It was not just the valentines day but the hatch day of our very own talent house too. The superstar of our industry, Noman Ijaz got a super happy day when he got a beautiful birthday wish from his son’s side. Its nothing better for a father to get love and beautiful words from his son on his special day and surely Noman was one happy dad with the wish he got. He shared the wish with his fans on his Instagram:
A happy birthday to the superstar from our side too!
PSL 3 is just around the corner and naturally, the excitement is rising. The defending champions from PSL 2 launched their kits and official song and also announced their two ambassadors. The very beautiful Mahira Khan and the handsome Hamza Ali Abbasi are both supporting Zalmis this season. Here are some pictures from the launch event :
Ohkay so, I enjoyed watching this episode like always but I am kind of sad that the double episode deal is over & they will be airing just one episode from now on, which by the way didn’t bring any change in the pace but still, I am used to watching 2 episodes per week.
Munwwar was doing everything to find Hassan but all in vain & sadly the one who ended up facing the brunt for it was Junaid. Munawwar obviously was concerned for his son Hassan but he also isn’t oblivious of his nature to know that he must be alright & he was doing all this to rip his family’s peace apart. I had a feeling that Munwwar was doing all of that with Junaid only to please Hassan, so that later when he comes back, he can proudly tell his son that the one he had a problem with is no longer with them & has lost his status as a family member!
It was sad that Junaid was terminated & I actually thought Munawwar will stop there but he actually seemed just so petty snatching away that job opportunity from Junaid. It is quite disgusting how Munawwar as a father treats other fathers-to-be; first Inayat & now Junaid. Ohkay, he took away Junaid’s job to please his psychotic son but literally to see him making sure that he doesn’t get another job was so sickening, I literally felt my blood boiling in that scene!
It was so nice to see Aairah & Junaid sticking together in this tough time. As I mentioned in the previous review, Junaid was farsighted & just because he stayed quiet & didn’t react to the way he was mistreated didn’t mean that he wasn’t aware of what could be in store for him, so that is why esecially after his marriage, he started planning ahead as he could see how Munawwar & Hassan were turning against Aairah.
It was too obvious right from the beginning that Abeer’s mother was hiding something from her & she eventually found out that her mother is not with her step father anymore. It is good that after living for so many years away from her mother, Abeer finally has her to herself. Seeing Abeer sitting in a car, tired & worried for her mother was a beautiful depiction of what life is all about; new set of challenges every now & then. Everything in Abeer’s life finally fell in its place but she was met with a new problem, which was finding out about her mother’s seperation. It was nice to see Raheel for a brief moment, I wish he had a bit more role to contribute to the story but still I like the to-the-point approach of the writer & director.
I was actually looking forward to some more scenes of Omar & Hassan but for now the focus of the story hasn’t shifted to them completely however, it was good that Omar found out more about Hassan & the fact that his family is looking for him. I like how Omar doesn’t react to Hassan & always has to something completely unexpected which even surprises Hassan, it is nice that Omar is dealing with Hassan so patiently & more so like a friend. I don’t think Aairah’s father would do much for his daughter because Aairah chose not to give him the edge. It was nice that even though Aairah is going through such a tough time, she chose not to rely on her father because she believes in dealing with her issues herself & now that she has Junaid by her side, she feels secured.
Overall, it was a very interesting episode of Khudgarz. Seeing the progress in Aairah’s pregnancy, I feel it was suggested that a few months have passed by & Hassan is still missing, so I would’ve liked if they had shown more of Omar & him to elaborate what changes Omar has brought in Hassan but I guess they will slowly take the story there. Loving this drama so far & can’t wait to see more. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Khudgarz.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Ayesha Omer, the face of Maybelline Pakistan was in Newyork recently for the Newyork Fashion Week. On the evening of Maybelline NYFW party, all the faces from the world famous brand were partying together and the fashion icon Emily Didonto, who represents Maybelline Newyork sent this lovely message for the Pakistani girls;
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfLtmOFgKYM/?hl=en
So finally we saw the first episode of the much awaited mini series Akhri Station and it certainly did not disappoint. There is a feel to the drama which is evident from every scene and dialogue. The cast is well suited and the play keeps the viewers engaged till the last moment despite the dull and dim lighting, which by the way were very fitting to the situation.
It started with Sanam Saeed appearing very middle class, very somber and very practical. She has found a seat in women’s compartment of a local train with a few other women, including Malika Zafar shown as a mother with an infant, a friendly Pathan woman and a transgender who is thrown away from another compartment on this basis. This was followed by the entry of a very hassled and distressed woman called Yasmeen with a little girl.
Yasmeen is played by fashion model Eman Suleman whom I believe is acting in a drama for the first time, but maybe it’s just me who hasn’t seen her before. Her acting does leave a little to be desired but she is still doing a pretty decent job. It’s not an easy character to play but Eman is lending it the much needed raw vulnerability and passive aggression of an oppressed wife. Her hair and makeup less face is very suitable to the role. Her story is told in this first episode.
While it’s not a very unusual story, considering the social and cultural set up of Pakistan, such stories are rarely given any recognition in the mainstream media which is usually all about the glamorous divas with rich fathers and husbands and exciting careers of their own. In reality, the majority of Pakistani woman are like Yasmeen, stuck with a man who does not have the sources or the ethics to try and provide for his own family, while the mother being a mother does everything possible to give her children a better life and future. She has no parents, a father in law who is supportive but useless and a mother in law who is in a typical fashion, blaming Yasmeen for her own son’s ugly habits and making excuses for him.
This leaves her with no one to turn to for her and her daughter’s needs. When the odds become higher and debts start to pile, her husband starts to use her as a prostitute. She is literally forced to have unwanted sexual encounters with clients that her husband brings so her daughter can have a decent meal. Yasmeen is distraught at the state of affairs and hides her face in shame whenever she is out. The milkman’s reaction was very aptly shown as most people are like this. They will waste their merchandise rather than give it for free to someone who is requesting it, who is then forced to illegal and dishonorable means to earn and when that money comes to them, they want to wash their hands before using such a filthy income. Oh, the irony of this world.
It is shown that Yasmeen was bearing all this but when she got to know that her husband is already marketing their daughter as a future prostitute and waiting for her to grow up to bring their “rizq”, proves to be the last straw for the mother in her. Tricking her parasite of a husband, Yasmeen runs away with her little one and ends up in this train compartment where she meets these strange women, all troubled in their own ways.
It was a great start and has been written keeping human psychology in mind. When you are so caught up and distressed, there is nothing like a non judgmental group of people whom you have nothing in common except belonging to the same gender and that connects you on a much deeper biological and emotional level.
Looking forward to the next story..
Ohkay so, first off, I urge all the viewers of this drama to do a little happy dance, umm a little more happier than what Shahzeb did because we all survived this apocalypse (or else read Nimra Khan, it’s the same thing) & it feels like an accomplishment right? I can’t imagine it’s been almost 10 months that we started watching this drama & now that it has ended. In stead of feeling a void, I am feeling relieved that I don’t have to tune to this drama anymore! Phew! Usually when a drama ends, viewers feel a little sad that they won’t get to see their favorite characters but it’s a totally different story with Alif Allah Aur Insaan!
So, Rani’s mother got to know about her daughter’s death. Everything else is fine, we do feel for her since she will live her life in regret that when she had a chance, she didn’t forgive Rani but I would like to thank Fatima Awan especially for reminding me that Rani was a murderer & she didn’t pay the price for killing Nigar, which is so true. Yes, Rani didn’t get to live a peaceful life that she dreamt of but looking at the flashbacks that were shown in the previous episode, it was never suggested that Rani was ashamed for doing something so extreme. Yes, the writer must have suggested that whatever she faced was a consequence of what she did but when it came to Rani, she was turned into someone with whom the viewers should have sympathized & we actually did because we forgot that she was a murderer!!!
To be honest, whatever Shahzeb said to Basit about forgiving & accepting mistakes & all that jazz, it was definitely nice but it would have made so much of sense & impact if Nazneen had received a proper punishment for what she had done, whereas in reality she was on a marital spree & had quite a good time with Taimur in her short lived marriage. I don’t think Nazneen received any punishment that she was being sympathized with. Also, I must say, Nazneen ke hoslay aur himmat, josh o kharosh ki daad deni paregi, because usually when someone fails at a relationship, getting hitched again is not on the cards but looks like Nazneen was on a Shohar Hunt as if she had no other motive in her life!
Malik Hashmat’s half hearted apology was just as cringe worthy as Nazneen’s white kurta that she sported for 10+ episodes. Everyone in this drama got away very easily, or may be since the drama was dragged so much, we couldn’t care less but yes, it is a fact, everyone got away with everything as if they were all saints!
Oh, yes, there was another story that was moving along in this episode & it was Shammo’s. To be honest, since he was treated as a filler throughout this drama, even after seeing so many of his scenes in this episode, he still came to my mind as the last thing because he was treated as an after-thought by the writer/director. Also, what took Shammo so long to bring his fellows to his place? He started earning good money way back, so why didn’t he bring them earlier. Also, where was Rani’s daughter Pakeeza? She vanished into thin air exactly like Basit’s sister. I don’t think it would have cost them anything if they had shown that Shammo along with his friends were now taking care of Pakeeza. Anyways, Shammo’s journey did impart a good message that no matter where you come from, if you work hard & believe in yourself, if you say no to something that your heart doesn’t allow you, then you can surely achieve your goals & materialize your dreams. The only message that was clear as well as good in this drama!
Oh, after suffering from a heart break, Roshni thought there was something else that she could do with her life, something like educating herself? Matlab this thought wouldn’t have come to her if Basit had said yes to her? LOL! How lame!
So, this journey had an excellent start but went downhill after 19-20 episode mark, that was the time when Zimmal & co. were introduced & ruined this amazing drama for all of us. Now when this drama has ended & I look back at Zimmal’s journey, I am feeling a strong urge to scratch my head because there’s absolutely nothing that I can deduce from her track? Shaheer proved that he was better off as a Gandasa movie hero, Arsalan died without getting a chance to experience what a magical thing a shampoo is, Zimmal turned into a gaon ki mutiyaaran, the vibe that she gave right from the beginning even when she was shown as a madrannn kewllll gal, with all that western clothing, but in actuality, there was nothing meaningful that could be taken out of her story. All those philosophical talks about love after Zimmal’s divorce did nothing! In this drama some got married & some didn’t, so I am wondering why wasn’t this drama named as Sheen Shaadi Aur Shikway!!!!
Anyways, the only good thing about this drama, which actually I still remember even after sooooo many weeks was Sana Fakhar. She was marvellous as Nigaar Begum, the finesse & elegance with which she portrayed the character of a courtesan is commendable & worth appreciating. Everything about this drama, the story, the message, the tracks, the characters, writing & direction, everything was just wonderful before the 20th episode which means more than half of the drama was a waste. Nimra Khan was the worst thing that happened to this drama followed by psychotic fits that Kubra had after failing at marriage again & again & again & again & so on, so forth. Mikaal Zulfikar was also good & so was Shehzad sheikh. Ushna Shah & Imran Ashraf were phenomenal as Rani & Shammo in the initial stages of the drama but for me Sana Fakhar takes the crown. I must say, the dance in the end was basically a depiction of something else but I’ll take it as a happy dance that Mikaal on behalf of the entire cast & crew must have done to celebrate the ending of this chewing gum! Hum TV should really stop testing the patience of the viewers & insulting their intelligence & while they are at it, they should learn a thing or two from ARY Digital who is excelling at drama these days. Hum has really lost the plot & they have forgotten that people fell in love with their dramas because of the quality in the first place! Please share your thoughts & I insist, please do a happy dance which I will be doing right now as well, after posting the review!
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Our very own Ayesha Omar is in New York these days as she is representing a beauty brand from Pakistan. The fashionista who has impressed everyone with her fashion choices is sharing space with International models like Gigi Hadid and Jourdan Dunn. Ayesha beautiful herself a looked beautiful herself as she presents herself as an International celebrity from Pakistan. Here are some pictures from her visit to NYFW:
Hayat Kimya, which started producing Molfix baby diapers in 1998, today produces baby diapers in Algeria, Iran and Egypt as well tho it is a Turkish company. The brand just reached Pakistan and chose Ayeza Khan to be the ambassador of their brand, with her motherly smile and warmth I’m pretty sure many moms will buy Molfix so good thinking there team Molfix.
The starlet took to her Instagram and shared this moment with her followers,
“A Proud moment. ALHUMDULILLAH #representingpakistan I trust @molfix #babydiaper”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfGptjjFWin/?taken-by=ayezakhan.ak
In another post she said,
“PROUD TO ANNOUNCE MY PARTERNERSHIP WITH THE TURKISH BRAND MOLFIX. #BrandAmbassador “
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfF65OolMNG/?taken-by=ayezakhan.ak
She looked ravishing in a Nomi Ansari dress and here’s the proof,
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfF2eQsFKM0/?taken-by=ayezakhan.ak
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfF2_aulr2G/?taken-by=ayezakhan.ak
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfF5SXzFsa8/?taken-by=ayezakhan.ak
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Asma Jahangir is a name not just familiar to Pakistan, this name resounds in our neighboring country just as much. Her death left people devastated on both sides of the border.
Lawyer and human rights activist Asma Jahangir died on Sunday after suffering cardiac arrest. She was 66. Her funeral will be held at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday. Born to bureaucrat Malik Ghulam Jilani and Sabiha Jilani in Lahore on January 27, 1952, Jahangir was best known for her pro-democratic and human rights activism.
Many Bollywood celebrities took to social media and expressed their grief on her demise.
Shabana Azmi
Just heard the devastating news that #Asma Jehangir passed away.She was a friend for who’s values integrity and courage I have the deepest respect. Pakistan has lost its most fearless crusader and the human rights movement its tallest leader. Our deepest condolences to the family
— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) February 11, 2018
RIP #Asma Jehangir. Devastated by your loss. pic.twitter.com/O11bppILpx
— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) February 11, 2018
Javed Akhtar
Asma Jahangir , undoubtedly the bravest and the most resilient fighter for human rights who had the courage to face the wrath of the dictators and the fury of the fundamentalist Mulla has passed away . It is the loss of the whole Sub continent .
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) February 11, 2018
Nandita Das
Deeply shocked & saddened to hear of #AsmaJahangir. She was a true defender of #HumanRights #Democracy & fought till her last breath against authoritarian power, orthodoxy & discriminatn. She was & will remain an inspiration A huge loss. Condolences to all whose lives she touched pic.twitter.com/FtR6HnFbIf
— Nandita Das (@nanditadas) February 11, 2018
Mahesh Bhatt
An extraordinary woman who fought for ordinary people. Asmaji had the audacity and the courage to fight for a fairer world. Thank you for touching our lives. 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/wML94XmtcI
— Mahesh Bhatt (@MaheshNBhatt) February 11, 2018
Tamanna dard e dil ki ho tau kar khidmat faqeeron ki
Nahin milta ye gohar baadshahon ke khazeenon mein – Iqbal
Goodbye Asmaji ! Gratitude !!!! pic.twitter.com/Chjiudo605— Mahesh Bhatt (@MaheshNBhatt) February 12, 2018
Sophie Choudry
A champion of human rights, fearless in her pursuit of democracy & freedom from oppression.. Such a huge loss for Pakistan & the many women she inspired from all walks of life!! RIP #AsmaJahangir 🙏🏼
— Sophie C (@Sophie_Choudry) February 11, 2018
Pakistani celebrities shared their grief over the loss of this superhero of a woman as well.
Shoaib Akhtar
Am saddened by the demise of 2 important Pakistani icons , #AsmaJahangir and #QaziWajid.May their souls rest in peace!
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) February 11, 2018
Mahira Khan
Sad sad day for Pakistan.. we say goodbye to a great great artist and a fearless activist. They shall live on through their work, always. #QaziWajid #AsmaJahangir pic.twitter.com/RLWZzR7aK2
— Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) February 11, 2018
Humayun Saeed
It’s a sad day today. We have lost two icons. May their souls rest in peace pic.twitter.com/CQcl6evQSe
— Humayun Saeed (@iamhumayunsaeed) February 11, 2018
Armeena Khan
https://twitter.com/ArmeenaRK/status/962742551148204032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftribune.com.pk%2Fstory%2F1632616%2F4-bollywood-celebs-mourn-loss-pakistani-activist-asma-jahangir%2F
Humaima Malick
Asma Jahangir Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un
— HUMAIMA MALICK (@HumaimaMalick) February 11, 2018
Faysal Quraishi
Deeply saddened over the loss of two distinguished personalities of my country today. Human rights activist,… https://t.co/enxjibf09m
— Faysal Quraishi (@faysalquraishi) February 11, 2018
Ali Zafar
Shocking to hear about the passing of this brave woman. Her honesty and sincerity to her cause remains an inspiration for our generation. Was always so full of life. We will miss you ma’am. @Asma_Jahangir pic.twitter.com/gGqEJuAexv
— Ali Zafar (@AliZafarsays) February 11, 2018
Mawra Hocane
Rest in power, you brave soul! #AsmaJahangir ❤️
— MAWRA (@MawraHocane) February 11, 2018
Muniba Mazari
Rest in Power! 💔 #AsmaJahangir pic.twitter.com/o2BikYEgDs
— Muniba Mazari (@muniba_mazari) February 11, 2018
The entire nation mourns this loss. May she rest in peace and power in heavens above.
From Khuda Ki Basti, Tanhaiyaan to Dhoop Kinaray, Qazi Sahab has been a part of projects which will always remain in our hearts. He was born in 1930 in Lahore and after giving about five decades of his life to the media industry, Qazi Wajid left this mortal world at the age of 87 years after having the complaint of heart palpitations during the night.
Showbiz fraternity came together to mourn the loss of a legendary TV actor. Syed Noor, Mahira Khan, Armeena Khan, Javed Sheikh, Faysal Qureshi and many others remembered Wajid as a powerhouse of an actor and a talent institute on his own.
Talking to APP, veteran actor-director, Noor called Wajid an educational institute for new artists. He went on to add that the actor’s death deprived artists of a great teacher. Sheikh, on the other hand, called Wajid an artist who was true to his characters.
Many actors took to social media to express their feelings.
Mahira Khan
Sad sad day for Pakistan.. we say goodbye to a great great artist and a fearless activist. They shall live on through their work, always. #QaziWajid #AsmaJahangir pic.twitter.com/RLWZzR7aK2
— Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) February 11, 2018
Humayun Saeed
It’s a sad day today. We have lost two icons. May their souls rest in peace pic.twitter.com/CQcl6evQSe
— Humayun Saeed (@iamhumayunsaeed) February 11, 2018
Faysal Quraishi
سینئر ترین اداکار قاضی واجد خالق حقیقی سے جا ملے….
26 مئی 1930 کو لاہور میں پیدا ہونے والے 87 سالہ پاکستان کے… https://t.co/RZaM9jcVev— Faysal Quraishi (@faysalquraishi) February 11, 2018
Fahad Mustafa
اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّآ اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ#QaziWajid pic.twitter.com/gLQ6SreQqR
— Fahad Mustafa (@fahadmustafa26) February 11, 2018
Veena Malik
A very Sad Day for Pakistan. #QaziWajid and #AsmaJahangir is no more with us. May Allah rest their souls in peace. Ameen…. Sad Sunday 😢 pic.twitter.com/lrTIQopdrk
— VEENA MALIK (@iVeenaKhan) February 11, 2018
Muniba Mazari
What a sad day! Qazi Uncle you’ll be missed! #RIP #QaziWajid 🖤 pic.twitter.com/gAVChecETw
— Muniba Mazari (@muniba_mazari) February 11, 2018
Mawra Hocane
A huge loss to art & to all of us !!! #QaziWajid May you rest in peace Qazi sahab & smile at us from above the skies as you always did in your life!!! #RIPQaziWajid
— MAWRA (@MawraHocane) February 11, 2018
Urwa Hocane
Armeena Khan
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfD9h6ynEJk/?utm_source=ig_embed
Yasir Hussain
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfDPJQOAFA_/?utm_source=ig_embed
The void he left can never be filled, may he rest in peace and power.
Akshay Kumar starrer ‘PadMan’ that focuses on menstrual hygiene and awareness regarding menstruation was reportedly banned in Pakistan due to it’s content because apparently the topic is “taboo” and damaging to our culture. The article can be read here,
Naturally not only the people but celebrities also took to social media and expressed their disappointment over the decision. Celebrities including Sanam Saeed, Armeena Khan and Mansha Pasha came together and supported the film.
Sanam Saeed took to her twitter and said,
“A man changed the lives of women across India, he made them aware of their unhygienic practices. He found a way to provide them with affordable sanitary napkins. But let’s not share that story because it has something to do with #MenstrualHygiene. Tobah! #padman,”
A man changed the lives of women across India, he made them aware of their unhygienic practices. He found a way to provide them with affordable sanitary napkins. But let’s not share that story because it has something to do with #MenstrualHygiene. Tobah! # padman #menstrualman
— Sanam Saeed (@sanammodysaeed) February 10, 2018
Armeena Khan gave her two cents on the matter and said,
“Periods. What’s the big deal people? The entire female population gets them including mother, sisters and daughters. They are as natural as the changing of the seasons. Let’s not make a big deal out of it. No need to ban films. They happen. Period.”
Periods. What’s the big deal people? 🤔The entire female population gets them including mother, sisters and daughters. They are as natural as the changing of the seasons. Let’s not make a big deal out of it. No need to ban films. They happen. Period.
— Armeena ✨ (@ArmeenaRK) February 11, 2018
Mansha Pasha shared the same views on her Instagram and said,
“Why has this of all films been banned in Pakistan!? Menstruation is not something to be ashamed of and from what i know, this film deals with the topic in an informative way meant to create awareness. At this stage, when crimes are constantly happening against women and children, do we really need less awareness?
In a country where people pee openly on the road, how is talking, just talking about menstruation lewd? #menstruation #dontshame”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfAsiIHBK4a/?taken-by=manshapasha
It is hard to understand how movies that sexualize women and are filled with nudity and profanity find their way to big screens but when it comes to movies that focus on awareness be it about menstruation, sex education, child molestation or rape our censor board finds them unfit for this culture because we are simply proud of our jahalat.
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Tonight’s episode of Tau Dil Ka Kya Hua was full of surprises and it was the kind of episode which keeps you at the edge of your seat. Like all the other dramas written by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar this one too is headed towards an interesting ending even though all the tracks have been so complicated throughout that a satisfying ending seemed impossible till now! Many important secrets were revealed in this episode and each one was more surprising than the other. Faris’ character has been intriguing throughout and the way Sami Khan has translated this character on screen has been absolutely phenomenal. Even though Faris’ “habit” of falling in love with every woman he spends a little time with is just plain annoying but Sami Khan’s subtle performance makes this character likeable. Also, the fact that Faris knew everything all along yet he decided to play along was a really interesting development. In every episode, one of the characters shows a different side which changes the way you look at that character to a large extent. I have to admit that for the first time tonight, I actually felt for Saif and liked him a little too only because he decided to change his mind after knowing the truth.
Like every other episode of this drama, this one too asked for your undivided attention! The details which Faris shared with Lubna about his father’s picture also raised questions about the relationship between Faris’ father and Tipu’s mother. There is a lot which the writer will reveal in the upcoming episodes therefore these last few episodes are bound to be happening! Siraj uncle’s character has always been extremely likeable and like most of the characters in this play, it has been appealing as well. Now that we know what the relationship between all these characters is the story has taken a brand new turn. Most of the conversations between Lubna and Faris tonight took place in the car and I was wondering if they would end up having an accident but thankfully these scenes did not take a clichéd turn.
I have praised the director Shahid Shafat in all my reviews and I always feel the need to appreciate his creativity and skill even more every time I watch a new episode of this drama. The overall feel of the play couldn’t have been better. Also, the person in charge of the previews deserves special acknowledgement since these previews are always misleading in an intelligent manner. The preview of this episode gave the impression that Siraj Uncle was the one who got shot but that was certainly not the case. This scene was directed faultlessly! It was the kind of scene which you see only on the big screen. Although Tau Dil Ka Kya Hua never got the attention or appreciation it deserved but I was hoping that some of the actors and the director in particular will be acknowledged by those people who shortlist names for giving away awards at the end of every year but so far that is not the case!
Overall, this episode was happening and right on point! It ended too soon and left me with a lot of questions. The preview of the next episode promised more drama! Can’t wait to find out how this drama ends.
It was a sad day for Pakistan as we lost not one but two big names in one day. Human rights activist and lawyer Asma Jahangir also breathed her last today. Asma was known for being very vocal on many issues and was a constantly present media personality.
Asma was rushed to Hameed Latif hospital in Lahore after she had some heart problem. She died of cardiac arrest at the age of 66. Her death came as a shock and condolences poured out from all the ranks starting from President of Pakistan, the Prime Minister as well as the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
May her soul Rest In Peace!
one of the pioneers of Pakistan radio industry, veteran actor Qazi Wajid passed away in Karachi. He served the radio for almost 25 years and later switched to television. Qazi Wajid is an asset for our industry and his name will always remain in the topmost actors of the country.
From Khuda Ki Basti, Tanhaiyaan to Dhoop Kinaray, Qazi Sahab has been a part of projects which will always remain in our hearts. He was born in 1930 in Lahore and after giving about five decades of his life to the media industry, Qazi Wajid left this mortal world at the age of 87 years after having the complaint of heart palpitations during the night.
May Allah grant him high ranks in Jannah. Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Illaihi Rajioon!
So these episodes of Umm e Hainya lived up to the drama’s fast pace and good screen play. The actors still need to up their game, but the best part was the story moving forward. No filler scenes are added even though it airs in two back to back episodes every week.
Rohan and Saba’s story end right here with Saba tragically dying while they were enroute to airport. The scene where Saba dies was good in expression by both men but Yashma Gill failed to impress as the bruised and dying Saba. She has the exact same tear falling expression in all the scenes, whether it is expressing love to Rohan, being insulted by his mother, while taking her last breaths or even as she appears as Kamil’s guilty conscience to scare him. She really needs to improve her acting skills.
Daniyal Afzal and Wasim Trimzi were comparatively better in the most happening scene of the play to date and expressed their agonies and turmoils well. However, the way Daniyal Afzal as Rohan later reacted to Saba’s death was not impressive in the least. He failed to generate any sympathy or emotion as the grieving husband. None whatsoever with his totally flat crying and mourning. Wasim Trimzi is a lot better as a genuinely good man who made a wrong decision in a fatal moment which cost someone her life and now that moment is coming back to haunt him repeatedly.
Farah Shah is a veteran actor who has given some very good performances but I don’t know if it’s the makeup or something, her face is also totally artificial and her character unrelatable as Rohan’s mother. She has bribed the nurse and left her newborn grand daughter on a cold bench in an isolated park, which in her opinion is better and more merciful than killing the infant.
Neelum Munir is still the star of the play, in every sense. She is the only one who seems to be performing wholeheartedly, along with her father played by Hashim Butt. She was very good as the confused and misunderstood Romi who is always blamed by her mother and bhabi, yet she sticks to her good intentions in a very endearing way. She seemed so naturally worried for the child. She has not failed to impress in a single episode so far.
What stuck out, however was the fact that the promos showed Romi getting that infant from the black bag on road side while this baby was in the park that she picked up. Don’t know if she will be the baby or she will find another one again, but that seems quite unlikely.
So now that Romi has unknowingly gotten Rohan’s daughter whom he thinks has died alongwith Saba, I cannot wait to see how this story will eventually full circle and how will Romi decide to raise that baby.
As Pakistani film industry has regained its footing among the masses, so has its promotions, marketing, press releases and fan meetings to work in an increasingly internal competition.
This competition could be the reason, makers and cast of “Cake” have taken the promotion to another level and marketing the movie with their tweets as characters of the film. Amina Sheikh and Sanam Saeed are getting on to eachother’s case as Zara and Zareen from the movie. They are fighting like such siblings who can’t live with eachother and can’t live without eachother.
After the tweets, now they have aligned fans and public to choose sides and be on Teamzara or Teamzareen.
This innovative marketing certainly has us more intrigued about the movie.
Madiha Imam was very impressive as Takbeer in an otherwise non sensical play Zakham last year. She has an angelic face that expresses easily and very endearingly.
We will soon be seeing her in Six Sigma production “koi hai” with Mohib Mirza. He has been absent from the screen for about four years, so it is a big comeback from the serious and intense actor.
“Koi Hai” will be airing on Ary Digital and the first time, the duo will be sharing screen together.
It was a good episode to summarise it in few words. Since Khamoshi has started, we are watching Arsala getting exploited by her family. The only thing that keeps getting repeated is the awfulness of Arsala’s family. Today’s episode though showed how awful that family is (Again!) but it was not the focus of the episode. Things got better for Arsala in every aspect. She has got a permanent job with a lot of respect. Her living situation is settled and she is focusing on her studies. Arsala’s reaction towards Shahram is still very confusing. He was rash and wrong in some things but why is she hating one person in the whole world who is not after her money and is trying to help her. Shahram is literally going out of his way in everything to make Arsala’s life better. From financing the NGO to getting her a laptop, he is leaving no stone unturned to assure that Arsala never experiences the sharp edge of circumstances again.
Bee Jaan was Arsala today. Her family is against her, her son is totally under his wife’s influence. They have gone petty to an extent where they are not even letting her having a cup of tea. Nasreen’s claim over Shahram is just too annoying. They have not shown any bachpan ki mangni nor did Shahram’s character ever showed any interest in Zubiya, the claim is therefore very uncalled for. Moreover, Zubiya’s parents are still whining over Shahram and not trying to fix their daughter somewhere else. Shahram has made it clear that he is not interested in your daughter then go and find some acha rishta instead of bullying Bee Jaan. But seems like this track is not getting wound up anytime soon.
Sabir’s change of heart has turned into a complete tale of regrets. He wants the other people in the family to feel the same way too. The way he semi-insulted Atif was a good one too. Shehnaz, on the other hand, is just interested in the money and is using that money to have more celebrations for Naima. She does not care about Sabir, her only son Guddu or Arsala, her only focus is Naima aur uski shaadi. Naima is getting more annoying and Atif is still acting like a confused bechara so nothing new in that track.
The episode ended on a good note. Let’s see how Arsala will have a change of heart for Shahram!
Hollywood is the Mecca of cinemaholics. For someone who loves movies it can not get bigger than Hollywood; the hub of entertainment and of course money. Anyone who aspires to be an actor one day dreams of becoming a part of this gazillion dollar empire but well not everyone’s lucky or talented enough to make it but some of us do, for some of us Hollywood isn’t a distant dream but a living reality.
This struggle to become a part of the biggest entertainment industry in the world is tough as it is but it becomes even tougher when you come from a country like Pakistan that is a victim of bad publicity to the point that people are conditioned to think of nothing but violence when the name of our country pops up but all good things to those who fight for them and some of us have.
Here’s a revised list of Pakistanis who are making us proud with their work in Hollywood for these superheroes can not be stopped by racism or Islamophobia.
1- Riz Ahmed
No amount of fangirling can do justice to the awesomeness of this man, born to Pakistani British parents Rizwan Ahmed stepped into the world of films with the Michael Winterbottom film The Road to Guantanamo but he got the well deserved break with his role in the 2014 Jake Gyllenhaal starrer Nightcrawler. In 2016, he starred as Bodhi Rook in the first Star Wars Anthology film, Rogue One. That year, he also starred in the HBO miniseries The Night Of as Nasir Khan; the show and his performance were critically lauded. He won the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for The Night Of, becoming the first Muslim and first South Asian to win a lead acting Emmy. Moreover he will be starring along side Tom Hardy in the upcoming Marvel movie ‘Venom’ if this ain’t a dream come true then I don’t know what is.
2- Kumail Nanjiani
Kumail Nanjiani was born in Pakistan but he moved to States when he was 18. He is a stand up comedian, an actor, a writer and a podcast host. Nanjiani is best known for his role in the HBO Emmy award nominated show Silicon Valley. He went big when last year he starred in the semi-autobiographical romantic comedy film The Big Sick, which he wrote with his wife Emily V. Gordon. He got nominated with his wife for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay at the 90th Academy Awards. Nanjiani will be seen next starring along side none other than the unseen-able John Cena.
3-Mir Zafar Ali
Ali initially studied software engineering in FAST National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences in Pakistan. Ali has worked on visual effects and graphics in many Hollywood movies, including The Day After Tomorrow, X-Men: First Class, Stealth, Monster House, The Golden Compass, The Incredible Hulk, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and Aliens in the Attic. He worked in the team that won the Academy Award for best visual effects for the 2007 movie The Golden Compass. He is the first Pakistani to have been connected with an Academy Award-winner for Best Visual Effects. His latest recognition came in the form of an Academy Award for his work in ‘Frozen’ that cemented his status as a special effects superstar.
4-Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy
The woman needs no introduction the name speaks for itself. She is known for her work in films that highlight the inequality with women. She is the recipient of two Academy Awards, six Emmy Awards and a Lux Style Award. In 2012, the Government of Pakistan honoured her with the Hilal-i-Imtiaz, the second highest civilian honour of the country, and Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her most recent work, Look But With Love, released on the Within app, is Pakistan’s first virtual reality documentary series focusing on the people of Pakistan who are striving to change the socio-political landscape of their communities through causes they are passionate about.
5-Faran Haroon Tahir
Faran Haroon Tahir was born in America but raised in Pakistan he is the son of veteran actor Naeem Tahir so his love for performing arts really isn’t surprising, runs in the family. He made his film debut playing Nathoo in the Disney’s 1994 live-action version of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. He is best known for his roles as Raza in Iron Man and Captain Robau in Star Trek. His most recent appearance was in ABC’s hit thriller Scandal.
6-Sameer Asad Gardezi
Sameer Asad Gardezi is a WGA Award Winning Pakistani American Muslim screenwriter and television writer who has written for Aliens in America, the Golden Globe nominated, Emmy-winning hit series Modern Family, Mr. Sunshine, Outsourced and Goodwin Games. For his work on Modern Family, he was awarded a Writer’s Guild Award for his excellence in writing. Most recently, he collaborated with Daily Show’s Trevor Noah to create the untitled Trevor Noah project.
7-Strings
Two words “Najaane Kyun” that’s what embodies the capability of this band. In June 2004 Strings released the music video of the title track, “Dhaani” The band were then approached by Columbia TriStar Films of India, a sister company of their record label, to include their next single (“Najane Kyun”) on the soundtrack of the Hindi version of the Hollywood blockbuster Spider-Man 2. That is how Najaane Kyun became the official original sound track of Toby Maguire starrer Spiderman 2. Their latest project was Coke Studio season 10 and boy did we love it!
8-Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
When it comes to listing awesome people of the motherland no list can be completed without mentioning the Maestro. His first public performance as the leader of formerly his father’s Qawwali party was at a studio recording broadcast as part of an annual music festival organised by Radio Pakistan, known as Jashn-e-Baharan. Extending the 600-year old Qawwali tradition of his family, Khan is widely credited with introducing Qawwali music to international audiences. He toured extensively, performing in over 40 countries. He has performed to packed crowds in Paris, Japan, New York, Washington and collaborated with Peter Gabriel, Michael Brooke and Eddie Vedder among others. You can hear some of the Ustaad’s music in several movies such as Dead Man Walking, Natural Born Killers, Any Given Sunday and several others.
We hope that by the end this year a new revised list will be required and the process will go on with new achievements and new names finding their way to the list of people who have made Pakistan proud internationally. This list mostly includes people whose work I have seen myself so any other additions will always be welcomed by me.
This episode took the filmi feel of this play to a whole new level! Hani and Saad have to be one of the best on-screen couples we have seen in our dramas this year since their story is unlike any other and some of the scenes have never-seen-before written all over them. Many of these scenes don’t have a lot of dialogues but they are crucial to the plot. Every episode of this drama has at least one such scene which must have been really difficult to translate on screen yet the director has shot these scenes so well that they work every single time. The scene in which Hani and Saad cried after years of keeping the promise they made to each other was one such scene in tonight’s episode. The story is getting even more interesting with every passing episode and like every other play written by Faiza Iftikhar, this one too is highly unpredictable.
Tonight’s episode had some really important developments to its credit. With this episode Hani’s character took a new turn and Saad helped her in a way no one else could. The fact that these two have been connected to each other since they were children gives this love story a background different from any other we have seen in our dramas. Although Bin Roye dealt with a similar love triangle but the characters and the story itself never had the same appeal as this one. Irtiza and Saba didn’t have the connection or the relationship dynamics which Hani and Saad share. The way Saad’s character has evolved in all these years has been one of the best parts of this track. Although Saad’s character never lost its appeal even when he was desperate to break Hani’s engagement with Salar but right now Saad’s character is more likeable than ever. Saad always felt the need to protect Hani even when he was a little kid therefore no matter what he has gone through over the years this desire to save Hani from any kind of harm has remained constant. The flashback scenes were once again used effectively in this episode and these scenes also made the difference in Saad and Hani’s outlooks even more prominent. The credit for this goes to the make-up artist and the director as well who gave Saad especially two very different looks. Since Saad was only a young boy when Hani got married and now he is a grown man therefore it was really important that this difference in age and maturity reflected in the way he looked too and not only in his personality.
Saad’s mother did whatever she could do to persuade Hani to go back to her husband and if it wasn’t for Saad’s support she would have eventually given in to the pressure. Mahpara’s support has been the most refreshing aspect of this entire development. Unlike before I look forward to her scenes and I am waiting for the time when she will have a one-to-one conversation with Hani about her take on this entire situation. Salar’s reaction when he heard that Hani had been crying was also covered in a manner that it couldn’t go unnoticed. This was another scene which was short yet meaningful. All of Salar’s scenes showed he had absolutely no remorse and he still thought he was entitled to do whatever he wanted to. Tania’s role in this entire situation was also positive and her character is turning out to be a likeable one. She is different from all the other characters because her perspective is more practical. Although the actress playing the role has a long way to go but the character itself has a lot going for it.
Uzair Jaswal, Nauman Ijaz and Sadia Khan’s performances yet again were right on point in this episode but the script and the direction have to be the clear winners here. So far, the direction has been absolutely brilliant and the dialogues and situations have been extremely powerful and emotional.
The preview of the next episode showed that Salar will finally go to Hani’s house to take her “home” with him. Hani’s reply and Saad’s reaction made it look like Hani won’t go back with him but it is impossible to predict what turn the story will take from here.
How many of you watched tonight’s episode? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.
Ohkay so, the production of iDream Entertainment, writing of Edison Idrees Masih & the direction of Sarmad Sultan Khoosat; Noor ul Ain, a highly anticipated drama commenced tonight on ARY Digital. The first episode set the base for a full-on love story in a most quirky & amazing manner & I must say, I am impressed!
Noor (Sajal Ali) belongs to a middle class family where she has her father Qasim (Irfan Khoosat), mother (Tahira Iman), a sister Sofie. Noor’s paternal uncle Sajjad, his wife Ghazala (Iffat Omar) & their son Kashi also live with them but in a seperate portion. Khizar (Imran Abbas) comes from an affluent family & being the only son, his mother (Marina Khan) has high expectations from him, so much so that it has even strained their relationship but Khizar’s mother doesn’t believe in giving her son the edge to just be!
Noor happens to be a confident & a present minded girl, that is why she knows how to bring herself out of any situation. Even though Noor knew that it was due to her mistake that she & Khizar had an accident but she just didn’t show any signs of guilt to acknowledge her mistake. Khizar on the other hand may have left such an impression on Noor that he was easy to fool but in reality, he was just giving her the edge to feel like she had an upperhand, as he immediately understood that she was kind of tricking him into believing that he was at fault. I loved the very first interaction that Noor & Khizar had, it effortlessly showed that they were two very different people who came from different backgrounds & had different personalities!
I must say, I really liked Ghazala’s character. Since Noor’s mother is typically a skeptical parent who only voices her concerns about what could go wrong, that void in Noor’s life is filled by Ghazala who despite being her chachi is more like a friend to her & supports her no matter what. For a brief moment, it was suggested that Ghazala spoke against Qasim & how he was treating Khizar but then again, it didn’t seem odd. Since Ghazala has no life of her own due to her husband’s medical condition, Qasim & his family are the only set of people she has in her life so basically, they are the only people for whom she gets to display her good & her bad side both. Even though Ghazala smiles from the outside but she has a lot of struggles to deal with, so I kind of found her behavior realistic & it made her seem very human!
Khizar didn’t leave any stone unturned to leave a good impression on Noor’s family but more than anyone else, it was Noor who he wanted to know how he feels. Despite getting a chance to return her diary when Khizar visited Noor’s house, he chose not to give it to her because he decided to use it to land himself another chance of meeting her!
I felt just because Khizar’s mother is so strict & has such high expectations from him, it kind of hinders him from having a direction in life. As much as his mother wants him to obey her rules, he pushes himself in the other direction because he must feel suffocated living such a life where he is not allowed to make his own decisions. Khizar’s conversation with his friends was interesting too, Noor isn’t the first girl that he has liked but because he found her somewhat different & interesting, he couldn’t hold back!
The proposal was so unexpected & random but it was timed beautifully because it was exactly what Noor wasn’t looking forward to. The smile on Noor’s face spoke volumes of how despite being taken aback by Khizar’s sudden proposal, she kind of liked it. I also loved how the entire conversation was carried out, where Noor kept on sharing her disappointment in Khizar but he continued to make it seem as if he still had a chance, it was very cute!
Overall, the first episode was superb & I’m definitely going to recommend this drama to those who are on the fence about it. The direction & the editing were on point. I liked that the differences between Khizar & Noor were established so effortlessly, it’s like everything just flowed & no one tried really hard to make a point considering it was the introductory episode of the drama. Sajal Ali & Imran Abbas surely looked perfect as Noor & Khizar – their chemistry was subtle & I can’t wait to see their full fledged feelings for each other. Their acting like always was phenomenal & they have succeeded in building up the curiosity about what’s yet to come. The only thing that I am not a fan of is the OST & since I don’t see it growing on me ever, I feel it is going to be the only thing that I won’t enjoy about this drama. Iffat Omar was also the star of the episode, she just nailed the character of Ghazala & I can’t wait to see what role she will play in Noor’s life in the future. I am really impressed & enjoyed watching the first episode. The writer deserves a perfect score of a brilliantly written episode. Oh I must say, whoever is responsible for Sajal’s styling also deserves a special mention, it was so refreshing to see her in a new get up. I must say ARY Digital has surely upped their game in terms of dramas & it is so good to see them bringing such new & refreshing dramas to the table. Please share your thoughts about the very first & interesting episode of Noor ul Ain.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Members of the Punjab Film Censor Board are at it again, this time they have denied watching the Bollywood film PadMan so as to issue a clearance certificate to it. A movie like ‘Padmaavat’ that distorted history to it’s core and represented Khilji less like a Muslim Ruler but more like a Viking got clearance in the name of “ART” while a movie based on the sanitary health of women is apparently too taboo to be issued clearance..
According to the members, film with “taboo” subjects such as menstruation will not be allowed screening in Pakistan. The Federal Censor Board also denied issuing an NOC to PadMan and announced a ban on the Akshay Kumar-starrer in all cinemas across the country.
As per sources, the board members have flat-out refused to watch PadMan on request from the distributors. A source from the Punjab Film Censor Board said that all the members were hesitant to watch the film due to its content.
Distributors IMGC was planning to purchase the film but the censor board had advised them against it. However, another distribution company bought the distribution rights for PadMan on the condition that they will only process payment if it’s been approved by the censor board. After being denied screening, the posters were removed from all the cinemas.
PadMan is a 2018 Indian biographical comedy-drama based on the short story The Sanitary Man of Sacred Land in Twinkle Khanna’s book The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad. The book which is inspired by the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social activist from Tamil Nadu who introduced low-cost sanitary pads to villages in India.
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Ohkay so, two main characters in this drama were finally on a road to self-discovery. No matter what the story has reduced to, the fact still remains that the actors in this drama have given the viewers some stellar performances to remember them for – especially Noman Ejaz & Sajjal Ali!
Sonia died & the one who made her journey come to an end in this world was Khayyam Sani himself, the same Khayyam Sani who spent all his life loving her, the same Khayyam Sani who never really treated his wife with respect because she was a complete opposite to what his dream girl; Sonia Jahan was like. That moment was quite emotional & heavy to grasp. Sadly, Khayyam Sani’s love story met such a tragic end & both he & Sonia couldn’t do anything!
Sassi all of a sudden realized that now when Sonia is dead, she has no one to hate, basically she has no purpose left in her life? Seriously? To be very honest, I felt absolutely nothing seeing Sassi all lifeless & depressed. It somehow brought me to the point I made way back that to me she seems shallow. Even after living her life on her own terms & successfully chasing after her dream, even after breaking all the barriers & making a point that she will listen to no one, what did she get? As in what did she achieve? It’s not that Sassi got lost now, she was a lost soul right from the beginning who was walking on other’s footsteps trying to find a life on their path but she failed, why, because she was shallow from within & she was all talks. I would have loveddd it, I would’ve appreciated it so much more, in fact I think the drama would’ve become much more meaningful if the writer had given Sassi some substance behind her boisterous, rebellious, all-talks personality, but sadly, that wasn’t the case. Now Sassi was feeling depressed? Why? Because after doing allllllll that she wanted, she firstly lost someone who she hated which means she now got some space in her heart to fulfill & then she all of a sudden realized that there used to someone named Qasim who had her back but even now he had a life of his own, so she was scared of being left alone. Yes, at least Sassi hit the bullseye when she called herself & Khayyam ‘khudgarz’, chalo aik baat to theek kahi!
Khayyam now realized that he owed Mumtaz an apology. I think the only sane thing that happened in this episode was Mumtaz’s stance of not forgiving Khayyam because in true words, he doesn’t deserve it. Khayyam just can’t have it his way, like he dissed Mumtaz when he wanted, did what he deem right & now when everything was done & dusted, he came back seeking forgiveness? Selfish to the core!
Meena is expecting a baby & Qasim seemed pretty happy & content in his life with her but then again, it won’t be Sassi if she won’t cause a mayhem in his life, therefore she asked Meena to give Qasim to him. To be honest, I would be actually happy if Sassi is left alone because she can’t have it all, that too, her way! Let’s see!
Please share your thoughts about this episode of O Rangreza!
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Sarish Khan, Miss Pakistan USA was last seen in a Pakistani film Chain Aaye Na opposite Shehroz Sabzwari. The film was a super flop but Sarish is headed towards a new direction in her career. Sarish has become the first Pakistani model to walk for the official NewYork Fashion Week. Here are her looks from the show:
Walking in the NYFW is indeed a shining feather in Sarish’s cap who is also going to host a show Dance USA. If Sarish is gearing up for another movie in Pakistan or not, time will tell!
Saba Qamar and Ahsan Khan are two biggest stars of our industry. Both of them have just gathered immense love from the audience for Baaghi and Chupan Chupai respectively. Good news is both of them will be seen together in a movie called Moomal Rano. It is a love story where Ahsan will portray the role of Sarmad while Saba will be seen as Nigar. It is set in a Sindhi background. We have seen both the stars work together before in dramas like Na Kaho Tum Mere Nahin. It is written by Zafar Mairaj and directed by Siraj ul Haq. Here, watch the trailer for Moomal Rano:
What are your thoughts on Moomal Rano? Share in the comments section!
Ohkay so, the production of Six Sigma Plus, writing of Abdul Razzaq & direction of Farooq Rind; Pukaar, a prime time drama commenced last night on ARY Digital. I found the episode to be medium paced, not too fast neither too slow. I also found the episode to be decent but not outstanding, though I am sure rather I hope that my opinion will change as the drama will progress.
The plot mainly revovled around Samra (Yumna Zaidi) & Fahad Sultan, her friend. Samra being the only child of her Parents (Shehryar Zaidi & Laila Zuberi) is well & truly loved, so much so that she has decided to never ever get married because the thought of leaving her parents & their home is daunting for her. Fahad Sultan happens to be the son of an affluent family & he is in love with Samra.
Fahad decides to surprise Samra by trespassing her house at the night of her birthday only to wish her & confess his feelings to her. Samra who gets taken aback by his confession clearly tells him that he is just a friend to her & nothing else. Samra & Fahad’s mutual friend Aiman obviously sides with Fahad & thinks it was very sweet as well as courageous of him to wish her in such a manner!
Samra’s father lands himself in deep trouble where his car gets stolen & the one who comes to save the day is Fahad, about which Samra feels that he might’ve planned all this to enter the good books of her father. Samra does tell her mother about Fahad’s proposal & her rejection but after that even though she doesn’t say much, her mother starts feeling that Samra might be regretting her decision. I liked the relationship Samra shared with her mother, where she was friendly enough with her to tell her everything but still maintained that line of respect that should exist between a mother & a daughter. Fahad can be termed as an emotional person but because he goes out of the way for Samra, he felt insulted when she doubts him or treats his decision of going to America as a joke!
In my opinion the first episode, though decent, was strictly alright. We did get a detailed introduction to Samra’s character but after the episode ended, I was left feeling that they could’ve added a bit more to make it complete as the note at which the episode ended seemed a bit too random. I am sure they attempted something new when it came to the editing but at times I found it hard to realize whether they immediately took us to the flashbacks or they were just taking the story forward. I am sure the viewers will get used to this new technique of editing as the drama will progress. The direction & the camera angles were great, it did make a point that the director was attempting something different. The background music was very pleasant to listen to & added a lot of charm to the drama.
Yumna Zaidi as always was at the top of her game in terms of acting but her patent ‘yaaaaarrrrr’ reminded me of the character of Hayat that she played in Yeh Raha Dil. The actor playing the role of Fahad seemed way too stiff, I am not sure if it was the demand of the character for him to act the certain way but he made it seem like he was awkward & uncomfortable in performing this character. Yes, we can justify his reserved nature given the status that he is known to carry & the family background that he comes from but in general something was definitely missing & it made his acting seem weak, may be he was trying too hard. Also, I wish he hadn’t gone heavy handed on the purple lip tint, because…!!!
The preview of the next episode did seem promising though, looks like Fahad will start burdening Samra with his high expectations & demands because it is too obvious that he loves Samra but he doesn’t love her for who she is. The girl playing the role of Aimen seemed to be trying too hard as well. May be when the drama will progress, all these guys will loosen up a bit as considering it was the first episode, they all might be trying too hard. Overall, the drama had a nice start & oh yes, I enjoyed the opening scene a lot. Please share your thoughts about the very first episode of Pukaar.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Thanks to social media and freedom of expression, people are not finding it easy to bully anyone or cross their limits. Pakistani top model and PR mogul Frieha Altaf was recently under hot water for ridiculing random people that she had captured on her camera as they went to board a plane on the airport.
https://reviewit.pk/freiha-altaf-outrageously-ridiculed-people-clothes/
Her attitude had not gone down when I did a lot of people who called her out for invading peoples’ privacy and making fun of those who do not have her sources or interest to spend their time dressing up in latest fashion for the airport.
After a lot of backlash, Frieha came up with an explanation that she had posted on her social media pages;
While it’s great that she apologized and her apology should be accepted in all fairness but her clarifications were not very intelligent.
Why would someone comment on people who have not asked the fashion industry people to shed light on their dress sense and who are not indulging in any kind of glamour competition.
Secondly, Frieha sure has a very interesting and different way of taking selfies..
Rumors of a ‘Junoon’ reunion have been circulating for ages but finally the wait is over. Salman Ahmad earlier revealed that he will be paying tribute to the greatest Pakistani bands of all time such as Junoon and Vital Signs. He said,
“In 2018, I am producing a unique Broadway-style show which will pay tribute to three legends, Nazia and Zoheb Hassan, Junoon and Vital Signs. I’ve already been in talks with Zoheb, JJ’s sons, Momina Mustehsan, Asim Azhar, Irtaash and a few others.”
Get ready for the Flight of the Junoon https://t.co/l5J9OCcIiq
— Salman Ahmad (@sufisal) February 4, 2018
Adding further, the ace guitarist said that he has been speaking to Azmat, O’Connel, Rohail Hyaat and Shahi Hasan to come together.
Junoonis, Are you ready to see Khudi, Jazba & Junoon & Sayonee in 2018 with the classic line up? There are no impossible dreams only infinite possibilities. https://t.co/DPirnf1XvM
— Salman Ahmad (@sufisal) February 4, 2018
Ahmad has just confirmed that the lineup is now ready.
“The classic Junoon line up is ready to take off in 2018. We’re doing it for the fans who deserve to see unity and hope once again.”
Ahmad further quoted,
“This reunion is celebrating 25 years of Junoon and the 20th anniversary of our album Azadi.”
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Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s latest Bollywood project is a song called ‘Ishtehar’ for an upcoming Bollywood movie, Welcome To New York. The song is composed by Shamir Tandon and lyrics are penned by Charanjeet Charan. It is Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s duet with Dhvani Bhanushali.
The “Zaroori Tha” singer said in a statement,
“Ishtehar is a beautiful soulful rendition and it was a pleasure to sing to the music of Shamirji and collaborate with Puja Music for this song. It’s great to witness a young girl like Dhvani who has a lovely voice making her debut and sing besides me,”
He further added,
“Shamirji has beautifully composed the song with Charanjeetji’s lyrics, giving it that magical touch,”
Produced by Pooja Films and Wiz Films, the movie is directed by Chakri Toleti and is releasing on February 23.
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Ohkay so, this episode revolved around Zoya’s wedding preps & everyone’s role in it. Where some of the family members were overjoyed & taking care of their responsibilities wholeheartedly, others were feeling the pressures & the burdens of arranging the wedding & in the middle of this, everything that happens in a regular household was portrayed beautifully!
Ladies of the house were not only happily taking part in the wedding preps, they were concerned about their dresses as well. It was so good to see Laila coming to the forefront & doing everything enthusiastically because this is what her interests are & this is also what she excels in. Hajra was relaxed as she knew that she could depend on Laila for a lot of things because she was not only up to date but well aware of how things should be done!
Gents of the family were obviously concerened & taking care of the finances. While Asim seemed calm & collected & offered his support as much as he could, Sajjad was panicking because he knew how many expenses were there to be taken care of. It was so heart breaking seeing Abba Jee’s morale down after speaking to Shafiq but the way he presented a different version in front of his other sons went to show that no matter what happens, his love for Shafiq overshadowed his disappointment in him & he just didn’t want to malign his brothers’ heart against him. After Asim spoke to Shafiq, he not only found out the reason why Abba Jee was feeling down but even he couldn’t help feeling disappointed at Shafiq’s display of selfishness. Sajjad who obviously feels a little too burdened voiced his thoughts & broke down. It was sad that just because a single family member chose not to do anything, it made such a huge impact because they all depended on him. Asim knew that he had to keep Abba Jee in the dark by not informing him that he spoke to Shafiq, it was like both Asim & Sajjad gave up & realized that they will have to do everything by themselves.
Out of everyone in the family, it was only Rubina who was finding it hard to take part in the wedding preps or even feeling excited about it. It was not because she wasn’t happy it was because she was feeling ashamed & guilty that her husband wasn’t doing what he was supposed to do. Zahid obviously found out that Zoya went for shopping with Aqdas & hell broke loose. Yes, Zahid did have a right to voice his concerns but he should have put forth his opinion in a decent manner because this way, he failed to make an impact because everyone saw his concerns unnecessary. The scene between Abba Jee & Zahid was quite emotional, obviously Abba Jee couldn’t really bring himself to punish Zahid for what he did & on top of that, he ended up getting to know what was in Zahid’s heart.
It is sad that despite knowing what everyone expects from him, Zahid overlooks all of that & continues with what he deems right. In stead of helping his family by sharing their burdens, he wanted them all to follow his orders & sadly, things don’t work that way. Yes, to some extent, considering the sort of mindset & perspective he has, he was right in feeling disappointed seeing Zoya with Aqdas, but he should’ve remembered that the religion also doesn’t allow him to insult anyone, let alone the one’s who are going to become a part of his family soon.
I loved watching all the little details like Hajra telling Zaitoon to seek permission from Abba Jee, Zaitoon depending on Hajra to go to Anila’s & taking care of her tantrums. All the discussions between the ladies about the dresses, Shaina asking for money from Sajjad for her clothes too & then the discussion about picking the most pocket friendly wedding invitation card. It was so nice how all these little details & discussions related to them were blended in the episode because it then seamlessly covered both big & small issues & aspects that one is faced with while arranging a family wedding.
Overall, I really enjoyed watching this episode & it seemed like a treat watching Aangan with a gap of 4 days because the timings have changed, however, I will say that this drama is a prime time material & deserves that time slot. I am actually disappointed to see the channel pushing it to a 9PM slot that too on the weekdays, whereas Aangan was a perfect weekend material which was meant to be enjoyed by the whole family together. Sad that it got such a treatment. Anyways, loved everyone’s participation in Zoya’s wedding, definitely looking forward to what more hurdles Anila & Aalu will bring with them. I must say, Masroor Paras & Qavi Khan portrayed the emotions of Zahid & Abba Jee to perfection in this episode especially. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Aangan!
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
The lead characters are most likely to get all the attention whether it is a drama or a movie. If a project gets to the super-hit status, the hero is most likely to get a lot of love and fangirling. With Pakistanis getting many of their favourite heroes from novels and dramas, most of them are just honestly not the ones we should like. The shades in their characters are too much to handle but still, a handsome guy with a bitchy attitude is a formula that never fails. Here are some heroes who were immensely loved by the audiences but if you break down their characters, you’ll find that they are not the ones the innocent heroines should be falling for.
Mir Hadi (Khaani):
Mir Hadi is the talk of the town these days. With thousands swooning on his good looks and what they call as “hypermasculine” behaviour, he has become the most loved hero for the on-going season. But let us get to what Mi Hadi really is. He is a psychiatric patient who needs desperate measures to control and treat his obsessive nature. Mir Hadi is a product of bad upbringing, he is a selfish person indulged in superiority complex and if these things were not enough, he is a KILLER! He killed an innocent boy and then started harassing his family, more specifically the victim’s young sister. And well after all these character flaws which should have been famous but for getting hate, people are drooling.
Zaroon Junaid (Zindagi Gulzar Hai):
I have also done this! I accept! I liked him when the drama was on-air, though he was not my favourite character in the whole drama, I still liked him. Zindagi Gulzar Hai is a project which can be watched again and again, all thanks to its beautiful storyline and intelligent execution. So, upon rewatching it I realized that Waseem Abbas’s and his wife’s character were not the only ones I should cringe over. Zaroon was among the worse too. He was judgmental and a huge attention seeker. He could not accept the fact that Kashaf was a better student than him nor he could digest that she just does not want to be his fan. He bad mouthed her in front of everyone. He was a huge hypocrite too. He liked a girl who dressed in a bit of revealing attires as his girlfriend but did not want his wife, fiancé and sister to do the same. He was sneaky as hell and pried over his wife’s mail. Not to forget he didn’t even care about his pregnant wife’s feelings and insecurities and waited for her to apologize.
Aliyan (Aasmano Pe Likha):
People fell in love with Shehryar Munawar’s character in Aasmano Pe Likha. And the reason behind this was, yes! You guessed it right! Shehryar is handsome because there is no other explanation for his character to become a heart-throb. Aliyan was a confused boy who could not make any decisions. He was always fed bad things about his mother which he kept believing on. He could not divorce his first wife and kept on being a babyface about addressing all important issues. But he still became quite likeable during his reign.
Ashar Hussain (Humsafar):
He is the undisputed king of the land of heartthrobs. The fame and love gotten by this character are unparalleled by any other. Ashar is still the most favourite hero of many drama watchers. But Ashar honestly was so bad; he should have fallen into the worst hero lists of everyone. He got married to his cousin on his own will, she was not strangling him to say yes but later treated her like a nobody. He knew Sara’s feelings about him and still kept giving her signals, his cousins and best friends’ theory was so out of the world. And lastly, he never asked his wife what happened in the whole mummy aap kya keh rahi hain scenario which was absurd.
These are the lead characters that got immense love from the audiences but imagine them as real-life human beings and you will end up judging yourself for liking them. Most of these dramas however are really the best and this shows that pretty boys can get away with many things.
The Humsafar girl has grown leaps in bounds in popularity and brand value in last few years. She is the face of many popular brands as well as brand ambassador for a lot of famous fashion, style and makeup names.
She is now heading to the UK where she is invited to the UK Asian Film Festival 2018. Her most recent film Verna will also be screened in Leicester and London in March. After attending the gala dinner to mark the inauguration for the festival, Mahira will also be participating in an interactive question answer session.
Atif Aslam has given us so many memorable songs which are on repeat since the day they came out.
He has now lent his vocals to the remake of an Indian song, “Jab Koi Bat Bigar Jai” and it is as good if not better than the original. Shirley Setia has paired up with him for that and it is recorded by DJ Chetas. He has kept the feel of the original version intact.
The song is going to touch you right in the feels with its melody and soothing voices of Atif and Shirley.
Dar Si Jati Hei Sila continues to be different, convincing, interesting and meaningful. Nowadays when most of the writers and production houses rely heavily on stories which attract a certain kind of viewers who also unfortunately determine the TRPs of a drama, it is definitely refreshing watching plays like this one which have been written and executed with no such purpose in mind but the sole purpose of such plays is to give a handful of viewers like us the kind of entertainment which serves a higher purpose. Writing and executing such plays is also tough therefore I cannot appreciate all those people enough who dare to be different in a challenging environment even when they know that such content does not guarantee ratings!
Tonight’s episode of Dar Si Jati Hei Sila opened with Zaini and her mother’s conversation which yet again showed how differently both of them looked at things. While Zaini’s mother wants her to do whatever it takes to make sure that Raheel gets married to her, Zaini couldn’t care less. Zaini is one of the most powerful female characters this season because of so many reasons. She is strong yet extremely sensitive and she is one of those rare females in Pakistani dramas who does not need a man to save her. She is also not like one of those characters who do not fall in love because they are holier than thou therefore that too definitely makes her one-of-a-kind! This character has been etched-out remarkably and Aamna Malick continues to translate this character faultlessly on screen. Her body language and dialogue delivery is always on point which gives this character the edge it needs. The fact is that this drama has some of the most impressive performances to its credit and the director has done complete justice to the script. There are times when you forget that you are watching a drama because the overall setting and the performances are beyond brilliant.
Raheel and Zaini sat down and tried to figure out why Sila was so scared of people around her and why she wasn’t like any other girl her age. The fact that Raheel loved Sila all this time and only backed out because he thought she didn’t feel anything for him, came as a pleasant surprise. This changes everything since now Sila will have his support unconditionally. He never tried to understand Sila before therefore letting her go seemed like the right thing to do. Raheel’s character has changed dramatically in the past few weeks and this change has been portrayed superbly by Usama Tahir. It is always great to see new faces on television especially when they are such good performers. The way Raheel answered all of Joi’s answers showed his new-found confidence. Now that he knows that Sila loves him too, he feels he has the right to protect and defend her. Yumna Zaidi once again didn’t have too many dialogues but even then she makes you feel for her character every step of the way. Saman Ansari’s performance tonight was right on point and Nauman Ijaz is so convincing as Joi that you forget he is the same actor who has played the most charming roles in the recent past.
Hatim’s scenes in every episode are short but they are extremely poignant which is why you can’t help feeling for this boy since he has no idea why his own mother hates him so much. The recent change in Sila’s attitude has made him feel even more lonely and confused. He is convinced that Joi is the only person who loves him. He is a loving boy who did not learn to hate even though the odds were against him and the preview of the next episode suggest that thing will only get more complicated from him.
Dar Si Jati Hei Sila has multiple tracks and variety of characters and each one of these tracks and characters has its own appeal. The script is well written, the direction couldn’t have been better and the performances are always impressive. This was another powerful and brilliant episode of Dar Si Jati Hei Sila and the preview of the next episode was extremely enticing.
How many of you watched tonight’s episode? Do share your thoughts about it.
Ohkay so, it was yet another amazing episode of Khudgarz. I love the way the writer is intelligently taking the story forward by addressing so many intricate issues that too in such a convincing fashion. A lot of episodes have passed by to safely say that this is one of the best dramas of the season which has not only been written perfectly, it has been directed to perfection as well & since the actors are nailing their characters, everything is making such an impact!
Inayat realized his mistake & because he had to pay such a heavy price he knew that he had to do whatever he could to make things right. His confession made it easier for Salma & Junaid to see what Hassan actually did.
I liked the conversation between Junaid & Salma, where Salma being a mother was pouring her heart out to the son who she knew listened to her & most importantly understood her. Salma has lived a very meaningless life where she was reminded every step of the way that she was unwanted, unloved in this house. Munawwar literally took her son away from her & she couldn’t do anything because she had no courage or even authority to do so. Salma sympathized with Hassan a bit too much & that gave Junaid a perspective that she wasn’t ready to do anything for him & Aairah. It was sad that Junaid knew what was right but felt helpless in doing anything for himself & Aairah especially.
Aairah was punishing herself & just because she knew that Junaid was weak emotionally, she was getting more & more depressed. I think the way the writer has portrayed depression in this drama is phenomenal, we never really get to see such a realistic & convincing portrayal where it is shown what the person actually feels or goes through & most importantly, what could be the triggering factors. Aairah was relying on the medicines because she felt that was the only way to deal with what she was going through. Junaid’s weak personality was one of the main factors that pushed her to the limit because when it came to Hassan & even Munawwar, Aairah had the courage to face them & fight them on her own but it was Junaid who she needed at this time & he was finding it hard to come to her!
Salma finally decided to do something for herself, for Junaid & for Aairah. Junaid’s disappointment in her was enough to let her know that she had to do what was right. The way Salma took matters in her hand & went to meet Aairah showed that she was done feeling helpless, she was done not being able to help those who were being wronged.
The confrontation scene between Salma & Munawwar was so gripping. Salma finally put things into perspective & made Munawwar realize his mistakes too. When it came to Salma, she put up with him but now she could see that his continuous & blind support was not helping Hassan in anyway & it was in fact encouraging him towards the wrong path. What Salma said was basically a crux of the entire situation that just because Hassan hasn’t seen his father respecting his mother, he doesn’t see any woman worthy of being respected. The way Munawwar stood there speechless basically showed that even he was ashamed & could see that he was not a good influence on Hassan but because his ego is too big, he chose to overlook everything by not making it obvious in front of everyone especially Salma that she had a point.
I think the biggest enemy of Hassan is Munawwar. Yes, Munawwar has all the right to sympathize with his son, he has the right to support him, encourage him, guide him & lead him in the right direction but sadly, the way Munawwar turns a blind eye to all of Hassan’s mistakes is his biggest mistake because that gives Hassan the edge to do whatever he wants to without even bothering about the consequences. Yes, Hassan on his own is quite unreasonable & because he suffered from an injury & lost the love of his life, he can’t see anyone happy but still, what helps him in this negativity is no one else but Munawwar himself. Munawwar has seen that Hassan is causing loss to the business but he chose to focus more on finding faults in Junaid, how unreasonable is that?
I wish it was Junaid who had taken a stand & brought Aairah back but it was Salma & Junaid just stood there like a spectator, but then again, seeing how Junaid has spent all his life, it was befitting that he wasn’t the one who took charge of the situation because he couldn’t change himself drastically in such a short span of time. Hassan left & Aairah came back, she still felt guilty that she was making things difficult for Junaid but then being her husband, the way Junaid comforted her was sweet. It is nice to see Junaid being aware of his shortcomings & knowing that he has to work on himself if he wants to make Aairah feel secured.
So, Hassan came across Omar (Yasir Nawaz), a new entry in the story who right from the beginning gave such vibes that he will end up being Hassan’s counselor, he will mould Hassan’s personality & will show him the right direction. I loved how in such a short span of time & with such few dialogues, the writer introduced Omar’s character to us. Omar quickly & rightly judged Hassan that he comes from a sound background, has anger issues & has lost direction in life. Omar’s reminder to Hassan that he should set himself free of worries about other people being worried about him was spot on, it did strike a chord but because Hassan was preoccupied with the thoughts of his father being worried about him, he couldn’t bring himself to pay heed to what Omar was saying. I think Omar was the friend that Hassan needed, who could tell him when he is right & when he is not. I am actually looking forward to the changes Omar will bring in Hassan’s life. I must say, the way the power of friendships has been shown in this drama is another beautiful aspect. Aairah became a friend to Abeer & brought her out of her miseries, similarly Abeer did exactly the same when Aairah was falling apart & now it looks like Omar will act like a true friend & guide Hassan the best way possible, can’t wait to see that. Also, yes, Aairah & Junaid set a base for their relationship by becoming each other’s friends too.
Overall, I loved this episode too. The way the writer has shown weaknesses & strengths of all the characters is brilliant. Despite showing Junaid as a weak man, the writer has hinted that he is farsighted too because of which he believes in savings & investments. It was nice to see Junaid having someone from the office who was supportive of him. Munawwar was rattling because he could see that his power was slipping away from his hands because those who he believed in oppressing were finally standing up to him. I could see a lot of similarities between Hassan & Munawwar in this episode where they both had big egos & felt empowered by belittling others. Abeer also got a chance to stand in front of Hassan & speak to him about what he did to her. It is amazing how every single episode of this drama gives the viewers so much to talk about. Can’t fault the writing, the direction & the acting. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Khudgarz.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
All the tracks in Dil Nawaz are winding up now. Everything is out in the light now with everyone aware of the situation. The most important development in Dil Nawaz is Fawad’s father realising the situation his family is in. Rasheeda is a woman drowned in selfishness and her all measures have only caused the situation to go worse but Fawad’s father, on the other hand, is a very sensible man. He will try to make the situation better rather than asking for stupid measures to get Fawad married tom Mariya.
The most disappointing track in the episodes was that of Kiran. Kiran’s mother is a character who has shown to be supportive and accepting of everything her daughter does. She is a hard-working and loving mother but what she got from her daughter in the end? Kiran openly sided with Rasheeda against her. Kiran even did not tell her about Nasir calling off the marriage was for Kiran’s sake and not himself. Kiran is also kind of obsessed with Fawad as she is not caring about her mother’s life just for him which was very disappointing to watch.
Fawad is a person everyone is obsessed with. His mother then Kiran and now Dil Nawaz. Dil Nawaz is using every tactic to save her “marriage” with Fawad. This marriage is not yet clarified by the makers. Dil Nawaz said that Fawad was not under her spell when they got married and he did not deny it and now he is constantly denying it. There should be an explanation of this shaadi now with everything else moving towards a climax.
Jahan Ara finally decided to give a chance to Tauseef but ended up finding about his son. She always calls Tauseef for everything and her sister humiliated him for years but still, she wanted him to keep waiting for her. And after finding about his son, she started a stupid rant about maine barri ko maar diya which was downright annoying. Girl! Your sister died of cancer and she was a very bad human being, your wish to get married has nothing to do with it but seems like Jahan Ara is not very bright to realise facts.
One good thing is they have shown an educated person handling this stuff with the help of Quran instead of a jhar phoonk wala baba which is a commndable step. What are your thoughts on the latest developments in Dil Nawaz? Share in comments!
