Saaya 2: The Good, The Bad, and The Horror

The drama contains mystery, revolves around murders, and of course, includes demons

The horror genre in Pakistan is a form of entertainment that has progressed the least over the years. Worldwide, horror movies and sinister TV shows are released frequently in the entertainment industry, garnering immense fan following and turning into massive franchises that appeal to viewers of all ages.

Our local entertainment industry doesn’t churn out horror content that is at par with the matter produced by the West. But one thing is for sure: the Pakistani audience manifests the same viewing behaviour when it comes to scary movies as the audiences globally.

What makes us say so?

The popularity of the currently on-air Saaya 2 has made us conclude that despite mediocre special effects, drama-buffs can still enjoy a good, dramatic tale if it contains mystery, revolves around murders, and of course, includes demons.

A sequel to Saaya- a horror drama released in 2018, this coming-of-age tale is based on its prequel’s generation that grows up in the story and faces paranormal activity in their lives.

Saaya 1 was directed by Syed Muhammad Khurram, produced by Babar Javed, and written by Wajeeha Sahar. The writer has continued penning the story in succession; however, Sami Sani has donned the director’s cap this time round.

A few characters from the past have resurfaced in Saaya 2, including the dead mother, Sauleha, essayed by Mahim Aamir, the father, Rashid, portrayed by Sohail Sameer, and Shams, played by Salim Meraj. The new cast features Mashal Khan, Momina Iqbal, Saleem Meraj, Danial Afzal Khan, and Naveed Raza in pivotal roles.

The drama builds upon the story of Rashid and Sauleha’s children and how their lives get entangled in paranormal activities and supernatural incidents.

A very Twilightesque love story

We all remember how Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga created a massive stir with its vampire-human love story. When the movies were released, based on the books, they became an instant hit because the vampire, Edward Cullen, was depicted as a handsome, dreamy character instead of a hideous demon. Edward Cullen was essayed by the heart-throb Robert Pattinson. The Twilight fans couldn’t get enough of the fantasy romance that Twilight Saga created. Saaya 2 follows the same path, portraying a forbidden love relationship between a demonic spirit and a human.

Like Edward, our Jinn is handsome too and is called Feroze. The role is essayed by the dashing Daniyal Afzal Khan. Donning contact lenses, sporting spiky hair, and flaunting a chiseled jawline with well-maintained stubble and raspy voice, our hero jinn knows how to converse in English. He also wears hoodies and likes to eat spaghetti on a dinner date.

The stunning lady he attaches himself to is Laila (aka Pinky), portrayed by Mashal Khan. The complicated affair begins when she stops near a wild jungle with her father, Rashid, and her younger sister, Guriya (Momina Iqbal). Laila spots a beautiful rose under a rickety old barren tree and gets lost in its beauty. Little does she know that it would change her life as the tree was Feroze’s abode.

From thereon, their sweet and strange encounters begin. Pinky gets enchanted by his mystical aura and cryptic conversations. He pops up everywhere she goes, romances her in dreams, and even invites her to have dinner with him. He does it all to sway her. As the plot progresses, she eventually realises his reality. But does she stop romanticising him as any sane human would? Of course not.

There has to be a twist in their love story, right? In this case, it is an exorcist, Talal, essayed by Naveed Raza. Visually impaired, always dressed in white, and seems to have survived a near-death experience, Talal is an Oracle, who is trying his best to ensure that Feroze returns to his world. He recites verses and performs rituals that eventually send Feroze away from the human world. But for how long? Fans, who have gotten mesmerised by the good-looking Jinn, are waiting for the demon to return to the story.

There is one more spirit that is haunting Rashid’s daughters and attacking people who have wronged them. A series of murders make the story more sinister. Sauleha’s ghost (the mother) has broken free after Shams captured her in the first season. She is wreaking havoc in everyone’s life. Her soul’s return has also marked the return of Shams- the exorcist to the story. He, along with Talal, is fighting to send all the supernatural forces back to where they belong.

Other than a horror subplot, the story features a cliched storyline of cousin marriages, love triangles, some toxic masculinity, and rivalry between relatives that leads to a gruesome murder.

Strength of Saaya 2- A cast working its magic

Saaya 2 has a wide array of characters- each has a substantial role to play. For this reason, we see an unconventional casting coup in the drama that unitedly has worked together to make the story gripping for its fans.

Mashal Khan splendidly portrays Pinky – as a woman lost in love and a human possessed by a Jinn. Danial Afzal Khan has grown his following by manifolds with his frightening, dreamboat of an avatar. YouTube comments under the drama’s episode reveal how the audience cannot get enough of his character.

Meanwhile, Naveed Raza steals the spotlight as a blind conjurer. It is challenging to portray a visually impaired character in a horror show. The actor has done justice to his role, ensuring he appears mystical and powerful while serving some modern-day exorcist looks.

Salim Meraj never fails to disappoint; his return to the sequel as Shams has worked like a charm for the story. He played a crucial role in the first part and has made his presence in Saaya 2 all the more significant.

Perhaps the only improvements Saaya 2 needs are raising the special effects game along with working on FX prosthesis and makeup of characters. Jenaan Hussain’s makeover as Neelofar, the witch, seems straight out of a school play. The set design in some scenes looks puerile. The background music could be more ominous like that in Neeli Zinda Hai. These shortcomings pertain to most horror projects in Pakistan, making us realise that this genre needs to improve and thrive in the industry. After all, a large chunk of the audience is inclined towards watching thrillers and exploring the eerie, scary world.