Daily Times

Shoaib Mansoor’s upcoming movie, Verna is making rounds on social media with its recent and powerful trailer, and we can’t stop talking about Mahira Khan’s vivacious performance outshining in her much fearless avatar.

The grandiose phenomenon that emerges from the genius of Shoaib Mansoor sheds light on the socio-political issues in Pakistan that have taken a backseat when it comes to highlighting them on the local big screen. Social issues like feudalism and misuse of power have often betrayed the trust of women in our society who continue to approach its structures in attempts to achieve a balanced and inclusive status-quo. It is yet again through the director of Khuda Ke Liye and Bol (Shoaib Mansoor) that a socially conscious topic is picked upon, evoking reflective and thought provoking debate that questions institutions squarely within the narrative frame and story-telling conventions of mainstream cinema.

The film essays Mahira’s unconventional role in stark contrast to her previous and softer performances that have won her critical acclaim ever since Humsafar. The grit, the violence, the manipulation – all the 50 shades of dark to Mahira’s character will for the very first time be an eventful sight for the impatient audiences.

Mahira Khan’s character Sarah embodies the motivations of a woman in love, a woman with vengeance in her eyes, a woman who has been betrayed by her loved ones, and a woman who will seek justice by any means necessary to quench her thirst for retribution from a corrupt system.

Paired with Mahira in a striking debut, even Haroon Shahid leaves no stone unturned in gathering a fair share of his own praises.

Verna revolves around the story of a woman who has been used and abused by two men in her life – happily married to her husband, Haroon Shahid, her story takes a shocking twist after another entrante, Zarrar Khan (who happens to have strong political roots), starts showing interest in her.

Social media has gone ballistic.

It seems like all the love has reached across the border too.