“Aankhein dekhti reh jaati hein” well Faraz,gulsher, kashif and Shahnaz the four most popular most loveable and endearing characters ever to grace our screens.
The romance of army on television screens is ages old and we saw many terrific productions like Aahan, Shahpar, Samunder Jaag Raha Hai and Nishaan e Haider. but Alpha Bravo Charlie was way ahead of them all.
A simple tale of three young army officers who we have seen before in “sunheray din” as they embark on the start of thier professional life. The way they go through their service patterns and then how they all end up falling in love with the same girl shehnaz(Some would disagree with me on Kashif)
I think that shahnaz was probably the most charming character i have ever seen on pakistani tv screens. She was beautiful,intelligent,witty,confident and so strong headed. she just brings in the complete package. I think in this play Shehnaz really was the X factor. speciaaly the two hotel scenes, first one with gulsher (the whole pashto with the waiter thing) and then with faraz (when she orders everything on the menu) were touch of a class but the best one perhaps was the scene in which she walks up and confronts gulsher in the park” Aap kai sajhtay hain main aap par fidaa ho gayee hun. buhat aam si shakal kai admi hain aap”. I am yet to see that sort of a defined female character again.
The most endearing and enticing thing about the drama was that for the first time the army guys were not “holier than thou” as they always used to be. It was a play where they were human beings with emotions so characteristically human. that’s why the audience fell in love with them even Kashif who was the imperfect army officer.(this is a lesson for all the writers never elevate your characters to a stature above human beings). The scene where he is left sleeping alone in the exercise area was adorable to say the least.
Shoaib mansoor was simply at his best through out. the cinemato graphy was equisite thee camera angels a treat to watch. the locations specially the ones in bosnia and Siacheen were simply breath taking.
Shehnaz and gulsher were so magical in thier scenes they cohorted like clockwork. The moments they shared were brilliant”yeah Marks& spencer kai suit yaa buhat ameer log pehntay hain yaa meray jaisay” and when gulsher opens his eyes to see shehnaz wearing a burqa were all treat to watch. and the icing on the cake was gulsher shouting Shehnaaz from the roof top of their building.”humaaray kaun se bachay hain jo STN dekhen gay Ptv hi thik hai”
even the emotional issues are addressed so well the sequence of Kashi on Siachen top was methodical and beautiful. the post combat trauma faced by kashif was unique for PTV where every war hero is mortified it was just so humane.
it was such well executed play that it is impossible to find a fault line. yet i guess the relatively weaker points were, the lack of chemistry between faraz and shehnaz(it was fine just not as electrifying as the other two), Gulsher’s captivity in Bosnia and the way his track ended was a bit dragged(bit is stressed here).
Any way alpha bravo Charlie was a land mark play. a true mile stone of television. one really looks forward to ISPR coming bakc with such inspiring productions again
