I have always been a fan of Faseeh Bari khan and S.Mazhar moin duo. Pichalperiyan is a brilliant albeit sad telefilm which aired on ARY digital. The telefilm is the story of Noor-ul-ain a divorced woman in her thirties living with her elder half sister Qurut-ul-ain ( Hina Dilpazeer in an amazing and bone chilling performance). Noor-ul-ain takes care of her sister who is suffering from serious psychological issues and who abuses her mentally, physically and especially psychologically. Ever since her childhood Qurut-ul-ain would pretend to be a pichalperi and sing a terrifying song that results in Noor-ul-ain screaming and fainting.
The real witches in this drama are the women in Noor-ul-ain’s life. Her annoying coworker ( Played by Nadia Afghan), her boss Mohsina Qidwai and Uroosa sidiqui as a shrewd Gujarati Hindu woman who supplies the sisters with old LP records. Not surprising is the fact that with the exception of mohsina all these women are Qurut-ul-ain’s allies in one way or another. Here we are shown women who abuse other women.
Noor-ul-ain is a sad woman one who earns, cooks, cleans and takes care of her ‘Apa’ who has intentionally destroyed her self-respect and dignity so she may take care of her indefinitely as a slave! Hina is at her best negative performance here if ever you wished you could somehow end up inside your television and strangle some one this telefilm is one of those times! Qurut-ul-ain is a manipulative mental patient who is bent on denying her sister any happiness at all.
One thing that I admire about this telefilm is the set and dress of actors. Noor-ul-ain in her cotton saris and glasses looks exactly like the tragic heroine she is portraying. Watching this telefilm and reviewing it was extremely painful for me. The sadness, despair and hopelessness one feels after watching this telefilm are beyond words.
As one expects from a Mazhar moin/Faseeh Bari khan production there is a running theme of social satire. Whether it is Nadia Afghan’s performance as a talkative coworker who spends her time portraying herself as trusting and innocent ( While she is as evil as Qurut-ul-ain even using her scare tactics on her own younger step siblings), her persuading Umera ahmed to write for their digest. ( Noor and her work in a ladies digest), Mohsina Qidwai their boss is a hijab wearing, cigarette smoking over weight woman currently living with her Third or fourth husband or Uroosa as the beedi smoking Gujarati Hindu woman who has a great friendship with Deedi( i.e. Qurut-ul-ain.)
All of these women take their share in making Noor’s life hell. Even her romance with a man ( Rashid Farooqi) doesn’t have the intended effect. The ending will shock the viewers as a master manipulator delivers her final stroke.
Over all the telefilm is a brilliant social commentary with one of the best performance by Hina Dilpazeer.
Every one please comment on how you liked this review and don’t forget to watch this telefilm too.
Talha Rizvi