Ramadan season has arrived on television! What this means for Pakistani drama viewers is an overload of new content. While ARY has rarely participated in launching Ramadan shows, content with Shan E Ramzan and Jeeto Pakistan each year, Har Pal Geo and Hum TV have been putting out great comedic content during the month of Ramadan. While “Chupke Chupke” and “Ishq Jalebi” were the stand-out shows from last year, along with “Tanaa Banaa,” this year’s offerings arrive in the form of “Hum Tum,” “Chaudhry and Sons” and “Paristan.” With “Hum Tum” being Ahad Raza Mir’s return to Pakistani television after a gap, the show also stars Ramsha Khan, Junaid Khan, Sarah Khan, Mohammad Ahmed, Farhan Ali Agha, Uzma Baig, Adnan Jaffar and more. The story has been written and directed by the audience favorite duo behind “Chupke Chupke,” Saima Akram Chaudhry and Danish Nawaz. The expectations are sky high, so let’s delve into how the first episode fares.
We are introduced to three sisters, Maha (Sarah Khan), Neha (Ramsha Khan) and Sasha (Anoosheh Rania Khan). These girls live with their grandfather, Dada (Mohammad Ahmed), a cool, TikTok loving, social media addict who runs his account with a lot of dedication, often making his own family the subjects of his videos. Throw Qutubuddin (Adnan Jaffar), Dada’s son, into the mix and there is a constant clash of personalities, as Qutubuddin is a serious, principled man with his PhD. Qutubuddin is perplexed by his three daughters and their lack of cleanliness, each too preoccupied with their education. While Maha is a fitness freak, Neha is a chemistry student – and a dedicated one at that – while Sasha is an expert hacker. These girls are not bothered by the stereotypical labels of feminism and do not fit into that mold. Meanwhile, Sarmad (Junaid Khan) and Adam (Ahad Raza Mir) next door are the children of Sultan (Farhan Ali Agha), a man who is well-educated, but chooses to sit at home and relax instead of working. His sons imbibe different qualities, qualities generally associated with the opposite gender – a love for cooking and cleaning. While Sarmad runs a restaurant and enjoys being in the kitchen, even cooking for his parents, Adam appears to have a level of obsessive-compulsive disorder, thoroughly occupied with cleanliness. Adam is also a chemistry major and frequently knocks heads with Neha from next door. The families do not appear to think too highly of the other, though Adam’s mother hopes to see one of the girls as her daughter-in-law one day, as she admires their drive. Adam also shares a very sweet relationship with his Naani (Uzma Beg), who is a fun character in the show.
The problem with large cast dramas is simply this – the first episode requires too many introductions, which can get tedious and unenjoyable. These lengthy introductions reduce the entertainment value of the first episode, though we also understand why a first episode pans out that way….and yet, there could have been a different way. Still, the premise of “Hum Tum” is modern, the characters cute, the presentation fresh and a very lively premise. While the first episode is a bit dull overall, it sets the stage for a highly promising show. Again, it’s wonderful to see three strong female characters and the gender role reversal between the boys and the girls. Sarah Khan and Junaid Khan’s romance is something to look forward to, while Ahad Raza Mir and Ramsha Khan share really cute banter in this first episode. “Hum Tum” is off to a good start!
