“Aakhir Kab Tak” continues its likable run, telling a socially relevant story without heaping on absolute misery. Starring Ushna Shah, Srha Asghar, Haroon Shahid, Adeel Hussain, Shahood Alvi, Javeria Abbasi and others in lead roles, the story has been written by Radain Shah and directed by Syed Ali Raza Usama. In the last episode, we saw that Saim and Fajar’s relationship is slowly building after Saim takes Fajar to a psychiatrist for her own betterment.
This episode is Noor-centric (finally!) and Ushna Shah finally gets the chance to really shine. Noor is a character that viewers can connect with, because she is the modern-day woman. She is a young woman who wants independence. She wants to be able to take care of herself and her family. She wants to be the “son” of the family and remove that stigma that a girl can’t run a business. And yet, Noor is soft, she is emotional and she recognizes that, at the end of the day, she is a woman and has her share of weaknesses. When Noor pushes forward to take care of her father’s business and get it running again, we cheer her on. When Noor is honest with her father about her actions, we applaud her bravery. And when Noor breaks down after realizing her truck has been stolen, we tear up, realizing what is on the line for her. Adeel Hussain’s Nasir makes an appearance in this episode as a (seemingly) honest cop. While Noor and Nasir do not get off on the right foot, Noor realizes Nasir is her friend Sameer’s brother and not only does she apologize, but Nasir softens and promises her that he will have her truck delivered to her the next day. The exchange between Nasir and Noor is heightened by Ushna Shah and Adeel Hussain’s performance. Ushna is a natural in each scene anyway, but the way Adeel Hussain plays Nasir, guarded, quiet and a bit mysterious, leaves the audience intrigued.
Saim (Haroon Shahid) and Fajar (Srha Asghar) get to know each other more and Fajar is beginning to develop a real soft corner for her husband. And yet, Fajar is realizing the trouble she is in when she realizes her in-laws believe she is expecting. How will this situation be handled? Will Saim play hero for Fajar? And when will Fajar finally confide in Saim and tell him the truth about her past?
What’s working for “Aakhir Kab Tak” is that while it tells a very serious story, there’s a lot of optimism in the future of both Noor and Fajar. There’s light at the end of the tunnel and both Fajar and Noor’s “love stories” are also very promising. There’s a very dark story being told with “Aakhir Kab Tak,” but what’s great is the underlying feeling of positivity, the feeling of the shackles coming undone as these girls move towards a future, leaving their negative pasts in the dust.
