Haute List: Dramas of 2021 that changed the narrative

2021 is the year that was rich in quality content as compared to its preceding years because we witnessed some incredible performances, meaty roles as well as good storylines. Despite the chaos in the world, our writers, directors, producers and actors managed to complete dramas to entertain the viewers in these gloomy times. It was refreshing to watch some content of substance, whether it was highlighting social stigmas, shattering stereotypes or starting new conversations. Unfortunately, there aren’t still many stories like Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahi where social issues and stigmas get addressed without sugar coating and theatrics. So, let’s enter 2022 with a wish and hope that mainstream channels create opportunities to tell more meaningful stories, so that writers and actors can become a part of content that has substance and soul. Take a look at dramas that we loved this year:  

Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahi

A drama that surpassed all expectations in introducing new storylines and changing the run-of-the-mill narrative shown on Pakistani television is undoubtedly Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahi. Despite offering the best in terms of script, screenplay, acting, direction and production, DNUTN is still an underrated gem which remained in shadows because it didn’t air on any of the three big entertainment channels.  The drama pointed out the many levels of human resilience, will power, sacrifice and selflessness with characters like Allah Rakhi, Sawera, Zulfi, TM, Jimmy and Najma Begum. It also unveiled the horrific face of society where humanity is dead; parents are selling or abusing their children in the face of adversity, those responsible for the safety of the citizens are involved in women trafficking and sex trafficking, corruption is eating away the core of law and order. It exposed how vulnerable mindsets are misused by sexual predators and abusive teachers.     Kudos to Kashf Foundation, writer Amna Mufti, TV One and director Kashif Nisar for making this masterpiece. The drama featured some of the finest performances by Naveed Shahzad, Samiya Mumtaz, Yumna Zaidi, Yasra Rizvi, Wahaj Ali, Omair Rana, Naumaan Ijaz, Noor ul Hassan, Kashif Mehmood and all child actors who breathed life into these characters that will be remembered for a long time.  

Raqeeb Se

Raqeeb Se is another story about flawed characters a nd complex emotions that exist in our society and are not talked about. It marks the debut of singer turned actor Hadiqa Kiani opposite veterans like Naumaan Ejaz and Sania Saeed as well as a ace performers like Iqra Aziz and Faryal Mehmood. A women-centric story, written by Bee Gul, sets a benchmark by showing a wife facing her husband’s first love and not complaining, whining and throwing a tantrum about it.     Throughout the drama, one had doubts over Sakina’s intentions and feared that Maqsood sahab would be a weak man who might take it all as an opportunity to finally marry his lost love. However, the final episodes made the audience see that not everything is black and white. No character is completely good or bad; they are, in fact, a result of their circumstances and choices. The drama taught us that it is okay for women to get out of a toxic or unfulfilling relationship. It also emphasized that not all sacrifices should be expected from women which is necessary to end the cycle of abuse.  

Parizaad

Based on Hashim Nadeem’s novel, Parizaad is a masterpiece which showed flawed human relationships through the perspective of a dark skinned man, Parizaad, who is treated as an outcast because he doesn’t fit into the accepted norms of ‘beauty’ in our society. His physical appearance gets in the way of every possible opportunity in his life. Parizaad is one of the finest TV dramas currently airing on television and the primary reason behind its popularity is its interesting plot that explores impressive and out-of-the-box storylines and characters that give us a much-needed break from run-of-the-mill family dramas and toxic love triangles.     Ahmed Ali Akbar’s portrayal of Parizaad, an unconfident and self-doubting man who is loyal to his core is undoubtedly brilliant. The women that he comes across during his journey, from a pauper to a business tycoon, are all relatable despite being extraordinary and unusual. They are unopposed by characteristics such morals, gender, sexuality, social class and much more, which is not a norm on TV. The women in the life of Parizaad are neither good nor bad but are nuanced and this very characteristic adds more depth and charisma to their personalities. Credit to writer Hashim Nadeem and director Shahzad Kashmiri and all the actors who have aced their respective roles.  

Dobara

Dobara starring Hadiqa Kiani and Bilal Abbas Khan as leads is an unconventional pairing and that is the USP of the drama. It portrays the story of a woman — Mehru — who was forced at a young age to marry a much older man Hidayatullah (Naumaan Ejaz). She was forced to leave all her friends, passions, interests and conform to a lifestyle that she didn’t like, only to please her husband. After all these sacrifices, now that she is a widow, the society is again forcing her to conform to its standards. Robbed of her childhood and individuality, Mehru (Hadiqa) isn’t ready to bow down again to seek approval of her children.     Similarly, it also narrates the story of a young lad, Mahir (Bilal), who has two families yet he has no home. His parents and their respective spouses blame him continuously for his carelessness, however, nobody considers that he has grown up in a broken family and is his own baggage. Mehru and Mahir cross paths and became each other’s confidant. Directed by Danish Nawaz and written by Sarwat Nazir, the drama intelligently addresses societal taboos including a widow’s status in society and life of children from broken families.  

Aakhir Kab Tak

Though wrapped in cliched plots, Aakhir Kab Tak is a drama that had an engaging storyline with relatable characters and inspiring performances. It touched about social stigmas like sexual abuse, harassment, predatory behavior, victim shaming and silencing the victim quite brilliantly. Srha Asghar, Ushna Shah, Azfar Rehman, Adeel Husain and Juveria Abbasi impressed everyone with their characters. Ushna as a strong and fearless girl like Noor is a role model for modern-day women. Adeel Husain (Nasir) and Haroon Shahid (Saim) showed how men should be.     Written by Radain Shah and directed by Syed Ali Raza Usama, Aakhir Kab Tak is a brave attempt to show the amount of verbal, marital and sexual abuse women face in household and that any person can be a sexual predator.  

Pardes

Sarmad Khoosat and Shaista Lodhi brought to our television screens a heart touching story in the form of Pardes. The drama narrates the story of several Pakistanis who have had to sacrifice their family life to build a future for those they love and care for. While going abroad and earning foreign currency seems like a tempting idea to many, it is not as easy as it looks. Sometimes, due to financial issues and responsibilities, people are forced to make the decision and leave their families and homelands. Pardes is a story dedicated to those who leave their homeland in order to earn a living for their families back home.    

Jo Bichar Gaye

Jo Bichar Gaye talks about revolt, riot and rebellion, and is based on real events from 1971 Indo-Pak War, including the Fall of Dhaka. The drama highlights major events, cyclone, flood, election and much more, that occurred before 1971 that led to an unrest. Starring Maya Ali, Wahaj Ali and Talha Chahour in the main cast, the drama boasts of prominent names like Nadia Jamil, Adnan Jaffar, Fazal Hussain amongst others.     The story is taken from author Col Z. I. Farrukh’s novel and he is shown as the protagonist (played by Talha), who is a newly appointed Captain in Dhaka and he is taken aback by the drastic situation in the eastern wing of Pakistan. He was posted in the intelligence unit and what follows is the version of events that he saw during his time. The story of Jo Bichar Gaye has multiple layers and it is nearly impossible to concisely put it in words so early. It is dissecting many chapters of our history but it is refreshing that the drama is showing more than one perspective, biased or not is yet to be seen.  

Sinf e Aahan

It was like a far fetched dream after watching Alpha Bravo Charlie that one day we get to see a women-centric drama based on Pakistan army and military training. ARY Digital and ISPR has made it possible with Nadeem Baig’s direction and extraordinary producers like Humayun Saeed’s Six Sigma Plus and Samina Humayun Saeed and Sana Shahnawaz’s Next Level Entertainment. Sinf-e-Aahan aims to build a progressive and strong narrative for women, especially women who are inducted in the army.     Written by Umera Ahmed, it features an ensemble cast including Sajal Aly, Yumna Zaidi, Kubra Khan, Ramsha Khan, Syra Yousuf, Dananeer Mobeen and Sri Lankan actress Yehali Tashiya. The male cast includes Ali Rehman Khan, Asim Azhar, Usman Mukhtar, Sheheryar Munawar amongst many more prominent names. Like Ehd e Wafa, Sinf-e-Aahan is going to be the next big drama that will be watched and loved by the masses for it quality storytelling and impressive perfromances.  

Dramas that started important conversations despite loopholes

Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay is one drama that is full of loopholes, so much so that social media is full of memes, jokes and GIFs about its characters and storyline. Despite showing a very toxic man and equally pressurizing and toxic women as some of the ideal characters, the show did one thing right. It started a conversation about mistakes of parents that ruin families and generations, especially children. Children belonging to dysfunctional families are always judged in the shadow of their parents. It also sheds light on the very many forms of domestic abuse, which is not just limited to physical threats.     Similarly, Ishq e Laa also doesn’t have a very convincing plot as of yet but one particular thing that stood out is how Yumna Zaidi as Azka tackles workplace harassment and didn’t brush the issue under the carpet. She confidently pointed out the power dynamic behind Azlan’s harsh behavior. Her brother Sultan (Sohail Sameer) also didn’t shy away from taking a stand and leaving an employer who didn’t speak against harassment. It is another debate how he didn’t believe Azka when she was wrongfully accused of having a secret affair. However, these are the right kind of values to be instilled in our new generation.