The Lens: Pakistan TV dramas win Indian hearts, bridging the gap between neighbour nations

Pakistani dramas have bridged the gap between two nations, offering Indian audiences a chance to “experience” their neighbour through a digital screen. Television soaps show viewers unique aspects of Pakistani culture and art without legal or political concerns.

According to an article in The New Indian, Pakistani dramas are popular because of their strong female leads and relatable characters and settings. And, perhaps most importantly, Pakistani dramas bring a fresh perspective to shared issues that resonate across the border.

This is significant because it gives Indians an opportunity to view Pakistan in a different light. They can laud the country’s tremendous creativity and expertise in producing dramas instead of solely seeing them as the nuclear arch-rival they have been positioned against politically since birth.

The K-pop industry is another example of entertainment that has brought people together. Groups like Blackpink release Japanese versions of their Korean songs, while others even release Japanese-original singles and albums. Regarding lyrics, most K-pop groups use English, appealing to the West and other English-speaking regions.

Despite many countries having political and cultural disputes, Korean music has truly built a global audience interested in Korean art and culture.

The Korean music industry is a form of entertainment that has broken countless cultural barriers and now has fans worldwide. Similarly, Pakistani dramas can create a connection between nations despite the political divide.

Read up on the issue in last week’s The Lens

The sister of the driver involved in a fatal accident that killed three teenage motorcyclists in Malaysia has offered a tearful apology to the families of the victims. But many are criticising the wealthy for their apparent instinct to play up their plight while dismissing the suffering of others.

Police said the unnamed driver, 18, did not have a valid licence and would be investigated for reckless, dangerous driving.

He faces up to 15 years in jail if found guilty. He was hospitalised along with the victims of the crash.

Two secondary school students, aged 15 and 16, were killed on the spot after the motorcycle they were riding collided with the car in Senawang district in Malaysia’s southern Negeri Sembilan state.

A third victim, a 17-year-old motorcyclist, died in hospital.

Viral videos of the crash showed the car hurtling down the highway and beating a red light just before the collision with two motorcycles.

The driver’s sister, Nur Athirah Najwa, said in a post that her brother was behind the wheel but urged the public to “not scold or do anything to him” and, instead, pray for his recovery as he was also in critical condition.

The post featured a photo of her and her brother smiling together in front of a luxury car.

She made no acknowledgement of the deaths caused by the crash. This triggered outrage, with many citing the apparent lack of empathy for the families of the victims.

Nur Athirah later posted a video responding to the backlash: “I would like to apologise to the families of the victims and all Malaysians over my post and comments that were excessive to the point of angering everyone”.

The video was widely picked up by local media and pulled tens of thousands of views across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Many accused Nur Athirah of faking her tears to placate the customers of her father’s successful burger and sandwich business, saying her brother should face the full brunt of the law for his actions.

Staff writers

• Do you think Nur Athirah Najwa is justified in asking the public not to blame the driver and instead pray for him? And was the public’s response to her message reasonable?

• How can you connect this incident to other online apologies? Do you think an apology is enough to subdue most situations?

• Does the public have the right to critique an online apology?