) and of course the suitor who is dying to marry the spoiled sister but the sister has her eyes on an even richer man because she believes in dreaming big!

Shazia has “fallen in love” with Hashir (no surprises there) but Hashir is clearly not interested in her. He looks for ways to talk to Saman but Saman is not the least bit interested. Shazia and Hashir meet again in this episode so Shazia has more of a reason to hope that she may have a future with Hashir. Shazia is immature and Saman is very wise…that pretty much sums up this second episode!

The first episode had done-to-death written all over it too but I was hoping that the play may just turn out to be engaging enough despite of the obvious flaws in the story. This episode proved me completely wrong. Although two new characters were introduced in this episode but it wasn’t even remotely entertaining. I wish HUM would concentrate just as much on its script as it does on its production values and grooming of the actors. A play should be much more than a visual treat. When the story has nothing new to offer then the viewers have very little reason to continue watching the show.

The actress playing Nigar (Hashir’s mother) is very well dressed; it is plain to see that she has a fancy wardrobe which caters nicely to the elite aunty roles but I really hope that we see her doing something different in her upcoming projects.

We all know why Shazia fell for Hashir; he has the looks and the money so he fits the bill perfectly but I am finding it very difficult to relate to Hashir’s fondness for Saman. Shazia Naz (Hashir’s cousin Mehreen) once again plays the role of the desperate lady (I won’t call her a girl) who wants her rich cousin to fall for her. She definitely looks very pretty in this drama and much younger too but it is almost as if I am watching Kukoo from Ishq Mein Tere all over again (oh yes! another stereotype). Ahsan Khan looks great after all the weight loss but he really needs to tone down the make up. Hareem Farooq is attractive and she can act too but her make up could have been far better.

The promo of the next episode showed that Shazia’s mother gives her approval for Faisal’s proposal. It remains to be seen if Shazia will quietly go ahead with this proposal or if she is foolish enough to take a step which she will always regret. Honestly speaking, this episode gave me very little to look forward to. I definitely expected better from HUM but I guess it’s about time that the viewers stopped having high expectations from the channel. They allure the viewers with a beautiful OST, great production values and sometimes a star cast but it has been a while since the scripts of their plays carried any weight at all!

Fatima Awan

I must say I am pleased with the recent turn of events except the death of Saman”s mother of course. Even though the drama had a very weak start but the way they are wrapping the story is impressive because now I feel we”ll have a complete ending which will leave all the viewers contented.

I am glad that Faisal decided to speak to Hashir but before saying anything he got all the answers that he was looking for. Faisal was already disturbed by his unrequited love & just because he felt burdened for not giving Saman the due respect she deserved, he felt it was a right decision to back out because he heard how pure Hashir”s intentions were. I really didn”t think Faisal would make such a decision because till now it looked like he”d want Saman back to start afresh to compensate for believing blindly in what Shazia fed to him but seems like he really felt it was the right thing to let go of Saman as he never really loved her, so there was no point in prolonging the relation because he couldn”t come to terms with the fact ever that he married someone else other than Shazia.

The way Saman trusted Shazia, only Fazeelat”s death had to be used as an eye-opener for her but I really wish Fazeelat had shared with Rabia – what she knew about her daughter, before she died. Her death definitely came as a surprise & I actually wish the writer hadn”t overdone the fragility of health of the ladies in this drama. Saman gets fever pangs if someone yells at her, she breaks her wrist & is chucked to the hospital in an ambulance if she slips & now Fazeelat died just because she heard something without even making sure if what she heard was true or not. But nevertheless, at least Fazeelat”s death made Saman stronger because she knew now she had to fight her battles alone without worrying about her mother because this is exactly what Fazeelat was trying to make her understand all this while as well.

I thought may be a tight slap followed by Fazeelat”s death may knock some compassion in Shazia but she continued to be as despicable as ever. Even though she may fear losing Hashir but not even for once she thought that it might be karma’s way of paying her back for all the negativity that she had instigated. What really annoyed me was the way Rabia was still being over-protective of her spoiled brat that after mobile casino Fazeelat”s death, it only took her a few hours to snap out of the agony & return back to being her old self where she couldn”t stop wailing about all the favors she had done for the deceased & her daughter. I really wish someone knocks some sense into Rabia so that she can see things through & understand what games Shazia has played until now & feels ashamed for standing by her daughter.

It was good to see Hashir finally taking care of his mother”s wishes & drawing a line regarding Fayyaz. Hashir might”ve never believed what his mother had told him about his father if she was alive but just because she died & left a heartfelt letter to him, Hashir took it as a guideline to apprehend Fayyaz”s intentions. I must say the preview of the next week also seemed interesting where Shazia will continue to manipulate situations in her favour & will spew one lie after another but will soon get busted. I think after all that Hashir & Saman have faced, it”s about time that they both get together & lead a happy life together. Share your thoughts on this episode please.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

ps: I am covering for my dear friend Fatima Awan but please look out for her say in the comments. :)

If anyone out there stopped watching Mausam recently this is the time to tune into it again because things seem to be headed in the right direction for a change. This play may just have a decent ending after all. Shazia’s engagement with Hashir and Hashir’s mother’s death is going to change a lot of things. Hashir’s mother’s death was not shown in an over-dramatic manner, something which I truly appreciate because it was a very touching moment when Hashir read his mother’s letter and it was good to see that the director did not prolong this scene unnecessarily. We all knew that Nigar had serious health issues which were further triggered by Hashir’s new found love for his father so this death was in no way unexpected. The letter which Nigar left for Hashir was short but heartfelt. Nigar was so right in comparing Shazia with her ex-husband, she had dealt with such a person for the longest time so who could be a better judge of Shazia’s character than her. Nigar turned the tables completely by writing what she did in the letter and by having that last conversation with Saman, otherwise our seedhi sadhi Saman would never have figured out that she was the love of Hashir’s life.

Faisal’s change of heart was a direct consequence of Shazia’s engagement with Hashir, we really don’t know whether Faisal will divorce Saman because he thinks she does not deserve him or out of anger but I really hope that he does so because he thinks Saman deserves better. The preview of the next episode suggested that he wanted her to be “free”, was he being sarcastic or honest? We will know soon enough. Saman was only disturbed by the recent developments and she kept on trying to get back to her husband like a devoted wife. I am anxiously waiting for Saman to realize how wrong she was in being the bholi bhali sort. I just hope that Saman’s mother survives the heart attack because otherwise it will just look like the writer is using the death of characters to take the story forward.

Nigar’s concern for her son and Saman’s mother’s decision to let Saman go with Hashir had to be the highlights of tonight’s episode. I felt for Hashir but I would have felt for him even more if he did not look so trim and proper on the funeral. The red eye shade alone did not do the trick. All the tracks of the story seem to be headed towards their conclusion. Hashir’s mother left the world but she did all that she could to ensure that Hashir did not ruin his life by marrying Shazia. She also made sure that Hashir knew the truth about his father; he may not have believed her when she was alive but he is bound to listen to her now. All this time I was wondering if Hashir’s father’s track had a relevance to the entire story or not but we know now that he was the reason why Nigar understood Shazia’s intentions so well. Shazia’s happy ending is certainly in jeopardy, which gives me a lot to look forward to. Can we please have a happy ending for Saman too?

Do share your thoughts about this recent episode.

Fatima Awan

I am not sure where to start from because while watching tonight’s episode I couldn’t help noticing that there were so many ways to make this story work! Even the characters in the drama have tons of potential but the writer completely ruined the characters by making them black and white. Shazia’s character would have been far better if it wasn’t all black, if there were times when she had guilt pangs and she sat down to think about what she had done to Saman or if there were moments when she genuinely wanted to do something good for Saman. Shazia has been using Saman right from the first episode, she hasn’t done anything nice for Saman or anyone else throughout the play. I wish she wasn’t such an evil person but she turned very selfish only because she wanted Hashir more than anything else, only then I could have felt for her character. For example in drama serial Shikwa Mehar’s character is not perfect in any way but her imperfections are more or less justified and there are times when she feels guilty and questions her actions. There are definitely some personality traits because of which you can connect to her character. Shazia was over the moon tonight after “winning” Hashir and she did not take very long to take control of Hashir’s life either. She started complaining about Mehreen’s attitude only when their engagement was a day old! I found Shazia’s comment “ap ke khandan waley un jagho pe nahi jatay jahan ameer log shopping krne jatay hei” funny because this is exactly what we have been discussing for the past few weeks. I completely agree with her of course and therefore question why Saman ends up where Hashir or his mother are; the same parlor, the same restaurant and the same hospital!

Saman’s character also would have been far more relatable and likeable if she was a little smart. How could she not think about what Faisal said about Shazia loving him. He made it quite clear that Shazia had assured him that she had finally realized that she loved him but Saman like always found a way to cover up for Shazia. She assumed that Faisal “thought” that Shazia loved him when he clearly said that Shazia confessed her love for him. Hashir already told her about Faisal and Shazia’s secret meetings so putting two and two together would have been very easy. Saman kept on begging Faisal to take her back home, keep her in some rotten corner but Faisal kept on telling her how much he hated her!

The only well etched-out character in the play is that of Faisal. I never had a problem relating to how he ended up the way he is. He never loved Saman and Shazia never gave him a chance to get closer to Saman. She blamed everything on Faisal’s mother and Saman right after the marriage and gave Faisal the companionship he always wanted from Shazia. Faisal obviously thought that he could leave Saman and marry Shazia at some point. Faisal couldn’t even have dreamed of having Shazia in his life therefore obviously when she confessed her love for him he was bound to go after her. Not only that Shazia also made sure that Faisal never gave his wife the respect she deserved. She kept on polluting Faisal’s mind and he never really understood what her intentions were. My favorite scene in tonight’s episode was the one in which Faisal talks to Shazia. I could totally relate to what he went through when he found out that Shazia had been lying to him all these years. The sudden change in Shazia’s personality made everything crystal clear to him and I am waiting to see how he will react. This is the time when he should start valuing his wife who does not cheat on him and who does not lie to get what she wants. If Faisal realizes how unfair he has been to Saman and changes for good then that would be the perfect ending for Saman because she only truly wants to be with Faisal.

Hashir’s mother’s character is definitely likeable, there was a time when I could not relate to her character but she has my sympathies now. Hashir never acknowledges his mother’s love for him. I am not sure where Fayyaz’s track is going and how it is going to be relevant to the entire story in the upcoming episodes but right now it seems quite irrelevant. I have a question…does stress really cause fever?? I seriously doubt that but we see people getting high fever only because they are under stress all the time in our dramas. The preview of the next episode looked interesting, I loved the expressions on Shazia’s face when Hashir was begging Saman to go with him! There is no hope for Faisal’s character since it looks like he is still under Shazia’s spell! Will Hashir’s dying mother save the day? We will find out soon enough!

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

Mausam has been a very slow play till now but all of a sudden things are moving forward rather quickly. Hashir’s father finally decided to call him today, he listened to him and confronted his mother but there was nothing new about what Hashir said to his mother because he has always believed that his mother was responsible for the separation between his parents. When Hashir finds out the next morning that his mother has gone to the doctor he decides to go after her but when he finds out that his mother has already left and spots Saman’s mother there, he conveniently forgets all about his mother but is more concerned about setting things straight in Saman’s life. I am glad that we were not shown the details of what went on between Faisal and Saman after he saw her in Hashir’s office. Even after going through so much Saman’s sole concern is saving her marriage.

Shazia on the other hand thinks she has hit a jackpot, she is finally going to get the man she always wanted….so basically mission accomplished! I am waiting to find out how she is going to convince Faisal to accept this marriage since she is the one who has been telling Faisal that Hashir is interested in Saman. I am anxiously waiting to see how Faisal reacts to the news of Shazia and Hashir’s marriage because I can foresee Karma taking care of Shazia’s future from now on (or it could be my wishful thinking!) Surely someone like Shazia cannot get away with everything that she did; she will eventually have to pay for all that she put Saman and Hashir through.

Saman surprised me yet again with the change in her personality when she is around Hashir. It is strange and ironic that all of Saman’s lectures and words of wisdom are for Hashir’s ears only. Also, her common sense works only when it comes to Hashir. She took seconds to put two and two together when it came to figuring out Luqman’s connection with Hashir. She must be one of those people who will do anything for family, even if that family is a back-stabbing cousin or Khala or an abusive husband, but she will never trust someone who is not part of the family. Hashir is definitely not a stranger to Saman but the way she told him off was actually very surprising; I had no idea that she knew that Mehreen was interested in Hashir too since even Hashir found out that Mehreen had feelings for him only recently. And when did Saman find out that Hashir likes her? Saman is definitely not the sort of person who can just figure something like that out.

Shazia’s conversation with her mother highlighted her mother’s double standards even more. It looked like she knew exactly what her daughter had been upto all these years. She did not want Saman to be there when Hashir’s mother came and she was very sure that Faisal could create problems – now what does that say about her? Looks like Saman’s mother is going to keep the big secret all to herself, she is the only one who knows exactly what Shazia has been doing to her daughter for all these years but for some odd reason she feels absolutely no need to confront her even – not that it is going to do any good.

The preview of the next episode showed that Faisal threatens to divorce Saman, yet again and Hashir plays “the savior” with flying colors! I am glad that the story is finally moving forward and at this point I am looking forward to Shazia paying for whatever she did to Saman more than anything else.

Fatima Awan

So much for hoping that khizan ka mausam was finally over and it was spring time now. Saman went back to being the top contender for the door-mat of the year, Faisal will be Faisal, Shazia proved that her evil ways know no bounds (what fun!) and the last thing I want to hear is that Hashir’s mother has some fatal disease. I cannot relate to our heroine one bit, the woman does not have an ounce of self-respect. The way she thanked Faisal for coming to take her back home was just plain shocking and her reaction to what Faisal said was even more so. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that Faisal does not love Saman one bit then why is Saman so sad every time Faisal tells her off? Why does she keep on hoping that one day this man will love her? Why does she trust Shazia so much? And why oh why does she blame Hashir for all her troubles? It isn’t as if her life was perfect before Hashir came into her life. When is Saman’s mother going to share the big secret with her? And last but in no way the least why did Saman feel the need to put on even more foundation when her mother came to visit her??

Immediately after watching the first scene of the play I thought of all the nice “titles” Shazia has been given till now meethi churi suits her the most. Doesn’t she get tired of living this two-faced life? So much plotting and planning to ruin someone’s life, for what? Is there a reason why she is so evil or being evil is like a hobby she enjoys too much to give up? A big part of the episode was wasted on showing the viewers what is going on between Faisal and Shazia as if it was brand new information. It was quite apparent that Shazia has Faisal wrapped around her little finger so few minutes of screen time covering Shazia and Faisal’s “love affair” would have been enough. Hashir tries to knock some sense into Saman but she does not listen of course because she only trusts people who are out to destroy her life. Saman keeps on giving Shazia credit for every “good thing” that happens to her but her mother does not tell her the truth, her silence is getting frustrating. She does give Saman an indirect message but it doesn’t do any good.

Hashir’s mother advices him to use his money to get what (who) he wants and if that doesn’t work out then “sub se qeemti sheh apna ap hota hai jis ko dao pe lagana prta hai apne pyaro ki khatir.” I have a bad feeling that Hashir will take his mother’s advice a little too seriously; that is the reason why he proposed to Shazia in the next episode in order to save Saman’s dysfunctional marriage! I find it impossible to believe that Saman thinks the biggest (or perhaps the only problem in her marriage) is that Faisal thinks Hahsir likes her and proving him wrong will make everything fine. The plot of the drama and its characters are as weak as they get. The script lacks substance and defies common sense. Hashir’s love for Saman is unconvincing to say the least and Saman’s fixation with Faisal defies logic. It is very difficult to fall in love with someone like Faisal and it is even more difficult to continue loving him especially when we consider the way he treats Saman. Any normal girl would want such a marriage to end unless she had no other choice but the eagerness with which Saman is out to save her marriage is beyond me!

Fatima Awan

Our prince charming and damsel in distress finally met in tonight’s episode and actually had a very “intelligent” (from Saman’s standards) discussion. I thought I’d never say this but the story has finally taken off after 13 episodes. More dialogues and more feeling from Saman added the life which this drama needed for so long now…yes it maybe too little too late but better late than never, right? I enjoyed watching tonight’s episode because Saman’s conversation with Hashir was a breath of fresh air; I had no idea that Saman could have a normal conversation! Hareem Farooq’s acting in that scene was superb too which basically showed that she can act if she is playing a smart (normal) girl. Saman did not even share the details of her rift with Faisal with Shazia, which was another pleasant surprise. Hashir’s mother’s plan worked like a charm until Hahsir and his mother ended up at Saman’s door step. That too proved to be a blessing in disguise because now Hashir’s mother knows what kind of a person Saman’s husband is, this will help her deal with him. For the first time I could connect to Hashir’s mother’s concern for him and Hashir’s feeling for Saman. Things will get worse before they get better between Hashir and his mother because of his father but I have a feeling that the story is going to take a very filmy turn from here and if it is not dragged further, things may just get very interesting too. Saman’s mother still hasn’t told her what she knows so Saman still thinks that Shazia isn’t as bad as her mother thinks she is. Shazia only keeps her ties good with Saman so that she can get information from her about her relationship with Faisal, that is so sickening. I hope Shazia ends up getting married to Faisal and Saman and Hashir find their happy ending.

I still have a huge problem with Hareem Farooq’s foundation because not only is it too white but the make-up artist forgot to put foundation on her neck altogether. The person responsible for the lighting could have covered up the flaw in the make-up but they did not. Her face looks too white and her neck is a completely different tone. I hope that the story will move on at a fast pace from now on. The preview of the next episode showed that Faisal threatens to divorce Saman and Hashir’s mother suggests that they should pay Faisal to leave his wife. I really don’t want to see a long series of misunderstandings at this point if they are not going to be resolved quickly. It took 13 long episodes for the hero and heroine to finally meet if something good doesn’t come out of it then I am giving up on this play for good. Tonight’s episode proved that a few changes in characters and speeding up the pace of the show could have done wonders.

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode. Do you think it was better than all the previous episodes that have gone on air till now or not?

Fatima Awan

I have not seen so many dukhi people in one drama and the background score is just as sad as the fate of all the characters in the play! Mubarak ho! The good news is that a year passed in few minutes in tonight’s episode but not much has changed in this one year. Hashir is still stuck on Saman, Shazia is still counting days, “waqt guzarana” is her favorite hobby, talk about being fixated… she needs treatment! Hashir’s father continued blackmailing his mother, Nigar and Saman are still going to the same parlor and Saman still hasn’t figured out that Faisal and Shazia are “in touch with each other”. Looks like everyone has started borrowing foundation from Saman or they have been using Zubeida Apa’s whitening cream:) It was good to see that at least one unmarried lady in the drama has some self-respect; Mehreen decided to move on after finding out why Hashir left.

The recap of everything that transpired between Shazia, Hashir and Co was a waste of time, it was totally unnecessary. And although the music that played in the background while Shazia recalled everything that happened was really melancholic but I did not feel an ounce of sympathy for her. Like I said before she comes across as someone who needs professional help from a good psychiatrist. No girl in the right state of mind would obsess over someone she barely knows the way Shazia has been obsessing over Hashir. What she feels for Hashir is anything but love because if it really was that then she wouldn’t be involved with Faisal at the same time too. It is almost as if Shazia will do anything to ensure that Saman does not get any happiness at all. She feels pride in the fact that Faisal does not treat Saman well and is still in love with her.

I must say that this drama has been very thanda till now. Something or the other happens in every episode but the story doesn’t really take off. There has been no character development in the play at all. Faisal is still mean, Shazia has always been selfish, Hashir is too seedha and dukhi of course and Saman does not believe in using her brains or showing any emotions. It must not have taken the writer Aliya Bukhari a lot of time to pen this script down because the amount of “effort” that has been put in character development and story development shows clearly in every episode. I honestly feel like it is about time that our writers start concentrating on quality and not quantity! And our producers stop relying on the same ghissi pitti stories. I am so not looking forward to the next episode; nothing about the preview appealed to me. I just hope the drama ends decently, right now it seems to be going nowhere. Romaissa has been replaced by Saman on Friday nights….hurray!

Fatima Awan

Our hero maybe out of sight but it will take a miracle to get him out of Shazia and Mehreen’s mind! Mausam has a very weak storyline and the direction is anything but impressive. There is no build up and no climax, the twists and turns come and go without leaving any impact on the viewers. The story moves forward gradually without giving you much to look forward to. I have totally failed to connect to the characters. Saman’s character had tons of potential but the writer killed that potential when she decided to make her holier-than-thou and I don’t understand why all these sidhi sadhi ladies in our dramas have to speak so slowly. Being simple and being dim-witted are two completely different things. Next time one of the drama writers wants to etch-out a simple girl’s character I highly recommend that they add a little bit of intellect to that character too. Smart girls can be nice too, you don’t have to be brainless to be nice! I was shocked when Saman decided to go to the parlor because that actually showed that she really did think that a visit to the parlor will change her destiny! She has tried Biryani and a new hairstyle, I wonder what is next. Magic wand anyone? What was even more shocking was the chance meeting between Hashir’s mother and Saman. I wish Saman and Hashir’s mother would have met somewhere else because it was hard to believe that someone like Saman can afford to go to a parlor Hashir’s mother goes to. Women like Nigar are very conscious about the parlor’s they go to and they are always places with the highest rates. Girls like Saman usually go to a parlor in their locality because they are not that expensive and are accessible.

Shazia got insulted from Mehreen and Nigar left right and centre but the girl is totally besti proof. Nothing these women say effects her, in fact we never even see her giving anything anyone says a second thought even. Shazia is definitely in contact with Faisal and they are upto something behind Saman’s back. Girls like Shazia enjoy keeping men wrapped around their little finger, she did not marry Faisal but she would not want him to get over her either! I hope that we see Shazia paying for everything she did because she does not deserve to be forgiven.

Saman’s mother in law’s character was the only nuanced character in the play but that has changed too ever since she sold Saman’s jewelry. Anita Campher is a brilliant actress but this time around she went over board; her accent is too loud and annoying. Mehreen is a very smart girl, I wonder why she was not able to guess what her father had been upto something when he clearly stated that he talked to Nigar about Mehreen’s friendship with Hashir. That was another conversation that completely fell flat. There is zero chemistry between Shazia Naz and the actor playing her father in the drama.

The misunderstandings in the drama are being stretched beyond limit, the story does not have much to offer and the characters are unimpressive to say the least. I hope it ends soon (wishful thinking)!

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

Let’s start with the highlights of tonight’s episode.

* Saman sells her gold bangles and makes special Biryani for her undeserving husband but neither does he acknowledge her sacrifice nor does he eat the Biryani, Saman is heart broken (yet again)! She continues being “brave” and does not react the way any other girl would.

* Shazia continued being her selfish old self. Who wants to die in Hashir’s ishq when there is the option of making a career until he comes back. She decides to work in a ‘boutique” (with special emphasis on the letter T since it is a designer boutique).

* Shazia and Saman’s mothers nok jhok continues throughout the episode with little or no impact!

* Mehreen and Shazia finally meet and Mehreen gives Shazia a piece of her mind. Shazia still hopes that she will be able to win Hashir one day!

*Shazia’s mother asks Saman to get in touch with Hashir so that she can convince him to get married to Shazia….how ironic!

Salma Khala’s character is getting more annoying by the day. There seems to be some kind of a communication between Faisal and Shazia, not that anything can make things worse for Saman. The story is moving forward gradually but like I said earlier the characters have failed to impress and the manner in which the story is being taken forward is very unconvincing. Saman’s character is too good to be true and Shazia is completely opposite. The friction between the two mothers seems forced and unnecessary now. Of course people do grow apart like this but these two women had a very strong bond for years now and Saman’s mother knows only too well that Shazia’s mother had nothing to do with everything that happened therefore she should be able to share her feeling with Shazia’s mother. Shazia’s mother clearly has double standards, there is no questioning that but if she knows the truth she may see things differently.

I am tired of listening to Shazia’s mother raving about Fazilat’s khushkismati because her daughter got married to someone like Faisal without even trying! The dialogues are getting repetitive; in every episode someone tells Saman that she needs to put on even more make up and look good for her husband! Yes they all need to get their eyesight checked. Saman wants Faisal to take her out in every episode because that is what her Khala wants. Saman’s behavior towards the whole situation is not understandable at all, we all know she is a good girl but she is also a human right? We never see her crying or showing her frustration.

The preview of the next episode showed that Saman’s becharapan reaches a whole new level after Salma Khala leaves. I did not miss Hashir’s character for even a split second today; the drama is equally boring with or without him!

Fatima Awan

This episode was much better than the previous few in terms of development in the story but it had more than its fair share of ridiculous moments. There were many scenes which could have been shot and written in a more convincing manner. The opening scene in which Saman has her first real but the most candid conversation with Hashir sounded very strange. The way Saman asked Hashir why he couldn’t marry Shazia and who he loved seemed out of place. The last time Saman met Hashir she did not even want to stop and say hello and now she had no issues with having a very personal conversation with Hashir when she knew her husband was around. When Hashir told Saman that he loved someone else and she should have guessed by now who it was, I was hoping that she will put two and two together but Saman is so blinded by whatever information Shazia has been feeding her that she fails to see anything else.

Saman’s mother overhears the entire conversation between Shazia and Hashir. She does not have the guts to say everything to Shazia’s mother’s face but she conveys whatever she can indirectly and decides to keep her distance. I have to say that this was one aspect of the play which I could totally relate to; the way Saman’s mother and Shazia’s mother drift apart because of their children although they have lived very happily with each other all these years. Hahsir decides to go abroad for God knows how long but it was mainly due to Mehreen’s father’s request. Hashir’s confrontation with Shazia was not as impactful as I was hoping it would be. All of Shazia’s hopes have been dashed to the ground for now, what is she going to do with her life now!

I feel for poor Saman, looks like her mother made all her jahez suits from the dresses she had stored in the trunk for ages. Saman looks like she walked out of a 60s movie and I am so not impressed by Hareem Farooq’s acting. There are times when she delivers but mostly she looks very clueless. The scenes with Saman and her mother in law are getting repetitive. I wonder where Faisal’s mother got all that money from, any guesses? I am warming up to Hashir’s mother’s character gradually, she makes an effort at every step to rebuild her relationship with her son.

Mehreen can’t take Hashir out of her mind and her father is waiting for her to move on. Shazia Naz is a total misfit for playing this character. I wonder how old she is because it is very difficult to accept her as a girl in her 20s. The make up artist has worked very hard on her and she looks great so it is only fair that I should give the person responsible for her grooming credit.

Overall a pretty average episode as usual but one that left me with the hope that the story may move forward at a relatively faster pace now. Hashir is gone for now so the good news is that we probably won’t be seeing Ahsan Khan in the next episode. The relationship of the characters with each other hasn’t been cemented well therefore most often it is very difficult to relate to them. I am really disappointed with Aliya Bukhari’s script because the drama just isn’t taking off.

Do share your thoughts about this episode.

Fatima Awan

Just like all the other plays written by Aliya Bukhari, this one also started with a bang. This first episode was fast paced and engrossing. The story has absolutely nothing new to offer (just like Dil-e-Muzter, also written by the same writer) but it still managed to hold my attention mainly due to the short and to the point scenes. The play has been directed by Romi Insha and produced by Momina Duraid.

Mausam is the story of two cousins (who have been raised like sisters) who have nothing in common but they get along quite well at least for now, until of course our hero will become the “bone of contention” between them! Yes, like I said the story has been done to death! Shazia (Yumna Zaidi) is outgoing, a little rebellious and has a colorful personality. Her cousin Saman (Hareem Farooq) is your regular simple, obedient and of course very attractive young girl. We have seen both these characters in many dramas before too. The promos reminded me of all the dramas based on the story of two sisters starting from Maat to Rishtey Kuch Adhoorey Se. The girls come from a middle class background and our hero Hashir Hassan (Ahsan Khan) is very rich. Hashir Hassan has all the luxuries that a person can afford but he doesn’t even have a good relationship with his mother, who I think is the only family he has. Hashir Hassan’s mother’s character is yet another stereotype which we have seen on our screens often enough.

Fazilat Mami’s (Naila Jafferi) character is a nice addition to the drama. We don’t get to see sensible ladies like her on our TV screens very often. Shazia’s mother (Humaira Zaheer) is raising her daughter all by herself so she is very strict with her. Saman’s mother does not have much of a say in the house and Shazia’s mother is considered the head of the family. Her character was another one which reminded me of many mothers and fathers which we have seen in our dramas; the sort who are very conscious about their children’s upbringing and end up getting very disappointed when they find out what their children have been up to.

Shazia’s Khala (Anita Campher) desperately wants Shazia’s hand in marriage for her son but Faisal does not come up to Shazia’s standards. Shazia’s chance meeting with Hashir was done well. Hashir is the prince charming Shazia had been waiting for all these years but he gets attracted to Saman the second he lays his eyes on her. So, there we have it the perfect love triangle we are already very familiar with.

The picture quality, direction and acting gave me absolutely nothing to complain about. It was actually nice to see normal girls on screen after watching Romaissa crying for weeks now! The screen play was engaging enough but the characters reminded me of many others which we have already seen in dramas. Yumna Zaidi’s character reminded me of the character she played in Rishtey Kuch Adhoorey Se; her desperation was nothing new! The fact that these two girls are cousins is actually very alarming because it could mean that the drama may go the Yahan Pyar Nahi Hai way.

It was very disappointing and definitely surprising (not in a good way!) that Hum TV did not feel the need to promote this drama at all. The promo went on air at the very last minute. No one even knew two weeks back that Mausam would be replacing MSKSH. Could it be that the channel does not want MHMD to have a competition at the moment? Since MHMD has been produced by Momina Duraid too. I have no idea but I definitely expected better from Hum TV. This first episode was full of stereotypes but still much more engaging than most dramas which I have seen lately so I think a little more effort on part of the channel would have given the viewers a reason to tune in to Hum TV tonight.

Fatima Awan