“Aitebaar” hasn’t necessarily been a ratings puller, but it has presented the audience with a different storyline. Starring Zarnish Khan, Ali Safina, Syed Jibran, Arez Ahmed and Areeba Shahood Alvi in lead roles, the story has been written by Maimona Aziz and directed by Nadeem Siddiqui. Focusing on the delicate balance of relationships and the importance of trust in marriage, “Aitebaar” has hit some rough points, but has given the audience something new to watch.
The finale of “Aitebaar” is a happy one overall. The anger and fighting between Parisa (Zarnish Khan) and Babar (Ali Safina) is not, thankfully, drawn out. These scenes between the duo are sweet and feel natural and in line with the characters. And while Babar apologizes wholeheartedly, the scene is lacking a proper apology from Parisa, who does not even acknowledge her own dishonesty being the cause for the misunderstandings. While strong, independent woman on-screen are the need of the hour, we also need our characters to take accountability for their actions – and Parisa has not been transparent in her marriage. Still, these scenes are heartwarming. Ali Safina and Zarnish Khan’s chemistry has carried this show and it has been wonderful to see Ali Safina portray a character like Babar – a genuinely lovable character.
We would have liked to see Naveen (Areeba Shahood Alvi) dropping Hamza (Syed Jibran) and moving on with her life, reconnecting with her brother and sister-in-law. And yet, Naveen has always been an insecure, emotionally scarred character, so it does make sense that she would not want her marriage to fail – particularly due to her parents’ relationship. Hamza does not deserve any kind of forgiveness, but Naveen forgiving Hamza makes sense and so it’s digestible. That being said, it’s tragic that Naveen now has to keep her relationship with her husband and brother compartmentalized.
The greatest flaw in the “Aitebaar” finale is the reunion between Shiza and Bilal. Bilal and his mother have been the true “bad guys” of “Aitebaar.” If there has been any character on the show who has been a physical villain – as most of the negativity in this show stemmed from insecurity and mistrust -, it has been this terrible duo. Considering Bilal’s mother emotionally abused Shiza and Bilal was physically the cause of Shiza’s miscarriage, in what world did Bilal deserve to be accepted back into the fold? Sure, he and his mother went bankrupt and lost everything – but that was also his own doing, putting all his money in one basket. Does being broke immediately warrant forgiveness? It felt almost comical watching Huma Nawab’s character apologizing so feebly, as if she were apologizing for breaking Shiza’s armchair and not for wrecking Shiza’s life. This part felt too neat. Writers need to acknowledge that forgiveness is possible without allowing a person admission back into one’s life.
Overall, “Aitebaar” has been a truly enjoyable viewing experience. This has been a show to look forward to on Monday nights with an interesting storyline and great acting from Ali Safina, Zarnish Khan and Syed Jibran. Despite some moments of dragging, “Aitebaar” is a show that will be missed!