Mikaal Zulfiqar spent this weekend in London with his baby brother Jamal who happens to be both an actor and a singer.
What better way of bonding with your brother than to make art together, Mikaal and Jamal jamming together is one of the most cutest things you’ll see all day.
The looks, the acting skills and now singing Mikaal keeps on surprising us again and again, Zulfiqar gene sure has a strong game. I won’t be surprised tho if the next coke studio features Mikaal, might as well bring someone who actually can sing.
Founded in 2010 by the Chicago South Asian Arts Council, Inc., CSAFF is an exclusive annual event held in late September in downtown Chicago in order to advance diversity in Chicagoland through cinema, conversation and culture. Dobara Phir Se was screened at CSAFF yesterday director Mehreen Jabbar and lead actor Adeel Hussain were there to represent it.
Both of them not only enjoyed the trip but shared some major celebrity moments too including a meet up with the legendary Shabana Azmi and the protagonist of critically acclaimed movie Newton Rajkummar Rao.
The festival went as well as it gets but Adeel’s insta has been a delight this weekend. From sky to sky scrappers he is able to see beauty in everything, it just goes to show he is an artist not just by profession but at heart as well.
Choosing the right frame is everything in film and film making by the looks of it Adeel Hussain is a natural. I see not only an actor but a potential future director in him, here’s to hoping we’ll see an Adeel Hussain directed movie one of these days.
Adnan Siddiqui is a veteran actor and a very famous celebrity of our country. Yet, on a lot of levels, he is a lot like all other men, juggling being a professional, a son, a father, a husband and a good human being in this short span of a life time. He speaks to his fans from his heart on his social media and exposes his vulnerable, non celebrity side to the world, where he speaks of his own shares of troubles, losses and heartbreak that he has been through, the most profound being the passing away of his parents.
Adnan Siddiqui had lost his mother at a young age and two years back, he suffered through the sad demise of his father when he left this world after spending ninety happy and fulfilling years. He had passed away but his legacy continues to live on. His son remembers him everyday and especially yesterday, which marked two years since the date of his death. Along with grieving internally, the veteran actor also shared a long post about his father. He expressed his wish to love his life, work and family like his father and continue to instil the love of reading and learning in his own kids. Read the words coming straight from Adnan Siddiqui’s heart;
Sanam Jung discusses a lot about her home life , especially since her little girl Alaya Jaffri is born. She keeps on talking to her audience about her experience as a mother.
Last week, on her show Sanam explicitly told about her anger and discomfort when someone gets closer to Alaya or picks her up or kisses her without Sanam’s permission. She does not like other people’s germs and lipstick on Alaya if they hold or kiss her. She went on to share her experience when a sales girl wanted to hug Alaya and Sanam refused her request, to which she thought that Sanam was being arrogant on having a child.
Punjab Nahi Jaungi is the highest earning movie for a long time in Pakistani cinema. It’s popularity is due to an adequate mix of humor, entertainment and romance.
While the whole nation is going crazy about Punjab Nahi Jaungi, Shaneira Akram also joins in as she posted about the film on her social media accounts;
Humayun Saeed found this gesture from the national bhabi very cute;
He also invited her to watch the movie with English subtitles;
Wasim Akram also wanted to watch the mega block buster and asked for an invitation to join in from Fawwad Khagga;
O Rangreza is a beautiful drama filled with powerful performances, packed with talent and keeping us entertained every week. Sajal Ali, Nouman Ijaz, Bilal Abbas, Sana Fakhar, Irsa Shah.. all these actors and actresses fit their roles perfectly and enchant you with their respective characters.
One actress who tops all these wonderful performances is Sajal Ali, who is riding high on one success after the other. But did you know she is not only playing Sassi in the play but she is singing her as well? She has lent her vocals to the OST and we must say she has done an extremely good job.
Now hear the song again and see if you can figure out that from the sassy and spirited female voice that it is Sajal behind the mike.
Ohkay so, this was yet another interesting & intense episode of O Rangreza. What I thoroughly enjoyed watching in this episode was how every single conversation had so much of depth & meaning attached to it & along with that, it was showing us a different perspective of each & every character as well. This drama definitely has been written with a lot of intelligence & it is because of that, that such complex characters have been elaborated with so much of clarity!
The conversation between Wajih & Khayyam – it was so intense & interesting. I know it is too early to form an opinion about a character but I have a feeling, given the nature of his job, Wajih can see through people easily. Wajih could see how vulnerable, scared & cautious Khayyam was, that is why he spoke about the love he had for Sonia Jahan to test him & later when Khayyam tried to outbid him, Wajih immediately planted a seed of doubt in his heart against Sonia Jahan saying ‘dil phenk bhi hai’. Wajih knows that for a man like Khayyam Sani, the decision of marrying Sonia Jahan is an emotional one but it comes with a lot of ifs & buts, that is why he could see how uncomfortable Khayyam grew when Wajih tried to tell him that Sonia can easily move onto someone else. Khayyam really thinks it is going to be easy getting & staying married to Sonia Jahan but time will definitely teach him a lesson!
The scene between Mammo & Qasim was really nice, for Mammo, Qasim is like her own son that is why even though she was emotional about the fact that her own daughter was getting married, she was getting overwhelmed with happiness for Qasim too that he was going to get married to the one he loves, that scene somehow depicted the feelings of a mother beautifully.
Even though I enjoy seeing how Qasim acts in front of Sassi but now I really want him to show some other side to Sassi too. Qasim has always played goofy in front of her but now when he knows that it is not the sort of a guy Sassi would fall for, he should really show her that he is more than a goof cousin that she sees him as. Yes, I know, since Sassi is so loud & boisterous, Qasim’s goofiness balances it out perfectly & then, it is not that he is all about that because we know that Qasim has so many sides to him that Sassi is unaware of, so he has a margin of showing them to her as well. I loved how Sasso complemented Qasim, it showed a very different side of Sassi to us which was a good change from all that she has been upto recently.
The scene where Sassi wanted to see Wajih & Qasim intervened when Mammo was trying to stop her was beautiful as well. After Qasim saw Sassi in tears, he knew that she felt betrayed because she actually trusted him, that is why he decided to compensate for it by showing her that after marriage nothing will change between them & he will continue to support her the way he used to, but then again, Sassi was unable to see that as well because she was a bit too disgusted with the thought that now she was being forced to listen to Qasim, the guy she never saw as a man. The scene where Qasim talked to Kareeman & Mumtaz about Sassi was quite touching, it showed that out of all the people in the family, it was only Qasim who understood her because he knew that Sassi never cries & now that she did was a big deal. The way Qasim allowed her to meet Wajih went to show that by letting her be, he was showcasing the love & trust he had for/in her.
Once again, Wajih decided to break Sassi in order to make her. He knows she can really test someone’s patience, that is why he was now testing hers to see what she is made of. Sassi obviously proved herself & she will continue to do so because Wajih has no idea what Sassi is capable of & how driven she can be for something that she dreams of achieving.
Khayyam’s plea to Sonia to leave the industry only further elaborated his complexes. It is so obvious that despite loving Sonia & wanting to be with her, he can not deal with the baggage that she comes with & since he is so used to keeping himself safe from any such matters that might put him in the spotlight, he is now trying to convince Sonia to leave everything for him, hah!
Overall this episode was quite intense & I seriously couldn’t keep track of time because it ended a bit too quickly. I love Sajal Ali as Sassi, I think she is phenomenal & no other actress could’ve done justice to this unique character. As much as I like the goofy Qasim, I want to see the manly side of his character too which will convince Sassi that he is the one for her & he is worth her respect. Omair Rana’s addition is pleasant in this drama & the way he is effortlessly playing the character of Wajih Kamal is praise-worthy as well. In the end, I think the writer should take a bow for bringing something absolutely new & unique to the table & for giving a drama like O Rangreza to all the drama buffs. Please share your thoughts about this episode of O Rangreza.
“Suna tha jis se mohabbat krte hei us ka chehra purh lete hei, us ki ankhoon ke raste us ke dil mei jhankte hei, yakeen kr lete hei, eman le atay hei. Ye nahi suna tha ke us ki diary prhte hei aur diary ko saboot ke tor pe saath le jate hei!” Tonight’s episode had the most mind-blowing dialogues to its credit, which could only have been penned down by a writer like Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar. It isn’t very often that you watch an episode which makes you wonder how much time the writer invested in writing such a brilliant story coupled with the most amazing dialogues which completely blow you away. Anyone out there who gave up on Mohabbat Tumse Nafrat Hei few weeks back definitely needs to catch up! Although everyone’s make-up, the picture quality and the lighting wasn’t up to the mark in this episode but even then this was yet again a superb episode which had few of the most important developments to its credit. The fact that these important developments are not being dragged definitely helps, every episode takes the story forward considerably and makes you look forward to the next episode.
“Aray nahin Waqar Ahmed, tum mujhe hara ke gaye thay, shikast-e-fash hui thi mujhe. Sub ke samne mu ke bal gir pari thi mein…saans tham gaya, dil ruk gaya!” Waqar and Maheen finally met in this episode. The way Maheen welcomed Waqar was surprising and interesting as well. It showed how much Maheen had changed over the years, I was expecting another showdown and perhaps yet another thappar as well but on the contrary it seemed like Maheen had been waiting for Waqar to come back so that she could finally talk to him about the aftermath of his betrayal and perhaps also to find out why he went away. The way Maheen admitted that Waqar had defeated her was extremely touching especially because she was never the kind of person who would expect her defeat like that. This entire scene showed Maheen was a completely different person now, that angry girl who once had a big ego was more than willing to accept her defeat now. This was one of my favorite scenes from this episode. It would have been even better if Waqar also read the contents of Maheen’s actual diary, at least a few lines from which he could have figured out how she actually felt at that time.
“Jahan meinay din likha, us ne raat likhi hei. Jahan meinay chup likha, wahan us ne baat likhi hei. Jahan meinay dard likha, wahan us ne dum likha hei. Jahan meinay khushi likhi, wahan us ne ghum likha hei!” The way Maheen explained the changes the writer of this diary made to twist Maheen’s thoughts around was beyond brilliant. Neelam’s question “jahan tum ne Waqar likha tha wahan us ne kya likha hei?” was also right on point! What a beautiful conversation, one of the many which were worth watching and listening to over and over again.
Another scene which was truly impressive and soul-stirring was the one in which Munshi Alam told Waqar that people who truly loved each other read faces and get their clues from there instead of reading diaries! It was only after this that Waqar sat down to think about how Maheen stopped him and how happy she was when they were getting married. Ultimately he figured out who the real culprit was! Jia and Waqar’s meeting is definitely one I am looking forward to impatiently. Jia’s father will also reveal the truth and there is so much more that needs to be covered after this. I guess there will be two more episodes of this drama. I am looking forward to a perfect ending because right now everything is so flawless.
Ayeza Khan and Imran Abbas stole the show tonight; their exceptional performances elevated the overall impact of these latest developments. Their scenes together were extremely emotional. Both these actors have done complete justice to their respective roles right from the get-go.
Do share your favorite dialogues and scenes from tonight’s episode. I would love to hear from you all.
Ohkay so, this episode of Daldal had a few development to its credit. Even though what has been shown in this drama is a true depiction of reality but somehow I feel a few actors have taken the portrayal of their characters too far which somehow can get on your nerves. I can totally see why this drama isn’t gaining much popularity, it lacks something & the overall feel which attracts the viewers!
So, Saniya got engaged & her in-laws-to-be seemed a bit too commercial & materialistic. They left no stone unturned in making it obvious that for them this entire marriage was nothing less than a business deal & even Saniya’s family felt odd but they couldn’t say much. Even though I really appreciate Malik Raza’s acting & his prowess of portaying such characters to perfection but I feel he is being typecast & to see him playing more or less the same characters time & again isn’t fun anymore, plus the fact that he chooses the same type of acting for these characters doesn’t help either!
So, Kamran was having a hard time already when Saniya came with the news of her engagement. Kamran being sensitive couldn’t deal with it but even then he tried to convince his family to send his proposal for Saniya even after her engagement. Sakina & Shuja really don’t believe in respecting others’ feelings that is why they didn’t pay heed to Kamran’s request. Kamran actually took things a bit too far & decided to end his life because the way he was insulted by both his family & Saniya was a bit too much for him to handle. In this entire family, Kamran & his father are two sane people but it is sad that Shuja & Sakina’s negativity & dominance outbids their niceness & rational approach in almost all the decisions.
Shuja was over the moon because his father in law told him that he will be getting a visa real soon. Shuja obviously thought now that his dream was going to get materialized, he didn’t have to put up with anything at his job & he ended up resigning it. It was wise of Shuja’s father to remind him that even his visa to London won’t grant him a quick fix to all his financial problems but Shuja is so blinded that he doesn’t want to listen to him.
I hated the way Sakina was treating Hira. Even though she knows that it is because of Hira that Shuja is getting a chance to go to London but she doesn’t believe in giving Hira the respect she deserves. Even Sakina knows that Hira loves & respects Shuja way more than he deserves, that is why even she is taking an advantage of it. I really want to see some growth in Hira’s character like I want to see her standing up for herself to Sakina & even Shuja because she is too nice for her own disadvantage.
Overall, this episode was just alright. I really feel Zahid Ahmed is the weakling in this drama, he has been over-acting & it is way too obvious that he was trying really hard to showcase the frustration of a hard-working ambitious man but he took it a bit too far. Another actor that over-acted her character is Asma Abbas, yes she has been realistic but her character & acting are a bit off-putting. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Daldal.
Coke Studio Season 10
Produced by: Strings
No. of episodes: 7
Original Release: 11 August – 21 September 2017
So, this year coke studio hit our television screens on 11th August. Each episode was released on Friday on Internet while it went on-air every Saturday on Television; only episode 7 was released and aired on Thursday, 21 September, to respect the Holy month of Muharram.
First of all let’s start with top 10 songs of Coke Studio 10.
10- Mujh Se Pehli Si Muhabbat
Mujh Se Pehli Si Muhabbat written by Faiz Ahmed Faiz, originally composed by Rasheed Attre and sung by Madam Noor Jehan was renewed this year as a tribute to Madam Noor Jehan.
Music Composed by Meekal Hassan, sung by Humaira Arshad and Nabeel Shaukat Ali, this tribute is one of the bests. Humaira’s voice was very soothing and Nabeel’s part was also sung beautifully. This was a great duet as well.
9- Baanware
Baanware is written by Syed Raza Tirmazi. Music directed by Shuja Haider and sung by Aim Baig and Shuja Haider, this song was also very soothing. Shuja Haider’s magical voice and magical composition was great. Aima Baig also sang the song very comfortably.
8- Faasle & Ghoom Taana
I think both these songs deserve to be in this top 10 list and deserve the same place.
Faasle is written and composed by Jaffer Zaidi and is presented by Kaavish along with Quratulain Baloch. I was surprised to know that Jaffer is son of legendary Nayyara Noor. Coming to the song, the song is a sad song. It is a conversation between two people, one of them is in love with other but the other one is a Bewafa. QB’s powerful voice is an excellent addition to the song.
Jaa Raha Hoon Main!!!
Ghoom Taana is written by Sabir Zafar and Salman Ahmed. The song is recomposed by Salman Ahmed; originally ft. in Junoon’s 2003 album Deewar as a single.
The song is sung by Momina Mustehsan & Irteaash. This song was the best remake as it beautifully converted a rock song into a slow one. I loved it!!!! Jaagain ge Zaroor ye Bhaag Tere!!!
7- Dekh Tera Kya/ Lathay di Chadar
The song is a fusion of two songs. Dekh Tera Kya originally written by Muhammad Nasir and sung by Alamgir, while Lathay Di Chadar was written by Bashir Manzar and sung by Musarrat Nazir.
The song is composed by Shani Arshad and beautifully sung by Farhan Saeed & QB. They both had a great chemistry together. The song was also great Luddi song. It is also a great addition to our Wedding Songs.
6- Kaatay Na Katay
The song is written by Saifuddin Saif and Ali Hamza wrote additional lyrics. Originally composed by the legendary Nisar Bazmi and sung by Roona laila. The song is sung by Aima Baig, Rachel Viccaji & Humaira Arshad. The song starts with rock vocals of Aima and Rachel and then Humair sungs the classical part like a nightingale. I really loveddddd Humaira’s performance. The heroic entry of Ali Hamza was also good.
5- Sab Maya Hai
The song is originally composed and sung by Ataullah Khan Esakhelwi. This version was sung by Ataullah himself along with his son Sanwal Esakhelwi and composed by Shuja Haider. Shuja Haider has really created magical music. Sanwal’s debut was great. I absolutely loved his voice. Ataullah Khan was as always perfect.
4- Ronay Na Diya
Ronay na diya is written by Sudarshan Faakir and originally sung by Begum Akhtar. The song is composed by Sajjad Ali and is sung by Sajjad Ali himself alongside with his daughter Zaw Ali. The song marked the debut performance of Zaw and she absolutely nailed it. The duo of father and daughter was absolutely love!!! The song has beautiful lyrics and is beautifully composed. Zaw also did justice to the English part…
You are the only one and I am the lonely one……
3- Baazi
Baazi is a traditional folk song written by Asim Raza. Beautifully composed by Sahir Ali Bagga and sung by Bagga alongside with Aima Baig. The song was Aima’s debut song in Coke Studio and she really did justice to the song… The song forces you to dance on its beautiful music. Sahir Ali Bagga,s powerful vocals and Aima’s grip on Siraiki even she doesn’t know it made this song a treat to listen.
Sat Bismillah Kar k Dhola Main hunn Ishq Qaza Nai Karna..
2- Allah U Akbar
The first one of this season, Hamd, beautifully written by Shuja Haider & Salman Azmi, music directed by Shuja Haider and sung by Ahmed Jahanzeb and Shafqat Amanat Ali, this Hamd will surely give you Goosebumps. It is indeed a treat to listen. Ahmed Jahanzeb’s unique voice and Shafqat’s beautiful voice were the best choice indeed. The lyrics are simply BEAUTIFUL!!!
Nooh ki kashti ko dekhta hoon
Hoz e Nidamat main dooba hua hoon
1- Us Rah Par
Us Rah Par is written by Shoaib Mansoor and is originally sung by Junaid Jamshed. This song was the best tribute and the best song of the season indeed. Sung by Ali Hamza, Ali Zafar & Strings and music beautifully composed by Jaffer Zaidi, the song gives you a great feeling. I loved when strings entered and Bilal strated singing. The song is surely not one of the bests of the season but also one of the best songs of Coke Studio.
Kyun Na Chunain Wo Rasta
Jis Par Nahi Koi Gaya…..
Though I loved many other songs like Tinak Dhin, Jaan e Baharan, Chaa Rahi, Naina Moray, Yo Soch but these were the 10 songs I liked the most.
Best Music Director
This season had following music directors:
Sahir Ali Bagga (3 songs)
Chaa Rahi Kaali Ghata, Baazi, Rangrez.
Strings (3 songs)
Muntazir, Laal Meri Pat, Yo Soch.
Jaffer Zaidi (5 songs)
Naina Moray, Ranjish Hi Sahi, Faasle, Us Rah Par, Ujaalon Main.
Shuja Haider (5 songs)
Allah U Akbar, Jaan e Baharan, Sab Maya Hai, Dam Mast Qalandar, Baanware.
Sajjad Ali (2 songs)
Tera Naam, Ronay Na Diya.
Shani Arshad (4 songs)
Dekh Tera Kya, Bol, Maula Tera Noor, Julie.
Meekal Hassan (1 song)
Mujh Se Pehli Si Muhabbat.
Ali Hamza (3 songs)
Tinak Dhin, Jindjaani, Kaatay Na Katay.
Salman Ahmed (2 songs)
Sayonee, Ghoom Tana.
I think it is evident that Shuja Haider is a clear winner here. However songs directed by Sahir Ali Bagga were also great.
The Unsung Heroes
Yes I am going to talk about people who worked really hard work but didn’t get the appreciation they deserved.
First of all let’s talk about the backing vocalists Rachel Viccaji, Natasha Khan & Shahab Hussain. Their voice in background really play a great role. In this season I Loved their, Tinak Dhin Hayee Hayee in Tinak dhin, their voices in Jaane Bahaaran and their Baaja in Baazi. There are also many other performances to their credit. They are essential part of every song indeed.
And another Star of the show Aahad Nayani, the drummer. I love his expressions, the way he plays the drums and his hard work.
So, this was all about it. Looking forward to a more epic season next time.
Shehzar Ali
(Pakistani Po ;) )
PS: It was all my opinion, do share your thoughts also and this was my first ever article so do tell me about my mistakes, so that they are not repeated in the future.
Ohkay so, just when I think Suhana’s character can’t get more ridiculous, guess what, it does. I am surprised at all the twists & turns that the writer has added only to make sure that ex girlfriend & ex boyfriend do not forget about each other, in a nutshell this is what Teri Raza is all about!
So, after his engagement, Rameez has suddenly realized that he can’t be without Suhana. I don’t know why but I feel Suhana brings out the worst in Rameez, because when he was over her, he was pretty sane & decent but ever since he has started getting inclined towards her again, he has lost his marbles. It is sickening to see Suhana meeting Rameez again & again even though she keeps on saying she doesn’t want to see him again but the fact that she still meets him states the opposite. I must say I laughed a lot when Rameez told Suhana to ‘SIT’, if I am not mistaken this is the command that people usually give to their pet dogs!
To be honest, I can’t stand Suhana’s character, the way she portrayed herself as a rich spoiled brat who sheds her burden on her servants was ridiculous. Just because she was sore that Rameez & Jeena got engaged & despite wanting to she couldn’t be with him, she literally insulted her servant. I hate the way Suhana keeps on guilt tripping Imtiyaz as well, it was so obvious that she was salty at the news of Jeena & Rameez’s engagement but when Imtiyaz asked, she easily put the blame on people inquiring her about her child? Also, when Imtiyaz tried to tell her to be rational in dealing with the servant, she made him feel guilty because he wasn’t siding with her insane existence! It is sickening to see a ‘munafiq’ character like Suhana on screen who hides her inner most demons & puts up a facade of being a victim. Suhana is a dishonest character in my opinion where she keeps on lying to her husband to save her sorry being, yes, she doesn’t love him but the least she can do is be honest with him.
Suhana & Rameez met an accident & even though Imtiyaz did all he could to make sure Suhana had all the attention in the world but when he just tried to know the reason why she was with Rameez, Suhana put up another drama to make Imtiyaz feel guilty. It is sickening to see her doing everything that she wants but when asked, she literally makes Imtiyaz feel like the worst person in the world to question her intentions. I hate the fact that Suhana is getting away with everything despite being wrong & the one who is putting up with all her tantrums is still the one at the receiving end of her fury!
The preview of the next episode once again showed more or less the same thing where Rameez will be pestering Suhana to break her marriage. Oh well I forgot to talk about another funny character – Daadi. First off, her fluctuating hair-color in both the scenes was amusing & then Daadi talking about ‘giving azaadi to Suhana’ was such a thigh slapper. I remember she was the one who spoiled Suhana to no end & when Talat would try to remind her of her responsibilities, Daadi would stoop in to stop her, but oh well, every single character in this drama is a lunatic, so why am I expecting Daadi to be any different. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Teri Raza.
After Momina Mustehsan, Aima Baig, Danyal Zafar and Fawad Khan we have a new crush in town. Yes, you guessed it right; that is Ahad Raza Mir aka Dr. Asfandyar. People have fallen in love with Yaqeen Ka Safar and many are crushing hard on Dr. Asfandyar. Here are some views of people after watching Dr. Asfandyar:
People compared their family doctor to their crush and were a bit envious of Asfand’s patients:
His each step is being followed:
It is getting difficult for fans to get over Asfand and Zubiya’s cuteness:
Everyone wants to be looked at by someone the way Asfand looks at Zubiya:
Because aap mujh se naraz hain never gets old:
And the only time when your HOD calling you out won’t hurt like being hit with a gunshot:
Yaqeen Ka Safar has made people reconnect to the Dhoop Kinare era and got a new crush for the audience too!
Mawra Hocane has a bright and infectious smile and a personality to match. She and her sister have been very prominent in Pakistan’s showbiz industry for quite some years now.
Yesterday Mawra celebrated her twenty fifth birthday party and it was all magical and fairy tale like, fit for a princess which Mawra certainly looked in her bright blue glittery cold shoulder gown. Everything about the party was unicorn themed with glitter magic all around. Even the cake wished happy birthday to a magical person and a big golden unicorn adorned the walls.
Mawra’s happiness was shared by friends and family present at her bash. Her beloved sister Urwa Hocane and brother inlaw Farhan Saeed were there and so was Humayun Saeed. Here are some pictures from the magical unicorn party;
This recent episode correctly depicted how a woman like Fauzia, who thought the world outside her village would treat her right only because she expected just that, gets a reality check at every step. Tonight’s episode also showed how women like her were exploited and judged by people they came in contact with. Fauzia will learn the hard way that being confident and driven alone does not get you what you want. I have always felt that this drama has way too many “evil” characters and that trend continued in this episode as well. Everyone Fauzia came across in this episode wanted to exploit her!! There isn’t a single genuine person in her life which does make it look like the writer tried extra hard to make a victim out of her!
Fauzia is impulsive and gutsy but she was never mature enough to think things through. Also, the fact that she takes everything at its face value and does not look at the bigger picture has been the reason why she made the wrong decisions right from the start. When Abid told her he will support her in every way possible she believed him even though he later on made it quite clear that he wasn’t going to do anything extreme to marry her. At that time Fauzia did not even once pause to think that a man who promised to stand by her for the rest of her life shouldn’t be backing off at such a point and went ahead with the marriage. Similarly, when her new boss told her she would get a commercial, she did not even once think that there was something fishy about the whole thing. Tonight, when she landed at the women’s hostel, the warden’s body language said a great deal but since there were so many women there and this was after all a shelter for women, she did not think these people might also have ulterior motives.
So far, the writer has shown Fauzia as someone who defies norms but at the same time she has certain boundaries of her own. She does not try hard enough to fit in but wants to be accepted for who she is. I liked how the writer raised the point that wearing modern dresses does not make a woman characterless. It was also shown how Fauzia’s outfit in particular made the warden and other women question her character. Although Fauzia comes from a rural background but her thinking is anything but outdated which is why she never really fit in with her family members and had a difficult time fitting in with the women in the hostel. The way Fauzia’s reaction was covered when she found out what she had to do to get herself work in an advertisement was completely in line with her character. Fauzia’s antics in the women’s hostels were covered in an interesting manner too. She is constantly trying to make a place for herself everywhere she goes but ultimately she will realize that she has chosen a very difficult path and that is when she will go back home!
Abid has clearly moved on and was shown planning his next wedding! Realistic portrayals by all the actors involved have been the best aspect of this show especially since the past few weeks. Saba Qamar is definitely more convincing in this new avatar and Rabia Noreen was absolutely phenomenal as the warden of the women’s hostel. Rabia Noreen’s body language and expressions couldn’t have been better. The flawless performances by both these actors made their scenes even more realistic and a treat to watch. Once again Fauzia’s brother was completely out of the picture, I am wondering if we will ever get to see his reaction to the latest developments in Fauzia’s life.
Baaghi’s story is predictable but these past few episodes have been quite interesting. Although I don’t really feel for Fauzia since she made these choices herself but I can clearly see that this drama will probably have a lot of lessons not only for such girls but also their parents. Baaghi reminds me of drama serial Abro, the only difference is that Fauzia’s character has some positive qualities as well unlike Abro. The preview of the next episode showed Fauzia coming back to her village. She will ultimately go back to the city again and I am guessing that her parents will drive her away this time around.
How many of you watched this latest episode? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.
The only thing better than seeing Independent films do well in their home country is seeing them do well INTERNATIONALLY.
Arz-e Pakistan is a short-film of humble origins, film students from Iqra University decided to do something about both the Pakistani Indie Film scene and Pakistan’s positive image which resulted in the creation of “Arz-e Pakistan” commercial which was on aired this Independence Day and stole our hearts.
Ali Sohail Jaura (Director) summarizes Arz-e Pakistan in following words on Imdb
“The project was inspired by a number of international travel films being made about foreign cities and regions like ‘Watchtower of Turkey’, ‘Travel to Hong Kong’, and ‘India’, that astonishingly capture the region’s essence in a short duration of time. Our crew of 8 members traveled more than 6000km to capture the scenic beauty and raw nature of the northern tourist and hiking attractions of Pakistan, which include the major regions of Kashmir, Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu, Swat, Naran, Kaghan, and Fairy Meadows. The purpose of the project was to promote both local and international tourism in the Northern regions of Pakistan, to make people aware of the environmental treasures so that it can be preserved, and bring about the positive and cultural image of Pakistan that is often neglected by the mainstream media.”
Arz-e Pakistan isn’t only aesthetically pleasing to the eyes but also warming in essence to the heart. Witness the masterpiece.
It won’t be unfair to say that it’s existence is enough to make us happy but to add more to our joy Family Films announced bagging the best travel commercial award in Moscow, Russia yesterday.
We wish Arz-e Pakistan more success in their future endeavors and hope that Pakistani Independent films will keep reviving our souls.
In the wake of Mahira Khan’s pictures, we seem to be getting new responses everyday, most of them to defend her rights to dress, smoke, behave and befriend anyone she wants. Her fellow actors and actresses are one upping eachother in speaking up for the actress who is being talked about a lot after these pictures of hers were leaked over the internet and spread like wildfire.
Now one of her near and dear friends Ahsan Khan has spoken up in her defense in an article titled “moral outrage” in which he is very firm and clear that everything Mahira wore or did is not to be criticised because it is her life. She can dress however she wishes and smoke with whomever she likes.
“Mahira Khan needs to have complete control over her body, life and behavior. This is her right. It should not be defended, explained or justified. It should only be respected. Period!”
He further poses a series of questions answering himself and clearing his statements in his process.
He insisted that he is not defending Mahira due to their relationship, but he would defend anyone in her position. His point was that his wife can also dress however she wants and he would not want to dictate her choices either. He insisted that people only have right to criticise Mahira on her acting and work but not her habits or mode of socialisation.
“Her histrionic ability can always be discussed, examined and criticized. Mahira needs to model well. When she does not, her modelling can be critiqued. And, Mahira needs to conduct herself with dignity, honor and class in public. She can be censured when she does not. What she does in private is her own business and no one else’s.”
Ahsan Khan sounded quite annoyed in his article and very vehemently insisted people to leave Mahira alone. He praised her that she always conducts herself with dignity and honor and has never failed her family, friends, fans and countrymen and she should be praised for that.
Momina Mustehsan is pretty much ruling the music scene since she became famous with her Coke Studio debut. She made the nation go Afreen Afreen after her debut opposite Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. She has since been a part of many advertisement campaigns, sung in Cornetto Pop Rock and was also a part of two songs in Coke Studio Season 10. She recently shared her experience about depression with her fans on social media to create awareness. Momina after all these ventures has achieved another achievement. She is the part of BBC Top 100 Women for 2017.
Momina expressed her feelings with this Instagram post. She has made her fans super happy with this achievement!
The most commonly heard phrase of this decade is that “Don’t judge others” along with “Live and let live” and still; this is the era of extreme terrorism, racism, intolerance and judgment. Society has double standards and this becomes visible every now and then. Anything which is not right for others will become right if they themselves are doing it.
The internet was shaken and the whole world was seen talking about only one topic last week and yes you guessed it right: Its Mahira Khan! For those who were living under some rock, some pictures of Mahira Khan surfaced last week on the internet where she was wearing a backless dress and was smoking somewhere in NYC with Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor. Many schools of thoughts emerged and millions of opinions surfaced within few minutes of the publication of those pictures. Mahira Khan is the reigning queen of Pakistan entertainment industry and has a huge fan following so naturally people came to her rescue and start shutting out the trolls and all the others who had different opinions than theirs.
I can never understand people calling actresses inappropriate names and sticking taglines like “ye dekhein Saba Qamar ne sabb haddein paar karr dein” with their pictures. No one has the right to abuse a woman just because she is working in the media industry. But it is not possible that they will not be judged. When you work on a public platform and people praise you and love you, be prepared for the criticism too since you have placed yourself for public judgment. Mahira’s case is not the first one in the industry. Actresses have faced a lot of criticism from time to time about their choices. Veena Malik and Mathira are criticized for their roles and the way they present themselves; Veena is still under fire for her past choices. Meera has been a part of too many scandals including about three marriages (not sure about the exact number). Qandeel Baloch was bashed left and right not only by the society but by stars too. Many people criticize Humaima Malick and Mehwish Hayat mostly due to their bold dressing. Actresses have been criticized for doing item numbers too.
In the controversy surrounding Mahira Khan, many points were raised. People had issues with her smoking which was addressed by the fact that since her lungs will be affected in the long run and it does not harm others; let her do what she wants to. According to me, this argument is legit since this is completely a health-related issue but if any actress who is criticized by the audience had been seen smoking like that, would people still consider it as a health-related issue? If it was Mawra in place of Mahira, I can bet people would have crushed her by calling names like cocaine and bullying her to the end of this world. People had issues with her dressing too. She is an actress and they do wear revealing clothes, she is not the only one to do it. Yes true enough! But what people were doing on social media while supporting her? “Abb kya who hijab karr ke ghoomay” Is hijab something to look down upon? What about your earlier speech of ITS HER CHOICE, Doesn’t other girls have the choice to wear hijab? Who are you to passively criticize modest dressing just to prove your favourite celebrity is right! Humaima Malick is criticized nearly every other day for wearing short dresses. So since people don’t think of her as their household Khirad, she has no freedom of choice and her wearing skimpy dresses will affect Islam. Coming to her presence with Ranbir Kapoor, people need to understand it was less about Mahira’s character and more about Ranbir’s since everyone knows he is a playboy. And even after all the fiasco, he didn’t say that they are just friends and not dating. His words were that ‘he came to know Mahira in a personal capacity and she is a wonderful person’. How people forgot that this is the same society who still bullies Imran Khan on marrying Jemima even after she converted to Islam and criticized the hell out of Veena Malik on her relationship with Ashmit Patel. Ranbir is also a Non-Muslim like Ashmit and if dating him was wrong for Veena, the same goes for Mahira too.
Mahira Khan is an adult, a woman who has made a name for herself and she has made us proud at countless occasions too but if Saba Qamar’s ghagra choli was bad for Hamza Ali Abbasi than Mahira’s dress should fall in the same category. I know he only clarified about the mark on her back but if it was someone who is a not a friend of his; he would definitely have criticized her. If Qandeel’s clothes were not modest for Momina Mustehsan, Mahira’s dress should have concerned her too but as we saw all celebrities stand with someone who has a massive fan following and look down on the less popular ones if they are doing the same stuff.
For anyone who thinks I hate Mahira or something; No! I like her a lot but the fact remains if it would have been someone else in place of Mahira, people would have other thoughts and names which should never ever be used for anyone. And like Humaima tweeted “Selective kindness is not kindness at all.” And it is high time people understand that if something is wrong when a person you don’t like do it, it will be wrong if someone you like or you yourself do it!
As Mawra turns twenty five elder sister Urwa decided to surprise her with a unicorn and her reaction is priceless. The unicorn of course isn’t a real one which is self explanatory but a unicorn on a wall is just as important. All unicorns are important. Here’s the link to how it went, isn’t the bond that these two share super precious!
Ohkay so, it was yet another brilliant episode of Yakeen Ka Safar. I loved the way the emotions & feelings were elaborated in this episode & it is amazing it has turned into a lovestory & everything related to two people falling in love is being conveyed so beautifully & convincingly.
This episode focused more on Zubiya & her developing feelings for Asfand. All this while we got to see Asfand & his budding feelings for Zubiya but this was the first time, we got an insight into what Zubiya was going through. Faryal’s arrival has definitely changed the dynamics & everyone around her is affected by her but looks like Faryal is just as thick skinned as she was before. It was so obvious that Faryal came to rekindle her old affair & ignite the flame in Asfand’s heart for her playing the sympathy card but the way Asfand treated her cordially but with a distance showed that he definitely has moved on.
Lubna’s frustration was convincing yet amusing because she could see how Faryal was trying to woo Asfand but I think in the middle of all this, she didn’t see how Asfand was cold towards Faryal even though he was carrying a smile on his face while dealing with her. This was Asfand’s way of showing Faryal that he just wasn’t affected anymore & since he has gracefully moved on & accepted her decision that she made years ago, he was just being nice to her!
I loved how Zubiya was disturbed & clearly struggling to accept the fact that Faryal has come back. The way Zubiya immediately inquired about Faryal being Asfand’s ex showed that she was feeling a little uncomfortable. Zubiya staring at her bandage was another beautiful scene which elaborated that she was kind of missing Asfand & was remembering what he said to her but then her disappointment was visible too where she was wondering if he meant what he said or if he was going to stick by it now that Faryal was back in the picture.
It was good that Faryal not only got a clear message but also found out that Asfand has finally moved on & Zubiya is another reason why he is not too keen on her. Faryal actually thought that by telling Asfand that she never got over him will melt his heart away but she was wrong. The damage has been done & she was the one who instigated it, just how Faryal expected Asfand to get over her, she is expecting that he will take her back but she is mistaken & it is good that Asfand was making it obvious!
The scene which showed how merciless & brutal Bahadur’s Boss was just a hint on what Asfand will be faced with. Bahadur’s tip on Asfand in front of his boss & his boss’s opinion about Asfand showed that they have taken notice of him but where his presence is bothering Bahadur, his boss finds him weak & harmless. I liked how Bahadur’s thought process was shown & how it was different to his boss’s because he is unlettered & usually people like him feel threatened when they see someone a bit well-informed trying to change the ways around him. Even though these characters don’t interest me but I am keen to see how Asfand & their paths will cross, I am sure this is how Daniyal’s story will get a proper closure.
Oh finally, Rehan mai Abbi ki rooh aa hi gai. Sheema has had her time of glory but now even Rehan can see through her & it is good that he has slowly realized how toxic she has been. I wonder what Rehan will do if he will find out that she is the one who sent Zubiya away & has been lying to him all his life. I loved how Sheema’s maid Halima made her realize that she was facing all this because of her own deeds, about time someone said this to her!
Overall, this episode was perfect. I loved all of Asfand & Zubiya’s scenes. It is interesting to see how Asfand has gotten comfortable around Zubiya & keeps on looking for chances to have a conversation with her. Zubiya’s feelings were beautifully portrayed, it was realistic that she was feeling confused but decided to let go of all those thoughts that she had about Asfand because she assumed that he was now going to get back with Faryal. I love the calm feel of this drama, it is very soothing & even the background music adds more feel to it. Definitely looking forward to the next episode & especially interested to see the conversation between Asfand & Zubiya. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Yakeen Ka Safar.
These two episodes were quite interesting and did not feel unnecessarily dragged at any point. The whole point was to show how Amber is driven by the fire of revenge and how she is willing to move mountains to make sure all those who did wrong by her and her mother are made to suffer as much as these girls did in their childhood. This is a very sensitive issue where you would not be able to discern the difference between right and wrong. On one hand, she is being sneaky and revengeful. On the other hand, she has years and years of lost childhood and happiness robbed from herself and her sisters and they can never be replaced.
Good riddance to Ahmed. After using a few episodes to show that he was no good and has become very stubborn, mean and thoughtless and almost criminal, his story has ended by him being shipped off to Dubai for his uncle.
Obaid and Anila and Sadiq are still struggling in their own dysfunctional little family. The child is related to Anila by blood but he is such hard work and she is a very selfish woman. So Sadiq keeps on worrying and intervening but to no avail. How the cruel and hard hearted Sadiq who was so harsh for his own daughters is such a caring one to his disabled son is beyond me. Maybe it is guilt or maybe he truly is so fond of sons that even a mentally challenged one would do.
Anum is moping after she has made the decision to leave Dr Jawad but like all those who decide to please others, she is very resentful and forlorn at heart and expresses her anger at various points. Most of it is directed at Amber whom she mistook as her enemy in all this.
The essence of the episode was Ahsan and Amber’s relationship. She has spoken at length with her mother and sister she but obviously that was not going to earn her rewards, as Naheed is certainly not going to let her marry someone whose parents disapprove of this union right from the start. Naheed is perfectly talking sense and she is totally correct in her stance, but it did not dampen Amber’s spirits. She has forseen that no matter which way they go, if they involve their parents, it can quite ugly and they would not be allowed to marry. Hence, she acted defiant, partly because she did not want Naheed to be able to stop and because she has made up her mind. It is not a very sensible decision but under Amber’s current frame of mind, it seems like the only good option; that she lets them stay angry and go and marry Ahsan. Only then will Sadiq and Anila get a dose of their own medicine and get to know how oppression feels like. She has proposed to Ahsan to get the nikah done in the court.
We will know in the next episodes what happens to Sadiq when he confronts his own daughter in the house, so stay tuned…
The formal actress and now a morning show host Javeria Saud always gains favours with her bright smile and vivacious personality. The busy mom of two has recently been on a trip to Texas to enjoy some time off with family and friends. From the pictures, it looks as if Javeria was taking this break sans kids, but maybe they went along with her but were not present on this particular outing.
Mahira Khan starrer ”Verna” has been in the news for quite sometime due to Mahira’s new avatar in the movie and also its intense topic. Recently, however, the movie made headlines as its release was delayed. There have been a number of speculations in the wake of its postponement.
According to Gulf News, a local weekly in Pakistan had leaked the whole plot and storyline of the film which made Shoaib Mansoor angry and upset. He has delayed the movie release, made a few changes and will probably be reshooting the climax of the film so the leaked information will not be able to spoil its anticipation in public. This news is yet to be confirmed by Shoaib Mansoor or his team but it is reported that they are all going to be very careful so no further beans are spilled.
Sharmeen Obaud Chinoy has made Pakistan proud many times with her venturing into the unseen,unheard and unspoken taboo subjects of the country. She puts forth the facts and stories that are painful yet real and for that she has won two Oscar Awards.
To add another feather to her cap, her documentary film ”discarded daughter” is now shortlisted for The Association of International Broadcasting Awards 2017. The documentary shows the subject of female infanticide unbelievably still present in the city of Karachi.
The team behind this SOC documentary includes Maheen Sadiq, Saad Zuberi, Hussain Qaizar and Nazir Siddiqui.
Ohkay so, this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan was pretty basic once again. It is such a shame that a drama that started off so strong has come down to this where sitting through its episodes is basically a struggle. The main & original characters have stopped evolving & the new ones aren’t sparking any interest, so not sure what is happening in this drama at the moment. All the main tracks of the drama have become stagnant & there’s absolutely nothing that they’re giving us to keep us hooked. I really believe this drama should end now but looks like the drama-makers are not in a mood right now!
This episode mainly focused on Reena & the reality that everyone around her was trying to make her see. I found most of the dialogues a bit repetitive & even the scenario with everyone taunting her was quite monotonous. Be it Chaman Begum, Shireen Bai in the previous episodes or the flower vendor in this episode, everyone has been telling her the same thing which again was something that I felt could have been chopped down because we have already seen what she has done & what everyone was trying to convey. So, Reena finally got married & once again the entire scene where she wanted her Nikkah to happen at the brothel was so unnecessary, there were so many such moments which I felt were added only to fill up the episode which could’ve been easily omitted. I thought things will blow out of proportion when Reena & Nawazish had an argument but in their next scene we saw them together, leaving me baffled as to why that little argument was shown when Reena had to follow what Nawazish was telling her, anyways! So, right from the beginning Nawazish is making it obvious to Reena that he has his list of priorities that he can’t falter taking care of & she obviously is going to have issues with it in the future!
Nazneen is still stuck on Basit & this time around, she once again tried to remind him what they both had & what they shared. Basit obviously hasn’t moved on but he has at least understood that Nazneen belongs to someone else whereas Nazneen hasn’t accepted it. The way Nazneen tried to stop her father from coming to meet her was again her way of saving herself & Basit because she knew what would happen if Hashmat saw Basit around her. So, even Nazneen’s mother in law Zaitoon decided to speak to her because she can clearly see that Nazneen is not quite happy or comfortable but then Nazneen had nothing to say to her.
All this while I thought Zimal was engaged but in this episode it was suggested that she was legally married to Ali & he sent her divorce papers out of nowhere, which then made me feel a bit more sick remembering how comfortable & casual she was when Shaheer confessed his feelings because any ‘married’ girl would’ve straight away set the guy straight but she chose to play along. Still not feeling this entire track & I don’t think it would change in the future!
The last scene of this episode was once again a fault on the writer/director’s end. All this while they suggested that Shahzeb only knew Basit & Nazneen were from the same village, but now Shahzeb was straight away talking to Basit about Nazneen as if he miraculously recovered from a memory loss & remembered that Basit was the guy who came with Nazneen to meet him? Before this scene, we saw Shahzeb oblivously asking Nazneen if she knew any Basit from her village but now it looked like he never was oblivious of who Basit was? I never once expected something like this happening in a drama where the director had a good grip on the script but now looks like everyone associated with this project is just doing what is expected from them without putting much interest & it clearly shows.
I never really imagined that Alif Allah Aur Insaan would come at such a point where it would stop working for me. I am sure all those who invested so many weeks in this drama must be feeling the same way. We have seen everything from everyone so now I feel this drama should wrap up. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.
I, like, God do not play with a dice and do not believe in coincidences but one such coincidence took place when Mahira-Ranbir controversy shared it’s timeline with Madam Noor Jehan’s 91st birthday and Mawra decided to celebrate it in her rather Mawra-ish way.
Here’s what Mawra tweeted that day.
Twitterati’s took it upon themselves to turn this into one of gold Pakistani-twitter memes.
So far so good right? Wrong. Things were blown out of proportion when Indian media linked this picture of Mawra paying tribute to a legend into a “Mahira-Ranbir controversy reaction” article.
If not memes than this article was enough to get a reaction from Mawra and hence she tweeted.
Whatever the truth of the matter might be but it was a good twitter day also becoming a meme is some serious goals material.
Mahira Khan controversy has had gears shifted and opinions rushed from both sides. Most of her friends from showbiz, however supported her and sent power and strength and good wishes her way including the famous young singer of today Momina Mustehsan. Her tweet asked for people to be non judgmental towards Mahira Khan. This reminded Humaima Malick, an actress often the subject of criticism herself due to her bold choices and clothes, of the time when Momina was not this kind and non judgmental about Qandeel Baloch.
Humaima further added for the likes of Momina;
Momina Mustehsan was quick to defend herself and retweeted her posts about the honour killings of Qandeel Baloch, her point being that she condemned her murder and supported the right to individual choices.
Humaima was not very convinced with this justification of her, and made a very philosophical tweet for her.
While Momina has not replied to this tweet and her heart may have been in the right place, but Humaima does have a point. Selective kindness is not kindness at all, and we are all guilty of it in our personal as well professional lives.
We had recently brought you the news of well known model and actress Sheen Javed’s wedding with an engineer in Lahore. He owns a construction company and they made a lovely couple during the wedding celebrations.
Sheen was wearing a very traditional maroon and gold heavily embellished lehanga and Hamid Nazir captured the actress in some beautiful poses on her big day. Here are some of them;
Some pictures are circulating on social media were claiming to be a part of “Maria.B’s” Muharram Collection. The act obviously made many people disgusted. The pictures were a part of nearly every second page and people were slamming the hideous act. Maria.B has finally issued an official statement on her Instagram. She has clarified that she has never come out with a Muharram collection and another brand is using her name. This is what she said:
Mahira Khan is under major public scrutiny since some pictures of her leaked online. She is receiving extreme backlash on social media. Her friends and fans have defended her too. But according to sources; the controversy has taken a major toll on her health. She is very depressed and is also suffering from severe since last night.
Mahira’s close friends confirmed that she is unwell. When Mira Sethi was asked about Mahira on her Instagram; she also replied that Mahira did not come for the shoot of Saat Din and also supported Mahira in the whole situation.
This drama reminds me of Sammi because of its focused approach and the clarity with which all the issues have been highlighted. Drama serial Sammi set the right precedent by reinforcing the importance of a girl’s consent during nikkah and it is good to see Mujhe Jeenay Du stressing upon it too. Although, ultimately Saira will give into the pressure but for now it was good to see her making a decision for herself with the support of all those people who are not selfish and inhuman like Murad and even Naseeb. Naseeb also changed his decision in this episode because like all the other men around him he too is looking out for his own interests. Bakshu however is the one who should be blamed more than anyone else since he is Saira’s father. Bakshu’s character in particular is disturbing since he has no idea just how wrong he is. It is people like him who pass on these wicked customs from one generation to the other. These men who should be protecting their women rule over them and would do anything it takes to have things their way. The insignificance of a woman’s own will is the main reason why they suffer at the hands of these men.
Murad ultimately used the threat of divorce to ensure that his wife does not stand in the way of his plans and it obviously worked. Yasmin’s character has been brilliantly etched out and translated on screen. She is the kind of woman who won’t think twice before helping anyone in need but at the same time she does not let her emotions stand in the way of her well calculated actions. Instead of creating a scene at the time of nikkah she tried to look for more practical solutions. Saira’s relationship with Yasmin’s son reminds me of drama serial Rehaii and how Danish Taimoor’s character helped Shamim when she was older and ultimately married her in the end. The relationship between these two characters is heart warming. You also understand why Saira would listen to a close friend more than anyone else. It also shows how these kids are forced to make such difficult decisions at such an early age when they shouldn’t even be worrying about such things.
The direction and the camera work in this drama is remarkable. The manner in which the overall environment these characters are living in has been translated impressively on screen because of effortless performances and the locations is one of the best aspects of this play so far apart from a script which is authentic. Mehreen Raheal deserves a special mention here for leaving her comfort zone and excelling in a role which isn’t easy to translate on screen. Gohar Rasheed has also given a solid performance which makes you more interested in finding out what turn his track takes next. Salman Shahid’s brilliant performance, Nadia Jamil’s natural acting and the impressive performances by the child stars make this drama one of those rare plays in which there are absolutely no weak links in terms of acting. Iftikhar’s character was introduced in this episode and it is good to see Omair Rana playing this role. The flashback scenes yet again were used aptly in tonight’s episode to show how close Saira was to Bushra and how quickly things changed for her.
The preview of the next episode showed Saira’s father pressurizing her into consenting to the nikkah and it looks like this time no one will be able to help her. This serial is seriously disturbing on so many levels but then that is what is needed to make the viewers reflect upon the kind of issues women in such areas face and perhaps it will also present such victims with solutions to get out of the situation they are in.
How many of you watched this latest installment? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.
Maria Wasti is coming back into the drama game after some time and we are expecting a powerful performance from the diva who has done some very memorable roles to date. Her intensity and passion makes it hard not to becoming empathetic with whatever character she is playing, including the black and white and all the shades of grey in between.
She was a guest in Shaista Lodhi’s morning show yesterday with co stars Alyy Khan and Samina Ahmed and together they discussed what the essence of their new drama Malkin is. The conversation got quite candid as it flew from the notions of drama to the real life as we all navigate our lives with different relationships and the conflicts and turmoils that creates. Maria was candid in her opinions of how she thinks problems develop and how they should be resolved. Shaista was inquisitive about her opinion as well as those of her audience to understand how people think relatives and especially inlaws can be handled appropriately. Alyy Khan was his usual calm and deep self and gave some very philosophical insight into the issue.
Samina Ahmed obviously brought forth her wisdom of the years into the situation. Together they made up for an interesting watch regarding the problems human beings especially married couples in our society face on a daily basis.
Sohai Ali Abro was cast for Adnan Sarwar’s The Motorcycle Girl and the shooting has started now. Adnan Sarwar’s Shah got a lot of critical acclaim earlier. His next The Motorcycle Girl is also a biopic. It is based on the life of Zenith Irfan, she is the first Pakistan girl to do a solo motorcycle trip in northern areas. The shoot has started and the team is excited. Sohai and Adnan both posted on the Instagram and both looks excited:
Shah was a masterpiece. Let us see how this one comes out!
I have to say that I expected better from Ghairat since the story seemed quite focused in the first 9 weeks or so. Unfortunately, Ghairat too is turning out to be one of those dramas in which scenes are stretched beyond limit and multiple tracks added in the story after 10 weeks, which may or may not bring something tangible with them. Kashif falling for Saba has to be the worst development in the story especially because of the way it has been covered. The actor playing Kashif”s role is wooden to say the least and the way his “attraction” towards Saba is covered gives the impression that he feels more lust than love for Saba!! If Kashif is the bad guy than everything that we are being shown would definitely make more sense. It is good to see Saba’s friend being so concerned about her but there were times tonight when she gave the too good to be true vibes. There was a time when I had absolutely no trouble connecting to all the characters and happenings in this show since everything was quite logical but now most of the situations are repetitive more than anything else.
Iqra’s husband is also completely out of the picture and Usman’s mother’s dialogues suggested that she was waiting for Allah to help her which means that we will see many more tragedies before something finally happens. Sometimes it feels like there isn’t a world outside Usman’s house. When Saba was in the house, there was a reason why her mother was helpless but now there is absolutely no reason why she can’t run away to a shelter home. The whole situation has been blown out of proportion. Also, the fact that Saba was not shown thinking about Zohaib even once in this episode made it even more difficult to connect to these latest developments.
This episode showed that Asad was willing to do whatever it took to help Zohaib but his wife was not going to let him do so. I am waiting to find out what he wants to say to Usman and I definitely think that Zohaib’s memory loss is yet another scenario created to drag the story. Zohaib’s will to take Saba out of that situation was the best thing about this drama but for now his character has been relegated to the background in this particular aspect.
Saba was always shown as an intelligent girl who looked for solutions even in the worst of circumstances therefore I hope that her character will have more to offer in the future as well. She also has the perfect support in the shape of her friend’s mother. These two episodes of Ghairat were too average and the kind of episodes which rely on rona dhona and majburis to gain the sympathies of the viewers. I definitely expected better from a drama which started off so well. For now Ghairat is just another one of those dramas which completely go off track. However, there is hope that it might get back on track therefore I will be tuning in next week to find out whether it does or not.
How many of you watched this latest episode? Feel free to share your thoughts about it.
Internet is breaking down since some pictures of Mahira Khan leaked online. Many celebrities have come out in her support. Some have tweeted while others have written posts on their Instagram accounts asking the world to leave her alone. Hamza Ali Abbasi just made a video clarifying the mark on her back. Here is Hamza’s message to the world:
There was a huge storm in the aftermath of Mahira Khan’s leaked pictures from the roads of Newyork as she was hanging out smoking with Ranbir Kapoor in a very skimpy little dress.
Pakistani public and celebrities alike have commented on it from all sides: there has been moral police to defense counsel to neutral peacemakers. However, there are a few jolly fellows who have created memes and photoshopped a little humor into the whole situation. We have gathered some of the funny ones here;
The dramatic Falak for her cigarettes;
A very hurt Mawra Hocane ;
Mahira Khan’s explanation;
When Mawra loses control over her shattered dreams;
The diva promoting Kash after Lux;
The CID investigates the heart of the matter;
One on Mawra’s disbelief;
What Mahira herself said about smoking;
Ashar’s shocked reaction at his innocent Khirad doing all that;
