THE WEEK THAT WAS

Adhi Gawahi | Hum TV, Wed-Thurs 8.00pm

Saima Akram Chaudhry’s screenplay may have dragged a wee bit and Fahim Burney’s direction might have had a few flaws (people who shoot themselves in the head do not look as pretty as Hamdan Mustafa did with a red smudge on his temple), but the serial concluded on a strong note. Never before has the message of harassment of women resonated so crystal clear.

In the last episode one of the characters, an NGO worker called Mrs Rehmani, points out to the protagonist Salwa (Sohai Ali Abro) that only a few women know that on January 29, 2011, the Government of Pakistan had amended Article 509 of the constitution, making harassment of women a crime. Abro, by the way, carried off the role of the victim of such harrassment effortlessly. Meanwhile, Azfar Rehman as the villianous Hamdan Mustafa sizzled in his sequences with Ali Josh, the male lead, who yet again proved that he is a promising talent.

What to watch out for

Boriyat Busters | Geo TV, Friday 6.30pm

What could be better for Ahsan Khan than hosting an exciting game show for kids, to show his versatility as well as do some repair to his image after his brilliant performance as the much-hated child molester in Udari. With the dearth of local content on TV for kids, Boriyat Busters comes a breath of fresh of air as the first season focuses on kids from Karachi.

The show kicks off with a colourful, larger-than-life set, animation, exciting prizes and lots of energy. There are shades of Legends of the Hidden Temple and Takeshi’s Castle fused together with Khan’s own desi touch. Appearances by Mawra Hocane, Humayun Saeed, Shoaib Malik, Younus Khan, Sajal Ali and Ayesha Omar promise to add glitz to the show. — Fouzia Nasir Ahmad

Published in Dawn, ICON, October 22nd, 2017