Mudasir 4K
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From women's empowerment, gender
ties to social trends, a bouquet of
Pakistani TV shows have hit the
Indian small screen and are being
appreciated by discerning Indian
audiences. The progressive plots are
not only creative but entertaining
while providing a window to the
nation's progress and problems even
while shattering many myths and
misconceptions.
Beamed on Entertainment channel
Zindagi-Jodey Dilon Ko, a new
offering from Zee Entertainment
Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), the first
of its kind initiative is not only an
eye-opener of sorts, but stories from
across the border are also
sensitising Indian viewers.
"Unfortunately, the international
media showcases a very tiny fraction
of our society. But it is our shows
and films that show what the
majority of our society is like,"
actress-filmmaker Samina Peerzada
told IANS over phone from Lahore.
The channel went live June 23 with
four shows and one of them is
"Zindagi Gulzar Hai".
Based on prolific writer Umera
Ahmad's novel of the same name,
the romantic drama focuses on
women and shows how equality of
girl child and the need for women to
have a career are important in their
society too.
Set in an urbane milieu, "Zindagi
Gulzar Hai", one of the most popular
shows of Pakistani channel Hum TV,
highlights that if women from well-
off families have freedom to make
choices, the middle-class is not
being shackled by conservatism
either.
In the show, female protagonist
Kashaf Murtaza's mother Rafia,
played by Samina, battles all odds to
educate her three daughters after
being abandoned by her husband
for not giving him a son.
One can certainly expect something
like this from director Sultana
Siddiqui, president of Hum Network
Limited. Very few know that she is
said to be the first woman in South
Asia to own a broadcast network.
The director-producer is not only
credited with starting entertainment
channels like Hum TV, but also for
reviving drama on TV and giving
neck-to-neck competition to Indian
shows.
Her success story is a proof of
women empowerment in the country.
If that is not convincing, a report by
British Council's Maryam Rab,
presented at Colombo this year,
revealed that in 2011, more than 42
percent of Pakistan's 2.6 million
high school students were girls.
Data on employment rates also
reflect this improvement. For
instance, Pakistan's largest lender,
Habib Bank, hires 50 percent female
MBA graduates, while Engro
Chemicals has 100 women in
management positions.
Another well-known director Haissam
Hussain's "Aunn-Zara", based on
Faiza Iftikhar's novel "Hisaar-e-
Muhabbat", revolves around a
couple - pampered Aunn and
headstrong Zara.
The writer has woven cultural roots
of rituals and family ties in the
narrative, which has several strong
female characters, without being
regressive.
All this is a revelation for the
audience here especially because
media mostly brings disturbing news
on Taliban and terrorism and
incidents like the attack on student
Malala Yousafzai.
But Samina says that stereotypes
notwithstanding, they are not
different from others.
"We have the same reservations as
people anywhere in the world, we're
as positive, the mothers here are as
caring and loving as anywhere else
and we live life a normal life,"
Samina told IANS.
"We have common human beings
here...just like India, Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh or any other part of the
world...we have all kinds of people.
So I am very proud and feel
humbled that people are getting to
see a side of Pakistan they have not
seen so far," " she added.
If the above two shows are urbane
and elite, "Kaash Main Teri Beti Na
Hoti" touches upon trials and
tribulations of underprivileged class
and their struggle for survival.
"Kitni Girahein Baki Hain" is a
fascinating and captivating line-up of
tele-films focusing on women from
various walks of life.
"Pakistani dramas are a reflection of
our society and issues that we face
in our day-to-day life. There is no
over-the-top dramatisation of
characters and situations unlike
Indian dramas where they
exaggerate," an official from Hum TV
told IANS.
"In the absence of a strong film
industry in Pakistan, we go out and
shoot in foreign locations to make
the setting look real. Our stories are
realistic too," added the official.
Interestingly, the shows are
garnering positive response here.
Praising them, National Award
winning Bollywood actress Divya
Dutta tweeted: ""Loving t serials on
zindagi! Refreshing, crisp n tat
beautiful Urdu... Nice!""
Another actress Kamya Punjabi is so
impressed with the content that she
tweeted that ""I so want to go to pak
n be a part of their shows! I hope n
wish zee zindagi changes the vision
of the makers in television here! (sic)
"."
As a filmmaker, Kunal Kohli
appreciated the technical side of the
shows, saying ""must say the quality
of shooting & writing of the shows
on #Zindagi is v refreshing.""
Shailja Kejriwal, creative head
(Special Project), ZEEL, said that the
idea was to use a mass media
platform for entertainment with a
purpose.
"I believe that with this channel we
would showcase not only good
stories, but also create a better
understanding between the two
countries," Shailja told IANS.
"I''m hoping that it will grow into
creative collaborations between the
two nations. Not only have these
shows shattered a lot of myths about
our neighbouring nation, but it has
also generated a feeling of some
kind of a bond, that I see growing
rapidly. If that happens, that would
be the real achievement and
something we would all be really
proud of."
The channel started with four shows,
but the numbers will go up from
this week.
Shailja is confident that Zindagi will
introduce a whole new talent pool in
India, be it in terms of actors,
writers, directors, singers, musicians
and producers.
ties to social trends, a bouquet of
Pakistani TV shows have hit the
Indian small screen and are being
appreciated by discerning Indian
audiences. The progressive plots are
not only creative but entertaining
while providing a window to the
nation's progress and problems even
while shattering many myths and
misconceptions.
Beamed on Entertainment channel
Zindagi-Jodey Dilon Ko, a new
offering from Zee Entertainment
Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), the first
of its kind initiative is not only an
eye-opener of sorts, but stories from
across the border are also
sensitising Indian viewers.
"Unfortunately, the international
media showcases a very tiny fraction
of our society. But it is our shows
and films that show what the
majority of our society is like,"
actress-filmmaker Samina Peerzada
told IANS over phone from Lahore.
The channel went live June 23 with
four shows and one of them is
"Zindagi Gulzar Hai".
Based on prolific writer Umera
Ahmad's novel of the same name,
the romantic drama focuses on
women and shows how equality of
girl child and the need for women to
have a career are important in their
society too.
Set in an urbane milieu, "Zindagi
Gulzar Hai", one of the most popular
shows of Pakistani channel Hum TV,
highlights that if women from well-
off families have freedom to make
choices, the middle-class is not
being shackled by conservatism
either.
In the show, female protagonist
Kashaf Murtaza's mother Rafia,
played by Samina, battles all odds to
educate her three daughters after
being abandoned by her husband
for not giving him a son.
One can certainly expect something
like this from director Sultana
Siddiqui, president of Hum Network
Limited. Very few know that she is
said to be the first woman in South
Asia to own a broadcast network.
The director-producer is not only
credited with starting entertainment
channels like Hum TV, but also for
reviving drama on TV and giving
neck-to-neck competition to Indian
shows.
Her success story is a proof of
women empowerment in the country.
If that is not convincing, a report by
British Council's Maryam Rab,
presented at Colombo this year,
revealed that in 2011, more than 42
percent of Pakistan's 2.6 million
high school students were girls.
Data on employment rates also
reflect this improvement. For
instance, Pakistan's largest lender,
Habib Bank, hires 50 percent female
MBA graduates, while Engro
Chemicals has 100 women in
management positions.
Another well-known director Haissam
Hussain's "Aunn-Zara", based on
Faiza Iftikhar's novel "Hisaar-e-
Muhabbat", revolves around a
couple - pampered Aunn and
headstrong Zara.
The writer has woven cultural roots
of rituals and family ties in the
narrative, which has several strong
female characters, without being
regressive.
All this is a revelation for the
audience here especially because
media mostly brings disturbing news
on Taliban and terrorism and
incidents like the attack on student
Malala Yousafzai.
But Samina says that stereotypes
notwithstanding, they are not
different from others.
"We have the same reservations as
people anywhere in the world, we're
as positive, the mothers here are as
caring and loving as anywhere else
and we live life a normal life,"
Samina told IANS.
"We have common human beings
here...just like India, Sri Lanka,
Bangladesh or any other part of the
world...we have all kinds of people.
So I am very proud and feel
humbled that people are getting to
see a side of Pakistan they have not
seen so far," " she added.
If the above two shows are urbane
and elite, "Kaash Main Teri Beti Na
Hoti" touches upon trials and
tribulations of underprivileged class
and their struggle for survival.
"Kitni Girahein Baki Hain" is a
fascinating and captivating line-up of
tele-films focusing on women from
various walks of life.
"Pakistani dramas are a reflection of
our society and issues that we face
in our day-to-day life. There is no
over-the-top dramatisation of
characters and situations unlike
Indian dramas where they
exaggerate," an official from Hum TV
told IANS.
"In the absence of a strong film
industry in Pakistan, we go out and
shoot in foreign locations to make
the setting look real. Our stories are
realistic too," added the official.
Interestingly, the shows are
garnering positive response here.
Praising them, National Award
winning Bollywood actress Divya
Dutta tweeted: ""Loving t serials on
zindagi! Refreshing, crisp n tat
beautiful Urdu... Nice!""
Another actress Kamya Punjabi is so
impressed with the content that she
tweeted that ""I so want to go to pak
n be a part of their shows! I hope n
wish zee zindagi changes the vision
of the makers in television here! (sic)
"."
As a filmmaker, Kunal Kohli
appreciated the technical side of the
shows, saying ""must say the quality
of shooting & writing of the shows
on #Zindagi is v refreshing.""
Shailja Kejriwal, creative head
(Special Project), ZEEL, said that the
idea was to use a mass media
platform for entertainment with a
purpose.
"I believe that with this channel we
would showcase not only good
stories, but also create a better
understanding between the two
countries," Shailja told IANS.
"I''m hoping that it will grow into
creative collaborations between the
two nations. Not only have these
shows shattered a lot of myths about
our neighbouring nation, but it has
also generated a feeling of some
kind of a bond, that I see growing
rapidly. If that happens, that would
be the real achievement and
something we would all be really
proud of."
The channel started with four shows,
but the numbers will go up from
this week.
Shailja is confident that Zindagi will
introduce a whole new talent pool in
India, be it in terms of actors,
writers, directors, singers, musicians
and producers.
