O' Rangreza Review: An artful concoction
O Rangreza stars Sajjal Ali, Bilal Abbas, Sana Fakhar, Noman Ijaz and Irsa Ghazal. Photo: HumTV
By Mahwash Ajaz
Written by Saji Gul (Iltija, Sannaata) and directed by Kashif Nisar (Ullu Baraye Farokht Naheen), O Rangreza stars Sajjal Ali, Bilal Abbas, Sana Fakhar, Noman Ijaz and Irsa Ghazal.
It airs on Hum Television Network on Fridays at 8 pm.
The basic plot:
Sassi (Sajal) is the daughter of a poet named Khayyam (Ijaz). She admires her father and sees the world from a whimsical poetic point of view. She considers Mummo (Irsa, her mother) to be unromantic, plain and not worthy of her father. Her cousin, Qasim, (Bilal Abbas) is a bit of a pushover but that s mainly because he s head over heels in love with her. Sonia Jahan (Sana Fakhar), a film actress on a career decline, is somewhat of a muse for Khayyam.
Sajjal Ali plays the character Sassi in the play. Photo: O Rangreza Facebook.
Overall impression:
Out of all the plays currently airing, O Rangreza has to be one of the best-directed ventures. Sassi’s character is layered, it has depth and Sajal, like always, gives her all. This is one of the many good things about performers like Sajal Ali, they re always bringing their A-game to the smallest of scenes, to the most minute of reactions. All the performances are top-notch. It was also pleasantly surprising to see Sana Fakhar reprising a similar role to Nigaar Begum in a play (Alif Allah aur Insaan) that is also simultaneously airing on Hum TV. But Sana does a better job here as a courtesan/actress than Alif Allah Aur Insaan; she is more believable probably because the character is more nuanced in O Rangreza and the dialogs are stronger than Alif Allah Aur Insaan. It also does not escape the attention that none of the characters don t fit into easy stereotypes. Just when you think they are going to act in a certain way, they surprise you. In a relatively small scale production with limited scenic variation, this is no easy achievement but the great performances and poetic screenplay creates this intrigue and invitation.
screen grab of the drama s scene.
The recent episode (five):
Sassi dances alongside Sonia Jahan to celebrate her father s birthday. Khayam does not appreciate this and hits her. Sassi responds exactly how we would expect Sassi to act – she refuses to talk to anyone and shuts herself in the room. We see next episode s promo with yet another showdown between her and Khayyam.
There is no doubt about how talented, capable and good Sajjal Ali is at what she does. Whether it is the scene where she dances happily or the one where she cries and stares back at her father in more shock than horror, she is impeccable. Looking at her face makes you remember kids who had just been told that the Tooth Fairy or the Ainak Wala Jinn isn’t real. Sajal nails every scene and brings the required intensity that makes her character a fascinating vision than a hapless disaster. Noman Ijaz also has no false notes and that really goes without saying. He has portrayed disdain and hate and confusion and self-loathing beautifully. There is some very plausible chemistry between Sajal and Bilal.
Drama stills of the O Rangreza. Photo: O Rangreza Facebook
The one scene where he dreams of telling her what he feels about her poetically is a fun watch. Abbas does the mopey lovestruck Romeo without being repetitive – he is in fact genuine and endearing, something that can be achieved only if you are a master of your craft. And Abbas is surely that, even at an age as young as his.
Khayyam’s character speaks to the greater hypocrisy of men choosing one set of morals for their daughters and another for themselves and for their wives. His disdain for his plain, soft-spoken wife (Irsa Ghazal) is often bordering on abusive and hateful – which brings his misogyny full circle. Men like Khayyam admire the women from afar as muses, hate them if they are outside the realm of their own supposed perfection and if the worlds meet (as it now has come to be in the case of his daughter), they resent the outcome.
His journey as a parent and as a patriarch will both come into question as he will see Sassi’s revolt grow with time. Sassi s character is belligerent and that is always a treat to watch in any female character. The dialogs are crisp and the story is riveting. This is one play you shouldn t be missing for its quality screenplay, fine performances, watertight direction and editing and a unique plot.
