As we all know Saba Qamar will be essaying the role of Qandeel Baloch in her upcoming project. Rest of the stars joining the project include Hareem Farooq, Osman Khalid Butt and Khalid Malik. Qandeel Baloch was a social media sensation who ill fatedly became a target of honour killing. Her brother killed her due to the controversial videos she made. Sarmad Khoosat will play the role of Qandeel’s brother. Watch the teaser of Baaghi below:
The beautiful celebrity couple, Farhan Saeed and Urwa Hocane celebrated their first Eid after marriage at an orphange. They visited Sirat-ul-Jannah Orphanage and spend some time with the children there. Farhan spotted playing guitar as the couple sing songs with them. However, they also played games and shared gifts with the children.
The glimpses of Farhan and Urwa sharing laughter with the children melt our heart.
A renowned guitarist, finest song writer and remarkable composer, Amir Zaki departed from the world on 2nd June 2017.Β It was indeed a sad day in the history of Pakistani music. He had been a part of Pakistani pop music during 1990s. My ears still echo with his beautiful musical pieces and songs, specially βmera pyaar tumhi hoβ. The song which has been part of my playlist for years. My heart wrecks and fails to accept the fact that one more precious gem of our Pakistani music industry has been lost.
In 1995, Amir Zaki earned prominent position in pop music when his famous song βMera Pyaarβ was released. The song became a sensation and received a definite position in all music charts of television and radio. This song was a part of his first album βSignatureβ which was a major hit.
Amir Zaki, as a talent was first recognized by Alamgir, a living legend of our music industry. He also played guitar for Alamgirβs famous songs βkeh de naβ and βAlbera Rahiβ. Later he formed three rock bands named βBarbariansβ, βAxe Attackβ and βScratchβ. He recorded first English album in the history of Pakistan with his band Axe Attack. The name of the album was βThe Bombβ but unfortunately most of the music companies of the county refused to release it. Later he made an album named βSignatureβ bearing majority of instrumentals. However, one Urdu and two English songs were also included in it.
His second musical album βRough Cutβ was released in collaboration with popular Pakistani pop singer Hadiqa Kiyani in 2007. The songs of the album were in English and perhaps failed to get mainstream attention for this reason.
Amir Zaki toured extensively with Alamgir. He contributed immensely in Pakistani music during 1990s when pop music industry was booming. If we shed light upon the history of pop music of Pakistan, we cannot stop ourselves from recalling Nazia Hassan and Zohaib Hassan, the heartthrob musicians who gained popularity across entire South Asia. Later, some more pop bands appeared on the screen and driven the popularity of pop music across the globe. Β Vital Signs, Junoon, Awaaz are the few Pakistani pop bands which became popular during 1990s and Amir Zaki was a part of most of the famous songs of that time. He did a lot of international tours with Vital Signs and Junoon as well.
He was a talented musician who could play different genres of music ranging from blues, jazz, rock to classical. Despite having small number of music releases, he managed to create an ever-lasting impression on our music industry. When his famous song βMera Pyaarβ was released, the music charts were flooded with some top pop songs and bhangra numbers of Awaaz, Yasir Akhtar, Waqar Ali, Fakhr-e-Alam and many more. in contrast, βMera Pyaarβ was simple, soft and serene composition and therefore gained everyoneβs attention.
His long-awaited debut in Coke Studio was in Season 7, in which he played tremendous guitar pieces for singers Asraar and Zohaib Hassan. The melodic and instrumental fusion of Zakiβs music stole the show. He was also seen in action during βI am Karachi music festivalβ, that was thoroughly enjoyed by his die-heart fans.
He was a true inspiration for our music lovers and guitar players. He was a trend setter, many young people started playing guitar after watching his performances in live sessions. He wasnβt a mainstream artist and his work is more acknowledged by a niche audience, who are more familiar to the type of music he played.
He was among the top-notch musicians of our country. His sudden death has deprived our music industry from a versatile artist who had command on an array of different music forms. He has adapted both eastern and western styles of melodies and has brought a perfect blend of both to us. No other name than Amir Zaki comes to mind when we talk about the fusion of different styles of music. He will always be remembered as the most influential music artist in the history of Pakistani music.
I am glad that this drama did not have a tragic ending and all the characters in the end found their respective destinations. I was however expecting this episode to be slightly more dramatic and I definitely missed Salima tonight. I am not going to go into the details since I am sure a lot of people haven’t watched this last episode just yet but I have to say that I loved the last scene of this episode,Β it was exactly like the first scene of this drama but things were completely different at this point. Chaudhry’s track did not have the dramatic ending we were all hoping it would have but ultimately it all boiled down to someone more powerful asserting his influence and getting things done by Chaudhry Nawaz in an entirely different way. I liked the addition of this new character in the end because it showed that not everyone at helm of affairs was like Chaudhry Nawaz. The way Chandni apologized to Sammi had to be the most poignant scene of this episode.
I have to admit that after watching the first few episodes of Sammi, I wasn’t actually blown away but it was the kind of drama which gradually grew on me for a number of reasons. The most important reason why watching Sammi and reviewing it has been an unforgettable experience is that after a long time I watched a drama which touched a lot of issues which truly matter especially in a time when most dramas focus only on one subject, it was a pleasure watching a drama like Sammi which tackled with number of important issues in an effective manner. The writer and director’s strong grip on all these tracks and their understanding of all the situations which were shown in the drama was the primary reason why I always found it easy to connect to all the characters and their stories. Every character had a story to tell and all these stories served a bigger purpose. They were meaningful and showed problems faced by women from different angles. I am glad that the writer did not stick to the theme of vanni alone but explored so many other topics. Whether it was Zarina, Zulekha, Salima, Naheed, Rashid, Chaudhry, Aalyan, Salar, Chandi, Naheed’s brother, Shahzaib, Waqas, Riaz, Ghulam Rasool and even Salima’s daughters, all these characters showed a certain mindset that exists not only in the remote areas but even in some of the most posh areas of our society.
The most beautiful aspect of Sammi were all the beautifully etched-out characters which translated their stories on screen so flawlessly that the messages they were putting forward were loud, clear and effective. Even the negative characters in the story were there for a reason and the writer used these characters to explain the reasons why these people feel the need to control and oppress others. Chaudhry Nawaz’s character was one such character and his son’s character showed how one person like Aalyan could change so much! Chaudhry Nawaz carried the legacy which his forefathers left behind, he never had reason to question the system because it suited his needs but his son was taught to put human beings above everything else, this lesson changed his entire perspective. What a beautiful message this was! It did not only show the change one person could bring about but it also showed the real purpose behind education. Zarina was another such person who was doing what everyone before her did until she had a reason to question the system. She also raised a son with slave mentality but when her son’s life was in danger, she started questioning all those pre-conceived notions. Same was the case with Rashid. Sammi’s story also changed only after she started questioning things around her. In my opinion all these tracks contained the message that we don’t always have to accept things the way they are, questioning the system and things which do not seem right is sometimes the first step in the right direction.
I can go on and on about all the wonderful messages this drama had but one message which most certainly stood out more than others for me was the way the writer asserted the importance of a woman’s consent during nikkah. I personally feel that this was the need of the hour since we see so many dramas nowadays in which forced nikkahs are readily accepted and are now a bad precedent being followed by many writers. The writer made this message even more powerful by showing the maulvis standing by women and repeatedly emphasizing just how many rights women have under Islamic law. It was refreshing watching these religious people stating these things in a very logical manner. I am glad the writer’s approach was very logical hence convincing.
The director Saife Hassan deserves due credit for executing Noor-ul-Huda Shah’s brilliant script faultlessly. The locations and the overall feel of the drama gave the story a more realistic touch. Also, it isn’t easy handling a script with so many different tracks but he did complete justice to all these tracks by giving them all ample screen time. I can’t appreciate the producers enough for investing in a project which had tons of educational value and did not bank on glamour to entice the viewers. All the actors involved (with the exception of Mawra Hocane) breathed tangible life into their respective characters by looking and playing the role impressively. Unfortunately, Mawra Hocane failed to do justice to her character and was the only actor who looked out of place because she looked and sounded too modern. Sammi’s track also had a powerful message but I believe that Naheed and even Rashid and Salima’s track was much more effective overall therefore many viewers who watched this drama hoping this would be Sammi’s story alone were disappointed. It was made quite clear in the first few episodes that the drama would be about much more than the story of one girl but even then some viewers did not tune into the show after watching the first few episodes because Sammi’s track alone wasn’t appealing enough. Also, this drama as a whole had enough substance to attract the viewers and could hold its ground even if it wasn’t named after one character.
Adnan Siddiqui played his character superbly, he always showed the soft side of Rashid even when he was supposed to be a bad guy which is why later on the change in his character was more believable. His overall look, dialogue delivery and body language was perfect throughout. Saman Ansari is turning out to be an amazing addition to the drama industry, she is continuously experimenting by opting for roles which are very different from one another and so far has been part of some really good projects. I absolutely loved the honesty and dedication with which Seemi Raheel played the role of Zarina. The fact that she has the perfect Punjabi accent definitely helped. Rehan Sheikh is another powerful actor who never disappoints the viewers. Chaudhry’s character was an important one for many reasons and no other actor could have played this role better than Rehan Sheikh. Naheed’s role was a difficult one to enact on screen but Nadia Afghan translated different shades of Naheed’s character perfectly right from the get-go. She portrayed Naheed’s insecurities, fears and most importantly her strengths effortlessly. Bilal Khan brought out the best in his character and made Aalyan’s character one of the best in this play. Everything about Bilal Khan’s portrayal was perfect, I hope we get to see him playing more inspiring roles in the future too. Haris Waheed proved just how versatile he is by nailing his role. Irfan Khoosat, Humera Ali, Beena Chaudhry and Malik Raza also played their roles really well. Sania Saeed and Ahad Raza Mir‘s performances as well as their on screen chemistry made their track even more powerful and easy to relate to. Madiha Rizvi is a personal favorite who always performs well and this had to be one of the best performances she has given in recent times. She completely owned her role as a woman who went from looking out for her own interests to someone who knew there was more at stake than her marriage or her child’s future. The child actor playing the chota chaudhry was also impressive throughout and his character was also interesting, especially the changes he went through were shown really well. The actress who played the role of Maryam also had great screen presence and I loved how her entire outlook fit so perfectly in the role.
Thank you team Sammi for all your hard work and for giving us an amazing play. I would especially like to thank all those wonderful people who read the reviews every week and shared their thoughts here, I truly value your feedback and look forward to it. Do share your thoughts about this last episode and the drama as a whole.
Eid Mubarak to everyone. Hope all of you have a wonderful Eid.
ARY Digital and Wasim Badami dedicated the last segment of the aftar transmission to Junaid Jamshed. Reciting his naat, Badami bid farewell to Ramzan and Junaid himself with a heavy heart.
The segment that started a year ago was hosted by Junaid Jamshed. This year, however, it was done in his memory as a tribute.
Shaan Shahid will be seen in remake of Indian classic Arth releasing this December. The film stars Shaan Shahid, Mohib Mirza, Humaima Malik and Uzma Hassan. The first look posters are released for the movie and they look fabulous. Shaan shared this video before the unveiling:
Shaan is reprising the role played by Raj Kiran, Humaima Malik will be seen as Smita Patil, Uzma Hassan as Shabana Azmi and Mohib Mirza as Kulbushan Kharbanda. We are really looking forward to this!
Geo Khelo Pakistan has been showing a fair amount of generosity towards the Pakistan cricket team after the tremendous win of theirs in the ICC Champions trophy. After Sarfraz got a BMW and a plot of Land in Behria Town in the show, Muhammad Hafeez also came to the show to try his fortune. Β He also talked about his team’s victory and the the reasons behind it.
Talking to Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar, Hafeez told the audience that for them winning or losing did not matter. What mattered was , playing aggressively and giving their best as a team. The advertisement campaigns made in India were outrageous enough to have provoked them. This was what led them to winning against India.
Hafeez was also gifted four cars in the show and thanked all the sponsors and the show for the wonderful gifts he got, out of their generosity..
Eidul Fitr 2017 is already being celebrated today in many parts of the world. In Pakistan the Eidul Fitr is expected tomorrow on the Monday 26th June 2017. Like any Eidul Fitr many new films are also releasing in cinemas.
Though cinemas are accessible to a large population of our country at small and large cities, still the number of cine goers constitute less than one percent of our whole population. Many persons in our country prefer to watch films when these are released online or on DVD or on Television. So in order to watch the films they have to wait till its producers release the film online or on TV Premier. This approach does have its demerits as there has been films which are never released on DVD/online or on television.
There is a good news for all such persons who cannot watch films in the cinemas for whatever reasons. A total of six Urdu films are ready for worldwide television premier on this Eidul Fitr.
So here is the list of these six films
Bin Roye (Ψ¨Ω Ψ±ΩΫ) Bin RoyeΒ was released on Eidul Fitr 2015 i.e. July 18th 2015. Mahira Khan made a comeback to the big screen from Bin Roye after a long gap where her first film was Bol in 2011. Bin Roye was produced by MD Productions and distributed by Hum Films a film distribution company of Hum Tv.
Bin Roye was released in Pakistan, India, Europe, Middle East, North America, Africa and Asia-Pacific. The film proved successful and earned 30 crore rupees worldwide. The major share of its revenue was from international market. It earned 11 crore in Pakistan and rest from other countries mainly UK. The film proved that Pakistani films can earn decent amount overseas too, especially in UK.
The film received mixed reviews from the critics. Bin Roye is also aired as a drama of 18 episodes in 2016 which also proved successful. Now after a gap of two years Bin Roye film is ready for Television Premier on Hum Tv on this Eidul Fitr. Tune into Hum Tv at 8 PM on the first day of Eidul Fitr.
Despite high hopes DPMS failed at box office and also criticized heavily by critics and viewers alike. After two years DPMS is airing on TV One on the third day of the Eid at 3 PM.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyCw5zX7upQ
Blind Love (Ψ¨ΩΨ§Ψ¦ΩΪ ΩΩ) Blind Love was released on 5th August 2016. Directed by Faisal Bukhari it was a routine masala flick which Faisal Bukhari is known for. The film star Mathira, Aamir Qureshi, Yasir Shah, Nirmra Khan. The film featured a steamy item song on Mathira too.
Despite all the masala the film was out of cinemas in one weeks time. The film will be seeing its TV premier on PTV Home on the first day of Eid at 3 PM
It proved the most successful Urdu film of 2016 by earning around 25 crore in Pakistan. Worldwide it earned 30 crore. Starring Fahad Mustafa in the leading role it was the last film of Indian cinema’s great artist Om Puri as well.
The film was produced by Fizza Meerza and distribued by Urdu 1 films. Its Television Premier is also on this Eidul Fitr on Urdu 1 channel at 8PM on the 2nd Day of Eidul Fitr.
ZKHH was the debut film of Sajal Ali and Feroze Khan an on-screen pair having considerable fan following. ZKHH proved average at the box office and earned around 6.50 crores in Pakistan.
ZKHH is also making its television premier on this Eidul Fitr on Geo Tv at 8PM on the 2nd day of Eidul Fitr.
Lahore Se Aagay (ΩΨ§ΫΩΨ± Ψ³Ϋ Ψ’Ϊ―Ϋ) Lahore Se Aagay (LSA) was released on 10th November 2016. It was the sequel of the film Karachi Se Lahore (KSL) released in July 2015. LSA was distributed by ARY Films a film distribution company of ARY Media Network.
LSA was released worldwide and performed average at the box office. It earned around 9 crore from Pakistan. Being the first major film of Saba Qamar it received mixed reviews from the critics.
LSA is also making its television premier this Eidul Fitr on ARY Digital at 9PM on Eid first day.
So it concludes the list of television premiers of Urdu films on this Eidul Fitr.
Bilal and Uroosa Qureshi shared pictures from Sohaan Qureshi’s first birthday on Instagram and the couple look adorable, so does the birthday boy, Sohaan.
The cast of Yalghaar including Shaan ShahidΒ appeared on Kamran Shahid’s show and Shaan and director Hassan Rana finally answered the controversies surrounding the movie.
Shaan was accompanied by Sana Bucha, Ayesha Omer and Dr. Hassan Rana on the show. When Shaan was questioned about his part in the film he said:Β “When people stopped making Urdu films, I had to choose between leaving Pakistan or doing Punjabi films. I did the latter. I have always tried to support film industry to save it from decline. People have been saying that I’m not supporting Yalghaar. It’s not a film which has one hero. There is no one person. The entire army is the hero here. I did not want to the person who give people the idea that I’m the hero and I’m doing all the shooting and the saving. It’s like a national responsibility, everyone is sacrificing for it, journalists, citizens and armies.For me, it was a national responsibility. This soil has made me who I am. I have to give something back.”
And then Dr. Hassan cleared the air by saying:Β “From the very first frame, you will see Shaan. The narrative of this film is lead by Shaan. Sana is asking the tough questions in the film. Ayesha is representing the strong women of Pakistan. Humayun represents the inner evil inside all of us.”
Sana Bucha answered this when she was asked about her transition from journalist to actress:Β “People have been asking why have I switched journalism for acting. I have given up anchoring, not acting. I’ll forever remain into journalism. I never felt like I was acting, I felt like I was doing what I do.”
Ayesha’s first film was Yalghaar but its release got delayed but Ayesha is happy on being part of such a big film: “The story of the film is very close to our hearts. War films are always about action. Yalghaar touches upon the personal life and emotional side of people associated with this profession. I realized how passionate Doc is and how he is true to his work. For me, it’s a huge honor that I’m doing this film with such huge names.”
The controversies are finally put to rest; thanks to Shaan’s appearance on the interview!
Promotions have started for debut movie of Sajal Ali and Adnan Siddiqui. Due to tensions soaring high between the two neighboring countries; Sajal will not be a part of those promotions but she was appreciated by her co-star and superstarΒ Sridevi for her stellar performance.
During a promotional event Sridevi said:Β “This film is really special because I get to work with really great actors like Nawaz, Akshay and of course Sajal. She is unbelievable in the movie. She is going to surprise all of you. She is amazing. And it’s great, I learned so much because I was at the shoot all the time on my toes watching them.”
Even producer of the film Boney Kapoor did not hold back and praised the two Pakistani actors:Β “We have two very talented actors Sajal and Adnan who are unfortunately not here (to promote the film) but their contribution to the film is immense. We miss them today, they have given their best for the film and I am sure we all will like what they have done. I have not put my mind on it as we are finishing the film, the post production is on. They worked on the film and their contribution will remain.”
Sajal is really a very talented actress and hearing that from a superstar like Sridevi the praise becomes even bigger. We hope Sajal’s movie performs well at the box office as the film is releasing on 7th July.
Pehlaaj is all over the television these days. He is the son of famous anchor Iqrar ul Hassan. We have seen him in Ramadan transmissions and Jeeto Pakistan. So Daily Pakistan got in touch with the kid and what followed was the cutest interview ever. Watch it and see how Pehlaaj gives some scoop from his Papa’s singing to his own selfie adventures.
16th December 2014 was a very dark day for our entire nation. In the deadliest slaughter of innocents in Pakistan in years, Taliban gunmen had attacked Army Public School Peshawar killing 141-almost all of them students- before the army troops ended the siege.
This incident had left the nation shocked and angry. However, our nation became united after the unforgiving incident and vowed to not give in to what the terrorists wanted to achieve; make us fear living in Pakistan.
The world condemned the horrifying incident and promised to stand beside Pakistan in its fight against terrorists.
Recently, Dheeraj Jindal, an Indian director, made a short film on the incident. Watch the short film and learn why the name of the film is ‘The School Bag’ :
Leading actress and producer Hareem Farooq will be hosting a television celebrityΒ show titled βSuper Stars ka Super Showβ this Eid ul Fitr on Hum TV. The show has been shot with beautiful Pakistani celebrities likeΒ Azfar Rehman, Ahsan Khan, Sanam Saeed, Osman Khalid Butt and more. The show will be broadcast on first two days of Eid.
In a short span of career, Hareem has already proved her worth as a beautiful television and film actress in the industry. She has also received praise for recently hosting Hum TV awards 2017. Lets have a few glimpses ofΒ βSuper Stars ka Super Showβ.
Maria Wasti and Adnan Siddiqui are both brilliant and very experienced actors of our Entertainment Industry. The duo working together, definitely guarantees some stellar results and we will be able observe this on our TV screens on this Eid in a telefilm they are starring in.
This telefilm features Maria Wasti in a comic role opposite to the talented Adnan Siddiqui in Geo TV’s special telefilm ‘Chalo Chalo Dubai Chalo’. The plot of the show is that a husband and wife (Maria and Adnan) want to leave Pakistan and settle in Dubai. The comedic elements start to appear when Maria Wasti’s character asks Adnan’s to buy her an Eid dress and a bag mix up occurs. The couple ends up getting a bag full of money, instead of one that contains the dress. As expected, gangsters start tracking them down as they try to leave the country with the money bag. The entire exchange is promised to be hilarious by Maria Wasti herself.
In the past, Maria has usually worked on dark, serious and bold roles. She shined through all of these roles and proved how good she is as an actress in all the characters she played. Adnan Siddiqui, however, is no stranger to comedic roles.
With the grand entry of social media, the world has become a global village and communication between individuals has never been easier. Using this medium, brilliant love stories are also born. Fans can easily follow their favourite celebrities on these networks and express their appreciation and love through their tweets, comments and messages. Sometimes while scrolling through all these comments, the celebrities end up responding to them.
It is to be noted that the incredible social media stories aren’t limited to only common people. Recently, the famous celebrityΒ Zara Larsson expressed her love forΒ Brian H Whittaker, a model, on Twitter by the following tweet:
They ended up becoming real friends and are reportedly dating now.
This successful love story inspired many twitter users to use the same pickup line including this Pakistani twitter user, who proposed to the cricketer Ahmad Shahzad.
So she tweeted to Shehzad, asking him “Who are you where do you live how old are you why are you so fine how do you like your eggs cooked in the morning?β Now, if you think something good happened after this tweet…you will be greatly disappointed as the cricket star ended up blocking the girl in response!
Her final tweet was “What did I do wrong?” which she later deleted.
This tweet shows that she probably wasn’t aware that Shahzad is a happily married man. The twitter world responded to this tweet like this:
In this age, where we hear divorces happening almost every other day, especially in the world of showbiz, there are some couples in industry who have stuck with each other through thick and then. These power couples seem not only perfect for each other but also make us believe in true love and devotion. Have a look at the top ten power couples of our industry who seem to have a fairy tale romance. These couples are good looking, optimistic, and definitely made for each other!
10) Sunita Marshal & Hassan Ahmed
Sunita Marshal is a famous model and actress, best known for her role in Mera Sultan. She is married to Hassan Ahmed, her co-star and model. The couple was first married in an Islamic way and then three months later in a Catholic wedding ceremony, due to Marshal’s Christian beliefs.The couple has one son and daughter and seem to be living a happy married life.
9)Β Fatima Effendi & Kanwar ArsalanΒ
This beautiful couple’s marriage was purely based on love. Fatima Effendi is a model and actress, similar to her husband who started started his career as a model but later decided to act in serials. These two shared a long period of friendship before deciding to get married. They have a cute baby boy,Β Almir.
8)Rambo & SahibaΒ
The two shinning stars of Pakistani film industry Afzal Khan aka Rambo and Sahiba are one of the most popular celebrity couples of Pakistani Entertainment industry. The have the most filmy love story, which includes Rambo proposing to Sahiba in front of the entire crew of the sitcom Guest House. Sahiba of’course said yes and now the married couple has 2 sons,Β 12 and 10 years old.
7)Hira & ManiΒ
Salman Saquib Sheikh and Hira Khan, commonly known as ‘Hira and Mani’, are a very popular celebrity couple of Pakistan. They are television actors, hosts and VJ duo. They have hosted many shows together. Mani is famous for working in comedic projects, while Hira has acted for various genres on TV.Β This power couple has 2 sons named Muzammil and Ibrahim.
6)Nida Yasir & Yasir Nawaz
Nida Yasir, daugher of the famous producer Kazim Pasha, is a television host, model and actor. She got married to Yasir Nawaz who is a television director, producer, actor and model in 2001. The couple shares a strong bond with one another and have proved themselves as very supportive spouses. They have two sons and one daughter.
5)Sarwat Gillani & Fahad Mirza
Sarwat is a famous Pakistani actress and model. Her life partner is an actor, model and plastic surgeon. They met in 2003 when they both were students and had a three years relationship. After ten years in 2013, life brought them together again and they got engaged. The couple tied the knot Β on August 14, 2014. This cute couple was blessed with a son one year after their marriage.
4)Syra Yousaf & Shehroz Sabzwari
Syra Yousaf, now Sara Shehroz, is a Pakistani model, actress and former VJ.She is married to Behroze Sabzwari’s son, Shehroz Sabzwari. The actor married her onΒ 21 October 2012.This adorable couple is blessed with a baby girl and if the photos they share on social media are anything to go by, these two make the perfect parents!
3)Urwa Hocane & Farhan Saeed
Urwa Hocane is a beautiful model, actress and VJ who is married to Farhan Saeed, a well known Pakistani singer who also decided to become an actor and model. This power couple really does have a fairytale story. The romantic Farhan Saeed proposed Urwa in Paris and got a yes from her. The duo got hitched in December 2016 and have since been attracting the media like a moth to a flame. They make a really cute couple, after all.
2)Mohib Mirza & AminaΒ SheikhΒ
Mohib Mirza and Amina Sheikh are the two brilliant actors Β Pakistani entertainment industry has produced. Aamina Sheikh who has proven her marvelous acting not only in dramas but in films also, tied knot with Mohib in 2005. The coupleβs love is just growing strong with time. They’ve come a long way together and have proven to be one of the most iconic and ideal couples of our industry. They have a beautiful daughter.
1)Ayeza Khan & Danish TaimoorΒ
Ayeza and Danish are made for each other. Ayeza is a model and famous television actress and Danish shares the same professions as his wife. This couple had an 8-year relation before they finally got married in 2014. These lovebirds have a daughter and seem to grow fonder of each other with every passing day. This couple makes one believe in soulmates and happy endings.
It is clear that you can have a successful marriageΒ andΒ balance high-powered careers β it just takes work. When both partners have a strong commitment to a relationship, this leads to a strong sense of trust, which makes the love last. We wish all the best to all these couples and pray that they always remain happy with each other.
All of those viewers who have watched Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar’s dramas in the past would know that his characters often react to confrontational situations by hitting the person who offended them. Women most often are the ones who think a classic thappar is their ultimate weapon. I still remember the way Shano’s mother used to hit her and I also remember how those thappars were received – as if it was perfectly normal for her mother to react in such a manner. Tonight when Maheen hit Waqar and he stood there like a “mard ka bacha” as Gulrez put it but quite frankly I would say dheet ka bacha! I was reminded of those thappars but I had no idea that this would not be the only thappar we will be witnessing in this episode. The phrase dheet ka bacha is more apt not only because even after all that Maheen did to him, he was quick to run to Maheen’s house and ask for forgiveness but also because he is after all Ami begum’s grandson therefore he is just as dheet as ami begum herself! Jokes aside, Waqar is the only person I truly feel for in this drama. The way he is referred to as London Ka Londa, loffer, awara and what not makes it sound like London is not a city in a foreign country but the name of a different planet and Waqar Ahmed is an alien who was thrown on earth via spaceship therefore his only identity is the planet he belongs to! I also feel for Imran Abbas because his make-up artist has completely ruined his look. All you see on his face is a lot of highlighter and that too in places which did not need highlighting!
Tonight the topic of discussion was Maheen’s outburst and the fact that Waqar Ahmed did not move an inch while she was hitting him and accusing him of being too influenced by London – a reference which is fast becoming a joke. The viewers never really saw in detail just how abusive Ms. crazy two shoes was but like always we heard the exaggerated version from every character possible. Even Maheen’s mother who acted equally crazy when Waqar came with those flowers and the gift was alarmed by her daughter’s reaction. There are a lot of characters in this drama who need serious anger management classes!
Fajr is the only person who speaks our minds and that thappar was like a slap on the face of all those intelligent viewers who are just as agitated by the entire situation in this drama as Fajr was today! Nautanki was the perfect word for explaining everyone’s reactions to the recent developments! Indeed we feel the same way too! I am wondering how Mehrunissa found out about Gulrez’s khawab since it isn’t common knowledge! She gave Gulrez a long lecture on the difference between dreams and reality as if she knew exactly what he saw in his dream!
I have to say that watching Waqar tell Ami begum off like that was the highlight of this episode and music to my ears! The entire scenario however was hilarious! Dastoor Ahmed and Mehrunissa stood there and listened like they were completely helpless and it gave the impression as if just like all of us they also thought ami begum deserved just that! Even though this play has plenty of annoying characters, it has the most batameez heroine, the most wicked grandmother and the most useless son but the most annoying and useless character is that of Jia. I cannot stand to watch her scenes and I couldn’t be less interested in her story!
Maheen’s guilt pangs made absolutely no sense since anyone who even felt an ounce of sympathy for someone would never do what she did with Waqar. I have to say that I have never disliked Ayeza Khan more in any other character because no matter how simple or complicated her characters are she somehow manages to make them likeable but this character is impossible to like! Ami begum’s dialogues about how she held Waqar so dear to her when she was talking to Maheen’s mother made me dislike her character even more.
When I started watching tonight’s episode I thought “Aik Inch Nahi Hila” would be the perfect title, then as the story progressed I was sure there couldn’t be a better title than “Mard Ka Bacha” but after the thappars’ hat trick I just knew that the title should give these thappars the attention they rightfully deserved! 3 thappars and counting!
How many of you watched this episode? Do share your thoughts about it.
Eid Mubarak to all those wonderful readers who are celebrating it tomorrow. Wish you all an Eid filled with happiness.
Zohaib Hassan is releasing an album which will feature his all time hits. The singer has collaborated withΒ UK-based music director DJ Swami for the new project, who has previously worked with international artists like Apache Indian, Stereo Nation and Shania Twain. Imran βImmuβ Momina of Fuzon has also composed three tracks on Signature.
Zohaib said the album is a depiction of what he went through in the last 10 years.βThe album revolves around my experiences and all that my family and I have experienced over the last 10 years or so.β he said.
Signature also has a special documentary showing Zohaib working in the studios. Some tracks of the album are also featured in a movie being made on Zohaib and Nazia’s lives. The film is currently under production.
Yalghaar is the most anticipated release this year. The film flaunts a huge cast including Shaan Shahid, Humayun Saeed, Bilal Ashraf, Adnan Siddiqui, Sana Bucha, Armeena Rana Khan, Ayesha Omer among others. The film came under some staring glances when the protagonist did not show up on neither the trailer launch nor the premier.
What followed were the speculations of a rift between Shaan and director Hassan Rana. The flame rose higher when Shaan commented on a post on facebook that he was just a guest star. If reviews are to be believed of those who attended the premier Shaan is still the protagonist but some of his scenes may have gotten cut.
Now Shaan is finally going to promote the movie. He has recorded an interview on Dunya News with Kamran Shahid. Director Dr. Hassan Waqar Rana and leading lady Sana Bucha are also joining him. The interview will air tonight. A screening of Yalghaar will also be held in Lahore and the actor may attend it too. Finally some good news for Yalghaar.
It was Hamza Ali Abbasi’s birthday yesterday and a good time to celebrate a man who has made a mark in more than just acting. A man who is too verbal for his own good and too opinionated for this diplomatic media business. Nonetheless, we need him and more like him to keep it real. To know that actors are not merely dolled up puppets, they are human beings who happen to be the in the profession of acting, and when they are not doing that, they are being themselves, they are talking about life and issues and politics and everything that comes in between. Hamza Ali Abbasi is certainly one of a kind. Not many would stick their necks in places that he does.
As he enters into the thirty fourth year of his life, let’s look back at his acting career, the controversies surrounding him and the things his peers say about him.
He started his journey with theatrical plays and got noticed by the makers ofΒ main hoon Shahid Afridi.Β Who would have thought that the short tempered Pathan in it would be so popular on screen one day. Later, it was Bilal Lashari’sΒ waarΒ that brought Hamza to light once again. After an year, he appeared in Humayun Saeed’sΒ jawani phir nahi aani. That was the first time we got to know about Hamza Β Ali Abassi’s straightforwardness when he openly denounced the movie due to its bold scenes and refused to take part in its promotions. The film, nonetheless was a success and made Hamza prominent to producers and directors.
On TV, Hamza has given some very powerful performances inΒ Pyaraay AfzalΒ and Mann Mayal. Later, we saw him in a supporting role inΒ Ho Mann Jahan.
He wanted to make a directorial debut with his feature KambakhtΒ but that did not happen due to the strong criticism against his political outbursts. Nonetheless, Hamza is still very active and verbal on social media and keeps a very strong presence in all genres of it. He is one of those people for whom you say, love him or hate him, you just cannot ignore Hamza Ali Abbasi or pretend he is one of the typical models or actors for whom everything is about keeping appearances. With Hamza, you get much more that good looks and husky voice; there is intellect, thoughtfulness, wit and humour.
He is also very well respected and appreciated among his peers, who speak of him as a very passionate friend who would go to any lengths for his near and dear ones.
Ayesha Khan was seen as the infamous “Jeena” with Hamza in “Mann Mayal”. Talking about him, she said ”Β for me he is the kindest, most caring, brave, down to Earth and loyal friend; definitely my best friend! He might not be there in the good times but always there during the bad ones.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVqRMT-DsKg/
Nadeem Baig is also one of his closest friends. He is very appreciative of Hamza’s big heart,Β “I’ve always admired Hamza. Not only as an actor, but also as a person. The stance that he took at AAJ News, I think it’s commendable, nobody has the guts to speak about tolerance.”
Gohar Rasheed and Hamza come a long way and he is all but praises for the birthday boy ,
“”If Hamza was a girl, I would have married him in a heart beat (laughs)! But bro good, bad, ugly whatever the situation is, I have always got your back. God bless you”.
So for all his controversial purposes and intents, we wish Hamza a very good life ahead and hope he is here to stay.. for keeping the screen sizzling with good looks and the social media on fire with his statements.
Hit dramas are a complete package that have everything in them from good title tracks to a good plot. Pakistani industry,however, has produced dramas which contained better title tracks but were deprived of a well-knitted plot and vice versa. Shared below are some good title tracks from dramas lacking better plots
Ashk:
This drama proved the fact that including Fawad Khan and other famous actors in dramas will not make them hit until the plot is powerless. The drama written by Zafar Mairaj could not get success despite the fact that it included best actors of the time. Not even the direction of Sarmad khusat could be any help.
Yariyan:
Sammiya Mumtaz’s new avatar right after her religious role in Meri Zaat Zara e Benishan could not, unfortunately get her the same admiration she received in the former . Revolving around the three best friends, this drama hit the screens in 2010
https://youtu.be/Z2jl8r2EU1M
Tere Pehlu Mien:
This drama will definitely remind you of those Inidan saas bahu soaps that had Sara Chaudhry as the protagonist who goes through the ordeals just like Tulsi, Parvati and Prerna do. The OST by Alka Yagnik, however received much fame than the drama altogether did.
Yeh Zindagi Hai:
Javeria Saud’s JJS productions would definitely remind you of Ekta Kapoor’s Bala ji Telefilms. Following the footsteps of the Indian dramas, this drama tried to rise to success but Β did make it.
Zindagi dhoop tum Ghana saya:
Another drama that revolved around the hardships of a widow ,constantly suffering would make you think how cruel life is. This drama was not amongst Sanam’s best dramas and could not achieve good ratings.
https://youtu.be/sDFMMkOm–A
Yeh kaisy muhabbat hai:
Another drama from the JJS productions had all the viewers like ” Whats with the story?” With no solid storyline, the drama was disliked. The ost, however , made it to the list of good songs.
Neeyat:
Mahira Khan’s debut with Humayun Saeed was not much of a success and Mahira’s fans were greatly disappointed. Humayun did not give his best in this drama either.
Numm:
Sania Saeed and Fawad Khan, despite being good actors, could not take this drama to the peak of success. It was another flop serial with good OST.
https://youtu.be/tYglFbB5Zxk
Dill Dard Dhuan:
Audience did not particularly liked this one because of all those bold scenes and the weak story line.The OST sung by Alka Yagnik was, however liked by everyone.
https://youtu.be/La_JTrm9KLQ
Woh rishte woh natay:
Even with the best possible cast including Sara Chaudhry, Humayun Saeed and many others, this drama did not make it to the hit serials list. The song, on the contrary , was admired by the audience.
https://youtu.be/ltPP-hDAoOg
Ashna:
Another drama by Fahim Burney did not have a strong story but the OST was extremely good.
The trailer for the movie Chain Aye Na was finally released yesterday, and has left everyone in shock. All through the years of the entertainment industry, Pakistan has definitely witnessed some awkward video songs and movie productions, but Chain Aye Na‘s trailer probably broke all records of ineptness. Painful as it might be to suggest it, for those of you who haven’t seen it yet, might as well do so to get the idea (We apologize for the next horrible 4 minutes of your life)
Starting off from the poor editing skills, to the horrific body shaming scenes and the absence of any good plot or story line even in the four unbearable minutes of the trailer, it is beyond our comprehension as to what motivated Syed Noor to produce such a film that will only tarnish the reputation of Pakistan’s film industry. Speaking of which, we have the people’s reactions to prove it:
Here are the replies on Twitter:
Just wasted precious 4 minutes of my life watching trailer, S.Noor plz stop makun movies n start living.
Ouch? It seems like people can’t wrap their heads around the fact that while Syra is trying to work in films like ChalayThay Saath and Project GhaziΒ to uplift the Pakistani cinema, how come her husband is doing the exact opposite?
However, there have been certain optimistic comments by people who sure know how to keep their spirits high,
All in all, it is a little mystifying why such great actors agreed to work for a film that does not in any way look promising.
Let’s hold on to the tagline of ‘Believe In Miracles’ because it looks like the only thing that might save this movie from a disastrous end!
Would you like to add something or share your views? Let us know with your comments!
Salma and Azfar’s break-up remains the most shocking one because the couple has been known to love each other a lot. The shocking news of Azfar leaving Β Salma and marrying Naveen Waqar, the Sara we knew from Humsafar. Salma, later confessed that she could have stopped the marriage but did not because Azfar cheated on her and there was quite a good chance that he will do it again. She chose to leave instead.
Aisam ul Haq and Faha Makhdoom:
Another couple people absolutely loved called it quits after a few months of their wedding, breaking several hearts.
Arij Fatima and Faraz:
Another wedding that did not last long was of Arij and Faraz who got separated after only a few months and it came as a shock to everyone when Arij herself announced it.
Mahira Khan and Ali askari:
Mahira the beauty of showbiz also ended her marriage with Ali Askari in 2014 and took a fresh start as an actress. She has a son Azlan whom Mahira is raising Β single-handedly .
Hassan Sommro and Nazli:
The couple enjoyed a happy married life for 14 years but later ended the relationship and this news came as a shocking one to all those who admired their relationship.
Imran and Reham Khan:
After Imran Khan announced his marriage with Reham Khan, people went crazy over the couple but little did they know that this marriage will not turn out to be a successful one. They both ended their relationship after a few months of their wedding.
Shamon Abbasi and Humaima Malik:
Their divorce came as another shock to the couple’s lovers. After breaking his marriage with Javeria Abbasi, Shamon tied the knot to Humaima but the relationship could not last long either.
Juggan Kazim and Adnan Ghafoor:
Juggan claims that she could not enjoy a happy married life because of the fact that she was badly abused and beaten by her husband and as a result, called it quits.
Ayesha Omar posted snaps on Instagram from New York, as she reaches there for a promotional tour of her up-coming movie “Yalghaar”.Other cast members of the movie, Adnan Siddiqui and Sana Bucha were also seen along her.
“Yalghaar” is the most awaited Pakistani movie releasing this Eid-ul-Fitr. It is based on the true story of Pakistan Army’s Swat Operation. The release date of the movie in USA is June 30th.
Ohkay so, this episode marked the end of Mohabbat.pk. If there’s one term that can describe this drama, it would be ‘short & sweet’. In my opinion it ended a bit too quickly, like I could totally see another 3 episodes of this drama because of the comedy it provided, like after ages we were getting to see such type of comedy which had a meaning & a proper relation to the daily lives of regular people, but never-mind, all good things must come to an end, however I thank the entire team of Mohabbat.pk for bringing us a comedy that we haven’t witnessed in a long long time!
So, finally everyone got to know that Dada Jee made the most of the missing clause from the Nikkah nama to make sure no one can ever tell them to move out from this place. At first Nazim tried to make things right but when he felt that he was being cheated upon, he decided that he wasn’t going to get bothered about Zoha anymore & he would tell Kazim to divorce her. The way Kazim was being brainfed about the American dream by his parents was hilarious, Nazim & his wife Razia actually believed that if Kazim will go to America, he will solve all of their issues but then they had no idea that Twinkle had no intention of taking Kazim with him because she herself couldn’t go back to America.
Well, Munni & Sikandar met a very cute ending, after finding out that Qabza Group wasn’t going anywhere, Munni decided to go back to her in laws with a plan that she would win Sikandar’s parents over to secure their place in their home. Sikandar who obviously was too smitten by his wife had to follow her lead because he wasn’t someone who believed in thinking things through, so just like how he followed Munni to her parent’s home, he decided to move back in with his own parents as well on Munni’s suggestion. I think it was a sweet message that was conveyed that one could always fix things by resorting to the idea of togetherness & love, that is why Munni decided that she should give due respect to Sikandar’s parents, even though she had an ulterior motive but still, her plan wasn’t going to hurt her or anybody!
So, Kazim decided to get the video footage from Zoha’s laptop/mobile so that he could proceed with the divorce but even before he could do that, he himself fell in love with her because of the way Zoha treated him. Again, it was suggested that just because Zoha chose the way that Kazim wasn’t expecting, she floored him. Kazim for the first time actually felt attracted towards Zoha because he could see that she was genuinely a nice person, which again was an act that Zoha put to get to her goal, lol. Like Dada Jee always said ‘ye larki bohat aggay jayegi’, Zoha actually proved it by throwing such a sweet curve-ball at Kazim that even he couldn’t read it properly. Well, the way Kazim’s mannerisms & body language changed after that sweet encounter was amusing, it was funny how he started maintaining a distance from Twinkle & kept on making excuses so that he didn’t have to spend time with her because now he was purely focused on Zoha.
Nazim & Razia would’ve convinced a soft-hearted guy like Kazim but the entry of Interpol Bhai changed everything. Twinkle was basically a fugitive & with her arrest, Kazim’s coast was clear & he could easily resume his relationship with Zoha. A very sweet ending which came after a lot of twists & turns.
The best part of Mohabbat.pk was its characters, those unpredictable situations & then the dialogues which had so much of political wit that one couldn’t stop laughing while watching it. I loved how all the current political references were added in the dialogues to make the entire situation seem realistic & relatable because it actually worked. The note at which the drama ended was another intelligent & witty spin of the writer on the reality where Zoha was trying to paint a rosy picture of her life in front of her subscribers but then her spat with Kazim showed that her life wasn’t a fairy tale, rather it was reality driven where husband & wife have their fair shares of spats & bickering as well. I think the message that the writer conveyed through that scene was quite interesting because he showed that not everything that makes to the social media is meant to be trusted because it is an edited version of the reality & not everyone’s life is ‘that’ perfect because it is very easy to tweak with things to make them seem a certain way.
Overall, this drama was a very well-thought out effort & was brought to us in a perfect manner. I wish this entire team gets together once again to bring us another short drama, may be before Eid ul Azha or so because despite being the 1st mini drama serial, it was perfect in every respect. The acting, the writing, the direction, the dialogues, everything just hit the right spot. All the actors, Saife Hassan, Manzoor Qureshi, Sara Khan, Hassan Noman, Beenish Raja, Agha Mustafa Hassan, Anum Khalid, Farah Shah & the actors playing the roles of Ehtasham & Twinkle did a great job. Qabza Group definitely stood out a bit more because their characters were twisted & quirky so the way Sara Khan, Saife Hassan & Manzoor Qureshi portrayed such complexed characters with such difficult dialogues so effortlessly really conveyed the comedy which the creators of the project were after. It was amazing how each & every single character contributed towards the story & had one thing or the other to offer. The writer Mustafa Afridi deserves a special mention for such perfect dialogues because that’s where the comedy lies in any comedy drama & he made sure to add that in abundance. The director Ehtashamuddin surely directed this drama to perfection. I am actually sad that it is over but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Please share your thoughts about this small rollercoaster ride named Mohabbat.pk.
Ex-cricketers and legends Wasim Akram and Waqar Younus took to twitter to wish Pakistan womenβs cricket team success in the upcoming cricket world cup. Pakistanβs current captain and architect of recent championβs trophy win also uploaded a video with some words of advice and motivation for them.
An year has passed since we lost legendary Amjad Sabri. He will remain in the hearts of millions and is an inspiration for many at the same time. Recently Sabri sisters rose to fame; you may have heard of them as nieces of Amjad Sabri. They were invited on Ittehad Ramzan transmission hosted by Shaista Lodhi for a special tribute to Amjad Sabri. What went ahead was extremely unexpected. Amjad Sabri’s sister called on show and talked to the executives and then she came herself to tell the world that Sabri sisters are not nieces of Amjad Sabri. Watch the debate which went ahead on this below:
Trailer-2 of Indian thriller movie, βMomβ is released. The second trailer is as thrilling as the first one and has got less to talk about the plot of the movie. However, It only reveals that Sajal Ali is not biologically related to her Mom Sridevi, the lead role actress in the film. The glimpses of Sajal Ali justify she is much competent for her character. Though, we didnβt get to see more of Adnan Siddiqui in the second one . The trailer still did not uncover the storyline and thus it has thrust the audience to wait for the movie release. The movie also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Akshay Khanna. It is scheduled to release on July 7th. We wish our Pakistani actors all the best for the release and canβt wait to watch them alongside the big actors of Indian Cinema.
Mehrunisa V Lub U is the most awaited film to release this Eid-Ul-Fitr. The romantic comedy film by Yasir Nawaz starsΒ Danish Taimoor and Sana Javed Β as the lead roles. These two, along with other stars, graced us with their presence at the premier of ‘Mehrunisa V Lub U’ and looked pretty amazing. Have a look yourself:
This episode was fast-paced and slightly upsetting. Although all of us who are watching this show wanted Naila to pay for her mistakes but even then somehow watching her suffer so much in tonight’s episode made me feel for her. I have to give the writer and Hania Amir credit for showing Naila suffer in such a way that one episode of watching her paying for her mistakes was more than enough! The only thing which was missing from tonight’s episode was Naila’s thought process which I would have loved to hear. Rehan is clearly insecure and also very aggressive. He is pretty sure that Naila will also leave him like she left Ahmed therefore he completely lost it every time Naila even tried to voice her thoughts. Also, unlike Ahmed, Rehan is not willing to put up with any of Naila’s tantrums. He knows only too well that Naila has no one to turn to therefore he is making things even more difficult for her. Right now the tables have turned completely, Naila is getting the treatment which she used to give Ahmed and Ahmed is getting the kind of love and attention which he always gave Naila. Also, it was great watching Ahmed treat his wife with the same respect and value her just as much as he valued Naila. He has always been shown as someone who was quite capable of loving someone and now that he is getting the same kind of love in return he couldn’t be happier. It is however funny that he is no longer as dark as he was when he was married to Naila ;)
The change in Naila’s personality was translated on screen flawlessly by Hania Amir. There are very few newcomers who manage to portray the character they are playing on screen as faultlessly as her. Her body language and outlook in particular were right on point. She really did look like someone who was going through hell and had no time to look after herself. Hania Amir is bound to be a success because she isn’t only a brilliant actress but she is also one of those very few actresses who are very comfortable in their own skin. Although Emaad Irfani can be very unconvincing at times but tonight he was actually terrifying as Rehan! You could completely see why even someone like Naila was so scared of him.
The way Rehan forced Naila’s mother to leave showed he could see who was actually responsible for everything Naila did wrong. Rehan has turned out to be Naila’s worst nightmare come true. Zimmi’s comeback is an interesting addition to the story. The story could have ended with Naila asking Ahmed and his family for forgiveness and getting out of this abusive marriage but even the next episode does not look like the last one. The preview of the next episode looked alarming. I hope that they do not kill Naila’s character in the last episode. The writer has definitely made an example out of Naila’s character and shown that you don’t get away with hurting and exploiting people who genuinely love you and that ultimately what goes around comes around. Ahmed has also been rewarded for being an incredible human being therefore I am not sure what more there is to show!
How many of you watched tonight’s episode? Do share your thoughts about it.
Meera is no stranger to public attacks on social media for her lack of linguistic skills when it comes to English language.
The same happened when she uploaded a picture of herself reading the English newspaper ‘Dawn’ at Karachi airport. A discussion on twitter began about what she was reading considering how poor her English skills. Some people went as far as saying she was just looking at the pictures on the paper and not really reading it.
Hey Meera ππ» Sachiii Naya andaaz zabardast hai . π or dawn akhbar main Kya parh rahi ho ? π€π€
Parh dawn news rahi hai ππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππππ
The incident or drama whatever you may call it is still fresh in our minds when a girl was insulted by Sahir LodhiΒ in his Ramadan transmission. The actor had given a very effective and emotional (according to him) speech. PEMRA had sent a notice to the channel on the whole controversy.
Latest development is PEMRA has directed the host to apologize to the nation in his show and it will be run on the screen that PEMRA has directed the host to do it.
There was a hearing held on the 5th of June, 2017 where it was decided that Sahir Lodhi was in violation of various clauses of PEMRAβs Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015. In case the channel does not comply with the authority, legal action will be taken under section 29 and 30. Surely the stunt has caused Sahir more damage than he would have thought.
In the recent years where our media has turned the Holy month of Ramadan into an opportunity to grab ratings and generate revenue out of it, where everything that our TV channels do mostly defy the essence of Ramadan, where it is all about fun and games from last few years, a show like Ittehad Ramadan came as a breath of fresh air. Aplus’ Ittehad Ramadan transmission is the only Ramadan transmission which does not only celebrate the true spirit of this Holy month but is actually very well thought out because their main motive was not to generate revenue by following the rat race by competing with other channels by doing what they do. The team of Ittehad Ramadan actually decided to do something which was not only in new and fresh but totally in accordance with the teachings of Ramadan and they decided to explore different dimensions to give people a perspective of what their fellow Muslims are like.
Unlike other channels which invested in grabbing the attention of the general public by using cheap tactics in this month, Aplus came up with a great idea which is truly inspiring as well as educational, where they sent a few of their celebrity volunteers with their teams to different Muslims Countries, to not only showcase the culture there but also to document those places which have an Islamic relation. What made things even more special was the fact that some of those places were mentioned in our Holy Book – The Glorious Qur’an Majeed and to see them being discussed in detail was a great initiative. This definitely has to be the first time ever that any team took such a measure that too for their audience because it was evident that they wanted to do good by the viewers and wanted them to learn something new every single day about different Muslim countries and their fellow Muslim brothers.
What makes Ittehad Ramadan a bit more special is the spirit with which all those people involved in this project have executed the idea because it makes it even more impactful. The enthusiasm and love with which the show is being hosted by Shahita Lodhi and Noor ul Hassan and presented by all those people who have gone to different countries to explore the customs, traditions and the religious places and monuments is another reason why it is a complete success. It is great watching a show which serves a bigger purpose. Omair Rana, Junaid Akram, Sami Khan, Nadia Hussain, Fakhar e Alam, Junaid Khan, Minal Khan, Ali Kazmi, Imran Abbas, Ali Azmat, Dino, Nadeem Jaffry, Ali Safina each and everyone has contributed a great deal in making this initiative taken by Aplus a success because to take the time out for such a time-consuming practice that too in Ramadan is not an easy feat but the fact that they volunteered to do it shows that even they wanted to bring something new to the table for the sake of the audience. Not only the celebrities, but the cameramen and the entire crew that decided to put the comfort of spending Ramadan with their families aside to cover these shows also makes them worth the appreciation and respect as well.
In one of the shows, Shahista Β did mention that it would’ve taken them half the budget and half the effort to bring the similar sort of game show to the audience which everyone else at this stage was offering but their team decided to do something different and not only that, they decided to educate the people, which is definitely something huge considering how every other channel is only indulged in the race for ratings. The team of Aplus has definitely given Pakistani audience the confidence and have restored their faith in the media that in the middle of this chaos, there do exist people like these who want to bring something beneficial for the sake of audience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHNq9b1EenI
The way each and every single volunteer showed around the places and spoke about the events that took place showed their dedication and the research that they put in for this show because it was like even they understood what their team wanted them to convey. Be it the visit to Syrian Refugees in Turkey, or visiting the Holiest of Places in Oman, or breaking fasts with fellow Muslims in Turkey or Malaysia, everything really struck a chord on a very different level and at the same time it made us proud that this was the initiative taken by our Pakistani channel. They informed and educated people so much about different cities and their culture that it really made us look forward to every single episode. What we find worth appreciating here is the fact that in Pakistan, when Ittehad Ramadan goes on-air, it used to be such a time when ladies especially would be busy preparing Iftaar for their families so their social media team vigilantly kept on uploading all those videos so that anyone who has missed those bits could later watch them too. All these little gestures really show that the team of Aplus and Ittehad Ramadan put their mind to it and had this clear vision of how they wanted to spread this effort that they took for their audience.
The tagline of the show ‘Aik Hon Muslim’ is also symbolic of the concept of Ummah; the idea that Muslims all around the world are one no matter which corner of the world they live in, their religion is the binding factor between them. Watching all these countries coming together in some way through this show is another reason why this Ramadan transmission is a step towards the right direction. We hope that other channels also derive inspiration from this show and next year come up with new ideas which grab the attention of the viewers for all the right reasons instead of banking on shortcuts like offering bikes and cars in their game shows.
The team and the Producers of Aplus Ittehad Ramadan, Hosts, the Celebrity Volunteers and their Crew Members deserve a standing ovation for putting an effort into something so meaningful and for executing it in such a way that it actually served and achieved the purpose that they were after. We first of all thank and then congratulate each and every single member of the team associated with this project and wish them more power, luck and success for next Ramadan because we hope they follow the same pattern next time around as well and allow us to explore different countries within the comfort of our homes. We thank all of you from the bottom of our hearts.
Zahra Mirza & Fatima Awan.
Just in case anyone of you wants to watch all the videos, you can visit Aplus’ Official Facebook Account:
