As quickly as it arrived, “Razia” winds up at episode number six. While many could complain that “Razia” barely had time to settle in before ending, “Razia” now shows that Express Entertainment has set the benchmark once again. With “Aik Thi Laila” earlier this year and now “Razia,” Express Entertainment has been putting out excellent mini series with strong storylines and well-written, fast-paced episodes – which are long enough to pull the viewer into that world, but end before the audience can even dream of getting bored. Along with Mahira Khan, “Razia” co-stars Mohib Mirza, Momal Sheikh and Shaheera Jalil Abasit in a story written and directed by Mohsin Ali.
In the finale, Razia is now in dire straits, married to an abusive man for the crimes of her brother. Beaten on a daily basis, made to work like a slave and eat like an animal, Razia is living a life one wouldn’t wish on their worst enemy. And yet, her own father (Mohib Mirza) and brother – and mother (Moomal Sheikh) – pushed her into this condition. Is there forgiveness for such behavior? Razia’s breaking point arrives with the birth of a girl when her husband divorces her for giving him a daughter – and Razia’s happiness overflows, finally giving her husband a much-needed slap. But that’s not all, Razia’s slaps continue on to her brother, showing that she will no longer take anyone’s nonsense. Violence shouldn’t be something to cheerlead on-screen or off-screen, but in the case of “Razia,” after seeing how she has been abused by her father, her brother and then her husband, these moments are so satisfying, if only to see how Razia will no longer take this abuse sitting down. Razia is now a mother, a woman ready to fight with renewed purpose – and fight she does, working as a teacher, studying and providing new opportunities for her daughter. In a sweet moment at the end, Mannu continues to support Razia emotionally, allowing himself to be a positive force in her path towards success without demanding anything. The Mannu & Razia relationship is quite sweet, showing that love can be shown in the form of support and projected in positive ways, even if it’s one-sided. And while we see that Razia returns back home, she makes it clear at the end that she is alone with her daughter, removing the relationships from her life which caused her harm.
At the end, the audience is left in tears of both sadness and joy at how Razia overcomes her obstacles. “Razia” is a winner of a show from start to finish. Mahira Khan is our excellent narrator, our strong, confident version of Razia, the girl who broke her shackles. Mahira has been perfect in this role and it’s difficult to imagine anyone else making such a role as enjoyable as Mahira has made it, specifically with comedy and tragedy thrown in all at once. Shaheera Jalil Abasit is a revelation, an absolute standout performer in the inspiring story of a woman’s release from all her abusive relationships, chains and shackles. For a new actress, Shaheera is beyond promising, she is excellent! Of course, the entire supporting cast has done justice to their roles, from Mohib Mirza to Moomal Sheikh – and even the actor playing Mannu. Powerful and to-the-point, “Razia” has proved itself to be a worthwhile watch with a strong message towards female independence.
