Hira Mani and Affan Waheed struck gold earlier this year with ARY’s Do Bol directed by the ace director, Syed Wajahat Hussain. The drama serial clocked peak ratings, part of which was due to its chartbuster OST and an interesting plot.

However, one of the biggest highlights of the play was Affan and Hira’s fresh pairing and amazing screen chemistry which worked wonders with the audiences. The duo is back with their latest offering on the same channel, Ghalti, and now the question on everyone’s mind is: Will it go the Do Bol way?

Ghalti

Ghalti is directed by Saba Hameed, a veteran actress who has been wanting to direct a project for many years and finally zeroed on this script as it deals with a social issue.

The project is based on anger management issues and how they affect a young married couple played by Affan and Hira. Notably, the male protagonist in the play has anger issues, while Hira plays a wife who initially believes in compromising and succumbs to the patriarchal norms until she gets a wake-up call and then starts demanding respect from her beau.

The actress revealed one of her favorite lines from the play’s script, “Mohabbat se pehle izzat chahiye” and believes that women should be mindful of the fact that they get respect along with love. It’s a role reversal for the two in this play as the characteristics are completing contrasting to their previous venture. Affan plays the headstrong husband and Hira a succumbing wife. 

Affan mentioned that in our society wives are usually the scapegoat for aggressive husbands and this drama also sheds light on this spectrum. 

Teasers overview

It is rather apparent that ARY Digital is capitalizing on the super-success of Do Bol. The channel has released multiple teasers of the play and going by them we can sense that the plot revolves around a lovelorn tale that will pack a high-octane roller coaster of emotions. Both Hira and Afffan are sharing crackling chemistry in the teasers, exactly like Do Bol. We also get a peek of the duo’s wedding sequence and a romantic encounter at a beautiful location in color-coordinated costumes. The two ooze romantic vibes — with the added twist of emotional turmoil in their eyes. 

Will it match Do Bol?

The highlight of Do Bol was an indescribable on-screen bond that Hira and Affan shared. The two made their characters so real, so believable, that the viewers could literally feel their pain and suffering – as well as their joy. This was in no small part due to Hira Mani’s unique ability to emote pain and her distinctly spirited demeanor, as well as Affan Waheed’s amazing ability to make Badar a realistic, sensitive character. When Hira’s Gaiti was distressed, in love or facing emotional turmoil in her relationship with Badar, the audience sensed it. They could just as well sense the anguish which Badar felt. 

As far as we can tell from the Ghalti’s teasers, the duo has lived up to their high billing and their on-screen bond is as palpable as it has ever been. Affan appears convincing in a more grey character whereas Hira looks every bit the distressed housewife who deserves all the audience empathy. Add the fact that the play has been directed by Saba Hameed – who is a masterful performer in her own right, and it would not be hyperbolic to say that Ghalti might very well match or surpass the expectations that Do Bol has raised so high.

Moreover, the serial will have something more to offer than just relying on Do Bol’s success  and on-screen pairing – Hira and Affan have revealed that they were flooded with many offers right after Do Bol’s premiere episode but they had to choose a project which would do justice to their pairing and which would also provide something new for the viewers. 

The final verdict

Ghalti promises not to just rely on the previous success and on-screen chemistry of Hira Mani and Affan Waheed’s hit pairing. It also seems to have an engaging, interesting storyline that touches the relevant social problem of anger management that we are sure will be dealt with intelligently and sensitively given that it’s being directed by an actress of Saba Hameed’s caliber. The play will go on air in the coming weeks on ARY and it surely seems that Hira and Affan have another winner on their hands!