“Sinf E Aahan” is potentially Pakistan’s first drama with such a stellar female cast – and otherwise. Starring Sajal Aly, Yumna Zaidi, Ramsha Khan, Kubra Khan, Syra Yousef, Dananeer Mobeen, Yehali Tashiya Kalidisa, Usman Peerzada, Usman Mukhtar, Asim Azhar, Ali Rehman Khan, Asad Siddiqui, Saba Hameed and many others, the story has been written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Nadeem Baig. Following the lives of female trainees for the army, “Sinf E Aahan” has been a treat for Pakistani drama fans – however, in recent weeks, the story has slowed down, lagging and putting too much focus on the girls’ training instead of…..an actual storyline.
Fortunately, in episode 14, the girls head home for a holiday and a semblance of a story has begun to emerge – but will it only be until the girls head back again? Back home, we see Pariwesh (Ramsha Khan) and Shaista (Yumna Zaidi) spend time with their families, not only spending quality time, but also displaying just how much they have grown in their time away, no longer weak young girls. These sequences are sweet and it’s also wonderful to see how supportive both girls’ fathers are. Mahjabeen (Kubra Khan) also finally passes her salute test and returns home, shocking her parents when she changes their flat tire with ease. It’s these little things that put a smile on the face of the viewer as these girls have gone beyond being the spoiled princesses they once were – particularly Mahjabeen – and are now ready to face the world. Kubra Khan, Ramsha Khan and Yumna Zaidi are all naturals in their roles.
Much of the episode focuses on two tracks – the first on Rabia (Sajal Aly) and Nathmy (Yehali Tashiya Kalidisa) at Rabia’s house and the second on Aarzoo’s (Syra Yousef) return home. In the first track, we see Rabia and Nathmy touring around Pakistan, visiting museums and shopping as Rabia gives Nathmy the royal tourist treatment. While there, they bump into Nasr (Asim Azhar), Rabia’s ex-fiance who pursues them and attempts to talk to Rabia, who is simply not interested. As the events unfold, Rabia reveals that Nasr is Mahjabeen’s cousin and when their friendship fell apart, her engagement also ended. It’s visible that Nasr is still interested in Rabia though, so it will be exciting to see this potential love story play out. Nathmy is adorable in these scenes, excited to play matchmaker and get these brooding souls back together.
Next, we see Aarzoo’s return home and Noraiz (Asad Siddiqui) pursuing her once again. Aarzoo isn’t a dim girl and understands his change in attitude. When Aarzoo was beneath him, she was just another girl for him to play around with. Now that she has become a big deal, she sees how the equation has changed and she’s now on the receiving end of attention. However, this time around, she’s simply not interested in wasting her time again on someone who has not been honest and committed to her in the past. This shows Aarzoo’s growth and how her position has erased all fear and thoughts of being “less than.” She is now Noraiz’s equal….if not higher. Syra Yousef is doing a great job in this role.
The truth around Kiran (Sonia Mishal) and Usama’s (Sheheryar Munawar) marriage is also revealed, though this has been predictable from the start. Kiran was married to Usama’s best friend, Taimoor, and after his death, Usama has stepped in to care for his family. It’s not clear how exactly the timeline played out, but Kiran appears to have been through a lot after seeing the way other army wives were speaking about her. Sheheryar Munawar is particularly lovable in this role, not only as an army major, but also as a sweet father and a loving husband trying to do right by his family.
Overall, this week’s episode has lifted the proceedings substantially. The show had really slowed down to a halt over the last two weeks, but this week’s episode has elevated it to a new level. This goes to show that while we do enjoy light-hearted stories, an actual storyline is needed. Hopefully from this point onward, the story will continue to build…..though it’s not clear how, as the girls are set to return back to training.