THE WEEK THAT WAS

Qarz-i-Jaan Hum TV, Sundays 8.00pm

Writer Rabia Razza­que weaves a story like a rich tapestry, that combines a history of corruption, dysfunction and injustice around a seemingly pious, conservative family with wealth and status.

A young, junior lawyer, Nashwa (Yumna Zaidi), knows her cousin Ammar (Nameer Khan) well enough to believe he is guilty, when a girl accuses him of rape and assault. Her boss, Barrister Burhan (Usama Khan) is a practising lawyer, and asks for corroborating evidence as well as deeper investigation, rather than relying on gut feelings and prejudice. Nashwa is not the only one doubting Ammar; his father Bakhtiyar (Deepak Perwani) knows his son’s past and is busy trying to muddy the waters and save his son, even lining up a new bride for him.

Every character and motivation in this show has been sketched out with care and attention to detail, allowing the audience the rare luxury of being able to sit back and simply enjoy. Yumna Zaidi and Usama Khan are a delight to watch, bringing that old school slow-burn romance back to our screens. Their scenes are few, the dialogues light but the impact on the audience is stronger than any contrived melodrama.

Bismil ARY Wed-Thurs, 8.00pm

After meeting the ambitious Momina (Hareem Farooq), the wealthy Tauqeer (Naumaan Ijaz) becomes dissatisfied with the happy, contented life he had with his first wife Reham (Savera Nadeem) and grown son, Moosa (Saad Qureshi).

When Moosa and Reham humiliate Momina as an interloper and gold-digger, she vows revenge, pitting father against son. Pushed to an extreme, Moosa commits suicide, leaving Reham and Tauqir devastated. Tauqir finally decides to divorce Momina but she is now pregnant. Momina sees her child as the key to the success she has always dreamed of, especially with Moosa out of the way.

While such stories often focus on the losses and pain caused by adultery and second marriages, they usually show the path to resilience and independence for the aggrieved first wife and children. However, this deeply regressive story leaves us with a message of fragility, dependency and hopelessness, subject to the sudden whims of fate. Despite all his education and a lifetime of love and support, Moosa is destroyed by the first hurdle he faces in life. Saad Qureshi is impressive as Moosa, while Naumaan Ijaz and Savera Nadeem are always worth watching.

Sunn Mere Dil Geo TV, Wed-Thurs 8.00pm

Wealthy businessman Bilal Abdullah (Wahaj Ali) is a sad man but falling in love with Sadaf (Maya Ali) changes him for the better. He pays for Sadaf’s younger brother’s cancer treatment, personally supervising his trip abroad. Unfortunately, Sadaf has long held a justified view of Bilal as an alcoholic and womaniser which his jealous, manipulative PA Hamsha (Hira Salman) has reinforced.

Under Hamsha’s influence, Sadaf decides to marry Ammar (Usama Khan), a man she was indifferent to and rejected so much that he had attempted suicide. Insecure about his playboy past, Bilal decides to help Sadaf find love, even if it is with another man. Very soon, Sadaf discovers that Ammar is as unreliable and weak as she had assumed Bilal would be. Ammar begins an affair with their emotionally manipulative friend Dania (Amar Khan).

Author Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar takes the plot of the old Bollywood movie Mere Huzoor and reworks it for Pakistani television. This story has disappointed those hoping for the fantastic chemistry and performances Wahaj Ali and Maya Ali displayed in their previous outing together, Jo Bichhar Gaye.

What To Watch Out For (or not)

Bajjo Geo TV, Coming soon

Geo TV presents a fun new series, starring and written by the talented Javaria Saud as the spirited, strong Mussarat who overcomes every difficulty with a smile.

Published in Dawn, ICON, December 29th, 2024