# Maat (TV series)

Maat (Urdu: مات, lit. 'Defeat') is a Pakistani television series broadcast on Hum TV, premiered on 9 September 2011. The series is based on an Urdu novel of the same name by Umera Ahmad. It stars Saba Qamar and Aamina Sheikh as the contrasting sisters who take divergent paths driven by their choices and actions. The last episode of the series was telecasted on 24 February 2012.
Maat garnered mixed critical response, with praise for the leads' performances, but criticism for lacking nuance. The series earned numerous award nominations, including four at the 12th Lux Style Awards and five at the 1st Hum Awards, where it won Best Writer.

## Plot

Saman and Aiman are sisters who belong to a lower-middle-class family. Aiman, the elder sister is kind, polite, and deeply respects her elders; Saman, who is younger than Aiman, is overambitious and believes she can give maat (defeat) to anyone at any time. Their cousin Faisal becomes enchanted with Saman's beauty. Despite his engagement to Aiman, he proposes to Saman. She refuses, but his improving financial status changes her mind.
The marriage is uneasy due to Saman's demanding nature, but the couple have a son, whom they name Hadeed. Saman can barely handle her child, so Aiman takes on the role of caretaker. Saman begins an affair with Faisal's business partner, Azar, who is richer than her husband. After an incident where Saman's attitude towards her mother-in-law leads Faisal to slap her, Saman files for divorce.
Around the same time, Azar breaks his partnership with Faisal. Leaving her family heartbroken, Saman enjoys her wealthy life with her new husband. Meanwhile, Aiman's mother and aunt decide to get Faisal and Aiman married so that Hadeed will have a maternal figure in his life.
Twenty-five years later, Faisal has established a new factory and has become a wealthy and successful businessman. Hadid has now grown up to be a successful 27-year-old bachelor. Unknown to Aiman, Faisal has again begun an affair with Saman after Azar's death. Faisal decides to end his marriage to Aiman and offers her an apartment and monthly retainer so she won't need anything financially. He also lies to Aiman about Hadeed wanting Saman back which causes a heartbroken Aiman to leave. Saman remarries Faisal. Hadid discovers that Aiman has left and that Saman only returned because Azar has died. He is outraged and accuses Saman of only returning because her former life is gone. He disowns her as well as his father for there selfishness. Hadeed later finds Aiman and brings her to his home. She is resistant at first, but she realizes her adopted son was never at fault, and his refusal to be a part of Faisal's plan is what delayed it for so long.
Four years later, Hadid has a wife and son with Aiman living with them. She receives a call from Saman, who apologizes on her and Faisal's behalf, having grown tired of their isolation. Aiman forgives them but reminds Saman their misery was of her own making. With this, she hangs up, happy with the knowledge she finally gave maat to Saman, after all.

## Cast

* Aamina Sheikh as Aiman
* Saba Qamar as Saman
* Adnan Siddiqui as Faisal
* Noor Hassan Rizvi as Hadeed
* Shamim Hilaly as Faisal's mother
* Rabia Noreen as Afia
* Asad Malik as Aazar
* Samina Ahmad as servant
* Maheen Rizvi as Shaila
* Sadia Ghaffar as Munazzah

## Production

Aamina Sheikh shared her insights on playing Aiman, initially finding the character unrealistic and feeling trapped as a submissive self-sacrificing sister. However, viewers feedback made her realize the importance of portraying Aiman's complex story.
During the filming of the series, Saba Qamar briefly left the set after a disagreement with the director, but returned on Adnan Siddiqui's intervention, ensuring production continued smoothly.

## Broadcast and release

Maat originally aired on Hum TV in 2011.
It later premiered in the UK and Ireland on Colors Rishtey in August 2013. The show debuted in India on Zindagi on July 19, 2014, replacing Zindagi Gulzar Hai.
Maat is available to stream on MX Player, and since mid-2020, also on ZEE5 and Hum TV's official YouTube channel.

## Reception
### Critical reception

Eefa Khalid of Dawn praised the series, noting that the dialogues are "full of impact" and the performances by Sheikh and Qamar are "excellent".
A reviewer from the Bollywood Life praised Saman's character, the mother's personality, and Aiman's potential, however, the pacing, moral posturing and overdramatic moments were critiqued.
In a mixed review published in The Caravan, the reviewer criticised the series for lacking nuance and sophistication, presenting characters in a simplistic and unambiguous manner, and relying on conventional storytelling, but praised the fascinating, albeit flawed, characters.

### Accolades

| Year | Awards | Category | Recipient(s)/ nominee(s) | Result |
| 2013 | Lux Style Awards | Best Television Play - Satellite | Maat | Nominated |
| 2013 | Lux Style Awards | Best Television Actress - Satellite | Saba Qamar | Nominated |
| 2013 | Lux Style Awards | Best Television Director | Amna Nawaz Khan | Nominated |
| 2013 | Lux Style Awards | Best Television Writer | Umera Ahmad | Nominated |
| 2012 | Pakistan Media Awards | Best Drama Serial | Maat | Nominated |
| 2012 | Pakistan Media Awards | Best Drama Director | Amna Nawaz Khan | Nominated |
| 2012 | Pakistan Media Awards | Best Drama Actor | Adnan Siddiqui | Nominated |
| 2012 | Pakistan Media Awards | Best Drama Actress | Aamina Sheikh | Nominated |
| 2012 | Pakistan Media Awards | Best Drama Supporting Actor | Asad Malik | Nominated |
| 2012 | Pakistan Media Awards | Best Drama Supporting Actress | Saba Qamar | Nominated |
| 2013 | Hum Awards | Best Drama Serial | Maat | Nominated |
| 2013 | Hum Awards | Best Director | Amna Nawaz Khan | Nominated |
| 2013 | Hum Awards | Best Actress | Saba Qamar | Nominated |
| 2013 | Hum Awards | Best Actress | Aamina Sheikh | Nominated |
| 2013 | Hum Awards | Best Writer | Umera Ahmed | Won |
| 2013 | Hum Awards | Best Original Soundtrack | Muhammad Ali | Nominated |