So, it's that time of year when I decide to bring back another rant review (I think I wrote one on 'Imlie' at this point last year)! And of course, what other show would I be reviewing apart from 'Tere Bin' ? The very show that's being talked about, discussed, trashed, bashed and criticized by not one, but at least three countries in almost an unprecedented manner. I thought about how I wanted to do the rant, but then realised that it would probably be too long if I had to give a linear episode wise breakdown of what I think of the show and its events. Instead, I decided to do it more in a bullet point manner where I bring in some criticisms, theories as well as certain observations about the show. So let's dive right in!

'Tere Bin' And its crisis of 'Perspective'

When the story of 'Tere Bin' begins, we're immediately introduced to the lead characters of the show- Meerab and Murtasim. Meerab is an idealistic, obstinate girl brought up in a liberal household, and Murtasim Khan (equally obstinate, mind you) is an authoritarian feudal lord with a conservative mindset. The 'opposites attract' storyline is cliche, but it's perfect fodder for drama, as we've seen in countless works of fiction before this. What brings a sense of novelty in the storyline, is the fact that Meerab is actually a member of the Khan household and was given away to her adoptive parents as an infant because her father, Anwar Khan (Murtasim's paternal uncle) had developed a sense of resentment towards her due to his wife's death whilst giving birth to Meerab.

Since Meerab is a victim of a grave injustice, we feel that we are going to view the story of 'Tere Bin' mainly from her perspective because it's the trauma she endures in terms of finding out that her whole life is a lie, that propels the initial events of the story forward. However, as Meerab gets married to Murtasim and their relationship develops, the story becomes much more about Murtasim's perspective. It is his efforts to win Meerab over that take centre stage in the story. So much so that we are able to understand Murtasim's actions with clarity due to interior monologues and proper conversations, but Meerab's point of view is largely abandoned. This is not a new problem when it comes to the writing of soaps, mainly catered to a female audience. The female characters are often made less interesting and less dynamic than the male ones so as to keep the 'fantasy' alive for female viewers, with respect to the brooding male character. Case in point- 'Kaisi Yeh Yaariaan', where Nandini (even though I would say she's a much more well balanced character than a lot of ITV female leads) has always been paid less attention than Manik's character.

Normally, I would forgive this, because I usually end up relating more to the male character anyway. But as the episodes progressed, I realized that it's not merely a battle of two perspectives in this show, but three. And I've a conspiracy theory that the 'third' is actually the 'main' one. Has anyone guessed which character I'm referring to?

Of course, it's everyone's favorite- Haya! Now, let me make some points for you to humour my theory on 'Tere Bin' actually being from Haya's perspective. The title of the show is called 'Tere Bin' and to be honest the name never made sense to me from either Murtasim's or Meerab's point of view, because if the story was truly about Meerab and Murtasim's separation, then the separation should have happened at least half way through the show (like a Farhat Ishtiaq script) and not in the final episodes. There is a case to be made for 'Tere Bin' to mean that Murtasim yearns for Meerab's love even while being married to her, but the argument is weak at best.

But does the title make sense in the context of Haya's emotions? Absolutely! Haya has always been pining for Murtasim since she was a child and Meerab's marriage to Murtasim compels her to live 'without him', just as the title of the show suggests. Furthermore, as we are introduced to the female version of the OST, the lyrics make so much more sense from Haya's perspective than Meerab's (at least pre-episode 46-47), and she is often in focus when the song is playing as well (remember the cringeworthy dance?), hinting that the song does in fact signify her emotions.

The story has multiple negative characters, but Haya is always at the forefront of every wrong thing that happens (If I had to compare the Khan household to the Kuru dynasty in Mahabharata, I would say that she's actually very similar to Shakuni, a puppet master who ushered the downfall of the dynasty, by merely manipulating everyone around him, much as Haya does in the Khan household), yet she gets away with most of it, with almost no consequences. She's eavesdropping and acting as a fly on the wall so many times that you wonder whether she's around even in the scenes where she isn't visible on camera. Also, a point to be noted is that across the 48 episodes that have aired so far, it is only Haya's character who has remained consistent, and whose actions have made sense 100% of the time. Is this a writing flaw or is it deliberate? It really forces one to wonder, when the coincidences build up one after the other.

Consequently, it also makes sense as to why Meerab is portrayed in such a negative light and vilified by the script all the time, because she is technically the 'vamp' in Haya's life and Murtasim is always put on a pedestal and glorified, because we are again seeing Murtasim's character from Haya's lens. There are also moments when you genuinely feel sad for Haya despite all her despicable actions, especially the time when Murtasim uses all of the food Haya's cooked for him as a surprise for his garden date with Meerab, just to send her a message that she should stop with all her grand gestures. It was necessary on Murtasim's part, but I still did feel a little bad for her.

Also, I'd like to point out that despite the fact that Murtasim makes it clear from the beginning that he has never had any feelings for Haya, two of the most profound conversations Murtasim has had with any character on the show have been with Haya- namely, the one in episode 7 (I think this is my favourite episode TBH. Who can forget the introduction of 'Paro' aka the flying shawl?) when she's sitting morose on the steps, and asks him to reject Meerab, despite understanding that Murtasim has grown quite empathetic to Meerab, and another in episode 24 (quite possibly one of the worst episodes of Tere Bin) where Murtasim expresses his doubts over whether it is truly fair to hand over so much power and responsibility in hands of a feudal lord (more on this later...). Both these exchanges are stellar, and the performances of Wahaj and Sabeena of course, serve to accentuate the dialogues a great deal.

Anyway, coming back to the question of 'perspective'- my point being, that if you wanted to tell a story of obsessive love from Haya's perspective, then the show should have been marketed as such, like 'Beyhadh' was, where it was well understood that Maya is a negative character, but she is definitely the protagonist in this story, because this is 'her' story. However, the importance given to Haya over Meerab (and in some cases even Murtasim, by rendering his behavior towards Haya inconsistent), the writer has frustrated the viewers to a large extent (including me), who signed up to watch the romance between Meerab and Murtasim and not much else. So, ideally, 'Tere Bin' should have stuck with one/two perspectives at most to tell its story effectively, but alas, it didn't do so.

The main positive I take out of this is that Sabeena Farooq is a really talented actress and can easily carry a show on her shoulders (I'm excited to see her on Green TV's Kabli Pulao!). I really hope I can see her play less toxic characters henceforth. Some fans might kill me for saying this, but I actually see potential for chemistry between Wahaj and Sabeena as well, and maybe they should do a different show together.

How Meerab's character and actions could've made more sense on the show

When Meerab finally agrees to marry Murtasim despite refusing endlessly in the first few episodes, all the viewers as well as all the members of the Khan family are rather baffled at the sudden change in her stance. When Murtasim asks her the reason behind the sudden shift in her position, she explains how she is now an orphan and does not really have anywhere to go. So, she's made the decision to accept her fate because she apparently doesn't 'hate' him anymore, due to the support he's offered her lately. Although I don't think Meerab was lying in entirety, I do feel that her dialogue of 'sabko rulaungi' was rather vague, once Murtasim left the room. Although we later realise that it probably meant her coming up with the contract to punish Murtasim (even though he was not really at fault here, unlike the other members of the Khan and Ahmed family who've basically been gaslighting Meerab throughout her childhood), the story would have been far more effective if Meerab married Murtasim with the deliberate intention of destroying the whole Khan family because of what they did to her.

Even though she is rude to the Khan family, and they suspect multiple times that she's doing things to ensure their 'beizzati' like dancing with the performers on the day of her Walima, (which is apparently gross disrespect of their status) or even things like feeding Murtasim fish to make him suffer (which she does more as a playful joke, rather than out of any actual malice), or deliberately discount Murtasim's 'order' to stay put in the car when they visit the village, where she ends up getting kidnapped. You see what I mean? Time and again, Meerab's actions are explained by the fact that 'her intentions were not bad and she didn't really know how things would escalate in this manner' and again, the coincidences are one too many, which is why a lot of the audience starts to get annoyed with her repeated mistakes (the one time I was wholly on Meerab's side was when she stood up for Naila in the Panchayat. The script did her character really dirty here by making it seem like Murtasim was doing the right thing when it was definitely problematic).

I agree that one's response to the trauma that Meerab has faced could be so scattered and unpredictable that she lashes out differently at several moments (as she explains to Murtasim about her dancing at the Walima -of it being a 'reaction' to what has happened to her) but the deprivation of Meerab's perspective makes her actions appear confused to the extent where we're not sure what she's actually feeling. Is she in fact doing things purposely, or is she just naive and does in fact, mean well?

I think- what they should have shown in the story is that she had revenge on her mind when she married Murtasim (through several monologues), and Murtasim's love for her actually makes her rethink it, and overpowers her bitter emotions of revenge. And by the time Maryam and Malik Zubair's conflict actually comes around, they could've shown that she has now fallen in love with him and is now deeply in a fix as to whether to help Maryam or give a higher priority to her relationship with Murtasim. If this were the actual story, the audience would've understood why she was doing so many wrong things before, and actually been extremely sympathetic to Meerab's character during the Malik Zubair-Maryam track, because this would be the first time where she had the right intentions but things unfortunately still went sideways in the worst way possible. It would also make sense as to why the Khan family would actually endorse the suspicion that Meerab made Maryam run away with Malik Zubair on purpose (because she has cried wolf too many times), rather than how it basically made no sense in the current storyline.

I really think Yumna Zaidi as a choice for Meerab was a master stroke because I'm not sure any other actress would've been able to save such a muddled character on paper, purely on the merit of her performance. If we feel or relate to Meerab in any way, the credit goes entirely to Yumna's portrayal of the character and not the writing. In fact, a story which could have been an exploration of Meerab's personal trauma and how she heals from it morphs into a story where she, a victim, becomes resented by a large chunk of the viewers. It's a wasted opportunity, if you ask me.

The Rohail storyline was the downfall of Tere Bin

It's a well known fact that the fans think that the story of 'Tere Bin' went downhill after episode 23 and I strongly agree with this sentiment. Somehow, with the return of Rohail's character, the whole show went into a disarray of sorts from which it could never fully recover. When Haya is shipped off to the 'gaon' with Murtasim, Maa begum's reasons to justify it make no sense. Similarly, when Meerab refuses to clear the misunderstanding about her pregnancy and renews contact with Rohail, her actions make no sense as well.

I'm completely on her side when she goes to meet Rohail just to catch up with him, but when she reveals private details about her married life to him, AFTER knowing that he has always had feelings for her, you can't help but question her judgment. The most frustrating thing throughout the Rohail storyline is that Meerab says so many things to argue with Rohail but never does she say the one thing that actually matters- 'I feel nothing for you, and hence stop pursuing me'. The writing is so confused that it almost makes it seem like it wants us to misunderstand Meerab and her intentions regarding Rohail. Is she simply leading him on for the fun of it? Is she keeping in touch with him just because she wants a semblance of her old life back? I don't think we'll ever know because the writer clearly didn't find it important enough to clarify this to us.

When Rohail takes Meerab to his flat, supposedly forcefully, the conversation between them beats so much around the bush, that you feel like tearing your hair out. Although Rohail tries to manipulate Meerab into thinking that Murtasim doesn't really love her, and is merely staying with her because it's a matter of honour for him (honestly, if the scenes were better written, this argument would have been compelling), the weird psycho bulletin board Rohail has of her should have been a big enough red flag for Meerab to ignore his opinion altogether. When Murtasim finds her in Rohail's flat, of course, we get the dramatic scene of him beating Rohail up, but Murtasim and Meerab's reactions in the aftermath of it did leave a lot to be desired.

Instead of convincing Murtasim that she had no intention of meeting Rohail and was taken to his flat forcefully, I feel like it would have been far more effective if she had just said yet again- "I feel nothing for him. And it is our relationship that's my priority." Instead, she makes the whole argument with Murtasim about him doubting her character when all she needed to say was just the above line, and he would have probably calmed down sooner.

Murtasim's actions are severely problematic as well- no one should have to jump from a terrace to prove one's loyalty. This is the second major lapse we see in Murtasim's character since the slap (completely devoid of logic), and they should have definitely toned it down. I understand that Murtasim is one of those characters who wants everyone to have blind faith in him (just like Manik was in Kaisi Yeh Yaariaan), but this reaction was too extreme. Even if the jump scene was scripted as such, while filming it, they should have probably made sure that Murtasim pulled Meerab back even before she stepped on the ledge (a place where she could easily have a fallen from, accidentally). The point about earning Murtasim's trust would have been conveyed, and his request wouldn't have been so problematic because it would have been crystal clear that he didn't actually want her to jump at all.

I have a theory about the whole Rohail storyline as well- I have a feeling his character didn't have such a large role in the initial 28 episodes that Nooran Makhdoom wrote. I feel like she was directed to 'kheencho' the story with more scenes of him so that they could add another ten episodes to the show. Why I'm saying this is that there's a weird disconnect of emotions between episode 29 and 30, where the whole jump incident happens and the next day when everything seems absolutely normal between Meerab and Murtasim, which seems really off. Also, out of all the tracks, the Rohail track is the weakest and least thought out. Just imagine if this whole track didn't exist. Again, we would have been so much more accepting of Meerab's actions during the Maryam track if she hadn't already had lapses in judgment in Rohail's case. It also doesn't help that Subhan Awan who plays Rohail is not as effective a performer as the show's other two villains- Haya and Malik Zubair who serve as much better antagonists to the story. In my opinion, Rohail's storyline should have been cut out altogether, and would have succeeded in saving the show to a large extent.

Murtasim- a passively misogynistic individual or a dream husband?

When I started watching 'Tere Bin', I did not have much of an idea about the feudal system and what it really meant. It's only after watching the show that I read up a little bit about it, and I'm still obviously not an expert. But after reading about it, I realised that watching 'Tere Bin' from a lens of traditional feminism would be useless because then you'd be outraged at every small thing that happened on the show (example- whenever Maa begum opens her mouth). Especially because even though Meerab tries to convince Murtasim of her liberal ideals throughout the show, you see that Murtasim's conservative/feudal mindset is not going to change...that's not going to be his arc (unlike in 'Shaurya aur Anokhi ki Kahaani' - a show where the characters have a similar clash of ideologies, albeit in an urban setting - where I would say Shaurya did in fact gradually change when he fell in love with Anokhi and dealt with his past).

However, we see that despite being a feudalist, Murtasim is one whose sense of imparting justice and maintaining peace is extremely strong. He is also shown to be extremely sharp (at least in the beginning), and an expert at maintaining a balancing act between keeping Meerab and Maa Begum equally happy- something all Indian TV male leads fail at miserably. He also tries his best to bring about incremental changes in his 'Khaandaan's policies' wherever possible, be it in the case of marrying Naila off (which we later learn is to actually benefit her), or even stand up to Maa Begum to allow Maryam to marry a person of her choice. However, time and again I wished that he'd do things because he understood the merit in Meerab's arguments rather than just doing them because she asked him to, or was being difficult with him. One thing I will give Murtasim credit for though is that unlike Indian TV show leads, he isn't emotionally abusive in any way. There are so many characters I can name who were beyond toxic several times, be it good boy Anurag Basu or literally all the Gul Khan heroes at one point or another.

He has anger issues and questionable ideals for sure, but also has a soft side for the people he really cares for. And it is due to this 'bad boy with a heart of gold' template that his character follows that he succeeds in winning the audiences' favour. He does so much for Meerab that the audience (including me) is manipulated into considering him as the 'ideal man'. And by 'ideal' I don't even mean flawless. There is a reason that we like 'imperfectly perfect' men in fiction rather than a 'perfect' one who is a complete 'green flag' (there is a reason why Murtasim has gained such widespread popularity whereas Saad is mostly considered a 'bechara' by most. Although I'm happy to see a comeback to his original self in episode 23. I am actually excited for next week's episode...). They are just far more entertaining and dynamic to watch on screen, and that possessiveness and passion that they have for the woman they love is extremely attractive.

But would we want a Murtasim in real life? Nope. Probably not.

There's no doubt that 'Tere Bin' has catapulted Wahaj Ali to global stardom in a way that probably Fawad Khan was in 2012-2013 with his hit dramas 'Zindagi Gulzar Hai' and 'Humsafar'. I had seen Wahaj on screen first in mid 2022 because I finally decided to give 'Jo Bichar Gaye' a watch since it was highly rated on IMDB. I immediately became his fan because of his sheer acting prowess and dedication he demonstrated towards his craft on the show. Everything starting from his look, body language and his Bengali accent (maybe slightly inconsistent, but huge points for an amazing effort. I can mostly tell its authenticity because I am a Bengali, although Bengali in Bangladesh is spoken a little differently), it was an immaculate performance. And with 'Tere Bin', I can easily say that he's one of the most versatile actors working in Pakistan right now. Since it has already been reported by several media portals, that Wahaj made several changes to Murtasim to make him less problematic (also, apparently he styled himself. Best decision ever. Seriously.), it is abundantly clear that it is his reconstructed version of Murtasim that the audience (again, including me) has fallen in love with. I give him huge credit for playing Murtasim with such finesse, and I'm really excited to see his journey as an actor going forward.

My only question is that since apparently so many changes were made to Murtasim's character, why was the marital rape/assault storyline retained? There could be two ways that they could have dealt with the assault storyline- if they wanted to keep it, they should have kept Murtasim's character as it was so that we wouldn't deem it out of character when the assault actually took place (my guess is, the show wouldn't have reached the heights of popularity it has reached now if they had done this, but I think it would still be one of the top-viewed shows of the year. After all, Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi was a big hit, wasn't it? So was Khaani I guess though I haven't watched much of that). Or, they should have removed the marital rape altogether and then the softer version of Murtasim we'e come to know and love would be untainted. I don't want to bark on the matter of episode 46-47 anymore, because too much has been said about it already and the fact that the audience has collectively managed to flip the script on the show is a really big deal. Ideally, reshoots should have taken place rather than making use of the shoddy dubbing which was integrated into the episode fairly last minute, but obviously a lot of time and money needed to be dedicated for this to have happened, which clearly the producers didn't want to spend. Consequently, the story has turned into a mess which will probably make little sense moving forward.

What Murtasim's 'Bewafai' should have been

As soon as all fans heard the OST of 'Tere Bin', there'd always been one question on our minds. What is Murtasim's bewafai? And when are we going to see it? Because episode upon episode, it appears that Meerab is the one who keeps testing his patience, and he does barely anything in retaliation. We start to question whether Murtasim's feelings are genuine for Meerab in the initial episodes, but our guess is proven wrong eventually. When the Malik Zubair track comes to its climax, and Murtasim finally decides that Meerab needs to leave the Khan house, I asked myself- 'Is this the 'bewafai' that they were hyping up in the OST?' I'm not saying that dropping Meerab off in Karachi in the dead of the night is the right thing to do but I couldn't help but feel that the impact of it was a little underwhelming compared to the harsh lyrics in the OST. And then when episode 46 came out, all our jaws were collectively on the floor because the 'bewafai' was something we couldn't dream of.

Leaving aside the assault storyline, I honestly believe that there could've been a much better tradeoff between Murtasim's betrayal and a separation in a far more believable and less problematic way. I had even posted this on twitter because 'Tere Bin' is probably one of the few shows where I've really wanted to rewrite entire chunks of it for it to make more sense. In this version, there's only one separation instead of two (I have no idea why the writer went for two).

It goes something like this- Once Murtasim brings Maryam back home, he is so hurt that he decides to take revenge by hurting Meerabs feelings as well. He pretends to forgive Meerab in front of the whole family, much to everyone's shock and Meerabs awe. When Maa Begum reprimands him for his actions and asks Him to throw Meerab out of the house, he says he has a plan to teach Meerab a "lesson" and she will soon be out of the Khan house. Maa begum is happy, and so is Haya because she overhears the conversation. (In this version, Haya says she has retrieved the video from the CCTV footage and hence avoids getting blamed. That's all the writer had to do. That's all. And we would have understood why no one questions Haya in the whole scenario).

Murtasim then goes to his bedroom and Meerab embraces him, asks for forgiveness and thanks him for giving their relationship another chance. She finally tears the contract and this is exactly what Murtasim wants. They finally consummate their marriage with MUTUAL CONSENT and Murtasim has an internal monologue where he reveals that the next day he will reject her and say that he wishes to divorce her (and he even has the papers ready). However, immediately after this, Meerab comes completely clean about the incident with Malik Zubair and Murtasim is shocked. He realizes that Meerab has been a victim of circumstances and her own lapse in judgment and realizes she does not deserve to be hurt in the way he has planned. He feels ashamed for even having thought it and assures her he will never leave her.

Murtasim then goes out for some work the next day, reminiscing his moments with Meerab. Meanwhile, Haya understands that Murtasim has changed his mind about throwing Meerab out, and comes into the room and starts telling Meerab about what she heard him say to Maa Begum yesterday. Although Meerab initially doesn't believe it, Haya somehow convinces her that he slept with her only to reject her the next day (perhaps she could show Meerab the divorce papers with his signature). Meerab is extremely hurt and broken and she decides to leave of her own volition. Murtasim meanwhile comes back and is horrified that Meerab has learnt of his initial plan from Haya and immediately goes out to find her, but alas, she has already left. Cut to a few years later Meerab is living alone with their kid and Murtasim is now looking for her.

If they'd followed something similar to the above storyline, or even Rohail's murder, at least Murtasim would have been redeemable to some extent, but the assault storyline would have made him a criminal altogether! I really wished the makers had decided on this rather than going the way that they went which has now turned the show into a tragedy. And with the modified plot, all we can do is derive comedy from the tragedy and nothing else.

The background score and music of 'Tere Bin' has main character energy

Did I say that 'Tere Bin' appeared to have three leads? Actually, the background music and soundtrack are so effectively included in the story, that it almost takes on a character of its own. Although I admit the 'Kya Hoti Hai Bewafai' lyrics, sometimes don't suit the mushier moments of the show, you have to admit that the music captures the angst and romance of 'Meerasim' perfectly. I especially like the fact that there are multiple versions of the 'Ta ra re ra re...' (Jesus I feel so stupid typing this out, but you know the one I mean!), complete with a flute version, a piano one, and even one that includes a bit of an edgier guitar riff. Even the goosebump- inducing music that plays even when Maa Begum makes an entry or Murtasim is off being his feudal lord self is absolutely stellar. I bring this up because the music, coupled with the fast pacing and effective direction is another reason why Tere Bin became such a hit in addition to the Wahaj-Yumna pairing, in its initial episodes. Though a few people might find it over dramatic at times, resembling Indian soaps, I really enjoyed the use of music in this show and thought it was well placed (again, unlike Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha where the music blares at any random moment and doesn't make much sense). Consequently, it's absolutely clear why the copyright strike on the OST of Tere Bin caused such an uproar, and rightly so. I'm just glad they were able to retain it after coming to an understanding with ZEE.

The 'novelty' in the central romance of 'Tere Bin'

Now, we ask the most important question of all- why is the 'Meerasim' ship so wildly popular and what is so unique about them?

Were they a couple on Indian TV, I would've said nothing much except for the fact that the characters are well performed. But they're not an Indian TV couple. The kind of romance and chemistry we see on Pakistani television and Indian television is vastly different. All the popular Pakistani dramas I've watched- the romance has been really subtle, well written and really touching. But there is always a kind of pristine quality to it, as if love doesn't bring with it, lust and physical attraction (something that Indian TV shows actually do very well, despite being pretty Sanskaari themselves). In my opinion 'Tere Bin' is probably the first Pakistani show that milks the fiery interactions of the leads and creates situations between them to explicitly make the audience aware of the sexual tension between them (pool scene, I'm thinking of you) and this is what makes the romance 'novel' on Pakistani TV. The 'will they-won't they' (breach the contract) is what keeps the viewers hooked throughout the show's runtime.

This also explains why such a major chunk of the show's fans are actually Indian and why a section of the Pakistani population actually dismisses the show entirely. For the Indian audience, it's a win-win because ITV drama watchers love the romance between the leads. What we don't like is the illogical plots that develop after 200+ episodes and how suddenly, the naagins and daayans, or worse- a misunderstanding leading to the 5th leap (They ruined 'Aap Ke Aa Jaane Se' exactly like this), make an entrance into the show ruining what you once loved about it entirely. Since 'Tere Bin' has only 50 episodes or so, even though the events have become devoid of logic, it is not nearly as bad as some of the Indian shows currently on air.

I mean think about it- the pill they're trying to make us swallow now about the consummation being consensual...would we have believed it even 0.1% (We are not believing it even now TBH) if the couple in question didn't have such an aggressive dynamic like that of Meerab and Murtasim? Just imagine if someone had said Zaroon and Kashaf had BDSM style sex. We'd laugh in their faces and deem it impossible. In the case of Meerab and Murtasim, if I were to take their relationship and transplant it into a western show, it is not at all implausible that the characters consummate their relationship in this rather 'unconventional' manner. It also makes me think that the notice that PEMRA served to the show, what did they really have a problem with? The original assault storyline which was edited or the implications of the new one that insinuates that they had angry sex. I mean, which one's worse? I would say the first one but I honestly don't know.

I'd like to give a lot of credit to Wahaj and even more to Yumna (because let's face it people are always going to criticize a woman first) for agreeing to play characters with such a fresh dynamic, which is definitely new for a Pakistani drama. I just hope with all the controversies this one has faced, the producers don't get too spooked about creating leads who are in fact, visibly, sexually attracted to each other, again. The only thing they have to do is pay careful attention to the script so that a huge event like 'marital rape' is not casually inserted just to give the story a more melodramatic climax (at least that's what the writer said her reason was for including it in the show, in her statement, I think).

Why Tere Bin could've been more than just a romance

Despite the several problematic elements in Nooran Makhdoom's writing, I will say that she does have a talent for writing some really profound dialogues in some scenes, which are almost incongruous in comparison to the other illogical things that happen in her screenplay. As I said above, the conversation that Murtasim has with Haya in episode seven, is really moving. Especially his admission that he has 'never cries' after which Haya makes him realise that he has been shedding unconscious tears for Meerab, all this while without registering it himself. There's also some wonderful conversations with Maa begum, especially the heartwarming one in episode 27, where he apologizes to Maa begum for lying to her about Meerab's pregnancy and she forgives him and says that she will accept Meerab, because the fact that he loves Meerab means more to her than anything else. (See what I mean by you'll have to abandon your feminist lens to view the show? Normally, I would have said that this conversation is quite problematic). It is because of these instances that I can't dismiss her writing entirely because it does have a certain 'zing' to it, which I find missing in many dramas where the dialogues are extremely insipid. I think with some amount of grooming, she might just improve and be able to write less problematic and more responsible content.

There are also moments that could be described as a commentary on the merits and demerits of the feudal system and how the question of it being abandoned, should definitely be up for debate. We see the first signs of this when Murtasim and Meerab have one of their major conversations on the terrace in episode 12, where Meerab calls him and his family out on their 'backward' mindset. We also see this again when in episode 24 (the same one I described above) where Murtasim is actually so guilty about the murder of his men by Malik Zubair, that he actually feels that no one person should be given the authority to decide the fate and wellbeing of so many individuals. This theme again recurs when Murtasim explains that he had no real interest in taking over his father's duties and explains to Meerab that he wanted to pursue his dream of becoming a photographer (despite the lack of logic in Murtasim's choice of career, a really well performed scene), instead. It was because he was so overwhelmed by the responsibilities of becoming the 'gaddi-nasheen' that he decided to sacrifice his dream.

An experienced writer would have built on this and made 'Tere Bin' a more effective means to generate conversation about the feudal system and their ideals. However, in this respect as well, the script seems like a squandered opportunity. But I won't be judging it too harshly for this, because ultimately the production wanted to create a frothy romance, which they succeeded in doing for the most part.

'Tere Bin' reviews are sometimes more entertaining than watching the actual episode

One thing I really like about Pakistani shows, is how well discussed they are by experienced entertainment journalists, because despite a large number of projects being commercial and escapist viewing, a lot of the dramas are actually pretty thought provoking, unlike 99% of the Indian TV shows. The byproduct of this is that even commercial projects are discussed as length by entertainment portals.

I find that I have have an equal amount of fun watching Hassan Chaudhary and Aamna Isani discussing the episodes of Tere Bin as watching the episodes themselves. I love how they roast the several absurdities in it as well. I also like the different perspectives they bring, because Aamna always seems more invested than Hassan, yet still admits that it is ultimately just a guilty pleasure. I also enjoy Fuchsia magazine's reviews- especially Rabia and Shazia's because you can tell that despite all the criticisms Rabia is actually a fan of the show, whereas Shazia reviews it much more perfunctorily since it doesn't sit well with her ideals. There's also Aakash and Raj's reaction videos that honestly make me laugh so much, that I binge watched them during my end-semester exams because I found that it was literally the least taxing thing on my brain. Now that the story has gotten messy, I'm actually looking forward to the reviews and reactions of the show rather than the actual episodes themselves!

I guess that's all the opinions I have about the show with respect to the episodes that have aired so far. I just hope that the sudden change they've made to the story doesn't derail the proceedings in entirety. I think the show has become a cautionary tale for the Pakistani TV industry for many years to come. One can only hope that it is the positive aspects of Tere Bin that will be carried forward into new projects, because when Tere Bin was good, its entertainment value was unparalleled.