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.
Even though this episode had some amazing acting but it was kind of predictable. We all know where the story was headed to but to see it all happening to Nayab wasn’t appeasing at all.
I did feel a lot for Daood actually & it was emotional to see such a nice person like him suffering like that but still he knows he can’t undo anything. He can not return to where he began his life with Nayab, he knows whatever he did has back-lashed at him & for that no matter how sorry or apologetic he is, his fate has been sealed & the decision has been made.
All those confessions uttered by him that subliminally referred to his death were heart-wrecking. Deep within, he knows he has a very limited time left with his family & for that he is trying to make the most of it. He now knows that no matter how much he loved Momenah & how much he had wanted her, she wasn’t the right choice & they both weren’t meant to be. Daood has clearly declared it in front of his mother that Momenah left him in the lurch because she couldn’t deal with the burden of leaving her husband. Obviously, Daood still tried to be kind enough in regards to Momenah but he knows what actually has made her disappear from his life for good.
Even though it was good to see Nayab getting all the comforts in the presence of Daood once again, it was good to see her content & happy at her husband’s return but then it makes Daood look like a villain & a selfish person who walked away from his wife when he got his hands on the love of his life but now when he has no other option left, he’s back with a huge secret & is keeping Nayab in the dark by not revealing the real motive of his return.
If Daood actually cared for his wife & mother, he would’ve openly told them the reason of why he has shifted back. I think this is worst then leaving Nayab before. Right now Nayab must be thinking she got her husband back who is ready to start afresh but it’s sad to see that she is oblivious of the actual reason. Another thing that bothers me is the way Nayab now comes across as such a weakling who was ready to accept her husband even after how he wronged her & literally ditched her. Nayab should’ve fought with him & threw some tantrum of not accepting him back but seems like she was fine with the way Daood walked out on their marriage. It now makes me feel that we were being worried for Nayab for no good reason because seems like she herself isn’t bothered much about what her life has to offer. She seems pretty numb after Zaid’s death so I feel we shouldn’t feel too bad for her.
Another powerful conversation that we got to see was between Daood & Gaitiara where tried to make her understand how she was becoming like her mother in law & how he dreaded seeing Nayab becoming the next Gaitiara. He knows that he has a very little time left to make Gaitiara understand that she shouldn’t unnecessarily hold a grudge against Nayab because in any case, she’s innocent. The way Daood explained it to Gaitiara that he feels burdened for how he has hurt an innocent person like Nayab was quite overwhelming.
Ah! It was a pretty heavy episode emotionally & I must say I have never liked Ahsan Khan better in any other role than the one he has portrayed in this drama. He has been flawless as Daood & the director has put in an extra effort in bringing out the emotions best way possible. No complains but only praises for this drama serial. Share your thoughts on this episode.
Can someone please call 911 & tell that they have seen a psycho lady who yells & breaks things whenever she throws a hissy fit? Can someone also tell them that they’ve spotted a man who’s spineless & isn’t blessed with brains whatsoever? Having said that, this episode was at least a tad bit tolerable because seems like the story is moving forward but still there’s some roothna aur manana left to deal with.
Awazaar’s expressions changed when he saw that his Pakistani Paratha was slipping away & was about to be replaced with Indian Idli on his breakfast table. Haya has certainly made some place in his heart because she has an upper hand in Pakistani cuisine in comparison to Sofia. Awazaar has understood that he can’t live without both these women (yukh) & now agrees that he has wronged every single woman that has ever trusted him.
The na-maloon fard i-e Shireen Apa got some coverage in this episode too where once again she tried to show her unwanted & unnecessary concern for this family. I wish someone tells me how’s this lady related to them? Once again Shireen Apa told us how does she fit the bill of being a distant/immediate relative because whenever she speaks, she pushes all the wrong buttons. Once again Awazaar who has no brains of his own ate the food of thought that Shireen Apa gave to him to make him realize that he can’t be without Haya’s Pakistani Pakwaan.
The only part that I enjoyed watching in this episode was Nousherwaan Uncle & his conversation with Haya. At least it’s good to see someone else in this otherwise boring drama. It was good to see that Haya tried to open up in front of him & his wife & now she has someone she can speak to in future because the place where she resides is so dense & gloomy that it makes one suffocated.
I think this Goa trip makes no sense because a person like Sofia who is so dominating & insecure is now ready to leave her husband behind? Obviously as seen in the preview of the next episode, she is going to make sure that Haya leaves her place but still, how can she leave Awazaar behind? She seems like one of those people who would even pack her husband in a suitcase & tag him along her because she is so insecure. I wish they had tried their hands on showing the frustration of the already frustrated Sofia in a better way rather than crushing innocent things like spoons & expensive vases. I mean was so much negativity really necessary?
Pretty average episode but I think next episode would be interesting to see because Awazaar will look like a headless chicken running to make sure Bumble Bee doesn’t find out about his first love Sofia. Is it just me or Sarwat Gillani looks like she is going for a horseback riding every single time she dresses up with those long boots? They put in a lot of efforts in the production so I wish they had selected some more wardrobe options for Sofia as she has repeated so many clothes that it looks like they ran out of budget that’s why she had to stick to very limited dressing options. Share your thoughts on this episode.
All the avid followers of the show know about Mariam Nida, a contestant of the very first season of MasterChef Pakistan whose journey just ended lately on the show, but she was sweet enough to let us know about her & understand her journey better. That’s why when I got in contact with her, she gave me a detailed insight about her experience on the show & how much she enjoyed being a part of the first ever MasterChef Pakistan. She was all praises for the show so there you go:
Q) What inspired you to come to MasterChef? A) My passion for food and cooking using new flavors, experimenting with food inspired me to be a part of MasterChef Pakistan. Coming to MasterChef was a dream as I’m a crazy fan of the show, I follow MasterChef Australia and US regularly.
Q) What did you think about the format of the show? A) Well I think as it’s the biggest cooking competition on Earth and it’s and international show coming to Pakistan for the first time, these guys have done an amazing job. They followed the format as closely as possible. Obviously there’s always a room for improvement but being a part of it I know how much hard-work MasterChef Pakistan team has done.
Q) How would you define the three judges? Please tell us about them individually. A) When it comes to the judges I really adore them all. They are the food experts and I think they’re perfect for the show as Chef Mehboob is an expert in all cuisines over the world, he prefers healthy food and personally he’s a very friendly and supportive chef. Chef Zakir is the King of Asian cuisine and as it’s MasterChef Pakistan he can judge our food perfectly. Sir Khurram, being a head of food and beverages in one of the best hotels in the world, knows all about food presentation. All judges have done an amazing job, not only they’re my inspiration but I’ve experienced their help and support throughout the show.
Q) Do you think judges have stayed true to the seat & have not been biased? A) Of course judges have stayed true to their seat, they know all weaknesses and strengths of each contestants so I totally agree with all the decisions they’ve made fairly.
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) I think the current panel of judges is very good, they have vast experience in food industry and they know about the show format so I truly think for the seasons to come these are the perfect judges.
Q) Who were you friends with? A) All contestants were my good friends but Gulnaz, Adnan, Khurram and Sidra were really close to me.
Q) After your elimination; who do you think deserves to win the title? A) After elimination I truly want Gulnaz to win this title but in terms of cooking techniques and expertise I think Rayyan can win the title. But Ammarah have been consistently hard-working so finger crossed, let’s see.
Q) After watching the episodes, do you think the format & execution of the show & episodes needs to be improved? A) Given that its the first season, there will always be room for improvement and I’m sure it will keep getting better in future seasons. But overall the level of execution and production of the show, it is surely an amazing effort and one of its kind in Pakistan. And I feel very happy to have been a part of it.
Q) If yes; what changes would you like to see in the show? A) I love the show. As far as improvements are concerned show timings and days should be increased in futures seasons.
Q) Do you feel the challenges that the contestants are put up with should be more diverse? A) I think the challenges were very diverse and difficult. One day we would be making Italian food and the next day we would be making local food. Even the local food had to be presented in a unique way to impress the judges. We covered worldwide cuisines and there was so much that was up to the imagination and creativity of the contestants that every plate was always different.
Q) What are your comments on the politics among the contestants that is being covered in the show? A) When 16 people from completely different backgrounds and personalities are put in one place and you spend all your time with them, there are bound to be some frictions and they did come out during the course of the show. After all it is a reality show and sometimes in the spur of the moment certain emotions do come out. After all said and done, we all have a lot of respect for each other. Everyone is very talented but during that time we were also competitors. And competition is always healthy!
– Please define your co-contestants in one word;
– Amna: Fun-loving and talented.
– Sidra: Simple and innocent.
– Muddasir: Reserved and helpful.
– Iqra: Lively and God-gifted.
– Gulnaz: Adorable.
– Madiha: Gentle and sharp.
– Khurram: Jolly and supportive.
– Azam: Cheerful and simple.
– Saad: Confident.
– Zain: Softhearted and friendly.
– Rayyan: Co-operative.
– Ali Shah: Cheerful.
– Aneela: Talented.
– Adnan: Loyal.
– Ammarah: Hardworking.
Q) What advice would you give to those who’re interested to appear in the next season? A) I’d like to advice them to be very determined and innovative. They should try different recipes and flavor combinations at home. And be well prepared for the auditions, any kind of challenge can be thrown at them. Best of luck!
– In the end please share your experience & feelings about being a MasterChef contestant & what did it teach you?
– My experience on the show have been life-changing, I’ve learned a lot. The unpredictable challenges taught us time-management and creativity. I often found myself in situations where I was bound to create a dish with limited ingredients and time. I won many challenges and that boosted up my self-confidence. The appreciation from the judges and fellow contestants have encouraged me to pursue my career in cooking. My school management and family have supported me throughout my journey of MasterChef Pakistan. I loved and still cherish each and every second I spent in the MasterChef Kitchen & Knorr pantry was like a treasure-chest full of amazing food jewels. I consider myself very lucky to be a part of the show. Alhumdulilah. :)
So, this is what Mariam Nida had to say about her time spent in the kitchen of MasterChef Pakistan, share what you have to say to & about her. :)
Ohkay so, the episode was good but once again a savoury challenge!?!?! Ever since it has been pointed out by one of the readers that the dessert challenges have been completely ignored, it does seem right & makes me want to see a dessert challenge more. We’re almost at the end of the season here where we’ll get a winner in a few weeks’ time but still we haven’t seen who’s diverse in the cooking except a few contestants.
So, this challenge was based on ‘duck’ as a core ingredient. Contestants had to make it shine in their dishes & they got a pretty decent time limit of 2 hours in this challenge. I was impressed by quite a few dishes but I must say it’s clearly visible that the contestants have stepped up a couple of notches in the presentation because almost all the dishes looked visually appeasing. The dishes that were created & the comments they got were:
Rayyan came up with ‘ Duck w/ Plum Sauce, Potato Dauphinoise & Duck Crackling’. Chef Mehboob liked the dish for the fact that the main ingredient was cooked perfectly. He felt that the duck was succulent, tender & also medium-rare; exactly how Chef Mehboob preferred it to be. He liked the sauces as well as the potatoes Chef Zakir liked the dish on the whole but he felt that the taco had no flavour & it lacked seasoning but the sauce was good too.
Gulnaz came up with ‘Duck Steak & Legs w/ 4 Sauces & Semolina Cake’. Chef Mehboob commented that just because she tried to go for a lot of sauces, she couldn’t do justice to each one of them. He didn’t like the honey sauce much because he felt it had no other flavour, apple sauce was more like a purée & it also lacked flavour. He felt that even though the duck leg was cooked well but it had no flavour as well. He liked the semolina cake but he felt that Gulnaz should have used her immunity pin today.
Khurram came up with ‘Sweet & Sour Duck w/ Fried Rice’. Chef Khurram commented that the presentation was great, sauces were good, duck was tender, succulent & flavoursome however the rice were a tad bit salty & they weren’t exactly the way fried rice are served. Chef Zakir liked the duck but he felt that the fat wasn’t rendered which was making the meat a bit chewy to eat.
Amna created ‘Stir Fried Noodles w/ Honey Soy Glazed Duck’. Chef Mehboob liked the plating but he felt that the flavour was missing, duck had no flavour whatsoever, noodles weren’t Asian enough & the egg served for the purpose of garnishing was overcooked. Chef Khurram liked the presentation too but he felt that the duck was hard & lacked flavour; veggies were crunchy but had no flavour too.
Zain presented ‘Duck Breast w/ Mash Potatoes, Pea Purée, Orange Sauce & Salad’. Chef Mehboob felt that just because the peas weren’t cook through, it made the purée a lot grainier & it lacked flavour as well. He felt that the potato mash missed the mark too & the duck was overcooked. Chef Khurram liked the presentation but he felt that this much effort should’ve been put in the flavours too. He found the duck breast a lot more chewy & undercooked. Sauce had an overpowering flavour of orange zest which made it too strong. Chef Zakir found the salad bland & felt that it lacked seasoning. He also complained about the usage of excessive orange zest which made every bite quite hard to eat.
Madiha came up with ‘Oven Roasted Duck w/ Plum Sauce & Pomegranate Orange Salad’. Chef Mehboob liked the salad but felt she used the pomegranate more than required. He liked the duck meat too. Chef Zakir forgot to comment on the dish but he voiced up his opinion about the inconsistency in the knifing skills because he found that the meat pieces weren’t cut consistently.
Ammarah created ‘Duck Breast w/ Orange & Cherry Sauce’. Chef Mehboob liked the duck because it was cooked nicely however he felt that the sauce got concentrated a bit too much, he overall liked the effort but he felt she had missed a mark a bit too this time. Chef Khurram liked the presentation but felt that the duck skin wasn’t cooked too well. Even though he felt that the duck was cooked through but he complained about the portion size as that made the duck a bit chewy. Chef Zakir passed on his signature comment which was ‘maza a gaya’.
Ohkay so it was pretty evident that a quite a few contestants made remarkable dishes that’s why Khurram & Rayyan qualified for the next round followed by Ammarah & Madiha. I am glad that Khurram & Rayyan redeemed themselves & have been consistent with their performances with the finale approaching.
Gulnaz, Amna & Zain fell in the bottom three & one of them had to go. I think all the three dishes were weak & had nothing good in it but just because Zain made a few more mistakes, he was eliminated. The elimination was a bit emotional because Chef Zakir even got overwhelmed. Ever since the beginning of the show, Zain has emerged as a very friendly person & he was someone who believed in helping his co-contestants, no wonder why everyone was so sad at his elimination. The judges had some great things to say about him & Chef Mehboob was generous enough to offer him his consultancy services free of cost for the sake of Zain’s future restaurant. That was really kind of him.
So, coming onto the overall episode, it was good enough but before I say anything I want to thank Amna for using that pasta machine because otherwise it would’ve defied the purpose of this show being a MasterPasta Pakistan (as pointed out by Haseeb brother in his article), so yeah back to the episode I don’t know why I feel they need more diversity in the challenges. I am not too sure if it was a coincidence or people copied the ideas from each other but every single dish had the acidic content in it like Plum & Orange & a bit of similar sweet content of Honey & Pomegranate & also Semolina Cake was made by two contestants . Amna & Khurram tried different dishes with Asian inclination but all of the others had somewhat similar ideas & components in their dishes & it looked like we were seeing similar dishes presented differently. One thing that does make me wonder about the elimination is that if we stick to the judges’ comments, Amna’s dish had no flavour at all & seems like every component of her dish was tasteless. Both of them presented their dishes well yet both of them were unable to instill any flavour in their complimentary components & where Zain undercooked the duck, Amna overcooked it, so I am not too sure why Zain wasn’t safe & why Amna was.
Anyways, the idea of elimination by the end of every episode now makes the show a lot more interesting but I wish we get to see some difficult challenges from now on as we’re heading to the finale. Share your thoughts on this episode & I excuse for keeping you waiting, I know how many times a few readers must’ve refreshed the page, heheheh!
Meera has recently signed a contract with a Lahore based theater director for four dramas. Meera’s first Theater drama will air on Eid-ul-Fitr, it will be titled “Welcome Meera”. Meera is very happy with her decision. She wants to add to the color of Lahore city. Meera cordially invited all her fans to come to watch her plays in theater.
Meera also said that she is not scared of negative things which people say about her all the time. Meera said that she is not scared of politics among co workers too. She said that in Pakistan the government comes in power for a limited period but she has been governing her field for 15 to 16 years now. Meera said that she plans to write and direct a film after Eid-ul-Fitr. Not just that she will also play the role of the heroine in the film.
Maya Ali is a well known actress and model. Maya Ali has done modelling for a lawn brand and a jewelry brand too in the recent past. These are the pictures of Maya Ali’s photo shoot for Taiba Jewellers.
When the trailer of the Pakistani film Na Maloom Afraad came out more viewers were talking about Mehwish Hayat’s item song than the leading lady in the film. This could be a cause of concern for Urwa Hocane who plays the lead in the film. A local newspaper talked to Urwa about this. Did she feel that Mehwish was stealing the limelight from her? Urwa Hocane gave an answer that went to show her confidence. She said, “It never happens that somebody steals the show with just a song. The entire film is here and people have already started saying that it has potential to be a blockbuster so I am sure they will appreciate it as a complete entertainment package not just the song. Mehwish is a dear friend of mine and her work never scares me.”
Urwa is glad that Mehwish Hayat is part of the film because according to her, “we both have our own significant parts – where she gets to entertain the audience with her dancing skills.”
While talking about her own character in Na Maloom Afraad Urwa Hocane said, “I am playing a girl in love and over all her track is more about romance and drama than comedy.”
Urwa Hocane is very happy with her role in the film and also thinks that the script is also excellent, “It’s hard to find character roles in an industry which is going through a struggling phase and for me a good script is always the main attraction in any project.”
Wali Hamid Khan is the lead vocalist of band Raaga Boys and son of famous classical singer Hamid Ali Khan. Wali Hamid Khan belongs from a family having roots in classical music. Famous names Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, Shafqat Amanat Ali, Asad Amanat Ali are also from this family. The band Raga Boyz comprises of three members, Wali Hamid Khan and his two brothers.
Wali Hamid Khan is signed for Indian film Amar Must Die for a song Naa Jaanay Tu Naa Jaanon Mein. The song will also be shot on Wali Hamid Khan assisting Indian artist Sunny Leone. Earlier the band Raga Boys has appeared in Indian film Maximum where a munqabat in their own voice was filmed on them.
Ayeza Khan is due to marry Danish Taimoor sometime later this year, being engaged in 2013. As per press report Danish’s family has demanded Ayeza to leave acting career after marriage. Ayeza has bowed to this demand and is no more singing any new contract, only completing already signed projects.
As per press report both Danish and Ayeza are cousins. Danish started his drama career in 2008 from a minor role in Hum TV’s Dil Diya Dehleez. Ayeza started her career from drama Tum Jo Milay. In a relatively short span both got fame and were appreciated by television viewers for their projects. Both are widely popular and leading artists of dramas beyond any question. Danish has also worked in a film Jalebi due to release later this year.
After many ups and downs in their romance, both finally decided to marry last year. However Danish’s family has now put forth the condition of leaving acting, which Ayeza has accepted to start a new journey of life.
Laa is one of those very few plays on air nowadays which have great entertainment value; the pace of the show is remarkable, there isn’t a single character I can’t connect to and I don’t mind the frequent coincidences either. Not to mention the fact that I am thoroughly enjoying the filmy aspect of the play. Daniyal’s quest to find his mother has turned out to be a very exciting journey till now. The people who he has met during his journey have kept us guessing till now but it seems like Laila and Dilawar are genuinely concerned about Daniyal after all. Dilawar Khan has his ulterior motives of course but he did not lie to Daniyal.
Like every other episode of Laa the story moved forward considerably in tonight’s episode too. We know now that Daniyal is indeed Dilawar’s step-brother and Dai Maa wanted him dead because she wanted her son to take over everything left by her husband. Daniyal shared the secret with Laila as well and Laila is willing to do whatever she can in order to help him. Naina desperately tries to meet Daniyal but the meeting does not take place in this episode.
It was great to see Laila Zuberi on screen after such a long time. She looked charming like always and she suited the role really well. Could Hina be Daniyal’s mother? Why else would she have the photograph of Pir Murtaza’s Haveli? She was very puzzled and wanted Daniyal to leave when he asked her about the photograph. Dai Maa is obviously not very fond of Naina’s “simplicity and she does not think she needs to hide the way she feels. Naina wears a very informal dress to a very formal occasion and Dai Maa does not appreciate that at all.
Dilawar and Laila’s conversation about Naina clearly showed that in his heart Dilawar already knows the real reason behind Naina not accepting his gift but he really doesn’t care if the woman who is going to be his wife loves him or not. Dilawar is going to get a taste of what Daniyal has been going through in the past few months and he is most certainly not the sort of person who will react the way Daniyal did. Naimat Khan is the only person who probably knows who Daniyal’s mother is, is he going to reveal the truth to Daniyal only after he agrees to oblige? Because he cannot go ahead with his plan unless Daniyal co-operates with him. The term ” chooza seth” was hilarious and very true for Dilawar! Whoever chose the cast for this drama deserves special appreciation and so does the director who has brought out the best in all the actors. For once this HUM TV drama does not rely solely on good production values. Sadia Khan’s acting isn’t up to the mark but her performance in this play is much better than it was in Devar Bhabi. People who have seen her other plays can be better judges.
Why was Laila so worried when she found out that Dilawar knew he had a step brother? Is Laila helping Daniyal out of goodwill or does she have an ulterior motive too? Who was the little girl in the picture which Daniyal saw at Laila’s house? I think there are many more mysteries that are going to be revealed in the upcoming episodes. I am glad that HUM TV has finally decided to come up with a different drama that is very entertaining, I would really like to see more dramas like Laa on screen.
Airing of Pakistani dramas on Indian channel has introduced some Pakistani artists to Indian viewers. One name that outshines others is the versatile artist Samina Peerzada. Samina played the role of mother of Kashaf in Zindagi Gulzar Hai and is now playing the role of a catholic maid in Noorpur ki Raani both on Zindagi Channel.
Talking to paper Gulf News of Middle East, Samina informed about her views regarding India and plans to visit India in August.
Samina told she is a fan of Madhubala since childhood and likes dances of Madhuri Dixit. She still watches Indian film and in current age Parineeta and Barfi are splendid films whereas comedy show Comedy Nights With Kapil is her favorite TV show. Watching Kapil show releives from the stress of hectic routine.
Samina will visit India for a short trip in August where will meet madhuri dixit and kapil sharma.
On airing of Pakistani dramas, Samina feels excited. She thinks its a positive initiatve that Pakistani voices are reaching Indian audience. For quite a while Indian audience was interested in watching contemporary Pakistani drama. Through dramas they can observe the feelings, emotions and living of Pakistanis.
Adding further, Samina said, through Pakistani shows Indians will realize there are many similarities among both countries. Through Art, Culture, Music and Dance people of both countries can know about each other.
Samina admits that airing of Pakistani dramas will bring people of both countries closer. It will start a new era for talent and artists to learn from eah other.
Samina is hopeful on chances of co-production of films with India. She said, a new era of Pakistani cinema has started and co-production with India is a feasible option. She insisted on promotion of a conducive environment where films from both countries exchanged without hurdles. To strengthen her argument Samina putforth the example of Bol and Khuda Ke Liye which were appreciated in India as well as Pakistan thus proving Pakistan film can do well at Indian box office as well.
Imran Abbas is making a debut on Indian cinema from film Creature 3D in September. Trailer of film Creature 3D is launched few days ago, however Imran Abbas has missed this event held in Mumbai, India due to delays in visa issuance.
Imran Abbas along with Bipasha Basu are in the lead cast of film Creature 3D.
Zindagi Gulzar Hai is aired in India these days. As per media reports it is widely appreciated by Indian viewers. Seeing this trend Indian press is also publishing interviews of artists working in these dramas.
Given below is the interview of Sanam Saeed for Indian paper Times of India. Whole content below is taken from this link
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/tv/news/India-uses-cinema-to-tell-its-stories-we-use-TV-Pakistani-actress/articleshow/38377181.cms?
Having immortalised strong women-oriented roles on TV screens across the border, young and multi-faceted Sanam Saeed, known to Indian audiences as Kashaf Murtaza of “Zindagi Gulzar Hai”, says that while India makes the most of its filmmaking capacity to tell stories, the medium in Pakistan is TV.
The 29-year-old is ecstatic and “grateful” that “Zindagi Gulzar Hai“, one of the most popular ongoing shows in India, has turned out to be the “first drama to have broken the ice across the borders in current times”, Sanam told IANS in her distinct baritone over the phone from Karachi.
“India uses Bollywood, rather cinema, to tell its stories. It is one of the largest filmmaking nations in the world and so your talents get to tell stories about politics, love and drama through films. In Pakistan, our medium is the small screen.
“We don’t make many films, and hardly have theatres. A majority of people seek entertainment while sitting at home and TV gives it to them, so we excel on that part,” Sanam said, stressing that since their command over language and gift of the gab are “strong”, they have some prolific writers.
Shows from Pakistan are high on content and quality and Indian audiences are gradually coming face to face with them courtesy new channel Zindagi – Jodey Dilon Ko, a first-of-its-kind initiative, beaming entertainment and content from that side of the border here.
The line-up on Zindagi channel bears testimony to Sanam’s contention.
Her own show “Zindagi Gulzar Hai”, based on prolific writer Umera Ahmad’s novel of the same name, is a romantic drama focussing on women, portraying equality of the girl child and importance of a career for women.
Another show “Aunn Zara”, now over thanks to the finite nature of most Pakistani shows, was based on Faiza Iftikhar’s novel “Hisaar-e-Muhabbat” and caught the viewers’ eyes as it dwelt on family ties and strong female characters.
There’s also “Kaash Main Teri Beti Na Hoti” highlighting the struggles of the underprivileged and “Kitni Girhain Baqi Hain”, a gripping line-up of tele-films focussing on women from various walks of life.
As an artiste, Sanam, who was born in Britain and shifted to Karachi with her family when she was six, prefers to pick parts which depict a woman’s struggle.
“I’ve seen the effect some of my shows have had, and so I like characters that can be role models for young girls, roles that can help to change people’s perspective.”
By “people”, you mean?
“The masses. The middle-class masses. The upper middle class here still has options for entertainment. We have internet, Hollywood and books. But for the majority and the masses, there is only TV,” said Sanam.
“A lot of them sit at home and watch TV as they can’t afford other forms of entertainment. So, we try to do shows which have inspirational value,” added the actress, who has played a troubled wife in “Mera Naseeb”, a Pakistani British woman in “Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu” and a Syrian Christian single mother in “Talkhiyan”.
Sanam started out by being a model, following which she became a video jockey, did theatre, tried her hand at stand up comedy and is also a singer, apart from being an actress in TV shows and films.
She says three of her past shows will be beamed on Zindagi channel soon.
In a recent interview, veteran Pakistani actress Samina Peerzada, who plays Sanam’s mother in “Zindagi Gulzar Hai” told IANS that she is glad that through these shows, India is getting to see a side of their country so far eclipsed by negative news coverage.
Sanam has another view.
“I don’t understand why we are considered different. We were one nation. We are not different. In fact, there is so much similarity between us culturally, in terms of food, clothes, family, bonds and language. So, I have never been under the impression that we (India and Pakistan) are different. Nevertheless, I’m glad that the shows are having a positive impact on people in India – it’s the same effect that they had on people here (in Pakistan),” she said.
I’m seriously contemplating giving up watching Pakistani dramas altogether unless the channels rethink their content. We’ve been discussing the increasing influx of topics that centre around marital discord- divorce, halala and extra-marital affairs. We now have a couple of others joining the list of ever-increasing problems in Pakistani society (if one were to believe what our exceptional drama writers come up with). The hot topics this season are *drumroll* Nikah pe Nikah and beghairat/ badniyat behnoi.
Tragedy happens everywhere- birth, death, divorce, financial setbacks, the list is truly endless. If there was an educational or even informative component involved, I wouldn’t think twice. But how many times can you sit through a drama that discusses the exploitation of women- it’s almost as if we are catering to perverts who enjoy watching such nonsense unfold. A divorcee or widow will almost always find herself at the mercy of others who are only too eager to take advantage of her. Bhabi, which is currently on air, had a rather graphic visual of a behnoi attempting to violate his recently widowed saali. Another drama, Janam Jali had a similar scenario, although here, the saali wasn’t a widow, but one rejected by her husband and later accused of being badkirdaar. Here’s another one- badkirdaar– you’d think every working woman, or highly opinionated woman is by default badkirdaar. It takes a single moment with another man for her husband to assume the worst in her; any random man a woman talks to implies she’s having a full fledged affair with him!
Another topic gaining popularity is Nikah pe Nikah. Oh, yeah, this one’s really taking off since talaaq is so last season. So what exactly is Nikah pe Nikah, you ask? Well, if a woman who is married goes ahead and married another man. Women are not allowed to take more than one husband at a time. How then is this possible? In the recently concluded drama, Shab-e-Zindagi, Mariam, is the main female lead. Her husband is presumed dead so she leads the life of a widow. After countless tragedies, she decides to marry her father’s friend and just when she starts adjusting to her new life, her husband returns and files a case of Nikah pe Nikah– a Molvi gives a fatwa that in this case she must return to her first husband but her second husband conveniently dies paving the way for a blissful reunion. After the warped story in Rishtey Kuch Adhorey Se, this one was another mind-numbing drama. Another drama, Maang is the story of a man who loves a woman but on his mother’s insistence, marries her sister. Shortly after his mother’s death, he divorces his wife and marries the woman he loves. Just as things start looking up for him, a man appears claiming to be the husband of his current wife and thus begin the court hearings that deal with Nikah pe Nikah.
Why blame foreign content for the instilling twisted ideologies when our Pakistani dramas are doing a splendid job on their own? While the problems are rampant, they are not as common as our dramas would have us believe. And even if they are, why can’t we focus on some of the positives for a change? What would it take to revitalize our drama industry and bring forth stories that provide some real entertainment value and some thought-provoking subjects? What do you have to say?
Recent airing of Pakistani dramas in India has introduced Pakistani artists to Indian audience and now Indian press is also following them for interviews and views on respective dramas. Aunn Zara is the recently concluded drama in India and interview of its lead artist Osman Khalid Butt is also published in an Indian site.
As per Osman, Art is beyond boundaries. Why cant India and Pakistan collaborate in art and culture as both sides have talented artists which can support each other. Airing of Pakistani dramas on Indian television is a positive initiative, which will tell Indian audience that if indian films are ruling the world, Pakistani drama is a also not much behind their films. Success of Pakistani drama lies in strong script, story and characterization quite different from monotone indian drama due to which it is also appreciated by Indian audience . Osman still considers himself a new entrant in acting and believes its still along way to go to establish himself in acting.
Hamza Ali Abbasi is finalized in the cast of upcoming film Mola Jutt 2 directed by Bilal Lashaari. At a television show Hamza told, the opposite female artist is still yet to be finalized (hopefully it is not Saima Noor since it is a gujjar/gandasa type film) and he is excited about his role in this film.
It will be interesting to know whether Hamza is playing the role of Mola Jutt (Sultan Rahi) or Noori Nat(Mustafa Qureshi). Mola Jutt 2 will be the second film of Bilal Lashari after block buster film Waar. Mola Jutt 2 was announced in January 2014 and now after six months one cast member is finalized, so when does actual film will be screened if things are proceeding at such pace? Do share your views how will Hamza look holding a gandasa and shouting in Punjabi oye meri pehan da dupatta waapis kar?
This was another slow and dull episode of Mausam which literally put me to sleep. Things are moving at a snail’s pace because most of the conversations in every episode are very slow. Sorry guys but “slow” is the word of the day!! Viewers who are following this drama through the promos must be enjoying watching it much more than the ones who watch the entire episodes. Every preview of the next episode promises some action but non of the episodes which have aired so far have delivered.
There has been zero character development even after nine episodes. Hashir has been a lost soul right from day one. The reasons behind his constant sad face and attitude are revealed in every episode but do they leave an impact? Most certainly not. Every scene falls flat on its face because of the weak direction. The story is already as old as the hills and the characters are not strong enough either. A very talented director could have turned this play it into a filmy and engaging fast paced show, the story still would have been unconvincing and weak but then Dil-e-Muztar’s story wasn’t out of this world either but it worked for many people because of the strong direction.
Any way coming back to tonight’s episode…Faisal’s character makes me sick, the way he keeps on showing his interest in Shazia shamelessly is nauseating. I must say though that I am very impressed with Mazhar Yasir’s acting. His character is nothing like the one he played in Bashar Momin but he is doing a commendable job. The character of course does not have much to offer but he has managed to portray Faisal’s character brilliantly. I love his choice of wardrobe too, it is just as annoying as the character itself.
Mehreen’s father’s decision to talk to Hashir’s mother was another filmy development in the play which had little impact! Somehow all the conversations are always stretched so much that they lose their significance. I understand Mehreen’s father’s concern but I fail to appreciate the way these ladies are obsessed with Hashir.
Fayyaz Hassan is the new character that has been introduced in the play. He is Hashir’s father and nothing like the person his son thinks he is. The cat is finally out of the bag, Hashir knows the truth and he is going to confront Shazia in the next episode. Am I the only one who feels that all the actors other than Mazhar Yasir look bored and disinterested?
This episode was pretty much like the all the previous ones; stretched and boring. Mausam is a great drama to watch before bed time because it will instantly put you to sleep! Good night guys!!
Raja Natarwarlal is Humaima Malick’s first Bollywood film in which she plays the leading role with Emran Hashmi. Emran Hashmi is known for being part of films that are very bold. The poster of the film is out which shows that this will be a bold film. The film is set to release on 29th August.
Syra Shehroz revealed the good news of her pregnancy while talking to the Sunday magazine. When asked what was Syra’s reaction when she found out about her pregnancy Syra said “I was ecstatic! I have always wanted to be a mother at a young age, so it was perfect timing!”Syra also said the best part about being pregnant was “You get to eat everything! And everyone pampers you so much. I love it! Shehroz has been very caring and thoughtful throughout. Having nothing to do and watching yourself bloat up is tough though.”
Syra Yusef said that in the beginning of her pregnancy she was craving “pickles, chaats and everything sour and spicy, but now towards the end I have developed more of a sweet tooth.”Syra Yusef admitted that it would be hard to go back to work after the baby but “I will be able to manage InshAllah.” Syra Yusef also shared that the best advice she got during her pregnancy so far was from her gynecologist who said “Only discuss your pregnancy with three women: your mother, your mother-in-law and me. We want what is best for you. Everybody else is going to tell you what a traumatic experience it is and you don’t want that.”
We wish Syra Sheroz and Shehroz Sabzwari a very happy life together and all the best for the baby who is on his way.
Kucch Din Aur is an upcoming play featuring relatively new cast Faizan Khawaja, Sidra Batool, Yasir Ali Khan. It is directed by Ayesha Baig. Here are promos and few shots from the sets.
The once bustling film industry in Lahore is no more active from past many years, leaving associated technicians and extra artists facing financial difficulties. Every year Resham arranges funds form various sources for these persons.
This year Resham has also distributed amount among nearly hundred such persons, Rs 5000 per head for each male and Rs 3000 per head for females. The amount was distributed at an Iftar Party in Lahore. Resham also has plans the send clothes and other equipment to IDPs of North Waziristan worth three lakh rupees.
Speaking on the occasion Resham said, she lost her parents at a young age. Being raised without parents she can well understand the hardships of such persons.
The much awaited film Operation 021 will be released on upcoming Eidul Azha. Earlier there were conflicting reports of release on Eidul Fitr or Independence Day. The trailer of the film is already widely appreciated on social media.
Operation 021 is produced by Zeba Bakhtiyar and Azaan Sami Khan and is directed by Jaami. The film stars Shaan, Aamnah Sheikh and Shamoon Abbassi in lead roles.
Hamei kya bura tha mrna agr aik baar hota! This was Laila’s state of mind when she walked towards her house. Every time she goes home to Mansoor she feels dead because no matter how hard she tries to strengthen her bond with Mansoor she knows that there is no real connection between them. She also knows that things between them can only change if there is a genuine effort from both sides. On the contrary she feels more alive when she is with Saadi and she misses him when he is not around. At this point Saadi may not be anything more than a friend from the past who brings with him beautiful memories or someone who gives Laila the kind of attention which every woman her age wants. Laila’s marital life has been a nightmare come true right from day one. Mansoor has never been the kind of husband Laila deserved, the poor girl has not seen one happy day in her life. Just like I predicted Kukoo gave the present Mansoor brought for her to Laila and at the perfect time too. Laila needed to know that Mansoor was not worth giving a second chance. Kukoo getting the locks changed was the perfect start to the episode which went to show that Kukoo isn’t having a change of heart anytime soon.
The dialogue about Mazloom mard who has an annoying wife but he is compromising because of his children was so very true! Most of the men have this exact explanation for having extra marital affairs. They are convinced that they deserved better therefore they go out looking for someone who they truly deserve to be with – someone they can have an affair with but not get married to because they have to stay married to their children’s mother! Most of these mazloom mard are like Mansoor, only their wives truly know who is at fault. They never put in the effort which is needed to make a marriage work but are never willing to take the blame when things fall apart.
Laila takes Kukoo’s advice and she decides to give herself a second chance. I thoroughly enjoyed Mansoor’s helplessness and Laila’s damn care attitude when she walked out of the door. She did not think that she owed Mansoor an explanation and she needed a break from her married life, I just wish that this break did not involve another man! I strongly believe that what goes around comes around but I also believe that two wrongs do not make a right! If Laila wants to end her relationship with Mansoor, she should go ahead and do that. Laila is of course still confused, she still thinks about the early days of her marriage and forgets that she has a dinner date with Saadi. She is trying very hard to be strong but her marriage has been a very painful experience for her which is not going to be easy to forget. Mansoor broke Laila’s trust over and over again but even then ending this marriage isn’t as easy as it would seem.
Laila for the first time does not sugar coat things when her mother asks her why she didn’t go out for dinner with Mansoor but she still does not have the courage to tell her mother that she is tired of making her relationship with Mansoor work. The reason for that could be that she knows only too well that her mother will never understand. The dialogue about Naani getting the responsibility to take care of her grandchild was so true and Laila’s response was spot on too.
Khurram’s heart attack was actually a good news and I was hoping that he would finally be out of Kukoo’s life now but we see Kukoo baby-sitting Khurram in the next episode – so not looking forward to that! I love the bond that Kukoo, Laila and Mrs. Khan share; they laugh and they cry together and most of all they are always there for each other. We have hardly seen girl friends having this kind of a relationship in any other Pakistani play, it is definitely very refreshing.
The whole conversation about mard ki izzat and aurat ki izzat was music to my ears. Women are always expected to uphold a man’s honor but there is no such responsibility on the shoulders of men.
This episode was picture perfect in every way, just what the doctor ordered! I still can’t seem to like Saadi though. His “words of wisdom” are annoying because those dialogues just don’t sound right coming from someone like him. Overall, this episode was great. I thoroughly enjoyed all the conversation today; they were deep, meaningful and engaging. A big thanks to Bee Gul in particular for a very though provoking script. Really looking forward to the next installment.
We know that aging is progressive. We also know that society expects us to behave according to our age. However, some of our actors are trying very hard to defy aging. There’s no doubt that they are very much in demand which explains why they are offered frequent roles. But that said, even their talent can’t compensate for the obvious misfit in their chosen roles.
The first name that pops in my head is Adnan Siddiqui- I mean, yes, he’s extremely fit and has a charming persona. But that doesn’t justify his pairing opposite the likes of Arij Fatima (Humnasheen), Syra Sheroze (Darmiyaan), Hareem Farooq & Sanam Jung (Mere Humdum Mere Dost) and Mawra Hoccane (Ahista Ahista). He’s playing an older man I agree but he’s coming across as a creep- a guy who has a thing for much younger women. Suave as he maybe, I’m just not buying that he’s supposed to be 34 years old!
At least, Adnan Siddiqui is well-maintained so I can cut him some slack. But what about Faisal Qureshi? This guy isn’t even remotely fit and when he tries to sport a younger look, he fails miserably. Why bother? He’s a good actor- he doesn’t need to pretend he’s young. The audience will accept him playing age-appropriate roles.
Not too long ago, Humayoun Saeed was playing the role of a 28 year old Casanova and his pairing opposite Mahira Khan in Neeyat was cringe-worthy. Thankfully, Humayoun is focusing on movies now so we don’t get to see much of him anymore.
I have always liked Noman Ejaz for this reason- he doesn’t try too hard. You won’t see him aping the style of a 30something. He’s comfortable in his own skin which is why I tend to like his choice of roles.
Isn’t it time these older actors accept the fact that they need to be selective and insist upon such roles? They have established a name for themselves in the industry through years of hard work and dedication- we wouldn’t want to remember them as anything less. What do you think?
Sara Loren has recently signed another Hindi Movie, “Ishq Click”, in which she is doing lead role opposite to Adhyayan Suman. Earlier, she gave poor performance in Murder 3. Though her acting skills need serious improvement, still she is somehow managing to be a part of movies, maybe because of her looks. On serious note, I find her really unattractive after her lips augmentation and cheeks implant.
Ishq Click will be an emotional and romantic movie where Sara’s role is of an Orphan. Its about how Sofia Dias (Sara Loren) turns into a super model and falls in love with a photographer (Adhyayan Suman) and how she gets betrayed.
Sara added that the best part about this movie is that she can connect herself with the character she is doing; It will actually portray that how she is in her real life.
We wish her best of luck for her upcoming project.
Before readers start reading what I have to say, I must make one thing very clear that I am not trying to judge anyone but I am merely sharing how I have felt about the attitude of Pakistani viewers and perhaps people in general too especially in the past few days. I want to hear how people feel about what I think and that is the only reason for writing this article.
We all know how the majority of the Pakistani television viewers or the Pakistani awaam, in general, feels about the airing of Turkish and Indian dramas on Pakistani channels. Very often we see people calling those who watch these dramas unpatriotic. People have very often told viewers who like Turkish or Indian dramas to move to those countries (because they don’t deserve to live in Pakistan!) especially if you praise anything Indian you are very likely to get an extreme backlash from people on social media or different blogs.
People have very often said that Indian dramas or films do not reflect our “culture” and therefore should be banned. Turkish dramas were criticized to the limit only because they were foreign and different from Pakistani dramas. Our producers and actors went ballistic when Turkish dramas were aired saying that it will ruin everything for them. The criticism on online social media is so severe that people who watch these dramas are in fact scared of showing their likeness for these dramas on public forums. Online drama sites like dramasonline and many others get thousands of requests on a daily basis when they do not upload these dramas also many people watch them online when they are uploaded but there are hardly any comments under these dramas’ videos because people know that if they comment then they will have an army of people who will call them all sorts of names and make them feel guilty for watching these plays.
Lately, Pakistani dramas have been airing in different countries as well, I have noticed how ecstatic the viewers and even the producers are with this latest development. They can’t stop retweeting the praises that Pakistani dramas are getting especially from across the border, which means that they are happy that the Indians are appreciating their plays. Even the newspapers and blogs can’t stop covering the airing of Pakistani dramas in India with a very positive mindset. The mindset with which the airing of Turkish dramas was covered was entirely different. Now how would we feel if people of the countries in which Pakistani dramas are being telecast reacted in the same way in which many of the Pakistanis react to these developments? We would be calling them bigoted, racist, small-minded, and whatnot. Faysal Qureshi was one of those celebrities who were dead against airing foreign content but now we see him retweeting articles that praise the impact of Pakistani dramas in India.
Here are the tweets of some renowned Indian celebrities about Pakistani dramas, my question is how will we react if our celebrities start being honest like this? Will we be able to take it??
I found this “masterpiece” on the web which pretty much sums up what I am trying to say!
Now that Pakistani dramas are being shown and liked by many in other countries I would like to ask people if airing of other countries’ dramas is such a bad thing after all. And what impression do most people get of us when we feel insecure when Indian and Turkish dramas are aired here. Are we culturally invading India and many other countries now by letting our dramas air there? Of course, we are not, it is more like a healthy cultural exchange which helps bring the two countries together. If our celebrities copy India or prefer to work in India then that is their choice, it is not the fault of any other country! If the divorce rate in the country is increasing we should try to find out what actually is causing this rise rather than putting the blame on Indian and Turkish dramas! We should stop blaming other people for our weaknesses and we should also think about what message we are sending to the world when we pass such narrow-minded comments about people who like Indian and Turkish dramas. I obviously know why everyone is happy now that Pakistani dramas are going international, I am obviously one of those proud Pakistanis too who are very happy that our talent is being recognized internationally but don’t you think that we should welcome foreign content with the same positivity and a big heart too. When other countries appreciate our serials it is a yay but when foreign content airs in Pakistan why is it a nay?
I believe that if director of PA wants to leave a mark of this show in everyone’s heart even after its ending, it is time to end this show.To much dragging isa adding nothing but giving us viewers pain and we can’t keep ourselves away from comparing previous all well-paced episodes with these unwanted extended ones.
Without any doubt, everyone looked just stunning on Afzal and Farah’s engagement. Farah, Yasmeen and Lubna’s costumes were so really good and seemed like they were competing with each other in a contest called “who is looking more beautiful” . Anyhow, both Afzal and Farah were feeling low at their own places but the voice of their hearts was unheard because neither of them had courage to go and confront the other one and for that they were bearing the consequences in the form of this engagement. Afzal has ego issues because he was rejected by Farah and Farah..actually, she has ego issue too because for her, she was not the one who was made to love or made for love right from the day one and now that she has fallen in love, she just can’t express her feelings.
Maulvi Saheb gave ring to Ibrahim uncle because it was Farah’s wish to have that ring on her engagement. And then , Sabtain’s father asked Maulvi Saheb to do the honors in the ring exchange ceremony. All incidents were just showing that its Afzal with whom she is going to get engage with and not Sabtain. But poor Maulvi Saheb was unable to bear the fact that Farah is getting engaged to a person other than his son and faced severe cardiac arrest.
Despite of the fact that they are dragging it too much, I find the element of emotions still there. The way Rukayya was talking while her husband was not conscious was really touchy – every word of her counted. Even the people in her surroundings seemed a bit confused that why is she acting like this but with no tear and a wicked smile on her face she announced that it was her for whom Maulvi Saheb always call a doctor but he himself is in trouble now.
Afzal came to know about his father situation and immediately headed towards Hyderabad. But on his way to Hyderabad, I found something fishy. Why Police was keeping track of Afzal ? Are they actually going to kill him ? or is it just a distraction for viewers to think of the ending this way. Whatever it is, I am so not ready to buy that sad ending – not atleast after too many episodes.
Maulvi Saheb still misses Afzal but feels ashamed as and when he thinks of his activities. It was one touchy moment when Afzal came and encountered with Arfa. But I dont know, after a couple of secs, the scene lost its feel maybe it was because of background score. Same happened with Afzal and Rukayya’s reunion scene. But the best part was that Maulvi Saheb knew that his wife will never leave his hand but for Afzal and the moment she leaved him with Arfa, he guessed it rightly that Afzal came back.
I can smell that the show will be wrapped up in a couple of episodes or maybe 3. But all I want is a happy ending and its my wish to see few scenes of Afzal and Farah together before this show ends. None of us will mind if they add an episode for this..haina.. :P ?
Share your thoughts on this recent installment of Pyarai Afzal.
Hmmm, actually nothing much happened in this episode but they still managed to move the story forward. I am not sure why but the slow approach in every episode is kind of putting me off. I know the scenario that they’re dealing with can’t be shown in a happening way but even the needless pauses & slow coach conversations force me to forward some of the scenes & I can’t help it.
Jazib has found out that Zara’s disease has taken a bad turn & she hasn’t got much time left. He speak to Dua about it while making sure he made her feel needed & important too. That was the only good thing Jazib must’ve done for Dua. Even though Dua is young & a newly wedded but still she is dealing with everything with perfection. She takes care of Zara & her tantrums, she has connected well with Sofia. It’s like now Zara can’t speak to Sofia about what she feels but Dua can be very open with her.
Through Sofia, Zara has pretty much understood that she has got a few days left but just when I thought she’d throw a hissy fit on Dua especially for sharing unnecessary details with her daughter, she surprised me by completely ignoring it because she knows whatever Dua said was not intended to make Sofia or Zara hurt but she was just trying to prepare Sofia to face the reality. Zara has clearly gone weak but she thought she could manage a day-out with her daughter. It was sad to see that a person who was so independent is now actually dependent on the people around her & she can’t even do things on her own.
Dua’s plan of surprising Zara to make her happy was another heartfelt gesture. Zara is getting all the love she couldn’t even imagine of because not only Jazib but even Dua is concerned for her. It was good to see that Zara has actually pretty much understood that now her whole family is dependent on Dua & she is actually doing her part really well because Zara can clearly see the bonding her kids share with Dua & how Jazib is relaxed because he knows he has someone responsible to lean on in regards to his family.
I thought next episode would mark the ending of this drama but going by the preview, I don’t think so. I am dreading seeing a couple of more episodes of this drama because practically they’re left with nothing in the story to show us except Zara’s death & how her family copes up with it & leads a life without her. I hope this drama ends soon without a further a due. Share your thoughts on this.
Meekal Zulfiqar is a model and an actor who is liked and criticized at the same time. Many people who watched the drama Muhabat Subha Ka Sitara Hai were criticizing Meekal for gaining a lot of weight but if we look at this photo shoot we know that Meekal has lost all that weight. He looks smart modeling for the brand Royal Tag.
Mathira is usually in the news for all the wrong reasons but this time she has done something which no other celebrity has done till now. She has made a video with a special message supporting millions of people suffering in Gaza. In her message she asked the political parties to help the suffering victims of the Gaza conflict in whichever way they can.
Mathira said that we are busy enjoying our Iftar parties while even five year olds are being labeled as terrorists and being killed in Gaza. Mathira said that people particularly the children who are innocent victims need our prayers. She said that people prayed for FIFA world cup for hours but no one even said one prayer for Ghaza. She said that all anyone needs to do is to spare one minute and that we should think of Ghaza’s children like our own children.
“Displaying pictures of injured and dead children on social pages is not the right way to express your solidarity with Ghaza”Mathira said. She also said that these children deserved respect and displaying their pictures like that was wrong.
“People will judge what I am saying because it is coming from me but I don’t mind that as long as people share this video as much as they can” she added.
On the orders of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif the Pakistani government has declared the ancestral house of Dilip Kumar in Peshawar as a national heritage. Prime minister has also ordered to acquire the property by buying it from its current owners (off course by spending tax payers amount from national treasury).
The house located at Qissa Khawani Bazar, Peshawar is in bad condition being used as a storage place by wholesalers. The government is planning to renovate the house after acquiring it, after which it will be inaugurated in a grand ceremony where Dilip Kumar will also be invited who actually lives in Mumbai, India.
Though a positive step, it is ironic that government is keenly following this case where the concerned artist has never ever worked for any Pakistani production. Especially when our governments has never shown any intention or interest in preserving heritage of legendary Pakistani artists like Mehdi Hassan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Madam Noor Jehan and many others. Apart from artists there are many poets and writers who deserve same anticipation from government. Dilip Kumar is indeed a great artist born in Peshawar who opted to live and work in India after partition rather than his homeland, but those who opted to live and work in Pakistan and brought fame to our country should be the first priority for any such decision.
After films now theater is the new destination for Meera. Meera will debut on Tamaseel theater on upcoming Eidul Fitr. In recent years where film making is almost halted in Lahore, Meera first worked in Pushto films and has now agreed to work on commercial theater as well. Unlike other commercial theater houses in past Tamaseel theater has staged some serious theater plays like Janam Janam Ki Meli Chaadar.
