After 'Friends', five Pakistani shows we wish to see reunion of
The orange couch in Central Perk is back at its coveted spot, the barcaloungers set, making this week rather special for all the 90s sitcom fans out here. Love it or hate it, Friends: The Reunion has made all of us very nostalgic. Whether it is the relatable plot, the much-talked-about fashion parade, the romances - Friends has struck a chord with the fans 17 years on. The much-awaited reunion has been a welcome distraction from the ongoing trying times the world has been facing of late.
Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Courteney Cox and Matthew Perry visited the sets of their 1994 sitcom one last time - for the one last laugh. The cast of the show sat together for the first time since 2004, reminiscing the good old days of shooting the widely-popular rom-com. And the recently released reunion special has taken us back to the days where these six friends made all of us a part of their group. Life comes full circle, as they say, and we have nothing to complain about.
But like Friends, wouldn’t it be fun to have a reunion of some of our favourite serials, soaps, and sitcoms? A reunion where like Friends, the cast and the makers of the show come together to recall fond memories and share their thoughts. Here are a few Pakistani productions that must have a reunion.
Family Front - 1997
"Azam, aap aa gaye?" Saba Hamid's popular dialogue continues to ring in our ears 24 years later. The year is 1997. The whole family is sitting in front of the telly, awaiting the daily dose of prime-time laughter. The ensemble cast of Hamid, Samina Ahmad, Waseem Abbas, Mira Hashmi, Naima Khan, Iram Hassan, Shahzad Nasim, and Naseem Vicky gave the Pakistani drama industry one of its best-written sitcoms. We would love to see the star-studded cast in a room together, recalling their golden days while shooting.
Alpha Bravo Charlie - 1998
This drama serial still makes it to the most-watched list even after 23 years of its airing. The Shoaib Mansoor directorial was lauded by many for its brilliant storyline and a stellar cast. While an attempt to replicate the old-school charm of the popular 1998 show was made in Ehd-e-Wafa, the latter failed to grip the attention of the audience like its predecessor. The chemistry between Gulsher and Shahnaz is one for the books. The drama, starring Faraz Ahmed, Kashif Kirmani and Gulsher Khan as captains Faraz Inam, Abdullah Mehmood and M Qasim Khan, became a culturan phenomenon.
Mehndi -2003
In 2003, veteran actors Jahanara Hai and Abid Ali came together for a family drama. Mehndi also starred Adnan Siddiqui, Humayun Saeed, Aisha Khan, Aaminah Haq, Amna Hussain, Fiza Ali, Aijaz Aslam, Kamran Jillani along with Qazi Wajid. While few of the cast members aren't with us anymore, it would be an experience to listen to the rest of the actors recall their shooting days and share few anecdotes. Quintessentially molded for families, Mehndi explored the societal pressures parents have to face to wed off their daughters. With changing time, it would be interesting to see how the cast thinks of the show in 2021.
Dastaan - 2010
This partition-based drama starred Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed in pivotal roles. The beautifully shot show shared the ordeals many Pakistanis had to face while migrating from India to Pakistan in 1947. The Haissam Hussain-helmed show was lauded for its attention to detail. Dastaan also starred Ahsan Khan, Saba Qamar, Samina Peerzada, Khayyam Sarhadi, Simi Raheal, Saba Hameed and others. The 2010 drama seemed to take off Fawad Khan's acting career and the actor hasn't looked back since.
Humsafar - 2011
Many of us would be ecstatic to see Mahira Khan and Atiqa Odho face-off one more time! The blockbuster drama serial began the era of Mahira's flying career and the actor is yet to find a role as worthy as Khirad. Navin Waqar, Noor Hasan, Behroz Sabzwari, and Hina Khwaja Hayat under one roof seem like a really good idea - one that we would love to see come to fruition.
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