Written by: Saman Khalid
Posted on: December 29, 2023 | 
| 中文
Sabeena Farooq and Muhammad Ehteshamuddin in Kabli Pulao
2023 was a year brimming with flashy trends and high-octane dramas for the television industry of Pakistan. While on one hand Pakistani television rose to international fame with blockbuster shows, on the other, a steep decline in the quality of content was also observed. Amid numerous controversies and newfound stardom, 2023 emerged as quite an eventful year for the showbiz world. In this article we will recap the entire year and critically analyze the dramas that kept the Pakistani population glued to their screens.
Tere Bin: The unparalleled winner in this category is without a doubt the Yumna-Wahaj starrer Tere Bin, which bagged a grand total of 3 billion+ views on YouTube and the highest Television Rating Points (TRP) recorded in the past three years. Patrons adored the explosive chemistry between the lead actors, and looked forward to their budding romance every week. While the show boasted powerful performances, it was marred by a ridiculous script and objectionable themes.
Mujhay Pyar Hua Tha: The Big Bang production starring Wahaj Ali and Hania Amir stirred up considerable buzz when it aired on television, with every episode bringing in 15M+ views. The show's OST (Official Sound Track) Kahaani Suno, initially attracted a large audience. However, the actual story turned out to be lackluster and dragged throughout.
FairyTale: HUM TV's Ramadan rom-com garnered an unexpectedly huge audience of devoted fans that fell in love with the leads' romantic chemistry and the spontaneity of the heroine. Catching onto the undeniable hype, HUM TV recently released a sequel to the show, which was equally well-received by the audience. All in all, FairyTale seems to have been a clear winner on all accounts. It brought to the scene an impeccable mélange of humor, romance and refreshing family dynamics.
(L to R) Wahaj Ali, Hania Amir and Zaviyaar Ejaz in Mujhe Pyar Hua Tha
Kabuli Pulao: Green TV's mega-hit Kabuli Pulao featured an unconventional love story between a young Afghan girl and an aged man. Starring Sabeena Farooq and Ehtashamuddin, the drama was rife with authenticity and emotion. Masterful direction meets incredible acting caliber in this 16-episode drama that left an indelible impression on every viewer. The show was hailed as the best drama of 2023, by just about every drama critic on the block.
Sar-e-Rah: This mini-series released by ARY featured a collection of 6 stories centering around the various problems faced by women in our country. Backed by impressive performers like Saba Qamar and others, Sar-e-Rah managed to completely win over the spectators. Each 40-minute episode did total justice to the story and the socially relevant themes it set out to tackle.
Jannant Se Agay: A unique show that effectively critiqued the insidious morning show culture prevalent in Pakistan. Written by the legendary Umera Ahmed, Jannat Se Agay got significant praise from fans and critics alike, for its honest portrayal of the typical challenges faced by Pakistani women.
Kuch Ankahi: Kashf Foundation is known for spearheading meaningful and hard-hitting projects, and Kuch Ankahi was no exception. Subtle messaging and impressive writing made this drama a noteworthy contender for the best drama category of 2023.
Bilal Abbas and Sajal Ali in Kuch Ankahi
Mayi Ri: While the drama dealt with a serious issue, the execution failed to deliver the intended impact. The meandering narrative created unnecessary confusion among the viewers, and the ending served as the final nail in the coffin.
Chaand Tara: This Ramadan rom-com written by Saima Akram Chaudry featured the popular couple Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor. Despite high expectations, the show clearly suffered from contrived comedy and a nauseating overdose of romance that rendered it totally bland.
Mujhe Pyar Hua Tha: A weak and repetitive story coupled with characters not properly developed, made this drama insufferable. The initial episodes had some promise, but it did not take long for the expectations to dissipate.
Jurm: The original concept of this thriller drama was fresh. The execution, however, felt extremely anticlimactic and underwhelming. As a result, it failed to create a good precedent for the industry to follow.
Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor in Chand Tara
Razia: This mini-series aired on Express TV and featured Mahira Khan. It essentially weaved a story of female resilience and empowerment over the span of merely 6 episodes. Fantastic direction, power-packed performances and nuanced writing, came together to give birth to this masterpiece that remained unappreciated by the viewers.
Neem: A refreshing drama set across a serene backdrop, also managed to highlight a number of relevant social issues, including education and female empowerment.
Arslan Naseer and Mawra Hocane in Neem
Sabeena Farooq in Kabuli Pulao: From the Pashtun accent to the little intricacies of mannerisms, Sabeena aced every aspect of Barbeena's character. She totally immersed herself in the narrative and came up with a spectacularly convincing performance.
Wahaj Ali in Tere Bin: Through his expressive eyes and emotive demeanor, Wahaj Ali became the biggest star of 2023 for his incredible portrayal of Murtasim in the mega hit Tere Bin.
Sehar Khan in FairyTale: While many actors have attempted the bubbly girl character type, Sehar Khan fully nailed Umeed's chirpy personality in FairyTale. She appeared effortlessly animated on screen that made for a very natural on-screen persona.
Mahira Khan in Razia: Razia was a difficult project that required a fine balance between maturity and emotion. Mahira Khan, with her on-point facial expressions and voice modulation, made the storyteller's role unbelievably compelling.
Mahira Khan in Razia
BEST Original Soundtracks (OSTs)
1. Kahaani Suno- Mujhe Pyar Hua Tha
2. Bewafai- Tere Bin
3. Ankhein- Kabuli Pulao
4. Ussay Faaslon Pe- Jhoom
5. Dildara- Kuch Ankahi
On the whole, 2023 was all about commercial hits with a few dashes of quality content in between. Even the best dramas failed to match up to the legacy of the masterpieces released over the previous years. A rise was recorded in the number of mediocre dramas, and very often the quality of a show couldn't justify its popularity. The dramas that actually deserved recognition stayed under the radar for some reason. At the same time, a degradation of scripts was also noticed, with problematic themes like marital abuse and casual infidelity being normalized. That being said, it can be hoped that 2024 will seek to correct the flaws of the past year and bring about an improvement in both the content and production of television drama serials.
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