Following the life of an amateur standup comedian and an amateur rapper, “Standup Girl” has forced audiences to sit up and take notice with its unique presentation, different story and wonderful cast. Starring Sohail Ahmed, Zara Noor Abbas, Daniyal Zafar, Adnan Shah Tipu, Saba Faisal, Saqib Sumeer, Tamkinat, Saad Azhar and others, the story has been written by Awais Ahmed and Adeel Afzal and directed by Kashif Nisar.
In episode 17, Kabir (Daniyal Zafar) gets into a fight with Vicky at his suggestion that Kabir perform in a rap battle he’s judging. Kabir has been burned by Vicky, as Vicky stole his songs to become a star. It’s an interesting twist, but while everyone is nagging Kabir to progress in life – isn’t Kabir’s point correct? Vicky is a thief, a man who gained fame on someone else’s hard work. While Kabir does need to progress and needs motivation, it’s hard to side with those cheering Vicky on when Kabir’s anger is legitimate. Still, it would be great to see Kabir gain success off this rap battle – and it would be safe to assume this is exactly what will happen.
What’s great about Kabir (Daniyal Zafar) and Zara’s relationship is that it doesn’t try too hard – and that goes for both the writing and the performances. This is a relationship built off mutual admiration and respect, one which gradually turned into friendship and the two are now “together” without any lavish declarations of love. Kabir is completely besotted by Zara, but the relationship itself is a natural one, one where both can get upset with the other and then make up just as easily with a discussion. This is realistic and it’s refreshing to see such a sweet, supportive romance on-screen. Daniyal Zafar and Zara Noor Abbas share really warm chemistry as well and that translates well with their characters, leaving the audience grinning from ear to ear after their scenes together.
Mirza and Hina are honestly a highlight of “Standup Girl.” Their scenes are underrated as viewers are generally looking for the family track with Zara and Ameer Khan (Sohail Ahmed) or the romance track between Kabir and Zara, overlooking the comedic brilliance from Adeel Afzal and Tamkinat as Mirza and Hina. Their lines flow with such wit, the joke lands before we even realize it. Adeel Afzal in particular deserves praise, as not only is his performance on point, but he’s also one of the writers.
In the rest of the episode, Zara realizes that her Chachis are coming to visit – and is pleased with the thought, realizing that she has unexpectedly grown attached to her family. Furthermore, she discovers that Ameer Khan sold his plot for her. While she’s not aware of the details, she’s beginning to realize just how much her new family cares for her and living in rigid, strict conditions at the hostel…..how long will it be before she returns back to the fold?
“Standup Girl” is one of the most enjoyable shows on television. Sure, at times some scenes need to be cut shorter by a whole two minutes, continuing long after the scene’s necessity is over. Still, the concept is refreshingly different with comedy and emotion blended seamlessly into one strong, heartwarming show. “Standup Girl” is one of the current best Pakistani dramas.