A review on Pakistani Comedy TV Series, ‘Ainak Wala Jin’ (1993 – 96) aka ‘Spectacled Genie’. It’s Production and Distribution is done by PTV (Lahore).
+ Crew
- Directed by Hafeez Tahir
- Written by Abdul Hameed
+ Note
Ainak Wala Jin aired on PTV from 1993 –1996. In total it consists of 151 episodes (1 – 4 Seasons). The theme was conceived as a merger of fantasy, real life and science fiction. This drama was re-broadcast two times on television in Pakistan due to public demand. It was widely popular among children for its humor and fictional story line.
The main cast had been invited by many educational institutions and dignitaries like the Governor of Punjab, Pakistan to request for a live performance for them. Even Imran Khan, the legendary cricketer / politician invited them for fund raising of his hospital where the Princess Diana (late) had watched them perform.
Though, it is really sad to know that most of cast members have lived and died under the poor conditions such as Najma (Karnani Churail), Nusrat Ara (Bil Batori) & Munna Lahori.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1534557/ainak-wala-jin-cast-pays-tribute-late-bil-batori-actor/
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1457842/beloved-zakoota-poor-health-financial-turmoil/
+ Main Cast
- Shehzad Qaiser as Nastoor / Ainak Wala Jin
- Munna Lahori as Zakoota Jin
- Ajlal Asim Bukhari as Imran
- Moattar Asim Bukhari as Moattar
- Haseeb Pasha as Hamoon Jadoogar
- Nusrat Ara as Bil Batori
- Asad Bhandara as Charlie Mamu
- Nisar Butt as Umro Ayyar
- Nabeel Ahmad Goheer as Father
- Sehrish Khan as mother / Farkhanda
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+ Supportive Cast
- Ghayyur Akhtar as Samari Jadugar
- Mukhtar Ahmad Shaad as Rehmu Baba
- Zahid Sharif as Jin
- Farooq Butt as Space Chief
- Aneel Chaudhri as Ashkali
- Fariha Pervez as Aini
- Humera Arshad as Toofani Nagan
- Shabnam Majeed as Baaji
- Humza Ghayyur Akhtar as Dubi
- Hamza Bin Tahir as Son of Nastoor
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+ Other Cast
- Jamil Fakhri as Taloos Badshah / Shah Taloos
- Albela as Taya Abba
- Umar Daraz Khalil as Aamlee Jadugar
- Rashid Mehmood as Sarkata Insaan
- Najma as Karnani Churail
- Jamal Pasha as Chotta Jin
- Babu Baral as Jin (cameo)
- N/A as Ankhari Jadugarni
- N/A as Bhabhi
- N/A as Zakootan / Mrs. Zakoota
+ Plot
A genie comes to the earth for his poor visionary treatment. He lands in the Lahore where he meets a young boy who loves fantasies and takes him to a doctor to get him some glasses.
+ High Points
i – The characters were written in such a way to make iconic mainly due to having different attributes, characteristics, and their signature punchlines. Hence, many made themselves quite memorable for their viewers and fans alike.
ii – The makeup & hair styling were unique nonetheless at times even bizarre for applying on different multiple characters. However, it worked well mainly because they belong to a super natural world / nature.
iii – In the start there was a serious concern of having a good budget, to come up with realistic visual effects. So the team had the next best option is to start using camera tricks, special effects in order to show character / objects appearing / disappearing acts in convincing method. At that time, these effects turn out to be very useful and looked somewhat real. However, it is much later on that they started using visual effects but by now there was really no need of it as the special effects did the job really well, made the viewers satisfied to what they were shown on-screen.
iv – The best performances of the two characters I liked the most were of Haseeb Pasha as Hamoon Jadoogar and Munna Lahori as Zakoota Jin. Not only their characters were very well written but also the fact that they performed very well. I waited for them to make their appearances on-screen. Other Honorable Mentions: Nusrat Ara, Shehzad Qaiser, Nisar Butt, Ajlal Asim Bukhari, Moattar Asim Bukhari and Asad Bhandara.
v – The punch lines were of the most interesting points of this series. Not only they were very comic and amusing but also many different characters had their signature lines to be remembered by. Some of which are as below:
- Zakoota Jin: “Mujhe kaam batao, mein kya karoun, mein kis ko khaun”?
- Hamoon Jadugar: “Jubi mera naam Hamoon Jadugar hai koyi Patloon Jadugar nahi” or
- “Jubi meh kehta hu k tu churial nahi daayan hai, meri behen hai. Aaniya Shuaniya…” or
- “Bil Batori, batha chori, khalay kahori, Meh hu Hamoon, Tu hai Dayaan, aaja, aaja, come on, come on…”
- Ankhari Jadugarni: “Andhari raat, Na tara aur na chand, khadm bara, khadm bara, khadm bara…”!
vi – I believe that the direction is satisfactory. Though, working with so many performers for such a long TV series … this was certainly not an easy job to pull off.
vii – Costumes designing of different characters have been rightly suitable to their character’s traits and appearances.
viii – Good editing helps a lot in covering up performance errors, wrong prop placement etc; plus it boasted up the special effects department in making it more interesting and watchable.
ix – The production design may not be perfect but it was above average in almost mid-90s, when this TV series came into being.
x – The overall performances by the entire cast are actually good and at times hilarious even.
xi – Educational messages started to appear in the further episodes for children which is very thoughtful and helpful for their audience rather than just to make for entertainment.
xii – The songs, dances helped to grab more target audience that is children, young adults such as families drawing towards it too.
+ Low Points
i – I can understand, the intense public demand they must be facing to make more episodes than a usual Pakistani TV series has but still, the total number of episodes were way too many. I mean, to have total 151 episodes are a lot! More than what you wish for. The problems Ainak Wala Jin had to face were mainly of proper story continuation. It was just like cartoons, where many times same issues, troubles kept repeating on and on but with no proper outcome to it. Such as the locket of Nastoor that needs to be stolen. To do this, many, many episodes were produced. Similarly, many times Charlie Mamu gets possessed or controlled by Aliens (yes, aliens) where the viewers were forced to watch same repeated problems. It clearly shows how the team was ‘Forced’ to produce.
ii – Most of the times, there was hardly any logic shown in this TV series. The starting episodes strongly indicated that this world is actually a Buffoonish one where weird or unrealistic things doesn’t matters to anyone that much. For example: Imran’s father car starts to fly on top of busy city and the reactions of these main characters were as if ‘Oh, so we are flying? Great’. Or the time when Imran strictly tells Nastoor that he would rather die but would never cheat. And the next thing you know is that Nastoor helps Imran in every game he plays so that he wins every time.
There are some comic Hollywood films who match this kind of world such as ‘The Mask’ (1994), ‘The Road to Morocco’ (1942) and many more.
iii – There were so many sub plots, characters from the mid of the episodes that I lost track and interest from it. The only thing concerned me after losing interest is that just to watch and see what is happening in each episode than to follow the story.
iv – Since there are so many characters that played in this TV series which also has disadvantage of remembering them all but mostly only few who were most interesting ones.
v – They took the finale episode almost too serious. I don’t agree with the writer’s view on the tragic end but it’s possible that the BTS team didn’t wanted to make any more further episodes than they already have and wanted to convince the audience, why they can’t make it any further.
+ Overall
Ainak Wala Jin manages to entertain audience with many of its interesting characters and good humor, but still falls short in terms of good story line and by producing unnecessary numerous episodes.
Rate: 3.75 out of 5 stars
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