Faysal Qureshi steals the show in Khalish

Amidst a vast array of run of the mill TV plays that dominate our small screen, projects that attempt to explore unique themes and characters have the potential to stand out. However, it is unfortunate that most of them fail to generate high ratings as clichéd ideas and stories continue to lead ratings despite consistent efforts to bring around change. Nonetheless, recent times have seen various TV projects tapping into diverse themes including social issues, medical dramas, women empowerment and other problems prevalent in our part of the world aside from saas-bahu disputes.

One of the recent additions to the list is ongoing revenge drama Khalish, directed by Syed Ali Raza Usama, that follows the life of Sahil, essayed by the incredible Faysal Qureshi. We are shown how Sahil loses his mother Mumtaz (played by Zainab Qayyum), who was severely ill due to all the tough times she had gone through for years after his father, Altamash Behram, left them. Altamash (Asif Raza Mir) married her but he didn’t have the courage to admit it in front of his family and married someone else to please them. This opened doors for several trials and tribulations for Sahil and his ailing mother who spend a life of poverty. After Mumtaz’s death, Altamash takes Sahil home in an attempt to compensate the loss he had caused them and promises Sahil to accept him as his son when the time is right. Sahil, unwilling to live with his father, agrees to it with the desire to take revenge from everyone who was responsible for his mother’s sufferings.

As soon as he steps into the house, he begins conspiring against almost everyone residing there, including his step brother Feroz (Kamran Jilani), his grandmother Mukhtar Begum (Jahan Ara Hai), his stepmother Tehmina (Ismat Zaidi) and above all, his father. Sahil not only gets access to the house but secures an important position at Altamash’s office, which gives him the opportunity to manipulate people at work too. He leaks confidential documents, causing a huge loss to the company, and follows the ‘divide and rule’ policy both at home as well as at work, leaving people wondering if they should trust him or not.

Amidst his planning and plotting against the Behram family, people who he really cares about include Nageen (Sunita Marshall), his ex-girlfriend who is married to his stepbrother, his new-found friend and colleague Pareesa (Aliya Ali) and a few others. In the recent episodes, Pareesa, who had started developing interest in Sahil, learns about his plans and that he is the one to cause loss to the company. Whether she exposes him or simply leaves the job and will Sahil tell her the truth or not, we will find out in the next few episodes.

For now, we are hooked to the play that never has a dull moment and the plot keeps getting more interesting with every episode. 16 episodes into the play, the pace with which it is moving is commendable with several twists and turns keeping viewers curious. While revenge is at the heart of the play, Khalish also explores other themes including workplace harassment, domestic abuse and social disparity among other issues.

Moving to performances, Faysal Qureshi’s work is effortless, making him the strongest link in the play. The actor, who has been an integral part of Pakistan’s television industry for decades, never fails to impress fans and Khalish is certainly one of his best works till date. His transition from an unprivileged young man, who grew up in a slum in Lahore, to a rich and entitled man who controls a lot of things was seamless, making him all the more believable. From expressions to body language and dialogue delivery, he steals the show whenever he appears on the screen.

Others who are equally impressive and make Khalish a must-watch include Asif Raza Mir, Kamran Jilani, Sunita Marshall and Aliya Ali. With an intriguing plot, powerful dialogues and strong performances, Khalish, written by Imran Ali Safir and produced by Aijaz Aslam, is easily one of the best TV plays currently on air.