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    TV Drama Review: Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahi (Don't Lose Hope)

    Written by: Izzah Abdullah
    Posted on: February 11, 2021 |

    Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahi (Don

    The heart truly has the habit of not giving up, even in the direst of circumstances. And that is the main message of TVOne’s latest drama, ‘Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi’ (Don’t Lose Hope) or DNUTN. DNUTN highlights the dreams, hopes and hardships of women who are forcibly taken from their homes, and robbed of their identities and agency.

    Directed by Kashif Nisar and written by Amna Mufti, the drama has been produced by the Kashf Foundation, a non-profit microfinance institution with the mission to create an enabling environment for women micro-entrepreneurs. Since 2013, the foundation has been working with show runners to highlight the issues of women in Pakistan, creating dramas like ‘Udaari’, ‘Rehai’ and ‘Akhri Station’. This television drama, however, touches on hard-hitting topics such as child abuse and human sex trafficking in Pakistan, but does it in a manner that is quite palatable and realistic.

    The story revolves around Sumbul (Yumna Zaidi), Zulfi (Omair Rana), Savera (Yasra Rizvi) and Jamshed (Wahaj Ali). While the storyline is set in the present, two parallel tracks show Sumbul’s backstory as well as the story of another girl whose present identity is unknown. What we do know is that this girl’s parents are played by Noorul Hassan and Samiya Mumtaz. Although Nouman Ijaz is part of the cast, he is yet to make an appearance on the show. Kashif Mehmood however, has also made quite a comeback in his villainous role.

    Noorul Hassan and Samiya Mumtaz

    Sumbul and Savera are call girls and residents of a ‘kothi’ run by Aunty (Naveed Shehzad). While 30-something Savera fears her survival as an aging woman, Sumbul still rebels against the system, causing much trouble for Aunty and her cronies. Zulfi, a man devoted to Aunty, has feelings for Savera but hides them under his poorly masked affection for Sumbul. During flashbacks, the audience finds out that Sumbul used to live in a village and was named ‘Allah Rakhi’. Her family made clay utensils to earn a living, and had procured a loan from a wealthy landlady to provide Rakhi’s sister with a dowry. Unfortunately, Rakhi was abducted and sold, taken away from her family.

    Yumna Zaidi and Wahaj Ali

    In four episodes, the story has progressed quite smoothly and at a steady pace. Each episode has enough happening in it to keep one’s interest throughout. While there are multiple storylines in the play, the coherent screenplay prevents the timelines from overlapping.

    Naveed Shehzad as Aunty

    When it comes to direction, Nisar is no novice. With popular drama credits under his belt like, “Dar Si Jaati Hai Sila’ and ‘Raqeeb Se, he knows how to tell difficult stories of hardship in a way that is moving and realistic. The sense of foreboding at the kothi is carefully crafted and ever-present. At the beginning, Aunty seems to be doting on the girls living there, but the direction and the music drives home the idea that something sinister is afoot. However, in terms of production quality, the drama could have been more consistent. While the village set was well made, a little more attention to detail and the set during the city scene, could have helped better created the world that these women were living in.

    Yumna Zaidi as Sumbul and Omair Rana as Zulfi

    When it comes to acting, there is very little room to find fault. Adnan Shah Tipu as Aunty’s right-hand man, is downright sinister and his presence is enough to make the audience squirm. Similarly, Zaidi’s mix of innocence and wisdom which she brings to the role, has allowed her to showcase a new side of her acting, of which audience members may not be aware. Rizvi is always a chameleon, completely embodying the roles and making them unique with her nuanced movement, accent, dress and gait. Additionally, it is the child actors of the drama who truly deserve recognition for believably playing the role of the younger versions of the main characters. It is an unfortunate practice that younger actors’ names are not featured in the credits, and therefore cannot be named individually.

    The Child Actors in the Village

    Overall, the drama has managed to hold the audience’s interest, and if it remains consistent in its storytelling, will become one of the most memorable dramas of 2021. The Kashf Foundation may be onto another hit, with its well-written plot and unique theme which deals with a very real social issue that plagues our society. The drama will also be aired on other television channels like Pakistan Television (PTV) in order to ensure that wider conversation be generated about the serious issue of human trafficking, and the human cost of it.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021