What is the one thing Pakistanis love apart from Cricket? It’s Pakistani dramas. Whether it be Ashar’s love for Khirad or Manahil’s obsession with Salahudeen, we Pakistani’s live for the drama. It’s not only about the entertainment though. Pakistan has created some remarkable dramas that would be remembered for years. Drama’s like Udaari, Chup Raho, and Akhri Station blew the audience’s minds because of how they portrayed very serious issues of harassment, pedophilia, and abusive relationships.
Pakistani dramas have a significant role in upping the Lollywood game. We have been creating exceptionally well-written dramas since the ’90s and the audience is well-aware of the efforts put in the making of those dramas. In this article, we’re going to discuss 12 of the all-time favorite dramas of Pakistanis that you must watch. So, let’s begin.
1) Khuda Ki Basti (1969)
Old is gold! So let’s start with one of the oldest TV dramas created in Pakistan. The drama revolved around some of the basic social issues of the time; social status, struggles of a working/divorced woman who is forced to marry a rich businessman, a daughter who falls for a man who refuses to marry her, and a son who is careless but has to become responsible after the death of his father. This adaptation of a book was retelecasted during the time of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto since it was one of his favorite dramas.
2) Parchaiyan (1976)
Parchaiyan was the very first coloured drama introduced in Pakistan. This was also an adaptation of the book ‘Portrait of a Lady’ by Henry James. However, Haseena Moin added her magic to the script and made it more relevant to the Pakistani audience. This drama can also be considered as the trend setter of the drama’s made now-a-days consisting of a love triangle. The drama, to this day, is famous for it’s dialogues and beautiful execution.
3) Tanhaiyaan (1986)
This is one of the classics from the past which is, to this day, very relevant because of how it supported feminism and women empowerment. The drama was one of the first drama’s to show working women in roles that were considered to belong to men only at that time. Due to it’s undeniable popularity, the TV show was aired multiple times over the years. Tanhaiyaan also casted some of the biggest names in industry now; Marina Khan, Shehnaz Sheikh, Asif Raza Mir, Behroz Sabzwari and Badar Khalil.
4) Dhoop Kinarey (1987)
Another one of the greatest examples of equality and feminism written by two of the exceptionally great writers Haseena Moin and Sahira Kazmi, starring Marina Khan and Rahat Kazmi. Dhoop Kinarey is still considered one of the best dramas in the history of Pakistani dramas. The story consists of doctors who work together in a hospital and are more than family for one another. Marina Khan and Rahat Kazmi became TV’s most favorite couple after this drama came out.
5) Ainak Wala Jin (1993)
Every kid from the ’90s has at least heard about this drama, if not watched it.’Ainak Wala Jin’ is considered one of the classics of Pakistani dramas. It was a fictional comedy-drama that was not only wholesome but had some of the most likeable characters. To this day, Hamoon Jadugar, Zakoota Jin, and Bill Batori are names you hear because of the impact they left on everyone’s heart.
6) Alpha Bravo Charlie (1998)
A drama about dedication and purpose. Directed by the renowned Shoaib Mansoor, ‘Alpha, Bravo, Charlie’ is a very wholesome drama that teaches you meaningful life lessons. It’s about the transformation of a boy into a man. The beautifully written and directed drama set a new rating for TRP’s in Pakistan.
7) Azhar Ki Ayege Barat (2009)
Jumping towards the new century, one of the most popular comedy/family drama’s of Pakistan was the Baraat series. ‘Azhar ki Ayega Baraat’ was the very first of the entire series. This drama is about love, family, and friends. It evokes all your emotions with light, harmless comedy that makes your day better. The drama starred different actors over the course of years but one of the consistent and most loved actors that took part in the series was Bushra Ansari. She rocked the whole series with her Punjabi skills and jolly character.
8) Noorpur Ki Rani (2009)
The story of this drama is very different from what you usually see. It is about a poor woman who lands in a rich palace and is raised and educated into becoming a successful, powerful woman. Starring the gorgeous Sanam Baloch as the orphan and Mahnoor Baloch as the mother who raised her, this drama was a huge hit when it came out and definitely, a must-watch.
9) Zindagi Gulzar Hai (2012)
Another wonderful example of strong women and their education is relevant to our society in today’s world. ‘Zindagi Gulzar Hai’ is one of the most popular dramas from 2012 to this very day. The drama is also one of the very few series that made it to Netflix Pakistan and is thoroughly enjoyed by the audience to date. It is about the struggles of a young girl who educates herself to make her and the life of her mother easier. Not having a strong father figure motivates her and leads her into believing that men are no good until she meets the one guy who understands her and doesn’t disrespect her like her father. The drama stars Sanam Saeed and the heartthrob, Fawad Khan.
10) Shehr-e-zaat (2012)
Shehr-e-Zaat is based on a novel by Umera Ahmad with a story that is one of a kind. It revolves around a rich woman whose belief in God is shaken because of her experiences and the fact that she has everything her heart desires. However, once she faces real life, her pride and self obsession seems to fade away when she falls for a man who doesn’t love her back. The drama beautifully fades into the lead realising her worth and becoming a better person. The lead was played by the very well talented Mahira Khan and the drama was also awarded as the best drama at the Hum Awards.
11) Udaari (2016)
Three words for this drama: bold, well-acted and well-scripted. ‘Udaari’ is one of the first dramas of Pakistan that highlighted the issue of pedophilia and rape. The drama portrays the harsh realities of the life of a young woman who’s divorced and raising a daughter on her own. The story builds up after the young daughter is harassed by her step-father, played exceptionally well by Ahsan Khan. The story however, does have a happy ending and is totally worth the watch.
12) Yakeen Ka Safar (2017)
Yet another drama about harassment and injustice, ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’, starring Sajal Aly and Ahad Raza Mir, is about a young woman whose mother dies because of the injustice of her father. She then struggles to get justice for the wrongdoing. The drama gained huge fame as being an honest and original Pakistani drama and also changed the paradigm of our dramas.
Pakistani dramas have created fans all over the world thanks to the realistic and relatable stories, and most of the above mentioned dramas, though being premiered years ago, are still watched and enjoyed by their fans. With the rise of the internet and Youtube, as well as other OTT platforms, access to these and other Pakistani dramas is much easier and that’s where our you can binge watch all this rock solid entertainment.
