Back in 2018, Zee5 hired many of our Pakistani talents to create original Pakistani content for their platform. “Abdullahpur Ka Devdas” was one of the many shows in the lineup. However, due to tensions between the country, the shows were put out much slower than expected and “Abdullahpur Ka Devdas” seemed as though it had been brushed under the rug. Fortunately, the show is now airing on Zee Zindagi and will also be uploaded on their YouTube channel for Pakistani audiences starting March 1. Starring Bilal Abbas Khan, Sarah Khan, Raza Talish, Anoushay Abbasi, Noor Ul Hassan, Ali Ansari, Saad Qureshi, Savera Nadeem, Nida Mumtaz, Arjumand Rahim and others in prominent roles, the story has been written by Shahid Dogar and directed by Anjum Shahzad.
The first episode introduces audiences to Fakhar (Bilal Abbas Khan) and Kashif (Raza Talish), two loyal best friends. In long, drawn out song sequences, the idea is driven home of loyalty between these two young men, especially after it’s revealed that Kashif’s mother has essentially raised Fakhar. While Fakhar does appear to have family money of his own, his loyalty to Kashif and his mother (Nida Mumtaz) is unwavering. It’s also revealed that Kashif uses Fakhar’s poetry, signed off as “Abdullahpur ka Devdas,” to impress women. While Fakhar disapproves of Kashif’s behavior, he allows it with the promise that Kashif will never claim the poetry as his own.
Gul Bano (Sarah Khan) makes her entry. Gul Bano is engaged to her cousin, played by Ali Ansari, who is obsessive, controlling and clearly sees Gul Bano as his property. She refuses his ring and decides to go to Abdullahpur, where her extended family resides. Unfortunately, she’s walking into a trap with yet another cousin, this time a manipulative politician (Saad Qureshi), also awaiting her arrival in hopes of marriage. Upon Gul Bano’s arrival, she immediately encounters Fakhar, who falls in love with her at first sight.
The first episode is visually pleasing with some aesthetic shots. Of course, Bilal Abbas Khan is, yet again, the heart and soul of the show. He simply shines in each and every scene, making an impression with his confident performance in a different role. Thee are some downsides though, the first being that the storyline feels all too familiar, a story visibly inspired by the Bollywood film “Devdas,” though with a more complicated characters and a political angle. There are also, simply put, too many suitors for Gul Bano. Sarah Khan is beautiful, of course, but for Fakhar, Kashif, Ali Ansari’s character and Saad Qureshi’s character all to be chasing after one girl is a bit too much. The music is also too loud and drawn out in sequences. This may feel like too many complaints, but this is simply because with a 13 episode story, one expects the story to be tightly woven with fluid episodes. Overall, the first episode is an entertaining watch and all eyes will be on the remaining 12 episodes!