A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 28 (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 – If Episode 27 was the powerhouse tipping point for the character of Parizaad then this week was perhaps the “calm before the storm”. There is nothing much to be analysed for episode 28 as the show went back to the arc of Parizaad in search of himself through the depths of vast, gorgeous landscapes of Pakistan. After a long time, Parizaad is once again without power, responsibilities, professional rivals but in return, has his sense of freedom back. Deep into the outskirts of Punjab, Parizaad is once again a nobody and that suits him just fine. And truth be told, it works out quite well for the show.
ii – Even though the episode had no real dramatic twists or nerve wrecking storytelling, it was exactly what it needed to be. Case in Point; the local village school teacher that Parizaad ends up befriending along the way. Impressed by the old man’s sense of nobility, Parizaad decides to give something back to the society (apart from making an endless number of donations). By dedicating himself to educate the youth, this might seem as charitable work but it is in fact some self therapy for our protagonist. In the past 10-15 episodes, Parizaad has gained and lost so much in the process that perhaps, it was time for him to leave this all behind once and for all and start anew.
iii – The only dramatic scene in the episode was perhaps the most essential of them all; the confrontation with Annie post-eye sight surgery. And suffice to say, the creative team handled the scene with perfection. From the oblivious reaction of Annie to the gut wretching paralysis of Parizaad, it was indeed the right outcome. Was this the last time these two would ever meet? Only the series finale next week can answer that…
+ Low Points
i – In critique, one could argue that the more “quiet” second to last episode might have derailed the moment the previous few episodes captured, all leading to the inevitable conclusion to the odyssey of Parizaad. And… there is some truth to it. Perhaps episode 28 could have concluded in a more impactful manner but it did feel a bit lackluster in the end. There was no real cliffhanger to reel the viewers back into the series finale next week. It just ends without any flair or a sense of excitement. Just sorrow and pity for our main protagonist.
ii – Personally, I was not a fan of the 5 to 10 minute clip show at the end. It really felt like the show runners wanted to prolong the episode into a whole hour long for no apparent plot reason. This time could have been utilized for some more character building or even motivated Parizaad to return back home. But instead, the episode ended on a whimper which is such a shame.
+ Overall
A decent episode, a brilliant confrontation scene but a lackluster conclusion into the final episode next week.
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