Do you remember watching a drama on TV and loving the initial episodes, only to realize that you find yourself glued to your screen weekly to watch it? We have seen many such dramas through the years. While a few have become massively popular, others never garnered as much popularity as they should have and ended up being forgotten. However, occasionally an old scene or a snippet of a particular drama pops up on the internet, reminding us of a drama that we had long forgotten about.
What makes them so intriguing for us is the change of perception they generate in our minds whenever we watch them again. It could be different from what the plot seems, an enhanced perception of an actor’s acting skills, or a simple feeling of longing for those types of dramas that were there back in the day. For this Throwback Thursday, here are three Pakistani dramas that you will not come across very often nowadays, but you must watch them anyway!
Aik Nayee Cinderella: A Fairytale Romance With A Pakistani Twist
Do you recall the debut of Maya Ali and Osman Khalid Butt as a leading duo? It was through Aik Nayee Cinderella, a romantic comedy which added an element of Pakistani flavor to the classic story of Cinderella. The drama revolves around Meesha (Maya Ali), a young girl from lower middle class family who works as a beautician, while Mayer (Osman Khalid Butt), comes from rich and affluent background. Although the two come from completely different families, Meesha and Mayer soon realize that they cannot resist their feelings for each other, thus adding a whole lot of romance, family drama, misunderstandings, and hilarious moments to the drama. The drama incorporates all the typical aspects of a fairy tale yet has more relatable characters and plot. What makes this one particularly nostalgic is seeing Maya and Osman in a pairing that many might have forgotten about. They shared a lovely screen presence, and the fairytale element gave the drama a rather different feel. If you love light and fun romantic dramas, this one is definitely worth your attention.
Aik Nayee Cinderella is written by Faiza Iftikhar and directed by Haissam Hussain. It aired between 2012-2013 with the production of A & B Entertainment.
Mera Naam Yousuf Hai: A Love Story That Goes Beyond Family Differences
Starring Maya Ali and Imran Abbas, Mera Naam Yousuf Hai is a romantic drama that explores love, family expectations, and the complications that come with belonging to different social backgrounds. The story follows Yousuf, a young man from a wealthy family, and Zulaikha, a woman whose upbringing and circumstances are quite different from his. Their feelings for each other bring them closer, but family opposition, social differences, and personal choices make their relationship difficult. What makes the drama interesting is the way it explores the hold that family expectations and social status can have over people’s lives. Maya Ali and Imran Abbas bring their characters to life, while the drama’s emotional storyline keeps you invested in their journey. If you enjoy romance with family drama and a touch of old-school storytelling, Mera Naam Yousuf Hai deserves a place on your rewatch list.
The drama is written by Khalil ur Rehman Qamar, directed by Mehreen Jabbar, and produced by Sadia Jabbar.
Kuch Pyar Ka Pagalpan: When Dreams Of A Better Life Meet Reality
Kuch Pyar Ka Pagalpan stars Fawad Khan, Sanam Baloch, Ayesha Khan, and Mikaal Zulfiqar. The story follows Mujtaba, a young computer engineer from Lahore who moves to the US with hopes of building a successful career. However, instead of finding the comfortable life he had dreamed of, he ends up working at his uncle’s factory and dealing with people who constantly look down on him because of his background. Things become even more complicated when he meets Kiran, his colleague and landlord, with whom he shares a rather argumentative relationship. Meanwhile, his uncle’s daughter Danize and her cousin Shamraiz bring their own share of complications into his life, particularly through jealousy, misunderstandings, and romantic entanglements. What makes the drama interesting is that it goes beyond a typical love story, showing the struggles of starting over in a foreign country, the realities of chasing the American dream, and how relationships can become complicated when pride and expectations get in the way.
The drama is written by Samira Fazal, directed by Haissam Hussain, and produced by Samina Humayun Saeed and Shahzad Nasib.
So, which one are you going to watch?