Since the trailer release, viewers have been excited to see Imran Ashraf and Urwa Hocane on-screen in Badzaat. Following the success of Mushk, the pair have been brought together again due to their chemistry.

Available to watch on Geo TV, Badzaat is directed by Siraj Ul Haq, written by Misbah Nosheen and produced by Abdullah Kadwani and Asad Qureshi.

The episode begins with Wali, played by Imran Ashraf, recounting his tragic childhood. His mother, Leyla Begum (played by Saba Faisal) was a dancer who was shamed and demeaned for her profession. Knowing that her husband’s family would never accept her due to their twisted measure of ‘honour’, she chose to focus on her career and sought wealth and fame instead of a family life. She left Wali in the care of his step-mother, her husband’s second wife, who raised him as her own child.

Badzaat manages to avoid the evil step-mother stereotype, and the episode shows Wali still having a relationship with his biological mother, which is also unusual. Wali manages to balance his interpersonal relationship with his father’s side of the family alongside communication with his mother, which makes him into a realistic, believable character. In other shows featuring supposedly bad mothers, such as Ibn-i-Hawa, the main characters tend to turn into one-dimensional, woman-hating persons who must resist their evil charms to avoid falling in love. Badzaat is a breath of fresh air for this alone.

Wali manages to balance his interpersonal   relationship with his father’s side of the family alongside communication with his mother, which makes him into a realistic, believable character. In other shows featuring supposedly bad mothers, such as Ibn-i-Hawa, the main characters tend to turn into one dimensional, woman-hating persons who must resist their evil charms to avoid falling in love.

We are introduced to the other two main characters, Biya (short for Anabiya) played by Urwa Hocane and Daniyal, played by Ali Abbas. It becomes obvious that Biya is set up to become Wali’s love interest, especially due to the contrast between their personalities. Daniyal is Wali’s cousin, who appears to be the antagonist. There are undertones of jealousy and malice in his character arc.

The second episode is a montage of merriment, as the main characters are attending a wedding. Daniyal attempts to flirt with Biya, setting up an opportunity for conflict with Wali later on. However, she does not reciprocate his advances and is largely oblivious to them. There is a little plot twist regarding the family tree which furthers the plot.

In the third episode, Wali shoots a gun, startling Biya and leaving her in tears. He attempts to apologise to her and they share a moment, which brings out Daniyal’s competitive streak. The story begins to develop into a web of family politics. The main themes that Badzaat focuses on so far is the toxic and unnecessary notion of ‘honour’, unaddressed trauma, past grievances and malicious rivalry.

Most of the characters have given adequate performances, with Imran Ashraf being the only standout. Mawra’s character may seem grating and naive at times, but provides the much needed contrast against Wali’s intensity. Imran Abbas serves as an alright antagonist. Aside from a slightly different approach to character building compared to other dramas, it remains to be seen whether Badzaat truly has something new and groundbreaking to offer.

The author is a   fashion graduate