A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 8 (2021). The new TV series is directed by Shehzad Kashmiri and written by Hashim Nadeem. Parizaad is a Momina Duraid Production.
(Note: If you’ve already read the review of the previous episode, you can skip directly ahead to the High points section).
+ Crew
- Directed by Shehzad Kashmiri
- Written by Hashim Nadeem
- Produced by Momina Duraid Productions
+ Note
Parizaad is based on a novel by Hashim Nadeem and is a case study of a protagonist who cannot seem to find his place in a world where illicit behaviour and exploitation is rewarded over truth and kindness. The show explores the lower middle class societal problems of Pakistan and how a wallflower like Parizaad is never appreciated by our society.
The director of the show Shehzad Kashmiri is a well respected cinematographer who then moved towards directing TV shows. He also directed a feature length film Bin Roye in 2015 which earned him a nomination for Best Film Director at 15th Lux Style Awards.
+ Main Cast
- Noman Ejaz
- Ahmed Ali Akbar
- Syed Muhammad Ahmed
- Urwa Hussain
- Ushna Shah
- Yumna Zaidi
- Saboor Ali
- Mashal Khan
- Tipu Shah
- Kiran Tabeer
+ Plot
Born in a world of neglect and hurt, Parizaad is an innocent soul that differs from everyone. He is kind, thoughtful and a gentle soul who due to his nature and appearance, does not fit the societal norms of Pakistani culture. Will the devious modern society engulf Parizaad into its darkness or will he remain a beacon of hope and all that is good in Life?
+ High Points
i – Episode 8 brought out all the elements which make Parizaad such a unique show to watch. Through the eyes of our protagonist, we get to witness the injustices of our society, how the influence of money and power can destroy those around you and the moral journey that Parizaad must walk through alone. The writer Hashim Nadeem has done a wonderful job in portraying the true yet cruel nature of our species and how it gnaws away on the less unfortunate ones.
ii – The revelation of Lubna’s fate in this episode was bold and courageous. Without revealing much, I am pleasantly surprised that the creative team of the show had the gall to go into this direction on National television. And best of all, the twist in the story made sense and was not portrayed just out of ‘shock’ value.
iii – I can never stress this enough how great Ahmed Ali Akbar’s performance is in this show. He has a tender soul but yet, is being constantly confronted by the harsh realities of Life. It absolutely baffles me that Ahmed Ali Akbar was not the show’s first choice to play Parizaad but I am glad that they decided on him at the end. Parizaad as a show works solely because of the actor’s magnificent performance and it will be quite a letdown if he does not end up bagging nominations during the award season.
iv – What we also don’t see very often in Pakistani dramas nowadays is a genuine, loving relationship between a brother and his sister. In terms of storytelling, it was a wise decision to have Parizaad’s motivations be connected to his sister’s wellbeing as she serves as his last getaway to his family. Kiran Tabeer as Saeeda plays a key role in her brother’s life as she might be the only “soul” Parizaad can save from the wretched evils of our society who also possesses a pure heart like himself. They are the kindred spirits who still resist the urge to be enveloped towards the dark side and still want to believe the good in people.
v – The scene where Parizaad has to confront the business tycoon Noman Bashir was the highlight of Episode 8. The depiction of Parizaad’s desperation and hopelessness towards humanity and our society is very apparent in the scene. As a viewer, you do end up feeling pity and to a certain extent, guilt as we all somehow contribute to this horrible cycle of rewarding evil deeds and bashing the innocent in the process.
+ Low Points
i – The only minor criticism I have of the episode is that midway through its runtime, there were some “filler” scenes which were not whole lot necessary and served only as minor character building moments. Personally, I understand the purpose behind them but it may be possible that some viewer’s attention span might wander off during those scenes but I can only advise to follow through the whole episode as it is one of the best ones that the show has produced.
+ Overall
Bold, engaging and thought provoking, episode 8 is a return to form for Parizaad and a reminder why it is one of the best serial dramas out there on Pakistani Television.
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