Initially having started off as a sleeper, Mataa-e Jaan came into its own last week. This latest episode confirmed that indeed the serial had shrugged off its slow beginning and found its grounding. The narrative was very well-paced and the story moved along without any hiccups. If the last episode had focused on Adam and Yamina’s track, this week it was Haniya and Ibaad’s turn to step into the limelight. And, even as the two sisters’ stories were at the center stage, the happenings at Uzair Farooq’s household in Karachi were beautifully interwoven as well. And here, I have to once again congratulate the writer, Farhat Ishtiaq, and the director, Mehreen Jabbar, for keeping all these tracks on par with each other and not letting one lag behind the other.
In contrast to the somber mood of the last episode, this week Ibaad and Haniya’s romance lit up the TV screens. Gloriously decked out in fall foliage, New York City provided a stunning backdrop to the romance blossoming between Haniya and Ibaad. Also very charming was the chemistry between Mama Jaani and Ibaad; the scene where she made him halwa poori was very sweet. In Chicago, Yamina, who has now moved back with Adam, seemed happier. I have to say I am very impressed by the very accurate portrayal of a spouse abuser, who uses his charm as a lethal weapon. Though Yamina is swayed by Adam’s persuasive charm, it is refreshing to see her still holding on to her sense of self as she keeps reminding him to return Haniya’s money. However, as the episode ended, we see that it did not take Adam very long to return to his controlling tendencies, and I’m afraid I don’t see too much happiness in Yamina’s future. Back in Karachi, Uzair Farooq is blithely planning his son’s marriage, without bothering to consult his very mature son. However, as precaps indicate we have a showdown between the father and son on the cards for next week.
So much has been said about the chemistry, or lack thereof, between the lead couple that it was actually a relief to see some hints of it sprinkled throughout this episode. For me, Adeel continues to be stellar as Aabi. Yes, it is a holier-than-thou role and has very few nuances, but he has made it his own. Sarwat Gilani is growing into her role, but still, her scenes with Adeel remain okay at best. This is really sad because the lines are all there, the ambience is there, and while at times these do suffice, there are nice moments between them –he cannot take his eyes off her when she comes to his house for dinner, or when she invites him to Kathy’s party, or when he rubs the ointment on her burnt hand – but, for me at least, there were no really memorable moments. Talking about chemistry, Junaid Khan and Sanam Saeed continue to steal the show from the main pair. Khaula Malik has breathed life into her blink and miss role as Kathy. While the other elements were all great, it was the Mehreen Jabbar and Shehzad Kashmiri combo that was the real star here. The intimacy created by the camerawork, for instance in the Adam/Yamina scenes or the Christmas party scenes, made me, as a viewer feel like I was right there. The outdoor scenes were beautifully filmed as well. Also, the lighting of the scenes, particularly the Christmas party, was stunning.
Overall, this was a great episode from the Mataa-e Jaan team. Yes, there are issues with the lead pair and some characters are flatter than others, but there is so much else going on here and the story is being narrated in such an engrossing manner that I, for one, am totally hooked now. Looking forward to more next Friday!
Written by SZ~ [email protected]
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