One of the most beautiful couples of Pakistan Entertainment Industry, Aiman Khan and Muneeb Butt have never hid their relationship status from the media and were quite open about their relationship ever since they started dating. They have numerous times appeared together at various events and shows. The news of the couple’s engagement broke out when Aiman’s mother announced at a morning show that the couple will be getting engaged in January 2017.
Recent buzz suggests that the ‘Khwab Saraye’ couple will have their dholki on January 4th, 2017 followed by their high profile engagement. Aiman even threw a hint on Instagram, and the final report is that the couple is all set to get engaged on January 6th, 2017.
Muqabil is turning out to be an interesting play with a steady pace. Although these first three episodes focused primarily on Shehnaz’s obsession with getting her daughter married but what caught my attention more than her was Pareesa’s rebellious nature and her reaction to everything. Kubra Khan has played her part brilliantly and the way this drama has been directed gives it a different feel as well. Also, I love the bright colors and the locations. Pareesa had been shown trying to find a route through mazes in all these three episodes but she never reached the finish line. Most often she got distracted either by someone or by her own thought process but at the end of tonight’s episode after making up the biggest lie she has till date, she managed to get to the finishing point with ease. I liked how Pareesa’s state of mind has been portrayed through these scenes. When she was confused she wasn’t able to solve these mazes but now that she knows exactly what she wants, her problems have been solved or perhaps she has found a way out!
In the first two episodes it looked like Shehnaz was trying to get over her guilt of not being able to give proper time and attention but this episode showed a completely different side of her. She thinks Pareesa is “jealous” of her and unlike her husband does not have the patience or the time to understand what is going on in Pareesa’s mind especially because her daughter made sure that she does not let her in! Although Shehnaz claims to be modern but her thinking especially when it comes to solving Pareesa’s problem is quite backward. She is a self-centered person who will probably always look out for herself more than anyone else, even her own daughter.
Arman’s character is the opposite of Pareesa. He is positive and full of life, he has no idea what is going on in Pareesa’s mind and I am wondering how a simple person like him will deal with this situation. I felt an instant connection with his character mainly because of the way it has been translated on screen. Even though Arman and Pareesa are poles apart but Pareesa seems to be closer to him than she is with anyone else in her house. Also, there is definitely great on screen chemistry between Kubra Khan and Mohsin Ali. When Shehnaz confronted Mahmood sahab, he had more confidence in Pareesa than he did in his son.
Apart from Saba Hameed all the other actors are performing a role completely different from the characters they have played so far. Saba Hameed is a remarkable actress but so far her character doesn’t have a lot to offer. Also, the actor playing Pareesa’s brother lacks the “class” which this character needed. He should have been given minimum screen time. Asif Raza Mir is an all time favorite who manages to change his mannerism and acting style completely to give every character he plays a new feel. All of his scenes were a treat to watch in tonight’s episode. I am waiting to find out how Pareesa and Arman ultimately end up together.
So far, Muqabil has a strong script which has been directed skillfully. The preview of the next episode made me feel for Arman more than anyone else!
How many of you watched this latest installment? Do share your thoughts about it.
It’s the birthday of diva Mahira Khan, she was born on December 21, 1984 and turns 32 today. The diva has been ruling hearts since she was cast as Khirad in Humsafar, and her fans couldn’t be more happier today since it’s the birthday of their beloved beauty. To celebrate Mahira’s Birthday, her friends threw a midnight surprise and she surely got a great birthday surprise.
Oh my! I enjoyed this episode and was surprised when it ended for I lost track of time. With gentle advice and guidance from both sets of parents and with personalities that are basically ‘normal’ and good at heart, Urwah and Ameena have started feeling the inklings of love. Man, I sound like a bad romance writer, forgive me, but I can not help it. It is so so refreshing to watch a drama where there are no bigger than life egos nor any particular family member devoting his/her life to scheming and plotting against the lead couple. Where Urwah’s father gently chides Urwah at times and explains matters to Ameena sometimes as does his mother, similarly Ameena’s mother did not ‘demand’ explanations of what is amiss in her daughter and Urwah’s relationship but politely and gently tried to make him understand Ameena. These traits give such a good feel to this drama and this episode which was only marred by Urwah’s attachment to the letter but I shall touch upon that in a bit.
I was a bit taken aback that Ameena struggled to read the letter for well, she is educated and how does she manage to read all those ‘risalas’ all the time then? Anyway, although Urwah’s father was curious who the letter was from, Urwah dealt with that and the sender of the letter and the letter itself was soon forgotten – by all, except Urwah that is.
Ah, knight in shining – Urwah! I liked how he was indignant about the guys bothering Ameena and also his awkwardness when he saw Ameena chatting so happily with her cousin. The shopping trip made me miss Pakistan for I have not been back in years and truly enjoyed the shopping experience through Ameena. Ameena is immature but she has a good heart which was evident from how she shopped for everyone and bought nothing for herself and the reason she gave Urwah put a bigger smile on my face than it did on sarrial Urwah’s! I thought the two were getting closer but I was not pleased at all to see Urwah get up and re read Azra’s letter. I seek comfort from the thought that he did not compose a reply but Azra is still in his thoughts as is the letter he treasures. It truly ruined the whole ‘sweetness’ between Urwah and Ameena for me but then I guess reality check – for Azra is still pretty much in Urwah’s life.
Choti Si Zindagi continues to be entertaining and I am glad I am watching this show. Next week’s episode showed a different side to Azra – sigh. For the first time ever, I hope this was just a bad dream Urwah/Azra has or it is the very last confrontation between the two for I really would not be able to take Azra chasing Urwah full guns blazing and him succumbing! How many of you enjoyed this episode? Would love to hear your thoughts.
Urwa Hocane and Farhan Saeed recently got married, their marriage has been one of the most happening things of 2016. The fans of the couple were really excited to get some sneak peaks into the marriage, but not everyone is happy with all this. Urwa’s attires at her wedding functions were found a bit too revealing by the public. Many people out there criticized her for wearing short and exposing cholis, they were not happy seeing her wearing these revealing dresses on her wedding. Undoubtedly everyone has a freedom of choice and speech, what Urwa wore was her choice and it did not went well with some people, so they decided to put their thoughts to words on social media by giving some unpleasant and rude comments.
There were many who loved her dressing but there many who did not. Some people were not happy with Urwa’s outgoing behavior at her wedding.
Celebrities all over the world have been speaking out for animal rights. There are many who have stopped eating non-veg in order to save the animals. Imran Abbas who is currently seen in Khuda Aur Mohabbat season 2 took to Facebook to raise his voice for the animal rights. Animals have been killed everyday and there have been many getting extinct. Imran’s highly impressive post is surely insisting on banning animal hunting.
Indian film maker Mahesh Bhatt has been raising his voice since IMPPA (Indian Media Picture Producers Association) decided to ban the Pakistani artists from working in India. Many famous stars like Mahira Khan, Ali Zafar and Fawad Khan have been affected by the ban since, they were to complete some projects in India. According to Mid-Day, Mahesh Bhatt feels that Indian government should deal with the terrorism in a different way than to ban the Pakistani Artists.
“The idea of it could incur the wrath of political parties.The Central government has to come up with a solution, if they wish to rebuild relations razed to the ground prior to the release of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. In my opinion, cultural space must be kept alive,” saidMahesh Bhatt.
Mahesh Bhatt and many other Bollywood stars have opposed the ban but IMPPA certainly has no plans to lift it.
Gai’s power wash detergent powder has roped in Mahira Khan for their latest advertisement. Mahira Khan who has recently been ranked as the 9th Sexiest Asian women, yet again stunned us with her skills and beauty. The advertisement has been beautifully shot at various locations and Mahira is dazzling the eastern attire. The brand has surely up their standards with their latest TVC and it has been receiving positive responses from the public.
Urwa Hocane and Farhan Saeed’s wedding has been the latest trend right now on the social media. There are fans who love seeing them together but there are those too who have been judging the couple. Many people on social media, made nasty and rude remarks towards the couples wedding functions and the dressing. The leading star Faysal Qureshi is really sad seeing all this coming from people. With the growing hatred in the public, Faysal decided to put his concern into words through a Facebook post.
Number 29 is out and it has to be the most emotional episode so far.Completion of Chapter “Aab-e-Zeedan” and a shocking beginning of “Shehmat” has turned it into the most gripping, interesting and captivating novel of this year. When we read novels we usually have a love story which leads the novel script and other characters just add up. Here the novel not only has the love part but also the crucial, sickening, devastating mindset and psychology of different characters have been sketched out flawlessly.
Zumar was rescued by Faris, so Faris Ghazi once again proved Hashim wrong and saved Zumar by manipulating Naushervan and even not feeling guilty about it. I felt Naushervan was scared and just like Saadi, Faris is also a master of manipulative talk. Tada….bechara Naushervan became the sacrificing sheep and Zumar was rescued. We don’t really care much for Naushervan as long as Zumar was saved we are done with this part.
Bidding Farewell to Aabi.Honestly, I felt for her although she was after Faris, She cunningly tried to trap him. She was jealous of Zumar, She changed her technique to approach Faris yet at the end she proved that she is more human than Kardaars and died without being neutral.
Haneen our hero- The true essence of Haneen’s character was beautifully written in that letter, every word of it gradually connecting with one another and thus forming compelling dialogues was full of wisdom and at the whole completing the whole journey of a girl who falls and rises again. Loved the fact that a girl was shown standing up again and accepting all that happened .Indeed, she is her own hero. As it is said “ We are at the end narrators of our life’s story”
A letter to Aabdaar Obaid
Assalam-o-alaikum Miss Red!
I hope you are fine, I am glad you didn’t die because of suicide but gone from this world as someone who dared to say the wrong, wrong. Whatever that ishq and muhabbat led you to do things which were out of your control and we hated you. We literally felt disgusted over what you did but at the end you won her heart. A girl who was shown used by her very own father and they way she was broken inside made her to look for someone who could fill that gap in her although she had Hashim but she fell for Fares. We will pray for you Aabdaar. You won her heart!
Rest in Peace,
Namlians
Ahmer’s disappearance was made clear by the famous quote and he managed to escape from all the mess. Well let’s see if he bears the consequences of what he did to javahirat.
Surprise surprise…!!! I thought after knowing about the name of the murderer behind Hashim’s father death, Hashim will kill Javahirat but wohoooo he says he understands this!!! Really shocking but then A murderer can understand another murderer better..isn’t it ?
Hats off to Sheru and Hashim that they doubted Javahirat otherwise what a cunning women Aunty jewelry is …tauba tauba..
Haseena is a ghadaar !! I am feeling bad for doubting Sadaqat but Haseena is the real culprit along with that red scarf guy.
This episode was intensely captivating and I just can’t wait to read the last one.
What do you think about the latest development and what are your expectations about the last episode of Naml .
Ohkay so, let me be completely honest with you guys, when the episode began I actually started liking what I was watching because the first half of the episode all of a sudden started making sense to me & I felt may be this was the time when Osman Khalid Butt took over the script as I remember someone told me that he was re-writing the last few episodes of Sanam to give a proper closure to everything, so I actually thought that may be this episode was written by him or something & I even thought that I will title this episode as ‘fairly decent’ but sense, logic & all that jazz was short-lived, rather it lived till the commercial break swooped in & ruined everything. The second half of the episode was not only nonsensical but it was so boring that comparatively looking at the ceiling of my humble abode seemed far more interesting than what was happening on my TV Screen!
Harib is not only a bechara but he is a poster child of ‘haye Allah Jee, mai kya karoon’, looks like this is Harib’s pet question where he keeps on repeating it as he is always just so clueless. I am wondering why aren’t all the parathas & that beautifully cooked food working for him because his mind seems to be shrinking with each passing episode. I have yet to see an episode where Harib took a stand & a clear one at that, because where Harib should have thrown Shehroz out of his life after how he created the situation to get Harib & Aila divorced, also how he created all the misunderstandings between them, we now see Harib seeking help & advice from the same Shehroz who himself is a patient suffering from short term memory loss, where he forgets who he was supporting just 5 minutes ago!
Anyways, in the initial part of the episode, I did understand Harib’s concerns & for that matter I felt that the build up was actually quite nice where Harib was confused & he was overthinking, as he was worried that people will once again misunderstand his concerns for Aan as his love for her & despite loving her, he didn’t want to validate the rumors that people were spreading about them as he also didn’t want to put a dent on Aan’s image. Even though I also believed that Harib should’ve told everything to Aan the moment he saw how she confronted Farhan for the way he mistreated Harib, but still I could understand Harib’s thought process because he was being way too cautious considering the fragility of Shabnam’s health. At that point I was like it is getting interesting that things are building up on the basis of assumptions & it will take one final conversation where Harib & Aan will spill the beans by telling each other what they feel about Farhan & this entire engagement scenario but that thing was brushed under the carpet as the writer all of a sudden remembered that she had an XS-sized Daadi Amman to take the story forward in the most hideous manner ever known to the drama buffs!
Just when the writers start relying heavily on the child artists or smally packaged Dadi Ammans, that’s when you know that the writer was touching new heights of desperation to make things work & to also stir the sympathy in the viewer’s hearts for all the characters in general. I don’t know about you guys & I am not sure about how Sara & her husband might be feeling, but I was yawning all this while when Fatima was being mentally & physically tortured by the writer because what Fatima did & said before meeting an accident was lame & boring!!!
I didn’t know that at such a young age, girls can become BBC Reporters & can do their job with so much of dedication & determination. Fatima ended up telling Aan & Harib everything that Nayla & Farhan said about them. Who said Fatima was bipolar or something, she is a genius kid blessed with a photographic memory because she not only reported everything to Harib & Aan but she repeated the exact words too. Once again, it’s time for my public service message where I will request the parents of this child artist to pay heed to the dialogues that their kid is being forced to say because it is seriously not good for a girl her age. Anyways, Fatima also got to hear everything from Aila, about how her mommy wasn’t interested in keeping Fatima because she was too desperate to rekindle an old affair, once again, cameraman Haseeb Hassan ke saath, news-reporter Fatima from Karachi reported every single little detail to her father in London. As if the writer wasn’t tired of using Fatima again & again & again that she ended up using her for the final blow, which was to bring Aan to a confrontational park & then to get her hit by a car, to drag the drama further.
Time for a public service message once again not to the child artist’s parents but to all the parents in general, please have a look at Fatima (the character) clearly & understand that this is how your daughters shouldn’t be. Fatima is a result of an epic parenting fail, she is a result of those shameful mothers who are not interested in their kids. Everything that happened with Fatima also sheds a light on how parents should always hold the hand of their kids while crossing the road because you never know when a driver will confuse them as a lifafa & run them over. Also, please make sure your kids don’t have an access to telephones because without you even knowing, they will end up broadcasting every single thing that happens behind your closed doors. Shurkiya!
Well well well, just when Harib was getting jabbed by the jeans-clad jealous ladies, there came dupatta-clad dukhyari Aan, who swooped into that conversation out of nowhere. I thought that entire conversation was happening between Aila, Sara & Harib where Aila was holding Sara responsible for getting divorced but then Aan came in & started reciting qaseedas of how masoom she is because she wears shalwar kameez, ties her hair in a braid & knows how to make parathas, andas & kababs. HUH! Pay heed to that Aila & Sara that Aan is nothing like you guys & she is better because the writer has shown her as your contrast & the writer is endorsing the clichés that duppattay wali, braid wali, 2 in 1 maasi aur bawarchan hi shadi material hoti hai!
Anyways, this episode was such a disappointment because it started off at such a strong note but ended up losing the plot completely. I hate the way Fatima’s character is being used to drag things further & to prove a point which is best known to the writer herself. Honestly speaking, I won’t be surprised if I see Sara turning Fatima’s accident into an opportunity to grow closer to Harib as she would seek more sympathy from him citing her emotional weakness as an excuse, because anything is possible in Sanam, since the writer has turned Harib into the most sought after bechara that every girl is dying to be with him. Even though I have said it a million times, I will say it once again, I hate the way Aila has been turned into a villain, whereas she was introduced as a girl with psychological issues. Please don’t tell me that the small-brained writer thinks all those who suffer from psychological disorders are actually psychotic. Anyways, please share your thoughts about this nonsensical episode of Sanam!
The newly weds Farhan Saeed and Urwa Hocane had their reception last night. The reception was attended by the couples family, friends and many famous celebrities. Many of the celebrities heated up the dance floor with their amazing moves. Mawra and Urwa’s friends swayed the dance floor, the celebrities too did not shy away from having some fun. Not to forget, the groom and the bride too showed off their moves.
After script, if there is one thing that makes or breaks the drama, it is the way the characters have been penned down and etched out by the writer. Characters are an integral part of any drama because they are the body that are used by the writers to elaborate their script on-screen. If the characters are written appropriately, they attract the viewers and help them in understanding the story a lot better because viewers form a connection with them immediately and relate to them a lot more, similarly, if the characters are written poorly, they only end up annoying the viewers because such characters have nothing to offer.
This year, where we saw some memorable character, we also came across a lot such characters who were annoying to the core, yet they got a lot of coverage because the writers assumed they were contributing towards the story. Viewers expect characters to be logical and rational but we saw a lot such characters who defied basic common sense and logic too, making the viewers wonder why were they made a part of the script in the first place.
So, here is an alphabetically ordered list that has been complied in order to pay tribute to such annoying characters, who made us shake our heads at their irrationality, ridiculousness and poor execution.
Aneesa (Zara Yaad Kar)
She was a walking talking philosophy teacher whose only motive was to put her students to sleep. Despite having some amazing dialogues up her sleeve, Aneesa ended up becoming one of the most annoying mothers who only wanted to see her daughter in laal jora and laal surkhi by hook or by crook. It was actually quite cringe worthy to see a mother making herself helpless to a point where she pushed herself to support her daughter’s unreasonable demands of Halala.
Anoushay (Zara Yaad Kar)
She took over the drama as if she was the main lead, whereas there was nothing about her character or her story that struck a chord with the viewers because she was introduced at such a time when the viewers were hoping for the drama to end. Anoushay was added only to drag the drama and everything that she offered, starting from her flat acting to her senseless dialogues, all of that made her eligible for this list as she was annoying to the T!
Asher (Gul-e-Rana)
We have seen many becharis in dramas this year but Asher was the ultimate bechara. The fact that Imran Ashraf was a complete miscast in this role didn’t help either. Although the writer and the director tried their best to create scenarios to make the viewers feel for Asher but every time he came on screen viewers felt nothing for him. The forced becharapan and a character which was neither appealing more logical failed to win the viewers over and was annoying!
Gaiti (Zara Yaad Kar)
Gaiti was introduced in the drama to make people forget Urdu and English both because she showed up as an America returned Pakistani who wasn’t fluent in Urdu. Not only her dialogue delivery was annoying but her presence in the drama was meaningless too as she didn’t contribute one bit in the story and ended up looking like a filler gone wrong.
Ghaalib (Mana Ka Gharana)
Ghaalib was the man of the house, the head of the family who despite having such an authority was so weak that every single time he saw the tyranny of his wife, he would put his wheelchair to good use, roll into his room so that he could cry in peace. Throughout the drama, he never took a stand against all the wrongdoings of his wife even in the matters concerning the future of his daughter.
Gul-e-Rana (Gul-e-Rana)
Rana was another heroine who was introduced as a very strong woman in the first 3 episodes but later on she did all kind of weird things – remember those walks in the jungle and getting over friendly with strange men?? – which made the viewers question Rana’s mental age. She was another heroine who refused to help herself, most of her problems were self-created and the character itself was highly confusing. Sajal Ali couldn’t have saved the day with her acting because Rana’s character didn’t have much to offer.
Haadi (Zara Yaad Kar)
Despite being the main character of the drama, Haadi didn’t show any development from beginning till the end. Throughout the drama, the viewers expected him to display some signs of him having a backbone but he didn’t. What made his character hard to digest was the fact that in the end, he chose to be the one who sentenced punishment to his ex-wife, while he never once took matters in his hands to make her realize she was wrong. Haadi himself pushed his ex-wife to the limit by making her believe that she could rely on him and in the end, when he had to keep his promise, he chose to get committed to someone who fed him muft ka nashta throughout the drama!
Hira (Beqasoor)
Hira’s character was beyond annoying for number of reasons. Her holier-than-thou nature and her desperate moves to please her father made her character worse than that of her step-sister who was shown as a very materialistic and selfish girl. Also, Saboor Ali’s overacting and loud make-up made this character even more unbearable. Although the viewers were pushed to feel for this character but it was impossible to feel for someone who was too good and too naive to be true! Hira was her own biggest enemy, she put herself in difficult situations over and over again.
Imdad Hussain (Aap Ke Liye)
A negative character who had nothing happening for him except some overly done expressions which most certainly did not compliment his face nor his age. Viewers of this drama never imagined that they will get to see Waseem Abbas in a ‘silky satiny beige night suit’ at this stage of his career which absolutely looked unflattering on him. Waseem Abbas got way more coverage in this drama than required and he succeeded in ruining the pace and the mood of the viewers completely!
Jeena (Mann Mayal)
Jeena’s character lacked depth, it was a forced character which did not add anything tangible to the story. Jeena was a desperate girl who was in love with Salahuddin. She mentioned the fact that her parents were dead and she that had no family repeatedly to get attention from anyone and everyone. The dialogue “mere tu maa baap bhi nahi hein” was repeated so many times in every single episode even in situations where it wasn’t needed that it turned into an even bigger joke than the drama itself!!! In the end the viewers were expected to feel for this character for which they felt nothing but annoyance!
Mahnoor (Zara Yaad Kar)
Where the viewers always rejoice at the sight of strong woman in a drama, she was a woman of steel, to an extent of having a brain of steel too, which was empty and when dropped on the floor, created some noise pollution. Throughout the drama, people wanted her to feel some remorse, some embarrassment at what she did but the writer chose to keep her ‘dheet’ right till the end and that makes her one of the most annoying characters of 2016!
Mannu (Mann Mayal)
Mannu turned from a go-getter into a weakling the second she got married. Every time she needed help she turned to Salahuddin and never her parents who were for the longest time supportive and loving until they decided to take a complete about-turn. Even after so many years when Mannu was thrown out of her house, she once again turned to Jamil and not her family. She kept on saying she will take a stand, she will get away from Salahuddin, she will make a life of her own and that she had self-respect but her actions spoke louder than words. Manhoos Mannu was a confusing character which continuously annoyed the viewers with her indecisiveness and becharapan especially in the last few weeks of the show.
Mannu’s Parents (Mann Mayal)
Mannu’s parent’s were there for their daughter until she actually needed them! They completely disappeared from the scene when Mannu got married and when they reappeared they made sure that the circumstances were such that their daughter stayed with her ex-boyfriend. Mannu’s mother’s beghairti and her father’s “I love you, I love you not” attitude baffled and annoyed the viewers. They were one of the worst parents we saw in dramas this year.
Mikaeel (Mann Mayal)
Mikael was shown looking for his pajamas and other things which definitely didn’t count as the more important things in life for half of the screen time given to him. His character was only there so that people could feel sorry for Mannu. In the end, just like Jeena, the viewers were forced to feel for him! A black character with absolutely nothing going for him with dreams which made the viewers laugh, this list would be incomplete without him!
Munira (Gul-e-Rana)
Munira was another one of those characters in dramas this year which wasn’t only annoying but also quite useless. She was one of those mothers who was introduced as someone who loved her daughters and would stand by them but ended up doing nothing for Rana. Her character only made an appearance when it was needed to add to Rana’s troubles and was never around when Rana needed her help! Rubina Ashraf’s acting made this character even more unbearable.
Nishat (Aap Ke Liye)
Samina Peerzada played the role of an evil sister in this drama but oh boy, she took evilness to a whole new level. The audience have seen negative and evil characters in the past, so it wouldn’t have cost Samina Peerzada much if she had kept her portrayal of Nishat a little subtle. It looked like Samina Peerzada felt as if her curly hair, diamond necklace, overly done eye make even in the early morning scenes wasn’t screaming ‘evil’ enough that she decided to through in those very disturbing expressions and unpleasant laughter as well. With an experience in acting like that, no one imagined that Samina Peerzada could overdo a very simple one-dimensional character, but the viewers are still wondering what was she thinking. Nishat’s character was negative but what made her annoying to an extent of being intolerable was Samina Peerzada herself!
Sadaf (Beqasoor)
Sadaf was one-of-a-kind bechari who let her husband walk all over her time and again. She poisoned her daughter, failed to do anything for her, begged her husband to keep her when he kicked her out of the house and the list of her blunders is never-ending. It was disappointing watching someone like Samina Peerzaba playing such a character.
Saleha (Mana Ka Gharana)
Saleha was one negative character but what made her annoying was the fact that the writer made her the ultimate authority who no one could question or go against as if her word was the last and the final verdict. She was also one of those mothers who wanted to see her daughter getting married to ameer-zada as she believed money would guarantee her daughter’s happiness, how annoying right?
Salma (Sangat)
The desperate girl who loved Shahwez even after she found out he was a rapist was the worst thing about Sangat. Salma’s support for Shahwez and her “cool” reaction when she found out that Shahwez had raped Ayesha was not just annoying but also very disturbing.
Umair (Kathputli)
He came in the drama as if he was going to run things but vanished into thin air as if he never existed, making the viewers feel why was his character introduced in the first place. Everything about this character or actor, from eyebrows, to dialogue delivery, to his meddlesome attitude, to his presence, every single thing about him was wrong and annoying.
Zahida (Tere Mere Beech)
This character left no stone unturned in deafening the viewers who tuned to this drama. She was a howler, a caterwauler, a crier and a noise polluter because all she did was cry in the drama to a point where the viewers had to keep the remote control handy as her voice was beyond tolerance level.
Zubeida (Sangat)
Zubeida was an “intelligent”, “caring” woman who stood by her daughter’s rapist like a rock, covered up for her daughter’s rape like it was her fault and let’s not forget she didn’t find out even in the end that the person who she had been supporting all these years had raped her daughter! Zubeida’s character was one of the stupidest character we saw on screen this year who made our blood boil for obvious reasons.
With this, we conclude the list of most annoying characters that we all came across in 2016. Please feel free to add more names to the list and don’t forget to share your thoughts.
Fatima Awan & Zahra Mirza
Urwa Hocane and Farhan Saeed’s wedding reception is happening right now and the high profile wedding is attended by many renowned Pakistani Celebrities. Many of the celebrities were seen with their spouses at the reception. Celebrities like Noman Ijaz, Sajal Ali, Bushra Ansari, Xeeshan Ali, Resham, the heartthrob Fawad Khan with his wife and many more are present at the reception making it a glamorous night full of stars.
And the loser of the year award goes to Safeer! The zabrdasti ki shadi finally took place in this episode and Safeer’s first conversation with his second wife made as little sense as this latest development. Safeer said he was ready to face any kind of reaction from Saba’s family and his own mother yet somehow he depended on Saba to tell everyone the truth! I kept on wondering what was stopping him. This entire track has been handled quite recklessly. This wedding could easily have been avoided especially because Safeer was so willing to deal with the consequences as soon as the marriage took place. I am wondering if this is an attempt to make the viewers feel for Saba. While I did feel for Saba after watching tonight’s episode but the fact is that this particular track has done-to-death written all over it.
Eventually Saba and Safeer both decided they could after all live with each other mainly because Saba was willing to keep Safeer’s secret and even “help” him in more ways than one! Saba’s reaction was quite interesting! It went to show just how much she had changed and had she not held herself responsible for Saman’s death and for feeling guilty about loving Irtiza even after he was married to Saman she would have come across as a complete Allah mian ki gaye today. Saba feels like she deserves all this and she is no longer the girl who would fight to have her own way. The relationship between Safeer and Saba however was awkward to say the least. The way Saba was so “understanding” of Safeer’s situation and the manner in which Safeer actually seemed to be attracted towards Saba for a few seconds made this marriage one of the most weird marriages we have seen on screen. The viewers did not get to see/hear firsthand what was going on in Saba’s head but Safeer’s conversation with her about why she was alright with everything and the last scene of the previous episode suggests that Saba has now dedicated her life to proving that she is a good person who will not harm anyone. Even though there was a good reason behind Saba’s reaction to the shocking news Safeer gave her but the fact is that this track is turning out to be another one of those dusri biwi tracks in which the first wife is demanding and the second one will put up with anything at all. The only big difference here is that the husband will never leave his first wife for the second one.
As if things were not awkward enough as it was, Sonia’s announcement that she was having another baby made things even more complicated. Saba’s parents were completely missing from tonight’s episode. She got married, came to live at her parent’s house after an entire month but was shown only spending time with dadi. It would have been so much better if they died in a car crash too because their disappearance every now and then would have made more sense then! The focus in tonight’s episode was more on Saba’s willingness to accept this new relationship she had with Safeer. I am wondering how this track will help take the story forward because the preview of the next episode suggested that even after 7 months or perhaps more Saba was just as willing to compromise as she was before. While Saba’s reasons are very clear, there is absolutely no reason why Safeer is willing to go along with it since his mother will also find out in the next episode that Saba knows the truth.
Mahira Khan looked exceptionally beautiful in most of the scenes tonight and she acted brilliantly too. Saba yet again was the only good thing about this episode and the only character which makes perfect sense even now. Other than that, Saba’s parents’ disappearance, Safeer’s mother’s unreasonable attitude and Safeer’s unfair/irrational behavior stood out like a sore thumb. Bin Roye should have been a perfect package considering the fact that it has some big names attached to it yet there are plenty of times when you question so many aspects of this drama. So far apart from the choppy editing, the script of Bin Roye has been its weakest link. Also, although there are only few characters in the play but even then there have been many episodes in which the key characters did not get the screen time they should have been given.
How many of you watched this latest installment? Please share your thoughts about it.
Urwa hocane wedding. The most awaited wedding of the year is finally happening, Urwa and Farhan are finally married and their reception is happening right now. Urwa is looking extremely gorgeous and her hubby is looking handsome than ever. The reception is a high profile event with the couple’s family member’s and other celebrities present. There is lots of dancing and beautiful moments to remember. Urwa’s friends and family started the night off with Luddi.
Fahad Mustafa and his wife Sana Fahad’s love is nothing hidden, Sana usually posts pictures of them together with some beautiful and loving captions. Last night was Sana’s birthday and it was not just an ordinary one because the birthday bash was attended by many famous celebrities and it seemed that they had lots of fun. Sana and Fahad both looked extremely good and the whole decoration for the party was mind blowing. Here are a few pictures from Sana Fahad’s Birthday Party.
Ohkay so, this episode of Khuda Aur Mohabbat was absolutely amazing. I am in love with this drama & honestly speaking, with each passing episode, I am getting more & more convinced that this season is definitely bigger & better than the season 01. Quite honestly, when this season began, I finished watching the 1st season may be 2 days ago, that is why initially, like all those viewers who were a fan of the previous season, I was also a bit skeptical & wasn’t feeling this season, but now I’m totally convinced because there are such small little details that tell me that the director of this season had more understanding & more grip on the story & I thank him for directing Khuda Aur Mohabbat so beautifully. It has also become one of my favorite dramas of the season & I am really happy that I am getting to watch a drama like this!
This episode showed us Hammad’s sufferings & his journey in a detailed manner. Hammad chose not to budge & he chose to put forth his stand in front of his family, that is why he is going through so much only to prove a point not only to anyone else, but to himself. Everything that Hammad is doing is like he is punishing himself for the life he was given in a platter. Hammad is furious, disappointed & depressed because he knows that no matter what he is going to do, his father’s name is always going to stay associated with him. It was quite touching to see how hard Hammad was trying to pick up the pieces while still wanting to stay shattered because he has given up on everything except his love for Imaan!
Honestly speaking, till the very last episode of the previous season, I couldn’t bring myself to understand or feel that Molvi Aleemuddin was equally responsible for everything that Hammad & Imaan went through, because somehow I feel his ego was downplayed by the director as he didn’t want to put a cleric in a negative light, but this is something that didn’t happen in this season. What I liked about the director’s approach in this season is, that without showing Molvi Aleemuddin as a negative character, very convincingly yet subtly he brought out the ego that resided in Molvi Aleemuddin’s heart too. Everything that Hammad said to Molvi Aleemuddin was spot on because yes, while Hammad was still fighting the ego of Amjad Raza, he got to know that there was another obstacle that was standing in his way & it was the ego of Molvi Aleemuddin too. It was actually quite interesting to see how the director brought Amjad Raza & Molvi Aleemuddin on the same pedestal, just because of their egos. Amjad Raza & Aleemuddin might be very different from each other in every single aspect, but they both are similar in one thing & that is their ego. While Amjad Raza judges people on the basis of what they have earned in life, Molvi Aleemuddin judges people on the basis of how much they pray. Where Amjad Raza judges people on the basis of how much material they have, Molvi Aleemuddin judges people on the basis of how much understanding they have when it comes to religion.
Hammad thought that he had spent enough time in forming an identity of his own, that is why he chose to approach Molvi Aleemuddin, to apologize to him for everything that his family put him through & to also plead his love for Imaan in front of him but he got to know that Molvi Aleemuddin chose to shut the doors of his home on Hammad because he was a bit too worried about what the people around him will say. Hammad got to know about all the objections Molvi Aleemuddin had about his family but he didn’t have even a single objection personally related to Hammad. It was actually quite heart-breaking to see Hammad feeling devastated after finding out that even after running away from his family & their shadows, he was still being judged on the basis of the family background he had, on the basis of the life he has lived in the past & on the basis of what his family used to do.
It was good to see that Abdullah chose to give Hammad a chance to meet Molvi Aleemuddin, it was like literally he had to curb his feelings for Imaan aside, while still being fearful of the fact that may be Molvi Aleemuddin will accept Hammad’s apology & he might agree to his & Imaan’s marriage, but Abdullah gave Hammad a chance & allowed him to say what he wanted to. Even though Abdullah has remained in the background, but his character is quite impactful even after getting such a limited coverage, which is amazing!
I just love Hammad’s interactions with Shakir & his family. It is actually quite good to see that there are a few people who love Hammad for who he is & not because of who he was. Shakir actually felt bad for Hammad & so did Nighat, that is why Nighat chose to tell Imaan sternly about all the sufferings that Hammad was going through just because he fell in love with her. Hammad sent the token of Imaan’s remembrance to her back, in a hope that may be one day, after realizing the purity of his love & intentions, she herself will hand it over to him. I really liked the interactions of Hammad & Ghafoor too, it is actually quite beautiful that Hammad’s personality has so much of attraction & his persona has so much of honesty & niceness that anyone who interacts with him forms an emotional connection & develops an emotional attachment with him. Ghafoor actually feels bad for Hammad as he knows that he doesn’t belong here & he knows that he is only trying to punish himself for something he is not even responsible for, that is why he always treats Hammad with kindness & does some gestures for him as he knows that Hammad is suffering emotionally.
It was actually quite good to see that the life-changing conversation was made a part of this episode. Hammad came across a passenger who made him familiar with the idea of praying, who was the first person to have a heart-to-heart conversation with him about how important it was to introduce the act of Worship in your life. What was even more special about that conversation was that the passenger started off by discussing his own weaknesses & that was something that touched Hammad because he didn’t come across as someone who said he didn’t make mistakes or wasn’t weak or had faults. What a beautiful way of attracting someone to something even more beautiful, without coming across as complacent & perfect!
Overall, this episode was beautiful, it was so engaging that I even didn’t realize where the time had gone when the episode ended. I am so happy with the pace of the drama, it’s like they are still showing us what we have seen before, in a lot of detail while still being cautious of not making it too detailed for the viewers to feel bored. The chemistry & the connection between all the characters have been established & portrayed perfectly by all the actors. I guess there is not even a single actor who hasn’t done justice to the role that was assigned to them. I love the coverage all the good characters are getting, everything is just brilliant about Khuda Aur Mohabbat. It was a treat to see Rambo, Humayun Ashraf & Firdous Jamal in this episode. Also the actor playing the character of Shakir is doing such a brilliant job, he always brings so much of warmth in his scenes, which is just so beautiful. Sadia Khan has played her part really well & now coming to the hero of the drama, Imran Abbas, my my, what a beautiful portrayal of Hammad’s character. Imran Abbas has once again given Hammad’s character his heart & soul & it is so evident. It is definitely Imran Abbas who is taking the level of this drama a couple of notches higher with his phenomenal acting, so thank you Imran Abbas. I can’t wait to see the next episode already. Please share your thoughts about this beautiful beautiful beautiful episode of Khuda Aur Mohabbat.
Netflix has launched it’s first ever Pakistani drama serials on their global streaming service. The California based portal has launched 3 Pakistani dramas based on popular demand and ratings. The dramas are non other than Momina Duraid’s Humsafar, Zindagi Gulza Hai and Sadqay Tumhare. These dramas have already been added to streaming service’s library of Netflix.
Ohkay so, this episode of Seeta Bagri wasn’t as impressive as the previous episode was. I think this has been & this will be the pattern of this drama, where some of the episodes are going to be good & some are going to be just alright. I found some of the scenes a bit too unnecessarily stretched, backed with such a loud background music that in stead of looking tastefully dramatic, it ended up looking a bit too forced & dragged!
So, this episode showed how each & everyone’s life was unfolding. The initial part of the episode was dedicated to Mala & her tantrums. She decided to elope but informed Seeta about it, Seeta found her & upon finding what Mala was about to do, Ratan lost his cool with Nandini. It was good that Seeta tackled the entire situation with a lot of wisdom & told Mala that she should apologize to Nandini because Nadnini was just being over-protective. Even though I know it is good that both Ratan & Seeta have accepted the fact that they weren’t meant to be together, but seeing them behaving like complete stranger seems a little strange. Ratan also seems emotionally upset at one moment, but the very next, he seems perfectly alright with Nandini.
This episode focused a lot on what Haji Sahab & Ratan were facing because of extortionists & how they chose to file a complaint against them with the police. I am sure this issue is far from being over because even though for the time being, the police rangers did sort things out by taking the matter in their hands, those extortionists won’t sit quietly & once bailed, will create even more issues for Ratan & Haji Sahab!
Mala & Seeta along with Nandini came to a solution that where Seeta can give tuition to the girls, Mala can teach them dancing. Nandini liked the idea but she seemed more interested in the the commission that she was going to get. It was good to see how all the ladies came together & paved a way for themselves. I would have liked if they had shown that Seeta was not only trying to make a change on a smaller level, but she got along with Aleezay & started working with her on the project which was focusing on bringing a change in the entire community.
Overall, this episode seemed more like a filler & had not much to it because all the situations were elaborated by relying so much the meaningless scenes that it didn’t give me much to discuss. Sarwat Gillani seems to be the best thing about this drama, it is her acting as Seeta that really makes me tune to this drama. I think may be the upcoming episodes will start to get interesting because a new face & a new character will be introduced, not only in the drama but in Seeta’s life too. Let’s see how that goes. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Seeta Bagri!
Amir Khan’s wife Faryal Makhdoom has been in news since past few days due to the public feud. She accused her in-laws for abusing her physically and mentally but Amir’s parents denied any such claims. The controversy did not just ended there because Faryal went over board and posted a naked picture of Amir’s brother claiming, how partial the family is.
Amir was then so done with all this, that he wanted it to stop since it was affecting his image but Faryal did not stopped there, she then went and spoke about this matter at the morning show. Faryal revealed that Amir’s siblings slammed her for being fake and said that she’s got plastic surgery done and even called her Michael Jackson.
The recent photos that have been getting viral are giving a clear idea of Faryal’s cosmetic surgery. Her lips are more fuller now, her nose is more sharp and cheeks are more enhanced. She probably had lip fillers and rhinoplasty, the video of her getting cheek augmentation was posted by her surgeon a few months before.
Khuda Mera Bhi Hai gets better with every passing episode. It has given the viewers characters which are easy to relate to and are not black and white with the exception of Arshi of course! Zain’s character in particular is extremely well-balanced. Although he is disillusioned and cannot seem to accept his child but he knows that he cannot completely disown this child, he has not moved on but is still trying and most importantly he still loves his wife. The relationship between Zain and Mahi too is far more realistic than what we see in many other dramas in which the love most often just evaporates and then the story is taken forward by showing one misunderstanding after another which makes the situation worse. The writer has not banked on misunderstandings or major flaws in characters to take the story forward.
This drama also breaks many stereotypes which we see on our television screens quite often. The actions of the leading characters are not dictated by their egos but they have a more logical approach towards everything which is most often the result of emotional attachment. Also, the confident women in Khuda Mera Bhi Hai are quite capable of being kind and sensitive. Another aspect of this play which deserves to be appreciated is that the characters is shown plotting and planning against each other. Arshi is the only such character in the play but she is never shown getting what she wants. On the contrary her husband and her sons do whatever they think is right.
It is good to see Aly Khan playing a different role. He has played the role of a well accomplished millionaire before too but usually he is seen playing a rigid person who does not compromise on his principles. Mikael seemed like a sensitive and caring man who was also down-to-earth. The promos also suggest that there is much more to his character than what we saw in this episode. Everyone’s reaction to Bubble Mian was one of the finest scenes of this episode. It was the most emotional scene of this episode because it was executed so well. Everyone’s reaction was perfectly timed and a true example of how brilliant performances by everyone involved in a scene can make it a complete success. I cannot praise Adnan Shah Tipu’s performance enough. He is translating an extremely difficult role on screen almost effortlessly. It is truly refreshing to watch a drama with so many different kinds of characters especially because these character are well-defined and they have been portrayed brilliantly. Everything that Mahi said to the principles was right on point and it was the kind of scene that givea the viewers tons to think about as well.
Zain’s father’s character and his relationship with all the other characters in the play was once again shown impeccably. He supported Sanam and Zahir because he knew they did the right thing but at the same time he understood why someone like Arshi would react in this manner and was also there for her. Noor’s story was taken forward in this episode with Mahi facing trouble getting Noor enrolled in a school. Right now Noor’s struggles are being shown through Mahi and the writer has managed to send a loud and clear message about the attitude of people in general towards such children. At the same time the writer has shown people like Sanam, Mahi’s mother and even Bubbly who are willing to go the extra mile for this child. It would have been nice if the viewers would have shown the grandfather (Zain’s father) coming to see Noor since he is definitely not the kind of person who would have a tough time accepting his grand child no matter what.
Overall, this episode of Khuda Mera Bhi Hai was touching and engrossing. I am completely hooked to this play and I can’t wait to find out how the story unfolds in the upcoming episodes.
How many of you watched this latest installment? Do share your thoughts about it.
Post the India Pakistan conflict, media associations of both countries decided to ban each other’s content. India banned Pakistani artists and dramas where as, Pakistani cinema owners imposed ban on Bollywood films. However, Pakistani cinema owners are now all set to lift the ban on Indian films.
In conversation with The Express Tribune on Saturday, Chairman Film Exhibitors Association Zoraiz Lashari confirmed that cinema owners would begin screening Indian films across Pakistan from December 19 (Monday). “Cinema business has been hit immensely and all stakeholders felt it was the right time to begin screening Indian films. It was always a self imposed suspension, not a ban. So I’ll be releasing Freaky Ali in our cinemas and other cinema owners will follow suit,” said Lashari
“A big media group and film exhibitors/distributors in India are trying to release Dungal in Pakistan. They are testing public sentiments and also the government’s reaction by releasing Freaky Ali at CineStar cinema,” he added.
He went on to add how stakeholders in India were also being hit by the move by the self-imposed ban. “We will first test waters with these unreleased films and then begin negotiations with Indian distributors to continue the import of movies into Pakistan,” he added.
Mahira Khan’s fans can rejoice now since ‘Raees’ will be releasing in Pakistan on January 25, 2017 but is it really a good idea to release Bollywood films when India is still going strong with the ban imposed on Pakistani artists?
Ariel Pakistan released their new campaign #WashTheLabel, the campaign asks “Are we too quick to label each other?” The washing powder brand has launched their latest campaign with Sidra Iqbal and Hareem Farooq.
The Dobara Phir se actress Hareem Farooq and the journalist Sidra Iqbal both shared their stories with their fans.
Hareem revealed how she has been a victim of body shaming, Hareem said, “She was always told that she’s too big or too fat to be in the media and especially in front of the camera. She urged, all the woman out there to love their selves.”
Upcoming Film Raasta is directed by Sahir Lodhi and also produced by him along with Moid Ul Hasan and Dr Faisal Zia. it will be Sahir’s debut film, The rest of the cast includes Shamoon Abbasi, Naveed Raza, Sana Nawaz, Aijaz Aslam, Saleem Mairaj, Abeer Rizvi and Saima Azhar in pivotal roles.
The teaser of the film was released earlier this month and now the official trailer has been released. It is an extended version of all the teasers released till date. The trailer has action, drama, revenge, love and blood. The film is all set to release on February 24, 2016.
The most awaited wedding of the year is happening now, The very much in love couple Farhan Saeed and Urwa Hocane spoke to the media yesterday after their nikaah ceremony . When asked about the ‘Haq Meher’, the couple did not wanted to reveal any information because they want to keep it hush push. Urwa Hocane answered on her hubby’s behalf that it’s too personal to reveal these things publicly.
Unfortunately, there’s a sad news for the couples fan’s because Farhan revealed that the honeymoon is not going to happen anytime soon since, their fans are waiting for them and they have to complete their respective jobs before they plan anything for themselves. How sweet of them!
The power couple who tied the knot yesterday in Bardshahi Masjib, Lahore is somehow going to have one of the longest wedding. After 3 dholkis, bridal shower and nikaah, it’s now the qawali night which was held last night. Since the couple is already married, the reception is expected to be held on December 18. Pictures from the qawali night are already creating buzz on the social media. The pictures clearly state, how amazing the night went.
This was an emotional episode of Dil Banjara which took the story forward considerably. The opening conversation between Nida and Sikandar was beautifully written. It showed the difference in the personalities of both these people and what was going on their minds at that particular moment. Sikandar also made a commitment before going on this trip but he does not think he has to go along with it because he would much rather do what makes him happy but Nida on the other hand knows that it is impossible for her to take this relationship and her feelings for Sikandar any further because she cannot let her family especially her father down. It also went to show how differently these two people had been raised, Nida comes from a conservative background in which a person would be held accountable for every action while Sikandar was raised in a more modern environment. In the end Nida was not able to convince Sikandar and he could not convince her. The beautiful and meaningful dialogues coupled with Adnan Malik and Sanam Saeed’s chemistry and the best locations we have seen on television so far made this scene one of the best scenes of this episode. The breathtaking locations of Nepal have accentuated the beauty of this love story. I also appreciate the fact that unlike many other Pakistani dramas the outlooks of all the actors are completely in line with their characters. Although it would have been good to see Nida wearing more conservative clothes but overall none of the actors in the drama have banked on make-up and styling a lot which makes them look more natural. Adnan Malik is completely comfortable with his looks, we don’t see him wearing heavy foundation or lipstick and Sanam Saeed is the same too.
Nida’s father’s faith in his daughter and his thought process is one of the finest aspects of this drama. He always has a logical and clear-cut answer to every question and he does not question his decision to send Nida away for a second. Nida’s mother like always managed to put a smile on my face, her character is one of the best characters in this drama. Her honesty and innocence both are endearing. Hina Bayat has once again proved that she is an exceptional actress who is extremely versatile. This role is definitely one of the best ones she has played in her entire career. It is great to see her growing as an actress who is not afraid to experiment. Sharmeen Kashif is another actress who has given a relatively solid performance as Meesha.
Once again the viewers saw Shama thinking and talking about Sikandar in every scene which basically went to show how much he meant to her. It would have been nice if Shama got the hint and wondered if Sikandar really was interested in marrying her or not since she has been shown as a sensible girl. Shama’s mother continued to mislead her even though in his last conversation with her Sikandar made it very clear that he wasn’t too sure about his decision. I am waiting to find out why Shama’s mother chose to ignore that conversation altogether and why is she okay with Sikandar’s lack of interest in this wedding. Shama will be able to walk very soon which I think is great development because otherwise Shama would have kept on thinking that she was rejected because of her disability.
Zahra and Ayaz’s background story was revealed in this episode as well. It is good to see this track getting some screen time in every episode. Even though Zahra is bitter but you can’t help but feel for her. Madiha Rizvi is also a natural performer who always translates her characters impeccably on screen, I still remember her convincing performance in Bari Apa. Although Dil Banjara is essentially the story of Nida, Sikandar and Shama but the supporting characters are playing a vital role in keeping my interest alive in the drama.
Overall, this was an interesting episode of Dil Banjara which ended one phase of Nida and Sikandar’s love story. I am eagerly looking forward to the next episode especially because I want to find out how Sikandar and Shama’s track unfolds in the upcoming episodes.
How many of you watched this latest installment? Do share your thoughts about it.
Pakistani-Canadian Filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinnoy never fails to make us proud. She has already received two Oscars for her documentaries A Girl In The River and Saving Face. The Alfred DuPont-Columbia University Awards this year, gave 14 Awards for documentaries and broadcast digital. Sharmeen has bagged the award for her documentary film ‘Girl In The River: The Price Of Forgiveness’. The documentary was based on the honor killing and urged to raise awareness.
Armeena Rana Khan who was seen in Bin Roye, has been getting appreciations lately. She is all set to be seen in upcoming film Yalghaar and drama Rasm-e-dunya. She was recently awarded the Women’s Empowerment Award at the Pakistan Achievement Awards. London based weekly magazine ‘Eastern Eye’ recently released a list of most sexiest Asian man and woman and the latest reports suggest that Armeena has made it to the list of 50 most sexiest Asian Woman. Her rank in the list is still unknown.
Eastern Eye’s award-winning entertainment editor Asjad Nazir, who founded the list and puts it together annually said: “The biggest breakout star of Pakistani cinema this year was Armeena Rana Khan, who followed up a successful 2015 with an even bigger 2016. With her starring role in hit film Janaan, the strikingly beautiful actress helped Pakistani cinema cross new frontiers internationally and form strong connections with new audiences. One of the highest new entries in the list, she is a star who will shine even brighter in 2017.”
Just when we thought that the ‘Khan’ family controversy might have ended since Amir made it clear on twitter that this all has to end because it was affecting him in every wrong way. But Faryal did not ended it there, she went ahead and spoke about the issue yet again publicly. She now took it to the television to speak against her in-laws.
Speaking in the morning show at ITV, Faryal revealed more about the mocking and the mistreatment’s she had to face. She further said that Amir’s parents stopped talking to them for no reason.
This all started when Faryal’s sister in-law made fun of her on Instagram, she couldn’t take it any more and decided to go public claiming her in-laws for physical and mental abuse.
Pakistan’s heartthrob is back as ‘Oochi’ in his latest tvc of ‘Oye Hoye’. Oye Hoye had released another comical TVC and this time it’s our very own sensation Fawad Khan in a never seen before avatar. He yet again, did not failed to impress us and proved that he is really a versatile actor. The advertisement is surely going to generate laughs.
The most loved Pakistani couple Urwa Hocane and Farhan Saeed have finally tied the knot. The couple has been dating for quite sometime now. It was last month only when they announced their engagement and soon after, the news of their wedding broke out. Pictures of their dholki and Urwa’s Bridal Shower are already surfing on the social media.
The fans of the duo can rejoice now because Urwa and Farhan are finally a married couple now. The Nikaah ceremony was held in Badshahi masjid, Lahore just a while back. The Nikaah was attended by the couple’s close friends and the family. And not to forget, they both looked extremely good.
When the writers conceptualize a story that they want to write about and when the directors visualize how they are going to dramatize a script they have to work on, the first and the foremost aspect that needs utmost attention and consideration is related to the characters which will be used to elaborate the story on-screen. This is what actually brings in the job of the actors for that matter, where they are required to carry forward the idea of the writer and the instructions of the director to portray the story which the drama is based upon with their impressive performances because the characters and the actors portraying those characters make or break the drama and make those characters unforgettable for the viewers.
Even though the writers and the directors work behind the camera and their work is of equal importance, by the end of the day, a little more responsibility relies on the actors as to how they approach a character that has been assigned to them and translate it on screen. As much as it is the writer’s duty to pen down an impressive character, it is also a duty of an actor to breathe life into that character and then the director acts as a mediator between both of them to make sure the actors are doing everything to impress the viewers with their portrayal and their performances are in accordance with the writer’s perspective and idea with which they penned down those characters.
Here is a list that has been dedicated to those impressive performances that we saw in 2016. In this list, both; impressive characters and impressive performances will be covered because impressive performances may not necessarily mean the characters were impressive too, because we saw a handful of dark and disturbing characters and they do not qualify as impressive by any means, but the actors need recognition for their realistic performances, which made their characters impactful and convincing. We hope that while going through the list, the readers will be able to distinguish between the impressive performances and impressive characters because these are two different categories that have been rolled into 1 article.
The list is in alphabetical order in terms of drama titles:
Arij Fatima (App Ke Liye)
Washma’s character was the only good thing about the drama App Ke Liye and what made it even better was an impressive performance of Arij Fatima. It was quite interesting to see a character who was so care-free and relaxed about everything in life, yet she wasn’t immature and most certainly understood her responsibilities and all those roles that were expected from her to be played. Arij Fatima’s flawless and effortless performance made Washma’s journey a very interesting ride.
Saba Qamar (Besharam)
Mishi was an example of one impressive character backed by one impressive performance. Saba Qamar is a fine actor and she proved it once again with her perfect portrayal of Mishi, a super model who happily puts everything aside because after meeting a stranger, she realizes that this is what she wanted in her life, a security and a comfort that she experienced for the first time. The writer surely wrote Mishi’s character with a lot of love and positivity because that positivity was evident throughout Mishi’s journey, which broke the stereotypes and showed a completely different perspective to the viewers.
Haider (Besharam)
A tough cookie, who was soft-hearted and very much in touch with his emotional side, who also knew how to maintain a balance between his mother and his wife, and also knew how to rationalize every single situation. Zahid Ahmed elevated the level of this beautiful character with his impressive performance, because he understood the perspective of the writer and portrayed what she wanted to show that a head-strong and iron-willed man can also mend ways for his wife and can be very accommodating to make her feel a part of his life. It was a beautiful transition that Haider goes through from being someone who imposes his thought process on his wife to someone who later does everything that she says because he learns to trust and understand her. Haider surely was a very unique and impressive character and that can be surely said about Zahid Ahmed’s performance.
Malik Raza (Besharam)
Malik Raza surely made a caricatural character like Wahab Sunyara a treat to watch, so much so that the episode of Besharam seemed incomplete without his scene or two. Even though Wahab’s character was added by the writer to add some comic relief in a drama, but as there is always a thin line in keeping things lighthearted or turning something into a joke with an intention of making a mockery out of it, fortunately that thin line was never crossed, neither by the writer nor by Malik Raza because he played his character with so much of conviction that he ended up looking like any real businessman who is unlettered but does extremely well for himself and his family because of amazing business management & money making skills. Wahab Sunyara was surely one amazing character backed up by an equally amazing and impressive performance.
Shahista Jabeen (Besharam)
Shahista got to play the beautiful character of Khadija who was a very understanding and supportive mother in law, which is a rare sight in our dramas these days. This was one such character that touched the viewer’s hearts because it showed the bigger picture that the writer had in her mind where she wanted to change a perspective that mothers in laws can be like Khadija too, who fight with their own sons for the rights of their daughters in law. It was actually a treat to watch such an amazing character on our screen and Shahista Jabeen’s portrayal was perfect too.
Saba Hameed (Dillagi)
Saba Hameed is a versatile actress who always manages to give her best performance in every drama. She also has her own style in every drama which somehow shows her ‘interpretation’ of the character she is performing. Zubeida had her very own set of principles which she was not willing to change until she had no choice. Saba Hameed’s award-winning performance won her accolades from the viewers. Her get-up in the drama was just as unique and interesting as her character.
Imran Ashraf (Dillagi)
The bromance between Mohid and Dastagir wouldn’t have been one of the best and the most emotional part of Dillagi if it weren’t for Imran Ashraf’s brilliant portrayal of Dastagir. Imran Ashraf made Dastagir look smart, innocent, likeable and comic just the way the writer had perceived him to be. This was the best role played by Imran Ashraf this entire year. Imran Ashraf made Dastagir’s character so enjoyable that he was sorely missed by viewers when he did not get enough screen time in a certain episode.
Hamayun Saeed (Dillagi)
Mohid wasn’t just another hero, he was an ideal hero who was intelligent and sensitive – a rare combination! Hamayun Saeed’s manly demeanor and his natural acting won him many more fans and made this the perfect comeback for him in dramas. Many women watched Dillagi only for Mohid not only because of how the character was etched-out but also because of the way Hamayun Saeed brought this character to life on screen.
Mehwish Hayat (Dillagi)
Mehwish Hayat’s gripping acting style made Anmol’s character one such character which will be remembered for a long time. She owned the role assigned to her completely and gave people reason to side with Mohid instead of her. Anmol’s character was a complicated one, it required a lot of energy and emotions. Mehwish Hayat was at her very best in the last few episodes in which Anmol realized that she too was in love with Mohid.
Saba Qamar (Mein Sitara)
Sitara’s character put Saba Qamar’s acting abilities to good use and she proved that she was capable of performing any role given to her faultlessly. Sitara’s character went through many phases all through the duration of the drama, from a simple girl to a woman who no longer cared about right or wrong, Sitara’s journey was full of emotions and Saba Qamar managed to nail each one of those scenarios and emotions. One of the main reasons why the viewers were able to relate to Sitara’s character was the brilliant performance by Saba Qamar.
Aisha Gul (Mein Sitara)
Jharna’s character was also one of those characters which had a lot of room for performance but it wasn’t necessarily one of those characters which would have grabbed the attention of viewers if it wasn’t translated on screen properly. Aisha Gul’s solid performance right from the get-go gave her character the edge it needed to win the hearts of the viewers. She owned her character completely and reflected the confidence in Jharna’s character just as faultlessly as she portrayed her insecurities later on. This was the first time Aisha Gul outshone in a role because of the character she played but even more so because of her performance.
Hassan Noman (Preet Na Kariyo Koi)
This was one such character that had all the shades in it and was written beautifully by the writer. Ilyas was humorous, he was caring, he was childlike and clean-hearted, but most importantly, he knew how to maintain his relationships, he knew the value of family members. Ilyas knew how to take a brunt for someone else’s mistakes and he also knew how to keep the secrets buried in his heart. Ilyas was the one who played the role of a son, a brother and a husband to perfection. Despite being used and thrown by his cousin, Ilyas chose to be a bigger person by forgiving her for how unfairly she treated him and how she turned him into a culprit. Hassan Noman played the role of Kashmiri boy belonging to the interiors of Lahore to perfection, it was so evident that he had a complete command over Ilyas and without overdoing anything, he put Ilyas’s character out there effortlessly, for the viewers to enjoy his journey and his brilliant performance.
Hira Mani (Preet Na Kariyo Koi)
Goshi’s character was of a girl who was unconventional, selfish & manipulative with a slight streak of negativity, which was portrayed brilliantly by Hira Mani. This was the first time viewers got to see Hira in a leading role and she carried the entire drama on her shoulders as Shagufta. Even though the viewers disliked her for how she treated her family members but the way her character was written also allowed the viewers to have an insight into her thought process. Goshi was selfish but she wasn’t a completely black and white character, which made her very relatable, realistic and enjoyable to watch because she was a strong woman in a very unique way. Hira Mani definitely stole the show with her impressive performance as Goshi because she allowed the viewers to feel her pain despite detesting her for her manipulative ways.
Bushra Ansari (Udaari)
Bushra Ansari does not need anyone’s validation for her acting but she keeps on giving her viewers reason to appreciate and acknowledge her talent. Bushra Ansari’s flawless and unique performance in Udaari went to show that she was a jack of all. Viewers enjoyed Sheedan’s funny and loud character and were impressed by her open-mindedness and intelligence at the same time. Bushra Ansari was also shooting for drama serial Jhoot while she was shooting for Udaari but it is impossible to tell that she was doing both these projects at the same time when you look at the final product!
Ahsan Khan (Udaari)
Imtiaz’s character in Udaari was one of those very few negative characters of this year which not only had an impact but gave a whole new identity to Ahsan Khan. The realistic manner in which Ahsan Khan translated Imtiaz’s character on screen made the viewers fall in love with his acting and hate Imtiaz. Ahsan Khan made the viewers forget every other character he had played till date by breathing life into a character which wasn’t easy to translate on screen. This character also diversified Ahsan Khan’s career and gave him a chance to prove his versatility.
So, with this, we conclude the list of most impressive performances of 2016. Please feel free to add more names to the list and don’t forget to share your thoughts too.
Ohkay so, another week, another amazing episode of Sang e Marmar. I know for some viewers, the pace of the drama must’ve slowed down a little, but honestly speaking, I don’t mind that because I always have a good time watching Sang e Marmar as it is one such drama that I look forward to the entire week. For me, the best part about Sang e Marmar is not just the fact that it is an amazing drama that is on-air these days, what appeals to me the most is that while watching Sang e Marmar, I experience so many emotions, like they make me laugh, they make me smile, they make me a little sad & most importantly, they keep me engaged & this is exactly what I look for in a drama, so yes, like always, this episode of Sang e Marmar worked for me completely & I had a great time watching it.
To be honest, for the first time I felt bad for Saif ur Rehman, especially after the way his wife Pari treated him. Somehow, I felt bad for him because of being slow, he allowed his wife to take advantage of the situation & use him as a puppet. Yes, what Saif ur Rehman himself did was absolutely wrong, but now when he is trying hard to get to know the truth, he is being distracted by his wife who is a bit too sharp & intelligent for a man like him. I am sure it will be a miracle if Saif ur Rehman, being a slow-wit will find out the truth about his sister Shireen!
Aurang tried to have a conversation with Shireen but she cut him short because she knows that even he can not do anything plus she wouldn’t want to depend on him as she is well aware of how it will create more problems for not only Aurang but for her too. What I love about all the female characters in this drama is that they all are fighting battles, their own way, without allowing themselves to rely on anybody. Considering the circumstances Shireen is facing, it would’ve looked justified if she had depended on Aurang for some emotional support but she chose not to, which makes her look like a very strong woman who knows how to deal with her own baggage. Ah! Such a breath of fresh air in the era where all our dramas are flooded with becharis & becharas! Thank you so much Mustafa Afridi for showing us an extinct trait!
I loved loved loved everything that Gullalai did, even though for a second I didn’t like when I saw how she twisted the truth in front of Saifullah, but after seeing her justification & thought process, I somehow understood her & felt that she was justified in trying to save her husband & her marriage. If we look at it from Gullalai’s perspective, yes, it might look like she schemed & plotted a little in order to make Shireen look bad in front of Safiullah & to show him how much she cares but honestly, I don’t mind it if by doing this, she will keep Safiullah & Shireen distant, because I really think the distance between Safiullah & Shireen should remain & should be maintained as Shireen doesn’t deserve an emotionally absent man like Safiullah who has nothing to give to her. Gullalai knew that she was losing the battle against Shireen as Shameem was on her side too, so she convinced herself a little to do something which she otherwise would’ve never done, like apologize to Shireen on Safiullah’s behalf, & it was something that actually made Gullalai look quite wise. For a woman like Gullalai who only has her husband as her ride or die, it seems justified that she is creating certain situations which make her feel secure about the fact that her husband still belongs to her. Also, what Gullalai did didn’t harm Shireen in any way, in fact it earned both Shireen & Gullalai, Shameem’s support & respect, so it was actually a win-win situation!
I will thank Mustafa Afridi once again for showing us a mother & a mother-in-law like Shameem, who knows how to do justice between her daughters in law & also who knows how to rebuke her son for his nasty behavior. If Shameem had wanted, she would’ve easily ignored what Safiullah did with Shireen, citing it as a personal matter between the couple, but she took the matter in her hands & tried to rectify the situation. It made me respect her character a lot more. I felt bad for her when she used Gulistan Khan’s name as a reference saying that one Gulistan Khan is enough & there was no need for another, it somehow showed that Shameem learned a good lesson from her bad experiences & shaped her character & mentality in such a way that she would never let any girl go through this, as she herself knows how it feels. Even though Shireen is Saif ur Rehman’s sister, a sister of Gohar’s murderer, but that still hasn’t stopped Shameem from being kind & considerate towards Shireen as she knows that everything that happened wasn’t Shireen’s fault, so she shouldn’t face the brunt for it as well.
Finally, Sherbano got some importance by her mother & I had such a good laugh seeing how she displayed her annoyance. I just love how sarcasm comes naturally to all of them, like just because it seems so extemporaneous it looks like this is how they all actually converse with each other & that made me laugh a lot. It was once again actually quite sweet how Shameem tried to assure Sherbano that Aurang wasn’t going to get married to Palwasha because she knew that Sherbano would otherwise make Palwasha’s life miserable till the day she will get married, because right now everything that Aurang said was just in theory & he didn’t approach Gulistan Khan to get the approval for his & Palwasha’s marriage. Shameem’s excitement was absolutely adorable & the way she said being a ‘mother’ she couldn’t contain her happiness, it was just so sweet.
Now, coming to the only intense scene of the episode, where Gulistan Khan unconsciously says ‘Gohar ko kaho isay sarak tak chorh aye’ & later goes to his room immediately to hide his tears & conceal his emotions. That scene somehow reminded him of someone who died in front of him, probably his father & somehow it looked like may be because of the pain that Gohar’s death caused him, Gulistan as a father could relate to the pain that own father must’ve experienced, may be on his death bed or something. It was an intense yet powerful scene & was done so beautifully that it stirred the curiosity & I just can not wait for that secret to unravel!
Overall, it was a beautiful episode & I had such a great time watching it. I will thank the writer once again for writing such dynamic characters & I will thank the director for showing their journey in such a way that we actually get to understand what they are going through & what they are feeling. This episode was filled with such beautiful moments like those that Safiullah & Gullalai shared, they both share such a strong bond & it is actually very sweet to see, also I must say, I actually really liked their chemistry in this episode. Palwasha got some coverage too & I liked that even though she was feeling insecure & confused about what she saw between Shireen & Aurang, she chose to keep it to herself & didn’t give words to those feelings especially in front of Aurang. I must say, even though when this drama began, I thought that it will focus more on the male characters & their side of the story but it is actually quite a pleasant surprise to see how the writer & the director have balanced the coverage & have given an importance of both the male & the female characters, it makes the story quite diverse & complete. The best thing about Sang e Marmar is that we are getting to ‘experience’ different characters & their journey in general, it makes it more than just a drama for me. This episode once again belonged to Sania Saeed, however Najiba Faiz, Uzma Hassan, Kaif Ghaznavi, Sharmeen Ali & Omair Rana played their part really well too. Thank you so much once again Team Sang e Marmar, your hard-work & efforts are much appreciated. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Sang e Marmar.
For Junoon’s 25th anniversary, Salman Ahmad is back with a new song which features Wasim Akram, Shaniera Akram, Super Model Rabia Butt and Salman Ahmed himself. Salman Ahmad who is the founder of Junoon released the official music video ‘DOOR: THE JOURNEY IS THE DESTINATION’ on Junoon’s official Facebook page. The video song is directed by Hamza yousuf, music is by Salman Ahmad and is produced by Salman Ahmad & Shahi Hasan. The video was posted with the caption (Dedicated to the loving memory of our brother Junaid Jamshed).
