Written by: Farheen Abdullah
Posted on: March 12, 2020 | 
Poster for Teeli's Latest Webseries, 'Superheros'
It is safe to say that we live in a social world, a world of social media. Apps like Snapchat, Instagram, Like, and the increasingly famous TikTok have provided people with platforms in which they can interact with each other in seconds. Each click on a picture or video gives instant gratification to its users. Be it a Dubsmash or a parody; the content on these media sites is trendy and replicable. As a result, our youth now is not interested in creating original content, but one which attracts public attention.
Taking on the challenge of creating meaningful content while also maintaining the interest of the youth, Teeli is a digital entertainment network that continues to keep its audience captivated. Founded in 2017 as a Dawn Media Group company, it produces a variety of content, including web series, short films, and sketches. “For far too long, mainstream Pakistani media has neglected the entertainment needs of Pakistan’s youth, and instead give audiences rehashed and formulaic content that does not fit within current day Pakistan,” shared Wali Tirmizi, Chief Operations Officer. “We are filling this void by creating content around the modern Pakistani experience, giving it best-in-class production value, and understanding our segment and its consumption habits.”
The Team
Affan Khan, Head Editor, added, “At Teeli, what we aim for is a polished, solid, fast-paced visual content that hooks the audience in the initial few seconds of the video. This we achieve through solid sound design, clever background scores, using the right cut at the right point, and also by using modern transitional techniques while keeping the basics of film editing intact.”
'Rishta for Sale' Poster
Sketches like Darzi ki Marzi, Starter Pack for Working Women, Flight of Takalluf, and Rishta for Sale are only a few examples of how Teeli manages to present the realities of our society in a humorous, yet respectful manner. Whether it’s the shortage of Chai in Pakistan (depicted in Chai ka Bohran) or the absence of Pakistani moms in a desi household (Disappearing Moms), Teeli manages to resonate with its audiences regardless of age, gender, or class.
'Flight of Takalluf (Formalities)' Poster
Maintaining a web series might have been a tricky task for a channel that aims to attract local audiences, especially when the older viewers are so deeply accustomed to television. However, Teeli seems to have done a decent job of attracting them as well. “When it comes to content that has been written and produced for the urban youth and modern-day Pakistani, there’s an evident content deficit. The idea behind our web series is to provide the audience with fresh and lighthearted alternative content, which is a truer depiction of themselves, their lifestyle, and their mindset,” commented Gul Zaib, Head of Content Development.
Teeli’s journey started with a simple, old-school love story, Summer Love, back in June 2019. It revolved around two interns who at first, do not get along but eventually fall for each other in a sweet and short narrative.
'Summer Love' Poster
Teeli’s second web series, Superheroes, was released only a few weeks ago, dealing with a completely different topic. In the span of four episodes, Superheroes depicts the lives of four women who juggle between finding their voices and being held down by society. Gul Zaib, who wrote Superheroes, added that “Televison is called ‘the idiot box for a reason’. It has deceived us, or rather conditioned us, into thinking that there are only two iterations of a Pakistani woman – a good, submissive woman, and a conniving puppeteer. The leading ladies of Superheroes are not defined by these two markers. They are women that you see around yourself, or might even be one yourself – an actress, an aspiring writer, an insta-blogger and a new mother.”
A personal favourite character has been Amber (Vasia Fatima), who chooses to take a break from her job to spend more time with her infant child. Her colleagues do not understand how Amber could decide to give up her career when she can afford a nanny. But Amber struggles to make her family realise that raising a child is never a one-person job, regardless of how much time she spends at home. Her frustrations and arguments depict the reality of most Pakistani women, regardless of their professions and lifestyles.
'Starter Pack for Working Women' Poster
However, no successful production has never faced obstacles. “One of the biggest challenges for me has been to make the Pakistani drama audience understand Teeli’s pace of storytelling. Usually, you can start watching a drama from the 3rd or 4th episode and still be able to understand what is going on. Our approach was to eliminate all those elements, focus solely on the story, and show it as efficiently as possible,” reflected Arbab Hussain, Director of Superheroes.
Pakistani audiences may still need more time to adapt to the kind of content that digital platforms like Teeli have to offer. But if the team continues to work on topics that are relatable, contemporary, and even educational, it can hope to create a viable alternative to plagiarized, monotonous content. To watch Teeli’s videos, click here.
All Photo Credits Go To Team Teeli
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