Tag: HUM TV

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 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 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

TV series

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

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 5 (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 – Its great to see that with each progressing episode, Parizaad is evolving from a shy timid character to someone who is learning how to take responsibility and charge head on into problems to find solutions for. With all the new side stories introduced to the show, its a bit of a relief that the writer still has not forgotten developing Parizaad’s character.

ii – The direction of the show has mostly been great. Shehzad Kashmiri is great at directing his actors through the canvas of the screen and brings a sense of “naturality” to the scene. For example, near the end of Episode 5, Nasaaz is seen doing his own laundry while having a discussion with Parizaad about his marital future. Although this scene could have been just shot with Nasaaz and Parizaad just sitting somewhere together, the act of doing laundry made the scene much more real and authentic for the viewers!

+ Low Points

i – It has been very disappointing that after Episode 3, the show Parizaad took a definite change in narrative direction. The first three episodes were solely focused on Parizaad and his interactions with the outside world. The drama was a character study of our protagonist and how society treats him for being different. But now, Parizaad has become a mere pawn to the overall narrative of the show. There’s the problem of “Bubbly’s” marriage, his brother-in-law being wrongfully accused, it’s as if Parizaad has suddenly become a side character in his own show! Although potential future events indicate that Parizaad will have new experiences, it’s still has been a very sudden change in direction for the show that I am not very fond of. What Parizaad started off as a unique, character study of a show (a bold narrative technique in the Pak TV landscape of today) is now being treated as “just another show” with useless gag scenes and evil motives between In-Laws.

ii – Saboor Ali as Bubbly just doesn’t work. Her performance is never convincing enough to get the viewers onboard with her plight to find her direction in Life. Although Saboor works better in dramatic moments, the comedy scenes just feel tacky with laziness from the writer to bring some levity to the show. And speaking of comedy….

iii – The last two episodes have also brought some forced “comedy” scenes into the show. Even though a bit of light hearted banter is always welcomed, most of the “Bubbly” story is played off as a writing tactic for her to “become a REAL woman” and for Parizaad to find the love of his life. The writer of the show Hashim Nadeem is very poignant when it comes to dramatic moments but comedy does not prove to be his forte. And thus, the quality of the overall show suffers from it.

+ Overall

The sudden shift in narrative for Parizaad has brought some unwarranted changes to the show. Parizaad has become a mere side character in his own show and thus, the quality of the show has deteriorated since its past two episodes. Hopefully, this trend wouldn’t last for long.

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

TV series

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

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 3 (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 – Mehreen can potentially be a character of interest as she suffers from childhood traumas and a wallflower in a society where the modest are never appreciated. The themes are all placed accordingly for the actress to execute it with emotion on screen (but unfortunately fails at it. A point I will get to more later in the review).

ii – I suppose it is also commendable that Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay does not over rely on cheap emotional tactics like music overpowering the scene rather than the actors playing it out through their strong performances.

+ Low Points

i –  (Yawn) this show just lacks any sort of momentum or energy to it. Nothing significant happens during the third Episode. The characters themselves feel lethargic, just lounging on their couches in pretty much every scene. Whatever story progression we saw in the first episode has been missing since.

ii – Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay has the potential for sympathetic characters for the audience to get behind but so far, that has not been the case. The performances of the two lead actresses seem mediocre and overly simplistic to their personalities. Every interesting character should have layers of emotion or depth to them but up till now, the acting seems very flat. Although judging from past shows, Mahira Khan has the potential to be more diverse than this show has you believe.

iii  – The production of the show seems visually off color to the dark, dramatic narrative of it. Every image is overlit without any play of shadows  and in return, the show looks cheap and tacky. 

iv  – Episode 3 has a scene where Shabo the maid accidentally trips and slips tea over a character. This comedic scene fell apart completely on arrival because we, as an audience, never got to see the result! It’s as if Charlie Chaplin slipped over a banana peel but instead of showing the pratfall, only the laughter of the crowd is depicted on screen. Slapstick comedy is all about visuals and timing and the director Farooq Rind seems to be lacking in both.

v  – Three episodes in, and Umera Ahmed’s writing has been surprisingly very disappointing. It all seems like a rethread of regular cliches of Pakistani dramas, namely cousin love triangle, lifeless exposition scenes and (with exception to Mehreen) flat two dimensional characterization. I really hope that the show picks up pace and depth soon as Umera Ahmed as a writer is definitely capable of it.

+ Overall

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is unenergetic, filled with long drawn out scenes of dialogues that lead to nowhere. That trend should change soon if the show runners want to keep their viewers tuning in every week.

 Rate: out of 5 stars

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Laapata – Episode V & VI (2021)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Laapata Episode 5 & 6 (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 – Episodes 5 and 6 have taken a more serious and logical approach towards the concept of “Laapata” and families who have lost their loved ones in such fashion. While its not an outstanding case study of “lost” family members, at least it has been given some level of seriousness that it deserves.

ii – It’s admirable from the show runners to depict Falak as a Badminton athlete. Most shows on Pak TV either depict their young women as flaunting 24/7 over their partners. Falak (on the other hand) has her own character defining trait outside her relationship. And this is what makes her character stand out from the rest of the shows.

iii – The corruption within the law enforcement section is quite truthfully depicted in the show. The telephone dialogues scene between the two Police Inspectors was very poignantly written and loved the “switcheroo” of the dialogue “ And please consider my promotion” from one Police Officer (in Ep 5) to the next (in Ep 6).

iv  – Seems like Saife Hasan is having a lot of fun playing the dastardly evil Police Inspector. You have to admire when an actor fully embraces a performance and runs wild with it.

+ Low Points

i –  Laapata has no idea what it wants to be. The show started off as a romantic, quirky love story which quite rapidly devolved into a tragic drama. The progression between the two genres is nowhere near seamless as it should have been. The viewers who probably tuned in for the comedic aspects of the show will be put off by the seriousness of the situation.

ii – Ayeza Khan as Geeti still does not fit the tone of the show. Her screwball performance is at complete odds with the storytelling of Laapata. Her character’s quirkiness is off putting and she definitely needs to tone down her performance to make herself more relatable to the viewers.

iii  – An awful lot of blurring in a single shot! How such images get approved for Broadcast quality in Pakistan is beyond my comprehension!

iv  – The two new “love interests” seem very generic and just something for our female leads to do since our main protagonist is “Laapata”. Perhaps it’s okay if our female lead doesn’t have a love interest for a few episodes. 

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

v  – Hakim’s change of heart in Episode 5 came out of nowhere. They tried to explain that the corrupt Police Inspector would have hounded their trial till they found him but murdering a police inspector by poisoning him in front of countless number of witnesses is probably an even worse idea! This move made no sense.

+ Overall

The sudden shift in tone will drive away viewers of Laapata. Although the cast is entertaining enough, the show seems confused as to what it wants to be; a rom-com or a serious drama?

 Rate: out of 5 stars

TV series

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

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 4 (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 – Once again, Ahmed Ali Akbar as Parizaad always delivers a brilliant performance. His mannerisms and dialogue delivery is picture perfect and plays a massive role in making viewers tune in to the show every week.

ii – The show works best when Parizaad and Nasaaz (played by Adeel Afzal) are sharing the screen together. Their banter plays off well with one another, the ying yang of personalities that share a mutual sense of respect. 

+ Low Points

i – Episode 4 has taken a sudden shift from focusing on Parizaad’s evolution as a character to subplots of the show such as Parizaad’s sister and her plight of achieving further education. This episode seemed a bit too concentrated on In-Laws melodrama which was never the main focus of the first three episodes of the show. Having subplots is always good but it should never steal the spotlight from the main plot of the show.

ii – This week, Parizaad introduced a new character to the show; Bubbly (played by Saboor Ali). She plays a “tomboy”, no nonsense character who has taken a shine at Parizaad. Although it’s an interesting concept for a new character, Saboor Ali’s performance seems not on par with what the show requires and comes off as if Saboor Ali is playing a “character” rather than her embracing its persona. Unfortunately a lot of screen time is devoted to Bubbly and her performance is very distracting throughout the episode.

iii – There also are certain “comedy” scenes involving Bubbly and her shenanigans. Although never egregious, they seem completely out of place to the tone the first three episodes set for the show. Parizaad works best as a character study and the comedic elements seem to rather detract from the quality of the show.

iv – The show runners need to find a better way to deal with hiding unnecessary product placement because this looks awful (referring to the still shot below)! The blurring effect around the whole character seems as if this is a dream sequence. Incredibly poor presentation!

+ Overall

Episode 4 suffers from unnecessary “Saas-Bahoo” drama and comedic scenes that seem out of place for the show. Parizaad works best as a character study and should avoid cliches of Pakistani dramas.

 Rate: out of 5 stars