Tag: Pakistani dramas

  • Highest-viewed Pakistani drama episodes in 2020

    Highest-viewed Pakistani drama episodes in 2020

    2020 has been an interesting year for Pakistani dramas with several controversial dramas hitting our screens this year. In terms of popularity, there is no denying that Meray Paas Tum Ho was television’s highest-watched dramas with a cult following. As we look back on this year, here’s a list of dramas which had the maximum number of views on YouTube till the filing of this story.

    Note – We are only including episodes that aired in 2020 in this list. Views have been indicated in brackets.

    Nand Episode 1 (12M)

    Despite having close to 100 episodes, Nand continues to trend on YouTube and social media. The first episode of the show was fast-paced and thrilling. Not only are we introduced to nand Gohar (Faiza Hassan) and the rest of the family, we dive straight into the story, which is about a woman who likes to control everything and everyone around her. Apart from being very masalaydar and spicy, the drama also boasts solid performances by the lead cast.

    Deewangi Last Episode (13M)

    Danish Taimoor and Hiba Bukhari’s Deewangi ends with Nageen (Hiba) killing Sultan (Taimoor) and getting her happily ever after with Haroon (Ali Abbas), who first divorced her. Audiences loved the drama for its depiction of love that reached a point of madness and continued to root for Sultan till the very end, even though he commits several mistakes along the way because of his mad love for Nageen. The last episode of the drama was thrilling, intense and fast-paced with viewers hooked to it.

    Ishqiya Episode 1 (15M)

    The first episode of this intense romance involving two sisters featuring Feroze Khan, Hania Aamir and Ramsha Khan opens with a scene which will instantly remind you of Rahul and Anjali’s basketball matches in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. The rest of the episode introduces us to the different characters and their relationship dynamics. Its ends with Azeem’s (Gohar Rasheed) family asking for Hamna’s (Ramsha) hand in marriage, who is in love with Hamza (Feroze).

    Read more – ‘Ishqiya’ ends on a bittersweet note

    Ehd e Wafa Last Episode (16M views)

    The last bumper episode of Ehd e Wafa was initially scheduled to hit theatres but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the plan couldn’t fall through. The grand finale, which included a special appearance by Humayun Saeed, saw Captain Saad (Ahad Raza Mir) get injured in tensions on the Line of Control (LOC) in Kashmir, following which all four friends gather at the hospital to be on his side as he battles between life and death. The final episode was emotionally charged but ended on a happy note leaving viewers satisfied.

    Read more – Did you know ‘Ehd-e-Wafa’ was shot in 16 cities?

    Meray Paas Tum Ho 2nd Last Episode (21M)

    Though the second-last episode of the immensely popular Meray Paas Tum Ho was a slow one, it is one of the highest-viewed ones. The episode saw Mehwish (Ayeza Khan) shift back into her old house and use a wazeefa to try and win Danish back. She regrets the decisions she made and is wallowing in misery. On the other hand, Danish (Humayun Saeed) agreed to marry Hania (Hira Mani) and wore the ring she bought for him after Roomi proposed to her on behalf of his father. Meanwhile, Maham (Savera Nadeem) made sure she reminded Shehwar (Adnan Siddiqui) of his aukaat.

    Which 2020 drama was your favourite?

  • Yasra Rizvi hits back at critics of ‘Dunk’, ‘Churails’

    Yasra Rizvi hits back at critics of ‘Dunk’, ‘Churails’

    Yasra Rizvi has hit back at critics of her latest projects Dunk and Churails. She also responded to those who are criticising her character, Jugnu Chaudhary, from Churails.

    In a social media post, Yasra wrote: “Many saw Jugnu as a drunkard druggie who was selling be-hayai in the name of women empowerment and many think Saira will cause serious negative repercussions for harassment victims because she is a character in a story about false allegations.”

    Read more – Who banned ‘Churails’?

    “No one really knows who I am and what I do every day, how I work, what I truly believe in, many haven’t watched Churails or will not watch all the 20 something episodes of Dunk,” she continued.

    “Many don’t know anything about my body of work and its detail to really understand what is it that I even stand for BUT everyone gets to talk because I am out there doing my thing so talk away,” remarked Rizvi.

    Rizvi has done a number of dramas on television along with web series Churails and Ayesha. Senti Aur Mental is her upcoming Lollywood comedy film debut. The film is directed, written and cast by herself along with Zain Afzal, and Yousaf Bashir Qureshi as a lead cast. Initially, the film was set to release in 2020 but was stalled due to COVID.

    Her latest project Dunk which has been produced by Fahad Mustafa has come under fire after Mustafa stated that the drama “is a tribute to every victim who has been falsely accused of sexual harassment”.

    Beside Rizvi, Dunk also features Bilal Abbas Khan, Sana Javed, Shahood Alvi, Fahad Sheikh, Tara Mahmood, Saifi Hassan, Salma Hassan, Kanwal Khan, Noman Ejaz, and Azekah Daniel. It has been written by Mohsin Ali Shah and directed by Badar Mehmood.

  • Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar reprimands women writers

    Pakistani writer Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar reprimanded women writers for humiliating relationships in dramas.

    In an interview when Khalil-ur-Rehman was asked what was the reason that people in showbiz are so afraid of him, he said: “People are afraid of me because I am honest with my work. They will be afraid of dishonesty.”

    He added: “Female writers have stigmatised relationships like that of a sister-in-law, mother-in-law and brother-in-law.” He said that there are 99.9 per cent women who are writing in the industry but they only write about family politics and stigmatise sacred relationships.

    The Mere Paas Tum Ho writer spoke on a variety of topics. While giving his opinion on the friendship between males and females, he said that there is no such thing as a friendship between a girl and a boy. “This is the biggest lie in the world.”

    Qamar has been involved in many controversies including a debate on Aurat March slogans with Marvi Sirmed. He said to Ms Sirmed that “no one would even spit on your body” and that she was a “cheap woman” who should “shut up”. He was criticised by politicians and prominent figures, while Geo TV suspended his contract. He said, he did not interrupt her but she interrupted him when he was talking.

  • Fahad Mustafa says ‘Dunk’ is a tribute to victims of false allegations of sexual harassment

    Fahad Mustafa, in a recent interview, shared that the plot of Dunk revolves around false accusations of sexual harassment. Starring Bilal Abbas Khan, Sana Javed and Naumaan Ejaz, Dunk premiered on ARY Digital Wednesday night.

    Talking about why he decided to produce this drama, Fahad said: “95% cases of sexual harassment are genuine but in some cases, people are falsely accused, so we have to tell every kind of story.”

    “We [Big Bang Productions] have always tried to show different kinds of stories,” said Fahad. “We also made a drama Meri Guriya which told the story of [the rape victim] Zainab.”

    “As producer it is my responsibility to tell every kind of story and I believe people will enjoy watching this drama,” added Fahad.

    The actor-producer further said that his new drama depicts reality very closely and that Dunk “is a tribute to every victim who has been falsely accused of sexual harassment”.

    When asked about his opinion regarding Meesha Shafi’s harassment case against Ali Zafar, Fahad said: “I do not know much details about the case, but all I know is that Ali has suffered a lot at professional front, it Is a huge lose for Ali and his family.”

    Mustafa went onto say: “I think, brands should set an example by working with the people who have been falsely accused of sexual harassment.”

    Dunk had earlier stirred controversy for its problematic presentation of harassment in universities in the promos.

    The drama serial features, Bilal Abbas Khan, Sana Javed, Shahood Alvi, Fahad Sheikh, Tara Mahmood, Saifi Hassan, Salma Hassan, Kanwal Khan, Noman Ejaz, and Azekah Daniel. Written by Mohsin Ali Shah Dunk has been directed by Badar Mehmood.

  • Did you know Ali Abbas and Ramsha Khan are cousins?

    Did you know Ali Abbas and Ramsha Khan are cousins?

    Ali Abbas and Ramsha Khan, who are currently sharing the screen opposite each other in Ghissi Piti Mohabbat, are cousins in real-life.

    In a recent interview, Ali revealed that Ramsha is his first cousin.

    “I don’t think a lot of people know this but Ramsha is my first cousin. She is my aunt’s daughter,” shared Ali. “Since childhood, we hung out – all the cousins – and she used to call me Ali Bhai.”

    “Now there we were holding hands and we had to look into each other’s eyes and deliver all these lines [in Ghissi Piti Mohabbat],” he added.

    Abbas further shared that he had to tell director Ahmad Bhatti that they had this problem.

    “Then the ice broke, we sat down because we were destroying the scenes and we decided to put the cousinship aside and to focus on work,” he said further.

    Read more – You will never believe who Imran Ashraf’s brother is

    Both the actors are impressing audiences with their acting. In the recent plot development, Ramsha and Ali’s characters in the drama have gotten married.

  • Did Fahad Mustafa just shade Fawad, Mahira for going to Bollywood?

    Did Fahad Mustafa just shade Fawad, Mahira for going to Bollywood?

    Not sure if we heard correctly, but looks like Fahad Mustafa just shaded Fawad Afzal Khan and Mahira Khan for going to Bollywood.

    In a recent interview, the actor while talking about his stardom said: “Sab chalay gaye India or mein yahan reh gaya. Main superstar ban gaya. Koi tha hee nahi.”

    “Ab sab Turkey jayen gay. Main yaheen hoon,” he continued. “Turkey eik din visa band karay ga sab kay. Uss kay baad hum reh jayen gay.”

    “Believe in your audience. Believe in your people,” he added. “Apnay logon ko banao gay toh acha bhi lagay ga.”

    Read more – ‘It is not a threat’: Faisal Javed advises Fahad Mustafa to learn from ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’

    Later, Yasir Hussain agreed with Mustafa’s point of view, saying “Well said.”

    Fahad defends Jalan, Nand

    Meanwhile, Fahad has vehemently defended his drama serials Jalan and Nand..

    Defending Nand and Jalan, Fahad said: “People are watching Nand and Jalan. If they weren’t watching the dramas then they won’t be talking about it.”

    “I am proud of Balaa, Cheekh, Nand and Jalan. We can’t educate people with every drama but we do what we can. I try to attract people with unique titles of my dramas. That’s why my dramas have such titles. If Nand had another name, people might not watch it.”

    He continued: “This is the age of social media and people are watching ‘pocket films’. To keep the audiences engaged for 26 to 30 episodes, we try to make content that creates curiosity and keep viewers hooked.”

    Read more – ‘Jalan’ comes to a predictable end after 31 painful episodes

    Fahad then went on to say that people and critics should wait for a drama to end before passing their judgements and remarks.

    “People are talking and criticising them [Jalan, Nand] because they are recent dramas. Being the producer of these two dramas, I own and like both of the dramas. Poor or rich, everyone is talking about them,” stated Fahad.

    Concluding his remarks, the actor said: “I think this drama does not have any unethical content. If anyone didn’t like it, then they have mental issues.”

  • Upcoming Pakistani dramas on our radar

    Upcoming Pakistani dramas on our radar

    With several Pakistani dramas coming to an end soon, TV channels have started dropping teasers and promos of their upcoming releases. Four new dramas with brilliant casts and directors are expected to hit our screens in the coming weeks and we are looking forward to them.

    Read more – ‘Jalan’ continues to be a cringefest

    Dunk

    Starring Bilal Abbas Khan, Sana Javed and Naumaan Ejaz in the lead, Dunk is about sexual harassment in universities and colleges. The first promo of the drama dropped to a mixed response but we’re going to hold our thoughts and opinions till we watch the first few episodes.

    Pehli Si Mohabbat

    The drama will mark Maya Ali and Sheheryar Munawar’s return to the small screen after a long break. From the BTS and first looks, the drama promises to be an intense love story and I am definitely looking forward to this. It has been written by Faiza Iftikhar and directed by Anjum Shehzad of Khaani fame.

    Maya, in a recent interview, revealed that the drama will not have “typical saas-bahu fights and affairs in it”.

    “You will feel that you have heard or seen this story, because there’s a love story as evident from the title Pehli Si Muhabbat, and everyone has experienced their first love story. Some people find their first love and some people live with keeping it in their hearts,” she shared.

    Raqs-e-Bismil

    Raqs-e-Bismil will see Sarah Khan and Imran Ashraf share the screen together for the first time. A fresh pairing is always intriguing and given that both are brilliant actors, I am sure this drama will be a treat. From the teasers, the drama appears to be intense and uncomfortable. According to the makers, the drama “follows the soulful story of a conservative and conformist family who adhere to strict family values”. Raqs-e-Bismil will also see Hadiqa Kiani make her television debut.

    It is expected to air on Hum TV by the end of the month.

    Amanat

    A multi-starrer drama, Amanat will feature Imran Abbas, Urwa Hocane, Saboor Aly, Haroon Shahid, Saba Hamid, Sheheryar Zaidi, Babar Ali, Asad Siddiqui and Gohar Rasheed.

    According to Imran, Amanat is a “circumstances-based love story”, while producer Sana Shahnawaz says it is “a family drama with love, romance and all other elements audiences wish to see in our dramas.”

    Which drama are you looking forward to the most?

  • Five Pakistani dramas PM Khan should watch

    Five Pakistani dramas PM Khan should watch

    Ever since he assumed office, Prime Minister Imran Khan has given us plenty of recommendations on drama serials and books – the most prominent being Turkish drama series Diriliş: Ertuğrul and Elif Shafak’s The Forty Rules of Love. Earlier this week, PM Khan recommended the youth to watch another Turkish show on Sufism Yunus Emre: Aşkin Yolculuğu, which is also being aired on PTV in Urdu.

    While we love the fact that the PM takes out time to recommend stuff to the youth, we decided to turn the tables and recommend him a few recent (in the past two years) Pakistani drama serials which are worth watching. Check out our suggestions below:

    Sabaat

    While Hum TV’s Sabaat in its essence is a family drama exploring familial relations and dynamics, its presentation was very refreshing, in particular Anaya and Hassan’s storyline. The drama highlighted the importance of having a healthy, loving relationship with your children and gave out a strong message on the importance of empowering women and daughters and gave viewers a new heroine after Zindagi Gulzar Hai‘s Kashf. It also showed how ego, money and misunderstandings can ruin relationships and your life. All these themes are the ones which PM Khan has time and time again urged our drama writers to show on television.

    Read more – ‘Sabaat’ manages to tie up loose ends in a rushed finale

    Alif

    Starring PM Imran’s BFF Hamza Ali Abbasi and Sajal Aly in the lead, Alif, written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Haseeb Hasan focuses on the spiritual journeys of two individuals Qalb-e-Momin (Hamza) and Momina Sultan (Sajal), who despite coming from completely different backgrounds help each other find peace in righteousness. Alif was a brilliant example of good storytelling and sensitive direction. Moreso, the entire cast of the drama including Hamza, Sajal, Ahsan Khan, Manzar Sehbai and Kubra Khan gave strong and solid performances. It is pertinent to add here that Hamza in several interviews has shared that his life reflects what is shown in the drama.

    Suno Chanda Season 1

    Perhaps one of the most-loved dramas in the country, Suno Chanda (Season 1) is chaotic, fun and will leave you with a warm feeling. The show which ran through Ramadan and had everyone hooked is about a household in which the children of two brothers get married just before the family’s patriach passes away. Directed by Aehsun Talish and written by Saima Akram Chaudhry, Suno Chanda is a comedy drama done just right. From the performances to the witty dialogues to the direction, everything about this drama was brilliant. The show gave us some memorable characters and there was bound to be one person in the cast you could relate too.

    Out of the list, if there is one drama the prime minister should be watching, it should be Suno Chanda. Will also give him some much-needed respite from the day-to-day political tensions.

    Aangan

    Yet another multi-starrer drama starring some big dramas of the drama industry, Aangan brought back and romanticised living in joint family systems while at the same time highlighting the issues that come with it. The drama very delicately and tactfully challenged societal norms while keeping viewers engaged and hooked. Aangan is without a doubt one of Faiza Iftikhar’s finest works. I am pretty sure Khan sahab is going to love this one. It is everything he wants to promote through television and dramas.

    Sammi

    Perhaps the darkest drama on this list, Mawra Hocane and Adnan Siddiqui’s Sammi sheds light on the custom of vani (or exchange brides) and how women are forced to continuously bear children in the quest for a son. It is gritty and makes you uncomfortable but that is because you know that this is exactly what happens to women in this country. The drama has been sensitively written by Noor ul Huda Shah and directed by Saifee Hassan.

    Is there any other drama you would recommend PM Imran to watch? Let us know in the comments below.

  • Bilal Abbas needs a fresh haircut, says Ben Dunk

    Bilal Abbas needs a fresh haircut, says Ben Dunk

    After being tagged on the posters of upcoming drama Dunk, Australian cricketer Ben Dunk has advised Bilal Abbas Khan to get a fresh haircut.

    Ben was tagged in a poster of drama serial Dunk by Zohaib Azhar, who is a host at Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    “Pakistan drama industry is also impressed by Ben Dunk,” wrote Zohaib in the caption.

    “I’ve been getting tagged in this a bit today, surely the actor needs a fresh haircut,” said the cricketer while sharing the poster of Bilal on his Instagram story.

    In response to Ben’s comment, Bilal joked: “I agree! I’m sure you can understand how difficult it is to maintain long hair.”

    “Love you man. Big fan,” he added.

    Dunk is an upcoming drama on ARY Digital, featuring Bilal and Sana Javed in lead roles. Other cast members include Yasra Rizvi, Shahood Alvi, Fahad Sheikh, Laila Wasti, Saifi Hassan, Salma Hassan, Kanwal Khan, Noman Ejaz, and Azekah Daniel.

    Bilal was last scene in Zee5’s Eik Jhoothi Love Story alongside Madiha Imam.

    While details about the drama are being kept tightly under wraps, Bilal in an interview had shared that the drama is a murder mystery. Dunk is being produced under the banner of Fahad Mustafa’s BigBang Entertainment.

  • We can’t show a woman being assaulted and falling in love with the same man, says Mahira Khan

    We can’t show a woman being assaulted and falling in love with the same man, says Mahira Khan

    Mahira Khan, who was recently listed in BBC’s ‘100 women of 2020′ for being outspoken about social issues, in a recent interview said that the media, including actors, filmmakers and drama makers, need to take responsibility to change the narrative.

    In a recent interview, the actor said: “Something happens, there is a lot of noise about it. Everybody gets on the streets, everybody talks about it on the media, and then what? And then it dies out. Another news comes out, another story comes out or another rape happens! Then that is just another name or another hashtag attached to it. The problem is that we are not ready to educate our public, create programs that educate children, we are not ready to talk about it openly and I think we need to change that narrative.”

    She continued: “I also take responsibility for it. I am a big part of the media of this country. I feel that our films, our television serials, we have to change the narrative.”

    “We can’t just show a woman being assaulted (by a man) and then falling in love with him and show him to be the hero. A hero cannot be someone who is abusive. So, I think somewhere even we have to take that initiative.”

    Mahira also talked about her stance on fairness creams and why she refuses to endorse them.

    “I’ve been approached from the beginning of my career, not just as an actor – even when I was a VJ – I was approached to do a lot of fairness cream products, skin whitening products,” shared the actor. “It doesn’t make sense to me, it never made sense to me. So, I am endorsing the idea that a darker girl, a man is not as attractive as someone with a fairer complexion? It just didn’t make sense to me.”

    Mahira also took a moment to recall her first award as an actor. In the interview, she said that though she has received many awards over the years, the award – Lux Style Award for Best Actress – she received for Humsafar is her most special.

    “This is my first award as an actor, for a drama that really launched me, in the year that I was launched,” said Mahira. “I won many awards after that but this remains very, very special.”