Mata-e Jaan hai tu/ Meri Jaan hai tu – the languorous refrain of the theme song, beautifully sung by Bilal Khan, set the tone for this third episode. Haniya and Ibaad went from being nodding acquaintances to almost dating each other, Adam and Yamina’s marriage took a nosedive, and Ibaad’s parents continued on with their plans for Ibaad’s future – Phew! So much happened, but it barely seemed like it, the narrative moved so smoothly that it was almost effortless. Mehreen Jabbar deserves applause for her unhurried yet fluid story-telling. Note to a few of our other directors: please take a leaf out of MJ’s playbook.
I know that for many, Haniya and Ibaad’s story holds the most attraction; after all they are the lead protagonists here. But for me, this main track remains vapid at best. Ibaad as a character is a flat one, he is a loving and obedient son, a caring friend, and a dream partner, but in terms of dramatic interest, he is boring – there are no hidden depths here, no shades of grey. Similarly, Haniya, she is a perfect girl with her cultural values intact (still not sure what that means, but that’s what we are told here), a loving granddaughter, a good friend, and later on a perfect partner to Ibaad. Juxtaposed against this holier than thou couple is the so much more interesting pair of Adam and Yamina; far from being perfect, they present a perfect example of a dysfunctional marriage. Adam, ostensibly the charmer, but a classic passive-aggressive, is now flirting with spousal abuse as well. To me, Yamina is the most intriguing character so far. Clearly no shrinking violet, at times she shows signs of a backbone, Yamina has a successful career, but nonetheless, still puts with her obnoxious husband for no apparent reason. I’m most intrigued to see how her character shapes up. I hope Yamina stays with us till the end – I am eager to see how Farhat, Mehreen, and Momina deal with the issue of spousal abuse – a dirty secret we choose to willfully ignore.
In terms of acting honors for this episode, again, perhaps moving away from general consensus, I thought Sanam Saeed and Junaid Khan were both very good. Both are relatively new to the screen and have a long way to go, but the earnestness with which they approach their characters is commendable. I still think somebody else should have played the abusive Adam, but after seeing Junaid today, I’m willing to go along and see how he plays Adam. Adeel Hussain is growing into his role as Ibaad, a gentle, but private man, one who is beloved by everyone. Sarwat Gilani still remains unconvincing as Haniya, the college student. Again, I think she will be a better Haniya in the latter half of the play, where her maturity will stand her in good stead and her fluent Urdu will not make her stick out like a sore thumb.
Overall, I enjoyed the ease with which the narrative flowed. The transitioning from Pakistan to New York was smoothly done. The editing team did a great job. I must mention here that the outdoor locations and the indoor sets have been fabulous so far. The camerawork was superb once again. The outdoors scenes were gorgeous, and the long shots and close-ups were beautifully done. I don’t think any of these actors have looked this good before. Finally, the wardrobe in-charge/stylist for this production deserves credit. These days where there are so many serials being produced simultaneously, it is rare to see a drama where each actor is so in tune with the character. After Humsafar, MD Productions is to be applauded for giving us yet another beautifully packaged serial, albeit one with a completely different aesthetic sensibility.
