“Khushbo Mein Basay Khat” transports audiences into a strange, unique world. This is a world set apart from normal ideals of morality and values or good and bad. This is the world of poets, a world where words carry meaning, but only on paper. Starring Adnan Siddiqui, Nadia Jamil, Kinza Hashmi, Sidra Niazi, Saleem Mairaj, Nazli Mirza and others, the story is written by the talented Amna Mufti and directed by Mohammad Saqib Khan.
In episode 11, Ahmed Saryab (Adnan Siddiqui) is now embroiled in a web of relationships, the first and foremost being the one with his wife (Nadia Jamil), the second being an outright affair with Penny (Sidra Niazi), the third being a flirtation with Husna (Kinza Hashmi) and the fourth with the most recent addition, Husna’s “best friend” Jahan Ara. There also appears to be some sort of sordid past between Jahan Ara’s mother (Zainab Qayyum) and Ahmed Saryab. As recently stated, the world in which Ahmed Saryab travels is one where his poetry and art form gives him leeway to behave in the most immoral way and, unfortunately, even the women in his life allow for it. Nadia Jamil’s character is an educated woman who single-handedly runs her household, co-parents with her own mother and still dotes on her rude, unloving husband. It’s an interesting, yet heartbreaking dynamic – and unfortunately, it’s not the only tragic one. There’s Penny, who has been given false hope to leave her toxic marriage behind, but Ahmed Saryab let her down by asking her to go back to her husband. Penny has always felt Saryab would be her savior, but her savior has basically told her that she’s only worthy of flirtation – not commitment. Of course, the addition of two college going best friends is heavy on the “ick” factor and yet…….in Ahmed Saryab’s world, nothing appears to be off-limits or abnormal.
As time goes on, we become more aware of just how calculating Husna (Kinza Hashmi) is. While once fixated on Ahmed Saryab, their relationship has been fractured with her so-called best friend, Jahan Ara, entering the picture. However, Husna is not a quitter. She has befriended Sheheryar (Saleem Mairaj) for her own benefit and, in a strange request, has asked Parvez (Alee Hassan Shah) to marry her. While this request makes Parvez happy, it leaves the audience – and Husna’s family – wondering…..why? Quite honestly, it’s Saleem Mairaj’s Sheheryar who steals the show in a drama full of excellent performers. There is something so endearing about his character, a poet who is much different from Ahmed Saryab – and yet, is he? There’s a certain mystery which shrouds Sheheryar. Is he a good guy who sees Saryab for who and what he is? Or is he simply a man jealous of Saryab and finally, with Husna, now getting his share of the pie? Regardless, the Sheheryar character somehow feels like much more of a character to root for and that is mostly due to Saleem Mairaj’s excellent performance.
There’s a lot to praise about “Khusbho Mein Basay Khat,” the most obvious thing being the performances. Adnan Siddiqui, Nadia Jamil, Kinza Hashmi, Saleem Mairaj, Sidra Niazi, there are so many performers to praise. Each actor has truly made their role their own, one which they’ve fit into naturally – and yet, these roles aren’t necessarily likable. To call these characters complicated would be an understatement. Are we rooting for these characters? Or are we rooting for their downfall? We aren’t entirely sure! One thing that is for sure though is the excellent writing and direction, which have propelled viewers into a unique environment where things are not what they seem, conversations can’t be taken at face value and relationships are meant for breaking. Many say that artists live in their own world, eccentric creatures – but does that excuse infidelity and disloyalty? Yet the scenario taking place before our eyes isn’t an unrealistic one, rather how many of us know an Ahmed Saryab? This is the strength of “Khusbho Mein Basay Khat” – it feels both fictional and realistic at the same time. We cannot wait to see what happens next!
