Who knew that the smothering of dreams, awakenings of desires, and the beginnings of heart break barely make a sound? Played in quiet, dignified yet definitive strokes, Pehchan plays out the frailties of relationships and questions lives un-lived.
Laila, in the first blush of love and desire is won over by small gestures – a photograph, a touch – content in that he knows her tastes but can’t put to rest the worrying thought that he barely knows her as a person. Her innocent attempts to get Mansoor to even glance at her are met with brusque remarks.
Though he isn’t immune to his wife’s beauty, and can turn on the charm– taking her pictures, cozying up to her and then just as suddenly turn flippant. He expects her to fulfill her wifely duties, but sees little of how his heartless ways – ignoring her lovingly prepared breakfast and trampling over her -spells the inevitability of heartbreak for Laila. Alishba is perfectly cast as the naïve newlywed who still has youth on her side to hope for change.
Mansoor is your entitled desi male, who knows the right things to do and say and is well versed in the rules of the game, and secure in the knowledge that he can make his own. Sohail Sameer plays the tall, dark handsome hero blowing hot and cold with considerable ease and embodying this unlikeable smooth operator we all can recognize.
Even the camera is distant and cold in capturing them and keeps them framed in beautiful backdrops like exquisite props in someone else’s story. A well-worn and well told story of many couples who cave to tradition and society’s expectations handing the reins of the lives into someone elses hands.
A tale that their parents are familiar with and the trodden path that Laila’s mother is fast forwarding her too. In true tongue and cheek manner Qazi sahib’s observation: Kisi ke zindagi ke faisle karna bada sawaab ka kaam hai rings true in more ways than one. The scene with the parents dancing around veiled put downs and deferring to in-laws tastes and traditions was stellar and hinted at all the complexities of their relationship without once mentioning the J word.
Kuku’s breakdown about the little things gave way to bigger heartbreaks – Why didn’t we go on a honeymoon? And perhaps also why she has this Khurram and his suspenders sticking around? When she once fell in love with a clown has she really grown up to now fall in love with a cad?
Khurram, though sweet and caring in his own way couches everything with underlined clinginess which perhaps mirrors Kuku’s own neediness too. Iffat Umar infuses her role with a very controlled yet vulnerable performance.
Meanwhile this was the first honest conversation between Mrs Khan and Kuku. Anita Camphor impeccable as the wise, caring and well lived Mrs Khan is the voice of reason to Kuku’s emotional upheavals. How refreshing to finally see women as confidantes and not scheming manipulating troublemakers.
Mrs. Khan wants her to see the bigger picture and examine the futility of a life un-lived, and can put into words the actions that Kuku fails to. Kuku finally bares a little of her hurting soul – I thought he loves me, I gave up everything for him- but fails to questions why Mansoor would need to accept her when he can keep her mind, body and soul?
Pehchan is proving to be a gem. The little truths that Bee Gul tosses our way: life as a joke, to savor life in all its shades, death the final and only truth are poignant and thought provoking as well .
As her messenger, I have to say Mrs. Khan’s compass is on point.
MM (aka A musing Muslim)
