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##THE WEEK THAT WAS##
Zabt | Geo TV, Daily 7.00pm
This serial is strictly for those who enjoy well-made melodramas that move quickly and keep family politics sharp as a knife.
Ayla (Zoha Tauqeer) is naïve and superficial and contemptuous of her cousin, Aoun (Sachal Afzal), the abandoned son of divorced parents who lives like an orphan and is despised by the whole family. Ayla has always been attracted to her other cousin, Shami (Daniyal Khan), whose family has money and power. This serious story from writer Saima Akram Chaudhry (famous for her rom-coms) about the deep dysfunction in a joint family highlights the clash between tradition and religion. To their delight, Ayla and Shami are married in a nikaah ceremony, but told to wait for the rukhsati. Can an excited young couple, living in the same house, possibly hold back?
The characterisations are mostly black-and-white but allow for enough grey to make them relatable. Sachal Afzal and Zoha Tauqeer put in some strong performances, while Daniyal Khan is still a mixed bag. When Ayla becomes pregnant, despite being married, she is haunted by fear and shame because Shami is a weak “mama’s boy.”
Laaj | Green Entertainment, Fri-Sun 8.00pm
Green Entertainment brings us another dark thriller that pans out surprisingly well despite its sloppy teasers. Writer Sajjad Zaidi sketches out some interesting characters and director Ali Farhan weaves them into a dark story that captures your attention.
Raees Ali (Alyy Khan) is a powerful district commissioner (DC), shaped by past trauma. He has become unyielding and bitter, and is fiercely protective of his younger sisters. As a consequence, his sisters lead hidden lives. Abeera (Aiza Awan) is a dreamer, a talented painter who studies in secret and is influenced by Shahnawaz (Syed Jibran), a wealthy man and renowned artist, who is a manipulative womaniser who murders anyone who demands more than he can give. Sachal Afzal plays Asad, the man who loves Abeera but is fast losing ground to the clever Shahnawaz.
This is a strong, suspense-filled serial with good performances from Alyy Khan and Syed Jibran. With an out-of-the-box story of obsession and revenge, this drama illustrates how authoritarian attitudes and a lack of intergenerational trust create opportunities for predators.
Raja London Ka | Express TV, Mon-Tues 8.00pm
Like every Shahid Dogar script, there is an underdog hero and a docile, personality-free heroine who is beyond his reach in this serial.
Those used to Samar Jafri as a spoiled, urban heartthrob will be shocked to see him painted in an unbelievable shade of brown and presented as a working-class Karachi boy. Once that shock is over, they will be further shaken to see him in slow-motion, South Indian-style “attitude fights” and the irritating hum of a vocalist in his scenes, to remind us what a special little man he is.
Putting that aside, the script has the seeds of a good story, with Zaviyar Ijaz as Sultan, the eternal third-person who, despite wealth and looks, cannot compete with our unwashed hero. Apart from the tan and leering that passes for romance, Samar Jafri’s screen presence makes up for a lack of realism. Just like Abdullahpur Ka Devdas, the backstory around Sultan and his Machiavellian political family is actually better made and more intriguing than the main plot. On a side note, many have pointed out Samar Jafri’s use of a “black face” and how this takes roles away from actors who are tanner and who would look more organic in such roles.
##What To Watch Out For (Or Not)##
Bombay Tailors | Hum TV, Coming soon
Anika Zulfikar and Ali Ansari star in Bombay Tailors, a drama about unfulfilled dreams.
Published in Dawn, ICON, June 14th, 2026
