While “Aik Sitam Aur” did not immediately become a hit, over time and through word of mouth, it became a fan-favorite over time with its electrifying male and female lead’s chemistry. Starring Anmol Baloch and Usama Khan in lead roles, the show also has the talented trio of Sajid Hasan, Rubina Ashraf and Maria Wasti. The show also stars Srha Asghar, Shahood Alvi, Javeria Abbasi, Salman Saeed and others while being written by Rehana Aftab and directed by Ilyas Kashmiri. Unfortunately, while “Aik Sitam Aur” appeared to be such a strong project with a captivating lead duo, the story ultimately took a turn for the worst, incorporating all the cliches we’d seen enough of and stretching the storyline to over sixty episodes.
The finale is unimpressive as it simply serves to tie up loose ends, rebuilding the “happy home” image for Zainab and Naima now that Naima has regained her senses while Zainab now recognizes the hand her own family played in destroying her happiness. It’s too neat considering all which has been said and done and, quite honestly, the writers did Naima’s character a disservice. The beauty with which Rubina Ashraf played Naima in the first 2/3 of the show wound up wasted as she was turned into an “easy” villain, the stereotypical bitter first wife (who married her husband and son of her own accord) looking to lash out at both her “sautan” and daughter-in-law. Yes, initially it made sense that Naima would be angry considering she lived for her son’s happiness – and Zainab and Ushna’s arrival constantly put Shehroze’s life in danger. However, the extent to which her bitterness evolved made for very uncomfortable, unlikable viewing. With the beautiful dynamics this family initially shared with Sajjad, Naima and Zainab all understanding each other and recognizing the faults of others, the story fell flat after these strengths were diminished.
Sufiyaan (Salman Saeed) continued to get an excruciating amount of footage and for what reason? Salman Saeed is an actor who has always tried to prove himself on his own and of his own accord without any help, so it’s difficult to understand why Sufiyaan was given so much needless attention. Sure, Ushna once may have had a soft spot for him, but to turn Sufiyaan completely evil where he become an attempted murderer, a crook and even shot himself to send Shehroze to jail……..did he deserve any kind of happy ending? And was his character written fairly? It is human nature to become bitter and given Sufiyaan’s disgusting family and the world he was raised in, it made sense initially for him to turn ugly. When he told Ushna the truth about her adoption, this felt in line with his upbringing – but further than this simply went too far and made Sufiyaan a typical, unpalatable villain. And then, in the end, just like that, Sufiyaan picks up, packs his bag and leaves the country. Is it easy for criminals to get visas these days?
When the promos of “Aik Sitam Aur” initially went on air and the show slowly began to make its way to a Shehroze and Ushna union, many were excited to see a story along the lines of “Malaal E Yaar.” This was a story where two completely different individuals wound up married for all the wrong reasons and, miraculously, found love in that marriage, both changing for the better because of it. That is what “Aik Sitam Aur” should have been. Usama Khan and Anmol Baloch’s chemistry has been electrifying and these two actors honestly deserved that sort of storyline – and the story initially did seem to be headed in that direction. It’s not clear how or why we wound up with this ridiculous story of needless family interference, but unfortunately that’s what “Aik Sitam Aur” will be remembered for. More and more these days, shows are labeled a “missed opportunity” by the end. Why are our writers allowing their stories to be hijacked this way? What could have been a gem of a story wound up being forgettable. Now please, someone sign Usama Khan and Anmol Baloch for a love story worthy of their chemistry and talent immediately!