The pandemic took a toll on the world and, with lockdown imposed in various countries, people started finding solace in the digital world. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the country became a fan of Pakistan’s television productions, other than gushing over the Turkish drama serial ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’. We might not say this very often but our TV sector has improved and the evidence is HUM TV’s new serial ‘Dulhan’ that doesn’t revolve around the typical saas-bahu saga and has a better plot.
Directed by Adeel Siddiqui and written by Adeel Razzaq, both youngsters, the serial is mainly for the youth and teaches them not to make abrupt decisions and to abstain from even thinking about revenge.
The story is about a middle class family where Amal (played by Sumbul Iqbal) is living with her father Mirza Sahab (S. M. Ahmad), her step-mother Aasia (Nida Mumtaz) and her step-sister Noshaba (Laiba). Both sisters are poles apart as Amal is independent, driven and responsible while Noshaba is an idle and emotional fool. Amal and her father are the sole breadwinners of the family. She has a tough schedule; she studies in the morning and works till late at a boutique. While her mother wants her to stay and manage the house, her father wants her to marry so she can live a peaceful life. The depiction of complicated family relationships with varying personalities is the story’s biggest strength.
As the story progresses, Amal meets Mikaal (Sami Khan), a wealthy man, who falls in love with her at first sight though Amal refuses to accept him. Soon, he starts following her everywhere and then proposes marriage. Though Amal is dismissive of his advances, Mikaal meets Mirza Sahab and convinces him of his sincerity and affection for Amal.
A small ceremony then takes place where neither Mikaal’s relatives nor friends are present. Without anything fishy on the surface, the wedding takes place smoothly. On the wedding night when Amal is waiting for Mikaal, Shahmeer (Faizan Khawaja) emerges, leaving Amal shocked. Shahmeer used to like her but when he threatens her, she slapped him in front of the whole university leaving him embarrassed. That’s when he used his friend Mikaal to take revenge. The truth is that Mikaal is already engaged to Mashal and he does this only to win a bet to get Shahmeer’s sports car.
To escape Shahmeer’s trap, Amal throws a vase at him and returns home devastated. The truth surprises her father as he blames himself for not being vigilant. Feeling guilty, he suffers a heart attack and even though Amal sells her jewellery to save her father, he dies. With nothing but a burnt marriage certificate, it is interesting to watch how Amal’s life unfolds.
Sami as Mikaal portrays a guy who has gone from good to bad in no time. The transition is exceptionally brilliant. Faizan as Shahmeer is a mixture of both good and bad. He likes Amal but is vengeful as well. Sumbul as Amal comes across as a simple girl who, when tragedy strikes, runs away to save her honour. Noshaba as Laiba plays the step-sister who stands against her mother when she realises that her mother is not treating Amal right. Though Nida shows glimpses of a Cinderella-style stepmother, she is a good person overall. The scene where Mirza Sahab suffers a heart attack has been brilliantly done.
Keeping the audience curious, the serial moves through interesting twists and turns. 
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