Light at the End of the Tunnel: PTV can still create good content.
Some time back, I posted an article here where I expressed how badly Pakistani entertainment content has deteriorated over the past few years. We discussed a range of regressive and outright dangerous elements that we keep repeating on our screens, and the detrimental effect they can have on the society. I still stick by my words, in fact I have a few additions to the list. However, it would be unfair to only point out the negatives and not appreciate the positives. The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the rare, but great content prepared by the same industry. We hope this would help the creators to realise that the audience is ready for good content, and make it the norm rather than a rarity.
Read : The Fault In Our Star-Studded Dramas
Again, this list is not exhaustive, and is based on content I have watched. There will, for sure, be other content out there.
1) Kuch Ankahi: A little bit of everything
The show had its flaws, quite a lot of them actually. But the impact it had and the range of issues it touched upon, all while remaining light-hearted and fun to watch is commendable. From a girl running her house, father’s unwavering trust on his daughters, and marriages at older age to harassment, rights of a wife under the nikkah naama and religious shares in property – the story highlighted it all without getting preachy. Some of the most talented faces of the industry – the likes of Sajal Aly, Bilal Abbas, Irsa Ghazal and more – ensured that it was popular amongst the masses as well. Yes, at times it felt like there were TOO many stories, but one has to give it to the team for creating this wonderful project that hit home.
The good thing about Kuch Ankahi was that one could always see themselves or those around them in the characters. Aliya’s struggle in a male dominated workforce would’ve resonated with many female audiences opting for newer career lines. Through Samia’s journey, many girls who often fall under the pressure of the society would have found hope of finding their own selves and more. Every character was very real in its own way. Appreciation for the positive depiction of men on screen is also due.
2) Fairytale: Fun, Fresh and Fascinating
It’s rare to find dramas that appeal to young audience. It is even rarer to find a show that is so youth-centric and relevant that it manages to attract Turkish Dizi and K-drama audience. Fairytale managed to do exactly that. What started as an underrated, non-prime time Ramadan show, with new faces, has become a sensation on the internet, and for all the right reasons.
Sarah Majeed and Ali Hassan’s Fairytale provided the audience – largely girls in their 20s – with a female character that we have not seen in ages. Umeed Pasha is fearless, smart and quirky. She is also flawed, impatient and careless. All the traits which are very common in young girls. She is not a typical female lead who would cry over her problems or have marriage as her sole aim, but rather someone who would find solutions in the bleakest of conditions. An ambitious girl with far-fetched dreams and the hope to be financially independent, struggling to make her family believe she can actually achieve it all is someone many young girls resonate with.
Similarly, the male lead, Farjaad Khan, encapsulates all the best characteristics a man can possibly have, while also being very humane and making his fair share of mistakes. He’s responsible, emotionally available and very caring, while also being vulnerable and unreasonable at times. All of which makes him a fun watch. At no point is the male lead painted as the female lead’s ‘knight in the shining armour’, but rather them as a team against all their problems.
The characters performed to perfection by Sehar Khan and Hamza Sohail became such a hit, that the show came back with a season two in the same year, this time as a prime-time show- a new record for Pakistani TV.
3) Sar-e-Rah: Relevant and Essential
Although the basic function of the entertainment industry is to, well, entertain, there are times when it goes beyond that. There are times when there is a need to uncover some harsh realities of the society in subtle, meaningful ways. Sar-e-Rah did exactly that, without taking up much time. A 6-episode short series, centred around Rania (played by Saba Qamar) and her effort to support her family by driving her father’s taxi. On the way – quite literally – she meets a number of people, each with their own struggles ranging from infertility to being born intersex.
Sar-e-Rah wasn’t the kind of show you have on TV all the time, but that once-in-a-while gem that creates the greatest impact. The beauty of the show lay in the positivity and hope it left behind regarding the hardest of situations. On top of that, it addressed very relevant youth issues like social media influencers and workplace harassment – all in the span of 6 episodes.
4) Aik Thi Laila: Short, Crisp, Captivating
Aik Thi Laila was another short series, with a lot of drama, dark humor and suspense attached to it. Directed by Yasir Hussain, centred around the story of Laila (Iqra Aziz) and her ‘disappearance’, the show provided the right mix of thrill despite being predictable as a whole. The elevating factor was Faiza Iftikhar’s unique story-telling style, which perfectly captures the darkest social realities in the guise of humor. Some very interesting camera angles, wonderful music score, accurate locations and the correct usage of background music, all helped make this a very visually appealing series.
Moreover, the casting was done brilliantly, with big names like Iqra Aziz, Faysal Qureshi and Nayyer Ejaz. The crisp and to the point dialogues, spoken by these fine actors kept one hooked throughout. The story aimed to highlight the stereotypes attached by the society towards a woman, and how easy people find it to slander women and believe anything said against them. All of this was wrapped up in a short series rather than dragging it to the point of boredom.
5) Jurm: an effort above-par
This was the Pakistani industry’s take on a crime/murder mystery. This 4-episode thriller explored the events that preceded and followed the murder of Ayla (Durr-e-Fishan) soon after her marriage into a highly privileged family. The director, Mehreen Jabbar, having some of the finest Pakistani dramas ever produced to her name, takes on this challenging genre, and does a fairly good job. One can argue that there were shortcomings, perhaps the final revelations proved to be anti-climatic, however, the overall show was a brilliant attempt.
Frequents shifts between the present and past, along with cutting scenes off at the right moment to leave suspense, the first two episodes provided the perfect hook. Brilliant performances from Wahaj Ali, Tooba Siddiqui, Ehteshamuddin and Attiqa Odho were sure to keep the viewer engaged. What was encouraging about Jurm was the effort that was made to produce unique content. Perhaps, this will serve as a motivation for more – and better – of such content being produced.
Current Shows to Look Out for:
The above list highlights shows that ran their course and ended without being dragged or ruined. There are a number of good shows on TV currently which deserve appreciation as well.
1) Yunhi:
A simple story about a very simple family, yet it is done so well, one cannot resist being pulled towards it. The show highlights the clash between the Pakistani and Western cultures without brushing away either. In fact, it promotes the positive aspects of both. With a well-knitted story and hard-hitting dialogues, Yunhi is a wonderful addition to TV.
2) Kabli Pulao:
Starring Sabeena Farooq and Ehteshamuddin, Kabuli Pulao is a story of an older man from Lahore and an Afghan refugee. Directed by Kashif Nisar – the name behind the likes of Dar Si Jati Hai Sila and Raqeeb Se – the show explores the differences in cultures, the sacrifices made for dear ones, as well as the complexities of human emotions, relationships and more in a nuanced manner.
3) Jhok Sarkar:
The show follows the journey of ASP Arslan (Farhan Saeed) who is posted to a remote district in the south. As Arslan takes charge, the reality of power dynamics and the interrelation between feudal landlords, government officers and police uncover. The show brilliantly highlights how power works in the rural areas of Pakistan, and how deep rooted the network is.
4) Nauroz:
Nauroz is a unique story of a young girl who has been kept hidden in her house located amongst the mountains owing to family rivalries. After the death of Rishtina’s (Mawra Hocane) mother, her father sends her off to the city. The story explores the young girl’s first encounters with the real world and the struggles she faces as she goes up to become a social media influencer.
5) Jeevan Nagar:
The story is situated in a muhalla in interior Lahore, which is ruled by Babbar Shah (Sohail Ahmed). The show explores Babbar’s resilience against a the government’s insistence to build a highway in his locality, along with the plotting of a rival local leader. In parallel, the show highlights the struggles of the intersex community. The coherence with which the two parallel tracks are run, along with the multiple characters keeps the show gripping.
Conclusion:
All the completed shows in this list have something in common – neither was dragged to the point where the story derailed (Fairytale Season 1 remains an exception owing to the Ramadan slot). All of them were neatly tied in a few episodes. It is hoped that the current lot mentioned will also end at a decent pace. The youth, especially, has lost the patience to sit through 30-40+ filler episodes. Getting accustomed to Netflix, Pakistani media will have to provide them with crisp content if it wants to keep this audience.
Moreover, neither of the shows mentioned has a damsel-in-distress heroine or a macho hero. In fact, the power dynamic between the leads has largely been on an equal footing. Dynamic female leads with ambitions and dreams, as well as softer and emotionally intelligent male leads add to the charm of these shows. These are essential elements that you need to keep the youth engaged.
It goes without saying that these shows make up hardly 5% of the total content created by Pakistani TV in the last year. We need more of such content, targeting different genres and depicting different kinds of characters. The industry definitely has the ability to do so. However, till we get that, it is important to appreciate the entire teams of the good shows we get.