The promos of “Laapata” took off with a bang and raised the excitement level for the show, pulling viewers in with the vastly different characters within one show. While Sarah Khan’s Falak is an athlete, Ayeza Khan’s Geeti is a TikToker, Ali Rehman’s Shams is a gamber and little is known about Gohar Rasheed’s character. Written and directed by Khizer Idrees, the premise of “Laapata” follows three cousins in a love triangle of sorts. While Shams and Falak are in love, Geeti is an opportunist and sets her sights on Shams after being dumped by her boyfriend.
In episode 3, we see the fallout after Falak’s (Sarah Khan) family rejects the proposal from Shams’ (Ali Rehman Khan) family. With all three families essentially living under one roof, it creates a chaotic situation when Shams’ family begins to lash out afterwards. It’s not difficult to understand why Shams is as careless as he is. There’s a meaningful moment where Shams’ father barges into Falak’s father’s room and declares that because the proposal has been rejected, he will not pay back the loan given to him by Falak’s father. It’s this sort of mindset that casts light on Shams and his behavior – he does not have work ethic and believes that things can simply fall into his lap with ease and he will, somehow, be taken care of. Later, his father narrates a tale of his own childhood and how he took his (adoptive) father’s kindness and wealth for granted, which is why he is in this position today. He also acknowledges that Shams is repeating his mistakes. While it’s great to see the acknowledgement, one has to wonder why he doesn’t understand the reason for rejection then?
Falak’s family, on the other hand, are rational-minded individuals (with the exception of Falak’s greedy sister). Falak’s father simply wants Falak to be taken care of, while her mother wants to keep the peace. Unfortunately, Geeti (Ayeza Khan) is there to continue to create trouble. Geeti is a character who one wouldn’t even call grey – she is truly “evil.” She is not only an opportunist, but she does not care how many people she tramples in order to get what she wants. She lives in a (TikTok) world of her own, a world in which her needs, wants and desires come first and foremost. Falak and Shams have not thrown in the towel yet on their relationship, but Geeti is already mentally planning the wedding. It must be said that Ayeza Khan is a master at her craft and she is owning this role, playing it with utmost conviction. There may be shades of Meenu within Geeti, but the characters are as different as oranges and apples – while Meenu was silly, but sincere, Geeti is silly, but dangerous. Still, it’s Ayeza’s performance that’s elevating the show at this point.
In the story, at present, it’s Falak who is the hero. Shams is a gambler who is getting deeper into a self-created hole. How long will it take for this to get back to the responsible, motivated and career-driven Falak? Technically, Geeti and Shams are made for each other, two deeply flawed, self-serving individuals. It would be better for Falak to move on with her life and find someone better. Overall, “Laapata is underwhelming at present, but that’s because there are so many other new shows on Hum TV now and this one has stiff competition. Still, the camera work and use of angles are commendable and make for a visually pleasing experience. Hopefully “Laapata” will take off soon and give us something worth watching.
