Written by: Farheen Abdullah
Posted on: August 10, 2021 | 
Yumna Zaidi and Ahmed Ali Akbar
Local television continues to be a source of entertainment for viewers and while some dramas seem to be stuck in the age-old narratives surrounding marriages, love triangles and heartbreaks, a few others have recently been pushing the boundaries, albeit with some hits and misses. One particular drama to have recently gone on air is Parizaad, and from the first three episodes, the project looks promising. A Momina Duraid Production, the drama airs on Hum TV at 8 pm every Tuesday.
Ahmed Ali Akbar (L) and Urwa Hocane (R) with director Shahzad Kashmiri
Written by Hashim Nadeem, Parizaad is the story of a man of the same name. Played by Ahmed Ali Akbar, Parizaad looks nothing like his name, which translates into ‘born of a fairy’ and hence, refers to someone beautiful. Instead, Parizaad is dark-skinned and unattractive by society’s standards of beauty. From birth, he is treated as an outcast and made to feel inferior because of the way he looks, never mind the fact that he is a lot smarter than everyone else around him and has a good heart. In stark contrast to Parizaad stands Naheed (played by Ushna Shah), his neighbour and student. Beautiful on the outside, Naheed vocalises what everyone around Parizaad already feels. She wrongly accuses him of being interested in her, and even trying to break into her house one day. Naheed goes to the extent of clearly telling Parizaad that she did so because everyone in the neighbourhood was sensible enough to know that a girl like her could never be interested in a boy like him.
Ushna Shah as Naheed
Perhaps the most commendable aspect of the drama is its script. The dialogues strike a chord with the viewers as they explore the harsh reality of society, whereby appearances take precedence over substance when it comes to evaluating individuals regardless of their gender. The most recent episode of Parizaad introduced us to Ahmad, a poetry enthusiast who goes to the same college as Parizaad. Conversations between the two are rather insightful, especially the life lessons that Ahmad sends Parizaad’s way. Dialogues exchanged between Parizaad and his sister Saeeda (played by Kiran Tabeir) are also heart-wrenching, as both of them have to live a life filled with compromises and a lack of agency. Helpless at the hands of their elder brothers and sisters-in-law, the two learn to abandon their dreams, even before they have a chance to take flight.
Saboor Aly in Parizaad
Trailers of the drama confirm that the cast or storyline of Parizaad will not be limited to the characters that have been introduced so far. The story is yet to welcome Saboor Aly, Urwa Hocane, Yumna Zaidi and Noman Ijaz, all of whom are big names in the entertainment industry. While details about their characters are yet to be revealed, Saboor Aly seems to have taken up a role that stands out from her past performances. Dressed up like a tomboy who plays cricket and boxes, Aly’s role seems unconventional and interesting. Powerhouse Yumna Zaidi is expected to bring her A-game to the screen as usual, while Urwa Hocane and Noman Ijaz’s characters seem to be partners until Parizaad comes into the picture.
Saboor Aly and Ahmed Ali Akbar
Other than A-list actors, the soundtrack of the drama is powerful as well. Sung by Asrar Shah and written by Hashim Nadeem Khan, the OST of the drama perfectly complements the nature of some of its characters. It talks about beautiful faces with tainted hearts, while dusky faces are denied their right to love or appreciate beauty. The idea that Parizaad is ‘born of fairies’ and may feel otherworldly is important, as many people often feel like outcasts without a community to call home.
Perhaps the only shortcoming of the drama so far is the decision to have Ahmed Ali Akbar play Parizaad. While the actor is doing complete justice to his role, viewers cannot help but notice that Akbar’s skin has been darkened using make-up, and such problematic practices prevent real people from being represented and allowed to showcase their personal experiences. Maybe appointing a dusky male for the role would have been a wiser choice and made the character look more realistic. Otherwise, the drama is off to a good start, and will hopefully continue to live up to its reputation over the coming weeks as well.
Ahmed Ali Akbar as Parizaad (L) and Raza Ali Abdi as Shauki (R)
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