What a fabulously heart wrenching episode! Unable to handle the stress of dealing with a very pregnant and emotional Ujala, and failing to keep a lid on his frustration and anger, Faisal decided to take himself away from the sight of the unwanted baby, hoping that distance would help put things in perspective. He made the excuse of going away for work, even though he was still on vacation. While still in Karachi, he pretended to be out of town. But, alas, even the physical distance did not help lessen the emotional turmoil he was going through.
Sitting alone in his hotel room, listening to the TV news reports about the police raids on the land mafias’ hideout, Faisal kept replaying Ujala’s anguished cries in his head. That he kept hearing Ujalas’ screams, from not only the time she was being raped, but also from their latest argument was evidence of Faisal’s anger at himself and his hatred for Pasha, not only for the crime committed against Ujala, but also for damage inflicted on Faisal and Ujala’s marriage. The barely suppressed anger with which he burns Pasha’s picture is witness to the fact that his hatred for the man is so deeply ingrained that even Pasha’s death would not be enough to cool his desire for revenge.
This was Adeel Hussain’s episode to come into his own as Faisal. And, boy, did he deliver! He was fabulous as the tortured, hurting, and angry not-wannabe, but gonna-be father. His expressions when he hears of Pasha’s death, almost simultaneously with news of the birth of Ujala’s son, were spot on. Similarly, when Faisal leans over to see the newborn baby the range of emotions that crossed over Adeel’s face as a single tear ran down his cheek, brilliantly done! Faisal’s breakdown in the office, when Sana and his co-workers congratulated him on the birth of “his” baby, was yet another well-executed scene.
Acting, dialogs, screenplay, the selective use of the OST, everything was just right today. In fact, I felt the episode went by a little too quickly for my liking. Anjum Shahzad’s direction has made all the difference in the way this story has come alive on screen. Juxtaposing the report of Pasha’s death against the news of Ujala’s baby was a masterstroke. Similarly, contrasting Faisal and Ujala’s private pain against the obvious joy and pride of both families was yet another great way of illustrating that this was a secret that could never be revealed without damaging both the families, destroying old friendships and new relationships. Can Faisal ever be free of Pasha? Will the newborn baby’s innocence seduce Faisal into forgiving who his father was? How are the senior family members going to understand Faisal’s avoiding of the baby?
Waiting eagerly for the next episode!!!
Written by SZ ~
