When the initial teasers for ARY Digital’s ‘Radd’ were first broadcasted, they brought a sense of freshness and attraction particularly with the introduction of a new on-screen trio featuring Sheheryar Munawar, Hiba Bukhari and Arsalan Naseer. With Sanam Mehdi Zaryab as the writer and director Ahmed Bhatti of (‘Ghisi Piti Mohabbat’ & ‘Kaisa Hai Naseeban‘) fame, the drama boasts a talented cast including Naumaan ijaz, Dania Enwer, Adnan Jaffar, Nadia Afgan, Asma Abbas, Hamza Khawja and Shehryar Zaidi. ‘Radd’ premiered with a double episode, but does it live up to the expectations? Let’s analyze.
‘Radd’ The Story So Far
Eman (Hiba Bukhari) is an independent young woman who works for an advertising agency. She has made her career with sheer hard work and determination and doesn’t want to let it go by getting married. Her elder sisters are married in the same house, therefore she and her father Alam (Mohammed Ahmed) often have to deal with the issues of their greedy in-laws.
Eman’s elder brother-in-law forces her to marry his cousin, but she dodges that proposal by saying yes to another. Enter Zain (Arsalan Naseer) whom she has previously met accidently at a jewelry shop. Zain’s phuppo (Ismat Zaidi) and father (Shehryar Zaidi) are in favour of this proposal but her mother Shaista (Asma Abbas) isn’t.
There’s a parallel track that features Salar (Sheheryar Munawar) who works with Alam at his bookstore. He considers Alam his best friend and is always there to support him. He has feelings for Eman, but never discloses it to anyone. He is the son of a business tycoon but lives an ordinary life. As the narrative progresses, we get to know about his troubled childhood and his relationship with his brother and father.
Standout Aspects
‘Radd’ takes a terrific start, everything comes across as perfectly synchronized. With a no-nonsense approach, he keeps the focus on the protagonist and the principal story. The story is realistic with loads of drama and Bhatti is in complete control with the writing material in hand. He scores technically as well. We see some good shots with clever camera work. Bhatti’s direction is super effective so far. Some sequences shine like the emotional scenes between Salar and Alam, Eman and Zain’s conversation during the rishta meetup and Eman and Salar’s chemistry is something to look forward to. It’s a rare thing to witness on screen that maximum scenes of an episode leave a lasting impact.
Stellar Performances
‘Radd’ may change the game for Hiba Bukhari. Right from the first frame, she acts and looks like never before. Her chemistry with both Salar and Zain is highly refreshing. Her sincerity towards her craft shows with each project. She proves that she can score big if given an opportunity. Ditto for Sheheryar, the actor is getting meaty roles one after the other. He shines bright and brings soul to his character. He grips viewers with his terrific presence. His broken voice in tense situations, his dialogue delivery, and his expressions are just perfect. Many times, we forget the actor Sheheryar and feel for the character Salar. Arsalan Naseer charms with his dashing presence. There’s a marginal improvement in his performance as well. The supporting acts by Ismat Zaidi, Asma Abbas and Muhammad Ahmed are praiseworthy.
Verdict So Far
On the whole, ‘Radd’ is a terrific combination of a relatable plot, strong performances and good visuals. It’s a well wrapped package with ample meat and meaning having the potential to score massive viewership throughout its run time.
