“Mushk” has been a show that has been loved by Pakistani audiences as a whole. Written by Imran Ashraf and directed by Aehsun Talish, “Mushk” brought together many different storylines to tell what could be called a “complete story,” a drama full of action, romance, drama and all the elements of a sure-fire hit. Starring Imran Ashraf, Urwa Hocane, Osama Tahir, Momal Sheikh, Zara Tareen, Hassan Ahmed and many others, the cast came together to give viewers a show that not only told an interesting story, but also had the acting, writing, direction and cinematography to support that story. So how did the finale fare? Let’s discuss.
If we’re being completely honest, episode 25 did a great job of wrapping up much of the storyline and bringing some stories to a logical close (such as Shayaan and Mehak). The finale should have been an opportunity to wrap up loose ends – and generally speaking, 40 minutes should’ve been more than enough to do so. However, instead, viewers are given a moshposh of scenes that don’t necessarily give the desired result, a satisfying conclusion. Let’s discuss the negatives first. Chotay Malik (Hassan Ahmed) charges at Adam (Imran Ashraf), the two men fighting for the upper hand before the police arrive and conveniently (and quickly) arrest the previously-invincible Chotay Malik. One problem is moved out of the way, so the next is tackled – Dada Ji. Dada Ji is a huge hurdle still standing between Mehak and Shayaan, so he is quickly killed off to clear another hurdle out of the way. These sequences just all seem to be rushed along with little focus on presentation. There’s a moment where Zulekah’s (Zara Tareen) brother informs Roshni and her sister that he’s found Zulekha in Dar Ul Salam in Karachi. Instead of this scene, why couldn’t he simply have been shown bringing her back? Zara Tareen disappeared from the scene after Chotay Malik locked her in the room and has not been seen since, which feels hollow considering how great her performance has been on this show.
Now let’s discuss the positives. The highlight of the episode is the moment where Adam meets Guddi (Urwa Hocane) at the train station, the two professing their love for one another. This is the moment the audience has been waiting for and it does not disappoint. Imran Ashraf and Urwa Hocane share such wonderful chemistry, it’s a joy to watch the two share screen space. What does disappoint is that instead of just that one solid train station scene and one great, well-written wedding scene, we’re given a sprinkling of Guddi and Adam scenes – which is fine technically speaking, but considering there are so many other storylines that deserved attention, this seemed unnecessary.
Another beautiful scene is the one where Shayan happily takes Mehak back home with him, returning to his village now the man in charge with his family welcoming him with open arms. Mehak embracing his sweet little cousin (first wife) is an absolutely endearing moment, showing how she has now cast her past aside and is moving on with life, living her childhood. There’s a sad moment where Muqaddar Khan (Aehsun Talish) is shown drooling in his wheelchair, now an invalid being “cared for” by his wife (Natasha Ali), who seems to be doing the opposite of that – but who can blame her? This man murdered her love and tried to ruin her daughter’s future. These scenes are well-shot and highly effective. What’s not effective? That Mehak is still holding a baby wrapped tightly in a swaddle. This child should be running in circles by now, considering the amount of time that has passed!
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Overall, “Mushk” is a show that will go down as a great drama, one that made an impact and has been well-written. Most of all, it’s great to see a happy ending for all the characters rather than the grim ones we are usually given. The finale is far from perfect, but considering the enjoyable run this show has given Pakistani drama viewers over the last several months, it can be overlooked. “Mushk” has been a wonderful show and will be greatly missed. Looking forward to Imran Ashraf’s next written venture!