“Alif Allah Aur Insaan” Might Have Dragged On FOREVER, But I Ended Up Learning A Lot From It

By Iman Zia | 26 Feb, 2018

‘Alif Allah Aur Insaan’ came to an end after an excruciating 43 episodes…yes, 43 long, long episodes with a painfully dragging plotline that at most felt tantamount to a thousand daggers slowly carving away your insides. It’s really quite disappointing, considering the drama started off fantastically well as it keyed in on themes such as Sufism and undertones of karma and unrequited love. ‘Alif Allah Aur Insaan’ strung itself around a simple moral; what goes around comes around.

 

I treasured ‘Alif Allah Aur Insaan’ for its realness, and its really aching depiction of humans just trying to survive. That’s why I stood by it for the most part, even though it dragged intolerably – I felt drawn to every character because of their flaws and their shortcomings. They loved so dearly, so tenderly and were shattered countless of times, leaving them all fragile and incredibly vulnerable.

 

Source: MD Productions

 

Shammo had the greatest progression in character. As a transgender, he always spoke out against prejudices hurled his way, however often broke down at times; there’s only so much one can take. Shammo left the days of singing and dancing behind and worked his way up the hairdressing ladder after the woman he loves (beggar Rani) urged him to pursue something more ‘respectable.’ She saved him a day before when he’s manhandled by some ghunday – and it’s love at first sight for Shammo. He always stayed true to who he was, and despite being hurt tremendously so, he plowed through. Fate and destiny aren’t done with Shammo, and lead him back to Rani years later, this time as her savior time and time again. He never gave up on her, unfailingly becoming her backbone as karma seemed to have a tiff with her.

 

Source: MD Productions

 

Rani was one of them rebels, defying fortune and not learning from her frivolous mistakes. Karma exists people, and Rani’s struggles and untimely demise show it. Rani would often curse the heavens above, praying for a life very different, filled with glamor and prosperity. Despite red flags bearing at every corner, Rani still vowed to pursue her dream of heading the brothel house she was taken into as a beggar. Long story short, she poisoned her begum (Nigar begum) after being treated ruthlessly as a servant instead of bolting when given a chance to run. A ghost of her begum warned her that her life will be far from pleasant, and honestly, Rani’s life was an epidemic of hurdles from there on, yet the 0nly reason she was significantly given more opportunities to amend her mishaps is that she saw Shammo as a human (during her begging days) at a time no one else did; her kindness was beautiful, and it’s conclusively what kept her from drowning.

 

Source: MD Productions

 

Shahzeb taught me something very important – a few things actually. One, you can’t force someone to love you. If they don’t love you, there’s a probable chance they won’t ever. Two, if something isn’t meant to be, don’t dwell on it to the point of insanity. And three, accept what is meant to be, and what isn’t. Shahzeb loved Nazneen, but she just didn’t reciprocate his ardent feelings – and it wasn’t her fault. Karma was there in his story too – in a visit to Nigar begum’s brothel before meeting Nazneen, he rejected Nigar begum, insulting her and insinuating it’s an insult to love someone of her ‘occupation.’ Nigar begum cursed him and threatened that he’s going to soon have his heart broken.

 

Source: MD Productions

 

He later incessantly blamed God for why Nazneen didn’t love him, settling into a love-hate relationship with the Divinity. His nonsensical compass lacked maturity as he continued his shallow journey of fake redemption by building a masjid. At one point, when about to beat someone to death, a cry to stop from his victim in the name of God prompted him to stop. We see this in the fetal stages of Shahzeb’s relationship develop into a more unfeigned sort, with the aid of his guide baba ji to ward off any ill intentions he might hold. His eventual succession after baba ji’s demise was inevitable; his accession is his swan song.

 

Source: MD Productions

 

Nazneen was the spoilt little brat who is the epitome of selfishness. If you remember, right in the beginning of the drama Nazneen mocked Shammo, only to be punished there and then as he raised his hands and prayed a plight of bad fortune fall her way. Her character remains caught in a vicious cycle of failed marriages and severity in all aspects of her life. She never learned, insisted on being unkind, and still wondered why she’s tormented with bad luck. The moral is pretty clear in Nazneen’s case; don’t be a stingy little terror, and you might just get life on your side.

 

Source: MD Productions

 

If we decipher the title ‘Alif Allah Aur Insaan’ it stands as ornamental to all the protagonists’ stories; there is one Supreme, only one (Alif) and then there are we, as humans or insaan. We are defective, helpless and mortal – and it’s these very traits that ‘Alif Allah Aur Insaan’ placed up on a pedestal to glorify the paramount importance of our imperfections.

 

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