Pakistani drama is one medium that has taken over the country’s entertainment scene. We excel in this genre, and now the shows are finding an international audience. The stories, therefore, have started improving slightly, and more layers are being added to the characters, which had unfortunately become very one-dimensional in the recent past. Some negative characters are getting nuances that are making them lovable. This creates a lot of debate amongst viewers, but some drama bad boys have been winning hearts.
There have been scripts lately where the bad guys, despite having hundreds of vices, were able to win the audience far more than the heroes. The top-notch performances by the actors in these roles and the writing, which provided the necessary ammunition to these bad guys, made them into fan favourites.
Here is a list of Pakistani dramas’ bad boys who won the audience more than the heroes of the show:
Ammar Bakhtiyar From Qarz e Jaan
Qarz e Jaan was a Pakistani drama with a unique story and spoke about problems regarding parenting, elite crimes, and problems faced by widows and orphans in our society. Ammar Bakhtiyar, played by Nameer Kha,n was the biggest driver in this story. Ammar is a rapist and a murderer, a character who is a representation of Zahir Jaffar and Shahrukh Jatois of our society. But the way Nameer Khan played the character and how his character arc was written gave him a human angle. In the end, however much may we criticize the glorification, Ammar Bakhtiyar was far more loved by the audience than Barrister Burhan.
Barlas Khan From Khaie
Khaie was a game changer for Pakistani drama industry. A show based on revenge and all the characters with grey shades was a treat for the audience. Barlas Khan played by Shuja Asad was one character in the show that remained a topic of discussion throughout. The drama proved to become a breakout project for the actor Shuja Asad. Barlas Khan is another Pakistani drama bad boy who got more praises than positive characters. Fans were crying for him when he dies despite him being a murderer.
Shehroz Ali Nawaz In Aye Ishq e Junoon
Aye Ishq e Junoon was Pakistani drama’s foray into romance-thrillers. The show had Sheheryar Munawar in the lead and he did a fabulous job as Rahim. Fans loved him but the show stealer in the end was Shuja Asad as Shehroz Ali Nawaz. He was a bad boy, a spoiled brat who was protected by his mother. The way he performed scenes with actors like Mehmood Aslam was phenomenal and Aye Ishq e Junoon fans felt bad for Shehroz when he was shot. This is another case of the bad guy winning over the audience and invoking sympathy in their hearts.
Wajeeh Taseer In Cheekh
Cheekh was a Pakistani drama that ended up becoming a drag in the end. But it is also known for very strong performances. Bilal Abbas Khan played a harasser and murderer in the drama. Wajeeh Taseer was a menace through and through, but he became Pakistan’s most loved bad boy. The character had a bad ending and people were crying for him. This is one more example of how a great performance led to people loving a very negative character.
Mir Hadi From Khaani
Feroze Khan is now known as one of the biggest names in the Pakistani drama industry. Khaani was the project that made him into a star that he is today. The angry young man and rebel image started from this show. Khaani was loosely based on the infamous Shahzeb murder case while Mir Hadi played by Feroze Khan represented the character of Shah Rukh Jatoi. Viewers had a lot of qulams about how a bad guy was glorified in this drama but Mir Hadi undoubtedly became a much-loved bad boy.
Miral In Jhok Sarkar
Usman Javed is a relatively new actor who played the role of menacing Miral in Jhok Sarkar. He recently won hearts with another strong performance in Tan Man Neelo Neel. Jhok Sarkar was the comeback drama for Asif Raza Mir who played Peeral while Farhan saeed was the protagonist. Farhan looked the part and performed well but Usman Javed as Miral won hearts. The way he walked, laughed and lived that character was a treat for viewers. He was a killer but fans could not stop praising his character. He ended up overshadowing industry giants like Asif Raza Mir and Farhan Saeed.
Shamsher In Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi
Danish Taimoor played Shamsher in Kaisi Ter Khudgarzi. Shamsher was not a nice and positive character. He kidnapped a woman and did everything in his power to destroy her family. The show ended with his death but it came after glorifying his character as much as the script allowed. The drama started a conversation around Stockholm Syndrome as the leading lady ends up not just falling in love with Shamsher but also keeps remembering him after his death. This bad boy got criticism on one end for a problematic storyline but on the other hand, he ruled the hearts of millions.
Sherry From Jaisay Aapki Marzi
Mikaal Zulfiqar played the infamous Sherry in Jaisay Aapki Marz. This drama revolved around gaslighting and emotional abuse in a marriage. The drama successfully tackled both the topics and Durefishan Saleem showed her prowess as an actress. Mikaal Zulfiqar, though, was the real winner of this drama. He performed the character so naturally that the audience could not stop appreciating him. This Pakistani drama was a step in the right direction and Mikaal Zulfiqar won hearts as Sherry.
Tabrez In Jaan e Jahan
Haris Waheed simply nailed it as Tabrez Shah. The actor played an antagonist in a Pakistani drama which marked the comeback of Hamza Ali Abbasi on television and opposite none other than Ayeza Khan. A sweet love story, a morally right hero and yet the audience fell in love with Tabrez. The antagonist dies in the end but the audience still loved him more than any other character in the show.
Saleem Ahmed In Razia
Razia was a Pakistani drama that was not only entertaining but also hard-hitting and necessary. Mohib Mirza played the role of the misogynistic father, Saleem Ahmed, who disregards his daughter’s rights and focuses solely on his son. Despite the character’s negativity, viewers never found him boring; in fact, many wanted to see more of his scenes due to his compelling presence on screen. As a real-life female ally, Mohib Mirza portrayed this character, so different from his true personality, with remarkable skill.
These are the charming villains of Pakistani dramas who have captured audiences’ hearts. While there is a valid debate about whether these characters should be admired and how they are portrayed, it is important to recognize that people are inherently drawn to action. In many cases, the bad guy tends to overshadow the heroic character when it comes to thrilling moments!
