There is no denying the fact that makeup is an essential part of an actress’s life. Makeup not only happens to be the demand of the camera but is one such tool that aids the actors in creating a visual impact of their character right from the moment the drama begins. In recent times, the Pakistani drama audience has seen a shift in the perspective of the actors where they are getting more comfortable with the idea of natural makeup looks. It is also because of the fact that the stories of Pakistani dramas revolve around the lives of people from regular walks of life. A lot more people see themselves in the stories of these characters, which not only resonates with them but also helps in establishing a connection with the character. In this regard, makeup plays a vital role and the responsibility lies on the actors as to how they want to convey and portray the essence of the characters that they are playing.

In recent times, there has been a lot of conversation happening about embracing your true self and it is becoming more about enhancing natural beauty instead of altering your features with the help of makeup. In some cases, heavy and made-up looks happen to be the demand of the character, which is why the glamorous makeup looks suit the dynamic and go well with the situation a character is faced with. However, the majority of the time, women in Pakistani dramas are faced with one calamity after another, which then doesn’t really justify the usage of heavy makeup and elaborate looks. It is also interesting to note that there are a lot more actors who do not feel shy in posting their pictures without makeup on their social media handles, which goes to show that they are very much comfortable in their own skin, therefore one fails to understand why they can’t sport the similar look in the dramas which will add more depth to their character and its portrayal.

Here is the list dedicated to all those Pakistani actresses who can definitely tone down their makeup in the dramas (the list in alphabetical order):

[lwptoc]

Alizeh Shah

Alizeh Shah is one of the young actresses in the Pakistani drama industry. In such a short span of time, she gained a lot of fame and success. There is no denying the fact that her beautiful appearance and screen presence gave her a chance to be a part of some of the mega projects, however, this has been a general consensus about her that she relies a lot on the makeup and doesn’t let go of it even in the situations where her character is facing a lot of hardships and difficulties.

Alizeh Shah tries hard to go for more natural looks but somehow they end up being a bit too elaborate and made up. Due to the fact that she is pretty, she easily carries any kind of makeup but in her case, a little amount of product looks a bit too pronounced on her face, which ends up giving her a very glamorous look. She has been in quite a few plays where she had to cry buckets, her life turned upside down but the one thing that did not budge was her makeup. She can in fact she should definitely tone down her makeup looks to give a more close-to-reality feel to her characters on-screen.

Armeena Rana Khan

Armeena Rana Khan is naturally pretty and she does not need a lot of make-up. She would definitely look even prettier with minimal make-up looks. She has been in the industry for long enough to know what looks good on screen and when someone is going over-the-top. However, in her latest drama Mohabbatein Chahatein she focused entirely on her outlook. She made sure that not only was she sporting heavy make-up looks in this drama but she used as many accessories as she could.

Armeena Rana Khan probably wanted to look as stylish as she possibly could for her comeback play but she looks a little too made-up in all the scenes. Nowadays when all the actresses prefer a smudged eye-liner look Armeena decided to sport an eye-liner look in the drama which was rather intense. Other than that the blending of her foundation wasn’t smooth which resulted in a cakey effect. Mohabbat Ab Nahi Hogi aired some 6 years back but even back then Armeena wore really loud make-up all the time. In the drama serial Daldal as well she did not sport a natural make-up look and right till the end even when her character was going through the worst the make-up was shimmery as usual!

Anoushay Abbasi

Anoushay Abbasi is a phenomenal actress who always made her presence felt right from the time she started acting. It won’t be wrong to say that acting runs in her blood. Her effortless portrayals have always won the viewers over. After taking a long break from television, Anoushay made a comeback last year by playing a small role in the drama serial Mere Pass Tum Ho. She also played the main role in the drama serial Prem Gami and right now she is playing a central role in the hit drama serial Raqs-e-Bismil. She has lost a lot of weight and is focusing on her looks more than ever. When she was acting before she did not concentrate on her wardrobe or make-up but now both these aspects seem to be more important than ever to her.

In the drama serial Prem Gali she was seen wearing tons of make-up even in situations where such heavy make-up completely looked out of place. In Raqs-e-Bismil as well she is seen wearing make-up in those scenes which required a no make-up look. Most of her fans like her for looking natural looks on-screen therefore we hope that she will go back to sporting looks that suit the situations her character is shown in.

Asma Abbas

Asma Abbas is one of the leading actresses of Pakistani dramas in current times. Although she always does supporting characters, due to her undeniable screen presence, she always leaves a long-lasting impression. Asma Abbas’s experience as an actor is unparalleled, therefore it kind of makes it hard to understand why an actor of her stature finds it hard to give up on elaborate makeup looks.

Asma Abbas is also one such actress who plays such characters which are closer to reality, she is always a mother who is either too kind-hearted or even at times has a negative streak in her but one thing that fails to change about her overall appearance is the heavy usage of makeup, which is always quite obvious. It is understandable that due to harsh studio lights, the actors have to carry a certain kind of makeup because it all gets diffused under the lights but Asma Abbas wears layers of makeup which does not even get washed out under such harsh lighting.

Ayesha Gul

Ayesha Gul is another talented actor who usually plays supporting roles in Pakistani dramas. Ayesha Gul definitely knows the kind of treatment her characters deserve, because of which she not only gives impressive performances but also makes quite an impact through her work. However, she is also one of those actresses who despite working in so many dramas, still isn’t comfortable with the idea of opting for natural and subtle makeup looks.

Ayesha Gul’s makeup look is all about layers and layers of foundation, harsh contouring, dark black smokey eyes, and thick dark eyebrows. She often goes for nude lipsticks which may or may not suit her overall look. Ayesha Gul is at that stage of her career where she has established herself as an actor and has proved her craft, therefore she should be more comfortable in keeping her portrayal realistic without opting for such glamorous makeup looks for her characters.

Bushra Ansari

Bushra Ansari is considered a legendary actress who is known for her many talents. Over the years she has impressed her fans with her creativity and effortless acting. Nowadays however she has been concentrating excessively on her make-up and there have been so many times when her make-up looks were too loud and glamorous in different drama serials. In Deewar-e-Shab she did not only support a make-up look that was too loud but the hairpiece she sported made her character look really strange as well. In the drama serial Zebaish there was a great deal of focus on her styling make-up and outfits.

Bushra Ansari does not like it when people criticize her dressing and make-up and she is absolutely right. But, when it comes to portraying a certain character she should at least tone down her make-up in scenes that show that her character is going through hell. Gradually, she has turned into one of those actresses who rely excessively on make-up.

Ghana Ali

Ghana Ali usually plays supporting characters in dramas. Quite often she is the bhabhi or the sister, a rather typical character that can be presented on screen in a simple manner. Ghana Ali however never presents her characters as such because her hair is always sleek and straight, she also makes sure that she sports a complete make-up look with the sharp contouring taking the lead. She usually keeps her lip colors nude so that her make-up look does not look odd but it always does since the make-up is the same irrespective of the character she is playing. She is clearly one of those actresses who are quite conscious about how they look on-screen and hence never tones the make-up down.

Hiba Bukhari

In a short span of time, Hiba Bukhari has become a leading actress in Pakistani dramas. Hiba Bukhari has a huge fan base and is one of the well-reputed and respected celebrities of current times. Hiba Bukhari definitely is a good actor but she has a long way to go when it comes to her grooming. Be it her wardrobe choices, her hairstyling, or even her makeup, she rarely gets it right. Her wardrobe choices are always outdated and boring and her makeup is way too loud.

She is currently seen in the drama serial Fitoor, wherein in the initial episodes she had to cry continuously because of how her family’s reputation was tarnished, but neither her glossy lips nor her smokey eyes budged. The character played by Hiba Bukhari; Dilnasheen is shown to be a college-going student who comes from such a family where her mother is quite strict, she doesn’t approve of overspending and always keeps a check on her daughter’s demeanor, therefore for Dilnasheen to have such a heavy-hand on makeup doesn’t really make much sense. Hiba Bukhari naturally has thick and fuller eyebrows which already frame her face beautifully, therefore she needs to tone down the amount of makeup she uses to give herself a natural and realistic look.

Hina Altaf

Hina Altaf is one such actress who has clearly stated that she hates makeup but because it is a part of her job, she has to wear it. It is perfectly understandable that Hina is not into makeup but we wonder why it doesn’t show in her dramas at all? For someone who is not into a lot of makeup, she should feel a lot more comfortable with the minimal makeup looks but Hina Altaf has recently started wearing a lot more makeup than she used to before.

In the drama serial Kasa e Dil, the character of Soumya has been through a lot but seeing her carrying halo-eyed makeup all the time is pretty unrealistic. Another thing that Hina Altaf must definitely let go of is the tint that she uses which settles in the cracks of her lips and accentuates the dry patches so much, giving her a very bizarre look as if she just chewed a ‘paan’ before shooting the scene. Hina Altaf naturally has fresh spotless skin and she is a fan of lip and cheek tints which she has stated quite a few times, however, she really needs to learn how to use them to her benefit.

Iqra Aziz

Iqra Aziz’s fan following multiplied when she played a complex and rather unusual role in Ranjha Ranjha Kardi. However, she disappointed her fans when she chose to play a run-of-the-mill role in the drama serial Jhooti. This was a commercial drama that got the ratings but was not lauded by the more serious viewers who had huge expectations from the actress. Nowadays, Iqra Aziz is part of two of the most-watched dramas on air right now; Raqeeb Se and Khuda Aur Mohabbat both have viewers’ undivided attention for completely different reasons. However, apart from the fact that Iqra Aziz is now being stereotyped, her make-up seems to be over-the-top in both these dramas. Even in the drama serial Jhooti, from the colored lenses to the perfect makeovers in every single scene, Iqra Aziz’s make-up was a little extra in every single scene.

There is no denying the fact that Iqra Aziz is comfortable in her own skin since she has quite often posted pictures without any make-up at all on Instagram several times. Yet, when it comes to her on-screen appearances she has been constantly seen in make-up which was heavy and looked out of place. In Raqeeb Se, Iqra Aziz’s perfect and polished make-up looks do not go well with her rather uncouth character. In Khuda Aur Mohabbat since generally, there is so much focus on the visuals, there’s no surprise that Iqra Aziz looks picture perfect in every scene. Our make-up artists need to realize that they can easily give Iqra Aziz a no make-up look by avoiding overdoing the eye make-up in particular. We are surprised that a director such as Kashif Nisar allowed Iqra Aziz to wear such polished make-up for such a role. She is the only actress in the drama whose make-up seems out of place. Even though Ameera is fond of wearing make-up but her look is too suave for the role.

Maya Ali

Maya Ali has made a comeback to Pakistani dramas after years and she is currently seen in the drama serial Pehli Si Mohabbat. Maya Ali is quite active on social media and she is one of those few celebrities who do not shy away from posting raw, unfiltered pictures without any makeup. This is one of the most endearing aspects of her social media handle that as a celebrity she sends a message across to her young fans that it is very important to appreciate your natural beauty without relying on makeup or filters all the time. Therefore, it isn’t much to expect her to sport a somewhat basic look in her drama. Although Maya Ali has straight away refused to acknowledge that the character of Rakshi is wearing too much makeup but the audience can very well see the amount of makeup there is on her face.

This has been the point of discussion ever since Pehli Si Mohabbat has begun that Rakshi’s overall makeup look doesn’t really go well with the dynamic of her character. There has not been a single scene in Pehli Si Mohabbat where Maya Ali has not worn shimmery eyeshadows and has given her eyes an accentuated and defined look with the help of transition colors. Her character could’ve done totally fine without the over usage of kajal but sadly it adds a lot more maturity and age to her character than what she is suggested to be. There is quite an obvious and harsh contouring too which Maya didn’t need considering she already has a defined face structure. Maya Ali is definitely comfortable in her natural skin, her numerous pictures are a testimony of that, however, we wish she had projected that in her comeback drama too.

Rabia Butt

Rabia Butt is definitely grabbing the attention and coming into the limelight due to her unique acting style and dialogue delivery. Rabia Butt has been a model therefore she definitely understands makeup and the kind of looks that suit her face. Rabia Butt first got the attention of the audience with her drama Ye Dil Mera in which she played the role of a second wife of Mir Farooq Zaman. She is currently seen in Pehli Si Mohabbat and in both the dramas, she played the role of a woman who was glamorous and was quite attractive to her husband.

In Pehli Si Mohabbat, the character of Nargis probably came from a brothel and is now married to Rakshi’s father. In the initial episodes, her loud makeup actually made a visual impact on the kind of background she belonged to and where she came from but later, she could’ve definitely toned it down considering she was now at a better place and far more content with how her life turned out to be. Although it does define her character, as the episodes are progressing, she could’ve done really well without that much makeup because then her natural beauty would’ve shown through. The overly blended, almost grungy makeup look is definitely not an impressive or pretty look, to say the least.

Ramsha Khan

Ramsha Khan has proved her caliber as an actor and with her recent projects, she has shown what a mature performer and actor she is. Ramsha Khan has become quite famous and now more and more viewers look forward to her dramas. The best part about Ramsha Khan is that she is a natural actor and because of the ease and effortlessness with which she performs her characters, she makes it easier for the audience to relate and build a connection with her characters. However, it would definitely add a lot more depth and dimension to her portrayal if she tones down her makeup and opts for realistic and natural makeup looks.

In most of her dramas, she portrays the hardships young girls face on different fronts in their lives, therefore to see an elaborate eyeliner and eye makeup, almost flawless base, and fluttery eyelashes at all times, doesn’t really go with the situations her characters are faced with. She definitely can give up on makeup because she is naturally very pretty and it will do wonders for her performance on a visual front.

Sanam Jung

Sanam Jung is also one of those actresses who recently made a comeback in dramas. Both the dramas she starred in were highly disappointing and Sanam’s acting also left a lot to be desired. Sanam Jung was always more than comfortable sporting minimal make-up looks in her dramas but now she wears excessive make-up in all her dramas. Even though her character went through the worst phases in Mein Na Janoo but her make-up and styling were never compromised. Not only is her make-up loud but it also makes her look older than her age. Most of the looks Sanam is seen sporting in real life are far more appealing than the ones she has been seen sporting in dramas nowadays. In drama serial Qarar her make-up and styling have not just been OTT but it also does not compliment her features.

Sarah Khan

Sarah Khan is the most sought-after actress in the Pakistani television industry with a massive fan following. She has come a long way since she started her career both in terms of her standing as a performer on screen and her overall outlook. It won’t be wrong to say that out of all the popular actresses, Sarah Khan has truly polished herself the most over the years. She also has beautiful features and skin therefore even a no make-up look suits her but somehow lately Sarah Khan has consciously been part of projects which entail a lot of glamour. There is nothing wrong with that of course but Sarah Khan’s over-emphasizes on her make-up and even dressing is most often a distraction since her characters and even performances don’t stand out as much as her make-up does!

Sarah Khan looked gorgeous in Deewar-e-Shab, Sabaat, and Raqs-e-Bismil but her sharply-drawn eyebrows and ever-present make-up even when it was not needed went to show that she is over-relying on these makeovers. Miraal’s wardrobe and make-up both were sponsored by so many leading brands of the country which does suggest that the producers are also putting in the extra effort to make Sarah look gorgeous on screen. In Raqs-e-Bismil she is constantly seen wearing layers of make-up even in situations where it is not needed. For instance, when Zohra wore the abaya so that she will not be noticed on a public bus and in the university, her eye make-up was enough to grab anyone’s attention. There isn’t a single scene in Raqs-e-Bismil and there wasn’t even a single instance in Sabaat when Sarah Khan sported the kind of make-up look which showed that she was willing to compromise on her styling or make-up. We would love to see Sarah switching to more ‘everyday’ make-up looks in scenes that do not require heavy makeovers.

Shaheen Khan

Shaheen Khan has been a part of the industry for a long time now. She gets to play the roles of mother in Pakistani dramas, sometimes a mother from an educated and modern background or sometimes she comes from a humble little background. However, irrespective of what the dynamics of her family are, she is always well-groomed and wears the most trendy sort of makeup, with smokey smudged eyeliners to pink blushes and the gorgeous shades of nude lipsticks. Shaheen Khan is a gorgeous actress but she can definitely do with a bit of toned-down makeup to at least suit the character that she is playing.

Sohai Ali Abro

Sohai Ali Abro is not seen on screen very often. She is really selective about the roles she takes up and anyone who has watched her perform over the years will agree that when it comes to looking her best on television, Sohai does not make any compromises! Whether the role demands it or not everything about her styling and make-up is always on point. Unlike, some of the other actresses on this list, Sohai has never been seen in a no make-up look in a drama even when she was playing the role of an acid burn victim in the drama serial Surkh Chandni she chose not to go easy on the make-up.

Recently in the drama serial Prem Gali she was shown as a young girl who was not allowed to wear make-up and her mother especially made sure that she went to college without any make-up. Yet, in every single scene, Sohai wore as much make-up as she possibly could. So much so that there were times when her styling and make-up looks changed multiple times in a single episode! Sohai has a cute face and she would look even more attractive and suitable in different roles if she tones down on the make-up. Her pout is always the most conspicuous feature on her face because of how she wears her lipstick. If she feels that she cannot tone down on her make-up then she should choose to play roles that allow her to add such glamour to her looks. But then there are barely any roles that require wearing such heavy make-up all the time.

Sonya Hussyn

Sonya Hussyn is known for her exceptional acting skills right from the time she started performing. Her impressive dialogue delivery and natural performances won the viewers over long before she was the diva she is today. Sonya Hussyn’s styling and make-up underwent a major change a few years back and unlike before nowadays, she focuses a lot on how she looks. In Aisi Hei Tanhai even when her character was critical after being poisoned Sonya Hussyn’s make-up was intact. Her styling and make-up were always unnecessarily loud in drama serials Saraab and Ishq Zah-e-Naseeb.

In her latest drama, Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida Sonya Hussyn made the most of the situations her character was shown in and adopted the lifestyle of the rich class a little too quickly. Even when Ulfat wasn’t rich, Sonya Hussyn always sported a complete make-up look with everything in place. In the drama serial Aangan she made a brief appearance and her look in the initial phases was very filmi! There was a time when Sonya Hussyn was not keen on looking glamorous on-screen but now it is definitely a priority. She is another stunning Pakistani actress who can easily pull off a no make-up look and she can conveniently take her make-up off when needed in dramas yet she prefers working hard on her looks and make-up and chooses not to tone down her make-up even when it is necessary.

Yashma Gill

Yashma Gill has only starred in a handful of dramas and lately, she has been part of some of the most popular dramas. Her personal style can best be described as casual and cute therefore no matter which role she is playing, she always sports such looks. Like most of the actresses on the list Yashma has never been seen sporting harsh contour lines but she always goes overboard with her lip gloss!

In the drama serial Pyar Ke Sadqay her weird anime-like look made her character come across as even more annoying than it already was! Her blush was too heavy, her eyelids were usually tinted with the same shade as her blush and the lip gloss did not compliment this entire look at all. Right now in Phaans she is not wearing a lot of make-up otherwise but the lip gloss is a little too conspicuous as usual. Yashma especially needs to focus on her make-up looks in general because she either needs to tone down or add a little here and there.

Zohreh Amir

Zohreh Amir is mostly seen in supporting characters that too in a few episodes. However, she makes sure that during her short-spanned appearance in the drama, she glams herself up so much that everyone remembers her as a supporting actress who wears layers and layers of makeup. She is also one of those actresses who finds it hard to edit and omit the makeup products she uses in her regular routine.

Although Zohreh definitely has the kind of face and features that can carry heavy and glamorous looks, for a TV drama and especially for a character that isn’t actually adding much to the story, she really takes it a bit too far. High heels, perfectly wavy hairstyles, overly done makeup are some of the main elements one gets to see in the characters played by Zohreh Amir. She is naturally very pretty with unique features, she can definitely do without so much makeup.

Share your views in the comments section. Do you think these actresses should tone down their make-up? Would you add any other actresses to this list.

Pakistani drama writers are often seen talking about how there are hardly 12 or 13 scenarios around which the stories revolve and then they are used to create dramas. However, it is also seen that once a storyline does well and a drama becomes popular, more and more drama writers end up sticking to the formula and without experimenting much, they use the same plot to come up with a story. It is also because they know this is going to work and will bring in the ratings that they and the channels are mostly after.

One such subject is love triangles and it won’t be wrong to say that almost all the Pakistani dramas that the viewers are getting to see in recent times are based on this particular theme with two women fighting over a man. These two women could be wives, ex-lovers, ex-spouses, colleagues, or even a sister seen fighting with the wife of her brother. Pakistani drama makers have made a clear-cut point that they may be short on stories, but they are never short on love triangles and messiest ones at that because they keep on reusing and repacking these stories.

It is not only monotonous to see these types of characters with women only wishing to win over a man of her dreams, what’s amusing is that half, in fact, most of the times, but these men also are not even worth the attention they are being given by multiple women in the dramas. In Pakistani dramas, the writers end up showing the power and authority that the men have with women literally going out of the way to win a spot in their lives. It goes to show that the writers like to reinforce the fact that a woman is nothing without a man and for girls as young as teenagers, their only motive should be to bag a proposal of a man of her dreams, even if the reality ends up being nothing short of a nightmare.

In this list, we talk about all the messiest love triangles that we have seen in recent dramas:

[lwptoc]

Nisha, Asfand, Misha (Jalan)

Who doesn’t remember Jalan and who doesn’t remember the lengths Misha, played by Minal Khan went to in order to not only destroy the life and marriage of her sister Nisha but also to grab the man she thought was just perfect and had everything that she ever dreamt of. There was absolutely nothing amusing or fun about this scenario but the hours, if not minutes taken by Misha to realize that Asfand wasn’t making her happy made this entire situation quite humorous.

This drama was a clear-cut case of producers bent on grabbing the ratings, without even thinking about what they were showing in the drama. Nisha tried her best to put up a fight but she had no idea the evil she was faced with in the form of her younger sister. It is not only alarming but frustrating to see the rise in sister rivalry again in Pakistani drama, that too where sisters are pit against each other only because they want to be with the same man!

Nisha, Ahmer, Areej (Jalan)

Yes, drama serial Jalan didn’t hold back in breaking all the records in negativity. This is exactly why the same girl got tangled in yet another messy triangle where she wanted to get back with Ahmer, her ex-fiance after he got married to Areej. Areej was your typical achi wali larki who spent her entire life worshipping Ahmer. In the end, her niceness melted Ahmer’s heart, and just when they were about to begin to enjoy their marital bliss, Nisha struck again with a baton in her hand and laser beams in her eyes.

There was a sickening scene in this drama where just after losing her father, Nisha tries to create a misunderstanding between Ahmer and Areej by placing a lipstick mark on his coat. I mean the writer definitely deserves applause for coming up with this scenario because it was definitely the first in Pakistani drama. It is amusing that all this while, the Pakistani audience have made fun of Indian content but who knew few years down the lane, there will be writers like Sidra Seher Imran who grew up watching Starplus and they’d come up writing more or less similar content.

Amal, Mikaal, Annie (Dulhan)

Oh dear, Mashal Khan played the exact same role that she played in Thora Sa Haq; of technically the second wife who was psychotically in love with her cousin. In the drama serial Dulhan, there were quite a few scenes between Amal and Annie where they both tried to own Mikaal in order to prove to one another that he belonged to him. Although Amal, played by Sumbul Iqbal ended up coming to terms with the reality that this was a messy situation but every chance she got, she did give Annie a run for her money.

Annie barely had the energy to stand up but when it came to Mikaal she turned into this iron lady who was ready to chop Amal’s head off, without even realizing that her psychotic behavior was never going to make her happy in the first place and out of all her concerns, her mental health should’ve been her priority.

Shireen, Adan, Soumya (Kasa e Dil)

This triangle has kind of just begun where Soumya played by Hina Altaf has now come to Adan’s house but on her very first day, Soumya didn’t hold back in telling Shireen that she was technically Adan’s first wife because they had their Nikkah before Adan got married to Shireen. Shireen is playing her evil games where she is putting up her best act in front of Adan but in reality, she is weaving a trap for Soumya so that she can drift her and Adan apart.

It is also amusing that Soumya is ready to even fight with Adan’s mother because she has told her that her husband can not live without her! Soumya has fallen in love with Adan but sadly, there are so many people who wish ill for Soumya, not sure why she is so important for everyone in the first place. Komal Aziz Khan is always the second woman in every scenario, we definitely think she should experiment more and take up roles where she is the priority of a man in the drama for a change.

Nageen, Haroon, Ramsha (Deewangi)

This seemed like a tact of the drama makers to drag the drama because Deewangi became quite popular and did well on TRP charts. This is exactly why they brought in Haroon’s ex-girlfriend who after getting a divorce was ready to get settled again the next day her iddat ended. Talk about being desperate, so much so that Ramsha ended up partnering with Sultan Durrani to create misunderstandings between Haroon and Nageen, played by Ali Abbas and Hiba Bukhari.

Nageen was right in her own perspective where she failed to let go of her husband but what made her character hard to tolerate was the fact that despite the faith Haroon put in her, she failed to come clean and tell him the truth. The panting and breathlessness of Nageen made her a very difficult character to sympathize with, but yes, this drama was full of such triangles, they could’ve easily named it tikon-gee!

Mehmal, Haider, Dilnasheen (Fitoor)

The new triangle in town in yet another Geo TV drama is seen in Fitoor. Mehmal rejected Haider and his love because she wanted to get married to a rich and wealthy man, she had big dreams and aspirations. She did however find herself that kind of a person but he was never emotionally invested in her, only for her to realize that Haider was her true love. Mehmal has now created such a situation where she is ready to divorce her husband and has left his home. She is now happily camping at Haider’s place and making sure that Haider doesn’t pay attention to his young wife Dilnasheen, played by Hiba Bukhari.

Dilnasheen was already in love with someone else but after getting pressurized by her family ended up agreeing to her marriage to Haider. Dilnasheen has realized that Mehmal is very much in love with her husband, this is why she subtlely tried to score brownie points by literally baking brownies and cooking food for him. Duh! This is the best fight Dilnasheed could come up with. This entire triangle is amusing to watch because Mehmal is quite vocal about her feelings whereas Dilnasheen jingles her bangles to grab Haider’s attention. Sigh!

Mehru, Shahjahan, Ayat (Meherposh)

This was yet another Geo TV drama with yet another sibling rivalry. Mehru fell in love with Shahjahan but after finding out that her younger sister Ayat was also in love with the same guy, she backed out. However, Mehru sported a forlorn face throughout the drama which was a clear-cut message to Shahjahan as well as Ayat that she was sulking deep down and was just unhappy. Mehru also tried settling for another guy but that didn’t happen because her sister passed away and Shahjahan was free of his liabilities.

Till the time Ayat was alive, she left no stone unturned in fighting with her sister to win Shahjahan over, so much so that she even decided to poison her sister, thinking this would kill her and then she will be able to have Shahjahan’s undivided attention. Although Mehru’s fights were because she wanted to be with Shahjahan but more or less, he was always the reason behind it!

Raima, Saif ur Rehman, Farkhanda (Muqaddar)

This triangle was so cringing that it put all the cringe-worthy content to shame. It turned out to be this way because viewers expected something better from Raima, played by Madiha Imam. She not only got forcefully married to Saif ur Rehman, just because he provided her with luxury and a bit of love, but she also ended up falling for him so hard that she decided it would be fun to spice up her boring life by standing against his first wife who was already dealing with so many complexes.

It was literally annoying to see Farkhanda and Raima talking to each other about how they are the Queens in Saif ur Rehman’s life. Raima was shown to be an RJ, an educated girl who had big dreams therefore to see her turning into such a typical aunty was offputting. This kind of behavior was obviously expected of Farkhanda because she didn’t have any other life than this but to see Raima deriving sadistic pleasure by rubbing the love she was getting from Saif ur Rehman on Farkhanda’s face was plain vile.

Sneha, Faraz, Tara (Mohabbatain Chahatain)

This is the kind of triangle drawn by a toddler when he holds the marker for the first time, it just wasn’t right and didn’t even have to exist in the first place. Sneha and Faraz were madly in love but it took only one bet by Tara to destroy their happy marriage. Sneha also tried to put up a fight but she failed in front of Tara who was quite cunning and manipulative.

Faraz was just as clueless but then what can you expect from a man like him who was no catch, to begin with getting an ego boost seeing how important he was for two women. This was quite a cringe triangle, to begin with, and later seeing how far it went was crazy. Not to forget the intolerable expressions and acting of Armeena Rana Khan and the poorest get-up of Hira Mani made it an even harder task to watch Mohabbatain Chahatain.

Mahi, Ali, Sara (Tera Ghum Aur Hum)

Tera Ghum Aur Hum was actually quite appealing in the first few weeks. It seemed as if for a change the viewers would get to watch a love triangle in which the man was not going to be swayed away by the other woman’s charm. However, as the story progressed Ali (the man we had so many hopes attached to) turned into yet another one of those fools who fall for every single lie being told to them and end up ruining their relationship with their significant other, in this case, Mahi. Mahi’s character actually got so annoying at one point that instead of feeling for her, the viewers had reasons to hold her responsible since the story was presented in such a way. The writer made a conscious effort to hold the women responsible and Ali was always shown as the helpless man who tried his best most of the time!

Sara always loved Ali but Ali loved Mahi. Since Mahi was always told by her cousin Sara that she wasn’t pretty or stylish enough, she had a really low opinion of herself. Even after getting married to Ali Mahi’s inferiority complex got the best of her and her overly nice behavior prevented her from keeping Sara away from her husband! Mahi tried to ‘fight’ for Ali often enough but just like all the other dramas on this list, the other woman i.e Sara was always pursuing Ali with much more desperation! Ultimately, in a weird turn of events Ali ended up entering into a nikkah with Sara and that is when we got to watch yet another dusri biwi situation in which both the wives were constantly trying really hard to get the man’s attention. Sara even faked a pregnancy and aborted Mahi’s baby by giving her the pills she was not supposed to take while she was expecting yet somehow all that was brushed under the carpet later on. The ending of this drama had to be the worst since Sara did not only get away with everything but was actually presented as a hero in the end! Tera Ghum Aur Hum went downhill towards the end and turned out to be another pointless drama in which women fought for a useless man for the longest time.

Seher, Zamin, Hareem (Thora Sa Haq)

Thora Sa Haq was another popular drama serial that had a massive viewership. The writer definitely took inspiration from Hamsafar while penning down the part covering Zamin’s accidental and sudden marriage to Seher but Hamsafar made much more sense since everyone was given time to think about the decision. Zamin’s father forced him to enter into a nikkah with his brother’s daughter while the brother was on his death bed even though Zamin was already engaged and in love with his cousin Hareem! This had to be the most unreasonable nikkah scene in drama history! The absurdity did not end there, Zamin and his father both kept on waiting for the ‘right time’ to inform Hareem and her family about the nikkah but ultimately Zamin ended up telling Hareem right at the time of their nikkah!!! Thora Sa Haq’s script was as crazy as it gets since Hareem, even after hearing the truth, decided to get married to Zamin since that was the only way that the writer could have pitched these women against each other for 30 plus weeks! Just like in all the other such scenarios Seher was the bechari, the one who endured everything from verbal insults to thappars while Hareem fought for ‘her man’ by shouting, screaming, crying, plotting, and what not!

Hareem’s mother supported her daughter and went the extra mile to plot and plan against Seher! Zamin was conveniently turned into a bechara and one of those many men in Pakistani dramas who are married to two women at the same time but don’t know what to do with their lives. Our writers definitely enjoy showing this clash between modern and traditional women and they always make sure that the duppata clad woman is always the one who gets the viewers’ sympathies! Thora Sa Haq was an overdose of women fighting over a man who did not even deserve either of them. This was also a classic case of confusion as to how the actual ‘other woman’ was! That is another interesting paradox in Pakistani dramas; sometimes you have no idea which woman is the other woman in the relationship.

Ulfat, Shahaan, Shafaq (Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida)

Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida did not just have a central track where women were constantly shown fighting over a man. This drama definitely took this scenario to a different level because the first wife Ulfat sold her husband to the second one, Shafaq. The man, Shahaan, as is always the case was the victim! The poor man was forced into marrying a beautiful business woman who gave up everything for him!! Ulfat was so sure that her husband could not love anyone else except her therefore she confidently married him off so that she could live the life she always dreamed of.

The real fight started once Shahaan fell in love with Shafaq and that is when both these wives were constantly trying their best to get the other one out of the way. This was another such drama that had the most bizarre ending. The story never had a lot of substance since it was actually an extension of a 2-hour film and clearly, the writer’s sole purpose was to make the viewers feel for Ulfat even after she went as far as selling her husband! Even though Shafaq was introduced as a confident young woman, her insecurities and plotting after marriage was just as bad as any other such woman in dramas. Once again, this was also the kind of situation in which it was difficult to tell who was at fault and who the other woman was!

Anaya, Hassan, Miraal (Sabaat)

In Pakistani dramas, women fight over men not just because they are in love with the same man but sometimes the scenario can be different (but equally annoying) as was the case with the drama serial Sabaat. Miraal was the controlling sister who did not want her brother Hassan to get married to the love of his life Anaya. However, he ultimately got married to her and that is when Miraal did everything in her power to win her brother back! The kind of obsessive plotting we got to witness in this drama was the next level of craziness for sure!

Even though Anaya did her best to save her marriage, her good-for-nothing husband eventually fell for the lies and that is when Miraal won! Anaya fought for her marriage and was a likable character but Miraal fought to break this marriage as if she had nothing else to do in life! In the end, it was Miraal who pleaded Anaya to take Hassan back so once again the man was just in the middle getting fooled and being completely useless!

Mahjabeen, Abdullah, Shanzay (Pyar Ke Sadqay)

Pyar Ke Sadqay was a brilliant piece of writing because it had some of the most unconventional leading characters we have seen in Pakistani dramas. However, the writer could not dodge the bullet which it seems was needed to prolong the drama! This drama could have easily focused on Mahjabeen and Abdullah without adding the other woman track since their story had enough substance as it was. Yet, Shanzay made a comeback with a completely different personality (definitely not a likable one!). There was a time when she couldn’t stand Abdullah and now she was willing to do whatever it took to be in his life, ignoring the fact that he was already married! Abdullah’s inclination towards Shanzay was also annoying but definitely understandable. It was however something that could have been easily avoided.

Poor Mahjabeen could not even fight for herself therefore ultimately it was Washma who fought her case. Mahjabeen however did try her best to win her husband back by trying to look more modern and doing whatever she could to get his attention. However, quite a few episodes were dedicated to showing how hard Shanzay tried to win Abdullah over and how helpless Mahjabeen was. Towards the end, the viewers were debating whether Abdullah actually deserved Mahjabeen or not because of this strange and unpleasant ‘love’ triangle.

Kashf, Wajdaan, Zoya (Kashf)

This was another drama that had a different storyline altogether but sadly even this drama had the most unpleasant track of a woman desperately pursuing her sister’s fiancé. Kashf and Wajdaan had been engaged for the longest time and they were both madly in love yet Zoya, Kashf’s sister did whatever she could to create misunderstandings between the two and tried to win Wajdaan’s mother over so that she would get him married to her. Zoya’s fascination with her brother-in-law was pretty evident right from the beginning and the viewers started criticizing it right from the get-go.

Kashf was another one of those dramas that relied heavily on sibling rivalry. Although Kashf never did much to counter Zoya’s plan, whatever she did definitely impacted her relationship with Wajdaan. This was such an unnecessary track and the most unpleasant one in this particular drama.

Daneen, Areesh, Aania (Anaa)

This was another one of those ‘complicated’ and strange love triangles where it was difficult to tell who actually the other woman in the drama was. Daneen and Areesh were initially in love but their families did not approve of their relationship. As a result of this, they ended up getting married to someone else. Areesh got married to Aania, a docile woman who knew he wasn’t in love with her but did whatever she could to win his love since she was hopelessly in love with her! The drama took the most bizarre turn when Daneen decided to run from her husband’s house and elope with Areesh!

Like all the other men on this list, Areesh was also clueless and useless! He could not commit to one woman because he did not know what he wanted from his life. On the other hand, Aania was shown as the typical too-good-to-be-true wife who always gave mixed signals and kept the viewers confused throughout. Areesh was definitely not worth fighting over and towards the end, this power struggle became even messier.

Farwa, Hassan, Gohar (Nand)

Nand is still on air and the power struggle between women is continuing to date! Since we stopped watching the drama a long time back, we will only add those names which were initially part of the drama. Gohar was shown as a controlling sister, mother, and wife who wanted to make sure that the men in her life put her before everyone else. That is why when her younger brother Hassan got married against her will, she did everything she could to create misunderstandings between Hassan and Farwa.

Gohar literally had no life therefore all she did was plot and plan against Farwa. She did everything from recording videos to taking pictures to make Hassan doubt his wife. Farwa countered everything with confidence until Hassan started falling for the lies and the marriage fell apart! Gohar and Farwa’s confrontations were part of every single episode and this fight continued until Gohar ‘won’!

Rabi, Saqib, Gohar (Nand)

Everyone who has watched Nand would agree that Saqib was never worth fighting over! Yet, Rabi went through the worst to be with him until Gohar made sure that her brother divorced her. This divorce scene alone is enough evidence that the makers of Nand took women fighting over men to a whole new level!

Gohar stole, lied, and did whatever it took to break Saqib and Rabi’s relationship. Saqib was so blinded by the love he felt for his sister that he believed every lie and never valued his wife. Rabi kept on coming back to Saqib even when she was beaten and thrown out of the house!

Rabi, Jahangir, Gohar (Nand)

When Rabi went ahead and married Gohar’s husband Jahangir, drama serial Nand started going downhill.  Gohar came back to her husband and that is when there was a constant power struggle between the two women. Even a man like Jahangir who was sensible and decent ended up falling for the lies, as is always the case! The whole drama from then on focused on Gohar’s attempts to be the only woman in Jahangir’s life.

Gohar went as far as killing Jahangir’s mother yet even now she is part of the drama and continues to fight with the present women in her brothers’ life!

This list goes to show that our producers believe that showing women fighting over men guarantees viewership. Even when the writers begin a drama with a novel storyline, they end up adding such tracks to it and we are guessing that the producers want them to do so! Such tracks are in bad taste and the viewers are sick and tired of watching women fighting over men in our dramas. What do you think? Share your views.