Gul-o-Gulzar has till date churned out 13 episodes in the two months since it debuted at ARY Digital, and safe to say, it’s kept us hooked every Thursday. With its gripping story line and strong portrayals, it has emerged as a sleeper hit, at least for us, even if it may not be as popular as some other drama serials on air right now.
If you kept up with our earlier reviews, you may be familiar with our take away from the characters, who are well defined but are not also black and white. They are carefully curated characters; multidimensional with human emotions and weaknesses.
Read More: Ep 3: Omer Shahzad & Saboor Aly play the scheming duo to perfection in Gul-o-Gulzar
Gulzar, the quintessential good girl, has her weakness in the form of Gul, someone she always ends up entertaining, no matter what Gul has done. While on the other hand, Gul’s weakness is her past and what she’s left behind. Adil, who was introduced as the perfect, eligible boy, also has a darker side; he’s an abusive husband to Gul, and is planning to remarry. It’s a combination of flawed characters that gel well together, and it’s a heady mix on screen.
At no point does the story feel rushed or dragged, albeit at some places we do want to push forward through scenes that feature Gulzar and her husband. We understand that the two are meant to be an odd match, but the chemistry refuses to click for us. Bland, slowly delivered dialogues, and just an over-all uninspiring setting around their couple make their scenes feel lengthy. Jamal, despite putting up a good performance, feels more like a filler role than the titular character’s husband.
Gul remains the unabated star of the show, with Saboor essaying the role to perfection. Her transition from a confidante to a scheming opportunist, and then to her descent into the toxic relationship with Adil, she channels the nuances of each phase with precision. Watching her question her worth and then reverting back swiftly to her ‘how dare they disrespect me?’Â mode, Saboor is making the bad girl ever more enigmatic to watch.
Watch the recent episode here:
