Today’s episode had a lot of meaningful conversations to its credit and the direction was superb like always. Kiran finally warmed up to the man she was forcefully engaged to; all it took was one meeting and a few conversations. I have to say that today Sikandar did come across as a very lovable person – he values Kiran and is not afraid of showing just how much she means to him. The episode started with Kiran showing her disinterest and dislike for her upcoming marriage but things changed enormously by the time the episode ended.

There were so many scenes in today’s episode that definitely moved me. The love that Irim and Kiran share has been portrayed so beautifully. Even after everything that happened Irim does not hold anything against her sister, she understands that it was not her fault and is genuinely happy for her.

The second scene that was very nicely shot and acted out was the one in which Sikandar and Kiran have the conversation in the car when Sikandar’s mother goes inside the house. Sikandar’s confession was very sweet. The way he kept on looking at Kiran in the back view mirror despite of the fact that it was really annoying his mother was also very sweet! I find Sikandar’s character very interesting because his character has many layers; sometimes you don’t like him at all and sometimes you feel like he is flawless.

Kiran’s character is a very balanced one as well, she comes across as a very real person – not one of those holier than thou heroines who can do no wrong. Despite of all her claims that she would never marry Sikandar even if he was the last man on earth and despite of feeling that she is letting Arzoo down by getting married to Sikandar, she still can’t help but like him because he is likeable!

Another scene that was very well done was the conversation between Kiran and Adnan. The entire conversation was very meaningful. The way Adnan looked at Kiran and her complete ignorance of his feelings was done perfectly. There was nothing predictable or clichéd about that scene, it was very original indeed. Adnan looks at the bird Kiran knows she can trust him with and wonders why she couldn’t trust him with her heart as well! He would have loved to take care of Kiran all his life too and not just her pet – that was a very sad scene.

Kiran’s parents are happy for their daughter. When Kiran’s mother asks her who gave her the flowers her reply was hilarious “Sikandar ne ap ke liye bhaije hein’! Shaista warns her son not to “spoil” Kiran so much but he is so sure that she is completely worth it, infact he thinks that she is incapable of being spoiled. Sikandra’s love for Kiran and the confidence he has in her is very charming.

Adnan may have succumbed to her sister’s demands but he finds it hard to have a normal relationship with his sister now. Rukhsar fails to see what is it that she did wrong when she should clearly know what it was! Faiqa’s conversations with her husband are getting repetitive. It seems she has nothing better to talk about, Faiqa keeps on blaming Kamal for destroying her daughter’s life and keeps on going on and on about his brother. The truth is revealed soon enough but Faiqa continues to blame Kiran and her family.

The Sikandar and Kiran jodi definitely scored an ace with me today. The way Sikandar won Kiran over was very adorable. There is no ambiguity as to why Kiran changed her mind all of a sudden and the viewers were not left wondering. The acting, the camera shots and the script has been very impressive since the last episode. I have most certainly warmed up to the characters and am looking forward to more, what about you? Please feel free to share your views.

Fatima Awan

The turn of events in today’s episode was totally unexpected. Faiqa’s plan completely backfired, even after all her “efforts” to ensure that Kiran does not get married to Sikandar, the result was quite contrary to her expectations. Faiqa did her homework well no doubt but she was obviously not expecting Sikandar’s parents to go to Kiran’s house with the proposal for a second time. Jamal’s decision to accept the proposal was a consequence of Irim’s enagemnts breaking off and Faiqa’s direct involvement in the whole issue. That of course was not the sole reason because of which Jamal accepted the proposal; he also feels that Sikandar will prove to be a good husband. Ayesha’s fears that Faiqa and Shaista haven’t expected Kiran as Sikandar’s wife and that would create problems for her daughter may just be prove to be true very soon.

The addition of Kiran’s friend in the drama is definitely a good one; she is the voice of reason. I totally agree with her; Kiran is not duty bound to please Arzoo or anyone else after everything that has transpired between the two families. Her advice to Kiran was spot on; Kiran really should think about what her parents want now and stop trying to please Arzoo because that may just prove to be an impossible feat.

Sikandar takes a U turn once the marriage is finalized which goes to show that to him his happiness comes before everything else. I must add here that I really like Sikandar’s father’s character; he is a very wise and fair person. I also really like Kamal’s character; he has a very high opinion of his brother despite of everything that his wife may say and is also very sensible. Both the women on the other hand are complete opposites! I couldn’t but wonder though that why did Jamal have such a low opinion of his brother. The things he said about him in the first episode went to show that for some reason he did not like him at all.

Adnan does not protest the way Sikandar does; for him his family comes before his own wishes. Rukhsar will obviously feel partially responsible for what has happened since she was the one who wouldn’t let her mother go to Kiran’s house to ask for her hand in marriage. I really enjoyed the scene in which Rukhsar gives Faiqa a piece of hee mind and Faiqa listens so patiently. The only reason she listened to Rukhsar’s rants was because she was very focused on convincing her mother!

The preview for the next episode showed that Sikandar and Kiran will finally meet face to face first time after the engagement, Sikandar asks Kiran directly if she is happy with the engagement or not – what will be Kiran’s answer? Whatever it may be I guess we all know by now that it won’t change Sikandar’s mind at all. Faiqa and her husband continuously argued all through tonight’s episode; how did they manage to stay together for all these years?

Tonight’s episode was very well directed like always. The story has finally picked up pace and I even enjoyed all the conversations today. All the scenes were short and to the point. The aftermath of Irim’s engagement breaking off wasn’t overdone and we didn’t see Kiran crying all the time either. I have to say that Aabis Raza has put in his heart and soul to direct this project and it shows, it is nothing like few of the other plays I had previously watched which were directed by him. All the actors seem very comfortable in their respective roles and unlike I have absolutely no complaints now as far as the acting is concerned. I am definitely looking forward to the next installment.

Fatima Awan

I was all for the way Sikandar was pleading his case in the last episode because I found nothing wrong with the fact that he wanted to marry a girl he liked and not one who he wasn’t interested in at all. Sure, that was very selfish of him but certainly not something that can be considered absolutely unacceptable especially when one considers the attitude of his mother, she is just as stubborn and unreasonable, and we surely know now who he takes after!! Sikandar is selfish all the way, there is no disputing that. Even after Kiran’s parent’s reject the proposal, he still asks his mother to go again – now that never happens, does it? Sikandar’s mother’s attitude of course was the prime reason why Kiran’s parents rejected the proposal, I am so glad that despite of being so simple Kiran’s mother is not completely naïve and she picked up the pride, arrogance and detest in Sikandar’s mother’s attitude instantly. Kiran’s mother clearly stated that Sikandar and his family had a lot of positives but his mother’s attitude was very wrong. Sikandar, of course is unaware of the situation and is not bothered with what Kiran’s family, his mother or Kiran herself wants, he just wants his wish granted. He does not even care that the girl he is trying so hard to marry does not even like him that says a lot about him.

In this entire episode, Faiqa’s main focus yet again was to do whatever she could in order to get Kiran engaged to Adnan. I can’t believe that she is foolish enough to think that her sister will come begging to her once Kiran gets engaged. I have to say that Arzoo has far more sense than her mother but she does not take a stand in front of her. Arzoo still does not believe that Kiran had anything to do with everything that happened but at the same time she won’t talk to Kiran and even told her off today. The only reason for this could be that she feels so embarrassed about the whole situation that her best defense is to not have any ties with either Kiran or Sikandar.

Adnan, on the other hand cannot seem to muster up the courage to ask his mother to go to Kiran’s house, his sister’s words keep haunting him and he does not want to do anything that will hurt her. Rukhsar has turned bitter over the years. She believes in taking a stand for herself, maybe because she is very insecure. She knows if she does not voice her concerns loud and clear then she may never get married. Faiqa’s conversation with Adnan’s mother worked like a charm, she was very eager to go to Kiran’s house with the proposal but Rukhsar made it very clear to her that it was not going to happen.

For me the best thing about this episode was Kiran’s mother’s character and the conversations between the husband-wife about the proposal. It was so good to see a mother on-screen for a change who is nice but at the same time can see through people. She could tell exactly what Sikandar’s mother was like and she clearly saw what Faiqa was trying to do. The husband and wife did not have long arguments or disagreements over the issue but were quite clear about what they wanted- very sensible indeed. There is a reason why Kiran is so sensible and Sikandar isn’t!! Children obviously take after their parents. Faiqa’s husband apparently wasn’t very interested in marrying her too but she managed to have a “happy” life nevertheless, so she thinks Arzoo should not think too much about these things, how wise is that!

I actually find it quite funny the way men are constantly judged by the women in the play. There have been a lot of such dialogues in Kankar till now in which men are tagged with certain n characteristics in some way or the other. I have to say that Kankar is gradually growing on me, there is nothing novel about the story till now but the direction has been top notch. Honestly speaking, I wasn’t expecting Aabis Raza to do so well. The performances with a few exceptions have been quite impressive too. Fahad Mustafa didn’t have too many scenes in tonight’s episode but he acted very well. My biggest problem apart from the same old story was that the hero didn’t really fit into the character but since the last episode Fahad Mustafa has been much more comfortable in this character. Sanam Baloch has been flawless all through these episodes. There were a few surprises in today’s episode, like the rishta affair was not dragged till the next episode; I wasn’t expecting a rejection so soon. Irim’s engagement being called off was totally unexpected as well. Like I said some of the conversations were very well done and Kiran’s mother’s character is very well etched out. After watching this latest installment, I have high expectations from the upcoming episode. This episode definitely had the classic Umera Ahmed touch. I will give this episode 3.5 out of 5.

Fatima Awan

This latest episode started with Sikandar’s mother trying to convince him that he should get married to Arzoo and not Kiran.  I have to say that Sikandar’s arguments carried a lot of weight and what his mother said made no sense. There is one thing that we know for sure about Sikandar now which is that he is very determined; once he makes up his mind about something, he will leave no stone unturned to make it happen. Sikandar’s confidence and clarity of views was actually quite impressive today. He does not budge a little even; he even goes and talks to Arzoo himself. The only problem is that how can he be so sure that Kiran will marry him? But then Sikandar declares today that he was not going to marry Arzoo even if he does not get married to Kiran.

Kiran’s parents haven’t found out about what is happening yet and Adnan is the only person Kiran confided in apart from her sister. This goes to show just how close Kiran is to Adnan. The news is very shocking for him of course since he knows that he is no match for Sikadnar and also because his circumstances do not allow him to get married just yet. His sister makes sure that he does not get engaged even, before she gets married.

Arzoo’s mother on the other hand does not intend to give up on Sikandar any time soon; she wants to ensure that Sikandar and Kiran do not get married. She goes to Adnan’s mother’s house (which was definitely out of the ordinary) to tell her that Kiran’s parents were very interested in Adnan. This was most certainly a very desperate move.

I was expecting Kiran to be much more upset about what Arzoo said to her but it seems like she is not one of those people who just sit and cry when things go wrong but she believes in doing something about it. That has to be another thing that I like about Kiran’s character. Rather than crying and complaining, she called Sikandar to let him know how she felt about the situation. But like I said Sikandar has his mind made up and no one in the world can change it now. I have to say that Fahad Mustafa acted very well in this episode and I have no complaints at all except for the make up of course. His portrayal of a very determined young man was spot on and I hope that we will get to see more of such convincing acting from him in the future too. Sanam Baloch was brilliant as usual and rest of the actors are doing a great job too.

The preview for the next episode showed that Sikandar’s mother will finally give in to her son’s wishes and go to Kiran’s house to ask for her hand in marriage. Do you think that Sikandar’s parents will accept the proposal immediately considering the circumstances? Also, we saw Arzoo’s mother spreading rumors about Sikandar and Kiran. Kiran is also not willing to marry Sikandar at any cost; will she be able to convince her parents?

I have to say that the best thing about this play till now has been its direction. The pace of the story isn’t as slow as it was in the first couple of episodes but I am still not completely sold. I am waiting for the real story to begin and see how things go from there. Also, I am very curious to find out how Sikandar and Kiran end up getting married and what role does Adnan have to play in the serial. Rukhsar will not let her mother go to Kiran’s house with the proposal so it seems like he does not have a chance. Did you watch this latest installment? Please share your views about this episode.

Fatima Awan

This latest episode focused on Sikandar being adamant on not getting married to Arzoo and the aftermath of the “news” that he likes Kiran. The news that Sikandar likes Kiran spread like wildfire, everyone in Arzoo’s and Sikandar’s family found out about this latest development but Kiran had no clue what was going on. The call from Sikandar did get the alarm bells ringing in Kiran’s head but she obviously has no idea what was brewing in Sikandar’s head. I was hoping that we were going to find out why exactly Sikandar is so infatuated by Kiran – can’t call it love just yet! I wish he would have mentioned the reason while talking to his mother or in any way at all – this guy does not even write diaries so we have no way of knowing that what is it about Kiran that he likes so much. It happens quite often in our dramas nowadays that this “falling in love”, ‘wanting to marry a girl” happens a little too quickly without any real rhyme or reason. Well, I guess this is what we call love at first sight but it most certainly doesn’t sound convincing enough and definitely something one must put under the fantasy umbrella!

Fahad Mustafa was much more convincing today than in the previous two episodes but it will take time for me to get used to all the make-up. I have to say that I do not like anything about Sikandar’s character at all till now. He seems like a very selfish person who wouldn’t think twice before hurting someone. Yes, he does have a very valid point; he shouldn’t be forced to marry someone he does not like but couldn’t he try and talk to his mother about it nicely? I have to say though that the entire “not eating anything” tactic looked very familiar, I have seen sons using that tactic more than the girls and most of the times it works like a charm!

Sikandar is not the only one who is smitten by Kiran but poor Adnan is equally love-struck. Kiran has absolutely no plans of getting married anytime soon; she is definitely not interested in getting married to Adnan and Sikandar is a total no no of course. Although, Sikandar falls for Kiran, calls her (where did he get her number from by the way?) and confesses that he likes her but Kiran gets all the blame. This happens all the time in reality too; technically Sikandar didn’t really cheat on Arzoo because there was no commitment to begin with but even if men cheat on their fiancés or wives, it is always the “other woman” who gets all the blame. Kiran is completely unaware of what is going on but Arzoo and Sikandar’s mother blame her and sadly enough Arzoo also thinks that she may have something to do with what happened. What Sikandar’s mother said to Sikandar about Kiran belonging to a middle class household, “mohallay mei rehte hei, tum un ke ghar mei beth bhi nahi sako gay”, sounded awfully familiar. Didn’t we just see all of that happening in Zindagi Gulzar Hai? I have a feeling that we will be hearing a lot of such things in the coming episodes.

The story is definitely getting a little interesting, one does wonder what is going to happen next and I also hope that it is done well too. I have to say that for an Umera Ahmed play, the dialogues are quite average, nothing mind-lowing. The play is still giving me the “been there done that” feeling a little too often. I was hoping that the relationship between Kiran and her father will be one that we will remember for a long time but Behroze Sabzwari’s role seems minimal. I feel that he is being wasted in this role; he is capable of doing so much more. Quite interestingly Kiran’s father wants to marry Kiran to Adnan but her mother isn’t very happy with the idea.

In short there was a great deal of talk about marriage proposals and issues relating to marriage in this latest episode. It seems like Arzoo and Kiran’s friendship is over, which is sad! Like always the nok jhok between the sisters added a very real touch to the drama. Overall, this was definitely a very well directed episode. The male leads in the play, Hassan Niazi and Fahad Mustafa both seem to be the weakest link till now.

Fatima Awan

For me the best thing about this latest installment was Arzoo and Kiran’s friendship, the few light hearted moments between the sisters and of course Sikandar and Kiran’s encounter. Sikandar and Arzoo finally met and the conversation between the two revolved more around Kiran than anything else. Sikandar seemed cold and arrogant in the few scenes that were shown today; I would have liked to see more of him so that the viewer’s could understand his character better. I have to say that Fahad Mustafa wasn’t exactly the perfect choice for playing this character because he does not seem very comfortable in his role. What he does looks a little too much like acting, with so much spontaneous and natural actors around that is just not good enough. However, the scenes between Kiran and Sikandar were very well done. Fahad Mustafa seemed much more comfortable playing the man who was love struck, arrogance doesn’t really suit him. Sanam Baloch’s acting like always was top-notch in every single scene; she emotes effortlessly and is always in top form. Just when I thought that Kankar may never grow on me, I was pleasantly surprised when Sikandar and Kiran’s encounters changed the feel of the entire episode.

I must confess that the way all the girls in the play (with the exception of Kiran) are obsessed with the idea of marriage is a little annoying. Irim is only twenty and she reacted as if it was the end of the world when she found out about Shoaib’s engagement. Rukhsar throws a fit when she finds out about Irim’s engagement and Arzoo’s only purpose in life is to get married to the man of her dreams! I have most certainly seen girls who are in love with the idea of being married at this age but I have to say that watching them on-screen isn’t actually delightful.

There are a lot of characters in the play and many families involved. I am wondering how Rukhsar’s track in particular is relevant to the main story. The problem with too many characters and too many tracks is that if the focus is lost then any play can become very tedious. I am hoping that the focus will be on Sikandar and Kiran because I am definitely looking forward to seeing more of them. For the first time I am actually looking forward to the next episode because I am waiting to find out how the entire family is going to react when Sikandar will break the news to them and how it will affect Arzoo and Kiran’s friendship. I also want to know why exactly Sikandar fell for Kiran instantly. Was it because of her overflowing confidence? He seemed like a completely different person after the encounter.

Kiran is very close to her father and Kamal isn’t exactly in Kiran’s father’s good books. How will he react to the proposal, is a million dollar question too. The “ap ne poori duniya ghoomi hui hai, hur kisam ke khanay khaye hun gay” dialogue reminded me of what Kashaf said to her mother about Zaroon! When Kiran comes back from Arzoo’s house, her clothes seemed a little inappropriate; nothing matched and they were completely out of place. Other than that I am in love with Kiran’s character; her confidence and carefree attitude is subtle and fresh.

For me this episode was the best one so far because the last few scenes gave me something to look forward to. I am hoping that the play will pick up pace from the next episode and hopefully the focus will be more on the main characters. The actress playing Arzoo is very cute, her dialogue delivery may not be perfect but she has a good chemistry with Sanam Baloch or should I say Sanam Baloch is all chemistry, she makes every single scene worthwhile. Honestly speaking, I have great expectations from umera Ahmed and don’t want to be led down. Please feel free to share your views about this latest installment.

Fatima Awan

Kiran’s reaction to Adnan’s proposal was nothing short of a very pleasant surprise for me since I was not expecting Kiran to react in this manner. Kiran deserves to be happy and there is no other man who can give her the kind of affection that Adnan can. Having gone through a very traumatic experience already, Kiran has her doubts about the authenticity of Adnan’s claims but is willing to give this relationship a chance because she has always had a very high opinion of Adnan. Apart from that, these two always shared a special connection. Kiran always felt that Adnan was merely looking out for her all this time, but now she knows better.

Arzoo got rid of Kiran’s parrots, convinced her mother that it was okay for Kiran to get married to Adnan and left no stone unturned to convince Sikandar that Kiran wasn’t the ideal woman he always thought she was but the fact remains that Arzoo has not been able to fill the void left by Kiran in Sikandar’s life. Sikandar’s attitude towards Arzoo maybe cold and rude but he has not hit her yet. The reason for that could be that he does not feel the need to control her. He is not as possessive about her as he was about Kiran. Or maybe because this time around his mother made it very clear to him that she is not going to back him up if he does something like that. Arzoo’s attitude made me wonder whether she was putting on an act because she loved Sikandar or only because she would do anything to prove Kiran wrong.

Adnan let Rukhsar stop him from getting married to Kiran once but this time around he did not want to lose Kiran for a second time. It was quite apparent that Rukhsar could not stand the fact that her brother was dying to get married to Kiran. Rukhsar’s attitude shows how jealous she is of Kiran. Also, Rukhsar’s situation goes to show how working women are exploited especially in lower middle class households. The only time when I felt for Rukhsar was when she was having a conversation with her colleague. Rukhsar is very sensitive about her own problems but does not think twice before judging others. The way Rukhsar’s mother praised her daughter’s in laws and assured Faiqa that Rukhsar was very happy was rather ironic. She always had so much say when Kiran’s mother did the same and wondered why she couldn’t be honest.

Kiran and Adnan’s conversation was sweet and touching. Hassan Niazi and Sanam Baloch have amazing on-screen chemistry which makes their track totally lovable. The honesty with which Kiran and Adnan share their true feelings with each other was truly refreshing. It is plain to see that Rukhsar and her mother are bound to create problems for Kiran. How will she cope with the situation?

This latest episode was very slow for my taste. Kiran’s story is moving forward nicely but Arzoo and Sikandar’s track is getting very monotonous. The play really needs to pick up pace now so that the story can be wrapped up decently without putting the viewers to sleep.

Fatima Awan

Tonight’s episode was very well put together; the one thing that particularly stands out about this play is the manner in which the leading characters in particular have been etched out. Sikandar and Kiran both come across as people from real life because neither is Kiran holier-than-thou and nor is Sikandar a completely evil person. It is plain to see that Sikandar is controlling and he needs professional help by way of which he can see where he is going wrong and correct himself. He was never ready for the divorce in the first place and even now after the divorce with Kiran and marriage with Arzoo, he has been unable to move on. There is such a thing as closure and people like Sikandar need it more than others. Not being in control of a situation is something alien to Sikandar, therefore he has no idea how to deal with the situation. Fahad Mustafa has completely bowled me over with his superb acting. There was a time when I thought that he wasn’t well-suited for this role but I was so wrong.

Kiran may have mustered up the courage to find her way out of a marriage that was bound to destroy her life but she is not brave enough to face the repercussions of her decision. This aspect of her personality makes her character very relatable – she is not super human in any way. Sanam Baloch’s performance in tonight’s episode was yet again impeccable. She portrayed every single emotion flawlessly; Kiran’s fears, disillusionment, misery and sudden lack of confidence could not have been depicted more immaculately.

I expected Arzoo to have a little more self-respect than what we saw in tonight’s episode. Arzoo really will put up with anything to ensure that Sikandar stays in her life. Even the news of Arzoo’s pregnancy did not change anything between the two.

Rukhsar’s mother’s conversation with Ayesha was rather ironic considering how opinionated her own daughter is. Her double standards did not come as a surprise at all since having a different set of standards for your own children is a norm in our society. Most of the people whether they are family or friends tend to add to the troubles of the family which is already going through a difficult time rather than lending a helping hand or giving them emotional support.

Adnan and Kiran’s conversations had to be the highlight of tonight’s episode at least for me. Adnan’s character is simply adorable and Hassan Niazi was the perfect choice for playing this character. Adnan is the only person with whom Kiran slightly opens up, she deserves to be with someone like him.

The preview of the next episode suggested that Adnan will finally share his true feelings with Kiran. I am waiting to find out how Kiran will react when she finds out that Adnan has always loved her. Some of the dialogues in tonight’s episode sounded very repetitive like “mian biwi ke darmiyan buhat kuch hota hai lekin talaq maslay ka hal nahi hota!”. The way Shaista kept on mentioning Kiran unintentionally was a little strange since she was the one who was most eager to get Kiran out of Sikandar’s life. This episode was on the slow side but it covered everything that needed to be shown. It is definitely time to move on and at this point it is very difficult to predict where the story will go from here. The preview of the next episode showed that Arzoo has a soft corner for Kiran out of the blue, what could possibly be the reason for that? Could it be Sikandar’s cold behavior or something else?

The flashback scenes were brilliantly done; they conveyed the feelings and thoughts of Kiran and Sikandar very well. The credit for that obviously goes to the director, I really appreciate all the effort that Aabis Raza has put in to directing this play. My favorite flashback scene was the one in which Kiran is counting her money and thinking of how different things used to be when she was with Sikandar. It showed the bittersweet memories that relationships leave you with and no matter how bitter a relationship may have been it is not easy to forget everything and move on.

Do share your thoughts about this latest installment.

Fatima Awan

This episode focused on the dilemmas of arranged marriages in our society. I found the scene in which the rishta people want a “tour” of the girl’s house very relatable – sadly I must say that been there done that! When parents are getting their first girl or even boy married, they are absolutely clueless as to how to deal with such situations and end up saying yes to every foolish farmaish that comes their way! Some, who are in a position to do so, learn to tell such people off in a polite manner, those who do not have a choice sadly have to put up with such requests and much more! It is not just the boys’ family who wants to take a good look into the house of the girl they might be marrying their son to but I have even seen girls’ families desperately wanting to see the boy’s house even after their daughter has been married into the family. These are such wrong customs and they need to be shunned. Everything that we saw in today’s episode had surely been inspired from real life incidents and indeed was very relatable, like all other Umera Ahmed scripts. But the real question is that was it engaging enough? Sadly, I have to say that it wasn’t. The pace of the show is certainly slow and I have a feeling that this is the way it is going to be. All the plays that Aabiz raza has directed till now; Zard Mausam, Mujhe Roothne Na Dena and Maseeha, to name a few which I followed have been slow paced. Umera Ahmed’s plays as well have been stretched unnecessarily since Shehr-e-Zaat.

Faiqa’s sister also faced a dilemma when it came to marrying her son with her sister’s daughter Arzoo. Sikandar is not the least bit interested in marriage or getting married to Arzoo for that matter. He wants to know Arzoo better before he makes a final decision and his mother doesn’t want no for an answer. Fahad Mustafa’s character seemed cold and distant. I expected the bond between or more like the chemistry between the mother and son to be more appealing and apparent but it wasn’t. Fahad Mustafa is definitely one of those male actors who need to wear less make up.

Kamal’s sister seems to be facing problems as well as far as her daughter’s (Uroosa Siddiqui) marriage is concerned. She is stuck with a long enagement with no hope in sight.  She doesn’t have the guts to ask the boy’s family what they want since she has been given a cold response once before too and cannot afford to break the engagemtn off too. Most certainly, all that we saw today was ghar ghar ki kahani. I am sure many many people could relate to it but will this ghar ghar ki kahani click with the audience in this day and age when there are a few other more intriguing and interesting dramas on air which keep you on the edge of the seat?

Kiran’s character is definitely the most likeable part of the play for me till now. She has a carefree attitude and I love her confidence. In the next episode, we may see Kiran and Sikandar meet for the first time since we saw Kiran begging Arzoo that she wanted to meet Sikandar. Kiran and Sikanadar seem poles apart already; Kiran is fun and carefree and Sikandar seems like a very toffee-nosed individual. Kiran and Arzoo are very close to one another and we saw Arzoo going against her mother’s will and giving Kiran the photographs of the engagement. The relationship between the three sisters is also another extremely relatable part of the show, which has been shown nicely. It is so good to see sisters who get along for a change and have a “normal relationship – no good sister versus bad one scenario.

Overall, this episode was strictly okay. I agree with and could relate to every single happening in the play but I think the viewers will have to get used to the slow pace of the drama and accept it for what it is if they want to enjoy it. Expecting fireworks is just going to disappoint the viewers. Please share your opinions about this latest episode.

Fatima Awan

This latest episode focused on showing everyone’s reaction to Sikandar and Kiran’s relationship coming to an end. The most appalling reactions were those of Faiqa, Shaista and Arzoo. We already knew just how short-sighted and shallow these women were but even then every time the manner in which they justify themselves and make Kiran look like a culprit is shocking. Faiqa’s statement “wo kiran thi tum arzoo ho, tum se aisa salook krne ke bare mei vo soch bhi nahi skta” showed that she has no fear of God, she is the one who really needs a reality check. The way Kiran was treated as a lesser human by all these women in particular right from the onset is simply loathsome.

Faiqa maybe blinded by her “obsession” (love would be the wrong word) with her nephew but Kamal tries his level best to save his daughter from a “violent and abusive” man. Even after everything that transpired Sikandar (according to Faiqa) is still the most sought after bachelor in the family. I found this part slightly difficult to believe because not very parent is as big a fool as Faiqa.  Arzoo’s statement that Sikandar and her have a lot in common was actually very true; Arzoo is just as self centered as Sikandar, she wants to marry him whether he wants to or not. She loves Sikandar in the same manner in which he loved Kiran.

The conversation between Sikandar and his friend was splendidly written and executed with perfection. This was yet another one of those moments where the viewers realize that Sikandar is still trying to justify his actions; he still thinks that there is nothing wrong with a husband hitting his wife. Kiran was wise enough to break free from this abusive relationship before it completely annihilated her life and personality. Women who stay in such relationships for too long usually end up feeling worthless and I am not talking about women who are physically abused but also those who spend years with men who keep on belittling them.

Rukhsar’s track seems to be wrapping up; she is finally getting married which means that Adnan can also get married now. Adnan’s feelings for Kiran are so genuine, they really do come across as soul mates. Kiran may not look at Adnan or think of him in that way but he is the only one who she truly connects with. Rukhsar is such a negative person, there is nothing likeable about her character at all. No wonder life has been so unfair with her, if she wished well for others, she would have gotten the same in return. The dialogue “mere betay ke liye talak yafta lrki hi reh gaye thi” went to show that no matter how much Rukhsar’s mother may “feel” for Kiran, the fact of the matter is that she will never think of getting her married to her only son.

Kiran’s conversation with her mother in the end went to show that deep inside she was hoping that the divorce will affect Sikandar in some way. There is obviously no room for reconciliation now but it was normal for her to feel the way she did. The manner in which Ayesha finally applauds her daughter’s bravery was very touching. When Kiran was strong, she may not have supported her but now that she is more sensitive and vulnerable, her mother voices her true feelings. This scene was another skillfully written scene in tonight’s episode.

Sikandar and Arzoo finally get married in tonight’s episode and the beginning wasn’t exactly perfect! What is in store for Arzoo now? For how long will Faiqa cover for her nephew? Do Adnan and Kiran have a future together? I am waiting to find out!

I must applaud the wonderfully written dialogues and the perfect way in which this play has been directed. Umera Ahmed really is one of the best writers we have, I am more convinced of that now than ever. And I am very impressed with the way Aabiz raza has directed this serial.

Fatima Awan