“Hani mein jaa raha hoon, mujhey rokh lo…”
‘Shayyad,’ starring Uzair Jaswal, Sadia Khan, and Noman Ejaz is a rivetting new show. Trying to find one aspect of what was the most enthralling part of the drama is tough because everything about the first episode was exquisite. From the nostalgic background score (there were moments I felt plunged into ‘Dastaan’) to the softness of both Hania and Saad as protagonists and the melancholic narration that brushed off a fairy tale-esque reverence.
The drama tells the tale of Hani (Sadia), an orphan who is taken in by an incredibly affluent family with one son, and laadla Saad (Uzair)
Hani was taken in when she was only a child, and over time grew very close to Saad. The episode begins with a lovely little montage of the two becoming fond of one another as they play games in the stunning family haveli.
Saad is in love with Hani and is never one to shy away from expressing to her how he feels
We notice Hani treat Saad rather like a child – yes, she adores him, but instances, where she’s packing his clothes for him or ordering him to sleep on time, give her an authoritative demeanor over him (and she also reminds him at one point that he might be five inches taller, but she’s five years older).
The scenes are aesthetically wonderful
The aesthetics are soft and warm, in particular, the moments between Hania and Saad (a breathtakingly sunny scene as Saad watches Hani read Fajr); and couple such a fuzziness with a dreamlike nostalgic Bollywood score tingling your ears as our protagonists give their dialogues – well then you really have something quite magical. Good music really does wonders – and the cinematic feel you’re given in this episode is delightful.
The raspy narration that poetically describes Hani and Saad ever so often is such a breath of fresh air, and so unlike most telly tales these days
It’s captivating really, as the narration dawns over the very first scene and comes and goes in the more deep-felt parts of the episode. Hani already is a character we can admire, adore and respect; she seems fearless, she is kind and humble. Saad too is charming as he wears his heart loosely on his sleeve.
The direction is splendid, and at one point you’ll see a split-screen that mirrors both Hania and Saad as they speak over the phone for the first time after Saad leaves
They have never been apart, and this little split-screen is really wonderful; it invokes so much emotion and it’s so unexpected! Their parallel movement is deliberately done to depict their incredibly sturdy bond – they’re a part of one another.
Favorite scene? Well it’s hard to pick in this case – it could be Saad looking up to Hani’s window as he departs (to find it empty), or the beautiful fajr moment between the two
…And these are just a few of the many, many moving scenes that unfolded throughout the episode. With regards to Hani not seeing off Saad – well, it was too difficult for her; she couldn’t face the only friend she had ever made leave her.
It is gently and tenderly paced, with no shocking bump in the road nor a startling revelation as most stories try and unfortunately shove in from the very first episode
The slowness is grand in the first episode of ‘Shayyad.’ It dispenses time to really inhale all the characters and makes us understand both Hani and Saad in a profound manner. The smooth transition from both protagonists’ childhood together to their tender little moment in the grand haveli gardens is all brilliantly done – nothing told too fast nor too slow.
The OST is magnificent too, have a listen below:
Have you seen the first episode? What did you think of it?