“Pyari Mona” has been tackling heavy topics through its light-hearted storytelling, which has won over audiences who cannot stop praising the show. In recent weeks, “Pyari Mona” has hit some rough spots due to its tragic twist, leading the show in a stereotypical direction. However, in episode 10, the show returns to effective storytelling. Pyari Mona stars Sanam Jung, Adeel Hussain, Adnan Jaffar, Uzma Beg, Muhammad Hunbal, Shaheen Khan and Mashal Khan in central roles. The story has been written by Haseeb Ahmed and directed by Ali Hassan.
The greatest problem in recent episodes has been editing and a lack of continuity. Unfortunately, this does continue with episode 10. At the very start of the episode, we see Mona (Sanam Jung) and Babar (Adeel Hussain) getting married. While Ayaan went missing in the previous episode and Babar stated he would do whatever she wants upon her return, shouldn’t we have seen how and why the two agreed to this marriage? Both Mona and Babar quite literally despise one another, so for either to agree to marry the other simply because “Ayaan said so” seems a bit disjointed. And while the premise isn’t entirely digestible, the resulting scenes between Mona and Babar are a welcome, pleasant watch. While the two are now married, Mona isn’t bending backwards to fit into Babar’s mold nor is Babar pretending to suddenly like Mona. The two remain at odds, though Mona does try her best to create a civil relationship for Ayaan’s sake. The biryani scene in particular is laugh-out-loud funny while also highlighting a bitter truth – Babar and Mona are simply too different.
What’s interesting is Irfan’s (Muhammad Hunbal) marriage to Kinza (Naureen Mumtaz). While it seems as though Irfan is absolutely committed to Kinza, he continues to allow Mona to hover over their lives despite her absence from it. If Mona were a friend they saw on a daily basis, it would fit for Irfan to ask Kinza to make peace with Mona. Here, however, Mona has moved to Karachi, gotten married and is rarely in touch with Irfan barring an occasional phone call or two. Are these conversations surrounding Mona even necessary at this point? Is it necessary to remind Kinza that she can never take Mona’s place? His behavior seems to indicate that he’s still hung up on Mona and refuses to acknowledge it honestly. While both are now married, one can’t help but feel this is not the end of the Mona-Irfan (romantic) relationship. Kinza and Irfan’s relationship is actually a very sweet one and their marriage is root-worthy, if only Kinza’s mother would stay in her lane and avoid putting manipulative ideas in her naïve daughter’s head.
Towards the end of the episode, we see two major things happening. First, Mona has decided to make her marriage with Babar work, putting in the effort to take care of herself. This is nice to see, as having a healthy lifestyle is a positive. However, are we going to see a “She’s All That” or “Ugly Betty” style makeover? That may not be as welcome in a show about loving one’s self against society’s expectations. Second, Zee (Mashal Khan) appears to be plotting to “get” Babar. Now is this for revenge or does she actually like him? That’s not clear, but what is clear is that she is a negative character who will turn Mona’s world upside down.
While the storyline change was not immediately palatable, this episode is a thoroughly entertaining watch. It focuses more on how two different individuals come together under one roof and things do not simply just fall into place. The situation Babar and Mona are in is complicated. Babar has lost a wife he loved dearly, Mona has lost a sister and both have wound up married while sharing a hostile relationship, that too while their wounds are still fresh and they are both vulnerable. It’s great to see that “happily ever after” does not come into play and the reality of the situation is being highlighted. Sanam Jung and Adeel Hussain are stars in this episode, both performing impeccably well. Of course, any scene with Adnan Jaffar is always a pleasure to watch as well. The entire cast is doing a great job and the writing in this episode also deserves applause. There was fear that “Pyari Mona” would head down a cliched path, but it’s great to see that the freshness and unique quality of this show remains.
