Television is the strongest medium that still holds the power to change people’s minds through storytelling. But we only come across typical dramas that revolve around marriages, love stories, and Saas-Bahu tales. Some of these traditional dramas that specifically air on the three biggest entertainment channels are quite bizarre but still successful in acquiring viewership in millions.
DNUTN is different from all the run-of-the-mill dramas and deserves to top the list of best 2021 dramas. It’s written by Amna Mufti and directed by Kashif Nisar who’s also applauded for dramas like Raqeeb Se, Ranjha Ranjha Kardi, Inkar, and O Rangreza. The play is a production of Kashf Foundation who is top-notch when it comes to airing stories based on social causes. Udaari, Akhi Station, and, Rehai are great examples of it. Unfortunately, the three big networks rejected it. Only, PTV and TV One came forward for airing this drama without changes in the script.
The Story of Hope
Now, coming to Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahin drama plot, it’s a story of Allah Rakhi who’s the daughter of a daily wager in a small village. Her father is a potter. He earns small and his family depends on his income to feed themselves. With him, Allah Rakhi’s grandmother also supports the family by carrying baggage over her head for some money.
The family is deeply drawn in poverty and worried about the marriage of their elder daughter Sadia who later got her match but they demanded a motorcycle in dowry and also a lavish wedding. To overcome the wedding expenses, Allah Rakhi’s father put his only asset, his donkey on collateral with a local loan shark. But the woman’s eyes were on Allah Rakhi. When the family wasn’t able to return the loan, they sell Allah Rakhi for a handful of money and gold.
On the other hand, there’s Jimmy who’s an obedient, young kid. His mother is tired of feeding him. She taunts him day and night for not earning money. His friends grasped his circumstances and lured him to run to the city for a better life to make his mother happy. But he got into the hands of the begging mafia and couldn’t find ways to escape.
The story then puts the light on the ‘Kothi’ lifestyle that survives on sex workers and how Allah Rakhi became a part of it after being renamed as Sumbul. The network here is so strong that all the influential parties are involved in the selling and buying of innocent girls, even the police. Sumbul tried to escape it a lot of times but failed.
Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahin is a complete package that has covered the dark spots in our society. From human trafficking to the child begging mafia, and the dowry culture, it has all said it loud.
You’ll also come across an inspiring story of Naseem Zehra who wants to become a cricketer but her father religious obligations become the obstacle in her journey. Accompanied by a maulvi all the time who comes his home for a cup of tea started feeding his thoughts and he started believing all the fatwas the moulvi fed him. Later, the aged moulvi proposed marriage to his eldest daughter Naseem Zehra and things became terrible for Naseem. But she doesn’t lose hope and keep trying her luck.
Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahi cast includes Yumna Zaida, Yasra Rizvi, Omair Rana, Wahaj Ahmed, Noor ul Hassan, Samiya Mumtaz, Fajjer Khan, Noman Ijaz, Adnan Shah Tipu, Navid Shehzad and also child stars. Each one of them has done an impressive job and full justice to the story.
The most surprising and heart touching character is Zulfi played by Omair Rana. Episodes by episode, his character unveils and tells a different story. Until the last episodes, the audience couldn’t decide who Zulfi was. Omair Rana has done an excellent role that has made him the audience favorite.
Yumna Zaidi should take all the awards home for this drama. Considering her first role as Sumbul, she nailed it. Her expressions, dialogues delivery, makeup, and everything was on point and perfect. Yasra Rizvi also made an outstanding contribution to the drama with her raw acting.
Samiya Mumtaz’s acting was also exceptional. She stole the limelight with her supporting role in Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahin. The way she stood with her daughter in escaping the situation is an example of how not to settle with everything destiny brings for us.
Noman Ijaz enters as a merciful man. He’s the one who rescues Jimmy from the beggars’ Mafia. He voice against the child labour that was happening next door and eventually gets successful in taking the custody of the young boy Jamshed. As always with his acting, he proved he’s a legendary actor.
This Drama Deserves to Be Everywhere
Unlike the marriage sagas, love-tales, and rotten Saas-Bahu scripts, this drama is a treat to watch. The script is a masterpiece. The stories are so well-connected that you won’t find the need to skip the scenes in any part.
The best part is the transformation and the tell-tale. Small and big, there are many stories in the drama but the way the writer and director have connected each one of them is worth applauding.
The story of a donkey ‘Tomato’ also depicts the injustice we do to animals. In an excellent manner, the drama also voices the question of animal rights in Pakistan.
Solely, the drama unveils the dark stories that happen under the limelight especially the online scam in which Naseem Zehra was trapped. Apart from it, the story is also a hope for many people who are abducted and have nowhere to go. With one Sumbul, DNUTN has given hopes to many Sumbul and Jimmy’s in Pakistan.
And one can’t miss the chemistry between Wahaj and Yumna, especially when they reminisce about their painful childhood together. Apart from the dialogues, the story they tell through their expressions is a must-watch for viewers.
The Background of the Story
The story is inspired by the rising human trafficking in Pakistan. In 2020, there were 14000 cases recorded, 12,000 of which were women. Human trafficking is an underlying issue and it takes its worst shape in form of selling and buying children, most of them through child marriages. The tribal groups trade their young girls for money who either become sex workers, beggars or are smuggled to other countries.
In light of the rising human trafficking in Pakistan, this drama has done a splendid job to aware people of the societal evils of our country. A complete childhood is a basic right and nobody can steal it, even the parents. But unfortunately, this misery is happening under the cover for a long time.
With powerful storytelling and strong character depiction, the drama has raised a question to the government, where do we stand in giving children rights in Pakistan and why is women trafficking is increasing with time, where’s the stop?
I prefer books and diaries more than phones and Facebook. Soulfully connected to Pakistan. And I passionately believe that I can change the world through blogging.
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