My take on Uddari

The drama that had us glued to our TV screens for 25 weeks ended this week but boy what a roller coaster ride it was. I watched the last episode with a box of tissues. As if the story wasn’t emotional enough, we had characters we felt for, we could relate to, whose pain, agony and suffering made us cry and whose courage to stand up and fight made us cheer for them . In the end, we felt relieved, proud and hopeful…hopeful that yes, the victims of abuse can / should stand up for themselves and when they do, they will not be alone. There will be kindred spirits who will join them, support them and fight with them for justice.

This drama discussed many issues from child abuse to social status of artists in our society, to parents forbidding their child from getting involved in the music scene to keeping an open mind and letting your kids find their own way in the world, from financially empowering women to standing up for what is right. Each topic was dealt with care and sensitivity, each topic was important but here I am going to discuss a few things which struck a cord with me.

The first thing I absolutely loved, loved and loved about Uddari were the strong mothers. They came from all sections of society; rich and poor, educated and illiterate,  but one thing they all had in common was their courage as mothers, mothers of daughters. Unlike the popular and disturbing trend of telling your daughters to ” chup raho ” and put up with abuse; these mothers stood up for their daughters, believed them when they told about the abuse, they fought for their daughters and encouraged them to stand up for themselves, have faith in their own abilities and be their own person. Sajida was a widow and in most dramas if a widow’s child is being abuse by the step father she puts up with it, cause she has no where else to go but this was not the case in Uddari. Sajida sided with Zebo. Sheeda’s husband had died and her daughter was seeing someone without her permission but when she told Sheedan about Imtiaz, Sheedan didn’t question the authenticity of her allegation for a minute. She not only believed her but clearly told Imtiaz to stay away from her daughter and that she made it clear that she wasn’t gonna take it and stay quiet. She didn’t care about ” loag Kya kahain gay ” .

The second most important thing was that again this was perhaps the first drama in a very long time where the ” victim became the survivor “. Zebo’s dialogues ” main victim nahi survivor hoon, main bay-chari nahi Bano ge, sharam  Mughay nahi ussay aani chaheyay ” will not be forgotten for a long time. This is the message we need to put forward. In a society like ours where people still don’t talk about abuse, this type of message being put forward by a drama goes a long way. Social media pages received a number of messages from actual victims of child abuse, who said they never had the courage to speak up earlier but now they know, what was ” done to them, was not their fault “, they knew now, that they had nothing to be ashamed of and that they had every right to face their abusers and hold them accountable. This alone speaks volumes about the impact that this drama has had, the awareness that it has created.

Team Uddari started their journey with the aim of creating awareness about child abuse and giving the victims a voice. Bravo Team Uddari, you guys did it. Not only were the victims given the realization that they had nothing to be ashamed of but also they were shown through Zebo’s trials and tribulations, how can they start the healing process. Parents were educated through the drama to watch out for the ” signs ” of abuse, how to support their child, God forbid if something happens to their child what are they supposed to do. Most importantly, how to give the victims the support that they desperately need.

The director, writer and the entire team deserves a lot of credit for dealing with this sensitive subject with the sensitivity that it required. They never crossed the line. This is perhaps the most crucial point when you are making drams on such subjects, to keep the viewers engaged while telling the story but not presenting it in a way to make it uncomfortable to watch or showing too much. Team Uddari, maintained that balance.

This drama proved to be a myth buster. Those who claim that dramas based on social issues donot get ratings, therefore the drama makers have to rely on glamour, the typical saas baho, Doosri biwi, extra marital affair , baychari mazloom , rooti dhooti, bayzuban aurtain…should learn from this drama. The audiences are not stupid, they know a good drama when they see one and yes, you can make dramas for the purpose of creating awareness and still get ratings.

The bond of sisterhood was just mind blowing. The women did not wait for a ” knight in shining armor ” to come to their rescue, they rescued themselves. They became their own heroes and faced the hardships together. Something we don’t get to see very often but again something young girls need to see. Thy need role models like Appa Sheedan, who was illiterate but took pride in her heritage, she was strong and independent, not only did she lived her life on her own terms but she also stood up for those who needed help. She is a strong mother, a dose of motivation for anyone who is down on their luck and a wonderful person. She is not someone you would want to mess with 🙂

Lastly, the ending was just perfect. Zebo was no longer afraid of the dark, nor was she afraid to sleep alone in her room, her nightmares had ended meaning…there is still hope. There is always hope for the victims of child abuse, all they need is a strong support system, little help from the people around them and the knowledge that the predator who was the reason behind the nightmares will never harm them ever again.

Thank you Team Uddari for such a powerful and wonderful drama.

 

Aabro…A Much Needed Dose of Reality

 

 

When the promos went onair, Aabroo seemed like a very predictable story that has been told many times. There was no glamour, no big budget, no catchy OST, no hit lead pair to attract the vierwer’s attention. It seemed like a very average play. 10 weeks have passed by since this drama went onair and I am totally addicted to it 🙂 .

The most attractive aspect of this drama is the realistic approach with which the writer and director have handled the story. In an age where we are bombarded with dramas that show young people eloping and then overcoming all odds to ” prove their parents wrong  ” and finding their ” happily ever after ” together; this show highlights the reality of the situation. No matter how deeply and truly in love someone is, its not ” true love alone ” that is gonna guarantee a happy ending in the long run. It will be a combination of compatability, adaptability, adjustments and a whole lot more. And it’s definitely not as easy as A B C; during the course of time, people change, incidents and experiences not just bring out other dimensions of their personalities but also changes them. This is the point being discussed in this drama.

The story revolves around ” Aabroo “, a rebellious teenage daughter of a college aaya, who also waorks as a maid. Coming from an unhappy, dysfunctional family that comprises of herself, her good for nothing older brother and her mother; Aabroo dreams big. She dreams of leaving behind the life of poverty and living the ” it ” life. While her brother is useless and aggressive, Aabroo is not to be outdone by him. She is equally ” kaamchor and nikamme “, what she lacks in being physically aggressive, she makes up for it by being ” bud-zuban, battameez and bud-laihaaz “. In short, this brother sister duo is a pain in the neck for their poor, hardworking mother.

In complete contrast to Aabroo and her family are Ali and his family. He comes from a respectable, educated middle class family of 6. Along with his parents, he shares the family house with his 2 sisters and a brother. Every one in his family gets along really well and all 4 of the kids have immense respcet for their parents. Ali himself is an emotional, impulsive and weak person, how and when he met and fell in love with Aabroo has not been shown but for some reason he is crazy about her.

The story got interesting as Ali told his parents he did not wish to marry his cousin/fiance Fauzia and he was in love with Aabroo. Ofcourse that did not sit well with his family, they tried to reason with him but both Ali and Aabroo were beyond the point of reasoning. Both of them are emotional and impulsive and they live in their own fantasyland, where their love will not just overcome their ” class difference, social status, different family background and natures ” but it will somehow magically solve all of their problems. They have been completely blinded by love; which makes complete sense in Aabroo’s case cause Ali is like the ” answer to her prayers “, ” her dream come true “, she loves him yes but more importantly she wants to escape her circumstances and ” show her family “. After the flat refusal of both sides, Ali and Aabroo eloped.

While in most dramas the situation after the elopement is kept very romantic, Qaisar Hayat ( i am confused about the writer’s name, in some episodes it was Qaisar and in others it was Qasira ) has kept it very realistic. Neither of the two lead characters is smart and they have no experience of living life on their own, the fact that both of them dont even know eachother well, only adds to the gravity of their situation and so their troubles started as soon as they left home. The civil marriage process was not as easy as they had imagined it to be. Also as soon as they left home they became social outcasts…noone wanted to have anything to do with them, since the elopement was a hasty, spur of the moment decision Ali left his job without asking for leave or properly resigning , they also did not have much money and as a result they were soon facing financial problems. The life they had both dreamt of, was no where to be found, on the countrary…the first dose of reality gave them both a much needed jolt and they realized what they had both gotten themselves into. As the ” honey-moon ” period was being spent in looking for shelter and searching for a job, all the fantasies came crashing down and soon they were fighting over the most trivial matters.

On the other hand, as soon as Ali and Aabroo left home…both their families’ lives were turned upside down. It was not just the girl’s family that was being targeted by people’s unsympathetic gazes, merciless inquiries and scarcastic statements; Ali’s family also had to face the same problems. Each and every member was facing tension and humiliation and as a consequence their resentment of Ali’s marriage and his choice and their hatred for Aabroo grew.

In order to do some kind of damage control, Fauzia was married off to Ibbad ( Ali’s younger brother ) and Aabro’s family moved to a different neighborhood. All ties with Ali and Aabro were completely cut off, it was only after Ali got seriously ill that his mother decided to allow him to come back home but that didn’t mean they would accept Aabro. Again, the writer has done a wonderful job at keeping the story so close to reality. The family is angry with Ali, he was the one they had any expectations from, he was ” their own, the one who had brought all the shame ” upon them but Aabro was the easy target. She was the ” unwanted and unwelcomed ” addition to the family and the fact that she had no manners or etiquettes to speak of , didn’t help her case either.

It is very interesting to see how the relationship between A&A has drastically changed.  Prior to the elopement Ali had promised Aabroo every happiness in the world, on the contrary her life and condition is even worse than it was at her own house. His friends’ rejection, loosing his job, his family’s cold attitude towards him and constant arguments with Aabro have squeezed all the romance out of their relationship. The expectations have turned into disappointments. While Aabro feels ( and sometimes rightfully so ) that Ali has changed, he feels she is adding to their problems. The simple fact which they both are not reaizing is that they are not ” compatible ” and without the full support of Ali’s family ( which they will never give ) their marriage dosen’t stand a chance. Both of them are wishing they could turn back the clock.

Aabro’s condition is specially sad cause while Ali’s parents’ are still mad at him, they have accepted him back and with time, he will be forgiven and his life will become normal…Aabro has nowhere to go, her family will not accept her back and her inlaws are not gonna accept a ” ghar say bhaaggi huie larki ” who is a maid’s daughter, as their Bahoo.

The girl playing Aabro is a new comer but she is doing an amazing job. This character is the most important one as the entire play revolves around her and the girl doing this role deserves credit for beautifully depicting the differsnt moods, shades and phases Aabro is going through. Credit also goes to Umera Ahmed for the brilliant, simple and realistic screenplay, which is striking a cord with the viewers. Ilyaas Kahsmiri’s direction is bringing this otherwise predictable story to life. They all deserve a huge round of applause for bringing a non-glamorous drama to our screens which is not just entertaining but also a life lesson for many young people.

 

Munn Mayal…Episode 1

 

From the pen of Sameera Fazal comes ” Munn Mayal “. Haseeb Hassan’s direction and a star cast comprising of Maya Ali, Hamza Ali, Ayesha Khan, and Gohar Rasheed was enough to catch the viewer’s undivided attention; add to it QB’s voice and you have the formula for a hit serial.

The sweet and innocent  love story of Mannu ( Maya Ali ) and Salahuddin ( Hamza Ali ) has managed to capture the viewers’ attention from the very first episode. Expectations were high and MM did not disappoint. The first installment introduced us to both the protagonist and their families. HUM TV’s love affair with cousin romances has been taken one step forward and this time it’s ” the best friend’s brother ” who is romancing the leading lady. The most attractive element of this story is the innocence and purity of the two lead characters and their relationship.

The two leads are poles apart, while Salahuddin is the quiet, mature, responsible, sensible, laique guy from a middle class family…Mannu is a carefree, bubbly, not so much into studies chatterbox from a well off family. Despite the class differences their fathers are on good terms with eachother and they live next door in the old city. ( now which city that might be, I am not so sure about )

It’s the romance, that has been so beautifully shown that has given this play an edge. The little touches that show how much these two care about eachother but are hesitant to show. Instead of making us watch the characters do ” cheesy, done to death stuff ” and uttering ” gissay pittay romantic dialogues ” in the name of romance, the writer has focused on the simple acts that emphasize their love for eachother, while keeping in mind their personalities. Salahuddin is a mature, serious guy, he may not be very good with words but his gestures say it all…adding oil to Mannu’s diya,  trying to spare her the pain of finding out she failed, and when he  does say somethingout loud, he is still just thinking out loud ” pasand bhe hota to konsa Tum aa jaateen “, seeing her face in his books ” Mughay bhe fail kerwayay gi “. All his actions/dialogues make him so likeable and human. Sameera Fazal said, this story was about the intensity of love a man has for a woman…I can see what she meant 🙂

Mannu’s actions also depict her feelings beautifully…checking out her own self in the mirror before going to study and most importantly always very cautiously avoiding calling Salahuddin Bhai :). While in normal situations, girls always address their friends’ brother’s as Bhai, Mannu avoids that from day one,…from the beginning of the episode we were given the idea these two might not get along with eachother but that is only what they want everyone to believe…they have had feelings for eachother all along. Then add a friend/sister like Biya, whose two favorite people in the world are in love with eachother, they might not say to to eachother but she understands them too well and she is more than willing to give this all the support they need.

Other than the sweetness of the love story another factor that sets this play apart from the rest is the traditional touch that the director and writer has very skillfully interwoven into the script. Both Mnnu and Salahuddin’s homes with their colorful glass windows, traces, views of the old city, added to the feel of the drama. I am guessing the story started some 10 years back, since all the characters were dressed in tradional wear and watching both Biya and Maanu covering their heads infront of the male members was again, very traditional. Another very desi touch was Mannu’s patents’ attitude, of not telling or asking their daughter about her marriage proposals. Mannu has big plans for her future, her parents are on one hand encouraging her to pursue her goals and on the other they are keeping her in the dark, while planning her marriage. I don’t understand the parents’ logic behind this, according to them Mannu may not be mature enough to handle people coming to see her but she is mature enough to be married ?

The supporting cast Naeem Tahir, Saba Pervaiz, Lubna Aslam fit perfectly in their roles. It’s nothing new for them but still we never get tired of watching them. I was so waiting for Talat Hussain Sahab’s entrance but I guess we will have to wait for that. The Attention to detail was done very well, the old computer, ink pen, picture quality, production value and QB’s voice in the background is adding to the romantic atmosphere.

The point of concern is, these two are not gonna have a smooth sailing. The status difference, Salahuddin’s joblessness will add to their problems. Mannu’s mother dosen’t like Salahuddin and his mother isn’t a fan of Mannu’s, .. the prophetic words” mayri qismat main to biya ka  Bhai hi likha hai ” just might come back to haunt Mannu. While the future episodes might not bring these two together , for now, watching this drama is a treat.

 

Do share your views…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mana Ka Gharana…Episode 3-7

I am gonna cover 5 episodes in this review, I will try to capture all the major happening, bear with me if I skip something.

The gist of the story since my last review is this…Maalik and Zareen are on good terms but before things could get serious  Gul-Bahar ( Maalik’s estranged wife ) came back out of the blue and as soon as she came back, she proved why Maalik doesn’t want to be with her anymore. She asked for Mana’s hand for her nephew Shehreyaar, a.k.a Mana’s Prince Charming, which was readily accepted by Mana and Saliha ( despite Maalik and Ghalib’s disapproval ).

Mana is as happy as happy can be, being young, naive and a daydreamer…Shehreyaar to her, is the answer to all her prayers. She can’t see beyond his expensive car, branded clothes and mansion. Only if she knew what a toad she has found in her search for her Prince Charming. Her bad judgement is the result of her lack of experience, the protective environment in which she has been brought up and the lack of interaction she has had with Gul-Bahar, Shehreyaar and the world outside her own circle. So, it is understandable if she is willing to ignore ( and not understand) Shehreyaar’s materialistic nature and Gul-Bahar’s cunning ways. As far as she is concerned, she and Shehreyaar are meant to be together and as soon as she gets married, it will be all about rainbows, unicorns, and a happily ever after.

It is Saliha whose bad judgement I find astounding. She knows Gul-Bahar all too well and she never really liked her but as soon as Gul-Bahar mentioned Shehreyaar, Saliha threw caution and common sense out the window and agreed to the match. What exactly does she know about him, other than what the ever dependable GB has told them? But she is blinded by his wealth and the life, he can give her daughter. The rest of the family are also just going along, how come nobody is pointing out the obvious ? GB, came back for her own reasons, when she saw Maalik’s interest in Zareen, she at once came up with Plan B. The woman who hasn’t been in touch with the entire family for years, suddenly becomes Mana’s well-wisher and nobody can see through her plans. She is obviously gonna use Mana to blackmail Maalik into giving into her demands, it’s not exactly rocket science but everyone has stopped thinking about that, they are all too fosussed on Mana and Shehreyaar.

Although Khizar did try to tell Mana Shehreyaar  wasn’t who she wanted him to be but she is just too smitten to see what’s right infront of her. Poor Khizar, he has joined the club of ” na-kaam Aashiqs ” being a gentleman that he is, he is still pretending it’s ” life as usual for him ” and nothing is wrong .

Both Shehreyaar and GB make a great team, one is a complete materialistic, insecur, money-minded jerk and the other is a selfish, conniving vamp…who is not loyal to anyone but herself. Together they are on a mission, ” Mission…Destroy Mana Ka Gharana’s happiness and Peace of Mind “…that is the reason for which their characters have been added to the story. While they have a common enemy, it is interesting to note that neither of them have any sympathy for eachother, in their household…its every man for himself.

So, in the latest episode Shehreyaar is proving that deep down he is nothing but a suit. It only took a tiny little incident to bring his true nature to light and despite of that, Mana and her mother are still dying to make it up to this toad/ Prince Charming. I mean, whatever happened, it was ” Divine Intervention “, Mana should have thanked her lucky stars, she saw that side to Shehreyaar’s nature so early in their relationship…the guy lost his temper at something so trivial and then he physically assaulted a boy for no reason. If he has anger management issues, then my advice to Mana would be ” Turn Around and run ” . But again, the entire family is not seeing the obvious and Khizar is getting all the blame. Yes, his attitude was a bit weird and it was perhaps too much for him to ask Shehreyaar to apologize but still it wasn’t all his fault, it’s interesting how Saliha and Mana are putting the entire blame on him.

For Mana’s sake, I was hoping they would all realize what a disaster Mana’s marriage to Shehreyaar would be and it wouldn’t take place but by the look of things ( and for stretching the story ) this marriage seems inevitable. By the promos, Khizar is gonna leave his house and family behind and move away, after which Saliha will be free to put her ” rahi-sahi self-respect ” aside and do everything to please Shehreyaar and GB.

I am really hoping Mana will not turn into just another ” bay-chari, domestic abuse victim ” v we already have more than enough of them on our TV screens.

Mana Ka Gharana…Episode 2

 

 

 

I am really enjoying this drama; the serenity of the whole atmosphere, the lovy dovy family, simple lifestyle, lifelike characters, simple dialogues with nothing philosophical about them and the amazing scenery of Rawlakot Azad-Kashmir…it all comes together so beautifully. The presentation and direction is also a big plus. If you guys haven’t started watching this serial by now, I suggest you should give it a go. So far, this play is a really sweet, tension free drama with nothing annoying about it.

Before I review the second episode, last week in my review I made a mistake. It wasn’t Zaree who is the cause of Maalik’s heartache, it is his wife Gul-Bahar.. Maalik’s was a love marriage, his wife broke his heart and moved to UK and he stayed behind with his Bhai and Bhabi. What transpired between them is still a mystery but he was devastated by the separation and still hasn’t recovered. Zaree has always been interested in him, apparently he is the reason why she choose to remain single. I have a feeling he is also the reason why she decided to move in with his family, in hopes of trying her luck one more time. Maalik is well aware of her intentions and that annoys him. Even though he and his wife are separated, they are not yet divorced and he has no plans of moving on, therefore Zaree’s attempts at gaining his attention are either snubbed or he bluntly insults her.

The way Zaree left his room after accidentally breaking his wife’s picture frame, does go to show ” k Zaree k dil main chor hai “, warna  is Tarah chup k aanay aur Phir Bhag jaanay Ki Kya zarooret the.

For some reason, Mana reminds me Eustacia Vye of” The Return Of The Native ” I get a vibe, both these leading ladies live in far flung places and yearn for the buzz and excitement that big cities have to offer. I hope the resemblance ends here. Like her , Mana also longs to experience life in a big city. While others may love the peace, tranquility and serenity of the valley she resides in but for her, it’s too quiet. She wants to experience not just the city life but she also wouldn’t mind living  a luxurious life. Not that she is greedy but she is very young and naive. She has no experience of life outside of her protective environment, surrounded by people who love her, her life is happy and easy, she is longing for some adventure. Maybe all she wants is a change.

Like I said earlier, the characters are realistic and therefore it’s easy to understand their actions and reactions. Saliha being a good natured woman did offer Zaree to come  and live with her when she heard she was miserable with her own brother and Bhabi but when she made that offer,she had no idea Zaree was gonna accept it and come to their house. That is just so Pakistani mentality :), hum ikhlakun ikhlakun loogoon ko Sulla to ker daynay hain Lakin yeah bhe durr hota hai k kahin wo dawat qabool hi na ker lain :). That’s exactly what happened here and then as soon as Zaree and Maalik started arguing, Saliha sided with her dewar and thought ” ager Zaree itni hi samagdaar thee to apnay Bhai Bhabi say bana k rakhtti ” and she is all set to send her back if her relations with Maalik donot improve…again a very typical human behavior. Saliha is a mixture of emotions and age, she did feel bad for Zaree but for her the peace of her own house comes first.

Khizar and Mana’s relationship is beautiful, they get along well and it seems effortless. Credit goes to the writer, director and the actors, they aren’t trying too hard … both these characters are so genuine, they are the same age, live in the same house and whether they realize it or not, they are eachother’s confidants, advisers and best friends. They fight, argue, tease eachother and then sit down and discuss everything from family politics to their dreams and aspirations. They compliment eachother, while Mana wishes to change her surroundings, Khizar is content with his life. They may have different dreams and aspirations, their love for their family is something they have in common. Watching Khizar pushing his mamoo’s wheel chair as the family leaves the sitting area for the dining area was a very simple act of kindness but it sheds light on this guy’s character. He lost his parents when he was 11 and came to live with his mamo. His mamo and mami welcomed him not just into their house but also in their hearts and he not only acknowledges that but also returns their affection every chance he gets.

Khizar dosen’t feel the need to express his feelings for Mana, he will work all night to fix the jeep because she asked him to, he can’t let her walk home alone cause he is concerned for her safety, she can handpick and take his share of food and to him that says it all. But poor guy should know, it’s best to say it than just express it through your gestures. Also in his peaceful life a raqeeb is about to enter. The guy whose car Mana and Happy were gushing over just happens to be the person  Mana is gonna fall for. His entrance will definitely stir things up and as a result we will get to see how Khizar will react in that situation. Whether he will back off gracefully or put up a fight, l would love to see that.

Overall this play is proving to be a very well put together drama. Everything from casting, locations, background scores, acting, direction and over all presentation is really good. For me the strongest point is the focus on details like ” lakrre ka chulha, gharay ka istemaal “, ” appropriate dressing of the characters “, the heroine actually doing house work. All that shows the hard work that has gone into the making of this drama and the hardwork is paying off, I am just hoping this drama will get the attention it deserves since it is much better than most  the other serials on TV these days. The story is not new but if you are looking for something light and uncomplicated to watch on a Wednesday night, then this is the play for you.

 

Mana Ka Gharana…Episode 1

Written by Alia Bukhari, directed by Shahzad’s Kashmiri and a Momina Duraid Production, MKG’s first episode went onair last night. Shot in Kashmir, this is the story of two couples. Mana and Khizar and Maalik and Zaree.

We are all familiar with Hum TV’s fascination with cousin marriages, so keeping that tradition very much alive Khizar ( Shahroz Sabzwari ) is in love with his mamoo Ki bayti Mana ( Sana Javed ). Khizar is an orphan ( they haven’t said it out loud but this is what I think is the case )  who is living with his baray mamoo and maami and also in their house lives chotay mamoo Maalik. By the end of the first episode the family welcomed a new member ( naaaaaaa not a baby 🙂 ) , Mana Ki Rishtay Ki khala Zaree.

Khizar is a very responsible, sensitive, caring , down to earth guy. He runs the family bakery and is excellent at his work. He is in love with Mana, who is not quite sure of his feelings towards herself but she does have an idea but she is still not very interested in him, though they are good friends. Mana dreams of experiencing ” The Big City Life ” . She wants to see the lights, the hustle bustle and  the busy life style.

Maalik mamoo/uncle ( Shamil Khan ) is another interesting character. The guy had his heart broken years ago and since then he has turned into a ” woman hater “. Most likely the lady who broke his heart was Zaree, we don’t know the details yet but since then he has changed a lot.  Other than his Bhabi and niece ( whom he loves and respects very much ), he can’t stand any woman’s presence even in the house. So obviously when Zaree herself came to live with the family, he was not a happy camper.

Now Zaree’s parents are dead and she is being abused by her Bhabi, so she left her brother’s house and came to live with Mana and family. Don’t get me wrong, by her appearance and attitude you can easily tell, she is not a typical abuse victim. She is a confident, stylish woman. Her encounter with Maalik was very interesting as both were unaware of the other’s presence in the same house. While the shock of seeing Zaree after so many years left Maalik dumbfounded, Zaree’s response was not something that even gave a slightest hint of her being in love with him. ” main to tumhain bhool hi gaie thee…” She very casually declared and then without waiting for a response from him, she kept on going and stopped only after she realized Maalik had left.

Overall the first episode was relaxed and sweet. The characters are very realistic and easily relatable. We saw some good performances specially from the lead pair. Honestly I wasn’t expecting much from Shehroz, I wasn’t sure if he could pull this role off but he proved me wrong. I am loving the scenery, Kashmir is beautiful and the house the family is living in is equally average and simple but at the same time very cosy and homely. The pace is good, this installment not only introduced us with the characters but also gave us a good insight into their past, present and future plans.

Styling has been done brilliantly, I am just loving Shehroz’s look. While we normally see heroes in gel packed hair, tight T-shirts and equally tight fitting jeans ( which looks disgusting in most cases by the way ) Khizar is dressed according to his circumstances in simple shalwar qameez and his only accessory is his muffler. This hero is a breath of fresh air, both his personality and his look are easy going and humble. Mana is also dressed according to her character in shalwar qameez and a dupatta, which is not hanging by her shoulder :). These two characters are young, sweet and simple people and it would be interesting to see where the journey takes them and by the end of the journey who have they become ?

I really liked the first episode and if somehow Hum Tv does not sabotage the simplicity and honesty of the story and script, I will be watching and reviewing it till the end 🙂