THE WEEK THAT WAS

Aye Musht-i-Khaak | Geo TV [Concluded]

From adamant atheist to humbled believer, Bobby’s journey to rebecoming Mustajab Ahmed (Feroze Khan) was marked by a heartfelt finale that made up for the patchy writing and execution in the rest of the serial.

When Dua (Sana Javed) finds out her new husband is an atheist, she demands khula (divorce) from Mustajab. Dua’s anger sustains her for a while but she cannot forget her love. Meanwhile, Mustajab plots and plans to get his wife back, thinking he can fool her and the Almighty by faking conversion. As his scheme falls apart, Mustajab learns the true meaning of love.

Like a lot of serials on air, this powerful story from writer Maha Malik lost some steam towards the end because of stretching, forcing director Ahsan Talish’s creative team to insert repetitive plot points, such as Dua’s marriage to Taqi (Danyal Afzal Khan), again and again. Putting that, and some typical black-and-white characterisations of good and bad aside, this script raised some important points about the way vital questions about compatibility and moral values are ignored before entering a marriage. Solid performances from Sana Javed and Feroze Khan that connected with the audience made this show worth tuning into each week.

Hum Tum | Hum TV, Daily 9.00pm

The latest iteration of the Ramazan serial can be found in Hum Tum — a hybrid of situational comedy mixed with a dash of romance that addresses social issues in a subtle yet effective manner. To her credit, Saima Akram Chaudhry has brought us some delightful images that quietly challenge the rigid gender roles and norms prime time dramas seem to take great relish in reinforcing.

Whether its Neha (Ramsha Khan) competing with Adam (Ahad Mir) to top in chemistry, two brothers who know how to style their younger sister’s hair, or the wonderful way the men cook and clean so much better than the girls, this show gives us a fresh perspective. So far, the show-stealers are Chef Sarmad (Junaid Khan) and fitness fanatic and psychology student Maha (Sarah Khan), who have shown themselves adept at comedy and won everyone over with some great screen chemistry.

Ahad Raza Mir has a huge fan following some intense roles, but has work to do on both his Urdu dialogues and delivery before he will be completely comfortable in the comedy genre. Hum Tum is a fun story, free of slapstick but full of heart. Though not as popular as Suno Chanda or Chupke Chupke, it has time to catch up when the Adam and Neha romance finally kicks in.

What To Watch Out For (Or not)

Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi | ARY, Coming Soon

Despite the mess that was Ishq Hai, producers are rehashing the tiresome trope of obsessive, violent love again. This time Danish Taimoor (who else?) is a wealthy, ever-so-slightly deranged young man chasing after a reluctant girl played by Durre Fishan. Social class is also a factor in this serial as we see patriarch Naumaan Ejaz plotting to have the girl murdered because of her middle-class background. Are these people nawabs or a crime family? The answer obviously does not matter, so long as the channel gets ratings.

Pyar Deewangi Hai | ARY, Coming Soon

For the sake of variety, here’s another tale of pathological, obsessive love starring Sami Khan as a stalker with Neelum Munir as his victim. Munir is accused of murdering her fiancé but who is really behind his death? If this serial takes a crime solving mystery route and shakes things up it might just rise above the genre, and give us a thriller that might just be worth watching.

Published in Dawn, ICON, April 24th, 2022