Subtle and sophisticated are words that best describe the first episode of Mehreen Jabbar’s new drama serial, Dil Kiya Karey. They aren’t necessarily words that come to mind when watching a Pakistani TV serial or a news channel but they certainly are words that reflect Mehreen Jabbar’s work.
Mehreen Jabbar’s new drama serial, featuring Feroze Khan and Yumna Zaidi, gently challenges stereotypes.
Subtle and sophisticated are words that best describe the first episode of Mehreen Jabbar’s new drama serial, Dil Kiya Karey. They aren’t necessarily words that come to mind when watching a Pakistani TV serial or a news channel but they certainly are words that reflect Mehreen Jabbar’s work. The story unravels very gently, frame by frame, and builds the premise for a love story that may appear to be conventional at first sight but will come with some unusual emotional turbulence, it seems.
Dil Kiya Karey, directed by Mehreen Jabbar, written by Asma Nabeel and produced by 7th Sky Entertainment for GEO Entertainment, is the story of one family headed by Suhana, the grandmother lovingly called Bibi, and her three sons – Salman, Usman and Umar. Very early on we learn that Usman, who is settled in Dubai with his wife Sira and daughter Aiman, is estranged because of a car accident in which his younger brother Umar died. Usman was driving and he could never forgive himself so moved away. Bibi’s household now includes Umar’s widow Rabia and the eldest son Usman and his wife Romaissa and children Arman and Faryal.
On surface level it appears to be a fairly generic family story, with characters and their quirks adding shades to the plot, but one gets a feeling that there is much more brewing below the surface. Arman (Feroze Khan) shares his birthday with Aiman (Yumna Zaidi) and despite being miles apart, they cut their cake together, connected on Skype. Arman is shown to be a soft-spoken romantic, who’s head over heels in love with his cousin. Aiman, on the other hand, is like a ray of sunshine who’s modern but not disconnected with her roots; she is well versed in Urdu poetry and literature and loves to sing. Those qualities, however, will not lead her to Arman as she’s evidently involved with someone else; hence the love triangle and inevitable heart break for Arman.
Episode one begins with brief introductions to all characters and the announcement of Faryal’s upcoming wedding, for which Usman, Sira and Aiman will have to come back to Pakistan for the first time in 12 years, ever since they left after the accident.
Character portrayal is the drama’s obvious strength. Feroze Khan, who’s played the entitled bratty boy one time too many, tones it down and loses the attitude for Arman. He’s a sweet romantic, someone who can fall head over heels with a girl he hasn’t met in 12 years. Yumna Zaidi returns to TV screens after the turbulent Dar Si Jati Hai Sila and carries none of Sila’s baggage as she comes in as a bright and happy girl. Bibi is portrayed by the forever graceful Shamim Hilaly and Marina Khan – a regular in Mehreen Jabbar plays – takes on the unusual role of the bitter and uncharming Romaissa, the elder bahu who is swaddled in negativity, superstition and bad attitude. She can’t stand Aiman. One wishes the casting for Aiman’s parents had been a little different as we’re already watching Saman Ansari and Zia Gorchani as Feroze Khan’s parents in the on-going Romeo Weds Heer.
The drama’s second strength would be its treatment and defiance of stereotypes. While most stories would have the heroine pine after the hero, here we have Arman in fairy tale (as opposed to stalker) mode. He’s even shown to be happily making flower arrangements to welcome Aiman. Then Rabia, Umar’s widow, is a respected member of the family and while Romaissa does get superstitious about a widow distributing mithaai for her daughter’s wedding, Bibi immediately brings Romaissa to task and demands this never happens again. Bibi has also pushed for Rabia’s remarriage but Usman, the elder brother, opposed it as Rabia inherited most of her husband’s business and he wanted to keep it in the family. Also defying stereotypes is Salman and Sira’s relationship; it’s modern, urban and progressive (he does the laundry) albeit it is prone to getting annoying at times.
Dil Kiya Karey takes off on a gentle, inoffensive start. One uses these adjectives carefully and deliberately as most TV dramas sustain themselves on overbearing aggression and/or emotion.
This family has already experienced life-altering tragedy; they have mourned for their losses and have decided to love life once again. There is emotional progression, love and friendship in the pipeline and while one is sure of heartbreak as well, what would love be without the threat of loss?
