Drama making is an art in itself. It takes a huge team to conceive and execute a story and then make it into a drama. Dramas have been a huge part of people’s lives for decades, because they are the kind of entertainment that engages people and allows them to unwind after a long day of work and busy schedule. This is the reason why evening slots are the most popular and suitable timings for the drama viewers because they get to enjoy watching something entertaining with their families or by themselves as well. All over the world, media has invested a lot in drama making and it has been a business of its own kind. Drama industry is an industry in itself and it also opens domains for the actors the moment they step into this world. There are a lot of countries all around the world who produce dramas such as America, South Korea, Iran, Turkey, Australia, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Philippines, Japan, China and last but not the least Pakistan. Dramas not only serve as an entertainment but they also help in promoting the culture of the countries. This is the reason why dramas have also contributed a lot in the rise of tourism in some countries because of the way the drama makers promoted their country and made people fall in love with their culture.

Pakistani dramas have always been on another level of popularity because of the stories that depict real life events and happenings in a most convincing manner. In recent years, Pakistani dramas have reached all over the world where people from different walks of life, irrespective of their nationalities have found them relatable. However, Pakistani dramas have always been popular in India. Indians have also found Pakistani dramas closer to reality because the demographics of both the countries are more or less the same. Another factor that plays a huge part in making Pakistani dramas popular in India is the language because wide population of India can understand Urdu really well.

India has also been producing dramas for decades now. There was a time when Star Plus was quite popular in Pakistan as well. That was the time when not a lot of Pakistani channels were making dramas plus people were actually addicted to never-ending Indian soap operas. In mid 2000’s all the Balaji Produced K-league dramas like Kasauti Zindagi Ki, Kum Kum, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kahin To Hoga were widely watched all over Pakistan. That was the time when people preferred Indian content over Pakistani dramas, because not a lot of Pakistani dramas were being produced. However, it was during the end of the decade when Pakistani drama industry picked up the pace and started making a lot of dramas which caught people’s attention and the rest is history. Now, it is a done deal that no one in Pakistan would tune to Indian content, because it not only hard to follow but is never-ending, which means a life-long commitment to watching a drama.

It won’t be wrong to say that Pakistani dramas are a class apart in comparison to Indian dramas. This is something that the people across the border also agree with and this is the reason why channel Zee Zindagi garnered so much ratings and TRP’s when they started airing Pakistani dramas. During that time, people could not stop talking about Pakistani dramas, but unfortunately, on the basis of political grounds and cross border tensions, Indian Media banned Pakistani content. Although Indians and Pakistanis have a lot in common but it is a fact that there’s nothing common in Indian and Pakistani dramas. The dramas produced in these countries are very different, where one is a pure work of fiction and the other only focuses on bringing reality to the TV screens.

Let’s draw a comparison and see who wins the battle of Indian Dramas VS Pakistani Dramas:

Duration

The biggest difference between Indian and Pakistani dramas is the duration. Pakistani dramas are based on few episodes whereas Indian dramas, the moment they become popular are stretched for not only weeks or months, they continue to air for years. Pakistani drama industry has also produced some soap operas but they definitely do not come close to Indian dramas when it comes to air time. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi has aired for 8 years starting from July 2000 to November 2006. Similarly all the widely followed dramas of Star Plus have run for 7 – 8 years. They aired because people loved watching these characters, however the story is a whole different subject. Watching Indian dramas is nothing short of a life-long commitment because they demand you to invest your precious time in them for years. Watching an Indian drama from start to finish will mean you will not only lose your eye-sights, you will end up attaining the status of a couch potato in your family. Dramas should be practically durated and should come to an end at the right time so that people get the satisfaction of watching the ending after they have invested their time. We are sure not many people remember the ending of these popular K-league dramas because by the time they ended, those kids who were in school grew into college or university students busy with their assignments, therefore they must not have bothered picking up the details of Tulsi and her 5 generations that followed at the end.

Stories

Hands down, Pakistani dramas win this one. The stories in Pakistani dramas are closer to reality and this is one of the main reasons why they have been popular among the drama-viewers. They depict real life happenings in a more simple and realistic manner that people end up relating to those characters and situations that they come across on their TV screens. Realistic dialogues, simple scenarios, stories that hit home for most of the people, social issue based stories which do justice to the subject that is being address in the drama – all these factors set Pakistani dramas and their stories apart. Indian dramas however, rely solely on saas bahu saga and family politics. Indian dramas take up a woman as a central character, but then put her through every kind of scrutiny only to show that she is capable of fighting whatever comes her way – which mostly is family politics and a negative character that is on her case. It is good that they show women as such supernatural beings, however the situations which they are put through leave you scratching your head.

In famous Indian drama Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, to portray the female lead Akshara as one intelligent woman, they showed her checking the license of the guy who showed up at her door to get the job of a driver and don’t be surprised, they dedicated one whole episode to this scenario. The next episode focused on closeups and zoom ins of all the family members of Akshara who were just smiling ear to ear at her intelligence. The very next episode was dedicated to her husband Naitik praising Akshara for it too. These kinds of situations actually make one wonder about the time that has been wasted while watching that entire episode. In Indian dramas, the stories have perfect imbalance because men are hardly seen doing the heavy lifting. They end up looking like stooges who are ready to be treated as one at the hands of female characters and they actually have no say in household dynamics.

Direction & Camera Work

There is a huge difference between the way Pakistani and Indian dramas are directed. Thinking about Indian dramas, we are pretty sure the dhishoom dhishoom and dhoom tanananananananana soundtracks must be playing in your head. Zoom in zoom out, sorry, the ‘never-ending’ zoom in zoom out with actors eyes popping bigger and bigger with each zoom in have scarred a lot of children in mid 2000’s who have watched Indian dramas. If it would’ve been a competition of making people laugh while showing serious scenarios, Indian drama makers would’ve bagged an award for this one because they have the talent of making their dramas amusing.

Pakistani dramas are well directed and each frame tells a story. Currently on air drama Alif is a classic example of brilliant direction. Imagine comparing the direction of Alif with either of K-league dramas like Kasauti Zindagi Ki or Sasural Simar Ka…we are sure drama viewers are shedding a tear at this incomparable comparison. Pakistani drama viewers also have seen some poorly directed dramas like Mujhe Khuda Pe Yakeen Hai and Aahista Aahista but it still never got as bad as the Indian dramas. For reference, watch the clip from the India-wide popular drama Sasural Simar Ka:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCoJ86oFmlA

Characters; Makeup and Age

Pakistani drama characters look like people from the real world. Some makeup, tamed hair, decent dresses and they are good to go. Indian drama characters look like people from the outerworld who even go to sleep with full makeup on and wake up early in the morning with their hair silky straight, creaseless sarees and makeup in place. It seems Indian drama characters go to parlour in stead of their beds to sleep because they wake up looking flawless than the day before. Every female character, be it dadi ma or chachi or mami or bahu, each one of them is overly made up to the point that one finds it very hard to even imagine being in their shoes for one day. Being glamorous is a part of an actor’s job and life but Indian drama actors take it literally and seriously. They show women doing all the housework, such as cleaning their husband’s laptop while looking like they have just arrived from their sister’s walima.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95sZd6PiLn0

Indian characters also defy age. This is the reason in K-league dramas such Kasauti Zindagi Ki, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and many others, grandmothers did not age and they ended up looking like age fellows of their university going grandchildren. By the time Kasauti Zindagi Ki ended, the main character of Prerna was a grandmother but she was flaunting slim waistline, black than ever hair and skin as if she had gone through a face lift cosmetic procedure. When it comes to Indian dramas, the viewers are bound to leave their mind, logic and common sense to rest otherwise they won’t be able to grasp what is being shown because it is far from reality. We have yet to see a grandmother in Pakistani dramas who looks as young as her grandchildren. C’mon Pakistani grandmothers, you have a new record to break, but well, even if you don’t we will still love and appreciate you the way you are. Indian character of Baa from Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahi Thi has made it to the Guiness Book of World Record for living upto 400 years to see her 5 or 6 generations – no jokes!

Acting

This has to be another hands down point where Pakistani drama actors are above and beyond Indian TV actors. In Pakistani dramas, actors have to showcase the emotions, every single emotion that the character is going through. This is the reason why we come across phenomenal acting in every other Pakistani drama. We have such big names who have given their all to the characters they have played but they never cross the line and always make sure to keep their acting realistic. However, when it comes to Indian dramas, popping eyes, exaggerated expressions, over the top display of emotions, hair flips and moving necks to the tune of dhoom tananananana is what constitutes to their acting.

Plastic Surgeries, Reincarnation & Tribute to Snakes

Pakistani dramas have yet to explore this domain because so far the stories that have made it to our TV screens, none of these scenarios fit in a 30 week drama. However, for a drama that runs for as long as 7 years, it is a fact that living beings might end up being dead, similarly, the dead end up becoming alive. Indian dramas have seen a lot such characters who came back from the dead, had plastic surgeries to make someone else’s life a living hell or even had reincarnation to get back to their families or avenge their undue or untimely deaths in punar janams. Karishma Kapoor also worked in one of the dramas named Karishma which aired on Sahara Network, in that drama, her daughter in law goes through plastic surgery to look like Karishma, her mother in law, only to rule the family. Imagine being so miserable that you end up becoming someone else only to make people’s lives miserable? No, no, no, just when you thought you’ve heard it enough, let us tell you that the daughter in law also opts for a reconstructive surgery and goes back to her original self. LOL!

Reincarnation is another myth which is heavily promoted in Indian dramas. The best part is getting to see the character picking up hints from this life and linking it to the previous ones miraculously to find everything very much in its place so that he remembers who he was before. This is some other level of storytelling that Pakistani drama makers have yet to explore. Naagin is another Indian drama which crosses all the limits of logic and common sense. It just doesn’t end there, what’s important to note is that this iconic tale of snakes is so popular that the drama makers are already onto the 4th season of Naagin. With graphics as bad as ever seen on Television, they still sell stories like these and expect viewers to feel proud of the content they are coming up with. No wonder why Zee Zindagi put the drama makers in so much danger that when it stopped airing Pakistani content, they all sighed with relief because Pakistani dramas were raising the bar very high and setting a new precedent of drama making in India.

Original Soundtracks

Let us admit, the only good OST that Indian dramas have produced is probably of the drama Kasauti Zindagi Ki, apart from that, none of their soundtracks are memorable. Pakistani dramas are a complete package, where starting from direction to story to acting to original soundtracks, everything is top-notch. This is the reason why OSTs of Pakistani dramas reach millions of views on YouTube in no time. In the comment section, there are a lot of Indian fans of Pakistani dramas who themselves praise the OSTs of our dramas.

Indian Actors Praising Pakistani Dramas

After stating the obvious, it does not come as a surprise that Indian celebrities themselves have been a fan of Pakistani dramas and content. This is the reason why Zee Zindagi picked up so much viewership in such a short span of time because they were showing Pakistani dramas. They did change the name to make them click for the Indian audience but the Pakistani content shined in all its glory in the original form. Pakistani dramas not only picked up popularity among the regular drama viewers in India, even the Indian TV actors and celebrities were in awe of our dramas. They took it to twitter to appreciate the beauty of Pakistani dramas and story-telling. A lot of Indian actors have also shared their desire of working in Pakistani dramas. This is also the reason why our actors like Fawad Khan, Imran Abbas, Saba Qamar, Sajal Aly, Mahira Khan became so popular in India that they got to work in substantial projects and they also proved their mettle in India and showed the Indian audience how talented Pakistanis are. Take a look at what Indian Actors have said about Pakistani content over the years:

Sidharth Malhotra Prasising Shakeel Siddique & His Character Teeli

Aditya Pancholi Praising Ahsan Khan For Udaari

Indian Film Director & TV Actors Praising Pakistani Dramas

So, with all these comparisons, the results are quite clear but we will still leave it upto you to decide which dramas are the best? In the battle of Indian Dramas VS Pakistani Dramas, which country outbids the other? We are proud of Pakistani drama industry and appreciate the fact that they are not only giving their viewers amazing dramas every single year, but are also contributing a lot in changing the perception of the people about Pakistan. They are enabling the viewers worldwide to see the beauty of Pakistani culture and also educates them about our society and its norms. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Pakistani dramas have always known to strike a chord of the viewers with soul-stirring and emotionally gripping stories. This is the reason why Pakistani dramas have had a massive viewership and the audience find themselves looking forward to one drama after another because they have gotten used to the idea of watching and supporting Pakistani content. Over the last decade, the fans and viewers of Pakistani dramas saw a shift in the content, because of which the focus of the drama makers shifted on the quantity and they compromised heavily on the quality.

Pakistani drama viewers always show their concerns about the kind of content that is being produced. The drama writers in general believe that because they are portraying reality through their stories, they feel they have limited themes to wrap the story around. Initially, it was the heavy inspiration from Indian content that changed the mindset of Pakistani drama writers and then came the idea of projecting the vices that are prevalent in the society, because of which the practice of showing negative and toxic stories became a norm in Pakistani dramas.

Fortunately, the Pakistani drama industry is at that stage where the drama writers have started to experiment and they are trying their best to break free from the monotony of bringing typical and toxic storylines for the viewers. The writers have now started to explore more genres and although they rely heavily upon the dynamics of a family or a household of a character, they are still giving the viewers something refreshing and new every season. At this stage, the drama industry is aware of the kind of impact the TV medium can make, therefore it is nice to see more and more writers as well as actors being mindful of the kind of content they create and their contribution towards the society through their work.

Let’s take a look at those refreshing Pakistani dramas that did not revolve around typical and toxic themes:

Alif

Alif was a one-of-a-kind drama that explored the genre of spirituality. It is a rarity that Pakistani drama viewers come across such a strong and unique storyline that has so much to offer in terms of emotional growth and perspective alteration. Alif’s story was refreshing and it was relatable because every single viewer could find themselves and their struggles while watching the journeys of Qalb e Momin, Husn e Jahan, Taha, Abdul Ala, and Momina.

There was no aspect of spiritual struggles and growth that was left untouched by the writer Umera Ahmed. All of the viewers who watched the drama serial Alif were unanimous of the opinion that we need more such dramas every now and then to help us with soul-searching and path-finding. The story of Alif was refreshing and although it was based on the struggles of all the characters, it imparted some great lessons along the way, because of which it became such a special drama that became etched in the hearts of the viewers.

The performances were given by Hamza Ali Abbasi, Pehlaaj Hussain, Sajal Aly, Manzar Sehbai, Kubra Khan, Saleem Mairaj, and Ahsan Khan made the characters of Alif even more special. They all breathed life into those special characters and the brilliant direction of Haseeb Hassan was visionary because the story like Alif deserved to be told in a certain manner and Haseeb Hassan as a director understood it.

Ehd e Wafa

After decades, Pakistani drama fans and the audience got to watch an Army based drama but as the story progressed, the viewers were in for a treat because they realized that it was not just the story of Saad, it was about the youngsters who are trying to find a way and steer through the course of life in their own capacities. Ehd e Wafa had a brilliant start but as the story progressed, the developments picked up and the writer Mustafa Afridi came up with such inspiring characters and stories that are seldom seen on our TV screens.

Ehd e Wafa in recent times has to be one such unique drama which showed that the young girls wanted to be something and marriage was not their only option or safest bets out of their life issues and problems. They all faced their fair share of ordeals and came out strong. Ehd e Wafa showed everything that young and aged viewers of Pakistani dramas wanted to see. They showed misunderstandings, learning from mistakes, trust, and emotional support of parents, the confidence of the youngsters in themselves, and their struggles to reach their goals for themselves as well as their families. Ehd e Wafa was a complete package that had so much to offer and the addition of the story of an Army officer made things even better.

The cast of Ehd e Wafa also played a huge role in attracting the viewership and creating the hype about the project. The audience were excited to see the group of Ahad Raza Mir, Ahmed Ali Akbar, Wahaj Ali, and Osman Khalid Butt. The young and gorgeous actresses Alizeh Shah, Hajra Yamin played their parts well and Zara Noor Abbas was well-loved for portraying the character of Rani effortlessly. Saife Hassan lead the project skillfully and made Ehd e Wafa what it is.

Ishq Zahe Naseeb

Ishq Zahe Naseeb was probably one of those dramas that explored the domain of mental health and created awareness about it in a unique manner. When the drama began, the drama makers too were unsure of how the audience would perceive the story of Sameer who suffered from multiple personality disorders. It was definitely encouraging for the drama makers because the audience not only showed acceptance but also loved the character of Sameer because they understood his struggles and reasoning.

It was also because the character of Sameer was written with so much clarity by the writer Hashim Nadeem that it made it even easier for the viewers to understand and like Sameer. It also showed how troubled people like Shakira end up leaving a life-long impression on someone. The drama was full of mystery and kept the viewers guessing right till the end. The drama did have a beautiful ending as far as Sameer and Gohar’s relationship was concerned but kept it open in terms of the relationship that Shakira and Sameer shared. It was a unique journey and was appreciated by the viewers a lot, which was enough for the drama makers to know that the audience is ready to accept such content from them and expected more of it.

Although Zahid Ahmed has established himself as one of the strongest and brilliant actors of the Pakistani drama industry, in Ishq Zahe Naseeb he outdid himself and it was a feather in his cap because he got to showcase a whole new skill set as an actor. It was Zahid Ahmed’s flawless performance as Sameer that gave people clarity of what his issues were. Sonya Hussyn, Zarnish Khan, Yumna Zaidi, and Sami Khan were brilliant. The director Farooq Rind really extracted the best acting out of all of them.

Ye Dil Mera

Ye Dil Mera was another drama that revolved around mental health and emotional trauma. The character of Amaanullah was an eye-witness to the brutal killing of his whole family. Therefore he made it the motive of his life to avenge the death of his innocent family members. Amanullah slowly learned that his enemy was an influential man, so he slowly and steadily paved a way into his life. Amanullah carefully planned his revenge and while he wanted Meer Farooq Zaman to confess his crimes, he ended up falling in love with his wife and his enemy’s daughter Ana. Ana on her own too had a horrific incident from her childhood that caused her stress.

In Ye Dil Mera, it was probably for the first time in ages that the writer Farhat Ishtiyaq elaborated on what Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is all about. Both Amaanullah and Ana were faced with it and dealt with it in their own way. Where Amaanullah couldn’t forget that one incident his entire life, Ana was deliberately made to forget about it but it still continued to harm her.

It was unfortunate that the execution of Ye Dil Mera compromised heavily on the impact it otherwise would’ve made because it was such a unique story that dealt with two individuals and had their strong love story too. However, Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly both carried the drama on their shoulders and once again got to show it to the world what they were capable of as actors. Their flawless performances became unforgettable for their fans and also those viewers who watched the drama. Director Ahsan Talish did the best he could but there were a lot of things that were unfavorable, which ended up compromising on the overall quality of the project, but the fact still remains that it was a unique and intriguing storyline.

Pyar Ke Sadqay

Pyar Ke Sadqay was one of the most unique and refreshing storylines the viewers came across this year. The writer Zanjabeel Asim Shah did complete justice to the characters that she penned down because she convincingly showed the struggles and inhibitions faced by people who are unique and special in their own ways. Abdullah was slightly autistic and Mahjabeen was innocent, things became far more interesting when these two came together and then started getting exploited by people around them. In this drama, the writer also touched upon the subject of physical and emotional harassment but in the end, it was nice to see Mansoora taking charge of the situation and compensating for all those years she was an emotionally absent mother.

Director Farooq Rind was the captain of the ship and he took the drama forward with a clear vision. This was probably for the first time the Pakistani drama audience was getting to see characters like Abdullah and Mahjabeen who have certain delays but they are intelligent in their own accord. Pyar Ke Sadqay was a story of two special people who ended up victorious because their innocence, niceness, and faith in themselves became their strongest trait as a team and as a couple.

Yumna Zaidi and Bilal Abbas Khan both have proved themselves over the years but in this drama, they not only wowed their fans but also all those viewers who tuned to Pyar Ke Sadqay. It was purely because of their acting and the grip on these characters that they made this journey worthwhile. Omair Rana, Srha Asghar, Atiqa Odho, and Yashma Gill gave their heart and soul to these characters and contributed fully towards the success of the drama.

Kashf

It won’t be wrong to say that the story and theme of Kashf are purely new and is being seen in Pakistani drama for the very first time. Writer Imran Nazeer is known for always bringing in the quotient of spirituality and etching the story on those lines but this time around, he outdid himself. The story of Kashf is about Kashf’s dreams and then the events which lead to all the materialization of those dreams. How Kashf’s family then starts exploiting her by making her mint money on these dreams and their interpretations.

The fact that the writer has shown how Kashf has stayed true to herself and has maintained her moral compass makes her an inspirational character. As much as she has done to please and financially support her family, she has always stood her ground when she felt her father Imtiyaz was crossing the line. Kashf also threatened a lot of times when she felt this way she would be able to save a family member. Kashf’s struggles and the journey have further humanized her character because now she is at that point where even after deciding for herself, she is being forced to give up and join the Asthana again.

Hira Mani, Junaid Khan, and Waseem Abbas definitely are the stars of the show. They have elevated the level of the drama with their performances. Hira Mani always puts her heart and soul into her characters but in Kashf, she has stunned everyone with her acting skills. This probably has to be the very first drama where Junaid Khan is seen enjoying himself and doing complete justice to the essence of Wajdan’s character. Waseem Abbas has played the role of a mean father to perfection. His antics and selfishness add the comic factor to the drama which has been tackled with finesse by the director Danish Nawaz who knows how comedy works. Kashf is a unique drama and even after so many episodes, it keeps the viewers guessing with what’s going to happen next.

Bikhre Moti

Although drama serial Bikhre Moti’s plot is grim it revolves around the important subject of child labor and how an aunt sacrifices her own life to support her niece and nephews. The character of Ayeza played by Neelam Munir is inspirational because despite knowing what life had in store for her if she married her fiance Ahad, she chooses to get married to her Zulfikar, who was even responsible for the death of Ayeza’s sister. It shows how selfless Ayeza was and how pure her love for her niece and nephews was because she ended up giving up on everything only to protect them as a mother. Her struggles just didn’t end there because she had to then take care of her sister’s children and their needs.

Neelam Munir is one of those actresses who are very selective about the kind of work they do and it is nice to see her being so conscious about her characters because she wants to make an impact and show what a strong and fearless woman can do. Writer Edison Idrees Masih has touched upon a sensitive but very important subject and Shahid Shafaat has directed this drama with a vision.

Sabaat

Sabaat is a unique drama of its nature. It is purely about the mental, emotional, and financial struggles that the younger generation these days is faced with. It has shown the contrast of two different worlds where a family despite having all the luxuries and financial freedom fails to find peace within themselves. Then there is the family of Anaya, who has lived a very humble life with the father fending for basic necessities decently, they have lived through life with nothing but empathy, love, and compassion for each other. It has shown how giving undue freedom and feeding onto the unnecessary demands of children can literally ruin their lives. The father of Miraal is completely responsible for ruining Miraal’s personality and mentality. She has destroyed her own life as well as has walked the extra mile to ruin her brother’s life as well.

The character of Anaya played by Mawra Hocane is nothing short of an inspiration. When the drama began, the viewers couldn’t help but see the similarities between her and Kashaf of Zindagi Gulzar Hai but Mawra Hocane’s convincing performance has helped her carve a niche for Anaya’s character and has forced people to see her differently. Ameer Gillani has been convincing as Hassan and Sarah Khan has convinced the viewers to detest the character of Miraal. The writer Kashir Anwar has in a literal sense shed a light on the struggles that the younger generation stepping into the practical world is faced with. Kashif Anwar has covered their problems and issues on both professional and personal ends. Shehzad Kashmiri has done his best to direct this drama but despite certain issues with the execution, the drama overall has succeeded in keeping the interest of the viewers alive.

Prem Gali

Faiza Iftikhar has come up with a refreshing idea because she has taken up a neighborhood and has interlinked all of their stories. It has been established that as the story will progress, Prem Gali will impart a lot of important messages but under the garb of comedy because this way, things never come across preachy and put a point across in a clear cut manner. Prem Gali is a perfect idea of prime-time entertainment because that is when people usually sit and relax while watching TV. Prem Gali’s comic quotient is what sets it apart because the witty dialogues and fun situations bring a smile to the viewers’ faces.

So far, Saba Hameed, Waseem Abbas, and Farhaan Saeed have stood out the most, in terms of performances as well as characters. The rest of the cast is amazing and each one of their characters has a strong personality. Prem Gali has also given a lot of emotional moments to the viewers where they have shed tears with these characters. This drama has all the factors that draw the attention of the viewers to it. Faiza Iftikhar is known for writing dynamic characters and her situational comedies are always well received. Qasim Ali Mureed really knows how to design the scenes and bring out the best out of all the situations.

Mushk

Imran Ashraf has wowed his fans with his brilliant performances over the years but after Tabeer, this happens to be the second drama written by him. Mushk’s story is refreshing and the characters are dynamic. It is a true love story and has all the characters who have experienced the emotion of love. Imran Ashraf has put his heart and soul into this script, this is why it has succeeded in engaging the audience and is now being appreciated for what is has offered so far. After Udaari, this was Urwa Hocane’s come back on TV, therefore the hopes were high, and fortunately, because of the character that she is getting to play, she has exceeded the expectations.

Mushk’s story does have its fair share of negative characters but even those characters have been written with so much clarity and their screen presence is so strong that one actually wants to understand their reasoning and thought process. Imran Ashraf, Urwa Hocane, Momal Sheikh, Zara Tareen, and child star Sami Khan have elevated the level of this drama. Director Ahsan Talish has directed this drama convincingly and so far, it is one of the best dramas on air right now.

Saraab

Drama serial Saraab explores the life of a girl suffering from schizophrenia. Sonya Hussyn is known for breathing life into her characters but the way she has convincingly portrayed the character of Hoorain has shown that she didn’t just sign this project to showcase her acting skills, but in fact, did her own part of the research and homework to understand how the mind of schizophrenic works. Although the rest of the tracks in Saraab can be termed as typical but they also shed a light on how regular households fail to understand the gravity of the situation and do not really consider the possibility of such behavior related to psychological issues.

Writer Edison Idrees Masih has also done his part of the research and the team of Saraab really lived up to the promise of creating awareness about schizophrenia. Usually, in the past, a lot of dramas have been made that promised to raise awareness but failed to do so because the important issues were trivialized and at times it seemed such subjects were only used to create hype about the project. However, when it comes to Saraab, it is one of those few exceptions where the viewers are pleased with how the entire subject has been explored and dealt with.

This completes the list of all those dramas that have refreshing themes and were not based on toxic and typical storylines such as family politics or simple love triangles with two women fighting over one man or vice versa. These dramas show that the Pakistani drama industry is capable of producing such amazing content. The popularity of these dramas also is evident for the drama makers to understand that Pakistani drama audience is open to new and fresh ideas. What are your thoughts about the themes of these dramas? Feel free to add your opinion.

Pakistani drama industry continues to produce numerous dramas every year. Pakistani drama writers take pride in the fact that they pick realities of life and turn them into stories, in order to show the situations leading to the consequences. However, it is worth noticing that as much as the writers can focus on the positive aspects of life in order to inspire and contribute in perspective alteration of the society, they choose such subjects which are more negativity driven, achieving the rating goals that they have in mind.

There is no denying the fact that media is a mind-controlling tool, therefore a huge responsibility falls on the drama makers; starting from producers to the writers as well as directors and actors to be mindful of what they are showing to the masses. Unfortunately, a lot of negative things have been normalized as well as used in such a way that helps them sensationalize it and earn ratings on it. Every year, there are a handful of dramas that serve a purpose, and the bigger picture is unveiled which teaches the audience a thing or two. The rest of the dramas almost serve no purpose and are just made to grab the attention and ratings.

Here’s the list of those Pakistani dramas which are serving no purpose at all:

Jalan

Writer: Sidra Seher Imam
Director: Aabis Raza
Producer: Big Bang Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Minal Khan, Emaad Irfani, Nadia Hussain, Areeba Habib, and others.

The promos of Jalan have given the story away and this is the reason, the audience didn’t hold back in voicing out their disappointment against the theme of the show. The story of Jalan has been seen before in Pakistani dramas repeatedly. It is a clear case of a younger sister being jealous of her elder sister and wanting everything that she has – even her husband. The drama has just begun but the story is predictable. All the episodes of Jalan will continue to show how Nisha, the younger sister will continue to woo her brother-in-law until he finally divorces his wife Misha.

The execution of the drama is definitely grand and the producers have invested a lot because maybe they know these types of controversial subjects sell and get the viewers hooked, however, if one looks at the purpose this drama is serving, one fails to find it. This is a typical masala filled drama which is showing the relationship of sister and brother in law in a questionable manner. The ending of Jalan is also very predictable where the main focus will be on Nisha’s evil antics for the entire drama and in the very last episode, she will pay the price unable to redeem herself.

Meherposh

Writer: Misbah Nausheen
Director: Mazhar Moin
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Geo TV
Cast: Ayeza Khan, Danish Taimoor, Sania Saeed, Rehan Sheikh, Iffat Omar, and others.

In an interview, Ayeza Khan once mentioned that her idea of choosing a film is that of a full-on romantic story filled with a lot of drama. melodrama and action; maybe this is the reason she said yes to the script of Meherposh and also got her husband Danish Taimoor on-board. Meherposh’s story is below average. Shahjahan has always loved Mehru but failed to share his feelings. Mehru gets married and gets divorced the same day. Shahjahan is guilt-stricken and Mehru doesn’t know yet that her husband divorced her because he overheard the things Shahjahan was saying about Mehru. For now, Shahjahan is doing what it takes to show his support to Mehru but she finds him problematic.

As the story will progress, Mehru’s hatred and resentment will turn into respect and love for Shahjahan. This is all there’s to the story of Meherposh. The story is not only average but the execution makes it hard to follow. The pace of the drama is slow and it is also aiming towards a love triangle with Mehru’s younger sister Ayat having feelings for Shahjahan. The purpose of this drama maybe was to show a very dramatic love story but the execution didn’t help and everything fell flat. The side tracks of supporting characters are unimpressive as well where there’s nothing much apart from plotting, scheming and screaming. This is yet another drama which is serving absolutely no purpose at all.

Zebaish

Writer: Bushra Ansari
Director: Iqbal Hussain
Producer: Momina Duraid
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Bushra Ansari and family

Writer Bushra Ansari tried her best to come up with a very different script, but the execution didn’t do it any favors and this is why it has left the viewers wondering about the purpose behind Zebaish? The over-the-top execution has turned Zebaish into a comedy and the viewers are finding it hard to see through the seriousness shown in the situations and relationships that the story revolves around.

This is for the first time that a drama coming from a celebrity of Bushra Ansari’s stature has been ripped to shreds by the audience because they can not look past the fact that all of her family members are a part of this project. The only purpose that seems behind Zebaish is that Bushra Ansari’s entire family came together and made a drama to kill their boredom. The purpose has been lost and the overacting done by actors along with their caricaturish characters has turned this drama into a flop.

Tarap

Writer: Nadeem Siddique
Director: Misbah Syed
Producer: MD Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Hiba Bukhari, Babar Ali, Syed Jibran, Nosheen Shah, Faiza Gillani, and others.

The story of Tarap revolves around the lives of two sisters Zunairah and Hania who have been raised by their grandmother and because of what their mother did in her past, it has turned their brother overprotective to an extent of being rigidly strict. However, it is interesting to note that as much as the writer has tried to reinforce that both Zunairah and Hania are living their lives in unfavorable conditions due to lack of freedom, their activities and love interests speak otherwise.

Zunairah is shown to be the submissive sister but she too found ways to meet the guy she loved. She also casually went to meet Sir Laeeq after being invited over for lunch. Hania on the other hand is shown to be more of a rebel and she too didn’t find it hard to fall in love with a guy and make ways to meet him to her heart’s content. In this situation, their brother Adil seems like a fool for thinking he has everything in check and watches over his sisters like a hawk but they continue to do things they are attracted to and land themselves in messy situations. So many episodes have passed by and Zunairah has not been able to clarify that Sir Laeeq is blackmailing her, every time she tries to speak up, she ends up breathing heavily and only exhales air from her mouth. The title of this drama is ‘tarap’, indeed the viewers are actually feeling the same way trying to figure out the purpose of this drama.

Raaz e Ulfat

Writer: Maha Malik
Director: Siraj ul Haq
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Geo Entertainment
Cast: Yumna Zaidi, Shehzad Sheikh, Hiba Bayat Khan, Komal Aziz Khan, Gohar Rasheed, Arisha Razi, and others.

Raaz e Ulfat is also one such story which has shown that Mushk comes from a super conservative background but she too finds ways to lie to her parents and have an affair behind their backs. Mushk seems to have been heavily influenced by her university friend Sahiba who has now backstabbed her to ruin her chances of getting married to Irtiza Hassan. It is very obvious that Mushk will end up getting married to recently widowed Ismail Miyan because Mushk’s parents strongly feel for him and have a lot of sympathies with his family due to the untimely death of Ismail Miyan’s wife. Irtiza Hassan seems to be an eligible bachelor but Mushk will still end up with Ismail Miyan.

This drama indeed is interesting to watch and is also being liked by the viewers but the purpose it is serving is hard to decipher. It continues to show the likes of Sahiba and Nomi in universities, which already is going to make the parents skeptical about sending their daughters to the universities. Also, all the things that Mushk has learned to do following the footsteps of Sahiba are also going to have the parents very much concerned for their daughters.

This completes the list of those dramas which are serving no purpose whatsoever. Do you think the writers should be mindful of the stories they are coming up with especially now when they directly get the feedback of the viewers? Which of these dramas are you following, sharing your opinion in the comment section below?

The year 2021 opened with some new dramas and with a few of the old ones still on-air, most of them heading towards their ending. Since we did not get a chance to share our point of view regarding some of the new dramas and our opinions about some of those which have been on air have changed, we decided to write this article in order to discuss how we feel about these dramas. This would also be the perfect opportunity for all those readers who are constantly requesting us to write reviews, to share their thoughts regarding all these dramas with us. We could obviously only add those dramas to this list which we have been following therefore all those readers who are watching dramas other than the ones on the list should feel free to share their opinions about those dramas as well.

Here are our thoughts about some of the current Pakistani dramas:

[lwptoc]

Mohabbatain Chahatain

Common sense is a gift 

Writer: Samira Fazal
Director: Ali Hassan
Producer: MD Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Junaid Khan, Hira Mani, Armeena Rana Khan, Ibrahim Alavi, Tipu Shareef, Ghana Tahir, and others.

Mohabbatain Chahatain’s title is extremely misleading since it is absolutely not a simple love story or even a decent love triangle. We definitely expected better from Hira Mani and Junaid Khan in particular, especially after Kashf. Armeena Rana Khan decided to make a comeback on television with one of the most twisted characters we have seen in Pakistani dramas in recent times. This drama reminds us of Shukk, which was also penned down by Samira Fazal. The only big difference is that while Shukk was more interesting and logical in the first few episodes, Mohabbatain Chahatain relies heavily on the lack of common sense of the main male lead Faraz more than anything else. The script is shallow and for the most part illogical. In order to make Tara get what she wants, the writer has gone out of her way to make Faraz highly gullible.

The story of the drama revolves around a loving couple; most importantly the husband is willing to do whatever it takes to make his wife happy. The ‘mohabbatain chahatain’ between the husband and wife vanished into thin air the second the other woman was forced into the picture. Instead of believing his trusted friend and loving wife, Faraz fell for Tara’s lies. At the same time, Sneha settled for getting her only son admitted in a madrassa instead of waiting for a few weeks to clear her head and make a better decision. Tara acts like a jealous toddler in desperate need of attention; her antics are both childish and annoying. This is another one of those dramas in which the woman is held entirely responsible for the man’s misdoings. It is the kind of drama one can watch for comic relief or to see just how ridiculous things can get! Rich women falling for middle class married men seem to be the new deplorable ‘trend’ in Pakistani dramas. The story promised to ‘tug at’ the viewer’s heartstrings but it has done no such thing!

Dulhan

As basic as Sumbul Iqbal’s hair strands

Writer: Adeel Razzaq
Director: Adeel Siddiqui
Producer: MD Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Sami Khan, Sumbul Iqbal, Faizan Khuwaja, Mashal Khan and others.

Drama serial Dulhan definitely started on a high note. In the initial few episodes, it took the viewers by surprise by showing how two cousins Mikaal and Shameer played by Sami Khan and Faizan Khwaja devised a plan to trap Amal played by Sumbul Iqbal. The initial episodes of Dulhan undoubtedly had everyone talking and the viewers assumed this was just the beginning and it was only going to get better but that didn’t turn out to be the case. Although the writer and the director have tried their best to keep the story engaging but that hasn’t turned out to be a case. This drama is looking more and more like Thora Sa Haq and the fact that Mashal Khan plays the exact same role and character doesn’t help the situation either.

Mikaal is technically still married to Amal and fails to acknowledge it but he has become quite possessive about her out of nowhere because of which he feels the need to protect her from Shahmeer. The writer has failed to establish the reasons behind Shahmeer’s obsession with Amal especially at this stage where he has clearly seen that even Mikaal is trying to protect her. Drama serial Dulhan is now becoming quite non-serious now with situations that fail to make any sense. The actors have definitely played their part well but Mashal Khan is intolerable in this drama, exactly like her wig. Sumbul Iqbal is a good actor too who makes sure to change her look especially her hairstyles in her dramas. She was seen carrying very elaborate hairstyles in her previous dramas such as Mere Khuda and Jaal but it is unfortunate that no matter what hairstyle it is, she fails to make it work. Similarly, her hairstyle in Dulhan is quite distracting and does not suit her at all. She has definitely acted well so brownie points to her for that.

Kasa e Dil

Love triangle is an old tale, introducing Love Octagon

Writer: Jahanzeb Qamar
Director: Zeeshan Ahmed
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Geo Entertainment
Cast: Affan Waheed, Komal Aziz Khan, Sukaina Khan, Hina Altaf, Ali Ansari, Haris Waheed and others.

Drama serial Kasa e Dil has nothing special to offer apart from the fact that those viewers who like to watch Affan Waheed’s dramas might find it interesting enough to follow. The very first episode that established the liking different characters had for each other was quite confusing. It is basically a story of siblings whose children are emotionally involved with each other. The character of Adan played by Affan Waheed is the only outsider but he too has a cousin Shireen played by Komal Aziz Khan who loves him but he fails to acknowledge her feelings.

In Kasa e Dil, all the younger characters are involved in unrequited love and apart from that, this drama has a fair share of family politics and misunderstandings miraculously created by one and only Raheela, played by Sukaina Khan. She is everywhere and all over the place and just like every other drama, each and every target of hers hits the bullseye and she has not been caught so far and probably won’t till the very last episode because all the people around her are not using their common sense and brains whatsoever. The love story of Hatim played by Ali Ansari and Somya, played by Hina Altaf lacks appeal too. They both have zero chemistry and right from the beginning, all the characters seem a bit too mismatched. If you skip watching this drama, you wouldn’t miss much at all. This drama has quite a commercial feel to it and despite having a good production value, it just doesn’t have much of an appeal to it. Despite being the lead, Hina Altaf fails to keep you engaged as a viewer, and hero halo eye makeup even in direst of situations is quite distracting too.

Qarar

Manual book of how-not-to-act, written by Sanam Jung

Writer: Aliya Bukhari
Director: Barkat Siddique
Producer: MD Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Muneeb Butt, Sanam Jung, Rabab Hashim, Mikaal Zulfikar, Waseem Abbas, Sangeeta, and others.

Drama serial Qarar is yet another drama that revolves around cousin rivalry. Maya and Fareeha (Sanam Jung and Rabab Hashim) are two cousins who have been raised by Maya’s parents and right from the beginning, Maya has always competed with Fareeha. Fareeha is your typical best beti anyone could wish for because she respects her Taya Abba and does not do anything that would make him concerned. Maya is selfish and conceited and her mother entirely holds the responsibility of spoiling her. Maya has grown up feeling she is the most beautiful girl ever and with this, she has this sense of entitlement that she can accept or reject whatever comes her way. Ammar, played by Muneeb Butt shallowly falls in love with Maya considering her beauty but gets rejected by her right at the day of their marriage. To save his face, Taya Abba gets Fareeha married to Ammar and since then, he has been mistreating Fareeha because he also believes she never wanted Maya to get married to Ammar. Maya on the other hand has gotten married to Salman who already has a wife in his village. Maya obviously is going to get rid of Salman and then probably everyone will see Mikal Zulfikar making an entry who happens to be playing the role of Ammar’s elder brother.

The only thing that stands out the most about drama serial Qarar is Sanam Jung’s overacting. When the teasers of this drama were released, viewers actually were excited to see a pretty decent cast joining hands together for a project but it has turned out to be a disappointment. The weak direction also doesn’t help the overall appeal of the drama either. Sanam Jung actually looks older than both the boys whom she has shared the screen with, that will probably be settled once Mikal Zulfikar comes into the picture. Sanam Jung wasn’t too impressive in Main Na Janoo either but with drama serial Qarar, she has people actually thinking that she shouldn’t be acting at all. This drama can also be skipped because it actually does not have anything new to offer either.

Fitrat

Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the biggest Gold Digger of them all?

Writer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Director: Asad Jabal
Producer: Nuzhat Saman
Channel: Geo Entertainment
Cast: Saboor Aly, Ali Abbas, Mirza Zain Baig, Zubab Rana, Adla Khan, Maryam Nafees, Seemi Pasha, Saife Hassan, and others.

Fitrat is a soap opera that has failed to end at the right time. At this stage, it is quite obvious that the production house has actually figured out that this drama is generating the ratings, therefore they have decided to drag it. When the drama began, the story was fast-paced and in almost every other episode, there were twists and turns that kept the viewers engaged. The story of Fitrat is all about Faria, played phenomenally by Saboor Aly. This is one such drama that actually showcases how cold and aloof gold diggers can be. She has been shown to have a strained relationship with her mother and her siblings too, because of which she fails to build a relationship based on trust with her husbands Shehbaz and Arbaz as well.

The side tracks in drama serial Fitrat also are quite engaging and hold the interest of the viewers, however, the drama is at this stage where the first 10 minutes are just a repeat of the previous episode and the scenes are being so prolonged that it is becoming a lot more evidence that the producers are finding it hard to wrap this drama up now. However, it won’t be wrong to say that the writer Nuzhat Saman surely has crafted the story in an intelligent manner and all the scenarios make sense and are very realistic and logical. It is unfortunate that Fitrat has turned out to be yet another drama that is already losing its appeal due to unnecessary dragging otherwise the writer has definitely given the viewers something interesting to watch. All the actors have done a brilliant job and after Saboor Aly, Ali Abbas, Zubab Rana, and Mirza Zain Baig have also played their part really well.

Prem Gali

Light-hearted preaching for the kind-hearted

Writer: Faiza Iftikhar
Director: Qasim Ali Mureed
Producer: Six Sigma Plus
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Sohai Ali Abro, Farhan Saeed, Uzma Hassan, Saba Hameed, Waseem Abbas, Qavi Khan, and others.

It won’t be wrong to say that this was one of the highly anticipated drama serials of 2020. It is because it was coming from the team of Aangan who gave the viewers one of the most memorable dramas in recent years. The setting of this drama has been quite different and deals with the issues faced by the residents of Prem Gali. The writer Faiza Iftikhar has sent out some thought-provoking messages and has preached a lot of things in a light-hearted manner. This is the kind of drama that has people split where some are enjoying it to the fullest and others are finding it a bit too pushed and lacking that feel.

The aspect of the story which is the most unimpressive is everyone’s obsession with the newly wedded couple of Hamza and Joya played by Farhan Saeed and Sohai Ali Abro. All the actors definitely have done a great job but the overall chemistry is quite off. The bickering of Punjabi and Urdu Speaking families has to be one of the most enjoyable parts of the drama but the scenarios and situations fail to really keep you engaged and interested in the show. This drama actually was quite promising but the slow pace and repetitive scenarios took that away from it. Prem Gali definitely is a light-hearted drama and can be watched if you are in for something nice and fun but in general, it failed to become one of the superhits just as the viewers had anticipated.

Dil Tanha Tanha

Your typical sazishi fix for the week

Writer: Misbah Ali Syed
Director: Ali Masood
Producer: Moomal Entertainment & MD Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Kiran Haq, Ali Ansari, Mohsin Abbas Haider, Nazish Jahangir, Syed Arez, and others.

Drama serial Dil Tanha Tanha had people talking already because of the fact that both Mohsin Abbas Haider and Nazish Jahangir decided to appear in a drama together. They both have been surrounded with controversies and all of a sudden the news of their project had people talking again. The story of this drama again is quite typical which shows a girl Tooba played by Kiraq Haq getting mentally and emotionally abused and harassed at the hands of her in-laws and emotionally absent husband. It is however interesting to note that the writer has tried to strike a healthy balance by showing the character of Mirha, played by Nazish Jahangir who is self-reliant and emotionally independent. However, it seems her husband Asfand, played by Ali Ansari who liked her for all these traits is now giving her a hard time too because his wife still wants to pursue her career and fails to learn cooking which his mother thinks is very important.

Dil Tanha Tanha is a decently directed drama and still has such elements that make you look forward to it. The fact that the writer added clear-minded and level-headed girls like Mirha, Maria, and Nimra is definitely a positive aspect of the drama that negates the typical scenario where Adeel and his mother spread negativity. Dil Tanha Tanha is the kind of drama that you can actually watch and the fact that it airs twice a week also keeps things moving and the pace decent. Mohsin Abbas Haider, Kiran Haq, Syed Arez, Ali Ansari, and the actors playing the roles of Maria and Nimra have done a great job in Dil Tanha Tanha. Fariha Jabeen is a senior actor and she has given her all to the character that she plays in the drama as a rigid and pessimistic mother in law. Her acting is effortless.

Be Adab

Reinforcing the importance of relationships

Writer: Inam Hasan
Director: Shehzad Kashmiri
Producer: Momina Duraid Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Saniya Saeed, Rehan Sheikh, Momin Saqib, Hajra Yamin, Faryal Mehmood, and others.

Be Adab is the kind of drama that definitely caters to the older audience. This drama is definitely not going to be a cup of tea for the younger audience because of the mellow and serious vibe that it has. However, it deals with a very sensitive subject and covers the strained relationships that parents may have with their children. This is the kind of story that is definitely going to appeal to viewers who are parents themselves and are in that age bracket which a couple of Sania Saeed and Rehan Sheikh has portrayed in the drama. It shows how biological children may or may not really be there for their parents but an adopted child makes sure to fill the void in the lives of the people who had taken care of him all his life.

In this drama, Hajra Yamin plays the role of a manipulative ambitious girl who doesn’t really understand the importance of relationships. Her negativity stems from the strained relationship that her parents share and she then makes up her mind that she will not suffer due to a lack of comfort and luxuries in her life just like her mother did. She gets married to Rohail, played by Momin Saqib, and then accuses his father of sexual harassment, hoping it will not only drift Rohail apart from his parents but will also give her control over their lives as a newly wedded couple. On the other hand, Faryal Mehmood plays the role of Fatima who is the niece and after losing her mother, she takes care of her uncle and his wife. Be Adab is the kind of drama that you can actually watch if you’re into meaningful content and have the heart to see some of the nicest characters dealing with their emotional traumas. Hajra Yamin has played this complex character skillfully. Momin Saqib definitely has a lot of potentials but he will definitely need to refine his acting skills. Rehan Sheikh and Sania Saeed’s chemistry as a married couple was one of the best aspects of this drama, their conversations were beautiful too. Faryal Mehmood has done complete justice to the character of Fatima and has made her one of the most likable characters seen in recent dramas.

Mushk

Intriguing and Engaging

Writer: Imran Ashraf
Director: Aehsun Talish
Producer: Momina Duraid
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Imran Ashraf, Urwa Hocane, Qavi Khan, Moomal Sheikh, Osama Tahir, Raza Talish, Sehar Khan, Hassan Ahmed, Zara Tareen, and others.

Mushk is another drama which will be ending in a few weeks and it is one of those few dramas which have stayed interesting even towards the end. It has an appealing and intriguing storyline and has enough going for it to keep the viewers looking forward to the next episode. Since Adam and Guddi’s love story has only started, the viewers are looking forward to finding out where this love triangle is headed. Mushk has powerful characters, it has been executed brilliantly and most of the performances have been on point throughout. Imran Ashraf and Urwa Hocane continue to be the main attraction of the drama. It is always good to watch a drama that has a well-thought-out script. Mushk has an old feel to it as well which reminds us of those PTV dramas which we thought will never make a comeback.

This is another drama that is definitely worth watching and one which has kept us hooked for all these weeks. Mushk also has a spiritual element and it is also in a way a story of good vs. evil, the characters however are not black and white, which makes the drama appealing. Even at this point, the element of intrigue that was there, in the beginning, is still alive.

Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida

Acting tujhe alvida

Writer: Abdul Khaliq Khan
Director: Barkat Sidiki
Producer: Barkat Sidiki & Zayed Shiekh
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Sonya Hussain, Zahid Ahmed, Mansha Pasha, Jawed Shiekh, Sajida Syed, and others.

Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida is headed towards an ending but before the writer ends it, he is going to make sure that even after everything Ulfat has done, the viewers have a reason to feel sorry for her in the end. Since the story of the drama is based on the Bollywood film ‘Judai’ and the writer did not add enough tracks to the story himself in order to make it more wholesome, the story has been stretched to the limit. It is a typical dusri biwi story with some of the most confusing characters. It is impossible to feel for any of the characters because they have been etched-out so poorly. There isn’t a single likable character in the drama which itself is a big failure. The script has been weak right from the beginning but as the story is progressing it is even becoming confusing like many other dramas that are written without a proper intent or purpose.

Even though the script and the overall premise along with the characters are ridiculous, the worst part of Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida has to be Zahid Ahmed’s performance. He has tried really hard to be the ‘bechara’ but the way he breathes in some of the scenes for some odd reasons reminds us of the old Pakistani films in which the heroines used to breathe heavily! It is really upsetting watching actors such as Sonya Hussyn and Zahid Ahmed in particular being part of such dramas in which there is little or no room for performance. This is the kind of drama each episode of which can be watched in 10 minutes. We are waiting for it to end and perhaps it will be replaced with some other more interesting drama.

Nand

Gand (Trash)

Writer: Sameena Aijaz
Director: Zeeshan Ali Zaidi
Producer: Big Bang Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Aijaz Aslam, Shehroz Sabzwari, Minal Khan, Javeria Saud, Sumbul Ansari and others.

Nand was actually an entertaining and meaningful drama for more than 30 weeks. That is the main reason why it got the ratings it deserved since the writer for the longest time did a commendable job of highlighting certain issues which have been highlighted many times before too but this time it was done in a thoroughly entertaining manner. Unfortunately, the producers decided to cash in on the popularity of the show and this drama serial turned into a soap opera. The main attraction of the play Faiza Hassan who played the main character so well that this negative character had the viewers’ undivided attention, left the show at a time when it had not gone downhill altogether. Her character however made a comeback following the patterns which are only followed by Indian soap operas. Javeria Saud played this character and since then we are getting to watch some of the most absurd things that have been shown in Pakistani dramas.

We are no longer watching this drama, for obvious reasons but it is pretty evident from the clips on social media that Nand’s story has completely been trashed. We have no idea why this drama is on air and we are still wondering how much the production house paid Javeria Saud to go along with this incredibly insane script. Faiza Hassan was wise enough to make an exit at the right time.

Aulaad

Meaningful & Emotional

Writer: Syed Ameer Ali Shah
Director: Aabis Raza
Producer: Big Bang Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Mohammad Ahmed, Marina Khan, Hassan Niazi, Furqan Qureshi, Nabeel Zuberi Minsa Malik Hina Javed, Sunita Marshal, and others.

Aulaad is one of the few dramas this year which is off to a great start. It has a different storyline because for a change the story revolves around the older characters, the parents. The drama highlights an important issue and definitely would give many parents and grown-up children out there food for thought. It is rarely ever that we get to see the parents’ point of view in detail and in the most emotional manner. The well-written script and perfect portrayals make the story even more relatable. Aulaad has been on air for only 3 weeks but it is clearly the kind of drama written with a specific purpose in mind. Apart from the main storyline, showing a daughter-in-law who is dedicated and loving is also a refreshing change. Even though there are negative females in the drama as well, the writer definitely deserves credit for showing different sides of the picture instead of relying on stereotypes.

All the characters have been etched-out brilliantly and so far for the most part the story is being taken forward logically. The only aspect so far which did not make a lot of sense was the retirement since nowadays it is quite common for such experienced professors to sign contracts with the universities they have been working in immediately after getting retired. Also, the retirement news was too sudden; most people know when they will be getting retired since after being associated with an institution for so long, you are well-informed about everything. This development was definitely forced but apart from that, the drama has a really important message and it keeps you hooked. Syed Muhammad Ahmed and Marina Khan’s performances have breathed life into their respective characters which have definitely added to the impact and appeal of these characters. Aulaad is definitely a must-watch.

Log Kya Kahenge

Worth Watching

Writer: Sofia Khurram
Director: Mohsin Mirza
Producer: iDream Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Faysal Qureshi, Aijaz Aslam, Saheefa Jabbar Khattak, Sakina Samo Afshan Qureshi Furqan Quershi Tipu Shareef Kinza Razzak Humaira Zahid

Log Kya Kahenge is another drama that has been on air for more than 20 weeks and it continues to be entertaining, logical, and interesting. It can be a little too depressing at times but those scenes can easily be forwarded. The drama focuses on the struggles of a woman who was misunderstood and mistreated by her mother-in-law. Her husband took his life after he lost his wealth and felt that he could not provide for his family. After her husband’s tragic death, the main focus was on how she tried really hard to make a new life for herself and her children, against all odds. Although the story sounds clichéd, Meerab’s character has a great deal going for it. She has many strengths and the most likable aspect of her personality is her positive attitude towards life and the ability to stand on her own two feet. The character played by Faysal Qureshi is equally likable and although the story was somewhat predictable since the beginning, there are plenty of reasons to believe that the writer will not turn this one into another one of those typical stories.

The story has taken the turn which most viewers anticipated in the latest episode and there is still so much to look forward to especially because we are hopeful that the writer will stay on track. Saheefa Jabbar and Faysal Qureshi’s commendable performances make their character even more likable. The drama has enough twists and turns to keep you hooked therefore if you are not watching this one, it could be the perfect show to binge-watch this week!

Faryaad

Ek aur bechari

Writer: Rehana Aftab
Director: Shahid Shafaat and Syed Ali Raza Usama
Producer: Six Sigma Plus & Next Level Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Zahid Ahmed, Adeel Chaudhry, Aiza Awan, Nawal Saeed, Zainub Qayoom, Gul-e-Rana, Sana Askari Mariam Ansari, and others

Drama serial Faryaad has been produced by two of the biggest production houses in the country yet it has turned out to be yet another run-of-the-mill story that has left little impact. The overall feel of the drama is commercial, the performances are average and the characters are black and white. Even though it airs thrice a week, it does not even have the entertainment value that dramas that air more than once a week have. It is yet another Mera Dil Mera Dushman which might be a commercial hit but it does not have enough substance to win critical acclaim. Zahid Ahmed continues to make the most disappointing choices. Sometimes, a drama such as this one can be appealing if the performances and the treatment given to the script is promising but Faryaad is definitely not one such drama. That is the reason why we stopped watching it a while back.

Raqs-e-Bismil

Riveting Performances 

Writer: Hashim Nadeem
Director: Wajahat Rauf
Producer: Shazia Wajahat & Momina Duraid
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Imran Ashraf, Sarah Khan, Mehmood Aslam, Nida Mumtaz, Anoushay Abbasi, Momin Saqib, Javeria Abbasi, Gul-e-Rana, Saleem Mairaj, Rashid Farooqui, Mohammad Faisal Imran, Zara Shaikh, and others.

Raqs-e-Bismil has only been on air for 3 weeks but it is quite evident already that it will turn out to be a drama that will keep the viewers entertained in the upcoming weeks as well. These 3 episodes of Raqs-e-Bismil have introduced the viewers to some of the most interesting characters we have seen in Pakistani dramas lately. The premises of the story, the beautiful cinematography, and the performances have left us in awe of the drama therefore we have huge expectations from this one. Raqs-e-Bismil is not just another love story since it has so much more to offer. The tight grip on the screenplay and the realistic manner in which the story has been executed make this drama a must-watch. The characterizations are also such that they have kept us hooked these three weeks and looking forward to more. If you are not watching Raqs-e-Bismil yet, we highly recommend that you tune into this one.

Dunk

Cheekh all over again

Writer: Mohsin Ali
Director: Badar Mehmood
Producer: Bigbang Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Nauman Ejaz, Bilal Abbas Khan, Sana Javed, Azekah Daniel, Shahood Alvi, Yasra Rizvi, Saife Hassan, Salma Hassan, and others.

It won’t be wrong to say that Dunk was probably one of the most highly anticipated dramas of 2020. After the success of Ruswai and Pyar Ke Sadqay, people were excited to see the fresh pairing of Bilal Abbas Khan and Sana Javed. Their fandoms really created the hype about this project and then came Fahad Mustafa’s statements as a producer that gave away the entire story. Drama serial Dunk even before its release was surrounded by controversies. However, the hype quickly went down the drain because even before the drama began, the producer himself gave away the entire story and it all ended up looking like a publicity stunt and nothing else.

It won’t be wrong to say that Dunk is Cheekh all over again. The choppy editing and sensationalized soundtracks make it pretty obvious that after giving away the entire story in the initial episodes, they are now going to drag it till the the viewers’ patience will be tested. However, the amusing thing is that the drama-makers, especially the producer couldn’t really keep the suspense and gave it all away that this drama was based on false accusations, therefore not much intrigue value is left in the drama apart from the fact that viewers might watch it for the sake of good performances given by strong actors such as Noman Ejaz, Yasra Rizvi, Bilal Abbas Khan and Sana Javed. Bilal Abbas Khan looks like he has walked in from the sets of Balaa and Cheekh into Dunk and Sana Javed yet again plays the role of a victim in this drama. The fact that Azekah Danial is yet again seen in a Bilal Abbas Khan drama makes it look like she comes in a buy 1 get 1 free offer with Bilal. It is unfortunate that the drama which may have lived up to the expectations has fallen flat a bit too quickly.

Qayamat

Domestic violence starts in 3…2…1…

Writer: Sarwat Nazeer
Director: Ali Faizan
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Geo Entertainment
Cast: Ahsan Khan, Neelam Munir, Haroon Shahid, Amar Khan, and others.

Drama serial Qayamat started airing last week and the first episode established the story. It is more about the rich spoiled manchild Rashid, played by Ahsan Khan who is being pampered by his mother to an extent that she has ruined his personality. Rashid’s father definitely wants to see his son bearing responsibilities but Rashid fails to meet his expectations. Rashid is a womanizer and it seems his parents are well aware of all of his flaws but they choose to turn a blind eye to it. On the other hand, there are two sisters Samra and Ifrah, played by Amar Khan and Neelam Munir. Ifrah is self-reliant and emotionally strong, Samra on the other hand is quite shy and introverted. Their friend’s younger brother likes Samra and is pursuing her for marriage, but as the promos have already given away, Samra will get married to Rashid and will be faced with emotional, physical, and mental abuse.

The first episode of Qayamat was definitely interesting but it had that typical Geo TV drama feel to it. Certain situations as well as acting in some of the scenes seemed a bit too over-the-top. The music seems to be too loud too but the fact that this drama has an ensemble cast will definitely pull in the viewership. All the actors definitely have a strong screen presence, be it Shabbir Jaan, Ahsan Khan, Sana Fakhar, Neelam Munir, Saba Faisal, and the fresh face Amar Khan too. Qayamat definitely has the elements to hold the interest of the viewers, this is the first impression that was given by this drama.

These are our thoughts on the Pakistani dramas that are airing currently. Which one of these are you following? Feel free to share your views in the comment section below.

Pakistani drama industry produces a lot of dramas each year. All these dramas are categorized on the basis of their popularity, viewership, story, or the way they have been executed. Where some dramas become extremely popular, some fail to get the recognition the drama makers had hoped. In all the seasons throughout the year, there are certain dramas that the drama buffs find themselves recommending to their friends or family members. These are those kinds of dramas that can be binge-watched because they have the kind of content that is going to keep the interest alive in the show.

It has now become a sad reality that almost every single Pakistani drama is dragged, however, while binge-watching the drama, the best part is that those slow and probably uninteresting bits can always be skipped and the entire show can be watched with a lot of interest, that too without having to wait weekly for the next episode to air. This is the reason that these kinds of dramas make it to recommendation lists easily because they have interesting storylines and characters that makes it enough to qualify as decent entertainment.

Here is the list of Pakistani dramas of 2020 that are worth a binge-watch:

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Dushman e Jaan

Writer: Sarwat Nazeer
Director: Amin Iqbal
Producer: Six Sigma Plus
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Mohib Mirza, Tooba Siddique, Madiha Imam, Irfan Khoosat, Kashif Mehmood, Saba Hameed, Imran Peerzada, and others.

Dushman e Jaan was one of the best dramas of 2020. Although it was quite a short journey because the channel decided to air 4 episodes per week, but somehow it added to its popularity and then it was quite evident that the audience does like watching episodes back to back because it cuts down the waiting time and somehow also fastens the pace of the show.

If you haven’t watched Dushman e Jaan, you definitely need to because this drama has all the flavors to make it quality entertainment. The twists and turns, family dynamics, strong sibling relationships, a budding love story, and most importantly a meaningful transition of a bitter person into a selfless and giving soul makes Dushman e Jaan worth a binge-watch. This drama also has a character of a headstrong female that is a rarity to see in our dramas, therefore she is going to be a breath of fresh air for the audience. Dushman e Jaan also has a happy ending, which adds up another reason to watch it in one go!

Fitrat

Writer: Nuzhat Saman
Director: Asad Jabal
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Geo Entertainment
Cast: Saboor Aly, Ali Abbas, Zubab Rana, Mirza Zain Baig, Adla Khan, Ayesha Gul, Seemi Pasha, and others.

Drama serial Fitrat is currently on air and when it started, it garnered a lot of negative attention too because the audience found the content to be a bit too bold. However, now when the story is pretty much established, Fitrat is getting quite popular and is also attaining viewership. The fact that Fitrat airs 6 days a week makes it very easy to follow. The best part of this drama is the strong execution because so far, the story has stayed on track and the director’s to-the-point approach makes the situations and scenarios quite interesting.

This drama is based on the story of Faria, a gold digger who dreams big and doesn’t really have a moral compass to assess what’s right and wrong. She continues to do what she deems right without any consideration towards the people who are associated with her. This drama also has shown a relationship of a husband and wife based on truth, trust, and open communication which is again a rarity in Pakistani dramas. Drama serial Fitrat currently is at that stage where things might slow down but the fact that the audience gets to see it 6 times a week compensates a lot. It has quite a lot of twists and turns and has been executed perfectly, which definitely makes it worth a binge-watch. It definitely is a very interesting show with the acting and scenarios on-point!

Deewangi

Writer: Sadia Akhtar
Director: Zeeshan Ahmed
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Geo Entertainment
Cast: Danish Taimoor, Hiba Bukhari, Ali Abbas, Mehmood Aslam, Ismat Zaidi, Faiza Gillani, Zoya Nasir, and others.

Deewangi is another drama which people might find themselves recommending others because of the very strong start which showed a love story of another kind. Deewangi did take a typical turn in the middle but the fact that the writer continued to show a husband who supported his wife through thick and thin and stayed loyal to her was one of the strongest aspects of the story. Deewangi does have typical scenarios too which revolve around the mistreatment of a girl at the hands of her mother in law but there are enough twists and turns which keep you going.

The fact that the character of an antagonist was so layered made it even more interesting to follow Deewangi’s journey. It showed how a person torn between his love and revenge ends up ruining everything. The drama also had a happy ending for someone and a sad ending for the other but it was a perfect entertainment package that can be binge-watched!

Alif

Writer: Umera Ahmed
Director: Haseeb Hassan
Producers: Sana Shahnawaz & Samina Humayun (Epic Entertainment)
Channel: Geo Entertainment
Cast: Hamza Ali Abbasi, Sajal Aly, Ahsan Khan, Kubra Khan, Pehlaaj Hussain, Manzar Sehbai, Saleem Mairaj, and others.

Alif’s journey is so special that it can be revisited and relived again and again. The fact that Alif was a comparatively short drama that ended well within 24 episodes makes it worth a watch as well. The way the past and present of the characters were linked and intertwined made it a very special journey. The writer imparted some beautiful messages which were soul-stirring and thought provoking.

Also, the soothing background scores and phenomenal acting along with excellent direction made Alif one such drama that should not be missed. When drama serial Alif was on the air, it carved a niche of its viewers who felt this drama connected them to the Creator and made them understand the purpose of their lives a lot better because it showed the spiritual struggles of youngsters in such a beautiful manner. Alif is one of a kind drama which isn’t seen too often on TV screens, therefore it definitely should be recommended to everyone and is a quality content worth a binge-watch.

Uraan

Writer: Jahanzeb Qamar
Director: Shaqielle Khan
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Geo Entertainment
Main Cast: Kinza Hashmi, Adeel Chaudhry, Aijaz Aslam, Farhan Malhi, Rubina Ashraf, Zainab Qayyum(Z.Q), Nida Mumtaz, Lubna Aslam, and Khalid Anum.

Uraan had enough going for it to keep the viewers entertained. Even though the main plotline of the drama was not different, there were plenty of sidetracks to keep the interest of the viewers alive. It slowed down towards the end and was even dragged but when you are binge-watching a drama, the good thing is that you can easily forward it when it gets slow. Even with the slow pace, right till the end there were plenty of twists and turns in the story which is why the viewers might be forwarding some parts while binge-watching it, they will not be able to skip episodes. Each episode had some important development or the other.

Although the story was typical in the beginning, the treatment given to it made Uraan interesting. There are so many different characters in this drama that one of these characters is bound to be the reason why the viewers keep on watching the show. The story does not center around one or two characters. It is also one of those few dramas which had a convincing and satisfying ending. If you didn’t watch Uraan, now is the time to tune into it. We guarantee you that even though it has certain flaws, it has a definite entertainment value.

Nand

Writer: Sameena Aijaz
Director: Zeeshan Ali Zaidi
Producer: Big Bang Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Main Cast: Aijaz Aslam, Shahroz Sabzwari, Minal Khan, Faiza Hasan, Sumbul Ansari, Ayaz Samoo, and Maha Hassan.

Nand was one of those few dramas in 2020 which continued to be interesting even after 30 weeks. Even though this drama was stretched to the limit, it is definitely worth a binge-watch since it will keep you hooked for days. The characterizations and some of the performances made Nand one of the most popular dramas this year. The first 20 episodes of Nand were fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining. After that, there is some repetition and few disappointments too but overall the drama is worth a binge-watch because of its entertainment value.

The character of the nand was played brilliantly by Faiza Hasan and even though it was a negative character, the performance is bound to keep you looking forward to more. Until the drama completely went off track because it was dragged, Nand had a logical script with quite a few lessons, especially for married couples.

Log Kya Kahenge

Writer: Soofia Khurram
Director: Mohsin Mirza
Producer: iDream Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Main Cast: Faysal Quraishi, Aijaz Aslam, Saheefa Jabbar Khattak, Sakina Samo, Afshan Qureshi, Furqan Quershi, Tipu Shareef,Kinza Razzak.

Log Kya Kahenge was another drama this year that is definitely worth a binge-watch. It has a different storyline which had quite a few dark turns but it also has a strong female protagonist. This drama offers a variety since all the characters add something new to the story. All these tracks are interlinked and even after all these weeks, it is impossible to predict what turn the story will take. Saheefa Jabbar Khattak’s performance makes her character even more likable. Faysal Quraishi’s character in the play is positive and appealing.

Log Kya Kahenge is not a ‘happy drama’ but it has the kind of story which keeps on giving the viewers something to look forward to. You find yourself rooting for Meerab, the female protagonist and her journey depicts the challenges faced by single mothers in our society. It is a meaningful and engaging drama that shouldn’t be missed.

Pyar Ke Sadqay

Writer: Zanjabeel Asim Shah
Director: Farooq Rind
Producer: MD Productions & Moomal Entertainment
Channel: HUM
Main Cast: Yumna Zaidi, Bilal Abbas Khan, Omair Rana, Atiqa Odho, Yashma Gill, Srha Asghar.

Pyar Ke Sadqay was one of the best dramas this year which should not be missed. Most of the viewers did not warm up to the unusual characters and the treatment given to the story. As the story progressed, most of the viewers who continued watching the drama fell in love with it. Yumna Zaidi and Bilal Abbasi Khan’s performances and their characters held the viewer’s interest right till the end. It is also one of those few dramas in this list that actually got more interesting as the story progressed.

If you are one of those viewers who did not watch this drama because it did not immediately catch your attention, then you need to tune into it right now and it will most certainly be the best drama you binge-watch. Pyar Ke Sadqay has enough twists and turns to keep the viewers entertained and enthralled. It is one of the best scripts penned down by Zanjabeel Asim Shah and one of the few dramas this year which had the most impressive cast members, all of whom fit so well in the characters they played.

This completes the list of the dramas worth a binge-watch. How many of these dramas have you watched? Did you also find yourself recommending some of these dramas to your friends and family members? Share your views.

With the onset of private television channels and the race for TRPs, every year so many dramas go on the air on these Pakistani channels which follow a certain formula to attract ratings. Since the writers are so focused on the guidelines given to them by the production houses they most often find it difficult to pen down convincing storylines that would serve some purpose and make sense. There are also those instances when the writers mess up completely while attempting to achieve too much. There have also been times when in an attempt to be ‘different’ the dramas ended up being pointless altogether.

Although these dramas most often have what it takes (star power, great production values, a melodious OST) to attract the masses, they are totally meaningless when it comes down to content. The main purpose of a drama is to provide entertainment but that does not mean that entertainment and logic cannot go hand in hand. Penning down stories that leave the viewers clueless and giving them an ending that makes these stories even more worthless is a practice that has unfortunately been followed by even the best production houses and writers in Pakistan. Since these dramas attract the masses therefore they are most often stretched as well which is why they go even further downhill. After watching 20 episodes plus serial, the viewers are left wondering what the purpose was behind the drama. Even the entertainment value of such dramas dies down after a few weeks which is why they are neither the best dramas nor the worst ones since they might have some good performances and some positive aspects to them as well. Overall, however, these dramas simply can be put in one category and that is of dramas that serve no purpose!

Here is a list of those Pakistani dramas of 2020 which might have been entertaining for a few weeks but overall they served absolutely no purpose which is why after a while those viewers who prefer watching quality entertainment were disappointed with these dramas.

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Sabaat

Writer: Kashif Anwar
Director: Shahzad Kashmiri
Producer: MD Productions
Channel: HUM
Main Cast: Sarah Khan, Mawra Hocane, Ameer Gillani, Usman Mukhtar.

Sabaat had high production values, a star cast, and even a talented director but even then it turned out to be one of those dramas which do not serve any purpose. When Sabaat’s OST was released, viewers were even more eager to watch the drama since this soundtrack suggested that it was going to be a meaningful drama. In the first few episodes, the only attraction for most of the viewers were supporting characters played by Muhammad Ahmed and Seemi Raheal. The main character which got more screen time than any other was Miraal and that was one of the most shallow and poorly etched-out negative characters we have seen in recent times. After showing the viewers just how negative Miraal was and focusing entirely on her right from the beginning, in the end, the writer simply gave her a happy ending hence proving that there was no purpose of showing all the plotting and planning.

In the beginning, the script was so dodgy that the viewers were led to believe that Sabaat would perhaps highlight mental health issues. When Usman Mukhtar was introduced as a psychiatrist, most of the viewers rightfully thought that for a change they would get to see a person from a different profession take the lead. This character however ended up being the plainest and annoying one. The writer also tried to show an independent woman but this track also kept the viewers wondering right till the end. While most viewers celebrated Anaya’s victories, they were extremely disappointed when she easily forgave Hassan after Miraal asked for a proper apology on his behalf. All the tracks in Sabaat had potential but none of these tracks had a definite direction. It was almost as if the writer had no specific purpose in mind while penning down the script. It was just another typical drama with a below-average script that was presented as if it was something new and unique! Sabaat’s script was also highly inspired by dramas such as Zindagi Gulzar Hei and Hamsafar.

Tera Ghum Aur Hum

Writer: Maimona Aziz
Director: Azeem Sajjad
Producer: Moomal Entertainment & MD Productions
Channel: HUM
Main Cast: Zain Baig, Hajra Yamin, Azekah Daniel, Shajeer Uddin, Humera Bano, Azeem Sajjad, Bina Chaudhry, Raja Hyder, Rashida Tabbassum.

Tera Ghum Aur Hum started off on a promising note even though this was yet another drama with a love triangle but the male lead Ali in particular was introduced as an intelligent man who knew exactly what he wanted. The character played by Hajra Yamin was never appealing and the one played by Azekah Daniel has been shown in Pakistani dramas innumerable times. Even then for many weeks, Tera Ghum Aur Hum provided quality entertainment until the writer decided to make this sane hero go berserk! All of a sudden he started making the most ridiculous decisions starting with his second nikkah. The drama completely went downhill from that point. The script stopped making sense altogether, the pace slowed down and the OST was overused to stretch the scenes.

The viewers watched Hajra’s character Mahi suffering right from the beginning and most people only watched the show till the end to watch her happy ending. The ending however was nothing short of shocking because this character was completely relegated to the background and somehow Sara (the negative character) got a happy ending! Tera Ghum Aur Hum’s ending made it a drama that served no purpose. What was the point of showing all the negativity when in the end the villainess was going to magically turn into the heroine! This was one of the weirdest endings which basically defeated the purpose of the drama altogether. It was almost as if the first 15 episodes were written by someone else and after that, the story was simply dragged by adding meaningless sidetracks and misunderstandings.

Dil Ruba

Writer: Qaisera Hayat
Director: Ali Hasan
Producer: MD Productions
Channel: HUM
Main Cast: Hania Aamir, Mohib Mirza, Shehroz Sabzwari, Syed Jibran, Marina Khan, Ghana Tahir, Nabeel Aijaz Zuberi, Saad Azhar.

Dil Ruba was another drama with a clichéd storyline that had no purpose. Generally, such storylines have a specific purpose if nothing else. Mostly the purpose of such dramas is to show how the greedy and selfish females get punished in the end. While the writer followed the usual storyline as shown in many such dramas, the ending made this drama a completely meaningless exercise. In the end, the girl who never valued relationships and put materialistic gains before her own parents and siblings was somehow exempted from everything, and the blame was put entirely on the men she had relationships with.

In an attempt to give a ‘different’ ending to a typical story, the writer took away the essence of the story. After showing how Sanam made the most foolish decisions and treated relationships like disposable commodities, the writer chose a happy ending for her but only after taking all the responsibility off of her shoulders. What was the point of showing Sanam treating her family and even her own child so ruthlessly when in the end she was going to be turned into a bechari?

Jo Tu Chahay

Writer: Qaisra Hayat
Director: Ilyas Kashmiri
Producer: MD Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Main Cast: Imran Abbas, Alizeh Shah, Zarnish Khan, Ahmed Taha, Nargis Rasheed, Areej Mohyudin, Naima Khan.

Drama serial Jo Tu Chahay was pretty much one of the hyped-up plays before it began. The viewers were excited to see the fresh pair of Imran Abbas and Alizeh Shah. Although the age difference between the two was also spoken about it still seemed promising. Soon after the drama started airing, the audience realized that this drama had no substance whatsoever. It was a story revolving around the most typical family politics in the most typical manner.

The writer Qaisra Hayat did try to impart a few messages related to being grateful and thankful to Allah for all that He blesses one with, those few messages got lost because of the overpowering negativity that covered the chunk of the episode. This entire story was based on cousin marriages and their longing to have one. Each one of these cousins were interested in each other and it seemed there was nothing else in their lives that they would dream of. The fact that the drama was titled ‘Kun Faya Kun’ initially did make people wonder why it was chosen in the first place, especially for the project that did not have anything special or substantial to offer. Imran Abbas himself ended up calling this project ‘faarigh’, therefore what more of testimony do we need to believe that this drama actually served no purpose at all!

Bandhay Ek Dor Se

Writer: Faiza Iftikhar
Director: Ali Faizan
Producer: 7th Sky Entertainment
Channel: Geo Entertainment
Main Cast: Ushna Shah, Ahsan Khan, Hina Altaf, Saba Hameed, Saba Faisal, Samina Ahmed, Noor ul Hassan.

Writer Faiza Iftikhar is one of the best drama writers the Pakistani industry has ever seen. This is the reason drama buffs actually look forward to her projects because they are certain that she is going to bring something exciting and refreshing to the table. However, it is unfortunate that Bandhay Ek Dor Se, despite having an ensemble cast failed to deliver any special purpose to the viewers. It is a very typical storyline based on family relations and to push the typicality to the limit, she also added the typical love triangle where a guy is married to his cousin without his consent and ends up chasing after his dream girl.

The dream girl Roshni has no qualms chasing after Omar, a married man and she is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that he ends up divorcing Maheen. Hina Altaf has done good work in the past but in this drama serial, her acting, as well as character, is intolerable. Ahsan Khan failed to fit in the character who is in his 20’s. Ushna Shah is the only positive thing about this drama but she alone obviously can not save it, nor can she compensate. Not to forget, the slow pace is another aspect that tests your patience. The viewers had high hopes with Bandhay Ek Dor Se, however, it soon became obvious that this drama actually serves no purpose and wouldn’t have made much of a difference if it wasn’t produced, to begin with!

Mera Dil Mera Dushman

Writer: Mirza Asim Baig & Humera Safdar
Director: Syed Ali Raza Usama
Producer: Six Sigma Plus & Next Level Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Main Cast: Alizeh Shah, Yasir Nawaz, Noman Sami, Laiba Khan, Anum Tanveer, Naveed Raza.

Mera Dil Mera Dushman ended up garnering a lot of viewership and popularity because despite having an overdose of family politics and conspiracies, it was well executed, at least in the beginning of the drama. The editing, direction, and even the acting were on-point which actually made people follow it. However, it turned out to be another drama that ended up testing the patience of the audience. Not only it was dragged but the way the entire story unraveled makes one question the purpose this drama was serving.

Mera Dil Mera Dushman was also promoted heavily by both Alizeh Shah and Noman Sami because the two were supposedly dating and they wanted to take advantage by creating hype. The story had a cringe-worthy track which showed Zafar, a man in his 50’s paying Maira’s family to get married to her, a girl who was a quarter his age. Alizeh Shah’s acting was blood-boiling too and the entire drama became a laughing stock because of how poorly it was handled as the episodes progressed. The fact that the producers and the entire team failed to graciously end at the right time was a big mistake made by them.

Tarap

Writer: Nadeem Siddique
Director: Misbah Syed
Producer: MD Production
Channel: Hum TV
Main Cast: Hiba Bukhari, Babar Ali, Syed Jibran, Saleem Mairaj, Laiba Khan, Faiza Gillani.

Drama serial Tarap also started on a strong note with the story revolving around the lives of two girls who were exploring the paths of their lives without much guidance or support from their brother and also a grandmother. Zunaira especially ends up being a victim of conspiracies and gets married off to a widowed man twice her age who also happens to be a father of two children. All of this happens because Zunaira fails to open up her mouth and let her family know what actually happened. Her brother who takes pride in being a man of principle ends up ruining not only his own life but his son’s life, his sister’s life as well as the lives of everyone around him.

Tarap had a lot of potential to be a good drama, however, the weak protagonist and frustrating scenarios of Zunaira unable to save herself made it a tad bit unrealistic. It seemed as if the only thing that the writer focused on was Zunaira’s forced helplessness whereas all she needed was to muster up the courage and speak once to save her life. Zunaira chose to suffer but not say anything to defend herself, this story definitely served no purpose at all.

Jalan

Writer: Sidra Seher Imran
Director: Aabis Raza
Producer: Big Bang Entertainment
Channel: ARY Digital
Main Cast: Minal Khan, Emaas Irfani, Areeba Habib, Fahad Sheikh, Hajra Yamin.

It won’t be wrong to say that drama serial Jalan is the most controversial drama of this year. This is the reason it got banned and unbanned twice and people have wholeheartedly spoken against the theme of the drama. Drama serial Jalan became under severe scrutiny right after the promotional teasers were released which showed a girl chasing after her sister’s husband. When the drama began, everyone already knew what they were going to witness, because of which the viewers made sure to raise their voice against the questionable subject covered in this drama. Drama serial Jalan has all the flavors that any below average drama has, a cold-blooded gold-digger Nisha who has no issues pushing her sister Misha to death so that she can take her place in Asfand’s life.

Now that Nisha has tasted this life, she is ready to go back to Ahmer, her ex-fiance whom she rejected because of his status. This drama has also shown a doormat in the form of Areej who literally put up with her husband’s emotional abuse for years before sticking up for herself. Ahmer who had no issues treating his wife like a doormat is now head over heels in love with her because she chose to show him a mirror which reiterates the fact that he was nothing but a loser with zero self-respect and a big ego. Jalan is currently airing and to see Nisha’s antics is not only monotonous but absolutely boring too. This drama has definitely served no purpose whatsoever and showing a victim committing suicide and leaving her newborn at the mercy of the world was another track that did not sit well with the viewers.

Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida

Writer: Abdul Khaliq Khan
Director: Barkat Sidiki
Producer: Barkat Sidiki & Zayed Shiekh
Channel: HUM
Main Cast: Sonya Hussain, Zahid Ahmed, Mansha Pasha, Javed Shiekh, Sajida Syed, Angeline Malik, Mizna Waqas.

Well, we all know the actual purpose behind the making of this drama – copying Judai of course! But is that really an actual purpose? We think not! The confusing storyline of the drama, unconvincing plot twists, overacting of even the best actors, and the futile attempt to change a film into a complete series make Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida a drama which makes you wonder what the makers were thinking when they came up with the storyline. What is the purpose of showing a woman selling her husband and another woman so willing to ‘buy’ him? If the purpose was to show that women should not be selling their husbands then you will all agree that it was a pretty lame reason for penning down such a story.

If making the man look like the bechari was the purpose then the writer failed badly at that too since there isn’t a single scene where you actually feel for him! Actually, any mature person would find it really difficult to take this drama seriously. If the purpose was to make people laugh, then Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida fails at that too, since it is definitely not a light-hearted comic play.

All these dramas basically go to show that how important it is for the writers to write stories with a specific purpose in mind otherwise even those dramas with the biggest stars which have more than 20 episodes end up being pointless and purposeless. Which one of these dramas did you follow? Do you also feel these dramas served no purpose whatsoever? Feel free to share your views.

Fatima Awan & Zahra Mirza