Ohkay so, some developments in this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay seemed totally rushed & out of place but there were a few bits & pieces that were convincingly done & showed a different perspective. Although I will still say that it was an enjoyable episode because one thing is for sure, as a viewer, I do enjoy watching the reactions of most of these characters. I also like the fact that Mehreen, despite everything mostly never in her favor is not shown to be a typical ‘bechari’. The way she reacts to things & as seen in this episode, giving away a half-truth to Saffan shows that she has her own defense mechanism & knows how to bring herself out of certain situations.

The Confusion & Commitment

Aswad’s character is not really coming across as impressive. So far he hasn’t shown many personality traits that make me like him. His submissiveness in front of his mother seemed a bit out of the blue. All it took was one tantrum from Saleha & Aswad immediately forgot about the committment he sort of had made to Mashal. This highlights one point perfectly that Aswad is a quitter, he doesn’t really believe in taking challenges or emotional burdens & even in the later stages of his life, he will find out an escape as soon as he feels things are not working out for him.

It was a bit too obvious that Aswad will resort to the typical excuse of ‘ammi nahi maan rahin’ & find a way out of whatever he had with Mashal. As a son, his feelings towards his mother & the respect he has for her are genuine but that doesn’t give him an excuse to be a coward who can not make up his mind & back out of his promises. Aswad’s confusion was also elaborated a bit more where he was trying to wrap his head around everything that was going on. He did not expect Shagufta or even Mashal to behave the way they did where they were trying to bring him on their team & gang up against Saleha. I still however liked the fact that Aswad made it clear to them that nothing matters to him more than his mother, therefore he will not entertain any such person who will speak against Saleha. Aswad was quite disturbed with the conversation & didn’t really know how he wanted to react to it all but to add more to his confusion was Mehreen’s answer.

I’m glad the director decided to show a flashback where Mehreen thinks of what Mashal has been doing & how Mehreen warned her lately – this gave a pretty clear picture of why Mehreen decided to accept Aswad’s proposal. This was definitely her way of getting back at Mashal. For me, the most convincing part of this entire episode was Mehreen’s reasoning behind rejecting Saffan. If Mashal hadn’t done what she did, maybe Mehreen wouldn’t have thought of getting married to Aswad. She was actually ready to let go of the love she had for Aswad & was ready to move on with Saffan because she knew this was the escape that guaranteed a fresh start in her life but Mashal took that away from her. Mehreen actually didn’t want the memories of her or her father’s past to haunt her in her future but Mashal ruined it for her. I think her reasons were justified because she has lived all her life with these taunts that the thought of any of it reoccurring in her future was unfathomable for her. It also shows that Mehreen has this surety in her heart that at least in Saleha’s place, she will not get to hear those things. So far, she has no idea how Aswad will treat her but for Mehreen, this seemed to be the right thing to do.

The reactions of all of the family members were quite expected. Mashal’s ourburst, Shagufta & Tahir’s display of disappointment & anger & then Nani’s attempt at emotionally blackmailing Mehreen. I found it rich coming from Nani who even had the audacity to use her ‘connection’ with Mehreen to talk her out of this marriage. As if she was a very loving & affectionate Nani that Mehreen would regard her opinion. I am glad Mehreen stood her ground & let her know that she was never going to say no. The slaps Mehreen received somehow also strengthened her faith that she has made the right decision. It was really interesting to see how this particular decision of Mehreen was driven by so many emotions towards people in her life. It took them years & years to humiliate & degrade Mehreen, but for her, it was just this one single decision that literally took away their peace of mind for the rest of their lives. Mashal is going to suffer emotionally & looking at her, Shagufta will suffer too. I found it amusing with Shagufta telling Mashal that there was no comparison between her & Mehreen – if that was the case, why did she ruin her daughter’s personality by comparing her to Mehreen all her life?

I am glad that from Mehreen’s side, there was a lot more clarity in regards to her decision but when it comes to Aswad, all that I know is he said yes because of Saleha. He was still pretty unsure of what to do but because Mehreen said yes & Rabia showed up with a ring, he surrendered. The post-engagement dinner was awkward & what made it a bit more of it was how both Saleha & Rabia literally turned a blind eye to Aswad & Mehreen’s forlorn faces. I wouldn’t expect much from Rabia because Mehreen has always shown this emotional disconnect to her but Saleha is pretty wise & picks up these intricate details but it seems she was too blinded by her happiness that she failed to see what they both were going through. I must say I loved the scene of Saleha thanking Aswad & showing him how proud she was & how he has always been a source of happiness for her. That scene was brilliantly acted by Huma Nawab, where you could actually see what Saleha was feeling as a mother.

Saffan’s reaction was understandable where he already knew about Aswad & saw his fear materializing but Sheeba’s reaction on the other hand was also quite out of the blue. She has seen how Mehreen has been kind of obsessed with Aswad. For any sane person, it wouldn’t have taken much to realize that Mehreen had feelings for her cousin. All this while Sheeba enjoyed listening to Aswad’s stories but now she immediately cut ties with Mehreen because she called her engagement off with Saffan? Like I said earlier, Sheeba should’ve been a bit more concerned for her cousin instead of listening to Aswad-nama from Mehreen with keenness all this while.

An Interesting Episode

This episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was definitely interesting. There were quite a few continuity issues which served as a distraction but definitely didn’t take away from the convincing performances of all the actors. I will say they have taken their sweet time in establishing Mashal & Mehreen’s characters, their equation & their personalities, therefore it’s about time they take us through Aswad’s character too. It definitely is quite obvious that he too has certain issues, some inhibitions & a few complexes, therefore it is important to learn more about him. I really wish they just don’t show him as a toxic partner & there is more to his personality – even if they are the negative traits that he has displayed all this while.

The engagement scene seemed a bit too random, Aswad’s decision of getting married to Mehreen if she says yes was also quite random too. It also highlighted the fact that Aswad doesn’t believe in taking responsibility because he threw the ball in Mehreen’s court & when she said yes, he was flustered because he was sure that she would say no & that might give him a chance of marrying Mashal. Even when he was speaking to Mashal for the last time in the car, he wanted to make sure Mashal knows that he never really made any promises to her, which is wrong. For a person who has commitment issues, one can only wonder how hard things are going to be for Mehreen after she gets married to him. Direction, acting, background score, editing – each & every aspect gets full points, however, I will say that the story is too plain but the complicated characters definitely make it a very interesting watch. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this was quite an interesting episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay. I enjoyed all the conversations between the characters & liked how Aswad’s confusion was elaborated a bit further. However, I will say that some of the dialogues sounded a bit too typical, which kind of provided comic relief for me & I enjoyed that as an underlying note too.

Pupho/Khala Ka Beta

Aswad is confused about his feelings for Mehreen, that is why he seemed visibly upset at the sight of Mehreen being with another guy. As much as his emotional & mental state was elaborated perfectly & in such a manner that made it interesting to see it all – I will say that Aswad is a typical Khala/Pupho Ka Beta. I know they couldn’t really do much to word his feelings in a better way but all the things he said to Mehreen kept on highlighting the fact that he was a typical conservative controlling man who was just trying to make Mehreen feel guilty for something as nominal as having a meal with someone. However, it is fact that Aswad himself hadn’t figured out why he is behaving in such a way, that is why to add more weight to his notion, he keeps on bringing all those lies up that Mashal has fed him about Mehreen. So far, Aswad hasn’t been able to get to the crux of it, which is Mashal’s hatred towards Mehreen. The moment he will decipher it, he will find it easy to understand Mehreen & seeing her for who she is.

Saffan showed Mehreen that he was going to stand by her & was always going to support her no matter what others say. The messages he got from Mashal could make one think how gruesomely detailed they must have been, which also made Saffan quite concerned too. I am glad that instead of discussing Mehreen’s past with her or trying to get into the details that were mentioned, Saffan cut it short & straight away understood that someone was doing it out of spite for Mehreen. It obviously wasn’t difficult for Mehreen to figure out who it was but still, she wanted to be sure before she did something to get back at Mashal.

Mashal was once again seen trying to fit in a place that probably doesn’t belong to her. It was interesting to note how uneasy Aswad got when Mashal walked into his room. I wondered if he’d come up with a label for her since she didn’t really ask for his permission & approached him the way she wanted to. I am glad in this episode, there weren’t many scenes showing Mashal feeding lies to Aswad about Mehreen, rather the focus was more on Saleha & Aswad & what they both thought about Mashal & Mehreen.

This episode was filled with interesting conversations, but my absolute favorite was the one between Mehreen & Aswad where she showed him his place & told him that he was nobody to dictate how she should lead her life. This is one quality of Mehreen that sets her apart, that she doesn’t allow anyone to say whatever they want to. She fights back always, although later she is seen being hurt & affected by it but in seclusion. She doesn’t want people to walk all over her; at least more than they already do, this is why she resorts to this attitude, which is seen as bitterness by others. Another interesting detail was Aswad’s confession of loving Mehreen, this puts everything into perspective as to why he is getting so affected & frustrated because the things that he is seeing have not turned out to be how he had imagined. I like the contrast where Aswad is in a constant state of confusion, Mehreen is sorted & clear where she knows that she loves Aswad but can not be with him & shouldn’t be with him because he doesn’t love her. All the things she said to Saleha once again highlighted how she didn’t want to be someone who was imposed on Aswad & wasn’t welcomed into his life by him.

The note at which the episode ended was definitely interesting. It is quite obvious that Mehreen will accept Aswad’s proposal only to get back at Mashal. It is unfortunate that a relationship that should begin on a positive note will be so shaky right from the beginning because Mehreen will be in guilt & Aswad will be unsure & confused about the decision made by Mehreen. I really wish Saleha had helped him understand the situation better but at least she tried, so she definitely gets the credit for it.

Well Performed & Edited Episode

This episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was definitely engaging to the point that I kept on waiting for one scene after another. The editing was on-point because of which the episode seemed fast-paced & different scenarios were tackled brilliantly. I really liked Huma Nawab’s acting in this episode a lot. Mahira Khan, Kubra Khan & Haroon Shahid have been brilliant too. Somehow I felt Usman Mukhtar struggled especially in this episode or maybe because he was being such a typical Pupho/Khala Ka Beta that there wasn’t much to be impressed by Aswad. As much as I like how both Kubra & Mahira have performed Mashal & Mehreen, I will say I found it kind of funny to see actresses of their caliber literally fighting over a guy with one saying a typical line to the other such as ‘Aswad mera hai’. Another funny bit was seeing Aswad coming down the stairs as if he was already practicing how to be a ‘sharmeela dulha’, with Mashal being this beautiful confident bride who is on cloud 9 & not nervous at all. I really wish Aswad had gotten better dialogues to say because saying ‘go to hell’ to your cousin just because she was having a meal with a ‘boy’ ‘friend’ reflected more on him than her, lol. Anyhow, the promo of the next episode was interesting too with Mehreen settling the score with one blow. However what’s going to be interesting is to see how Aswad will react & accept the proposal – since he is so typical, he will easily come up with the excuse ‘Ammi nahi maan rahin’. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, one thing has been established so far that almost all the characters in Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay have been introduced. The story is pretty much about the rivalry between Mashal & Mehreen & how the situations are going to pan out differently for them based on their circumstances. Therefore, it now becomes a task for the director to keep it engaging with each passing episode because, at times, stories like these tend to become stagnant with nothing new surfacing & situations revolving around a handful of characters. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay definitely is an intelligently written story exploring the emotions, traumas & struggles of the main characters. Props to the writer & the director for elaborating it all in such a manner where it looks engaging because so far if we look at it, the story in its totality seems to be quite simple & basic.

Aswad Is Here

This entire episode was dedicated to Aswad & how his arrival was going to change the equation shared by everyone now. Mashal seems adamant to score brownie points & she was being helped by her mother as well. While watching Aswad & Mashal’s interactions, one thing was quite clear that for Aswad, this was nothing more than a friendship. This was the kind of impression he gave right from the moment they met, whereas when it came to Mashal. it was obvious that she was smitten by him & was already daydreaming about him being her prince charming.

I will say that at a certain point in the episode, I kind of felt as if Aswad didn’t have anything else to talk about apart from Mehreen but then this was the director’s way of establishing how Mehreen still had a soft corner in his heart. Aswad may not have realized it yet but Mehreen definitely has been an important part of his life, at least his childhood & teenage years, therefore even if he doesn’t pay much heed to it, he can not help thinking or being concerned about her. Mashal has been trying really hard to make an impression but the effort Mehreen put in decorating his room was a reason big enough for Aswad to be impressed by her. I thought he would at least look into the painting a bit more but he chose not to, obviously, he has his reservations & he isn’t completely ruling everything out that Mashal has told him about Mehreen but he too has started to break the ice, which definitely isn’t something that Mashal wants.

The first impression Aswad got of Mehreen was once again quite disturbing for him. Once again showing how easy it is for Mehreen to be misunderstood. It was also established throughout this episode that even Mehreen was tired of being misunderstood & at times she didn’t want to give such an impression but because she is so used to all of this, she couldn’t help it. Although Mehreen never wanted Mashal to feel uncomfortable with the thought of her & Aswad but just because Mashal warned her, Mehreen chose to play along & immediately felt bad the moment Mashal left. While talking to her friend Sheeba, Mehreen made it clear to her that she does acknowledge the feelings Mashal has for Aswad but sadly just because Mashal has made up her mind that Mehreen is going to ruin it for her, she chose not to explain herself. This goes to show how Mehreen doesn’t believe in competing with Mashal but because she is perceived that way, she doesn’t bother much.

Aswad complaining to Saleha once again made me wonder why doesn’t Saleha take Mehreen’s responsibility. However, it was made clear in this episode that she was waiting for Aswad to come so that she could get him married to Mehreen. Saleha knows exactly the kind of life Mehreen is leading in that household, therefore it doesn’t seem to be a wise choice to let her suffer there & only bring her to her place as a daughter-in-law. Mehreen is always quite comfortable around Saleha therefore Saleha should’ve eased her pain even before Aswad came back. Nani once again tried to convince Saleha about Mashal but even she knew that her daughter has made up her mind. It was interesting how Nani exactly knew what Tahir & Shagufta were trying to achieve, whilst also knowing what was in Saleha’s heart too.

The scenes which brought comic relief were nicely done & enjoyable to watch, however at times did seem out of the blue as if they were forcefully edited in. I am still glad that we have a character like Shabo who does what she’s supposed to & brings some kind of relief in overall tense situations. Aswad & Mehreen’s first interaction was nice but what’s better was Aswad acknowledging that he crossed the line & misbehaved with Mehreen. It shows how this apology will automatically put Mehreen’s heart at ease & she will find it easier to be herself in front of him. She will not try to avoid & will interact with him freely. Mehreen will find herself in a bit of a fix now because she has accepted Saffan’s proposal though, & it won’t be long before all the feelings she has for Aswad will be rekindled. Let’s see.

Effortless Performances

This episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was entertaining. I did enjoy most of it but some of the scenes seemed a bit forced like Shagufta discussing the electricity bill with Mehreen & then everyone going on & on about Mehreen at the dinner table. Mahira Khan has given a very impressive performance with each & every expression of hers making it clear what Mehreen is thinking or what she’s going through. Usman Mukhtar fits Aswad’s character effortlessly. Kubra Khan’s performance was effortless in most of the scenes but in some scenes where she had to actually show that Mashal was feeling uncomfortable, she definitely struggled. Once again, the perfect usage of OST & background score. Definitely looking forward to the next episode.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this episode further elaborated the kind of relationship Mehreen has with people around her. A more clear insight was given into her emotional & mental state. Mehreen is the kind of character you actually feel for because of how everything has always gone against her. In this pool of emotionally unavailable people, she has succeeded in finding a few gems who truly wish well for her & want to see her stable & happy.

Lies About Mehreen

In this family where everything is seemingly smooth, due to limited exposure & a high level of insecurities, everyone has made Mehreen a punching bag, an easy target because they know she is alone with no one to come to her support. With each passing day, their behavior, their attitude, their accusations break her into bits & pieces. Mehreen actually is alone, she has been alone since she was a young girl, therefore it is understandable why she puts up a brave face & keeps her emotions bottled up.

It is unfortunate that no one has once tried to understand her, which makes it harder for Mehreen to come clean about her feelings & thoughts that are running through her mind. One would expect a bit of kindness & gentleness from a grandmother but she too is aloof & distant. I will say that Shamim Hilali has performed this character brilliantly but it is turning out to be my least favorite character because she was or even is in a position to do something for Mehreen but she turns a blind eye & adds more to her woes!

Mehreen’s interaction with Saleha was refreshing because it showed how she at least had someone who believed in dealing with Mehreen with utmost kindness & respect. Saleha’s reactions showed that she too was sad seeing how much Mehreen was struggling. Although there was a brief moment where Mehreen tried to hide her emotions from Saleha, but she figured that out quickly. In this episode, one thing was further elaborated that Mehreen is stuck in the past, she is stuck in her childhood & there are bits & bobs of that phase that she keeps close to her heart. She has some level of affection for Rabia when she was solely her mother because she does remember her as a doting & loving parent. The span of 5 years in which Rabia did not come to see Mehreen, as well as Saleha, leaving for Kuwait makes one truly think what a little child must have been through, especially in a place where she was unwanted, where everyone resented her. 5 years is a long long time, especially for a young child who yearns for nothing but love. While interacting with Saleha, Mehreen sounded as if she wanted to reverse the time & go back to that life where everything was perfect, where she was happy.

While watching this episode, I was thinking why Mashal couldn’t try winning Aswad over without putting Mehreen down but then I was reminded that this is all that she knew. This is her approach because she has seen how it might work in her favor. Mashal doesn’t know anything apart from putting Mehreen down therefore she finds it easy to make Mehreen a villain, in a hope that it makes her look good. Mashal has been lying to Aswad without fear of getting exposed because she knows that the two do not interact with each other at all. Those few scenes showcased how disturbed Mashal too is as a person, how twisted she is to come up with so many situations that deprive Mehreen of peace & happiness. Killing her bird, hiding her inhalers every now & then, & turning people against her all the time. Mashal too happens to be someone who needs help to snap out of this negativity that she has been garnering inside of her for almost all her life. The scene where Mashal reads Mehreen’s diary was heart-wrenching. Anyone would feel that way if they find out the hatred someone has in their heart against them but then why was Mashal surprised? She has never given Mehreen a reason to not feel that way about her, instead she added more fuel to the fire by doing all of this!

Aswad’s reaction while talking to Mehreen on the phone depicted how at a certain point in his life he had high regard for Mehreen, how he put her on a certain kind of pedestal & now when he was finding out the bitter truths about her, more than being disappointed he was frustrated. I liked how carefully Aswad picked his words & told Mehreen to stop wasting her life because as a well-wisher, this is all that he could say to her. I think so far, everything was pretty stagnant in Mehreen’s life, there was no relief, no channel for anything good to make its way to her but with Aswad soon coming to Pakistan, things will change for Mehreen drastically. Aswad will be the one who will become a mediator & more than that, he will assess Mehreen with his own sensibilities. He will form his own opinion & will try to make things work for her, something that no one else has tried to do before. I really wish Saleha had at least done something for Mehreen in this regard because like everyone around here knows, Mehreen has a great relationship with her aunt, therefore Saleha should’ve at least tried to change her mothers’ perspective of her.

Convincing Performances

This episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was brilliant & thoroughly gripping. I really enjoyed Mahira Khan’s performance as Mehreen, especially in all those scenes where she was trying to hide what was running through her mind. What I really like about Mehreen is that she is not afraid of standing up for herself. Although she snaps at everyone, which is deemed as badtameezi but it is interesting how Mehreen never tries to clarify or explain herself. It shows that she has given up on it because she knows no matter what she will say or do, her family members are always going to misunderstand her. This is exactly why she behaved with Aswad in a similar manner where instead of getting defensive, she let him think whatever he wanted to. I am happy there is a character like Shabo who brings in some comic relief to this drama.

I did however find some of Mashal’s dialogues & scenes a bit repetitive but I am glad things are about to change from the next episode. Kubra Khan is acting well too but I would like to see more from her. Nani’s dialogues especially about Mehreen’s father are also quite repetitive, it is as if she has nothing else to say. Another scene I found a little stretched was Mehreen unable to find her inhaler. For someone who suffers from asthma, having an inhaler in the bag is a must. She’s always seen looking for it in the drawers, but somehow when she knows this is something that happens with her quite often with Mashal taking it away from her, she should keep a backup at least. The episode was well-shot & directed. I really like the OST & the background music too, it adds depth to the emotions felt by the characters. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, these two episodes of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay were intense & gripping. I will give credit to the director for making Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay so engaging even at this stage of the drama. I will have to say that after a long time, I am getting to see a drama that is going to have a proper wrap-up. Usually, the endings are either rushed or half-baked but this is definitely turning out to be the kind of ending where the viewers will have all their questions answered. I thoroughly enjoyed watching these episodes & I am glad that they have given every single scenario the time it deserved to establish how things were now for Mehreen & how she is getting a chance to tell her side of the story.

It Was Too Late

Aswad is now playing his part in making amends & rectifying the situations. He understands how much damage he has caused & only because he was confused, it ended up ruining Mashal’s life. Although, he is apologetic & now fully understands where he went wrong I still think Mehreen is better off without him. It is understandable that Aswad being Umera Ahmed’s hero will end up getting a second chance but in all honesty, he deserves to dwell in his guilt without Mehreen, trying to bring him out of his misery. Obviously, he will rely on Mehreen emotionally but I still don’t think he deserves a chance.

This entire episode belonged to both Mehreen & Mashal. I must commend the writer for salvaging Mashal’s character & although her story was told in such a manner that I always understood why she was like that, this episode reiterated that in the middle of darkness, Mashal on her own still found the light in her heart to be above what she thought she was. During that particular conversation, I was taken back to where the drama began stating how upbringing & hatred instilled by the adults in the minds of children leave lifelong scars & imprints. Mashal turned out to be this way because her mother chose not to accept her the way she was.

Mashal & Mehreen had so much to say to each other. I loved how their conversation started with bitterness & they navigated through the resentment they felt for each other & found themselves rekindling through those emotions where they truly loved & cherished their friendship. It was truly heartbreaking that by the time Mashal found out how Mehreen felt for her, how even the perfect Mehreen Mansoor envied her for having all those things she yearned for – it was too late. Mashal couldn’t live with the satisfaction that even she was special & that she had some niceness in her too. All her life, she felt bitter, negative & was simply angry for not being the way her mother wanted her to. If Mehreen & Mashal had this conversation some time back, it would’ve saved Mashal from at least feeling all these negative emotions that literally consumed her & deprived her of the peace she was entitled to. I am glad that during their conversation & also when Mehreen spoke to Aswad, there was a repeated mention of Shagufta – Mashal’s mother because, in all honesty, she is the first person who pushed Mashal to this limit. Sadly, even after this incident if Mashal had survived, she still wouldn’t have forgiven herself for attempting to kill Mehreen. It is hard to say but in all honesty, Mashal truly found peace after her death because if that wouldn’t have been the case, she would have to do all the heavy-lifting, all the unlearning herself – which would’ve taken a lifetime.

Mashal & Mehreen also revisited the happy memories they created as kids – it was interesting how both of them remembered so many details from the past, from their childhood. It was as if they both were on the same page & in the middle of this rough patch, they always thought about the good times, almost wanting things to go back to how they were. It broke my heart when just after having a sip, Mashal tells Mehreen that no one told me I was special. She never knew the things Mehreen felt about her. It was heart-breaking yet beautiful seeing how they both were equal in terms of insecurities, vulnerabilities & complexes. Mashal wished to have everything that Mehreen had & Mehreen longed for all those things that Mashal had.

Then came the conversation about Aswad. Mashal knew that despite all her attempts, Aswad was always in love with Mehreen, the idea of how she was & all that she did. Mashal knew she was just chasing after him by becoming Mehreen’s shadow but in reality, she was not. All the things Mehreen said to Mashal after getting engaged made much more sense now because Mashal knew what Aswad meant to Mehreen, that is why Mehreen didn’t feel guilty accepting his proposal. Mehreen knew that Mashal also liked Aswad but she was oblivious of the fact that Mashal was lying to Aswad too.

Mashal saved Mehreen & Mehreen’s expression showed that she knew why Mashal threw her cup. She couldn’t believe but wanted to once again give Mashal a chance because at that moment it occurred to her that Mashal was trying to redeem herself. Instead of making Mashal feel guilty, Mehreen decided this was not the time to embarrass her. Sadly, she didn’t know that it was Mashal who will end up losing her life, hence the regret.

Brilliantly Performed

These two episodes of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay were thorough & well-executed. Each & every scene, each & every frame was crafted in detail, which added more to the drama-watching experience. I must commend both Mahira Khan & Kubra Khan for their flawless performance in these scenes. It was only because of their convincing portrayal that all of this felt so real, touching & heart-breaking at the same time. Kubra Khan’s expressions when Mashal started to feel drowsy were spot on & Mahira Khan’s expression when Mehreen cried while pouring her heart out were simply phenomenal. I am looking forward to the next episode. Please share your thoughts about these episodes of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this entire episode focused on how everyone around Mehreen perceived her as & how Mehreen herself was struggling so much knowing that she had no support & was pretty much on her own. I really liked how subtly so many aspects were covered & were being elaborated. This episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was well directed but in certain scenes, the background music was too loud & served as a distraction.

The Strained Relationships

Rabia well & truly understands that her relationship with Mehreen has been damaged & there is absolutely nothing that she can do about it. Mehreen has become so distant that she doesn’t see her coming back at all. However, just because she is a mother, she tries to show her concern & is also in denial that she is in a position to discipline Mehreen or address the issues people around her have with her attitude & behavior. Mehreen has made it quite clear that she wants to maintain this distance because she has understood that this namely relationship with her mother is not giving her any peace or comfort. Rabia at least tries to do justice to her role but also makes it quite obvious that her hands are tied. More than Mehreen’s, she happens to be Anam & Tooba’s mother, therefore she does feel the guilt but also knows that there is nothing that she can do about it.

I will straight away say that I already dislike Nani’s character. She is a part of the problem & she has contributed a lot to Mehreen’s bitterness. It is unfortunate that instead of owning an orphan & treating her as her own, Nani thought it was perfectly fine to hold her accountable for all the things her father did. Nani’s conversation with Tahir & Shagufta also suggested that Mehreen has been an afterthought & they all are very much comfortable in treating Mehreen this way. Another interesting thing to note was how Nani had absolutely nothing good to say about Mehreen, to her mother behind her back & also to her face. Although Shabo has her own issues but she acknowledged that Mehreen was meticulous when it came to her belongings & her room, these little things show how people around Mehreen see her differently, with most of them only fishing for the negatives. It is quite easy for everyone to blame Mehreen for her shortcomings but no one has once tried to understand what is it that makes Mehreen so bitter!

Mashal’s character got decent coverage in this episode & a bit of insight was given into her personality as well. The thing that stood out the most about her was how she was a carbon copy of her mother; always putting up an act of being nice & sweet but feeling something totally opposite on the inside. This is because Mashal has seen her mother do this all her life, therefore it has become a normal practice for her. Mashal has also been feeding lies to Aswad about Mehreen & this happens to be a conscious effort by her because she wants to make sure that any opinion Aswad had about her changes & he sees her the way Mashal wants him to see Mehreen. Aswad & Mehreen are not in contact with each other & Mashal is definitely making the most of it. It also highlighted Mashal’s own insecurities & complexes, because of which she was painting a wrong image of Mehreen.

It was nice to see that Mehreen at least had someone she could rely on. However, Mehreen still hasn’t allowed her friend Sheeba to know about the realities of her life & her personal struggles. Their conversations were quite interesting because it showed that for a girl like Sheeba who had a normal life, she couldn’t wrap her head around the things Mehreen just so casually said, like not getting the food she liked or why she couldn’t speak to her family members about Safi’s proposal. In normal circumstances, one would assume that Mehreen’d accept Saffan’s proposal & find a way out of this misery that her family members inflict on her but she has not thought on those lines & the reason was presented in the last part of the episode. Mehreen has been holding onto the relationship she had with Aswad. I think it is also because he was the one & only true friend she ever had & that is why she has held this relationship closer to her heart which has now evolved into a love for Aswad. This is the only reason why she hasn’t accepted Saffan’s proposal & because she likes to keep her emotions & feelings bottled up, she couldn’t straight away tell anything about it to either Sheeba or Saffan. The conversation Mehreen had with him also showcased how she suffered from low self-esteem, this is why she told him that he was perfect & she was not!

Nicely Executed

This episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was well-directed. Although I am not too sure of what to think about Shabo’s character yet, I still like the fact that she provides a bit of comic relief in a drama that deals with so many intense emotions. Mahira Khan fits the character of Mehreen perfectly but I wish she had refrained from over-emoting because that would’ve also given this performance a much realistic & flawless feel. Especially in the scene where Mehreen was speaking to Rabia, that was all that I could see. Yes, she was trying to suppress her negative emotions, her anger & frustrations but it has been established already that they both do not share an ideal relationship. I am sure as the episodes will progress, her acting will tone down & her portrayal will look much more realistic. Kubra Khan is doing well as Mashal but with her acting as well, I am sure in the upcoming episodes, she will get into her element & perform much better. Usman Mukhtar is definitely doing well & his acting so far seems effortless & natural.

In some scenes, the loud background music could’ve been avoided, however, the usage of OST is definitely apt. I am not sure if there was a need for flashbacks already when we have just seen those scenes in the very first episode a week ago. I am really hoping Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay doesn’t turn into a flashback galore like Ishq Zahe Naseeb did, here’s to my wishful thinking. Props to the set designers, I really liked the interiors & the color palettes. Definitely looking forward to the next episode. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this entire episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was dedicated to Aswad & the lies that he was fed. I do understand that the writer has tried to show Aswad as a victim of circumstances & now the entire blame is being put on Mashal for what she used to say about Mehreen. However, instead of seeing Mashal responsible for what Aswad went through, I solely & completely hold him accountable for being so obnoxious. I really don’t think falling out of one guilt into another is going to be redemption enough for Aswad!

Mehreen Is Not Guilty

Mehreen was still hallucinating & I was relieved when she spoke to Saleha about it. At least it showed that there was now hope for Mehreen to get better because now she was wording the things that were bothering her. This was definitely the first step that Mehreen took unconsciously to figure a way out of the deep pit that she was falling into. Although Saleha has never really helped Mehreen’s case but the way she told her that Mashal does not exist anymore with a definitive tone did make Mehreen realize a thing or two. That entire interaction between Mehreen & Saleha was done well where it was quite obvious what Mehreen was feeling & how Saleha was shattered seeing what has happened to her favorite child that too in her home, right in front of her!

Aswad found out about everything & more than that, Shabo came clean about the mistake she made which took Mashal’s life as a result. Mashal did not commit suicide which was good to know but unfortunately, it was saddening to learn that she was so driven by her hatred that she was ready to kill Mehreen & poison her tea too. This entire suspense was definitely done well & probably one such thing about this entire drama that kept the viewers guessing & made them look forward to every single episode. With this, I really think we’re now approaching the end of the drama & I must say I am glad they decided to keep Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay short in comparison to the number of episodes that dramas usually run for these days.

It was Shabo’s confession that gave Tahir a clear picture but even after figuring out everything. Shagufta was just not ready to accept what had just happened, more so that Mehreen was not responsible for Mashal’s death. Shagufta has been sickly obsessed with Mehreen her entire life that she just could not take the fact that as much as she wanted Mehreen to be responsible, she just wasn’t. It was nothing short of relief that Shabo finally spoke up & settled everything for good. I will however say that Aswad cutting the ties with Tahir was so out of the blue – hearing him say that made me wonder how & when did he find himself in such a position to say so.

Mehreen’s demand for divorce actually seems like the only right thing she can do. There is absolutely no way for Aswad to be forgiven, especially now when he heard the truth from Shabo. He should definitely be left to sulk in yet another guilt of losing Mehreen only because he chose not to use his own brains & conveniently allowed Mashal’s lies to cloud his judgment. I really think if it was a teenage boy instead of Aswad, I would’ve given him the benefit of doubt considering the tender age but for a mature man like Aswad to behave so foolishly is not an excuse enough to be forgiven. Although the exchange of expressions between Aswad & Mehreen when she sensed some difference in his behavior did suggest that she might give him a chance but in all honesty, that just shouldn’t happen. I am sure the writer has established it really well so far that Mehreen has absolutely nowhere to go, so it won’t come as a surprise if she will choose to stay with Aswad but I will see that as an opportunity wasted where Umera Ahmed could’ve shown that a toxic man like Aswad should never be given a chance – no matter what!

A Decent Wrap Up

This episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was definitely better than the last so many episodes that I have watched. The episode that aired last week was definitely the best after so many weeks. Mahira Khan’s performance throughout has been phenomenal. She has portrayed Mehreen’s character with a lot of finesse & grip. Usman Mukhtar’s performance has definitely improved along the journey but sadly the character of Aswad is simply intolerable therefore it serves as a major distraction from the actor’s craft. I am glad that after a lot of slower episodes, we’re now heading towards the end with some impactful & happening episodes of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, after weeks I can say that this was one intense & very interesting episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay. I will definitely commend the editor for coming up with such a misleading (in a good way) promo last week because it actually had us all guessing that Mehreen might do something irreversible, however as the episode progressed, it came as a pleasant surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay & must commend the director Farooq Rind for taking the story forward in such a manner that it gives us a lot to contemplate about it!

The Breakdown & The Confession

Mehreen was about to cave in, she was finally succumbing to the hallucinations & thought this was the only way out but finally, she got the push she needed to at least do something for herself & that was to not give up. Throughout the drama, they have shown how much Mehreen misses her father & how much she yearns for the love that he used to shower at her, but somehow in this particular moment, they actually put a stamp on how important he is to her. He is not just a memory to Mehreen, he is someone she still looks up to in dismay & despair. It was like Mehreen has always relied on him to guide her through the most difficult situations in her life. Although one can believe that all of this is in Mehreen’s head but if it stops her from doing something so grave, then I am glad her father is still a part of her life & has worked as her strength. Part of it also could be that because she saw how even after his passing away, her father’s name was never cleared, therefore she didn’t actually feel this wasn’t the right thing to do as it would further prove the point in everyone’s mind that Mehreen actually was guilty. This was her breaking point but I am glad she is going to move forward & step up. I really wish after this particular moment in her life, she bounces back & becomes the Mehreen who believed in fighting for herself & is not just dependent on Aswad emotionally.

As much as I feel the entire conversation that the psychiatrist had with Aswad was pulled out from basic research done on Wikipedia, the only dialogue that I found absolutely convincing was her telling Aswad that he too needed a treatment. I kind of giggled when she asked Aswad about the family history of mental disorders & issues because if he would’ve spoken the truth, the answer would be the entire family isn’t normal. Anyhow, it was nice that there was a conversation that happened about Mehreen’s mental health & emotional stability. The way it made Aswad awkward was quite satisfying to see. This is probably the first time someone made Aswad face what he had been escaping all this while. He had to answer, he had to revisit the past & he had to think about all the things he had been doing to Mehreen – the kind of abuse he had been subjecting her to!

The highlight of this episode was Shabo’s conversation with Aswad. It wasn’t just that Aswad opened Mehreen’s room, it was like he opened a pandora box & was now solving one puzzle after another. The moment he realized that his past has been nothing but a lie was again the most important moment of this episode. He found out about the artist in Mehreen, the way she was always a topper, a genius who achieved nothing but success in everything that she did. I am glad none of what Mashal had told Aswad was not forgotten by him because it didn’t take him a second to revisit it all & realize that Mashal was lying to him throughout. The timing was perfect too because he had just witnessed Mehreen’s nervous breakdown, therefore it made it a lot easier for him to understand what was she going through.

As much as I enjoyed this episode, I was left debating whether it was a mistake on the director’s part that there was so much focus on the cup that Mashal used; such as Aswad gifting it to her, Aswad showing the same white mug to Mehreen reminding her of how she poisoned the tea in the same mug & then the policeman also talking about the same white mug & saying that Mashal drank from it. However, in the scene where Mehreen prepares the tea, she takes two black mugs to the room. I am not sure when & how did it switch or was this done deliberately. I also do not understand why the tea was made twice; once when Mehreen had refused to eat dinner & the second time when they both made a truce & wanted to have tea together. In the first scene when Mashal tells Shabo to make tea, she points towards the black cup, clearly showing she prefers the white cup but while Mehreen is making the tea, she puts it in two black cups. I guess it will eventually bring us to that particular confession of Shabo where she speaks about committing sin. She must’ve poured the ‘takat ki dawai wala powder’ into Mashal’s cup, because like she said she knew it was Mashal who took those medicines, not Mehreen. If Mashal had tea after Shabo prepared it, I don’t think it’s normally possible to be left with so much time to have a conversation with Mehreen, make a truce with her & then wait for the tea. Although they didn’t deliberately show what happened after Shabo & Mehreen left the kitchen, maybe they walked on Mashal in that condition but then if we go back to that moment when Mehreen wakes up with the knock of police on her door, she actually seems clueless & has no idea what happened to Mashal during the night. Let’s see.

A Very Convincing Episode

This episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was definitely quite interesting & after weeks, I found it convincing enough to keep me engaged till it ended. Mahira Khan’s acting throughout the episode, especially during the breakdown was superb. Usman Mukhtar’s portrayal of guilt & later disbelief was spot on too. As much as I am glad that Aswad had a reality check, as much as I am glad that he found out about Mashal’s lies, I am not thrilled that he will now become Mehreen’s savior & they both will have a happy ending. Mehreen is weak & vulnerable but I wish they show her being capable enough to walk past this mess & not rely on Aswad purely because he now will have an epiphany & miraculously believe in Mehreen henceforth. He is way too twisted for that. Props to the director for taking the story forward in such an interesting manner where it has once again left us wondering what happened but because the truth has started to unfold, it makes me look forward to the next episode as well. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, I personally enjoyed this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay because it was bizarrely happening & eventful. I still find this drama interesting enough to discuss it week after week, although it still has a lot of such moments which end up feeling pointless to me. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is at such a stage where it will either keep you engaged or force you to stop watching it. Those who will continue will end up finding out what actually happened to Mashal & those who will stop will probably ask others for the details.

Bizarre Yet Interesting

I think it was probably for the first time that Saleha saw Aswad misbehaving with Mehreen & intimidating her. It did upset her but I guess the way she sighed throughout this episode was enough to show that even she knows she can not control Aswad. Saleha has been the sanest person in this entire lot, therefore to see her son turning out to be like Aswad is saddening. I will say, I loved how pointlessly they all gathered at one place out of a million places in Karachi to take the story forward. Aswad has always been friends with Mehreen & Mashal only, therefore to see a supporting actor out of nowhere, acting all friendly with such an unfriendly Aswad was so amusing. Aswad witnessed it himself how Saffan had walked in with his cousin & how Saleha was even present there too but he chose to make it all about Mehreen. I love how everyone in this drama makes everything about Mehreen, it kind of shows how sickly obsessed they are with her.

The entire restaurant sequence was poorly done & the thought process behind it, which was to give Aswad another reason to torture Mehreen was bizarre. I will say after watching so many of her plays, I expect better from Umera Ahmed. Anyhow, Aswad took away all the suits from Mehreen & handed them over to the house-help. It brings me to yet another pointless scene in this episode where Shabbo goes to Nani & says she met Saleha’s maid & found out how Mehreen is being treated by Aswad? It made me wonder when the main members of the two households are not meeting each other, how come the maids figured out a way to meet & have these conversations? Usually, the servants exchange such details when they are tagged along during family get-togethers but that is definitely not the case here. It was again a very sloppy way of connecting the dots & making sure that Nani’s love for Mehreen is put to test by letting her know how miserable she is.

I would’ve loved to see Mehreen fighting it out but seeing her succumbing more & more to Aswad’s torture is so unlike her. The conversation they both have is always so one-sided that it sounds frustrating. However, Mehreen’s one-liners often leave Aswad speechless but they tend to have no effect on him. After Mehreen’s confession of love to Aswad, he did feel something but again, it is so obvious that he believes Mashal so much that no matter what Mehreen says, he will never truly trust her.

Tahir & Shagufta’s conversation was the highlight of this episode. It hinted upon the fact that after figuring out the truth, Tahir has backed out & he feels disgusted that Shagufta is still bent on turning Mehreen into a culprit. All the things he said suggested that he knows what actually happened & he also wants Shagufta to stop. The way Shagufta intimidated Shabbo made it clear that even she knows Mehreen had nothing to do with Mashal’s death but she wants Shabbo to stay quiet so that she can pursue the case against Mehreen & get her punished. This was something that they touched upon in this episode but I remember a few weeks ago, I found it quite bizarre & even spoke about how Tahir & Shagufta are taking it away from Mashal by making it all about Mehreen. It shows the kind of hatred & jealousy Shagufta has harbored in her heart for Mehreen that she has completely forgotten to balance between right & wrong & only wants to have Mehreen punished. Shagufta was the one who wanted her daughter to be like Mehreen & sadly, the seed that she planted in Mashal’s mind & heart is now consuming her too!

Interesting Promo

The preview of the next episode looked quite interesting. I think it will be too late because the moment Aswad will figure things out, Mehreen would’ve done something irreversible too. The way Mehreen’s father peeked through the window was very suggestive of Mehreen meeting the same fate as Mashal. Let’s see. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

ps:

Ohkay so, this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay had some of the moments that were important but the rest of them did not really make much sense. Unfortunately, the drama is in that stage where the story is not moving forward & is in a loop with more or less similar situations & scenes being shown differently. I do understand that every single director has a pattern & direction style. Although Farooq Rind has proved his mettle as a director in the past, the most bothersome aspect of dramas directed by him is the over usage of music in general. It won’t be wrong to say that Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay has turned into such a noisy drama that while watching this episode, I held a remote control the entire time because I was done with the loud music. I am still haunted by what the OST of Ishq Zahe Naseeb did to me & I can totally see this one going down that lane.

Overly Complicated

First & foremost, I really think Saleha needs to stop with whatever she is doing & actually analyze what she wants to do. It is mind-boggling how every single time she tries to get in touch with Saffan, hoping that he will eradicate Mehreen’s problems. What’s sad is that she does this without actually doing anything within her family, like putting things to an end that need to be sorted & then contacting Saffan. It is amusing to see a woman of her age & experience dealing with a person like Saffan so casually as if he owes her something, therefore whenever she feels, she gives him a call in a hope that things will get sorted. Saleha’s character was definitely my favorite & she still is but it seems the writer had a loss of a train of thought at this point & got confused as to what she wanted to convey through this character. Saleha thinks Aswad loves Mehreen while still being confused & hoping to get Mehreen married to Saffan? Just in the previous episode, Saleha was happy that Aswad came back because he loved Mehreen & in this episode, because she didn’t have much to do, she once again spoke about the divorce. It is unfortunate that in a drama where the story is all about intricacies & layers of the characters, a few of them have turned out to be so one-dimensional, including Aswad.

Aswad doesn’t stop being a loser & continues to prove it further. He has never taken responsibility & once again, he made it obvious when he wanted Mehreen to sign the divorce papers before him. It gives him a sense of entitlement & power as if he owns Mehreen & can make the decision for her life. Aswad never took responsibility & never owned the equation that he had with Mashal. Similarly, he is not taking any accountability for playing a part in Mashal’s death & wants Mehreen to bear the brunt, exactly how he wanted Mashal to bear the brunt all alone for falling in love & thinking they had something special going on. At one instance, I did feel as if he wanted to keep Mehreen in his life based on how he used to feel about her in the past but it just showed how his tears stem from the hatred, disgust & disappointment he feels because of Mehreen. As far as these intricacies & complications are concerned, they have been conveyed beautifully & convincingly in this drama but on the whole, it is definitely not an easy watch because of the way it has been tackled by the director as well as the editors.

Mashal’s father Tahir forgave Mehreen but not because of her, only because he found out who actually is responsible for Mashal’s death. Aswad definitely deserved that slap & I am glad he got it. Here’s to hoping that it will at least serve as an eye-opener for him but the Aswad that we know will never see it that way. Instead, he will put the blame on Mehreen once again that it is only because of her that he got slapped. Aswad is completely fine with the idea of Mehreen being the culprit & never once has imagined that someone can see him as a culprit too. I really think they have stretched it a bit too far now with Shabbo not spilling the beans & keeping the secret in her heart. Although the preview of the next episode did suggest something on those lines I won’t believe it until I see her coming clean & telling the truth!

Mehreen’s mental health is deteriorating. It is so unfortunate that none of these fears of hers will ever be addressed by people around her because they are either too busy getting her divorced or tortured. Aswad likes to mentally torture her & Saleha thinks divorce from Aswad & marriage to Saffan will fix all of her problems. Unfortunately, no one is able to understand what she is feeling & what she is going through. I don’t know why after watching this particular episode, I can foresee another suicide with Mehreen taking that decision for herself. There is no way that Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is going to have a happy ending because both Aswad & Mehreen are too complicated & twisted in their own manner so there’s no way they both will ever sort their issues & put all of this behind them. Mehreen has started to feel unwanted, unloved & her depression is consuming her more & more every single day. It will be unfortunate if that happens but will be interesting if the writer comes up with something entirely different than that. The Mehreen that we’re seeing now has become too submissive & is still not fighting enough for herself. The scene where she comes asking Aswad for clarity from Tahir seemed too unconvincing. She should fight more & not let her inner demons consume her but at this stage, her character seems to be going that route only!

Too Loud

This episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was alright to watch. Sadly, some of the scenes were so pointless & repetitive that they literally made no sense. In the initial episodes, I actually appreciated how there were some scenes in every episode where there was no background music but that seems like a luxury now. Too loud, too unnecessary. I really think its high time Shabo tells the truth to everyone. Tahir found out about Aswad being the reason behind Mashal’s death, might as well find out about the sleeping pills too! Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay, my ears still hurt with all the music though!

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, the characters & their intricacies in Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay are still quite interesting but unfortunately, the way the story is being taken forward through certain situations seems to be quite pointless. This is the only word that popped in my mind while watching this episode. There were so many moments that I felt did not make any sense & it is actually quite sad that for a drama as engaging as Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay, it has come to that stage where I as a viewer am struggling to watch it!

Pointless

The very first thing which seemed absolutely ridiculous to me was Mashal’s picture in Mehreen/Aswad’s room. Even if it was in the guest room that was in Mehreen’s use, what was Mashal’s picture doing over there, especially now that it has been established that Mehreen gets triggered by it & she starts hallucinating? Aswad was gone, Saleha is a very easy-going mother in law, therefore no one could’ve stopped Mehreen from getting rid of that picture. They have already shown that Mehreen has been thinking about Mashal non-stop, therefore they didn’t have to make it so definitive by putting a picture of Mashal on the nightstand because that is not the place where it belonged & not even the house to be honest!

I am sorry but the reason why I really liked Mehreen’s character was how she was a fighter. With everything going against her, she still pushed through. Yes, her mental health is deteriorating, therefore such slip-ups are expected from her but the Mehreen I know is definitely NOT someone who would wear a saree & put on the pinkiest shade of pink to impress Aswad, that too because Saleha Khala asked her to. It would’ve been better if they had stopped it right there when Mehreen told Saleha that she was not going to wear a saree. Alright, she wore one because she wanted to respect Saleha’s request but the way she reacted to it was obvious that she wanted to impress Aswad too & when that didn’t happen she was upset. Mehreen has always been the kind of person who has known what to do, therefore to see that changing does not really look convincing.

I am not sure what has happened to Saleha? For her to believe that Aswad has come back because of Mehreen & the love he has for her is plain stupid – that’s the only word that can be used to describe the way she has been analyzing this situation. I mean her son literally left the next morning of his marriage to Mehreen, he has not called her once & has not been keeping in touch. He doesn’t like to talk about her & this was evident right before the marriage, so how can she believe that it’s a normal marriage & that her son intends to keep it healthy? The flashbacks have also stopped making sense because the conversation they showed between Mehreen and Aswad actually seemed confusing. Mehreen graduated recently and ever since Aswad came to Pakistan, they both have had tiffs on the phone and in person. It was established that since 5 – 6 years, Mehreen and Aswad were not in touch and Mashal was the one who would tell him everything about what was happening in Pakistan, so to see Mehreen randomly telling Aswad that she has graduated was again pointless. Yes, the director has relied heavily on the flashbacks to add another dimension in the current situations, but this one was a miss!

As far as Mashal and Mehreen are concerned, it makes sense that they turned out to be this way because of their childhood traumas and experiences, but looking at Aswad being simply vile in this episode made me think about why he was being this way. Aswad seemed like a normal child who had the most normal childhood as well. He was loved and acted as if he was being raised in a good environment, therefore I think it is safe to believe that the way his personality has shaped up now is not a result of his childhood. Keeping that thing aside, it can be easily claimed that he has turned out to be this way ever since he got in touch with Mashal & now her death has left him shattered. Therefore I will not blame Saleha or even his childhood for that matter, he grew up to be a normal person but he himself lost the plot after he started believing Mashal’s version of things. In this episode, he saw Mehreen’s condition & how rattled she was, but it took him only one dialogue from Mashal’s memory to believe that Mehreen was putting up an act. It is frustrating to see such a dumb character like Aswad who chooses not to believe or even analyze the situations based on his own mental capabilities. He is conveniently comfortable in seeing things from Mashal’s perspective. To be honest, it was understandable at the beginning of the drama but at this stage, to see Aswad not changing this pattern at all is very frustrating and off-putting & because of that, I put the entire blame on him for being so vile!

The whole maafi talafi scene was also a bit of a stretch. It seemed as if it was planned to give Shagufta a bit of a margin to say what she wanted to. The way she behaved was another story. The close-up shot of the house-help crying was again pointless. The director has definitely put the emotions to good use & right from the beginning has set the tone perfectly but now seeing the story going around in the loop & not making any progress is not doing the drama any favors. Also, they really need to cut down on the music & the overuse of the OST. No doubt they have all the reasons to be proud of what Azaan Sami Khan has created but they better not use it till the audience starts getting sick of what otherwise is a beautiful song!

Brilliant Acting By Mahira Khan

Mahira Khan was the star of this episode for sure. Her acting and performance were simply brilliant but I am really not happy with how Mehreen’s character is turning into a ‘bechari’ which she was not before her marriage. I liked a few instances where she gave it back to Aswad & also didn’t hold back in saying that maybe Mashal had committed suicide because of him. This part of Mehreen is what I want to see. Yes, she is allowed to feel vulnerable & deal with her traumas her way but for her to act according to how Saleha wants is definitely not necessary & makes her character look weak. Well, after watching this episode & seeing how everyone has been reacting, I must say one should ask Nani how she raised her children that not even a single one of them turned out to be decent human beings & they carried that forward in their children too – sad! Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this turned out to be quite a slow episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay. There was absolutely no progress in the story & it seemed like we were back to square one with the case once again being opened against Mehreen & everyone around her being focused on putting her behind bars.

Repetitive & Slow

I actually feel we have invested a lot of time in understanding what Mehreen thinks and what she feels, therefore most of the scenes that covered her feelings & emotions actually seemed repetitive. Mehreen knows what the truth is but somehow, even she has been feeling guilty because no matter how much she resented Mashal, she never wanted to see her dead. The guilt is now creeping in & it can be clearly seen with how Mehreen behaves.

Aswad continued to be the loser that he is. I really wish there was more to his scenes apart from him throwing his phone carefully on the bed in a hope that he doesn’t end up with a cracked screen. I guess Aswad has invested a lot of time in believing the lies but it is unfortunate that he is choosing to side with it & not really trying to analyze the situation. As if Aswad didn’t have enough reasons to hate Mehreen that he has now found another grudge against her in regards to his mother. Saleha really doesn’t know or understand her son, therefore she thinks ignoring him will get the message across. Saleha can clearly see how Aswad is punishing Mehreen, therefore what makes her think the way she is dealing with him will help the situation? All this while I actually thought I could rely on Saleha but she is turning out to be just as unreasonable as others in the equation.

At this point, I do feel the drama has become quite stagnant & now there will be an influx of flashbacks and slow-mo’s. I also found the background score & music to be quite loud in this episode, that at one point I hate to mute it because the scene seemed never-ending. I would hate to see this happening to Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay because so far, the pace of it is what has kept this drama quite interesting & worth watching.

Honestly speaking, I have stopped feeling sympathy for Tahir & Shagufta. While Mashal was alive, it was all about Mehreen for them & even after she has passed away, it is once again all about Mehreen. They have lived all their lives wishing their daughter was like Mehreen & now when she is not in the equation, they are hating the same person they actually idealized to be the star-kid. I do understand this is how the entire equation must’ve been written in the novel but seeing it repetitively is actually making me feel for them less & less!

In this episode, the change in Nani’s attitude was noticeable. She has finally started addressing the elephant in the room & seems upset about how her children are not on talking terms anymore. Nani also missed Mehreen which actually goes to show that no matter what she said to her, deep down she was fond of her too & loved Mehreen to some extent. I really wish there was more to Rabia as well. Seeing her talking about her husband & his concerns every single time makes her character quite plain. I really think Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is the kind of story that needs to be told with proper pacing because if they will slow it down, things will become boring real quick.

Take The Story Forward Please

The preview of the next episode also didn’t really promise much. I really think it’s high time that Shabbo tells the truth because it is quite obvious that she has been guilt-stricken & realizes that she has committed a grave sin. The conversation she had with Nani also showed that she is actually scared of Shagufta & knows that she has nowhere to go, therefore she is trying to save herself as well. Let’s see when the guilt will get the better of her & she will spill the beans – but yes, it’s high time. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, with this, the new chapter of Mehreen’s life has begun. This episode was definitely packed with emotions, not only those of the characters but also all such emotions that I felt while watching everything that unraveled. I must say, this was one well-directed episode because the way the director kept on showcasing the thought-process of all the characters by relying on the flashbacks was simply brilliant. He intelligently hinted at all those aspects without needing any dialogues or conversations. After a break, I actually enjoyed this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay and am looking forward to how things are going to roll for Mehreen.

Aswad’s Plan

Well, let’s just say the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. All this while, I have put my faith in Saleha & have always said that she seems to be the sanest of all but she left me baffled with how shallow she looked. I just couldn’t believe that she was so emotionally disconnected with her only son Aswad that she failed to see his intentions or if not all of it, at least have an idea of what was brewing in his mind. Saleha took Aswad’s irrational behavior as his love for Mehreen!?! On top of that, she actually seemed happy about the fact that Aswad just barged into the room & literally embarrassed not only Mehreen but his entire family in front of Saffan’s family. This particular behavior of Saleha made me question her sensibility & most important her connection with her son. I won’t deny Saleha has been a motherly figure & I have actually loved her character every time she has stood up for Mehreen but that doesn’t mean the writer had to show her so aloof to Aswad’s feelings & his behavior. At one point in this episode, I actually found myself blaming Saleha for this entire mess!

I must say I loved the way Saffan’s mother spoke to him clearly & told him how she doesn’t want him to become a part of the mess that Mehreen’s family is. She was honest with Saffan while still being respectful of his feeling for Mehreen. I think she couldn’t have said any better. Saffan actually wanted to give Mehreen another chance but after all the things Aswad said, I could understand why Saffan felt the way he did. I loved the fact that after assessing the entire situation & seeing the psychotic streak in Aswad, Mehreen actually decided to find an escape. She just didn’t settle for Aswad quietly & although this is what happened, she at least tried on her own.

The scene between Saffan & Mehreen was heart-breaking. It was Mehreen’s last resort & knowing her, one could imagine how hard it must have been for her to curb her inhibitions & fears to approach Saffan. She actually left Aswad’s place for good & the flashback was my favorite. This was the time when she actually wanted his support but sadly, it was too late. The flashback of prison also was a reminder of the fact that Saffan went from being supportive to someone who was now aloof & also became one of those who chose not to believe Mehreen. All the things Saffan said were enough for Mehreen to know that she could never change his perspective & her worst nightmare had been materialized because Saffan was choosing to believe things he had heard from Mashal. This once again reminded me of how Mashal was still haunting Mehreen & was very much controlling her life, even after she’s gone!

Well well well, talking about Aswad. He is plain evil & that’s the only way to describe him. Yes he is guilt-stricken, yes he is also a victim of these circumstances, yes he could not protect his love BUT that does not mean he now punishes Mehreen only because he thinks she is the culprit. It is like Aswad is so entitled to think he can actually take matters in his hands & come up with his idea of how he should go about it – while completely depriving Mehreen of her basic right to protect or at least explain herself. Aswad made it very clear to Mehreen that he wanted to punish her, hence the marriage. While watching that scene & looking at Mehreen, the only thought that ran through my mind was how I’d love to see Mehreen coming out of this stronger. She has lost the last bit of hope that she once had, which probably was that her marriage to any stranger might save her & rescue her from the daunting past but sadly, she has fallen into a deep pit with no escape whatsoever. I really wish the way Mehreen’s character has been written, she actually fights for herself & doesn’t just give up, accepting this to be her fate!

This was yet another moment in this episode where I actually felt like blaming Saleha. After her apology to Mehreen, I was in disbelief that it took so much for her to realize that she should not have gotten Mehreen married to Aswad. She was the one who stopped Aswad from marrying Mashal. She can clearly see what she has done & how she has ruined Mehreen’s life. I feel her request to Aswad for not judging Mehreen holds absolutely no importance because it is not as simple as she thinks it is. Also, it brings me to that point where even in such a grave situation, she chose not to explain everything to Aswad & just thought telling him to not be judgmental was enough. How come Saleha can not see what a twisted person her son has become & how this entire scenario has affected his personality, his thought process & his behavior. She can give him a cold shoulder all that she wants but not addressing the root cause is the main problem!

Well Directed

This episode belonged to Mahira Khan for sure. Usman Mukhtar acted brilliantly in those scenes where Aswad actually exposed himself in front of Mehreen & let her know what his intentions were. Mahira Khan looked stunning in the scene right after the Nikkah. I wish the makeup artist had chosen a better lipstick shade during the Nikkah scene, it was too stark & an outdated shade of pink. The preview of the next episode also seems quite interesting. I am glad Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is turning out to be so interesting which gives so much to talk about. Although I will say at one point I did feel all of this was only because Aswad was led to believe all the lies about Mehreen & he chose not to use his brains, but only because it has been directed so well, all of this becomes quite interesting. I will also say that the childhood scenes of Mehreen, Mashal & Aswad are always heart-breaking. Who would’ve thought that such beautiful kids will end up becoming so twisted & victims of their circumstances. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay further elaborated Aswad’s mental condition & the extent of guilt that he was feeling. All this while, at times it did look like Aswad himself was a victim of circumstances & was feeling guilty because he kind of held himself responsible for all that has happened but the twist at the end of this episode was enough of proof that Aswad is a plain vile person who is not ready to face the brunt of this trauma alone!

Aswad’s Guilt

In this episode, I liked how Saleha wanted to see Mehreen move on. She never once held Mehreen back in a hope that Aswad might change her mind. Although they haven’t shown it but maybe this is also Saleha’s way of making amends because she has seen how Mashal couldn’t deal with the rejection & also how much her son is suffering too. Saleha was adamant to get Aswad married to Mehreen but after all that has happened, it is good that she is not bent on repeating the same mistake. This change has definitely come with a hefty price but better late than never. It is nice to see Saleha being respectful of her son’s decision & although she facilitates him, but what I really like about her character is how she is still a very independent person who does what she wants to. Aswad wanted Saleha to move to ‘Amreeka’ with him but she clearly refused as she is very much settled here.

Mehreen has definitely had her inhibitions & because she is someone who has kept all her vulnerabilities to herself, she kind of feels exposed in front of Saffan. All this while, it was pretty obvious that Mehreen’s heart & also her mind was not into this marriage but she was doing her best to move on because she knows how painful her presence is to Aswad & how it is also creating problems for Saleha. Even Saffan could notice that Mehreen was mentally absent & to some extent emotionally unavailable but still, he chose to be accepting about it because he understands what she has been through. It is truly refreshing to see a character like Saffan in general but also when he’s seen against Aswad, Saffan is a clear winner!

As much as I like seeing Aswad in this state, I am still not a fan of the fact that he absolutely has nothing more to him. Before the death, Mashal was clouding his judgment & now it’s the police officer who decided to fill in. I am not sure why was the police officer shown having a soft corner for Mehreen when he himself is very much like Aswad who sees Mehreen as the culprit. I must say the director has done a commendable job in still not giving away the details related to Mashal’s death. The scene of Shabo’s flashback of the night still had me thinking maybe these expressions of Mehreen are Shabo’s interpretation & maybe when they will reveal what actually has happened, Mehreen’s expressions would be completely different. This was just what I am imagining, let’s see what happens when we’ll get to that part.

The scene of Aswad coercing Mehreen to kind of confess was definitely not needed, although it was performed well by both Mahira Khan & Usman Mukhtar. Aswad is doing exactly what he did with Mashal, he blamed her for falling in love with him. Similarly, he is now forcing Mehreen to bear the brunt of his guilt. Aswad knows exactly if he had been firm on his decision of marrying Mashal, this wouldn’t have happened but because he is failing to hold himself responsible completely, he now wants Mehreen to lift the weight off of his shoulders.

This episode definitely ended on an interesting note. It was quite unpredictable but goes to show how vile Aswad has become that he would do anything to deprive Mehreen of her peace of mind, only because he has now decided to do something about all the lies that have been fed to her. It is unfortunate that he now has an opportunity to unlearn everything about Mehreen & see her from a different perspective but he is so blinded by the lies unfortunately that he is choosing to punish Mehreen in this sick manner. I must say, although both Mehreen & Aswad are victims of their circumstances (Aswad less) but the way they both are twisted makes this entire equation quite interesting. Mehreen was never ready to get married to Saffan the moment Aswad stepped in, she has always used him as an escape to her realities. Now because she feels he deserves better & probably because she feels exposed in front of him, she is ready to let go of him yet again.

Convincing Performances

This episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was quite interesting. I am however looking forward to the next episode, hoping to see a story moving to the next phase. I am not sure if it’s just me but all the flashbacks of Mashal are very saddening to see. Kind of makes me feel for her quite a lot. Mahira Khan has performed beautifully throughout & her performance keeps on getting better. I really like Saffan’s character, it is like a break in the middle of this chaos but sadly, his character will exit the story soon. Haroon Shahid has done justice to such a nice character. Usman Mukhtar has played Aswad’s role convincingly too. A flashback where he gifted Mashal a cup & smiled at her suggested how emotionally involved he was with her but seeing how easily he broke her heart once again highlights how cold-hearted he actually is. Let’s see what’s in store for us. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, it was a slow but very interesting episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay. The thing I like the most about this drama is that each & every episode gives you so much to think & talk about. This goes to show that even if a story is simple if it is executed intelligently backed by strong performances, that is enough to make it a drama worth watching. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay has definitely become one such drama that I actually look forward to every week.

Mehreen Isn’t Guilty

The best moment of this entire episode was how Mehreen was taken back to the thought of her father & the things he would say to her every time she misbehaved with Mashal. This was enough of a hint to prove that Mehreen did not do anything irrational to Mashal, even if she wanted to. It showed that because Mehreen has such high regard for her father, she holds him dear to her heart so much that even after so many years have passed by, she still acts according to what she believes he would’ve said to her. I loved the fact that where everyone around her was bent on proving that she was the culprit, in her heart, Mehreen had this satisfaction that she hasn’t done anything of such sort & she is the only one who knows what her reasons are. No matter what others continue to say, Mehreen will never give away the fact that she still follows her father’s words.

I must also appreciate the fact that no matter what happens, the director never fails to take the viewers back to Mehreen’s childhood events, to connect the dots & keep us reminded of how much she has suffered. These kinds of flashbacks are definitely adding more value to each & every episode for sure. This time around, the flashback of Rabia’s wedding day showed what it was that caused Mehreen to drift away from her mother. Rabia was ‘majboor’ back then & she was ‘majboor’ even now. It is unfortunate that Rabia expects Mehreen to ‘always’ understand her reasons & justifications, without even allowing her to feel upset. Rabia may have been a victim of circumstances too, but the least she could’ve done is being there for her daughter when she needed her the most!

I can not believe that Aswad saw Mehreen’s asthama attack as lying & manipulation. Just when he was thinking about Mehreen after he saw her in that condition, I was kind of happy that he was now going to give Mehreen the benefit of doubt & might start seeing her through her eyes, but at this point, I feel sorry for him. He is so blinded by the lies & is not ready to let go of the things that have been fed to him against Mehreen which makes him a very weak character.

In this episode, I was also disappointed in Saleha. All this while, she has been the voice of reason but she fails to see the kind of destruction her ‘wish’ of seeing Aswad & Mehreen married has brought to this entire family. Saleha now wants Mehreen to settle with Aswad & the reason given to Rabia was that she doesn’t want her entire family to drift apart further? If that was the case, why didn’t she think about breaking hearts when Aswad let her know that he was interested in Mashal? All the flashbacks of video clips that Mashal used to send to Aswad were very heart-breaking. It kind of suggested that apart from having a very dominant trait of hating Mehreen; Mashal was her own person too, where she knew how to be happy & had certain dreams related to Aswad – her special someone. Although it is sad that Mehreen is being made to face the brunt of it, I am glad that Aswad is suffering too due to the guilt of letting Mashal down. Also, all those videos were enough for Aswad to know that Mashal was madly in love with him, therefore for him to come to Pakistan & back out of this equation saying he didn’t make any committments to her make him an evil person. Aswad knew exactly to which extent Mashal was mentally & emotionally involved in him, so what he did only because ‘Ammi nahi maan rahin’ is cruel!

As much as I do understand the dishevelment of both Tahir & Shagufta, I would’ve liked if they had shown their reactions to be a bit subdued, considering the amount of time that has passed after Mashal’s death. An ounce of Sabr, some control would’ve been good. This made me think how disrespectful all of this was for Mashal, that even after her passing, her parents were more focused on Mehreen than Mashal. I do believe this is not what has been shown but this is how I perceive it, maybe because as much as their reactions are realistic, I wish their emotions were a bit in control. This also effortlessly highlighted how they both were Mashal’s parents; with extreme reactions & extreme emotions, which is why this is exactly what they taught Mashal as well! At this point, I find Nani’s character irrelevant but let’s see if she has any redeeming qualities because it seems she is going to have a conversation with Aswad!

Mahira Khan Stole The Show

The preview of the next episode was definitely intersting too because it looks like Aswad is going to find out the truth & Shabo will be made to confess too. I can not wait to find out what actually happened. I must say, the director & editors have done a commendable job at keeping it all a mystery & playing along those lines. It actually keeps one guessing, especially those who have not read the novel. I am definitely enjoying Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay & can not wait to see the rest of the episodes. The story of this drama might be a bit predictable but I still enjoy the fact that despite knowing what is going to happen, the thought of what ‘should’ happen keeps you thinking about it more & more. Props to Mahira Khan for being the star of this episode, each & every scene depicted Mehreen’s struggles, her anguish, her disappointments & grief beautifully. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this episode focused more on what Mehreen was going through & how everyone around her was either trying to ruin her life or doing what they could to save her. The story of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is being told in a very impressive manner & I definitely like the treatment Farooq Rind has given to it. There is a lot of intrigue, curiosity & thinking that is evoked while watching every episode, which definitely makes it one of the strongest dramas on air right now. The actors also deserve full points for such convincing performances because they have elevated the level of this drama.

Quite Intriguing

I so wish Mehreen would give Saffan another chance, but sadly we all know that might not be the case here. He has been there for her through thick & thin but sadly, because Mehreen values the love she has for Aswad more than anything else, she will land herself in a marriage with a man who will continue to judge her based on the lies fed to him. There would be no point of the story if Mehreen will pick Saffan over Aswad but I so wish she does that because he has shown how selflessly in love he is with her. It is interesting how Mehreen gets to see the perspectives of both these men, with Saffan, never judging or questioning her & then there’s Aswad who leaves no opportunity in letting her know that he believes in those lies more than he believes her. The scene where Saffan assured Mehreen that he didn’t come to ask for her justifications or answers, he was only there to help was the best moment for me. It is always nice to see such caring & courteous characters who are so not judgmental, it actually is very refreshing.

I think the drama is now at that stage where I’ll definitely stop blaming Mashal & purely hold Aswad accountable for being so blind. Despite seeing how miserable Mehreen looked when Saleha when to see her, he chose to remind himself of all the things Mashal had said about Mehreen being mean & not in love with him. This was yet another difference that stuck out like a sore thumb that where Saffan chose not to ask Mehreen anything, Aswad was yet again making it all about Mehreen not loving him & having relations with different men. I mean this just shows how low Aswad can stoop that he completely invalidated the trauma Mehreen was facing, isolated, in jail, dealing with everything on her own but he completely ignored it & made it all about himself yet again.

Mashal did what she did but now it is Aswad’s duty to take off the blindfold & stop being so dimwit. In this episode in particular, I thought to myself how nice it would’ve been if there was something more to Aswad than just being a man confused between the lies he has heard & the reality he is seeing – which by the way he is capable of analyzing himself. It is high time Aswad reflects on what the truth is. What makes it a lot more frustrating is that every time Aswad speaks to Mehreen, he has this tone which clearly shows that is not going to believe anything that she’ll say & that in his mind, he is quite sure of how she is the culprit no matter what. In this entire episode, this fact was highlighted multiple times, which makes his character quite one-dimensional & tunned-visioned!

Shagufta’s confession to Mashal was heart-breaking but sadly, it can not undo what has happened. That scene was necessary to be shown because it highlighted a mother’s guilt & probably was a silent confession of her wrongdoings. Sadly, Shagufta yet again fails to be the bigger person to realize that everyone around Mashal played a part in what actually has happened, therefore putting the entire blame on Mehreen is not going to bring her any peace – that too in case of a murder which doesn’t seem to be the case!

I totally think Shabo’s character will be used to sway the audience’s attention & keep the intrigue in the story. She definitely is hiding something & I do think there was some negligence on her part that led to Mashal’s death but she is too scared to admit it. She knows exactly what happened but is not sure when she will muster up the courage to speak the truth. So far, Saffan is trying to help & Aswad too has gotten on board to bring Mehreen out of the jail, but not sure how they will come to the conclusion that Mehreen has nothing to do with what happened. I must say I giggled the moment Shagufta lashed out on Aswad, chalo koi to hai jo ye kar sakta hai!

Brilliant Performances

This episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was definitely quite interesting. I am sure everyone by now knows how I am never a fan of slow-paced episodes, but when it comes to Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay, I find this treatment justified, especially with these two latest episodes. Zainab Qayyum & Ali Tahir were the stars of the show, I really liked their performances. Mahira Khan has been brilliant too. I must also add, Kaif Ghaznavi is a perfect choice for Shabo’s character, especially now at this stage where it is quite obvious that she is hiding something, I think her casting has been justified. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, written by Umera Ahmed, directed by Farooq Rind & produced by Nina Kashif & Momina Duraid Productions; Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is based on the widely-read novel of Umera Ahmed. This also happens to be the drama that marks the return of Mahira Khan on television after years & after watching the very first episode, I can already see why the big names decided to associate themselves with this project.

Characters, Introduction & The Story So Far

The first episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay established the equations that all the main characters share with each other. The most common theme of the story is the involvement of three cousins & how their lives have been intertwined. The direction was pure Farooq Rind fashion with a lot of slow-mo’s, OST & loud background music, however, the way it unfolded & ended definitely makes me look forward to it. First & foremost, I will definitely appreciate the attention to detail with which the characters & their looks were designed. I could immediately see the similarities in the features because of which the kids were picked to portray the young age of the characters. Also, all of the parents & the grandmother looked young in those scenes & the moment Shamim Hilali showed up after the time-lapse, it was beautiful how her character had aged, even the difference in the body language made it obvious. The credit goes to the actors as well as their stylists who made sure to do justice to this aspect of the time & age difference.

The theme that was established in this entire episode was how the events & surroundings affect children & contribute towards their character building. I liked how it was implied that regular & casual conversations that parents deem normal, end up being a lot more damaging than they think. Everything that happened in Mehreen’s life when she was young was enough to shape her character but Mashal who seemingly has had a normal childhood turned out this way only because of the undue comparisons & behind-the-door conversations she heard from her mother. It was interestingly shown how on the surface people tend to put up an act to make it look like everything is normal & fine but the reality is quite opposite.

Mehreen’s (Mahira Khan) parents Rabia (Laila Wasti) & Mansoor (Omair Rana) led a normal life until Mansoor got involved in illegal activities & developed alcoholism. It showed that before Rabia figured everything out, she had an ideal life with her husband earning well & her Mehreen being the ideal child. Mehreen happened to be everyone’s favorite which obviously led Shagufta to draw unnecessary comparisons between her & Mashal. This comparison only stemmed from her own insecurities & complexes but instead of addressing it the way she should have, she found it easier to just give words to her negative feelings, without thinking about the consequences & how she was causing a dent in her child’s self-esteem.

Mashal (Kubra Khan) is Shagufta (Zainab Qayyum) & Tahir’s (Ali Tahir) only daughter. She happened to be that child who not only listened to what her parents talked about but also spoke about it because it was something absolutely normal for her. She was exposed to such negative thoughts, mindset & conversations that without even realizing it, she imbibed it in her personality. Aswad (Usman Mukhtar) happens to be the son of Tahir & Rabia’s sister Saleha (Huma Nawab). Saleha lived in Kuwait & now it seems she has moved to Pakistan after her husband’s passing & Aswad is working abroad.

The first episode established the equation between all the characters. I will however say that for a grandmother (Shamim Hilali) to say ‘bhar mai jaye Mehreen’ sounded a little unrealistic because no matter what happens, in such situations, people are the most concerned about kids. I found this dialogue problematic & unrealistic in this regard because in general, this family was shown to be loving towards Mehreen & also the kind of family that had high regard towards all the members. It was also suggested that maybe Mehreen’s mother re-married that is why her grandmother informed her that Rabia will be coming with her daughters. All the actors played their parts well but in some of the scenes, their acting seemed a bit caricaturish & a bit exaggerated. Aswad has grown into a decent & charming man, but he also made it obvious that he too has some personality issues & his father seems to have been contributed to it. It was nice to see how each & every character seemed so layered in the very first episode because this mostly happens as the drama progresses but in Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay the director made sure to establish it right from the beginning.

The interactions between Mehreen & Mashal were enough to show the kind of sour relationship they both have. Mashal doesn’t like Mehreen & Mehreen not only knows that but reciprocates it as well. I kind of feel bad for Mashal because she wouldn’t have turned out this way if her mother hadn’t done what she did when she was a child. Mehreen has her own baggage, especially because she saw how her parents’ marriage fell apart & then how her father passed away all miserable & helpless. She shared a beautiful bond with her father though & that explains why she still dreams about him.

A Solid Beginning

The very first episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay was definitely well directed & laid a solid foundation for the rest of the story to unfold. I can already see this drama is going to have its fair share of slow-mo’s with loud music echoing in the background. However, I will say that the OST is beautifully composed & sung, plus it is easy on the ears, so here’s to hoping that it is not going to be overused to become a buzzkill. The entire supporting cast gave solid performances & it was only because of them the first few scenes which were necessary to hold the attention for the rest of the episode ended up being so engaging. The child artists perfectly fit the characters & my favorite out of them all was the young child who played Shabo, her expressions were on point & I am glad that Kaif Ghaznavi is playing her too. I, however, wish Shabo wasn’t this problematic but let’s see how she will contribute to the story, but then again, it is understandable because she too was a young child when she became Shagufta’s helper, therefore she can’t help being this way.

Shamim Hilali, Huma Nawab, Ali Tahir, Zainab Qayyum & Laila Wasti were brilliant. I am glad that Usman Mukhtar is getting to play a character who is not so uptight & reserved. His body language in the scene where he was on a call with his mother showed that he has become a lot more comfortable in front of the camera. It also adds more mystery to his character that maybe Aswad only puts up such an act to hide what he actually is feeling or going through. There was not a lot of coverage given to Mashal but Kubra Khan definitely fits the character well. Mahira Khan’s performance was impressive as Mehreen. She added little nuances to her performance which I enjoyed seeing, like being totally easy around her friend but becoming awkward the moment she spotted Mashal approaching her. I think it makes Mehreen a lot more believable & real because she shows anger, she also makes her frustrations visible & doesn’t hold back in letting others know too. It was a thoroughly enjoyable & engaging first episode, let’s see how everything unfolds. Please share your thoughts about the first episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so, this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay showcased the struggles everyone was faced with in terms of emotions & feelings, especially Mehreen. This episode also elaborated upon the fact that Aswad was now getting to learn about both Mehreen & Mashal himself. He was still confused & perplexed about the realities related to Mehreen but as far as Mashal is concerned, he has a lot to learn about her yet!

Interactions

As much as I like Aswad’s character, I wish there was more to him. I kind of find it amusing that all he does is talk about Mehreen & Mashal as if he has nothing else to talk about. Also, considering him being the only son, one would assume that there will be open communication between him & Saleha but that didn’t seem to be the case. Saleha doesn’t ever give Aswad a definitive answer & always stalls it, as if she too wants to hide things from him, especially about Mehreen. Saleha can clearly see that Aswad has some wrong notions about Mehreen, therefore she can be a bit more clear to help Aswad understand the situation better. However, I liked the fact that she called her son out on how he was judging Mehreen left right & center.

For a guy who has lived abroad, one would assume him to be a bit more open-minded but Aswad seems to be a bit too conservative. He judged Mehreen because of the cigarette mark on her shirt & then felt awkward that Mashal was ready to go for a coffee with him late night. As far as the characters are concerned, I really like their layers & depth but when it comes to Aswad’s character there should’ve been more, or maybe there is which is being kept for the later stages of the story.

Mehreen & Aswad’s interactions were interesting. It became a lot more clear that Mehreen was in love with Aswad but she backed out because of Mashal as she genuinely respects her feelings. She has accepted Saffan’s proposal only because she wants an escape from Mashal’s house. Mehreen’s meeting with Saffan’s mother was also interesting. It highlighted how looking at Mehreen, one would assume that she is a polite & submissive person but even Mehreen was kind of embarrassed at that opinion because she knows that she puts her mother through hell & hasn’t truly forgiven her for remarrying. Sheeba seems to have an idea that Aswad holds a special place in Mehreen’s heart but I think this should make her concerned about her cousin Saffan.

Mashal’s tantrums were repetitive & she too doesn’t seem to have much to offer. Throughout this episode, Mashal was uneasy at the fact that Mehreen & Aswad were interacting & only to get back at her, she once again invaded her privacy by entering her room in her absence. Mashal has used almost everything she could against Mehreen, especially to put her down in front of Aswad & it seems she is getting closer to her goal. The things Aswad said to Mashal clearly showed that he too wasn’t sure about what he felt about both these girls. His half-hearted confession also came from a place where he was kind of heartbroken upon learning the fact that Mehreen hasn’t turned into this ideal girl that he always thought she would. There was a clear disappointment on his face when he saw a mark on Mehreen’s shirt & it seemed even Mehreen was concerned thinking what would Aswad be thinking of her.

Well Directed & Heart-touching

All those scenes which dwelled into Mehreen’s thoughts & emotions were beautifully done. They add so much more meaning to her character & make you understand & feel for her a lot more. I also liked the interactions all these relatives had with each other, like Aswad with his aunt Rabia, Saleha with Mehreen & Mehreen with Aswad too. Both Mahira Khan & Kubra Khan look absolutely stunning in minimal makeup but I wish there was a bit of attention given to the products they both were using on their lips. Their lip makeup in some of the scenes is actually unsightly & ends up serving as a distraction. The OST was once again used beautifully but I felt some of the new background scores were introduced which didn’t really add much to the situation. They can stick to the original soundtrack & background musics & that should suffice. Once again, a very well directed episode with a lot of meaningful scenes & dialogues. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a drama based on the novel titled ‘Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay’ by Umera Ahmed. This project is marking Mahira Khan’s comeback on Television after 6 years. It has already garnered a lot of attention because the novel has been widely read, therefore the novel readers, as well as drama viewers, are eagerly waiting to see how the story has been dramatized. The promos seem promising and as they suggest, it is going to be a story revolving around Mehreen and Mashal’s journey. Another angle that is going to make the story interesting is the love triangle involving Aswad Ayub.

Introductory Details

Writer: Umera Ahmed
Director: Farooq Rind
Producer: Nina Kashif & Momina Duraid Production
Channel: Hum TV
Airing Date: August 01, 2021
Day: Sunday
Time Slot: 8 PM
Genre: Melodrama & Mystery

Cast

Mahira Khan
Kubra Khan
Usman Mukhtar
Omair Rana
Zainab Qayyum
Haroon Shahid
Laila Wasti
Huma Nawab
Kaif Ghaznavi
Shamim Hilali
Khalid Malik and others

Promos