Daily Times

To be released on February 13 on ARY, ‘Aakhri Station’ is a mini-series based on social issues.

Written by one of the best female writers of Pakistan, Amna Mufti, and directed by the highly talented Sarmad Khoosat, ‘Aakhri Station’ is going to be Kashf Foundation’s third production after ‘Rehaai’ and ‘Udaari’. Addressing child marriages and sexual abuse of children in the previous two serials, Kashf Foundation continues to grow gradually bold by choosing topics like HIV and prostitution this time.

Its first promo has a somber look. The poetry in the background is being recited by Shabana Azmi and has been written by Amjad Islam Amjad, thus making us fall in love with the series before its release. Two duos, one of Shabana Azmi and Amjad Islam Amjad, and the other of Amna Mufti and Sarmad Khoosat, makes us look forward curiously to the surprises this seemingly classical series will have for us.

With problems like drugs, depression and HIV, ‘Aakhri Station’ promises to relate itself to a lot of people suffering from these problems, and to take dramas addressing social issues to a whole new level

The fact that ‘Aakhri Station’ takes seven women as its subjects and addresses their issues makes us recall Asghar Nadeem Syed’s ‘Nijaat’, a serial from the 1990s based on social issues such as family planning and patriarchy. Both projects seem to relate to each other in many ways, such as the inclusion of some popular female actresses of their time such as Marina Khan, Atiqa Odho and Huma Nawab, just like Sanam Saeed, Nimra Bucha and Tooba Siddique in this modern dramatic piece. ‘Nijaat’ was a project made by two of the best people of the ‘90s era, Sahira Kazmi and Asghar Nadeem Syed, while ‘Aakhri Station’ is a result of the efforts of two of the best people of modern times. Amna Mufti has given us memorable drama serials such as ‘Ullu Baraaye Farokht Nahi’ and ‘Mol’. Khoosat, besides presenting popular characters such as Cheeko from ‘Shashlik’, has also given ‘Humsafar’, ‘Shehr-e-Zaat’ and the film ‘Manto’ as his matchless directorial pieces to Pakistan.

With the promos of ‘Aakhri Station’ on air, we feel proud that the people of our drama industry still dare to be different and do not submit to popular demands of addressing ‘Saas Bahu’ issues only.

With problems like drugs, depression and HIV, ‘Aakhri Station’ promises to relate itself to a lot of people suffering from these problems, and to take dramas addressing social issues to a whole new level.

The writer can be reached at m.ali_aquarius85@yahoo.com

Published in Daily Times, February 7^th 2018.