It is pleasing to watch Pakistani dramas shift away from traditional domestic conflicts and predictable family narratives.
Though the dramas haven't undergone a dramatic shift and the family stories still exist, today's audiences want stories on serious social issues with completely developed characters, and they don't mind if they are flawed, because honestly, every human is.
And that is the beauty of these stories that shines on screen these days. The stories that, most importantly, seem to offer respect to our time through their tighter storytelling. Dar-e-Nijaat and Mitti De Baway are the two strongest recent examples that I follow myself religiously.
ARY Digital's Dar-e-Nijaat is written by Umera Ahmed, whose writings are mostly romantic fiction and consist of deep spiritual themes and social realism. Personal redemption and faith-focused narratives remain the highlight of her dramas, which show the complex realities of women's dignity and life choices. But this time, the man shown in her story is a benchmark set for our society's women that they now dream of. However, the character portrayed is flawed in several ways too. The emotional hooks conveyed through accessible language have made a home in audiences' hearts for the same reason.
Green Entertainment's Mitti De Baway is written by Faiza Iftikhar and directed by Syed Wajahat Hussain. The drama has gained significant traction for being a phenomenal fictional creation of authentic social issues prevalent in 1990s Punjab, rooted deeply in social divides, caste discrimination, family honor, and feudal tensions. Though it might be a familiar genre, it is supported by layered writing, brilliant performances--not only from leads but from supporting actors as well--a true depiction of Punjabi culture through spot-on dialect and powerful execution.
One of the fascinating elements of this drama is how morally complex its characters are. They keep changing the course of the story, each holding their own mysteries and keeping the audience wanting more with every episode. Even the teaser for the following week's episode keeps the audience invested, as they can't wait to see what unfolds next. This leaves viewers with plenty to discuss throughout the week, an element that was missing from dramas released five years ago and even earlier.
Though the drama still revolves around familiar cultural and social themes and hasn't drastically changed conventional tropes, what works in its favor is how it approaches these familiar elements while demanding greater attention to detail. Of course, much of the discussion surrounding the drama also takes place online, thanks to social media, whose widespread influence was nowhere near as significant five years ago in this regard.
But an engaging storyline and complex characters can only take a drama so far; its execution matters as much. People have become accustomed to fast-paced content, and a recently concluded drama, Zanjeerain, bored me to hell, not because of its impressive ensemble and intriguing premise, but simply because of its pacing. Some scenes stretched to three minutes, showing nothing but characters' contemplative faces and past memories. I wouldn't want half of a 30-40 minute episode to be spent on retrospection. How is the story supposed to move forward then?
Mahira Khan's 2011 drama Neeyat faced major public backlash, with critics particularly pointing out its slow and predictable tempo. Despite coming from a notable director like Mehreen Jabbar, the drama failed to appeal to audiences and critics alike, as its execution felt dragged out and the character arcs seemed unnecessary, contributing little to the overall story.
Now, the same Mahira Khan is praised for her performance in Mitti De Baway, mainly hailed for a narrative full of curiosity. As compared to dramas like Neeyat, with a strong cast and similar themes, Mitti De Baway, again with a strong cast, has managed to pull the audiences in. This shows how Pakistani dramas have evolved over time and generated discussions about minute details that weren't noted long ago.
Today's audiences are equally moved by emotional stories, as they successfully maintain narrative momentum in each episode, and not just one. The difference couldn't necessarily be the themes but how they are brought to life on screen. Every aspect of the drama is carefully considered and planned, including how an actor's makeup and dressing add meaning to the character, how their sitting and standing postures create an impact, and how even the lush curtains in a room do not make sense in a scene depicting a rural home. Every detail matters, something that was often overlooked in dramas of the past, whose stories were relatively simpler.
Echoes is an opinion column on film and television from the perspective of a writer based in Pakistan.