May contain some SPOILERS.
@ nevah_mind: I don't think Kashaf resolving issues with her father was needed. I feel they showed that the father continued living his life, meanwhile Kashaf continued living her own. She never was too fond of her father and neither did he ever show much interest in her life..so why the need to show any conclusion? Kashaf's father wasn't even in her life to begin with..and it only made sense for her to keep it that way post her marriage. I don't think it would've ever been easy for Kashaf to have forgiven her father. There's just no excuse for abandoning your daughters because they are daughters and not sons. Kashaf was the eldest..she understood the severity of her circumstances more than anyone else..which is why she out of all the sisters always kept the most distance. So, I personally don't think any verdict was needed there.
Moreover, Zaroon DID help Kashaf tremendously. I don't want to spoil much for those who haven't watched the entire show..but the last monologue and scene of Kashaf's did illustrate that Kashaf grew as a person over the years..and it had a lot to do with Zaroon and how he dealt with her. Her perspective on life towards the end is very different than it was years before.
About the novel..the novel is solely diary entries. A lot of people didn't understand how this novel would get turned into a show because of that reason. The novel is like a compilation of just Kashaf and Zaroon's thoughts..all in the form of diary entries. It literally would say Sept 10, 1989..and then Kashaf's thoughts..later another date, with Zaroon's thoughts, and like that back and forth, Therefore, they had to add a lot of things into the show to make it into an actual show and not just monologues of Kashaf and Zaroon. There was hardly any emphasis on Kashaf's family like there is in the show. They added Hammad etc into the screenplay.
Also, in my opinion..and I know many who have read the novel may disagree..but I truthfully feel that the show is better than the novel. In the novel, Zaroon's way too hotheaded and way more chauvinistic. There was one bit in the novel where Zaroon burns one of Kashaf's saris because he merely doesn't like it..,just because Kashaf refuses to do anything about it he eventually burns it. In the show, Zaroon's shown to be actually very normal. You understand his dilemmas, concerns and his short temper to some extent if nothing else. Another thing that was different in the novel was how this past proposal becomes this big issue for Zaroon..meanwhile in the show though that does become a problem, but it's mainly because Kashaf finds out that Zaroon's still in touch with his ex-fiance. The thing that I did like in the novel was how in the end, despite their huge argument over one of Kashaf's past, rejected proposals..Zaroon goes to get her back..here, Kashaf goes back to him...but then again, in the novel I feel it would've only made sense for Zaroon to have done that considering he's the one who threw the tantrums, not Kashaf. Meanwhile, in the show Kashaf starts the huge argument.
The biggest problem I had with the book was the library scene. Zaroon in rage, slaps Kashaf. I just couldn't understand how someone like Kashaf would end up marrying someone like Zaroon if that were to happen. Umera Ahmed is a brilliant writer. I love her work..but I think this is one of the few instances where I think the show has more positives than the book. This was also her first novel if I'm not mistaken. She really wrote a better screenplay in my eyes. The only thing that perhaps could've been better and I agree with you on this..is the direction. I do agree with you when you say the direction could've been a little more tighter. I'm not so fond of Sultana Siddiqui, the director of ZGH. She's a little more concerned with TRPs than anything else..especially since she owns Humtv.
However, I give full credit to Umera Ahmed for ZGH's screenplay as well as Fawad and Sanam Saeed. There are a lot of shows that fail with even the slightest of loose direction..but here these 3 factors above really made the show whatever it is today. Umera Ahmed is a fantastic writer..she has her own way of story telling which is unique. She allows you to relate to her characters on a personal level which is why most of her characters are so endearing despite their flaws. I'm glad she revamped her screenplay because I feel the changes were definitely needed. Of course, Sanam Saeed and Fawad were brilliant to say the least. So it's one of those shows where you can overlook certain things because the leads and the story itself had so much to offer..and because you can connect to the characters on a personal level..all of that became its USP. Meanwhile, in Humsafar..you needed a lot more for the show to become a hit. There, factors such as direction, editing, music, good looking leads etc only helped the show tremendously.. or else the plot itself is nothing unheard of or not seen before by the audiences...but in ZGH, there was so much more to work with that even its basic flaws were overlooked.
Edited by starstruckk - 11 years ago
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