“Habs” has been winning praise from viewers week after week. This is not only due to the excellent pacing of the story, offering a naturally realistic narrative of a romance between two diversely different individuals, but also for the performances. However, with this week, “Habs” seems to have slowed to a snail’s pace and leaves the viewer feeling dissatisfied at the turn of events. “Habs” stars Feroze Khan, Ushna Shah, Saba Faisal, Hina Rizvi, Janice Tessa and others. The story has been written by Aliya Makhdoom and directed by Musaddiq Malek.
In episode 23, Aisha (Ushna Shah) is now convinced her marriage is over after being given an apartment by Basit (Feroze Khan). Meanwhile, Basit is perplexed by Aisha’s reaction and is left wondering how to pacify her. What’s clear is that neither Aisha or Basit want a divorce. They genuinely want their marriage to work – but as they both have their share of hang-ups, they do not understand how to communicate effectively with one another. This is, bottom line, a communication gap between two individuals who are just very bad at communicating. Aisha has always had to be strong for her family and is emotionally reserved for that reason….though she’s better off than Basit. Basit never had a female influence in his life growing up and so he’s not well-versed in how to behave with women, nor does he have a particularly sensitive side despite being a kind soul at heart.
And yet, while we can understand the emotional dilemma between the two characters, that does not erase the fact that this episode does not have the “hold” that previous episodes have had. This episode draws out the dilemma unnecessarily. If Aisha doesn’t want a divorce, why doesn’t she just discuss it with Basit? If Basit doesn’t want a divorce, why hasn’t he spoken to Aisha openly? In reality, two individuals cannot be at the point of destruction and avoid a conversation. That conversation sits horribly in the pit of the stomach until it’s hashed out. It’s unrealistic to act as though these two people would not be tossing and turning over this decision….but instead, they are having relaxed conversations with family and friends. It feels like a waste of an episode, to be honest.
Aside from Qudsia (Saba Faisal) using Aisha to cover her own failings with Zoya and arranging a marriage before Aisha is even divorced (this is disgusting), the worst part of the episode is Zoya (Janice Tessa) robbing her own in-laws. While Zoya has always been a conniving sort of character, this is taking her poor behavior to the next level. It’s difficult to understand how to feel about Zoya. She’s had a complicated upbringing with a money-minded mother running the household – but this is really sinking to a low…..while being realistic. Will Zoya’s marriage last with this kind of dishonesty?
Everyone in the show is doing an excellent job, particularly Feroze Khan and Ushna Shah. Janice Tessa is also a natural actress who is making her presence felt. However, with the show now at 23 episodes, we’d like to see some strong, meaningful, action-packed episodes now. When a show is being appreciated for its natural, realistic pace, dragging simply does not suit it or do the story justice. Let’s hope next week’s episode gives viewers what they want – progress between Basit and Aisha!