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This writer is back with yet another heartfelt plea for our drama industry. Wondering what’s on the agenda this time? Well, it’s a sincere request to all showmakers, writers, producers and all those who hold the reins of entertainment to stop treating comedy like a seasonal trend.

Why must light-hearted plays be restricted to Ramazan? Why are we deprived of wholesome, feel-good content for the rest of the year? All Pakistani drama fans around the globe have memorised the drill — as Ramazan approaches, so does the seasonal influx of comedy dramas.

Whether we watch them during Ramazan or save them for later is another story, but the excitement for a light-hearted, entertaining show remains a year-round craving.

Pakistani comedy has had its fair share of hits and misses, and Ramazan dramas have carved out a special space for humour that feels culturally relevant, refreshing, and engaging — at least, for the most part.

Unlike the rest of the year, when drama schedules are packed with intense romances, family betrayals, and never-ending sob stories, these comedies offer a much-needed breather. We can’t be stuck in a cycle of gloom and doom all year round, and sometimes, all we need is a good laugh.

Suno Chanda: Opening gates for a new genre

It takes guts to cultivate something exciting that sticks with the audience. It’s a scarier process in the Pakistani entertainment industry, where we prefer to stick to a tried and tested formula. Suno Chanda did just that. It graced our screens in 2018, creating a cult like following and giving birth to several comedy plays in the following years, including a second season of the show itself.

What made this thirty-episode Ramazan special a success? It was the family comedy, centred around a joint family and the all-too-relatable struggles of different generations. With grandparents, parents, and kids all under one roof, it had something for everyone to connect with. And when you throw in a classic haters-to-lovers romance, voila! You’ve got yourself a great play.

Several other Ramazan releases followed this route, including Fairy Tale, Very Filmy, Hum Tum, and Chupke Chupke — however, none were without the romance.

While romance can be an essential element that adds an emotional pull for the audience, sometimes, it feels like the love story overshadows the comedy altogether. We get it, a good pairing can go a long way in not only engaging the audience while the drama is on air but also securing a permanent place in their hearts.

However, more focus on other relationships can create equally, if not more, impactful dramas. Scripts that focus more on individuality, lean into cultural quirks or social satire, or everyday absurdities that unfold at home, in offices, or in school could bring us out from the rut of the same old plots.

Reminiscing about our favorite comedy dramas

While there has undoubtedly been a drought of light-hearted dramas lately, the few that emerged make it clear how Ramazan dramas differ from those shown throughout the year. One theme that ties them all together, of course, is the central role of the family.

However, Ramazan dramas often maintain a lighter tone, while those outside Ramazan tend to feature more intense plots. Still, there have been several non-Ramazan shows that we’ve thoroughly enjoyed.

Take, for example, the classic Baraat series by Marina Khan and Nadeem Baig, which ran for four seasons. The drama focused on a wedding and the families involved, one from Karachi and the other from Faisalabad, coming together for shaadi (wedding) season.

The subtle comedy was ahead of its time and broke stereotypes. Each season came with its own plethora of subplots, the most memorable being Rabia (Saba Hameed) being pregnant at the same time as her daughter, or Mehrunnisa, aka Nani (played by Samina Ahmad) getting married when she was a great-grandmother.

With a phenomenal performance by the iconic Bushra Ansari as Saima Chaudhry — or in the character’s own words, “fashion designer Saima Chaudhry from Faisalabad” — the Baraat series brought humour that still makes us laugh today.

Who can forget one of the longest-running sitcoms in the country, Bulbulay? The show, directed by Rana Rizwan, follows a half-witted family made up of two couples, one middle-aged and the other younger, who find themselves in bizarre situations. Each episode brings laughter with situational comedy that the audience has enjoyed for years.

Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah is another show that brings back the charm of old-school Pakistani comedy with its simple yet hilarious take on domestic life. Directed by Mazhar Moin, the drama is centred around two families living under one roof. Their everyday chaos is captured immaculately with witty dialogues and memorable characters. What makes the drama especially unforgettable is Hina Dilpazeer’s impeccable acting as she effortlessly switches between multiple characters.

How do we bring back great comedies?

Somewhere along the way, in the rat race to get more views and earn even more money, originality and creativity faded, replaced by the formulaic cycle of Ramazan-only releases to fulfil the demand for some breezy entertainment.

Some have been hits, some misses, some relying on over-the-top humour, while others stand out for their casting. But truth be told, most Ramazan comedies feel like caricatures.

A few exceptions, like Dil Wali Gali Mein, won hearts as the narrative focused on a couple who, following their love marriage, find themselves in trouble every step of their way.

Additionally, Hum Tum, which won us over with its neighbourly rivalry, shows there’s still potential. The show stood out because of proper character arcs, the development of two parallel, distinct love stories, and tasteful family humour.

But why limit comedy to just one month a year? We don’t always get great light-hearted dramas, and when we do, they often fall into the same tired tropes, tired tropes like a goofy girl acting childish or two feuding families locked in predictable situational comedy.

Case in point, Chand Tara where Ayeza Khan’s character, despite being a doctor, engaged in all kinds of childish acts to make the drama more appealing to the masses. I, for one, can still remember how Dr Naintara practically stole an ambulance from her mother’s hospital, and at that moment, I could not help but shake my head in utter disbelief because transport used for emergency situations was taken by her for personal needs.

Here, and in many other Pakistani dramas, women are often shown to dull their intellect. Don’t get us wrong, we don’t mind seeing happy-go-lucky female characters, but there’s a difference between that and portraying women as entirely careless or even half-witted. We’d love to see free-spirited women on screen with proper character arcs and logical motivations, rather than having them be silly for the sake of situational comedy.

Perhaps now is the time to break free from the rut. We could have our own version of a hilarious office comedy show, a satire on modern influencers, or even a rom-com about a couple living in a village.

New additions to the comic genre throughout the year are something the audience needs to unwind. With disturbing stories on the news every day and therapy costing an arm and a leg, these dramas can serve as a warm blanket to make one forget everyday chaos and truly sit back and relax.