When the trio that worked on Talkhiyan, brings forth another project, you take notice. We gave a couple of nods to Bee Gul’s skillful adaptation of Arundhati Roy’s God of Small Things, Khalid Ahmed’s strong directorial control and Naveed Malik’s translation of that vision into stunning visuals was a thing of beauty.

So this time round I expect Pehchan to be a dark, mature love story, with dysfunction, steeped in nostalgia as well as a fresh locales and breath taking visuals. The first episode delivered all this and more. Told in a non-linear fashion (plea answered) the protagonist flits between past and present though her future for the moment lies in question.

We are introduced to Kuku (Iffat Umar) – an independent working woman who has made her own choices in love, marriage and life. In her own words a “mazboot aurat” though thankfully, not a super woman. While her chin is held high her inner life is marked by pain and disappointment – a fear of loneliness uneased by marriage to a younger loser of a husband (Fawad Khan – no not that one ­– a namesake), and complicated by her lover (Sohail Sameer). These shades of complexity give Kuku enough flaws to make her vulnerable, human and believable.

Presenting an original script, Bee Gul shows similar dexterity in handling the supple timeline, with transitions breaking the flow of thoughts from past to present.  The circularity of the dialogues and scenes brought Kuku’s entire emotional journey full circle. In. The. First. Episode. Read and weep other script writers – or watch and learn.

Kuku is unhappy in her marriage to -quite frankly – a snake oil salesman of a husband Khurrram, who would rather beg for her hard earned money than earn a living or even fulfill her maternal yearnings. Although she does leave him (take that mazloom auratien) , Mansoor, her lover too doesn’t manage to fill the void despite promises of love and tokens of commitment. He seems happy merrily dancing away at his wedding while Kuku with cool premeditated (and beautifully lit) composure slits her wrists in almost a detached way.

With a beginning that could possibly be her end, is nothing if not daring and ambitious, even if killing off your lead isn’t new. Iffat Umar plays Kuku with soul and I suppose it helps that she is always beautifully lit and stylishly presented.

Though I have to ask what is it with this spate of badly named protagonists? I get that it’s a daak naam and they are trying to place her in the milieu of a hard as nails working class gal I find it hard to take them seriously if every time someone mentions her name I have Pavlovian associations with a nest.  Just me?

Sohail Sameer comes across as a player with the thrill of the chase so I’m not seeing the love just yet. Though they share great chemistry. As for Fawad Khan he has questionable acting chops and despite the wayfarers, does not appear younger than her. (Side rant–please stop with the twist as supposed cool dance move of the young)

While most of the scenes were visual poetry – I personally loved the train station sequence as well as ones with Kuku in autumnal decay- adding depth and dimension to her state of mind, I am hoping the narrative can match up. While I admire bringing things full circle, using repetitive dialogues (between Kuku and Mrs Khan and Kuku and Khurram) back to back were too pat and lacked something – some range in tonality of voice in the different characters musings might have helped.

Still, I am intrigued and filled with questions – why did Mansoor  leave her in this delicate state? Will she survive? Or will the specter of death cast a deathly pale over the others? Or is this just the set up for a different story to unfold?

MM (aka A musing Muslim)