Pakistani dramas are widely celebrated for their compelling storytelling, strong characters, and ability to address social issues. They often feature rich narratives that resonate with audiences both within Pakistan and internationally. Some popular themes include family dynamics, romance, societal norms, and political commentary. Pakistani dramas are also known for their high production values and talented actors who bring depth and authenticity to their roles.
The Pakistani TV industry, a relatively new one though, has been fast catching up both in terms of popularity and great content. With the limited number of episodes of each show. a format diligently followed by the West, and a specific storyline, these are certainly capturing the audience’s attention, worldwide. The plots aren’t dragged, the background music is minimal, and the language, well, it’s just poetry. then we’re listing the best Pakistani dramas of all time that will surely deliver on these promises.
List of Best Pakistani Dramas of All Time
- Humsafar (2011)
- Khuda Aur Muhabbat (2011)
- Kuch Pyar Ka Pagalpan Bhi Tha (2011)
- Khuda Aur Muhabbat 2 (2016)
- Zindagi Gulzar Hai (2012)
- Shehr-e-Zaat (2012)
- Mera Pehla Pyaar (2012)
- Pyarey Afzal (2013)
- Sadqay Tumhare (2014)
- Bashar Momin (2014)
- Jackson Heights (2014)
- Bin Roye (2015)
- Diyar-e-Dil (2015)
- Meri Jaan (2015)
- Dil Lagi (2016)
- Sange Mar Mar (2016)
- Mann Mayal (2016)
- Udaari (2016)
- Tum Kon Piya (2016)
- Aisi Hai Tanhai (2017)
- Baaghi (2017)
- Khamoshi (2017)
- Khaani (2017)
- Woh Mera Dil Tha (2017)
- Rasmeduniya (2017)
- Yakeen Ka Safar (2017)
- Suno Chanda (2018)
- Baydardi (2018)
- Haiwan (2018)
- Khasara (2018)
- Tajdeed e Wafa (2018)
- Dil Mom Ka Diya (2018)
- Ranjha Ranjha Kardi (2018)
- Aangan (2018)
- Ranjha Ranjha Kardi (2018)
- Dil Mom Ka Diya (2018)
- Alif (2019)
- Meray Paas Tum Ho (2019)
- Alif Allah Aur Insaan (2019)
- Inkaar (2019)
- Ehd-e-Wafa (2019)
- Do Bol (2019)
- Ishq Zahe Naseeb (2019)
- Do Bol (2019)
- Prem Gali (2020)
- Raqs-e-Bismil (2020)
- Sabaat (2020)
- Parizaad (2021)
- Khuda Aur Muhabbat 3 (2021)
- Hum Tum (Hum TV) (2022)
Khuda Aur Muhabbat (2011)
Khuda Aur Muhabbat is a Pakistani spiritual-romantic drama series that aired on Geo Entertainment, 2011. It is based upon novel of the same name written by Hashim Nadeem. Imran Abbas Naqvi and Sadia Khan are featured as the lead role in the first season.
Khuda Aur Mohabbat’s season1 has a spiritual-love story of tmily and his lavish lifestyle as he struggles to be accepted by Imaan’s family. After leaving his house, Hammad takes a job at a porter which requires hard labour. In the quest to be suitable for Imaan, Hammad finds spirituality and the true meaning of religion along the way. Despite Hammad’s efforts, Moulvi Aleem refuses to understand the idea of love marriage and is unable to forgive Hammad for being in love with Imaan. Due to family pressure, Imaan is forced to marry her cousin Abdullah and begs Hammad to return to his own family. Hammad unable to subside his affection for Imaan is adamant on marrying her. Under nerve-racking circumstances and constant tribulations, Imaan, unable to disobey her father and concurrently feeling sympathy for Hammad, falls critically ill. Meanwhile, Hammad constantly disagrees to return to his home, further aiding in the helplessness felt by Imaan.
Humsafar (2011)
Humsafar is a 2011 Pakistani drama telenovel based on the novel of the same name by Farhat Ishtiaq (who also wrote the screenplay) and directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat. It stars Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Naveen Waqar in lead roles and Atiqa Odho, Hina Khawaja Bayat, Behroze Sabzwari and Noor Hassan Rizvi in supporting roles. The series was first broadcast on 24 September 2011 on Hum TV.
The drama story of Khirad Ahsaan belongs to a lower-middle-class community in Hyderabad and lives with her widowed mother, Maimoona, in a small apartment. As the series begins, she has recently completed her Bachelor of Science and is very strong in Mathematics as her father was a math teacher. Maimoona’s brother, Baseerat Hussain, is a self-made millionaire, who lives in Karachi. He is married to Farida, a social worker who runs a human rights NGO. They have one son, Ashar, who received his MBA from Yale University and runs the family’s high-powered firm with his father.
Zindagi Gulzar Hai (2012)
Zindagi Gulzar Hai is a Pakistani television series directed by Sultana Siddiqui, produced by Momina Duraid under the banner Moomal Productions, which was first broadcast on Hum TV. Based on the novel of the same name by Umera Ahmad, who also wrote the screenplay, it originally aired from 30th November 2012, to 24th May 2013, in Pakistan.
The story revolves around the lives of Kashaf Murtaza and Zaroon Junaid. Kashaf comes from a lower-middle-class family background and lives with her mother, Rafia, and her two sisters, Sidra and Shehnila. Rafia’s husband, Murtaza, had abandoned Rafia because she didn’t give birth to a son. Murtaza married another woman, who eventually gave birth to his son, Hammad. The family faces many hardships, leaving Kashaf embittered, insecure, and distrustful of men. Rafia works as the principal of a government school and gives tuition to children in the evening to make ends meet. Her daughters, too, make various sacrifices to live a basic life.
Pyarey Afzal (2014)
Pyarey Afzal or Pyaare Afzal is a 2013 Pakistani romantic melodrama television serial that aired on ARY Digital. Directed by Nadeem Baig and written by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, the drama was produced by Humayun Saeed and Shazad Nasib’s Six Sigma Entertainment. The drama starred Hamza Ali Abbasi and Ayeza Khan in lead roles.
The story starts in the city of Hyderabad where the protagonist Afzal Subhan (Hamza Ali Abbasi), son of Maulvi Subhanallah (Firdous Jamal) is playing cricket. Afzal spends his time playing sports, cards and betting which his father despises. He has a crush on Farah Ibrahim (Ayeza Khan), the mill owner’s daughter, and claims to receive letters from Farah which he reads in front of his friends, although he refuses to disclose the name of the girl. Farah on the other hand is to marry Mahtab (Umer Naru), a family friend whom she does not want to marry. Farah, along with her sister Lubna (Sana Javed) hires Afzal to be Farah’s love interest so that she can convince her parents that she loves another person, which they succeed in doing so. Meanwhile, Afzal falls in love with Farah, and his sister (Anoushay Abbasi) convinces his parents to take marriage proposal to Farah’s parents. In the family meeting, Farah humiliates and insults Afzal. Heartbroken Afzal leaves Hyderabad for Karachi vowing to never return.
Meray Paas Tum Ho (2019)
Meray Paas Tum Ho is a 2019 Pakistani romantic melodrama series produced by Humayun Saeed and Shahzad Nasib under their production banner Six Sigma Plus. Directed by Nadeem Baig and written by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, the show starred Humayun Saeed, Ayeza Khan, and Adnan Siddiqui as leads. The show aired on ARY Digital from 17 August 2019 to 25 January 2020. It is also digitally available on YouTube and the ARY Zap App.
Danish is a simple man with the moral values of idealized Pakistani culture. He works as a government officer. His whole world revolves around his wife Mehwish and son Roomi (played by Shees Sajjad Gul). Mehwish is a faithful housewife, but she has big ambitions that her husband is not able to fulfill. She has expensive taste and desires to be seen as equal with her old but rich friend, Anushey. Subsequently, Mehwish and Danish are invited to Anushey’s brother’s wedding, where she is bewitched by Shehwar, a rich businessman. This eventually develops into an extramarital relationship due to his gaslighting, flattery, and mesmerization by his wealth. He even offers Mehwish a high-position job in his office with a very high salary and added perks. Mehwish’s son and husband disapprove of her job in his office as they suspect the extramarital relationship.
Parizaad (2021)
Parizaad is a Pakistani television series written by Hashim Nadeem, based on his novel of the same name, directed by Shahzad Kashmiri and produced by Momina Duraid Productions. It first started airing on Hum Television on 20 July 2021. The series stars Ahmed Ali Akbar in the title role alongside Yumna Zaidi, Ushna Shah, Nauman Ijaz, Mashal Khan, Urwa Hocane and Saboor Aly in prominent roles.
The story revolves around a dark-skinned college student, Parizaad who has grown up with self-esteem problems and confidence issues. Despite society’s judgement of him, he is very hardworking, extremely respectful and well-mannered, and creates a lasting impression on anyone he meets. This drama takes us along his journey of the friends and enemies he meets in his life as he tackles with his inner fight of choosing his true passion of poetry or choosing a realistic job that can provide income for his family. Parizaad is an innocent boy living in Rawalpindi with his brothers. Due to his dark skin, he is often ridiculed. His brothers and sisters-in-law are greedy and consider him to be a liability. Only his sister Saeeda loves him. But she is to be married to an aged man due to family pressure. Parizaad loves Naheed and Saeeda likes Majid but both Naheed and Majid are already in love with each other.
Khuda Aur Muhabbat 3 (2021)
Khuda Aur Mohabbat is the third season of the Pakistani spiritual-romance series Khuda Aur Mohabbat. Produced by Abdullah Kadwani and Asad Qureshi under 7th Sky Entertainment, it features Feroze Khan and Iqra Aziz in lead roles. The season premiered on 12 February 2021.
A young man named Farhad is caught by his parents doing illegal activities, so they decide to send him somewhere to work. Farhad and Mahi meet at a wedding, where their friendship blossoms. Mahi uses this time as a release from her strict life at home and enjoys Farhad’s friendship, but Farhad falls in love with her.
Also Read: List of Upcoming Pakistani Dramas 2024
Tere Bin (2022)
Tere Bin is a romantic Pakistani drama television series produced by Abdullah Kadwani and Asad Qureshi under the banner 7th Sky Entertainment. Directed by Siraj-ul-Haque, it aired from 28 December 2022 to 6 July 2023 on Geo TV.
Meerab is an ambitious and beautiful young girl who wants to pursue higher studies. The story is set in Hyderabad and begins with the village’s head, Murtasim Shahnawaz Khan (Wahaj Ali) on a stroll in the fields to discern the progress of the crops when one of the farmers mournfully informs him of the threats they are agonised with and enlightens him of the rising menace to their fields imposed by a cutthroat rival in the village named, Malik Mukhtar (Mehmood Aslam) and his vile son, Malik Zubair (Agha Mustafa Hassan). Being the village’s premier, Murtasim heeds the whole situation and it quite incenses him. He’s known to be responsible as well as ruthless when it comes to protecting and ensuring his people’s safety. When Malik tries to create problems over a mere land that he desires which is owned by Murtasim, it’s the cue for Murtasim to assert his true dominance. Hence, to instill terror and warn his foes of further barbarity against his people and meddling in the village’s peace, Murtasim barges into Malik’s mansion and threatens to kill his son —thus fueling the red-hot rivalry further.
