I am really nervous while writing this review. Why? For a number of reasons, firstly it’s my first review of a drama so not sure how I would fare, secondly I am reviewing a Geo drama pitted against the giant Shehr-e-Zaat which has a loyal fan base so not sure whether anyone would have watched it (yes many people do watch other dramas later on youtube or in between ad breaks but youtube is gone now atleast for the moment and Quddi Sahab Ki Bewa is also going strong so not sure if viewers would tune Geo or not) and thirdly if my review would get comments or would it remain feedback-less.
My preparation for writing this review began before the airing of the first episode today as I had to find the name of the new girl who’s playing the lead role in this Mastermind Serial written by Zanjabeel Shah of Ik Nazar Meri Taraf fame and Yasir Nawaz whose last serial Jannat Se Niaklee Huee Aurat got accolades as well as a lot of flak due to its name, yes we definitely have a problem with the use of words like jannat. However, finding her name proved to be no easy task. Phew, did I go through difficulty.
It’s good that production houses and channels are now introducing new faces and taking them in lead roles as well, however, they should atleast write ‘introducing’ along with the name of the new comer so that it’s a little easier to find out the names of new actors. Anyways, this pretty and cute girl is Sohai Abro Ali. When I typed her name on google images, it kept on telling me to search for ‘Soha Ali Khan’ instead!
Coming on to today’s story, it showed Darakhshand-e-Badar (yes I know the name’s difficult and her poor teachers would definitely have a problem while calling her name, that’s why one of the characters explained its meaning in the episode i.e. bright like moon). So Darakhshande lives in her big haveli somewhere in Bahawalpur along with her very aged, kind and gentle white bearded father. Her only companion is the maid Gulabi played by Sabreen Hisbani (sorry if I mixed her name, confused between Muradi and Gulabi) with whom she shares secrets including her love for a TV Star Ahsan Murad (Meekal Zulfiqar) whose pictures are pasted on her wardrobe, for getting whose love she prays and with whose pictures she talks. She’s little means of entertainment as she’s not allowed to use internet or cell phone.
Darakshande is looked after by her politician brother Haroon (Qasier Nizamani) who has double standards about veil. While his wife living in Islamabad does not wear it his sister has to observe strict parda. Infact Haroon makes Darkshande wear abaya in the first episode itself while she’s going to college. She’s made fun of in the college but gets the cell number of her favourite star from her class fellows who apparently got it from Ahsan Murad’s facebook profile. Too convenient I would say but guess the writer couldn’t come up with something else.
Darkshande calls Ahsan Murad (shown as an actor with starry airs and full of tantrums) who’s in the middle of his shoot and that’s how the first episode ends. There’s this track of Gulabi and her husband Shadday also, Shadday presents his wife on to Haroon on regular basis in order to make some quick money. Despite doing this, he expects love of his wife which shows the extent of shallowness of this character. On a personal level, I was uncomfortable with this track and twitched in my seat as Shadday kept on insisting that his wife go to Haroon, he even offered Haroon to call his wife but this time Haroon refused. Our dramas and drama writers should avoid such tracks especially when the focus is on the girl’s innocent love for a TV star who’s full of himself.
If you could overlook that most of the scenes were very long, this episode was an ok episode. Lighting of the haveli for the opening sequence of Shab-e-Barat was wonderful and inspiring, Sohai’s innocent and scared act is good till now. Let’s see how she fares in the coming episodes. However, I definitely have a problem with the fact that Darakhshande never heard of facebook. I mean it’s fine she’s not allowed to use it but who hasn’t heard of facebook. The way she asks her classmates ‘what is this’ sounded ridiculous, also it sounded like she was meeting her class fellows for the first time when this was not the case.
The haveli had beautiful and modern interiors. While looking at such havelis, I often wonder how come the interiors are so modern when the haveli and everything around it is so old. Maybe someone can explain to me.
Till second episode adios, hopefully I would get feedback and that too not very negative :)
Written by Haseeb Ahmed
