THE WEEK THAT WAS

Tann Mann Neel-o-Neel | Hum TV, Saturdays 8.00pm

This is the third and final mini-series in veteran producer Sultana Siddiqui’s gripping set of stories that highlight mob violence, lynching and the mentality behind them.

Rabi (Sehar Khan) is a YouTuber who finds common cause with Sonu (Shuja Asad) and his dance troupe, to become wedding entertainers. Her cousin, Kami (Usman Zia), earns his living as rent-a-mob goon, and hopes to win her over. Connecting them all is the violence and oppression perpetrated by Qaiser Bao (Saleem Mairaj), a local gangster with the police in his pocket. Qaiser Bao sexually assaults Sonu’s friend and fellow dancer, humiliates Kami and represents the lower rung of power in a structure that grinds out the innocence and hard work of the struggling lower classes.

Director Saife Hassan and writer Mustafa Afridi present us with another masterful collaboration that has enough colour and sentiment to attract the masses, but hits the viewer with a raw gut punch of reality. The young stars of the show are well cast, giving a fresh, fun vibe that never sours despite the painful subject matter.

Ghair | ARY, Fri-Sat 8.00pm

The nightmare that Wafa (Ushna Shah) had been living since the death of her mother Hawwa is beginning to end as the truth of her mother’s past and her own innocence is revealed.

The cowering “people-pleasing” Wafa has matured and, with her mother-in-law Tehzeeb’s (Saba Hamid) backing, she gains some confidence. She challenges her weak-willed “husband” Saalis (Usama Khan) and asks for release from a relationship he had facilitated as part of a larger deception. Saalis cannot seem to let go of Wafa though he claims to love Shiffa (Yashmeera Jan). Meanwhile, the honour-obsessed Farjad (Adeel Hussain) begins to see how his violent, impulsive behaviour triggered the events that separated him from Wafa.

Director Yasir Nawaz has built up the tension, making a gripping series out of a very typical story that revolves round family politics. To her credit, writer Zanjabeel Asim has avoided too much toxicity, and allowed both her female and male leads growth and maturity. Usama Khan has three dramas on air but this may be one of his best performances, walking the thin line between negativity and hero without losing the audience. Adeel Hussain, Ushna Shah, Waseem Abbas, Saba Hamid and Madiha Iftikhar are the other standouts in a fantastic cast.

Iqtidar | Green Entertainment, Thurs-Fri 8.00pm

Following a very Indian soap-style trajectory, while maintaining some of the storytelling elements and strong characterisations that are the hallmark of Pakistani dramas, this show has captured the attention of the masses.

Shahnawaz Shah (Ali Raza) tricked Mehrunissa (Anmol Baloch) into marriage to save his criminally negligent brother Zain Shah (Ahmed Randhaawa) from jail. Mehrunissa is shocked at the truth, but she is a brave, determined young woman used to hard times, so she refuses to buckle under the pressure. Shahnawaz’s mother Sanam Shah (Rubina Ashraf) is a typical politician and quite willing to push her son Zain’s case on to the backburner in exchange for the surge in popularity she has gained with this marriage. Sanam Shah cannot “afford” a divorce so she becomes the one pushing her son towards the wife he wants to discard.

Rubina Ashraf is in fine form and lends gravitas to a lightweight story. Meanwhile Ali Raza and Anmol Baloch’s on-screen chemistry and romantic moments have the audiences hooked. Ali Raza has proved his versatility in an array of roles over this year.

What To Watch Out For (or not)

Meri Tanhai | Hum TV, Coming soon

This is a story set in the Pakistani diaspora of England, with Kubra Khan playing a British-Pakistani girl opposite Azaan Sami Khan.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2024