Dil Ruba is a show that manages to keep a solid pace each week with something interesting happening in every episode. Hania Amir shoulders much of the load on her shoulders, but the supporting cast does a good job of keeping the story interesting. After Razi’s (Nabeel Zuberi) death, Sanam now finds herself alone with a baby and finds herself in a place where she’s unsure about her future.
(Read Sophia’s review of episode 11 here.)
In episode 12, we see Sanam’s (Hania Amir) neighbor threatening Ayaz (Asad Siddiqui) with a gun and forcing him to delete the images of Sanam. He returns to Sanam and tells her she no longer has anything to worry about and quite honestly, this neighbor is one of the real nice guys on this show who has acted out of human decency and doesn’t expect anything from Sanam. Enter suspicious, once-loving brother (Arsalan Jameel). If any character on this show has done a complete 180, it’s Sanam and Iram’s older brother, a brother who once spoiled Sanam with everything she wanted and believed everyone was too hard on her.
Suddenly, simply because Ayaz was seen harassing her on the road and a neighbor boy is seen speaking to her, he believes she’s “beghairat” and is of bad character. Why? To add to it, Sanam is being heavily bullied into getting remarried. Sanam has just given birth to Razi’s little boy and the family is planning her next marriage instead of allowing her to enjoy her time as a new mother. This is upsetting to watch as marriage requires commitment and a woman still mourning her dead husband cannot make a good partner nor should she be expected to be one. It could be said that “Dil Ruba” is sending the wrong message, but we obviously do not know in which direction the show is headed.
It’s becoming difficult to review “Dil Ruba” without the review turning into a rant – and this is not due to Sanam’s behavior, rather it’s due to the behavior of all the characters around her. At present, her Phupo is the only character that can be seen as being supportive. She has Sanam’s best interests at heart. She knows Sanam does not want to get married and believes the best thing for Sanam and the baby would be for Sanam to marry Sabeeh (Mohib Mirza).
Unfortunately for Phupo, Sabeeh is still dragging his feet – and can we really blame him after what he’s been through (and Razi’s terrible last words)?
Syed Jibran is the latest entry on the show and his character is a pleasant one (so far). A divorcee, he was once married to an American who could not adjust to life in Pakistan and so they separated. Now looking to remarry, he meets Sanam through a “rishtay waali,” but is immediately drawn to her and shows an active interest in marrying her. While Sanam is against the marriage, her family is enthusiastic and pushes forward for the marriage. Sanam’s reaction actually mirrors the reaction of the viewer. Why is this man so interested in Sanam?
The suspicion is realistic considering Sanam’s current situation and the fact that not only is she a widow, but also has a child. Syed Jibran’s character, on the surface, seems broad-minded and accepting though, so we will have to wait to see how this story unfolds.
Coming to the overall perception of the show, this must be discussed. Sanam has a past, sure. She has behaved in a way that is probably less than commendable. She has flirted and, more than anything, she has enjoyed male attention and used that male attention to her own benefit. Sanam is a user. But does “user” equate to deserving a lifetime of misery as “payback”? Does life ever really play a dirty hand like this as “payback”? The answer is no. No it does not. Rarely do wrong-doers suffer like this. They do not gain a terrible new wife, they do not lose their sanity, they do not lose all their money. Life goes on and human beings move on.
Dramas should stop portraying situations like these. The lesson that should be learned here is that every individual should focus on themselves. Educate themselves, create a life for themselves where they can find happiness – and this goes for men and women. The storyline with Junaid (Shehroze Sabzwari) has been going really well, showing that he focused on his education and is now studying abroad.
But of course, the topic of marriage has to come into play again and it’s upsetting to see how Junaid’s parents are harassing their suicidal, depressed son into marrying a woman he doesn’t want to marry. This is shameful and as a viewer, I hope there’s a reason for this or a solid lesson to be learned, because this is not the way to handle an individual with mental health issues who is choosing to focus on their self-betterment.
Overall, “Dil Ruba” continues to be a show worth watching and Hania Amir is doing a great job in her role as Sanam. While this is not a perfect show and one really wishes Sanam’s mistakes were not projected in such a “scarlet letter” sort of way, one can’t deny that the presentation and pace make for a story that keeps the viewer coming back for more.