THE WEEK THAT WAS

Khaani | Geo TV, Mondays 8.00pm

While Mir Haadi (Feroz Khan) whiles away time on the beach and at mazaars, his mother Sitara (Saman Ansari) hatches a wicked plan to ruin what is left of Khaani’s (Sana Javed) life so as to take revenge for reducing Mir Haadi to such a pitiful state. She calls up Khaani’s in-laws (where’d she get the number?) and tells them about Khaani’s murdered brother Sarim (Ali Ansari) and Khaani’s abduction on the eve of her wedding. Husband Arham (Muhammed Ali) proves to be spineless and does not stand up for his wife. And Khaani ends up back at her parents’ home.

Thaess | A-Plus, Saturdays 8.00pm

Roshni and Talal, the hit pair of Sun Yara, are back as leads in this romantic serial penned by Imran Nazeer and directed by Kashif Saleem. They have also sung the catchy OST shot against the backdrop of a desert with yards of chiffon a la Bollywood.

Rabab (Hira Salman) is obsessed with cousin Asher (Junaid Khan) who loves a co-worker (Nazish Jahangir) who doesn’t give two hoots about him. Rabab spends her time thinking about him, tidying his room and even romancing the fork that Asher uses for breakfast!

Rabab’s over-protective mother Zehra (Farah Khan in yet another fire-spitting role) seethes in anger each time she sees Asher, who apparently resembles her bad ex-husband. When Asher’s parents suggest that he marry Rabab, he refuses and tells her point-blank that he has no such intentions. While Rabab deals with heartbreak, Zehra arranges a marriage proposal for her.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR

Khasara | ARY, Tuesdays 8.00pm

Director Shahid Shafaat (Tau Dil Ka Kya Hua) and screenwriter Maha Malik (Mere Khwab Raiza Raiza) weave a taut plot around two couples. Monis (Junaid Khan), a railway officer in Ranipur, is married to the ambitious small-town girl Sila (Sonia Mishal). Mohtasim (Mikaal Zulfiqar) is the wealthy Linta’s (Sarwat Gillani) unfaithful husband. Sparks fly when the fiery Linta catches him red-handed in his secretary Aarzoo’s (Hajra Khan) home, shirt untucked et al! Amidst all the marital strife, Monis, Sila and the kids have come to stay with Mohtasim and Linta in Karachi. Whether Sila will catch Mohtasim’s eye is anyone’s guess.

Published in Dawn, ICON, May 6th, 2018