What comes to your mind when I ask you to name a Pakistani drama in the dark comedy genre? We can assure you there aren’t any, apart from a few projects here and there that put in the effort to bring the genre to life- but didn’t exactly succeed. 101 Talaqain could be the first major entrant into this genre.
Green Entertainment has been living up to its hype since its release less than a week ago. Its latest addition, 101 Talaqain is for all those Netflix lovers who craved to see an original Pakistani drama that has the element of thrill, suspense and dived into an unconventional territory we aren’t used to seeing on television.
Written and directed by Omer Ikram, 101 Talaqain dives into the world of dark comedy and satire in an attempt to decode the cracks of marriage.
Zahid Ahmed in a new avatar: A marriage averse man who has a mind of his own
Zahid Ahmed has given us some memorable performances over the years, but we bet that his role as Rustom Kavasji, in 101 Talaqain, will be remembered for years to come.
Embracing a completely new avatar, Zahid looks every bit of his character, convincing us that no one could have done a better job than him. With long hair, a pair of glasses, and a crisp suit, Rustom stands out in the crowd.
Rustom Kavasji is a man averse to the concept of marriage, believing that relationships, especially marriage, results in disaster and conflicts for both parties. He extends his idea of misogamy to others and specializes in divorce law.
Though we still haven’t gotten a glance into his personal life yet, the first episode established that he probably lives alone. His office is an extension of his, chaotic and haywire, with too many elements to absorb and infer from in a thirty-six-minute episode.
Unveiling the plot of 101 Talaqain:
Spoilers Ahead.
Opening with a monologue of Rustom, which extends to another scene, following the changing frames that give us an insight into Rustom’s office, the episode captures our attention from the beginning.
Shifting from the constant reiteration of Rustom’s hate for marriage and relationship in the entire episode, the viewers are then taken to his first case which follows the life of a young couple, who married for love. Sajad and his wife were the ideal couple till problems started to seep into their lives, gradually leading to problems between them. Sajad and Rustom meet on the road, when Rustom’s car breaks down and he has to take a lift from Sajad. While in the car, Rustom nags Sajid about how marriages create nuisance, giving him his card to contact him in the future.
A confident Sajad is certain that he won’t need the services of Rustom which eventually proves to be wrong and he ends up reaching Rustom for a divorce.
The episode was fast paced, and the comic timings were well placed between the episode, making it a fun watch.
It awaits to be seen how the drama will unfold. Our guesses are that each episode will bring on a new case in Rustom’s life which will eventually result in him rethinking and reevaluating his life decisions.
The small nuances that left us impressed in 101 Talaqain:
Omer Ikram’s direction in 101 Talaqain is nothing short of amazing. The cinematography added miles to the drama and the edits, the colour grading, and emphasis on small details were done to perfection.
Our favourite part of the first episode had to be the transition from Rustom’s office to him stepping out with the rap music running in the background. The emphasis on small details such as certificates hanging in Rustom’s office, the hourglass, the wall clock, and many other elements gave us a clear picture into the life of Rustom. Then we adored Rustom’s quirky dance as he stepped out of his office and his expressions shifted from serious to eccentric to mysterious in seconds.
Needless to say, Zahid Ahmed did a brilliant job. The drama is crafted for a niche audience, and we anticipate seeing how it is received by the audience. We are curious to see the past of Rustom and how he evolved to be the man he is and eventually his transition to an improved version of himself.
The drama will also star many renowned actors in the coming episodes including Yasir Nawaz, Naveen Waqar, Usman Mazhar, Faris Khalid, Hina Rizvi, Khalid Anum and others. We can’t wait to see more of this drama and where it goes from here.
