If you were a fan of the curious linker of music-based shows in Pakistan – which, by the way, was a unique experience – and then, you, by a quirk of fate, shifted to US or Transylvania, or some such far away spot, returning just now for a peak, you’d have your hood blown away by the new face of Ali Safina!

Nothing but the truth! Ali Safina is playing the behroop of his life in the current, otherwise monotonous serial, Ta’beer!

Peopled by such artistes as Iqra, Shehzad, and others, the serial is nothing to write home about. Yet, the populace follows it, hairat hai! Still, if they hadn’t been following it, they had missed a great character Ali Safina is living. A most squirming, leech-like, but street-smart devil, his role has various shades. With high ambitions of entering the life of a widow, and really settling into the family, the hanger-on wants to benefit from the adventure big time.

But, panic sets in, when the fellow, while indulged in his street games, forgets about his responsibility, and leaves the baby to die on the sidewalk. At that moment, Safina’s roop deserts his bravado, and he starts to go into hysteria. Brilliant acting. And if he hasn’t studied Ali Ejaz in PTV’s Dubai Chalo, he is truly gifted. The moment I saw him in that get-up, my mind raced to Ali Ejaz. That same moustache, that same mentality, those same eyes. But, wah wah, great performance, Safina!