‘Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam’ is like a poetry with underlying existential philosophy backed by extremely strong aesthetics and technical elements

I’ve been looking forward to the release of Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam (QHKN) since it’s teaser launch. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, watch the trailer for a glimpse of this enthralling show!

QHKN opens with two woman chopping off the some fresh meat with a butcher knife. Their hands covered in blood and eyes numb on a chilly winter morning.

We soon discover that there’s a murder taken place at the residence of Mai Ji (played by Samiya Mumtaz), who is scheming to discard the dead body of Zehra (played by Eman Suleman) – the second of Mai’s husband.

What follows is a six-part anthology observing the lives of women coping and challenging the status quo. It starts with the story of Mehak (Sarwat Gilani) who is betrayed in love, a hopeless romantic Kanwal (Faiza Gillani), a fiercely ambitious artist Zuvi (Sanam Mody Saeed), an eccentric woman Massey Ma (Beo Raana Zafar) who is determined to fight for justice (my favorite character), forbidden love story of Zehra (Eman Suleman), and deprived vengeful women Mai Malki and Anarkali (Samiya Mumtaz & Mehar Bano).

The series is set in a mythical world, perhaps somewhere in Pakistan, which binds all the women and their journeys together. The melancholic lanes and haveli, the gloomy village, and morbid behavior help develop the tone with eery vibes and a hint of horror.

The ambiguity of the location and time period of when the stories take place makes it a captivating watch, where you surrender to the creator’s imagination.

A element that shines throughout and pushes the narrative forward is the powerful music.

Top notch background score by Saad Hayat and outstanding sound designing by Aravind Vijayakumar not only complement that stories, but also builds the characters through poetry. All the songs deserve a stand-alone playlist.

Director of Photography by Mo Azmi is commendable giving a distinguished personality and mood to each story supported by lighting, shots and colors. No two stories in the anthology have the same visual tone, which works like a charm in effortlessly allowing the viewer to shift their attention with each passing episode.

For example, Mai Ji’s narration had a more grey chilly tones signifying the looming horror and suspense, while Mehak’s tale had softer feminine tones perhaps to imply how she yearned for true love and saw everything through her rose-colored lenses.

Another subtle and quirky gem that I thoroughly enjoyed was the introduction to Anarkali’s story. I won’t more at the risk of giving away spoilers but it’s the first thought that comes to mind when you hear the name.

A genius approach to highlight the age-old oppression of women.

Makers Meenu Gaur and Farjad Nabi have done a fabulous job with the casting. It goes without saying that QHKN rests on a strong group of actors who are capable of bringing to life the most complex of characters. Which is true for this series as well, but the script fails them.

If you find yourself reaching for the remote to fast forward or quit after the first or second episode, it’s understandable.

The opening sequence is so captivating and engaging that it instantly hooks you, only to leave you disappointed with an abrupt shift into a new story – which is painfully uninspired. This is followed by another half-baked story about a “woman’s courage,” used superficially for desired effect that the genre demands.

Apart from the story of Massey Ma, and the intertwined lives of Mai Ji and Zehra, none of the stories lived up to the drama and conflicts they assert. Much of it felt quite unconvincing and forced to simply honor the title of the show, i.e. Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam … Qatil being the operative word.

Having said that, the narratives progressively get more complex and thought-provoking with each episode.

Final Verdict.

QHKN is a desi noir that works like poetry with underlying existential philosophy woven with a sense of despair, angst, and a desire for freedom. The series is backed by extremely strong aesthetics and technical element which make it thrilling watch.

The only drawback is the plot itself – the filmmaking and storytelling are far superior than the stories themselves.

Popcorn Rating: [3/5]

Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam is now streaming on ZEE5.

Check out our discussion on the series on POPcast: