If you don’t have it, fake it. That is what our hero Sohail (Bilal Abbas Khan) believes in. Having been thrust into being the sole bread earner of the house in his mid-teens, he has to look after two sisters and a hassled mother. He takes it all in but has to let go of any dreams and aspirations. He sees that as an essential bargain.

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Ek Jhoothi Love Story Starring Bilal Abbas Khan & Syeda Madiha Imam

Video Credits: ZEE5

But Sohail is struggling with the idea of not breaking free of the shackles that society and his financial situation have put him in. He wants to be someone else but can’t. So, he creates an online persona to be the person he cannot afford to be in real life. Encircled by similar problems, Salma (Madiha Imam) goes through the same cycle. This is what Mehreen Jabbar’s “Ek Jhooti Love Story” is about.

Essentially, it is a social drama filled with subplots leading to situational comedy. What holds it together is the excellence of the lead cast. Especially Bilal Abbas Khan is able to let go of any vanity to be a computer mechanic (in his own words). Yes, he still looks a million dollars (by no fault of his own), but it’s the look of a 20 something old navigating through life in Karachi and not a superstar. Due to his situation, the insecurities and vulnerabilities of someone who was held back in life are evident in his persona.

The thing that stood out most was how differently he behaved in his different roles. As a son, he was supportive. As an elder brother, he was confident and affectionate. But confronted by the past via a childhood friend, he becomes all twitchy and edgy. The wound is still fresh, and he tries to fill it with lies and projection.

Ek Jhooti Love Story is about how Sohail and Salma come around to be comfortable in their own skins. But the reality portrayed in a social media crazed world would certainly hit home for many. Partly due to the story and dialogues and also due to the acting prowess of Bilal Abbas Khan. He doesn’t have it, but Sohail fakes it till you start believing him.