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;
Juggun Kazim has always been very open about her past experiences with people and about her abusive marriage which ended in a divorce. Recently she got married again and was blessed with another son.
Most often we see women defending wives in their shows and interviews but Juggun Kazim feels completely different about married life in general. She posted this on her instagram page:
Juggun Kazim feels that some women take good men for granted and do not appreciate their spouses enough. It isn’t very often that women in the industry say something like this but we are not surprised that this came from none other than Juggun because she is always very honest and blunt.
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is a global motorcycle fund-raising event with gentlefolk riding their classic vintage style motorcycles to raise awareness of cancer and male suicide prevention. Inspired by a photo of Mad Men’s Don Draper on a classic bike in a fine suit the ride was founded in 2012 by Mark Hawwa in Sydney.
Karachi officially became a part of DGR 2017 and the event was held yesterday (24th of September) since it’s customarily scheduled in the last week of September.
While many of us dozed off and enjoyed a lazy Sunday some of the celebrities including Mohib Mirza, Faysal Qureshi, Aijaz Aslam and Azekah Daniel attended the charity event and the pictures from the event scream “A DAY WELL SPENT”.
The goal for 2017 is to raise awareness and $5m for cancer and men’s mental health on behalf of charity partner the Movember Foundation. We hope DGR achieves what it set out to achieve and wish them luck for future endeavors.
So after straight producing 4th Season of coke studio I thought strings would have learned something but instead they continued their practice to ruin Rohail’s Legacy. The reason why coke studio built its strong pillars in Pakistan is only because of Rohail’s magical compositions. The idea devised by Rohail Hayatt for synthesizing different genre of music into one song actually clicked and since then the core impression on which Coke Studio marks itself as signature or show reel of Pakistani Music Industry is only because of fusion. After Rohail Hayatt handed over the production to strings from season 7 it was expected that strings will be able continue his legacy but unfortunately they trade the diversity of music through glamour. Instead of promoting diverse music they destroyed the art through commercialisation by bringing fresh charming faces in limelight and producing substandard music with no or less fusion.
Season 10! Analysis
Consequently in season 10 as well Strings followed the same practice to experiment music with different music directors and that’s exactly where they are doing it all wrong. Most of the renditions in this season were pretty average with less or no fusion at all. Only four songs in my view meet the level of Coke Studio.
1) Baazi sung by Aima baig and Sahir Ali Bhagga: Sahir Bhagga did a pretty well job by blending funky type music into saraiki song. The variations included in music were all on point. Aima sparkled magnificently with her vocals and displayed her range with full confidence. Hands down to bhagga sahab for his vocals and the grooves he gave in his music composition is simply splendid. No doubt the audience is still enjoying this up beat song and evidence are more than 5 million views on YouTube.
2) Naina Moray sung by Ali Akbar and Javed Bashir ft Amir Zaki: This song fulfilled all levels of Coke Studio. Jaffer Zaidi is a part of coke studio almost from its inception and retaining his man-oeuvre he knew how to direct a classic melody. Ali Akbar and Javed Bashir both are maestro in crooning classic genre. We have also witnessed Amir Zaki last performance and grieve still prevails over his loss.
3) Mujhse pheli si Muhabbat sung by Humaira Channa and Nabeel Shaukat: Ok it is one of my fav noor jehan’s track and I am glad how well Humaira and Nabeel had performed it with their soothing vocals. It is always a treat to listen to Nabeel’s voice. Meekal Hasan did a great job in music composition and I feel like I was listening to Coke Studio Stuff.
4) Sab Maya hai sung by Sanwal Esakhelwi and Ata Ullah Khan Esakhelwi: Now this is the only song that reminds of me Rohail’s Era. I am seriously addicted to it. I must applaud Shuja Haider for his pitch perfect composition, love the way he blended too songs “ishq Pawaiyan Zanjeera” and “Sab Maya hai” in one rendition. No Introduction needed for the legend ata ullah sahab and his son Sanwal was also fabulous with his sharp clear vocals. In my Opinion this is song of the season.
Rohail vs Strings
Listening Coke Studio from Season 1 to 6 and then listening it from Season 7 to 10 a sheer difference can be spotted in music arrangements that clarifies strings completely lost the track. There are many grey areas that strings need to consider and figure out why they are constantly failing to produce successful seasons. Some of the things I pointed out are as follows:
Music Composition: Renditions produced by Rohail Hayatt are absolutely soul stirring like “Ishq Abhe Awalla sung by Meesha and Chakwal Group” I still wonder how Rohail conformed natural voices of Chakwal Group with Meesha’s voice and blended it with jazzy music. This is something strings can never produce or even think of it. Similarly listening to “Chori Chori by Meesha Shafi” from Season 3 will send shivers to your spine and furthermore if you listen to songs like “Kinara by Atif Aslam and Ustad Riaz Khan”, “Jugni by Arif Lohar”, “Charkha Nolakha by Umair Jaswal and Atif Aslam”, “Jal Pari by Atif Aslam”, “Aik Alif by Saeen Zahoor and noori”, “Panchi by Jal and QB” you will be amazed to know how Rohail improvised art in all these compositions that sounds so different yet entrancing.
On the other hand Strings are still assessing how to fuse different genre of music. Most of the renditions produced by them were flat with monotonous melody. They are unable to catch the theme of coke studio. Even if they are trying to copy Rohail they are dwindling in it as well. If you have listened to “Garaj Baras by Rahat and Ali Azmat” in coke studio season 1. Rohail hayat let Ali Azmat to play his original even without any changes in basic music composition. Rahat was chosen just to fuse his raag with the original and that actually worked a great deal. Strings and Salman tried to copy the idea of rohail in “sayonee” but it failed miserably because they let Rahat to sing the actual song. With Salman’s electric guitar the idea would have worked only if Ali Noor had performed it solo while Rahat would only be allowed to create magic with his raag. Moreover in this season they also destroyed masterpieces like Lal Meri Pat and Dum Mast Qalandar no wonder most of the performances relied heavily on electric guitar
In one of the interview QB stated that vocalists were just as involved in music composition as other musicians under Rohail’s direction. This made sure that finished product was something to which everyone agreed upon, this basically does not happen in Strings Era. It is actually true by looking closely to BTS, it can be analysed that under String’s direction singers were not part of music compostions and in contrast just watch BTS of “Ik Arzu by Jal”, “Bolo Bolo by EP”, “Kirr Kirr by Sajjad Ali” and you can see how singers were given liberty by Rohail to conform music arrangements as per their will.
Introducing talent: Rohail’s passion was to locate remote raw talent and promote them like Chakwal Group, Saeein Zahoor, Tahir Mithu, Sanam Marvi, Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad etc. Whilst strings focused on bringing young female faces on alluring screens and give them more and more performances in order to attract audience. In Season 8 they introduced Gul Panra, then Mominah in Season 9 and now Aima in Season 10 which indicates they are simply transacting glamour against art.
Failing to utilise Juggernauts of Music industry: I was so excited to hear that big names like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, Ali Zafar and Sajjad Ali will be a part of Season 10 but unfortunately none of them fulfilled the expectation. All Songs sung by them in this season hardly received any acclaims from audience instead Rahat was heavily criticised on experimenting his vocals on “Sayonee” song. Shafqat failed to mesmerize audience and so Sajjad Ali. Four songs were given to Ali Zafar in this season and except the last “Us Rah Par” which was a tribute to Junaid Jamshed none of his performances attracted the audience. I don’t understand what Ali Zafar tried to achieve with songs like “Julie” and “Rockstar”.
In contrast just listen to the songs below and see how Rohail expolited the talent of big names of the industry.
In the end I will just like to say “Strings nahi hota tujhse chase” what are your views on it?
“Janti ho mohabbat bari self-regulated hoti hei, wo logo ke sath wohi salook krti hei jo log us ke saath krte hei.”
This drama actually has a spellbinding effect; the beautiful dialogues and the overall feel of this play is simply fascinating. TDKKH is the kind of drama which requires your full attention and you can only enjoy watching it when there are absolutely no distractions! It is very rare that such flawed characters appear so appealing on screen and you can’t help but connect to them. My favorite part of this episode was the way Faris’ feelings were translated on screen. Even now, he has not been able to “hate” Maya or move on although he keeps on saying that he will never allow her to come back into his life, the fact is that even today he would forgive her if she tried hard enough. Faris’ proposal to Zoya it seemed was yet another attempt to get back to Maya for what she did to him. Right now, I feel that even if Faris tried he could not cheat on Maya because he is still in love with her. There were a lot of dialogues in tonight’s episode which suggested that he was waiting for her to come back but obviously it wasn’t easy for him to forgive and forget. Even now Faris wants to hurt Maya in some way but at the same time he does not want to lose her. Sami Khan’s brilliant portrayal of a man who can’t get over the betrayal and at the same time cannot seem to let go of the person who betrayed him couldn’t have been more impressive. His dialogue delivery has been brilliant throughout although some of the dialogues are very tricky and could have come across as over-dramatic if they weren’t delivered in such a subtle yet impactful manner.
I have said this so many times before but after watching every new episode of this play I feel the need to say this again – Dariya is beyond amazing!! She is one-of-a-kind and Mansha Pasha has definitely given this character the edge it needed to win the viewers over completely. Dariya is practical, intelligent, sensitive, outspoken and loving. Sami Khan and Mansha Pasha’s on screen chemistry and the way these scenes have been directed makes me look forward to their scenes. The way Dariya gave Faris an honest answer was a treat to watch. Although she does not approve of Faris’ feelings for Maya but at the same time she does not let that effect their friendship. She has never complained to Faris and she has never even once made him feel like he owes her something more than what they already have. Dariya is a far more strong person than Faris and even Maya.
Maya’s track took an interesting turn with this episode. Now that she is over Saif, she wants to go back to Faris but her ego won’t allow her to approach him and ask for forgiveness, the way she should. For the first time Maya cried in tonight’s episode when she saw Zoya with Faris – a reaction which showed how she felt about Zoya. Even though so far the viewers have seen Zoya looking out for Maya but apparently Maya hates her sister and there is more to the story. I am eagerly waiting to find out more about this track. Ayeza Khan gave a solid performance in this episode as well and Hajra Khan is also faultless as Baila.
Saif also revealed a little bit about his background story and his plans for the future in this episode. He is aiming for something much more than what appeared on the surface and the reason for that probably has to do with his history with Siraj Uncle. This track too is getting more interesting now. Although I am glad that it isn’t getting a lot of screen time.
Just like all the other episodes of TDKKH, this one too was beautifully written, directed and acted out. The person responsible for styling and make-up has also done a really good job. The preview of the next episode looked very interesting – really looking forward to Faris and Maya’s meeting in the next episode!
How many of you watched this recent installment? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.
Khamoshi’s first episode aired last night and the start was pretty decent. More than half of the main characters were introduced in this episode. The story revolves around the life and family of Arsala played by Zara Noor Abbas. She is a very responsible girl and wants to help with the poor financial condition of her family. She works at home as a tailor and helps her family meet ends. The other main and probably evil character is Naeema (Iqra Aziz) who is Arsala’s sister and she is irresponsible and shallow. All she wants in her life is to style herself and get people notice her. She even dances in the rain like old film heroines. Both girls have a brother who is still a student and is also whinny about the family’s condition and not having enough money for his new shirt or farewell party. The other evil probably and frustrated surely character is that of Sabir played by Tauqeer Nasir who is the father and is always busy belittling his family that how much he works hard and they don’t do anything to help him. He is greedy to an extreme extent and is always busy eyeing how other people’s daughters are helping them; not considering or acknowledging Arsala’s hard work.
The other family is of Arsala’s khala and Atif aka Affan Waheed is the cousin Arsala is interested in and was betrothed to since childhood. Atif is also dying to marry Arsala while as you all have expected Naeema is interested in Atif too. Atif on the other hand bully her and treats her like Arsala’s little sister and a little cousin though she is not little at all. The way Arsala keeps saying bacchi hai on her tantrums is extremely annoying and Naeema will soon show her how grown up she is. Sabir hates Atif because he is jobless and still wants to marry Arsala and Sabir is sure he wants her for her money. Arsala is too naive and bechari to even say what she thinks and Naeema on the other hand has the audacity to play a self proclaimed bahu to her khala in her home and ask Atif to talk about her instead of Arsala and people; this family still thinks ke woh bacchi hai! The way Sabir acted on seeing Atif holding his daughter’s hand was shown as something very wrong though I think that was the only right thing the character did in the whole episode since they are not even officially engaged.
Zara and Affan did a good job and Iqra was over acting a bit specially the expressions with her eyes were too stressed upon. Tauqeer Nasir knows his craft and made me hate him from the very start. All and all the drama looks nice and from the first episode it looks like a mixture of Thakkan and Maat. Other characters have not been introduced yet but director did a great job by introducing the theme and basic characters in one episode since everyone hates dragging. Khamoshi looks promising and will show a side of society we come in contact with each day where family’s leave their girls as maids due to financial issues and this drama may help show us the emotional turmoil those girls go through. Lets see how the story folds up next.
How did you people find the first episode? Share in comments and yes I loved the OST!
Saira Shehroz and her daughter Nooreh have always looked like the coolest, cutest and most adorable mother daughter duo. Saira is a chilled out fun loving mom and Nooreh is a spirited child and together they have a lot of fun.
This time Saira has shared some pictures of Nooreh as they got together with her sister Alishba and her daughter for a birthday lunch. They sisters are looking yummy mummies in their casual attires while having fun with their little ones. Saira also posted a few solo photos of Nooreh enjoying cotton candy and just being herself.
Pakistani celebrities have been travelling to London recently in last few weeks to attend the IIPA Awards Ceremony and many of them have shared pictures of their trip outside of the ceremony, roaming and enjoying in the streets of London.
Urwa Hocane has also been posting her pictures as she explores London with family and friends. She has shared her photos around different locations in the company of her husband Farhan Saeed and her sister Mawra Hocane. Here are some of them;
Humaima Malick has always been criticized for her dress choices wherever she goes. Recently Mahira Khan is caught up in a similar controversy where people are after her for wearing a short dress and smoking in public. Celebrities came out to support Mahira openly and started spreading the message of live and let live. Dua Malik took to her Instagram and had something interesting to say. Here are her thoughts:
Humaima has also supported freedom of expression and personal choice:
But she had some questions from the other celebrities:
The last quarter of 2017 is about to start. 2017 has so far proven a disappointing year for the local cinema. Apart from four films Mehrunnisa V Lub U (June), Yalghaar (June), Punjab Nahin Jaongi (September) and Namaloom Afraad 2(September) the rest of films have struggled on the box office.
The first half of the year (Jan – June) saw very few releases, but the tremendous success of Namaloom Afraad 2 and Punjab Nahin Jaungi (released in September) might result in a favorable ending of 2017 for the local cinema. In the fall 2017 (October – December), the lineup of upcoming films is quite impressive especially November and December 2017. The months of November and December are stuffed up with the announcement of film releases and we might see few films delayed till next year due to packed schedule.
Lets see the list of the expected releases of Fall 2017 which also includes some major long awaited ones.
Pari (پری) Release Date: 31st October 2017 (Expected) Pari is a horror film, a genre not much popular in Pakistan. The horror films of recent years Siyah(2013), Maya(2015) and Aksbandh(2016) all proved dumb at the box office.
The teaser of the film is already released which received mixed response on the social media.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5wH0em2cJ8
Tum Hi Ho (تم ہی ہو) Release Date: 3rd November 2017
The major highlight of THH is the comeback of the director Sangeeta on the big screen. Sangeeta is the most successful female director of Pakistan cinema. She has directed around 70 films (Urdu, Punjabi, Pashto) the most by any female director. Her last film Lahoria Te Pishoria (لہوریا تے پشوریا) in Punjabi was released in 2015, while her last Urdu film Haseeno Ka Mela (حسینوں کا میلہ) was released in 2010.
THH was due to release in April 2017 then delayed to August and now November. The trailer of the film was out in March 2017 and was heavily criticized on social media. Going by the trailer THH is definitely not the best work by Sangeeta and we expect some quality work from the comeback of Sangeeta.
The veteran film makers returning to film makers must understand audience of cinema has changed and is no more limited to the blue collared class of the society as it was in 1990s,so the Lahore based directors returning to Urdu films like Sangeeta, Syed Noor, Nasir Adeeb, Iqbal Kashmiri, Sohail Khan, Faisal Bukhari also have to reconsider their style of film making.
Azaadi (آزادی) Release Date: November 2017 (Announced) Expected to release on 10th November 2017 Azaadi is a film based on the Kashmiris struggle against the Indian occupant forces. The film highlights the decades old Indian oppression and brutality towards Kashmiris as well Kashmiris struggle for independence from India.
The film is directed by Imran Malik, who is the son of Parvez Malik (late) a successful director of Pakistan film industry. Parvez Malik directed some block buster Urdu films of the past mostly starring Waheed Murad like Armaan (1966). Azaadi stars Moammer Rana and Sonya Hussain in the lead roles.
The teaser of Azaadi was released in March 2017, the first look or poster was launched in June 2017. The poster mentions the release date as November 2017 but lately its team is not much active on social media.
Shor Sharaba (شور شرابا) Release Date: November 2017 (Expected) Shor Sharaba is another film produced in Lahore, where its producer Sohail Khan is making a comeback towards Urdu cinema. Sohail Khan is a film producer from Lahore, and since film making in Pakistan was extinct by mid 2000s he produced films in Bollywood. He was the co-producer of the Bollywood films like Jannat, Murder 3 and perhaps it is where he get acquainted with Indian film directors.
Since the so called revival of Urdu cinema, Sohail has also announced his film Shor Sharaba around 2014-2015 to be directed by the Indian directed Hasnain Hyderabadwala (حسنین حیدرآبادوالا). It took Hasnain Hyderabadwala long time to get the work permit and other permissions required to work in Pakistan and thus the film delayed. Eventually Hasnain Hyderabadwala got the work permit and the shooting of the film started in Lahore in 2016 and completed earlier this year. Interestingly in October 2016, Indian film producers association announced a ban on Pakistani artists in Bollywood. However at that time the Indian director was shooting this film in Pakistan and he again visited afterwards to complete the film as there is no such ban on Indian artists in Pakistan. Apart from the Indian director, the choreographer Shabina Khan of this film is also Indian.
Shor Sharaba stars Adnan Khan and Rabi Peerzada in the lead roles where Rabi is doing her first film. The trailer of the film was released in April 2017 and was quite clueless. One wonders what difference the Indian film director has made as the film is at par with the Urdu films of 1990s directed by Parvez Rana (Late), Maqsood Butt or Anjum Parvez.
The film release date was initially Eidul Fitr in June 2017, then 21st July 2017 and now November 2017. Lets hope the film sees the light of the day. It is another film from a Lahore based film maker which seems outdated and reminds of the Urdu cinema of 1990s. So the film might attract the persons nostalgic about the “Sweet” 90’s cinema.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEEYZNwJ4e0
Cake (کیک)
Release Date: November/December 2017 (Expected)
Cake is an Urdu film starring Adnan Malik, Sanam Saeed and Aamina Sheikh in the lead roles. The film makers are new as well it is the first film of Adnan Malik. Sanam Saeed and Aamina Sheikh two polished artists are appearing as sisters in this film.
Talking to the BBC Urdu, the director of the film hinted to release the film in November/December 2017, however so far no song or teaser of this film is released yet and there is uncertainty for Cake to be served in the fall 2017
Verna (ورنہ) Release Date: November 2017(Announced), 10 November 2017 (Expected) Verna, a film by Shoaib Mansoor is perhaps the most awaited film for a while. It is the third film by Shoaib Mansoor, after Khuda Ke Liye (2007) and Bol (2011). Shoaib is known for selective but quality work. His films are not mainstream commercial films but still prove successful and thus Varna has huge expectations associated with it.
After Shoaib Mansoor, Mahira Khan the super star of Pakistani cinema is the other big aspect of Varna. Mahira is appearing in an Urdu film after a gap of almost two years where her last film was Ho Man Jahan (1st January 2016), though she did a cameo in Actor In Law (September 2016) too. Like the previous films of Shoaib Mansoor, Verna also covers a serious social subject. But Shoaib Mansoor is known for delivering a complicated subject in a subtle manner without being too preachy.
No teaser of Verna is released so far, only its first look is revealed.
Maan Jao Na (مان جاؤ نا) Release Date: 1 December 2017 MJN is a romantic comedy starring Iranian artist Naaz Norouzi paired with Adeel Chaudhry working in his first Pakistani film. MJN also star Ali Gur Pir in an important role. MJN’s trailer or teaser is not yet released.
MJN is directed by Aabis Raza, who earlier directed many successful dramas.
Parchi (پرچی) Release Date: November/December 2017 (Announced)
The teaser of Parchi is released last week and received positive reviews. The production team of Janaan (September 2017) is back with next film though the cast of the film is changed apart from Usman Mukhtar and Ali Rehman Khan. Hareem Farooq is playing the female lead From its teaser it looked a crime caper- comedy film.
The teaser says Parchi will be out in the Winter 2017, so its expected release date must be November or December 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blzsRyH7EXM
Rangreza (رنگریزا) Release Date: 21 December 2017 Rangreza is a film announced in August 2016. Initially Sana Javed was in the lead role, but she later left the film and replaced by Urwa Hocane. The male leads of the film are Bilal Ashraf and Gohar Rasheed.
Rangreza is based on music where Gohar Rasheed is playing the role of a member of Qawwal family. Bilal Ashraf is appearing as a popstar. Ghana Ali and Aleezay Gabool are also in the cast.
One teaser and four songs of this film are already released. The first song of Rangreza Phool Khil Jayen was well received upon its release in June 2017. The consequent songs released also praised, so music is another major highlight of this film. The film also features an item song which is shot on Eunchs(Hijras).
Chuppan Chupai (چھپن چھپائی) Release Date: 22 December 2017 Chuppan Chupai is a film announced two years ago. It is a comedy film starring Ahsan Khan and Naeelum Munir. Ahsan Khan is returning to big screen after a gap of few years, while Neelum Muneer is starting her big screen career.
Ahsan Khan has been a popular name on television for past many years, so it will be interesting to see translating to this success on the big screen. Neelum Munir is also a popular name of television dramas. Comedy genre (with a pinch of romance) or RomCom films have emerged as the most popular film category in the recent times. No trailer or teaser of Chuppan Chupai is released so far, but its first look poster is already out
Arth (ارتھ) Release Date: 22 December 2017 Arth is a remake of the Bollywood film Arth of 1980s. Shaan Shahid the director is also playing the lead role alongwith Humaima Malick, Uzma Hassan and Mohib Miza. Arth was announced in 2014 and it took three and a half year for Shaan to complete this “master piece”. In 2014 the initial cast of the film includes Humayun Saeed, later replaced by Mohib Mirza.
The teasers of Arth were released in July 2017. The film is shot in UK and Pakistan. Shaan Shahid is returning to film direction from Arth2, where his last film Zille Shah (as director) was released a decade ago. Uzma Hassan known for her power performances in the television dramas, is making her big screen debut.
Shaan Shahid is a brand name and the biggest star of Pakistan cinema of current era. He is one of the very few film person of the old cinema of 1990s, who successfully transitioned into the new age Pakistani cinema (Other such name is Shafqat Cheema). His presence in a film guarantees a good opening week for the film and Arth is expected to have a good start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnG5cHCiw1s
So it completes the films announced or expected to be released in the upcoming three months of 2017. Few of the films like Cake or Shor Sharaba might be postponed since their release date is not confirmed yet. On the whole the next three months look quite promising with back to back quality productions, especially the Christmas weekend of 21st December when three films are releasing.
Internet is on fire since some pictures of Ranbir Kapoor and Mahira Khan smoking on the street in NYC went viral. Many people are bashing Mahira; since she has always maintained a very innocent image in front of the public; watching her smoking in a skimpy dress didn’t settle with many of her fans. On the other hand hardcore fans and many celebrity friends have defended the diva too. Mahira has not said a single word on this but Ranbir’s reply is here. He has showed disappointment on all the backlash Mahira is getting and has said that he admires her:
Fans are waiting how Mahira would address this controversy since Ranbir’s thoughts are out now!
The industry has managed to progress at a decent pace in the last decade. We have got many “stars” in front of us and many of them have come out in the last five years or so. Now becoming a star is easier than it was years ago; thanks to social media and National Crush phenomenon; many actors and singers have managed to reach great heights without doing much work. So here is a list of stars who have shined without burning in the furnace of hard work:
Fawad Khan:
Is Fawad a brilliant actor? Yes! Does he know the craft he has invested himself in? Yes! Has he worked even half the amount of the stardom he has? No! Fawad Khan came from singing into acting and he was impressive from the very start. He did few dramas and I personally loved his acting in Khuda Ke Liye but it was Humsafar which made him an over night star. Many would say that he has done a lot of work and all; but did he? He has not done a single project in Pakistan since he was casted in Khoobsurat but he still rules the industry. And the reason behind it? The NATIONAL CRUSH phenomenon! He will be appearing in Maula Jutt 2 soon now and this will surely increase his following.
Momina Mustehsan:
Momina Mustehsan is another NATIONAL CRUSH! Don’t blame me for using the word again and again since you all know our nation has a lot of crushes; so here comes another one. She sang Afreen Afreen alongside the maestro Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in Coke Studio season 9 and before people could listen to the full song; she was a star. Social media was filled with her pictures and now she has established herself in the music industry by being a part of cornetto pop rock, advertisement campaigns and two songs in Coke Studio season 10. One song has done such wonders for her which are difficult to achieve for some singers in their whole career.
Mawra Hocane:
Mawra just won the Star Of The Year Female award at the IPPA Awards. Why she won this award is a mystery in itself since I don’t remember her giving a super hit project this year. Yes Sammi was a good drama but it was good due to its story line and all other actors in the project; since Mawra’s work was not very impressive. To be honest Mawra is less of an industry star and more of an Instagram star. She is seen in new avatars and has achieved a great position in the industry through her social media management rather than working very hard for the kind of stardom she has achieved.
Bilal Abbas Khan:
He is good and has proved he can act. His work in O Rungreza is amazing too. But the kind of stardom he has reached is less appreciation for his work and more a mixture of social media presence and somewhat crushing factor. He has talent and a handsome face too and the talent may not get you to the place you deserve easily; a handsome and fair n lovely face can take you places in a short period of time. Bilal has also achieved greater fame as compared to his work in the industry.
Aima Baig:
Aima Baig has also achieved a lot in a relatively shorter period of time. She has done playback singing and was a part of three songs in Coke Studio season 10 and this happened in about an year’s time. She has a nice voice, can sing catchy tunes and has a pretty face. It won’t be very wrong to say that Aima was season 10’s Momina though I find her more talented than Momina. She also became a sensation on social media bringing her bigger stardom though she has not done a lot of work in the industry.
Kubra Khan:
It was a case of she came, she saw and she conquered for Kubra Khan. Despite being a newcomer in the industry Kubra is one of the top leading actresses these days. She is a part of many super hit projects back to back and will also be seen in Parwaaz Hai Junoon. Maybe the good choice of projects helped her but she became star in a very short period of time though she has not done a lot of work in the industry. She reached the place where many other actresses reached after trying for years.
So these are the stars who managed to get bigger stardom with relatively small amount of work in the industry. Some of them enjoy positions which even stars like Ahsan Khan have not reached yet despite of proving themselves over and over. Which other stars do you think can be a part of this list? Share in comments!
Dua Malik and Nadia Hussain were among the lucky crowd of Muslims from all over the world who performed Hajj this year in 2017. This beautiful journey is obligatory on every able Muslim and those who have completed it always describe as a life changing experience.
These two celebrities were called by Shaista Lodhi on her show Geo Subah Pakistan yesterday. They were welcomed with garlands and a massive feast prepared for them, like the norm of inviting the hajjis for honorary meals to congratulate the end of this rite of passage that they have just covered.
They spoke about the immensely spiritual and unearthly experience it was for them. Both of them had left behind their kids in Pakistan and despite wanting to return to them, they were very moved by the spirituality they experienced on their blessed stay in Makkah and Medina.
There were a lot of tears in the show, both by the hostess and the guests as they recalled the close proximity they felt with Almighty during those days. One thing that particularly moved Nadia Hussain was the realisation of the honour that Allah hadn’t bestowed upon mothers as he made every Muslim take the to and fro journey between Safa and Mawra which Hajrah (peace be upon her) undertook in order to find some water for her infant. Dua Malik also made Shaista and Nadia cry as she recounted all that she felt and saw there.
May Allah accept it from them and all the Muslims who were lucky enough to have completed this entourage.
Ohkay so, another episode, another layer lifted off the characters, which showcased the depth the writer has added in each & every single character. Just when you think you know every other character in & out, the writer surprises you with a new detail which further helps you in forming an opinion about it. This is what I love about O Rangreza, there’s so much that the writer wants you to explore due to which you never find any scene, any scenario uninteresting & this is what the brilliance of this drama is!
All this while, I had a firm belief that Khayyam was a coward & he has proved it time & again but in this episode, we also got to learn that Khayyam was not only conniving but manipulative as well. The way Khayyam devised the entire plan went to show that he believes in having everything that he wants by hook or by crook. Since Khayyam knew that Sassi could create a havoc over his & Sonia’s marriage & she was capable of not allowing it to happen, in stead of backing out, he chose to give her what she wanted; the permission to join the film industry but then again, there was a catch which Sassi at that point couldn’t see. Since Khayyam is a coward, he now wanted Sassi’s future husband to do the heavy-lifting on his behalf, because then Khayyam wouldn’t have to face the world & answer their questions as to why he allowed his daughter to become an actress as then he would easily say that Sassi is doing everything with her husband’s permission. Khayyam really thought things through & he did all this because he can not afford to lose Sonia Jahan, with this he proved how selfish he is because he for once can not give up on his desires for the sake of his daughter. Khayyam still hasn’t been able to understand that this was the right time where he could set an example for Sassi, where he could show her the right path by doing the right thing himself but he chose the easier way by making a deal with her because it guaranteed him his own marriage. If Khayyam would’ve been genuinely concerned for Sassi, he would’ve said that fine, I won’t get married to Sonia & you should stop dreaming about becoming an actress too but he chose not to give up on his own desire & still came up with this strategy of getting her married, thinking it will work. It is so easy for Khayyam to blame Mumtaz for faulty upbringing but has he ever analyzed what part he has played in raising his children & what sort of influence he has had on them?
Khayyam really is underestimating Sassi by believing that she would get married & settle for the deal he made with her. Sassi obviously didn’t show much of a reaction because she knows when the time will come, she will deal with things her way. I just couldn’t believe what a coward Khayyam was & how he was now trying to get rid of Sassi by choosing a husband for her, like in stead of dealing with his daughter on his own & understanding her concerns, he was actually trying to turn a blind eye for his own mental peace. Ever since Khayyam understood that Sassi’s responsibility is overwhelming for him, he decided to create a distance between himself & her & for him marriage is the perfect answer for this!
So, Khayyam’s pick for Sassi was Qasim. It was interesting how Khayyam subtly reminded Qasim of everything that he has done for him so far but when it came to the actual proposal, he made Mumtaz say it because his inflated ego didn’t allow him to ‘request’ Qasim. Khayyam is so egoistic that he couldn’t actually put forth Sassi’s proposal in front of Qasim himself as that would give Qasim an edge over him that he was the one who approached Qasim for this marriage. Like Kareeman Bua said, Qasim is another Mumtaz & in this episode we saw that Khayyam was exactly trying to do that by turning him into a scapegoat. Khayyam knows that by using Qasim as a stooge, he will be able to control Sassi as well – another scenario which showed how manipulative Khayyam was. Once again, Khayyam now told Qasim that he has to stop Sassi, like this is something that he should be doing himself but he appointed Qasim for it because Khayyam the coward doesn’t want to take the responsibility of tackling his daughter himself!
Sassi proved that she is going to do what she wants to & for that reason, she herself went to see Wajih Kamal. Even though Wajih didn’t show much interest in her but the way he told her that she was missing the spark was basically his way of testing her as he wants to see how far she can go & how driven she is towards her goal. I loved the way in return, Sassi tried to rile Wajih up by bringing her father’s name because she knew that one way or the other, Sonia will be made to face the brunt which would indirectly hurt her father, again this was Sassi’s way of getting back at him!
I loved Kareeman Bua’s excitement when it came to Sassi & Qasim’s wedding but then again Qasim is happy but still not ready to let Sassi know that he is the one who has been chosen for her. Qasim can already see that things aren’t as simple as Khayyam was making them look like because with just one sentence, one reminder of what he has done for Qasim & what he expects from him, Khayyam brought him down to the ground. Qasim also knows that Sassi will never accept him because he is not her ideal, he is not like Khayyam & he was already feeling burdened by it. At least it is good that Qasim has Kareeman Bua on his side, Mumtaz is a failure so she could obviously not encourage him the way Kareeman Bua did. It was nice to see Kareeman assuring Qasim that he was perfect & supporting him to tell everything to Sassi because the sooner the better!
All this while I was excited to see Tipu’s character & even though I know he is going to contribute to the story a great deal but after seeing his short introduction, I am not too sure because I didn’t really get the actor playing the role of Tipu. His acting was completely off & the way he was delivering his dialogues was a bit odd too. I know it is a bit too quick to judge but in the first impression, his character wasn’t well-received, anyways let’s see if that will change in the episodes to come.
Overall, this episode was quite interesting & I loved seeing how the writer further elaborated Khayyam Sani’s twisted character. He really is a depiction of all those men out there who want everything for themselves & who try run away from any such responsibility the moment things get a bit overbearing for them. I liked Omair Rana’s performance in this episode, like he came for a brief moment but he was absolutely convincing as Wajih Kamal – the director. Sajal Ali & Bilal Abbas Khan are making this drama a treat to watch, I just love them as Sassi & Qasim. The preview of the next episode seemed promising as well, I am waiting to find out how Sassi will react when she will learn that her husband-to-be is Qasim, but then again I am already feeling bad for Qasim as Sassi’s attitude towards him will be insulting & that will hurt him, which he doesn’t deserve, so let’s see how things roll. Please share your thoughts about this episode of O Rangreza.
Coke Studio season 10 has ended on a beautiful note by paying tribute to the legend, the man who left too soon, Junaid Jamshed. Despite some disappointing numbers in the midst of this season, the end could not have been more fitting, more appropriate or more touching.
”Us Rah Par” by the late artist was recreated by Ali Hamza and Ali Zafar and it reminded of an era when Junaid Jamshed was a newly rising star and it was just one of the numbers that helped him gain immense popularity. Later, however, whenever you hear this song, it reminds of a man who truly never walked on the commonly treaded path. A man who turned around full circle from the road that was leading him upwards and onwards was no ordinary one.
The song is produced by Strings, directed by Jaffar Zaidi and the original composition and lyrics was by Shoaib Mansoor, one of the first friends that Junaid Jamshed had in the showbiz industry. Their history goes long back to the days when the two struggled to be noticed as young men full of creativity and art. After his religious transformation, Junaid Jamshed had fall outs with a lot of his old friends. After his death , though, everyone remembers him for his finesse, loyalty and generosity which was unprecedented both in the world of media and religion in Pakistan.
For the one who always wanted to carve out his own journey. From Shoaib Mansoor, Ali Zafar, Ali Hamza, Strings, Coke Studio and all of Pakistan. May his soul reach the destination where he wanted it lead.
Mohabbat Tumse Nafrat Hei nowadays is the kind of drama you wait for the entire week and every new episode makes you look forward to the next one. I don’t ever remember watching a drama I completely gave up on and ended up looking forward to so eagerly in the last few weeks! The story has taken such a turn that every episode reveals something new about the past and each episode has a surprise in store. Also, the fact that the writer is taking his time in revealing all the details about the past also builds up the curiosity. Right now, not only do the viewers want to find out what happened in the past after Waqar left but they also want to see what the future has in store. Imran Abbas was absolutely brilliant in tonight’s episode, he completely stole the show with his effortless portrayal of a man who in reality is clueless but thinks he knows everything. The way the scenes from the past and present were blended together gave this episode a different feel. These few episodes reminded me of the reasons why I had so many expectations from this play after watching the first episode.
This episode opened with Maheen’s reaction after she read the letter. She went from being in denial to realizing that Waqar was never coming back. Maheen’s reaction was anything but typical; she did not cry and she did not shut herself from the world. On the contrary, she was the one who told everyone what had happened. She was also the one who decided there was still something she could do to take control of the situation. Maheen has always been shown as someone who wants to be in control of things therefore when she asked Gulrez to marry her I felt like this was her way of taking over a situation which she otherwise had no control over. I felt for Gulrez tonight more than ever, although he always wanted to marry Maheen but the way this marriage took place was just plain sad. He had absolutely no say in it – no one asked him how he felt about the situation. He went ahead with the nikkah because he had no choice. Someone like Gulrez who had tons of self-respect couldn’t have been entirely satisfied with this situation. I hope we get to see how the relationship between them was after they got married and what exactly happened to Gulrez.
The best scene of tonight’s episode was the one in which Munshi Alam told Waqar that Gulrez and Maheen ultimately got married that night. Waqar’s reaction at that time and later on when he found out that Gulrez was dead was translated on screen brilliantly. There was however a blooper in the previous episode, the diary was still on table when Waqar left. I remember looking for it especially when Gulrez picked up the letter from the bed and saw it on the writing table. I was wondering if Jia would get rid of the diary but apparently it was a blooper and the diary shouldn’t have been there. The fact that Waqar took the diary with him makes the whole situation even more interesting because he has proof now. Had Jia taken the diary with her, no one would have believed him. Also, Maheen’s bridal duppata changed by the time she went down the stairs. Apart from these minor bloopers everything else about this episode was picture perfect. The story is so enticing right now that you can easily ignore such minor flaws.
Those of you who gave up on this drama should definitely catch up because the story is more interesting now than it ever was!! There is still so much which needs to be shown therefore this drama can go on for another 4 weeks and at this point I don’t mind that at all! Right now, I am looking forward to the final showdown – when Waqar shows Ami Begum the diary and explains what happened that night.
How many of you watched this latest episode? Do share your thoughts about it.
The veteran morning show host Nida Yasir is not easy to beat in popularity, since she started gracing the screens every morning. She was recently present in a charity event with her two younger kids Sila and Baalaj. Her oldest Freed was not seen with them. Nida was looking gorgeous in blue embroidered top and straight white pants. Interestingly, her two kids were seen in the same color combination. The trio looked very good in pictures posing together.
Since the pictures of Mahira Khan and Ranbir Kapoor leaked online, media is in a rage not only in Pakistan but in India too. The meeting has been reported by all platforms and Mahira and Ranbir were part of every headlines section. Here are some neighbour platforms reporting on the meeting and calling it a date:
Some were questioning:
While others just confirmed that they are in a relationship:
An Indian publication Hindustan times went on to question Papa Kapoor about these pictures and this is what he had to say:
“I have also seen the picture this morning itself. It doesn’t concern me, so please keep me out. Ask the one who is there in the picture.”
He further went on to say:
“I only saw them on Twitter, not on Instagram or Facebook, because I am only on Twitter. It’s not that I saw these pictures before or I know anything about this already. You see, Ranbir is a young star, he is unmarried, he’s a bachelor. He can meet anybody whoever he wants to, and if people are going to invade in his privacy, it’s not done. And I can’t say anything about all this because he’s a young man and he has the choice of meeting any girl.“How do we know that here’s something more to this picture? He could have met her just outside there. They must have been in a restaurant or a place where they cannot smoke, that’s why they are smoking outside. In US, they have really strict rules that don’t allow smoking in public places. I can’t say anything more because I don’t know anything more than that. ”
Rishi has pulled himself out of his son’s business!
This season Coke Studio was not a very good one atleast for me. Most of the songs were just Okay but they really gave a perfect ending to the season with Us Rah Par. The last episode had Sajjad Ali, Shuja Haider, Aima Baig, Shafqat Amanat Ali, Ali Hamza and Ali Zafar in the artist line up. Lets get to each song individually:
Tera Naam:
The song is sung by Sajjad Ali and he is the music director too. Tera Naam was an average song for me. It was not very good but not bad either. The lyrics were nice and Sajjad as usual did a good job too but Ronay Na Diya was his best. The music was also his typical style but this song overall lacked that magic touch which makes his songs stand out. Overall an average one!
Baanware:
Music is directed by Shuja Haider and the singers are Aima Baig and Shuja Haider. This was a true Shuja Haider song. His voice is magical and the music was appealing to the ears too. This was Aima’s third and the best performance. It was an Aima kind of song and really matched her style of singing. A perfect song to have in the season finale. The way Aima and Shuja’s voice were paired made it a must have for playlists.
Maula Tera Noor:
Shafqat Amanat Ali sung Maula Tera Noor and the music director is Shani Arshad. I don’t know why but Shafqat showed no variation in his performances this season. All of them sounded so similar that it would be difficult to differentiate. Same as in Bol he was very slow, yes this is the demand of the composition but his singing was boring too. This was the worst composition of the day and may have been left out of the finale.
Us Rah Par:
BEST! BEST! BEST! Ali Zafar and Ali Hamza gave tribute to the legendary Junaid Jamshed with Us Rah Par and this is how you give tribute to a legend. It was sung beautifully by both and the music by Jaffer Zaidi was out of the world. I loved the way strings joined in during the performance and became a part of the tribute. This was the perfect ending to this year’s not so perfect Coke Studio. This was Ali Zafar’s best performance too and it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Jaffer was the best music director of this season.
How did you find this season’s finale? Share in comments!
So Internet went crazy when some pictures of Mahira Khan and Ranbir Kapoor leaked while they were smoking on a street in NYC.
A huge controversy was obvious and people have multiple reactions going on. Here are some thoughts which Pakistanis had in their minds and they eventually became a part of social media. Some celebrities came out in Mahira’s support and this is what they had to say:
Mahira’s loyal fans were not behind and defended the lady. They also called the ones bashing her hypocrites:
Some had the opinion that it is extremely normal for her to do something like that since she belongs to showbiz industry:
People criticized Mahira for keeping a innocent and girl next door image and then smoking in a revealing dress:
They also called her out since she represents Pakistan in the world:
Calling out names was also done:
She was also called out for defying religious values:
Some people have found their new Ramadan transmission host:
Ali Sethi and Ali Hamza have very recently impressed us with the lovely Tinak Dhin. The two have powerful vocals and an amazing coordination. What else do you need for a long lasting song by two singers? Absolutely nothing and that is why they are fast becoming the music sensation of today.
In a recent musical video shot informally, they show us that their talent is not dependent on elaborate musical instruments and sound effects and studio setting. They can infact create magic with a just friends, drum, guitar and their voices while lounging around casually. In a candid session with Patari, they have shown their wonderful Punjabi colours by recreating the famous wedding tappay.
Zahid Ahmed has made quite a name for himself with his looks, his voice and his acting. He is a phenomenal performer in many recent dramas. He is also exceptionally open and frank with his fans and admirers about his personal life and his journey to success.
Yesterday on his birthday, Zahid spoke to his fans live. He asked them to catch him on instagram as a present from him on his birthday and they can ask him anything they want. Lots of his people spoke to him and asked the questions they had in minds about him. In his usual friendly manner, Zahid answered a lot of their questions and told them that Saba Qamar is his favourite actress and that working with Ayeza Khan is a brilliant experience, as she is very humble and down to earth. Speaking of movies, he said that he wants his first movie to make an impact, that is why he is very choosy and have not finalised a film yet. On the topic of Bollywood, he expresses his openness to the idea and said that he is an actor, if he gets a good offer from there, he will certainly consider it.
We wish Zahid Ahmed a very happy birthday and hope to see him in a lot of wonderful roles in the years to come.
Ohkay so, this episode of Daldal was pretty basic & showcased the agenda of the main lead where he does everything to achieve what he wants. Even though there’s reality in what is being portrayed but somehow I find something missing from this drama, I am unable to put a finger on it but still I feel there’s something missing, but having said that, it does qualify as a decent drama to tune to!
Saadat found out about what Shuja did & he tried to do the damage control as much as he could. To be honest, I find Hira’s father Faraz & his concerns on the phone a bit unconvincing, like he has made quite a lot of money so it is hard to believe that first he couldn’t come to attend his daughter’s wedding & then after she was put through so much of trauma, he still didn’t find it in himself to come to Pakistan & deal with everything in person. There’s not much that Shaheen can do & even though Saadat tried to assure Faraz that he will take care of Hira but still being her father, Faraz shouldn’t have let things slide so easily that too over the phone!
Shuja & Sakina made sure that Hira doesn’t tell Saadat the actual reason why Shuja threw her out of the house, even Kamran was suspicious but he knew that Hira wouldn’t say anything that might rile Shuja up as he has already made it clear to her that he is not going to allow her doing any such thing which he disapproves of.
Saniya’s character is strong but I wish there was more to her than just worrying about her ‘shadi’, like girl, get educated, live life first & then worry about your marriage. It is good that she stands up for the right especially in front of her father but then in this episode I found her dialogues repetitive as if she has been set on a loop & she can’t say anything apart from that. Also, her conversations with Kamran are monotonous as well. Kamran tried to convey a message to his family through Hira but that was in vain as well because his family is not in a financial condition to afford any such ceremony. I found Sakina’s character quite annoying, yes there’s a lot of reality attached to her character but somehow the way this character has been acted out is a bit too over the top!
Finally Faraz agreed to help Shuja in achieving his dream of coming to London. Faraz has understood that this is what Shuja wants & this is the only way he will be able to keep Hira happy because this is what he dreams of. It was interesting that Shaheen presented a perspective of a woman who lives without her husband as she knows how hard it is, that is why she opposed the idea of Shuja leaving Hira behind but since Faraz himself has lived his life that way, he didn’t find anything odd when it came to Shuja’s request.
Overall, this episode was pretty decent. I liked Armeena Rana Khan’s acting especially in this episode, she portrayed the struggles of a girl who wants to make her husband happy by meeting all his demands to perfection. It is so obvious that Hira doesn’t want Shuja to leave but since she has seen that his mind is set on it, she knows there’s nothing that she’d say or do that would change his decision. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Daldal.
Ohkay so, it was another slow but decent episode of Yaar e Bewafa. Even though the story has moved to the second phase, I am finding the pace a bit too slow. Yes, it is obvious that the drama makers must be having a certain number of episodes in mind but since there are such few characters that the story is revolving around, a lot of the scenes end up looking repetitive & long. Nonetheless, the drama in general is quite decent & the way the struggles & the emotions of regular people have been portrayed is commendable!
This episode was all about Amna & her juggle between her personal life & work. Amna has pretty much gotten the hang of what she has to do & that is why she was comfortably looking after Humera. It was good that she chose to tag her son along because it would be better for her son to not be around Saleem who has nothing but coughing to offer. The only progress Saleem’s character made was that apart from yelling, he was now coughing incessantly.
Even though Amna stepped out of her house to earn some money, things were still hard for her because she had to take care of Humera, Saleem & then her son Ahmed as well & there’s a limit to how much she could do & sadly, when her limits were pushed, Zaid chose not to understand her because for him, his mother’s well-being is most important. Even though Amna did all that she could but even her son needed her but Zaid chose not to give her the chance to explain why she left Humera alone.
I liked how Zaid was bonding with Ahmed, obviously he misses his own son too & Amna’s son must’ve made Zaid miss his own son a lot. At first I thought Zaid wouldn’t entertain Amna’s child but it was a pleasant surprise to see him having a conversation with the young boy. It was good that after a very rough day, Zaid learnt that the progress his mother made was all due to Amna’s efforts because Zaid wasn’t available for his mother as much as Amna was in these last few weeks. Even Humera has grown to like Amna that is why she was seen asking about Amna.
I am sure now that Saleem has come across Zaid, he would make things even more difficult for Amna. He hasn’t stopped taunting her ever since she has started working, so now knowing that she works at a place of a man that too like Zaid, he wouldn’t stop pestering Amna. Overall, this episode was pretty decent but I would like things to speed up a bit. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Yaar e Bewafa.
