HUM TV’s Sabaat continues to impress the audience with its amazing performances, edge-of-the-seat situations, and beautiful locales, but the last two episodes have lacked the energy of the first four.

Yes, the story keeps the audience engaged but it needs to move away from the setting of the initial episodes so that the conflict we all want to happen takes place, and new characters are introduced that would make it all the more interesting.

Of, course I am talking about Usman Mukhtar who has kept the audience waiting for a long time now. Also, the I-Will-See-You-If-You-Marry-Her routine is so last century, and the sooner we move back into 2020, the better.

The Plot

The story of Anaya (Mawra Hocane) and Hasan (Ameer Gillani) is still in the ‘proposal’ phase; Miraal (Sarah Khan) is still angry at her brother for not listening to her whereas their parents (Laila Zuberi, Moazzam Ali Khan) are still in the decision-making phase of who to support and who not to. Nani (Azra Mansoor) continues to haunt her granddaughter who ditches her father’s theory of ‘Love Conquers All’ and decides to manipulate her brother, unsuccessfully.

In the last episode, one of Anaya’s friends revealed that her ex was blackmailing her, and Anaya decided to handle things in her own way. Thankfully, Hasan was there when the blackmailer pulled out a gun and took the bullet (on his arm), becoming a hero in the eyes of his lady love.

The Good

The last two episodes belong to Sarah Khan, Mawra Hocane and Ameer Gilani who seem to have become the characters they are portraying on screen. Sarah Khan continues to play the scheming spoilt brat who doesn’t want to hear no, even if it means hurting her brother, fiancé, parents, or friend. She wants to know everything that happens in her brother’s life and her performance makes you glad that she isn't your sister. In some of the scenes, she looks stunning until Nani’s sudden appearance makes her beauty go bust.

Ameer Gilani is so far the leading man of the drama and has impressed all with his natural acting; his chemistry with Mawra Hocane is excellent as they look like students from the same age bracket, for a change. Mawra Hocane plays both the brave and the shattered girl in the fifth and sixth episode and continues to inspire all women out there with her courage.

Moazzam Ali Khan doesn’t have many scenes but in his limited appearances, he comes out as the father you would want to be on your side. As for Azra Mansoor, she is just brilliant even though her character is dead and she doesn’t have dialogues; she makes it up with a piercing smile and killer expressions, directed at Sarah Khan’s character.

The Bad

If there was an award for the Most Beautifully Shot drama, it would undoubtedly have gone to Sabaat. The HUM TV drama has been shot in the picturesque valley of Rawalpindi-Islamabad and uses the locations intelligently. However, it would have been better had the writer Kashif Anwar and director Shehzad Kashmiri used their energy to quicken the drama’s pace because it certainly lacks in that department.

The writer’s decision to write a character for himself backfired as he failed to impress as an actor and the same goes for all the side actors (including the lead actors’ friends, the fiancé, and the doctor) who ruin the drama with their appearance.

Two scenes in the fifth episode looked haphazardly filmed; the one in the high court and the other in which Hasan was caught ‘cheating’. When the results came out, he successfully passed so what happened to the invigilator's interference?

The blackmailing arc in the last episode seemed forceful as well and the drama could have done away with it, but the makers know best.

The Verdict: Good, Could Be Better!

Although Sabaat is keeping the audience engaged, the drama needs to move in a fast forward manner. The Yeh Shaadi Nahi Ho Sakti angle is too tried and tested if the makers want to counter the other plays on weekends, they will have to raise the bar.

By keeping Usman Mukhtar away from the picture, they are not only irritating fans but also making them angry which is not a good sign. Mawra Hocane is doing a great job as a strong woman and so is Sarah Khan who is spoilt as well as strong. They are both shown as mirror images of each other and one hopes that their next clash comes soon, with Ameer Gilani's Hasan taking the side of his love instead of his blood.

How the parents of both the parties behave will also be interesting; how Kashif Anwar’s arc makes a difference (if it does) is yet to be explored.