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While the past two episodes have shown Fouzia’s struggle in the city, episode 13 picked up the pace and showed us the side of Fouzia (or should we say Qandeel?) we saw on social media and television.

Fauzia is shown under the wing of her friend and mentor, played superbly by Khalid Malik, who is providing her with emotional support as well as giving her shelter in his home along with reality checks from time to time. While she is still evidently disturbed by her husband’s second marriage, and the fact that he gave their child away, she is still as determined as ever to follow her dream. To get there, Fauzia takes up a job as a bus stewardess where she expertly ignores crass comments by the kind of men she has now gotten used to.

Also read: “My voice was a challenge for my role in Baaghi”


The episode takes a new turn when Fauzia sees an ad for a reality show and decides to audition. This is where we see the Qandeel we were accustomed to; with her fitted clothes, made up face and fake accent done to perfection. This new Fauzia/Kanwal is competitive, bold and up for a fight – literally. She picks a physical fight with a fellow contestant and gains herself a ticket into the show, no doubt to get the show high ratings with her dramatic side, where she starts creating a fake identity for herself.

According to Kanwal Baloch, she is from America, her father is a pilot, her mother is a doctor and she listens to only English music. This is Kanwal trying to fit in, as well as stand out in the way she knows best: by being someone else. We have seen Fauzia transition into Kanwal over time, and we’re wondering if this girl we see will ever go back to being herself. There seem to be a lot of twists and turns coming up in the next episode, along with more of Saba Qamar’s brilliant portrayal of emotions.

Mariam Tahir

The author is Assistant Editor at Something Haute, plus a fashion student who loves reading, traveling, eating and sleeping but manages to find time in between to write.