Opening Thoughts – Phenomenal Performances:

Ohkay so, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb had some phenomenal performances to its credit. The story has started to progress now & a lot more is being revealed, which is now making Ishq Zahe Naseeb an interesting drama to tune to. The direction is making a lot more sense & I am glad that the not-so-needed flavors have subsided & the focus is now on emotions & circumstances of all the characters. This kind of script obviously needed the seriousness & I am glad that has finally kicked in.

Kashif Broke The Silence:

Jahangir created quite a scene at Gauhar’s workplace. Jahangir just wanted to let Gauhar know what he was capable of. It was his tact of intimidating Gauhar so that she feels oppressed & understands that she does not stand a chance against Jahangir. Sameer was disturbed because he didn’t really approve of the drama that Jahangir created at his home, but also because he found out that Gauhar was engaged to a man like him due to the debt her family had to pay.

Gauhar knew that she’d have to do some answering but she was finally pushed to the limit that instead of simply answering her family, she ended up giving them a reality check too. Saleem has been a useless brother, a selfish one at that who just dances on his wife’s tunes, that is why Gauhar reminded him that he had no other choice but to simply accept the fact that Gauhar was working at someone’s house. Saleem thought he was doing the right thing by questioning Gauhar but then, he just showcased his hypocrisy & nothing else. Gauhar has made up her mind that she will continue to work but she did take a little break till the situation normalized at her home. Gauhar’s transition into this mature young girl who is bearing the responsibility of her family has to be one of the best aspects of this drama. I am so glad that she had this side to her too & that is now being elaborated. I will however say that hearing all the things that Gauhar’s mother said to her about having no other ‘option’ than to just marrying her off to Jahangir was quite disappointing. They are helpless, that is a fact but to let your daughter know that she is being used as a barter bargain is the worst thing that parents can do to their child.

Kashif just wanted to do something nice for Dunya by checking upon her but she turned it into another chance of insulting him. Kashif knew that he was tossing away an amazing job for the sake of giving Dunya a reality check but he still acted impulsively & said everything that he had in his heart. Kashif was silently observing Dunya & he did realize that due to her medical condition, she had become tunnel-visioned. Dunya believed what she wanted to believe in & because she was trying so hard to fight her insecurity, she thought everyone was only being ‘nice’ to her because of what she considered her insecurity too but Kashif told her otherwise. Kashif actually respected Dunya, it was because he saw the potential in her & he respected her for the fact that she was running such a successful business on her own but then Dunya saw his respect as a sympathy as well. That exchange of words between Dunya & Kashif was my favorite part of this episode. I am so glad that something has happened in this track as well. Dunya did need this reality check but because she had erected these walls around her, no one could dare say the truth to her but Kashif decided to say it out loud, not to anyone else, but to Dunya, on her face. Bravo! It felt as if Dunya’s father was relieved too that someone did tell her to think & look beyond what is physical state is, he knew that Kashif’s words were bitter but were much needed for Dunya to come out of this bitterness & get back to her happy-self.

So, Sameer could see that his mother has become pretty comfortable with Gauhar & she was also getting used to having her around, that is why when she didn’t show up, she was flustered. Sameer will now do everything to bring her back. Gauhar has left quite an everlasting effect on both Sameer as well as his mother & she is not even aware of it yet. Sameer’s mother has tried to do a lot more research regarding Sameer’s condition, only out of her pure concern for her son. Finally, they did give a name to Sameer’s secret, he has multiple personality disorder & yes, his caretaker that he met in his childhood named Shakira has left quite an impression on his mind, due to which he has not been able to take her out of his mind & has imbibed her personality to keep her alive. Shakira was a voice to all of those evil & negative feelings that crossed Sameer’s mind & because he couldn’t do that himself, he started relying on her persona to channel them out, interesting! I am glad they finally addressed it & now they will show us more about Sameer & the one whom he refers to as Sameera now.

Closing Thoughts – Sami Khan: The Star of The Episode:

Overall, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was brilliant. Sami Khan was definitely the star of this episode & he showed what a seasoned performer he is. Sami Khan showcased the anger & frustration that was pent up in Kashif just so effortlessly that it actually left a mark & he outdid himself. That scene was so spectacular that taking your eyes off the screen was impossible. Brilliant acting by all the actors in Ishq Zahe Naseeb so far, Zarnish Khan as Dunya, Sonya Hussyn as Gauhar, Khalid Malik as Jahangir & Zahid Ahmed as Sameer/Sameera are doing wonders. Ishq Zahe Naseeb’s plot is unique but the fact that all these actors have joined hands to bring it to us in such a convincing manner is commendable. Hashim Nadeem has chosen a very complex subject but I am glad he is narrating it just so simple for everyone to understand & take something from it. I am glad they have stopped relying so much on the OST but I could do without it totally. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – Intense & Interesting:

Ohkay so, these two episodes of Ishq Zahe Naseeb were intense & very interesting. I like how the story is unfolding now & they are giving us more insight into the characters & their lives. From last few episodes, they have started to focus a lot more on the real issues & it is now gelling in together to form an interesting narrative.

Insight Into The Characters:

Gauhar did not back out from her job. Even after she was humiliated, she continued because more than feeling for herself, she felt for Sameer’s mother. Gauhar knew that there might be a reason why Sameer behaved that way but then she had no other choice than to just forget & move on. Sameer was uneasy at what he did, it is like he doesn’t want to do all of this but he ends up being mean. All this while they kept on giving us hints about the traumatic childhood that Sameer has had & that showed that it has shaped up his personality. Although Sameer could not control the circumstances back then, but somehow he seems at peace with his personality & his life at this stage. Sameer likes routine, he likes everything systematic, Gauhar has entered his life & she is breaking the rules he has set, which riled him up but as he started noticing Gauhar more, he could feel that she was basically a good change, a much needed change that his house & his mother actually wanted.

Kashif got to learn more about Donia & her past. Donia’s father sees Kashif as a trustworthy person, that is why he shared the pain Donia has been carrying with Kashif. Finding out more about Donia made Kashif change his mind about her, not that he was complaining but he was unable to figure out why she behaved this way, why she had erected her guards & believed in giving others a hard time. Kashif continued to do his work but then, he was excelling at his work & that what made Donia ease out a bit in front of him too.

Donia was engaged to her cousin Farhan, but after she developed muscular atrophy, Farhan left. I really liked how they took us back to show the kind of relationship that Donia shared with Farhan. Even though there was a lot of liking that they both had for each other, they were still not soulmates, they were not compatible & they didn’t really have that mental wavelength. Farhan was already feeling trapped & suffocated by being in a relationship with an opinionated, strong-willed, level-headed girl like Donia & even though Donia could see that Farhan was not into her as much, she continued to ignore it. Donia was in denial, because she loved Farhan so much, she didn’t want to even think about the possibility of him not loving her as much as she did.

Sameer mended his ways & allowed Gauhar to take the decisions that she wanted to from now on. Sameer could see that Gauhar’s presence has brought a good change in his house. Gauhar has realized that Sameer’s mother is just lonely, that is why she made a personal request to him. Sameer has seen that Gauhar has also had a good influence on his mother, so he was kind of happy & relieved that Gauhar will not run away like the previous governesses.

Gauhar’s professional life is full of challenges & hardships, it is not an easy job by any means but Jahangir is now making her personal life difficult too. Gauhar has so much on her plate right now but she is just doing her thing because she wants what is best for her parents. This entire fiasco over a huge car coming to pick & drop Gauhar was so real & typical at the same time. People couldn’t stop talking & no one for a second thought that Gauhar must be doing something noble, they just judged her as per their perception & limited vision. Jahangir decided to show what he was made of to Gauhar by barging into Sameer’s home but then Sameer intervened. Now this incident will further force Sameer to develop a soft corner for Gauhar in his heart because he will see that a girl like Gauhar who is so full of potential is just going to have her life ruined due to family pressures. Sameer was also dealing with the rekindled agony of losing Zoya. Her cousin showed up & accused Sameer of being a murderer. Sameer once again didn’t really bother much & put a brave face in front of everyone but after he found out that she was Zoya’s cousin, he couldn’t take it out of his mind.

Closing Thoughts – Brilliant Direction & Acting:

Ishq Zahe Naseeb has surely begun & the story is getting interesting with each passing episode. The direction is intelligent & the little moments which have been left out to the viewer’s imagination is making it even better of an experience to watch. All the actors are surely delivering their characters to perfection but Khalid Malik is on a whole new level. Zahid Ahmed & Sonya Hussyn are doing their job well too. Zarnish Khan has given a perfect treatment to Donia’s character. I wish to see more of Sami Khan & I am glad that the next episode showed Kashif lashing out on Donia. It will be quite interesting to watch. Please share your thoughts about these episodes of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – Great Episode:

Ohkay so, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was amazing. With this episode I feel like I can finally say that the story of this drama has begun & now we’re going to have a great time exploring all these characters in a lot more detail. There was nothing about this episode that I could fault & I had a great time watching it.

Gauhar & Kashif’s Priorities Have Changed:

Gauhar has shown to Sameer’s mother that she is here to stay. She will abide by the rules & do beyond what is expected from her. Gauhar is taking this job as an escape from her bitter reality, which is far from the kind of dreams she used to dream for herself. This escape has not only forced Gauhar to keep her mind off, but it has also instilled a sense of responsibility in her because the thought of the fact that she has to pay her father’s debt doesn’t slip from her mind too. These are the reasons why despite so many restrictions, Gauhar has not even thought about leaving this job for once. Everything about this house & family is strange, it is odd, there are a million reasons for Gauhar to leave & never look back but she has decided to stay because she is desperate for this opportunity.

Gauhar continued to learn more & more about Sameer’s family & then she also kept on finding out that there were so many secrets that this family had. Gauhar is putting up a brave face in front of her family & it was nice to see her playing all cute & sweet in front of Jahangir & his mother. Gauhar has now started to play quite a lot of roles. At her work, she is mature, authoritative & focused, at home, she is observant & courteous, in front of her fiance, she is just keeping it simple & sweet but deep down, she can not stand him. Gauhar’s journey so far has been quite interestingly told, where things have totally happened opposite to what she had imagined but still, she is not complaining.

Kashif has finally started to make an impact on his boss as well. She was trying very hard to not really give him any kind of importance, or make him feel that his opinion was welcomed. Kashif let her know that he was far more capable than she had imagined & he was better than her previous employees who she fired left, right & center. Kashif was not only perseverant, but he was focused on doing his job well. Kashif’s thought process, his priorities, everything has totally changed. The Kashif who was dreaming about his marriage is now focusing on the reality that he has his sister to marry & take care of two younger sisters too. Kashif has also become quite responsible & this break up is actually turning out to be the reason behind Gauhar & Kashif’s mental & emotional growth.

Sameer has strictly ordered that no one is supposed to disturb him when he is in his room, but Gauhar couldn’t care less. She was only concerned about his mother & her condition. Gauhar took a decision on her own & she had no idea what the consequences were going to be. Once again, Gauhar underestimated the strangeness of these family members because she assumed Sameer will actually thank her for saving his mother’s life but instead, he punished her for going against the rules. Gauhar couldn’t believe what had just happened but then, she actually didn’t know that for Sameer, his rules were more important than his mother. In this episode, nothing much was shown about Sameer’s second personality but the focus on Gauhar & Kashif’s track was done well which made this episode interesting.

Closing Thoughts – Substance:

Overall, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was very good & it did feel like finally we’re getting to see some substance in the story. The preview of the next episode once again promised a lot more drama & unveiling of some secrets, which I am sure is going to be a lot more interesting too. Sonya Hussyn, Sami Khan, Khalid Malik & Zahid Ahmed are performing brilliantly. Ismat Zaidi usually plays the role of a sweet mother but it is good to see her in this kind of character where she is rigid & authoritative. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – Some Progress:

Ohkay so, in these two episodes of Ishq Zahe Naseeb a new chapter started in the lives of Gauhar & Kashif. This is what the focus in these two episodes was that after the heartbreak, both Kashif & Gauhar were trying to move on & they were finding solace in doing something for their families while putting themselves behind everyone else. This drama has quite a lot of flavors in it like it has mystery, it has comedy, it has melodrama, it has family politics, but then at this moment, I am kind of finding it hard to feel that they all gel well together. May be it will change in the future episodes, so here’s to hoping.

Kashif & Gauhar Are In The Same Boat:

Bushra got married & Gauhar was content that she contributed in Bushra’s happiness by not going after her own. Gauhar also got a job in Bushra’s office, this was Gauhar’s way of stepping in Bushra’s shoes. Gauhar knew that after Bushra’s marriage, she was the one who had to take the responsibility & do what it takes to get rid of her father’s debt. Gauhar finally stepped into a practical world & she learnt it the hard way that there was no place for love or relationship in her life anymore. She was now going to be her parents’ support system & that is what she was focused on entirely. Gauhar was appointed as Sameer’s mother’s governess & after contemplating, she realized that she had no choice than to avail this opportunity as she was eager to find a job. This job is also Gauhar’s way of escaping the thoughts of Kashif & take is as a distraction from the kind of life she imagined she’d have with him.

Gauhar realized immediately that her boss was going to give her a very very hard time but then she was ready to take this challenge too. I liked seeing how immediately Gauhar matured mentally where now she was thinking about everyone else but not herself. Gauhar’s bubble got burst & she was not a day-dreamer anymore. Sameer kind of used Gauhar as a filler to silence his mother for the time being & he obviously would’ve never thought that she was going to have an influence in his life from now on. Gauhar learned all about Sameer, his family & how things worked – it was enough to scare her but then she wanted to stick to this job as she was there for his mother & she didn’t seem too keen on why everything was a bit bizarre about this family.

Kashif has landed himself a new job & his boss is no different. Despite being physically restrained, Kashif’s boss has not let it get in her way or being a successful businesswoman. She has raised her guards as she knows that she is vulnerable & because of that she does not let anyone cross any limits with her. Kashif’s colleagues knew that she was giving him a hard time but then Kashif himself is so heart-broken that he didn’t feel a thing. He is numb & he is also trying to move on because he knows that he has a family to take care of too. It is interesting to see how both Gauhar & Kashif are more or less in a same situation where their bosses are now going to rule their lives & they won’t find a way out of this!

Sameer’s mystery woman got a little bit of introduction too, Shakira was Sameer’s babysitter & it looked like she had some psychological issues too & because Sameer’s step-mother had given her his entire responsibility, Sameer ended up imbibing her personality. May be this is what happened or Shakira was always that imaginative character who gave words to the Sameer’s feelings. This entire equation is getting quite interesting & I am sure there’s more to it. Sameer’s fiancee did get to see Sameer in a different getup & she was petrified, what happened after that is a mystery too. It was worth noting how roles have been reversed, Sameer must’ve longed for his mother’s gentleness & kindness when he was young but she didn’t have any of it to offer to him, & now when she is bed-ridden, she longs for his attention & kindness but Sameer doesn’t have that to offer.

Closing Thoughts – Over-usage of OST:

Overall, these two episodes of Ishq Zahe Naseeb definitely improved & took the story forward. Khalid Malik is a very interesting character too because he brings in that comic quotient which kind of breaks the monotony of mystery & changes the mood completely. His minute expressions as Jahangir were a treat to watch in this latest episode especially. The rest of the cast is doing really well too. I so hope they cut down on the usage of the OST because it is anything but melodious or easy on ears. They could’ve totally relied on any instrumental music in those dramatic scenes but the OST is very distracting & draws your attention away from the intensity of the scene. Please share your thoughts about these episodes of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – Same Old Same Old:

Ohkay so, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was strictly alright. I now feel that the real story will actually kick start when Sameer & Gauhar’s path will cross because so far what we’re seeing isn’t something new & doesn’t have much of a wow factor. No doubt about the fact that the director’s approach towards each & every scenario is different but it boils down to the point that we have seen all of this before & the only new aspect is Sameer’s split personality, so I am sure that is going to be quite an interesting thing to see & explore.

Gauhar & Kashif Chose Family Over Love:

Gauhar’s brother Saleem accepted Jahangir’s proposal for her. Even though everyone in the family was not convinced, not even Gauhar’s parents but Saleem basically saw this as a financial deal because it was giving him the freedom from the debt of Qayyum & he availed it. Jahangir is quite a character & even he lives in a bubble just like Gauhar to actually think that he is someone super special, a sought-after bachelor sorts. Jahangir’s scenes provide some sort of comic relief but I am not sure if that’s the right kind of mood that this story in general requires.

Bushra wanted to make sure that Gauhar gets to be with Kashif that is why she asked them to get done with the Nikkah. Bushra’s main motive was to unite Gauhar & Kashif but then part of her was ready to face the brunt of having her wedding called off because being a practical person that she is, she kind of had an idea that Kamran wasn’t emotionally or mentally strong enough to stand by her side. Bushra was taking the risk which would’ve cost her wedding, but she was fine by it as far as it meant seeing Gauhar happy with Kashif.

Kashif was ready to get married to Gauhar because he has loved her with all his heart but then he couldn’t really take his mind off the fact that he had a responsibility of his sisters & he was their guardian. Gauhar also couldn’t bring herself to be selfish especially when she has seen Bushra being selfless & kind to Gauhar all her life. Gauhar accepted Jahangir’s proposal & Bushra also couldn’t get in touch with Kashif. This was something that kind of left both Kashif & Gauhar in the dark, they both felt guilty but they both still didn’t know that they backed out & didn’t fulfil their promise. Kashif didn’t come because he decided he couldn’t turn his back on his family & Gauhar didn’t either as she didn’t want Bushra to go through the humiliation of having her wedding called off. It was good that they both just didn’t find out the reasons behind their decisions but then, they were on the same page. May be later in life they will find out the truth but for now, they will continue to blame themselves for breaking the promise.

Closing Thoughts – Waiting For The Fireworks:

Overall, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb didn’t really do much. I am now eagerly waiting to see how the story will unfold once Gauhar & Sameer will come in each other’s lives because I am sure that’s when the fireworks will happen. I think I will get to form an opinion about Sameera/Yumna once the true identity of this character will be revealed but for now, she looks strange but rightly so because that’s what this entity is all about. Sonya Hussyn, Sami Khan & Jinaan Hussain have been brilliant. Khalid Malik is doing a wonderful job as Jahangir too. I wish the story kick-starts soon because so far, it’s hmmm…alright. However, the dialogues in this episode were really nice. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb finally took the story to the point which was shown in the upcoming promos of the drama. At this point, I am just keen to see how it is going to end. This episode was good in bits & pieces, but then this has been the pattern that the last probably 10 episodes of this drama has had. It is Zahid Ahmed who breathes life into almost every single episode & makes it work. If it wasn’t for his brilliant acting, I am sure this drama would’ve lost a lot of viewership when they started dragging it. As much as I was looking forward to the prison scene, when it actually happened, I was left wondering about the impact it would have made if they had kept the pace of the drama steady & this scene was shown at the right time.

Sameer’s Mental Breakdown

Sameer ended up giving Sabeeha everything that she wanted. Sabeeha tried to once again play the victim card but Sameer let her know clearly that it was not going to work anymore. It is unfortunate that Sameer learnt all about his mother the day he lost her. Sameer’s character has been written to perfection, it showed that the person who was already struggling so much psychologically was pushed to the limit where he lost control & actually felt he couldn’t take it anymore. Sameer’s entire life has been a lie, traumatic childhood & then the lies that he was brain-fed about his mother, someone who a child loves irrespective of their shortcomings. To be honest, it does make me wonder why didn’t Akbar tell Sameer anything before? It is safe to assume that Akbar started working in Sameer Villas years ago, therefore what took him so long? Why couldn’t Akbar create such a scenario like by giving Sameer hints which would’ve finally lead him to Surraya, so that he could tell him the truth? I know the writer wanted it to be this way but then again, we all are free to ask questions.

Anyhow, Sameer decided to walk away but then Sabeeha tried to tell him that she raised him as a mother. I think that was the right moment for her to explain herself. Sameer would’ve obviously not bought what she’d have said at that point but she should have spoken to him. She even decided to stay in her room after she learnt that Surraya died & Sameer told he was going where his mother was, clearly depicting that he was contemplating suicide! I am not sure why everyone’s sabun is so slow in this drama. Not that Zahid Ahmed has not acted brilliantly in this entire episode, but the walk on the staircase after Sameer tells Sabeeha that he is going to be with his mother showed the clarity in his thoughts for once – that particular moment was brilliantly acted out by Zahid Ahmed. Hats off!

Gogo Pan Masala

Well well well, talking about Gauhar – as much as I liked her character & to some point still do, also as much as I loved the interaction that Sameer & Gauhar had as a married couple, I hate to see her character being treated as an afterthought. The way her track singlehandedly has been written & carried out in these last few episodes makes her look unconvincing & unrealistic. She left by writing a letter & all of a sudden in this episode, she was back & ready to behave as Sameer’s wife more than ever. It made it look like she didn’t leave in the first place? Also, when Sameer showed her the pictures, the Gauhar that we know would’ve immediately spoken to her husband to clarify, rather she let him be, knowing the kind of trauma he was going through because it clearly showed in his behavior & demeanor but she chose to give him the space he shouldn’t have been given. She took her sweet time, changed her clothes & came back to sleep peacefully ignoring completely that she had to clarify her position. The writer gave us a strong character in the form of Gauhar but it is sad how the continuity issues & poor execution has compromised on it & now her character is failing to leave an impression that it used to in the beginning. I must say in the middle of the chaos, going out of the house & then coming back, Gauhar definitely must’ve spent a good amount of time in the nail salon because her pink & golden manicure was a bit too eye-catching!

The Highlight of This Episode

Sameer decided that the only way he could deal with this entire situation was to end his life. This entire scenario was heart-wrenching & once again, the credit solely goes to Zahid Ahmed for conveying Sameer’s feelings & emotions phenomenally, with so much precision & perfection. I wouldn’t give the director any credit because this time around, it was Zahid Ahmed who did the heavy lifting & showed how much he had imbibed the character of Sameer as well as Sameera that he effortlessly portrayed everything that was running through his mind in that scene. It was unfortunate that Sameer pulled the trigger but based on a misunderstanding, clouded by her hatred for Gauhar, Sabeeha decided to hold her responsible for what happened & accused her. What could’ve been the most intriguing part ended up becoming predictable because the viewers already knew that Gauhar will go to jail & rescued by Kashif.

I definitely ruled out Sameer’s death. I am sure the lawaris janaza that has been spoken about in the preview of the next episode would be of Sabeeha. She already seemed too guilt-stricken that it was affecting her mental health. She has no one by her side, no offspring of her own, no family, absolutely no one, so may be she will pass away or end her own life. I am hoping for a happy ending for Gauhar & Sameer though. I think the viewers who have invested so much time in this drama deserve that at least, plus it will impart a good message that those who have psychological issues can always fight & find ways to not only deal with, but also bounce back from their issues.

Zahid Ahmed Stole The Show

This episode hands down belonged to Zahid Ahmed. The episode overall was poorly executed & had a lot of issues. It was also amusing that when Gauhar was being dragged by the police, they chose to play the romantic version of the OST, the same song which they used to show Donia dreaming about Kashif & dancing her heart out with him. Not feeling much for Gauhar or even Sabeeha. Totally felt for Sameer. Also, the entire sermon Bushra gave to Saleem also didn’t make much of a difference. I don’t think after seeing Saleem being a vulture for 29 episodes, he will redeem himself in the last episode by doing anything anyways. So looking forward to this drama’s end. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, I guess the only good thing about this episode is the fact that it has drawn the ending of this drama closer. It is absurd that the drama makers actually assumed that dragging a story like Ishq Zahe Naseeb would be a great idea. Guess what, the charm that this drama once had has been killed. I am just waiting to see how it ends & going by the preview, if they actually kill Sameer’s character, then I will definitely see it as a time wasted.

Unconvincing Situations:

In Ishq Zahe Naseeb, both Sami Khan & Zarnish Khan got a chance to showcase their acting skills & they made the most of this opportunity. Both Sami & Zarnish have performed brilliantly in this drama, however, their characters have absolutely lost the charm they once had. It is unfortunate that in the khichri of Shakira/Surraya/Sameer/Sameera, the writer started treating Kashif & Donia as an afterthought because their characters have got nothing to offer. Kashif is a one-dimensional, halat ka mara bechara & Donia, the girl who had so much happening for herself, had that sass, ended up becoming a victim of self-imposed misery. Before getting engaged to Kashif, Donia exactly knew that he was in love with someone, so how does it matter if that girl happens to be Gauhar & she has found about it now? Donia has blamed Gauhar for being equally responsible in betraying & deceiving Donia, which is bizarre. Donia knew what she was getting into, she was mature enough to asses that Kashif was never into her, so why is she reacting? To be honest, as much as Zarnish’s acting has been nice, this entire twist is uncalled for & so unnecessary that I find it boring!

This episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb contributed a lot to the noise pollution in Pakistan. The merging of one soundtrack into the other was also so poorly done that instead of adding some depth or emotions in the situation, it ended up being such a big distraction. In the scene where Sameer read Gauhar’s letter, I could barely hear him because of the annoyingly loud music. Sameer himself saw Sabeeha having an argument with Gauhar while assassinating her character & instead of stepping into that situation to save Gauhar from Sabeeha’s accusations, Sameer found the time to hallucinate. The very next day, Sameer seemed shocked when Noorah told him that Gauhar left after having an argument with Sabeeha, it was made to look like as if Sameer had no idea about it happening!?!?! I am sure even the director is confused & can not keep up between the switching of the scenes that he ended up making such a basic mistake. Director saab please end this drama, we have had enough & I am sure you’ve had enough too!

I don’t find Sabeeha or wouldn’t even find Sameer wrong if they react on Gauhar’s unannounced trips to outdoors. She got married into such a family which has always been very sophisticated & has followed a proper schedule as well as decorum for everything, so for Gauhar to just go in & out of the house out of her whim, that too without informing anyone does raise a lot of questions on her. Gauhar has always been someone who was conscious about her surroundings, the people around her, so for her to just do what she deems right, without informing her husband obviously means she is going to invite troubles her way, that too when she knows that Sabeeha’s on her case & is looking for reasons to throw her out of the house.

Sameer found out about Gauhar & Kashif. Jahangir & Sabeeha met & devised this plan – this entire situation did not interest me at all. What difference does it make & why can’t Sameer, like an adult speak to Gauhar about it & find out everything? Obviously she must have some explanation to give too? It was amusing that in this entire episode, there was not even a single interaction between the husband & wife, the only time Gauhar spoke to Sameer was through a letter – Bye Bye Whatsapp! Funny that Gauhar has been in contact with Kashif over the phone but when it comes to Sameer, she chose to write him a letter…logic!

Two things were made clear in this episode. One being that Shakira thought her son had passed away, that is why she did all of that to Sameer, it was kind of a revenge on Ehsan to mess the brains of his only son. Second, that the wheelchair ridden lady was Surraya, Sameer’s biological mother who dramatically passed away the moment Sameer came to see her! I am sorry but I really don’t know how to react on this because instead of feeling for her or Sameer or Akbar or finding this entire situation emotional, I ended up having a good laugh. May be the direction of that scene or the brief that the actor was given was funny, but I had a great time laughing my heart out. Yes, I think this is how the viewers end up taking a drama non-seriously when they drag it so much, plus the 4 commercial breaks weren’t helping either. Once again, good that Sameer has gotten clarity about Sabeeha but how is it going to do him any favors psychologically, he is quite disturbed already, isn’t he?

I feel it was unlike Gauhar that she decided to leave only because she had a spat with Sabeeha? Gauhar was not paying heed to her anyways & she was only focused on taking care of Sameer, so what happened there? I found this decision of Gauhar quite irrational & the entire situation unconvincing. It is quite obvious that even the drama makers are finding it hard to wrap this drama up, that is why most of the situations are not making much sense & are just being pushed to the limit.

Just End It:

The preview of the next episode suggested that may be Sameer will end up shooting himself or the trigger will be pulled by Gauhar by mistake, which means we’ll get to see the scene shown in the promos of Gauhar being dragged by the police & lying in the prison telling Kashif that she killed him. I think may be Sameer won’t die but Gauhar will assume that she killed him. The relationship that started off on a note of good communication was compromised due to unconvincing half-baked scenarios, it just does not make much sense. My only wish is to see this drama end because I am sure the viewers just like me have had enough. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, it was the most powerful & iconic episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb. This episode worked for me because there was absolutely no focus on Shakira’s half-baked story & there was a lot of progress in Sameer & Gauhar’s track. This episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb had some of the most unforgettable moments as well as phenomenal acting done by both Sonya Hussyn & Zahid Ahmed. The main thing I noticed was the misleading promo that was shown last week because none of those scenes were a part of this episode, which goes to show that even the drama makers acknowledge the fact that people have lost interest in Ishq Zahe Naseeb, so in order to give them reasons to tune to it again, they had to show one of the most important scenes which was not even a part of this episode. Anyhow, it seemed as if after a long long time, the main leads got the screen time they deserved & it was enough to keep me engaged.

Gauhar Took Charge of The Situation

Gauhar has started tackling Sameer the way she deems right. She knows she has to allow him to channel out all that he has been keeping inside, in order to get better & what’s rewarding was that it worked. Gauhar pushed the wrong buttons for Sameer to word his feelings. Sameer has been a lonely child, he has barely any such relations in his life which he has a good memory of, or that he can cherish. This is the reason why against all odds & strong opposition of his mother, Sameer brought Gauhar in his life because he wanted one such relationship that he could call his own. Sameer also saw Gauhar as a person who’d be able to help him & she has proved him right.

It was absolutely amazing seeing Gauhar being so selflessly involved in Sameer, to the point that she does not even care what might be the consequences. Gauhar also has been opposed by Sabeeha but her focus is Sameer’s well being. Gauhar’s selflessness also denotes her selfless love for her husband. She has finally fallen in love with Sameer to the point that she accepts him for who he is & wants him to get better. Another interesting aspect was Gauhar’s contact with the Doctor, it is like she is taking everything in consideration while she deals with Sameer. It is definitely worth mentioning that they have also shown the importance of a doctor and medical assistance needed in this case, which is one of the strongest points. I would’ve liked if they had also shown Sameer going to the doctor himself & finding out how he can get better. I think it might happen in the future because for the first time Sameer shared what was in his heart & he also acknowledged the fact that his traumatic childhood experiences shaped his personality in a manner that he is not proud of. Before this conversation, Sameer always saw himself as a normal person who did not have any issues but slowly & steadily he is growing comfortable with the idea of acknowledging his problems & is now also looking for solutions.

Another important revelation was Sameer admitting that Sameera killed Zoya. I am not sure how they are going to justify it. Yes, there have been some conversations about how damaging multi personality disorder can be for the one who is suffering from it but I hope they just do not brush it under the carpet & show Sameer doing something which gives Zoya’s family some kind of emotional or moral compensation. Gauhar has also put this secret of Sameer’s past aside because she wants to see a better version of him, someone who is not going to harm himself.

The most powerful scene of this episode was Gauhar transforming herself into Shakira & appearing in front of Sameer. At that moment when Sameer is sleep-talking, as if he is giving words to his nightmares was when Zahid Ahmed’s flawless acting made me emotional. He was so realistic, where he seemed disturbed, scared & yet someone so innocent who was tired of being chased by the demons of his past. The moment when Gauhar finally realized that she actually succeeded in giving comfort to Sameer & the fact that he also saw her as a comforting figure was so rewarding & beautiful. This entire scene was absolutely brilliant because it showed that Gauhar was finally in control of the situation & that she was actually helping Sameer the way he deserves to be helped.

Donia’s outburst was also very convincing. She has hated disloyalty & this was the last thing she expected from Kashif, someone she was ready to trust. To be very honest, I did feel for Donia but I find Kashif’s character absolutely boring & one-dimensional. He is coming across as a halaat ka mara bechara who at first could not get married to Gauhar because of his family burdens & now he can not commit himself fully to his fiancee Donia because he is still holding onto his feelings for Gauhar who actually is married to someone else. That scene was nicely acted out by both Zarnish Khan & Sami Khan but I do not find their track least bit of interesting, therefore I couldn’t bring myself to feel invested in Donia’s heartbreak & Kashif’s unexplained explanations!

Zahid Ahmed Stole The Show

This episode for sure belonged to Zahid Ahmed as well as Sonya Hussyn. I am so glad this episode worked for me & I as a viewer got a break from Shakira/Sameera’s track because it was getting burdensome watching half-baked story of hers. I guess my happiness would be short lived because she will appear in the next episode once again. It is definitely going to be interesting seeing Sameer & Sameera’s battle where he wants to move on in his life but Sameera is going to hold him back. I think it is definitely high time that they should end Ishq Zahe Naseeb. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – We Need Answers:

Ohkay so, this episode did not have any flow whatsoever. The editing was choppy & none of the scenes seemed correlated, which made it hard to keep my interest alive while watching this episode. I feel they should now stop with the hints, clues & guesses & just reveal the story because that day isn’t far away when the viewers will start chanting ‘ye tabah hua, ye fanah hua, drag ho ho ke ye drama sua hua’. They have kept the viewers in the dark & have left quite a lot to their imagination for a long long time, therefore it’s high time they should reveal everything & end this drama tameez se because now it is getting burdensome tuning to it.

Choppy Editing & Boring Episode:

Gauhar wanted to know more about Sameer but he could not tell her what she wanted to know. Sameer still underestimates Gauhar thinking that she will not be able to deal with the truth about his 2nd personality. To be honest, as much as I was excited to see Gauhar dealing with Sameera, the way things happened in this episode just did not make much sense. At the beginning of the episode Gauhar was looking for answers & she was confused about the lies Sameer was fabricating, then she met Kashif Donia, she had a conversation with Sabeeha, she met Akbar & the very next moment, she was applying lipstick on Sameer’s lips? Am I missing something here or in the middle of replaying flashbacks, they forgot to shoot those important, defining & explanatory scenes where they could have shown Sameer becoming comfortable enough around Gauhar to allow her in his personal space? That scene made it look like they have been married for months now where Gauhar slowly & steadily broke the ice & made Sameer comfortable? I know they have shown Gauahar as Ms. Fix-it, a wonder woman who sorts everything with an invisible magic wand but this one was too sudden & abrupt! They have been skipping a lot of important scenes & are expecting viewers to miraculously & magically understand everything that they have not been shown! Convenience much?

All the other scenes such as Sabeeha’s conversation with Gauhar, Kashif & Donia’s visit at her place & even her conversation with Akbar didn’t hold my interest. I am glad that a lot happened in this episode but the way things were laid out did not work for me at all. This episode in simple words was boring despite showing a lot.

I am not sure how I feel about the fact that they are now trying to humanize Shakira. Also, I am glad that the very last scene made things clear & put things into perspective but before speaking about that, I want to mention that while watching this episode, I was wondering what difference would it make if the woman Akbar is taking care of is Sameer’s biological mother & not Shakira? They have invested a lot of time in showing Shakira, so that old lady better be her because otherwise I don’t think viewers will have any reason to warm upto that woman purely based on the fact that she happens to be Sameer’s biological mother who was non-existent in the entire drama. On the other hand, they have made Shakira’s character an integral part of the drama, so I am sure like I suspected after watching the 20th episode, the woman that Akbar is taking care of is Shakira!

The very last scene suggested that Shakira was abused by her boss probably Ehsan, she had a baby, that boss took that baby from her & sent her away. So, now are they trying to suggest that Ehsan had Sameer with Shakira out of wedlock & Shakira actually happens to be Sameer’s mother? I am fine with this development, like I wouldn’t mind if she is Sameer’s mother but going by what they have shown right from the beginning, where Shakira kept on messing up with Sameer’s personality & his impressionable mind, I feel even if she was his mother, why would a mother do that to her son? If Shakira came back & got the opportunity to take care of Sameer under Sabeeha’s supervision, why would she waste her time teaching him all those things that he’d have a hard time unlearning for the rest of his life? IF Shakira actually is Sameer’s mother, that development is totally fine but if being a mother she deliberately messed up with his brains, then I am not sure what to feel about it & also the fact that they are trying to humanize her character!!!

Closing Thoughts – Ruining The Otherwise Perfect Drama:

I feel now in order to drag this drama & by adding more details, they are now ruining what otherwise was a perfect drama with intriguing storyline & different yet dynamic characters. They have decided to change the ending, that is fine but I feel the writer was may be pushed to change the storyline & he was forced to tamper the vision that he had for this story & the direction he wanted Sameer & Shakira’s track to take, this is why it is coming across quite unconvincing & uninteresting. I am not too pleased with the fact that even though the drama is in its final stage, we are still left guessing & wondering at the end of every episode? When are they going to give us solid answers respecting the time we have invested in this drama already? It is unfortunate but even Zahid Ahmed’s convincing acting could not save this episode at all. Anyways. I am not sure how others feel but I cringe every time I hear Bushra or Gauhar’s mother calling her GOGO? Pleaseee! Also, it seemed while shooting these last episodes, Sonya Hussyn barely had 5 minutes to get ready because her makeup looks messy & poorly done. Not the look she should sport considering she is a newly wedded bride. Anyways, please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – What An Episode!

Ohkay so, this entire episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was on another level but what made it special was the cliffhanger that the writer left the viewers with. One scene added a whole new dimension to the story & now we are left thinking about the possibility of Shakira being alive. Hashim Nadeem should be very proud of himself for giving the viewers a completely different story. It makes me so happy that we have a writer like him who is capable of bringing such unique story & characters. This entire episode was perfectly balanced & covered all the aspects of both Sameer & Gauhar’s lives perfectly. The director also deserves full points for directing Ishq Zahe Naseeb brilliantly.

The Closure & The New Beginning:

Kashif & Gauhar’s meeting was one of my favorite scenes of tonight’s episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb. They both had moved on their lives but emotionally they were very much with each other & were trying hard to convince themselves otherwise. Gauhar was genuinely happy to see Kashif doing so well for himself, it is because the time she spent with him made her aware of the fact that he had so many responsibilities being the only son of the family, so she connected the dots & felt happy for him. They were at the verge of telling each other that they both didn’t show up that day but they didn’t, which obviously left Kashif thinking more about what Gauhar was trying to say. All this while, Kashif has seen himself as the culprit for leaving Gauhar in the lurch & similarly, Gauhar holds herself responsible for turning her back on Kashif. I think they both will have to wait a little longer before they find out the truth. The moment where Gauhar left because she couldn’t hold her tears was beautiful, she has convinced herself to put on a brave face in front of Kashif & she wanted to stick to that.

Sameer realized that there was obviously some past that both Gauhar & Kashif must have shared. The scene where Sameer let his complexes & his yearning to be loved get the better of him was so heart-wrenching & done so so well. Sameer longs for love, he longs for undivided attention – all this while he thought he got it from Gauhar but seeing Kashif in the picture made him anxious. Sameer can not lose Gauhar, he just can not, that is why the very next day he decided to give words to his feelings & let her know what was in his heart. I must say, Hashim Nadeem has given a perfect treatment to Sameer’s character where he has not once made him look like a villain, in fact the way Sameer’s journey has been covered so far makes me feel for him. He has had a rough childhood, a twisted step-mother to deal with, his father passed away & then things were never in his favor from a tender age, so for him just the thought of losing Gauhar was unimaginable. Sameer played his cards well.

The proposal scene was intense & all the expressions given by Zahid Ahmed were spot-on. Sameer was unsure of what Gauhar’s reaction will be, he wanted her to say yes, he couldn’t wait & then seeing Kashif witnessing that moment also made him anxious but Gauhar’s acceptance was enough to overcome all his fears. Those minute expressions of happiness & relief were brilliantly portrayed by Zahid Ahmed. At that moment I actually felt good for Sameer but yes, he is hiding a huge secret from Gauhar & that obviously makes this entire equation a little complex & difficult but it will definitely be interesting to see how Gauhar will take it.

Jahangir & Co’s scene was thankfully short but I once again found it extremely amusing the way his father dealt with all his friends. Saleem is getting on my nerves to be honest, it is sad to see him dancing to his wife’s tunes so much that he doesn’t mind striking a deal with Sameer every now & then, only because he knows that Sameer is interested in Gauhar, ridiculous. Well, Saleem would’ve never imagined that Sameer will also have a condition & I feel more than it being about his mother, Sameer definitely wants his secret to remain a secret & he knows that after his wedding, he will have to face Gauhar’s family every now & then, that too in the evenings & that is something he can not afford. I kind of enjoy seeing how Sameer is always very much on top of his game all the time, like considering the emotional & personal baggage that he has, one might expect him to be a little lost or spaced out at times but Sameer never goes into that zone & stays pretty focused always, which makes his character even more interesting.

Kashif & Gauhar’s phone call was nice. At first I felt Kashif was behaving recklessly, especially now when he knew that Gauhar & Sameer were going to get engaged but then I was reminded that they both did not have a proper closure, they just lost contact & never heard from each other, therefore it is perfectly fine for them to have a conversation or two to end everything properly. Kashif reminded Gauhar about all the things that the woman had said to her at the Shrine, which means although Kashif didn’t believe in her prediction before, he wanted to now. Kashif probably analyzed the way his & Gauhar’s life panned out, that is why he kind of felt he had a reason to believe the things that the woman had predicted about their fate.

The Cliffhanger:

The very last scene was intense & I am sure it has left all the viewers baffled & intrigued at the same time. Did Sameer see Shakira committing suicide & now is he feeling perplexed about not knowing whether she died or not? The woman that Gauhar met – she saw a picture of Shakira in the basement & based on that she deduced that the old lady was Sameer’s mother, it is like she mistook Shakira as Sameer’s biological mother because of the photo. Is Akbar Shakira’s brother? May be Shakira didn’t die. It also makes sense that the butler must’ve brought his sister as Sameer’s governess when he was young – it seems more realistic & befitting that Akbar being one of the house helper must’ve requested Sabeeha to give his sister Shakira a chance to take care of Sameer & then Sabeeha must’ve allowed that? Knowing the kind of controlling person Sabeeha is, it makes sense that she would’ve gotten rid of all the photographs of Sameer’s biological mother, so yes, the picture that Gauhar saw in the basement was of Shakira & Sameer & because of that she thinks Shakira was his mother – the wheelchair-bound lady that she saw at the hospital some time back. All of this has become quite interesting & I can’t wait to find out more.

Closing Thoughts – Phenomenal:

Overall, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was brilliantly directed & acted out. It is actually quite amazing that even after all these episodes, the writer has so much in store for us. Every single episode offers one thing or the other. One scene is enough to change the thought process & it is like the writer is revealing the cards one at a time, at the right time. Ishq Zahe Naseeb has turned out to be one such drama which deals with not only just psychological disorder but so much more in such an interesting manner. This drama gives a well-rounded perspective of the main character Sameer’s life & his personality which is definitely new. Zahid Ahmed once again stole the show with his phenomenal performance & perfect expressions. Sonya Hussyn, Sami Khan & Zarnish Khan have done a brilliant job as well. In the initial part, I found most of the dialogues dubbed, which immediately affected the feel of those scenes but then as the episode progressed, it settled. I felt that may be they wanted the dialogues to be louder that is why they resorted to the dubbing & the only thing I enjoyed was that the background score was toned down in those scenes. In the rest of the episodes the audio was fine & I also liked that they kept the background score to an absolute minimum in most of the scenes. I really hope they tone down the background score even more in the rest of the episodes because it gets a bit too much. This episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was phenomenal & I can not wait to find out more, I hope they show us the conversation that Gauhar & Akbar had probably 3 episodes back soon. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – Spellbinding Performances:

Ohkay so, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb kept the entire focus on Sameer & Sabeeha, which was great. I enjoyed watching this episode because of the spellbinding performances as well as the secrets of the past that were revealed. I must commend the writer for keeping Ishq Zahe Naseeb interesting so far, where he has intelligently & strategically given away important details every step of the way to build the story. Ishq Zahe Naseeb happens to be such drama where the story is being told carefully & is still keeping the interest of the viewers alive.

The Confrontation & The Proposal:

Sameer has come to such a stage where he is losing patience & getting tired of Sabeeha’s antics. Sameer has stayed quiet for a long long time, probably all his life. May be Sameer accepted this as his fate & he got accustomed to the monotony that Sabeeha curated for him but not any more. The transition took place after he met Gauhar because she showed him a very different way of leading a life. After Gauhar came in Sameer’s life, he learnt that he deserved so much better. Sameer also realized that Gauhar was the one who saw him for who he was, she tried to understand him, sympathized with him as well & didn’t really bother about the things that were said about him because she believed in getting to know him herself. Gauhar saw Sameer as a human being who just wanted some comfort, support & love & this is the reason why Sameer’s love for Gauhar is so strong that he didn’t think twice before taking a stand for her in front of his controlling step-mother.

It is interesting that Sameer isn’t oblivious of what Sabeeha had been upto all these years. Sabeeha didn’t give him a reason to confront her but now with Gauhar in the picture, Sameer has all the reasons to go against her. One of the biggest secrets were revealed in this episode that Sabeeha was her husband’s secretary & she paved a way in his life based on manipulation. I loved the way Sameer said everything to her face because I really wanted to see how she would react hearing the truth loud & clear. Sabeeha is unable to deal with the new Sameer. She actually thinks she can still control him but she is mistaken. Sameer is proving her wrong every single time & this is what is making her frustrated.

Sabeeha definitely is the twisted one in this picture. I love how the writer has now shifted the focus from Sameer onto Sabeeha because at first we were made to think that Sameer has certain issues, which he still has obviously but the real culprit is Sabeeha. She just wanted Sameer to all by herself because of the property & wealth that he inherited from his father. Sabeeha always made sure to keep him secluded, away from any such figure that will give him comfort, because that could turn Sameer into a rebellion & this is exactly what is happening now. Sabeeha accused Shakira of child molestation & it goes to show how sick she can get to achieve her own goals. I wouldn’t be surprised if later it will be revealed that Sabeeha killed Zoya but guilt-tripped Sameer into thinking that he pushed her. This is another tactic that Sabeeha has relied on all this while & a little hint of it was shown in this episode where after the confrontation, Sabeeha faked her sickness. She knows that Sameer is kind-hearted, she knows that Sameer will never turn a blind eye towards her that is why she once again decided to guilt-trip him. Basically, Sabeeha is failing miserably, she is slowly realizing that she has lost control over Sameer – none of her strategies work & this is why, she decided to give it a last try.

Sameer has finally learnt how to be strong. Zahid Ahmed was phenomenal in that scene in particular where Sameer was shaken after finding out that Sabeeha was unwell & he wanted to go see her but because he knew what she was capable of, he decided not to. Sameer being the nice & big-hearted person that he is, obviously found it hard to ignore Sabeeha’s fake cry for help. Finally, Sameer is done with her, that is why he stopped himself & decided to send her a clear message that none of this was going to work on him anymore.

Sameer proposed to Gauhar & that was another highlight of this amazing episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb. Gauhar was unable to figure out how to react but at that moment she went along because she knew that Sameer was just saving her from Sabeeha. However, Gauhar has pretty much made up her mind that she will get married to Sameer. The news of Kashif & Dunia’s engagement has also played a huge part in Gauhar’s decision but still, she thinks she knows Sameer enough to spend the rest of her life with her. Gauhar is once again putting Sameer as well as her family ahead of her, she has done this before & she is going to do it again.

Jahangir’s entire scenario is uninteresting because it is stagnant & there’s nothing much to it anyways. He is in jail & his father is trying to bail him out. Akbar finally hinted something & Noora couldn’t help but wonder what went wrong that Akbar was finally doing the talk. I so hoped that they will show us the conversation that Akbar & Gauhar had but then they are saving it for another day.

Closing Thoughts – One of The Best Episodes So Far:

Overall, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was one of the best episodes so far. Zahid Ahmed’s performance was spellbinding & he was absolutely convincing as the stern & rigid Sameer, as well as the son who was feeling bad for his step-mother. Sameer & Sameera’s conversation was portrayed brilliantly, Sameer feels he has done something to Zoya but then again, it has been left untouched deliberately that he has such tendencies or not. I feel Sameer on his own is not but Sabeeha plays her cards & she makes Sameer do such things, let’s see. Really looking forward to the rest of the story. I do enjoy Dunia & Kashif’s track just as much but it kind of felt nice to have a little break. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – Unique Script Done Well:

Ohkay so, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb didn’t cover much but yes, it had one of the most important revelations to its credit. This was definitely something that no one saw coming. Props to Hashim Nadeem for coming up with a script & a story like Ishq Zahe Naseeb which not only is dealing with the subject of multiple personality disorder, but also has so many mysteries attached to it which are being revealed slowly. The director has definitely given it the right kind of treatment & I am glad that they have not overpowered the entire story with Sameer’s split personalities, they have kept that part very subtle & have showed how he is just like any other normal person, but with a little secret attached to it. However, one thing I find a little odd about Sameer’s personality is that his other side only shows up at specific times, whereas people with multi personality disorder obviously are not in control of themselves to be so systematic with fixed schedules. Anyhow, the drama has been very interesting so far & it sure is enticing even after so many episodes.

The Big Reveal:

Gauhar & Kashif may not be in contact with each other but their connection isn’t lost. Kashif has only accepted Dunia because Jabbar wanted him to but he still loves Gauhar, but this is something that she is unaware of. Gauhar has not been able to forget Kashif & that is why the news of his engagement with Dunia was disturbing for her. The way they showed that Gauhar was unable to concentrate on anything the moment she found out was convincingly portrayed.

Sameer has become very much comfortable with Gauhar & this is definitely something that Sabeeha doesn’t approve of. The flashbacks showed that Sabeeha saw the eagerness in Sameer where he believed that Zoya might help him overcome his issues & it is obvious that this is something that she doesn’t want. Sabeeha has no reasons to be so against Gauhar but that is happening ever since she has picked upon the fact that Sameer is becoming emotionally dependant & attached to Gauhar. Sabeeha used to like Gauhar as her governess but that is not the case anymore & this is the reason why she decided to insult Gauhar in front of everyone. Whatever Saheeba did basically showcased her insecurity, cowardness & helplessness where she is finding herself falling short of competing with Gauhar. Sameer continues to give Gauhar a lot of importance, while completely ignoring Sabeeha’s feelings about her & this is what is further riling her up. Sabeeha is a weak woman, she did have everything under control all these years because things were going according to her plans, Sameer didn’t question her & she controlled him like a stooge but that is not the case anymore & this is the reason why she is flustered. It is quite interesting to note how in this entire scenario, Sabeeha has made Sameer feel that he has certain issues, while being completely oblivious of her own problems. It is unfortunate that till date Sameer has not been able to give her a reality check about her obsessive compulsive & controlling behavior.

Since Bushra’s marriage, this was the first time they gave an insight into what her relationship with her husband & in laws was like. Bushra’s husband Kamran is the typical controlling & dominating husband, her mother in law has just accepted her as a daughter in law but does not believe in giving her the freedom or rights that she deserves. Bushra is stuck in this relationship but without complaining much, she has just accepted that this is how things are & will be. Saleem & Zakia continue to torture Gauhar & she continues to answer them. This episode definitely had a lot of filler scenes because the confrontation between Gauhar & Saleem, the scene of Jahangir’s mother & friend talking to his father about Jahangir are such scenarios which have been shown in the past repeatedly, so there was nothing new or exciting about them. Jahangir was finally caught by the police & now his father will have to pay to bail him out. I will however say that I find Jahangir’s father scenes quite amusing, the way he is always focused on either counting money or eating food is weirdly funny!

So, Gauhar stumbled upon one of the biggest secrets of Sameer’s life. No wonder why the butler Akbar had this mysterious vibe to him, he was obviously hiding this huge secret all these years. Surraiya happens to be Akbar’s sister & this was definitely something that no one saw coming. I am keen to know the details that Akbar must’ve shared with Gauhar because obviously, she is not the kind who will just let it go without finding out every single detail. Akbar must’ve assessed the fact that Gauahr is trust-worthy & she has best interest of Sameer. Gauhar would’ve never even a million years would’ve imagined that she will finally get all the details, that too coming from an insider who has spent years in Sameer’s home. I hope they reveal their conversation soon. This has to be one of the best twists in the story.

Closing Thoughts – Loud & Noisy:

Overall, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was nicely done & still interesting despite having a lot of filler scenes. I must say, even though it is appreciable that they have switched to instrumental background music, it still feels so loud & noisy. I was reminded of the old drama Doraha that I watched a couple of months ago & I couldn’t stop appreciating how easy its background score was on the ears. I wish the editors these days stop going overboard with the sound effects & overall sounds in the drama because it literally is enough to give someone a headache. I started watching this episode on a sound level of 20 but by the end of the episode, I had reduced it to 12, no joke! & yes, I was waiting for it end because the music got unbearable. They really need to tone it down. All the actors are as usual doing a wonderful job, be it the main leads or the supporting actors. The writer & the director get full points for bringing a drama like Ishq Zahe Naseeb to our TV screens. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – Interesting & Brilliant:

Ohkay so, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was once again quite interesting. It is good to see the story of Ishq Zahe Naseeb finally progressing at a decent pace with every single episode bringing one interesting scenario after another. Another brilliant aspect of Ishq Zahe Naseeb is the spell-binding performances given by all the actors. They all have not only embraced their characters but have given such performances that they don’t let you look away from the TV screen. The director deserves full credit for having such a clear and perfect vision for a script like this & then all the actors coming together, following his lead to bring such an amazing drama to our TV screens!

Some Secrets Somewhat Revealed:

Sameer and Kashif finally came together for the sake of a project. Jabbar and Dunia were helping too but for the first time, Dunia seemed a little less focused on her work because now she had her future to plan ahead, that too with her life partner. Dunia has seen Kashif’s potential & she knows that he will deal with the project vigilantly, that is why she was now taking it easy. The shift in Dunia’s attitude, her personality & her overall demeanor is quite interesting & it has been elaborated brilliantly by Zarnish Khan. Dunia knows that Kashif was in love with someone else, that is why she has now started to feel the insecurity creeping into her thoughts. Dunia confessed that she has actually fallen in love with Kashif but then again, she said it with a lot of maturity & grace. Her confession wasn’t cheesy or did not make her look like she was desperate. Yes, she is a mature girl, who has gone through a heartbreak, that is why she was giving words to her feelings. Dunia has seen that she can trust Kashif, that is why she showed him her vulnerable side. Dunia knows that Kashif understands her, this is why she let him know that she was kind of feeling insecure & she wanted to be sure whether he was happy or not. Jabbar can totally see that Kashif is not as emotionally invested in Dunia as she is but still, he is not saying anything because he is hoping things will change & Kashif will compromise – again something that Jabbar as a father is hoping & wishing for.

Kashif found himself at crossroads. Obviously he has not forgotten Gauhar, he has not even moved on, he is just dealing with his pain by putting a brave face but he still loves Gauhar, however he did think he will be able to curb his feelings for Gauhar aside to make way for Dunia in his heart & life but once again, just the name of Gauhar was enough to make him face the truth. He has not forgotten Gauahr & he will continue to love him. Gauhar found out about Kashif & Dunia’s engagement & she decided it was best for her to leave because she couldn’t deal with it, neither did she want to face Kashif just after she had found out. Gauhar & Kashif both are guilt-stricken because they think they betrayed one another, however they both just prioritized their families over themselves. Let’s see when will they find out about the secret!

Sabiha has started manipulating Sameer again but this time around, Sameer has realized that Natasha is a spy planted by Sabiha in his office & he can clearly see that she is keeping tabs on him. Sabiha does not want Gauhar to be around Sameer because she has picked up on the fact that Gauhar is not only sharp, she is far too intelligent for Sabiha’s liking. Sabiha has her own interests in Sameer’s life & his business, she is purely selfish that is why she wants Sameer to stay away from Gauhar. Sameer however found a way to appoint Gauhar back & I loved the way Sameer reminded Gauhar of her loan for the first time. It just showed that he was eager to keep her closer, so he used the loan as an excuse to make Gauhar stay. Sameer has gotten used to the idea of having Gauhar around. He actually has developed a lot of liking for her & now that he knows that Sabiha is trying to stop him, he will obviously become more eager to be with her. Sameer is not going to follow Sabiha’s instructions, may be because for the first time, being with Gauhar has taught him what it feels like to be free, that is why he is not ready to give up on Gauhar just so easily.

Gauhar’s curiosity took her to Surraiya Begum – Sameer’s biological mother. Gauhar is not going to stop, she will continue to see her till she gets to hear her side of the story & find out the truth. Gauhar definitely left an impression on Suraiya begum, so let’s see when she will be able to persuade her to break her silence.

The confrontation between Sameer & Sabiha was intense & my absolute favorite scene of this episode. Sameer thought he had everything under control but then Sabiha stood there to test his patience. Sabiha has played the victim all her life & she has made Sameer believe that she has selflessly raised him up but for the first time, Sameer was forced to say the truth out loud. Sabiha only looked after Sameer because she had her own personal interests & she knew that she will gain a lot out of it. She only dealt with, rather tolerated Sameer because as per the will of her husband, she had no choice. Also because Sabiha knows about Sameer’s multiple personality disorder, it kind of makes sense that she has used it against him time & again, she has threatened him & intimidated him with the idea of getting him exposed, only to keep Sameer under control. For the first time Sabiha got to see that Sameer was breaking free from her cage & all of this was only because of Gauhar. Sameer reacted because Sabiha told him that he was not allowed to be with Gauhar – this should be enough to let her know that Sameer’s feelings for Gauhar are real. In that particular scene both Ismat Zaidi & Zahid Ahmed were on fire – what amazing acting I must say! Loved it!

Closing Thoughts – This Episode Belonged to Ismat Zaidi & Zahid Ahmed:

Overall, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was superb. I am now keen to learn more about Sabiha. It is worth noticing how the writer has kept the actual cards concealed so far & pages are being turned one after another. There is so much more to Sabiha that meets the eye & I want to find out more about her. I so hope Surraiya Begum speaks up in the next couple of episodes so that we get to understand the actual story. All the actors are performing brilliantly be it Sonya Hussyn, Sami Khan, Zarnish Khan or all the supporting actors. However, this episode surely belonged to Ismat Zaidi & Zahid Ahmed. Standing ovation for their performance in this episode for sure. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – Well Executed:

Ohkay so, this was a well executed & well rounded episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb which covered all the fronts of all the tracks. I am really glad that they just do not only focus on the personal relationships or equations of the characters but also show their professional lives, their work-related struggles & the hard work they put into their careers. Ishq Zahe Naseeb has over the last few weeks has grown on me, I will admit that initially it wasn’t working much for me but now it has become the kind of drama that I look forward to the entire week. This drama surely is exciting to watch because it has all those flavors & scenarios which are rarely shown in our dramas. The brilliant execution of Ishq Zahe Naseeb shows the vision of the director. This drama & this kind of script deserved a different & specific kind of treatment which the director has given to it & this is what makes Ishq Zahe Naseeb what it is, so bravo!

Feelings & Emotions:

This episode focused on how Dunia Kashif & Sameer Gauhar were connecting on a personal level. They all come from very different backgrounds but they have found something in common to each other, they share the same mental wavelength & they all feel a pull towards each other. In Kashif & Gauhar’s case, they respect & admire Dunia & Sameer a lot but when it comes to them, they actually have developed feelings for Kashif & Gauhar, which makes it all very interesting & enticing to watch. Dunia & Sameer both want to feel & go through the experiences that Kashif & Gauhar are usually up for, like they want to live life following their lead, which is a nice shift in both their personalities.

After a long time, Dunia has found something & someone to feel excited or happy about. For Dunia, Kashif is a lot more than just a colleague or an employee & slowly & steadily even she is realizing that what she has for Kashif is a lot more deeper & meaningful. Dunia is just purely happy that she has come across a person like Kashif who has helped her in seeing the world differently, who has altered her perspective in a positive way. It has been nice to see Dunia coming out of her shell & just letting herself free because now she finds happiness in simplest & smallest of things. Kashif still thinks he is just helping Dunia & that she appreciates his presence but he has yet to learn that she actually has feelings for him.

Similarly, Sameer is interested in Gauhar & he wants to explore the world with Gauhar by her side. Sameer has lived a miserable life so far but Gauhar is someone who makes him happy. Just the idea of him being with Gauhar is enough for Sameer to get through a long & tiring day, that is why he is always looking for excuses to get to be with her & spend time with her. Gauhar also admires Sameer to the point that she has a soft corner for him but she also hasn’t really understood why all of a sudden Sameer’s personality & his overall attitude has changed so much, especially in the matters concerning her.

I remember every time I watch Korean dramas, I always come across such female leads who were finding it hard to make ends meet but were self-reliant & never ever took advantage of their wealthier friends or those who developed feelings for them. I always loved the fact that their writers never showed hard-working girls as victims, they showed their struggles in detail but not to make them look like poor souls. I always used to wonder when will I get to see such characters in Pakistani dramas & voila, I am so glad that Hashim Nadeem came up with a character like Gauhar. Yes, it may sound repetitive that she keeps mentioning the loan but this is the writer’s way of showing how sorted & self-reliant she is where she doesn’t want to give Sameer, her wealthy boss the impression that she has forgotten about what he has done for her & that she is totally fine accepting his money without having to work for it. This is one such trait of Gauhar’s personality that I absolutely love. Even though Sameer wants Gauhar to not feel burdened because obviously, he has feelings for her but Gauhar on the other hand keeps on mentioning it so that he never once feels that she has forgotten about it. Dunia’s character is also amazing to see, where she never let her medical condition get in the way of her success, like she never used it as an excuse & rather turned it into her strength to show it to the world that she is totally capable of working hard & being successful. Yes, again, they showed it realistically that due to her break up she was bitter but then she didn’t let it hinder her from focusing on her career. So glad to see characters like Gauhar & Dunia in Ishq Zahe Naseeb!!!

So, Gauhar & Kashif finally crossed paths. They both met at a place where they have shared some of the most beautiful memories, when they both believed they will always be together & nothing will be able to drift them apart. The flashbacks were also done nicely. Kashif still holds himself responsible for betraying Gauhar & this is how Gauhar feels too because she also didn’t show up. They both feel guilty & have yet to find out that on that day, they both didn’t show up, they both put their families ahead of them & they both behaved selflessly. It is a huge burden that Gauhar & Kashif are carrying so I really want to see how they will learn the truth. Kashif found out that Gauhar works for Sameer but Dunia couldn’t really understand that the girl Kashif had his eyes locked on was the lady love he spoke to her about.

The dargah scene was mysterious & it was done really well. The Fakir could totally see the dual personality of Sameer & he actually promised that he could help. Sameer could not believe that someone could actually speak about her secret just so casually & out of the blue. Sameer was flabbergasted which was portrayed brilliantly by Zahid Ahmed. Gauhar also met that woman who had spoken about her fate. Gauhar didn’t really put much thought into it because she was still grasping the fact that she saw Kashif after such a long time. I still feel even though they have covered every aspect of Gauhar’s personality brilliantly, they do sometimes miss or skip her reactions on important events, like her absolutely normal reaction after she dodged an acid attack & now again, she couldn’t really put two & two together that the 2 men that women referred to were actually Kashif & Sameer.

Jabbar met Sameer & this way, Kashif also got to meet him. Sameer is unaware of the connection Kashif & Gauhar had, so let’s see if he will ever find out, how will he react. Jabbar also spoke to Kashif about accepting Dunia as his life partner but at that moment, his commanding tone made it look like he wasn’t pleading like a father, rather he was ordering like a boss, which was conveyed perfectly. Jabbar wants Kashif & Dunia to end up together because he can see that Dunia has started relying on Kashif a lot more than Kashif realizes. As a father, Jabbar can totally see that Dunia has fallen for Kashif so he wanted to make sure that his daughter’s not left heartbroken again, that is why he spoke to him in such a manner, making sure that Kashif is not left with an option of leaving Dunia. Jabbar behaved selfishly but as a father, this is the least he can do for his daughter, which is sweet.

So, finally Sameer gave a subtle hint to Gauhar which she really didn’t pick on because again, she was focused more on the conversation she was having with him about paying off the loan. Sameer wants Gauhar to stay but he hasn’t found the courage yet, which I hope he does soon because Sameer as someone who wants to experience the happiness he feels with Gauhar will be so amazing to see.

Closing Thoughts – Simply Amazing:

Overall, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was simply amazing. Again, I love how they show the emotions of all the characters in such detail. The preview of the next episode showed how Sameer will be forced both, by his inner self as well as his mother to stay away from Gauhar. Sameer will be challenged by two personalities who rule & control his life, so will he be able to break-free? Will he able to rebel? I really liked how they showed Sameer sharing a laugh with Jabbar & having a casual conversation, like they have succeeded in showing the stark difference in the real Sameer, like who he is & what kind of attitude he has & then the Sameer he becomes when he is all alone, facing his fears & finding comfort in Sameera. Samiya definitely doesn’t want Sameer & Gauhar to be together, I want to see what are her reasons though. This is getting so interesting. Loved everyone’s acting, as it was amazing but this episode definitely belonged to Zahid Ahmed, I loved his subtle expressions & the sophisticated demeanor that he has when he is dealing with people at work. Brilliant body language & mannerisms portrayed by Zahid Ahmed. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – Superb:

Ohkay so, this was one of the most interesting episodes of Ishq Zahe Naseeb, probably because they took us deeper into Sameer’s past & his life with his step mother Samiya. Ishq Zahe Naseeb happens to be one such drama which has some amazing & phenomenal performances to its credit. All the actors are performing brilliantly & are outdoing themselves. I love how subtly such strong emotions are conveyed that without even needing them to say a word, we are getting to understand the unheard feelings. Props to the director for bringing out such brilliant performances to our TV screens & dealing with such a subject in such an intricate yet clear manner. Superb!

Gauhar Is Curious:

Gauhar has made up her mind about Sameer. It is nice to see from Sameer’s perspective that he has unconsciously earned himself a supporter in the form of Gauhar who thinks twice before doubting him or judging him based on the rumors spread about him. Sameer was just being nice to her in the beginning but then he started developing feelings for Gauhar, which she obviously doesn’t know of yet. Gauhar on her own has observed Sameer closely, that is why she feels he is not what the world thinks he is & that is why she tries to dwell more into his past to actually understand him more. Gauhar’s curious nature is one of my favorite aspects about her character. I also like how Gauhar is not afraid of losing anything, she is curious & she doesn’t settle for mere stories till she herself uncovers what she wants to know. This is the reason why Gauhar has succeeded in learning more about Sameer even though she has been told a lot of times to mind her own business. Gauhar is not scared of the consequences, she knows she is just doing all of this out of goodwill for Sameer’s sake that is why she continues to cross the boundaries!

Samiya’s conversation with the doctor was interesting. The doctor ended the conversation by saying that Sameer will get to deal with this issue the day he will start acknowledging the fact that this is actually the issue & not something that he should be comfortable with. What I love the most about Ishq Zahe Naseeb & Sameer’s track is that the writer has not shown Sameer as a villain or someone who is scary. In fact it has been shown that Sameer is someone who needs love & comfort. The way they have shown Sameer’s character makes you warm up to him because despite dealing with multiple personality disorder, he on his own is a thorough gentleman who would go out of the way for the people he holds high regard of. I really like that the writer has shown different aspects of Sameer’s life & all those reasons which resulted in Sameer developing multiple personality disorder.

In all those scenes where they introduced Shakira, they did show that she had that kind of personality which left a long-lasting impression on Sameer when he was a child. Shakira has been shown to the viewers as a twisted character but I really like how over the episodes & in this one especially, it was shown that Sameer sees her as sa figure of comfort from his past which was dark & horrid. Sameer, at that tender age could obviously not see or understand Shakira’s twisted personality but why he has imbibed her personality in him is because for him, she was someone who comforted him when he was all alone after his mother left & step-mother stepped in. I loved watching how they untied this knot in this episode. Shakira on her own obviously was not the ideal person to be around any child but yes, she was good to Sameer, she didn’t hurt him emotionally or physically, she spent time with him, that is why Sameer finds repose in her, he likes that time when he is with her, or her idea. I must say, the attention to detail in Ishq Zahe Naseeb is of some other level. Ever wonder why Shakira is always shown dressed in black & red when she comes to see Sameer? That is because she wore the same dress when Shakira actually bid goodbye to Sameer when Samiya told her to leave. Sameer captured that image of her in his mind & ever since, he sees or imagines her exactly like that. Beautiful!

Sameer’s step-mother Samiya is obviously keeping tabs on Sameer. She is twisted & she obviously is obsessed with Sameer, probably because she knows she has nowhere to go or she has no one to call a family. Samiya doesn’t want Sameer to ever escape her or the kind of life she has designed & dictated for him, that is why she has controlled him even through those strings which Sameer has no idea of. Sameer’s secretary has also been appointed by Samiya so that she gets to know what Sameer does & how he runs the business. Samiya has so far been successful in controlling Sameer & keeping him entangled or burdened with his secrets. I feel she kinds of blackmails him as well because she knows about his multiple personality disorder & that is why Sameer just abides by her rules but I wish he finds out that she is also a part of the reason why he has been miserable.

Gauhar of all the people came across Sameer’s biological mother & she immediately recognized her, well kind of. She could not take her out of her mind & she is obviously not going to let it slide. Gauhar is curious, we know that, so I am glad she will get to the root of this & find out more about Sameer’s mother as well as Sameer. I think Samiya must’ve been responsible for Sameer’s parents drifting apart, but its too early to say anything so let’s see. I have a feeling the butler Akbar knows a lot more but he just is staying silent may be because he wants to protect Sameer or either he is too loyal to Samiya but yes, he knows a lot more. Let’s see when he will speak up!

Dunia needed some motivation in her life to overcome her condition. I will say Sami Khan & Zarnish Khan’s subtle expressions were beyond amazing in this episode. You could totally tell what was running through Dunia’s mind & how Kashif was just trying to be nice to her so that he could motivate her to get back on her feet & guess what, he did help. That scene was done nicely when Dunia started walking on her feet, it was kind of quick & out of the blue but chalo, it was nicely done. It also depicted that Dunia has developed feelings for Kashif & she wants to be the best version of herself for him. It is understated but this is how Dunia feels for him because Kashif happens to be the only person who said he respected her for who she was & what she was capable of. This was enough for Dunia to see Kashif differently & the time she has spent with him has made her feel emotionally secure. After a long time Dunia experienced what it felt like relying on someone emotionally, that is why Kashif’s presence & just the idea of him being around gave her a lot of courage & strength. This was another beautiful scenario that was covered in this episode & what made it far more special was Sami Khan & Zarnish Khan’s acting!

Closing Thoughts – Well Directed & Well Acted Drama:

Overall, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was superb. I am so glad that they have started to finally reveal the secrets & the preview of the next episode looked promising too. It seems Gauhar & Kashif will finally cross paths & I can’t wait to see what happens next. Sameer is trying hard to maintain a distance from Gauhar but he can’t help himself. Another interesting aspect of this episode. Zahid Ahmed & Sonya Hussyn have been performing brilliantly but I feel this episode definitely belonged to Sami Khan & Zarnish Khan. I will say the supporting actors like Ismat Zaidi, Hajra Khan, Manzoor Qureshsi, Jinaan Hussain and others have acted brilliantly as well. Ishq Zahe Naseeb is a well-directed & well-performed script & drama. Props to the entire team. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – Reveal It Please:

Ohkay so, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb focused more on the personality of Sameer & all the emotions that he was experiencing. I feel even though this drama has had a mysterious vibe, which has worked in its favor, I feel they have prolonged it for a bit too long. Giving hints about the main character for over 14 episodes is quite a stretch & they should now reveal the full story because I am not sure how long will it be able to hold my interest if they’ll continue to talk in subliminal messages about Sameer’s character or his personality!

All About Sameer:

This episode showed how not only Gauhar but her family had a high regard for Sameer. Sameer has helped them in the most difficult times, he has helped them financially & has taken care of Gauhar at such a stage too, therefore they now feel they know all about him & that he is a saint. Gauhar has seen him & she has also started to feel that she understands him, that is why she kind of has a soft corner for him in her heart. Gauhar assumes she knows about Sameer a bit too well, going by the way she has seen him treating her, that is why she thinks she has no reason to believe the rumors about him.

Sameer has started finding himself getting a bit too concerned for Gauhar. When it comes to Gauhar, Sameer finds himself helpless & he gets restless if something happens to her. He is not ready to admit it just yet that he has fallen for Gauhar. Yes, he has a lot of respect for her & appreciates her dedication that she shows towards her job but on his own, he does like her a lot but is too scared to admit it. Sameer has a lot of inhibitions & even though he can not face Sameera, he is also scared that this secret won’t be taken well by Gauhar. Sameer fears getting exposed & this is the main reason why he is not ready to himself come to terms with the fact that he has fallen for her. What I find the most interesting thing about Sameer’s track is that they have shown him as a nice & compassionate human being but he is unfortunately a victim of circumstances & his step-mother has played a huge part in that, so now he is stuck with this personality disorder, which gets in his way all the time & hinders him from being the best version of himself as much as he wants to.

Jahangir ran away like a coward & his parents tried to do the damage control. Obviously, the last thing they want is Jahangir getting arrested by the police but finally, Gauhar’s parents have done something that parents should do, which is to take a stand for their daughter. They are not going to back out & Gauhar father plans on getting Jahangir punished, good going! Gauhar’s mother once again behaved like a silent spectator, I mean so much has happened but still she didn’t find the courage to call spade a spade? Sorry but such helpeless & hopeless women make such miserable characters & I don’t like her one bit!

Zoya’s cousin Saima is doing what she thinks is right, she not only wants to expose Sameer but she wants to get in contact with Gauhar too. Saima thinks Gauhar will be able to confirm the things Saima wants answers for, since she & her friend have picked up on the fact that Sameer is going out of the way for his employee named Gauhar. Even though it was unexpected but I liked how coincidentally, Saima was right there when Bushra was thanking Sameer for being such a big help to Gauhar & her family, this further proved Saima’s point that Sameer & Gauhar did have a strong bond

Sameer’s stepmother knows how to put up a show. She poses that she feels a lot for her son & that she has his best interests but she knows how to push all the wrong buttons. Sameer’s step mother is the main reason why I feel Sameer hasn’t been able to lead a normal life. It is unfortunate but even Sameer knows that his mother is responsible for what he is going through but because he can not get rid of her, he has come to terms with her & the relationship that they share. As much as I get to know Sameer’s step mother & learn more about her character, I feel a certain kind of sympathy for Sameer because she is one the main reasons why Sameer has had issues right from the beginning – from the moment when she walked into his life. I somehow wish they had also shown Sameer’s father in the picture too, like it is kind of a missing puzzle that the man who was responsible from bringing this woman in Sameer’s life was so detached or out of the picture that he was not concerned about his only son? Like didn’t he ever bother asking his young child Sameer whether he was getting along fine with his mother? Sameer’s step mother is evil but it is understated & it is interesting to see it that way!

The hospital scene of Gauhar & Sameer was my favorite. Gauhar has started to realize that there’s so much that Sameer wants to say, there’s so much that he has on his mind. Is Gauhar seeing Sameer differently too now, considering the fact that she has spent time with his step mother, so she kind of feels sorry for him knowing that he had to put up with a woman like her all his life? Or is it just based on the fact that she has spent enough time with him to feel something for him. Gauhar does understand that Sameer needs some emotional support, she knows he has dealt with a lot in his life & the fact that people have spread rumors about him doesn’t help him either, that is why she is trying to be nice to him, which was sweet. Gauhar has started a conversation finally, obviously it didn’t go well for the first time but there will come a time when Sameer will eventually grow comfortable enough to speak to her about what is on his mind!

Kashif & Dunia’s track was pretty much the same. Kashif is doing well in his job & it seems Dunia & Sameer have a business collaboration happening in the future, which means the chances of Kashif & Gauhar’s path crossing are highly likely. Let’s see!

Closing Thoughts – Zahid Ahmed Outdid Himself:

Overall, this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was nice but I do feel they should now reveal a bit more about Sameer because they have played a lot that too for a long time with the mystery quotient. All the actors are doing a great job but Zahid Ahmed surely has outdone himself yet again. I am not sure why but I found Gauhar’s mood a little off in this episode, like when she found out that her brother withdrew a huge amount of money, she was terrified to the point that she couldn’t even breathe & threw a fit,  but now when she had just dodged an acid attack, something so serious, she was smiling & chilling just so casually as if nothing big happened. Yes, it was nicely shown that Sameer made sure that she feels comfortable in a private hospital, getting proper treatment but some expression of fear or confusion was definitely needed when Sameer first walked in her room & she had just gotten treated. It looked like Gauhar was absolutely fine & the way she was behaving was as if she just stubbed her toe or something. Just a random thought that ran through my mind while watching this episode because after what had happened, they did not show Gauhar talking about it with anyone, neither Sameer nor Bushra, like no fear or anything. She behaved as if nothing happened which didn’t make sense. Anyways, please share your thoughts about this episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – Interesting Situations:

Ohkay so, these two episodes of Ishq Zahe Naseeb took the story forward but the focus has mainly been on the struggles that both Kashif & Gauhar are faced with. Where Kashif is doing everything selflessly, Gauhar is being put in such situations time & again where she has to forcefully fend for her family. The contrast between both their lives, families & situation is what makes it interesting because while watching either Gauhar or Kashif’s scenes, you always have the other at the back of your mind where you’re drawing a comparison between their situations.

Contrast & Similarities In Gauhar & Kashif’s Lives:

Gauhar has unconsciously started taking interest in reading more pages of Sameer’s life. Even though she is very focused & determined about the job that she has been appointed for, but because Sameer is such a mysterious personality, she can not help but grow curious about him. Sameer has also showcased a very different side of his to Gauhar, which makes her want to learn more about him. So far, she has no feelings for him but she likes getting to know about him & that is nice to see. Gauhar also kinds of feel burdened because she knows how he has helped her & how he has gone out of the way for her.

Gauhar finally found out that her brother Saleem withdrew double the amount that was required. Although for Sameer is it not even an issue but Gauhar couldn’t stop thinking about it because for her, her pride & dignity means a lot. Gauhar felt that by doing something this cheap, Saleem put her in an awkward position in front of Sameer. Gauhar already couldn’t thank Sameer enough but now she was feeling indebted to him even more because she felt her brother cheated & deceived Sameer. Saleem & Zakia are selfish & mean, that is why they always have to come up with one excuse or the other to justify their selfishness. Even though Zakia is mostly held responsible for the things that Saleem does but I won’t blame her only. Saleem himself is quite an opportunist & he has proved it time & again. When he felt that Jahangir would excuse them the loan, he immediately agreed to get Gauhar married to him but when he saw another opportunity presenting itself, he not only called the wedding off but also grabbed some extra amount to help himself.

Kashif finally got his sister married. Dunia got to observe Kashif closely & she couldn’t help having a soft spot for him in her heart. Dunia couldn’t believe that people like Kashif existed who were so selfless & put family members ahead of them. All this while I couldn’t help but notice the difference between the kind of brothers the writer showed us in the form of Kashif & Saleem. Where Saleem was only thinking about himself, irrespective of what Gauhar was going through, Kashif was making sure that his sisters are well taken care of. Kashif & Dunia’s interactions were heartfelt & nicely done. Dunia has started opening up to him more because she has assessed Kashif on a different level, that is why after a long time she feels she can connect to him on an emotional level. Again, she has no feelings for him but yes, she likes the kind of person he is. Dunia feels Kashif will be able to listen to her & understand her feelings, that is why she is opening up a little more & doesn’t mind being vulnerable in front of him.

Sameer’s step mother painted a false picture in front of Gauhar. I am not sure what has made her change her attitude towards Sameer. May be over the years she has grown weaker & with her husband gone, she has realized that Sameer’s the only family she’s left with, that is why she has changed but she continues to be in denial. Sameer’s step mother does not hold herself responsible for anything, rather she conveniently lied to Gauhar & made Sameer’s biological mother look bad. Sameer’s mother is a very conniving woman & she really knows how to play a victim, plus because Sameer has come to terms with her over the years, that has also turned into an advantage for her. However, I would actually like to know what made her change her mind because going by the scenes from the past, we have seen how she mistreated Sameer, so I think a little justification is definitely needed to understand her perspective a bit more. I wish they had actually told what her name is because it is tedious referring to her as Sameer’s step mother all the time.

Gauhar got to see the basement that no one as an access to. The way Noora spoke about Sameer’s mother did hint that she wasn’t what Sameer’s stepmother made her look like though. Anyways, Gauhar got to see things in the basement & they did intrigue her a bit. Gauhar got to learn that in the basement, there was nothing like a usual kid’s stuff would look like, rather it was eerie & odd. Going by the things Gauhar saw, she could totally get a glimpse of the disturbed & traumatic childhood that Sameer has had. It is good that Gauhar is crossing these boundaries because she is getting to learn more & more about Sameer.

As much as I like Khalid Malik’s acting & also enjoy watching him as Jahangir, I actually find myself getting annoyed at the scenes of him & his friends. I don’t know, the vibe, the over-acting & everything about those scenes is just off. I know, these characters are meant to be annoying & negative but still, I have seen a lot of such situations & characters but this situations ticks me off big time. I feel this kind of larger-than-life performance or mannerism is suited for big-screens because on small screen, it is looking like too much to handle. Anyways, Jahangir decided to do that a morally, mentally & ethically corrupt person would do to someone else. He decided to harm Gauhar but luckily, she did try to save herself. Let’s see what happens.

Closing Thoughts – Differently Narrated:

Overall, these episodes of Ishq Zahe Naseeb were interesting & good. I like this drama for the fact that it is differently narrated but I still feel it has some shortcomings. I will say the timing, the chemistry between the characters in general doesn’t sit right. I am not talking about the main leads or the couples but the families & their scenes, like they all at times seem robotic or as if waiting for a cue all the time to say their dialogues. I also feel may be the director asked them to act more than required because a lot of times it looks like they could’ve underplayed to make it all look realistic. However, I will say that I like how a lot of things go unspoken in a lot of scenes, it is like they are understood so they don’t state the obvious, like women looking with sympathy or awkwardly at Dunia when she came to the wedding but Dunia just ignored it because she was used to those kind of stares by now. I liked that scene a lot. All the actors are doing a fab job for sure. Sonia Hussyn has acted brilliantly as well but I have a hard time appreciating her acting during the scenes when she cry-talks. Please share your thoughts about these episodes of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Opening Thoughts – Important Developments:

Ohkay so, the story of Ishq Zahe Naseeb has taken a very interesting turn from the last couple of weeks. It is good to see both Gauhar & Kashif’s journey where they both are dealing with pretty much the same scenarios in their lives but are totally estranged. The pace of the drama has been considerably slow but the overall execution is now making a lot more sense & everything is coming together appropriately.

Kashif & Gauhar Are Focused On Their Priorities:

Kashif was burdened with the fact that he had to deal with his sister’s wedding expenses but he lost his job. Dunya’s father was not only upset with her but he backed Kashif up in front of her too because he knew that whatever Kashif said was nothing but a bitter truth. Jabbar was hopeful that Dunya will come out of this mental state but he saw her dwelling more & more into it & like a concerned but helpless father, he just let her be because he thought this was her way of dealing with her pain & heartbreak. Jabbar knew that Dunya was harsh on Kashif that is why he wanted him back but he was again too scared to hurt Dunya’s feelings. Dunya did realize that Kashif truly respected her for who she was & not because he sympathized with her, that was one of the strongest reasons why Dunya suggested hiring Kashif back.

Sameer could see the difference Gauhar was making in his & his mother’s life, that is why he was keen to get her back to work. Sameer has developed sympathy for Gauhar because he knows her potential & what she is capable of. Sameer also feels that it is unfair for Gauhar to get married to a man like Jahangir who is no match to her whatsoever. Sameer decided to take matters in his hands & that was enough to prove the kind of status Gauhar has earned in Sameer’s house as well as in Sameer’s eyes.

It was interesting to note how Kashif felt relieved when he was hired back but in the meantime he did cross paths with Sameer. Kashif couldn’t stop thinking about how he will now be able to take care of his family efficiently but still at the back of his mind, he had Gauhar. This has to be one of the most interesting aspects of this drama where it has been shown that Gauhar & Kashif’s heartbreak has actually been a blessing in disguise for them, this period of separation has allowed them to focus more on their priorities & because of that they are being able to help their families. Gauhar & Kashif had to do this for their families because there wasn’t anyone else, but if they had gotten married that day, both of them would’ve faced much worse but because they both chose wisely, they are doing something which is benefiting a lot of people around them.

Sameer decided to do what it takes to get Gauhar back to work. Sameer also offered to pay Gauhar’s loan as he knew this was the main reason why she was getting married. Gauhar’s parents though helpless are not any less selfish than her brother Saleem is, especially her mother. Gauhar’s father didn’t have a say when Saleem decided to get Gauhar married to Jahangir but now after Sameer’s proposal to help them out, he immediately thought it would be better to ask Gauhar to not get married at all. Gauhar wants to prove a point to her entire family that she will now do what they had told her to because they didn’t really trust her before, that is why she will now do what it takes to prove it to them. Gauhar has lost the love of her life, so she just wants to take care of her parents debt & that’s it. Gauhar’s brother Saleem & his wife Zakia are just selfish & that is why Zakia wanted Saleem to take full advantage of the opportunity that Sameer had presented them. Saleem not only listened to his wife but did what she said by calling this engagement off.

Closing Thoughts – Interesting Journey Ahead:

Overall, these episodes of Ishq Zahe Naseeb had some important developments to their credit. The change in Dunya’s behavior especially towards Kashif was another important development, she has just accepted the fact that Kashif had a point & that he is a decent man. Sameer has started thinking about Gauhar but it seems Sameera won’t let Sameer enjoy his feelings for her to the fullest. He will continue to fight this battle of guilt where he will be torn between Sameera & Gauhar. This is going to be quite an interesting ride to watch. All the actors are doing a brilliant job & I am actually glad that they have started using instrumental music & the OST doesn’t play as much as it used to in the initial episodes. Please share your thoughts about these episodes of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Introductory Details:

Ohkay so, writing of Hashim Nadeem, direction of Farooq Rind & production of Moomal Productions; one of the most highly anticipated drama Ishq Zahe Naseeb has finally commenced & the first episode was simple & introduced the characters in a very effortless manner. After watching the first episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb, I am glad that they started off on a very simple & straight forward note because we all know that it deals with a very complex subject & character, so I liked this approach of the writer as well as director where they are taking it slow & not just giving too much away in the initial stages.

Cast & Characters:

So we have Gauhar (Sonya Hussyn), a hopeless romantic who lives in a bubble, just like every random girl belonging to a humble family background. Gauhar does not have any big dreams as such but yes, she just wants to get married to Kashif (Sami Khan) & lead a happy life. Gauhar’s plans are simple & sweet but she definitely has no idea what life has in store for her. Gauhar believes in horoscopes, palm reading, fortune telling & all those things that help her live in a bubble of her own & deviate her focus from the actual & bitter world that she is a part of. Kashif doesn’t take her obsession with all of this seriously but yes, he just accepts Gauhar the way she is; silly & sweet. We didn’t get much insight into Kashif’s character but for starters, it was shown that he loves Gauhar a lot & can not imagine his life without her.

Gauhar has not let her surroundings & her family dynamics affect her personality, but that doesn’t mean she is not considerate or aware of what happens around her. Gauhar’s father is unwell, her brother Saleem & sister Bushra (Jinaan Hussain) support the family. Bushra is practical & straight forward, she is someone who believes in finding solutions to the problems that she & her family are faced with. Bushra wants to help her family but because her fiancé doesn’t want her to continue with her job, she finds herself in a bit of a fix. Bushra wants to do everything to make her marriage work but she also wants to help her family. I liked how just a few basic conversations were used to show the mindsets & personalities of all the characters in the drama. Saleem also does a lot for his family but then his wife Zakia has her own goals & she makes sure that her husband obliges.

Gauhar’s paternal cousin Jahangir (Khalid Malik) seems to be an intense & interesting character. He has a different personality & he obviously wants to get married to Gauhar. It seems Jahangir’s father Qayyum is a low-scale loan shark & even Gauhar’s father is indebted to him.

Then comes Sameer (Zahid Ahmed), the central character of this drama. I liked that the writer didn’t give away much about Sameer but just shared a bit of information for the viewers to help them understand his backstory. So far we can not really form an opinion about him but I am sure it is going to be interesting exploring this character. Sameer has probably had a traumatic childhood & it might be linked to his mother (Ismat Zaidi) who even now is probably a very rigid woman. Sameer’s childhood experiences have affected him on a mental & personal level because of which he now suffers from some personality issues. I so want to learn more about Sameer.

Bushra works for Sameer & it seems he has had quite a few experiences in the past. Sameer was engaged to be married to Zoha (Azekah Daniel) & then she passed away. Some people believe she committed suicide while others claim that Sameer killed her. A mystery which will be unveiled later.

Gauhar & Kashif share a dream of living their life together but Gauhar’s told that fate has something different in store for her. She will come across two men in her life & both Gauhar & Kashif will have similar experiences. The first episode basically teased about all of those scenarios which will later give the direction to the story & I am looking forward to finding out more.

Closing Thoughts – Simple For A Reason:

Overall, the first episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb was mysterious, it had a lot going on but still, they kept it very simple & didn’t complicate it right from the beginning. Sonya Hussyn & Sami Khan were impressive & Zahid Ahmed did the best he could given the limited screen time & almost no dialogues in the first episode. We all know there’s so much more to Sameer’s character & seeing this performance of Zahid Ahmed will be a remarkable experience. I will say that if you’re going to watch the very first episode with super high expectations then please don’t because they have kept it subtle & simple for a very good reason as later it is going to get very complicated & intense. I found myself enjoying the first episode & when it ended, I so wanted to see more. Definitely looking forward to what is yet to come. The OST seems nice & the direction was perfect too. Please share your thoughts about this very first episode of Ishq Zahe Naseeb.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.