THE WEEK THAT WAS

Sinf-i-Aahan | ARY, Saturdays 8.00pm

After Ehd-i-Wafa , this new ISPR-sponsored serial closes the gender gap by focusing on a diverse group of young women who want to join the Pakistan Army. Just like the teasers, the first episode is simple but very effective, winning on mass appeal and accessibility rather than nuance or complexity.

There are some fairly stereotypical tracks: the Sindhi girl Pariwesh Jamal (Ramsha Khan) has land issues, the middle-class topper girl Rabia Safeer (Sajal Aly) has rishta issues and the Pukhtoonkhwa girl Shaista Khanzada (Yumna Zaidi) is fighting off conservative restrictions. As with all Umera Ahmed scripts, all the women are achievers (there is no room in Ahmed’s universe for slackers or late-bloomers), only held back by prejudices and backward traditions. Even the feckless social media queen Mahjabeen Mastaan (Kubra Khan) from Islamabad (flashing fabulous ice-blue nails) is a corporate lawyer bent on proving her mother wrong. A dizzying array of characters is skillfully woven into the first episode by director Nadeem Baig, but with a Sri Lankan protagonist yet to join the group, it seems as if the makers have chosen quantity over depth.

A star cast of favourites such as Sajal Aly, Yumna Zaidi, Ramsha Khan, Syra Yusuf and Kubra Khan guarantees attention, while their strong but respectful characters inspire without making more conservative audiences too uncomfortable. If the creative team can keep their focus and allow each story to breathe and bloom, Sinf-i-Aahan looks like it will achieve its goal of both inspiring and entertaining its audience.

Parizaad | Hum TV, Tuesdays 8.00pm

Quality does not always translate to popularity, but every season a serial or two such as Parizaad comes along to disprove this truism. Apart from the completely unnecessary use of ‘black face’, Ahmed Ali Akbar’s outstanding performance, an exceptional script from Hashim Nadim — which tackles tough issues such as gender fluidity, discrimination on the basis of sex and colour within the South Asian context — has won over audiences and critics alike.

Fantastic side tracks, with meaningful characterisations such as Guru the transgender mobster and Badar Munir the tough policewoman, and director Shehzad Kashmir’s picturisation and proven storytelling skills have kept this journey to self-realisation from losing steam. Nadim rises above the usual tropes that infest our dramas by exploring the different facets of his protagonists, allowing the worst criminals to feel remorse and guilt while the upright, religious types have yet to understand their mistakes.

Akbar and Nadim’s best gift to the audience is Parizaad, a quiet, kind man whose default mode is forgiveness, and whose value lies beyond all the flourishes of charm, intelligence and beauty.

What To Watch Out For

Musht-i-Khaak | Geo TV, Coming Soon

The teasers show us a handsome businessman Mustajab (Feroz Khan) staring moodily at the camera while uttering his now traditional threats at the object of his obsession for not immediately agreeing to accept him. This time the lucky lady is played by Sana Javed as Dua in a swirly white dupatta and, in accordance with the latest ratings boosting trends, she manages to virtue signal more in 20 seconds than most people in their lifetime. The game is afoot: will good triumph over evil? Probably, but not before a lot of barely suppressed sexual chemistry has the masses enthralled enough to ignore any ethical considerations, and root for them as a couple.

Bebaak | Hum TV, Coming Soon

Those looking for a dose of masala-filled entertainment might try Hum TV’s upcoming drama about a devious, manipulative young woman. Yashma Gill has become the go-to actress for this kind of chalaak larrki [clever girl] roles and seems to be enjoying the ride. Srha Asghar, Ali Ansari and Adnan Jaffer complete the cast.

Published in Dawn, ICON, December 5th, 2021