Pakistani dramas have a way of holding up a mirror to society, and Parwarish tried to do exactly that. It explored family relationships, parenting, and the silent wounds children carry from their upbringing. At its best, the drama was raw and relatable—tackling subjects we rarely talk about openly. But while it touched on so many powerful themes, it struggled to bring them together in a satisfying way. The ending especially left audiences disappointed, more of a lecture through monologues than a resolution to the characters’ journeys.
Still, Parwarish sparked conversations that are worth having.
Two Fathers, Two Approaches to Parenting
One of the most striking contrasts in the drama was between the father who equated control with love and the one who offered stable, supportive care.
- The controlling father genuinely believed that constant oversight, criticism, and tough discipline were acts of love. But what children experienced was suffocation, fear, and the inability to express themselves.
- In contrast, the stable father showed that parenting isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence. Supporting your kids through mistakes instead of shutting them out builds trust, and ultimately, resilience.
This contrast reminded many viewers of real-life parenting dynamics in South Asian households, where “strictness” is often mistaken for care. We also had a third father, who initially tried to control his daughters life and forced her to get engaged to someone but later learned his lesson and realised (sooner than most) that this was hurting his daughter more than helping her.
None of these fathers had the wrong intentions, they all acted out of love; but their actions were extremely different, highlighting their own understanding of society and what they thought was “the right way” to parent.
The Weight Children Carry Silently
Another angle that resonated deeply was how children internalize problems:
- Kids thinking their parents fight because of them.
- Swallowing their own emotions to maintain the facade of “the good kid”
- Carrying the blame and guilt for things beyond their control.
- Struggling with bullying and peer pressure without a safe space to talk about it.
The drama reminded us of how often children swallow pain in silence because open communication isn’t encouraged at home. This lack of dialogue is a cycle many families continue unconsciously; shrouded behind the curtain of respect, shame or even a simple “I don’t want to worry them”
This drama showed us how mental health problems manifest in the form of panic attacks, thoughts of self-harm and eventually self-harm or even mental breakdowns. We also witness the slippery slope of peer-pressure which causes children to try things they themselves might not even be interested in (like drugs etc)
The University Love Angle – A Misstep
Public opinion was clear: the university love story was the weakest part of Parwarish. Many felt it was immature, unrealistic, and unnecessary in a drama already juggling so many heavy themes. Instead of adding emotional depth, it distracted from the stronger family narrative and left audiences frustrated.
Additionally, it was jarring to witness Maya get engaged to Waleed (by force, I know) constantly complaining about how it was distracting her from her studies while being smitten by Wali at the same time.
I do think the fiance being a manipulative and potentially abusive man was a good angle especially considering that her father does not believe her initially, until the mask drops and he is able to witness the monster he had forced his daughter to get engaged to.
Too Many Themes at Once?
Bullying, peer pressure, lack of communication, parental control, mental health, marriage pressure on young girls—the list goes on. Some viewers felt Parwarish tried to say too much all at once. While each theme was important, cramming them together diluted the impact. Instead of going deep into one or two issues, the drama skimmed over several, leaving some unresolved.
It was ambitious, but sometimes less is more.
Mental Health and Marriage Pressure
Two of the most powerful but underdeveloped themes were mental health and marriage pressure:
- Mental health struggles were hinted at but never fully explored. We saw characters suffer, but not enough discussion about healing, therapy, or systemic change.
- Marriage pressure on young girls was another striking issue. Instead of letting daughters explore their passions or focus on education, families often rushed them toward proposals. Parwarish captured this pressure but didn’t give it the resolution it deserved.
Amal is shown to be having panic attacks in the drama (while carrying the heavy label of the perfectly responsible daughter, grand daughter and student.) Anya is shown to be suffering from guilt, self-harm and suicidal tendencies because of many different reasons. Where Anya does get therapy and some sort of healing. Amal’s situation is brushed under the carpet and completely forgotten.
The Ending – Why It Fell Flat
After weaving so many complex narratives, the drama ended with a string of monologues. Instead of showing how characters grew—or failed to grow—it explained themes directly to the audience. This “telling instead of showing” robbed viewers of the emotional closure they had invested in.
Wali’s father sits there (giving an interview?) talking about how Wali has decided to continue his education alongside his music career, how he has gotten engaged to Maya, about how Anya is also doing better with therapy and everything is great. What I would’ve liked to see was his growth, him speaking about realising his mistakes, about what he did wrong and how he corrected it. We get no resolution for Amal and Sameer or a peek into their family dynamics after the last incident had caused such a ruckus. Just a weird ending showing a potential love interest for Amal.
Audiences craved resolution, but instead, they got commentary.
Final Thoughts
Parwarish was ambitious, emotional, and relatable. It made us reflect on parenting, love, control, communication, and the invisible battles children fight. But it also left viewers frustrated—both with the unnecessary university love arc and an ending that didn’t do justice to the story’s buildup.
Still, its conversations about how we raise children, how we support them through mistakes, and how much silence weighs on mental health are valuable.
If anything, Parwarish shows us that parenting is less about controlling children and more about listening to them, guiding them, and letting them grow into themselves. That message is worth carrying forward, even if the drama itself didn’t tie up its loose ends.
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