For quite some time, we have been missing a good watch from our television screens. I’m absolutely not ruling out Parizaad but even ‘Parizaad’ wasn’t the one to offer thrill. Even though the drama was highly entertaining, it did not provide drama enthusiasts with that cliffhanger of an experience. However, after the first episode of ‘Badshah Begum‘ last night, it seems that we do finally have a drama that will keep holding the audience captive, gripping the edge of their seats, while they wait for what happens next.
The first episode of ‘Badshah Begum’ aired on Tuesday on Hum TV. The drama is written by Saji Gul and directed by Khizer Idrees. Featuring an ensemble cast of Zara Noor Abbas, Yasir Hussain, Farhan Saeed, Ali Rehman Khan, Saman Ansari amongst many others, the first episode of ‘Badshah Begum’ did definitely strike a chord with us.
The Story
‘Badshah Begum’ definitely opened on a brutal note. Saman Ansari as the Begum, ordering a pregnant woman’s legs to be broken, only because she thinks she has the audacity to pay regards to her while not knowing the gender of her unborn baby, was awe-striking for sure. Although, it makes one wonder about where such things happen today, this particular scene definitely shook onlookers.
We did get glimpses of Zara Noor Abbas and Komal Mir alongside Ali Rehman Khan in the opening scenes, but we’re yet to determine what their story will be. Roshan Ara and Jahan Ara are daughters of Pir Shah Alam (feudal lord of Piran Pur), who is bringing up his children in a city, keeping them away from his life back home. Roshan Ara is headstrong, arrogant and does what she pleases while Jahan Ara is the level-headed one.
Unfortunately, Bakhtiyar (Ali Rehman Khan), who seems to have taken the interest of Roshan Ara’s affection, is interested in Jahan Ara and this is already a growing problem between the two girls.
‘Badshah Begum’, revolves around the story of Piran Pur and offers a striking contrast between rural and urban lifestyle. It narrates the story of a settlement, where the Pirs preside with their own rules, law and order. The conflict is for the ‘gaddi’ and the power that comes with it, which often translates to the Pirs being ruthless and unaffected by problems of the comman man.
Pir Shahzaib (Farhan Saeed) is running things for Pir Shah Alam in the village. Shahzaib and Murad are Pir Shah Alam’s sons from a different wife, Saman Ansari, who is the Badshah Begum. Murad is the crazy one, because he has grown up being no stranger to abuse and intoxication of power. Kaiser (Yasir Hussain) and Shahzaib have a tussle, yet to be resolved.
Review
The first episode did offer remarkable performances from the cast members. Zara Noor Abbas is impressive as Jahan Ara, and Komal Mir is very convincing as Roshan Ara. We need more on Ali Rehman Khan’s Bakhtiyar to comment on how his performance is going to be. Saman Ansari nails being Badshah Begum. There couldn’t have been a more apt casting to portray the iron lady.
Farhan Saeed deserves to be mentioned for his striking character – a refreshing breather from his usual boy-next-door characters. Yasir Hussain as Kaiser is aptly cast. Ruthless, dominant and power hungry – he’ll do anything for the ‘gaddi’ and will not regret it.
The first episode offered crisp scenes and a fast moving storyline. We just wish this is how the story stays – crisp, clear, fast-paced, and offering thrill and excitement at every step. Khizer Idrees’s direction is remarkable, looking at the powerful performances given by the cast.
The Verdict
We certainly seem to have found our Tuesday favorite drama. The fact that ‘Badshah Begum’ isn’t your run-of-the-mill story and offers an insight on power and social and political norms of Piran Pur is something to watch out for. It’s been quite a long time for the Pakistani audience to have seen something different and exciting and for now, we seem to have ‘Badshah Begum’ to fill in our week long quota of an exciting watch.
