Qarz e Jaan: Why this Yumna Zaidi show has the internet buzzing for more
What happens when you're surrounded in a world of violence and misogyny? If the language you learn from the very beginning is a language of force, sadism and control, is it even possible to grow a conscience? What if, then, you make Faustian bargains, continue down the dark path of generational curses and continued trauma? Pakistani TV show Qarz e Jaan asks these pertinent questions and more. Starring Yumna Zaidi, Usama Khan, Nameer Khan and Deepak Perwani, the show is penned by Rabia Razzaque and directed by Saqib Khan.
In Barkat Villa, the ominous house where the story is set in primarily, almost everyone is a sociopath. A feudal family vies for control in every way possible as Bakhtiyar (Deepak Perwani) is the overpowering patriarch, and his mother (Sakina Samo) is just as mean and sociopathic as he is. His good-for-nothing but super suave son, Ammar (Nameer Khan) is a criminal as he assaults a young woman under the pretence of a date. Yet in the same household lives Nashwa (Yumna Zaidi), the daughter of Bakhtiyar's deceased brother. Nashwa's mother, Bisma (Tazeen Hussain) protects Nashwa as much as possible but is pretty much a doormat and a handmaiden to Bakhtiyar and his family. The status quo in Barkat Villa seems to be never-changing until Barrister Burhan (Usama Khan) enters the equation. Burhan is a distant family member, via adoption, who does not share Barkat Villa's archaic notions of justice and the like. A hotshot lawyer, Burhan is determined to get justice for Bisma, who was once his adopted father's beloved. Cruel twists of fate and crueller human motivations spiral Qarz e Jaan 's story into a thrilling ride for the audiences with power-packed performances and impressive writing and direction.
Saqib Khan's talent is in keeping the audience on the edge of their seats when it comes to characters and their motivations. Even the most mundane of interactions are punctuated with nuance and character. Saqib uses background noise and a shaking camera or a shaky cam effect to incite anxiety and realism as major sequences in Qarz e Jaan break the norms for the usual Pakistani television serial. Saqib's mastery is displayed more still as he visualises smaller moments on a larger scale rather than choosing high powered emotional moments to get an audience invested. Writer Rabia Razzaque, who is an ex journalist, models many of the show's characters based on real-life individuals. Barrister Burhan is based on her own father who was protective yet poetic, whose death became a huge turning point in her life. Razzaque also weaves in the various social taboos in society, such as marriage of a widow and trying to survive heroically in a world where everyone's a villain.
Yumna Zaidi delivers a powerful performance as Nashwa, a conflicted young woman who tries to make choices that benefit those around her but somehow these decisions go awry. Usama Khan is iconic as Barrister Burhan as he portrays a tender yet strong hero with a sharp wit and razor sharp vision. Nameer Khan as Ammar, takes on the challenging role of a messed up privileged criminal and impresses everyone with his portrayal. Deepak Parwani is frighteningly convincing as a rich but menacing feudal lord whose crooked ways have a way to haunt him in return.
The show is about to take its final course, as the last two episodes are all set to air this week, with many ends left unanswered yet. Qarz e Jaan became the hot topic for discussion each week on Twittterverse/X where people would give theories about the characters and dig deep into their motivations for their choices. It became a show that discussed deep sociological and psychological issues prevalent in families such as these who use their power and financial status to quash rebellion of any kind. In an ideal world, the Nashwas and Burhans of the world would win against the tide but in the real world, realities can be far darker. How will the show end? The internet wonders and will find out soon enough. However, one thing that Qarz e Jaan has easily done is create a larger conversation around how privileged criminals get away with their crimes. It also has fostered discussion on what should and should not be justified by male and female leads in the course of a mainstream TV show. As the finale episodes draw closer, more plot twists await the audiences, perhaps, but one thing is clear: Qarz e Jaan is one of the best shows you can begin binge watching right now.
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