For a few years now, the content of Pakistani dramas has been revolving around the same typical storylines and concepts like love triangles, Saas-Bahu controversies, toxic love stories, and politics. Even with that, these projects still trend in different parts of the world, which is a plus point for the Pakistani drama industry. The drama Tere Bin exemplifies it as it was the most-viewed Pakistani drama on YouTube and constantly trended on Twitter for 6 straight months in 2023. Undoubtedly, it is a proud moment for Pakistan, but its story could have been a lot better.
However, this year, the industry also released some mind-blowing dramas with a unique and fresh storyline, breaking the norms of producing typical drama content. Not only these dramas attracted the masses with their fantastic scripts and direction, but they also garnered praise worldwide for their creativity and simplicity. So, if you are confused about what to add to your Pakistani new drama list, then here are the top 10 Pakistani dramas of 2023 that you must watch.
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Kuch Ankahi
Kuch Ankahi, a Kashf Foundation and Six Sigma Plus production directed by Nadeem Baig and written by Syed Muhammad Ahmed, recently ended with a wholesome storyline. The remarkable cast, including Sajal Ali, Bilal Abbas Khan, Shehriyar Munawwar, Meera Sethi, Asma Abbas, and Syed Muhammad Ahmed, aced every scene with their brilliant acting skills. The story is about the social struggles women face when they step out of their homes, starring Sajal Ali as Aaliya, a bread earner of her family who works as a real estate agent.
Furthermore, the drama also showcases the concept of wealth distribution between family members, which is one of the real-life issues in Pakistan. Like other dramas, Kuch Ankahi does not portray any villain, due to which it gathered appreciation from the viewers. As a result, Kuch Ankahi successfully achieved its position in the top Pakistani dramas 2023.
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Guru
Guru is another masterpiece of 2023 currently aired on Express channel, starring a talented cast, including Ali Rehman Khan, Zhalay Sarhadi, Hira Khan, Irfan Motiwala, and Umer Alam. A powerful reality about the intersex living in Pakistan and the challenges they encounter daily has been depicted in this drama. Ali Rehman did a marvellous job as the lead by portraying the central role of a transgender person who deals with the painful challenges when he decided to adopt an abandoned child.
This phenomenal drama results from Wajahat Rauf and Shazia Wajahat’s production, written by Likhari and directed by Bilawal Hussain Abbasi. Its first episode was aired on television in June, and until now, the script of Guru is successfully compelling the audience. Due to its emotional yet spellbinding story, the drama has already made its place in the top Pakistani dramas list.
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Kabli Pulao
A new Pakistani channel, Green Entertainment, created a sensation among drama lovers even before its dramas went on air. One of its dramas, Kabli Pulao, also accumulated the attention of many people who love watching dramas. The drama featured Sabeena Farooq, who gained recognition for her villainous role in the popular drama Tere Bin, and the director Ehtisham Uddin. The plot centres on an Afghani girl, Barbeena, who visits Lahore with her father to seek medical treatment for her mother.
On the other hand, Haji Mushtaq, A 40-year-old man, helps them and falls in love with Barbeena. The drama also highlights an excellent narrative of cultural differences, love, and the significance of human relationships. This extraordinary project is currently broadcast on Green Entertainment and plays its role as the best Pakistani love story drama.
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Idiot
Like Kabli Pulao, Idiot is another exceptional story by Green Entertainment that has captured the interest of its audience. It’s a project of Entanna Productions, directed by Anjum Shehzad and written by Kifayat Rodani. The famous actors Ahmed Ali Akbar and Mansha Pasha play the lead roles in this drama with their breathtaking acting skills. The story delves into a perspective of an ordinary yet genius person, Gulzar, who constantly questions and stands against the harsh norms of society.
Moreover, being a kind-hearted person, Gulzar perceives everything in a positive way and due to this reason, he gets the title of “idiot” by the people in his surroundings. The drama has left a lasting impression through its captivating and unique plot idea, making it one of the best Pakistani dramas on YouTube.
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Bandish 2
Pakistani drama industry has rarely focused on the horror genre, but now we can see some emerging stories having a solid touch of horror in Pakistani dramas. One of them is Bandish 2, whose first part came out on TV screens in 2019 with an unforgettable plot. Bandish 2 has also gathered horror genre fans with its astounding tale of terror. With its outstanding cast, including Affan Waheed, Amna Ilyas, Sania Saeed, and Areej Mohiyuddin, the drama is based on a spine-chilling story of a family who suffers the influence of black magic.
In addition, the drama showcases the realistic factors of black magic and hatred that terribly affect the people of this family. The thrilling scenes of Bandish 2 keep the viewers bound and elevate their curiosity, so they eagerly wait an entire week for a new episode to air.
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Tumhare Husn Ke Naam
Tumhare Husn Ke Naam is another drama that can be counted as one of the best romantic Pakistani dramas 2023. The drama, featuring Saba Qamar and Imran Abbas as the lead cast, is an inspiration from Hakeem Nayyar Wasti’s novel from the 1930s, written by the well-known novel writer Umera Ahmed. The story circulates around the love story of a famous romantic poet, Sikandar Altaf, and a generous lady, Salma Qureshi, and the ups and downs they go through to save their relationship.
Not only that but also the drama depicts the theme of 1993 and the location of Lahore National College of Arts, which is another reason that it has earned the love of many lovers. Although only a few episodes have been aired up till now, the audience cannot resist their enthusiasm and appreciates the decent content.
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22 Qadam
22 Qadam is one of those rare Pakistani dramas based on sports. This sensational piece is also directed by Anjum Shehzad under the production of Multiverse Entertainment and aired on the Green Entertainment channel. The idea of this drama focuses on women empowerment and pushes the boundaries for women by showcasing their role in cricket.
The lead roles of 22 Qadam include the famous actress Hareem Farooq and the most adored celebrity these days, Wahaj Ali. The narrative revolves around an energetic girl, Fari, who is passionate about playing cricket on the national team. It is a good initiative taken by the Pakistani drama industry to showcase such extraordinary content.
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Sar e Rah
Sar e Rah, a short yet powerful drama, is based on the story of a young woman who wholeheartedly takes charge of driving her father’s taxi when he falls ill. This moral-based drama of iDreams Production is directed by Ahmed Bhatti and written by Adeel Razzak and features remarkable actress Saba Qamar as its protagonist, Rania.
The drama’s plot takes us to stories of the people Rania meets daily during her ride. Every person has a different story that leaves an impactful message for the viewers, making them fall in love with the narrative. This worth-watching drama has enchanted the mass through its simplicity and profound storyline, and we definitely need more content like this.
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Siyah Series
We are not yet done with Green Entertainment’s mind-blowing creations. Siyah Series is another excellent project of this channel, produced by Imran Raza Kazmi and Hareem Farooq. It is an anthology series based on genres like psychological thriller, horror, mythology, suspense, and supernatural that showcases a dark story in each episode.
The series features a star-studded cast, including Adnan Siddiqui, Faysal Qureshi, Affan Waheed, Ali Ansari, Hareem Farooq, Arsalan Naseer, Sami Khan, Usman Khalid Butt, Hania Amir, and many others as the leading characters of different stories. The creepy narrative of each episode sends chills down the audience’s spine and earns its admiration.
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Fairy Tale
Hum TV has been fascinating its audience for a few years now by broadcasting Ramadan-special dramas every year. Not only do these dramas uplift people’s moods, but their wholesome storylines also bind them together with their discussion. Fairy Tale is one of these dramas that aired this Ramadan. The drama depicts a cute love-hate relationship between two completely opposite individuals, Umeed and Farjaat, the lead roles played by Sahar Khan and Hamza Sohail, respectively.
In addition, the drama’s light theme, hilarious dialogues, and creativity kept its audience engaged the entire month. Fairy obtained marvellous recognition worldwide through the beautiful chemistry of Umeed and Farjaat, and due to great public demand, its producers have confirmed to continue the story in its second season.
Wrap Up!
Like every domain, Pakistani dramas have both good and bad sides. Nevertheless, our media continues to receive widespread acclaim for every project. With numerous incredible scripts, the Pakistani drama industry has elevated the standards of TV dramas globally. Therefore, it’s best to prioritize the positive aspects and appreciate the local content. Thus, if you’re seeking striking Pakistani content that leaves a lasting impression with its compelling plots, the above list of the top ten enthralling dramas of 2023 is a treat to watch.
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