THE WEEK THAT WAS

Kala Doriya | Hum TV, Fridays 8.00pm

After five years of heartbreak, Bitto Apa (Tamkenat Manzoor) and Kuku Mammoo (Khalid Malik) finally tie the knot, but their secret nikaah is still hard to digest for warring family members. Manno (Sana Javed) manages to convince her angry mother into acceptance, while Asfi (Osman Khalid Butt) soothes the ruffled feathers on his side of the family. Will this truce survive the wedding reception, or will it be the beginning of more mischief?

Sana Javed wins with a more restrained performance and sharp one-liners that keep her far from the usual good girl stereotype. OKB is the energy which drives the show, handling the serious emotional scenes with as much skill and balance as the light comedy and hilarious zingers. Tamkenat Manzoor and Khalid Malik make a fun couple, with a mix of dour fatalism and quirky romance.

Great performances, deftly handled by director Danish Nawaz, make this script from Saima Akram Chaudhry pure entertainment. The only complaint to be made is one episode a week is not enough. If the producers had respected their cast and product rather than rushing in, this show would have been perfect for the two-episodes-a-week format, if not daily.

Taqdeer | Geo TV, Mon-Thurs 9.00pm

The teasers for this serial gave us some pretty innovative visuals, leading to hopes of some nuance or depth. Of course, we were disappointed. It’s another story of a bholi bhaali larrki (Alizeh Shah) suffering cruelty upon cruelty at the hands of her harsh, domineering mother-in-law (Saba Faisal) and conniving devrani (Aliya Ali). While there is absolutely no doubt that such familial dysfunction exists, the clumsy writing and cynical packaging of abuse as a product for ratings is hard to swallow for thinking viewers.

Sami Khan plays the stereotypical older son who sees his family’s terrible behaviour but always has an excuse and, despite his efforts, there is little chemistry between the leads. Like most low-content shows, the machinations of the villains carry the story forward while the heroine is left to innocently blink into the glare of every new accusation. In order to manufacture some tension for a climax, the writer has thrown in the last trope of shak (doubt about character) and kirdaar ki gawahi (morality certification) into the mix. What is missing from this formulaic approach is anyone actually caring enough to root for this obviously mismatched couple to come together again.

Kuchh Ankahi | ARY, Saturdays 8.00pm

In case we had forgotten why Pakistani dramas originally made a name for themselves, veteran writer Mohammad Ahmed delivers a timely reminder with this new serial. We are introduced to an array of character and personalities in a spare but elegant and, most importantly, believable style, avoiding confusion and setting a high standard for the rest of the show directed by Nadeem Baig.

Aliya (Sajal Aly) and Salman (Bilal Abbas) play competing real estate agents who scrap over every showing in their area. Salman is a bit smug but a kinder soul, while Aliya is an overconfident sort who refuses to yield an inch if she thinks she can win. For those missing out on the usual kitchen melodrama, fear not. Mira Sethi plays an older, mazloom (suffering) sister hung out to dry by a greedy saas (mother-in-law). The star-studded cast includes Vaneeza Ahmed, Shehryar Munawar, Irsa Ghazal and Babar Ali, which promises us some great performances ahead.

What To Watch Out For (or not)

Meesni | Hum TV, Coming soon

A new show about a middle class girl with big dreams and the determination to make them come true. Starring Sharmeen Kashif and Bilal Abbas, the teasers hint at some fun and romance in between the melodrama.

Published in Dawn, ICON, January 15th, 2023