THE WEEK THAT WAS

Sher | ARY, Wed-Thurs 8.00pm

This tale of family rivalry from Zanjabeel Asim is getting maximum ratings with minimum effort. A cliched story of generational revenge with little to no money spent on sets or costumes, the show is running on Danish Taimoor’s and Sara Khan’s star power and nothing else.

From the dialogues and plot turns, it is not clear that Sher Zaman (Danish Taimoor) was written as some kind of angry alpha-male but this is how he is being played. Jealous cousins manage to kill Sher’s father, but Sher survives only to be poisoned by a greedy doctor on his conniving Chacha’s [paternal uncle] orders. Still, the family’s nefarious plans fall flat because Sher’s father’s will leaves the business to his well-educated mother.

Meanwhile, in a move that makes zero sense, Fajar’s (Sara Khan) sister is married off in a rush because of badnaami [bad reputation] and Fajar is set free to carry on her psychology practice by their insecure father. The stage is set for Dr Fajar to help heal the damaged and a broken Sher, but will she hurt the man who protected her, to please her father? This irrational context is the premise for this love affair to begin. If only the intensity and care used to make the teasers and promos had been used to make the actual drama, it would feel less predictable and more exciting.

Meri Tanhai | Hum TV, Mondays 8.00pm

This story had an excellent premise in the way it imagined caste restrictions and the deliberate infantilisation of women that stifles women in bad relationships.

Kaniz Fatima (Zainab Qayoom) is the longest serving victim, married to Anwar (Hasan Niazi), a man who treats her with contempt and disrespect even after decades of marriage, because she gave birth to daughters. All of Anwar’s power and arrogance cannot save his softer but equally entitled daughter Kiran (Ameema Saleem) from heartbreak.

A generational curse rears its ugly head and we watch to see if Khizer (Azaan Sami Khan) will repeat his Chacha Ali Murad’s mistake, by abandoning his love, Maryam (Kubra Khan), and allow himself to be bullied into a marriage with Kiran. When Maryam discovers Khizer’s hidden engagement, she feels betrayed.

Kubra Khan and Azaan Sami Khan are good together and the best scenes were of their romance in London. But stories have more impact when the villains are explored as much as the heroes, so a little more focus on Anwar would have brought some more energy to the show.

Daayan | Geo TV, Mon-Tues 8.00pm

The most shocking thing about Daayan is that a star such as Mehwish Hayat (who has a Disney production in her portfolio) and an experienced actor such as Ahsan Khan could not find a better script.

Nihal (Mehwish Hayat) is now Misha, the strangely glamorous nanny who is getting her revenge. Zawar Shah’s (Ahsan Khan) unshakeable love for his first wife Shabab (Hira Mani) is finally wavering because she sent his sister to jail. For Zawar Shah, it does not matter that his sister tried to murder his wife; according to him, a simple scolding was enough. Now that two of her tormentors are suffering, Nihal/Misha is setting up the downfall of Zawar’s other sister. Despite his much-vaunted principles, Zawar Shah has fallen under Misha’s spell.

This cartoonish story seems to be a take on Indian soap operas and, while it is getting ratings, it seems like a waste of the entire cast’s talents.

What To Watch Out For (Or Not)

Baar-i-Wafa | Geo TV, Coming soon

Geo TV brings us Laiba Khan as a femme fatale aiming for revenge, who can make men easily fall in love with her and tear a family apart. Mikaal Zulfikar and Aagha Ali play the men fighting over her.

Published in Dawn, ICON, July 6th, 2025