A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 14 (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 – Even though the past two episodes have not been centered around Parizaad per se, the episodes have nonetheless been quite enjoyable. The sole reason being that the characters that ended up taking center stage are well written and performed by a talented cast of actors. What separates Parizaad with the current shows on Pak TV is how each and every side character is given the level of detail and attention that he/she deserves. Whether it’s Bubbly who is torn between her past and present lives or the female Police Inspector who has to face a constant stream of misogyny from her co-workers and bosses to succeed in her career. Admittedly, Parizaad is the only current Pakistani drama that I look forward to watching every week.
ii – Speaking of the Police Inspector, the actress Nadia Afghan plays the role splendidly. In her performance, she is raw, edgy and takes no nonsense from anyone around her (unless it’s her boss). Just by the look on her face, one could see years upon years of constant struggle in a “man’s world” to achieve her career goals in life. And she is perhaps on her biggest case yet; Behroze Karim. If women have ever been depicted as law enforcers (whether its films or TV Shows), they have always been represented by attractive female actors with full makeup and cheesy dialogues that could totally take you out from any sort of believability behind it. Parizaad strives to be authentic and with the actress Nadia Afghan, she plays her part marvelously.
iii – I also appreciate the fact that since the earlier episodes, Bubbly’s character has been incredibly well developed regarding his sexuality and past. No child wants to leave his/ her parents behind but would they have accepted him for who he was? Or would Bubbly need to fall behind to go back to being “herself”? That is a vital question which will soon be answered in the next coming episodes.
iv – The confrontation scene between Behroze and the Police Inspector was excellent. The tension and drama was so thick, one would’ve needed a chainsaw to cut though it.
+ Low Points
i – The whole “remembering her parents” sequence was awkward because the flashbacks depicted Bubbly as an adult, playing cricket with her dad or learning how to ride a motorcycle (with her dad holding the steering). Wouldn’t have that made more sense if a child actor played those parts? It’s very unusual that a father will play cricket with his adult daughter. Does not make a whole lot of sense.
ii – Another aspect that did not make a whole lot of sense is that within an episode or two, Parizaad has transformed from an “observer of his surroundings” to “giving life advice” to the Guru. Perhaps this development of character would make more sense down the line but it’s way too soon for him to act like “the wise one”. The whole purpose of the show has been for Parizaad to observe and contemplate on the society and its people. Parizaad giving Guru advice on Life felt kind of out of place for his character.
+ Overall
Episode 14 proved to be yet another feather in the cap for Parizaad. The quality writing and performances are what keeps it fresh and intriguing each week.
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