“Parizaad” is a drama based on Hashim Nadeem’s novel, which is a highly regarded piece of work by Urdu language readers. While one could easily say this is one of the best dramas of this year, that’s not entirely true – it’s an understatement. With ten episodes under its belt, “Parizaad” is a show that is unanimously being loved by all who tune in. Starring Ahmed Ali Akbar, Ushna Shah, Saboor Ali, Yumna Zaidi, Nauman Ejaz, Urwa Hocane and many others, “Parizaad” has been written by, obviously, Hashim Nadeem and directed by Shehzad Kashmiri. What’s refreshing about “Parizaad” is that this isn’t a stagnant story. This drama focuses on one character (Parizaad) and his journey through life, including the different faces, heartbreak and challenges he encounters along the way. Each episode offers something new.
In episode 10, Parizaad (Ahmed Ali Akbar) reports an undocumented shipment to Behroze (Nauman Ejaz), believing he’s doing the honest thing – but doesn’t realize Behroze was aware of the situation. Still, Parizaad’s honesty and disregard for his own personal safety impresses Behroze and he hires him to play bodyguard for Laila (Urwa Hocane), his wife. However, Laila is not happy with this arrangement and fights the idea of Parizaad’s presence, which creates difficulty for Parizaad in doing his job. However, Laila is a lover of music, specifically the piano, and when she finds Parizaad playing her piano, this appears to be the beginning point of a bond between the two.
As always, Parizaad proves his loyalty in this episode. This is a man who is true to his friends and anyone who he loves – and Shah Jahan (Hassan Shah), also known as Jaanu, falls into this slot now. While Jaanu wishes to marry Mumtaz, Parizaad promises that when he has money, he will help him buy a house for Mumtaz. Parizaad feels he no longer has any need to go back home and, with Saeeda and Salim now happy, he feels it’s now time to focus on earning – and in a fashion that viewers did not expect from Parizaad, he states that he’s even willing to spill blood for money. This is a change in Parizaad, something which has emerged after realizing that money is what makes the world go round.
As always, the performances in this episode are wonderful. Ahmed Ali Akbar and Hassan Shah win hearts as Parizaad and Jaanu, a friendship to root for. But this is, again, the beauty of this show – Parizaad’s relationships with these “passing” characters is always heart-warming, whether it’s Shauky, Na Saaz or, now, Jaanu. With the introduction of Behroze and Laila, there are a couple of things that come to mind. One, Behroze is an incredibly dangerous character and Parizaad is getting himself into a world of trouble by getting involved with him. Second, Laila is hiding something, which is why she doesn’t want Parizaad accompanying her inside buildings. Is Laila having an affair? We will have to wait until next week to find out – and “Parizaad” is one of the few shows on air that leaves the audience hanging each week, waiting for a new episode with anticipation!