How much can one family take? This is the real question viewers are left with at the end of episode 8 of “Fraud,” a show that has been on the receiving end of praise from most drama viewers in this story that is both grand and realistic all at the same time. Written by Zanjabeel Asim and directed by Saqib Khan, “Fraud” also stars Adnan Samad Khan, Mehmood Aslam, Nida Mumtaz, Asma Abbas, Annie Zaidi and others in prominent roles. Up until now, we have seen Maya (Saba Qamar) endure a world of pain when her husband Tabraiz (Ahsan Khan) and his family wound up being crooks, robbing her of all her money and valuables before leaving. Maya herself suffered depression and illness as a result, finally pulling herself together and managing to close that chapter.
In episode 8, Maya is ready to move on with her life after Nail (Adnan Samad Khan) “agrees” to marry her. Of course, Maya isn’t aware, but the audience is well-aware of how and why Nail agreed. While Nail did once love Maya hopelessly, his love was conditional, based on the condition that she was “pure,” almost like a clean possession or a toy that a little boy does not want to share with anyone else. And while that selfish little boy doesn’t know better, Nail does and that’s what makes this so difficult to watch. Nail was initially a character one wanted to root for in his love for Maya – but that love doesn’t exist. It was possession and he makes that 100% clear in this episode.
As Maya and her family prepare for the Nikkah, Nail abandons ship and sends his mother a voice note, telling her he’s leaving and can’t marry Maya. This leaves Nisar (Mehmood Aslam) in a distraught state, begging his sister to bring Nail back as she tries to console him. He is determined to beg Nail, fall at his feet and implore the young man to marry his daughter. In his desperation, he accidentally hits a man with his car. Of course, by this time, even the women at home are aware that this marriage ha been canceled.
It’s Mehmood Aslam who holds episode 8 together with his performance. Nisar did reject Nail for a “better” proposal, but this was out of love for his daughter. He only wished for his daughter to have the luxuries he wished he had in life and so, respectfully, he chose different. Nail, on the other hand, may have been a “good” guy, but at this point, he has proved himself as a selfish, ungrateful man who has destroyed the lives of the family who cared for him and his mother throughout his childhood to adulthood. Nisar is absolutely right when he says that Nail should have simply said no if he didn’t want to marry Maya – why did he humiliate Nisar and destroy Maya’s reputation in this way? The frailty and helplessness that Mehmood Aslam puts on display in this episode is heart wrenching and truly drives home the grief and gravity of the situation.
Still, one can’t help feeling that Maya escaped another marriage from hell by not marrying Nail. While it’s obvious that Shaan (Mikaal Zulfiqar) is the man in her future, will he be the partner that brings happiness to her life? We will have to wait and see. “Fraud” continues to bring twists and turns with each episode and it’s playing out nicely.