Pakistani dramas are the number one source of entertainment for the nation (with the exception of most political talk shows). Those who’ve been following local dramas for a long time know that since the last few years, every Pakistani drama has a few necessary ingredients that are essential to cook up a story irrespective of the plot. These have become somewhat of a norm.
Here’s the top 5 most common occurrences we see in every desi drama:
1) The infamous SLAP
For some reason, writers insist on one or more slap per drama. This is the secret ingredient behind its success and adds much-needed tarka. What’s even worse is that the slap has been normalized through the course of time. The women move on from it in the blink of an eye and the men seem to not care about its implications either. This is normalized so much that when the women are slapped, it’s not even considered domestic abuse. Instead, it sparks a debate about whether or not the woman deserved it.
2) The antagonist in western attire and the protagonist in eastern
We’ve all seen it yet we refuse to consider that this is problematic. Why is it that in every drama, the modern women in western wear are depicted as the villain while the dupatta-clad woman is an angel. The actual people watching the show lead very different lives. Moreover, this reinstates the age-old myth about western wear being the root of all evil amongst women.
3) The fathers can’t live for long
Every drama that shows a girl going through some trauma, has to endure another shock in the form of her father’s demise almost immediately. Take Ruswai, Mehrposh, or any other drama; the fathers who have supported their families all their lives, can’t take it when their daughters actually need them. What kind of a mentality is this troupe instilling in women; to endure torture so their fathers stay alive?
4) The bad guys lose their mind by the last episode
As soon as the bad characters get their actions exposed, they almost immediately either die or conveniently lose their minds. We rarely ever see a drama actually show an antagonist living with their decisions and facing the consequences. For some reason, this is where all creativity ends. The ending for every villain is almost always among the three options. Either they turn towards religion, lose their mind, or die.
What other stereotypes have you seen in dramas?
