On a rainy night, Khirad, portrayed by Mahira Khan, gets drenched in the rain, in a black Anarkali suit, her beauty enhanced by innocence and spontaneity. Watching her, Ashar (Fawad Khan) falls deeply in love. This is Humsafar, a Pakistani series that quickly captured Indian hearts, with this scene alone becoming one of the most-watched moments in India.
Since being uploaded to YouTube by Hum TV, the 23-episode miniseries Humsafar has garnered over 10 million views, with many fans hailing from India. While the show first aired in India in 2014, the roots of India’s love for Pakistani serials stretch back to the late 1980s..
Watch the scene:
The India-Pakistan relationship has often been fraught with tension, whether in politics or cricket, but Pakistani dramas have enjoyed enduring popularity in India, captivating audiences across generations. This fascination with Pakistani dramas has carried over to Gen Z, who now binge-watch these shows alongside Netflix favourites.
For many in Gen Z, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts introduced them to Pakistani dramas, while others inherited this love from family members. Instagram, dominated by Gen Z, is filled with popular reels of Humsafar, gathering thousands of likes from Indian fans.
“Just looking at this reel makes me so happy,” commented one Indian Instagram user, while another wrote, “What I would do to watch this scene for the first time again.”
India-Pakistan relations have been turbulent, with Pakistan severing diplomatic ties after India’s 2019 revocation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Nonetheless, shared culture and heritage continue to draw people from both countries together.
For Indians like Anamika, a 26-year-old political science researcher from Hisar, Pakistani dramas are relatable. “Our cultures are similar. Our families are also similar,” she tells a section of media.
The appeal of these dramas also lies in their ability to humanise a people Indian viewers have often been told to dislike. “It is interesting to watch people you have been told to hate all your life are so simple and they are so much like you,” says Varul, a 22-year-old journalist based in Noida.
The storytelling, with a limited number of episodes, is another factor that has drawn Indian viewers to Pakistani dramas. Decades before Netflix introduced the miniseries format in India, Pakistani dramas were captivating Indian viewers with tightly written plots that wrapped up within 30 episodes, some ending in as few as 15. This contrasts sharply with the endless format of India’s saas-bahu serials, which sometimes stretch over 1,000 episodes.
A Tradition of Cross-Border Drama Love
Indians have been watching Pakistani dramas since at least the late 1980s, when people rented VCPs and VCRs to binge on films and TV serials.
“I used to love watching Pakistani shows in the 80s and 90s. We used to watch them on rented VCRs,” says Swaty Prakash, an NGO worker in Delhi. For her, the fascination began with slapstick comedies, particularly Budhdha Ghar Pe Hai, which were hugely popular. Others fondly remember Bakra Qiston Pay, Tanhaiyan and Dhoop Kinarey, which were widely watched in cities like Jodhpur, Lucknow and Srinagar.
This love for Pakistani dramas intensified with the launch of Zee’s Zindagi channel in 2014, which brought series like Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Humsafar into Indian homes, along with others like Daastan and Mere Afzal. Indian celebrities also praised the channel’s realistic content. Filmmaker Subhash Ghai tweeted, “#ZINDAGI at #zee draws my attention for interesting plays with real people with real homes than our serials full of make-up and made-up twists.” Actor Jaaved Jaaferi, likewise, wrote, “Man, got hooked and watched 3 serials in a row on Zindagi… I think this channel with its content will be a serious threat to all soapers.”
However, the channel discontinued Pakistani dramas in 2017 following the Uri terror attack in 2016.
Why Pakistani Dramas Resonate with Indian Viewers
For viewers like Prakash and Hasan, a journalist based in Delhi who lived in Islamabad from 2007 to 2013, Pakistani dramas offer relatable stories. “Western shows like Friends were aspirational, but the Pakistani shows were more relatable,” says Prakash. According to Hasan, dramas like Tanhaiyaan offer delicately told, compelling stories.
The Indian audience also found themselves drawn to the lehza (etiquette) and libaas (attire) of the shows. Today, Gen Z viewers appreciate the Urdu dialogues and cultural integration in Pakistani dramas. Anamika, the researcher from Hisar, says, “I love how they incorporate Urdu in their dialogues. It keeps me hooked to every word.”
Fawad Khan, who starred in Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Humsafar, noted the appeal of the miniseries format in a 2014 interview. “They [Indians] make soap operas. They don’t make miniseries,” he said, explaining that shorter series often ensure higher quality and more engaging stories.
What Pakistani Dramas Are Gen Z Watching?
Today’s Gen Z audience in India is streaming Pakistani dramas on platforms like YouTube and Zee5, with popular titles including Kuch Ankahi (2023), Sar-e-Rah (2023) and Bakhtawar (2022), which centres on a young woman who disguises herself as a man for protection. Kahi Unkahi, Mohabbat Subh Ka Sitara Hai and Suno Chanda are also trending among young Indian viewers.
These shows are frequently shared on Instagram Reels, where clips with original soundtracks have become popular. Pakistani dramas have found loyal Indian fans across generations, from VCRs and cable television to streaming on OTT platforms and YouTube. The format may have evolved, but the love for Pakistani dramas remains timeless, now carried forward by India’s Gen Z.
Also Read: Renowned Indian Fashion Designer Rohit Bal Dies At 63
