Tag: Shehzad Kashmiri

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 10 (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 – Almost throughout its 10 episode run (up till now), Parizaad’s storytelling has been excellent. It’s a perfect example of a Hero’s Journey; from Rags to Riches, a protagonist who overcomes the odds and excels beyond expectations. Every episode follows the odyssey of Parizaad and his quest of understanding how the world functions. Up till now, the show has had an excellent performance from Ahmed Ali Akbar and in comparison to other shows out there, Parizaad flourishes with its original storytelling and quite convincingly proving to the Pak drama industry that individual stories not related to your typical “Saas/ Bahou”, cousin love triangle can also prove to be engaging Television.

ii – No matter the circumstances, the writing always stays true to the innocent nature of Parizaad and Episode 10 is a perfect example of it. With everything stacked against him (including his own life!), Parizaad is always motivated to do the right thing. Perhaps he comes off naive and self righteous but regardless, he stands for loyalty to his employer. I love how Hashim Nadeem the writer has portrayed Parizaad as a “fish out of water” character who may come off as gullible but at the same time, his honesty is extremely likeable and a person who you would like to have in your life. Perhaps in his own twisted way, Nauman Ijaz as Behroze Kareem feels the same way.

iii – Speaking of Nauman Ijaz, his portrayal as Behroze Kareem (the crime lord) works flawlessly for the show. Nauman’s performance pertains the surface level charm but the lethal ruthlessness behind the facade. I’m eagerly anticipating how the relationship between the wide-eyed Parizaad and the cynical worldview of Behroze would develop in the upcoming episodes. 

iv – Another great addition to the ever growing cast of Parizaad has to be Urwa Hussain as the overprotected (wife? lover?) Laila. She serves as the “softer” side of Behroze, perhaps a gateway for his enemies to bring a downfall to his empire.

+ Low Points

i – Even though the plot and storyline of Parizaad is heaps and bounds more interesting and engaging than anything out there, I do wish that the show runners should slow down the pacing of it just a bit and let the audience breathe and admire each and every phase that our protagonist goes through. There are hardly a few episodes devoted to a certain scenario before it quickly rushes onto the next one. For example, in a span of 3-4 episodes, Parizaad has gone from being a College student to a Car mechanic which then led him to travel to Karachi to find work and ended up being a Cargo inspector to finally, working directly under Behroze Kareem. Great storytelling but its a tad bit too fast to comprehend and not enough time to appreciate each and every twist and turn that Life throws at our wide eyed protagonist.

+ Overall

With Episode 10, Parizaad continues to be one of the best shows on Pak television. Highly recommended!

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 9 (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 9 was fantastic. A lot of memorable scenes occurred that could become staple of the quality that Parizaad produces. We now get to see a new step in Life unfold as Parizaad moves to Karachi in search of a substantial source of income. The episode presents some new, interesting characters and finally, the introduction of Noman Ejaz into the show. This week’s proves once again why Parizaad is one of the best shows on Pakistani television at the moment.

ii – Shah Jahan “Jannu” is a great addition to the supporting cast of the show. He’s street savvy but sincere, and serves perfectly as a guidance for Parizaad through the depths of insanity we call humanity.

The famous Karachi ‘Daal Chawal’

iii – One of the essential reasons why I admire this show is that it is perhaps the complete antithesis of what Pakistani TV channels consider “marketable content”. Unlike other Pak shows airing on television at the moment, Parizaad is not afraid to depict reality on screen. As a viewer, we get to see our protagonist meet characters from all circles of Pakistani society; from the high class snobs to the low life hustlers. The show could serve well as the diverse groups of people that live, work and survive in our society. Episode 9 depicted some of the most rundown, crumbling apartments of Karachi and I cannot stress enough how refreshing it was to see that on our television screens! Whether we admit it or not, there is a massive capital disparity in our country that we should never shy away from.

iv – The dream sequence of Parizaad and Naheed was sweet but tragic at the same time. Since its first few episodes, Parizaad has constantly met people from all facets of society but the lingering love that embellished deep in Parizaad’s heart for Naheed could never be extinguished. The scene rightfully had a starry night, “magical realism” quality to it and it just goes to show how much talent is in front but also behind the camera.

Beautifully lit and visually mesmerizing dream sequence

v – Speaking of creative camera work, the massive, single shot of Parizaad and Jannu climbing the stairs to his apartment was marvellous. Taking a single shot for two minutes straight through a flight of stairs is no easy task but it’s admirable to see the commitment of the creative team and director who insisted upon it. The lack of a cut in between the shot was important because it gave the viewer an overwhelming feeling of the surroundings that they have to live in but at the same time, their banter was so interesting that they almost did not mind the massive flight of stairs that they had to take just to get to their door! This is the effort of filmmaking that I greatly admire in Parizaad and undoubtedly sets itself apart from other shows on TV.

A 2 min single shot through the massive flight of stairs!

vi – And once again, the performances by Ahmed Ali Akbar and the supporting cast is nothing short of excellent. It’s great to see that every actor is giving their best in bringing the authentic representation of a Pakistani society on screen. 

+ Low Points

i – A minor criticism can be made of the story and it has largely to do with its pacing. It would have been great if we had a couple of episodes where Parizaad just attended College and perhaps a few struggling as a car mechanic. A lot has occurred in the last few episodes and it is beneficial for the show if it slows its pacing down a bit for us (as viewers) to take in every twist and turn in Parizaad’s life.

+ Overall

Episode 9 has once again set the bar quite high when it comes to quality television and Parizaad is arguably the best show on Pakistani television at the moment.

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Parizaad Episode 8 (2021). The new TV series is directed by Shehzad Kashmiri and written by Hashim Nadeem. Parizaad is a Momina Duraid Production.

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

+ Crew

• Directed by Shehzad Kashmiri
• Written by Hashim Nadeem
• Produced by Momina Duraid Productions

+ Note

Parizaad is based on a novel by Hashim Nadeem and is a case study of a protagonist who cannot seem to find his place in a world where illicit behaviour and exploitation is rewarded over truth and kindness. The show explores the lower middle class societal problems of Pakistan and how a wallflower like Parizaad is never appreciated by our society. 

The director of the show Shehzad Kashmiri is a well respected cinematographer who then moved towards directing TV shows. He also directed a feature length film Bin Roye in 2015 which earned him a nomination for Best Film Director at 15th Lux Style Awards.

 + Main Cast

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

+ Plot

Born in a world of neglect and hurt, Parizaad is an innocent soul that differs from everyone. He is kind, thoughtful and a gentle soul who due to his nature and appearance, does not fit the societal norms of Pakistani culture. Will the devious modern society engulf Parizaad into its darkness or will he remain a beacon of hope and all that is good in Life?

+ High Points

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

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

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

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

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

+ Low Points

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

+ Overall

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

 Rate: out of 5 stars 

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 

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 

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 

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