“Burns Road Kay Romeo Juliet” is a modern day telling of the “Romeo and Juliet” story set in Pakistani culture between different cultures. When tragedy strikes, our leads are put in a tough spot. How will Farhad balance his father’s absence with his new life? Starring Hamza Sohail and Iqra Aziz in lead roles, the show also stars Shabbir Jan, Khalid Anum, Raza Samo, Zainab Qayyum, Shaheera Jalil Albasit and others in a story written by Parisa Siddiqui and directed by Fajr Raza.
In episode 24, Farhad (Hamza Sohail) struggles with his mother’s health and his father’s death. Farhad has been fired from his job, his mother refuses to accept Friya (Iqra Aziz) as her daughter-in-law and Farhad bounces back and forth between his wife and mother. The pressure begins to build and Farhad begins lashing out, tethering on the brink of a nervous breakdown. This is an interesting angle for two reasons. First, it highlights the cycle of toxicity passed down through his mother. She may be a sweet woman, she may have endured a lot of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her husband and she may be deserving of compassion…..but at the end of the day, she has used her son as an emotional crutch and is becoming her daughter-in-law’s worst nightmare. She is blaming Friya for a situation which she could just as easily blame herself or Kiran (Shaheera Jalil Albasit) for, but her possessiveness over her son does not allow her to see Friya as a human being. Farhad’s mother is surrounded by family members under the same roof, but expects Friya to live alone while holding Farhad emotionally hostage. It’s a toxic situation yet again on our screens, but it is realistically so, which makes the show compelling.
Second, the Farhad and Friya relationship moved into marriage before the two ever really had any serious conversations. Now with Yaqub’s death and Farhad’s outbursts, Friya finds herself wondering if she truly knows the man she loves. The scene where Farhad breaks down while packing is genuinely good acting, Hamza Sohail enacting Farhad’s shaken mental state perfectly while Iqra Aziz is excellent as a wife unsure of how to approach this situation. Will Farhad and Friya get through this rough time? This is where Channo (Atiqa Odho) and her husband come in and make a great support system. Channo has been through this situation and can see the cracks beginning to form. Here’s hoping this neighboring couple step in and guide Farhad and Friya before it’s too late.
The introduction of Billo in Jojo’s (Raza Samo) gym serves as the comic relief in this episode – and to some extent, it works. It’s nice to see Jojo get a romantic interest, as he is more than a side role, rather he is key player in this show. But is the love interest well-written? All we know about Billo is that she is a “majboor ladki” who needs money, but she is dolled up from head to toe. At this point, this potential love story isn’t clicking (she gives off crook vibes more than romantic interest vibes), though Raza Samo’s performance as Jojo is always lovable.
There are two points where complaint is necessary. First, Kiran’s character is becoming a frustrating one. She knows what her husband is about, how he is plotting against her family, how he has isolated Farhad, how he wants to sell her father’s legacy and most of all, how he abuses her. Everyone has a breaking point and while it’s great that Kiran has recognized that her husband isn’t a good person – why is she still sticking around? Yaqub left her with everything she needs to walk out….get moving, Kiran. As fabulous as Shaheera Jalil Albasit is, we do not enjoy watching a woman getting beaten up week after week. We get the point. Move on. Second, it would be wonderful to turn more focus to Friya and her journey as well. There is an incredible level of focus on Farhad’s pain and grief and yet, Friya is a young, spoiled woman who has had to change her way of life overnight. Why doesn’t she get a story arc as well? And if it’s upcoming, it better be as strong as Farhad’s.
Overall, “Burns Road Kay Romeo Juliet” continues on a good path. The complaints are small ones, ones out of concern moving forward rather than complaints about the episodes themselves. Shaggo and Hamid continue to be a joy to watch. We would love more focus on our lovebirds and their struggles rather than being forced to watch Friya’s selfish sibling and her toxic parents. It’s difficult to root for this family when they’re so unlikable. We are rooting for Farhad and Friya’s happiness – but let’s put the emphasis back on romance and relationship building now.
