Murder mysteries and thrillers are rare on Pakistani television, which instantly makes “Gumn” stand out amongst the rest. In a time where competition is rampant with Green Entertainment, Hum TV, Har Pal Geo and ARY Digital putting out strong content, the first two episodes of “Gumn” manage to make their mark, making the audience sit up and take notice. Starring Tooba Siddiqui, Feroze Qadri, Furqan Qureshi, Zara Tareen, Srha Asghar, Mohammed Ahmed, Sohail Sameer, Agha Mustafa and many other talented names, “Gumn” has been written by Tooba Siddiqui and Hamza Kazi and directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat.
In the first two episodes, we are introduced to Rayaan (Feroze Qadri), a young man working hard in medical school. He is a loving brother to Hania (Srha Asghar) and his aging father (Mohammed Ahmed). Hoping to take the load off his father, he’s searching for a part-time job. On the other side of the city, we meet Maya (Tooba Siddiqui), a strong lawyer who is on a career high after winning a prominent harassment case. That evening, while celebrating her niece’s birthday, she steps out to pick up some birthday hats and candles – and meets with an accident. In this accident, she hits a young man, the young man being Rayaan. Here begins the mystery of the story. The way the story has been presented is applause worthy. This is slick direction with storytelling which takes us in between past and present seamlessly. There are many components here which make this an interesting concept.
Rayaan appeared to be running from something – or someone – before being struck by Maya’s car. What is the story here? Rayaan is now in a coma and his family has not claimed him, either unaware of his location or something has happened in the past that we are unaware of. When Rayaan does eventually wake up, will he have his memory? Or will Maya be there with him for a fresh start? Tooba Siddiqui is great in this role, a role that appears to be made for her. It’s interesting that with “Dushman E Jaan,” “Jurm” and now “Gumn,” Tooba Siddiqui has clearly taken a liking for thrillers of late. We can’t complain too much, because she is excellent at performing in these roles and “Gumn” is no less. Feroze Qadri is a talented young star who makes his presence felt as the loyal, hard-working Rayaan. Of course, Furqan Qureshi is another stand-out performer in the first two episodes as Maya’s friend and co-worker, along with Zara Tareen who is a natural as Maya’s sister. There is a lot to like about “Gumn.” Airing every Monday and Tuesday, this is a show which promises to keep its audience engaged. This show is off to a good start!