Are you craving to watch a suspense thriller that’ll keep your mind racing to unravel the who, why, and how? Look no further, for Green Entertainment’s new project ‘Serial Killer’ offers just that.
Featuring Saba Qamar as the lead protagonist, the drama serial weaves a tale of mystery and intrigue in its first episode. It captures the audience’s excitement, as the episode focuses on setting the premise and establishing the central characters. The drama is written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Fahad Noor.
Let’s dive straight into the plot.
Serial Killer delivers a gripping introduction
Spoilers Ahead!
Taking a page out of the book of numerous murder mystery and suspense thriller shows, ‘Serial Killer’ opens with an eerie and unsettling scene. We see a man sitting on a bench, most likely in a park, illuminated only by the lights around it. He awaits to meet a woman wearing a black veil, with only her red heels in sight.
If you have watched enough murder mysteries your sixth sense warns you that something ominous is going to unfold. It does not take much longer to prove us correct. The mysterious woman, who is seen flirting with the guy, with her eyes on his camera, reiterates that something is wrong. As she offers him juice, our instincts scream telling us to snatch that plastic cup away from his hands. Alas, we are proven correct, and the man dies an instant death. We see the veiled woman taking the camera and leaving the crime scene, with her identity still a mystery to the audience.
Cut to, we see Saba Qamar making an appearance. The actress has taken on the role of SP Sarah Sikander in the drama, a Fulbright scholar who has returned from the United States of America after completing her education. We see the sequence where she is joining the special branch. On her first visit, we see a real-life depiction of the prevailing sexism and discrimination prevalent in the workforce in Pakistan. As Sarah attempts to meet the police officer in charge she is hailed with taunts and is evidently bullied before the realization of the police officers that she is their boss. This depiction underlined the frequent abuse of power we see in our daily lives.
Of course, when it’s a Umera Ahmed script it’s a given that the drama is going to focus on a social issue and give an important message, relevant to a current issue. This element is also present in the drama ‘Serial Killer’, as we see an evident focus on corruption and the negligence of our police force in dealing with crime in the country.
The central themes
The story will unravel as we see the professional and personal life of Sarah Sikander and the hindrances she overcomes with her conviction. As always, Saba Qamar has opted for a role with conviction and strength. We do get hints that the drama is going to centre around Sarah’s attempts, on her part, to transform the workings and operations of her department and branch in the police by setting an example. From the teasers, we also see a blooming romance between Danial Raheel and Saba Qamar’s character. It is safe to say there is a lot to look forward to.
The drama’s premiere tantalizes viewers with the focal mystery driving its storyline. It opens with a woman, her identity concealed beneath a dupatta, arriving at a bus stop carrying a suitcase. After an intense wait, the tension culminates when the authorities finally open the suitcase, revealing a grim discovery—a lifeless body inside. This case is handed over to Sarah. While Faiza Gillani, playing an unspecified character, hasn’t yet appeared, the teaser for the next episode hints at her role as Babra, a model/actress whose story intertwines with the unfolding murder investigation. Although the debut episode doesn’t divulge many details, it lays the groundwork for a plot that is expected to weave between past and present as Sarah probes the mysterious circumstances behind the murder case and the other murders linked to it while we see the unfolding of Babra’s story.
It’s worth appreciating here the attempt by the director and the editorial team to give us an opening theme in ‘Serial Killer’. The title sequence includes an introduction to all the actors in the drama with the OST running in the background. The drama stars a talented pool of actors including Saba Qamar, Sabeena Farooq, Danial Raheel, Faiza Gillani, Amna Malik, Shah Fahad, Ahmed Randhawa, Fahad Hashmi, Ali Hasan, Sabeena Farooq, Sarmad Aftab Jadran.
The magnetic pull of star power
What Saba Qamar has done over the years is what very few artists manage to achieve in their lifetime i.e. building trust in the hearts of the audience, so much so that they blindly have faith in the project in which the actress stars. ‘Serial Killer’ is no exception. As Saba takes on this role, we have blind faith that the story has substance, and we are in for a treat.
Our verdict
In certain scenes, the director deserves commendation for his attention to detail, capturing moments that resonate with authenticity. Take, for instance, the bustling bus stop framed by a chai wala and the presence of a rickshaw, instantly grounding the setting in a Pakistani backdrop and infusing that delightful desi touch. However, there were some instances where the direction faltered, causing certain scenes to feel disjointed and repetitive, detracting a bit from the overall impact.
Nevertheless, the premiere episode hints at an exhilarating and promising thriller. Yet, it merely scratches the surface of what’s in store for viewers. The exceptional cast and their performances set high expectations, leaving us eagerly anticipating a captivating desi-inspired murder mystery and suspense genre that promises to enthral and meet our craving for thrilling entertainment.
