Pakistani dramas, while being our sole source of entertainment what with their impeccable writing and breathtaking acting, do unfortunately have a tendency to be repetitive, often recycling the same tropes to the point of utter exhaustion. We decided to ask our ShowSha followers what they were sick of seeing over and over again in our dramas.
We asked our Instagram followers, all ardent drama aficionados, their thoughts on what themes they’re fed up with
And here are the most common answers…
Weak women
Fans are tired of seeing the usual damsel in distress, waiting for her knight in shining armor; ‘I want to see action and more thrillers with strong women.’ A few expressed how ‘girls are always shown weak and are mostly crying. They never show the power of [the] woman.’ Women are left voiceless and oppressed, and despite it stemming from reality it’s something that fans feel needs to end – ‘women are always shown as the victim, and they now need to be shown as their own heroes, who knows? It’ll inspire us.’ Fans are sick of seeing how bechari larkiyan don’t answer back when someone abuses them.
‘Rona Dhona’
The incapability of protagonists to hold themselves together within the storyline has proven an annoyance for many. ‘Miserable’ women are becoming all the more familiar, especially ‘stereotypical rondu wives.’ We find female characters ‘crying because of men and it’s precisely this that has to STOP.’
Abuse
A trope across our dramas is abuse, but it’s become a salvaging process where stories have become predictable. ‘Aurat pe zulm, aurat pe zulm aur aurat pe zulm! That’s all we seem to see these days, with no new angle.’ It’s never the other way around where men are abused, rather it’s always the woman who ends up beaten or emotionally bedridden by her spouse (again, something true to our society, but far too prevalent). ‘Men are the ones who hold the power – they destroy the woman, end up ruining her and move on.’
Multiple Marriages
‘Talaaq, aur phir shaadi aur phir talaaq aur phir shaadi’ – it’s a perpetuating cycle. Second marriages are the plot twist we all, unfortunately, except when the female protagonist marries someone she doesn’t love, while her soulmate pines for her. Cousin marriages was also another common answer among fans.
Romance
There are other genres that are yet unchartered territories in our dramas; horror, thriller, action and even sci-fi; ‘romance doesn’t have to be the only theme, it can be incorporated but doesn’t have to be 100% of the plot.’
A rich guy falling for a poor girl
An overly utilized trope across our dramas, fans are sick of witnessing the rich boy defying his parents by falling in love with a girl from a poorer background – ‘they’re not bringing anything new to the table, it’s the same bullshit.’
Too many issue-based dramas, with zero balance
‘There are so many issue-based dramas these days rather than fun-filled, entertaining based serials these days,’ says a fan. ‘We want more dramas like ‘Suno Chanda,’ where it’s just good fun.’ Writers are favoring societal problems to write about, trumping lighthearted comedy scripts that would ‘ease our already stressful days trying to adapt to Pakistani regression.’
Love triangles
‘Is there really nothing more enticing than a love triangle?’
Stalking being the equivalent to love
Fans brought up ‘Mera Naam Yousuf Hai’ as an example of how Imran Abbas’s character was projected as someone deeply in love through his eery stalking skills. It’s become common in most dramas, whereby a man will invade the woman’s space, almost seeking pleasure out of following her – a pursuit where all the thrill is in the chase.
Women not working
‘The role of the woman in almost EVERY drama has her in full glam makeup, cooking or waiting for her man to come home from work.’ The dawn of stay-at-home wives is over, with a larger proportion of Pakistani women venturing out into society and working. ‘Why don’t they show more working women, women who are powerful?’ Fans condemned the unrealistic ‘beauty standards’ coupled with women at home too.
What are you sick of seeing in Pakistani dramas?
We Asked You Your Most Favorite Dialogues From Pakistani Dramas, Here Are Your Answers
We Asked Which Pakistani Drama Scene Made You Cry The Most, Here Are Your Answers