A review on Pakistani classic telefilm, Zara Si Aurat (1992). This telefilm is directed by Sultana Siddiqui and written by Noor ul Huda Shah. Zara Si Aurat was part of the PTV ‘Tele-Theater’ program.
+ Crew
Directed by Sultana Siddiqui
Written by Noor ul Huda Shah
+ Note
Zara Si Aurat is a case study of what it means to be a married woman who is torn apart between the wishes of her family and her sense of eternal happiness. Envy and lack of empathy plays an integral role in this melodrama as the protagonist is torn apart between Independence and loyalty to her family.
+ Main Cast
Bushra Ansari as Qudsia
Shafi Muhammad as Asad
Behroze Sabzwari as Ahmed
+ Plot
Qudsia (Bushra Ansari) is trapped in the world of endearment. Her task of a model housewife for her husband Asad (Shafi Muhammad) is destroying her career and worse, her sense of happiness. Enter; Qudsia’s cousin Ahmed (Behroze Sabzwari) who makes a surprise visit to her home. As they both feel compatible with each other’s misery, this leads to anger, envy and despair.
+ High Points
i – ‘Zara Si Aurat’ is undoubtedly a daring piece of small screen cinema. The premise of the Tele Theater starts off as a character study but then swiftly turns into a Shakespearean tragedy. The main protagonists of the telefilm mostly play their roles with conviction and a poignant sense of self-realization.
ii – Bushra Ansari has always been an epitome of revolution in Pakistani television. And ‘Zara Si Aurat’ is one of her finest performances on the small screen.
One of the more memorable dialogue comes early on in the telefilm as Qudsia feels degraded by her husband. She confesses to her friend that she feels like a ‘lesser woman’. A living being without any sense of happiness on the horizon. And hence, comes the title of the Long play.
Qudsia’s character struggles to maintain her identity while being a good wife and a mother. And ultimately, her loyalty leads to her downfall.
iii – Another outstanding performance from the telefilm was from Shafi Muhammad. In all of his previous roles, Shafi has always played the calm, kind hearted man who is empathetic to his fellow man or woman. But not this time. Here, we get to see his sinister side, his pragmatic and contempt for his partner. Shafi Muhammad gives such a unique performance which is a strong departure from all of his previous well renowned roles.
iv – The writer of the telefilmNoor ul Huda Shah did a fantastic job in bringing this story to life. The plot moves at a brisk pace and as the story progresses, the tension becomes more and more intense and with the third act of the telefilm, one is completely engrossed into the narrative of the film.
v – One factor that I always highlight about the Telefilms of the 90s is that they never shy away from powerful endings. And ‘Zara Si Aurat’ is no exception.
+ Low Points
i – Behroze Sabzwari is one of few factors that did not help the telefilm live up to its true potential. This is not a knock against Behroze as an actor but clearly, his performance felt slightly out of place and mildly annoying. So his ‘happy go lucky’ attitude was indeed intentional but a bit of restraint to his performance would have elevated the telefilm towards absolute brilliance. Sadly, his performance did hinder its success.
ii – Of course when it comes to the technical aspects of the telefilm, ‘Zara Si Aurat’ is a victim of its times. The shot composition, the melodramatic music seems bland and ultimately forgettable. The strength of telefilm lies with its premise and brilliant performances from its main cast.
+ Overall
‘Zara Si Aurat’ has a fantastic premise and a memorable ending. One of the best telefilms from the 90s era of Pakistani television.
A review on Pakistani classic telefilm, Achanak! (1993). This telefilm is directed by Iqbal Ansari and written by Asghar Nadeem Syed. Achanak! was part of the PTV ‘Tele-Theater’ program.
+ Crew
Directed by Iqbal Ansari
Written by Asghar Nadeem Syed
Set Design by Qaisar Abbas
+ Note
Achanak! deals with the subject of what it means to be in love with a partner who is significantly older in age and stature. In contrast, the story also tries to unravel the concept of unconditional love between a man and a woman.
+ Main Cast
Talat Hussain as Ahmed Naseem
Fazila Qaisar as Saba
Khalid Zafar as Qadri
Badar Khalil as Irfan Ki Ammi
Dilshad Sabir as Irfan
Wakeel Farooqi as Postman
Rashida Yaqoob as Nokrani
Azmat Ansari as Lateef
Aslam Sheikh as Journalist
Anil Bhatti as Journalist
Abu-ul-Kalam as Journalist
+ Plot
Ahmed Naseem is an accomplished Urdu novelist who is fascinated by the differences between a man and a woman in a romantic relationship. During this time, Ahmed Naseem’s young wife Saba has been receiving anonymous love letters but decides to keep it a secret from her husband. How will Naseem react once he discovers his wife’s secret love affair?
+ High Points
i – Achanak is the kind of Long play that keeps its viewers guessing throughout its runtime. The dramatic tension between Naseem and his young wife Saba is imminently felt through their minimal dialogues, disguised as ‘everyday’ small talk. And that is what makes tele theater so special. The play starts off with a premise but refuses to reveal its cards till the very end.
ii – Talat Hussian is once again brilliant as the disgruntled, cynical writer who (like a true artist) blends the fictional world with reality. Naseem is fully self-aware of his shortcomings as a husband and a lover. Although his wife is always loyal and obedient by embracing the role of a perfect housewife, Naseem knows that he lacks the compassion that his wife desires. His afternoon conversations with his fellow intellectual reveal his inner fear of betrayal. Naseem contemplates day and night that his wife might leave him for a more suitable partner. Someone younger, more down to earth. Perhaps Naseem’s articulate perception of the world forces him away from the immediate reality of his wife and family but the angst constantly remains within his subconsciousness.
iii – Fazila Qaisar plays the wife who longs for love and compassion in her life. While Naseem treats her well, he is handicapped when it comes to unconditional love. At first, Saba finds the anonymous romantic letters abhorrent but eventually, they play the strings of her heart with uttermost precision. It’s as if this person knows what she secretly desires out of a relationship. There might be perhaps some viewers who would perceive Saba as an “unfaithful” wife but that would be severely ignoring Naseem’s role in this telefilm. The story never takes sides and evaluates the flaws in both of these main protagonists.
iv – The ending seemed very befitting to the story. Some viewers might have already predicted halfway through the telefilm but nonetheless, the emotional aspect of the writing plays a vital role in luring in the viewers right till the very end.
+ Low Points
i – Although the writing of the telefilm is good for the most part, the character development of our two leads is quite minimal to the context of the story. It is never made clear why Saba decided to marry Naseem in the first place. Was it an arranged marriage without her consent? Or did she merely desire being married to a writer? By not exploring the characters earlier on, the plot suffers a bit later on when the two leads start to drift apart from one another.
ii – Even though I praised the performances from our two leads above,they do not feel on the same page. Talat Hussian’s approach to acting has always been very ‘Theatrical’ and captivating while Fazila Qaisar’s performance is subtle and more grounded. Now, one could say that Naseem is a writer so naturally, his perception of reality would be noticeably more exuberant than others but it unfortunately works against the tone that the show is trying to set. Is Achanak theatrical in tone or set in the real world?
Apart from our main leads of the show, it is the supporting cast which is the biggest letdown. Either their performances are too timid or unnecessarily exaggerated which clashes heavily (once again) with the tone of the play.
iii – There’s a fairly odd scene where Naseem returns home late in the evening on a horse carriage. Usually, horse carriage rides are utilized by tourists from foreigners who want to experience sightseeing in the city for the first time. Narratively, this scene makes no sense but I suppose the horse carriage visually presents itself better than an enclosed taxi.
iv – Visually, Achanak is once again a product of its time. The images are flat and uninteresting to look at, the shot composition is standard filmmaking 101. Of course, with the time and budget that these productions had, one cannot solely blame the director for it.
+ Overall
The series of ‘Tele Theater’ long plays were known for their hard hitting social questions and Achanak is definitely one of their most memorable entries.
A review on Pakistani feature length film, Zindagi Tamasha (2019). The feature length is directed by Sarmad Khoosat. The film stars Arif Hassan, Samiya Mumtaz and Eman Suleman. The film is produced by Khoosat Films and is distributed by IMGC Global.
+ Crew
Directed by Sarmad Khoosat
Written by Nirmal Bano
Cinematography by Khizer Idrees
Music by Saakin and Shamsher Rana
Produced by Kanwal Khoosat
+ Note
Zindagi Tamasha is one of many films that have been a target of censorship in Pakistan. Although the film was ready for domestic release in 2019, it had since been halted by the local Ulma for various reasons (namely the depiction of the religious Ulma in Pakistan). The film was subjected to heavy criticism by Tehreek-e-Labbaik who proclaimed the film portrays “blasphemous” material concerning the Ulma.
Even though the film was passed by the main Censorship Board of Pakistan, the film continued to conjure up controversy from various religious factions concerning the “disturbing” nature of the film. The filmmaker Sarmad Khoosat was subjected to death threats which ultimately led him to put the film’s release on hold. During the three to four year period, Zindagi Tamasha won numerous awards in International film festivals including the Kim Ji-Seok Award at the Busan International Film Festival. On 3rd of August 2023, the filmmaker decided to release the film to the public online on Youtube and other social platforms. In an emotionally charged introduction before the film, Sarmad explains the reasoning for this decision and urges the public to judge the film for themselves.
The film has been positively received by the viewers, praising the storytelling and direction. Zindagi Tamasha was also sent as an official entry from Pakistan for the 93rd Academy Awards for Best foreign language film.
+ Main Cast
Arif Hassan as Rahat Khawaja
Samiya Mumtaz as Farkhanda
Eman Suleman as Sadaf
Ali Kureshi as Danish
Arslan Khan as Asad
Adeel Afzal as Usman
+ Plot
Rahat Khawaja is a devout Muslim who sings hymns, praising the Prophet Muhmammad (PBUH) in a local Ulma. But Rahat also has another hidden passion of interest; his love for old Punjabi films. While attending a local wedding, Rahat dances to an old, raunchy Punjabi song that secretly gets filmed and is leaked to the general public. And thus, his life devolves into complete chaos.
+ High Points
i – Zindagi Tamasha is not just a film about Pakistan; it is a universal story. It touches and seeps into every culture and society where intolerance is prevalent, where empathy is nowhere to be found. Zindagi Tamasha is one of those films that need to be seen by every Pakistani. And as it was clearly evident from the trailers, the film is neither against any particular Ulma nor does it portray being “a devout muslim” in a negative light. It is simply a story of lack of tolerance that plagues our society, where we cannot stand a person living their life the way they want to. Sarmad Khoosat has done a fantastic job in bringing this story onto the silver screen.
ii – There could not have been a better casting than Arif Hassan as the blacklisted Ulma. Perhaps there could have been dozens of other actors who could surpass him when it comes to performance but his physical presence plays an integral role in the film. Just by his dejected face, one could easily sympathize with him and the hardships he has to face throughout the film. Can being an Ulma and his passion for low budget Punjabi films not co-exist? Do we all not have skeletons in our closets? Rahat does not speak much throughout the film but when he does, it undeniably grabs your attention. His character (the ill-fated Ulma) Rahat Khawaja is by no means a perfect being. He neglects his wife at times, he is oblivious to his daughter’s lack of respect for him, his obsession with old Punjabi films somehow surpasses everything else in his life but… he tries. None of us excel in whatever we try to accomplish in our lives but in order to tackle our own personal failures, we need to sprinkle a bit of unimportant distractions in our lives.
iii – The cinematography by Khizer Idrees was simply outstanding. The framing of each scene visually communicated what our main protagonist was going through at the time. And this is what great visual storytelling is all about. The elimination of expository dialogue was smartly replaced by a static frame of visual poetry.
iv – The supporting cast also played an integral role in displaying the world Rahat lives in. Eman Suleman plays the role of Sadaf, the daughter of Rahat who is severely disillusioned by her father’s nonchalant attitude towards life. She expects her father to take better care of her bed-ridden mother. The leaked video merely plays a catalyst which further ignites her hatred towards her father. These are all key elements in creating drama just through good writing and one really has to applaud Nirmal Bano for all her efforts as the screenwriter of the film.
v – The mise-en-scene of the film feels utterly authentic in every way possible. Each corner of the street feels real, each background extra feels like someone you briefly met with in your past. Sarmad Khoosat and his team made extra strides to make the world of Zindagi Tamasha as authentic as possible. The scene during the 12th Rabi ul Awal felt like a fever dream as the disillusioned Rahat walks slowly back home, dejected and heartbroken.
vi – But the film can only be as good as it ends. But suffice to say, Zindagi Tamasha ends in the most appropriate manner possible.
+ Low Points
i – With all its accomplishments, the narrative of the film did feel rushed at times. The most egregious example has to be the wedding scene. What compelled Rahat to suddenly perform a saucy, exotic dance, knowing full well the position he is known for in his community. This scene needed a better build to it, have his comrades force him a bit (not physically but with friendly banter), encourage him more to be “his true self” in front of his close friends. This all could have made Rahat more confident in letting his guard down and reveal his hidden love for Punjabi films.
ii – While the performance of Samiya Mumtaz as Farkhanda (Rahat’s wife) was good, her character felt more like a plot device and not an individual character of her own. Her severe illness was just there to garner sympathy from the viewers and a plot device to ignite further resentment between the father and daughter. What is Farkhanda’s character? Unfortunately I cannot answer that because there was almost no development behind it throughout the film’s runtime.
+ Overall
With tremendous storytelling, breath-taking cinematography and great direction, Zindagi Tamasha deserves a much better fate than just being uploaded on youtube.
A review on Pakistani classic telefilm, Adam, Hawwa aur Shaitaan (1994). This telefilm is directed by M. Zaheer Khan and written by Naheed Akhtar Sultana. Adam, Hawwa aur Shaitaan was part of the ‘Tele-Theater’ program and aired on PTV in 1994.
+ Crew
Directed by M. Zaheer Khan
Written by Naheed Akhtar Sultana
Music by Javed Allah Ditta
Cinematography by Asrar Nadim, Muhammad Ijaz, Salman Naji Abdul Mujeeb and Abdul Muhammad
+ Note
In the 1990’s, PTV Tele-Theater was famous for its low budget production but tackled daring societal issues of Pakistan. Adam, Hawwa aur Shaitaan takes its cues (as the name suggests) from the verses of the Holy Quran where Hazrat Adam and Bibi Hawwa were misled by Shaitaan and were then banished by God from Heaven forever.
+ Main Cast
Shafi Muhammad Shah as Hafeez
Zahin Tahira as Buwa
Humaira Zaheer as Husna
Wakeel Farooqi as Naseer
Abdullah Kadwani as Muzammil
Rashida Yaqoob as Zoni
M.D Gul as Basheer (Doodh Wala)
Mehmood Ali as Imam Masjid
+ Plot
Hafeez is a successful Real Estate agent who yearns for romantic fulfillment in his life. After a woman by the name of Husna approaches him for a hand in marriage in order to avoid certain pending problems, Hafeez accepts the offer and it seems like Adam has finally met his Hawwa. Unfortunately, their marriage quickly dissolves into chaos as Husna gets seduced by ‘Shaitan’ who goes by the name of Naseer.
+ High Points
i – Regardless of its low budget, there is a certain charm and a daring sense of realism behind PTV’s Tele-Theater days. And this unfortunately cannot be said for the current TV dramas. The question of infidelity and marital problems create intriguing melodrama for the plot as Hafeez, who is perhaps twice the age of his spouse, cannot keep her content because she yearns for something that he cannot provide. Even though the telefilm takes its time to set up the story and its characters, it does reward its viewers for their patience with excellent performances and wonderful dramatic set pieces.
ii – I’ve always been a fan of Shafi Muhammad Shah. He was unique in his quiet yet stern performances and there has been no other actor in Pakistani television who could ever replicate his talent on screen. His enigmatic and captivating performance as Hafeez is memorable as he pays the ultimate price for his generosity.
iii – The main cast of the show is unique in its characterization and fairly well balanced. Each character’s motivations and desires are well defined to set up the core conflict of the telefilm.
iv – As expected, the story between ‘Adam and Hawwa’ does not end well for either side and once again, just goes to show how bold and fearless the content was on mainstream Pakistani television back then. Admittedly, the production quality was mediocre at best but the writing and performances brought so much to the table. These shows lingered on with you in your thoughts long after the show ended and Adam, Hawwa aur Shaitaan is no exception.
+ Low Points
i – As previously mentioned, the production of the show is obviously bare minimum. There is a single set location of a street which is repeatedly used throughout its runtime, the camera work is unimaginative and there is absolutely nothing that could visually entice you as a viewer. Modern viewers might easily be discouraged due to its slow pacing, darb colors and uninspired visual presentation.
ii – While the characters are all enigmatic, the show does not really allow the viewer to decide who they should root for. Clearly we are led to sympathize with Hafeez who, as a good husband, provides a comfortable life for his wife Husna but in return, she just wants more out of life. It is indeed greed that destroys any chance of happiness for Buwa as she gets seduced by the ‘devil’ Naseer who makes false promises to her and takes advantage of her vulnerability.
There is some degree of reasoning given for Husna’s erratic, impulsive behavior, hidden in the form of massive age difference between her and the husband but it is not nearly enough to sway the viewers away from understanding Husna’s point of view.
+ Overall
Adam, Hawwa aur Shaitaan is a cautionary tale of Love, Hatred and Innocence. This telefilm is yet another example why the present TV dramas are spineless in comparison to the golden years of Pak television.
A review on Pakistani classic telefilm, Pehli Chori (1999). This low budget telefilm is directed by Khursheed-ul-Hassan and written by Banoo Qudsia. Pehli Chori was aired on PTV in 1999.
+ Crew
Directed by Khursheed-ul-Hassan
Written by Banoo Qudsia
Cinematography by Aslam Sheikh
Editing by M. Hamza Max
Production by Rahim Khan and Naveed Ahmad
+ Note
Pehli Chori is a showcase of future Pakistani television talents, Sania Saeed and Nauman Ijaz. The telefilm is primarily visualized as a long stage play, tackling issues like poverty and abuse of higher power.
+ Main Cast
Noman Ijaz as Ali
Sania Saeed as Bushra
Firdous Jamal as Doctor Daud Kazmi
Roohi Khan as Kishwar
Khyam Sarhadi as Baba Roray Maar
Tariq Mustafa as Azhar
+ Plot
Bushra and Ali are a middle aged married couple who are financially struggling to maintain their status quo. As their young son falls fatally ill, the parents are struggling to pay for his medical treatment by any means necessary.
+ High Points
i – If you are a fan of Nauman Ijaz or Sania Saeed, its great to see them as young and upcoming talents of Pakistani television. Even with budgetary and creative constraints, the chemistry between the two actors is fairly evident and noteworthy. Their performances might be a bit rough around the edges but one can see how these veteran actors have grown throughout the decades to improve upon their craft as legends in the business.
ii – Even though the production standards are incredibly outdated, the thematic elements of the telefilm have not. The issues of unemployment and abuse of power are still as prevalent as they were 25 years ago. Inadvertently, it also portrays issues that are severely lacking from the Pakistani television of today. No ‘Saas/ Bahu’ melodramas but rather, addressing societal issues head on.
iii – Pehli Chori has a good heart but the execution of the script, production and some of the performances cannot be ignored. But all that said, I do have to admit, the telefilm had the courage to give it an appropriate bleak ending. This is undoubtedly a bold move that I cannot ever imagine happening in the television of our present day.
+ Low Points
i – Clocking in at an hour’s length, Pehli Chori is a hard watch for sure. Tonal inconsistencies, terrible production work, some fairly oddball performances from the supporting cast makes Pehli Chori a difficult time to sit through. And it’s a shame because even back then, it was fairly obvious that Sania Saeed and Nauman Ijaz work so well together onscreen. Their pairing makes the telefilm almost worth a watch.
ii – It is by no means an exaggeration when I say that Pehli Chori has terrible production (even for its time!). The camerawork seems completely amateurish as there are multiple scenes with overexposed backgrounds, the music is at times overlapping on spoken dialogues, scenes purposefully shot in a single take in order to save time and budget, odd music choices that misrepresent the tone of the scene and I could just go on. Technically, this telefilm should have never been allowed to air on national television with this quality of production.
Whenever I watch a classic Pakistani drama, I always try to keep in mind the budgetary/ skill limitations of the production as well as the censorship but unfortunately, Pehli Chori was fairly outdated even back then.
iii – On one hand, Bushra accuses her husband Ali of infidelity and it is always played for laughs for some reason. But as Bushra confronts her employer regarding the cash she needs for her son’s treatment, the topic of infidelity is now all of a sudden supposed to be taken with utmost seriousness. You cannot have your cake and eat it too, one needs to establish a tone for their show in the first 5 minutes and follow through with it.
iv – Firdous Jamal as Doctor Daud Kazmi was arguably the most absurd performance I have seen in all of my classic reviews. While the other actors’ performances imitated reality, Firdous Jamal went for a more “Shakespearean” route for some reason. The inner monologues, the random emphasizes on certain phrases, the absurd dialogue delivery which felt so out of place for the telefilm; I can just imagine the director was nervous enough not to fill in Jamal sahib that this is a telefilm replicating reality and not a punjabi stage play.
+ Overall
Pehli Chori has a lot of heart behind its shoestring budget and terrible production quality but ultimately, it is a tough gig to sit through. Only recommended for diehard Nauman Ijaz/ Sania Saeed fans who would like to witness the genesis of their onscreen chemistry together.
A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Sar-e-Rah (2023). The six episode TV mini-series is directed by Ahmed Bhatti and written by Adeel Razzaq & Abdullah Seja. Sar-e-Rah is a collection of short visual stories, perceived through the eyes of a female Taxi Driver, Rania (played by Saba Qamar). Known for its tackling of challenging subject matters, Sar-e-Rah was aired on ARY Digital in early 2023.
+ Crew
Directed by Ahmed Bhatti
Written by Adeel Razzaq & Abdullah Seja
Cinematography by Luqman Khan
Editing by Arsalan Waheed
Music by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Mohsin Allah Dittah and Naveed Nashad
Production by ARY Digital
+ Note
Sar-e-Rah is a six episode mini-series which is solely focused on the tribulations that a woman (and minorities) have to face in a Pakistani society. Whether it is being harassed at work, being a single parent, having a viral video taken out of context or having a different sexual orientation; Sar-e-Rah highlights all those topics through short television episodes through the eyes of a female cab driver, Rania.
+ Main Cast
Saba Qamar as Rania
Sunita Marshall as Dr. Muzna
Saboor Ali as Rameen
Muneeb Butt as Sarang
Hareem Farooq as Maryam
Mirza Zain Baig as Shozaib
Mikaal Zulfiqar as Amir
+ Plot
After tragedy strikes the family, Rania has no choice but to continue the family business on behalf of her ailing father i.e. working as a cab driver. While on the road, she encounters four brave individuals who share their life experiences with her.
+ High Points
i – In terms of its conception, Sar-e-Rah is brilliant, well throughout the mini series. By dividing each story into its separate episode, Sar-e-Rah gives a wonderful insight into the lives of individuals who suffer from taking a path which revolts against the misogynist norms of our society. Where Sar-e-Rah truly excels for me is the simple storytelling. Each episode ends with an introduction to a new character and the next episode then elaborates and builds up this individual’s backstory through a lengthy flashback. Not only is this a great concept for storytelling but also quite an engaging one as this strategy makes certain that the audience will most likely tune in for the next episode. Granted, this technique would get old fast in a longer TV series but for a six episode mini-series, works perfectly fine.
ii – Saba Qamar’s character is a perfect vessel for the audience to peep into the lives of the four individuals that she meets along her journey of self-emancipation. The questioning of her character to her clients are impeccably written as they ask the same question that the audience of the show might have in regards to their life stories. Her character Rania is a smart, confident woman who is open to learning from other life experiences around her.
iii – Not all episodes are a homerun but the ones that do shine are the most effective ones. Case in point, Dr. Munza and her struggle to adopt a child. The episode brilliantly exposes the hypocrisy from the society between a husband and wife. The couple cannot conceive a child so naturally it is the woman at fault. Dr. Munza is perplexed and heartbroken as her husband is comfortable with shoving the blame on her when he, in fact, is the one that cannot conceive a child. Along the way, Dr. Munza comes across an abandoned baby in her clinic and promises to protect and adopt the child at all costs. And as one would expect, her husband and mother in law disown her completely and she has no choice but to become a single mother.
Sunita Marshall is perfect casting for the role as she has the ability to play a tortured yet brave woman who can stand up against her so-called authority figures.
iv – Perhaps the most difficult topic to tackle for the show was (unsurprisingly) Episode 4; the boy who was different from others. Just for attempting to bring the topic of homosexuality and transsexual on Pak TV screens is enough to set the internet on fire. Whether you are for individual rights or not, these people exist in our society and are part of our daily lives. And it is important that they are represented as part of us on national television.
While personally not a fan of the network, ARY Digital should be praised for its “controversial” Karachi beach chat between the father and son. I can imagine how much pressure and anticipation for backlash the network prepared for before releasing this episode. All because the father told his son that he will love him no matter what sexual orientation he chooses in the future.
v – The original soundtrack of the show is splendid. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s magnificent voice captures the struggle and intensity of the characters. The music accompanying each scene provides an additional touch to its emotional drama and never overstays its welcome.
+ Low Points
i – Sar-e-Rah had a great concept but faltered mostly in its execution. The illustrious cast of characters have great, individual personalities with serious, real life issues but the supporting cast of “villains” are depicted as cartoonishly evil with unrealistic dialogue and personalities. The show never went to the next level because the writing of the show never allowed it. There is no doubt that Sar-e-Rah is a show with a bold premise but if the problems are real, the world that it is set in also needs to feel realistic. The show is too busy depicting ‘Good vs Evil’ when in fact, the world is mostly consisting of gray areas.
ii – With all the good that Sar-e-Rah brought onto our television screens, not every episode worked to its strength (namely Episode 3 and 5). The Tik-Tok star episode really had genuine emotions behind its storytelling but the performances and cookie-cutter antagonists just ended up making the episode mediocre at best.
Episode 5 with Maryam (the career oriented woman) felt like it missed its mark by a long shot. Unlike the other protagonists in the show, Maryam felt very unlikable with her mannerisms as she felt that the society “owed” her success in her career rather than her talent earning that success. Her male colleagues are cartoonish scumbags but Maryam’s overconfidence also made her so unsympathetic that as a viewer, I couldn’t care less who wins the pitch with the client in the end. They were all fairly unlikable.
iii – The last episode was massively disappointing as each of the stories were forced into a “wholesome” conclusion from the show. Either all the antagonists were embarrassed or they suddenly gained a new perception in life which narratively made no sense. Sar-e-Rah started off with a bang and ended in a whimper.
+ Overall
Sar-e-Rah is a show with bold writing and a strong cast of characters but ultimately fails to capture the realism of the world that it sets itself in.
A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Meri Shehzadi Episode 23 (2022). The new TV series is directed by Qasim Ali Mureed and written by Zanjbeel Asim Shah. Meri Shehzadi is a story of a girl with a tragic past but is destined to become Royalty. Can she handle the responsibilities that come with it? Meri Shehzadi is an MD Productions and HUM TV Production.
+ Crew
Directed by Qasim Ali Mureed
Written by Zanjbeel Asim Shah
Produced by Momina Duraid
Production by MD Productions
+ Note
The story of Meri Shehzadi is inspired by the real life story of the late Princess Diana from the United Kingdom. The show explores the expectations that corrupts the innocent and discourages empathy towards the common man.
+ Main Cast
Urwa Hocane as Dania
Ali Rehman as Shehroz
Sabeen Farooq as Bisma
Muazzam Ali Khan
Sonia Mishal
Najiba Faiz
Atiqa Odho
Shabbir Jan
Nauman Maqsood
Qavi Khan as Dania’s Nana
Shamim Hilaly as Dania’s Nani
+ Plot
Raised by her loving Grandparents, Dania is born in a royal family who is destined for greatness in life. After meeting her future husband and entering the political monarchy of Pakistan, Dania must face the trials and tribulations that come along with the life of royalty.
+ High Points
i – The story progressed to a minimal degree (and I am being extremely generous here).
+ Low Points
i – Episode 23 was just ridiculous. Meri Shehzadi has now entered the “trashy” section of Pakistani television (or as I would like to call it, Geo TV programs). Slaps galore! It has now become a staple that whenever a husband physically abuses his wife, the wife returns the favor. Our main protagonist is being constantly drugged and her pseudo doctor boyfriend also can’t figure this mystery out. Scheming maids, evil Mother in Laws and more!
Last week, I was being overly optimistic for the show’s future but this episode proved me wrong. This might be the lowest point of this show’s lifespan.
ii – The show runners clearly have no idea how drugs work since Urwa Hocane’s performance is unnecessarily exaggerated. All of a sudden, her entire character has changed as she is snapping at people who supported her left and right, smashing kebab plates (off screen) and whatnot. One could understand if such behavior came in phases but not as a constant entity. Comical writing accompanied by outlandish performance. Terrible!
iii – Look at this screenshot from the episode. The video on the phone apparently leaped out of its screen and overlapped the spoon. Is this the standard of Hum TV productions now??
iv – This show has currently no sense of direction. The character growth that we thought we witnessed has evaporated into thin air so the script can make room for some nonsense, trashy back and forth between the characters.This has to be one of the worst episodes that this show has put out. And we, as an audience, deserve better quality writing from Hum TV productions.
+ Overall
Unapologetic, trashy television that should have no place on national television.
A review on Pakistani feature length film, Joyland (2022). The controversial feature length debut is written and directed by Saim Sadiq. The film stars Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, and Salmaan Peerzada. The film centers around the Rana family as the head of the family yearns for the birth of another boy from his son, Haider. Joyland is distributed by Film Constellation.
+ Crew
Directed by Saim Sadiq
Written by Saim Sadiq and Maggie Briggs
Cinematography by Joe Saade
Edited by Saim Sadiq and Jasmin Tenucci
Music by Abdullah Siddiqui
Produced by Apoorva Guru Charan, Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, Sabiha Sumar and Lauren Mann
+ Note
Due to its thematic elements of a married man falling in love with a transgender woman, the film Joyland has received massive criticism from religious groups within Pakistan (believing it was against “Pakistani and Islamic values”). But on the other end of the spectrum, the film has met with critical success and has been screened in film festivals around the world. Even with immense pressure from the religious groups, the film was eventually released in some parts of Pakistan (while heavily edited due to its content). Joyland was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and was short listed for Academy Awards for ‘Best Foreign Film’ but did not make the final five at the end.
+ Main Cast
Ali Junejo as Haider
Rasti Farooq as Mumtaz
Alina Khan as Biba
Sarwat Gilani as Nucchi
Salmaan Peerzada as Rana Amanullah
Sohail Sameer as Saleem
Sania Saeed as Fayyaz
+ Plot
In the inner depths of Lahore, lives the Rana family where the father (Salmaan Peerzada) wants his son Haider (Ali Junejo) to provide him a grandson. But with his marriage falling apart, Haider meets a transgender dancer Biba (Alina Khan) and against all odds, falls in love.
+ High Points
i – With all the hype and controversies surrounding the film, Joyland is indeed one of the best Independent films Pakistan has ever produced. The film explores the underbelly of our society as it casts a light onto individuals who apparently “do not exist” or are not worthy of being Pakistani. Joyland is a quintessential character exploration drama where our protagonist Haider is being forced to abide with the patriarchy of his father and his forefathers; he must produce a son in order to keep his family lineage going. But Haider, on the other hand, is a gentle soul who lacks the courage to stand up to his father and break the patriarchal shackles once and for all. He is afraid as we all are in our society. Afraid to stand up for one’s self. Afraid to speak out against a blatant lie. Afraid to be just ourselves. With its subject matter, Joyland undoubtedly divides its audience to the core but it also accomplished work of art by being an essential introspective of our Pakistani society.
ii – The film has a talented cast of actors. The chemistry between the onscreen married couple; Haider and Mumtaz (played excellently by Rasti Farooq) brings a sense of dread and remorse to its viewers. Haider is incapable of giving her the love and attention that she deserves. Like many Pakistanis, he is forced to live the life that fate dictates him.
Whenever the actors share a scene together, Rasti and Ali bring out the best in each other. They laugh, make fun of each other but at the same time, cannot convey the claustrophobic sense of dread that is killing them from the inside. And that, in its own way, is poetic to the landscape of cinema.
iii – The chemistry between Bibi and Haider on the other hand is vastly different. Here, Haider finally has the chance to break away from the ever watchful eye of his father and become an individual that he did not even dared in his wildest dreams. But ever the pessimist, Haider’s joke of the mosquito and chicken falling in love and eventually dying of each other’s diseases set up the tone to the life Haider is accustomed to. He knows pursuing Biba is off limits and won’t end well for either of them.
Alina Khan as Biba is abrasive but honest in her performance. To implement one’s real life experiences of being a Transgender in a conservative society like Pakistan is never an easy task but Alina gives a fantastic performance as the dream girl for Haider. The woman who can force out the hidden rebellion out of him. Joyland thrives the most when both such contrasting chemistries play on screen and make the viewers understand just a little better where Haider comes from.
iv – The film is shot in an aspect ratio of 4:3 (which is more of an “equal box screen size”) and it plays an essential role for the film. The aspect ratio gives the cinematographer Joe Saade ample chance to create claustrophobic images which heightens the sense of unease and angst. Our characters at times want to break through the limited space of the frame, leap out of the screen and run towards a better, carefree future. Throughout the film, we get to witness numerous close ups of individual character heads as they feel trapped inside the images, yearning to escape. The director Saim Sadiq made an excellent decision with the aspect ratio which certainly paid off for the film.
v – There are some mesmerizing imagery in the film which bring a sense of fever dream at times. The scene where Biba and Haider share a drink in a room lit by the neon lights from the exterior was executed with perfection. Moving pictures are always visual narratives first and Saim Sadiq has a keen eye in presenting that without relying too much on spoken dialogues. The tone and the atmosphere that the film creates speaks volumes about our characters and what dystopian atmosphere they are forced to grow up in.
vi – But all is not doom and gloom. The actual “Joyland” scene of the film is the only time where we saw our characters (just for a brief period of time) forget their troubles, their hardships, their pessimistic futures disappear just so they can enjoy this one moment in time together. On the surface level, this scene might seem inconsequential but it was essential to the overall narrative of the film.
+ Low Points
Major SPOILERS ahead. If you would like to avoid it, please skip to Overall section:
i – Joyland unfortunately suffers from a shift of narrative half way through the film which did not work. The first half of the film focuses on Haider, his struggles with the expectations from the family, his forbidden romance with Biba and coming to terms with his sexuality. The second half focuses on Mumtaz, her need of attention from her husband, the unexpected pregnancy and the eventual suicide. I am not entirely sure why the narrative of the film was constructed in such a way as it would leave many viewers perplexed as to who the main character of the film is. The first half is about the forbidden love of Haider and the second half is the consequences on his wife because of it? Would she have committed suicide regardless of Haider’s affair? On one hand, the film wants us to root for Haider to embrace his sexuality but later on, the character of Biba and the love affair is completely ignored as the film decides to focus on Mumtaz who inadvertently becomes the main character of the film.
It’s great that the film shows the consequences of the decisions that our protagonist makes onto the supporting characters but by completely shifting the focus of our main character creates such a divide and leaves the viewers with a lingering thought of what they were supposed to take out from all this?
ii – The whole father’s love affair with the neighbor felt unnecessary and a distraction to the film’s main narrative. Yes, it showed that even hardliners of the family also do not like the patriarchal system that they have been brought up in but the whole scene felt like an afterthought to the main premise of the film.
+ Overall
Abrasive, cruel and an honest case study of our society, Joyland is a film that dawns a new light onto Pakistani cinema. An essential watch.
A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Meri Shehzadi Episode 22 (2022). The new TV series is directed by Qasim Ali Mureed and written by Zanjbeel Asim Shah. Meri Shehzadi is a story of a girl with a tragic past but is destined to become Royalty. Can she handle the responsibilities that come with it? Meri Shehzadi is an MD Productions and HUM TV Production.
+ Crew
Directed by Qasim Ali Mureed
Written by Zanjbeel Asim Shah
Produced by Momina Duraid
Production by MD Productions
+ Note
The story of Meri Shehzadi is inspired by the real life story of the late Princess Diana from the United Kingdom. The show explores the expectations that corrupts the innocent and discourages empathy towards the common man.
+ Main Cast
Urwa Hocane as Dania
Ali Rehman as Shehroz
Sabeen Farooq as Bisma
Muazzam Ali Khan
Sonia Mishal
Najiba Faiz
Atiqa Odho
Shabbir Jan
Nauman Maqsood
Qavi Khan as Dania’s Nana
Shamim Hilaly as Dania’s Nani
+ Plot
Raised by her loving Grandparents, Dania is born in a royal family who is destined for greatness in life. After meeting her future husband and entering the political monarchy of Pakistan, Dania must face the trials and tribulations that come along with the life of royalty.
+ High Points
i – Episode 22 starts off with Shahana Bajhi a.k.a Dania’s Mother in Law as she wants to retaliate and take everything away from Dania. With each passing meal, Dania is being secretly drugged to deteriorate her health and present her as a mother who is incapable of taking care of her children. With each scene, we can see Dania growing irritable and incapacitated. On the other hand, the Mother in Law is also trying to manipulate her other daughter in law, Cam. Brought up in her “western culture”, Cam has a hard time adjusting to the requirements presented by her Mother in Law. Episode 22 was good because it presented storyprogression from both ends and each character played its role with significance to the overall plot of the show.
ii – It’s fairly interesting that even though Cam craves for her husband’s approval, she is still unwilling to sacrifice her character in the process. She likes to wear western clothing, hug her male friends and dance into the night. Even with immense pressure from Shahana Baji, she is unwilling to conform to the “norms” of a Pakistani housewife. It is also intriguing to notice that the show does not really take sides but rather, let the viewers decide who is right in this situation; the overbearing mother in law or the stubborn daughter in law?
+ Low Points
i – The “party” scene was so utterly ridiculous. For some reason, the footage was sped up to make the scene “chaotic”, the camera was entirely focused on hors d’oeuvres and not the guests mingling with one another. The scene felt flat for what the show was trying to accomplish.
ii – Dr. Hasan has been a very disappointing character for me. Even though he has mellowed out since the last few episodes, his romance with Dania feels non-existent at this point. Aren’t we supposed to root for them to be together? And speaking of ignored characters, Shehroz has become non-existent at this point which is such a shame.
iii – Drugged or not, I cannot imagine that a character like Dania would throw the kebabs plate onto the wall because they were “too spicy”. From what we have been accustomed to, it is not in Dania’s character.
+ Overall
With devious plans and the clash of polar opposite characters, Episode 22 was an entertaining one.
A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Meri Shehzadi Episode 21 (2022). The new TV series is directed by Qasim Ali Mureed and written by Zanjbeel Asim Shah. Meri Shehzadi is a story of a girl with a tragic past but is destined to become Royalty. Can she handle the responsibilities that come with it? Meri Shehzadi is an MD Productions and HUM TV Production.
+ Crew
Directed by Qasim Ali Mureed
Written by Zanjbeel Asim Shah
Produced by Momina Duraid
Production by MD Productions
+ Note
The story of Meri Shehzadi is inspired by the real life story of the late Princess Diana from the United Kingdom. The show explores the expectations that corrupts the innocent and discourages empathy towards the common man.
+ Main Cast
Urwa Hocane as Dania
Ali Rehman as Shehroz
Sabeen Farooq as Bisma
Muazzam Ali Khan
Sonia Mishal
Najiba Faiz
Atiqa Odho
Shabbir Jan
Nauman Maqsood
Qavi Khan as Dania’s Nana
Shamim Hilaly as Dania’s Nani
+ Plot
Raised by her loving Grandparents, Dania is born in a royal family who is destined for greatness in life. After meeting her future husband and entering the political monarchy of Pakistan, Dania must face the trials and tribulations that come along with the life of royalty.
+ High Points
i – Unlike the previous episode, this week had better plot development. Dr. Hasan is now trying to convince Dania to reconsider a second marriage with him in order to maintain her public image. The mother in law of course wants to destroy everything around Dania and take her place once again as the head of the table. Meri Shehzadi suffers from plot structure and bad writing but the events of each scene are communicated with clarity to the viewers which makes it easy to follow and revisit each and every week for the next plot development.
+ Low Points
i – Meri Shehzadi has just drizzled down to mediocrity. All characters have just become cartoonish caricatures of themselves, plot development from previous episodes are ignored or incomplete, the individual personas of the main cast do not matter anymore as the plot has finally gone into auto pilot. Events need to happen not because they had been carefully developed throughout the show but rather to the requirement of the script. Case in point; Dania’s marriage to Dr. Hasan. In the last episode, the doctor indirectly insulted Dania and let out his frustration towards his mother for not agreeing to his previous love interest. And now, he just wants to “save” Dania. Not only is this plot point so far removed from the real Princess Diana’s affair with the Pakistani doctor but it also makes no sense to the plot of this show. If Dania ends up marrying the doctor, would that not make the rumors true that she did indeed have an affair with him behind her husband’s back?
ii – The chemistry and romance between Dania and Dr. Hasan is surprisingly one of the weaker parts of the show. And the fault not only lies in the performances but the script itself. The written dialogues try so hard to sound deep and meaningful but end up being cliche and uninteresting. The scenes shared between the two could have made or break the show but unfortunately for Meri Shehzadi, the romance feels forced and unmotivated.
iii – There were a couple of times in episode 21 where I openly groaned while watching the show. The writing has drastically become incredibly lame and the scenes like the mother in law using the chess board to hammer down the game of politics. Yes, politics is like a game of chess. Thank you for that visual reminder! And later on, the doctor and the grandpa also find some time to play a game of chess. Just a word of advice from the viewer; Symbolism only works if it’s subtle. Otherwise, it just comes off as contrived.
iv – It’s a pity that Shehroz has been almost entirely removed from the plot. He was always one of the few interesting characters of the show and Dr. Hasan unfortunately does not possess the complexity that Shehroz had.
+ Overall
The chemistry and romance between Dania and Dr. Hasan is surprisingly one of the weaker parts of the show.
out of 5 stars 
out of 5 stars 
out of 5 stars 
out of 5 stars 
out of 5 stars 
out of 5 stars 
out of 5 stars 
out of 5 stars 
out of 5 stars 
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