article by Mahira. trends of sindhi dramas

Article by Mahira Majid Ali
Roll No. 2k14/MC/155
Trends of Sindhi Dramas


There was a time, when Sindhi media, especially dramas were jam-packed with a number of talented producers, directors, writers, as well as, actors. Many talented entities opened their eyes here. Sindhi dramas proved to have an intense effect on the viewers from the very beginning. But now, slowly and gradually this impact is drifting off.

Before partition, a huge number of Sindhi stage dramas took place. Mirza Qaleech Baig’s dramas like, Enquiry Officer, Zeenat, Khurshed and Gulan Wari Chokri, Khanchand Daryani’s drama, Zamindari Zulm and Mohammad Usman Diplai’s drama, Shadi, are some of the prominent stage dramas and writers of that time.


After partition, Sindhi people continued stage dramas, in which they showed their grief and nuisance. They sustained the trend of open-air theatres. The stage dramas were presented in Besant hall and Zubaida Girls College hall Hyderabad. Open-air theatres were commonly in practice, in the rural areas of Sindh. People say, "The beauty of open-air theatre is that, it attracts a large audience for entertainment and helps convey a critical message in the local language of the people”. In a region, where the majority of the rural population is illiterate, theatre is an effective way to communicate new ideas. The dramas of that time, were not so stretched but, their sole aim was to give information on subjects including message of peace, humanity, love and were frequently on the reality of society.

There is not a precise history of Sindhi stage dramas. But, they were typically based on Sindhi traditions and literature. The era of revolution of media aroused, when Pakistan Television (PTV) started to catch the eye of viewers and introduced a strategy to show programs in every province in their mother tongue. It was an effective way to keep endurance of provinces and their languages. Many dramas like, Marvi (a modern version of Sindhi folk tale), Amar Jaleel’s, Mitti Ja Marhun (real face of the society and the reality faced by poor people from feudal lords), Hafiz Kumbhar’s, Hathen Gul Mehandi, a good piece of Sindhi culture, beside these, Morr Udanra Morr, Aaino, Natak Rang, Abdul Qadir Junejo’s, Rani Ji Kahani and Khan Sahib, Hayat Ali Shah’s, Khuwab Aeen Khwahishun and Jinni Kanr Jiyas, Razaq Mehar’s, Jyapo, and especially "Dangea Manjh Darya" scripted by Ali Baba, produced by Haroon Rind, from PTV also achieved an award in German festival.

Other than these, dramas of Rashid Sabir, Shamsher Hydri, Shaukat Shoro, and Agha Rafique produced by Abdul Kareem Baloch, Sultana Siddiqui, Haroon Rind, Nawab Mehdi, Hamid Halepoto, Faiz Bughiyo, Mohammad Bux Samejo, Naeem Baloch and many others, were launched, through which viewers learned a lot. PTV used to present quality programs with vital importance of moral lessons. PTV dramas were very much bountiful that, in Poona institute, Indians used to get trained in acting by watching them.

After 2004, many private channels like KTN, Kashish TV, Sindh TV, Mehran TV and Dharti TV emerged and Sindhi media became one of the largest media society. There are around more than 20 private Sindhi media channels, which are on-air in Pakistan. Presently, these channels are presenting dramas like, Mama Laalu, Pathar Dunya, and Dunya Dardan Ji. The usual and all-inclusive theme of these dramas is tight-fisted and based on feudalism, sub-standard comedy, vulgarity, terrorism, and immoral dialogues like kutr kutr kare chadendo saeen and khairaan jay sir jo khair hujy, all the more so, drama Dunya Dardan Ji is dubbed version of Indian drama.

According to some writers, such spectacular exhibition of feudalism lifestyle is actually creating antagonism and severe fissures between social classes, whereby entirely obliterating chances of inspiring any positive change. The prime focus should be themes that the general viewership can relate to. Nowadays, merely 10% dramas of these private channels are promoting Sindhi culture, while others are representing Sindhi people as orthodox and obscurantist. Reality is that, interest and investment are two main pillars, through which any business can make progress and while it comes to Sindhi private media channels, no one invests, even actors are not given proper wages. Consideration of new script in Sindhi media, seems like a castle in Spain. Because, skilled writers like, Abdul Qadir Junejo, Shaukat Shoro and Ali Baba are not given chance to write. The producers and directors of the private channels are not well-trained and qualified like, PTV directors and producers that is why they are lacking quality programs.

The core reality is that, the emergence of these private channels, internationalization and commercialization has induced diminishing or no interest in Sindhis towards their mother tongue and their culture by showing this type of programs. Legends like Shafi Muhammad Shah, Qurban Jeelani, Ghazala Rafeeq, Noor Muhammad Lashari, A.R Baloch and Mansoor Baloch are hard to find. There is not any comparison between the golden age of Pakistani entertainment programming and today’s dramas (especially Sindhi). What is being consumed by the people today? Sindhi dramas should educate the masses, yet the only education most of them provide is on how the illiterate people of interior live, dress, eat, and socialise. Well-trained and educated writers, producers, directors should be given a chance to work for the revival and triumph of our Sindhi dramas.

This practical work was carried under supervision of Sir Sohail Sangi, Department of Media and Communication Studies, University of Sindh 

#MahiraMajid, #SindhiDrama, #Hyderabad, Shafi Muhammad Shah, Qurban Jeelani, Ghazala Rafeeq, Noor Muhammad Lashari, A.R Baloch, Mansoor Baloch 

feature by Mahira Majid. Philtres, natural cure or disaster

Feature by: Mahira Majid Ali

Roll no. 2k14/MC/155

Philtres, Perhaps a natural cure or a disaster.

Some people may find the word ‘Philtre’ mysterious and may be unaware of its meaning. Basically, philtre is a magic potion, a tonic supposed to arouse love, affection and desire for a particular person. But, here philtre is not used in that sense, it is not merely meant to be a love arousal drink. Philtres, at this juncture, actually means Desi Tips, you can say Homemade Tips or simply Totkay, which are being used by many of literate, as well as, illiterate populaces in some or other ways.

Formerly, experienced old women of villages, used to share number of philtres (totkas) regarding health issues with their daughters, daughters-in-laws and other friends and felt happy. They gave number of natural philtres (totkas) like using neem leaves for long and strong hairs, a droplet of desi ghee in ear for reducing headache, using fennel or fennel water for indigestion, turmeric was supposed as a natural antibiotic. It was used heavily as a medicinal paste to clean and heal serious wounds. Ginger was considered great for inflammation, so ginger tea during colds, flu, sore throat, even body aches was used and it worked great. In ancient time, rural community relied on these philtres because there were no doctors or other experts to treat them. So, they experimented these philtres. Many of them found these experimentations beneficial in past, many folks are getting advantage from these philtres till now.

However, at the present time, everyone is becoming health advisor and is offering different philtres (totkas) without any practical evidence. Even, when there is no need of these philtres some people are providing them for their publicity and are feeling pleasure. You might have listened about Dadi Amma kay Totkay, Zubaida Aapa kay Totkay, Bilquees Aapa kay Gharelu Desi Totkay, Naheed Aapa kay Gharelu Totkay and so on. Furthermore, loads of books, internet websites and mobile apps are also introduced on this subject.

Today, philtres (totkay) are widely being used in our daily life. Totkay are very popular not only in old ladies of Pakistan but at the present time, fashionable women also try to find out "Gharelu Nuskhe" to enhance their beauty or solve their health problems. They use philtres for their treatments and mostly do not consult a doctor for their health issues. In addition, men also try to find out Homemade Totkay for beauty. Sometimes, people even do not bother to think about their negative effects and are trusting and using them blindly.

Philtres (totkas) are used all over the world to ease life and make things easier to do. People say, Totkay are simple tips that cost us nothing but solve our daily problems easily and effectively. In today’s time and age, philtres have become so common, that medicines have totally taken a back seat.

People do not weigh up the proficiency of the person giving these philtres and after hearing they set off to make the recipe given by some unskilled people and apply them on their face, hair, body and drink or eat these formulations as well. People think that these homemade remedies are cheaper and are providing them the finest and hand-picked results. One should not set on for the cheapest, when it comes to health. As, Jim Rohn says, Take care of your body it is the only place you have to live.

No doubt, these philtres are ready to lend a hand to some extent, congruently, they may prove to be terrible or maltreated. . By applying these mixtures and liquids, suggested by inexpert, we may get good result for a short span of time, but sometimes these potions and mixtures give ridiculous results. One of my kin, is a great victim in maltreatment of these totkas. She likes long hairs and when she heard that by applying onion juice on scalp we can get long hairs, she started to apply it and made her routine to use onion juice without even verifying its outcomes. At last, she faced patchy hair loss. It was proved to be a recipe of disaster for her.

Since Diabetes runs in the family, some people often juice up bitter guard and would have quarter cup juice of it twice a week. They say that, “bitter guard juice is really good and helpful for diabetic patients”.  Another diabetic patient shared her views and said, “I am a diabetic patient and I am always told to try desi Totkay like drinking bitter guard juice etc. I simply hate it and I do not rely on this type of foolish activities and remedies. When we have doctors and clinics we should not do our self-medication”.

Contrary to this some people say, what’s wrong with totkas? Our ancestors survived on these totkas, only that their food was healthy and they practically did their work themselves and led an active life. They had no motorised vehicles and many had to walk distances. In the West, people are now realising that what their ancestors did was better and good, who ate simple non GMO food and did their own work. They are realising that the chemical and manufacturing industries along with doctors are cause of many ailments.

A Plant Pathologist said, “I used all kinds of remedies, but when I grew up I really and honestly hate this kind of treatment, that I would rather die than do these elaborate preparations”.

Self-diagnosis and self-medication has become somewhat of our national habit. Even in cities, where there are a number of private clinics, hospitals and labs, it is not doctors we pay our first visit to when sickness strikes. Occasionally, we push doctors to keep their stethoscopes in their pockets. Sometimes, grandma’s totkay, are enough to fix small problems like the common cold but for other health problems we must consult to specialist. Because when a plants leaves are turning brown you don’t paint the leaves green. You look at the cause of the problem. It is duty of the punter, to mull over the wear and tear of everything they use, to live a better life.

Nature has gifted us many beneficial and applicable stuffs to take pleasure of living. There is no question that Earth has been a giving planet. Everything humans have needed to survive, and thrive, was provided by the natural world around us: food, water, materials for shelter, and even natural cycles such as climate and nutrients. In all the things of nature there is something of the marvellous, but get to grips with all these things depend on us.

As a universal paradox says,You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choice.

Your body is a temple, not a trash can. If you will not take care of it, who will?

This practical work was carried under supervision of Sir Sohail Sangi, Department of Media and Communication Studies, University of Sindh 

#MahiraMajid,