There haven’t been ample wannabe horror dramas in Pakistan’s entertainment industry that are scary. Many were reduced to a joke and turned out to be comic shows. But this isn’t the case with ARY Digital’s new horror drama serial ‘Neeli Zinda Hai’ that has managed to terrify us to the core.
Episode 1 unfolds with Amaan (Mohib Mirza) and Sumbul (Sonia Mishal) a couple living in a long-distance relationship for six years. They have a mute daughter Minal (Tehreem). Amaan’s mother Mehrbano (Kinza Malik) dislikes Sumbul for no good reason. She says the worst things to her even when she goes through stillbirth while Amaan was in Australia. Amaan is shocked by this mishap and returns home. He tries to settle his relationship; he informs Sumbul that he has resigned from his job and won’t be going back again.
Things begin to get better between the two, but Meherbano isn’t too happy seeing all this. One day she creates a havoc when Amaan and Sumbul return from dinner without informing her. She accuses Sumbul of taking her son away from her. Amaan right away decides to move into a new home. A furious Meherbano goes out all and practices black magic to get rid of her daughter in law.
In episode 2, we are introduced to the haunted house. The writer Adeel Razzaq wastes no time, he knows that his viewers are looking for chills and ensures that the scary scenes come within no time. The glass of water breaking, the electrician who arrives to fix the fuse suddenly vanishes. The picture in the wall frame changes; the real estate agent who sold the house closes his shop permanently and disappears. There are no unnecessary romantic moments between the husband and wife to stray from the main story. Many other factors come across as strange. For instance, the house is fully furnished, the flowers in the vase are fresh, the garden is perfectly trimmed and the entire premises is well maintained. Sumbul senses all these weird things but isn’t vocal about it, as Amaan has left his parents to live with her. Minal too is getting vibes of the supernatural phenomenon. The question is that, will she be able to express it?
Final word: ‘Neeli Zinda Hai’ is off to an impressive start. Directed by Qasim Ali Mureed, the first two episodes of the supernatural drama are atmospheric and frightening. It is further carried out by great acting and fleshed-out characters. The sound of the door, the pitch-dark night, the blowing of the wind, the soft movement of curtains, and the lights going on and off creates an atmosphere that is terrifying. Urwa Hocane is yet to make an appearance; as seen in the promos Jenaan Hussain also plays a pivotal role in the play. It remains a mystery that who is ‘Neeli’. The intriguing show will surely keep us hooked in the upcoming episodes.
‘Neeli Zinda Hai’ airs every Thursday at 8pm only on ARY Digital.
