This latest episode confirmed for me what I’ve been thinking all along – Sultan needs a serious reality check. I mean, come on! I understand, and even sympathize to some extent, with his issues with his blue collar background, his overbearing, foul-mouthed mother, his drunkard of a father, his uncouth brother, and his allah miyan ki gaye kind of a sister-in-law, but still! He has a job, but lives at home rent-free, not contributing anything to the household budget. His parents cover his tuition fees, but he still complains about them 24/7; the latest in his never-ending list of grievances: how dare Bilqees question him about who would pay Soha’s fees?! Inayat and Peeno, weird as they may be, gave up their bedroom for him and Soha, and are now themselves living in a closet sized room, but Sultan still considers them as unworthy of his attention, telling Soha not to be concerned about Peeno?! Is this man mad?? Is he so blind that he cannot see beyond the Texas sized chip on his shoulder? Please Sultan, Soha is right, just get over yourself – now!!
Indeed, Sultan is one heck of a messed up character; he has to be one of the most non-hero heroes I’ve seen in our dramas in recent years. Though I get annoyed with him, particularly when he airs his thoughts about his family, but then I also go aww when I see him with Soha. He genuinely does care for her and wants the best for her. How can such a man be all bad? What a beautifully written character by Faiza Iftikhar and so well played by Ahsan Khan. Along with Ahsan, Syra Yousuf also stands out for her performance here. She is really holding her own here, particularly in her scenes with the experienced Sadia Imam and the doyen Bushra Ansari.
Peeno is another one who’s really caught my attention. Watching her trying to get her husband to listen to her very legitimate complaints, about her life being reduced to no more than that of a galley slave, I could not not be touched by the tragedy of her situation. Here she is in New York, but yet to see anything beyond the kitchen of Bilqees’ restaurant. But then in the next moment you see her getting back at her asinine husband and his family by calling her brother in Gujranwala. Of course, being the simpleton she is, she lacks the foresight to figure out the repercussions of her ill-thought actions. Hence, she is the one who ends up being beaten, with the idiotic Inayat just watching on. I shudder to think what her fate might’ve been if Soha hadn’t stepped in. I say this every week, but Sadia Imam is truly exceptional here and Kashif Mehmood is very effective as Inayat.
Yes, Soha’s arrival has definitely stirred the pot and shaken up the family dynamics. Finally there is someone who can tell it like it is to Sultan. Peeno, on the other hand, seems to have found an ally in Soha, and Inayat might now see his so far easy-peasy life becoming a tad bit more difficult, if his wife begins taking cues from Soha and starts taking a stand. And, ah yes! Our very own Bilqees Kaur – she is thoroughly shaken to the core with the arrival of this unwanted, uninvited choti bahu. She’s already having a hard time coming to terms with her youngest daughter’s elopement, and now having to deal with this young twit of a girl who refuses to cow down in face of her crusty demeanor. Present struggles aside, why do I get the feeling that a couple of episodes down the road, Soha and Bilqees will be surefire nominees for the inseparable pair of the year award?
Overall the story is paced really well. Adnan Ahmed’s done a great job of keeping our attention riveted to the going-ons in the Bhatti family. The narrative is gradually building up to a crescendo, and all the tracks are gelling well. My only peeve is with the Anjuman-Faraz track. At the one end of the spectrum we have Sultan and Soha – they met, married, came to the US, Soha’s going to school, and has now also started working at Bilqees’ dhaba – and at the other end we have Faraz and Anjuman, seemingly going nowhere – Kuljeet Mamaji, could you please get on with it and get them married?
Written by SZ~ [email protected]
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