In 2023, ARY Digital delivered an enthralling hit ‘Baby Baji’. The plot with household politics wrapped in oodles of gossip and mass entertainment left a lasting impression on the minds of drama viewers. Besides the huge success of the soap opera, rumors of a season 2 surfaced online.
Not every successful enterprise merits a sequel, but ‘Baby Baji’ is an entertainer that justifies a sequel. Carrying the franchise forward, ‘Baby Baji Ki Bahuwain’ arrives with a heavy baggage to outshine the first part. Is the new installment worth watching, or is it leveraging the brand’s popularity? Let’s analyze.
The Plot
‘Baby Baji Ki Bahuwain’ starts from where ‘Baby Baji’ concluded. Azra (Javeria Saud) realizes her past mistake and makes a comeback in Jamal’s (Saud) life. The entire family moves into their old house and recalls the old precious memories of their parents Rashida Begum aka Baby Baji (Samina Ahmed) and Siddiqui Sahab (Munawar Saeed). Azra takes center stage as she is now the eldest bahu (daughter-in-law) in the family, but her cunning nature is still a big hurdle. The narrative takes a twist and enter Rizwana Phuppo (Asma Abbas) and her daughter Sara (Madiha Iftikhar). The ladies arrive at their place and Azra isn’t happy to see this development.
The Good and Not-So-Good
‘Baby Baji Ki Bahuwain’ takes a decent start. The introduction of the key cast, the subplots, the twists and turns; the director Tehseen Khan is on the right track. One has to applaud him for narrating a simple story effectively. The comeback of Azra surely puts a smile on the faces of viewers. The scenes in which Azra meets Baby Baji in her dreams stand out. Another is when Azra and Farhat (Tuba Anwar) surprise Asma (Sunita Marshal) and Naseer (Hassan Ahmed) on their wedding anniversary with a fake fight.
Having said the above, it is difficult to digest writer Saqib Ali’s new track of Rizwana phuppo and Sara. It’s doesn’t connects well in terms of their status being lower middle class and how easily they narrate an unconvincing story and settle in their house. The romantic angle between Sara and Jamal seems forced. Maybe they have a past, let’s wait for it.
The Performances
Talking of performances, Javeria Saud is on fire. With Samina Ahmed in a special appearance this time, the entire focus shifts to Azra. Sunita Marshall’s character takes a progressive turn professionally, she is yet to sort out her personal life. Saud is dependable as always. Hassan Ahmed and Junaid Jamshed Niazi need to work more on their craft. Tuba Anwar is good. Madiha Iftikhar features in a mainstream soap after quite some time. She is strictly okay. Rimha Ahmed replaces Aina Asif may be of date issues, so far the former doesn’t get much screen time. Afzal Khan’s (Rambo) character arc is refreshing and raises laughter on many occasions. Veteran Asma Abbas is super convincing as the cunning phuppo.
Verdict So Far
Summing it up, ‘Baby Baji Ki Bahuwain’ holds immense expectations. With the original ‘Baby Baji’ not in the lead, ‘Baby Baji Ki Bahuwain’ is a battle between the Bahu vs. Phuppo. The enterprise holds immense promise and potential as a whole. With an already established huge fan base, will the enterprise hit the bull’s eye again?
