Ohkay so, Sang e Mah continues to be intriguing & gripping, just like how it started. Although the story has definitely come to a standstill; the characters & their perspectives have come to the forefront. It is definitely interesting to witness what each one of them is feeling & going through. The thing that sets Sang e Mah apart is that despite being complex, these characters have been written & translated on screen with so much clarity & finesse that you find understanding them quite easy.
The Blame Game
The members of the Jirga are still in a fix about what should be done considering Haji Marjan is an integral & definitive part of it. However, they also find themselves torn between what should be done because this is the first time their credibility is being questioned by the entire Las Peeran. Their conversations always make an interesting part of the episode because it shows how they are faced with such an issue that they have never witnessed before.
Hilmand was stabbed & once again, it has torn everyone apart. Some are feeling guilty, whereas some are being suspected. In this whole scenario, no one actually knows who is responsible but somehow the blame game has started. Hilmand’s perspective is again clouded by his hatted towards Marjan which makes him think he is behind this attack. Marjan as well as Zarsanga think that Hikmat has done this. It is unfortunate that the moment Hikmat decided to do something for himself, he is being held responsible. It simply goes to show that the transition in Hikmat was definitely not well received by both Marjan & Zarsanga, that is why they have no faith in him & believe he is capable of doing something this grave. Then comes Zarghona, who also felt she played a part in what happened to Hilmand, once again assuming it is only because of Gulmeena that Hikmat decided to kill his own brother.
Badam Gul has always had a soft corner for Mastaan Singh. He has spent years serving Zarghona along with Mastaan. Therefore for him to figure out who was behind the attack was a particularly important development. Badam Gul will definitely do what it takes to protect Mastaan because he of all the people will understand Mastaan’s motive as well as emotions for doing what he did!
Mastaan Singh has spent years & years serving Zarghona, however more than her, he feels strongly for Gulmeena because, during those tough times, she was the only relief he would feel while being tested. Gulmrena has also treated Mastaan with respect & affection, therefore Mastaan couldn’t see her being disgraced like that. Part of it also feels like he wanted to once again prove his loyalty to Zarghona & also compensate for the loss he caused to her. So far Zarghona has at least this part sorted that all of this happened because of Gulmeena but little does she know that it is not exactly what she thinks it is.
Shehrzaad continues to find herself entangled in Marjan’s family affairs. However, it is clear that despite her article being her priority, her focal point now is Hilmand because of the strong feelings she has for him. Shehrzaad has become quite involved in this matter & more so because both Marjan & Zarsanga have given her the confidence to do so. She has yet to learn about Hilmand’s side of the story & then it will be interesting to see what her reaction would be. So far, she truly believes everything that Zarsanga has told her but finding out the other side of the story will be bewildering for her.
I must say, although there are a lot of supporting characters in Sang e Mah, they all get the credit for filling up the scenes with strong performances & screen presence. Be it Awal Khan or Hilmand’s friends, Sabz Ali’s mother, members of the Jirga, or even the servant at Hikmat’s place who gave him a piece of his mind – they all may have a minor role to play in the entire story but their presence is felt & their emotions are also conveyed loud & clear. This highlights the in-depth writing of Sang e Mah as well as the keen eye of the director to put all the characters to good use to tell the story. It has never felt unnecessary or unimportant seeing what all these supporting characters have to say & that adds more to the episode.
Phenomenally Directed
These episodes of Sang e Mah were purely based on the personal struggles, doubts, questions & complexities of all the characters of the story. Some took the front seat whereas a few were in the background however, they all were concerned about one & only Hilmand, who is definitely ruling their lives for now. It is interesting how each one of them has one thing or the other to do with him. I enjoyed seeing Shehrzaad around Hilmand, it was like in this harsh scenario, she brought calm & relief that is missing from Hilmand’s life. He has yet to learn about how she feels but he will also be moved by her & I can not wait to see that. All the actors deserve full points for such brilliant & strong portrayal of all these complex characters. Sang e Mah has been written & directed phenomenally well. Team Sang e Mah definitely should take a bow for bringing a drama like this to our TV screens. I can not wait to see what more do they have in store for us. Please share your thoughts about these episodes of Sang e Mah.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.