The Pakistani TV serial sector is high on emotions as we mostly see female leads crying on television just for the sake of entertainment because there is a misconception that a TV play is not even close to good unless the main female lead is in a pool of tears. Perhaps that is why we rarely get to see a happy-go-lucky play like ‘Shehnai’ that offers something different.
Broadcast on ARY Digital, the serial ‘Shehnai’ is making waves with its unique storyline. Produced under iDream Productions and directed by Ahmed Bhatti who is known for ‘Ghissi Pitti Mohabbat’, ‘Thora Sa Haq’ and ‘Baydardi’, ‘Shehnai’ is a fun and comic take on a love story. It is a breath of fresh air where even serious situations are handled in a fun and comic way that makes you laugh and smile. The happening OST, released as an initial teaser, further serves as the cherry on top, portraying ‘Shehnai’ as a feel-good story.
Based on the joint family system, ‘Shehnai’ is a story of two childhood friends Meerab (Affan Waheed) and Bakht (Ramsha Khan) and how they end up together. The story starts with Bakht’s father Absar (Javed Sheikh) being worried about his only daughter Bakht as suitors keep rejecting her despite her being an educated and pretty girl. But Absar is not aware that it is his daughter who shoos away every suitor as she loves a deceitful boy Hunain (Hammad Shoaib) who is an MBA and is looking for a job.
Comes Absar’s friend and neighbour Zubair (Shehryar Zaidi) whose son Meerab is a chartered accountant and is visiting from London. Both Absar and Zubair find their children a compatible match and hence decide to tie the knot. While Bakht is reluctant to reject the proposal once again, Meerab is as reluctant to marry her as he likes his colleague Samreen (Mahan Amir). But because he is a kind-hearted soul and finds it difficult to say no to his parents, Bakht and Meerab land in an arranged engagement, soon to get married.
‘Shehnai’ further unfolds the characters of Samreen and Hunain showcasing how materialistic they both are. Unaware of their traits, Meerab and Bakht help each other in getting back together with their lovers but sooner or later come to terms with the fact that they indeed are a perfect match, just like their parents predicted.
Ramsha’s character of Bakht reminds one of her performance as Samina in ‘Ghisi Piti Muhabbat’. Though she remains uncertain as Samina, her lively character Bakht might find her happily-ever-after in ‘Shehnai’. Affan portrays Meerab as a calm person who, amid all the chaos, always tries to keep his act together. Though the serial has powerful main leads, every cast member matters, offering more leverage to the supporting cast to perform with determination.
Behroze Sabzwari and Javed Sheikh perfectly portray the role of responsible fathers. Their energy in their roles is commendable. Samina Ahmed as Daadi acts with ease and Salma Hassan as Tooba instantly generates smiles. Being a materialistic girl, Maham Aamir as Samreen uses her innocence to get what she wants while Hammad Shoaib as Hunain depicts an intelligent con man. Saleem Meraj as Kaifee Bhai stands out with his comic timing.
The Pakistani TV audience has been craving for a funny rom-com for a long time and ‘Shehnai’ seems to fulfil that need. Intelligently written by Radian Shah, ‘Shehnai’ presents a perfect picture of how a joint family system works. It is interesting to watch a mad family and their shenanigans. The overall story is different but still feels real.
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