12 Pakistani Dramas Based on True Stories [Videos]

A look at the hit drama serials that were appreciated for the true stories they were based on

While the public often complains that Pakistani dramas carry the same done-to-death themes, some original stories do pop up from time to time. Many hit drama serials were appreciated for the scripts based on true stories.

Of course, the dramatization of these stories involves added doses of fiction, yet we can still say these Pakistani dramas are based on true stories. Here are some drama serials widely known or considered to be based on actual events.

Mubarak Ho Beti Hui He

This drama covered a widespread issue in Pakistani society. Written by Faiza Iftikhar, this drama tells the story of the writer’s own mother. Directed by Badar Mehmood and produced by Big Bang Entertainment, the series cast Saima Noor, Sabreen Hisbani, Sajid Hassan, Saboor Aly, Naheed Shabbir, and Marium Ansari to name a few cast members.

 

Sadqay Tumhare

Penned by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, this Pakistani drama is famously known to be his own story. The drama cast Adnan Malik as KRQ and Mahira Khan as his long-lost love ‘Shano’. Other cast members included Samiya Mumtaz, Rehan Sheikh, Farhan Ali Agha, Shamil Khan, and Sania Shamshad.

Rehaai

Tackling the issue of child marriage, the drama serial was based on several real-life cases recorded by the Kashf Foundation. Written by Farhat Ishtiaq, and directed by Mehreen Jabbar, the drama was produced in a collab between by Kashf Foundation and Hum TV.

The mini-series featured Noman Ijaz, Samina Peerzada, Saniya Shamshad, Danish Taimoor, Maria Wasti, and Nausheen Shah.


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Pyare Afzal

Penned by KRQ, this drama was inspired by real events but isn’t exactly based on a true story. In an interview, KRQ shared that while having a conversation with Humayun Saeed, Nadeem Baig, and Yasir from M Group he told them about a college friend named Afzal who would write love letters to himself but told his friends that a girl sent him these letters.

Once KRQ caught his friend red-handed and the truth was out. Yasir from M Group repeatedly insisted that the scriptwriter pen a drama on this story, so he did.

 

Baaghi

This drama serial was a biopic of Pakistan’s first social media influencer, Qandeel Baloch. Written by Shazia Khan, directed by Farooq Rind, and produced by Urdu1 and Paragon Productions, Baaghi cast Saba Qamar as the protagonist. One of the most revered Pakistani dramas also featured names like Osman Khalid Butt, Khalid Malik, Ali Kazmi, Irfan Khoosat, Sarmad Khoosat, Goher Mumtaz, Saba Faisal.

 

Khaani

Based on the murder of Shahzaib at the hands of political leader Shahrukh Jatoi, this drama serial didn’t create the impact it should have. The drama romanticized the issue to the point where the audience was sad when the murderer ‘Haadi’ (Feroze Khan) was sent to jail and ‘Khaani’ (Sana Javed) refused to ‘accept his love’ and fought for him tooth and nail till the end.

 

Meri Guriya

This drama serial by Big Bang Productions was based on the child sexual abuse case that shook the nation, the Zainab case.  Written by Radain Shah and directed by Ali Hassan, Meri Guriya raised awareness about CSA and how families never recover from the loss of a child to such a tragedy.

 

Ruswai

Naila Ansari the serial’s writer shared that the gang-rape incident at the heart of Ruswai actually happened at Do Darya. A father saved his friend’s daughter while his own daughter was kidnapped.

The Six Sigma Plus production cast Sana Javed, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Seemi Raheal, Muhammad Ahmed, Irsa Ghazal, Usman Peerzada, Osama Tahir, Minna Tariq, Shameem Ali, and Adnan Jaffar.


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Inkaar

The details of the attempted murder of a woman after she turned down an influential man bore great similarity to Khadija Siddiqui’s case. From the social media campaign to the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) taking notice of her case.

However, once again the moral lesson of the story was lost amid romanticization. In the end, the protagonist Hajra (Yumna Zaidi) forgives ‘Rehan’ (Imran Ashraf), the man who attempted to murder her and used his resources to malign her.

Piyari Bitto

This Pakistani drama about the neurodegenerative disease Alzheimer’s was based on a true story. Writer Saji Gul shared revealed in an interview that this drama was based on the story of a family member with Alzheimer’s. Although the protagonist in the drama was female, the patient in real life was a man.

Damsa

In an interview, Nadia Jamil shared that Damsa was based on a lot of true stories. Nadia Jamil closely works with children rescued from trafficked and this drama serial was based on several such stories.


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Mere Pass Tum Ho

After all the hype surrounding MPTH we discovered that the story was based on the real-life experience of restauranteur Rasikh Ismail.

 

Honorable Mention – Dunk

Written by Mohsin Ali Shah and directed by Badar Mehmood this drama serial is clearly based on the life of the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College (MAO College) professor who committed suicide after inappropriate allegations framed on him.

 

Which one of these Pakistani dramas did you know was based on real-life events?