As someone who absolutely admires Pakistani dramas and the way they are created (not all but many of them), I have been a keen observer of the way of storytelling our desi creators prefer. Some of them choose to make it an archetypal “12 Masaaloun Ki Chaat” with melodrama and repetitive family politics, while there are some remarkable creators who only tend to produce true masterpieces with unconventional stories and subtle executions.
Dramas that tackle a certain social issue or a theme are not usually blockbusters in terms of ratings, quite honestly. However, most of them manage to create awareness about their respective subject and start conversations on social taboos. Here’s a list of 9 Pakistani dramas that not only challenged societal norms but also created an impact on their audiences with their exceptional manner of execution.
Rehaai
Produced by Momina Duraid Productions in collaboration with Kashf Foundation, ‘Rehaai’ tackled under-age marriage and domestic violence in a remarkable manner. The project is written by Farhat Ishtiaq and directed by Mehreen Jabbar.
The story revolves around Shameem, played by Samina Peerzada who was forced into marriage when she was a child. She now has a son, Waseem, played by Naumaan Ijaz, married to Shehnaz, played by Maria Wasti. Waseem and Shehnaz are unable to conceive which makes the frustrated Waseem treat his wife as a punching bag. After constant social pressure, Waseem decides to marry a preteen despite strong opposition from his wife and mother.
Shehnaaz and Shameem raise Kulsoom, Waseem’s new wife as a daughter, but couldn’t save her from the evils that come with the relationship she was forced into. Kulsoom then gives birth to three daughters and the drama proceeds with Kulsoom and Waseem’s respective journeys to awareness and redemption.
Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahin
Another masterpiece by Kashf Foundation, ‘Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahin’ is written by Aamna Mufti and directed by Kashif Nisar. The project deals with human trafficking and several other social taboos in a subtle way. Starring Yumna Zaidi and Wahaj Ali, the story highlights heart wrenching journeys of women who were victims of human trafficking and now are living miserable lives at brothels.
This drama also talks about increasing crime rates among youngsters due to poverty and lack of basic facilities.
Udaari
Hum TV’s superhit drama which is now considered a classic, ‘Udaari’ was an exceptional story highlighting the social evil of child sexual abuse in society. Penned down by Farhat Ishtiaq, this story was phenomenal in not only spreading awareness about the cause, but also in the viewership charts.
Udaari handled several tracks beautifully, with an added romantic angle between Urwa Hocane and Farhan Saeed’s characters. The project set a benchmark of good storytelling and impactful messaging.
Damsa
Nadia Jameel starrer, ‘Damsa’ revolved around a mother who decides to go to every extent in order find her missing daughter. Damsa was penned down by the late Asma Nabeel, and directed by Najaf Bilgrami. The project discussed child trafficking and the life of street children in an exceptional manner. Although it couldn’t do much in ratings, Damsa did make an impact on viewers with strong storytelling.
Yaqeen Ka Safar
A drama that blew us away, Yaqeen Ka Safar was much more than a romantic love story of two doctors. Written by Farhat Ishtiaq, the drama tackled several social issues related to women in society. Starring Sajal Aly and Ahad Raza Mir, this project was about every character’s respective journey to self awareness and realizations. Right from the beginning, Yaqeen Ka Safar managed to hit the right chords, which is why people still laud how sensitively it handled those issues.
Mubarak Ho Beti Hui Hai
A Big Bang Entertainment production, ‘Mubarak Ho Beti Hui Hai’ was a different story from the production’s usual dramas. With a theme discussing stigmas attached to a daughter’s birth in a family, the drama also highlighted the issues with which a woman has to deal in her regular life.
An exceptionally strong narrative in a powerful and sensitive manner was conveyed beautifully through the story of a mother, played by Saima Noor who raises her daughters without a man’s support and sets an example.
Bedardi
‘Bedardi’ broke stereotypes and talked about an untouched social issue i.e. AIDS/HIV. The project starred Affan Waheed as a patient who accidentally contracts the disease while co-living with a friend in a hostel. Aiman Khan plays his wife who also becomes affected. The drama spreads awareness about the illness and talks about how the patients should be treated.
Chup Raho
Directed by filmmaker Yasir Nawaz, ‘Chup Raho’ starred Sajal Aly and Arjumand Rahim opposite Feroze Khan, Syed Jibran and Yasir Nawaz. The project revolves around a young girl who becomes a victim of harassment and sexual assault by her own brother-in-law. Its a woman’s journey who goes through unfortunate circumstances and becomes shattered when her own husband doesn’t believe her.
Sajal Aly gave one of her strongest performances in a character that eventually comes out to be a brave individual after going through so much trauma.
Aakhir Kab Tak
Recently ended, ‘Aakhir Kab Tak’ was a remarkable journey of a rape survivor. Srha Asghar played Fajar who borns in a conservative family where daughters are considered inferior to sons. With the support of her strong and ambitious sister Noor, played by Ushna Shah, and husband, the initially meek Fajar becomes confident and powerful, eventually realizing how important her self respect is to lead a secure life in this society.
The drama challenged several values that lead to damaged personalities and problematic behaviours. Director Syed Ali Raza Usama and writer Radain Shah excellently managed to grip the masses with multiple interesting tracks and realistic plot.
Conclusion
Pakistani dramas have a powerful grip on portraying realism and fiction in the most outstanding way possible. Most of them are managing to spread awareness about multiple sensitive subjects while many are providing the much needed entertainment factor to the world of television. These are just 9 of the most powerful narratives that will definitely leave a long-lasting impact on you.
