Why Pakistani family drama Parvarish on episode 9 is striking home with its take on parenting, angst and emotional showdown
Dubai: When the superheroes of our childhood—our parents—begin to stumble, who picks up the cape?
That's the quietly devastating question Parwarish, the new ARY Digital drama, asks with every tear, hug, and dinner-table showdown.
Airing Mondays and Tuesdays evenings, this star-studded family drama isn't your typical sob-fest; it's a sharply crafted portrait of modern-day parenthood wrapped in love, sacrifice, and some serious intergenerational angst.
Created by Fahad Mustafa, directed by Meesam Naqvi, and written by Kiran Siddiqui, Parwarish reunites Mayi Ri sweethearts Aina Asif and Samar Abbas Jafri in a narrative that's a delicious mix of old-school values and Gen-Z rebellion.
The plot orbits around Wali Jahangir (played with heart by Jafri), a musically gifted young man who returns to Pakistan after studying in the U.S., only to clash head-on with his conservative father Jahangir (played by the ever-regal Naumaan Ijaz). And Maya (played by Asif) is no damsel-in-distress either—she's a fierce medical aspirant from a traditional household, determined to chart her own course.
When these two collide, it's less fireworks, more emotional implosion—with plenty of commentary on parental expectations and social pressure.
But let's not pretend it's just the youngsters holding our attention. Savera Nadeem's turn as Mahnoor, the mother trying to keep the peace while simmering with her own frustrations, is a study in restraint. Add to that the dignified presence of Shamim Hilali and Arshad Mehmood as the family elders, and you have a cast that not only carries the weight of this emotionally charged show but elevates it.
Critics have so far been cautiously optimistic. According to ARY, the show aims to explore the 'silent struggles of parenthood,' and it does—particularly through themes of emotional labor, aging, and the unspoken grief of watching one's children grow distant. Meanwhile, early viewer reviews on Reddit and YouTube are filled with delight over the pacing and the chemistry between the leads. One Redditor aptly noted, 'The story unfolded quickly for the first episode. I was very surprised.' Another chimed in about Samar's comic timing, adding a much-needed splash of humor in an otherwise heavy plot.
That said, not all feedback is glowing. A few viewers have mentioned that the storyline flirts with melodrama and familiar tropes. But let's be honest—who tunes in to a desi drama expecting stoicism?
What Parwarish does right is give those clichés emotional teeth, inviting the audience to see the fractures forming in even the most ideal households.
So yes, the series tugs at your heartstrings, but it doesn't manipulate. It's not about villains and heroes—it's about nuance, regret, and that bittersweet moment when a child sees their parent not as a god, but as a human.
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