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MY VIEW : TERI MERI KAHANIYAN




 

Teri meri Kahaniyaan..... a conceptual film with three different stories tied in one film. Considering the short focus span of viewers TMK was a novel idea to show different flavors on celluloid.
The first story " Jinn Mahal" directed by Nabeel Qureshi is the longest in the film. The story gives a humorous take on Covid 19 days and how badly it affected the daily wage workers, who struggled to survive during lockdown . Director Nabeel in his massy style adds humor and sarcasm to the socio economic disparity in Karachi where many family's struggle to make ends meet. With Hira mani and her hubby in the lead roles playing a husband and wife on screen too with children, a sister in law and mom in law who are homeless during lockdown. They take shelter in a old house which is believed to be haunted. The story takes score on the builder mafia in Karachi and the nosy, not so posh neighborhood of this city. Not to give any spoilers, Hira is a natural when it comes to acting but can her husband actually act remains a question mark ???? till the end. The rest of the cast added good humor to the story in their non glamorous local linguistic jokes and actions. However, the length of the story which was till intermission could be revised. All in all the "tapori" flavors of a Nabeel Qureshi film could be enjoyed by the viewers.
The second story was Directed by Marina Khan and Written by Vasy Chaudri called " Passori" (no the song was not part of the film). This was an extention of the " Barat series" (Dolly Anne ki ayegie Barat) with no nuance, or storyline. The fact that TV actors cant act in films was too evident in the scenes. The only takeaway were the designer dresses, rich mansions and makeup to perfection. However, the moral of the story or the lack of it was lost in the struggling dance steps of Ramsha and off comic timings of the rest of the cast. It seemed like watching a long wedding sequence on screen. Made me toss and turn in my seat and check my wrist watch and phone a few times hoping that the time would pass.
Saving the best for the last ..... holds so true for the last story in the film " Ek saw taeeseswan or 123" written by the much controversial Khalil ul Rehman Qamar and directed by Nadeem Baig. The story had a huge ensemble cast with short but very meaningful roles. The powerful cast had the nations new heartthrob WahaajAli, Zahid Ahmed , Amna Ilyas and the show stopper Mehwish Hayat along with Khalid Anum and Arjumand Raheem.


The story sets in a train cabin where the passengers meet and share their stories with each other. Mehwish and Wahaj the two passengers, on surface seemed to be attracted towards each other at first but as the story unfolds, the different shades of human emotions were unraveled peice by piece. Khalil ur Rehman no matter how controversial knows how to grip the audience with his deep symbolic dialogues and method story telling. "EK saw taeesewan" was a beautiful saga of the sancitity of marriage and the menace of infidelity. It calls out the evil as evil and doesnot wrap it in the glossy veneer of empathy or pity. The fact that it calls the other woman in such a relations as " girry huwi - shallow. It also calls out the men who commit such acts as " Girri huwi key pairoon mey - shallower than the shallow ". It doesn't give a free ticket by saying boys will be boys but calls a spade a spade. The best part of the story was the strong character of Mehwish Hayat - the wife of an infidel husband who shows strength and grace. She is not seen crying or asking for sympathy. But the message that " 123" gives is that 'two wrongs donot make a right'. If one partner is committing infidelity in a marriage it doesnot give the other the right to follow the same. ◇Dont stoop to that level◇ was highlighted beautifully by Mehwish Hayats bold acting and tonal precision where the scenes were directed with measured equanimity. Zahid's acting of the guilty husband made me rethink if TV actors could act in films. Yes I take my words back, they can , provided a good script and direction. Whereas Amna Ilyas plays a strong 'other woman' who is unapologetic of her actions. Wahaaj seemed a bit overshadowed in front of Mehwish Hayat who carried her persona with the right amount of sensuality. She was a mix of saint & seductress all in one. " 123" was a story of wisdom in a marriage from a different angle. A story of a secure and powerful wife who doesn't curse, cry/scream or plays the victim. Its a story of wisdom in holding the relationship and not giving up. The most unique aspect of the story was despite knowing the truth she "doesn't" confront her husbands about his affairs, letting him drown in his own guilty conscious. The crisp 35 min made me glued to my seat and I didn't check my phone once is evidence enough that the story was gripping. The message was spilled out beautifully in every scene of the story and Mehwish Hayats effortless acting made me think there is a reason she won the Sitara imtiaz despite the trolling from many. The sensitive topic was dealt with precision and responsibility by the writer and director.

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