Abdullah The Final Witness, is a film announced some two years ago and now its 2:15 minutes long official trailer is released. There were few clippings of this film already available on various video sharing websites.
Abdullah is written, produced and directed by Hashim Nadeem. Sajid Hassan, Hameed Sheikh, Imran Abbas and Saadia Khan are in the lead roles. Hashim Nadeem is a famous fiction writer and his drama Khudda Aur Muhabbat also featuring Saadia Khan and Imran Abbas was quite famous.
Hashim Nadeem hails from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan and the film is also based on the incident of 17 May 2011 happened in Quetta. The incident is known as Kharotabad incident in which five Russian and Tajik citizen (men and women) were killed by Frontier Constabulary (FC) claimed to be as terrorist at the check post of Kharotabad. The incident was filmed by a journalist and later media aired same videos claiming all the killed ones were innocent citizen. Then Chief Justice of Pakistan took sou motto notice of this incident, and a commission was asked to prepare the Kharotabad Inquiry Report. The findings of the inquire were never made public and the case is still unresolved. A key witness of this incident was murdered in Quetta in December 2011.
Nauman Ijaz is one of the most loved and versatile actors in our television industry. Nauman Ijaz stepped into the television world with the desire to become a newscaster but the director Nusrat Thakur saw much more potential in him and that is how he got his first break. Nauman Ijaz usually avoids giving interviews but recently he was interviewed by the Express Tribune. While giving the interview Nauman Ijaz talked about things which we don’t see him talking about very often. “When I work, I work like anything; there are days and nights solely meant for shoots. By day, I am in Karachi and by evening in Lahore, working on various other plays, simultaneously,” said the veteran actor.
Nauman Ijaz also attributes his success to all those actors who were senior than him because they helped him learn. “There have been times I was scolded on set on numerous occasions for not delivering my lines well. But today’s youngsters, they don’t wish to learn from veteran actors”.Nauman Ijaz has a law degree which means that he could pursue a career in that field but he says, “I always knew that going to libraries for references and to offices for litigation wasn’t my thing. I worship acting. I am too honest with it. Sadly, people in this field are often not. They have made a joke out of it. Thekaydaari nizam hai.”
Nauman Ijaz thinks that there is a big difference between the way newcomers at his time used to work and the way newcomers nowadays work. “We have left behind our norms. We were not taught at an academy but got flourished under the guidance of the notable names and we knew how to respect our elders. Young actors today want to be respected instead! With such an attitude how can they expect us to love them back?”
Nowadays Nauman Ijaz is hosting the show Mazaq Raat, he says, “I have paid respect to every individual who has come to my show without any prejudice. On national television, nobody gives respect to the other. The fault lies with us. Have you seen the morning shows lately? The way to conduct a proper show is lost on us! There is no consistency and neither any improvement. That’s the sad state of the affairs these days.”
And how does he feel about Pakistani dramas being aired in India? “Indians are currently enjoying are dramas, but I wonder for how long. Pakistani women on screen are being humiliated. It’s high time we show the issues of women empowerment on the TV.”
Nauman Ijaz believes that a lot needs to be changed before the Pakistani cinema can truly flourish, “Why we lag behind is the fact that the son of those people who once made studios, took all the money and did nothing to upgrade the industry. Hence, we are to be blamed for ruining this industry by our own hands.”
Hum TV is recently airing promos of an upcoming project where various artists are responding about a person named Shamim, including Sanam Saeed, Saboor Ali, Angeline Malik.
25 December is the date of birth of founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Hum TV will air a special drama Umeed-e-Nau, at 9:10 pm on thursday 25 December 2014. Sara Khan and Agha Ali are in the lead roles.
After watching Mera Yakeen, Bari Apa, Hamnasheen and Shukk I thought I had seen it all but I guess I was very wrong! While watching this episode my husband’s curiosity got the best of him and he asked me who the first wife was … normally this should be an easy question to answer but in this case it isn’t! Firaaq was a good play but now everything about this play is just plain substandard. The dialogues have absolutely no depth any more in fact they can be really weird sometimes and Hareem’s character is the worst addition to the show. The fact that Imroze lied about his health was bad enough, there was absolutely no need to show that he got married again too. Watching this play is proving to be a nerve-racking experience, nothing about the story makes sense any more and you feel absolutely nothing for any of the characters. The fact that we are being shown two episodes in a go is even more testing.
Apparently, we are expected to forget about all of Imroze’s symptoms, his visits to the doctor and the crazy thought pattern and just be content with the “explanation” that Imroze lied about his disease so that Paymaan could get married to Roomi! But guess what? He forgot to divorce her! Kyunke biwi ko talaq di ja sakti hai mohabbat ko nahi! The writer might have forgotten it but I am sure many viewers must remember that Imroze showed Roomi some kind of a “death warrant” to prove that he wasn’t lying about the cancer. This latest “twist” in the story isn’t shocking but it is just plain unbelievable.
Paymaan went back to live with Imroze with a new will to get answers to all her questions but after hearing the answers she decided she did not want to leave just yet. Hareem’s mood swings are definitely not helping in any way. One minute she can’t do without Imroze and the next minute she has the divorce papers ready! Are we supposed to feel for Imroze by any chance? I have a feeling that the writer is trying very hard to convince us that whatever Imroze did was a result of whatever happened to him in the past and he only married Hareem out of sympathy – Paymaan is his true love, how lame is that!
Hareem’s dialogues like “mere du shohar, mere maa baap meri soch nahi badal sake tum kya badlo gi” are really very weird! Is she proud of the fact that she got married twice and never listened to her parents? Firaaq is a major train wreck. What was the writer thinking? I am finding it very hard to believe that this “Season 2” has been written by the same writer who wrote the beginning few episodes. The story has come down to a typical “two wives” scenario which will take all kind of bizarre turns before it finally ends. I hate to see Sanam Saeed wasting her talent playing such useless roles, Paymaan reminded me of Saniya so many times today!
Do share your thoughts about tonight’s nerve-racking episode of Firaaq! Is anyone out there feeling for Imroze? Does anyone understand what was going on in the writer’s mind when he added these strange, meaningless and groundless twists to the story?
HSY invited two celebrities from the golden era of Pakistani cinema tonight- Javed Sheikh & Resham. As pretty as her outfit was, she was a little too overdressed for a talk show. Again, who is responsible for the styling and make-up? Masla kya hai? Is it too much to expect a designer of HSY’s stature to have a say in the outfits worn by the guests on his show?
Getting back to the show, Javed Sahab recounted his journey that has spanned over 40 years. He spoke about the highs and lows, the achievements and the failures and has decided to write an autobiography titled Journey of Passion. His story begins in Rawalpindi where he was passionate about becoming a hero so much so that he stole money from his father and decided to run away to Lahore. Fortunately for him, his father caught him in time and seeing his drive, took him to Karachi where he not only completed his studies, he also got his foot in the door in the industry. Today, he is considered as one of the most accomplished actors of the industry who has also worked alongside Bollywood bigwigs like Shahrukh Khan yet he remains as humble as ever. Not only is he widely known and loved by his many fans across Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta, his family has ventured into the industry and made a name for themselves. The Sheikhs are a family dynasty if HSY is to be believed! Although as far as I know, both Momal Sheikh and Shehzad sheikh have yet to make an impact.
Resham was the second guest tonight and she began by graciously thanking HSY for his choice of words while introducing her and also credited HSY as having taught her how to walk the ramp. Resham spoke about her career, her relationships with her co-actors and how competition drives people to work harder. She stated that politicians have taken over and seem heavily inspired by Maula Jatt. She accepted her temper as being one of her flaws yet made it a point to state that humans aren’t perfect and will experience moments of rage every now and then. HSY’s comment over actresses being blessed with perpetual youth was a rather bold knock but Resham stated that the audience isn’t foolish and know better than to believe such statements. She mentioned she has fallen in love twice and life goes on even if one were to be unsuccessful at attaining love- Ishq nakaam sahi zindagi nakaam nahin…
The contests started with Love or Don’t Love and this time HSY didn’t pry into the answers. Ajnabee Kaun Ho Tum had Babloo calling in for Resham and Behroze Sabzwari calling in for Javed Sheikh. Finally, in the last round, Javed Sahab was in the lead with all correct answers and Resham had an opportunity to mimic not just one but two actresses- Meera and Reema. As a parting note, Resham mentioned that the new entrants in the industry need to learn to respect their seniors and Javed Sheikh added that they should also work on their professionalism instead of throwing around attitude. What did you think about this latest episode?
Aap ki di hui har cheez yahan chor gaya hai- siwaye apni zidd! Omar is more like his father than he realizes. Imagine if there was a magic mirror here- Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall, Who’s The Ziddiest of Them All? I’d place my money on Omar for now… While Rahat continues masterminding his son’s eventual return by asking Ali’s father to toss him out of his Clifton home, Asma and Mohini are planning the inevitable wedding. Asma knew if it came down to choosing between her career and her daughter’s happiness, she’d give up the former in a jiffy but not without reminding Sr. Hashmi of his aukaat– Aap ke khaandaan ne siwaye paisey banane key koi aisa kaam nahin kiya jis se aap fakhar se sar ooncha kar sakein… Rahat always assumed he could continue to control people through their majburis but Asma is not one to be overpowered by her boss. She happily celebrates her jashn-e-azaadi although I wonder how long it’ll be before she starts questioning her decisions.
There was a moment of reflection when Rahat asked Mrs. Imtiyaaz about Omar. Toot jaye ga– probably for the first time, he sounded like he genuinely cared about his son. Is Rahat afraid to have Omar experience the hardships he may have had along his journey? Or is he driven by his need to control? Or a bit of both? Ali tries to help in the only way he can- by finding Omar a place to crash until he is able to afford a rental. So Omar ends up with Adnan taking him in. Remember Adnan? The junkie from the beach? Yeah, him. He’s the rich brat who’s always on a high and wants to share some of it. Before you know it, Omar gives in to peer pressure and has a few puffs himself. Sensing something like this was bound to happen, Mohini goes over to try and knock some sense into him. Adnan tries to help out in his own way- by trying to arrange an interview for Omar. This was exactly the sort of thing Rahat didn’t want Omar to be doing with his life. If only he had used a midway approach instead!
I get that Asma wants Mohini to be happy but is rushing her into marrying Omar the best for both of them? Agreed, Omar has made his intentions very clear but he has a long way to go before he can handle the responsibility of a marriage. Omar is entirely dependent on Mohini and while he needs to know that she’ll stand by him, she can’t baby him forever. In time, she will grow tired of making all the decisions for him, telling him what he should and shouldn’t do and similarly, Omar will start to feel suffocated all over again. Episode 6 ended with dholki preps and the baraatis getting ready to party. On a side note, is Mrs. Hashmi related to the house-help? I thought I was seeing doubles.
Filmfare is a leading film magazine of India and its Editor Jitesh Pillaai has wrote an article on Fawwad Khan.
Editor Jitesh Pillaai heaps praise on the latest heartthrob
Let me confess that after watching Fawad Khan in the Khoobsurat remake, my first thoughts were that he was yet another one of those good-looking guys who definitely made the girls go gaga.
But all this was before I fell ill. For the first time, perhaps, I was glad of being bedridden with a bad back. Because it was during this period that I discovered Fawad Khan, the actor. While flipping channels, I chanced upon one of his tele-serials on the Zindagi channel. In five minutes, I was hooked. After half-an-hour, I started calling my contacts for copies of his serials. And for the first time in my life, I became a devout serial watcher.
Watching him underplay his characters, in serials like Zindagi Gulzar Hai is a treat to watch. There is a thehraav in the way he handles his scenes. He knows the art of speaking with his eyes. His silences speak volumes. No other actor (and I’m talking purely in terms of acting here) made me come out in goosebumps as he does.
If only prospective filmmakers took time out to watch his serials, he would surely land better films. A little bird told me that Karan Johar’s mother Hiroo Yash Johar is a huge fan of his. Hiroo aunty has witnessed generations of stars come and go and her instincts can’t be wrong.
Watching all those Pakistani soaps set me thinking as to why our TV content remains the way it is. Their serials genuinely attempt to tell a story. They are wrapped up in maximum 20-24 episodes and don’t drag on for years together. They are shot beautifully and the actors act with a nuance that is found lacking in our soaps as well as our films. The senior actors too aren’t shortchanged and are given author-backed roles. Most belong to a theatre background and their command over scenes; over language makes you feel you’re watching some forgotten Kamal Amrohi or K Asif film.
They say art blooms in the midst of unrest and maybe the volatile socio-political climate of their country breeds better poets, better writers and better actors. Or maybe they are a little more professional, a little more concerned about their craft than our artistes. Borders shouldn’t become the graveyard for talent. Let’s hope the tension between our two countries evaporates and better cultural opportunities prevail. Insha’Allah! – Filmfare
“Fasla Rakhen” is an upcoming thesis movie by Anas M Khan from Department of Visual studies, University of Karachi of genre Dark Comedy. Starring Nazar ul hassan,Shakeel Hussain,Shahjee Hassan,Ali Asgher nal wala,Asia alam,Ali Abbas naqvi,Kamal hussain,Kamran siddiqui, it is directed and written by Anas Muhammad Khan. It is not a commercial film.
Here is the trailer of this film which is released few days ago
Ohkay, I know it will come as a shock to a lot of readers but I am so disappointing with Fareeda this time. What she did to herself was absolutely wrong. After watching this episode, I now find both Sherhryaar & Fareeda at fault. Shehryaar; because he never really tried to get to know who Rushk-e-Hina was & Fareeda because she didn’t give benefit of doubt to Shehryaar at all. Yes, he was always very vocal about what he was looking for in his life partner but Fareeda kept on giving him wrong impression too without making an effort to tell him to truth. If she was so conscious in the first place, why did she allow Shehryaar to get interested in her & more so, why did she do this to herself as well?
I find Fareeda wrong this time because even if she decided to meet Shehryaar to reveal her reality, why did she back out? I now feel both of them allowed the assumptions to get the best of them because of which, they kept on making irrational decisions. Shehryaar was obviously at fault because he kept on burdening her with his criterions without ever giving her a chance to speak up but Fareeda followed the course blindly as well. Now when all of a sudden the reality struck her & left her bewildered, she at least should have explained everything to Shehryaar after meeting him & so that they both could’ve taken a mutual decision because no matter how self-centred or immature Shehryaar must be, he doesn’t deserve to be blindsided like this & Fareeda does owe an explanation to him. I feel if Fareeda wanted to back out because she didn’t find herself at par with him, she should’ve done it properly because it’s unfair that in a relation, only one person gets to make a decision & the other is left in a state of oblivion for the rest of his life.
I found Shaukat’s proposal very sincere. I like him for who he is but still, I don’t think he matches the calibre of Fareeda at all. He now promised her that he would change himself & would do everything that she likes but Shaukat needs to understand that it won’t be easy because no matter how much he’d try, how far would be he able to push himself to match her level? How much effort would he make to change himself completely? He might be a good person on his own but in comparison to Fareeda, he’s a lot less worthy.
Another disappointment that I faced was when Fareeda agreed to Shaukat’s proposal, not because she agreed but because she wasn’t happy about it. If Fareeda knows deep down that she can’t tolerate Shaukat’s presence & she won’t ever be able to bring herself to like him, then why did she jump into the pitfall consciously & willingly? No matter how incompatible Shaukat must be to her, he surely doesn’t deserve a wife who won’t be able to respect or love him. Shaukat might have his own issues but he has always been very sincere to her, so if she can’t reciprocate the exact same feelings, then she shouldn’t have agreed to this marriage as well.
The way Anwar dealt with Fareeda showed that Appa’s taunt struck a chord this time & it was enough for Anwar to lose his cool. I think if Appa wouldn’t have pressurized Anwar, Fareeda must’ve gotten a wee bit time to think more about what she wanted to do with her relationship with Shehryaar but just because she was being compelled, she took a wrong & hasty decision. I thought Appa actually meant all those promises that she made with Zareena & Fareeda but too bad, she is going to become a typical ‘saas’. I really thought it was only Najma who had issues with Fareeda but Appa’s display of happiness & sincerity was too good to be true as well.
Looks like Rida & Sikandar are facing a downfall in their careers with a recent flop drama & Ayaan Junaid is going to enjoy the benefit of depending on Rushk-e-Hina which means that he will now rely more on her & this will bring her a good name in the industry but too bad, going by the preview of next episode, looks like Fareeda will have to deal with a lot in her new home, which might put a kibosh on her writing career temporarily. It actually came as a shock that Shaukat changed with a blink of an eye. I actually feel bad for Fareeda because she doesn’t deserve what she will go through. Looks like she will lead the rest of her life in regret; regret of not being able to tell the truth to Shehryar, regret of rejecting him & regret of getting married to Shaukat. I hope her life shapes up well & from now on she takes sensible decisions even if it means getting divorced from Shaukat, which I can foresee because we’re through 12 episodes only, phew!
The episode was good like always but I really felt bad seeing how Fareeda slowly destroyed her life with her own hands. Zareena’s concern for Fareeda was so heart-warming because deep down she knows this pretty well that Fareeda might get a hard time in Shaukat’s home but she chose to keep it unsaid as she respected her husband’s decision more. Jameela looked really pretty & her new overdo is enough to show that she’s leading a good life after getting married. :) Share your thoughts please.
He may have done his first film role in a family project, Khulay Aasman Ke Neechay (directed by his uncle Javed Sheikh, and starring as the younger self of the character of his other uncle, Saleem Sheikh), but the young TV actor Shehroz Subzwari is taking the big leap to Bollywood strictly on his own terms.
Instead of hankering after a mainstream Bollywood role alongside A-list stars, Shehroz is making his B-town debut with the lead role in noted Bengali director Riingo Banerjee’s debut Hindi film, Luv’s Story. “It may not be a run-of-the-mill masala movie, but it ticks all the boxes for me as an actor,” said Shehroz, while talking to Instep.
About landing the role, he shared that the producer Shamik Basu scouted him. “To be honest, I don’t have a brilliant body of work to show, and obviously I’m no Fawad Khan,” he said modestly, “But Shamik Basu felt that I could do something in Bollywood. Nothing worked out for a while, and then I received the script for Luv’s Story. Riingo Banerjee is a brilliant director from Bengal and is very particular about his actors. He liked my look, but I still had to send audition tapes. So Syra and I shot a few scenes and sent the tapes over, and thankfully he approved.”
A romantic thriller, Luv’s Story will see Shehroz play the role of the titular character, a young boy with subnormal intelligence. He stars alongside Bengali actors, Bidita Bag and Aryaan (picture in the first look above). According to Times of India, the film is based on three best friends who grow up together in an orphanage in Kalimpong, a hill station in West Bengal. While Shehroz’s character Luv isn’t the brightest on the block, his friend MC is sharp as a knife, and on the lookout for ways to get rich quick. Together, they form a love triangle with Kushali, who has eyes on Luv and is adored by MC. After a murder takes place, the film takes a turn as Luv becomes the prime suspect.
“I’m very happy that I’ve gotten in touch with the right people; Bengalis are known to be highly educated people, and it’s an honour to be selected by them. I want to make Pakistan and my family proud,” he added. Shehroz will be flying across in the end of January to begin shooting for Luv’s Story in Calcutta and Kalimpong.
Nigehbaan is drama on PTV Home on Saturday. The play is about insurgency in Balochistan. Zeba Bakhtyar, Abid Ali, Irum Akhtar, Hannan Sameed , Syed Mukhtar are in lead roles. The play is directed by Abid Ali and produced by Gold Bridge Media.
Here is the OST of this drama in the voice of Sahir Ali Bagga who is also the composer.
Chalain jee shuker hai, finally the drama is picking up the pace & the episodes are coming across as a lot better than the previous ones. Even though, I still have an issue with how things are unfolding between Jamshed & Michelle, rest of the tracks are doing just fine.
It really surprised me that it only took a few days for Michelle to come out of her shell that she was used to for so many years. It only took a few sweet-talks from Jamshed & Michelle forgot all about those boundaries that she set around her? I have no issues with their relationship & even their age difference doesn’t matter but what matters is the missing depth from her story. I think it would’ve been a lot better if they had shown what her ex-husband did to make her so bitter & what she faced all these years that made her so isolative? If they had shown some sort of transformation in her emotions like what allowed the flamboyant stranger to sweep her off her feet; I think that would’ve made a lot more sense. One day they weren’t talking & the next day; they’re holding hands & strolling in a romantic park; all this makes it look like the scenarios have been flipped & there was neither any flow in the scenes nor any growth in her feelings, in fact there weren’t any feelings to begin with & they’ve been forced point-blank to fall for each other & have no other option.
I didn’t see the necessity of Nadir’s call to Jamshed as well. Why was he acting like he was guilty or something because Nadir & Asma took that decision without worrying about Jamshed for a second, so they should just stick to it now. Why did Nadir feel that he owed some sort of an explanation to Jamshed, whereas he on his own was pretty sure that Jamshed wasn’t his friend anymore? Jamshed’s blunt & honest reply to Nadir for the first time revealed that he has been hurt a lot more than he expresses & maybe that’s why he has stopped thinking from his heart & has now adopted practicality in life.
Another shock that I got in this episode was the way Cathy behaved after she saw Bhatti & Salma sharing a conversation over a cup of coffee. Why is it that all of a sudden Cathy’s acting like an over-possessive ‘wife’ because otherwise, she has been very practical. has always been indifferent to her husband & it’s more like she has pretty much grown out of this relationship. Once again, they never showed what Bhatti did to tick her off. They never really showed Bhatti & Cathy spending a good time together or having a normal relation like any other married couple, which is why Cathy’s reaction didn’t really seem justified. Cathy’s on a trip of her own where now she has started to dread that if Bhatti gets the citizenship, he will walk out on her. Does this mean that she never really bothered to care about him just because he was an illegal resident & she knew he had no escape & now that when there’s a chance that he might become an American national, suddenly she has started to have some sort of a realization that she needs to work on her marriage? I don’t think there was a need of showing Cathy as so shallow that her husband’s immigration status affected the way she treated him.
Finally, Salma managed to salvage herself from further loss & this way, she saved our eye-brows from rising too. Just in the nick of time, she overheard what Sikandar was saying to Kashif & understood where he was getting with the whole ‘zewar check karwa lo’ act. For a change, it was good to see her standing up against Sikandar because it’s about time he reaps what he sowed & more than that, it’s about time that Salma realizes how she’s being played upon. Sikandar is despicable, there’s no questioning in that but the way Tai Jee shows her deep concern for both Sikandar & Kashif, knowing their dirty moves is also detestable. Sorry to say but Tai Jee is just a hypocrite who doesn’t leave an opportunity to belittle Salma & Imaan but has always been overprotective of her son despite knowing how he always falls short on morality. Yes, there was a moment where Salma once again tried to convince herself in denial that she might be misunderstanding Sikandar but thankfully, Aliya saved the day.
Just when we thought that their paths might never cross, I see something of that sort happening in the next episode where Sikandar & Kashif will try to rob Bhatti & then I feel somehow Salma will get involved too. Seems like the drama has hit the right track & pace, so hanging in there to watch what happens next. Share your thoughts as well.
Directed by Anjum Shahzad, written by Samina Ijaz, produced by Big Bang (best known for creativity, recent venture: Koi Nahe Apna) and starring Fahad Mustafa, Hareem Farooq and Maha Warsi, ARY’s ‘fakhria paishkush’ involves lots of twirling- the ladies twirl around in delight to show off their dresses and the guy twirls around his donon biwian with a self-congratulatory smile to tell the world,’Dekho, mein nay do shadian kar kay kia teer mara hai’. If you have seen the promos and the OST, you definitely know what I’m talking about. I am sure had they put in half as much effort, time and money in the script of the play as they put into the good-for-nothing lehengas, mathapattian and chooriyan of the begmaat, something more constructive would’ve surfaced. Our writers are obsessed with the idea of ‘dusri shadi’ and entertainment channels have been churning out one play after another based on this done-to-death topic. ‘Dusri Biwi’ is no different and this time around too, the story is baseless: Only God knows what’s gotten into the bewafa shauhar who was leading a picture-perfect marital life but then he woke up with this sudden whim to become involved in someone else and cheat on his pehli biwi. I mean I had anticipated how stupid the twists and turns would be but this one, in particular, left me bewildered. Well, one doesn’t have to be a genius to guess the story. The name says it all!
Alright, so there you have it: a tooooo good to be true, typical wife, oh sorry, pehli biwi, Aisha (Hareem Farooq) who is pretty, docile, submissive, khidmatguzaar and totally depends on her husband, Hassan for everything, like, the gal can’t shop for herself because her husband does that for her. Ha! Then what completes the family frame is their daughter, Saman. Perfect family, no?
Aandd the award for ‘The Most Complicated + Confused +Poorly developed Character’ goes to Hassan (Fahad Mustafa). On one hand, he loves Aisha to death, he sings her to sleep (seriously!) and performs household chores for her but the next instant, the entry of a female colleague, Farah, changes everything. Maha Warsi receives the ‘honour’ of playing the titular character of the play: *drumrolls* Dusri Biwi! Farah works at Hassan’s office and is engaged to an immature and demanding guy, Amir. Farah isn’t very fond of him as he is short-tempered and overly-possessive. Hassan develops a liking for Farah and continually peeks his nose into her personal matters. Eventually, both Farah and Hassan fall in love with each other. And at this stage of the story, Farah has confessed her love for Hassan and is breaking off her engagement. The only question I can put forth is: is Karachi devoid of all eligible bachelors that young girls are obsessing over married men? I know this is definitely not the case in actual life but I wonder why this trend is strengthening its grip in our plays.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what Dusri Biwi is all about! Masterpiece, right? And to match this masterpiece, they decided to choose its shayaan-e-shaan OST (which is perhaps the only area where ARY is excelling these days; recent examples include Dil Nahe Manta, another epic comedy). Ahmed Jahanzaib has offered his vocals and the song is filmy and its video has too much-twirling going on! Also, the lighting is pathetic. I mean, Hassan and Aisha’s house is literally screaming out aloud: Why so gloomy?!
I seriously don’t know what the hype was all about. Hareem Farooq looks stunning and the make-up artist has done justice to her attractive face (no choona pheww) but her acting doesn’t really strike a chord. According to some sources, with this play, Fahad Mustafa puts an end to his silver-screen career. I really wish he had been more sensible in making this choice, considering this was his LAST play. I am actually glad he is taking a break because his expressions are monotonous than ever.
Did you watch Dusri Biwi? I would love to know what you guys think of it. And oh yes, (see below)
“Jahan dalil khatam hoti hai wahan se mohabbat shru hoti hai us ki.” The highlight of this episode for me was Maqsood’s concern for Khalil and Shano and the way he put Khalil’s feelings for Shano into words. Khalil-ur-Rehman nailed it yet again with those beautiful and to the point dialogues. Maqsood’s character is one of those very few supporting characters that truly leave their mark. He is positive, wise but definitely not holier-than-thou. His practical approach coupled with his relationship with Khalil makes him a very important and likeable character in the play. Khalil and Shano think that they can live their lives loving each other without getting married but Mansoor knows that Shano’s parents will definitely get her married at some point therefore the only solution is a court marriage. Abdur Rehman’s reaction came as a pleasant surprise as well, he is a good natured man but he is anything but a coward. Khalil may not be his son but he loves him like his own. The difference in the approach of Shano’s parents and in the way Khalil’s parents look at things is worlds apart. On the one hand Shano’s mother is bent on using her daughter to take revenge from her sister and ex-fiancé, she does not think that her daughter’s feeling even count in the matter but on the other hand Khalil’s mother wants to see her son happy. It feels good to see a normal family on television who have an ugly past but a very positive present. All the members in Khalil’s family look out for each other’s happiness whereas in Shano’s house it is the children versus the mother mainly because of Shano’s mother intimidating personality. Rasheeda is clearly insecure and she derives pleasure out of controlling people even if these people are her own children.
I absolutely love the faith that Shano has in Khalil ” vo baghaye ga hi nahi…bus mohabbat hai us ki nazar mei khot nahi”…. she has not known Khalil for long but she knows that he will never do anything that will effect her in a negative way. Khalil’s reaction to Bakhtiar’s “proposal” showed that he cannot think of doing something like that. The love that Shano and Khalil have for each other is something that they feel they are entitled to because it is beyond their control. They have a spiritual bond which does not allow them to think with their mind but they think with their hearts only! Shano loved Khalil even before she met him because she always believed that he was her soul-mate.
Khalil’s conversation with the Maulvi sahab was very sweet. The way he paid heed to Maulvi sahab’s advice went to show that Khalil is willing to do anything to have Shano in his life. Khalil’s confession about the frequency with which he prayed was honest and cute. Khalil is not perfect in any way but what makes him perfect for Shano is his love for her. He respects her more than he loves her, that is something that is being repeated in the drama over and over again and I have a feeling that there is a reason why we repeatedly get to hear dialogues and are shown scenes which show just how much Khalil respects Shano.
I felt like there was no need to show Shano singing a whole song but then I must also confess that I really liked the lyrics of the song in particular and it was beautifully shot. The song also points to the pakeeza mohabbat that these two people have for each other. I wonder if the second song which Shano sang for her friend was sung by the same person too because it did not really go with Shano’s personality or her voice. Shano’s conversation with her mother was heart-touching, she obviously wants her mother to be her friend…is that too much to ask for? And although she always smiles when her mother mocks her but it does hurt her.
The preview of the next episode suggested that someone new will enter Shano’s life. Since Shano’s Taya has already refused to marry his son with Shano, this new guy may be the one who will stir things up in Shano and Khalil’s life. Khalil will be visiting Shano again in the next episode, this is the same person who used to say Maqsood was a pakki gaun ki sawari and he would never go there!
Apart from the loveable characters, what I like the most about this play is that Sadqay Tumhare does not bank on thrilling twists and turns to keep the viewers engaged. It is a sweet love story which is being told one chapter at a time. Watching every episode is like reading few pages of a beautifully written novel; it is tranquil yet engaging. I would give full marks to the entire team for giving us something different, sweet and unhurried to watch on Friday nights. A big thank you to whoever is responsible for the casting for breaking the stereotypes and experimenting with the cast; our hero is a newcomer but he is a charmer, our heroine could not have been better and the supporting cast is flawless.
Am I the only one who really missed Amin tonight? Do share your thoughts:)
Zidd is replacing Shanakht on Hum Tv. The play will start from 23 Dec 2014 at 8 PM.
Starring Ahsan Khan, Maya Ali, Rabab Hashim, Kunwar Arsalan, Humayun Ashraf, Manzoor Qureshi, Sultana Zafar, Mehmood Akhter, Huma Nawab, Nousheen Shah, Angileen Malik, Ismat Zaidi and others, the play is written by Bee Gull, directed by Adnan Wai Qureshi and produced by Momina Duraid/Mehroz Karim.
Darbadar Tere Liye is a new play to be aired on every Monday to Wednesday on Hum TV from 22 December 2014. The play is directed by Atif Hussain, while Babar Khan, Fatima Affendi, Sohail Asghar and Shaggufta Ejaz are lead stars. The play is written by Samina Nazeer.
Pakistan television dramas have always tried to touch upon tabooed topics in order to raise awareness about these issues and also to make people feel for the victims. Dramas like Roag, Mora Piya, Mere Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley and many others dealt with the very sensitive topic of “rape”. The central idea of all these dramas was to show how the victim’s family and the victim suffers after such a tragedy. The perpetrator of the crime disappears into thin air but he leaves the victim and her family wounded forever without any hope. These dramas also showed the way people react when they hear that someone has been raped, mostly people are anything but supportive even if they are close relatives.
Chup Raho is a recent drama which is being aired on ARY Digital. The drama has been written by Samira Fazal, directed by Yasir Nawaz and produced by Six Sigma Plus. The drama tells the story of a girl Rameen who is raped by her brother in law Numair. The girl is asked to stay quiet by her mother but things keep on getting from bad to worse until there comes a time when she finds herself living in the same house with the man who raped her. Unlike all the other dramas that showed such a situation Chup Raho unfortunately lays more stress on the fantasies of the rapist instead of telling the story of the victim.
There is excessive physical contact between the actors in all the episodes and the spotlight is on the victim being abused by different people over and over again. This abuse is shown as an everyday occurrence because the highlight of the play is showing the victim being abused in all ways possible. The integrity of women in this play has completely been relegated to the background. The women in this drama have been reduced to objects who are being used to sensationalize abuse. It isn’t only Numair who manhandles Rameen every chance he gets but even her husband physically and verbally abuses her. This is not the first time that the producers, writers and the director has relied on a woman’s helplessness and tears to get TRPs, it is apparently a formula that has been a huge success and is therefore followed by many but the difference is that this time it isn’t a saas/bahu or husband/wife situation but this time the situation is much more sensitive but it is not being dealt with responsibly.
I would like to ask the producers what they had in mind while accepting this script. Were they trying to make money by showing people how a rapist thinks and how he can fool everyone? Giving an insight into the mind of the rapist helped building Numair’s character but showing the same thing over and over again merely depicts the obsession of the writer and director both with abuse and negativity. Is there any good coming out of this drama at all? A drama dealing with such a sensitive topic should be something more than merely a piece of entertainment….people do not watch rape stories even if they are dramatized to get entertained. Everyone who is watching the show expected more from it, the viewers thought that it would probably send a strong message of some sort but until now that has not been the case. Was it really necessary to show all the abuse in detail in order to make the viewers feel for the victim? In my opinion absolutely not! Scenes like the ones in the screen shots below are “promoted” on the facebook page of the drama in order to “entice” the viewers into watching it!
Chup Raho is sadly a desperate attempt to make the viewers feel for the victim by putting her in the most horrifying situations for the past 14 episodes now but it does not have a strong plot or a convincing storyline. The director unfortunately did not shoot this drama with the right mindset, it is quite obvious that he relied on cheap thrills in order to get the attention of the viewers. Everyone knows that a false rumor of Sajjal Ali and Feroze Khan’s affair was intentionally spread on the social media in order to give the drama some much needed publicity, this is also something that points to what the makers of the dramas were aiming at! The approach with which this drama has been made is wrong on so many levels!
Do you think Chup Raho is a wasted opportunity? Do you think that this drama might be setting a wrong precedent? Kya hamein bhi chup rehna chahyeh or should we speak up? Do share your thoughts.
The brutal killings of children and their teachers have not only shocked and disturbed people in Pakistan but people all around the world are condemning this gruesome act. Indian celebrities expressed their grief over Peshawar killings by tweeting their views on the tragic incident.
Here are the tweets of Indian celebrities which show how they felt about this tragedy:
I was hoping that tonight’s episode of Chup Raho will not air due to the very tragic, sad and upsetting incident in Peshwar but it did so here I am reviewing it. I was very distracted while watching this episode because my heart and mind were with the families of the victims and I have still not been able to come into terms with the fact that something so horrific has happened! I request all our readers to say a prayer for all those innocent lives which were lost today and a special prayer for the loved ones of the Shuhda.
Tonight’s episode of Chup Raho was extremely disturbing like always. How much more abuse are we going to witness in this drama? And why do the women in this play act so casually when they are subjected to abuse? Rameen’s feelings about Azar and how she felt about what he did was definitely not realistic at all. How can you continue caring about a man who has no faith in you, who claims to love you but beats you up (literally) every other day? The way Manal and Numair reacted to what Azar did to Manal was outrageous! They dealt with it so casually. Not serving breakfast to Azar wasn’t exactly the best way to deal with the situation. I found the reaction simply unbelievable. And as if that was not enough Manal dragging Rameen to her paralyzed mother’s bedside to tell her Rameen’s “karnamas” was just plain stupid!
I have been unable to understand why Azar continues lving in Numair’s house and why couldn’t Rameen stay with her mother in the hospital? Everyone in Manal’s house hates Rameen yet they do not want her to leave their house. They want to make her pay for what she did and they want to see her confessing that she was lying. Talk about dragging the story to a point where it makes absolutely no sense. One minute the characters want to kill each other and the other minute they are having a normal conversation! Manal went to do Rameen’s marham paatti and ended up dragging her to the hospital and what not and minutes later Rameen was asking her sister if she was okay and if she wanted her to check her BP! I am sorry but tonight’s episode was a filler episode which made very little sense. Rameen and Manal’s mother is finally dead so that ought to be a good news for many viewers out there! Is this latest development going to change anything? I am sure it won’t. Rameen has absolutely no reason to live with Manal, if she continues to live with her and get tortured it would be the continuation of the unconvincing turn of events that we have been watching till now.
Numair keeps on saying things to Manal which she should be questioning but we never see her giving it a second thought even. Tonight he told her that Rameen was better than her and all she said was kya matlab hai aap ka! I think we are all fed up of watching Rameen get abused a little more with every passing episode. We all get the message loud and clear – Rameen is the most unlucky and halaat ki sataye hui lrki, can we please move on to the stage where we see things changing for Rameen and for people around her?
AWWWWW! So with this episode, the journey of Shanakht has come to an end. I can’t praise this drama & the effort of the whole team enough for giving us such beautiful characters & an equally beautiful play that’s going to stay with us for a long long time. I must say, this drama was a complete package & the note at which it ended didn’t really leave a space for anything else & for me it was perfection personified. :)
The issues of Faryaal & Hashim’s marital life took a bad turn & when they were about to fall apart, people around them made an effort to bring them back together. I actually laughed when I heard Shireen saying she has compromised a lot on her own because that was nothing but a lie. I am glad that Ahmad took the situation in his own hands & tried to knock some sense into the Ma-Beta duo who were hell bent on ruining the peace in their home. Shireen actually needed a reality check because like Ahmad rightly said, she was equally blameworthy for instigating the havoc that overtook Faryaal & Hashim’s lives. Both Shireen & Hashim were responsible for the way Faryaal was behaving because she was justified in doing that as all she had to do was see herself getting compared to Annie for no good reason. I am sure if it wasn’t for Ahmad, Shireen would’ve left no stone unturned to part her son & daughter-in-law. Ahmad’s intervention couldn’t have come at a better time because he saw how constant comparison, nagging & taunting took a toll on Faryaal which also affected Annie in some way.
Faryaal felt she needed to speak to Rohaan because she thought she knew what was going on between Hashim & Annie but I loved that conversation where Rohaan clearly told her how much he trusted Annie. Another beautiful aspect that was covered in this play & was emphasized on enough through their relation was that the element of trust is the most important factor for having a successful martial life. Rohaan knew where Faryaal was going with her allegations & he stopped her at that very moment because he knew both Faryaal & Hashim were facing problems but that didn’t mean Annie should face the brunt for something she wasn’t responsible for.
After days of sulking over what Faryaal said, Annie decided to overcome it with the help of Rohaan & then she decided to deal with the issue because she only wanted to save Faryaal & Hashim’s marriage. I loved the final confrontation between Annie & Hashim where she clearly told him the things he needed to know. I must say once again Hashim proved himself to be such a person who lacks a mind of his own & has no direction in life whatsoever because in the end he ended up getting influenced by Annie as well. I know what Annie said saved their marriage & it was supposed to be that way but seems like Hashim never really used his brains himself & always wanted someone to hold his hand & lead his way. Anyhow, I loved the conversation Annie had with him because it was written perfectly where she really made him realize his mistakes & sided with Faryaal because all this while, she was never at fault. So, with this, the mess of Hashim’s life got sorted & Faryaal was spared from the further misery & I think no other end would’ve suited this drama better.
In the end, I just want to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to the writer/director Amna Nawaz Khan for giving us Shanakht; a beautiful play that we all were waiting for. For me, Shanakht wasn’t just a story of few pious characters but it was more like a journey about how they attained the inner peace & how one such decision changed the course of not only their lives but the lives of people related to them too. Shanakht emphasized on the fact that how people should lead their lives in accordance with the teachings of Islam because when you experience an inner awakening & try to understand what your religion says, it only has a positive impact on your life & then gives you an edge to lead an exemplary, influential & inspirational life. I am so glad that the focus of this drama wasn’t only confined to the dressing or a headscarf & a beard but it had a very strong message within, which has been relayed loud & clear. A big shout out to the whole creative team of the drama as well & last but not the least, a standing ovation for Maya Ali, Fahad Mirza, Noor Hassan & Kanza Wayne for playing their roles to perfection, especially Maya & Fahad for beautifully breathing life into the characters of Qurat ul Ain & Rohaan because they’re unforgettable & will remain with us for a long long time. I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing this play because I actually fell in love with it the moment I started watching it & it has been a beautiful journey for sure. Thanks a lot to the regular readers & supporters for appreciating my reviews on Shanakht too. :) Share your thoughts & say with me about this episode of Shanakht please & let me know how much you enjoyed watching this drama. :)
Mahira Khan’s recent visit to India was a huge success. She was interviewed by all the leading newspapers and she was invited to all the important talk shows. Mahira Khan said that she will only work in an Indian movie if it was a good one. The news circulating the web is that Mahira Khan will start her Bollywood debut by starring opposite Shahrukh Khan in his upcoming film “Raees”.
According to the sources, “She plays SRK’s wife in the film. He’s a gangster based in Gujarat while Nawazuddin Siddiqui is the cop who traps him in Mumbai. It’s a complex role and both the film’s director Rahul Dholakia and producers, Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, believe she is perfect for the part.”
The makers of the film wanted to cast a new face for the film and Mahira Khan they thought would be the perfect choice for it. The news is that the film will be released in February 2015. The news has been confirmed by Ritesh Sidhwani.
The Bridal Couture Week is full of variety and creativity. These pictures show that the creative team behind this BCW put in a great deal of effort to make it an experience which everyone will remember for a long time. All the top models both male and female, all the top designers and even celebrities who have never been seen modelling made an appearance in this star studded event. Many new designers also showcased their beautiful designs in the BCW.
I am not certain where to start from because a great deal happened in tonight’s episode but I am not sure if it is such a brilliant idea to open this Pandora’s box after 14 episodes! I am finding it very hard to relate to the new characters, I am not even sure if I care enough to know anything about their past or future at all because in the past 14 episodes we saw completely different faces in the drama. All the old faces have very nominal roles to play now. The viewers are left with no choice but to watch this drama with a completely different frame of mind – how many people out there are so “adaptable”?
So many episodes were wasted in convincing the viewers that Imroze was seriously sick, we were shown all the symptoms and doctor’s visit along with Imroze’s monologues for the longest time and now we find out that Imroze isn’t even dying! I must confess that all through tonight’s episode I tried very hard to make sense of things but everything was just too mind boggling.
Imroze left Paymaan to marry his ex-wife and cousin because his Khala who also raised him asked him to look after her daughter after her death. He felt like Paymaan did not love him probably because his first wife left him for someone else therefore he left Paymaan so that she could marry Roomi. Now that Paymaan is back he is convinced that she loves him therefore he wants her back in his life. I found it very strange that someone like Imroze who is anything but honest or straightforward decided to come clean about everything.
Hareem is just as twisted as Imroze, they are definitely a match made in heaven! Hareem comes across as someone who is manipulative and self-centered. The way she shouted at her dying mother and the manner in which she kept on blaming Imroze and her ex-husband for all her problems went to show that she is not the sort of person who would take responsibility for her actions. Hareem’s character and Imroze and Hareem’s background story explains a lot about Imroze’s character but complicating matters so much at a time when the drama should actually be wrapping up can’t possibly be a wise idea!
Hamza and Ahmed were given adequate screen time as well but even then I am finding it very hard to warm up to these characters. I missed Haider, Tabbasum and even Roomi while watching tonight’s episode. The events of the past it seems have hardly any relevance to the present and I have a bad feeling that the future is going to be just as bewildering. The script and the direction both have proved to be very disappointing to say the least! The director has completely failed to take the story forward in an intelligent way and the writer should have known better than to introduce so many different tracks and characters at this point.
The preview of the next episode clearly showed that we will have yet another first wife versus the second wife situation coming our way because the women in our dramas love fighting over losers. How can Paymaan possibly go back to Imroze? We were not shown even a day of Paymaan and Imroze’s married life and I have a bad feeling that we won’t even be shown why Paymaan decides to stay back with Imroze when she has the choice to leave him. Firaaq is a big fat mess now, no wonder HUM TV is so eager to wrap it up!
Did this episode give you a headache? Feel free to vent out!
Hamza Ali Abbasi and Mehwish Hayat have not shared screen together before but this time they are seen sizzling the TV screen in the new Tulsi commercial. The advertisement is innovative and visually pleasing. It tells the story of two celebrities who are in love, in the commercial we see both of them making a future together and working together. Tulsi is not relegated to the background, it stays a partner in their journey of love. Mehwish Hayat and Hamza Ali Abbasi sport different looks in the commercial. The advertisement has been shot brilliantly, everything has been well taken care of from the attires to the sets and the concept too. Alamgir Janjua is the man behind this commercial. Sara Raza Hyder and Shuja Haider sang the beautiful song playing in the commercial.
Zindagi Tum Ho is an upcoming play on Hum Tv starting from Friday, 19th December 2014 t 9:10 pm. It stars Shahood Alvi, Arij Fatima, Juggan Kazim, Yasir Mazhar, Shameen Khan, Manzoor Qureshi, Bushra Khan, Sajwa, Nighat Zafar, Jia Shahid and produced by Gold bridge media. The play is directed by Furqan T. Siddiqi and written by Irum Wasi and Saima Wasi.
One of my favorite things about this show is the variety. There are many hits and misses yet I can’t help but appreciate the celebrity guests on the show. HSY brought forth fashion icon Iman Ali and the photographer par excellence- Shehzad Raza. I did a double take when I saw Iman walk in. She bears an uncanny resemblance to Alishba Yusuf. Iman looks gorgeous on screen but she looked very shabby on the show. Removing her shoes and having her legs up on the couch didn’t help either. One of the most surprising revelations was her lack of self-esteem. She thinks of herself as ugly and suffers from bouts of depression. She is anti-social for the most part and fears getting close to people who may see her ugliness! She agreed to the interview because of HSY and took it a little to casually- aaj toh hum shughal laga rahey hain… Iman spoke about her films, her preference to work with Shoaib Mansoor and her hopes for taking up comedy/ action roles in the near future. She has been vocal about women’s issues and shared her own story of living with MS (multiple sclerosis), a debilitating disease but one she’s tackling without medication. She said every illness starts with the mind and once you can program your mind, you are on the road to recovery. She mentioned that she has a small support system which is why she is eager to bounce back with good health and continue working.
Shehzad Raza, known as a king-maker came across as very down-to-earth. He felt there’s no pleasing people but he tries his best to remain politically correct. Shehzad said that it infuriated him to be known as Ather-Shehzad but he eventually became accustomed to it. In recent times, there has been a massive trend of people turning to photography but Shehzad Raza feels the DSLR cameras do not make one a professional- talent nahin agaya, yeh toh technology ka kamaal hai! He added that social media has turned many people into overnight celebrities due to their interactions on the likes of facebook and twitter. Many of them lack talent but have seen a boost in their popularity due to social media. Shehzad has introduced his own master make-up collection with Lucious Cosmetics– a feat he is extremely proud of. Similar to last week, Sheru asked what they had to say to the following:
Ayaan– Shehzad said wapas ajao magar zara patli hokay and Iman added that she needs to change her hairstyle. As a model, it’s a deal-breaker to maintain the same hairstyle for that long.
Imran Khan– Shehzad said that he should curb his enthusiasm and Iman felt the same- thori aqalmandi se kaam liya karein… zara easy hojayein.
Tapu Javeri– Shehzad said that he should do more work and Iman said she doesn’t really know him but she is a fan of the work he has done with Vaneeza and Amna Haq- her inspirations for taking up this line of work.
The contests started with Love or Don’t Love and both of them didn’t shy away from responding on those they didn’t love. Iman was first and she said she didn’t love Shaan as a person since they share a love/ hate relationship but as an actor, she feels no one can match his screen presence. She also named Imtiaz Ali and Nazaw Sharif as people she doesn’t love but didn’t state any reasons for her dislike. Shehzad named Nabila Maqsood, Jahan-e-Khalid, Sahir Lodhi and Shehbaz Sharif as people in the Don’t Love Category but later clarified himself and said Shehbaz Sharif has done wonders for his city and Nabila he doesn’t know on a personal level. Ajnabee Kaun Ho Tum had Faraz Manan calling in for Iman and Natasha calling in for Shehzad. Finally, the last round presented an opportunity for Iman to mimic Meera and she went all out. I don’t care how casual one may be but when you’re invited to a show, there is an expectation to be presentable. I was surprized by Iman’s chilled out attitude- even more when she said she does the same at high-end restaurants! I think these things can easily be edited since these are not live shows and moreover, the guests stick to a script of sorts. What were your thoughts about this episode?
Shayad meri shadi ka khayal dil mein aaya hai, iss hi liye Daddy ne merey tumhey chai pe bulaaya hai… When Omar broke the news to Sr. Hashmi that he has no intentions of going ahead with the wedding, Sr. Hashmi asks to meet with Mohini Mirza. Somehow, even though Omar is fully aware of his Undertaker father, he holds on to the glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, the man has a change of heart. As expected, the meeting was nothing more than to intimidate Mohini into leaving Omar. Sr. Hashmi thinks Omar is simply going through a rebellious phase and once he’s over it, he’ll get back to being the obedient son. Demaagh toh tumhara sahi kaam karta hai, yahan tumhari logic kyun fail hogayi?Do we really use logic before we fall in love? If only we did, we’d save ourselves the pain and heartache that we so often experience at the hands of love. Rahat Hashmi is void of human emotions- he has built a wall around himself. He treats everything as a financial transaction- apki yeh adat hai har cheez paise se khareed ne ki- biwi, bahu… Omar confided in Mohini that when Sr. Hashmi married Hania, she had nothing to offer- maybe she was not of the same financial status but nevertheless, Rahat took her as his wife- was Hania an opportunist? Did she marry Rahat for his money or did she get pressurized into marrying him? Can money ever buy love? Or even happiness? Rahat’s arrogance has made him a cold, bitter man who can’t see beyond the P & L statements. Yeh mera maamla hai, meri commitment hai, meri deal hai, meri business hai, meri future hai…
Having met Sr. Hashmi, Mohini finally understands why Omar was enamoured by her- uskey saath meri zindagi asaan hojati hai. She is determined to be with Omar but what I really admired about her was how she left the final decision to her mother- yeh ikhtiyaar sirf aapkey paas hai.I think when parents empower their children with the right to make their own decision, children respect their parents faith in them and ultimately end up trusting them to make their life choices. Here again, even though Asma knew Rahat Hashmi would never accept Mohini, she encouraged Mohini to go ahead and meet him for herself and then think long and hard. Despite her pain at his cruel words (Tum kyun shaam-e-ghareeba bana rahi ho?), she confided in Asma that she feels she wants to be a part of Omar’s life and Asma is ready to stand by her.
The most powerful scene was the confrontation between Omar and Rahat after meeting Mohini- Tumse mera naam aur yeh rules cheen liye jayein toh peechay sirf ek bewaaqoof insaan bachey ga jiski networth zero hai… mutaalbey aur muzaakaraat jo hain baraabari pe hotey hai… Tum mere baraabar nahin ho!After that jolt of reality, Omar vents out by thrashing his room and once he gathers himself, asks Ali to help him find a place to stay. Ali tries to knock some sense into him- it won’t be as easy as Omar thinks but seeing his determination, Ali offers his Nani’s apartment. I like Ali- he understands Omar but offers practical solutions. Like Sr. Hashmi, Ali also feels that Omar is just going through a phase and once he has had a chance to get over it, he’ll be back home living the life the way his father dictates. Omar announces his decision to leave, but not without rubbing it in Sr. Hashmi’s face- aapka yeh ghuroor bhi mein ek din toronga… Please koi choti harkat nahin ki jiye ga…I think for the very first time, Omar is not afraid to lose anything since he is foregoing the luxuries he grew up with and is finally heading towards a real goal. All those years of being submissive have pushed him towards retaliation and he is looking forward to being in a rule-free environment. Let’s see what the future has in store for Omar- one thing’s for sure- it is not going to be a cakewalk and Sr. Hashmi will only add to his troubles. What do you think?
I so don’t want to sound monotonous but I love the way the story of Digest Writer is unfolding. It’s like they have a clear pattern where they deal with one thing at a time. First it was Fareeda’s professional life that shaped up & when that was taken care of, they moved onto her personal life where things have started falling into perspective too. I give credit to the whole creative team for dramatizing such an amazing script so tastefully & intelligently, which is why this drama is nothing short of a treat to tune into. We’re 11 episodes down & every single episode has had a steady pace with different scenarios every single time, which is perfect because it’s been a long time we’ve seen such a strong script with so much of content in it.
Like we all dreaded, Appa has her sights on Fareeda’s talent with which she is being able to help her father & is contributing a lot in the household expenses. It was the same Pupho who opposed Fareeda’s writing by calling it a shameful display of her imagination but like Fareeda said, money changes everything; circumstances & the people as well & the way Appa’s attitude has changed, she’s a perfect example of it.
I think Fareeda made the right decision by parting ways with Shehryaar as they both are two different people. For the first time, we also got to know that Shehryaar is not only rigid but he wants everything to happen his way, which is why he was getting ticked off when Fareeda straight away ignored his wish of meeting him in person. This guy for sure lives in his own imaginary world & he is one of those who won’t give a benefit of doubt to anyone, which is why after Fareeda distanced herself from him, he kept on pressurizing her in every way possible just so that he can get what he wants.
I liked the fact that Fareeda addressed the main questions that were bothering her. She knows she can never meet Shehryaar’s standards because like she told her friend, she has sort of tried to understand him a bit & after all that, what she deduced was that they both are not compatible. I know Fareeda blames herself & her social standing for all this but I so wish someone could tell her that it’s not Fareeda who should be ashamed of herself; it’s Sheheryar who’s to be blamed because he didn’t allow her to tell him everything about her. He didn’t give her a chance to open up & share the reality of her life with him. I feel for Fareeda a lot more because the guilt she has, has got nothing to do with her but she is unnecessarily holding herself responsible for it.
Oh boy! I must say, I love the way Fareeda dealt with Rida Anmol. Like Shakeela said, times have changed for Fareeda & for good, which is why she knew how she had to tackle Rida Anmol as now she was depending on Fareeda. Their show-down was done brilliantly which really made me proud of Fareeda, haha. I can’t wait to see how Rida Anmol would react when she will get to know that Ayaan Junaid has given Fareeda the break she wanted. I think now when Mahroosh is working in the same drama that Fareeda has written, Mazhar will somehow get associated with her in some way.
I really hated the way Appa tried to make Anwar feel guilty of how he was depending on Fareeda more than needed. I think instead of worrying about what happens in Anwar’s home, she should worry about Najma’s wedding. I really think Fareeda will give in & get married to Shaukat but this will give rise to another set of problems in the duo of ma-beta because Appa would want Fareeda to write like before so that she can bring in some big bucks whereas Shaukat wouldn’t approve of it because as per him, ladies shouldn’t work. I think this episode shed a light on another major issue perfectly which people of this social class face frequently. No one wants a well-educated daughter-in-law because they have certain criterions that the girl should fit & they are only related to the household chores they expect the girl to take care of when she becomes a part of their family. In this case, Appa & Shaukat both have obviously given thumbs up to Fareeda’s mindset & her approach in life but still, she is way out of Shaukat’s league. I hope for her sake he proves to be a good husband & Appa doesn’t bother her much like a typical saas, which I am sure she will but I hope Fareeda continues to take stand for her like she does now.
Thoroughly enjoyed this episode as well & can’t wait to see what happens when Fareeda will finally go to meet Sherhyaar & oh I noticed that they have shown some changes in both Fareeda & Shakeela’s wardrobes & even Zareena & Anwar’s dressing has improved, which is again a very little detail but sheds a light on how well Fareeda is taking care of her family & for these intricate but well-thought details, I give this team a shout out & oh, is it just me or Saba Qamar actually looked really pretty in this episode in particular & especially in the white kurta that she wore in the scene where she was conversing with Shakeela? Share your thoughts on this episode & these minor details as well. :)
Ohkay so, Jamshed is a lot smarter than we give him credit for. Even though he knows his straight forward approach to his & Michelle’s relation has put her in an awkward position, still he has not only confessed his love but isn’t even ashamed of it because only he knows what’s on his mind. Jamshed saw how uncomfortable Michelle was & somehow she wasn’t coping with it well but he still stood by his stance without worrying much about what she must be thinking of him. Michelle got to talk to Rizwan because that’s what she needed but too bad for him, he didn’t know he was stabbing himself by telling her to follow her heart. So, with this, Rizwan is finally going to go out of the picture because Michelle will obviously choose Jamshed over him. I still didn’t get any such vibes that Jamshed was sort of trying to trick Michelle because he seemed pretty well aware of what he was getting into & in that sense, he looked sincere. Somehow, I now get where Michelle is coming from but I can’t say that about Jamshed though. Michelle is tired of being lonely but what made Jamshed fall for Michelle is still a mystery.
Bhatti felt bad that Cathy sort of insulted him in front of the kids but doesn’t he know it’s been a while she has been treating him like that? Cathy is always rude & misbehaves with him in front of his kids, that’s why Isabella doesn’t care much about what he thinks & she seems pretty indifferent to him. As much as Bhatti tries to be like a father figure to them, Isabella doesn’t allow that to happen because she knows even her mother doesn’t take him seriously. Finally, Bhatti stood up for himself & that left Cathy speechless. I think it’s about time he makes some decisions & starts running things in that house, otherwise there’s no point in sulking without taking control.
To be honest, I am tired of Salma’s Sikandar-nama. Sikandar ne nashta banaya, Sikandar ne paani pilaya, Sikandar ne Imaan ko drop kiya, Sikandar badal gaya hai, Sikandar ye, Sikandar wo, Sikandar bla bla bla bla bla bla. I have really started to doubt her intelligence because can’t she see; last time she got an omelette from Sikandar costed her $4000 so now this time around, for a plate of scrambled eggs, a walk in a park & a home-made biryani, she will have to pay a price of good $25,000. I hate to see how Tai & Sikandar are ganging up against her just so that they can snatch away the jewellery she has kept for the sake of Iman’s education, but more that than I hate to see Salma being so naive to an extent of being mentally challenged because she can’t seem to put two & two together even after spending more than a decade with him & that makes her oblivion look very unrealistic.
This episode was still better because the scenes were short & to the point. Salma dodged the bullet by managing to keep Bhatti meeting with Sikandar but seems like Cathy is going to learn the truth about Bhatti’s new found friend Salma pretty soon. Let’s see what happens next. Share your thoughts please.
Like every other episode of Sadqay Tumhare this one too had enough witty dialogues to keep me entertained and I must confess that Shano’s character and the way it has been acted out is one major reason why this drama always scores high on my chart. For me the highlight of this episode had to be all the scenes with Shano in them; in my opinion tonight our heroine totally outshone our hero. Shano’s father’s character is turning out to be quite amusing. The way he asked Rasheeda “lekin Sheeda hum Khalil ko inkaar kyun kur rahe hei?” was hilarious. This man will believe anything his wife tells him which makes him sweet and gullible at the same time.
The conversation between Fayaz’s parents and Shano’s father was very interesting. The funny thing is that Shano’s father did not stop for a second even to think why they were not willing to marry Khalil to Shano! This man was taking a stand all along for something he did not even believe in – that is Shano’s father for you! Fayyaz’s mother’s statement came as a surprise to him because obviously this thought had never crossed his mind before! Rasheeda’s twisted explanation which actually proved that she was getting back at her sister too and her ex-husband (Khalil’s father) by doing what she did was enough to convince him that Rashida never wanted to marry Abdur Rehman! Rasheeda’s desperation to marry Shano off with Fayyaz was evident from the dialogue “muu tu salamat hai na us ka” – I thought that was hilarious. All these people are actually scared of Khalil, they have no idea how they are going to deal with this situation.
While Shano’s parents are simply cluess, Shano and Khalil are anything but that! Shano’s dialogue “mujhe is baat ka ghum nahi ke meri Khalil se shadi nahi ho sakti, bus yeh dua kur mere naam ke saath kisi aur ka naam na lei.” showed that getting married to Khalil is not her ultimate goal but all she wants is to live her life loving him. Shano and Khalil’s love story is one of a kind because these two belong to each other even if they never get to spend the rest of their lives together. They will always find a way to be with each other some way or the other and that is enough for them. But the fact that if Shano does not get married to Khalil she might have to one day get married to someone else is what can make the two do something they probably never thought of doing.
Khalil’s surprise visit to Shano’s house and the way Shano’s parents reacted showed their helplessness! Shano’s father kept on asking Mansoor questions but could not muster up the courage to go upstairs and find out what was going on for the longest time. The “100 bata 100 pe hansi aa jati hai” dialogue was spot on! Fayyaz and Shano’s marriage has been postponed for now because of Fayyaz’s injuries but something tells me that once he is fine he’d want to marry Shano.
In my opinion this episode belonged to Shano and Mahira Khan. I enjoyed every scene because it added something new to the story or gave the viewers an insight into the characters. There were quite a few scenes that were extremely touching.The simple yet witty dialogues make this drama a treat to watch.
Mere paas itni daulat hai ke mein usse uss ki khushyan khareed kar de sakun….Mujhe koi aisa shakhs chahiye jo chupke se meri beti ki zindagi mein bahaar le aye….
The title of this drama, Chupkay Se Bahaar Ajaye, might sound too cheesy and overly romantic, but the way it has been used at certain occasions in this drama, has shown us the meaning behind it. Suddenly, someone, someday, can change your life and bring a bahaar to it. Saira’s life experienced a sudden bahaar when Saqib fell in love with her. This love was true and pure but Saira, being the selfish and greedy girl she is, failed to understand it. Thus, when Saqib lost his huge house and his father’s business (as predicted) she thought he was of no use now. People like her can make everything about themselves.
Shafaq’s mom was pretty adamant about bringing the bahaar to her daughter’s life, but not by waiting for it, buying it. Bas ek derh saal hai meri bachi kepaas…Jo uss se shadi kare ga, usse ek derh saal khush rakhe ga, mein sab kuch uske naam kardun gi… She shared her thoughts with Saira, who was ready to give Saqib to Shafaq for money!! I’ve never hated Saira more. She even started to look around Shafaq’s room and thinking of when she’ll get it!
Poor Saqib had to try for a job but too bad he hadn’t completed his degree. Saira knew that a job , even if Saqib continued it his entire life, would not be equivalent to what Shafaq’s mother was offering her. She finally spilled out everything in front of him. Saqib, as expected, refused first, but he could not deny the request of the love of his life for a long time. I have got to praise how flawless Sajal Ali is. She has nailed Saira’s role.
Saira’s mother’s death was not expected but Saira’s dhitai was. Tum kya samjhe? Mein ammi ke jaane ke baad apna mind change karlungi? Saqib had to shift to Shafaq’s house. Shafaq’s mother made sure that her daughter spent time with Saqib. Not only that, she had a final talk with Saqib and put forward her request to him. I pitied Saqib. He could never even think of leaving Saira but watching her forcefully drive him away from her was a painful experience for him. More painful than the “accident” which landed him in bed for a few weeks.
But finally, he agreed to play this role in Shafaq’s life. The conversation between him and Shafaq’s mother was pretty emotional. Koi beta apni maan ko chorr ke jaata hai kabhi? Saqib is doing this because Saira wants him to and because he feels sorry for Shafaq’s mother, not because he wants the money . Except Saqib, no one is at loss here (for now). I think, after tonight’s scenes of Shafaq and Saqib that these two will fall in love with each other. I liked how he told her that she under estimates herself . Tum bht achi ho, khoobsurat ho….. Apke andar ki, dil ki khoobsurti chehre par nazar ati hai.
The “get together” scene was nicely done. Saira, in her manipulative tone, told Shafaq that she has broken up with Saqib because he is poor now. Sari zindagi rotian paka nahi sakti! How she told Saqib to WAIT for Shafaq’s death was beyond me!! Dekhna issi tarah yeh hanste hanste dunya se chali jaye gi… Saqib, dude, save yourself right now, warna buhat der hojaye gi!!!
The story of CSBA is not exactly new. I have seen it before but I must say that the execution is amazing. The direction, production value, wardrobe, styling, everything is top-notch. It is not the kind of drama that you would desperately wait for, but when you’ll sit down to watch, it will be worthwhile. Reason? The pace. A lot happens in each episode. I did notice some dragged scenes but they were very few in number.
P.S: Guys, I have been busy with my papers and that’s why the reviews of CSBA and AP are late. Hope you guys understand.
