To see a World in a Grain of Sand

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand

And Eternity in an hour – William Blake

I have heard you can see the whole world in a grain of sand, and that is how I felt after watching this week’s wonderful episode of Udaari. Meeran carries the burden of her birth like a rock on her back. The Zamindar’s nephew feels he has a right to assault her just because her family sings and dances, while Elyas and his mother look down on her because she is from a family of Mirasis .It’s as if she has no value at all. Just like any other human being she has her own little world of hopes and wishes, needs and wants but ‘respectable” society thinks of her as less than an ordinary woman because she comes from a certain family. Every one of us is a world in a grain of sand, no matter how lowly or high we suppose ourselves we are all created from the same clay.

It is a constant source of amazement to me how people come up with different ways of degrading and dehumanizing each other. If it isn’t caste, it will be skin colour, if it isn’t colour, it will be social class and anything else we can think up to put another person down. I have to say Urwa gave a surprisingly effective performance as a Meeran. I actually started to cry after a while. Elyas  is just one degree of dreadful below the Zamindar’s nephew and his loud , vulgar mother , is the voice of large sections of society however much we might like to think she is a just a single, nasty character. From next week’s promo, Elyas’s abusive and controlling behavior is only going to get worse, I just hope Meeran realizes what a mirage his attention is and finds a better life partner. It’s not a wild guess that Farhan Saeed’s character Arsh might have a chance?

Bushra Ansari is brilliant performer and if there weren’t so many strong performances to talk about I would say she stole the show. There is a reason why Pakistan loves this talented actress. I loved her, unafraid and fierce at the Zamindar’s house, but always the loving mother who is easily mannaoed by her children. The one thing that never changes about Sheedan is her pride and integrity; she is a hard working woman who never begged a day in her life.

Sammiya Mumtaz as Sajda is also a pleasure to watch. Her story is nothing new so far but fits in well with the rest of the narrative. I have seen ladies of grand marble palaces argue with their maids and make them leave the house late at night but I have also seen other women send their driver to drop off a female servant out of concern for her safety. Ahsan Khan as Pa Imtiaz is a dream come true; handsome, young and his pockets full of money from Dubai. I wonder if Sajda would have married him if she had received some support from her family. So far Ahsan Khan is completely believable in his love and concern for Sajda and her daughter. He seems just a touch flamboyant for a simple widow like Sajda but it’s not an unreasonable match; both have known each other for years, both were married before and they all get along.

Director Ehtashamuddin deserves full credit for not playing up the melodrama and keeping a light hand on the empathy factor without losing the impact. Most dramas demand our sympathy with loud background music and a poor man singing AAAAAAAA (like he has a spoon stuck in his throat). This drama is going to touch on serious issues but Ehtashamuddin has thankfully given it a light, accessible feel.  The music is wonderful, supporting the mood of its characters and the situation. I loved the authentic, folksy lilt to all the songs especially those picturized on Bushra Ansari at the wedding. I am so sorry ,last week I forgot to credit Hadiqa Kayani , who provided us with another lovely song this week .Writer Farhat Ishtiaq has written a fascinating well plotted story, which I hope will not just entertain but help to inform and open our hearts and minds. This week there were no repetitive dialogues and I watched the whole show enthralled. I especially loved all the efforts made: the settings, the clothes and the makeup all looked appropriate and added a lot to the flavour of the show.

Ok, today’s episode made me so angry that  I cannot resist saying that Elyas needs to have his attitude slapped out of him and the Zamindar’s nephew needs it kicked out of him . There , now I have said it I feel much better .

written by Sadaf          This review also appears Here