Writer of hit drama serials like Bashar Momin, Cheekh, Balaa, Pyar Ke Sadqay and many more, Zanjabeel Asim Shah is a well known name in the industry. Her recently-concluded drama serial Fitoor received its fair share of criticism on the treatment of a lead female character. Dilnasheen, played by Hiba Bukhari, suffered at the hands of everyone around her, only to get back to her husband.
However, Fitoor was extremely popular on YouTube and received good ratings. This leads to the question about the kind of content channels want to endorse nowadays, and when will this race of ratings ever end? In a conversation with Hassan Choudary of Something Haute, Zanjabeel explained how it is a slippery slope to determine what will click with the audience, however, channels will always push content for the masses.
“Though Pyar Ke Sadqay was loved and appreciated, the fact is that it was a rejected script. I was given the script back after 10 episodes with a comment that no one would want to see this. It was Momal’s efficiency that it was made and that too with so much sincerity,” she added.
“There was much more depth and philosophy in my scripts when I initially started writing. If you watch Ek Nazar Meri Taraf, you will notice a huge difference in my writing style. Even up until Saat Pardoun Mein, I was adamant to write in my own style, then I was asked to work on Kaneez which was based on Indian soap style because that was popular and bringing ratings to that channel at that time. Later, one of my relatives, who saw it, complained that there was no reflection of me in that script and Noor ul Huda Shah rightly pointed that it wasn’t meant of him [as an audience],” she shared.
Read: Video: Audience doesn’t want to watch grey characters in dramas, says writer Zanjabeel Asim Shah
Talking about stories that provide agency to women, the writer expressed that she has many stories in mind. “I have a story which is titled ‘Tinkay Ka Sahara‘. I have 2 or 3 other stories including Meri Shehzadi Diana which I am very hopeful will be a revolutionary drama. There is also one in production with working title Aah. It is a 7th Sky Production and will air on Geo.
“The project is about many villages and households where girls are not allowed to visit gynaecologists because it is considered a taboo in our society. Even if they are suffering from any serious ailments, their family members don’t allow them because they think it will lead to rumours of abortion,” she said.
Watch the full interview:
