Introduction

The drama overall discusses the idea of embracing change and flying high by losing all the weight for the women of Pakistan.

Sar-e-Rah is an exceptionally well-written drama, which discusses the stories that are scattered all around us but unfortunately we tend to shy away from shedding some light over them. Sar-e-Rah will share the stories of women who are the victim of child marriages, girls who are being suffocated solely because of their gender, daughters who are unable to help their fathers as their honor will be at “stake” and a transgender who is being humiliated for his identity.

Writer: Adeel Razzaq

Director: Ahmed Bhatti

Sar-e-Rah Episode 1 Written Update & Review

The Exposition

The episode begins with Rania dancing at a mehendi function. Her eyes never leave the handsome man who’s watching her. We also see an old man and a young man watching Rania with a slight disgust.

Rania rushes inside and joins the conversation of her mother and her phupho. Phupho casually lets it slip how much she has arranged for her daughter’s marriage, and that marrying a  daughter without jahez is just not done. Rania has a befitting reply to that.

“If you give so much jahez, then don’t give your daughter,” Rania says.

Before phupho could retort, Rania’s brother comes in and informs about his father falling down.

With teary eyes, Rania rushes her father to the hospital.

The Inciting Incident

Rania’s father runs a taxi and barely manages to make ends meet. The hospital expenses are a burden even with people who have some money (so many personal experiences flash in my head right now). Long story short, Rania borrows some money from Faraz and uses all her savings. Now that her father is discharged from the hopital, Rania is faced with a simple question with no answer.

How will the kitchen run?

Rania’s brother is a BE final year student and doesn’t want to do any job because he thinks it’s beneath him. Rania is only 10th pass and wouldn’t get a job (not that she tried any). So, she decides to run her father’s taxi. Her family is against it, but nobody can stop her, because deep down they all know that there is no other option.

And thus begins her journey.

The Montage

The first passenger is a nice chap who gives parts some wisdom to Rania for her to survive in the real world. And then we see a montage of how Rania deals with different kinds of passengers.

One day, while she is getting her taxi repaired, Faraz sees her and lashes at her. Rania gives a firm response.

“This is my workplace. Don’t bother me here.”

That night, Faraz and her mother come home to talk nonsense and basically break Rania’s spirits. Rania has had enough. She tells her phupho to f-off, and leave her alone.

“I’m tired of putting up fake smiles,” she tells.

Again, her family isn’t thrilled about this decision, but what has happened, has happened.

The episode ends as a female passenger gets’ in Rania’s cab with a small baby. When Rania asks her how old the baby is, the passenger announces:

“This isn’t my child.”

Oh teri!

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Review

More than Rania’s struggles, what touched me the most was her brother’s stance. It is so painfully real and close to the truth. I almost wished it wasn’t part of the narrative. Also, Junaid Jamshed playing a lukhha brother is so refreshing. He has played the kind and sweet guy until now. I like his choice to play this character.

Saba Qamar is generally the badass character, and she plays that with aplomb. Her character and her performance, both are the USP of this episode. But for me, even after putting away the phone, the one thing that stuck with me was Rania’s clothes. Saba’s wardrobe is just perfect. Salwar kameez dupatta in pastel, every colour was just muah. The best thing is, the dupatta always 100% matched the outfit. Generally, when I go to match dupattas, I always get 19-20 ke farq se.

Loved the wardrobe. The first episode was nice. Off to watch the next one. (I’m a week late in reviewing this).

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