THE WEEK THAT WAS

Wabaal | Hum TV, Saturdays 8.00pm

This show has a very solid premise, about the evil of predatory lenders who extort exorbitant interest rates. Tired of being poor and living a restricted life, Anum (Sarah Khan) has big dreams which her conservative father cuts short when he forces her to marry Faraz (Talha Chahour). Faraz earns a moderate income but their lifestyle is never enough for Anum, who not only forces her father into debt but pushes Faraz into financial ruin, too.

Anum’s house of cards, built on borrowed money and interest, collapses around her, and Faraz decides to cut his losses and separate from a woman who never seems happy with him as he really is. This serial would have gained from being shorter and picking up the pace. Good performances from Talha Chahour and Sarah Khan are not enough to make up for the constant sermonising and lack of nuance in the story. Shagufta Ejaz and Mohammad Hanbal are also worth watching as the villainous moneylenders.

Pinjra | ARY, Thursdays 8.00pm

This is not the usual story of sudden marriages, failed romances and family politics and, as such, has failed to make an impact in the mass market. This despite it being a well-written script from the late Asma Nabeel that deals with a family going through the unthinkable when their child in fourth grade is accused of committing a murder at his elite private school.

After being put in an adult jail, Abaan (Ahmed Usman) is finally put in a remand home suitable for children his age. Physically assaulted and forced to face a terrible situation beyond his years and experience, the child is traumatised and angry at the system, and his parents. Abaan loses trust in everything and refuses to go home on bail. This show details the labyrinth of hurdles and dead-ends that make the legal system so difficult to navigate for those without influence or powerful friends.

The collusion of lawyers, the lack of transparency and police incompetence make for difficult but authentic viewing. Sensitive, realistic performances from a cast that avoid the cliches of masala and melodrama are the soul of this drama. Perhaps a thriller format might have brought this difficult subject a larger audience.

Hum Dono | Express Entertainment, Thursdays 8.00pm

Maheen (Hira Mani) and Omar (Ahsan Khan) are a happily married couple who are childless by choice, and their happy life seems to be insulated from the usual problems. Their assumptions about each other and their life are suddenly challenged when a stranger leaves a baby at their doorstep.

Omar had a loving mother and what seems like a happy childhood, so he has a rough idea of how to care for the child. However, Maheen is thrown off-balance by the child and it takes her some time to even hold the baby. Flashbacks show she has hidden away the traumas of her childhood, and finds it difficult to attach to children in particular. As the child disrupts their well-regulated lives, will Omar and Maheen grow closer or fall apart, and will Maheen understand what is holding her back from truly trusting her husband?

Good direction from Aabis Raza and excellent portrayals from Ahsan Khan and especially Hira Mani make up for some of the plot loopholes. This unusual and intriguing story is a good effort from writers Nimra Jamil and Warisha Fatima.

What To Watch Out For (or not)

Fairy Tale | Hum TV, Coming soon

Hum TV will be offering another fun, family-oriented serial in the 7 pm slot, starring Sehar Khan and Hamza Sohail. The show has an extra buzz because of the addition of actor Ahad Raza Mir’s brother Adnan Raza Mir in the supporting cast.

Published in Dawn, ICON, February 26th, 2023