A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Sang-e-Mah Episode 02 (2022). The new TV series is directed by Saife Hassan and written by Mustafa Afridi. Sang-e-Mah is the spiritual continuation of the saga introduced in the Hum TV drama Sang-e-Mar Mar (2016). Sang-e-Mah is the acting debut of the famous Pakistani pop star Atif Aslam and the drama is a Momina Duraid Production.
+ Crew
- Directed by Saife Hassan
- Written by Mustafa Afridi
- Produced by Momina Duraid Productions
+ Note
The drama Sang-e-Mah serves as a spiritual sequel to the show Sang-e-Mar Mar (2016) with Noman Ejaz, Sania Saeed and many others returning to same cast and crew. The drama deals with life in the Pakhtoon region of Pakistan and explores such hard hitting topics like forced marriages and integral family relationships. According to the director, Sang-e-Mah serves under similar themes as its predecessor, in a three part trilogy, ending it with the next planned show, Sang-e-Siyah.
+ Main Cast
- Atif Aslam as Hilmand Khan
- Nauman Ijaz as Haji Marjaan Khan
- Kubra Khan as Sheherzaad
- Hania Amir as Gul Meena
- Zaviyar Nauman Ijaz as Hikmat Khan
- Sania Saeed as Zarghuna
- Samiya Mumtaz as Zarsanga
- Omair Rana as Mastaan Singh
- Najiba Faiz as Harshaali Kaur
- Hassan Noman as Badam Gul
+ Plot
Sang-e-Mah is a story of a dysfunctional Pakhtoon family in the tribal regions of Pakistan where pride and honour mostly triumphs over empathy and forgiveness. The show deals with issues such as young love and opposing families who are engaged in a tribal battle with one another.
+ High Points
i – The narrative flows at a brisk pace, each and every scene is made essential viewing through poignant writing and noteworthy performances. There are three essential storylines running parallel at the moment; the deteriorating relationship between Father (Marjaan Khan) and Son (Hilmand Khan), the young lovers caught in between two rival families and the case of Mastaan Singh. The second episode slightly elaborates further the conflicts taking place in these set pieces and for the most part, ends up leaving a lasting impression on the viewers. Sang-e-Mah ticks a lot of boxes which brings the audience back each and every week. From the looks of it, the show provides snippets of the plot each week, just enough so it peaks the viewer’s interest and keeps coming back for more.
ii – While the Pashtoon accents may be somewhat generic from the cast, the themes visited in the show are very real and regionally specific. The concept of Ghaag is a Pashtoon ritual that is extensively explored in the first two episodes of the show. It is a ritual perhaps unbeknownst to many non-Pashtoon Pakistanis across the country but is devastating to the young girls in the region. This clearly shows that the writer Mustafa Afridi has written the different plot set pieces around the customs and rituals of where the show is taking place in and thus, Sang-e-Mah sounds, looks and feels different from many shows on Television at the moment. And speaking of looks…
iii – The view is admirable, the setting is breathtaking and the production design is one of the key highlights of the show. The costumes, the make up, the colourful props; everything visual brings out this wonderful vibe of authenticity and fantastical viewing experience.
iv – And of course, this show would be lacking if not for good performances from the main and supporting cast and thankfully, this show has plenty! Being veteran actors for decades now, Nauman Ijaz and Sania Saeed can play almost any type of role in a heartbeat. But what really fascinates me is the seamless mixture of the old and the new. Newcomers like Atif Aslam bring a sense of presence onscreen and although he plays well as a stoic, heartbroken son who wants to be loved, I hope the coming episodes make him display his wide range of emotion on screen which is always a real test for any actor. Whether Atif Aslam could have a new career as an actor remains to be seen but for now, he fits in seamlessly with the rest of the talented cast of actors.
+ Low Points
i – The only major flaw at the moment is the plot mystery itself. Although it is commendable that the show is taking its time in revealing the backstories of each character, some set pieces are still shrouded in the dark like the ordeal of Mastaan Singh. Not much screen time has been devoted to the character so it is hard to emotionally invest ourselves into his storyline. Maybe the next coming episodes will rectify that but for now, his story is what intrigues me the least.
ii – Two episodes in, and the dialogues still sound very exaggerated and lofty for their own good. The writing doesn’t sound natural but rather what a non-Pashtoon person would think a Pashtoon sounds like. I am certain that Pashtoons of this particular region do not always walk around in anger and constantly make epic, sweeping statements at every chance they get. Let the characters display some more wide range of emotions, let them be a tad bit more human, let them stutter, make errors in their speech. There is such a thing as writing dialogues a bit too perfect which make the characters appear too stoic and not real on screen.
+ Overall
Sang-e-Mah reveals the converging storylines a bit more and provides yet another engaging and entertaining episode.
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