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Mann Mayal – Episode 28

OMG!!! This really is Shuk all over again. Tonight when Jeena insisted that Salahuddin should stay with her, I was reminded of the time when Sehrish (Ayesha’s character) pretended to be scared and asked Shaam to stay in her room so that Sania (Sanam’s character) would be jealous when she sees him coming out of her bedroom! I guess the whole idea was such a huge hit that the writer decided to do it all over again. After recreating other writers’ works by making some changes here and there, this time around Samira Fazal is being more creative by adding some minor changes to her own script which has already gone on air and is still fresh in the minds of the viewers!! The difference here is that Sham was married to Sehrish and Sania both but in this case Salahuddin is not married to any of these women yet he is so “cool” that he had no problem spending the night at Jeena’s house.

salahuddin

Watching Mannu’s son talk to Mikael like he was not scared of him at all was very weird!! Mikael was never a good father and now that he has kidnapped his own kids, the kids have even more of a reason to be intimidated by him. This drama taught another lesson tonight which was that if you feel nothing for your kids, kick you wife out of your house and then kidnap your kids after a few weeks and you will automatically fall in love with your wife and kids! Mikael changed completely in only a few weeks or did he fall in love with his kids after spending a day with them? Howcome that never happened when they spent years with him in the same house?? The abrupt change in Mikael however doesn’t come as a surprise at all because showing a gradual change in him would have required effort and we all know by now that writer did not put in a lot of effort into writing this script.

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It is funny how Jamil’s character is being “used” at this point. Just like Jeena, Jamil cannot do anything right and now he has been turned into a victim. Jeena has fooled everyone in this drama with the exception of Mikael of course. Just like Numair’s character in Chup Raho, Jeena has everyone wrapped around her little finger. Salahuddin’s character and Hamza Ali Abbasi’s acting yet again was unimpressive in tonight’s episode. Why does Hamza Ali Abbasi put in so much effort into delivering those dialogues? Also, Salahuddin gets “distracted” too easily – he conveniently slept at Jeena’s place even though he knew Mannu was going through hell. He is also extremely selfish because now that he knows Mannu doesn’t want to marry him and has other options he is “naraz”!

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So, now Mikael wants Mannu back – how convenient! What happened to his plans and why is he so interested in the kids he only brought into this world because he wanted his father’s money?? The worst news today is that Mann Mayal isn’t ending even next week, it definitely did not look like it. Jamil still has to ‘redeem’ himself and there are also so many worthless matters which need to be taken care of. What happened to Mannu’s useless family? Now Mannu has to choose between her kidnapper ex-husband and selfish Salahuddin. We also learned tonight that Mannu is not stupid and that she can make her own decisions, it would be nice if she does take a decision for a change.

How many of you watched this episode??  Do share your thoughts about it.

 

Fatima Awan

Atif Aslam sings for Actor In Law

Actor In Law is an upcoming Urdu film but with an English name. The shooting of Actor In Law commenced in start of this 2016 and completed as per schedule. The film will be released on upcoming Eidul Azhad,on 13th or 14th September 2016.

Audience have high hopes from this film as the same team of Nabeel Qureshi (director), Fizza Ali Meerza (producer) and Fahad Mustafa (lead artist) provided the super hit entertainer Namaloom Afraad in 2014 on Eidul Azha.

Actor In Law has Fahad Mustafa in the lead role like Namaloom Afraad paired with Mehwish Hayat. Mehwish Hayat also played a cameo appearance in Namaloom Afraad in the item song of Billi. Another highlight of Actor In Law is the presence of acclaimed Indian artist Om Puri.

The trailer of the film was released on June 28th 2016. Its first song Dil Ye Dancer Ho gaya by Atif Aslam is released today

Song: Dil Yeh Dancer Ho Gaya
Singer: Atif Aslam
Music: Shani Arshad

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About Actor In Law

Film: Actor In Law
Starring:Fahad Mustafa,Mehwish Hayat,Alyy Khan,Om Puri,Saboor Ali,Irfan Motiwala,Rehan Sheikh,Lubna Aslam,Saleem Mairaj,Saife Hassan,Rashid Khawaja
Written by:Fizza Ali Meerza
Directed by:Nabeel Qureshi
Produced by:Fizza Ali Meerza, Mehdi Ali
Music by:Shani Arshad
Cinematography:Rana Kamran
Production company: Filmwala Pictures
Distributed by: Urdu 1
Release Date: Eidul Azha on 13th or 14th September 2016

Trailer of the film released on 28th June 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlQB_40JGFk

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Sange Mar Mar on Hum Tv

Sange Mar Mar (سنگ مرمر) is an upcoming drama on Hum Tv. It is shot on scenic locations of Swat Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. British-Pakistani artist Kubra Khan is playing the lead role in this drama with Mikaal Zulfiqar. Kubra Khan last appeared in the film Namaloom Afraad as a second heroine in 2014. The shooting of the drama started with the name Daasi (داسی) but then changed to Sange Mar Mar.

Starring: Noman Ijaz, Sania Saeed, Mikal Zulfiqar, Kubra Khan, Qazi Wajid, Omair Rana, Agha Mustafa, Uzma Hassan, Paras, Beenish, Hassan Noman, Tipu Sharif, Kaif Ghaznavi, Arshad Hussain, Khalida Yaseen, Naik Muhammad, Iffat Siddiqui, Zahida Tarha
Directed By:Saife Hassan
Written By:Mustafa Afridi
Produced by Momina Duraid

From promos it is evident that it is the story of a Pakhtoon family centred around the cliched theme of oppression against women. Our dramas are mostly based on the urban families happening in the cities of Karachi, Lahore and sometimes Islamabad. Few dramas in the recent past were based on rural Punjab or a Punjabi/Lahori family like Sadqay Tumhare and Pareet Na Karyo Koi.

However the stories of many other ethnicity/regions like Seraiki, Sindhi, Balochi, Pakhtoon, Brahvi, Chitral, Kashmiri, Pothohar, Thar, Cholistan, Gilgat/Baltistan are seldom covered in any drama. I hate to say that it is a rarity to saw any drama centered around a non-urban theme, and if it is the case it mostly shows the negative stereotypes. Like the drama based on interior Sindh will always show wadera, karo kaari. Similarly a drama on a Pakhtoon or Baloch will always show some fierce Sardar/Khan and wani/swara.

No one can deny the fact that these issues prevail in our society varying to different extent across different ethnicity. However the stories of rural areas are not limited to these topics, there can be many positive aspects too. Apart from always exploring the dark aspect of rural areas, the positive aspects must also be dramatized.

Few Behind the scenes clicks of Sange Mar Mar

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Kubra Khan with local Swati kids
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Kubra Khan
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Kubra Khan
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Mikaal Zulfiqar
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Mikaal Zulfiqar
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Omair Rana, Mikaal Zulfiqar
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Mikaal Zulfiqar
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Omair Rana, Nauman Ejaz, Mikaal Zulfiqar
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Mikaal Zulfiqar
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Mikaal Zulfiqar
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Nauman Ejaz, Sania Saeed, Mikaal Zulfiqar
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Mikaal Zulfiqar
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Nauman Ejaz, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Saife Hassan (Director)

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Mor Mahal – Episode 13!

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Ohkay so, to be honest, this episode of Mor Mahal was pretty decent. May be I feel that way because I have made myself understand that things in Mor Mahal are going to revolve around the ladies, their lives & their politics only, so if we watch this drama with that perspective, we can watch it just for the sake of it but if we’re going to have some expectations, then that’s going to be our fault only.

Akhtari convinced Badshah Begum that Meher Bano & Banki were putting up an act & for that reason, Badshah Begum ended up questioning Banki & she easily confessed that she was carrying Asif Jahan’s child. Badshah Begum has made it quite evident that she will go to any lengths to defeat Farrukh Zaad & also, she will do everything in her might to prevent Taimur from becoming the ruler after Asif Jahan, that is why, just in a split of a second she accepted what Banki told her as she knew she had that child that Badshah Begum was waiting for quite eagerly.

I must say, everything can be forgiven but what can’t is the fact that the walls of Mor Mahal are made of cardboard because the way everyone can hear everything from the basement is actually quite amusing. Meher Bano being a resident of the basement knows everything that transpires at the top floor & so does Shahista & also, I must say Shahista’s timing is perfect, it’s like she has these sensors in her body that tell her to go to the basement because there she will get to listen to something highly confidential & important. Also, looks like some novice architect designed Mor Mahal because the way Shahista & Meher Bano eavesdrop on Asif Jahan & Badshah Begum makes it look like their rooms are side by side, which is actually quite amusing considering how it is a Mahal & how there should be separate portions for everyone. I fail to believe that Asif Jahan & Badshah Begum share a wall because the way their voices are heard from the basement makes it look exactly like that. Anyways, Meher Bano, through the cardboard wall heard that Badshah Begum planned on getting rid of Banki once she gave birth to the baby of Asif Jahan, therefore she decided to swoop in & save the day, which she actually couldn’t!!!

I think before the crowning ceremony, Asif Jahan should’ve done something about Jamshed but he seems to be in a hurry for all the wrong reasons. He wanted to crown Banki & that’s when he got to know that she wasn’t his wife. At least Meher Bano did try to save Banki because she knew about the evil intentions of Badshah Begum, I guess when Meher Bano found enough courage in her to confess everything, she should’ve taken Badshah Begum’s name in front of Asif Jahan as well to make things a bit more clear & add more weight to her confessions that she wasn’t lying. Well, looks like Banki underestimated Asif Jahan’s love for her & she chose to end her life. That scene was a bit emotional only because Banki ended up dying for no good reason & also because she was the one that Asif Jahan truly loved. Banki was innocent & she didn’t deserve to die like that but no idea what was running through her mind.

Meher Bano ended up getting arrested & looks like things are once again in going to turn in Farrukh Zaad’s favor because Asif Jahan has lost his new born Jamshed & the hope of having another baby has died with the death of Banki too. Farrukh Zaad will once again end up having an upper hand because only her son Taimur is alive & it is imperative that he is going to succeed Asif Jahan. I actually thought that Surraya was killed but I was surprised to see her alive, I guess Asif Jahan is quite inconsistent when it comes to love because out of his love for Surraya he made sure to win a bet for her sake, but ever since she came in Mor Mahal, Asif Jahan didn’t really bother much about her & even now he seemed indifferent to her condition & suffering because he was to busy mourning the death of Banki; his new found love, while completely forgetting about the promise he made to Surraya about Jamshed. Well, honestly speaking, I won’t be surprised if I see a new female character making an entry in Asif Jahan’s life & if I see Asif Jahan falling madly in love with her (for a couple of episodes). Anyways, please share your thoughts about this episode of Mor Mahal.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Bollywood’s Dishoom stuck in censor board

Bollywood film Dishoom which was due to release on 29th July 2016 in Pakistan has not been released yet as it is still not cleared for screening by any censor board of Pakistan. As per the English Daily Dawn censor board has not yet formally announced any decision about the film

The promotion of the film was in full swing where the distributor has advertised the release of the film in all the leading Urdu and English dailies.

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As per English Daily Dawn,  the film Dishoom shows the two leads attempting to kidnap an Indian cricketer before an India-Pakistan cricket match.

The delay in the decision from the censor board has resulted in the rumors and it is widely reported in the Indian press that the film is banned. Even the leading artist of the film Varun Junaid Dhawan has tweeted showing his disappointment that the film is banned terming it as a wrong decision.

VJD

So the release of the film is uncertain in Pakistan and it might get banned.

Every year around 50 – 60 Bollywood films are released in Pakistan. The screening of the Bollywood films has helped reviving the struggling cinema industry of Pakistan. In order to screen a Bollywood film in Pakistan it has to be imported after getting a No Objection Certificate from federal ministry. Once imported Bollywood films have to get a screening certificate from three censor boards operating in Pakistan. However every year few Bollywood films fail to get the certificate or NOC for various reasons. The most frequent reason is the content deemed as anti-Pakistan or anti-Islam by the censor board, then there are also few films which failed to get the screening certificate due to the content considered too obscene or adult by the censor board.

This year so far two Bollywood films have failed to get the censor certificate or NOC.

In January Bollywood’s Kiya Kool Hain Hum 3, was banned by censor board quoting “It is an out-and-out obscene film that not only shows nudity but also has a lot of vulgar content in its dialogues. The board has officially disallowed the film from public viewing and sent a show-cause notice to the distributor. The problem with this film is that we couldn’t even allow it with an Adult rating, it so vulgar”.

In February Bollywood’s Neerja also failed to get the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the federal ministry required to import the film. The decision is said to be linked with the alleged anti-Pakistan content of the film.

Sources:

http://images.dawn.com/news/1175930/is-dishoom-banned-in-pakistan
http://tribune.com.pk/story/1033972/kyaa-kool-hain-hum-3-banned-in-pakistan/

Rashid Nazir Ali

Teri Meri Love Story – First song is out

Teri Meri Love Story is an upcoming Urdu film releasing on 2nd September 2016. Produced in Lahore it is a romantic comedy and directed by Jawwad Bashir.

It is the second film directed by Jawwad Bashir, where the horror film Maya released last year in June 2015 was his first film.Jawwad Bashir a multi-talented person is mainly known for directing sitcoms, music videos and Ufone commercials. He was also part of a music band Dr. Aur Billa active in 1990s and also acted in various sitcoms.

Ushnah Shah, Omer Shahzad, Leyla Zuberi are making their debut on big screen from this film. The trailer of this film was launched last week and now its first song Qatra Qatra is also released. Though the trailer of the film received a mixed response, this song Qatra Qatra is quite melodious.

Song: Qatra Qatra (قطرہ قطرہ)
Singers: Amanat Ali & Elizbeth Raji
Artist: Mohib Mirza, Ushnah Shah
Music Composed by: Afzal Hussain & Ahsan Parvaiz
Choreographed by: Nigah Hussain

About the Film

Film: Teri Meri Love Story (تیری میری لو اسٹوری)
Cast: Salman Shahid,Leyla Zuberi,Mohib Mirza,Uzma Khan,Ushna Shah,Mohsin Abbas Haider,Ahmed Abdul Rehman,Omer Shahzad,,Hassan Khan  & Jawad Bashir
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: 2 September 2016
Director of Photography:Farhan Golden
Production Designer:Sami Ullah
First Assistant Director:Ahmed Waqas
Choreographer:Nigah Hussain
Music By:Afzal Hussain & Ahsan Pervez
Hair Make up & Styling :Madiha Qaiser
Wardrobe:Hira Zeeshan
Wardrobe Consultant :Roshanay Ghumman
Co Producer:Muhammad Ehtisham
Produced by :Wasay Nabi & Nafay Nabi
Written by:Jawad Bashir & Ahmed Abdul Rehman
Directed by :Jawad Bashir
Distributed by: Summit Entertainment
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeriMeriLoveStory2016

Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx6j-gq9wFs

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Trailer courtesy of PakistaniCinema Fan page
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAgBFzV3J4hrbRMcBcsehvg
https://www.facebook.com/PakistaniCinema
Rashid Nazir Ali

Films coming in August

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The month of August has started which also includes the independence day of Pakistan on the 14th August 2016. 14th August is a public holiday and like Eid Holidays provides a special occasion to release films. Last year after a gap of many years, three Urdu films were released on the independence day 14th August i.e. Shah, Moor, Dekh Magar Pyar Se .

However this year no Urdu film is releasing on the 14th August. An Urdu film Salute was earlier announced to release on the 12th August the weekend Friday preceding the Independance day weekend. Salute is based on the life of Aitzaz Ahsan a young boy from Hango, KPK who sacrificed his life to save his school fellows from a suicide bomber. But Salute is now delayed to September 2016 as two major Indian Bollywood films Mohenjodaro and Rustam are lined up to release on the same date.

On the whole so far two Urdu films are announced to be released in the month of August, both films are releasing in the first week of the month i.e 5th August 2016.

Dance Kahani (ڈانس کہانی)
As the name suggests Dance Kahani is claimed to be the first Pakistani film based completely on dance. It is not a mainstream film and have relatively unknown names in the cast.

Dance Kahani explores the underground dance culture and free running on the streets of Karachi. Its music is already out and can be accessed at these music platforms

Patari:http://patari.pk/home/artist/Dance-Kahani-OST
Taazi:http://taazi.com/DanceKahani
Soundcloud:https://soundcloud.com/user-787028960

Film:Dance Kahani (ڈانس کہانی)
Release Date: 5th August 2016
Language:Urdu, English
Starring:Madeleine Madeleine Hanna,Vernin U’chong,Alamdar Khan,Abdul Ghani,Shezi Khan,Ramiz Law,Abdul Rahim,Ali Parkour,Irfan,Imran Shaukat,Rahid Sami,Sabiha Zia ,Talat,Niggy Imtiaz,Barkat Ali, Asifa Ataka, Sajjad Ali,Farhan Baig
Directed by:Omar Hassan
Produced by:Zahir Ali and Omar Hassan
Written by:Omar Hassan
Screenplay by:Shabbir Siraj
Music by:Usman Bin Sohail
Cinematography:Asrad Ali
Edited by :Ahmed Ali
Production company:OSCO FILMS,99 FILMS,Ion Entertainment
Distributed by:Summit Entertainment
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dancekahani

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1JfqdczJsI

Blind Love (بلائنڈ لو)
Blind Love is a commercial Urdu film produced in Lahore. It is shot in Lahore and scenic location of Northern Pakistan.

The cast consists of almost all new faces. Nimra Khan, Yasir Shah, Aamir Qureshi, Fawad Jalal, Imran Bukhtari all are making their debuts on big screen from this film. It is also the second film of Mathira after a gap of three years. Aamir Qureshi is playing the role of the villain in this film like his father Mustafa Qureshi who is the most well known villain of the Pakistani films.

Blind Love was lined up to release on Eidul Fitr on 6th July 2016, but relocated to 29th July 2016 as most of the shows at cinemas were allotted to Bollywood film Sultan. However on 29th July 2016 another Bollywood film Dishoom was releasing and thus Blind Love is again delayed by one week and now releasing on 5th August 2016. Ironically Bollywood film Dishoom was not given a censor certificate by the censor board.

Blind Love is the love story of a rich blind girl played by Nimra Shah. Blind Love is directed by Faisal Bukhari who is known for pure formula films.Faisal Bukhari’s last two films were also pure commercial flicks i.e. Bhai Log (2011) and Sultanat (2014). Following the same pattern Blind Love has romance, emotions, songs, dances, a bit of action, scenic locations and on top of it a steamy item number Butter Jawani which off course is shot on Mathira.

Film:Blind Love (بلائنڈ لو)
Release Date: 5 August 2016
Cast: Nimra Khan, Yasir Shah, Imran Bukhari, Mathira, Aamir Qureshi, Fawad Jalal
Genre: Love Action Thriller
Music: Naveed Nashad
Writer: M Parvez Kalim
Director: Faisal Bukhari
Producer: Mian Amjad Farzand, Ch.Zulfiqar Ahmed, Ch.Ijaz Kamran
Production Company: Producers Alliance
Distributed by: IMGC Global
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blindlovemovie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2ZczRRjCM4

So these are the Urdu films scheduled to releasing in August.

Trailer courtesy of PakistaniCinema Fan page
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAgBFzV3J4hrbRMcBcsehvg
https://www.facebook.com/PakistaniCinema

Rashid Nazir Ali

Kathputli – Episode 08!

Ohkay so, this episode of Kathputli was good because it took the story forward in that direction which we didn’t expect. I know things are going to get difficult between Mehru & Ahad but for now, the way they both tried to make themselves understand the importance of this relationship was refreshing to see.

Mehru’s mother found out that her daughter has died & as expected, she couldn’t cope up with the news but she is fortunate enough to have a companion like Saira in that house who not only feels for her & Mehru, but also told her the truth to bring herself out of the misery. Zeenat knew this was going to be a tougher challenge where despite knowing that her daughter is alive, she’ll have to live like she doesn’t anymore only because of Ehtasham & Hassam. I actually want to see what punishment the writer has reserved for Ehtasham & Hassam because they both deserve the worst for putting their mother & sister through this!

Finally, Mehru & Ahad moved to Islamabad, but I wish they had shown an apartment being allotted to them because for 2 individuals, they didn’t need such a huge villa. Anyways, they moved & things were hard for Mehru at first because she didn’t know what to do & what to expect but it was good to see Ahad breaking the ice & trying to make things as normal as he could. He knows that Mehru has been through a lot & for that reason he puts his problems aside & considers what she must be feeling.

Mehru hasn’t come out of what she has been through that is why she is not mentally ready to understand what she should do in the situation that she’s in, where all of a sudden a stranger is expecting things from her & she doesn’t know how to react. I really liked how Ahad didn’t turn everything into an ego issue & tried to make her understand how they both need to work together to shape their lives up. Ahad knows that Mehru has lived a very difficult & different life, that is why her inconsideration didn’t bother him much & he turned it into an opportunity to make things a bit more clearer to Mehru by having a conversation with her. I also must say that I like how both Ahad & Mehru despite going through so much are curbing their worries & are enthusiastic about shaping their future, which is a rarity these days & we hardly get to see such characters in our dramas.

The entire scenario where Mehru didn’t eat anything followed by Ahad’s reaction was really done nicely. It was something that made Ahad realize that Mehru is dependent on him & on humanitarian grounds he needs to take care of smallest of the things that she might need. It is good that Ahad understands how important this entire opportunity is for both him & Mehru, that is why he wants to make the most of it & in that process, he didn’t mind encouraging & empowering Mehru too. To my surprise, I really liked Ahad’s approach that he adapted towards Mehru & the appreciation that he had towards the ease that came with this relationship.

Overall, this episode was great & I am glad that they are taking things forward. I still had a feeling that Mehru seemed a little immature but there was something admirable about her immaturity too. She is not used to such things & she is making it very clear which was actually funny. Looks like Ahad will take a trip to Karachi to meet his mother but will find out that she is no more & while he’ll be away, Mehru will realize that she is getting used to Ahad’s presence. I must say, to my surprise, I am actually looking forward to the next episode. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Kathputli.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Coke Studio For The Deaf

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Coke Studio aims to blur all boundaries through the power of music. The producers, Bilal Maqsood and Faisal Kapadia feel that it is their duty to reach out to the whole of Pakistan so they are taking an initiative to reach out to the deaf community.

”9 million people in Pakistan have some sort of hearing impairment. They can experience the rhythm of music through touch and sight, and Coke Studio believes that music is a feeling everyone should experience.”

Watch this wonderful video:

An event was held by Coke Studio and celebrities including Ahsan Khan, Junaid Khan and Zeb Bangash attended it. 

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Celebrities Spotted At LSA Afterparty

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So the star-studded and glamorous LSA 2016 were followed by an afterparty which was also, obviously, a star-studded affair. These people sure know how to celebrate!

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Mahira Khan Talks About ”Raees”

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There’s been a lot of buzz about Mahira Khan’s Bollywood debut alongside the King of all Khans, Shah Rukh Khan, but Mahira herself doesn’t talk much about the much anticipated ‘‘Raees”.

However, at the Vogue Beauty Awards, Mahira shared a bit about how she is feeling now that the release date is not too far. “It’s my dream come true to work with Shah Rukh and also I am very excited about Raees. But more than this, I am nervous too. It feels like I am under pressure to show my acting skills.”

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She also shared a memorable moment shared with SRK. “The first scene, I thought I would be doing it smoothly, but as he (Shah Rukh) came in front of me, I forgot my lines. I will always remember that
incident.”

Mahira understands that being a Pakistani actress, she has a great deal of responsibility on her shoulders. “Being artists (from Pakistan), we have been trying to represent our country. I hope I can do a good job, because I feel only that country develops which gives respect to its
artists.”

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When asked about the possibility of working with Fawad Khan again, “I know people loved our chemistry, but we both are busy with our projects. Therefore, it’s going to be tough.”

All the best to Mahira for her film, Raees. Do us proud!

Source: Express Tribune

Udaari – Episode 17

This drama deserves tons of credit for showing some very strong women who are always there to support each other. It is truly refreshing watching Sheedan taking a stand for Sajida without thinking about the consequences or Milli’s mother helping all the women who come to her without expecting anything in return. Also, Udaari has some exceptional mothers who put their children above everything else, just the way most mothers do. The viewers saw some of the most strange mothers in drama serials like Chup Raho and Sangat therefore watching someone like Sajida gives us hope that there are still writers out there who believe in showing what a mother should do and not what a mother shouldn’t be doing! This drama has set new standards by showing a very positive image of women in general too. Usually in our dramas women are not only weak but they are most often in a bad situation because of another woman. Also, unlike most of our dramas in which even the most intelligent and good looking women who belong to a good family are incomplete without a man we have a woman like Sheedan who is not educated but she does not rely on anyone else except her own strength. We need to see more strong women in our dramas who use their strength to benefit themselves and others. Sheedan’s character in particular can prove to be an inspiration for many women out there who belong to the same class as Sheedan. The message Sheedan’s character gives is loud and clear – you don’t have to be educated or rich to have self-confidence, all you need is to have faith in yourself! Bushra Ansari was outstanding as Sheedan tonight; Sheedan was scared of Imtiaz too but she did not let him intimidate her. udari Ahsan Khan has outdone himself in this drama; he has made this character unforgettable! His expressions, dialogues and those little additions here and there which I am sure are his very own are extremely impressive. Imtiaz has waited very long to take revenge from Sajida and now that he has found her, he is going to do everything it takes to make her life hell. Sheedan is no match for Imtiaz but Milli’s mother’s scene with Arsh showed exactly where the story will go from here. Imtiaz has friends in the police force and he will use his contacts. The fact that Imtiaz is not only a paedophile but he is also someone who kills people for money will work in Sajida’s favor once she takes him to court. Zebu wanted to die after finding out that Imtiaz was still alive and that her mother wanted to distance herself from her but I must say I had a tough time relating to Zebu’s character. Hina Altaf Khan’s acting wasn’t remarkable in this episode. Ejaz also revealed a secret to prove to Zebu that he knew exactly how she felt and he might be used as a witness later on. Ins-e-Yazdan is okay for a newcomer but the chemistry that was there between the young Zebu and Jaza was completely missing from this episode. That scene in which Ejaz shared his feelings with Zebu did not work for me at all mainly because of the fact that there was zero chemistry between the actors and Ins-e-Yazdan’s dialogue delivery  and facial expressions weren’t very impressive. I understand that there are very few young actors in our industry who could have played this role therefore we need new young actors who will get more polished with time. udari Am I the only one who felt like most of the actors looked too white in this episode? Arsh’s new look however was spot on, it made him look more mature. The scene in which Sajida was taken away by the police was shown in the preview of this episode but was missing from it and will be shown next week. This episode laid the foundation for what is coming ahead. The story is quite predictable at this point but it remains to be seen how it is translated on screen. It will be interesting to watch Imtiaz’s downfall, something I am looking forward to. How many of you watched this latest installment? Do share your thoughts about it.   Fatima Awan

Diyar-e-Dil & Mann Mayal Success Celebrations

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To celebrate the high ratings of Mann Mayal and the success of Diyar-e-Dil at Lux Style Awards, the director, Haseeb Hassan threw a party. Humayun Saeed, Bushra Ansari, Hina Bayat, Aijaz Aslam, Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, Behroz Sabzwari, Bilal Lishari and the entire team of Mann Mayal were spotted.

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Dil Lagi – Episode 19

Wow!! wow!! wow!!! This was the kind of episode which completely blows you away. Thank you team Dil Lagi for an amazing episode which I will be watching over and over again!! This episode was extremely emotional, entertaining and like every other episode of Dil Lagi it had some amazing dialogues to its credit. Waiting another week to see what is going to happen next is going to be torturous.

Anmol is finally in love with Mohid and for a change this change of heart wasn’t something that happened abruptly at the last minute as is the case with many other dramas. Anmol took her time and when she realized her feelings for Mohid were changing she was seen questioning her own self – this was my most favorite part. Tonight for the first time it seemed like Anmol was judging herself for a change – questioning whether she really deserved all this love or respect because she always criticized Mohid and even Zulekha. She never expected both of them to be fair with her but tonight she was proven wrong. Not only was she convinced that Mohid wasn’t the person she thought he was but when Zulekha accepted that she really was ‘anmol’ , she was taken aback and the look on her face showed that she had realized just how wrong she was.

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At the beginning of this episode Anmol was her old self, the person who was bent on doubting Mohid’s intentions and judging his action every step of the way. The change of heart started when Mohid did things big and small to show how much he loved and respected her mother. What Anmol’s mother said to her would have fallen on deaf ears yet again had she not found out what Mohid had done for Sabiha. While Anmol had a difficult time giving Mohid the credit he rightly deserved, Mohid just like always was very generous while appreciating Anmol’s efforts. Anmol can finally see Mohid for who he is but the discovery Mohid made at the end of the episode is going to create a big misunderstanding which might not be easy to resolve but even then there is still room for a lot of emotional scenarios in which ama can prove that she too can do something extraordinary for Anmol. Hamayun Saeed and Mehwish Hayat nailed every single scene in tonight’s episode. Their on screen chemistry coupled with the brilliant direction and those amazing dialogues made every scene a treat to watch. It isn’t very often that actors look as good as Hamayun Saeed and Mehwish Hayat look in those close-ups. The credit for this goes to the director for the perfect camera work and the make-up artist for the perfect makeovers.

The scene in which Fazal asked Zulekha for forgiveness was the most emotional scene of this episode. The credit for this clearly goes to the director and the writer for making this scene work. Saba Hameed is always spot on therefore she contributed in making this scene a success but the fact is that the actor playing Fazal cannot act to save his life. Even with his flat expressions the situation, dialogues and the way this scene was shot was so remarkable that the flat expressions went almost unnoticed. This was the perfect ending for Sabiha and Fazal. Even someone like me who could never really connect to Sabiha’s character felt so emotional while watching this scene. This was the kind of scene which makes you teary eyed even when you are not entirely involved in a particular track. This scene started with Fazal being very hesitant and Sabiha playing the role of a mediator between Fazal and her mother but when Mohid came Fazal had the confidence to ask Zulekha for forgiveness and was even willing to do what she had asked her to do so many years back. Had Fazal taken Sabiha without having this conversation with Zulekha, this situation wouldn’t have been as perfect as it was.

The scene between Mishal and Anmol was very filmy but quite apt! Only Mishal could have helped Anmol figure out how she actually felt otherwise she would have been remained confused. Dastagir and Mishal are headed towards their happy ending as well. There was a time when it was impossible to picture Dastagir studying and taking these exams but Mishal has proved that behind every ‘educated’ man there is a woman too! Mishal and Dastagir compliment each other. Imran Ashraf has been brilliant as Dastagir throughout the play, I never thought he had it in him! A quality script and a gifted director can bring out the best in any actor who is talented.

Although this episode was full of dhuwandaar dialogues but these two were my favorite,

“Nai ji utha tha.” (those of you who watched this episode will understand why I loved this dialogue!!)

 “Kabhi tum ghalt fehmiyo mei rehti ho, kabhi uljhan mei rehti ho. Itni jaga di hui hai tumhei is dil mei, wahan kyu nahi rehti?” (yes sounds super cheesy but trust me you will fall in love with it too when you watch Mohid delivering these dialogues with utmost certainty!)

I would give this episode 10 out of 10, I loved every bit of it. Dil Lagi proves that a love story can be very appealing if it is free of clichés! Faiza Iftikhar has in her own way questioned a lot of dialogues and phrases which are used in love stories all the time. In this episode in a very subtle yet apt manner she questioned the whole concept of ‘mur mitna’! The leading characters of this story and the scenarios are always very different from what we usually see in our dramas which make them interesting. Nadeem Baig is a very creative director who knows exactly how to translate all the emotions on screen without making the scenes over dramatic. Also, the OST is always used when it is needed and the way the close-ups are taken is very daring but when the director knows what he is doing then the final product is as superb as this play and this episode in particular.

This episode transported me to another world and I am still waiting to land one earth;) How many of you loved this episode just as much as I did? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.

 

Fatima Awan

LSA 2016 Controversy – Mocking People With Dwarfism?

Jeena, with her infamous dialogue, “Mere tou maa baap bhi nahe hain,” is the talk of the town so it’s hardly surprising that yesterday, at LSA, Ahmed Ali Butt and Ayesha Khan did a segment to make fun of Jeena. But here’s what offended people: Ahmed Ali Butt invited two individuals with dwarfism to the stage for some laughs. The joke didn’t sit well with many and even people from the entertainment industry who attended the show felt it was absolutely unnecessary and downright offensive to people with dwarfism. It is ridiculous how out of all the gazillion ways they could make fun of Jeena, they chose to call people with dwarfism!

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Another big name of the film and TV industry, Shamoon Abbasi, nodded in agreement and went as far as to say that it is because of offensive jokes like these that he avoids award shows. 

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Ahmed Ali Butt took to instagram and clarified that the joke was directed towards Jeena and Jeena alone, and people should stop overreacting.

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Ayesha Khan also agreed with Ahmed Ali Butt. 

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Worst Dressed Celebrities At LSA 2016

The Lux Style Awards red carpet unfortunately showcased some epic fashion failures when it should have been an event lined with celebrities showing style at its best. Some of the major disappointments included Maya Ali, Urwa Hocane, Mawra Hocane, Sajal Ali and Osman Khalid Butt mainly because all of them are good looking people with style who could have looked much better.

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Maya Ali’s make up and styling gave her a very stylish look but her dress was all black with very little designing which did not give her a very formal look. The full sleeves look suits Maya Ali more than the one she sported on the red carpet. Sajal’s look was flawed because of the same reason. Urwa and Mawra too like every other award show looked modern but there was nothing special about their dresses or styling. Osman Khalid Butt is a very handsome man whose styling was perfect but his jacket did not compliment his personality. It was conspicuous but the pattern wasn’t fit for a gentleman. These celebrities however are not on our worst dressed lists, they are those celebrities who could have made it to the best dressed list if they made different choices.

 

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The celebrities on the worst dressed list were fashion disasters. Here is the list of the worst dressed celebrities who we hoped would make better choices but they didn’t!

Best Dress Celebrities At LSA 2016

Lux Style Awards ceremony like every other year was full of glitz and glam. While Pakistani celebrities always pick up the best designers and make up artists on every award function, everyone always makes an extra effort to look their best on LSA 2016 because this award ceremony is not just about celebrating people who contributed to the entertainment industry but it is also about fashion and glamour. It was evident from the dressing of the celebrities this year that very few of our males or females celebrities chose to wear the traditional outfits. Although there are many variations in Shalwar Kameez because of the growth of Pakistani fashion industry but even then the men preferred tuxedos or suits and women preferred wearing party gowns. Some of those celebrities who did not adorn a very modern look in the last year also experimented with their looks. Sajal Ali and Maya Ali were two such celebrities. Sadly enough, even with all the glamour and fashionistas on the red carpet, there weren’t too many amazing outfits or looks that would have blown one away. We have chosen the best out of all the celebrities who wore the most beautiful dresses and their hairstyles and makeovers were also perfect.

Here are the celebrities who dressed and looked the best at the Lux Style Awards 2016.

Mahira Khan

Mahira Khan looked stunning in a ball gown which was not only perfect but also very different. It was the ideal color and design. Mahira Khan carried it well. The hairstyle and make up she wore went superbly with her overall look.

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And The Award Goes To…

And the wait is over! The aim of Lux Style Awards is to applaud the efforts and talent from all fields of showbiz – music, fashion, television, film. The results are here and let’s see if you agree…

TELEVISION

Best TV Play

Winner: Diyar e Dil

Mohabbat Aag Si
Muqaddas
Rung Lagaa
Sadqay Tumhare

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Best TV Actor

Winner: Faisal Qureshi for Rang Laga

Adnan Malik for Sadqay Tumharay
Noman Ejaz for Zinda Dargor
Noor Hassan for Muqaddas
Osman Khalid Butt for Diyar-e-Dil

Best TV Actress

Winner: Mahira Khan for Sadqay Tumharay

Iffat Umer in Mohabbat Aag Si
Maya Ali for Diyar-e-Dil
Saima Noor in Rang Laga
Sajjal Ali for Khuda Dekh Raha Hai

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Best TV Director

Winner: Anjum Shahzad for Rang Laga

Aamir Yousuf for Aap ki Kaneez
Ehteshamuddin for Sadqay Tumhare
Haseeb Hassan for Diyar-e-Dil
Sabiha Sumar for Khuda Dekh Raha Hai

Best TV Writer

Winner: Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar for Sadqay Tumhare

Adeel Razzaq for Muqaddas
Farhat Ishtiaq for Diyar-e-Dil
Imran Nazir for Muhabbat Aag Si
Sana Fahad for Rang Laga

Best Original Soundtrack

Winner: Diyar-e-Dil by Zeb Bangash and Momin Durrani

Alvida by Shafqat Amanat Ali
Dusri Biwi by Ahmad Jahanzeb
Mohabbat Aag Si by Shafqat Salamat Ali & Beena Khan
Mol by Bushra Bilal

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FILM

Best Film

Winner: Moor – Azad Films Co & Mandviwalla Entertainment

Manto – GEO A & B Productions
Jawani Phir Nahe Aani – Six Sigma Plus and ARY Films
Shah – Logo Films & Media
Wrong No. – YNH Films & ARY Films

Best Film Actress

Winner: Mahira Khan for Bin Roye

Mehwish Hayat for Jawani Phir Nahi Aani
Samia Mumtaz for Moor
Sania Saeed for Manto
Sohai Abro for Wrong No

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Best Film Actor

Winner: Humayun Saeed for Jawani Phir Nahe Aani

Adnan Sarwar for Shah
Danish Taimoor for Wrong No.
Hameed Sheikh for Moor
Sarmad Sultan Khoosat for Manto

Best Film Director

Winner: Jamshed Mehmood Raza aka Jami for Moor

Adnan Sarwar for Shah
Momina Duraid & Shahzad Kashmiri for Bin Roye
Nadeem baig for Jawani Phir Nahi Aani
Sarmad Sultan Khoosat for Manto

Best Supporting Actress

Winner: Ayesha Khan for Jawani Phir Nahe Aani

Armeena Rana Khan for Bin Roye
Nimra Bucha for Manto
Sarwat Gillani for Jawani Phir Nahi Aani
Sohai Ali Abro for Jawani Phir Nahi Aani

Best Supporting Actor

Winner: Javed Sheikh for Wrong No.

Ali Safina for Jalaibee
Shaz Khan for Moor
Wasay Chaudhry for Jawani Phir Nahi Aani
Yasir Hussain for Karachi se Lahore
Ahmed Ali Butt for Jawani Phir Nahi Aani

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Best Singer (Male) – Film

Winner: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan for ”Tere Bina Jeena” OST Bin Roye

Ali Noor & Ali Humza OST Karachi Se Lahore
Ali Sethi for Aah Ko Chahiye OST Manto
Javed Bashir for Talabgaar OST Moor
Rahim Shah for Gul Bashri OST Moor

Best Singer (Female) – Film

Winners: Abida Parveen for ”Maula” OST Bin Roye AND Zeb Bangash for ”Kia Hoga” OST Manto

Meesha Shafi for Eva OST Moor
Harshdeep Kaur for Ballay Ballay OST Bin Roye
Zarrish for Rabbi Ralli OST Dekh Magar Pyar Sey

MUSIC

Album of the Year

Winner: Begum Gul Bakaoli Sarfarosh by Noor

Bahadur Yaar Jung by E Sharp
Ismail ka Urdu Sheher by Zohaib Kazi
Saturday Night Killing Machine by Adil Omar and Talal Qureshi
Till the End of Time by Natasha Humera Ejaz

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Song of the Year

Winner: Rockstar Romeo by Ali Zafar

Jogiya by Javed Bashir
Sarak Sarak by Mai Dhai Band
Shakar Wandaan by Asrar Shah
Tamasha by Khumariyaan

Best Music Video Director

Winner: Salman Noorani for Mariam by Mooroo

Adil Omar for Nighat & Paras by Adil Omar & Talal Qureshi
Kamal Khan for Wake Up/Jaago by Zohaib Kazi
Nadir Shehzad Khan for Baaghi by Sikandar Ka Mandar
Natasha Humera Ejaz & Shahrukh Khurshid for Khwab by Natasha Humera Ejaz

Best Emerging Talent

Winner: Slow Spin

Ali Suhail
Mehdi Maloof
SomeWhatSuper
The Tamashbeens

FASHION

Model of the Year (Female)

Winner: Fauzia Aman

Amna Babar
Nooray Bhatti
Rabia Butt
Sadaf Kanwal

Model of the Year (Male)

Winner: Hasnain Lehri

Aimal Khan
Jahan -e- Khalid
Shahzad Noor
Waleed Khaild

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Fashion Photographer

Winner: Abdullah Harris

Ayaz Anis
Guddu Shani
Rizwan ul Haq
Shahbaz Shazi

Best Hair and Make-up Artist

Winner: Nabila

Hannan Siddique
Omayr Waqar
Raana Khan
Shammal Qureshi for Toni & Guy (North Pakistan)

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Achievement in Fashion Design – Luxury Pret

Winner: Shamaeel Ansari

Mahgul
Misha Lakhani
Muse
Sania Maskatiya

Achievement in Fashion Design – Pret

Winner: Generation

Coco by Zara Shahjahan
Daaman
Sana Safinaz
Sapphire

Achievement in Fashion Design – Bridal

Winner: Faraz Manan

Ali Xeeshan
Elan
Shehla Chatoor
The House of Kamiar Rokni

Achievement in Fashion Design – Lawn

Winner: Faraz Manan

Elan
Sana Safinaz
Sania Maskatiya
Zara Shahjahan

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Best Menswear Designer

Winner: Amir Adnan

Ahmed Bham
Hassan Sheheryar Yasin
Nauman Arfeen
Omar Farooq for Republic

Best Emerging Talent

Winner: Alee Hasan (Photography)

Ammara Khan (Designer)
Anum Malik (Model)
Hira Shah (Model)
Zara Abid (Model)

Lifetime Achievement Award: Nilofer Shahid

Best Dressed: Mahira Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi

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Deewana – Episode 21 & 22!

Ohkay so, these two episodes of Deewana were good because they took the track of Falak & Mehru forward. I must say, Deewana has turned into one of those dramas that you can enjoy without expecting too much because it then gives you little surprises that actually make you feel that you haven’t wasted your time. I commend the writer for coming up with something so different yet giving it a very realistic feel because characters & stories like these can get a little hard to digest but that hasn’t been the case with Deewana at all.

I actually feel for Haris, not because of his failures or because of his personality, but because of his parents. I think Haris was better off as an orphan or better off without getting the support of Amtul & Tabrez because they might’ve raised him as a toy for their daughter, but what they are doing to him now is downright evil. Haris is only a puppet & Amtul & Tabrez have turned into puppeteers, because the way they have kept themselves oblivious of Haris’s feelings only shed a light on how heartless & emotionless they both are.

Mehru has started trusting Falak more than anyone around her, why, because he stood by her side when even her own mother dissed her. Usually in such circumstances, mothers give strength to their daughters but somehow Shama made it all about herself & completely forgot that she wasn’t the only one who suffered a loss, Subhan also lost his son, Mehru also lost her brother & along with that, she lost the guy she loved the most because his parents took her to the court. If Shama puts things into perspective, she will find out that Mehru is the one who has suffered the most & has lost everything from all sides. Time & again, Shama has been reminded by Chanda Bee & now even Husn Ara that a mother has all the power to heal & cloud the actions of her child only if she resorts to tenderness & kindness in dealing with the matters concerning her children, especially daughters, but looks like Shama is so comfortable in putting a blame on Mehru that she has forgotten about the scars that Mehru might have as well. It was actually distasteful to see Shama placing a slap on Mehru’s face because it was totally unnecessary & made her look heartless too as just a moments ago she was reminded by Husn Ara as to how she should treat Mehru but Shama conveniently forgot, which makes me feel that she has turned hating Mehru a habit of her own!

It is actually good to see Mehru having someone by her side who supports her selflessly, who understands her pain & who trusts her irrespective of what others might say or think about her because he has heard about all those feelings & emotions that Mehru has experienced. Somehow, the friendship Mehru has with Falak has strengthened her & it has given her the confidence that she needed to know that she can deal with anything that comes her way, that is why it was so easy for her to move on & forget Haris because Falak was by her side when she decided to call everything quits.

Husn Ara actually thought that it was Falak who, for his selfish reasons had captured Mehru’s mind & heart but she was shocked to know that things were the other way round. Falak has fallen in love with Mehru & he has allowed her to control his entire being because when it comes to Mehru, he finds himself losing control over his mind & heart. I love the way their relationship has developed over the time where it started as Falak’s curiosity about Mehru, then turned into a sympathy towards her, then Mehru’s acknowledgement & dependency on him as a friend & now they both are at a point where they are finding it hard to give words to their feelings. For Mehru, Falak is just a regular guy who she might like but things are far more difficult for Falak as he knows about his own reality.

Shabnam & Gaiti are great fillers in this drama & I don’t mind their presence at all because the writer has made their characters quite interesting too. Looks like Gaiti’s love for Falak will turn her into a negative character because she has confessed that she wants to be with Falak by hook or by crook but the thing that I like the most about this entire situation is that Falak is not someone who can be brain-fed easily. He knows Mehru in & out & he loves her truly, therefore I am sure Gaiti’s attempts of maligning his heart against Mehru will fail completely.

Overall, these two episodes were really good & I enjoyed watching them. The preview seems interesting too because looks like Mehru will address the elephant in the room & will openly confess that she has fallen in love with Falak. Let’s see what luck has in store for both of them. The acting of all the actors & the direction of this drama has been amazing so far. I really really like Shehroz Sabzwari as Falak & Iqra Aziz fits the role of Mehru perfectly too, but I must say the scenes where Mehru laughs hysterically were done really well but were quite scary too, lol! Please share your thoughts about these two episodes of Deewana.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

15th Lux Style Awards 2016 Red Carpet – Pictures

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The day our celebrities were prepping and waiting for is finally here. The event is always a star-studded affair and this year is no different, but what makes this year’s awards special is the fact that it marks the 15th anniversary of LSA.

Have a look at the pictures and spot your favourite celebs!

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Interview With Adeel Hussain

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From Daam and Mera Naseeb to Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu and Jackson Heights, Adeel Hussain has given us some brilliant performances. People loved his guest appearance in Bin Roye, praised his acting in Ho Mann Jahan and can hardly wait for his upcoming film, Dobara Phir Se.

In a recent interview with FUCHSIA, Adeel Hussain had some interesting thing to say about his choice of work and the current state of Pakistani cinema. Adeel Hussain has worked with Mehreen Jabbar in quite a few projects namely Daam, Mata-e-Jan Hai Tu, Jackson Heights and now Dobara Phir Se. ”Yes, working with Mehreen is always great. To play a lead role in her second directorial outing was a chance not to be missed. There is a lot of history and trust there. She’s an experienced professional with a calm energy that almost disguises her passion for her work. I was really happy that she wanted me for a story set in New York. When a director you already enjoy working with is out to give her best in a movie, and you get to work in a city you love? It’s a no-brainer, really!”

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One thing people always admire about him is how selective he is about his work. About this, he said, ”I don’t really go out there to ‘be selective’ per se. I love what I do, and I want to be proud of my work in the future. Everyone needs a pay-cheque, but I decided early that I would do my best to not let that rule me. I’ll just do work that I’m excited about being a part of, and hopefully create the best body of work I can create.”

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When asked about how he deals with negative criticism, ”I don’t worry about reviews and what is said online because one has no control over it. Nowadays there is a broader link between content and its audience. The audience is key, but one can’t let one’s creativity be overly influenced by how something will be received. It is generally accepted that most artists do their worst work when pandering to audience tastes. I think David Bowie said that.

Great strides in life are made when somebody follows through on their instinct and hard work and just wants to make something that they believe in, something you’re going to have fun trying to create.”

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Commenting on the present state of Pakistani cinema, ”Lets call it the ‘getting better’ problem. We need more time, better teamwork and we need to be brave regarding the material we produce, as I previously mentioned. We are an exciting nation with a history packed with various artistic influences. I think we have the ability to create and appreciate a multitude of genres. We need more time, effort and support to evolve and more people to push the envelope.”

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If you were the director of Ho Mann Jahaan what one thing would you have done differently with it? Adeel Hussain replied, ‘‘It’s not my job to change it. I stand by my directors’ vision once I have agreed to a project. A director is a person who has gotten on that chair to tell a story the way he / she wants to, depending on how much creative control they have. That’s the bottom line. I respect that.”

LSA 2016 Rehearsals – More Pictures

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Yesterday was the last day for the rehearsals of the 15th Lux Style Awards 2016.

Here is a fun video of Hamza Ali Abbasi and Mahira Khan:

https://youtu.be/gUd4bxhl6QE

Some pictures:

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Tum Yaad Aye – Episode 25

Well! What a happening and fast paced episode this was! My emotions were like a ping pong ball flitting between sympathy, dislike, anger, awe – you name it and sometimes contradicting emotions for the same person! Although Yusuf is going all out to help Zainy feel welcome in his home again, he would time and again tell her that she must not do anything that would upset Ahmer. Sherry, however feels that Yusuf is encouraging Zainy to act against her husband’s wishes and that if ‘Baji hoti iss situation mein tau Zainy ko kabhi encourage na kartein’. I have to say Sherry’s conversations with Yusuf are interesting for I mostly can not tell whether it is anger or his own feelings which he is scared of or Zainy’s best interests at heart that makes him say all the things he says to his father. Nonetheless, no matter what he thinks or says – in the end it is what Yusuf decides that happens and Sherry accepts.

Novera’s prolonged stay in Islamabad somehow gave the impression that things were not right between her and Sherry in the last episode. Let me rephrase that – for things have never been right between the two, but somehow we were given the impression that there was some mystery shrouded in her absence – but apparently there is nothing of the sort. Novera returns and is besides herself with anger and indignation to find Zainy visiting again and that nobody thought to mention this ‘development’ to her. Just in those couple of moments I felt for Novera when  Sherry is short with her on the phone and she returns saying she felt the ‘udaasi’ in his voice. But her antics later on in the episode quickly crushed any little sympathy I had for her. Yes I know she has brought this all upon herself. She wriggled her way into Zainy’s home and marriage by being Nigaar Apa’s chamchi and I snorted when she even used the ‘what will Apa say’ card about Zainy’s return. Sherry’s love for Zainy was no secret to her and her insecurity and pettiness makes her act out in ways that by no means bring her closer to Sherry. I thoroughly enjoyed the standoff between Novera and Zainy in this episode too and yes, Zainy has been immature, ungrateful, rude etc and I do not know why but I loved when she said to Novera – ‘jaisi bhi – but hoon iss ghar ki beti’! And also how she was confident about her own ‘place’ in Yusuf’s house – if only she had been that sure and confident about all this earlier then she would not have been swayed by Ahmer. Ah well, spilt milk and all that!

However unreasonable we may think Ahmer is being by forbidding Zainy to visit her father’s house, it is a decision she made when she walked out on them. And while he could relent by letting her visit her father, I can not say I fault him for not wanting her to go to the same house that Sherry lives in, given that he knows Sherry is/was deeply in love with her and was engaged to be married to her. Whether he is wrong or right to tell her not to go to her parents’ house, Zainy is not right to be going behind his back – in my opinion. She has every right to go visit her father but then she should tell Ahmer, argue over it, be firm – whatever mode she chooses but not sneak behind his back. Ever since their marriage I have truly wondered at their relationship. The lovestruck Zainy and desperate Ahmer seem to have faded away but it has not even transformed into a comfortable, loving relationship either. Ahmer at times seems genuinely to care for Zainy and Zainy – I do not know what she feels for him.

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Anyhows, this all blows up in Zainy’s face when Novera brings it all out in the open in front of Ahmer. I liked how Sherry did not interfere between Ahmer and Zainy’s conversation but then had a go at Novera later, LOL! Novera – what a piece of work this woman is! You know in my previous couple of reviews I had said that Ahmer would have to do something seriously despicable to have Zainy dislike him and well Ahmer physically manhandled her, tore up her admit card AND locked her in her room! Matlab, road to redemption par aana bhi chahay, he would not even be able to find his way on to it! Where would he start! I am confused though as to how Yusuf finds out – did Zainy call him? And how in the world did Zainy escape – for that window was broken but it had bars across it I believe? I know Zainy is stick thin but still!

I have to say – I truly enjoyed the faceoff between Ahmer and Sherry. Sherry has always been the quiet, broody character and to see him stand up to Ahmer and threaten him – ‘oonchi awaaz mein humein bhi baat karnay aati hai Ahmer ‘– was really a treat to watch. Ahmer showed how low he can stoop – I am sure he can stoop lower but khair – when he said Zainy’s character was faulty. Yes, Zainy has been a brat and she makes these silly choices but I did feel for her when she sat at her mother’s grave and said ‘mein kahan jaoon’.

Pyaar tau tum nay kabhi kiya he nahin Zainy, kia hota tau tumharay leeyay duniya say larta. Kis haq se mein awaaz doon.’ Aww! Sherry was upset when Zainy left him for Ahmer but he took the rejection gracefully although he was not impressed with how Zainy had been rude to Yusuf and Mehtaab. His anger really kicked in when he saw what a toll it took on Mehtaab. He loves Zainy though, but is married and so is Zainy and it is so true that Zainy never loved him – at least not in the way he loves her. Gosh, I feel like I am writing about those romantic novels I would read, haha! Yes, ideally we would say he is married and should move on, etc – but kia karein, I truly want Sherry to be happy and if Novera was a sweet girl I would hope the marriage works but it seems that things will only worsen for she has taken Zainy’s return very badly and is resorting to petty little tantrums now. She is constantly comparing herself to Zainy and how Yusuf should feel the same for her, a disillusion he is very happy to crush with his ‘sorry baita but aap mein Zainy jaisi qaabliyat he nahin’ which really did make me laugh. From Novera’s point of view, he probably came across as mean but well she does ask for it I think!

I was surprised to see Sherry siding with Novera over Zainy being made to go back to Ahmer. True, Yusuf sounded a bit out of line saying her exam was more important than her marriage but then he reasoned that if she is unhappy and has made a mistake then by no means does she need to live with that mistake for the rest of her life. I am glad he is sensible and open minded about it. Novera harping from her high horse about how quarrels are common between a couple would probably not be as convincing if Sherry had treated her that way.

At this point, the thing that bothers me is if Zainy suddenly falls in love with Sherry. She wants his love and friendship back but there is the constant ‘bhai’ factor and with this being the 25th episode and the end seemingly near I will not be able to stomach a sudden, undying passionate love for Sherry. Agha Ali has really outdone himself in this drama. We ooh-ed and aah-ed over Asher in Humsafar – well, at least I did but Agha Ali has portrayed Sherry so well that he gives Asher stiff competition and more than Zainy, I want Sherry to get his happy ending, whatever that may be! Each episode has a few well written dialogues that really make me pause and say ah! The writer, Naila Ansari is new to me and I do not know of any of her other plays but she done a good job with this drama. Also, Big Bang productions I have noticed of late have these distinctive features (not necessarily good) that stand out such as the constant daylight glare in Mera Yaar Miladay, the awkward closeups in Socha Na Tha to name a few – but as far as I can recall this play has thankfully been kept clear of such gimmicks.

Although I feel it is time for the drama to begin wrapping up, I did thoroughly enjoy today’s episode. How many of you felt the same? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Kunwal Javid

Dance Kahani – complete songs

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Dance Kahani is an upcoming film scheduled to release on 5th August 2016.

As the name suggests Dance Kahani is the first Pakistani film claimed to be based completely on dance. It is not a mainstream film and have relatively unknown names in the cast.

Dance Kahani explores the underground dance culture and free running on the streets of Karachi.

The music of the film is released last week and it has plenty of songs a total of 18. Almost all the songs are of pop/rock genre.

The complete songs are available on various music platforms
Patari:http://patari.pk/home/artist/Dance-Kahani-OST
Taazi:http://taazi.com/DanceKahani
Soundcloud:https://soundcloud.com/user-787028960

Patari and Taazi are the two legal music platforms for Pakistani music, who also pay the royalties to the owner of the songs for all the music downloaded or played online.

Zindagi Ki Rahon Mein by Alamdar Khan

Zindagi Ki Rahon Mein Unplugged by Alamdar Khan

Thoughts Of You by Alamdar Khan

Cover Me by Taimur Tajik

Dildara by Shezi Khan

Hair Cutting Master by Shezi Khan (Featuring Asher)

Free by OP

Tu Charh by Moen Jo Daro

This Girl’s Dream (instrumental) by Moen Jo Daro
https://soundcloud.com/user-787028960/moen-jo-daro-this-girls-dream-instrumental

Forever Alone (Afsana) by Moen Jo Daro

Senseless by Moen Jo Daro

Forever Alone (Afsana) by Moen Jo Daro

Loonies by Hashim

Light It Up by Hashim

Zindagi by Hasan Mustafa

Sanu Maargiya by AMZ King

Koee Aye Na (dubstep remix) by Ali Khan

Naach by Ali Khan (Featuring Ali Ansari)

Film Website: http://www.dancekahani.com/
Film Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dancekahani/

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Mahira Khan Wins “Face To Watch Out For”Award At Vogue Beauty Awards India

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Earlier Mahira Khan was spotted at the Mumbai airport and now we know why. Last night, a star-studded Vogue Beauty Awards ceremony was held in Mumbai, attended by the likes of Karishma Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor.

Adding to Mahira’s already impressively long list of achievements is the award she bagged in the category of “Face To Watch Out For”.

Mahira Khan looked absolutely stunning in her beautiful Monisha Jaising gown.

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IIFA Rocks 2016 – Fawad Khan Steals The Show

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Fawad Khan, alongside Karan Johar, hosted India’s most prestigious award ceremony, IIFA Awards 2016, held a couple of days back in Madrid, Spain. He is the first Pakistani actor to do that and that alone is no small feat.

Fawad Khan’s entry was only one of the many electrifying parts of the IIFA Rocks 2016. Bollywood director, producer, actor and India’s finest host, Karan Johar welcomed his co-host with great zeal, and a deafening round of applause greeted him on the stage. The crowd came to life with the wildly popular song, Abhi Tou Party Shuru Hui Hai, from Fawad Khan’s Khubsurat.

 

As if people weren’t already going gaga over Fawad Khan’s killer good looks, the heartthrob showed the crowd that he can sing, too! Before Fawad Khan made it big, he was part of the music band Entity Paradigm better known as EP, which he formed with Ahmed Ali Butt. Nostalgia kicked in when we watched Fawad Khan sing after all these years. Fawad’s rendition of Kal Ho Na Ho was beautiful and his co-host got emotional because this was from the film, Kal Ho Na Ho written by Karan Johar.

No Indian award show is ever complete without some cheesy, over the top humour. Fawad Khan wooed the gorgeous Sonakshi Sinha by singing Chaudvi Ka Chaand.

 

Videos and pictures of Deepika Padukone kneeling down on one knee before the heartthrob have been making rounds on social media lately. The dimpled beauty was swept off her feet and after watching Fawad Khan sing Roop Tera Mastana, you can’t really blame her.

 

The two hosts altered the lyrics of popular songs and it was definitely one of the most entertaining bits of the show. The effortlessness and ease with which Fawad Khan pulls it off is truly remarkable. There’s no denying that Fawad Khan oozes charisma.

Tum Kon Piya – Episode 18

Elma finally “sort of” took a stand for herself in this episode mainly because of her sister but also because she knows that she does not have anyone to look out for her any more. She is the older sister who is expected to take care of her sisters now that her father is no more therefore the slight changes in her personality were definitely easy to connect to. For once she did not care whether Sharafat begum approved of her actions or not but she demanded something from her husband because she thought she deserved it. It was also good to see her talking about her status in the house with her sister and her husband. She understands very well how much she was doing for this family and she expected something in return now. While it was good to see Elma expecting a little more from her husband, it was definitely very strange watching her put up with her husband’s infidelity without confronting him. Unfortunately Zarbab is so full of flaws that Elma cannot really make him come up to her expectations even if she wants.

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Zarbab was always shown as the sort of person who would much rather pay his mother to stay out of trouble then take a stand for anything at all. Zarbab might run the house but that is not because he is very responsible but only because he hates confrontations. He knows that he can only live a peaceful life in that house if he continues giving her money. He has never shown any kind of affection towards any of his family members who are just as selfish as he is. Zarbab wants an easy life and anything or anyone who will make his life complicated will not get his support. He gladly had an affair with Javeria and was even willing to marry her because he was scared of her parents!! But when his mother found out and was willing to bail him out of this situation, he let her do that. Zarbab is a coward who will never be able to take a stand for his wife but who even now would much rather find an escape than address the issues at hand. Until now Sharafat Begum was the only one pressurizing her son but now that Elma wants him to take a stand for her, he will have even more of a reason (excuse) to get closer to Javeria.

The scene in which Sharafat Begum and Zarbab were talking about Arif must have some kind of significance because it got plenty of screen time and there was no other apparent reason for Arif to bring her office friend home. The rona dhona in this episode was a little too much for my liking. It was funny how Zarbab had to bear with everything Ramish said to him because Ramish is rich! Imran Abbas yet again seemed disinterested and his dialogue delivery wasn’t very impressive. I have never really liked Elma’s sisters because their scenes were always a little too ‘decorated’ but in this episode Neha’s relationship with her sister was shown really well. Elma finally has someone in that house who she can call her own – something which was badly needed.

tkpSunbal has managed to stay positive even after Ramish did not turn up for the engagement. The reasoning she gave for holding on to the relationship was impressive but it seems highly unlikely that Ramish will get over Elma anytime soon. The preview of the next episode showed Zarbab regretting his decision to get married to Elma and Neha talking to Ramish in a way which would be a cause of concern for him.

Tum Kon Piya is one of those dramas in which the production values, performances and the direction makes up for an average script. Like I said before the script is average but it is logical therefore the drama is watchable and does not have any glaring flaws.

How many of you watched this latest episode? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.

 

Fatima Awan

Maya Ali Celebrates Her Birthday

With a massive fan following and several super hit drama serials to her credit, Maya Ali is one of the most well-loved celebrities of our industry. Today, the gorgeous gal celebrated her birthday with close friends.

HHave a look at some pictures: 

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Maya Ali’s co-stars sent their best wishes her way. 

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Clash Between Ali Azmat & Umair Jaswal

Well, apparently, Ali Azmat is not very pleased with where Pakistani music industry is headed, and in a leaked video, he is seen criticizing the young musicians that wish to become stars. Ali Azmat is known for his high notes but according to him, sirf cheekhain maar kay koi star nahe banjata. In the video, he also criticizes singers that are setting foot in the T.V. industry.

When the popularity of Sammi Meri Waar is pointed out to him, he responds by saying that it was not an original song but merely a different take on a folk song.

Have a look at Ali Azmat’s video:

Umair Jaswal has a huge fan following and many of his fans took offense and rushed to support him. In response to Ali Azmat’s video, Umair Jaswal also recorded a video, saying that Ali Azmat is entitled to his opinion but he cannot force it upon other people. 

Here’s Umair Jaswal‘s reply to Ali Azmat: 

Thora Sa Aasman – Episode 01 & 02!

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Ohkay so, the production of Mastermind Productions, direction of Nadeem Siddique & the writing of Umera Ahmed, Thora Sa Aasman started airing on Geo Entertainment 2 weeks ago. Thora Sa Aasman is a story based on the novel that has been dramatized & aired before on PTV but this time around Geo TV has decided to bring it to us with new faces & new look. Those who’ve read the novel will definitely know that they’re in for a ride & after watching first two episodes, I had a feeling that at least in these initial episodes, they did justice to the essence of the script & I hope they stay true to it right till the end too. Thora Sa Aasman has a lot of characters & I am sure a lot of new faces will be introduced along the line as well, but for now they set the grounds for what is yet to come by introducing us to the main characters in the initial episodes & for that I will say that the first two episodes were directed really well & were quite impressive in terms of story-telling & character introduction.

The first family of characters that we got introduced to was of Shahista Kamal (Zeba Bakhtiyar) & her husband Haroon Kamal (Alyy Khan). Shahista belongs to a humble & modest background where her parents being God-fearing people made sure that their daughters also followed the path that they saw their parents at, all their lives. Their lives turn upside down when they find out that Shahista is emotionally involved with Haroon. Haroon happens to be Shahista’s first cousin & looks like he & his father make quite a progress in their business of pharmaceuticals that too after shifting recently to Karachi. Shahista’s father (Qazi Wajid) doesn’t have a high opinion of his brother Kamal & his nephew Haroon because he feels that they don’t earn money with the legal means & also, their lifestyle & mentality is completely different which according to him is wrong. Haroon happens to be quite a ruthlessly practical person but somehow he falls for Shahista’s beauty & convinces her that he will give her the life that she has never lived & has never even imagined. Shahista falls prey to Haroon’s promises & opts for a court marriage because her parents tell her clearly that they will never allow her to get married to Haroon.

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After Shahista’s decision of getting married to Haroon without their permission, Shahista’s parents find it hard to forgive her & just in a short span of time, Shahista starts realizing that her parents’s judgment about Haroon & his character wasn’t wrong. Haroon does get married to Shahista but he most certainly doesn’t believe in leading a conventional sort of a marital life. He clearly lets Shahista know that he wants his space & wants to maintain his lifestyle, therefore she shouldn’t worry much about him & to keep herself busy, she should get involved in the family business too. Shahista finds it hard to cope up with such a practical person & his thinking because this was not the sort of a marriage that she signed up for. Shahista hits the rock bottom when she spots Haroon Kamal with someone else. Haroon Kamal being drawn towards beautiful women falls for Zarka; a singer who sells her voice to make a living. Zarka’s mother warns her to not get involved with Haroon but she doesn’t pay heed to what her mother says as she finds herself falling more & more for the irresistible charm of Haroon Kamal.

Then comes the family of Fatima Mukhtar (Yasra Rizvi). Fatima, a middle aged woman with an unpleasant birthmark on her face that affects her overall outer beauty & her appearance, who has never heard a good thing about herself from her family members. Fatima’s family wants her to get married but she doesn’t believe in the societal norms & believes in living a life that she would choose for herself. Fatima’s straight forwardness is often deemed as a bad behavior which then becomes a reason why Fatima drifts away from her family. Fatima comes from a lower middle class family but she dreams high, not in terms of financial security but in terms of living her life freely according to her conditions & rules. With the help of her neighbors Aasia & Azar, Fatima adopts a child from an orphanage that she names Shaheer & she leaves her mother’s house & moves to Karachi. Aasia & Azar also settle abroad & Fatima believes that no one will be able to trace her in such a big city. Fatima rents an upper portion of Askari Bee’s (Parveen Akbar) house, who happens to be a relative of Azar as well, she then starts working in a school & finds the inner peace that she never experienced when she was with her family. However, that peace turns out to be short-lived as people around her start questioning her about her child & her husband that never existed but Fatima lies about her husband being in Dubai in order to protect Shaheer.

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Then comes the family of Saiqa (Kaif Ghanavi), whose husband Zafar (Adnan Jillani) sends her off to her parents’ house blaming her for giving birth to 3 daughters. Saiqa’s parents already find it hard to make the ends meet & when she shows up at their doorstep, her mother tells her to start earning in order to support herself & her daughters. Saiqa takes a job at the nearby factory & finds out that she is not the only one struggling with this ordeal. Saiqa’s husband gets married & his second wife gives birth to a son, which seals the deal that there’s no turning back for Saiqa as her husband will never reconcile with her & she will have to fend for her daughters all her life, on her own.

A new entry that made an appearance was of Baqir Shirazi (Qaiser Nizamani), a minister who meets Shahista Kamal at a dinner & gets attracted towards her beauty. Just when Baqir finds himself trying hard to come in contact with Shahista by questioning his manager’s wife Sabiha Jadoon about her, Haroon Kamal on the other hand gets in contact with Bariq’s manager Jadoon to find out that it is Baqir who hasn’t signed the papers to approve the consignment he has been waiting for. I am sure this would make them cross paths with each other & then Baqir would do everything to draw Shahista’s attention towards him using Haroon Kamal’s dependency on him as a bait. Another track that got a little coverage belonged to the girl named Aliya who goes to the orphanage to ask about a Safiya’s child. I am sure it must be Shaheer that she’s looking for, but let’s see.

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Overall, these two episodes were really good & were directed quite well too. I read the novel 2 years ago & for that reason I felt that they have done justice to the novel & the characters. Also I must say that nothing has been added & they have tried to keep things as real & as closer to the novel as possible which is a bonus. I am sure when the drama will progress we will develop a relationship with all the characters but I am most excited about the track & story of Fatima & her life because what she’s doing & what she will do is not going to be easy for her. I must say all the actors did really well in their respective characters & there are so many characters that will get introduced along the way. The OST is good to & it somehow compliments the situations that the characters are facing. I must say that I am really impressed with the way the director introduced the characters & their background stories in just these two episodes, it actually developed a strong base for what is yet to come. This story for sure is nothing less than a roller coaster ride so buckle up everyone. I am most certainly looking forward to the next episode, so please share your thoughts about the first two episodes of Thora Sa Aasman.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

ps: It looks like GEO TV uploads the episodes of Thora Sa Aasman a bit late, so please expect the reviews of the upcoming episodes on Mondays or Tuesdays. Thanks. :)

LSA 2016 Rehearsals In Full Swing

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The most anticipated award show Lux Style Awards will be held on 29 July and with so little time left, the rehearsals are in full swing. Frieha Altaf, the director of the show, ia busier than ever. Sheheryaar Munawar, Sohaye Abroo, Urwa and Farhan Saeed are rehearsing for their performances, Ali Zafar is all set to host the show and record his Qawwali.

What got us the most excited was the reunion (sort of) of EP – Fawad Khan and Ahmed Ali Butt. Here are some pictures:

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App Ke Liye – Episode 03!

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Ohkay so, this episode of App Ke Liye was pretty decent because it took the story forward & looks like soon enough Shaheer & Washma will tie the knot & then the real game will begin.

Washma got Shaheer familiar with a unique way of dealing with the emotional pain & it was for the first time that Shaheer got to know that one can overcome a pain this way too. Washma told Shaheer what he might not have heard from someone before, that one should try to be as happy as possible because it will hurt the ego of those who’ve hurt them. Shaheer couldn’t fathom the fact that a girl whose fiancé just dumped her could be so happy & ecstatic. They both shared a good time together & immediately became friends, because they both were having a hard time & indirectly they were being a moral support for one another.

Nishat Apa is way too concerned for Shaheer but it is amazing that even in such crucial times (according to her) her curls were still intact. She plans to do something for her brother which according to her will help him overcome this emotional suffering that he is going through. Her husband is just a tag along & he doesn’t seem too involved in what his wife says or does as he is too busy hitting on Washma in their office.

As expected, Maryam didn’t take the news too well & she kept on blaming Washma for everything, without even thinking for a second that may be her brother Arsalan might also be thinking on those lines too. Washma took the brunt for something that Arsalan wants but it is good that she is strong enough to tolerate a few taunts without letting anyone change her decision. It is interesting to see that just because Maryam doubts & dislikes Washma, she didn’t think of asking Arsalan about what actually happened & why Washma was taking such a step. She left her husband because she feels for her brother more but like Washma said, it was quite immature of both Waheed & Maryam to let Arsalan & Washma’s decision affect their relationship.

It was good to see that Shaheer became comfortable around Washma & not only that he started reading her face & tried to decipher her thoughts too. At least he knows that her engagement has been called off, so that is why he is being courteous towards her & I believe soon enough he will start developing some feelings for her too.

Areesha is getting ticked off by Nishat’s interference in her life & she has warned Shaheer about it too. Areesha might be immature & impulsive but at least she is wise enough to see how controlling Nishat is & how she has Shaheer wrapped around her finger. Areesha’s motive might make her look selfish but at least her judgment when it comes to Nishat is spot on. Let’s see what more she does in order to make Shaheer see Nishat’s real face.

The preview of the next episode suggested that Nishat might tell Shaheer to adopt her son, which means that she definitely doesn’t want Shaheer to have his own kids because then they will become entitled to Shaheer’s wealth. I can’t wait to see what havoc Washma will create when she will enter their lives. The direction of the drama is good but I wish the cameraman had used an anti-glare lens, also I find it quite bothersome that the camera doesn’t stop moving, it actually evokes a headache. I hate to say it again & again but I am actually not impressed with the way Samina Peerzada has portrayed this character, her overall look is one thing but her OTT expressions are quite hard to digest too. She really didn’t need to go overboard to prove a point that Nishat is evil, we get that ma’am, we most certainly get it!!! Anyways, please share your thoughts about this episode of App Ke Liye.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Janaan, title song

Janaan (جاناں)is an upcoming film scheduled to release on upcoming Eidul Azha on 13th or 14th September. Its teaser was released in March 2016 and in the first week of July its trailer is also released. Famous anchor person Reham Khan is the co-producer for this film. Its one of the very few main stream Urdu films which is based on a Pakhtoon family and is not about war or terrorism.

The three main characters of this film are Meena (Armeena Rana Khan), Asfandyar (Bilal Ashraf) and Daniyal (Ali Rehman Khan)

Its first song, Janaan is released today in London. The song is in the voice of Indian singer Armaan Malik.

 

Starring: Armeena Rana Khan, Ali Rehman, Bilal Ashraf, Mishi Khan, Ajab Gul, Nayyar Ejaz, Hania Aamir, Usman Muktar, DJ Panni & Jalal Haider.
Genre: Romantic comedy
Directed By: Azfar Jafri
Written By: Usman Khalid Butt
Produced by: Reham Khan, Hareem Farooq, Munir Hussain & Imran Raza Kazmi
DOP: Rana Kamran
Production Company: IRK Films in association with Munir Hussain Films, PEPE’S PIRI PIRI Group
Distributor: ARY Films
Music By: Salim Suleman, Ahmad Ali & Taha Malik
Post Production: Kantana Post Production (Thailand)
Release Date: Eid Ul Azha 2016 on 13th or 14th September 2016

Here is the trailer of the film released in the first week of July

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBAZkttoMsE

Here is the teaser of the film released in March 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9ugA4BkZK0

 

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Mishi Khan, Usman Mukhtar
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Jalal Hyder
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Usman Mukhtar
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Ajab Gull
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Mishi Khan
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Armeena Rana Khan, Bilal Ashraf
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Ali Rehman Khan
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Bilal Ashraf
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Mahjabeen
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Haania Aamir
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Imran Malik – Associate Director

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Trailer courtesy of PakistaniCinema Fan page
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAgBFzV3J4hrbRMcBcsehvg
https://www.facebook.com/PakistaniCinema

Rashid Nazir Ali

Besharam – Episode 12!

Ohkay so, this episode of Besharam was good in bits & pieces. A lot of scenes were interesting & a few were good but overall, this episode gave us what we want to see the most & that is, the relationship that Mishi & Haider share but I must say, the pace has slowed down a tad bit & the focus has been shifted on the supporting characters more than the main characters, which I somewhat mind. I hope they bring the focus back on Mishi & Haider ASAP because they’re the main reason why we tune to this drama in the first place. :)

Finally, someone asked Mishail what she likes about being married to Haider & what she finds it in him that she doesn’t mind sacrificing everything for him. I loved the things Mishi said to Sofia about Haider. It’s like in such a short span of time, Haider has given her this sense of security & protection that she has longed for all her life. Even though Mishi & Haider still have a long way to go when it comes to understanding each other but just in the beginning Haider has given her the safety net & he has given her so much of freedom to realize that he is the perfect match for her. Mishail does acknowledge all the little things that Haider say or does for her, which is quite refreshing to see. I find the character of Mishail really nice where she focuses more on the positive side of the things & doesn’t bother much about the shortcomings that Haider according to others might have.

I must say I like the way the relationship between Sofia & Mishail has improved. When Sofie came, Mishi could barely tolerate her & she didn’t even want to share a space with her but ever since she has gotten married, she has seen how Sofie is trying hard to keep things normal between Mishi & Sara. Sofie is acting like a binding force & being the eldest daughter, she is dealing with the situation quite wisely, that is why it was good to see Sofie & Mishi sharing a heart-to-heart conversation with one another. Also, I must say, the way they both take each other’s taunts & sarcasm in good spirit is quite interesting too. It’s like both the sisters know & understand each other well, that is why they don’t get offended & feel comfortable in saying the truth out loud in front of each other.

Sikandar got to say what he wanted to but I am glad that Haider & even Humna defended Mishi in front of Khadija & fortunately, things weren’t blown out of proportion as I as expecting them to. It turned into a favorable situation for Mishi because Khadija got to realize that Humna & Haider don’t see the truth in what Sikandar was saying & also, Mishi didn’t have to face the brunt for anything. I liked that Mishi & Haider spoke to each other & didn’t turn it into an issue of ego where no one was in a mood to break the ice. Haider told Mishi that she should come back & she agreed.

Finally, Jamal bid farewell to Sara & told her that he won’t be in contact with her. I really find it hard to relate to Sara’s character at times because she is a grown up woman, but to see her acting like a teenager doesn’t make sense at times. She is still a hopeless romantic in search of love & she doesn’t realize that her disturbed emotions take a toll on her daughters too. Looks like apart from Sofie & Mishail, Sara has another daughter too named Manal, not sure if she will make an appearance or not though, but I wouldn’t mind if she does.

I enjoyed the scenes of Wahab, Sofie, Haider & Mishail. It was good to see Haider taking a role of a family member & doing what family members do for each other in such difficult situations by extending an emotional support. Mishail & Haider shared a conversation & for the first time, Haider got an insight into what Mishi has gone through all her life because of a mother like Sara. I liked the way Haider didn’t cross the line yet he didn’t let Sara belittle him, he kept on giving back to her & that somehow broke the ice & made it look like they will form a relationship in the near future. Right now, Sara might not be in a mood to see the good in Haider but I am sure she won’t be able to keep up her opinion against him for long.

On Saba’s front, her mother is tired of her & she is looking for proposals. Saba is definitely not in the mood but despite everything that she has done, I like that she sympathizes with her brother & Humna too, she does understand that Humna wasn’t at fault & both Qadeer & Humna are being punished for the wrong no one did. Saba has seen that Mishi is a good person, that is why all the things she said to Qadeer showed that her opinion has changed & may be I hope she convinces her mother & father too that Mishi is a good person & pushes them to allow Qadeer to get married to Humna.

Overall, this episode was good but I hope the shift the focus on Mishi & Haider & their careers again. Everyone has acted brilliantly in this drama but I must say Malik Raza is phenomenal as Wahab, his timing is perfect & all the actors have matched his timing flawlessly too. The chemistry between all the actors & characters has elevated the level of this drama & has made it a treat to tune to. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Besharam. :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Zara Yaad Kar – Episode 20!

Yaaaaaaaawwwwwnnnnnnnnn, oh sorry, for a second the sleep that this episode inflicted upon me made me forget that I always start my reviews with ohkay so. Ohkay so, I am sorry to say that this drama has turned into a joke. There is so much falsafa going on that it hardly pays off because the situations are so messed up that this amount of falsafa seems like a forced attempt of making this story & the situations look enticing, which they sadly are not.

While I couldn’t recover myself from the laughter fit seeing Mahnoor’s bruises that she got from her previous failed Nikkah, she made me laugh out loud even more because there she was preparing for a new adventure of her life, with a new man, on a new day, for a new Nikkah. Oh well, I have so much more to say about this character but I think I will have to cross the line of decency in order to explain her characterless-ness, so for now I will contain myself & just say that she is one of those mentally sick girls who have no purpose in life & who gel really well with the guys, no matter what shape & size they come in. I mean one actually has to be quite ‘besharam’ to be toing & froing between men like a shuttlecock. I think the writers of Besharam & Zara Yaad Kar switched the titles of these dramas by mistake because if there’s one drama that could endorse the title of Besharam flawlessly was actually this drama that we now know as Zara Yaad Kar!

Hmmm, not sure why the writer is trying to make us feel for the character of Anoushay that too after we’ve survived this journey for 19-20 weeks? Her candidness with Haadi was enough to put us off that the director assumed that her flat acting would help the situation. The entire conversation that Haadi & Anoushay had about ‘love’ served no purpose at all & looked like a forced attempt of filling in the 40 minutes of an episode. Haadi has always been quite a reserved & shy person, so to see him acting totally unlike him in front of Anoushay didn’t really make much sense. Since the beginning, we have seen Haadi as someone who would always think twice before speaking & would choose to stay silent on the things he doesn’t want to concern himself with or even at the things that do concern him like his divorce, but the way his body language & attitude changed in front of Anoushay made me feel like I was watching Haider of Besharam in stead of Haadi of Zara Yaad Kar. I say this because the way Haadi snapped at Anoushay & told her to shut up after hearing Waqar’s name was so unlike him, like he would listen to Mahnoor talk about her temporary honeymoon in London silently so how did he find it in him to tell Anoushay to shut up just at a slight mention of Waqar? This is not how this bhola bhala, dheela dhala Haadi is meant to be like!

Well, Mahnoor was so busy being a shuttlecock that she forgot to inform her mother that her temporary son-in-law would now be Waqar & not Mahnoor’s boss, lol. She was perfectly fine with what Umar Din told her about Waqar because this is exactly what she wants too. I am amazed that now when she is getting an opportunity to be with Waqar, she still has the divorce on her mind. I find it hard to understand that what did actually change in those couple of weeks after her divorce from Haadi that she realized that he was the one for her, she can’t be without him therefore she was ready to go to such lengths like temporary marriage(s) to get back with him? I don’t recall that they showed us Mahnoor thinking on those lines & reflecting upon on her mistake of leaving Haadi & regretting her decision too of getting a divorce from him? The sudden shift in her thinking is actually unjustified & now seeing her committing one mistake after another & getting beaten up by one woman after another has turned this entire situation in a joke to be honest.

Hmmm, I have always liked how they used the OST lyrics to match the emotional state of the characters, but this time around I actually had a good laugh because when Uzma sneaked through the smallest window in the world to catch a glimpse of Haadi’s car, the words that echoed in the background were ‘Ghutti Ghutti Si’, which actually enforced the feelings that I have had about Uzma, where I always find her ‘ghutti hui’, like where I have found her quite lifeless since the beginning, so no wonder why those lyrics actually hit home for me. The conversation she had with Ikhtiyaar Sahab about Haadi was so new right? (coughing sarcasm). I think this father-daughter duo needs to snap out of their fixation with Haadi because he is no more a part of their lives!

Well, I didn’t find the twist of Anoushay being associated with Waqar justified at all. For the last few months, he was with Gaiti in Umarkot & he was putting all the efforts in winning her over, so when did he get the time to have an affair with Anoushay as well? Yes, I can understand that Anoushay might’ve been a student at the university where Waqar was a teacher but to see a sudden development of this sort didn’t really sit well with me & not only that, the way everything got wrapped up in this episode actually made it look like a joke where Anoushay’s relationship began & ended with Waqar, Haadi got to know about it, he blurted the truth about Waqar, Anoushay’s grandmother got a heart-attack, she recovered & in the meanwhile, Anoushay raided Waqar’s home & threw Mahnoor out as well. LOL! In stead of wasting time on meaningless closeups of doors, windows, roads & cars, if they had taken a time to develop this angle, I am sure it wouldn’t have seemed so haphazard & out of the blue. I think Mahnoor must’ve had a first-hand & a thrilling experience of what déjà vu is like. I think Mahnoor should understand that temporary Nikkahs are not her thing, lol but I am glad that she got bistiofied twice, but may be 10 rounds of this amount of bezati are not enough for a dheet larki like her but anyways, something is better than nothing, eh!

Well, I guess this drama has come to a point where it is testing my patience now & I am losing it real quick & more than that, the situations & the characters have stopped making any sense & I don’t see the purpose of this drama anymore because I don’t see Mahnoor realizing her mistakes or Haadi realizing that Mahnoor is the wrong choice. I somehow feel the emotions & the purpose are getting lost in this meaningless stretching & there isn’t much substance in the writing to back the emotions that the characters must be feeling, like till date we’re left with our imagination to figure out what these characters are going through & even the biggest aspect, that is Mahnoor realizing Haadi’s importance & worth hasn’t been conveyed so far, so I guess it’s about time that they should wrap it up ASAP before it turns into a bigger joke. Anyways, please share your thoughts about this episode of Zara Yaad Kar.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

PS: I thank ARY for choosing Tuesdays to air Besharam because while watching Zara Yaad Kar, the thought of watching Besharam after this torture keeps me awake & excited!

Hamza Ali Abbasi Is Back On Facebook

Earlier, Hamza Ali Abbasi’s Facebook account was banned for speaking about the plight of Kashmiris and supporting Burhan Wani Shaheed, a deceased separatist commander killed by Indian forces in Indian-held Kashmir.

Today, upon recovering his Facebook account, Hamza Ali Abbasi posted a status and the message comes through loud and clear: Mark Zuckerberg cannot define who is and isn’t a terrorist.

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According to Dawn, Facebook is keeping an eye on Hamza Ali Abbasi’s account. Talking to Dawn, Hamza Ali Abbasi said, “It’s absurd how the flag bearers of “Freedom of Speech” act in this way for raising a voice for victims of aggression.”

NNothing can stop the actor from speaking out against injustice and oppression. 

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