Mawra Hocane and Ameer Gilani continue to be the current sweethearts of Pakistani television as Hassan and Anaya, their pairing being appreciated by all. But “Sabaat” isn’t just a love story – it’s a lot more than that. The show also follows Sarah Khan’s Miraal, a narcissistic personality gradually losing her mental stability. With the introduction of Dr. Haaris this week, Miraal’s psychiatrist, the story moves forward in an intriguing way.
There’s a different shade to Miraal’s character in this episode and it’s one that has been long overdue. While Miraal’s ego continues to be at a different level, viewers do see her softening in a couple of scenes. First, Miraal consoles her mother as she cries and it’s clear that Miraal does care about her family – she just has a different way of showing it. Second, Miraal is seen taking her friend’s help in calling a psychiatrist after Miraal begins to see her own behavior as erratic.
Read episode 11’s review here.
Up until now, it’s been fairly up-in-the-air as to how Miraal perceived her own mental health, but at this point, Miraal understands that something is horribly wrong and she needs help getting through it. Sarah Khan enacts these scenes wonderfully, showing the vulnerability behind the stoic, angry exterior.
This is where fans finally meet Dr. Haaris, played by Usman Mukhtar. Miraal visits his clinic and while the two do not immediately hit it off, Dr. Haaris seems intrigued by Miraal. While Miraal is uncomfortable with the idea of counseling, her friend convinces her to return and makes the appointment for her. The second meeting is much more successful and Dr. Haaris and Miraal are seen establishing a relationship. And while this relationship is strictly professional on Miraal’s end, it seems Dr. Haaris is interested in Miraal in a different way.
While discussing the ethics of this relationship is something I’m tempted to do, I also understand that this is a drama and these things do happen to make the story more exciting. It’s also hard to complain when Usman Mukhtar is playing the doctor in question and shares such great chemistry with Sarah Khan already. This was a highly awaited appearance and it did not disappoint.
Of course, Anaya (Mawra Hocane) and Hassan (Ameer Gilani) are as cute as ever.
The two are sent away on their honeymoon to keep Anaya and Miraal at a distance for a few days, so the audience is treated to beautiful scenes of the newlyweds in the Kashmir area.
What is particularly great about the sequences between Hassan and Anaya is that the two haven’t suddenly had a personality transplant.
While they do share loving moments, they continue to be competitive, bicker and tease each other just as they did in their college days.
This only adds to the realism of their relationship. The two actors share such wonderful chemistry and the two characters are so likable, it’s hard to do anything but root for Hassan and Anaya.
Watch the episode here.
It’s rare that we get to see older couples sharing a romantic moment in dramas, so it’s also nice to see Anaya’s parents (Mohammad Ahmed and Seemi Raheel) in a sweet scene where the two lament to each other regarding their empty nest now that Anaya is gone. The scene brings a smile to the viewer’s face as the two plan their romantic walk and trip to the theater to watch a movie. Episode 12 is one that has a lot of beautiful, sweet scenes, but also focuses heavily on Miraal’s mental health and her acceptance of her problems. With Dr. Haaris expressing interest in Miraal in the next episode, one wonders how these two very different personalities will collide.
