While Green Entertainment has many new shows, “Jeevan Nagar” is a highly awaited one for many reasons. First, the show has been written by Awais Ahmed and directed by the beloved Kashif Nisar, the man with the magic touch. Second, “Jeevan Nagar’ stars Sohail Ahmed in the lead role, one of Pakistan’s most beloved actors, an absolute force to reckon with. Along with Sohail Ahmed, the show boasts of an incredibly talented supporting cast, including the amazing Rabia Butt along with Kashif Mehmood, Saqib Sameer and Noor Ul Hassan. Third, the topic at hand is not only interesting, but also unique, dealing with many different topics such as class division, stereotypes and gender identity. This is a popular topic at present with “Guru,” starring Ali Rehman Khan, airing on Express TV.
In episode 1, we meet Babar Shah (Sohail Ahmed), a man who the village folk rely on to solve all their problems. This is a man with an iron fist, but also a heart of gold, and he does his best to keep the peace in Jeevan Nagar. Unfortunately, the people of Jeevan Nagar need Babar Shah and rely on him to solve their problems – which he does. Sohail Ahmed captures his audience within the first scene itself and this is the sign of an incredible actor, which Sohail Ahmed certainly is. Meanwhile, when Munni (Rabia Butt) moves into the neighborhood as the resident yoga instructor, she immediately grabs eyeballs from all the men in society – regardless of age. Rabia Butt is a wonderful actress and she only proves it more with each drama. She is a natural in this role, both a strong actress and visually stunning. While much of the episode focuses on building up Babar Shah and his intense, intimidating personality, the episode ends on a strong note which leaves viewers wondering.
What’s interesting about “Jeevan Nagar” is how it does not reveal its cards all at once. The episode ends on a cliffhanger of sorts, leaving the audience wanting more simply for the sake of clarity. “Jeevan Nagar” is about the khwaja sira community – or the third gender. This is a topic that is widely brushed under the rug and is not publicly discussed, so it’s refreshing to see not only that two shows are running on this subject, but also that “Jeevan Nagar” is tackling other topics as well. There is also a love angle between a young couple, but it’s not clear where that story fits in just yet. The first episode of “Jeevan Nagar” is a strong one, a show that leaves its viewers transfixed during the course of its runtime while also promising to deliver meaningful discussion on important subjects through comedy and satire. After the first episode alone, “Jeevan Nagar” promises to be a must-watch!
