THE TUBE

Published April 17, 2022

THE WEEK THAT WAS

Mere Humsafar | ARY, Thursdays 8.00pm

The unwanted child of a selfish, absentee father, Hala (Hania Aamir) grows up an orphan at the mercy of her cruel, manipulative aunts, with only her grandmother for protection. Fate and the author have another plan for Hala, who finds herself rescued by her chief tormentor’s son, Hamza (Farhan Saeed). Despite everyone’s disapproval and a suicide attempt by the cousin Hamza passed over, Hala finally finds a safe harbour in her husband.

Hania Aamir has given a consistent performance as the trembling victim, and, to her credit, she has kept the transformation to a more confident personality, restrained and believable. Saba Hamid is a good actress but seeing her play the same villainous caricature in every other serial is becoming tiresome. However, it is that edge-of-evil from Hamid and the other skilled supporting actors, such as Samina Ahmed and Wasim Abbas, that propels the story along. Farhan Saeed always does better as the romantic hero than more serious roles, and his chemistry with Hania Aamir has the audience hooked. What has been missing is the detailed writing and nuance that would make this more about Hala’s recovery from abuse rather than just a love story.

Ibn-i-Hawwa | Hum TV, Saturdays 8.00pm

Honour culture and misogyny are at the heart of this deceptively simple-looking serial. Orphaned Mahjabeen (Hira Salman) was bought as a child bride by the wealthy Sethi Saheb (Asad Mumtaz Malik). Now a wealthy young widow, she lives a simple, pious life, but her husband’s greedy extended family’s constant harassment leaves her no choice but to find a husband for protection.

Zahid (Shehzad Sheikh) is a man twisted by his mother’s betrayal and his father’s constant brainwashing to hate and mistrust women. The suspicion and hatred constantly gnawing at his soul make him a cruel, tinpot dictator over the one life he can control, his helpless younger sister. Author Saji Gul shows us how honour culture empowers the worst prejudices and weakest minds. Shehzad Sheikh is not known for his range and spends much of his time with the same pained facial expression. Aymen Saleem as Aliya provides a lot of energy and charm as his resilient love interest, but it’s still hard to believe any sane woman would be attracted to such a man. Will Zahid finally understand his own prejudice and anger through his interaction with the quiet, spiritual Mahjabeen?

Dil-i-Momin | Geo TV, Fri-Sat 8.00pm

What started out as story about a false accusation that ruins a man’s life has now become a typical doosri biwi (second wife) saga. Momin (Faysal Quraishi) is a pedantic but well-meaning teacher who finds a job at an elite-class, liberal university. His plans to marry his beloved cousin Aashi (Momal Sheikh) are ruined, however, when one of his students Maya (Madiha Imam) becomes obsessed with him.

All of this should have been enough for a reasonable serial but in what seems like an attempt to stretch out an already thin plot, Momin is persuaded to marry his abuser, Maya. Now it is Maya’s turn to play the victim as Momin suspects her of trying to kill Aashi. This is a disappointingly shallow treatment of what is an important and relevant issue; but it should not be a surprise from the team that made Muqaddar, which also white-washed an abuser.

What To Watch Out For

Dikhawa | Geo TV, Daily 8.00pm

These simple morality tales are powerful and engaging. The anti-materialism emphasised by the short stories in Dikhawa resonate perfectly with the spirit of abstinence and charity associated with the holy month of Ramazan.

Published in Dawn, ICON, April 17th, 2022

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