If you know of Pakistani dramas that are similar to the following, in terms of quality of story and acting/direction, I’d appreciate it if you could share some names.
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Shehr Zaat*, Mere Charagar, Tum Ho Ke Chup, Dastaan, Dil Diya Dehleez, Saiqa, etc. So basically with some sort of a deeper message. But also well made.
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
I found Saiqa to be filmy. So, I never watched it to completion. I like Malal; it's one of my favorites...or perhaps it's the one I like best. I'm surprised it's not listed as often as other dramas, which tend to have some degree of filminess. For example, Humsafar, as popular as it was ...was ott and filmy in parts. I liked Shehr-e-Zaat though...it provided me with food for though and encourages spiritual reflection. Malal deals with taboo relationships...not because they're haraam,..but because our culture treats it as taboo....and it deals with obsession and being careless with your internet interactions and using them for an ego boost at the expense of others....two relationships that run parallel to one another but are flipped or opposite. I found it to be fresh..more with the times...a change from the more filmi stuff. If you're used yo the latter, you may not like it so much. There were a couple things I would have improvised, but overall I liked it.
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
Mann-o-Salwa, Daam, Doraha
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
daam, meri zaat zar e benishan even the recent kankar
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
'Ulloo Barae Farokht Nahin' with a strong message.
Durr e Shahwar.. Good story and message
If you liked Dil Diya Dehleez by Yasir nawaz, then message-wise, his serial 'Jannat se nikali huwi aurat' was better.
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
I personally didn't like Man-o-Salwa. It dragged on and on. Casting could have been better too.
Dil Diya Dehleez was way too long as well, but I liked the storyline and suspense.
Loved Durr-e-Shahwar, Tum Ho Ke Chup (omg, so haunting!), first half of Dastaan, Meri Zaat Zarra-e-Benishaan, and Doraha. Shehr-e-Zaat was ok - didn't like the ending or the lead actress.
Humsafar is overrated and too filmy.
Suggestions for you -
1) Ishq Junoon Deewangee
2) Maat
3) Kankar
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
How could I forget Durr e Shahwar? That was such a smooth and beautifully put together drama. Everyone acted well, the delivery, background music..all flowed nicely.
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
Sold on Malaal.
I've seen Durre Shahwar and I keep hearing about Meri Zaat... So perhaps that next?
Redvelvet, I'll be sure to report back on Malaal and I'll probably finish in a couple days. Thanks :)
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
I personally didn't like Man-o-Salwa. It dragged on and on. Casting could have been better too.
Dil Diya Dehleez was way too long as well, but I liked the storyline and suspense.
Loved Durr-e-Shahwar, Tum Ho Ke Chup (omg, so haunting!), first half of Dastaan, Meri Zaat Zarra-e-Benishaan, and Doraha. Shehr-e-Zaat was ok - didn't like the ending or the lead actress.
Humsafar is overrated and too filmy.
Suggestions for you - 1) Ishq Junoon Deewangee 2) Maat 3) Kankar
I watched maat to the end, but I would not rate it among the cream of the crop in dramas or even out if Umera Ahmed's literary works...perhaps the novel is better. Maat was OTT....Saman was a Narcissist. Aiman was a pushover. And the guy in between them....was I dunno...aqal se mehroom? The only thing that they all had in common was low self-esteem....and too bad they couldn't bond over that. The drama could also be called "Mat" because kisi k paas mat nahi.
Meri zaat...alotta rona dhona.
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
I know judging a book by it’s cover isn’t ideal but* Ishq, Junoon, Deewangi *has such a terrible title and title-song! I just can’t get past that. I tried to watch Maat because it comes up often but couldn’t get into it. Watched the first two episodes and then skipped to the last and I think that was good enough.
Finished Malaal! Thanks for such a great recommendation, redvelvet. It is very relevant (hard to believe it’s 4 years old), and in-tuned with the current times. It doesn’t have many Bollywood type special-effects and cheesy romance or stunning outfits but it does have top notch script and excellent acting. Thanks again! 
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
^I couldn't sympathize with Danish. I could sympathize with Saifi's hurt and anger despite his actions. But not so much for Danish because I feel that the main reason he went back to Mahi was because he found himself all alone and not because he felt remorse/guilt...that even his return to Mahi was more about him.
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
^I couldn't sympathize with Danish. I could sympathize with Saifi's hurt and anger despite his actions. But not so much for Danish because I feel that the main reason he went back to Mahi was because he found himself all alone and not because he felt remorse/guilt...that even his return to Mahi was more about him.
I don't think we were meant to sympathize with him. He was a grade A loser of a man. There are so many women who end up being mothers to such useless men and for years and then get hurt badly. I'm annoyed at those types equally for being so naive and selfless to a fault.
Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
Quaid e tanhai and Rehaii are excellent dramas. Humsafar was very hyped up and alot of got caught in the hype. Watched second time and didn't find it as good. Kankar is also very good. Dastaan is good in the first half. Second half was too much.
Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
Bare Apa is also a breathe of fresh air. I really liked this one. mere Zaat Zara beenishan is an excellent one. Of course daam and doraha are excellent. Usually you can't go wrong with Umera Ahmed. Of course some of her dramas are better than others.
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
i really liked Mata-e-Jaan, Man-o-Salwa, MZZB and also liking Mohabbat Subh ka Sitara hai (Drama is more elaborated than the novelette)
Major disappointment for me was was ZGH. Even though the casting was good but watching ZGH was like I was seeing dramatization of some other novel (It was not that novel had some out of this world requirement).
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
Quaid e tanhai and Rehaii are excellent dramas. Humsafar was very hyped up and alot of got caught in the hype. Watched second time and didn't find it as good. Kankar is also very good. Dastaan is good in the first half. Second half was too much.
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Qaid e Tanh*ai was good mainly because of Saveira. I'll check out the promos for Rehai.
Bare Apa is also a breathe of fresh air. I really liked this one. mere Zaat Zara beenishan is an excellent one. Of course daam and doraha are excellent. Usually you can't go wrong with Umera Ahmed. Of course some of her dramas are better than others.
*Bari Apa w*as different; I just recently finished it, satisfying ending!
i really liked Mata-e-Jaan, Man-o-Salwa, MZZB and also liking Mohabbat Subh ka Sitara hai (Drama is more elaborated than the novelette)
Major disappointment for me was was ZGH. Even though the casting was good but watching ZGH was like I was seeing dramatization of some other novel (It was not that novel had some out of this world requirement).
Mata e Jaan was based on an English novel I read long time ago - so naturally, I thought they ruined a good book. ZGH started off great - I thought it was going to be a strong societal critique but it end up being more about men/women ego wars, etc.
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
Mata e Jaan was based on an English novel I read long time ago - so naturally, I thought they ruined a good book.
there is a high possibility that Farhat Ishtiaq took a plot of some other novel but I have read a little bit of Farhat Ishtaq's Mata-e-Jaan and quite frankly it was one of the tortuous read of my life. so you can imagine that its dramatization was beyond my expectations.
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
Talkhiyan - I just finished watching it. It’s epic and I’m not using that lightly. The screenplay adaptation, the cast, the acting/direction/cinematography, the background score - it’s a complete package. All praises for Khalid Ahmad for bringing this screenplay to life.
That said, Express Entertainment channel should really be disappointed in themselves as they missed a huge opportunity to promote this gem while it was airing.
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
talkhiyan, talkhiyan, talkhiyan. I can totally see it garnering critical acclaim at some international platform.
Re: Cream of the crop Pakistani dramas
'Mera yaqeen' by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat is also one of the good projects direction and acting-wise. I don't know why it didn't get that attention as Sarmad's other works.