After the longest time I am feeling some empathy for Murad. Seriously! I had this old kamees that I had not worn in years so I gave it to a cousin. A couple of weeks later I saw her wearing it getting compliment after compliment and I thought “darn, shouldn’t have given it away…” So yes I feel you Murad. I can understand entirely how annoyed you felt when you saw Umama in Mushtaq’s car. It wouldn’t have bothered you if she was laying face flat in the dirt but sitting in her cousin’s fancy car must have hurt badly. That is probably why you made your generous offer: saying she could come back if she wanted to and you had no objection. At this point in the serial I am at a loss to understand Murad’s character. I can perhaps understand him falling out of love with Umama or perhaps he really never loved her in the first place but his cold, detached behavior towards his children is surprising. I have to agree with Mushtaq “barra Beghairat nikla”.
After her father’s death Umama’s is very much alone, her sister has left for a new job and Murad is still smarting from her act of defiance in returning his money. When Umama loses her job and has barely enough money to last out the month, understandably she begins to doubt her decision to reject both Murad’s offer of return and his money. I have to commend Fahad Mustapha and Meher Bano for doing such a great job with these roles. It is nice to see an essentially negative role underplayed, without over the top gestures and larger than life actions. Every time I see Murad on screen I think of the phrase “the banality of evil”, because mostly it is the actions of ordinary people who consider themselves quite decent, that allow bad things to happen. Murad knows exactly what Deeba is but chooses to support her and yield to her pressure simply because it is easier for him. This is made patently obvious when Deeba Baji returns and acts nice after learning Murad is visiting Umama again.
Kissi ko Mushtaq pey shaq ho na ho, mujhey tho pura yaqeen hai. Mushtaqs’ newly found helpful attitude, his recent divorce and his sideways glances at Umama tell me something is cooking other than usual Karri chawal in Karachi. Last week we were all speculating about his suggarpan etc… And it seems to be panning out nicely. I really liked the scene when “Mushi Uncle” gives Hira a treat for making him a cup of tea and his quiet declaration that he will always have time for Umama and the girls did not go unnoticed by me either. So when he tells his mother to stop being suspicious we can be forgiven for smiling and looking the other way. I was no fan of Mushtaq before but he seems to have cleaned up quite nicely and even managed to look kind of cute in that moustache. Good job Talha Mufti (whom I have it on good authority IS Mushtaq) for managing to show such a change in his character over the span of time and making it believable
This may not be Humsafar or Pani Jaisa Pyaar or indeed Sheher e Zaat but this is good serial which has kept me hooked every Friday despite other attractions. I just hope the narrative moves on now and the story does not drag.
Written by Sadaf
