Directed by Aliya Imam and penned by Danish Iqbal, Ishq Munafiq teeters on the edge of uncertainty. Originally airing on Play and now re-released on UrduFlix, this drama unfolds as a long-winded revenge saga steeped in intergenerational jealousy.
From the very first episode, we meet Mehwish (Yushma Gill), a woman whose confidence is both striking and unsettling—reminiscent of ARY’s ambitious lead in Khudsar. But is her drive purely professional, or does she have more sinister motives? Within just a few episodes, Mehwish has skillfully wormed her way into the life of a successful older man, Faseeh Sahab (Arjumand Azhar). She works tirelessly—16-hour days—ingratiating herself with her boss, making herself indispensable.
With Machiavellian precision, she twists every situation to her advantage, ensuring that Faseeh Sahab is not just impressed but entirely under her control.
A Manipulative Heroine or a Missed Opportunity
But Mehwish’s ambitions don’t stop there. Soon, her influence extends beyond the father to his son, Arsal. She plays different roles flawlessly—sometimes the sweet, innocent employee, sometimes the docile maiden for Arsal, and at other times, cold and indifferent toward her middle-class love interest. She is constantly wearing a mask, rarely vulnerable or honest.
The only moments where Mehwish appears to connect with someone sincerely are in her conversations with her mother, where she promises to build a better future for them. But even these scenes feel hollow—the dialogue is clichéd at best and problematic at worst. She defends working late nights for “professional growth,” but the audience knows she’s lying. For many working women, her justification feels all too familiar and frustrating. Any woman who has worked in a corporate setting knows how exhausting it is to prove yourself in a male-dominated space and creating a false narrative of these very real struggles is damaging to all women.
But the real standout in the drama isn’t Mehwish—it’s Mrs. Faseeh, played by the ever-graceful Atiqa Odho. Every time she’s on screen, she brings a quiet strength and elegance that makes you wish the drama focused more on her. When Faseeh Sahab tells her he’s lucky to be with a “knockout” like her, we can’t help but agree!
Yet, no one can deny that Mehwish is smart. The entire office falls apart without her—she’s the only one who can use Excel properly, locate important files, or save the day during urgent international meetings.
While flashbacks attempt to add depth, the overarching plot remains weak and meandering. Mehwish’s motivations are murky, the pacing is sluggish, and the intrigue is barely enough to hold interest. If there is a grander narrative in the works, it’s taking its sweet time to reveal itself—testing the patience of even the most forgiving viewers.
Going into the mind of “the other woman” without empathy, only relentless plotting and no remorse, feels hollow. As a child of divorce who witnessed abuse, Mehwish could have been a deeply layered and tragic character—but instead, the show never fully commits to exploring her humanity.
