THE WEEK THAT WAS

Daraarr | Geo TV, Wed-Thurs 8.00pm

This story of infidelity and betrayal ends on a surprisingly mature and believable note, avoiding cliches of sudden forgiveness or punishment. Instead of becoming a lonely, abandoned victim, Irha (Amar Khan) moves on with her career and takes the hard but wise choice to co-parent her daughter with Shaheer (Syed Jibran), her now repentant husband.

When Shaheer loses his business and position, he and his lover Sajal (Momal Shaikh) part ways, proving that their relationship had always been based on the illicit thrill of adultery combined with the lure of wealth and power. Sajal learns to rely on herself rather than flitting from one man to the next, and using her charms to gain what she wants. Unfortunately, her sharp exit allows little introspection or depth, despite her equal responsibility in the affair that this story is centered on.

Shaheer’s character, however, learns and grows from his failures, turning over a new leaf for his innocent daughter’s sake and both parents are shown putting aside the past and cooperating in a respectful manner. Momal Shaikh was sometimes hard to believe as a femme fatale but otherwise very watchable. Amar Khan and Syed Jibran in particular have given us stellar performances throughout, leaving us wondering how amazing this serial could have been if the producers had not stretched it midway with endless flashbacks.

Mujhe Pyar Hua Tha | ARY, Mondays 8.00pm

Maheer (Hania Aamir) is a sweet girl, loved by all and completely oblivious to the men who start helplessly staring at her every few scenes. Her cousin Saad (Wahaj Ali) doesn’t have a penny to his name and cannot muster the courage to declare his love. Meanwhile, Meerab (Zaviyar Ejaz), a wealthy young man with a toxic family, proposes to her within a few days of meeting her. Maheer takes the kind, loving Saad for granted but the wealthy, daring Meerab strikes a spark in her heart. Is that spark the flame of love or a superficial infatuation? The cast is the main attraction in this all-too-familiar love triangle. Wahaj Ali and Hania Aamir handle their roles well, deftly underplaying the filmi moments, while a well-paced plot keeps the audience entertained.

What To Watch Out For (or Not)

Tere Bin | Geo TV, Coming soon

Meerab (Yumna Zaidi) is forced to marry the arrogant Murtasim (Wahaj Ali) by her feudal family. Who will win this battle of wills as Meerab tries to preserve her self-respect in marriage bound by archaic traditions, and a husband who does not understand compromise?

Published in Dawn, ICON, january 1st, 2023