This article is all about my love and hate relationship with Pakistani dramas.

Love

I am a big fan of Pakistani dramas. I have been watching them for as long as I can remember. Following are ten reasons why I just love watching them:

1. They depict issues in our society so accurately. For instance, the Saas bahu relationship, how women are treated unfairly. There are many lessons in dramas which we can learn from. They are doing a good job in creating awareness on issues I wasn’t aware of like Vanee.
2. Some of the dramas are deep and give me messages which make me contemplate about life. I love deep conversations in life.
3. I always promote local over international. I am a proud Pakistani and always make it a point to watch their movies and dramas.
4. They’re in our language and we can relate to many of them in so many ways.
5. They are my ultimate me-me time. This is the time when I can block out everything else and just relax with some quality time with myself.
6. I feel they’re a great learning opportunity for us. We don’t want to be like the mean characters (phuppos basically) ever, and we would love to be like the good people in the dramas.
7. Most of the actors are so good and good looking 😉 I love their acting too. I have been so into Pakistani cinema that I am familiar with most of the actors/writers etc.
8. Most of the dramas have at least 20 episodes so they are a good time pass.

9. I enjoy most of them in the background while I’m busy working or completing chores. It adds colour to boring chores.

10. I think they’re great conversation starters. I love discussing drama stories with my family and friends.

 

Hate

Even though I have been watching Pakistani dramas for so long, I am against certain concepts which most of the dramas show. This is when I find them really annoying!

 

1. I hate the fact that most of the dramas in our industry have either a negative or a serious theme. They are based on serious issues and there’s absolutely nothing funny about them. The only reason I love ‘Bulbulay’ is that it makes no sense and I can have a good laugh. We need to have better quality fun entertainment.
   2. How husband is referred to as a ‘Mejazi Khuda‘ where as actually saying this term is Kufar. It is wrong to think that your husband comes after Khuda.

In a Pakistani drama, a man almost never goes to the kitchen.

In fact, even if he needs water, he will order women in the house for that. If he’s ever seen in the kitchen, everyone will start ridiculing his wife and blaming her for him being in the kitchen. I hate this and can’t believe dramas in this age are showing this ignorance.

Yes, in old times when husbands were the only ones who had a full time job and women were not working (nor earning a penny), it would’ve been okay for them to serve their husbands to that extent. But not anymore! If the wife has a full-time job, she may cook but the husband NEEDS to contribute in the house too. There are countless times when dramas show that the husband just orders wife for ‘chaye’, istri (ironing) and she is required to get up the moment he orders. Its wrong that he is just sitting around and ordering his wife around for every little thing his highness needs.

You better get off your ass and get what you need! 

3. How women are always soo bechari and maskeen! They are terribly weak characters!

I mean what are we trying to teach the nation? To raise women who don’t have a character/personality? Who only do what they’re told to do? I hate the idea of a typical Hum TV woman! She is naive and innocent to the extent of being stupid and ignorant. She is the one who is portrayed to be a saint in everyones eyes, even though she is exploited beyond comprehension. I just see that as the most pathetic thing to do! I think TV shouldn’t be teaching these things to women. In fact, they should be portrayed as strong independent women who are in charge and know how they are to be treated.

Why women are shown to be idle/cooking all the time? They have no interests (except in their husband/boy, they have zero hobbies and just sit around doing nothing! I hate that concept. Why don’t they show the reality that they’re busy reading a book, painting, knitting, completing a project, article, working on laptop… anything!

In Pakistani dramas, a girl in western clothes (Jeans & top) is mostly too modern and evil minded. On the other hand, theres a good girl who is mostly shown in eastern clothes (shalwar kameez). I don’t agree that girls in burqas/veils are all shareef and all girls in jeans are OUT!

4. The kids are shown to be at their best behavior. I have yet to see kids who behave as much as kids in dramas. A good drama should show the reality and how kids are making noise and irritating parents. Also, very few good child actors in the industry!

5. I don’t like how a woman working in a professional workplace is expected to resign from her position the moment she gets married. 

6. In so many dramas, it’s portrayed as if going to Maika is haram. This is so inappropriate! So many dramas repeat non-sensical dialogs such as:

‘Ghairatmand admi kabhi apnay susral mei nahi bethta’

“Izzat-daar bahu apne mekay nahi jati.

Izzat-ddar damaad apnay mekay mei nahi jata”. 

What the hell does that even mean??? It’s literally bakwas!

7. ‘Aurat ka shadi kay baad bus apne susraal se jinaza hi uthta hai’. Excuse me??? Fitey Moo!

 

8. Ghairat kay naam pe bakwas. Ghairat ye, Ghairat woh, ghairatmand, ghairat BAKWAS!

9. 80% of dramas have a really good start. But after about 4-5 episodes, the dramas completely lose the track. It is agonizing to watch them being prolonged for NO reason whatsoever!

10. I’ve noticed it in almost every drama that the very last episode shows 180 degrees transition of villans. They all start repenting and asking for forgiveness! I think thats really unrealistic. The bad people I have seen in my life never repent. I don’t think they ever realize what they did was wrong! They are convinced they didn’t do anything wrong and I really think jo loag buray kaam karte hain woh akhir tak dhandhanatay phirtay hain, woh mar k bhi maafi na mangein!

Disclaimer

• These were only my opinons
• You may agree or disagree

My Plan

I am excited to share with you that I intend to share another post related to ‘My favorite all-time Pakistani dramas’ and then I plan to go live on Instagram and Facebook soon only to discuss Pakistani Dramas. We will talk about what we like, dislike about them and which ones are our personal favorite. The purpose will be reviews & recommendations.

Conclusion

Would love your feedback. I would love to know:

• Do you watch Pakistani dramas?
• What do you love and hate about them?
• Which concepts do you want dramas to endorse?
• Do you agree or disagree with my points above?
• Did you like the GIF images used in this post or were they too distracting?
• Which dramas are your favorite?