March 2014 - Dramas I'm Currently Watching

And it's time for the March 2014 edition of dramas I'm currently watching.

The last few months have been hectic with my starting a new job and having very little free time.  But somehow, I finally did manage to catch up on all these dramas - some are great and some are the nightmare that won't stop recurring.  Let's discuss!

Pyaray Afzal – This show is, by far, the best thing on television at the moment.  Afzal has finally taken a huge step and left Hyderabad.  We also witnessed Sohai Ali Abro’s entry (I didn’t even realize she was in the drama).  I have to say, there's nothing better about this drama than the character of Molvi SubhanAllah.  What an endearing, lovable man with a great relationship with his entire family, from his loving nature with his wife and daughter and his fear of losing his son.  I just LOVE it.

Ru Ba Ru – Sometimes you have zero expectations from a show and it ends up being one of the more interesting ones.  Ru Ba Ru falls in that category.  When the show first began, I thought “Who the hell wants to see Adnan and Saira in a drama together again after that terrible Darmiyaan?”  Faizan Khawaja was my only pull to invest time into this show.  I’m so glad I did, because this show depicts how a very messed up “love” situation can completely overturn a child’s life and his mental psyche.  And while the underlying story is about so much more, we’re also treated to a cute, gradual love story between Sarmad (Faizan Khawaja) and Shabi (Syra Yousuf).   On the other end, we’re at present seeing how a seemingly ideal relationship and love marriage can turn so rotten with Tipu and Kiran.  While we’ve seen what “shakk” can do in other dramas (namely Shakk), here we witness the most natural kind of insecurity turn nasty.  We’re only at episode 12, so at this point, I have no idea what turn the story will now take.  Whatever it is, I’m sure it will continue to keep the audience on the edge of their seat!

Mohabbat Subh Ka Sitara Hai – With the loss of Nabeel, Rumaisa’s life has spun more or less out of control.  It’s painful to see how her circumstances went from bad to great and now back to terrible.  The family dynamic in Nabeel’s home is at an all-time low and is pretty much disgustingly dysfunctional.  One has to wonder how long it will be before Nabeel’s family finds out about Hassan sending a rishta (SICK) – and more importantly, how long it will be before Zeeshan takes It upon himself to marry Rumaisa?  J  This is one show that, so far, has not lost the plot.  I’ve been hooked from start to present.  Let’s hope it continues at this pace!  I am desperately missing Nabeel though.  Mekaal did a great job.

Do Qadam Door Thay – When this show first started, I couldn’t understand Sami Khan’s character, nor did I LIKE him.  On the other hand, Aiza Khan was so meek at first, it was irritating.  Then the story progressed and I was hooked.  Then we hit that huge, long batch of Darul Aman episodes.  The show got incredibly boring.  But then we moved on – and NOW this show is, at present, super cute and really lovable!  I look forward to seeing Zob and Nayab’s interactions in each episode and love Aiza & Sami’s chemistry.  If you can get over that rough patch of Darul Aman episodes, this show is completely worth it.  At present, I’m obsessed with this one.

Shukk – I’m trying to continue loving this show.  I really am.  But somewhere along the line, it’s gotten completely lost on where it wants to go.  I’m completely anti-Sehrish at this point.  As a married woman, I completely get Ehtesham’s point of view that he cannot live with a person who did so much “shukk” on him that she has completely stopped trusting him.  Sehrish ruined her own home, but even worse, she ruined someone else’s entire married life.  She ruined a child’s life.  And even worse, she still doesn’t understand the ramifications of her actions.  She still thinks Sania stole Ehtesham from her.  Basically, I don’t understand why this show is still going on when the logical conclusion is for Ehtesham to divorce Sehrish.  But now, in the promo for next week, we find out that Sehrish is (supposedly) expecting.  Now we can only assume we’ll see a whole lot of “shukk” from Sania’s end too.  I wonder if this show is going to drag and become tedious?  Let’s see. 

Bashar Momin – This show is only one episode in and I’m already a tiny bit exhausted of Maheen Rizvi’s overacting at every turn.  With the exception of Faisal Qureshi’s role, which is of a pretty hot-headed baddie, the rest of the cast isn’t too impressive.  I can’t complain about the story or the pace though – the first episode itself kept me on the edge of my seat, which is something most dramas can’t claim to do.  The show is very interesting and I’m looking forward to watching what Faisal Qureshi will do with this role and am looking forward to Sami Khan’s appearance.   This is off to a good start.

Meri Beti – Logically speaking, I have zero complaints from this drama.  It’s been fast-paced and on-track from beginning to present.  I’ve loved almost every moment (barring a few after-marriage episodes in the middle, focusing on Iraj and her crazy mother in law) of the show and the show delivered on a storyline that hasn’t really been seen before in a drama (that I know of).  Now everything is out in the open and what’s left to see is how all of this will end.  What I CAN say is that I’m so sick of the attitude Iraj is throwing around.  I understand that she’s hurt, but not letting her mother/grandmother even TOUCH her child is so obnoxious, I can’t even handle it!  It’s beautiful to see the relationship between Iraj and Rida though, as well as the relationship between Saba and Rida.  This week’s episode did leave me sobbing though with a very unexpected twist.

Ranjish Hee Sahi – Let’s be real.  I started watching this show for Samiya and Faisal.  Somehow, I’m now watching a show about two whiney young girls who can’t pull themselves together.  It seems like, after 5-6 episodes of this nonsense, this irritating storyline is finally wrapping up.  Does that mean I get to see Faisal Rehman again now?  Please?  It’s time for a re-entry.  This drama has completely deterred from its original, beautiful, controversial storyline.  I need it to get back on track.

Rukhsar – These families are all crazy.  Rukhsar’s mother is a nutcase.  What kind of woman insults her daughter-in-law so much and doesn’t realize she’s being evil?  Ammar’s mother is just plain evil, that’s fine.  But Rukhsar’s mother is no less.  Then we have Zaheer, who knows that Ammar uses any excuse to pair him and Rukhsar together – yet he insists on FEEDING Rukhsar a sandwich instead of just giving it to her.  Are you SERIOUS right now?  Then you have Faizi who, against his families wishes, goes to Ammar’s second wedding.  What?  What kind of self-respecting man does this garbage?  And then you have Zaheer’s mother, who decides It’s appropriate to send Zaheer’s rishta before Rukhsar’s iddat period is complete.  WOWZA.  Sarah, Mahrukh, Ammar, etc. are already just insane, but the insanity of these other characters makes this show a complete moron-fest.  The little bit of interest I had in this show is slowly going down the drain.  It HAS become really hard to hate Sarah though since the death of Sana Khan.  I just feel sad looking at her face….and Babar’s.  

Kahani Raima Aur Manahil Ki  - I’m slightly on the fence about this one, mostly because I can’t make out what genre this is supposed to fall under exactly.  It’s not completely drama nor is it completely comedy.  I do love that Vasay Chaudhry has a front-and-center role for once.  I also love that Ahmed Butt has a role in the show, even if it is very limited.  Sajjal Ali is an actress that seems hell bent on proving how talented she is early on and this show doesn’t demerit her at all.  She’s doing a great job with a more perky role.  Likewise with Shehroz Sabzwari.  Mehreen Raheel seems to be limiting herself to these “modern girl” roles and it’s a shame, because she’s so great in more “Desi” roles (Halki Si Khalish, Dastaan).  The cast is great, but time will tell how great the show is.  I assume the show will be heading down the comedic route with Vasay & Mehreen’s characters being forced to stay married.  Let’s see!

Bunty I Love You – There’s something fascinating about this drama; maybe it’s the karma of the situation – Patel marries young Mrs. Patel, more or less trapping her and she’s left desiring for something more “young.”  Flash forward to the present and we now see Mrs. Patel trapping Bunty into her life, while he resists committing to her in search for someone younger.  The story has come full circle and while Mrs. Patel believes she’s not wrong, she fails to see the wrong in her actions.  Now I’m not saying this drama is perfect.  It really isn’t.  There’s a lot wrong with it.  For one, I have no clue what Pakistan this drama takes place in.  It’s a Bollywood “7 Khoon Maaf” sort of world rather than being realistic.  A world where when one woman’s husband dies, suddenly everyone else’s husband is running after his widow.  Hmm.  Not exactly.  It’s a world where servants are seriously creepy, a world where eerie mansions are seen as “grand,” a world where people can get away with anything and everything and a world where everyone is involved in the business of another.  If you put all of these things aside, the show is pretty enjoyable.  What makes it enjoyable is Saba Qamar’s performance as Mrs. Patel.  She brings out her innocence, her love, her hate, her insecurity, her passion, her desires, her weakness…..all at once!  This may be Saba’s best role since Maat.

Mera Raqeeb – So at present, Yusuf has lost his mind with jealousy and is ready to beat his wife into submission.  That’s all fine and well for making Yusuf a terrible, narrow-minded person, but I’m having a hard time sympathizing with anyone but Rana at this point.  Yusuf and Saba are a train wreck:  Saba fell in love with Dr. Adil while alone and scared and both Saba and Dr. Adil aware of the secret relationship Yusuf and Rana had been carrying on.  Yusuf is now well aware of those feelings and has decided he’s going to “ruin” Dr. Adil and lock up his wife any time she disobeys him.  Abuse has even come into the picture.  Here’s where I lose my sympathy for Saba:  Your husband is now well.  He’s no longer seeing Rana.  Why on EARTH are you getting caught time and time again meeting with Dr. Adil?  Either ask for a divorce or make the marriage work!  Even a drama viewer has some limits and wants their characters to have a shred of decency.  This couple needs to put the past behind them.  Let’s face it.  They BOTH screwed up.  Now move on!  On the other end, Dr. Adil has decided he wants to marry Saba.  Fair enough.  Rana is reacting the logical way – she vows to stand by him and help him.  As she should, considering this whole mess happened since she was cheating on him.  This couple has my sympathy, since they are reacting like normal people.  However, Dr. Adil’s “daakhla” into Saba’s life is really irritating me, because he gets her into trouble with her husband over and over again.  Anyways, so yeah……at this point, the only person I feel any sympathy for is Rana, especially after the revelation that she can’t have children.  Everyone else is crazy.  This show is also doing my head in at this point.  Move faster and create more sensible scenarios.

Billo Babloo Aur Bhaiyya – Honestly speaking, this show has become my “watch while cooking” show.  It’s refreshing, light-hearted (despite having serious undertones) and the cast shares great chemistry, bouncing really funny lines off each other.  I’m enjoying it while not taking it too seriously. 

Zindagi Tere Bina – Yet another show that’s doing my head in.  How can one person and their family be SO BAD as to cause so much misery to so many people?  Safia is, by far, the worst person I’ve seen in any drama.  She’s terrible to everyone from her own son, husband, mother-in-law to even random strangers!  A terrible human being all around and clearly, her sister and nephew are no less.  The drama got interesting with Rania’s wedding, but of course, this is going to have a bad ending as well with Safia’s psychotic nephew in the picture.  Honestly, this show has only 12 aired episodes and I’m thoroughly sick of it.  Kudos to Nauman Ejaz for doing a great job with his role though.  It’s definitely something different for him.

Qudrat – I’m honestly having a hard time getting into this one, mostly because I may or may not be ignorant on the topic.  I have many Hindu friends and I’ve seen a number of Indian dramas where “Kundlis” and horoscopes are discussed, but to be honest, I’ve never encountered this belief in Pakistani society.  Does it exist?  If it does, I’m unaware of it.  So on that account, I have a hard time digesting the entire premise of this drama.  If I put that bias aside, it’s a very interesting drama that’s caught me off guard several times, especially with the supernatural angle (which was highly unexpected).  I’m actually still behind by a few episodes on this one, so I’ll do a more in-depth write up later this week on this!  But it’s interesting for sure.

Now we come to the two WORST shows I'm watching at present:

Meray Apnay – If I wanted to watch Bollywood’s “Baghban,” I would WATCH “Baghban.”  This is a very over-dramatized, unrealistic, uncomfortable, over-extended version of Baghban.  And no, I’m not enjoying this.  I don’t even know why I’m watching it.  Terrible.  I would also like to say that every character in this show, barring the parents, the servants, Nadeem’s one friend and Aila (and her husband) are the worst kinds of human beings possible.  Apparently every human being out there only cares about money.  There is so much wrong with this show.  If Baghban was a 2.5 hour long movie, it was because that was as long as that material could be stretched out.  Are we going to watch 25 episodes of this “zulm” now?  Seriously?  Nonsense.

Kabhi Kabhi – I really don’t care about this show anymore.  Why is it still going after 26 freaking episodes?  This show has gone to the wolves and is complete and utter CRAP.  This Sunny & Ishaal track has turned the show into the worst thing on television at present.  And those are big words.  Can this just END?

Also, since my last update, I've abandoned Pachtawa, Ishq Mein Tere and Main Deewani, all for having irritating lead characters and being highly flawed.  Terrible.

Alright, that's it for now!  Happy watching!!