Here are three retrospective shows that couldn’t have existed if someone hadn’t bothered to write the book.
SLOUGH, ENGLAND:
Be it a cheesy love story set in Karachi (Burns Road Kay Romeo Juliet), or an action-packed family feud fueled by armed important characters (DuniyaPur), the effervescent Pakistani drama scene has something to offer everyone.
And not just TV fans. Book fans are also included in this broad embrace of the television industry. Not all dramatic scripts are born from the national desire to do away with meddlesome mothers-in-law (Noor Jahananyone?) Some are born from books. While the full list of Pakistani dramas adapted from novels is rich and extensive, here is a small selection of our favorite shows that wouldn’t have existed if someone hadn’t taken the trouble to write the book.
‘Parizad’ (2021)
Starring Ahmed Ali Akbar in the lead role in a cast that included Yumna Zaidi, Naumaan Ijaz and Saboor Ali, Parizaad charts the struggles of a man who wants to be accepted for who he is and not because of the color of his skin. Our hero has to choose between fulfilling his artistic ambitions and becoming a poet, or taking the well-trodden but boring path of a job with a stable income. Hashim Nadeem published his novel of the same name in 2014 and turned it into a television script to bring the story to a wider audience. While viewers praised the concept and Akbar’s performance as Parizaad, a few took to online platforms to vent about the rushed conclusion of the plot as the show reached its conclusion.
‘Diyar e Dil’ (2015)
This critically acclaimed show featured a cast consisting of young stars Osman Khalid Butt, Maya Ali, Sanam Saeed and Hareem Farooq. Farhat Ishtiaq wrote both the show and the novel it was based on. Dayar and Dilpublished in 2010. With the plot spanning two generations, fans praise the show for its tight-knit plot, cinematography, visuals, and breadth of characters. The show is much loved by TV fans and book fans alike, although, as is always the case, online book fans urge others to read the novel as well on the simple premise that it is “still better”. As a bonus, this was the show that fueled the ‘Osmaya’ boat among fans (due to the hot combination of Osman and Maya sharing the screen), although the two actors have laughed off the rumors and maintain that they are nothing more than nearby. friends.
‘Humsafar’ (2011)
It would be inconceivable to select a list of Pakistani dramas that emerged from novels without mentioning Humsafar. The show gave way to the epic Fawad Khan-Mahira Khan combination that captured the hearts of TV fans, the Pakistani television equivalent of the unforgettable Kate Winslet-Leonardo di Caprio combination of the late 90s. Yet another show brought to life by stalwart writer Farhat Ishtiaq, who wrote both the script and the original novel. Humsafar showed fans that Fawad was more than just a dreamy singer in a rock band. As with many adaptations, the show deviated from the novel to adapt to the demands of the small screen. While the novel is told from Hareem’s perspective, the show focuses on his parents Ashar and Khirad, played by Fawad and Mahira, respectively. Since both the novel and the show have the requisite happy ending, fans don’t care at all about the detours taken by Farhat. Plus, as a woman who gave us the book and the show, it would be pointless to argue. The writer knows best.
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