Episode 16 begins in Qalb-e-Momin’s childhood. He doesn’t want to eat the same food everyday. Taha is bitter and hopeless after repeatedly being rejected for jobs. The scene that follows shows a close bond between Taha and Qalb-e-Momin, and also demonstrates how heartbroken Taha is. Young Qalb-e-Momin’s imitation of Taha and whirling dervish is cute.

We know now that Taha and Husn-e-Jahan are both stressed and want to provide better for Qalb-e-Momin.

As I have posted in my review of Alif episode 15, inadvertently Qalb-e-Momin’s wishes are what will cause the drift between his parents.

This track about Taha and Husn-e-Jahan and their poverty was my least favourite section of the novel. And, I didn’t enjoy it on screen either.

The scene changes to present where Momina is reading Alif’s script. She narrates the script to Sultan, making him uncomfortable and guilty. She is intelligent enough to connect the dots and figure out the real life characters behind the story. She then asks him for the second part of the script. He refused to tell her and she agrees to do the movie.

Qalb-e-Momin is troubled for the finances for the movie but Momina’s agreement changes things.

The meeting is set in his house and she’s surprised to see Abdul Alaa’s calligraphy paintings. Doesn’t she understand this? She has understood the real story behind the script but she cannot decipher that Husn-e-Jahan’s son who’s name was Qalb-e-Momin, is the same guy as the director she’s meeting. Argh!

Khaliq Sahab, Abdul Alaa’s fan offers Momin a blank cheque to Qalb-e-Momin for the seven paintings, making Qalb-e-Momin double-minded.

This happens right in front of Momina so she demands those paintings as her fee.

That’s where the episode ends.

That’s my take on Alif’s 16th episode. I was on a hiatus and have just begun to catch up with the backlog.

Shabana Mukhtar