Written by: Ayesha Amir
Posted on: January 04, 2024 | 
Bilal Abbas Khan as Sohail and Madiha Imam as Salma in Ek Jhoothi Love Story
Directed by Mehereen Jabbar and written by Umera Ahmed, Ek Jhoothi Love Story is a recently aired rom-com drama on Green Entertainment that is getting huge traction online. Produced by Whatsnext Entertainment, the star cast of the show include Madiha Imam as Salma and Bilal Abbas Khan as Sohail.
Madiha Imam with her on-screen mother, played by Beo Raana Zafar
Pakistani television did not see an influx of rom-coms in 2023, it can be said that Ek Jhoothi Love Story, introduced right at the end of the year, will fill this gap. The first two episodes captivate the audiences and compel them to see the rest of the drama, for its portrayal of a middle-class family and its problems is realistic and honest. We get to see Umera Ahmed's writing prowess not only in her realistic characters, but also in the dialogues and relatable life situations of the characters. While the plotline of the drama is very poignant.
The story revolves around the struggle of Salma (Madiha) and Sohail (Bilal Abbas) to find a perfect match for themselves, who both create fake social media profiles to find their ideal love interest. Salma is the youngest in a desi (Pakistani) household, comprising of three sister and their parents, where the parents are worried about their daughters’ marriage prospects, as all the girls in their age group are already married.
(L to R) Madiha Imam, Kiran Haq, Beo Raana Zafar and Mariam Saleem
The drama tackles the oft explored themes of the struggles of middle-class people, but not in a clichéd manner that have become the hallmark of our television dramas. This is evident through Bilal Abbas's character Sohail, who lost his father when he was still young and took over his electronics shop. He had to give up his dream of becoming a software engineer and is now responsible as the sole breadwinner for his mother and sister, who also has come of age and needs to be married. We see both Sohail and Salma entangled in their own respective dilemmas of aspirations and personal loss, but also the concerns of their families. Salma, while still being in college, understands the worries of her parents to get her older sisters married, and similarly, Sohail also understands the responsibility he has towards providing for his mother and sister.
Bilal Abbas and Hina Khawaja Bayat as mother-son
What makes the drama appealing are the likeable characters and its humor, even in tense situations. One can't help but laugh at the general quips and jibes that the characters take at each other, but what is presented as humorous is a serious matter for the family. The audience become empathetic towards the characters, who are relatable. It becomes apparent when Sohail meets his childhood friend, who is living a prosperous life abroad as an engineer. It was the life that he had wanted to live, but was denied because of family constraints.
Sohail (Bilal Abbas) in his shop
In this whole scenario of Sohail and Salma trying to cope with the struggles of their everyday life and the struggles of their family, is introduced the theme of virtual identity (fake Facebook profiles) that the protagonists have developed for themselves to escape their uncomfortable reality. The drama is yet to reveal how real life will come to clash with both Sohail and Salma’s virtual identities. It is the sensitivity and humor with which these themes are explored that lends this drama a touch of authenticity and makes it fascinating for the viewers.
The cherry on top of course comes from the great acting of Madiha Imam and Bilal Abbas Khan, who do justice to their characters by fitting into the persona of innocent yet emotionally intelligent individuals. Bilal Abbas Khan has done a brilliant job as Sohail, as hit wit, facial expressions and body language are in sync, according to the character’s demands. Madiha Imam, known for her remarkable performances in Dil-e-Momin and Zakham, has once again done justice to the character of a middle-class girl. However, everyone's favorite character so far remains Salma’s mother, played by Beo Raana Zafar, as she has embodied perfectly and humorously the idea of what a desi middle-class mother looks like. Kinza Razzak, Syed Muhammad Ahmed, Hina Khawaja Bayat, Kiran Haq, Furqan Qureshi and Mariam Saleem are also part of the cast and have delivered impactful performances.
The cast of the drama: (L to R) Madiha Imam, Kiran Haq, Beo Raana Zafar, Syed Muhammad Ahmed, Mariam Saleem and Furqan Qureshi
While the name of the drama and its teasers created the perception that it is just another rom-com with an enemies-to-lovers trope, the realistic portrayal of everyday struggles along with the romantic angle in a very humorous manner, has made a lasting impact. Further episodes are yet to be released, and we cannot wait for what the drama has in store for its audiences!
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