ALIF (Umera Ahmed)- Novel Analysis by Shoby

ALIF (Umera Ahmed)-Novel Analysis by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

I am a 90's kid and many of us have grown reading Umera Ahmed. The name that is synonymous to some unforgettable stories with almost immortal characters. Well right from Haasil to La'Haasil, from Main Ne Khawabon Ka Sheher to Sehar Ik Ista'ara Hai, from Meri Zaat Zara e benishaan to Shehr e Zaat, from Mann o Salwa to Iman Umeed or Muhabbat and from the exceptional saga PEER e KAAMIL (saww) to relatively new epic Aks. I shall continue with mentioning the names of those epic write ups that we have been cherishing for so long and the list may not be concluded. So, let us summarize our discussion and focus on our primary object today. The latest offering by one of the legendary writers of our time Ms. Umera Ahmed, which she has tentatively titled as ALIF.

Do you know the meaning of ALIF. No, not that meaning which everyone "else" is telling us. I am talking about the Real meaning of Alphabet ALIF. ALIF, the very first ALPHABET of ISM of the CREATOR of everything (ALLAH). Get ready for the goosebumps now. While teaching the meaning of Bismillah al-Rahman alRahim, IMAM JAFER SADIQ (asws) said,  “ALIF is the Blessings [ala] of ALLAH over His Creatures from the bounty of our Guardianship [wilayah]. (Reference Book: KITAB AL TOWHID by Sheikh Sadooq, Page Number 237). So, all the BLESSINGS of our CREATOR ALLAH PAK are hidden in the meanings of LETTER "ALIF". Let me pause this discussion here and will resume the same somewhere in the middle of the review to give more insight about its relation with the novel ALIF.

ALIF (novel) is a combination of a plethora of  larger than life stories (and we know that it is the signature of Umera Ahmed to present larger than life tales). At one side, we get to see a maverick film director's journey from spiritual to materialistic and then reverting to his very own shade of nature (being spiritual). On the other side, we confront with a very common (read basic) story of an actress who went on to gain the triumph. Then there is a journey of a veteran actress who chooses ONE from the lot. And then there are two calligraphers both have a different dimension of love (ISHQ) to explore.

Now let us analyze the pertinent protagonists of the story. Qalb e Momin, being the talk of the town as the hit machine of Lollywood has been portrayed, just the way he was supposed to. Starting off with the grey side of his character, someone who knows the worth of being the only film maker with all commercially successful films under his banner, the hallmarks of his character from being rude & straight forward to arrogant and then his coming of age to sensible and noble person, he is undoubtedly, another gem of a character, penned by Umera. I found visible impact of different shades from Umera's earlier characters including Salaar Sikander (PEER e KAAMIL saww) and Sherdil (Aks) in this character. Character of Momina is crystal clearly written by the author. Various aspects of the character depict her struggle and continuous battle with the life. From an unsure struggling actress (Not A Wanna-Be but struck by luck), to an Academy award winner, her personality has been shaped by all the downs of the life with not even a hint of success negatively impacting her persona.

If we talk about the characters of Abdul ALI, Sultan, TAHA Abdul ALI and Husn e Jahan, I must say that the author has penned one of the most solid author backed characters this time. ABDUL ALI, heir of one of most cherished genre of calligraphy. His ancestors were considered the legends of this art form and they have painted/ calligraphed nothing but ALLAH (HIS ASMAA and Ayaat e Mubarka). His only dream was, to see his only Son (Taha) a true successor of his family heritage. Then comes Sultan, a make-up artist and a die-hard lover of Husn e Jahan, who can do anything for the love. Talking about Husn e Jahan, once a diva, a cherished actress who decides to marry a calligrapher cum dancer just in the love of SUPREME. Let us not forget probably the most pertinent character of Qalb e Momin in his childhood. A 10 years old kid, who has the strongest bonding with ALLAH. He loves to interact with ALLAH through postal medium. Innocence brought with the rock solid belief on ALLAH has been his biggest trait.

To be honest, it was quite difficult to give all these sub-plots an equal opportunity to blossom but hats off to Umera for handling the subject matter so delicately that you never miss a beat. You have no time to get distracted and bored as the proceedings operate so smooth, they do not allow you to derange and divert your thought process. At the heart of the mega plot, all these sub-plots are built, arranged and managed so evenly that you always look for what’s coming next. (Not after the ecstasy but in the plot :-) )

I am in no doubt to say that Umera has written ALIF in her very own signature style. The same sort of writing technique, for which she is famous. The treatment of Qalb e Momin childhood's part resembles to that of Chirya's in Aks. I love the way she expressed his relationship with ALLAH and steps to further strengthen this relationship (making a handmade postal box and writing letters). Somewhere I feel, I would have loved it even more, if he was shown writing a letter after his character’s make-over turn around, may be just to show his innocence shade of his character.

Dialogues in ALIF are pitch perfect. "Jo Tum Chor Ke Ai Ho woh dunya hai... Jo main chor betha hoon WOH ALLAH Hai..." Goose Bumps… hai na??? You always get to read a stunner in every paragraph. It was an amazing feel to see the magic sprinkling out from the same real Umera Ahmed's monologues. “Is ke kaantey hata diye hain main ne ta ke aap ki ungliyan zakhmi na hon... reminded me of “Aap ke paon bohat haseen hain... Inhain zameen per na utaiye ga, meley ho jaey ge” from Kamal Amrohi’s 20th Film-Fare winner Pakeezah. Similarly “aaj tumhain gaey 423 din ho gaey hain” made me recall another classic, theek kehtey ho tum dev… sirf dus saal from Sir Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s epic Devdas.

Now let me try to bridge the gap and create a sync between the real meaning of ALIF and the proceedings of this novel. As I mentioned earlier, according to the saying of IMAM JAFER SADIQ (asws), ALIF (ALPHABET) represents the BLESSINGS of ALLAH, which HE bestowed upon us (and every creation) due to the Wilayat of MUHAMMAD (saww) o AAL e MUHAMMAD (saww). In novel ALIF, we get to see several personalities, where everyone is dealing with this BLESSING in a diverse manner. At one hand Qalb e Momin becomes proud & arrogant, whereas on the other hand, Momina absorbs all the fame with utmost grace. Same goes for Husn e Jahan and Taha but ABDUL ALI is a bit affected negatively, which he later on realizes and tries to rectify.

Coming towards the scene creation, once again, she has proved her mettle here. There are many scenes in the novel, where you are spell bound by her masterstrokes. My picks are Death Scene of Jahangir, Scene where Momin discusses film on spirituality with screenplay writers and the scene, where Sultan comes to meet Husn e Jahan in Turkey.

Sultan: Main Pakistan se Turkey aa gaya aap ke liye… Aap ne chaey ka aik cup tak na piaya…

Husn e Jahan: Chaey ke liye aik cup doodh hai… Us se chaey baney gi to Momin raat ko kiya piye ga … Doodh piye bagher neend nahi ati usey…

Above all my most favorite scene of the novel is the dance sequence featuring Taha performing Rumi Dance on the stage and Husn e Jahan dancing at the back of the stage.

“This, my friends, is called the Sama—the dance of the whirling dervishes. From this day on, dervishes of every age will dance the Sama. One hand pointed up to the sky, the other hand pointing down to earth, every speck of love we receive from God, we pledge to distribute to the people.” (40 Rules of Love by Elif Shafaq). I felt like Taha and Husn e Jahan were doing the very same thing. Spreading love all around, the love they have gained from the CREATOR.

We all know that Umera Ahmed is best at imagery. From scenic locales of a Turkish sub-urb village to glitz & glamour filled life of a city with celebrities involved in the narration, from calm & content place of ABDUL ALI and Master Ibrahim to the house of struggling Momina in a mediocre place, everything is penned so authentically. Thank you Umera for not concluding the whole story in a mediocre way. If you would have made Qalb e Momin and Momina a happily everafter living lovey dovey couple at the curtains, it would have dented the story especially the primary theme of the novel. Leave everything for ONE and then you will be BLESSED with a need for Nothingness, something much above than Self Actualization (in the Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy).

Final words, let me confess that before ALIF, last novel of Umera Ahmed (Aab e Hayat) was not up to the mark, considering two primary things. First thing first, it was projected as a sequel to cult classic PEER e KAMIL (saw) but it miserably failed to have the same impact as of its predecessor. Secondly, considering Umera is at the prime of her writing carrier and Aks was a mind boggling read, Aab e Hayat fell short of my expectations in many ways (Read my review on Aab e Hayat at my blog Shobywood for reasons and details). But looks like in ALIF, Umera Ahmed has made a gigantic come back with all the success already written on the wall. Obviously, till date, PEER e KAAMIL (saw), Mann o Salwa, Aks and Haasil are my favorites and ALIF has not beaten their fan following as far as my views are concerned but yes, ALIF is a winner in every domain, if it is not compared with Umera’s earlier classics. As a matter of fact, I have not watched a single episode of dramatized version of ALIF and I really don’t want to watch it. Don’t want to spoil my mood if drama version couldn’t do justice with its written piece. Yes, I am not at all a fan of Pakistan’s current drama/ film industry. Leaving you guys with this from my one of the favorite seasons Penny Dreadful (Season One).

I have never seen, so much nothing…

Look closer… Recognize the pattern of nature

…THE END…

PS: This review is the property of Shahbaz Ali Naqvi and blog Shobywood. No part of this review is allowed to be reproduced without consent of Shahbaz Ali Naqvi, however blog link can be shared anywhere.

Rah e Noor- Novel Review by Shoby

Rah e Noor- Novel Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

Say, "O you who are Jews, if you claim that you are allies of Allah, excluding the [other] people, then wish for death, if you should be truthful."

(Sura Jummah- Ayat Number 6)

Whenever I recite this thought provoking Ayat e Mubarka from Sura Jummah, I always wonder what the #death has in it, that ALLAH PAK has categorically challenged Jews to wish for it, in case they think themselves as allies of ALLAH and truthful.

Now check this line from Rah e Noor. Zindagi ki mehraab per likhi tehreer ka pehla lafz maut hai. Maut jor hai, tor nahi. Yes, this is the universal truth. Death, in reality, is simply a transition process, which teleport you from one universe (read jahaan) to another. So, what it takes to wish for death. The equation is quite simple. You wish for death and when it comes to you, you will get to know the truth of everything. The truth of your belief system and deeds. If they are proved to be valid, you will be rewarded by ALLAH PAK, otherwise, believe me dears, we are the one on the losing side and this loss is forever and no one knows what the term FOREVER means.

Coming towards Rah e Noor, Sumaira Hameed has chosen another interesting topic and this time she has come up with a win-win story. Rah e Noor is the story of three characters, who are all set to commit suicide, after-all what the hell is left in this not-so-friendly world. But the story takes you to a never seen before journey, which concludes on a very motivating note. Obviously, I wont tell you the whole story, as I don't want to be spoiler. You should read it to know what happens afterwards.

I feel, when life deprives you of every thing that you love & care, you are left with three emotions. Anger, Hate and Regret. Anger makes you weak, hate stimulates you to seek revenge and regret leaves you with frustration. Now take this phenomenon, what would someone do if he is on the verge of seeking revenge but is weak from inside and has nothing but frustration in his pocket. The result would be a big zero. So, what should one do, when life bereaves you of every damn thing that you cherish. It is the make or break scenario. I believe, all these three feelings (i.e. anger, hate & regret) are energies. If someone channelize them and make the positive & productive use of these energies, he will comes out as a survivor, and he will emerge as a real life hero. This is what we call a success story and the world is full of these success stories, out of which this Rah e Noor is one amazing affair.

The novel begins in a signature Sumaira Hameed's style and it reminded me of the start of her earlier offerings, Jog Aas and Wali. The novel briskly changes the mood and a bit of sadness gathers around you, when you get to know that the protagonists have started their journey towards the ultimate end (i.e. death) but with the passage of time, you feel, it is not a noir written by Sumaira, rather, it is a slice of life, coming of age emotional roller coaster ride that evolves the characters very smartly.  I love the way how Sumaira changes gears from a mental hospital to Khewra mine and from full of life Pehelwan-land in Gujranwala to serene, calm & composed environment of land of Sufis, Multan and the story concludes in sub-urbs of lively Chakwal.

To tell you honestly, there are few movies & books, that you never want to be ended. You enjoy the proceedings so purely that you just want to continue the journey and never wish its ending to be happen in a near soon. To me, I place Imtiaz Ali's Highway, Sir Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani, ABC's TV Series Once Upon A Time, Showtime's TV Series Penny Dreadful and Ritupuarno Ghosh's Raincoat in this category. Yes, Rah e Noor, without any exaggeration, successfully manages its secured position in the same genre. This road trip tale is one, that I never want to be ended.

Being a poet, I believe, the most difficult thing is to sum up all you want to say in few words. Those poets are considered as greats who have shown their command in writing couplets in Small Behars. Similarly, novels like Borshay, Main Bint e Jameela, Rab ul Bashar and now this Rah e Noor can easily be converted into mega novels with more than one episodes but hats off to Sumaira by summarizing the whole story in only few pages and that too without compromising on the quality.

One unique thing that Sumaira has explored in this novel is the romance with the figure three (3). If you watch it closely, you will see the repetition of figure three (3) in many places in the novel. Check this, it is a story of three characters Haadi, Talal, Ibrahim (which basically is further originated from their three distinctive stories). Then comes, three (3) parts (pehar) of night. When they come out from the mine, they get to see three (3) Roshni... Zindagi ki Saans ki alamat, Bachey... Aik naya jahan abad honey ki alamat, Aasman... ALLAH PAK ki behisaab Rehmat ki Alamat. A small boy outside mine gives them three products, Shaheen, Safaid Phool, Khanjar. Three (3) moves (dao) of life. Pehla dao... Iman... ALLAH PAK ki adalat mein muqadma, Doosra... Sabar, Teesra... Raza... ALLAH PAK ki Raza pe Raazi. And last but not the least, Pehla Chakar... ALLAH PAK ne zindagi ko pasand kiya, Doosra Chakar... Zameen kahin nakhlistan hai kahin sehra... Insan ki zindagi, Teesra Chakar... Her shey her amal ki qaza hai... Zindagi ki nahi...

Talking about Sumaira's another strenght, the dialogue writing, here once again, she shines with the glory. See, how beautifully she uses the sweet Punjabi dilect, Ik Maan Meri O Piyari... Is Maa naal meri yaari.. Mera dil tey meri hayati... Main maa tu jind wari. It reminded me of the Gulzar sb's symbolical approach, when read Sumaira's words in the Para Gliding scene, Acha to uper se zameen aisi dikhai deti hai... Pehley maloom hota to woh safaid badlon mein aik ghar bana leta... Ghar ki khirkiyan khol ker roz aisa nazara kerta... The one statement that stunned me, Insan ke jism mein itni taqat hai to rooh mein kitni ho gi??? Kiyo ke Rooh jism se afzal hai... And this one has written Sumaira Hameed all over it, putting negative-positive in one phenomenon under same situation, Inhain Bhaa ki zabardastiyan achi lagney lagi thi... Inhain Bhaa ki zabardastiyan zehar lagney lagi thi... And this beautiful food for thought Kabhi dawa mein shifa hui hai??? Yeh to ikhtyar waley ke kamaal ka kamaal hai...

It is a fortay of Sumaira that she keenly observes the environment and minute details of her subject matter, due to which her writings stand out from the rest. The way she has used the native language of pehalwaans in Gujranwala is amazing. From their Kushtis and counting style, to the statement,  Zindagi jeetney ke liye 360 dao aney chahiye... Warna sirf Aik (1)... Insan ko jeena ana chahiye... Mar to sab ne jana hi hai, she was all pitch perfect.

Overall, This novel is an epic road trip tale, that acts as an amazing motivation, that makes you count what we have, instead of what we have not. It has a message written loud & clear on it, Live the life, as it is the best blessing of ALLAH PAK. Don't take it for-granted.

Jab aap mout ki taraf safar shuru ker rahey hotey hain magar zindagi aap baahen khol ke aap ka istaqbaal kerti hai...

PS: Don't Forget To Provide Your Valuable Comments in Below Comments Box

Main Jinnah Ka Waris Hoon- Review by Shoby

Main Jinnah Ka Waris Hoon- Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi

“You will have to make up for the smallness of your size by your courage and selfless devotion to duty, for it is not life that matters, but the courage, fortitude and determination you bring to it.”

Hazrat Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (ra)

Leadership... A distinctive quality that makes one stand outside of the flock. Leaders are those who don’t care for anything not even themselves, when it comes to the betterment of their followers (read the nation). They say, nations make leaders but I am off the view that it is an entirely a wrong statement. Nations can never make a leader, however leaders are born to convert a scattered group of individuals, having mutually conflicting interests into a nation. This is why nations follow a faithful leader blindly because he is the one, who serves as the anatomy of the nation.

To me, MJKWH is all about a loud cry, emerging out of sheer pain. Pain for author's love for the motherland. It speaks out in loud volumes in favour of what our so called political messiahs were supposed to do in the history (or at least now, considering the last chance) and what have been they up to in the last 70 odd years. While reading MJKWH written by Mr. Mahmood Zafar Iqbal Hashmi, one question raised by the author was triggering in my mind after every second minute, we have excellent role models from NABI AKRAM RASOOL ULLAH MUHAMMAD MUSTAFA (saww) to Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (ra), but even then, we have not been able to find out a single real successor of Quaid... Someone who could have managed to get all of us out of these ever increasing dilemmas... Why???

I feel MJKWH is a fairytale, that emerged from the inner part of writer's heart and that looks like the biggest long lasting wish & desire of not only the writer but all of us. No, it is not a wannabe story of a child, plagued with child labour, who went on to achieve the triumph. I consider this novel to be an epic exploration of most sincere replies against the questions that we have been asking to each other for more than several decades. It is about how Waris, younger child of a poor family, becomes the luck charm of a nation, courtesy his will & desire to take up the challenge to complete the uphill task of rescuing the nation from all the bads, they have been facing for decades.

Now, let’s explore the dynamics of story writing technique used in the narrative by Mr. Mahmood in MJKWH. It is quite interesting to see that two distinctive speeches are used parallel in the novel. A direct speech, where the protagonist is shown addressing to the nation for the last time as PM and simultaneously a story runs in flashback telling the tale of this child becoming the premier. If the overall speech of PM is drawing a beautiful painting of emotions & practices that laid him & his team to achieve what one assumes to be practically impossible, then on the other hand, the episode of Waris, running parallel with the speech, depicts a very sensitive yet loud story of hard work, struggle, sacrifice & devotion. Waris is literally a prime example of the phrase GOD helps those who help themselves.

This novel speaks volumes about the sheer hands-on knowledge & experience that Mr. Mahmood possess. See, how beautifully he has discussed almost each & every problem that we, as a nation are facing right now and the best thing about this book was, not only he highlighted the problem statements but unlike all these on-air political programs, he came up with some real solid solutions to the problems. I loved the way, how he inter-connected different solutions, in order to form each of them a great team player in overall problem solving arena.

From child labour to the extremism and law & order situation, from agriculture to medical, from sports to art & infrastructure, from financial stability to economic reforms, from international relations with other countries to resolving Kashmir dispute, from land reforms to administrative endeavours, Mr. Mahmood has explored almost every problem written on the wall. This is an indeed a fine piece of literature that can definitely serve as a remedy for the issues, we have been facing since decades.

Another beauty of the novel is the writer's take on characters. Considering it being a lengthy novel, Mr. Mahmood has been successful in arranging all the things in best possible proportions, while using minimal characters. In fact, there are only 5 to 6 pertinent characters in the whole novel, who make the story runs smooth.

The novel overall focuses on Waris, a working child, who went on to become PM. Nabeela, a sister plus adviser, whose task is to provide Waris with much needed guidance & motivation, whenever he needed them. Barrister Shamsa, a lady with golden heart, who helps Waris by every possible means, to polish this deteriorating gem. Barrister Samiullah, a successful lawyer, a practical person, who doesn't look like a warm-hearted person but in actual, he was all heart. Professor Asif, a die-hard overseas Pakistani, a true lover of Allama Iqbal, Adeena, the love interest of Waris, with a slightly different perspective, unlike the so-called female leads of our novels. Story also saw a few other characters like mother of Waris, Rahul, a uni-fellow & best buddy of Waris and Ustad Dilshad. Talking about the character sketches of all of them, I must say that writer did full justice to each & every one of these characters. I loved the way, how Mr. Mahmood has shown the coming of age, as far as Undeena's character is concerned. It was such a breather to see that writer has shown the primary objective of Waris, as the first love and NOT the girl. Hats Off...

There is no debate if I say that Mr. Mahmood has come up with a very strong concept of a character, who is inspired by two grandest personalities of our historical legacy. Waris, truly inspired from Quaid e Azam and Allama Iqbal was just at its prime best, whenever he was shown talking with respect to these real super heroes. But I feel, writer should have focused a bit more on the sayings & practices of Quaid e Azam and similarly discussed some more revolutionary poetry of Allama Iqbal, in order to further enlighten our generation with the true image of what one has to do, in order to become a real Shaheen of Iqbal, a real successor of Quaid e Azam.

Mr. Mahmood was at his writing best, when he gave a comparative analysis of two very diverse societies. Western world and Pakistan. He also gave us a picture of old & new Pakistan, which was revamped after a struggle of 15 plus years. I feel, prime objective of Mr. Mahmood was to deliver a top-notch presentation about the winning qualities of a leader. He, obviously highlighted many issues, from child labor to terrorism, but he was also pointing us the best possible ways to get out of these issues. Writer. being an OD professional, used his vast experience & understanding, to give us an insight about how to discover a leader within us. Now, it is up to us, whether we can find one or not.

Although I truly believe that this novel is written with all the heart & warmth that one feels for the dear country but still at times, I felt, things were a bit exaggerated in the proceedings. For instance, some issues that writer has depicted to be resolved so easily within 15 years are literally not a cup of tea for anyone. I am not one of those who think one should not even try to touch "impossibles". Yes, I am one of those who are strong believers of the saying that IMPOSSIBLE itself says, I M Possible but still certain elements like land reforms, Kashmir dispute, relations with India & Afghanistan, Kala-Bagh Dam and others are some real tough asks. If someone like Waris appears from anywhere in our country, who can break all the barriers to achieve whatever is necessary to make Pakistan one of the biggest economies and an Islamic welfare state, I would be more than delighted. But, who, when, and how are the big Qs.

Somewhere in the read, it is pertinent that you find your eyes moist and in my case, it was the curtain part of this novel. One line that gave me sheer goose bumps from the whole was, Is Pak Sar'zameen ko KARBALA mein dhalney waley or usey us ke basiyon ke lahoo se tarr kerney waley zeyada ter yazeed or shimr isi mulk ke baasi hain...

You may put a point that few of the things mentioned in the novel are completely out of question, especially when we talk about the dreams coming true in the form of economic stability, Kashmir dispute resolution, and others but believe me, this writing is a clear evidence of how optimistic is the writer, when it comes to the future of Pakistan. We should not focus on what we have not been able to do till date and what can never be achieved in the life. This novel gives a lifetime learning of one man can literally change the course of history and we have seen such persons in the real time historical arena. The only thing required is the will & passion to achieve, what everyone expects to be not achievable at any cost.

I believe these few lines are not at all sufficient to explain all the aspects of the novel and a complete book or at least a research article can be written, where we can discuss all the 10 chapters of MJKWH. But still leaving you with a hope that we all learn from what Mr. Mahmood was trying to say, without being preachy at all. Don't wait for someone to come & rescue us. Stay strong and stand up on your feet, if you really have the will to do something for the country. And believe what I always say. You are born to fly and believe sky is never a limit.

In the end, I would request Mr. Mahmood to come up with a sequel to MJKWH, in order to further explain the unanswered phenomena with respect to the development plan, he has presented in the 10 chapters. I am a firm supporter of the concept that epics should neither be re-made nor should be their sequels or prequels are written. But in this case, I feel, we all need further motivation and in terms of practical steps to be taken, further guidance to really become a true successor of Quaid e Azam (ra).

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Haalim (Episode 12)- Review by Shoby

Haalim (Episode 12)- Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi

Yvonne: Where were you last night?

Rick: That's so long ago, I don't remember.

Yvonne: Will I see you tonight?

Rick: I never make plans that far ahead.

Casablanca (1942)

Life, my dear friends, is all about deducing results from the choices made by us. In fact, life, on the whole, is merely the end-product of the choices that we make in moments. The winner is the one who not only makes a choice, but also stands firm to endorse the decision and take as a gentleman, whatever emerges, as an outcome. Fateh made a choice and his decision effected not only him but also the lives of two other sides of the triangle. Taliya Binte Murad and Adam Bin Muhammad... I am no one to comment, whether the decision was right or wrong but only time will tell, if Cassandra Clare's saying come true or not. “In the end that was the choice you made, and it doesn't matter how hard it was to make it. It matters that you did.” Cassandra Clare- City of Glass.

Talking about Kingmakers, now this personality, no matter to whom you are referring, is a must read character. If you think, kings (and modern day PMs & Presidents) rule the states, then you are too wrong. There is someone, who plays all the games in House of Cards to make someone the king. I would like to quote you a real life example of Mr. David Axelrod (campaign manager of ex- USA president Barrack Obama). You read on the history and you will be surprised to know that not only Obama was the one, who used to seek political advice from this person but he also served as the political adviser to another ex-president Bill Clinton. This is the power of a king-make. And here is my prediction, as far as king-making spree is concerned in Haalim. No, no dear, please have a patience and read on the complete review and then I’ll tell you, what is my  take on Haalim’s connection in this king-making chapter.

Starting of Sultan-Saaz was a Nemrah Ahmed's signature style of writing. Well, if someone would have thought that she has given us not the right dose of information regarding how Fateh spent the penultimate moments of the midnight (middle of 16th & 17th July) in modern KL, Nemrah this time starts up with the same story. Chorna itna asaan hota hai kiya... Kiya marney se pehley koi kisi ko chorney ki khuahish ker sakta hai...

Grieved Fateh, trying to look strong & positive seems to be struggling a lot with his inner self, when he was just cruising to the edge to face, what he destined for himself. Regrets, are the only by-product of our each & every action. Leaders have to take decisions, the tough ones... But who knows, what they have to go through in their personal capacities while making the decisions, especially when it comes to make a choice, which is apparently effecting not only you but few others, who become an important part of your life. Needless to say that Fateh, we all know, by his nature is one of those type who firmly believe on the saying that I don’t take right decisions, rather I take a decision and make it right.

On the other hand, still in a state of denial, Taliya Binte Murad is finding it hard to recover from the shock of her life. I don’t know, why this stupid emotion called love always interrupts the smoothly ongoing life cycle. She was good, in fact much happy, playing different avatars and living a life with a dream of becoming a princess with a castle up on a hill but when she actually achieved what she has dreamt off, the ultimate results were not very favorable. The primary dilemma is, Mujhey Van Fateh se muhabbat ho gai hai Daatin... and Aap nahi jantey Fateh sb, Zaalim or Behis aadmi se shaadi oonchey iradon wali larki ko kaisey maar deti hai.

Reason behind all of this sadness is, when you lose credibility, you lose your worth and this is what happened with Taliya. But as the mentor is always there to motivate you, right at that very moment, when you have lost everything, even your self-confidence, Zulkifli appears and gives her a lesson for the life. Bulandi pe baney mehal tak pohanchey ke liye koi saaf sarak mojood nahi hoti...

Let me give you my take on this very interesting character who always come in little cameos in this mystery thriller called Haalim. Zulkifli, to me, is one of those characters who was a master in the field but never got praised (read recognition) for his ever amazing skills. But he, as a mentor, has put all of his energies in making his protégé a prodigy of sorts. And whenever his student needs a session of counseling, he is there to help him.

Coming back to the track, the best hallmark that I love in the character sketch of Taliya is her getting herself adjusted according to the modifications in the circumstances. Sticking true to the label of a con-artist, she easily & very quickly switches the mode. So, instantly getting over the sadness & regret part, she has quite literally done well to leave behind, what has lost, Taliya Murad is now focused on the target in hand. She is all set to achieve what is yet to be undiscovered. Well, the destiny gives you chances to rise up above the sky and if you tap the moment, you be emerge as a winner. Nevertheless, focus on this universal truth, Dil ALLAH ke Hath mein hotey hain...  The conversation between Zulkifli & Taliya and this one statement reminded me of our K-Pop addict, love struck Hanna with ancient saints of books. (Namal)

Times come, when you need someone as neutral as he could to share some moments, you never want to share with anyone else. There, you try to find a breather, an open window in the environment full of suffocation, a companion upon whom you can put your trust quite blindly. Fateh needs to recall the once-forgotten incidents (Malaca journey) so the interesting twist to the tale is here, Fateh contacting Haalim and both of them discussing some personal & professional issues. Much for our interest, this time around, we saw Haalim seeking advice from Fateh. Are we witnessing some weakness of the two strongest characters of the novel??? Thumbs up Nemrah, on successfully making us realize that all these super heroes are not always master of the play. Moments arise, when they act like normal human beings. Circumstances affect them too and there is no harm in accepting, at times, that yes, we are also a part of this 8 billion population.

Just like many of the times in Namal, we have that adrenaline rush moment at Asra's auction. Haalim played the game again and a narrow escape for Asra was put on cards. Meanwhile, Nemrah never ignores the personality traits of any character. Adam uttering the slapstick in fear, Main kesey maan lu ke aap khazana dekhtey hi mere sir pe kudaal nahi maar dey gi... successfully managed to bring a smile on reader's face.

Fateh is all set to contest the upcoming elections and looks like all is still not well with Adam & Taliya. To increase the frustration on their part, pity to know that the long cherished & much struggled hidden treasure is not present, where it was buried.

This episode was the first, after a long Malaca journey. With the end of first part of Malaca's episode (saying first part, because I have a strong feeling that the three will again visit the old Malaca in some part of the plot), Nemrah Ahmed was amazingly spot on, while shifting the gears from Malace to KL. See the power of her vision, she can make you visit the old castles, streets & jungles of Malaca and through her words, she can also make you instantly fall in love with modern architecture & ambience of KL.

The story is progressing well but I don't know, why I feel, the inner script is stretched intentionally by the writer. It remains to be seen where the story will go ahead from here. With Fateh struggling with his personal relationships at home courtesy Ashar's selfish moves and Asra's favoring her brother, he has to focus on his political career, while keeping an eye on Taliya the problematic child, who is all set to become a body-woman. In the meantime, Taliya is gearing herself up to reinstate the lost credibility, the lost worth. And please don’t forget a very integral part of the story. Adam’s marriage with Fatima is in trouble but looks like he doesn’t care much. Who cares, when you are already in love with someone as strong & as dominating as Princess Tasha.

And now time has come to reveal my prediction regarding king-maker in Haalim. After observing the dreams of Taliya Murad (both old & new ones), I have concluded that Taliya is going to be the kingmaker for Fateh and this will be done courtesy some assistance by the third part of the trilogy (i.e. Adam). If Fateh has to achieve the prime power in the politics of Malaysia (in Haalim), he has to consider & respect his newly appointed body-woman… Stay blessed friends… Bye Bye

PS: Don't forget to provide your valuable comments in below comment box.

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.

PS: Don't forget to give your feedback in the below box.

Haalim (Episode 10)- Review by Shoby

Haalim (Episode 10)- Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

Dr. King Schultz: Well, Broomhilda was a princess. She was a daughter of Wotan. Anyways, her father is really mad at her.

Django: What she do?

Dr. King Schultz: I can't exactly remember. She disobeys him in some way. So he puts her on top of the mountain.

Django: Broomhilda's on a mountain?

Dr. King Schultz: It's a German legend, there's always going to be a mountain in there somewhere. And he puts a fire-breathing dragon there to guard the mountain. And he surrounds her in a circle of hellfire. And there, Broomhilda shall remain. Unless a hero arises brave enough to save her.

Django: Does a fella arise?

Dr. King Schultz: Yes, Django, as a matter of fact, he does. A fella named Siegfried.

Django: Does Siegfried save her?

Dr. King Schultz: [Nods] Quiet spectacularly so. He scales the mountain, because he's not afraid of it. He slays the dragon, because he's not afraid of him. And he walks through hellfire... because Broomhilda's worth it.

Django: I know how he feel.

Django Unchained (2012)

Slowly & steadily Nemrah Ahmed is paving ways to get the story back to the track from where it all started. The first hint is off course the dream. Thanks GOD the dream sequence has been updated. This time, it has featured a modern corporate office environment in 21^st century. The dream symbolically refers to two things apparently. First, obviously the ever increasing authority of Taliya and second, what I assume, fully grown influence of Taliya on Fateh's decisions in the life to come and I feel this is something which we shall see in upcoming episodes.

They say, it is a world where survival is assured only for the fittest and just like how they fight in the ring, it is every man for himself. The phenomenon is quite literally proving true here as Yan Su Fu has orchestrated a sort of indigestible plan of rescuing her own maternal life. Fact of the matter is who likes to be deprived of the power, authority, title & above all, his/ her respective strong position and what if it is as strong as a crown.

The episode Sanam Taraash comes with couple of twists, which were much needed to retain the story alive. Yes, you guessed it right. Under critical circumstances, Fateh ties knot with Taliya (more of a paper marriage contract only). Well the story does not ends here, the icing on the cake is the cupid has strike Adam with his deadly lethal weapon. Itni si baat thi or Adam ka dil khaali ho gaya... Ker lo gal. Nevertheless, the moment Taliya prepares herself as a bride for wedding ritual is perfectly written. Although only two or three very short lines penned by Ms. Nemrah but undoubtedly these few sentences were more than enough to leave a huge emotional impact on the readers.

It was quite evident that Fateh is the most self-centered person on the planet and yes he had to be practical by every mean. This sentence further strengthens our belief. Mohabbat sirf fairy tale mein hoti hain Adam... Is ko asal zindagi mein nahi dhoondey...

The much celebrated statue of Wang Li is also implanted in the episode and once again it is carved by none other than Taliya. However the reason why she made it was quite engaging. Last but not the least, apparently the much talked about treasure for which Taliya has crossed the worlds, has been unfolded finally. It is not the gold or jewels as many of us have been imagining. Rather it’s the antiques. And what a plan structured by the cat burglar. To bury the things and discover them in the future. And this is why she was creating the statue in order to get access to Wang Li's house. Tasha’s poem was also a landmark. Bravo.

Just like last few episodes this one was also having a good dose of public awareness messages. This time Nemrah focused on inflation & self-esteem. Talking about inflation first, Taliya projects the results of her Root Cause Analysis on increasing trend of inflation in the state of Malacca, keeping in view the statements of Fateh once given in a talk show. And the matter in the court stands resolved by accepting the foreign aid from Chinese kingship in the form of Foreign Debts... Beautiful explanation by Nemrah about how the corrupt politicians and their so called tajarbey'kaar teams are the real reason of drastic conditions of drowning economies in Third World countries.

I feel, "Jia" is also gaining a good volume of fame (obviously not as popular as our very favorite #FoodlyEverAfter) as almost all of the brave heart sort of renditions by Fateh have been given here. This time it was no different. Fateh talks about Self Esteem and how it effects one's personality & his behavioral patterns. However I would like to add just one point here so that readers may not get distracted by the illustration.

There is a very thin line between self-esteem & ego. Interesting thing is, the word Ego also means self. Someone, who always talk about self, who make fun of someone else with comparing to his own self, whereas Self-esteem is standing up for yourself when someone makes fun of you for your liberty, beliefs or something else.

Coming back towards Haalim, I would like to mention one thing which I am regularly missing from last two episodes and I am sure many of the readers are also missing the same. I feel Nemrah is not giving the due share of space to the beautiful teachings from Islamic & Quranic stories for which she is famous. I hope she will surely come up with something like what she used to write as we are all missing the much needed dose of golden quotes.

Once again, Nemrah has never left the opportunity to bring impressive slapstick one-liners. At times, we feel Adam hails from our very own society as he has an amazing comic timing. Bara hi koi seincedaan baap hai aap ka... and Yaani mere ander waqai cell daltey hain... were the most entertaining sit-coms in this episode.

Readers, I have an important thing to discuss here and it is the concept of parallel universes or multiverse. Many of my readers are asking me questions that how come Taliya has grown whereas all other things remained constant as she time traveled twice (forth & back) and lived a good number of years in future. So here is my take.

Actually this concept of time travel is associated with parallel worlds and borrowed from different international fiction, movies & seasons. They say, more than one world or universe exists simultaneously but no one can cross over due to certain constraints. However, by incident (may be surpassing Einstein’s' Equation of Energy), if someone travels through the times, he reaches another world or may be the same world but in a different time period.

The best examples for this are seasons Fringe & The Flash. The key element in time travel is that when you cross over the time lines, you arrive in a world parallel to the one of yours. However, this time travel does not come without any impact. It is like, when you cheat with the thin fabric of time, it alters the course of history, thus arranges to make new timelines. So in one way or another history & future has an impact of this time travel. And I feel, our dreamers are here for the very same reason. Taliya wants to change the course of her future, whereas Fateh desires to alter the course of history. It is also discussed in Metaphysics by various scientists esp. Stephen Hawking in today's era. I hope this elaboration has proved to be fruitful for those who were a bit confused.

Summing up today's discussion, let me conclude all this by giving you a hint of what to expect in upcoming episodes. Worry not readers, nothing is going to happen to Taliya Muraad, what-so-ever Fateh predicts (read tells to Raja Muraad). The time is soon to arrive when the three of these time travelers will return back to the future from where they belong. Interesting thing would be their synchronization in the 21st century, as the things have now changed quite rapidly.

Leaving you till the next episode with the below statement which reminds me of my childhood story "Sher Aya"

Kiya sari umr jhoot bhoolney ki yehi saza hoti hai ke jab indagi ka sab se bara sach bolna chaho to koi yaqeen hi na kerey...

PS: Don't forget to give your feedback in below comments box.

Husnul Muab Or Concludes... Novel Analysis by Shoby

Husnul Muab Or Concludes... Novel Analysis by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

By Al-Asr. Indeed, mankind is in loss. Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience. (Sura Al-Asr)

And I say, we the human creed is seriously in loss. Do you know why, because either many of us do not Believe and for many others in case we believe, we don't believe it wholeheartedly on embracing truth & patience, leave aside the aspect of advising it to others.

Husnu Muaab Or, a Saira Raza novel gained my attraction initially just because of its very unique title. And when I started reading the pilot episode, it instantly took me into a trance as I fastened my seat belts & got ready to read a magnum of treat in the form of this written endeavour. To me, this thirteen episodic novel is more of a spiritual endowment theory than a mere social assignment.

To give you the gist of the story, it primarily revolves around the lives of our protagonists Husnul Muab and Musa B. It is about how their fortunes unites & apart them with certain tricks & twists along while battling out with the stories of many other characters who contribute to make the mega plot. As per my habit, I obviously am not going to tell you the story, as I want you to experience the thrill by reading it yourself. :-) 

First of all let us examine the most important characters of the novel. Although it had a plethora of characters but all of them are well justified considering the canvas of the subject matter. Starting with Musa B (aka Sami Uddin), he is the heart of the story. An international signing sensation, a rockstar, heartthrob of thousands of fans, a style icon who unfortunately started the very first day of his life with a regret of having (self-confessed) worst parents and went on to live each & every day of the remaining life with the same regret. His parents have stories of their own, and although they never tried to justified how they lead their lives but indeed they were not to blamed, in the totally. After all, we as a Muslim believe that every child is born on the phenomenon of Fitrat: state of intrinsic goodness.

Lets now talk about Husnul Muaab, an enthralling combo of beauty & mind. Her brought up was of a highly respected religious family and she had the knowledge in tons of volumes but due to what we may call the rigidness of some of the family member's attitude, she got diverted from the path as she was all set to fly high with new horizons to explore. After all, who cares whats good & bad. What matters the most is the self satisfaction. Manasa Rao says, “A question that always haunts me. Why can’t people just be real? It’s easier being real than pretend being real. Give yourself a chance.”

Sheher'Zaad, an ageing celebrity who needed the support of an established artist (Musa B) to be in the game. Showbiz is said to be a fad event in celeb's lifeline and she was almost out of the game, just when Musa B entered into her life. From nowhere she grew love for Musa B out of this friendship and later on played a vamp and did every written task to separate Musa B & Husnul's pair.

Then comes another very interesting character Mehru (aka Merry), an off spring of a Muslim (by birth) father & a Muslim (converted from Christianity) mother. You noticed, I hereby unintentionally drew a line between the religious school of thought of her parents and this is the same thing which people associated closely to her have done all through her grooming days and this paradox floating around dual gods made her live a confused life which ultimately lead her to bear no religion.

I don't want to make the review more lengthy so I am just cutting of the character anatomy here, however I must mention some other important characters which were pertinent in growing up the story. Khadja, Haleema, Scarlet, Badruddin, Abdul Mubeen, Ram Nath (in a strong cameo) and this list is literally a never ending thing, however not even a single of these characters was placed by the writer in the heart of the plot to make things look exaggerated. 

Coming towards the narrative part of the story, I would give 10 on 10 to Ms. Saira for the utmost perfection in her execution. You may find no or very little loopholes in the script. She was crystal clear about the idea she conceived and she went on to project it quite impressively. The circumstances she built for the pertinent incidents in the story were truly make-belief. Although it was quite evident that Husnul's prayers (to marry Musa B) would be answered positively but I was wondering how will she manage to look it realistic on papers and let me say, she did a very commendable job in this perspective.

Saira presented in front of us diverse atmospheres in the story. From glitz & glamour of entertainment industry to the orthodox religious mentality, from a church attached Christian family to to a balance Islamic following school of thought family, she was spot on in the projection of many different envelops that wrapped up the story nicely.

It would not be false if I say that we, the humans are selfish & above all hypocritical in nature. We assume we are the best and the version of any particular entity we have is the best one available. We overlook the other party's side of the picture and being judgemental, we are always in a hurry to announce someone as doomed.

Let us confess many of us are in the pride of being righteous ones but in fact, it is not true. How can we be a true Muslim, if other Muslims (or even other creations of ALLAH) are not saved from our hands or tongues. People like Mehru & Maria have to go through a tragedy which no one else can understand. They are being stereotyped and we as a society totally disowns them. This whole episode was beautifully materialised by Saira in this novel.

Talking about my favourite scenes, I still cant get over the frame where lost Mus B is finally discovered and then abused by Ram Nath. It brought tears to my eyes literally. Specially these lines:

Us ne kaha, kaisey Muslim ho? Apney NABI (saww) ke barey mein kuch jantey nahi. Mujh se pooch lo kisis bhi devi devta ke barey mein. Tum kaisey Muslim ho. Tumhain k,uch pata hi nahi.

Woh mujh se UN (saww) ke Father (asws) or Mother (sa) ke Naam pooch raha tha. Mujhey nahi maloom they. Main un ke Bachon ke Naam bhi nahi janta tha.

Naam to tumhain bataeney parhey ge... Woh meri charpai ke gird chakar laganey laga.

"Mujhey maloom hi nahi tha. Bohat zor deney per IMAM HUSSAIN (asws) ka Naam bataya to us ne naya sawal ker diya...

Acha to WOHI HUSSAIN (asws) Jis ka tum logon ne pani band ker diya tha... Yaar kaisey log ho tum... Wesey pani kiyo band kiya tha..."

Mujhey jawab nahi aya...

This one specific scene gave me goosebumps. Hats off Saira on penning this one.

Apart from this, music concert scene where Husnul Muab noticed Musa B for the first time was also impressive. Maria's wedding with Fayaz was also a notable scene. Another scene that managed to gain my attention was the rift & fight sequence which took place at Mufti Abdul Rehman's home. When Scarlet & Samiudin goes to meet Musa B and he finally agrees to meet them was emotional at its core.

Saira's research in the subject matter was also very authentic. She properly used Ayat e Mubarka from QURAN PAK & some verses from Bible wherever she found appropriate & necessary. Her dialogues were pitch perfect and went smoothly with the characters for which they were written. One thing I must highlight here that she intentionally avoided the cheesy so-called romanticism in this novel & the dialogues, whereas she was having all the liberty to showcase this in the form of Husnul Muaab and Sheher'Zaad's characters.

The most beautiful part of this story is the way Saira depicted multiple shades of different characters. It is said that every person has more than one personality and he discovers (or presents) his face according to the need of the times. Similarly, all the pertinent characters went through a transformation and Saira was very convincing in this display of transformation. We have seen multiple shades of personalities pertaining to Husnul Muaab, Musa B, Mehru and others in the novel.

I loved the ending parts, where she ended the story with a new ray of hope, a bright light, a new beginning by telling that Husnul Muaab Or is not only the story of Husnul. In fact, Mehru completes the pending phrase. Thankfully, Saira didn't made the finale cheesy by making all love wins. If she would have shown Husnul Muab & Musa B once again united, it would have been a unrealistic & unjustified affair.

On the whole, I would rate this novel as a very good read. The author emerged as victorious in telling what she wanted to tell. Do tell me, how you found Husnul Muaab Or...

PS: Please don't forget to provide your valuable feedback in the below comments section.