We all love biryani. Whatever the occasion is biryani will always be there. So in the recent ad starring Shehryar Munawar Siddiqui and Iqra Aziz; Shehryar proves biryani is the ultimate escape when your Mom cooks not so favourite food of yours. With the typical saas bahu tarka and biryani chaska; this ad is a must-watch. Watch the ad below:
And yes you just learned how to erase the evidence after late night chori ki biryani .
Mahira Khan is one of those people who are not only gifted in beauty and talent department but also have an extreme amount of good luck flowing her way. She is currently the highest earning female in our industry and her fame and success is going upwards and onwards, with no plateau in near sight.
She has just packed up on her shoot with Bilal Lashari and now working on her next project where she is paired with Fawad Khan and this will be their first one together after the enormous appreciation that Hamsafar received.
In the midst of this all, Mahira Khan is now off to Beirut to attend one of the most prestigious ceremonies of the Middle East, called the Beirut International Awards Festival as a representative of the Lollywood film industry.
The Beirut International Awards Function or BIAF as generally called, will air on July 9, 2017 where it will be aired live in 7 countries. It is attended exclusively by dignitaries from every field including art, finance, film, drama and humanitarian causes around the globe.
Chain Aaye Na is Shahroze Sabzwari’s debut movie. The trailer crashed all the expectations surrounding the film as it includes no plot base and a lot of ketchup as depicted by the trailer. The trailer got a lot of bad reviews and nearly everyone criticized it. If you have not already been blessed to watch the trailer ;here you can see it again:
https://youtu.be/hNkGCpjg5Qw
Shahroze inspite of getting a lot of backlash is still confident about the movie. He was recently interviewed by HIP and here is what he had to say. When asked why he took up Chain Aaye Na when he turned down movies like Lahore se Aagey and Chupan Chupai, he said: “I was going through a lot of scripts when Chain Aye Na came to me. It managed to intrigue me and I loved it, Syed Noor is a filmmaker I’ve been a fan of my entire life, I couldn’t say no to him, I had to take it up.”
To the disastrous trailer he said:“I know it’s been disappointing for a lot of people, but you see Pakistani trailers work, films don’t. So I’m very confident about Chain Aye Na because I’ve seen the results.”
Shahroze thinks he got good reviews about himself:“Whatever reviews I’ve received about myself, thankfully, people have received that really well, a lot of people have called me, telling me rage I look good, so that way I know that Syed Noor has been successful in making me look the part. Hence, I’m excited and relaxed.”
Speaking about lack of chemistry between the lead pair Shahroze said: “Maybe that’s the way the story is. That’s the kind of chemistry that the plot requires, we are only talking on trailer’s terms. You’ll know better once the film comes out.”
Shahroze is very confident:“I have complete faith in God and Syed Noor. I’ve seen the film during dubbing, people couldn’t understand the trailer, but that doesn’t mean they won’t understand the film.”
He is not bothered by social media and took a dig on Balu Mahi too: “Social media doesn’t bother me, I look at the bigger picture. In a population of over 20 Crore people, I honestly don’t care about that one fraction of people who are on Facebook. If Facebook was the decider of a film’s fate, Balu Mahi would’ve been the biggest hit of the year.”
The film will release on 21st July. Only then it will become clear what Chain Aaye Na actually is.
The very handsome Aijaz Aslam has managed to dazzle the audience for more than a decade. He has come a huge way in terms of acting improvement but even when he was a newbie, his looks and voice were enough to make him very well liked. He is one of those veterans who have seen it all, from only appearing in the 8 pm drama to now being the guest of morning shows, multiple dramas as well as gracing websites and magazines with his news and interviews. Despite having hundreds of male actors, a 100 episode drama with Aijaz Aslam still manages to interest people, but sadly he is going to be on the other side of camera this time.
His production house has just wrapped up the shooting of Sohani Ki Kahani, which will air on Geo Kahani from the 3rd of July.
Just two days to go until the first episode, we managed to get some inside scoop into it. The lead characters are played by Asad Zaman and Junaid Akhtar as the male leads along with Madiha Zaidi as the female lead named Sohani. The rest of the cast includes Shahzad Raza, Humera Zahid and Bina Choudhry amongst others.
The story is about a middle class, middle aged couple where the wife has dedicated her whole life to the service of her husband and inlaws. When it comes to her daughter, Sohani, she has high aspirations and she wants her to have a life she never did. Sohani herself is a very charming girl with a very positive approach to life.
When Sohani and Zaryab, the leads, fall in love which is followed by marriage, the story takes a lot of twists and turns in which you get to know whether Sohani lives up to her mother ‘s expevtations or not.
Let’s see how this soap fares under Aijaz Aslam’s production, Mohammad Faiz’s scripting and Ali Imran’s direction.
So it looks like another Pakistani actress is probably ready to tie the knot anytime soon. Yep, you heard that right. Armeena didn’t just promote her newly released movie Yalghaar in London a few days back. She also uploaded her 500th post with this adorable picture of her and her ‘British Bae’ on Instagram, giving us quite a shock which changed to excitement, as we read the rest of the caption. See for yourself!
Here’s the picture:
And now have a look at caption:
It looks like the Princess – and – Prince- Charming happy couple are ready to officially announce their relationship to the world in August and we can’t wait to hear it!
Don’t they make an adorable sight? Are you on the same page with us regarding her ‘news’ next month? Or could it be entirely something else? Let us know with your comments!
One of the most gorgeous girls of our television screens, Saba Qamar is returning to drama industry after a short break. The heartthrob girl, Saba Qamar presently needs no introduction. By her countless out-standing performances on TV and film industry, she has marked herself among the most talented Pakistani actresses of today.
She was last seen on television in a drama serial ‘Besharam’, premiered on ARY digital in May 2016. She then took some time off from television and routed herself towards the big screen. She appeared in a Pakistani movie ‘Lahore Sey Aagay’ and got appreciations from the critics for her performance. She also got nominated in the category of “Best Actress” in “Lux style awards” for her performance. She was later seen in a Pakistani movie ‘8969’.
After proving herself in Pakistani cinema she then appeared in an Indian movie named ‘Hindi Medium’. She was in one of the lead roles of the movie and was highly acclaimed for her remarkable performance. She did not only receive appreciation from the fans all around the world but was also acknowledged by some famous Indian actors and actresses. Rishi Kapoor and Vidya Balan to name a few on the list. Her outstanding performance in “Hindi Medium” has made her an international star.
Saba, a courageous actress: In Baaghi
After a break of almost one year from television, she would be returning to our screens in a drama serial ‘Baaghi’, which would soon broadcast on Urdu 1. Saba would be playing Qandeel Baloch, a social media celebrity and a controversial personality who lost her life to honor killing. The teasers of the play is already out and Saba once again is found doing justice with the role.
‘Baaghi’ is a biopic of Qandeel Baloch who was a contentious personality. She earned popularity through social media by posting raunchy videos and posts and thus was greatly criticized by the society. This is not the only statement to make about Qandeel, there is a story behind her controversial personality and ‘Baaghi’ goes beyond it. The makers of the movie describe story of ‘Baaghi’ as follows:
To play and perform provocative stories can never be a piece of cake. Irrespective of the fact that how big an actor you are, you need to pour in tremendous efforts and show courage to perform such character. No doubt, Saba is one brave artist who can pick one and adapt to it righteously. The promos of the drama serial already explain how Saba is once again committed to her role in ‘Baaghi’.
Saba, In Audacious Characters:
This is not the first time that Saba is performing a bold character. She is one confident actress who has given some daring performances on television in past. She has played a role of a victim of sexual abuse in drama serial ‘Paani jaisa pyaar’ and ‘Sangat’. She has played a glamorous role of an actress in drama serial “Besharam”. She has also seen performing a character of prostitute in ‘Shehryar Shehzadi’ These dramas on social issues with bold and challenging characters were difficult to perform but Saba has portrayed them very beautifully.
A Versatile Actress:
Saba is a versatile actress who has performed variety of characters on television. She has been seen performing a character of a middle class overambitious girl in ‘Maat’. She has also performed a character of a poor yet independent and out spoken girl in ‘Mein Chand Si’. In her drama serial ‘Bunty I love you’ she has gracefully performed the character of a rich women. On the contrary, she has also carried the character of a village women in its true essence in ‘Ullo Baraye Farokhat Nahi’. These are few of her performances to mention, which converse that Saba is versatile and always different. Now once again, she is in to the lime light of television by taking up a unique character in ‘Baaghi’.
The comeback of Saba Qamar to television screen after about a year is overwhelming for all the fans around the country. Saba, being a significant name in the industry has got potential to attract the audience and can make them wait for her upcoming project. Thus, we greatly admire her forthcoming appearance in a drama serial and we just can’t wait to watch the queen of our drama industry on television screen again. However, with ‘Baaghi’, we also look forward to watch how the team has portrayed the social issues of our society upfront.
Pakistani cricket team captain, Sarfaraz Ahmed was invited to the State Guest House by the President of Pakistan Mr. Mamnoon Hussain. The President congratulated him for the team’s victory in Champions Trophy for the first time in history.
Since winning the Champions Trophy, the humble Sarfaraz Ahmed has risen to enormous fame. He has been showered with praises from all sections of the society, meeting with the President of Pakistan serves as another feather in his cap.
Baaghi’s producers are dropping teasers and promos of the drama continuously. Baaghi is based on social media starlet Qandeel Bloch’s life and showcases Saba Qamar as Qandeel Baloch. As many people know Qandeel also appeared on reality show Desi Kuriyan in her life. She appeared on the show as a singer. Baaghi is also showing that part of her life and seems like Mani is our on screen Waqar Zaka. Watch promo:
https://www.facebook.com/Baaghidrama/videos/571549099900284/
The show will air on Urdu 1 and is produced by the makers of Ek thi Mariyum.
Everyone who is watching this drama on regular basis must be very well acquainted with the fact that the characters in Mohabbat Tumse Nafrat Hai love playing mind games which are impossible to relate to! Waqar’s confession in tonight’s episode was yet another attempt by one of the saner characters in this play to exploit the situation in his favor. At the end of the day when you look at the reason behind all these complicated mind games, you can’t help but wonder if it is really worth it! Ami begum was playing games with Waqar before because she wanted him to stay away from Maheen and now Waqar who clearly was interested in Maheen is claiming that he did all this so that Maheen would accept Gulrez’s proposal and he could be the “chief” of the gang! Watching Waqar act so normal in the opening scene after creating such a big scene at Ami begum’s house was mind boggling! Later on, Ami begum also decided to forgive and forget everything and for the first time the viewers saw Ami begum and Waqar bonding like they should have bonded right from the beginning.
Some of the dialogues in tonight’s episode were intense and right on point but just like every other episode situations and dialogues were way too complicated given the situation. Why would someone like Gulrez who does not want to force Maheen to get married to him, settle for such a decision? Also, the fact that Maheen and Gulrez did not have a single decent interaction one-to-one since the proposal makes the whole situation even more strange. Gulrez never had the courage to talk to Maheen but Maheen could have surely talked to him about what was going on in her mind. Also, even after making the decision to marry him even if it was to make a point only, she did not directly go to Gulrez to tell her about her decision. Maheen is still confused and watching 10 episodes of this confusion hasn’t actually been a joyride!
All of a sudden Jia has stopped interacting with Waqar altogether and she never confronted him either. Jia’s father is finally going to reveal the secret, which I am sure won’t be anything exciting either. It seems like he left her mother because she was cheating on her! This drama needed a more decent side track to make it bearable but Jia’s track definitely does not fit the bill.
Fajr has to be my favorite character in the show, she is the one who can see what games everyone is playing and speaks her mind without getting rude. Even after so many episodes the story hasn’t moved forward considerably, everyone has been waiting for Maheen’s reply for the longest time now and no one (watching the drama) is even rooting for the couple! The drama is over crowded with characters who like to talk a lot and most often the conversations revolve around similar topics. If the writer and the director added more scenes in which we saw a “human” side of these characters like the one in tonight’s episode in which Ami begum and Waqar bonded, would have helped the viewers connect to these characters. Also, Munshi Alam should have been given more screen time since the drama opened with him and it looked like he was very close to the family. The thappars got plenty of screen time in tonight’s episode as well! Plenty of characters talked about it like it was headline news but Waqar (who is supposedly the ultimate ladla) took them really well! Watching a new episode of Mohabbat Tumse Nafrat Hai is like watching the same thing over and over again!
How many of you watched this latest episode? Am I the only one who found it impossible to relate to the developments in tonight’s episode?
Yaar e Bewafa is coming to your television screens from 6th July. The cast includes Imran Abbas Naqvi, Arij Fatima and Sara Khan. The promo looks like a modified form of Dil e Muzter. The difference lying just that here the girl is not happy with her poor conditions. Watch the promo:
https://www.facebook.com/ImranAbbasNaqvi/videos/10156027616247788/
The show will air on Geo Entertainment every Thursday. The story seems like a love triangle. What show really has to offer will become visible to the audience once it airs.
This last episode of Titlee was extremely emotional. Hania Amir once again stole the show with her brilliant performance and even with absolutely no make-up on and in a completely run-down look she looked innocent and adorable! I am not going to talk about the developments in tonight’s episode because I don’t want to give any spoilers but I must say that although this episode wasn’t perfect and made me wonder how Rehan found out where Naila was every time and why weren’t her parents shown in the end especially her mother, overall the end couldn’t have been more emotional and impactful. There are very few last episodes which make you this emotional! I think one of the biggest reasons why Titlee always managed to hold my interest was that most of the times I had no trouble connecting to the characters. The drama also had a strong message for all those men and women out there who put good looks before everything else.
Titlee as a whole was an entertaining show, it was one of those rare plays which you watch only for their entertainment value and at the same time enjoy reviewing them as well. Most often when we take up dramas we consider guilty pleasures for reviewing, the dramas lose their charm completely after a few episodes because scrutinizing them highlights their weaknesses. Although Titlee wasn’t perfect throughout and even the characters were black and white but the way these characters were presented on screen made the viewers connect to them.
Strong main characters with definite characteristics played by Hania Amir and Ali Abbas superbly were the main reason why Titlee wasn’t just another drama which showed problems of marital life. Also, most often in our dramas, women are shown as victims in a relationship and they are the ones compromising but in this drama the man was the real victim and even though he compromised so much he could never win over his wife. Both these characters were poles apart and the viewers were rooting for a happy ending for them both for many weeks until there was no hope for such an ending. Another reason why I enjoyed watching and reviewing this show is that the story throughout was pretty logical with the exception of few developments which did not make a lot of sense. The supporting cast of the drama also gave a realistic and solid performance throughout. The dialogues were simple but intelligent at the same time. Every now and then it is good to watch a drama which presents a simple story in an attractive manner.
The drama could have been even better if it was not stretched in the middle. If the fast pace of the drama was maintained throughout, those of us who followed it regularly wouldn’t have anything to complain about. The screenplay overall however was enticing and unpredictable. Hania Amir deserves an award for her phenomenal performance in this drama. Most actresses wouldn’t have chosen a negative character which was not the least bit likeable as their first project on television, Hania Amir not only chose this character but also did complete justice to it even though she has a really innocent face but she did not let that get in her way!
I would like to thank all those people who read the reviews regularly and contributed to the discussions. All of you made the whole experience even more interesting.
Don’t forget to share your thoughts about this last episode.
Pakistani TV host, model and film actress Veena Malik is on vacations with family in Dubai. She has posted her pictures with husband Asad and children, Abram and Amal and it seems like they are spending some good quality time together.
Its not been too long when Veena’s divorce news was all over the media. She also appeared in Amir Liaquat’s show on Bol TV to talk about their wrecking relationship. After a period of distress, the couple was once again united and started living happily together.
The pictures of Veena Malik with the family in Dubai reveals that the couple has overcome their differences and all is good at their end.
https://www.facebook.com/iVeenaKhan/photos/a.627974473976900.1073741851.624855314288816/1364478096993197/?type=3
https://www.facebook.com/iVeenaKhan/photos/a.624859820955032.1073741825.624855314288816/1364513380323002/?type=3
https://www.facebook.com/iVeenaKhan/photos/a.627974473976900.1073741851.624855314288816/1366952026745804/?type=3
https://www.facebook.com/iVeenaKhan/photos/a.627974473976900.1073741851.624855314288816/1364896683618005/?type=3
Family time… Eid Holidays.. MashaAllah.. Handsome & caring hubby @asadbashirr.. adorable kids @iAbramKhan @iamalasadkhan 👨👩👧👦❤💋💞🇦🇪🇵🇰🇺🇸🎉 pic.twitter.com/t0iuaHiZqY
— VEENA MALIK (@iVeenaKhan) June 28, 2017
The entertainment service of Pakistan has exponentially grown to become the bigger slice of the pie that illustrates the media industry. Our dramas have come a long way since the golden era of PTV in the late 1960s to the 1980s, the career graph of each and every actor varying its way across the axis and taking peaks or plummeting down; yet there are certain things that haven’t changed at all, and probably won’t even in the future either.
The video that has recently resurfaced and posted below features Shehnaz Sheikh’s appearance in the talk show ‘Yes Sir No Sir’ hosted by the late Moin Akhtar. This was one of her few last appearances on television before leaving the industry for good, along with moving to Lahore when she did.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jNpCdVBIyw&list=LLM0nG1wb9vwW_3SA715zBBQ&index=6
Shehnaz Sheikh was a brilliant actress of her time and was widely acclaimed for her two most popular dramas Tanhaiyan (1985) and Ankahi (1982); both successful shows and loved till date. And although the setting was based on the times of the 80s, the actress flaunted the idea of a compassionate, independent woman who wished to support her family by working in an era when the practice was considered estranged. She was widely praised by critics and caught the eye of Raj Kapoor who offered her the role of heroin in the Indian movie Henna (1991), but which, to the general surprise of audiences and professionals, she blatantly refused.
The reason behind her turning down the role, as stated in the video, was the fact that the actress simply disliked and was exceedingly tired of the slander and character defamation that came with the profession of acting. Shehnaz believed that a film actress would be even more as a subject of interest when it comes to besmirching. Even as she ended her note of presence on the show, she made a statement towards PTV regarding this:
“I think that PTV should offer protection for its employees, especially women performers, against anything that has been said or written regarding them, which is scandalous and might affect their personal life or tarnish their reputation…..there are many girls who are willing and wish to work in the entertainment industry, but are held back by their parents permission due to these circumstances….if this is not done, then sooner or later, no girl belonging to any respectable family would be seen working on-screen.”
It is true, that working in the media, and especially being a famous celebrity amongst the viewers, comes with its disadvantages. The platform of being a celebrated actress is not an easy one to take and has never been. Especially now, that with the progress in technology and expansion of social accounts on applications such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, etc., privacy is all but dead and ‘fake news’ is probably more believed as real than the truthful facts.
Shehnaz always claimed that the absence of new challenges that came with performing and lack of diverse characters being portrayed in serials made up the huge chunk of her influential decision to leave acting. And this is true. In the video, Shehnaz claimed that:
“….in our industry, unless someone plays the role of depressed and wallowing being, who cries repeatedly, she will never be considered a good actress..comedians are considered as something of a court jester..”
This is pretty much more or less similar to another quote of an outstanding artist of our time:
“..just like the rest of the world, we are a formula- driven industry…you know, Humsafar changed everything; people in masses, from all classes were watching television like never before. Now at this time, I feel, that the TV industry, should have said, okay. We’ve got the eyeballs. Let’s change things. And you know what we did? Unfortunately, we replicated the formula.” – Mahira Khan, Faiz International Festival 2016.
Familiarity. Repetition. It’s what highly saturates pretty much every plot line of the dramas televised on our screens and what more or less sums up the aforementioned quote. The dominating husband lashing out every bit of anger and absurd act of abuse onto his poor pitiful wife (who has to pull off the pretty face especially while weeping) until she finally decides to leave him; only to marry another man who is, fortunately, much more handsome, rich and successful, as well as willing to accept the child that’s not even his own. Let’s stretch this out into words and tears and screams onto a canvass of scripts for 24 episodes and the ratings are in the bag.
This is exactly what Shehnaz Sheikh was pointing the finger at. Doing the same roles over and over again tends to make it tiresome for actors and audiences alike. Previously dramas included a number of characters, each of whom played an important role and were indispensable and unforgettable in their own ways. Whether it was the solemn hero, or the stubborn heroine, the comedic sidekick or the aggravated old aaya; in spite of having one significant attribute were able to pull off every emotion most convincingly and magnificently. Most dramas today only tend to cast people who might be conceived as being good looking but fail to act and live up to the expectations of the viewers.
Even after 30 years of Tanhaiyan, television now tries to discredit working women as being less honorable and seems to conceptualize the idea of them working outside their homes as alienation. The use of inappropriate jokes and phrases has become a common norm within comedy plays, which makes them an explicit watch for children. Earlier on, shows like Ainak Wala Jin and Alif Laila were adored by kids who not only differentiated between the good and bad morals of life but were affiliated with their own national language and culture.
The potential within our country is exuberant and abundance in nature. The only thing required is to make use of it and rather than following the safe path of making predictable shows, it’s time we deviate from the commonality so as to take risks. There have been certain reformations where now dramas are being made to tackle societal issues such as the rights of transgenders or honor killings or rape. Some plays have casted women as being strong-willed and ambitious in their career. Let’s try to encourage them. The odds are in our favor, for our industry is nearly at its peak and has a brilliant crowd of performers that are internationally acknowledged for their work. If we play our cards right, then consequentially, we will be able to reap benefits that are both economically and socially desirable, or lose another gem of the industry as we did some 37 years ago.
There was a time when our Pakistani film Industry flourished like flowers in summers and then came the downfall. The downfall that lasted till a few years back when our film industry began its revival journey.
Chillar Force will be Pakistan’s first live-action superhero film for kids which will be another milestone for our film industry. Our film industry has started to explore all genres of films in the recent years and this is what was missing.
Auditions for the main cast consisting of five children was held all over the country and we are pleased to inform that a careful selection has been made of the leads. These five children will be trying to save Pakistan from different problems using their superhero abilities and skills in the film.
The audition took place between children of ages ranging from 8 to 12, and the selection on the basis of the 1 minute videos that they uploaded on YouTube. About ten thousand children ended up auditioning for the different roles in the film.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUEiTnXlQW4/
This film is being produced by Farhan Qaiser and is being formed under the banner of Persia film Productions. Along the children in the film, Ayesha Omar, Ahmed, Shafqat Cheema, Tipu, and Salim Miraj will also be working too.
The chosen children are given special dancing and acting classes. The part of the film that is to be shot in Karachi is under work these days, Balochistan and Punjab are the other provinces where other parts of the film will be shot at.
The budget of the film is roughly eight million which isn’t a lot. It is no surprise though as getting a good budget for a movie featuring children is quite tough. Farhan Qaiser is determined to complete the film despite all the obstacles and hardships that come in the way of the success of this project and we wish him all the best for this film!
If there are two actors who are currently taking the whole showbiz scene by storm, they are Mahira Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi. Their looks are flawless, their acting abilities are amazing and they are generally very grounded and thoughtful in their attitudes.
We all know that Hamza Ali Abbasi is more than just a handsome hunk. He has the guts to talk about all things controversial and the grit to face the criticism that this habit of him ensues. He is always concerned about the life of a common man. This time, he tweeted about the recent tragedy and spoke about the coverage he believed it deserves to get ;
Can you imagine who had the most perfect and most fitting reply?
Our very own reigning queen of the showbiz industry; Mahira Khan.
In a candid tweet, Mahira reminds his buddy that they don’t need to wait for media coverage and she is very right. No media can hog the limelight like these celebrities can. In Pakistan, showbiz has the mass power very few businesses can boast of. So, go ahead Hamza !!!
Farhan Saeed and Urwa Hocane’s celebrity couple is one of the biggest power couples of our Entertainment industry and thus wherever they go, starlight follows them. This power couple really does have a fairytale story. The romantic Farhan Saeed had proposed Urwa in Paris and got a yes from her there.
Not only are these two equally good-looking and successful, they both are equally hard-working and dedicated to their work too. In all the projects that these two undertake, they try to give their 100% and the results of their respective performances show that.
The lovebirds were found on the Dubai airport, ready to catch a flight to Mauritius. The reason for their journey was not only Farhan’s concert at the stunning island but also because Mauritius is an ideal place to spend his better half’s birthday, 2nd July. The pictures taken of them at the airport show that this couple definitely knows how to travel in style:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV7MwCeAHAH/?tagged=farhansaeed
Farhan Saeed is not only a very successful and talented actor but also has a God-gifted voice. He performed 70 concerts last year, with 50 just in Pakistan making him the only Pakistani singer to have performed in so many concerts in a year.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV9VIoKlRit/?tagged=farhansaeed
Now, he will be spreading the magic of his melodious voice and powerful vocals in the foreign soils of Mauritius and will be making the dreams of his fans over there come true!
Writer: Yasir Hussain
Director: Wajahat Rauf
Producer: Wajahat Rauf & Shazia Wajahat
Channel & Schedule: ARY Digital – Every Thursday at 8pm
Shadi Mubarak Ho’s double launch episode gave it a decent start by giving the viewers a basic insight into all the characters, some of which were rather typical but there were others which are going to be the reason why most viewers will tune into it this drama in the future. I have to say that I was expecting the drama and the characters to be slightly more comical but it seems like it is going to be a light comedy which will focus more on emotions and relationships. Bushra Ansari’s potential however has not been exploited to the maximum and the main focus was on Nyle’s (Yasir Hussain) character. This is the first time I watched Yasir Hussain perform and while he nailed the comic scenes especially the Pathan act, he did not fit into his role as the “boy” who did not have a lot of say in his house and was pushed around by his mother. Overall however Nyle’s character is interesting as long as it does not get too serious.
Shadi Mubarak is the story of Nyle whose mother (Bushra Ansari) is looking for the “perfect” girl she can get her son married to. No one has been able to meet her impossible standards even though her son is sick and tired of visiting people for the said purpose. The helper Ikhtiyar (Asad Siddiqui) also plays a major role in the household by concentrating more on keeping himself well-informed than his job! Nyle’s phupo (Gull-e-Rana) also lives with them and is usually the one supervising the house while the mom is busy looking for a rishta. Nyle’s friend Ahsan (Abdullah Farhat Ullah) is very close to him and in this episode he constantly showed his discontent with his married life, which was way too typical and these conversations weren’t exactly the best part of this episode. Ahsan’s wife Nimrah’s cousin Zoya meets Nyle when he comes to pick her from the airport and from there on Nyle decides to fool her. I have to say that Zoya and Nyle’s interactions were the best part of this episode, they were funny and entertaining. I was hoping that Kubra Khan will be playing a different role this time around since this was after all a comic serial but Kubra Khan’s character is a serious one and isn’t very different from many other roles she has played in the recent past. Yasir Hussain and Kubra Khan’s chemistry on the other hand makes this track one I would be looking forward to the most in the upcoming episodes. The actress playing Nimrah’s role is a fine addition to the industry, she is pleasant looking and she is a good actress too but her role so far is too plain.
This episode was directed really well and the production values were superb too, the script as a whole however is more fun than comical. The drama as a whole will provide lighthearted entertainment and most of the viewers will find themselves more involved in the track which covers the leads more than anything else. Some of the jokes which involved various illnesses were in bad taste and I feel that the jokes about shadi shuda zindagi have been done-to-death other than that the script as a whole seems decent enough. This drama could prove to be a light entertainment for the whole family but it could have been so much more entertaining if Bushra Ansari’s character was more humorous. Yasir Hussain’s Pathan act was the highlight of this episode. It was well written and nicely executed. This first episode was fast paced and if the drama maintains the same pace then it will be interesting to watch. In Nyle’s house however, there was more focus on Ikhtiyar’s relationship with everyone in the house instead of showing in detail how the family spent Eid together.
How many of you watched this episode? Do share your thoughts about it.
Abida Parveen is a Pakistani singer counted amongst the world’s greatest mystic singers and one of the foremost exponents of Sufi music (Sufiana kalaam). The versatile singer is primarily a singer of ghazals and sings in several languages including Urdu, Sindhi, Saraiki, and Punjabi. She is the uncrowned queen of sufi music and is the pride of Pakistan. Not only has she made her name known and respected in Pakistan but world-wide too.
A teaser of Ahat Si by this Legend came out recently and it is just great! The video portrays traditional settings. Saima Ajram, a famous host and presenter at the BBC Asian Network, is dressed in an alluring, graceful white dress wearing jhumkay,churyan and other traditional jewellery pieces . The entire ensemble gives a very graceful look that is very fitting for this romantic ghazal. The theme of the ghazal is about a woman waiting for the love of her life..
Have a look at the teaser:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oW1GUATELc
We are used to seeing the ice cream commercials of Walls and Omore on our TV screens. It has been ages since an IGLOO ice cream was advertised on a large scale. But behold, the day that this brand’s commercial makes an appearance on our TV screens is finally here! But we and the internet have a problem with it.
Look at some of the pictures from the new ad:
Now, if you didn’t know the answer, what ice cream brand would you think was being represented? My guess is Magnum by Walls, right? LIke Walls, Igloo’s commercial revolves around the similar brand appeal and use of seductive advertising tone.
I was a bit confused when I was looking at this picture. If I wasn’t aware of the context, I would’ve totally believed this is an advertisement for some lipstick brand as the “Ice cream” is barely visible in the frame! The lips though…
Have a look at the Commerical yourself:
https://www.facebook.com/igloopakistan/videos/10154944064147979/
These guys didn’t beat about the bush and directly criticized on the overly seductive advertisement for an ice cream:
These champs discussed the marketing strategy that IGLOO should use and not use:
And these people were just disgusted by the ad:
Last but not the least, in fact, my personal favourite, were the sarcastic comments that were found under the post:
What did you think of the commercial?
Namaloom Afraad generated a lot of laughter when the original movie was released and thus the sequel has everyone excited about more jokes. It has the same old cast, with Fahad as Farhan, Urwa as Naina, Javaid Sheikh as Shakeel Bhai, Mohsin as Moon, alongwith a new addition, Hania Amir.
The movie now has a backdrop of Cape Town, where the whole grunge gang adopts a trendy hip hop avatar.
It has gone from this;
To this;
The shy and poor Farhan, as played by Fahad Mustafa is now very sleek and smart. The money earned in the original movie is now being reflected in his attire. The very intelligent and sure of himself dude looks much better than he did previously.
Mohsin Abbas Haider is one handsome hunk in the poster of Namaloom Afraad 2, flaunting his six pack grandly.
The timid and lovestruck Naina is the one who apparently has the most striking transformation of them all. Gone is the simple shalwar kameez clad girl and a hot babe has taken her place. She looks very trendy, now donning all western ensemble and carrying designer handbags. Urwa Hoccane looks a dream come true in her new getup.
Hania Amir comes a close second to Naina in gorgeous sexy dresses and loose curls. She has the attitude of a feminist diva in the trailer and we hope her acting is at par with that.
Javaid Sheikh as Shakeel Bhai has also come a long way and is sporting hip hop hoodies and bad boy jeans and is rocking the look, we must say.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yTvC1QJW7P0
Two local films were released this Eid Ul Fitr; Yalghaar and Mehrunissa V Lub U. Both the films have performed really well during the Eid weekend.
Lets breakdown the business for Mehrunisa first:
Monday: 1.1 crore
Tuesday: 1.75 crore
Wednesday: 1.4 crore
Total: 4.25 crore
Yalghaar’s figures are as follows:
Monday: 1.75 crore
Tuesday: 2.4 crore
Wednesday: 2.2 crore
Total: 6.35 crore
Both the movies are doing really well with Yalghaar showing occupancy of 99% while Mehrunisa stands on about 96-97%. The films have managed to perform really well when compared to previous releases of the year Chalay thay saath and Balu Mahi. The numbers were revealed by boxofficedetail and as per the reports both movies will keep on soaring high for some time. Yalghaar has mostly young audience while Mehrunisa is seen by familes. Yalghaar is winning above Mehrunisa with just a small margin but both are doing really well.
English movies Transformers: The Last Knight, Pirates of the Carribean:Dead Men Tell No Tales and Despicable Me 3 also performed well as compared to previous year’s Eid grossing over 3 crores.
Shaan is among the pioneers of this bloom that our film industry is seeing today. Khuda Kay Liay was the first movie who brought the enlightened masses of society to Pakistani cinemas and the trend has escalated enormously after that. He is also a staunch nationalist and has verbally criticised our actors and actresses to be so desperate to act in Bollywood that they don’t even demand role equality with Indian actors of the same movie and he has debated this on many platforms.
Recently, he talked about Arth and Yaghaar and about his take on the movies of today and his beliefs regarding them. Though he has mellowed out over time, he still speaks his mind very strongly. Talking about Arth, he said that he has always believed writing was his forte and working with so many writers all these years has given him a deep insight into that genre of film making. He said, the movie, its script and all the actors make it a complete picture. He thinks a movie should be treated like a child, catering to its every need to achieve the results you are hoping it would.
Theh it came to Yalghaar and the controversy surrounding it when it comes to Shaan’s disinterest in promoting it. He said that it is not that he is not supporting Yalghaar, it is just that he does not want to mislead his audience. He wants them to know what they are buying the ticket for.
Shaan believes it was wrong of film makers to promote Yalghaar as the likes of Rambo, where the hero has one vandetta, or the way most of his action movies are. It has multiple heroes in it and all of them are involved in paying tribute to the martyrs. He is proud to be part of such a theme but he does not want to give the incorrect impression to his audiences by promoting it in his name. It is a movie based on a true event that brings to limelight all those who have sacrificed their lives and families for this country. The movie boasts a star studded cast and he believes his fans are intelligent enough not be disappointed on seeing him sharing screen space with so many heroes, as long as that they are told earnestly what they should be expecting.
Shaan has spoken very cautiously about the movie, but considering the reviews it is getting, we wonder if there was more than this to him not wanting to promote the movie in his name?
Share your thoughts please, especially if you have been to see the film.
Yalghaar is running smoothly in cinemas. The film has been heavily promoted and spots a big star cast including Shaan, Humayun Saeed, Adnan Siddiqui, Ayesha Omer and Sana Bucha among others. The film is Pakistan’s highest budget film till date and is released across 22 countries. Now not only Pakistani but International Media is also giving coverage to Yalghaar. Watch this:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5s2zp0_report-of-international-media-on-yalghaar-movie_tv
Promotion of Pakistani cinema on such huge platforms is incredible. It shows how quality never goes unnoticed. With good films and high quality cinema we can definitely take over International market.
After promoting the movie ‘Yalghaar’ in US, the cast was spotted at the premier of the movie in London.
The team of ‘Yalghaar’ has promoted the movie extensively at international level, it would be interesting to note how the movie fares at the box office overseas.
The actors look gorgeous at the red carpet, let’s have a look at a few pictures posted online after the event.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV8HcDjhZEO/
We all know who she is! Yes she tells us herself “Main hoon Rabia Anum”. Well the famous newscaster is engaged now. She works on Geo News and people love the way she pronounces her name. Over long Eid weekend Rabia got engaged.
And the fiance is not hidden in an invisibility cloak and we will show you how he looks:
Here is a closer look at the groom:
His name is Obaid and he works in Emirates Airline and lives in Dubai. We wish the couple best of luck for their future. May Allah bless them with a happy future ahead!
Syed Sadequain Ahmed Naqvi also known as Sadequain Naqash is a world-renowned Pakistani artist and calligrapher. He is considered as one of the best painters and calligrapher. He was born in Amroha, India on 30th June 1930 which marks his 87th birthday today. Google marked his birthday with a doodle and here is what it looks like.
This is a big honour and point to ponder is Sadequain Sahab is still bringing honour to his country even if he is no more. We as a nation should remember our legends and must tell how great they were to our coming generations. Sadequain is definitely an inspiration to the aspiring artists. The end note should be nothing other than the legend’s piece of art.
Television is progressing by each passing day. Many social issues were brought to light with the help of dramas. Udaari showcased the hidden taboo of child abuse and Khuda Mera Bhi Hai talked about struggles of transgenders. In the same way Rehai was all about the importance of women empowerment. With Baaghi already in pipeline another show which will deal with the honour killings is coming to your television screens. The show named Gairat stars Iqra Aziz and Syed Jibran. Have a look at the promo:
https://www.facebook.com/arydigital.tv/videos/1677294652281764/
We have to wait to see how Gairat will deal with such a sensitive issue. Share your thoughts about the teaser!
Aadhi Gawahi is soon to be aired on HUM TV. The drama stars Azfar Rehman, Sohai Ali Abro and Ali Josh in lead along with Saleem Sheikh, Ayesha Sana and Uzma Khan. The promo looks very intriguing. Have a look:
https://www.facebook.com/DramaAdhiGawahi/videos/138865230001618/
For some more insight in the story watch this:
https://www.facebook.com/DramaAdhiGawahi/videos/143515886203219/
The story is written by Saima Akram and directed by Fahim Burney. The drama is produced by MD Productions and will air from 5th July.
Drama serial “Baaghi” is all set to come to your television screens soon. The second teaser of “Baaghi” is already out and glimpses of Saba Qamar portraying Qandeel Baloch will captivate you.
Saba, after taking bollywood by storm with her performance in Hindi Medium is ready to appear in boipic of Qandeel Baloch, a social media celebrity who lost her life to honor killing.
The other members of the cast of “Baaghi” include Ali Kazmi, Sarmad Khoosat, Osman Khalid Butt, Khalid Malik and Hareem Farooq.
Have a look on the second teaser of “Baaghi” to have an insight of Saba’s avatar in the serial.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV6zbc6AxAG/
No one doubts the talent that Pakistan has when it comes to music, and India might not admit it but that doesn’t stop her from copying our music of the past, remaking them and selling them with her stamp on it!
The song ‘Hawa Hawa’ is a famous creation of Pakistan’s pop music sung by Hassan Jahangir. The song gained huge popularity in the 80s’ and 90s’ and is still considered as one of the best tracks that our music industry has managed to produce.
While our music Industry is moving forward, bringing our artists’ creativity into play, producing innovative tracks and beats, India is moving backwards-backtracking our musical records and finding the tracks they can copy, I mean, remake.
The most recent victim of India’s craze of remaking old Pakistani songs will be found in the movie ‘Mubarakan’, an Arjoon Kapoor starrer which is to release later this year. The remake is posted under as well as the original; you can decide for yourself which is better.
According to me, the remake is cheap. Not only are the lyrics vulgar, the use of auto tune also ruins the whole song. I dearly missed the original ,melodious version of song when I had the misfortune of listening to the Indian version.
Here is the original version by Hassan Jahangir:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbya09GHCuk
After New York, the ambitious celebrated team of Yalghaar has reached Los Angeles on Wednesday for its promotions and red carpet premiere. It seemed like amidst the sleepless nights and the hassle of travelling through time zones, our Pakistani actors look as dashing and gorgeous as ever. In spite of it all, they tend to be holding their ground pretty and well and are well supportive of each other as a united team throughout the journey.
Here are a few captured moments from their social accounts:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV5p3YHBPkl/?r=wa1
The diva looks a little bit homesick and exhausted at this prospect, and judging from the faces below she’s probably not the only one:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV2_yqhh5uG/?taken-by=ayesha.m.omar
But did that stop them from glamouring up the red carpet with their dazzling looks and killer dresses? The answer is a resounding no.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV5XnXahoPt/?taken-by=ayesha.m.omar
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV5X5X4h2_n/?taken-by=ayesha.m.omar
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV5WcHXlWIf/?r=wa1
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV6fiCPF2hH/?r=wa1
But nothing beats that of our man-crush and never-aging hunk Adnan Siddiqui, who made this absolutely adorable video on his Instagram before hitting the L.A carpet:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV5MGmNgAHK/?r=wa1
Our team has now arrived in London, UK for their new stop in the promotional tour:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV63yx3BVm8/?taken-by=ayesha.m.omar
https://www.instagram.com/p/BV66fmHFecT/?taken-by=armeenakhanofficial
We wish them the very best of luck!
Bilal Ashraf is a sensation these days. He became a phenomenon after his first film as lead and now he is ruling the scene with Yalghaar and Rangreza to release soon. Bilal has also worked behind camera as the “Visual Effects Director” for Yalghaar.
News is Bilal has turned writer for a super-hero trilogy. This is what he said in an interview:
“Well it’s a story that I’ve been working on for over four years. It’s a definite trilogy because I feel I can’t complete it in one go. Every installment has different characters developing gradually as the story progresses. That’s how I’ve planned it since I feel I wouldn’t have been able to do it justice. It’s something I’ve actually grown up with. I’ve always had such ideas and I used to discuss them with my late sister, so this project is very close to my heart. She wanted to do it, so in a way I am finishing what she couldn’t do. It’s a project I’ve been living with.
The superhero is actually locally inspired. It’s all about Pakistan. What I can reveal is that it’s not one of those spandex-wearing, running from one-place-to-another kind of superhero. It’s a lot more real.”
It will be great to see Bilal as a super hero and the project will hopefully carry a nice script as Bilal is doing it in the memory of his late sister.
Ace ex-cricketer Wasim Akram has started his own foundation to help the underprivileged. His wife Shaneira Akram is also taking part actively in all endeavours. The beautiful lady spent the third day of Eid with children and distributed gifts among them.
Shaneira also a recorded this message:
https://www.facebook.com/TheAkramFoundation/videos/816451628520658/
It is a most beautiful way to celebrate as some celebrities have done this Eid. We also should remember the people who need us and not forget them completely indulging ourselves in festivities.
She is always in the news for the latest masala and controversies and has made herself a huge name in the Pakistani showbiz industry.
Meera, the famous Pakistani actress, who turned 40 last July, just announced her wedding date!
In an article published in Jang, she informed that she will be getting married on August 22 to a family friend. She further revealed that her soon-to-be-husband is not from showbiz and that this will be an arranged marriage which her parents are extremely happy about.
Mera informed that her Mehndi will take place on August 5 while the Valima ceremony will be held in November.
She also claimed that she will be saying adios (goodbye) to showbiz once since married. She added that she will no longer be living in Pakistan and will move to USA, once she’s a married woman.
We wish her all the best and pray for her successful married life!
Sharmeen Obaid, the woman who won Oscars twice and made her mark, is all set to go for yet another unique project. Her new project “home1947” revolves around the Indo-Pak independence stories. The name holds immense significance as it depicts what home meant to people of the time and how the two nations living together were like.
“People know me for my political and social work, but in 2007, I thought of this idea and thanks to the Manchester international festival I was given this opportunity to showcase this here in Manchester for 9 days, an unmissable experience for those who want to experience what their families have gone through during the partition, and how they have lived, felt, survived during that period.”
“The idea is unique as it’s not only reflecting the partition, but also all those people who have lost their homes and can’t go back to their homes. The project in itself will bring people from different races and colours to experience what people have gone through during the partition,”
This is what Sharmeen told the media as she explained what her new project holds.She, furthermore said:
“My main motive is to preserve the history of 1947, we are into 70 years of our independence so we don’t have enough people who have experienced partition, so the idea is to either film or write down the personal experiences of those who have seen or experienced partition. Those nations who don’t preserve their history always struggle to find their true identity, so this project will help in preserving our history and acknowledge our true history. I would also love to showcase this project in other countries especially India and Pakistan so more people can come forward with their stories.”
Sharmeen’s new project will project the idea of largest migration ever witnessed 70 years ago and how how difficult it was for people of the time to leave what they called “home”. The best part that will add spark to the documentary is that the two most talented singers ( Sanam Marvi and Harshdeep Kaur) from Pakistan and India will be performing together for the first time ever in the opening scene of “Home1947”.
Rehan Munir had posted advertisement for a house in New York, hoping to find someone to split the rent with, and ended up getting offers he could’ve never imagined.
We all have seen drop dead gorgeous doctors on different TV series, but hardly ever in real life. Let’s be honest, most doctors spend way too much time buried in work than to pay heed to their looks and we are fine by it; after all, they save lives! However, it doesn’t hurt to visit a doctor easy on the eyes, right?
Such a rare species (doctor with good looks) was found in New York, when he posted online, on the Facebook page Gypsy Housin, that he was looking for a furnished room to rent in Manhattan while doing a rotation at a New York hospital.
The 26-year-old medical graduate ended up getting offers of everything from free places to live into marriage proposals. This is what he wrote on the page:
“Hello everyone! I’m Rehan and I’m looking to rent a furnished room on the Upper East Side, Upper West Side or Midtown Manhattan. I’m planning to move in around July 20th and stay till August 30th. My price range is about $800, with some flexibility.”
I’m professional, friendly and easy to live with. Most of all, cleanliness is of utmost priority to me. Please let me know if you have any leads.
Then he signed off with these of pictures, and that’s when the chaos began.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUeytO8AqD4/?taken-by=rehanmunir
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTzTWrDA7-8/?taken-by=rehanmunir
The responses that he got:
Munir also seems to have a second career as a model. He recently shot an advertisement for Hush Puppies Pakistan:
https://www.facebook.com/VisualProphecy/videos/1161833003927763/
The 26-year-old talked with The Huffington Post, answering the question most of the angrez awam were looking an answer for- whether he is single or taken. He said, “I’m single but trying to focus on my career at the moment.”
