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Stalking, sudden death and a strange affair: has Mann Mayal totally lost the plot?

Stalking, sudden death and a strange affair: has Mann Mayal totally lost the plot?

Why can't Mannu take her own kid to the hospital? How does Salahuddin know her every move? Many questions, few answers.
Updated 25 May, 2016

18 episodes in, Mann Mayal is beginning to fizzle out.

When a young Salahuddin (Hamza Ali Abbasi) first fell in love with Mannu (Maya Ali), he had neither the courage nor the confidence to ask for her hand in marriage. Mannu’s wealthy family and his own lack of resources seemed an impossible hill to climb.

Mannu was the braver of the two, willing to fight for her love, but Salahuddin's cowardice shattered her confidence and she married Mikaal (Gohar Rasheed).

Gohar Rasheed takes to Mikail's negative character in Mann Mayal
Gohar Rasheed takes to Mikail's negative character in Mann Mayal

Mannu is never happy with Mikaal — who can blame her? He's obsessed with partying, drugs, and most of all gambling. While Mikaal’s parents were alive, Mannu, who although was not happy, had led a fairly stable life but their sudden death has left her to cope with two children and a husband who has no feelings for any of them.

Also read: Hamza Ali Abbasi's TV comeback in Mann Mayal reveals why he's a bankable star

Will Salahuddin's guilt be his downfall, and are he and Mannu in denial?

Meanwhile, Salahuddin has gained all the power and money he once lacked and is constantly shadowing the broken Mannu in the hope that he can make up for the mistake he made all those years ago.

While he comes from modest beginnings, Salahuddin soon becomes financially stable through hard work and dedication
While he comes from modest beginnings, Salahuddin soon becomes financially stable through hard work and dedication

A recent addition to this mix is the character of Jeena (Aisha Khan) who works at Salahuddin’s office. Jeena falls in love with Salahuddin and manages to insinuate herself into his personal life as a “friend” always hoping that he will eventually move on from his relationship with Mannu.

“Woh aap ki Mannu nahi hai" says the mid-level management executive, Jamal, giving voice to the silent cry of the audience. Even after that moment of ice cold revelation, Salahuddin refuses to move on because for him, guilt is a stronger motivation than love.

Writer Samira Fazal has given a familiar twist to this original story idea from Khalil ur Rehman Qamar; Salahuddin definitely has shades of Fazal’s previous characters, notably Ehtashamuddin of Shukk who is also motivated by remorse.

What's happening between Mannu and Salahuddin looks very much like an affair, despite the characters claiming they're going to stay apart. Why can't they either own up to their feelings or just... stop?

There was a time when heroes maintained a respectable distance from their married former loves; that being said, Salahuddin and Mannu seem to be part of Naya Pakistan. Therefore, despite repeated declarations that they'll never see each other the two do end up in each other’s company quite a lot.

The plausible chemistry between Salahuddin and Mannu is one of the serial's strong points
The plausible chemistry between Salahuddin and Mannu is one of the serial's strong points

While the audience is force fed the idea that their meetings are events beyond Mannu and Salahuddin’s control, this is patently not true. Both protagonists can choose better options and better actions. Despite the flimsy twists used by writer Samira Fazal to maintain Mannu’s absolute innocence in all matters, this looks very much like an affair.

The latest episode shows us a desperate Mannu searching for someone to take her sick child to the hospital (Mikaal is off gambling). Salahuddin instinctively knows Mannu needs help and is standing by the door. Any normal mother of two children living in such a palatial house would send her household help for some paracetamol or just take the child to the hospital herself; Mannu, as always, needs a man to help.

Eighteen episodes in, the characters showcase little growth

Inconsistencies in plot and characterizations are strewn throughout Mann Mayal.

Mannu is a strange, helpless creature on whom motherhood has made no impression. She relies on her ex-lover more than her own family or herself. She seems to have absolutely no control of her life or even the smallest sense of self preservation and is always putting herself and her strangely silent offspring in bad situations.

She plays the kind of helpless female that Pakistani audiences lap up.

In 18 episodes of what is reputed to be a 25 episode serial, Mannu’s character arc as the bholi larki is unwavering.

The writer has once again given the public the kind of personality deficient drone they adore and she has the ratings to prove it. Maya Ali has been the saving grace of this character from the first scene, giving a strong performance, especially in the first half of this serial and has made this uninspiring character at least watchable.

In a sad race to the bottom, Salahuddin’s character leaves little to be admired: a coward in the beginning and the obsessive stalker of a married, mother of two towards the end.

Despite his uneven performance, Hamza Ali Abbasi’s considerable star power has also given this serial a big boost.

But in this a sad race to the bottom, Salahuddin’s character leaves little to be admired: a coward in the beginning and the obsessive stalker of a married, mother of two children towards the end.

Much was expected of Abbasi after his iconic performance in Pyaray Afzal but for most of this serial, he seemed uninterested and unfocused. However, in the last two episodes, he has shown a distinct improvement, providing Salahuddin with much needed depth and intensity.

Will Mann Mayal have a happy ending?

Director Haseeb Hassan has not been able to elicit the controlled performances he did in serials like Nanhi and Dayar-e-Dil. How a veteran actress like Aisha Khan, known for her outstanding performances, could overplay some of her recent scenes without the director checking her is surprising. Her character Jeena is an educated, working woman who lives alone but acts like a lovesick teenager obsessing over Justin Bieber.

This alone makes it evident that the director seems to be on a different page than the writer. On an interesting side note, Jeena’s scenes are often marked by discordant music, to mark her out as suspicious, even though as a single woman she might be a more appropriate match for Salahuddin than the married, mother of two, Mannu.

It's time to talk about about Jeena. She's marked to be something like a villain (or 'negative character') yet, to be honest, she'd make a much more suitable match for Salahuddin than already-married Mannu. But she's just not naive or downtrodden enough.

Poor Jeena! Her fault does not lie in her stars but in the fact that she is a strong, sensible woman, who knows her own mind. If she watched Pakistani dramas, she would know by now she just wasn’t naive enough to get the guy.

Poor Jeena; She should know she's just not naive enough to end up with the main man
Poor Jeena; She should know she's just not naive enough to end up with the main man

Mikaal is another one dimensional character with little nuance fashioned to facilitate Mannu and Salahuddin’s reunion. Gohar Rasheed plays Mikaal with such deadpan , straight-faced villainy that one can imagine him kicking children (probably even his own) as he walks down the street .

Team Mann Mayal has managed to produce a very slick product, easily digested by the masses. While there are complaints of plot loopholes and one dimensional characters, this started off as a very popular serial and still is. So far, Mann Mayal has offered nothing new or challenging. It confirms every stereotype and comforts its audience’s prejudices, making it a winning and very commercially viable combination.


Sadaf Haider blogs at SadafSays.com

Comments

Abdulla Hussain May 24, 2016 03:40pm
Plotless Drama, I have stopped viewing it anymore.
Recommend
amin May 24, 2016 03:57pm
its name should be PANADOL drama. or Pharmaceuticals should use this drama in their Ad to promote panadol.
Recommend
Raja Khalid May 24, 2016 04:15pm
I usually don't watch TV, my friend told me to watch this serial, first three or four episodes were good, than I loose my interest in the drama, now I just want to see the ending.
Recommend
Hamza May 24, 2016 04:17pm
So what if he has feelings for her even after her two kids? and he don't wanna see her suffer because of the person he trusted with her? Humans doesn't reacts like machines nor plain blunt as you desire in this article. Eastern way of expressing love is different, but again hiow the "western influenced" blog writer would get that :)
Recommend
Atif May 24, 2016 04:17pm
Good review.
Recommend
Absar May 24, 2016 04:20pm
This Drama is setting wrong expectations. You cannot have affair with a married woman. Salahuddin...stay away....
Recommend
Syed Waqar Ali May 24, 2016 04:30pm
It is a waste of time to see this drama. In fact, Hamza, Maya and Ayesha are spoiling their owm image. On a rating of 1-10, I would rank it 2.
Recommend
Naxalite May 24, 2016 04:52pm
I don't watch dramas, but i watched this one upto the point where Hamza made fortune overnight and he start dealing with un-necessary issues of his employees like dropping ayesha to home. I STOPPED WATCHING IT AT THAT POINT. A MILLIONAIRE WILL NEVER DROP HIS EMPLOYEE!
Recommend
Ayesha May 24, 2016 04:52pm
When it started it had something interesting and now I have completely stopped watching it...what a waste of skills and resources.
Recommend
Jawaid Islam May 24, 2016 05:24pm
Really, Mikaal is such a senseless, remorse less character; his misbehaving with the parents and no love for son or a new born baby girl is beyond comprehension. Similarly, Manahil can't open up to her parents. She cannot be that mashriqui in this day and age.
Recommend
AW May 24, 2016 05:37pm
Udaari is much better option to watch. Especially for Punjabi/Saraiki lovers. It also pointing towards a sensitive issue of rural areas.
Recommend
Faizan Shaikh May 24, 2016 06:40pm
The only good thing about this drama is the sound track.... You played your part really well QB....
Recommend
parveez May 24, 2016 06:49pm
Rubbish, putting me of Pakistan dramas .4 It is quite annoying.
Recommend
farhan May 24, 2016 07:17pm
Mann mayal has disappointed us, had lot of expectations but the it turned out to be boring play after 18 episodes. Currently the best dramas are #1 UDAARI of hum tv #2 ZARA YAAD KAR of hum tv #3 DIL LAGI of ary .
Recommend
Sadaf Haider May 24, 2016 07:17pm
@Hamza hmm It would be nice if we could just concentrate on the drama .. However if you want to go down that road ,....... . What part of eastern culture and more importantly Sharia allows a Man or woman to carry on a relationship after marriage ? In that sense Mannu and Salahuddin have a very Western attitude . People obviously cannot help their feelings at times and yes love doesn't always end as conveniently as we could wish . However how we ACT on those feelings defines who we are.What part of our culture says give up modesty , go to gambling dens and stop offering Salat if your husband is "modern" ?
Recommend
Seher Hassany May 24, 2016 07:34pm
Salahuddin is definitely stalking Mannu, which is annoying her but she's probably more annoyed at herself for not being immune to him in the first place, sexual chemistry between them is thick enough to be cut with with a knife and is what's driving these obsessions...his obsessive remorse for giving her up and, her obsessive stubbornness for not being able to forgive him for that... I wonder if an actual physical relationship between these two might be a catalyst for new developments which may bring a resolution... Jeena seems to be extraneous to the story and her unrequited love will be a headache for her...I hope this character melts away into the shadows and the Salahuddin-Mannu relationship is explored further...
Recommend
Pakistani May 24, 2016 07:48pm
watch udaari
Recommend
Iftikhar May 24, 2016 08:21pm
It is typical of most Pakistani dramas which start with a bang and then lose the plot midway. They inject twists which are unthinkable in real life. It seems we have great actors but not so good story tellers. In my view, there should be a group of writers for each serial as they often do in the West. It's too much for a single writers to keep things coherent in a lengthy serial.
Recommend
Jawad May 24, 2016 08:28pm
All Pakistani dramas alike. First few episodes worth watching and then boring. I was wondering what happened to "Neelym Kinaray". They stopped drama in the middle. No one cares about viewers.
Recommend
Ahsan May 24, 2016 08:40pm
I like the character of Mikaal, he acted very well. This mis my third drama in last 23 years. Talat Hussain was a joy to watch. It is a good combination of old actors and new actors. People complained about the plot , and within a week , I saw 1 million hit on you tube.
Recommend
Safir Siddiqui May 24, 2016 09:12pm
All Pakistani plays are like this.The biggest problem with play write/producer/director is that they want to drag on their serial.They should actually plan on between 15-18 episodes and wind up.Dragging on and on bores the audience.Man Mail is becoming boring.It is taking shine out of the main actors.Maya Ali has performed superbly.Ayesha Khan is a single women but lives in opulence,her acting looks non serious.Her faryad for getting Salahuddin looked childish.It is high time the serial is wrapped up within two/ three episodes.Talat Hussain was brilliant as ever.Over all it was an above average effort.
Recommend
khan May 24, 2016 09:41pm
once in love , always in love !
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Harris May 24, 2016 09:47pm
Perfectly put. The plot does not makes sense. And why does Aisha Khan over act? The accent is so fake that it has become a joke.
Recommend
Pakistani May 24, 2016 10:25pm
Completely agree with the writer. What I hate to watch is the miserable female characters
Recommend
Amna May 24, 2016 10:50pm
This drama was over hyped by Hum Tv because they were able to get Hamza in their play, but it did not live up to anyone's expectations If the hero & heroine are having an affair, say it like it is, don't make them bhola & innocent, because we the viewers are not idiots. We know that Mannu & having an affair with Salahuddin. Why would a married woman meet with an ex lover?????? I blame the writer, director & cast also because acting by everyone is bad
Recommend
Ashar May 24, 2016 11:41pm
@Naxalite I'm a millionaire and I have dropped my employees many times.....you don't lose basic human instincts and courtesy if you get some money.
Recommend
huma May 25, 2016 12:17am
admit it.. u hate it yet u still watch it. haha
Recommend
SAQ May 25, 2016 12:33am
Gone downhill badly. Just want it to end now. It started off so amazing though. Colourful family characters and dynamics and then helping an elderly person in his dying days. That should have been the main plot, his struggle to redemption by helping someone at the final juncture of their life.
Recommend
OmarFL May 25, 2016 12:41am
Not a regular follower of Pakistani dramas but I started watching it after thoroughly enjoying Dayyar e Dil. Mann Maayal started well but once fortunes turned for the HERO, fortunes also turned for the drama's success; albeit in the other direction. How can an entrepreneur be SO stupid !!?? Now I just want it to end. On top of it. cannot stand Aysha Khan's character.
Recommend
khalid May 25, 2016 12:44am
author you have no clue what you are talking about. This is a great drama. I love every bit of it.
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adnan May 25, 2016 12:54am
Great critique... " ZARA YAAD KR" has much more strong dialogues yet a week cast
Recommend
Abdulla Hussain May 25, 2016 12:55am
Usually hamza Ali Abbasi replies but here is dead quiet.
Recommend
shopaholic May 25, 2016 01:10am
Totally agree with the author.. It seems as if the director of the drama has been changed after 6,7 episodes because it has lost it completely. Jameel who was too merciless to give even water to his ex employer has now all of a sudden changed into an angel. He was a cook then and now he is busy working into those piles of office register??? why didn't the director take different people for three different roles
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Hindutavi Rakshas May 25, 2016 02:02am
good write up flop serial.
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Hindutavi Rakshas May 25, 2016 02:04am
@Hamza it's about plot holes not have any link to western or eastern lifestyles.
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Syed May 25, 2016 02:37am
I agree that it started interesting but then the hero began to do rediculous things, Manu's children would bothering her and he sends his man to protect. her , beggars belief, or immoral character.
Recommend
Sabahat S May 25, 2016 06:02am
I am not sure how you came up with a conclusion that Mannu and Salauddin are having an affair. Salauddin clearly said in the this week's episode that he made a mistake by getting Mannu married to Meekail, and he is miserable after it. He is guilty and wants to make up for it. If Mannu was "Happy" and Meekail wasn't a jerk, I am sure things would have been different. In last week's episode he said to Jamil, that he only wants her husband to leave the gambling habit. He doesn't want her to leave him, until this week's episode where he said to her to go back to her family. Plus I think its a very unfair thing to say that he is falling for a mother of two. He is in love with her, since god knows when. So why should his love decrease if she is a mother of two? This is where our society fails. A mother of two will have the hardest time finding a second husband, coz ppl don't want to care of other man's child. Its good that his love for Mannu is unchanged, even if she is a mother of two. As for Jeena, she is an unnecessary addition to the show. Not sure why she kept saying in the drama promotions, that she will come and complete the whole story. She is messing it up. and then there is Salahuddin's mom who is giving all the info, and not getting what Jeena is upto.
Recommend
Nawab May 25, 2016 06:43am
@Hamza yes Hamza I agreed! You cant direct or predict a human behavior in both love and hate.
Recommend
Sare Jahan Se Achchha May 25, 2016 06:44am
I've been following this on Youtube since past month or so & I'm definitely loosing my interest in the story since Manoo gave birth to the kids... I was very much charmed by Salahuddin's character in the earlier episodes however with time his character has become more of helpless desperate kinda guy who keeps on whining all the time. I'm sure writer & the director would've come up with a better storyline after an amazing start. Manoo's father at start seems quite a mature character however with the passing time and events surrounding Manoo I'm surprised he wouldn't have much say looking at his daughter's life going downhill... anyways!
Recommend
SIAK May 25, 2016 07:06am
Not just this one, almost all of our dramas have lost their soul; they just linger on aimlessly. I think this stalemate in our dramas is due to the fact that with so many channels, the drama production has become an industry. The downside of it is that these channels are now under compulsion to churn out one drama after another every season to fill-in the slots for viewership. As a result, the emphasis is obviously not on the quality, rather it is the quantity. I have started to notice, that so many dramas running concurrently on different channels have very similar story lines. It is as if all the production teams sit together and write the dramas for filling the routine slots...
Recommend
PakPower May 25, 2016 07:20am
Mera Yaar Mila De is way better than this. I watched around 6 episodes of this drama and then found it unbearable. Thankfully MYMD, that shares the same timeslot on ARY, saved the day for me.
Recommend
cricket lover May 25, 2016 08:10am
Very good drama. It is hard to see ex lover in pain, Sallahuddin cannot leave her being helpless and cannot see her in miserable life. Mannu's husband is arrogant and does not respect her. Sallhuddin feels that if he had married Mannu, she would not have been going through such a pain, One wrong decision for which he has to repent by taking care of her.
Recommend
lonesameer93@gmail.com May 25, 2016 08:54am
@Ayesha/All of us do not have equal talent.But,all of us have an equal opportunity to develop our talents.....
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Hassan May 25, 2016 09:34am
It is a complete waste of time!
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Misbah May 25, 2016 09:37am
I only watched this drama because of cast and ofcourse OST by QB. Now it has become just DRAMA. Seems there is only two persons in Salahuddin office. Jeena and Allrounder Jameel..... Mannu living alone in such a big house with no Domestic support..........all of a sudden Salahuddin is at her door for help. Rediculous. Jeena can walk in Salahuddin's home with food stuff. Yaar kahan hota hay aisa.
Recommend
faliq khudadost May 25, 2016 10:28am
don't have enough time to read this article but have to say the hero Salahuddin used to prepare for CSS exam and the writer now can't seem to tell what happen to that ambition its quite bizarre
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Zubsifa May 25, 2016 10:39am
Stopped watching after 12 episodes..start with high pitch and loose ground with no script
Recommend
Aazer May 25, 2016 10:51am
It has to be one of the most stupid scripts... just because it has big names doesn't means it is going to be a hit!
Recommend
Talha Khan May 25, 2016 11:05am
Excellent description of all most 80 percent events in our society. people can deny this drama but actually , it happens in our lives might be once in a life time. our people sacrifice a lot after marriages eith by men or women. let it watch for entertainment and do not criticize on the characters. Great work by Maya and Hamza, specially Mr. Maakal , because we have abundance of character in our society similar of them. .
Recommend
Naqad May 25, 2016 11:12am
It appears that the scriptwriter and the director have completely lost control of the script, and in the process missed an opportunity to transform a good drama into a classic, rather their clueless and illogical twists in plot coupled with technical flaws in direction viz a viz character behavior and appearances, has turned the drama into a illogical mess! The drama could have been wrapped up in 15 episodes, but then 24 episodes generate a lot more money; quality vs quantity! Now all characters of drama are ready for much needed psychological counseling!
Recommend
Viewer May 25, 2016 11:20am
Director badly needs a good make-up artist and new clothes for characters! There is no consistency in characters behaviour!
Recommend
tajamul May 25, 2016 11:48am
In the last episode, I think they have pulled it back. It has become interesting now. Although there are many loopholes but the writer has gone overboard while crticizing the drama. We have watched 18 episodes which says there is still some good work they have done.
Recommend
Javaid May 25, 2016 11:51am
Salauddin's sister needs to get back in the plot to give a dose of wisdom to he brother!
Recommend
Shahzada Fahad May 25, 2016 11:57am
To me the story, the characters and the acting is super. It totally depicts from our real life. What if Maya is married and has 2 children. True love never ends. And we should be mind full of the fact that Hamza never disturbed or intervened in married life of Maya. Yes i agree, Hamza should have not shown cowardliness and should not have only expressed his love but should have also married her. But again at the same time we should know that Hamza let Maya go as he wanted Maya to get all good things in her life as Gohar's family was rich and could afford any thing. At that time Hamza didn't know that Gohar is obsessed and addicted of Gambling etc. So well done writer and cast and i am loving the drama and waiting for the concluding episode.
Recommend
qayyum May 25, 2016 12:21pm
I think, this drama is a guideline for the parents, teachers,boys and girls. That they all should watch this drama for the betterment of our society. They should observe this drama and sort out the daily family issues.
Recommend
Naveed May 25, 2016 01:23pm
The plot has lost direction to converge within the bounds of our social / moral values. Seems to be a clueless script , energized by an emotional string through glamoured characters.
Recommend
Shah May 25, 2016 04:01pm
@Hamza There is a difference between stalking and "eastern way of expressing love." I am sure you know that.
Recommend
Krezy May 25, 2016 04:31pm
This drama is just like Indian movies in a way that mostly the plot remains flat but glamorous production take the audiences in another world...
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Aimen May 25, 2016 10:20pm
Totally agree. Salahuddin's stalking is becoming borderline abusive. No one on this show has any concept of boundaries and the writers treat it as if it were completely normal. If anything, they are out and out normalizing it.
Recommend
Ilyas Afridi May 25, 2016 10:42pm
Hamza is one of a nice personality.but there the condition is change. In this serial that they promote or present some wrong act..which directly affected our society..like a married woman love a third person... Its my opinion...
Recommend
noni69 May 25, 2016 11:33pm
so what , atleast get to see good looking ppl
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Sadaf Haider May 26, 2016 09:00am
@Sabahat S first of all Thanks for giving a reasonable and reasonable response , something not always given by fans of this drama . I understand he has been supposedly in love with her since they were single but she is now a married mother of two . I understand that feelings dont change but why is he following her around ? why do they have so many accidental meetings ? the writer is bending over backwards with twists and coincidences to make their meetings innocent accidents but how likely is all of this really ? Salahuddin could help Mannu to gain confidence in her by encourages her in many ways without so much interaction . If Mannu is married to a addicted gambler and druggy , why doesn't she move on ? instead she gives him not one but two children . I am sorry this whole victim of circumstance does not have me convinced
Recommend
Mohsin May 26, 2016 10:43am
Exaggerated, over dragged. This drama has no grip, going bad to worse. Complete waste of time.
Recommend
Sarah May 26, 2016 11:28am
Originally touted as a 24-episode serial we are hearing it has 28-30. I do hope this is a rumour and Mann Mayal won't go the Shukk way with ten episodes added for the sake of TRPs and the money they generate
Recommend
Fawad Khan May 26, 2016 03:01pm
Is this the Tahir Shah of Dramas?? Doing it so wrong to get all the buzz!! :D
Recommend
Saeed May 27, 2016 01:20am
not to sound rude but really what makes Jeena match is what? That she is still single while Manu is a mother of two hence she isn't a better choice? That's a very narrow-minded mindset. And as for the drama itself, in the beginning, it seemed to have some potential but now it's just a sobbing mess of what it could've been.
Recommend
Shahzad May 27, 2016 07:38am
Savourless worthless dragged show on the TV sets which has no direction . Maan ghayal :/
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Shahzad May 27, 2016 08:24am
Worthless savourless dragged specie
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Ansa May 27, 2016 08:47am
Its useless drama, no message no entertainment, every character is fazul
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Umar Gujjar May 27, 2016 10:49am
its interesting drama but now it was going to boring side , i seen it regularly but some time it was very bored and sometime i think that i left to seen this Show .
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Umar Gujjar May 27, 2016 10:52am
Its a Nice Darama , but sometimes it was very bored and now its going to boring side . Rarely i think that i left seen this show .
Recommend