The pilot of “Mushk” aired on Monday night, along with “Prem Gali” (on ARY), two highly-awaited shows. While “Prem Gali” lured in viewers seeking light-hearted entertainment, “Mushk” has caught the attention of those looking for content-driven stories. Written by Imran Ashraf and directed by Aehsun Talish, “Mushk” marks the return of Urwa Hocane to television and also stars Momal Sheikh, Imran Ashraf, Osama Tahir, Raza Talish and many others. The first episode managed to catch the interest of Pakistani drama viewers and it seems to be racing towards success.
Momal Sheikh takes center stage in the first episode as Mehek. Mehak is a character that is respected and loved by her family, especially her grandfather who has given Mehek full control of the household. Mehek returns after a four year stint in the UK for her higher education, but when she arrives, she is accompanied by Guddi (Urwa Hocane) and a child. She introduces Guddi to her family as a helpless widow who needed help, but as Mehek’s Aunt (played by Zara Tareen) rightfully states “Is kahaani ka na sar hai na pair” (there is no sense to this story), the story is not what it seems. It’s soon revealed to viewers that Mehek was married to Shayaan (Osama Tahir) in the UK and the baby is their child.
Guddi is not a silent confidant, rather it’s clear that she’s exercising control over Mehek due to this large secret she’s keeping for her. It’s not clear how these two met, because while on their way to the haveli, Mehek asks Guddi what her name is, indicating that she may have picked Guddi up locally before heading home. Whatever the situation, Guddi will be cause for trouble in Mehek’s life. This is a great role for Urwa Hocane and she slips into it seamlessly, playing the loud, blunt character with ease and reminding viewers of her strong screen presence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgGBIlw-Lgc&t=1774s
Osama Tahir’s character, Shayaan, comes as the surprise package of the first episode. When he’s first spotted, viewers see Shayaan and another man looking downtrodden in jail. While Shayaan seems hellbent on escaping, the old man convinces him to make peace with his fate. It comes as a surprise then when Shayaan is seen as Mehek’s husband in London and one has to wonder how he this character ended up in jail….and is Mehek aware of this turn of events? What does Mehek believe happened to the father of her child?
Imran Ashraf has minimal screen time in the first episode with most of the story focusing on Mehek and Guddi, along with Osama Tahir’s character. Imran Ashraf is the writer here and, as seen in the past with “Tabeer,” Imran Ashraf tends to focus solely on his story and will willingly sacrifice his own character for the sake of the story. One can only hope he remains an active participant in this story, because his character seems like an endearing one so far, playing the quiet Adam who admirers Mehek from afar. Raza Talish also seems promising in a role different from what we’ve seen him in before (Suno Chanda).
http://thebrownidentity.com/2020/08/18/prem-gali-episode-1-farhan-saeed-and-sohai-ali-abro-star-in-this-unique-love-story/
Aehsun Talish is well-versed with directing large scale stories with many intersecting storylines (as we’ve seen in “Alif Allah Aur Insaan”), so it’s not a surprise that he’s the director and he will manage to present this story effectively. There’s an endearing, old-fashioned feel to the show, despite being set in present-day. The first episode of “Mushk” is one that instantly pulls viewers into the scene and it remains to be seen how the story unfolds from here on out. One thing is for sure – the first episode is action-packed, which leads the audience to believe this will be an exciting story with a lot of twists and turns.
