Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam review: A feminist, bold and unconventional Pakistani noir

4/5

Story:

Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam is an anthology series of six stories of women who find the courage and overcome their problems. After Najji Shah's young wife Zehra is killed, he leaves his first wife Mai Maalki to clean up the mess. Created by Meenu Gaur and starring big stars of Urdu industry like Sanam Saeed, Beo Rana Zaffar, Samiya Mumtaaz, Meherbano, Sarwat Gilani, Faiza Gillani and Eman Suleman, you later realise that reality is not what is shown. 

Review:

The series raises a few eyebrows as it begins with the scene of a murder and a group of women butchering something, to pack into sacks. It gets even more confusing when you see a police officer tell the lead Mai Maalki that she should just try and cover up the body. The cop is also handed over one of those packages with blood spills on it along with their other loyal aides. 

Each episode introduces new characters and their stories that are loosely connected with Mai Maalki. However, the connection is not well established until the final episode and she is shown only at the beginning and end of each episode. It gets you to wonder what the connection is. The story gets gripping as it progresses. Sometimes, you feel the episodes are stretched, especially episodes 1 and 2. It takes a while to get a hang of what is happening on screen. 

Having watched many Urdu dramas, which is known for their simple storylines and family tales, this series comes as an amazing surprise. It is bold and unconventional as it shows women too drinking and smoking, which is never-to-be-seen in Pak dramas.

The entire series uses a dark and subtle tone for its off-beat story. And that adds to the drama as well. The series is edited well. The montage editing that is used keeps you engaged without confusing the viewers. Though initially, you feel the pace is slow and confusing with stories of new characters too continuing in the following episodes, it later makes up for it and gets better from episode 3.

The writing and continuity are great. It is not easy to pull off a whole series with so many twists and turns without ensuring any major mistake but the writers and creators have done a wonderful job with crisp writing that keeps you hooked to the episodes. The twists are unpredictable. However, when the nurse's story and her true identity are revealed towards the end of episode 2, the makers go overboard with her grand welcome. 

The performances are splendid. Sanam Saeed, who is known for more realistic portrayals, has done a fantastic job as a rich pretentious woman. Her dialogue delivery, at times, like a socialite, will give you a few giggles but fortunately, they do not seem over the top too. Samiya Mumtaaz as Mai Maalki is weirdly gracious. Mumtaaz has earlier collaborated with Zee5 and Zindagi drama. Her performance is intense and natural and leaves you with no words. The other actors have also done a great job, especially women leads. A special mention also goes to Shamim Halily. Her portrayal of a Christian neighbour, whose only pastime is to peek through her door hole and observe what is happening in her neighbour's life, is hilarious and not irritating as it usually is with the people next door. 

But the only character that can probably irritate you is the blackmailer in the episode Zuvi. He finds out the big secret of the prominent industrialist Joji and his wife and blackmails the couple to pay him a lakh and a half every month for his lifetime. He seemed overconfident and at the same time, stupid for having walked into a lion's den. But the way he then turns into an art piece is fun to watch. 

The dialogues are also well-written and some of them get etched into your mind. They get you to think and at the same time, are very relatable. 

One of the main highlights of the series is its music. Urdu drama is known for its music and it has not compromised the quality of the series as well. The music and background score complement the story and tone of the narrative well. 

Verdict:

The series on Zee5 is a definite watch. A rare subject dealt in Urdu cinema and dramas, Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam comes as a pleasant surprise.