“Parizaad” is one of the few shows these days that can be called “flawless.” While it’s still in the early stages, this drama has been drawing in viewers with its strong storytelling and stellar performances. Starring Ahmed Ali Akbar, Ushna Shah, Adeel Afzal, Yumna Zaidi, Nauman Ijaz, Urwa Hocane and many others in lead roles, “Parizaad” has been written by Hashim Nadeem and directed by Shehzad Kashmiri. Following the life of Parizaad, a young man facing obstacles in life due to his appearance, the show recently saw Parizaad forming a bond with Saboor Aly’s Bubbly.
While “Parizaad” is a beautifully written, well-presented story, the audience is gradually realizing that the story is, essentially, a running tally of how many times Parizaad can have his heart broken. This is not a criticism on the show though, because it’s Parizaad’s grief that keeps the audience hooked, so invested in this wonderful character that we simply want to see him happy – however long that will take. Episode 6 is a big one in terms of moving the story along. Parizaad (Ahmed Ali Akbar) decides to marry Bubbly (Saboor Ali), not only to help her because she’s his friend, but also for his own selfish reasons – wanting to use her dowry money to help his brother-in-law. However, after Bubbly’s parents agree, Bubbly and Parizaad have a really sweet, cute encounter that not only makes the audience smile, but also plants feelings of optimism and love in Parizaad’s heart for Bubbly. This is the beauty of Parizaad; he is a simply, sweet, clean-hearted boy who has only ever wanted love and he will take it from wherever he can find it and be happy. Acceptance has always been his goal and with Na Saaz (Adeel Afzal), Bubbly and Bubbly’s parents (Rashid Farooqi, Salma Hassan), Parizaad has finally found a handful of people (other than his sister) who give him that sense of “home.” Parizaad even happily agrees to be a “ghar damaad,” which also points to the fact that Parizaad feels more comfortable with Bubbly’s family than his own.
Unfortunately, the writing on the wall has been fairly clear with Bubbly from the beginning – she is a girl who is not comfortable in her own skin, a girl who believes she is a boy. How would she live out a married life? While it may have seemed a nice thought to see Parizaad and Bubbly married, happily living with her parents and Na Saaz and accepting one another, this thought would feel like hell to a character like Bubbly. And so, she did the only thing she could think of doing, running away to Karachi to visit the friend who was just like her. And while we don’t know what ever happened to Bubbly after she left the house, it’s her disappearance that causes a domino effect. Bubbly’s parents leave their home and go back to their village, which also leaves Na Saaz without a roof over his head. Having passed his exams, he heads back home as well. This leaves Parizaad to fend for himself once again, left without any friends. However, the pace of “Parizaad” continues at full speed, introducing Mashal Khan’s character only moments after Na Saaz’s exit.
Episode 6 manages to extract a lot of emotions, but the most prominent is heartbreak. Ahmed Ali Akbar has enacted Parizaad’s pain so well, especially at the end while watching Na Saaz’s train leave. Ahmed Ali Akbar has truly “become” Parizaad and he is giving one of the best performances of his career. But this episode truly belongs to Saboor Aly and Adeel Afzal, as the departure of their characters leaves a void not only in Parizaad’s life, but also in the hearts of the audience. Bubbly has been a fascinating character and Saboor Aly has put her heart and soul into her. How many people are ostracized by society due to living their lives out of the box? Bubbly is one such example and in a matter of a few episodes, Bubbly has become a character viewers can connect with. Saboor Aly has left her mark. Of course, Adeel Afzal has come like a breath of fresh air with his natural acting, wonderful dialogue delivery and strong presence. Na Saaz has been a welcome addition to the show and, like Raza Ali Abid as Shauky, Adeel Afzal has cemented his place as an actor to look out for. Both these characters will be missed. With their exit, Parizaad is now a stronger man with more confidence to face the world. What role will Mashal Khan’s character play in Parizaad’s life? We will have to wait and see!