From Domestic to Modern: A Study of the Portrayal of Women in Pakistani Drama (2000–2025)

Abstract

Traditionally, Pakistani television dramas have influenced the gender roles in the mind of the people. The image of women has changed between 2000 and 2025 where women were dominated to an image of contemporary autonomy. This development indicates larger social and ideological shifts in the Pakistani society. The current research analyses the way female figures have evolved in the last 20 years, codes of language and visuality that create femininity, as well as whether these depictions represent true empowerment or hidden patriarchy. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) has been used to examine the selected dramas of 2000-2025 and identify similar patterns, dialogues and framing. Feminist media theory facilitated the understanding of ideological meanings that were enshrined in such texts. The analysis has shown a shift in the representation towards hybrid images, women are shown to be modern and ambitious but are trapped in the net of moral and family values. The Pakistani dramas show more and more challenging female personalities that represent the continuous negotiation process between the traditional values and the modern concept of womanhood.

Keywords: Domestic, Modern, Portrayal, Women, Pakistani Drama.