The pretty lady Momina Muntehsan who rose to fame with coke studio version of “Afreen Afreen”, soon after became one of the most trending person and has been in news till now for various reason be it her engagement or other campaigns.
Islamabad United, the winners of the inaugural HBL PSL, have announced that Momina Mustehsan has been named as the Empowerment Champion for the franchise. She will appear across Islamabad United’s marketing and social channels, and will participate in selected events and campaigns in the coming months. Shane Watson (former Australian cricketer) congratulated Momina in a video closing with ‘say yes to girl power.’ Momina couldn’t hold back and shared the sweet video message with her fans.
Ohkay so, props to the director for crossing the 20th episode mark, which was probably his main motive because other than that, I don’t see any justification or rational reasoning behind dragging a story like Dhaani which has practically nothing left to offer now. I hate to see a drama which started off at such a good note getting down to this level where it is absolutely boring to watch & is being stretched to a point where it hardly interests me anymore.
Sameer is struggling & Niyaz is supporting him, so, is there anything new to it, no, because this is what we saw in the previous episode too!!! I can not believe the gang or the group of boys that once used to be so much fun to watch was becoming so hard to tolerate that I had to forward the scenes in which they appeared & yes I am talking about Raja & his friends. The needless screaming is a bit too hard to handle & even their conversations are so repetitive that I know they’d be obsessing over Sameer, without even listening to them! Yes, we get it, Raja & his friends want to protect Dhaani & want to prove a point, but I guess they have done it a lot of times before too, so there’s no need to do that again & again because it serves no purpose whatsoever. I think this was done deliberately that Raja’s character was reduced from being a supportive cousin to a mere goon in order to make Sameer look good & a better option for Dhaani because I remember there was a time when I was actually rooting for Dhaani & Raja, but not anymore. Also, I still haven’t developed any sympathy for Sameer’s character, may be because I have Hammad’s character from Khuda Aur Mohabbat as a better option, so I am definitely going to prefer Hammad’s journey over Sameer’s!!!
Bee Jee agrees to Amjad’s demand of meeting Dhaani once & I am sure after finding out that Sameer is the guy who Dhaani is in love with, he will call his engagement with Dhaani off himself, since he is too good & too sweet & too seedha & too boring. It is actually quite frustrating that Dhaani who was running the entire show single-handedly has just become like a shadow hovering around behind the closed doors. I don’t think it was a wise move of the director or the writer for that matter to actually make Dhaani invisible only to give Sameer the coverage which still isn’t doing anything for the viewers to form a connection with him!
This episode was repetitive & boring to be honest. I really think they need to wrap this drama up may be in a couple of episodes because they have taken way more time than required to cover a story like this, which is nothing but a different version of Khuda Aur Mohabbat. The only difference is that this one is going to have a happy ending, which sadly will come at such a point when the viewers will be leasttt bothered about it! Please share your thoughts about this episode of Dhaani!
Adnan Sami who had been in news for quite sometime due to the recent controversies, had applied for Indian citizenship in May 26, 2015 and had finally became an Indian citizen on 1st January 2016, giving up Pakistan’s citizenship. As soon as he became an India citizen, he turned his back towards Pakistan and did everything possible to fit in India.
Big Congratulations to @PMOIndia & our brave Armed forces for a brilliant, successful & mature strategic strike against #terrorism ! #Salute
In conversation with Deccan Chronicle, Adnan speaking about his musical journey said: “I started playing piano at the age of five, and that was without my parent’s knowledge because they had asked me not to even touch the piano,” he laughed and added, “However, when my father came to know about my interest in music he supported me throughout.”
Reminiscing about his struggle to lose weight he said “I was never apologetic about how I looked. Because my relationship with my audience was of music and I always managed to please them. But, the change came in when my father took me to a doctor for a general check-up and after going through all my reports the doctor said that, it wouldn’t surprise him if my parents found me dead in a hotel room someday. When we were back at home, my father told me that he didn’t want me to die before him. My father has been my greatest inspiration and support system, and him saying this was a wake-up call for me.”
At last when asked about his decission of taking Indian Citizenship Adnan said: “I am a very emotional person. Koi mujhse pyaar se jaan maang le, toh woh bhi de dun. Indians have given me immense and unconditional love and I am very grateful. That was why I decided to apply for an Indian citizenship”
Earlier this year in an interview with Times of India Adnan said: I waited a decade and a half for it. When you have been wanting, aspiring for something for years and you feel in your mind that you are completely ready for it, you are in a state of numbness because you can’t believe that it is finally happening. I have lived in different parts of the world and experienced a lot of things, but there are certain moments in your life which are life-changing, this is one of those, it is a milestone. Even though I have lived here for a decade and a half, there is nothing that I can express to tell you what it feels like because it is something that is phenomenal. Having said that, I will look at it from another perspective also. I have always believed that there is no such thing as coincidence and I have always believed in destiny. After this experience, I am now a believer beyond a shadow of doubt.
My belief in destiny was absolutely well founded because I was born on August 15 — look at the irony, it could have been 14th, but no, He made sure I was born on the 15th of August — so that was the hint number one. And then I went to study in England and when I was doing my A-levels, I had to write a thesis in history on any world leader. I could have chosen Napoleon, George Washington… I chose Gandhi, that’s hint number two. A lot of people were like “are you sure you are going to be doing that” and I said “yeah, I have an admiration for him so I did that.” I read every possible book that I had, starting from ‘My Experiments With Truth’.
And then God felt, yaar, he still doesn’t get it, go and shift him over there, so He made me shift here and created a home for me which I felt was as home as it gets. And then He created the desire in me that I want to be here because I spiritually belong here. Today I can speak with conviction that all those things were not coincidence. There was the Lord above, constantly nudging me — ‘you are at the wrong place, you have another destiny’ — and it was here and that’s why I kept pushing for it. My wife is from Germany, for example. I could have gone to Germany, but I wanted to go for India. I feel that a certain quest was there right from my birth, it’s just that the paperwork took 46 years. I am reminded of a beautiful dialogue in the film Gandhi when he is sitting on the edge of the sea, he turns around to Martin Sheen and he says, “I have travelled so far and all I have done is come home.” That was a beautiful line, and I feel so much like that today. I have travelled so far, I have lived all over the world, and all I have done is come home, that’s a beautiful feeling.
Bollywood movie Raees has not only been a part of the controversy in India but has made a lot of buzz even in Pakistan because of inclusion of Mahira Khan in the movie. Mahira Khan’s fans were quite excited to see their favorite Pakistani star working with Bollywood Star Shahrukh Khan, but the excitement turned into speculation and at some point disappointment after the news of Mahira’s role being omitted was reported because of the recent ban on Pakistani Celebrities that India imposed.
Finally, after a lot of hype and a long wait, the official trailer of Raees has released and it shows Mahira Khan’s presence in full swing. Mahira is looking absolutely stunning in the movie and the trailer has resurfaced the excitement of her fans. Please have a look a the trailer below:
Well. Pretty happening two episodes these were. A death, a wedding, a divorce and a failed suicide attempt! While most of the events and emotions running in these episodes were realistically presented, a few seemed a bit far fetched but overall the play managed to hold my interest for yes, we have in our minds established that Imran and Aina are to part ways but I like how the ‘parting’ is not brought about in a predictable manner.
The fatal heart attack was clichéd though but I liked how Aina’s mother asked Faraz to make sure that Aina be with Imran now. Given that Aina and Imran are married and she is now pregnant with his child it does seem like the only logical thing to do and she makes Faraz promise that he will make this happen without creating a fuss. Little do they all know that things are not that simple. While I could understand Sajal’s anger and blame game I could not accept her continued animosity towards Aina for she has been shown to be a caring and mellow person and if Faraz can be level headed and sensible about the situation and worry about Aina I could not see how Sajal could not get over her anger. Yes, Aina has dug her own grave so to speak and her actions were selfish but it is clear she is falling apart and even the suicide attempt does not melt Sajal’s heart. Her speech about Aina living as a second wife or like a maid shocked me as much as it did Faraz.
Mohsin knows something is amiss but can not get down to the root cause. I have a feeling that as Sajal fears it is Nadia who will innocently come across the truth and then all will come out in to the open. While Emaad Irfani’s wobbling squawk takes the edge out of the scene, still his words made me feel for Mohsin a bit when he is hurt that Sajal should question his say in their lives. Aina’s mother has always treated him as a son and yes he is overbearing but it is quite obvious that he has played the role of older brother and his khala’s advisor. Anyway, while Mohsin nurses his wounds, Faraz does his best to take matters in to his own hands but he is not able to get through to Imran either.
You hear about love making someone crazy, figuratively yes, in books or songs but this drama has taken the meaning to a new level literally where Ainni bhi junooni and now Aina bhi! At least Ainni is consistent in her madness, but Imran and Aina are quite confusing characters. Imran has succumbed to rich boy pressure and has married Ainni but thinks he is very clever for she may have him married him but will never own his heart. My own heart skipped a beat in that scene for knowing how crazy Ainni is I thought she may just stab him in the heart there and then! But nahin, while Ainni and Imran play out Mean Girls (‘you’re so mean, so are you’ – seriously?!!), kaatna peetna in this episode was for Aina and she slit her wrist. I am not sure if we were meant to feel for Aina and her helplessness but she was creeping me out myself with her mad dashes in the city, yelling at the guard and then messing up Imran’s room. I suppose we are meant to see how she has hit rock bottom with news of the marriage and then divorce and while she seems to be still crying and moaning endlessly I hope this is to help her sit up and try to sort her life out especially as she now has a baby to think of. Given the immaturity and selfishness of her nature, coupled with the bouts of self pity, denial and madness I do not suppose she will change overnight but I am curious to see what she does next.
Poor Faraz gives me a mental image of those messengers in the olden times who read from scrolls the way he comes upon the pregnancy report and then the divorce deed. I am amazed at how Mirza Zain Baig has comfortably fit into the character of Faraz and made us really like him. Asad Zaman Khan as the buzdil, spineless Imran has been believable, it remains to be seen whether we can relate to this new side he has shown after marrying Ainni. I have to say this little talaaq ki talwaar that Imran’s father uses to keep hanging over his wife’s head is as menacing as Ainni’s clenched teeth – there but ridiculous! Imran’s mother’s conscience is silenced with the threat of divorce where earlier the threat had been issued to Imran if he did not listen to his father. I was actually looking forward to Ainni being able to ‘take away’ Imran from his parents as in one scene she is shown thinking mockingly towards Imran’s mother if for no other reason but for Imran’s father to suffer for his manipulative ways but seems as if the tables have turned and Ainni’s ruffled feathers can not do much except stay in those flouncy tops.
I am really enjoying Kuch Na Kaho till now. I like how each character has a role to play and you do not feel that some scenes are fillers or dragging the story. It is fast paced and I actually will not mind if it slows down a notch or two for a couple of episodes only for at the rate things are happening, a sudden end will not make sense either. Does Imran plan to get in touch with Aina now – I really hope there is no ‘halala’ scene in this drama. Will Aina step up and try to be a responsible adult now that she has her child to think of? What did you all think of these latest developments? Would love to hear your thoughts.
Ohkay so, this episode of Moray Saiyaan was on the slower side but it surely was interesting. I like the fact that they have started unfolding some of the pages from the past but I think it’s about time that the character of Kabeer is introduced & the backstory of Zakia’s past is explained because to see her play the victim card every single time is not too appealing!
So, Ghaziyan’s immaturity has already started showing its results. Ghaziyan told Waris that he wasn’t interested in Nimra anymore & like a concerned father, Waris visited Gul Zeb, because he knows that she is the only one who Ghaziyan listens to the most & she is the only one who would be able to stop Ghaziyan from tearing the entire family apart, but before that could’ve happened, Gul Zeb ended up getting hospitalized because all the things that she heard from Waris were a bit too hard for her to handle. Gul Zeb loved Ghaziyan a lot & she would hate to see him getting estranged from his father. Gul Zeb has suffered a lot on her own but when it came to Ghaziyan, she couldn’t tolerate the thought of anything bad happening to him, that is why she took everything to her heart.
Ghaziyan slowly & steadily started realizing that everything was happening because of him but I still don’t really understand his approach. I still feel they should have taken some time in developing everything because to see Ghaziyan from being too concerned & focused about bringing his family together to being concerned only about his marriage with Zubaria by hook or by crook seems a little unconvincing. Also, Zubaria has never said anything to Ghaziyan for him to create a havoc on her name, so not really sure what is it that is forcing him to take such drastic steps? The best thing about the entire chaos is that Zubaria isn’t oblivious of the fact that Nimra & Ghaziyan are engaged, so she wouldn’t easily allow Ghaziyan to turn her into a 2nd woman who wrecked someone’s relation to establish her own!
I absolutely loved Nimra’s take about this entire situation. Even though she is heart broken & even though she loves Ghaziyan a lot, she still is mature enough to understand that Ghaziyan is not into her & he is not interested in getting married to her because he has fallen in love with someone else. Nimra knows that if Ghaziyan will ever agree to get married to her, it would only be because of her mother’s stubbornness & pressures, which she most certainly doesn’t want to see because she knows that if they’d get married under such circumstances, Ghaziyan will never be able to love Nimra the way she’d want him to & also, he’ll lose all the respect he has ever had for her mother Zakia. It was good to see that even though Nimra is madly in love with Ghaziyan & she can not think about living her life without him, she is sane & mature enough to put two & two together, in stead of just pushing herself into Ghaziyan’s life!
As always, Zakia got the opportunity to turn herself into a victim & turn everyone else around her into a culprit. I think it’s about time that the director gives the viewers an insight into what actually happened in the past that made Zakia just so bitter that she can’t stand anyone around her except Waris & Ghaziyan. I think even after finding the entire story, I still won’t be able to develop a liking for a character like Zakia because she is someone who loves to play the victim card & wants to be the center of attention of every single person around her. I think she has spent a lot of time feeding on the bitter memories of the past that she is unable to see how it has been taking a toll on everyone else around her.
I honestly feel if the writer hadn’t shown that Ghaziyan was engaged to Nimra, it wouldn’t have made him look immature & selfish because nothing that he will say or do will justify his decision of leaving Nimra in the lurch because he fell in love with Zubaria without even worrying about what the consequences will be. Just because Ghaziyan saw Zubaria, he completely forgot all about Nimra, his fiancée, so it surely puts him in a bad light. Also, if the writer had shown him as a carefree sort of a guy, it would’ve looked even better because at first, he was shown as someone who was overly concerned about bringing his family together & now, what he is doing is not helping the situation at all.
Overall, this episode was pretty interesting but I really think Kabeer should make an entry in the drama now for us to understand why Zakia is like that because to see her sobbing like a victim doesn’t really sit well with me for now, may be if I get something that’d justify her behavior, then I wouldn’t mind her attitude but for now, she is off-putting. Also, in one of the conversations, Zubaria spoke about the conversation she had with Nimra, but we didn’t see that happening, I think in a drama where there was so much of focus on how complicated these immediate relations were, it was necessary for the director to give these relations & their issues a proper coverage, for the viewers to understand & grasp everything properly. A little attention to detail would’ve sufficed definitely. Anyways, I had a good time watching this episode & definitely looking forward to the next one. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Moray Saiyaan.
Focus Pk 2016, the country’s first national production and entertainment trade conference recently took place in Karachi on 3rd and 4th of December. The two day long conference ended on a good note with musical performance ‘Karma Collective’ by Zohaib Kazi, featuring Zeb Bangash and Rachel Viccaji. The event was a platform for speakers to voice their thoughts about different topics e.g. Foreign Content and Syndication’ to ‘Actors vs Producers’ and many other topics related to the entertainment and production sector in Pakistan.
Speakers present at the conference were information minister Maryam Aurangzeb, Pemra chairman Absar Alam, Aly Mustansir, Usman Peerzada, Maria Wasti, Sarmad Khoosat, Syed Noor, Vasay Chaudhry, singer Zeb Bangash, writer Hasina Moin, Sarwat Gilani, Samina Ahmed, Misbah Khalid, Zohaib Kazi, Salman Shahid, Seemi Raheel, musician Shallum Xavier, cinema owner Nadeem Mandviwala, Sohail Hashmi, CEOs, media house owners, producers and directors.
Mira Sethi who was seen in dramas like Muhabbat Subh ka Sitara ha and was last seen walking on the ramp for designer Faiza Salqain, is all set to be recognized internationally as a writer. In 2015, Mira announced that she’s working on a collection of short fiction stories and now she had recently revealed on social media that her debut short stories will be out in 2018. Her debut collection of short stories will be published by giants Knopf and Bloomsbury. The book is expected to be published in 2018 in the US, UK and India.
The much adored actors Maya Ali and Osman Khalid Butt will be soon seen in a Photoshoot. Both of them are currently seen in drama Sanam and are playing the lead roles. The drama is receiving mixed reviews but the actors are nevertheless loved by their fans. They recently completed the shoot for Zainab Chottani.
Where our drama industry produces dramas on the two extremes of the spectrum, that being best & worst, it also produces such dramas that fall in the middle of the spectrum & provide quality entertainment to those viewers who tune to such dramas. 2016 wasn’t any different when it came to dramas like these because where we often discussed best & the worst dramas, we didn’t get a chance to speak about those drama serials that did well in terms of viewership & popularity. These dramas might not have been mega hits but most certainly kept the attention of the viewers intact due to several reasons like story, cast or characters.
A lot of times, people tune to dramas for the sake of passing their time & this year, we got a lot such dramas which could be labeled as guilty pleasures. Now when all those dramas have ended & if we look back, they qualify as worthy of being binge-watched because they did provide some entertainment & then nothing beats having an option of forward button with you while watching any such drama that you might find slowed down a bit at a certain stage.
So, here’s an alphabetically ordered list dedicated to those dramas that did well, provided some quality entertainment & are most certainly worthy of being binge-watched:
Aabro:
Written by: Qasira Hayat
Directed by: Ilyas Kashmiri
Produced by: Momina Duraid
Episodes: 23
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Eeshal, Farah Shah, Asma Abbas, Imran Ashraf, Noor Hassan, Ahmed Zeb, Zainab Saleem and others.
Aabro scores TOP position in the list, not only because of the name but also because of the popularity as despite being a typical story based on the lines of ‘as you sow, so shall you reap’, Aabro gained a lot of attention & hit home with the viewers. Aabro most certainly qualifies as such a drama that you can sit & enjoy with your mother because it showed a transition of different characters in such a way that our mothers are most likely going to have a good time relating to them & watching their journey.
Aabro was a story of two reckless & immature people Aabro & Ali who get married only to face the realities of life, but despite living a very tough life, they shape the character of their daughter in such a way that she earns them their long lost respect. In this drama, the aspect that actually seemed appreciable the most was the focus on empowering your children with education but it got lost in the middle of the family politics & the focus on the marriage of young characters, but thankfully the drama did end at such a note where they scored some brownie points by reinforcing the importance of education. Even though, initially, the drama might seem a bit loud & typical, but after a few episodes, everything fell into its place & as the sufferings of Ali & Aabro increased, it did make the viewers feel a bit emotional & heart-broken for them. The last episode was quite emotional & done really really well. Noor Hassan in particular & all the other actors owned their characters however, Eeshal did receive a lot of criticism on her flat acting. You might want to watch episodes 17-22 in fast forward mode but the last episode will surely blow you away.
Bheegi Palkein
Written by: Nuzhat Saman & Mansoor Ahmed Khan
Directed by: Furqan Khan
Produced by: Blockbusters Entertainment
Episodes: 29
Channel: Aplus
Cast: Faysal Qureshi, Ushna Shah, Affan Waheed, Faryal Mehmood, Shamim Hilali, Ismat Zaidi and others.
Like most of the dramas in this list Bheegi Palkein isn’t grand but it is definitely worth a watch especially when you are looking for meaningless entertainment. Faysal Qureshi is the USP of this drama therefore Faysal Qureshi’s fans should definitely watch this one. Also the negative character played by Faryal Mehmood is quite interesting. Ushna Shah plays the seedhi sadhi bechari lrki with precision. At the end of the day it is all about gherulu politics and women fighting over a man but it gets interesting when there are a few twists which are brand new.
The chemistry between leads and the fast paced story especially in the first few episodes makes it a drama anyone would enjoy binge watching. In the later episodes the story gets repetitive but those parts can easily be forwarded when you are watching a drama online.
Guzarish
Written by: Sanam Mehdi Jarchevi
Directed by: Owais Khan
Produced by: Six Sigma Plus
Episodes: 25
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Yumna Zaidi, Affan Waheed, Javed Sheikh, Saba Hameed, Ahmed Ali, Sara Ashraf, Ali Khan, Maha Warsi, Seemi Pasha, Saba Faisal and others.
Guzarish has some amazing performances and quite a few powerful dialogues to its credit. There are some parts where the story gets weak but overall there were enough twists and turns in this drama to keep the viewers engaged and coming back for more. Yumna Zaidi’s potential has been exploited to the maximum in this drama but Sara Ashraf is the weakest link in Guzarish. It gets over dramatic at times but such scenes add more emotional value to the drama. Yumna Zaidi’s exceptional performance is the best thing about this play. Saba Hameed is another actress who gives you a reason to look forward to more. There were so many episodes which I watched only because of these two actors. Saba Hameed plays a rather negative character but does it with precision.
The script also has a certain kind of mystery to it which keeps you at the edge of your seat. Guzarish is the story of a love triangle with a whole new twist!
Jhoot
Written by: Reema Ali Syed
Directed by: Syed Ahmed Kamran
Produced by: MD Productions
Episodes: 21
Channel: HUM
Cast: Bushra Ansari, Mansha Pasha, Imran Ashraf, Kamran Jeelani, Nargis Rasheed, Rimsha Akmal, Akbar Khan and others.
Jhoot was fast paced, it had a few interesting characters and the best thing about it was that it was very real! Bushra Ansari’s character in particular was the highlight of this drama. She was shown as a controlling mother who is continuously judging others but does not always make the most just decisions herself. She finally has to face the music and that is when things get even more interesting. Jhoot also had a powerful message which was conveyed aptly. Jhoot is another one of those dramas which rose above other average dramas and made the viewers tune into it every week because of the cast and the content too.
The best thing about Jhoot was that unlike many other dramas on this list, it wasn’t stretched unnecessarily.
Kathputli
Written by: Faiza Iftikhar
Directed by: Asif Rathore
Produced by: Momina Duraid
Episodes: 19
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Sanam Chaudhry, Farhan Ahmed Malhi, Samina Ahmed, Gohar Mumtaz, Anam Ahmed, Shaheen Khan, Binita and others.
Kathputli was a story of a survivor. It was a story of a girl who comes from a very oppressed setting but empowers herself with education & puts all her weaknesses aside to emerge as a strong & independent girl who makes her own decisions. What makes Kathputli worth a binge watch is the way the relationship between Mehru & Ahad was established. They both had a great chemistry & their conversations were written really well & were always meaningful. Kathputli easily qualifies as a love story but it was done in such a beautiful manner that it actually struck a chord.
Even though Kathputli had a 100% chance of showing Mehru as a ‘bechari’, the writer chose not to do that which actually made things a lot better & appealing. The way the director kept things short & to-the-point also made it a success. A lesser number of episodes makes this drama worth a shot & I promise, you won’t be disappointed.
Mana Ka Gharana
Written by: Aliya Bukhari
Directed by: Shehzad Kashmiri
Produced by: Momina Duraid
Episodes: 18
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Sana Javed, Shehroz Sabzwari, Erum Akhtar, Shamil Khan, Ayesha Toor, Danish Raheel and others.
Mana Ka Gharana happens to be a story of a close-knit family that drifts apart because of the interference of an outsider & also because of the selfishness of a mother who only wants the best for her daughter, but the good thing is, she backtracks & realizes her mistakes. Mana Ka Gharana was the sort of a drama that had a very simple story but the right treatment given by the director made it a very enjoyable ride. The scenic locations & amazing chemistry between some of the characters were some plus points of this drama as well.
Mana Ka Gharana is that kind of a drama which you can have a good time watching when you are in a mood for something light-hearted & nothing too serious. Also, it was one such drama where the viewers were rooting for the supporting characters of Erum Akhtar (Zarri) & Shamil Khan (Maalik) because of their amazing & subtle chemistry more than the main leads Sana Javed (Mana) & Shehroz Sabzwari (Khizar). With 18 episodes to its credit, it can’t go wrong!
Sehra Main Safar
Written by: Sarwat Nazeer
Directed by: Azfar Ali
Produced by: Momina Duraid
Episodes: 23
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Zarnish Khan, Ali Kazmi, Emaad Irfani, Shehryaar Zaidi, Lubna Aslam and others.
Sehra Main Safar was a drama that began at a very promising note but lost its charm mid way because of the pace that slowed down considerably, but by that time, those who followed it couldn’t give up on it as they wanted to find out the note at which the story will end. It was a story of a girl named Iqra who is pushed into the practical world because of the hardships that her family faces. This story revolved around Iqra & her transition starting from how she misunderstands her family, how she makes a reckless decision of getting married to someone insincere to her, how she realizes her mistakes, understands the importance of her parents & later gets married to someone who loves & most importantly supports her.
Not sure if it was pre-planned or it was because of the popularity that Sehra Main Safar gained, it ended up getting stretched & lost the charm by the time it ended. You might have to forward quite a lot of episodes because of repetition & not getting offered something new in those episodes, however, Zarnish Khan, due to her phenomenal & effortless acting carried this entire drama on her shoulders & deserves all the praises for that.
Thora Sa Aasman
Written by: Umera Ahmed
Directed by: Nadeem Siddique
Produced by: Mastermind Productions
Episodes: 21
Channel: Geo TV
Cast: Alyy Khan, Baber Ali, Zeba Bakhtiyar, Qaiser Nizamani, Yasra Rizvi, Ushna Shah, Seher Afzal and others.
If you are ever in a mood to watch something grim, serious but meaningful, Thora Sa Aasman will be the drama for you. Dramatized after one of the best novels of Umera Ahmed, Thora Sa Aasman had a lot of lessons to offer & was based on the theme of ‘what goes around comes around’. This drama had a lot of controversy attached to it & may be that is the reason it wasn’t heavily promoted by the channel but it surely was a drama worth your time. Thora Sa Aasman was dramatized back in the day on PTV Home & it went unnoticed, may be that is why GEO TV decided to dramatize it again.
The best things about this drama are the direction & the pace, because it has so many characters & the way the director introduced them, that too the right time helped a lot in keeping the interest of the viewers alive. Where a lot of the actors under-performed, Seher Afzal surely takes the crown for her flawless acting. Thora Sa Aasman was one such drama that left the viewers asking for a few more episodes because it seemed that it ended a bit too quickly. This is one such drama that will make you forget that you have an option of forwarding it because it is quite captivating.
Tum Kon Piya
Written by: Maha Malik
Directed by: Yasir Nawaz
Produced by: Abdullah Kadwani and Asad Qureshi
Episodes: 29
Channel: Urdu1
Cast: Ayeza Khan, Imran Abbas, Ali Abbas, Hina Khawaja Bayat, Qavi Khan, Mehmood Akhtar, Hira Tareen, Shameen Khan and others.
Tum Kon Piya’s story is done-to-death and is certainly not free from clichés but it is not devoid of logic. This drama was far more engrossing than many other love stories which were promoted by some of the leading channels. Yasir Nawaz’s meticulous direction, his creativity and Maha Malik’s eloquent script made this typical story special. Also, there were quite a few twists and turns which took you completely by surprise. Ramish’s character and Elma and Ramish’s love story, which is more “imagined” than real is poignant and easy to relate to.
Ayeza Khan’s honest and effortless acting gives her character the much-needed charm. There is an undeniable chemistry between Ayeza Khan and Imran Abbas. Ramish Hassan, the role played by Imran Abbas, is that of a likeable hero who is not faultless but appealing nevertheless. Some of the negative characters will also keep your interest alive in the show. This drama is also shot beautifully.
So, this concludes the list of those 2016 dramas that are worth a binge watch. Please feel free to add more names and share your thoughts about the list as well.
Zahra Mirza & Fatima Awan.
Note: This list contains dramas which ended in 2016. The dramas that did not end in 2016 will be covered in the list of 2017.
8th Pakistan Achievement Awards 2016 took place recently. There were many stars present at the event which held on December 2 in London, few of them were Aijaz Aslam, Ahsan Khan, film star Sana, Javed Shaikh and Shaista Lodhi. There is not much revealed yet but our dear actors shared their victories on social media. Saeein Zahoor gave a spectacular live performance, Ahsan Khan won the most popular Actor Award for Udaari, Aijaz Aslam won the best actor (male) for Khwab Saraeye and Sana won the best actor (female) award. Ishtiaq Baig on the other hand was honored with the “Pakistan Achievement Award”. The event was hosted by the host-turned-actress Shaista Lodhi
Hum Network had recently launched their very own Style Awards and that were Hum Style Awards, it was one of the most hyped awards show this year. So the very first QMobile Hum style Awards took place in Karachi on October 28. The formats and categories were quite similar to those of LUX Style Awards but the show did had more to offer. The show went well and was managed perfectly, the credit for this goes to the director Nida Butt.
The awards night were full of glamorous performances lined up be it Saba Qamar and Zahid Ahmad’s performance or Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s, they all managed to pull it off easily. Audiences were eagerly waiting for the awards to air on TV and guys your wait is over because the high on entertainment Hum Style Awards are going to air on December 9 on Hum TV.
Pakistan industry recently achieved another milestone with Pakistan Film Festival which held in New York for the very first time. Few of the most successful films of 2016 were premiered at the event. The films managed to win over everyone’s heart but it was our celebrities who stole the show because they looked stunning on the screenings of their particular films. Our gorgeous Ladies and Handsome men slayed the event with the real definition of style. Here are few clicks and videos from the event Pakistan Film Festival New York which ended on December 4.
Zahid Ahmad who has built a huge fan following in a short span of time, is currently seen in drama mera kya kasoor tha and is all set to be seen in drama Pujaran. It is an upcoming drama based on women empowerment and is expected to air on TvOne. Zahid Ahmad will be playing the lead role opposite Sarwat Gilani while Aijaz Aslam will be playing a pivotal role. With these talented stars teaming up, we wonder how’s the drama going to be like.
Drama Seeta Bagri was announced a few months back and in no time the audience had built lots of expectations since Sarwat Gilani has done some great work in the past and is still doing in present too. Seeta bagri is currently going on air and is just 3 episodes down yet but it has managed to built a niche audience for itself. The drama basically highlights the life of the Hindu Pakistani community.
Speaking about Seeta Bagri in an interview withBBC, Sarwat stated, “These minorities are our friends and they have been a huge part of our lives.”
Sarwat further explained why she was motivated to do the role of Seeta: “Seeta is a girl who thinks about other females too, and wants to spread knowledge and awareness. It’s rare nowadays when people want to make a difference.”
Ohkay so, don’t worry guys I’ve got my fix for the day i-e black coffee & thanks to that, I recovered from the shock & torture that I went through in the past hour even though the effect of it was wearing off but never mind. So, I officially declare Sanam as a new sit-com that is airing on HUM TV these days because I don’t know about you guys but this drama surely makes me laugh a lot!!!
Even though I have labeled this colony as Harib Mohalla/Harib Chowk, I will rename it as Talaqyafta Chowk because looks like all those who’re Talaqyafta frequent this place. Here’s the list of all those Talaqyaftas who are residing in or around this Mohalla:
I find it actually quite amusing that despite knowing Shehroz & his ping pong ball-like nature, Harib Prince(ss) chooses to trust him. I seriously have my doubts about how Harib made it to the top & ended up doing so well for himself because it just doesn’t sit well with me as to how could a masoom bechari jaan like Harib put up with the pressures of this ruthless & cut-throat world, just when he is unable to tame a psycho ex-wife, a tharki ex-girlfriend & a ping pong ball-esque friend who should be hit so hard with a racket that he never returns to this place!!!
I don’t really understand why this zanani called Shehroz is running things here? At one hand, he pledges his allegiance to Harib & promises to understand him, but on the other, he fully supports Aila & her pagalpan. It was once again a Sanam Logic that the writer applied where just because Shehroz wanted Aila to believe in Aan & Harib, he decided that he should arrange a meeting of Aila & Sara? It was absolutely ridiculous & disgusting to see two divorcees acting like 16 year olds who just got introduced to the feeling of LOUUUU & were in some lala-land imagining how purrrrrrrrfect their lives would be with Prince(ss) Harib!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! But I think we shouldn’t even bother about how many times the logic has been defied & has been murdered in this drama because writer was on a ‘maaa writin’ maaa rulezzzz’ spree!!!
Chalo jee, Amman jaan ko beti ki Nokri janay ka kuch ziyada hi dukh lag gaya that she ended up getting a heart attack & was hospitalized. I do understand her attachment & her feelings for her daughter so no comments on that, obviously she was worried & took everything a bit too seriously. That’s when things got juicy because Harib got to eavesdrop on Farhan & his mother & ended up finding out that Farhan is also Talaqyafta like Harib, wow such a new twist in the story right??? Even though for a split second I was excited that finally, Harib Prince(ss) found out about Farhan’s reality & now he will save the day but then again I was reminded that the rating-hungry director won’t end this drama before 40 episodes, so I can’t even afford the luxury of a ‘wishful thinking’.
It was absolutely traumatizing to see Aan entering the hospital to become Mannu again (queue dramatic music, dhan dhan dhaaaaannnnnn), why you do this Aan/Mannu/Maya, why you do theeeessss??? That’s the moment when I felt the effect of black coffee was wearing off but I told myself, you could do this Zahra, you’re strong enough to survive this apocalypse!!! We have been taking anti-Mann Mayal shots every single day to recover from the pain that it inflicted upon us & there you swooped in as a reminiscent of traumatizing Mannu. Maya Ali, your performance as Mannu wasn’t ‘classy or amazing’ so there is no need to rely on that again & again & again. Like Shehroz advised Aila in this episode, that’s the same advice I am going to give it to you ‘banda apni purani ghaltiyon se seekhta hai’, so Maya gurllll you need to learn some lessons from your past mistakes too!!!
Also, the germophobe in me gave me a very very hard time when I saw that Aan didn’t wash her hands after flushing her termination letter & it just didn’t stop there, because she put the same hand on her face (queue vomit voice here, uaaaakhhhh)!!!
Just when I once again saw Harib Prince(ss) go on ‘mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha’ spree, I was like pleaseeee not again. Like is there anything that Harib UNDERSTANDS? I guess in the pursuit of turning him into a bechara, the writer forgot to add a very small yet important organ in Harib’s body & that thing is called BRAIN. I just don’t understand why Harib is always so clueless, like how old are you? Are you a school going boy or a toddler when it comes to having some IQ & brains? I really think Harib Prince(ss) needs to snap out of this ‘haye Allah mai bechari, mujhe to kuch samajh nahi aa raha‘ mode, should man up & should take matters in his hands. It was amusing that before even doing anything, he gave up saying he couldn’t afford to give more tension to Shabnam? Oh bhai tumne kaunsa dhindhora peetna hai Shabnam ke aggay, peechay peechay se sara masla settle karo na? Stealthily mohabbat ho jati hai lekin stealthily koi aqal ka kaam nahi ho sakta?
The preview of the next episode gave me such a good laugh because jokes apart & honestly speaking, it made my mood so much better when I saw a Gugu named Farhaan holding onto Harib’s Girebaan, I was like alay lay lay lay layyyyy gugu ko gucchaa aa gayawwwww, awwwwww. Khud talaq de ke betha hai lekin Aan ke paas Harib bardasht nahi??? LOL! Anyways, honestly speaking, I am looking forward to the next episode because I want to see a cat fight between two weak men/boys/toddlers/infants aur phir Shehroz to hai hi teeli laganay wali aunty, so it’s going to be so much fun! Please share your thoughts about this episode of Sanam!
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Shucks, there was no mention of food in this episode, may be that’s why I am feeling low & hungry!!!
Just when we thought that we might not see Taher Shah soon, he surprised us with his short debut appearance in the first online movie Oye Kuch Kar Guzar. The film opened to mixed reviews but Taher Shah’s cameo did not went unnoticed. Taher has been one of the most trending person in Pakistan, he became an overnight star with his songs eye to eye and angel. Though his songs were not appreciated but he still managed to get famous anyway. Not to forget but Dawn had declared him “Pakistan’s most spectacular internet celebrity”.
Here’s the clip of Taher Shah’s cameo in Oye Kuch Kar Guzar:
We saw many powerful dramas in 2016 but there were also a lot of dramas which were promoted like they were going to be the biggest hits of the year but they turned out to be complete disasters. Some channels in particular relied more on star power and promotions and did not pay enough attention to the final product which they were presenting to the viewers. Unfortunately, there were also quite a few dramas which dealt highly recklessly and insensitively with some very serious issues without considering what impact this will have on the viewers and how it will effect the reputation of the production houses which were churning out such useless dramas.
Relying on cheap tactics like sensationalizing sensitive topics, creating controversies and making a mockery of women in general reigned supreme in the dramas which are included in the list. These dramas were loaded with ill-conceived twists and turns which questioned the intelligence of the viewers.
Here is the list of the worst dramas of 2016, the list is in alphabetical order:
Beqasoor
Written by: Sameena Ijaaz
Directed By: Syed Atif Hussain
Produced By: Big Bang Entertainment
Episodes: 30
Channel: ARY Digital
Cast: Samina Peerzada, Saboor Ali, Waseem Abbas, Sajjid Hassan, Javeria Abbasi, Aiman Khan, Muneeb Butt and others.
The main idea of this play was done-to-death – two sisters who are completely opposite to each other, one the ultimate bechari and the other one had all the characteristics of a materialistic and selfish girl! The fact that the bechari Hira was far more annoying than the chalak Sehr made you wonder if the writer and the director had managed to achieve their objective! The negative characters in the play kept your interest alive in the early episodes and the other characters remained predictable and boring throughout the drama.
Black and white characters, twisted turns in the story, Saboor Ali and Samina Peerzada’s never-ending rona dhona, a story which was stretched even though it lacked substance and watching amazing actors like Sajid Hassan and Samina Peerzada settle for such a mediocre script was a huge disappointment. Like all other plays which show women suffer to the extreme – from getting married to a man old enough to be her dad to getting poisoned by her mom, Hira went through it all and more – this drama got the ratings which producers want more than anything else and therefore it ended only after losing all its “fans”!
Bhai
Written by: Afifa Mahmood
Directed by: Shoaib Khan
Produced by: Shoaib Khan
Episodes: 36
Channel: Aplus
Cast: Noman Ijaz, Maha Warsi, Saboor Ali, Seemi Raheel, Salman Shahid, Affan Waheed and others.
There is dark and depressing and then there is this drama Bhai. An uneducated man spurned on by years of pent up jealousy makes it his mission to make life miserable for his siblings and only comes to a stop when one of them dies! While there were some comic moments where Bhai made the viewers laugh in the initial episodes, they were soon overshadowed by the constant screeching, physical abuse and rona dhona! Saboor Ali’s crazed existence and screaming almost made the viewers want to throttle her neck! And then the suffering and misery did not all end with one death, but the whole gory scene when the pregnant widow loses her baby haunted the viewers more.
The unrealistic way that Bhai begins his journey on the road to redemption and forgiveness which lands him his lady love in the end was so unconvincing. Noman Ejaz is an amazing actor but this role was definitely one he could have done without. This drama was very depressing and each episode pushed the viewers into darkness a little more. The only bright point of Bhai was Affan Waheed’s rosy makeup!
Gul-e-Rana
Written by: Samra Bukhari
Directed by: Farooq Rind
Producerd by: Momina Duraid and Six Sigma Plus
Episodes: 21
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Sajal Ali, Feroze Khan, Rubina Ashraf, Behroze Sabzwari, Mehmood Akhtar, Farah Shah, Samina Ahmed and others.
Gul-e-Rana was a disaster which was promoted like it was bound to be an overwhelmingly successful play. Only the first 3 episodes of this drama made sense and after that you were left wondering what the writer was thinking while penning down the script, why didn’t the director try to cover up these flaws and why were such big production houses willing to invest so much in this drama. Right from the beginning the leading characters and actors failed to make an impact and the older lot stood out more than the young leads.
The flaws in the script, editing mistakes and the director’s inability to handle all the tracks in the story intelligently made this overrated drama nothing more than an over-crowded circus which was not even entertaining. Many of the characters that were introduced as primary characters in the story disappeared in many episodes and reappeared when they were needed. Adeel and Rana’s relationship was twisted to the core, the situations were monotonous and repetitive and there were so many developments which made absolutely no sense. The ending of this play was just as weak as the drama as a whole.
Intezar
Written by: Asma Sayani
Directed by: Kashif Nisar
Produced by: Aplus
Episodes: 21
Channel: Aplus
Cast: Mikaal Zulfiqar, Sana Javed, Azfar Rehman, Anum Fayaz and others.
While this drama started on an interesting note, with Azmeer’s death, the drama began dying a slow death too. I say slow because I lost interest very soon after but the story kept dragging on. The two prominent factors that stood out in the beginning were the love story between the lead pair and knowing that this drama would deal with a sensitive issue – child abuse. Bracing myself for an emotional, heart wrenching, uneasy story – I was left with only uneasy! The idea that a woman, Saba who has suffered years of abuse as a child can be ‘treated’ by being married off to the man she has viewed as a brother, Sherry, was strike one. ‘Treatment’ actually begins when Saba wants nothing to do with her husband and actually encourages his second wedding, and begins to feel jealous to the point of madness and hysteria – strike two. Saba is ‘cured’ when the second wife, Zoya leaves and they all live happily ever after with Sherry flitting between two wives and Saba none the wiser – strike three and OUT! Mediocre acting by the cast coupled with a ridiculous storyline – I was glad when this drama was finally over!
Mann Mayal
Written by: Samira Fazal
Directed by: Haseeb Hassan
Produced by: Momina Duraid, Sana Shanawaz, Samina Humayun & Tariq Shah
Episodes: 33
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Hamza Ali Abbasi, Maya Ali, Aisha Khan, Talat Hussain, Saba Hameed, Arjumand Rahim, Abdul Vasay Chaudhry, Gohar Rasheed, Naeem Tahir and others.
Mann Mayal was one of those dramas this year that literally tested the patience of the viewers and also proved that HUM relied heavily on promotions more than the actual content yet again. There are many reasons why Mann Mayal even with all its viewership failed to make it to the list of dramas which will be remembered for the right reasons. Poorly developed, vague and weak characters which failed to carry the plot forward was the biggest weakness of this drama.
Hamza Ali Abbasi made his comeback after Pyare Afzal with a character which was not the least bit impressive and his performance too wasn’t up to the mark. Another reason why Mann Mayal did not hit the mark was choppy editing, details which were left to one’s imagination, some very important details which were completely missed and disappearance of important characters even when they were needed the most. The most important reason why this drama went downhill was that when it got massive viewership the producers decided to prolong the show. The drama was stretched to the limit, testing the patience of the viewers. The plot of Mann Mayal lacked innovation right from the beginning but later on the story went completely haywire when it started banking completely on every single cliché which has ever been used as a desperate measure to make the story a success. In the last few episodes the scenes were engineered to make the viewers cry and feel for Mannu without taking into account whether the story was making sense or not.
Pakeeza
Written by: Bushra Ansari
Directed by: Misbah Khalid
Produced by: Moomal Entertainment
Channel: Hum TV
Episodes: 28
Cast: Amina Sheikh, Alyy Khan, Adnan Siddique, Angeline Malik, Anam Khalid and others.
When a drama is written by someone who has a name in the industry & who has been a part of dramas for such a long time, people expect nothing short of quality work but Bushra Ansari failed to deliver. Hum TV promoted Pakeeza as the next big thing only for the viewers to get disappointed when they tuned to it. Pakeeza turned out to be a very typical story of a couple tied in a dysfunctional marriage; a talented woman who chose to remain weak & succumbed to the pressures of a very dominating husband who was suffering from a lot of complexes & loved putting his wife down. What irked the viewers was when the drama touched a new low by showing how Pakeeza chose to stay with her husband even after getting divorced only so that she can make the in laws of her daughter believe that she comes from a happy & emotionally stable family background.
The drama ended on a very depressing note where with the death of Pakeeza’s character, her sufferings die too. Pakeeza turned out to be such a major disappointment of the season because once again, it turned out to be one such drama which made a mockery out of divorce & showed the viewers a new level of majboori & bechargi in a way that if your child demands, you can even live with your ex-husband to please your child. The writers often misapprehend the fact that just because they have a name, they can show anything in the name of ‘awareness’ or ‘entertainment’, because this sort of work was most certainly not expected from Bushra Ansari, but may be she forgot that in the pursuit of becoming a jack of all trades, she was becoming a master of none!
Sangat
Written by: Zafar Mairaj
Directed by: Kashif Nisar
Produced by: Momal Entertainment
Episodes: 25
Channel: HUM
Cast: Saba Qamar, Zahid Ahmed, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Saba Faisal, Samina Ahmed and others.
Sangat started off on a very strong note but things went completely haywire after a few weeks. This was a sick drama which glorified a rapist and every week we saw a senseless episode of this play which made a mockery of something as serious as rape. What makes this drama even more unbearable is the fact that there was a point when the team of Sangat relied heavily on sensationalizing the entire issue to get ratings and attention of the viewers. After Sangat’s diagnosis, Adnan was conveniently relegated to the background and this drama was now all about Ayesha’s relationship with Shahwez. Watching a rape victim confide in her rapist and then asking him for suggestions or what looked more like support and help had to be the worst thing we have witnessed in any drama so far.
It was upsetting and unbearable watching a rape victim being ridiculed to the extreme over and over again. This was another drama which ended ridiculously! Sangat had to be the most reckless and thoughtless piece of writing and the worst drama ever made.
Tumhare Siwa
Written by: Syed Wasi Shah
Directed by: Sakina Samo
Produced by: Moomal Entertainment
Episodes: 21
Channel: Hum TV
Cast: Ahsan Khan, Aisha Khan, Mansha Pasha, Noor Hassan and others.
It was one such drama that defied common sense & logic in order to make the husband swapping seem justified & necessary. This drama absoutely had nothing to offer except a few laughing fits & cringe worthy situations because it showed that just because the husband couldn’t afford to get his ailing wife medically treated, he chose to divorce her only to get her married to his best friend, so that his medical insurance could cover her treatment expenses. Also, both the husbands were shown to be the pilots but it was amusing how one of them had every luxury at his disposal while the other pilot couldn’t even afford a hot meal for his wife. To add more twists to the drama, the wife who was sick continued to live but her ex-husband, who by the way was still living with her after their divorce, dies in a car accident, leaving the wife completely dependent on her ex-husband’s best friend who was now legally & officially her husband too.
The writing of this drama was ridiculous & what made things even worse was Sakina Samo’s direction. From the promos, it looked like it was going to be a decent drama because of some big names attached to it as the cast, but it was another star-studded downer which absolutely provided nothing to those who tuned to it.
Ye Mera Deewanapan Hai
Written by: Zanjabeel Asim Shah
Directed By: Shehzad Rafique
Produced By: APlus
Episodes: 48
Channel: APlus
Cast: Saima, Junaid Khan and others.
Ye Mera Deewanapan’s whole concept was cringe-worthy. Jahangir urf Jaani ( Junaid Khan) was obsessed with an older woman Mehtaab (Saima Noor) who actually turned out to be manipulative and ruined his marriage to his cousin Meena ( Anoushey Abbassi) and also took away her child. This drama went on for like 40+ episodes which itself was an ordeal. Jaani’s father abused his mother and she ultimately burnt herself and dies when she was accused of having an affair with her nandoi. Mehtaab finds herself framed for poising patients at the hospital and ends up spending years in jail and this motivates Jaani to become a lawyer. The story shows him transition from a young boy all the way to maturity when he has a 20 something son and he’s married for the third time. Not making any sense, am I? Well, neither did the drama!
Zara Yaad Kar
Written by: Khalil ur Rehman Qamar & Amna Nawaz Khan
Directed by: Amna Nawaz Khan
Produced by: Amna Nawaz Khan
Channel: Hum TV
Episodes: 28
Cast: Zahid Ahmed, Saba Faisal, Sana Javed, Yasir Mazhar, Yumna Zaidi, Adnan Jilani, Sharmeen Kashif and others.
Zara Yaad Kar was a drama appropriate for maximum 18 episodes but it was sadly stretched till 28 & it lost its charm completely. Even in the initial stages, it didn’t seem too impressive but what kept the interest of the audience alive in the show was the attachment of Khalil ur Rehman Qamar’s name with it because everyone expected that Zara Yaad Kar will have the KRQ-factor, the KRQ-magic but sadly it wasn’t the case. To put it in simple words, Zara Yaad Kar was basically a Halala story, which made a mockery out of such a severe punishment that has been prescribed for those who think divorce is a joke & it can be taken lightly.
Initially, the philosophical dialogues that struck a chord ended up evoking a lot of yawns as the drama progressed because the philosophy seemed forced, even in those situations which were a bit too simple & plain. The characters had no depth, they had no stand & the tyrants were winning while the victims were suffering. Haadi had no backbone & what made it worse was that he ended up being the one who chose a punishment for Mahnoor, whereas right till the end, she didn’t feel an ounce of remorse or regret at what she did.
As the drama crossed the 20 episode mark, the writing of it was taken over by Amna Nawaz Khan, which then made things even worse because it was too obvious that she was trying to save a sinking ship but was failing miserably. Zara Yaad Kar was one such drama that viewers had so many expectations with but it ended up becoming a nightmare for those who were watching.
So, here is the list of Worst Dramas of 2016. Please feel free to add more names to the list and share your thoughts about it.
Team Reviewit.pk
Note: This list contains dramas which ended in 2016. The dramas that did not end in 2016 will be covered in the list of 2017.
Rasta is an upcoming action-drama film. It is directed by Sahir Lodhi and produced by Moid Ul Hasan, Dr. Faisal Zia and Sahir Lodhi. Sahir Lodhi will be playing the lead role and the rest of the cast includes Shamoon Abbasi, Naveed Raza, Sana Nawaz, Aijaz Aslam, Saima Azhar and Saleem Mairaj. The song in the trailer is sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, composed by Kamran Akhtar and Saji Ali while the lyrics are written by Saji Ali and Sahir himself. This is going to be Sahir’s debut film as a lead. The trailer of the film was recently released on Film Raasta’s official Facebook page.
Finally an episode which had some major developments to its credit and had a few emotional scenes as well thanks mainly to Mahira Khan alone but still I feel that this episode could have been way better if the viewers were once again not rushed to the next twist in the story. The pace of Bin Roye is awkward to say the least. In my opinion this episode should have covered the realization by Saman that Saba loved Irtiza and Saman’s death alone. The reactions after Saman’s death and dadi’s suggestion should have been shown in the next episode. Saman realized how much Saba and Irtiza had in common, she also thought of Saba’s reactions not only to Amir’s proposal but also to many other things and she realized that Saba loved Irtiza. This realization part was covered flawlessly but what happened after that was a complete disappointment. What was the point of showing Saman figuring this ‘mystery’ out if it was going to have absolutely no impact on the story. Saman’s conversation with Irtiza which was a direct result of this realization was yet again one of those weak and shallow conversations this drama is littered with. Also, Saba did not recall Saman’s last words often enough therefore this development also fell completely flat and had absolutely no repercussions at all. Saman acted normally with Saba, did not feel guilt or anything else and her conversation with Irtiza revealed nothing about her thoughts either. This development in the story was an epic fail because of the way it was handled! This isn’t the first time that something like this happened in Bin Roye and something tells me that this won’t be the last time either.
The viewers were shown Saman and Irtiza’s romantic scenes repeatedly so that they would feel for Irtiza’s loss after Saman died but Irtiza was hardly shown after the accident except in three scenes and in all these scenes he talked about moving on! Once again the writer and the director laid the foundations for something but failed to carry it through. Irtiza and Saman’s father’s scene was the most ridiculous scene of this entire episode! Irtiza’s wife and the love of his life died in a tragic accident but somehow Maliha’s state of mind was supposed to be a bigger concern than his state of mind. This scene was an extremely lame attempt to show that it was time to move on! I am shocked that these scenes were penned down by Farhat Ishtiaq because they lack depth and even logic.
Saba’s track was the only one tonight which made perfect sense and was covered flawlessly. Mahira Khan nailed every single scene in this episode and it was easy connecting to the emotional turmoil and guilt she felt. Although some of the scenes weren’t shot flawlessly but overall Saba’s track and Mahira Khan’s acting made this episode better than the previous episodes. Saba tried to do whatever she could in order to get rid of the guilt she felt from praying to taking care of Maaz. After Saman’s death there was more focus on her than any other character. A heart-to-heart talk between her and Irtiza was what I missed the most in this episode.
The scene in which Saman is thinking “Ghalib ki poetry, barish ke ilawa bhi ap ko kuch pasand hai” was strange because she wasn’t saying it out loud but somehow Irtiza read her mind! So far the writer has relied heavily on deaths and marriages to take the story forward and all the major twists involved just that! After watching this episode and the preview of the next one I am still wondering what was the logic behind introducing Safeer’s character and his entire track to the story. The scene covering Saman’s accident was exactly like the way Shama had the accident in Dil Banjara, I am wondering if Siraj-ul-Haque took the inspiration from Bin Roye since this scene must have been part of the film.
There wasn’t a single scene in this episode either in which Saba and her mother were shown interacting. Their non-existent relationship is one of the worst parts of this drama because it creates a big vacuum. Bin Roye doesn’t have a lot of impressive performances to its credit, Mahira Khan is the only one who is giving her best, Hamayun Saeed’s character does not have much to offer and Zeba Bakhtiar and Armeena Rana Khan are the weakest link in this play. Every time this drama airs, I can’t help but think about the expectations I attached to it and what a huge disappointment it is turning out to be in terms of script, direction, editing, acting and even make-up. The only saving grace of Bin Roye is Mahira Khan’s powerful performance and Saba’s character.
How many of you watched this latest episode? Do share your thoughts about it.
ONE is a casual clothing brand. That is offering trendy, fine, & affordable clothing for past years. Flagship outlet was launched on November 29th.
Brand selected silver screen sensation Feroze Khan as the embassador for their fashion campaign. Shoot has been done by Haiya Bukhari, styled by Hannan Siddiqui & production by Guddu Shani.
Rising star Feroze is quiet optimistic on his selection and he’s completely transformed in a model. We are really looking forward for his upcoming projects, as his last project Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai turn to be really good on Box Office!!
Mawra Hocane’s Bollywood debut romantic film Sanam Teri Kasam which released earlier this year will be screened at the Bollywood Film Festival in Moscow, it is an achievement for the whole team of Sanam Teri Kasam but unfortunately Mawra will not be attending the event. Mawra’s co-star Harshvardhan Rane has been invited for the screening of the film by the organizers of the festival that begin on November 30 and will conclude on December 7. We wonder was Mawra really not invited for the event!
Maula Jatt 2 is an upcoming action drama film, written and directed by Bilal Lashari, co-produced by Faisal Rafi and Bilal Lashari. It is a sequel to 1979 cult-classic Maula Jatt. The shooting of the film had started mid this year and the film is expected to hit the screens in 2017. The cast of the film includes Fawad Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Sanam Jung, Shamoom Abbasi and Adnan Jaffar.
There is not much revealed about the movie yet but it is confirmed that the film’s story will be all new unlike the first part but dialogues will be taken from 1979 film. The film will be in three languages English, Urdu and Punjabi. Fawad in the film will play the role of Maula Jatt while Hamza will play the role of Noori Nath. We wonder how the new and modern version of the roles maula Jatt and Noori Nath will look like. Hamza Ali Abbasi even did training to work on muscle symmetry, endurance and cardiovascular health. Fawad Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi who are usually seen in romantic, love struck hero roles will be seen in a totally different role and we’re sure it is going to be something to look forward to because Fawad is going to reprise the role of late legend Sultan Rahi!
“It has to be a lot more than just physical exaggeration and that is why Fawad Afzal Khan as Maula Jatt and Hamza Ali Abbasi as Noori Nath will come as an amazing shocker for the audience.” stated Bilal Lashari
Starring Danish Taimoor, debut movie of Hina Javed under Yasir Nawaz’s direction!
Yasir said that he has an admiration for poet Gulzar, & his work refers him as a legend! Gulzar has always been peaceful towards Indo-Pak crucial situations.
Gulzar will be writing songs for Mehrunnisa-we lub you’ one of his song will axpectedly sung by Sukhwinder Singh.
JAIPUR, INDIA – JANUARY 23: Lyricist-poet Gulzar in the session ‘Kahani Kisko Kehte Hain?: Script, Story, Screenplay’ during Jaipur Literature Festival 2012 on Monday 23 January, 2012. (Photo by Ramesh Sharma/India Today Group/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Gulzar
we are extremely waiting for how this collaboration will come out! Director as well mentioned that this is just an artistic intention behind that, also added that art has no border. Resources also verify that Gulzar has acted very patiently about critical socio-political scenario.
Ohkay so, this episode of Khuda aur Mohabbat was as always amazing. I truly appreciate how even though the pace of the drama is pretty decent, the director has put in some extra effort to give considerable amount of time to the aspects that need utmost attention like Hammad & his growing feelings for Imaan, without making the episode’s pace seem slow.
The day finally arrived when Hammad was going to get a chance to confess his feelings to Imaan but before that could happen, Hammad came across a lot such barriers which let him know that this journey won’t be easy & seamless. Hammad refused to get committed to Narmeen because he felt they both were two different people. Hammad has his reason & being a mature & independent guy, he was right in feeling that he was entitled to at least choose a life partner for himself. Hammad’s mother’s reminder to him about Abrina & Narmeen’s father being a share holder in Amjad’s business put Hammad off big time because for Hammad, none of these things mattered at all, not in the past, not in the present & won’t matter to him even in the future too. Hammad in fact loathed the idea of his marriage being nothing more than a business deal for Amjad Raza but no one in his family understood because they all are so used to such relationships which are formed on the basis of monetary benefits!
Anyways, Haya succeeded in making a way for Imaan to go to the Haveli so that Hammad could say what he wanted to. Molvi Aleemuddin had to agree because he knows that Nighat is the only friend his daughters have, but then again, his permission came with a lot of ifs & buts. Anyways, Hammad literally went to fulfill his dream of confessing his love to Imaan, without even caring about what his family expected from him because they were in a rush to make an announcement about Narmeen & Hammad’s engagement.
Then came the moment where Hammad got a chance to pour his heart out to Imaan, only to tell her how much he wanted to be with her & how he wanted to make her a part of his life. Hammad’s confession was heartfelt & absolutely genuine because you could feel the pain he was going through by seeing Imaan all confused, scared but also the pain of knowing that he might not get a chance to see Imaan again, so he had to put this opportunity to good use. It was actually good that Hammad got enough time to tell Imaan how pure his feelings & intentions were. Also, unknowingly Imaan left a token of remembrance for Hammad & the way Hammad cherished it was just so sweet. It was absolutely beautiful how Hammad felt at ease after confessing his love to Imaan, he now knew what he wanted in his life & how hard he’d have to work for it.
Imaan most certainly didn’t take everything lightly because she felt disgusted with the thought of being betrayed by her sister & her best friend. Nighat got a chance to explain herself but then again, she had to give Imaan a chance to speak up because Nighat knew what she did was wrong on so many levels & this wasn’t something that Imaan would’ve tolerated in any case. I really like the friendship these three girls share, their friendship is just so pure & refreshing.
After his conversation with Nighat & after learning about the gravity of the situation that Imaan was dealing with Hammad had to break it to his parents especially his father that he was so not interested in Narmeen or the business deal that his father was looking forward to because Hammad was in love with Imaan & wanted to get married to her. It was good to see that at least Hammad’s younger brother Emaad supported him as he knew that his brother was not wrong in wanting to get married to Imaan as she was a very decent girl. The fact that everyone found it unacceptable was that Imaan was Molvi Aleemuddin’s daughter & they were no where near them in social status & standing. It was sad to see them putting Molvi Aleemuddin down & also judging him thinking that he send Imaan to trap Hammad. Things have become quite interesting & I am definitely looking forward to the upcoming episodes.
Overall, this episode was done really really well. Like I always say, I will say it again, I really like the detailing they have added in this season. I loveddd the usage of the OST in this episode too especially in the scenes after Hammad met Imaan. Imran Abbas is such a strong & flawless actor, he actually made me understand every single emotion that Hammad was feeling, before his confession & after his confession too. Massive props to the director for directing this drama beautifully. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Khuda Aur Mohabbat!
Pakistani cinemas will soon be raising curtains for Pakistan’s first ever super hero film. Syra Shehroze, Himayun Saeed, Sheheryr Munawwar, Talat Hussain, Adnan Jaffar. Both the leading males( Himayun & Sheheryar) will be playing the role of superheros. In an interview related to movie director said that movie has nothing to do with anti-terrorism,purpose of movie is just quality family entertainment & to reduce negativity.
Movie is directed by Nadir Shah. He said in an interview that the most beutiful task was selection of costumes, that should be comfortable and incredible! He as well added that the mask ther’re wearing in the movie is specially made with 3D technology with highest standards.
Director more added that Syra’s character is as well full of positive and heroic vibes. Movie is almost 40% complete and onwards in Northern hillstation of Pakistan. Makers faced many problems because there was no history that relates to super heroes criterea in Pakistan, but they are pretty sure that final product will make Pakistanis proud! Shooting of the movie started 7 months ago and will be complete by the mid of 2017. We really hope makers justify the first attempt for super hero film!
Pakistan Film Festival New York is no doubt a star studded event, Our celebrities glammed up the night of Pakistan’s very first Film Festival in New York. The event was full of style and glamour, two-day event begin on Friday night with celebrities including Sanam Saeed, Frieha Altaf, Mehreen Jabbar, Saba Qamar, Yasir Hussain, Mahira Khan, Sheheryar Munawar, Wajahat Rauf, Mawra Hocane, Tooba Siddiqui, Adeel Hussain, Sabiha Khanum and many more.
Top rated Pakistani movies will be screened over the weekend. Movies include Dobara Pher Se, Lahore Say Aagay, Actor in law, Pakistan’s Oscar nomination, Mah e Mir, Oscar award winner Sharmeen Obaid’s animated film, Bahadur, Dukhtar, Dance Kahani and Ho Mann Jahaan.
There were lots of speculations about Mahira’s role in her Bollywood Debut Raees, earlier reports suggested that she will be replaced from the film but the makers of the film denied it considering it merely a rumor. But the controversy has still not ended, there are reports that Mahira’s role is going to be chopped though not completely, but her role has been chopped off to an extent in her Bollywood debut Raees opposite Shah Rukh Khan.
As per reports from Mumbai Mirror, a romantic scene and a song from Raees have been edited out and Mahira will not be going to India for any more shoots! She had already shot her part for the film early this year.
According to a source close to the development, Mahira had two songs but will now have to be content with just the one that has already been canned. A romantic sequence between SRK and her has also been chopped off. The story mainly revolves around SRK and Nawazuddin Siddiqui so it was not difficult to trim her scenes.
The After math of India Pakistan conflict has turned out to be long lasting, First it was Fawad’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and now it’s Mahira’s Raees caught up in the conflict. The trailer of Raees releases this December 7 and the film will release worldwide on January 26, 2017.
This was another emotional episode of Khuda Mera Bhi Hai which once again showed the feelings of the main leads in particular faultlessly. Although Mahi was the star of the show tonight and undoubtedly the best thing about this drama so far, but I must say that I absolutely love the way Zain’s feelings have been translated on screen too. Somehow I find it impossible to dislike Zain the way I would normally dislike a father who is not able to love his own child mainly because of the fact that the writer and the director have done a commendable job of showing that this is something beyond Zain. They have told Zain’s side of the story just as honestly as that of Mahi. Mahi’s love towards her child is relatable not only because she is his mother but also because Mahi has always been shown as someone who will never abandon anyone who needs her. She did not abandon her best friend and a kid who needed her help therefore it is only natural for her to feel this way about her child who she knows will need her help and support for being accepted by the society. Her baby has only been in the world for a few days but he has already been rejected by his own father and immediate family members. This would be added incentive for someone like Mahi to do something extraordinary. Mahi’s character has been beautifully etched-out; she is strong and sensible. It is always great watching dramas with strong female leads but watching a mother fight for her child is even more endearing since very often in our dramas we see heartless and helpless mothers who are impossible to relate to.
Mahi’s final conversation with Zain before she leaves the house was my favorite scene of tonight’s episode. Aisha Khan’s acting in particular was exceptional in that scene and the dialogues were right on point. Everything Mahi said went to show that she was out of the emotional phase and she was back to being herself, someone who did not let her feelings cloud her judgment of the situation she was in. She did not hate Zain for feeling disgusted around their child but she understood that their way of thinking was entirely different and she hoped that some day Zain will learn to accept their child. Zain feels like a victim because he thinks he has been wronged, he feels he is the one who needs Mahi’s support more than their child but Mahi does not feel that way at all. Mahi knows she is this child’s mother and she has to do whatever she can to make him feel loved and wanted.
This drama has two mothers, Mahi and her mother, who are strong and sensitive at the same time and then there is also Arshi who has been shown as a bully who feels sorry for herself very often because people around her do not give her their approval! Although Zain is not as negative as his mother but he has a few things in common with his mother. He is not very open-minded even though he has a lot of exposure just like his mother. Arshi got plenty of screen time in this episode as well. Irsa Ghazal is a versatile actress who is doing exactly what was expected from her and I love her dress sense but I can’t help but wonder why Arshi is being shown saying the same things repeatedly to different people! Her scenes are highly repetitive and her character is one-dimensional.
The writer and the director of Khuda Mera Bhi Hai have paid attention to detail which makes it easier for the viewers to relate and connect to the characters. There are many dramas in which the viewers are constantly trying to figure out how a character feels about a particular situation and a lot is left to the viewer’s imagination which can at times be confusing but in this drama you get to see and hear every conversation which you would want to. The conversation between Mahi and Zain’s father was one such exchange which for a change reflected Mahi’s fears which she did not talk about with anyone else, not even her best friend. This man is not just her boss and father in law but also someone she can show her vulnerability too, with everyone else Mahi is a strong person therefore she does not share her worries with anyone else.
This was one of my favorite episodes of Khuda Mera Bhi Hai, it was logical, emotional and everyone performed really well. This is turning out to be one of those rare plays in which all the actors are completely into their roles and giving their best performances. Apart from the loud make-up everything else about this play is perfect so far.
The preview of the next episode showed Mahi coming back to work, it also showed Zahir proposing Sanam and Mahi trying to fight her fears. I am eagerly looking forward to the next episode.
How many of you watched this latest installment? Do share your thoughts about it.
Film Saya e Khuda e Zuljalal which is all set to release on December 16, released it’s first video song. The film is directed by Umair Fazli and produced by Jehan Films and AR Productions explores Pakistan’s history, beginning from its Independence in 1947 up to the present day. It is written by Tauseef Razaque and Inam Qadri. The very first song made it clear that the film is not just going to be about action or war but it will be a blend of emotions, love and patriotism.
Hamza Ali Abbasi who has always been quite expressive and has a massive fan following, is back in the game with a new show, BOL News Headquarters. He was expected to give an overview of all the news in an exemplary and ethical manner but the critics were not quite happy with the choice of guests made.
Since Hamza opened the show with “Welcome to BOL News Headauarters, a place where we aim to provide news without any masala and bias.” had given lots of hopes to the viewers. A leading website had recently questioned the show since it was appearing more like a PTI promotional campaign. The first and second guests of the show were Firdous Naqvi, founder member of PTI and Sher zaman, senior Vice President PTI, the show then went on to criticize the government, and numerous other political parties from the PTI’s point of view.
But Hamza who might have known or not known about the allegation, intentionally or unintentionally cleared all the misconceptions with his facebook status.
We hope this show doesn’t turn out like every other typical show.
To pay tribute to the legendry singer, EMI Pakistan held an exclusive premiere of Gul-e-Daudi. Gul-e-Daudi is a reflection of Madam’s life. Movie exists of 15 minute duration. Indeed the voice of Noor Jehan takes us away in a magical trance, & blows the mind of the listeners.
Speaking on the occassion Zeeshan Ch & EMI Pakistan exposed their feelings that being a part of this incredible initiative.Screening of the short film was followed by panel discussion. Malika-e-Tarannum not just conquered te hearts of millions, she indeed made the history in Sub-Continent’s musical era. She recorded over 10,000 songs in different languages Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Sindhi.
The short film is an exertion to refresh the golden era of Pakistan’s musical devotion towards Sub-Continent. The makers tried to enhance the beauty of her music through latest vocal techniques & visuals. Gul-e-Daudi will be screened at British Counsil at 3rd December!
Ohkay so, even though this episode of Seeta Bagri was interesting, I am not too sure about the way the director has taken things forward because where at hand I was feeling a lot for one character, I was a bit too unsure about the feelings of other characters too. It is always good for a drama to have a good pace but it surely becomes a drawback when things happen in such a jiffy that important events aren’t elaborated properly.
Just because Badrinath told Seeta how he thinks Ratan should get married to Nandini, Seeta immediately backed out because she thought things through & every little thought of hers told her that this was probably the most favorable situation for Ratan as he needs someone’s support at this moment. It was beautifully showcased how Seeta was struggling hard to let go of someone she loved so deeply, but also trying to make herself stronger because she knew she had no other option left. Seeta has seen how hard Ratan has been struggling & he is almost at a point of breaking down because things are getting out of his hand, so in this situation, if there’s one person who could help him or take care of him, it is Nandini. Seeta knew that if she plans her future with Ratan, Ratan will have nothing but a little more worries added to his account as he knows Badrinath wants someone well-settled for Seeta & even Seeta desires being with such a life partner who is at least educated & does well for himself & Ratan’s situation wouldn’t allow him to achieve any of that as he was not in a position to. It was a well thought out plan that pushed Seeta to the conclusion where she had to understand that moving away from Ratan’s life was in fact the best favor she could do to him.
Now talking about Nandini’s feelings. To be honest, when her character was introduced, I thought that she was just a hopeless romantic who got infatuated with Ratan but may be after seeing his emotional inclination towards Seeta, she will back out & that’s all that I could deduce from her character but to be honest, to see her falling in love with Ratan that too so madly didn’t seem convincing enough. It’s like the director didn’t give me anything to understand what Nandini was thinking or what was it about Ratan that made her fall in love with him to such an extent, in such a short span of time because honestly, in this episode when I heard her confessing her love to Ratan, I found it a bit too fake & dramatic. I think where Seeta’s feelings were made pretty clear, the director didn’t really give much thought into the fact that he should establish Nandini’s thought process too.
As much as I like Badrinath & the bond that he shares with Seeta, I didn’t understand one thing, which was, that he immediately read Nandini’s mind & intentions that she was interested in Ratan, even though it’s been a few days that she came to live with them, so how come Badrinath never saw the love Seeta had in her eyes for Ratan? Fathers, especially those who are a single parent & share a very strong bond with their daughters are very very intuitive & they actually have the prowess of reading through their children’s thoughts, so I am not really sure how come he couldn’t see what was in Seeta’s mind?
Overall, this entire episode was quite decent but just the way things have been taken forward seemed a little unsatisfactory. Ratan & Nandini’s marriage came out of nowhere too because at one hand Ratan was dying to be with Seeta but just a single conversation with Badrinath, Nandini & even Seeta was enough for him to forget all about the love he had in his heart for Seeta? I am sure things will still be difficult for Nandini because Saeen won’t leave her alone & it will give rise to a new set of problems that both Nandini & Ratan being her husband would have to face. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Seeta Bagri!
The extremely talented girl of Sanam Teri Qasam will be seen very soon on our television screen! Hum tv casted Mawra Hocane in ‘Sammi’. Drama is inspired by Noor-Ul-Huda Shah’s writing Sammi. Resources say that Adnan Siddiqui is is casted against her, actors have shared the screen two time before in Hum tv’s serials.
Actress shared her look for serial with her fans.
After big hit ‘Udaari’ hum tv again is unrevealing the rich culture of Pakistan,it is axpected that drama will be more closer to nature. Wardrobe for Mawra is particularly designed by Zainab Chottani.
Serial is shot in Rahim Yar Khan, actress as well admired rich culture of Pakistan sharing some of artistic symbols of region.
Pakistani serials are proving to fareless medium of expression, so the actors. Pakistan indeed stand on the global maps for different, realistic & symbolic captions. We encourage Hum Tv for such serials that in real sense expose the culture & tradition of Pakistan.
Film Balu Mahi is directed by Haissam Hassan and produced by Sadia Jabbar. It is scheduled for release in 10th February 2017 with a star cast including Osman Khalid Butt, Ainy Jaffri and Sadaf Kanwal. The teaser of ‘Balu Mahi’ was recently released and it opened to mixed reviews. Fans of the leads were quite excited watching the teaser since it had lots of elements to offer but the critics think Bollywood film seemed like an inspiration to the makers of Balu Mahi.
The teaser and the motion poster was said to be having resemblance with those of Sanjay Leela Bhansali Films. And much like most of the critics, we felt that too but the leads of the film thinks otherwise. According to the leads the movie is based on our culture and is miles apart from anything that exists in an Indian movie.
Talking to HIP, one of the most favorite actors, Osman Khalid Butt, felt that the comparison may have been complimentary but no imitation had been done.
“The comparison is a compliment, but this is the style of the director Haissam Hussain. He is a visionary and he has shot the movie using open frames. Pause the teaser anywhere and you will see that each frame looks like a painting. Maybe that’s how people drew comparisons,” Osman said.
Assuring HIP that Balu Mahi is unique in its own way, he explained,
“The story is for our society and has a message of women empowerment. It’s not influenced by Bollywood story wise.”
Ainy Jaffri, who was disappointed about her upcoming movie being called a copy, also explained that though the comparison is a huge compliment since millionaires fund a Bhansali film, Balu Mahi isn’t based on any other movie.
“We didn’t realize the posters were similar till people started pointing it out,” she revealed. “The fact is, we share the same history with India, our culture, music, and weddings are similar too. Hence, our movies end up appearing the same, and this is the first films in years that look as good as a Bollywood film aesthetically. Even if the song reminds you of Bhansali’s films, the rest of the story has nothing to do with his movies,” she stated.
Speaking on his character in the movie, Osman shared with HIP,
“Bilal is a man on a mission. He has come back from England and he is driven, that is until his world falls apart,” he explained, “When he meets Mahi, he is drawn to her exuberance and optimism. Because of her he begins to see life in a different way.”
Shedding light on her role, Ainy shared,
“Mahi is an independent, fierce and passionate girl of today. Her character resonates with a lot of young girls from Pakistan who want to carve their own future,” she explained.
According to her, Mahi will be a role model to many women and will motivate them to break out of the chains of society.
“She respects her traditions and culture but doesn’t just follow norms that she feels are not right,” further revealed Ainy. “The movie is her journey of self discovery and brings her closer to the goals she wants to achieve,” she concluded.
When asked how the audience will react once the movie is released, both the lead actors remained nervous yet hopeful, and interestingly, not cocky at all. After all, it’s our down-to-earth stars that make us fall in love with them.
“I’m nervous since it’s my first movie and my character was quite challenging, hence I put in a lot of hard work to get the role right. I am grateful to be chosen for such a fresh film.” Like us, he also feels that Ainy Jaffri and her beauty in this movie will pull audiences towards the cinemas, “Ainy has done a magnificent job and people will go to the cinemas to watch her,” the actor stated.
Ainy Jaffri, who believes that her hard work must be reciprocated by fans also said,
“I can’t predict how they will react to the movie but I hope the audience recognizes our hard work and the movie ends up doing well.One thing I know for sure is, that people will go to watch this visually striking masterpiece. And there will be a lot of surprises and twists in store for them,” concluded Ainy Jaffri.
Shooting of the movie began in May 2013, but got delayed because of director’s polictical activities. As we all know Hamza Ali Abbasi is a political activist. Anyways, the first look teaser was released on 7th Feb 2014 & movie will be released in 2017.
Sheheryar Munawwar,Shafqat Cheema, Hamza Ali Abbasi Sohai Ali Abro, Himayun Saeed, Saba Qamar, Gohar Rasheed starrer movie is an action-comedy based entertainment!
Hamz Ali Abbasi will be seen playing a Pakhtuun character, we’re already excited to see how he is going to portray the character.
Cast of the movie speaks itself. Sohai Ali Abro herself an incredible actress & dancer! audience will also love to Shafqat Cheema as a comic role in upcoming movie! Movie is produced under the banner of ARY. In an interview to newsdesk, Hamza admitted that shooting was delayed because of his political activities. He also added that film is now into post production and we will handover it to ARY to release it whenever they deem fit.
