Daam

Daam (Urdu: دام‎) (lit. Price) is a Pakistani drama television series which premiered on ARY Digital on June 11, 2010 and last episode was aired on October 15, 2010. The series is directed by award winning TV director Mehreen Jabbar, is written by popular Urdu novelist Umera Ahmed, and produced by Humayun Saeed and Abdullah Kadwani's production house 7th Sky Entertainment.

Cast and characters

Main cast

• Sanam Baloch as Zara
• Aamina Sheikh as Maleeha
• Adeel Hussain as Junaid
• Nimra Bucha as Aasma
• Sanam Saeed as Fiza
• Pari Hashmi as Mano
• Muhammad Yasir as Jamaal (Zara's brother)
• Lubna Aslam as Amna (Zara's mother)
• Shahid Naqvi as Hidayatullah (Zara's father)

Supporting cast

• Faisal Shah as Yasir
• Muhammad Ahmed as Sami (Maleeha's father)
• Parveen Malik as Maleeha's mother
• Behroze Sabzwari as Haji Saab
• Atif Badar as Ghulam Ali (The Shopkeeper)
• Farah Nadir as Mumani
• Ahmed Zeb as Ali

Notable guest stars

• Humayun Saeed
• Mohib Mirza
• Aijaz Aslam

Plot

Zara Hidayatullah (Sanam Baloch) and Maleeha Sami (Aamina Sheikh) have been close friends for over seven years. Zara belongs to a lower-middle-class family and Maleeha comes from an upper class household, yet their class difference has never threatened their unbreakable bond. Maleeha had been there for her friend through many hardships, though she never really knew the extent of the mental anguish that plagued Zara’s life. The first blow to their friendship comes when Maleeha’s elder brother Junaid (Adeel Hussain), shows his interest in marrying Zara. His parents have no objection to the union, but it comes as a real shock to Maleeha. Somehow she is unable to fathom the thought that Zara, an average status girl, could marry her only brother, who was eligible by all means. She thought that maybe this was Zara's intention all along, to trap her brother and be a part of her fancy life. To make matters worse, Maleeha's cousin, and future sister-in-law Fiza (Sanam Saeed) started manipulating her against Zara. Resulting in, the two once closest friends growing apart from each other. Meanwhile Zara's older sister Aasma (Nimra Bucha) had the perfect suitor for her, after a long wait of time. Zara promises Junaid that he can send his alliance for her, as soon as her sister gets married. But dreams shattered when Zara's father got imprisoned for defrauding in a new business scheme he was working at. The only way to his bail was to pay a huge sum of amount to the lawyer, which they could not afford. At this point Zara was forced to ask, just once more to her so-called best friend for help. Maleeha decides to give her the money only at the condition of her break up with Junaid. Devastated and choice less Zara gave Maleeha the pendant Junaid gifted her, and wrote on a blank paper that she willingly left Junaid upon receiving money from Maleeha. Junaid's parents after the wedding approached Zara, but she turned them down by saying that she is committed to one of her cousin's already. At this time Junaid was in America, and Zara stopped receiving his calls. His parents had absolutely no idea what was happening, and Maleeha told Junaid that Zara got married right after her final exams. Thus Junaid was left with no option other than forgetting her. Meanwhile Fiza started developing feelings for Junaid, and forced Maleeha and her family to let her marry him. When Junaid denies, Fiza tantrums Maleeha's ideal married life by poisoning her brother and Maleeha's husband, Yasir (Fiasal Shah). Maleeha who was now pregnant thought the only way to make her marital life better was, if Junaid compromises and marries Fiza. Zara in the meanwhile received a full time scholarship from London, and moved to Glasgow for her further education in Cardiac specialization. Moving abroad after a short period of time, Zara returned every single penny she owed to Maleeha, which she had ever spent on her.

Seven years later, a successful Zara meets the married and distressed Junaid again on a trivial account, when she discovered that his marital life is a failure as Fiza is full of doubts over his character. Junaid also discovers that Zara lied about her engagement, and that she was still single. He confronts Maleeha and decides to divorce Fiza, to marry Zara. Yasir threatens Maleeha, that he would divorce her straight away, if her brother leaves Fiza. In order to once again concrete her torn apart relationship, this time Maleeha helplessly visits Zara, with an apology for what she did to her seven years ago. She tried to convince Zara that if she marries Junaid, not just will her life get affected, but also there families will grew apart. Zara however had no plans of marrying Junaid or to move back to the phase where she was rejected and treated unequally from her best friend, whom she considered as a disguised savior. Now Maleeha realizes how terrible of a human had she been to the two most important people in her life. In order to be a good wife, she had lost both her brother and her best friend. Thus she tells Junaid the truth and leaves Yasir on her own. Zara moves back to UK rejecting Junaid but saying it would be impossible for her to forget him as she rejoices a beautiful time in the drive of the memories she spent with him.

6 months later, a married Zara is shown, who is absolutely happy in her life. Maleeha calls her up to greet her birthday but Zara seemed to have no interest and introduces her as an old class fellow to her husband (Humayun Saeed) rather than her once best friend.

The Novel

The original novel of Daam is set to be published in 2011. Umera Ahmed wrote in a note which she posted at official daam page on the Facebook. She also added, "Daam, the novel, will clarify a lot of things which have been troubling you. A lot of answers which you have been searching for. And some more indepth analysis of the actions and the motives for those actions and reactions."^[1]

Awards and nominations

10th Lux Style Awards

• Nominated - Best TV Director (2011) - Mehreen Jabbar.

References

External links

External video

A promotional video of Daam

• Official website
• Daam at ARY Digital
• Daam at the Internet Movie Database