Media Magick

Zebaish is the latest production under MD Productions that is written by Bushra Ansari and directed by Iqbal Hussain. The Pakistani Drama Zebaish features Bushra Ansari, Shabbir Jan, Babar Ali, Zara Noor Abbas, Asad Siddiqui, Adnan Shah Tipu and Mohammad Qavi Khan in the central cast along with many other. The first episode of the drama was aired a few days ago. Characters are multi dimensional, and they have different personality traits. Zebaish seems like a drama with numerous tracks and sub-plots. The treatment and execution will be the key areas to focus on. One cannot expect the ensemble cast and makers to go wrong but let’s what this drama has to offer in the future.

Trailer Zebaish

In the first episode of Zebaish, a set of two families is show-cased, one from elite class where Shabbir Jan plays a barrister, married to an actress Bushra Ansari – they both are different people, what you may call poles apart; and the other family belongs to spiritual leaders (Peers) running Aastana – Qavi Khan playing the head of the family. Zara Noor Abbas plays the daughter of Asma Abbas who was probably a Quean in her youth but in current time she is shown as the wife of Qavi’s nephew. Babar Ali is shown as the neighbor and friend of Shabbir Jan; he is a “chronic bachelor” (that’s exactly what he utters when he is falsely accused by a female employee for sexual harassment). The unneeded complements and appreciations that Babar Ali has for Bushra Ansari don’t look normal, there might be another plot routing from this (just hoping).

The “Gaddi Nasheen” (heir) of Mohammad Qavi Khan, Chhote Sarkar is shown as the evil character – strictly penned in “Black”. Chhote Sarkar is against education, women empowerment, Asma Abbas and her daughter Zara. He wants Zara to get married to Adnan Shah, who is a lecherous and notorious person, already married twice. Zara is shown as a headstrong, educated and rebellious girl and acts almost like what she did in Ehd-e-Wafa. At places she goes overboard and the flamboyance looks a little to over-acting, specially when other characters are shown in serious shades.

Adnan Shah is type-casted again – it looks like either directors don’t want him to come out of his comfort zone or he is not ready to experiment something different. Zebaish is a lot to handle to be honest, in 37 minutes of 1st episode not only multiple stories are stuffed but sub-plots and characters’ traits and layers are also shown. For a viewer, it is too much to absorb.

Let’s see how the drama unfolds in later episodes. The audience has different views keeping Zebaish in mind. According to some the drama depicts way too bold set of dialogues and for some it’s a star-studded cast with nothing much to offer. Many have liked the first episode and are keenly waiting for the second episode of Zebaish.

Watch Zebaish Episode 1