The standing of “Tere Bin” in the world of Pakistani dramas in terms of quality is a debated topic. While many viewers have looked upon the show with disdain, it cannot be denied that “Tere Bin” has brought in not only national viewership, but also international viewership unlike any other show. Meerab and Murtasim have become a beloved couple, comparable to the craze of Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan during the “Humsafar” era. While the show has put viewers through a rollercoaster of emotions over the past several weeks, the finale ends in a way that reminds us of why we enjoyed this show to begin with. Staring Wahaj Ali, Yumna Zaidi, Bushra Ansari, Sohail Sameer, Sabeena Farooq, Hira Soomro, Farhan Ali Agha, Fazila Qazi and others in prominent roles, the story has been written by Nooran Makhdoom and directed by Siraj Ul Haq.
While the previous bulk of episodes have been utter chaos – and not necessarily in a positive or pleasant way -, the finale brings Meerab (Yumna Zaidi) and Murtasim (Wahaj Ali) back together, depicting exactly what has been praise-worthy in this drama. This is, of course, Wahaj Ali and Yumna Zaidi’s chemistry. While Haya (Sabeena Farooq) has been planning and plotting all this time, Meerub’s entry halts Murtasim and Haya’s nikkah. Of course, with Murtasim and Anwar (Sohail Sameer) searching for Meerub all these years, this is a moment of both happiness and shock. All’s well that ends well when Meerub and Murtasim reunite with their child, Maa Begum sends Haya away and all loose ends are wrapped up. Was there really much to wrap up anyway?
The positives are simply that Wahaj Ali and Yumna Zaidi shine as Meerub and Murtasim, the couple we have rooted for since the beginning. Murtasim taking a stand for Meerub is true to who Murtasim has been all along (as an audience, we really have to block out the atrocities of episode 47 and what followed) and reminds us how Murtasim has always stood tall to protect Meerub. Yumna’s expressions are brilliant as Meerub realizes, finally, just how much Murasim loves her and how he broke after her disappearance. Murtasim, on his part, has some beautiful lines towards the end of the episode, never placing blame on Meerub and acknowledging his own faults and weaknesses. His apology is heartfelt and leaves viewers in tears. The final few scenes of “Tere Bin” are simply beautiful.
Of course, we have to discuss the negatives and with “Tere Bin,” is it possible not to have negatives? First of all, in a 50 minute finale, easily 50% of the episode is in slow motion, simply dragging out what could have been completed within 36 minutes. What’s the need of a mega-episode if the content could be covered in a normal episode? Next, while it’s great that Maa Begum (Bushra Ansari) and Murtasim finally acknowledge Haya’s manipulations, there’s nothing satisfying about the method. Haya being sent to the village has happened before. Where’s the acknowledgement of how Haya played with Maryam’s (Hira Soomro) life? Where’s the justice for how Haya tried to cause a miscarriage for Meerub? Where’s the justice for how Haya consistently conspired to separate Meerub and Murtasim and cause misunderstandings between them? Haya lying about Meerub running away with Rohail is only a needle in the haystack of lies Haya has told in her insanity. But does Haya actually pay for these behaviors in a satisfying way? That would be a negative.
Yumna Zaidi as a performer is a star and with “Tere Bin,” she has delivered a lot more in terms of performance than what she had been given in the script. It has been Yumna’s performance which brought Meerub to life and made Meerub likable despite her horrible actions. It’s Yumna’s performance which allowed us to connect and understand Meerub’s actions (for the most part). Yumna Zaidi is a hardworking actress who has always deserved recognition and we can hope that from this point on, she gets stellar projects worthy of her talent. Wahaj Ali has been a face to look out for since his debut and has consistently delivered brilliant performances. While “Tere Bin” does not rank high on his list of quality dramas, one cannot deny the popularity of Murtasim and the impact he has made in this role. Wahaj Ali’s intensity will be remembered. Like Yumna, Wahaj is worthy of strong projects – which both have had in the past – and here’s hoping there’s a great future in store for both actors moving forward. Will “Tere Bin” be missed? “Tere Bin” isn’t a show with good writing (absolutely not) or even good direction (which is surprising for Siraj Ul Haq), so the answer is no. But it is a show that has seen success due to its lead pair, their hard work, dedication and, of course, chemistry.
