“Aakhir Kab Tak” depicts the life of two girls raised in an oppressive household by a mother who is the victim of abuse in more than one way. This is a story that highlights how girls who go unheard by their families can wind up with much larger problems, sexual assault being one. Starring Ushna Shah, Srha Asghar, Javerai Abbasi, Haroon Shahid, Adeel Hussain, Azfar Rehman, Shahood Alvi, Gul e Rana and others, the story has been written by Radain Shah and directed by Syed Ali Raza Usama.
In episode 9, Noor (Ushna Shah) has reached her limit, exhausted dealing with her family’s attitude, treating her as “lesser than” when she’s the one holding them all together. Noor is a human being and that’s all she wants to be treated like. Having handled her father’s illness, spent sleepless nights waiting in the hospital, cared for her mother and father throughout it all – and yet, Noor finds herself being accused of not calling her Chacha, Chachi and their children. This, of course, pushes her father (Shahood Alvi) further into anger towards her and Noor grows tired of being treated in this way. It’s not simply her father, but also her mother, who always shows resentment towards Noor and, in Noor’s own words, treats her as her personal emotional punching bag. Javeria Abbasi is doing a great job in her role as this woman who has been abused her entire life and is now passing on the toxicity to her daughters, not only refusing to defend them, but also abusing them in her own way.
Fajar’s (Srha Asghar) marriage is becoming another problem for their mother. Unfortunately, as has been said before, marriage is not a “cure” for trauma. Marriage cannot be a replacement for therapy or counseling. Fajar has been through severe trauma with the rape – and now it’s coming to light that Basim may be the reason for Fajar’s scared nature to begin with, which would mean Fajar has been a victim of sexual assault more than just once. This is not something easy to deal with and now Saim (Haroon Shahid) has been thrown into the mix. He is, fortunately, a very nice guy who wants to make the marriage work despite Fajar’s distance and behavior that would put anyone off, specifically because he doesn’t know anything about her past or even anything about her overall. Adding to Fajar’s troubles is her mother-in-law who has told Fajar’s mother to guide Fajar on how to behave or else Fajar and Saim’s marriage won’t last. Fajar’s mother makes it crystal clear that Fajar is no longer welcome in her home and tells her to make Saim’s home her own or else. This is a lot of pressure on a young girl who lives in perpetual fear and is unable to trust anyone, including her own family. Who can she turn to?
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Srha Asghar’s performance is strong this time around, really allowing the viewer to feel what Fajar is experiencing internally. She wants to reach out to Saim, but she’s unable to overcome her fear and discomfort. It’s uncomfortable to watch Fajar’s scenes, but only because it’s all too real. Ushna Shah is always a natural. It seems Noor has hit a turning point with her patience. Will Noor stand up and leave her family behind to make a life for herself? Or is there more compromise in her future? Overall, “Aakhir Kab Tak” continues to be an engrossing watch.
