I am glad that this drama did not have a tragic ending and all the characters in the end found their respective destinations. I was however expecting this episode to be slightly more dramatic and I definitely missed Salima tonight. I am not going to go into the details since I am sure a lot of people haven’t watched this last episode just yet but I have to say that I loved the last scene of this episode, it was exactly like the first scene of this drama but things were completely different at this point. Chaudhry’s track did not have the dramatic ending we were all hoping it would have but ultimately it all boiled down to someone more powerful asserting his influence and getting things done by Chaudhry Nawaz in an entirely different way. I liked the addition of this new character in the end because it showed that not everyone at helm of affairs was like Chaudhry Nawaz. The way Chandni apologized to Sammi had to be the most poignant scene of this episode.
I have to admit that after watching the first few episodes of Sammi, I wasn’t actually blown away but it was the kind of drama which gradually grew on me for a number of reasons. The most important reason why watching Sammi and reviewing it has been an unforgettable experience is that after a long time I watched a drama which touched a lot of issues which truly matter especially in a time when most dramas focus only on one subject, it was a pleasure watching a drama like Sammi which tackled with number of important issues in an effective manner. The writer and director’s strong grip on all these tracks and their understanding of all the situations which were shown in the drama was the primary reason why I always found it easy to connect to all the characters and their stories. Every character had a story to tell and all these stories served a bigger purpose. They were meaningful and showed problems faced by women from different angles. I am glad that the writer did not stick to the theme of vanni alone but explored so many other topics. Whether it was Zarina, Zulekha, Salima, Naheed, Rashid, Chaudhry, Aalyan, Salar, Chandi, Naheed’s brother, Shahzaib, Waqas, Riaz, Ghulam Rasool and even Salima’s daughters, all these characters showed a certain mindset that exists not only in the remote areas but even in some of the most posh areas of our society.
The most beautiful aspect of Sammi were all the beautifully etched-out characters which translated their stories on screen so flawlessly that the messages they were putting forward were loud, clear and effective. Even the negative characters in the story were there for a reason and the writer used these characters to explain the reasons why these people feel the need to control and oppress others. Chaudhry Nawaz’s character was one such character and his son’s character showed how one person like Aalyan could change so much! Chaudhry Nawaz carried the legacy which his forefathers left behind, he never had reason to question the system because it suited his needs but his son was taught to put human beings above everything else, this lesson changed his entire perspective. What a beautiful message this was! It did not only show the change one person could bring about but it also showed the real purpose behind education. Zarina was another such person who was doing what everyone before her did until she had a reason to question the system. She also raised a son with slave mentality but when her son’s life was in danger, she started questioning all those pre-conceived notions. Same was the case with Rashid. Sammi’s story also changed only after she started questioning things around her. In my opinion all these tracks contained the message that we don’t always have to accept things the way they are, questioning the system and things which do not seem right is sometimes the first step in the right direction.
I can go on and on about all the wonderful messages this drama had but one message which most certainly stood out more than others for me was the way the writer asserted the importance of a woman’s consent during nikkah. I personally feel that this was the need of the hour since we see so many dramas nowadays in which forced nikkahs are readily accepted and are now a bad precedent being followed by many writers. The writer made this message even more powerful by showing the maulvis standing by women and repeatedly emphasizing just how many rights women have under Islamic law. It was refreshing watching these religious people stating these things in a very logical manner. I am glad the writer’s approach was very logical hence convincing.
The director Saife Hassan deserves due credit for executing Noor-ul-Huda Shah’s brilliant script faultlessly. The locations and the overall feel of the drama gave the story a more realistic touch. Also, it isn’t easy handling a script with so many different tracks but he did complete justice to all these tracks by giving them all ample screen time. I can’t appreciate the producers enough for investing in a project which had tons of educational value and did not bank on glamour to entice the viewers. All the actors involved (with the exception of Mawra Hocane) breathed tangible life into their respective characters by looking and playing the role impressively. Unfortunately, Mawra Hocane failed to do justice to her character and was the only actor who looked out of place because she looked and sounded too modern. Sammi’s track also had a powerful message but I believe that Naheed and even Rashid and Salima’s track was much more effective overall therefore many viewers who watched this drama hoping this would be Sammi’s story alone were disappointed. It was made quite clear in the first few episodes that the drama would be about much more than the story of one girl but even then some viewers did not tune into the show after watching the first few episodes because Sammi’s track alone wasn’t appealing enough. Also, this drama as a whole had enough substance to attract the viewers and could hold its ground even if it wasn’t named after one character.
Adnan Siddiqui played his character superbly, he always showed the soft side of Rashid even when he was supposed to be a bad guy which is why later on the change in his character was more believable. His overall look, dialogue delivery and body language was perfect throughout. Saman Ansari is turning out to be an amazing addition to the drama industry, she is continuously experimenting by opting for roles which are very different from one another and so far has been part of some really good projects. I absolutely loved the honesty and dedication with which Seemi Raheel played the role of Zarina. The fact that she has the perfect Punjabi accent definitely helped. Rehan Sheikh is another powerful actor who never disappoints the viewers. Chaudhry’s character was an important one for many reasons and no other actor could have played this role better than Rehan Sheikh. Naheed’s role was a difficult one to enact on screen but Nadia Afghan translated different shades of Naheed’s character perfectly right from the get-go. She portrayed Naheed’s insecurities, fears and most importantly her strengths effortlessly. Bilal Khan brought out the best in his character and made Aalyan’s character one of the best in this play. Everything about Bilal Khan’s portrayal was perfect, I hope we get to see him playing more inspiring roles in the future too. Haris Waheed proved just how versatile he is by nailing his role. Irfan Khoosat, Humera Ali, Beena Chaudhry and Malik Raza also played their roles really well. Sania Saeed and Ahad Raza Mir‘s performances as well as their on screen chemistry made their track even more powerful and easy to relate to. Madiha Rizvi is a personal favorite who always performs well and this had to be one of the best performances she has given in recent times. She completely owned her role as a woman who went from looking out for her own interests to someone who knew there was more at stake than her marriage or her child’s future. The child actor playing the chota chaudhry was also impressive throughout and his character was also interesting, especially the changes he went through were shown really well. The actress who played the role of Maryam also had great screen presence and I loved how her entire outlook fit so perfectly in the role.
Thank you team Sammi for all your hard work and for giving us an amazing play. I would especially like to thank all those wonderful people who read the reviews every week and shared their thoughts here, I truly value your feedback and look forward to it. Do share your thoughts about this last episode and the drama as a whole.
Eid Mubarak to everyone. Hope all of you have a wonderful Eid.