Category: TV series

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay – Episode XIV (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 14 (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

  1. Mahira Khan as Mehreen Mansoor
  2. Kubra Khan as Mashal Tahir
  3. Usman Mukhtar as Aswad Ayub
  4. Omair Rana as Mansoor
  5. Zainab Qayyum as Shagufta
  6. Haroon Shahid
  7. Laila Wasti
  8. Huma Nawab as Saliha
  9. Kaif Ghaznavi
  10. Shamim Hilali as Aswad’s Grandmother
  11. 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 – Although Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is devolving each week into obscurity, at least the performances are still with some level of quality and finesse. Mahira Khan, Kubra, Usman and all the supporting actors give it their all in making the show as authentic as possible.

ii – The dream sequences are well directed and presented on screen. Its a nice touch that brings us closer to Mehreen’s psyche of mental torture that Mashal accomplishes even beyond her grave.

+ Low Points

i –  I have no idea what this show is trying to accomplish with its ludicrous storyline and frankly, I’ve lost all interest within the last five episodes. Episode 14 was yet another monotonous spree of accusations, regret and illogical scenarios. Why has Aswad gone back to the US? Didn’t he threaten Mehreen that he will take revenge against her by keeping her caged in the house? What is it with this constant charade of revolving plot twists? Did Mehreen poison her or …. Did Shaboo make a mistake? This murder mystery is really becoming nonsensical now and the plotline just going in circles to no end. 

ii – And the worst part is that; 14 episodes in, and this show has already become stale. The character developments have come to a complete halt, its as if the writer Umera Ahmed has no real clue how to progress the story further. Even though there will be a dramatic end to all this, the journey itself also needs to be interesting in the process as well. Otherwise the show will see a dramatic audience drop off each and every week.

iii – Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay has quickly become devoid of all logic. If Mehreen is feeling threatened by Aswad, should she not just divorce him? Even her mother in law agrees to it so there is in fact no societal pressure on her. On the other hand, the whole case against Mehreen seems shaky at best. It’s been at least weeks (if not months) to Mashal’s death. Is there a case against Mehreen anymore? And once again, why is Aswad staying in the US during this crucial moment if he wants to take revenge against Mehreen? 

iv – I have mentioned this before and I will criticize this again; the police inspector feels like he belongs in a screwball comedy rather than a serious dramatic storyline. His goofy performance seems so out of place that it baffles me how the director even approved of this!

+ Overall

With no real character development or engaging storyline, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay feels stagnated, devoid of logic and just plain uninteresting.

 Rate: out of 5 stars

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Parizaad – Episode XVI (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 16 (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

  1. Noman Ejaz
  2. Ahmed Ali Akbar
  3. Syed Muhammad Ahmed
  4. Urwa Hussain
  5. Ushna Shah
  6. Yumna Zaidi
  7. Saboor Ali
  8. Mashal Khan
  9. Tipu Shah
  10. 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 – Episode 16 was essentially an “Inspector Badar Munir” show. The entirety of the episode was focused around the game of chess between her and her arch rival, Behroze Karim. Her portrayal as a female officer in a male dominated field of work is fantastic. The Inspector is calm but ruthless with her methods of achieving her goals. Whether its illegal amount of torture or looking directly in the eyes of her criminals, Inspector Badar Munir’s ruthless aggression is one of the key factors that her character so enigmatic onscreen.

ii – The character development of Behroze Karim since his introduction is also flawlessly executed as he devolves further and further into insanity. From having hallucinations to losing the will to live, Behroze feels that his past crimes are finally catching up to him and this time, he cannot run away from them. 

+ Low Points

Spoilers Alert!! If you would like to avoid it, please skip to the Overall section:

i – Way too many incidents happened in this one single episode. The pacing was surprisingly completely off. Within a single episode, Parizaad falsely admitted to his crime, the case officially closed, the police force found the letter that Laila wrote before her demise, Inspector Badar Munir once again arrived to arrest Behroze Karim before he ended up taking his own life. This is like at least 3 episodes worth of story condensed into one! And it unfortunately robbed the audience of a satisfying conclusion to the Behroze Karim saga. Honestly, its all a bit disappointing. The writer could have taken his time and paced this fiery conclusion a lot better.  

ii – Unfortunately, too many logical errors also plagued this conclusion. Regardless if Parizaad committed the crimes or not, he was an accomplice of sorts and also gave false Statement in order to protect his master. That alone can guarantee him years of imprisonment. Secondly, when Behroze Karim was arrested, how in the world was he allowed by the Inspector to “dressen up” before he was taken away  by the police? Why were the two officers not next to him the entire time? It was very plausible that Behroze would try to commit suicide. This whole incident unfortunately makes Inspector Munir look like an amateur and such logical inconsistencies made the conclusion look weak and unsatisfying. 

+ Overall

Due to the rushed conclusion, lack of proper pacing and logical inconsistencies, the story of Behroze Karim was not as satisfying as it should have been.

 Rate:  out of 5 stars 

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay – Episode XII (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 13 (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

  1. Mahira Khan as Mehreen Mansoor
  2. Kubra Khan as Mashal Tahir
  3. Usman Mukhtar as Aswad Ayub
  4. Omair Rana as Mansoor
  5. Zainab Qayyum as Shagufta
  6. Haroon Shahid
  7. Laila Wasti
  8. Huma Nawab as Saliha
  9. Kaif Ghaznavi
  10. Shamim Hilali as Aswad’s Grandmother
  11. 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 – With this episode, Aswad has taken a darker path in order to avenge the death of Mashal. Even from beyond the grave, Mashal is able to pull the strings of Aswad and make Mehreen’s life a living hell. This is a great setup to create intense drama and tension surrounding our main protagonists and the actors are more than up to the task in presenting a certain level of authenticity. 

ii – The “Suhaag-Raat” scene was a great and undeniable highlight of the episode. The venomous threats of Aswad to the low key lighting surrounding Mehreen’s path into the Abyss was tense and unsettling. In scenes like these, we get to see the production team of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay try visually something different and atmospheric. Like the prison scenes before, it is always admirable when the show tries to indulge into the inner psyche of our main protagonist. 

+ Low Points

i –  The show seems really lost at times as to how it wants to progress its storyline. And by that, I mean that the characters just start acting illogically in order to create drama between them. How was Aswad (in a span of half an episode) convincing his mother and Mehreen that he genuinely wants to marry Mehreen? Everyone and their Naanis knew what Aswad’s intentions are, how suspicious he has been of Mehreen since Mashal passed away, how could they be so conveniently convinced of all this? And the word “convenient” is probably what the viewers will take out of this. The story needed to progress so the characters started acting according to the script and not according to their individual intelligence and characterizations. Of all the shows that I have watched of Umera Ahmed (as a writer), this is by far the weakest of them all.

ii – Saffan also ended up being a disappointment in this episode. His motivations seemed not truly aligned to what we witnessed in the previous episodes and gave up way too easily on Mehreen. I realise that he will be back in the later episodes but once again, it just felt that Umera’s script required Aswad and Mehreen to get married and by God, they will get married! Logic be damned.

iii – Is Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a murder mystery? Or is it now reverting back to “Saas/ Bahu” drama? Inevitably this whole incident will be revisited again in the near future but for now, Aswad married Mehreen on a false pretense, threatened her that he will keep her caged inside the house and make her life a living hell and then… left for the US??? I don’t understand how this all makes sense but I wouldn’t make my judgement till the next episode.

iv – I absolutely despise when Pakistani dramas depict the West inside a “small room”. Apparently this is the US. A colored wall. That’s what makes it different from Pakistan. I understand that they cannot actually fly to the US just for these few scenes but atleast present it in such a way that its convincing. Perhaps a certain way the house is designed or furniture which is distinctively found only in North America. As of now, such scenes really take the viewers out of the show as it is obviously pretending a bit too much.

+ Overall

Not a bad episode but the storyline has now become too convoluted and illogical just so the writer can force some tension into the storyline.

 Rate: out of 5 stars

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Parizaad – Episode XV (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 15 (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

  1. Noman Ejaz
  2. Ahmed Ali Akbar
  3. Syed Muhammad Ahmed
  4. Urwa Hussain
  5. Ushna Shah
  6. Yumna Zaidi
  7. Saboor Ali
  8. Mashal Khan
  9. Tipu Shah
  10. 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 – This week’s episode was distinctively divided into two different plot threads; the case of Bubbly and the ongoing saga of Behroze Karim. And once again, the episode was brilliantly executed in bringing in the emotions and drama from our colorful cast of characters. Although Parizaad has and will always take the center stage, the two female leads of Saboor Aly and Nadia Afghan were the undeniable highlight of the show. And I am pleasantly surprised how strong female protagonists are being represented. Both characters in very different scenarios; one struggles through emotional acceptance while the other fights to uphold justice in this world.

Spoilers Alert!! If you would like to avoid it, please skip to the Overall section:

ii – The story arc of Bubbly was immensely satisfying. Although the earlier episodes tried to bring a “comedy” angle into this, the latter brought the much needed drama and emotional investment from the viewers. I suppose it is still not entirely clear how Bubbly/Bilawal will live her/ his life now with her/ his parents but not all questions should be answered and be rightfully left to the viewer’s imagination. Strong performances from Saboor Aly and the parents. Also as a side note: Desi fathers are accurately depicted by the show as stern from exterior but emotional teddy bears from within!

iii – Ever since his introduction, I’ve always loved the “Guru” character from the show. He is a gentle, lost soul who wants to be loved with compassion from society. Troubled past experiences have totally left him dejected from humanity but him getting emotional over Bubbly/ Bilawal’s exit depicts a picture of a thousand tales.

iv – The second (inevitable) confrontation between Inspector Badar Munir and Behroze was intense and impeccably executed. Although the Inspector thought she finally got one over the evasive crime lord, Behroze (predictably) was still two steps ahead of her. Fantastic game of chess and anxious of how all this will affect Parizaad as the collateral damage of the situation.

+ Low Points

i – One drawback from all these intense plot developments is that the writer has completely forgotten about all the subplots of the show! What happened to Parizaad’s brothers? How is his sister coping with her marriage and in-laws? What about the girl he was in love with? Although admittedly, most of these subplots were not interesting enough to sustain every week, they all have been dropped rather abruptly with no explanation whatsoever. I hope all these subplots are resolved by the end of the show.

+ Overall

Another brilliant entry in the ongoing saga of Parizaad. This show gives attention and respect to its characters that they rightfully deserve. On to the next one!

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Parizaad – Episode XIV (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

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

  1. Noman Ejaz
  2. Ahmed Ali Akbar
  3. Syed Muhammad Ahmed
  4. Urwa Hussain
  5. Ushna Shah
  6. Yumna Zaidi
  7. Saboor Ali
  8. Mashal Khan
  9. Tipu Shah
  10. 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.

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay – Episode XII (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 12 (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

  1. Mahira Khan as Mehreen Mansoor
  2. Kubra Khan as Mashal Tahir
  3. Usman Mukhtar as Aswad Ayub
  4. Omair Rana as Mansoor
  5. Zainab Qayyum as Shagufta
  6. Haroon Shahid
  7. Laila Wasti
  8. Huma Nawab as Saliha
  9. Kaif Ghaznavi
  10. Shamim Hilali as Aswad’s Grandmother
  11. 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 – The impact that Mashal’s death has left on the family is very well depicted. The reactions from her parents and those who are accused are all splendidly portrayed and is clearly one of the highlights of the show. Character building and authentic dialogue are two of the most obvious assets of Umera Ahmed’s writing.

ii – But it always takes two to tango. Well written dialogues need to have authentic dialogue delivery by the actors and suffice to say, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay does not disappoint in that department. The talented cast of actors give their all in bringing authenticity and melodrama to the show without overstaying its welcome. Laila Wasti as Mehreen’s mother is definitely an unsung heroine of the show that deserves more praise and attention for her impressive performance.

iii – Regarding the main storyline: Since the death of Mashal, the story has picked up significantly in terms of level of engagement and pacing. Although the previous episode proved to be a tad bit timid, Episode 12 once again progresses story/ character development at a brisk pace. Although there is a lot of room for improvement, the show is getting better each week forward.

iv – It’s great to see Haroon Shahid as Saffan being part of a larger picture of the show. He’s a great counter to Aswad’s moral stubbornness and fits quite well with the rest of the cast. Would love to see him play a bigger role in the upcoming episodes!

+ Low Points

i –  Its still a bit confusing why Aswad keeps jumping back and forth when it comes to Mehreen’s fate. On one hand, he refuses to help her beyond what is required but at the same time, takes a monumental step regarding his future with Mehreen. To be fair, there is a reasoning given behind his action but still, the decision (presented later in the episode) came almost out of nowhere and needed an episode or two to let it sink in the psyche of Aswad and the audience watching the show as well.

ii – The character of Police Inspector still seems out of place with the tone of the show. His performance is a tad bit too excessive and it’s really hard to take him seriously. 

+ Overall

Episode 12 had good, engaging character development and even with some questionable moments, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is improving each and every week.

 Rate: out of 5 stars

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Laapata – LAST EPISODE – Episode XXI & XXII (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Laapata Episode 21 and 22 (2021). The new TV series is written and directed by Khizer Idrees. Laapata 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 Khizer Idrees
  • Written by Khizer Idrees
  • Produced by Momina Duraid Productions

+ Note

Laapata is a comedy/ drama which focuses on young love who aspire to fulfill all their wishes in Life. The drama also highlights modern obsessions with social media such as Tik Tok and its impact on the Pakistani youth of today. 

The writer/ director of the show, Khizer Idrees is most well renowned in the TV industry for his work as a Cinematographer for films such as Manto (2015) and Verna (2017). 

 + Main Cast

  1. Ali Rehman Khan as Shams
  2. Ayeza Khan as Geeti
  3. Gohar Rasheed as Daniyal
  4. Sarah Khan as Falak

+ Plot

Shams (Ali Rehman Khan) loves Falak (Sarah Khan) and they predict something big for their future. On the other hand, Geeti (Ayeza Khan), the big Tik Tok star, is always looking for a new toy to play with. After being faced to decide upon her secure future, Geeti might have her eyes now set on someone… and that someone could perhaps be Shams? 

+ High Points

Spoilers Alert!! There will be MAJOR Spoilers in this review for the finale of Laapata so if you would like to avoid it, please skip to the Overall section:

i – Episodes 21 and 22 were thankfully the last two episodes of this show! Before I get into the finale in detail (with all its glorious and ludicrous flaws), I did appreciate the fact that by the end of the show, Geeti never really changed. In the very last scene, it is strongly suggested that even though she “learned her lesson” by losing Shams and the respect of her mother, Geeti is too self-centered and entitled to ever change herself for the better. And that was the most logical outcome of her character.

+ Low Points

i – If you ever come across the word “Ludicrous” in a dictionary, I hope they can now cite ‘Laapata’s series finale’ as an example for their readers. Absolutely horrible, pointless, lack of creativity, absurd and downright insulting was the series finale of this show! Viewers who tuned in every week to invest an hour of their time on this show should rightfully feel cheated. In the last episode, the whole ordeal of Daniyal’s murder case ended in merely 5 minutes! Just by Munira Beebee’s testament, the whole case gets resolved in a matter of minutes!? That was the payoff to weeks upon weeks of buildup?? And to add further insult, the rest of the episode was all filler nonsense like a 10 minutes long song montage (cause we never got enough of those in this show!), Geeti and Falak still fighting over Shams, Falak digging up dirt on Geeti and Falak and Shams getting back together again. What a waste of time this whole show was ….

ii – The whole court case surprise witness twist makes no sense! Why would the prosecutor from Daniyal’s side bring Munira the maid as a witness? Were they just hoping that she would lie to the court and seal the deal for Falak? Did Daniyal’s parents not threaten her enough behind the scenes so she would be forced to lie in court? Why would Farooq (her husband) be part of a second degree murder? Wouldn’t it be beneficial for him if he took care of Daniyal so he would get financial compensation from the family (after all, he did get the money to buy a taxi from him)? In fact, how did Daniyal even die from the wounds? He got hit by a steel jug and that was apparently enough? This whole twist makes no sense. What a terrible, illogical way to bring the story to a conclusion!

iii  – Oh did I mention a 10 MINUTE LONG SONG MONTAGE!? So long in fact that they had to change songs in between? It was obvious that the writer ran out of content so they had to reach hard in order to get one more episode out of this script as they then could fulfill their two episodes per week quota for HUM TV. Pathetic.

iv  – Why did they first force upon this new sense of responsibility on Geeti that she should be more like Falak (i.e. responsible, study, cook etc) but then, ended right back to being herself in that every episode? This all was completely unnecessary character development.

+ Overall and Final Thoughts on Laapata

Laapata is definitely the right name for this show but not for the reason you may think. From the very first episode, it was “Laapata” in its sense of identity. The show had no idea what it wanted to be; was it a comedy? A tragedy? A study on families whose loved ones tragically disappear? Or was it a murder mystery? A study of split personalities perhaps? Or could it be that the team wanted to please all members of their audience and in the process, the show ended up being a creative mess.

The characters were by no means terrible. In fact, Shams and Falak had actual, good chemistry on screen but was ruined due to awful screenwriting by writer/director Khizer Idrees. Geeti was hands down the worst aspect of the show. The “comedy relief” that she brought to the show was downright awful and ruined numerous scenes and episodes due its below average writing and overbearing performance by Ayeza Khan as Geeti.

The show is named “Laapata” which led me to assume that the focus of the show will be Shams getting out of prison for false accusation and finding his way back home. But I was wrong since that would have actually made sense. The show was a needless concoction of storylines that had nothing to do with one another really. Why was Daniyal’s backstory and murder mystery a part of this show? This had nothing to do with the main plotline of Laapata and was undoubtedly gratuitous for the story to work.

Speaking of unnecessary, we had countless subplots that never went anywhere. Please take your pick:

  1. Geeti’s plan for a runaway marriage.
  2. Falak’s aspirations to become a professional Badminton player.
  3. Falak’s sister’s husband being harassed by a female.
  4. Falak’s sister’s sister-in-law dictating how she should serve her husband.
  5. Sham’s father having health issues.
  6. Sham’s gambling past and enemies that were completely ignored in the second part of the show.
  7. Geeti’s attempt to steal her friend’s fiance and her friend finding out.

When you have a list of subplots that never went anywhere, you know that the writer just created them just so each episode can reach its 30 minutes of runtime.

As far as production goes, Laapata was competent with its visual presentation. The colors, cinematography, the song playlist, everything went well with the vibe of the show but the overreliance on slow motion, song set pieces did overstay their welcome.

In conclusion, Laapata did not even come close to becoming a memorable show for HUM TV. Lack of good writing, tonal shift from scene to scene and forgettable, ludicrous storyline sealed this drama’s fate as a generic show that will be forgotten by the audience in a week’s time. And sadly, this is the state of creativity in Pak television at the moment.

 Rating (Last Two Episodes):out of 5 stars

Overall Series Rating: out of 5 stars 

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Parizaad – Episode XIII (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 13 (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

  1. Noman Ejaz
  2. Ahmed Ali Akbar
  3. Syed Muhammad Ahmed
  4. Urwa Hussain
  5. Ushna Shah
  6. Yumna Zaidi
  7. Saboor Ali
  8. Mashal Khan
  9. Tipu Shah
  10. 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 – Episode 13 went in a direction I never expected. It was bold and represented minorities which are very likely deprived of any coverage from our media and entertainment. They are the underbelly of our society that either are mostly refused to be accepted or are mistreated and abused. It makes me proud that Parizaad had the gall to represent them and depict “their” side of the story as well. Unfortunately I cannot say more as that will lead to spoilers. It’s points that I will discuss from here on out so fair warning! 

Spoilers Alert!! If you would like to avoid it, please skip to the Overall section:

ii – “Bubbly” Badmash makes a triumphant return to the show. While it is true that I was neither a fan of the character’s comedy segments nor the actress’s performance, Episode 13 brought a whole new light onto the character and his backstory. This time “bubbly” has been much better handled by the writer Hashim Nadeem and the needless comedy segments were replaced by understanding the psyche and motivations of Bubbly. And one cannot help but feel sympathy for him and the conflict that he has to go through for the society to accept him the way he wants to be represented. Such themes are almost never spoken of in Pakistani Television these days but Parizaad once again proves why it is an authentic representation of the Pakistani society that we live in.

iii – Some of the quieter moments of the episode were arguably the best parts of the episode. The “Guru” character seems like yet again, another eccentric but true to life character that you might stumble upon if you observe closely the underbelly of Karachi night life. He represents the voice for the minority, the sexually oppressed and the rejects of society. The Guru is a great addition to the ever growing cast of characters for Parizaad and I hope we get to see more of him in the next few episodes.

+ Low Points

i – The train fight scene was poorly executed to say the least. The obvious fake sound effects, the fight choreography, the ludicrous green screen. Even without a proper budget, I’m sure with some effort, the director Shehzad Kashmiri could have come up with something better than this. High quality writing but terrible visual effects unfortunately do not work well together and brought this episode a notch down for me.

+ Overall

Even though Parizaad only had a minor appearance, Episode 13 is a surprising yet bold representation of Karachi and its colorful, diverse list of citizens. 

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay – Episode XI (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 11 (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

  1. Mahira Khan as Mehreen Mansoor
  2. Kubra Khan as Mashal Tahir
  3. Usman Mukhtar as Aswad Ayub
  4. Omair Rana as Mansoor
  5. Zainab Qayyum as Shagufta
  6. Haroon Shahid
  7. Laila Wasti
  8. Huma Nawab as Saliha
  9. Kaif Ghaznavi
  10. Shamim Hilali as Aswad’s Grandmother
  11. 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 – Its sincerely commendable that in such an absurd situation, the reaction of the supporting cast is not only well written but completely realistic and justifiable. Thankfully, the writing by Umera Ahmed is clever enough to understand each and every one of her characters and how the current situation would reflect their personalities. Aswad is skeptical while his mother is utterly convinced that Mehreen is innocent. Mashal’s parents are embodied with unbridled rage and ultimately, seek revenge for their daughter. But at the end of the day, everyone is trying their hardest to make some sense out of the situation. 

ii – The performances from the cast are great. Each main and supporting cast member fulfills their job to full potential. Mahira Khan has once again proved why she still remains the queen of Television dramas.

iii – The complexity between Mehreen and her mother is very poignantly written and executed with perfection through the use of flashbacks and revisiting childhood traumatic memories. Suffice to say, I appreciate the gal the writing has in presenting a broken down, perhaps beyond repairable relationship between a mother and her daughter.

+ Low Points

i –  There is unfortunately not much to say about Episode 11 since nothing really significant happened this week. Some minor character development but apart from that, the episode was nothing noteworthy for the show.

ii – One too many slow motion, soundtrack blasting in the background scenes. They need to sparingly utilize them if the show runners want an intense reaction from the audience. Episode 11 was unfortunately riddled with such dramatic moments where nothing too significant was happening on screen.

iii – Its a real shame that Haroon Shahid as Saffan is being wasted in this show. In every episode that he has been a part of, Saffan is instantly likable and has a magnetic personality to his performance. So why is his potential being ignored? Unless the creative team has something special planned for him in the later episodes, it makes no logical sense not to utilize him.

+ Overall

Episode 11 was a middle of the road affair where the half an hour was solely used to prolong the length of the show.

 Rate: out of 5 stars

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Laapata – Episode XV to XX (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Laapata Episode 15 to 20 (2021). The new TV series is written and directed by Khizer Idrees. Laapata 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 Khizer Idrees
  • Written by Khizer Idrees
  • Produced by Momina Duraid Productions

+ Note

Laapata is a comedy/ drama which focuses on young love who aspire to fulfill all their wishes in Life. The drama also highlights modern obsessions with social media such as Tik Tok and its impact on the Pakistani youth of today. 

The writer/ director of the show, Khizer Idrees is most well renowned in the TV industry for his work as a Cinematographer for films such as Manto (2015) and Verna (2017). 

 + Main Cast

  1. Ali Rehman Khan as Shams
  2. Ayeza Khan as Geeti
  3. Gohar Rasheed as Daniyal
  4. Sarah Khan as Falak

+ Plot

Shams (Ali Rehman Khan) loves Falak (Sarah Khan) and they predict something big for their future. On the other hand, Geeti (Ayeza Khan), the big Tik Tok star, is always looking for a new toy to play with. After being faced to decide upon her secure future, Geeti might have her eyes now set on someone… and that someone could perhaps be Shams? 

+ High Points

Spoilers Alert!! If you would like to avoid it, please skip to the Overall section:

i – With all its flaws (oh… we will get to that in a sec!), Laapata has a dedicated creative team working behind the camera. There are few moments of originality beaming through the utter nonsense storytelling of the show. With some creative camera angles and inventive editing techniques, the creative team is trying their best to be original. 

+ Low Points

i –  I am utterly perplexed in what the creators want to accomplish with this show. Is Laapata about the horrors of being abducted for false accusation? Is it a comedy about Geeti’s antics as she rises to Stardom as an actor? Is it supposed to create awareness about abusive husbands? Or is it a murder mystery? Since the first few episodes, this show has been directionless, trying to please every member of their audience that watches the show. And now 20 episodes in, Laapata is still struggling to maintain an identity.

ii – Apparently, Daniyal is dead. Or is he? Logically, he should be as the police found his body. I really cannot tell if he actually died as he was axed with either a frying pan or a metal jug or some other various kitchen utensils  (I wish I was making this up!). This has been, without a shadow of a doubt, the most unceremonious, anti-climatic death of an antagonist that I have ever seen. Khizer Idrees’ writing brain feels “Laapata” as well as he cannot even conjure up a simple satisfying conclusion to the Falak and Daniyal confrontation. Maybe Daniyal’s rotting corpse will burst into the courthouse and feed on the brains of the supporting cast of the show. Hey now, there’s an idea!

iii  – The police bursting onto the scene of the wedding of Shams and Geeti was the cheesiest, cringeworthy cliche scene ever. I’m not sure if I should’ve laughed at it or… nope, there were no other emotions coming up. The dialogue, the acting was so incredibly mediocre, it was very courteous of the police waiting to arrest Falak till the wedding happened, giving Shams a convenient moment to fight for his love. This show is the pits….

iv  – Surprisingly enough, since the past few weeks, the Geeti character was very tolerable. She was restrained from most bad comedy segments, we didn’t get to listen to her god awful TikTok videos (or just being a horrible person in general). Because she was so obsessed with gaining Shams’ love, Geeti was confined towards the “lesser third side” of the love triangle. But Episodes 19 and 20, oh boy… she is back at her annoying self. During her wedding, Falak got arrested which gave her yet another reason to hate her and now, she gets the idea to become a TV/ movie star! My only question being; who cares!? How does this subplot tie in to the overall plot of Falak being falsely arrested for murder? Why does this subplot feel like a massive waste of time? Apart from bad comedy, her character has contributed NOTHING to the show. You can easily take her out of the story and it wouldn’t impact the show one bit. Shams will still go “Laapata” and come back, in the meantime, Falak will still get married to that psychopath so…. Why is Geeti character essential to the show? Shouldn’t there be the love triangle between Shams, Falak and Daniyal instead? 

v  – Even though I have always liked the music, dialogue-less montages and dream sequences in the past, the show has used and abused it to such a point that it never feels special anymore but a drag to sit through it. How many times will we witness the dream that Falak is being hung by Daniyal or a music montage where our three main protagonists are just lying on the bed contemplating? Interesting visuals but the show runners have run these storytelling techniques to the ground.

vi  – Too many bad and abandoned subplots; Shams’s fight with the union workers, Falak’s sister’s problems with her sister in law, countless Geeti’s adventures with her “lovers”, jeweller and wedding band that never went anywhere. Each passing episode that most of them were not only badly written and executed but were a massive waste of time!

+ Overall

Since the past few weeks, Laapata has nosedived into cliche, illogical plot development and terrible acting. The dramatic moments feel like comedy segments and the comedy segments feel like you want to switch the channel to a better show.

 Rate: out of 5 stars