Thi ami, aap ki bhi izzat thi….ap ne karwaye nahi!

After Shaista insulted Kiran in every way possible, this one line by Kiran was enough to make any sane person realize who truly was at fault. Shaista’s focus on material things was yet again reflective of her way of thinking. It was nothing short of a shock for her that Kiran couldn’t care less about the jewelry or the money and she really was there to get her books. Shaista’s hatred for Kiran has been portrayed superbly; she can only wish that she could have had the courage to stand up to her husband like that and that is the reason why she will go out of her way to make Kiran regret her decision. Also, one very important reason for Shaista turning into an even more evil person is the fact that she knows that her niece is still “available”!

The conversation between Adnan and Kiran was one of the many insightful and well thought-out conversations in today’s episode. This particular scene was brilliantly executed as well. Sanam Baloch is an extremely gifted actress; I can’t help but fall in love with every single expression over and over again. Her timing is absolutely flawless, she is undoubtedly a natural. The question Kiran asks Adnan was very ironic..
” Adnan tumhei mujh se hamdardi nahi hai?” Adnan’s expressions and the brief pause that followed said so much more than any words could. Kiran has no idea that what Adnan feels for her is much more than just compassion because Adnan will never tell her! Kiran’s dialogue about how it is alright with everyone if a girl suffers the pain of an abusive marriage but everyone thinks its wrong to get a divorce was spot on. I really like Kiran’s character, she is a very wise girl who knows that she has to look out for herself. She is brave enough to stand up for her rights and does not succumb to all the pressure.

The conversation between Kiran and Shaista was extremely touching and thought provoking. I personally know people who always give the reference of the Quran when it comes to marital abuse but like Kiran pointed out they forget that the Quran has also put a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of men. And a man’s responsibility solely isn’t to provide a woman with shelter and basic necessities but to give her respect as well. This was another scene which was beautifully written; every single word made perfect sense.

Jo deen biwi ko shohar ka libas kehta hai vo us libas ko cheerne pharne ka kesa keh sakta haii?

Thanks to his daughter, after so many years Jamal has realized how wrong he was. He thought, like Sikandar, that being a husband meant that you could treat your wife whichever way you desired but he knows better now. The way Jamal took a stand for his daughter was also very touching.

Tonight’s episode was extremely poignant, it was filled with conversations that were heartrending and the superb direction added to the beauty of all the scenes. This episode in particular seemed to be a labor of love; I must appreciate the superb direction by Aabis Raza, I am sure we will get to see much more creativity from him in the future too. Umera Ahmed has touched a very sensitive topic in a very intelligent way, giving us all a lot to ponder upon. She has shown the difference between the old thinking and the new one splendidly. Young people aren’t always wrong and the older one are not always right and there is always time to start afresh – to make new rules.

The preview of the next episode showed that Shaista will leave no stone unturned to get Sikandar and Kiran divorced. Will Sikandar get married to Arzoo? Will their married life be the same as that of Kiran and Sikandar? Whose side will Shaista take then? There is obviously no hope for Sikandar and Kiran now.

Did you watch this latest installment. Please share your views about it and most importantly please share your favorite dialogues from tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

Tonight’s episode was an extension of the last one with some very well written and superbly acted out conversations to its credit. Kiran has finally achieved what her mother and mother in law couldn’t – she has made her husband realize that everything that he thought was right till now was actually wrong. She has managed to convince Sikandar that his mother isn’t a role model because she put up with abuse and neither was her father right in disrespecting his wife. Sikandar rightly blames his parents for setting a bad example and I hope that very soon he will be thankful to Kiran for saving another generation from meeting the same fate. This play goes to show that if a woman takes a stand for her self, she maybe able to accomplish a lot more than she ever realized she could. Sikandar has definitely realized that hitting women is not normal and women who put up with abuse are not mazloom but they are buzdul. Sikandar hasn’t apologized to Kiran yet; he may have assured her of his love and he has told her many times that he won’t hit her again but he hasn’t actually told her that he is sorry. He hasn’t taken responsibility for his actions too wholly; he blamed his parents entirely when they were only responsible partially and also he tells Kiran that there were times when she disrespected him too, when she apologizes, he does not reciprocate in kind.

The conversation between Kiran and Sikandar on the phone was very meaningful, every single dialogue was heart touching and very deep. Kiran accepts that there have been times when she did not give Sikandar the respect he deserved and feels no shame in apologizing although she was only disrespectful toward Sikandar as a reaction to his inappropriate behavior. Sikandar hasn’t begged for Kiran’s forgiveness yet and still thinks that Kiran’s desire to be respected is nothing more than zid but he did seem to be more affected by the whole scenario than ever before.  Kiran tells Sikandar that she will try to move on although it will be difficult which goes to show that despite of everything that happened, it won’t be easy for her to let go.

Adnan’s conversation with Kiran was very heart warming. He truly loves Kiran and his love for Kiran is nothing like Sikandar’s love for her. If he was selfish, he would have rejoiced in the fact that Kiran wants to leave Sikandar.

No one supported Kiran but most of the people including her own mother blamed her in some way or the other. Even though after the conversation with Shaista, Kiran’s mother realized what Shaista was actually  capable of but even then she seemed to be making “excuses” in order to console herself. But it was very good to see Aysha defending her daughter, she also knows that Sikandar is wrong but she wants her daughter to give her marriage another chance. Faiqa, Arzoo and Shaista are beyond hopeless. Faiqa and Arzoo have absolutely no self-respect and Shaista continues blaming Kiran. The way Sikandar remained undeterred despite of his parents’ negative opinion of Kiran went to prove that he is still the same person that he was when he got married. Sikandar believes in making his own decisions; nothing that anyone says or thinks matters.

Some of the dialogues in tonight’s episode seemed repetitive but overall this was a very good episode which may have changed the opinion of some viewers about Sikandar and Kiran’s future. It is plain to see that Shaista will not make Kiran’s stay in the house comfortable when she comes back but the real question is that has Sikandar really changed or is it just another phase?  Is he just desperate to get Kiran back so that he can control her or has he really learned that a man should give his wife respect too? Sikandar’s attitude today reminded me of the time when he wanted to marry Kiran and that is the reason why I am not sure if Sikandar will give Kiran the respect she wants.

The preview of the next episode showed that Kiran finally goes back to Sikandar and Kiran’s father decides that he owes his wife an apology for everything that he put her through. I am sure that the only reason he realized his mistake after so long was because of the conversation he had with Kiran after she finds out that her father used to hit her mother too.

Is there anyone who had a change of heart after watching this episode? Do you think Sikandar has changed for good?

Fatima Awan

This latest episode of Kankar further highlighted the different circumstances in which Kiran and Sikandar grew up. A lot of what the viewers had already concluded from everything that transpired till now was shown in detail today, maybe for those viewers who may still have some ambiguity in their minds regarding the reason behind Sikandar and Kiran’s opposite approaches. Kiran has come to the point where she is certain that nothing will ever change, therefore she wants her relationship with Sikandar to end, whether her parents agree or not.  We do live in a society in which divorce is a total no no, no matter what the circumstances a girl must try her best to reconcile with her husband. Therefore, Kiran’s parents reaction was very relatable. Kiran’s mother feels that she is being immature, her statements along with the preview actually scared me because I have a bad feeling that this drama may be putting forward a completely different message from what many of us have been interpreting till now.

The scene in which Kiran finally tells her mother about the reason for her miscarriage was very touching. The way she shares with her how she feels that it was a blessing in disguise was very moving. Kiran feels betrayed because she never expected her husband to do all this to her. She is sure that her children will meet the same fate because she has seen a living example of a child who was brought up in a hostile environment.

The flashback scene of Kiran and Sikandar’s conversation also revealed that Sikandar has already told Kiran about what went on between his parents. He saw things getting from worse to perfectly fine and that is the reason why he thinks that it is perfectly normal for a husband to hit his wife and for the wife to forgive him.

Shaista was just as unreasonable in tonight’s episode as she was in all the previous ones. Her attitude has never come as a surprise to me, in fact I would expect a woman like her to do just that.

Tonight’s episode of Kankar actually left me with a very confused state of mind, not because I did not understand the underlying messages but because I got the feeling that the writer may just be putting forward a completely different message from what we have been concluding till now. Kiran’s parents conversation and her mother’s attitude in particular went to show that her husband wasn’t always the perfect husband that he is now. The preview of the next episode also suggested that there is something about Kiran’s father which she does not know. I really hope that I am wrong about all this but if Kiran’s father also used to hit her mother then I won’t be happy with it at all. I remember when Shandana in Durr-e-Shehwar decided to give her marriage a second chance after her mother tells her the realities of marriage, I actually liked it but if Kiran does the same I will surely be left with tons of questions in my mind and it would be like sending the wrong message to the men. It is not just the women folk who watch plays but many men watch them too. It is not normal for any man to hit his wife no matter how big their differences may be and putting up with abuse isn’t something that should be accepted as normal.

I must say that Sikandar seemed genuinely sorry today but then he has been that sorry before too. Sikandar’s patient and submissive attitude in front of Kiran’s parents was a complete surprise for me. It is not easy for a man like him to hear everything that Kiran’s father had to say to him. Sikandar did not only listen to him but he also did not react to everything that Kiran said. Was that because the loss of his child proved to be an eye opener for him or was it because people like him do not want to ruin their image in front of others? We will know soon enough.  Do you people think that Kiran should give Sikandar another chance?

Fatima Awan

Wah Sikandar, Kya baat hai ap ke double standards ki!! I really thought that nothing that Sikandar would ever do now would come as a surprise to me but his shocking double standards became even more obvious today. The sole reason Sikandar had that argument and confrontation with Kiran was that she discussed their “personal matters” with Sikandar’s mother. Today we saw Sikandar pouring his heart out to his friend, discussing every intricate detail of his married life. Not only this but he also lets his friend call his wife “bewakoof aur haddharam” – that to me was more inappropriate than Kiran discussing anything with Shaista because Shaista is Sikandar’s mother and therefore has more of a right to intervene in what is going on in their lives, if there is a need to do so. Sikandar’s conversation with his friend proved further that he had no respect for Kiran at all.

The way Sikandar associates love with material things has been portrayed brilliantly. His cluelessness regarding what Kiran expects from him comes from what he has seen in his own house. His mother never demanded that kind of a respect from her husband so he doesn’t know what Kiran wants. Shaista was happy when her husband “compensated” for the abuse by showering her with gifts so why should Kiran feel any differently? Even Kiran’s mother has a completely different mindset; she thinks that her daughter should put up with everything because she is blessed with all the luxuries of life. This way of thinking is very common in out society. People very often envy girls who get married into big houses with big cars!! No one really knows what happens behind closed doors and even if people do know they still consider such girls lucky because happiness is associated with material things.

I actually feel for Faiqa’s character now, just how low is this woman going to sink? When will she ever move on?  It was quite apparent from her reactions to everything that Shaista informed her about from Sikandar and Kiran’s fight to the miscarriage that she is still hoping that the marriage may not last very long. Which means that she wants even now that Arzoo will somehow end up getting married to Sikandar. Arzoo and Faiqa’s conversation after Shaista leaves went to show that although Shaista genuinely loves her sister but she feels nothing like that for her.

The miscarriage incident reminded me a lot of Doraha, although I watched the play a very long time back. But I clearly remembered feeling for the mother when she lost her baby because of her husband. The way Shaista covered up for her son was very shameful, not because she didn’t tell anyone that it was because of Sikandar that Kiran lost the baby but because she kept on indirectly blaming Kiran for it. If what Sikandar was doing was so right then why was she so ashamed of telling people about it? And if it was so wrong then why did she hold Kiran responsible for it? Shaista keeps on reminding Waqar how he used to be which goes to show that she still hasn’t forgiven him but at the same time she thinks it is perfectly fine to victimize Kiran.

It was rather odd that Kiran was taken to the hospital in an ambulance when there was a transport handy. Ambulances usually take so much time to arrive and if a patient can easily be taken to the hospital in a car most people will choose that option. Sikandar’s confessions of love after everything he did seemed like a mockery and rightly so too. He thinks that a trip abroad can make up for what happened and will help Kiran move on.

The preview of the next episode showed that Kiran’s father will finally take a stand for his daughter. I really hope that Aysha will not be bale to talk him out of it. Sanam Baloch’s brilliant performance throughout this play till now has made it a delight to watch. In fact Kankar is one of the very few plays on air right now in which all the actors are doing a commendable job.

Fatima Awan

Aap ka sawal yeh nahi hona chayeh tha ke meinay kya kiya, aap ka sawal yeh hona chahyeh ke mujhe takleef tu nahi hui!

Few things that were highlighted the most in tonight’s episode were 1) majority of the people are more interested in what is happening in other people’s lives rather than their own. 2) Most of us care more about what others think about us rather than looking out for the interest of those we love.  3) If things go wrong in a marriage, people will be quick to believe that it must be the girl who is at fault. How could Kiran’s mother not give her a chance to explain herself even, very sad indeed but was it unreal? Most certainly not! Umera Ahmed has depicted the circumstances faced by many girls in our society perfectly. Once a girl gets married, she has to o everything in her power to make her marriage work even if that means putting her integrity at stake. And if someone tries to walk out of an abusive relationship, she is most likely to meet the fate that Kiran did. I really felt for Kiran in tonight’s episode.

Sikandar did not abuse Kiran physically again but the verbal abuse went on non stop; it kept on aggravating because Sikandar and his mother could not stop Kiran from expressing her opinion! This was another aspect of tonight’s episode to which many viewers could definitely relate to; married women most often are not expected to express their opinions openly and if they do then mothers in law feel insecure and husbands feel like their wives are too opinionated. When Kiran asks Sikandar why he didn’t support her, his answer was “Tumhei meri hamayat ki kya zarurat hai, tum khud he kafi ho apna case lrne ke liye” and that is exactly what she is getting punished for. I am certain there are many people who feel that if Kiran stops expressing how she feels things will get better, so why not do it? In my opinion even if Kiran stops expressing herself the way she does, things will continue to the way they are because Sikandar and his mother have shown that they do not have an ounce of respect for Kiran because of her “choti aukat”.

I couldn’t help but think that it was very ironic when Sikandar said to Kiran “Tu kya chahti hun laroon apni maa se tumhare liye”? Wasn’t Kiran the same girl who Sikandar was dying to get married to a few months back and he completely sidelined his mother’s wishes in order to do that? Now that Kiran is part of his life, he wants everything exactly the way he wishes and he fails to treat Kiran as an individual.

Shaista conveyed the pack of lies she had come up with to Kiran’s mother and Faiqa communicated the same to the rest of the family. The growing tensions between Kiran and Sikandar were the topic of the day; everyone discussed the matter and no one held Sikandar responsible except for Adnan.

All through the episode, I was hoping that Kiran’s mother will feel for her daughter at some point. Even if she didn’t express her concern for her openly, deep inside she would think that what had happened was wrong but nothing like that happened. How could she be so convinced that it was her daughter who was entirely at fault? Maybe because Sikandar has always been so good to Kiran and her family and also because of all the lies that Shaista told her. I was equally disappointed and shocked at Kiran’s father’s reaction. But then there are many parents who would expect their daughter to put up with much more as long as they have “loving” husband who can provide them with all the luxuries of life.

Sikandar’s remark “Tum se ziada beghairat aurat waise meinay dekhi nahi apni zindagi mei” proved that he actually had no respect for Kiran. The preview for the next episode showed that Sikandar subjects Kiran to physical abuse again. It was bound to happen because the way Kiran’s mother dragged her back to her in laws proved to them that Kiran did not have any place to run to. She is more helpless and vulnerable now then she ever was.

This play is definitely very close to real life; I am sure there are many women out there who have had such troubled marriages and many men too who have taken their wives for granted. This world unfortunately is full of Shaista’s and Faiqa’s and not to mention women like Kiran’s mother too. Tonight’s episode was very well directed, the camera angles were perfect and the scenes were short and to the point. The acting like always stayed top notch.

Did you watch tonight’s episode? Please share your views.

Fatima Awan

What is more important? Love or respect? Normally one cannot imagine a relationship in which two people are in love but fail to give each other the respect that should come automatically. But it is also true that there are many times when a person loves another but cannot respect other person’s individuality. Respecting your spouse’s individuality is just as important as loving them because love alone can sometimes be very egocentric; you may want the person you love to do exactly what you want and that is when you fail to see them as an individual and do not give them the space they need. That is exactly the problem with Sikandar, although he thinks that Kiran has a big ego but the fact is this that he is the one who wants to control Kiran because he “loves” her – what a twisted logic but it makes perfect sense.

The sweet lie Kiran told her father to assure him that she had a perfect life because she knew that he could not handle the truth was heart wrenching. She also tells Sikandar that she wanted him to attend her sister’s wedding although if she had a choice she would stay away from the man who claims to love her but does not respect her for longer. Despite of all her majburis the conversation Kiran had with Sikandar was very honest. The exchange of messages between Sikandar and Kiran and the conversation they had later was absolutely perfect. It is good to see a girl on screen who can take a stand for herself’ she is willing to give her husband a second chance but she is not going to put up with a lifetime of abuse to please her family or to stay in the marriage.

The scene in the class where the professor and the students applaud Kiran for doing extraordinarily well in the assignment was very meaningful; it yet again went to prove that appearances are deceptive. No one knew the bitter secret behind Kiran’s success!

Rukhsar’s behavior towards her mother in law went to show that she has completely given up on her fiancé’s family. Her conversation with her colleague later showed how bitter and selfish she has become over the years and also she has started questioning whether getting married in her late 30s was something to look forward to.

The way Shaista dealt with the issue between Kiran and Sikandar was very disappointing but at the same time very believable too. She may have gone through the same mental torture that Kiran is going through but instead of protecting Kiran, she expects her to put up with it all because she had to put up with her husband’s abusive behavior so why should Kiran be any different? Apart from that Shaista also seems to be very convinced that Kiran should pay some kind of a price for being married into such a rich family. It is not just Kiran’s husband who does not respect her but she will never be able to make a place in her mother in law’s heart as well because she doesn’t have a rich background.

Waqar’s lecture on how things were between Sikandar and Kiran was a very good addition and another realistic aspect of Waqar’s personality. I have to say that all the characters in Kankar have been very well etched out and the drama is only getting better.

All the actors performed very well in today’s episode and some of the dialogues were very thought provoking. Umera Ahmed has raised a very important issue; women do not have to put up with abuse in the name of love or for financial security. They have the right to be respected and they do not need to be apologetic for expressing their opinions.

I am definitely looking forward to the next episode.

Fatima Awan

Jo tere haath ke kankar thay, vo meri rooh pe pathar thay, Ik umer tere sang kya chaltay, du chaar qadam bhi dobhar thay. Yeh tun mun kirchi kirchi hai, bikhray sheeshay kya joro gay!

These heart touching lines from the OST went perfectly with Kiran’s state of mind, she tries her best to wash away the scars left by the physical abuse that Sikandar subjected her to but they obviously were not going to wash away that easily. Besides, the scars on her soul were there to stay forever. My heart went out to Kiran as she tried to come into terms with what had happened; clueless and emotionally shattered Kiran found it impossible to forget what had transpired and found it impossible to move on. On the other hand there was one side of Sikandar that admitted that he was wrong but the other side of him was fully convinced that he did the right thing.

Kiran’s mother in law had been subjected to physical abuse too; something that she is reminded of when she sees the scars on Kiran’s face. Her husband came across as such a good human being, just like Sikandar but he also had a darker side to him which only his wife knew about. Just like Kiran, Shaista also appears to have a perfect life but she has suffered through her married life; appearances indeed are very deceptive. The flashbacks were very nicely shown and they helped the viewers understand the dynamics of Shaista and Waqar’s relationship better. I agree with the idea put forth by this drama whole heartedly, most of the sons do take after their father even if they detest some habits in their fathers but many end up being like them once they grow up. We found out that Sikandar knew what his father put his mother through because he did say that his parents had fights too but they were happily married now. Shaista asks Kiran to change herself according to her husband’s wishes, which means she did just that and that is how she managed to keep her marriage intact. It is plain to see that there is a world of difference between the two women; Kiran is not going to forget everything with a smile that conveniently.

Waqar used to make up for the domestic abuse by showering his wife with gifts and we saw Sikandar doing the exact same thing. Sanam Baloch’s expressions all through this latest installment were simply priceless. The way she conveyed more with her body language and expressions than through her dialogues was definitely no surprise but worth praising for sure. Kiran does not want her family to accept Sikandar’s money but she also is not in a position to take the money back from them. I may not have liked Fahad Mustafa’s acting in the beginning episodes but now he has convinced me that no one could have played this character better. I found it somewhat unbelievable that Kiran’s mother could not guess that there was a problem between Sikandar and Kiran because mothers are the first ones to sense these things.

Unlike, the last episode, this latest installment kept me glued to my television screen. I truly felt for Kiran and could completely understand her predicament. Tonight’s episode completely focused on Kiran and Sikandar; the fact that we didn’t get to see what was going on in Faiqa’s household or what was happening with Rukhsar really helped. Although, the crying scene after the abuse was very long but it was very meaningful and done well too. This episode was a complete package full of emotions. I hope things continue at the same pace and the focus doesn’t shift from the lead characters. And most importantly, I hope that the play sends out a positive message to all those who have been subjected to domestic abuse and also those husbands who physically abuse their wives without having any respect for their dignity.

Fatima Awan

The first few years of marriage can be the most memorable for some but for many people these few years are the most crucial ones. It is in these early years that the two people who are tied into this union are getting to know each other and this is the time when even small disagreements are likely to be blown out of proportion. What happened in today’s episode of Kankar was extremely unexpected. Sikandar proved to be an over-possessive husband who may claim to love his wife but proved by his actions that he does not respect her at all. Weak men always resort to physical and verbal abuse when they can find no other way to assert their authority. Even though Kiran apologized to Sikandar but she felt like she had the right to go and stay at her parents place for a few days. Therefore, the matter was not resolved but aggravated further when Kiran’s mother requested Sikandar to let her stay at their house. Sikandar’s double standards definitely reminded me of Zaroon.

I must admit that for most part of the episode I felt like Sikandar’s demand was very rational; he even came across as very sweet and loving when he came to pick Kiran from college. But at the same time he also seemed to be a man with a very big ego; the way he “forgave” Kiran right away after she apologized could either be because he is very “generous” by nature or because he has a big ego that needed to be satisfied before he could move on. The way he beat Kiran up over a minor issue went to prove that Sikandar is a control freak. We already saw in the previous few episodes the manner in which Sikandar pressurized his mother when he wanted to marry Kiran. He is obviously not used to things going against his wishes and if they do he has his own ways of dealing with the situation.

Kiran’s bewilderment was very apparent by her actions and her silence. Sikandar’s rigid behavior came as a complete shock to her. She was still in the process of coming into terms with this new aspect of Sikandar’s personality when he went as far as hitting her; something that is simply unforgivable. In today’s episode we saw Kiran getting closer to her Mother-in-Law and further away from her husband!

Rukhsar’s track has been putting me to sleep right from day one. I have absolutely no idea what is the purpose of this highly monotonous and boring track. I agree that there are many girls out there who must be in a similar situation, but when you wait for a week to watch the new episode of a play you expect something entertaining even if it has a serious theme. Rukhsar’s story hasn’t moved an inch right from the first episode. There is one scene in the school, where we see her complaining with one of her colleagues in every episode. There are few scenes in the house where we see her either envying someone or cursing her own fate. And now for the past few episodes there is one scene in every episode in which she has a phone conversation with her fiancé .

I feel the exact same way about Arzoo’s track as well. I guess we all get the message loud and clear by now that Arzoo won’t be moving on with her life anytime soon, so is her story going to go any further than that or not? I really feel that Kankar could have been a much more entertaining serial if the sidetracks were a little more interesting or a little less time was given to covering what was happening in Arzoo and Rukhsar’s life. Also, the performance by the senior actor Shakeel in particular is a little too placid even for the character that he is playing.

Today’s episode was very slow paced, so much so that even the shocking development in the end did not make up for it. The fact that there are innumerable commercials during the drama does not help either! That cannot be helped of course but the developments in each episode should be so intriguing that you should find yourself impatiently looking forward to what will happen next even in the commercial breaks but unfortunately that was most certainly not the case today.

Please share your views about this latest installment.

Fatima Awan

The best part of this latest episode was that there were enough scenes with Sikandar and Kiran in them and most of tonight’s story revolved around the two. Kankar definitely has picked up pace. Some of the scenes still seem repetitive but I can say with all certainty that it is only getting better. Sikandar and Kiran’s relationship started off as perfect in tonight’s episode but by the end of the episode the viewers got to see a completely different side of Sikandar’s character. Kiran should have asked Sikandar before going to her parents’ house because he surely wouldn’t have stopped her from going but even if she didn’t, Sikandar had no right to “punish” her the way he did. He put her in an awkward situation in front of her family and was obviously very rude to her.

Jealousy has gotten the best of Arzoo and in this episode she participated very actively in the gossip session against Kiran. Faiqa’s idea of getting her engaged did not work at all; like all her other ideas! The meeting between Arzoo and Shuja was actually very similar to the one she had with Sikandar a few months back, the only difference was that this time around she was the one who acted the way Sikandar did with her! Ironic indeed! Arzoo has clearly not gotten over Sikandar and feels the exact same way about Kiran as her mother and aunt now. I have to say that all the focus on material things today was rather off putting. When Sikandar brought Kiran the parrots, I thought the surprise was very cute but later on all the references to what Sikanadar had been buying for Kiran without Kiran even knowing how much those things cost because she was lucky enough to get married to a rich man did not seem right at all. Also, Kiran’s statement that she always believed in fairytales and that she envied girls who came to college in those big luxurious cars sounded completely out of character.

Few episodes back, it was Faiqa’s obsession with Sikandar and the repeated blame game that gradually turned dull and boring. Now, Rukhsar’s character and her scenes are headed the same way. Right from the first episode, we have been hearing similar complaints from her. Even after making sure that Adnan does not get married before she does, she does not seem content at all. At one minute she wants to join the gym to please her future in laws and husband and the next minute she does not even want to get married. I understand where she is coming from but like always I did not feel for her character at all.

The preview for the next episode reminded me of the girl who questioned her professor about women’s respect and dignity in the first episode. But it also makes me question Kiran’s character; Arzoo has told Kiran off again and again in the worst possible manner but she keeps on trying to mend ties with her without worrying about her self respect because she believes that it is her duty to do so since Arzoo is her cousin and her friend. Why can’t she give her husband the same benefit of the doubt? I am not justifying Sikanadr’s behavior at all but just trying to understand the reason why Kiran will let her friend put her down but not her husband.

I have to hand it t o the director Aabis Raza for directing the serial very well till now. I simply love his work in Kadurat and Kankar both. All the actors were brilliant as usual in tonight’s episode. Despite of its weaknesses Kankar is getting stronger and it definitely gives me something to look forward to. I have to say though that if it wasn’t for Sanam Baloch, I may not have liked it so much. I must add in the end that Fahad Mustafa is doing very well as Sikandar and I have absolutely no complaints regarding his acting now.

Did you watch tonight’s episode? Please share your views.

Fatima Awan

This first episode like most first episodes introduced us to the characters and to the general theme of the story. Guessing from everything that was shown in today’s episode one can safely say that the main theme of the play is going to be about class difference; status conscious family members who will never allow their less fortunate relatives into their world whole heartedly. The one thing that stood out for me in this first installment was Sanam Baloch’s acting; she is a very talented actress and breathes life into all her characters. She portrayed Kiran’s character perfectly in a way that instantly made me like her. Kiran is confident, practical, focused and straightforward but at the same time she is polite and loving. Kiran belongs to a lower middle class household but unlike her mother (Ismat Zaidi) and sister she does not dream of things that may be impossible in the real world. Kiran’s older sister Irim and her mother expected their rich relative Faiqa (Sabahat Bukhari) to ask for Irim’s hand for her son but Faiqa turns up with mithai at the doorstep announcing Shoaib’s engagement. I have to say that I have seen this happening quite a lot; the relatives who are not that well off but bring up their daughters well do expect their “richer” relatives to consider their daughters for their sons but the difference in status most often proves to be an obstacle. Faiqa prefers marrying her son in a family which is equally wealthy. Faiqa has close ties with her older sister (Laila Zuberi) and her daughter Arzoo is engaged to her sister’s son Sikandar as well.

Kiran does not dream of getting married in a rich family but looks forward to studying further. She believes that husband and wife should have a relationship based on equality. She considers a relationship in which the wife has to listen to her husband alone equivalent to slavery. Kiran is definitely very enlightened and not negative or rude in any way. She has a very pleasant personality and has a special relationship with her father (Behroze Sabzwari). I warmed up to the father – daughter relationship instantly and am hoping that it would be one of those on-screen bonds which you remember for a long time. Kiran’s father does not have any expectations from Kamal (Shakeel), he goes to the extent of saying “yahoodi ka dil hai us mein”. Kiran’s mother worries sick for her daughters like any other mother but her father does not want to hear of it.

Kiran’s cousin Adnan ( Hasan Niazi) likes her but is probably not in the position to propose her because of his financial condition. Kiran, on the other hand does not seem to be interested in marriage at all.

For me the highlight of this first episode had to be Kiran’s character and Sanam Baloch’s acting. Like all other Umera Ahmed’s plays, this play will also focus on social issues. Fahad Mustafa did not make an appearance in this first episode; I am looking forward to finding out more about him. Our heroine is very likeable and I want to know more about the hero. A first episode is too early to judge a play altogether so all I would like to say is that I am not exactly sold just yet. I have to add that the rich versus the poor plot has been done to death. Those of us who are following Mirat-ul-Uroos may also notice a great deal of similarity between the message Kankar is putting forward and the one MUU is giving. The play has been produced by Six Sigma Production and has been directed by Aabis Raza.  Did you watch this first episode? What are your views about it? Please share your opinions.

Fatima Awan

This latest installment like all the previous ones did not only focus on the lead pair but it covered all the different tracks in the story. With the exception of a couple of scenes that seemed like they were stretched unnecessarily, the rest of the scenes were very well shot. I must confess though that I would have liked it better if we got to see more of Sikandar and Kiran. Also, the fact that Kiran’s father wasn’t home when she came to visit and there wasn’t a single scene with the two of them in it was rather disappointing, maybe because I was expecting the father and daughter relationship to be given a  little more importance.

Kiran’s wedding has been like a fairytale come true till now. Sikandar has been an ideal husband and because of his strong personality Shaista does not have the courage to show how she feels about this marriage. Shaista focused her energies on winning her sister back; I must say that those two scenes were a lot longer than they should have been. Faiqa manages to find a good proposal for her daughter and Arzoo will be getting married soon although she is not very keen on getting married into the family that her mother has hand picked for her.

Everyone’s reactions to Kiran and Sikandar’s marriage were shown very well. Adnan obviously could not muster up the courage to show up at the wedding. The whole scenario would have appeared more real if we would have been shown that Adnan’s disappearance was noticed more than it actually was. When Kiran comes to visit her mother, she does not meet her father or Adnan; two very important people in her life. It was much more important to show these two scenes rather than the long scenes between Shaista and Faiqa and even the one with Faiqa and Arzoo seemed too long.

Rukhsar’s fiance Zubair finally made an appearance in today’s episode as well. I must say that he was much older than I was expecting him to be. It is ironic that Rukhsar cannot seem to understand Zubair’s situation since she is the one who forcefully put her brother in the exact same situation. Rukhsar’s conversation with Zubair was very well written. For once we actually heard a man’s perspective and how he must feel being in that situation. Zubair and Adnan’s positions are very similar and one can’t help but feel for them. Rukhsar has turned bitter due to the never ending wait but she also knows that she cannot break a five year old engagement and just move on with life.

The scene in the balcony was very confusing because it was badly shot and poorly edited. One minute Kiran was standing alone and the other minute Sikandar appeared out of nowhere. The “tuk nahi memories bana raha hun” dialogue was very interesting though.

The preview for the next episode showed that Kiran tries to mend ties with Arzoo but she does not reciprocate her feelings. Arzoo meets her fiancé and does not seem very interested in him. What I am looking forward to the most is Sikandar’s reaction to Kiran attending what appeared to be either her sister’s dholak or that of Arzoo. Will Sikandar and Kiran stay happily married? I guess we all have a fair idea that they will be some serious issues between the two. Right now everything is so perfect; one can’t imagine how that is going to happen.

Overall, tonight’s episode could have been more engaging if some of the scenes were shorter and there was a little more emphasis on Sikandar and Kiran. Please share your views about this latest installment.

Fatima Awan