Fraud, a highly anticipated and much awaited Saba Qamar drama released last night with powerful performances and freshness. Written by Zanjabeel Asim Shah and directed by Saqib Khan, did it really live up to expectations?
The Story
Maya and Maira, played by Saba Qamar and Rabya Kulsoom respectively, are daughters to Nisaar, a principled, middle-class who has higher goals and bigger dreams for his daughters than what society expects. Mehmood Aslam’s portrayal of a straightforward yet humble father is brilliant. Nisaar’s widowed sister Shazia, played by Nazlee Nasar, lives with her only child Nael, played by ‘Ehd-e-Wafa’ famed Adnan Samad Khan. Nael is in love with Maya since childhood and now that he has a job, Nael forces his mother to ask for Maya’s hand from Nisaar.
Maya’s father, having financially supported these two their whole lives, instantly refuses the marriage proposal as he dreams of a financially stable and upper class family for his daughters. Heartbroken, Nael and Shazia leave but what will Maya’s reaction to her father’s decision be, given that she had also developed a soft corner for Nael?
The Review
Everything aside, watching Saba Qamar on screen is a delight in itself that viewers are experiencing after almost 4 years. The camera work and direction done for Fraud by Saqib Khan, a fresh name for television, is beyond excellent, as it makes the experience even better. The performances are another plus point for the show, which increase the intensity and emotion of each scene every time.
However, the first episode was not solely a Saba Qamar episode, which was expected by the audience. Maya seems to be just another character that any actress could have performed. The element that makes it an iconic one was missing in this episode. Be it Saba’s make-over which seemed unrealistic for a middle class household, or the lack of screen time and dialogues that Maya has, viewers definitely noticed these little things.
However, it’s just the first episode, so it is too soon to judge. We will wait for Saba’s character to unveil a bit more in the upcoming episodes.
Ahsan Khan and Aini Zaidi’s grand entrances at the end were intriguing though.
The Verdict
Fraud kicked off last night and quite truly with a bang. The first episode contains impressive camera work, powerful performances, and an uber talented Saba Qamar, who blows your mind with her charm and screen presence.
