Marriage among stars

In a dramascape dotted with pyar, shaadi aur us ke baad barbadi (love, marriage and the ensuing ruin) type serials, TVOne’s Mein Sitara offers a much needed change of pace. Written by Faiza Iftikhar, directed by Seema Taher Khan and produced by Anjum Ansari, the first season is set against the backdrop of the Pakistani film industry circa 1960s and ‘70s, and chronicles the journey of Suraiya, a young girl from a humble background who rises above her circumstances to emerge as Sitara, the biggest star of them all.

The decade of the 1960s is often cited as the golden age of Pakistani cinema, when films, film stars, and film songs were immensely popular. Young or old, rich or poor, it did not matter, everybody was a fan. And young Suraiya was no different - she loved, lived and breathed films. That she would one day end up in films was never even a dream considering her circumstances – her father a junkie and a wastrel and her mother a housemaid - but as a fantasy, an escape from reality, films were her best friends.

At home Jharma and Farhad are like any other couple, juggling career and family

For Farhad and Jharna Sethi, on the other hand, films are not fantasies. For this golden couple films are serious work. Jharna is a superstar singer-actress, who after a successful career in films is looking forward to stepping back and focusing on family, and Farhad is a popular TV star on the cusp of an exciting and ambitious new journey, to become a film director. It is at this point that Suraiya’s path crosses with that of the Sethis, when her parents are hired as domestic help.

As events play out Suraiya is abandoned by her parents who make a furtive exit after stealing from the Sethis. Alone and shaken to the core she gravitates towards Jharna, a kindly soul who takes her under her wing and treats her like a younger sister. Thus starts a new chapter in Suraiya’s life - her first step to becoming Sitara.

In as much as this is Suraiya’s story, Mein Sitara is Jharna and Farhad’s story as well, both equally qualified to claim the title of the serial as their own: Me, the Star. Intelligently written, this story offers insight into the inner and outer worlds of those who shine bright on the silver screen. For fans on the outside they may be glamorous superstars, but at home Jharma and Farhad are like any other couple, juggling career and family, struggling to strike the right balance between expectations and reality.

An argument, spats, grievances, compromises - this very real take on modern marriages is something of an innovation for our dramas. This may seem incongruous considering that majority of our serials revolve around shaadi and its side effects, but one is hard pressed to name a recent serial where spouses are shown on an equal footing. They both have their share of insecurities, she the aging superstar and he the young upstart, but the way their relationship is set up both are depicted as equal stakeholders.

For a seemingly straightforward story about a young girl's rise to superstardom, much has already happened

So far the couple has been working on their relationship - but for how much longer? He had initially been drawn to her because of her professional standing but now that she’s no longer as involved he accuses her of using him to have children, and she too is increasingly conscious of her age in an industry that worships youth. Add in to the mix Farhad’s excessive drinking, rumors of flings with starlets and Jharna’s undue interest in the choice of female lead in Farhad’s film, and there is more than enough evidence of deepening cracks in their personal equation.

Though both are very strong-willed, the world of showbiz is such that insecurities are inevitable. Deciding which of the two is responsible for the stressed relationship is a matter of choice, but the fact that the makers have withheld judgement and left it to the viewers makes for a refreshing change; typically characters are either depicted as holier than thou or simply painted in the darkest shades of black.

Naseem Dilruba’s entry has stirred the pot further. A small-time starlet from the wrong side of the tracks, she has no qualms in massaging Jharna’s ego and using the aging superstar’s insecurities against her to land herself a role in Farhad’s upcoming film. Naseem is an unabashedly ambitious woman not unwilling to transgress boundaries in order to achieve her goal, but how far is she willing to go remains to be seen. So Farhad has been vocal in his dislike of Naseem, but will she able to persuade him to see otherwise?

Combining politics of the real world with that of the reel world, in Naseem we have a character that offers insights into a society undergoing socio-cultural change. Earlier, when films were being made, in colonial India and even later, after independence, it was acceptable to have heroines who were ‘dancing girls’ or were from questionable backgrounds.  Jharna and Fahad’s conversation, however, indicates impending change in moral and social norms of the Pakistani society of the time.

Normalised scenes of partying, dancing, and drinking underscore the extent of societal changes in contemporary Pakistan. So much of what is taken as a given today was not so just a few decades ago. It is particularly interesting to see the lack of social censure and moral policing that seems to have become a national pastime these days. Farhad drinks when he is upset, and Jharna stops him not because it is ‘wrong’ but because she worries about the effects of excessive drinking. Class is another issue that seems to not carry the same import as it does today. Superstar Jharna has no qualms about playing a surrogate mother a maid’s daughter, Suraiya, after she is left behind.

That Mein Sitara is set in the film world, which is typically seen as relatively more ‘liberal’ and ‘open’ than the mainstream, does admittedly make it easier for the writer director duo to say and show quite a few things that would have been otherwise difficult in another context.  For ease of storytelling and presentation the serial has been divided up in two parts - Season One covering the ‘60s and ‘70s and Season Two covering the ‘80s and ‘90s. It will be interesting to see the extent to which the writer can remain true to the changes in the visual and social landscape and how deftly the director handles these very critical decades not just in terms of social and political history but also in term of the rise and fall of our film industry and the subsequent rise of private TV channels.

As the story unfolds further I am hoping it will be quite educative in terms of factors that led to the downfall of Pakistani cinema. It is well-nigh impossible to discuss this serial and not give a nod to the rebirth/revival/resurrection, call it what you may, of our film industry. Farhad Sethi’s move from television to film brings to mind similar recent stories. Discerning viewers are also sure to notice the parallels between the waxing and waning fortunes of film industry and the rise in the global popularity of Pakistani dramas and the subsequent downfall of the quality of storytelling. Play best y8 games at the website. Y8 games online play this games, relax, have fun.

For a seemingly straightforward story, about a young girl’s rise to superstardom and after, a lot has already happened and kudos to Faiza Iftikhar for her in depth research in to the period and her deft weaving in of fact and fiction. Director Seema Taher deserves credit not just for her handling of this complex story, but also for her work with her actors and the attention to detailing. TVOne’s production team has done an amazing job in recreating the ‘60s and ‘70s, staying authentic to the period without going overboard and creating a caricature.

In view of the vast canvas there are many actors doing cameos and they do well to create the necessary ambiance. Mikaal Zulfiqar and Aisha Gul are excellent as Farhad and Jharna Sethi, Aisha in particular is a revelation. Meera is an interesting addition to the cast as her filmy presence adds a lot of gravitas. Saba Qamar is a seasoned actress and so far she has played the grown up Suraiya well. My highest praise, though, must go to the young actress playing the young Suraiya - she was absolutely fabulous.

Four episodes in, I am happily hooked. This is not to say the serial is blemish free: There are issues with lackadaisical editing, overlong dance sequences, too many songs, and constant background music with a tendency to soar for no rhyme or reason. That said, so far, the overall content is much superior to projects airing on more mainstream channels.

In these TRP driven times when channels are happily regurgitating the same old, TVOne and Seema Taher Khan should be applauded for their willingness to tackle a subject as different as that of Mein Sitara. Speaking about this project Faiza Iftikhar told me it took her over three years to find a backer willing to take on such a ‘risky’ and ‘expensive’ project. With mainstream channels so very reluctant to push the envelope, who should we expect to step up and take on the responsibility of ensuring that the drama industry does not go down the same perilous path as that trod by the Pakistani film industry of yore?

SZ blogs at https://desirantsnraves.com/