atching Zindagi Gulzar Hai once again and reliving the journey of Zaroon and Kashaf was a treat. Rarely does yours truly have the energy or the patience to watch old plays. This was one of those rare ones.

Of course, Fawad Khan is a sight for sore eyes always but the cherry on the cake was his on-sscreen chemistry with Kashaf, played by the very versatile and enormously talented Sanam Saeed. Ably supported by a stellar supporting cast including the likes of Javed Sheikh and Samina Peerzada, this play deeply resonated with me.

Fawad Khan, as Zaroon, shot to stardom with the huge success of initially Humsafar and then, Zindagi Gulzar Hai. His on-screen chemistry with Mahira Khan and then Sanam Saeed set the screen on fire. His charm and good looks, besides the superb acting, were the icing on the cake. These also landed him a film across the border. The rest, as they say, is history.

This television production was a trailblazer in the sense that it raised the bar as far as the script, acting and dialogues were concerned. Kashaf, as a lower middle class girl from an all-female household who harboured a grudge against the world and went around with a chip on her shoulder, was perfect. Her diary was her confidante and her safe haven when life became impossible to handle and too much for her to bear.

When she secured admission, on merit, in a reputable but elitist institution, she met Zaroon who hailed from an extremely wealthy background and was quite the heartthrob. The play traced their academic and professional journey which culminated in marriage.

Kashaf’s transformation from an extremely cynical person who abhorred men and viewed herself as a victim to an independent and self-assured woman who eventually fell in love and learnt to adopt an attitude of gratitude in life was expertly portrayed.

A number of social issues were touched upon in this drama. Of course, the most glaring one was how women are treated as second-class citizens. The class divide between Kashaf and Zaroon was also effectively captured. Both of them entered the arrangement with emotional baggage. Like all couples, they faced a number of adjustment problems. Eventually, with patience, they managed to overcome all of those.

Verdict: One of the best plays to be aired on television, this deserves another watch. Definitely recommended.

Samina Peerzada was extremely effective as Kashaf’s mother, fighting on a number of fronts. Her husband, portrayed by Waseem Asghar, had remarried for a son. He offered no monetary, emotional or moral support. Her three daughters had grown up feeling unloved and unwanted. This had long-term repercussions; Kashaf, as the firstborn, bore the full brunt of it. She resented her father’s constant interference in household matters and her mother’s emotional dependence on him. She and her father were constantly at daggers drawn.

The plot was realistic and captured the dynamics of a lower middle class household very well. The scene where Zaroon’s mother voiced her apprehension about Kashaf possibly helping out her family financially with his money struck a chord on so many levels. She overheard her and understandably felt humiliated. This scene was a stark reminder of the class divide that existed between the two families and how it manifested on various occasions.

Sanam and Fawad both looked good and acted well. Both took to their roles like fish to water and were aided by an excellent supporting cast that elevated the bar even further.

Zindagi Gulzar Hai promised a hat-kay [different from the routine] love story. In the process, it exposed a number of bitter and harsh social realities, proving that not every love story has to have a conventional beginning or a predictable ending. Romance does not end with marriage; in fact, for some people, it is the beginning of a lifelong love affair.

The direction, acting, dialogues and the screenplay raised the bar for television productions. This play also shattered quite a few barriers and among other things was a lesson in female empowerment. It touched on a number of social issues that plague our society and, therefore, struck a chord with most viewers. It also steered Fawad’s career in a new direction.

Yours truly thoroughly enjoyed watching it and would recommend it time and again for all these reasons. If you want to sink your teeth into a solid script with engaging dialogues, an effective screenplay and excellent acting, then Zindagi Gulzar Hai checks all the boxes.

Verdict: One of the best plays to be aired on television, this deserves another watch. Definitely recommended.

The writer is an educationist. She can be reached at gaiteeara@hotmail.com