Picture courtesy: www.hotinpakistan.com
Pakistani dramas have successfully got their feet wet across the border in India. Indian TV channel Zee Zindagi is airing Pakistani shows which have made the Indian audience, as well as celebrities, crazy after them. These shows have paved the way for Pakistani culture’s penetration in the neighboring country because of their authentic and distinctive stories as compared to the ones produced. But the question is: why are Pakistani shows getting so popular in India? Let us explore some of the possible reasons:
Realistic And Believable Stories
The stories presented in Pakistani dramas are realistic, and common people can relate to them. The problems, circumstances and situations portrayed in Pakistani dramas are authentic and the way these problems are tackled by the characters is simple and convincing for the viewers.
On the other hand, Indian serials have nothing which connects them to daily life. They show irrational events like people coming alive after death, being reborn multiple times, and undergoing plastic surgeries after accidents and getting completely new faces.
The Plot
Pakistani writers and directors focus on a well-prepared and centralized plot in which characters and their roles are well-defined. In Hindi serials, on the other hand, there is no scheme of events. A Pakistani drama puts its foundation on unique stories which are based on social issues and has great variety in its topics. It does not repeat beat up issues like saas bahu fights or fantasies of love.
Sensible Evolution of Characters
Pakistani serials show a character progressing under changing circumstances. Such ups and downs and events are created in the drama which mold the character according to the situation. Take, for example, Khirad in Humsafar, who changed from a coy and shy girl on being thrown out of her husband’s house to a bold and courageous mother. Similarly, in Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Kashaf’s behaviour of ingratitude towards Allah changed into contentment and happiness upon getting the life she desired.
End in a Short Time Period
The best thing about Pakistani drama serials is that they end within a short time period in which a passionate story is narrated. If compared with Hindi TV serials, their longer span makes the story senseless which puzzles the viewers. But our serials give a proper, moral based end within a restricted time period. Even Bollywood actress Kajol said in an interview praising Pakistani dramas: “Indian television producers have to learn a great deal from Pakistani dramas, which are much shorter and crispier in comparison.”
No Over-Acting
The characters in Pakistani serials are thoughtful and more natural. They act according to the situation without overdoing any action and use straight forward and decent language to convey their idea. There is no repetition of dialogues in our dramas like in Indian dramas Haaye Rabba or Main Marjawa, which annoys the viewers. The focus of Pakistani television directors is on quality performance, not on stuffing the show with pointless events in order to extend them.
Decent and Realistic Appearance
One of the most obvious differences between Pakistani and Indian actresses is that of appearance. Pakistani actresses are dressed in an elegant manner, unlike Indian actresses who are shown working in the kitchen with heavy clothes and jewelry on. A common scene from an Indian drama: a girl is dressed in heavily embellished clothes and flashy jewelry, and her mother in law comes and says, “Aray abhi tak aise hi phir rai ho? Jao ja kar tayyar ho kar aao!”
Pakistani dramas do not display unneeded extravagance – or maybe that’s just our culture?
