I started watching Pakistani shows at the beginning of 2019 and I have been hooked since then. All very different from each other, these shows make you smile, make you cry but most importantly leave you with a lot of important thoughts to ponder on. Mind-blowing acting, heartbreaking dialogues, and unforgettable OSTs are things that make these shows so special.
1. Zindagi Gulzar Hai
This is one of the most famous Pakistani show and it deserves all the love it gets. It's a story about love, life, growing up, and being grateful. It's a love story but that's not all, it's also a story about individual growths of all characters. The dialogues are hauntingly good. It's one of the best things I have ever watched and I highly recommend it.
2. Dastaan
Set in the pre-partition era, it shows the traumatic happenings of 1947 and how every community suffered a lot during the partition. You feel the pain and its intensity. This show would make you grateful for all we have today due to our freedom fighters but it will also make you ashamed for what they had in mind when they gave up their lives for this nation and what we have turned it into.
3. Sadqay Tumhare
This is a love story with too many layers and twists. Its depiction of pure and innocent love is beautiful. You fall in love with the chemistry of the lead pair. What makes it all more interesting is how this is the real-life story of the writer. I suggest you keep tissues out while watching this one.
4. Kankar
This is the story of a woman and her struggles to stand for her self respect. It's set on the premise of domestic violence and also goes on to explore how difficult it is for a divorced woman to find her voice in a regressive society. I love how the husband is not a straightaway monster. The show tries to showcase the root causes that lead to such bigotry. It's very thought-provoking and a must-watch.
5. Ranjha Ranjha Kardi
This is a beautiful story of a brave, kind-hearted girl who is born in a backward class family and only wants some respect and recognition in her life. She falls in love, gets betrayed, and somehow ends up getting married to a man who is autistic. It's one of the most special love stories I have ever seen with so satisfying character arcs. The end just melted my heart.
6. Baaghi
This is a very well made show on the real-life journey of late Qandeel Baloch, the Pakistani internet sensation who was brutally murdered back in 2016 by her own brother in the name of honor. This heartbreaking story of sheer resilience will not only inspire you but also make you question how our society demonizes people to hide its dark side and hypocrisy.
7. Khaani
This is based on a very talked-about a murder case from Pakistan that made headlines. A politician's son kills a boy over a petty fight and his sister fights for justice, at the same time she falls in love with a secret admirer who turns out to be her brother's murderer. This story of sins, power, justice, love, obsession redemption, forgiveness, and spirituality is unlike anything I have ever seen before.
8. Suno Chanda
This is very different from all the other mentions on this list. A hilarious family drama, Suno Chanda is my guilty pleasure. I go back to it whenever I need a good stress buster. Each and every dialogue is perfectly written and every actor has great comic timing. Being a love story at heart, the chemistry between the lead pair is commendable.
By Swadha Agrawal