11 Iconic Pakistani Comedy Dramas That Will Keep You Laughing : The Express Tribune
Bulbulay is one of Pakistan's longest-running comedy sitcoms, featuring the chaotic lives of Nabeel (Nabeel), Khoobsurat (Ayesha Omer), and the forgetful Momo (Hina Dilpazeer). Known for its slapstick humor, the show has gained worldwide popularity, especially in the UK.
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Express Tribune
06-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Tired of toxic love stories on TV?
There was a time when Pakistani dramas had heart, a lot of it. They were slice-of-life stories, the kind that made you laugh with your whole family and sometimes even made you tear up a little. Maybe it's the nostalgia talking, but those dramas had a magic that is hard to find now. Now, we're stuck in a loop. Most dramas are about a hot-headed guy with anger issues and a quiet, helpless girl he ends up "falling in love" with after slapping her mid-argument. You know the scene. She stumbles back, lands on a bed dramatically, and we're supposed to root for this romance. This template is, for the lack of a better word, slapped onto every channel. Of course, it's easy to blame writers or producers, but the truth is we keep watching. It seems we have an appetite for these tropes. If you think about it, why would they be made if an audience was not tuning in? But let's take a break from all that toxic romance and go back to a time when comedy dramas gave us something different. Colourful characters. Silly situations. And most importantly, they made us laugh. Here are six iconic comedy dramas that remind us of what we're missing: 'Annie Ki Ayegi Baraat' (2012) Part of the wildly popular "Baraat Series," this drama followed Annie, a London-returned girl, navigating her desi family's chaotic wedding preparations. And who can forget Bushra Ansari's magnum opus, Saima Chaudhry, who made this series what it is with her hilarious one-liners. 'Bulbulay' (2009) Pure chaos, in the best way. The dysfunctional family of Momo, Mehmood Sahab, Nabeel and Khubsoorat live in a world where nothing makes sense, but it's always funny. There is a reason this slapstick comedy is the longest-running Pakistani sitcom. 'Akbari Asghari' (2011) Before Fawad Khan became the full-package hero, he was Asghar. Loosely based on a classic Urdu novel, the show follows two sisters in arranged marriages to two very different cousins. The East-meets-West clash and sharp performances made it a comedy that felt fresh. 'Ankahi' (1982) Written by Haseeina Moin, this classic follows Sana, a quirky, ambitious woman trying to make it in the corporate world. The awkward charm, hysterical office dynamics, and iconic lines like "Kya aap waqai mein sanjeeda hain?" made it an unforgettable gem. 'Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah' (2012) A cult classic that still goes viral every Ramazan, thanks to unforgettable characters like Wadood and Rooh Afza. It mixed absurd comedy with sharp social commentary and let's be honest, we might never see a drama like this again. Women playing poker, men in makeup and sarees, it was way ahead of its time. 'Guest House' (1991) Set in an Islamabad guest house run by the lovable Mr and Mrs Shameem, this sitcom gave us endless laughs with quirky guests and even quirkier staff, especially Jan Rambo. It's proof that we need to bring back proper Pakistani sitcoms. Let's make room for more stories that bring us joy, not all drama needs drama.
Express Tribune
05-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Tired of toxic love stories? Watch these Pakistani comedy classics instead
There was a time when Pakistani dramas had heart, a lot of it. They were slice-of-life stories, the kind that made you laugh with your whole family and sometimes even made you tear up a little. Maybe it's nostalgia talking, but those dramas had a magic that is hard to find now. Now, we're stuck in a loop. Most dramas are about a hot-headed guy with anger issues and a quiet, helpless girl he ends up 'falling in love' with after slapping her mid-argument. You know the scene. She stumbles back, lands on a bed dramatically, and we're supposed to root for this romance. This template is, for the lack of a better word, slapped onto every channel. Of course, it's easy to blame writers or producers, but the truth is we keep watching. It seems we have an appetite for these tropes. If you think about it, why would they be made if an audience was not tuning in? But let's take a break from all that toxic romance and go back to a time when comedy dramas gave us something different. Colorful characters. Silly situations. And most importantly, they made us laugh. Here are six iconic comedy dramas that remind us of what we're missing: Annie Ki Ayegi Baraat (2012) Part of the wildly popular 'Baraat Series,' this drama followed Annie, a London-returned girl, navigating her desi family's chaotic wedding preparations. And who can forget Bushra Ansari's magnum opus, Saima Chaudhry, who made this series what it is with her hilarious one-liners. Bulbulay (2009) Pure chaos, in the best way. The dysfunctional family of Momo, Mehmood Sahab, Nabeel and Khubsoorat live in a world where nothing makes sense, but it's always funny. There is a reason this slapstick comedy is the longest-running Pakistani sitcom. Akbari Asghari (2011) Before Fawad Khan became the full-package hero, he was Asghar. Loosely based on a classic Urdu novel, the show follows two sisters in arranged marriages to two very different cousins. The East-meets-West clash and sharp performances made it a comedy that felt fresh. Ankahi (1982) Written by Haeesina Moin, this classic follows Sana, a quirky, ambitious woman trying to make it in the corporate world. The awkward charm, hysterical office dynamics, and iconic lines like 'Kya aap waqai mein sanjeeda hain?' made it an unforgettable gem. Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah (2012) A cult classic that still goes viral every Ramazan, thanks to unforgettable characters like Wadood and Rooh Afza. It mixed absurd comedy with sharp social commentary and let's be honest, we might never see a drama like this again. Women playing poker, men in makeup and sarees, it was way ahead of its time. Guest House (1991) Set in an Islamabad guest house run by the lovable Mr and Mrs Shameem, this sitcom gave us endless laughs with quirky guests and even quirkier staff, especially Jan Rambo. It's proof that we need to bring back proper Pakistani sitcoms. Let's make room for more stories that bring us joy, not all drama needs drama.
Express Tribune
01-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Ayesha Omar seeks Zen in Istanbul forests
Ayesha Omar's adventures in Istanbul have now embarked on a peaceful route. In a carousel shared on Instagram, the Bulbulay actor and her travelling companions trekked deep into a forest, hoping for a spiritual reward. "We're going in search of Zen after four days of wedding crazies," she wrote. "We've got to take it as it comes and ride with it. Just give us a forest and some screaming kids." The carousel is just one of the many photo slash video dumps Ayesha posted on Instagram since she flew to Turkey to attend the wedding festivities of her friend and showbiz peer, Anoushey Ashraf. The glamorous affair spread over the latter half of April, and Ayesha was delighted to document every memorable moment of it. In an earlier post, the Karachi Se Lahore actor stunned in a Nomi Ansari bubblegum pink lehenga. The ensemble, splattered and laced with golden sequins, was her pick for Anoushey Ashraf's shendi — an event combining rituals from shaadi (wedding) and mehndi (henna) celebrations — held in Istanbul, Turkey. The lehenga was matched with a strappy, crop blouse, a glittering, sheer dupatta, and a drawstring handbag. In the caption, Ayesha shared the secret behind every comfortable fashion pose, "Candy crushing and obsessing. While sneaking. (Only sneakers with the lehenga for now.)" The candy-crush ensemble was the sole survivor of a luggage mishap, as the Habs actor said in a previous post, "Emirates misplaced my luggage in transit and the only thing I have is this candy crush. Allah is the best planner." In the video, Ayesha happily twirled in the only piece of travelling clothing that stuck by her, tagging the designer to express her admiration. She also tagged Frieha Altaf, who recorded the clip in high spirits. Ayesha credited her for "capturing this and always cheering us on."
