Saima Akram Chaudhry is one of the most successful writers in the Pakistani drama industry, with her Ramadan dramas being a sure hit every year. However, this year has been different, with Ramadan dramas not doing well and people expressing dissatisfaction with the industry’s current state. Saima Akram Chaudhry, a guest on Fuchsia, shared her disappointment with the form of Ramadan dramas and made some critical decisions.
Saima Akram Chaudhry reveals her disappointment with Ramadan dramas
Saima Akram Chaudhry shared that she will not be writing a Ramadan drama for at least two years, as she is tired of working under pressure and dealing with the expectations of audiences and content teams of channels. She explained that writing a drama takes a lot of effort, and she wants to take a break and rejuvenate herself before she takes on another project.
Disappointment with the Current State of Ramadan Dramas
Saima Akram Chaudhry expressed her disappointment with the current state of Ramadan dramas, saying that they have become slapstick comedies that do not lightly convey the intended message. She believes that dramas have become overly exaggerated, annoying people and that the audience will not tolerate this anymore.
Lack of Creative Control
Saima Akram Chaudhry also shared her frustration with her lack of creative control over her characters. Sometimes, the feelings she has written do not turn out as she imagined due to the director, content team, or the actors. This can be frustrating for a writer who has put much effort into creating a character only to see it be misrepresented on screen.
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Lack of Budget with Hum TV
According to Saima, she had written a character of a mother-in-law and an older sister who keeps visiting the house with her two children. However, after the production team of Hum TV calculated their budget estimates, they decided to make both kids of the protagonist’s character, played by Danish Taimoor, while completely cutting out the mother-in-law and the older sister from the script.
This is not uncommon in the Pakistani drama industry, as budget constraints and calculations often lead to changes in the script and character arcs. However, hearing about this behind-the-scenes decision-making process directly from a renowned writer like Saima Akram Chaudhry was interesting.
Consulting Writers During Casting
The writer also suggested that producers should consult writers during casting. This is because writers imagine actors and actresses while writing the script, and sometimes casting can be the complete opposite, resulting in a disconnect between the character and the actor.
Making One Drama with a High Budget
Finally, Saima Akram Chaudhry advised producers to make one drama and pour all the budget into it rather than doing four projects without a clear purpose. She believes that this will result in a higher quality drama that can stand out from the rest.
In conclusion, Saima Akram Chaudhry’s disappointment with the current state of Ramadan dramas has led her to take a break from writing them. She shared her frustrations with the lack of creative control, the disconnect between the character and the actor during casting, and the over-exaggeration of everything. Her advice to producers to make one drama with a high budget could result in a higher quality drama that stands out from the rest.