When the previews for “Gumn” first went on air, interest was immediately piqued with the team behind it. Written by Tooba Siddiqui and Hamza Kazi, produced by Tooba Siddiqui, Maria Wasti and Erum Binte Shahid and directed by the brilliant Sarmad Khoosat, the behind-the-scenes team alone screams quality. What sets “Gumn” apart from everything else on television is its mysterious theme, a story which revolves around several crimes, a mysterious man and his connection to said crimes. “Gumn” is, at its heart, the story of an individual’s fight between right and wrong within themselves. Starring Tooba Siddiqui, Feroze Qadri, Furqan Qureshi, Zara Tareen, Srha Asghar, Mohammed Ahmed, Sohail Sameer, Agha Mustafa and many other talented names, “Gumn” has been written by Tooba Siddiqui and Hamza Kazi and directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat.
“Gumn” has followed Rayyan (Feroze Qadri) and Maya (Tooba Siddiqui). Two strangers belonging to different worlds, their lives collide the night Maya accidentally hits Rayyan with her car. Now without a memory of his past life, Maya and Rayyan grow close and develop a bond of love. But what happens when Rayyan’s past is revealed and his true purpose comes to light? Will Rayyan and Maya’s love be able to persevere in the face of reality?
The story told by “Gumn” is not only a compelling one, but the execution is excellent. As we are taken back and forth between past and present, the narrative presenting itself across different timelines, we are introduced to two different versions of the lead characters. It’s wonderful seeing these two characters bond as bits of both Rayyan and Maya’s past is revealed. In the past, Maya is weak while Rayyan helps her through her moments of weakness. In the present, Rayyan is weak while Maya helps him through his moments of weakness. And while the love story is not the focus of “Gumn,” the love story is the heart and soul of the story. This is a love story that feels “meant to be” while being an entirely hopeless situation at the same time. It’s Feroze Qadri and Tooba Siddiqui’s chemistry which is the icing on the cake, forcing the audience to root for this love story.
Spoilers Begin Here
In the finale, Rayyan sets out to destroy Hameed Hussain at his farmhouse, making a stopover to see his father first. We’re treated to an emotional scene, one where Mohammed Ahmed proves once again why he’s one of our best talents. However, Feroze Qadri, as a new actor, is no less and performs equally beautifully as this father-son duo mourn over what’s lost, but also express love for one another. Rayyan begins his quest for revenge, ready to do away with his final victim when Maya finds him. She pleads to his humanity and promises to help him get justice in a better way. The two share an incredibly sweet moment, which results in tragedy. In the end, we’re left with many thoughts of “what if?” – and isn’t that the point? What if Hania hadn’t accepted a ride from her “friend”? She would have been safe at home. What if Rayyan had confessed his love to Maya as a young medical school student? What if Rayyan had gone on to become a doctor? What if Maya’s father hadn’t worked with Shakir Hussain? Would he still be alive? There are so many “what ifs?” in this scenario, alternate realities which play out in the mind. And yet, the reality is that “Gumn” could not have ended in any other way. Rayyan’s future became bleak the moment he was turned away from the justice system and decided to take justice into his own hands. His life of family and love slipped away from him as soon as he began to seek his own revenge – and while we would have loved to see his union with Maya, would that really have been possible?
Spoilers End Here
There are many stars in “Gumn” and those stars are not just restricted to the actors. Sarmad Khoosat’s direction is incredible, keeping the audience glued to the edge of their seats throughout the entire 13 episode duration of the show. Tooba Siddiqui proves to be a multi-talented actress, her writing along with Hamza Kazi truly making an impression on the mind of the viewer with scenarios and dialogues which stay with us long after the episode is over. Of course, the actors have done an incredible job. Feroze Qadri is a star. This is an incredible talent who will go places if he continues to work hard. He has made Rayyan possibly the most lovable on-screen character this year, a character who is both a green flag and a red flag at the same time. Tooba Siddiqui is excellent as Maya, a strong, confident woman who is weak on the inside after loss and wants to be loved. Furqan Qureshi is a surprise package as Shahid, Maya’s mysterious companion who seems like a straight-and-arrow on the outside, but handles things in his own way behind the scenes. Of course, we can’t forget Sohail Sameer, Agha Mustafa, Kashif Hussain, Daniyal Khan, Zara Tareen and the rest of the cast for performing their roles so well.
The greatest takeaway from “Gumn” is the importance of moving on, the importance of continuing to live life despite tragedy or any hurdles. If one gets wrapped up in the past, it can hold them back from progressing in the future. Life does not wait for anyone, so we must embrace it and continue moving forward, even when we may feel life cannot offer us anything more. “Gumn” is a show which has proved that Pakistani content is making strides, delivering on new ideas and attempting to pull in a new, fresh audience. Let’s encourage this movement and continue to appreciate and watch brilliant shows like “Gumn,” which deserve all the praise.