It is difficult to put this review into words. This is the kind of episode that is an emotion, a “mood.” To put it simply, that mood is misery. Up until now, Abdullah (Bilal Abbas Khan) has been a very confused character, one who has been the puppet of Sarwar (Omair Rana). He has played into Sarwar’s hands every time, but has also allowed his real thoughts and feelings to trickle out with Mehjabeen (Yumna Zaidi). However, in episode 24, Abdullah has taken a turn for the typical. In this episode, Washma (Srha Asghar) states that Abdullah has become just like any other male. Washma’s statement comes from a life littered with poor male influences, flawed male authority figures, and she now sees Abdullah in the same category. Washma and Phupo continue to be the strongest characters on this show, standing out despite only having one scene. One almost hopes Washma comes to Mehjabeen’s rescue, because Mehjabeen sure does need to be rescued.
Abdullah is now not only Sarwar’s puppet but is also allowing his strings to be pulled by Shanzay (Yashma Gill), a girl who has also taken a turn for the “annoying.” Shanzay has lost all sense as she tells Abdullah she doesn’t want to be with someone else’s husband, demanding he divorce Mehjabeen. Did Shanay have a blackout or does she not realize Abdullah was Mehjabeen’s husband even while she was proposing to him? All this aside, one expects Abdullah to help Mehjabeen during a difficult time, but he does not. Again, on Shanzay’s insistence, he refuses to answer Mehjabeen’s calls. To make matters worse, Munshi Ji (Malik Raza) is locked up in jail under Sarwar’s orders and Sarwar taunts Munshi Ji that he will be with Mehjabeen since Munshi Ji can’t stop him.
Meanwhile, Mehjabeen heads over to Abdullah’s home to speak with him about Munshi Ji’s release when he doesn’t receive her calls. She’s shocked to find that Abdullah and Shanzay are getting married. In a beautifully hearbreaking scene (Yumna Zaidi gets full points for this one), Mehjabeen apologizes for showing up at the wrong time and requests Abdullah to help her before backing out of the room with her dignity in-tact. Omair Rana deserves a mention here too as he’s playing Sarwar in such a way that he’s a larger-than-life character while still being believable. Sarwar seems to soften while speaking to Mehjabeen at the end of the episode, once again asking her to marry him – in exchange for Munshi Ji’s release, of course. Sarwar’s feelings for Mehjabeen are on a different level, one where he doesn’t seem to grasp reality entirely, which makes the scenario even more troubling. Omair Rana has really done a wonderful job in this role, though a marriage between Sarwar and Mehjabeen is the last thing we want to see.
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Coming to performances in this episode, there is only one stand-out performance and that is Yumna Zaidi’s. She rips the viewer’s heart open with her tears. When she asks her mother if girls like her can’t be a lover, she stabs our hearts. Mehjabeen is a difficult character to play, but Yumna has really put life into her and this likability that makes the audience want to protect her from the cruel world she is surrounded by. Malik Raza and Salma Hassan deserve recognition for their performances not only in this episode, but each time they appear. It’s wonderful to see parents like this on Pakistani television, parents that try to keep their daughter happy and supported. Bilal Abbas Khan is a favorite and it must be said that while Abdullah is a character that’s currently at the center of viewer anger, Bilal’s performance is wonderful. His affection towards Mehjabeen shows on his face as Abdullah struggles to figure out what’s right and what’s wrong. It’s a different thing that Abdullah should know better at this point, especially after Mehjabeen told him about Sarwar’s behavior. One only hopes Abdullah snaps out of this situation quickly otherwise there’s a lot more torture for viewers in upcoming epsiodes.
