Our society needs drama’s like Sammi

Although the story is strong, the plot sometimes does lose its tempo. But Hocane and Saeed bring it back on track.

The most recent episode of the on-going serial  is all about how brilliantly Mawra Hocane and Sania Saeed have performed.

Sammi, airing on Hum TV every Sunday, talks about the prevalent custom of vanni in Pakistan. According to Pakistan’s Penal Code, vanni is a custom that is outlawed and has a fine imposed along with imprisonment for anyone who practices it. However, the state organs are weak and vanni continues to be practised in many parts of Pakistan. Simply because the cultural practice has a stronghold in the country and the predominant jirga system has now been given constitutional cover.

Through these dramas, however, one can hope that more and more parents start to value their daughters as much as they value their sons, if not more.

Although the story is strong, the plot sometimes does lose its tempo. But Hocane and Saeed’s character portrayal brings it back on track. There is one particular scene where Sammi (Hocane) is seen guzzling food since she has been hungry for days. You can see the way Hocane completely loses herself in her character and that kind of acting gives you goosebumps. The sheer helplessness and abandonment that we see in her demeanour and her hunger is worth watching.

Mawra HocanePhoto: Facebook

Saeed plays the role of Chandni – a crude, curt woman who gives Sammi shelter once she escapes her village at the behest of Rashid (Adnan Siddiqui) – and it is a marvel how brilliantly Saeed becomes this flamboyant, loud woman. Her role is a stark contrast to her role in her other drama, Sang e Mar Mar, where she plays Shamim, the domesticated wife of a strong patriarch. She also played an urbane but quiet wife in Kitni Girhain Baqi Hain. We see three different shades of Saeed’s performance, and it shows just how talented she is. I, for one, am looking forward to the scenes between Saeed and Hocane.

Sania SaeedPhoto: IMDb

Sammi is definitely worth your time, for its powerful message and strong performances should not be missed. Keep it on your Sunday prime time watch list.