Mohabbat Mann Mehram (Sumaira Hameed)- Review by Shoby

Mohabbat Mann Mehram (Sumaira Hameed)- Review by Shoby

No this is not a love story, but it is a story about love. About those who give in into it, and the price they pay. And those who run away from it, because they are afraid, or because they do not believe they're worthy of it. She ran away. He gave in. (Film: Original Sin)

If I have to tell you what Mohabbat Mann Mehram is all about, I would say only this, "Massomiyat ki bari qeemat leta hai yeh muashra". Beware this is not an ordinary Romeo-Juliet cheezy love stuff. Sumaira Hameed here, tells us a tale of love, deceit, heart break, stepping up, struggle and getting what you are destined with. With emotions and relationships in the heart of it, Mohabbat Mann Mehram is here to make you cry sometimes with the poor crying Ufaq and smile occasionally on the Bhaand-oriented slapstick one-liners by Farzam.

One prank call can lead towards destruction of not one but many lives. What started off as a silly immature kiddish adventure for Adan (Aman) turned out to be ugly. Ugly enough to ruin the lives of not only innocent Ufaq but also him. They say, Karma has no menu. You get served what you deserve.

Ufaq... You want to know the real meaning of struggle, see how the poor Ufaq tries much more than her capacity to meet the both ends. A teenager who at the tender age of weaving dreams is supporting her widowed mother and two younger brothers. Honestly speaking this specie of girls is scarce (read impossible) to find out in today's society. Call it her bad luck, Cupid did not left even her and she fell in love. Aurat or Mard, Saanjh or Kashish. 

Teenage is considered to be the most dangerous segment of one's life. No matter how fair & true you are, you cant escape this one emotion. Us ke dil ke darr per awaleen dastak hui or aelaan ban gai. Better to say, she was (dragged) to fall in love with Aman (Adan). Scene where she goes out with him for the first time was written with extreme delicacy. Us ke hath mor pankh huey... Us ka dil tapish hua. And then she considered herself amongst the most unfortunate of the persons when she had to face two catastrophes at once Bewafai ka zakhm... Be'izzati ka daagh.

Talking about Aman who in actual is Adan is what you call a materialistic offspring of a profane father. Mr. Ghulam (his father) is interested only in increasing the count of bucks and as you know greed leads towards the destruction. Someone says, man's needs do not end. When you satisfy one need, another one emerges and the story goes on until you swallow your own self. ALLAH PAK says in QURAN PAK, But he who is greedy and thinks himself self-sufficient, And denies Al-Husna. We will make smooth for him the path to evil. And what will his wealth avail him when he goes down (in destruction). Surah Al-Lail (92:8-11)

What about those who are fair. QURAN PAK says, Corrupt women are for corrupt men, and corrupt men for corrupt women. Good women are for good men, and good men for good women. They are innocent of the calumnies people utter. There shall be forgiveness for them and a generous provision. Surah An-Nur (24:26). 

So after passing through something like hell, Ufaq meets Farzam. Farzam, as the name suggests, was worthy enough to be blessed with Ufaq. Good women are for good men. To me, they both are fortunate enough to be blessed as they were the destiny written for each other. Pious for the pious. See the purity of emotions in the scene where Farzam proposes Ufaq for the first time in the market. It reminded me of the street celebrations scene of Sumaira's epic Yaaram. Beautiful narration indeed.

Ok here is a caution, don't think Mohabbat Mann Mehram as just another love story. In fact, it has so much more to offer to the reader. Through Mohabbat Mann Mehram, Sumiara Hameed tells us the most important lesson which should be learnt by everyone. No matter how difficult the circumstances are, don't give up. Ufaq is a success story and so does Farzam. She came of age from the darkness of poverty, ignorance and disowning to the lights of success & triumph. Who could have expected someone for whom Aman says, Gharon mein bethi larkiyan ker hi kiya sakti hain, siwaey roney or girgira ker dua mangeney ke to achieve an excellent position in the society where she will be going to rescue the likes of Adan. After all, she was one of those kind for whom they say, Woh mangti hai or usey mil jata hai. You know why, because Sirf ALLAH se mangna asaan hota hai. Sirf WOHI de sakta hai.

Sumaira takes an unlikely route of starting the novel with the two characters who went on to become antagonists. Later on, you feel, this story is not about Adan and Maria. They are just the supporting characters with high duty responsibilities on their shoulders to move the story ahead. I liked the way Sumaira used these two supporting characters throughout the story to gain the best of the advantages as far as health of the plot is concerned.

This time from UAE to USA, and from Pakistan to UK, we got to visit several countries. Moral of the story is, whatever you do, wherever you go, at the end of the day it is the one & only #Pakistan that is love, that is life. Sumaira effortlessly changes the gears from UK to Lahore. She portrayed the very real life of central Lahore with utmost authenticity and beauty. After all, Farzam has attended 16 weddings within mere 8 weeks and he has learnt many superlatives that may be reckon as the true identity of this lively city :-)

I am (unintentionally) forced to draw parallel lines of similarities between Yaaram and Mohabbat Mann Mehram. Mrs. Gohar was a synonym to Mama Mehar. Farzam was another version of Aliyaan and Ufaq was undoubtedly the Amraha of Farzam. Lets take it like this, put these characters in the other's shoes and you will be surprised to see the similar sort of reactions. Perfect characterisation by Sumaira Hameed once again.

Sumaira magnificently analysed how society reacts to certain phenomenon. At one side we witnessed the grey shades of the society in the form of the attitudes of Ahmer & his wife, the evil sides of Adan's father and Maria's parents and the treatment of Ufaq's relatives after the death of her father. On another hand, we saw how Mrs. Gohar went on to make Ufaq's family a part of her own family. They say, Being family is determined more by behaviour than blood. 

Gheron ko ikhata ker ke aap ne khandaan bana ,iya hai??? 

Apno ne to khandan banaya hi nahi...

Now coming towards two points that, to me, were the only week components of the story. The foremost one is the nearest to finale part, it seems to be stretched a bit. I don't know, if it was a bit shrink-ed, I feel it would have been much more impact. Secondly, the finale was very much predictable. Off course I am not against these happy endings but somewhere it looked a bit cheesy to me. Having said this, I must say that every author has a game plan to go with and only that specific person (author) knows how to handle the characters and subject.

Overall, Sumaira has once again been successful in delivering some excellent social lessons in this tale of love and relationships. This one is a must-read guys.