Aakhir Kab Tab Episode 1 Written Update and Review

The episode opens as Noor stares at a murgha in a cage, and she says: I will free you one day. In isolation, that scene makes no sense. Even after watching 16 episodes (yes, I have not finished them all, yet), the scene doesn’t make much sense. I guess the makers are trying to show us that Noor is a girl who can fight for injustice. Good on her, because her circumstances demand her to be a strong person.

Then we see a tired Safiya, Noor’s mother making paratha. Her mother-in-law is a perpetually unhappy mother-in-law. For the next few minutes, we see how one woman is the enemy of the other, for no apparent reason. 

We see Fajar, who’s harassed by Bisam, her cousin.

Bisam’s sister Faiqa walks in on them, and Bisam shamelessly blames it on Fajar. 

And then the whole family thinks ill of Fajar. Do you know that term we often talk about—Zero to a hundred in a moment? Yes, that happens.

Then we meet Taufique and Rehana. I’m not going to tell you who they are. For that, please check the cast and characters. If I keep mentioning characters and their relationships while reviewing, it just breaks the flow, don’t you think?

So, as I was saying: we meet Taufique and Rehana. Taufique wants to move out with her mother but Rehana wants to be independent and alone. Erum Akhtar is known to pick up roles that are very adamant. I don’t know if it’s her choice or is she type-casted. Remember Dil Mom Ka Diya? She was Ulfat’s elder sister-in-law. Such roles suit her personality though.

I digress.

We then meet Nighat, Fareeda’s daughter. Nighat insists that Bisam should marry her daughter Nausheen, or is it Naveen? I’m not sure. Throughout the course of the sixteen episodes, I’ve noticed some inconsistencies in names. I will get to that later.

Safiya goes for the PTA after much back and forth, because neither Ehtesham nor Safiya has time for their daughters. The principal talks very rudely with Safiya. She says things like—can’t you at least focus on your daughters? If you’re not educated, what good can you bring to their studies?

In what world do principals talk like that to parents? That was totally unrelatable.

First of all, I am surprised that even in college, they have PTA. Before someone jumps in and says—it happens in Pakistan, I concede.

See, the thing is, I have never had a PTA in my life, and I studied for 18 years. I don’t know how PTAs are. My elder sisters are teachers, and they conduct PTAs, but they’re always polite and always think of the parents. From what I hear, teachers are more scared of parents these days, because parents are also affected by the new “intolerance” bug.

Long story short, we learn that Fajar wouldn’t possibly pass the exam.

Fajar talks to Safiya tells her everything about Bisam but Safiya asks her to keep quiet. Why do we teach our daughters to keep quiet? When would we teach our sons to be respectful to women and men and elderly and kids alike?

Parting Thoughts

Noor and Fajar are diametrically opposites but they are both hurt by how their families treat them and their mother. Noor is the tough, go-getter whereas Fajar is the opposite. We see why Fajar is the way she is. The ill-treatment of Safiya and Bisam’s harassment makes her a fragile girl devoid of any confidence.

Srha Asghar, that girl has become the character. What a performance! I don’t have enough words to praise this girl. She stutters, she loses her voice when she’s afraid, she shivers, she grabs her mother’s dupatta.

This is going to be a difficult watch. If you want to change the taste and read something fun, read my latest romantic comedy Fara & Moyeez. Or, you can  check out my other books.

Shabana Mukhtar