One of the most anticipated dramas of Hum TV, ‘Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay’ aired last night. This drama is written by Umera Ahmad, directed by Farooq Rind and produced by Nina Kashif and Momina Duraid Productions.
Cast
The star-studded drama has Mahira Khan, Kubra Khan, Usman Mukhtar and Haroon Shahid in the leading cast. The show has acclaimed actors in supporting roles as well, including Omair Rana, Huma Nawab, Zainab Qayyum, Shamim Hilali, Laila Wasti and Ali Tahir.
This project created quite a buzz soon after its announcement as Mahira Khan signed a television project after a five years hiatus. Likewise, fans of Usman Mukhtar, who were disappointed by his very limited appearance in ‘Sabaat’, were eagerly waiting for the show as he is the male protagonist in this drama. On the other hand, Kubra Khan was all set to hit the screens with another blockbuster drama after ‘Alif’
Story
The story of ‘Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay’ is based on Umera Ahmad’s novel of the same name. The story revolves around three cousins named Mahreen, played by Mahira Khan, Mashaal, played by Kubra Khan, and Aswad, played by Usman Mukhtar.
All of them belong to wealthy families. Aswad lives in Kuwait, he visits Pakistan once a year. Mahreen is his maternal aunt’s daughter whereas Mashaal is his maternal uncle’s daughter.
The drama starts with the narration of the story by Aswad, who takes the audience to their childhood where the three protagonists of the drama are approximately 10-14 years old.
Mahreen is an intelligent and sensitive girl who is well-raised by her mother Rabia, played by Laila Wasti. Mashaal’s mother, played by Zainab Qayyum, incessantly compares her daughter with Mahreen. This constant comparison made Mashaal jealous and covetous of Mahreen. Aswad is a sweet little boy who has a natural inclination towards Mahreen.
A sudden turmoil renders Mahreen’s life upside down. Her father, Mansoor, played by Omair Rana, fell prey to drugs and subsequent speculation charges. When Rabia decides to leave her home along with Mahreen, Mansoor commits suicide. The story takes a lapse of many years after this grievous vicissitude.
Adult Mahreen, who is now an MPhil student, continues to suffer as her mother remarries and she lives a gruelling life in Mashaal’s home. Adult Mashaal has grown up as a negative character full of resentment and spite.
Performances
This drama entails some of the finest actors of the country, and the performances of the actors are phenomenal. Even the child stars have done an astonishing job.
The first scene of the drama is quite intriguing and sets the base of a gripping story. Omair Rana has given the most stellar performance. His acting in a particular scene, where Mansoor implores his wife not to leave him, is marvellous. Laila Wasti as Rabia and Omair Rana as Mansoor are so natural. The succeeding scene, which showcases the love of Mansoor for his daughter Mahreen is deeply poignant and heart-wrenching, it definitely touched the audience.
Mahira khan’s character in this drama is different from any of her previous television characters. She convincingly plays the role of an asthmatic, good-hearted yet emotionally disturbed girl. Life calamities have imparted shades of bitterness on her character. Mahira Khan’s getup exactly matches her character as well.
Kubra Khan has a limited screen presence in the first episode, but in a couple of scenes, her character makes a powerful impact. She successfully establishes a negative aura of her character on screen. Likewise, Usman Mukhtar only has two scenes in the first episode, yet his performance is promising.
Direction
Farooq Rind is a renowned director, who has some remarkable works such as ‘Baaghi’, ‘Pyar Ke Sadqay’, ‘Ishq Zahe Naseeb’ on his credit. Likewise, ‘Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay’ is well-directed.
This drama has exceptional cinematography. The camera work is quite different from other Pakistani dramas; the wide-angle shots grasp the audience’s attention. The scene where Mansoor says “I love you” to her daughter for the last time is beautifully executed. The slow-motion scenes, synchronized with impactful camera angles, are highly gripping. Also, Mansoor’s suicide scene paralleled with Mahreen’s expression is impact-fully directed. In addition to this, Mahira khan’s bus scene rightly projects her rebellious nature and the extent of her suffering.
The story of this drama is a conventional love triangle of cousins, however, it hints at a rather unconventional succeeding event that will trap the protagonists in an intricate web of love, agony, lies and regrets. Nonetheless, the stellar cast, their spectacular performances and amazing direction will definitely bring the highest TRPs for this show.