It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the Pakistani drama industry is currently scaling unprecedented heights, with shows breaking ratings records and also getting enormous traction online.

There was a time when there were hardly more than a few dramas to watch and television channels used to stop airing entertainment content after 9 or 10 PM. But thanks to the emergence of multiple cable and satellite channels, the Pakistani audience now more than ever has plenty of content to choose from.

However, even with multiple channels airing a whole variety of television shows, we are still stuck with some recurring themes in our dramas such as polygamous marriages, the saas-bahu quarrels, and sisters falling in love with the same guy and then turning against each other. In short, writers and directors are finding it difficult to break out of the ghareelu mold, and are thus producing content that is mainly geared towards older women.

The entertainment needs of other demographic segments, such as younger men and women, middle-aged men or even children are largely ignored by the present crop of television plays, as impressive and popular as they might be.

Emerging digital streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ are on the rise and are a direct threat to the monopoly of television channels. Therefore, we need to explore different themes that cater to different sets of audiences before people start making the inevitable switch. Some recent shows have done well by exploring thematically different content, such as Ishq Zahe Naseeb and the Yumna Zaidi, Imran Ashraf and Sami Khan starrer Inkaar. They fared rather decently proving that the audience welcomed the new plots and storylines with open arms.

Here we talk about some of the themes and genres Pakistani shows need to try out…

Horror

The only two Pakistani dramas that really managed to terrify viewers were HUM TV’s Bela Pur Ki Daayan and ARY’s Bandish. While other dramas like Woh, Saaya and Dilnawaz tried to break the mold by being different, their efforts were not up to the mark. Moreover, most of these shows incorporate the standard ghareelu setting into their plot which prevents them from staying true to their genres.

A lot of people think that to make an effective scary drama, all you need to have a terrifying ghost or a dreadful witch. However, that is not all that true. What needs to be worked on is creating a well-woven storyline in a spooky atmosphere. The Haunting of Hill House and American Horror Story are perfect examples of good horror shows which stay true to their genre and which make for an engaging, chilling viewing experience.

Mystery-Thriller

While Saba Qamar-Bilal Abbas starrer Cheekh may have diverged from its story track towards the end, it was certainly an interesting watch. Portions of the show showed what a great edge-of-the-seat thriller is made of. The key to writing a great mystery-thriller is unveiling the story piece by piece and Hollywood shows like Fargo and The Sinner are some well-made thrillers that keep their viewers hooked towards the end. They don’t have massive budgets — but what they did have were solid storylines. Perhaps Pakistani television can take some inspiration and come up with a true thriller that keeps you engrossed with its plot rather than delving into the usual romantic dalliances or the neverending saas bahu tussle.

Action

The action genre is often constrained by a limited budget, so expecting a Pakistani drama like Daredevil or Jack Ryan would be unreal. However, typical cop-detective shows shouldn’t be that hard to produce. Alpha Bravo Charlie is perhaps the only action-thriller drama that Pakistan has produced. And that is exactly why it is considered to be a benchmark in the history of Pakistani television.

Recent dramas that came close to the action category would be Sange Mar Mar and Deedan. While the former was a powerful drama with a captivating storyline, the latter fell flat even though it started on a rather promising note. However, given Pakistan’s recent history, it should not be difficult to come up with plots revolving around espionage or detective work, which stay true to the action genre by including some well-executed action pieces.

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

The closest we have produced a fantasy drama was Ainak Wala Jin. It had a lot of elements of different genres in it yet it immediately became a fan favorite. In fact, during the time it went on air, it became so famous that the cast of the show was invited to perform in front of Princess Diana and the patients in Pakistan in 1996 when she visited the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital.

Ahsan Talish’s Deewana is one show in recent memory that boldly treaded into the fantasy territory, and we need to see more attempts which attempt to capture the interesting myths and legends that dot the cultural landscape of the country. Authenticity in dealing with the subject is the key here.

Coming-of-age/Comedy

Coke Kahaani, directed by Mehreen Jabbar and starring Syra Shahroz, Ahmed Zaib, and Faisal Rehman, was a drama that was appreciated by a wide range of the audience, especially by the teenagers. It was about a group of friends who work together to save their friend’s restaurant from going into ruins. Given how Pakistani youth are massive fans of shows like Atypical and Gossip Girl, if local television channels produce something along those lines, the local audience would not perhaps need to turn to other streaming devices.

A lot of our writers have proved themselves to be more than capable of writing interesting and unique storylines. So, it is not a matter of ‘if’ they can do it or not but rather ‘when’ will they do it.

Which of the genres mentioned above would you like our industry to explore? Let us know in the comments below!