Mein Manto Nahi Hoon has reopened a debate we’ve had a hundred times, and frankly, we’re tired. Every time you think Pakistani TV is finally moving forward, Khaleel ur Rehman Qamar shows up with another script, dragging us right back into the past. Despite constant backlash, outdated views, and the same tired themes, he somehow keeps getting greenlit.
So, in today’s episode of “What’s Wrong with our Dramas,” let’s talk about KRQ.
Main Manto Nahi Hon: A Blockbuster Cast, A Backward Script
Let’s get one thing straight: Mein Manto Nahi Hoon has the best cast PTV has rolled out in years. Saima Noor? Iconic. She could’ve carried this entire drama on her shoulders with zero backup. But no, we also got Babar Ali, Asif Raza Mir, and Sajal Aly thrown into the mix, not to mention newcomers like Nameer, who brought serious potential and screen presence. This wasn’t just casting done right; it was a masterpiece.
The trailer of Main Manto Nahi Hon was electric. 112 murders, intense rivalries, and the promise of something truly gripping. We were hooked before the first episode even dropped.
But then… Khaleel ur Rehman showed up with his pen and dragged the whole thing down. Again.
Instead of giving this stellar cast the script they deserved, he handed them outdated dialogue, absurd character logic, and lines dripping with passive-aggressive misogyny. It’s like the story was stuck in a time loop from 2002. All that buildup, all that potential, wasted on a script that feels like it actively hates progress.
Let’s be honest: no matter how talented your actors are, they can’t save a script that refuses to evolve. And Mein Manto Nahi Hoon deserved so much better than being Khaleel-ed again.
How Are Our Stars Okay With This?
Here’s what’s even more frustrating: the incredibly talented actors and actresses who keep getting tied to Khaleel’s scripts. Take Sajal Aly, for example. She’s long been known for her powerful portrayals in dramas like Zard Paton Ka Bunn and Yaqeen Ka Safar. So, how is she now okay with sharing clips from a drama that includes openly fat-shaming comments and dialogue that has left many viewers disturbed?
It’s not just Sajal. Yumna Zaidi, Maya Ali, Wahaj Ali, and Mahira Khan, some of the most respected names in the industry, have all been part of his dramas. Are they unaware of what they’re supporting? Or are they knowingly enabling scripts that go against everything they seem to stand for in their public personas?
It’s hard to tell. But at this point, the silence is loud. And it’s starting to look a lot like complicity.
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Khaleel’s Greatest Talent: Ruining Good Stories
If there’s one thing Khaleel ur Rehman has truly mastered, it’s taking promising stories and dragging them into the same tired swamp of outdated thinking. And no, Mein Manto Nahi Hoon wasn’t his first victim.
He’s been doing this for years. Remember Pyare Afzal? Sadqay Tumhare? Mere Paas Tum Ho? Even more recent shows like Gentleman and Sun Mere Dil had the potential to be something meaningful, but then came that same recycled Khaleel formula. Every. Single. Time.
And instead of addressing what’s wrong with the script, the conversation always shifts to the actors. The women are called “problematic,” the men are praised for “carrying the show,” and no one points fingers at the pen actually writing this nonsense.
You can spot a Khaleel script from a mile away. There’s always a Bechara Mard, this naive, almost saint-like man who can do no wrong. There’s a female character who makes decisions that defy logic and reason. And let’s not forget the endless soul-sucking monologues about the nature of women and real men, lines so detached from reality they feel like bad Twitter takes in dramatic form. At this point, it’s not just repetitive, it’s insulting.
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Stop Calling Khaleel ur Rehman Controversial; He’s Just a Bad Writer
Can we stop calling Khaleel ur Rehman “controversial” like it’s some sort of edgy badge of honor? He’s not controversial. He’s just… not good. There’s no nuance or brilliance in the stuff he writes, just a bunch of hollow lines trying way too hard to sound deep.
Take this gem for example: “Goli lag jaye gi aur jab goli lag jaye to insaan mar jata hai.” That’s not thought-provoking, it’s laughably basic. And the worst part? We keep pretending like it’s some literary masterpiece.
This kind of writing doesn’t elevate our TV industry. It drags it down. It wastes the talent of our most respected actors and directors and turns promising projects into punchlines. Let’s just call it what it is: bad writing. No controversy needed.
It’s 2025. Why Is He Still Writing Like It’s 2002?
Khaleel ur Rehman’s writing reeks of an era we’ve outgrown (or at least are trying to). The man clearly has problematic views about women, and it shows. Whether it’s fat-shaming, casual misogyny, or glorifying toxic male behavior, his themes are not just outdated, they’re offensive.
We live in a time where the audience is more aware and more vocal. Society, even if slowly, has evolved. But Khaleel? He’s still out here pushing the same tired ideas as if nothing’s changed. And that tells us one thing: he doesn’t want to change.
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Who Keeps Saying Yes to Him?
Now let’s talk about the real enablers. Who exactly is giving Khaleel ur Rehman the space to keep writing this stuff? Is it our directors who keep signing him on even when the scripts are painfully tone-deaf? The actors and actresses who agree to be part of projects they know are going to be problematic? Or is it the audience, the people who keep watching, defending, and somehow finding “logic” in the illogical?
At some point, someone has to stop the cycle. Because every time a Khaleel drama airs, it’s not just his name in the credits, it’s a whole system that says “yes” when it should be saying “no thanks.”
The Curtain Needs to Fall
It’s no longer just a Khaleel issue; it’s a system failure. We’ve got too many fresh voices and talented creators out here dying to say something new. So why are we still letting someone who’s stuck in the past hijack the future of our screens?
It’s time to stop handing him the mic. And maybe, just maybe, finally give it to someone who actually has something relevant to say.
