Ghardari 101 – As Learnt from Pakistani Dramas – With two children under two, I have had my fair share of crazy moments during their earlier years where I have struggled to get food cooked, kids tended to and managed to live to see the next day. I would google nap routines, read those mommy guide books, etc. Some helped, some did not. For there really is not a Mommyhood 101 that is exactly on point and works for all of us. Similarly while Ghardari 101 (probably) does not exist, I have gleaned a few pointers as pointed out in our very own Pakistani dramas. Please note that these are random thoughts which cross my mind when I have seen these scenarios more than a couple of times in our dramas and this article, like most of my writing, is meant to be in good humour. Some points actually may ring quite close to home for some of us, even for me. I love most of the dramas I watch but they’re not perfect :)
So, without further ado presented below are some of the basic guidelines:
Victim – MIL or DIL?
From the time of rishta up until the actual wedding day – do your assessment. Save a very rare few, no household (as portrayed in our dramas) has lived to see a saas and bahu living happily together. One of them is the victim, be it the evil saas or the evil bahu. Figure out who it will be in your case.
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach
Age old saying. True to a huge extent – granted. But please remember as times have changed so has the man’s stomach. For where a home cooked meal by the pretty wife seemed to suffice to bring out the truth in that saying, now the dramas have taken it to a whole new level. Jab boht pyaar aye, be it husband or grown son, do not cook his most favorite meal. No – cook all of them! This recent ‘dekho mein nay tumhaari saaaaaari favorite dishes banaayi/banwayi hain’ leaves the foodie in me very confused. Biryani, kebab, koftay – heavy plate but still can be had together but chowmein? Where does that fit? Soup before or after or poured on top as curry? Baffling!
Bye bye to a promising career
Or bye bye to hubby and the kids. Because if you pursue a career, reality – the woman still is expected to pick up the brunt of housework. Dramaworld – she becomes a screeching, disorganized, selfish, evil woman – whose husband will most likely marry another woman. So be ready to undergo a personality change or else, keep the peace and give up any professional ambitions you may have had.
Housework all day
Every minute, every second. From the moment you wake up, hair perfectly done till the moment you rub on those creams on your hands before bed – the house is to be tended to all day long. Then and only then are you the perfect, sughar bahu/wife. No days off where you slouch around in your favourite PJS, order in food and binge watch a very new and interesting TV show. Ah, those days! Oh, I mean – God forbid! Haha.
Babies to remained swaddled in those big baby shawls/blankets until they are safely more than a year old
Weeks and months pass, major events unfold in the drama but the ‘baby’ remains in its forever present shawl. No milestones hit when baby is given tummy time, learns to sit, crawl, cruise – no! Keep the baby in that shawl until the baby will overnight grow into a walking, talking toddler who more times than not as portrayed in our dramas will yell one fine morning – aap gandi hain!Haye he talks!
Oh yes, besides housework there is something else you can do – shopping pe jaana. This one tickles me no end. Humans love/need to shop. Some more than others. Maybe women more than men. But if you want to be a cute, newly wed bride then pout and tell your husband – mujhay shopping pe jaana hai. The shopping pe jaana (emphasis on ‘pe’) always gives me a mental image of an expedition or cruise or a horse – like you sit on shopping and go somewhere. Go figure.
When looking for proposals for any males you are related to, son/brother/mamu etc – always finalise a household which has more than one daughter. For if the woman your son/brother/mamu gets engaged to decides to run away at the last minute, there is no need to have one person fall prey to a heart attack by the sudden shock nor call off the wedding – the to be bride’s sister will more than likely be offered as the replacement bride. Win-win.
Doctor without a degree
That can be the only profession you can openly practice and that too with expertise and ease. Nausea, vomiting, upset stomach – no ORS, hydration – announce it to be a clear cut pregnancy case. Self diagnosis. Best cure for a headache? Move over, Panadol – chai is the ultimate answer. Always assumed tea was used to fight off the tiredness, but there is also the ‘I am off to sleep in a bit, pehlay chai la do’. What?!
When writing an article for reviewit – cook pulao. That one is entirely mine, haha. For everytime I have written in the past couple of weeks, I seem to be checking on the pulao I have on the stove simultaneously.
You know how your hear those taunts (again in the dramas) of how watching TV has messed with the young woman’s (impressionable?) mind. I wonder if we all took to heart these lessons and pointers presented in our dramas – what kind of a household and family would we be running or be a part of. Again there is the suitcase, where the speed at which the woman packs her clothes and zooms out without having to look back or rush back to forget one minor thing makes me think a step ahead which is that she need not worry about financially supporting herself for with that kind of skill she could put the professional packing companies to shame and run her own. I could not resist penning these down and would really love any additions from your end. I am off to take a page out of my own book, rather article, so to speak. The saari dishes one. Now where did I keep that food delivery menu again? Haha!
Hindi Medium’s second song featuring Atif Aslam released today and the singer has done his magic again. The song called ‘Hoor’ shows the brewing love of the leads of Hindi Medium, backed by Atif Aslam’s strong yet soft vocals.
The music of Hoor is soulful and a pleasure to listen to, it is composed by Sachin-Jigar.
Saba Qamar’s Bollywood debut Hindi Medium is slated to release on May 21st, 2017. The film is directed by Saket Chaudhary, produced by Dinesh Vijan, Bhushan Kumar, and Krishan Kumar.
Heart-wrenching vocals by Shafqat Amanat Ali and a strong pen by Ahsan Talish, the ost of Alif Allah aur Insaan is absolutely beautiful. The soulful track moves you to the core with its boundless energy and passion.
The OST shows all the ups and downs that the characters of the drama will go through while showing their struggle for love.
Alif Allah aur Insaan stars Kubra Khan, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Ushna Shah, Imran Ashraf, Shehzad sheikh and Sana Fukher in pivotal roles. Directed by Ahsan Talish and written by Qaisara Hayat, the play will air on April 25, on Hum TV at 8pm.
Pakistani drama industry is filled with talented actors who are continuously working hard, even after decades of being part of the field, to entertain the viewers with performances which translate the character they are playing on screen impeccably. It is a fact that even with so many talented actors in the industry, there are very few who actually sell a drama; these are the actors who are the USP of a drama and because of whom people tune into these dramas. The reasons for this are many but the most important reason is that these actors always give every role they play their best even if a character is average, they make it likeable with their performance. Another reason is that some of these actors are very particular about the projects they choose to be a part of therefore the viewers have more faith in them. The viewers know that if one of these actors is going to be a part of a drama then that drama will definitely be worth watching and even if the drama as a whole is not impressive, these actors will most certainly deliver.
There are also those actors who haven’t been around for too long and in fact are only newcomers but they impressed the viewers with their debut performances so much that many of the viewers are already waiting anxiously for their next project.
Here is a list of few actors who make a drama a must-watch and the viewers look forward to their upcoming projects.
Humayun Saeed
Humayun Saeed has been a part of the industry for such a long time but over these years he not only proved his mettle as an actor but showed his passion to the drama buffs by opting for different roles every now and then. This is the reason why Humayun Saeed’s work is not only acknowledged but followed by the viewers on such a large scale as they know that if Humayun Saeed is gracing any drama with his presence, it is meant to be good. Even though he has gravitated towards movies now but Dil Lagi marked his return to the dramas after a long time which was well-received by the viewers and showed that even if he was going to do selective work, he was going to make sure it is different and unique.
Saba Qamar
Another big name and star of our industry who believes in selective, different and quality work that is why the moment the news of Saba Qamar’s upcoming drama makes it to the social media, people find themselves waiting for it as they know Saba Qamar’s work is going to guarantee quality entertainment. Saba Qamar is not afraid to experiment and that is why she has earned a lot of credibility over the years by opting for different roles, which represent her vision as an actor who believes in variety. Bunty I Love You, Digest Writer, Sangat, Besharam and Main Sitara are some of Saba’s recent works and all of them were quite popular among the drama viewers which showed Saba Qamar in different sorts of roles.
Noman Ijaz
Noman Ijaz can never wrong with his performance no matter what. He is a skillful performer who knows exactly what is expected from him which is why there is a special place in the hearts of the viewers for him. He has acted in so many dramas but there wasn’t even one instance when he gave a weak performance. His portrayal of a very difficult character in Sang-e-Mar Mar recently impressed the viewers and during the promotions of Khan he was clearly used to sell the drama for obvious reasons.
Sanam Baloch
The biggest regret that Pakistani drama buffs have is that Sanam Baloch doesn’t appear in dramas anymore. Even though her fans get their fix by watching her morning shows but seeing her in dramas used to be a treat within it self. Sanam Baloch was in her glory when she used to work in dramas, that is why in such a short span of time she experimented so much and showed her abilities as an actor. Akbari Asghari, Nadamat, Dastaan, Daam, Manchalay and her last work Kankar, all these dramas had so much variety which showed that Sanam Baloch enjoyed doing all kinds of roles. However, her fans are already excited as she just announced her come back to the dramas and we obviously can not wait.
Mohsin Abbas Haider
Mohsin Abbas Haider’s impression on the viewers completely altered, in a good way, when he made his acting debut in drama serial Muqabil. The singer who some viewers did not even take very seriously, when they saw him performing in Mazak Raat, swept the same viewers off their feet with his mature and remarkable performance as an actor in his debut drama serial. Mohsin Abbas takes his acting career very seriously which is why the passion with which he performs has won him a lot of fans in a short span of time. He is definitely the kind of actor who keeps you entertained and leave you in awe of his performance no matter what the situation in the drama maybe. Everyone who is watching Muqabil is already waiting to see him in another drama.
Sania Saeed
Sania Saeed is another actress who has been around for a very long time but viewers still get excited whenever they see her on screen. She has a unique acting style which always resonates with the viewers. She always looks and acts the role that she is assigned with. Her recent performances in drama serial Tum Yaad Aye, Sang-e-Mar Mar and Sammi were poles apart but she managed to translate all these demanding roles flawlessly on screen. Sania Saeed’s career is an example of the fact that brilliant actors do not have a shelf life.
Imran Abbas
Imran Abbas has made quite a name for himself and he has been a part of Pakistani drama industry for such a long time. Imran Abbas has a massive fandom and he makes sure he brings something new to the table every time he works in a drama. Even in recent years we have seen so much of variety from him and even before the promos make it to the television, his dramas are already highly anticipated as the drama buffs know they are going to be in for a treat. Even though Imran Abbas took a long break for a while as he was working in India but now people are enjoying watching him on their screens in Pakistani dramas again. Dil e Muztar, Alvida, Mera Naam Yousuf Hai, Khuda Aur Mohabbat and currently airing Mohabbat Tumse Nafrat Hai are all of Imran’s recent dramas that did extremely well in terms of popularity because they had Imran Abbas’s name attached to them.
Maya Ali
Maya Ali has a popularity which is undeniable. Maya Ali proved her acting by doing different roles in different dramas. Yes, lately she has given two flop dramas back to back but this is a fact that no matter how the drama itself it, Maya Ali’s association with it brings a lot of attention to it. Maya Ali did similar kinds of roles but then she received a lot of appreciation for her work in blockbuster Diyar e Dil, but after that, her drama choices didn’t do anything good for her but we still have hope in her as she is a very strong actor.
Faysal Qureshi
Faysa Qureshi is a household name. His experience as an actor is huge that is why no matter what he does, it always gets hyped up and the viewers await his drama serials. Faysal Qureshi also likes to experiment with different roles because of which his fans get a lot of variety and they follow his dramas keenly. Bashar Momin and Mol are two of his recent dramas which were followed by a lot of people and both these dramas showed Faysal Qureshi in a completely different light.
Mahira Khan
Mahira Khan has star power and a massive fan following. The fact that she does only one drama in a year makes her one of those actors whose dramas people watch for her more than anything else. Mahira Khan proved herself as a polished actress in drama serial Sadqay Tumhare, her character and acting was the only good thing about Bin Roye. Lately, she is also one of those actors who are either completely loved or severely criticized but the fact is that even those people who don’t approve of her tune into her projects just as often as those who like her.
Saba Hameed
Saba Hameed was always a powerful performer but in the past few years she proved that even when you are around for decades, you can still make an impact and experiment by choosing the right projects and most importantly make people tune into your dramas just by being part of them. Saba Hameed’s performance in Marasim, Guzarish, Dillagi, Khuda Mera Bhi Hai and Muqabil recently showed how versatile she is as an actress. She is also one of those very few actresses who truly live and breathe the characters they play.
Kubra Khan
Model turned actress and despite being new to the drama industry, Kubra Khan is not only lucky but she is quite smart when it comes to her drama choices, because of which she has done so many different dramas and has already proved herself as a good actor with a strong screen presence. In such a short span of time, Kubra Khan has appeared in so many dramas portraying characters that are completely different from one another. Kubra Khan has shown that she is always going to experiment and will never become a victim of typecasting which is commendable. Sang e Marmar, Khuda Aur Mohabbat, Muqabil, Andaz e Sitam are the dramas that Kubra has appeared in and has received a lot of appreciation for. Kubra’s upcoming drama Alif Allah Aur Insaan is already one of the highly anticipated drama of 2017.
Masroor Paras
With only a handful of TV dramas to his credit, Masroor Paras showed what he is capable of especially with his appearance in the recent blockbuster Sang e Marmar. It wasn’t easy portraying a character like Torah Khan but Masroor Paras shone and showed what he is made of when it comes to acting that is why made Torah Khan become the talk of the town. After Sang e Marmar, a lot of viewers are awaiting for his next project as they expect nothing but the best from him.
Sajal Ali
Sajal Ali has a huge fan base and that is why almost every single drama of hers is well received by the viewers. Sajal Ali is an eye candy and on top of that, she is a very strong actress, that is why irrespective of the nature of the role that she plays, she always gets praised for it. There was a time when Sajal Ali was being typecast and she was doing role which were too mature for her age but with those, she got to prove her acting skills. Chup Raho and Gul e Rana are two of her most-watched dramas in the recent times and her drama Yaqeen Ka Safar which is going to go on air tonight has already garnered a lot of attention already.
Ayeza Khan
Ayeza Khan is one such celebrity that is loved by so many people. Even though Ayeza was a victim of typecasting but ever since her come back she has proved that she can do something new and is enjoying experimenting with different characters. Due to her huge fan base, any drama that has Ayeza Khan in it is already sold before it makes it to the screen because people love watching her and undoubtedly, she has proved her acting skills in all these years too. Tum Kon Piya and Shehrnaz did extremely well and her currently on-air drama Mohabbat Tumse Nafrat Hai is garnering a lot of appreciation already.
Asif Raza Mir
Asif Raza Mir is a legend, we have been watching him for a really long time now. He has a class of his own which is why just watching him perform on screen is a treat. He took the most crucial decision of his acting career by choosing to play the role of a rapist in drama serial Muqabil and is getting tons of appreciation for giving a superb performance which leaves the viewers spellbound every time. He is rarely seen in dramas therefore the viewers look forward to his projects and tune into his plays just to enjoy his presence on screen.
So, here’s the list of all those actors that according to us are able to sell the drama with their association with it, because of their top-notch acting, experience and massive fan bases. Please feel free to add more such names of the celebrities that get you excited and make you anticipate their dramas eagerly.
The famous Pakistani Pop Singer Adnan Sami left his very own country Pakistan for India. He surrendered his Pakistani Nationality to get Indian citizenship in 2016. The singer received backlash from his former nation Pakistan for getting the Indian citizenship.
In an interview with India.com, when asked if it bothered him, Sami said, “I know people criticised my decision, but honestly, I don’t care. And why should I? I am a singer. You love me or hate me based on my music. If you are judging me based on my nationality and religion, you are a racist. This is very offensive. I cannot encourage that.”
“Some people will criticise your actions and I cannot stop expressing my opinion based on that. As far as my opinion on surgical strikes is concerned, I explained it to the media clearly,” said, Adnan.
Indian singer Sonu Nigam’s tweets on the use of loudspeakers for Azaan in mosques sparked off a controversy. The singer later reiterated that his tweets were not anti-Muslim as he only spoke about the loudspeakers. However, the fact that he called Azaan ‘forced religiousness’ is still unacceptable.
Just yesterday, Pakistani actor Shamoon Abbasi, took to Facebook to question Sonu Nigam in a live video message.
“I’m amazed to see such a great, soulful singer, who is adored by everyone, giving such a statement,” said Shamoon.
“Did you hear Azaan for the first time in India?” he questioned. “Do you want Azaan to vanish from this world and everybody listen to your songs only?”
He also asked Sonu Nigam to explain his stance that hurt the sentiments of Muslims all over the world.
“We didn’t expect this from you. I hope that something positive will come up from your end. We still respect you and your voice and want to continue with the same. But if you don’t provide an explanation for what you’ve said, you’ll lose it,” he concluded.
Honestly, there are a million reasons to love the ultimate Pakistani heartthrob Fawad Khan. And the fact that he is the real life example of a perfect husband makes him too good to be true.
Just yesterday, Fawad threw a birthday bash for his wife, Sadaf and we couldn’t help but adore this beautiful couple.
Muqabil set the bar really high in the first 15 weeks or so with its steady pace, well-executed scenes, an unpredictable story and of course phenomenal performances. Even the previous few episodes which were slow-paced and one which was somewhat ambiguous (the one in which Arman went to Sara’s office) had some important developments to their credit but this episode in my opinion was directed more towards keeping the viewers at the edge of their seats for absolutely no reason, more than anything else!! At least twice, the viewers got the impression that Arman was going to tell his father or mother the truth but both these scenes ended with him blaming Pareesa.
The viewers can only hope that there is a good surprise in store for them which will be worth the wait. Right now the story is all over the place and Arman’s reaction was definitely unexpected and disappointing. These episodes are the most crucial ones because they are going to cover which turn Arman and Pareesa’s story takes from here on but for the first time I felt like the writer was testing my patience. Even the past few episodes had quite a few scenes which could have been easily chopped down but this one had far too many of them. There were a lot of conversations which could have ended in a more dramatic manner, like the conversation which Arman had with his father. It would have been awesome if he confronted his father and continued to support Pareesa. Even if he told his mother the truth, her annoying existence could have been put to some good use.
Shehnaz’s reaction to the whole scenario was another disappointment. It was good to see her going out of her way to make an effort to help her daughter and understand her in the previous few episodes. In this episode however she reminded me of the person she was in the first few episodes. Shehnaz was of course doing what she thought was in her daughter’s best interests but the way she did it wasn’t exactly pleasing. Shaheen Khan’s scenes once again had nothing new to offer, I actually kept on adjusting the volume every time she was on screen and I kept on wondering if all this pointless shouting was even needed!
The only good thing about this episode was the way Maulvi sahab gave Mahmood a reality check. Mahmood’s increased sense of guilt was the only important development in this episode. The performances once again were top-notch but I do feel like the viewers deserve more because they wait all week to find out what turn the story will take next. Having said that, I feel that Muqabil so far has done better overall than many other dramas. I hope that the makers do not spoil the whole experience by ruining the story in the end and give the viewers an ending which is both logical and satisfying.
For the first time, the preview of the next episode did not appeal to me. The story is going around in circles at this point which is just plain sad considering the fact that Muqabil has been such a brilliant play throughout.
How many of you watched this episode? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.
I think by now you are all aware of the Sonu Nigam twitter rant. For those who don’t know, Indian singer Sonu Nigam shared a series of tweets describing how the Azaan, disturbs his sleep every morning. The tweets sparked a controversy and people from all over the world including Pakistan reacted to this gratuitous statement.
God bless everyone. I’m not a Muslim and I have to be woken up by the Azaan in the morning. When will this forced religiousness end in India
However, that doesn’t justify what he said, because he picked on a really sensitive topic and that too in an unexpected way! He managed to hurt the sentiments of Muslims from all over the world.
His ‘forced religiousness’ statement was slammed by some yet praised by others. In midst of the controversy, filmmaker Pooja Bhatt posted a tweet in favour of the morning prayer.
I wake each morning to the sound of church bells & the Azaan in a quiet by-lane of Bandra.I light an aggarbatti & salute the spirit of India
Here, Salman Khan was at the launch of Bigg Boss 8 and while interacting with media, a nearby mosque gave a call for Azaan. And the actor called for a break, the moment he heard the Azaan.
There aren’t many reactions from Pakistani celebrities, and this is probably the only one I found. Here’s what Syed Jibran shared on his Instagram handle.
After receiving backlash on social media for his statement regarding Azaan. Still standing by his statements, this is what Sonu Nigam shared today:
Dear everyone. Your stand exposes your own IQ. I stand by my statement that loudspeakers should not be allowed in Mosques & Temples. Period
This is how Sensible people Interpret an issue. Respects Mr Ahmed Patel. It is not about Azaan or Aarti. It's about Loudspeaker. https://t.co/8aABhYLic2
Ohkay so, this episode of Yeh Raha Dil was absolutely amazing. I love how the human emotions have been conveyed in this drama that too with so much of clarity, like you actually understand what each & every character is going through. I think this is the strength of Mustafa Afridi & shows his intelligence as a writer where he gives so much of personality to his characters & adds so much of an insight that the viewers not only form a connection with them but understand them easily as well. It is amazing how the drama that started off on such a simple note has become so interesting that I find myself waiting for Mondays these days because of Yeh Raha Dil!
I don’t think I can praise the character of Haroon enough. I actually enjoy his ways where he always makes sure to convey what he wants without imposing his ideas on people. Haroon told his wife that for Zaki he found a better partner in Hayat than Nida & if Zaki will ever speak about it, he wouldn’t oppose the idea. Even though both Haroon & Azra want what is best for their son Zaki but what sets Haroon apart from Azra is that he analyzes the situation & makes sure to convey to his son what is better for him & what isn’t like a true well wisher, whereas Azra only believes in fulfilling his desires even if they aren’t fruitful for him. Both the parents have different ways of loving & caring for their son but in this case, I truly believe that Haroon has an upper-hand because he always wants to save his son from any such thing that he might regret later in life, which in this case could be his decision of marrying Nida.
So, obviously at first Zaki was taken aback by his father’s sudden mention of Hayat & he even tried to avoid that conversation but then when he gave it a little thought, he decided to continue that conversation with his father because he wanted a little more guidance, support & clarity. Even though Zaki did say that he loved Nida but may be because he saw that his father wasn’t actually ready to oblige & he wasn’t thrilled with the idea, he put up an entire act to show that he couldn’t live without Nida, exactly like a child with a reverse psychology who believes in doing what he is being told not to. However, ever since Zaki has gotten to know Hayat, at the back of his mind, he had these budding feelings for Hayat which he wasn’t aware of but now hearing about her from Haroon gave him nudge to think on those lines. I absolutely enjoyed the conversation that Zaki had with Haroon where in very easy words, his father made him understand how life was going to give him numerous options but the best option would be where his heart will come into the picture & will guide him to go for it!
I must say, the change in Zaki’s behavior with Hayat after his conversation with Haroon was quite sweet, like even though on his own he was always supportive & caring towards Hayat but this time around, it was something else. Yes, the change in Zaki might make one feel as if he doesn’t have a mind of his own but that’s not the case here because even before he had this conversation with Haroon, Zaki seemed emotionally attached to Hayat & quite a lot at that, but it’s just that getting a green signal from his father made things easier for him. So, Hayat was all busy in her thoughts when Zaki showed up, I absolutely love how Zaki makes Hayat feel that he is all ears to her problems because of which Hayat immediately starts discussing everything with him that is on her mind.
I must say, after Wali & Farah (Diyar-e-Dil) & Hammad & Imaan (Khuda Aur Mohabbat), Zaki & Hayat’s little interaction where Zaki hinted about his feelings to her made me feel that this is how beautifully & innocently romance should be elaborated on our screens. The chemistry, the ambiance & little gesture of assurance from Zaki’s side to tell Hayat that he was going to be there for her & he wanted her was absolutely magical. What made it even more special was that Hayat immediately understood what he was trying to say & Zaki, without saying much said it all but then Hayat obviously had to remind Zaki that he was involved with someone else & that someone else was Hayat’s sister. The usage of the OST in that entire scenario & the scenes that followed was spot on because the lyrics perfectly fitted the situation that both Zaki & Hayat were facing.
I just loved how effortlessly Hayat brought herself out of that situation but even she was affected by it because all of a sudden she reminded herself that if she was deducing Zaki’s intentions accurately, then she will land herself in deep deep trouble & this wasn’t something that she could afford at this stage in her life. Zaki & Hayat’s hesitance was portrayed really well too where later when they met, they tried to be very normal while still feeling a little pressurized by the interaction that they had. I just loved watching all these minute details in this episode because it added so much of depth & charm in the entire situation & what made it even better was how aesthetically everything was done.
I actually had a good laugh when Zaki had this expression on his face when he received a phone call from Nida, it was like he was so done with her & her questions but was just putting up with her because he obviously knows he can not end things all of a sudden especially when he feels burdened thinking what Nida must’ve gone through because of her father’s heart-attack. Even though all this while I have always said that Nida is honest & has no filters but hearing her thoughts about being dependent on Zaki made her seem a little too emotionally detached. Even Nida herself isn’t really sure if she loves Zaki or if she loves the idea of the life that she will have with a guy like him. Nida has always said that she loves him but whenever she had to show it, she couldn’t prove her love, may be that’s why Haroon has never wholeheartedly accepted her as Zaki’s better half because even he can see her shortcomings.
Another thing that I actually like is how the writer has balanced out Haroon’s character like before even noticing or speaking about Nida’s shortcomings, he spoke about all the flaws that his son Zaki had, which makes him a very wise & fair person. Even after Affaq told Haroon that he should sell Hayat House to him for Hayat, despite not being a fan of Nida’s personality, Haroon didn’t go ahead with it & told Affaq that he should convince Nida first as he saw how happy she was after getting this house as a gift & also how she considered it as her own now. It showed that Haroon just didn’t see Nida as a perfect life partner for his son Zaki & apart from that he had no ill feelings towards Nida, rather he respected her wishes & her feelings like a true gentleman.
So, I know, what Nida did & said at the end of the episode was basically an attempt by the writer to put her in a bad light, only to later justify Zaki & Hayat’s relationship but I think more than that, the writer relied on it to make Zaki turn against her because even though chances are slim that something like that would happen, he will eventually find out what Nida was trying to do & will call everything with her quits. I thought Nida believed in keeping her feelings to herself & yes, she actually does but then it makes it seen even more realistic that Nida kept her feelings bottled up for such a long time but now when she lost her cool she pushed herself to such an extreme where she has even lost the ability to think straight. It was good to see Jimmy back in the picture & looks like he will try to help Nida in keeping her relationship intact. I think after this episode, the notion about Nida being immature has been invalidated because if she was immature, she would’ve never sensed the change in Zaki’s attitude & she also wouldn’t have sensed something odd in Hayat & Zaki’s bonding as well.
Overall, this episode of Yeh Raha Dil was perfect & I thoroughly enjoyed watching it, like I had this smile on my face whenever Hayat & Zaki were on screen together. The chemistry between Hayat & Zaki was portrayed subtly yet perfectly by Yumna Zaidi & Ahmed Ali, like they both are such strong actors & it was a treat to watch them, especially in this episode. Anum Gohar has improved so much & her acting keeps on getting better & better with each passing episode. Arjumand Azhar Hussain as Haroon has really added so much of grace in this drama. The writer Mustafa Afridi has done it once again & he has given us another beautiful play. The director Siraj Ul Haq has done justice to such a beautiful script & has directed the drama phenomenally, especially by keeping things so simple & effortless, because it actually shows how his input made things easier for the actors & how it helped them own their characters. Everything about this drama is on-fleek. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Yeh Raha Dil.
Our lala, Shahid Afridi is not just loved by Pakistan but India as well. Recently, Shahid Afridi announced his retirement from International cricket leaving fans disheartened. Many celebrities and fans wished him the best and now, team India is also sending out their respect and love for him.
Captain of the Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli gifted Shahid Afridi his T-Shirt signed by him and the rest of the team India with a message: ‘always a pleasure playing against you’.
Virat Kohli's shirt, signed by Indian team, for Shahid Afridi, with a message "always a pleasure playing against you." pic.twitter.com/KexlCjTNeZ
@faizanlakhani Seeing this made me genuinely happy! Its not the players but the politics that has sank one of the greatest sporting rivalry. #ShahidAfridi
@faizanlakhani@faizanlakhani Not a gr8 fan of kohli & Indian cricket but this made me to love them. It shows cricket is gentlemen game with no boundaries
Afridi may have retired from International Cricket, but he’s still the favourite cricketer of the nation. Pakistan and India have been arch-rivals in sports. With the Indian team showing a good example of sportsmanship, let’s see how Afridi replies.
For every one good drama that airs on TV, they bombard us with twenty that are so bad it makes you rethink your life choices! I’ve been walking around with a constant look of horror these past few weeks as I have witnessed the demise of our TV dramas. They all seem to start with a promise of showcasing something new- or maybe I’m just way too gullible to fall for it every single time…
Here is a recap of some of the recent dramas that have numbed my sensibilities so much so that I started coming up with conspiracy theories such as maybe PML-N is behind all this to distract us from the chaos in the country… Don’t blame me, my husband watches Pakistani Political news like it’s mandatory!
Ahsaas
Noman Ejaz is in every other drama and I think his primary condition for signing up is to let him enjoy at least two weddings! So the drama is about Noman Ejaz and his wife Zeba Bakhtiyar- they are a happily married couple with 2 grown up, married kids. But Zeba Bakhtiyar dies leaving a mourning Noman Ejaz behind who ends up marrying a much younger woman (Sara Khan) to help out her family… They threw in everything- from misunderstandings to what-have-you and by the end, they even kill off Noman Ejaz’s character to allow the other “hero” to take centre stage- Faisal Qureshi. I didn’t know why it had to end that way? I must’ve completely missed the point if there was even one to begin with? The drama went round in circles and you pretty much knew they’d give Sara Khan a happy ending just because she was poor and honest?
Dil Banjara
The big draw here was Adnan Mailk and Sanam Saeed both of who were so awful, I cringed until it left a permanent scar on my face! They did free publicity by promoting Nepal which made a handful of episodes watchable but not enough to salvage the drama. This drama was such a drag fest with predictable clichés and very weak acting. I really liked Adnan Mailk as Khelu is Sadqay Tumharey- granted he may have exhibited his “angry young man” side a tad too much but he made it work. This time around, however, it was just not working. Sanam Saeed needs to up her game. She’s just not managed to resurrect some of her brilliant roles like the ones in Talkhiyan, Daam, Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Mera Naseeb…
Khoobsurat
Now here I was in a pickle to determine who was the most khoobsurat of them all? Tbh, I think Azfar Rehman’s pretty boy look was the winner but oh well! So Azfar loves his cousin who tries too hard to play cute- she even sports two braids for good measure. And after some hurdles, once they are married, there’s a vamp in the form of her new neighbour whose intentions I don’t care for and then there’s the broken hearted botoxy boss – Mahnoor Baloch who had a hard time getting her feelings across because, um, botox. The ending was very open-ended- I don’t know if they left it like that on purpose to confuse the audience or they stopped caring and just wanted to finish it off?
Mere Humnawa
Yet again Noman Ejaz succeeds at what he does best- dusri shadi! ARY dramas rarely entice me as they mostly end up being mediocre at best. However, this one has Noman Ejaz, Alishba Yusuf and Azfar Rahman so I thought I’d give it a shot. The drama was extremely predictable, Noman Ejaz managed to annoy me to the core and the ending, although predictable, didn’t really have any impact after weeks of putting up with the same old ghissi pitti story. My faith in humanity was severely shaken with this one.
Saya-e-dewaar
I don’t know who is responsible for this monstrosity but OH.MY.GOD! There was such misery in this drama that squeezed every last glimmer of hope that I usually hold on to. The messaging was lost probably due to being reinforced in such a harsh manner. Naveen Waqar and Ahsan Khan had zero chemistry and Emaad Irfani is super annoying- he tried too hard and failed. Naveen Waqar was an orphan raised in a Syed Khandaan who never knew of his reality until the time came for her marriage and she finds out she can’t marry the love of her life. She gets married to Emaad Irfani who abuses her but continues having children with her only to torture her further. Then he divorces her and she goes and marries a non-muslim guy then he divorces her too… As a result, her kids suffer from neglect and negative feelings and grow up as troubled individuals. The way Naveen was tossed around made me sick to my stomach and I really wish that PEMRA had gotten involved to raise an issue on the amount of abuse being shown. It has been extremely disturbing to come across such images and I hope that drama makers take note and make some much needed changes. There seemed to be no end to her misery- she even dies a horrible, cancer- related death! Ouch!
These were some of the ones I suffered through that have fortunately ended but there are a couple more like Seeta Bagri and Mushrik that have yet to disappear.
Did any of you sit through these dramas- before you ask “What were you thinking?” let me say there’s absolutely no intention of self-induced suffering. I just happen to get hooked to a very lame drama and it becomes somewhat of a mission to see it through to the end. Mind you, I probably cue most of the 40 odd minutes but see just enough to stay in the loop.
Many Pakistani actors made their debut across the border but none seemed to get so much of praises from the neighbouring nation as much as the gorgeous, Saba Qamar!
Saba Qamar’s Bollywood debut Hindi Medium is slated to release on May 21st and to make the wait easier, the makers of the film have released the teaser of another song called ‘Hoor’. And the singer is none other than Atif Aslam who is known for singing soothing melodies.
Fawad Khan might not be returning to our screens anytime soon. But anything related to him cooks up a storm on social media every now and then. And we all love these adorable kids of the heartthrob of Pakistan. So, fans of FK can rejoice as we have got our hands on the Snapchats of Elayna and Ayyan and we just can not stop gushing over them! Snapchat of Baby Elayna with this Bunny filter is bound to make you go Awww!
Supporting characters play a pivotal role in dramas. A solid supporting cast can change the overall quality of the drama and the impact which it has on the viewers. In our dramas, mothers are an integral part of the story because very often they effect the lives of the main leads in more ways than one. They are key to move the story forward and many time they make it even more interesting. Whether they are in a positive role or in a negative role, their characters are most important after the main leads. Fortunately, we are blessed with some amazing actresses and they are immensely talented.
Here are top 5 actresses who are best at their craft:
1. Saba Hameed
For me she is the best of them all and top of the ladder. Whenever I watch her portraying a character, I feel she would have been the only one who could have done this character and no one else could have done it like she did.. She is perfect, she can pull off any character and she nails it every time. Saba Hameed is the most versatile actress I have seen. Saba has given us some outstanding performances in ‘Baraat series, Manjali, Qaid-e-Tanhai, Pyarey Afzal, Dillagi and list goes on and on. Recently she is acting in Muqabil and she is outstandingly portraying the character of Shehnaz. You won’t find any flaws in her acting. The best thing about her is that she always challenges herself and comes up with different characters almost every time. Rabia of Baraat sreies, Zareena of Manjali, Ruqqaiya of Pyarey Afzal and Zulekha of Dillagi are my favorite characters that she has portrayed and you can’t right her off when it comes to comedy especially after watching her comedy in family front. She is an institute of acting. It’s literally understood that when you watch her portraying a character, you just relax because she is not going to bore you or irritate regardless of the story and you won’t find her acting below par. I hope she keeps giving us phenomenal performances in her upcoming projects. She is a wonderful human being as well. Saba is one of those people who feel pain after seeing the misery and helplessness.
2. Samina Peerzada
She is another great actress and has an aura about her. She is best when it comes to portraying a loving, caring, generous and a self made woman. I was fond of her as Kashaf’s mother in Zindagi Gulzar hai and she has given us splendid performances in Durr-e-Shahwar, Dastaan, Rehai and in Mera Naseeb. She is a natural actress and she pays attention to every detail from make up to styling. Simply, she is glamorous. Now let’s flip the coin and see the other side of the coin and on the other side of the coin you will find ‘Tai Amma’ of Meri zaat zara-e-benishaan( the most viewed drama on Geo TV to date), a ‘jhooti’, ‘Makaar’ and a jealous woman who destroyed the life of her own son because of hate and her blind love for her son. She portrayed that negative character splendidly. Samina Peerzada has also done some movies in 90’s and a very famous movie of Shaan, named Bulandi is also one of them. She is a lady to adore and she makes us feel her presence in every project that she does. Artists in this industry love her work ethics and for the young actresses, she is an inspiration and a role model to follow.
3. Bushra Ansari
What you can say about her? ‘She is an all-rounder’, this is the best sentence to describe her. I mean she can act, sing, write, dance and mimic. Bushra Ansari is by far the best actress when it comes to comedy and mimicking someone. It has been almost 50 years since she is working in this industry. Bushra Ansari was introduced as a child artist in PTV’s special program for children. She took off from that show and hasn’t gone down yet and she won’t be bcz she is a legend. Who can forget her phenomenal performances in fifty fifty, Anghan Terha and Baraat series? Saima Chaudhary from Faisalabad is the best character for me that she has portrayed. The best thing about her is her adaptation. She observes, changes her accent and starts portraying that character and rest becomes history. A recent example was Udaari in which she played the role of Sheedan and for people who don’t know, she wrote her character’s dialogues by herself because Farhat Ishtiaq wasn’t much familiar with sariki. Before Moin Akhtar died, people used to say that Moin, Umer Shareef and Bushra Ansari are the triangle of Pakistan’s comedy. Her performances in Balqees Kaur, Mera Naseeb and Mere dard ko jo zuban MIley are admirable and proof that she is not one dimensional. I hope she entertains us for many more years to come.
4. Hina Khawaja Bayat
She is a late addition to our industry but a valuable and outstanding addition to our pool of mothers. After watching her act, you ask yourself that where was she before and what was she doing? She is graceful, very well mannered and a vocal personality. She can pull off any role and after watching her in any character, you feel she is very comfortably doing it. She has quite a decent amount of dramas to her credit even though she is in this industry only for 7 years. Some of her notable work is in Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Aunn Zara, Humsafar, shehr e zaat, Aik Nayee cindrella, Mera Naam Yousuf ha and recently in Dil banjara.
5. Samiya Mumtaz
She first appeared in Shahid Nadeem’s directed drama serial “Zard Dopehar” (The Yellow Noon) aired on PTV in 1995 but then haven’t worked for a while. She came back and played the role of Saba in Meri zaat zara e be nishaan as leading lady which was a blockbuster and she became popular but the age wasn’t at her side so she ended up being a mother almost in every other drama but that doesn’t stop her to show her immense talent. She has worked in Maaye ni, Ali ki Ammi, Ranjish hi sahi, 2 saal ki aurat, sadqey tumhary, Udaari and many others. She is a great actress and arguably she has played the role of most hateful mother in a drama in sadqey tumhary. She is a simple, down to earth, generous and a happy go lucky personality. She has also worked in two movies, ‘Dukhtar and Moor.
So do you agree with me? Please share your opinion. There are some other actresses who could have been in this list like Saba Faisal, Shamim Hilali, Rubina Ashraf, Samina Ahmad and Sakina Samo etc. Feel free to add anyone or even subtract. This list is according to my liking.
PS: I beg your pardon if you find any mistakes especially grammatical errors. I have proof read as much as I could but even then if there are any mistakes, please point them out politely.
According to reports, Veena Malik will host a show called ‘PAK LIVE With Veena Malik’, which will air on a private TV channel called ‘PAK’. The channel is reportedly owned by BOL.
Snapchat controversy in India has been creating a lot of buzz in the media. For those who don’t know, a few online reports state that the CEO of Snapchat called India, a poor country. This, unfortunately, didn’t go well with the Indians. Former Pakistani singer (now Indian) Adnan Sami took to twitter to share his opinion on the matter.
Here’s how the Pakistanis reacted:
Even Indians should disown Adnan Sami. What a piece of crap with existential and identity crisis.
I know ur BS 2 well 2 b intimidated by it! U can fool d world. Not me! I grew up midst d Pak Corridors of Power & Know its Truth btr thn U! https://t.co/r2Ce3s7uWx
The Internet has changed the way we (fans) interact with the celebrities. Snapchat and Instagram are the favourite social media platforms of the Pakistani celebrities and many of them love to share stuff with their fans. Celebrities share silly, glamorous, and behind-the-scenes moments with us. Be it our friends or popular celebrities, we always want to add more people on Snapchat and Instagram and take a sneak peek into their lives. So, to make things easier, we’ve rounded up top 20 celebrities you all should follow on Instagram and Snapchat.
An upcoming Pakistani film ‘Azaadi’ starring Moammar Rana and Sonya Hussayn is making headlines across the border. Azaadi highlights the story of a man who sacrifices it all for the freedom of Kashmir and how his vision is carried forward by young people he inspires, the film will show the struggle of Kashmiris.
Hence, it did not go well with the neighbouring country. Indian media is not happy with the film because it highlights the issue of Kashmir and also because the actors working in the film have also worked in India before and according to them, are now featuring in an anti-India movie.
The news is highly exaggerated, as the reporters said:
“Azaadi is an unholy design to malign Kashmir and paint a picture that is far from facts!”
“Two of the lead actors have done several films in Bollywood. The lead actress is hoping to do a role in Bollywood, while they all are being part of the propaganda machinery in Pakistan to romanticize this cause”
Meanwhile, in an earlier interview with Dawn, the director Imran Malik revealed about the film:
“The film has elements of patriotism, a very powerful love story, some action scenes – a film has never been attempted on such a big canvas in Pakistan before”
Here’s the teaser of Azaadi:
Starring Nadeem Baig, Moammar Rana and Sonya Hussayn, Azaadi will mark the directorial debut of Imran Malik, the son of veteran film producer/director Pervez Malik. Imran has also written the story while his brother Irfan Malik has produced the film. Azaadi is expected to release this year.
Fawad Khan always manages to cast his magic on us. His killer looks, and powerful acting skills have made him the most wanted celebrity in Pakistan. His recent TVC for Bold Body spray is all you need to see today. The star power of FK has made the TVC worth a watch!
It is not the first time he has starred in the brand’s TVC. Being the face of the bodyspray, FK is impressing the audiences once again. He’s sporting his usual Macho look in the TVC.
Aamina Sheikh and Sanam Saeed have a lot in common; they are both very comfortable in their own skin, they are multitalented, they have been around for a long time and they do not give interviews on television very often but I never knew that these two stars were such good friends too. I have watched all episodes of Tonite With HSY which have gone on air so far and I must say that I feel that some of the shows are not as spontaneous as one would hope for them to be. Whenever HSY invites celebrities who are his close friends he asks calculated questions which are designed to give a certain type of information which these celebrity guests (probably) want the viewers to hear. Also, I feel that a candid interview is one in which the celebrities do not only share details about their professional life but also talk a little bit about their family life. Even the information which both these guests shared about their professional life just did not seem enough.
I will discuss those points which for me were the highlight of the evening. I absolutely loved Sanam Saeed’s take on whether or not celebrities should get plastic surgery done. She thought that if a minor change in someone’s facial features could affect their career in a good way then they should definitely get it done but if someone is already getting a lot of work then they don’t need to make these changes. She also said that she will never endorse fairness creams or get treatments done to change her complexion no matter what.
Both the actresses talked about breaking stereotypes and I was left wondering what they meant because both of them have been cast in stereotypical roles as well and both of them have played the victim many times. I would have liked to hear more from them about their recent projects and how the experience was, the most recent being Dil Banjara and Pakeeza. Aamina Sheikh’s comment about Urwa and Mawra that they were both the same was funny! There were multiple questions with Humayun Saeed as an option and Urwa and Mawra’s name came up more than once. One thing which the viewers learned was that Sanam Saeed looks up to Saba Qamar and Mahira Khan. Sanam Saeed did a great job guessing the names of the celebrities.
Sanam Saeed and Aamina Sheikh’s answers to all the questions were somewhat similar and personally I feel that if there was a little more diversity in the questions – both of them didn’t have to answer the same questions – the show would have been more interesting. Overall, I would give this particular episode of HSY 5 out of 10 because it missed the chance to explore different dimensions of Sanam Saeed and Aamina’s Sheikh’s professional and family life. Also, the show started with HSY interviewing Shehzad Ghias Sheikh and before going on a commercial break HSY said “I want to know just as much as you do, stay tuned.” which implied that he was going to continue interviewing Shehzad but then he moved to the next segment of the show after the commercial break. I also missed the segment in which he asks his guests to say something about a particular celebrity or asks questions like who was the most overrated actress in the year 2016 or which role they could have played better. Basically, there was a conscious attempt from his side to avoid controversies which showed that every episode of Tonite With HSY is going to be tailor-made to suit his guests’ needs.
How many of you watched this latest episode of Tonite With HSY? Do share your thoughts about it.
A post shared by Sanam A Baloch (@sanamabaloch) on
There’s a good news for all her fans out there because the lady is making a comeback to the world of acting and we are super excited. The Kankar star took to Instagram to break the news.
A post shared by Sanam A Baloch (@sanamabaloch) on
Yes, you heard it right! Sanam Baloch has signed an upcoming drama starring Sarmad Khoosat and Shahroze Sabzwari. The play will be directed by Abid Raza and will go on floors today.
The film stars Urwa Hocane as a businesswoman while Ali Azmat plays the role of an Ayaash cop. Bilal Ashraf was supposed to play a pivotal role in Jhol.
The story moved forward considerably in this episode and the developments in tonight’s episode proved that Sammi’s story has some interesting and unexpected twists in store for the viewers. I am all for promos which are misleading and the preview of this episode was just that! Although most of the times it is easy to tell what way an important development in the story will go by looking at the promo of an episode but that was most certainly not the case here. I loved the surprise element and anyone who has not watched this episode yet should not read the review right now because it will surely spoil the surprise.
Sammi’s refusal came as a very pleasant surprise and honestly speaking I heaved a sigh of relief when Sammi’s headshake took this track to a completely different direction. Sammi insisted she wanted to go home even though she knew she will be killed when she goes there. Apart from Mawra Hocane’s overall look which is a little too polished for a girl like her, everything else about Sammi’s character is right on point. Although people who claimed to love her once have betrayed her in the worst possible way but even now for her home is where her family is. Anyone who is in Sammi’s situation would have a difficult time trying to convince themselves that they are not only completely alone but also that people they spent all of their life with want to kill them for no reason! Sammi feels lost in this new city and she knows that getting married to Salar will not end her misery. I think the only reason why Salar “loves” Sammi is that he feels the need to protect her and that could be because he saw his mother struggling while he was growing up. Salar’s advices to Sammi were spot on and I was hoping she will eventually turn to the media for help. I am waiting to see how Sammi’s track progresses forward from here on.
I wanted to see Chandni as Sammi’s mentor, someone who helped her get independent but Chandni’s character has taken a very different turn. Given the circumstances, I must say that Chandni’s reaction isn’t surprising at all. She is looking out for her own self and she does not feel the need to protect a girl she barely knows. She only called her contact and asked him to tell Sammi’s brother where she was because she could see that her son was not listening to her at all. She was never shown as a social worker but as someone who was very practical and bossy therefore her reaction was in line with her character. Salar is the only family she has and she is not going to let Sammi take that from her. I enjoyed Sania Saeed’s performance a lot in this episode. I love how her tone and expressions change when she is on the phone with someone. She makes sure that the person on the other side has no idea what her actual state of mind is!
Salima got a chance to spend some “quality” time with her husband, she also felt sorry for him because he was bed-ridden and she decided to be flexible. I really liked the way she found out who Rashid’s mother was planning to get him married to. Naheed had no idea what Salima was talking about and she ended up telling her the truth. Saman Ansari and Nadia Afghan both are powerful performers, I always look forward to their shows.
Ama Zarina’s conversation with the Chaudhrani and the constant threats from her effect the Chaudhrani even though she tells her off every time. The scene in which Ama Zarina is making future plans for his son while Naheed checked him was amusing. Now that she has found the perfect girl for Rashid she isn’t dreaming of one son but she wants more!
Sammi is turning out to be an interesting play; the variety of characters and the multiple tracks in the story make it engaging. The preview of the next episode was brilliant, I am dying to find out what will happen to Naheed and Sammi both. I am also wondering if Chandni will have a change of heart. Really looking forward to the next episode.
How many of you watched this latest episode? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.
The prestigious PAS Awards were held on Saturday, April 15th in Karachi, to commemorate the best advertisements and campaigns conducted over the last year. The event started with the opening performance by Sara Haider followed by a few more performances and finally a closing performance by Noorie. The event was attended by many popular celebrities, scroll down to see the pictures.
We all expect Pakistani films to hit the screens on the expected release dates however, this almost never happens and Yalghaar got delayed several times due to production and technical issues.
Now, Waar producer Hasan Waqas Rana’s much-anticipated action movie Yalghaar is finally hitting the theatres on Eid-ul-Fitr 2017.
Bilal Ashraf took to social media to make the announcement.
A local publication got in touch with Bilal Ashraf, and here’s what he said, “I am super excited. It’s probably the most anticipated Pakistani movie ever. The wait was definitely worth it. You will not be disappointed.”
Further on, he said, “It’s is something you guys haven’t seen before, and you will know it for yourself as the trailer comes out soon.”
“I’ve seen the first two minutes of the film and I just say it’s a cinematic treat! Something that is never seen before in Pakistan,” he added.
The film has been written, directed, and produced by none other than Hassan Waqar Rana, whose Waar went on to become a blockbuster film. Yalghaar stars Humayun Saeed, Shaan Shahid, Bilal Ashraf, Adnan Siddiqui, Gohar Rasheed, Umair Jaswal, Amir Qureshi, Ayesha Omar, Sana Bucha, Aleeze Nasser and Armeena Rana Khan in pivotal roles.
A short video posted by Adnan Siddiqui on his Facebook account is a prove that we know very little about him.
He, along with Bilal Khan had a short jamming session last night in which they performed a rendition of the famous song ‘Main Tenu Samjhawan Ki’ by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and boy, are they good!
The PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week 2017 ended last night and served the masses lots of glitz and glamour.
Noor by Sadia Asad, Ali Xeeshan, Asifa Nabeel, Adnan Pardesy, Republic by Omar Farooq, Sania Maskatia, So Kamal and Nabila Salon presented their trends for the year on the final day. The red carpet of the show was graced by some of the country’s biggest names.
The screenplay, the dialogues, the performances and the makeovers had to be the best part of tonight’s episode. I am quite impressed by the fact that team Mohabbat Tum Se Nafrat Hai has been completely successful in transporting the viewers to their world. The overall feel of this episode was completely different from that of the previous episode but it was equally novel and I felt an instant connection with all the characters. Although this episode was not as perfect as the last one but it was engaging nevertheless and definitely gave me a reason to look forward to more. The first scene was absolutely brilliant, the way ama begum looked at Maheen and the OST playing in the background while Maheen cried, made this scene more powerful. It was a very clever move by the writer and director to keep the suspense alive by introducing Waqar Ahmed’s character in the end because most of the viewers are more interested in finding out more about his character than any other.
In tonight’s episode the viewers saw how all these people who hated Waqar Ahmed now, once looked forward to his arrival excitedly. Maheen, who now is completely lifeless was once full of life, carefree and adventurous. Gulrez’s (Shehzad sheikh) character got a lot of screen time in this episode and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the way this character was translated on screen. I couldn’t have imagined that a drama which started off on such a serious note would make me laugh not once but many times in the second episode. Gulrez is Wali’s brother and his love for his foxy was the highlight of this episode. Maheen, who is his cousin, “stole” his car to make him miserable and to extract money from him as ransom.
The scenes covering everyone’s reaction when they found out that Gulrez’s foxy had been stolen were priceless. Everyone sympathized with the thief more than Gulrez and Neelam thanked god that it had been stolen! Although I thoroughly enjoyed everyone’s reaction and Gulrez’s fascination with his car but Ami begum completely stole the show not only because of those witty dialogues – “bechara Gulrez, bechara chor”“chal angrezi mei bol” – but also because of Saba Faisal’s exceptional performance. Everything from her make-up to her body language and dialogue delivery is flawless. No other actress could have been performed this role better than her. Her character is very appealing but her acting makes it even more so.
One aspect of Mohabbat Tum Se Nafrat Hai which I completely love so far is the way all these family members are connected to each other. You don’t have to make an effort to understand how close all these people are to each other. It is also great watching Ayeza Khan experimenting with her looks and choosing projects which are different from one another. Gulrez is the kind of person who wins you over with his innocence instantly but you also understand why a girl like Maheen would not want to spend the rest her life with him. It has been a long time since I watched Shehzad sheikh perform, he did complete justice to his role in tonight’s episode. This episode ended with Wali dropping the bomb on Maheen and Waqar Ahmed entering the house.
So far none of the actors in this drama have been typecast, which is another aspect which makes Mohabbat Tum Se Nafrat Hai a must-watch. We don’t know much about Waqar’s character just yet therefore I am hoping that Imran Abbas’ character will also have a surprise in store. The background score was used effectively in this episode in all the scenes. This episode also ended too soon just like the previous one mainly because of the fact that the viewers have so many questions in their mind and it will take a long time for all of them to be answered. Watching this episode was a lot like reading a novel too, the only difference here is that when you are reading a novel you can read all you want to satisfy your curiosity and to find out what is going to happen next but in this case the viewers will have to be very patient.
I absolutely love the way the script has been written and executed so far, it is very classy! My favorite dialogue from tonight’s episode, “Tum jesa nahi dekha Gulrez Ahmed, tum mare nahi shaheed huve ho!!”
How many of you watched this episode? I would love to know which dialogue and scene you liked the most from this episode. Do share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Legendary cricketer and former Test captain Waseem Akram has now stepped into another profession, he has joined Careem Pakistan as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
According to a leaked document, Wasim Akram has been appointed as the Honorary Chief Executive Officer of Careem. However, latest reports suggest that Wasim Akram is joining Careem as a CEO, but only for a single day and won’t be running the company or its operations.
Careem has surely upped their ante by appointing one of the most experienced captains of Pakistan.
The past few months have not been great for the Pakistan film industry. Four significant films released in 2017 but failed to do well at the box office. However, Pakistani cinemas have finally managed to get back the masses with latest Hollywood film Fast & Furious 8.
The eight edition of the Fast & Furious franchise, broke all day one records in Pakistan. According to reports, F8 collected a sum of Rs 40 million on the very first day and registered the biggest opening in Pakistani cinema.
Here are the top three highest openings in Pakistani cinemas:
1) Fast and the Furious 8: 4.0 crore
2) Fast and the Furious 7: 2.7 crore
3) Jawani Phir Nahi Aani: 2.2 crore
Faysal Qureshi and Sarwat Gillani are going to grace the small screen in Big Bang productions’ upcoming drama serial, Yaar Na Vicharay.
Penned by Samina Ejaz, directed by Ali Faizan with production from Fahad Mustafa and Dr Ali Kazmi of Big Bang productions, Yaar Na Vicharay follows the theme of complicated men.
The teasers of the play released recently and judging from the teasers, ARY’s upcoming drama looks pretty intense and we must say the stellar cast has raised our expectations!
Faysal Qureshi plays the character of a complex man while Sarwat Gillani seems to be pretty scared. Besides Sarwat Gillani and Faysal Qureshi, Yaar Na Vicharay also stars Shahzad Noor, Madiha Imam, Shabbir Jan and Adila Khan in supporting roles.
The dazzling Mehreen Syed is one of the most sought after female models in Pakistan. From fashion shows to hosting, she has done it all. Reports suggested that Mehreen will be hosting the red carpet for the Lux Style Awards 2017. However, it is still not confirmed whether she’ll be able to do it or not because she is hospitalised due to severe intestinal infection.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Thursday fined two private TV channels, Abb Tak and Channel 24 for airing false news following a complaint lodged by Inspector General of Police (IGP) A.D. Khawaja.
A fine of Rs.200,000 and Rs.300,000 was imposed on ‘Abb Tak’ and ‘Channel 24’ for “airing baseless, defamatory and unverified allegations against the complainant.”
PEMRA further instructed both channels to air an apology and make sure that all the content they air is in compliance with the Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015.
Oh my! As if the lives of all these characters were not happening enough, these past four episodes unleashed further mayhem. Yes, I know the haveli characters are quite absurd but I like how each track in general is dealt with and one is not bored while watching the drama. This drama has wit, masala, heartbreak, revenge – each character is fighting its own battle in its own way.
Where do I begin? Probably with Paro for she seems to have lost her carefully maintained composure. She wavered when she felt Bhaijaan may end up marrying Paro but dealt with that aptly and nipped that story in the bud. Or so she thought. But Bhaijaan and her showdown had me on the edge of my seat. Watching Paro lose all control and Bhaijaan speak (!!) with the whole scene ending with the slap was definitely a scene to watch. That seemed to set the ball rolling with Paro being reminded of how she scorns love or so she feels she believes she does and unleashes all hell on Paashi when she is called to school by her teacher. Paro’s love or obsession, whatever you may call it seems to envelop her where she cannot see or feel anything else. She was blinded with rage when beating Paashi but the way her demeanour changed when Bhaijaan grabbed her arm made me recoil and be drawn in at the same time. If that is possible. It seems as if that conversation with Bhaijaan has made her lose all control for she hurls insult upon insult at Anwaar Sb and him grabbing her throat (yawn) did not garner such an intense reaction from me as did what he said about how he knows she has her sight set on Bhaijaan. I mean, what?! Raaska knows, Jahan Ara has it figured when she says to Paro about having a ‘chor’ in her heart, even Anwaar knows so why has everyone kept mum about it? And talk about facades, why was Anwaar Sb so lovely dovey then if he had the truth figured out? Making the most of the attention from a younger woman?! Mindboggling.
And Bhaijaan. Bhaijaan is like a bear just rousing from a deep slumber. He has found his tongue and also figured out how to use it. So to speak. Which is actually what he is doing, ha! I liked how he wrestled with himself internally wondering whether he should intervene to save Paashi or walk away to avoid another showdown with Paro – and chose the former option. I am a bit curious though – where is Paro’s anger coming from? All because she loved Bhaijaan and he did not reciprocate her feelings? How did they first meet? Did he give her any false ideas or hopes? That is one part of the story I am still waiting for to unfold.
I am a bit amused by Anwaar Sb’s personality – his leniency and relative open mindedness with the next generation. He tells Paro to leave Paashi alone saying children make mistakes. He admits to Raaska later that Jahan Ara is most likely innocent. Paro’s verbal diarrhoea has sent him running into Raaska’s arms and she is not complaining either. Even though he has been so unfair to Raaska, she has always cared for him so the kitchen scene, in spite of everything, still felt sweet.
Jahan Ara is consistent – she continues to confuse me. Like a flower billowing in the wind, she bends towards whichever direction the wind blows. Yasir approaches her and the viewer is left unsure whether she loves him or not. Bhaijaan speaks to her and you think she wants nothing more than to be married to him. This woman is the doe eyed look personified. So if she has seemingly ‘friend zoned’ Yasir, then why give him those looks and accept small tokens of appreciation and all the handholding! Then the tentative small smiles accompanied with holding her dupatta as in the picture below when he calls out to her. Also the same doe eyed look and the small smile she gives Moazzam Ja when she sees him. No, do not get me wrong – not being the moral police here. Mera Jahan Ara say koi laina daina nahin except that she is confusing Yasir, Bhaijaan – and moi!! Although – her latest conversation with Yasir when she seemed to be admitting her feelings for him made me wonder if that is what she really did? So jaatay jaatay is that what she has done – admitted she loves Yasir but must go ahead with this marriage because that is what his parents want? Help please!
Enough of Jahan Ara. Things are only worsening for Erum and I can only wonder why she is just taking it all? She seems to have enough of a backbone so why not pack her bags and leave? Yes, I get she felt that maybe in some way, Taabish may still care for her and that hope does not let her leave but still! Her retorts when she is yelling at Taabish and the three musketeers (his mum and sisters) appearing made me laugh out loud.
Anwar returned and left. And I will also leave it at that. Moazzam Ja seriously gives me the creeps and I thought he finally gave Faiza the creeps too when he told her his white sari and chocolate (err what?!!) stories but the way her head jerked up when Yasir mentioned the upcoming marriage made me think she might snap out of her momentary leap into Moazzam Ja – free state and wreak havoc all over again. Sigh. And Moazzam Ja – uggh can we please call him MJ? I guffawed when Tajwar Bi promised him a bride prettier than Faiza and he agreed like a toddler who is crying over a lost toy and is promised a brand new one. A better one. Guilty of having used the same tactic myself with my children when they were toddlers, I could not believe it was being used here and the irony of it being used to ‘replace’ one bride with another was not lost on me. But then MJ is confused and although seemingly smitten when he saw Jahan Ara, he is still meeting Faiza. And MJ’s mum?!! I spoke too soon- rather thought too soon when after these three episodes I sighed with relief at being spared any of her scenes and then in the fourth episode, smack, there she was in all her glory. Literally.
I said it before and I will say it again – Faltu Larki is not the kind of drama that we all tune into at 8pm and then rave about. It is not everyone’s cup of tea but yes it definitely is mine and that too a kadak one! I love the humor, the wit and the insults which hit quite close to reality. Jahan Ara being openly labelled as prettier than Faiza, extra ‘charbi’ on Nimo, Mushtari not being a judge of prettiness – it makes me marvel at the actresses too who have taken all this in stride in the name of the drama. Like most of us (I think), I too have outrageous thoughts and sometimes retorts at the tip of my tongue which I do not utter which is why it tickles me and amuses me no end when all these characters blurt out whatever they think and feel – with no filter! I can not explain how really but after these four episodes I was left with this strange thought that all the women in this drama are strong in a way yes, but all faltu in a way as well. As in their place in life. I had pinned Jahan Ara as the faltu one, but Erum is a misfit in her in laws, Faiza in her desperation to be married has made herself look so desperate and useless, Paro with her revenge and unrequited love has chosen a path that makes any of us question her purpose in life, women of the haveli – enough said.
I wrote an overview because I was honestly quite taken with this drama. I had not planned on doing a weekly review but one of the comments on the overview stating that Faseeh Bari Khan’s dramas are normally wrapped up within 30 episodes and then the events of these episodes made me really want to share my thoughts and hear everyone else’s. At this point I am very unclear about where things will lead for Jahan Ara. Will Bhaijaan step in for Raaska also seems to feel bad for Jahan Ara. But if that happens then will she agree to marry Bhaijaan for I feel she cares about Yasir now? And how will Yasir’s parents snap out of their greed? What will become of Paro? Next week’s episode’s promo gave us an insight to the ‘young love’ that is also part of this drama and that did not seem to be a very promising end. Will that finally break Paro? With the drama airing two days next week I am definitely looking forward to seeing what will happen. This drama is in a league of its own and each actor and actress has performed their character so well. In my opinion, Hina Dilpazir, Samiya Mumtaz and the actress playing Paashi are hands down the best. I am still chuckling over ‘uloo ka gosht’ and ‘laraayi shuru nahin huee aur yeh teen a jaatay hain (Erum to her in laws). What did you all think of these episodes – would love to hear your thoughts.
When we talk about Showbiz Industry we talk about our Celebrities and happenings in industry. We all know celebrities in a limelight, of course what they do all goes in public well. All the happenings in their professional and personal lives always become talk of the town.
Astonishments are everywhere and you can find it in Pakistani showbiz industry as well. It is always good to know about your industry and the more you know, the more you will encounter yourself with some interesting knowledge about Pakistani Celebrities and Industry.
Pakistani artists never fail to surprise us and hence I am going to shed light on some interesting facts about our celebrities that you might be unaware of it before.
1. Anoushey Ashraf is a dynamic style icon of industry, who started her career as a VJ and is now a popular fashion model and skilled host. Did you know Anoushey Ashraf is younger sister of Natasha Qizilbash? A popular model of her era who notably appeared in music videos of “Goray Rung ka zamana” by Vital Signs and “Zaalim Nazron se na dekho” by Ali Haider.
2. Did you Know Ayeza Khan and Fawad Khan had actually worked together? We are still waiting for them to share screen but they had worked together for a Telenor Commercial aired in 2012. They both looked so decent. After this they never appeared together in any project.
3. Did you Know Jazz Commercial “Bol ke lab” aired in 2008 featured all popular actors of current Era Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Ayesha Omer, Danish Taimoor, Sunita Marshal and Emmad Irfani. At that time people hardly knows them and now they all are considered as most expensive celebrities of Pakistan except Sunita and Emmad. Surely within a decade they all have achieved their dreams specially Fawad and Mahira.
4. Did you Know Hareem Farooq weight was 103 KGs before entering in industry? To become an actress she reduced her weight up to 40 KGs. Hareem is a true example of passion and determination.
5. Did you Know in Coke Studio Season 3 Fawad Khan sung Sajjad Ali’s popular song “Bolo Bolo” and Sanam Saeed is one of the backing vocals along with Zoe Viccaji and Saba Shabbir? Who knows that just after 3 years in 2013 they will rock as a lead couple in one of the most popular and hit drama “Zindagi Gulzar Hai”
6. Did you know Ayeza Khan never worked with any renowned actresses like Saba Qamar, Mahira Khan, Sanam Saeed, Ayesha Khan, Sanam Baloch, Ayesha Omer etc? She made her mark in Industry all by herself and without performing with any popular names. If you remember Ayeza holds the title of most googled Pakistani celebrity of 2014.
7. We all know that Alishba and Palwasha are Syra’s sisters but did you know they were actually four sisters and not three? Alishba is the second eldest sister, their elder sister Ruqqaiya Yousuf unfortunately passed away while fighting with cancer and she never made it to television and neither on any social media platform. After Alishba, it’s Syra and the youngest is Palwasha Yousuf.
8. Did you know Atif Aslam recorded his first song “Aadat” with his own pocket money of Rs15000 only? Rest is history, now people all around the globe plea to watch him live in concert.
9. Did you know Sakina Samo wanted to cast Maya Ali as a lead actress for drama serial “Muhabbat Subah Ka Sitarah Hai” but Umera Ahmed opposed this decision because previously drama serial “Amber Bail” based on her novel failed to get audience attention due to bad casting decisions by Sakina Samo. Umera Ahmed didn’t want this to happen with MSKSH and hence Sanam Jung was chosen for a lead role considering her performance in Dil-e-Muzter.
10. Did you know the first ever lead cast of Bin Roye consist of Fawad, Mahira, and Sanam Baloch? Fawad and Sanam rejected the offer due to their other commitments. Fawad Khan got replaced by Humayun and Sanam Baloch was replaced by Armeena Khan.
So are you aware of any interesting facts or hidden realities of our Industry, then please feel free to share it.
