Mohabbat ek Aisa jazba hai jismey hum larkiyaan khudko qaid kardeti hein…. Unfulfilled dreams, harsh realities, bitter truths- Emaan has experienced it all. She never expected much from life- she was a simple girl who grew up thinking she’ll evolve from the role of daughter/ sister to wife and eventually mother. Her expectations weren’t something unrealistic- every young girl dreams of marrying someone who loves her. The way Shereyaar pursued her, she was sure he was driven by love. What other reason could there be? But Shereyaar was a shrewd character- try as I may, I can’t write him off as a bad guy. He has been selfish but he has never been self absorbed. He genuinely cares for Emaan. He’s withered many a storm for her. But Emaan is too broken to see beyond her grief. Shereyaar’s pragmatic approach towards life allows him the insight to look beyond the moment. Emaan’s world has come crashing down and she can’t bring herself to accept it and move on. Zareena didn’t help matters- she’s driven by her motherly instincts but I can’t help but wonder why she feels she can ensure her daughter’s happiness at the cost of destroying someone else’s. She knew that Emaan would be reeling from her loss and she took advantage of her vulnerability. Her reminder that Emaan is bbaanch made Emaan question her status even more. With Shereyaar’s disappearing act, Emaan felt anxious and made her way to Shahnaam. Emaan feels a strong connection towards Shahnaam- more so now that she knows she can never be a mother. She’s trying to fill the void in her life with Shahnaam. But how much longer can she go on trying to compensate with her loss through Shahnaam? As luck would have it, Shahnaam was asleep but Rohail insisted she stay and wait for his sister’s return. Shereyaar, fuelled with rage at the suggestion that he’s medically unfit made his way over to confront Emaan.

I really liked the conversation that followed once they returned home- both Shereyaar and Emaan had the opportunity to express their feelings- Shereyaar admitted that he was upset and his reaction was a result of the pressure he’s under and Emaan opened up to him about her awkward conversation with Zareena Aunty. Shereyaar’s apology seemed sincere and this is one of his strongest suits- accepting his shortcomings instead of allowing his ego to reign supreme. Had this been any other drama, seeing his wife with another man would result in an instant divorce but here, both the main protagonists dealt with the situation like mature individuals and didn’t rush to make any life- altering decisions.

Sajjal felt embarrassed by her mother’s behaviour and went to see Emaan. I liked how Emaan doesn’t openly blame Sajjal for trying to destroy her marriage but instead tried to make her understand that love is a mystical emotion and one that women most often misunderstand as an excerpt from a fairytale. Since Emaan feels trapped by her feelings of love, she can empathize with Sajjal to that degree. She knows Sajjal is torn over her broken engagement and can’t move on. I’m sure if Sajjal had a strong support system at home, she would manage to look beyond all if this but the fact is, her family doesn’t allow her to do so. I liked how Sajjal confronted Hajra and asked her how they would treat her were she in Emaan’s shoes? Is it really that easy to write off a woman if she can’t have children? Why is the women scorned and humiliated for something that is no fault of her own? Do we really think that we are the masters of our fate?

Episode 13 set the mood for what’s to come next- Emaan is a strong woman but how much longer will she continue fighting a battle that she knows she can’t win? Shereyaar has been a very supportive husband but he’s not flawless- will he succumb to pressure and accuse Emaan and further damage their strained relationship. This episode was definitely one that I enjoyed very much for exploring human relationships like never before. How often do we see men ditching their wives over something far less than what Sheryaar supposedly witnessed? How many times do women walk away without having their say? I think the clear winner in this drama has been the depth of characterization.  We’ve had the opportunity to get to know the characters and what makes them tick. What do  you think?

Kanwal Murtaza