I watched this latest episode with a smile on my face and a tear in my eye. I melted at the Aabi and Haniya moments, felt a sense of foreboding as I realized that the countdown had started, wanted to spout off some expletives at Mr. Uzair, and found myself urging Yamina to not give up as she struggled to get to the phone. Needless to say, I was spellbound…
After last week’s promos there was a huge question mark about Yamina’s fate. As she said her goodbyes to Haniya and Ibaad, I wondered if this would be the last time we would see the two sisters together. The way Mehreen handled the entire Adam/Yamina track, from the build-up, to the showdown, to the climax, with Yamina reaching for the phone, was truly a connoisseur’s delight. Moving from the mid-west to the east-coast, even as Yamina’s life was spinning out of control, Haniya’s was coming beautifully together, with Ibaad’s quiet intensity bringing the much needed stability to Haniya’s suddenly uncertain future. The honeymoon scenes were essayed ever so sensitively. Knowing what is to come, every line and every moment between the lovers seemed so poignant, acquiring a significance beyond what we were seeing onscreen. These two stories are so expertly juxtaposed that I cannot but marvel at the Farhat/MJ combo.
Not forgotten in all these going-ons are Uzair and Hajra. Without saying anything untoward, Hajra, with her characteristic softness, underscores Uzair’s hard-headedness ever so beautifully. Seldom have we seen a character like Hajra’s. She makes a very strong statement even as she is an ostensibly docile wife. No long spiels, no wringing of hands, no buckets of tears, nope, none of that for her – Hajra is a very quiet woman who knows when and how to take a stand for what she believes is correct. A superbly written and directed character that Hina Bayat has made her own.
Adeel Husain was once again the star of the show. The scene in the coffeehouse, where Ibaad struggles with the guilt that he has angered his father, was one of the most memorable scenes for me. Among other highlights, Adam and Yamina’s confrontation, Ibaad and Haniya moments, particularly the scene in the bathroom, were all very well done. Sarwat Gilani, Junaid Khan, Sanam Saeed, and Javed Shaikh are all doing justice to their characters. Apart from the actors/writer/director, Bilal Khan deserves mention for his languorous OST, which sets the pace for the narrative. Shehzad Kashmiri and the editors are the other heroes here. I doubt very much if the serial would have had its now characteristic ambience without their efforts.
What I enjoy most about Mataa-e Jaan is that rather than following the typical pattern of our serials – a linear narrative culminating in a dramatic climax – this is a story with a very different trajectory. It has several highpoints complimented by an equal number of lows. The fact that there are three tracks, each with distinct emotional graph, which then intersect at various points, makes for a very compelling watch. It is a testament to MJ’s unquestionable talent that she has meshed the three tracks so effortlessly, making it seem almost organic. Two thumbs up Mehreen!
Written by SZ~ [email protected]
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