Aap Ki Izzat is a new drama that started airing on Hum TV not too long ago. It was not aggressively promoted, but it still managed to hook the audience with its very first scene. The show is written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Saife Hassan. The drama boasts a talented star cast of Ahsan Khan, Urwa Hocane, Sania Saeed, Saif Ali Khan and others.
Aap Ki Izzat managed to win the audience from the very beginning, and many people are wondering what made it so special in the eyes of the audience. From a small glance at the show, it looks like an ordinary story of a man cheating on his wife after getting rich, while his beautiful and homely wife breaks down emotionally at home. We also have a typical desi mother-in-law who equates her son to the Kohinoor diamond while considering her daughter-in-law to be less than dirt. Then what made this show such a must-watch on everyone’s watch lists? Let us explore the nuanced themes behind a seemingly simple-looking show, which is making it a brilliant watch:
Close To Home Characterization
Aap Ki Izzat has brought characters to the screen that we see around us all the time. We all know a Tabish with his visible misogyny who is always putting down his loving wife in the name of humour. Beena, on the other hand, is your average housewife who is not valued by her family. She takes care of everyone, and somewhere people start taking her for granted. Sania Saeed also plays a character who hits close to home. We all know this older matriarch, who defends her son at every turn, but she will keep watering the plant of his external misogyny with her internalised misogyny. This close-to-home characterisation made the audience root for this drama from its very first episode.
Strong Performances
Aap Ki Izzat is currently the show with some of the best performances on Pakistani television. Ahsan Khan has hit it out of the park as Tabish. He plays an older version of the character, which makes one want to slap him after every dialogue. On the other hand, he plays the younger Tabish in the same drama, who is cute and endearing. He also managed to physically differentiate the ages of both, and he is brilliant as both versions. Urwa Hocane has made her television comeback after having her daughter as Beena in Aap Ki Izzat, and she is brilliant. She showed through her expressive eyes and natural dialogue delivery what our screens were missing in her absence. Sania Saeed is another powerhouse actress who chose to play the mother to just a 7-year-old Ahsan Khan, as her character had mettle, and she is rage-baiting the whole nation as Maa Jee.
A Woman Who Chose Not To Bend Down
What made Aap Ki Izzat an instant hit with the audience is how Beena’s character is written. We have cheating men in every second drama, and they are always forgiven. Beena is the opposite of the Pakistani drama playbook. She chose a morally ambiguous path to punish Tabish, but she leaves him. Her one act of defiance, though unacceptable to society, made the show an instant hit with the audience. Moreover, her decision to take her jewellery with her and not leave that dreaded 1.5 crore Ka Haar behind made her an unusual hero for many viewers who are dealing with real-life Tabishes in society.
Impeccable Direction & Mystery Factor
Saife Hassan deserves credit for making Aap Ki Izzat a must-watch on everyone’s lists. He has kept every scene nuanced, and he has built mystery in a rather simple-looking story. Beena’s disappearance, Naaz’s conspiracies, the wiped-out locker, Behram’s deception, and even Maa Jee’s guilt-ridden prayers- everything has an element of mystery which keeps you hooked to the show.
Saife Hassan has also beautifully captured the emotions of every character, which adds to the overall feel of the show.
Izzat – The Burden On A Woman
Aap Ki Izzat has once again brought forward a millennium-long debate. How Izzat is the responsibility of a woman, and how it comes and goes based on her decisions in life. Tabish, a married man and a father of two, decides to cheat on his wife of 14 years and plans a second marriage. The whole society stands with him. The religious scholar gives him a clean chit that a second marriage is his right; his “very righteous” mother stands by his choice, while his sister is excited for the new sister-in-law. The morality is never questioned, and the Izzat remains unscathed.
Meanwhile, Beena leaves her home because she does not want to tolerate cheating and demands a divorce. Soon after, the Izzat comes into the danger zone. No one is even concerned about her safety and agency. Everyone cares about their Izzat, which was fragile enough to die in Beena’s half-day disappearance.
Aap Ki Izzat is keeping us hooked for these reasons, and we hope it does not fall victim to unnecessary dragging. Why are you loving it? Share with us!
