Every year there are dramas the viewers have huge expectations from because they are promoted as the next big thing. Not only this, some of the names attached to these dramas have a great deal of credibility as well. Yet, even such dramas fail to deliver because many times commercialism takes over everything else. It is a proven fact by now that there are certain done-to-death scenarios and some tactics which the production houses use to garner ratings. The reason for this is obvious; writing and executing dramas such as Parizaad, which get both ratings and critical acclaim, takes time and tons of effort.

Since the channels have to continue airing dramas every single day of the week in different time slots, they are not willing to invest all that in every single project. That is why they use shortcuts. These shortcuts usually include a star cast, great visuals, best get-ups, sensationalizing serious issues, creating controversy, showing women as victims, toxic male characters, and of course promoting these dramas to the maximum. The most important aspect missing from such dramas is quality content which is definitely the king! Such dramas can easily be termed as the worst even when they get the required rating and attention, which is the ultimate goal.

Here is a list of the worst dramas of 2021:

The list is in Alphabetical order.

Badzaat

Writer: Misbah Nosheen
Director: Siraj ul Haq
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Har Pal Geo
Cast: Urwa Hocane, Imran Ashraf, Ali Abbas, Danial Afzal Khan, Zoya Nasir, Saba Faisal, Mehmood Aslam, Nida Mumtaz, Zainab Qayyum and others.

If there is one label that can describe Badzaat in simple words, it would be ‘toxicity personified’. From rape to domestic abuse to blackmail to drugs to gun violence, there was nothing that was not included in the drama serial Badzaat. It was unfortunate that the fans who loved the pairing of Urwa Hocane & Imran Ashraf in Mushk were left disappointed when they got to see Badzaat. The writer did her best to give drama viewers a hero in the form of Wali’s character but the baggage that he came with was overbearing, taking it away from his character which was supposedly the focal point of the entire story.

It just did not end there because Bia’s self-inflicted misery only because she did not have a voice was quite frustrating to see. Daniyal kept winning against Bia & Wali every step of the way but in the end, he didn’t even pay the price for the atrocities that he committed. It was also quite unfortunate that no one ever found out how Daniyal raped Bia because Bia chose to stay silent till the end. Badzaat’s production value was grand just like any other Geo drama but sadly, the storyline, characters & situations were full of cringe & toxicity that easily make it one of the worst dramas of 2022.

Badshah Begum

Writer: Saji Gul
Director: Khizer Idrees
Producer: MD Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Zara Noor Abbas, Farhan Saeed, Ali Rehman Khan, Yasir Hussain, Shahzad Nawaz, Komal Meer, Saman Ansari, Hamza Sohail, Abul Hassan, and others.

Badshah Begum is an opportunity wasted in a nutshell. The writer Saji Gul definitely came up with a fresh & unique idea but the essence of it was most certainly lost during its execution. Khizer Idrees impressed the drama viewers with his directorial debut Laapata but it seems he failed to understand that every script requires a different treatment. While watching Badshah Begum, it can easily be seen that the director’s focus was purely on the visuals & he couldn’t care less whether the story was making sense or not. Right from the beginning, the way the concept of Badshah Begum & every tiny detail surrounding this title was elaborated, it attracted a lot of criticism because none of it actually made sense. Some of the actors did the best they could to salvage this drama but on the whole, it failed to keep the audience hooked. There have been far too many issues with the execution as well as the story has fallen flat in many instances.

Zara Noor Abbas has tried her best but she has not been able to create the aura suiting the title of Badshah Begum. There have been so many situations that defied logic & basic common sense in Badshah Begum & even if it’s a drama, there has to be a tiny fraction of realism or relatability to it to keep the viewers engaged. Badshah Begum is the kind of drama that has tested the patience of the viewers every step of the way, making it suitable for this list.

Ishq e Laa

Writer: Qaisera Hayat
Director: Amin Iqbal
Producer: Momina Duraid
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Sajal Aly, Azaan Sami Khan, Yumna Zaidi, Arsalan Asad Butt, Adnan Samad Khan, Uzma Hassan, Sohail Sameer, Seemi Raheel, Ahmed Taha Ghani, Laila Wasti, Usman Peerzada, Ghazla Kaif and others.

Ishq e Laa had a star-studded cast, the visuals were impressive and even the idea behind the script was one that could have been executed in an appealing manner. Unfortunately, the characterizations proved to be the biggest disappointment, Azaan Sami Khan’s performance literally tested the patience of the viewers and for the most part, the drama was slow, sad, repetitive, and poorly edited. There was a lack of clarity therefore we were left wondering about a lot of things by the end of every single episode. Shanaya’s bold stance was not backed by common sense at times, Azka cried a little too much for someone who was supposed to be ‘strong’, and Azlan’s overall impression was that of a lost soul for the most part even when he took a turn for the better it had little impact.

The ‘religious element’ of the drama was not properly inculcated into the script. Among many other things, the biggest shortcoming of Ishq e Laa was its superficial script and the over-emphasis on visuals. The visuals were stunning but there were a lot of times when they did not go well with the situations that were being shown. Ishq e Laa can easily be termed as a star-studded disaster. It was not the least bit entertaining; it was difficult to sit through and lacked basic logic. The production house clearly relied more on visuals and star power than the actual content and execution of the drama which is obviously never enough!

Kaisi Teri Khudgharzi

Writer: Radain Shah
Director: Ahmed Bhatti
Producer: iDream Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Danish Taimoor, Dur-e-Fishan, Noman Aijaz, Hammad Shoaib,Shahood Alvi, Laila Wasti, Atiqa Odho, Laiba Khan, Tipu Shareef, Zainab Qayyum, Ayesha Toor, Emad Butt, Shehzeen Rahat.

Kaisi Teri Khudgharzi is the most watched drama this year which is extremely unfortunate since this is also one of those dramas which deserves the top slot on the worst dramas list. It is still on air but we are pretty sure it deserves to be on this list. The initial episodes of Kaisi Teri Khudgharzi made the intentions of the makers quite clear. They wanted to show the worst toxicity we witnessed on-screen this year in the most visually stunning manner. The over-emphasis on visuals starting from Shamsher’s grand life to the makeovers, which were always in place even on a routine day, was used to entice the viewers. The caked concealers and the overuse of filters were used to make the characters look as ‘beautiful’ as possible in order to camouflage the ugliness of the content, right from the get-go. The story is as clichéd as it gets – a spoiled rich brat falling for a simple bechari from a middle-class family. Some of the dialogues about daughters in the beginning episodes were also cringe-worthy. Danish Taimoor plays yet another rich toxic character in the drama because he has the wardrobe and experience for it. Durr-e-Fishan does not have to do much in order to play Mehak because she barely has any dialogues!

Kaisi Teri Khudgharzi glorified abuse and toxic masculinity for 18 weeks and then Shamsher’s character underwent a sudden transformation! The viewers are expected to forget all the toxicity that was shown in the name of love on-screen and feel for Shamsher now! Apart from the problematic storyline, Kaisi Teri Khudgharzi has not even been an engaging drama because the characters are beyond done-to-death. Experienced and iconic actors such as Noman Ijaz and Atiqa Odho have also been wasted in roles that offer the bare minimum. Even though we did not have high hopes for this drama after watching the promos before it aired, we expected better from the writer Radain Shah. It is unfortunate that such a brilliant writer chose to pen down such a script.

Paristan

Writer: Samra Bukhari
Director: Ali Hassan
Producer: MD Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Arsalan Naseer, Aymen Saleem, Merub Ali, Naveen Waqar, Ali Safina, Javeria Saud, Saife Hassan, Junaid Jamshed, Mira Sethi, and others.

The moment Paristan was announced as a Ramzan special drama for this year, it was quite obvious that the channel & production house was relying a lot on the popularity that both Aymen Saleem & Arsalan Naseer got as debut actors as well as a pair in last year’s Ramzan special drama Chupke Chupke. However, it was unfortunate that despite having a star on-screen couple that was loved by so many, the project that was designed for them was a massive fail & mindless in the literal sense. Ramzan special dramas are known for providing situational comedy as well as some light-hearted entertainment, however, Paristan was anything but that.

The writer of Paristan, Samra Bukhari thought throwing in a stereotypical Punjabi character, a disinterested husband, two young actors, and a bitter unmarried mature woman alongside the famous pair of Aymen & Arsalan was enough to bring a hit drama serial but she was sadly mistaken. Paristan was anything but funny & not only that, the situations that were presented one after another made the audience doubt their sanity. Paristan was the kind of drama that the viewers could watch with a poker face, with full confidence that nothing on their TV screens would make them laugh. Although the die-heart fans of Aymen & Arsalan did their best to hype up the drama, overall, it wasn’t well-received by the Ramzan audience in general. By the time the drama ended, it became obvious that the production house was just trying to recover the cost that went into producing this drama, hence the influx of advertisements that were not only frustrating to watch but also took away a lot from the drama that did not have much to offer anyway.

Pyar Deewangi Hai

Writer: Misbah Ali Syed
Director: Aabis Raza
Producer: Big Bang Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Neelam Muneer, Sami Khan, Shuja Asad, Saba Faisal, Javed Shaikh, Hasan Niazi, Urooj Fatima, Gul-e-Rana, Nida Khan, Sabahat Bukhari,Aliya Ali.

Can the writers please stop writing scripts about deewane aashiqs? We have seen too many of such characters on-screen and honestly, these characters come across as people in need of dire help. Attributes that can easily pass as mental disorders are presented as a normal occurrence in such dramas. Rabi’s deewangi and Dawood’s strange stalking behavior have been presented as some form of love in the drama. Neelam Munir’s acting makes you cringe, Shuja Asad’s performance leaves a lot to be desired and even an ace actor such as Sami Khan is a complete misfit as Dawood. It is unfortunate that an actor of his caliber has to settle for such roles.

Pyar Deewangi Hai is the usual plot that has been used by drama makers thousands of times before too but the latest episode took crazy to a whole new level! It went to show the desperation of the makers to grab the viewers’ attention. The ironic bit is that Mateen will not be missed because Shuja Asad’s acting was so unimpressive. This drama shows that a bad script can bring out the worst even in the best of performers therefore we don’t really blame him because even Neelam Munir and Sami Khan are struggling to look and act natural. This drama has nothing going for it and is definitely the absolute worst.

Share your views and please feel free to add more names to the list.

Pakistani dramas were known for their concise and meaningful storylines a few decades back. In recent times however it is somewhat of a norm to stretch dramas even when the story can easily reach a logical conclusion early on. The producers themselves have admitted that they need to stretch dramas that get popular because that is the only way they can earn enough profit to continue making these dramas. While some writers have the ability to keep the story logical and appealing right till the end even with the dragging, most writers find it difficult to keep the story on track after a certain number of episodes. Since there is so much pressure on the writers to write a certain number of episodes, very often they end up adding tracks that can put off even the most loyal viewers. While many Pakistani dramas that were dragged this year lost their essence and appeal, there were some that were still watchable even though they were on air for longer than necessary.

These dramas were not engaging enough to make it to the best dramas list but they were definitely watchable. Some of them were purely commercial projects with some refreshing elements and others were based on novel topics yet they were dragged so much that the viewers felt more annoyed than engaged. Few of them did not have a lot of episodes but the script was such that the story progressed slowly. However, when a drama is available online, viewers can easily forward scenes that do not add much to the story and even skip episodes. That is why we decided to make a separate list for these dramas because viewers will definitely enjoy watching them.

Here is the list of watchable Pakistani dramas of 2022 that were dragged excessively:

The list is in Alphabetical order.

Aitebaar

Writer: Maimoona Aziz
Director: Nadeem Siddique
Producer: MD Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Zarnish Khan, Syed Jibran, Ali Safina, Arez Ahmed, Areeba Shahood Alvi, Huma Nawab, Michelle Mumtaz, Faiza Gillani, Hamza Tariq Jamil, and others.

Drama serial Aitebaar ended recently & it is unfortunate that due to the criticism it received because of a scenario shown in the initial episodes, it failed to gain a decent amount of viewership. However, when the story moved past that stage where Pari’s husband walks out of her life, the way she picks up the pieces & starts afresh was definitely interesting to watch. In the drama serial Aitebaar, the writer focused a lot on the personal & professional struggles faced by people in their practical lives & somehow, when it all came together, it definitely created something worth watching. Aitebaar definitely was not everyone’s cup of tea but those who tuned to it definitely found themselves invested in the stories of all these characters.

It was also interesting to note that in the drama which received so much backlash because of how a husband accused his wife of getting harrassed, the writer also gave a lot of relief in the form of Babar’s character. Babar was not only a loving husband, but he actually extended the support his wife Parissa needed every step of the way. Yes, their couple too had their fair share of misunderstandings because Parissa’s poor logic & approach, but on the whole, their relationship especially when it came to Babar’s approach was refreshing. Aitebaar drama was definitely interesting to watch but once again, it was also one of those dramas that were dragged in the end, with almost next to zero development in the last few episodes. However, it ended on a good note, making it a drama that can easily be watched.

Angna

Writer: Samina Ejaz
Director: Tehseen Khan & Saqib Zafar
Producer: iDream Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Atiqa Odho, Javed Sheikh, Areeba Habib, Azfar Rehman, Rabab Hashim, Ali Abbas, Laiba Khan, Danial Afzal, Sajjad Pal, Rubina Ashraf, Gul e Rana, and others.

Angna was another soap opera that aired on ARY Digital this year. The story of this drama was based on the theme that always works & becomes popular among drama viewers. A story of 4 sisters coming from a loving family, well taken care of but when they step into their practical lives after their marriages, they are faced with different hardships. How each one of them steers through was what Angna was all about. Each character got equal coverage & the way the importance of relationships was highlighted in Angna made it wholesome entertainment. One track that stood out the most was the one portrayed by Ali Abbas, where she showcased how childhood trauma & strained relationship with his mother made him suffer within & as a result, he subjected his wife to unfair treatment too. Ali Abbas got a lot of recognition because of his convincing performance.

As much as Angna was good to watch with a young cast & fresh pairing of actors, towards the end it was dragged beyond the limit. The flashbacks were neverending & the episodes barely had any development. It was unfortunate that the drama in which the viewers invested so much time had a poor & incomplete ending with so many things left unaddressed. It became obvious that the directors could not really tackle the ending well & left it open to interpretation but unfortunately, it did not make much sense at all. Angna can definitely be qualified as a good family entertainer if you want to watch a story that revolves around a big family, but when it comes to the second half, especially the ending, do keep in mind that you will be disappointed.

Badnaseeb

Writer: Jahanzaib Qamar
Director: Haseeb Ali
Producer: Momina Duraid Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Agha Talal, Dania Enwer, Kamran Jilani, Samina Ahmed, Farah Nadir, Sharmeen Ali, Anoosheh Rania, Khushi Maheen, Falak Shahazad, Maria Malik, Sana Nadir, Ayesha Sohail, Ahmed Rafique, Hareem Sohail, Komail Anam, Danial Khan & Others.

Badnaseeb was one of those soap serials in 2022 which entertained especially in the first half which was covered in 20-plus episodes. The story revolved around two different households in the beginning and gradually many new tracks were added to the plot. It was mainly about the female protagonist Dua who was constantly ridiculed by her own father because of her gender. Dua’s relationship with her father, the lasting effects it had on her and most importantly her grandmother’s support were the highlight of this serial for the longest time. Some of the characters had a definite appeal and a few of the performances were exceptional. Samina Ahmed and Sharmeen Ali’s characters were refreshing in many ways. These characters were also translated on-screen beautifully. In the later half of the show, Sangeeta Ji’s character also kept the drama from getting too toxic. Dania Enwar also performed really well and her character’s journey turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

Badnaseeb had an interesting and meaningful storyline but like all the other soap serials, it was on air for too long. Also, once the children grew up and the story entered the next phase, the drama did not have the same appeal. The younger actors were definitely better performers than the relatively older actors who played their older versions. However, overall, Badnaseeb did leave an impression and was entertaining for many weeks.

Mere Humsafar

Writer: Saira Raza
Director: Qasim Ali Mureed
Producer: Six Sigma Plus Productions
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Hania Amir, Farhaan Saeed, Saba Hameed, Waseem Abbas, Samina Ahmed, Zoya Nasir, Tara Mehmood, Alyy Khan, Omer Shehzad, and others.

Mere Humsafar ended last week & unfortunately, the way it was dragged has made us forget the note at which it started & the hype it got because of Hamza & Hala’s chemistry as a couple. Mere Humsafar was a Pakistani version of cinderella but unfortunately, the villains in the drama were on steroids because there was absolutely no end to Hala’s misery. In the beginning, it was again hard to accept because Hala had her grandmother’s support who knew how to take a stand for her, but her misery was coaxed beyond the limit. Hamza entered the picture & the drama took a positive turn with Hamza showing neverending support to his wife & which is what contributed to Mere Humsafar’s success. It was definitely nice to see such a supportive husband who helped Hala face & overcome her fears by giving her the confidence that she needed.

Unfortunately, Mere Humsafar’s success served as another turning point because the team & the production house failed to wrap it in a decent time frame. Unnecessary twists & turns were added which did not do anything other than add more negativity to the story. Mere Humsafar did become toxic at the end with Shahjahan not knowing any limits & putting Hala through one misery after another. It won’t be wrong to say that Mere Humsafar’s ending was also not convincing because Shahjahan got a clean chit & she never paid for what she had done in the true sense. Roomi’s character was supposedly used as Shahjahan’s undoing but it did not make any impact at all. Mere Humsafar would’ve become one of the best dramas of this year if they had wrapped it up at the right time, but ratings ruined it completely, making the drama earn a spot on this list.

Mushkil

Writer: Adeel Razzaq
Director: Marina Khan
Producer: Abdullah Kadwani & Asad Qureshi
Channel: Har Pal Geo
Cast: Saboor Ali, Khushhal Khan, Zainab Shabbir, Humayoun Ashraf, Behroze Sabzwari, Shagufta Ejaz, Saife Hassan, Laila Wasti, Ismat Zaidi, Kashif Hussain, Qudsia, Hareem Sohail, Rashid Farooqui, Majda Hameed, Rashida Tabassum, Amrah Kazi, Haris, Nasreen John.

Mushkil’s storyline and its execution can easily be termed as run-of-the-mill but even then, it was the kind of drama that entertained for the most part. The female protagonist was the typical bechari we see in dramas often but the fast pace of the drama especially in the first 15 episodes made it mindless entertainment which was easy to sit through even if some of the times we found ourselves laughing at a few of the serious situations. Saboor Aly and Khushhal Khan’s on-screen couple, the strong supporting cast, and a few refreshing supporting characters made Mushkil worth watching. However, it was dragged endlessly and most of us who watched the drama while it aired lost track completely. But, if someone wants to watch a drama online which will keep them engaged for the most part then do tune into this one. It might frustrate and annoy you at times but it will prove to be a good pass time. You can easily skip the episodes that get too slow.

Marina Khan’s direction definitely made all the difference because even though Saboor Aly’s make-up is over the top in most of the scenes, the direction overall is on point. Even though the script fails to deliver more than once, the treatment given to the script saves the day. Typical but entertaining nevertheless, Mushkil was definitely one of those watchable dramas that would have been far better had it not been dragged excessively.

Pehchaan

Writer: Rubina Kabir Khan
Director: Asad Jabal
Producer: Momina Duraid
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Hiba Bukhari, Syed Jibran, Nadia Hussain, Syed Mohammed Ahmed, Sohail Sameer, Shakeeb Anwar, Salma Asim, Sajida Syed, Sadaf Aashan, Qavi Khan, Noor ul Hassan, Nadia Khan, Mirza Zain Baig, Ahmed Usman (Childstar), Khwaja Naeem Haq, Huma Nawab, Aadi Khan, Hajra Khan, Faizan Khan, Eshal Fayyaz, Diya Mughal, Birjees Farooqui, Arshad Ghori, Anoosheh Rania Khan (Childstar), Anaya Khan, Aina Asif, Usman Mazhar.

Pehchaan had an instant appeal, an air of mystery, and quite a few scenarios that were likable. The script and the direction of the play both were appealing especially in the beginning. The underlying message of the drama was one that is generally not readily accepted by most viewers but it was progressive and relevant. Pehchaan gave me Zun Mureed vibes – another well-written drama that was rejected by the public because it talked about women’s rights from a perspective that is most often misunderstood and misinterpreted in our society. There were also certain angles of the drama which made it difficult for the viewer to side with the main protagonist because the actual truth was hidden from the viewers right till the end.

Pehchaan’s main plot revolved around a woman who had been a dutiful and loving wife and mother for 13 years. All of a sudden she finds out an ugly truth about her own identity and therefore she leaves everything and goes out looking for a new ‘Pehchaan’. Hiba Bukhari and Nadia Khan were the stars of the show right till the end. If this drama was not given such a slow treatment and had the producers kept it to the point, it would have been one of the best and most groundbreaking dramas this year. However, Pehchaan still was a watchable drama that many women out there will be able to relate to. The fact that it ended so well definitely makes it a must-watch. Even though it dragged a lot and you will definitely have to forward many minutes of every episode, it should not be missed.

Sinf-e-Aahan

Writer: Umera Ahmed
Director: Nadeem Baig
Producer: ISPR/Six Sigma Plus Production/Next Level Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Sajal Aly, Ramsha Khan, Kubra Khan, Yumna Zaidi, Syra Yousuf, Dananeer Mobeen, Yehali Tashiya Kalidasa, Sheheryar Munawar, Usman Mukhtar, Ali Rehman, Asad Siddiqui, Asim Azhar, Saba Hameed, Usman Peerzada, Zahir Lehri, Junaid Jamshed Khan Niazi and others.

Sinf-e-Aahan was one of the much-awaited dramas of 2022 therefore it is sad that it did not make it to the best dramas list. Even with such massive star power, an iconic writer, director, and ace production houses to back it up, Sinf-e-Aahan did not live up to our expectations. We mainly tuned into this drama because it promised to be a story of women of steel. While all the main protagonists of the drama were indeed women of steel and they brought with them variety as well but the over-emphasis on military training, the exaggerated role of the military in empowering these women, and generally the way their stories were handled were not as impressive as we hoped. Even though Sinf-e-Aahan ended earlier than most dramas on this list, it was still repetitive and slow because the scope of the story was limited.

This drama was not ‘perfect’ by any means yet Sinf-e-Aahan offered a different storyline and had enough characters to keep us entertained for the most part. Just like all the other dramas on this list, the pace of the drama becomes secondary when you are watching it online and have the option of skipping scenes. Rimsha Khan, Yumna Zaidi, and Sajal Aly’s performances stood out in the play. Even though the plots were not appealing enough at times, overall, Sinf-e-Aahan was a watchable drama mainly because of its cast, execution, and few refreshing tracks. Even with all its weaknesses, Sinf-e-Aahan did have quite a few emotional and light-hearted moments which were indeed unforgettable.

Ye Na Thi Hamari Qismat

Writer: Seema Munaaf
Director: Syed Ali Raza Usama
Producer: Six Sigma Plus Productions & Next Level Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Hira Mani, Muneeb Butt, Noor Hassan, Aiza Awan, Haroon Shahid Khalid Anam, Kinza Malik, Saba Faisal, Amna Malik, and others.

Ye Na Thi Hamari Qismat aired in the first half of 2022 & while it aired, it continued to make a lot of buzz. As much as the story was predictable with it revolving around the lives of two sisters married into one household, it had everything working for it to become an interesting watch. Those who tuned to Ye Na Thi Hamari Qismat for the sake of time pass enjoyed it thoroughly. The selling point of this soap opera was the drastic contrast between two sisters Muntaha and Alishba. It was a perfect balance that was struck between the two characters because when Muntaha’s niceness became a little hard to accept, Alishba’s selfishness provided a much-needed comic relief in the story which otherwise could have become a little boring.

Ye Na Thi Hamari Qismat definitely provided a decent amount of entertainment while it lasted however by the end of the drama, it became obvious that its popularity stopped the production house as well as the entire team to wrap it up in a decent amount of time. Noor Hassan’s character was also replaced by Haroon Shahid due to medical reasons & which also resulted in a lack of interest that the viewers otherwise had throughout the first half of the drama. Certain scenarios became a bit too repetitive, however, it still can not be denied that despite being a drama with a very typical plotline, it was still a good entertainer, therefore earning a spot in this list.

Were there other watchable dramas this year, which were not the best because they were stretched unnecessarily? Please feel free to add to the list.

Pakistani dramas continued to evolve and at the same time deteriorated in some ways this year. There are certain new trends such as stretching dramas especially when they get the ratings and unnecessary focus on visuals which definitely make it difficult to add dramas to this list without ignoring those ‘few episodes’ or glitches which made us question these dramas at some point. Therefore, it would be safe to say that our definition of the “best dramas” includes those dramas which were for the most part engaging and entertaining as well as meaningful, well-written, and acted out superbly. More than the stories of some of the dramas, the characters, and the performances caught our attention. With the passage of time, Pakistani dramas have been more character-driven therefore some of the characters in these dramas proved to be novel or they gave an interesting spin to many of the done-to-death characters. There was unfortunately not a single drama serial this year that was picture perfect but then when a drama airs for so many weeks, that should be a given. However, there were plenty of dramas that had beautifully penned-down characters and performances that left us in awe of the actors who played these roles.

Here is the list of the best Pakistani dramas of 2022. Dramas that have been on air for more than 10 weeks have been included in the list. We will update it once again in December.

The list is in Alphabetical order.

Aye Musht e Khaak

Writer: Maha Malik
Director: Ahsun Talish
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Har Pal Geo
Cast: Sana Javed, Feroze Khan, Nimra Khan, Shabbir Jaan, Iffat Omar, Asad Siddique, Shahood Alvi, and others.

Aye Musht e Khaak was definitely the kind of drama that touched upon a very sensitive subject with a lot of sensitivity. These kinds of subjects are shied away from in Pakistani dramas but the team of Aye Musht e Khaak not only decided to bring it to the table but dealt with it with a lot of maturity. The protagonists were complete polar opposites when it came to faith & practicing religion. For Dua, everything revolved around her faith, her religion & her belief in her Creator, whereas Mustajab never had that kind of guidance since the beginning & ended up living life on his own terms. Mustajab’s love for Dua was selfish in the beginning because he didn’t understand the true meaning of it. For Mustajab, getting Dua was almost like owning a possession that he liked. Dua changed Mustajab’s life for good when she decided to walk out of his life & then the journey of self-discovery & most importantly, discovering the Creator began for Mustajab, which was the crux of the drama.

Aye Musht e Khaak was another drama of 2022 which showed a female protagonist living life on her own terms. Although her family did have very basic & certain plans for her life when she decided to walk out of this marriage, her father’s support was another refreshing aspect of the drama. Mustajab’s journey to religion & faith was also shown organically & the things he detested the most ended up being an integral part of his life. The overall story of Aye Musht e Khaak was told convincingly & once again, despite a limited number of characters, it had so much to offer that it kept the audience hooked right till the end despite a lot of episodes. Sana Javed & Feroze Khan gave memorable performances such as Dua & Mustajab, adding more to the popularity of the drama.

Bakhtawar

Writer: Nadia Akhtar
Director: Shahid Shafaat
Producer: Momina Duraid Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Yumna Zaidi, Zaviyar Nauman Ejaz, Saqib Sameer, Mizna Waqas, Naureen Gulbani, Sunil Shankar, Huma Nawab, Adnan Shah (Tipu), and others.

Bakhtawar is currently on air and one of those few dramas on this list that has only 10 episodes to its credit. The main appeal of the drama lies in its protagonist. Bakhtawar’s story is refreshing and Yumna Zaidi’s performance has made all the difference. Bakhtawar is essentially the story of a young girl who is determined to make it through life on her own. In order to do so, she takes a decision that changes the direction of her story and complicates things for her as her journey moves forward.

Bakhtawar was perhaps Hum TV’s attempt to put together a different/female version of Parizaad, although it does not even come close to Parizaad, it does keep you engaged and the writer has ensured that the story continues to be meaningful. There are no glaring loopholes in the story, the dialogues are well written and the majority of the cast is giving the characters they are playing their best. This is another one of those dramas that highlight the issues faced by women on different levels and it has been doing so intelligently. Some of the real-life incidents have been woven together in the story to make room for different perspectives. Nadia Akhtar’s script fits the bill but there are times when the production values are not too impressive. Also, some of the visuals do not go well with the situations. Zaviyar Nauman also fails to impress as the main lead. Bakhtawar is Bakhtawar’s (Yumna Zaidi) show; the character and the actor both never fail to impress.

Chaudhry & Sons

Writer: Saima Akram Chauhdry
Director: Syed Wajahat Hussain
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Har Pal Geo
Cast: Imran Abbas, Ayeza Khan, Noor ul Hassan, Sohail Ahmed, Shagufta Ejaz, Asma Abbas, Yasir Nawaz, Irsa Ghazal, Madiha Rizvi, Zoya Nasir and others.

Chaudhry & Sons was this year’s Ramzan special 30-episode drama that aired on Har Pal Geo. Written by Saima Akram Chaudhry, it had all the flavors one could easily expect from her. Although the underlying theme that makes Ramzan dramas special is the comedy but it can not be denied that Saima Akram Chaudhry’s scripts run high on emotions. Chaudhry & Sons was no different because it showed how in the end, family ties & relationships matter the most & end up shaping your life for the better. Chaudhry & Sons’ had an ensemble cast & each character had a uniqueness to it. The most endearing part of this drama was the relationships both Billu & Pari shared with their grandparents.

Chaudhry & Sons was definitely a treat for those viewers who enjoy Punjabi humor & understand the underlying meaning behind such conversations. The actors also deserve full credit because in so many instances, it was obvious that they themselves added certain dialogues & emotions, making it easier for the audience to relate to them. Although there were some aspects of the show that weren’t too convincing but on the whole, it was definitely an enjoyable drama that served its purpose of light-hearted Ramzan family entertainment. All the actors made Chaudhry & Sons worthwhile due to their brilliant performances & immaculate comic timings.

Dobara

Writer: Sarwat Nazir
Director: Danish Nawaz
Producer: Momina Duraid Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Bilal Abbas Khan, Hadiq Kiani, Sakina Samo, Shabbir Jan, Fareeda Shabbir, Usama Khan, Sabeena Syed, Nabeel Zuberi, Maheen Siddiqui, Zoya Nasir, Angeline Malik, Sheryar Zaidi, Aslam Sheikh, Sarah Nadeem, Javed Sheikh, and Nauman Ijaz.

Dobara had unusual and interesting characters; the premise of the story was also novel especially in the first few weeks. The story revolved around a young widow Mehrunnisa who did not get to enjoy her teenage years because of early marriage. Her husband was not just much older than her but he was also like a father figure who constantly disciplined a young girl who had a fun and adventurous nature. The drama opened with Mehru deciding to live her life to the fullest after her husband’s death and that is when she met a young man Mahir who could easily pass as the younger version of Mehru. This drama highlighted the way society expects women to sacrifice their happiness for their families and judges them when they choose to be happy.

Mahir and Mehru’s union was one of the most interesting elements of the drama. Mehru’s character lost its spark soon after her marriage to Mahir but Hadiqa Kiyani made sure that she kept the viewers glued with her brilliant performance. She brought out the best in her character even when Mehru’s character did not make a lot of sense. Mahir continued to be ‘mystery’ right till the end which added an element of intrigue. Mahir was the center of attention because there were so many different shades to his personality and he was flawed yet likable in some ways. It was a superbly etched-out character which became even more appealing because Bilal Abbas Khan breathed tangible life into it almost effortlessly. The director Danish Nawaz also made sure that every important scene left an impact. Sarwat Nazir’s writing for the most part was impressive as well. Dobara is definitely a must-watch, if you haven’t watched it yet then go watch.

Fraud

Writer: Zanjabeel Asim
Director: Saqib Khan
Producer: iDream Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Saba Qamar, Ahsan Khan, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Rabia Kulsoom, Adnan Samad Khan, Mehmood Aslam, Nida Mumtaz, Nazli Soomro, Asma Abbas, Annie Zaidi and others.

Fraud is another one of those dramas that are currently on air. It has been on air for more than 20 weeks but it is still entertaining enough to keep the viewers looking forward to the upcoming episodes. The story revolves around three different households; all 3 of them belong to a different class of society. It also shows how differently these characters choose to solve the issues and problems in their lives. The drama is much more than just about the “fraud” which changes the course of the main protagonist Maya’s life forever. It has a ‘commercial’ track to it as well involving conspiracies and it has certain refreshing elements such as the mother-in-law who wants the best for her daughter-in-law even though her son passed away.

Fraud is an all-out entertainer, which makes it one of the best dramas right now. At the same time, it has some great messages which have been integrated well into the story. It also has quite a few interesting characters. The top-notch performances, great production values, and visuals that go well with the story add to the entertainment value. Zanjabeel Asim Shah knows how to entertain her viewers without coming across as frivolous. Saqib Khan’s direction is on point and some of the actors entertain and engage throughout. Ahsan Khan has yet again managed to play a negative role in such a manner that you look forward to watching his scenes. Saba Qamar is brilliant as usual, Naeema Butt outshines in a role unlike any other she has performed before and Rabia Kulsoom makes her presence felt in every scene. Fraud will keep you hooked throughout, if you have not watched it already, do give it a go.

Habs

Writer: Aliya Makhdoom
Director: Musaddiq Malik
Producer: Six Sigma Plus
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Ushna Shah, Feroze Khan, Dania Enwer, Ayesha Omar, Sadia Faisal, Irsa Ghazal, Janice Tessa, Musaddiq Malik, and others.

Drama serial Habs is still on-air but it has easily become one such drama that the viewers enjoy watching. The main aspect that made Habs stand out, in the beginning, was the kind of treatment it got in terms of execution. It reminded us of old PTV dramas with no loud background music & subtlely in how the situations unfolded. Habs’ story revolves around Basit & the writer has beautifully highlighted how his childhood traumas have shaped him to be who he is today. The parallel has also been drawn with Ayesha’s character who has a completely different mindset & puts her family ahead of her. The way both Basit & Ayesha despite their differences find themselves drawn to each other was nothing short of a treat to witness in Habs.

Although the number of characters in Habs is limited, but the writer Aliya Makhdoom has made each one of them so dynamic that you actually feel invested & want to learn more about them. Each & every character is playing their part beautifully in contributing to the overall story & its development. Habs is also refreshing in a way that usually in Pakistani dramas, it is a man who is the savior of a woman but here, it is Ayesha who is helping Basit face his demons, unlearn the hatred & look at life & his relationships with a new perspective. It is also interesting to note that Basit found it easy to bring his guards down in front of Ayesha because she made sense & presented everything logically to him. Ayesha & her mother-in-law’s relationship was another endearing track in Habs. Bano’s character is dignified & the way she picks up the pieces after her heartbreak makes her a strong character too. Ayesha & Basit both have had their fair share of miseries thrown by life at them, however, Basit became bitter whereas Ayesha steered through it with a brave face. Musaddiq Malik has made his debut as a director with the drama serial Habs & he has definitely shown his prowess as well as his uniqueness with the way he has executed Habs. These days where dramas are filled with loud OSTs & background scores, as well as exaggerated expressions & dramatics, the slow & calming feel of Habs makes it a treat to watch.

Hum Tum

Writer: Saima Akram Chaudhry
Director: Danish Nawaz
Producer: Momina Duraid Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Ahad Raza Mir, Ramsha Khan, Sarah Khan, Anoosheh Rania Khan, Aina Asif, Junaid Khan, Ayesha Sohail, Danish Ali, Uzma Beig, Arjumand Rahim, Adnan Jaffar, Munnaza Arif, Farhan Ali Agha, Saife Hassan, Muhammad Ahmed.

Hum Tum was one of those few comedy dramas this year that was a complete package. It was not mindless entertainment since the writer made a conscious effort to add meaning to the script. The cast couldn’t have been more perfect; all the actors clearly enjoyed playing their respective roles. There were times when Ahad Raza Mir’s Urdu pronunciation was not ideal but other than that he gave a solid performance. The director Danish Nawaz gave the script the right treatment. Apart from the casting, the dynamics of at least one of these couples, Neha and Sarmad, were such that their scenes were thoroughly enjoyable. Sarah Khan and Junaid Khan made a great on-screen couple. They also played their respective characters brilliantly. Adam and Neha were a lot like many other on-screen couples we have seen in previous Ramazan specials but the casting made a big difference. There were times when Adam in particular took it too far but the fact that he had underlying respect for Neha because of her intelligence made him a likable character.

Hum Tum had a variety of characters and there was something new and likable about all of them. Whether they were the independent females such as Maha, Neha, Milli, or Sasha or the male leads, all these characters brought something new to the table. The most important element of this play that stood out was the older characters such as Daddu and Tamana Nani. They were not just the older parents in the story but they were also characters with a life and objective of their own. Both of them had their own careers and aspirations in life. They were full of life and questioned the idea that a person should stop living their lives to the fullest at a certain age. These characters were just as strong as most of the leading characters. Hum Tum grows on you and once it does, you can’t help but fall in love with it. It was the best for sure.

Jo Bichar Gaye

Writer: Ali Moeen/Col Z. I. Farrukh
Screenplay: Haissam Hussain and Mehreen Alam
Director: Haissam Hussain
Producer: H2 Films
Channel: Har Pal Geo
Cast: Wahaj Ali, Maya Ali, Talha Chahour, Nadia Jameel, Adnan Jaffar, Sajid Shah, Fazal Hussain, Rana Majid, Aurangzaib Mirza, Omar Darr, Ahmed Abbas, Shireen Zahid, Usman Zia, Omar Cheema, Zaheer Taj, Fahad Hashmi.

Jo Bichar Gaye was hands down the best drama which took the viewers completely by surprise not only because of its content but also because of its powerful execution. This drama dared to show in detail the incidents that led to the East Pakistan tragedy. Jo Bichar Gaye had so much going for it yet it was somehow not promoted as aggressively as some of the other commercial projects that air on Geo. The drama was based on a book written by Col. Z. I. Farrukh, who was also one of the main protagonists in the story. He was one of the army men taken in as prisoners of war when Dhaka fell. This drama also marked the comeback of the iconic director Haissam Hussain to television and Nadia Jamil also made her acting comeback with Jo Bichar Gaye. The production house H2 Films definitely deserves credit for taking this initiative and putting together such a masterpiece. Jo Bichar Gaye’s writer intelligently and neutrally managed to shed light on all those factors which led to the fall of Dhaka. The fact that the novel this drama was based on is written by someone with vast military experience who was stationed in Dhaka and was in the middle of the conflict reflected in the details which had been the focus of attention throughout.

The script of the drama with the utmost clarity showed all the different dimensions of the issue in the fairest manner. It focused on the lack of foresight, conspiracies, and also the way young people such as Rumi were misled and used for ulterior motives. The writers and the director did exceptionally well while striking a balance between what was going on, on the political and military front, and everything happening in the personal lives of the characters. The viewers found themselves invested in the personal relationships of the characters as much as they were in the events on the political front. Starting from the leading cast such as Wahaj Ali as Rumi, Maya Ali as Sonia, or Taha Chahour as Captain Farrukh to the supporting actors such Nadia Jamil in a candid and interesting role and all those new faces in the most powerful roles, everyone literally managed to transport you to another world. Jo Bichar Gaye is an underrated gem that is a must-watch.

Mere Humnasheen

Writer: Misbah Ali Syed
Director: Ali Faizan
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Har Pal Geo
Cast: Hiba Bukhari, Shehzad Sheikh, Ahsan Khan, Syed Jibran, Momina Iqbal, Moomal Khalid, Haris Waheed, Farhan Ali Agha, Salma Hassan, Meherbano, Munazzah Arif and others.

Mere Humnasheen ended recently & throughout its airtime, it kept on getting hyped up for all the right reasons. After a very long time, Pakistani drama viewers got to see a female protagonist who had certain goals in her life that she wanted to achieve apart from getting married. Mere Humnasheen can easily be classified as one of the mega serials of 2022 because it struck the chord & had all the elements that worked in its favor. Although initially, the viewers weren’t too happy with the way the Pukhtoon community was being portrayed but through the course of Khajista’s journey, the changes in the thought process of her tribe became the strength of the drama.

Mere Humnasheen had all the flavors a viewer asks for, it had drama, family politics, family rivalry, love story, revenge, and everything in between. However, the writer should take a bow for coming up with a character like Khajista who was dignified & knew that she had fought so hard to be where she was, therefore she could never take anything for granted. Darakhzai, despite all his shortcomings also ended up winning the hearts of the people because of how he evolved himself & wanted to assist Khajista in chasing her dreams. Dr. Hadi brought a lot of relief with him because every time Khajista landed in hot waters, he did everything he could to help her & eventually ended up falling in love with her. Mere Humnasheen’s story had everything that the drama viewers have seen before but the way it was treated & executed made it refreshing & outstanding. This drama also gets the credit for starting a conversation about the lack of attention tribal areas get in terms of education. The writer Maha Malik consciously highlighted the difficulties faced by women living in such areas but their resilience was also put forth, making it another appreciable aspect of Mere Humnasheen.

Sang e Mah

Writer: Mustafa Afridi
Director: Saife Hassan
Producer: MD Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Atif Aslam, Nauman Ejaz, Samiya Mumtaz, Sania Saeed, Hassan Noman, Omair Rana, Hania Amir, Zaviyar Noman, Kubra Khan and others.

Sang e Mah was definitely the drama that got all the hype way before it started airing. It was due to the fact that the viewers thought it was a sequel of Sang e Marmar, a mega sit serial of 2016. However, it didn’t take much for Sang e Mah to impress the audience & show that it also had a lot more to offer in terms of story, direction & most importantly unique & dynamic characters. Sang e Mah also had the credit of introducing Atif Aslam in Pakistani dramas as an actor & it didn’t take long for him to establish why he chose Hilmand & why Hilmand came to him. An ensemble cast with such established & seasoned actors was a part of Sang e Mah & told the story like it has not been told before.

Sang e Mah was also one such drama that focused a lot on diversity & inclusivity. Therefore the characters from the Sikh community, as well as a Christian character, were made a part of the story in a beautiful manner. Sang e Mah started off as a revenge story but had so many layers to it that made it hard to guess that the underlying theme was based on the emotion of love that Haji Marjan & Zarsanga had for each other. Sang e Mah was more like a journey that the viewers took alongside all these characters & props to the writer Mustafa Afridi for adding so much depth & layers to these characters that the audience formed a connection with them immediately. The women in Sang e Mah were dynamic & strong, they lived life on their own terms against all odds & it was an interesting journey to witness. The dialogues, story, depth in the characters, some comedy, and unique situations make Sang e Mah a memorable & one of the best dramas of 2022. However, Sang e Mah has given Pakistani drama viewers a gifted actor in the form of Atif Aslam & we are definitely looking forward to his projects.

Wehem

Writer: Imran Nazir
Director: Adnan Wai Qureshi
Producer: Moomal Entertainment
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Savera Nadeem, Shamim Hilali, Kinza Hashmi, Zaviyar Nauman Ijaz, Babar Ali, Tara Mehmood, Adnan Gulzar, Hurriya Mansoor & Others.

Every now and then Moomal Entertainment impresses and pleasantly surprises the viewers with its novel ideas and well-written scripts. Imran Nazir’s Wehem is not just another story about a woman wanting to take control; it also has a well-thought-out plotline. The characterizations, their backstories, and the element of intrigue keep the viewers on the edge. Wehem’s biggest strength is its unpredictable script and powerful performances by experienced actors. Although the channel has written Kinza Hashmi and Zaviyar Nauman’s names as leading actors, anyone who is watching this drama will agree that neither their characters nor their performances take the lead. It is one of those few dramas where the senior actors take the lead and keep you hooked on their beautifully nuanced performances. Wehem is the story of a mother, a wife, and a strong but insecure woman whose actual reality remains a mystery even now. Her character is flawed yet you feel for her and even find yourself rooting for her. Savera Nadeem is impressive as Rukhsana, her relationship with her mother-in-law is the highlight of the drama.

Savera Nadeem’s fans should definitely tune into this one. Shamim Hilali, Babar Ali, and Tara Mehmood’s performances also stand out. Zaviyar Nauman fits the character but does not bring much to the table. Kinza Hashmi’s performance has been convincing throughout but her character Eshal is definitely not leading the story. Adnan Wai Qureshi’s direction fits the bill because he has made sure that Imran Nazir’s intelligently written script gets the right treatment. Wehem is a thriller that should not be missed.

Which Pakistani drama kept you hooked this year? Share your thoughts.