Faltu Larki

*Faltu Larki*
Faltu Larki
	Title screen
Developed by	Aamra Shahid
Written by	Fasih Bari Khan
Directed by	Mazhar Moin
Starring	Samiya Mumtaz; Hina Dilpazeer; Anum Fayyaz; Dania Enwer; Jinaan Hussain;
Country of origin	Pakistan
Original language	Urdu
No. of episodes	28
Production
Producer	Tariq Mujeeb
Editor	Shahbaz Ali Baloch
Camera setup	Multi-camera setup
Original release
Network	A-Plus Entertainment
Release	3 November 2016 –; 21 April 2017

Faltu Larki (Urdu: فالتو لڑکی, lit. 'Useless Girl') is a Pakistani family drama television series, produced by Tariq Mujeeb. The series airs weekly on A-Plus Entertainment every Thursday. It stars Hina Dilpazeer, Anum Fayyaz, Samiya Mumtaz, Dania Enwer and Jinaan Hussain in lead roles.^[1]

The series was comeback of Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah duo, writer Fasih Bari Khan and director Mazhar Moin which also stars Dilpazeer in title role.^[2]

Synopsis

Faltu Larki tackles the story of a girl who travels from India to Pakistan to live with her family but it doesn’t turn out too well for her. She has to go through a lot of issues in the household and has no say in the state of affairs. The play also takes into account the lives of other female characters involved who also become victim of society’s double standards and its ill treatment of women.

The play points out that women are not given their due rights and are taken for granted quite often. However, it remains to be seen just how the title applies to the lives of these women and whether Faltu Larki aims to change society’s perception of women.^[3]

Plot

The plot revolves around a middle-class household from Karachi of two brothers, Anwar-ul-Haq and Siraj-ul-Haq. Anwar runs a shop and has two wives. He likes his second wife Paro more who was the daughter of his deceased friend and is much younger than him. His relations with his first wife Raskha are not so pleasant as she is outspoken and doesn't not like Paro. Raskha's younger daughter Erum is getting married which creates a hustle and bustle in the house. The in-laws of Erum although fulfill their religious duties but are not straight forward people and somehow greedy.

Siraj goes to Bhopal at his cousin's death (whom he likes) and brings her daughter Jahan Ara with him as there she was alone. Jahan Ara lives in Siraj's portion where his wife Almas does not welcome her at first but later accepts her. She is first teased by Yasir but later befriends of his. He is unemployed and his father taunts which disturbs him badly and leading to his further destruction. Jahan Ara observes it and consoles him but Almas sees them together considering that they have an affair. Next day, Yasir confesses to Jahan Ara that he may have talk to many girls, but he loves only her. He talks with his father for his marriage with her but he forbids by taunting him. After the incident, Almas sends Jahan Ara to Paro's house thinking that no man like Yasir is there. In Paro's house, Jahan Ara handles all the kitchen work and also monitors Pashi on her mother's advice as she chats to his class fellow on her phone. Anwar considers the Jahan Ara as a perfect match for Bhai Jaan and discusses it with Paro. Paro who herself once wanted to marry him and keeps eyes on him now too, opposes the idea. Bhai Jaan who himself is also interested in Jahan Ara tells Raska about Jahan Ara whom he wants to marry which she rejects. One day, Yasir tells Paro about his love for Jahan Ara and asks for help to which she agrees as she herself also doesn't want Jahan Ara and Bhai Jaan's marriage.

Mushtari, the washerwoman of the house finds another job at a haveli and from there she brings the marriage proposal of Moazzam Jah for Faiza to which Raskha agrees. Moazzam Jah's sister, Tajwar is a dominating woman, has a strange relation with her tomboyish driver Anwer, and is a matriarch of her house. She wants to get his brother married who has some psychological issues. She calls off Moazzam's wedding with Faiza when it reveals on her that she is not as simple and dumb as she requires after which Mushtari suggests her to marry him with Jahan Ara who is a simple, innocent and orphan maiden. On the other hand, Paro tries to convince Yasir to elope with Jahan Ara to which he refuses stating that Jahan Ara's dignity is very valuable for him. After failing her trap, she then libels on Jahan Ara that she has an affair with a cable guy after which Anwar calls off the decision of her marriage with Bhai Jaan and sends her back to Siraj's house. In his house, Yasir, who is now working in a coaching centre, gains some time to spend with her and tells her that he has changed himself. Meanwhile, the marriage proposal of Moazzam Jah for Jahan Ara is accepted by Siraj and Almas as Tajwar offers them twenty lac rupees in return. When Yasir comes to know about it, he informs Jahan Ara, but she does not believe him. He tries to call off her wedding and save her but fails but there Jahan Ara also confesses her love for him.

Pashi gets caught with his class-fellow Kashi and Paro beats her furiously. Anwar tries to stop her but in this anger state, the truth slips from her tongue that her love and life with him was always fake, after which Anwar starts to hate her. It turns Anwar towards Raskha, and the things between them sort out and they become happy with each other. After her abortion and facing a lot of domestic abuse and emotional traumas from Tabish and his family, Erum decides to divorce him and returns her house. The strayed young minds of Pashi and Kashi lead them to kill each other as their parents treat them strictly. After Pashi's death, Paro's life gets upside down and Anwar divorces her as she already confessed the truth to him. He decides with Raskha to go for Umrah.

On her wedding day, Jahan Ara decides not to let someone sell her and asks Almas about her price to which she realizes her mistake. In the haveli, Tajwar who is already a patient of epilepsy has another stroke when she sees Anwer and Nimmo (Mushtari's daughter) together. Later, it is revealed that one of their stepbrother returns from abroad and admits Tajwar, Moazzam Jah and their mother who was already mentally challenged, in a mental hospital.

After deciding not to bare that abuse, Jahan Ara goes to police station where she confesses that she has burnt her passport that was actually burnt by Siraj so that she may stay here without nationality. After living in police custody and the completion of legal procedures, she leaves the police station to go to her country, and Yasir who is now a successful businessman comes there to meet her and says that he will visit her there.

Cast

Salman Shahid as Anwar-ul-Haq
Hina Dilpazeer as Syeda Raskha Bano, Anwar's first wife
Samiya Mumtaz as Mah Para "Paro", Anwar's second wife
Behroze Sabzwari Siraj-ul-Haq, Anwar's younger brother
Lubna Aslam as Almas, Siraj's wife
Jinaan Hussain as Faiza, Raskha's elder daughter
Anum Fayyaz as Erum, Raskha's second daughter
Tipu Shareef as Arslan aka Bhai Jaan, Raskha's son
Farhan Ahmed Malhi as Yasir Siraj-ul-Haq, Siraj's son
Dania Enwer as Jahan Ara, Siraj's niece in relation who comes from Bhopal
Hareem Sohail as Palwasha "Pashi" Anwar, Paro's daughter
Sumbul Shahid as Mushtari Bai, washerwoman of the house
Sarah Razi as Nimmo, Mushtari's daughter
Imran Ashraf as Tabish, Erum's husband
Nadia Afgan as Naghmana, Tabish's religiously extremist mother
Sumaiyya Bukhsh as Muneeza, Tabish's sister
Zubii Majeed as Muneera, Tabish's second sister
Yasra Rizvi as Tajwar, matriarch of her haveli
Waqar Hussain as Moazzam Jah, Tajwar's brother
Seemi Raheel as mentally challenged mother of Tajwar and Moazzam
Hajra Khan as Anwer, a tomboyish servant in Tajwar's haveli
Fauzia Mushtaq as Habiba, Naghmana's friend
Fazal Hussain as Kashi, Pashi's class-fellow

Reception

Critical reception

Faltu Larki received mixed reviews throughout its broadcast with praise for performances and writing.^[4]^[5] The News International called the show as "brilliant" and lauded the series to depict the polygamy sensitively.^[6]