After the mega success of ‘Kabhi Mein Kabhi Tum’, the Monday and Tuesday slots of ARY Digital are replaced by ‘Aye Ishq e Junoon’. Fresh from the success of ‘Jaan-e-Jahan’, Qasim Ali Mureed is heading the enterprise while Sadia Akhtar (‘Deewangi’ fame) is the writer. Starring Sheheryar Munawar, Ushna Shah and Shuja Asad in title roles, the first look intrigued with loads of drama and thrilling moments. So, let’s find out in detail whether ‘Aye Ishq e Junoon’ manages to impress or not.
What ‘Aye Ishq e Junoon’ Is About?
The narrative of ‘Aye Ishq e Junoon’ introduces us to Ali Nawaz (Mehmood Aslam), the owner of Marina Hotel. His wife Afiya (Irsa Ghazal) is a philanthropist. Nawaz has two sons Rahim (Sheheryar Munawar) and Shahroz (Shuja Asad). Both have contrasting personalities as the former is extremely mature and responsible while the latter is a spoiled brat. Aiman (Ushna Shah) is the only breadwinner of her house. She has to take care of her ailing brother, who is suffering from cancer. Her jobless fiancée Jamal (Furqan Qureshi) is good for nothing and leaves no opportunity to convince her for their wedding.
Afiya visits an NGO where Aiman is an employee, the latter raises some important questions about her philanthropy act and informs her about how the NGO misuses her funds. On Afiya’s reference, she gets a job at Marina Hotel. Rahim takes her interview and is highly impressed with her honest and innocent nature. The situation takes a drastic turn when Shahroz harasses Aiman at a party and attempts to hurt her.
Writer-Director Duo Works Big Time
Sadia Akhtar’s writing is peppered with loads of drama, action and mass-pleasing moments that keep viewers intrigued. The story on paper isn’t that different but the treatment makes it for an interesting watch. Qasim Ali Mureed has turned into a fantastic director. Four episodes down we don’t have any major reason to complain. Every scene has a purpose and the execution is top-notch. Minute details have been taken care of. Thankfully the rags and rich look and behave according to their character. The production design is of high value. A couple of scenes leave a huge impact, for instance when Aiman confronts Afiya about distributing laptops. The sequence where Rahim saves Aiman from drowning and comforts her later.
Performances That Stand Out
Sheheryar Munawar has joined the club of actors where he can carry an entire project on his own. Here, he is in top form and surprises viewers with the range of his performance. His looks and expressions are something to watch out for. Ushna Shah has the knack of smelling good scripts, she sans the conventional route and picks up projects that make her stand out. She is fiery and her act leaves a lasting impact.
Rising star Shuja Asad looks dashing and gets his act right. Mah E Nur Haider (Maheen) puts up a decent act. Irsa Ghazal is a chameleon, be it Razia Chaudhary (Mannat Murad) or Shammo begum from (Kuch Ankahi) to Afiya Ali Nawaz in ‘Aye Ishq e Junoon’ she can turn into any character with great ease. Mehmood Aslam and Shabbir Jan play their respective parts well. Muhammad Ahmed nowadays plays the conventional father in almost every drama these days. The only different aspect here is that he walks with a walker.
Verdict So Far
‘Aye Ishq e Junoon’ is a well-made enterprise that works due to its performances, script, and creative execution. The twists and turns will keep you guessing as to what will happen next.
