Before there were 300 million channels on Pakistani television showing 8 episodes of, not only Pakistani dramas but international ones, as well, there was PTV. And the dramas that used to air, then, can never be matched again. I’m not saying that the dramas coming out in today’s day and age are bad, or anything…it’s just that the sheer quality of the script, the refinement of the actors, and the thehrao of each drama was immaculate.

Here’s a list of my top favorites from the era of 480p cameras:

1. Tanhaiyaan

Haseena Moin has got to be one of the top literary queens of the Pakistani drama industry, and she’s the force behind Tanhaiyaan. The serial touched millions of hearts just by the simplicity and beauty of dialogue and its story line. The story revolves around two sisters, Shehnaz Sheikh and Marina Khan who receive news of their parents’ untimely death, and how their lives are shaped. With Behroze Subzwari, Marina Khan, Badar Khalil, Durdana Butt, Imtiaz Ahmed, Asif Raza Mir and many more in the cast, it was little wonder the show did as brilliantly as it did!

2. Waris

Those who watched Waris at the time when it was aired fondly remember how the streets would be deserted at the time the drama would be on air. Discussing the social impacts of feudalism, this drama was a masterpiece scripted by renowned poet and writer Amjad Islam Amjad with Ghazanfar Ali taking up the directorial duties. Adding to its appeal was the remarkable acting prowess shown by actors such as Abid Ali and Jamil Fakhri.

3. Qurat ul Ain

Qurat ul Ain is the story of a young man who wants to join the Air Force, and that’s what is entire life revolve arounds. He’s also in love with a girl, and the show shows how their lives progress. His world completely begins to fall apart when he realize that he’s losing his eyesight.

4. Dhoop Kinarey

Dhoop Kinaray was the show that first established Marina Khan and Rahat Kazmi as the best on-screen couple. The chemistry between them made it one of the most memorable dramas from PTV history. Written by Haseena Moin and directed by Saira Kazmi, the drama definitely set standards for all others to come.

5. Mah e Kanna

Mah e Kanna was the perfect love story but one that never set out to be a love story. A younger man falling in love with an older woman, how they started off as strangers and how that affected their lives, from there on.

6. Family Front

Before we got Modern Family, we got our dose of dysfunctional families from Family Front.

7. 50/50

I don’t think anything’s ever been funnier!

8. Aangan Therha

Aangan Therha is full of laughter, and a show that covered multiple issues of Pakistani society. It was created by Qaisar Farooq, in which every episode encompassed different story, but sometimes the main focus shifted to electoral matters and political problems. Salim Nasir, Bushra Ansari, Shakeel, Durdana Butt, and Arshad Mahmood were the charming faces of this comedy play.

9. Andhera Ujala

Qavi Khan, one of the best actor of his time played a role of a Police Officer, who along with his team caught criminals who broke the laws and harm fellow beings. The main reason through which this serial got success is because the writer Younus Javeed beautiful penned down the main issues that our society was facing at that time. Irfan Khoosat, Nazir Hussaini, Mehboob Alam, and Jameel Fakhri were co-stars with Qavi Khan.

10. Kasak

Kasak is another intelligent piece written by Haseena Moin, which revolved around a couple who faced problems in their marriage, and ended up getting divorce. Rubina Ashraf was the central actress, who was supported by other actors like Fazeela Qazi, Qazi Wajid, Farah Naz, Seemi Zaidi, Tanveer Jamal and Jahanzeb Gorchani.

11. Teesra Kinara

Teesra Kinara came out in the late 1970’s and was based on Russian-American novelist Ayn Rand’s novel ‘Fountainhead’.

12. Mirat ul Uroos

Based on the novel by NazirAhmed Dehlvi, the play revolves around the themes of the promotion of female education in the Muslim and Indian society. The story is about two sisters, Akbari and Asghari, and how their lives progress throughout.

13. Ankahi

Ankahi is one of the most famous Pakistani dramas that is known for its witty dialogues and remarkable acting from actors like Shehnaz Sheikh, Javed Sheikh, Shakeel, Saleem Nasir, Behroz Sabzwari and Jamshed Ansari. Broadcast in the year 1982, Ankahi was written by Haseena Moin and directed by Shoaib Mansoor.

14. Aanch

Not a single drama in the history has presented the relationship of step mother and her step children as beautifully as Naheed Sultana did in Aanch. Shagufta Ejaz played the role of a step mother who tried very hard to win her step children’s hearts. Shafi Muhammad, Mehak Ali, Aesha Khan, Mehmood Ali and many others accompanied Shagufta Ejaz.

15. Man Chalay Ka Sauda

Man Chalay Ka Sauda was adapted from a classic novel of the same name by distinguished Urdu author and scholar Ashfaq Ahmad. Rashid Dar directed this classic PTV drama, which starred veteran actors like Firdous Jamal, Khayyam Sarhadi and Qavi Khan.

What’s your favorite throwback TV show to binge on?