Tag: Noman Ejaz

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 25 (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 25 develops Parizaad’s further decent into the dirty, underworld tactics of maintaining power. And that is a great way of depicting how much our main protagonist has changed since the transition of ‘rags to riches’ storyline. Even though we all know and love Parizaad for his kind heartedness and empathic point of view of his world, one must also never push such a character to his extreme. You might be surprised as to what you would end up discovering. But…

ii – …. at the same time, the writer’s decision to not let Parizaad completely descend into the abyss of evil was a wise one. While this was never in true doubt, murdering his adversary’s innocent son in cold blood might have too massive of a character development in one, stand alone incident. While his tactics can be cruel, he is still the Parizaad that we all can relate and sympathize with.

iii – The relationship between Parizaad and Guru is also a heartfelt one. Guru has had a harsh, unforgiving life who adjusted himself to the evil nature of our society. Every scene that they share together, it is apparent that Guru sees a bit of himself in Parizaad before he has enveloped into the madness of revenge and solitude.

+ Low Points

i – The very late introduction of the cousin character of Annie seems so forced and out of place with the current storyline. His performance seems to belong to some other light hearted Hum TV drama, not the gritiness real life of Parizaad. Up till now, I have no idea what major purpose he serves to the plot but as of now, his existence seems unnecessary to the inevitable conclusion of the show.

ii – Speaking of harsh reality, the “fight scene” at the rooftop with Parizaad’s adversary seemed so phony and ridiculous. When your show is excellent at staying grounded and real, you don’t need such scenes to elevate the absurdity of the situation. If the dialogues, characterizations and performances are based on reality, so should the fight scenes.

+ Overall

Once again, a good episode although the plot now does feel somewhat directionless in the grand storyline of the show. Where is this all heading to?

Rating: out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 24 (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 – Now this was a great episode! It was fast paced, intense and finally, we got to see a slightly vicious side of Parizaad. Due to recent events, he has now learned the rules of the game and he is in no mood to back down. We also get to see the consequences of living the life of a man in a position of power. A person always in everyone’s radar also means that you end up inevitably making enemies along the way.

The episode was brilliantly paced, never missing a beat and something tells us that the life of Parizaad has taken a new turn and nothing will ever be the same for him again.

ii – Since assasination was attempted and his bodyguard came under the line of fire, how far is Parizaad willing to go to get his revenge against his adversaries? As he stood in his enemy’s office and stared down at the picture of his teenage son, was this a mere threat or is Parizaad capable of targeting innocent civilians in the process? That question could make or break the Parizaad that we know and love. It is a step that can never be reversed once taken. Perhaps Behroze Karim was right, elevating to a position of power is not the hard part but rather maintaining that position.

One can never be certain but it looks like we will have our answer in the next coming weeks. And I love the fact that the show knows exactly how to ask the vital moral questions from its main protagonist that could easily make or break him in the eyes of his audience.

iii – Such minor details but I love that the show managed to display (in passing) how Annie works her way in life through the help of Phone apps which sort out different colors or braille newspapers that she reads to keep up with the times. It was not a necessity to display these minor details but they definitely add up the overall experience of world building for Parizaad.

iv – A touching display of affection between Parizaad and his bodyguard who ended up taking the bullet meant for his employer. As he stood next to his bodyguard’s bed and clasped his hand in support, it is a constant reminder what humble beginnings Parizaad comes from and how much has he accomplished. Perhaps in a similar fashion, Parizaad earlier also took the “bullet” for Behroze Karim when he refused to give out any incriminating information against his employer. Such is the life of a commoner who is in pursuit of material happiness in Life. History repeats itself in more ways than one.

+ Low Points

i – The late introduction of the cousin (?) character of Annie was a bit unnecessary. What role he will play in the show remains to be seen but one feels that the show already has too many supporting characters that contribute to the main plot of the show.

+ Overall

A solid episode. One with a fast paced story and intense character development. Can’t wait for next week.

Rate: out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 23 (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 – I have to admit, initially I was a bit wary of yet another love interest for Parizaad to obsess over but since the last few episodes, the relationship between him and Annie has developed into something a lot more concrete and substantial for the character growth of Parizaad. A perfect metaphor for our society’s “beauty standards” where the partner (literally) sees beyond the dark skin of our protagonist.

ii – The return of Nasaaz was great and can prove to be an asset to the final, inevitable destination of Parizaad. Nasaaz was the person who (arguably) saved Parizaad from taking his own life, gave him unbridled courage to move forward to fight against this unjust world. Now perhaps Parizaad can return the favor? Something tells me things will end up on a tragic note.

iii – There is some fun back and forth dialogue between Parizaad and Lubna which hints at the fact that they are still college kids at heart. The writer Hashim Nadeem has a great sense of writing and a clear distinction when he is writing dialogue between friends or lovers. Clearly Parizaad and Lubna share a platonic bond between them that indulges deep within the depths of Art and poetry.

+ Low Points

i – Unfortunately, Episode 23 brought nothing substantial to the story and neither did it shed any new light to the character development of Parizaad. Lately, there have been way too many “Parizaad; such a kind soul that he finances your dreams” scenes. In the grand scheme of things, the scene with the song auditioning was pointless and served only as a pathway for Parizaad to be reunited with Nasaaz. Serviceable but not a great episode.

ii – This unfortunately needs to be addressed; While maintaining a business empire, where in the world does Parizaad get the time to meet characters and visit events that have really nothing to do with his work? Wealth always comes at a price but the show depicts a ludicrous, carefree version of an euterpenur’s lifestyle where he manages to commit to his work and visit all his friends and family around Pakistan. This (I’m afraid) is far from reality.

iii – Since the last few weeks, the episodes of Parizaad have not had much substance to add to the journey of our protagonist. The events seem unnaturally prolonged and the show should be wrapping up with its conclusion by now. Not a major criticism but prolonging the life of a show with no real storytelling can prove to be a major deficit for Parizaad.

+ Overall

Even though the show still maintains its quality writing and performances, this week’s episode proved to be inconsequential when it comes to the show’s plot and character development.

Rate: out of 5 stars 

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 22 (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 22 was brilliantly paced and well structured throughout its hour runtime. The emotions were not so hamfisted as the previous episode and one got a sense of the emotional connection Parizaad has with Annie. As usual, Ahmed Ali Akbar’s performance is impeccable. From his poverty stricken days to the multi millionaire transformation, Parizaad’s body language has changed radically. No longer his shoulders fall, the hesitation in his voice is absent and is not his defining character trait. The six years in prison and the adoption of Behroze’s wealth has brought a new perspective in his life.

ii – This week’s episode had some great dialogue! From the scene with the absent minded bodyguard to the confrontation with Naheed, episode 22 had some outstanding writing to it. For the most part, the writer Hashim Nadeem has been excellent and an unsung hero of the show.

iii – As mentioned, the confrontation of Parizaad with his first love Naheed was the true highlight of the episode. As a reviewer, I could truly appreciate how Parizaad did not just merely refuse advances of Naheed but instead, confessed his inner thoughts onto her. In a typical Parizaad fashion, he painstakingly explained his past love for her and perhaps still, the feelings have not completely left him. Under the facade of wealth, power and success, there still hides the Parizaad that we’ve all grown to love and appreciate. But even if Naheed’s remorse was genuine, would he have still refused her due to her marital status? Perhaps but the doubt will always remain somewhere deep down in his psyche.

+ Low Points

i – These are perhaps just minor nitpicks but the confrontation between Parizaad and Naheed went on a tad bit too long. Just a slight reduction of dialogues from Parizaad’s side would have benefited the pacing of the scene. Also some inventive camera work would have made the scene much more visually interesting instead of the typical shot/ reaction shot composition.

+ Overall

Episode 22 serves as an essential building block as Parizaad steadily reaches its grand finale.

Rate: out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 21 (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 – The revisit to Naheed’s story is excellent and I’m eagerly interested how this will all play out. It is rather true to the character but unfortunate at the same time that wealth does change perceptions of many individuals throughout the world. Naheed’s attraction to Parizaad is far from being coincidental and it is important to note what kind of world Parizaad left behind in order to enter his journey to the path of success.

ii – Although the execution was incredibly half-hearted (more on that later), the mirror scene was a clever way of depicting Parizaad’s insecurities that hinder his way of finding true happiness. Time and time again, he has been betrayed, taken advantage of and left for dead but the uniqueness of Parizaad is that he still persevered and never compromised on his morals.

iii – What was also commendable for Episode 21 was the ‘pocket story’ technique. For the most part, the whole episode focused on the Parizaad/ Annie story and it worked on most levels. The concept of a blind girl falling in love with a man who is not considered “physically attractive” due to his dark skin (a theme from Othello which the show touched upon many episodes ago) is a classic angle of storytelling. If looks are the first aspect that a person falls in love with, Annie had the privilege to fall with Parizaad’s character and poetry instead. 

+ Low Points

i – On some occasions, this episode was a bit of a letdown. The thematic elements that were visited ended up being cliched and on the nose. Yes, we know what an empathic person Parizaad is but do we really need to witness each and every good deed that he does (like the shoe shiner kid scene)? Thankfully we did get to peek into Parizaad’s more insecure side (his lack of self confidence when it comes to being loved) but Parizaad works best when the themes visited are subtle but to the point. 

ii – Although Annie has definitely some interesting characteristics, the way she has been written came off less charming but more on the annoyance side. Her ‘fangirl’ attitude over Parizaad’s poetry makes sense to the current storyline but have to admit, the scenes did slightly go overboard and I ended up feeling annoyed by her constant questioning and calling on odd times of the day rather than feeling sympathetic for her love. And also, just because she is a fan of his poetry, doesn’t necessarily mean that Parizaad will instantly fall head over heels for her. Some character development scenes were desperately required in order to make this romance believable. 

iii – There were a lot of unfortunate technical/ production errors throughout the episode. The lack of atmospheric sound is extremely jarring in exterior locations where we can visually see thousands of citizens on the streets but no sound can be heard. Obviously, the sound editor only enables sound when it is being picked up by the collar microphones of the actors. Secondly, the mirror scene with Parizaad was awkwardly executed since for some odd reason, the reflection of Parizaad was facing the camera rather than himself outside the mirror (check the mirror pic above). Why is reflection breaking the fourth wall and addressing us rather than himself in front of the mirror? Such moments really took me out of the show for some seconds and all these errors could have been easily fixed with just a small amount of effort.

iv – When it comes to priorities, what is up with Parizaad’s advisor/ personal secretary? Midway through the episode, he enters the room and explains to his boss Parizaad how he has made things well with his wife again and only after a few minutes of discussion, does he mention the urgent news that his rivals are ganging up on him and his life might be in danger…. Why is he still employed?

+ Overall

While the episode was truly focused and compact this time around, some writing inconsistencies and technical errors manage to hinder the enjoyment level this episode could have had.

Rate:out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 20 (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 – When it comes to setting up new characters and their individual storylines, Episode 20 certainly delivered. From the return of Majid (his neighborhood ‘friend’) to the Radio girl who is in love with Parizaad’s poetry, the level of detail in its writing makes it certain that they feel as real and authentic as possible. As Parizaad gets used to his recent success, he indulges heavily into his past life and tries to help those in need. What has also always been consistent with the show’s quality is the level of detailed characteristic that our protagonist has. For example, Parizaad could have had a straightforward reunion with his ex-mechanic boss but by playing along with the accusation of fraud workmanship, he got his friend all fired up only to be pleasantly surprised in return. A minor detail but such level of attention does work well in the long run, making Parizaad’s world more vibrant and colorful in character.

Whether the show will be able to maintain its audience’s attention span still remains to be seen but for now, Parizaad’s plot still seamlessly flows as it has in the past. 

ii – The return of Majid (who was barely explored in the earlier episodes) has managed to create an interesting dynamic to the story. As predicted, his selfish intentions have not changed since he was first introduced and envy is on his mind when it comes to Parizaad’s sudden path of success. The performance of Ahmed Taha Ghani as Majid also elevates this storyline and brings out the tension and jealousy seeped deep beneath his psyche. Will Parizaad’s unconditional act of kindness towards Majid be ultimately his downfall? 

iii – It’s good to see that Episode 20 finally also sheds light towards the ‘business’ side of affairs. The conflict of interest between the two ‘bosses’ and their territories is a common affair that could easily end in warfare between the two factions. Its intriguing to see how this will play out in the coming weeks.

iv – The cliffhanger to Episode 20 is a rather interesting one. Once again, this could be yet another repercussion to Parizaad’s unbridled honesty and faith in humanity. When someone pleads for ‘help’, Parizaad has a hard time refusing. And in this case, it will most certainly end up against him in the end. Its a certain disaster in the making.

+ Low Points

i – While the writing has brought in new scenarios and storylines to the show, ‘Business entrepreneur’ Parizaad is admittedly not as interesting as ‘down on his luck’ Parizaad. Historically, the journey has always been more interesting than the destination and the show runners are doing a good job in maintaining the level of interest as before. But the show needs a story that can shake the very foundations of Parizaad’s venture as an entrepreneur. A reality check that could land him in serious trouble, a reminder that regardless of social class, empathy is considered a weakness in our society. And judging from this week’s episode, this is perhaps the path that the show will end up taking. 

ii – The introduction of the ‘Radio girl’ seems rather unnecessary to the main plot of the show. Her fangirl moments towards Parizaad does not develop much into an essential side plot and can’t see how this could add to the overall experience of the show. Parizaad has already had three/ four women in his life, adding another one does not seem ‘essential’ and feels rather arbitrary to the show.

+ Overall

Parizaad continues to hold steady with its quality writing and promises new conflicts in the upcoming weeks of television.

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 19 (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 19 was indeed a filler episode. And I don’t mean it in a negative way at all. There were some heartfelt, character building moments accompanied by calm reminiscence of the past. This week was Parizaad’s journey into his past life, the life and experiences that made him who he is today. And after the breakneck speed of the dramatic events of Behroze Karim’s story, an episode where the audience just gets to spend some time with the main cast on screen is sufficient enough.

ii – The relationship between Parizaad and his sister has consistently been one of the best parts of the show. It is extremely rare in Pakistan TV to see a well written on screen relationship which is not a romantic one. Ahmed Ali Akbar and Kiran Tabeer have such fantastic chemistry together which works even through mere physical gestures and dialogueless scenes. It would certainly not be an exaggeration that Parizaad’s ambition to succeed in Life has solely been his elder sister’s encouragement to never compromise your sense of morality for the society but rather make the society change around his good deeds.

iii – On a minor note, I did enjoy Parizaad’s revisit to the Antique store. And with all the wealth in his pockets, Parizaad could still not attain the antique piano that he so much desired. Perhaps some things in life are better left unattainable. One could even claim that the writer Hashim Nadeem is unmistakably influenced by the writings of Paulo Coelho.

+ Low Points

i – While it was nice to see Parizaad revisit his past events, it did become mid way through the episode a bit tiresome. Did he have to visit and financially help out each and every person that he ever came across? At those moments, it did feel as if the writer was spreading the “good will” of Parizaad a little too thick on the canvas. I’m hoping that the next episode will finally move on to Parizaad’s next chapter in Life.

+ Overall

Not much to say as this week’s episode was all about Parizaad’s journey into his past events but was still nonetheless satisfying to watch.

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 18 (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 – There is not much to be said about the episode as there were no incredible revelations or major character development. This week’s Parizaad was arguably just an introspection towards all the previous events that have led up to Parizaad’s position of absolute power,  Episode 18 had a clear distinction between its first and second half of the episode. The first focused on Parizaad still filling in the big shoes that Behroze Karim left for him, a lifestyle perhaps he might never be suited for but the second half focused more on his homesickness; an opportunity to finally break away from all this “get money, get power” life and reunite briefly with his past life. The reunion with his family, his brothers and most importantly, his loving sister was undoubtedly the highlight of the episode. 

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

ii – The return of Lubna was also an interesting throwback to Parizaad’s life when he was not in the position of power. Although I do admit it is fun to see the high society’s shock/ realization of Parizaad’s success, I do hope they do something more with Lubna and not just a brief cameo. 

iii – If the family reunion with the brothers and their respective wives could be summed up in a sentence; Money talks! The sudden embracement of his brothers and sister in laws was very predictable and a grim retrospective of the world we live in. The only family member who stood by Parizaad thick or thin was his sister and the final shot of the episode where Parizaad embraces his sister was emotional and heartfelt. 

+ Low Points

i – Admittedly, the “master don” part of Parizaad’s life doesn’t seem all that engaging. The barrage of important meetings, the rebuttal of Parizaad towards his opponents… It unfortunately felt uninteresting and didn’t create enough drama and tension as the rest of the show did throughout its 18 episodes. Perhaps the audience needs something more than just “Look at Parizaad, now he is the talk of the town!”. But let’s see in the coming weeks how the writer tackles this scenario further. 

+ Overall

No massive plot development this week but episode 18 still continues to show why Parizaad is one of the most relatable and down to earth shows on Television.

Rate: out of 5 stars

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 17 (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 17 was yet another feather in the cap for Parizaad. It brought forward a very constructive and reasonable story progression. This week also hinted at perhaps a slight dark turn in the character of Parizaad? The next few weeks will surely answer that question but for now, Parizaad is one of the very few shows on TV right now which are consistently outstanding. 

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

ii – It makes perfect sense that since the ex-crime lord had no real family, Behroze Karim left his empire to his most trusted companions. And since Ferozhe ended up on the noose, Parizaad became its sole successor. Now this brings a very fascinating twist to the tale of our Protagonist. For once in his life, Parizaad has the power to influence millions of lives around him. Will he continue doing the right thing and keep his sense of morality above everything else or will he succumb to the dark side like his master before him? Excellent story progression!

iii – It’s also commendable that after the demise of Behroze Karim, the show just did not automatically bring every character to their status quo. Although spared from Capital Punishment, Parizaad did nonetheless ended up spending six years in a jail cell and whether that experience made him humble or questioned his sense of morality, remains to be seen.

iv – The reunion of Shah Jahan and Parizaad was arguably one of the best scenes in the show.’s entirety Although the offer to stay in comfort of Parizaad’s new empire sounds enticing, it was evidently very reasonable for Shah Jahan to refuse the offer as his wife and child brought a new sense of responsibility in his life. When it comes to character development, the writer Hashim Nadeem has been so on point.

+ Low Points

i – The only gripe I could have with this week’s episode is the lack of attention towards the previous supporting cast ( aka the Parizaad family). Even though they did address them in the episode, it still feels as if they are being willingly ignored as if they can’t contribute anything else to the show. Perhaps some of this will be rectified in the next coming episodes.

+ Overall

For the most part, Parizaad has been excellent each and every week. The plot is unique, the characters are sympathetic and the story is engaging. A perfect recipe for a great TV show.

 Rate: out of 5 stars