THE WEEK THAT WAS

Fairy Tale | Hum TV, Daily 7.00pm

Umeed (Sehar Khan) thinks she will be happy if she is rich. So when her friend Maryam aka Mimi (Amna Youzasaif) gives her a pass to a game show, she jumps at the chance, despite her strict father Pasha Saheb’s (Saleem Shaikh) opposition. The lack of a mother’s guidance and her authoritarian father ‘s repressive style of parenting has made Umeed into a bit of a rebel and a liar, who will spin any fantasy to get out of trouble. Her interactions with the serious, sensible Farjad (Hamza Sohail) always end up in some disaster, but fate keeps bringing them together.

When Umeed wins a lot of money, her angry father refuses to let her come home, and Umeed is stranded at Mimi’s house, who turns out to be Farjad’s sister. Sehar Khan and Hamza Sohail are delightful antagonists, carrying the whole premise of Ms Happy-Go-Lucky versus Mr Perfect with ease. Writer Sarah Majeed has given us a bubbly, young show full of life, adventure and good humour that is reminiscent of the classic dramas of Hasina Moin.

Samjhota | ARY, Mon-Thurs 9.00pm

The show’s premise of a family unravelling after the sudden death of their matriarch is holding strong, reminding us of the importance of teaching children values they will keep beyond their parents’ influence. After focusing on the father’s (Javed Shaikh) issues with loneliness and loss, then the competition between brothers for the family business, the spotlight is on the youngest daughter of the house, Shanzay (Shazeal Shaukat).

Shanzay is confused and unable to process her grief, leaving her easy prey for a manipulative young man, Sarmad (Zain Baig), to trap her into a relationship. While the family bickers with each other and jockeys for a position in the household, the father’s new wife Nargis (Shaista Wahidi) is blamed for every dysfunction. Although there is nothing new about the story, it does point out the importance of understanding and patience when dealing with grief, rather than pushing people to move on.

Tere Aanay Se | Geo TV, Daily 9.00pm

Originally called Rukh-i-Mah-i-Roshan, this show got a name change to the easier Tere Aanay Se on release. Raniya (Komal Meer) is an opinionated young woman from a small town who always wants to help. Despite her good intentions, she often ends up complicating things more. She dreams of becoming the prime minister and fixing the whole country but, for a start, she moves to Lahore to complete her studies.

Her family in Lahore includes her cousin Maheer (Muneeb Butt), a carefree young man who lives off the money his father sends from overseas. Two confident protagonists determined to do things their way leads to a clash of personalities, but Raniya’s meddling puts them in a relationship they never expected. The slow pace, an array of similar options and another very serious drama starring the leads, detracts from what would ordinarily have been an enjoyable romp. Muneeb Butt and Komal Meer prove their versatility, easily fitting into the comedy genre and making this another good viewing option.

What To Watch Out For (or not)

The much-awaited debut of Green TV is set for April, and teasers of the highly anticipated serials for this YouTube channel have finally been released.

Idiot

Starring Ahmed Ali Akbar and Mansha Pasha, the fascinating trailer shows us a man who always stands apart because he refuses to play along with the hypocrisies and strange contradictions of life .

Jindo

Humaima Malik is seen in another strong avatar as a woman of rural Sindh fighting back against oppression. Gohar Rasheed is also seen in the trailer as the corrupt son of a feudal lord.

Published in Dawn, ICON, April 9th, 2023