This Eid, Hina Dipazir is coming with a telefilm Pakeeza Coaching center on ARY Digital. This teleplay also features, Jahanzeb Khan, Minal Khan, Salma Hassan, Rashid Farooqi, Muneeb Butt.Like most of Hina’s dramas, it is also written by Fasih Baari Khan and directed by S. Mazhar Moin.
Both Fasih and Mazhar are known for their signature drama mostly focused on lower middle class section of society mainly from the city of Karachi. In past they have made many Eid special plays like Dulha Bhayee, Lady Boxer on Hum TV and Karakti Bijliyan on Geo TV. Apart from Fasih and Mazhar, the third commonality in all these teleplays is presence of Hina Dilpazir in some prominent role.
So, the very first season of MasterChef Pakistan is about to end. This was the Semi Final & with this we got our first three finalists. As much as I liked the theme of the challenge, I am unhappy about the results.
The challenge that the contestants got was to create their signature dishes, that they have imagined serving in their dream restaurants. They got the time span of 2 hours & by the end of it they had to make sure it was of restaurant quality, they had to do the costing & pricing keeping every component in mind & also they had to name the dish too. The winning dish of the challenge would not only have earned a spot in the finale but also was promised to be included in the menu of Movenpick Restaurant.
I believe it was more like an invention test but then again the contestants were free to do whatever they wanted to create a dish that they liked. I wish the challenge was a bit more dynamic where they had asked them to come up with something totally different that the judges themselves had not tried before, because then I am sure by doing that everyone would’ve been pushed harder to come out of their comfort zones in order to win a spot in the finale. The dishes that surfaced were good no doubt but I am not too sure about the decision. The dishes that the contestants presented & the comments that they got were:
Rayyan came up with ‘Sam Pla’(Smoked, Steamed & Seared Fish). He chose Thai language to name his dish where Sam means 3 & Pla means fish, referring to his three ways cooked fish. The cost price that Rayyan put up was Rs. 312 & the selling price that he decided was Rs. 1092. Chef Mehboob liked the smoked fish along with the veggies but he felt that the tofu should’ve been seasoned because it had no flavour whatsoever. Chef Khurram liked the usage of lemongrass because he felt it gave a very nice flavour to the dish however, he felt that only the crust of the fish had that flavour & no taste was instilled inside the fish. He felt that just because Rayyan had kept the portion size a bit too considerable, the costing & the selling price got affected. According to him, this dish shouldn’t have costed more than Rs. 900. Chef Khurram also complained that there was too much going on that plate & the serving was too big for a single plate. Chef Zakir felt that all three fish fillets were overcooked. He liked the bean sprouts but he felt that just because rice & fish were dry, they should’ve been complimented with some sort of a sauce to balance it out.
Gulnaz presented ‘Kalli, Scherachapik & Suleimani Chai’. The cost that Gulnaz calculated was Rs. 330 & the selling price that she chose was Rs. 850. Chef Mehboob appreciated the fact that she chose the local dishes to present this time. He liked the traditional pasta that Gulnaz made & felt that the minced meat used in kalli had a very nice flavour; however he felt that scherachapik could’ve been better. Chef Khurram didn’t like the presentation & he felt that the tea was necessary to be served with this dish because it was too rich in flavour but he also commended that the flavours were instilled in every component of the dish. He felt that the bread in scherachapik was good & so was the filling but he felt that it lacked seasoning. He agreed with the selling price but felt that she should’ve cut down on the cost price a bit. Chef Zakir felt that kalli had such nice flavour that makes you want to eat it more. He also commended her for making pasta the traditional way & appreciated that effort a lot.
Amna came up with ‘Road House Steak Special’. The cost price of this dish was Rs. 300 & selling price was Rs. 799. Chef Mehboob liked the sauce a lot but he felt that the chicken was overcooked & was a bit dry. He also felt that sweet corns weren’t cooked properly therefore they weren’t tender. Chef Khurram felt that the dish on the whole was too creamy as every component of the dish like mash potato, mushroom filling, mushroom coating had cream. Chef Zakir liked the flavours of chicken steak but he felt that the core of chicken had no flavour at all.
Madiha presented ‘Special Smoked Chops w/ Creamy Dip’. The cost price was Rs. 352 & the selling price was Rs. 985. Chef Mehboob felt that the basket that she made should’ve been a bit thin. He liked the flavours of mutton chops a lot & also felt that the veggies had a very good flavour. Chef Khurram felt that she should’ve rearranged the plating but the taste was good & the chops were tender. He also felt that she miscalculated the prices & going by the serving this dish should’ve had a selling price of Rs. 800. Chef Zakir liked the level at which the mutton chops were cooked & he liked the colour as well.
Ammarah named her dish ‘Grilled Chicken & Prawns w/ Unique Mushroom Sauce’ which was later changed by Chef Zakir & renamed as ‘Casablanca Grilled Chicken’. Cost price was Rs. 400 & the selling price was Rs. 999. Chef Mehboob liked every single component of the dish, he felt that everything had a unique flavour from prawns to chicken to the mushroom sauce & the chicken was cooked to perfection. Chef Khurram loved the presentation but felt that the costing & selling price wasn’t right. Chef Zakir felt that the chicken was flawless & every component on that plate was perfect.
It was now time for the results. Everyone got well-deserved comments & I feel that the judges this time around didn’t change any of their comments; they stated the same thing in the final verdict that they discussed at the tasting table. It was pretty evident that Ammarah’s dish stood out the most & yes, she was declared as a winner of the semi-final round & also got a reward of having her dish featured in the Movenpick Restaurant’s menu. The second contestant that became a finalist was Gulnaz. Third & the last finalist was Madiha, leaving Rayyan & Amna behind & eliminated.
As much as I am happy for Ammarah & Madiha I am extremely sad at Rayyan’s elimination. I think it was a poor decision taken by the judges. All this while, in almost every single elimination round, we’ve seen the judges saving those contestants who may not have performed well in the current challenge but were saved because of their previous track record, so why that couldn’t happen for Rayyan? I mean Rayyan has been the only contestant who has showcased some amazing techniques but sadly he was eliminated because definitely the judges had a personal vendetta against him. Chef Zakir may have tried to justify his behaviour with Rayyan labeling it as ‘pyaar’ but sorry he fell short on that justification. As far as I know, the contestants were asked to create ONE dish but Gulnaz came up with 2 dishes & none of the judges raised an objection on it. Though the Riwaitee Pasta (Pasta being a riwayat of MasterPasta Pakistan) may have earned her a spot in the competition but then is creating local food & playing it safe is what the show’s all about? I wish Rayyan had a better sob story so then he might’ve earned himself a spot in the finale. I think Chef Zakir didn’t even have good things to say about him while bidding him a goodbye even where he felt the need of revising the name he gave to him.
I think the contestants may have gotten a good treatment behind the camera where they got to stay at Movenpick Hotel & worked under a professional environment, observation of a huge team & crew but that doesn’t mean the judges can literally sideline you or speak openly against you by calling you names. Even the ladies were shocked at Rayyan’s elimination because deep down they also knew that he deserved to be a finalist as he has been a very good contender. Really disappointed at the result of this round & brace yourselves as Gulnaz might be the winner, she has been awarded with advantages before where once she stuffed up every single component on her dish but was saved, so this time around I am sure the smoke of her local food will cloud the judgement of the judges once again. Share your thoughts on this.
The story has moved forward with a rapid pace in these eight episodes, I can’t help but wonder how many more surprises Sarmad Sehbai has in store for us. Naimat Khan managed to get Dilawar Khan’s attention and stirred things up just like he planned. Dilawar is desperate to get his hands on Naimat Khan and he will leave no stone unturned to find out who his step brother is. Dilawar Khan gives Laila the responsibility of finding out about his brother which obviously puts her in a very tough spot. Naina and Laila’s meeting was another interesting development in tonight’s episode. Sadia Khan however totally ruined that scene for me. Until now I had always felt that she was pretty average but tonight her acting left me utterly disappointed maybe because Sabreen Hisbani is a much more powerful actress and also because Sadia Khan’s dialogue delivery and body language was very unimpressive to say the least. Laila is the only one who truly knows Dilawar and she certainly does not have a very high opinion of him. The reason she has no attachment with this man she has known for such a long time is that she is only with him because he provides for her. It does not matter to her whether he gets engaged or married as long her bills are being paid.
While finding out the details about Naimat Khan Dilawar discovers that finding him is not going to be an easy job. Laila’s character is turning out to be the most mysterious one at the moment. When Daniyal questions Laila about the girl in the picture she gives a very unsatisfactory answer and changes the topic. Daniyal also thinks that Laila is hiding something about her past, when he asks her about her family the answers she gives are confusing. Does Laila have a soft spot for Daniyal or is she related to him in some way? She must have a good reason for putting her life in danger for Daniyal.
Naina keeps on telling her parents that she is against her marriage with Dilawar but she does not have a say in the matter. I am glad that she did not reveal Daniyal’s secret because that would have seemed completely out of place. Naina and Daniyal’s love story is moving forward gradually, I am waiting for the time when both of them will finally meet. Mikaal Zulfiqar is brilliant as Daniyal. There isn’t a single scene in which he does not deliver. I feel for Daniyal’s parents and am wondering if this recent incident will make him value his parents more than he already does. I kept on wondering if Daniyal is not scared of telling Dilawar who he is why doesn’t he go ahead and do just that? It could be because he wants to find out who his mother is first.
Apart from the mysterious element of the play, the best thing about it is that the secrets unravel fast. All the characters and tracks get adequate screen time but I have to say that there are times when you feel rushed – not that I mind that as long the pace of the show doesn’t slow down in the upcoming episodes! The preview of the next episode showed Dilawar showing Hina’s pictures to Laila and asking her if she knew her. Hina must be Daniyal’s mother and Laila probably knows about it already. Laila gives Daniyal a call to tell him that she has found his mother – will it be a trap? because it is quite apparent that Laila has a lot at stake. Do you think Laila and Daniyal are related?
Ramazan is a month full of Allah’s blessings and is aimed at making us pious and closer to Allah and to feel for its people.Every year,private channels including the news channels run special Ramazan transmissions wherein the importance of the month,Quranic injunctions,Hadith and Islamic ways of life are discussed and promoted.Roza kushai of children fasting for the first in their lives is performed on live tv encouraging other children and those who do not fast to fast.Naats and hamads are also played.Thus an overall atmosphere of piety and religious fervour is created.
But it lasts only till Chand Raat.Come Chand Raat and TV Channels start playing Chand Raat Musical Shows,Musical Concerts,Senseless Stand Up Comedians doing even more senseless shows and what not.
The three or now the five days of Eid (as some channels celebrate)are no less different either.There are dramas which feature full Bollywood Songs and full on dances.The theme of every play is romance and wedding,romance and engagement,every trick of the trade is played to get the love of your life including telling lies,tricking parents,getting ready to woo guys,every one even elderly people wanting to get hooked and what not.
Names such as Mehboob Movie Wala,Salma ko mil gaya balma,O Meri Billi,Dil Walay Bachiyan Le Jayain Ge,Balma Anari,Shahruk ki churiyan,Saray Ghat ki Farzana,Karakti Bijliyan would surely give you an idea of the kind of dramas these would be.
On top of these romance-dripping dramas where sole purpose of the lives of characters is to get engaged/married,there are cheap romances full of vulgar dialogues such as ‘kiya maal hai’, ‘tu ja ussay phansa’ and ‘brand new print mein release ho rahee ho’ and I have quoted very mild dialogues here
Now I am not against good entertainment or light hearted plays but such obsession with songs and dances,romances and vulgar and crude dialogues is not only distasteful and makes these dramas unsuitable to watch with family,they present another paradox.Was Ramazan then only a business opportunity which TV Channels took full advantage of by showing Ramazan special shows full of religious information and emphasizing on getting closer to Allah? Was the piety and religious environment created through these shows throughout the month fake and put on just for the sake of ratings and ad revenue?
And if such dramas full of romances and songs and dances are the demand of the audiences on Eid,who watches the special Ramazan transmissions and how do the ratings of these shows come? Anyone?
Lux Soap launches its advertisements with new ideas every year. These advertisements are shot in India and Pakistan both. Famous celebrities like Babra Sharif, Reema Khan, Mehwish Hayat, Amina Sheikh, Katrina Kaif and many others have been part of Lux’s publicity campaign. There was a time when Lux advertisements only had female models but lately there is a male model in these advertisements too.
There are pictures circulating on the web in which the brand is asking people to guess who the next Lux girl will be sharing the screen with. It is very easy to guess that it is going to be Fawad Khan. Now the question is that will he be sharing the screen with a Pakistani model or an Indian model.
They have also put up this clip on their site as a hint!
Two plays directed by Haissam Hussain have gone on air in India so far. Aunn Zara got an outstanding response by the public and the celebrities there. Times of India interviewed Haissam Hussain and in this interview he said many good things about his country and the work that is being done here. Here is the interview:
Q. In the late 1980s Indian audiences laid their hand on Pakistani TV shows – Dhoop Kinare, Tanhaiyaan and the play Bakra Qishton Pe and to watch them, people used to queue outside video libraries. Sometimes they had to wait for weeks to get hold of a copy. Now about three decades later, when Zee started its new channel Zindagi to showcase Pakistani TV shows, Indian audience have found instant connect with all the shows. What are your views on the initiative taken by Zee? did you expect this kind of response to your show “Aunn Zara”?
A. knew people who enjoy the dynamics of marriage between a modern, strong young woman and pampered young man would enjoy this. Marriage is a big topic in our part of the world, however often we stereotype it. Different families have different attitudes and reactions towards it. Love grows in funny ways and comes from all directions. I knew the people in India face and come from the same story base as us as far as family and marriage is concerned. They are as obsessed with it and it is a dynamic and changing force in both our societies.
Q. The shows not only entertain, they also give a new perspective about the culture and people in Pakistan. Is Aunn Zara close to reality? Does it reflect the evolving culture and the people in the country?
A. Pakistan is full of all kinds of people; it’s full of strong women and highly vocal women. It often gets stereotypes in foreign media. This show isn’t even an iota of all the wonderful changes Pakistan’s society has been evolving and seeing over the many years in all spheres of life. Hand in hand with our tragedies and difficulties has always the part of us that is growing, changing, and pushing the boundaries. And we always like to have a good laugh, the good thing is we have the strength to laugh at ourselves first. Yes of course Aunn Zara is a depiction of what could be a real life situation in Pakistan.
Q. The show has received great response in India. What was the response to the show when it was aired in Pakistan?
A. It received a great response, ShukarAlhamdolillah.
Q. The audience in Pakistan get to see Indian TV shows and movies, but Indian audiences are not so lucky. Other than Zee’s initiative, what according to you should be done ensure that people in India have access to their neighbours body of work?
A. India and Pakistan share many common sensibilities culturally. Pakistanis have a very open minded and creative approach to their working television and are heavily talented, the themes range from rural to urban issues, economics, gender issues to romance but all of it is highly relatable to people both sides of the borders. Similarly with Indian cinema. Family, religion, economics, music, politics, even the weather plays the same role in our societies. The effect of modern day culture and westernisation and the dichotomy between traditional and modern is also growing the same way. We tell the same stories, we should hear each other out and watch them, exchange ideas and talent and be allowed to do so freely.
Q. What are your views on Indian TV shows and movies?
A. Ramesh Sippy’s Gaatha was brilliant. I remember me and my mom use to glue to the TV screen every time a new episode comes on air. But, having said that, I am not a big fan of soaps. I am a die-hard huge fan of Indian cinema and have always been. It’s a fantastic industry. Pakistan’s movie industry is a fledgling industry compared to India’s but in a very exciting period of growth nowadays.
Fathers are the people who work hard everyday, in order to provide us with everything we want. They love us with all their heart and can stop the whole world from doing any harm to us. They maybe angry on us at times and may scold us but it is for our own good. Our job is to respect them no matter what as our rudeness could cause them a lot of grief.
Following is a list of father characters in Pakistani dramas whom I feel, were the best portrayals:
1. Baba in Dhoop Kinarey: (Performed by Qazi Wajid) He was his daughter’s best friend. She preferred him over everyone else and he did the same. As long as they had eachother, they were never alone. Their conversations were those which best friends would have.
2. Naseeb in Dastaan: (Performed by Abdul Qavi Khan) Martyred in front of his wive’s and daughter’s eyes, this man left us emotionally scarred. He died protecting his family from the people he knew would rob them of everything. A perfect depiction of what the fathers at the time of partition did.
3. Abba in Durr-e-Shehwar: (Performed by Mohammad Ahmed) The lessons he gave his daughter gave her strength to face the challenges of life. He taught her about compromise and sacrifice and told her that life is not a ready-made bed of roses. Through our patience, we can melt hearts of stone and then at last, all the difficulties will end.
4. Molvi Subhanallah in Pyaray Afzal: (Performed by Firdous Jamal) Being a Pesh-imaam whose son gets involved in murder and becomes a feared don, Molvi Sahab has to choose whether to let him go or not. He can’t! He loves his son more than anyone else and this love is deeper than the ocean. It just can’t be contained.
5.Sheikh Ibrahim in Pyaray Afzal: (Performed by Shehryar Zaidi) He loves both his daughters dearly. After everything that Farah did, he did not even once regret having daughters. His sweet and helpful nature makes him the most positive character in this show after Molvi Sahab and Ruqayya Begum. His way of convincing Molvi Sahab to forgive Afzal was adorable.
6. Nimra’s father in Roag: (Performed by Asif Raza Mir) Roag tells how the devastation of a girl could destroy her and her family’s entire lives. This father had to deal with the stinging taunts of people who didn’t even once care about what the family was going through. Just as they had forgotten the heart-wrenching incident and were preparing for Nimra’s wedding, the reminder of the incident by their former “mohalley wali” ruined everything for them.
7. Khushi’s father in Khushi ek Roag: (Performed by Shahood Alvi) He loved Khushi and did not even once, try to treat her as an adopted child. The way he was taunted by everyone for it was heart-breaking.
8. Baba Jani in Saat Pardon mein: (Performed by Tariq Jamal) He showered affection on his daughter Darakhshandey Badar and was a lenient and friendly person compared to her strict brother. He completed every little wish of her’s and wanted to see her as the happiest person alive. Sadly, she disappointed him a lot.
9. Taimoor’s father in Manjali: (Performed by Shehryar Zaidi) He dealt with his ignorant/playboy son in a way which we don’t see often. He didn’t scold him or beat him, but tried to be just like a friend to him. Obviously Taimoor was a hard one to crack and ended up paying for his actions.
10. Laila’s father in Pehchan: (Performed by Qazi Wajid) The bond Laila shares with her father is impeccable. It has friendliness, devotion and utmost care, as if they are connected. One feels the pain and the other one shares it. This father made Laila stand-up on her feet with the business she wanted to run but sadly, he did not live to see her as a successful business woman.
11. Jamshed in Aunn Zaara: Even though Jamshed was a strict father, he always wanted the best for her. He chose Aunn immediately after he realized how much “truthful” Aunn was :D This character was funny and a good example of a father.
12. Khirad’s father in Humsafar: This character appeared in just one scene but that one scene showed the incredible bond Khirad had with him. His dialogue about speaking the truth was beautiful.
Did you enjoy reading this article? Do you want to add anyone else to this list? If yes then do comment. I would love to hear your viewes and thank you so much for taking time to read this :-)
I want to write on this topic last month but due to my other priorities I neglected it but finally I decided to have a go on it. Just before Ramadan an unofficial Ayeza Khan Facebook page (currently with most number of likes) conducted a competition for page members called as Ayeza Khan’s Fans creation competition. This page acts as a secondary page of Ayeza Khan’s official page. In this activity anyone who thinks that he/she is a biggest fan of Ayeza Khan can participate in competition and they are required to make best of the best photos or videos to show their love for Ayeza Khan. One week time limit had been given by admin and three creations with most numbers of likes will be declared as winners but unfortunately that didn’t happen at all. The admin never turned up to announce the winners as promised there by making her fans extremely disappointed.
The page members were extremely delighted as they took part in this competition including myself and they started making different collages. However it seems like admin was unable to manage the activity. Only 41 fans creation pics were uploaded in whole week and many members have complained that admin was unable to post their creations on page that includes me as well.
As most of them were making pictures I decided to make a video and with lots of help from my brother I finally be able to make a video with just one day remaining in competition. Though I have just send my creation on last day it makes a reasonable excuse why my creation was not posted but many members have complained that they have submitted their creation four or five days ago and admin was unable to post it.
Below are some fans creations that were posted by admin:
Here is my creation as it was not posted by admin so I uploaded it on daily motion :-D
Due to increased complaints from members, on last day admin finally got a lame excuse that those creations that weren’t posted were not up to the expectation. Well to be honest it was not admin to decide whether it is good or not the members have to vote.
Reasons why this competition was disappointing because firstly admin was unable to manage the activity at all, I can hardly see 5 to 6 pictures being posted each day and time limit was only one week so if they had given one week’s time they should have posted at least 20 pics in a day and secondly as page members are over 0.3 million so having this type of competition in my point of view was simply illogical. Thirdly they announced that winners will get something special but what was that special prize? And last but not the least admin never announced any winner as this seems all folks and just a trick to waste people time.
All I can wish that Celebrity pages admin could become more responsible and learn to respect members as just because of these members they are running pages successfully and additionally it is also a disrespect to Ayeza as well as most of her fans are hurt due to careless and neglectful attitude.
I KNOW THIS IS SOME KIND OF AN AWKWARD TOPIC BUT YOUR VIEWS WILL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED.
Man ! I must admit that for me, this show is the best show airing these days in terms of pace, storyline and characters. The way they are maintaining the pace of this show is commendable ; Everything is moving step by step and I am loving this format.
Earlier ,we have seen that Aiman had her make over that was a gift of standing out first in her class by her best friend ,Haider. And the overall look which they gave to Sanam Jung is just perfect for a university student and as she is my favorite TV artist these days, so I loved her even more in her new look.
With Haider, Aiman is completely different person; she is like an open book to him and he can read her whenever he wants. He knows how to tackle Aiman when she is sad and depressed, he knows how to make her happy and more than that he is always there for her whenever she needs him; All these qualities of Haider are enough for Aiman to consider him her whole world and thats what she confessed when Rameen made her realize that she is falling in love with Haider.
Aiman’s step brother, Saahir, who was not my favorite in recent episodes , appeared as a completely different person today and I must say that I kind of liked him. Earlier,I always thought that this man needs a lot of improvement in his acting but after watching today’s episode,I was proved wrong. Further, Sanam Jung has also proved herself to be a versatile actress in this show. Her transformation from sad,depressed and average looking Aiman to bold,confident and attractive looking girl proved that she is a complete package ,in terms of looks and acting as well.
Earlier, Saahir wasnt able to gulp the fact that he has a step-sister too. But now,as he came back to Pakistan for his vacations, Haider was the one who made him realize that she is the most lonely person he ever met and despite of all the differences, she is his sister and he should not only admit the fact but also accept Aiman as his sister. Sahir, being flexible and understanding person, paid serious attention to what Haider told him and tried to solve all differences with Aiman. But Aiman lived her life in miseries while Saahir had all luxuries a man can ever think of. Because of that and many other reasons, Aiman was not ready to accept Saahir as her brother. After all that happened with her, she lost the ability to trust anyone easily and more than that being more mature, she thought that his brother might take her as an actual evil-step sister. Contrary to what Aiman thought , Saahir turned out to be a friendly and easy going person but Aiman was not ready to mingle just like that; she needed more time.
Aiman was not ready to accept Saahir as her brother and Saahir was not ready to give up so he played a trick and it worked really well. Its in Aiman nature that she cant see anyone in pain ; Such feelings automatically grow into a person when someone lives a life of deprivation. So as a part of her nature, she ran for Saahir and ultimately she realized that he is not merely a being, but her own brother and thought of losing him as she lost he mother made her cry. Saahir got succeeded in his plan and tried to make Aiman realize that he always urged to have a sister and now that he has one, he dont want to lose her.
Like Rameen, Haider’s friend gave him a reality check that he is falling for Aiman but Haider left it unheard. Likewise, Aiman got jealous of Haider’s old friend, today we saw a bit curious-cum-jealous version of Haider too which is clearly depicting that deep inside, he feels for Aiman too.
Sajeela came back to Pakistan with a hope that she will get Haider back merely because he didnot get married after Sajeela left him. Taufeeq and Almaas gave her second chance. Will Haider be able to give her second chance too ? To know all that and more ,we have to wait for one long week.
I would love to read your comments on today’s episode.
Rabia Basharat.
P.S. My fellow reviewer seems a bit busy as she didnt review last episode so I decided to take over the reviews of this show again as I cannot afford to leave such a nice show without reviewing.
This episode was much better than the previous few in terms of development in the story but it had more than its fair share of ridiculous moments. There were many scenes which could have been shot and written in a more convincing manner. The opening scene in which Saman has her first real but the most candid conversation with Hashir sounded very strange. The way Saman asked Hashir why he couldn’t marry Shazia and who he loved seemed out of place. The last time Saman met Hashir she did not even want to stop and say hello and now she had no issues with having a very personal conversation with Hashir when she knew her husband was around. When Hashir told Saman that he loved someone else and she should have guessed by now who it was, I was hoping that she will put two and two together but Saman is so blinded by whatever information Shazia has been feeding her that she fails to see anything else.
Saman’s mother overhears the entire conversation between Shazia and Hashir. She does not have the guts to say everything to Shazia’s mother’s face but she conveys whatever she can indirectly and decides to keep her distance. I have to say that this was one aspect of the play which I could totally relate to; the way Saman’s mother and Shazia’s mother drift apart because of their children although they have lived very happily with each other all these years. Hahsir decides to go abroad for God knows how long but it was mainly due to Mehreen’s father’s request. Hashir’s confrontation with Shazia was not as impactful as I was hoping it would be. All of Shazia’s hopes have been dashed to the ground for now, what is she going to do with her life now!
I feel for poor Saman, looks like her mother made all her jahez suits from the dresses she had stored in the trunk for ages. Saman looks like she walked out of a 60s movie and I am so not impressed by Hareem Farooq’s acting. There are times when she delivers but mostly she looks very clueless. The scenes with Saman and her mother in law are getting repetitive. I wonder where Faisal’s mother got all that money from, any guesses? I am warming up to Hashir’s mother’s character gradually, she makes an effort at every step to rebuild her relationship with her son.
Mehreen can’t take Hashir out of her mind and her father is waiting for her to move on. Shazia Naz is a total misfit for playing this character. I wonder how old she is because it is very difficult to accept her as a girl in her 20s. The make up artist has worked very hard on her and she looks great so it is only fair that I should give the person responsible for her grooming credit.
Overall a pretty average episode as usual but one that left me with the hope that the story may move forward at a relatively faster pace now. Hashir is gone for now so the good news is that we probably won’t be seeing Ahsan Khan in the next episode. The relationship of the characters with each other hasn’t been cemented well therefore most often it is very difficult to relate to them. I am really disappointed with Aliya Bukhari’s script because the drama just isn’t taking off.
Defence Se Nagan Chorangi is an upcoming tele film, which might be aired on Eid. Written by Bushra Ansari and directed by Ali Akbar, the highlight of tele film is Bushra Ansari and Sangeeta who are working in the roles of sautan , i.e. two women married to one man who happens to be Saleem Afridi. Shooting of this tele film is currently in progress in Karachi. Apart from Bushra Ansari, Sangeeta and Saleem Afridi, Behroz Sabazwari, Faysal Qaazi, Sadaf and Nasir Malik are also in cast.
Seasoned anchor person and journalist Kamran Khan has left Geo News to join a new media group Bol Network. Rumors of Kamran Khan leaving Geo News are almost in circulation from past one year, and finally he called it a day. Kamran Khan has an association of more than thirty years with The News, Jang and Geo News.
Ahh strong female leads, I really enjoy watching them on our screens. Because watching the mazloom en chup chap oorat has become hmm let’s say not so pleasant. Whether it be Romaisa in MSKSH or the female lead in Janam Jali. It’s a pain to watch them suffer and not standing up for themselves. Like Adeel Hussain’s character said in one of the last scenes of MSKSH: that the period of scared and zulm sehne wali oorat has passed a long time ago and now a man looks for a life partner who is strong and equal to him. Also Zeeshan in Mere Meherban said to Haya that the era of darri sehmi larkiyan is over in one of the latest episodes..
So for me it was time to make a list of the strong females we have seen on our screens and who were a pleasure to watch.
1. Kashaf – Zindagi Gulzar hai
For me Kashaf cannot be missed, she is a girl who has lived a hard life, seen as less worthy by her father because she is a daughter and not a son, seeing her mother sacrifcing every single thing to raise her daughters so Kashaf became a bit bitter about life but she is someone who always stood up for herself. Even though she belonged to middle class she proved to be a great student at university. Also she wore her dupatta with pride. In short it was a pleasure to watch such a bold character.
2. Kiran – Kankar
Sanam Baloch is one of the actresses who actually breath life into every character she plays. For me Kiran was an example. Her self-respect was really important and even Sikandar who was the perfect husband in the eyes of the society because of his social status did not have the right to take her respect away. She set an example by actually ending the relation wherein she had to endure so much.
3. Saba – Meri Zaat Zarra E Benishan
Ahh this one was sooo close to my heart. Often we see a woman forgiving all the pain a man caused her and moving on with that man. No matter how much the man has hurt them (a few examples: humsafar, Dil e Muztar, Mere Humrahi,…) I’m not saying that these serials weren’t good but still it was a but difficult to believe how these women could so easily forget everything. But here Saba refused to go back and decided to live her life on her own. Praise for Samia Mumtaz for portraying her role so brilliantly.
4. Aiman – Mere Humdum Mere Dost
I know most of you won’t agree right now but after reading the novel I am preity sure that Aiman is a strong girls in spe. In the beginning it seemed like it was Romaisa Part II but not anymore. Aiman is becoming a strong, independant, intelligent girl. I’ m sure she will impress us in the coming episodes.
5. Durre Shehwar – Durre Shehwar
Last but not least again our very lovely Sanam Baloch playing a difficult role with complete justice. There is this quote “sometimes the strongest women are the ones that love beyond all faults, cry behind closed doors and fight battles nobody knows about” and this one is totally the case for Durre Shehwar. She is someone who sacrificed everything just to build her home. Mansoor was far from perfect but she did not give up and eventually changed him into a loving and caring husband. Hats off for this brilliant woman!
Until now the very talented writer Bee Gul has restricted herself to writing artistic scripts which touched tabooed topics in a bold but commendable way. Both her plays Talkhiyaan and Pehchan have been anything but the usual run-of-the mill dramas which we watch on television all the time. Both these plays aired on channels which do not have as much of a viewership as the three main channels, also people may complain about done-to-death commercial scripts but the fact is that most of the television viewers still prefer watching such dramas.
Catering to the demands of the public Bee Gul has decided to write a commercial script in order to survive in the big bad competitive world of dramas. The drama titled “Zid” has been written by Bee Gul, directed by Adnan Wai Qureshiand produced by MD productions. The leading cast consists of Maya Ali, Ahsan Khan and Nausheen Shah. The drama will be airing on HUM TV very soon.
Osman Khalid Butt became popular among the television viewers in Pakistan with his debut drama Aik Nayee Cinderella. Viewers criticized his make over but loved his acting. He became even more popular when he played the role of a grown up spoiled brat in the one of its kind serial Aunn Zara.
Aunn Zara recently went on air in India where viewers highly appreciated it. Recently Hindustan Times took Osman Khalid Butt’s interview in which he was asked if he wanted to work in Bollywood to which he replied, “Which actor hasn’t dreamt of Bollywood and Hollywood glory, I’d love to work in a Bollywood film some day with the right script, of course. The dream is to direct a Pakistani film and take it to India. “
It remains to be seen which dream of this talented young man comes true first.
Pehchan is storytelling at its best. Khalid Ahmad deserves heaps of appreciation for giving us innumerable scenes that convey so much even when they don’t involve a single dialogue. Khalid Ahmad obviously believes in innovation; that is something that shows in the locations and also in the way the characters convey their emotions. You know what these characters are thinking or feeling long before they utter a single word. The clarity with which Khalid Ahmed has translated Bee Gul’s equally impressive script on-screen is truly commendable.
Tonight’s episode opened with a very worried Kukoo sharing with Mrs. Khan how she felt about Khurram’s present state. Later on when Kukoo gets the call from the hospital I felt as if she was crying because she was relieved and scared at the same time; relieved because she still had a man in her life but scared/terrified of falling into the same rut again with Khurram. Did she have the courage and patience to continue leading the fake life which she had been living with Khurram for so long? She obviously didn’t. I also felt like Kukoo was ready to let go of Khurram, as if she had said her final goodbyes and in her heart she was ready to move on. When Khurram went on and on about Kukoo’s loyalty towards him she could not stop herself. She finally came out with the ugly truth because she felt guilty every time Khurram presented a perfect picture of her. I absolutely adore Laila’s character now and the way it has developed in the past few episodes. There was a time when I thought Kukoo will be another strong woman who will never know her worth but now it seems like she is gradually getting there. Even if she does not find her way, I will be quite content because she is not relying on these men now the way she was before. She is not scared of losing either Khurram or Mansoor.
When Laila is getting ready to go out with Saadi, she thinks twice before putting on the lipstick and then she decides not to put it on. Later on she tells Saadi she is married and has a baby, as if she is reminding her own self that. The guilt pangs never leave Laila too, she does not want to do all this but she also does not want to do anything that will make Mansoor happy. Most of all she wants Mansoor to know that he doesn’t own her, at least not any more! Mansoor is a lost soul. He does not know what to do about his bruised ego, he tries threatening Laila but nothing can make Laila change her mind now. He gives Kukoo a desperate phone call; a man who needs saving himself pretends that these women cannot do without him but he is not in control any more. Not being in control is something Mansoor cannot handle.
Laila’s conversation with Saadi about her life, when she says that she has everything and apparently nothing is wrong but something just isn’t right either was simply beautiful. It was probably one of those very few conversations which many women probably have with themselves every now and then and most of them probably convince themselves that there really isn’t anything to worry about but like Saadi rightly points out that Laila is unhappy which is something that just cannot be brushed under the carpet.
Another conversation which was one of my favorites in tonight’s episode was the one in which Kukoo talked to Mrs. Khan about Laila not being able to realize her own self worth and relying on mard ka sahara! That was an amazing conversation which went to show how easy it is for someone to judge others but it is so difficult to see your own life in the same manner.
Tonight’s episode had quite a few scenes that left me in awe of Khalid Ahmad’s direction but the one scene which was my most favorite was when Khurram cries on the shoulder of that kid….very very well done indeed! Khurram doesn’t say much but he is heart broken. The preview of the next episode showed that Laila and Kukoo both will be on their own very soon.
The Voice Of America headlines in the middle of the drama came out of nowhere without a proper commercial break, I was left wondering if it was a mistake or was it done on purpose.
I can’t praise all the actors enough for performances that completely blow you away. Iffat Omer has completely won me over and Sohail Sameer has truly outdone himself. The meaningful dialogues leave an impact on you that lasts long after you’re done watching the episode. Really looking forward to finding out how the story unfolds in the upcoming episodes.
Being a mother means unconditional love and support for your child. It means sacrifices_ a lot of them too. A mother’s mistakes could reflect badly on her children. It is a beautiful yet challenging duty which requires a lot of hard work.
Below is a list of characters which were beautiful portrayals of mothers :
1. Saliha in Dastaan (Played by Samina Peerzada): She bore great difficulties alongside her daughter Bano, after the partition of Pakistan and India. Those difficulties made every viewer weep and respect their homeland.
2. Amna in Daam (Played by Lubna Aslam): She was a woman left alone by her own brother. She had a husband who did nothing all day but ask for money from her and waste it. Yet, she supported her children. The results were Zaara becoming a doctor, Aasma settled with her husband and her son as a famous director.
3. Rafia in Zindagi Gulzar Hai (Played by Samina Peerzada): Scorned by her women for giving birth to three daughters, this woman decided never to let her daughters falter in any aspect of life. Her support for them and her belief in them, played a vital role in their success, especially Kashaf.
4. Ruqayya in Pyaray Afzal (Played by Saba Hameed): I cannot find enough words to describe this character. Her utmost care for her son Afzal makes us feel as if she is a real person, not just a character in a tv show. The happiness on her face when she talked to his fiance showed how much she values everyone in his life.
5. Husna in Aunn Zaara (Played by Hina Khwaja Byat): She pampered her only son Aunn in every way she could. He did get annoyed with her from time to time but her care for Aunn was unforgettable.
6. Bilquees in Bilquees Kaur (Played by Bushra Ansari): Throughout the show I believed she was some regular evil mother-in-law but in the end, it was revealed how she had taken care of her children and earned for them. Her husband did nothing but rest in the house all day. She worked hard for the sake of her children. I was surprised at how much her son had misunderstood her.
Many of the websites and newspapers have been reporting that Hamza Ali Abbassi and Saba Qamar are a couple. They have also reported that they are getting married soon. The rumors started floating on the media when the pictures of both these actors came out where they were seen together most probably while shooting an upcoming Pakistani movie which Hamza Ali Abbasi is directing. Until now both these actors have been quiet about these rumors but now both of them have decided to speak up about this issue at the same time. Hamza Ali Abbasi posted this on his facebook page
Saba Qamar while talking to an online blog clearly stated, “Hamza is a good friend of mine just like Ahsan, Nauman or Sami with whom I have done different projects and still enjoy their company.”
Saba Qamar also said, “I got a couple of offers of working in Bollywood films but I refused as I don’t have any plans to work over there. The reason is pretty obvious – they don’t give character roles to Pakistani actress and instead B-grade movies have been offered to us and I simply can’t do that.”
Saba Qamar also said that she thinks staying in your limits when you are friend with someone in showbiz is the best thing to do.
Veena Malik who takes pride in being the drama and the controversy queen has been posting pictures and tweets on twitter that have led the national and International media to conclude that Veena Malik is pregnant with her first child. Veena Malik posted this picture which shows that she may be expecting.
Veena Malik did not deny the news but tweeted this
25 episodes and a few time slot changes later, Bay Emaan Mohabbat came to an end. ARY’s tradition of stretching a story beyond it’s expiration date continues and I fail to understand why they are committed to prolonging stories when the end result is nothing but a lack on interest from the audience. This drama was nothing exceptional by any means but the first few episodes had a somewhat engaging storyline. The pacing was fairly steady until somewhere midway, there seemed to be an absolute loss of focus.
There wasn’t much of a story to begin with but seeing the likes of Nauman Ejaz, Samiya Mumtaz and Saba Qamar was a enough of a draw. However, with actors signing up for multiple projects it’s unrealistic to expect every project will be worth the time. Acting wise, Samiya Mumtaz was an excellent choice as a blind woman, Saba Qamar added a spark to her role and Nauman Ejaz has perfected the character of an unfaithful husband. The story had potential- it was supposed to be the story of desires and how far people go to achieve them. There could, rather should have been a very strong moral at the end- but instead, the writer Amir Raza ended up sensationalizing everything that’s wrong with our society.
Here’s why: Dania, a middle-class girl who dreams big is engaged to a simpleton Naeem- a man she can’t stand since she thinks she deserves much better. She’s having an affair with her best friend’s fiance, Babar- a man who’s just using her as a time-pass since he’s too much of a coward to stand up for himself. Dania dumps Naeem for Babar thinking Babar will marry her. But Babar ditches her and she’s left devastated. She tries to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and finds comfort in the arms of her boss- Nabeel. Nabeel is a frustrated man married to a blind woman. But before you start feeling sorry for him since he’s a whipped husband, he has a history. He married Maria to escape a lower middle class lifestyle and traded his soul for money. But seeing that his wife is not only blind, but also infertile and a complete control freak, Nabeel tries to compensate for his sorrow by leading a parallel life. Dania isn’t the first woman he has been involved with but she ends up being his last. The two of them secretly marry and when Maria finds out, she vows to destroy him. She files a case against him and has him arrested but Dania pleads for his freedom and Maria agrees in exchange for her to disappear. Maria, who is cheated upon by her husband, is suffering not just from a disability but also the earth-shattering reality that she can never conceive is shown in a negative light- she’s not the victim here! Instead, poor Nabeel and Dania are the ones we are expected to feel sorry for. Everyone from Maria’s caretaker uncle, to her trusted lawyer, her nanny who raised her blame her for being irrational and depriving Nabeel from becoming a father- a right he is entitled to even if it means agreeing to his second marriage. The ending was almost comical- it was an extremely forced attempt to ensure everyone has a super happy ending. Maria ends up accepting Nabeel and Dania and naming their son as the heir to all her wealth; all of them live under the same roof and Dania now refers to Maria as Api and Maria is more than thrilled playing mommy to Dania and Nabeel’s son and has very happily handed Nabeel over to Dania.
So basically, the moral of the story is that if a man cheats on his wife, his wife has no reason to get upset, instead she’s expected to openly accept his decision. If a woman is barren, she should herself hand her husband over to another woman since men have a stronger urge to have children and a woman’s needs are secondary. If a woman thinks too much of herself, she has every right to do whatever it takes to ensure she gets what she wants. Dania and Nabeel both wronged their partners but it didn’t matter- they were the lead and they had to end up together. How do the writers come up with such twisted stories and have the nerve to justify them with happy endings? I’ve got to say, the writers don’t disappoint on one front- they constantly do a one-up by coming up with even more outrageous stories!
Once again, all the avid followers of the show; MasterChef Pakistan are well aware of all the top 16 contestants & this time around, it’s Sidrah Kazi, who’s sharing her journey & experience with us. Even though she got eliminated in the middle of the competition but she says that didn’t stop her from experiencing what it is like to be a part of such a huge show. Sidrah feels blessed & honoured & I feel obliged that being a celeb-home-cook, she has come forth in order to share her journey with us, so let’s see what she has to say about being one of the top 16 contestant of MasterChef Pakistan:
Q) What inspired you to come to MasterChef? A) I am always ready for a new challenge. My passion & love for cooking and baking inspired me to be a part of MasterChef Pakistan. Not only does my food looks good, but it’s really tasty too. I have been the biggest fan of MasterChef as I have followed some series of MasterChef Australia & India. I was waiting for such a great and big platform and I am so lucky that I was part of top 16 finalist of the first ever MasterChef Pakistan.
Q) What did you think about the format of the show? A) The world’s biggest platform and cooking competition MasterChef came to Pakistan for the very first time. The production team has put in a lot of hard work and have done a great job. They follow the format very closely. In Sha Allah the next series of MasterChef Pakistan will be more exciting and amazing.
Q) How would you define the three judges? Please tell us about them individually. A) Chef Zakir is known as a Pakistani celebrity chef, a hotelier and food personality who has appeared on cooking programs and has over 36 years of experience in the food industry in all over the world. He is strict when it comes to cooking, but he is a nice hearted person, he taught and provided us with many useful tips and ideas. Chef Mehboob Khan’s experience in the food industry accumulates to almost 26 years. The span of his television career is from 2003 to 2013 where he has done cooking shows at various channels. He is a brand ambassador of Dawlence & is working with Bake Parlour as well. He is my most favourite judge among all three judges of MasterChef Pakistan. He is very kind and always supported us in the Kitchen. Khurram Awan is an Executive Asst. Manager of Food & Beverages in Movenpick Hotel Karachi. Previously he was serving his duties with same position in Serena Hotel Islamabad. He is very sweet, always taught us about hygiene, taste and presentation of food.
Q) Do you think judges have stayed true to the seat & have not been biased? A) Yes, the judges have stayed true to their seat at all times. They have a vast experience in the food industry and they always gave fair and true judgement for every contestant in MasterChef Pakistan.
Q) Do you think the current panel of judges is good enough? If you feel the judges should be changed, who would you prefer? A) Affirmative! The current panel of judges are very good, they are well experienced and they know about the show format so I personally think judges of MasterChef Pakistan should be same in every season and if people want change they can add Chef Shai as a 4th judge because she is also a good chef in this field.
Q) Who were you friends with? A) All contestants were my good friends. It’s natural when you live with the people most of the time who have same passion as you and as the time passes, you get attached to them. But my very best and close friend in MasterChef Pakistan was Ammarah Noman.
Q) After your elimination; who do you think deserves to win the title? A) After my elimination and whatever I have observed in the competition so far, Ammarah is the best candidate to win the title. She has been cooking food of perfect standards throughout the season.
Q) After watching the episodes, do you think the format & execution of the show & episodes needs to be improved? A) As it is the very first season of MasterChef Pakistan, the level of execution and the production of the show has been great as compared to MasterChef India and I am sure it will get much better in the further seasons, In Sha Allah. It’s like a dream come true that I was the part of very first season. I feel blessed.
Q) Do you feel the challenges that the contestants are put up with should be more diverse? A) In my opinion, challenges were very diverse and difficult. We were challenged to make local and international cuisines with unique taste and were expected to present the dish with a wow factor. Any single mistake could lead us to elimination. The challenges were very difficult due to the time limitations. We couldn’t imagine what the next challenge would be.
Q) What are your comments on the politics amongst the contestants that is being covered in the show? A) MasterChef is a cooking competition. All 16 contestants were competitors, everyone had different natures and different backgrounds, and all were fighting for the same title of being the winner so definitely it lead to some sort of jealousy amongst each other. As it is a reality show, it’s natural that sometimes certain emotions do come out. Every single contestant was very nice and talented and we cared and helped each other a lot as well.
– Please define your co-contestants; – Amna: Sweet and frank. – Muddasir: Nice and simple. – Iqra: Helpful and loving. – Gulnaz: Humble and caring. – Madiha: Talkative and sweet. – Khurram: Jolly and foodie. – Azam: Helpful and gentle. – Saad: Confident and strong. – Zain: Sensitive and friendly. – Rayyan: Helpful and co-operative. – Ali Shah: Innocent and young. – Aneela: Sharp and caring. – Adnan: Loyal and honest. – Mariam: Cute and loving. – Ammarah: Hardworking and softhearted.
Q) What advice would you give to those who’re interested to appear in the next season? A) My advice for those who are interested to appear in the next season is to be fully confident, be yourself, be strong and you should know every cuisine with its history and details. You should also know about taste, presentation and flavours. Always try different and unique recipes at home and try to be creative. In MasterChef Kitchen there is lot of pressure with limited time, so be well prepared for these things. Where there is a will there is a way, never lose hope on any stage. Best of luck.
– In the end please share your experience & feelings about being a MasterChef contestant & what did it teach you? – MasterChef changes lives! This is my statement after being part of it. I have learned a lot and experienced a wonderful journey of food. MasterChef Pakistan has taught me many things, like time management, how to be strong, confident and creative. The appreciation of the judges, viewers, friends and relatives encouraged me a lot. I remember my very first audition of MasterChef Pakistan. I made the MasterChef Kitchen Fondant Cake and every single person appreciated me for it which brought some tears of joy to me. I am so lucky to be a part of such a big platform, Allhamdulillah. I cannot forget each and every moment I spent with my fellow contestants and with my most favourite judges in the huge MasterChef Kitchen and of course how can I forget that huge and wonderful Knorr Pantry. That was the most amazing part of MasterChef Kitchen. Every foodie and chef would love to live there for the rest of his life.
Above is the picture of Sidrah’s ‘MasterChef Kitchen Fondant Cake’ that she made in the auditions. She wanted to share it with us all & I must say it looks like a fine piece of an art. So, this was it from Sidrah Kazi. Share what you feel about her journey. :)
Aamir Liaquat’s “aam khao aam” video has went viral on the internet. People are criticizing Aamir Liaquat Khan’s style saying that he is insulting the individuals who are involved in such games. Aamir Liaquat decided to reply to all this criticism in his show. According to him people living in Defence who eat mango with a spoon should learn to eat a mango desi style from people in Khushab, Duska etc.
Here is the video
It is up to the people to decide whether Aamir Liaquat’s explanation carried any weight or not.
What I ain’t getting about the story of this drama is the unnecessary delay in Zara’s death & the final episode? I think they’ve sorted out every single detail so far, so why aren’t we seeing the ending of this play? I find it absolutely pointless that now when they’ve got nothing left, they’re revisiting all the emotions of hatred, jealousy & all that jazz Zara felt for Dua in the beginning.
I mean I find it pointless that now when they’re left with nothing they are making the kids a focal point of the worry for Zara too. I know it’s realistic, any mother would be worried about her kids but then we have already seen Zara entrusting the responsibility of her kids to Dua, so what’s with the unnecessary procrastination?
It’s absolutely getting ridiculous to see Zara worrying about her kids thinking they aren’t being taken care of but t I think she has already seen Dua taking care of them & she is doing a better job as a step-mom than Zara; a bio-mom, so why’s Zara worried now? She herself admitted that she sees Dua as a very strong person & she feels she can rest in peace knowing her kids are lucky that they found a mom like Dua, so bas abb ankhain band bhi kar lo? Zara got enough assurance from Jazib, from Dua, from her nameless friend & also from Khala Masooma, so I find it absurd that they are once again revolving the whole story around kids for no good reason.
I think the unnecessary drag in the story will force everyone to snap out of the sympathy they once had or felt for the character of Zara or even this whole family because to be honest, I am getting irritated by the slowness of this drama. I saw no point in the arrival of Khala Masooma because what’s good left in there for her? All those mind-boggling & annoying confessions of Khala Masooma weren’t doing anything to add more to the experience of this drama. Yes, the only thing that made sense was when she tried to make Zara understand that she herself has lead a life without her parents, so her worry seems pointless as The Creator will take care of her kids. With this I hope Zara finds some peace & stops worrying about her kids.
I was hoping that next would be the last episode of this drama but I still see no signs of it. Somebody please tell me that next episode marks the end of this play because it is actually getting tedious to tune into this play as they’ve got literally nothing left to cover that too especially after Khala Masooma’s lecture to Zara. I hope they had edited & cut-short some of the scenes because each & every scene of this drama seems never-ending, it actually puts you to sleep because everything seems just so slow as if they’re living in a slow-motion, phew! Share your thoughts on this.
We reported earlier that Syra Shehroz was expecting. We also posted her interview in which she made it very clear that she intended to continue acting even after she had the baby.
Syra and Shehroz have been blessed with a beautiful baby girl. Many congratulations to them. Here is the picture of their adorable princess.
We wish the little girl and her parents all the best.
Drama writer and novelist Umera Ahmed needs absolutely no introduction. She is very popular among novel readers and television viewers in Pakistan. Lately, Umera Ahmed’s drama serial Zindagi Gulzar Hai went on air in India. Television viewers have been bowled over by the drama. While talking to Press Trust Of India Umera Ahmed said, “Our image is shown as a regressive country, which does not treat its women well. But we have so many women artists here. In fact, most of the television writers are women.”
Umera Ahmed said in her interview that she hopes that these dramas will help dispel away the misunderstandings that exist in India about Pakistani society. Pakistan does not only have women playing an active role in the drama industry but there are channels that are being run by women.
“Pakistani TV is progressive and hence, characters that are shown are of today as well.”
“A feeling of alienation existed in India about life in Pakistan, because most of what was known was negative. So, everyone used to believe that things in our country are always bad and we don’t lead very happy lives.”
“But this has changed to some extent. After watching our dramas, people now know that we [Pakistanis] lead our lives similar to the way they [Indians] live,”said Umera Ahmed.
Umera Ahmed’s play Maat will be replacing Zindagi Gulzar Hai on the Zindagi channel.
Till now, we have seen that Afzal came to know about Farah getting engaged to Sabtain and as a consequence, he decided to exchange the ring with Yasmeen too. On the day of their engagement, Afzal ‘s father faced cardiac arrest because of which Farah’s engagement was left halfway where on the other side , Afzal got engaged to Yasmeen. As soon as Afzal came to know about his father’s condition, he rushed to Hyderabad. Now that we are done with recap of last few episodes, we shall move towards today’s installment.
Tonight’s episode was a bit on slower side but some dialogues and scenes are worth praising and I would love to share them with my readers. Afzal left his parents for the sake of good but soon he realized that he was way better while living with his own family ; He never lived alone without his parents and never faced the type of hard times in his life which he faced while living in Karachi.
He came back because he was unable to bear the news that his father was in sheer pain – how can we even expect him to bear the news as during his stay in Karachi, Maulvi SubhanAllah was the one, whose teachings and lessons were there with him in all his discussions and dealings with his friends.
Logu ne tou kal dekha par maine usi din daikh lya tha jis din unhain gira gayai thai tum..Being a mother, Rukayya can’t resist to forgive her son but being a wife, she dont want to think about forgiving the one who is the prime reason of her husband’s very situation. She knew that her husband broke completely from inside the day Afzal left them all alone. Par maa ka dil tha na so was melted within minutes.
Uss se kehna woh saat maheenay baad ro raha hai .. hum saath maheenai sai ro rahay hain..Everyone was trying to make up Maulvi Saheb’s mind for reconciliation with Afzal. Deep inside, he was yearning for Afzal but his fatherly ego came in his way and that was because his son went against his teachings. Being close to religion, he wanted his son to be his reflection too but Afzal turned out to be a rebel and compelled his father to leave all religious activities, he was initially involved in and for that , Maulvi Saheb’s rage was not in his control.
We came across jealous side of Farah today. She was badly burning with envy as and when that incident when Afzal hold Yasmeen’s hand came in her mind; And relating everything with that particular moment, she decided to get married to Sabtain.. woh bhi sunday 27th ko.. By the way, has anyone noticed that we will be having Sunday on 27th of July too.. :)
I thoroughly enjoyed Sabtain’s convo with his patient ; A huge grin remained on my face throughout the scene. Anyhow, as soon as Sabtain came to know Farah’s decision, he was not ready to buy that and if I relate that scene with what Lubna said to her father regarding Sabtain’s intentions of not marrying Farah than our prediction is turning out to be correct that its part of Farah’s treatment and Lubna is also involved in it.
Sheikh Ibrahim compelled Maulvi Saheb to allow Afzal to come inside and it was so nice to see Arfa smiling after a very long time. The way Rukayya was talking to her son with his head on her lap was the scene of the day – such a perfect picture of emotions it was.
Such poocho tou iss mohabbat ke syaasat sai dil bhar gaya hai mera..By bringing tea as bribe, Yasmeen came to ask Maulvi Saheb that he should meet his son now. But he was completely heartbroken and mad at Afzal because he loved him the most and Afzal left him by adopting the way of life which is not called for. Now that Afzal is back, his father dont want to go through the same pain again as he dont trust him anymore. But as Yasmeen insisted, he was ready to meet Afzal with a condition that he should not stay infront of him for more than two minutes. Meanwhile, Farah is all ready to meet Yasmeen and congratulate her. Next episode is going to be an interesting one and I am looking forward to it.
The demand of Qawwals and Naat Khawwan is relatively high these days due to live transmission of channels and private events. Which among them is most highly paid is revealed in a press report by Urdu Daily Dunya which is also posted here.
As per report the highly paid Qawwals are as below based on the charges of one event
I am sure many of you must have heard the phrase “badnaam ho gaye tu kya naam na ho ga”, it is extremely unfortunate that “Pakistan Ramzan” (Ramzan special show on Express) relies on this particular “idea” to get popularity. Haseeb Ahmed rightly pointed out in his article regarding Ramzan special shows that most of these shows make a mockery of the holy month of Ramzan by including content that in no way is in line with the spirit of this month. All the readers including myself agreed with him but non of us knew that Aamir Liaquat with the assistance of Express channel was going to come up with one of the most outrageous so-called Ramzan shows till date. Why rely on the likes of Veena Malik to gain popularity when we have our very own “DR” Amir Liaquat to do the honors! Whoever gave him that PhD degree should be sued and people who think that it is alright to trade your self-respect for some gifts with millions of people watching them really need a reality check.
Yes, a part of me feels sorry for these utterly needy people who think it is alright to let someone insult you on national TV if you are getting a mobile phone or motor bike in return but a big part of me wishes that these people knew better. Most of these people obviously had no idea what they will be made to do when they decided to be a part of the show but even after they find out what they have gotten themselves into they are more than happy to play along. It makes me sick to watch Aamr Liaquat who calls himself a religious expert of some sort stoop this low only to get viewership. And it makes me sad to see people trading their self-respect for a few gifts.
I have posted here few videos from the show in which we see the sort of things Aamir Liaquat makes people do and these desperate people for some odd reason happily agree to be insulted. The music in the background and the topi on Aamir’s head may go with the spirit of Ramzan but everything else is just plain obnoxious. The gratification which Aamir Liaquat is clearly deriving from the whole experience makes it even more loathsome. We see the audience applauding him for his disgusting behavior .
Aamir Liaquat and Express are more than welcome to organize a circus with voluntary clowns and performers who will do anything to earn some goodies any month of the year but they really should know better than to use the month of Ramzan for this cheap and low-life publicity stunt. Shame on you Aamir Liaquat for coming up with such an detestable show and for claiming that this is a Ramzan Show and shame on all the religious scholars who sit in the studio and watch all of this but do not feel the need to protest. People were quick to judge and punish Shaista Lodhi and Geo but it seems like our public is readily accepting this insanity! This show is titled “Pakistan Ramzan”, does it reflect Pakistan or Ramzan in any way?
Just for the record, I obviously do not watch this show but these videos are everywhere on the web so it is impossible to avoid them. I watched one episode to see if there were any religious scholars present on the show and apparently there were quite a few of them there in the studio.
All the drama pages have been reporting that Ayza Khan will be quitting acting after she gets married to Danish Taimoor but Ayza Khan while talking to an online blog denied the rumors. She has been busy preparing for her wedding which is going to be held in August but eople are wrongly quoting her that she is leaving acting.
“I am not quitting at all in fact as far as my career is concerned I have bigger plans after my marriage as I will start shoot for a film in December.” Ayza said when HIP, an online blog asked her if the news was true.
Ayza Khan said that she will only be taking a leave of three months and after that she will be back.
“Since I don’t have much interaction with media, they publish things about me without confirming it.” Added Ayza Khan
Dukhtar is an upcoming film due to release on 14th August 2014, distributed by Geo Films. Its title track in the voice of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is also released which is posted below.
http://vimeo.com/101225933
Credits: Singer: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Song from the film DUKHTAR by Afia Nathaniel Composer: Sahir Ali Bagga Lyricist: Imran Raza Music Video Directed & Edited by: Armughan Hassan Music Video DP: Noman Waheed Produced by: The Crew
Trailer of Dukhtar is already out,
Written and directed by Afia Nathaniel, its cast memebers are Samiya Mumtaz, Mohib Mirza, Saleh Aref, Asif Khan, Ajab Gul, Adnan Shah Tipu, Samina Ahmed, Abdullah Jaan, Omair Rana. The film is produced by Afia Nathaniel and Muhammad Khalid Ali.
As per Afia Nathaniel, “Dukhtar is a powerful story about a mother’s personal quest to save her ten-year-old daughter from an arranged marriage to a tribal leader. It is also Pakistan’s first road-trip thriller shot in the surreal landscapes of the northern areas. I am really looking forward to bringing this film to our Pakistani audiences,”
There are many Pakistanis who think that Pakistani celebrities should not work abroad. The issue raised a controversy in the recently held ARY Awards too. Fawad Khan is loved by many but there are some fans who are insecure that if Fawad Khan is a hit in India he may not work in Pakistan again therefore they are not in favor of him working there.
While talking to the reporters at the trailer launch of Khoobsurat Fawad Khan said about such fans, “The people who you are talking about are very few. There will be people who will criticize… they are entitled to their opinion. Art knows no culture and creed. As an actor I would like to explore myself. I do feel bad but I choose to ignore it. I think to pay attention to it is unnecessary.”
Fawad Khan also said that everyone in Bollywood had welcomed him with open arms. “Its an honour to be part of this film. I found this film and my part interesting. It was a learning opportunity and I am grateful for this. This was an alien… New environment for me. But everyone made me comfortable. Everyone was warm and welcoming,” he said.
Full of life and energatic, Fiza Ali, needs no introduction. Be it acting,modeling,hosting or dress designing, she tried her luck in every field and got success. The turning point in her career came when she did a role in PTV classic drama Mehndi. After that, she got many offers of modeling and other television projects and till now ,she is working as hard as she can.
إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ My heart sinks while sharing this utterly tragic news with our readers about the passing away of a very dynamic lady Farah Jehanzeb. Farah Jehanzeb passed away today at the age of 45 following cancer treatment. Farah Jahenzeb was an outstanding chef who hosted many cooking shows on different channels. She was very popular among women and children both. When she suddenly disappeared from TV everyone was wondering where she was but very few people knew that she was struggling with Cancer which is why she could not continue with her shows.
Farah Jahenzeb posted this message for her family, friends and fans few months back:
“Allah sometimes chooses some people for a bigger purpose, today I feel yes I am one of those people. I flipped into the rarest form of disease where medicines were not working on my body and all the doctors said “I am a hopeless case” at that time the only person who stood by me was my honorable teacher Dr.Mohammad Alam, he brings out the courage, faith, strength and my Emaan more on Allah (SWT). He guided me to work on myself. With the blessings of my teacher and duas of my mother I am coming back to life again, my doctor, my paramedical staff who gave me so much care. My team members who continuosly supported me. My bhabis, my loving brothers, ammi whose mouth dried by reciting ayat-e-karima, Shanzeh who is continuously manifesting health for mama, hehanzeb reciting darood-e-pak, Parisheh and my son in law who pampered me like a baby and my friends praying for my health and my recovery.
I am truly a blessed woman. I am posting my pictures during the treatment for all my fans.
Khoobsurat is already being loved by the Fawad Khan fans here because according to them he looks very nice in the posters and one of the promos that came out and also because they think that he shares an electrifying on-screen chemistry with his co-star Sonam Kapoor. Fawad Khan’s massive fan following cannot be denied by any one here in Pakistan and now In India too he has already won many fans because of his drama Zindagi Gulzar Hai that aired there. The timing of airing of this drama was perfect because now more people know about Fawad Khan. Newspapers and magazines are also promoting him and the film. Some facebook pages reported that Fawad Khan may have a very nominal role to play in the film but the posters and the promo so far prove otherwise. Here are the latest posters of the film
Alright, now from where should I start? 11 episodes have passed but this exceptional drama has succeeded in keeping me on the edge of my seat! As the story is progressing, I am getting hooked to this play. The beauty of this show is that you will find each new turn realistic and rational. They have kept the scenes simple yet engaging!
Well, now that things were finally looking up for Munazzah and her family, there came the dreaded news of Adeel’s accident. However, it wasn’t a life-threatening accident and Adeel was safe. The hospital scenes may have seemed unnecessary at first-but then I came to realize that no-they actually played a fundamental role in Mehar’s further character development. After watching Saqib comforting her family, showing his concern for Adeel and looking after him in the hospital, Mehar couldn’t help thinking once again about her decision. Although there were no particular dialogues, some flashbacks and Mehar’s expressions were enough to tell that it will not be very easy for her to walk out on Saqib. For once, Mehar stops being impulsive-she starts thinking sensibly. Mehar also starts having second thoughts about Mateen when she learns the fact that Mateen hasn’t discussed anything with his mother yet.
Adeel’s doctor (played by Emmad Irfani) is a new character introduced this week. Well, for some reason, they haven’t disclosed his name yet but all we know up till now is that this guy has developed a liking for Mehar’s younger sister Sidra. I am guessing they have introduced his character for the sake of adding a side track. As long they don’t spoil the MAIN track because of the side one, it’s totally fine with me!
The most crucial part of this episode was-the ‘confrontation’. Mateen’s mother FINALLY paid a visit to Saqib’s house. Mateen’s mother callously insulted Saqib because that lady had had enough of Mateen and Mehar’s love story. And here comes my favourite part: Infuriated by her outburst, Mehar stepped in and made it clear that this was HER house, and Saqib was HER husband and no one had the right to insult him like that. At the spur of the moment, Mateen entered but right in front of him, Mehar confessed it aloud that she is happy and content with Saqib. Well folks, you heard it right! Mehar actually stood up for Saqib! To be honest, this scene held me spell bound. After watching the preceding installments, we couldn’t even predict this sudden change in Mehar’s personality. But the character development in this show leaves nothing to be desired. This was indeed a sudden change-but not an unreasonable one. They clearly showed us how Mehar was moved by Saqib’s decency and goodness. Mehar’s transition from an imprudent, impulsive girl to a thoughtful, sensible young lady is something truly spectacular! I must say Sonia Hussain has breathed life into Mehar’s character. From her dialogue delivery to her expressions-everything is top notch!
After watching this episode, my expectations have been raised even further! How will Mateen react to this sudden rejection? Will he now unveil his ‘evil’ side? Whatever happens, I am curious as to how will the story shape up now.
On a humorous note, I would say that thankfully, Adeel’s doctor didn’t fall for Mehar because THAT would have complicated the story even more :P
What do you guys think of this episode? I would love to know your views!
Finally, it was a dessert challenge. After a million savory challenges it was good to see them having a dessert challenge wholly & solely.
The challenge was interesting but it could’ve been a bit more complex, given the stage at which the show has reached. At first I thought they spoke about 3 tier cake but they wanted 3 different layers rolled into 1 cake. The time limit was pretty generous where the contestants got 4 hours. I feel in the last challenge they got 2 hours & this time the time limit was doubled, I hope in the grand finale, the contestants aren’t gifted with 6 hours to cook.
I must say I was impressed by the presentation once again; everyone put in a great effort in the cakes they baked & made sure they made their cakes look beautiful. I think everyone remained on a pretty typical side of the flavours but only Madiha & Rayyan experimented with the flavours & tried to go for something different to make their cakes stand out the most. I think Gulnaz made the right choice by using the immunity pin as she didn’t want to risk her spot at this point in the competition but I think where she has given some amazing savoury dishes, she should’ve shown us how well she performs in the sweet challenge too.
The cakes that the contestants presented & the comments they got, are:
Rayyan named his cake ‘Berry Bomb’. Chef Mehboob really liked the overall effort that was put into this cake. He appreciated the fact that Rayyan tried to put in different textures in this cake & tried to make them work. He felt that Rayyan stood out in this challenge too & he showed that he can bake good cakes as well. Chef Zakir felt that the top layer wasn’t moist enough but other than that he liked the cake. Chef Khurram commended him for keeping the crunch of the pastry intact, he felt that the usage of cream however did make top 2 layers taste a bit similar but other than that there wasn’t any heaviness to it which made the cake amazing.
Amna created ‘Triple Layered Mousse Cake’. Chef Mehboob felt that the second take she did on the brownie left it undercooked. He felt that the filling wasn’t right & he didn’t appreciate the fact that the cake collapsed however he did like the cream cheese filling & felt that the addition of raspberries added a very nice & unique touch to it. Chef Khurram felt that the top layer of cherry mousse was quite thin in consistency which got mixed with the bottom layer making it look like a two layered cake instead of three. Chef Zakir felt that she couldn’t master the usage of gelatine therefore it affected her overall performance.
Ammarah created ‘Chocolate, Strawberry & Mango Mousse Vanilla Sponge Cake’. Chef Mehboob liked the chocolate mousse because of the light bitterness to it. He appreciated the usage of dark chocolate because he felt that if the mousse would’ve been made with a regular chocolate, it wouldn’t have such a nice & unusual flavour. He also liked the mango & strawberry mousses & appreciated the fact that the layering of cake had a balance & consistency. Chef Khurram felt that the layering was done to perfection. He also liked the different textures this cake offered.
Khurram made ‘Mango Layered Cake’. Chef Mehboob felt that the base layer of the cake was hard & lacked moist. He also didn’t appreciate the fact that there were no significantly different layers in the cake & it was all sponge layers with some different flavours that too induced by the usage of essences. Chef Zakir felt that the cake was too dense with no prominent & different flavours. Chef Khurram felt that the cake wasn’t up to the mark & at this stage, the quality wasn’t good enough. He also felt that the cake had no layers as only one component was used.
Madiha came up with ‘Mango Mousse Cheese Cake’. Chef Mehboob felt that even though the cake collapsed & the mousse wasn’t set properly, it was the best mango mousse he tasted so far. He also liked the cheese layer of the cake. Chef Khurram felt that the base was hard & there weren’t many colours in the cake but the cheese filling was smooth & the flavours of the overall cake were balanced. Chef Zakir didn’t like the garnishing as he felt that kiwis & strawberries weren’t the right choice for such a cake.
So, this was it from the challenge & I am glad it was second time this week that Rayyan was the first person to be saved from the elimination. Ammarah got some great comments too because no doubt her cake looked perfect therefore she was safe as well. Even though Madiha’s mousse started dripping because it wasn’t set but the flavours she induced in that cake made her safe.
It came down to Amna & Khurram. In the beginning of the episode I heard Amna saying that she focused more on the savoury books as she felt they had attempted a lot of sweet challenges for which she now thought that they’re only going to get savoury challenges. I was kind of taken aback by that statement of hers because I feel Amna wasn’t mentally present in there because she felt that they were done with the dessert challenges!?!?! She mustn’t be paying attention as she must be busy focusing on what the other contestants were saying or doing. Obviously Khurram couldn’t dodge the bullet because it was his first attempt at the baking as it wasn’t his forte & therefore he was eliminated. I actually feel sad at his elimination & probably this is the first such elimination which I didn’t want to see. I wanted to see Khurram in the top 3 may be but didn’t want to see him go. He brought in such high & positive energy in this show & that is really going to be missed.
So, it now comes down to Amna, Ammarah, Rayyan, Madiha & Gulnaz. I hope to see Rayyan & Ammarah in the top 2 & whoever wins among those two would be a well-deserving winner because they both have been consistent & good in their performances. I hope the challenges get more exciting & difficult from now on as we’re heading towards the finale. Share your thoughts on this episode.
