Category: TV series

TV series

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

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 8 (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 8 brought out all the elements which make Parizaad such a unique show to watch. Through the eyes of our protagonist, we get to witness the injustices of our society, how the influence of money and power can destroy those around you and the moral journey that Parizaad must walk through alone. The writer Hashim Nadeem has done a wonderful job in portraying the true yet cruel nature of our species and how it gnaws away on the less unfortunate ones. 

ii – The revelation of Lubna’s fate in this episode was bold and courageous. Without revealing much, I am pleasantly surprised that the creative team of the show had the gall to go into this direction on National television. And best of all, the twist in the story made sense and was not portrayed just out of ‘shock’ value.

iii – I can never stress this enough how great Ahmed Ali Akbar’s performance is in this show. He has a tender soul but yet, is being constantly confronted by the harsh realities of Life. It absolutely baffles me that Ahmed Ali Akbar was not the show’s first choice to play Parizaad but I am glad that they decided on him at the end. Parizaad as a show works solely because of the actor’s magnificent performance and it will be quite a letdown if he does not end up bagging nominations during the award season.

iv – What we also don’t see very often in Pakistani dramas nowadays is a genuine, loving relationship between a brother and his sister. In terms of storytelling, it was a wise decision to have Parizaad’s motivations be connected to his sister’s wellbeing as she serves as his last getaway to his family. Kiran Tabeer as Saeeda plays a key role in her brother’s life as she might be the only “soul” Parizaad can save from the wretched evils of our society who also possesses a pure heart like himself. They are the kindred spirits who still resist the urge to be enveloped towards the dark side and still want to believe the good in people. 

v – The scene where Parizaad has to confront the business tycoon Noman Bashir was the highlight of Episode 8. The depiction of Parizaad’s desperation and hopelessness towards humanity and our society is very apparent in the scene. As a viewer, you do end up feeling pity and to a certain extent, guilt as we all somehow contribute to this horrible cycle of rewarding evil deeds and bashing the innocent in the process.

+ Low Points

i – The only minor criticism I have of the episode is that midway through its runtime, there were some “filler” scenes which were not whole lot necessary and served only as minor character building moments. Personally, I understand the purpose behind them but it may be possible that some viewer’s attention span might wander off during those scenes but I can only advise to follow through the whole episode as it is one of the best ones that the show has produced.

+ Overall

Bold, engaging and thought provoking, episode 8 is a return to form for Parizaad and a reminder why it is one of the best serial dramas out there on Pakistani Television.

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

TV series

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

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 6 (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 – Episode 6 served as a better narrative this time around. The story progressed fluidly, the conversations and arguments made more impact to the plot of the show. There were no time wasting scenes to hinder the pacing and a good example of how an episode should be written on a weekly basis.

ii – It was great to see Mehreen stand up for herself and make realistic counter arguments to Mashal’s accusations. Its really few and far between but when it comes to strong female representation, Mehreen currently serves as one of the better ones on Pakistan Television.

+ Low Points

i –  Aswad’s reaction to Mehreen seemed very unrealistic to the context of the show. His incredibly conservative mindset when it comes to meeting friends of the opposite sex seemed forced and unnatural to the character that we had been initially introduced to. Granted, one could argue that it is Mashal’s manipulation that has corrupted him but its way too early for that. We are only six episodes in, this doesn’t feel earned and natural but only what the script required him to do. Oh my god, she is having lunch with someone at a restaurant!? How dare she!? 

ii – The cousin rivalry between Mehreen and Mashal solely revolves around Aswad’s affection (even though there are plenty of issues under the surface like favouritism, lack of parental support, horrend childhood etc). This storyline is worthy of exploration but what would serve most beneficial is that they get rid of Aswad as the main crux of their rivalry. Luckily, episode 6 feels like Mehreen is slowly moving away from being under the fascination of Aswad and probably the right way to go.

iii  – Speaking of Mashal, her character is not being properly represented by the actress Kubra Khan. Her performance is not on par with what the script requires of her. And the fault lies on both the actress and the director Farooq Rind. The narrative portrays her as a conniving, evil mastermind who is pulling the strings of Aswad but only comes off as a whiny, entitled child of the family. This scenario would’ve been much more believable if Aswad was head over heels in love with her, which obviously does not seem to be the case. Why would he so blindly believe her lies is beyond me or the intelligence of their audience. And this seems to be the underlining problem of the show. The plot structure seems to be solid but the development leading up to it seems faulty and not given enough time to breath to make it seem realistic.

iv  – The Production of the show still looks like an overlit mess. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is one of the very few Momina Duraid productions that look visually unpleasant as if they have no clue what lighting is supposed to represent in moving pictures.

+ Overall

All the pieces of the puzzle are there for Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay to be a successful drama but lack of proper progression and not so stellar performances hinder the show’s true potential.

 Rate: out of 5 stars

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Laapata – Episode IX & X (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Laapata Episode 9 & 10 (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

i – The romance between Falak and Daniyal is cute. Even though it is inevitable that something will go wrong between them but for now, the character of Daniyal is a great counter to the arrogant Shams of before. Even the love banter between the couple is well written and its fun to watch the two actors interact on screen together.

ii – Apart from Ayeza Khan, the performances from the main cast are actually great. The love triangle of Ali Rehman Khan, Sarah Khan and Gohar Rasheed is undoubtedly the highlight of the show. 

SPOILER ALERT!!! (If you would like to avoid it, please skip to the Low Points section):

iii – Considering the circumstances, the return of Shams was very well handled. The imagery of his mother pacing back and forth towards the gate, hoping every time to see her son’s face behind it was heartbreaking and finally, it did pay off in the end. No unnecessary dialogue was incorporated into this scene, just melodic music and imagery. That’s all that it needed to be.

+ Low Points

i –  Laapata is a show that keeps faltering back and forth whether it wants to be a tragedy or a comedy of errors. While the story of Sham’s lost years is rightfully taken in a serious direction, the “comedy” antics of Geeti are unbearable (more on that in the next point!). The show is afraid to take a stern stance on which path to move forward with because it is afraid to lose its certain section of the audience. This is why Laapata (ironically) has no identity of its own. Although there is nothing wrong with a bit of light hearted scenes sprinkled in between dramatic moments of the show, it needs to commit to its “tragedy” genre to create a personality of its own. As the famous Urdu idiom goes:

“Dhobi ka kutta; na ghar ka, na ghat ka!”

“A washerman’s dog belongs to neither the house, nor the waterside!”

SPOILER ALERT!!! (If you would like to avoid it, please skip to the Overall section):

ii – The whole character of Geeti is the Achilles’ heel and brings the quality of the show significantly down. There is nothing hilarious about her shenanigans, in fact they are downright insulting. She tried to steal her friend’s fiance and when that didn’t work out, there was no lesson to be learnt about selfishness. She just went about her business and the show played it off as a “hilarious” joke! Her incredibly naive friend just forgave her in two seconds time and now, she is after Shams again?? What is even going on in this show? Laapata only proves that you always act self-centered and it might just pay off for you.

iii  – On top of all that is mentioned above, Ayeza Khan as Geeti is just one of the most annoying characters in recent memory. Her over the top antics and dialogue delivery just gives the show a “tacky” and inferior quality to it. If I was not reviewing this, I would gladly have skipped each scene that she is a part of in the show!

iv  – The worst part (hands down!) about Laapata has to be its “comedy”. Every joke is either corny or falls flat on its face. The whole subplot with Geeti’s fiance, the butcher’s son’s blackmail, the eye-rolling scene of Geeti’s arranged marriage meeting, it’s all terrible writing. Laapata would prove to be a much better show if the show runners introduce more poignantly written subplots with sensible writing that compliments the vibe of the show and not insult it.

+ Overall

Laapata has the potential to be a much better and focused show if not for its terrible “comedy” subplots involving Ayeza Khan as Geeti.

Rate: out of 5 stars

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Ishq Hai – Episode XXIX to XXXII (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Ishq Hai – Episode 29 to 32 (2021). The new TV series is directed by Aabis Raza and written by Rehana Aftab. Ishq Hai is an ARY Digital 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 Aabis Raza
  • Written by Rehana Aftab
  • DOP by Waqas Ali
  • OST composed by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
  • Editing by Zeeshan Ali Jokhio
  • Produced by Fahad Mustafa & Dr. Ali Kazmi

+ Note

Ishq Hai is a tale of two lovers, a Shakespearean tragedy set in South Asia where the conflict between tradition and individual freedom comes into play. An age long question within our Pakistani culture; should the tradition of arranged marriage be questioned? How important is the right to choose your own life partner? The drama has a star studded cast of young and veteran actors and is an exclusive ARY Digital Production.

 + Main Cast

  1. Minal Khan as Isra
  2. Danish Taimoor as Shahzaib
  3. Hammad Farooqi as Hammad
  4. Babar Ali as Isra’s father
  5. Hammad Shoaib as Haris
  6. Saba Faisal as Nafisa
  7. Mahi Baloch as Sameera
  8. Sajjad Paul as Raza
  9. Mahenur Haider as Nimra

+ Plot

Isra and Shahzaib are the young lovers in conflict with their respective families. Their parents have already found a spouse for them. Arranged marriage has been a family tradition but against all odds, Isra and Shahzaib want to fight for their love. Will their pure love be able to conquer all?   

+ High Points

i – One of the bare minimum character development scenes we have in this show’s entirety takes place between Nimra and Shahzaib. Thankfully this scene lets itself playout to the audience without any nonsensical editing tamperings. 

+ Low Points

i – Ishq Hai continues to devolve further into obscurity. The illogical “twist” in episode 31 felt unnecessary as the status quo was once again reached by the end of the same episode! Nimra and her sister are still the evil sisters out of Brother’s Grimm Fairytales! Why introduce this twist in the first place? Was it just to create some sympathy within Shahzaib’s heart for Nimra? But that was already in process so this clearly nullifies the whole scenario. Secondly, I can’t even begin to count how many times, within the last 6 Episodes, has Shahzaib “caught” Isra with Haris. Guys, it got old the first few times, also Isra is sincerely lacking intelligence when she resorts to trusting the sister of Nimra who physically assaulted her and openly engaged in submitting Shahzaib to her mad love.  The pendulum of the narrative keeps swinging back and forth but this show goes nowhere.

ii – The dreaded slow motions keep plaguing this show. Every scene is unnaturally prolonged by stuttering slow motion scenes which are clearly added in Post production for the episode to reach its hour runtime. Never have I ever seen a show that has absolutely no faith in its own content. Well, at least even they are self aware how utter nonsense their own product is!

iii – Apparently in the world of Ishq Hai, whenever you see your wife talking to another man, that equates to cheating on him. Whenever your wife injures her hand and a man tries to help her, that also equates to cheating on him. Shahzaib knows well enough that Haris has been stalking his wife for some time now, so Haris forcing himself upon Isra at times makes no logical sense to him? Was he dropped on his head as a child or does everyone in this show lack even basic commonsense? Why do I keep watching this nonsense?

iv – Of all the characters I wish would just “go away”, Azekah Daniel as Naina is always on top of that list. Her character is just horribly written, solely serving as a person who could “negate” everything Isra claims. She openly whines in every episode how her life is ruined because of Isra, how she is never the center of attention because of Isra but we, as an audience, know literally nothing about Naina! What is her character outside of Isra? What are her ambitions? After 32 episodes, we literally know nothing about her.

+ Overall

With four episodes each week, Ishq Hai triumphs Quantity over Quality by a mile and a half! It is one of the worst shows ever aired on Pakistani Television (and that is saying a lot!).

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

TV series

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

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 7 (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 7 is the beginning of a new phase in Parizaad’s life and its great to see that the focus of attention is once again on Parizaad. The last few episodes lost its way a bit, focusing too much on side characters who were nowhere near as interesting as our main protagonist but Episode 7 rectified all that. The subplots still exist but were given as much attention as they should have. The show is about Parizaad’s odyssey; the different kinds of people he meets along the way, the hardships that he has to face, this is and should be the main focus of the show and Episode 7 delivered on that front.

ii – In this week’s episode, there seems to be a subtle thematic nod to William Shakespare that I truly admired. In the episode, Parizaad’s new friend Lubna directed a theater play “Othello” which was written by the greatest playwright of all, William Shakespare. The play is about a Moorish General who destroys his own personal life due to jealousy by murdering his wife Desdemona in a fit of rage. Othello has a sense of insecurity due to his appearance since he is a dark skinned man. As you can imagine, this directly refers to our protagonist Parizaad who is also (perhaps not explicitly) insecure of his appearance. I love the fact that the director Shehzad Kashmiri decided to add a subtle thematic connection to our main character of the show. Let’s just hope that Parizaad’s story does not end the same way Othello did!  

iii – It was intriguing to see Parizaad interacting with the high society and what a misfit he seems to be amongst them. It highlights the lack of moral corruption and purity of Parizaad.

+ Low Points

i – Since Ahmed Ali Akbar is just so outstanding in his performance as Parizaad, it puts most of the other performances of our supporting cast on the back foot. Mashal Khan as Lubna has definitely the potential to be an interesting character, her performance lacks the tenacity that the role requires. Her dialogue delivery and expressions seem very lethargic and not genuine to the character that she is supposed to be portraying onscreen. Although the performance is not terrible by any stretch of the imagination, it does seem lacking in quality when it coincides next to Ahmed Ali Akbar as Parizaad. 

And on the side note, please get rid of cringeworthy dialogues from Lubna like “Mai Party phaak rahi hou!”. This sentence seems to be a direct translation of “I’m throwing a party!”. The translation makes no sense in Urdu. Either let her say this dialogue in English or avoid such false translations completely. 

ii – There were several scenes during episode 7 where the atmospheric noise was completely absent (the echo and footsteps while walking in the hallway of the university). I’m not sure why this decision was made since it just ended up making the scenes feel hollow and taking place inside a vacuum capsule. Atmospheric background noise is vital if you want to give the illusion to the viewers that they themselves are part of the scene.

iii – The subplot of Parizaad’s sister has really not been all that interesting and are definitely the “skippable” parts of the episode. Let’s just hope that the subplot develops into something more engrossing than their current state.

+ Overall

Episode 7 presents a thought provoking journey for Parizaad as he gets to interact with high society and an entertaining hour of Television!

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

TV series

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

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 5 (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 – One of the aspects that Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay does better than the rest has to be the dialogue. The written conversations between friends in the show is one of the stronger suits of the writer Umera Ahmed. It seems very natural as if the two characters have known each other for some time. The casual banter between the friends lures the viewer in to become a part of it. And exactly what good writing should do.

ii – Its a neat idea to show Mehreen writing her daily dairy as to how the current situation is unfolding and it would be great if the show could have more such scenes added to the narrative.

+ Low Points

i –  Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay has the potential to be original and different from the rest of the shows out there but that’s unfortunately not the direction the show wants to go for. The cousin love triangle, the tired old tropes of misunderstandings and jealousy, we have seen such themes time and time again and this show is no different. It’s such a pity because the writer Umera Ahmed has proven to be (as a writer) much more talented than this. 

ii – Apart from Mahira Khan, the other two leads Kubra Khan and Usman Mukhtar seem like their performances are not up to the task. The subtlety that the role requires is absent from both of these performances. And as I have previously mentioned before, Usman Mukhtar lacks the screen presence that the character of Aswad requires. The lead does not have to be cocky but there has to be an abundance of charisma which attracts both of his female leads towards him. And this always begs the question; why are the two girls in love with him? So far, the show has given no explanation for this. Just cause the script demands it I suppose …

iii  – Since the premiere episode of the show, I have been complaining about the production quality of the show, namely the habit of “overlit” scenes and the picture below is a prime example of it. This scene takes place in a car at night but the interior of the car has been lit as if they are being interrogated by the cops! The scene needed some softer light and shadows to give the illusion of the actors sitting inside a car at night. Momina Duraid’s projects usually have great production work but Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is one of their worst looking shows to date.

iv  – I believe the show will benefit more if there are more scenes outside the bungalow. Scenes taking place in the University, office or just outdoors will bring a much needed authenticity to the story. It is becoming very tiresome that 90% of the scenes are just characters sitting on a sofa and having a conversation about the current situation. This is why Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay as a show lacks energy or even a sense of urgency to its plot. Show the characters going through their daily routine, mixing work with personal life. So far, Mehreen is the ONLY character that we know who has a life outside her situation with Aswad. And at its current state, the show is lethargic and downright boring.

+ Overall

Episode 5 was proven to be inconsequential to the rest of the plot. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay continues to suffer from tired old Pak drama tropes and lack of originality really hurts the overall product at the end.

 Rate: out of 5 stars

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Laapata – Episode VII & VIII (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Laapata Episode 7 & 8 (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

i – In comparison to other female protagonists on Pak television, Falak is still relatively better written. She is not easily manipulated or oppressed by the men in her life. She has a solo career as a sportswoman and also possesses her own unique character.

ii – The plot flows along nicely with each passing episode. The pacing between the quieter and dramatic moments is commendable. And even though the new romance plotline between Falak and Daniyal serves yet again as just another drama cliche, it has been well introduced and executed. It’s genuinely admirable that the show is gradually developing the romance between the two and giving it the attention that it deserves.

Spoiler Alert!! (If you would like to avoid it, please skip to the Low Points section):

iii – The dream sequence perfectly describes the longing and desperation of Shams. The music is never overbearing, it lets just the visuals of the scene describe and the pain and anguish Shams is feeling at the moment. It’ll be interesting to see how he will react when he eventually returns to his past life.

+ Low Points

i –  Laapata is in the middle of crossroads when it comes to genres. The main plotline has taken a dark turn but the show is afraid to fully commit to it and therefore, has inconsequential flashback scenes to provide some levity to the show. And there lies the problem. What is it that Laapata wants from its viewers? Are we supposed to take it seriously or not? The drama and comedy scenes in this show mix as good as oil and water.

ii – Geeti is undoubtedly a horrible person as she now targets the fiance of her closest friend to be her next lover. It’s perplexing to me how the show plays all of this off as “comedy”. Should we be rooting for such an amoral character? Will Geeti learn her lesson not to be a narcissist and annoying by the end of the series? We shall find out.

iii  – The subplot of Falak’s sister proves to be completely unnecessary. Up till now, it has proven to be uninteresting and insignificant to the overall plot of the show.

iv  – The “two years” later episodes have not proven to be as colourful or compelling as the previous ones. Where are the corrupt police officers or the greedy mulla? It was at least fun to watch them on screen. Now it’s just dull, generic characters like Geeti’s new lover or the kind hearted boss of Falak. Nowhere near as interesting.

+ Overall

Laapata has recovered a tad bit from its sudden shift in tone but the drama and comedy aspect of the show still needs to be better balanced in order for the show to have an identity of its own.

 Rate: out of 5 stars

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Ishq Hai – Episode XXV to XXVIII (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Ishq Hai – Episode 25 to 28 (2021). The new TV series is directed by Aabis Raza and written by Rehana Aftab. Ishq Hai is an ARY Digital 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 Aabis Raza
  • Written by Rehana Aftab
  • DOP by Waqas Ali
  • OST composed by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
  • Editing by Zeeshan Ali Jokhio
  • Produced by Fahad Mustafa & Dr. Ali Kazmi

+ Note

Ishq Hai is a tale of two lovers, a Shakespearean tragedy set in South Asia where the conflict between tradition and individual freedom comes into play. An age long question within our Pakistani culture; should the tradition of arranged marriage be questioned? How important is the right to choose your own life partner? The drama has a star studded cast of young and veteran actors and is an exclusive ARY Digital Production.

 + Main Cast

  1. Minal Khan as Isra
  2. Danish Taimoor as Shahzaib
  3. Hammad Farooqi as Hammad
  4. Babar Ali as Isra’s father
  5. Hammad Shoaib as Haris
  6. Saba Faisal as Nafisa
  7. Mahi Baloch as Sameera
  8. Sajjad Paul as Raza
  9. Mahenur Haider as Nimra

+ Plot

Isra and Shahzaib are the young lovers in conflict with their respective families. Their parents have already found a spouse for them. Arranged marriage has been a family tradition but against all odds, Isra and Shahzaib want to fight for their love. Will their pure love be able to conquer all?   

+ High Points

i – Some of the scenes were well lit and visually executed. The creative team behind the camera plays well with shadows at certain dramatic moments of the show. No matter how horrendous the product is, at least the visuals are somewhat impressive.

+ Low Points

i – Ishq Hai is going nowhere. The plots are already being recycled and reframed for the audience. The two themes; ‘Misunderstanding and Jealousy’ are beyond repetitive at this point. The show lacks any substance or even a shred of creativity in its writing and execution. Episode 25 to 28 are fully devoted to Nafisa’s dastardly evil plan of creating misunderstanding between Shahzaib and Isra, hoping that they would end up with a divorce and in turn, fall into the hands of Nimra and Haris respectively. The plan is obviously ludicrous and devoid of any logic but that is apparently a running theme in the show.

ii – The newly introduced side plot of Hammad and his wife is absolutely nonsensical and irrelevant to the show. Just like the show itself, it’s a massive waste of time, prolonging the lifespan of the show when it’s obvious that Ishq Hai was dead on arrival.

iii – (One character passes a cup of Tea) Slow Motion! “YE ISHQ HAI!” (dramatic music!!). It’s utterly hilarious how inept the creative team is in bringing drama through editing! The concept of slow motion and dramatic music is abused to such an extent that no scene seems epic anymore. Not to mention the lack of proper editing as the music glitches or stops in between a scene.  

 

Two cups of Chai!? He’s definitely cheating on me with her!

iv – I guess I haven’t mentioned in weeks how terrible the performances are of the main cast of the show. I would not be at all surprised if the actors just showed up on the day of the shoot and recited their lines on set without rehearsing the scene, without even getting into the psyche of the character or the situation of that particular scene. And the fault solely lies on the shoulders of the director Aabis Raza who allows his actors to display such performances on screen.

v – The “Pillow/ Dupatta” scene from Episode 26/ 27. Its scenes like these that make me lose faith in modern Pakistani dramas. Appalling state of writing in this show!

+ Overall

Ishq Hai just devolves further and further away from what is considered “standard quality” of writing for Pak Television. It’s Trash TV at its finest!

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

TV series

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

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 6 (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 6 showed quite an improvement from the previous two episodes. The story felt urgent and did not waste time with injecting comedy in subplots of the show. Even though the problems presented are regarding the side characters of the show, the focus was on Parizaad and his intellect in dealing with them. 

ii – The awkward “romance” moment between Bubbly and Parizaad was comical and true to their characters. It never pushed its boundaries nor did it overstayed its welcome. It was just a cute, fun moment between the two characters who have a genuine, mutual liking for one another.

iii – Once again, the scenes between Parizaad and Nasaaz were brilliantly acted and presented on screen. They are two talented actors who know how to chew up the scenery and make their emotions feel real and effective to the show’s storyline.

+ Low Points

i – The “Piano” scene. While I understand the writer had the right intentions in bringing some more characterization into our main protagonist, it unfortunately made no sense. Since when was Parizaad into music? Why was this fact never mentioned (or even hinted at) in the previous episodes? All of a sudden, Parizaad always wanted to buy a Piano. Such aspirations should have been somehow depicted in previous episodes so that it is well established in the eyes of the audience that Parizaad has a passion for Music. This scene just felt out of nowhere and the terrible “angrazi” accent by the shopkeeper did not help the matters further. He even goes on to mention: “One thing I do know is that one day, you will buy a piano of your choice!”. Okay but you just talked to him five seconds ago and you already know his passions in Life? The scene needed some better writing in order for it to work but that was sadly missing.

ii – Even though Episode 6 is an improvement, it is still troublesome why the show diverted its attention from Parizaad to the people surrounding him. The story of Bubbly feels forced into the life of Parizaad and the In-Laws drama with Parizaad’s sister is uninteresting and inconsequential to the overall narrative of the show. Let’s hope that the coming episodes focus more on Parizaad’s journey of self-discovery and less on uninteresting subplots of the show.

+ Overall

Episode 6 did what was required of the show; bring the focus back onto Parizaad and less emphasis on mediocre subplots.

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

TV series

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

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 4 (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 – What is commendable about Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is the fact that the team behind the camera does not force emotions out of its audience through overly melodramatic music and excessive use of slow motion/ flashbacks. It tries to achieve all this through the performances of its actors because on some level, the director of the show has faith in their capability to do so.

ii – In these four episodes, Haroon Shahid has been briefly involved in the show’s storyline and hopefully we get to see much more of him since his performance and screen presence seems noticeably better than Usman Mukhtar as the lead actor of the show.

+ Low Points

i –  Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is an unfortunate retreading of old drama cliches, presented in an unoriginal fashion. Characters play their good/evil parts without much reasoning behind it. Mashal does bad deeds against Mehreen just for the sake of plot progression, characters enter at the wrong place at the wrong time, creating misunderstandings between two characters who the audience would want them to be together (namely Mehreen and Aswad). Although this is not a flaw but a certain lack of originality from the creative team and thus, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay feels already stale like the majority of the TV shows on Pak television. With Umera Ahmed as the writer, I had some high expectations for the show but unfortunately (so far), I have been proven wrong.

ii – Of all the cliches, Mashal seems to be the least developed main character of the show. Like Mehreen, she wants Aswad and is willing to do whatever it takes to attain him. Her goals are to create falsehood regarding Mehreen and create misunderstandings between her and Aswad. Even going as far as poisoning her pet bird?? I don’t understand what motivated her to do so as this drastic step felt completely out of place with the rest of the plot. And sadly, Kubra Khan’s performance is not convincing enough to play a strong main antagonist of the show.

iii  – “Why is the electricity bill so high!?” asked by one of the characters in Episode 4. 

This line of dialogue was hilarious yet so fittingly ironic for me because since its premiere episode, I have been complaining how the show is unnecessarily overlit, presenting a washed out, over produced look to the images. Just had to laugh at that moment. Seems like the show itself is subconsciously aware of this fact! 

iv  – There is apparently a “Comedy scene” where Shabo (the maid) breaks the fourth wall and addresses the viewers by staring directly into the camera. Breaking the fourth wall is usually done when it is well established right from the beginning that the character has that ability (for example, the character of Deadpool). This just came out of nowhere and felt completely out of place to the format of the show.

v  – The romance feels stale between the duo; Mehreen and Aswad. There seems to be virtually no chemistry between the leads of the show and the scenes that Mahira Khan and Usman Mukhtar share seem awkward and unnatural. This should not be the case since in the show, they are in fact close cousins who have shared their childhoods together. On the other hand, the romance between Mahria and Haroon Shahid seems much more natural and plausible (and this is where the plot is heading I suppose). Usman Mukhtar was a miscast in this show as his performance does not carry the charisma and presence that the role demands.

+ Overall

Four Episodes in and Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay already feels stale with retreading of tired old cliches of Pak TV dramas. With a writer like Umera Ahmed onboard, I would have expected much more original storytelling.

 Rate: out of 5 stars