THE WEEK THAT WAS

Namak Haram | Hum TV, Fridays 8.00pm

The makers of this serial follow two strict rules: the word “naukar” (servant) must be repeated 20 times an episode, and the “hero” Mureed (Imran Ashraf) must suffer a ritual humiliation from his employer Amin Qureshi (Babar Ali) to keep up the “zulm” [cruelty] quotient. Mureed’s mother was raped by Qureshi and Mureed wants revenge, but even this strong premise cannot sustain a script dragged out with repetitious dialogues and circular plot twists.

Sunita Marshal, as a clever courtesan playing a double-game with both Mureed and Qureshi, adds very little to the show. Imran Ashraf is barely restrained by director Shaqielle Khan, and he takes the long, torturous dialogues as a cue for overacting and melodrama. The only person putting in the effort to make her role credible is Sara Khan, but she is either mute or in a few scenes only.

It is obvious the director has not been able to fully conceptualise the story and, after 16-plus episodes, the story has not moved forward. Amin Qureshi has been abducted and beaten up by unknown assailants again and again, but he still fails to suspect the creepy servant who keeps muttering under his breath and has access to his every secret.

Akhaarra | Green Entertainment, Wed-Thurs 8.00pm

Unlike other Green Entertainment serials, this show has good production values and lighting, marking it as a premium project.

Dil Sher (Feroze Khan) comes from a family rooted in the pehlwan (wrestlers)traditions of Punjab. When his older brother tragically dies in the wrestling ring, Dil Sher and his family move to Lahore and start a shoe business. Dil Sher falls for Sitara (Sonya Hussayn) and his naïve sister Reshma (Hina Afridi) unknowingly falls under the influence of Dil Sher’s vengeful rival Rustom (Kashif Hussain). Rustom is a trained martial arts expert and angry that his ex-girlfriend Sitara has moved on to Dil Sher.

Writer Shahid Dogar has written some wonderful characters and a well-plotted story that is mostly captivating and authentic. Dil Sher and Sitara’s relationship seems straight out of an ‘80s film, where the heroine is just a prop to further the hero’s journey before he wins her as a trophy. Kashif Hussain is a good actor but he looks out of place and older than the rest of the cast. Both Waseem Abbas and Feroze Khan fit their roles well and, combined with an excellent supporting cast, they make this story a great watch. .

Tum Bin Kaisay Jiyein | ARY, Mon-Sun 7.00pm

A simple, sweet girl, Zara (Saniya Shamshad), is in an arranged marriage with her cousin Adeel (Hammad Shoaib), whose mother and sister are doing their best to break off the nikaah. Despite the obvious warnings of rude, unkind behaviour from her in-laws, Zara trusts her family and Adeel’s promises of love, and goes ahead with the wedding.

Zara has always been very close to Saad (Junaid Niazi), her best friend, but her new husband forbids her from connecting with him ever again. An anxious, shy girl, Zara is ill-equipped to deal with the games her mother-in-law and jealous sister-in-law play.

This is standard soap opera with little nuance but, like all commercial projects, the situations and dilemmas resonate with the masses. A well-paced plot and good direction keep the story moving at a pace that does not require too much analysis or thinking. For those who enjoy stories about domestic abuse and kitchen politics, this is for you.

What To Watch Out For (or not)

Hasil | Geo TV, Coming soon

Atiqa Odho stars as the unscrupulous owner of a successful beauty parlour, who also arranges marriages. When a girl dies, who is to blame?

Published in Dawn, ICON, March 3rd, 2024