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Tonite With HSY- (Bushra Ansari & Ali Azmat) Episode 6

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Khoob baney gi jab mil behthein gein deewaney do… You can’t go wrong with pairing two wacky celebrities who’ve judged Pakistan Idol and created quite the buzz. Having not watched Pakistan Idol myself, I really didn’t know how these were on the sets but HSY brought them together and other than that, these two guests pretty much took over the show. Bushra Ansari was the first guest- draped in a bright red sari complete with red lipstick, nail color and bangles, Bushra rendered HSY speechless. After all, what’s a fashion designer to do when such a fashion disaster walks up to him and that too on his show? I almost felt sorry for him.

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Bushra spoke about her tryst with singing, her colorful personality (surprize, surprize!) and her fond memories of being part of the hit trio with Anwar Maqsood and Moin Akhar. The next guest was Paaney as Bushra called him- Ali Azmat. Ali spoke about his feminine side after being on Pakistan Idol with Bushra Ansari and Hadiqa Kiyaani– hum behnein hein aapas mein saari… mein bhi aurat hi ban chuka houn… He spoke about the declining music industry in Pakistan which is one of the reasons he hasn’t produced any new labels. It was interesting to hear his take on iTunes and the fact that releasing music on iTunes will not suffice since a huge chunk of his followers are still accustomed to audio tapes/ cds. I liked his analogy for aisa thori hai ke nalka khola aur paani aaya to express how artists struggle with depression.

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The bad boy of music is now a father of two but he claims his transition was a forced one. The comfort level between these two (despite their age difference) was quite evident with the constant nok- jhok… Abhi bhi yeh chance maar rahi hein… Kharbuzay ko dekhkey kharbuza rang pakarta hai… Ali admitted that his image on Pakistan Idol was one created by the director and editors for the sake of ratings- he was prompted to be bataameez! When asked about their stance on social media, Bushra admitted that she sparingly uses it on which Ali commented- sachi baat bataye na, aapko computer use nahin karna aata hai! Ali has taken a sabbatical from twitter since he feels he pissed off enough fans with his outspoken tweets and random musings.

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Next was the competition rounds- Love or Don’t Love is fast becoming a breeding ground for controversy. Bushra replied H.A.T.E to a pic of Meera but later explained that it was not her but rather her image that puts her off. When it was Ali’s turn, he responded with a Love, NOT to Sahir Lodhi, Salman Ahmed and Asif Ali Zardari- I was expecting HSY to pry about his rift with Salman Ahmed but for some reason he let it pass. Ajnabee Kaun Ho Tum had Emu and Javed Sheikh call in. Bushra Ansari got an opportunity to express her musical side and I was disappointed that HSY didn’t think to ask Ali Azmat to sing. The last round was playful and one of Ali’s response that stood out was about PML ka functional nishaan to which he answered Lota!

A much better episode than last week but I couldn’t help myself thinking what was Sheru’s contribution in making this episode a success? The guests pretty much kept the conversations flowing with their incessant use of Punjabi, their witty one-liners and shared memories. HSY was content taking a backseat and I think it’s high time he finds himself a good writer who will help him add some value to the conversations with upcoming guests. What did you think?

Yours in watching,

Kanwal Murtaza

Digest Writer – Episode 03!

Ohkay so, it was another fast paced & very interesting episode. I really like the characters already & feel all the actors have worked really well & have done justice to their roles.

Finally, Fareeda’s dreams have come true where she gets to know that the famous actress Rida has read her stories & is interested in working with her. Fareeda knows too well that no one else would support her that’s why she shares her secret with her only support-system Shakeela.

Amidst all this, we’re shown how Fareeda’s parents are struggling because of a bank loan they took in order to purchase the house they currently reside in. I think the opportunity of Fareeda making some money couldn’t have presented itself at any other time because right now, to see Fareeda earning some amount would obviously contribute a bit to the household expenses. It was obvious that even though Fareeda’s mother didn’t appreciate her talent & passion for writing, she had to give in because she saw that she’s getting paid. Even though it might look a bit odd to see the change of her mother’s attitude but then I am glad they haven’t showed it negatively that Zareena only worries about money & nothing else. Being a mother & someone who has to face all sort of social pressures, her hesitance still looks justified where she just didn’t easily allow Fareeda to carry on with her work & resisted it as much as she could.

I really enjoyed the post-payment celebratory scene. I feel all of them did really well & even though Jameela may not seem so supportive of Fareeda at times, she was still happy for her sister’s little success & enjoyed that moment of glory thoroughly. I loved seeing how Pizza was being reffered to as keemay wala naan because such little conversations give away a feeling that a family is communicating with each other & I am glad they’ve worked really well on this aspect that even though they all have different personalities, different thinking, by the end of the day they all are a family & they all depend on each other for support.

I also enjoyed Shaukat’s contribution to Fareeda’s life where he thinks he has a right to dictate her but the way Fareeda tackled him was really interesting. Like a few readers pointed out in last week’s review that for a change it’s good to see a girl who’s more interested in pursuing her dreams rather than worrying about getting married & I totally agree with it. I am glad they’ve shown Fareeda as a girl who’s creative, strong-headed, determined & passionate about what she does & for this bit, Digest Writer stands out because we hardly get to see such female characters. :)

Even though it looked like Fareeda’s father wouldn’t budge but as her mother said, Rida Anmol is also a favorite actress of Anwar, haha, so obviously he had to agree but I really liked the way everyone supported Fareeda & tried to make Anwar understand that this was such an opportunity which shouldn’t be wasted. Zareena, Shakeela & even Jameela along with Fareeda showed him a brighter picture & luckily for all, he agreed.

I must say along with the simple approach, I liked the few comic bits that this episode had backed by a perfect timing. Shaukat’s arrogance for having a great name, Zareena & Anwar’s submission to Fareeda’s plans, her siblings’ planning of having a small feast to celebrate the success of Fareeda – all this gave a very genuine feeling to the whole experience because they’ve rightfully showcased emotions that people experience in their day-to-day lives. I must say, I even enjoyed all the conversations because you can see diversity & reality in the dialogues. When Fareeda & her friend talk, it’s all about how her friend boosts her morale. When the parents talk to each other, it’s based on financial issues that they both are worried about & also some bits about a grocery list. When Najma & her family converse with each other, the center of attention is only Fareeda because clearly they’re having a hard time accepting her success. When Shaukat speaks, he’s only persistent in making Fareeda understand what she means to him & when the siblings speak to each other, they as much as discuss minor details like dish-washing along with other things. I really feel the team has worked hard in making the story & the characters as realistic as possible. To me, at first, it did look like the drama had a commercial feel but now as I’m going with the flow, I feel all the pieces are being perfectly put together & we’ve been granted another nice play to look forward to every week. I thoroughly enjoyed this episode of Digest Writer & I hope you all did too, share your thoughts on this episode please. :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Hamayun Saeed Injured In An Accident

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Hamayun Saeed has served Pakistani entertainment industry in more ways than one. This talented artist is a true asset for our industry. Hamayun Saeed is in Bangkok nowadays where he is busy shooting for his next film. Hamayum Saeed had a terrible road accident when his car collided with a double decker bus. Hamayun Saeed was not alone but many of his team members were with him too.

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The news is that although Hamayun Saeed was severely injured but he is out of danger. He is currently admitted in a hospital in Thailand.

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Bashar Behan – Episodes 23, 24, 25!

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OMG! Before saying anything, I think it’s my duty to show concern to the viewers of this play & the readers of this review for their sense of hearing, because the level of screaming that has happened in the last couple of episodes was enough to deafen the whole mankind & even I feel my eardrums are hurting severely & my eyes are sore by looking at that spotlight as it has pierced the pupil of my eye. So, my dear readers, can you hear me? & if you can, please excuse me for my harsh language as this team certainly deserves some lukewarm water soaked kainchee chappals.

Adil was clearly missing wearing suits & stammering in front of Bashar like a slave, that’s why he went back to being his old spineless self where he happily signed the deal & in literal sense, used his sister as an object to get back what he had lost. He thought he could afford losing his sister but not his non-existent hair & that is why the moment Rudaba’s rukhsati was decided, Adil got the grass on his head back, showing the sense of satisfaction he gets by being a puppy that wags his tail in front of his master. I really don’t understand why did he pull up a show of being a khud-dar bhai when he clearly lacked substance? When Adil knew he cannot fight with Bashar, then what was the drama for? To drag the actual drama? In the end he muttered like he was eating a paan & was a second away from spitting the red stream produced by it, out of his mouth. Yukh!

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Oh, so this was the ‘secret’ the team was holding onto & for which they wasted 23 episodes to reveal what made Bashar such a Baji. Looks like the drama-makers really got inspired by the proverb which goes like ‘khoda pahar, nikla chuha, wo bhi mara hua’ because I am sorry, I was waiting for something big & thought something serious might’ve happened in the past but to see his mother being (sorry to be using the term) characterless, didn’t stir an iota of sympathy for him & his whole family. Now I know why they all are such a buzzkill when it comes to love because it clearly runs in the family & just as their mother was jinxed at love, they all inherited that jinxed-at-love gene. To see the whole episode dedicated to the single conversation of father & son was such a yawn provoker because we’re past that stage where we might’ve felt something, tiniest little something for this family but just because his mother couldn’t hold her horses & unhain burhapay mai ashiqui soojhi thi, it just doesn’t justify Bashar’s inhumanity.

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Bashar’s father brain fed him into marrying someone who’d have a clean & pure heart but also he made sure to let him know that he should never get married to someone who had been involved in a relationship before, but Bashar being Bashar chose to ignore the latter advice as he believed in the former because no matter what, he thinks Rudaba has a clean heart, that’s why even though he didn’t want to get married to her, he still gave it a shot because this move also saved Tayyaba’s life, so he thought it would be the best thing to kill two birds with one stone plus he does have a soft corner for Rudaba may be because he fell in love with her the moment he laid eyes on her.

Uff, as much as I want to feel something for Rudaba, her bad acting & equally bad expressions don’t let me. It looks like her acting is imprisoned & trapped in her stomach & when she tries to bring it out, her stomach hurts; therefore we get to see those expressions that give us stomach cramps as well. To be honest, I think after such a bad acting & more of a bad-kismat, she should open a bottle of rat-kill & chug it down her throat because there’s a limit to being such an annoyance & I mean isn’t she tired of being one?

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I am not sure but all the yells, shouts, screams & shrieks were painful to listen to. Like they say, raising your voice doesn’t really prove you right & looks like by this time around, the team had understood that they weren’t heading in the right direction, that’s why they resorted to maximum volume all of them could produce but too bad, it still didn’t do ANYTHING to save them from churning out a disaster. & yes, thanks to all those weird angles & extreme macro-shots I was able see their bloodless veins, not sure if the director decides to go more up-close & personal, we might end up seeing their nose boogers too. Pathetic is one word that comes to my mind for this drama right now. Share your thoughts please.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

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Firaaq – Episode 7

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Khoon ke rishtu se azad honey waley buhat buri tarah se thokar khatay hein!

Aisa na ho ke azaad honey ki khawahish mei zindagi bhar ke liye qaid ho jao!!

Everything that Tabbasum said in her conversation with her daughter tonight may just come to haunt her one day. Tabbasum clearly does not want her daughter to meet the same fate as her. Her approach is very wrong but her intentions are pure. She wants to protect her daughter because she can see that Imroze isn’t what Paymaan thinks he is but Paymaan for obvious reasons does not give anything that her mother says even a second thought. Tabbasum’s character is powerful and interesting. Uzman Gillani has made me hate and love her character. Although I do not agree with the way Tabbasum expresses her love but I completely understand her insecurities and fears. Tabbasum loves her children but she does not know that you need to give people you love some space too.

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Haider understands Tabbasum more than anyone else because he is the only one who has seen Tabassum in her weakest moments right from the start of their relationship. The way he makes up lies and twists the truth in order to make Tabbasum feel good about herself is extremely touching and very well done. Syed mazhar Ali’s expressions when Tabbasum says” baap ki shirkat buhat zarurui hai” were priceless. This was the first time that Tabbasum acknowledges that Haider had been like a father to Paymaan. Until the last episode Tabbasum always reminded him that Paymaan was her daughter and he did not have the right to tell her how she should deal with her. The conversation between Haider and Tabbasum while they sat down to have tea was brilliantly written, directed and acted out …. ” wo maa ko bhool gaye aur tum poochna bhool gaye..kon ho tum? Sheitan ya fairshety? Beghair cheeni ke chai pi rahe ho aur kuch nahi bol rahe. Itne salon se mujh jaisi krwi aurat ke sath jiye jaa rahe ho”…wow!!!! Tabbasum values Haider because he is the only one who has stood by her all these years. The relationship between Tabbasum and Haider is so much more intense and relatable then the one between our hero and heroine at least till now.

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After her bitter experiences with her mother and brother Paymaan does not want to give her close relations another chance. She wants to break free from everyone who in any way reminds her of the past. She wants to start afresh because she knows that once she has Imroze in her life she will not need anyone else. Imroze also puts her insecurities to rest by declaring that she is the only relative he has and he treats her like a gem. Paymaan knows that Imroze is as lonely as her and therefore he will value her love. The fact that these two fell in love this quickly is still very hard to believe but that cannot be changed now!

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Paymaan and her mother may disagree on many things but they agree on one thing – the laal jora and the festivities of wedding. Paymaan never demanded anything from her mother and now she is doing the same with Imroze. She meant everything she said about the kind of wedding she wanted but when she saw how Imroze reacted she instantly said what Imroze wanted to hear. The wedding dress Tabbasum bought for Paymaan was beautiful, I wish we could have seen Sanam Saeed dressed up as a bride but this was one rukhi peekhi wedding!!

Shams may hate his mother but the fact is that he is exactly like her. He is just as authoritative and egoistic as his mother. He took the first step by calling Sara but his big ego did not allow him to tell her just how much he missed her and how desperately he wanted her to come back. Egos do kill more relationships than anything else!

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In my opinion the highlight of this episode was not the lead couple but it was Tabbasum and Haider’s relationship with each other and their beautiful, deep, meaningful yet never overpowering conversations. I do not have the words to praise the chemistry between these two actors and their beyond brilliant performances. For now, Imroze and Paymaan’s story seems to be a side track since Tabbasum and Haider are the reason I keep glued to the TV screen.

Firaaq is definitely a very well written play and whoever chose the cast did all of us a huge favor by choosing Uzma Gillani and Syed Mazhar for playing their respective roles. Cybil Chaudhry however totally fails at delivering all the meaningful dialogues. The preview of the next episode showed where the story is going to go from here; will Imroze’s insecurities get the best of him? I feel for poor Roomi already! Sanam Saeed wasn’t exactly at her best tonight but I expect her to deliver in the upcoming episodes.

Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.

Fatima Awan

Dramas with unconventional themes

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Pakistani dramas are recently following certain patterns. This has led to criticism and people turning away to Turkish shows. However there are a few dramas that are a breath of fresh air and refuse to follow the old plot lines. They are exploring new themes and topics.
Here are a few of them:

i) Drama na mar jaye: Currently on air on Express this serial is a dark commentary on the inner workings of our drama industry. It follows the lives of junior artists who are attempting to make it in our highly competitive industry. Rivalries, jealousies and societal prejudices are all explored in it.

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ii) Rung: Being aired on Hum sitaray this show is a breath of fresh air. Especially it’s early episodes which dealt with a mother( Asma abbas) pushing her daughter to succeed were delightful. It also has an excellent theme song and opening sequence.

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iii) Woh – Dobara: Currently on air on Hum it is one of the very few horror dramas being made in Pakistan. Senior actors Sultana Zafar, Shahod alvi, Sakina Samoo star in it. So far it has managed to portray the situation brilliantly with an engaging plot.

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iv) Digest writer: Starring Saba Qamar this serial is about the life of a girl from a lower-middle class family who becomes a successful drama writer and eventually a celebrity. It airs on Hum.

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v) Kami reh gayi: An excellent well-executed serial it deals with the problems of a girl who wants to become a model. Mehwish Hayat, Semee Raheel and Nauman Aijaz star.

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vi) Sadqay Tumahre: Airing on Hum this drama has the potential to become the next Humsafar. Adnan malik, Shamil khan, Mahira Khan, Samiya Mumtaz star. Fawad khan wasted a huge opportunity by declining this serial to do a B-grade movie with a loud mouthed brat.

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vii) Narm Garm: A light-hearted comedy serial that airs on Hum sitaray. Certainly a break from vulgar and loud comedy serials that are plaguing our TV screen.

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viii) Jackson heights: Airing on Urdu one it deals with the lives of Pakistani immigrants in USA and is certainly better then the masterpiece :P, called ‘ Ahista Ahista’ also shot in the USA. Mehreen jabbar is the director while Amina Sheikh, Marina khan, Adnan Jaffer and Nauman Aijaz star.

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ix) Jab we wed: An excellent comedy starring the beautiful Ayeza khan and Danish Taimoor. The show is an excellent way to introduce and popularize the newest couple of Pakistani entertainment industry. Even Hira ( Mani ki biwi) is doing a good job! Surprised? So was I! The serial airs on Urdu one.

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x) Babul ki saheliyan: Airing on Hum sitaray it is a show that deals with the problem of unmarried aged siblings. Shabbir jan stars as the brother of several aged unmarried sisters.

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If you want to add more dramas to this list please comment. Keep supporting.

Talha Rizvi

Upcoming Film “Malik” – Trailer Is Out

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Pakistani film industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Very soon our films are going to be so good that Pakistani cinema goers will look forward to them even more than the foreign films that are aired in our cinemas.

The trailer of the next Pakistani film Malik is out. This film is based on the real life story of the greatest success story in Pakistan Malik Riaz. Anyone who knows Malik Riaz even a little would know that he was not born rich but he worked very hard to get where he is today. This is the reason that he is always helping the poor and needy.

Hamayun Saeed plays the leading character in the film and Urwa Hocane plays the role of his wife.

Here is the trailer of the film:

Jackson Heights – Episode 05!

Hmmmmm, I am not sure what to say but I have mixed feelings about this episode & this project altogether. Even though it has an amazing cast & has been executed appropriately, I still feel there were certain limitations in the script. Even though it’s realistic & based on what usually happens with desis in America but I really would’ve liked if they had shown the background of all the characters so that we could’ve understood them better. It’s like the story began with a bunch of people with problems but apart from that, no insight into their lives, no background knowledge as to how they ended up at this stage, no base to begin with, makes it kind of harder to relate to the characters. I still find them all very real & genuine but I don’t feel for them like I was expecting in Mehreen Jabbar’s project, except for one & that is Imran Bhatti. May be because his problems get a fair share of screen space & we get to see how he deals with it all & how, at times, he gets affected on top of it as well, but others for now are looking like mere fillers without a story & that disappoints me.

I was thinking maybe we’ll get to know about our characters as the story will progress but we’re 5 episodes down & still have no idea why Michelle ended up like such a person who has a dual personality. We get to find out in the 5th episode that Salma’s a mother & has a teenage daughter, which really makes me question the pace of the play.

Apart from Jamshed’s arrival nothing else was really interesting in this episode to be honest. It was good to see that Jamshed has finally made it to America & a few reality checks were waiting for him post his arrival. He wasn’t welcomed by his Imran Mamu as he was expecting & then a series of revelations made him understand that he has finally landed in America & it’s nothing like the lala land that he had imagined. I am glad that at least Jamshed’s issues & his thought process got a decent coverage in this episode because that actually helped us in understanding what he’s going through & also made us feel for him as we’ve seen how eager he was & how much he was anticipating visiting America. So, the bubble Jamshed was living in burst quite quickly because at first he saw how people sacrifice their luxuries to provide their families with some; back home. He got to know that his Mamu doesn’t own any company but runs a cab himself & he also got to see what happens inside his Mamu’s house. I liked the phone conversation between Jamshed & his Naani because as much as he wanted to tell her openly what he was going through, he chose to stay quiet & that silence said it all.

I am really thinking about the importance of Michelle & Rizwan’s track in this play. I really think Marina Khan had a hard time playing Michelle because she does an amazing job by being that strict businesswoman but when she has to act all casual & herself in front of Rizwan, we can really see her struggling. Especially in the birthday celebration scene, she clearly looked uncomfortable playing the chirpy Michelle & it was evident that she couldn’t bring herself to act all goofy in front of her friend Rizwan which actually made their scenes look too long, turbulent & falling short of finesse.

Apart from this, nothing much happened in this episode & seems like even Imran Bhatti’s not providing much entertainment for now but yes, few of his one-liners can’t go unnoticed, so we’d have to do with that much for now. I know people in North of India; especially Delhi are profound in Urdu & even people of Bombay are good at it, but I really wish they had worked a tad bit on Rizwan’s Urdu to make him sound like he belongs to India because no matter how good the Urdu of any Indian might be, there’s still some difference in the accent for sure but here, all those pickup lines that Rizwan uses to start a conversation give away an impression that his Urdu is better than the Pakistani Michelle herself. Share your thoughts please & yes, you’re free to disagree as well. :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Shan Shahid to participate in showbiz expo of Abu Dhabi

Shaan Shahid is participating in Abu Dhabi international showbiz expo. The expo is attended by international film producers and buyers. Shaan Shahid will represent his production house Riaz Shahid films, while another large media house of Pakistan Geo group is participating in the event.

 

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Chupke Se Bahar Ajaye_ Episode 1: Complexes are bad!

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Shafaq (Rahma Ali) sees the silhouette of a “mystery man” in her dream. She is terrified of him, and wakes up gasping for breathe.

 

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This was the opening sequence of Chupke Se Bahar Ajaye, A-Plus Entertainment’s latest offering. It has been directed by Owais Khan (director of Marasim) and is Ahsan Khan’s first production, along with Meraj-ud-din.  The writer is Mansoor Saeed.

I don’t normally like dramas that involve social issues, mainly because they lose their element somewhere in the middle of the first episode and I have the “been there, seen that” feeling, but this opening sequence was enough to attract me, mainly because it involved mystery.

The main protagonist of the play is Saira (Sajjal Ali) who is an irresponsible, messy, dreamy and complaining girl. Saira has many complains about her life. She hates the fact that she was born in a poor family and has BIG plans for her future . Lakh pati se bhi shadi hogai tou lag pata jaye ga!  

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Ek tum aur tumhari hasratein!  Saira’s sister is getting married and on her wedding day, cherishes the moments she spent with her sister. The conversation between the two sisters depicted Saira’s inferiority complex. Aesi zindagi se tou jitna door hojao acha hai! 

 

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Shafaq is Saira’s best friend and even though she is rich, she too, has a complex. She thinks she is not as pretty as Saira. I don’t understand the point of casting Rahma Ali for this role since she is really beautiful.

Shafaq suffers from different allergies since childhood and has to use a lot of medicinal drugs. That is the probable cause for her dullness. The medicines never get to fulfill their purpose because Shafaq refuses to use them and throws them away.

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Laila Zuberi plays the role of Saira’s khala who is married to Faiq (Javeid Sheikh) and is well-off. She has a son named Saqib (Ahsan Khan). Saqib is the part 2 of Hashir from Mausam.  No kidding! (The only exception is his good relationship with his mother)

Saqib’s mother tells him that her sister married without their father’s consent. That’s why he cut off all relations from her. He not only stopped the sisters from meeting each other but told Faiq to do the same. Despite this, Saqib’s mother used to meet her sister. Saqib is aware of this. Chupke chupke se milti hain na unn se ?

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After arriving at the wedding, the conversation that took place between the two sisters was cute as well. The way Saira’s mother hugged her sister and said Ab mujhe tanha nahi chorna, aati rehna milne, was heart-warming.

 

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Saira and Saqib meet when Saqib brings a truckload of wedding gifts inside his khala’s  house on his mother’s orders. He falls for Saira the moment he sees her. This again reminded me of Masuam. He had planned to leave for a movie with his friends, but stops when he sees Saira dancing. Yani ke rishta pakka?

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Shafaq senses that Saqib has fallen for Saira. Tumhe ghoor ghoor kar dekh raha thha!  The reply was, bandar bhi nache tou log usse dekhte hain!

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After the boring dance scene, came the last scene of the episode. The reunited family stands in a circle and Saqib tries to make conversation with Saira and Shafaq. Shafaq’s facial expressions suddenly change and she remembers that Saqib is no other than the man from her dream! That’s when she loses consciousness.

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So a lot happened in this episode of CSBA. It kept me hooked despite the stereotypical “love-at-first-sight” and the weird dance scene . The direction and acting was definitely top-notch. I am already looking forward to episode 2!

Do share your thoughts about this episode of Chupke se bahar ajaye!

 

Areeba Mohsen

Sadqay Tumhare – Episode 2

For the first time ever I feel like an actress and a character has managed to do justice to the dialogue “vo sub jaisi nahi hai”!! Had it been anyone else except Mahira Khan I would have had a very difficult time relating to everyone’s “fascination” with Shano. Shano’s character and the way Mahira Khan has brought out the best in it makes this show a treat to watch. Love at first sight is a very common phenomenon in our dramas but most of the times it is also the most unconvincing element in any plot. Although Khalil and Shano haven’t met yet but I am already convinced that Khalil has all the reasons in the world and more to fall for Shano the second he lays his eyes on her! Shano is genuine, she is innocent and Mahira Khan has outdone herself in this role. The person responsible for Mahira Khan’s grooming in this play deserves a huge applause for doing an excellent job of not overdoing the make-up and making Mahira Khan look much younger than she usually does. Mahira Khan has completely won me over as Shano in these two episodes although I am most certainly not her biggest fan!

Okay enough about my fascination with Shano (Mahira Khan!!), now let’s talk about tonight’s episode. On the surface not much happened in tonight’s episode but there was so much that the viewers got to know about Khalil’s character tonight. Khalil is full of nakhras when it comes to food and he has a short temper. He expects to be treated like royalty. The most heart-warming aspect of Khalil’s life however till now has to be his relationship with his family. I enjoyed every second of Khalil’s conversation with his mother when they were on their way to the village. The way his mother prepared him for what was coming next and his responses made for a very interesting conversation. While Shano is a very easy going person, Khalil is the exact opposite. He is used to being pampered and he likes things his way. Khalil wants to see Shano, he wants to know what this girl is like but he keeps on pretending that he does not care even though she is the reason he is there in the first place.

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The manner in which everyone in the family treats the engagement between Khalil and Shano as a sacred bond that can never be broken was actually very touching! The simple life in the village has been shown beautifully in the play. Except for Shano’s parents everyone else seems genuine. The welcome that Khalil got and the way there was a fuss surrounding everything he wanted since he had come to the village after such a long time had to be one of those many aspects of the play which managed to grasp the gist of the simple life beautifully.

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This episode of Sadqay Tumhare just like the last one had a magical feel to it; this play till now is like a beautiful art film. Simple is beautiful…that is the phrase that came to my mind many times while watching tonight’s episode. From our heroine to the story of play, everything is simple yet appealing! Sadqay Tumhare takes you into a world of its own the second you tune into it. I must add that watching this play online is not half as much fun as watching it on live television because the picture quality of the play is compromised tremendously when you watch a recording. Adnan Malik has managed to portray all the different characteristics of Khalil’s personality impeccably; you’re not sure whether you should like him instantly or you want to know more about him before you make up your mind! Samiya Mumtaz is my favorite actress but we see her being typecast all the time, in this play however she plays a role completely different from what she has done till now and she is brilliant as usual. Shida’s half-hearted smiles and bitterness showed in the way she talked and her facial expressions.

This recent installment of Sadqay Tumharey just like the last one appeared to be a labour of love. All the scenes were perfectly shot, the timing of all the actors was flawless and the script has definitely managed to evoke the feelings of anticipation which I am sure Khalil-ur-Rehman wanted to stir up in the audience. I am very sure that I am not the only one who is eagerly looking forward to Shano and Khalil’s first meeting. I will definitely be watching this episode one more time before the next one goes on air because watching it only once does no do justice to it!!

Do share your thoughts about this latest episode, did you like it as much as I did?

Fatima Awan

Mehwish Hayat Endorses Her Sister’s Debut Song Video

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Mehwish Hayat’s item number in the film Na Maloom Afraad has been one of the most talked about item numbers of this year. Mehwish Hayat’s sister has tried to make her entry in showbiz too through music and not through acting like her sister. Mehwish Hayat is also a singer but this first song of Mehwish Hayat’s sister Afsheen Hayat shows that Mehwish is much more talented than her sister. Mehwish endorsed her sister’s first effort by performing and by being the model for her first song.

This first attempt by Afsheen Hayat isn’t as bad as many we have heard and seen in the past but it is also not very impressive. The music, lyrics and the video are all very average.

Watch the video here:

 

 



Film Hotal will also feature an Item song

Hotal is an upcoming film produced in Karachi and directed by Khalid Hassan. As per producer claims it is first ever Pakistani film of psycho thriller genre. The film stars meera in lead role while rest of the artists are new comers.

As per press reports the shooting of Hotal was completed in the first quarter of 2014. However now the producer has also decided to include an item song in this film. The song Maum Batti (means candle in English) is already recorded in the voice of an Indian singer Jasmine Sandlas. However the name of the item girl of this song is yet to be made public by the producer.

Reference news from Urdu Daily Dunya

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The teaser of film Hotal featuring Meera

http://vimeo.com/83298989

 

Rashid Nazir Ali

Nauman Habib to work in an Indian drama

Recently quite many Pakistani artists are seeking to work in Indian productions. Nauman Habib Khan, the shahid bhatti of film Mein Hoon Shahid Afridi is also working in an Indian production. However unlike other artists working in in Indian films Nauman Habib is working in an Indian drama.

Shot in UAE the name of this drama is Parwaaz and it is based on the plight and struggle of workers from sub-continent working in UAE. An indian director Faheem Imaandaar who direted another Indian soap drama Uttran is directing this drama.

Nauman Habib is playing the role of a Pakistani in this drama

Full content from Urdu Daily Dunya

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Shanakht – Episode 10!

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Isn’t it amazing that this drama is getting better & better? I think we’re almost half way through the drama & even though there’s so much that has happened already, still there’s a lot more that’s left to be revealed. This actually shows the dedication of the writer/director to keep viewers so entertained, that they don’t even get the time to even guess or anticipate about what might happen. Seems like the writer has already thought about the whole story so well that she knows what card needs to be revealed at what time, that is why the timing of this play is an added bonus along with the amazing characters, a great story & a perfect pace.

Sadly, Rohaan’s mother is still as unreasonable as she was before. I was kind of surprised to see her reaction at the leaked video of Zubia where she didn’t feel it was her duty to remind her daughter about what’s wrong & what’s right, & instead, she was more concerned about the humility she had to face because of her daughter. I thought may be for once she will remind Zubia of her irresponsibility & will make her realize that what she did was wrong, but her mother was only worried about herself & that’s all that mattered to her.

Even though Hashim; being the only son, has always been very close to his parents & his mother in particular, it kind of showed his hypocrisy where he could spend the time with his girlfriend but didn’t have the guts to tell his mother honestly that he was going out with someone & actually likes her. Very conveniently, he hid that part of his life from his parents & still he believes he’s very liberal. I guess Hashim has always judged people like Rohaan for their double standards, but what Hashim did himself was a perfect example of it & I kind of liked the subtle approach of the writer on this. Hashim knows too well that he belongs to a very modern family where his parents supported his decision of not marrying a Hijabi, but to see him beating around the bush due to Faryal’s presence in his life was a well-thought portrayal of Hashim’s hypocrisy.

Finally, Annie gave a shot at rescuing Zubia from the trouble, with the help of her friend Ayesha & her brother Abdul Rehman. I think this indeed was a very unusual & unpredictable move that of all the people, Annie was able to find a perfect solution to Zubia’s mistake. I think it was a very well-calculated move on Annie’s part where she knew exactly what she had to do. I am glad to see that Annie didn’t just think her responsibility ended where she got the video deleted but she also took a moment to calm Rohaan down & make him understand that Zubia’s apologetic & regrets what she has done. I liked the fact that first Annie handled the problem on her own without bothering Rohaan about it & later, very honestly, she told Rohaan about how she asked her friend & her brother for the favour. This goes to show that even though Annie may seem like a very simple & submissive person, she is independent & strong-willed as far as she knows what she’s doing is right.

I think, once again they showed a positive side of Rohaan where in spite of blaming his mother or his sister for the questionable antics, he held himself responsible for being too ignorant of his sisters where he couldn’t lead them towards the right path. I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation Annie & Rohaan had about that matter where Annie clearly told him that at least Rohaan is aware of what he needs to do in life & how he has to stick to the right path. It was good to see that Rohaan understood what Annie told him & decided to ignore Zubia’s mistake. & isn’t it good to see that both the sisters; Zubi & Beena have actually started liking Annie & are accepting her for who she is. They did take some time to understand Annie but now, they definitely can see that she’s a different person who doesn’t believe in preaching others as she is too busy focusing on how to rectify herself first. I think both Beena & Zubia will now take a stand for Annie & rule out all the negativity of their mother towards her.

Even though it’s too early to show the real colours of Haris to us, I think it’s still a good thing that without dragging the matter further, they have started to reveal the ordeals Kashaf will have to face after being married to Haris. He clearly comes across as an ignorant spoiled brat who thinks the world revolves around him. Haris might think of himself as a liberal person but he doesn’t know he’s as staunch as those people he was dissing while using them as an example. Haris clearly labelled religious people as hypocrites but when Kashaf tried to show him the positive side of Rohaan as to how he was taking care of Annie, Haris straight away said he can’t be like those husbands who give much importance to their wives. Huma has also started to see the difference between Rohaan & Haris because clearly, she looked disappointed at the new demand that Haris proposed to them. I think even though for the sake of comparison between the two guys; Rohaan & Haris, the irrationality of Haris is understandable but to see Kashaf suffering because of such an immature person is kind of sad.

I really liked the conversation between Haris & Rohaan & I feel it was very well-written because it covered all the issues that people these days do debate about. Haris obviously came with a baggage where he felt he had to look down on Rohaan for being religious but all the answers that he got in reply to his questions showed that when he couldn’t handle the situation, he resorted to rudeness, where he kept on debating for the sake of it without making much sense at all. For a change, I feel it’s good to see that Kashaf was supportive of Rohaan & without worrying much about what Haris might feel; she had the guts to tell him the truth about Rohaan, which Haris was clearly unable to see.

Next episode’s preview was once again very interesting where Hashim will return to Pakistan with Faryal as his wife. That actually gave me a satisfaction that all those speculations about something happening to Rohaan can now be thrown out of the window as Hashim’s already married *phew* so he can’t come for Annie’s rescue anymore, haha. & yes, last but not the least, despite all the happenings, one thing’s commendable that the director never misses out on the relation of Annie & Rohaan because after all that they both have to deal with, they always take some time to have a heart-to-heart conversation with each other & for that, it was actually very sweet to see Rohaan telling Annie when & why he fell for her to which Annie responded with a very cute wifelike tantrum. :) So glad that this drama’s still going strong, share your say please. :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Chup Raho – Episode 8

“Mei tu hamesha yehi duva mangti hu ke naila ko bhi Numair jaisa shohar miley.”
“Ami ka khayal hai insaan jo krta hai sila us ki aulad ko milta hai.”

It was an easy guess why Naila was in the picture all along!! Tonight only for a little while Numair decided to reflect upon his actions for the sake of his daughter. A sudden change in his behaviour would have been very difficult to connect to therefore when he “convinced” himself once again that he was fighting a lost battle I definitely felt that this development was in line with his character. It is impossible for someone like Numair to change overnight. He constantly blames his victim for his actions and keeps on reminding himself that everything he does is beyond his control. Numair’s character gives the viewers a very realistic insight into what goes on in the mind of people like Numair. He has a very solid justification in his head for what he is doing and he has clearly lost the ability to differentiate between good and evil. Some people blame drugs for their actions, others blame their childhood experiences and there are many like Numair who blame the victims.

I am still unable to understand why Rameen’s mother needs to ask for anyone’s permission in order to do what she wants to do. Saving her daughter should be her first priority and saving her property or pleasing others should be her last concern! Getting a ticket and going to another city is not as difficult as she is making it out to be. Being available on the phone so that Rameen can share her fears with her is not good enough!

Sajjal Ali once again was brilliant as Rameen; she portrayed Rameen’s fears and insecurities impeccably. Azar is immature and ambitious and Numair knows that only too well. Azar wants to make money and succeed in what he is doing but he does not want to work very hard to achieve all that. Numair may give him a tough time but Azar believes that he is the only one who can help him get the kind of life which he wants. The only reason he wanted to move out of Numair’s house was because Numair was no longer supporting him the way he initially was, he does not understand Rameen’s fears and he does not really care about her happiness either.

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This episode did not have much to offer except for giving the viewers more of an insight into Numair’s character. Numair is over-protective about his own daughter for obvious reasons. He knows how vulnerable girls are and what men can do to them therefore he does not even want a nine year old boy around his daughter. I really hope that in the end Numair will pay for what he has done and poor Naila will not be the one who will have to pay for her father’s wrongdoings. (Umm.net) Syed Jibran never fails to impress me with his acting and Feroze Khan is definitely a very promising newcomer.

There are always some scenes in every episode of Chup Raho which make me very uncomfortable mainly because there is unnecessary physical contact between characters. Azar could have changed his shirt behind the camera! We have all heard how hard Feroze Khan had to work in order to lose all the weight and shape up his body but I am sure most of the viewers do not want to see proof of it on screen:) We do not see our male actors taking off their shirts on screen in dramas and I am sure we would all like it if it stays that way.

Do share your thoughts about this latest installment.

Fatima Awan

Good News For Mahira Khan’s Fans

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Mahira Khan has a huge fan following because of her beautiful face and also because of her talent. She is a model, actress and a host. Mahira Khan is very selective about the dramas she works in. She does not do more than one drama every year because she wants to give all her projects her very best. Mahira Khan thinks that when you work in abundance then quality is compromised.

The good news for Mahira Khan’s fans is that Mahira is going to be seen in two Pakistani films in the next year. One of the most awaited films of Mahira Khan which will be released next year is Bin Royee Ansoo. Apart from Mahira Khan the film includes stars like Humayun Saeed, Armeena Rana Khan, Zeba Bakhtiar and Javed Sheikh. HUM TV hasn’t given any details about the film other than the cast and crew.

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While talking about the film, Mahira said, “I’ve given this film my blood, sweat and tears. We often joke that this film is a Titanic, a Mughal e Azam; we’ve been making it forever.”

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Mahira Khan has also signed Asim Raza’s film which is still untitled. The rehearsals for it have started but Mahira did not give any details about the project. The film also has Shehryar Munawar in the cast. Mahira refused Shaan’s offer to work in his film because she wanted to do this film with Asim Raza.

SO WHAT’S CURRENTLY GOOD ON-AIR!

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I have to admit that September Quarter proved to be much better than June Quarter. June Quarter got nothing much to offer and we were forced to watch dramas like Ahista Ahista and Izteraab. Only Laa and Marasim were good dramas to watch at that time and I am glad that they both ended up on a good note without being dragged. September 2014 Quarter on the other hand got so much to offer which will fulfil your week’s entertainment.

So what good shows are we having currently on screen?

Shanakht: My drama week brings from drama Shanakht. An extremely well written story with strong plot and this was something I expect from writers. The drama took off with an interesting pace and up till now I am thoroughly enjoying the momentum of this show. For the first time somebody finally touched a sensitive issue regarding Islamic values and how high society perceives it. This drama is currently ON-AIR on HUM-TV every Tuesday at 8.00 pm. Indeed a must watch drama.

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Chup Raho: I call this drama a game of checkers. Seriously I was impressed by Samira Fazal’s Wit for the first time I hope she had not stolen anyone’s story this time. This drama is worth giving up a try. The plot is indeed bold but I want to say that same was the case with “paani jesa pyaar”. So far I am enjoying this show and Jibran Syed deserves an Oscar for his character Numair. This drama is currently ON-AIR on ARY Digital every Tuesday at 8.00 pm.

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So there is a tough competition on Tuesday on primetime slot. There is nothing much to offer on Wednesdays “tum mere hi rehna” doesn’t grasp me at all a flat story roaming around cousin’s love and marital affair so let’s jump directly on Thursday and see what do we have on prime slot.

Main Bushra: Due to direction and dialogues, this drama is worth watching. The play is based on a pity issue of a father having 7 daughters with only two bread winners in the whole family. Main Bushra play is gaining high TRPs due to the fact it is actually close to the soul of the term “Typical Drama”. This drama is indeed very much close to reality and for those who are not watching this play I will recommend it to have a go and you may like it. It is currently ON-AIR on ARY Digital every Thursday at 8.00 pm.

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Jackson Heights: After weekdays’ stress a fresh weekend begins with this fresh drama having a fresh story called Jackson Heights. So at last someone finally wrote something for Overseas Pakistanis and what problems they face while living abroad and the credit goes to Vasay Chaudhry for penning it down. I am thoroughly enjoying this show more than any shows in the whole week and every week I wait desperately for the fresh episode. The cast is amazing especially Noman Ejaz in fact now I came to know why he bags award every time. It will not be wrong to state that this drama might not be on its feet without Noman Ejaz. Sadly the drama was not promoted as it should be and it is also airing on least watched channel Urdu 1. Anyways I will strongly recommend having a go at this drama airing every Friday on Urdu 1 at 9.00 pm.

Jackson-Heights

Sadqey Tumhare: People going crazy as Mahira Khan is back on screen after a self-imposed exile of two years with drama serial “Sadqey Tumhare”. First episode was really good with top notch acting by Adnan Malick. Along with a cast another plus point of this drama is that the story has been penned down by Khalil ur Rehman who had also written the super duper hit drama of 2014 “Pyaray Afzal”. Let’s wait and watch how the story will progress further. No need to recommend it as I am pretty much sure that people will watch it. The drama is being telecast on HUM-TV every Friday at 8.00 pm.

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Moving on Saturdays to  see what we have on this day.

Firaaq: Hum Tv again snatching away all viewership from other entertainment channels from drama serial Firaaq. I can’t stop myself to praise the level of camera work and the usage of bright colours alluring the screen. The pace of this drama is extremely interesting from the first episode and especially the latest instalment (episode 6) kept my eyes glued to the screen. The drama is written by Mustafa Afridi and directed by Aabis Raza. The whole cast had done an excellent job except Cybil Chaudry I have few reservations regarding her acting. It’s great to see Mazhar Ali and Uzma Gillani back on screen. The beauty of this drama is that each and every character is well portrayed and every character got a meaty role in the play. The slot of 8.00 pm is again well deserved to none other but HUM-TV.

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Rung: I know that most of you are not aware of this drama and it’s probably late to recommend it as 20 episodes are gone and the drama is clinching towards its end. The drama is currently ON-AIR on HUM Sitaray every Saturday at 8.00 pm, those who are watching this play must be enjoying it. Anyways if anyone wants to watch this play you can watch it on online portal of Dramas Online.

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Jab We Wed: A light play with light hearted comedy and romance. At start this play was interesting but with each latest instalment this show is slightly becoming boring, however I still love this play as there is a stir of comedy in it along with romance. This play got nothing much to offer, Faris is still on his journey with his paternal cousin Nisa to fulfil his mother’s last wish to marry one of his maternal cousin out of three. This drama is currently ON-AIR on Urdu 1 every Saturday at 8.00 pm.

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Let’s move on to Sundays now.

Uff Meri Family: After watching some serious dramas there is a need for some crunchy comedy. Uff Meri Family is a visual treat to watch specially the cute chemistry between Naveen Waqar and Azfar. If you want to watch something really hilarious and mind refreshing then watch this soap every Sunday at 7.25 on Hum TV.

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Digest Writer: The weekend is still not over as HUM-TV presents you with new writer Madiha Shahid’s serial Digest Writer, the consultation was done by Umera Ahmed.This is yet another different story on Sunday’s prime slot. A story of a girl Fareeda who is passionate about writing despite being objected from her family Fareeda consider writing as her craze which she cannot leave at all cost. Saba Qamar finally chose a good serial and I hope she will receive applauses for her role in this drama. First two episodes were really well executed and I am looking forward how the story will unfold in future.

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From the above the picture it is quite clear that HUM-TV is back in action leaving far behind every entertainment channel by covering the whole week almost. Last year there was a tough competition between ARY and HUM but this time HUM is a clear winner.

So what dramas are you watching currently and would you like to recommend it?

Chup Ke Bahar Aa Jaye by A-Plus

A-Plus is starting a new drama named Chup Ke Bahar Aa Jaye from 17th October 2014. Starring Ahsan Khan, Sajjal Ali and Rehma Ali in lead roles it is also produced by Ahsan Khan. It is directed by Owais Khan who earlier also directed many plays aired on APlus like Maraasim and Jaanum. Mansoor Saeed is the writer of this play.

https://vimeo.com/108698195

https://vimeo.com/108698194

https://vimeo.com/108697859

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https://vimeo.com/108696966

https://vimeo.com/108694207

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Shikwa-Episode 23

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Zeba JIII, why don’t you just leave?? Haha, this was one engaging and mazaydaar episode! Zeba Ji’s entry is a great twist to the play and the writer was clever enough to add it exactly when the story was going downhill.

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Zebi Ji and Saqib are all set to make Mehar feel squirmy and insecure and they are using just about everything they have (by the way, that includes Josh Malihabadi’s ‘Yadon ki Barat‘ LOL) to fulfill their ‘aim’. Zeba Ji and Saqib have common interests and therefore, they are quite fond of each others’ company. Saqib’s taunts and the deliberate and obvious ‘clues’ he is constantly giving are enough to convey to Mehar that something is very wrong. But I don’t know why is it so difficult for a girl like Mehar to put two and two together and figure out WHAT has actually created the rift between her and Saqib. And Saqib-as far as I can recall, this guy was raved for his forethought and burdbaari, then why is it that bringing a ghair aurat to his house was the only decent solution he could think of for his marital problems. And that mehmaan-mezbaan discussion went on for too long; it was way too absurd! A buzarg like Saqib doesn’t seem to realize that ‘woh meri mehmaan hain and mein un ka mezbaan’ is NOT the justification one is supposed to give to his wife for the sudden appearance of a ghair aurat!? Had it been the Mehar we USED to deal with, this episode would have been full of tantrums, cheekh pukaar and rona dhona. But since Mehar has gone through a transition, she clenched her teeth, cringed and winced but-she endured it all! However, I still think something is lacking-Mehar is taking it all way easier than I anticipated. Okay, don’t throw a tantrum but at least take a seat, make some chaye (which she seems to be mastering) and TALK to Saqib about everything that has been going on in their lives more seriously! Well finally, Saqib revealed in front of Mehar’s mother that he works in Zeba Ji’s office. Sometimes, I get the feeling as if Zeba Ji is indeed a nice person but when I witness her nauseously flirtatious acts/dialogues (yes guys, I am referring to her meaningful smile accompanied by, ‘Mein Saqib ki koi baat taal hi nahe sakti‘ and some other cheesy dialogues), I start to have second thoughts! So far, I can glean that all of this is a part of Saqib’s plan OR perhaps Saqib only flatters her because she really is his boss (the latter seems a bit implausible though, because you can’t just ‘hire’ your own boss for such an outrageously absurd task).

Amid these juicy developments, Sidra’s scenes served as an interruption. I think its actually her nasal voice that’s getting on her SIL and MIL’s nerves :P

On a side note, I would like to say that Sabahat Bukhari SHOULD kindly come into terms with the reality that she is no more a teenager and its not exactly her age for sleeveless, okay? Khair, so what do you guys think of Zeba Jii? Share your thoughts on this one ;)

Maryam Mehdi

 

 

 

 

“Bollywood is scary” – Mahira Khan

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There has been news that Mahira Khan has accepted an Indian film but Mahira Khan in her latest interview with the magazine Instep said that these rumors are false. “I am not doing a film with Ranveer Singh. This smoke has no fire at all. I’m not even in talks with Bollywood, not really. I mean I’ve gotten calls, some from very reputed directors, but I’m in talks with no body for a film,” she said while talking to Instep.

“I think that they (Indian filmmakers) have only seen Humsafar in fact even Humsafar hasn’t played in India yet,” she added “They haven’t seen enough of my work to present something solid to me. If I work in India I want it to be for the same caliber of work that I get in Pakistan. I don’t want to change my standards.”

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Mahira Khan in her interview made it very clear that she would like to work in India even though she maybe a little afraid of stardom there. “Bollywood is scary. It is unchartered territory. You don’t know what you are getting into. That said, Bollywood is scary but not so scary that I wouldn’t try.”

She also said that she will never compromise on quality

“If I’m choosy in my own country and if I’m picky then I’m going to be as picky in Bollywood. I’m going to look at a script as minutely as I do in Pakistan. Why should Bollywood or Hollywood or Turkey be any different? I don’t understand that. I don’t work like that. People tell me that it’s career suicide. They say, which actress gets fame and then decides to do one project a year. Who does this? I do it. The way I see it, if I can ask a close friend in Pakistan to read his script (referring to Asim Raza’s film) then I would also ask the same of a big director in India. ”

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When asked that why Mahira said yes to Bin Royee Ansoo when she clearly said that she did not want to do any films, she replies “Bin Roye was offered to me right after Humsafar and Fawad was meant to do it. But he went on to do Khoobsurat. I had a choice and I decided that right now this is the best thing I could do. I liked the story. It had this one scene that kept me awake at night and drove me insane and I couldn’t not say yes.”

While talking about her recent drama Sadkey Tumhare, she said “I read the script and flipped over it and decided to do it….I have not enjoyed saying my dialogues as much as I have in ST. My leading man is Adnan Malik. The cast is fabulous and it was just like fresh air. It’s so interesting for me to play that girl. I hope people enjoy the dialogue and the script because it’s not your usual saga.”

It appears to be that we will be seeing Mahira Khan in an Indian movie too as soon as she bags a good script.

Upcoming Film “Karachi” Teaser

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The teaser of the upcoming film Karachi is finally out. The film was in the news for a long time but no one was sure what it was going to be all about. The teaser shows that the film is going to be about the hopes and aspirations of the young generation. There are many faces in the film which we see in dramas on daily basis. The film looks like a serious take on how difficult it is to earn fame and money. The film has been produced by Ahtesham Khalid and Afzal Ali, it has been written by Ali Sikandar and Agha Ali and the director of the film is Agha Ali. The star cast consists of Javaid Sheikh, Ayesha Toor, Rashid Farooqi, Shehroz Sabzwari, Madiha Iftikhar, Seemi Pasha, Agha Ali, AIjazz Aslam and Adnan Jaffar. Except for Javaid Sheikh all the names that are in the film are seen in dramas more than films.

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Here is the teaser of the film:

 

Ayyan’s Second Music Video Is Out

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Ayyan who was previously known as Ayyan Ali has already made her mark in the modelling world in Pakistan by being the highlight of every top fashion show. She has won many awards in the field of modelling too. But this young girl knows no boundaries, she believes in exploring new horizons. Ayyan started her music career with the song You And I. Most people were not impressed by the quality of her voice or the song. Many people said that the focus was more on the video and not enough attention was giving to the singing.

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Ayyan did not let that criticism stop her singing career there because she is serious about pursuing it. Ayyan is back with her new song Making Dollars in which she joins hands with international star Timo. The song is catchy, the video is bold just like last time but the real question is that will Ayyan get praises from the critics this time? Since Ayyan has been singing English songs so she is probably trying to target international listeners, do you think the song will make waves internationally?

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Here is the video of the song:



Burka Avenger Nominated For Emmy Award

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The team of Burka Avenger, the first animated series of its kind is honoured and excited to know that it has been nominated for the prestigious Emmy Awards. AIny Jaffri who is the voice being the leading animated character in the series is overjoyed to hear the news.

 

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Aaron Haroon Rashid who is the man behind the animation in more ways than one is also very happy to hear the news.

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The series Burka Avenger was produced by Unicorn Black Studios, the 13 episode series aired on Geo Tez of Geo Network TV in 2013. It had been noticed by the international viewers when it went on air. It was praised for a different story and the cause which it promoted. In an article published in Hufington Post Lindsey Davis said, “Part karate kid and part superhero, Pakistan’s first animated television series is a better role model for girls than any princess Disney’s ever drawn”.

Burka Avenger shows a young teacher clad up in a burka, she is brave and intelligent and fights all those people who are against educating children.  Her superpowers consist of everything related to education. Burka Aveneger proved to be a great hit with the kids in Pakistan. The series had its own games and it was translated in many different languages.

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We hope that this series will bring the Emmy home for Pakistan.

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Fawad Khan and Sonam Kapoor All Set To Do Another Film Together

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The Khoobsurat jodi does not just have a wonderful chemistry on screen but off screen too Fawad Khan and Sonam Kapoor have very good ties with each other. Fawad Khan has certainly impressed the Indian viewers a great deal because he got many positive reviews from the critics as well. The latest news is that the Khoobsurat jodi will be seen again in another Bollywood film. The film is going to be based on screen adaptation of famous aunthor Anuja Chauhan’s novel Battle For Bittora. The novel was a best seller in India.

The film is going to be produced by Sonam Kapoor’s sister Rhea Kapoor. According to the ndtv website “Battle For Bittora is the story of twenty-five-year-old Jinni, who works for an animation studio in Mumbai, and lives a carefree and independent life until her grandmother commands her to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from their hometown Bittora. She finds herself pitted against the irresistibly attractive ex-royal Zain Altaf Khan. What ensues is a bitter battle between the two young contestants, complicated by their passionate love story”.

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While talking to an Indian newspaper Sonam said, “People have loved our performances and also our chemistry in the movie. They are going crazy over the romance. Fawad and I are working together again for sure.” Sonam also said that she was shocked by the response.

“We released it on 900 screens because we did not expect this kind of reaction. People thought this will be another Aisha but they were surprised with the film. People have given a lot of love to our movie. They are praising me so much and I feel weird because I don’t think I have done something really great. It feels surreal,” Sonam said.

“All my heroes have been my friends even after the completion of the films so maybe it is true that I am lucky for them. I think even they feel the same. But keeping jokes aside, I don’t think I should give myself that much credit. I feel I select the right projects and the correct heroes,” Sonam Added.

We wish the Khoobsurat jodi all the best!

Tonite With HSY- (Omer Sharif & Mehreen Syed) Episode 5

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You’d think having the King of Comedy would ensure plenty of laughs but that wasn’t meant to be! Not a fan of comedy and even lesser of a fan of Omer Sharif, I was still open for entertainment. Mr. Sharif cracked a few jokes but those were far and few. What we got to see instead was his serious side- one where he spoke about God, his struggle as a theater artist and his journey. As if I wasn’t bored enough, Sheru’s next guest was the Queen of the Ramp- Mehreen Syed. Sheru, Sheru, Sheru, calling someone the King of so and so and the Queen of so and so will not guarantee that they will both give us a good royal time. I can’t help but wonder how this episode would’ve been had they invited some Queen of Comedy – Hina Dilpazeer anyone???

Mehreen Syed looked drop dead gorgeous. Her outfit, make-up, hair- everything was flawless. But there was nothing she had to say that was even remotely interesting. In between some random conversations, there was a mention of horoscopes and we found out that Mehreen Syed is a Leo, Omer Sharif is Aries and Sheru is a Scorpio.

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Omer Sherif spoke about his mother and how he has worked to establish a hospital called “Maa” as a tribute to all mothers.  Both him and Mehreen spoke highly about their mothers and how they struggled to raise their families after becoming widowed. It was heart-warming to hear their passion for helping their families.

As always, the challenge rounds were just meh. What did strike me as unusual was that Mehreen hadn’t heard of Sarmad Khoosat nor Hamza Ali Abbasi. Omer Sharif kept silent when he was shown a pic of Kapil Sharma- he had spoken about plagiarism and Kapil Sharma’s name came up. Round 2- Ajnabee Kaun Ho Tum was again a disappointment because the sound quality wasn’t up to the mark. The last round had an opportunity for singing and mimicry but I feel the questions are just too monotonous and don’t really serve a purpose.

This was definitely one of the more boring episodes so far. I really had a hard time staying focused since this episode put me into a coma. What did you think?

Yours in watching,

Kanwal Murtaza

Digest Writer – Episodes 01 & 02!

Ohkay so, Digest Writer; a new drama filled the slot of Sunday prime time with a very different plot. I must say I am pleasantly surprised with the execution of the drama & am already looking forward to the 3rd episode.

The story’s all about a girl Fareeda (Saba Qamar); who belongs to lower middle class, where every single day she gets to hear how hard her father’s working to keep the family afloat. Fareeda’s father is obviously very orthodox & staunch, that’s why he believes that he only needs to invest all his money & attention on his one & only son Farhaan. Fareeda also has an elder sister Jameela (Maheen Rizvi) & a younger one Shakeela (Aiman/Minal Khan)

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The story revolves around how Fareeda has a passion for writing & how she finds repose when she fills the papers with her thoughts. Ignoring the objection of her family, Fareeda thinks she ain’t doing anything wrong if she is sharing her thought process with others through her stories. The only little support Fareeda has is of her college friend & her younger sister Shakeela.

The background to which Fareeda belongs, definitely doesn’t allow girls to fulfil their wishes; no matter how harmless they might be & what really creates a mountain of problems for Fareeda is when her story is published in a digest. That gives a rise to all sorts of opinions that are not in her favour but despite seeing everything against her; Fareeda remains persistent to pursue her dream of becoming a writer because the positive response she gets from the readers boosts the confidence in her that she can entertain people through her work.

Fareeda comes from a family that’s facing a lot of problems, where the financial condition of her father isn’t very strong & she has an elder unmarried sister for whom her parents are having a hard time finding a decent suitor. The only way Fareeda deals with the harsh reality of her life is by turning her reality into fictional situations that her characters are facing in her stories & that’s how she uses her circumstances as an inspiration for her stories because she takes her imaginary world as a sweet escape from what’s life’s putting her up with. Her problems not only end there but she also has to put up with the opinions or rather objection of her Pupho, who takes it as her duty to even highlight the issue of Fareeda using her pen name ‘Rashk-e-Hina’ other than her real name Fareeda, which she got after her grandmother & which she dislikes actually.

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I must say even though the story of Digest Writer is very different, the family of Fareeda & the family of her cousin Shaukat (Gohar Rasheed) reminded me a lot of drama; Daam. I feel the execution of Daam was very realistic whereas Digest Writer has a very commercial feel to it & also the characters aren’t very subtle that’ll often make you feel that you’ve been there, seen that, but still it offers you something very different to look forward to.

There were a few interesting things that I liked a lot about this play. First one being that even though Anwar has invested a lot in his only son, Farhaan makes sure he pleases his father by studying hard & isn’t like one of those spoiled boys who exploit the love of their parents. Farhaan seemed very wise & reasonable where he seemed well aware of the fact that all the luxuries that he demands aren’t so easily accessible to his family. Another thing that I liked was the different shades in Jameela’s character. Even though she might get jealous because of the attention & the proposals Fareeda gets, still she has a very sisterly relation with her where she jokes with her, teases her & also listens to Fareeda’s words of wisdom when Jameela herself is depressed. The support Shakeela being a younger sister extends to Fareeda is also very sweet.

I know it would sound very random but I kind of enjoyed watching the character of Shaukat & his ways of wooing Fareeda, where he kept on hinting at her & still was shy to propose to her directly because he’s too scared of his own parents. Fareeda’s pupho was a perfect representative of all those people that put a pressure on others & feel they need to restrict others of the things they like to do, that’s why to get what she wanted, she felt it was important to thrash Fareeda’s writings in front of Anwar & portrayed them in a very bad light, ignoring the positives that were also a part of her story.

Fareeda’s finally on a roll where unexpectedly Rida & Sikandar who’re about to produce a drama will approach her because Rida in particular saw the spark in Fareeda’s writing that she was looking for. That will obviously create more problems for Fareeda & I am interested to see how she tackles them & convinces her father to allow her to pursue her dreams.

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I must say all the actors have done their jobs really well & Saba Qamar looks really nice playing the role of a day-dreamer, who definitely dreams big but is well aware of her ground realities. This is the very first time I have seen Gohar Rasheed acting in a drama & I must say he was effortless in playing the role of Shaukat as well. Share your thoughts about the first two episodes of the drama; Digest Writer.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Good news for Crime Show fans!

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PTV remains my favourite channel for a reason. They had diversity and their dramas weren’t copies of others. They explored genres and provided something for everyone to watch.

One of my favourite dramas is a crime show named “Angels”. It aired several years ago on PTV . The show was really interesting and kept me glued to the screen.  The cases were deep and the show was definitely written well.

 

 

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So there is good news for all of you. The trio of Sophia, Sami and Huma is back on Sundays at 8:00 pm. 

 

Areeba Mohsen

Firaaq-Episode 6

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Let me start by confessing that this episode solely belonged to Syed Mazhar Ali. I can’t praise him enough for his phenomenal portrayal of Haider’s character. I loved the way he talked sense into Tabbasum. He made her realize that the longer you hold a grudge, the more difficult it becomes to dig your way out of the negativity it creates in your life. It only serves to separate you further from the people you love. ’Khuda kay liye aagay barho. Do chaar qadam hi sahi! Sab ko maaf kardo; jo zinda hai unhain bhi aur jo margaye hain unhain bhi.’

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In order to figure out what makes Sara so fidgety in Imroze’s presence and why does she harbour such negative feelings for him, Paymaan decides to talk to Roomi. I think this was a much-needed conversation because Roomi finally got the opportunity to clarify his position in front of Paymaan and he explained to her that being Imroze’s patient, Sara confided in him and she fears that if Shams learns anything about this patient-psychiatrist relationship; that would be the end of her marriage. I agree with Paymaan: Sara is an educated and liberal lady, then why so many insecurities? But then again, with a guy like Shams, any sane person can develop such insecurities because this man is VERY difficult to handle. Haha, I agree with Paymaan: she is a part of a paranoid family where everyone is running away from each other, the fear of confrontation is preventing them from being true to one another and therefore, their problems and misunderstandings aren’t coming to rest.

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When Shams threatens Paymaan that she cannot visit Tabbasum without breaking all ties with him, she decides to leave his house because she comes to realize that her brother is as intimidating as her mother. She didn’t run away from a strict household to end up in another prison of restrictions. I loved Paymaan’s outburst because it was only then that Shams got a reality check. Paymaan rightly pointed it out to him that if he continues controlling the people around him, he will be left all alone, just like Tabbasum and this cycle of resentments will just not come to a halt. No matter how emotional or hasty, I think this was a sensible decision taken by Paymaan. Sanam Saeed’s acting was pretty impressive in that scene.

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Haider’s words of wisdom made Tabbasum realize that she can’t go on with her life carrying a bag of grudges and she went to Shams’ house to reconcile with her son and daughter. I loved Haider’s dialogues in the car: ‘Shams ko daekhtay hi ussay apnay seenay say laga lena. Maa ki muhabbat ki hararat say na ussay tum say kuch kehnay ki zaroorat paray gi aur na hi kuch samajhnay mei mushkil paish ayegi. Waisay bhi zyada bolna baat ko uljha deta hai’. Though Tabbasum has made blunders all her life but this time around, she was true in her intentions.’Mein tumhe galay laganay ayi hun beta’. In that particular scene, I found Shams’ behaviour a bit unreasonable and unfair. Now was the right time to make up for all the lost time but even after that reality check, Shams remained indifferent and that was a mistake on his part. But before leaving, Tabbasum spilled the beans about Shams’ so-called ‘perfect’ father. Uzma Gillani’s spectacular acting leaves nothing to be desired!

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Paymaan is now under Imroze’s protection and according to the next episode’s promo, wedding bells are approaching ;)  So this was it for today, guys! Did you watch the episode? What do you think of it? Share your thoughts please.

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Maryam Mehdi

P.S: I am covering for Fatima Awan today. I hope you guys enjoy the review; her reviews are always so impressive :)

Bashar Baji – Episode 22!

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Tauba! So, tell me, did you guys enjoy watching this episode? I think the best title for this drama would’ve been B4: Bashar ki Behan, Biwi aur Bhanji. I thought this drama was all about a life of a don but too bad, a lot of people took over & where’s Bashar? Yes, it looks like even he’s looking for himself.

So, finally, Buland has mustered up some courage to prove to the world that he ain’t a puppet but what’s worse is that the urge to prove himself as a human being, for starters, has struck at a wrong time because he’s also going to become a father pretty soon. He thought looking into Bashar’s eyes would scare & shoo him away which I guess actually worked because after that, Bashar was nowhere to be seen. I really think instead of chucking a handful of akhrots in her mouth, Maheen should’ve replaced it with Strepsils because the shrieking voice nearly broke the glasses of my home.

To be honest, tumhari behan, meri behan, meri behan, tumhari behan, mohallay ki behan, bari behan, choti behan, achi behan, buri behan conversation Adil & Bashar had was really funny. Isn’t it sad that Bashar has no business to look after & no dreamy 100 crore deals to sign that he’s being avidly involved & taking interest in the jhamela of his sister’s marital life. Adil was right that Saira only knows how to be Bashar’s behan but not Adil’s biwi.

Rudaba had an asthma attack & in the meanwhile she also had a realization that she can’t wreck someone’s home but then I guess she will keep on having those depression pangs until Buland takes a final decision & forces her to abide by.

I think the story has become stagnant because seems like we’ll keep on seeing such repetitive scenes where Rudaba will try to avoid Buland but he will continue to get her & all that really can’t happen before the baby’s born, so yes, looks like Tayyaba will also play along to win Buland back & Bashar being Bashar; faarighest man of all times will plan & plot because like I said seems like he’s got nothing to do except taking care of his jinxed-sister duo which will compel him & eventually he’ll end up chasing his unfortunate & unlucky jeejas – Buland & Adil.

I really don’t think it was a good idea to make Bashar Momin the main lead of the drama because his character hasn’t gotten the coverage that any central character would normally get. Ever since the drama has begun we’ve seen the focus shifting from Fathers to Rudaba to Buland to Adil to Tayyaba & now to Saira & what’s more funny is that even Parizay’s getting more coverage than her mamu, lol. Seems like Faysal Qureshi was promised to have a main role & when he signed the drama, the script was changed & then the writer screamed ‘BAKRAAAAAAAAA’ because other than that I really don’t see a reason that the guy who has a drama based on his name has no substantial role to play at all. All this while it looks like he’s only there as a guardian to his misery-struck sisters & that’s it.

I really don’t think they have the time left to shift the focus back on Bashar’s story & for the viewer’s sake, I wish they wind up the story soon by showing who got Rudaba in the end & who won the licence to buy her an inhaler. Share your thoughts on this please.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Fawad Khan’s latest interview with BBC Urdu

Fawad Khan has talked to BBC Urdu about his Indian film as well as state of film making in Pakistan. Fawad praised his fellow Indian artist Soonam Kapoor calling her as an excellent host and intelligent artist. Fawwad also expressed his views on Pakistani cinema and commented on comparing Indian and Pakistani film making.

https://vimeo.com/108619991

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/multimedia/2014/10/141008_fawad_khan_video_gh

Rashid Nazir Ali

 

 

Dramas based on foreign novels

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Nowadays almost every other drama is based on a novel or short story mostly written by a female fiction writer. Adapting novels for films and dramas is a popular trend worldwide, being the first television channel definitely state run Pakistan Television is the pioneer in Pakistan when it comes to adapting novels for dramas. PTV produced many dramas based on Urdu and regional (Punjabi, Sindhi) novels which I had already covered in a series of articles. Following on the trend of PTV, now novel based drama is a routine.
But PTV clearly carries another distinction in this aspect which is adapting foreign language novels for dramas. Adapting a foreign novel requires a lot of effort as it requires localization of main character and situation of novel. The main theme remains the same, but the character and environment of novel is customized as per the local  taste and censor requirements.
Since 1970’s PTV produced few dramas based on novels, which received mixed response. Interestingly most of such dramas by PTV have Rahat Kazmi in the cast. Speaking of contemporary drama making, only Hum Tv has adapted few foreign novels as dramas though they never mentioned the name of the novel.
This article is a compilation of drama serials of PTV and Hum Tv which were based on foreign novels.
Qurbatain aur Faaslay
Qurbatain aur Faaslay aired in 1974 was based on Russian novel ‘Fathers and sons,’ by Ivan Turgenev. Starring Rahat Kazmi and Sahira Kazmi, the play was very popular when aired from PTV Rawalpindi centre. It was a black and white play and perhaps its recording is no more available. The play provided nationwide recognition to both Rahat and Sahira.
Parchayian
Parchayian in late 1970’s is another play from PTV Rawalpindi centre based on English novel ‘Portrait of a Lady’ by Henry James. Haseena Moin dramatized the novel whereas Rahat Kazmi, Sahira Kazmi, Talat Hussain, Shakeel and Javaid Sheikh were in prominent roles. The play was successful and it is available online as well.
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Teesra Kinara
Teesra Kinara in late 1970’s is another play from PTV Lahore center based on Russian-American novelist Ayn Rand’s novel ‘Fountainhead’ . Starring Rahat Kazmi, Usman Peerzada, Sahira Kazmi, Badi-uzZaman, Saba Hameed, it was dramatized by Rahat Kazmi himself. Teesra Kinara is also remembered for its theme song Kabhi Hum Khoobsorat Thay in the voice of Nayyara Noor
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Ehsaas
Ehsaas in mid 1980’s is another play from PTV Karachi center. It was a mini serial of six episodes starring Rahat Kazmi, Durr-e-Shehwar Raheem, Marina Khan, Khalid Anum, Sabiha Khanum and Hameed Wyne. Dramatized by Shahid Kazmi it was directed by Shazad Khalil. Ehsaas was based on English novel ‘Misunderstood’ by Florence Montgomery
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Ehsaas, PTV Play
After gradual decline of PTV in from mid 90’s onwards, Hum TV is definitely a spearhead in drama making which revived the tradition of Pakistani drama. Through its back to back strong productions, Hum TV pulled the audience attention back towards Pakistani dramas which restored the faith of television viewers in Pakistani productions. Few of Hum TV dramas were based on foreign novels though they never mentioned the name of the novel in the credits.
The Ghost
The Ghost in 2008/2009 on Hum TV was an adaptation from a foreign novel. For television it was dramatized by Umera Ahmed and directed by Babar Javed starring Faisal Qureshi, Samina Peerzada, Savera Nadeem, Nadia Jameel, Sania Saeed, Rehan Sheikh and Ismael Bashi. The credits of drama clearly say it is an adaptation, but the name of the novel was not mentioned in the credits. Despite a huge cast, and big names as director and writer Ghost was not much popular.
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Khamoshiyan
KhamoshiyaaN in 2010 was also an adaptation and it was mentioned in the credits of the drama though the name of adapted novel was missing in the credits. Directed by Babar Javed and written by Samira Fazal the play starred Nauman Ejaz, Sania Saeed, Faisal Rehman, Ayesha Khan, Vaneza Ahmed and Sana Khan in main roles. Khamoshiyan was a successful play.
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Mera Naseeb
Mera Naseeb in 2011 was a successful play of Hum Tv written by Sameera Fazal. Again the credits say ‘A part of the story is an adaptation’ but the name of adapted story or novel was missing in the credits. Starring Sanam Saeed, Syra Yousaf, Adeel Hussain, Bushra Ansari, Rubina Ashraf, Samina Peerzada, Imran Abbas, Imran Aslam, Sajid Hassan, Mera Naseeb enjoyed great success with audience as well as critics. It also won the best drama award Lux Style Award. Though the drama makers never mentioned about adapted novel, later on social media it is revealed that novel Sister of My Heart by an Indian author was the original source of the story.
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So that is my compilation of dramas adapted on foreign novels. Do share your experiences and views on these dramas, or mention if some drama is missing in the list.
Also comment whether foreign novels be adapted as dramas or not? If yes is there any recommendation from your side?
Thanks for your precious time.
Rashid Nazir Ali

Jackson Heights – Episode 04!

Ohkay, before talking about this episode, to be honest I’d straight away say that I am looking forward to the next episode because the preview seemed a tad bit interesting. I think the director & the writer have taken a lot of time in unwinding the plot & right now it’s only coming across as if they are focusing on the issues people face in their day-to-day lives, without moving the story forward.

The only subtle revelation in this episode was about Salma where she clearly looked uncomfortable at the mention of domestic violence & later avoided the conversation about the subject, which was enough to let us know that she must be facing more or less the same situation in her own personal life. Salma has actually started to enjoy the conversations she once in a while has with Imran Bhatti because till now as much as she knows about him, only she was able to understand that he didn’t seem himself & was actually engrossed in his own thoughts.

Jamshed finally managed to arrange his trip to America & it was kind of heavy seeing his grandmother seeing him off. All her conversations only depicted how sad she is & how much she misses her son Imran but she’s helpless & can’t do much about it, that’s why the least she could do was to bind Jamshed in a promise of his return so at least she can have a sense of assurance of some sort.

Tanya was pretty direct in speaking to Michelle about her future plans but surprisingly Michelle bluntly told her that Rizwan is nothing more than a friend to her, which I doubt because whenever he speaks on those lines; instead of snubbing him right away she comfortably ignores those hints & that doesn’t do any good because if we go by their age, I really don’t think Michelle is at that stage in her life where she can dodge the bullet by keeping those things unanswered. As much as we’ve seen her, she’s very straight forward & doesn’t believe in beating around the bush, so why is it that despite knowing what Rizwan feels for her, she hasn’t been able to give him a clear cut answer in negation? I think Michelle’s being unfair to Rizwan where she isn’t giving a name to their relation & yet she expects everyone to see them as just friends.

Imran Bhatti’s obviously dealing with a lot in his personal life too & yes, he’s clearly stuck with Cathy because her testimony also counts in the hearing for his immigration. For the first time, instead of random babbling, he gave voice to his problems in front of Salma by sugar-coating a lot of things that Cathy puts him up with. I thought his mother doesn’t know about his marriage but to my surprise, seems like she not only knows but has accepted Imran’s marriage to a an American woman & a mother of two.

The good part about this episode were the conversations where they tried to show that no matter how hard people try, the life in such countries is a lot more difficult but people back home hardly understand the pressures their family members are facing while making a living in such a place. Each one of them seems to be occupied in some sort of a struggle but they try to snatch every possible moment that gives them relief & is a chance to unwind with a new-found or an old endeared friend. Share your thoughts on this episode please.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Sadqay Tumhare – Episode 01!

Just one word for the very first episode of Sadqay Tumharay; BRILLIANT. I am sure everyone here would agree that this drama has had a great start. Writing of Khalil ur Rehman Qamar & direction of Ehtashamuddin; Sadqay Tumhare hit our TV screens tonight with a bang & I must say, the very first episode was nothing short of perfection.

‘Uske mangetar ka naam Khay se shuru hota hai, aur wo samajhti hai ke aggar Khay aur Sheen mai Wao likhoongi, to lagega hum dono ke darmiyaan deewar khari ho gai hai’. This perfectly sums up Shano’s (Mahira Khan) frame of mind where she is in love with the promise that her grandfather did on her behalf, sealing her fate with her cousin Khalil (Adnan Malik). The engagement that was verbally announced more than 10 years ago is enough of a reason for Shano to cling onto the rope of love. When you’re in love, you do everything in your control to protect it & unwillingly you harbour such superstitions which whenever prevented make you feel that your relation is secure. When in love; you want to do those little things which might be misunderstood but give you a great sense of assurance that you’re not falling short of your responsibility towards your relation & just like a hopeless romantic, Shano – without knowing a bit about her fiancé Khalil, is in love with the idea of being engaged to him & yes, she is in love with everything related to him.

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Little does she know that her parents (Samiya Mumtaz & Rehan Shiekh) are in no mood to rekindle the promise that Shano’s grandfather made to Khalil’s parents regarding their engagement but Shano’s father still seems a bit considerate where he thinks it would be appropriate to know what’s in Shano’s heart because she already knows that she’s betrothed to Khalil.

Another opportunity has presented itself where everyone will gather for a family wedding & just like what Shano has been doing in the past, she feels she must attend the wedding just in a hope that her fiancé might show up there. Khalil, has never thought much about her fiancée because he seems too preoccupied in his routine & to him; for now- this verbal commitment means nothing but he doesn’t know his life’s about to be changed & Shano has unknowingly played a role in bringing him to her, where I must admit I loved the telepathic aspect of their relation because it depicts a love of some other sort; unconditional & a purest form of love.

I enjoyed all the conversations that Shano had with her friend Humaira (Sanya Shamshad). Humaira only knows what Shano’s going through & just like a sincere friend, she feels all she can do is; say a special prayer for Shano so that she doesn’t return disappointed this time around. In such a difficult time when you feel your heart might stop, such a heart-warming gesture from a friend gives you exactly the hope that you’re looking for.

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‘Abb surkhi powder ki zaroorat nahi hai usay, dekhoge na to heran reh jaoge’. On the other hand, Khalil’s cousin Maqsood (Shamil Khan) tries to tell Khalil all that he knows about Shano while giving him an idea that his fiancée is picture perfect. He genuinely feels it’s about time that Khalil fulfils his promise & gets to interact with Shano because he has seen the ardency in her eyes for Khalil. That was another conversation that seemed very heartfelt & genuine because Maqsood is mature enough to know that no matter what this engagement means to Khalil, Shano has bet her life on it.

I must say the direction was top-notch & all the added scenes completed the episode perfectly. No other location could’ve done justice to this story & I feel the director has been able to capture the essence of it undoubtedly. I loved the soundtrack & I feel with this drama, HUM’s on its way to redemption. I totally feel that the whole cast was chosen perfectly because everyone seems really comfortable in their characters. Sanya Shamshad looked perfect in her supporting role. Farhaan Ali Agha seemed perfect as a father. Samiya Mumtaz is a fine actress & Rehan Sheikh’s acting is known to everyone, however I do feel he shouldn’t have forced the harshness in his voice & I hope that it’d subside in the future episodes. & now coming onto our protagonists, to be honest I wasn’t sure about Adnan Malik but seeing him as Khalil, has really changed my preconceived notions about him & his acting. & yes, that goes without saying that Mahira Khan actually looks really pretty as Shano. It looks like she has put in a lot of effort to portray herself as Shano & match the age of her character & yes; I must say she has been able to do achieve the look perfectly. I also see a lot of improvement in her accent, in her acting & I am really looking forward to her story because without a doubt, she has been able to convey the crux of her character right from the beginning.

Being a love-story buff myself, I say everyone who loves love-stories should brace themselves because as said by HUM, we’re about to experience a timeless love story. *fingers crossed* :)
Share your thoughts on this episode please. :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

PS: I am covering for my dear friend Fatima Awan as she had to attend a family function tonight. Do look out for her comments in the comments section below & look forward to her amazing reviews starting from the 2nd episode. :)