There are new additions to the Pakistani drama industry every year but there are only a handful of new actors who impress the viewers with their acting skills. With the advent of private channels and so many new production houses, the new actors have more opportunities now. That is the reason why we see new faces on our television screens more often now. Social media definitely plays an important role in helping these new actors carve their own identity and reach out to their fans. Some of these actors got the wonderful opportunity of working with the most talented team right at the beginning of their careers. There were others who were only seen on screen for a short period of time but their performance left a lasting impression. Sometimes a single scene can say a great deal about an actor’s potential and at other times there are a variety of scenes that clearly show an actor’s range. Acting is a challenging profession that requires a lot of hard work. Therefore, no matter how naturally gifted an actor is, he or she will not be able to make it too far if there isn’t a certain level of commitment and passion involved.

Here is a list of those new Pakistani drama actors of 2020 who have what it takes to make it big in the industry.

[lwptoc]

Ameer Gilani

Ameer Gilani made his acting debut with the drama serial Log Kya Kahenge but he got recognition from his second project Sabaat. He is one of those few new actors on the list who played the leading role in a star-studded drama serial early on in their career. Ameer Gilani has always been passionate about performing arts, it is something he did for fun but never thought that he would one day get to live his dream. He started his showbiz career as a model and when he was offered Sabaat, he did his homework before taking it up. He read the script and prepared himself to play Hasan’s character. He lost weight because he needed to look leaner for the role. Hasan’s character is rather complex and Ameer has done complete justice to it. Ameer Gilani is happy with the choice he made and he takes his acting career really seriously. Once he completes his studies he intends to pursue his passion with even more dedication.

Hina Javed

Hina Javed instantly had the viewers’ attention when she made her first appearance in Mere Pass Tum Ho as Hania’s sister. Hina Javed had a lot of difficult dialogues but she did complete justice to her role. This was Hina’s best acting venture and she was really excited to work with such a good team. Hina Javed is really passionate about acting and she performs well too therefore this list would be incomplete without her.

Hadi Bin Arshad

Hadi Bin Arshad made his television acting debut with the blockbuster drama serial Alif. He played the role of Jahangir Sultan in the drama. His character did not get a lot of screen time and exited from the story early on but Hadi’s performance left a lasting impression. He is a young actor who decided to play a role which had a lot of room for performance, as his debut. This suggests that he is the kind of actor who is already quite confident about his acting skills. The viewers would definitely want to see more of this talented actor. Hopefully, we will get to see him playing another meaty role which gives him the opportunity to show more of his good acting skills. He has the potential to be an outstanding performer if he continues to choose the projects he is a part of, wisely.

Fatima Sohail

Fatima Sohail was a television presenter before she decided to start acting. Everyone is well aware of the circumstances in which Fatima Sohail started this new journey. She made her acting debut by playing a negative character in the hit drama serial Mera Dil Mera Dushman. Through this character, Fatima convinced the viewers that she had the potential to be a good actor. She has the confidence and the skills, hopefully we will get to see her in substantial projects in the future.

Tania Hussain

Tania Hussain made her television debut with the drama serial Kashf. She played a supporting character in the drama and she impressed the viewers with her debut performance. Her character went through a few transformations in the drama, Tania Hussain made sure that each one of these changes is portrayed well on screen. She has the kind of acting skills that can make you love and hate the character she plays on the screen. Her mother is a well-known Pakistani model who recently started acting.

Arshia Akbar

Arshia Akbar started her showbiz career a few years back as a child star from the drama serial Udaari. Since then she has played some supporting characters including the one she is playing in Ghissi Pitti Mohabbat. Arshia always had the confidence needed to become a great actress. With time her acting skills have been groomed even more and we can already see how good she would do in different characters.

Rimha Ahmed

Rimha Ahmed recently caught the attention of the viewers when she played an important supporting role in the drama serial Uraan. Rimha was also part of the web series Churails. She has what it takes to make it big in the industry; good looks and natural acting talent. Rimha has also appeared in popular Pakistani dramas such as Khaani and Choti Si Zindagi. She also played a leading role in TV One’s drama Rock Star. She is the daughter of a famous Pakistani actress Rashida Tabassum who has played supporting roles in many popular dramas. Although Rimha Ahmed is only 20 years old, she herself feels that she is an old soul. She describes her own personality in these words, “An old soul stuck in the body of a 20-year-old. Tired of this superficial world. Can’t stand Fake, Judgemental, or negative people. I like cheesy songs.”

Abul Hasan

Abul Hassan is another new actor who has shown through his performances that he has the talent to be a good actor. He played Ali’s role in Soteli Mamta and made his presence felt. His role and acting in Ghissi Pitti Mohabbat is further evidence of his abilities as an actor.

Maha Hassan

Maha Hassan is another young actress who started her acting career with two of the biggest blockbusters this year. The great thing is that in both these dramas, Ishqiya and Nand, the characters she chose to play were equally confident and level-headed. Maha Hassan does not only have a screen presence but she seems to be really wise considering she chose to start her career with characters that were not typical or done-to-death. Maha got proper training for acting from NAPA and completed her studies before joining the industry.

Adnan Samad Khan

Gulzar Hussein from Basti Malook won the Ehd-e-Wafa viewers over from his very first appearance. The fact that Adnan Samad Khan was so perfect for the role he was shown playing, made him an instant hit. His role for the most part was comic but he also nailed some of the scenes which showed a more serious and responsible side of his character. Adnan Samad Khan is definitely a newcomer to look out for. He has tons of confidence and he also knows his craft well. As long as he chooses the projects he works on in the future carefully, he will surely be doing wonders.

Aliha Chaudhry

Aliha Chaudhry has been associated with showbiz for a few years now but she got noticed more than ever recently when she played the role of Asmara in Ghissi Pitti Mohabbat. She started her career as a VJ, then she started singing, modeling was next and in 2018 she ventured into acting. Aliha is a confident actress who has impressed the viewers with her performance in Ghissi Pitti Mohabbat.

Durr-e-Fishan Saleem

Durr-e-Fishan Saleem who is playing a supporting character in the drama serial Dil Ruba is a University of London graduate. Her acting skills are impressive and she also has a pleasant screen persona. She has the looks and a natural knack for acting therefore this list would be incomplete without her. She has played the role of a loving and innocent sister in Dil Ruba without overdoing different elements of her character. Durr-e-Fishan’s career started on a perfect note and we are pretty sure she will make it big in the industry.

Javeria Kamran

Javeria Kamran played a rather complicated and at times twisted character in the popular drama serial Anaa. Although this was Javeria Kamran’s first television appearance, she gave an impressive performance throughout. Everyone hated Nashwa for the longest time but the viewers loved Javeria’s performance throughout. Javeria Kamran is definitely off to a great start. In 2020 she starred in the drama serial Sabaat alongside Sarah Khan. Javeria is good looking and talented, she will surely make a name for herself in the industry in a few years. Javeria started her television career as a host on Atv’s live music show and her big break came when she was offered to play Nashwa’s role in Anaa.

Hareem Sohail

Hareem Sohail is a young actress who made her television debut with the drama Ghissi Pitti Mohabbat. She is the daughter of a well-known television actress Beena Chaudhry. Hareem Sohail started working in dramas when she was only 7 years old but she had to discontinue acting because she needed to give time to her studies. Hareem always wanted to be an actor since she grew up watching films and acting was always her biggest dream. The role she played in her debut drama was rather unusual and bold. This was definitely a bold choice on her part to start her career with such a role. Her performance has been impressive throughout even though she is working with the top actors of the industry, you never feel that this is the first time that she is facing the camera.

Muhammad Hunbal

Muhammad Hunbal, Khurshid of Ehd-e-Wafa also made a brief appearance in the popular drama serial but the viewers loved his performance. He did really well in a role that was both entertaining and emotional. Muhammad Hunbal emotes really well which is why he did exceptionally well in the emotional scenes. Saife Hassan is a talented director who always extracts the best performances out of even those actors who are performing for the first time. Muhammad Hunbal and other new actors who worked in Ehd-e-Wafa were definitely lucky because they got such a good director to lead them.

Fareeha Raza

Fareeha Raza is a new actor in the Pakistani drama industry who is playing the role of Aksa, Momina’s friend, in the drama serial Alif. Fareeha Raza has given a decent performance throughout. She has given the character she is playing the right treatment by never going overboard. Fareeha Raza has also been part of a web series therefore she was in a way acquainted with acting before working in Alif. Fareeha Raza is definitely a natural and she is sure to go a long way.

Abbas Ashraf Awan

We all hated Atif in Sabaat but the actor playing the role did complete justice to his character. Abbas Ashraf Awan is a new Pakistani actor whose performance in Sabaat has been right on point. He played a supporting character in the drama and his performance never disappointed. With some grooming, Abbas Ashraf can easily play leading roles in dramas.

Sehar Khan

Sehar Khan has already played the lead in dramas as she started her career last year. Most of the dramas she played the leading role in were not too popular therefore she caught the viewer’s attention more than ever playing Roshni’s character in Mushk. She is also one of the most promising young actresses right now who will surely be seen in other quality dramas in the future too.

Areeba Shahood

Areeba Shahood also made her acting debut with the drama serial Anaa. She played a character that was rather simple but went through a lot. Areeba Shahood’s performance was great throughout. She also has an acting style which is different. She added grace to the character she was playing. Areeba is Shahood Alvi’s daughter therefore it does not come as a surprise that acting comes naturally to her. She has what it takes to make it big in the industry.

Mujtaba Abbas Khan

Mujtaba Abbas Khan made his debut in acting with the drama serial Tera Ghum Aur Hum. He is playing a supporting role in the drama but unlike so many other new actors lately, he has a definite grip on his dialogue delivery and his portrayal is always perfect. Mujtaba’s performance shows that no role is small or insignificant if the actor playing the role, breathes life into it.

Naeema Butt

Naeema Butt made her acting debut with a powerful role in the drama serial Ehd-e-Wafa. Although her character was not a permanent part of the drama, her performance left the viewers in awe of her talent. She played the role of Ghazala, Shariq’s sister, in the drama. There are few actors who start their acting careers with roles that are not run-of-the-mill and Naeema Butt is one of them. She also played a leading role in the drama serial Daasi. Naeema Butt has already shown that she can do different kinds of roles. She is the most talented and versatile among the new actors.

Momina Iqbal

Momina Iqbal has already done a film and has played supporting characters in a few dramas. Ehd-e-Wafa was her first big drama but like the other dramas she has worked in, in Ehd-e-Wafa too she has been given limited screen time. Momina Iqbal has a pleasant personality and she has the potential to make it big in the industry. Now she will be seen playing a leading role in the drama serial “Bhool Ja Aae Dil”.

Laiba Khan

Laiba Khan started acting purely by chance, she never imagined herself as a professional actress but now she has already worked in some popular dramas such as Mera Dil Mera Dushman and Tarap. The fact that she got such solid roles early on in her career goes to show that the producers have faith in Laiba’s talent as an actress. Laiba Khan’s siblings are already child stars and her sister Eman played the leading role in the drama serial Damsa and she has been associated with the industry for many years now. Laiba started taking interest in the field because of her sister.

Are there any other new Pakistani actors who you think should be on the list? Who is your favorite new actor right now? Share your views.

Every year, the Pakistani drama industry produces a lot of dramas. Where some dramas are made purely for the sake of entertainment, there are also a few which are created in order to spread awareness among the masses. The makers of such dramas usually take pride in the fact that they have not only understood their responsibility but have also played their part in putting the tool of media to good use. As much as this approach is appreciated, it becomes unfortunate that the Pakistani drama producers and makers can not break free from the race of ratings and competition.

There have been a lot of instances where the viewers are given false hopes by promoting dramas to be dealing with a certain social issue but when the story progresses, viewers are left feeling disappointed because it is written in the most typical fashion with all those twists and turns which not only veer away from the subject but also do not really do justice to it. A lot of times, many dramas in the past also promised to be shedding light on social issues in all its entirety but that didn’t turn out to be the case.

This year, Pakistani drama viewers also came across a few such projects which did promise to create awareness about a certain social issue but ended up being a bit too commercial or poorly executed. It is because of this reason, such kinds of dramas fail to garner a lot of viewership because the execution errors along with derailed storylines fail to keep the interest of the viewers alive. Some dramas this year did become popular but as the story progressed, it forced the viewers to speak about the wrong approach of the drama makers. However, Pakistani drama viewers did get lucky at times, because they also got to witness very few dramas which actually did justice to the social issue picked up by the drama makers because they approached the subject with clarity and vision.

Here is the list of social issue-based dramas seen in 2020:

Dar Khuda Se

Writer: Sarwat Nazeer
Director: Anjum Shehzad
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Geo Entertainment
Cast: Imran Abbas, Sana Javed, Kiran Haq, Saleem Mairaj, Maryam Mirza, and others.

Drama serial Dar Khuda Se revolved around the subject of workplace harassment that young girls and employees of big companies have to face on a daily basis. Dar Khuda Se had all the potential to be a very strong drama because initially it garnered a lot of viewership and also had a somewhat different storyline but unfortunately, people failed to keep up with it because the drama was never-ending. Dar Khuda Se had a total of 42 episodes, which made the pace of the drama a bit too slow and tested the patience of the viewers along the way. The story revolved around Afreen (Sana Javed) who was harassed by her boss Shahvaiz, a character played by Imran Abbas. After a long time, Imran Abbas played a negative character. Although all the actors did the best they could, this drama had a very typical setting which took away the focus from the workplace harassment, and then a major chunk of the story was dedicated to the helpless parents of Afreen who were just disappointed at most of their children and the paths they chose for themselves.

Eventually, the story of Dar Khuda Se became about Tamkeen, a divorcee who just dreamt of living big. She marries Shahvaiz and is put through abuse on a daily basis. In the end, Shahvaiz meets a typical end and Afreen finds a way out out of her miseries too. If the drama makers had dealt with this subject properly and had subtracted the number of episodes, Dar Khuda Se would have been one of the best dramas witnessed by the viewers. It was unfortunate that despite having a strong theme and idea in mind, the writer ended up adding a bit too many tracks, and then the director gave preference to the supporting tracks a lot more which took away from the actual subject of the drama.

Damsa

Writer: Asma Nabeel
Director: Najaf Bilgirami
Producer: Showcase Productions
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Nadia Jamil, Shahood Alvi, Moomal Sheikh, Emaan Khan, and others.

Drama serial Damsa was another social issue-based serial that Pakistani drama viewers came across. The story of Damsa was based on the theme of child abduction, trafficking, and begging. The drama raised some very important points and was skillfully written, shedding light on some of the very sensitive subjects which are not explored on the TV screens. However, Damsa failed to do well in terms of viewership and popularity because it was not easily available to be viewed on YouTube and also because the theme of the drama was so grim and serious that it made it hard for the people to follow it.

Nadia Jamil’s association with this project also gave it a lot of hype. There is however no denying the fact that Damsa was well written and showed how strong-willed a mother can be when she puts her mind to anything related to her children. The character of Areeja, played by Nadia Jamil took the central stage and showcased the struggles and obstacles a mother has to face in order to rescue her child. The drama serial Damsa did have a positive ending which compensated a great deal for the pain and suffering that was shown throughout the drama. It won’t be wrong to say that drama serial Damsa was the only social issue-based drama this year that actually stayed true to the promise made to the audience and it delivered.

Ghalati

Writer: Asma Sayani
Director: Saba Hameed
Producer: Six Sigma Plus
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Hira Mani, Affan Waheed, Saba Hameed, Sana Askari, Anoushay Ashraf, Faris Shafi, Meherbano, and others.

Ghalati was another brilliant social-issue based drama this year that did well, not only in terms of viewership but also in terms of conveying the message as well as staying true to the essence of the story. Drama serial Ghalati was about the newly wedded couple of Zaira and Saad, where Zaira has an upper hand and when her father suffers from financial losses in the business, he is unable to bear the financial responsibility and burden of Saad’s family. That’s what makes their relationship rocky because Saad’s mother fails to let her son settle peacefully with Zaira. This drama serial sensitively dealt with the issue related to divorce, especially when it is given at different intervals. Saad refuses to admit that he has divorced Zaira twice, which makes Zaira a culprit.

In this drama, the character of Shanzay was one of the best seen this year. Shanzay, played by Meherbano was all about honesty and saying things for what they are. Shanzay ends up helping Zaira come out of the messy situation and in the end, Zaira takes charge of her life by putting her harrowing past behind her. Drama serial Ghalati was in a true sense based on empowering women and showing them the brighter side of life that divorce does not mean an end, it definitely can be a stepping stone for something bigger and better. This drama was directed by Saba Hameed and she executed it with a vision and a perfect approach, this is why Ghalati didn’t drag and ended at the right time.

Ruswai

Writer: Naila Ansari
Director: Rubina Ashraf
Producer: Six Sigma Plus
Channel: ARY Digital
Main Cast: Sana Javed, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Seemi Raheel, Syed Mohmmad Ahmed, Irsa Ghazal, Usman Peerzada, Osama Tahir, Minna Tariq.

Most of the issue-based dramas in 2020 did not get a lot of attention. Ruswai was perhaps the only such drama that was watched by many and it was the center of discussions as well. Ruswai was the story of a rape survivor. Through this track, the writer highlighted the plight of the victims and tried to show how even the closest family members can have the most unrealistic expectations from the victims. This was perhaps the only drama that also focused a great deal on the internal struggle of the victim. Sana Javed played the main role in the drama. Her character was etched-out in such a way that it gave people so much to ponder upon. The only issue which most people had with Ruswai was that the side tracks at one point started getting more attention than the central story. The writer then clarified that the drama was also written with the intent of pointing out the problems that occur due to the tradition of watta-satta in society.

The biggest strength of Ruswai was its characters and the fact that it had a strong female protagonist who fought for herself right till the end. Even the supporting characters such as the ones played by Osama Tahir and Minna Tariq also got a great deal of attention and love from the public. There was also a big controversy surrounding the drama. In an interview, certain remarks made by the lead actress Sana Javed implied that Rubina Ashraf, the director of the play, chose to give more screen time to her daughter Minna Tariq. Rubina Ashraf said that these were false accusations since the writer had already penned down the script and she couldn’t possibly give her daughter more screen time. While Sana’s performance and character in Ruswai were superb, this statement made by her gave the drama the kind of attention that was not needed. Ruswai was however the only issue-based drama this year that made it to our best dramas list of 2020 for raising vital issues and for the most part, it did so with precision.

Bikhray Moti

Writer: Edison Idrees Masih
Director: Shahid Shafaat
Producer: Six Sigma Plus & Next Level Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Main Cast: Yasir Nawaz, Neelam Muneer, Wahaj Ali, Nausheen Shah, Samina Ahmed, Waseem Abbas, Rashid Farooqui, Mukhtar Shehzad, Fareeda Shabir, Tasneem Ansari, Damisha Wali, Anas Yaseen, Hazik Wali.

There are only a handful of Pakistani dramas that have dealt with issues concerning children. It was promising watching such a drama this year especially because it was backed by two of the biggest production houses in the country. This basically goes to show that Pakistani producers are finally investing in such dramas. Bikhray Moti focused on many different aspects of child abuse which included showing how children are affected by the environment in their house to highlighting the evil of child marriages and child labor. Apart from that, it also showed the role of a father in the family and how it impacts the children whether they are young or grown-up daughters who have to put up with abuse. It can be safely stated that the makers of this drama had all the best intentions and we truly appreciate that since this drama was a step in the right direction. However, the fact is that the script lacked the kind of appeal which was needed to make the viewers tune into and look forward to the drama. That is why even though this drama raised so many important issues, Bikhray Moti never made waves.

The characters in the drama were etched-out poorly and the pace of the drama was too slow at first. The strongest character in the drama Aiza took the longest time to come into its own. The dialogues and situations were not as impactful, especially in the first half. The writer Edison Idrees has the tendency of sticking to the basic theme and delivering what is asked of him without adding that extra something that makes a drama entertaining or attention-grabbing. When people tune into such dramas, they do not just want information, they also need the kind of momentum and characters which will make such stories more engaging. Even a documentary needs such substance to keep the viewers hooked to them. We hope that the next time these production houses decided to make more issue-based dramas they ask someone like Bee Gul, Faiza Iftikhar, or Amna Mufti to pen down the script.

Saraab

Writer: Edison Idrees Masih
Director: Mohsin Talat
Producer: Moomal Entertainment & MD Productions
Channel: HUM
Main Cast: Sami Khan, Sonya Hussain, Aurangzeb Laghari, Farida Shabbir, Ghana Ali, Nazish Jehangir, Sajid Shah.

Saraab was another Pakistani drama of 2020 that was promoted as an issue-based drama. There are few Pakistani dramas that have attempted to address mental health issues and Saraab was one of them. Saraab’s main purpose was to make people understand Schizophrenia. The story centered on a young Schizophrenic female who is widely misunderstood by her family. This was definitely a risky topic to counter in a drama and as far as the signs and symptoms of the disease were concerned, the writer managed to tick all the boxes. Sonya Hussyn’s remarkable performance also grabbed the attention of the viewers. This was however another drama written by Edison Idrees that lacked clarity. The family politics was done-to-death and clichéd to the core which was another disappointment. Why add sibling rivalry and family politics in a drama which promises to be different?

Not only this, the characters and the situations at times were so boring that it was difficult sitting through the drama. Some of the scenes were stretched and were repetitive as well which affected the entertainment value of Saraab. Even though Saraab had a star cast but it lacked the kind of content which could have given the viewers a reason to tune into it every week. Also, Sonya Hussyn’s statement about Autism being a symptom of Schizophrenia basically showed that the actress had not really done her homework right! Even then she did what was expected from her with precision but it definitely impacted the seriousness with which the viewers watched the drama. At the end of the day, Saraab did not have a must-watch factor and was mostly the kind of drama you don’t even want to tune into.

Most of these dramas were made with the best of intentions but they lacked the kind of grip which was much-needed to make these dramas a success. Some of them fit the bill, others completely failed. We would like to request the producers to ensure that the issue-based dramas are just as well written as some of the other dramas which are produced by these big production houses. We feel that the Pakistani entertainment industry has many gifted writers who can highlight these issues in a better manner. What do you think? Share your views.

Fatima Awan & Zahra Mirza.