Chhoti Chhoti Baatein is a series set to narrate disjoint stories, highlighting the small issues that often tend to ignore. Does that sound familiar? Read this. I’ve more stories planned to be published for Pen To Publish 2019. Stay Tuned!

The story is written by Mansoor Saeed. It is directed by Angeline Malick and is being aired on Hum TV.

You can read the review of the previous two stories Bandhan , Mujhe Tum Pasand Ho and Dil Ho Tou Hai.

The third story is titled “Kuchh Tou Log Kahenge” and here is my review for the same.

Plot & Review

Episode 1

The first episode begins with Zain aka Guddu (Shehzad Sheikh) making a motivational video for his channel and then rushing off to make breakfast for his parents, mother played by Gul-e-Rana and Taimoor (Shehryar Zaidi)

Zain aka Guddu is a chef, a sunny positive person who can put a positive spin on everything.  We are shown that he stays home and does the homely chores as his mother does not keep well and his father has a job.  His parents are not happy that he does not have a proper job, like men. The neighbour tease him, too.

The next scene is about Sana Ahmad (Kubra Khan) as she and her parents Shaista (Saba Hameed) and Ahmad (Ahson Talish) talk about Guddu’s parents visit to finalize the wedding dates. Shaista had raised Sana to be career-oriented. I don’t mind that fact one bit. But these two women go overboard.

Guddu meets Sana and helps her see her hectic workload in a positive light and that he will handle his parents if she isn’t getting time off.

That brings me to the biggest flaw I find with this story.

She is career minded, is seeking a promotion and is willing to go to any length to get it. She doesn’t get a day off for her own wedding or reception. I have never seen that in my life and I am OLD.

And, secondly, khane ke waqt salaam nahin karte. 

Episode 2

The second episode begins with Guddu questioning her why she doesn’t talk about him and his work. Why is it just about her? See, the positive person also feels the negative emotions. Why? Because his parents aren’t happy with his choice of profession.

And why does Kubra get such limited wardrobe? I watched Shaadi Mubarak Ho and she has like five kameezs. In this one she has two – green and yellow. Budget maybe a constraint but still…

  دنیا بہت ظالم ہے جو اس کے حساب سے نہیں چلتا اسے روند ڈالتی ہے۔  

Sana is a career minded girl and her mother supports her as does her husband but her in laws and the samaaj questions it.

I am all for career oriented women and working because I am one. But did she have to talk back to her father in law? And why would she discriminate between her parents and his parents? Sana leaves Zain and goes to her parents’ house.

Zain’s mother is still understanding but his father conditions to either leave the house or get a job.

And where does Sana get her selfishness? She gets it from her mother who has done the same to her husband. Sana’s father tries to talk to her by going to her office and explain that she’s the one at fault but she feels her mother is right.

Amjad uncle is the poisonous neighbor who’s always there to add fuel to fire.

گڈو بیٹا کیا پکا رہے ہو  ؟

ابھی تک دلہن کیوں نہیں آئی۔  

میرے بیٹے کی نوکری لگ گئی۔  نو سے چھ کی جاب کرے گا۔ گھر نہیں بیٹھے گا۔

انصاری صاحب کی بہو بھاگ گئی کیونکہ وہ جاب کرتی تھی۔  

Guddu relents to the pressure and agrees to work in his father’s firm. On the other side,  Sana gets promoted.

Why is Sana’s mother such a mean woman? When Zain visits their house to meet Sana, she says awful things to him.

“Your father should apologize to my daughter in front of me.”

“You are here because you’re after my daughter’s money.”

Load of bullshit!

But Saba Hameed plays the part well. She lies to Sana blatantly. Sana doesn’t cry (because Kubra isn’t that good an actress) but Shaista still says ‘don’t cry’.

Ahmad has no hope from his own daughter so he goes and talks to Zain. The talk between Ahmad sahab and Zain is easily one of the most impacting scenes of the episode.

Slowly, Sana learns her lesson, is ready to move back with Zain and bam!

Episode 3

Episode three shows Sana bedridden. As if there weren’t a lot of themes already, another cliché is thrown in. She met with an accident when coming back to her sasural, is now unable to walk. Zain’s parents are worried about his job. Zain, being the loving and caring husband and a positive soul, is worried about her. But at one point, Zain mentions that she needs him now because she cannot do anything on her own.

After a lot of bickering, it is decided that Zain will go to office and Sana will take care of the homely chores. She struggles to cook and serve while her parents in law whine at the dinner table. They cannot cook, but they could have helped her bring stuff on the dining table, right? But, no. Her in laws are bickering and annoying and complaining about tasteless food.

Another twist is when Sana’s friend Tania comes to see her and asks guddu about his marketing executive job to which he replied, “I don’t work”. So Sana lied about his job.

And Tania says I should leave now (because my job here is done. I have poisoned the already bitter relationship)

Before long, his mother gets sick, they fight and Zain’s mother asks to leave her. We saw that coming.

Zain shows Sana out and the final confrontation with his parents is done perfectly. Shahzad Shaikh is clearly the winner in this cast. What an actor!

The mood, the behaviour and the ideology of every character changes in every scene. Itna dynamic koi hota nahin hai. Thoda bahot chalta hai.

Episode 4

In Episode four, Zain transforms into alpha male. Talking back, kicking people, confronting them, especially Amjad۔

Sana decides to go back to Zain and whilst she is at it, why not resolve the difference between her parents? She gives a nice speech that they also love each other.

Zain successfully conveys that working in an office or staying at home, is not just about the gender and the stereotypes should be broken now.

The last scene shows him making another motivational video where he leaves us with some good thoughts to ponder about.

 Don’t interfere

Don’t let others interfere.

Work and tears have no gender.

Performances

Just like the weak story, the acting has not-so-great moments. Kubra Khan is clearly the weakest of the lot and gives the same expressions most of the time.

Even the ever-lovely Gul-e-Rana falters when she is getting sick. I felt it was overdramatic to the point of being silly. She does okay otherwise.

Gul-e-Rana, Ahson Talish and Mr Zaidi try to do justice to the fluctuating role that was written for them. These characters are not consistent. Kabhi ek baat, kabhi dusri baat. Make your freaking mind, I say.

Saba Hameed is perfect as the menacing, mean, career-minded, male-hating mother-in-law. It is Shahzad who steals the show.

Review

Kuch Toh Loh Kahenge, LogoN Ka Kaam Hai Kehna

ChhoRo Bekaar Ki Baaton Ko, Kahin Beet NaJayen Raina

This story is loosely based on the same premise as the bollywood movie “Ki and Ka”.  This story tries to break the stereotypes that a man has to go out and work and a woman has to stay home and take care of the house. The idea is interesting and promising but execution lacked conviction.

Things I don’t agree with

There are plot holes, and unbelievable things happening just to make us realize that Sana is career oriented. I still cannot digest that she was working on her wedding day till so late that the guests had arrived and the bride was missing. I will NEVER buy into that. We as writers get creative liberty to create make believe people and situations but it doesn’t happen IRL.

Maybe if she was very poor and needed the job badly and couldn’t afford to resign, I would have understand why she stuck up for that asshole of a boss.

Maybe if she was naive and didn’t know her rights.

Nope, cannot see the logic.

It just not writing alone but the direction had slipped too.

One scene is where Sana asks for her job back and her boss simply says “You refused my proposal of marriage and you insulted me. So no job for you.”

First of all, a big exposition towards the end. And just one line to explain his nasty behaviour is inadequate even if convenient.

Secondly, she could have challenged his personal motives in professional setting for not offering her a job.

Thirdly, he speaks three sentences and addresses her as tum in the first two and the last one he switches to aap. Be consistent, man.

Fourthly, why in earth did she not report him earlier?

It is becoming like a rant now. So I stop. I am so disappointed. I don’t even feel like watching the next story in this series.

Conclusion

The important thing here is to note that the story does not focus on delivering one single. Instead, it keeps going in a million different directions.

1. Can men be homemakers?
2. Who should take the responsibility of household chores?
3. Saas Bahu Ka Jhagda
4. Should you give more priority to your career than your family and/or spouse?
5. Do you allow neighbours to interfere?
6. Should you interfere into your neighbours’ personal lives?

I think it would have been better if the story focused on one thing like the previous stories in the series. If you want to address multiple issues, you need more time to let it develop and four episodes just don’t cut it.

Thanks for reading the review. Please leave your comments below.

Happy watching!

Shabana Mukhtar