This has to have been one of my favourite episodes of Dayar e Dil. I have a lot of complaints about how the story should have unfolded, Faraa’s endless weeping, the stretching of the story etc etc etc so when I see its good let me say how happy I am:from dialogues, to acting, to editing, this was just one fabulous episode.

After a lifetime of ”looking through a glass darkly “, and three episodes of painful self-appraisal, Faraa has finally come to the decision that she wants to stay at the Haveli and most importantly she wants to stay with Wali. We have come full circle…………almost. Faraa is doing her best to make up for the years of misunderstandings and hurt feelings but none of it seems to be having any effect. After Moiz’s first visit or perhaps Agha Jaan’s sudden collapse, a door may have opened up in Faraa’s mind but a door closed in Wali’s heart. Just as Wali once followed Faraa around pleading for a chance, now it’s Faraa who follows a distant, seemingly indifferent Wali asking to give their rishta a chance.

I love the subtle turn the story has taken, where once Faraa accused Wali and her father’s family of upholding traditions and marriages of compromise against her freedom of choice, now she offers the same argument to Wali. Yes, she is ashamed and apologetic but she still doesn’t understand the reason Wali tried so hard to maintain their connection over the years. She says all the things she would hate to hear herself, she is speaking a language of compromise and respect for relationships she herself has never understood, no wonder it sounds unconvincing to Wali’s ears.

I have heard some people say Farhat Ishtiaq’s heroes are too good to be true yet millions of people relate to them. I think the essence of that connection is their vulnerability. Wali doesn’t want a life of compromise in the name of family honour; he wants someone who loves him.  The way to his heart is not a few pakoras and sandwiches , nor is it some declaration about rishto ki ehmeeyat and our duty to parents …..He wants a partnership based on mutual love and respect, he wants to be chosen .He releases Faraa from any feeling of obligation or fear she may have about Agha Jaan’s health or any sense of guilt she might be feeling. Without actually saying the words he asks her to make a free choice. In effect he is gambling on all or nothing because his pride won’t allow him to compromise.

For me, Osman Khalid Butt was the star this week. The way he walked past Faraa and Moiz’s distasteful squabble, his meetings with Faraa, his quiet memories of her sudden hug and that look of sheer mischief as he left the breakfast table was simply fabulous. Whether he is silent or speaking OKB’s expressions convey more than all the dialogues we hear from Faraa about wanting to stay.  There was so much to love this week that I may end up reeling off every scene  but  among the best was the breakfast scene , where it is obvious that Wali is having a great time  playing with Faraa’s feelings even if it means using his mother and sister a little. While Arjumand maybe oblivious, Zarminey is not fooled by the sudden burst of brotherly love: the confusion on Maryam Nafees’s face was too cute. There were so many instances where OKB shows us the difficulty of Wali’s situation, at each turn he wants to comfort Faraa, he wants to help her or say something but he steps back with iron self-control because this is something she must do herself.

Coming back to our newly improved heroine, I think I preferred the old batamees one, she seemed more honest. Faraa knows she has little to recommend her so she is clutching at straws to hold on to Wali.  I really found the scene between Faraa and Moiz horrible. No one forced Faraa to tell Moiz she loved him, no one forced anything on her, and her actions were based on spite and because it was what her mother wanted. What I cannot understand is squabbling about such a serious thing in the courtyard of the Haveli where a hundred servants could hear, it seemed incredibly ill-mannered. I might have found the way Faraa not only friend zoned, but effectively “Uncle-zoned” Moiz amusing except that it was so matter of fact. I think this incident should have been a huge part of Faraa’s growth but I just got the impression she was angry at Moiz while not taking the responsibility of her own part in their (non) relationship seriously. This shouldn’t have been a shouting match with Faraa telling Moiz off, (remember Faraa does not know about Moiz’s duplicity) which is how it seemed to play out. Faraa is not 16, she is a medical student in her twenties and should know better.

I want to feel sorry for Faraa, after all she was the subject of her mother’s brainwashing and emotional blackmail, a young girl suddenly pushed into a Nikkah with a complete stranger, but I cant . Part of that maybe Maya Ali’s rather matter of fact acting which just will not wring out any sympathy from me and partly it’s the way the character is shown. Faraa’s character has little or no attachment to anyone save her mother; she seems to have no friends apart from Moiz and hasn’t bothered to make any. It never occurs to her that the reason Wali doesn’t care about their rishta is because just like the rest of the world he wants a life partner who is capable of love, who wants him for himself.  One of the highlights this week was Faraa’s apology and plea to Wali. Both OKB and Maya Ali were outstanding playing off of each other and never missing a cue. Wali ‘s gentle let down , the way he accepts perhaps Faraa loves Moiz and the look on Faraa’s face saying all she dare not put into words were all outstanding.

Lastly, a word about Arjumand: I can hardly blame her for her ice-cold attitude and the way she tries to protect Wali from Faraa ,like any mother she is a tigress when it comes to her cubs. Further she has suffered at Roohi’s hands for some time now and doesn’t want her child to suffer too.  She made a huge compromise in  allowing the Nikkah not out of obedience but as an act of love for the sake of her husband Suhaib. Still Arjumand is a better person than Roohi , I hope she will eventually see Faraa for who she really is and more importantly perhaps she will see her  son’s feelings for Faraa in a more positive light. Having said that, Arjumand’s annoyed Mother persona silently clashing with Wali’s “looking for Faraa , despite myself “ moments were so sweet and so real. Suffice to say, what great job by Hareem Farooq at playing someone so mature and beyond her own experience.

There were some brilliant dialogues this episode, from both Agha Jaan and Wali, but the one Faraa needs to remember the most: “ Hazaron Nafraton ko aikelee mohabbat shikast dey deyti hai . Itni taqatwar mohabbat hoti hai.” ….

Next week’s promo looks a bit filmi so we are in for some serious action next Tuesday. For this week a big round of applause for Farhat Ishtiaq , Haseeb Hassan , OKB , Maya Ali and Team Dayar e Dil

written by Sadaf

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