“I want to see you at the highest of heights"
The Pakistani drama industry enjoyed a successful 2023.
From highlighting taboo subjects to portraying strong independent women, this year’s dramas have positively impacted audiences, leaving them wanting more similar content.
But one thing that has truly stood out is the supportive fathers shown on-screen.
Whether it was fighting for their daughter’s rights or supporting their sons in mental trauma, Pakistani serials showed it all.
Here are four Pakistani dramas that effectively portray supportive fathers.
Nabeel Zafar – Sar-e-Rah
Nabeel played the role of Shabbir Ahmed and Sarang’s father in the mini-series Sar-e-Rah.
Sarang (Muneeb Butt) is an intersex character who is shunned by his stepmother and step-sisters and sets out to make a successful life for himself.
Shabbir ensures Sarang that he is not different to anyone else and that he was born with the power to be a positive influence on society.
One scene which resonated with fans was when Shabbir expressed his wish for Sarang to become independent enough to look out for himself.
Shabbir stated: “I want to see you at the highest of heights and that too in my life. Who knows how long I will be here?
“I’m not going anywhere, but I am getting old. Even if the elders don’t want to go anywhere, they have to.”
Shabbir was loved by audiences because it showed the unwavering support of a loving father who knew that his son was different but still wanted him to build a normal life for himself.
Behroze Sabzwari – Chand Tara
In many Pakistani dramas, a daughter is often shown to hold a soft spot in her father’s heart.
One such drama that shows the beautiful relationship between a father and daughter is Chand Tara.
Nain Tara, played by Ayeza Khan, lives with her mother Saba Faisal but has a strong relationship with her father Mir Jaffer (Behroze Sabzwari).
She longs to live in a joint family so that she can overcome the loneliness she has felt with it just being her and her mother in the house.
During Taara’s wedding, Mir Jaffer advises her that anyone in life could learn from and apply to their lives.
Speaking wisely to his daughter, Mir Jaffer said:
“Look, if you want someone to listen to you, you have to listen to them first.
“Don’t go into marriage thinking your husband will be under the thumb, or that you will control him.”
“A good man does not need this, and a bad man will listen to nobody.”
This dialogue alone was appreciated by audiences as it showed a father preparing his daughter for a life in which there would be arguments whilst offering a solution on how to handle such situations.
Ali Tahir – Jaisay Aapki Marzi
Jaisay Aapki Marzi is a drama which focuses on mental and emotional abuse suffered by a woman in her marriage.
Audiences see a highly independent and successful career woman slowly lose her confidence and identity in a bid to keep her husband happy.
Although her family try to point out to her that she is being mentally abused, Alizey (Dur-e-Fishan Saleem) is unable to see what she is being subjected to and continues to face hardships in the name of love.
Ehtesham, played by Ali Tahir, plays an exceptionally understanding father who recognises the red flags in his son-in-law’s behaviour early on and desperately tries to free Alizey from the marriage.
In various episodes, Ehtesham begs his daughter to come home whilst arguing with his wife, who believes her daughter should make her marriage work.
In one such episode, Ehtesham tells his wife that his daughter is not a burden on him and that he is capable of looking after his children if they are facing problems.
Although Jaisay Aapki Marzi focuses on the behaviours of a narcissistic individual, it highlights the support and care of a father who believes daughters have the right to walk out of an unhappy marriage.
Muhammad Ahmed – Kuch Ankahi
Muhammad Ahmed is a firm favourite on-screen father for his fans. In many Pakistani dramas, Muhammad has played the role of the perfect father which every child dreams of.
Kuch Ankahi saw him as Agha Jaan, a girl dad who believes his daughters should pave their way in society and make a name for themselves.
On the other hand, his wife (Irsa Ghazal) believes girls should be married at an early age and become housewives.
The drama focused on topics such as workplace harassment, pressure faced in society and women’s rights.
As a father of three daughters who are very different in personality, Agha Jaan supports and advises them according to their personality traits, without making one feel less than the other.
Although he has no sons, he allows Aaliyah (Sajal Aly) to work in the male-dominated field of real estate and stands up for her when she gets told off by her mother for coming home late.
He highlights the fact that successful working women often need to work overtime so that they can achieve their goals and he will not let anyone stand in the way of his daughter’s dreams.
In one episode, Agha Jaan senses that his eldest daughter Samiya is reluctant to marry her fiance Saif.
Audiences appreciated that instead of forcing her to get married, he encouraged her to do what was right for her.
As 2023 ends on a high note in terms of drama serials, there are high hopes that the new year also bring great scripts to life with even better direction and production.
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