Anjum Shahzad’s drama serial Khaani, now 23 episodes into the plot – which has been written by Asma Nabeel – is gradually nearing its end. While one thought that the showdown between Mir Hadi (Feroze Khan) and Khaani (Sana Javed) several episodes ago was an apt climax, the story indicates that there is more to come in the remaining three or four episodes. The story began with a tragic outcome of power play and ugly politics and though it has traveled on the wheels of romance, it appears it will end with a fair outcome for the injustice served to the Khan family in Episode One.
Mir Hadi, who callously shoots Khaani’s twin brother Sarim in Episode One, has finally begun to regret his action and it appears that there will be some form of retribution for him, if not forgiveness.
Spoilers ahead.
Episode 23, which aired on Monday this week, was quick paced and monumental to the plot in several ways. We are first taken into Khaani and Arham’s newly-wed world, which is idyllic. Everyone is happy and content. We are then taken into Mir Hadi’s distressed world, which has turned inside out ever since Mir Hadi’s return from his encounter with Khaani. He is shattered, remorseful and bordering on breakdown. He sees blood on his hands and body and the only place he finds peace is at a nearby shrine where he now spends his days and nights. In this episode he accuses his mother of not raising him responsibly and moves out of his parents’ mansion to wash his sins at the shrine.
There is a woman at the shrine who appears to be a metaphorical image of his inner conscience. It’s actually a relief to know that he has one.
But that quality does not extend to his parents, his mother especially, who is furious at the painful transformation her son has had to undergo because of the one Khaani. She vows to make her as miserable as she has made them and calls her mother-in-law to spill the beans on Khaani’s past, including the fact that Khaani spent several hours with Mir Hadi on the day of her wedding.
This too was destined to happen as the fact that she had lied to Arham and his family about her past was always a thorn in Khaani’s side. An honest and clear-hearted girl, this deception had always bothered her but her parents had sworn her to secrecy. That blows up in her face when her mother in law confronts her very callously and disassociates with her completely. Arham and his grandfather, who until now were kind hearted and loving (to a fault) also isolate her. She moves back to her own home.
One feels that the plot slightly weakens here. Until now Arham’s family are shown as exceptionally progressive and open-hearted people; they have expressed their love and fondness for Khaani in an unnaturally generous way. While their disappointment with a lie this big is expected, it does not resonate with their portrayed characters to be as vicious as shown in this episode. Arham’s mother, for example, is heartless when she questions Khaani about her brother’s death and she suddenly becomes a ‘typical saas’. One can imagine that Khaani’s situation with Mir Hadi would be an issue of concern but the lack of trust they express is quite regressive and disappointing on their part. There is no benefit of doubt, window of explanation or opportunity to explain. That Khaani should have to go through this interrogation leaves one with the feeling that they didn’t deserve her in the first place.
This one scene is disappointing – maybe more on a human level than a literary one - but the story overall is extremely strong. Khaani’s struggles with life and Mir Hadi’s tug of war with his conscience have brought the story to a very interesting crossroad. Public sympathy is with Mir Hadi (owed to the immense popularity and performance of Feroze Khan), who they feel should end up with Khaani since he is regretful of his past and that now seems to be a possibility. What seemed like an unacceptable ending now seems plausible because of this turn of events.
Will Khaani be able to forgive Mir Hadi and will Arham be able to forgive Khaani? Just as significantly, will Mir Hadi ever be able to forgive himself? We’ll find out soon.
