A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 20 (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 – When it comes to setting up new characters and their individual storylines, Episode 20 certainly delivered. From the return of Majid (his neighborhood ‘friend’) to the Radio girl who is in love with Parizaad’s poetry, the level of detail in its writing makes it certain that they feel as real and authentic as possible. As Parizaad gets used to his recent success, he indulges heavily into his past life and tries to help those in need. What has also always been consistent with the show’s quality is the level of detailed characteristic that our protagonist has. For example, Parizaad could have had a straightforward reunion with his ex-mechanic boss but by playing along with the accusation of fraud workmanship, he got his friend all fired up only to be pleasantly surprised in return. A minor detail but such level of attention does work well in the long run, making Parizaad’s world more vibrant and colorful in character.
Whether the show will be able to maintain its audience’s attention span still remains to be seen but for now, Parizaad’s plot still seamlessly flows as it has in the past.
ii – The return of Majid (who was barely explored in the earlier episodes) has managed to create an interesting dynamic to the story. As predicted, his selfish intentions have not changed since he was first introduced and envy is on his mind when it comes to Parizaad’s sudden path of success. The performance of Ahmed Taha Ghani as Majid also elevates this storyline and brings out the tension and jealousy seeped deep beneath his psyche. Will Parizaad’s unconditional act of kindness towards Majid be ultimately his downfall?
iii – It’s good to see that Episode 20 finally also sheds light towards the ‘business’ side of affairs. The conflict of interest between the two ‘bosses’ and their territories is a common affair that could easily end in warfare between the two factions. Its intriguing to see how this will play out in the coming weeks.
iv – The cliffhanger to Episode 20 is a rather interesting one. Once again, this could be yet another repercussion to Parizaad’s unbridled honesty and faith in humanity. When someone pleads for ‘help’, Parizaad has a hard time refusing. And in this case, it will most certainly end up against him in the end. Its a certain disaster in the making.
+ Low Points
i – While the writing has brought in new scenarios and storylines to the show, ‘Business entrepreneur’ Parizaad is admittedly not as interesting as ‘down on his luck’ Parizaad. Historically, the journey has always been more interesting than the destination and the show runners are doing a good job in maintaining the level of interest as before. But the show needs a story that can shake the very foundations of Parizaad’s venture as an entrepreneur. A reality check that could land him in serious trouble, a reminder that regardless of social class, empathy is considered a weakness in our society. And judging from this week’s episode, this is perhaps the path that the show will end up taking.
ii – The introduction of the ‘Radio girl’ seems rather unnecessary to the main plot of the show. Her fangirl moments towards Parizaad does not develop much into an essential side plot and can’t see how this could add to the overall experience of the show. Parizaad has already had three/ four women in his life, adding another one does not seem ‘essential’ and feels rather arbitrary to the show.
+ Overall
Parizaad continues to hold steady with its quality writing and promises new conflicts in the upcoming weeks of television.
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