Mera Raqeeb - Episode 1

There was so much I wanted to say about this episode after watching it - but unfortunately, I've since then forgotten what it was I wanted to say!

So instead, I'm just going to make some half-baked comments about my overall thoughts on the show.

When will Sajal Ali stop playing these "main bechaari, seedhi saadhi" roles?  Seen it in Mastana Mahi, seen it in Aasmanon Pe Likha, seen it in Meri Laadli, seen it in Gohar E Nayyab......what's up?  Her few different roles, such as in Mere Qatil Mere Dildar, do not make up for the overhaul in "naive" roles.  She is talented, but she's wasting herself on these roles.  It's pretty frustrating.  

Also, I have to mention that her reaction to her husband's accident was by far the dumbest thing I've ever seen.  "Woh nahin ho sakte, woh is shaher mein nahin hai."  UH.  They called you.  They said his name.  They said he's been in an accident.  FIGURE IT OUT.  This was not the best start to a show.

Who knew Faisal Rehman and Juggan Kazim would look so good together?  Not only do they look nice, they also seem to have great chemistry.  I'm also, so far, impressed with Juggan's character.  She's a very happy, bouncy type, which suits her real life image much more, but she rarely gets to do this in dramas.  so far, so good.

Dear Affan - if you play another negative, irritating role, I will personally slap you.  I love you, but I never want to see you in a role like in Maseeha EVER again.  Please don't do it.  I don't know why I'm getting a sinking feeling about this character....but I am.  In this episode, we didn't see much of Affan in motion - he was mostly restricted to a hospital bed, unconscious.  So any other thoughts to be announced...

Overall, I think the storyline is interesting....but for how long, I wonder?  Does this storyline have enough material for 20 + episodes?  I'm not sure.  Let's wait and see!  Happy watching!

Kankar: The Finale

Words can't describe my feelings last week when I saw the preview for episode 25 - immediately, I became emotional, knowing this week would be the last episode.  How quickly 6 months passed by - though Kankar has been with me the last 6 months while I lived my life, it still somehow feels as though I only started watching it yesterday.  I won't lie - this show will leave a huge void that I will definitely feel, especially on Friday nights.

Getting to the episode, a lot happened in one episode.  However, unlike other dramas, this did not feel rushed.  Only too often, you're left with this feeling of too many things being crammed in that last final episode, as if the director forgot how much material he had left to cover.  But with Kankar, this episode did the show complete justice and fit all the pieces of the emotional puzzle into place, bringing the characters to a place of emotional healing and realistic happiness.  Realistic being the key word.

The episode opens showing the rift between Adnan & Kiran.  Sikandar is taking Kiran home, but instead of happiness, Kiran maintains that she's leaving her home to go to his home.  This scene perfectly demonstrated that apologies can't take away all the pain that has accumulated in a person's heart.

We also see Faiqa and Shaista arguing, as Shaista wants to take Aarzoo home.  Faiqa tells Shaista that she has broken her trust, as her family no longer trusts her because of her decision to marry Aarzoo to Sikandar.  She also tells Shaista that even if Aarzoo agrees to go back to Sikandar, she will not let her leave, as she has no interest in having her own daughter repeatedly beaten.  This scene was a turning point, as Faiqa was no longer interested in hearing Shaista's excuses for her son.  We also saw a scene between Shaista & Sikandar, where Sikandar shows remorse for Aarzoo leaving and states that he will pick her up himself.  Shaista's disdain towards her son shows in this scene, as she no longer trusts that he will change.

Aarzoo's turmoil with the decision to stay with or leave Sikandar is also shown in several scenes.  In her scene with Faiqa, Aarzoo is seen finally blaming her mother for making poor decisions regarding her life and turning a blind eye to her nephew's bad traits.  We also see an important scene between Aarzoo and Kiran, where Kiran guides Aarzoo on making the right decision for her life.  She states that she did love Sikandar; however while leaving him would cause her pain, so would staying in that house with him while he physically and mentally harmed her.  Either way, pain was being caused, so she made the decision to leave.  This was powerful.  At the same time, she tells Aarzoo that she now has a son and she has, many times, doubted her decision of leaving due to the difficulties society has inflicted on her.  She tells Aarzoo to make the right decision, as she now has a son and needs to decide if she has the strength to face the world's taunts.  This scene was not only heartfelt, but also powerful.

The most awaited scene finally happened when Sikandar and Kiran came face-to-face.  Sikandar told Kiran that she was worthy of so much more and asked her to divorce Adnan, he would divorce Aarzoo and they could be together.  SLAP.  Dard hua?  Aurat ko bhi hota hai.  With this one line, Kiran not only made her stance clear and relieved herself of anger, but also vocalized what the audience has been feeling for months.  I wanted to CHEER and dance.

Even better was the scene that stemmed from Kiran's line:  Sikandar apologizing to Aarzoo and expressing a desire to change.  He also told Aarzoo that he does not want his son to end up like him.  Relationships can't be perfect, but if a person is willing to bend, problems can be solved.  This showed the start of a new Sikandar, one that might treat Aarzoo and his son well.

In Kiran's home, we see a change in Rukhsar and Phupo's behavior towards Kiran, which has now become positive and supportive.  Rukhsar shares sweet moments with her husband over the phone in her excitement to finally be with him.  These scenes really added to the show.  Rukhsar was not a bad person, but was made bitter by life's unrelenting difficulties.  In a scene between Rukhsar and Adnan, we see Rukhsar apologizing for her behavior.  Adnan explains to Rukhsar that Khooni rishton ko maaf karne padte hain.  This line is a reality of life and really sticks with you at the end of the scene.  The entire sequence between Adnan & Rukhsar (and Kiran eavesdropping) left me spellbound, as it showed two different arguments.  On the surface, Rukhsar causing problems in Kiran & Adnan's life now ends, but the remnants will always be left behind, though ultimately forgiven.

The ending scene shows Kiran and Adnan happy in their home on her birthday, where he brought her a cage of parrots.  He declares that Waisay bhi pinjray drakht pe tangay achche lagte hain, signaling that Kiran is now free of her cage (of guilt, remorse, pain - however you choose to see it).  

Thank you Umera Ahmed for not only bringing a beautiful story to life on-screen, but also putting forth an important message for society:  A woman's only job is not to "compromise" in difficult situations.  Every woman is worthy of respect and it's time society's taboos stopped dictating a woman's right to happiness.  Human beings are complex creatures and not every situation is black and white.  Thank you Kankar for opening eyes.

Ek Kasak Reh Gayi - Last Episode

When I initially started watching this drama, I felt it to be slow, repetitive and mildly boring.  The only real positives were the star cast and the beautiful OST.  Eventually, I stopped watching.  Then, somehow in a moment of boredom, I started watching it again.  Up until episode 20, after each episode, I would ask myself "Why am I watching this again?"  However, after the leap, the drama became interesting again.  Was the ending a redeeming factor?

I'm not sure I can argue that it was.  Something about the entire episode felt rushed, as if the producers could no longer bankroll another episode, so they needed to jam-pack everything into these last 35 minutes.  

In this episode, we saw Rania speaking to Paras about her bad decisions which lead to the destruction of all of their lives.  She tells Paras that she's leaving and encourages her to go back to Sheharyar.  That's fine - but this came off as her own distress at her bad marriage and lack of conceiving a child rather than real regret at what she did to Paras.  The entire character of Rania was faulty.  In the beginning, we see her as this strong, confident girl.  But this girl had loyalty and a heart of gold, so that's why she obeyed her father and broke off her relationship with Sheharyar.  So Sheharyar married Paras.  HOWEVER, the girl we see Rania turn into after her accident was an example of bad writing.  Why was Rania suddenly so needy and selfish?  She turned into a completely different person!

Moving on, we see Sheharyar and Paras at their "custody hearing" (which was really just a one-woman show in her office) where Sheharyar wins custody of his daughter.  Up until this point, Sheharyar has really come off as a heartless mo-fo, considering all that Paras has done for him in the past.  Paras gave him her kidney and saved his life - he repayed her by taking a second wife and not batting an eyelash when she left him.  And NOW he decides he's going to take her daughter?  Yeah.....real classy.  Paras made her own share of mistakes, including lying about Ajwa and being stubborn, but it still does not match up to Sheharyar's faults.

Taaya Abba goes to speak to Paras in a moment of regret for what he's put her through.  He apologizes for always being cold towards her, despite loving her like a daughter in his heart.  The scene was very heartfelt.  UNFORTUNATELY, this was another case of faulty writing, because Taaya and Taayi always seemed very cold and calculating.  Let's not forget how Taayi would instigate Taaya Jaan against Paras and her sister at every chance and how Taaya Jaan would label both girls as heading on the wrong path.  HMMMM.  

I also want to take this moment to mention that the writers seem to have COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN about Sarmad and Sarah - it's as though they were never characters on this show!  They were mentioned by Taaya and Taayi on two separate occasions, but were never seen after the leap.  Ugh.

Sheharyar goes home to find a letter from Rania, wishing him well and telling him to reunite with his family.  Bye bye Rania.  Good riddance, Rania.  See you never, Rania.  That's the end of Rania, thank goodness.

Sheharyar and Paras reunite in an emotional scene.  We are also treated to a scene between Paras and Taaya Jaan where she apologizes for troubling him and accepts him as a father.  This was nice.

In the final scene, we see Sheharyar, Paras and Ajwa as a happy family.  But WAIT.....

MOMENTARILY, we catch a weird glimpse of Bia sitting in her room with a weird smile.  What on earth?  That's it.  You blink and you miss her.  Did the writers FORGET about Bia as well?  The scene looked like an afterthought that was edited in quickly at the end.  HUH!

Well, all's well that ends well and the ending was a happy one.  There are some dramas that remain etched in your memory for years to come or at least stay with you for a year.  "Ek Kasak Reh Gayi" is one drama that I enjoyed while watching, but will probably forget about two weeks from today.

Happy watching!

Absence

I apologize for my lack of posts this week.  Masha'Allah, my sister had a healthy baby boy and I've been busy helping her this week.  =)  Leaving today and will make up for it!

But I do have to say that I made time to watch Kankar this week - beautiful episode and the preview for next week's episode (which I assume is the last) left me very emotional.

Shakk was also very good this week, as usual.  The story isn't fast-paced, but it's so endearing and natural in all aspects - direction, chemistry, acting, story.....very good.  I can't do anything but sing the praises of this show so far.  Let's hope it continues on this path!  =)

Happy watching!

Khoya Khoya Chand - Episode 13

Some dramas just go from good to bad to worse.  Such is the progression of Khoya Khoya Chand.

I thought this drama would be about a couple getting over their past loves and coming together to create a happy family (Sohai & Ahsan).

NOPE.  This drama is a disgusting, bewakoof twist on Hum Aapke Hain Koun!  Except.....Jija ji didn't have the hots for Nisha in HAHK.

What the HELL was this episode about?  Aarib fell in love with Angabeen.  Then she died.  He has a baby.  His parents suggest that he marry Ahmereen (who he always loved).  THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU SPILL YOUR GUTS ON THE WEDDING NIGHT!  And that too, in such a STUPID manner!  Now he came off looking like a lafanga!  So ridiculous.

I don't know why I'm watching this show still.  Please don't ask.  I don't know the answer.  My brain feels like brain masala right now.

Sari Bhool Humari Thi - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

While on air, this was my most awaited show each week.  Wednesday and Thursday quickly became my favorite day of the week, just because I'd get to catch "Areesha" (Aiza) and "Abrar" (Affan) together.  The ride wasn't horribly long - 24 episodes in total, adding up to 12 weeks.  That's considerably shorter than most shows, since it aired twice a week as opposed to the once-a-week slot.  Did I love the show overall?  Did it deliver?

Well, here's the thing:  Aiza Khan played the lead.  Danish Taimoor played the villain.  Affan Waheed played the hero.  Watching this show, I was not satisfied with the way screen time was dished out.  One would assume Danish Taimoor was the sole hero with the amount of screen time he received.  If anything, when "Subhan" (Danish) turned bewaffa and got married, I was overjoyed that I would finally get to see Affan & Aiza's relationship blossom.  No.  No sir.  Instead, we saw a grieving Areesha.  We saw Mariam's antics of running away and a failed attempt.  We saw Subhan's father pass away.  We saw Taayi Ami mend her ways.  We saw Nauman become the ideal son.  We saw A LOT.  YET.....we still saw very little of ABRAR.

Abrar sent his rishta - when on earth did Abrar realize he was in love with Areesha?  Areesha and Abrar were never given the proper amount of screen time together for the audience to actually fall in love with this pairing.  I was always left wishing for something more.  So as a viewer, I feel as though I was robbed of the very thing I was watching the show for.

HOWEVER, I did like the show overall.  The characters were well developed and there weren't any dull, uninteresting moments.

On to the last episode:  Once again, Danish Taimoor was in the limelight unnecessarily.  We saw Areesha thwark his attempts to reconcile, we saw Subhan's wife overhear the conversation and rip into Subhan - we also saw Subhan disowned by Nauman.  For a villain, this character received more than his share of screen time.  Unnecessary footage.

We also witnessed Abrar & Areesha finally get together - in a mildly unsatisfying way with Areesha saying that she just wanted "a nice guy" (how about incredibly sweet, romantic, loving, devoted....wake up, girl!  This guy is perfect!) - and get married.  The marriage scene was cute and did leave me with an overall happy feeling.  I just wish things had been carried out differently.  ALSO, it would've been cute to see how Abrar's super-innocent mother and Areesha got along.

Overall:  I enjoyed the show thoroughly and am sad to see the show end.  It had a lot of potential and could've been carried out a little longer to focus on the Abrar-Areesha story.  I'm now looking forward to another out and out romantic drama with Affan & Aiza in the lead roles!  =)

Just another Monday

My Mondays are fairly slow with dramas, since only two of my shows air.

Ek Kasak Reh Gayi - Episode 18 & 19

And the selfish dad of the CENTURY award goes to Rania's dad for being an A-class douchebag.  Separate  your daughter from her lover because you don't think she should be focusing on marriage and "disappointing" you.  THEN when she tries to commit suicide, grab her ALREADY MARRIED ex-boyfriend and emotionally blackmail him into marrying your (now stupid and psycho) daughter.  FABULOUS.  I think my brain cells just died.

On to episode 19 - it was eventful, to say the least.  Sheharyar married Rania, Paras found out she was expecting, Paras ALSO found out Sheharyar married Rania, Paras's mother passed away, Paras left Sheharyar (without telling him about his child, I presume) and is now living with her daughter in her mother's home.  Sarmad and Sara moved away (because Sarmad dislikes Paras and she moved back home) and now his parents dote after Paras' daughter.  VERY eventful, yet somehow still mildly uninteresting.  Let's see what happens.

I still find that I want to hit myself for picking up this drama again.  =/

Halki Si Khalish - Episode 21

I love that Khurram & Rabia are back together and happy.  The scenes between them were really endearing this week.

On the other end, does Rania ever learn?  I felt nauseated watching her antics this week - a car?  How did she afford a car?!  Suddenly Aamir has a job, so she wants a mansion, a car, servants....what is this?  She hasn't won the lottery!  I feel terrible for Aamir and feel as though he's going to find someone else in Dubai.  I'm not sure how else this can go.  Rania is clearly never going to learn.

The mystery of Khurram's mother is stretching a little thin now.  I think it's time she makes her appearance.  The bonding between Papa and Khurram this week was really sweet, actually.  It's nice to see how much respect Khurram has for his father, even if he feels stifled by him.

That's about it!  Happy watching!

Drama Update: November 2013 Edition

Dramas I'm Currently Watching:  November 2013 Edition

Obviously when I'm watching this many dramas, I'm enjoying some more than others.  Haha.  So for your convenience, I've ordered the images (and the list) in order from my personal favorites to my least favorites.  And, as you can see, the 2nd to last image includes two FORTHCOMING dramas, which I'm really looking forward to.  And the LAST image includes REJECTED dramas - dramas that I was watching at one point, but have since completely discarded due to SEVERE lack of interest.  Haha.  Here we go!

Shakk (or Shuk or Shukk) - Regardless of how this drama is spelled, this is currently the best drama on air.  Only four episodes in, but it has kept me wanting more each week.  The acting is PERFECT, not only by the 3 main leads (Sanam, Adeel & Ayesha), but also by Shamim Hilali and all the other supporting actors.  I'm really interested in seeing where this story takes us!

Saari Bhool Humari Thi - While I'm not getting the Affan-Aiza love story I've been longing for (in the way that I want it, I mean), I can't complain.  The development of the relationships and the way other relationships have changed is so natural that I'm really loving every minute of this show.  It's now on episode 23, so I'm dreading the nearing end.

Kankar  - Does this show even need an explanation?  This is the show that has been talked about for the last few months non-stop.  But honestly, I'm unsure as to where this storyline is headed.  Will Kiran get her happy ending?  Or is this show's purpose to display the importance a family plays in a successful marriage?  Will Kiran, once again, be the victim of an unhappy marriage?  These questions are agonizing as a viewer, but it's keeping me hooked!

Halki Si Khalish - If nothing else, this show has been consistent.  There have not been any ups and downs, moments of interest, moments of boredom.  It has been, overall, an enjoyable watching experience.  It's nice to see that Khurram is showing signs of change and that Rabia has some hope towards a happy marriage.  On the other hand, this week, I thought Rania would finally change and learn to love and appreciate Aamir....but by the end of the episode, she was back to her old tricks.  We'll have to wait and watch to see where this story goes!

Mujhe Khuda Pe Yakeen Hai - Honestly, I don't know how much longer this story can be dragged out.  We get it.  Narmeen accused Arham of something he didn't do.  He's be-kasoor.  Now Arham is married to his ideal life partner, while Shayk is stuck with horrible Narmeen.  What to do?  Um.  Get Shayk divorced and throw that psycho Narmeen out!  The acting from all 4 main leads is commendable.  But the story feels like it's stuck in a repetitive rut.  I'm still interested, but the question is....for how much longer?

Meri Beti - This is another show where I'm left wondering how long it will remain interesting and how long it can go on?  Sabreen's character is now married with two children with her husband.  Little Iraj (who was SO ADORABLE) has now grown up into a pre-teen and is happily living with Amma, not giving much importance to her "Aapi," who clearly forgets her birthday often, now that she has two more children to worry about.  The storyline is interesting and it'll be something to watch when the truth comes out.  Waiting to see!

Meri Zindagi Hai Tu - This show has dropped down to this spot, because I am really not loving the Maya Ali angle.  When a little girl knows that her "Nazo" has been engaged to Aman all her life, how can she suddenly develop a crush on him?  It's actually quite nauseating.  And sadly, I can see that it's possible that Nazo will give up her right over Aman to make Meeno happy.  I'm not looking forward to watching this.  That said, the Ahsan-Aiza chemistry is adorable.

Kabhi Kabhi - Soni is a terrible character and so is Araiz's mother (Bushra Ansari).  At times, I feel like "Amma" is warming up to Eeshal...but as soon as I can absorb that thought, Soni jumps back into motion, brainwashing Amma against Eeshal.  It's sickening.  And meanwhile, Araiz just sits back and lets his crazy family get away with it all.  One has to admire the character of Eeshal and how nicely Mehwish has played her role.  She's very lovable.  This drama also really shows what a great pair Ahsan & Mehwish make.  Special mention to Aly Khan for doing a great job as Rehbar.

Aasmanon Pe Likha – Qudsia’s family is annoying.  Aaliyan’s family is annoying.  Qudsia tends to get annoying.  Aaliyan is generally annoying.  Natasha has annoying qualities.  I’m left wondering, after each episode, if there’s anyone on this show who ISN’T annoying?  The only mildly normal character on this show is “Daadi.”  Regardless, I’m interested in seeing how Qudsia & Aaliyan’s attitude towards each other will change.  THAT is what’s keeping me holding on.

Darmiyan – I feel like nothing is happening….but something is happening.  I feel like I watch the same episode every single week for the last 2-3 episodes.  I don’t understand why Nida is jealous of Raheel & “Aleena” so randomly.  Nothing has really happened!  But I’m holding on – this cast is just too good to stop watching.  And I’m sure once the real drama starts, it will be great again.

Khoya Khoya Chand – Dear Hum TV, If I wanted to watch a Hum Aapke Hain Koun rewind, I would watch Hum Aapke Hain Koun.  However, at least Hum Aapke Hain Koun gave us some really sweet scenes between Bhaiyya and Bhabi before “offing” Bhabi.  Here, we were CONTINOUSLY jipped of love scenes between Araib and Angabeen.  I’m not even sure how those two managed to conceive a child!  =/  When Angabeen and Araib FINALLY seem to be working towards having a happy life….OOPS.  There she goes!  Now we’re having to bear witness to Ahmereen being possessive of Araib and Angabeen’s child.  Good grief!  The child’s father is alive!  Give that child back to him!  And why on EARTH are Angabeen’s family members acting as if “Titli” is their property?  She belongs with Araib and his family!  This drama has infuriated me.  I’m not actually sure why I’m still watching……

Qarz – Saqib Bhai and Bhabi are out of commission.  Bhabi needs to keep Saqib on life support so he can come out of his coma.  Faisal Bhai wants to take him off life support, so Aiza comes to the rescue.  SUDDENLY, bhabi realizes her mistake, because Aiza is the only one who is supporting her.  The reaction was too quick.  That aside, the show is still interesting.  I hope Saqib comes out of his coma.  On the other hand, Aiza and Sufiyan’s love story is as dead as it was in the beginning.  When on earth is Aiza going to stop being a jerk?  =/  Anyways, still moving forward and I’m still watching, so I guess that’s saying something.

Ranjish Hi Sahi – After a tepid initial two episodes, episode 3 became mildly interesting with Maya Ali’s character and a potential love interest.  Faisal Rehman and Samiya Mumtaz are brilliant actors, but they are being given very feeble dialogues to work with.  Also, the storyline is not coming across as a strong one.  I’m not sure where this drama is headed, but I hope it picks up soon.  The cast is really great.

Aisey Jalay Jiya – Directed by Angeline Malik :  that was enough for me to pick up this show.  YES, despite Soniya Hussain’s involvement in the show, because we ALL know how  I feel about Soniya Hussain!  The first episode was very heavy.  I was screaming by the end.  Since then, I haven’t had the courage to watch the 2^nd episode.   The first episode was great, but like I said, very heavy.  So go into this knowing that it’s a very serious drama.  Unfortunately, I went in looking at the above picture, thinking it’d be light-hearted.  WRONG.

Ek Kasak Reh Gayi – I wrote an episode review about this on my blog yesterday, but I’ll write a short snippet here.  I dropped this drama.  I’m not sure what possessed me to pick it up again, but I did.  Now I’m stuck.  Mekaal & Sanam have great chemistry as Paras & Sheharyar and that’s what’s keeping me going here.  Otherwise, this drama is nothing short of Ekta Kapoor nonsense. 

Numm – Ohhhh, ho ho ho ho ho.  WHERE do I start?  WHY am I watching this?!  I don’t know!  Wait, yes I do!  Fawad Afzal Khan.  That’s it.  Otherwise, this drama is honestly the worst drama I’ve seen in a long time.  YES, this is worse than Ashk!  Oh my.  I don’t know how I get through each episode, but I have so far made it, somehow.

That’s about it.  I’m EAGERLY awaiting Mohabbat Subh Ka Sitara Hai and Pyaray Afzal, both pictured above.  Both dramas look great, one being written by Umera Ahmed and the other being directed by Nadeem Baig!  J

Also pictured are my rejected dramas:  Mere Humrahi, Kadoorat and Sannata.  These dramas had taken a turn for the unbearable and I am officially unable to even attempt to watch these shows.

That’s all for now! 

Happy watching!

Ek Kasak Reh Gayi - Episode 17

I had initially abandoned this drama after the first 5 episodes.  Something about it felt so "been there, done that."  However, once I saw the ads for an episode with Paras and Sheharyar getting married, my curiosity got the better of me and I had to pick it up again.  So now I'm watching this overall dissatisfying show again, because I am incapable of making a decision and sticking to it (the decision of abandoning this)!

I have to say that the highlight of this show is the Sheharyar-Paras relationship.  Their quirks, their anger, their affection - it's all very realistic in the sense that they feel bound to each other, despite the problems in their lives.  I like that.  The character of Sheharyar is well-written.  I liked his anger towards Bia when he realized she lied to Paras about his health.  I liked his apology to Paras and his guilt for trapping her in the situation.  Even now, Sheharyar has all this nonsense going on, but never has his mind gone to "I need to leave Paras and get back with Rabia."  This is a refreshing change from the douchey male characters we're generally subjected to in Pakistani dramas.  I like the writing for Mekaal's character so far.

Now the negative.  I can't stand Rabia.  When the show first started, I felt all sorts of sympathy for this girl.  Her father was terrible, she loved Sheharyar so unconditionally and she was torn between the two men in her life.  However, after her re-appearance, I have no sympathy left.  Why is she so needy that Sheharyar says he needs to go to work and she's telling him he needs to stay with her?  WHY?  What kind of normal girl is this?  Also, she needs to understand that she was the reason Sheharyar had that push to get married, so she can't try to re-enter his life now.  It's infuriating.

Also, it's hard to take someone seriously when they dress like this:

BUT not as infuriating as Rabia's FATHER constantly calling Sheharyar to come over and help him with Rabia.  He told Rabia to leave Sheharyar on his own, so he should be able to handle her on his own too!  It's a shame that this old man doesn't understand how inappropriate his requests are.  Selfish to the core.  Likewise, I think it's time Bia stood up and slapped Rabia across the face rather than listening to her nonsense and humoring her.  How long can a person play these games?

Anyways, so far, I'm  holding on for the Sheharyar-Paras relationship.  I like how understanding Paras has been after finding out about Sheharyar-Rabia.  But I hope that Sheharyar doesn't do anything stupid to mess all of this up.  After all, we're only on episode 17 - we still have at least 4 episodes to go where Sheharyar OR Rabia OR her father OR Bia OR Paras can RUIN everything.  =P

Happy watching!

Asey Jalay Jiya - A Heavy Beginning

I'm not a fan of Sonya Hussain.  Those of you who follow me on Tumblr, as well as here, might have seen that I dropped Mere Humrahi because of Sonya.  I also was driven mad watching Mere Harjai, again, because of Sonya.  Clearly from this picture, you can see that.....dum dum dum.....Sonya Hussain is in this drama.  SO - What prompted me to start this drama in particular?  Well, of course the #1 thing that attracted me to this show was that first line under the title:  "Directed by Angeline Malik."  That's ALL I needed to see.  Angeline Malik is associated with quality, at least for me.  So of course, I was overjoyed that she was directing a new drama.  Second.....just look at the picture.  You look like you're going to be treated to a sweet, nice love story.  OK, maybe a little drama, considering the title, but overall, something nice.

Boy.....was I wrong.  About the latter, not the former!  The drama is off to a great start quality-wise AND acting wise.  So far, Sonya has done a good job of not irritating me.  Also, the supporting cast is great so far, including Behroze Sabzwari, Samina Ahmed, Imran Aslam, etc.  However, for a first episode, it was HEAVY.  Towards the end, I found myself bursting into tears at the atrocities displayed, crying for Imran Aslam's wife (can't remember the actress or the character's name).  Despite that, it will be interesting to see whether the rest of the episodes have as much shock value as the first and whether the quality of the show will be able to match up to that of the first episode.  It will also be interesting to see how Sonya enters into Imran Aslam's life when they're clearly from different worlds.

So far, so good.  Happy watching!

Aunn Zara - The Last Episode

These days, it's rare that a drama ends and the viewer screams "WHAT?!  The last episode?!  ALREADY?!  This needs to be longer!"  Extremely rare.  However, with Aunn Zara's last episode (episode 19), I was shocked when I realized it was, in fact, the last episode.

The credit for this goes to the writing and the direction.  Faiza Iftikhar and Haissam Hussain both deserve to be applauded for their work on "Aunn Zara" as writer and director respectively.  The pace did not falter at all.  There were a few episodes in between that gave off the impression that nothing really happened, but these episodes thoroughly developed the characters, their thoughts, their pain, their emotions.  This was the greatest strength of Aunn Zara.  Hussaim Hussain did his best to keep the flow of the show smooth and continuous without any lagging periods.

In theory, Aunn Zara was a comedy.  But if you look beyond the "face value" aspect, Aunn Zara was so much more.  Every character, from Daadi, Phupi, Ami, Aunn, Zara, Jamshed, Dada Ji......neither character was perfect and ALL, despite their outward disposition, carried their own share of emotional scars and skeletons.  Again, brilliant writing at work here.

I loved everything about this show.  It's hard for me to write a sensible, coherant review, because my feelings towards this drama were the complete opposite.  I wanted to tear my hair out every time Aunn pulled a stunt.  I wanted to slap Zara every time she neglected Aunn.  I wanted to punch Jamshed and Phupi for rejecting their rishta the first time.  I wanted to slap some sense into Daadi and Ami for not recognizing that Aunn was headed on the wrong path.  But despite all of this, I grew to completely love all of these characters.  They were over the top and wacky, but realistically so!

Overall, the episode wrapped up beautifully without any loose ends and leaving me wishing for more.  I can only hope and pray for a sequel.

If you've missed out on this drama, I am envious of you, because now you will be able to enjoy it from episode 1 - 19 without any interruptions!

Aunn Zara.....I will miss you.  :(

Happy watching!

Underrated Drama Alert: Meri Beti on ARY

Samina Peerzada, Sabreen Hisbani and Arij Fatima come together in this drama, putting forth a great representation of different generations of actresses in the Pakistani television industry.  This drama is by Big Bang Entertainment, which is Fahad Mustafa's production house.  It's nice to see a prominent actor putting his talent in different baskets.

Meri Beti is 3 episodes in and has, so far, told an emotionally heart-wrenching story of a divorcee (Sabreen) with a young daughter, Iraj, who is living with her mother (Samina).  The mother wants her daughter to get remarried, which becomes increasingly unlikely with the mention of a daughter.  Samina emotionally blackmails her daughter into posing Iraj as her much younger sister and arranges Sabreen's marriage to a windower.

What is great about this drama is that there are no "negative" characters.  The audience may see Samina's actions as horrible, but she comes from a good place and just wants the happiness of her daughter.  She loves her granddaughter and is wiling to raise her on her own, posing as a late mother.  Sabreen's character brings you to tears, because she wants to do right by her own mother, but can't cope with leaving her daughter behind.  And the real star of this drama is the cutie pie Maryam who plays little Iraj.  It's rare that child stars are this talented and this adorable, but this little girl has won my heart.  She's a star.

I'd recommend this drama.  So far, it's interesting and fast-paced.

Adhoori Aurat - Satisfying Ending? Not Exactly.....

As a whole, this drama was infuriating, frustrating and just downright irritating.  I longed to see Maryam slap Zayan across the face several times.  I longed to see Zayan's sister and mother drown in the ocean for their bad deeds.  I longed to see Faiza suffer incredibly.  This was what held me down to watching this drama:  I needed to see retribution!

Unfortunately, only one of the above happened.  Faiza did end up suffering, due to her child's illness and an unhappy marriage.  However, everyone else got off so easy!

I have mixed feelings about the ending, because I think the audience straight-up agreed with Maryam that she suffered a lot to raise Arshiya.  She lost her father, her brother, her mother and sent her sister off with her husband before preparing to handle the heavy task of raising Arshiya alone (OK, fine, along with Ajji).  She found a job and worked hard to raise her daughter, even if that meant sacrificing precious time with her daughter.  She suffered a lot in her marriage and it took real strength to break away from that horrific situation and take control of her life (and her right to her daughter).  

On the other hand, you have Zayan who was a Mama's boy throughout, listened only to his mother and sister grip about his (angelic) wife, was not there for Maryam during her fight against cancer, but rather was cheating on her with the MAID - and let's NOT forget that he was ALSO ragingly flirting with Faiza....who he then married while Maryam was in the hospital, having a serious procedure.  WHAT. A. PRIZE.

Don't get me started on that horrible mother and sister duo.  Despite the years of torture that Faiza put them through, not allowing Afshan to see her son and turning Afshan's husband against her, Afshan still hasn't learned her lesson.  Same goes for bechaari "Ammi jaan," who sits and moans in bed all day, but simply can't rid herself of her scheming, evil habits.  I guess the saying is true that a leopard can't change its spots.  There was never any display of their mourning their actions either, which made me pretty irritated.

The "wrap up" for this drama was as such:  Faiza comes home to see Arshiya with Ammi Jaan.  She's unhappy with this situation, so when she sees Arshiya and Zayan sitting together, she proceeds to yell at Arshiya all of her father's misdeeds towards Maryam (thank God SOMEONE did this!), including his affair with the servant.  Fabulous confrontational scene and I couldn't hold back from applauding, especially when Arshiya left the house in anger.  Good.

But from there on, it turned into a big fat what?  Suddenly, Zayan goes to Maryam to ask for forgiveness and repent.  Maryam......FORGIVES HIM?  Not only does she forgive him, but she sits Arshiya down with him and proceeds to allow them to bond.  .......The end?

I don't know what I expected from the ending.  I really don't.  But that probably wasn't it.  I expected Zayan to get a lifelong quota of suffering rather than this neatly packaged forgiveness that Maryam and Arshiya both gave him.  "He's her father."  So?  Rather, Maryam should have gotten remarried to give Arshiya the proper  role model she deserves, not this intensely flawed, unashamed man who even blames and divorces his second wife for all his troubles.  No, sir.  However messed up Faiza was, the only person responsible for your actions is YOU.

All in all, Adhoori Aurat was an excruciatingly painful viewing experience, because your heart cries for Maryam and in the end, she still doesn't get the true happiness she deserved.  Let's put this one to rest.

Aasmanon Pe Likha

First off, I'm going to apologize for not writing regular reviews over the last few days.  Eid definitely threw me off - #1, because I was busy, but ALSO because I was under the impression that most shows were not being shown this week, namely because Kankar was not shown, therefore forgetting about Kabhi Kabhi, Meri Zindagi Hai Tu and Numm.  So I have NOT seen these shows yet, but we'll play catch up.  :)

Because I recently moved to a new city away from loved ones and was unable to visit, Eid was slightly uneventful this time around.  Therefore, I finally had a chance to catch up on Aasmanon Pe Likha.  The last time I watched this show (completed episode 2), I was unimpressed and left wondering why I was even watching this show.  I hated Qudsia's in-laws and really wanted to pull out my hair and slap Qudsia's parents for putting her (and themselves) through this horrible ordeal called her "shaadi."

Obviously since I'm now writing about it, my opinion has changed.  Episode 3, 4 and 5 made for a very interesting viewing experience.  YES, I will definitely say that the characters in this show are over-the-top.  There are some situations that make you LAUGH OUT LOUD due to the insanity, but also the reactions of the characters.

Sajal & Sheharyar Munawar are doing a really good job.  I'm glad the character of Qudsia isn't necessarily a doormat.  She's silent, because she's uncomfortable, but I like how she openly says what she needs to when talking to Aaliyan.  This is what makes the show different from others.

I have to mention that the actress who plays Natasha is God-AWFUL.  I really can't stand her and it makes the entire viewing experience a little aggravating, because you can't sympathize with her.  Also, Aaliyan's over-the-top parents, especially his crazy father, deserve special mention.....for being unlikable.

All of this aside, this show is really entertaining and I'm enjoying it!  I'd recommend it.  Happy watching!

Drama Flashback: Maseeha (2012)

There are some dramas that you love instantly.  You can't wait to watch each episode.  You are amazed at the complex characters or the realistic characters.  You can relate to this drama completely OR you can't relate to it at all (which makes it more fun).  There are three aspects that are most important to a successful drama:  the writer, the actors and the director.  The job of the screenplay writer is to build characters that are lovable OR detestable, give them a solid background so the audience understands them and to put these characters in situations that intrigue the viewer.  The job of the actors is to put forth their best effort, playing their characters to the best of their ability.  And the job of a director is to mold the screenplay and the characters into one concise package that is well presented and entertaining.

When only one of these aspects has done their job to the best of their ability, the drama falls flat on its face.  That's what has happened with Maseeha.  The actors, namely Ayesha Khan, Affan Waheed and Nauman Masood, have put forth their best effort, drawing the viewer to their characters.  But how far can they take a show when their characters no longer make sense?  If I, as a viewer, suddenly find myself saying "WHAT?  Why did that just happen?" then what is the point of watching a show?  Despite the shortcomings, I continued watching this drama due to my love for Affan Waheed.  What a mistake.  This show was a brain-screw in all aspects.

The direction was all over the place.  At times, I felt like I was watching the same episode over and over again.  The character of "Basit" could have been a really powerful one with a strong impact, but instead, he tethered on the line of "scary" and "moron."  His actions, at times, made absolutely no sense (especially in the later episodes).  Most of the characters in this drama did complete 180s in relation to their characters.  A brat one second - the next, the perfect daughter in law.  A sincere young man with morals - the next, a skeezy man with no morals.  What on EARTH?

With that, let's come to performances.  Nauman Masood did an amazing job with his nonsensical character.  Regardless of all the flaws in the script, he gave it his all.  Ayesha Khan was good in her role - you felt for her and related to her.  That said, the weird flip-flop in her character after 3 episodes made no sense.  What happened to being a brat?  Affan Waheed was great in the first half.  He's obviously one of my favorites.  But once his character disappears (and also does a 180), we not only don't see him much, we don't get ANY justification for his actions.  It didn't make any sense.

I also would like to say that the title of this drama "Maseeha"......it doesn't work.  Why?  Because the way the story has been shot just doesn't bring out that kind of a vibe.  We don't even find out WHO the Maseeha is for......FOREVER?  The "Maseeha" is revealed literally in the last two episodes.  And he doesn't even make sense in the story.  Absolutely RIDICULOUS.

Anyways.  This drama had potential, but unfortunately, it fell flat on its face.

Eid Mubarak!!

Eid mubarak, everyone!  =)  Hope everyone is having a great day with their family and friends!  There are very few days I love as much as I love Eid!  It's a quiet one for me (and my husband) in a new city, away from my family and friends.  Trying to make the most of it and keep the Eid spirit alive.  Considering making kheer.....

Dramas can wait until tomorrow.  =D

Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday In One!

This is just a quick jotting down of my thoughts on the shows I've watched so far this week!

Halki Si Khalish - Episode 15 : How quickly Shehzad Sheikh's character (I can't remember his name) went from sweet but immature to complete and utter JERK!  WOWZA.  We don't like the cute, criminally insane child anymore.  No thank you.

Qarz - Episode 15:  Oh Goddddd.  Make it stopppppp.  Please, just make it stopppp.  Some dramas are destined to have a short run.  This is one of them.  Only 15 episodes and I feel like I've been watching this show for a YEAR.  There's so LITTLE story left that they're just DRAGGING the issue of Aiza's marriage.  Sufiyan randomly suspecting her because of crazy Bhabi makes NO sense.  Aiza pretending like she has a boyfriend because Sufiyan should trust her (WTH?) makes NO sense.  Nothing makes sense.  Give this show a cheezy, happy ending and wrap it up.  GOOD GRIEF.......That said, I actually do look forward to this show every week.  God help me, I don't know why.

Adhoori Aurat - Episode 25:  Stop dragging.  End this madness.  Also, it's pretty HILARIOUS (and that's sarcasm, of course) that after EVERYTHING Nusrat and Afshan have been through because of Faiza's evil behavior, they're still.......EVIL?  The plotting display put on by these two to brainwash Arshiya in episode 25 was INCREDULOUS.  I could not believe it.  No change.  14 years later and these women haven't learned a damn thing.  Brilliant.  That entire family is nuts.  And you know who is the NUTTIEST?  That would be Maryam herself.  If you want to be a strong, independent woman rid of your past, how about you actually TELL your daughter what really happened?  Perfect.  Now she's been set up for the ultimate brain-washing against you.  Good job, Maryam.  There's something called honestly.  Try it.

Saari Bhool Humari Thi - Episode 15 & 16:  Yeah buddy!  Finally!  Get lost Subhan and now let's focus on Abrar and Areesha!  Haha, sorry to Danish Taimoor fans.  I love him too.  Unfortunately, he's playing the villain in this one and I've waited TOO long for the focus to shift onto Affan Waheed.  Now hopefully he'll actually get some screen time!  Episode 15 was a good head in the right direction with Subhan marrying his boss' daughter and moving.  Episode 16 was EXCELLENT.  This was the moment I was waiting for the entire time - for Areesha to mourn Subhan and then set out for revenge!  I cannot WAIT until next week when we see her taking back all her property.  I assume Khala will get her married to Abrar to save her from Nauman Bhai.  Let's hope........!

Mujhe Khuda Pe Yakeen Hai - Episode 9:  FINALLY, we find out what the big "raaz" is and what happened on the WORST NIGHT of Arham's life.  Alright.  So......incredible acting from Ahsan Khan in this episode.  Really.  He's proven himself ten times over.  This was a must-watch episode.  There are some issues I have with this show - we see Shakeel going apey over Arham shaving his beard.  This whole thing came off as super hypocritcal to me, unfortunately.  This man and woman have THREE children - not one....THREE.  One is Mr. "I'm modern from Amreeka" and the daughter is your normal, let's be fashionable, typical Pakistani girl.  So why did they pick and choose this ONE child to pass religion on to?  And then when he acts like the other two, rip him and his "Imaan" to shreds?  SO WARPED.  Anyways, that's a big peeve with me when I watch this show, but maybe that's just me.  SECOND.....that HORRIBLE night could've been so easily cleared up if the servant's daughter would've opened her mouth and SAID how she got into that room, how she got onto the bed, how she fell asleep and WHY she randomly woke up and came OUT of the room at that time?  Also, if Arham is saying it's all JHOOT, then WAS he in the same room?  If so, WHAT was he doing in there?  When did he notice she was in there?  OR was she NOT in there?  WHY didn't these two open their mouths?  And who on earth raped that girl?  She woke up......and didn't realize she'd had intercourse?  Really confusing....But good episode.

Darmiyan - Episode 9:  Aleena (Syra Yousuf) pouring salt into food and ruining it.  Aleena burning food and ruining it.  Aleena standing in a corner smiling creepily at Raheel (Adnan Siddiqui).  Aleena standing in front of Nida's face and smiling creepily at Raheel.  Does anything else ever happen on this show?  We're slowing down into repetitive boredom......

Khoya Khoya Chand - Episode 8:  Can Beena get a grip already?  I get the sinking feeling that in the next few episodes, this drama is going to take a very sour turn towards Ahmereen and Farooq being married and happy.....and Beena will then have to face this HORRIBLE outcome of her behavior towards Aarib!  We're already seeing Aarib getting flustered by Beena's distant behavior and now his parents are slowly turning against her as well.  She won't have much left if she keeps this up - and considering next week, Aarib overhears Farooq and Beena's conversation.....I am expecting fireworks!  This show continues to move in a good direction, but the character of Beena needs to wisen up before she loses everything.  How can a person sulk THAT much about a past love that she can't even communicate properly with her family and husband?  It's frustrating.  And Beena & Ahmereen's mother needs to mind her own business.  Easily my least favorite character at the moment.

Aunn Zara - Episode 17:  WHAT. THE. HELL. AUNN!!!  This is becoming so painful to watch!  Aunn's plan has worked and HOW.  Everyone is miserable and everyone hates Zara!  This is the pits!!!  I can't wait for Zara's friend to spill the beans next week and wake Zara up to this nightmare plan of her husband's.  *sigh*  Another week of waiting!  But yes, I am hooked.  This show is all sorts of amazing.

Alright!  That's all for now!  Happy watching!  =)

Drama Flashback: Mastana Mahi

Writing an out-and-out review for this is going to be hard for me, because I can't hold on to one constrained thought - it's all fleeting.  So instead, I'm just going to jot some thoughts down about this drama overall.

I started this drama back in November of 2011.  It's been a long time.  I made it into episode two and then, for some reason, I never had the time to finish it.  Yesterday, I picked it up again and stayed up late into the night (until 4:00 AM to be exact) and finished it.  Overall, I was hooked.

When the drama starts off, Aleena (Mehreen Raheel) meets a young photographer Adil (Fahad Mustafa) while out with her elderly boyfriend Mike (Imran Aslam).  The scenario is unusual but the character of Aleena has been so well-developed that it makes sense (especially when you hear it from her parents' mouth).  Sure, you feel she's being foolish, because who would fall in love with an old zombie like "Mike" without any real personality?  But that aside, they seem to have an OK relationship.

From there onwards, the relationship between Aleena and Adil is developed - and so NATURALLY so!  From the first second, the chemistry between Fahad and Mehreen is in your face.  You believe that they are friends, slowly getting to know each other, sharing feelings and secrets, gradually falling in love.  Adil is Aleena's biggest supporter and accepts her (and helps her) for who she is.  Their friendship is endearing, which makes you root for them.  Adil helps Aleena achieve her goal of marrying Mike.

Adil takes a week-long trip to Pakistan, where it's revealed that he comes from a political family and is expected to be a politician.  At a rally, the men of the family are killed barring Adil.  Adil is asked to take over the position, which includes marrying Sohai, a young 10 year old child.  Horrified by the turn of events, Adil takes off to Europe again for a month.

Here, he meets Aleena again, now broken and hurt from her divorce.  Their friendship is rekindled and grows into much more.  But how will they face Adil's present situation?

Performances

Fahad Mustafa as Adil was good.  He was so light-hearted, loving and really a great partner as Adil.  His inner-turmoil with his obligations was presented so well by Fahad.

Mehreen Raheel as Aleena was the heart and soul of this show.  You felt for her.  Her growth from young girl to divorcee to supportive wife and then to jealous wife was so natural.  You believed it.  And even in her weakest, worst moments, you were still rooting for her.

Sajjal Ali as Sohai:  Half baked, weak and really annoying character.  There were moments where I wished I could reach into my screen and slap her.  This character was poorly written.  She didn't make any sense.  It was like something out of an Ekta Kapoor show.

Pros:

*  So many beautiful scenes between Fahad Mustafa & Mehreen Raheel.  You believed in their love.
*  AMAZING chemistry between Fahad & Mehreen.  The scene when he sleeps in her bed after his rukhsati night was really powerful.
*  Gorgeous locations in the first half.

Cons:
*  What on earth was the need of that entire track with the hotel, Julie and the prostitute?  It was so completely useless and "filler."  Who would've thought a 16 episode drama would be capable of having filler episodes?

*  Sohai is depicted as this angelic, sweet girl and is always trying to "do right," especially in the last few episodes.  This is a case of terrible writing, because this girl was EVIL in the first few days of her rukhsati when her crazy friend filled her head with ideas against Aleena and told her to demand her "haq."  Up until that point, Aleena was suffering, but still holding it together and trying to do the right thing.  This girl OPENLY challenged Aleena's position in the house and then pretended as if everything was her fault.  In "Women War" lingo, this witch brought it on!

*  What was with Adil randomly stealing looks at Sohai and then agreeing to the marriage?  It was so......seedy and perverted.  It almost killed me inside, because does that mean men can't be loyal to their wives?  I don't know what it was about that whole situation that bothered me so much.

*  The scene where Adil finds out about Aleena's motives, slaps her and then throws these horrible taunts about Mike in her direction - given, he didn't lie, but to hear stuff like that out of the mouth of the person you love.....LOW BLOW.

*  The scene when Aleena says she's leaving.....this whole sequence bothered me a LOT.  It really diminished Adil & Aleena's love.  Adil had almost no reaction and put down the phone  Sohai was ultimately the one who stopped her (with.....social work?  WTH?) and THEN Adil stepped in again.  What made it worse was that while he was hugging her, he was staring at Sohai.  EW.  Messed up!!!

Ending Verdict

I think the chemistry and love story between Fahad & Mehreen's characters made this show worth a watch.  Everything else kind of ate away at the story.  It's worth watching in boredom, I guess.

Numm: Episode 6 & 7

Yes, I played a little something I like to call "fast-forward catch-up" on the episodes I was behind on.  It's rare for me to fall behind on current dramas, because I watch 2-3 a day in order to keep up.  However....."Numm" is a special case.

This drama is so redundant and so boring and so repetitive that I just can't help falling behind.  Because let's just be honest:  Who wants to put themselves through 30 minutes of this voluntarily?  

God help me, if I were not a loyal Fawad Khan fan since 2003, I would not continue putting myself through this.  But who am I kidding?  I watched that horrendous "Ashk" from beginning to end as well.  I'll have to endure this one as well.  Alright!  So let's begin!

Episode 6

50% of the episode saw Mehjabeen walking in misery, lying on her bed in misery, staring at herself in the mirror in misery.  And any scene that involved anyone other than Mehjabeen was simply not an important scene.  Heck, even Mehjabeen's scenes were not important scenes.  With the exception of hearing that beautiful OST, I don't think this episode contributed anything of value to the storyline.

So basically, in episode 6, we saw Mehjabeen doing a whole lot of this:

And Wali doing a lot of this:

And Neelum doing a lot of this:

You know.  The usual.

Episode 7 

The important updates:  Mehjabeen got sick.  Wali suddenly remembered to act like a human being and took care of her.  Neelum is back at school and apparently now willing to make her marriage work.

More important than the important updates:  This show is still as boring as dirt and as zany as ravers on ecstasy.  Neither one of those analogies were heading towards paying this show a compliment.  The craziness makes me feel as though I need to check myself into an institution and the slow pace, brooding dialogues and dark cinematography make me want to take a nap.  This is not a good combination.

Add Kanza Wayne's terrifying acting into the mix and I must look like a deranged maniac after viewing with the amount of frying she puts my brain through.  I don't understand who did the casting for the show....or why they thought this would be a good show at all.....

Anyways.  Clearly this drama is not high on my "recommended" list.  I'm not even sure why I'm watching this.  Oh wait.  Yes, I do.  Fawad.  I blame Fawad for this.  

Late in the Game - Reviewing "Uraan"

Every once in a while, a drama comes along that touches you down to your very core.  "Uraan" is one such drama.  Despite my large bulk of dramas I'm watching lately, I've been searching for "the" show with the power of Humsafar, Maat, Dastaan, Durr-e-Shahwar, Daam, etc.  Nothing has managed to create that strong of an impact on me lately, the last one being "Durr-e-Shahwar."

I had free time, so on the recommendation of a fellow Tumblr blogger, I downloaded and watched "Uraan."  I can't believe I overlooked this drama for so long.  To say this show was powerful would be an understatement.

The story focuses on the lives of three women who come from different professional backgrounds.  However, these woman come together to face the one shocking thing they have in common.  I won't ruin the storyline any more than that for those who haven't watched it, but I will say that the storyline is about domestic violence presented in different ways.

What's the best thing about this drama?  It's realistic.   It deals with people from middle to upper class families.  I could actually relate to this drama, because I could see anyone I know fall into the role of Aisha, Savera or Sana.  This was a drama based on the educated class.

There weren't any over-the-top characters in this drama.  There weren't any over-the-top situations in this drama.  Every person could be your next door neighbor and every situation could happen to anyone.  That's what made this drama so powerful.

I have to give special mention to the performances.  Starting with the main 4 leads:  Saba Qamar as Aisha was perfect in her role - innocent, meek, unable to realize that she needed to stand up for herself.  She didn't realize how to deal with her situation.  You felt for her.  Zhalay Sarhadi as Sawera was perfect.  She was strong, vocal, carefree and knew her worth.  That didn't make her situation any easier, as she was presented with different obstacles.  You wanted to be her friend.  Aamina Sheikh as Sana was probably the "strongest" character, the one who fought taboo topics head-on and dealt with society's hypocrisy without batting an eyelash.  But at her core, she was hurt by her own broken family and landed into her own trap of being a victim.  This trio makes up the very heart and soul of this drama.  These girls aside, Hamayun Saeed as Dr. Faraz is spellbinding.  You can see how charming and terrifying he is all at once, while seeing the injured child inside.  This is one of his best performances, hands-down.

The actors who played Sawera's brother and bhabi deserve notice - their storyline of how a good marriage needs work was an important story to show and they effectively played their characters and the misunderstandings in their marriage in a way that any couple could relate to.  Hina Khawaja Bayat is impeccable as Sana's mother, graceful, modern, confident and yet carrying her own burden.  And Shamim Hilali, last but definitely not least, deserves a standing ovation as not only the mother, but also the mother-in-law from hell.  This woman played the realistic face of society.  No one shows their inner demons to the world and can come off as sweet, social and all-around great human beings.  It's only when you get to know a person that you see what their true nature is.

Some scenes were truly notable, regardless of how subtle.

• The scene when Aisha gets Sawera and Faraz's wedding pictures.  The pain in Aisha/Saba's eyes was heart-wrenching.
• When Dr. Saira's real nature is revealed after the 2nd episode.  It was shocking to see the double-face.
• Sana's mother's reaction when Zubair came to apologize to her after 20 years.  This scene brought me to tears, because the emotions were so genuine.
• The scene when Aisha's father asks his younger daughter's to-be-in-laws to put off the wedding until she completes her education.  I had tears of happiness in my eyes after this scene, because it truly showed what he learned from Aisha's experience and that he learned from it.
• The scene when Sawera finds the voodoo dolls.  I think the viewer gets as shocked as she does!

I have to say, it was refreshing to see that all three female characters had such incredibly supportive families.  Without the support of her family, a girl has to face a lot.  But this showed that these girls had strength regardless of their situations, because they had their family's support.  This is in stark contrast to Umera Ahmed's current drama on a similar situation, Kankar.

I also have to give this drama credit for NOT moving in circles.  The drama is clear and to the point.  The proceedings happen in a timely fashion and there aren't any "filler" episodes.  Also, the female characters are smart, which is a great change.  There aren't any moments where you think "What's wrong with this girl?" which has become so common in dramas.  The actions of each character make sense. 

Also, the ending was perfect in every way.

In closing, I think this drama deserves to go down on the list of all-time classics in Pakistan.  It sends out a great message to Pakistani society about how to treat your daughters, wives and loved ones. 

Wonky Wednesday - A Whole Lot of Icky

My Wednesday schedule is fairly light with only "Sari Bhool Humari Thi" and "Darmiyan" on my watch list.  I have to make it clear that these are two of my favorite shows currently on air and I wait all week for Wednesday to arrive (though not as much as Thursday!), so I can see these two episodes.  But this week was some kind of....it can only be described as icky.

Sari Bhool Humari Thi - Episode 13

Let the games begin.  The plot is finally getting murkier.  So now we realize that Subhan's family is not only "laalchi" (greedy), they also seem to possess a complete and utter lack of morals and decency.  Subhan overhears Nauman Bhai talking about his upcoming "marriage" to Areesha and confronts him - thus erupts this amazingly ridiculous fight where the initially "good boy" Subhan chides Nauman Bhai on his indecent behavior and lack of shame.  Of course, when the fight gets heavier, it ends with both brothers declaring their real intentions.  What is that?  Oh OF COURSE.  Areesha's MONIESSSSS.  But Subhan already emptied out Areesha's bank account!  Oh yaar, what's her mother's HOUSE for?  You know, it's not like she could ever need that in the future or anything.  How silly!  So of course Areesha and Subhan get into their usual fight, only this time, Subhan thinks Areesha has been leading Nauman Bhai on for him to think this way.  So what does our amazing Areesha do?  How else can she prove her love?  She already stole a necklace for Subhan.  The next blunder was just waiting for Subhan to ASK:  Well, if you haven't guessed it already, the PERFECT price for LOVE is signing over her mother's house in his name!  How romantic.  Unless you're Subhan and you're really just trying to find a way to stick it to Nauman Bhai.  This was really.....well.....icky.

The icing on top of the cake in today's episode was that there was only one scene with Abrar in it, which consisted of Areesha and Subhan arguing in front of him....I'm pretty sure the only line he uttered was "Kya hua?" before he was left bewildered, standing in his room alone again.  Fabulous.

On the other hand, I AM looking forward to tomorrow's episode, if only to see the incredible dhoka Subhan is going to throw at Areesha.

Darmiyan - Episode 8

So what did we learn in today's episode, class?  Well, we have Nida, who is the perfect wife, daughter-in-law, mother, friend, boss....you name it.  We love Nida.  What's not to love?  We also have Raheel, who is the best husband (albeit a little forgetful of anniversaries), best father, best son, a hard worker....you name it.  What a great guy!  We'll even cut him some slack for being a shakki fiance to Farishtay.  OK, it's still pretty bad, but he has clearly cleaned up his life nicely.  We have cute kids and Raheel's sweet mother thrown into the mix.  Who doesn't love a nice, loving family?  Who?  WHO?  I'll tell you who:  Aaliyah.

Yes, we have Aaliyah who absolutely does not love Nida, Raheel, the kids or Ammi Jaan.  Aaliyah wants revenge.  Revenge is sweet.  But in Aaliyah's case, revenge is also....yup....here comes that word again......icky.  REVENGE IS ICKY.  I wasn't really aware of what Aaliyah's intentions were until the last episode where a sinking feeling began to seep in.  With episode 8, that sinking feeling turned into skin crawling.  The fact that the family is oblivious to Aaliyah's weird stares towards Raheel, cute smirks when everyone else looks shocked and forced excuses to touch Raheel is actually mind-boggling and infuriating.

At this point, Raheel is furious....but at what point will he break and will this turn into an affair?  I'm not sure.  All I know is that he was engaged to Farishtay before and is the man Farishtay still loves, so he's Aaliyah's almost-brother-in-law.  EW.  EW, Aaliyah, stop this!  Obviously, she will not, so we will all have to continue watching in horror and, I won't even lie, complete interest.

That's all for today!  Happy watching!  =)