Tishnagi, from Express Entertainment, has managed to carve out quite a following, and this is no mean feat. Given the glut of dramas, the fact that this serial, from a channel yet to find its footing, has been enthusiastically received by a very jaded audience is nothing short of an achievement. When the first promos aired and I saw that it was an A&B Production, I was not enthused and decided to give it a pass. Since then, however, hearing and reading many good things, mainly about the lead pair, Faysal Qureshi and Sarwat Gilani, my curiosity was piqued. That it was written by Faiza Iftikhar was an added incentive. I, therefore, decided to give it a shot. Now that I have watched it, I can tell you that I am definitely not going gaga over it. Khair, I should let the review do the talking , so, without further ado, here’s my take on Tishnagi …
Tishnagi is a story of unrealized dreams, unfilled promises, and unraveled lives. It is the story of Manahil (Sarwat Gilani), a young girl whose rose-colored dreams are rudely shattered when life throws her a curveball, placing her in the middle of a never-ending nightmare. She, who wants to celebrate every moment of her married life, gets the biggest shock of her life when, after all that she has gone through, her beloved husband hands her a divorce, because he deems it in her best interest. It is also the story of Nabeel (Faysal Qureshi), an ambitious young man, whose life is abruptly cut short when he is afflicted with MS and sidelined. Once a robust man, he is reduced to watching helplessly as his previously pampered and delicate wife runs from pillar to post trying to make ends meet, so that she can afford to pay for housing and healthcare. This is also the story of Faraz (Aijazz Aslam) and Andaleeb (Mahnoor Baloch), an odd couple if ever there was one. Faraz, ostensibly a man looking for love, and Andaleeb, a narcissist, have a difficult marriage, but as the narrative unfolds it is quite evident that both are equally psychotic and require serious therapy – though not by the quack shown here.
Tishnagi began as a very interesting story with plenty of twists and turns woven in for good measure. Directed by Babar Javed, this serial started off as a fast-paced narrative, but lost steam midway, as flashbacks got lengthier, dialogues long-winded, and scenes went on forever. Tishnagi ended on very bizarre note, one which I will not even try to explain, as it defies all kinds of logic – a very disappointing end for a serial that started off so strong and held out the promise of offering something different.
I appreciated the fact that Tishnagi revolved around health-related issues, but, unfortunately, the way these were depicted rendered them completely pointless. Faraz is shown as seeking counseling, indeed a step in the right direction, but then for him to go to a psychologist like Rija, wow – talk about taking a giant step backward! Watching her dispense unbelievably idiotic advice, I could only wonder why we were being shown such a whacked-out, not to mention, totally unethical, psychologist. As for Nabeel’s MS, a disease rarely discussed on TV, the way Manahil is shown as dealing with Nabeel’s care single-handedly, is completely fantastical, not to say extremely hazardous for the patient’s physical and mental well-being. Having experienced this first-hand, I am unfortunately very familiar with the 24/7 care needed by such patients. I understand Manahil could not afford proper care, but this whole issue could have been dealt with a little more realistically. Given that Nabeel’s health is the pivot around which the story revolves, I was really upset by the glibness with which the whole thing was dealt with. I see this as a great opportunity lost to teach our audiences about terminal illnesses. Furthermore, the way Andaleeb dealt with her cancer – give me a break! If this is how frivolously educated elites handle cancer, then god help the poor uneducated masses.
Another huge turnoff was everything and anything being discussed so openly and casually in front of children – be it Faraz telling Manahil about Andaleeb’s health, or Andaleeb discussing Manahil’s marital issues, or Manahil discussing Nabeel’s problems with Faraz. Honestly, could these people zip it? As it is, all four of them seemed a bit too happy discussing personal problems with each other, conversely all felt free to pitch in and offer muft ki advice to each other as well, whenever and wherever.
I could go and on, but suffice it to say that Tishnagi is a classic case of good intentions gone very wrong. What must have been an interesting story on paper lost much of its nuance by the time it made it to our screens.
Despite these grievances, and suffering through a typecast Mahnoor Baloch and a strangely pale Aijazz Aslam, I sat through this primarily because of Faysal Qureshi and Sarwat Gilani. Faysal is superb in his portrayal of a person who is reduced to looking to somebody else for every little need, be it as simple as wiping sweat off his brow or trying to get rid of an errant fly. Despite the shortcomings in his character, he made me feel Nabeel’s suffering. Sarwat too was a delight; she looks absolutely gorgeous here. Her pairing with Faysal makes for some very tender moments, both before and after his sickness. Though I disagree with so much of what Manahil says and does, Sarwat plays her with such heartfelt conviction, that I cannot but empathize with Manahil. Even as the story evolves out of Nabeel’s illness, whether one agrees with her or not, the serial comes alive with Manahil’s handling of her adverse situation.
Excellent as Faysal and Sarwat were, for me, even their combined brilliance was just not quite enough to cover the gaping holes in the overall narrative. So, here’s the deal, if you’re looking for a strong and logical story, then this is not the serial for you. On the other hand, though, if you want to see great chemistry and fabulous acting from the lead pair, then Tishnagi is the one serial you should not miss.
Written by SZ~ [email protected]
Follow me on Twitter: SZ_DramaPakistani (@sz_dp)
