Good Shows, New Shows, Positivity, Oh My!

Yes, yes, I realize I'm generally a Negative Nancy when it comes to writing - so much so that I barely even write about the good shows!  There are actually a number of nice, good shows on air right now, so I really want to take a moment to write about them! Nothing but positivity in this post - and I'm so happy that there are no whining points on this fistful of shows!

Mann Mayal

Now we're talking!  With the latest turn of events with Manahil's husband turning on her (due to no fault of Salahuddin, at all) and Salahuddin's large inheritance, it will be so interesting to see where the story goes from here!  In a way, it's so ironic that Salahuddin needed to leave Manu and his world behind to actually become worthy of her (financially) - and now that he is, she belongs to someone else.  I'm now looking forward to Ayesha Khan's entry.  Also, am I the only one who finds the character of Manu entirely annoying? Yes, she's innocent, but she also makes wrong choices at an alarming pace.  Anyway, been loving this show since the beginning and the love continues.

Dillagi

Strong female characters - what a sight for sore eyes!  The women of Dillagi bow down to no one and take the reigns of their destiny into their own hands.  Whether it's Mehwish Hayat's character, refusing to give in to the desires of Mohib (Hamayun Saeed) and choosing instead to marry a random guy off the street (questionable choice) or Saba Hameed's character, advising women to take control of their husbands or leave them, this is the moment I've been waiting for on Pakistani television.  While these women are shrewd and calculating, they're confident and assured of what they want.  These are the roles young girls should be seeing.  I can only hope I don't have to eat my words later, but so far so great.  Special mention to the great job Hamayun Saeed is doing, making you hate and love Mohib all at the same time.  Also, Imran Ashraf is doing an impressive job in his role, making me smile with each appearance.  It would not be a stretch to say this is the best show on television right now.

Udaari

Set in a Punjabi backdrop, Udaari takes you on a journey within the first episode.  Captivating, unique and poles apart from other shows, Udaari promises to give the audience something different.  The story centers around a family of maraasis (singers/dancers) in a small village.  In this profession for generations, Bushra Ansari's character is proud of her heritage while her daughter (Urwa) struggles to find a way out (due to her boyfriend's disdain).  We are also introduced to Samiya Mumtaz's character, a single mother who has lost her husband years ago.  Her husband's best friend (Ahsan Khan) has returned from Dubai and takes it upon himself to take care of his friend's family, setting tongues wagging.  On the other end, we're introduced to Farhan Saeed's character and his friends, rich kids with a band, trying out for a singing reality show.  How these stories intertwine will be interesting to see.

So far, not only has the cast impressed with just one episode, but the story is compelling and the production values are great.  I'm looking forward to watching this one each week.

Zara Yaad Kar

There is just something so refreshing about this show.  There's a quiet beauty in it, in the simplicity and realism of the story and the actions of the characters.  I love the way Haadi (Zahid Ahmed) loves Mahnoor and dotes on her, yet is willing to put her in her place when she disrespects him.  I love that Mahnoor (Sana Javed) is not a vamp, but her lack of loyalty is being revealed in such a way that even she is not aware of it. I love how Yumna Zaidi's character is so pure in her love that she is willing to simply be there for Haadi as a friend, asking for nothing more.  The characters are so well written so far, and rightly so, with Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar at the writing table.  

The political angle is interesting and I'm curious to see how that story will move forward.  I will say that the actress playing the "American" daughter has an annoying fake accent heavily accented with the Pakistani touch and her fake accent is not even American, but British.  Hmmm.  But I'm curious to see what role the "humsaaya" will play in all of this.  So far, pretty interesting.

Tum Kon Piya

Full of cliches and typical dialogues, Tum Kon Piya treads an already beaten path and doesn't offer anything new. However, the fresh pairing of Imran Abbas and Ayeza Khan is worth watching the show alone. That aside, I'm enjoying Hina Bayat's role as a meddling mother.  The show boasts of a great cast and creative team.  Im expecting great things to come from this show in the upcoming weeks. 

Mor Mahal also begins in a couple of weeks and I'm incredibly excited to see how it has turned out.  Going from only 1 good show to a handful, this is a good time for Pakistani drama viewers! 

Happy watching!