Pakistani dramas are a year-end wrap that could go on forever, because even as we call it quits for 2024, the unstoppable flow of new dramas keeps the ball rolling well into 2025. A bit like playing passing the parcel where each stop means a new paper to unwrap, with a never-ending unwrapping in progress. You see, even as the haters hate and call out Pakistani dramas as a perpetual influx of saas-bahu shenanigans, toxic hero-damsel in distress extravaganzas, extra marital affairs overdose and the new kid on the block – the supposedly emancipated heroine who is outspoken (badtameez), independent (resorts to a slap or two, often aimed at the hero), and headstrong (refuses to listen to reason), there is, wait for it… a newer character on the horizon.
One that is rid of all the baggage. He responds with genuine emotion, apologizes when he makes a mistake, attempts to unravel and acknowledge the Mars vs Venus debate and even, yes you got that right, sheds a tear when things get too tough or too emotional.
This hero has hopefully, replaced the strong, silent (read terrorizing) type, the angry young man trope, who grabs onto the heroine’s hand and either walks her out of his house, or into his house – whichever direction it is, it’s always against her will, or sometimes, she’s just too starry eyed to notice?
This hero is tough on the outside, soft on the inside, correction, often soft on the outside too, but that doesn’t mean he’s a coward, he’s just human. This hero will fall in love and he will communicate that feeling to his heroine, he will not expect her to stay home and cook even if she wants to work (though no harm in getting a good paratha for breakfast, ladies no pressure to be a stay at home wife), but this hero will stand up for his lady before his mom (yeah, the dreaded mil), he will also trust her against a thousand sazishain … this hero is for real, at least in our dramas. He walks into our lives as Dr. Naufil, Mustafa, Shehraam and even our dear Farhaad.
This hero is the 2024 shift in hero mindsets – a trend that needs to continue well into the next decade!
So, let’s begin from the beginning, with Farhaad from Burns Road Kay Romeo Juliet – For all the ways we saw him grow
Now before you all scratch my eyes out. I know, Farhaad had his toxic twist. But he also had a journey. And no character should be all white, but he should show potential, and Farhaad was our man here.
Farhaad walked a tough journey as he was torn down from his grandiose event planning dreams to ‘biryani making’ reality. But what made him stand out was his relationship with his sister Kiran, when he lent his support yet respected her wishes. He accepted the fact that his father had signed away the business to her, and, that she could and should manage the place. A guy who respects his sister will always respect the other women in his life, and that happened to be his mother too.
Farhaad tends to his mother’s mental health – a chapter ‘not seen before’ in Pakistani dramas. He teaches himself to understand and respect the emotional scars of a woman who has been through an abusive marriage, whose panic attacks are rooted in real trauma and whom he is not fully equipped to oversee alone. He also makes time and space for her, keeping his love life aside, because he realizes he cannot manage both together. He admits he made a hash out of his relationship and, if one thing stands out in his behaviour, it is his ability to respect Freeya’s decision to call it quits. There was no toxicity there. The Farhaad who felt slighted by Freeya’s family, battled anger issues, struggled with supporting his family, seemed to have lived through his hell and come out sane and even more human on the other side, silently aware of his anger issues, and even suspecting they rooted from his abusive father.
Would we rather have a Farhaad in our lives and walk the talk with him, or a thousand plastic men – flawlessly perfect, alas, but not for real? Many young men might see themselves in Farhaad and many might hopefully, also see the error of his ways and how he mended them. Farhaad is our superhero for 2024 for all the ways we saw him grow.
Mustafa in Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum – For all the right reasons
Mustafa has a sense of humour. He’s funny, a no frills kinda guy, simple, uncomplicated and a super support system for his wife. He supports her education, even pulling an all-nighter to help her through an assignment, covers up for her before his toxic mother, loves her parathas and chai, drops her off to work, sneaks in food through the bedroom window, indulges in romantic stay-at-home moments, dances in the rain and even gets a steady job to make her happy. Mustafa makes young, unwealthy, plain love seem irresistibly charming.
But is Mustafa perfect? Hell no! But his heart is in the right place. What Mustafa has is a ton of confidence in his wife. He believes in her, and despite dealing with his multiple complexes, he stands up for her eventually (his journey) and rides the thick and thin, regardless.
But wait, you say. Didn’t Mustafa turn a bit toxic towards the end? Oh yes! Not toxic, but rather, troubled, isolated, detached, insensitive and struggling to find a bearing – seeking identity as a mover and shaker in a world that doesn’t really let young, unwealthy, plain love survive life’s tough challenges. Mustafa had demons of his own to fight, and though Sharjeena came in his line of fire, she wasn’t meant to. Mustafa obviously failed to see the obvious, but Mustafa had a lot to handle.
Did that make him more human than toxic? Maybe. Although Mustafa turning on pregnant Sharjeena when her mother sent over food was a tad much. But Mustafa also had his journey. Mustafa also respected Sharjeena’s wishes, and he won hearts, even as he lost them. Mustafa came full circle and Sharjeena won him on her own terms, eventually.
There was a Gen Z-ish charm about Mustafa too. His gaming skills, his dhaba love and ability to find humour in dark places made him a sure shot heart throb, but with all the complex childhood trauma that added layers to his journey and a story worth watching.
Mustafa needed to grow from bachelor to husband to father, yet with all his boyish charm intact. Did we grow to deeply resent him ever? No. We felt for him, even in his misery and wanted desperately for him to heal, along with his Sharjeena.
And there you have it folks, a hero who made us root for him, hoping he would overcome all his traumas and make it back home. Mustafa was the superhero who fought his demons and won.
And now we turn the page on a poetic character whom we rooted for from episode 1 till the final curtain call – let’s not forget Shehraam from Jaan e Jahan – a world apart in poetic charm, old world feels and a love story that did not carry an ounce of toxicity. His was a tale of empowerment that stemmed from love.
Shehraam in love – For a superhero with irresistible charm
When love makes you a better human being, when love gives you the power to move mountains, when love makes you believe you can – Shehraam was all of that. His utter respect for his beloved, his deference for an evil stepmother and his regard for all the people who crossed his path, was a near prophetic lesson in human interactions. Did Shehraam inspire us to seek the good within us? Yes, he did. Every time he faced his enemies, not with hatred but a sad disappointment in his eyes, his silent demeanor, and quite dignity were a mark of his inner courage.
Shehraam’s feelings for Mahnoor, tangibly cute, respectful, trusting and all heart, revealed how a man can be both in love and yet, comprehend the meaning of consent, denial, and the right of a woman to choose. Was Shehraam too good to be true? Perhaps yes. Shehraam is what storybook heroes are made of, that too, the old-fashioned kind. The ones we read about in novels not written in today’s age. Which is why, this charming young man essayed beautifully by Hamza Ali Abbasi, had everyone’s heart.
Shehraam could do no wrong. And that is why, although we believe there can never be a real life Shehraam in our lives, he gave goals to so many men, that this too, is a man women would love to have in their lives.
And, if you, through any stroke of blinding luck, you do have a Shehraam in your life. Oh well, keep him up close where you can see him, coz’ this one is for keeps!
And finally, last but not the least, Dr, Naufil – What real men are really like!
Real men cry. Real men write letters. They talk to their father and try to decipher this feeling called love inside their hearts – is it a crush, is it love, is it infatuation? Real men travel far in to the night to find Wi-Fi and help their beloved access the internet to study for an exam, real men also decide they’re not brave enough to take on an entire village, and often, it is a real woman who gives them courage to fight on.
Dr. Naufil wins the title for a real hero who simply did his job, and in doing it, showed the world that he is just an ordinary soul like the rest of us, yet, with a heart of gold. His heart sheds tears of sorrow for Rani, and joy for Meenu. He often thinks of giving up, the task too big or too intimidating for him. But when he digs in his heels and decides to stay, he surprises even himself, and the people who have grown to love him, for just doing his job in a village that doesn’t need a superhero, but just an ordinary doctor, doing what any one else would do, but hadn’t yet.
Sometimes, small people can achieve big things just by being themselves.
Dr. Naufil stood out as the hero who respected his heroine. He facilitated her dreams, carried her journey, understood that what women need from a partner is to just let them be, to accompany them on their journey, hold their hand if they need, and that marriage should not mean the end of their dreams, but rather, the beginning of many more, bigger and better ones.
Dr. Naufil is the Gen Z superhero who can be found in so many real-life men we often fail to acknowledge around us. They could be our fathers, our brothers, our friends, or our life partners.
They could also be men who watched Dr. Naufil in Zard Patton Ka Bunn and aspired to be just like him. And just like Meenu might give wings to the dreams of many young girls in villages who want to become a doctor, Dr. Naufil will hopefully spark that dream by inspiring young men to be the light in these young girls’ lives.
And that, dear folks, marks our Pakistani drama superheroes wrap of the year. Stay inspired, dream them, raise them, be them, or marry them. They are here to stay and we hope they only get better in 2025!
