The unending love of web series

I’ve been talking a lot about web shows lately. This Friday Flix segment allows me to indulge in my love of series a bit more than normal, which is fine by me. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO, Zee5, and a slew of other series platforms have become obsessions for me and many others. This culture has also influenced the way movies are made. The movie business has suffered greatly since the outbreak of Coronavirus. People are staying at home and viewing or binge-watching shows, which has impacted the cinema-going culture. For anti-social folks like me, it’s cheap, fun, and great. I came upon Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam while binge-watching. Following Churails, this was yet another pleasant surprise for me. Let’s chat about the series for a moment.

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Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam

The series from ZEE5’s ‘Zindagi,’ is a sort of anthology. It tells the experiences of a diverse group of strong women who refuse to be victims and instead aim to be the authors of their own stories; women who go out of their way to achieve what they want, including murder! Meenu Gaur, a British-Indian filmmaker, directed Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam, which was scripted by Gaur and Farjad Nabi, the well-known Pakistani filmmaker.

You can binge on to Qaatil Haseenaon Ke Naam for the chance to see dark and flawed female heroines on television, as well as the fantastic cast. Sanam Saaed, Sarwat Gilani, Samiya Mumtaz, Faiza Gilani, Beo Rana Zaffar, Eman Suleman, and Meher Bano are among the cast members.

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Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam season 1 storyline

Mysterious figures darkly lit lanes and blood-spattered in an old historic mansion somewhere in Pakistan — a setting that defines the grim mood of the story from the first episode forward. Meenu Gaur, a critically renowned British-Indian filmmaker, spends no time in introducing us to the world of fierce women, whose beauty and vulnerability completely conceal the fire that burns within them. Gaur carefully plots the narrative of all her stories with a repeating sub-plot as its backbone, which acts as a common ground, relying largely on her ensemble cast from across the border. The neighborhood where Mai (Samiya Mumtaz) resides in her opulent yet modest villa is the breeding environment for a slew of stories and mysteries that gradually emerge as the show develops.

Bigger cast, even bigger story

While the first few episodes are more self-contained and wholesome as stories, the last several are a revelation from the first, since the show follows a non-linear format. This, however, is what makes the series overly convoluted and difficult. That is not all, this has an unfavorable effect on the storytelling tempo, which slows down over time. To be honest, keeping track of so many characters, some of whom are even similar in appearance, and plotlines that are running concurrently and crisscrossing through the episodes is difficult. Well, this might be a big stumbling block for the show’s success.

More indoors, less outdoors

Independent stories of the characters are, by definition, more intriguing and engaging, because they have fewer problems. All of the stories have a noir tone to them, as well as a mysterious soundscape that adds poetic refinement. The filmmakers do not appear to have freely explored Pakistan as a setting for some reason. While there are a few sweeping ariel vistas of the cities, the majority of the action occurs within. Moreover, most of the scenes show the background (in out-of-focus), and all we know is that everything is taking place in indoor Pakistan.

Watch the trailer here:

Where can I watch Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam?

You can watch the series season 1 on the Zee5 official platform. Click here to watch.

Final Verdict

Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam is a commendable attempt to defy preconceptions and show strong individuals with sufficient conviction and sympathy. The show’s most compelling feature is its all-female cast. While everyone does an excellent job in their roles, Beo Raana Zafar, Sanam Saeed, and Samiya Mumtaz stand out for their restrained acting.

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