“Chaudhry and Sons” is a drama that has consistently been giving viewers high-quality content with each episode. A Ramadan show, “Chaudhry And Sons” has been more than just slapstick comedy and light-hearted feels – rather, this is a well-written show with strong direction, storytelling, great character graphs, a good story and the ability to connect with the characters. Starring Imran Ashraf, Ayeza Khan, Sohail Ahmed, Irsa Ghazal, Yasir Nawaz, Noor Ul Hassan, Asma Abbas, Saqib Sumeer, Madiha Rizvi, Zoya Nasir, Hammad Shoaib and others, the story has been written by Saima Akram Chaudhry and directed by Syed Wajahat Hussain.
In the finale, we see how Billu (Imran Ashraf) refuses to divorce Pari (Ayeza Khan), recognizing how she’s giving in to Dildar’s (Sohail Ahmed) unfair emotional blackmail. Writing is the strength of “Chaudhry And Sons” with each character having a strong growth arc, allowing for the audience to empathize and understand their grief. Billu has literally been raised by Dildar, his prized grandson who has also been his best friend – but what this really means is that Billu is a chip off the old block and has inherited all of Dildar’s traits. If Dildar is stubborn, so is Billu and Billu, despite loving his grandfather, is capable of putting up a fight, even if Pari is unable to. It’s great to see how the new generation is able to recognize the “backwardness” of their traditions and believes it’s time to do away with them.
And yet, while the last few episodes have been more on the heavy side, dealing with some serious situations, comedy has not been forgotten. The finale takes a turn back to that zone as Billu and Shakir (Noor Ul Hassan) carry out their plot to change Dildar’s mind – with the help of Dr. Salma (Shagufta Ejaz). Dr. Salma is the unsung hero of the series, the only person who is able to put things into perspective for Dildar. This woman has been with him since their youth call mom having been through heartbreak as well due to his families traditions. There isn’t any other person who could have put the scenario with Billu and Pari – and even Sabahat – into perspective for him. Her words to Dildar are kind, but also to-the-point, planting the seed for regressive traditions to be cut out from the roots. And of course, Dr. Salma is a kind, brilliant, independent, strong, level-headed, compassionate woman – who literally saves this family.
Billu and Shakir are in top form as they fake Billu’s illness, provoking Dildar to reconsider his family’s traditions. After speaking to Dr. Salma, Dildar finds it in his heart to forgive Pari and consoles her in the hospital, leading to a heartfelt discussion. Dildar confesses that his greatest heartbreak has always been due to the thought of his daughter abandoning him for her love – never even thinking to come back and ask for forgiveness. This is a father who harbored anger in his heart due to feelings of abandonment from the person he loved the most – his daughter. It’s no surprise then that when Pari informs him of the circumstances surrounding Sabahat’s death, it turns into an emotional moment between this grandfather-granddaughter duo. This is not excusing Dildar’s behavior, but character sketches like this make it much easier to love and understand characters despite their overly rigid behavior. Pari and Dildar’s patch-up is a highly emotional, well-enacted sequence and Sohail Ahmed and Ayeza Khan deserve a round of applause.
Adding to this is the beautiful reunion sequence between Billu and Pari, which is fortunately not too heavy and follows the silliness the audience has grown accustomed to between this now husband-wife duo. The relationship between Pari and Billu has been one of the more organic romances we’ve seen on-screen in a while, truly allowing the audience to witness their growth from strangers to enemies to friends and then life partners. Imran Ashraf and Ayeza Khan share such warm, endearing chemistry and it would be a pleasure to watch them in another show together in the near future.
Of course, Sohail Ahmed, Imran Ashraf, Ayeza Khan and Shagufta Ejaz’s stellar performances in this episode aside, we must pause to give credit to the supporting cast as well. Isra Ghazal has outdone herself as Malaika Daadi. When “Chaudhry and Sons” first began, her performance seemed too over the top and loud, but as the show progressed, Isra has become the life of the show, her interactions with Sohail Ahmed and Ashraf Khan (Ramzan) a treat to watch. Of course, Noor Ul Hassan is brilliant as Shakir, particularly in his interactions with Dildar. Noor always manages to be a subtle scene stealer Yasir Nawaz is oh-so-endearing as Tashi and it’s a beautiful moment seeing his union with Paro, played by Beenish Chauhan. Of course, both Asma Abbas and Madiha Rizvi are such talented actresses who have kept us in splits through the course of the show as Nimmo and Shabbo. Saqib Sumeer continues to expand his resume and reputation as a reliable, applause-worthy actor with this show, playing Sabir with just the right blend of comedy and seriousness. And of course, Zoya Nasir and Hammad Shoaib put a smile on our faces as Tooba and Shobi. It’s great to see a potential vamp (Tooba) being exactly the opposite of that and realizing that it’s time to find love elsewhere – and we love a couple we can root for.
While many have criticized the show for catering to more traditional mindsets, this is not necessarily true, rather “Chaudhry And Sons” has done a fabulous job of highlighting the regressive ideals and traditions families hold to and how it’s not necessary to uphold traditions when they break hearts and ruin relationships. It’s the sign of a great drama when all loose ends are wound up, characters are held accountable for their misbehaviors, viewers are able to emotionally connect with each character and, in the end, rejoice in their happiness. This is a gift Saima Akram Chaudhry and Syed Wajahat Hussain have given us this Ramadan/Eid, a quality drama that will be remembered and loved for years to come.
