Humsafar

Tic Toc Tic- all the bustling activities come to a screeching halt on Saturday night at sharp 8’o clock. Any reason? Yes. A big one. It’s Humsafar time! All the daadis, ammis, appis, and the rest appear to be virtually glued to their television sets. And why shouldn’t they be? This unquestionably is the best time of the weekend! The whole family arranges themselves in a ritualistic setting in the TV lounge to watch yet another episode of Pakistan’s drama industry’s new sensation-Humsafar.

Based on a novel by Farhat Ishtiaq, Humsafar has swept homes in Pakistan proverbially like ‘tsunami’ (yes, there are other Tsunami’s beside Imran’s). With a delicious romance & enormous chemistry between both the leads, Fawad Khan (as Asher Hussain) & Mahira Khan (as Khirad), Humsafar has made its mark on not only the TV screens but also in peoples’ hearts. The story revolves around Asher & Khirad who though get married to only fulfill their parents wishes, later on come to share a strong bond as husband and wife until one day when they sadly separate –thanks to Asher’s wicked mom.

So much is the obsession for the drama serial that as one logs onto Facebook and Twitter, especially on a Saturday night, the homepages are flooded with statuses dedicated to Humsafar.  Interestingly, a comic on the serial made by a friend was later seen as the profile picture of Sarmad Khoosat – the director of the serial.

Why has Humsafar succeeded in making its way into people’s hearts? The answer requires no rocket science. One, the acting is undoubtedly exceptional! Remember the scene in which Sara (Naveen Waqar) looks at her reflection in the mirror, before going to bed , and without uttering a single syllable reflects her feelings only with her etched expressions. This is precisely what you call acting, something that is commonly taken for long, high sounding dialogues or slapstick humor accentuating everything that can be beautifully shown otherwise. Second, unlike the popular Indian soaps & some of our very own Pakistani wanna-be-soaps that extend over quite a range of 200+ episodes, this serial is only 21 episodes, and out of it, more than half have already been aired. The story is moving at a steady pace & has not been a victim of irrelevant stretches as yet. Third, the costume designing is pretty decently done and we don’t see those flashy and outlandish clothes that just don’t fit the context. All in all, the right ingredients for a perfect taste.

It’s not just the drama; the melodious title song has done wonders as well. The mellifluous voice is none other than Qurat-ul-Ain Baloch’s, who has poured her soul in the song to give it the magical feel it has. And so with the exceptionally poetic quality of the lyrics, this song now tops everyone’s playlists.

So, if you are still alien to this compelling romantic drama, I would recommend the next thing you do after this, is to log onto Youtube & watch all its episodes, because it is definitely not something to be missed! So, dwell in and enjoy Asher’s & Khirad’s saccharine romance. Cheers!

Also published here: //blogs.thenews.com.pk/blogs/2011/12/humsafar/