So, our very own Boom Boom announced his retirement once again. Pakistan’s all-rounder Shahid Afridi has announced his retirement from international cricket, ending an illustrious and controversial 21-year career. The 36-year-old cricketer had already quit Tests in 2010 and ODI cricket after the 2015 World Cup but played for T20 at the 2016 world championships in India.
“I have said goodbye to international cricket. I am playing for my fans and will continue to play this league for another two years but it’s goodbye from international cricket. Now my foundation is important for me. I have played with seriousness and in a professional way for my country,” said Shahid Afridi after smashing a 28-ball 54 in a PSL match for Peshawar Zalmi in Sharjah.
The legendary star, has retired time and again but returned again. Shahid’s fans might be sad over this recent news but people on social media didn’t fall for his statement and wondered if he’ll be back again.
Somewhere between Shahid afridi retiring from cricket and Shahid afridi retiring from cricket we all grew up! #shahidafridi
There are some actors who get polished with time and then there are those who perform so effortlessly and impeccably that the viewers are convinced that they were born to perform! They came, they saw and they conquered would be the best way to sum up the journey of the talented actors in this list because by nailing every single character which was assigned to them they did not only get tons of praise from the viewers and critics but they also managed to make a special place in the hearts of many fans. Some of these actors have been associated with the entertainment industry for quite some time now but their recent projects on television made them a household name.
Here is a list of those 5 most talented actors who bowled us over recently not just once but innumerable times because of their spell-binding performances.
The fact that Bilal Abbas Khan already has multiple good projects on television to his credit and has also done a film is proof enough that he is definitely someone who has what it takes to make it big on television and cinema. He has the most expressive eyes and he is a brilliant performer. Apart from being immensely talented Bilal Abbas Khan has also been intelligent while choosing the projects he works in. This is the reason why he already has a massive fan following.
Hania Amir
Dramas: Titlee
Hania Amir is another one of those actors who know their craft only too well. She made her presence felt with her solid performance in the film Janaan and is now playing a role which most actresses wouldn’t choose to start their careers with in drama serial Titlee. This goes to show that she is not going to be one of those actresses on bank on their innocent looks and choose to play similar roles, mostly those of becharis! Hania Amir’s confidence, talent and intelligent choices qualify her for this list and we have huge expectations from her. Hania Amir’s choices show that she does not like to play it safe and the viewers love actors who dare to be different.
Kubra Khan
Dramas: Sang e Marmar, Khuda Aur Mohabbat, Muqabil & Andaz e Sitam
Kubra Khan has been working as a model and she earned a name for herself in that genre too but she rose to prominence as an actor last year when she grabbed everyone’s attention through her flawless performance in Sang e Marmar. Being a new-comer, Kubra Khan surely made a lot of viewers skeptical as to how she would perform but as the viewers got a chance to see her acting, she surely earned a lot of praises and fans. In such a short span of time Kubra Khan has become one such actress who can sell a drama because of her name being associated to it because with a fresh beautiful face and strong screen-presence, she has acting skills up her sleeves as well. Kubra surely got lucky to be debuting in a drama like Sang e Marmar having an ensemble cast, which is being followed and loved by so many people but being a debutant, Kubra surely exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Currently, 4 of Kubra’s dramas are on-air and all of them have a considerable viewership because everyone is impressed with this young fine actress. Also, another thing worth mentioning is that in such an early stages of her acting career, Kubra is experimenting and is doing roles that are completely different from one another, which shows that her graph will remain promising and we will get to see a variety in her work.
Masroor Paras
Dramas: Sang e Marmar
With only one drama to his credit, Masoor Paras has proved his mettle because of his flawless performance as Torah Khan in Sang e Marmar. It is quite an exception that in a debuting drama, an actor gives his heart and soul to portray such a complicated character phenomenally and so convincingly that he ends up becoming the talk of the town. Masroor Paras showed what he is capable of as an actor because it takes a lot of talent to become the center of attention and convince the viewers to look forward to his projects. The character of Torah Khan required such an actor who could emote with minute expressions and tell the tale of what storm is brewing in his mind and Masroor Paras achieved that flawlessly. Masroor is capable of becoming a character actor and we can’t wait to see what he’ll bring for his fans in his future projects.
Mohsin Abbas Haider
Dramas: Muqabil
Mohsin Abbas Haider made his acting debut on television with drama serial Muqabil playing a rather unusual role with tons of room for performance. He proved that he was jack of all by surprising the viewers with a captivating performance which brought out the best in his role. Mohsin Abbas Haider has so far proved that he is the kind of performer who alone could be the reason why the viewers would tune into a show. He is definitely someone to watch out for and is bound to go a long way.
What do you think about these newcomers? Please share your thoughts and feel free to add to the list.
Hamza Malik, the young singing sensation sung a beautiful rendition of “Aye Rah-e-Haq Ke Shaheedo”. The song will surely make the inner patriot alive in you and is a tribute to the soldiers of our nation.
Hamza Malik has been getting fame from quite sometime now and even did a cover of Jee Lay Har Pal, his new single “Aye Rah-e-Haq Ke Shaheedo” has already garnered more than 100k views. The song is originally sung by Pakistani film playback singer Begum Naseem and lyrics are penned by ‘Saif-Ud-din Saif.’
After Chaiwala Arshad Khan, Pakistan has a new crush and that is ‘Burger wala’. You might have seen pictures of this guy doing rounds on social media. The guy Shah Fahad, aged 18 was discovered by Raza Mehdi.
Here’s ‘The Burger Wala’
After Chai Wala here comes Burger Wala. 18 Yrs Old Shah Fahad belongs to Rawalpindi sells Bun Kabab at Ayub Park Rawalpindi. #BurgerWalapic.twitter.com/gD28I9YoV0
According to Raza Mehdi, the lad Shah Fahad sells burgers in Ayoob Park in Rawalpindi and contacted Mehdi and asked to make him famous like the Chaiwala. In a live session at Facebook, Raza revealed that Fahad contacted him through his Twitter account.
Here’s the live video chat.
Raza shared, “He sent me his picture, which I tweeted, and I had no idea it will circulate this fast.” He went on to reply people who couldn’t locate Fahad at the stall “Fahad told me he quit. He said that he left his job at the burger stall to pursue his studies since he will soon be enrolling in grade 9.”
“So, I asked him to go back to the park and record a message from his stall, and he did so. Even if he is telling half the truth, and does not work at a burger stall, why do we feel the need to criticize everything and everyone.” shared Raza.
Since then, the young man has caught the fancy of Internet users on social media.
After Chai wala Here Comes Burger wala.18 Years Old.Shah Fahad Belong to Rawalpindi Sells Bun Kabab at Ayub Park Rawalpindi. #BurgerWala. pic.twitter.com/nIjaCshILh
The fans of Mahira Khan and Sheheryar Munawar might get to see them together for a second time. There are rumors that the best of friends will be collaborating with Meenu and Farjad for an upcoming project.
If rumors are to be believed than the upcoming film will be written by Fasih Bari Khan, the writer of Jeewan Haathi and directed by Farja-Meenu. Farjad and Meenu are known for a very different kind of cinema and might have something really great in store for us. Though, nothing as such is confirm yet and the news broke out when an entertainment portal page shared the following post.
Mahira Khan is currently shooting for Shoaib Mansoor’s Verna while Sheheryar Munawar is finishing the last spell of Pakistan’s first ever super hero movie ‘Project Ghazi’. Mahira and Sheheryar were previously seen in Ho Mann Jahan and they were absolutely amazing. We can’t help but wait for an official statement from the makers or the actors.
Ohkay so, honestly speaking, I liked the second episode of Munkir too. I must say I wasn’t expecting much out of this drama & thought just because it has a different story I am going to give it a go but somehow everything that was portrayed in this episode seemed pretty realistic & believable. They are trying to break some stereotypes while still portraying some of them but I didn’t find any of that odd because this is what actually & usually happens.
So, the episode started with Runa’s mum in law all worried about her because she saw a bad dream about her. Obviously, her intuition is telling her about the trial that her entire family, especially her son is going to go through & this was just the beginning. Even though her daughter’s tried to calm her down but she being a very staunch believer in her beliefs & intuition did feel that something was wrong. On the other hand Runa’s grandmother was also feeling a little anxious because she knows what her granddaughter is upto & this is something that she wasn’t in a favor of but gave in because Rania tried to make her understand Runa’s perspective. Even though the grand mother got a news that Runa & Anjum reached Islamabad safely & just when she & Rania could sigh with relief, they faced another problem & that was a sudden & uninformed visit of Runa’s in laws. It was actually sweet to see Runa’s mum in law being quite concerned about Runa but yes, the conversation Batool had with her mother hinted a little on the fact as to how people who tend to practice religion a little & are settled abroad form some very strong opinions against people living in Pakistan & their lifestyle. I know it might not sit well with a lot of people that they are showing a tiny bit of contradiction that where at one hand Zain’s family consists of practicing Muslims, on the other hand they tend to be a little judgmental too but then again, both these things do exist in the society & it is often seen that those who move outside the Pakistani society then can see some issues from afar & find it hard to relate to them. I won’t say that I agree to the fact that Batool & her mother were being a little judgmental but I won’t also say that everything that they said was completely wrong because yes, they are practicing Muslims so for them a lifestyle different from theirs is a little hard to accept, so they will have some say against or about it. I will say that even though the writer is touching upon these subjects but what I like the most is the fact that he hasn’t over-done anything & that is why what the characters say & do seem quite relocatable & realistic because we do understand their perspective with a lot of clarity & no one is a completely black character for that matter!
So, the visit of Murree was basically a walk down the memory lane for Runa. The things she shared with Anjum & all the tales that she told her shed a light on the fact that she has spent a good chunk of her life in Murree & how she has learnt about life long lessons, good or bad, while she was there. It was good to see Runa getting a chance to visit the place that is so close to her heart but yes once again I will say, the one who put me off big time was Anjum & her rants. It’s friends like Anjum who are also responsible for ruining the lives & the relationships of their friends. Runa seems to be at a happy place in her life where she is ready to get married & get settled with Zain because she is not such a complicated person but Anjum never leaves an opportunity to talk her out of this. It was quite annoying to hear Anjum telling Runa to call this marriage quits that too when she knows that there are just a couple of days left till the big day. I am sure that later when Runa’s life will take a turn & she will face a lot of complications, Anjum will be equally responsible for it because she is already playing a part & is trying to push Runa into a deep pit!
Gulrez’s character got a detailed introduction in this episode. He is a suicide bomber & he was in Murree for a mission because he had to attack someone. At first I thought his target would be Sister Kathryn because the things his boss told him did suggest that he was speaking about someone who he didn’t see in the circle of Islam, also Sister Kathryn belonging to a minority in Pakistan does make her a little vulnerable & prone to hate crime, so anyways, this is what I assumed but it seemed like Gulrez’s target was someone else because he tried to reach the guests who were leaving the college in their cars after the function was over. I am sure they will shed a light on this in the upcoming episodes so we’ll have to wait for that. Anyways, Anjum & Runa ended up distracting Gulrez without having any idea that they saved a few lives & probably their own as well because they were in such a close proximity where the blast would’ve affected them as well. Runa, Gulrez & Anjum’s first interaction was quite interesting like it seemed quite situational & believable as it was done very nicely!
So, Gulrez met his old friend & probably his batch mate in the Madrassa that he was attending in Murree too. Looks like Gulrez ran away from the Madrassa & met those people who believe in terrorism because of their twisted logic & concepts. I will say that hearing the word Madrassa did stir some thoughts in some other tangent but just when Gulrez’s friend got a little coverage, I liked the fact that the writer broke the stereotype by showing such a character who also got his education at a Madrassa but is now leading a very normal & simple life. Usually Madrassa’s are labelled to be the breeding grounds for the terrorists but I liked that the writer showed a very different perspective in order to negate the opinions people do have about such Madrassas by showing a character like Gulrez’s friend. Gulrez might have chosen a very different path in his life but looking at his friend, all I could think of was that it depends on each & every single person; their mentality & mind set as to what they absorb & what their mental capability allows them to understand because where Gulrez has been brain-fed, his friend, who got the basic education from the same institution seems to be leading a very normal life.
Overall, this episode of Munkir definitely exceeded my expectations & I had a great time watching it. It looks like so far the writer has tackled with this subject with a lot of maturity, neutrality & intelligence so I am hoping that it will stay that way in the upcoming episodes too. I liked the fact that they still have kept Gulrez’s character a little mysterious & will then reveal little by little in the episodes to come. I had a good laugh at the idea that Rania came up with in order to save Runa’s reputation, it was quite witty & amusing. It is amazing to see a stepmother like Rania who is more like a friend to Runa & would do anything to protect her. All the actors are performing quite effortlessly & the direction seems pretty decent too. A very small mistake that I found was that Runa while standing outside Cadet College told Anjum that this was her school, whereas after showing that she lived in a hostel & was raised by a nun they should’ve showed a Convent school because Cadet Colleges fall in the authority of defence forces & are not Convents, which usually girls get their education from, in a place like Murree. I know this detail wouldn’t have bothered many viewers but being someone who has spent quite a few years in Murree, I am well aware of how the education system in Murree works. :) Anyways, I am definitely looking forward to the next episode already. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Munkir!
With this episode the story moved forward in a different direction. One aspect of Sammi’s story which has been the same right from the first episode is that she had absolutely no say in all those major decisions which altered her life completely not once but over and over again. This time it was Chaudhry’s wife and Rashid who decided her fate, they obviously had their own best interests in mind and were not thinking about how Sammi would end up once she reaches Karachi. Sammi’s fears and her confusion was translated impeccably on screen by Mawra Hocane in this episode. Her expressions were right on point when Rashid told her what the plan was and even when she was in the train. While Mawra Hocane’s facial expressions won me over completely I have to say that I am waiting for an episode when she will have more dialogues too. The flashbacks scenes showed how Sammi was naturally thinking about a time not very long ago when everything was perfect and she thought there were a lot of people around her who loved her but Sammi has not been shown thinking about her circumstances at all. A few dialogues would have made her scenes even more impactful.
Rashid once again made a half-hearted promise to his wife. Nadia Afghan’s character is playing a positive role in the drama; she is there to educate Rashid and those people out there who are watching this show and need to know more about the importance of family planning – an issue which was tackled in detail in drama serial Nijaat which aired many years back but the message it gave was so strong that it is still fresh in the minds of the viewers even today. This track definitely reminded me of drama serial Nijaat for various reasons. Rashid’s character is one of the most interesting characters in the drama and I am waiting to see how he deals with Chaudhry now that he has vowed to kill him if he is not able to find Sammi. Rashid too is a pawn in the hands of Chaudhry and his wife just like Sammi. Rashid’s house, that infant and the overall feel of the track is also very realistic.
Chaudhry’s conversation with his son was one of the most meaningful conversations in this episode which showed the mentality of those people who fail to see those individuals as humans who are not as influential or rich as them. Chaudhry’s son does not see Sammi as a human but he wants to flaunt her like a thing he owns and is proud of. His father’s overall personality and Chaudhry’s conversations with his son clearly showed where that mindset came from! Rehan Sheikh is one of the most impressive actors of our drama industry who manages to nail every single role assigned to him almost effortlessly. He never ceases to impress the viewers.
I am looking forward to finding out more about Sania Saeed’s character because it seemed quite intriguing. So far whatever we have seen in these 4 episodes suggests that Sammi is going to cover multiple subjects from the feudalistic mindset to the importance of family planning and the evil of human trafficking. I would like to see Chaudhry Rab Nawaz shooting Sammi’s brother in the upcoming episode or doing something which would prove that he is ruthless because so far his empty threats haven’t helped shaping up his character’s cruel side.
How many of you watched this latest episode? Do share your thoughts about it.
Hum Television Network has contributed a lot in reviving Pakistani dramas a few years back and produces some quality content every year. It is also taking the initiative to celebrate the Fashion industry too.
HUM TV organized a fashion brunch and invited all the fashion related people to celebrate the success and victory of Fashion industry and it was nothing less than a star studded event, have a look at the pictures below.
The Nigar Film Awards released their nominations recently and the whole industry couldn’t stop talking about it. Many celebrities took to social media to comment and criticize the nominations. The biased nominations triggered many reactions.
However, the makers of Nigar Awards revealed through a press release that the nominations were chosen by the public and not the jury. The Nigar Weekly’s readers choices were communicated to the committee through coupons published in Nigar which were filled by the readers and then sent to the committee. The nominations were finalized based on the readers’ selections which were thoroughly evaluated by the team of Nigar Awards.
Which basically sums up that the nominees were not chosen by the jury but only the audiences.
Fawad Khan’s second Bollywood venture Kapoor & Sons was a box office and success. He managed to impress the audiences with his acting and even received a nomination at Filmfare for his role.
In a recent interview with The Indian Express, Kapoor and Sons director Shakun Batra shared how he misses Fawad Khan.
“I miss him a lot. I don’t know if I am supposed to be quiet about it.. and I don’t miss him because of any other things, I miss him simply because he is a great guy and he is a lovely collaborator.”
He added, “We Indians who work around the world, we do it legally, similarly, if somebody else wants to work legally in our country, it should be open. It should be a two-way street.”
Fawad Khan had managed to cast his magic on the audiences with his role in Humsafar followed by his Bollywood debut Khoobsurat, after which he went on to do two more Bollywood films. However, he had to drop his upcoming projects in India due to the ban imposed on Pakistani artists.
If you thought Bollywood has exhausted the theme of Pakistan-India wars, think again because The Ghazi Attack which released recently is all about Indo-Pak underwater war. It is India’s first war at sea film based on their perspective of the war which happened in 1971 in Indian waters.
Before i begin, i would like to say that i have many Indian friends and every time we discuss about the history of neighbouring countries, it always gets messed up since the history they know is really different from what we ‘Pakistani’s’ know. This clearly states that both countries have different perspectives of the history be it partition or any other war, the facts always contradict.
When it comes to stories ‘inspired’ by history, filmmakers actually enter a dangerous territory by the fact that cinema commands a much larger audience than textual history. They are expected to make something which delivers a story closest to the truth, But Bollywood has done distortions of history previously too (take Mohenjo Daro as example).
Coming back to ‘The Ghazi Attack’, the film is about Pakistani submarine PNS Ghazi, which was one of the fastest submarines at the time of the war. As much as it is going to be patriotic for the Indian’s, the truth was never cleared. The film shows Indian navy’s struggle to destroy their rivals along with the submarine called “Ghazi’.
The Ghazi Attack opens up in 1971, showing how West Pakistan mistreated East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Followed by Indian naval forces going for a classified search mission to check the presence of Pakistani forces in their waters and they do manage to track Pakistan’s submarine ‘Ghazi’. According to the film, Pakistan attacks Indian submarine a multiple times but even after many attacks Pakistan wasn’t able to destroy Indian submarine. And at the end the Indian forces attack Ghazi and manage to destroy it with a single torpedo.
There are disputed versions of sinking of Ghazi. To date, there is no clear confirmation to how she sank. The submarine sank under circumstances which aren’t clear. There’s a Pakistani version and an Indian version which are totally opposite.
Indian version states that Indian Navy destroyed Ghazi using depth charges fired by INS Rajput.
And according to Pakistan Navy’s investigation, there were two probable reasons connecting to this mishap:
1) Magnetic Exploder/Hydrogen explosion
2) Detonation of a mine inside the submarine
The contradictory statements from within the Indian naval force itself maintains that Ghazi sank under mysterious circumstances. Official statements from Indian navy officers actually claim that the investigations carried by their own team reveal that there had been internal explosions inside the submarine and there’s a certain amount of possibility of Ghazi’s sinking due to internal explosion.
The truth still actually lies within Indian waters and there is no report of how Ghazi actually sank. However, the film implies that Ghazi was destroyed by Indian army. It came with a huge disclaimer welcoming other perspectives of the story but somehow managed to show Pakistan as an evil and enemy country in every minute of the film.
Although, people from both the countries try to join hands with each other through sports and arts but extremist factions present in all the fields don’t want the countries to have a peaceful start. Indian film industry in last six decades has made countless anti-Pakistan films and these films do nothing but force the audience to consider the neighbours as the enemies. I have always been a peace lover and i believe films like this create rift between already disputed neighbours.
Bollywood has often touched upon the topic of Indo-Pak wars in several of their movies which mainly focus on glorifying the Indian side and, it is happening this time again, where Pakistan is referred as the enemy in the whole movie and loses at the end. And guess what? the Pakistani’s are actually shown as the stereotypical evil people. The filmmakers are leaving no stone unturned to cash out the conflicts between Pakistan and India. It is the high time when both the countries should move on and look forward to a better future.
What impact will these kinds of films leave on the audiences and where will this take the status of the already tense relationship between India and Pakistan? Do share your thoughts.
A post shared by Pakistani Cinema Official (@pakistanicinemaofficial) on
Produced by Lightingale Productions, Teefa In Trouble is a rom-com starring debutants Ali Zafar as the lead character ‘Teefa’ and Maya Ali as his leading lady, ‘Anya’. The film was announced last year, and Ali revealed the title in early January followed by announcing the leading lady Maya Ali in February.
The wait is over as the second song teaser of ‘Hay Naya Naya’ from the movie Jackpot starring Inayat Khan and Indian actress Reyhna Malhotra is finally out. Asim Azhar and Afshan Fawad have lent their voices for the beautiful composition that has been shot in beautiful locations of Thailand. The composition and direction of the teaser song is so good that it’ll really make you go ‘Hay Naya Naya’.
Jackpot is a musical-comedy, and is the first Pakistani film to be shot on the James Bond Island. The film stars debutants Noor Hassan, Sanam Chaudhry, Inayat Khan and Reyhna Malhotra in the lead roles. The film also marks Shoaib Khan’s directional debut and is produced by Khurram Riaz and Shoaib again. Jackpot is expected to release this year and we cannot wait!
Noor’s track moved forward considerably in this episode and the most important aspect of this track was that for the first time Noor openly told someone about his true identity. Noor has accomplished a lot with the help of Mikael and due to the confidence he has in himself. He has a vision and is constantly working to make his goals become a reality. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about Noor and Sania’s track and where it was headed but so far this development has made the story more interesting. I am waiting to find out how it is handled in the future. Noor introduced Sania to his mother, this was like leading her on knowing that she might have feelings for him although that wasn’t Noor’s intention. There are times when Noor is shown as someone who is highly sensitive and receptive and there are other scenes in which he is shown as someone who does things impulsively too. In my opinion these shortcomings in Noor’s character make it more relatable and human. Noor also sensed that perhaps Mikael had feelings for his mother and it looked like he would like to see them both together.
The scene in which Noor shared his feelings with God would have been a lot more impactful if those dialogues were written differently. The way these dialogues were penned down made Noor sound like someone who was complaining more than relying on Allah. While it is okay for someone to complaint to God every now and then but it did seem like the writer wanted to convey a different message. It would have been better if this scene conveyed that Noor saw an ally, a friend in God instead of someone who had been unfair to him.
Kashmala and Zain’s track has been going around in circles; their scenes never have anything new to offer. There has been absolutely no change in Zain, he never even paused to think about his child and the decisions he took in his life. He keeps on saying that he is still in love with Mahi and has been unable to live a happy life with Kashmala but that somehow isn’t enough. Arshi has also not changed a bit in all these years. She has always seen herself as a victim and has not budged from her initial stance. These tracks are stagnant because there has been absolutely no character development. H on the other hand has finally figured out what he wants to do now therefore it is easier to connect to the changes in him.
Mahi decided to get married to Mikael in the previous episode and it will be good to see them together. Mahi and Mikael have been shown as positive individuals who deserve to be happy. Aly Khan and Aisha Khan look good together and fit perfectly in their respective roles. Although some of the tracks in the story have come to a standstill but Noor’s track has been handled well so far. The preview of the next episode was disappointing because it focused on those tracks which are stagnant at the moment. The viewers are more interested in what happens in Noor’s life next instead of watching Kashmala and Mahi fight over Zain!!
How many of you watched this latest episode? Do share your thoughts about this.
Ohkay so, I’ll be completely honest with you guys, I enjoyed the first half of this episode a lot which revolved around the transition that Hammad was making & the closure he gave to all his relations before moving to USA, but for first time ever, while watching the second half of episode, I couldn’t wait for it to end because I found quite a lot of characters, situations & scenarios a bit too unconvincing & unnecessary. Please, make no mistake, I am still a fan of this drama, still a fan of Hammad’s character, still have a lot of faith in the overall message that this story is going to convey but I really hope that they make us fall in love with the second half of the story & the characters just as effortlessly as they made us fall in love with the first half of the story & those characters. I am glad I found 1 such character in the new lot which I’d be looking forward to but the rest were meh!
Seeing Hammad finally agreeing to go to USA was good but his final meeting with every single person who mattered to him the most was quite an emotional sight. It was quite hard for Hammad to leave everything, especially when it was a reminiscent of Imaan every step of the way but he finally understood how important it was for him to get back to normal because this is what Imaan expected him to do & this is something that his family wanted as well. It was evident that Hammad decided to move forward in his life because this is the promise that he made to Imaan, also his traveler friend put things into perspective & made him look at the bigger picture, which made Hammad realize that his love no where demanded him to forsake everything or not be normal & now that he has already proved his love, he has achieved everything!
I loved watching how warmly Hammad was greeted by everyone, especially Ghafoor & Abdullah. It was quite emotional seeing Ghafoor telling Hammad not to forget him because he shared such a beautiful bond with him & the amount of respect Ghafoor had for Hammad was something special. Molvi Aleem seemed quite apologetic but still, no ounce of sympathy for him! I will say, I was actually looking forward to Hammad’s final meeting with Najma & Siddique Sahab but I think they made the biggest mistake by not including that scene because Najma & Hammad have shared some very deep & meaningful conversation in the previous episodes, also the way Najma always encouraged Hammad & showed him the light at the end of the tunnel was absolutely beautiful, so to see Najma missing in such an important part was disheartening. It might’ve been that the actress playing the role of Najma wasn’t available for shooting those scenes, otherwise there’s no justification to why her character wasn’t given coverage in such an important time when Hammad was ready to finally move on & when Hammad needed her encouragement & motivation the most. I was actually looking forward to another meaningful conversation but, sigh!
So, Hammad finally came to the USA & decided to get back to normal by enrolling in the university & pursuing his education but the things that happened one after another made me lose interest in this episode pretty quickly. Let me talk about the good thing first because there’s only one & that was the introduction of a new character who became Hammad’s friend in just a single meeting, yes, I am talking about the Muad’dhin (sorry I missed his name), it was nice seeing how effortlessly he & Hammad related to each other & once again, that guy ended up being someone who motivated Hammad to come to the Masjid, even though Hammad on his own was holding onto his habit of praying that he instilled in himself back in Pakistan.
Now let’s talk about all the bad things, firstly, Sir Isaac’s character, like seriously, if they had introduced him as a random stranger then his judgmental attitude would’ve seemed justified because Muslims usually get judged a lot, but to see a Professor & a dean of the university filled with students from all over the world, belonging to all sort of ethnicity, religions, cultures, races – being so judgmental that he decided to conduct another personal interview of Hammad was quite unconvincing. Hammad’s replies were the only apt part of that entire scene but then again, I wonder how many students were questioned by Sir Isaac because they were Muslims? Yes, I do get it, they are still focusing on the fact that everywhere Hammad goes, he attracts people good & in this case bad, but then again, if they wanted to show that, they could’ve done it a little effortlessly because everything seemed a little too forced. Also, Sir Isaac’s call to his PA telling him to keep an eye on Hammad was actually quite funny, also I am still not sure why was he being bothered about the fact that Hammad was a practicing Muslim? Like seriously!?!?! I am sure they will show us a change in the perspective of all the Hammad haters as the story will progress but at this stage, I found it a little too funny & unconvincing!
Second bad thing, Zeeshan, like seriously? Just because Sara had a misunderstanding he had to take the matters in his hands & beat Hammad up? I don’t know why Hashim Nadeem loves getting his male characters beaten up by goons in his dramas, like this entire scenario of seeing Hammad with a bandage around his head was such a reminiscent of Dhaani because in the second half of the drama, Sameer was bruised & bed ridden the entire time because he was like a punching bag or a stress buster for the villains, lol! I don’t think they needed to rely on such a similar scenario because we all have a lot of sympathies for Hammad already, he is such an amazing character & he is not weak like Sameer that these things are needed to stir emotions for Hammad that is why this entire scene seemed unnecessary where Zeeshan beat Hammad just because he was furious. I won’t say I have formed an opinion about Sara because she is like this for a reason & that is pretty understandable because as the story will progress, she will eventually fall for Hammad because of his niceness so I’d rather wait to see that side of hers before saying much about this ignorant side which is being shown right now!
I found a little too many editing issues in this episode, like Rebecca was excited that Hammad was going to the USA with Kami & her & she also confirmed that she had completed Hammad’s registration process at the university & later, she was shown receiving both Hammad & Kamran at the airport & then Kamran asked her about Hammad’s registration as if she never left USA & was there taking care of Hammad’s admission & stuff while still being there when Hammad & Kami were travelling? Another mistake was that Hammad was in white jumper & Rebecca in orange shirt when Rebecca tells him that he has to go for another interview, next thing we know, Hammad was in a checkered shirt during his interview scene, later again as suggested it being the same day, Hammad informs Rebecca that he cleared the interview & he is was once again wearing that white jumper & Rebecca was in orange shirt. Also, I am not too sure why Zeeshan called Hammad ‘molvi’ & told Isaac that he is known for bothering girls, whereas it has been suggested that this is the new university that Hammad is attending & considering his admission was still in process so probably he was there for a couple of days, so how come Zeeshan had a knowledge about Hammad & his activities or his behavior? I really hope, I really really hope this drama doesn’t go down Dhaani’s lane because it was quite interesting in the first half too but just because they had to stretch it till the 30th episode, they butchered the entire thing, but yes, I do have faith in Khuda Aur Mohabbat because there’s a lot left to be revealed & Sara/Hammad’s track has yet to begin, so I am definitely hoping for the best!
Overall, the first half of this episode was interesting because it included the set of characters which we have formed a connection with so far, but the second half wasn’t my favorite as the new characters, apart from Hammad’s neighbor’s, weren’t amazing. While watching this episode, I had a feeling that just to keep things spiced up, they are introducing a couple of new villains which would be Zeeshan & Sir Isaac, also it was justified by reminding us of what the traveler uncle said ‘mohabbat mai aur bohat imtehaan ayeinge’, but again, abhi Hammad ki mohabbat kisi aur se shuru hi nahi hui so wo imtehaan wahin pe ruk jana chahiye tha but let’s see. I am interested in Kubra Khan’s character only at this moment. Also, another reminiscent of Dhaani was seeing Rebecca being overly concerned for Hammad which did showcase her feelings for him, she played the same role in Dhaani as well where she was in love with the hero only to get ditched in the end because he fell in love with someone else, so I am getting the same vibes too, I really wish they had kept her strictly as Hammad’s friend because that would’ve been refreshing & better. Obviously, needless to say, Imran Abbas made me teary eyed in the scene where Hammad visits Imaan’s grave for the last time & bids farewell to her for the time being with a very sweet promise that she is going to be with him & his soul is going to be with hers, sigh, absolutely beautifullll! Let’s hope the next episode is just as amazing as all the previous episodes have been! Please share your thoughts about this episode of Khuda Aur Mohabbat.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers, Zahra Mirza.
ps: I have noticed that every time I share an opinion, those who have read the novel start justifying what is being shown by telling me about the future happenings in the novel saying that everything is going to be explained later, but please try to understand that I am not a novel reader, I am a drama viewer, so I am going to form an opinion about what is being shown at the moment because yes, I knew what the first half of the story was about but when it comes to the second half, I am oblivious & I have no idea. So, I do feel a lot of those guys who have read the novel might find my objections that came along with this episode uncalled for & will try to reason with me but seriously, this is my opinion, based on what I watched in this episode & I am going to take things as they come because I have not read the novel & I don’t want to find out about everything beforehand, so I hope you guys understand & leave the arguing for some other day, thanks! ;)
Many Pakistani celebrities have been falling prey to fake online news and rumors. The recent one to be effected is Noor Bukhari who managed to win over critics with her performance in Saya e Khuda e Zuljalal, is rumored to be using slimming supplements.
A Local Fashion blog, has openly claimed that Noor has used weight loss supplements because she was not satisfied with the response received from her latest film. Since then, the actress is receiving a lot of criticism from audiences for endorsing such an unhealthy method of getting slim.
Hip got in touch with Noor, to know what she has to say regarding the growing controversy. Noor shunned all claims Fashion Central has made so boldly in their feature regarding the slimming supplement. Noor told HIP she would never resort to such low measures just to shed pounds, and will take serious action against people using her name for petty publicity. Her television show was doing very well and she was satisfied with the acclaim she had been receiving for her role in Saya e Khuda e Zuljalal.
“Nobody should sell their ethics for petty news,” she said. It is often disturbing to see how a fake online news can create a mess.
Upcoming Drama Wafa Ka Mausam is directed by Babar Qayyum and produced under the banner of Tv One productions. The cast of the drama includes Neelam Munir and Aijaz Aslam in lead roles, while Nouman Habib and Maryam Effendi will be seen in pivotal roles. The teasers of the drama are out already and it seems like a intense love story involving three people, ‘a love triangle’. So will true love die for ego? Tune into Wafa Ka Mausam starting from 23rd Feb to know all your answers, only on Tv one.
The evergreen film actress of yesteryear Shabnam is back in Pakistan for Karachi Press Club. While Shabnam is not working in local cinemas anymore but she can still break a million hearts with her smile and charishma.
One of the celebrated actress of 70’s is highly overwhelmed with the love she’s receiving from Pakistan which she considers as a home. When asked if she’ll like to work in Pakistani films once again, the Bangladeshi actress replied that she’s willing to work in Pakistani cinemas again. “Artists and sportspersons cannot be held back by borders. We build bridges for friendships. I was in Pakistan over four years ago, in 2012, and I was surprised that even the younger generation here knew about me. They wanted me to do films here, and quite frankly I have no issues with that,” she said, adding that if she finds good roles specially written with her in mind, she was definitely going to think about it.
She gave Pakistani cinema the most significant years of her life and will always be an important part of the industry. It will be great to see her back in the films, which will also promote better relationships with Bangladesh.
This year is going to be high on entertainment with lots of amazing movies coming our way. One of the most anticipated films Chalay Thay Saath is all about discovering love, friendship and family values. Starring an ensemble cast of leading ladies Syra Shahroz, Zhalay Sarhadi, Mansha Pasha, and new faces, Osama Tahir, Faris Khalid, and Kent S. Leung, the film is all set to release on April 21, 2017.
Talking exclusively to a blog, the cast of Chalay Thay Saath, and its producers Beeinish Umer, Umer Adil and Sheikh Sheraz Mubashir discuss their expectations from the upcoming flick which will hit the screens soon.
Syra Shehroz:
“I’m honestly super nervous as this is my debut film but I signed this film because it was so different from the rest of scripts I had read. I hope the audience feels the same way.”
Mansha Pasha:
“Very excited and nervous about the release of my debut film Chalay Thay Saath. Our team and cast were extremely hard working and diligent and I have my fingers crossed! Hopefully, the hard work everyone has done will pay off!”
Umer Adil:
“The aim is to showcase the positive and progressive image of the country on the big screen. Chalay Thay Saath is our humble effort in the path of creating an identity of the Pakistani cinema, which is independent and true to itself. It is a pure family entertainment film and the story has many layers; it is inspired by real events and shot in one of the most stunning landscapes in the world. With CTS we hope to contribute towards bringing the audience back into the cinema and we want to send see them step out of it happy.”
Zhalay Sarhadi:
“Chalay Thay Saath, as the name embodies, is a peek into relationships from all angles. I feel that people of all ages would resonate with it at some level. It is a simple story told about the intricacies of human emotions. I expect that it would garner an audience from almost every age and that is what we haven’t yet been successful in as an industry. I have full faith in these stories and that they would make a mark if not just spark a feeling of warmth.”
Beenish Umer:
“Chalay Thay Saath is a result of sheer hard work and determination by the entire team. It has been a constant battle for finding THE mix, (of entertainment with some substance and gravity). It is a new industry; we are very excited for being a part of this rebirth of Pakistani cinema. For me the reality of this project and it’s standing today, comes as if from divine intervention, a bigger reason for it to happen which is beyond my understanding. Only time can tell what the future holds and how CTS will be received by the audiences, but I do know that it is a glimpse of everything we stand for, it has not been a formula solution for us and we hope that the audience also get out of it the heart and soul that has gone into its making”
Faris Khalid:
“I’m hoping people enjoy and appreciate the work that has gone into telling this story, character development and departure from Bollywood influence to promote a new wave of Pakistan cinema.”
Sheikh Sheraz Mubashir:
“We are very excited to release this movie all over the world and with high hopes that people will not only enjoy this movie for its story but also appreciate the attempt at highlighting the Pak – China Relationship along with the exploring the immense natural beauty of our country which should be known around the world for the positives as well. A simple message to all the audience out there to come and watch this film and witness the immense beauty of Pakistan.”
Pakistani actress Saba Qamar, who will make her Bollywood debut with Irrfan Khan in Hindi Medium, in a jovial mode, made fun of Indian stars like Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan on a talk show.
Defending it, she says it was all in good fun. When IANS contacted Saba, she said over phone: “It was a fun show… There was nothing in it… ‘Koffee With Karan’ mein kya kuchh nahi hota (What all does not happen on ‘Koffee With Karan’)… I love everyone, and he’s (Salman) a big superstar and so humble. Why would I say anything bad about him?”
A video of Saba at a morning show while talking about Bollywood stars, is doing the rounds on social media platforms and is creating buzz.
With so many dramas on air nowadays on innumerable entertainment channels, sometimes it can be difficult for the viewers to decide which drama is worth watching and which one they should not even bother tuning into. There was a time not very long ago when it was difficult to make even one list of must-watch dramas of the season in a year because there weren’t enough dramas which were truly worth watching but things have changed for the better now since there are many writers and producers who have come up with quality scripts which have also been executed brilliantly on screen by skillful directors.
Here is a list of must-watch dramas of this season. The list is in alphabetical order.
Munkir
Written by: Zafar Mairaj
Directed by: Nadeem Siddique
Produced by: Everready Group of Companies
Channel: TvOne
Timing: Sunday 8PM
Cast: Nida Khan, Osman Khalid Butt, Ahmed Ali, Mahjabeen, Nayla Jaffery & others.
Munkir has just recently hit our TV screens and the very first episode seemed to be quite promising. Munkir is going to be a story of a girl who falls in love with a terrorist that too when she herself is at the verge of getting married to someone else. The first episode laid a foundation of how the girl’s life is about to get changed because she makes a choice to please herself just before she is getting married. The first episode of Munkir seemed straight forward with a lot of detailing about the characters and their priorities in life. The conversations in the very first episode seemed meaningful and interesting. The best part so far was the relationship that has been shown between a stepmother & a daughter. Even though this drama is going to revolve around a love triangle but the different plot definitely makes it a must watch.
Muqabil
Written by: Zafar Mairaj
Directed by: Ali Hassan
Produced by: Big Bang Entertainment
Channel: ARY
Timing: Tuesday 8pm
Cast: Mohsin Abbas Khan, Kubra Khan, Asif Raza Mir, Saba Hameed, Saife Hassan, Shaheen Khan & others.
It is always refreshing as well as entertaining to watch dramas which break free from the usual formulas and dare to be different. Not all dramas which attempt to be different succeed in doing so intelligently. Muqabil definitely manages to be not just different but also unpredictable and extremely enticing. Muqabil can easily be termed as a complete package which has some spell-binding performances, a strong, well-thought-out script and has been directed superbly. Muqabil will keep you at the edge of your seat. Mohsin Abbas Haider, Kubra Khan and Asif Raza Mir’s performances in particular are bound to sweep the viewers off of their feet and the plot will keep the audience hooked to their television screens.
Among all the dramas on air right now and those which have aired in the recent past which dealt with the issue of child abuse or rape Muqabil is the best one so far. If you haven’t watched Muqabil already, tune into it as soon as you can and you will definitely enjoy the ride.
Nazr-e-Bad
Written by: Imran Nazir
Directed by: Iqbal Hussain
Produced by: Moomal Entertainment
Channel: Hum TV
Timing: Wednesday & Thursday 9PM
Cast: Azfar Rehman, Sara Khan, Ali Abbas, Waseem Abbas, Sakina Samo, Fazila Qazi & others.
If you are in a mood for a rollercoaster ride of reality based story, then Nazr e Bad is the drama for you. Nazr e Bad’s story depicts how envy, hatred, jealousy and stubbornness can get the better of people and push them to the limit where they start playing with fire by resorting to black magic. The fact that makes Nazr e Bad a very interesting and gripping story is that the drama makers have stayed true to the message that they are trying to convey because everything has been presented realistically, after a lot of research.
This drama is showing the evil that is widespread in our society and it is a done deal that those who themselves have been affected or know of someone who is going through it can actually relate to what is being portrayed in the drama. Nazr e Bad surely is one of a kind drama because we haven’t seen any such drama in ages, which depicted black magic and its grave consequences in such an apt manner.
Pinjra
Written by: Imran Nazir
Directed by: Kashif Nisar
Produced by: Twenty Sixth Frame Entertainment
Channel: Aplus
Timing: Wednesday 8pm
Cast: Yumna Zaidi, Hassan Ahmed, Samina Ahmed, Hassan Niazi, Faiza Gillani, Kiran Haq, Azra Aftab, Daniyal Raheal, Farah Tufail, Sonia Nazir & others.
Pinjra is a must-watch for all those viewers out there who like a heavy dose of reality depicted on screen impeccably by a strong cast. It is also a different take on Vani which involves a lot of raw emotions. This isn’t the first time that Kashif Nisar has done complete justice to a complicated script by making it come alive on screen in a realistic manner. Imran Nazir’s powerful script enacted on screen brilliantly by a team which put in a lot of hard work into making this serial a drama which is bound to transport you to another world which is very different and dark from the one we live in.
Rasm-e-Duniya
Written by: Imran Nazir
Directed by: Roomi Insha
Produced by: Abdullah Seja
Channel: ARY
Timing: Thursday 8pm
Cast: Armeena Rana Khan, Bilal Abbas Khan, Sami Khan, Javed Sheikh, Samina Peerzada, Dia Mughal, Dania Anwar, Saba Bukhari, Nida Mumtaz & others.
Only one episode of Rasme-e-Duniya has gone air so far but even then it is in this list because this drama will remind you of dramas like Mera Naseeb and even Sadqay Tumhare because of the complicated relationships, secrets which are not yet revealed. Also, the chemistry between Armeena Rana Khan and Bilal Abbas Khan makes it a must-watch. Those viewers who enjoyed watching Armeena Rana Khan nail her role in Mohabbat Ab Nahi Hogi will love watching her play the role of a simple girl for whom life will very soon get complicated. Bilal Abbas Khan is one of the most powerful performers among all the newcomers and he once again is all set to make his presence felt in Rasm-e-Duniya. Do watch the first episode of Rasm-e-Duniya and you will have tons of reasons to tune into it next week too.
Titlee
Written by: Sameena Ejaz
Directed by: Ahmed Bhatti
Produced by: Gold Bridge Media
Channel: Urdu1
Timing: Friday 8pm
Cast: Hania Amir, Ali Abbas, Abid Ali, Saba Faisal, Seemi Pasha, Atif Rathore, Shahmeen Khan, Tauqeer Ahmed, Shazia Shah, Taqi Ahmed, Neha Laj & others.
Titlee marks the debut of Hania Amir on the small screen and she makes her presence felt in a role which definitely does not qualify as those run-of-the-mill characters which most actresses choose to begin their acting careers with. One of the main reasons why Titli is a must-watch is that for a change it isn’t just the story of a woman but the male protagonist’s story is just as important as that of a female. We have seen women getting married to men who don’t value them a little too often, Titli tells a different story of a man who is in that situation. Titli manages to achieve what many drama serials in the recent past failed to do; it shows that sometimes men can also be victims of marital abuse. (Xanax) The latest turn in the story clearly indicated that the viewers will get to see many interesting twists in the story. Also, for a change it is good to see a female protagonist who is not perfect but she is someone you will love to hate!
Yeh Raha Dil
Written by: Mustafa Afridi
Directed by: Siraj ul Haq
Produced by: MD Productions
Channel: Hum TV
Timing: Monday 8PM
Cast: Ahmed Ali, Yumna Zaidi, Anam Ahmed & others.
After impressing people with a phenomenal script like Sang e Marmar, writer Mustafa Afridi has another treat for the viewers and it is Yeh Raha Dil. There is no doubt about the fact that this drama got a lot of attention because Mustafa Afridi’s name was attached to it and also because the drama makers promised it to be a romantic comedy. Yeh Raha Dil happens to be a story of three people belonging to different walks of life and having completely different personalities. It is obvious that the viewers are going to get a love triangle but there’s nothing objectionable about it if it falls in the category of romantic comedy. Till date only one episode has gone on air and it surely gave it a promising start, especially the witty and humor filled dialogues made it a very entertaining drama. All those who are a fan of Yumna Zaidi’s acting and Mustafa Afridi’s writing, then this drama is surely for you.
Feel free to share your thoughts about the dramas which are in this list and do add to the list if you have any recommendations. Those of you who think some of the must-watch plays are missing from the list, please read another list we made a little while ago of must-watch dramas of the last season which are still on air by clicking on this link https://reviewit.pk/must-watch-dramas-of-this-season/
Mawra Hocane is a name synonymous with talent, glamour and liveliness. The diva made her Bollywood debut at a very young age and has charmed us yet again with her acting in Sammi.
Speaking to theImages Mawra said, “I believe in finishing what I start; not being able to do that makes me feel weak. As to why I chose to go back to studying [when she already has a blossoming acting career], I have never considered studies as a means to obtain a job. For me education is all about knowledge. While I polish my career, I want to polish my intelligence as well.”
Back in 2014 she had enrolled in an LLB programme but after being offered the lead role in Bollywood flick Sanam Teri Kasam, Mawra decided to take a break from her studies. Now, however, she has planned to finish her degree.
“Before taking up law, I studied medicine for six months and then tried my hand at fashion designing for another six months. I wanted to find something that excited me. Finally, it was law that captured my interest,” said the actor.
“The last year, my study schedule revolved around my work schedule. These past couple of months, leading up till May (her first Law exam) my work schedule will revolve around my study schedule,” she added.
When asked that wouldn’t it hinder the shoot of her drama Sammi?
She explained: “For instance I am shooting a spell of Sammi next week for which I have to miss classes, which I will eventually need to make up for by studying extra. Shoots for campaigns/TVCs are planned for weekends so I don’t have to miss too many classes.”
“It’s a complicated process to manage all of this but I feel I have the ability to do 48 hours of work in 24 hours,” she said. “I don’t want to waste my life by being lazy. Just today my class got cancelled and I was so upset! I want to make the most out of it.”
“I want young girls and boys to utilise themselves to their full potential,” she added. “Do not follow anyone else’s opinion of your capabilities; find for yourself what you’re passionate about and chase it!” she said.
Promos of upcoming drama Dil e Jaanam are out. Dil e Jaanam is an MD productions serial, directed by Faheem Burney and penned by veteran writer Seema Ghazal. The cast includes Zhalay Sarhadi, Zahid Ahmed and Hina Altaf in lead roles while Saba Faisal, Shaheen, Usman Peerzada and Shameem Hilali will be seen in supporting roles. Zhalay Sarhadi had revealed earlier that the drama will revolve around relationships, work priorities, love, loss and family drama. The promos are really refreshing and promising.
The newest heartthrob in town Bilal Ashraf is geared up for two major films this year, Yalghaar and Rangreza. He swayed the audiences with his performance in Janaan, is now all set to blows us away with his performance as a soldier in Yalghaar. Being the brand ambassador of Lahore Qalandars, Bilal is currently supporting his team in full swing.
In a recent interview with a blog, the Janaan star revealed more about his upcoming projects.
When asked how did he manage the time when he’s busy with two films and also attending PSL matches in Dubai?
Bilal replied,“Right now I’ve put a few things on the back burner, trying to finish PSL. I’ll go shoot my film Rangreza, then come back for PSL, then go back to finish the visual effects for Yalghaar which is going to be an Eid release while Rangreza is going to be released this year as well. So big, big year for me, two films this year.”
He will be playing two characters poles apart from each other in real life. “Both films are extremely different. I play a musician in one and an SSG soldier in the other.”
Bilal added that his work in Yalghaar was physically challenging. “It has lot’s of action in it, we fired live weapons and I did all my stunts myself. So physically it took a lot of toll on me. I had to get into a particular physique for the poster, which you’ll see soon. I dropped myself to 8% body fat for that.”
When asked about the mixed reviews he recieved for his character in Janaan, Bilal replied:
“Janaan was a very one dimensional character; it was very straight forward. But my other characters in Rangreza and Yalghaar have a lot going on.”
Speaking about his role in Janaan, Bilal added “Of course there’s room for improvement. I’m not going to say that anyone’s perfect, we are all always learning. It was my first proper acting job so a lot of room for improvement and I’m trying my level best. The good thing is that I got a lot of love and support from my fans and now because of them, I’m going to work even harder, Inshallah.”
Pakistan and India’s political relationship are not stable post the URI attack. The dispute between the neighbors has also effected art. Indian filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, said his upcoming Punjabi movie ‘Dushman’ is based on the relationship between neighbors India and Pakistan, is their way of working towards improving ties between the two countries.
Mahesh Bhatt has time and again spoken in favor of Pakistan and was often bashed by Indians too. According to him, he is now taking an initiative to work towards improving the ties between the neighboring countries. The veteran filmmaker unveiled the first look of his upcoming Punjabi film ‘Dushman’. The film, written by Shagufta Rafique – who has also made her directorial debut with it – features actors Jashan Singh, Kartar Cheema and Sakshi Gulati.
“Indo-Pak relationship is a topic which ignites pain in the hearts of people for both the countries. Everyone wishes to see India, Pakistan as friendly neighbors, but a deep wound is still fresh which is bleeding till date and we haven’t been able to soothe it. This movie is our attempt to improve sentiments between the two countries,” Bhatt said.
“The film will take the audience through a variety of emotions and a high voltage action,” added Bhatt, who often calls himself a facilitator of the cultural dialogue between India and Pakistan.
According to Shagufta Rafique, who has worked for 11 years as a screenwriter with Bhatt’s home banner Vishesh Films, Dushman is “about love, hate and brotherhood”.
The film is produced by Vinay Bhardwaj under the banner Yellowstone Production Pvt Ltd in association with PVR Pictures. The music has been composed by Jaidev Kumar and the album is an assorted collection of four songs with music maestros of both India and Pakistan on T-Series. The film is slated to release on 3rd March, 2017.
Nigar Film Awards, which had been the sole representative of Pakistan’s film awards for nearly seven decades are now set to make a comeback after 12 years.
The awards had been initiated in 1957 by Mr. Ilyas Rashidi, the founder of Nigar Weekly, have now been revived by his son, Aslam Ilyas Rashidi. The 47th Nigar Awards are to be held on March 16, 2017 in Karachi and the nominees are already announced.
Here’s the complete of nominations
Best Film
Actor in Law – The Film (Fizza Ali Mirza/Mehdi Ali)
Ho Mann Jahaan (Sheheryar Munawar, AsimRaza)
Maalik (Ashir Azeem/ Bushra Ashar Azeem)
Mah e Mir (Khurram Rana , Sahir Rasheed, Badar Ikram)
Janaan (Reham Khan, Hareem Farooq, Munir Hussain, Imran Raza Kazmi
Dobara Phir Se (Salman Iqbal, Jerjees Seja, Mehreen Jabbar)
Best Director
Nabeel Qureshi (Actor In Law)
Azfar Rizvi (Janaan)
Mehreen Jabbar (Dobara Phir Se)
Best Actor
Fahad Mustafa (Mah-e-Mir)
Fahad Mustafa (Actor In Law)
Mohib Mirza (Bachana)
Yasir Hussain (Lahore Say Agay)
Sajid Hassan (Rehm)
Best Actress
Mahira Khan (Ho Mann Jahaan)
Maira Khan (Revenge Of The Worthless)
Mehwish Hayat (Actor In Law)
Saba Qamar (Lahore Say Agay)
Armeena Rana Khan (Janaan)
Best Supporting Actor
Ehteshamudin (Malik)
Manzer Sehbai (Mah-e-Mir)
Alyy Khan (Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay)
Hameed Shaikh (Abdullah)
Ajab Gull (Salute)
Best Actor In a Negative Role
Hasan Niyazi (Maalik)
Sheraz Butt (Salute)
Sunil Shankar (Rahm)
Sanam Saeed (Mah-e-Mir)
Amir Qureshi (Blind Love)
Best Debut Director
Ashir Azeem (Malik)
Asim Raza (Ho Mann Jahan)
Anjum Shehzad (Mah-e-Mir)
Jamal Shah (Revenge Of The Worthless)
Hashim Nadeem (Abdullah)
Ahmed Jamal (Rehm)
Best Debut Actor
Sunil Shankar (Rahm)
Feroz Khan (Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay)
Yasir Shah (Blind Love)
Shehryar Munawar (Ho Mann Jahaan)
Adeel Hussain (Ho Mann Jahaan)
Best Debut Actress
Sajjal Ali (Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay)
Sanam Saeed (Bachana)
Nimra (Blind Love)
Rabia Butt (Hijrat)
Best Screenplay
Yasir Hussain (Lahore Say Agay)
Ashar Azeem (Maalik)
Muhammad Pervez Kalim (Blind Love)
Fizza Ali Mirza (Actor In Law)
Abdul Khaliq Khan (Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay)
Best Story
Sarmad Sehbai (Mah-e-Mir)
Ashar Azeem (Maalik)
Fizza Ali Mirza (Actor In Law)
Asim Raza (Ho Mann Jahaan)
Khaliq Khan (Zindagi Kitni Haseen hay)
Best Dialogue
Yashir Hussain (Lahore Say Agay)
Ashar Azeem (Maalik)
Fizza Ali Mirza (Actor In Law)
Sarmad Sehbai (Mah-e-Mir)
Mehmood Jamal (Rahm)
Best Music
Shani Arshad (Actor In Law)
Zaib Bangash,Fakhir,Ehtesham Malik (Ho Mann Jahaan)
Soch Band (Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay)
Haniya Aslam & Justin Gray (Dobara Phir Se)
Shiraz Uppal (Lahore Say Agay)
Best Lyricist
Oh Khudaya (Actor In Law)
Lar Gayan (Dobara Phir Se)
Baifikriyan (Lahore Say Agay)
Tootiya Taraa (Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay)
Nazaria (Maalik)
Best Singer Male
Atif Aslam – Dil Dancer Hogaya (Actor In Law)
Asrar – Shakarwandan (Ho Mann Jahaan)
Rahat fateh Ali Khan, Oh Khudaya (Actor In Law)
Soch Band – Tootiya Taraa – (Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay)
Best Female Singer
Aima Baig -Bai Fikriyan-(Lahore Say Agay)
Mai Dhai -Sarak Sarak (Ho Mann Jahaan)
Masooma Anwar – Naina Roye (Maalik)
Zaib Bangash – Dil Pagla (Ho Mann Jahaan)
Natasha Baig – Jhoom Lay (Janaan)
Best Choreographer
Nigah Hussain (Ho Mann Jahaan)
Wahab Shah, Hasan Rizvi (Lahore Say Agay)
James Koroni (Dobara Phir Sey)
Faizan Ehbab (Janaan)
Papur Samrath (Mah-e-Mir)
Best Cinematography
Ali Bukhari (Blind Love)
Adil Askari (Salute)
Rana Kamran (Actor In Law)
Salman Razzaq (Ho Mann Jahaan)
Asrad Khan (Lahore Say Agay)
Ohkay so, these two episodes of Nazr e Bad were quite interesting & had a lot of development to their credit. I love how all the characters are getting equal coverage & their ordeals are being shown in a very detailed manner. So far I believe they have stayed true to the message that they had in mind, which is letting your ego get the better of you, & I wish the drama right till the end doesn’t lose its impact. I must say, I like this drama for the fact that it has some scary scenes too but yes, that means I am not watching this drama alone anymore, haha. Even though I am good with the scary & horror movies but this one scares me like anything. :/
So, despite all the odds, Maham & Aftab got married. I liked the fact that Aqmal took a wise decision & hurried in this marriage because he knew that misunderstandings were ruining this relationship. I actually thought that Aftab would stand by his wife’s side through thick & thin but as the story progressed, it looks like he is going to act like a typical husband who will only find faults in his wife & will believe everything that he will be told by his mother. Considering that Aftab got married to Maham after falling in love with her & he literally stood by his decision, I was expecting better from him, especially in the matter where he would give his wife the time to adjust & would deal with her with a lot of patience. The way Aftab was reacting just a few days after marriage made it look like he has been married to Maham for years & the novelty has worn off!
So, the first consequence that Parvez had to face for getting involved in black magic was losing his father & what’s sad that was Shamsi Chacha didn’t let him go to the funeral because he knew this was the moment to test Parvez & to know what he is made of. Parvez chose to fall prey to everything that Shamsi told him, using Maham’s name & since he is so blinded by his one sided love, he stayed back. Everything that Humera said to Nusrat was meaningless, she conveniently blamed Nusrat for her father’s death but then again, I really hope one day she finds out that it was the price that their entire family had to pay for the things Parvez was doing.
To be honest I find Shahista’s character quite annoying. Yes, it is alright to have compassion for your family members & your nieces & nephews but then how can she be so shameless that even after Maham has gotten married, she is helping Parvez to instill the seed of doubt in Aftab’s heart against Maham? Maham is just as much of a niece to Shahista as much as Parvez is her nephew, but to see an aunt literally planning & plotting to ruin her niece’s married life is something intolerable. For a moment I also believed that Parvez’s apology was heartfelt & he was actually trying to score some brownie points in front of Maham’s parents but I didn’t know he was only putting up a show that too on Shahista’s suggestion. That entire scene was quite amusing later when it was exposed that it was only an act.
Salma really needs to accept Maham, yes, it is quite evident that she doesn’t like Maham but to create misunderstandings in such an early stage of marriage goes to show how lifeless she is. All her conversations with her ‘friend’ were absolutely boring yet amusing at the same time. To tell Maham to dress up like a newly wedded girl & then telling Aftab that she was showing no remorse over losing her Taya was a bit too much. The way Aftab believes everything that his mother says & doesn’t allow Maham to speak makes me think this marriage is already doomed. Maham has tried to come clean a lot of times regarding the misunderstanding about her & Parvez being involved in a relationship but looks like Aftab has brain-fed himself into believing that what Maham is saying isn’t true, that is why he seems indifferent to her already.
The scene where Maham spotted the piece of meat was scary, her reaction was believable & it was good that at least in stead of keeping it to herself, she decided to share it with her mother. Nusrat is right in feeling that this is something that Almas’s family is capable of. I really think Nusrat should leave this place, like she should convince her husband to move out because everything that is happening isn’t healthy for her family. I had a good laugh seeing Abeera making a pass at Ahmer, like her father has just died but she has moved on & on the other hand, Maham is being reminded of her Taya’s death time & again & is being told to act like she is mourning the loss of a relative!
All the scenes which showed Parvez carrying out the rituals were scary like anything. Shamsi finally died & he passed on his entire asset; his knowledge to Parvez, it made him feel empowered but little does he know what he is doing with his life. It is actually scary that Parvez himself has seen the life Shamsi has lived & the death he has died, still he is perfectly alright with everything. Parvez’s friend is equally responsible for what Parvez is doing because now he has told him to start making money on it by turning it into a business & Parvez is obviously going to follow his instructions because it is an easy way to make the money plus he literally doesn’t have a mind of his own!
Overall, this drama has been quite an interesting ride. What they are showing is a true depiction of what is happening these days & these things are far more prevalent in our society than we can imagine. The acting of all the actors & the direction of this drama has been really strong. The story has been conveyed convincingly. They also touched upon the fact how daughters in law are held accountable & responsible for any mishaps in the family, like this mindset is also so dominant in our society which definitely needs to be changed. So far all the actors have been quite impressive in their performances & the main leads, Sara Khan, Ali Abbas & Azfar Rehman are doing an amazing job! Definitely looking forward to the next couple of episodes. Please share your thoughts about these episodes of Nazr e Bad.
Ohkay so, looks like they have considerably slowed down the pace of the drama, even though I honestly don’t mind tuning to Sang e Marmar every week like it is one such drama that I look forward to, but I think they really need to move things forward & should start wrapping things up because they have taken a lot of time already. Having said that, I will say that I had a good time watching this episode too but this one & the last episode weren’t as gripping as all the previous episodes of Sang e Marmar have been & just because we have such high expectations every single week from this drama, anything short of perfection leaves us disheartened.
So, seeing Sherbano dancing carelessly reminded Gulistan of Rakshi, like I said in the previous review, this must be another reality check that Gulistan’ll be getting & I was right. Gulistan literally beat Rakshi to death because he saw her dancing & now he couldn’t believe that his own daughter was doing something that he hates the most. What I liked the most about this entire episode was how Gulistan is getting one reality check after another. Even though he is trying to redeem himself but I have always felt that it doesn’t make him entitled to any forgiveness, so this is exactly what is happening. Gulistan on his own thought that he left everything & now he is on a path to redemption so everything’s done & dusted, forgiven & forgotten, but he was sadly mistaken to believe that his wrongdoings won’t be haunting him anymore. Just because Gulistan assumed that he is done with everything, it didn’t mean that he will now become scot-free. I find Gulistan’s journey & his entire track quite convincing, like it is quite realistic how they have showed that in his pride & arrogance he did everything blindly, thinking he was right, then he realized he was wrong so he decided to call it quits, he found some inner peace for a few days as he was feeling lighter but now, once again all of his wrongdoings are burdening his soul.
To be honest, I am now getting ticked off with Sherbano big time. I think she has gotten enough coverage already & just when I was feeling happy that she got rebuked by Gulistan & now probably will take a back seat, looks like she got another trump card in her hand to stir some trouble & I think this time around, she & Torah will be on the same page because where Torah doesn’t want to see Shireen getting married to Aurang, similarly, Sherbano doesn’t want that to happen as well. Also, just like Sherbano, I am getting sick of Pari too, I just can’t wait for her to face the consequences for all the things that she has done till date. It is sickening to see that despite knowing it was Durkhane who used to meet Gohar, she is still spreading lies that it was Shireen who used to meet him. Pari seems mentally incapacitated to me, like Shireen has nothing to do with her anymore as she is being looked after by her new family members, so what is it that is making Pari restless that she wants to create havoc in Shireen’s life once again? I for once really want Shireen to come clean & stop taking the brunt for something that her friend Durkhane is responsible for because she has lost enough already by keeping this secret from everyone, so now she should speak up!
Gulistan’s confession to Shameem about how he killed his own father shook her & Aurang to no end, but yes, I will say that I found it a little amusing & unconvincing that just so that Aurang could eavesdrop on that conversation, he was brought back to the village from the city, I think they could’ve easily achieved that using some other scenario. Yes, that truth was hard for Aurang to absorb that is why he lost all the respect that he had for Gulistan. I feel if Aurang hadn’t found out about what Gulistan did, he might’ve agreed to his father’s suggestion of him getting married to Shireen but I think now things will be different because like Aurang has already said, he is done being his successor, which also means, he is done taking orders from him. I feel may be Gulistan is at the verge of becoming senile, like there were a few things that he did in this & the previous episode that did suggest that may be the guilt of his sins & wasting his entire life is becoming overbearing for him that he might be losing his sanity.
So, Torah & Aurang finally got to know that Gulistan wants Aurang to get married to Shireen, now I think more than Aurang, Torah will take desperate measures to make sure that it is his sister who gets the love of her life. Yes, Torah is somehow justified in believing that Shireen used to meet Gohar because this is what he witnessed himself when he saw a woman entering Saif ur Rehman’s home after meeting with Gohar, but what Pari has instigated has no justification because she knows the truth & is still hiding it.
It was good to see Kalimullah treating Durkhane with so much of respect & affection. They both have started their journey on a good note but I hope once the truth gets out that Durkhane was the one who used to meet Gohar, Kalimullah would still treat her with respect. I think even though Durkhane has told everything to her brother & she feels at ease, but she still has some damage control left to do because Shireen is facing the brunt for her wrongdoings & that needs to be sorted out. I think they have relied a lot on the single joke of Durkhane’s mother wanting Kalimullah’s mother to die, but I wish before that joke loses its affect completely, they bring in Bulbul or something new to keep that comic relief in the future episodes.
Overall, this episode was interesting but a little too slow. I think slow pace doesn’t matter much if the story is being moved forward but since that has stopped, the slow pace is becoming a bit more evident. As always, all the performances of all the actors, especially Noman Ejaz were perfect. The direction has been amazing so far & the way the story is being told is still quite engaging. I will say I liked how they showed a very simple & effortless marriage ceremony of Kalimullah & Durkhane, depicting how marriages should take place. Anyways, let’s see how things roll & let’s hope that things move forward in the next episode at least. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Sang e Marmar.
Campaigns celebrating feminism are being used by brands to advertise everything from deodorant to designer clothes. And it’s a theme which, if executed right, can resonate well with audiences both female and male alike.
A very interesting campaign by Gul Ahmed Fashion, about breaking stereotypes and being comfortable in your own skin is absolutely amazing. Fashion statements in recent times are surely developing for good. Girls, be proud and stand out!
Two Pakistani girls, Zoya Khan and sister Zara Khan beat up a man, after he harassed one of them on Tariq Road, Karachi.
Sexual harassment or molestation is very common in Pakistan at public places, be it roads or events. But what these girls did is a lesson for everyone out there. Instead of staying quiet, these girls taught him a lesson and shared it with the world.
A video of Zoya and Zara, sharing the whole situation has gone viral on social media. In the video, elder sister Zoya said, “I started screaming once he groped me but was unable to do anything as i was carrying a number of shopping bags in my hand but my sister, threw everything and ran after the man.”
“When i followed my sister to where the man was, i was shocked and surprised. There was a crowd of more than 30 people surrounding the molester and all of them were beating him along with my sister.”
These girls took a step against women violence and harassment. They are surely an inspiration and motivation to all those innocents who are victims. Vigilante justice is somehow the only way left in our society, owing to lack of woman safety.
Maya Ali is surely the queen of Pakistan’s drama industry as she has given numerous hits. Case in point are Mera Naam Yousuf Hai, Diyar-e-Dil, and Aunn Zara. Apart from drama serials; the young actress is also frequently seen in television commercials, posing on magazine covers and conquering the ramp. She is now all set to spread her magic in Pakistani cinema too with her debut film ‘Teefa in Trouble’.
Speaking to Instep, Maya shares details about her upcoming debut film opposite Ali Zafar, the need for strong writing for women in television and more.
Maya describes her character in the film, Anya, as a woman she had wanted to portray for a long time. “I wanted to do a character that is different from everything I have done. I don’t want people to relate it to any of my previous work(s) and that’s exactly why it took me a while in finalizing my debut film. Anya is very similar to who I am in person. She’s not dependent on anyone at all, she doesn’t need anyone to save her and she enjoys life and is a very free-spirited soul.”
When asked that she has stereotyped herself as an emotionally, morally and socially deprived woman in plenty of productions. Maya replied, “I started my career with characters that I enjoyed, roles that were very ‘happening’ but I ended up playing the proverbial damsel-in-distress because those were the roles that were being offered to me.”
Maya is hoping to change both her image and the criticism that follows such regressive roles with her work in Teefa in Trouble. “I guarantee you that you’ll experience all the emotions, be it drama, romance, comedy or action. I trust my director completely and I’m sure he’ll make something different from what we’ve seen so far. Ali has worked in so many Bollywood films and has such a vast exposure that I’m sure I’ll get to learn a lot from him. At the end of the day, I’m relaxed because I know I’m in safe hands now.”
She further continued, “I remember getting no feedback at all for Sanam when my character wasn’t crying. There were no ratings at all. In Zidd I played a woman who lives without her husband and that wasn’t accepted by the audience. I think we need to start writing drama serials that show woman as strong, independent individuals, but more than anything, I blame the audience for that. We tried but it didn’t happen because it didn’t work. Through art, I believe we must give out subliminal messages and Teefa in Trouble does exactly that.”
The actress was reportedly offered lead role opposite Akshay Kumar in Rustom and upcoming film Ikka. “I love my country and the only reason I was offered movies in India was because I was already working extensively in Pakistan. I didn’t feel bad when they didn’t happen. At this point of time, I want to stay here, in Pakistan and earn enough love and acceptability by my own people. That’s what matters to me the most,” she said on a parting note.
Lahore High Court has given permission to private television channels, having valid licences, to screen Indian films as per their terms of agreements with Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA).
The court also sought reply from the federal government pertaining to ban on Indian dramas on Pakistani TVs. The order was issued by Lahore High Court Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah.
The ban imposed on airing Indian content on cable television network was challenged by Leo Communication. The petitioner-company maintained the government was indulging in “selective patriotism” as Indian movies had been allowed to be screened all over the country but not on television.
Cheif Justice granted the permission to air films on private channels in a report that states “television channels are allowed to air Indian films as per clause 7.2 (ii) of Licence to Establish and Operate Satellite TV Broadcast Channel Station.”
A Pemra’s counsel had contended that the permission would be subject to terms and conditions of the licence under the Pemra Ordinance, 2002. The Chief Justice will resume further hearing on March 2.
The gorgeous actress Saba Qamar is in hot waters again since a video of her speaking against Bollywood actors on a morning show hosted by Noor on A plus has gone insanely viral.
An old video that has gone viral shows the actress speaking against B-Town actors, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Ranbir Kapoor, Emraan Hashmi and Riteish Deshmukh. The host quizzed Saba to reject the B-town actors while providing reasons too. Saba is then seen making funny comments on each actor as per the picture round. Though, Saba seems to be in a jovial mood and having a laugh while talking about these Indian actors. And it was obviously not meant to target them but this is certainly not going well with Indian media and they’re trying to make a big deal out of nothing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQHiwOTKhfk
Saba is set to make her Bollywood debut opposite Ifran Khan in Hindi Medium which is slated to release on May 12, 2017.
In this day and age, no one can deny the great power of television. Despite the cyber revolution, television, too, is a powerful medium to inform, educate, entertain and create awareness. It also advocates, whether subtly or forcefully, and it definitely affects how the audience thinks.
Pakistani dramas, which are the most common pick of the audience, have been following stereotypes since years. Most of the stereotypical dramas center around the family, especially women, often as independent individuals and most often as mothers, sisters and wives. Women were continuously illustrated as sacrificing machines who bear all the abuse, blame and humiliation because that is expected from a ‘good’ Pakistani woman. All we used to see was typical saas bahu sagas and roti doti woman, because that was obviously the tried and tested formula for a blockbuster drama.
I have heard some people arguing that these stereotypes exist in dramas only because they exist in real life and this does happens. That may be true in certain cases. But do they always? Obviously not! The stories now are developing and there’s a lot more to be witnessed on the television. There is an array of shows daring to be different with out of the box concepts.
Dramas are now based on new and alluring concepts
Finally, it seems directors and producers are coming out of cliched story lines and introducing new ideas.The focus is somehow still on woman but it just doesn’t show the damsel in distress, but instead focuses on different concepts, which weren’t covered before. We are probably entering into a phase which will hopefully give birth to a new era. From showcasing social causes to woman empowerment, from politics to black magic, we are set to be welcoming a NEW way of viewing television. While some shows with a different topic are already on air, there are some which are still to air but still seem promising than ever through the promos which reveals the kind of subject being chosen. With more meaningful plots, these TV shows also helped in shaping and changing the perceptions of the people who were still webbed in the stereotypes and repetitive sagas. It is only unfortunate that Saas bahu sagas, love triangles and somewhere crying woman do still exist, but one cannot ignore the fact and appreciate the dramas that dare to be different.
Here’s a list of dramas that are breaking stereotypes:
1) Sammi and Pinjra
These drama don’t propagate the idea of a woman’s world revolving around her man because there’s more to a women than just crying and dreaming for a man. Sami and Pinjra are highlighting a social issue of Vani which is secretly alive and practiced in many parts of Pakistan. It is an ugly truth that needs awareness and these drama serve the right purpose and have a clear and loud message.
2) Muqabil
Muqabil is a prayerful drama that highlights the crucial issue of sexual abuse in the country. The drama entails the story of a girl who was sexually abused at a young age. It is showing the girl as a fighter just like Udaari did and is equally interesting. The show is tackling with issue which was always a taboo in our society.
3) Farz
Farz is a female-oriented drama and has a protagonist who has aimed to empower women. It revolves around a girl who has taken over her responsibilities and vowed to change her life and fight back patriarchy and discrimination to the best of her efforts.
4) Saanp Sehri
Where most dramas covering politics, somewhere in between lose the track and focus on rather unexpected things. Saanp Sehri is a breath of fresh air as it is covering power and politics with a touch of a love story too.
5) Sang e Marmar
The drama examines the intricacies of two families that have been embroiled in a feud. The drama also highlights Vani and how dastardly concept of ‘honour’ leads to it. Sang e Marmar explains how abuse is a set dynamic in rural households and how it ruins so many families and lives. The performances are categorically flawless and no doubt the story is enthralling as ever.
6) Khuda Mera Bhi Hai
Last but not the least, KMBH is focusing on transgender, sexuality has always been a taboo in our society. Narrating a life of an intersex child, the show finally manages to bring in a subject that we have vociferously ignored, silently hidden in the deepest darkest part of our entire being. The theme is powerful and also discusses acceptance of the transgender community.
Kudos, and more power to writers and directors who are making dramas like these that have substance, heart, and a story that relates to and resonates with everyone on a deep and personal level.
But, will the race yet again lead to an era where quantity matters more than quality?
Pakistani shows had always represented the ideal woman every men wanted, and a men every woman was taught to desire. But Udaari challenged the topics chosen for dramatizing. In almost a 3-4 decades old history of television, we saw the concept of a victim turning into a survivor and it was certainly the best thing happened to Pakistani television. The dramas turning out to be different is everything we had ever asked for, but many dramas are trying to follow Udaari’s footstep but not all might actually succeed. We might be witnessing many dramas of the same kind currently on television which makes the whole subject dull and wearisome but there’s still hope that this is the high time when Pakistan’s drama industry is moving towards better.
So, are we finally witnessing an end of stereotypical dramas? Do share your thoughts.
There are some dramas which are unpredictable in a good way and then there are others like Shehrnaz which take you completely by surprise because of the unwanted twists which do not work for the viewers at all. Sherry and Shehrnaz’s marriage is one such twist in the story. Sherry’s character has to be the most shoddy character in this play but somehow he is going to play a central role in Shehrnaz’s life once again! Noful’s character was introduced two weeks back but now he is completely out of the picture. We know that he is interested in getting married to Shehrnaz but now he did not make an appearance in this episode. Shehrnaz’s thought process didn’t make a lot of sense except that she was desperate and lonely! I am sure I am not the only one who has a tough time believing that Sherry or KK were special in any way because whatever we have seen so far clearly shows that Shehrnaz will fall for anyone and marry anyone at all too because she is lonely!! Also, Shehrnaz’s top actresses status is extremely difficult to relate to mainly because of the way her journey was covered and also the production values. She is seen working with the same people over and over again therefore it feels like she isn’t the top celebrity.
KK’s track also took a new turn in this episode and I have to say that this twist was definitely handled better than Shehrnaz’s track although the timeline was somewhat confusing. Why was KK flirting with this girl in the previous episode if she was expecting? It would have been so much better if we saw these chance meetings but KK didn’t approach her in the previous episode. Also KK’s confusion in the hospital wasn’t in line with his character at all, someone like him would instantly call his assistant or someone else for help instead of staying in the hospital and cancelling all his appointments!
At this point, this drama banks heavily on Ayeza Khan’s good looks and innocence. The effort which went into making her look good and different definitely paid off but then this is not a modeling shoot! She looked exceptionally pretty in a lot of scenes but that does not make up for the ill-conceived storyline and all the foolish decisions which Shehrnaz has been making ever since she got famous. Surely there are girls who are naive, lonely and desperate but they do not make the best heroines! Shehrnaz was supposed to be her own hero but now she is constantly searching for someone to save her, this is the most off-putting factor.
The preview of the next episode suggested that Shehrnaz will get a reality check a little too soon – no surprises there! Right now KK’s track is more interesting than that of Shehrnaz.
How many of you watched this latest installment? Do share your thoughts about it.
Ghazal maestro Mehdi Hassan first mesmerised connoisseurs with his rendition of Gulon Main Rang Bhare. The death of the artist, who gave voice to ghazals such as Patta Patta Boota Boota and Abke Bicchde Khwaabon Mein Mile, brings the curtains down on an era of lyricism, melody and poetry and a tribute to him is the best way to remember his melodies.
The young and aspiring singer Mehak Ali paid a beautiful tribute to Mehdi Hassan which will touch the core of your heart. The rendition of evergreen Rafta Rafta is the best thing you’ll hear today.
