Pyar Ke Sadqay started at a time when our TV channels were filled with monotonous and dreadful storylines. The adorable story of Abdullah and Mahjabeen, played impeccably by Bilal Abbas Khan and Yumna Zaidi respectively, was appreciated by many. Both the characters made us laugh and weep with them. The show managed to fully get the audience invested in the story of this pair of Bawla and Bawli as they rooted for their happy ending.

Halfway through the story, things took a dramatic turn and it felt like maybe this pair of innocent lovers would not get to be together in the end. But the drama ended last night and needless to say, it ended on a note that was satisfying for both the story that the drama was telling and the audience who were invested in it.

The slap of the century

Although we do not condone violence of any kind, it becomes necessary to show some characters getting hit for all the horrible deeds that they have done. Sarwar was one such character. If someone ever made a list of the most impactful slaps in the history of Pakistani dramas, Abdullah slapping Sarwar would definitely be in the top three positions, if not the first. This was a slap that was a long time coming considering how violent Sarwar had been to Abdullah all his life, physically and mentally torturing him any chance he got. The slap was not just Abdullah standing up to his abusive step-father but also a husband finally standing up to defend his wife.

The scenes leading up to the slap were quite interesting. First of all, it was excellent to see that Mahjabeen actually remembered the horrible way Abdullah had treated her. In the beginning, her marriage was everything she wanted. However, as soon as Shanzay made her way back into their lives, it all changed. Within a few months, Mahajabeen lost everything: her husband, her dignity, and even her father. That is precisely why Mahajabeen declined at first when Abdullah asked her to go back with him to his house. But as soon as she saw Abdullah taking a stand for himself and her family against Sarwar by slapping him, she didn’t think twice before coming between them, literally. The way she defended Abdullah with a stool was both hilarious and refreshing.

Mansoora’s realization

A part of Mansoora always knew that there was something off about Sarwar. So, to say that Mansoora realized her own worth in one episode would be discrediting the writer, Zanjabeel Asim Shah’s hard work. Mansoora always yearned for love. She accepted the love she thought she deserved, even from a guy like Sarwar. Though there were a lot of instances where she thought to herself whether what Sarwar was giving her was love at all. Her speech about how she needed to find her worth, peace, and love from within was inspiring.

Throughout the drama, Mansoora was shown as a sensible and calm person. Her outburst here was perfectly in line with her character. Atiqa Odho’s minute gestures and expressions were what made the character flawed yet easy to empathize with.

Progressive characters

Pyar Kay Sadqay may have lost its way somewhere around the middle, but one thing that was perfect even in those episodes was the acting. And among all, it was Srha Asghar that really shined as Washma. Whether it was her tongue-in-cheek replies to Sarwar or her lectures to Abdullah and Mansoora for not treating Mahjabeen the way she deserves to be treated, Srha Asghar played her part with perfection. We hardly see such strong characters on TV. Speaking of strong characters, Pho (Lala Rukh) was another highlight of the show. She was the sister of Shahbaz, Mansoora’s late husband, yet she still cared for each of the character’s well-being. And if that’s not all, she lived with Washma alone and never felt the need for a man in her life. Both Washma and Pho are the epitome of independent and brilliant women.

While the drama did female characters a huge favor, it treated the male characters in the same, typical manner. Abdullah’s confusing personality was what made everyone fall in love with the character at first. But after a few episodes, it was the same quality that made people hate him. He spends most of the drama going back and forth and being easily influenced and manipulated by the people around him. Sarwar blaming his evil nature on his mother’s upbringing was unremarkable. Both of the men had their own minds. They could have chosen the right way but they didn’t, intentionally. Nevertheless, all the characters get their fitting ending with Abdullah finally standing up to himself and going after what he actually loves and Sarwar ending up in jail as a punishment for all the crimes he did.

Endearing end to an endearing tale

However, the USP of the show until the end was definitely the sweet tale of Abdullah and Mahjabeen. And the show’s ending did their story justice by showing how these two reconciled but they didn’t lose their banter and innocence which made them so endearing.

For all its highs and lows, Pyar Ke Sadqay was phenomenal drama. The way it infused the combination of humor and emotions was very delicately handled. We hope to see more light-hearted dramas in the future.