Pakistani dramas are at most family orientated, with heart-gushing stories centered around the tangled dynamics between parents, siblings, cousins, and phuppos. While shows like ‘Diyar-E-Dil’ and ‘Bin Roye’ are your go-to dramas for a little quality time with your amma and abba, there is a whole bundle of dramas you just can’t watch with them (god bless their souls)… I mean I love you mama, but I can’t sit through a really romantic scene without you eyeing my every movement LOL. It’s also worse with the grandparents…Nani you are my angel but the way you go off on your beautiful little tirades about a scene that somehow lead to my own personal afflictions in life is honestly UNBEARABLE.
So, here are 11 dramas that you can’t honestly watch with your parentals if you want any sukoon and a break from ALL those incessant LECTURES that slowly internally kill you. They’re gorgeous guilty pleasures to indulge in, so here you go!
‘Besharam’
Saba Qamar is the outspoken, valliant model with a brain who isn’t deterred from society’s bounds. She gets herself into a bet with aspiring (and HOT AF) politician Zahid Ahmed and they end up married (I know, hot right). They’re both profoundly different at surface – class, social circle and stature, but deep down they’re both gorgeous tulips from the same meadow.
‘Alif Allah Aur Insaan’
You’ve got high-end courtesans, you’ve got transgenders looking for love, and you’ve got heartbreaks ripe in this outstanding drama. It’s busy, it’s bustling and it’s the perfect binge watch if you want some alone time to let your imaginations run wild. Starring Mikaal Zulfiqar, Kubra Khan, Ushna Shah, Shahzad Sheikh and Imran Ashraf, this multi-layered drama has all the naughty plots you wouldn’t really want to watch with the elders.
‘Qurban’
Iqra Aziz’s character falls in love with Bilal Abbas Khan, a humble boy from a lower class than her own. It’s screaming “nahiiiiiii Iman beti aisa na karna” and that’s why I love it so much. The adventure entailing this aching romance is two-fold – at first, it’s completely romanticised, but you’re shown the more rigid side to the love story eventually where life is hardly ever on your side.
‘Mann Mayal’
A girl is forbidden to marry a poor teacher (Hamza Ali Abbasi), so marries into an arranged marriage with an abusive asshole (Gohar Rasheed). It’s fabulous and despite some really obvious problems brimming the storyline, it’s a great guilty pleasure to dive into because Hamza looks absolutely beautiful (and you can’t help lust over him, and you CANNOT drool in front of your parents can YOU).
‘Woh Ek Pal’
Ayesha Khan is the single mother who is pursued by the younger Feroze Khan (who basically kills her son in an accidental crime). Their duo is so delicious, it’s beautiful to watch, and honestly, Feroze Khan is the bad boy you just can’t help fall for. He’s a treat and it’s so wonderful watching Ayesha Khan as the older woman who falls in love all over again. While our rigid elder communities might frown upon a mother falling in love with a younger man (cue generation gap), it’s a projection of life and how unpredictable it is.
‘Shehr E Zaat’
Mahira Khan plays a hopeless romantic infatuated with a narcissistic, and while it’s obviously something we wouldn’t ever wish, the entire drama is all about how you can’t help who you love, and watching it I felt incredibly drawn to Mahira’s character. She’s self-destructive, flawed and so human.
‘Dil Lagi’
This drama wins at glorifying a gunda (Humayun Saeed) who’s got all the money in the world but yearns for love. While the drama successfully wins at making you fall in love with him, despite all his corruption, it’s one of those dramas you hate to love. It’s gutsy and Mehwish Hayat is the girl you just strive to be like. Their dynamic is intense, with moments between the two you can’t help lust over.
‘Baaghi’
I LOVED LOVED LOVED Saba’s character. She loosely played contentious media star Qandeel Baloch and while there was a mushrooming division between those who thought she was confident, bold and brave (me), and those who thought she was far too liberal (a term very misconstrued and ambiguous these days), regardless – it’s a show that will get you inspired by Saba’s character nonetheless.
‘Visaal’
Zahid Ahmed is the con-artist who gnaws his way around life. He’s SUCH a bad boy and is the epitome of the type of man you know is completely wrong for you, but you just can’t help it (cue ALL Taylor Swift songs). He’s the boy your parents HATE, and the boy you dream of. It’s such a great show, and it’s still on air so catch it now! It also stars Hania Aamir and Saboor Aly, and what you end up getting is a lovely little love triangle with all sorts of great twists to keep you on the edge of your seat.
‘Sadqay Tumhare’
An oldie goldie, ‘Sadqay Tumhare’ stars Mahira Khan and Adnan Malik as two star-crossed lovers at odds. At first glance, it might seem like a family show, but it really isn’t. There are such heart-wrenching dialogues of love and longing, you’ll let out a yelp of aching each time you see Mahira and Adnan on-screen together. Every scene is incredibly intense, and you’ll need a fan with you to cool the temperature down.
‘Ishq Tamasha’
Junaid Khan is an innocent man swept up in the accidental kidnapping of Aiman Khan. He’s a good, kind soul, but is trapped up in a god-awful situation where he now has to give Aiman a clean slate after shaming her in front of her family – and while we can’t deny what he did was just plain wrong, you’ll end up rooting for him and Aiman – because what’s a love story without calamities?
Have we missed out on any dramas? Let us know in the comments below!