Set against the picturesque backdrop of Kashmir and its political turbulence, Haq Se is the story of the Mirza family, their journey in search of love, and their quest for happiness and fulfillment.
Note: The second half of season 1 begins with episode 12 and ends with episode 20 (released on April 6, 2018).
TRIGGER WARNING: This recap contains information/references to sexual abuse, assault and violence that could be triggering to survivors.
Banno, Last Journey
→ The final episode opens with Rabiyah at the hospital morgue. She's with Jannat, walking towards her daughter's dead body. Hands trembling, she lifts the white sheet off the corpse to reveal Banno's bruised face.
💔 Her face looks so tranquil, like she’s at peace. And yet, the wounds on her face tell a very different story.
Banno was the most optimistic, selfless, kindest of them all. The Mirza family survived avalanches, wars, militancy, sexual assault, terrorists threats. But they couldn't survive Kashmir.
→ Rabiyah cups her dead daughter's face, and in a muffled voice bids her goodbye, "Alvida, mere bachche."
→ Just then Meher bursts into the morgue in a state of panic.
Looks like Azi and Ghulam saab somehow found Meher and broke the news to her.
→ Meher is so stunned to see Banno in a lifeless state, she lets out a visceral scream and breaks down.
I cannot imagine how Meher's processing this! She's had such a traumatic week. The rape, followed by her fallout with Naushad, the public disclosure of every private detail of her life and now this. Just awful!
→ Tears streaming down her face, Meher hugs Banno's body one last time.
Jannat, Disenchanted
→ Outside the morgue, Azi reassures Jannat that he'll take care of all the arrangements for the funeral. He also promises to find Amal's whereabouts!
Damn. Amal has no idea about Banno. Infact, she doesn't even know about the Meher-Naushad showdown. Amal is completely oblivious to all the tumult her family's been through in the few hours since she left.
IDK if I admire Amal's bravery, or judge her for her selfishness.
→ Jannat deadpans and asks him if any of it matters? Does it really matter if Amal's safe? Isn't she, like Banno, eventually going to fall prey to Kashmir's police state? "Ek na ek din mar hi jayegi na? Hum sabki tarah?"
→ Azi looks rather alarmed at Jannat's comment and her apparent sense of hopelessness.
Jannat has lost her conviction, her fervent belief in righting wrongs.
She grew up believing that her journalism could shine a light on Kashmir's problems. She believed that things would change. But Banno's death has shaken her faith in Kashmir's goodness.
→ Frustrated she turns around and slaps Azi. She demands answers from him. How could he let her go all alone? Why did he help Banno make this solitary trip to Delhi? Why?
Uggh. Jannat blames Azi for this tragedy. She believes that as Banno's manager, he'd have known her plans and whereabouts. And yet he failed to act.
→ Desperate, between sobs, Azi keeps repeating, "Main nahi jaanta tha. Mujhe nahi pata tha."
→ "Toh kissi ki galti nahi hai? Yunhi riots hote rahenge? Yunhi log marte rahenge? Mujhe jawab chahiye, Azi."
→ Azi has no answers.
→ Jannat argues that their lives, their fight for Kashmir.....it's all futile. They don't matter to the government, to the armed forces or even the separatist groups. Caught in politics, violence and militancy, the people of Kashmir remain forgotten.
→ "Hum jee nahi rahe hain. Hum maut ka intzaar kar rahe hain."
Sitting ducks. Apt analogy.
→ "Azi, yeh ghar nahi ho sakta. Yeh murdon ki basti hai."
My heart! It's the same Jannat who promised to stay in Kashmir and fight its fight and change Kashmir's fate through her journalism. How broken, how lost she seems.
→ "I hate this place." Jannat walks out of the hospital.
→ She wanders around the streets of Kashmir looking depressed and desolate.
Ok, this is dangerous. There's a curfew in place, and Jannat seems to be tempting fate here. It almost feels like she's on some kind of suicide mission.
→ Jannat slowly approaches a military checkpoint. She spots men in army uniforms, their guns loaded. With indifference, she walks towards the armed men.
She's given up. She doesn't care if she gets shot or killed by these men. She wants out and if that means death, so be it.
→ The men scream warnings at her, asking her to stand still.
→ Jannat ignores them and keeps walking.
Jannat, what are you doing? Your poor mother can't handle another loss. Think about her!
→ She eventually comes to a standstill. And like a suicide bomber, she closes her eyes and raises her arms to the sky.
Good lord, what is she doing!
→ An Indian army officer is about to charge at her with a rifle. Just then, he notices a ministerial vehicle with red beacon lights approaching them.
→ Fortunately, it's Azi! He rushes out of the car towards Jannat and drags her to safety.
Amal, Wheels Up
→ When Azi and Jannat return home, Fatima khala hands a phone to Jannat. The phone has a recorded voicemail from Amal.
→ Amal tells her family that she's headed to Mumbai to become the next Kareena Kapoor. And that she's grown up, can take care of herself and only wishes for their forgiveness.
SMH.
→ We then see Amal getting off a plane in Mumbai. Confused, she asks her fellow passengers if they know here "Mannat" is.
LMAO so she was planning to stay at Shah Rukh Khan's house? OK.
→ Surprisingly, Raghu is on the same flight as Amal. And he immediately recognizes her annoying voice.
→ "Kya kar rahi ho yahaan? Kiske saath aayi ho? Ghar pe kissi ko pata hai ki nahi?" Raghu asks.
→ Amal truthfully answers in the negative.
→ Irritated and aggravated, Raghu ridicules her immaturity. How could she relocate her entire life without giving it a second thought, he asks?
→ Amal retorts, if a journalist like Raghu can wander into Kashmir for a documentary, why can't she do the same to pursue her dreams?
→ Raghu's stumped at her daftness. Grudgingly he tells her to accompany him to his place.
He offers to take care of her till she makes other arrangements.
Well, he's a nice guy. Considering what Amal did to him, it's commendable he's even talking to him.
→ "You're very lucky ki Jannat tumhari behen hai."
He's helping her out because he cares about Jannat?
What a weird ending to this Jannat-Raghu-Amal saga. Jannat and Raghu are barely on talking terms, but Amal ends up being Raghu's new roommate? Who'd have thought?
Meher & Naushad, Broken Open
→ We flash forward to Banno's funeral. Azi lowers her body into the grave, places her beloved saaz next to her and performs his final prayers.
→ Naushad, Ghulam saab and the Mirza ladies also say their final goodbyes.
What a tragedy. I am gutted. Also, Mr. Mirza isn't at the funeral. He didn't even get to say goodbye!
→ After the burial, Meher finds some solitude by the river. Her face is expressionless, tear-stained and her gaze listless. Naushad approaches her from behind and offers his sympathies, "I am sorry, Meher."
Aah, I am so conflicted about Naushad. His handling of the Irfan-rape situation was abysmal and disappointing. And the man deserved to be humiliated and reproached.
But for him to come to the funeral despite that? I think his concern for Meher is genuine. But years of patriarchal conditioning and bitter personal experiences have flawed him.
→ Without acknowledging his commiserations, she pointedly tells him that she's going to be resigning from the internship right away.
→ Naushad doesn't respond to Meher's comment. Pursing his lips, he sits next to Meher (their backs facing eachother).
→ "Main samajh sakta hoon...." he begins.
→ Meher shakes her head and retorts, "Meri behen ke maiyyat pe mujhe jhooti tasalli mat dijiye. Aap kuch nahi samajhte"
I think this relationship is beyond repair. I can't see these two even be acquaintances anymore.
→ She tells him that if he couldn't trust her word, believe her rape charge, then he doesn't understand anything about her.
Understandable. If Naushad doesn't have her back here, is his friendship/companionship even real?
→ "Aapke liye woh beshak aapke behen ke shauhar hain. Par mere liye, woh hamesha ek rapist rahenge." Meher spits out.
→ Naushad's face blanches at the mention of the word "rapist." He looks really traumatized at being reminded about it.
Can you imagine how traumatized Meher feels, Naushad? When the mere mention of the word torments you?
→ "Humaara affair hona ya unka shaadi shuda hona iss baat par parda nahi daalta ki I DID SAY'NO.'"
YAAAS.
It doesn't matter what kind of consensual relationship these two had years ago. It doesn't matter if she got involved with a married man. None of that changes what happened at the guest house.
Meher explicitly said no, and Irfan violated her consent. Their history, the nature of their relationship are immaterial to this fact.
→ "I SAID NO. Agar aap mujhe raddi bhar bhi jaante, toh aap samajhte ke main itna ghinona jhooth nahi bol sakti.
Through all this, Naushad is silent. You can tell from the expression on his face that he's really uncomfortable, conflicted, worried and apologetic. But he can't seem to articulate any of that.
→ Eventually he says, "Hum dost hain Meher. Agar yeh sach that toh tumne kuch bataya kyun nahi?"
→ Incredulously, Meher asks, "Agar??"
Uggh. Naushad still doesn't believe Meher. I can't!
→ He persists that if she'd told him, logged a legal/criminal complaint, she'd have gotten the opportunity to prosecute her offender. Without proof, an investigation, it's all hearsay (in Naushad's opinion). "Aap sabke saamne jhoothi nahi lagti."
Naushad deserves a smack.
With the system, society, work environment stacked against women, how are they to take on another fight ? Especially after such trauma?
Forget going to court and getting justice, Meher couldn't even get a night off from the hospital after the rape. She didn't even feel safe enough to go see a doctor about the assault. She was worried sick about buying contraception FFS.
When even the most basic resources aren’t available to survivors, how are they to take on the legal system and its bureaucracy?
→ Naushad argues that during his divorce proceedings when his wife accused him of domestic abuse, he took her to court and cleared his name. And in return for fighting for justice, he got full custody of his daughter.
I think Naushad forgets that he's a man and Meher's a woman. And unfortunately, society has different rules and yardsticks for the two.
For example, Meher was raped, and yet it is she who's had to give up her job. What consequences does Irfan have to deal with? None. He still gets the benefit of the doubt.
→ Meher discreetly tells him to fuck off. Justice is the last thing on her mind. She's barely come to terms with her sister's death, she says.
→ Whether he believes her or not, she resolutely tells him, "I was raped."
→ Again, Naushad recoils at the word. "Main kis kis par aetbaar karoon, Meher? Main jaanta hoon ki kissi pe aitbaar karna koi mamooli baat nahi ho sakti.”
So basically Naushad doesn't trust Meher because of what his ex-wife did to him? She cheated on him, so now he doesn't trust any women? Not even those he's in love with??
What a coward.
→ Meher calls Naushad out on his hypocrisy. "Chaubees ghante pehele main aapke liye khaas thi."
She reminds him that he'd proposed to her the night before. He was kind to her because she meant something to him. And now that there's no future for them, he doesn't trust her word?
Feckless.
→ Naushad shakes his head. At a loss for words, he prepares to leave.
Naushad: Aap woh Meher nahi jo maine aapko samjha tha.
Meher: Afsos! Aap wahi Naushad nikle jiska mujhe shaq tha.
→ Naushad walks away, leaving Meher devastated and all alone.
How tragic!
Naushad went from being a bitter, cynical man to being an even more disillusioned man.
Meher too went from grieving over a previous relationship to being even more heartbroken over the one with Naushad.
She lost her sister, her job, her love. She lost everything.
Their stories had so much hope and promise, but alas! Such tortured, unfulfilled endings for both these characters. **Sad Sigh**
The Mirza Family, Reunited
→ In the final scenes of the series, we see Meher back at the Mirza house. She's reminiscing about happier times, when she'd laze around in the garden on early, sunny mornings with Banno.
→ She imagines Banno's happy face, hears her laughter, feels Banno running around her. With tears in her eyes, Meher walks out to the empty garden.
→ As if hoping for a hug from the heavens, she spreads her arms wide thinking of Banno.
→ A man in an army uniform walks up behind her, puts his arms on her shoulder, and hugs her in return.
→ Mr. Mirza is back home!!
→ Jannat and Rabiyah rush to greet him too. They all coalesce in a big, teary, family hug.
→ Jannat’s parting voice over leaves us with a hopeful message:
"Banno kaheen nahi gayi. Uske paigaam Kashmir ke lupt mein hamesha zinda rahenge. Unhe humein poora karna hoga apna dil khol kar, mohabbat baandh kar. Ek baar phir mausam badla hai. Phirse ek naya daur shuru hoga."
Girl I finally hopped on to haq se wagon!! And I am happy and devastated at the same time!! What an ending. But dude never watched a more realistic show. I have been reading your recaps. And they are absolutely brilliant! Kudos.
Girl, I have never been so satisfied AND unfulfilled by a show like I was with Haq Se. The first 10 or so episodes seemed like an easy watch about feminism and free-speech. But they turned the whole thing on its head in the second half! 😱
I’ve watched them a couple of times, and still can’t get over how good, fast-paced and well executed it is. So many interesting plot points, new conflicts to reckon with and incredible performances! The show put all of the main characters through hell and back in the last leg of the season. Being a sucker for drama, it really was satisfying to watch…..till I got to the end. The end felt like getting stuck at the top of a roller coaster! No redemption for these amazing characters? “Resolution” is one of the basics of story telling, right? So, what happened?
Initially, I thought things were going to get resolved in Season 2. But Alt Balaji has officially said that there’s nothing in the works; they’re not planning/working on anything. Maybe the show didn’t do as well as they expected in-terms of online-viewership? It did have some big TV names, a large ensemble and was filmed at outdoor locations; probably cost Balaji a lot of money? And Ekta made a business decision to pull the plug? Very unfortunate because Haq Se was possibly the best web-series out of the ones they have right now! *sad sigh*
For closure, I’d recommend reading the 2nd half of Little Women if you haven’t already. Atleast in the book there’s a sense of finality with Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy and Laurie’s journeys 🙂
Thank you so much for the blog love! Much appreciated 💜
Note: The second half of season 1 begins with episode 12 and ends with episode 20 (released on April 6, 2018).
TRIGGER WARNING: This recap contains information/references to sexual abuse, assault and violence that could be triggering to survivors.
The Mirza Family, Death And All His Friends
→ We open to a scene by the river. Serene and dreary. Through an arial shot, we see a muslim burial in progress.
→ Azi lowers a body, wrapped in green cloth, inside a grave. And nearby, Rabiyah lets out a mournful wail. Jannat and Fatima are trying their best to console her, barely holding back their own tears.
The previous episode ended with Meher taking off into the night after her encounter with Naushad and his sister.
It also looks like Banno and Amal are MIA from the burial. They aren't amongst those mourning.
→ Azi lifts the green chaddar off to reveal body wrapped in white cloth. "Jahaan zindagi hoti thi, wahaan sirf ek suraag hai." Jannat's voice-over tells us.
Clearly, based on their reactions, the body is of one of the three sisters not at the funeral.
→ "Kal raat hum charon saath the. Lekin aaj, sab adhura sa hai." Jannat confirms that their family is no longer the same.
We see Azi perform the burial rites.
→ Naushad's at the burial too. With a somber face, he grabs a handful of soil and pours it on the body.
Is the body Meher's? I don't think so.
I think Naushad'd have a stronger reaction if he were at Meher's funeral.
Also, Naushad's presence at the burial is conflicting to me, considering how things ended between the two families.
→ "Hum sab ne alag-alag raaste chune. Par socha nahi tha ki ek doosre ko alvida bhi nahi keh payenge."
Ugh, this sounds so ominous. A sudden, unexpected death, and the sisters didn't even get to say their final goodbyes.
→"Shayad kismat bhi aaj kaheen mahtam manaa rahi hogi" Jannat says and we flashback to the previous day leading up to this calamitous event.
Amal, Phone A Friend
→ Amal's outside of Raghu's house early the previous morning. She's waiting for him to come out to retrieve his newspaper.
→ When Raghu steps out with his coffee, he spots Amal and with a disgruntled sigh tells her, "Tum please ghar jao."
→ Amal, through tears, apologizes to him again and tells him that she wants to go to Mumbai.
She wants his help to get to the big city because she thinks he has contacts and can hook her up. Is Amal even apologizing earnestly or purely out of her selfishness?
→ Raghu's having none of it.
→ Amal soldiers on. She insists that she wants to move to Mumbai, and she wants to leave Kashmir with Raghu!!
→ Raghu politely tells her to fuck off and shuts the door on her face.
Umm maybe Amal should have behaved professionally with this guy if she wanted to leverage his professional contacts?
Accusing him falsely of sexual assault isn't exactly a great career move.
Amal & Banno, On The Run
→ Meanwhile, the day before the wedding, Banno is at a antique/pawn shop, pawning off her most priced possession i.e. her saaz.
Wow, she needs money.
She must need it for something really important and clandestine. She could easily ask Fatima khala for money, but she's not.
She's obviously upto something stealthy.
→ Banno tells the pawnbroker that she's going to come buy the saaz back form him soon and that he needs to hold on to it.
→ The pawnbroker looks at her apologetically. He doesn't seem as confident as Banno. People don't usually sell their prized belongings at a pawn shop because they're flush with funds, do they? He relents to her request though. He tells her he'll hold the saaz for a month before putting it up for sale.
→ While at the pawnshop, Banno's friend gets a text message. Apparently, someone's waiting for them in Delhi for a "soundcheck."
OHH! So Banno's headed to Delhi for that concert! And that's why she's surreptitiously procuring these funds!
→ Later that day at the Fatima's nikaah, she's smiling through the celebrations, watching her khala dance with her new husband.
→ She leans over to Meher and whispers to her, "Main abhi aayi." She excuses herself form the dance party, walks out, and grabs her travel bag.
Looks like Banno has the whole thing planned. Wait till after the wedding, and then take off for the Delhi music show.
She rushes to change out of her wedding clothes, into more comfortable clothes.
→ Next, we see her running on Kashmir's deserted roads.
→ A car pulls up in front of her.
→ It's Banno's friends and they've arranged for a car to take them to the airport.
This whole this sounds like a terrible idea😟 Banno should've told atleast Meher about this, if not Rabiyah.
→ To make matters worse, Amal too is on her way out of Kashmir.
→ She packs her back, tells her Abbu's picture goodbye and walks out.
Looks like everyone's still at the wedding function. And Amal too wants to leave before anyone notices.
Like Banno, Amal hasn't told any of her sisters about her plans either.
→ She packs her back, tells her Abbu's picture goodbye and walks out.
Looks like everyone's still at the wedding function.
→ With one last look at the Mirza house, she grabs her bag and heads to the airport.
→ Meanwhile, on their way to the airport, Banno's car is briefly interrupted by some skirmishes. It looks like some kind of riot.
→ Banno off-handedly dismisses it and tells the driver to take a different route.
Riots and curfews are everyday events in Kashmir. She's so desensitized by it, that she doesn't even find it remotely scary or alarming
Kashmir, Riots
→ Back at the wedding, the wedding functions have ended rather unpleasantly, abruptly. Rabhiya is reeling from Meher's revelations about the rape. Jannat and Azi look just as stricken.
→ Meher, on the other hand, has taken off on foot. She’s run out of the wedding venue in tears. And Jannat and Rabiyah, out of courtesy, let her so she could get some space.
UGGH. All the three sisters are out, all alone, on foot, wandering around in the middle of the night
→ To make matters worse, Ghulam saab walks in and informs them that riots have broken out all over the city and a strict curfew has been mandated.
→ Rabiyah worries out loud about Meher being out all alone! Someone needs to find her, she insists.
→ Azi, looking worried, asks where Amal and Banno are. He does a quick check of the wedding venue for them, and realizes they're missing too.
→ Rabiyah, Fatima, Jannat and Azi realize that not only Meher, but also Banno and Amal are missing. There're riots brewing out on the streets and the three sisters are MIA.
FUCK!!!
→ Azi suggests that they go home. Maybe Banno and Amal took Meher home after the wedding tamasha? Rabiyah agrees.
→ As they reach home, they see a group of police officers standing outside the house waiting for them.
→ If Rabiya wasn't stressed out already, she really starts to hyperventilate on seeing these cops. What's going on, she wonders?
→ The officers inform them that there's been an accident on the highway.
→ Rabiyah falters, like she's about to collapse. Jannat trepidatiously steps forward. "Kiska??" she asks.
The Mirza Family, Tragedy
→ We don't get an answer right away. Instead, we see a frazzled Azi run into a hospital and frantically rush towards the operating room. The Mirza family (or what's left of it) follows him.
Can I just say the editing in this episode is FANTASTIC? Like, superlative good.
It's only a 15 minute episode. There's one flashback, a replay of events we've seen in the previous episode with new pieces of information filled in. Even though we sat through the wedding drama last episode, and we relive some of those moments in this one, it never feels boring or played out.
The editing is sharp and so masterfully done. It manages to stretch the suspense so, so well without trying too hard.
→ Azi comes face to face with a doctor who looks very solemn.
→ With sorry eyes, he tells them, "Usne aate aate dum tod diya."
→ Rabiyah looks ghost faced, all color draining from her face. She starts stammering and stuttering. How is that possible, she asks? How is the doctor so sure it's her daughter? There are so many "Mirzas" in Kashmir. Surely, he's mistaken.
→ The doctor repeats, "I'm sorry. She's no more."
→ "Meri bacchi..... ne dum tod diya?" Rabhiyah collapses on the floor.
There's this eerie silence surrounding this scene.
There's a strange dull buzzing that reminds you of a heart monitor flat-lining.
It's chilling. Symbolic of Rabiyah’s daughter’s heart flatlining literally, and also Rabiyah's heart metaphorically.
→ Late that night, as the family's waiting in the hallway to take the body home, Ghulam saab walks in. He mentions that "she" got accidentally caught amidst rioting mobs and eventually succumbed to mob violence.
How tragic! After surviving all these years in Kashmir, to die like this. How horrible😭
→ Rabiyah is inconsolable. She can't stop crying!
→ She walks into the morgue and tells the doctor, "Main apni bacchi ko ek aakhri baar dekhna chahti hoon."
→ With Jannat, she walks further into the morgue. A body shrouded in a white sheet is across from her.
→ The doctor warns her that seeing the body could be a shock to her system.
→ Bravely, she walks towards the deadbody. Bracing herself, she lifts the white sheet.
→ The sight of her dead daughter crushes Rabiyah. She lets out a painful scream, almost a howl. Jannat too can't bear to see her dead sister. She looks away, sobbing hard.
→ We flash forward to the burial. The last images we see is of Azi lowering the dead body, a handful of men gathered at the burial by the river, and Rabiyah, Jannat and Fatima looking absolutely devastated. As credits roll, we continue to hear the Salat al-Janazah as a voice-over i.e. the islamic funeral prayers.
And as the burial prayers wash over you, the audience is left with a sense of loss. A weird mix of sadness and utter shock.
I have no words for this episode. Possibly my favorite of the lot.
My recap just doesn't do it justice. You've got to watch it!!
I distinctly remember clutching my heart, being close to breathless while watching it.
Chilling, gripping, masterful execution.
Next Episode
→ How does it all end for the Mirza family?
The final *stare* of Meherunisa and Dr. Rizvi My eyes just poooofed did you cry more during the Meher and aapi scene or azi and jannat one?
Anon 2:
NAUSHADDDD NOOOO!!! WHY I’m devastated 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔All my expectations the disappointment the heartbreak the tears I would have been extremely happy if it had worked out between my ship I was hoping Yes finally he will stand for her and do something about irfan but no he had to betray my sentiments he deserved the slap but still and azi too I’m deadass crying for them both ships I wanted something to happen happily. What are your thoughts on the these two ships? 😫
I’d read Little Women, and most of the characters on Haq Se are linear adaptations from the book. So I was prepared for Jannat (Jo) and Azi (Laurie) to have an unrequited ending. Besides, it was obvious from episode 1 that Jannat had strictly platonic feelings for him. It was a one-sided love story from the get go. And that got more obvious as the series progressed, esp. with Raghu’s entry.
We didn’t get a happy ending, but IMO Azi being able to express his feelings, process Jannat’s rejection and come out with the courage to distance himself from that relationship…..that was solid character development. Azi had a well fleshed out character arc. We saw him transform from a stubborn, spoilt, lovable, young man in love, to a self-aware, cynical but resilient, grown-up. As sad as I felt for Azi, I had some sort of closure with that storyline.
I wish could say the same for Naushad & Meher though! 😢 Naushad’s character doesn’t exist in the book. So I didn’t really have an inkling of how this would progress. Initially their dynamic fit the standard TV couple mold i.e. male lead with v. problematic but eventually redeemable qualities falls for kickass female lead. Especially with the first 14 episodes, it looked like they were progressing towards a happy ending. But with the sexual assault storyline, they really turned things on its head. I did NOT see it coming!!
Did we even see any character development for Naushad though? He was a cynical, chauvinist, distrustful, judgemental man at the beginning of the series, and those qualities were on full-display when Meher made the rape revelation to him. Meher got no redemption either. Her first experience with Irfan had left her disenchanted, distrustful, conditioned to patriarchy. And with Naushad calling her a liar, she was back to square one, putting up with the same BS once again. The storyline basically reinforced Naushad & Meher’s worst instincts.
As an audience, we spent 18 episodes rooting for Meher & Naushad, only to end up in same situation we first met these characters. So what was the point of this story? To depict realism? If so, they did a splendid job😣 I was heartbroken by the way things ended between these two.
Note: The second half of season 1 begins with episode 12 and ends with episode 20 (released on April 6, 2018).
TRIGGER WARNING: This recap contains information/references to sexual abuse, assault and violence that could be triggering to survivors.
Jannat & Azi, Heart-To-Heart
→ The episode opens at Fatima and Junaid's nikaah. Fatima's seated across from Junaid, surrounded by their families. The Imam reads their nikaahnama, asking Fatima for her consent. "Qubool hai" she says.
→ Everyone around them looks really happy, except for Meher and Naushad. Meher's averting her eyes, trying her darnedest to NOT catch Naushad's eye. And Naushad has a puzzled, troubled look on his face; he's looking at Meher and wondering why she's avoiding him.
→ Before the Imam can even finish the wedding vows, Junaid rushes to say "Qubool hai.”
It's ironic that the only people who look uncomfortable and uneasy at Fatima and Junaid's 'qubool hai' are Meher and Naushad. Especially because everyone around them is so sure that these two are next to walk down the aisle.
It's an interesting juxtaposition. And gives us an insight into where the two are at with their relationship; it's definitely not at "qubool hai" for these two.
→ After the wedding, at the at the wedding party, Fatima and Junaid break out into a dance.
→ Azi sneaks up behind Jannat, takes her by the hand, and leads her to the garden area.
→ He starts, "Drink ke bina yeh kehena thoda sa mushkil hai, par...."
Oh myyyy 😬
He's gonna do it!
→ Jannat, who totally doesn't see where this is going, is beaming at him like he’s about to giver her some really good news.
→ "Main already jaanti hoon tum kya kehne waale ho." Jannat tells him.
→ "You do? Please make it easy on me." Azi pleads.
Ohh Godd. He thinks she knows about his feelings!
But they're talking about entirely different things.
→ "Tum aur Banno! Right?"
→ Azi's face deflates in real time like a slashed tire. He finds the thought of him with Jannat's little sister so disturbing and asks, "Mirza, tu mazaak kar rahi hai na?"
I don't understand. How are these two best friends and only now talking about Banno's feelings for Azi?!
They've all known about this for months, maybe years? And they never talked about it?
→ Azi flat-out rejects Jannat's hypothesis. He tells her that Banno's like a little sister to him.
→ Confused, Jannat asks him why he doesn't like Banno? She's sweet, pretty, kind and has been in love with Azi for years. Then why?
→ "Mirza, I love YOU!" Azi blurts out, half-frustrated, half-desperate.
→ He tells her he's exhausted pretending to be just friends with her. Because he's being dishonest. And he can't do it anymore.
→ Jannat mostly looks mortified, uneasy. She's surprised, but in an unpleasant sort of way. She tries to turn him down gently. "You're very dear to me. And I do love you."
→ "Mat bol, Mirza. Because you don't."
I feel like at some level Azi always knew she didn't love him. And it's probably why he waited this long to own up to his feelings to her. Maybe he waited because he was hoping she'd change his mind eventually?
Then Raghu came along, and he realized she was drifting farther away and that he'd lost her.
With Raghu leaving for Palestine, I guess Azi thought he finally had a shot at being with Jannat? And he couldn't wait any longer and hold things back?
→ "Jo humaare beech hai, yeh friendship, yeh dosti....yeh galat hai."
→ "Isiliye, ek kaam karte hain, isse yaheen pe khatm karte hain."
I'm really glad Azi is distancing himself from this relationship. Because it's toxic as far as he's concerned.
Jannat can be extremely temperamental and selfish. Especially with Azi, she feels such a sense of ownership over him, that she treats him pretty shabbily often. And Azi lets her do that too him because he loves her.
But doesn't that hurt his self respect, his confidence? Doesn't he feel devalued for being so expendable (for his best friend)?
Also, this whole situation and Azi's inability to cope with it was causing substance abuse issues for him.
TOXIC
I'm glad Azi is walking away. He needs the space.
→ "Stop this. Iska yaheen par 'the end' hona chahiye."
Jannat: Azi main tumhe kaise samjhaoon....I don't want to lose you.
Azi: You've lost 'US' Jannat.
→ Azi walks away, tears streaming down his face, totally heartbroken. Jannat looks pretty disheartened herself.
But she's talking it way better than he is.
Meher & Naushad, Me Too
→ Back at the wedding party, Naushad walks up behind Meher and asks, "Kya main tumse baat kar sakta hoon?"
One of my favorite, favorite songs, Sajda plays in the bg during this exchange.
→ Meher, without looking or answering him, turns around and heads to the back of the room. "Ji?" she asks without even looking at him.
I think Meher's scared to go out alone to meet Naushad. The last time she stepped out at night to meet a man, all alone.....we know what happened.
Also, I think Meher knows why Naushad wants to talk to her. And she's trying her best to avoid the conversation. She's not ready for it, and not in a state of mind to articulate what she's feeling.
→ Naushad clarifies that he'd like to talk to her in private.
→ "Yaheen keh dijiye" Meher insists.
→ Sighing deeply, somewhat frustrated, he insists on stepping out.
WHY IS NAUSHAD DOING THIS RN?
Isn't it SO obvious from her body language that she does not want to talk to him? That she's extremely uncomfortable? Why isn't he giving her space?
Because he thinks she's drifting away from him? UGGGH, Naushad!
Also, why are they playing such a lovely song in the bg in such a morose kind of situation? It's jarring. And conflicts with Meher & Naushad's situation.
→ Meher walks out of the banquet hall, and Naushad follows her there.
→ They're alone in the secluded hallway, Meher's back facing Naushad. Before Naushad can get a word edgewise, Meher turns to face him and impatiently yells, "Please mera peecha karna chodiye."
This scene was extremely uncomfortable to watch. As a someone who loves to see these two together, this was ROUGH.
→ "Kabse mujhe ghoor rahe hain aap." Meher accuses him, eyes filled with tears.
→ Naushad realizes that he is staring at her at that very moment. Realizing he's doing exactly what she's accusing him of, he hurriedly lowers his eyes. "I'm sorry, Meher."
It's so ironic! Their relationship started with a staring match. He was ghooro-ing her, and she fought back by ghooro-ing him!
And in that first meeting too, she eventually made Naushad look away in embarrassment. That felt like the beginning of something, and this feels like end.
💔
→ "Iss tarah mera peecha karna, mujhse baat karne ki koshish karna, mujhe ghoorna.....please STOP IT."
I sympathize with Meher wholeheartedly, but what she's doing here is cruel. She's accusing Naushad of doing things that she herself has done (in trying to get close to Naushad). Whether it's starting at him at the Iftar party (and during rounds), or flirting with during their conversations or doing his peecha at Ghulam saab's garden. She's done it too!
From Naushad's perspective (especially w/o knowing what happened to Meher), this seems normal. It's a courting ritual for him, right? People flirt, stare and yearn to talk to the person they are courting. Meher is trying to make him feel intrusive and uncouth, for something that’d be classified as routine flirting in most cases.
I feel so terrible for the guy! His heart and all his feelings are gonna be road-kill in a couple of minutes! **I can't watch**🙈
→ Including Naushad's entire monologue, cuz it's the nicest, sweetest, kindest 'will you be my girlfriend' I've ever heard:
"Meher, maine kayeen saal is khauf mein, iss dar mein, guzaare hain ki main kaheen khud ko phir se kho na baithoon. Zindagi ne jo bhi zakhm diye, maine kabhi unhe bharne nahi diya. Un zakhmon par koi marham na lagaa de isliye kissi ko kareeb aane ki ijazzat hi nahi diya.
Phir....tum milli. Aur na jaane kaise mujhme us darr se ladne ki taaqat si aa gayi. Sirf tumhaari vajah se.
Meher, main khud ko rok nahi pa raha hoon. Shayad rokna hi nahi chaahta. Main jaanta hoon ki main ab tak ek bahut hi bad-salooq, bad-mizaaj, arrogant aur khadoos insaan ki tarah se pesh aaya hoon. Lekin kya tum mujhe ek mauka de sakti ho taaqi main bhi tumhaare zehen mein wahi khoobsoorat jagah banaa sakoon jo tumne mere dil mein banaa di hai? Bas ek mauka? Please, Meher?"
IDK man, it takes some serious guts to be this vulnerable before someone. Especially when it's someone you're actually look up to and admire.
For an alpha-male like Naushad to admit that he needs Meher as a source of support and strength in his life, is really refreshing. Men don't usually admit that to women.
→ Unfortunately, Meher can't handle any of this at the moment. She's touched (you can tell from her face) but she's also crying because she wants him to stop.
She knows she can't say things back to him because she's not in the right state of mind.
She just doesn't want to have this conversation with him. Not the right time.
→ Very bluntly she says, "Main iss waqt is sawal ka jawab dene ki halat mein nahi hoon." She hurries out to get some air.
Look, she didn't reject him. And to me, that means she doesn't want to talk about it now, but revisit the conversation later.
→ Instead of giving her space, Naushad follows her out like a puppy. "Meher, suno. Meher!"
Yep, he's literally chasing her like a gadha. Sigh.
This is a bit out of character for Naushad. He's usually not this brazen. But I guess he's bared his soul, and now it doesn't make sense to hold back?
→ He follows her out to the garden. Meher, getting irritated, turns around and tells him squarely, "Kuch taqleefein hai jisse aapka koi lena dena nahi hai."
→ "Tum kissi aur ko chahti ho?" Naushad asks.
Naushad is still stuck on his 'boyfriend' theory. Sigh. 🙄
→ "Ek waqt tha jab meri zindagi mein koi tha. Par woh khatm ho chuka tha."
Meher's being super honest here.
→ "Par shayad uss kitab ke kuch panne dobara khul rahe hain?"
Oh, so Naushad thinks Meher's ex is trying to work his way back into her life?
→ But before Meher can deny Naushad's assumption, the situation escalates from bad to worse (like rock bottom).
→ Naushad’s sister walks up to him; she's facing Meher's back. "Toh yeh hai aapki marham!" aapi tells Naushad.
→ Meher turns around to look at the voice, and her face blanches. Literal horror. Aapi's smile too disappears, and turns into a menacing scowl. "Tum?!" aapi asks.
→ Standing next to Naushad's aapi, in a blue suit and beat up face, is Irfan. Meher motherfu*kin rapist. He has a smirk on his face; no trace of remorse whatsoever.
→ "Aap dono ek doosre ko jaante hain?" Naushad asks Meher and his aapi.
Side note: the first time I watched this episode, I was screaming my lungs out in horror.
→ "Mere shauhar kaafi nahi the, jo apni tabahi nazar mere bhaijaan pe bhi daal rahi ho?" aapi screams looking at Meher.
UGGGGH Naushad's aapi is TRASH.
Why do women blame other women for their husband's infidelities? Like Meher enticed and seduced her husband? And the poor unsuspecting guy just fell into a messy situation for no fault of his own? Jeez! He's a grown ass man. Maybe just stick to lecturing your husband, aapi?
→ Naushad is so shocked to hear such language from his polished, sensible, zen-like aapi. 🙄
→ Aapi starts yelling at Irfan too. She makes a reference to Meher, Aligarh University (where Irfan teaches) and his affair with Meher.
→ Naushad looks pretty stricken. He looks at his aapi, then Irfan and then Meher. And he's slowly putting two and two together. Naushad, who initially protested her aapi's vile language, grows surprisingly quiet.
→ "Nahi bhaijaan. Yeh nahi. Iss dal dal se aap door rahiye. Iska koi zameer nahi hai." Aapi tells Naushad.
This is soooo sad to watch. From the looks of it, Naushad is starting to believe his aapi.
He's looking at Meher almost accusatorially.
Gaah this is HARD to watch!
→ To make matters worse, Irfan tells Naushad that Meher blackmailed him into coming to Kashmir (by threatening to ruin his medical career).
→ Naushad looks like his brain's about to explode.
→ "Jhooth hai! Kayee mahino se yeh mera peecha kar rahe hain." Meher's screaming too, trying to get her side of the story out.
→ "Inhone mujhe dhamkaya. Mere saath...mere saath zabardasti ki hai. Yeh insaan woh nahi hai jo aap log samajh rahe hain."
"Zabardasti" doesn't even begin to describe what Irfan did to her.
Unfortunately, Meher isn't changing aapi’s mind. Infact, from the look on Naushad's face, he looks pretty unconvinced too.
This is sooooooo disappointing. My heart hurts!
→ "Please, Dr. Rizvi. Aap toh yakeen maniye. Please! Dr. Rizvi?" Meher looks at Naushad for support.
→ For a few seconds Naushad looks at his sister, then and Meher, very unsure of what's going on.
Who should he believe? His sister or the woman he loves?
→ Shaking his head he says, "Nahi, Meher. Tum yakeen ke layak nahi ho."
OUCCCCH.
I feel like someone punched me in the gut.
WTAFFFF. Did he just say that to her?
He was asking her for "ek mauka" 5 minutes ago, and now he believes his lying, cheating brother-in-law over Meher?? I am crushed at how Naushad turned out.
And to tell a victim of assault that she's isn't credible?? That's gutting.
→ Devastated at Naushad's comment Meher screams in frustration, "HE RAPED ME, NAUSHAD!"
..........
Wow. There it is.
Meher accepting, in public, that the rape happened.
Aaah, I just want to protect Meher. She's all alone, bearing her soul to his man hoping he'll have her back.
Also, she calls him “Naushad.” Not “Dr. Rizvi.” She’s appealing to him as a friend she’s grown to know in the last few weeks.
→ She also tells Naushad, between sobs, that he raped her in his room 2 days ago. She calls Irfan an animal, a monster.
→ Naushad is terrified, and shocked. The word "rape" completely throws him off. He looks up to Irfan, and you can tell Naushad doesn't trust him. Then he looks at his sister for help, and she shakes her head denying Meher's rape charge.
→ By this time, everyone at the party is a part of this conversation. Everyone's heard Meher accuse Irrfan of rape. Rabiyah comes running, and hugs her daughter.
→ Jannat comes to Meher's defense. She tells Naushad that it was she who beat Irfan up for assaulting her sister.
Jannat's basically corroborating Meher's accusation. And yet, Naushad's choosing to believe this conniving Irfan over Meher?
→ "Aainda mere khandaan ke kareeb koi nahi jayega. Mera dava bilkul sahi tha. Mirza khaandaan ki makkari se mujhe yahi ummeed thi."
Naushad makes his stance very clear.
NAUSHAD IS CANCELLED.
I am SO disappointed. I really thought this is where he'd redeem himself for all his problematic sexist comments. But his behavior just escalated into something unforgivable.
He was literally professing his love for her 5 minutes ago. And he can't even bear to hear her out? Was he really in love with her if he can't get himself to trust her word?
I just don't see how Naushad can be redeemed from here.
→ Rabiyah turns around and whacks Naushad across the face.
He deserved it. Exactly my sentiments.
→ "Khabardaar! Iss pak bachi par ilzaam lagane ki na aapki haisiyat hai aur na koi haq. Aapko sharminda hona chahiye ki yahaan ek begunah ko gunehgaar sabit kiya jaa raha hai."
Seriously, I LOVE these women! I love that they have eachother's back. That's what a support system should look like!
Naushad talked about Meher's presence in his life giving him "himmat" but did he do the same for her? Nope. Can you even call that love then?
→ Gilani asks Naushad to leave. Naushad walks away with his sister wordlessly. He looks shocked, breathless, unable to process things.
Breathless is how I'd describe my reaction to this scene.
“Breathless” is also the name of this episode. The whole time I was breathlessly waiting for someone/something to salvage this situation, so Meher and Naushad could work things out.
But that never happened. When it really mattered, Naushad did not come through for Meher. And because of that, he doesn't deserve to be in her life.
→ Walking out, Naushad turns around to look at Meher one last time, tearfully. Meher is bawling her eyes out, disappointed with Naushad.
→ "Jane do, badi. Tumhe itna bhi na samajh sakaa, woh samajhne ke layak hi nahi hai." Jannat says (channeling my exact thoughts).
He's not worth it, Meher. Cut your losses, let it go.
→ Meher is heartbroken, devastated. Wanting to escape, she runs away from her family and disappears into the woods.
→ Jannat tells her family to give Meher some space. She needs to clear her head, Jannat says.
Kashmir, On Fire
→ Later that night, everyone's gathered inside, looking morose.
→ Ghulam saab walks in and informs them that there's been a militant strike and that the state's in curfew. Everyone's on lockdown.
→ Rabiyah realizes that Meher took off, on foot, into the night. And no one followed her. What if she ends up in trouble trying to get home?
Next Episode
→ The Mirza family is separated amidst riots. Will they find eachother?
Hey are there any other series you have watched on Alt balaji? Have you seen bewafaa sii wafa
Hey!
I have seen a few shows on Alt Balaji:
Karle Tu Bhi Mohabbat (s1, s2): It’s not a masterpiece, and I couldn’t relate to the lead couple’s love story (they’re older, different age/stage of life), but the show is easy-breezy, optimistic and good-hearted. It’s well cast and the leads have fun, natural kind of chemistry. I found myself relating to the dysfunctional father-daughter relationship and also found the show’s message viz-a-viz Tipsy’s character (Sakshi Tanwar) very progressive.
Bose Dead/Alive: I am a huge Rajkumar Rao fan and he was PERF casting for Dr. Shubhaschandra Bose. This miniseries was well-paced and felt more like a historical thriller/drama than a boring biopic. It did get nationalistic at some points, but it wasn’t a deal breaker IMO.
Test Case: I was super invested in the first half of this show, but the writing in the latter half was convenient and gimmicky. But I think this is the only Indian show (in all of tv, film, web-series) that actually looks at women in combat, and shines light on sexism and sexual abuse women face in the armed forces. So props for breaking new ground!
Out of the ones I’ve watched, I’ve liked Haq Se the best. The second half especially left me S H O O K. Bose is a close second.
I’m not really into teen dramas (Cybersquad, Class of 2017, Romil & Jugal) or double-entendre stuff (Ragini MMS, FourPlay), so haven’t checked these out. Their newer shows (Galti Se MisTech, Punch Beat and Pm Selfiewali) haven’t piqued my interest. I kinda want to watch Bewafaa Sii Wafaa and Kehene Ko Humsafar Hain, but I don’t want to get invested in a show with a 💔 ending. Haq Se was devastating enough 😭
Can you please post pictures of the scene where meher and dr rizvi talk near the water where she’s facing the water and he’s sitting on the other side?
Hey @barish-ki-dua,
So AFAIK there’s no scene with her facing the water and him *sitting* on the other side. They’re both standing next to eachother in the bridge scene.
Aaah! I love that scene, and there are so many pictures I want to post, but posting the ones I like best:
Also, GIFed a portion of the scene here (X).
EDIT: Or wait, do you mean the final episode? When they’re sitting by the river and he’s sitting next to her?
Note: The second half of season 1 begins with episode 12 and ends with episode 20 (released on April 6, 2018).
TRIGGER WARNING: This recap contains information/references to sexual abuse, assault and violence that could be triggering to survivors.
Meher, Survivor
→ The episode opens early morning on Eid with the Mirza ladies offering their namaaz. Rabiyah turns around and wishes her daughters for Eid. She's surprised though to be greeted with sullen, sombre faces.
→ She tries to cheer them up by reminding them that Eid is always a happy occasion at their house because they have not one but "chaar eid ka chaand."
→ She wishes her daughters "Eid Mubarak" and embraces them in a hug.
I love what a fighter Rabiyah is. Honestly, she has just as many reasons to be upset and panicked. Her husband is off with the army, in dangerous territory, doing Lord knows what. And yet, Raabiyah is rallying her daughters to ensure that they don't feel their father's absence.
I guess the daughters get their resilience from their mom? They too are tough as nails, and band together in adversity.
→ We then see Meher and the sisters in her room.
→ She writes herself a prescription for contraceptives (morning after pill). She mentions that she'd have grabbed it from the hospital, but it'd lead to petty workplace gossip.
I can't imagine Naushad's reaction to Meher buying contraceptive.
Sheesh!
→ Amal offers to run to the pharmacy and buy the pill for her.
BTW I appreciate that the show didn't just gloss over the aftermath of rape.
It’s taking us through all of the conflicts and precautions women (have to) take to recover from this situation.
Violent rape breaks a woman's body. There's bruising and bleeding, risk of unwanted pregnancy. And there's long term emotional trauma and PTSD.
Naushad, Strategizing
→ Naushad walks into the hospital’s dining area and notices the other interns breaking their fast together. He walks up, takes a seat, and cheerfully greets them.
I've never seen the dude this happy!
→ Then out of nowhere, he asks them what their Eid plans are. Are they spending Eid with their respective girlfriends?
The interns looks very amused at Naushad's sudden interest in their private lives. What gives, they wonder!
→ Like a gossipy old grandpa, he looks at them and asks, "Aap logon ki zindagi mein koi khaas hai ki nahi?"
→ By this point, the interns are all so weirded out and awkward. Shifting in their seats, they look at each-other wondering if this is some kind of a trick question.
→ One intern shyly admits to having a girlfriend.
LMAO Such dorks!
→ Naushad's next question to them is even more puzzling. He asks them what plans they have with their girlfriends on Eid? Planning to take them out for dinner? Or make biryani at home??
OMGGG Naushad's trying to get tips from these nerdy dorks to impress Meher!
→ "Ek zamaana tha jab log shikaare pe Dal (lake) ki sair karte huye, gulaab ke phool aur shero-shaayri ke saath ishq zaahir karte the."
How old is Naushad??
This sounds straight out of Kashmir Ki Kali. Romance 60's era, Shammi Kapoor style.
I wonder if this is how he wooed his first wife?
AWKWARD.
→ Thankfully, the interns give him a reality check. They tell him that shaayri on a shikaara is too outdated. Naushad needs to keep up with the times!
Intern: Aajkal ishq aasaan nahi hai.
Naushad: Toh phir aap log kya karte hain?
Intern: Psycholoical warfare.
I laughed at this joke initially.
But then remembered Meher's condition. If Naushad's about to play mind games with her, then that's going to be rough to watch.
Now is not the time to mess with her!!
→ Another intern chimes in and tells Naushad that he "chased" his girlfriend for 3 months till she eventually said yes.
Very questionable tactics! 😳
→ "Interesting!" Naushad says. He is listening to all this with rapt attention. He's intrigued, amazed, and you can see his brain working to process all of this.
Goddd! Naushad is going to take these dorks' advice and "chase" Meher now??
*CRINGE*
He's setting himself up for rejection!
→ "Excellent. Thank you. Good night." Armed with (dubious) wooing techniques, Naushad walks away from the intern table, leaving them with WTF looks on their faces.
Meher, U-Turn
→ Meher's home with her mom and Fatima khala, looking through some wedding jewelry. Fatima tries an old antique piece, a family heirloom that belonged to their great-grandmom.
→ Rabiyah politely reminds Fatima that she'd saved the piece for her eldest daughter's wedding i.e. Meher.
→ Meher, who's sitting next to Fatima, stiffens.
Poor Meher, she's literally recoiling at the prospect of getting married.
→ With a coy smile, Fatima looks at Meher and tells her, "Jaldi se nikaah kar lein."
Uggh. This is what I hate about South Asian families (including mine)!!
So obsessed with weddings.
Damn it😏
→ Rabiyah too piles on. She tells Meher that she's not the stereotypical mom who obsesses over getting her daughters married! BUT since Meher has someone special in her life, Rabiyah feels the need to speed things along, give the kids a little push.
SMH These aunties have seen Naushad and Meher together ONCE. And they've already started planning their wedding, and picking out jewelry. Typical!
→ "Ammi, main aapse kitni baar keh chuki hoon ki koi bhi nahi hai."
Remember Meher's denial to her mother at Ghulam saab's Iftar dinner? When Rabiyah caught her staring moonily at Naushad?
This denial is very different.
Meher's response here seems hostile. Like the thought of a man in her life is unpleasant, an impossibility. It literally and figuratively makes her recoil in fear.
→ Thankfully, Amal walks in (with Meher's contraceptives) and saves Meher from having to listen to her khala's pointed remarks.
→ As Meher walks away listlessly, Fatima notices Amal and Meher's behavior and wonders why the girls look gloomy? Especially with the wedding and Eid coming up?
Fatima has caught whiff of something.
She knows something's wrong!
→ Stealthily, she sneaks into Meher's room and snoops around. Bending over the trashcan, she sees a discarded prescription foil for a morning-after pill. She starts to realize that not only are her nieces (some very young) sexually active, but they're also possibly practicing unsafe sex.
Fatima is SHOOK!
But doesn't seem like the type who'd rat them out to Rabiyah.
She's going to confront Meher and Amal, I'm guessing.
The Mirza Family, Mehndi
Amal
→ Fatima khala's at her mehndi ceremony, watching ladies apply henna on her hands. She's blissfully happy about getting married.
→ She looks around at her family and notices Amal. Remembering what she'd seen in Meher's room, she decides to get to the bottom of it. Gesturing to Amal, she asks her to come sit with her.
BTW, the actress playing Amal is just stunning! She looks so lovely in this red suit.
→ When khala asks Amal about why she looks upset, Amal grudgingly replies, "Hum nikaah kabhi nahi karenge. Sab mard badzaat hote hain."
Clearly, she's referring to Irfan.
Possibly even to Raghu? She's angry at him for rejecting her. And also for rejecting her apology.
→ Worried at Amal's response, Fatima says with urgency, "Jo bhi hua hai humein bataa dijiye!"
OHH!! Fatima thinks Amal used the morning-after pill!
No wonder she's worried sick. Amal's still in school and too young to be making these decisions without any counseling.
→ She tells Amal that she's like a mother to the Mirza kids, she'd never divulge their secrets to Rabiyah, and that she can help solve all their problems.....they just need to confide in her.
→ But by this point, Amal is so disenchanted that she's given up. Prophetically she tells her khala, "Ab sab badal chuka hai"and walks away.
Frankly, out of the four sisters, Amal is the most light hearted, go-with-the-flow, zen-like sister. To see her so burdened and in despair must be a shock to Fatima. No wonder she's worried sick.
Also, I see Amal's comment about everything being different as foreshadowing. These women who've seen their loved one go through assault, they're life too is altered by the incident. And they can't go back to being the person they were before.
All of the happy endings we'd hoped for before Meher's rape, those are probably not going to happen😞
Buckle your seatbelts!
Jannat
→ Meanwhile, Jannat's chilling with Azi at the mehndi.
→ She looks at him and notices that he doesn't have a drink in his hand. A celebratory occasion and Azi without a drink??
→ Azi tells her that he's decided to go sober for good.
→ Jannat looks at Azi tearfully and tells him, "Azi, I'm so proud of you."
→ She hugs him and breaks into a sob. She tells him that the past couple of weeks have been really hard on her and her family, and she really needed some good juju. Azi promising sobriety was the positive reinforcement she needed.
Godd.
They look soo good together!
I'm all for pushing Raghu off a Kashmiri valley so these two can finally be endgame.
*guilty face* 😏
Meher
→ Good God! So much raita here.
Cringe
→ Naushad walks into the mehndi and merrily greets Gilani and Ghulam saab.
But his eyes are searching the room for Meher.
He's basically at the mehndi to talk to her.
→ Meher, on the other hand, notices Naushad looking at her and recoils. Again.
She can't bear to look at him, or deal with him looking at her.
UGGGGH this is escalating into a bad situation. This will not end well.
→ Through the entire mehndi, Naushad can't take his eyes off her. He's trying to catch her eye, hoping he'd get some ishaara from her.
Meher looks lovely, but dude needs to chill.
He's got no game!
→ Eventually, Rabiyah decides to play cupid. She drags Meher to the dance floor and then asks Naushad to join them.
“Mehendi hai rachne waali” from Zubeida is playing in the bg.
Omggg this is so awkward.
I mean, Naushad dancing is awkward AF.
But just the frame of mind Meher's in! Imagine having to dance through it, and that too with the guy who's friends with her rapist?!
Also, Naushad is a reminder of how happy, in love she was. And how one horrific incident took all of that happiness away from her.
She's so traumatized that a happy occasion like her khala's mehndi seems like torture. And dancing with the man she used to be besotted with is tormenting.
Everything's changed indeed!
→ As Naushad comes face-to-face with her, Meher becomes aware of his proximity. She realizes that a man is standing close to her, in her personal space. She's reminded of how Irfan breached her personal space, and disregarded her lack of consent.
→ She begins to hyperventilate. Hit with a panic attack, she feels suffocated, and stumbles out of the mehndi ceremony.
→ Naushad watches her expressions and body language change. His expression go from smitten (initially), to worried, to shocked. He realizes too that she's having a panic attack.
→ He rushes after Meher, out of the mehndi. Hoping to calm her down, he walks up from behind her and place his hands on her shoulder. Clearly, a gesture fo support. He tells her, "It's a panic attack. Just relax. Breath easy."
→ But Meher's pacing through an entirely different gambit of emotions. She's scared, flashing back to her assault. Any man's proximity is destabilizing for her. She can't bear to be close to them or bear to be touched by them.
→ She shrugs his hands off her shoulders in horror and snaps, "Mujhe choona mat." Without offering any other explanation, she rushes out of there.
→ Naushad looks aghast. He's shocked by her rejection.
He definitely didn't see that coming.
SIGH. IDK what to say.
Look, I feel for Naushad. Purely from his perspective, he got blindsided by Meher. She was clearly interested in him and made that fairly obvious. Without any context on what happened to Meher, I can see how this comes off as harsh.
But my heart hurts for Meher so much more! I just want to hug her.
Why can't people just give her some space?
Don't they see what we see? There's CLEARLY something off, something bothering her.
Like, why confess your love to someone when they're obviously in a bad place? I just wish Naushad had read her body language and gauged that she's hurting.
→ Poor Naushad, he heads home and drowns himself in alcohol. Lots, and lots of it.
The Mirza Family, The Morning-After
→ Next morning, at the breakfast table, Rabiyah watches over her daughters sternly. Looking at their sad, sunken faces, she KNOWS something is wrong.
→ "Bahut ho gaya! Yeh chal kya raha hai kal se?" she demands of them.
→ All of the sisters avert their eyes, trying to change the topic. But Rabiyah, now in headmistress mode, persists.
→ She looks straight at Meher and asks what's going on.
Probably because Meher's older, wiser and more mature.
→ As all eyes turn to her, Meher starts to panic. Hiding her face behind her tresses, and wringing her hands together, she looks at Jannat for help. She's at a loss of words.
→ Stammering, stuttering, Meher begins to explain, "Ammi kuch roz pehele kuch hua tha. Bolne ki himmat nahi ho rahi thi...."
→ Before she can spill, Jannat jumps in.
Jannat senses Meher's hesitance. She realizes that Meher is not ready to talk about it.
Jannat also knows that expecting someone to relive their assault in the dining room, with a group of people, can be intimidating. This isn't the right time or place.
→ Jannat instead tells her mom about Raghu. She elaborates that they "got close." She missed her period and got worried about what may have happened.
→ Rabiyah is shocked. Fatima blurts looking at Amal, "Oh! Yaani aap pregnant nahi hai?!"
→ Rabiyah does a double take! Amal's pregnant too, she exclaims!?
→ Jannat calms Rabiyah and tells her that no one's pregnant. And they took care of things.
→ Rabiyah turns to Fatima and accuses her of keeping secrets from her.
→ Fatima counters, "Main inki khaala bhi hoon aur razdaar bhi!"
→ Fatima's comment sets her off. Rabiyah is livid. She wonders our loud whether she has any haq over her daughters? Doesn't she deserve to know what's going on in her own house? That her daughters have pregnancy scares?
→ She bellows at the table, "Ab toh mujhe pata chale ki kya maajra hai. Kam se kam muh toh kholiye!"
I will say this, Rabiyah's reaction is actually fairly reasonable considering the circumstances. If my mom had found about me possibly getting pregnant in high school, there'd be plates, saucers and other china flying my way.
→ Meher finally speaks up. Her's voice is barely a whisper. She tells her mom that it's her upbringing that's made them this way. She's raised them to be strong, smart, independent women who can handle their own personal crisis and don't feel the need to run to their parents for help.
Rabiyah's daughters have imbibed their mother's qualities.
When Rabiyah found out about Mr. Mirza being MIA, she kept it to herself. She wanted to handle it on her own before burdening her daughters with bad news.
Although she says this out loud, Meher looks very uncertain. And pained.
She's going to need help to get through this. Maybe she's not ready to accept and articulate that yet?
Naushad, Heartache
→ That morning, at Naushad's home, Aaliyah is quietly watching her dad sleep. He's passed out in the living room after a night of heavy drinking.
This poor child! First, she's scarred for life with abandonment issues because of her mom leaving her.
And now she's got to watch her dad's alcoholic shenanigans?!!
GET IT TOGETHER, NAUSHAD!
→ A lady walks into the living room and greets them with a "Good morning!"
→ Aaliyah runs to hug her yelling, "Phoophi!"
Ah! So she's Naushad's elder sister.
So this is the aapi Naushad mentioned to Meher? Who got cheated on by her husband?
Also, aapi's term of endearment for Aaliyah is "meri roasted kaju." How cute!
→ She asks Aaliyah to tell their maid to prep for breakfast. Then, towering over Naushad, she asks, "Naushad miyan, aap apni zindagi ke saath kya kar rahe hain??"
Aapi knows something is wrong because of the empty alcohol bottles around him.
Damn! How much did Naushad drink in one night.
For a by-the-book doctor, Naushad really went on a bender, huh?
→ Later that morning, after cleaning up, Naushad and his sister have a chat over a cup of tea.
→ "Uska naam Meher hai." Naushad tells her.
→ "Bina ijaazat mere zehn mein aise hi daakhil ho gayi."
I don't want to fangirl, but omggggg *happy cry*😭💜
→ He explains that he's been wanting to put a stop to all this, but because they work together, he can't escape how he feels.
→ He sees her at work everyday. She fights him, challenges his decisions, stands up for her opinions, and even though her defiances anger him, he realizes "she's often right."
I love Naushad's description of her!
It's not the typical "she's so beautiful", "she's so hot", "can't take my eyes off her" drivel.
The way she describes her, he essentially talks about all her admirable character traits. The strong-headed demeanor that he used to be weary of and the stubbornness that he begrudged, those are qualities he's grown to love about Meher.
It also gives us a glimpse into Naushad's character. He's not afraid to admit his mistakes, and especially to women (a lot of men are).
He confessed to Meher about admiring her "instincts" at the Iftaar party. And again here, he's admitting to her elder sister about being in love with Meher because she's a strong woman.
→ Aapi responds to Naushad's comment with a, "A good woman usually is."
Naushad's aapi seems very level-headed and mature.
→ He further confesses that he's been trying to find ways to talk to her, that he asks his interns for advice on wooing women. He's basically turned into a teenager in love.
I'm shook hearing Naushad talk like this. Man! He loves Meher. Like, he's all in.
→ "Gadhe ki tarah usse chase kar raha hoon" he says shaking his head.
→ Naushad's aapi is smiling at all this. And she's like, "Dikkat kya hai, bhaijaan?"
Sidenote: It's interesting that Naushad calls his sister "aapi" but Meher’s sisters call her "didi." Wonder why the difference?
→ Naushad explains that all these feelings are all in his head. His head alone. Meher has no inkling of how he feels. And Naushad too is unsure if Meher reciprocates his feelings.
→ "Toh kholiye! Agar muh kholna nahi aata toh aapke 145 ke IQ ka kya fayda."
I know she means well, but THIS IS BAD ADVICE!
If Naushad professes his love for Meher now, it's going to end up rejection for sure. She can barely get herself to stand in his vicinity, I don't see how she's going to sit through this conversation with Naushad!
→ He then tells her that he's headed to Meher's khala's wedding later that night and he'd like her to come with him for moral support. He's going to bite the bullet and tell Meher that he's in love with her.
→ "Aapko is tarah muskurata dekhne ke liye, main aapke saath kaheen bhi chal sakti hoon."
Which means the exact opposite is going to happen, right??
The Mirza Sisters, Aafreen
→ The Mirza ladies are getting ready for Eid. They're wearing their finest outfits, intricate jewelry. And for a change, they’re all smiling!
→ Meher thanks her sisters for being there for her. She tells them, "Aap humaari himmat hain."
→ Jannat responds, "Nahi, hum ek doosre ki himmat hai."
→ "Aafreen" they say in agreement and embrace.
“Aafreen” roughly translates to "something beautiful."
Which is why naming this episode "aakhri aafreen" seems rather ominous. Like it's the last time we'll see these sisters together, beautiful and happy.
😬😬😬😬😬
Next episode
→ Naushad professes his love to Meher.
→ But there's a twist!
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