He is one of the best playwrights in the country, but what sets Vasay Chaudhry apart from his contemporaries is his…
OMAIR ALAVI UPDATED 26 JUL, 2021 02:02PM
He is one of the best playwrights in the country, but what sets Vasay Chaudhry apart from his contemporaries is his ability to act, and look dumb at the same time. Through debutant director Musaddiq Malek’s Absolutely Knot, the actor/writer returns to TV and steals the show. His co-stars Kubra Khan, Waseem Abbas, Saba Faisal, Shamim Hilaly and Hina Bayat also shine in the low-budget comedy that made our Eid highly entertaining.
Who is ‘Directed by Musaddiq Malek?’
Before you move ahead, one must know about Musaddiq Malek who proved to be the only visible link between last year’s two biggest hits, Mere Paas Tum Ho and Alif. He was the young man who slapped Humayun Saeed’s Danish hard and was lauded for standing his ground in front of the senior actor. In reality, he was there learning the ropes as an assistant to director Nadeem Baig, and is now an integral part of Six Sigma Plus. He didn’t act in this drama but executed Vasay Chaudhry’s script in an excellent manner, and proves his worth as one for the future.
What is Absolutely Knot and why it shouldn’t be missed!
Absolutely Knot revolves around two cousins Haseen and Hania (Vasay Chaudhry and Kubra Khan) and while the former’s name is ‘Haseen’, the latter is. Even then they are both single and not ready to mingle with each other. Enter Charlie (Haseen’s girlfriend in Australia) and Wahab (Hania’s beau in Karachi), and the two cousins unite to end their engagement, only to escalate the marriage. With a dramatic grandmother, a hitler father, a non-Urdu speaking mother and a single mom completing the family, the engaged folks’ plans fell flat, and the last resort left is Haseen’s escape to Australia. What happens next involves a police mobile, a deserting friend and a climax that will make you want to be part of the crazy family, willingly!
Was Vasay Chaudhry’s return to acting as big as a nexus event?
The last time Vasay Chaudhry appeared in a TV drama was five years back when he played Hamza Ali Abbasi’s friend in Mann Mayal. He admitted to doing that role to share the screen with legendary actor Talat Hussain but since then he has been busy writing (and acting in) films, hosting Mazaq Raat on Dunya TV and conducting Ghabrana Nahi Hai on ARY Digital. His witty scripts and situational comedy were being missed on TV, and this Eid he decided to grace the screen for those audiences who missed his brand of comedy. With Absolutely Not, he proved that if the script is witty, the puns are well-intended and the actors understand their characters, it will end up as something to cherish for a long time.
What’s his brand of comedy, and what makes Vasay Chaudhry stand out?
First of all, the talented writer/actor doesn’t look like our traditional heroes, and that’s what makes his hero look different. The way he uses dead-pan face for delivering puns, makes fun of his friends, peers and colleagues in his script, inserts politicians and political analogies smartly and develops characters is what makes ‘written by Vasay Chaudhry’ different and acceptable. For those who understand humor, his plays are nothing short of special and that’s why one must ‘knot’ miss this telefilm, at any cost. His Abhi Tu Main Jawan Hoon remains one of my personal favorites, and his use of ‘Michael or David Hussey’ in a dialogue was something only he can come up with!
Is Absolutely Knot really what the doctor ordered this Eid?
Absolutely Knot is exactly what the doctor ordered this Eid – in fact it should have been aired on the first Day for the rest of the stuff on TV falls flat in comparison. The choice of Waseem Abbas as the loud and retired cop, the inappropriate name for his ‘Haseen’ character, the friend (Fahim Khan) who was shit scared of his wife, the struggling actor (Asad Siddiqui) with wrong priorities, the Tik Tok loving friend (Rabya Kulsoom Rehan), and the teaming up for four beautiful ladies (Kubra Khan, Saba Faisal, Hina Bayat, Shamim Hilaly) was nothing short of a masterstroke. Add to that a script that was both hilarious and full of pop culture references, and you have a telefilm that is gold, any time of the year!
