“Dulhan” is a show that’s gaining a lot of interest from Pakistani drama fans. “Dulhan” has been directed by Adeel Siddiqui and written by Adeel Raza and stars Sam Khan, Sumbul Iqbal, Faizan Khawaja and Mashal Khan in lead roles. Only four episodes in, “Dulhan” already has viewers shocked by the twists and turns presented in each episode. Episode 4 focuses on the relationship between Mekaal and Shahmeer, two selfish men.
After the death of Amal’s (Sumbul Iqbal) father, things are only going to get worse for Amal. It almost seems as Amal is the only one who truly loved her father, as even her mother’s grief seems more financially driven rather than genuine. She does not waste a moment to blame Amal for his death rather than looking inward at her own behavior. Unfortunately, as a result of this, Amal is mistreated by both her stepmother (Nida Mumtaz) and her stepsister. Amal’s father served as her protector and now that he’s gone, it’s clear that Amal’s life will take a Cinderella-esque turn, minus the fairy tale – especially considering the shambles her personal life is now in. However, one does have to hope that Amal, a woman who is capable of earning for herself, has the headspace to move away from her toxic stepmother and stepsiblings to create a life for herself now that her father is gone. Unfortunately, that may just be wishful thinking, but it would be great to see Sumbul Iqbal in a strong role. It is nice to see that Amal has a friend in her boss at the boutique and has a shoulder to cry on.
The two lead “heroes” of this show are more villainous than anything else. It’s revealed that Annie (Mashal Khan) is not only engaged to Mekaal (Sami Khan), but she is also Shahmeer’s (Faizan Khawaja) sister. The dynamic here falls under the “dysfunctional” category at this point. While both Shahmeer and Mekaal’s families discuss the previous fights the boys have gotten into, making it clear that the two have a history of this, they are not aware of the extent to which this one has gone – or what the cause is. Annie, however, recognizes that something is different this time and does her best to find out the reason. It’s during this discussion that Annie’s possessive nature is revealed, a controlling woman by nature. Still, Annie comes across as a strong character, one who knows how to take care of herself and is the perfect woman to stand up to the men around her, specifically Shahmeer and Mekaal. Considering this possessive personality, how will Annie react when she realizes Mekaal is already married to Amal? Mashal Khan is a natural and she shines in this confident role.
Shahmeer and Mekaal are both fascinating characters, but they are both characters that can be classified as “bad.” They are both so self-absorbed, they do not realize the ramifications of their actions or how they may have destroyed another individual’s life. They are still arguing over a car rather than feeling an ounce of guilt for their behavior. The two men threaten to expose each other, both holding the situation with Amal over the other, aware that one can’t expose the other without exposing themselves. Mekaal has burned the nikkah papers, leaving no evidence behind of having married Amal. And while this will obviously pose a problem for Amal, it’s also a problem for Shahmeer, who cannot oppose Mekaal’s marriage to Annie, his sister, without drawing attention to his own bad deeds.
http://thebrownidentity.com/2020/10/21/7-reasons-why-dulhan-is-still-trending-after-4-weeks/
It’s a bold move for a show to tackle a topic like “Dulhan,” one that treads a fine line between offering interesting content and telling a story for shock value. Sami Khan is an actor one associates with quality, but he does particularly well with intense characters and one can be sure that he will deliver with this show as well in upcoming episodes. Faizan Khawaja is a good actor and, like Sami Khan, he also portrays intense roles well – and Shahmeer is nothing but intense. It will be interesting to see how these flawed men progress throughout the show. Will they change or evolve – or will punishment be served in some way? We will have to wait and watch.
