When dramas grew up: The evolution of Pakistani TV beyond fairytales

As the clichés in Pakistani dramas become overwhelming, our producers and TV channels reel us back in with a sprinkle of something novel to keep us invested. While our crippling economy may feel like a tragic saga, our dramas are offering a renewed sense of hope — or at least trying to — by bringing in fresh themes. The focus may still be very much on marriage, but Pakistani dramas are finally looking beyond teenage and college romance, giving us a front-row seat to the messy aftermath of “I do”.

With 2024 well underway, we’re seeing a new trend of tackling post-marital problems, focusing on compatibility issues, mental health struggles, and career clashes. It’s almost like someone realised that a drama can be more than slit wrists and endless love triangles.

Beyond the happily ever after

We often forget that there is a world beyond the happily-ever-after when Cinderella finds both her shoe and Prince Charming. While we’ve seen dramas like the iconic Humsafar explore life beyond the wedding, very few TV serials focus on the compatibility struggles of couples, centring the entire narrative around women and their relationships with their in-laws (read, mothers-in-law).

Recent serials like Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum attempt to break the mould. With Mustafa (Fahad Mustafa) and Sharjeena (Hania Aamir) at the centre, the drama explores the lives of these two opposites who find themselves married under unfortunate circumstances. Sharjeena, sophisticated and conscious of social status, contrasts sharply with Mustafa, a carefree spirit who believes in living in the moment.

Beyond their career debates, the small, endearing moments capture our hearts, making us emotionally invested in the young married couple’s married life. The small nuances, such as their arguments about keeping the room tidy, helping with chores, and the not-so-unusual banter of newlyweds as they discover each other’s quirks and habits, make the drama top the relatability scale.

Another TV serial that has shattered the glass ceiling is Radd. While mental health struggles continue to be downplayed in most Pakistani shows, Radd focuses on narrating the story of a couple that supports each other in overcoming mental health challenges.

Emaan, played by Hiba Bukhari, is a relentless advocate, fighting tooth and nail for her husband Salaar (Sheheryar Munawar), who has deep-seated mental health issues and a combative family. Her dialogue, “Kabhi kabhi kahani mei heroine ko bhi fight sequence mil jata hai [Sometimes, the heroine of the film also gets a fight sequence],” perfectly sums up her role in this story.

Another serial titled Jafaa, directed by Danish Nawaz and written by Samira Fazal, has emerged as the underdog, surprising the audience with its parallel narratives that have us equally invested. On one side, we have Zara and Hassan, played by Mawra Hocane and Mohib Mirza. Hassan’s erratic behaviour and subtle gaslighting reveal a darker, more complex situation that echoes the reality of many real-life relationships.

On the other hand, the drama also presents the story of Andaleeb and Numair, played by Usman Mukhtar and Sehar Khan. Their age gap and Andaleeb’s pre-existing feelings for someone else add an interesting layer to the storyline. While their love story might not be heartbreakingly intense, it offers a charming and refreshing contrast, providing viewers with a dose of lightness.

Abuse beyond physical aggression

Our dramas are all too familiar with the notion that women should simply adjust, with their concerns often dismissed with a casual “bas itni si baat [that’s it, such a small thing].” Even though serious issues like domestic violence are frequently trivialised, cheating and psychological abuse are often overlooked to the extent that they aren’t even presented as problems.

TV serial Shiddat sheds light on these very struggles. In the drama, Sultan, played by Muneeb Butt, hurls abuses at his wife Asra (Anmol Baloch) and gaslights her into believing that she is flawed while he is the ‘perfect husband’. Shiddat stands out for its depiction of a woman’s struggle to free herself from a toxic marriage.

Careers, nuclear families and children

Our dramas are also so heavily focused on love that everything else — the real struggles people face every day — feels like a footnote. Beyond the rose-tinted glasses of romance, couples face many problems such as raising children, managing careers and so on. More often than not, our serials forget to talk about the struggles of parenthood or the heartbreak of miscarriages and the challenges of conceiving a child.

Instead, they’re endlessly trapped in the saas-bahu showdown loop, as if no couple can live in a nuclear family or dare to relocate abroad. Don’t get us wrong, we know they’re depicting the stories of the people living in Pakistan, but there is no harm in tossing a little reality into the mix by showing the stories of young couples juggling life in different cities or countries.

While we’re at it, why not depict the 20-somethings grappling with career choices, juggling ambitions, and navigating the labyrinth of adulthood? Shows like Zard Patton Ka Bunn nail it by portraying a woman’s struggle to become a doctor in a village where no woman has set foot in a college. But then there are those who butcher career narratives so badly that you’d think a career was just a backdrop for the real drama — love, of course.

Some still stick to the classics

There are still dramas that cling to traditional tropes, delivering epic romances that keep the genre alive. One standout is Gentleman, which shines with the fiery chemistry between Yumna Zaidi and Humayun Saeed.

Dare I say, this forbidden romance trope, featuring a journalist and a goon, adds a compelling layer of tension and intrigue. Of course, such dramas have their dedicated fan following, proving that classic love stories still have a place in our hearts.

But embracing change can be a good thing, as our current drama lineup shows. Let’s hope the next big twist isn’t just in the plot but also in how we tell these stories. With any luck, we might soon see characters combating mid-life crises and existential dread, all while amplifying diverse voices and perspectives.