The writer has been in top media and entertainment corporations in Bollywood for over a decade and can be found on twitter @tanuj_garg
During my years growing up, I recall hearing about legendary Pakistani dramas like “Dhoop Kinaare”, “Tanhaaiyan” and “Ankahi”. What has been proven time and again is the abundance of creative storylines, accomplished actors and prolific writers across the border. Dreadful and shockingly regressive as some Pakistani dramas are (no different from their Indian counterparts), there are enough exceptions that charm you with their inherent relatability, simplicity, and minimal verbosity and hyperbole.
My mother is among the scores of Indian housewives who are somewhat addicted to Pakistani soaps. She would occasionally ditch the homegrown suspects for the likes of “Zindagi Gulzar Hai”, “Aunn Zara”, “Maat” and “Noorpur Ki Rani”. These days, she’s been tracking the channel’s announcements to decide what she wants to follow next. The other day a friend said to me, “I love the white dupattas with Lucknowi chikankari worn by their actresses. Please get them for me.” Another remarked, “Make me meet Fawad Khan and Imran Abbas.” A third asked, “Is it the same Mahira on television who’s been paired opposite Shah Rukh in a forthcoming film?”
Slowly but steadily, Pakistani dramas are seeping into the Indian psyche, creating an imprint and becoming a way of life for households. They are getting discussed and critiqued among women groups and on online blogs, sites and forums. Their actors are getting drooled over and the quality of some of them might even have Indian television producers on their toes.
With exceptions, their storylines are finite, they don’t leap, they’re based on relevant social issues, not all are shot on one tacky set, they have lilting non-Bollywood title tracks, they aren’t melodramatic and are mostly believable. The actors in them behave normally, don minimal make-up and sleep in night wear.
Ali ‘stylish’ Zafar
Congratulations are in order for Ali Zafar, who was recognised for the second time by an Indian media house as the “Most Stylish Import”. Fawad Khan might be Bollywood’s cross-border darling at the moment but Ali opened the chapter. One credits him for being the first Pakistani artiste to ‘cross over’ to India. Ali’s zeal to stay ahead of the curve and constantly reinvent himself is admirable. I’ve hung out with him socially in Lahore and Mumbai on numerous occasions. He is affable, expressive, intelligent, and carries a remarkably high cool quotient. His ability to wear several hats (those of an actor, model, producer, writer, composer, singer) with aplomb and maintain and play up his boyish charm and unique dress code, make him deserving of the honour.
Hail Kaptaan!
Caught the trailer of Kaptaan. It’s been out for two years (or so I’m told) with the long-in-the-making film finally chugging to completion. A biopic on the former cricketer and controversial PTI leader, Imran Khan could not have been better timed. But for it to be credible, it will need to be objective and not a blatant plug job. Various actors have been cast to essay the Khanum sisters, Jemima Khan, Benazir Bhutto and Reham bhabhi, the most recent addition to his life. Ironically, the bloke playing IK needs serious tabdeeli.
Hindi or Urdu?
Read somewhere that a Lahori singer and musician, one, Bilal Saeed, has rendered an Urdu song (“Mohabbat Yeh”) for an obscure Bollywood flick called Ishqedarriyan. So I heard the track and it was in Hindi! Unless the crooner or the publication or both believe that the two languages are identical.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2015.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
COMMENTS (10)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ