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THE WEEK THAT WAS
Meri Zindagi Hai Tu | ARY, Fri-Sat 8.00pm
Those who were celebrating Kamyar (Bilal Abbas) and Ayra’s (Hania Aamir) reconciliation were heartbroken to see their break-up, sending the romantic angst level up from 10 to 100 in one episode.
Because this is a Radain Shah story, and determinedly shallow, Kamyar has no spiritual awakening or self-awareness; his reform is entirely centred on Ayra. When Ayra and the entire wedding party is sent a compromising video of Kamyar, she walks away, leaving a devastated Kamyar begging for understanding. What Radain Shah does get right is the way drugs and alcohol addle Kamyar’s mind and reputation so much that no one — absolutely no one — thinks to ask how and why this video was disseminated. Kamyar does not bother investigating and heads to his “friend” Faria (Warda Aziz) to lick his wounds, and starts hellraising again.
Excellent performances from Bilal Abbas and the supporting cast has kept this show well above the pulp fiction level it could have sunk to. Hania Aamir has been a mixed bag but where she is good is at bringing the contemporary nuances of young women to life without looking flighty or preachy. The real star of the show is writer Musaddiq Malek, who knows how to tell a story with emotional intelligence, and without sacrificing the pace modern audiences expect.
Neeli Kothi | Hum TV, Mon-Tues 8.00pm
‘Tis the season for last-minute wedding cancellations — such as Zaid (Talha Chahour) and Alayna’s (Srha Asghar) nikaah, after her family learns he is adopted.
Worse, Zaid learns he was granted a scholarship to an American university as a “gift” from Alayna’s father, the dean of the university. It is too late to change it all but Zaid owns up to Zara (Anmol Baloch), who should have gotten the scholarship on merit. Writer Saima Akram Chaudhry slips in a few of the realities of college life, and cleverly reverses the situation for the male and female leads to experience whatever they once accused the other of.
While neither Anmol Baloch nor Talha Chahour have bothered to even try to look like students, their performances and the direction carry the show forward. The story runs at a fun pace and keeps viewers entertained. Sabeen Sayed as Sara, Zara’s sister, and Ahmed Rafique as Shaheer play their parts equally well, avoiding the dip that happens with a weak supporting cast. So how long will the secret that binds Zara and Zaid’s father remain hidden?
Pamaal | Green Entertainment, Mon-Tues 8.00pm
Some dramas inspire, others create a trauma bond in which the audience imagines suffering like the leads, and finds some kind of catharsis.
Raza’s (Usman Mukhtar) death is both a deep wound and a release for Malika (Saba Qamar). His final training to make her more independent, and her own long-suppressed natural intelligence, gives her the confidence to grapple with the future. A little privilege opens the door to scriptwriting for Malika but she is still nervous and unsure about working in a male-dominated environment. Widowhood is a hard taskmaster, and Malika finds herself juggling her mixed feelings of love and fear for Raza with social demands and the struggle to stay independent while providing for her daughter. Raza’s brother visiting her alone and the interest of her cousin Annas (Haris Waheed) all become issues for her.
Saba Qamar excels at communicating the emotional battles a woman faces and, as Malika, she uses a subtle hand for the transition to working woman. Writer Zanjabeel Asim has noted that changes were made to this autobiographical script without permission.
What To Watch Out For (Or Not)
Aik Aur Pakeezah | Geo TV, Coming soon
Sehar Khan and Nameer Khan team up with the NGO Kashf Foundation for a story about personal privacy and cyber security.
Published in Dawn, ICON, January 11th, 2026
