“Bisaat” isn’t a particularly popular drama at present. Despite its appealing cast, which includes the lovable Mirza Zain Baig, the dependable Azfar Rehman, the rarely-seen-on-television Ayesha Omer and the talented newcomer Sehar Khan, this show ranks low in terms of buzz and interest. Written by Ateeq Inayat and directed by Fahim Burney, the story follows Afreen (Sehar Khan), the daughter of the family’s secretary, and how she sacrifices her love to “repay” the family for their generosity. Sounds interesting? Not particularly.
In episode 8, we are now bestowed with a new entrant, Kinza, the daughter of Noor’s (Saba Hameed) dead husband’s brother – a man who stole from his brother and was ostracized. Conveniently after Jahanzeb (Azfar Rehman) and Afreen’s (Sehar Khan) wedding, this mother-daughter duo have landed at the family’s doorstep, begging for forgiveness and acceptance. Of course, Kinza is every bit today’s “modern woman” – a modern woman who stalks Murtaza (Mirza Zain Baig) on facebook shamelessly and immediately makes herself at home in his bedroom, flirting shamelessly as if she’s never seen a man before. She also apparently doesn’t have a life and has immediately begun taunting Afreen about being a “servant’s daughter” and conspiring with Sania on how to break up Jahanzeb and Afreen’s marriage. Where do these women come from? Why are such female characters written – and why is Sania suddenly plotting with a girl she’s only met a few times at family weddings? Furthermore, can our writers please catch up with the times and stop throwing in Facebook references with a generation that relies entirely on Instagram and TikTok? Who uses Facebook anymore?
With Jahanzeb and Afreen now married, Noor has immediately begun telling them to……well, basically “get busy,” because she needs grandchildren immediately. Sure, that’s not stressful at all. Adding to this is the fact that Jahanzeb is a man with a very checkered character – first being the cause of his sister’s husband’s death, which was an accident, given. However, now he has married Afreen knowing fully well that he’s unable to have children. Will he now blame the infertility on Afreen moving forward? He obviously has something planned. Meanwhile, Murtaza is now happily using Kinza to make Afreen jealous while Afreen does not understand the extent of her foolishness in marrying Jahanzeb.
What’s wrong with shows like these is that honesty and communication are never an option for these characters. Jahanzeb threw a divorce at Sophie because he’s infertile – but never stopped to discuss things with her…..and now what is he doing? Afreen never stopped to admit her real feelings to Noor and ask for her opinion – but neither did Murtaza. Both of these characters decided to self-sacrifice and are now acting as if the world has done them wrong…..when they are the ones who have done themselves wrong. Sania loves Jahanzeb, but he has never shown interest in her – so where is her self-respect? Why does this woman not have a life outside of the four walls of this family home? These characters are simply too small-minded, too desperate, too timid and really……not well fleshed out. “Bisaat,” a chessboard, a clever game of strategy, is not clever…..or interesting.