With new Pakistani dramas airing on different channels on television with captivating story lines and stellar performances, the pressure is huge for each drama to stand out and make it to the top. While some get butchered by the critics and viewers alike, some standout and win the rating game and critics acknowledgement.
The following are five currently airing dramas which created a buzz before their release, but with a few episodes in, were they able to live up to the expectations? Read more to find out.
Ehraam e Junoon:
With twelve episodes already in Ehraam e Junoon is topping the charts, with each episode garnering on average nearly 10 million views on YouTube. The YouTube views are evidence of the drama’s popularity among the masses.
However, the story is another run-of-the-mill triangle love story which is nothing new for Pakistani dramas. The drama’s premise revolves around an upper middle class girl Shanzey (Neelam Muneer) who falls for a middle-class, jobless guy Shani (Imran Abbas). Shani likes his cousin Sajila (Nimra Khan) who is shown to be selfish and gluttonous. The story is progressing gradually and despite the high viewership it is an average plot when considered from critics’ point of view.
Jhoom:
GEO TV’s new drama Jhoom starring Zara Noor Abbas and Haroon Kadwani is winning the hearts of viewers and critics alike, subtracting the trivial plot holes here and there. The first episode has 24 million views till date and on average the episode receives 10 million views.
The drama is a combination of great performances and a sizzling chemistry between the two leads. The story is also unraveling on a progressive front with each episode talking about societal issues including age difference between a couple, mental health and depression, and the taboo regarding receiving treatment for depression.
Muhabbat Gumshuda Meri:
HUM TV’s two new protagonists Saim and Zubi in Muhabbat Gumshuda Meri are winning hearts not only in Pakistan but also across border. The first-time on-screen pairing of Dananeer Mobeen and Khushhal Khan are winning hearts left right and center. The drama is getting on average views of 7-9 million per episode.
Critics are also adoring their chemistry on-screen. The plot centers around the come of age romance and aptly captures the emotions of young blood and how they strive to fight with their emotions and pent-up energy. Critics and viewers await to see how these two love birds find a way to convince their families and find a way back to each other.
Neem:
The drama was on many viewers’ watchlists, before its release, for several reasons. Firstly, the drama marked the return of Mawra Hocane on screen after a nearly two-year hiatus, alongside the return of Ameer Gilani and Mawra Hocane on-screen as a couple after Sabaat. Furthermore, the story has an eye-catching backdrop, set in the beautiful valley of Kashmir alongside a complex multiplex plot with a social message.
The drama, unfortunately, is not topping the rating charts, but nevertheless, it is still garnering decent views, with its first episode having 2.6 million views and its second 1.1 million, as of now. The drama follows the story of Zimal played by Mawra Hocane who advocates that education can cause a revolution. The antagonist of the drama Karamat wants to marry Zimal and take control of the entire village they live in. While the character of Ameer Gilani likes Mawra.
The multilayered drama, for now, has the attention of critics and audience alike, provided that the story progresses at a decent note and does not become too preachy and looses it entertainment value in the process.
Jhok Sarkar:
New Farhan Saeed’s drama after Mere Humsafar and needless to say the audience was already hyped about it before its release, awaiting to see Farhan Saeed in a new avatar.
Jhok Sarkar is another drama targeting societal problems, teleporting the audience to the world of Jhok Sial where feudal Siraiki rules over poor and the destitute, treating the villagers inhumanly. Farhan Saeed is essaying the role of an honest police officer who is transferred to Jhok Sial where he will embark on the journey to finish the evil ruling over the area.
The drama has received decent views. Its first episode received 3.9 million views and the second 2.2 million. Although the drama is backed by stellar casts, captivating storyline and sub-plots and above-par direction, the drama lacks the ‘wow’ factor that hooks the audience. But we have high hopes from this one, hoping that it will soon catch up.
It is not an easy job for the makers of Pakistani dramas to maximise the entertainment quotient and balance the messages alongside, giving the audience a complete package. We do look forward to see how these dramas perform in the near future and will they be able to retain their strong suits. Well, we have to wait and see.
