Daagh is shaping up to be a rare gem of a drama, the kind that retains your interest week after week. Good acting, a nicely balanced story and direction which pushes the narrative forward rather than long scenes and over wrought dialogues .Well in episode 4 Umaima and Murad get married and I must say Meher Bano really cleans up well. After that quite frankly dreadful look on ARY’s morning show I was fully expecting something horrible, but happy surprise she looked really beautiful as a bride. I loved that pale lips and darkened eye look! Murad and Humaima might be happy to get married but Umaima’s father feels shamed by the rumour spread by his sister’s family that his daughter knew Murad in college. There might be worse fathers than Mr. Haseeb but as yet he is in the top spot. He has no trust in his wife or daughters and sees himself as a victim of cruel fate when in reality he is the author of most of his own misery. Throughout the wedding he is cold and unforgiving, doing his best to make this tremendous event in his daughters’ life as difficult as possible. When other Fathers send their daughters off with prayers he tells her never to return to her parents’ home. What saddens me the most is his family’s’ stoic acceptance of this attitude.
Deeba ,Murad’s rejected cousin is playing a common game these days in dramas, by being friendly with the family but subtly undercutting poor Umaima in every way. There is the usual to and fro after the wedding of this not being good enough and that not being done , which is sadly typical of Pakistani weddings from New York to London to Lahore. Deebas games continue on into episode 5 till even Murad’s mother, who is actually a good person by nature, notices. What is nice to see is that both Umaima’s sister in laws are portrayed as friendly and concerned for their brother’s happiness and consequently for Umaima. There are lots of little incidents and scenes which show the typical difficulties any newlywed couple face in a joint family system but the best part was that despite being upset ,Umaima is mostly patient and not overwhelmed.
I must say that I prefer Fahads incarnation as Murad to the mindless Mohsin in Ek Tamana Lahasil. Murad is sensitive , kind and generous to his wife while being respectful to his mother. Considering the current crop of husbands from hell on HumTV , Murad seems almost unreal, but have faith ladies ,they do exist. If there is a recurring theme in this drama it is the sad disconnect between generations. All the parents want something different for their children and all of them trust their relatives more than their offspring. I was a little surprised to find out that Murad’s younger sister is involved with Umaima’s ex fiancée, the shopkeeper Mushtaq . Really? That old chestnut? Ok will watch and see but I am beginning to see a pattern of isolation, first Umaimas family cuts her off, then her Mother in law is misguided by Deeba and now it might be her younger sister in law…Meanwhile we see the wonderful Yusra Risvi and her husband failing in their attempt to adopt. Here is another positive couple who care for and respect each other despite their lack of children a good contrast to Mr. Haseebs ungrateful attitude.
After each episode I ask myself why I continue to watch when the story is as old as the hills. The answer being the great characterisations and flowing narrative, which does not give me a chance to think of anything else.
Written by Sadaf
