I Watched The First Episode Of The New Show Alif Allah Aur Insaan So You Don't Have To

By Iman Zia | 28 Apr, 2017

The new show Alif Allah Aur Insaan premiered on the April 25, with a stellar cast of Mikaal Zulfiqar, Imran Ashraf, Ushna Shah, Kubra Khan, Osman Peerzada, Shezad Sheikh, Sana Fakkhar among others.

 

I was already excited about it because of my undying adoration for Mikaal and my love for Imran Ashraf (this guy seriously needs some more recognition).

mikaal-alif-allah-insan
Source: Ufone / YouTube

The story would also see one of the protagonists as a hijra, much to my delight. We need to seriously talk about hijras more because they’re the most alienated, most mocked and most neglected members of our society. They deserve a voice and the arts I personally feel are the most emphatic platform to bring about awareness.

 

It was touted as the next big watch since it was apparently coming from the makers of Udaari and claimed to have the same social message wala angle.

The serial is based on the novel of the same name by Qaisra Hayat. Promos of the drama began surfacing on social media and what struck me was the arc around so many different classes all entwined together, from hijras to beggars to the richie rich of society.

 

As someone who feels very strongly that hijras be given a voice in society, nothing enthralled me more than a drama that would bring them to the center.

So Ushna plays Rani, a beggar struggling to make ends meet with her dictatorial father who will only give her food and shelter if she brings home ample collected money. I was really surprised by Ushna’s performance. She really strips down for this role, and is hardly recognizable as Rani – it’s a far cry from her usual roles exuding glitz and glamour.

ushna-shah-alif-allah
Source: Hum Network Limited

She befriend Shammo, who’s a transgender woman, embodied by the hypnotic Imran Ashraf. Rani comes to the rescue of Shammo while she’s being teased by some men and Shammo is overwhelmed by such kindness and instantly falls for her. Shammo ardently wishes to thank Rani the next day with a chocolate bar but things don’t end well when Rani tells her what she’s against what hijrahs do for a living because it isn’t a respectable profession.

 

The potential love story between a transgender person and their feelings for a woman, as opposed to the conventional idea of them falling for a man, is the most exciting story I’m looking forward to in this show

I’m really excited to see more of them together on screen in later episodes. I applaud this drama for weaving in such an interesting relationship that other dramas would definitely have shied away from.

 

I also loved Shehzad Sheikh, who plays budding artist Laal, a boy from a humble family who is ushered back home by his father for the grand wedding of a rich family. It’s Malik Saab’s daughter’s wedding, and this event is basically the pinnacle of the episode where all protagonists (minus Rani) coalesce. At the wedding, there’s the bride’s sister, Nazneen, played by Kubra Khan who’s rich, spoilt and incredibly arrogant.

Nazneen and Laal have grown up together, and a comfortable space between the two is instantly obvious. Laal’s father works for Nazneen’s father, and during the hustle and bustle of wedding preparations at the Malik residence, a potential budding romance could start brewing between the two.

 

My favorite dialogue in the whole episode is one spoken by Shammo, the hijra, fter she’s been insulted by Nazneen

“lekin hum tho khokle hain na baaji. na bhalaa kya bighara hum ne Allah ka. Jo…jism bhi nazuk, uss mein dil bhi nazuk rakh diya, kyun kya bighara?”

 

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much of Mikaal, who plays reserved Shahzeb, an eligible bachelor and close friend of the groom.

Apparently there seems to be a possible love story between him and Kubra Khan’s character, Nazneen, about which I’m honestly not so happy about because I HATE THAT CHARACTER and also because Mikaal is my bae.

Eitherway, I’m so pumped about the rest of the show.

 

So there’s that. Episode one done. I still can’t get over Imran Asrhaf playing Shammo.

If there’s one reason why you should give this show a try, it’s because of Imran Ashraf’s amazing performance. He sets the screen ablaze with the warmth oozing out of Shammo with a softness that is both alluring and heartbreaking.

imran-alif-allah
Source: Hum Network Limited

The drama is off to a solid start, with exhilarating angles and arcs that could really catapult this drama to become the next Udaari. Fingers crossed!

 


Cover image via: dramaindustry.pk

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