I am not sure why this serial is being shown in double episodes but it works for me. I might have given up after episode 3 which had more than the usual dose of lectures but since the disappointment was not allowed to fester for a week and a shiny new episode was available I jumped right in.
These two episodes had a lot of discoveries in them. First we discover Asghari’s source of income is her other, wealthy son in America, whom she calls to increase her allowance of course. This explains how Ayza and her Daddi have managed to maintain such an easy lifestyle in Karachi. ”Maal e muft dil e bereham”, I think the saying goes. Ayza and the unfortunate viewer are treated to riveting sermons on not wasting electricity and the appropriate way to handle male servants in the house and I for one am going ask for the lecture notes be faxed to me in advance …it might be easier. Hammad and Ayza ‘s rishta track hits a snag when Asghari refuses to consider sending Ayza out of the country ,but that is easily resolved as Hammad lands an equally good job in Lahore and unceremoniously quits the Dubai one. Then we come to discovery number two, good boy Hammad has a phone call From a GIRL! His younger sister intercepts it but Hammad brushes it off as a wrong number.
I think the most annoying person in this entire series is Hammad’s mother; she is a silly woman swayed by any change in the breeze and tends to get one idea in her head and run with it without any evaluation or critical thinking. She is obsessed with having Ayza as a daughter in law and attributes all the good things happening around them to her. Umera Ahmed has characterized her brilliantly and Saba Faisal plays her so well. Then we come to discovery number three, Ayza and Ayma have a brother studying abroad (USA?) played by the ever adorable Umer Naru, who won our hearts in Durr e Shehwar. Meanwhile Ayma is rightly worried about the impact Ayza might have on her rishta with the Hashem. By the end of episode 4 we see that Ayma has helped Hashem land a very good job in Lahore about which he immediately starts to complain. Funnily enough, even this piece of good fortune is attributed to Ayza by his mother. Ayza and Asghari are predictably obsessed with superficial and material things so they brazenly visit the Akbari Household to inspect their house and then (Quelle surprise) demand a fancy wedding. Oh and I think I forgot to mention discovery number four; Hammad seems to have an actual girlfriend who pays a surprise visit, much to the chagrin of his family.
These two episodes seemed to define the characters of the main players in this drama. Ayza is a trap; her beautiful exterior hides a cold self-centered, person who does not bother to maintain relationships even with her own sister or parents. Hammad is very unreliable person, who changes his mind about jobs and women with ease. Ayma is just beautiful and good, she has no vices, and as such I am beginning to hate her. Poor Mehwish Hyat is doing her best but how do you make such a paper cut out, real? I think next week she might become a little jealous of her sister and descend from the virtuous heights where she has been placed to become a little human. Hashim is actually a good person but a little lazy and given to complaining.
On the whole this week was better than last week. Episode 4 was actually very good apart from a few repetitive dialogues towards the end about the amount of money to spend on a wedding. I must say I love Akbari and Asghari they are a fabulous double act and I love seeing them. Akbari is still full of chalakiyan and adayen while Akbari is still outspoken and full of old fashioned virtues. Both couples seem to have good chemistry and I think by next week the deeper parts of the story will begin. The direction was much better and the narrative flowed really well. All the actors are doing really well in keeping our interest. Last week I thought Amna and Mehwish were not quite into their roles but this week they were just right. Ahsan and Mikaal were as usual, right on the money and I think it is the interactions between these two couples which will keep us interested in the serial despite knowing the basic thrust of the story from the beginning.
BY Sadaf
