“Jannat Se Aagay” got off to an interesting, but imperfect start, but over the past few weeks, it has delivered excellent episodes with human emotion at the heart of it. Starring Kubra Khan as Jannat, a morning show host, and Ramsha Khan as her diehard fan, “Jannat Se Aagay” tells a compelling story of how things are not always what they seem and even the most perfect life can just be a façade. Along with Kubra Khan and Ramsha Khan, “Jannat Se Aagay” also stars Gohar Rasheed, Talha Chahour, Sheheryar Zaidi, Hina Bayat, Faiza Gillani, Saboor Aly, Daniya Anwar, Aina Asif, Sara Ashraf and others in prominent roles. The story has been written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Haseeb Hassan.
In episode 8, Jannat (Kubra Khan) and Tabassum (Ramsha Khan) begin spending time together as Tabassum takes her place as Jannat’s house help. Jannat sees an innocence in Tabassum that she likes, though we can’t deny that Jannat also likes that Tabassum idolizes her. In her current low moments, Tabassum is giving Jannat a much needed ego boost. And while Jannat is busy admiring Farooq (Talha Chahour) and Jannat’s relationship, Tabassum immediately realizes all is not well between Jannat and Noman (Gohar Rasheed).
The Jannat and Noman relationship is one that’s significant and makes a statement in itself. Jannat is a hardworking woman, a woman who puts her career at the top of her priority list. Her show is her baby and she wants to see it succeed at all costs – not only for personal satisfaction, but because she’s always trying to be the best provider for her family and make sure all those pesky bills are taken care of. As Noman taunts her, she makes 30 times more than what he makes. There isn’t any denial over Jannat’s part in her marriage’s downfall. She has “become” her brand, throwing around her name within the four walls of her household, as if her family would be impressed with her presence. Jannat has neglected her children and her husband, certainly. But is it expected that a woman’s career will automatically take a backseat? Noman taunts Jannat often about neglecting the children and leaving them at the mercy of a nanny, but what’s Noman’s part? Noman himself says that he cannot be a “babysitter,” as though he’s not responsible for his own children – and yet, he has time to flirt with his colleague, Zara (Saboor Aly), and go out for dinner dates instead of being at home with his children? Why is it that females are always expected to sacrifice? In this case, Jannat is the breadwinner, so why does Noman still have the same expectations from Jannat that one would have from a homemaker? Jannat and Noman’s scenes do a great job of highlighting our society’s attitude towards career women. Unfortunately, Jannat’s uneasiness has begun with Noman’s affair with Zara now exposed – not only personally, but also publicly on social media.
Tabassum, on the other hand, has the ideal, supportive partner who simply wants to make her happy and support her decisions as his partner. Unfortunately, Tabassum does not appreciate Farooq the way she should. This is a man who genuinely loves her and has loved her since childhood. Young Tabassum always stood by him, regardless of his financial status. However, grown Tabassum is now achieving her dreams and with that, her expectations from life are growing. Farooq sees Tabassum slipping away and he wants to protect her from the dangers that lay ahead – but can he or will he wind up broken hearted instead? Talha Chahour is a star in this episode, portraying the role of a simple man going through incredibly complex emotions with just the right amount of sincerity and vulnerability.
Both Tabassum and Jannat’s lives are at a crossroads and set for change. Will they have a positive impact on one another or will the student overtake the teacher? Kubra Khan is excellent with these emotional roles and the switch between Jannat’s star power and her loneliness is seamless in Kubra’s performance. Ramsha Khan is a natural and through her performance, we can see Tabassum’s ambition coupled with her innocence. “Jannat Se Aagay:” is easily one of the best shows at present, moving up the ranks on that list quickly. This show only gets better each week.