Undoubtedly one of the most prolific scriptwriters in Pakistani entertainment industry, Haseena Moin has left behind an everlasting treasure of brilliant dramas that will be cherished for decades
Making her debut in the early 70s with the drama Shehzori followed by Kiran Kahani, Uncle Urfi and in 1976 Parchaiyyan that was also the very first drama aired in colour on Pakistani television, Haseena had also written the dialogues for Bollywood movie Henna starring Zeba Bakhtiar and Rishi Kapoor, which was later India’s official submission to the Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film.
Contrary to the damsels in distress we see today, Haseena’s female leads were strong and independent women who knew how to make their own in the male dominated society while also balancing their personal lives.
With such a stellar career to her name, it is hard to list down our favourites but here are the five Haseena Moin projects that revolutionised Pakistani dramas.
Dhoop Kinare
Giving the audience the symbolic character of Dr Zoya played by Marina Khan and the 80s’ heartthrob Dr Ahmer played by Rahat Kazmi, Dhoop Kinare remains to be one of the most famous Pakistani dramas in history. Praised particularly for its screenplay and writing, it won’t be wrong to say that Haseena made both Marina and Rahat the most sought-after actors of the time. The drama’s popularity can also be judged from the fact that it was remade in India almost three decades later as ‘Kuch Toh Log Kahenge’ starring actors Mohnish Behl and Kritika Kamra.
Ankahi
A drama that’s almost synonymous to Haseena Moin — Ankahi gave us a look at what an ambitious and driven young woman looks like even if it was more than three decades ago. Sana Murad played by Shehnaz Sheikh remains a character that every girl can relate to no matter what time and date they are watching the drama series. Also starring actors Javed Sheikh and Shakeel in the lead roles, Ankahi is famous for its witty and candid dialogues and tight screenplay along with the brilliants performances.
Bandish
Starring renowned actress Khalida Riyasat in her first major TV drama, Bandish is one of the more popular Haseena Moin dramas with a powerful cast to its name. The drama revolves around the lives of Shahzad played by Talat Hussain who is a lawyer and the happy-go-lucky girl Tania played by Riyasat.
Tanhaiyaan
A cult classic, Tanhaiyaan starring the biggest ensemble cast of the year featured actors such as Shehnaz Sheikh, Marina Khan, Asif Raza Mir, Behroze Sabzwari, Durdana Butt, Azra Sherwani and Badar Khalil. The drama revolved around two sisters who lose their parents and go to live with their aunt. One of their efforts to buy back their parents’ house leads them to realise what makes a house a home. The drama remains unforgettable owing to its remarkable characters such as Zara, Sanya, Zain, Aani and Qabacha.
Parchaiyaan
Starring Sahira and Rahat Kazmi, Parchaiyaan was the story of Najia and the men in her life — her cousin Adeel played by Rahat and Masood played by Shakeel. Given her enchanting beauty and personality, the men fall head over heels in love with her however fate has something else in store for Najia and that’s what makes the drama a strong gripping tale.
