Shereyaar is a tough nut to crack- I have a hard time determining how I feel about him. He comes across as a man who enjoys control yet he is not bossing his wife around. He encourages her to find her calling- be it teaching or whatever she pleases. He is passionate about his possessions yet doesn’t seem to convey any emotions where people are concerned. The  ease with which Shereyaar narrated his engagement details left Emaan feeling a little overwhelmed. As if that wasn’t bad enough, to add insult to injury he made a casual mention about his views on love. I think Emaan was very sure that Shereyaar loved her and it was her faith in love that empowered her to go ahead with the marriage despite the odds stacked against her. I think Imtiyaaz Sahab was cautious for the same reasons- everything happened so fast that it really didn’t allow them to analyze the situation and shed some perspective on the real reason why Shereyaar insisted on Emaan’s hand in marriage. Is Shereyaar simply an escapist? Is he a rebel? Was this his quick-fix to retaliate against his parents decision? Surely if he had tried, he could’ve convinced his parents to get to know Emaan and accept her.

Emaan is at a stage where she is unsure of how to deal with Mr. Mercurial. One moment he treats her like royalty and the next he throws a fit over his things being mishandled. I really like how they are showing us an insight into what a marriage is like especially one where two people didn’t know each other. I like Emaan’s relationship with her mother- she’s just confused over the sudden changes in her life and not having the opportunity to express herself. Emaan’s mother was persistent that her focus once she moves to Karachi should be to mend family ties. Little do they know that Hajra is not one who’s in any hurry to welcome Emaan with open arms.

I think Shereyaar appreciates Emaan for her maturity but he’s in no mood to cut her some slack. He’s perfectly fine living life on his own terms but the minute he feels someone is trying to influence him, he loses his calm. There isn’t very much give and take where Shereyaar is concerned. He’s dictating his terms loud and clear but manages to cover up his behaviour with a dash of seemingly sincerity.

Hajra really needs to stop repeating herself. Yes, she wanted Sajjal to be her bahu but she’s really not helping Sajjal move on. She was quick to find faults in every single rishta and she’s more than made up her mind that she’s going to win her son back. What is it about mothers who think they own their sons? Why are they determined to wreck their son’s home for the sake of their own ego? Hajra has written Emaan off and now she’s ready to battle it out- mein apna pala palaaya beta kyun kisikey saputt karoun? Emaan’s pleas to meet her in-laws was shot down and Emaan felt cornered when she ran into Hajra Aunty and Sajjal at the mall. Sajjal’s outburst after the chance encounter clearly showed that even though she’s trying to put up a brave front, she’s really a bundle of nerves. I think there’s nothing unnatural about Sajjal’s behaviour but I sincerely hope her mother and Taayi don’t continue to throw her a pity party.

Children seem to attract Emaan’s attention which explains why she was so dedicated to her school. When Emaan went to meet Shereyaar before their wedding, there was a child on the boat and Emaan couldn’t help smiling at the child. Here again, she kept looking out the window at the neighbour’s child. I don’t know if I’m reading too much into this but clearly we have a pretty strong premise for a story that delves into the differing needs between a man and woman and what they consider as essential to their happiness.

I must mention that both Emaan and Sajjal looked very pretty. Emaan’s outfits and make-up was gorgeous and she carries herself with such grace. She looked every bit a new bride. Once again, this was another well directed episode- the solid performances of the main leads, an engaging storyline and crisp editing made this a good watch. P.S. I’m playing hooky from work so that definitely speaks volumes about my interest levels right now. What about you?

Kanwal Murtaza