Quick summary
- The hits keep coming for Raza and Shanze’s parents
- Hamdan lends a helping hand
Recapping drama serial Sukoon episode 39
Sukoon has been running for a while now and seemed to be wrapping up loose ends, but now its end seems to be in the somewhat distant future, thanks to a new plot twist. So, how did the latest episode of drama serial Sukoon fare? Let’s find out.
We find Shanze (Sidra Niazi) back in the hospital, and her parents in the familiar pose of worrying about her health and well-being. This time they are joined by Natasha and her parents. Raza (Khakan Shahnawaz) mulls canceling his business trip to tend to Shanze but his father-in-law to be and fiancé talk him out of it.
Later, Raza’s father (Usman Peerzada) gets a phone call from a distraught Raza, who tells him that the police have arrested him on charges of money laundering. He was apparently given a bag by Natasha which turned out to be full of cash.
A heated confrontation between Raza and Natasha’s fathers ensues, but neither gives in, and Raza stays in prison.
Meanwhile, Hamdan (Ahsan Khan) tries to lend a helping hand to Raza and Shanze’s parents to ease them through their hard times.
Style faux pas in Sukoon episode 39
Usually, we pick our favorite outfits from a drama episode, but today we are going to stray from the norm and pick a character whose style needs a major overhaul. I am talking about the one and only Mr Lashari, Natasha’s father. Mr Lashari veers towards a flashy aesthetic, favoring silk sherwani/suits, excessive gold rings, very visible logos on his clothes, and jarring pocket squares. Sidebar on pocket squares: Many excellent, some contemporary and some classic, pocket square folds exist, but our drama stylists seem oblivious to them. Guys don’t fix it if not’s broken, please.
Now, don’t get me wrong. There is nothing with adding some bling to elevate your look, or to include one thing in your outfit that stands out and makes it pop. But being excessively flashy doesn’t serve one well unless they have a bigger-than-life personality or they have a certain measure of fame. Mr Lashari has neither. He is rich and dresses loudly. This sends out a signal that his wealth is relatively new and he is desperate to tell people that he is rich. This highlights his insecurity and lack of self-worth.
Jaan e Jahan is an example of a drama that does a good job of dressing the wealthy Shahs in quiet luxury. Even the flamboyant Tabrez stays away from bright colors and shiny fabrics.
Mr Lashari in action:
Our take on Sukoon episode 39
The drama Sukoon is one of those serials that started out strong, but has slipped under the radar a little bit. It’s still managing to get views, and lags behind audience favorites like Ishq Murshid and Khai. The plot had a good hook, that managed to grab the attention of viewers, along with strong performances from Ahsan Khan, Atiqa Odho and Usman Peerzada.
The female lead, Sana Javed, delivers an okay-ish performance as Aina. This might not have been the best role for her, as acting range is not one of her fortes. On the other hand, Sidra Niazi’s character, Shanze a.k.a. Gurya is hobbled by extremely poor writing.
Badly written female characters seem to be a common thread in the drama. On one hand, we have Aina and Aima (Qudsia Ali), two women who seem to have no free will or agency and are resigned to their fates (Aima at least puts up a fight). The abuse that Aima faces at the hands of her husband, Usman (Adnan Samad Khan), seemed to be never-ending a few episodes ago.
Sidra Niazi’s character, Shanze had the potential to play a key supporting role but is kept back because of poor writing and zero character development. When things don’t go her way, she curls up in a ball. Another missed opportunity is using Shanze and Usman’s characters as launching pads to start a conversation around mental health.
On the other extreme, we have Raza’s fiancé, Natasha, who is entitled, spoilt, and manipulative. She is such a black and white character, that it bores one to tears.
Another huge problem that the writers don’t even acknowledge is Hamdan’s effortless lying. He leads on Shanze and lies to her and her parents while maintaining the good guy persona. Maybe this was a missed opportunity for the writer and director to show the complexity of human nature and the unexpected curveballs that life throws at us.
Instead of showing all the shades between black and white, Pakistani dramas continue to label characters as either good or evil. Where are the anti-heroes?
Our verdict: Another twist in the plot that was not necessary. The showrunner is hinting that karma is out to get Raza.
Our rating: 2.5/5
Watch the full episode
