I almost did not write a review of sadqay Tumharey this week, simply because we are at episode and the story seems to be at a standstill. Much as I adore watching Mahira Khan (Shanno) and apney Khalil Badshah interacting on screen after nine episodes I would like to see something happen in the main narrative.

This week saw the after math of the fight between Khalil and Bahji Fayaz and his goons. Sigh ……there was a lot of macho swagger and posturing, most of it annoying. I don’t see Khalil as a particularly nice or good person at this point but that is how foolish young men are. This is an age group where action comes before words and much is to be learnt. Throughout this episode he seemed like the son in law from hell, challenging and threatening his prospective in laws rather than trying to be clever about things and achieve his objective i.e. marrying Shanno. Adnan Malik is best when he is one screen with Shanno or Dr Maqsood but he seems to not have that larger than life presence which allows certain actors like Faysal Qureshi ,Fawad Khan and of course Hamza Ali Abbasi or for that matter Nauman Ejaz  to carry off a potentially melodramatic situation and make it plausible . I still have some hopes of him, he is new and doing better than many others might. At the very least he has that air of naivety that made Afzal so endearing.

This entire story is carried by the beautiful Mahira Khan .Fed up as I am of this slow story, I tune in every week to see Shanno: Shanno the patient, Shanno the brave, Shanno the honorable. Mahira Khan has worked hard on her character and it shows because it doesn’t show. Her acting is so natural and seamless, there is no trace of Falak or Khirad just the innocent gaon ki larki caught in a storm created by fate. No wonder Khalil is crazy for her.

So after the fight Khalil spends the night at his evil Khala’s house, who is ashamed enough to at least welcome him and take care of him. I was really hoping that more would be revealed about past events, that perhaps Rasheeda would speak up and give her side of events. If she was such a loose character and so uninterested in Khalil’s father as to have an affair with a middle-aged, married man then why is she so upset at losing Abdul Rehman? There is something missing in the story and I hope this is not going to be left untold but my hopes are fading fast. Sammiya Mumtaz had a lot more screen time but what can she do with such a cartoon? It was interesting to see Khaloo Amin questioning Shanno. Shanno has been treated well all her life and loved by her family but suddenly they are now her enemies?

I have to say the highlight of this episode was Irfan Khoosat.  Five minutes on screen with him was more interesting than all the manly posturing we are being forced to endure. Yes I agree with Dr Maqsood, Khalil needs to finish his studies and cut down on the cricket. I have a horrible feeling that poor Shanno for all her goodness is going to pay the price for Khalil’s mistakes.

The director has technically done a great job; each episode is a visual and audio delight. The production values are well above par.  However he has failed to bring out the dramatic tension or depth required to make Shanno and Khalil’s story important to the viewer. I really don’t feel any empathy or connection with Shanno and Khalil’s rather desperate situation and that is a major drawback. I remember weeping through most of Shehre e Zaat , laughing through Aunn Zara  getting mad as hell through Bashar Momin but here all I can say is …something better not happen to Shano … Overall, though the serial looks like Khaloo Amin’s Dhakka start car and needs a good push to move it forward.

written By Sadaf Haider