22 March (2009-03-22) – 27 September 2009 (2009-09-27)
Aashti (Urdu: آشتى) is a Pakistani drama television series that was aired on Hum TV. The producer is Mehroz Karim; it is written by Seema Ghazal and directed by Adnan Wai Qureshi.[1]Aashti depicts the lives of Bengalis settled in Pakistan, showcasing their lifestyle.[1][2]
Plot
Aashti is a Bengali girl working as a maid for a wealthy family. Despite being engaged to Nazr-ul-Islam, Aashti has secret feelings for the family's son, Abrash, who supports her dreams and encourages her to pursue education.
However, Aashti's world is turned upside down when she discovers Abrash's impending marriage to Zarnish. After their marriage, their relationship faces challenges, Zarnish departs for London, with Abrash following close behind to resolve their issues once and for all.
Due to some circumstances, Aashti also travelles to London, where Abrash's father Ali Alam, also arrives who complicates the matter further.
Mustafa describes the role as his "filthiest role and also the best experience of his career". Playing Saeed ul Islam, a Karachi-based Bengali poor worker, he became deeply immersed in the character, often adopting Bangla undertones in his speech even after filming.[6]
Reception
Critical reception
In a review by Herald, the reviewer praised the series for its authentic portrayal of Bengali culture and attention to detail, but criticizes the script for relying on clichés and unnecessary plot complications.[7]
^"DRAMA Aashti - review". The Herald. 41 (1–2): 1. January 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2024. Among the plethora of dramas offered by Hum TV, "Aashti" caught the viewers' attention for its unusual theme - the Bengali community in Pakistan, providing a rare insight into the lives of an immigrant people who usually do not register on the radar of society because of their illegal status and relative poverty. But an unusual theme and good intentions do not make for an equally good play. So the scriptwriter's inability to avoid the usual pitfalls (or shall we say the essential masala) meant that the main storyline was-ho-hum- a love triangle. Aashti (Resham) who works as a maid in Ali Alam's house (Sajid Hasan) is smitten by her employer's son Abraazh (Humayun Saeed) who in turn adores and marries his fiancée Zernish (Angeline Malik). But a few twists of fate later, Aashti becomes Abraazh's stepmother- apparently in the world of scriptwriters, complicated is good. Nonetheless, the play's strength lay in its effort to offer an authentic depiction of immigrant Bengali culture and language; the attention to make-up and wardrobe was meticulous. And just for that the relatively unknown director Adnan Wai Qureshi and producer Mehroz Karim have to be given credit. Maybe next time, they could also work equally hard at the storyline.
