Jia Ali who belongs to the supermodel catergory of models in Pakistan and who is also an actress and has worked in many dramas has recently said that the new generation of filmmakers are introducing the Pakistani cinema industry in the world through their quality and interesting films.
She also said that it is needed that such filmmakers should be encouraged as Pakistani filmmakers are going towards improvement with the passage of time.
She even announced that she’ll also do a film if something which suits her is offered to her.
“A filmmaker will not achieve success until he produces movies that are according to the standards of box office and temperament of the audience,” she said.
The beauty standards these days are high and celebrities usually fall for cosmetic surgeries to gain popularity. Many celebrities nowadays are going under the knife. So, is Sumbul Iqbal one of them?
The ‘Mere Khwab Reza Reza’ actress entered the industry at a very young age and was known for her raw beauty.
Pakistani actor Mikaal Zulfiqar has ended his six-year-old marriage with Sara Bhatti.
He took to social media to make the announcement, “Wanted to say this for a while. Finally found the courage to do so. Sad to announce. Unfortunately, my marriage of 6 years has ended. After a long separation and despite efforts from both ends things could not be resolved, which has resulted in divorce.”
Mikaal Zulfiqar tied the knot with model Sara Bhatti in 2010. They have two kids together. The news came as a shock to everyone and Mikaal’s fans are extremely sad.
Here are a few pictures of Sara Bhatti and Mikaal Zulfiqar:
We can never get enough of the quintessential heartthrob of the nation, Fawad Khan! His looks and powerful acting skills have made him one of the most famous celebrities of Pakistan.
After Suzuki Vitara, Bold spray has now roped him in once again to feature in their latest advert of the spray. He is currently shooting for the tvc and a few behind the scenes pictures have surfaced online.
Everyone seems to be keeping a close eye on Hum Tv’s upcoming drama Alif Allah Aur Insan because it stars uber talented Kubra Khan opposite Mikaal Zulfiqar. Both will be seen playing the lead characters and the very first teaser of the play released today.
Written by Qaisara Hayat and directed by Aehsun Tablish, the plot seems to revolve around Shahzeb (Mikaal Zulfiqar) and Nazneen (Kubra Khan). Nazneen comes across as a sweet yet fiery girl, while Shahzeb looks more like a fun guy. The fast paced promo is a pleasant visual treat. Moreover, Kubra Khan and Mikaal Zulfiqar’s striking chemistry is surely making us impatient.
One of the most popular singers of Pakistan’s music industry Farhan Saeed has been winning hearts for years now mainly because of his rich voice which always pumps up a connection to every song he sings.
He is now all set to make his comeback to Bollywood despite the ongoing ban on Pakisani artists. He’s not only singing the song but also composing it for upcoming Bollywood film ‘Half Girlfriend’. Farhan Saeed uploaded a poster of the movie on his Instagram saying “you are in for a surprise“, and we finally know the details.
Momina Mustehsan shot to fame after her debut, ‘Afreen Afreen’ in coke studio alongside singing maestro, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. However, she has been scrutinized and trolled by her followers time and again.
Just recently, a girl on twitter passed a rude comment about Momina’s hair colour.
Is there a reasonable justification for @MominaMustehsan's red/burgundy/whatever the hell its called, colored hair?
The Afreen Afreen star chose not to stay quiet on the matter and replied the troll in a cool way.
Yes. It's called freedom of expression ☺️ it lets you be whatever/however you want to be. That's reasonable enough, I guess? Lol https://t.co/zvbKljdmeN
Farhat Ishtiaq’s much awaited drama ‘Yaqeen Ka Safar’ is all set to hit our screens very soon. The drama which is based on Farhat’s novel ‘Woh Yaqeen Ka Naya Safar’ stars Sajal Ali and Ahad Raza Mir in the lead roles.
The teasers of the show by Hum TV have recently been released and the drama looks like an intense love story. From what we gathered from the teaser, the drama revolves around Sajal’s character who likes a guy but there’s a lot which is still kept under the wraps and we hope to find out more details in the coming teasers of the drama.
Besides, Sajal and Ahad, the drama also stars Hira Mani, Shaz Khan, Ehtesham Uddin, Fazila Qazi, Huma Nawab, Sabiha Sumar, Suhaee Abro, Beenish Raja, Noman Masood, Farhan Ali Agha and Zainab Qayyum in pivotal roles.
Directed by Shehzad Kashmiri, Yaqeen Ka Safar is an MD productions expected to go on air in April on Hum TV.
The real surprise and the twist we had all been waiting for came in the later half of this episode and I have to say that Muqabil continues to be amazing in so many ways even after all these weeks. The scene in the pool was beyond exceptional not only because it covered the most important development in this episode but also because of the way it was shot. The acting, camera angles, the direction and not to mention the location was right on point. The director conveyed everything perfectly through the expressions and gestures of the actors involved. This scene proved what an exceptional director Ali Hassan is because if he wanted he could have shortened this scene but then it wouldn’t have the impact it had. The only thing which looked somewhat out of place was Mohsin Abbas Haider and Kubra Khan’s perfectly styled hair after the intense scene in the pool. Other than that Mohsin Abbas Haider and Kubra Khan nailed their scenes once again. Both of them deserve tons of appreciation for giving this drama their best. Arman’s reaction after he found out who had violated Pareesa when she was a kid was also shown brilliantly.
This episode opened with Pareesa’s parents discussing how content they were with the way things turned out for their daughter thinking that she was finally happy. Everything was perfect in the first half, even Zubeida who is always complaining had few good things to say about madam for a change. The most important scenes were the ones in which Mahmood was shown content because he thought he had gotten away with what he had done to Pareesa! His conversation with the maulvi sahab was brief but it was very impactful. What maulvi sahab said to him was spot on and exactly what everyone wanted to hear. All this time Mahmood has been thinking about himself, how he can escape what he had done and whether he would be able to move on but he did not pause to think about Pareesa even once. He never thought about how he changed that little girl’s life for the worst forever which basically goes to show that he isn’t really “sorry” . That one line which maulvi sahab said should have been enough to make him reflect upon what he had done but that did not happen. He does not think he should be punished but he thinks he should be forgiven because he has been repenting for so long. Mahmood is another example of one of those people who twist religion to suit their needs. He has been asking Allah for forgiveness but he is not willing to pay for what he did! Asif Raza Mir has breathed life into a character which is not an easy one to translate on screen. He is at that stage of his career where he did not need to experiment with a role which was completely different from every other role he has played in his career therefore I am especially impressed that he made this choice.
Pareesa’s reaction was also covered in a realistic manner. One of the main reasons why Muqabil is one of my most favorite plays is that it is not only thoroughly entertaining but the story has always been unpredictable and logical. Saife Hassan and Saba Hameed’s natural acting and the way their scenes were penned down and directed made their scenes enjoyable.
Everyone who gave up on Muqabil after watching the last two episodes, should tune into it this week and they will most certainly tune into it next week too! Can’t wait to find out how the story unfolds from here on. This episode had plenty of scenes which could have been chopped down, I hope that the pace of the drama doesn’t slow down now because so far Muqabil has been phenomenal.
How many of you watched this episode? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.
After impressing us in Pakistan, Saba Qamar is all set to make her Bollywood debut with upcoming film ‘Hindi Medium’. The film will hit cinemas on May 12 and will star Saba opposite critics favourite Irfan Khan.
Recently, Saba Qamar has been spotted in Georgia for the shooting of a song for Hindi Medium. The actress shared the news on social media. Hindi Medium’s song is the recreated version of Sukhbir’s super hit song. Here are some BTS from the sets.
Pakistani actress Noor Bukhari publicly announced her decission to part ways with husband Wali Hamid after a little more than 2 years of marriage.
Wali Hamid has now taken to social media to share his thoughts on the matter. He asked privacy from their fans and also requested to refrain from saying negative things about Noor.
The singer wrote on his Facebook page: “A heartiest humble request to all ‘’Please refrain from commenting negative about Noor, I found my soulmate in her, we had the bestest times of our life together and I still love her, respect her and always will and never want to part ways.”
He asked people to “respect our personal feelings and pray for us.” as it’s a “personal matter and let us handle personally.”
Blaming women for a divorce is common in our society and it was refreshing to see Wali standing up for Noor. We, hope they sort their differences. Noor Bukhari tied the knot with Wali Hamid in 2015. Wali is the son of renowned classical singer Hamid Ali Khan.
Social media just needs a reason to discuss Fawad Khan! Sometimes it’s about Bollywood or his upcoming Pakistani movies, or anything about him.
Fawad Khan’s sister recently graduated from CMH Medical College and being a good brother, Fawad was there to attend his sister’s graduation ceremony. He was spotted flaunting his current hbeefed up look for Bilal Lashari’s next!
FK has is the latest talk of the town as his pictures with his sister have surfaced online.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Monday directed TV anchor Aamir Liaquat Hussain to apologise on air for indulging in hate speech during the transmission of his show on Bol News.
“On or before March 31, 2017, the channel and Dr Aamir Liaquat, shall separately, during the same time slot of the programme ‘Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga’, by specifically naming all individual complainants against whom hate speech was aired, apologise unconditionally to the viewers for airing the hate-speech,” Pemra said in a statement.
“The channel shall also ensure that text to the same effect is also scrolled/displayed on the screen during the entire programme wherein Dr Aamir Liaquat apologises to viewers,” the notice added.
The media regulatory authority also imposed a fine of Rs1 million on the channel which is to be deposited within 15 days.
Following the issuance of the notice, Bol News is required to submit and affidavit by March 31, ensuring that no hate speech will be aired in future. Further, the notice stated that in case of non-compliance, the ban will once again come into effect from April 1.
عامر لیاقت نفرت انگیز مواد نشر کرنے کے مرتکب قرار، ناظرین سے معافی، جرمانے کا حکم. حکم عدولی کی صورت میں پروگرام بند کر دیا جائے گا pic.twitter.com/K7MpRppHOk
Pemra on January 26, banned with immediate effect anchorman Aamir’s show on Bol News TV channel for delivering hate speech.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court announced it will monitor Aamir show. The anchor gave an undertaking before the SC stating he will not conduct any programme, which may promote hate or go against the ideology of Pakistan.
However, a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar asked Aamir to send a transcript of his show to the registrar’s office on a daily basis.
Na Maloom Afraad 2’s shooting spell has already begun and director Nabeel Qureshi is all set to bring a fully loaded fun and entertainment film.
Returning for the sequel are lead actors Fahad Mustafa, Javed Sheikh, Mohsin Abbas Haider and Urwa Hocane. Numerous actors including Nayyar Ejaz, Saleem Mairaj and Ashiq Ahmed have completed their shoot. Nayyar Ejaz will be seen playing the role of an Arab Sheikh. The rest of the actors will shoot for the film in South Africa.
Previously, Nabeel Qureshi and Fiza Ali have made two films together under their banner of Filmwala Entertainment, Actor In Law and Na Maloom Afraad. Both films gained immense popularity and did great business at the box office.
Na Maloom Afraad is slated to release on this Eid-ul-Azha .
A latest Pashto song makes a comparison of love to Panama Leaks scandal.
“Pa Mohabbat Ke Corruption De Karhay. Da Bal Yo Khkuli Selection De Karhay. Khlasai De Nishta Os Pa Dasey Ywa Ghoima Kay Ger Shway. Pa Panama Ke Ger Shway,” sings a Pakhtun singer.
The male singer responds: “Khpal Mohabbat Ba Gatam. Pa Adalat Ba Ye Gatam. Dhandli May Na Da Karhay. Ma Kho Sta Yari Karhay Da.”
The song is going viral on social media these days. The song talks about lover’s fight as one of them has betrayed the other. And then it mentions Panama leaks.
The female singer is saying that her lover is corrupt because he selected another beautiful face over her.
“You are caught in Panama scandal now,” sings the female singer but the male singer comes even stronger by singing that he would win his love (case) by proving it in the court because he has not rigged anything but only tried to be her friend.
The film was a flop and the Pashto but this song is surely a fun treat.
The power couple Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor are currently enjoying holidays in Bangkok with their beautiful daughter Horain. Apparently, they went their for the shoot of an upcoming tvc, but turned their work trip into a cool holiday trip. Here are a few pictures from the couple’s love nest, and we can’t help but adore their cute little daughter.
The third episode of Tonite with HSY, featuring sisters, Syra Shehroz and Alishba Yousuf aired on Sunday and we’re not sure what the ladies were thinking to say the least. The sisters were all fiery on the couch and brewed quite a storm in the show by passing some controversial remarks. While it was fun in the beginning, but later it seemed they went quite overboard.
You cannot fake charm and this episode of Tonight with HSY Season 4 proved just that. However, in an awkward turn of events the show did became too controversial to digest. In fact, there were several moments in the show that felt a little ‘trying too hard’. HSY didn’t beat around the bush and went straight in with the girls asking them several things to keep the show interesting.
Syra was suppose to promote her movie Chalay Thay Saath, but ended up taking a dig at almost every popular celebrity. These girls managed to offend almost every celebrity and made some controversial comments. Syra Shehroze and Alishba Yousaf were witty, confident and looked better than ever but it was HSY that stayed in his element.
Let me breakdown everything that went down at the episode!
1) Syra was offered a role in a Hollywood movie but rejected because she felt it was too bold, and says that it’s not necessary to project everything in a bold way.
2) So, ‘Syra is a pretty face but not a good actress,’! Well, she feels there’s nothing good in bashing others which made us think was it same in this case too?
5) Alishba and Syra share that their mother has no problem with their acting but get’s upset seeing her daughters playing the typical ‘damsel in distress’.
6) Here, they said “Mehwish Hayat will never be seen dancing in the rain because all her makeup would wash off. And that she’d never attend a Sajjad Ali concert.” (Ouchh)
A few witty questions which actually sum up the show were when, Alishba was asked: ‘Which one celebrity has gotten so much cosmetic surgery that he or she is now looks like Michael Jackson?’ She replied, ‘Saba.’ Yes! Saba. And Syra also said that Ali Azmat can really ruin a music festival. Their responses were fun and could have been a bit more fun if Alishba had not giggled and screamed throughout the show because that made things even more unpleasant.
However, Syra pulled out a grenade that only made us question her opinion on the industry she’s been working in. All in all, if Syra thinks there’s nothing good in bashing others, i wonder how come did she not think the same, while taking a dig at almost every celebrity, let’s say they might be correct at times. I haven’t seen much of their work but i always felt these girls are doing good for themselves. I’m seriously not sure about the backlash, coming their way!
Two things which did not went well with me was their attitude and most of all Ali Gul Pir’s guest appearance, that was certainly not needed because it didn’t help to boost up the show, he could’ve been a proper guest instead and the episode could have been more fun.
Signing off till next episode, do share your thoughts folks!
Ohkay so, the last two episodes of Munkir were a bit better with some unconvincing developments to their credit. I think this is going to be the case with most of the episodes of Munkir where we will see a lot of unconvincing bits because the writer seems to have set his mind to something & now he is doing everything to reach his goal, which is to bring Runa & Gulrez together.
So, Runa left Murree & finally came back to her home, that too when Rania was about to get busted. The relationship that Rania & Runa share is probably the best thing about this drama, because the writer tried to at least show something unconventional & normal through Rania’s character that a step mother can be a friend & a well-wisher as well.
So, Runa’s in laws started feeling something fishy about the entire situation & just when they were already a little suspicious, their worst fears were confirmed by their relative were he told that he spotted Runa in Murree. I must say after Anjum, I find Batool’s character quite annoying too & what’s worst is that all these weird characters get so much of screen-time & dialogues. At first, to be honest, I wasn’t too happy with the fact that the writer showed Runa’s in laws as those kind of practicing Muslims who love to judge others, that is why every time I heard Batool pass generic verdicts about what Pakistani girls can do & what Pakistani girls are capable of, I found it quite distasteful. However, I hate to say this but the way both Runa & Anjum are behaving makes me feel that Batool has a valid point & everything that she says makes sense because it describes girls like Runa & Anjum to perfection.
Even though the writer has tried to use Zain’s family’s religiousness against them by showing them to be quite judgmental & he has tried to make them look the odd ones out here but in my opinion, they are far better than Runa who is coming across as a hypocrite for being in love with someone while getting married to someone else. At this point, it is so obvious that in order to justify Runa’s budding feelings towards Gulrez, the writer is making Zain’s family seem a bit unreasonable & irrational by showing that they are a bit too conservative but then again, it isn’t working because I find their concerns justified at this stage & to some extent their judgments accurate too since Runa is not behaving in such a way that would sit well with anyone even from a non-conservative mindset!
Gulrez showed up at Runa’s doorstep & it wasn’t only Runa or Anjum but seems like even Daadi & Rania were going gaga over Gulrez. This is exactly something that makes it worse that all of them have formed such a high opinion regarding Gulrez whereas they know nothing about him. The one who is worst in this situation is Anjum, who keeps on comparing Zain & Gulrez without even knowing about Gulrez & his background. Looks like Gulrez has come with a mission in his mind again & has only taken Runa’s home as a place for him to stay temporarily but since he loves her, I find it stupid of him to be putting Runa or her entire family into danger since his people would know about Runa & if he will ever run away, they’d make things difficult for Runa’s entire family. Also, Runa’s family knows that Zain’s family is not so broad-minded so to see them giving a place to Gulrez to stay was another unconvincing aspect, like Zain’s family can question them about Gulrez if word will ever spread that Gulrez & Runa were friends, but let’s see!
Overall, these two episodes were decent but a lot of things did seem off-putting. Zain’s character didn’t have much to offer at this stage & I found Anjum quite weird where she was being pally with Zain but on the other hand, she was constantly judging him & was trying to jeopardize Runa & Zain’s marriage. Runa really needs to snap out of the sympathy that she feels for Gulrez & needs to understand for once that sympathy & love are two different things. Anyways, please share your thoughts about these two episodes of Munkir.
Cornetto Pop Rock season 2 is back with a promise to entertain us.
However, so far it seems to be on the contrary. Cornetto Pop Rock season 2 is here where it previously released 2 songs featuring Komal Rizvi and then Turn up the music mr DJ featuring Hasan Rizvi, Ayesha Omer and Qurram Hussain and Josh the band on vocals.
The latest release featuring Ali Azmat and Quratulain Baloch is here.
The video features the duo singing for a crowd while the lyrics talk about romantic love.
The song is catchy and upbeat and you’ll hear yourself singing the song out loud many times in a day.
Ohkay so, this episode of Yeh Raha Dil was adorable & I loved watching it because not only the developments were great but the way everything unfolded was beautiful as well. I must say the best thing about Yeh Raha Dil is the way the writer has made us fall in love with all the characters because they all seem so genuine & realistic, where they can be impulsive enough to act harshly but the very next moment can also feel the guilt for being so uncourteous. I love how the writer has added so many shades into all these characters & has given them a unique personality because of which when they all come together, they make it look like a cocktail which has so many different flavours. Isn’t it amazing to be able to see a drama which has so much of warmth in it & it just makes you smile throughout? This is exactly what I look for in a drama so I’m a happy viewer & reviewer. :)
So, Zaki obviously reacted without even thinking twice & told Hayat to leave when he spotted her at his property. Obviously Hayat left such a bad impression on him because of all the things she said to Nida & just because Zaki had such a hard time in making things right with his lady love that he didn’t want to take a chance as he knew that Nida couldn’t tolerate Hayat for a second & he couldn’t afford to give her another chance. I found it quite sweet how later Zaki realized that he was a little too harsh in dealing with Hayat & not only that, despite being talked out of it by Nida, he still thought that may be everything that Hayat said was true.
Hayat’s break down was so emotional & heart-wrenching. I loved loved loved the fact that Hayat never intended to play a victim card in front of Zaki nor she acted like a bechari or damsel in distress in front of him when she saw that Zaki came to help her out again. Hayat was in a state of shock when she got robbed & that was the moment when she gave up because she couldn’t take it anymore but luckily Zaki witnessed everything & realized that he actually made a mistake by not taking Hayat seriously. It was quite sweet seeing how Zaki comforted Hayat because he couldn’t even imagine that a head-strong & happy-go-lucky kind of a girl like Hayat could actually give up on her life to this extent that she was ready to face death. Hayat’s state of shock & Zaki’s compassion were the highlights of this episode for me because Hayat didn’t even realize how much she affected Zaki & how much he was actually worried for her that he not only brought her to his home but also gave her his space to make her feel better. It was probably for the first time that Zaki actually had some thoughts about Hayat, only because he saw her in such a state that he never could’ve imagined. Hayat always played the victim card for fun’s sake in front of Zaki because she tried to push her luck when she was in Nepal but she never really did it seriously as she is not the kind, may be that’s why Zaki understood that Hayat’s situation was far more grave than he initially thought it was.
I remember just in the previous review I mentioned that I was looking forward to an interaction between Hayat & Haroon & in this episode it happened just so effortlessly. I loved how Hayat came in front of Zaki’s parents & not only that, she casually shared a breakfast with them too. It was quite an amusing & non-serious kind of situation where Zaki brought a stranger in the house & then introduced her to his parents saying she was the owner of the house that his father just purchased. It was quite interesting that not only Zaki but even Haroon gave Hayat a fair chance to explain what she wanted to say & then brainstormed about it. Even Haroon’s assistant felt everything about this deal was suspicious because they got the property for less than what it was worth.
I must say Yumna Zaidi made me tear up in the scene where Hayat explains Zaki that this place belonged to her & how she owned it because she was familiar with all the smallest little details about it. Even though Hayat’s character is quite loud & boisterous but what makes it even more amazing is the fact that she is in touch with her emotional side to such an extent, like who would’ve thought that a carefree girl like Hayat could be so emotionally attached to her place that she would even count the walls or the stairs in her home? It was beautiful.
Another scene that I enjoyed the most was the validation & testimony that Zaki got through Hayat’s neighbor who warned Zaki about Hayat’s shortcomings & all the unusual habits. Even though Hayat thought that the neighbor aunty filled in all the wrong details but whatever she said was enough for Zaki to understand that Hayat wasn’t lying & she actually used to live there because no one else could’ve given out such honest details to him about Hayat.
Nida was obviously not too happy with how Zaki was trying to help Hayat, that too when her parents were coming to meet Zaki & his parents. Even though Nida might seem immature but whatever she says does make quite a lot of sense, like even though we all feel for Hayat a lot more but what Nida said about the possibility of Hayat trapping Zaki along with her friend Salman did sound realistic. Nida is protective of Zaki & she obviously wanted make sure that her intuition was heard by Zaki’s parents too, which actually turned out to be the case because Haroon did feel that Nida had a valid point.
The final conversation between Hayat, Zaki & his parents was quite interesting too. Hayat is manipulative but she is not conniving, like she is someone who resorts to emotional blackmailing, even though she had all the reasons to be emotional & she actually was emotional but in stead of making it difficult for Zaki & his parents, she tried to throw in some drama to convince them. Looks like Hayat & Zaki are going to spend a lot more time together & I can’t wait to see how their track together unfolds but for now, I am thoroughly enjoying their friendship.
Overall, I had a great time watching this episode because it was like a roller-coaster ride of emotions where they made us smile & then got us emotional as well. Some of the readers did mention the possibility of Hayat & Nida being sisters & I was pleasantly surprised at their prediction because that seems to be the case because as the preview suggests, Nida’s father is actually Hayat’s father & through this home, he will be able to get in contact with Hayat, I am interested to see how Nida & even Nida’s mother will take the news of Hayat being related to him. Things are going to get quite a bit exciting. As always, all the actors did a wonderful job; Ahmed Ali, Anam Gohar, Azra Mohiuddin, Arjumand Azhar Hussain but the one who took the crown in this episode is hands down Yumna Zaidi, for portraying the shades of Hayat’s character & all the emotions that she went through so flawlessly. I am enjoying Yeh Raha Dil so much & can’t wait for the next episode already. Please share your thoughts about this beautiful episode of Yeh Raha Dil.
After giving birth to her first son, Bollywood queen is back in action. She’s currently in London with her family, possibly for a function and we saw our very own Faraz Manan with her. Faraz Manan is a famous fashion designer, and we think he’s going to style Kareena’s look for the upcoming occasion.
Here are some pictures of them doing the rounds on social media:
Hira Mani has made quite a name for herself in the drama industry but the diva has a secret talent which nobody seems to be talking about.
She loves to sing and often posts her clips while singing on her official instagram account. Hence, today, we bring you 4 times she sang like there is no tomorrow.
When she sang Aitebaar by the legendary Junaid Jamshed.
Movies all over the world are an integral part of the entertainment industry. And when a movie does well at the box office, stars are feted and directors and producers lauded. However, in reality it is the writers who write the screenplays that hold films together and the memorable dialogues that people remember who seem to be given the shortest shrift in talking about films.
Icon spoke to four rising young writers — Vasay Chaudhry (Main Hoon Shahid Afridi, Jawani Phir Nahi Ani), Yasir Hussain (Karachi Se Lahore, Lahore Se Aagey), Osman Khalid Butt (Siyaah, Janaan) and Bilal Sami (Dobara Phir Se) — to get their takes on why Pakistan continues to have a problem with scripts. And we bring you the conversation they had with the handsome guy in the town, Osman Khalid Butt.
Most of the films in Pakistan seem to have a story angle borrowed from Bollywood. Why can’t we have original concepts?
Osman Khalid Butt: Ever since our cinema’s much talked-about revival, we’ve seen quite a bit of diversity — much more than you’d expect from an industry still in its teething phase. We are in the process of discovering our cinema identity, so right now it is difficult to divorce ourselves from Bollywood as entire generations have grown up watching and admiring that brand of filmmaking.
Most people think the weakest link of Pakistani films is their scripts. Do you think not enough importance is being given to the writers — whether financially, in terms of time or in terms of voice?
OKB: I definitely feel writers should be given more importance, their work respected more. A screenplay is not a buffet where you can pick and choose what scenes you want to shoot and what you want to axe. A writer should always be consulted on script-related matters. A good director-writer relationship is also extremely important and the two need to be completely in sync. Which, from what I hear, is not the case most of the time.
You have come to script writing via other fields e.g. acting. Is it important to gain recognition in some other way before you’ll get a shot at writing a film? And what in your opinion is the one thing holding back new writers from entering the field? What is the biggest issue?
OKB: I have always acted and written simultaneously, even during my theatre days. I personally feel you’re judged on the merit of your work, not your name or your brand, at least till you’ve proven yourself. I also feel this is the perfect time for writers to be pitching their one-liners and concepts — make sure you trademark them or trust your sources — to production companies. Everyone’s on the hunt for a good script. Just be open to have your work dissected, pulled apart and altered.
What do you personally find the most difficult part of writing a screenplay? Is it the structure, the character development, the dialogue or something else?
OKB: For me, it’s because I think and sometimes write dialogues in English so a few times I’ve been in that ‘lost in translation’ scenario. Also, I tend to be very possessive about my work. I remember having so many arguments with Azfar [the director of Siyaah and Janaan] because one deleted line felt like murder. It’s been a long process, learning the art of letting go for the betterment of the film.
People still remember dialogues from many old films but not the new ones. Why?
OKB: I have seen people quoting from Shoaib Mansoor’s repertoire, lines from Manto, heard people pass on jokes and one-liners from JPNA and Actor In Law, and even from Janaan. You can’t expect iconic dialogue unless it’s a period piece or a high-voltage one such as Mughal-i-Azam and Sholay.
Why do most of our scripts come across as TV plays? Is it because all the writers are from TV?
OKB: This question can be answered by the directors. Unless the genre is a drawing-room melodrama. Even then, I don’t think any screenwriter devises scenes with the explicit instruction: ‘Stick to extreme close-ups and mid-shots only. Long shots/moving camera equals blasphemy. If your camera zooms out I’m calling the Council of Drama Serial Ideology.’
Why can’t we make big-budget films on a huge canvas? Why must it always be a romance with the zalim samaj as the villain?
OKB: Where are these fabled ‘big budgets’ is the real question. Where are these mythical investors? An audience poll must be conducted to know what they want to watch on the big screen — either way, it’ll act as a wake-up call.
One sees a lot of people complaining about blatant advertising in Pakistani films. How important is branding for a film in general and for a script in particular?
OKB: I have never been conscious of branding while writing. There are moments where an opportunity presents itself so I just add ‘XYZ brand sponsorship opportunity here’ in my notes — but only if it’s done in a tongue-in-cheek manner. I wish filmmakers would include writers in the brand incorporation process. We could come up with much cleverer ways to integrate a brand instead of it looking like a blatant advert.
Any advice for newcomers who want to try their hand at writing?
OKB: Read. Purchase or download scripts of epic films — or any film that subscribes to your personal brand — and observe/dissect those screenplays. Research. Did I mention ‘read’?
Azima from Islamabad was born with a limb deficiency caused by the medicine Thalidomide. The drug, marketed to help pregnant women with morning sickness, caused 10,000 cases of limb malformation in children worldwide. Many were born with missing limbs after their mothers took thalidomide.
This condition did not stop Azima from achieving her dreams. With the use of prosthetic limbs, she is now a young leader, influencing thousands that have been encouraged and inspired by her.
Azima had her parents and peers’ constant support.
“I see life from a leader’s perspective and as a future leader I want to influence other people – whether disabled or otherwise,” says Azima. Her goal is to run her own organisation one day that focuses on inclusive education and gives hopes to people with special needs to move ahead in life.
Mahira Khan and Alia Bhat were spotted donning the exact same outfit and people just couldn’t let it go. The questions which rose ahead were, who wore it first? and who looked better?
So without any further ado let’s get into the details!
Mahira Khan
Pakistan’s diva Mahira Khan sported the outfit before Alia for the promotions of her Bollywood debut Raees. Styled by celebrity stylist Ami Patel, Mahira let her hair loose in beachy waves. With her effortless style and persona, the Humsafar star surely stole the light here. And it’s clear that Mahira Khan is surely a fashion inspiration to Bollywood!
Alia Bhatt
The Badrinath Ki Dulhania actor opted for an all-white ensemble for the YouTube fest in Mumbai. She sported an off-shoulder keeping the make-up to the minimum. Her look was styled by Indian stylist Lakshmi Lehr.
All in all, we conclude that Pakistan’s ultimate style icon is clearly Alia’s fashion inspiration here.
The Vj turned actress, Maya Ali has been ruling the drama industry for quite sometime now. And after giving us some amazing plays, she’s now all set to conquer the silver screen as well.
While, we all are eagerly waiting to see her on the big screen, the stunning lady is giving us another reason to adore her even more. Recently, she was spotted at her brother’s Nikkah and we must say she looks absolutely gorgeous.
Ayyan Ali is out of jail now and is all ready to step back into the world of entertainment.
Sources say that she made a deal with the American singer, Ali Zaman. She will be modelling in 5 of his songs for his next album. The genre of his numbers is going to be Urdu-Punjabi.
It is being said that she has charged the musician an amount of 1 Crore for her appearances in all the songs.
It seems like every time, Ayyan makes it to the news, it is with a bang.
The diva who was previously caught and jailed in the case of money laundering seems to be making her way back just fine.
Pakistani singer, Amanat Ali recently had a star studded wedding which received a lot of media attention.
However, this time, he is not under the media’s spotlight for a good news.
He is now in trouble with law authorities due to having flavored tobacco smoking (shisha) at his Valima event.
News reports have been stating he has now been hit with a lawsuit for holding illegal activities at his wedding event that are against the law.
The usage of shisha has been banned in the country.
Guests were served Shisha at his Valima and this has made the police take action against Amanat Ali, the hotel managers Manzur Ahmed and Haji Ashraf and 10 other people present at the event.
Nobody has been arrested so far but the chrages have been filed at the Madinah Town Police station.
Adnan Sami moved to India nearly 18 years ago and yet he is found to be giving explanations to people about his decision.
“Mumbai has been my home for the past 18 years and I’m very comfortable there,” responded Adnan, when asked about it in a recent interview with BBC Urdu. “18 years is a long enough time to make connections with a city and its people. Mumbai, I would like to state, is very much my hometown.”
“Well, you see, God made the world as one. All these borders that divide it were put there by man. I believe wherever you want to live is your prerogative and wherever I want to live is my prerogative; my personal choice,” added Adnan. “Thousands of people go to foreign countries to further their careers. Don’t our doctors go to the UK or the US? I am focused on South Asian music and Mumbai is the place to be for that.”
Adnan further talked about what made him apply for the Indian passport:
“My Pakistani passport was due for renewal but for some reason or the other, the process was being delayed,” revealed the composer. “I became stateless for some time. Then, the Indian authorities gave me a Permanent Residence Permit and eventually, I decided to apply for Indian citizenship too. And as you know, I had to denounce my Pakistani citizenship for that.”
He continued, “I wish the Pakistani people would look at the situation as a whole and try to understand it. My love and connection with Pakistan still holds true. The people are still very fond of me, as I am of them. It’s just that how I was treated by the Pakistani authorities back then left me with no other choice…”
While commenting on how he does limited work, he said:
“If you look at the last 30 years of my career, you’ll see that I’ve always been very selective,” he replied, when compares to the current it-kid of Bollywood music, singer Arijit Singh.
“I have never wanted to become a music factory, you know?”
He is still fond of the music scene in Pakistan:
“I think what Rohail Hyatt did on Coke Studio was remarkable! And when I heard Farida Khanum’s performance on the show, I started crying! I had to call her up to convey my emotions”.
Shaz Khan is playing a pilot in the much awaited film, Parwaaz Hai Junoon.
The actor reportedly has acrophobia that is fear of heights. However, he is working day and night to overcome his fear.
“Yaar, the only thing I had in mind was that it was a bad idea,” Khan laughs, while speaking to The Express Tribuneover the phone. “But then, I was like you gotta do what you gotta do in life. I dive towards my fears and try to overcome them because that helps you grow as an artist. ”
With the help of a co-pilot, Khan performed a close quarter dog fight with another Marchetti. These jets were last used in World War II so they are good for mission and formation exercises but don’t even come close to the capability and control of the F-16.
“The preparation process for this role was the same as any other role that I’ve done. In the end, you have to find the truth in the character. That is why I feel going up in the plane was important. This way, you are able to find a psychological relationship with the character.”
“I want to be able to hook into the character and actually feel the sensation,” he says, adding that the flight was going well until the co-pilot handed over the controls. “As soon as I got the controls, I started shivering, and as soon as I inverted the aircraft, I could feel the breakfast coming up in my throat. Man, I learned a lot!”
Shaz has been previously seen in Moor and Dobara Phir Se. The way he has tried to approach his character has helped him overcome acrophobia.
“I used to be really scared of even jumping off a ledge 20 feet above the water. Slowly and gradually, I did a few things that allowed me to get over it. This flying experience was obviously a huge step in getting over my fear and sky diving will be the last”
Pakistani film actress Noor has filed a case for dissolution of marriage from her fourth husband Wali Hamid Khan. Noor married Wali in 2015 and it was her fourth marriage.
She confirmed the news to a local news channel and also announced her divorce with Wali on her Twitter account.
Yes i am divorced again, i know what people will think about me but i tried alot, now things doesn't work so i decided to live alone for now
After almost 3 years of marriage, Noor has sought divorce from Wali. According to Ary news, Noor informed that she and Wali tried their best to solve the misunderstandings, however, she doesn’t want to spend her life with him due to some irrevocable issues and differences.
This had to be one of my most favorite episodes of Sammi simply because of the way some very relevant and powerful messages were delivered to the viewers through this installment. I am all for dramas which are solely entertaining but I truly appreciate the fact that different channels are taking an initiative to talk about things which are rarely discussed in dramas nowadays. Sammi is a nice break from the regular love stories and dramas dealing with shadi shuda zindagi ke masail. There are a lot of people out there who need to listen to all those things which Aaliyan said to his brother tonight, which maulvi sahab said to Naheed and even those which Chandni said to Sammi about her feelings for her brother. Although Sammi and Salar’s track is my least favorite one yet he is turning out to be someone who will eventually ‘educate’ Sammi about her rights. Having said that, I must add that I would have liked it a lot more if Chandni was shown as Sammi’s mentor. I must say though that I liked the way Chandni’s reaction to Sammi and Salaar’s growing interest in each other was shown; it was realistic and easy to connect to. Whatever we have seen so far suggests that Chandni is practical and not negative therefore I am waiting to find out how she will handle the situation when she overhears her son proposing to Sammi. Chandni’s character has been etched-out brilliantly, there are different shades to her personality and Sania Saeed brings out the best in her character like always! Ahad Raza Mir is also nailing his character; he has proven that he is a natural, love his confidence and body language.
I am certain that there are viewers out there who are educated and live in modern cities yet they face the oppression faced by women like Naheed, Sammi and even Salima. I am glad that this drama serial does not deal with one issue alone but is shedding light on many ways through which those people who are in charge oppress those who cannot defend themselves for various reasons. This drama also gives voice to all those women who do not have a voice of their own. My favorite parts of this episode were Chandni’s reaction to Sammi and Salar’s growing likeness for each other and the way Naheed’s track in particular was handled was beyond brilliant. Aaliyan’s character brings hope into Naheed’s world. The fact that she listened to him and went to talk to someone who could have given her a fatwa and mustered up the courage to show her brother what the maulvi sahab had to say went to prove that all she needed was more awareness and some support to get what was rightly hers. Her brother is being shown as one of those men who exploit religion and also use societal norms to deprive women. Aaliyan’s dialogues in this scene were penned down beautifully, another powerful message which needed to be spelled out! Naheed’s brother just like the Chaudhry is constantly judging others but never reflects upon his own actions. Bilal Khan fits the role he is playing and I am certain that Aaliyan will have a much bigger role to play in the future. Nadia Afghan is another actress who never fails to impress, it is a treat watching her perform every time.
Chaudhry’s meeting with Aaliyan was also an interesting addition to this episode. Yet again it showed the mentality of people like Chaudhry Nawaz and why learning English could not change his son’s mindset or his future! It was interesting watching someone like Chaudhry interviewing somebody like Aaliyan because the only reason why he was in this position was because he had more power, other than that Aaliyan was far more educated and enlightened. I can’t praise Rehan Sheikh enough for proving his versatility in every single role every time. Madiha Rizvi is also doing complete justice to her role, her expressions when Chaudhry was about to check the phone and later on the way she changed her body language to show the relief she felt after finding out it wasn’t Rashid’s phone were perfect! One of my favorite scenes in this episode was the one in which Sammi refused to take a big tip, it went to show how her confidence and feelings of self-worth changed with Chandni’s behaviour towards her. The scene in which Salar tells Sammi to repeat after him was a lot like Udaari therefore not too happy about that!
This is not the first time that Saife Hassan has worked with actors who are being seen for the first time in dramas therefore I am not surprised that he brought out the best in all these actors. The rest of the cast including Seemi Raheel is doing a terrific job. These performances are one of the reasons why it is so easy to connect to all the characters.
The preview of the next episode was exciting. I am waiting to see how Rashid handles the situation, whether Chandni’s attitude towards Sammi changes or not and how Aaliyan’s presence changes things in Chaudhry’s house. There is a lot to look forward to!
How many of you watched this episode? Do share your thoughts about it.
