2023 was yet another great year for television with stellar performances across the board. Among the guys, we got to see more of our usual favourites, while recent breakout stars got to further cement their might on the small screen.

This year also saw the return of some veteran actors stretching their thespian muscles and showing us how it’s done. So, coming up with a list of ten performances was quite the task. Nonetheless, here’s a list of ten male performances that stood out in 2023.

Wahaj Ali – Tere Bin

Wahaj Ali as Murtasim Shahnawaz Khan in ‘Tere Bin‘ was a career-defining role. This role rightfully propelled Wahaj to the level of fame he is at right now and he is riding that wave still. His chemistry with co-star Yumna Zaidi was also a huge factor in this success with fangirls going gaga over the pairing and particularly loving Ali in this avatar.

Despite an online backlash and calls for boycott, one thing is for certain and that is audiences’ love for Murtasim Khan, all thanks to Wahaj’s stellar work.

Bilal Abbas – Kuch Ankahi

The recipient of numerous awards, Bilal Abbas is no stranger when it comes to being a highly acclaimed actor. Abbas can deliver a great performance even in his sleep. Bilal as Salman in ‘Kuch Ankahi‘ was him doing what he does best and that’s playing a romantic lead.

Audiences rejoiced when the show concluded with Sajal Aly’s Aaliya ending up with Salman and all credit for that goes to Bilal and his charming portrayal in the role.

Hamza Sohail – Fairy Tale

Hamza Sohail already proved himself in the first season of ‘Fairy Tale’ but he’s even better in this second iteration. Comedy is always said to be harder than dramatic acting and Sohail has once again nailed the balance as Farjaad. The romance, banter, and friendship, he plays every element of Farjaad and Umeed’s relationship to perfection and we adore him for it.

Samar Abbas – Mayi Ri

Samar Abbas as Fakhir in ‘Mayi Ri’ probably had the most compelling arcs in television this year. Abbas, in his first major acting role, was asked to do so much in a show that tackled the issue of child marriages. From a careless teenager to a responsible young man, Samar played his character’s arc with the finesse of a seasoned professional.

We cannot wait to see what the newcomer does next.

Sheheryar Munawar – Kuch Ankahi

Sheheryar Munawar as Asfar was incredible in ‘Kuch Ankahi‘. The heartthrob oozed charisma in his latest role. Not to say Asfar didn’t have more to offer, the role was layered with a sad backstory which gave Munawar a lot to play with.

While countless fans rejoiced at Aaliya ending up with Salman, many were sad to see Asfar left alone in the end which was a testament to Sheheryar’s captivating performance.

Mohammed Ehteshamuddin – Kabli Pulao

Ehteshamuddin played one end of an unconventional love story in ‘Kabli Pulao’ and melted all our hearts. His Haji Mushtaq, a humble and God-fearing man delighted audiences when he ends up smitten by Barbeena, a girl significantly younger than him.

Ehteshamuddin’s portrayal of the character was respectful, understanding and endearing. While the actor is mostly known for his directorial work, we would love to see more of him as an actor going forward.

Bilal Ashraf – Yunhi

Bilal Ashraf — who made his television drama debut this year in ‘Yunhi‘ — gave us a fresh male lead in a sea of toxic masculinity being the only character trait left for male characters. His Dr. Dawood Basharat is a soft-spoken and loving man albeit silent at times. Bilal played the character’s subtleties to perfection and built a beautiful love story with Maya Ali’s Kim.

It was great to see Ashraf shine in a role where his sex appeal wasn’t the defining character trait and he got to show off his acting chops.

Ameer Gilani – Neem

Ameer Gilani was as incredible as Ashhad in ‘Neem‘. Even just beside his love story with Mawra’s Zimal, Gilani’s character goes on quite the journey. Ameer portrayed the very timely struggle of wanting to move abroad to help fix one’s financial status. Ashhad sees a lot of ups and downs and Gilani played every beat of his arc perfectly.

The show also tackled the issue of infertility and started a dialogue to promote adoption and Ameer had a pivotal and heartfelt role to play in that storyline.

Talha Chahour – Jannat Se Aagay

Chahour played Ramsha Khan’s fiance Farooq in ‘Jannat Se Aagay‘. He follows every desire of his fiance’s regardless of if it’s fair or not. Farooq is also a common man who is unemployed and struggling to make ends meet.

Chahour played all these beats with subtlety and gave audiences an insight into the issues of an everyday man who fails to realize the bad influence his fiance is on him.

Farhan Saeed — Jhok Sarkar

Farhan Saeed stepped into an entirely new avatar this year in ‘Jhok Sarkar‘. ASP Arsalan is Saeed’s entry into the cop universe, an idealistic cop fighting for justice in the town of Jhok Siyal. While the show itself got some criticism for it’s writing, audiences were in love with Farhan’s performance.

It was also a testament to his performance and chemistry with Hiba Bukhari’s Sassi that audiences were heartbroken at the character’s tragic demise in the finale.

This year saw a lot of dynamic performances and we saw a refreshing change of pace from the usual “angry young man” rampant display of toxic masculinity, with 4-dimensional and unconventional characters getting the spotlight.

What was your favourite male performance from the year? Share in the comments down below.