I imagine when 2017 rolls around, Naraaz will be sitting pretty somewhere on my top 10 dramas of 2016 list. Big words, but I'm sure they will ring true. Naraaz, as a show, took us through so many life situations: the loss of wealth and status, a rocky relationship, inability to conceive, illness, death, despair and poverty, adoption, marriage at an "old" age ("you're no spring chicken."), a court battle and finally.....well-deserved happiness.
When Naraaz started out, I honestly expected something much different than what it ended up being. In fact, I threw it into the "dull" category after episode 3 and only watched it out of a sense of obligation (a real problem that I have, let me tell you!). But somewhere down the line, the story of an arrogant man and his family troubles turned into.....the Pakistani version of the Pursuit of Happyness? I thought "Ok....lets see how well they can copy." Then, yet again, the show was turned on its head and transformed into an incredibly compelling story of love, what you are willing to do for love, what you're willing to do for the betterment of a loved one and how a child gets caught up in the entire mess.
Azlan(Faisal Qureshi) and Fariha (Sara Khan) are a married couple with a son Azhar. When Azlan's business fails, the family goes through hard times and are forced to move in with Fariha's parents, hurting Azlan's pride....and harming his once happy marriage. Things go from bad to worse when Fariha falls ill. This is the starting point of the show, but it only grows from strength to strength as it progresses.
It has to be said that this show boasts of a great cast of unassuming but tremendously powerful performers. Everyone contributes to the show. Special mention has to be given to Fahad Ahmed and Muzna Ibrahim as Asad & Rida, a loving couple unable to have children. Their characters are lovable, even in their worst moments thanks to their acting capabilities. Faisal Qureshi is the STAR. After a long time, he's been outstanding in a role (for me, I know many people loved Bashar Momin) and really just made it his own. Javeria Abbasi and the actors playing Fariha's parents also provide great support.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this show as a stand-out drama that depicts the love between parent and child beautifully. It also touches upon other important subjects: in our society, when a woman gets older and is no longer "in demand" regarding rishtas, does she lose the right to live life on her own terms? When a woman is unable to give her husband a child, what sort of pressure does that (or her own guilt) place on the marriage?
It also has to be said that I LOVED the way the last episode was shot - it was realistic and brought tears to my eyes to see the forgiveness in that room.
This was a great show and I looked forward to each episode (after episode 10 or so) each week. I will definitely say this show is underrated and will give it two thumbs up. Recommended!
Happy watching!
Nice read. I too have started to not assume that anything with FQ will be worth my time these days. I think there is, among Pakistani drama makers/performers and movie people, a sudden compulsion to be a goliath like the dreaded Bwood, and as a result everyone, be it a director or a writer or a performer, who has gotten some acclaim is trying to cash in on it (to put it crudely) by being prolific yet indiscriminate about their current and upcoming projects. Why else does one see almost the same performers, be it FQ or someone else, in nearly every show? I like how it seems like some people like Samiya Mumtaz seem detached from this frenzy. So we see her only in few shows, which often end up being really well-written, well-directed shows.
ReplyDeleteI really wish FQ stops for a bit, detaches himself from his stardom (such as it is), and consciously looks to take up or even create challenging shows. I would just die to see him and Ushna Shah in an Othello adaptation, or maybe even a Macbeth adaptation set in modern times (sort of how Vishal Bharadwaj did with Maqbool or Haider). Like you, I too think he really has the acting chops, and the multiple-episode framework of a Pakistani drama can lend itself far better to many stories than the 3-hour movie format, but somehow, the makers and performers (even skilled ones like FQ) seem to want to either do more of the same, or just use their popularity among the TV viewing audience as a stepping stone to Bwood or movies, which is such a shame. I love how in the West at least, TV shows are no longer the inferior format compared to movies. I wish this idea catches up in Pakistan and the TV drama makers start to use that format to tell move novel stories, or even more of the same ones but told with nuance and imagination. But yes, I agree, FQ seems to have gotten into a self-imposed slump and it reeks of a mid-life crisis. Yikes!
BTW SQ, I am glad you've been somewhat prolific on this blog this past month, and more importantly, writing on topics that I myself have been mulling over like the recent dismal shows of FQ. I am hoping that one of these days I will come across a post on the doctor-Baano relationship in Bheegi Palkein. I have so loved the dialogues these two have shared these past few episodes that I watched them repeatedly. For example, when Bano says that what she got for herself (after a visit to the store) was not a material object but belief in herself, something that no one else can give her. Similarly I loved it when Bano and Raza agree that in today's world, no one is inclined towards listening to their own conscience/heart. Instead, everyone needs rational, concrete proof. There are many such quiet, small moments these two share that, to my mind, elevate the otherwise dismal episodes to newer heights. Raza if quite a contrast to Hassan. Unlike Hassan who wanted to protect Bano as if she were a fragile object (she was fragile and unused to taking care of herself) (and in so doing, just limit her life to that of a china doll kept in a cabinet), Dr. Raza inspired her to find within herself a stronger, more confident person who could survive the vicissitudes of life and not crumble under their weight. And also to find a reason to live, and a vocation that allowed her to make a difference in other people's lives. I was, to be honest, completely surprised by this turn of events. I had assumed that the makers would keep Bano fragile and unschooled and her relationship with Hassan would be more out of a need to be protected than anything else. After all, Bano only ended up agreeing to Hassan's proposal when she was in dire straits, and her reputation had been unfairly tainted by Fareeha and Bilal's scheming. But the writers surprised me. I hope they continue to offer these pleasant surprises and not send Bano back in Hassan's arms because, quite apart from his trust issues, he is also not the sort of person to look to change someone for the better. In that regard, Raza has more of that mentorship ability, and in some loving relationships, I think such mentorship can prove very useful and can help someone evolve for the better. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAlso, coming back to Bheegi Palkein, why do I suspect Raza's wife will wake up and mess all of this up, leaving Bano to go back to Hassan? That would infuriate me!
DeleteThanks!! 😃 Are you watching Tum Mere Ho? I just started it and while it's super cliched and I'm deathly cringing at the sight of Aijaz Aslam and FQ playing young guys (ugggghhh too old for this!!), FQ's role looks interesting and there will definitely be some good acting from him!
ReplyDeleteI loved the drama naraz.. All the time my eyes were wet. I want to know the name of the child artist.. He acted superb.i love him plz give his name
ReplyDeleteShandaar drama.Azhar ka role krnewaley child artist ka naam nahi dena nainsafi h .acting super ki h us n.drawback jo ptv drama m hota h ,wo title song h.Bar bar itni loud voice ko sunana kheej ho jati h aur finger volume ko hi press krti rahti h.esa lagta h drama serial nahi Song hi sunne bethey h.Naraz ka title song gala phadh aur besura h.us ko sun sun kr irritation ho gaya.please ese mistake drama m nahi kare .Maza kharab ho jata h
ReplyDeleteMe India se hon,Hamra yahan ke drama ki overacting boring h aur aap ke tile song aur talaq aur multi marrige stories.Naraz ki storyline m aaj ki problems ko highlights kiya h.