Aik Hai Nigar: Lesser than expected

Everyone must be glued to their TVs ever since the telefilm, Aik Hai Nigar, was expected to be released on Saturday, October 23rd, 2021. Starring Mahira Khan and Bilal Ashraf as the leads, the telefilm was a tribute to Pakistan’s first female Lieutenant General Nigar Johar.

Written by Umera Ahmed, produced by Mahira Khan and Nina Kashif, the telefilm was an amalgamation of love and triumph. It opens in the year 1975, Nigar (played by Mahira Khan) is a young, talented and creative girl who looks up to her father and wants to become an Army Doctor. Her father (played by Sohail Sameer) seems supportive which encourages Nigar to face the difficulties in her first few academic years at the Army Medical College which included rigorous training and ragging. Determined and ambitious, Nigar achieves what she aims for in her career, however, there comes a time when her father decides to get her married to an Army officer named Johar (played by Bilal Ashraf).

In the first half, the audience was introduced to Nigar’s parents, friends and husband. Her brother, Shahid (played by Khushhal Khan), could not get much screen time for the narrative was mainly kept swirling around Nigar’s life and career.

In the second half, her two younger sisters were introduced and we get more depth into her family followed by tragic fate that brings personal loss to Nigar where she loses all her family, except for her younger brother, in a car accident. As her husband breaks this news to her, she stands like a pillar for her younger brother and makes sure that he is not alone in this. An extremely gut-wrenching moment that was enhanced by the emotional nuances of Mahira’s strong-willed performance, I’m sure it led many to shed a tear.

The role of men in Nigar’s life is commendable for they play a vital role in her success; her father, brother and most importantly, her supportive husband. In one particular scene which truly got to me, Nigar can be seen in discussion with her colleague where they talk about children and Nigar proudly says that her husband has never spoken regarding the subject to her and if someone does so, he makes sure that he is there to answer. In a society where marriage and having children is seen as the bar for most women, it’s admirable to see a different side portrayed where such decisions are kept as mutually consensual things to talk about amidst partners instead of a publicly ordained goal to reach. In another scene, she gets a prominent promotion but is perplexed as to how her husband would react to her promotion because Johar has taken retirement already. Her husband not only celebrates her success and promotion but also shows his confidence in Nigar, which she will definitely reach where she wishes to be. In this impeccable healthy portrayal of domestic partnership, a retired Johar is able to celebrate his counterpart’s successes and keep the love alive in their relationship, something that should be a bare minimum, but the fact that it’s so absent in our society makes the particular movie dynamic all the more commendable.

As Johar falls sick and is diagnosed with cancer, Nigar stands strong by his side and gives him hope. But God has other plans and Johar, unfortunately, passes away, which shatters Nigar completely. Mahira Khan brings in all her acting prowess to make the scene highly emotional that tugs on our heartstrings and one won’t be able to hold back tears from rolling down their cheeks.

Although Nigar is consistently seen fighting emotional battles, what was missing in the narrative was her personal struggle as an Army Officer. Her fears, weaknesses and strengths, and what brought her where she is today. Viewers were eagerly waiting for the moment where there could be a more consistent connection to her professional journey. At some points, it felt that Aik Hai Nigar is more of a dramatic rendition of her familial life as opposed to an all-rounder biopic that would shed a major lens on her professional life as well. The telefilm seemed to lose track every now and then, ineffective at connecting events and putting in too much heart and not enough soul to deliver a completely balanced view of Nigar’s life.

Following an attack at the GHQ, Nigar expresses her interest to learn shooting because she thinks that her defence line should be strong in case of any attack. Throughout that entire plot line, I felt that the learning process was rushed and doesn’t give audiences much of an in-depth view of the army’s processes or Nigar’s combat journey through it. The sentimental crux of the telefilm is a roller coaster ride of emotions; a back and forth between happiness, success, sadness, and grief. I am tempted to give the director, Adnan Sarwar, benefit of the doubt and chalk the conventionality of the film’s structure as a creative choice.

The calibre and prowess that Lieutenant General Nigar Johar actually possesses remains not up to par in the telefilm’s portrayal which has brought some disappointment to the viewers. On the technical side, there were some scenes where one could not understand dialogues, such as the scene where Mahira is consoling her brother and telling him to stand strong and that he is not alone, the responses of Khushhal Khan were almost inaudible as he murmured his dialogues.

Biopics are seldom made in Pakistan and when one is made, audiences try to connect to the character and delve into their journey of success in order to know them personally. The telefilm had a few drawbacks, and it seemed like the timeline was rushed which inevitably skipped events in Nigar’s life. It seemed that the story was trying to pack titbits of everything but in my opinion, what makes a biopic good is when it has a substantial angle to it. To follow a life’s trajectory in a conventional manner is fine as long as it has an essence.  What felt like a rush job slightly affected the depth of what could have been an even better film. All in all, it was a good watch that had some snags, but to see a representation of the woman we know as Lt. Nigar Johar was a truly inspiring sight to behold and it made for an even better viewing experience with the talent Mahira Khan and Bilal Ashraf bring to the table.