A drama or a play can only revolve around two characters, the hero and the heroine if the drama is especially been directed for the valentines day. However, not every day of the year is the 14th of February and hence the reality of our drama industry is the fact that the plots of the story relate to the people of the society in a way or so and for that, every character of the serial is equally important.

Having said so, Let us focus on the roles that are been played by the senior actresses in the dramas, who make the project a real hit through their flawless acting skills and experience in the field. It is a fact that not all the actors are versatile enough to carry every role accordingly, but according to my best observation, the following actresses can perform pretty well in any role been offered to them, ranging from a helpless, poor widow to a wicked, social woman. Have a look!

[lwptoc]

1) Samina Pirzada

Samina has always kept her fans bind to her through her amazing acting skills. Partially because of her acting and partially because of the presence of an ‘X-factor’ in her personality, Samina is always having a never ending list of offers. From her wicked role in Meri Zaat Zaraa-e-Benishaan and Ghao, her confused state in Mera Naseeb, an old, sensible lady in Shehr-e-Zaat, a spirit in ‘The Ghost’ and a strong woman in Zindagi Gulzar hai, Samina knows which mode to ON as per the needs of the role.

2) Badar Khalil

The ‘Aani’ of Tanhaiyaan, the Lady that suits in every role, Badar Khalil is one of the most talented actresses in the Pakistani Drama industry. Badar Khalil owns a unique style of delivering the dialogues which seems very natural and resembles to that of one of your aunties too, I am Sure. Her acting in Qudusi Sahab ki Bewaah is something that was totally a surprise to me. Badar Khaleel enjoys a graceful personality and hence she is one of the most liked celebrities within the nation.

3) Bushra Ansari

Bushra is a perfect example of a multi-talented  artist.  Just like Samina Pirzada,Bushra Ansari has her own way of picking up the role and molding her personality onscreen accordingly. Her acting skills in Bilquees Kaur, Mera Naseeb,Aini ki Ayegi Barat deserve an applause. Bushra is really a treasure for the industry.

4)  Shamim Hilali

This Lady is truly an artist. What I like the most about is her outstanding simplicity, which is feature owned by her only.  Her most memorable performances came in the dramas ‘Maigh Malhaar’, which aired on former channel STN and ‘Sophia’, which was a very popular drama on PTV. Being a senior actress, Shamim’s performances do not make her seem like an actress but a natural performer. Its always a pleasure watching her on screen,whether it be in Maat, Uraan or Talkhiyaan.

5) Saba Hameed

“Azam, Aap Agaye..?” is something I would never forget about Saba Hameed,after all that’s what I remember first about her, that is her Flawless performance in Family Front. Seems like Hina Dilpazeer of Bulbulay is a new version of the hilarious  Family front team. Saba Hameed is  a capable actress who is good in everything she does on screen. However, it is a pity that such a wonderful actress is suffering through typecasting where every next role been offered to her is of a cruel mother-in-law just like in Main Abdul Qadir hun, Qaid-e-Tanhai and Ik Tamana Lahasil, on the top of the list. Believing that Saba Hameed would soon be seen in something new and exciting, it is to say that we, as an audience still rates her on top of the list.

6) Rubina Ashraf

Rubina Ashraf is a great actress who keeps entertaining her audience through her acting skills. Though her acting in her new serial Parchaiyaan didn’t enjoy  good rating, she is still very close to the hearts of the viewers. Her performance as Inspector Shehla is something that is kind of a historical piece of work.

7) Hina Dilpazeer

Momo has created a new world in the field of comedy, especially when the drama industry is suffering through a really bad taste in terms of comedy. Hina, who started her career very late has proven that talent has no age. Her acting or perhaps the masterpiece of work in Bulbulay will always be remembered by the viewers and the next generation. Bulbulay seems like CID of the neighboring country. It keeps on repeating, the viewers keep on watching it!

8) Hina Bayat

I, personally like Hina’s acting a lot, probably because of the fact that I have been adoring her for her personality and dressing since she first appeared on screen in a discussion program called,Uljhan Suljhan. Being a writer herself, Hina’s columns are what I really love to read. Coming to her acting, It seems that she takes her acting career really serious and tries to work hard accordingly. 

Although there are many other senior celebrities like Fazila Qazi, Shagufta Ejaz, but the above stated 8 females are one of those who can be awarded for laying the foundation of acting in the country. Please feel free to share your favorite senior celebrities too :)

Blessings

Nida Zaidi

Although Valentine’s Day is not even remotely linked with our Culture, beliefs or religion but for some strange reason every year this day is celebrated with unprecedented zeal and zest in all the developed cities of Pakistan. Even people who are not literate and do not live in posh areas know the spirit behind the day and celebrate it. Pakistani channels go an extra mile to add to this trend by dedicating their morning shows to Valentine’s Day and coming up with special plays and telelfilms for the occasion. We see many photo shoots of artists which are designed especially for this day and special ad campaigns are also very common. The shops and markets are filled with Valentine’s Day special promotions; gifts, flowers, cards, discounts, you name it. When one steps into the market you are instantly reminded of the day whether you want to celebrate it or not. PEMRA has taken a very bold step by ordering all satellite television channels; entertainment or News/ FM stations to not to air any special programs that promote Valentine’s Day in any way. The main reason for this action is that most of the people feel that Valentine’s Day is not our social or cultural festival but is in fact against our culture and tradition which is based on conservatism.

Openly accepting a tradition like Valentine’s Day is like flouting our own values and mocking our traditions. What example are we setting for the future generation? And to say that Valentine’s Day can also be celebrated by showing love to one’s spouse, parents, sibling, grandparents etc is a very lame explanation because if we must follow the day we should also know that the spirit behind the day is not this. In our society people respect their families and also give them sufficient time in normal days too in order to show their affection so why blindly follow a rat race?

Today thousands of protesters gathered in Peshawar in order to show their discontent with the freedom and opportunities that were openly being provided to the youth in order to celebrate Valentine’s Day. They suggested that since we are Muslims and belong to a society that normally follows basic principles of Islam then why can’t we celebrate a “Day of Modesty’? A very valid point indeed.
In the past few years in particular the Valentine’s Day celebrations have been done more openly and enthusiastically on television. One of the reasons for this also is that media has been liberalized and there are no strict checks and balances on what the television channels were showing like they were before. But I have to say that media should exercise and enjoy this freedom with great responsibility and take into consideration the feelings and sentiments of the masses. The Pakistani media should represent the Pakistani people.

I support the action taken by PEMRA and also think that there should be further check on the activities of Valentine’s Day. The way our shops promote the day and the price hike that suddenly occurs one day before the day is ridiculous. The flower prices go up to 40 percent and more on 14th February. We as a nation have our family values intact and would want that our social values should stay intact too. I think PEMRA’s action should be the first step towards the right direction but a lot more needs to be done in order to put a stop to the craze with which people celebrate this day.

Saud.

Dil-e-Muztar is one of those dramas in the waiting list of the upcoming dramas of this year which has created a good audience through its promos that are been aired on HUM Network. We shared a detailed article about the new serial which reflects its intensity through the dialogues that are showcased in the promo. Just like all previous projects, Momina Duraid has made sure that not a single ingredient is missed in this production. The Director, Shehzad Kashmiri seems to enjoy one of the best opportunities given to him and according to the reviews that are circulating in the drama industry, DIl-e- Mmuztar is a very well-directed serial.

As seen. the drama holds an interesting cast, having Imran Abbas, Sarwat Gillani, Sanam Jung and Humayun Saeed, including other flawless actors like Saba Hameed,Ismat Zaidi, Rabia  Naaureen. Imran Abbas has made his come back to the Pakistani Drama industry after suffering from a real bad time in the neighboring country. This is not the first time that Imran Abbas would be seen on screen with Sarwat, in fact both of them were also seen in Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishan.

Here are few  rare snaps of the celebrities of the serial who are excited about their new project. Have a look!

Dil-e-Muztar – The Celebrations!

On the Set

The Celebrities

Sarwat Gillani’s Birthday on the Set

The Drama will go on air on 26th February and it is hoped that the project would earn respectful TRPs,bringing more fame to the channel and the celebrities who are a part of it.

Best Wishes

Nida  Zaidi

Our visitors love to see celebrity pictures so here are a few more pictures for you that you may or may not have seen on the web before. It is always good to see our favorite celebrities having a good time with their family and friends in particular. We hope that you will enjoy looking at them.

Noor Jahan’s Daughters.

Sonia Jahan On Her Wedding.

Sonia Jahan With Her Mother.

Javed Miandad’s Son On His Wedding.

Actress Javeria With Her Daughter.

Meera And Laila In A Party.

                                                                  A Cute Click Of Alishba.

Fiza With Her Husband.

                                                                                Sisters.

                                                    Rani And Waheed Murad – Blast From The Past.

                                                            Annie Khalid – Cute!

                                                            Frieha Altaf – What was she thinking??

                                                      Fawad Khan on the dance floor with his son!

                                                                   Fawad Khan with family.

                                                                         Neelam Munir with friends.

Pakistan has a lot of potential and when it comes to music, the country has a huge treasure in terms of history and the singers who are shining all over the world. Here are 5 singers of the nation who are sacredly followed in India for their Vocals. Have a look!

There are many stars in our televisions industry who are immensely talented and it is always a pleasure to watch them on-screen but for some reason or the other they do not appear on-screen as often as we would like to see them. There are some stars who are very selective about the kind of work they do, others are busy with their families or giving time to other fields with which they are also related. Many of the stars in our industry are multi talented, there is hardly any actor who acts alone, many of them host shows, sing and some are even involved in production and direction. This could also be the reason why we don’t get to see these actors as often as we would like to. Here is a list of few actors who I think do not appear on-screen as often as we would like to see them.

Sanam Baloch:

Sanam Baloch Is an actress, model and a hostess and she excels in all three fields. Sanam Baloch’s work is a proof of the fact that she is extremely talented and takes what she does very seriously. Her performances in Doraha, Daam, Dastan and Durr-e-Shehwar in particular were unforgettable. After watching Durr-e-Shehwar in particular I waited anxiously to watch this diva on-screen again but I must say that Roshan Sitara and Nadamat both failed to bring out the best in her. Although Sanam Baloch was spot on as the bubbly character in Roshan Sitara but unfortunately the play itself failed to make an impact with the audience. Sanam Baloch has done full justice to her character in drama serial Kankar, no one could have played this character better than her. 

I am anxiously waiting to see Sanam Baloch in another play which will bring out the best in her. She is definitely one of those stars who breathe life into every character and someone you would want to see more of.

Asif Raza Mir:

This highly endowed gentleman needs absolutely no introduction. Words fall short when it comes to praising his talent. He is an actor who fits perfectly in serious and comedy roles and no one delivers dialogues like him. Apart from being a very gifted actor, he also has a very charming personality and wants to do whatever he can in order to make Pakistan’s drama Industry progress. The reason why we don’t get to see to see him on-screen often enough could be that apart from acting, Asif Raza Mir also has a very big production house to run and he has always been running a business too.

Babar Ali:

I must confess that I was not a big fan of Babar Ali to begin with but his acting in “Ik Nazar Meri Taraf” completely blew me off. I honestly did not think he had in him and found it difficult to believe that an actor like him who has always been doing larger than life characters in films could mould himself in a character which was quite unlike many that he had played till now. Babar Ali has proven that he is a very gifted actor and a good script and director can bring out the best in him. My list would have been incomplete without his name here because ever since “Ik Nazar Meri Taraf” Ended, I have been waiting to see him in a good role.

Alishba Yusef:

Alishba Yusef’s fans don’t get to see enough of her ever. Her acting talent was wasted in Mere Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley and she has not appeared on screen ever since.  She is a great actress and also totally adorable. She has earned a very good name for herself in the industry in a very short span of time. I would really like to see Alishba in lead roles and I am hoping that she does not go off screen like many of the other actresses who are involved in different fields of work.

Nadia Jamil:

I think the sole reason why we don’t’ get to see this wonderful actress on-screen as often as we would like to is that her heart is still set with theatre and even now she is busy working in International theatre projects and is hoping that she will be able to do her country proud. Nadia Jamil studied drama from Hampshire College and Allegheny College and she believes that her degree and the experience in theater both really helped her in her acting. Nadia Jamil’s first play was “Putli Ghur”, it was a long play that is still fresh in my mind and I go and watch it over and over again whenever I get time. Having family commitments is also another reason why Nadia Jamil does not appear in dramas too often. She has nailed every character she has ever chosen and definitely is one of those actresses who illuminate the screen with their presence. Watching her in the telefilm Behad was an absolute delight but I do get the feeling a little too often that we don’t get to see her often enough on screen.

I must share something with all of you, I made a similar list a few months back of actors who were not being seen often enough on-screen and quite interestingly all those actors who were rarely seen on-screen started working on regular basis…coincidence of course! Are there any actors who you want to see more often on-screen? Do share your thoughts.

Fatima Awan.

Last year was filed with shows that gained immense popularity. However, it was exasperating to see the same faces in every show on every other channel. Here is a list of actors and actresses who were seen in multiple shows on different channels at the same time:

Saba Qamar:
Saba Qamar became popular for hosting the parody show, Hum Sab Umeed Se Hai. 2012 would be the most successful year of her career as she starred in a variety of shows like Maat (one of the top plays of 2011-12), Thakan, Jo Chale to Jaan Se Guzar Gaye, Yahan Pyaar Nahi Hai (another hit play), Mein Chand Si, Shehreyar Shehzadi, and Na Kaho Tum Mere Nahi.
Although her plays were excellent and most of them were hits, it was kind of annoying to see her on every other channel at the same time. On top of that, her roles were pretty much the same in every serial. She played the role of a typical woman in Thakan, Jo Chale to Jaan Se Guzar Gaye, and Yahan Pyaar Nahi Hai. But she did manage to show her versatility through her role in Maat as Saman. It was one of Saba Qamar’s best performances!

Sajjal Ali:
Sajjal is another actress who was seen in many serials in 2012. She was seen in shows like Ahmad Habib Ki Betiyan, Mere Qatil Mere Dildar, the hit show Meri Ladli, Mohabbat Jaye Bhar Mein, Sitamgar and Qudussi Sahab Ki Bewa and the long running show Mehmoodabad ki Malkain. She has done a lot of work in a very short time and has become a popular household name.
She has done a variety of roles; negative, positive, as well as grey shaded. But then again she should be a little selective about her shows. Shows like Mohabbat Jaye Bhar Mein should be avoided and it is about time she quits the show Mehmoodabad ki Malkain.

Mikaal Zulfiqar:
Mikaal has improved a lot overtime as an actor. He is another actor seen in a number of serials in 2012. He has performed in the best serials of last year like Dur e Shahwar, Manjali, and Shehr e Zaat. Other serials include Adha Din Puri Raat, Talafi and Saath Pardon Mein. He had chosen well but then again his negative and grey shaded roles were the same in every serial. It was kind of tiring to see him in the same kinds of roles all year long. He needs to introduce more variety in his roles.

Ayeza Khan:
Ayeza khan is another actress seen in many different roles last year. She was seen in shows like Shaadi Mubarak, Mera Saeein 2, Zard Mausam, Mahi Aye Ga, Kis Din Mera Viyaah Howay Ga 2, Mi Raqsam, Kaala Jaadu, Aks and Kahi AnKahi. This is one big list! She has left every other actor behind by giving 9 back to back serials in a year.
We saw her doing many grey shaded characters which proved her versatility. Her role in Zard Mausam and Aks were very much appreciated by the audiences. But seeing her in negative roles on every other channel was a bit tiresome and made the shows lose their appeal.

Zhalay Sarhadi:
Zhalay is another actress for whom 2012 has been a very successful year. She was seen in many shows like Nadamat, Aks, Madiha Maliha, Kahi Ankahi, Sabz Pari Laal Kabutar, and Daray Daray Naina. Her role in Aks and Madiha Maliha was very much similar and since they were both airing at the same time, it took away the charm of both the characters. I am personally tired of seeing her in the same roles. It was kind of surprising to see so many shows of her at the same time as she used to do limited roles before.

Sami Khan:
Sami Khan has been seen climbing the ladder of popularity these past few years. He was seen in popular shows like Meri Ladli, Kaala Jaadu, Sirat e Mustaqeem, Shaadi Mubarak, Sabz Pari Laal Kabutar, Dharay Dharay Naina, Teri Rah Mein Rul Gai Way and Mein Guneghar Nahi. But one thing which irks me about this very talented actor is his choice of roles. Why is it that in every serial he plays the guy who never gets the girl? And why does he always appear in serials produced by A & B Productions? It is extremely vexing to see him in the same kind of roles in every channel at the same time. I personally like him as an actor but a little versatility would be highly appreciated.

Mariam Shafiq.

Many months back I wrote a post about some noteworthy advertisements; making a list of a few advertisements that were absolutely delightful to watch and many people especially those living abroad really liked those commercials. These commercials had a little bit of everything in them, some sentiments, a message and they were executed beautifully. Now after so many months when I thought of making such a list again I realized that there isn’t even one TV commercial at the moment which has that effect on me and which has the wow factor. I think for a Television viewer commercials are very important because whether we like to or not we have to watch these advertisements. Just the other day while watching Zindagi Gulzar Hai, I could not help but criticize every single commercial I saw during the advertisement break and it sort of spoiled the drama watching experience for me. Commercials do not have to be boring and passive but they can be just as engaging as the dramas themselves. I do realize that making a good commercial is tough job because you have to get your message through to the consumer in a very short span of time and make them sit down and pay attention is quite difficult but surely we can do better than what we are doing at the moment.
Am I the only one who feels that most of the commercials nowadays are just plain lame? Even if the ideas are innovative, the execution does not appeal to you at all. For example the Olpers advertisement in which the lady talks about choices that a woman has to make in life etc. I think the idea is excellent but the way the idea has been put into words is not the least bit impressive and the model’s body language just makes you yawn. Ufone commercials have always been great with a touch of wit and humor but even that is getting repetitive now and seeing the same faces over and over again does not help. Watching Saba Qamar dressed up in the most unimpressive attire in a fairness cream’s advertisement just added to the disappointment. Saba Qamar is talented and beautiful and perfectly capable of attracting the audience for the right reasons too, so why resort to such tactics?

Almost every year I eagerly look forward to the commercials that are made specifically for the month of Ramzan but this year around there were hardly any advertisements that were made especially for the month and even those that were aired in the month did not strike a chord the way they usually do. Are there any commercials on air at the moment which you enjoy watching? Or most of them are just putting you to sleep? Do you feel like our advertisement agencies are losing the creativity needed to come up with new and interesting ideas? I do believe in star power but I also think that just hiring pretty and popular faces is definitely not enough. I hope someone out there is listening and few of the brands like Nestle, Olpers and Ufone which have given us many memorable commercials will gives us more to write home about.

Fatima Awan.

It is an established fact that actors who are sons or daughters of famous actors and actresses are always compared to their parents and other members of their family. They are more harshly judged as we tend to think that “if the parents are good artists then the children have to be just like them”. The pressure on them to prove them self is more than any other actor with a normal background. Here is a list of actors who have been constantly compared to their popular parents or experienced actors of their family:

Shehroze Sabzwari:

Shehroze Sabzwari is the son of the veteran actor, Behroze Sabzwari. He is a model turned actor and debuted from the movie ‘Khulay Aasman Ke Neeche’, which was directed by Javed Sheikh. Saleem Sheikh and Javed Sheikh both are his maternal uncles and he belongs to a family full of experienced and renowned actors. His cousins are Momal Sheikh and Shehzad sheikh. He debuted in the drama industry through the show Ana. He was also seen in shows like Maamta, Karachi High, Badtameez, Parsa and was recently seen in Tanhaiyaan – Naye Silsilay.  He is also seen as an ambassador of Telenor and Pepsi.

Since he belonged to such a renowned and established family, the expectation from him was high and he was not given the leverage that is normally given to other newcomers. He was criticized for his performance at the beginning of his career as he did not match up to the standards set by his father. But we have seen a lot of improvement in his acting in his latest show Tanhaiyaan. I hope he establishes soon and makes a name for himself in the industry.

Shehzad sheikh:

Shehzad sheikh is the son of Javed Sheikh, who is one of the most popular actors of Pakistan film and drama industry. Shehzad debuted with the youth show ‘Dreamers’ alongside Annie Jaffery, which became a hit among the youngsters. He was next seen in Mi Raqsam opposite Ayeza Khan. He will also be seen in the upcoming show Teesri Manzil.

He is another actor who has failed to impress the audiences. His dialogue delivery is very weak and he needs to work on his expressions. He needs to prove that he is more than a face with a strong background. He will always be compared to his father at every step! He definitely has a long way ahead of him.

Yamina Peerzada:

Yamina Peerzada belongs to the famous Peerzada clan, a family full of artists. She is the daughter of Saadaan Peerzada. The renowned actors Usman Peerzada and Samina Peerzada are her paternal uncle and aunt. She made her acting debut on television from the show ‘Rangeel Pur’ written and directed by Usman Peerzada, on PTV Home in Nov 2010. Her second serial was A & B’s “Roag” directed by Babar Javed. She was seen opposite Mohib Mirza in this serial. She is currently seen in the show Barf. Not many people would be aware that she has also performed as a puppeteer with the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop in Pakistan, India, Turkey, Italy, Scotland, France, Norway and United Kingdom.

She gave a good performance in Roag and was appreciated but yet again she would always be compared to the spectacular performances given by other members of her family. Samina Peerada’s work is incomparable as she has done some very powerful roles. The harsh reality is that she would always be compared with the experience actors of her family.

Momal Sheikh:

Momal Sheikh is the daughter of Javed Sheikh and the sister of Shehzad sheikh. She worked for Hum TV at the beginning of her career. She never opted for acting before as it is rumored that Javed Sheikh did not want her to opt for acting. She started her acting career after her marriage. She was last seen in the show Aitraaf. She has a lot of shows lined up such as Koyla Hogai Main, Mujha Khuda Pe Yaqeen Hai, and Dard Ashna.

We have not seen much of her work to judge her at this point. But surely, her performance will always be compared to her fathers’! This is one disadvantage of belonging to a family filed with brilliant artists.

Mehreen Raheel:

Mehreen Raheel is the daughter of Seemi Raheel, another famous name of the industry. Mehreen had started modeling at a very young age and appeared in lots of commercials in her teens. She was seen in popular serials like Meri Zaat Zara e Benishaan, Mastana Mahi, Dastaan, and Ashk. She is currently seen in the show Zindagi Gulzar Hai. She also debuted in films from Jawad Ahmad’s movie Virsa, opposite Indian actor Arya Babar.

She is known for her typecast roles in every other serial. She is an average actress and needs to show her potential by performing a variety of roles. But at the end of the day, her performance will always be compared to her mothers’!

Mariam Shafiq.