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*Yeh Zindagi Hai*
Yeh Zindagi Hai
	Promotional poster
Written by	Fizza Jaffri ; Salma Zafar ; Javeria Saud
Directed by	Kamran Akbar Khan; Syed Atif Hussain
Starring	Javeria Saud; Saud; Alyy Khan; Sidra Batool; Ismail Tara; Noman Habib; Beenish Chohan; Behroze Sabzwari; Esha Noor; Hina Dilpazeer; Adeel Chaudhry; Shabbir Jan; Ubaida Ansari; Momal Sheikh; Shahroz Sabzwari; Naveed Raza; Sahir Lodhi; Junaid Akhter;
Country of origin	Pakistan
Original language	Urdu
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	Season 1: 281 ; Season 2: 50
Production
Producers	Javeria Jalil; Saud
Running time	approximately 45 minutes
Original release
Network	Geo Entertainment
Release	12 May 2008 –; 2013

Yeh Zindagi Hai (Urdu: یہ زندگی ہے, lit. 'This Is Life') is a Pakistani Urdu language comedy-drama television series that showed on Geo Entertainment from 2008 to 2013. It initially starred Javeria Saud, Saud Qasmi, Moammar Rana, Hina Dilpazeer, and Sana Fakhar. It became one of the longest-running television series in the history of Pakistani television, showing for six and a half years with more than 300 episodes. Yeh Zindagi Hai was hugely popular from its premier and made its leading actress, Javeria Saud, an overnight star.^[1]

Plot

Background

The show is about a middle-class family. It features sisters, Saeeda and Bano, and their children. Saeeda has two daughters, Hajira and Jamila, and a son, Bhola. Bhola married their neighbor's daughter, Nargis, without the family's permission and has a son named Jamal. Jamal has liked Jamila since childhood, but Jamila likes Momi. Saeeda asks Jamila for a dowry for Hajra's wedding, enraging Jamila.

Episode 1-100

Jamila's Love

A woman, whose son is being tutored by Jamila, fires Jamila after her son discovers the affair between Momi and Jamila.

Jamila's TV Working

Jamila contacts Majid's friend, Kamal, who works at a television station. A misunderstanding develops, and Jamila leaves the house. Kamal takes Jamila to a Kotha rather than a TV station.

Scenes of Kotha

In the Kotha, an angry supervisor tells Jamila she can never go home because there is no return door.

Entrance of Shirazi

At the Kotha, Jamila meets Shirazi who has come to see the Mujra. Shirazi is wealthy, with businesses in Dubai and Pakistan. His daughter, Jannat, was raised by Sultana, Shirazi's aunt. Shirazi helps Jamila to escape the Kotha.

Jamila's Return Home

Jamila thanks Shairazi for helping her. Because she was gone for so many days, Jamila's family believes she has run away with someone. Shirazi takes Jamila home, but her family questions why she returned and tells her to leave. To smooth the situation, Shirazi lies and says that he has married Jamila, which causes Jamila's mother to beat her. After Jamilla falls into his arms, Shirazi takes her to his car, while Jamal watches and tells them no one would believe them.

Jamila and Shairazi's wedding

Shirazi takes Jamila to his home; Jamila is surprised to see a large house. Shirazi introduces Jamila to Sultana and her daughter. He tells Sultana that Jamila is a guest tonight but she will own the house tomorrow. Jamila is unhappy and confused about whether or not she should marry Shirazi. Sultana convinces Jamila to marry Shairaza by telling her that his wife died a year ago and that he is a very kind man. However, Sultana tells Shairazi to take some time before the marriage, as every girl has opinions about her marriage arrangements; Shairazi agrees with Sultana. Jamila overhears this conversation and, now willing to marry Shirazi because of his extreme wealth, tells him there is no need to delay the marriage. Suspicious that Sultanta does not want her to marry Shairazi, Jamilia asks him about the conversation. He says she only heard part of the conversation and explains what Sultana meant. Shirazi gives Jamilla shopping money; she is happy when she sees a shopping mall for the first time. The couple marry several days later.

Death of Nargis's Child/Jamila's Divorce

When Nargis loses her child because of Hajira, her mother takes her back. Shirazi is fed up with Jamila's behavior. Through Bhola, he finds out about Jamila's affair with Jamal and divorces her. Jamila blames her mother for her divorce. Saeeda tries to arrange Bhola's second marriage, but Nargis comes back to him.

Jamila's Second Marriage to Jamal

Jamal causes drama over the marriage of his stepmother's daughter Pinki. Pinki advises him to marry Jamila. Hajira marries to Majid. After Hajira's marriage, Saeeda feels Jamila's pain. When Jamal proposes to Jamila, she tells him of Kotha and her married life with Shirazi. Jamal realizes how selfish and senseless they are. After many challenges, Jamila agrees to marry Jamal.

Fight with Jamila

Jamal and Jamila fight. Jamal leaves their home to live with Pinki.

People on Rent

Two women, Hazoori and her sister Dil Araam, and their uncle, Mammon Hazoor, rent the upper floor of Saeeda's house. This episode explores the poor living conditions of all people and the sadnesses of Saeeda and her renters.

Shairazi Marries Dil Aram/Jamila Re-marries Shairazi

Shirazi and Jamila are alone and Jamila is pregnant. For her child's future, Jamila decides to divorce Jamal and remarry Shirazi. After Shairaz helps Jamila and her family, she goes to his house and says she has something to tell him. At the same time, Shirazi says he also has something to say, and Jamila tells him to go first.

Dil Araam's Love

Dil Araam's lover has left but returns to say he is sorry and wants to marry her. Saeeda convinces Dil Araam to marry her lover.

Back to Hazoori Begum and Mamoon Hazoor

After Dil Araam's marriage, Hazoori and Mamoon Hazoor decide to live elsewhere.

Episodes 100-135

In the future, Jamila's son, Bhola, becomes a taxi driver. Pinki's son, Kamal, is a pop star.

Cast

Javeria Saud – Jamila and Chameli
Saud – Shirazi
Imran Urooj – Jamal, Jamila's cousin and love interest
Alyy Khan – Jalal Ahmad
Sidra Batool – Jannat "Jenny" Shirazi
Salma Zafar – Saeeda, Jamila's mother
Ismail Tara – Tara Qasai
Parveen Akbar – Bano, Jamal's mother
Naeema Garaj – Shakira, Saeeda's neighbor
Sherry Shah – Pinki, Jamal's love interest
Noman Habib – Bhola Jr.; Jamila's son
Fahad Mustafa – Bhola Sr., Jamila's brother
Beenish Chohan –Nargis, Bhola's love interest
Behroze Sabzwari – Laddan
Hina Dilpazeer – Hajira, Jamila's eldest sister
Mehmood Qasmi – Majid, Hajira's husband
Sana Fakhar – Sana
Moammar Rana – Momi
Ghazala Jawaid – Paarvati, Pinki's mother
Adeel Chaudhry – Kam (Kamal)
Junaid Akhter – Salman
Esha Noor – Jabbo
Momal Sheikh – Jalebi
Shahroz Sabzwari – Sheroz
Christina Albert – Saloni
Faizan – Rehan
Naveed Raza – Laddo
Zainab Qayyum – Dil Araam
Sahir Lodhi – Sameer
Sangeeta – JB's mother-in-law
Fareeda Shabbir – Joja, Laddan's wife
Ubaida Ansari – Kulsoom

Guest appearances

Majid Khan (2008)
Humayun Saeed (2010–2011)
Nida Yasir (2013)

Broadcast

Yeh Zindagi Hai aired Sundays at 9:00 P.M on Geo TV. Sony Entertainment Television Asia broadcast the show Sundays at 8.00 P.M., starting in November 2009.

Reception

The series became popular due to the on-screen chemistry of the real-life couple Saud and Javeria Saud.^[2] Initially, the series was praised for its unique plot and ensemble cast, but over the years the series ultimately received criticism due to its unrealistic and melodramatic plot. When asked about the show's long-term popularity in an interview with The Nation, actress Javeria Saud commented, ''It is not that its popularity lessened with time. In this era in which we run after ratings and where dramas are turned down if they do not bring the required rating, Yeh Zindagi Hai continued to run for six and a half years in prime time. This is proof of its consistent popularity.''^[3]

Controversy

In a video released in mid-July 2020, Salma Zafar revealed that she was still owed approximately one crore by JJS Productions, which denied the allegations. Salma also claimed that additional artists and technicians from Yeh Zindagi Hai have yet to be paid for their work. After this announcement, Sherry Shah came to Salma's support, asking Javeria and Saud to clear her dues of approximately 90 lacs. However, Noman Habib denied Zafar's claims, reiterating that all dues from JJS Productions are clear.^[4]