THE WEEK THAT WAS

Sang-i-Mah | Hum TV, Sundays 8.00pm

Seventeen episodes down and it’s clear that Sang-i-Mah has a very different mood to the previous avatar, Sang-i-Mar Mar which, in hindsight, looks like a miracle of creativity that somehow escaped the attention of commercially minded content heads and the need to impress social media.

After overhearing a conversation, Hilmand (Atif Aslam) is convinced that his otherwise loving stepfather Haji Marjaan (Naumaan Ejaz) plotted to kill his father, and he is determined to bring him to account. His declaration of “Ghag” (claiming a bride by force) is meant to stir up enough trouble to finally expose Haji; instead it pits brother against brother and leads to more violence.

Despite the well-constructed plot twists and motivations, the show lacks grip and momentum. The many progressive tracks seem like a checklist of points the makers decided to cover, rather than an integral part of the story. Hilmand is an unlikeable character and Aslam has not been able to invoke the kind of charm and vulnerability that might have generated empathy. So far, the highlights of the show have been the inclusion of well-rounded characters from minority communities and the strong performances from reliable actors such as Naumaan Ejaz, Omair Rana and Kubra Khan.

Chaudhry and Sons | Geo TV, Daily 9.00pm

This rom-com is more comedy than romance, but it’s not a bad trade-off to enjoy a lot of easy laughs and one-liners set in the kind of joint family system familiar to all.

Pari (Ayeza Khan) and her Nani (Irsa Ghazal) have to make a quick getaway from Hyderabad because Pari thinks she accidentally killed the local Romeo (yes, it’s that crazy). When they reach Lahore, fate lands them at a place in what turns out to be Pari’s long-dead mother’s family. The Chaudhrys are an otherwise loving, generous family, except for their obsession with marrying within their biraadri (clan). Most of them still hold a grudge against Pari’s mother for running away to marry her father. When Pari’s more forgiving Mamoo learns her identity, he arranges her nikaah to his son Billu (Imran Ashraf).

Will Pari’s new family forgive and forget once they learn the truth of who Pari is? The serious messages about consent and the unending conditions people impose for marriage are lost in the slapstick, but for light entertainment this show hits the mark. After Chupke Chupke, Ayeza Khan once again proves she can carry a light and bubbly role well. Imran Ashraf is usually better with intense, dramatic roles but, combined with a strong supporting cast — including Noor-ul-Hassan, Asma Abbas and Sohail Ahmed — he sails through.

Mere Humsafar | ARY, Thursdays 8.00pm

This incredibly popular drama shares more than a name with the iconic serial Humsafar: an evil, plotting mother-in-law, a jealous rival who attempts suicide and a traditional romance after marriage. Farhan Saeed lays on the charm as the understanding and supportive husband Hamza who gently coaxes the much-abused Hala (Hania Aamir) out of her shell. The best part of this script is the slow, very credible transition Hala is making towards confidence and realising her own self-worth. The worst part is yet another supposedly educated character (her cousin Sameen— Zoya Nasir) turning into a vengeful shrew, obsessing over being rejected.

What To Watch Out For

Fraud | ARY, Coming Soon

The second teaser for this much-anticipated drama shows Saba Qamar as a new bride desperately searching for her husband at the Lahore Railway Station. It’s obvious she has been tricked and abandoned. Will she seek justice or revenge?

Published in Dawn, ICON, May 8th, 2022