A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 10 (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 – Almost throughout its 10 episode run (up till now), Parizaad’s storytelling has been excellent. It’s a perfect example of a Hero’s Journey; from Rags to Riches, a protagonist who overcomes the odds and excels beyond expectations. Every episode follows the odyssey of Parizaad and his quest of understanding how the world functions. Up till now, the show has had an excellent performance from Ahmed Ali Akbar and in comparison to other shows out there, Parizaad flourishes with its original storytelling and quite convincingly proving to the Pak drama industry that individual stories not related to your typical “Saas/ Bahou”, cousin love triangle can also prove to be engaging Television.
ii – No matter the circumstances, the writing always stays true to the innocent nature of Parizaad and Episode 10 is a perfect example of it. With everything stacked against him (including his own life!), Parizaad is always motivated to do the right thing. Perhaps he comes off naive and self righteous but regardless, he stands for loyalty to his employer. I love how Hashim Nadeem the writer has portrayed Parizaad as a “fish out of water” character who may come off as gullible but at the same time, his honesty is extremely likeable and a person who you would like to have in your life. Perhaps in his own twisted way, Nauman Ijaz as Behroze Kareem feels the same way.
iii – Speaking of Nauman Ijaz, his portrayal as Behroze Kareem (the crime lord) works flawlessly for the show. Nauman’s performance pertains the surface level charm but the lethal ruthlessness behind the facade. I’m eagerly anticipating how the relationship between the wide-eyed Parizaad and the cynical worldview of Behroze would develop in the upcoming episodes.
iv – Another great addition to the ever growing cast of Parizaad has to be Urwa Hussain as the overprotected (wife? lover?) Laila. She serves as the “softer” side of Behroze, perhaps a gateway for his enemies to bring a downfall to his empire.
+ Low Points
i – Even though the plot and storyline of Parizaad is heaps and bounds more interesting and engaging than anything out there, I do wish that the show runners should slow down the pacing of it just a bit and let the audience breathe and admire each and every phase that our protagonist goes through. There are hardly a few episodes devoted to a certain scenario before it quickly rushes onto the next one. For example, in a span of 3-4 episodes, Parizaad has gone from being a College student to a Car mechanic which then led him to travel to Karachi to find work and ended up being a Cargo inspector to finally, working directly under Behroze Kareem. Great storytelling but its a tad bit too fast to comprehend and not enough time to appreciate each and every twist and turn that Life throws at our wide eyed protagonist.
+ Overall
With Episode 10, Parizaad continues to be one of the best shows on Pak television. Highly recommended!
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