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Aitraz – Episode 2

Just like the previous episode this installment too focused on Komal’s past and present both. While Komal’s financial status has changed completely since the last time she met Wajdaan but her wealth is not working in favor of her this time around too. Komal made an honest effort to please her mother in law by doing what her family would’ve done for her had they been alive but the idea completely backfired when Komal’s future mother in law felt that Komal was too rich which would make it easy for her to ‘steal’ her son from her!! In the last episode we saw Komal’s mother telling her sister how she was looking forward to being mother to her daughter in law, which went to show that at that time she felt like she was being Komal’s savior – a role which she was waiting to play – but now that she has seen that Komal does not need a savior since she is rich enough to take care of herself she feels that Komal isn’t the perfect wife for her son. I really liked the way the scene in which Komal senses that something was wrong was shot. Komal did not overhear her mother in law saying all those things but when she walked in on Arsalan and his mother talking she could tell by their expressions that something was wrong. Arsalan’s reaction to his mother’s sudden change of behavior was definitely one I could identify with.

Komal was ‘rejected’ by Wajdaan’s mother because she wasn’t rich or polished enough to be her bahu, something which hurt Komal so much that she could not come into terms with what had happened. The fact that Wajdaan actually took a stand for Komal came as a surprise and we have yet to find out why Komal decided to leave Wajdaan. It could be because Komal did not want him to make such a big sacrifice for her or because she felt like she did not deserve him afterall or maybe because she really was insecure that Wajdaan will leave her at some point therefore she was better off breaking up right now when she was already hurt instead of getting hurt all over again.

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The reactions of both the mothers had been-there-seen-that written all over them but even though there are some stereotypes in this drama the story is unpredictable and the way it is being presented on screen keeps you wanting to find out what is going to happen next. I particularly liked the way Komal described how she felt about being judged based on how much wealth she had or did not have. Both her future mother in laws weighed her worth not based on her personality or character but based on her status. When Komal said that the day Wajdaan’s mother said all those things to her was worst than the day her parents died I could completely relate to why she would feel that way. What happened to her parents was an accident/a tragedy but she obviously feels responsible for everything that happened to her. She thinks that she put herself in a position in which Wajdaan’s mother had the authority to say whatever she wanted to her. Just like all of Samira Fazal’s plays the characters of Aitraz have to be its lifeline till now. Komal’s relationship with her friend is refreshing; it is really good to see two intelligent girls getting along so well and not wasting their energies in trying to put each other down.! Sundus Tariq looked absolutely stunning in tonight’s episode and she has done complete justice to her character. I must say that Sana Javed’s character reminds me of her character in Goya and the one she played in Ranjish Hi Sahi but I am hoping that as time goes by I will be more into Komal. Sana Javed is a very talented actress and it would be really great if she experimented more both with her looks and the projects she chooses to work in. I can see now why Imran Abbas was complaining about being sick and tired of the same kind of scripts which revolved around love triangles! I am not saying that both these actors haven’t given their best to the characters they are playing because it won’t be fair if I pass such a judgment but all I am saying is that both these actors have played such roles before and that too not very long ago. That does not change the fact however that Sana Javed and Imran Abbas make a really cute and convincing on screen couple; you feel the connection between them instantly! Gohar Rasheed passes with flying colors when it comes to playing all kinds of roles and nailing them every time with a change in his looks and portrayals. Sania Saeed has yet to make an appearance; I am definitely waiting to see what relation she has with Wajdaan and how soon will we be watching the present alone. The director of the play Aamir Yousuf deserves due credit for directing the drama in such a way that builds up your curiosity and for relying on a different technique of story telling.

Did you watch this episode of Aitraz? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.

Fatima Awan

Diyar-e-Dil – Episode 23!

Ohkay so, another week, another amazing episode & another set of brilliant performances in Diyar-e-Dil. This drama has given us so much & I am so glad to have been able to enjoy this journey so far, it really shows what an amazing script it is & how beautifully it has been directed. Each & every episode till date has offered us something different & unique where we get to know & learn more about all these amazing characters. I must say the way they are revealing different aspects & traits of all these actors elevates the level of the drama a couple of notches because mostly in our dramas, by this stage there’s nothing left to be explored in all the characters but hats off to Farhat Ishtiyaq for making it all so gripping & engaging.

It was good to see that honesty’s all that Faarah has got, that is why when she was forced to act like a Miss Goody-two-shoes in front of Agha Jaan, she found it beneath her to do so. I liked the fact that where at one hand she is eager to get out of here, she doesn’t believe in stooping low from her level, which shows that she has a strong sense of self-esteem & self-policing that is why even in such an intense situation, she doesn’t want to let go of her values & morals. The way she wore a stole on Wali’s demand indicated two things, one of which was obvious that she is ready to go to any length to set herself free from this marriage but the other thing that got highlighted was that may be she understands Wali’s perspective as she herself can see that all the demands he’s putting forth have nothing to do with him but Agha Jaan, his family & to some extent the norms of the Haveli as well, that is why just a single reminder from him was enough for her to do what she said she wouldn’t do. Even though Faarah has always been someone who has always wanted to spend her life according to her own wishes & rules, she never got a chance to do so that is why may be she has become a bit more submissive but the difference is, this time she is being submissive for good things & is not falling prey to unnecessary negative emotional blackmailing. All she has to do now is to reciprocate some affection towards Agha Jaan & that is why unconsciously she is feeling a lot more peace inside her than she expected because it is for the first time she is not being forced to do things she doesn’t agree with.

I really can’t emphasize enough on the fact how each & every time I get to see a massive difference between Arjumand & Ruhina. Even though Arjumand knows that Zarmeenay doesn’t like being around Faarah, she didn’t encourage her once & told her to be courteous which was taught to her. Arjumand didn’t allow Zarmeenay to ignore Faarah & say whatever she wanted to because she knows this is not how Zarmeenay has been brought up. Even though Arjumand herself is unhappy with Faarah being in the Haveli, she has not said a single word about it to Zarmeenay, which shows she doesn’t believe in pulling people apart & then there comes Ruhina, who just once saw that Faarah was being nice to Agha Jaan, she told her not to get carried away & started brain feeding her against him. It really shows how different these two women are, where one is a woman of substance & the other is just a Negative Nancy.

Well well well, the way Meesna Moeez spoke to Tajjamul authoritatively & the way he highlighted that Tajjamul couldn’t do one thing rightly really told a story of how he has some ulterior motives too. It was too obvious that he wasn’t saying all that because he was concerned for Faarah but it looked like he was worried about something entirely different, something that he wants but can’t get now because Faarah is away. The preview of the next episode confirmed my suspicion but I really want Moeez to give Ruhina some hard time too.

Haha, even though Wali is giving Faarah such a tough time, even though he is not leaving any chance of taunting her that he gets, I still find their scenes really enjoyable. I love the way Faarah defends herself & takes a stand in front of Wali & I also like how Wali keeps on reminding her about what she is supposed to do. I must say, even though I really like Wali’s character, every other episode gives me something even better to like Wali even more. It was so nice to see him inviting Faarah for lunch & dinner every single time. Even though he doesn’t want to give this relation a chance & he has made his mind of putting an end to it, he still doesn’t want to give such hints to anyone where they can mistreat Faarah at all. Wali really is trying hard to maintain a balance where even though he knows that his mother & sister aren’t happy with Faarah’s arrival, he is not allowing his personal bitterness get in a way & stop him from being a gentleman that he is. Very subtly he is also putting a message across that till the moment Faarah is in their home, he wouldn’t allow anyone to misbehave with her. I also liked that after her conversation with Wali, Arjumand didn’t bring that topic into the discussion again. Arjumand had a lot of chances to talk against Faarah & share her agitation with Zarmeenay but she chose to stay silent because she believes in Wali’s decision & doesn’t doubt her son at all, which is another beautiful aspect of the mother-son bonding.

Overall, it was a beautiful episode. I really love how Agha Jaan is all happy to see his grandchildren taking care of him. Faarah’s presence really makes a difference & just because Arjumand & Zarmeenay can see how happy & relieved Agha Jaan is, they are quiet too. I must say Maya Ali looks really nice & I love her wardrobe too, looks like they completely changed her styling ever since she has come to the Haveli & she really looks polished & chic. Osman Khalid Butt looks nice too & so does everyone else. I am glad that they put a lot of effort on their appearances too because it does make a lot of difference & makes it all very pleasant to see. I loved the camera work in this episode especially because all those wide angles & different shots made it an absolute treat to watch. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Diyar-e-Dil with us & oh, needless to say, the wait for next episode begins right now!

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Karachi Se Lahore Premier In Hollywood

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Pakistani films are making waves not only in the country but abroad too. Karachi Se Lahore one of the films which was recently shown in cinemas in Pakistan was premiered in Hollywood this week too. This was the first Pakistani film to have premiered in Hollywood. Karachi Se Lahore got an overwhelming response in Hollywood.

The team of the film is in Los Angeles nowadays to attend the premier of their film. Talking to the media the lead actress in the film Ayesha Omer said, “We are overwhelmed beyond words to be in Hollywood. Karachi Se Lahore is the first Pakistani movie to ever show in Hollywood and we feel so honoured to be here.”

She also said, “Wajahat (the director) and I were sitting next to each other and I looked at him and asked ‘what did we do to deserve this?’ And we both simultaneously said ‘pure, honest intentions.”

Here are some pictures from the premier:

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Waqar Zaka’s Latest Mission

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Ever since Waqar Zaka has made a comeback on social media he has been using the power of this medium for doing something that will benefit someone in some way. On this 14th August a video was leaked in which two boys were seen badly harassing a girl clad in hijab. The video has gone viral and people are condemning the actions of the boys involved.

Waqar Zaka has taken special action to make sure that the boys involved in the incident get punished. In order to do so he has made a video message in which he urged the people to inform him through social media about the identity of these boys so that they could be brought to justice. Waqar Zaka said addressing anyone who is hearing, “Whoever tells me the identity of these boys I will reward that person 50,000 rupees. People should share this video as much as possible so that we can find out who these boys are. “

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He also said, “I am a very ordinary person with limited resources and support but I have always relied on my strength and help of the Almighty.” He also dared the person involved in this action to contact him personally if he had the guts to do so. He said that he will not involve media but will deal with him one to one!”

Waqar Zaka said that these boys involved in this incident have sent out the message to the world that girls all around the world can roam around in any kind of clothes but in Pakistan they are not even safe in a burka.

“I Feel Very lucky To Be In Pakistan As An Actor,” Mahira Khan

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Mahira Khan is back in Pakistan after shooting her debut film in India. She was invited to “The Reham Khan Show” in which she talked in a very positive light about her work in India and in Pakistan. When the host of the show asked her if it was tough meeting the expectations of the viewers here in Pakistan when she went abroad to work Mahira Khan gave a very good answer. She said that she was under a lot of pressure because she did not want to do anything that would displease her fans in Pakistan. Mahira Khan said that people are surprised that she managed to work in India without putting her reputation on stake.

She also said, “I feel very lucky to be in Pakistan as an actor because this is the only country in my opinion in which you get respect for being fully clothed. You don’t need to do an item number to get respect. You can get respect fully clothed in fact the more you’re covered up the more they respect you. “

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Mahira Khan said that it is the actor’s choice what kind of a role he or she decides to take up so in a way when people hold them responsible for their actions it is only fair. Mahira also said that it is very challenging for Pakistani actors to give their best to a project because they have no professional training therefore they have to put in all the efforts themselves to bring out the best in their characters which can be very taxing.

“Shooting Bin Roye was very exhausting because it took a lot of time to shoot it. It was emotionally and physically draining and sometimes you start missing yourself when you’re involved in a project so much that is why I always take a break after completing a project,” said the actress.

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Mahira Khan also shared, “For some reason I don’t cry any more, I have stopped crying maybe because of experience or being mature. I want to cry sometimes, I really want to vent out when I am in pain but for some reason I fail to shed those tears. I don’t know if it is strength but it is there. It could be that I have cried so much in the dramas that I don’t want to cry in real life!”

Mahira Khan also said, “I am particularly not fond of those ronay dhonay wale characters but because Hamsafar is embedded in people’s mind that is why I keep on getting these roles.”

Talking about why she rejected many of the scripts Mahira Khan said, “I have refused many dramas because the characters were similar to the character I played in Hamsafar. That is why I chose to do Shehr-e-Zaat because I wanted to do something different.”

Mahira Khan said that she was very lucky that she got to work with the best people in the industry who taught her the right work ethics.

Agha Ali’s Message To Pakistani Filmmakers

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Now that Pakistani cinema is being revived everyone associated with the entertainment industry wants to see it flourishing so they try to give whatever advice they can to ensure that the filmmakers understand what really needs to be done in order to bring about this revival. Agha Ali is a newcomer in the drama industry who has made a big place for himself in a short span of time.

Agha Ali is also an intelligent and mature person who always adds something sensible to the discussions when he is invited to shows. Through his facebook page Agha Ali warned the filmmakers that they should not use the tag line of “revival of Pakistani cinema” to promote films that are in no way adding to this revival because they lack the quality which a good film should have. Once before he commented that anything that can be shown in the cinema for three hours cannot pass as a film.

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Agha Ali thinks that Pakistani viewers are wise so they can tell when someone is trying to fool them by showing something that lacks quality script.

Here is what the actor has to say to Pakistani filmmakers:

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Mol – Episode 11

Unlike the previous episodes, this one was a little depressing. I have been applauding the efforts of team Mol for keeping things realistic and natural, but as much as I hate to say this, there was a lot about this episode that became a little hard for me to digest. Sheheryaar and Emaan are a treat to watch, but it becomes very difficult for me to sit through the scenes concerning Sheheryaar’s family.

So our strong, calm and composed Emaan is now shattered and inconsolable. All of Emaan’s dreams and plans for the future were attached to her desire to become a mother. Emaan wanted a simple life with her husband and children, and kids may not be ‘khushiyon ki zamanat’ for Sheheryaar, but for Emaan, they certainly are. She imagined herself in that role since as long as she can remember, and needless to say, she greets this huge blow with shock, grief, depression, anger, and frustration. The trip to Sukkur did little to make her feel better, and I have to say that all the parents here (except for Imtiaz Sahab, I think) put me off big time. Emaan’s mother thinks that Emaan should have kept Sheheryaar in the dark! I understand that she has her fears, but I think it was very foolish of her to say that. Emaan has always been very honest with Sheheryaar and I like how she never keeps things from him. Naveen Waqar is brilliant as Emaan. She owns the character and it certainly feels like she understands Emaan’s pain and suffering –job well done!

It’s true that Sheheryaar can’t gauge the intensity of the pain Emaan’s going through right now, but I love the way he is trying to cope with this like a mature and supportive husband. Taking Emaan to Sadhu Bela in the middle of the night, returning to Karachi on her insistence, his genuine concern for her, the way he reassures her of his support, the way he encourages her to hope for the better and how he keeps reminding her that not having kids wouldn’t change the way he sees this relationship – Sheheryaar Hassan, in this episode, proved to be a genuinely caring husband. Dealing with this blow may not be as tough for Sheheryaar as it is for Emaan, but it’s not that easy, either. This is a difficult time for both Sheheryaar and Emaan, but I like the fact that they’re dealing with it the way a mature couple should. Instead of refusing to talk about it, they are discussing it and Sheheryaar, in particular, is trying to think of a possible solution. I am pleased that the mention of adoption made Emaan feel better, and I hope they seriously consider it. I really liked the way Sheheryaar responded to Humayun when the latter came to visit him. Sheheryaar takes offence when his parents insult his wife, and I like the way he defends Emaan in front of Humayun. He is not one of those gutless husbands who can’t gather the courage to stand up for their wives, and that, I tell you, is a relief.

There is almost nothing genuine, interesting or realistic about Sheheryaar’s family. First off, Sajal’s behavior is NOT normal! A lovely young girl who literally has her whole life ahead of her and can do just about anything she wants to, chooses to spend her day cleaning the store to discover some long forgotten pictures of a guy she was supposed to get married to – wakey,wakey, Zareena: your daughter needs to see a psychiatrist! Then, the way Sajal gets hold of the reports was downright stupid! Who on earth displays medical reports like that? And Sajal, who is perhaps one of the most bubble-brained characters I’ve come across, turns out to be so sharp that it took barely a minute for her to read and interpret the report! Sheheryaar’s family always finds something new to obsess over; previously it was Sheheryaar and Sajal’s shaadi, and now it’s the waaris.

Naturally, Emaan has started to spend a whole lot more time with Shahnaam. Rohail’s sister will be making her entry soon and I am guessing it’s Zainab Qayyum (ZQ). Let’s see how the story unfolds now. Did you watch this episode? Voice your thoughts!

Maryam Mehdi

Maalik (مالک), teaser is released

Maalik (مالک) is an upcoming film directed and written by Aashir Azeem. Aashir Azeem got fame from PTV Drama Dhuwwan (دھواں) in 1990’s. Maalik is his next big project after Dhuwwan . The film is produced in Karachi and is about politics.

The film was expected to release on 14th August 2015, but is delayed for unknown reasons with announcing any release date.

Starring: Ashir Azeem, Farhan Ali Agha, Sajid Hassan, Hassan Niazi, Sabreen Baloch, Rashid Farooqi, Marriam Ansari, Adnan Shah, Tatmain ul Qalb
Writer, Screenplay: Aashir Azeem
Director & Producer: Aashir Azeem
A film by Media Hub

Here is another teaser of Maalik released in December 2014.

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Anam Ahmad Criticized For Lying About Her Age

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Anam Ahmad obviously did not expect people to make fun of her when she posted a picture of herself on her birthday telling her fans that she just turned 20. Many of the people claimed that the model was lying about her age because in 2012 she posted her picture on her birthday saying she just turned 18! The post has been deleted from her facebook page after some people made references to it. This goes to show how cruel social media can be sometimes, even when you don’t expect people to criticize you some unexpected criticism comes your way any way.

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Anam Ahmed celebrated her birthday with her celebrity husband Goher Mumtaz.

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Jawani Phir Nahin Aani (جوانی پھر نہیں آنی) , Theatrical Trailer

Jawwani Phir Nahin Aani (جوانی پھر نہیں آنی) is an upcoming film scheduled to release on Eidul Azha this year. Its theatrical trailer is launched today. The film is shot in Bangkok, Thailand and Karachi. As evident from its name it is a comedy movie.

The highlight of the JPNA is the film debut of seasoned artist Bushra Ansari.

Cast: Humayun Saeed, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Ahmed Ali Butt, Vasay Ch, Aisha Khan, Sarwat Gillani, Mehwish Hayat,Sohai Ali Abro, Javed Sheikh, Bushra Ansari, Saba Hameed, ZQ, Ismail Tara
Directed by: Nadeem Baig
Producers: Salman Iqbal, Humayun Saeed, Mohammad Jerjees Seja & Shahzad Nasib

The theatrical trailer of Jawani Phir Nahin Aani released today

This teaser of JPNA was released earlier this year in April causing the resignation of Hamza Ali Abbasi as Cultural Secretary of PTI.

Rashid Nazir Ali

Faysal Qureshi’s Message For The Nation On Independence Day

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Faysal Qureshi is a firm believer that social media has a lot of power that can change minds of the people which is why he made a long video message for his fellow countrymen on this day. In this video message Faysal Qureshi said, “We should all look at ourselves as Pakistani and not as Balochi, Punjabi, Pathan or Sindhi. People try their best to divide us and we get divided. We keep on fighting based on territory, creeds and religion. We live in one country and rejoice in the same things like when Pakistani films or games get recognition we are all happy but when that time ends we again turn against each other. I request all of you that we should value our country and on this 14th August it makes me very happy to see that many people thought of the APS attack and the sad incident in Kasur.”

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He also said, “Social media is a very powerful medium. We should use this medium properly because that way we can change a lot of things.”

Talking about his recent inclusion in the LSA and his rejection of the award he said, “I have won this award many times so it was never about my own recognition but the recognition of many other people who worked very hard for that project.”

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Faysal Qureshi said straight away, “I do not want any nominations, I work for my fans and not for getting awards.”

Faysal Qureshi said that many people are trying that we should fight with each other but we should beware of such people and not listen to them. He also said that he has always tried to make a difference by voicing his opinion in different ways and he will continue doing so.

Jugnoo – The End!

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Ohkay so, the episode last night marked the ending of Jugnoo. Even though they gave a very detailed & a complete ending, I still was finding it hard to sit through the episode because of its pace. I really believe this drama was suitable for 14-15 episodes because they sacrificed the pace through the second half of drama for the sake of filling the number of episodes they had decided.

Jugnoo finally found her happy ending because her persistence took Baba Sahab back to the days when he first fell in love & got married to the love of his life. It was good to see Ayesha & Ghazala sharing a nice sisterly bond where Ayesha tackled the whole situation properly like an elder sibling who only wanted what was best for her younger sister. For me, both Ayesha & Ghazala would be the characters that I liked because they were reasonable, logical & rational. At least they both had the tendency to analyze the situation & take proper measures when needed. At first I really thought Ghazala was a direction less girl who had no thought process of her own but I am glad that in the following episodes she proved to be the otherwise. Both Ghazala & Ayesha said the things we all had in our minds about Zulfi, they understood that Zulfi was a spineless person who had no guts to stand up for himself & his lady love. In the couple of last episodes, I liked Ghazala/Ayesha/Saadi’s track more than the main Jugnoo/Zulfi/Tanveer/Baba Sahab’s tracks because the former were logical & their conversations made a lot more sense.

I don’t intend to throw any pun on Zulfi but was he suffering from a sore throat because I really wanted to hear him say something in the last episode? I mean he was the one right, for whom Jugnoo was going through so much pain & hardships & in the end he was seen rolling his eyes as if he was incapable of speaking? It was kind of ironic that everyone around Zulfi was taking decisions for him but the guy himself was least bothered. Ghazala & Ayesha found a way out which turned into his favor, Jugnoo fought harder which again benefitted him & then in the end Baba Sahab & Tanveer brought themselves to forgive & accept Jugnoo without even hearing what Zulfi had to say, so may I ask what Zulfi’s contribution in this drama was? Yes, the answer is obvious – ZERO!

To be very honest, the monotony of this drama wasn’t as bothersome as Zulfi was, because to see a brain-dead male main lead in a drama was quite irritating. I still can’t believe why the writer turned him into a mentally handicapped person because his brain worked just fine when the drama began. May be Murree’s chilled weather froze his brains & left him incapacitated, but yes, for me, Zulfi’s character was an epic fail. Coming onto Jugnoo, she was different & nice, to be honest, the thing I liked about her character the most was her independence & self-sufficiency because she proved everyone wrong & achieved what she wanted to. Jugnoo told us that if you are sincere & determined to have something (no matter if that thing is as useless as Zulfi) you will get it.

Even now when the drama has ended, I still am unable to figure out the importance & the requirement of Khala Kissho’s character. She was just a gossip buddy to Khala Jahangir, it would’ve looked good if they had kept it that way but the coverage that she got really seems unnecessary because they didn’t offer us anything interesting & we still can’t make out what her real issues were?

Overall, this drama had a rocking start but it derailed from the right track especially after Zulfi’s family shifted to Murree. They literally had nothing to offer but they just stretched it for the sake of it. Dr. Saadi’s character was good too because that man stood up for the right too & oh, how can I forget Ghazala’s mother, who also had no mental capability of analyzing a situation. I really think that the writer put in a lot more effort on Jugnoo’s & Kissho’s characters that she forgot to etch out the rest of the characters properly. Everyone else started to look like filler without having a personality of their own. In the beginning it looked like Tanveer was more interested in the business but later he turned out to be Baba Sahab’s personal goon whom he had kept to shoo his enemies away, which again was a boundary pushed wrongly.

Anyhow, Yumna Zaidi really outdid herself in terms of acting, I think this was her best performance & best character so far. She made Jugnoo look so convincing that I survived this drama right from the beginning till the end otherwise I have always found her choice of scripts quite questionable. I really hope that Jugnoo’s character has given Yumna a new perspective to explore more such genres & more such different characters. She indeed was a star of the show & she acted really really well, I am sure no other actress could’ve pulled it off the way Yumna Zaidi did. Please share your thoughts about this drama with us.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Mawra Hocane Working Extra Hard For Her First Bollywood Venture

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Mawra Hocane is “living her dream” right now in Cape Town where she is busy shooting for her Bollywood film. The weather conditions there are harsh and Mawra shared on Twitter that she had to work for 29 hours in a go and is hardly getting any sleep. All this work has made her unwell too but she is still happy that she is working hard and living her dream. Mawra Hocane has been shooting and sleeping because there isn’t time for anything else. Mawra tweeted that she was super tired but still excited and happy.

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Farwa Ki ABC – Episode 4

It is time for our careless and immature Farwa to think about slightly more important things in life. Until now Farwa was convinced that finding a man to get married to was the solution to all her problems. Farwa’s teacher’s advise did not have any effect on her until she had that conversation later on with Junaid. Could she really get married to just anyone at all? Was getting married to someone who had done well for himself in life was the only important thing? The fact that her future husband did not like classic dance did more to change Farwa’s mind than anything else. Farwa never thought for a second that being compatible with your life partner if nothing else was important too. How could she spend the rest of her life with someone who did not like classical dance!!! Although Farwa has a lot of growing up to do before she finally realizes what her teacher meant when he told her that she should stand on her own feet instead of relying on others but at least for now there seems to be some other thought weighing on Farwa’s mind than getting married to just anyone at all.

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I liked Farwa’s reaction when she saw her teacher. She might not be mature but she is respectful towards people who deserve to be respected. She did not tell her teacher off the way she told Changez off because despite of her dislike for the subject she does not think that she has the right to be rude to her teacher. She was of course not very nice with him when he was teaching her but that was for entirely different reasons.

I must say that I am truly impressed by Yasir Mazhar’s versatility in particular. The last time I saw him was in drama serial Mausam and the character he is playing in this play is poles apart from the character he played in Mausam but he has managed to nail it nevertheless. Yasir Mazhar changes his outlook along with his tone and body language to suit the needs of the character which he is playing which goes to show that he puts his best into all his projects. The chemistry between Yasir Mazhar and Sonia Hussain was far better than the one between her and Ahmed Hassan. I found it easier to relate to the instant connection Junaid had with Farwa because he is under the wrong impression and besides that his likeness for Asma also plays a major role here. This whole relationship has been founded on a big lie and if Farwa ever found out in the future that Junaid’s first preference was Asma and he only married her because he thought she was just as intelligent as her cousin she wouldn’t think twice before getting out of this relationship.

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Farwa has absolutely no likeness for intelligent people because they bore her and she has no idea how to make conversation with such people. Sonia Hussain is making it very easy for me to connect to all the aspects of Farwa’s personality and I can’t help but like Farwa even with all her flaws. The scene in which Junaid gives her all that “useful” information about ostriches was brilliantly done. I could totally relate to Farwa’s lack of interest and the way she had no clue how to respond. Junaid’s mother said that she knew her son was interested in Asma and that she was not interested in him at all but I remember when she went to Farwa’s house she actually wanted to ask for Asma’s hand in marriage. Why would she do that if she knew that she was the one who had broken her son’s heart and she was not the least bit interested in getting married to him?

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I found the obsession with the cook a bit annoying and the song sequences seemed out of place as well other than that this was an interesting episode with Farwa and Junaid standing out in the crowd. The preview of the next episode suggested that for some reason this engagement will be called off and Farwa asks her teacher to marry her – which I hope was a joke!! I am really hoping that Farwa’s character will start changing from the next episode although I am enjoying watching Farwa on screen the way she is even now but some character development will make things even more interesting. I absolutely love the picture quality and colors of this play, full marks to whoever is responsible for that.

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

Fatima Awan

Pakistani Celebrities On Independence Day – Pictures

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There are time when some of these celebrities might be seen criticizing much that is wrong with Pakistan’s system but nothing can change the fact that all of Pakistani celebrities love their country. The reason for this love is that it is because of Pakistan that they have all the recognition and freedom to whatever they like. Every independence day brings with it special excitement and hope for the future.

Here are pictures of some of Pakistan’s celebrities on Independence day.

Humaima Malick Says Pakistani Viewers Have Double Standards

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Pakistani people are always busy criticizing Humaima Malick but they are not the only one’s who have a problem with the actress. Humaima Malick is not happy with the double standards of Pakistani viewers. While talking to BBC Urdu about her upcoming film “Dekh Magar Pyar Se” the young actress said, “People have no problem watching Indian actresses dancing and lip locking on screen but when Pakistani actress does the same they always have objections against it. People need to understand that they can’t judge an actress based on the character she is playing. She is only doing what the character demands which is part of her profession.”

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Humaima Malick also thinks, “Pakistani people need to open their hearts and minds when it comes to Pakistani actresses.” Which means that their hearts and minds are already open for Indian actresses.

Humaima Malick also revealed that initially Fawad Khan was cast for the film but later because of his schedule he was busy on the dates on which the film was to be shot and the director was very particular that the film should be shot on time.

Popular Independence Day songs

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Independence is a blessing and precious gift from above. We should be really thankful to Almighty ALLAH for giving us an independent country. This country came into existence after so many sacrifices especially on 27th of Ramadan. Furthermore there is much more ALLAH had given to this country like Widespread Natural resources, beautiful landscapes, scenic beauty in northern areas of Pakistan and important geographical location.

Today we are undergoing through political chaos, economic turmoil and injustice leading to violence. Running away from motherland to avoid miseries is not a solution to a problem but instead a curse. The solution is to identify our cultural roots which is lost somewhere due to heavy influence of other cultures.

no power can undo Pakistan

In order to bring peace and harmony to this country, there is a need to implement Faith, Unity, Discipline and Honesty within ourselves which also helps to bring change. Despite of all shortcomings we are facing in this country, the country is from us and we are from country. We own it and by helping each other we can for sure make a difference. Furthermore as a responsible citizen we should make our country clean and green.

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On occasion of Independence Day every Pakistani loves to listen to national songs thereby boosting the feel of patriotism and the love towards our beloved country. Ceremonies held on Independence Day are echoed with national songs. Since the creation of Pakistan many national songs were aired on Radio, television and other electronic media but some songs had never lost their popularity.

Thus I am sharing those Independence Day songs that we still find them music to our ears.

Sohni Dharti ALLAH rakhe: It was initially sung by shahnaz begum and then various artists made cover of this song. On this Independence celebration 2015 Coke studio rejuvenate this song with various singers singing it.

Yeh Watan Tumhara hai sung by Late Mehdi Hassan.

Wattan ki mitti Gawah Rehna sung by Nayyara Noor. Sara Raza Khan covered this song two years ago on 14th August 2013

Hum Zinda Qoum hain painda qoum hain Sung by Tehseen, Amjad, Fatima and Benjamin Sisters.

Is Parcham ke Saye tallay sung by Nayyara Noor.

Mera Paigham Pakistan: When it comes to singing and music then Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is still the undisputed King. Mera Paigham Pakistan is far by the second most played Independence song (first is Dil Dil Pakistan) as it is so beautifully composed with mesmerizing lyrics. As far as I know there is no cover of this national day song yet by any artist

Popular Independence Day songs by our Pop singers.

Khayal Rakhna: It was sung by Alamgir and then various artists made cover of this song. The most popular cover is by former Pakistani Band Sequencers.

Junoon se aur Ishq se by Junoon band: This song literally gives me goose bumps each time I listen to it. The video of this song narrates the sacrifices given by our ancestors and how this country came into existence.

Hai Jazba Junoon by Junoon band.

Aye Jawan by Awaz band (Haroon and Faakhir). This song still ranks among top ten Independence Day song. A must play song on occasion of Independence Day

Dil se mene dekha Pakistan by Haroon

Tere bina dil na lage by Faakhir: This is among my favourite Independence day songs. The music of this song is absolutely ravishing and song is absolutely music to your ears.

Independence Day Songs by Vital signs and Junaid Jamshed

With Vital Signs band and as a solo singer Junaid Jamshed had produced and sang the most number of Patriotic song compared to any singer. Normally singers do carry a record of one or two Independence Day songs but Junaid Jamshed had sung five Independence Day songs. Pakistanis prefer to listen to his national songs even if it is not an Independence Day Occasion

Dil Dil Pakistan by Vital Signs: Well Well! I mean there is hardly any Pakistani who hasn’t listen to this song. It is not just the number 1 popular Independence Day song but it is also on top 3 on the chart of most listened songs of 20th Century. The simple lyrics and well composed music by Vital signs with melodious voice of Junaid Jamshed had given this song extreme popularity around the globe.

Maula Tera Karam Maula: The beauty of Vital signs band was innovation in Music. I have never seen any Pakistani Band bringing so much variety in pop music other than Vital Signs Tera Karam Maula still ranks among top ten Independence Day songs.

Yeh Zameen: I have literally burnt this track, the music is simply astounding. Due to wonderful lyrics and breath-taking music this is far by my most favourite Independence Song. Even Vital signs loved it more than Dil Dil Pakistan

Hum hain Pakistani hum to Jeetengay: I remembered when I was a kid I use to listen to this song often. Once Hum Hain Pakistani was a must play national song in schools’ Independence Day functions.

Dil Maange: Well Dil Maange song is not much popular but it was a hit at a time it was released. This song was from his solo albums. It was his last Independence Day song.

It makes me sad and disappointed that popular Pakistani singers of current era don’t even make an effort to make Independence Song. All they desire now is to go to India and make some handsome money by singing in Bollywood which is quite frustrating as well.

My pardon If I had missed any but I am curious to know which Independence Day is your most favourite?

Maleeha Lodhi Shows Appreciation For Fawad Khan

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Maleeha Lodhi is Pakistan’s permanent Representative to the United Nations but she is also someone who has always supported Pakistani talent from different sectors of showbiz. This time Maleehan Lodhi invited Fawad Khan and some other people from showbiz for a dinner in New Yorj. Fawad Khan was in the city as part of the launch of a mobile brand.

Maleeha Lodhi tweeted Fawad Khan is a “proud Pakistani who does out country proud.”

Here are some pictures from the dinner party:

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Atiya Khan Says Her Selfie With Junaid Jamshed Not Haram!

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Junaid Jamshed landed himself in a controversy one again when he was seen holding hands with singer Hadiqa Kiyani in the promotional concert for the national song ‘Chand Sitara’. Not only that there were two other pictures which were not taken in good taste by the people in which he was too close to some of his other ‘friends’ from the industry.

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Hadiqa Kiyani has not said anything about this whole issue but she removed the ‘controversial’ picture from her facebook page probably to avoid more negative comments. Atiya Khan was another person whose selfie with Junaid Jamshed was not liked by people because these two were too close to each other. Atiya Khan decided to say what she felt about the selfie and her explanation was simple. She said that Junaid Jamshed is a childhood friend and if this selfie was haram then all the selfies ever taken were haram.

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Also while responding to one of her fans on facebook she said, “I have posted so many selfies with so many male friends never been an issue why now? I knew him before he got all fundo I also went a little fundo at one time so I understand & I appreciate if he is trying to become more normal.”

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Atiya Khan kept on saying that he was trying to change and trying to be normal so people should let him be!

Muqaddas – Episode 28-29

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Kabir was disappointed with Nida’s demand for divorce and upset because of the insult he faced. He decided that he had had enough of this family and that it was time to move away from them. When he sent his resignation to Aatir and said that he wanted to fulfill Nida’s wish, he was very determined. That was probably the first time he talked to Aatir with such a tone. In order to save his ungrateful sister’s marriage Aatir tolerated Kabir’s rudeness (which was very much reasonable after the insults he faced). However, it was a phone call from Muqaddas which made Kabir take back his decision. He still loves her, and that is why her request mattered to him. A flashback told us that Nida fell in love with Kabir at first sight and married him against her family’s wishes. Mujhe jo cheez chahiye hoti hai, mein usse haasil karke rehti hun. Referring to your spouse as “cheez” is just wrong! Have these two ever worked on their marriage? Did Kabir ever try to forget Muqaddas and did Nida ever let go of her ego? I think not.

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Muqaddas was definitely not expecting a confession of love from Kabir right now! For starters, she never felt about Kabir this way when they studied together. Now after getting married to Aatir, who she believes loves her like crazy and prefers her over every other person in his life, she’d never think of loving another man. She clearly told Kabir that he only asked for his help because she thought of him as a hamdard. I really have no idea how Muqaddas will react when she finds out about her real kidnapper. She thinks the world of Aatir. Finding the truth about him will shatter her into a million pieces.

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Remember Ruhi making a plan with Zain to kidnap Muqaddas again? Kya bana uska? Zain has been out of the picture for a few episodes and so is the plan. Meanwhile, Ruhi entrusted Akbar with the responsibility of gathering evidence, to convince Aatir that Muqaddas is not carrying his child. I expected that they would create false evidence and Aatir would definitely not believe them. What I didn’t expect was, that Akbar would cheat his dearest Ruhi! It was surprising to know that he ran away with 5 million rupees taken from the woman he has been completely loyal to all this while. After Aatir, the best faker award goes to Akbar.

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A little more was revealed about the past. We got to see Ayesha (Muqaddas’s mother_ played by Madiha Rizvi) . Jahanzeb had always been in love with Maryam, but she loved Ahmed Ali, who happened to be Jahanzeb’s friend. Jehanzeb got married to Ayesha but could never forget Maryam, so he made excuses to visit Ahmed’s house often. He would try to talk to Maryam to remind her of how much he loved her and she would always tell him off. After constant rejection Jehanzeb decided to throw dirt on Maryam’s character and that ruined her life and Aatir’s childhood. We still have to find out why Ahmed believed Jehanzeb’s lie. Did he not trust his wife at all?

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Kanwar Nafees made an entry in this episode. I couldn’t catch the name of his character, but I am excited to find out what he is up to. He came to Aatir when he was standing beside his mother’s grave and spread some flowers on it. Then he asked for a ride home. Was their meeting coincidental or does he have some ulterior motive? Mujhe tum buhat apne se lage ho. He also mentioned that he often comes to the graveyard to take care of the grave of his mother’s friend. Ammi ka hukm samajh lo.

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Muqaddas might love Aatir a lot but even she feels he is hiding something from her. Let’s see how she reacts when she finds out exactly what he is hiding. There is a lot more surprises our way so, yep, definitely excited! What do you guys think?

Areeba Mohsen

 

Fahad Mustafa Goes Green!

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Fahad Mustafa is always in the news for some reason and this time Fahad has pledged to make the country more green by planting more trees. Fahad Mustafa will take this initiative by working with an NGO which is working towards planting more trees. The campaign is called “Darakht Lagao, Zindagi Barhao”.

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Here are some pictures from the campaign:

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“Sometimes I Want To Leave This Country Because Of People’s Hypocrisy” – Noor

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Actress Noor has made a major shift from films to television after her comeback in the entertainment industry. While talking to Nida Yasir on her show she shared that the actresses in the film industry always gave a very tough time to new actresses and that is exactly what happened with her too. “Many actresses could not survive due to this behaviour of old actresses but somehow I survived because I had the support of my parents which gave me strength,” said the actresses who is now busy hosting a Morning Show.

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“One thing I have learned in life is that nothing is permanent. That is the lesson I learned especially after my father passed away. I thought to myself if I can survive this I can survive everything. I always used to think I was weak but after my father’s death I realized how strong I was,” revealed Noor. She also said that she was single-handedly taking care of her mother, her sister and her daughter.

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Noor said that she love cleanliness and she really likes taking care of her house. She also said, “Sometimes I want to leave this country and go somewhere where no one knows me. Sometimes you get tired of the hypocrisy in our industry, people are never what they appear to be. These things hurt me and I feel like running away.”

Noor said that the best moment of her life was when he first film was released because ever since she was young she wanted to be a film heroine.

LSA Revises Nominations But Faysal Qureshi Rejects His Nomination

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We reported earlier that Faysal Qureshi in particular protested against the LSA Nominations for the year 2014 because the TV serial Bashar Momin was not nominated in any category at all. This was a major cause of disappointment for the artist because in his opinion Bashar Momin was an important play of 2014 which deserved recognition.

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Due to some technical errors and perhaps public uproar LSA had to revise the nominations and as a result Faysal Qureshi was also nominated in the best actor category for Bashar Momin after the revision. Faysal Qureshi is not happy because he thinks that those actors and dramas that have been nominated by LSA do not deserve to be nominated. He also said that two people who worked in the same drama had been nominated which was not the rule. He was talking about the nomination of Firdous Jamal and Hamza Ali Abbasi from the play Pyare Afzal.

Faysal Qureshi shared his discontentment with LSA and his love for his fans who supported him on his facebook page.

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Aab-e-Hayat – Episode 10

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This was yet another slow-paced episode of Aab-e-Hayat but I would call it a ‘mood-setting’ episode. Umera Ahmed’s stories do not contain flashy words; rather she engages the readers with a strong build-up with simple language that makes you indulge in the situation the characters are facing. We readers have a strong complaint to make though, the episodes are getting smaller and smaller every month, and with slow pace, we do not get enough material to make our own speculations.

****SPOILER ALERT****

Progress

Salar is summoned to a meeting at World Bank Headquarters where he presents his case with all the facts and figures he could gather regarding the non-feasibility of the project in Congo. The panel however is unimpressed as each of them has their own benefits attached to that program. They try to convince Salar in every possible way to either resign silently (on account of personal reasons) or continue working on their terms. Salar however insists on either conducting an audit of the project or resigning on the terms of the report he presented. Failing to reach an agreement, the panel tries to buy off Salar. He leaves disheartened as he did not expect them to stoop this low. One of the higher officials Alexander Rafael attempts to lure Salar into a trap that he would be made the vice-president if he continues to work in that project in complete submission to the World Bank’s policies. Needless is to say that Salar refuses his offer straight away.

After leaving the office Salar feels a heavy burden regarding this dilemma and reviews his life which has been in turmoil lately. He tries to contact Imama but is unable to do so. He later comes to know that Petris Ibaka (who was also in USA) has had an accident in Washington and heavily wounded. He goes to see Ibaka dying in the Hospital, only to return to find that his travel documents and laptops have been stolen from his hotel room. Unable to comprehend this situation, he comes to realise that his phone signals have been controlled and he is secretly being stopped from contacting anyone (most probably by CIA). He manages to contact his father through public phone, who tells him later that Imama and the children are not at their home at Kinshasa. Apparently they have been abducted to an unkown place. Salar loses control at this news and feels more helpless and desperate than he did on the night he was tied up at Margalla hills.

He goes to meet Rafael first thing in the morning who tells him that the Bank is unable to help him as he has already resigned. Rafael also makes snide remarks about him that change Salar’s mind on asking any more help from him. At that moment Salar decides to leave the hope of finding Imama and children to Allah and also to end the World Bank’s dominance by establishing his own institute.

Meanwhile, Petris Ibaka dies in the hospital but he manages to do make sure that the World Bank sees its end.

In the last seen we see a man and a woman in a bar. The woman (Jacky) gets very attracted to the man who is not drinking alcohol and asks him to dance but he refuses. Jacky asks him if he believes in a one-night stand and he agrees.

Some Questions

Was Ibaka in New York or Washington?

At the begining of the episode it is said that Ibaka is fighting for his life in a hospital in New York. Later on we find out that he had an accident in Washington. Salar (who was in Washington) goes to see Ibaka and comes back to his hotel. Washington is at least at a 4 hours’ drive to New York. We do not get the notion that Salar travelled this much in a single day. So the question is whether he saw Ibaka in the hospital or someone else? Who was witnessing Ibaka’s surgery (if it was really Ibaka) that was mentioned in 9th episode?

What did Petris Ibaka Do to Ensure World Bank’s Doom?

Did Ibaka pass the evidences of corruption to someone who can actually make a difference? Or is it all up to Salar to do something about the program?

What Makes Salar’s Life So Restless?

What is it that makes Salar and Imama’s life so bumpy and restless? Is it because of Salar’s interest-based jobs in banks? Or is it because he is not serving the higher purpose for which he was gifted with an extra-ordinary IQ?

Is Salar’s Family Safe?

I think we can safely assume that Imama and children are not in immediate danger. Imama has been somewhat useless in this whole story and has a role yet to play. She might do something on her own to help Salar out of this situation.

Is That Salar in the Bar with Jacky?

The personality sketch of the person in the bar fits perfectly to Salar. But is it really him? If it is, then why on earth is he enjoying company of another woman? Or maybe this is a part of his plan.

Quality Rating

This episode was solely focused on Salar, whose stubborn side was witnessed again. The way he loses control because of the possible jeopardy his wife and children might be in, was very touching. One can easily relate to the helplessness he feels. I would give 3 out of 5 for character development.

Pace was slow, and at times it was felt that things are repeated. A score of 2 would be appropriate for pace.

Overall, the episode bore many signature elements of Umera Ahmed’s pen. Apparently the story has many dimensions that are yet to be told. But if current pace and size of episodes is to be continued in future, I am afraid it would be a very long wait for us readers to reach to the end. All in all, I would give a score of 3.5 out of 5 to episode 10.

Please share your own review of Aab-e-Hayat in your comments:)

Yours Truly

Noor-us-Saad

Diyar-e-Dil – Episode 22!

Ohkay so, things are getting quite intense & serious now in Diyar-e-Dil but it still is a treat to watch in so many ways. I enjoyed watching this episode for sure. I can’t wait to see Faarah’s transition & I can’t wait to see how she will incline towards her family; her Agha Jaan & her Wali.

This episode was all about Wali & Faarah’s deal. Finally, Wali has spilled the beans as to why he dragged Faarah from Lahore to their guest house, he wanted to put things into perspective that too his way. He has gone through enough & he has seen Agha Jaan suffering enough, that is why he made sure to convey the message loud & clear to Faarah as to how he doesn’t care much about her anymore & the only person that matters to him is Agha Jaan so he will go to any lengths to make him happy. At times, Wali did become a bit too stern with Faarah but when he needed to, he softened his tone to make her understand what he wanted. I liked the fact that Wali didn’t beat around the bush & came straight to his point of interest; he chose his words wisely & with a lot of honesty, which I feel was the thing that convinced Faarah to agree to Wali’s deal the most.

Faarah on her own did some thinking & reflected upon how this deal wasn’t a bad idea to begin with. For her, the thing she wants the most for now is to get divorced from Wali but I liked how she recalled what her father told her, ‘jo bhi faisla karna dil se karna, lekin shert ye hai ke dil aaine ki tarhaan saaf hona chahiye’, this is something that hit her the most & served more as a reality check because Faarah’s heart is not at all free from prejudice against both; Agha Jaan & Wali. I am sure this is something she will understand pretty soon that her decision of filing from divorce didn’t come straight from her heart, but was instilled in her by her mother; Ruhina, who isn’t clean-hearted at all. Faarah will understand that her heart never allowed her to do the things she was told rather forced to do & that will change her completely because the way she spoke about the ongoing war of ego between Ruhina & Agha Jaan indicated how she is well aware of the fact that Ruhina doesn’t care about her daughter as well.

I absolutely loved the way Agha Jaan welcomed Faarah warmheartedly, this is why Faarah also couldn’t stop herself from getting overwhelmed. Even though Behroz & Ruhina have loved her all her life, but after Behroz, Faarah never got the love she yearned for & it is only Agha Jaan who connected to her on that level, that is why every now & then we do get to see her thinking about Agha Jaan, which makes me happy for her. Yes, as much as Faarah has remained unreasonable, she also has been the one who wanted to keep things simple & uncomplicated, she was the one who was dignified enough to remind her mother repeatedly about how shameless she was being by using Agha Jaan’s money ruthlessly. I feel Faarah is also the one who has suffered the most after she lost Behroz because her life turned upside down & she herself saw her mother turning into a monster who wasn’t even ready to budge & who wasn’t there for her daughter when she needed her the most, so yes, keeping these things in mind, I am happy that Faarah has finally come to the right place, yes, her journey was anything but nice, but if we look at the bigger picture, like Wali said, this is the perfect scenario that would benefit each & every one of them.

For me, the star of this episode was Hareem Farooq. I loved her acting tonight, she really has outdone herself & she has given a perfect face, perfect personality & perfect aura to the character of Arjumand. For Arjumand’s sake, I really wished that Wali would tell her about the deal between him & Faarah but he chose to remain silent. Even though the way Wali explained himself & the whole situation to his mother was spot on, but I do believe Arjumand deserved that much of an explanation from Wali because indirectly, she has suffered at the hands of Ruhina & Faarah as well by seeing her father-like father-in-law & her beloved son worried & restless due to this mother-daughter duo. Arjumand’s pain & anguish was justified & just like everyone else, she has a reason to be angry as well because her life has always revolved around her people & Faarah isn’t one of them. I loved the way Faarah bluntly refused to do any such thing that Ruhina ordered her, this way, Ruhina will understand that leaving Faarah alone to punish her wasn’t a good idea at all & also she will understand that she is the one who has driven Faarah away from herself. I am glad that even though all this has started on a bitter note where Faarah was abandoned by her mother & she didn’t get treated nicely by Wali, this will eventually end up being one of the best things that happened to her.

I loved how attention to detail is a part of every episode because the way Faarah came bare footed out of the boat told the story of how she was dragged without even getting a chance to grab the essentials however, I really think they have ignored the travelling time between Lahore & Gilgit & also they haven’t justified the geographical locations of these places because they already were in Skardu when Wali spoke about going to Islamabad on his way to Haveli which already is in Gilgit & falls right before it, hehe, but never mind, these things really don’t take away from the fact that Diyar-e-Dil is one amazing drama & the hard work of the whole team behind making this drama is evident every step of the way. Please share your thoughts about tonight’s episode & thank you for waiting for the review. :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Aitraz – Episode 1

Drama serial Aitraz has been written by Samira Fazal , directed by Aamir Yousuf and produced by Six Sigma Plus. The one thing that stood out more than any other about this first episode was the way it was directed. It was a fast paced episode, it was visually pleasing and the way the story and characters were introduced was quite unusual. Komal (Sana Javed) – our main protagonist’s past and present life’s stories ran parallel to each other in this first episode. Komal lost her entire family – parents and 3 siblings in a bomb blast. Since then it seemed like Wajdaan (Imran Abbas) was the only reason she could go on with life. After knowing each other for 2 years they decided that they wanted to spend the rest of their life each other but it took Wajdan another year to muster up the courage to talk to his mother. Wajdaan’s status conscious mother was very sure that Komal would never be able to live a ‘comfortable’ life in their household since she came from a totally different class. Komal’s conversation with her friend (Sundus Tariq) suggested that she was the one who made the final decision of breaking up with Wajdaan probably because his mother did not give her the respect she expected her future mother in law to give her. The story started with Komal’s Mehndi function and right till the last minute I am sure many viewers like me expected Wajdaan to be the groom since Komal was over occupied with his thoughts. In short our heroine is getting married to Arsalan (Gauhar Rasheed) for the same reason Haya got married to Rameez! She has no feelings for her future husband but she thinks this is the ‘right’ thing to do. She cannot move on or forget Wajdaan but she needs to get on with her life.

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Arsalan’s mother (Shamim Hilali) is a nice woman who wants to be a mother to her future daughter in law and Arsalan is very possessive about his fiancé. The relationships between all the characters were very well-established in this first episode. Komal’s relationship with her best friend is genuine, they have a special bond. Arsalan might be possessive about his fiancé but he respects her feelings. Wajdaan is very scared of his mother and definitely did not appear to be the sort of person who would take a stand. His mother was your usual status conscious aunty who we see in our dramas all the time. The light moments in this episode like the opening scene, the ring not fitting Komal’s finger, Wajdaan hanging up on purpose pretending he couldn’t hear Komal when he knew she wanted to talk about their marriage stood out for me more than any other. These scenes kept things from getting too serious. The “Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna” scene was very well directed and very filmy but I must say that it didn’t go well with Arsalan’s personality! I found the conversation Wajdaan’s mother was having with her friend on the phone and the one she had later with her son very interesting. It said a great deal about how she looked at other people and how highly she thought of herself.

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I can’t say that this episode was free of clichés because the class-difference and the rich boy falling for the not-so-rich girl story have been done-to-death but it is too early to say that this is going to be a typical story. Sana Javed and Imran Abbas looked great together; their on-screen chemistry made it very easy for me to relate to Komal’s feelings for Wajdaan. Sana Javed plays a role which she has played many times before therefore while there is nothing novel about the character she is playing but she is definitely in her comfort zone and therefore giving her best. She is a sensible girl who wants to make good choices in life, someone who would much rather follow reason than her heart and someone who puts her self-respect before anything else. The fact that she chose to live with a friend and earn her own living instead of relying on her relatives who were not sincere went to show that she was a practical girl. We have all seen Sana Javed play such characters before too but that does not change the fact that she is a natural who manages to give her best every time. Same is true for Imran Abbas, he plays the nakaam ashiq once again but the situation is quite different. For once we see him as a very weak person who does not have the courage to fight for his love – which of course is very different from the character he played in MNYH. I wish Gauhar Rasheed’s character was a little more appealing, why does it always have to be the rich and handsome boyfriend against the nerdy fiancé? I would give full marks to the director for all the creativity. I really liked the make-up and dresses too; they were not overdone and suited the occasions which were being shown. Something tells me that there is much more to the story than what it appears to be at the moment.

The preview of the next episode showed that Komal’s mother in law for some reason is going to change her mind and she will call the marriage off – thank God for that because we don’t want another one of our heroines getting married to an over-possessive husband who finds out later on that she likes someone else!! Why would a girl like Komal beg someone she left to marry her? I am waiting to find out.

Did you watch the first episode of Aitraz? Do share your thoughts about it.

 

Fatima Awan

Shaista Lodhi To Make Her Comeback On 14th August

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We had already posted the news that Shaista Lodhi was going to start her career once again with hosting her own show on HUM. The latest news is that Shaista will be hosting the show on HUM Sitaray with the title “Sitaray Ki Subha”. The Morning Show will go on air from Monday to Thursday at 9 AM.

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Shaista Lodhi is looking forward to making a new start. Shaista Lodhi thinks that all the recent storms in her life have made her even more strong and wiser.

“Chand Sitara” Concert – Pictures

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People are eagerly looking forward to the nationwide launch of Vital Signs’ comeback national song “Chand Sitara”. Different celebrities have also shown their support for the song.

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The video of the song has been directed by Shoaib Mansoor which is also another reason why people are eager to see it.

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Here are some pictures from the launch concert:

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Junaid Jamshed In The Middle Of A Controversy

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Vital Signs has joined hands once again after so many years to make the song “Chand Sitara” which will be released nationwide on 14th August. The special launch of the song already took place yesterday in the form of a concert in which the vital signs band members alongwith some other singers sang songs. When the launch pictures were posted on different social networking sites Junaid Jamshed was seen holding hands with Hadiqa Kiyani. Many people think that this gesture does not suit a religious person like him because it is against the teachings of Islam and people are criticizing Junaid Jamshed for landing himself in controversies again and again.

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People are waiting to hear what Junaid Jamshed has to say about this because as a religious figure people do not expect something like this from him.

 

Moor Red Carpet Pictures

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The upcoming film Moor was premiered to some of the selective people from showbiz who were invited to the special premier. On the red carpet one could see many celebrities who are part of the film and many others who had come to support the film. Moor is not a commercial film and it will be released on 14th August.

Here are some pictures from the red carpet:

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Tumhari Natasha – Episode 3

No saas bahu fights, no obsessed cousins, no dusri biwi scenarios, no rona dhona – just an eccentric, different-from-the-crowd girl trying to solve her problems her way! I really enjoy watching Tumhari Natasha because I think it is after quite some time that I’m watching a play that doesn’t leave me feeling depressed, disturbed or irritated. And let me confess that reviewing this play is a very simple task!

Natasha lives in the lap of luxury, but all these extravagances, fancy dinners etc have never been a source of joy for her because our heroine takes pleasure in the simplest of things. Natasha’s conversation with Kaif in the initial scenes of the episode reinforced the fact that she certainly feels like a square peg in a round hole because she is very different from the people of her social standing. I felt this was the first time Kaif actually made a proper entry because his interactions with Natasha in the previous episodes were more or less restricted to Kaif’s confessions of love, Natasha’s skepticism and nakhray and that’s about it. Kaif has warned Natasha that sooner or later it will dawn on her that she made a mistake by rejecting him and she’d end up regretting her decision. On this parting note, our heartbroken, nakaam aashiq leaves for Islamabad. I think in order for the viewers to warm up to Kaif, there should have been some more scenes involving Kaif and Natasha because we’ve seen so little that I am finding it a little difficult to take Kaif seriously. I wanted to get to know him better before deciding if I should root for him. Sohaye and Farhan don’t share sizzling chemistry, but it’d be fair to say that their scenes are enjoyable. I am guessing that for the coming episodes, the focus of the story will not be Kaif and Natasha, but Kaif definitely has a vital role to play in future.

My favourite scene from the episode has to be the one where Natasha uses her clever ‘tactic’ to trick Arsalan into revealing the fact that he has got a wife waiting for him in America! It was a comical scene because it was so very amusing to see her fiancé falling for her trick. I think this was by far the smartest move Natasha ever made, and I have to say that it was actually very nice to see a girl dumping her airhead of a fiancé – very refreshing. Sohaye’s expressions were on point and she definitely owns her character.

Natasha broke off her engagement, but I find it a little strange that she is keeping her father in the dark. I understand that Aani advised her not to talk to Afnan about this, but this was a huge step and Natasha shouldn’t hide it because I am sure that after he learns that his nephew is married, Afnan would support Natasha’s decision – why on earth would he want his daughter to marry an already married guy?

Jin logon ko bachpan mein parents ki attention nahe milti, un kay faislay kabhi pukhta nahe hotay. This play may not be very realistic, but what I do find realistic is how Natasha’s irrational and spur-of-the-moment decisions reflect where she’s coming from. It’s absolutely true that youngsters who see their own parents bickering all the time, regretting why they got married in the first place and eventually coming to a parting of the ways, are most often not mature enough to make sensible decisions for themselves and that’s exactly why their decisions lack foresight.

Darpok logon ko muhabbat nahe karni chahye. Ahmar’s track is pretty much where it was last week. He can’t gather the courage to express his feelings for Natasha. We didn’t get to see Ahmar and Natasha together in this episode, but now that Natasha has moved to Sumbal’s house for a few days, I am hoping we’d get to see some scenes with Natasha and Ahmar sharing the screen.

All in all, this was one entertaining episode. I felt that Sohaye’s voice was a little hoarse in the initial scenes so I think she had a throat ache while shooting those scenes. Did you watch the latest episode? Voice your thoughts!

Maryam Mehdi

P.S. I am sorry for the late review, folks! I was a little busy with some family gatherings. Sorry to have kept you waiting!

Umera Ahmed to write for films?

As per unconfirmed reports published in many Urdu papers, Umera Ahmed the acclaimed drama writer is approached by Agha Sajjad Gull a leading film producer of Pakistan to write for his upcoming film.

Agha Sajjad Gull has been a leading producer of Pakistan. He is the owner of Evernew studios Lahore as well as Evernew productions. The production house produced many super hit films till late 1990’s like Tere Pyar Mein, Deewane Tere Pyar Mein, Jo Darr Gaya Woh Marr Gaya, Ghar Kab Aaoo Gay, Kalay Chorr to name a few. After Tere Pyar Mein (1999), Evernew productions shifted its attention towards Television productions . They did produce few films like No Paisa No Problem, Chalo Ishq Larain which were not much successful.

On television Evernew productions produced few famous plays like Aaye Gi Baraat series.

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News excerpt from Naibaat

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News excerpt from Jang

Rashid Nazir Ali

Sangat (سنگت) on Hum Tv

Sangat (سنگت) is an upcoming drama on Hum Tv by Kashif Nisar starring Saba Qamar, Meekal Zulfiqar, Zahid Ahmed, Samina Ahmed, Kiran Haq, Saba Faisal and others. Its promos are already airing on Hum Tv. From promos it seems to be based on the sensitive subject of marital abuse.

The drama might replace Jugnoo currently airing on Friday evening at 8 pm or or Aye Zindagi airing on Thursday at the same time.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3103xg

Kashif Nisar is known for dramas on realistic themes. For Hum Tv Kashif has produced/directed Digest Writer and Ullu Baraye Farokht Nahin recently. Kashif has also directed Kis Se Kahon recently aired on PTV Home.

Here are few clicks from the sets

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Rashid Nazir Ali

 

Tumharay Siwa (تمہارے سوا) on Hum Tv

Tumharay Siwa  (تمہارے سوا) is an upcoming play on Hum Tv starring Ahsan Khan, Ayesha Khan, Noor Hassan, Mansha Pasha and others. It is directed by Sakina Sammo.

Sakina last directed drama for Hum TV was Muhabbat Subah Ka Sitara Hai written by Umera Ahmed. The play received mixed reviews.

Ahsan Khan and Noor Hassan are playing the roles of pilots in this drama. The drama might replace Jugnoo currently airing on Friday evening at 8 pm or Aye Zindagi airing on Thursday at the same time.

 

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Few clicks from the sets

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Pakistani Stars Get Together In A Special Video For 14 August

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ISPR has been doing everything it can to make the Pakistanis aware of the sacrifices that have been made by many army personnel for their country and they have also been coming up with new songs which will increase the patriotic sentiments in people. ISPR has produced a special song for 14th August. The song has been sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, the lyrics have been written by Imran Raza and the video has been directed by Asad Malik. The video contains many notable artists from Pakistan like Hamayun Saeed, Ahsan Khan, Asad Malik, Abid Ali, Jamal Shah, Ashir Azeem, Hassan Waqas Rana, Nadia Hussain, Seemi Pasha, Anoushay Ainan, Tasneem Ansari, Eshal, Isha Noor, Hassan Noman, Fahim Abbas, Naveed Raza, Adnan Ansari and others.

Here are some pictures from the set:

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