Jaan e Jahan: Why it deserves ALL the hype as Blockbuster of the Year!

approx read time: 10-15mins

Jaan e Jahan without a doubt was one of the most awaited drama serials as we see the return of the iconic Hamza Ali Abbasi and Ayeza Khan duo back after 10 years! But, the drama offers so much more than a slow burn romance storyline- let's take a deeper look into everything the drama has to offer...

Casting & Characters

After 4 years Humza Ali Abbasi returns to TV with another beautiful drama serial. Gosh, I was SO excited when I saw him in the first look for this new drama- and it did not disappoint! We see him as Shehram, the eldest son of Murad Shah (who is not your typical "ameer baap ki bighri hu aulaad"). Shehram's journey in the drama is so fulfilling to watch, how he's dependent on his mum's pills all the way till the end where we now see him as a political leader working for the betterment of his community. Humza Ali Abbasi, honestly is one of the top most underrated actors in the industry, he holds so much power in his expressions that make the audience feel for his character too. 

The pairing of Hamza Ali Abbasi and Emmad Irfani on-screen was an absolute delight to see- 2 very strong performers who carry themselves with such grace on the big screen (and in their individual lives). Emmad Irfani as Taimoor was such a beautiful and "non-macho" man to see on TV. I loved how natural his acting was in the role and his dialogue delivery is always slow and steady, so he's able to articulate his emotions and feelings well for the character. I think my favourite thing about Taimoor's character is how understanding and light-hearted he was even after he had to give away Mahnoor to Shehram, he maintained the friendship they had with no gille shikwi.

Ayeza Khan as Mahnoor finally felt like a bit of fresh air from the typical over-the-top Ramadhan serial immature characters. Mahnoor was a great teacher with a friendly personality towards the children which I think is very much similar to how Ayeza Khan is on-set with child stars (from what I remember hearing in an interview a while back). However, I do feel there was a bit of unclarity and annoyance that came with the character. Mahnoor was never able to convey her emotions to anyone openly which left an audience feeling unsure of how she actually felt about the situation at hand. But in general, what I loved about Mahnoor is the positive energy she radiates in the school and her ability to take a stance in front of Kishwar and Kabir.

I am so happy to see Haris Waheed in a more pivotal role- the ultimate bad boy. However, Tabrez had more depth and layers to him, he was mysterious and exciting to watch on-screen. I think this is his best performance till date. Haris Waheed has usually always played a supporting role and usually the "badmaash" type but I genuinely think he deserves all the praise for this role- there were times when I was more excited for his scenes than anyone else's 🙈. He has most definitely improved his dialogue delivery for it to be at an impactful pace to project mystery and suspense in line with his character's intentions. 

Nawal Saeed as Gulzeb (whom I haven't watched much of before) performed her role with grace and simplicity. However, her character wasn't necessarily a "bechari" who was head over heels for Tabrez or naive in not understanding his intentions. She was smart enough to build Tabrez's pictures and understand his intentions and I genuinely loved this edge of her character. She was pretty loyal to her husband, who typically we might also say "she deserved better" but I think that's what I admired most about her character. She wasn't like a typical "tezz" conniving girl looking to trap an "ameerzada", she was happy and felt loved in her marriage with Amir (Saqib Sumeer).

OMG can we just take a moment to talk about Savera Nadeem (Kishwar). I have never seen her in a drama before but her character held so much power and mystery at the start of the drama. At first, she didn't seem like a full negative role- there were layers to her character which is what made the drama interesting and kept it moving. I was actually really happy to see someone different in this role rather than re-using the same 3-4 actresses who have played similar negative mother roles. Okay, but Kishwar really did just give borderline narcissistic traits as well...it would've been impactful if the drama actually maybe brought this to light and highlighted it as a mental health condition.

Mariyam Nafees has returned to the TV screen after a while...and I'm so happy to see that her character Zeenat has developed over time into what was NOT expected! At first, she seemed like the annoying cousin who was after Shehram. But her character took a turn for the better when she found out what Kishwar was doing with Shehram's food. She then insaaniyat ki nathi took it upon herself to care for Shehram and ensure his health didn't deteriorate any more than it had become. Mariyam Nafees's character definitely played out to be meaningful in the end.

Aswad Yousuf as Ayesha played Mahnoor's younger sister whose character I actually really loved! Her relationship with Mahnoor and Shehram was so realistic and cute to watch! She wasn't immature or annoying but she was actually quite understanding, mature and supportive of the situation at hand and her character was loveable and jelled in with the soft-natured characters of Shehram and Mahnoor. 

Lastly, I cannot forget probably the most "green flag" character of the drama- Taimoor's mother. Oh if only every mother-in-law was like her, there'd be no saans-bahu stereotypes in our society. Taimoor's mother was like an understanding and supportive figure for Mahnoor who wanted to be her friend more so than a mother-in-law. I think the best part was when Taimoor's mother didn't come across as the most typical evil and judgemental mother-in-law. Even after she found out that Mahnoor had feelings for Shehram, she didn't react negatively or make any bad accusations about Mahnoor. 

Creativity and Aesthetic

The drama is set in the most extravagant haveli which looks an absolute dream! The creative design includes emerald green sofas in Shehram's room and a dark purple colour palette in Kishwar's room. This highlights and adds to the character's status and wealth. I think Kishwar is honestly shown to be the malkin of this haveli but the high ceilings and distant relationships with her sons all represent Kishwar as an isolated selfish woman who "has everything but still nothing". 

Okay, how can we NOT talk about the poetry that practically oozes from Shehram's dreamy eyes 😍. The most aesthetically pleasing scene to watch was most definitely the candle painting in the rain between Shehram and Mahnoor. I think it tied in beautifully with reviving old-school romance that was culturally appropriate and setting new "couple goals and date night ideas". The scene although didn't involve physical touch or the 3 special words "I love you" just tipped us all over practically screaming at how delicate and authentic the slow-burn romance and chemistry was between the main leads. Personally, I think the most important thing with such romance is genuine and loving eye contact which was clearly present in Shehram's eyes.

Okay so let's take a closer look at Shehram's styling inspo 👀. He was most definitely redefining velvet shawl trends and intricate "monsoon" colours which practically had me screaming when I saw him in such rich opulent royal colours, the navy, the maroon, the emerald green. Omg and his iconic black velvet shawl was my absolute fav!

There is love in letting go

At the start of the drama, we see Zeenat forcefully trying to make room for herself in Shehram's life to which he doesn't respond. But eventually, when Zeenat finds out about Kishwar's cunning plans to destroy Shehram, she takes it upon herself to look out for him and keep him safe from whatever she was mixing into his food. Her character and her love changed at this point where she just wanted to make sure he was safe and protected from his own (step)mother's evils. But then Kishwar forces Zeenat to leave the haveli to which she hesitates, leaving Shehram alone and unaware of his mother's intentions. It's at this point she realises that maybe Mahnoor is made for Shehram and only she can pull him out of the darkness. The love that Zeenat was selfish for at first transformed into a protective barrier to shield Shehram from Kishwar. I think there is love in letting go, in realising that what you wished for isn't meant to be but also in seeing them happy with their person. The angle of this love highlights that we can always look out and protect someone we love unconditionally whilst also not holding any grudges against them- because ultimately you can't force love.

Similarly, we see the protective love between Abdul and Aaliyah. Abdul is very aware of his brother Tabrez's nature and doesn't want Tabrez to treat Aaliyah badly. Abdul and Aaliyah hold a trusting friendship with one another but Abdul is helpless. However, he is always concerned and on the lookout for her- emotions I don't think she quite understands from his side. Abdul has accepted that she will be his bhabi and holds respect for this without making things awkward.

Okay so let's talk about the love triangle between Shehram - Mahnoor - Taimoor. When Shehram found out that Mahnoor and Taimoor were getting married, although heartbroken he still tried to suppress his feelings but showed concern for her family, especially her sister Ayesha. Shehram would see Mahnoor and Taimoor together from a distance but didn't have anything to say- he quite literally had to see his Mohabbat distance away from him before his eyes. But Shehram never had any bitter or jealous or destructive feelings, he just wanted to make sure things were okay. Later on, when eventually Taimoor frees Mahnoor and urges her to go back to Shehram, we see no harsh feelings from Taimoor. In fact, I loved the fact that the next day Taimoor and Mahnoor were friends again like the start with no awkwardness. Taimoor ne apna dil bhara karke apne Mohabbat saubh di uske hawale. Taimoor knew that Mahnoor wasn't happy, he knew that nobody could love her more than Shehram and he realised he lost his friends amidst all this so decided to step back gracefully. Sometimes, it really is better off not risking the friendship and allow love to take its own direction.

Legacy & ending

I think the key observation over the course of the drama was how Murad Shah left behind his own legacy whether that be for his sons, in the factory or within the community. Slowly but surely, we see Shehram mould in his father's footsteps, gaining the same respect within the community working towards Murad Shah's goals and upholding his values. Then towards the end, we see Shehram handing over such responsibilities to the youngest brother, Abdul (Raza Talish) who is, at first, slightly hesitant but willing to work towards upholding the family legacy.  We see this when Abdul visits the factory and a worker is upset over the lighting in his area not working, to which Abdul helps him out which immediately mirrored Shehram's nature in my eyes. I think the drama shows these characters as shadows of each other in leading a legacy so that Murad Shah's reputable name is remembered and trusted by his sons for years to come. 

Okay so...Shehram's mindset and nature in helping his people and eventually standing up in the elections really does remind me of Imran Khan's efforts. It was the way Shehram opened up a school, and a hospital, helped the community in a natural disaster and eventually became a leader that all drew parallel lines for me with Imran Khan. The most noticeable part was when Shehram was in the hospital and practically all the workers left the factory and rushed to see him- it really is during your bad times you see who has your back and well there were so many people who gathered at the hospital just to see him. Finally, it's when Shehram refuses to go out for his jalsa wearing a bulletproof vest because he ultimately does not fear death and his belief in the Supreme Power.

Okay, now I do think the last few episodes were slightly dragging where I was just sitting thinking when will there be a wedding or when will someone die? Because these were bound to happen but just weren't happening soon enough for my liking- I think mostly because Mahnoor's character took a really long time to let go of Taimoor and come towards Shehram. 

However, I do think Gulzeb's powerful ending scene with Tabrez was executed well and shed light on how policing works unfairly in Pakistan. Her character was so loyal to her husband that she never gave in to the luxuries or sweet talking of Tabrez. She was able to get her revenge rightfully so and had no remorse about this. 

Okay so honestly the last episode was sweter than expected- I was fully prepared for the worst (Shehram's death and Mahnoor and Taimoor and Abdul carrying on with pushing his dreams forward). But I think the writer knew that there would be an uproar to such an ending and the audience wanted the happiness and togetherness of Mahnoor and Shehram- the 2 pure souls deserved it after such an emotional rollercoaster. I was a bit sad that Zeenat and Taimoor didn't attend the wedding though 😔. Okay so Kishwar's ending wasn't really "enough" for what I think she deserved...she didn't seem to feel enough remorse or be punished enough for her ruining so many people's lives...