From last week’s light heartedness to this week’s emotional wallop, Goya keeps mixing it up and that is a smart way to keep your audience hooked.

Omar and Mohini are racing to their nikaah but not before some more partying and setting the stage for this motley crew to get together again. It was good to see more of a party here (than here) and to see young folks having fun and yes, I’ll admit Sadaf is spot on – if Gohar Rasheed is at a party, I want to go to there.

Adnan, is the life of the party but as always with people who clown around, it is more often than not, a façade. His casual, self-depreciating mention of his father and his multiple wives and siblings belie his deep seated issues of not belonging and his need to have Omar, Mohini and even Asma shift to his own home is his attempt to create family that he never had.

Gohar Rasheed is winning me over. Not only does he have jobs and joints a phone call away but any man announcing in a deep timber that he can dust, wash clothes and mop the floors- SOLD!

Hat tip to the writer duo of Syed Mohammed Ahmed sahib and Yasir Rana for giving a lot of breath and characterization to all its characters not just the protagonists which makes it refreshingly different. Even Ali isn’t just the sidekick but is a good friend to both Omar and Adnan and tries to help them sort out their issues. Furqan Qureshi has even got the embarrassed but loyal boyfriend bit down pat.

Mrs. Imtiaz’s passing was truly an emotional punch you didn’t see coming. Neither did Omar and Osman hits all the notes of loss and longing. For Omar, it floods open his insecurities, sense of guilt and the terrible pain of loss of losing all the people he loves. This time however he can direct his rage against the (moneymaking) machine that is Sr. Hashmi.

While Mohini tries hard to hold his hand and fill the void to “be his everything” the scene felt like they were talking on somewhat parallel tracks. While Omar was mourning was the loss of a maternal figure, someone who really cared for him and was his protector and shielded him in every way, he was also saying goodbye to someone who knew him, and in a way, his childhood.

He now stands at the threshold of adulthood alone and bereft. Mohini eager to move on to the future, seemed to be less supportive of his loss and eager to move on without allowing him some space to mourn. I too, like Omar, felt rushed in that moment. Even if they did get married, there already seems to be a discordant note not only of circumstances but of their understanding of each other.

This is in a way what Nomi picks up on, but, um…honest conversations about your friends spouse should take place before the wedding not after. Little bit of a missed opportunity here. Also side note: I am always sad to see Shamim Hilali leave, but to leave in such an elegant ikat has to be a good way to go…

The most interesting conversation was between Sr. Hashmi and Haniya very well handled by the able Usman Peerzada and Tara Mehmood. Haniya is trying to differentiate the man from his persona. When did this lover of Gahlib and Faiz turn into the zalim, maghroor, heartless Sr. Hashmi? While Sr. Hashmi has answers to all her questions and can refute the labels she gives him – indifferent, materialistic, money making machine – it still makes you wonder what was it that lead him to see people as financial transactions?

He remains firm in his resolve to get back his biggest investment, that Omar must be brought home (gharwapasi?) at any cost. Omar rises to the challenge and Sr. Hashmi looks like a man who enjoys a thrill or two, but at what cost?

It remains to be seen.

MM (aka A  musing Muslim)

PS: Yup, it’s still me an I’m still covering for Sadaf