Pakistani shows are bound by a tight, meaningful script, which ends within few weeks or 1-2 months unlike Indian soaps. PHOTO: PUBLICITY
Here are 15 reasons why Pakistani TV serials are better than Indian ones, reported by India Times.
1. They have a start and then they have a definite end. Yes!
Pakistani shows are bound by a tight, meaningful script, which ends within a few weeks or 1-2 months, while the Indian audience is used to being served series which goes on for years and years. The TV shows of Pakistan manage to show the entire series beautifully, with a definite end unlike the series produced by its neighbour.
2. They are based on social issues. Not saas-bahu fights.
Pakistani series deal with real social issues, even as sensitive as the issue of a surrogate mother (Kaash Main Teri Beti Na Hoti) or of crossdressers (One of the episodes in Kitni Girhain actually had a story based on this), and not on saas-bahu fights seen in Indian TV serials.
3. They don't have a makeup overload covering 90% of the screen.
The get up, dressing, makeup, everything is super simple and real in Pakistani TV serials, which just makes it so much more believable than Indian ones in which the makeup overload covers 90% of the screen.
4. And their actors don't wake up in make up either.
It's funny how the actors in Indian serials are in full (and loud) makeup even if the scene shows them sleeping or getting up while still in their beds. We're sure there's Shehnaz Husain somewhere sulking in a corner. And the courtesy stretches to even jewelry, including the mangalsutra and bindi. Good thing it doesn't happen in Pakistani serials.
5. Their pool of actors are simply better at their art. Over reacting and neck jerks are just not their thing.
The TV actors of Pakistan are just so much better than Indian actors. But maybe that's got something to do with the complex and layered characters that they get to play on screen. Alternatively, women in Indian TV serials are busy filling oceans with tears, or better, spoiling the bahu's daal by adding extra chillies or garam masala in it which hardly requires any acting talent.
6. Their weddings or festivals don't stretch over for months and months.
A wedding or festival being celebrated on Indian screen is endless, While a wedding or a festival would take hardly any screen time.
7. They don't have their movies' songs playing in the background half of the air time.
An entire Bollywood movie's song is played in the background of the Indian TV serials, having the lead actress cry to it, dance to it, or do anything for that matter. While Pakistani TV directors never adopt this policy.
8. They are way more realistic and believable.
Pakistani TV soaps deal with real people problems in a very simple yet realistic manner. They don't have people owning 500 crore business empire by the day and on the street by the night! To put it simply, the characters behave just like real, normal persons would behave in everyday life situations, making it much more believable than Indian TV soaps.
9. They sleep in nightwear!
Since the TV soaps of Pakistan actually put in an effort to make shows believable, the characters sleep in actual nightwear. This is a totally new concept for Indian viewers, who are used to seeing Indian TV actresses sleeping with their sarees, suits (complete with dupatta), and full jewelry on.
10. They don't have a single case of plastic surgery or coming back from the dead!
While Pakistani TV serials are just not into the whole plastic surgery or back from the dead business, the Indian ones are completely into it.
11. They actually have damn good title tracks.
The title tracks of Pakistani TV shows have got their own proper videos shot (Remember Yeh Shadi Nahi Ho Sakti?), and the channel plays them as fillers in between two shows, complete with the singer, music and lyrics credit.
12. They don't need dramatic 'dhum ta na na' background to depict every emotion.
That's precisely the reason why the Pakistani TV shows are less towards the tangent of high octane drama and more towards realism. The characters' acting skills are enough to put any emotion across on screen. In fact, the Pakistani TV soaps seldom use background music. Or it's used subtly. There. Subtle. That's one word our India TV soaps just don't play by.
13. Surprisingly, they don't revolve around religion.
Pakistani TV soaps don't revolve around the stereotypical 'Mashallahs', 'Wallahs', or qawwalis. Neither are they a discourse on Muslim culture. They play by their content and that's what rules the screen. While in Indian TV soaps each festival is celebrated.
14. Neither do they exhibit stereotypical fancy and flowery language.
The language and dialogues used in Pakistani TV soaps seem totally simple and legit. And neither do serials ever go overboard with the flowery Urdu language. While some random Baa or Motabhai in India TV serials would go 'Jai Ambe' every few seconds, or some random Punjabi Bebe would 'hayye rabba' in every second scene.
15. And the best thing about them, surprisingly, is their focus on women's liberation in the true sense.
This as a matter of fact is the most refreshing appreciable thing about Pakistani TV serials. While Indians always consider themselves a way more progressive society than Pakistanis, their TV soaps don't seem to reflect it. But the Pakistani serials have totally nailed the art of depicting women's liberation on screen. Be it Kashaf from Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Zara from Aunn Zara, or Maham from Mere Qatil Mere Dildaar, or other such characters, Pakistanis have depicted women's liberation and independence in the country's society in the true sense of the word.
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