Saturday, 25th January, 2020 marked history as Pakistan’s show business industry turned over a new leaf. Thousands flocked to the cinema houses to watch the screening of the last episode of Mere Pass Tum Ho that left earth-shattering records in every single streaming medium there is.
ARY Media Group’s clever tactic, although much to the disappointment of many fans, worked out in the best possible way as the airing of the last episode was pushed one week further, so that preparations for its screening could be made. It is almost astounding to see that by garnering a whopping 2 million rupees in advance booking, the total box office earnings in Pakistan, surpassed famous Bollywood and Hollywood movies including the likes of Fast and the Furious and Padmaavat.
So what worked?
You must be living under a rock if you do not know what effect does a thing called Pakistani dramas has over the South Asian masses. But it is also very interesting to note, that post the success of dramas like Husamafar (2009) and Meri Ladli (2010), Pakistani dramas started to be exported to Middle Eastern countries, often dubbed in Arabic language. So for one, Pakistani dramas are already very popular.
But this still doesn’t fully explain the roaring success of Mere Pass Tum Ho. At best, the popularity of the drama industry overall, helped with an already present viewer base. However, MPTH made those people tune into television screens and ARY’s youtube channel, who seldom watch literature pieces of this kind.
MPTH did what Pakistani dramas have rarely – or never – experimented with. By flipping the general trope of an oppressive-guy-resilient-girl, it narrates the story of a naive albeit well-measured man, who madly loves (and practically worships) his significant other, but goes through heart-aching remorse when his wife takes the route of infidelity for material luxuries and what she believes is a better life. What follows then is a saga of lust, betrayal, heart-break and a tragedy that parallels (not necessarily very skillfully) classic literature of romantic tragedies.
A special mention is needed for the brilliant direction of Nadeem Baig – a man who can make two 40 minute episodes with just three characters, two rooms, and heart-wrenching dialogues, so thrilling and gluing. Our star-studded cast of veteran actors Humayun Saeed, Ayeza Khan, Adnan Siddiqui and later, Savera Nadeem, gave performances of their lifetime. The original soundtrack, sung by Rahat fateh Ali Khan, can be heard everywhere – in homes, in restaurants, in my university’s cafeteria, in rickshaws and even in weddings (what the hell wedding planners? This is a song about separation and heartbreak, read the room!).
Now with that said, it is not surprising to know that more men watched Mere Pass Tum Ho than women (who are the intended audience). And the drama (successfully?) gained immense share of controversy from feminist sides for “sexist remarks, and double-standards on the line of gender”. Granted that I am not here to discuss my opinion on the particular controversy that unfolded, this has definitely helped the never-before-seen popularity of this drama.
There are social media platforms, where millennials and generation z audience communicate about their feelings on the show in “memes”. There are whatsapp group chats, where other millenials and baby boomers share and forward scenes and dialogues (which, not gonna lie, often carry sexist undertones). Then there are prime-time talk shows, where hosts bring the controversial writer Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar and other parties alongside or against him to discuss his narrative about the drama that he has written. In fact, the famous lines from the title track “Mera ye bharam tha, mere pass tum ho” was seen being screamed at the people by the famous political leader Farooq Sattar in his political procession! It all worked magnificently in the favor of the drama, the production house, and finally the cinema industry.
So what does this unprecedented success mean for Pakistan’s cinema industry?
A day prior to the screening, many fans who went to cinema houses to get their advance tickets, had to head home disappointed as tickets sold out much earlier. Cinemas in Karachi, Lahore, Gujranwala and other cities in the country were house-full. Based on reviews collected by Something Haute, post-screening reactions showed sobbing, but satiated audience who were very happy with their decision to watch the finale on silver screen.
Galaxy Lollywood, the famous Lollywood information site, posted: “After the craze for MPTH, other serials might also hit cinemas soon!”. The site further comments, “it is only a matter of time before more jump onto MPTH’s bandwagon. For now, MPTH hysteria is sweeping the nation.”
Only time will tell how this trend pans out in the long run. With Mere Pass Tum Ho hashtag trending on twitter in Pakistan, and worldwide, with more people talking about Pakistani dramas than ever, with more appreciation of content that shows real-life, not over the top, and simple stories, it is an important question for Pakistan’s cinema industry to ask, what turn should Lollywood take next? What is in store?
About the author
Syed Ali Arshad is a student of development studies at Habib University and Editor in Chief of Ticketwala. He writes articles mostly based on community-based events, student organized events, and sometimes on what is being shown on Big Screen.
