Qatil Haseenaon Ka Naam review: After Churails, Zee5's new series from Pakistan comes with a lot of expectation. Churails' take on feminism, patriarchy found a lot of takers and Zee Zindagi garnered rich praises for giving it a platform. QHKN approaches similar themes but this time, indulgence with the plot becomes a spoilsport. OTT Releases of the Week: Raveena Tandon’s Aranyak on Netflix, Sushmita Sen’s Aarya Season 2 on Disney+ Hotstar, Steven Strait’s The Expanse Season 6 on Amazon Prime Video and More.

Qatil Haseenaon Ka Naam is a series about seven women who don't 'kneel but kill'. As the name suggests, all the women decide to end a few lives. While every episode talks about different women and their kills, there's a common thread in the form of Maji (Samiya Mumtaz). The latter is hiding a murder involving her influential husband Najji Shah (Saleem Mairaj). There's Kanwal (Faiza Gilani) with a license to kill, Zuvi (Sanam Saeed) with big dreams and a gay husband and more.

Meena Gaur and Farjad Nabi's story telling is soft, delicate and yet sinister. Every episode we are introduced to a new character and the situations that warrant the killing. Don't get it wrong, it's no Saat Khoon Maaf where Priyanka Chopra's character decides kill her husband instead of getting out of those marriages. Here, they are neatly written and interestingly executed. It maintains a softer tint but with harsher elements on display giving it a sense that while women are assumed to be soft, they can be equally deadly if need arises.

But despite the flourish and presentation, much of the storyline seems disjointed. Many scenes aren't explained properly. Some of them are just included for impact for example the one with Massey Maa where she is shown getting sucked into a gutter. Yes, that's a nightmare but it isn't explained. You have to do a lot of assumptions. The fifth episode leaves you utterly confused. Even an entire sequence involving Najji Shah from the first episode becomes completely redundant in the last episode and the writers didn't care to offer any explanation.

One other aspect that mires the experience is the momentum. Its leisurely pace doesn't aide the visuals in any manner. It's a story about killings and yet the slow-burner pace makes you restless. In fact, sometimes you feel compelled to hit the forward button. The lethargic music doesn't help the cause either.

Watch Qatil Haseenaon Ka Naam trailer

Performances definitely will be counted as a plus. With some of the popular Pakistani TV show faces in the episodes, Qatil Haseenaon Ka Naam is a star-studded affair. Sanam Saeed as Zuvi is simply fantastic. Her transition from a dim-witted wife of a rich industrialist to a partner in crime has been beautifully portrayed. She is unapologetically cunning and we love that. The other ladies are equally effective and fine. Men do their part well but as is perhaps intended, you only remember the women! Zindagi Gulzar Hai Fame Pakistani Actress Sanam Saeed Expresses Her Desire to Work With Aamir Khan.

Yay!

-fine performances

-good setting

-impressive stories

Nay!

-disjointed execution

-unexplained twists

-over indulgence with characters and theme

-extremely lazy execution

Final Thought

Qatil Haseenaon Ka Naam is no Churails in terms of story telling or execution but it does have some interesting stories of women power. If you can ignore the flaws and pace, a lazy Saturday afternoon binge will not be a bad idea at all. Qatil Haseenaon Ka Naam streams on Zee5.

Rating:2.5

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 10, 2021 07:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).