‘Suno Chanda’ charms Ramadan audience
Director Aehsun Talish says people are enjoying the light, fun rom-com
‘Appointment television’ just got a new meaning in Pakistan for fans of Urdu dramas as people seem to be enjoying Hum TV’s breezy romantic comedy Suno Chanda. That is, if the show’s high ratings are anything to go by. The reason is that this “kind of light, fun stuff after a heavy iftar dinner is just what the doctor ordered,” says director Aehsun Talish, talking to tabloid!.
The play is supposed to be aired the entire month. “This is a Ramadan-special format,” he adds. “Otherwise, you don’t make dramas that are serialised for just one month.”
According to Talish, the show will finish with an 80-minute long special episode on Eid. Penned by Saima Akram Chaudhry, a popular novelist-turnedplaywright, Suno Chanda follows an uncomplicated storyline: Arsal (Farhan The cast of ‘Suno Chanda’. Saeed) and Ajiya )Iqra Aziz), who are cousins, have taken their vows but haven’t started living together because the wedding reception is yet to happen. Their folks and an army of relatives are eager to plan the big day, but no one knows that the girl and boy are secretly conspiring to call it off.
Why? Because they can’t stand the sight of each other. What makes each 40-minute episode a delightful watch is a vibrant screenplay, which is aided by multiple tracking shots; funny characterisations; loud banter that the two leads easily get into; and lots of petty squabbles among the sharp-tongued, jealous ladies in the family.
It’s a household where a host of cousins and uncles and aunts from out of town are crashing, eventually leading to confusion and disarray — typical of a situational comedy.
“The purpose is to bring smiles to the viewers’ faces,” says Talish. “We didn’t want to do slapstick or anything outrageously funny; we have a lot of that showing on TV already.”