Humsafar

For other uses, see Humsafar (disambiguation).
Humsafar

Humsafar title screen
Genre Drama
Romance
Written by Farhat Ishtiaq
Directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat
Creative director(s) Mirza Zeeshan Baig
Starring Mahira Khan
Fawad Afzal Khan
Naveen Waqar
Noor Hassan
Atiqa Odho
Sara Kashif
Theme music composer Waqar Ali
Opening theme Woh Humsafar Tha
written by Naseer Turabi
performed by Qurat-ul-Ain Balouch
Composer(s) MAD Music
Country of origin Pakistan
Original language(s) Urdu
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 23
Production
Executive producer(s) Nina Kashif
Producer(s) Momina Duraid
Editor(s) Kashif Ahmed
Tanveer Aalam
Rao Rizwan
Danish Usmani
Faisal Saleem
Location(s) Karachi
Cinematography Shehzad Kashmiri
Running time 38-42 minutes
Production company(s) Moomal Productions
Broadcast
Original channel Hum TV
Original airing 24 September 2011-3 March 2012

Humsafar (Urdu: ہم سفر‎, Ham-safar or Companion) is a Pakistani drama television series directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, based on a novel of the same name written by Farhat Ishtiaq. It originally aired on Hum TV from September 24, 2011 to March 3, 2012. The story revolves around the trials and tribulations of a married couple.

Humsafar also aired in India, Middle East, UK and UAE.[1]

Summary

Episodes 1-5

The story of Hamsafar revolves around three characters, namely Khirad, Asher and Sara. Khirad, portrayed by Mahira Khan, lives in Hyderabad with her widowed mother, Maimona. The family is very poor. Maimona's wealthy nephew, Asher, portrayed by Fawad Afzal Khan, is introduced along with his best friend and maternal cousin, Sara portrayed by Naveen Waqar. Unknown to Asher, Sara is deeply in love with him. The mothers of the two friends, Fareeda (portrayed by Atiqa Odho) and Zareena (portrayed by Hina Khawaja Bayat), assume that Asher will eventually propose to Sara, since they have always been so close.

Maimona is diagnosed with cancer and requests help from her brother, Baseerat Hussain, portrayed by Behroze Sabzwari, who is Asher's father. Baseerat brings Maimona and Khirad to his mansion in Karachi. However, doctors claim that she will eventually die. Maimona is worried for Khirad and she requests Baseerat to get her daughter married. Baseerat decides that Khirad will marry Asher.

When Baseerat informs his son, Asher is shocked, having no marriage plans and seeing Khirad as his exact opposite. After Asher shares this news with Sara, she is heartbroken, revealing her love for him. Asher tells her that he does not have similar feelings for her and only sees her as a friend. Sara promises Asher that she will not let him marry Khirad. Baseerat begs Ashar to marry Khirad.

Eventually, Asher relents. Farida, who is extremely possessive about her son, lashes out at Baseerat, begging him to reconsider. Baseerat threatens his wife with divorce if she interferes. Meanwhile, Khirad is also shocked to learn of Baseerat's plan. However, she has no choice but to comply with her mother's last wish. Sara tries to commit suicide. Asher and Khirad are married in a simple Nikah ceremony. After Maimona dies Khirad is depressed. Both Asher and Khirad feel that they have been forced on each other. Neither is happy about the union;, however, Asher promises Khirad that he will try his best to make the marriage work. Khirad is deeply hurt by the fact that she has been forced into a stranger's life and feels her self-respect has been lost.[2][3]

Episodes 6-10

Gradually, the couple starts falling deeply in love with each other. Asher values Khirad's innocence, simplicity and purity of heart. Khirad falls for Asher because of his caring and charming personality. They declare their love and become closer to each other. Sara pretends to befriend Khirad and then humiliates her, though afterwards she is reprimanded by Asher for her callousness.

Baseerat becomes ill and warns his son of the need to protect innocent Khirad from the wiles of the world. Asher, already in love with his new wife, agrees. Baseerat later dies in his sleep.

Khirad enrolls for graduate studies. She meets Khizar, Sara's paternal cousin. Khizar has strong feelings for Sara, still not over Asher. Khizar starts to visit Asher's house, praising Khirad and making Asher jealous. Khirad suddenly gets pregnant with Asher's child.

Episodes 11-14

Farida offers to pay for Khizar to study abroad and marry Sara if he can convince Asher that he is having an affair with Khirad. Sara lies to Khizar, telling him that she'll marry him when he returns. Khizar contrives to have Asher see what falsely appears to be Khirad and him getting intimate alone in his apartment. Asher storms off angry. Farida admits to Khirad that she would never allow a school teacher's daughter to be her daughter-in-law. She tells Khirad that she is unfit to be her house servant. She goes on to say that she raised her son in such a perfect way, that she won't allow her son to throw it all away on a lower class woman. Khirad protests and calls Khizar, who falsely keeps insisting that she has an affair with him. Farida backs Khizar's lies and kicks Khirad out of the house before Asher speaks to her. Before leaving, Khirad leaves a note for Asher. Although Asher returns expecting to be able to speak with Khirad, his mother lies saying that Khirad has already eloped with Khizar. She says," She [Khirad] said it was a forced marriage...She was never happy in the first place..." Asher is heartbroken and falls into a state of depression at this false story. Heartbroken and alone, Khirad takes refuge with her mother's friend, Batool. With Batool, she lives in Hyderabad, Pakistan. Throughout her time there, she calls Asher, but he hangs up when he finds out who is calling. Believing his mother's story that Khirad eloped with Khizar, he denies knowing anyone named Khirad. After a few months, Khirad goes into labor and calls Asher one last time. Again he hangs up and she prematurely gives birth to a baby girl whom she names Hareem, portrayed by Sara Kashif. Khirad vows that she will never forgive Asher.

Episode 15-17

Upon encouragement by her friend Afsheen, she reluctantly goes to Karachi to visit her estranged husband. She goes to Asher's office and tells him about her problem. At first he refuses to help, but later relents, secretly moving the two into his house. Farida is in New York for a business trip, so Asher is able to move them in. When Asher asks Khirad what he should do when his mother finds out about her in his house, Khirad hatefully tells him that it is not her problem and that she is only there for her daughter's treatment.

Sara spots Asher with his wife and daughter. After making comments that anger Asher, she leaves and calls Farida.

Episode 18-19

Sara updates Farida. Farida quickly returns and threatens to throw Khirad back on the streets again. Khirad tells her, "I don't want anything to do with your son or your mansion...I don't even see your son as being worth talking to. Your son is weak. He couldn't protect me. He no longer has any place in my heart."

As Hareem demands to see old pictures from their wedding,Asher brings out an old box, which contains the note Khirad had left as she was first leaving.

Episode 20

Khizar returns from abroad and demands Farida fulfill her promise. Sara refuses, but Farida insists her, since Khizar threatens to admit the truth to Asher.

Hareem's heart surgery takes place and is successful. Khirad decides to leave Hareem with Asher.

Asher finds himself redeveloping feelings for Khirad again and decides to forgive her. He says to her while she's asleep, "I wish I can take you far away from here, far away from all the pain in this world. I don't know why you did what you did,but one thing is true, Khirad, I've completely lost in trying to hate you."

Episode 21

Khizar visits Farida and threatens "destroy" her with his knowledge. Asher meets Khizar leaving Farida. He confronts her and she responds, "He wants you and Khirad to take divorce..."

Sara's depression intensifies. Zareena, Sara's mother, is remorseful and wishes she had nothing to do with Farida's plot. She tells Sara that her acts caused her depression.

Asher takes Khirad to the seaside of Karachi and pours out his feelings saying he cannot remove her from his heart. In addition, he wants her back in his life forever. He begs her to stay for Hareem. Khirad, again rejects him. She tells him she's leaving Hareem with him since he can provide better for her. Asher is hurt by how Khirad no longer wants anything to do with him.

Episode 22

Khirad tearfully says goodbye to her sleeping daughter, leaving another note for Asher. She surrenders her rights over Hareem.

Khizar later comes by Asher's office to tell him the truth, but Asher, in his anger, slaps him and forces him out without listening. Asher is very depressed and misses Khirad to no end. He remembers the romantic moments he shared with her four years ago. He finally discovers Khirad's original note. Asher overhears his mother's revealing phone call with Khizar. He has broken down and leaves the house. Farida stumbles upon Khirad's letter and is very stressed that her son finally knows about the truth about what she did.

Sara commits suicide leaving her mother in complete shock and despair. Her mother blames Farida for Sara's death.

Episode 23

Asher heads for Hyderabad to bring Khirad back, telling her that Hareem won't eat and Khirad reluctantly goes with him. Farida hears them return and claims the letter was false and that there is no proof that Hareem is Asher's daughter. Asher says, "You gave me life. And at the same time, you took it away from me. You murdered your own son, mother. You took his life away..." Khirad, witnessing the entire conversation, is shocked and emotional.

Farida returns to her room where she is met by imaginary incarnations of Sara, Baseerat and Khirad. Sara blames Farida for her death and is happy Asher understands his mother's evil nature. Baseerat asks her, "Do you know why your son is crying? It's because his own mother murdered all of his happiness..." Khirad asks her, "Did you really think Allah was going to let you do this to me? Look how swift His justice is...your son has been taken away from you." Farida begins screaming uncontrollably.

Asher tells Khirad to never forgive him for what he did but asks her to take him back for Hareem's sake. Khirad tells Asher she isn't sure what to do, but she's tired of fighting the realities of the world by herself. Asher tells her that he will never let her go again and apologizes.

Farida loses her mind, but, still lives with Asher. She constantly sees an imaginary Sara trying to murder her. When she sees Hareem, she asks, "An angel...an angel in my house...who's angel is this?" Asher responds, "She's your angel." Farida, smiling at Hareem with love and affection, responds, ""She's my little angel.""

Asher and Khirad watch Hareem play in the rain and remember when Khirad would periodically remove the clip from her bun to let her hair down. Flashbacks show the time when an excited Khirad danced in the rain long ago. They laugh, smile and hold hands running together as a happy family.

Cast

Guest Appearance

Soundtrack

Woh Humsafar Tha
Soundtrack album by Qurat-ul-Ain Balouch
Genre Theme song
Length 39:47
Language Urdu
Producer Momina Duraid

The theme song Woh Humsafar Tha was composed by Waqar Ali and sung by Qurat-ul-Ain Balouch. It was written by Naseer Turabi in 1971 after the fall of Dhaka. The lines of the song are frequently used during the course of the show.

Tracklist
No. TitleSinger(s) Length
1. "Woh Humsafar Tha"  Qurat-ul-Ain Balouch 6:26

Critical reception

Some people regarded it as revival of drama industry.[4][5] According to critics the show was socially regressive and demonstrated the misogynistic mentality prevalent in society.[6] Sabahat Zakariya wrote, "If Haseena Moin was the benchmark of mass popularity back then, then Humsafar is an indicator of our endemic regressiveness.".[7] The series has gained a very large audience internationally.[8]

It has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. Many hail it as the revival of Pakistani Television.[9][10]

Overall, however, the series has gained a very large audience internationally. The Humsafar page on Facebook reveals thousands of European and North American fans and viewers, with many saying they've never watched a Pakistani drama but are completely hooked on Humsafar.[11]

Awards

References

External links