Finally, after going around in circles for the past few weeks, Sanjha ended on a very predictable and, might I say, disappointing note. Having gone through various trials and tribulations over time, Sanjha finally got her happily ever after with her Prince Charming, Weeda.
Under ordinary circumstances, with any other drama, I would have been aww-ing over the reuniting of a pair I had once called the cutest couple on TV, but given the abrupt shift, the charm of an innocent love story was transformed into something twisted and ugly. As I watched the final scene play out, all I could think of was how glad I was that the Weeda- Sanjha-Seth sorry triangle was finally over– and this was sad. Ever since its first episode I had been one of Sanjha’s most vocal supporters and an ardent fan, but the final episode bore no resemblance to the story I had fallen in love with –that Sanjha had been so different, boldly touching on topics that are rarely addressed with such an aesthetic sensibility.
Where and how it all went wrong is something that MD Productions should really think hard about. According to Samira ji, somewhere along the line story had to be changed because of concerns about the issues being addressed. My question then is why back stories and subjects if producers have no faith in them? Furthermore, Sanjha was launched with zero fanfare; it was completely ignored when it comes to issues like media publicity. Since I am not in Pakistan, the lack of online buzz meant that it was only after Samira ji’s mention of it on DP that I came to know about this, and after that it took me a couple of weeks to figure out the airing schedule. After it started attracting attention and receiving critical appreciation, it was surprising to see Sanjha still receiving step-motherly treatment. Even as clichéd stories like that of Mere Qatil Mere Dildar and Maat were being hyped to death, Sanjha, a much superior product in terms of content and presentation, continued to be shoved under the rug as if it were a source of embarrassment and shame. Why?
Forgetting about the abrupt change in the latter part, the overall story was an excellent step in the right direction. It is about time we matured as an audience and held our media accountable for creatively shedding light on problems that ail our society. Why do we keep lapping up the same stereotypical stories – the obnoxious mother-in-law vs the victimized daughter-in-law being a particular favorite. Samira Fazal deserves credit for her sensitive approach to issues such as: human trafficking; unchecked and unregulated rural to urban migration, particularly in the guise of domestic help; and the problems of prostitutes, condemned by our society as “gandi auratein,” without any comprehension of how/why they end up in such places. Director Farooq Rind deserves kudos for his artistic approach to a very somber subject. It was a dark story, but the lightness of emotion, be it moments of camaraderie between the girls, Mumtaz with her string of unstoppable abuses, the Sanjha –Weeda exchanges, always ensured that I walked away with a sense of optimism. The cinematography was brilliant. Some of the sequences –Sanjha dancing on the balcony while the other girls looked on, Mumtaz chasing after Sanjha, Sanjha being spiritually transported to the Thar even as she danced for customers – remain fresh in my mind.
Sanjha belonged to Imran Aslam and Suhaee Abro. Imran’s been around for a while, but with this serial he came into his own. Many a times I wanted to reach through my TV and give Mr. Weeda a hard smack – very well done, Imran! Suhaee is like a breath of fresh air among the oft-seen female faces. This was a great role for her, and she did not disappoint – she was fabulous as Sanjha. Among the stalwarts, Resham was an absolute delight; Nauman Ejaz was his usual impeccable self (although his mustache continued to annoy the heck out of me till the very end); Fahad Mustafa was charming in his blink and miss role; and Naila Jaffrey was delightful as Shabana.
In the final analysis, even as I’m disappointed, I cannot say that I am dissatisfied. I do not regret my decision to follow Sanjha, but will confess to being bored towards the end, as the story veered away from its original track. After Sanjha, Farooq Rind, Imran Aslam, and Suhaee Abro are names that I will watch out for and give their work at least one serious look. Samira ji, of course, remains a perennial fave. Looking forward to future projects from this talented group …
Written by SZ~ [email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: SZ_DramaPakistani (@sz_dp)
