Sodaager (Sumaira Hameed)- Fiction Review by Shoby

Sodaager (Sumaira Hameed)- Fiction Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi

Young Allie: Why didn't you write me? Why? It wasn't over for me, I waited for you for seven years. But now it's too late.

Young Noah: I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you everyday for a year.

Young Allie: You wrote me?

Young Noah: Yes... it wasn't over, it still isn't over

The Notebook (2004)

Love stories... There is a very common recipe to follow in order to pen the good ones. Take three or four pivotal characters as your primary ingredient... Place them in a bowl full of hot waters of uninvited events... Use someone as bad as he could to spell the centuries old sentence like Main Yeh Shaadi Nahi Honey Du Ga... And after some hoo-la-la join the protagonists and show them like they were made actually meant to be made for each other... Happy Endings, what you call.

First thing first, I personally LOVE the love-stories for the warmth they bring forth but at the same time, I sort of HATE them for being so regular & cheesy in nature. But when it comes to a Sumaira Hameed's signature romance, it is mandatory for one to get excited, as this time around, you expect at least two things... Story surfacing in a very unusual ambiance and loads & loads of heavy duty dialogues. So lets see, what she has it for us in the form of her latest latest offering Sodaager.

Gul Sher, a rug seller by profession falls in love with Zartaash in the valley that is said to be the paradise (if it really exists in this very world, it is here)... Yes, Kashmir, The Beauty. Remember how Raj fell in love with Sakina when he saw her for the very first time in Sir Sanjay Leela Bhansali's epic Saanwariya. The sad gloomy frightened look with an extra topping of teary eyes were more than enough for him to give away the only thing he was having till yet. Same goes for Gul Sher. Us ke kuch qeemti khazaney ji sandooqon se chura liye gaey they, woh un per ro rahi thi... Us ki aik ikloti qeemti cheez jo ab us ke seeney mein bhi mojood nahi rahi thi, woh us oer bhi khush ho raha tha...

Luck plays like no one else. You get something out of nothing just in case the luck is in your favor. And the fortune was obviously favoring Gul Sher with all the heart and he made use of his damn selling skills to woo Zartaash and no points in guessing that he emerged 110% successful. Nonetheless, it is assumed to be quite easy to attract someone by just comforting him/her in the time of need. But as expected the twist comes in the story, when Zartasha realizes that Gul Sher has taken the benefit out of her sensitive moments. So they both decide to part ways. Whats happens next is the story to be read in digest.

Yes, I agree that Sumaira has this time taken a very orthodox route to tell a simplistic romance of a young couple but I still like the way how she executed all this. The small expressions, she always use in her written material make the thing look special, no matter how ordinary is the subject matter. Some of the one-liners here are again to die for. Usey yaqeen ho gaya tha ke usey issi kaam ke liye peda kiya gaya hai... Ab tak jo us ne qaleen bechney ka kaam kiya tha, woh sab sirf khasarey ka sauda tha...

I said it once while reviewing Us Darr Ka Jogi and I am here to say it again that there are very few artists who can make you desire to fall in love and Sumaira Hameed is definitely one of them. See how sensitively she knits the threads of emotions by using delicate fabrics of words. Woh chahta tha ke us ke ansoo us ke romaal ki dastaras mein aa jaey... Phir woh us aik romaal ko sambhal ker rakh le or sari zindagi us romaal ke saharey guzaar de...

One thing that was beautifully projected by Sumaira Hameed in Sodaager was the psychological scheme of things that run along side with the sub-conscious part of humans. We desire to have something and once we get it, its like we regret why we have got it at the first place, due to various reasons. Secondly, the complex psychology of female creed. They are not considered to be wise in making life changing decisions. They are more emotional than practical and once they have made up their mind, they stand firm to their decision without thinking if it goes fair with them or not but eventually they have to regret upon what they have picked. Both of these things were apparently presented by Sumaira through the deeds of Gul Sher & Zartaash respectively. Both of them had to undergo a severe form of regret at the heart of the script.

Jis ke hona bhi ik azziyat ho

Us ke hijraan ka gham manaey kiyo

(Main Bekhayali Mein Sang Tere- Shahbaz Ali Naqvi)

The overall treatment to the story is graceful and the writer tried to curtail the jurisdiction of the emotions to the boundaries of the script, so no needless exaggeration was observed and this is perhaps the best thing of Sodaager. However, I have serious doubts against the ending. By going with what Sumaira Hameed is famous for, this time, unfortunately, the ending part didn't go well with my thinking. I feel happy endings are cliches and they should be avoided at all costs and Sumaira really avoids them mostly but this time, she came up with an ordinary break-up turning into make-up scenario. The probability of giving shock to her regular readers surely have been declined this time.

Well, a refreshing breather among all this was the beauty of paradise on Earth (i.e. Valley of Kashmir), which was constantly reminding me of Fitoor.

Pashmina dhaagon ke sang...

Koi aaj...Bbuney khawab...

Aisey kaisey...

Waadi mein goonjey kai...

Naey saaz... Yeh rabaab...

Aisey kaisey...

:-)

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Haalim (Episode 11)- Review by Shoby

Haalim (Episode 11)- Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

Daniel: Stop… just stop the pain.

Regina: How?

Daniel: Just… let me go.

Regina: No. No, I won’t lose you again. Without you, I’m lost. Daniel, come back to me.

Daniel: Can’t. Can’t.

Regina: But I love you.

Daniel: Then love again.

Once Upon A Time *Season 2

Once upon a time, there was a princess, who was forced to leave her kingdom and live in a place multiples times ahead from where she actually belonged. Time, the most unprecedented factor played with her again and she was returned to her origin, only to make her realize that she was not born to be here at the first place. However, she carried on her struggle to get away with the things and remain successful in returning back to the place where she lived for the most of the part of her life. But time, the deadliest player, has never been so kind to her, so how can you expect she would have lived happily ever after. And as they say in Once Upon A Time, Your happy ending may not be what you expect. That is what will make it so special.

Do you know, what is the worst dilemma in the life of we the human creed? Fantasy, turning into reality... Do you know why is it so? Because once fantasy turns into reality or wishes come true, they came into life against some heavy price. Price that we don't afford to pay. Remember Barry Allen wanted to have just one chance to go back in time and save his mother. He was fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to get not once but twice the chance of saving her. BUT... At the first time, he decided to leave the past as it is and then he regretted, why he lost the opportunity. On the second attempt, he saved his mother and due to this one action, the course of history & future were altered and another timeline was created with events, still demanding him to regret upon his decision. So, regret is what finally, humans have to feel. The summary of this whole time traveling episode of Haalim is same. Fantasy... (Zehan mein bani kahaniyon) ko pura nahi hona chahiye... Warna woh tragedy ban jati hain... 

Our Haalim (i.e. Taliya Murad aka Princess Tasha) is all regret at the end of the episode. And the regret this time has come up with sadness. The forward time traveling has come up with lofty price in the form of a much needed twist in the plot. As expected, Fateh has lost the memories of four months spent in Malaka. 

Or us ko dua mein manga kero

Jis ke milney ka dukh bara ho ga

(Main Bekhayali Mein Sang Tere- Shahbaz Ali Naqvi)

(And I feel, this twist was written all over the walls and you may have guessed it pretty earlier when Fateh had the keys to open the door. As a matter of fact, whoever opens the door arrives the next destination with no memories of recent past) :-)

To me, the best part of Waqt Ke Us Paar, was the intelligently carved picturesque of events, that made me feel like watching a fantasy adventure in 3-D. The way Nemrah Ahmed projected the scenes esp, the entry in the island, Adam's confrontation with the bodyguard & combat with the dragon and last but not the least, their departure from the island with Princess Tasha on the deck of the ship, all of these events were described with utmost authenticity. Tasha on the deck reminded me of Captain Hook. Adam's fight with the dragon reminded me of Prince Charming's fight with the dragon. (Once Upon A Time, Season Two & One). I must say, Nemrah is one of the best writers we have in our Urdu literature universe, when it comes to giving us lively pictures through her words.

Well, I have to admire Nemrah once again. Read this beauty. Shaam dhal gai to badhara mehal ke dar o deewar ne sargoshiyon mein aik doosrey ko teh'khaney ka ehwaal sunaya... Khirkiyaan ehtajajan zara kharkeen or darwazon ne apney patt jhallaey magar oonchey satoon behissi se qaid'khaney ka manzar naama suntey rahey... See, how aesthetically wonderful is the way, she use to plays with the words. Symbolical approach at its prime best.

Nemrah never shys away from giving some deep lessons that are mandatory to be learnt in order to live the life with courage & bravery.  As Tasha say, Sarey bhao tao jang se pehley ke hotey hain... Lakin jab aik dafa larai shuru ho jaey to dushman pe tars khana kamzori hoti hai... But story doesn't end here. Don't forget Adam's reply, Medaan e jang mein na dushman pe tars khatey hain na dost ki taraf se ankhen band kertey hain...

Have you ever wondered, what pokes these writers to deep dive into the realm of thoughts and bring at the surface some pearls that we read as words. Their hidden treasure that never allow them to seek rest, i.e. The Writing skills. Artists, no matter to which field that belong, have to focus on the internal self and come up with their art. If they don't do so, they will remain impatient, provided if they are genuine artists. Same goes for writers and Nemrah throws some light on it. Tehreer mein jaan bachaney ki taqat hoti hai...

Apparently, Malaka Island episode is over with our three travelers traveling back to the future in the 21st century KL after so much happenings but I feel, every end is a sign of a new beginning and in this case, I firmly believe that story will definitely move from KL to Malaka once again. These last two episodes were sleek, stylish & pacey and they have driven the story of Haalim to new heights . I expect some serious updates in next coming episodes. It would be really interesting to see how Taliya & Adam will cope up with the newly emerged situation now. Last but not the least, the title of this 11th episode (i.e. Waqt Ke Us Paar) reminded me of Sir Ishtiaq Ahmed's titles which he used to give to his Inspector Jamshed & Kamran Mirza's stories. Don't you recall the same. Do tell me in comments.

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