A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 21 (2021). The new TV series is written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Farooq Rind. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a Momina Duraid Production and currently airs on HUM TV.
(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 Farooq Rind
- Written by Umer Ahmed
- Produced by Nina Kashif & Momina Duraid Productions
+ Note
Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay marks 5 years since Mahira Khan appeared in a TV drama and as was the case before, this drama was also originally a novel by Umera Ahmed where the childhood and upbringing play an important part in the main plot of the show. The show deals with dark topics such as drug addiction and its impact on a child’s upbringing.
The show also focuses once again on a love triangle between three cousins who shared a childhood together; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is essentially a case study of internal flaws and unspoken guilts that makes us human and how we learn to cope up in a less than ideal society.
+ Main Cast
- Mahira Khan as Mehreen Mansoor
- Kubra Khan as Mashal Tahir
- Usman Mukhtar as Aswad Ayub
- Omair Rana as Mansoor
- Zainab Qayyum as Shagufta
- Haroon Shahid
- Laila Wasti
- Huma Nawab as Saliha
- Kaif Ghaznavi
- Shamim Hilali as Aswad’s Grandmother
- Khalid Malik
+ Plot
Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a story of three cousins; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Their lives have coincided with each other since childhood. While Mashal and Aswad grew up in a stable, loving household, Mehreen had to live through the mistakes of her father for being a drug addict and financially unstable. As they grow older, it is obvious that they all share an unbroken bond between each other that will only culminate with certain unforeseeable events.
+ High Points
i – For an episode that takes place almost entirely in one room, it never got boring and was a breeze to sit through. Now, did the story development make any sense? No, but at least the viewers didn’t have to roll our eyes and check the time every 10 minutes. And I suppose it is somewhat ambitious of the show to dedicate a whole episode with primarily two actors and a single location but…
+ Low Points
i – … it is all nonsensical in the end. None of the expositions make any logical sense to the plot development and the sudden change in character from Mashal just comes out of left field. Since it is time to warp up the show, characters are now acting out of their characterization to reach the conclusion.
All because Mashal got slapped in the face by Mehreen, they decided to bury the decade long rivalry over two sets of teas. The vital question being; why was none of this information shared by Mehreen to the police?? And also, nothing in their conversation indicates a pivotal moment where Mashal would have a strong change of heart towards Mehreen. So you’re telling me that all they both needed was to listen to each other for a few hours and Mashal would realize that she acted so cruel towards Mehreen? She literally was planning on murdering Mehreen that very night! Wow, that is some conversation! World politics should adopt this technique in the United Nations and bring world peace all across the globe! From planning on murdering someone to giving their blessing to marry the love of their life, that is some character development within a span of few hours!
ii – There is unfortunately nothing much to dissect here. Nothing of much value was said throughout their conversation. Mehreen recounts all the mischief Mashal created against her, they both discuss how they are in love with Aswad (for God knows what reason…) and Mashal makes the sacrifice of not standing in the way of Mehreen and Aswad anymore. Alright but this does not add any value to the plot progression of the show. Why was this even an episode? The only valuable point of contingency was that Mashal threw the cup of poisoned tea away from Mehreen. That could have been shown in a single flashback shot in any of the other episodes. This episode did not need to exist.
iii – It is such negligence from the writer’s part that the character of Saffan has always been treated as an ‘afterthought’ throughout the entire show. So someone who was kind, understanding and arguably a better human being than all of the three main cast characters, was treated like a wet cloth, hung out to dry, only mentioned as an ‘alternative solution’ for Mehreen. So in the end; selfish, malicious behavior is rewarded in this show but empathy is punished. Let us hope that the final episode makes the right choice and should not end on Aswad redeeming himself in the eyes of Mehreen.
+ Overall
Episode 21 was ambitious but nothing more than that. It is (for the most part) an entirely skippable episode.
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