'A real crime scene': why 'Missing Darling' is different

A Pakistani actor says new crime thriller aims to bring realism, suspense and a darker edge to television drama.

Pakistani actor Yasir Hussain believes audiences are ready for a different kind of television drama one that moves beyond conventional storytelling and dives deep into crime, mystery and psychological suspense.

Speaking with Express Tribune about Express Entertainment's latest drama Missing Darling, Hussain said viewers are increasingly interested in realistic crime narratives and investigative stories.

"People want to see a crime scene," he said. "The way we have shown the crime scene in Missing Darling is very real. We have done a lot of research on it."

The actor, who plays Inspector Sajid in the series, said the production team worked extensively to create a believable police thriller that stands apart from the family-focused dramas that dominate Pakistani television screens.

A return of Inspector Sajid

Missing Darling marks the return of Inspector Sajid, a character audiences first encountered in Express Entertainment's successful drama Aik Thi Laila. Fearless, determined and relentless in his pursuit of the truth, Sajid once again finds himself investigating a case filled with secrets, deception and unanswered questions.

According to Hussain, the drama represents an important step in expanding the range of stories being told on Pakistani television.

"The drama we are doing on Express is very different from the other dramas currently airing on television channels," he said. "It is a crime thriller. It is a police story." He added that he hopes more investigative and crime-based productions will emerge in the future.

"God willing, we will do more police stories on other channels as well," he said.

Missing Darling combines suspense, mystery and dark storytelling. The drama features a strong ensemble cast including Yasir Hussain, Umer Aalam, Mohib Mirza, Nausheen Shah, Mareeha Safdar and Kiran Ashfaque.

At the centre of the story is the disappearance of a young woman, a case that soon spirals into a much larger mystery. As bodies begin to surface and new suspects emerge, investigators discover that almost everyone connected to the case is hiding something.

The narrative unfolds through a web of secrets, broken trust and conflicting accounts, keeping viewers uncertain about who is telling the truth and who is concealing critical information.

With each episode, the investigation becomes more complex, exposing social realities and personal motives that lie beneath the surface.

During the conversation, Hussain was also asked whether Pakistani dramas have reached a stage where they require significant improvement and innovation.

His response reflected a broader perspective on the entertainment industry.

"Hollywood also needs to improve," he remarked, suggesting that creative evolution is a challenge faced by television industries around the world, not just Pakistan.

The actor, who has also earned recognition for his work in theatre, believes experimentation with genres is essential for keeping audiences engaged and expanding the creative boundaries of local productions.

As the mystery deepens and new revelations emerge each week, Missing Darling is positioning itself as one of Express Entertainment's most ambitious crime thrillers and perhaps a sign of where Pakistani television storytelling is heading next.

Many Pakistani dramas are based on Urdu novels. In recent years, Pakistani dramas have increasingly begun to tackle social issues that are considered taboos.

A recurring theme in Pakistani dramas, one that the country's feminists are usually concerned about, has been the depiction of women in TV serials. Feminists have received many of those dramas with skepticism & reservation. UK based Pakistani feminist Tasneem Ahmar, whose research institute focuses on the women-media relationships, complains 99.99% of TV drama in Pakistan is misogynistic, patriarchal, medieval in its depiction and treatment of women's issues. Ahmar says there is no doubt that Pakistani Drama TV serials are hugely popular among all strata of Pakistani society, but unfortunately they waste their potential of doing better in projecting progressive values rather than regressive values of women's depiction & support to equal rights.

'Missing Darling' airs every Sunday at 8:00pm on Express Entertainment.