“Laapata” is a story that has only grown with each episode, the content serving as its mouthpiece in gaining viewership. This is a quality show. Starring Ali Rehman Khan, Ayeza Khan, Sarah Khan and Gohar Rasheed in lead roles, the story has been written and directed by Khizer Idrees. In the past two episodes, Falak’s actions have been somewhat grating with viewers questioning why a young, confident girl would escape from a traumatic experience and simply remain silent. This is the one qualm viewers have had with this drama, as Falak has always been outspoken and strong. It came across as a situation created simply so Falak could be arrested in a dramatic fashion. Still, the show makes up for the unnecessary drama in episode 20.
In episode 20, the episode revolves around Falak’s (Sarah Khan) court case and Shams (Ali Rehman Khan) and their family’s attempts to get Falak released, which is more difficult after she is denied bail. There is a great scene between Falak and a female police officer who not only treats Falak with kindness, but also made an interesting point. Falak and the policewoman handled the abuse their husbands dished out at them in the same manner – but while the policewoman went on to have a happy life, Falak wound up in jail. It does, ultimately, have to do with mindsets and having an educated way of thinking – rather than simply being educated without any humanity. Sarah Khan is playing this role convincingly.
Meanwhile, Shams and Geeti’s (Ayeza Khan) marriage has been put on hold, which is not sitting well with Geeti. She is furious with Shams for, once again, choosing Falak over her. Meanwhile, Shams himself is occupied with Falak’s case, putting his heart and soul into proving her innocence. The winner of this episode is the Ayesha character, Falak’s lawyer. She is a strong woman with strong opinions and has been like an angel for Falak during these hard times. Shams and his friend find Munira’s address and are now attempting to convince Munira to testify as a witness – but she is under lock and key by Daniyal’s family. Ali Rehman Khan has genuinely been acting well in his role as Shams. Shams is a kind-hearted individual who led himself on the wrong path and found himself in jail. When released, he had lost the most important thing in his life – Falak. Now that he’s finding his way in life again, his love is now in jail. It’s ironic and also cruel that two individuals who love each other so much find themselves unable to be together.
It’s easy to understand why Ayeza Khan took on the role of Geeti, even though she is more of a side character than a lead. Geeti is a layered character – she’s a woman who has good moments, positive moments, upbeat moments and she is perky on the outside. However, underneath the surface lurks….well, a lot. There are many issues with Geeti, the first being the lack of a male figure in her life. She lost her father early on, so like many young girls without fathers, she is starved for male attention. Her marriage to Shams has become a matter of pride, ego and determination. She wants him simply because she wants him – it has nothing to do with love. She simply wants the person she has fixated on to love her and fill that void she feels within. And while this may seem sweet and potentially makes Geeti frail, she is anything but. Deep within lurks something sinister and manipulative. She may not intentionally seek to harm others, but in her desire for self-happiness, she is willing to do what it takes and trample who it takes in order to get it (such as Falak). Ayeza Khan has done many roles before, whether it be comedy or more vamp-like roles, but Geeti is fascinating in that she is everything rolled into one while potentially being an out-and-out self-labeled villain. Ayeza Khan has put a lot of effort into this character and she is simply wonderful. The highlight of this episode is Geeti’s moment with Sarmad Khoosat (who is admittedly a favorite).
“Laapata” continues to bring the twists and turns in terms of story. This episode is not as action-packed as previous episodes have been and it does seem the story will be focused on Falak’s case for many episodes to come. But honestly, the entire team of “Laapata” deserves praise for putting together such a compelling story.