'Indian serials are like a fashion parade'

ISLAMABAD: Indian television soaps may be enjoying high TRPs in the country and abroad but one of Pakistan's best known playwright has lashed out at the serials describing them as a "sort of a fashion parade" and wondered how viewers across the border can "tolerate" them.

Kanpur-born Haseena Moin, whose serials "Tanhaiyyan", "Dhoop Kinarey" and "Kashmakash" were a hit in India, said the Indian television soaps had many "flaws".

Moin, who has penned a serial for a private Pakistani channel after many years, is upbeat but this time round she has competition from Ekta Kapoor's tear-jerkers which are never given a miss by Pakistani women.

"Indian 'dramas' do not fall in the category of drama. They have so many flaws that one wonders how people tolerate them. They are a sort of a fashion parade, with people admiring the dresses, jewellery and furniture rather than following the storyline," Moin told Dawn.

Moin, whose framas were a hit in both Pakistan and India in the 1970s and 1980s, did not have very good things to say about the state of Pakistani dramas either.

"I sometimes mistake plays on our channels for Indian plays as now there is no distinction between Indian plays and Pakistani ones," she said, hoping that Pakistanis will tune in to her new and still unnamed drama which will go on air in about a month.

The playwright is best known in India for the serials "Tanhaiyyan", "Ankahi" and "Dhoop Kinarey". "Kashmakash", heR 46-episode serial for Star Plus in which she exploded many myths about Muslims, was also very popular in India.

Moin was born in Kanpur and migrated to Pakistan in 1947. She began writing early and humour and wit have been her trademark all along. 

The tear-jerkers on Indian TV may put off her off, but Moin is an ardent Bollywood fan. She calls Indian films "superb" and said she even penned the dialogues of Raj Kapoor's blockbuster "Henna".

"And that (writing for Indians) was a matter of pride for me as a Pakistani," she said.

"Quality humour is in short supply on our TV channels. People having myriad problems -- personal, national and international -- and starve for moments of joy.

"If somebody can bring a smile to their weary, tense faces, he or she may be doing a great service to his fellow beings -- though this may be no substitute for wheat flour or rice, whose prices are rocketing and without which survival is not possible," Moin said.

Her new serial revolves round three Pakistani women -- a model, a TV producer and a housewife. The women, who are friends from their college days, are brought together by fate after many years.

They share their problems and try to help one another.

"All my life I have been satisfying producers and directors' demands. After three successful comedy serials, a director asked me to write a serious one, which I did," she said.

Moin said there was lack of quality in today's serials because everone is in a hurry to earn a name and fame.

"People in (earlier) days worked with dedication. Their efforts were geared to the success of the serial, without caring much for who might be given credit for it," she said.

"But now the directors want all the credit for themselves, besides reaping monetary benefits. And the artistes dash from channel to channel to grab money minting opportunities, little caring for the quality of the product."

Moin, who may soon publish her book of plays, is also considering writing a novel after she has completed her present commitments.