Legendary writer Haseena Moin, who passed away this year, has monumental contributions to the Pakistani drama industry. From the unforgettable and touching family drama, ‘Tanhaiyan’ to the breathtaking medical drama ‘Dhoop Kinaray’, many of such Haseena Moin scripts are now considered cult classics of our television history.
Observing the current situation of our dramas, we are still in awe of these classics, but did you know that Haseena Moin also wrote a drama serial exclusively for India? If not, we are here to answer all the questions in your head.
When Haseena Moin Wrote a Script for Star Plus
In 1997, when the social and political situations of India and Pakistan were better, compared to now, the countries collaborated for an “Indo-Pak” drama serial. Haseena Moin wrote the script titled ‘Tanha’ and Pakistani actors Marina Khan and Sajid Hassan went to India to work in the show.
‘Tanha’ did exceptionally well in the viewership charts. People all across South Asia enjoyed the realistic execution and inspiring story on television. The title track of the project was written and composed by renowned lyricist Javed Akhtar.
An Inspirational Storyline
‘Tanha’ revolves around a widowed old lady Shakeela Begum, played by veteran Indian actress Sushma Seth, who runs a garment factory and aspires to keep her family together. The drama portrays the emotional bonds a family shares and the daily household affairs in a much believable manner.
The ensemble cast of the project includes veterans Marina Khan and Sajid Hassan, among several Indian artists namely Aasif Sheikh, Anang Desai, Milind Soman, and Tanaaz Irani. Unlike regular dramas, ‘Tanha’ was shot in multiple cities of India including Aligarh and Lucknow. The forty episodes family drama had a successful run of two years on Star Plus from 1997 to 1999.
Later in the early 2000s, India and Pakistan collaborated several times for joint productions in films and dramas.
Dramas that taught us family values and highlighted the importance of self-respect and financial stability for women along with providing us clean and easily digestible entertainment seem to be a matter of the past now. But we hope to see quality content like this on our local TV screens again.
