“Mujhe aap ki bahut parvah hai. ”
That phrase from iconic 80s TV drama Dhoop Kinarey had three generations of women swooning with the younger lot making mental notes on romance. Year's later, Dhoop Kinarey's romantic duo Dr Ahmer (Rahat Kazmi) and fun loving Dr Zoya (Marina Khan) are still one of the most famous romantic couples to grace our screens.
Throughout the 80’s and 90’s we were swept off our feet by some very likeable couples and romantic screenplays in drama serials such as Ankahi , Tanhaiyan , Bandhan and many more. However, the scope for romance has slowly become more and more limited as male protagonists have become villains rather than heroes and our heroines have lost agency and sit weeping in corners, waiting to be rescued.
Dr Zoya (L) and Dr Ahmer (R) in Dhoop Kinare In the past, marriage and a happy life were once the ending to a story of self-realisation, now the wedding vows mark the beginning of a torturous process of misunderstandings with betrayal lurking around every corner.
Today’s hero is a far cry from Dr Ahmer, he does not waste time judging a woman’s character or personality. Clearly the path to his heart is through his stomach as his main concern is who makes good parathas and the roundest koftas .
Today’s heroine has also changed: she is weighed down with domestic responsibilities, attacked on all sides and in constant fear of desertion, while carefree and happy are words reserved for the villainous cousin or secret girlfriend. The wonderfully laid back, working woman Aani Khala (Badar Khalil) of Tanhaiyaan would never qualify for a rishta in today’s onscreen climate; her outspoken ways and cooking methods (put the ingredients in a pot and read a book till cooked) would rule her out as wife material immediately.
The scope for romance has slowly become more and more limited as male protagonists have become villains rather than heroes and our heroines have lost agency and sit weeping in corners, waiting to be rescued Glancing through a list of the most popular dramas of the last few years serials such as Meri Zaat Zara Benishan , Khuda Aur Mohabbat , Daam , Humsafar , Dastaan , Zindagi Gulzar Hai , Aun Zara and more recently Pyarey Afzal stand out as memorable romances. So, what is the modern perspective on romance?
We asked a few of the talented writers and directors behind some of these serials what magic pixie dust they sprinkle to make such scenes work:
Lights, camera, action: the beginning of a romance
According to the talented director of award winning serial Dastaan , Haissem Hussain: “Showing romance on screen is all in the timing. The measuring of looks, space, texture, light, the silence, the right words at the right time. All measured and timed to perfection.” He adds, “It is the creating of tension and then the sudden release from it.”
One of the most unforgettable scenes from Dastaan shows Hassan (Fawad Khan) and Bano (Sanam Baloch) searching the rooftops to catch a glimpse of one another. The beautiful play of light and shadow dancing across the actors faces and in the glow of the lanterns framed by the soft darkness of a moonlit night make this a classic.