THE WEEK THAT WAS

Khudgharz | ARY, Wednesday 8.00pm

Penned by Rida Bilal (Be-Inteha) and directed by Yasir Nawaz, this serial looks very promising. Mansha Pasha shines as Abeer who is secretly (and abusively) married to the bad lad Hasaan (Sami Shah),who is officially marrying Amina Sheikh (in a comeback role as psychologist Ayra). She is ditched at the altar and the runaway groom is replaced by the kind and gentle, younger brother Junaid (Syed Jibran) who becomes the sacrificial goat. The storyline isn’t unfamiliar but the treatment is compelling. The serial includes charismatic film star Ghulam Mohiyuddin and Salman Saeed (Humayun Saeed’s brother) in the cast, complex characters, a vigorous background score and a detailed film-like ambience, making it the perfect mid-week boost.

Imam Zamin | TV One, Monday 8.00pm

Much to the viewers’ disappointment, all hell didn’t break loose when Hina (Iffat Omer) confronts the remorseless, cheater husband Mobin (Noman Ijaz) followed by a defused divorce demand.The scene where abused wife-turned-courageous-woman Nafeesa (Mahjabeen Habib) rubs black ash on her evil husband Iqbal’s (Noor-ul-Hasan) face while he thinks she is having a romantic moment was a fabulous watch — writer Zafar Mairaj and director Shahid Zahoor at their best.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR

Silsilay | Geo TV, Tuesday 8.00pm

Written by Samra Bukhari and directed by Syed Wajahat Hussain, Silsilay might be a great way to start the New Year. The story of a mother’s struggle to protect her two daughters who were abandoned by their father will involve a love triangle between Moomal Sheikh (playing a love-struck girl) and Hiba Bukhari (Thori Si Wafa) and Muneeb Butt (who has done a variety of roles this year). Squaring it out is Junaid Khan (the cool Dr Talal of Sun Yaara).

Published in Dawn, ICON, December 31st, 2017