If you find yourself drawn to the guilty pleasure of watching Pakistani dramas with toxic content or characters, there are several captivating series that might pique your interest.
Mera Saaein
Mera Saaein focuses on the life of a feudal lord and politician, Malik Wajahat Ali whose insatiable desire of women/power/wealth and incessant pursuit of a male heir has ruined the life of many women. While he possesses much influence over the lives of others, he finds himself still desperate for a son.
Muqaddar
The story of this drama revolves around a girl, Raima, who is an independent and ambitious RJ who wants to make a name for herself in the industry. At work she gets the opportunity to interview her colleague Saad’s influential businessman uncle, Saif. Unexpectedly, Saif instantly falls in love with her and then uses all his influence and power to force Raima into marrying him
Dil Lagi
This drama depicts the story of Mohid and Anmol. It is set in the narrow back streets of Sukkur in interior Sindh, where Anmol lives a simple life with her mother and younger sister Mishal Ansari. Before he died, Anmol’s father had paid off a debt he owed to local moneylender Kifayat Ali using his home as security, but Anmol’s mother has no proof of the debt repayment so they are an easy mark for fraud. Kifayat Ali engages Mohid, who specializes in real-estate, and a little Ghundagardi on the side to evict Anmol’s family. The clash between Mohid and Anmol is the main theme of this story. Where the boy marries the girl, but the girl only marries him to take revenge but ultimately fall in love with him at the end.
Malal-e-Yaar
Based on the feudal system, it explores the ritual of early settled marriages. The main theme revolves around two persons from opposite backgrounds who hate each other but eventually fall in love, bounded by a marriage only on paper.
Gul-e-Rana
This drama tells the story about a young woman, Gul-e-Rana who regularly advocates for women’s rights. However, tragedy finds her when she is forced into marrying Adeel, an abusive man with a vastly different point of view.
Tere Bin
The story of Tere Bin revolves around Meerab, a courageous and talented girl, and Murtasim, who is a rich, arrogant, and handsome boy. But each of them is completely different from the others. It is Meerab’s bravery and confidence that lures Murtasim to her. He loves her, but she doesn’t accept it.
Jo Chaley Tu Jaan Se Guzar Gaye
Set against the back drop of greed and deceit, this is the moving saga of Aalam Shah, son of wealthy but crippled business man Dawar Shah. Scarred by his past, Aalam Shah does not believe women are capable of sincere love and has no respect for them. Yet, he finds himself obsessed with Zufishan, a woman of exceptional character, and will go to any length to posses her. At the same time, Aalam Shah is entangled in bitter rivalry with Dawar’s second wife Kanwal, who is scheming to take over the family business. The complexity of the situation has come the point where Aalam is now holding Aazir, the love of Zufishan’s life, captive.
Tair-e-Lahoti
A street criminal kidnaps a girl he loves , she meets a woman (amma ji) who tells her to be content with what life has given her and when she calls back at her home pleading to be rescued, she is told to ‘compromise’ to save the honor of her family. In a parallel plot, there is a rich family. There are two sons, the elder one rapes his maid one day. He is the ‘hero’ of the story. And the writer Riffat Siraj , actually takes it further. She justifies his actions by calling them an outcome of an ‘uncontrollable urge” that later shamed the good man that he was (the poor maid was a child who happened to be sleeping in his room at that time). Later on , the love child which is a result of this forced union, is accepted by that guy and his new wife who used to be a tomboy in her earlier life, but was subsequently ‘tamed’ after marriage and developed ‘feelings’ for her ‘distant and rough husband’ who kind of rapes her too. The story ends on the glorious note of the kidnapped girl accepting her husband, the one who kidnapped her from the streets just like that.
Jalan
This drama is about two sisters Nisha nd Misha who are after the same guy. While Misha is the sweet and obedient sister, Nisha is a spoiled brat and wants to be better than her sister, so she sets her sights on her brother-in-law Asfandyar because he’s rich and good-looking. Ignoring the fact that her sister is married to Asfandyar (Asfi) and pregnant with his child, Nisha openly flirts with him and urges him to divorce his wife. Nisha eventually gets her way and Asfi not only divorces his wife but also pushes her as a result of which she falls to the floor and ends up delivering their baby prematurely. Nisha’s parents throw her out of the house and she seeks refuge with Asfi pushing him to marry her as soon as possible. As Nisha and Asfi get married, Meenu, who cannot bear the heartbreak and humiliation sets herself on fire and eventually dies leaving behind her infant child. Asfi and Nisha’s marital bliss doesn’t last long and the cracks become wider when Nisha’s ex-fiance Ahmer, makes a dramatic re-entry into her life richer and better-dressed. Nisha then sets her sights on him, straight-up asking him to marry her the second time they meet after their breakup. This drama received so much hate that it was banned by PEMRA at one point.
Muhabbat Tujhe Alvida
The story is about a couple: Ulfat and Shayaan who belong to a middle-class family but are happy. The twist comes in when it is revealed that Ulfat dreams big. She desires a lavish lifestyle. And it so happens that she comes across Shafaq who is a rich businesswoman. Shafaq learns of Ulfat’s desires and she offers her money in exchange for her husband. Ulfat not realizing the stakes of the deal puts everything she has- her morals, values, and relationships at risk. So involved is she in the race for wealth that she does not realize that money cannot buy happiness. Sounds exactly like the story of old Bollywood film, ‘Judaai’.
Jhooti
Jhooti is the story of Nirma a cunning and certifiably crazy lower/middle-class whose only goal in life is to bag a rich man. To make this happen, she’s willing to lie, cheat, steal and even kill (an unborn baby).
Khaani
Khaani focuses on a tale of crime, obsession and justice. Twins Sarim and Khaani are inseparable and Sarim takes on the role of supportive elder brother, as Khaani is timid and scared of the world. With two younger sisters and loving parents, Khaani’s family is a vision of loving bliss – until one day, on his way home from his scholarship interview, Sarim is shot dead by Mir Hadi over a parking dispute. Mir Hadi, a young man with power and influence, is unapologetic for his crime and treats it as though it’s business as usual – until he falls in “love” with Khaani and makes it his mission to attain her. Khaani and her family’s grief and their ultimate push for justice forms the crux of the show.
Bashar Momin
Termed as a take on Beauty and the Beast the story describes how Belle (from the tale), in this case the innocent Rudaba, is manipulated out of her impending marriage to Buland (Sami Khan) and forced to marry political magnate and money laundering criminal: Bashar.
Deewangi
Hailing from different backgrounds, Nageen and Sultan’s encounter turns bitter when an uninvited proposal tarnishes Sultan’s self respect forever. Love-hate relationship between Nageen and Sultan makes it impossible to forge a close bond.
Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi
Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi drama is about a rich young man, Shamsher, who falls in love at first sight with a girl from a middle-class family, Mehak. Shamsher has a toxic obsession with her that he goest through all extremes to marry her. Against all odds, Mehak and Shamsher ties the knot despite his unwillingness to Mehak.
