From Afifa Muhammad’s pen, comes ” BHAI “, A-Plus’s new sensation. Director Shoaib Khan along with his team of brilliant actors has brought a drama to our screens which might not be a completely new concept but the skill, simplicity and craftsmanship with which it has been presented has given it an identity of its own.

I was drawn towards this drama because of the one and only Nauman Ijaz. It was because of him that I decided to give this drama a try and I am glad to say, I wasn’t disappoint. The story revolves around ” Ashraf Muneer ” aka Bhai ( Nauman Ijaz ) who is simultaneously the counsellor and BHAI of his Muhalla.  He lives in the ” Old City ” ( Lahore ) with his family. His family is a perfect blend of unique characters. His father ( Salman Shahid Shahab ) is bed ridden due to paralysis but still he is Ashraf’s mentor and his illness has by no means dampen his authority both inside and outside the house . Ashraf is a high school drop out but whatever education he managed to get, has not affected his Jaheleyet in any way. A complete contradiction to Ashraf is his younger brother Hammad ( Affan Waheed ) who is a well educated, soft spoken, kind hearted lecturer. They live in their family house with their mother ( Simi Raheel ) and three sisters, Rubab, Kheeda and Saira. Saira ( Saboor Ali ) takes after her brother Hammad and always manages to get a position in board exams.

The director’s craftsmanship deserves credit for bringing such an amazing, well put together and crisp first episode to our screens. Every character was explained in detail, in their very first appearance. The episode starts with Ashraf cutting a pigeons’ wings…he has the same attitude while dealing with the women in his house. He believes in ” Might Is Right ” and the only way to deal with his mother and sisters is  through fear and dominance. This attitude might have earned him obedience but not affection. We first meet Hammad in his college library, where the very proud big brother is reading about his sister’s accomplishment in the newspaper and sharing the news of his sister’s achievement with his colleagues. Maha Warsi and her family enter the Muhalla and the drama with a very tranquil and soft music in the background, reflecting the peace and harmony in their lives.

While the lives of Bhai and his family are going as routine, enters Maha Warsi. The outspoken girl with whom our protagonist falls hopelessly in love with at first sight. The thing I find most interesting is Ashraf’s character,  he is so complicated and has so many layers.While Ashraf is absolutely not in favor of his sister’s education or even giving them room to breath, the irony is that he has fallen for a blunt, independent, educated girl himself. He dosen’t even like it if his sister has a picture of her husband but he himself has no qualms about secretly taking a girls’ picture, simply because he is attracted towards her. On one hand he is the man no one dares to question or oppose and he seems to be so sure of himself, there is however a streak of jealousy and insecurity when he compares himself with his brother. His brother might not be  a Tough Guy like him but he has everything that Ashraf dosen’t have. He is educated, respected and loved by everyone and that dosen’t sit well with Bhai.

I just loved how the writer and director have balanced Ashraf’s tyranny with the women of his family’s comradeship and sisterhood. They rightfully call him ” Moot Ka Farishta ” but his attempts at suppressing them haven’t turned them into Roti-dhoti mazloom aurtain. They still manage to laugh, dance and sing in his absence. They still make the best out of things while living within their resources and the ray of hope in their lives is Hammad. The brother they all love and adore. He is  huge supporter of women’s rights and education.

Another strong character is the leading lady played by Maha Warsi. The girl who is the daughter is a government official, she is the apple of her father’s eye and being brought up by a protective father, she is blissfully   sheltered and unaware of the harsh realities of life. Her encounter with Ashraf has marked a new chapter of her life, she is still unaware of his interest in her but sooner or later, they will again come face to face with eachother…Ashraf will make sure of that.

The first episode was shot in the ” Androonay Shehr ” Lahore, which was not only a welcome relief visually but it also gave the story a different flavor. The tang galiyaan, Puranay makaan, tharay and the nikammay larkay sitting there discussing their love lives, added to the charm of the story.

While the story is interesting in itself, it’s the characterization which is making this drama stand apart from the rest and the hand picked cast which is giving it an edge. Nauman Ijaz is simply brilliant as Bhai, Affan Waheed, Simi Raheel, Salman Shahid,Saboor Ali, Maha Warsi, along with the others have done a superb job. The OST is amazing and so is the direction.

The two major points which are gonna be discussed in next week’s episode are if Saira will be allowed to get admission in university and what will become of Khadeeja and Sufiyaan ( Khadeeja’s husband who has been pushed around by Ashraf in public ). This episode was fast pace and it has managed to capture the viewers’ attention, now expectations are high, so let’s wait and see how the story progresses next week.

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