THE WEEK THAT WAS

Hassad | ARY, Mondays 8.00pm

Naintara (Minal Khan) is a newly-married woman whom her husband Arman (Shehroz Sabzwari) simply adores. Constantly watching them and turning green with envy is the sister-in-law Zahreen (Arij Fatyma), whose husband Farhan (Noor Hassan) doesn’t have time for her because he focuses on his career.

Zahreen casts an evil eye on Naintara’s blissful married life, and Arman is killed in an accident. Naintara is now a grieving widow, so keep a tissue box handy.

Kamzarf | Geo TV, Tuesdays 8.00pm

Writer Seema Munaf and director Zeeshan Ahmed concluded the serial ended on a sad but befitting note. After being thrown out by her equally evil husband Nabeel (Aly Khan), the horrible Aima (Nadia Khan) has nowhere to go. She tries to live in each of her siblings’ houses but creates a difficult situation for herself and finally ends up in a mental asylum. Her family pass right by her but ironically fail to spot her in the dark confines of the mental asylum. The rest of her family who were all nice, caring people couldn’t imagine their elder sister’s fate, live happily ever after without the demon over their heads.

What To Watch Out For

Deewar-i-Shab | Hum TV, Saturdays 8.00pm

Based on Aliya Bukhari’s novel of the same name and set in the opulent ambience of the courtesan culture that thrived in the earlier times, the serial is star studded and visually appealing. Sisters Bushra Ansari and Asma Abbas, the latter’s daughter Zara Noor Abbas and cousins Shehzad Sheikh and Shehroz Sabzwari make an appearance together for the first time. Conniving aunt Dildar (Asma Abbas) materialises her evil plan to destroy her renowned sister Sitara (Bushra Ansari)’s kotha. She lures Feroza (Asma Noor Abbas), Sitara’s beloved daughter and star performer of the kotha with a respectable and peaceful life in the outside world and helps her to run away in the dark of the night. When Feroza is nowhere to be found, Sitara is devastated, while a deceitful Dildar wipes away her sister’s tears, though she is triumphant at heart.

Published in Dawn, ICON, June 23rd, 2019