As I finished watching the first episode of Man Mayal, I was reminded of the tagline of one of my favourite movies ‘ Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’- ‘ Come fall in love’.
And in all honesty, what was there not to love in the first episode? The opening sequence shows Manu stepping out, in that dimly lit alleyway, nervous and yet determined to reach her destination, until she abruptly comes to a halt in front of Salahuddin and melts under the severity of his gaze. That scene alone, without any spoken words defines their whole relationship. The symbolism of the lantern in the surrounding darkness to denote the power of love in a person’s life. The writer Samira Fazal must have described this scene in words but Haseeb Hasan as the director has the task of transporting the romance from paper onto the screen. Thus even a quiet alleyway appeared to be lit with the hues of a budding romance.
The next scene beautifully introduces the two main characters, using the conversation of the two friends Biya and Manu. It is clear that our hero Salahuddin is quiet and ‘robwalay‘ and our heroine is a chatterbox and not academically inclined.
The trip to the shrine was another visual treat- the diyas lit together, symbolizing the spark of a romance ignited in both hearts. It is clear from the beginning that Manu doesn’t like Salahuddin’s indifference . She gets his attention by taking offence easily and thereafter showing him an attitude. They are clearly complete opposites and yet to us all, within two scenes, they are a perfect match.
Manu’s result scene exposed the myth of Salahuddin’s indifference in a humorous yet meaningful way, through every action and expression. This drama marks the return of Hamza Ali Abbasi to television and as an actor, his brilliance lies in his in-depth understanding of his characters. He pitches them so perfectly that he succeeds in instilling a mental block whereby we can’t imagine anyone else in his role. I loved how this scene ended with a worried Salahuddin being brought back to reality by being told to start the motor! That’s why our dramas are so successful – while the story progresses, the setting is so real.
Fate has a way of untangling the web of their feelings. Despite a great reluctance on both sides, Biya’s bhai agrees to take on the task of giving Manu tuition every evening. The offer of payment for the tuition and the subsequent refusal was another beautiful touch.
The romance continues to be cemented through the tuition scenes where the interaction of the two leads was a delight to watch.The imminent arrival of important guests and Manu’s insistence on her usual tutoring session atSalahuddin’s house (despite a lack of time and not doing her homework very well) resulted in a battle of wills that finally exposed a chink in the armour of our shining knight!
Summing it all up- Man Mayal could not have kicked off in a better way . I was reminded of Dastaan at various times- be it the teasing nature of the romance between the leads, the excellent soundtrack or the beautiful locations of their neighbourhood.
The episode ended with all of us wanting more. Will Monday become a day we look forward to rather than dread? A good performance by Maya Ali in a role which suits her and she succeeds in making Manu endearing, which is no mean feat. Like Manu, many of us have a soft spot for the quiet, reserved and caring types ( dare I mention Wali? ) so we totally understand her predicament.
Aiman Khan as Biya is a great choice in the supporting role. I must commend her for her performance in the last scene when her expressions on screen were reflective of the audience- a quiet understanding of what was actually going on!
People forget the romance of bollywood movies; in my opinion Pakistani dramas can rightly claim to be an authority on the art of subtle romance. And isn’t that the most powerful kind where a single gaze or a slight touch conveys so much?
First impressions- I can recommend Man Mayal without hesitation but watch it at your own risk – you will fall in love with the characters!
~originally posted on https://desipardesiviews.wordpress.com/2016/01/26/man-mayal-sweeps-us-all-off-our-feet/
