The makers of the super-hit comedy, NaMaloom Afraad, Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza teamed up for film, Actor in Law, which is expected to release on Eid-ul-Adha this year.

Featuring veteran Indian actor Om Puri, as his debut film in Pakistan, actor and host, Fahad Mustafa, actress and model Mehwish Hayat, and actor and host Alyy Khan, the film is said to be a light romantic comedy with a focus on social issues.

Nabeel Qureshi, the director of the movie, is hopeful that the audience will enjoy this movie. “Actor In Law is a different story just like Na Maloom Afraad. In my earlier film, I picked a topic and played with humor around it. In this film, you will find me narrating another unique story. Main Lateefey nahi suna sakta to kahani sunata hon [I just cannot hear jokes, so I tell stories]. I am sure the audience will connect to the story with its engaging plot,”

On Twitter, Fahad Mustafa announced that the shooting has been completed.

On Instagram, Mehwish Hayat posted a picture and bid farewell to the crew.

Ali Kazmi is the son of veteran actors Rahat and Sahira Kazmi. We best know him from Jackson Heights, where he played Sikandar, an abusive husband. Viewers loathed Sikandar and that says a lot about Ali Kazmi’s convincing performance. Currently, we can see him in Sehra Mein Safar on HUMTV.

It is revealed that Ali Kazmi is currently shooting for the television prequel of The Taken trilogy by Liam Neeson. Talking to Dawn Images, he shared, ”I play Marzoki, a fast talking, sharp, quirky analyst,” He explained that the Taken TV series will explore the character of Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson – one of my favourite actors) in great detail.

“I am proud to be a part of the main cast. I play one of the good guys, no ridiculous casting or dressing. I’m really ecstatic to be representing South Asians in a good light and I’m happy that NBC is taking bigger and better steps for more diverse smart casting! The world is full of so many colours, why not the casting for TV, so it’s a step in the right direction.”
Talking to Express Tribune, Kazmi speaks about his selection, “It was a coveted role to bag. I returned from working on Dobara Phir Se and sent my tapes and they loved it. The director, Alex Graves has previously worked on The Newsroom, West Wing and Game of Thrones. For him to choose me for the role was a big deal.”

We wish him all the best for his projects!

Syra started as a VJ at MTV Pakistan hosting Bheja Fry and Most Wanted. With projects like Mera Naseeb and Bilqees Kaur, she rose to fame and became a household name. She made a special appearance in Ho Mann Jahan’s song, Shakar Wandaan, but apart from that, we haven’t seen her on the big screen.

Talking to PakistanToday, Syra revealed that she will be making her full-fledged cinematic debut with Chalay Thay Saath. “I kept getting scripts that I would like but something or the other about it wouldn’t sit right. This one clicked because it’s not just revolving around one thing; it will shed light on love, friendship, family values.”

About her character, she says, “I will be playing the role of Resham, who’s a doctor by profession. People have these preconceived notions about doctors being serious or very stuck in their ways but she’s not like that. She’s very fun loving and adventurous and the story is about her and her friends taking a trip up north.”

The producer, Beenish Parvez tells that the film’s like a travelogue but about everyday people like you and me. “The dialogues are very real, the story will start off on a lighter note and get a bit more dramatic as time will go by but still rooted in reality.

The cast of Chalay Thay Saath includes Behroz Sabzwari, Shamim Hilali, Mansa Pasha, Zhalay Sarhadi, Faris Khalid etc.

Here are some of the pics that Syra shared on her instagram:

Needless to say, Mahira Khan is a household name. Mahira Khan started as a VJ and got her big break with HumTV blockbuster, Humsafar, where she made us weep with her powerful performance as Khirad. She won numerous awards, including Lux Style Award for Best Actress. The fact that she will be seen alongside Shah Rukh Khan in her Bollywood debut, Raees, says volumes about her success as an actor.

Last night, the first ever Femina Middle East Women Awards were held at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai. The awards aimed to recognize and appreciate the incredibly talented women out there who are proving themselves in their respective fields.

Mahira Khan won the’Unstoppable Emerging Talent from Pakistan’ award. Clearly, she is unstoppable! Mahira looked absolutely stunning in a sari by Studio S, and her jewellery was from Zohra Rahman Jewellery.

It’s always a delight to see our talented people get recognized on an international platform. Have a look at the beautiful pictures from the event!

Also, it should not go unnoticed that mother-daughter duo, Talib and Maliha Aziz won the Unstoppable in Creative Design award. It’s pleasing that astronaut Namira Salim won the Unstoppable in Space Exploration award.

We are happy for all these beautiful women. Here’s to all unstoppable women out there!

Pakistani film industry is growing at a rapid rate. All those actors who once were confided to dramas only are now very eager to work in the films. Many stars from television have already showcased their skills on the big screen and now it is Sana Javed’s turn to do so. While talking to ET Sana Javed revealed,

“The story of the film revolves around my character which makes it all the more interesting. It is about Karachiities basically, so it’s quite relatable.” 

The film will be directed by Amir Mohiuddin. This will be Amin Mohiuddin’s debut as a feature film director. The script of the film has been written by Akhtar Qayoom.

Some actors who have recently joined the film industry are either not seen on television at all or they rarely work in dramas. Will Sana Javed leave dramas once she starts her film career? Answering that question, she said,

“Television is a medium that I first started off with and I do not plan on leaving it. However, I find films to be a bigger medium and a better platform for actors to project their talent and prove their skill set… It is certainly a dream come true for a girl like me.”

Usually after Pakistani films the next big step for some Pakistani celebrities is Bollywood and Sana Javed is open to the idea with some reservations. She said,

“I‘ll definitely take it up if it’s a good script. However, it is important that I feel comfortable doing the role that I have been assigned. If I am not at ease with it, I will promptly turn it down.”

Iman Ali has been associated with the modeling industry in particular for a long time but she has also been part of Pakistani cinema in the recent past which has made her even more popular. She enjoys acting and modeling both but is selective about the projects she chooses to work in. Iman Ali gave a brief interview to Women’s Own magazine. She was also the cover girl for their May issue and did a photo shoot for them.

Iman Ali is also known for not caring much about what people think about her. She gives very few interviews but whenever she does she is dead honest. Lately she has been the talk of the town because of her film Mah-e-Mir in which she plays the leading role alongside Fahad Mustafa.

When asked who her favorite person was Iman Ali said,

“My super cute, overly bubbly mom and one of my closest friends Fizza Ali Meerza. I am also really obsessed with Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Treudeau.”

Iman Ali also told in detail about her present and all time favorite songs. She said,

“My favourite songs are connected to some of my favourite memories. Right now I am in love with the Qawalli from Mah-e-Mir called Jag Musaffir by Fareed Ayaz and Abu  Mohammed. Another song I love is “Hello” by Lionel Richie my father once played it on repeat on a road trip to Abbotabad when I was a child. I also love Sajjad Ali’s Tum Naraz Ho because his voice is like a dream and the words are beautiful.”

Iman Ali also said that she loves being home in Pjs more than anything else. She is also a fan of Game of Thrones.

Here are some pictures from her photo shoot:

There was a time when Ramazan transmissions were only hosted by people who are considered religious scholars but now things have changed greatly. With the rise of private channels, the nature of these transmissions has changed. While the main spirit of the transmission surrounds around the holy month of Ramazan, there are other segments like cooking or questions answers segments which are added to these transmissions. Many celebrities who are actors, models or just hosts have hosted these transmissions in the past too. Ahsan Khan is one such prominent name.

This time Hamza Ali Abbasi and Ayesha Khan will be hosting Ramazan transmission on Aaj TV. These two actors are also being seen sharing screen in the popular drama serial Mann Mayal which airs on HUM. Ayesha Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi are also very close friends who knew each other even before they got famous or got into showbiz. Like all the other Ramzan transmissions this one too will be live. The transmission will start at 3pm and end at 9pm which means the celebrities hosting the show will be very busy in the month of Ramazan.

Adnan Sarwar is a talented director and actor who rose to fame with the film, Shah, a biopic of legendary Pakistani boxer, Syed Hussain Shah. On 21st May, Saturday, Shah went on air on ARY Digital, and after its TV run, Shah team uploaded it on YouTube.

Talking to Dawn Images, Adnan Sarwar reasoned, ”We knew so many people would be recording the film on (substandard) resolution (on Saturday). Our strategy was to counter the film’s piracy and release the film online on our own terms.”

With complete English subtitles and high picture and sound quality, it happens to be the first recent Pakistani film available on YouTube in this form.

Adnan Sarwar clearly knows what he is doing and had interesting things to say about the entertainment industry, ”Over the course of years we have been involved in the entertainment industry, we’ve made it a habit of doing things no one’s done before. We’re early adapters of technology. Even as musicians, we were one of the first to put our music up on Facebook pages. We realized early on that we can’t fight music piracy. It’s the same with film torrents.”

 He is hopeful about the future of Pakistani film industry, and also revealed plans for his next film, Parwaaz, which as he puts it, is a coming-of-age, emotional family drama that will be a completely different experience for him. Here’s hoping that he makes it big!

Blessed with a voice that stands out in the crowd, Hadiqa Kiani is a big name of our music industry. She received Tamgha-e-Imtiaz along with many international accolades.

The way she rushes to help every time a natural disaster strikes the country is truly admirable. She works with numerous charitable organizations including Edhi Foundation, SOS, Muslim Hands etc. She also happens to be the first woman appointed as a United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador.

Recently, in light of Mother’s Day, she, along with her beautiful son, Nad-e-Ali, became part of Leisure Club’s new campaign. Leisure Club pays tribute to all the working mothers out there.

Here are some lovely pictures!

Vivacious and confident, Juggun Kazim is a well-liked actress and host, but lately she has set foot in the clothesline industry, too. Juggun has worked in notable dramas such as Pani Jaisa Pyar, Vasl etc.  She has come up with her own range of pret collection which will be launched on 27th May, 2016. Juggun was seen wearing dresses from her new collection in her morning show on PTV.

HHere are a few pictures of Juggun flaunting her new designs! 

Imran Abbas is known for his boyish charm even though it has been many years since he has been seen acting in dramas. He has played many different roles but the characters he has played the most are romantic in nature. Imran Abbas was seen criticizing Pakistani dramas in one of the Morning Shows in the recent past because he felt that Pakistani dramas were getting too bold and they were no longer family dramas. Imran Abbas also said that there was a time when he didn’t have much of a choice so he chose whichever project came his way but now he was in a position to refuse projects so he was only working in dramas which appealed to him. Imran Abbas has worked with the best directors and producers in the country.

Right now Imran Abbas is devoting all his energies to his next project which is the sequel of the play Khuda Aur Mohabbat. He is also seen modeling for different brands. His latest photo shoot was for a relatively new brand of Eastern wear Maaz Jee. Here are few pictures from the shoot:

Hamza Ali Abbasi is always enthusiastic when it comes to promoting the cause of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, and these days he is super busy in raising funds for this noble cause. He is pleased with the response he recieved from Houston, Seattle and San Francisco.

Have a look at the pictures:

HHere’s hoping that all future fundraisers prove successful!

Meera has been in the limelight a lot lately. This time she is trying her best to give people something good to talk about her. She is working in TVOne’s serial “Mein Sitara” and she has been a part of almost all the Morning Shows in which she talked about her film Hotal and also about her future projects without giving the viewers much to talk about in a negative connotation.

This time Meera was invited as a guest to Dawn News’ Morning Show “Yeh Zindagi Hai”. In this show she revealed that she wanted to take a break from acting especially in the films but if a good role is offered to her she won’t say no!! Meera in a previous interview also said that she had done glamorous roles all through her career and now she wanted to do character-driven roles. Talking about different kind of experiences she had in the film industry she said,

“I met many people who were a good influence, from whom I learned a great deal but there were many who tried to cause me harm and hurt me. There are many people who did not fulfill their commitments and lied to me. My heart has been broken many times but in a way it was good for me.”

Meera said that she had also met good people on the way and the biggest news is,

“I am going to write a book in which I will talk about everyone who is close to my heart and every incident which is close to me. I will talk about people who changed me, damaged me. People who were good to me, who were bad, the way I judged (perceived) people. All of that will be part of that book.”

She also shared that even after all these experiences she still believed there were good people in this world. She tried to trust people even now. Meera also believes that consistency is very important in life. Meera also announced on twitter last month that she was doing a film with Taher Shah but now there is no news about that!

People love Sarwat Gillani for her bubbly nature, versatility and terrific acting. Currently, we can see her drama, Mann Pyasa on A-Plus, but she has yet to make a comeback with an impressive project. Fans will be delighted to know that Sarwat Gillani will be seen in Seeta Bagri, a drama written and directed by Iqbal Hussain, and it also happens to be Adnan Siddiqui’s first production. It gets better – Sarwat Gillani will be seen alongside veteran actress Bushra Ansari,who is currently attracting praise for her phenomenal acting in Udaari (on HumTv).

As the title of the play suggests, the drama explores Hindu minorities, the Bagri clan. Talking to Dawn Images, Sarwat Gillani revealed that she is playing the titular character, Seeta, who is an advocate of women’s education. She describes her character as an ambitious, calm and honest woman who wants to improve the lives of the underprivileged girls of her community by educating them. A feminist striving to make a difference? I’m in!

Sarwat Gillani also spoke about Bushra Ansari’s role in the story. Bushra Ansari plays a rich Hindu bangle factory owner named Nandani Daas who makes her way into Seeta’s house and marries Seeta’s tenant/love interest, Ruttan Laal (played by Syed Jibran). The rest of the cast includes Qawi, who plays Seeta’s father and Shameen Khan, who plays Ruttan Laal’s cousin.

The entire team is working with dedication and enthusiasm. Sarwat Gillani is learning Hindi for this project. The drama is expected to go on air in September on TV ONE. It doesn’t sound like anything we’ve watched before so I am really excited!

Have a look at the pictures:

Saba Qamar decided to do a Bollywood film after rejecting many scripts. When the offer to do a film alongside the famous actor Irfan Khan came along Saba Qamar decided she could not miss this chance. It is becoming very common for Pakistani celebrities to work in Indian films. Not everyone gets love and appreciation from home when they do that but it is considered the next big step.

Talking about her first Bollywood venture Saba Qamar revealed,

“It’s a situational comedy based on social issues. I play the character of a wife who is a wee bit dominating and is looked after very tenderly by her husband. The role of the latter will be essayed by Irfan Khan.”

The name of the film is still a mystery. While talking to Express Tribune Saba Qamar revealed the two most important reasons because of which she said yes to this project. She said,

“After I read the script, I realized it was a very interesting film, but most importantly, considering the fact that I will get to work with Irfan, who I think is a great actor to the core — I could not possibly say no to it.”

Pakistani actors are very often criticized by people for shooting bold scenes in Bollywood films. Saba Qamar made it clear that it was something she was very straight forward about.

She said,

“Any bold scenes are an absolute no for me. This has been decided long ago: I won’t be doing any bold scenes in the film, nor will I be told to do an item number. I have been doing bold scenes in Pakistani films but will not do any in Bollywood, whatsoever.”

Saba Qamar realizes she has a big responsibility on her shoulders so she says,

“I just need to show my acting skills through the film. I won’t allow people to talk behind me and say, ‘Yeh iss ne kia kiya?’ [What has she done?]. Besides, I will not be Saba Qamar there but an individual Pakistani, representing my country on Indian soil.”

Mawra Hocane also gave similar statements when she took up her first Bollywood project but when the film came out people were shocked to see the bold scenes. Saba Qamar is very excited about this new project. We wish her all the best.

Anyone who follows the news will know that the news of Danish Taimoor working as a lead alongside Sonia Hussain in his next film was confirmed by both the actors few weeks back. Both actors were excited about the project and announced it on social media. The film is being made under the banner of ARY Films.

Sonia Hussain made an announcement which comes as a shock to many because now that the shooting of the film has started viewers were not expecting such a turn of events. Sonia Hussain announced that Danish Taimoor was no longer part of the film.

Danish Taimoor has not commented on this latest development yet.

Sanam Saeed is a model, has been a VJ, she has hosted some very important shows, she sings too and she is a very talented actress as well. Sanam Saeed was a tom boy and still deep inside she is that which is why modeling has never been something that she has found exciting. In an interview she said that she loved acting the most and singing came second. For her modeling is just a way of earning money. Sanam Saeed is very tall and was always lean that is why when she started her career as a VJ everyone insisted that she should become a model. She has never liked it but takes up good projects whenever they come her way.

Sanam Saeed played the lead in the film “Bachaana” alongside Mohib Mirza. Sanam Saeed comes from a family which has never been in any way associated with showbiz so it was difficult for some of her extended family members to accept her decision to step in the world of showbiz. Sanam Saeed is known as a friendly person who is at good terms with everyone in the industry. She does not like a lot of make-up and she does not even feel comfortable wearing formal dresses but when she does, she makes it look like she loves it all!!!

Here are some latest pictures of Sanam Saeed from her photo shoot for Diva Magazine and others with her friends.

Fatima Effendi and Kanwar Arsalan are one of the youngest star couples of Pakistani television industry. Their marriage is purely a love marriage which was the result of a long friendship before they finally decided to get married. Fatima shared in one of her interviews that she and Kanwar used to talk on the phone for hours and meet almost every second day and that is when they got really close to one another.

There was however no commitment between the two. Fatima said that she started getting uncomfortable with this “just friends” status and that is when she asked Kanwar to make a choice, either he would have to stop meeting and talking to her altogether or make a commitment. Kanwar wasn’t ready to commit himself at that time. That is when both these stars stopped talking and after an interval of only few weeks Kanwar realized that he could not live without Fatima.

The story of their marriage and the problems that were faced by this young couple when Fatima was expecting her first baby prove that when two people are meant to be together the universe conspires to ensure that they stay together.

Fatima and Kanwar attended a wedding recently. Here are some pictures of them from the wedding: