Tag: Pakistani dramas

  • Twitter weighs in on the times movies and dramas downgraded from the originals

    Do you feel like sometimes the entertainment industry should maybe stop tearing apart masterpiece films by remaking them over and over again? Once a television show is done and over with, don’t try to re-vamp the hype by drawing up another couple of seasons. Instead maybe try to come up with more original shows?

    This debate began on Twitter when a user shared their distate with the recent season of ‘Khuda Aur Muhabbat’, starring Iqra Aziz and Feroze Khan, saying that Season 1, which had starred Imran Abbas, was much better.

    It led to more Twitter users coming up with their suggestions of shows and movies they feel weren’t necessary at all. Here are some of the replies, and honestly we’re shook.

    This even led to Bollywood fans jumping in to share their opinions about the films that had failed to surpass the original’s.

  • Transgender activist Shehzadi Rai, Twitter users criticise ‘Guru’ for hiring cis man to play intersex character

    Express Entertainment has recently released the teaser trailer of the upcoming drama ‘Guru’ about an intersex character, with the main character to be played by Ali Rehman Khan.

    The announcement has received backlash on social media, with transgender activists like Shehzadi Rai taking to Twitter to criticise how such castings prevent opportunities for members of the khwajasira community to tell their own stories:

    “Cisgender men taking opportunities in acting roles that intended for transgender individuals. It is important to promote diversity and inclusivity in all fields, including acting. Kuch tu chor do.”

    Speaking to The Current on the use of ‘intersex’ to describe the khwajasira community, as well as giving third gender roles to men, Rai said:

    “People who do not want to declare themselves as intersex, why are you pushing the label on them? And roles that are about the third gender, you should give them to people who identify under it. A man’s role would be played by a man, while a woman’s role would be played by a woman.”

    Other Twitter users have slammed the announcement as a disservice to the khwajasira community, by profitting of their stories but refusing to lift up members of the community. One user added:

    “Most Pakistani celebrities will never utter a word in support of the khawajasira community when their rights are being taken away but would be the first ones to accept roles to portray khawajasira characters in dramas. Token inclusion at its finest.”

    Another user compared the response of this casting to the backlash the film ‘Joyland’ had received, for which the transgender actress Alina Khan had been cast, and how the backlash began because an actual person from the marginalized community had stepped forward to tell their own story:

    “This is hypocrisy. When Joyland featured an actual khwajasira person, the entire country is up in arms. But we seem to be totally okay with basing our movies and shows on their lives as long as we’re not actually giving them opportunities in the process.”

    Many also criticised Express Entertainment for representing a marginalised community with someone who does not belong to it.

    “Express tv really think they are making difference by representing marginalised community featuring a cis man in mainstream media & capitalising from it? when u could hire someone from the community because Im sure there are talented trans people who deserve this opportunity.”

  • ‘Jhoom’ has intrigued audiences with a fresh take on enemies-to-lovers story

    The highly anticipated drama ‘Jhoom’ hit television screens across the country last week with Zara Noor Abbas and Haroon Kadwani starring as male leads in the exhilarating ‘enemies to lovers story’ between an older woman and a young man.

    Maryam (played by Abbas) is a doctor who has dedicated her life to her younger brother’s upbringing, adopting a ‘take no crap’ attitude from men while working long shifts at the hospital. While Kadwani essays Arryan, a former car engineer who has anger issues that emerged after his mother left his family.

    The first few episodes have released on media platforms and fans are already in love with the chemistry between Abbas and Kadwani, applauding the makers of the show for choosing to tackle age gap marriages while deciding to make their female lead an older and financially independent woman.

    https://twitter.com/apkokiyubataun/status/1659969693330059265?s=20

    https://twitter.com/HourlySyrup/status/1658088975230291969?s=20

    Something Haute founder Aamna Isani called it ‘intriguing’:

    “Two episodes of Jhoom certainly have intrigued me. It’s fresh. And appears to be thought provoking beyond the obvious. #Jhoom.”

    Here’s to hoping that the drama keeps us captivated with a gorgeous story, and hopefully not go down the ‘Tere Bin’ route?

    Finger’s crossed.

  • Dear ‘Tere Bin’ writer, marital rape is rape

    To Nooran Makhdoom, the writer of the drama ‘Tere Bin’.

    How you chose to write your script is your own business. But to say that a heinous act like marital rape is justified and needed for the script is completely wrong and horrifying, as well as an insight into how the Pakistani entertainment industry keeps alienating women every year.

    This spectacle started on Friday, when the promo for the upcoming episode showed that after accusing Murtasim of cheating on her with Haya, Meerab is raped by her husband as punishment. Social media users were rightfully horrified, which led to a stream of hashtags like ‘Shame on Tere Bin Makers’ and ‘Nooran’, with users beginning to withdraw their support from the once popular drama, and criticising the production team for taking such a heinous step without realising its consequences and impact.

    Instead of listening to your fans and hearing their well-justified complaints about Meerab’s rape, you, Ms. Makhdoom, have instead decided to double down on your stand and defend it. In your statement to Arab News, you said that this is just a drama, and that this had not happened for the first time, so fans should stop complaining about every single episode.

    Now, Ms Makhdoom, we have to point out that you are entirely wrong to dismiss these complaints. Because:

    a. Marital rape is a crime, and many women in Pakistan suffer from it.

    b. Films and dramas are more than just means of entertainment. They are powerful tools to influence audiences.

    Let us break down all of this to you because clearly, you are not aware about the audience you are writing for.

    Marital rape has been declared as a human rights violation by the United Nations High Commissioner For Human Rights in 1993, when they included it in the ‘Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women’. However, in Pakistan where approximately 40% of women have experienced physical or emotional violence in their lifetime, there are no laws that recognise this as an illegal act.

    Already Ms. Makhdoom, you must be aware that the country you are writing dramas for, is one where women are not granted financial independence or any form of security so that if they are suffering from violence, they find some solace and escape. But because of cultural restrictions that prevent women from finding support, as well as a dilapidating justice system that refuses to help survivors, very few women live to see the day when they are able to escape their abusers with ease.

    So to stress on why saying this is ‘just a drama’ is wrong, these kinds of scenes undermine the difficult realities of women in Pakistan. It refuses to acknowledge them as individuals with the right to reject sex from men, whether or not they are married to them. And such actions being normalised by some of the top rated dramas in this country will only further erode the little progress that has improve the rights of women in Pakistan.

    Furthermore, dramas aren’t ‘just dramas’ Ms. Makhdoom, but powerful instruments of change that can influence the masses that are watching them. As a script writer, you do not get to evade the responsibility that comes with being a public figure, because ultimately the public looks up to you and is watching your dramas to learn more about the society around them. Which is why, it speaks volumes about the way our entertainment industry has continued to dig itself further and further into a hole when one of the highest rated dramas of a country which has been declared as the fourth most dangerous country for women, thinks that showing marital rape is okay.

    It’s never okay. And we urge you, Ms. Makhdoom, to stop hiding behind such baseless defences, and actually look down to see the consequences of the narrative you are promoting. Women in Pakistan are in pain. And it is only when public figures like you take responsibility for your actions and stop churning out such debauched dramas for the sake of good ratings, that we can actually progress forward.

  • ‘I stand by it’: Tere Bin writer Nooran Makhdoom defends controversial rape scene

    Trigger warning: victim blaming, discussions of marital rape, assault

    Pakistani drama ‘Tere Bin’ has been in the eye of a social media storm since yesterday a controversial scene from the drama serial went viral on Twitter. In the scene, the female lead Meerab (played by Yumna Zaidi) is raped by her husband Murtasim (played by Wahaj Ali) after she accuses him of attempting to start an affair with Haya.

    Social media users, who had already labelled the drama as problematic for past controversies like slaps, attempted suicide, stalking and poor story pacing, declared that they were dropping their support for the once-popular drama. But it turns out, the writer behind the drama Nooran Makhdoom, is not moved by the backlash, defending it as a ‘a demand of the serial’, in an interview with Arab News Pk.

    “It’s a situation which was the demand of the serial that will lead to the climax,” explained Makhdoom.

    She also went on to defend the story by saying she won’t be changing the script because of fans:

    “If the audience isn’t getting it, I can’t change it,” she said. “It’s just a drama. They should wait for the entire story to unfold instead of taking issue with every episode.”

    Makhdoom also pointed out that such a horrfiying trope is not being used for the first time, and that the entire production team or director had not objected to the scene:

    “It’s not like this has happened onscreen for the first time. It’s just that this project has received such wide recognition that people reacted strongly to the recent twist.”

    Makhdoom also shared with Arab News that she had not initially added the slap and the spit scene, which was added in before filming, but she took complete responsibility for writing the script:

    “If you speak of my social responsibility, I created a story and I stand by it,” she said. “And this is not an unusual occurrence; it has happened before.”

    This revelation has led to more backlash on social media, with hasthags like ‘Shame on Tere Bin makers’ and ‘Nooran’ trending on Twitter, and users calling for a boycott of the drama.

  • ‘Horrifying’: Twitter users slam ‘Tere Bin’ promo for depicting assault

    Trigger warning: discussions of marital rape, assault

    In the topsy-turvy world that is Pakistan right now, ‘Tere Bin’ is playing its part by keeping fans running around in circles. With the love-hate relationship between the main leads Murtasim (played by Wahaj Ali) and Meerab (Yumna Zaidi) switching from adorable to toxic to downright horrifying in the recent episode, fans have had enough.

    The recent episode of the drama tried to one-up itself to see how low it can go in disappointing its viewers, with once again the writers deciding to bring out the Murtasim caught cheating with Haya card, and ending the episode with Meerab’s assault.

    From the promo, viewers can definitely assume that Meerab has been assaulted by her husband and has chosen to leave him.

    Was it necessary that Murtasim, who is currently one of the most feminist male leads on our screens, be thrown under the bus just to churn up some views? Why did the writer even assume that after stalking, slapping and attempted suicide, this ‘love story’ had to hit its peak with the most heinous thing: domestic violence?

    Legal analyst Reema Omer criticised the scene on Twitter, writing:

    “TW: After months of justifying Murtasim slapping, shoving, dragging, asking Meerab to jump off the roof to prove her chastity + other toxic/violent behaviour, even #TereBin fan club is up in arms over the possible marital r*pe suggested by the promo Some silver lining, I guess.”

    Founder of ‘Something Haute, Aamna Isani wrote that she was shocked by the depiction of assault, and how could this possibly be a chance after this that Murtasim’s character would be redeemed.

    Users were tweeting that they were heartbroken at how the writer of the show has completely destroyed Murtasim’s character

    Many were tweeting that this was the end of their support for the drama, given that there is no possible justification to depict marital rape and domestic abuse.

  • Six years later, Sajal Aly, Ahad Raza Mir’s powerful performances in ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’ still enthrall Twitter users

    Pakistani dramas are often seen off with heavy sighs of reliefs because honestly, one less thing to plague our minds on a weekly basis.

    But there are some exceptional acting powerhouses like Sajal Aly and Ahad Raza Mir, who have changed the entertainment industry with their performances as well as their chemistry that no other acting duo has been able to compete with.

    In 2017, ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’ graced our screens, marking the debut of Ahad Raza Mir as Dr Asfandyar, who is shattered after the tragic murder of his brother, Daniyal. While Aly starred as Dr Zubia, who is still devastated by the murder of her mother by her father.

    Seven years after this drama, Twitter users still have not gotten over the duo, who later went on to star together in Aangan (2018) and Ye Dil Mera (2019).

    After a tweet asked their followers to share a clip from one of their favorite dramas, Pakistani Twitter users were quick to champion ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’ as one of the finest productions the entertainment industry has produced.

    https://twitter.com/unhingedbushra/status/1658538852154482690?s=20

    Another actress who has been championed by Twitter users as one of the finest actresses Pakistan has ever seen in Yumna Zaidi, as users shared clips of her tear jerking and powerful performance from ‘Dil Naumeed Tou Nahi’ and ‘Pyar Ke Sadqay’

  • Upcoming Pakistani dramas we’re incredibly excited about

    Upcoming Pakistani dramas we’re incredibly excited about

    There hasn’t been a better time to watch Pakistani dramas than now, what with a whole range of shows and actors set to make their mark on our screens. It looks like finally the entertainment industry has started listening to our calls for something other than the saas-bahu jhagray, because these shows range from celebrating women in sports to satire to exploring the thrills of first love.

    It also looks like Pakistanis are about to see fresh faces as well as some beloved actors make their debute on screen as Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed are coming back once more, and Instagram influencers like Mamia Shahjaffer, Khushhal Khan and Dananeer are set to star as main leads.

    We’re definitely certain that you’re cancelling your plans to set up your movie night after scrolling through our list.

    22 Qadam

    Starring Hareem Farooq and Wahaj Ali, the drama is set to explore the lives of women in sports, through the story of Fari (played by Farooq) who aspires to become a cricketer. Speaking to The Current, Farooq called 22 Qadam “the voice of the unheard” and said that the sole inspiration behind this show was women like Sana Mir:

    “The first person that comes to our mind when you talk about women and cricket is Sana Mir, she’s been an inspiration for so many women out there. It is just about breaking stereotypes and the taboos out there that women can also excel in sports, and if nothing else it makes you more independent and gives you that confidence that allows you to face the world in the best way possible.”

    College Gate

    It looks like the entertainment industry has finally understood that there isn’t any one out there willnigly ready to sit down and listen to another shaadi story about underaged women marrying men twice their age, because we’re finally getting a story about college students and their personal experiences. The show, starring Khaqan Shahnawaz, Mamia Shahjaffer and veteran actress Saba Hameed, promises to be a drama unlike what has been shown before with topics like addiction, peer pressure and depression thrown into the story.

    Barzakh

    Starring power leads Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed along with newcomer model Khushhal Khan, the series has definitely captured our attention, especially the fact that it is written and directed by the mastermind behind Churails (2018), Asim Abbasi. Speaking to Variety, Abbasi said that the inspiration for the series came after the death of his father and watching his own son grow into a young boy:

    “In the aftermath of my father’s passing, and witnessing my son grow into a young boy, I found myself consumed with nostalgia, and memories of times gone and loves lost. And I began to think about my fears – the end of consciousness, the end of imagination, the end of love. And from these fears, grew a story where love was indeed eternal. Where it survived us – making it the ultimate human legacy.”

    Producer of the series Kerjiwal said:

    “‘Barzakh’ is a product of COVID brain – it was a time where like everyone else, Asim and I were talking about love, life, death, losing loved ones, unable to say our goodbyes. There was a sense of loss, but also confusion, because of a lack of completion. Death and parting didn’t seem like a finality like it used to because funerals and weddings were both happening on Zoom.

    This new reality was surreal and to make any sense of it, physical contact or in-person meeting with friends and family became crucial. Hence the idea about a show which essentially was a family reunion came up.”

    101 Talakhien

    This looks like the perfect drama for anyone (especially us) who is bored to death of marriage obsessed culture, and wants something dark and satirical- which is exactly what the show promises to deliver. Zahid Ahmed stars as famous lawyer Rustom Kavasji, who artfully decodes how couples begin to fall apart after getting married.

    Muhabbat Gumshuda Meri

    This seems like a Pakistani version of K-dramas which will explore the thrills of high school relationships, because this trailer has already got us counting down the days to the release. TikTok star Dananeer and model and actor Khushhal Khan are the main leads of the drama and are shown to be complete opposites, who slowly come to fall in love with each other. However, their relationship is threatened by their parents leading to the couple going to any lengths to protect their relationship.

    Idiot

    Fans of Ahmed Ali Akbar who loved him in ‘Parizaad’ and ‘Ehd-e-Wafa’ are in for a treat because the hearthrob has already sparked anticipation with his upcoming film ‘Gunjal’ and now with his drama ‘Idiot’ where he is set to star opposite Mansha Pasha.

  • Hurried ‘Fairy Tale’ finale misses opportunity for feminist ending

    HUM’s drama ‘Fairy Tale’ cemented itself as a household name with a hilarious storyline, stellar performances by actors and a compelling love story. The series had audiences, especially young women, applauding the growing change in how drama’s are abandoning sexist tropes to make empowering stories where for once, the women are smart and men aren’t chauvinists.

    For a lot of women, ‘Fairy Tale’ provided relief that somewhere, some one was listening to them about what they wanted: a feminist rom-com where the male lead respected, cherished and catered to the woman he loves. Farjaad (played by the talented Hamza Sohail) was described by many as a benchmark in how women wanted men in dramas to be: supportive, caring and completely the anti-thesis of what typical male leads in Pakistani dramas are like. In some of the viral clips from the drama that were garnering applaud on social media, Farjaad was considerate of Umeed’s independence, empowering her and stepping up to help her rather than shoving her inside the four walls.

    Which is why discussing the finale is important because rather than following through with the expectations and ending with a bang, with Umeed finally accomplishing her dream by opening a chai cafe and being married to Farjaad, it took a U-turn.

    The drama followed Umeed’s desire to break her father’s restrictions, a feat she manages to accomplish by participating in a game show through which she wins Rs2 crore and becomes the breadwinner of the family. Through Umeed, a lot of Pakistani women found catharsis because finally, a female lead who is financially independent? One, who empowers the women in her life, and doesn’t think twice before schooling a man who tries to lecture her? Is passionate about making her own path and establishing her own business, when currently one of the leading dramas in Pakistan involves slaps and suicide attempts *cough cough Tere Bin*? Umeed was an anomaly, reminiscent of the kind of characters who led the dramas of the 90’s when Haseena Moin was alive, and she was quick to win the audiences over.

    However, these accomplishments were for naught when by the finale, Umeed decides immediately that she isn’t interested in making more money, and gives a speech about how she would rather become an obedient daughter and get married to Farjaad. Like, why bother taking us all for a ride? Why would you explore 30 episodes about a young woman discussing business initiatives, ending with her choosing to give up all of it, and settle to marry?

    Through Farjaad especially, it was rare to see a man in a Pakistani drama own up to his actions, and empower the women in his life (READ: extremely rare), but that finale was a double-take for many audience members because in the first part he threatens to break up with Umeed if she chooses to go on and participate in the game show, something that was unexpected from a guy who told his love interest that he would keep supporting her. Then, when Umeed arrives at his office to apologise to him (why?) he taunts her for being in love with AK (played by Ali Safina). Even though he does apologise for this as well and admits that he isn’t perfect, shouldn’t the finale have ended with Farjaad owning up to his promises by helping Umeed setting up her business?

    These lose threads dangling from the plot will keep fans of the drama anxious about whether asking for a feminist rom-com was too good to be true, or maybe since Season 2 has been announced, some hope is left.

    But had the show kept true to its promise and given women what they wanted, a drama about a woman rejecting patriarchal norms and her father’s strictness to make her own dreams come true, it would have been much nicer.

  • ‘ELITE ordered from Daraz’: Trailer for ‘College Gate’ has the internet divided

    On Wednesday, Green Entertainment has released the trailer for ‘College Gate’, an upcoming series about a group of students. Starring Instagram influencers like Mamia Shajaffar and Khaqan Shahnawaz, the series explores the lives of a group of students and how they tackle parental pressure, love, dating and learn to rely on their friends during the tough moments of their lives.

    However, the trailer has divided the internet, with many users thinking that the series is just plagarised from hit Netflix shows like ‘Elite’ and ‘Class’.

    TBH we have the same question on our mind.

    Others pointed out that despite the fact that the trailer seemed a direct copy of a show about the lives of privileged kids, it did seem like a progressive step that Pakistani dramas were starting to focus on the lives of teenagers!

    We can also agree that it’s good for Pakistani dramas to tackle societal pressure and the anxieties of students growing up in this stage, rather than churn out another series focusing on saas bahu conflicts and the satti vs slutty savitri trope.

    So while we can agree with some folks on Twitter here that the storyline is completely unoriginal but lets not drop the ball so quickly? Pakistani dramas are in desperate need of some revival right now, and its good that some people with logical minds had actually thought about discussing what issues students are facing today.