Drama Review: Pehli Si Muhabbat’s Episode 27

With Pehli Si Muhabbat moving towards its conclusion, it is finally getting interesting after a few dragged episodes. Featuring Maya Ali (Rakhshi) and Sheheryar Munawwar (Aslam) in their comeback roles, the story revolves around young love and the problems surrounding it.

Written by Faiza Iftikhar and directed by Anjum Shahzad, the 27th episode of Pehli Si Muhabbat finally changes the equation for Akram. For fashion enthusiasts in Pakistan, watching leading fashion designer Hassan Shehryar Yasin (HSY) in his acting debut was a treat. He has been absorbing the viewers’ hate as Akram since the first episode and has finally turned over a new leaf.
The death of Zainab (Uzma Hassan), proved to be the catalyst for this change, for she died of a broken heart, right before Rakhshi and Sikandar’s marriage. Sikandar (Saleem Meraj) was not only her beau before marriage to Murad (Paras Masroor), but was marrying Rakhshi to get back to Akram.
From Episode 27th, the serial has now found its lost touch. With Rakhshi’s marriage called off and Akram becoming soft after his sister’s death, things finally seem to be moving towards a happy conclusion. Or is it going to be a tragic end, like all Pehli Mohabbats?
The development of the heart-wrenching scene was penned down and executed flawlessly as the subtleness of the scenes panned out the tragic event. Why is Faizullah (Shabbir Jan) still not getting it that her daughter loves Aslam (Shehryar Munawwar), why isn’t he listening to his second wife Nargis (Rabia Butt), and why is he hell-bent on destroying his daughter’s life is beyond me. And then there is Arif, the boy next door (literally) who is being forced to marry Rakhshi, by his family.

Rakhshi’s conversation with Munazza gives an insight into Zainab’s story. However, this episode in comparison with the previous one had less to offer, and unless something earth-shattering happens, the audience will resort to reading the synopsis of the play than watching it. Maya Ali’s performance seemed dull and uninteresting with all the excessive crying. It was Saleem Meraj’s portrayal of Sikandar that kept the audience glued to their screens, perfectly painting a selfish image of his character as he admits his guilt in front of Zainab’s grave.
Will Rakhshi realize her mistake and return to Aslam? Will the changed Akram prove to be the saviour of his brother’s relationship? Will Arif step in and take away Rakhshi, creating a gulf between her and Aslam? Will Nargis finally do the right thing and stand against Faizullah? We are anxiously waiting for Pehli Si Muhabbat’s next episode so that we can either move towards or away from a happy ending.