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TV Serial

Raqeeb Se

Unabiding Love

By Muhammad Ali Khan | April 2021

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One cannot talk about the drama serial ‘Raqeeb Se’ without first mentioning the writer Bee Gul and the director Kashif Nisar who brings Bee Gul’s poetic script to life. The writer-director duo has previously worked together on the award-winning serial ‘Darr Si Jati Hai Sila’. In collaboration with Hum TV, the two bring ‘Raqeeb Se’ and just like their previous venture, this one too is making headlines for all the right reasons.

The title of the show ‘Raqeeb Se’ is heavily inspired by a poem by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The young poet, also known as Faiz, falls in love with a girl but unfortunately, she leaves the city only to return years later when Faiz is an Urdu literature pioneer. The encounter with his former love inspires Faiz to write a poem ‘Raqeeb Se’. The background story of the poem plays a crucial role in the serial and promises to be different from Bee Gul’s previously written dramatic works.

Set in the outskirts of Sialkot, the drama tells the story of two love birds who come face to face after 20 years in unusual circumstances. With an intriguing storyline, the story opens with Sakina (Hadiqa Kiani) and her daughter Ameera (Iqra Aziz) knocking at the door of Maqsood Sahib (Nouman Ijaz). Memories flash by when he sees Sakina, his former love, on the doorstep in a not-so-good situation as traces of domestic abuse are visible all over her. Seeing his past in front of him, he reconciles with his old pain.

Sakina requests him for shelter but he refuses to help her. However, his wife Hajra (Sania Saeed) seems much more sympathetic and lets Sakina stay at their home till things are figured out. The love story is so tragic that even Hajra and daughter Insha (Faryal Mehmood) become aware of it. Without a word, she takes Sakina and her daughter in. The scene is sudden and yet very subtle. The pace at which the story progresses is excellent. Maqsood Sahib is at a point when his past can easily overshadow his present. The question is, will Sakina stay out of his life or will she destroy what Maqsood and his wife Hajra have built over the years?

The performances from the leads are great and make the serial compelling to watch. The family relationships seem effortlessly natural and are undoubtedly the heart of the plot. When it comes to acting, no one can beat Nouman Ijaz as he excels in every role he takes on. Struggling between his former love and his wife, it is interesting to watch how his character unfolds.

Though Maqsood Sahib is the centre of the story, it is the women who are a towering force in the serial and the show stealer is Hadiqa Kiyani. It is impossible to believe that the serial is her debut as a TV actor. Her phenomenal acting as she portrays the hardships of an abused housewife has viewers in awe of her performance. Even without speaking any lines at places, her face tells a thousand stories.

Sania Saeed as Hajra takes it to the next level. Playing the calm and cool wife, she shows us a completely different perspective of a woman who, without whining, welcomes her husband’s former love and even tends to her wounds and listens to her. The role offers a completely fresh character to Sania to develop and all credit goes to her for her impeccable acting prowess; even the heaviest of lines sound like an everyday conversation.

Iqra Aziz as Ameera is seemingly unapologetic but deep down she longs for Maqsood Sahib as the father she never had. Faryal Mehmood as Insha is the opposite of Ameera. She is independent, sensible and calm, just like her mother but often questions her mother’s actions towards Sakina. Her confrontation with the two leading ladies is done brilliantly.

‘Raqeeb Se’ sets a benchmark as it achieves the milestone of having a powerful women-centric story because sensible and dignified women without any hidden agendas are a rare sight in TV serials. This serial manages to keep the viewers hooked to its engaging storyline that is both fresh and very familiar. The serial has set some very high standards and with such a strong cast and brilliant performances, viewers hope that ‘Raqeeb Se’ will be a success.

The soundtrack by Hadiqa Kiani is great and melancholic. It perfectly encapsulates the longing of past love which is the overarching narrative of the show. So, if you like slow but gripping stories with a master plot, you will enjoy what Bee Gul and Kashif Nisar bring to the small screen.

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