I don’t think that I’m capable of reviewing such a powerful, intense episode, but I’ll try my best. Bano’s (Sanam Baloch’s) arrival in Lahore, Hassan (Fawad Khan) and Rabia’s (Mehreen Raheal’s) engagement, and then, finally, Hassan and Bano’s reunion. It’s all too much to handle.

Bano’s arrival was tear-wrenching, to say the least. Her words at the train station made me cry. She went through so much pain, that she nearly went crazy at finally being able to see her country. “Ye Pakistan hai. Yahan pe koi Basanta nahi hai.” It really showed how much suffering she went through during those 5 years she stayed at his house. She was overwhelmed by her freedom, nearly demented by the knowledge that she was in Pakistan, the country that she had yearned to see for so many years. The most powerful words uttered in this episode were “Tum jaantey ho ye kaun hai? Yeh gaali hai. Jo Basanta ne mujhe nahi, tumhe di hai. Tumhe iska badla lena pare ga.” I’m still wondering what Bano will do with her son, the son that she hates the sight of.

And then the camera spins around to show that just opposite of where Bano was standing was Hassan, bidding farewell to his bride to be. Every time Hassan has been shown romancing with Rabia, he says the same thing. “Mujhe chor ke mat jao, mai bahaut akela hoon.” I think what the writer is subtly trying to say is that Hassan doesn’t love Rabia,  or at least, not the same way he loved Bano. He hasn’t had any love in so many years, and Rabia is the only thing he has in his life that can move him forward.

Hassan’s mangni with Rabia was artfully weaved into the storyline. While Bano is trying to find Hassan and restore the life they used to have, here’s Hassan, trying his best to move on. I think I need to point out though, that Hassan hadn’t completely forgotten about Bano, as was illustrated when he saw her visage while looking at Rabia. He had compromised his love for Bano, attempting to replace her with Rabia.

You could tell throughout this episode that Bano had hidden fears about what was going to happen when she finally met Hassan again. The way she cried while at the women’s shelter is just one example. “Mujhe nilhao, mujhe pak karo.” She felt as though she could never be the same again due to the pain inflicted on her, and she was probably right.

Fawad Khan reminded us once again just how brilliant of an actor he is during the scene where Hassan reads the letter. The pitch of his voice, the tension in his eyes, all was executed perfectly as he went on his journey to get Bano. And the scene where they were finally reunited cannot be described in words. I can’t even fathom how paradisaical Bano must have been feeling at that moment, finally being with Hassan. To me, it felt as though all of her dreams were finally coming true as she stood there in Hassan’s arms in the safety of her own land,  in their pak sar zameen, together at last. Both Sanam Baloch and Fawad Khan have proved time and time again that they were the best choices for the roles of Bano and Hassan, respectively. Their performance had me crying with racking sobs, which is something that I’m reluctant to admit. :P I couldn’t stop crying, and my heart felt like it was fit to burst. I could barely breathe during this scene, and my heart stopped jab Hassan ne Bano se gale milae.

But alas, it seems as though their reunion was in vain. As shown in the next episode promo, fate isn’t going to have any more happiness stored for this couple. Rashida Baji (Saba Pervaiz) is obviously displeased by Bano’s return. Her tone was almost disgusted as she contemplated the thought of her son marrying a girl like Bano. Unfortunately, more times than not, this is what happened to the girls who gave so many sacrifices for Pakistan. Upon arrival, they weren’t treated as heroes, but instead, objects of distaste. Nobody was as empathetic as Samina Ahmed’s character, who said “Yeh dagh Pakistan k naam pe lagain. In daghon ko seena se lagao.” And though Hassan and Bano’s meeting made me overjoyed, I feel very distressed for Rabia, the heartbroken girl who thought all of her dreams were coming true.

I can’t wait  to see Hassan’s reaction towards his mother’s un-acceptance for Bano, and to see the reaction of both Rabia and her parents at the startling news. Haissam Hussain’s directing, Samira Fazal’s script, Razia Butt’s plotline and Fawad Khan and Sanam Baloch’s acting has made Dastaan THE show to watch, and I’m waiting anxiously for next week. Sorry for the long review, but this episode was too powerful to sum up in a few words. DASTAAN and PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!

-Noorie