THE WEEK THAT WAS

Zanjeerain | Hum TV, Wed-Thurs 8.00pm

After lulling us into a sense of security with a warm, close-knit family, Zanje­erain reveals the evil brewing beneath this comfortable illusion.

Raza Ali Abid gives a powerful performance as Sohrab, the mastermind behind Sardar Sher Dil’s (Ahsan Khan) attempted poisoning and consequent murder in a car accident. Bibi Jan (Samiya Mumtaz) had prided herself on the care she gave to Sohrab and felt guilty for neglecting Torsam (Usman Javed), but their choice to be negative is purely their own. Both men are driven by the greed for power — Torsam kills Rabia’s (Sajal Aly) husband and Sohrab murders his own sister Bano (Sahar Hashmi).

This serial is fulfilling its potential as a good thriller, but sometimes director Shehzad Kashmiri’s artistic bent as a director of photography overcomes his need to focus on actual storytelling. Hence, extended sequences of running in the dark and Sar Buland’s (Danyal Zafar) newly revealed fighting skills seem odd. Sajal Aly continues to shine in emotional scenes, while Danyal Zafar projects the quiet power of rational thought and stoicism in his character. The negative forces surrounding Sar Buland and Rabia are gathering steam, promising a gripping story ahead.

Aik Mohabbat Aur | Green TV, Mon-Tues 8.00pm

Haroon Malik (Ahad Raza Mir) is a popular journalist who tries to maintain his ethics but knows how to add enough masala to get ratings. He has always shied away from marriage and indulged in easy relationships, until he develops an attraction to the very reserved Assistant Commissioner Khushbakht Naz (Maya Ali).

Ahad Raza Mir’s natural charm works to a point, until he starts unnecessary little dances and starts acknowledging the audience, which would be more suited to musical theatre. No serious journalist in Pakistan behaves this way, but director Farooq Rind has not fully recovered from the success of Ishq Murshid, and so we must bear with this repetitive framing. Maya Ali is on her way to an outstanding performance that will wipe the memory of the Sunn Mere Dil debacle, and give her career a boost. Her restrained underplaying only serves to highlight the trauma her character feels in flashbacks.

The unlikely attraction between Haroon and Khushbakht builds slowly and seems real, even endearing. Both are caught between other dysfunctional couples, yet somehow the warmth between them overcomes what should make them cynical. This is a well-written, mature drama that has not lost its grip on audiences from the first episode.

Muhafiz | Geo TV, Daily 9.00pm

Despite the clichéd teasers used to promote this soap-style serial, it has turned out to be an unpretentious watch that hits all the right buttons for entertaining the masses.

Sadia Akhter’s script gives us the bored, lonely heroine Paras (Momina Iqbal), a poor little rich girl who longs for her wealthy father Behzad’s (Sohail Sameer) attention. Her father’s powerful position has already taken her mother’s life and she is now a prime target. Meanwhile, Behzad wants ex-policeman Zawar (Junaid Khan) to protect her. Zawar is the better-written character, a compassionate officer thrown out by the corrupt system. Financial issues force him to take on the job of Paras’ bodyguard.

Junaid Khan carries his role well and projects the confidence of a determined fighter willing to risk it all for duty. The only weak link is Momina Iqbal, whose role is underwritten and generic and lacks the vulnerability required to generate empathy.

What To Watch Out For (Or Not)

Aap Ki Izzat | Hum TV, Coming soon

Sania Saeed plays a grimly possessive mother-in-law whose dire warnings to her new bahu [daughter-in-law] fall comically by the wayside. The captivating teaser shows a simple, sweet love story between a couple in an arranged marriage, played by Ahsan Khan and Urwa Hocane.

Published in Dawn, ICON, July 12th, 2026