Pakistani TV series or programme
Sim Sim Hamara
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![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Pakistan_Children_Television_%28PCTV%29_%286233063669%29.jpg/220px-Pakistan_Children_Television_%28PCTV%29_%286233063669%29.jpg) The show's puppets and presenters
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Country of origin
| Pakistan
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Original languages
| Urdu and other regional languages
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Production location
| Lahore
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Production company
| Sesame Workshop
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Network
| PTV
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Release
| December 2011
(
2011-12
)
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SimSim Humara
(
Urdu
:
??? ??? ?????
), also known as
Sim Sim Hamara
; meaning
Our Sim Sim
[1]
) is the
Pakistani
version of the
children's television series
Sesame Street
. It is produced by Pakistan Children's Television and Rafi Peer Theatre (based in
Lahore
).
[2]
[3]
History
[
edit
]
The show has been viewed in Pakistan before, in the early 1990s, although it was in English and the characters and context could only be understood by a westernised minority of Pakistani children.
[4]
In April 2011,
USAID
announced that it would fund $20 million to start a local version of
Sesame Street
in
Pakistan
.
Sesame Street
has had many
co-productions around the world
and the one in Pakistan is the first localised version in the country itself.
The show began airing in December 2011 on
PTV
, after two years of production.
[2]
The first season, consisting of 26 episodes, finished airing in March 2012.
[2]
78 half-hour episodes were broadcast in total.
[5]
Termination of funding
[
edit
]
In June 2012, it was reported that the US had terminated its funding of the programme. This was later verified by the
U.S. Embassy, Islamabad
.
[1]
[2]
The decision came after a Pakistani newspaper reported allegations of corruption by Rafi Peer Theatre, although these allegations were denied by the operator of the theatre.
[1]
[6]
At the time, just under $7 million had actually been given to the group.
[6]
[7]
The theatre said they would seek alternative sources of funding to continue the production of the show.
[8]
2013 - present
[
edit
]
In 2020
Grover
and other Sim Sim Hamara puppets performed at the Rafi Peer 29th International Puppet Festival in
Karachi
.
[9]
Content
[
edit
]
The series originally aired in
Urdu
. Some episodes were later dubbed in
Pashto
and
Punjabi
, with plans for translation into
Sindhi
and
Balochi
as well.
[2]
The program features dubbed segments from
Elmo's World
and
Sesame Street
, songs, skits, and a word of the day.
[2]
[5]
Original segments take place in a mock Pakistani town, with a school,
dhaba
, and
Banyan tree
.
[5]
[6]
Messaging
[
edit
]
The aim of the programme is to increase education among children, especially in regards to literacy and maths.
[1]
[6]
The show promotes
tolerance
, equality, and respect for elders.
[4]
[2]
[6]
[10]
Characters
[
edit
]
The show includes
Elmo
(played by Naveed Sabir) and a host of new Pakistani characters.
[2]
Grover and Abby Cadabby, both originally from the American production, also joined the cast at a later date.
[9]
Original
muppet
characters include:
[2]
- Aaina, who is played by Irfan Zahid
- Agarmuch the Magarmuch
[9]
- Baily, a
donkey
who loves making music.
[5]
[6]
[10]
- Baji, a traditional Pakistani woman with a passion for nutrition
[2]
[11]
- Bhola
[9]
- Haseen-o-Jameel: a flamboyant and vain
crocodile
who lives in a well.
[2]
[10]
[11]
- Master Ji
[9]
- Munna, a five-year-old
muppet
,
[5]
[6]
who is played by Karen Frank.
- Rani, a 6-year-old schoolgirl who is passionate about science and is the captain of her school's
cricket
team.
[2]
[5]
[6]
[10]
She is played by Yamina Peerzade.
[12]
Human characters include:
- Kiran, the 12-year-old daughter of the village schoolteacher.
[12]
She is played by Saleha Majeed.
[12]
Guests who appeared on the show included
Ali Azmat
.
[2]
External links
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
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Drama series
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Shows
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Directors/Producers
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Children's television series in Pakistan
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List of series
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Original
show
adaptations
| Africa
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Americas
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Asia
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Europe
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Spin-offs
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