So we left off last week finding out that everyone’s favorite ‘Bhatti Saheb’ is actually married. How many people are surprised to find out that Bhatti Saheb has married for a green card to a lady who has a son and daughter from a previous marriage? Anyone, no one? Yeah, same here. His step-daughter (Izzy)’s ‘friend’ Tim comes to pick her up and Bhatti saheb has a fit. Later taking that fit in the middle of his wife’s business conversation. His wife is rude to him, again, no surprise there. And while he is all emotional talking about how he loves the kids, he doesn’t have time to pick Mark up from school as he will be busy. We later find out for him, being ‘busy’ means hanging out with desi friends, bad mouthing his wife and her kids, and having ‘beautiful coincidences’ with Salma at the mall. Dear Bhatti Saheb, if you want respect from your wife and kids, act like a husband and father and perhaps you’ll get the respect…just sayin.’ Any mother (desi or english) would be upset if you left your son waiting outside on the street for an hour because you were too busy trying to hit on other women!
On the Salma front, we find out Eid is over and Salma did not spend it at home but at a certain Ms. Tapaal’s house. Salma ki lease ka bhi masla hai and she is in great need of money…we already saw in the trailers that her sole purpose seems to be providing for her family, but it seems there’s more to it than that. Even Aalya doesn’t seem to know anything about this other life Salma seems to have. I love Amina Sheikh’s look in this serial…real to the core! I do wish that, since she is such a talented beautician, she would do something about Michelle’s hair.
Speaking of Michelle, her story is what I’m the most curious about. What is the deal with her and her bitterness? Also how doesn’t she know how to yell at people in urdu? I really didn’t understand that. 85% of Michelle and Rizwan’s conversations are in urdu, per madam urdu mein daant nahi sakkteen? She seems to do a fine job with the cutomers who would like her to add Gajar ka Halwa on the menu. She also does a great job with bechara Rizwan jo hamesha daant he khate rehte hain. That entire ‘toot toot sakta hai’ wala part was highly inconceivable, sorry to say. As brilliant of a writer Vasey Chaudhery is, I was really surprised by this. Minus that, I love this undefined couple. She does groceries for him, cooks for him, they are totally at ease with each other, how do they not get they actually are a couple? An undefined equation perhaps, but it certainly is an equation, and not one of ‘just friends.’ I’m so glad they casted Adnan Jaafer for this role. He really is the best fit and compliments Marina Khan perfectly in this role.
No girls, I haven’t forgotten your Jamshed…bechare visa ke intezaar mein kuch zyada he duble ho gaye hain. One of the best scenes in this episode was the book store scene! These lines “Wahan jaake eik third citizen ki tarha rehna gawara hai, per yahan apne mulk mein izzat ki zindagi nahi guzar sakte. Haan kyoonke ab woh sirf hume terrorist samajhte hain.” And the line that really hit home was ‘Pakistan sawarne ke liye baaqi ki 17 caror awam kaafi hai…’ Vasey Chaudhery, this is why I say your are a brilliant writer. Perhaps the PTI dharnas taking over my newsfeed and twitter are really affecting me, but honestly if everyone thought that way, Pakistan ka kya hoga? And I say this sitting in the US writing this. The entire laalchi mamu and mami track is kind of over done. I’m sorry, I know something like this needs to be in the script as a backdrop to Jamshed’s frustration, but the only thing running in my mind while watching those scenes is really? Was it absolutely necessary? Although, Nani kitni pyari hain!
The episode ends with Salma and Aalya trying to figure out a cheap way to advertise their salon. Apparently they haven’t yet heard of twitter and facebook. Seriously, all the ‘aunties’ are definitely on facebook, guaranteed!
There you have it, episode 2 is over and the wait for episode 3 has already started. No words are necessary to describe the casts’ performances. Everyone single one of them, from Bhatti Saheb, to his desi friends, and Kathy Bhabi, to Nani and Aalya, is brilliant. My respect and admiration for Mehreen grows with each episode. The Nazia Hassan track of ‘dil bole boom boom’ was so nice to hear…and seemed like perfect timing with Zoheb Hassan’s appearance on Coke Studio this weekend. All in all, another great episode by team Jackson Heights!
