Feroze Khan’s fans were surely missing him. ‘Khumar’ marks the comeback of Khan on television. He looks lean and different and his pairing with Neelam Muneer looks refreshing. Directed by Ali Faizan and written by Maha Malik, ‘Khumar’ is a 7th Sky Entertainment production. The supporting cast includes Hina Khawaja Bayat, Behroze Sabzwari, Agha Mustafa Hassan, Zainab Qayoom, Asma Abbas, Shehryar Zaidi and Adnan Samad Khan.
Been There, Seen That Premise
‘Khumar’ is the story of Faiz (Feroze Khan) a young man who is head over heels in love with Hareem (Neelam Muneer). The protagonists hail from completely different worlds, and the common connection between them is Hareem’s brother Rufi (Hamzah Tariq Jamil). She’s a wedding planner by profession and he helps her unconditionally to grab work.
Faiz is the son of ultra-rich Sheikh Furqan (Behroze Sabzwari) and Kehkashan Begum (Hina Bayat). Hareem is a doting daughter to her ailing mother Atiya (Kinza Malik) and father Taufeeq (Shehreyar Zaidi). Kehkashan doesn’t like Faiz meeting Rufi as she has serious class difference issues. There’s a parallel track where Nasir (Adnan Samad Khan) likes Hareem and wants to marry her.
Old Wine In New Bottle… But Still Effective
‘Khumar’ primarily doesn’t offer anything new. We have seen narratives revolving around class differences many times. But ‘Khumar’ catches your attention with its slick presentation, well-directed and well executed scenes. The writing by Malik is sharp and to the point. No unnecessary drag, every scene has a point and serves its purpose. Ali Faizan has delivered several hits with 7th Sky earlier and is in complete form. He has nothing extraordinary on paper but he makes the proceedings interesting and super engaging.
Did The Protagonist Impress?
Feroz Khan as Faiz is in his element. The scenes in particular where he confronts his parents and defends Rufi are commendable. His sequence with Neelam are heartwarming. We will get to see more of them as the drama progresses. Neelam as usual looks great but seems lost. This has been the case since ‘Qayamat’, ‘Mohabbat Daagh Ki Surat’ and ‘Ehram-e-Junoon’. Her expressions are wooden and her makeup is over the top.
Notable Mentions
Rarely do we get to see supporting acts that leave a huge mark. Hina Bayat is on fire. Her last outing for the same channel and production house was ‘Jannat Se Aagay’ where she played a lower middle class mother. In ‘Khumar’ she shifts gears and portrays the arrogant mother to perfection. Bayat rocks the show and how. She looks beautiful, her lovely sarees, her makeup and complete understanding of the character make us root for her in the long run. Adnan Samad Khan is super convincing.
Is ‘Khumar’ Worth Watching?
‘Khumar’ is a staple meal served with a dash of spice. The drama serial takes a decent start and rides high on performances. The simple yet effective proceedings are the USP of the enterprise.
