Taar-E-Anqaboot: The new kid on the block

‘Taar-e-Anqaboot’ is one of those dramas that keep you guessing, ignite curiosity and make you ask for more. It is one of those very few dramas that does not revolve around a central leading lady waiting to be swept off her feet by a knight in shining armor. It is not based upon saas-bahu tangles, neither does it revolve around petty issues that turn monstrous between a married couple. This drama is about something darker, something that doesn’t happen ordinarily but has sprouted its ugly head somewhere just to make us aware. I could not decipher what ‘Taar-e-Anqaboot’ was all about just from the promos. That is why I made it a point not to miss it when it came on air. The drama was dark just like one of its promos that I had seen and the first episode was just enough to give us a glimpse of what it actually is about. The cast is quite interesting and includes Uzma Gilani, Zainab Qayyum (ZQ), Resham, Hina Dilpazeer, Kiran Tabeer, Jia Ali and many more. Uzma Gilani plays a woman who practices black magic and although she was shown collecting bones from streets it is still not quite clear what exactly she is up to. ZQ plays a character who lives alone on a hill station and has probably been affected by what Uzma Gilani does. Another track in the drama is that of Resham, her husband and Jia Ali. Resham plays a widow whose husband, Safdar, was shot to death. He was a gangster who was loved dearly by his wife and although she is now married to another man, she is quite vocal in professing love for her deceased husband. This woman is not happy with a silent, obedient man and calls him a ‘baaji’ in front of everyone including his own mother. Jia Ali plays the character of Tayba, Resham’s friend, neighbour, and a teacher who is the daughter of a former actress. She is well past her marriageable age and is always on the lookout for a potential husband.
I can never forget the drama ‘Man-o-Salwa’. It was in this drama that I saw how utterly brilliant Resham can be on television. Although the televised version didn’t come anywhere close to the original novel, this drama was a must watch till it lasted. I had been expecting a lot more from the actress. There is no denying her talent and we have seen just how incredibly convincing she can be as an actress. However, I feel that Resham has been typecast. It is the high time that she starts choosing different roles to play.
The actress was brilliant in the drama ‘Sanjha’ in which she played the part of a Madame running a brothel. Resham was loud, spontaneous and incredibly convincing. We later saw her in a drama titled ‘Mohabbat Jaye Bhar Mein’ where we saw her play the part of a woman ready to woo every man around her and although she played the part with perfection, it was a bit too indecent for the audience to accept it whole heartedly. Surely her character in ‘Taar-e-Anqaboot’ is one that only she could have played convincingly. I will be keeping my fingers crossed with hope that it won’t go downhill.