oh pagal si is a drama serial that went on air on July 27. The four teasers released over the past month had revealed its major plot. It is a story about a widowed billionaire with two daughters. A beautiful young woman traps him for his money while she is in love with another man. The story revolves around two protagonists, Shazma and Sara, the man’s new wife and daughter.

Woh pagal si portrays emotions like love, jealousy, revenge and betrayal. It has been written by novelist Sadia Akhtar who has also written many hit dramas including Naik Parveen, Dewangi and Shehr-i-Malal. It is directed by Syed Faisal Bukhari who works mostly for movies. It has been produced by Six Sigma Plus.

The cast and the plot appear interesting: there is no problematic mother-in-law and no former lover. Baber Ali plays Ahsan, a rich and handsome widower who loves his daughters and wants them to get married. Zubab Rana plays Shazma, a young flirtatious woman who dazzles Ahsan with her beauty and charms. Omer Shehzad is Shazma’s love interest and partner-in-crime in a scheme to trap Ahsan for his money and property. He is seen helping Shazma but also blackmailing her.

A subplot deals with Sara, Ahsan’s younger daughter. She is rude and spoiled and falls for a mediocre man played by Saad Qureshi. She figures out Shazma’s evil plan before anyone else and is determined to reveal her true face to her father. Disappointed by her father’s marriage to a young woman, she is angry and eager to confront her step-mother. The man who falls for her is a hopeless romantic.

The drama also highlights the stigma of an old man marrying a young woman that gives people a reason to question her character while no objections are raised about the man’s nature.

Certain aspects common to Pakistani dramas are quite toxic but still portrayed as a societal norm. These include using one’s beauty and youth to get a man’s attention. Glorifying a gold digger will do no good to young audiences. Ditto for the idea of men being naïve and easy to manipulate. Heavy jewellery and flowing dresses too are apparently reasons why Ahsan cannot resist Shazma. The drama also highlights the stigma of an old man marrying a young woman and the way it gives some people a reason to question her character while no objections are raised to the man’s nature.

Awareness of the class difference and using marriage as a social ladder is another visible theme in the serial. In the third teaser, Sara, the rich girl, reminds her suitor of his lower caste and tells him that their worlds are wide apart. She says she does not consider him a suitable match because of his low-income background. There is a suggestion that money and social status are important for women looking for men nowadays. It appears that a man’s age or manners are secondary considerations.

It is rather early in the play and not entirely clear who is going to be the positive character the audience sympathise with in the end but one does understand that the step-daughter and step-mother are rivals. The poor rich man appears to be a victim of a spell cast by his young beautiful wife.

It is hard to say at this stage whether the serial will bring anything new or constructive to the table. At least the direction and the set look good. The title track also sounds great.

The writer has a background in English literature. She can be reached at kkhadijak0@gmail.com