THE WEEK THAT WAS
Aap Ki Izzat | Hum TV, Fri-Sat 8.00pm
In what may go down as an all-time Pakistani television classic, Beena (Urwa Hocane) articulates a particular kind of female rage that bubbles under the veneer of the ‘good woman’ tag. To illustrate this, writer Umera Ahmed has forged Beena into a veritable icon of purity and the traditional values of service and modesty. One fault or word beyond her passive-aggressive whispers, and Beena would be judged as a villain.
Urwa Hocane’s magnificent performance of a woman who makes all the virtuous decisions but still ends up empty-handed is powerful yet restrained. Ahsan Khan as Tabish matches her energy but, while Urwa’s character undergoes a cathartic release, Tabish skilfully dances through shock and self-realisation to guilt and desperation.
The entire team — from director Saife Hasan to writer Umera Ahmed — deliver a tightly knit, fast-paced story that barely crosses 72 hours, and has audiences obsessed. Yet we are told Pakistani audiences do not have the intelligence to watch it as a thriller, so every cryptic detail in other shows is often spilt in the visuals of the OST or the next episode’s teaser.
Leader | Hum TV, Sat-Sun 8.00pm
Writer Radain Shah loves to write the ill-fated ‘lovers from opposite sides’ clichés, but assiduously avoids giving either one of his protagonists any depth or nuance. Well over 26 episodes down and the biggest issue is still if Agha (Faran Tahir) can blackmail his daughter Rubab (Kinza Hashmi) into a marriage of political convenience.
Meanwhile, Mansoor (Ali Raza) seems to have learned nothing, built no alliances or plans, despite having been given the post of a minister for a while. Once again, he stands alone, with nothing but a ragtag group of his old student friends to support him, while the big political players carry on twisting the world to their advantage. He loses his best friend Adeel (Asfand Yar) but remains helpless. Agha is once more ascendant, so to break him, another powerful established chief minister brings in his nemesis, Dada sahib (Yousuf Bashir Qureshi), as a counterweight.
The drama has a weak script that provides plenty of confrontations and adrenaline rushes, but no resolutions or growth for the characters. Director Asad Mumtaz Malik gives this power game a little life, with strong performances from Faran Tahir and Ali Raza.
Raqaas | Green Entertainment, Mon-Tues 8.00pm
By fulfilling her conservative father Dilawer Khan’s (Babar Ali) wish for her to become a doctor, Arooj (Komal Meer) has suppressed her creativity and love for the fine arts. After the freedom of university life, her heart yearns to draw and perhaps to dance, but even wearing an anklet is considered wrong by her strict family.
Komal Meer breathes new life into a character that could easily slip into the mundane, foolish young-girl trope and draws the audience in. Hunain Shahid makes a good impression as her easy-going cousin, Fawad. However, their happy, little friendship is cut short when Arooj realises that her father has chosen Fawad as her husband. As with all Gothic tales, the household has a dark secret and a mysterious, intriguing stranger who may hold the key to unlock them in the form of the new neighbour, Hamza (Danyal Zafar).
Danyal Zafar plays an enigmatic musician whose haunting music draws Arooj slowly into his sphere. The script hints that the family’s past is stained with murder. Will Arooj be the next victim to be sacrificed in the name of honour?
What To Watch Out For (Or Not)
Hurmat | Hum TV, Coming soon
Dananeer Mobeen and Shahveer Jafry star in a serial about a young girl’s struggle for education and independence.
Published in Dawn, ICON, September 13th, 2026
