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    Will Green TV Be Able to Revolutionize Pakistani Dramas?

    Written by: Wania Aijaz
    Posted on: May 03, 2023 | | 中文

    Hareem Farooq and Wahaj Ali in Green TV's sports drama '22 Qadam'

    In the past couple of months, our social media has been flooded with ads that don’t seem like ads for a television channel, at least not a typical Pakistani television channel. Television has, in the recent years, become something just for the older generation. Most dramas only cater to older women, and the youth, losing all hope in the content, has mostly diverted to Over the Top (OTT) platforms. One channel, however, aims to change this.

    In the beginning it was the OST (Official Sound Track): an upbeat song that featured celebrated artists like Abida Parveen, Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shafqat Amanat Ali and many more, crooning to the lyrics, ‘’Kyunke main Green hoon (Because I am Green)’’. The uplifting nature of the song blended with the patriotism of the colour green and seemed to aim to create a feeling of pride within one’s own identity, something Pakistanis often struggle with. The song was well-received and increased the audience’s expectations from the channel.

    Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in the music video for GREEN TV's official soundtrack

    After the official song of the channel, the Youtube channel GREEN Entertainment started to upload innovative short films which explored several themes like morality, classism, societal norms, corruption, gender equality and several other relevant topics. One of the videos, entitled ‘Farq Toh Parta Hai,’ features children dressed as adults; in one instance a father tells his son to lie to the cable man who’s come to collect his fees, just after advising him to always tell the truth. When the son looks at his father skeptically, the latter sheepishly explains that small lies don’t matter so much. “Farq toh parta hai (It does matter)” is sung in the background. This video, and several others with the same lesson, highlight several other hypocrisies that adults teach their children unconsciously.

    GREEN Entertainment's 'Farq Toh Parta Hai' shows kids dress as adults

    The most striking of the content that were advertised by the emerging channel were the trailers of the dramas that were planning to show. The very first teaser, one starring Zahid Ahmed of Ishq Zahe Naseeb fame, was of the comedy named ‘101 Talaqain.’ This interesting-looking drama directed by Omar Akram portrays the whirlwind life of divorce lawyer Rustom Kawasji, as he tackles different couples going through different difficult situations.

    What is very appealing is the direction and cinematography of this drama, and this is true for all of the teasers that have been put out by the channel. The dramas to-be aired are shot beautifully; the sets are expansive, the camerawork is innovative and the post-production seems to be quite well done. This is extraordinary compared to the low-budgeted, underwhelming direction of many of the current dramas. What the GREEN dramas seem to excel in the most, though, are the kind of stories they are bringing to the audience.

    Jeevan Nagar features Sohail Ahmed Azizi

    Like ‘101 Talaqain,’all of the dramas that are going to air on the GREEN channel have stories that are different from anything that Pakistani television channels have ever shown. ‘Idiot,’ another drama whose trailer enthralled audiences, tells the story of an unusual man (played by Ahmed Ali Akbar of Parizaad fame), who tends to ask difficult questions from people about the injustices and hypocrisy in society, then ends up being called an “idiot’’ for making people uncomfortable.

    Ahmed Ali Akbar in GREEN TV's upcoming drama, 'Idiot'

    Another drama, ‘Jindo,’ portrays the trials and tribulations of a woman confronting patriarchal customs in the exacting deserts of tribal Sindh, and stars an ensemble cast of Humaima Malick, Gohar Rasheed, Samiya Mumtaz, Hajra Yamin and many other known faces. ’22 Qadam,’ a sports drama starring Hareem Farooq and Wahaj Ali shows the riveting journey of a girl whose passion is to play professional cricket, and how she battles the sexist norms of society. Unconventional storylines like this one seem to be this new channel’s chosen niche, one that they are following very effectively.

    Gohar Rasheed in GREEN TV's drama serial 'Jindo'

    At a time where most of the dramas that air tend to have toxic, repetitive stories which are always concerned with family politics and cousin marriages, fresh and unique stories such as the ones that will air on GREEN TV have the potential to drastically change the kind of content audiences consume. These dramas, which are both well-written and well-made, can influence other channels and their producers to also generate content that is out of the box and relevant to our society. If this kind of quality production is maintained, the Pakistani drama industry can reach unprecedented heights. Whether or not this channel lives up to the hype, remains to be seen.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021