I’m a big drama buff and ready for a new season of dramas! Our industry is thriving – we’ve got emotional yet realistic storylines, cultural relevance and relatable characters. With so many upcoming Pakistani dramas, I’m ready for fresh storylines (sans saas-bahu), and characters with just the right shades of grey but most of all new pairings!
New dramas excite me because, honestly, that’s what I do all day.
Our drama industry is soaring so high that every time there’s a war, the enemy blocks access to our content and stars first, and then the border… IYKWIM!
Geo TV
Geo TV is usually not the best when it comes to drama productions, but I’m anxiously looking forward to crime thriller Case No. 9 this season. It’s penned by Shahzaib Khanzada (yes, you read that right, the news wala) and stars Saba Qamar and Aamina Sheikh, who will be seen in a drama after a long hiatus since 2017. Faysal Quraishi will also join them.
Another upcoming drama on Geo is Junoon e Ishqam, based on the novel by Areej Shah with Muneeb Butt and Anika Zulfiqar (last seen in Qarz e Jaan).
Mohra also started this week on Geo, starring Mikaal Zulfiqar, Laiba Khan, Aagha Ali, and Syeda Tuba Anwar.
ARY Digital
ARY is notably bringing several big names to our television screens.
Highly anticipated, big-budget Main Manto Nahi Hoon is set to premiere this week. Totally looking forward to this mega-starrer ensemble play with the legendary queen Saima jee along with Sajal Ali, Sanam Saeed, and Humayun Saeed.
Next in line will be Biryani, directed by Badar Mehmood and starring Ramsha Khan and Khushal Khan Khattak, which will be on ARY and brings back Sarwat Gillani to the television screen after a gap of seven years. This drama will replace the much-acclaimed Parwarish.
Meanwhile, the super-duper star Fahad Mustafa will be seen in a cameo appearance in his own production, where the main lead will be someone else. He gave the buzz himself in a talk show, revealing that he will be appear in episodes 20-26.
We will also spot Hania Aamir and Bilal Abbas Khan opposite each other in ARY’s Meri Zindagi Hai Tu. The drama will also reportedly feature Faryal Mehmood and Ali Rehman Khan in pivotal roles.
A hot jori fans can look forward to: Kubra Khan and Shuja Asad who will be seen together for the first time in Mehreen Jabbar’s Janam. Saba Hamid, Hajra Yamin, and Adeel Hussain also star.
Another drama on ARY, tentatively titled, Usool e Mohabbat, stars Hira Mani, Hareem Farooq, Nauman Ejaz, and Afghan Waheed. The drama is said to be directed by Aehsun Talish.
Green TV
Green TV has been airing game-changing dramas. Will Saba Qamar and Usman Mukhtar’s Pamaal be one of them?
Main Zameen Tu Aasman features a first-time pairing of Hiba Bukhari and Feroze Khan ( this scribe seriously judges women who agree to work with him, after his allegations).
Ghulam Badshah Sundri, is sure to stir emotions and ignite rating with stars like Hina Afridi, Imran Ashraf, and Zaviyar Nauman Ijaz.
Hum TV
A family drama that may bring some lighthearted fun to the screen, Ek Jhooti Kahani is also on the way, with Mohib Mirza, Zara Noor Abbas, Uzma Baig, Kaif Ghaznavi, Behroz Sabzwari, and Syed Muhammad Ahmed.
Wajahat Rauj is also reportedly keeping busy with two projects. Komal Meer stars in Goonj which hits screens on July 21 while Sanwal Yaar Piya starring Dur-e-Fishan Saleem, Ahmed Ali Akbar, and Feroze Khan, whose casting reportedly led to Iqra Aziz exiting the project. The original cast also included Imran Ashraf.
Sabeena Farooq and Usama Khan will star in the latest drama by Aamna Riaz Marg e Wafa. Ilyas Kashmiri directs.
Other interesting pairs to look forward to on Hum TV are Imran Ashraf with Sonya Hussain, Ameer Gilani with Sajal Ali, Wahaj Ali with Sehar Khan, and the Gen Z trio Aina Asif, Adnan Raza Mir, and Ashir Wajahat. I’m sure with a full-fledged entertainment channel and two of the country’s biggest production houses, there must be more names, but sadly there is no official confirmations on these projects.
Looking forward to a lot of emotional escape aka dopamine release this year.
NEW SUMMER TELEVISION DRAMAS:
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Case No. 9
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Sanwal Yaar Piya
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Junoon e Ishqam
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Mohra
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Ek Jhooti Kahani
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Main Manto Nahi Hoon
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Biryani
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Meri Zindagi Hai Tu
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Janam
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Usool e Mohabbat
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Pamaal
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Main Zameen Tu Aasman
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Ghulam Badsha Sundri
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Marg e Wafa
The writer is a published journalist and can be reached on Twitter @moizkazmi
