Pakistani dramas makers have always taken pride in showcasing the realities of life through their work. This is the reason why Pakistani dramas have sat well with the viewers because one way or the other, they end up seeing their story being reflected which makes the drama as well as the characters relatable to them. Pakistani drama industry is at this stage where the makers also acknowledge the fact that a huge responsibility lies on their shoulders because they do realize that television is one of the most powerful mediums of educating the masses as well as creating awareness. In this regard, where some of the drama writers do not really pay much heed to the fact that they should be a bit more responsible with their writing, there are a lot more drama writers who take their job very seriously and understand that the kind of work they do will eventually make an impact in the lives of those who are watching their dramas. This is the reason, at this stage, Pakistani drama viewers have become more vocal about the kind of content they expect to see and the kind of content they are not a fan of because the audience is also getting more aware of how important it is for the drama makers to use the medium of TV cautiously.
Pakistani dramas have always been popular because of the great messages and lessons they impart by showing different stories. However, in some dramas, the miseries of characters are prolonged in order to generate ratings, and in the end, the consequences are shown quickly which ends up defeating the entire purpose of the drama. In other instances, the dramas which continue to give out a lot of great messages along the way always earn a special place in the hearts of the viewers because this is the kind of story-telling that establishes the connection between the viewers and the characters of the drama.
At this point, there are a lot of dramas that are on-air right now. In this season, Pakistani drama viewers have come across some brilliantly written dramas as well as they have come across some controversial themes too. Pakistani drama writers always make the viewers believe that they are showing what happens in reality and the ugly face of the society but in all honesty, it all boils down to how the actual drama has been conceptualized because the clarity in the execution sets the tone for the viewers to grasp whatever is being shown.
Let’s take a look at the messages that have been given in the Pakistani dramas this season:
Sabaat
Drama serial Sabaat has perfectly highlighted the issues faced by the younger generation of today, especially those who step into the practical life and struggle hard to find their paths. The writer of Sabaat has skillfully shed a light on what different individuals go through and all the challenges they are faced with one after another, which either makes or breaks them. The writer has touched upon different aspects, such as mental health, financial stability, financial independence, self-assurance, and all these dimensions that are the defining factors of one’s journey.
Drama serial Sabaat did receive some criticism from the viewers when they found the flaws in the overall execution of the drama but as the story has progressed, the substance that the story of Sabaat has compelled the viewers to overlook the errors. In Sabaat, the character of Anaya is inspirational and although she has been through a lot, the writer has shown how important it is for an individual to believe in oneself. Another beautiful message that this drama has given is the importance of a healthy relationship that parents should have with their children. The writer has perfectly shown the contrast where a father has fed on the negativity in his children by literally spoiling them and then, there was Anaya’s father who has nurtured her with love and has instilled confidence in her.
The latest episode of Sabaat was probably the best one the viewers got to see so far because the way Anaya took charge of the situation and didn’t let any of it bring her down was inspiring to see. Anaya is almost on the verge of a divorce, she had just lost her father, she was also pregnant and knew that the path she was choosing meant she was going to be a single parent for the rest of her life, but none of it deterred her from bringing herself and her mother out of their problems. The writer also touched upon the fact that no matter what skill you have, if you know how to use it to your advantage, it can turn things around. This has definitely made the viewers excited to see what’s in store for Anaya and more than that, what are the decisions she is going to take for herself. It has unfortunately become a rarity to see such strong and substantial female characters in Pakistani dramas but when the viewers come across characters like Anaya, it is nothing short of a treat.
Jalan
There is absolutely no denying the fact that drama serial Jalan was written with the intent of grabbing ratings and viewership because other than that, there is nothing that can justify what has been shown in this drama. Pakistani drama viewers have seen sister rivalry before but Jalan has taken it too far. It started off showing how the younger sister Nisha always wanted what belonged to her elder sister Misha, however things turned ugly when Nisha decided she also wanted her sister’s husband.
The latest developments in the story not only left the viewers broken-hearted but also disgusted and enraged. The writer did try to shed a light on post-partum depression but it was never spoken about. The fact that it was just merely suggested wasn’t enough to justify killing the character of Misha. Misha set herself on fire and couldn’t survive the injuries. Ever since Misha had a child and got divorced, the writer did not really show any positive development in her life, rather everything deteriorated and she ended her life. It is unfortunate that the writer wasted an opportunity of turning Misha into a stronger character who could’ve fought the circumstances.
The message that drama serial Jalan has given so far is that the people with narcissistic traits are going to have everything their way and because the people around them are either too dumb or too submissive, they end up creating more opportunities for them to do whatever they feel like. Drama serial Jalan has faced a lot of well-deserved criticism but the most ironic aspect of the story is that the parents of these two sisters failed to see how grave the situation was, even before Misha got married. It was almost as if they were blind to the shortcomings of their youngest and spoiled her so much that she got used to the idea of being absolutely selfish. It is obvious that Asfand and Nisha won’t find their happy ending, but it won’t change the fact that a young girl and a new mother died because of the misery they inflicted upon her. Drama serial Jalan has no message to give to the viewers and this is the reason, it now seems like the right thing for it have gotten banned and never aired again!
Raaz e Ulfat
The viewers assumed that Raaz e Ulfat’s story was seemingly simple when the drama began but as the story progressed, it became a lot more obvious that the things that were being promoted in this drama weren’t actually ideal. Mushk’s character who came from a conservative household took the turns for the worse where she started lying to her parents and then started justifying all the things they didn’t approve of. All this while, Mushk failed to see how much her father was bending for her and how hard her parents forced themselves to accommodate her demands and change of attitude. Mushk herself failed to draw a line and when she fell into the deepest pit, she once again got a reason to hold her parents responsible.
As the drama began, Mushk was shown as a girl who was passionate about education, but that went out of the picture the moment she fell in love with her supposed Mr. Perfect, who was wealthy and promised her a comfortable life full of luxuries. Mushk started seeing her parents as enemies. It is important to note that there are a lot of such young girls who actually have to struggle hard to get the permission from their parents for pursuing their education but the character of Mushk confirmed the fears of all those parents who are always skeptical about allowing their daughters the right of getting educated.
Now Mushk has gotten married to Ismail; a widowed man with two kids and a mentally challenged sister. Another wrong message that was imparted through this drama was that if a girl fails to get married, the first thing father should do is find any random guy from the crowd and get her married without her consent, by pressurizing her. Now Mushk will eventually compromise and find her happy ending. At first, all the things Mushk did were terrible where she waged a war against her parents and hurt them by betraying their trust again and again but now, to show her as a negative character for not settling for Ismail Miyan happily is another wrong message. Mushk never liked Ismail to begin with, therefore for her mother and sister to shame her for not being happy is wrong again.
Muqaddar
Drama serial Muqaddar has shown that it is perfectly justified for an influential old man to kidnap a girl half his age, blackmail her, and literally threaten her using her family members as bait, in order to get married to her. Raima was shown as a bright girl who had aspirations and she dreamt big. Saif ur Rehman came along and literally ruined her entire life. Saif ur Rehman is shown to be overly smitten by his young bride and the sad part is, Raima who was clearly seen not entirely happy with him has now fallen in love with Saif ur Rehman. The character of Raima was refreshing in the beginning but now she has turned out to be the biggest disappointment because she didn’t do anything to bring a change in her life and walk away from the misery.
Raima, despite knowing that her husband could well afford a separate home for her chose to move into the house that belonged to his first wife. Raima continued to feed into the negativity and made the first wife look bad for being unable to gracefully accept her husband’s second marriage. It is unfortunate that the relationship that began on such a problematic note has now turned into a love story. Although Raima and Saif ur Rehman has fallen in love with each other, to see them in one frame is cringe-worthy. The writer has failed to do anything to make the viewers forget in what circumstances Raima got married to Saif ur Rehman. If they had shown that Saif ur Rehman kept on approaching her decently until Raima actually saw the possibility of leading a good life with him, it would’ve made this drama a whole lot better.
At this stage, the seemingly evil character seems far better than the two love birds who share a very bizarre relationship which started off on such a bad note. At the beginning of the drama, it was lowkey suggested that Saif ur Rehman was also responsible for quite a few questionable decisions that he had made in his life regarding the people who resided in his village, he was shown to be a cold-hearted person who only cared about what he wanted, so for the writer to completely brush it all off under the carpet doesn’t really make sense because now Saif ur Rehman has been turned into a hero with no solid reasoning, while also ignoring the fact how bad of a husband he has been to his first wife. The writer has made it look like it is perfectly fine for a wealthy man to abduct a girl, force her into marriage and because he will continue to shower her with luxuries, she will eventually fall in love with him.
Prem Gali
Prem Gali is the kind of drama that has shed a light on important issues under the garb of comedy. This way, the writer has taken the opportunity to change the mindset of society in general without making it look preachy. Prem Gali has imparted some great messages along the way, the first one being that a woman can use the curveballs in her life as a lesson and can use it to further strengthen her. Divorce has not been shown as a taboo in Prem Gali, although in the initial episodes the divorce of the three main characters was a point of discussion it never was suggested as something unacceptable. The writer has also shown how single parents can do a great job in raising their children, although the children may feel the absence of the second parent in their lives that does not undermine the efforts their parent has taken for them.
In one of the recent episodes, the way the entire issue of dowry was tackled was another brilliant message that was imparted through this drama. It also suggested that the elders are not right all the time and that they should allow the younger generation to change their perspective about certain issues that they feel so strongly about. The elders of the neighborhood wanted to do everything to arrange dowry for Fari but she along with her friends Joya and Hamza made everyone understand that there was no point doing so because it would mean that her value was being reduced to how much things she could take with her to her husband’s house. Fari’s in-laws reinforced as well that they had only allowed this to happen because they wanted to respect the feelings of Fari’s mother, but other than that, they had absolutely no desire. It goes to show how open communication can solve so many issues and at times, how important it is for the two individuals involved to settle things as per their mutual understanding.
Bandhay Ek Dor Se
Bandhay Ek Dor Se is more of a hit and a miss in overall story-telling. On one hand, there is a typical love triangle happening with Roshni being overly manipulative and Mahi being totally gullible about it. There have been quite a lot of moments in this drama where people have not spoken clearly which had led to a lot of misunderstandings and confusion, which also frustrates the viewers. However, the good message that Bandhay Ek Dor Se has given to the viewers is about the couple dealing with infertility.
The writer has brilliantly started a conversation about the fact that two people can be absolutely happy and have a healthy relationship way before they become parents. The writer also shed a light on the fact that it is necessary to not entirely hold the woman responsible for not bearing a child because it involves both the husband and the wife. In this drama, a very important issue was raised where a father takes it on him and speaks to his son about seeing the doctor, in a hope that it would put his wife out of the misery and save her the shame that she is unduly made to face every time someone talks about this matter.
Bandhay Ek Dor Se has reinforced the importance of family and has shown that it is perfectly fine for all the family members to have a difference of opinions, to be not on the same page all the time and have personality clashes, but on the whole, one unit of the family remains bound because of blood relations, empathy, respect and love for one another.
Meherposh
It won’t be wrong to say that Meherposh has been one of the biggest disappointments of this season because of all the messages that have been given through this story. Firstly, in Meherposh, divorce was shown as a taboo and something that was enough to drive Mehru to the verge of committing suicide. Although the writer must have thought that whatever was being shown was a bitter reality of today’s society but it would’ve been so amazing that while they decided to show 10 people badmouthing Mehru because of her divorce, there were at least a couple of people who spoke in her favor.
The recent turn of events has also shown how it is perfectly alright for a mother to be as manipulative as possible, only so that her son settles for the girl she chose for him, that too a girl who he had absolutely no interest in whatsoever. Shahjahan’s mother has made sure that she drifts Ayat apart from her elder sister Mehru by feeding her all sorts of lies against her. She has been doing it only to hide the truth from Ayat, so that she doesn’t find out that all this while, the mother knew that Shahjahan didn’t want to get married to her. There have been so many lies in this drama that it is hard to figure the truth anymore. At this stage, Ayat and Shahjahan’s mother have now formed a team and they both are working with an agenda of trapping Shahjahan so that he gives up on his love for Mehru. They are being dramatic about it and it is absolutely sad to see the power couple of the industry; Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor being a part of this ridiculously written drama.
Nand
Although drama serial Nand started off with a typical storyline it gave enough reasons for the viewers to continue watching it. All the things are shown in this drama, although have been a reflection of what is prevalent in society, but it also shed a light on the fact how poor choices make you face the consequences. It is unfortunate that drama serial Nand has now come to a point where the negative central character of Gohar is running the show and everyone else is dancing to her tunes, which has made a lot of people lose interest in the show. However, it can not be denied that when Gohar was being outbid by others in the drama, it was appealing to the viewers.
Drama serial Nand has highlighted the importance of good parenting. It has shown how weak parents end up giving too much power to their children, because of which they start making wrong choices and in the end suffer. It has also shown how important it is for a man to strike a perfect balance between his mother, his sister, and his wife. In the initial episodes, it was obvious that the writer had a clear picture in mind where a lot of balance was maintained between the bad and the good characters but now, Gohar is on a winning streak and that has stalled the impact this drama was made, but it can not be denied that in the initial episodes, it did create a lot of buzz for all the right reasons and messages.
Drama serial Nand also highlights the fact that staying silent and allowing people to run all over you is not going to take you anywhere. Rabi has stayed silent and has failed to put her message across, which at this point has turned her weak and with this behavior, she herself has enabled Gohar to create more problems for her.
Kashf
In this season, drama serial Kashf brought forth a completely different subject and highlighted a lot of issues related to one’s greed and selfishness. In this drama, the family of Kashf has left no stone unturned in exploiting her selflessness and the emotion of love that she felt towards them. This is the reason, her family got away with doing whatever they wanted to. In Kashf, a lot of strong messages have been handed out, such end up has how important it is for the people to not fall prey to the deception of fake peer fakirs. It has shown how easily people get manipulated and because they lack the faith in their Creator, they end up becoming a victim of other’s greed and agendas.
In one of the latest episodes of Kashf, the conversation was started about the earnings made by unlawful means, because of which Kashf felt that her family lost everything, but since she had no other option, she ended up going back to the Asthana to support her husband and then her father. Although in general, the story revolves around Kashf, her dreams, and her selflessness, the writer has done a great job in exposing how people do business in the name of religion and by selling their supposed piety to the weak and vulnerable.
This completes the list of all the messages that the current Pakistani dramas have given this season. Which of these dramas are you following and which of these messages have you related to the most? Do you feel it is the right approach of few drama makers to showcase so much of negativity in the name of creating awareness? Feel free to add to the discussion.