HUM TV’s new production Neem already had the viewer’s attention for several reasons, whether it was due to the return of Mawra Hocane after nearly a two-year hiatus, the second time pairing of Sabaat’s favourite on-screen pair of Mawra Hocane and Ameer Gilani, the serene backdrop, the stellar ensemble cast, the grand production, or engrossing script. You can choose your pick, but one thing is for certain that the drama created a well-deserved hype prior to its release.
With the first episode having aired last night, our take on it is here. Catch up on our review below:
Introduction to the Characters
Neem is an amalgamation of various characters, each of whom plays a significant role in developing the storyline further and have character arcs of their own.
The first episode did a decent job in introducing us to the characters of the drama.
The Protagonist vs the Antagonist
We begin with the central character of the show, Mawra Hocane is essaying the role of Zimal. She is shown to be highly passionate about transforming the society for better and intentionally strives hard to make a difference. The Kashmiri born orphan girl, is raised by an influential and affluent man in Kashmir. The plot begins with her returning to her hometown after completing her master’s in education.
Her sympathetic and charitable nature doesn’t go unnoticed by the viewers, with the frequent mention of her qualities and her act of giving away most of her money to workers sitting on the footpath. Undoubtedly, we do see a reflection of Mawra’s another character Anaya of Sabaat in the drama. Mawra’s outfit choice and styling resembles Anaya’s alongside their hardcore characteristic of standing against social injustice.
Following that, we are introduced to Jibraan’s character, Karamat in the drama who is shown to be misogynist, stereotypical, and ruthless antagonist. Hailing from a wealthy background, the character has the survival’s mindset of ‘kill or be killed’. Karamat is the son of the man who raised Zimal.
Their conflicting and opposing mindsets have been vividly established in the viewer’s mind and it would be interesting to see their face off as drama progresses.
Mawra’s love interest(s) in the drama:
Ameer Gilani also makes an appearance on-screen. The actor has a new look for this role-a light beard in comparison to his stubble in previous looks. His character is shown to be in love with Mawra, but obstacles await his one-sided love due to the difference in social class between the two. His character is shown to have a distinct quality of stuttering.
Lastly, Arsalan Naseer is also part of the cast of the drama, who is playing Zimal’s fiancé. Although we didn’t see much of him in the first episode, one thing that has been established is his interest in Mawra.
Two characters in love with one girl with an antagonist who has bad intentions for the central character-who will Zimal end up? This remains to be seen.
All the characters have played a convincing role in the drama which has made their characters believable and intriguing.
The Plot for Neem
Emphasis on education:
Neem opens with the character of Manzar Sehbai who is teaching his students about the significance of the role of a teacher in an individual’s life. The first episode went full circle by emphasizing on the importance of education in different aspects. The drama will continue to emphasize on this societal issue.
The Preachy Quotient:
The drama does have a significant preachy and moralistic element attached to it, but we do hope it mellows down in further episodes and is translated to actions.
The Romantic angle in Neem:
Neem will engage the audience with love stories enveloped in multiple layers and plots. While we are rooting for Mawra and Ameer’s story to progress, we do await to see how Mawra’s chemistry will unravel with other actors also.
The Audience’s Reaction to Neem:
The audience praised the drama makers and the actors.
Twitter was flooded with comments as they applauded the actors. Mawra Hocane thanked the audience post her drama release.
The audience was all praises for Ameer Gilani’s acting skills:
Fans are once again adoring Mawra and Ameer’s on-screen chemistry.
People also showered their love on the drama and actors via YouTube comments:
Neem is penned by Kashif Anwar and produced by Momina Duraid. The drama is helmed by Parizaad director Shahzad Kashmiri. The ensemble cast of the drama features Syed Jibran, Mawra Hocane, Arsalan Naseer, Ameer Gilani, Rahil Siddiqui, Hassan Shah, Hani Taha, Maryam Nafees, Shamyl Khan, Adeel Khan, Ismat Zaidi, Alamdar Khan, Areeba Tirmizi, Tahira Shahzad, Yousuf Bashir Qureshi and others.
