shq Murshid is a new play starring Omair Rana, Bilal Abbas Khan, Samiya Mumtaz and Durre Saleem. Directed by Farooq Rind and written by Abdul Khaliq Khan, the first episode aired recently (last week). It opens with Shibra, played by Durre, accompanying her parents to the hospital in pouring rain. Her father appears to be terribly unwell.

The father, it is revealed later, is a government employee being investigated for a scam involving millions of rupees. His financial propriety has been questioned. However, he is not fit to be interrogated. His daughter accompanies him and goes all out to defend her father. Durre, who made a promising debut and is quite attractive as well as a good actress, she fails to make her mark in the role. Her character appears to be extremely stereotypical, straight out of a ’90s Bollywood film.

Bilal Abbas Khan plays Omair Rana’s son who when he lands in the country, goes straight to his mother’s grave, played by SamiaMumtaz (in flashback). The size of his car and the security protocol seem to indicate that he belongs to a very influential family but is zara hut kay (off beat) and not a chip off the old block. While he is roaming around the streets, a fruit vendor tells him that he should consider working in films since he is “very handsome.” He looks back enigmatically but does not reply.

We see Shibra making an appearance with her umbrella, on her way to teach street children. Bilal Abbas, reclining on a bench, spots her and is smitten. Predictably, it starts pouring and we see the hero looking on as the children run helter-skelter and the heroine opens her umbrella before leaving in a hurry.

“Been there, done that” seems to be written in capital letters all over this serial. TRPs will nosedive with this one especially since there is competition from other channels.

The entire play appears predictable; a typical love story. Bilal, as the scion of a wealthy family, has another encounter with Shibra at a friend’s wedding. Bilal is on the groom’s side whereas she is a friend of the bride. The scene where she is haggling with the taxi driver seems straight out of a B-grade Bollywood film. It is a shame that two very talented actors have been wasted by casting them in such clichéd roles.

The acting appears stilted and monotonous and the plotline predictable. The love story can be seen coming from miles away. Sadly, there is zero chemistry between the romantic leads. The play is technically weak. It suffers on account of monotonous acting, a hackneyed plot and stylized characters.

The supporting actors also appear to be cardboard cutouts; a huge disappointment. Instead of taking the story forward, they appear to be sleepwalking through their roles. They too come across as extremely clichéd, leaving the audience with a feeling of déjà vu. “Been there, done that” seems to be written in capital letters all over the serial. TRPs will nosedive with this one especially since there is competition from other channels.

It is disappointing when clichéd and unimaginative stories make their way to the TV screen, appearing to take the audience for granted. Abdul Khaliq Khan definitely needs to learn a thing or two about crafting and narrating imaginative stories that can give OTT platforms like Amazon and Netflix a run for their money.

This one can be safely given a miss if you are looking for some solid, off-beat entertainment. It has nothing new and nothing that hasn’t been done umpteen times earlier and better.

The writer is an educationist and can be reached at gaiteeara@hotmail.com