As one of the most anticipated amongst the three major new drama serials that premiered on 1st Ramazan, Chupke Chupke gained more popularity prior to its release as it was being filmed for over a year and had an all-star cast which included veterans, renowned actors and new names as well. Did the Danish Nawaz directorial live up to its expectations? Well… the story seems more complex that it usually is in lighthearted dramas and hence viewers are more confused than entertained.
Written by Saima Akram Chaudhry, Chupke Chupke is a story of two families of late Daar ji (grandfather), who married twice. The first wife Bebe (Asma Abbas) is a Punjabi woman and the second wife Bakhto (Uzma Beg) is Saraiki. Both gave birth to two children (hilariously emphasizing his equal treatment of wives) and unfortunately, both lost one of their children. We see Farhan Ally Agha as Bebe’s stingy son who has two daughters; Meenu (Ayeza Khan) and Muneeba aka Mirchi. On the other hand, Fahad aka Fazi and Gul (Osman Khalid Butt and Mira Sethi) are twin siblings and grandchildren of Bakhto.
Asma Abbas as Bebe & Uzma Beg as Bakhto
If this seems confusing to you, embrace for more actors: Hadi and Wali (Arslan Naseer and Aadi Khan) are brothers, Ali Safina (Gul’s husband and a ghar damaad), Mishi (Aymen Saleem and not yet sure whose sister), and then we have mothers. In one scene, I heard a new name Roomi and a reference to Benjamin sisters, so I’m expecting one more sister in Osman’s family.
The two sautans are constantly at loggerheads and bickering despite living as neighbours for decades. Their grandchildren are immune to the family politics and have found ways to be cordial with each other, however, there is always a tension within the houses. The premise of Chupke Chupke is too complicated on paper so it must have been a task for Danish Nawaz to translate it on screen. Alas, the results are not really commendable in the first episode as I was making mental notes of who’s who half of the time.
Here are my thoughts after the first episode ended:
I should make a quiz on “Can you even remember names of characters in Chupke Chupke after watching the first episode?”
Why was there a need to add this Saraiki-Punjabi angle?
Is Ali Safina playing the house help? No, he is Gul’s husband, then why Gul married this man? I will watch the drama till the end to find this out.
Is it just me who think Mishi was overdressed to go to a girl’s house for Osman’s rishta? She was dressed as if it is his nikkah. BTW is she Osman’s sister or cousin?
Where are Bakhto’s children?
It is raining shadi plots, even in Ramazan dramas!
Interestingly or unfortunately, all the three Ramazan dramas (including Ishq Jalebi and Tanaa Banaa) revolve around the most irritating desi question: who, why, when, how and where someone is getting married? However, we can praise the writers (Saima Akram Chaudhry, Hassaan Imam) to add layers and address certain issues surrounding marriages, even though in a comical way; for instance about rishta hunting for unemployed guys, getting married to a cousin-brother whom you have called ‘bhai‘ all your life, guys who want to get married to foreign nationals for immigration, and about girls who want to continue their studies post-marriage.
Read: 3 dramas to watch with your family this Ramazan
On a good note, it is refreshing to again witness a brotherly bond after Ehd-e-Wafa; Osman and Arslan share good camaraderie on screen as Fadi & Hadi. I am also looking forward to see Osman and Mira as twin siblings. Both the actors have great comic timings and it will be a riot if their potential is truly tapped. Ayeza and Osman’s characters have entirely opposite personalities and though it seems to be a typical ‘opposites attract’ angle, I am even excited to find out how that develops.
In the writer and director’s defense, Chupke Chupke will air everyday in Ramazan so perhaps the confusion is only short-lived as it takes time to introduce and develop so many characters on-screen. So, let’s hope that we will get more clarity, less confusion and hilarious scenes in the episodes to come.
You can watch the first episode here:
