Some characters just stay with you. They latch on with incredible intensity, imprinting their hands into your soul for years to come. That’s just how it is with some; their words and their demeanor (both their shortcomings and wonderfulness) resonate with everyone, transcending all generation and time. Few characters win us over, and when they do, we become immersed in their lives and ponder our own existence as we parallel their every move. We fall hard for them as their world becomes our own. While many characters have filled up our voids, one such character deserves special mention too; Mumtaz from ‘O Rungreza’ played by the splendid Irsa Ghazal.

Mumtaz is the voiceless, neglected wife living in her distant husband’s shadow, with nowhere to run and no escape

Khayyam is a viciously cruel man, who openly pursues another woman in front of Mumtaz. A self-acclaimed poet, Khayyam (played by the versatile Noman Ejaz) spends his days writing snippets of poetry and scripts for actress Sonia Jahan. His love is unrequited, with karma poisoning him wonderfully so after all that he subjects Mumtaz to. His audacity really has no bounds as he often invites Sonia to his home, ordering Mumtaz to make tea for them both while he serenades Sonia with his poetry in his bedroom. It’s awful, it’s unbelievable but then again these stories do stem from reality.

Mumtaz has been left destitute, fumbling over a broken marriage as she tries her best to keep together her crumbling home

Khayyam makes no attempt to make amends with Mumtaz, instead, treating her terribly so and alienating her on a daily basis. He has no care for her, and it’s heartbreaking. Mumtaz is internally destroyed; it’s evident in her lifeless nature, but also in the way she goes to lengths to still please Khayyam.

She is left destitute and cannot leave…where would she go? She is bound to her husband and in such a belittling society she cannot walk out

Her weariness drips off her face, and her dialogues trickle in pain. At one point, she lashes out at Khayyam, begging him to absorb her emotions, yet he laughs it off. It’s aching to watch her. Irsa Ghazal’s role as the voiceless Mumtaz mustn’t be shrugged off – it is society that has failed Mumtaz.

Her own daughter, Sassi is the embodiment of Khayyam in all entirety – cold, heartless and stubborn

Sassi thrills in emulating her father’s ways. While he is very open about his love for Sonia, Sassi only spurs him on with her preposterous support, much to the shock of Mumtaz. She tries to tame Sassi but it never works, and only pushes Sassi further away. Khayyam verbally abuses Mumtaz uncomfortably often, as does Sassi.

We mustn’t dismiss Mumtaz as spineless, for it takes tremendous courage to put up with such pain and to allow it to seep into your bones

She still wants best for Sassi, despite being mocked and humiliated utterly so. She is a mother first and foremost as much as she is an abiding wife. Remember her circumstances – she cannot run. She still functions and does not feel pity for herself – a courageous lesson for all of us whose wirings frizzle out at the slightest obstacles we might face.

Mumtaz’s comfort is within her kind and incredibly warm nephew Qasim, who is the only household member to respect her

He’s the only one who treats her how we would all want to be treated; with kindness and as a human who feels, really. Softness is the grandest of traits, for it allows you to feel things on a far more profound level.

Standing ovation must be given to Irsa Ghazal, who shines beyond comparison

My goodness, Irsa Ghazal has truly given us a slice of just how breathtaking she is as an actress. Her presence breathes awe, and as a viewer, you can’t help wonder how she does it – how does she stay so contained, yet at the same time display a seemingly infinite amount of expressions? Her role on ‘O Rungreza’ is the only thing keeping this sinking ship afloat as she catalyzes the strength of the entire show along with fellow cast members Noman Ejaz, Sajal Ali and Bilal Abbas Khan. This drama showcases some of the most impressive performances in decades within the realm of Pakistani television, really – with Irsa leading the way.

Have you seen ‘O Rungreza’? What do you think about Irsa’s role?