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What has been your favourite Pakistani drama?

Sher Khan

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I personally think their will never be a drama like PYarey Afzal again. That drama had everything, the style, the dialogues, character representation it was all very unique. Furthermore, Hamza was superb in his role. He made everyone believe in his character. Even an accomplished actor like Humayun Saeed would not have been able to match the performance.
 
I liked Maat. The Drama Series which launched Saba Qamar's career
 
Tanhaiyan, Dhoop Konarey and Waris were three most remembered serials from late 80s to 90s. There are 100a of one part dramas that are very good.
 
i hate dramas, my wife has tried umpteen times to get me to watch dramas but i never got into any, 1-2 i went a bit into but then lost interest. I loved Dhuwaan from the 90's, it was good then, watched it again recently for nostalgia... 1 drama series i really enjoyed this year was aangan, good drama throughout and people can relate to it easily...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dE0uM10sVo
 
I'm a big fan of Pakistani dramas. But have never heard of Dhoop kinare. Might be one of those old PTV classics.

It was a very famous drama in 80s.
even door darshan showed it couple of times. also Dhoop kinare was copied by india.

@1:15

 
I can't recall any outstanding drama from recent times, a couple of years back I was in Pakistan and there was this over-the-top cringefest of a drama called Pyaaray Afzal making everyone cry in their living rooms. Tried watching it, but couldn't as it was just not to my taste.

I do however still from time to time watch some grainy footage from YouTube of dramas from the 80's and 90's and even some from the early 2000's. I'm not saying that they were better than what's made now but somehow the acting and situations seemed authentic.

I'll go genre by genre and the rom-com genre comes first. Karachi Center used to be the king of this, and they produced masterpiece after masterpiece but three from Haseena are just wonderful.

Tanhayaan - Haseena Moeen was a phenomenon back in the day and it's sad that I really never saw any of her dramas live which basically means that over a duration of three months waiting for each episode. Among her masterpieces this one stands out to me only because of Kabaacha. The template wasn't unique and often repeated but Kabaacha and Marina Khan together delivered a masterful performance and became a true icon.

Dhoop Kinaray - My brother and sister both became doctors because of this drama. Quality work again I think from Haseena. Masterful dialogs, family bonds, I can never get over the scene when the team of doctors goes out to a rural village to help ppl.

Ankahi - I only rate this below the other two because the one character I didn't like got the ending that they didn't deserve. This is a beautiful beautiful beautiful drama with so much heart and emotion that it has to be watched. Technically, it's better than the other two that I've mentioned but I'm just putting it down because I can.

Honorable mentions - Aansoo, it was modern and nice but not as amazing as the others. Kuhar, a short drama that was amazing and deserves more praise than it got. Shehzori, I've only heard good things about it, tried watching it but haven't but it's considered a groundbreaking critically-acclaimed drama and must be seen and is on my to-watch list.

Lahore Center used to make dramas that were a mix of Sufi culture based on Ashfaq Ahmed's work or other more locally oriented cultures.

Janjaalpoora - I never understood the drama but only now I realize how good of a show this was. Uncle Kyun was masterful.

Aik Muhabbat so Afsaanay - Short teleplays and often one episode dramas based on Ashfaq Ahmed's wok. All of them resonated with the adults and the kids never got what they were about. But guess what, time changes and the kids learn to enjoy these things too.

There are more, I can't really recall but Amjad Islam Amjad really produced quality work. They were not as refined but they still could be watched and were fun. Andhaira Ujaala, Sona Chaandi were really good dramas. I remember one line that was passed to me from my elder brother and it went like

Pigeon kabootar uddan fly, look waikho asmaan sky.

ISPR productions were also very good in a way. Sunehray din, Alpha Bravo Charlie are actually properly good dramas. The good thing is that none of them are anti-India as per say and still deliver. Shoaib Mansoor did some excellent work for Pakistan television. His show Guitar 93' is probably the best serialized video making of songs - it is not a drama per say but it's almost like one.

50-50 is also a beautiful collection of skits. Islamabad Center produced a drama called Guest House which was inspired by John Cleese's The Fawlty Towers but was a fun watch.

Quetta Center produced a drama that was called "Dhuwaaaan" and it was produced by Aashir Azeem. This guy is probably one of the geniuses that we lost to our system. He's now driving trucks in Canada and making Vlogs instead of creating more dramas and that's just sad.

A lot of these things will look out of time now, I guess Humsafar, Pyaare Afzal, etc. kinda dramas will garner more eyeballs and views but PTV's legacy is absolutely a goldmine.
 
In recent times, Sang-e Mar Mar was outstanding.

Most dramas are a telethon of the female lead crying for 29 episodes and than miraculously being saved from her mother-in-law in the 30th and final.
 
I can't recall any outstanding drama from recent times, a couple of years back I was in Pakistan and there was this over-the-top cringefest of a drama called Pyaaray Afzal making everyone cry in their living rooms. Tried watching it, but couldn't as it was just not to my taste.

I do however still from time to time watch some grainy footage from YouTube of dramas from the 80's and 90's and even some from the early 2000's. I'm not saying that they were better than what's made now but somehow the acting and situations seemed authentic.

I'll go genre by genre and the rom-com genre comes first. Karachi Center used to be the king of this, and they produced masterpiece after masterpiece but three from Haseena are just wonderful.

Tanhayaan - Haseena Moeen was a phenomenon back in the day and it's sad that I really never saw any of her dramas live which basically means that over a duration of three months waiting for each episode. Among her masterpieces this one stands out to me only because of Kabaacha. The template wasn't unique and often repeated but Kabaacha and Marina Khan together delivered a masterful performance and became a true icon.

Dhoop Kinaray - My brother and sister both became doctors because of this drama. Quality work again I think from Haseena. Masterful dialogs, family bonds, I can never get over the scene when the team of doctors goes out to a rural village to help ppl.

Ankahi - I only rate this below the other two because the one character I didn't like got the ending that they didn't deserve. This is a beautiful beautiful beautiful drama with so much heart and emotion that it has to be watched. Technically, it's better than the other two that I've mentioned but I'm just putting it down because I can.

Honorable mentions - Aansoo, it was modern and nice but not as amazing as the others. Kuhar, a short drama that was amazing and deserves more praise than it got. Shehzori, I've only heard good things about it, tried watching it but haven't but it's considered a groundbreaking critically-acclaimed drama and must be seen and is on my to-watch list.

Lahore Center used to make dramas that were a mix of Sufi culture based on Ashfaq Ahmed's work or other more locally oriented cultures.

Janjaalpoora - I never understood the drama but only now I realize how good of a show this was. Uncle Kyun was masterful.

Aik Muhabbat so Afsaanay - Short teleplays and often one episode dramas based on Ashfaq Ahmed's wok. All of them resonated with the adults and the kids never got what they were about. But guess what, time changes and the kids learn to enjoy these things too.

There are more, I can't really recall but Amjad Islam Amjad really produced quality work. They were not as refined but they still could be watched and were fun. Andhaira Ujaala, Sona Chaandi were really good dramas. I remember one line that was passed to me from my elder brother and it went like

Pigeon kabootar uddan fly, look waikho asmaan sky.

ISPR productions were also very good in a way. Sunehray din, Alpha Bravo Charlie are actually properly good dramas. The good thing is that none of them are anti-India as per say and still deliver. Shoaib Mansoor did some excellent work for Pakistan television. His show Guitar 93' is probably the best serialized video making of songs - it is not a drama per say but it's almost like one.

50-50 is also a beautiful collection of skits. Islamabad Center produced a drama called Guest House which was inspired by John Cleese's The Fawlty Towers but was a fun watch.

Quetta Center produced a drama that was called "Dhuwaaaan" and it was produced by Aashir Azeem. This guy is probably one of the geniuses that we lost to our system. He's now driving trucks in Canada and making Vlogs instead of creating more dramas and that's just sad.

A lot of these things will look out of time now, I guess Humsafar, Pyaare Afzal, etc. kinda dramas will garner more eyeballs and views but PTV's legacy is absolutely a goldmine.

I am surprised you didn't not mention the Kong of dramas Waris which had an iconic chaudry hasmat andany other great characters and was very suspenseful. After success of that drama trend of village and jageedar went on for long time. Another classic was International Farmayieh Jeeri character became legend and household name, just like Andhera Ujala characters.
 
Waris, Ankahi, Alpha bravo Charlie, Dhuwan & Family front from Pre-2000 era. Choti dunya (pretty old) & one very good drama by shakeel(forgot the name)in the 70's.
And Also anything with Moin Akhtar & Anwar Maqsood in it.

After 2000's, i only love two shows Humsafar & Qaid-e-Tanhai. Have not watched any pakistani show since 2011.
 
I am surprised you didn't not mention the Kong of dramas Waris which had an iconic chaudry hasmat andany other great characters and was very suspenseful. After success of that drama trend of village and jageedar went on for long time. Another classic was International Farmayieh Jeeri character became legend and household name, just like Andhera Ujala characters.

Both Waris & Andhera Ujala are legendary shows. Waris has to be my most favorite pakistani show ever. I have been a fan of firdous jamal ever since.
 
Recently my most fav actress is Yumna Zaidi. I guess the most versatile actress going around along with Saba Qamar.
 
i hate dramas, my wife has tried umpteen times to get me to watch dramas but i never got into any, 1-2 i went a bit into but then lost interest. I loved Dhuwaan from the 90's, it was good then, watched it again recently for nostalgia... 1 drama series i really enjoyed this year was aangan, good drama throughout and people can relate to it easily...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dE0uM10sVo

Haha yep first 15 or so episodes of Aangan were really funny. Especially the moulvi bhai's role.
 
Both Waris & Andhera Ujala are legendary shows. Waris has to be my most favorite pakistani show ever. I have been a fan of firdous jamal ever since.

Lol in my post International Farmiyea should have been Intezhar Farmiyea, and Jeeri was meant to be Jedi. Agree both dramas were brilliantl. Another one was Alif Noon, nana was very good in that drama. Dubai Chalo (drama)based on true story was also legendry by Ali Ejaz.
 
Another of my favorite shoe was college jeans. Their main theme abdul qadiriya by Khaled was very popular even though you couldn't understand a word of what they were singing about.

Lot of Shehroze Sabswari shows were absolute comedy classics as well. I used to watch them in 2001-2002 when ptv used to rerun their 80's era dramas. All of them were fantastic & I loved each & every one of them. Few Ali Ejaz shows were in there now that poster above mentioned it.
 
I miss the old days when there was PTV. And then STN was founded. Those were the days when you would actually remember by heart the weekly TV schedule.
 
There have been some pretty good dramas recently Mann Mayyal, and Nazr-e-Bad being two really great ones. Those are just off the top of my head but I especially miss watching Nazr-e-Bad every night.

Ohh and the GOAT Drama for me has to be the sitcom Bulbulay. Love that show been watching it since day 1!
 
I have not watched all episodes of Dhoop Kinaray and Unkahi but what i remember was very good. Some of my favorites have been

Ainak wala jin- I was very young then, Alas ! i remember when a lot of times my home tutor would come exactly at the time of its airing. I could never enjoy this or Umroo Ayaar to my satisfaction; when my eyes watched TV, my ears were wary of hearing the door bell !

Andhera Ujala- probably this is how TV should operate, both as an entertaining and character building platform. This show is extremely hilarious and yet thought provoking. Drama addresses society's evils in a very entertaining way.

Meri zaat zara-e-benishan - too much saas bahu stuff these days but this drama also highlighted a father and husband's indifference towards her. The soundtrack is one of the best ever.

Family Front - Saba Hameed and Waseem Abbas are at their best as is Doctor Butt. Especially first few episodes are top notch. " Azam! aap aa gae ! "

Landa Bazaar - Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar's writing and great acting from Babar Ali made this one of the most popular TV shows.

Other notable mentions are

Dhuaan
Waris
Aghosh
Ra'hein
 
Guest House also used to be one of my favorites.

Aansoo's soundtrack still rings in my ears.
 
Many have except me. :))

I have only watched 2 or 3 TV serials in the past decade but i have heard a lot about Sanam Baloch. She used to be very popular among boys in those days.

Can’t blame you. Pakistani dramas are regurgitating the same plot device for the past 10 years.
 
There can't be just one because I'm a drama fan.

Diyar-e-Dil
Mann Mayal
Shehr-e-Zaat
Zindagi Gulzaar Hai
Rubaru
Tanhaiyan
Tanhaiyan - Naye Silsilay
Ahista Ahista
Muqadas
 
There can't be just one because I'm a drama fan.

Diyar-e-Dil
Mann Mayal
Shehr-e-Zaat
Zindagi Gulzaar Hai
Rubaru
Tanhaiyan
Tanhaiyan - Naye Silsilay
Ahista Ahista
Muqadas

It’s silly to put Dayar-e-Dil and Mann Mayal in the same list.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
1.Diyar-e-Dil
2.Alpha Bravo Charlie
3.Sang e Mar Mar
4.Mera Naam Yousuf Hai
5.Pyaray Afzal
6.Shanakht
 
Alpha Bravo Charlie :salute

Still have the VHS tapes of it.
 
Family Front is the greatest Pakistani sitcom. Much better than the overrated, cringy Bulbulay.
 
Not watched a ton of them, perhaps five and not even the PTV or modern « classics » (Dhoop Kinarey, Humsafar, ...), but I’d say Waris, the late 70s drama which apparently launched the PTV classics in fact, loved the story (allegory for the rural to urban transition with its effects on human relations) and especially the complex characterisations, how well they were all written, there was nearly no « secondary » character, which shows the genius of Amjad Islam Amjad.

From the few recent ones liked Yaqeen Ka Safar and Daldal, while I thought Khan with Noman Ijaz could have been better.
 
A few good ones.


Family Front (Old)
Alvida, Khamoshi and Choti Si Zindagi. (Recent)
 
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I hope somebody get rid of the PEMRA and all sorts of censoring authorities. Just provide age ratings to TV content and let the general public have that choice.
This type of censoring will take the TV industry back to stone ages. What media shows reflect the society we live in. Sure i'm tired of watching monotonous content but the state's targeting of 'feminist' themes is beyond ridiculous. The change needs to happen organically.
Besides, are there no divorce occurring in the society? Do people not use indecent language? Are there no extra marital affairs happening in the country? Do we not have the problem of Violence Against Women? Are Pakistanis living in a utopia where nothing 'distressing' happen? These nitwits are going to run the industry down the drain.
I wonder what is the 'true picture of Pakistan'?
 
Recently started to watch ZGH & what a gem of a serial it is. Hard to decide which character is more powerful Sanam Saeed's or of Madam Samina.

Surprised that serial did not receive the deserving appreciation in this thread.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Surprised on <a href="https://twitter.com/PTVHomeOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PTVHomeOfficial</a> taking pride on other countries productions,you guys must focus on Pak productions otherwise foreign dramas ll ruin Pak productions,its always cheap to import foreign dramas but this ll have devastating long term effect on our own programming</p>— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) <a href="https://twitter.com/fawadchaudhry/status/1266962071037661184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Curious to know if PTV took advantage of recent lockdown and showed their old classics.

One thing Pakistan has done good inspite of the Cable TV revolution in last 25 years is to retain quality in their TV production. India had a similar culture in 90s and used to create more genuine stuff but Star Plus and Zee TV has completely destroyed it and crippled people's imagination and I will say even have adverse impact on our society.
 
Khuda Ki Basti, a black and white PTV drama from the 1970s was excellent and surprisingly escaped mention on this thread. It featured a very young Behroze Sabzwari as well as the late Qazi Wajid and Zaheen Tahira.

Based on Shaukat Siddiqi's novel of the same name, it gave a very human face to the travails of the urban poor that lived a life at the margins.
 
Khuda Ki Basti, a black and white PTV drama from the 1970s was excellent and surprisingly escaped mention on this thread. It featured a very young Behroze Sabzwari as well as the late Qazi Wajid and Zaheen Tahira.

Based on Shaukat Siddiqi's novel of the same name, it gave a very human face to the travails of the urban poor that lived a life at the margins.

What we have available on YouTube or PTV replays is actually the second iteration of the serial. The first one appeared in the late 60s, but the master tapes ended up being recorded over. Bhutto asked for it to be played on TV after he came to power, and when they couldn't find the tapes, he asked them to redo the whole thing.

I saw an interview with Raju Jamil a few years ago, and he revealed that a copy of the original late 60's serial may be available in Dhaka: sent there to be played by the Dhaka station, but never returned because of 1971. I don't know if anything became of that.
 
P.S. Zaheen Tahira and Qazi Wajid appeared aged beyond their years even back then. Its almost as if they were born to play middle-aged/elderly people.
 
Speaking of Shaukat Siddiqui, his other great work, Jangloos, was also a well-received PTV serial in the late 80s, but the TV rendition doesn't take the novel's story to the end.
 
I am surprised you didn't not mention the Kong of dramas Waris which had an iconic chaudry hasmat andany .

Yes! The unforgettably flamboyant Chaudhry Hashmat Khan - arrogant, opportunistic, exploitative and reactionary.

It was a fine drama that demonstrated change and continuity in life in Pakistan. On one hand it depicted life in the rural areas as changing, that the power of the big landed aristocracy was being increasingly circumscribed. It also offered a glimpse into urban life at a time when many people were moving into the cities.

On the other hand Hashmat Khan's son, Chaudhry Yaqoob, whilst living in a city (which his father depicts as a life of anonymity compared with a life lived in the countryside as a rural notable), is a sinister character that is apparently unable to shake off his "feudal" origins. As such even though he lives in the city, certain rural values persist.
 
What we have available on YouTube or PTV replays is actually the second iteration of the serial. The first one appeared in the late 60s, but the master tapes ended up being recorded over. Bhutto asked for it to be played on TV after he came to power, and when they couldn't find the tapes, he asked them to redo the whole thing.

I saw an interview with Raju Jamil a few years ago, and he revealed that a copy of the original late 60's serial may be available in Dhaka: sent there to be played by the Dhaka station, but never returned because of 1971. I don't know if anything became of that.

I can always rely on the great Nostalgic to come up with some fascinating nuggets of information that enhance my understanding. Interesting that Bhutto asked for it to be remade. Indicates how popular the drama was at the time and the effect it had.

P.S. Zaheen Tahira and Qazi Wajid appeared aged beyond their years even back then. Its almost as if they were born to play middle-aged/elderly people.

So true!
 
Yes! The unforgettably flamboyant Chaudhry Hashmat Khan - arrogant, opportunistic, exploitative and reactionary.

It was a fine drama that demonstrated change and continuity in life in Pakistan. On one hand it depicted life in the rural areas as changing, that the power of the big landed aristocracy was being increasingly circumscribed. It also offered a glimpse into urban life at a time when many people were moving into the cities.

On the other hand Hashmat Khan's son, Chaudhry Yaqoob, whilst living in a city (which his father depicts as a life of anonymity compared with a life lived in the countryside as a rural notable), is a sinister character that is apparently unable to shake off his "feudal" origins. As such even though he lives in the city, certain rural values persist.

The leitmotif of the dam being constructed that would inundate Hashmat Khan's estate is truly a metaphor for this change, as is the final scene where he holds aloft his turban as the water slowly but inexorably drowns him.

Firdous Jamal as Chaudhary Anwar is the role that impressed me the most. There is unadulterated evil in those eyes, a feat he has never been able to replicate since in his long career on TV.
 
I can always rely on the great Nostalgic to come up with some fascinating nuggets of information that enhance my understanding. Interesting that Bhutto asked for it to be remade. Indicates how popular the drama was at the time and the effect it had.

It was Socialist Realism that managed to avoid the jingoism and didacticism that blights so much of that genre, and therefore allowed it to transcend the author's politics and achieve mass fame. PTV in the early Bhutto era was also groundbreaking in finally providing folk art, music in particular, a platform (Uxi Mufti was instrumental in that effort). Then there were the national songs that married socialist sentiment with the pan-Islamic euphoria of the 1974 IOC meet. Political irreverence also found an arena, courtesy Such Gup and other such shows, and finally there was the inimitable Zia Mohyeddin.

It was brief, but it was worthwhile. Truly an under-appreciated era in our TV history.
 
I haven't watched any dramas recently despite there being a rapid surge in their popularity in recent years mainly thanks to Hum Tv. The themes around most dramas are the same cousin marriages(disgusting), mazloom larki, zaalim susraal, poor girl - rich guy love etc etc. Hardly thought provoking. I think the trend has gone away now but in my younger days we used to have single episode dramas on Eid and those were usually spectacular.


I remember one from my childhood. The main actor was Maria Wasti and iirc the entire drama was shot in a single room with Maria talking on the phone. The one-side of the conversation that you could hear was so enthralling that it kept you hooked and the real kicker was right at the end when Maria gets up with the phone to walk and talk and the phone wasn't even plugged in this entire time.


That is the type of intriguing and thought provoking dramas that PTV used to produce not the stupid saas bahoo baqwas that is on tv these days.
 
I haven't watched any dramas recently despite there being a rapid surge in their popularity in recent years mainly thanks to Hum Tv. The themes around most dramas are the same cousin marriages(disgusting), mazloom larki, zaalim susraal, poor girl - rich guy love etc etc. Hardly thought provoking. I think the trend has gone away now but in my younger days we used to have single episode dramas on Eid and those were usually spectacular.


I remember one from my childhood. The main actor was Maria Wasti and iirc the entire drama was shot in a single room with Maria talking on the phone. The one-side of the conversation that you could hear was so enthralling that it kept you hooked and the real kicker was right at the end when Maria gets up with the phone to walk and talk and the phone wasn't even plugged in this entire time.


That is the type of intriguing and thought provoking dramas that PTV used to produce not the stupid saas bahoo baqwas that is on tv these days.
I didn't watch it but just reading is giving me goosebumps it sounds so GOOD ( or maybe you just did a good job in describing it I don't know 😁)

I would love to know the name of the drama tho so I'll look if I can find it somewhere
 
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