This scribe has observed that Pakistani dramas are having quite the moment with mental health storylines. Sher throws its lead into an asylum, Behroopia has Faysal Qureshi juggling multiple personalities, and now Raaja Rani saunters in, where Qureshi once again finds himself knee-deep in psychological turmoil.
This time, he plays Zaviyar, a successful businessman who, after a traumatic accident, regresses to a childlike state, unable to recall his adult life or marriage, save for the occasional nightmare.
It is, of course, a premise that demands viewers leave logic politely at the door.
The drama revolves around Zaviyar and Rani (Hina Afridi), a compassionate, simple woman who wins his heart through kindness. I think this is a wonderful plot but fails in execution. This unusual pairing is getting mixed reactions from viewers. Some say the two look like father and daughter while others think the pair still share cute moments.
The latest twist, dear reader, has left audiences gasping: business tycoon Zafar Hamdani (Jawed Sheikh) has shuffled off this mortal coil and, rather than leaving his vast empire to his family, bequeaths it all to the doe-eyed caretaker Rani. Why, you ask? As a last-ditch effort to protect his precious, regressed son Zaviyar from the circling vultures in the family. Little did he know that his son would be locked away in a mental asylum, where the drama indulges in electroshock and water cannon torture scenes that should have come with a clear trigger warning.
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Raaja Rani is a drama that stumbles often. The trauma at the heart of the story is used as a plot crutch rather than explored with depth, and at times Faysal Qureshi has so many layers of makeup that it distracts from the emotional vulnerability the role demands. Despite this Qureshi is ever reliable in complex roles and slips into Zaviyar’s childlike innocence with ease. I also think Rani does not have much to say; she is super pretty, sans makeup throughout the play, but given very little beyond soft smiles and a kind demeanour.
Raaja Rani also offers a few interesting side characters. Junaid, the cold, calculating nephew who murders Uncle Zafar to seize control. Sonia (Hira Tareen) is the self-serving wife who deserts Zaviyar at his most vulnerable. Both characters while narratively logical, are disappointingly one-note.
If it’s so bad, why am I watching it? The supporting cast is brilliant, Salma Zafar, Human Nawab, Jawed Sheikh, Kaiser Khan Nizamani and Arez Ahmed, among others. Director Amin Iqbal frames each scene with careful precision, crafting a world that is glossy and watchable even when the storytelling falters.
So readers, despite the glaring flaws Raaja Rani has me tuning in, week after week, unable to resist the promise of another gasp-worthy twist.
If you want to catch up it’s on YouTube and new episodes are every Wednesday 8:00 pm on HUM TV.
The writer is a veteran journalist and can be reached on Twitter @moizkazmi
