It feels like our dramas are on a mission to self destruct. After four weeks of consecutively good episodes, Alvida has taken a sharp turn- one that has been a huge letdown. I understand that bad things happen to people all the time, but must our dramas continue to highlight only the evils rampant in our society. I get that they wanted to show a coming of age story where Haya will learn the harsh truth of life but did they really need to do it through Faiz? Why is rape becoming a recurring theme in our dramas? I can also try and wrap my head around her Taya giving her space but who in their right mind would allow this to continue? Haya decided she had suffered enough and assumed she could take refuge indefinitely.

Even after everything she saw and heard, she remains living at the mercy of Kaukab and Faiz and trying to explain herself. Why would anyone put themselves in such a situation? I’m sure she has the resources to travel and get the breathing space she desperately needs.

Meanwhile, Aroosa and Hadi are back from their honeymoon and are expecting their firstborn. But since our writers are dead against happy endings, Aroosa is having a high risk pregnancy and going by the preview, she may not survive. Isn’t it convenient how ultimately Haya will find her way back into Hadi’s life? I don’t get why every story ends up taking the same direction. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could see a girl overcome her stupid fixation and actually make a life for herself?

I really liked the scenes between Aroosa and Hadi. The one in which Hadi was ready-eyed was very nicely executed. I don’t know if there was any thought process involved but I’d like to think that the writer wanted to show a man who genuinely loved his wife and isn’t afraid of expressing his soft side. We see either robotic workaholics or those overbearing macho men in our dramas so seeing a man like Hadi is definitely refreshing. It reminds me of the “Boys don’t cry” campaign. Men have feelings too and I hope this message will resonate .

I’m contemplating quitting the review after this week’s episode. The track involving Kaukab and Faiz is extremely disturbing. I see no reason to explore it further. I wish their role would end soon and Haya leaves their home and manages not to screw up any further. I’m tired of seeing these unhealthy obsessions over and over again- either our leading ladies are crying up a river or they are wasting their lives over men they can’t have.

Kanwal Murtaza