HUM TV’s much loved and progressive Sabaat ended on Sunday on a bittersweet note, leaving us desiring for more. Not because we had a completely different ending in mind but at least we were expecting better execution. Sabaat didn’t take the predictable route where an evil character like Miraal (Sarah Khan) would have gone berserk or lost her mind and all other characters would have fallen into harmony as an aftereffect. However, the writer-director did made her momentous turn of character into a catalyst for the climax. How much did it work? Well, lets explore.
Here is a list of things that worked out for the dramas’ ending and others that didn’t fit quite well:
What I disliked
Fast forward approach
The writer-director took another easy route in which an unfortunate accident turned a mean, controlling and narcissistic Miraal, who caused mayhem during the last 27-episode run,, into a sacrificing and caring woman. There is no problem with this development, if only it was treated as one: a development that lead to a change of heart or an epiphany. As Miraal herself said to Anaya, “Humans remember Almighty in times of helplessness and misery and then they realize that they are reaping the fruit of their evil deeds as was she.”
But the accident, a spinal cord injury (with not even a single scratch on her face), a wheel-chair bound Miraal, her heart-felt apologies to Hassan and Anaya (Ameer and Mawra respectively) and even her recovery, all happened in less than 40 minutes. This is bound to make any drama lover uneasy. Our writers and directors (in this case Kashif Anwar and Shahzad Kashmiri) should realize that endings are just as much as important as beginnings; there is need to satisfy viewers who are invested in these characters. It is equally important to edit a drama in a way it provides closure to all storylines and characters, rather than wrapping them up in haste.
Hassan’s apology
The onus of everyone’s misery was on Miraal, for the most part at least. So it seemed quite organic to show that her change of heart made everyone’s life easy. But Hassan wasn’t given much dialogues to make up for what he did. It seemed that Anaya forgave him because he was manipulated by his sister and friend. Also, that she remembered her father’s advice to forgive rather than taking revenge. I wish we were treated with a Hassan-Anaya scene where we would be able to feel his regret and her longing, even in silences.
What was Miraal’s problem?
Sabaat has ended but I still wonder what Miraal’s problem was? She was a spoilt-brat, a control freak, and a manipulative person who had some personality disorder and despite consulting a psychiatrist for it, she was never treated for it. I understand that this wasn’t supposed to be a drama about a mental health issue but the treatment of such a complex and multi-layered character seemed half-hearted.
Mr Farid got away scot-free
Miraal and Hassan’s father, Farid sahab, was also a big part of the problem as he kept disrespecting his wife, adding fuel to Miraal’s evil schemes and even helping her out by giving her authority over their business and home. However, his simple ‘jeeti raho’ to Anaya was enough to make amends. I wish I was able to see him admit his mistakes or apologize to his wife, at least. Wishful thinking, maybe!
Read: Sabaat & the 5 relevant themes that the TV drama lands with finesse
What I liked/loved
Happy ending
Sabaat is trending at the number no. 1 spot with over 2.5 million views only after 18 hours. Hence, there must be multiple reasons why people are loving it so much. Overall, I feel the last episode had a feel-good approach where one got to learn so many lessons about life, love, relationships, upbringing, trust, patience, courage and karma.
Dr Haris’ resurgence
I would like to call it a reawakening of sorts because Usman Mukhtar’s character was not at all what I expected. The hype surrounding Haris and Miraal’s characters was so much prior to the drama that I was hoping to see the emergence of the next hit on-screen couple. However, things didn’t work that well for the actors, perhaps because their scenes were chopped off due to the patient-doctor relationship controversy. Having said that, Dr Haris redeemed himself in the last episode with some of the finest dialogues in the episode. The way he cared for Miraal, despite all her theatrics, has all girls swooning over the character and wishing for a life partner like him. Usman gave a splendid performance and his stand out dialogue will remain with us for years to come: “Rishte business thori hote hein ke ache chalte rahay to chalate jao… Bura chale to band kar do.”
Response to workplace harassment
Anaya also taught us the right way to deal with workplace harassment and inappropriate advances: stand your ground and confront the harasser in public. We are not sure how many women would be able to retaliate like her in an actual case but nevertheless, it was a good lesson for young girls.
Impeccable performances & the role model
Anaya deserved a happy ending and she got one. No matter how many reservations I have with Hassan’s apology, I think that Ameer Gilani has given a great performance portraying Hassan’s pain. The hurt in his eyes was visible when he realized he has committed a sin and ruined his home by listening to his nefarious friend.
Mawra Hocane has given us a strong, independent and resolute female character, as Anaya, who stands her ground in adversity and didn’t look for a man’s shoulder to survive. I really like how she categorically calls Ibrahim ‘her son’ in that family reunion scene. Anaya is an example of how empowered and educated women can make a difference. Her character sheds light on the importance of girls’ education and create awareness on how to raise your daughters with the right values, give them freedom to express and trust them to make the right decisions while keeping the channels of communication open.
You can watch the last episode here and let us know how you feel about it:
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