Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha

Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha is a 2022 Pakistani romantic drama television series, written by Sidra Seher Imran and directed by Badar Mehmood. Produced by Fahad Mustafa and Dr. Ali Kazmi under the banner Big Bang Entertainment, it aired from 12 December 2022 to 31 July 2023. It stars Wahaj Ali, Hania Aamir and Zaviyar Nauman Ijaz with Rabya Kulsoom, Salma Hassan, Shaheen Khan and Angeline Malik.

The story of love, trust and betrayal which revolves around main characters, Saad, Maheer and Areeb. The series met with mixed to negative reviews from the critics. Despite this, it has gained popularity in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

Plot
Maheer (Hania Aamir) is a very carefree girl, living with her family, which consists of her parents Azhar (Shahood Alvi) and Rafia (Salma Hassan), her uncle Sarwar (Noor ul Hassan) and aunt Aneesa (Shaheen Khan), her cousins Saad (Wahaj Ali) and Neelo (Rabya Kulsoom). Saad has always been in love with Maheer, which only Neelo knows about. Azhar and Sarwar had agreed many years ago that Maheer and Saad would be married but there were no formal engagement.

Maheer goes to her friend Anabia's engagement, where she meets Anabia's friend Areeb (Zaviyar Nauman Ijaz), who falls in love with her. Saad becomes suspicious of him after meeting him. Rafia tells Azhar she wants Maheer to live a luxurious life with a rich and fancy husband, which Azhar isn't happy about.

After meeting Areeb a few more times and after him proposing to her, Maheer starts to develop feelings for Areeb. Sarwar is then forced by Neelo to talk to Azhar about finalizing Saad and Maheer's marriage. Azhar agrees, but Maheer is mad about this, which Saad notices. Maheer tells Saad that she thinks of him as her best friend and that she likes Areeb. Saad promises that she will get what she wants, so Saad tells Azhar he doesn't want to marry Maheer, resulting in Azhar kicking him out and Sarwar slapping him.

Areeb arrives with his mother Beenish (Angeline Malik), but she leaves after seeing Maheer's cramped house and her style. Areeb then points a gun to himself in front of his parents for them to make a decision, so Beenish forcefully fixes Maheer and Areeb's marriage. But on the wedding day, Areeb's father Rehan (Javed Sheikh) suffers a heart attack, resulting in admitting him to the hospital. After trying to contact Areeb, Azhar is called by Beenish, who lies to him that Areeb never loved Maheer and she insults Maheer's whole family. Maheer is heartbroken after this. Sarwar then decides to put Saad in Areeb's place as the groom.

Maheer says yes to her marriage with Saad in sadness, forcing Saad to say yes as well to the marriage, but Saad says the rukhsati won't happen yet and he leaves. When Areeb arrives, Sarwar and Azhar kick him out, and Beenish calls Areeb to tell him that Rehan has passed away, leaving Areeb distraught and in guilt. It is revealed that Rafia told Saad to say no to his and Maheer's marriage. Saad and Maheer are trying to adjust to their married life but Neelo tells her parents that Saad has always loved Maheer and Maheer knew Areeb and loved him before their marriage was finalized, which makes Sarwar go to Azhar and he yells at Rafia, asking her why she put all the blame on Saad. Maheer also confronts her mother about this, saying that it was never Saad's fault and she wasn't capable of Areeb's love and trust.

Areeb tries his best to win Maheer back. He forcefully tries to talk to Maheer but she ignores him. Areeb gets shot while confronting some gang members that stole and ran off with Maheers purse and Saad is arrested as Areeb's self-proclaimed fiancée Faha blames Maheer for Areeb's condition and tells police Saad shot Areeb. Saad is eventually released from jail when Areeb clarifies that it was the gang members that shot him and not Saad.

Due to Saad’s arrest Neelo’s finances family break off the engagement and Saad loses his job. Sarwar dies from a heart attack hearing about the broken engagement. Neelo blames Maheer for it and screams at her during the funeral before collapsing.

Saad asks Maheer to stay with her mum and dad for a few days until things cool down. Maheer then decides to go stay with her cousin Anabiya for a few days. During this time Maheer sees Saad with another girl and feels insecure about it and Anabiya claims he is cheating. But the girl Saad was with is his cousin that was helping him deal with a loan his father took out without telling anyone that comes to light after his death. She helps him get more time from the bank to repay it and avoid losing the house. Maheer finds out about the financial difficulties and comes home and tries to support Saad. Saad eventually finds another job.

Areeb then tries to harass Saad at his workplace and then arrives at Maheer’s house with divorce papers telling her to sign them and attempting to drag her with him. She slaps him and tells him that she will not leave Saad.

Aneesa and Neelo turn on Maheer and accuse her of still having a relationship with Areeb. Aneesa tells Saad to divorce her and he refuses. Saad and Mareeb give their marraige a chance and start spending time together as a married couple.

Areeb starts hating Maheer for betraying him and starts a campaign of harassment against her. He pays a couple of guys to crash into the back of Saad’s car and throw ink on Neelo. He goes one step further and has Neelo kidnapped and driven around the city for hours before being left in an unfamiliar place.

Aneesa turns against Maheer further and keeps telling Saad to leave her which he refuses to do. Things take a dark turn when Faha with the help of Areeb drug Saad and make it look like he tried to assault her. Saad is arrested and Maheer tries to get him released while Areeb taunts her.

Aneesa throws Maheer out of the house accusing her of ruining Saad’s life and Rafia and Aneesa get into a screaming match. The police starve and beat Saad.

Neelo brings Maheer back home and she finds Saad’s diary and realises the extent of his feelings for her. Maheer is eventually allowed to see Saad and is upset seeing him beaten.

Maheer calls Areeb and agrees to his demands so he leaves the wedding without telling anyone to meet her. He tells Maheer to marry him first and that he will then release Saad. Maheer tells him that he has to release Saad first and she will then divorce him and then marry Areeb. He agrees and arranged for Saad to be released.

Areeb let’s his mum know that the wedding is off and takes Maheer home to get a divorce. Faha is told that Areeb does not want to marry her and the wedding is off. Areeb’s mum tries to do damage control to save their self-respect. Areeb keeps trying to phone Maheer while waiting outside the house but she does not answer his calls. He storms into the house and says to her he has been waiting for her. Maheer reveals that she never intended to leave Saad and lied to him. She reminds him that he told her all is fair in love and war.

She tells him that the difference between him and Saad is that Saad always loved her regardless of the situation whereas Areeb just wanted to attain her. Areeb tries to grab her hand to drag her away and Saad stops him and warns him to keep away from them.

Areeb returns home where Faha has a breakdown due to being left at the alter and humiliated. She reveals to both their mothers that she lied about Saad assaulting her on Areeb’s say so and they arranged it all. Areeb is not bothered about her heartbreak and when she threatens him he tells her to do her worst. Areeb phones the police and tells them to arrest Saad again and is told that is not possible as the case is withdrawn. Faha and her mum leave the house.

Aneesa apologises to Maheer for the way she treated her in anger. Maheer asks her not to apologise because she is like her daughter.

Beenish has a heart to heart with Areeb and tells him that as a mother she did not raise him right and that she should have let him shoot himself that day he demanded they let him marry Maheer. She tells him that he did wrong by both Maheer and Faha and made accusations against an innocent like Saad.

Areeb acknowledges that he has done wrong by Maheer and that it was the result of his mothers upbringing. The police arrive and arrest Areeb for the rape of Faha. Areeb pleads with his mother that he did not touch Faha and that she is lying. Beenish refuses to believe him and slaps and berates him.

Areeb tells her that he should be punished for playing with the emotions of others and allows the police to arrest him leaving behind his distraught mother.

Rafia comes and clears the air with Maheer and apologises to Saad for the way she acted towards him.

The series end with Maheer and Saad sitting together enjoying tea while Maheer teases Saad that he has only ever complimented her in his diary and not in person.

Main

 * Wahaj Ali as Saad Hussain - Sarwar and Aneesa's son; Neelo's brother; Maheer's husband
 * Hania Aamir as Maheer Saad Hussain - Azhar and Rafia's daughter; Saad's wife
 * Zaviyar Nauman Ijaz as Areeb Rehan - Rehan and Beenish's son; Maheer and Faha's ex fiancé

Recurring

 * Noor ul Hassan as Sarwar Hussain - Azhar's elder brother; Aneesa's husband; Saad and Neelo's father
 * Shaheen Khan as Aneesa Sarwar Hussain - Sarwar's wife; Saad and Neelo's mother
 * Shahood Alvi as Azhar Hussain - Sarwar's younger brother; Rafia's husband; Maheer's father
 * Salma Hassan as Rafia Azhar Hussain - Azhar's wife; Maheer's mother
 * Rabya Kulsoom as Neelo Hussain - Sarwar and Aneesa's daughter; Saad's sister
 * Angeline Malik as Beenish Rehan - Rehan's wife; Areeb's mother
 * Washma Fatima as Faha - Areeb's cousin and ex fianceé
 * Sabeena Syed as Anabia - Amna's daughter; Maheer's cousin
 * Abduallah Khan as Faris - Anabia's husband; Amna's son-in-law
 * Javed Sheikh as Rehan - Beenish's husband; Areeb's father
 * Ayesha Mirza as Hiba - Maheer and Saad's friend
 * Ambar Khan as Amna - Rafia's sister; Anabia's Mother

Production
Initially the series was titled "Rasam-e-Dil" and launched with the current title "Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha", based on the lyrics of the song "Kahani Suno" by Kaifi Khalil, who also sang the OST. The series marked Aamir and Ijaz's second on-screen appearance after Sang-e-Mah.

Soundtrack
The Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha title song is composed, written and sung by Kaifi Khalil. It is an updated version of his popular song "Kahani Suno", adapted for the series.

Reception
The serial received highly negative reviews for its direction, storyline and performances mainly; Aamir and Naumaan's acting was panned by critics. Nevertheless, It managed to high ratings during its television slot and digitally on YouTube and against expectations trending in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.