Tag: Kubra Khan

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 18 (2021). The new TV series is written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Farooq Rind. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a Momina Duraid Production and currently airs on HUM TV.

(Note: If you’ve already read the review of the previous episode, you can skip directly ahead to the High points section).

+ Crew

• Directed by Farooq Rind
• Written by Umer Ahmed
• Produced by Nina Kashif & Momina Duraid Productions

+ Note

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay marks 5 years since Mahira Khan appeared in a TV drama and as was the case before, this drama was also originally a novel by Umera Ahmed where the childhood and upbringing play an important part in the main plot of the show. The show deals with dark topics such as drug addiction and its impact on a child’s upbringing. 

The show also focuses once again on a love triangle between three cousins who shared a childhood together; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is essentially a case study of internal flaws and unspoken guilts that makes us human and how we learn to cope up in a less than ideal society.

 + Main Cast

1. Mahira Khan as Mehreen Mansoor
2. Kubra Khan as Mashal Tahir
3. Usman Mukhtar as Aswad Ayub
4. Omair Rana as Mansoor
5. Zainab Qayyum as Shagufta
6. Haroon Shahid
7. Laila Wasti
8. Huma Nawab as Saliha
9. Kaif Ghaznavi
10. Shamim Hilali as Aswad’s Grandmother
11. Khalid Malik

+ Plot

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a story of three cousins; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Their lives have coincided with each other since childhood. While Mashal and Aswad grew up in a stable, loving household, Mehreen had to live through the mistakes of her father for being a drug addict and financially unstable. As they grow older, it is obvious that they all share an unbroken bond between each other that will only culminate with certain unforeseeable events.

+ High Points

i – The opening scene of Episode 18, leading up to the climax of Mehreen’s vision of her late father was well executed. The longing of Mehreen for her father has always been one of key elements of the show and thematically, it made perfect sense why he might be the sole reason that could encourage Mehreen to go on living. The set piece was also performed excellently by the actors and is always a constant reminder that with a good script, these actors can potentially knock it out of the park. 

+ Low Points

i –  Finally, Episode 18 had some significant plot revelations. Revelations that made absolutely no sense. (Sigh) Where do we even begin? The unnecessary dumping of the food segment, the tea which was made twice in one night, the fact that the police had no clue that Mashal had the keys to Mehreen’s room and worst of all, Mashal blatantly commanding Shabo to dump unhealthy amount of sleeping pills in Mehreen’s cup and thus, making her an accomplice to a murder for no apparent reason! The plot is unnecessarily convoluted and is dragging the whole show to one of the most unsatisfying conclusions to a show in recent history.

ii – Oh my dear Aswad, the man who planned this whole time that he will psychologically torutre Mehreen for the alleged murder of Mashal and now that Mehreen ends up with a nervous breakdown, he truly realizes how horrible of a person he has been. But wait, there’s more! He now also found out that Mashal had lied to him about Mehreen this entire time like… how she secretly smokes (gasp!), how she has a boyfriend (oh my!) but fret no more, cause all of this and more were just lies, all lies. Which means Mehreen has always been the non-smoking, God’s perfect maiden that Aswad envisioned in head. So are we supposed to feel sorry for this misogynist? Since the beginning of this show, Aswad had been by far one of the worst characteristics that one could have for a male protagonist of a TV show. For him, Mehreen is only worthy of him if she was a non-smoker and is strictly only madly in love with him. Are we sure if he’s actually not the antagonist of the show? Cause that’s a twist which would make perfect sense.

iii – Just this whole depiction of mental torture and suicide from the show leaves a bad taste at the end. I do not believe in condemning such themes in TV shows but they should be done responsibly, not sensationalized and dramatized to a point that it just feels exploitative. It is not enjoyable (nor educational for that matter) to see our female protagonist getting man handled, psychological tortured to the brink of suicide. Why is this being used for prime time TV entertainment purposes? The writing tackling such serious issues is not up to the standards that it should be. Depression and suicide are unfortunately very prevalent in our Pakistani society and should be addressed in the most mature way possible. To say that Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay does not do these themes justice is an understatement.

iv – Apparently Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is now reaching its conclusion and yet, the viewers are still left scratching their heads with what it all means. Why did this show have filler episodes which added absolutely nothing to the overall plot. Since the death of Mashal around ep 8-10 till ep 18, there was next to zero plot development. The producers might have prolonged this show’s life to 20 episodes but in the process, left it completely lifeless with viewers each week complaining about the negative thematic elements of the show.

+ Overall

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is finally reaching its conclusion and unfortunately, the only satisfaction we, the viewers will get is when the final curtain will drop.

 Rate: out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 17 (2021). The new TV series is written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Farooq Rind. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a Momina Duraid Production and currently airs on HUM TV.

(Note: If you’ve already read the review of the previous episode, you can skip directly ahead to the High points section).

+ Crew

• Directed by Farooq Rind
• Written by Umer Ahmed
• Produced by Nina Kashif & Momina Duraid Productions

+ Note

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay marks 5 years since Mahira Khan appeared in a TV drama and as was the case before, this drama was also originally a novel by Umera Ahmed where the childhood and upbringing play an important part in the main plot of the show. The show deals with dark topics such as drug addiction and its impact on a child’s upbringing. 

The show also focuses once again on a love triangle between three cousins who shared a childhood together; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is essentially a case study of internal flaws and unspoken guilts that makes us human and how we learn to cope up in a less than ideal society.

 + Main Cast

1. Mahira Khan as Mehreen Mansoor
2. Kubra Khan as Mashal Tahir
3. Usman Mukhtar as Aswad Ayub
4. Omair Rana as Mansoor
5. Zainab Qayyum as Shagufta
6. Haroon Shahid
7. Laila Wasti
8. Huma Nawab as Saliha
9. Kaif Ghaznavi
10. Shamim Hilali as Aswad’s Grandmother
11. Khalid Malik

+ Plot

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a story of three cousins; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Their lives have coincided with each other since childhood. While Mashal and Aswad grew up in a stable, loving household, Mehreen had to live through the mistakes of her father for being a drug addict and financially unstable. As they grow older, it is obvious that they all share an unbroken bond between each other that will only culminate with certain unforeseeable events.

+ High Points

i – Its clearly obvious that the main cast of Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay are trying their level best to make this show an exciting watch. Even though the script is devoid of any creativity and the plot refuses to move on, I have to give the cast all the credit they deserve for reading out those repetitive, awful dialogue for every single episode with little to no reward.

+ Low Points

i –  The episode starts off with Aswad shouting at Mehreen, demanding her to explain how much she hated Mashal. Oh boy… this show does not understand the meaning of the word ‘tiresome’. Seventeen episodes in and Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay feels creatively bankrupt since the past five weeks. The plot is stagnated between Aswad’s non-existent revenge, Mehreen’s visions of Mashal and for some reason, Saffan who has nothing better to do but be involved in this complete mess. As I watch an episode each and every week, I truly ask myself what this show is trying to accomplish. As a diligent viewer, who am I supposed to root for? This whole facade of a tragedy is now becoming a parody of itself. Episode 17 was once again nothing more than crude characterizations, shouting contests and endless self-pity sequences. And frankly put, I don’t believe any brilliant conclusion could justify the torture that the show is making us sit through.

ii – So we finally got our answer. Why was Mehreen reluctant to sign those divorce papers even though Aswad has been nothing short of a terrible spouse. Its because she loves him! Yes, the same Aswad who is convinced that his wife poisoned her cousin, the same man who has been manhandling and humiliating his wife publicly without any repercussions. What a great representation of an on screen relationship, a perfect composite of the word “Stockholm Syndrome”. This is just so forced and ridiculous that its unfathomable to even comprehend all of this with an open mind. Sadly, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay finally proves itself to be yet another poster child for glorifying abusive relationships. Not even from the story standpoint, does this make any sense. It’s a reason that a writer comes up with when they have no other intelligent storytelling to fall back to. The Mashal murder mystery has become so convoluted at this point that the show refuses progress even an inch out of its place. Its the lamest and most illogical reasoning to this whole fiasco.

iii – Speaking of abusive relationships, the whole physical and mental torturing of the maid Shabo was an incredibly distasteful scene, almost made me shut off my television set. It’s not a complaint of being ‘unrealistic’, far from it. Its all that the show promotes; abusive relationships, mental and physical torturing the people close to you and worst of all, none of these actions have had any repercussions to them. Its 40 minutes of non-stop debasement of characters on screen each and every week. And if that is what some enjoy in their TV dramas then they really need to seek help.

iv – The restaurant scene was just hilariously bad! Coincidentally, all main cast members of the show dine in the same restaurant. Aswad and his “friend”, Mehreen and her mother in law and Saffan and his newly wedded wife (or fiance, not sure). Of all the millions of people that live in Pakistan, they all ended up in a random place together! Talk about lazy writing by Umera Ahmed. And Aswad gets frustrated because… Mehreen is having lunch in a restaurant and she bumped into Saffan and his fiance/ wife? Is the show trying to find random reasons for the story to have conflict? Which leads me to my next point argument…

v – What is Aswad’s problem? Is he just jealous of Saffan because Mehreen (apparently) likes him? But now that he is getting married to someone else, that still does not satisfy our dear Aswad. He is too busy acting like a manchild in every single episode to realise what his actual motivations in the show are. He hates Mehreen because allegedly, she killed Mashal and seeks revenge. And thus, Aswad ended up marrying Mehreen so he could torture her day and night and also keep her away from the clutches of Saffen. But at the same time, he demands Mehreen as to why she doesn’t sign the divorce papers? But if she does, he thinks that she will end up in the arms of Saffan which is why he refuses to sign the divorce papers..? What kind of nonsense characterization is that? Aswad is, by far, one of the worst main cast characters I’ve ever come across on Pakistani TV. And why does Mehreen still “love” him? This is a mystery perhaps best remains unsolved.

+ Overall

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay failed to improve even a single aspect of its plot structure and arguably, episode 17 has only made it worse. Not worth a watch, folks!

 Rate: out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 15 (2021). The new TV series is written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Farooq Rind. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a Momina Duraid Production and currently airs on HUM TV.

(Note: If you’ve already read the review of the previous episode, you can skip directly ahead to the High points section).

+ Crew

• Directed by Farooq Rind
• Written by Umer Ahmed
• Produced by Nina Kashif & Momina Duraid Productions

+ Note

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay marks 5 years since Mahira Khan appeared in a TV drama and as was the case before, this drama was also originally a novel by Umera Ahmed where the childhood and upbringing play an important part in the main plot of the show. The show deals with dark topics such as drug addiction and its impact on a child’s upbringing. 

The show also focuses once again on a love triangle between three cousins who shared a childhood together; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is essentially a case study of internal flaws and unspoken guilts that makes us human and how we learn to cope up in a less than ideal society.

 + Main Cast

1. Mahira Khan as Mehreen Mansoor
2. Kubra Khan as Mashal Tahir
3. Usman Mukhtar as Aswad Ayub
4. Omair Rana as Mansoor
5. Zainab Qayyum as Shagufta
6. Haroon Shahid
7. Laila Wasti
8. Huma Nawab as Saliha
9. Kaif Ghaznavi
10. Shamim Hilali as Aswad’s Grandmother
11. Khalid Malik

+ Plot

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a story of three cousins; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Their lives have coincided with each other since childhood. While Mashal and Aswad grew up in a stable, loving household, Mehreen had to live through the mistakes of her father for being a drug addict and financially unstable. As they grow older, it is obvious that they all share an unbroken bond between each other that will only culminate with certain unforeseeable events.

+ High Points

i – The best scenes of every episode are usually the continual dream sequences involving Mashal. They are atmospheric, haunting and fun to watch. It also gives a great insight into the psyche of Mehreen; is she overplaying her guilt or is she really feeling guilty of murdering Mashal?

ii – Even though the flashback childhood scenes are one too many each and every week, it is commendable how they tie in the actual scenario of the present. For example, Adult Aswad getting physically aggressive towards Mehreen leads to the flashback scene where the young Aswad claims that he would never hit a girl. It’s good foreshadowing of the negating acts towards his future self. A reminder of how bad things have become between them.

+ Low Points

i –  Aswad’s idea of “revenge” against Mehreen is completely baffling. So first, he faked his way into a marriage with Mehreen, then he threatened to keep her trapped and miserable in the house for all eternity, then (without any real reasoning to the plot of the show), he disappeared to the US without informing anyone. And now, he suddenly came back and wanted Mehreen to “apologize” to Mashal’s parents… for what exactly, I have no idea. This show makes no sense. Each episode is a loose thread of a plot that never seems to tie in together. Is Aswad playing “damage control” or does he really want to extract revenge from Mehreen? For some weeks, the plot of this show has not developed at all and makes it seem as if the writer Umera Ahmed is having trouble keeping this show relevant.

ii – The breakfast scene in Episode 15 was also silly and repetitive. And this always begs the question; why doesn’t Mehreen just divorce him? I’m sure there are laws that protect women in case an abusive husband refuses a divorce. At least give it a chance! As of now, the plot feels contrived and at times, outright ridiculous.

iii – As expected, the whole “apologize” routine turned out to be a total bust. Who in the right mind would have thought that would work? If Aswad really blames Mehreen for the murder of Mashal, why would he want play “damage control” in this situation? And even if this was all a rouse just to humiliate Mehreen further, it still feels contrived and doesn’t add much to the whole drama of the situation. As you can imagine, the plot is complete nonsense at this point, no new development has been made since the past weeks, none of this feels satisfying and is an obvious attempt to prolong the life of the show.

+ Overall

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay seems like a show in search of a direction. The plot has now stagnated to a point where nothing matters anymore and needs some defilbiration shots to revive it back to life.

 Rate: out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 14 (2021). The new TV series is written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Farooq Rind. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a Momina Duraid Production and currently airs on HUM TV.

(Note: If you’ve already read the review of the previous episode, you can skip directly ahead to the High points section).

+ Crew

• Directed by Farooq Rind
• Written by Umer Ahmed
• Produced by Nina Kashif & Momina Duraid Productions

+ Note

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay marks 5 years since Mahira Khan appeared in a TV drama and as was the case before, this drama was also originally a novel by Umera Ahmed where the childhood and upbringing play an important part in the main plot of the show. The show deals with dark topics such as drug addiction and its impact on a child’s upbringing. 

The show also focuses once again on a love triangle between three cousins who shared a childhood together; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is essentially a case study of internal flaws and unspoken guilts that makes us human and how we learn to cope up in a less than ideal society.

 + Main Cast

1. Mahira Khan as Mehreen Mansoor
2. Kubra Khan as Mashal Tahir
3. Usman Mukhtar as Aswad Ayub
4. Omair Rana as Mansoor
5. Zainab Qayyum as Shagufta
6. Haroon Shahid
7. Laila Wasti
8. Huma Nawab as Saliha
9. Kaif Ghaznavi
10. Shamim Hilali as Aswad’s Grandmother
11. Khalid Malik

+ Plot

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a story of three cousins; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Their lives have coincided with each other since childhood. While Mashal and Aswad grew up in a stable, loving household, Mehreen had to live through the mistakes of her father for being a drug addict and financially unstable. As they grow older, it is obvious that they all share an unbroken bond between each other that will only culminate with certain unforeseeable events.

+ High Points

i – Although Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is devolving each week into obscurity, at least the performances are still with some level of quality and finesse. Mahira Khan, Kubra, Usman and all the supporting actors give it their all in making the show as authentic as possible.

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

+ Low Points

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

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

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

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

+ Overall

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

 Rate: out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 13 (2021). The new TV series is written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Farooq Rind. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a Momina Duraid Production and currently airs on HUM TV.

(Note: If you’ve already read the review of the previous episode, you can skip directly ahead to the High points section).

+ Crew

• Directed by Farooq Rind
• Written by Umer Ahmed
• Produced by Nina Kashif & Momina Duraid Productions

+ Note

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay marks 5 years since Mahira Khan appeared in a TV drama and as was the case before, this drama was also originally a novel by Umera Ahmed where the childhood and upbringing play an important part in the main plot of the show. The show deals with dark topics such as drug addiction and its impact on a child’s upbringing. 

The show also focuses once again on a love triangle between three cousins who shared a childhood together; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is essentially a case study of internal flaws and unspoken guilts that makes us human and how we learn to cope up in a less than ideal society.

 + Main Cast

1. Mahira Khan as Mehreen Mansoor
2. Kubra Khan as Mashal Tahir
3. Usman Mukhtar as Aswad Ayub
4. Omair Rana as Mansoor
5. Zainab Qayyum as Shagufta
6. Haroon Shahid
7. Laila Wasti
8. Huma Nawab as Saliha
9. Kaif Ghaznavi
10. Shamim Hilali as Aswad’s Grandmother
11. Khalid Malik

+ Plot

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a story of three cousins; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Their lives have coincided with each other since childhood. While Mashal and Aswad grew up in a stable, loving household, Mehreen had to live through the mistakes of her father for being a drug addict and financially unstable. As they grow older, it is obvious that they all share an unbroken bond between each other that will only culminate with certain unforeseeable events.

+ High Points

i – With this episode, Aswad has taken a darker path in order to avenge the death of Mashal. Even from beyond the grave, Mashal is able to pull the strings of Aswad and make Mehreen’s life a living hell. This is a great setup to create intense drama and tension surrounding our main protagonists and the actors are more than up to the task in presenting a certain level of authenticity. 

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

+ Low Points

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

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

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

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

+ Overall

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

 Rate: out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 12 (2021). The new TV series is written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Farooq Rind. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a Momina Duraid Production and currently airs on HUM TV.

(Note: If you’ve already read the review of the previous episode, you can skip directly ahead to the High points section).

+ Crew

• Directed by Farooq Rind
• Written by Umer Ahmed
• Produced by Nina Kashif & Momina Duraid Productions

+ Note

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay marks 5 years since Mahira Khan appeared in a TV drama and as was the case before, this drama was also originally a novel by Umera Ahmed where the childhood and upbringing play an important part in the main plot of the show. The show deals with dark topics such as drug addiction and its impact on a child’s upbringing. 

The show also focuses once again on a love triangle between three cousins who shared a childhood together; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is essentially a case study of internal flaws and unspoken guilts that makes us human and how we learn to cope up in a less than ideal society.

 + Main Cast

1. Mahira Khan as Mehreen Mansoor
2. Kubra Khan as Mashal Tahir
3. Usman Mukhtar as Aswad Ayub
4. Omair Rana as Mansoor
5. Zainab Qayyum as Shagufta
6. Haroon Shahid
7. Laila Wasti
8. Huma Nawab as Saliha
9. Kaif Ghaznavi
10. Shamim Hilali as Aswad’s Grandmother
11. Khalid Malik

+ Plot

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a story of three cousins; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Their lives have coincided with each other since childhood. While Mashal and Aswad grew up in a stable, loving household, Mehreen had to live through the mistakes of her father for being a drug addict and financially unstable. As they grow older, it is obvious that they all share an unbroken bond between each other that will only culminate with certain unforeseeable events.

+ High Points

i – The impact that Mashal’s death has left on the family is very well depicted. The reactions from her parents and those who are accused are all splendidly portrayed and is clearly one of the highlights of the show. Character building and authentic dialogue are two of the most obvious assets of Umera Ahmed’s writing.

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

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

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

+ Low Points

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

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

+ Overall

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

 Rate: out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 9 & 10 (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 – Since the passing away of Mashal, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay has taken a drastic turn in its tone and narrative direction. And for the most part, the show works quite well. The plot seems much more focused towards the immediate storyline and the reaction of the main cast towards the tragedy is appropriate and well written. Although there are some glaring flaws, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay has evolved into a much more interesting show and moves further away from the stereotypical “cousin love triangle” storyline.

ii – The performances from the main cast and supporting are commendable and memorable. Mahira Khan’s soliloquies display the internal conflict that she faces and perhaps feels somewhat responsible for what has transpired in the last few days. One of the unsung hero of the show, Ali Tahir’s superb performance also plays a massive role in displaying the anguish and anger that embellished the parents as they somehow need to rationalize their daughter’s death by resorting to violence and revenge towards Mehreen.

iii – Great shot. By displaying her mother only as a reflection of herself, it perfectly encapsulates the psychological torture that Mehreen has been through by her mother.

iv – I do admire the fact that for the prison scenes, the director Farooq Rind went for a more theatrical approach with spotlights and minimal set design. The director wants the audience to dive right into the moral ambiguity and subconscious torture that Mehreen has to face alone throughout this ordeal.

+ Low Points

i –  Although the psychological infliction of pain on Mehreen and her being trapped in a jail cell is appropriate to the current storyline, reality arguably dictates that you cannot imprison someone just on the basis of suspicion. Up till now, there has been no clear evidence if Mashal was poisoned or she committed suicide so how can Mehreen be imprisoned for days?

ii – The police inspector’s performance seems slightly goofy and hysterical. While performances from the supporting cast come off fairly realistic, his “exaggerated” dialogue delivery does not seem on par with the tone of the show.

+ Overall

Since its major plot development, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay has moved away from your typical “cousin love triangle” storyline into a much more engaging and compelling show.

 Rate: out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay Episode 8 (2021). The new TV series is written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Farooq Rind. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a Momina Duraid Production and currently airs on HUM TV.

(Note: If you’ve already read the review of the previous episode, you can skip directly ahead to the High points section).

+ Crew

• Directed by Farooq Rind
• Written by Umer Ahmed
• Produced by Nina Kashif & Momina Duraid Productions

+ Note

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay marks 5 years since Mahira Khan appeared in a TV drama and as was the case before, this drama was also originally a novel by Umera Ahmed where the childhood and upbringing play an important part in the main plot of the show. The show deals with dark topics such as drug addiction and its impact on a child’s upbringing. 

The show also focuses once again on a love triangle between three cousins who shared a childhood together; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is essentially a case study of internal flaws and unspoken guilts that makes us human and how we learn to cope up in a less than ideal society.

 + Main Cast

1. Mahira Khan as Mehreen Mansoor
2. Kubra Khan as Mashal Tahir
3. Usman Mukhtar as Aswad Ayub
4. Omair Rana as Mansoor
5. Zainab Qayyum as Shagufta
6. Haroon Shahid
7. Laila Wasti
8. Huma Nawab as Saliha
9. Kaif Ghaznavi
10. Shamim Hilali as Aswad’s Grandmother
11. Khalid Malik

+ Plot

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is a story of three cousins; Mehreen, Mashal and Aswad. Their lives have coincided with each other since childhood. While Mashal and Aswad grew up in a stable, loving household, Mehreen had to live through the mistakes of her father for being a drug addict and financially unstable. As they grow older, it is obvious that they all share an unbroken bond between each other that will only culminate with certain unforeseeable events.

+ High Points

i – The confrontation scene was great between Mehreen and Mashal. Arguably the dysfunctional relationship between the two is probably the best aspect of the show. There are hidden grudges and mannerisms that are hinted at with each childhood flashback scene. The memories make it obvious why Mashal has always been envious of Mehreen’s success and wants to snatch away everything that Mehreen has ever achieved in her life.

ii – Even though every other character in the show is either underdeveloped or not given enough screen time, Umera Ahmed has written Mehreen in a way that is not only realistic but also quite relatable. Even though life has always wronged her in so many ways, she is also not without faults of her own. She also feels envious, hurt and afraid to face her past. 

+ Low Points

i –  Episode 8 was very lethargic to say the least. The themes of Aswad and Mehreen’s engagement were repetitive and grew tiresome midway through the show. Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay needs some urgency into its storyline to liven up its pacing and characters. Right now, it certainly feels like the momentum of the show is at a stand still between the three main cast of the show and nowhere to go.

ii – The whole “rehearsal for the nikah” scene was just lame. Is marriage the only thought that Pakistani women’s whole life is based around? They have no personal goals and ambitions of their own? It’s a terrible precedent that our media has set for our younger female and male audiences alike. 

iii  – A show about love and drama usually works when there is strong chemistry between the two main characters. But nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to Aswad and Mehreen. They practically hate each other and only decided to get engaged due to external pressure from their elders. Aswad cannot say no to his mom and Mehreen… well, just to spite Mashal? Is that really worth destroying your future for? Apart from the convoluted plot, the two actors feel awkward whenever they are on screen together. This could be one of the vital reasons why this show lacks certain engagement necessary for the viewers to tune in every week. 

+ Overall

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay has steadily been getting comfortable with being a mediocre, run of the mill Pakistani drama. Apart from the Mehreen/ Mashal conflict, nothing is memorable about the show.

Rate: out of 5 stars