If there was ever the perfect recipe for success in the Pakistani drama world, “Gentleman” would be the finished product. Humayun Saeed, Adnan Siddiqui, Yumna Zaidi, Zahid Ahmed, Sohai Ali Abro and Ahmed Ali Butt headlining the cast, Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar as the writer, Haissam Hussain as the director and a wonderful OST sung by Atif Aslam are all components for a hit Pakistani drama. However, as we’ve seen in the past, sometimes shows fall flat due to high expectations. Did the first episode of “Gentleman” live up to what audiences were expecting?
In the first episode, we are introduced to Iqbal Munna (Humayun Saeed), a street thug, as he joins a gang led by Rehmati (Adnan Siddiqui) in a hilariously endearing sequence. Dilbar (Ahmed Ali Butt), loses the love of his life when she gets married. His partner-in-crime (quite literally), Iqbal Munna, arrives at the scene and blesses the bride, which triggers Dilbar who sees it as a sign of betrayal. He curses Munna, stating that he will be destroyed in love one day and realize what it feels like. This sets the premise of the show and we, as an audience, already know what’s to come.
Almost immediately, Iqbal Munna encounters Zarnab (Yumna Zaidi), a journalist who despises crime and – of course – criminals. While their first encounter is heated, Zarnab leaves a lasting impression on Iqbal Munna. Dilbar is even seen goading Munna about being in love, though these sequences feel a bit forced and if there is a flaw in the entire show, it’s these moments. Sure, it’s understood that Dilbar wants to extract his “revenge” or have his “I told you so” moment, but declaring that Munna is in love simply because he encountered a girl once on the street is a stretch.
Zarnab, on her part, is a straight-and-arrow, engaged to Faris (Zahid Ahmed), the assistant commissioner. The two share cute moments (on the phone) and remind us why Zahid Ahmed and Yumna Zaidi have been such a beloved pair in the past. However, with Iqbal Munna as the true hero of the show, we have to wonder how Faris and Zarnab’s relationship will change moving forward. This is a love triangle which will certainly leave us torn as viewers.
Honestly, the first episode of “Gentleman” is slick and well executed. The audience is immediately engrossed in this world, pulled in to the lives of its lead characters and, within the first episode itself, we have already grown attached to those characters. Humayun Saeed is as lovable as ever as Iqbal Munna, Yumna Zaidi is a natural as the confident Zarnab, Ahmed Ali Butt makes an impact as Dildar, Zahid Ahmed makes us smile with his sweet moments with Yumna Zaidi and Adnan Siddiqui is a joy in his brief scenes in this episode. If the rest of the show is like the first episode, there is a lot to look forward to!
