Directed by Badar Mehmood with Ayeza Khan and Wahaj Ali playing the lead roles, Mein quickly earned viewers’ attention when it aired. Spanning 32 episodes, this romantic drama became one of the top shows in 2023 due to its distinct portrayal of self-discovery through layered characters.
The love entanglement involving Ayeza, Wahaj, and Azekah drew attention, as many hoped to see the lead pair end up together. This drama presents the story of Zaid and Mubashira, two individuals from wealthy backgrounds.
Zaid’s loyalty is tested by love, power, and betrayal (Photo: Mein/Minerva)Their destinies become connected after they’re forced into marriage when both are heartbroken by the ones they initially loved. Early parts of the story focus on the separate paths Zaid and Mubashira follow. Although their approaches to life and society are quite different, both of them value their identity and independence.
Zaid remains committed to Ayra despite the wide class divide between them, while Mubashira is shown as proud and dismissive, constantly belittling her husband. On their third wedding anniversary, Mubashira gets served a divorce notice instead of a celebration, which leaves her deeply offended.
Humiliated, she lashes out and challenges her father to quickly find another husband for her. Things take a darker turn for Zaid when his morally corrupt, wealthy father intervenes in his love life. The man manipulates Ayra’s only brother, who is also a father figure, to break the couple apart.
Through a twist engineered by their respective fathers, who are close friends, Zaid and Mubashira, alongside their siblings, end up marrying each other. With multiple unexpected developments, the drama also sheds light on themes like envy, addiction, the hunger for control, strained sibling bonds, and moral decay.
As Zaid later marries Ayra as his second wife, he finds himself torn between managing both marriages. His father, however, continues his schemes against Ayra, even threatening her brother, leading to the brother’s tragic death.
Mein ending
An unorthodox and open-ended conclusion is presented in the final episode, leaving viewers to decide whether they accept the outcome or choose to imagine what could have been. In episode 32, Zaid erupts in anger as he confronts his father, accusing him of the cruel treatment Ayra endured, all driven by pride and deceit.
He arrives at the house with police officers, leading to the arrest of Mubashira’s brother, who had also committed crimes under the father’s influence. At the same time, Zaid uncovers the truth that his father detained and abused Ayra and her family while he was away.
He doesn’t spare Mubashira either, blaming her selfishness and questionable behaviour for the damage done to their relationship. That last episode echoes the drama’s main idea—a deep reflection on the human self. Zaid, after discovering his father’s role in creating conflict between him and Ayra, ends up alone.
Though he was married to two women, the closing scene shows him alone on a cruise, thinking about the battle between the inner self and ego. He comes to realise how that thin line between valuing personal dignity and feeding one’s ego can destroy many lives.
Ayra also allows her pride to dominate and rejects Zaid, refusing to forgive him for his inability to shield her from pain. She asks him to leave her alone. Mubashira, having learned what love and sacrifice mean, comes to this understanding too late to salvage their marriage.
Ego vs self
Among all the characters, Mubashira undergoes the most growth, evolving from a selfish and arrogant woman into someone more sincere and capable of love once she develops genuine feelings for Zaid. At the same time, Zaid’s father, Asif, experiences his change.
Left isolated, he tries to reach out by inviting one of the house staff to share a meal with him, speaking to him kindly—something previously out of character. His grand home becomes empty, with both his children choosing to abandon him, rejecting his authority and wealth.
Their decision to walk away shows how deeply his actions affected them and how he ended up losing them both.
