Aangan () is a Pakistani period drama series based on the award-winning novel of the same name by Khadija Mastoor and originally broadcast on Hum TV. Apart from the initial few episodes, the story set in British India, is narrated by Aaliya who is an ambitious girl and witnesses the stories of relations affected at the time of partition of the Indian Subcontinent, presenting the trials and tribulations as her own family was divided.
The serial was created and produced by Momina Duraid under MD Productions and directed by Mohammed Ehteshamuddin. Based on Mastoor's novel, Mustafa Afridi wrote the screenplay. The serial stars Mawra Hocane as Aaliya, Ahsan Khan as Subhan and Safdar (dual role), Sonya Hussyn as Salma, Sajal Aly as Chammi, Ahad Raza Mir as Jameel, Hira Mani as Tehmina and Rabia Butt as Kusum.
Aangan was highly anticipated, with a huge star cast and a high production budget.It mostly received positive reviews from critics and praise for its cinematography, visuals and performances, especially Aly's performance. It received multiple nominations at the 19th Lux Style Awards, including Best TV Play, Best TV Actress (critics and viewers) for Aly and Best Director.
Plot
"The story is set in partitioned India. Khameera Illahi (Zaib Rehman) is a strict and serious matriarch of the haveli, having three sons and two daughters. Muzaffar (Abid Ali), her husband, an unethical man who doesn't care for his family, gets his son from another woman, Israr, to the haveli. Although Khameera lets him stay in the haveli, nobody accepts him in the family. Salma (Sonya Hussyn), the young and beautiful daughter of Khameera, falls in love with a poor man Subhan (Ahsan Khan). When her family opposes the affair, she runs away with Subhan. She passes away after a few days due to TB leaving Subhan and her infant son Safder behind. Subhan leaves his son and goes away. Muzaffar dies, and Mazhar (Omair Rana) takes responsibility for Safder and his sister Najma. When his wife opposes the arrangement, Najma is sent to a boarding school to complete her education. Mazhar and his family keep shifting because of his job.
A few years have passed, and Mazhar's daughters Aaliya (Mawra Hocane) and Tehmina (Hira Mani) have grown up. Tehmina and Safdar (Ahsan Khan) have feelings for each other. Aaliya and Tehmina befriend a Hindu widow, Kusum (Rabia Butt), who lives a lonely life and loves a man named Mohan. Due to the disapproval of Tehmina's mother of Tehmina's and Safder's relationship, her marriage gets fixed to Jameel (Ahad Raza Mir), her cousin. Kusum commits suicide because of Mohan's betrayal. Safdar is not courageous enough to take a stand on his and Tehmina's relationship and leaves a letter for her to get married and move forward in life. Tehmina commits suicide by eating poison. Mazhar gets arrested because he attacked a British officer, and Aaliya and her mother (Madiha Rizvi) move back to Haveli.
Haveli now mainly consists of six people, Khameera, her elder son, Azhar (Mustafa Afridi), who is usually busy in Congress work and the independence movement, his wife (Uzma Beg) and sons-Jameel, who he loathes because he is a jobless poet and Shakeel, Chammi (Sajal Aly), the abandoned daughter of Jafar and Azhar's niece, the old house help, Kareeman and the always neglected Israr.
Jameel keeps flirting with Chammi casually to fulfil the expenses of his education, not aware that she has fallen for him. He stops this after completing his education, and Aaliya comes to Haveli. Jameel starts getting interested in Aaliya while she keeps going away. Aaliya has started dreading love due to her experience with Kusum and Tehmina dying due to heartbreak.
While Chammi gets in touch with a boy in her neighbourhood, Jameel keeps persuading Aaliya even after her constant refusal. Aaliya starts to develop feelings for Jameel, much to Chammi's dismay, who admires Aaliya.
Cast
Main
Mawra Hocane as Aaliya
Ahad Raza Mir as Jameel; a poet and a politician
Sajal Aly as Chammi
Ahsan Khan as Subhan, Safdar (dual role) Hira Mani as Tehmina; Aaliya's sister Sonya Hussyn as Salma; married to Subhan, Safdar's mother