THE WEEK THAT WAS

Naqaab | ARY, Sundays 10.00pm

Iman (Hina Tariq) may be the daughter of a middle class teacher from a small town such as Tando Adam, but she is used to being first in everything. Pretty, intelligent and a little spoiled, Iman is set to study business in Karachi, which leads her to stay at her father’s wealthy friend’s house.

Following the pattern of many Turkish dramas, we see the dysfunctional relationships behind the elegant exteriors and designer clothes. Elder brother Taimoor (Humayun Ashraf) is a clever, enigmatic businessman, who takes responsibility for Iman’s safety. His cousin Ahad (Ahmed Rafiq) follows Taimoor everywhere, and Iman begins to develop a soft corner for him when he rescues her from a predator.

Despite their city sophistication, all the men in the show become a little obsessed with the small-town girl. Even the unhappily married Bilal (Ali Ansari) is always watching out for their young guest. The women of the family are kind but less impressed, especially when Iman’s overconfidence leads her into trouble. Shafia Khan’s writing has become a little formulaic since her wildly successful Rang Mahal, but the sharp dialogues and crisp pace make this show entertaining.

Agar Tum Saath Ho | Hum TV, Tuesdays 8.00pm

As with any love triangle, the biggest question is: who will get the girl?

Sahir (Zaviyar Ijaz) is a serious young man who gets up every morning to make more money and perhaps win over his friend Ramsha (Mawra Hocane). Coming from the same elite class and with strong ties of friendship between their families, Ramsha, Sahir and cricket-crazy Farhan (Ameer Gilani) are old friends. Farhan is a fun-loving person but uninterested in the family business or money.

The first few episodes are never easy but, for a big project, this one lacked a lot of finesse in introducing the main characters and establishing relationships. However, the serial has one trump card: the newlywed couple of Hocane and Gilani, who always attract audiences since they were first cast. Ameer Gilani provides most of the energy as a dynamic young man with a healthy interest in sports. Zaviyar Ijaz has also improved after playing an array of negative, jealous characters, which explains why he looks at home as the passive-aggressive Sahir. Mawra Hocane as the girl they all want is a little generic so far, but maybe that will change as the show progresses.

Dil Wali Gali | Hum TV, Sundays 8.00pm

The acclaimed director and writer duo of Kashif Nisar and Zafar Mairaj try their hands at a “Ramazan romcom”, immediately ele­v­­a­ting this light-as-air genre.

The action takes place around the Delhi Gate area of the walled city, in the beating heart of Lahore. Deeju (Sajal Aly) and Muju (Hamza Sohail) met four years ago in college and, despite their feuding families, fell in love and decided to elope. When the magistrate presiding over their court marriage picks out Muju is the son of the owner of the local Bright Future chain of schools, Durdana Siddiqui (Saba Faisal), he calls the parents. However angry and bitterly set against each other they are, the families reluctantly agree the most honorable way to resolve the situation is to accept the marriage.

With deadpan comedy and zero hammer-on-the-head musical cues, this serial has each character beautifully sketched out and the episodes are rich with details. Sajal Aly looks and breathes her part and provides star presence, while Hamza Sohail matches her energy with a superbly engaging performance as a dorky but meesna (shrewd) Romeo.

What To Watch Out For (or not)

Ishq Di Chashni | Green Entertainment, Coming soon

Shehryar Shaikh (Khushhal Khan) and Rakshi Butt (Sehar Khan) are ambitious, well-trained sweetmeat makers whose family rivalries may destroy their budding relationship before it even starts.

Published in Dawn, ICON, March 9th, 2025