THE WEEK THAT WAS

Babban Khala Ki Betiyan | ARY, Thursdays 9.00pm

Suddenly it’s all disaster and doom at the Babban household. The lives of all the five daughters of Basharat (Qavi Khan) are troubled. Pregnant Momi (Javera Abbasi) is shocked that her husband Munna (Ali Josh) has dumped her and disappeared. Billo (Maria Wasti)’s beau (Shamil Khan) has cancer. Dolly (Sana Fakhr) is suffering at the hands of a mean father-in-law. Baby (Faryal Mehmood) succumbs to her burns and passes away. And the youngest Bubbly (Srha Asghar) is tearful at her sisters’ plight.

On the other hand, it’s heartening to see the cunning Najma (Sameena Nazir) finally being kind to her daughter-in-law Momi. But one gets the feeling that nothing short of a miracle will bring happiness back to this family.

Chhoti Chhoti Baatein | Hum TV, Sundays 9.10pm

Directed by Angeline Malik, Bandhan was the first of a collection of different stories breaking social stereotypes. Independent girl-next-door Bisma (Yumna Zaidi) and nice-boy-next-door Fahad (Zahid Ahmed) fall for each other in the backdrop of their mums Salma (Farah Shah) and Naila (Saima Qureshi) spending most of their time worrying about proposals for their respective daughter and son. They get married despite Salma being against it. Unpressured by social norms and an overreacting mum, Fahad stands up for his new wife.

Writer Saima Akram sends across a strong social message in a light mood that, in our society, families are wedded to each other and have to sometimes bend over backwards to accommodate each other for the sake of a couple’s marital bliss.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR

Deedan | A-Plus, Saturdays 8.00pm

Resham (Sanam Saeed) tries her utmost to make the tough decision of giving up her infant daughter because her husband-to-be Zardab (Mohib Mirza) refuses to accept her previous husband Gulbaaz Khan’s (Ajab Gul) child, irrespective of all the sacrifices Resham has made to be with him. But moments after she puts her baby down in the cradle for abandoned babies, she picks her up again. She is caught on the horns of a dilemma: she can’t leave the baby and she wants to stay with Zardab too. The power-packed performances by Mohib Mirza, Sanam Saeed and the supporting cast are worth watching.

Published in Dawn, ICON, April 7th, 2019