PEMRA Bans more TV Dramas which depict Social Stigmas
In a developing country like Pakistan, people have fewer means of leisure and entertainment. By virtue of which, television holds vital importance for people from all walks of life.
It has the power to influence people’s lives immensely, yet the ever-prevalent social stigmas are treated like the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about.
Though the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) was primarily responsible for modulating what private TV channels broadcast, it has spent years blocking western and Indian content from Pakistani screens. However, in recent times it has been notorious for consistently banning dramas depicting social taboos.
The board became active, especially since the past year, taking down local serials, left, right and centre. It started from Udaari, a few years back, while the recent hit list consists of the much-anticipated drama ‘Dil na umeed to nahi’. A strong female lead seems to be the common factor in all these dramas.
PEMRA and its controversial ban History.
- Dil na umeed to nahi – (I haven’t lost hope)
PEMRA reportedly issued a notice to TV One, citing the drama Dil na umeed to nahi for airing ‘objectionable content’. The channel also received a five-day notice to review the telecast and censor the necessary scenes. After the verdict, PEMRA made headlines in print and electronic media alike. Simultaneously, social media was abuzz with netizens calling out the authority for its bias decision. The majority of the audiences opined that they need more such dramas to highlight social issues in society.
The drama features a stellar cast with Yumna Zaidi as the main protagonist, Nauman Ijaz, Yasra Rizvi, Samiya Mumtaz and Wahaj Ali, playing significant roles. The gripping storyline revolves around a prostitute Sumbul, who had a traumatic childhood as a victim of human trafficking. Regardless, she pushes through adversity to emerge as a strong woman who fights against injustice for her fellow call-girls.
Additionally, the story-driven play portrays a mix of social stigmas like child-abuse, prostitution, human trafficking and child marriages.
Dil na umeed se tou nahi comes under the production banner of Kashf Foundation, famous for making serials highlighting social issues like child abuse, sexual harassment and prostitution.
- Udaari (Lit: to fly)
Urwa Hocane and Farhan Saeed starrer Udaari was the first drama serial to bring social evils like sexual harassment, child abuse and rape to Pakistani screen sets.
Udaari hit the television screens in 2016, making waves for its bold representation of an unorthodox subject. The 25-episode narrative brought child sexual abuse to the forefront and helped create awareness among the masses.
After the telecast of the first few episodes, Hum TV received a show-cause notice from PEMRA, asking to explain the airing of a few unpalatable scenes. Other channels also got warnings to produce dramas in compliance with social values or get ready to face the ban.
- Pyar Ke Sadqay (For the sake of Love)
Pyar ke sadqay premiered on Hum TV from January to August 2020. It was another such drama to stir up controversy. This Hum Sitaray serial showcased Omair Rana as an obsessive father-in-law who pursues his son’s naive wife (Yumna Zaidi) romantically and makes consistent advances on her. However, the drama depicted the real picture of our society, as statistics indicate that 34 per cent of sexual abusers are close family members.
However, this time PEMRA issued a press release stating that the drama’s plot went against viewers discretion as they did not want to see such disrespect of “sacred relations”. The board also mentioned that they have been receiving several complaints on a daily basis, since the show went on air.
After repeated notices to TV channels, PEMRA finally announced a ban on the rerun of 2 dramas, one of which was Pyar ke sadqay.
All around the world, Entertainment industries are venturing into creative projects and genres, educating audiences on societal issues. However, in Pakistan, such bans on dramas depicting societal challenges does nothing but hinder the creative process of the Pakistani entertainment industry.
Instead of banning social campaigns, PEMRA can ask channels to shift broadcast timings to after 9 PM that cater to mature audiences. Doing so will be a win-win situation for all, the audience as well as the makers.
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