''Dasht'' ( ur, دشت, Dashh-th) ( Desert) is a Pakistani drama television series. It is a Balochi tribal love story directed by Abid Ali and F H Qureshi and is written by
Munnu Bhai
Muneer Ahmed Qureshi (6 February 1933 – 19 January 2018), better known as Munnu Bhai, was a Pakistani newspaper journalist, columnist, poet and a writer. He was awarded the Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 2007 for his ...
.
Noman Ijaz
Nauman Ijaz (Punjabi and ur, ) is a Pakistani television and film actor, TV anchorperson, and TV show presenter. He is the recipient of several accolades including 10 Lux Style Awards, 7 Hum Awards and a President's Pride of Performance, wh ...
and
Atiqa Odho
Atiqa Odho ( ur, ; born 12 February 1968
) is a Pakistani television and film actress, television host, and the namesake of her own founded cosmetics brand Odho cosmetics. She debuted in Anwar Maqsood's TV series. She is famous for, ''Sitara aur ...
acted in the lead roles alongside supporting actors such as
Ayub Khoso
Ayub Khoso ( ur, ; born 1959) is a Pakistani actor of film and TV. With a career spanning more than three decades - mostly in television - Khoso is a well-known name in Pakistan. He is known for his roles in films like ''Khuda Kay Liye''.
Earl ...
Noor Muhammad Lashari
Noor Muhammad Lashari (Sindhi_language.html" "title="nowiki/>Sindhi language">Sindhi: نور محمد لاشاري], 24 October 1931- 1 February 1997) was a stage, radio, TV and film actor from Sindh, Pakistan. He was awarded the Pride of Perf ...
,
Fazila Qazi
Fazila Kaiser (nee Kazi ur, ), is a Pakistani television actress, producer, writer and chef. She has been a major television personality for over four decades. Once noted as the epitome of Pakistan's traditional "girl next door", Kazi establi ...
, Asad Malik, &
Sabiha Khanum
Sabiha Khanum ( ur, ; born Mukhtar Begum; 16 October 1935 – 13 June 2020), was a Pakistani film actress. She is also known as the "First Lady of Pakistani Cinema", and is often recognized for her role in Pakistani cinema during the 1950s an ...
.
Dasht aired on 5 February 1993 on Pakistan's first private channel NTM and won critical acclaim and was a major commercial success catapulting the onscreen pair of
Atiqa Odho
Atiqa Odho ( ur, ; born 12 February 1968
) is a Pakistani television and film actress, television host, and the namesake of her own founded cosmetics brand Odho cosmetics. She debuted in Anwar Maqsood's TV series. She is famous for, ''Sitara aur ...
and
Nauman Ejaz
Nauman Ijaz (Punjabi and ur, ) is a Pakistani television and film actor, TV anchorperson, and TV show presenter. He is the recipient of several accolades including 10 Lux Style Awards, 7 Hum Awards and a President's Pride of Performance, wh ...
to stardom. Audiences appreciated the screen chemistry between
Atiqa Odho
Atiqa Odho ( ur, ; born 12 February 1968
) is a Pakistani television and film actress, television host, and the namesake of her own founded cosmetics brand Odho cosmetics. She debuted in Anwar Maqsood's TV series. She is famous for, ''Sitara aur ...
and
Nauman Ejaz
Nauman Ijaz (Punjabi and ur, ) is a Pakistani television and film actor, TV anchorperson, and TV show presenter. He is the recipient of several accolades including 10 Lux Style Awards, 7 Hum Awards and a President's Pride of Performance, wh ...
and the duo later worked together in several successful dramas including
Nijaat
''Nijaat'' ( ur, , English: Liberation) is an eighteen-episode Pakistani television drama serial produced by PTV. The drama shows the different roles of women in Pakistan. It compares the women in the village to the urban women. It emphasizes ...
(1993), Talaash (Telefilm 1994), Arzoo Jeenay Ki Tu Nahin (2014), and Khan (2017) and are often referred to as Pakistan television's most loved on-screen couple. The drama also launched the successful debut career of
Asad Malik
Asad Malik is a Pakistani actor, film director and Film producer. He gained fame by 1990s and early 2000, after acting for PTV and NTM. he started his career as a film actor in 1989. His debut performance on television was the classic NTM dram ...
.
The music was composed by
Wajid Ali Nashad
Wajid Ali Nashad
( ur, ),
(1953 – 18 June 2008) was a noted Pakistani music composer. He was born in Bombay, India and died in Lahore, Pakistan after having a long career as a composer. He died on 18 June 2008.Atta Shad. The soundtracks of the drama were equally successful and popular. The cinematography of this drama is also unique and for the first time in Pakistani television history, a series of songs were used which was well-received by audiences (which is rather rare in a Pakistani drama).
Atiqa Odho
Atiqa Odho ( ur, ; born 12 February 1968
) is a Pakistani television and film actress, television host, and the namesake of her own founded cosmetics brand Odho cosmetics. She debuted in Anwar Maqsood's TV series. She is famous for, ''Sitara aur ...
's Balochi attire and jewelry and
Nauman Ejaz
Nauman Ijaz (Punjabi and ur, ) is a Pakistani television and film actor, TV anchorperson, and TV show presenter. He is the recipient of several accolades including 10 Lux Style Awards, 7 Hum Awards and a President's Pride of Performance, wh ...
's Balochi-style turban chaddar & Bughti Shalwar became a trend. Shugal Pakistan ranks the drama amongst the "11 Unforgettable Classic Dramas of Pakistan".
Plot
The story is set among three warring tribes in rural
Balochistan
Balochistan ( ; bal, بلۏچستان; also romanised as Baluchistan and Baluchestan) is a historical region in Western and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. ...
(in
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
). Born into this tribal warfare are Shahtaaj
Atiqa Odho
Atiqa Odho ( ur, ; born 12 February 1968
) is a Pakistani television and film actress, television host, and the namesake of her own founded cosmetics brand Odho cosmetics. She debuted in Anwar Maqsood's TV series. She is famous for, ''Sitara aur ...
and Balaaj
Noman Ejaz
Nauman Ijaz (Punjabi and ur, ) is a Pakistani television and film actor, TV anchorperson, and TV show presenter. He is the recipient of several accolades including 10 Lux Style Awards, 7 Hum Awards and a President's Pride of Performance, whi ...
. Despite being surrounded by violence all their lives, both are gentle souls with a love of music and poetry. While both are from opposing tribes - they ultimately fall in love! Fearing that their union could unite two tribes, the head of the third tries everything to stop this from happening. The Drama was a tale of unrequited love and parental opposition while the culture, thinking, and issues of tribes in Balochistan served as sidelines of Shahtaaj's (
Atiqa Odho
Atiqa Odho ( ur, ; born 12 February 1968
) is a Pakistani television and film actress, television host, and the namesake of her own founded cosmetics brand Odho cosmetics. She debuted in Anwar Maqsood's TV series. She is famous for, ''Sitara aur ...
) and Balaaj's (
Nauman Ejaz
Nauman Ijaz (Punjabi and ur, ) is a Pakistani television and film actor, TV anchorperson, and TV show presenter. He is the recipient of several accolades including 10 Lux Style Awards, 7 Hum Awards and a President's Pride of Performance, wh ...
) story of two youngsters from rival tribes who fall in love.. The plot was a modern-day take on classic tragic romance stories such as Layla and Majnun, Heer Ranjha, and Romeo and Juliet.
Cast
*
Atiqa Odho
Atiqa Odho ( ur, ; born 12 February 1968
) is a Pakistani television and film actress, television host, and the namesake of her own founded cosmetics brand Odho cosmetics. She debuted in Anwar Maqsood's TV series. She is famous for, ''Sitara aur ...
as Shahtaaj
*
Nauman Ejaz
Nauman Ijaz (Punjabi and ur, ) is a Pakistani television and film actor, TV anchorperson, and TV show presenter. He is the recipient of several accolades including 10 Lux Style Awards, 7 Hum Awards and a President's Pride of Performance, wh ...
as Mir Balaaj
*
Ayub Khoso
Ayub Khoso ( ur, ; born 1959) is a Pakistani actor of film and TV. With a career spanning more than three decades - mostly in television - Khoso is a well-known name in Pakistan. He is known for his roles in films like ''Khuda Kay Liye''.
Earl ...
Shaista Jabeen
Shaista Jabeen is a Pakistani television actress. She appeared in PTV's classic serials in 1990s. She started acting in television around 1993–94 and has acted in more than 50 serials. Her notable TV dramas are '' Dasht'', ''Aaghosh'' , ''Du ...
Fazila Qazi
Fazila Kaiser (nee Kazi ur, ), is a Pakistani television actress, producer, writer and chef. She has been a major television personality for over four decades. Once noted as the epitome of Pakistan's traditional "girl next door", Kazi establi ...
as Sajjal
*
Humaira Ali
Humaira Ali (née Chaudhry) is a Pakistani actress. She is known for her roles in dramas ''Nail Polish'', ''Kankar'', ''Jab We Wed'' and '' Sammi''.
Early life
Humaira was born on April 5th in 1960 in Lahore, Pakistan. She completed her studies ...
as the voice of Shahtaaj in the song "Rabab Kehta Hai"
*
Asad Malik
Asad Malik is a Pakistani actor, film director and Film producer. He gained fame by 1990s and early 2000, after acting for PTV and NTM. he started his career as a film actor in 1989. His debut performance on television was the classic NTM dram ...
as Mir Bebarg Mehdi (Mir Balaaj and Shahtaj's son)
*
Azra Aftab
Azra Aftab is a Pakistani actress. She is known for her roles in dramas '' Dhuwan'', ''Manzil'', '' Laag'', '' Dasht'' and ''Madiha Maliha''.
Early life
Azra was born in 1958 on November 23 in Karachi, Pakistan. She joined the industry in 1990.
...
as Duresham's mother (Sardar Hamza Salari's sister)
* Noor Mohammad Lashari as Sardar Nadir Jumbail (Antagonist)
*
Rasheed Naz
Rasheed Naz (9 September 1948 – 17 January 2022) was a Pakistani film and television actor. He started his television career in 1971 in a ''Pashto'' television play and worked in several Pashto, Hindko and Urdu-language plays.
Life and career ...
as Sardar Zakaullah Mehdi (Father of Mir Balaaj Mehdi)
*
Mohsin Gillani
Muhsin (also spelled Mohsen, Mohsin, Mehsin, or Muhsen, ar, محسن) is a masculine Arabic given name. The first person known to have the name "Muhsin" was Muhsin bin Ali, the son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah bint Muhammad.
Islamic term
...
as Sardar Hamza Salari (Shahtaj's father and Mir Guwaraam's uncle) (dead)
*
Sabiha Khanum
Sabiha Khanum ( ur, ; born Mukhtar Begum; 16 October 1935 – 13 June 2020), was a Pakistani film actress. She is also known as the "First Lady of Pakistani Cinema", and is often recognized for her role in Pakistani cinema during the 1950s an ...
as Dai mah
*
Nayyar Ejaz
Nayyar Ejaz (or Nayyar Ijaz) ( ur, نیر اعجاز) is a Pakistani film and television actor. Ejaz has been working in television industry since early 1990s. He is famous for his side roles (villain) ''Kali Das'' in the television serial ''Laag ...
as Shaikh Jumbail (son of Sardar Nadir Jumbail)
*
Zahid Saleem Zahid is a male given name particularly popular in several Asian countries. It has its roots in the Arabic language. In Arabic, there are a few variations based on the exact pronunciation of the name thus having different meanings. One of the meanin ...
as Nuro
* Robina Arshi as Sakeena
Music
Critical reception
In 1993, the onscreen pair of
Atiqa Odho
Atiqa Odho ( ur, ; born 12 February 1968
) is a Pakistani television and film actress, television host, and the namesake of her own founded cosmetics brand Odho cosmetics. She debuted in Anwar Maqsood's TV series. She is famous for, ''Sitara aur ...
&
Nauman Ejaz
Nauman Ijaz (Punjabi and ur, ) is a Pakistani television and film actor, TV anchorperson, and TV show presenter. He is the recipient of several accolades including 10 Lux Style Awards, 7 Hum Awards and a President's Pride of Performance, wh ...
"shot into stardom" following the release of ''Dasht''. According to critics "The drama which proudly displayed Baloch traditions, was memorable in terms of its dialogues, plot twists, superb acting, cinematography, and music." ''Dasht'' was Abid Ali's first self-produced and self-directed drama serial which became a hit project of its time and this happened to be the first-ever private production in Pakistan.