Uncle Urfi was a Pakistan Television Corporation serial drama which first aired in 1972. It had such a powerful appeal for viewers of all age groups that it turned into an instant hit. The 26-episode (each with a run-time of 30 minutes) serial was telecast once a week by Pakistan Television Corporation. Written by Hasina Moin and directed by Mohsin Ali and Shirin Vaqar Azim. The lead role was played by Shakeel as Uncle Urfi — a Pakistani expatriate in Canada who returns to Pakistan — and the character of Beena, the heroine, was performed by Shahla Ahmad. The supporting character of Hasnat, played by Jamshed Ansari, with his penknife, soon was the talk of the town and echoes of which could be heard even today. In fact, the whole serial was supported by a strong talented cast. All in all, good acting, powerful script and skilled direction helped accomplish one of the most celebrated productions of PTV.

Synopsis

As the story goes, Shakeel, who is smartly dubbed as Uncle Urfi, takes interest in Beena. In reality, Uncle Urfi wishes to make Beena happy. Logically, Urfi should have taken Beena into confidence before doing her a favor. Instead, he kept her in the dark. The final moments of the last episode are fraught with pain and pathos. Urfi tells Beena with certitude, hamari shadi hogi to sara zamana deikhey ga. To which poor Beena replies, kuchh shadiyaan dil kay weerano mein bhi to ho jaati hain, sirif khuda gawah hota hai. The emotionally charged conclusion of Uncle Urfi, was so unexpected that literally nobody was prepared for it. Indeed, Haseena Moin had instilled so much despair in its dialogues that thirty-two years later in 2004, it still stands as a classic in its bittersweet illustration of the unbreakable bond of family.

Cast