New year, new dramas; the year 2021 has started on a positive note as far as the entertainment quotient is concerned. Raqeeb Se is HUM Television’s latest offering that features an interesting mix of actors. From bigwigs like Noman Ijaz and Sania Saeed to new age sensations Iqra Aziz and Faryal Mehmood. The play also marks the acting debut of the singing sensation Hadiqa Kiani. Appearing to be a unique tale of romance, conflict, and domestic violence, Raqeeb Se is an enthralling ride that transports viewers to an era that they have read about in novels.
Premise
The premise opens with Sakina (Hadiqa Kiani) along with her daughter Ameera (Iqra Aziz) who checks in with her ex-lover Maqsood (Noman Ijaz) to seek shelter from her husband . As the story progresses, we learn that Sakina left her husband because of domestic violence and doesn’t want Ameera to face the same torture as she did. Interestingly, Maqsood’s current wife Hajra (Sania Saeed) and daughter (Insha) Faryal Mehmood were well aware of Sakina and Maqsood’s love story and didn’t seem to be troubled by it. Will Maqsood allow Sakina to stay at his place or send her back to her village? This situation develops the rest of the story.
Directions and story
Kashif Nisar (the director) introduces his lead character very soon after the first episode just started, though done with simplicity so that viewers can understand the unsaid background of the story effortlessly. Watch out for sequences in which Hajra help Sakina take care of her wounds, and when Insha convinced her mother to send Sakina back to her village, or Ameera’s confrontation with Maqsood. Each scene acted as a grenade and left a lasting impact. The women-centric narrative by Bee Gul moves with poise; the characters exuberate elegance and dignity that is a rare thing to witness on television these days.
Great performances
Talking about the performance, Sania Saeed plays her character Hajra brilliantly. She’s a woman of strength and courage, never complaining about her husband’s past marriage. Noman Ijaz holds well as the only man surrounded by this many women. Faryal Mehmood is effortless as the tomboy girl; her scenes with Sania Saeed were simply outstanding. Iqra Aziz is back with a bang, post the debacle of her last outing ‘Jhooti‘. She brings soul to Ameera, shedding her inhibitions to look the part.
The surprise we got from Raqeeb Se is indeed Hadiqa Kiani and how talented she is. Playing such a strong character in her first attempt, Hadiqa managed to deliver gestures, dialogues and adapt a dialect certain to the village she belongs to, with such dedication and so well. We almost forgot this is her debut as an actor.
Verdict
To sum up, Raqeeb Se is poetry in motion; a drama that will get interesting and intriguing with each passing episode. The moving performances by the lead cast are certainly the main hook of the play. Raqeeb Se airs every Wednesday at 8pm on HUM TV.
