TRAGEDY, JUSTICE AND POWER OF MONEY: ANALYZING POPULAR PAKISTANI DRAMAS WITH CULTIVATION THEORY

Abstract

Dramas are one of the most powerful tools, for not only do they mirror our society but also play an instrumental role in shaping people's minds and opinions. They can give you hope, dreams, inspire you and sometimes even guide you. They are also the most affordable and vital source of entertainment. This study examines the effects of two Pakistani dramas, Cheekh from ARY Digital and Khaani, from GEO entertainment channel on audience attitudes and societal dynamics through a content analysis based on the Cultivation Theory. In this content analysis discusses two prime time tragedies dramas within the time frame of 2019. The tragedy-drama genre includes Cheekh and Khaani, which connect themes of justice, society conventions, and personal decisions into tense and suspenseful stories. Even though they all belong to the same general genre, every drama offers a different viewpoint when examining tragedy and its consequences. These dramas deprived its viewers of both these values. This study makes use of the Cultivation Theory to examine how the Pakistani dramas influences audience perceptions, societal attitudes, and the audience's cultivation of particular views. The study explores the heavy television dramas influence Pakistani society's understanding of justice, class dynamics, and gender roles, using Gerbner & Gross's cultivation theory.