Television dramas like Parwarish are facing criticism for allegedly glorifying underage relationships and promoting narratives that undermine responsible parenting and personal development.
The controversy began after news anchor Kirna Naza shared a critique, later reposted by entertainment portal Galaxy Lollywood, expressing serious concern over the influence of such content on young audiences.
In her post, Kirna highlighted how recent drama trends often romanticise the lives of college students, portraying love as the ultimate goal in life—potentially sending misleading messages to impressionable viewers.
She expressed shock over how the storyline of Parwarish frames the lives of teens and young adult characters around intense emotional attachments, often at the cost of their education, ambitions, and family values.
“This isn’t just harmless fiction anymore,” Kirna said in her post.
“These dramas are shaping the mindset of an entire generation. When you constantly show young girls and boys falling deeply in love, abandoning their dreams, and challenging their families, all for the sake of a relationship, it sets a very dangerous precedent.”
Her main critique focused on the absence of positive parenting in such narratives. According to Kirna, these storylines normalize emotional neglect by guardians while romanticising rebellion and disobedience.
She also warned that when impressionable minds see love as the only goal in life, it may lead to disappointment, poor decision-making, and an unrealistic understanding of relationships.
“What happened to showing strong role models, parents who guide their kids, students who chase dreams, or young people making responsible choices?” she questioned. “Our media has the power to inspire, but too often, it sells fantasies with little thought for the real-life impact.”
Kirna Naza added: “There’s more to life than love. Our stories should say that out loud.”
Galaxy Lollywood’s caption echoed similar sentiments, calling for more socially responsible storytelling in Pakistani entertainment.
The post received a flurry of reactions online, with many users agreeing that the recent influx of high-school and college romance stories glamorises unrealistic lifestyles and trivialises issues like education pressure, mental health, and identity formation.
Some users in the comments praised Kirna for raising the issue, saying that Pakistani drama has long ignored character development and realistic youth problems in favour of high-drama romantic plots.
Others pointed out that while love stories have a place in fiction, they should not be the only narrative offered to young audiences.
Parwarish, which has gained popularity for its emotional twists and youthful cast, has not yet responded to the criticism.
However, the backlash may prompt producers and writers to reflect on the long-term impact of their storylines, especially when catering to a younger demographic.
With growing public scrutiny, the entertainment industry is once again being urged to balance commercial success with social responsibility, offering narratives that entertain without compromising on values.
