Amitabh Bachchan the living legend of India, talking to BBC Urdu about his career and Pakistani dramas.
https://vimeo.com/118207452
Rashid Nazir Ali
Sadqay Tumhare – Episode 17
The last part of this episode was just plain shocking – I am not sure what to think. All I have for you are theories so bear with me! And feel free to share your own theories too. Rasheeda planned everything perfectly but I must say that I never saw it coming! Rasheeda knew that Shano will do exactly what she did and this is obviously what she wanted too but why?? I am still finding it hard to believe that Rasheeda actually wanted to see Shano and Khalil together or is it something entirely different? I was very surprised at Rasheeda’s short-sightedness and I kept on thinking all through tonight’s episode that she really should have known better. Shano is not the kind of girl who would have gone ahead with such an arrangement but I guess Rasheeda knew that only too well. I have no idea what the writer had in mind but I personally feel that there could be two completely different reasons for what Rasheeda did tonight. If the writer wants to make a hero out of Rasheeda then the reason could be that having been through so many relationships with men who were very selfish, Rasheeda wanted to ensure that Khalil was willing to go the extra mile in order to have Shano in his life. The second reason could be that Rasheeda hates Khalil so much and she wants to hurt Abdur Rehman so desperately that she wants Khalil dead and this was the only way to make it happen. Until now we have not seen an ounce of positivity in Rasheeda’s character therefore I am finding it extremely hard to look at her as someone who wanted to see Shano happy because the outcome of this whole situation can be extremely ugly. Someone like Rasheeda would surely know that someone could get murdered if Shano and Khalil eloped or Shano could have committed suicide if the nikkah took place.
Shano and Khalil’s love story has come a long way; there was a time when these two were naive enough to think that they could spend their lives loving each other even if they could never spend a life together but they have a more realistic approach now mainly because of Rasheeda’s attitude and Mansoor’s constant reality checks. I must say that I have always found Khalil and Shano’s faith in their love very endearing. Being able to connect with all the characters and happenings has to be the primary reason why watching Sadqay Tumhare is always a wholesome experience. Watching some of my favorite actors playing one of the best roles of their lives is another aspect of this play which makes it special in my eyes. Sammiya Mumtaz tops the list in that department.
“Us pur mehrbani karo vo buhat khush rakhe ga usay”…maulvi sahab can see something Shano’s parents are incapable of seeing or choose not to see or maybe something which Rasheeda saw all along. We saw Amin pleading Khalil’s case in one of the previous episodes and while he did so he also was of the opinion that there was absolutely no reason for them to refuse this proposal except that Rasheeda was not happy with it! Well, all that is ancient history now! Rasheeda takes the concept of living in the past to a whole new level. The realization that she might not see Abdur Rehman again hit her hard but God knows what was brewing in Rasheeda’s mind all along! Bechara Fayyaz he was incharge of handling the nikkah function of the girl he wanted to marry once and he seemed to be quite okay with it too!
The preview of the next episode promises more filminess and action. Right now I am only interested in finding out if Khalil and Shano manage to tie the knot and what was Rasheeda thinking?? Mahira Khan has proved with her performance in this play that sometimes body language and facial expressions can convey much more than dialogues can. The glances that Shano and Khalil share instantly tell you what they are thinking and how they feel. Sammiya Mumtaz is talent personified and Rehan Sheikh has brought out the best in his character. Some very interesting characters and brilliant performances are what I look forward to every week while I wait for Sadqay Tumhare. Tonight’s episode however has left me with tons of questions, I am sure I am not the only one who is wondering what Rasheeda’s true intentions were!
Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.
Fatima Awan
Fawad Khan won’t star in Bollywood flick “Udta Punjab”
The Khoobsurat star had allegedly replaced Ayushmann Khurrana in the Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhaat starer Udta Punjab. According to reports, Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh will now be playing Kareena’s hero.
The plot of the thriller revolves around the issue of drug abuse in Punjab.
Main AFSURDA- Episode 21!
Main AFSURDA– I think this would have been the most suitable title for this play because now it’s not just our protagonist who is afsurda, this time around EVERYONE (except for Sania I guess) was sooo afsurda that when the episode finally ended, I found myself so afsurda that I don’t think anyone having a great day should tune to this play because they’ll end up feeling very afsurda and I know the over-usage of afsurda is irritating but the thing is that I am feeling soo afsurda that I can’t think of any other word because: ARY IS DOING IT AGAIN! They’re about to ruin a play some of us used to wait for. This was one full-of-loopholes, boring and above all- AFSURDA episode. The recent turn of events is bugging me this much because I had quite a lot expectations from this play and now to see the story going downhill like this- it’s shattering! My eyes beg for some sweet scenes and my ears beg for some sweet dialogues but all we know up till now is that Bushra is crying, Sabiha is nazrain churay-ing, Shayan is sleepy and Sania is excited (for her marriage to a guy who loathes her presence and makes it quite obvious too but madame abhi tak issi kashmakash mein hain kay un ka to-be-hubby un say muhabbat karta hai ya naha?!!).
First things first, whatever happened to ‘kal tak tumhe apni har baat ka jawaab miljayega’?? I mean, the first few scenes indicated that Shayan will break the news to Sania and I was waiting for the ‘kal’ in question but guess what? I kept waiting! Even though Shayan did approach Sania once and obviously he intended to spill the beans but the whole scene ended rather abruptly and with a stinging smile and ‘ab koi jawaab matter hi nahe karta ‘, she walked out- just like that! At one point she was begging for an explanation as to what’s the reason behind Shayan’s berukhi but when she put tissue and tissue together (LOL, you gotta admit the girl has Sherlock-like skills ;) ) and figured out that there’s something fishy going on between him and Bushra, she left the conversation in the lurch- this tells you what kind of person she is. She is the sort of person who likes to live in an ideal world of hers where everything is according to her plans and even though she herself has come to realize that Bushra is someone special for Shayan, the thing is that she doesn’t have the heart to hear this from Shayan in person- she just can’t face the truth. You know, I don’t get why every single person in this play is sooo slowww! I mean, why couldn’t Shayan tell her the truth right when she asked him? Yeh ‘kal’ ka intezaar kyunnnnn? Shayan always came across as a level-headed person and I expected him to voice the truth without chickening out but I’m afraid he is not exactly taking charge of the whole situation. And yesss, why couldn’t they SHOW Bushra and Shayan in a restaurant, enjoying some light-hearted moments, matlab, itna sukh tou viewers ko mil hi sakta tha yaar!
(see below) Bubbly ka advert match aur Sania- perfect match, huh?
Another person who is proving to be a HUGE disappointment is Sabiha!! I mean, remind me again, isn’t she the woman who got Bushra and Shayan married in the first place? Now that the situation is getting out of hand, it’s actually Sabiha’s responsibility to say the truth out loud. I know that she’s concerned about Sania’s mother but would it do any good to marry Sania to Shayan just because of her dying mother’s last wish, only to find Shayan and Sania leading a troubled marital life in future? All this time she was like, ‘Bushra tou meri beti hai, Bushra tou meri zindagi hai’ but now when Bushra is likely to have a nervous breakdown (all jokes apart, I am actually worried about Bushra’s health), Sabiha is behaving as if Bushra doesn’t even exist! I for one didn’t spot her consoling Bushra and reminding her that they’re going to deal with this together. Well, I’m veryy concerned about Bushra because the circumstances she finds herself in are exceptionally difficult to cope with and if she loses her mind, I for one wouldn’t blame her! I loved the play when the focus was solely on Bushra, her struggles, her triumphs, her failures but look where we are right now!
Shayan always looks so constipated, Bushra has ‘I am the saddest person in the whole, wide world’ written all over her face while Sabiha always has this sheepish look on her face like she’s hiding something but isn’t it strange that Sania’s parents aren’t the least bit worried why their daughter’s to-be-susraali are anything but happy for the approaching wedding bells? Shukar hai atleast Sania commented that Yahan sab ka muu dekh kar tou lag hi nahe raha kay yahan shadi honay wali hai but even that remark was made very casually. Sania and Shayan are poles apart and I don’t know why in the world Sania fell head over heels in love with Shayan. I know that opposites attract but when Shayan is with Sania, he’s always so expressionless and insipid that I don’t know what compelled Sania to fall in love with him. WHY are girls portrayed so desperateee in our serials these days? If a guy doesn’t like you and you’re a girl with even an ounce of self-respect in you, you’d think twice before obsessing over a guy who has got eyes for someone else!
On the other hand, Sofia puts two and two together and a call from Fazeela confirms her suspicions about Faraz’s disappearance. They wasted quite some time in showing the longg series of flashbacks in Sofia’s ‘putting two and two together’ sequence but when it came to the interesting part, i.e. Fazeela’s call- we didn’t even get to hear all of it! I really wanted to know what Fazeela knows about Faraz and oh, I was expecting them to show Faraz’s accident a lot earlier but at the last minute of the episode, Shayan just received a call from someone informing him about Faraz’s accident and nothing was revealed after that. Going by Sofia’s expressions, I think she finally knows what actually happened between Faraz and Bushra and I wonder what’d be her next step.
The promo suggests that the next episode will comparatively be more happening so let’s see! I want to know what you folks think of the episode, so please share your thoughts!
Maryam Mehdi
Babar Khan got married again!
Babar Khan and Sana Khan’s wedding was like a fairytale come true. This dreamy marriage took place in December 103, unfortunately these two adorable people were not meant to be together for long. Sana Khan died in a terrible car accident and Babar Khan was in the ICU for a long time. The whole experience left this actor so shaken that he did not even give any interviews after that even though many talk show hosts wanted to interview him.
Babar Khan has started a new life almost two years after that tragic accident. He recently got married to his cousin Bisma Khan who is a student of grade 10. Only this picture of the newly-wed couple is available at the moment.
Babar Khan 2nd Wedding Pictures
Meray Khuda, new drama on Hum Tv
Meray Khuda is a new drama starting from 2nd February 2015 on Hum Tv at 9:10 PM from Monday to Wednesday every week.
Cast: Sumbul Iqbal, Ali Agha, Jawaid Sheikh, Nimra Khan, Saba Faisal, Mehmood Akhter
Writer: M. Asif
Director & Producer: Barkat Siddiqi
https://vimeo.com/118194837
Rashid Nazir Ali
Hamza Ali Abbasi declined the offer of a Bollywood film
Last week a Bollywood film Baby starring Akshay Kumar in lead role was not given a censor certificate. Fakhre Alam the head of Sindh Censor Board commented the film as anti-Pakistan and anti-Muslims. The film also starred two Pakistani artists Rasheed Naaz and Meekal Zulfiqar.
While the participation of Pakistani artists in this film is still debated on social media, Hamza Ali Abbasi, has also released a statement about the film Baby. As per Hamza,
“I was offered this Indian film BABY last year and i immediately said no to it seeing a slight anti Pakistan element in its storyline”
Here is the full statement by Hamza
Rashid Nazir Ali
Glamour_ Is it good or bad?
Glamour_ in dramas is often discussed, with mix opinions. It has, after all, became an important part of our shows. Some say it should be completely eliminated, while others don’t seem to mind it. However, glamour isn’t completely good or bad. It depends on what you put in with it. Here are reasons why it is good or bad:
Why it’s good:
- It makes the drama attractive: Amazing wardrobe, perfect makeup and hairdo, well-furnished houses and sporty cars. All of these would make the viewers sit down and marvel at them. Admit it, you watched Bashar Momin partly because of the glamour. You probably loved Rudaba’s dresses and makeup, Bashar’s expensive suits and his house decor. Who didn’t?
- It makes the viewers happy: Beautiful people, dressed in the best attire, living lavish lives in their mansions, who don’t have tears on their faces all the time (like the roti dhoti heroines) are pleasant to watch. We don’t want to see people with museebaton ke pahaar on their shoulders. Instead, we love to see happy people, with happy lives.
- It assists the story: It really does. If the story is good, adding glamour to it is like adding sugar to a dessert. The right amount of it will enhance the writer’s handwork and garner viewership. Take Bashar Momin, for example. In the beginning I liked the non-saas-bahu story. How I lost my interest in it because of dragging is another story.
Why it’s bad:
- It could be overdone: An over sugary dessert is a torture. The recent example is Sultanat-e-Dil. How everybody’s makeup remains unmoved in every scene is beyond me. Even the mothers have so much makeup on that it becomes intolerable. Men wear the worst shades and designs of sherwanis ever created. Drama makers need to know that “glamour” doesn’t mean that they put in everything they can into the drama. At least consider what is easy on the eyes of the audience.
- Glamour+Crap story+overacting= Disaster: Yes, you cannot expect viewers to like a poorly written and not-thought-out script just because you happened to rent a good location or dressed up the actors well. This is like adding sugar to bugs. You can’t make them eatable no matter what! As I mentioned before, the dragging and over acting made me lose interest in Bashar Momin.
What is your opinion on this?
Areeba Mohsen
World Cup 2015 song by Coke Studio
Cricket World Cup 2015 is starting from next month. Coke Studio a prestigious name associated with Pakistani music has released a special world cup song on this occasion featuring various artists like Jimmy Big Ears, Amina Shaikh, Adnan Malik, Asrar, Atif Aslam, Bilal Maqsood and Faisal Kapadia
https://vimeo.com/118131076
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k360bpQfIamDXl9ZzHC?start=159
Rashid Nazir Ali
Do you want multiple seasons in dramas?
I know that I do. Why not?
Pakistani dramas are known for their realistic touch and thought provoking nature (at least before we got the doosri biwis). They don’t normally have more than one season, except a few. Most of PTV’s classic dramas have had just 13 episodes. Even now, a lot of shows end before 30 episodes.
Why is this?
This is because our dramas all focus on giving a lesson. They complete their task, and then they end. But, is giving lessons all that television is about?The answer is no. I personally appreciate dramas that give a good (and DIFFERENT) message to the audience. Giving a message is a part of entertainment itself, but entertainment is not all about giving a message.
What to do?
Telling a story, whether simple or complex will make the audience fulfilled. But the “telling a story” trend is not practiced in our dramas. We have mostly stereotypical characters who are used to give us a message! So when I begin this discussion, about having seasons in dramas, I am not referring to the stereotyped shows, instead real dramas, which belong to genres like crime, action, history, horror, mystery and fantasy.
It’s just about how you execute it. The budget, the direction, the acting and the locations etc, all matter. Don’t put in extra cheesiness, don’t make the audience cringe, don’t put in roti dhoti heroines and oh yes, don’t drag the story and voila, a good drama is the result.
The pilot season:
When a writers write a drama with their heart and soul, they would want people to watch and appreciate their work. Billboards, promos and promotion on social network will garner viewers. But people can’t be compelled to watch something simply through the advertisements. We all know how promos lie. Until we haven’t gone through with a few episodes, we don’t and can’t make any judgments. So what’s the solution? A pilot season which is supposed to be 5-10 episodes long and gives the audience an insight into the show.
Remember Hum TV’s WOH? It had a 5-episode pilot season (which was really good) because the director wanted to experiment (a word that is unknown to most drama makers) and gather viewership for the main and second season. The experiment was a success, but the second season was totally monotonous and proved a disappointment.
An article published on dawn.com, named TV in Pakistan: Why can’t we have pilot seasons? said,
If a series is successful, it generates a lot of ad revenue through ratings. However, by the time this revenue comes through, the series has already completed its run.
Why not have a pilot season?
That way we test episodes with the target audience, based on their response, we green-light the good ones and shelf the others, preserving more funds for great content. Only good things will come of it.
Why we should have seasons:
The same article which I quoted earlier, said,
We tend to wrap up an entire show in one go. If a series is immensely successful, there is no capitalization on the business end.
This is true. A drama starts, and if it is good, it captures peoples’ attention. They spread the word among their friends and family and while they try to catch up, the show ends. Now if it had a pilot season, and after that, a month long break before the next season, people would have time to catch up. More revenue could be generated when the second season of the show is telecast. Now you know why our normal saas-bahu and doosri biwi dramas can’t have seasons. ‘Cuz no one would watch the second season that’s why!
There is no need to drag:
As I have said before, only genre-wise productions can be divided into seasons, but there is no need to have more than 2 or 3 seasons, unless the production is a series. A series, like India’s Aahat or America’s How I Met Your Mother has a different story in every episode, so there is no point of dragging until you run out of ideas.
However, we all know how Indian drama industry destroys its drama serials with dragging. Same goes for American drama industry, which drags shows like Revenge through 4 seasons and ruins their stories. It’s better for a serial to have 2 or 3 seasons.
There is however, one very important thing for drama makers to know. If they think that even one episode will be dragged then they shouldn’t bother to make any seasons. We don’t need prolonged tortures on our TV screens. This goes for Kaala Jadu, Mera Saein and WOH’s second seasons.
What do you think about this? Positive criticism and compliments are welcome :)
Areeba Mohsen
Zidd – Episode 06!
Hmmmm, in my opinion this episode failed to deliver completely. I now feel that the main leads have nothing much to offer that’s why the supporting cast is getting a lot more coverage than required. It was a completely filler sort of an episode with just a few bits & bobs that were revealed about all the characters.
So, seems like Saman has not come to terms with the betrayal yet. At the moment she is just wandering not only in the streets but in her life too. She has lost that drive, that motivation that she had & right now she is just completely depressed but knows that no one has ever been able to understand her, therefore, she is just keeping it to herself. On the other hand, Omar is trying really hard to make this marriage work & bring Saman back to normal but I don’t know if his constant reminders about his first marriage & Saman’s engagements are going to help at all? I just don’t understand why every conversation they have ends at a mention of their previous relationships? I didn’t quite understand what Omar was trying to imply by telling Saman that he hasn’t questioned her for being ‘engaged’ twice before & how much she was into those relations? I really think their track has become stagnant for now & isn’t offering much, plus I also have a feeling that it’s going to be like that because I don’t see anything coming either. As per my assumption; all there’s left in this track is for Saman to fall completely in loveee with her husband & ta-da, that’ll be the end.
I have always found Nousheen Shah a very effortless actor but somehow I feel she pushed herself too hard this time. May be this was her very first appearance in this drama, that’s why she was made to make it loud & in-your-face but it just didn’t deliver at all. She has wrecked her life, she hasn’t completed her degree & is jobless but I must say, for a jobless student, she does live in a fancy apartment. I think she’s up for no good & will somehow involve Saman in her life but it’s too early to be assuming things about her character, so I am ready to see what her story has to offer. For now, all I got to understand about her is that she doesn’t know how sugarcoat things & she is quite blunt as well.
I felt that the whole Pakistani student thing was very much forced in this episode. There were almost 3 – 4 conversations about him but the funny part is, his name wasn’t mentioned at all, so yes, I found the whole gumnaam student bit very boring because it just didn’t think he contributed to this episode at all except for dragging it to say the least. I must say, this is the very first time I’m getting to watch Rabab Hashim perform & I must say she has a bright future ahead because as it may seem; acting comes very naturally to her. I find her acting, her character & her aura very impressive.
So, it was Saman’s birthday but she chose to spend it with a random chummy guy who even photographed her & she didn’t seem to mind at all but she was seen awkward around her husband. Yes, I do understand that the sense of betrayal has knocked her down but we were made to believe that Saman knows how to troubleshoot things in her life, so why isn’t she at least trying to pick up the pieces & move on? Yes, headstrong people can be emotional, they can be weak too but it would be much appreciated if she takes control of the situation rather than roaming around aimlessly.
The preview suggested that we’re once again going to see a lot of drama happening in the supporting characters’ lives but I have a feeling that Saman will somehow connect to all of them because she has nothing much to do in her personal life. I think she will bond well with Qasim Uncle & I am interesting to see that because I like his character a lot & I think he will guide Saman, inspire her & will become a father figure for her, which’ll be great.
On a random note, it looks like all these ladies were made to do their makeup themselves & they’ve done a pretty hideous job there because no matter how novice a makeup artist is, they’d never make such mistakes in the makeup. Their foundations (except Nousheen’s) aren’t matching their skin-tones & they do need quite a bit of concealing which is completely missing from their faces. Anyways, share your thoughts about this episode please.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Why watching Tanhaiyan made me nostalgic for old Pakistani dramas?
A few months ago I bought a CD of the classic Pakistani drama ‘Tanhaiyan’. What I didn’t realize was how much it will impress and impact me. Tanhaiyan written by Haseena moin and directed by Saira kazmi. It is basically the story of two sisters Zara and Sania played by Shehnaz Sheikh and Marina khan respectively. I will not discuss the whole story here but rather aspects which impressed me.
First of all the well-knitted plot. There are no loose ends, no extra characters, no stretched storylines. Infact this serial doesn’t show EACH AND EVERY SCENE. Whether it was the death or funeral of the girl’s parents or Sania going out with Vida’s cousin. In this era where each and every tragedy is exploited for commercial gain this comes as a huge relief. The serial Infact looks like a carefully shot home video then a drama.
Second the Language. I fell in love with the way characters talked. Whether it was Farhan sahib ( Qazi Wajid), the witty dialogues of Husnat bhai (Late Jamshed Ansari) or The heroine Zara herself. These people talk in a mature way that shows we are listening to actual people talk in a normal way not in a dramatic style so popular in our dramas.
Third is the supporting cast and the interesting characters that they play. Whether it is the stingy Apa Begum giving charity when Zara had an accident to Zain’s fiancé Vida played brilliantly by Yasmin Ismail. In this era of jealousy. psychotic ex-fiancés and the infamous two women one man storyline can we imagine someone like her who is mature, confident and runs a business with Zara. She doesn’t sabotage Zara her Infact when she realizes that Zain has feelings for her she encourages him to accept them and moves on like a mature person unlike another Pakistani drama ‘cough Humsafar cough.’
There is also Qazi Wajid who is simultaneously an easy going man and one who assumes the role of a father figure to the girls but doesn’t impose himself over them. The serial is notable for strong female characters The fiercely Independent Aani and the brilliant heroine Zara who is driven and wants to regain her house. She accepts a proposal according to her own choice and later throws Saad Salman’s ring when she sees his real face. Zain’s father is also a great character he who gives hope to others.
The costumes and sets are also appropriate. There is no overdo or bright makeup. Everybody dresses according to their character. The background score composed by Arshad Mahmud is also beautiful. Finally an interesting tidbit. The man who played the Girls lawyer is also the husband of their screen mother Sultana Zafar in real life. I recognized him from Sultana Zafar’s interview on VOA. I think it was fairly common those days many supporting actors were played by part-time actors as that gentleman had another job.
On behalf of all Pakistanis I would like to say ‘ Can we please make serials like these once more?’
Talha Rizvi
Urain Ge Video Has 50 Stars In It
We already reported that Ali Zafar had gathered many different stars for the noble cause of making a video dedicated to the victims of Peshawar attack. The latest news from Ali Zafar is that this video will have as many as 50 Pakistani stars in it.
While talking to Express Tribune Ali Zafar said, “I didn’t want to be just going out and singing a song. I felt and thought that it was important to be sending out a message, which said that all of us, the entire nation, are together.”
It has not been revealed yet who are the other stars are apart from the ones whose pictures we have already posted. Meesha Shafi recently disclosed that she was part of the video too. The video has been directed by Bilal Khan.
Saba Hameed Cries For Pakistan
Nauman Ijaz’s show Mazaq Raat on Duniya TV took a very serious turn when one of the guests who was invited to the show could not control her true feelings and emotions about the state of affairs in the country. Saba Hameed who is very well known as an actress lashed out at all the politicians because of their mishandling of not one aspect in the country but many.
Saba Hameed could not control her tears when she described how badly the country was being run by the politicians. Saba Hameed said that the recent petroleum crisis was governance at its worse. She blamed not one political party but all. She said that if government was not doing its job then the opposition was equally wrong too. Saba Hameed said already after the Peshawar incident we are living in a state of fear. Parents already are scared to send their children to school and now there isn’t even enough petrol for their children to be in school.
Saba Hameed also said that her outburst was not going to help or effect anyone but she wanted to express her emotions any way because they were beyond her control. Saba Hameed like many Pakistanis is unsure about the future of Pakistan because it is a country in which people at the helm of affairs enjoy all the perks and the common man suffers. These people cannot understand common man’s problem because they have all the luxuries available at their beck and call.
Watch the video here:
The Doosri Biwi Cliché: You just can’t ignore it!
Love it or hate it, you just CAN’T ignore it. With numerous dramas based on this cliché, and more to come (I am not kidding) we are stuck with it for a long, long time. While having a conversation with my friends, I suddenly started to count all the doosri biwi dramas on-air right now, and then decided to share the list with you guys.
Monday (8:00 pm):
Doosri Biwi on ARY Digital:
Naam hi kaafi hai. It tells the story of Hassan who is happily married to Ayesha and has a daughter. He defends his colleague, Farah from her shukki fiance Amir, and as a result, she falls in love with him. Hassan falls in love with her, and marries her (after a lot of drama). Our talented reviewer Maryam Mehdi will keep you updated.
Monday (9:00 pm)
Ishq Mein on Express Entertainment:
Kahan se shuru hua thha, aur kahan agaya. This show started with the love story of Adnan and Samra, but when Adnan’s lawaaris cousin, Neha, got pregnant out of wedlock, he had to marry her to save her honour. This caused problems between him and Samra. Then, with a predictable twist, Samra’s mother passed away, and then in order to save Samra’s honour he married her as well. So now we can see the evil first wife destroying Samra’s happiness and since Samra is infertile, Neha gets all the attention. It is poorly directed and extremely dragged, not to mention, all the Indian drama influence!
Wednesday (8:00 pm)
Khataa on ARY Digital:
I won’t waste time explaining the flawed story. It’s a stupid love story-meets-saas bahu story-meets-doosri biwi story. The lead couple (Sanam Chaudry and Sheroze Sabzwari) does not have any chemistry. In recent episodes, Nomi (Shehroze) has gotten married to another girl owing to the saazishein of his mother against his first wife_ while she is pregnant!
Tum Mere Hi Rehna on Hum TV:
Another love story turned into doosri biwi story. Hum TV, just because you and ARY are the big channels and have a lot of competition , doesn’t mean you have to air equally crap dramas. TMHR does not have any good performances either, except Saba Hameed. Plus, the lead couple Mikaal Zulfiqar and Urwa Hocane are just not likeable anymore.
Thursday (8:00 pm)
Mehram on Hum TV:
The show was incredibly boring to begin with, so you can imagine how hard it would be to keep track of it after they introduced a second wife track. Besides, we all know either the first (bechari) wife will die in the end or the second wife will accept her.
Main Bushra on ARY Digital is on its way to become the next doosri biwi drama. I would love to be wrong about this one. The reviews will keep you updated.
Sultanat-e-Dil on Geo TV:
It will turn into a doosri biwi drama in a few episodes, as is evident from promos. Right now, the male lead has married his widowed bhabhi and sacrificed his love interest Anoushey, for the sake of his family values. Anoushey will obviously step in at some point. SeD is being reviewed on the site.
Saturday (8:00 pm)
Dil Nahi Manta on ARY Digital:
Goya was not a doosri biwi drama, in fact it was a pretty good romantic thriller, so ARY thought, “Hey, we made a mistake! How can we air a good drama at 8:00 pm?” Thus, Dil Nahi Manta, a major LOL-fest was shifted to the prime time slot. What’s so special in it, you ask? Well, this time the dude married two women simultaneously, with each of them sitting on his sides, while their parents shook hands and were glad that, chalo atleast their daughters got married.
Sunday (8:00 pm)
Nikkah on Hum TV:
Rohail has forgotten his bachpan ki mohabbat and the girl, Ayesha, whom he got married to before going to America. She is however still in love with him. He does not have the guts to tell his parents about his second wife so the only logical solution is to bring her to his parents’ home! How the story will unfold from their is pretty obvious. If the name is lame, the drama will be lame too.
The topic of a man marrying two women has been discussed on almost every channel. Even A-Plus has Jaanum and Kaneez and in both, the man is caught between two wives. so basically, EVERYDAY, we have one, two or three such dramas to watch. Can’t ignore ’em, eh? The score board is as follows:
For me, channels like Hum TV and ARY Digital, airing such dramas is totally intolerable. If ARY did not have Jeeto Pakistan for Friday and Sunday, I am sure we would have two more doosri biwi drama for these days. They are the big channels of Pakistan who have given us hit dramas. Telecasting these shows is unfair to their audience. They have no storyline and logic and are unbearable to the senses.
But we have two more upcoming dramas on ARY Digital, which are based on the same cliché.
1. Mamta:
2. Ishq Parast:
No rocket science required to figure that out!
Areeba Mohsen
Chup Raho – Episode 22
Numair aur Manal tu aise ghayeb huve jaise ghade ke sur se seengh!! Seriously how can these two simply disappear like this? I must say that while watching tonight’s episode I couldn’t help but wonder if Syed Jibran and Arjumand Rahim were enjoying their “vacation/break” from a drama in which they were playing major roles. Did any of these actors except Sajjal Ali sign a contract for the entire drama? Three characters have died, two are totally missing in action and we are supposed to be content with all these new tracks and perhaps forget Rameen’s past altogether! I wish forgetting where the story started from and where it was going was as easy for me as it is for Rameen and for the writer of course!
Once again I had a very difficult time relating to Rameen’s character. She was full of advices for everyone else but was stupid enough to get hold of a gun and sone pe suhaga was Shiraz’s reaction to the whole situation. He is obviously very well connected and fearless but with three children in the house you cannot just sit back and monitor the activities of someone who could potentially be a threat to your kids. Rameen’s concern for Shiraz’s children was totally in line with her character since she loves protecting others even though most often she cannot protect herself but the way Shiraz’s mother fell in love with Rameen was something that simply does not happen!
When Rameen realized what a big shot Shiraz was I found her reaction hilarious. I hate to repeat myself but sometimes Rameen seems like a mature person (especially when advising others) but at other times she acts like a nine year old! Rameen helped Shiraz understand his daughter and seems to be the guardian angel which Shiraz and his kids needed in their lives. Yes I agree these two people need each other, Shiraz can give Rameen the security she needs and Rameen can be a nanny to his children – I really hope that things don’t go beyond that because somehow I am not warming up to the idea of this man with three kids getting married to a kid!
When I started watching Chup Raho, I thought that this drama was going to focus on the psychological impact of rape more than anything else. We have been watching Rameen fight a battle right from day one, there is no denying that but we hardly got a chance to feel for Rameen’s character the way we could have had if the focus really was on showing how difficult it is for a rape victim to cope not only because of external pressures but also because of the war such a victim has to fight with her own self. Most of us have been watching this play not to see a happy ending for Rameen but to watch Numair pay for ruining Rameen’s life but Numair’s character has vanished into thin air. It will hopefully reappear at some point but I feel that the story which wasn’t very focused to begin with has totally gone off-track. Is it really this easy for a rape victim who has not only been molested but also tortured in more ways than one to move on? I most certainly do not think so! Even the strongest of women are shaken after such incidents but the strength that Rameen has been showing is nothing less than a superpower. Can we please end this drama already? I did not watch the preview of the next episode – will we be seeing Numair and Manal anytime soon or not? I guess not because according to ARY Chup Raho’s rating is the reality that make all the difference!!
Fatima Awan
Alvidaa, first teaser is out
Alvidaa ( الوداع) is an upcoming play on Hum TV to be aired on Friday or Saturday upon conclusion of currently aired dramas.
Starring: Imran Abbas, Sanam Jung, Naveen Waqar, Ahmed Ali, Feroz Khan, Mahmood Aslam, Sara Khan. Producer: Momina Duraid.
Writer: Sameera Fazal
Director: Shehzad Khan
Here is the first teaser
https://vimeo.com/117928210
Rashid Nazir Ali
Dayar-e-Dil will air on Fridays after Sadqay Tumharay
With a stellar cast, amazing direction and production value and breath-taking locations, Dayar-e-Dil will air soon after Sadqay Tumharay. The Friday night show on Hum TV, has received mixed views from the audience but will the audience be completely won over by Dayar-e-Dil? We have yet to find out.
Meanwhile, let’s have a look at the cast’s photos:
Courtesy: Diyar E Dil Facebook Page
Areeba Mohsen
Dusri Biwi- Episode 9
Any Johnny Depp fans here? I’m sure many of you are aware of this Hollywood star but don’t get excited- he has nothing to do with Dusri Biwi :P. It’s just that there’s something he said that caught my eye: “If you love two people at the same time, choose the second because if you really loved the first one, you wouldn’t have fallen for the second.” I sensed the need to quote this because for what seemed like the zillionth time, we were reminded of the ‘fact’ that Hassan loves both his Biwi No. 1 and 2 because obviously, he is a wonderboy whose heart functions a bit too differently from the rest of the sane guys. I like how Ahmed corrected him then and there because this theory of loving two people at the same time is completely implausible and no one in their right state of mind would buy it!
Okay so truth be told- the writer wants Farah to win the title of ‘the most understanding and vulnerable dusri biwi in the history of dusri biwis’ because a large part of this episode involved a great deal of forced attempts to prove how mazloom Biwi No.2 really is. Her parents are out of town, a couple of burglars break into her house, she is dealing with threats from her sautan’s bhai & bhabi, she is not feeling well and on the top of it- she is starving herself just because she doesn’t want to bother Hassan with the monetary issues! But call me dheet or what, I still can’t feel a thing for her :3. She may be helpless right now but the bottom line is that she got herself into this of her own free will so that kills all the ‘sympathy’ the writer wants us to feel for her. On a side note, isn’t it shocking how Farah’s mother is perfectly content with the fact that her damaad is a bit preoccupied with his Biwi No.1- I mean, when did Pakistani mothers become so ‘chill’?
Ahmed is a caring brother and all, but I don’t think threatening Farah would do any good to Aisha because the fasaad ki jurr *drumrolls* Hassan won’t ever budge! He is stiff as a stone and what do you propose to do about a guy who can’t even feel any guilt pangs- I mean, isn’t that the least a person can do?! And now that Ahmed knows all about Farah, Hassan is bolder than ever and he has spilled the beans about him and Farah expecting a child. Since Farah is in ‘danger’, Hassan has to give her some extra attention and he is clearly having a hard time juggling multiple priorities. Well, with marriage comes great responsibility and you just happened to sign up for two such contracts so what do expect? I couldn’t help but smile triumphantly each time I saw him like this: (he deserves all the splitting headaches he can get :P)
And well, now a little something about our Biwi No.1 who is coping with a huge loss. It’s a surprise how Hareem Farooqui, despite being new to the industry, did quite an impressive job in portraying a bereaved mother’s feelings and emotions but as far as Fahad Mustafa is concerned, I think something was clearly missing and I didn’t find him as effortless and natural as I expected to but ofcourse, that’s my personal judgement and you guys can feel free to disagree :) Aisha should know better than to accept whatever excuses Hassan comes up with for spending the night out, I mean, office ki documents chori honay par puri raat bahar guzarna? She deems him perfect but tell me again, can a perfect husband leave his mourning wife all alone for one whole night when he should actually be there to lend her a shoulder to cry on? It is evident from Hassan’s behavior that Aisha isn’t on the top of his priority list and yet, Aisha says, ‘Mujhay darr lagta hai kaheen aap kay pyar mein kami na ajaye.’ Seriously, I felt like shouting: kami aa nahe rahi, kami aachuki hai!! Haan, if Aisha is too blind to notice that, tou there’s not much we can do!
So this is it from my end. You know, the play’s only saving grace has been its pace but the promo suggests that Amir will be joining us very soon and I fear that we are in for some very slow episodes. Did you watch the episode? Please share your thoughts!
P.S: I am soo sorry for not being able to post the reviews on time because my internet connection’s getting moody these days. Sorry! I hope you guys understand. Have a great day :)
Maryam Mehdi
Hamza Ali Abbasi And Ayesha Khan – More Than Friends?
Hamza Ali Abbasi shared screen with Ayesha Khan in the hit film Waar. While Hamza Ali Abbasi is relatively new in the showbiz circle, Ayesha Khan has been around for many years now. The News is that the two will be seen together in Hamayun Saeed’s upcoming film “Jawani Phir Nahi Aani”. This film will also mark the directorial debut of actor and producer Hamayun Saeed.
The cyber world is filled with news that these two co-stars might be more than just co-stars or even friends. Hamza Ali Abbasi and Ayesha Khan have been seen together on many different occasions. It is an easy guess that these two actors are very close to one another. Hamza Ali Abbasi and Ayesha Khan were also invited together on HSY’s talk show on HUM. Are they a couple? We will only know when these actors speak up.
Bin Roye Team is getting us excited!
Bin Roye, is an upcoming Pakistani romantic drama film which will be directed by Haissam Hussain and produced by Momina Duraid. It will be released under the banner of Hum Films. The cast members Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed along with President of Hum Network Limited, Sultana Siddiqui have made us excited for the movie.
Mahira Khan, last year, in an interview told The News about her character that,
I play the role of Saba, a complex character with shades of grey. It was a difficult role in terms of keeping a balance while portraying her emotions. There are many shifts in the moods of the character, which had to be conveyed with subtlety.”
She also informed why she chose this role:
Bin Roye was offered to me right after Humsafar. I had a choice and I decided that right now this is the best thing I could do. I liked the story.
Moreover, she hinted at a scene that “drove her crazy” and that there is music and dance in the film.
It had this one scene that kept me awake at night and drove me insane and I couldn’t not say yes.
I like my dance and song. And I have danced in Bin Roye
Humayun Saeed, who plays the male lead in Bin Roye, told Dawn News that,
Bin Roye is a romantic drama. But it will not just be a film; it will also be turned into a serial to be aired on Hum TV with the same cast.
Farhat Ishtiaq is a great writer and Humsafar did really well, but Bin Roye’s story is much more mature.
Director of Hum Network, Sultana Siddiqui told BBC Urdu about the project (translated from Urdu),
Bin Roye is a beautiful film. The topic is romance. Film is for entertainment purpose and I believe that the person who pays for it should leave happy.
She informed about her approach towards songs,
I am not against item songs but I refused them for the movie. I have adopted a cultural approach for the songs.
The heroine will not be wearing a jhoomar or teeka and keeping the makeup on all day like Indian heroines.
All of this is enough to get us excited for the movie and serial. What about you?
Areeba Mohsen
Aik Pal: Episode 10_ What a drag!
This drama did not start on a high note and it’s graph has fallen with the last few episodes. I am not backing out from what I said earlier. It was interesting before despite loopholes, but this episode was the worst so far. It was a BIG drag. The cover photo on Aik Pal’s page says, “Get ready for another hit serial.” Sorry for saying this, but “hit” shows have a great pace and amazing characters. I don’t see any good characters here except Mus’haf but his scenes are repetitive as well. There’s the cunning Omair, the clueless Bareera and her father, Noor Fatima who does everything without a proper plan, the annoying Raani and Shazi, Imran and his friend (whose annoyance level is far less than Rani and Shazi).
The story moved forward with a snail’s pace. It was everything we have seen in the last few episodes. Omair kept fooling Bareera and her Dad proclaimed him as the perfect husband for his daughter. Just few days of teemardari and his mind has changed. Omair has turned himself into a totally shareef person in front of Bareera and her father. On the other hand, Danish Taimoor and Areej Fatima do not click as a couple now. In the 6th episode (before the university was over), I actually enjoyed their scenes. They had good chemistry, but after the wedding they did not have a single cute moment. At least one wouldn’t have hurt! The post-wedding scene was ruined by the horrid dress and makeup of Bareera’s.
Despite all that, Danish Taimoor is no doubt impressive. He nails the bad guy look. See what I am talking about?
Rani is a super annoying person. The background music in her scenes needs to be changed ASAP. She kept bugging Mus’haf in the entire episode and that chauhdry (couldn’t catch his name) who is interested in her keeps teasing Mus’haf. Rani’s “concern” for Mus’haf, sending her friend to find out about Mus’haf’s health and wondering why Mus’haf did not come to teach her, were all a face palm. Haven’t we seen all this before?? Plus the chaudry kept threatening Mus’haf and the scenes became repetitive.
Shazi and her mother HAD to step in. Once again the discussions about Malik Sahab annoyed Shazi who has happily married Imran. This Malik Sahab is the most discussed character on the show. His banglow, car and other gifts are Shazi’s mother’s hope to survive! She is a despicable woman. Yes, she seems unbelievable, but I have heard enough from news channels to believe in the existence of such people. I don’t trust Imran at all. He will abandon Shazi and ruin Noor Fatima’s life as well (if she gets married to him).
Noor Fatima, very confidently, told her taaya and taayi to wait for two years after the Nikkah and for the first time she actually thought about something before opening her mouth. She will pursue her career and pay the qarz that her taaya has loaded on her family. But what after that? Is her “plan” clearly thought through? I don’t think so.
What did you think of the episode? Do comment your opinion.
Areeba Mohsen
Adnan Malik’s style story
Adnan Malik walked the ramp in Fashion Pakistan Week 2014 (in last quarter of 2014 in Karachi) for a hair styling brand Toni & Guy. The same brand has now released the video which was screened in FPW 2014 featuring Adnan Malik.
https://vimeo.com/117815257
Rashid Nazir Ali
What’s Currently Super Exciting to watch!
Okay so I thought that I should carry on with my trend to keep you guys updated in each Quarter as what is currently good to watch. In previous October-December 2014 quarter there were indeed many good dramas that went on air where some ended disappointedly like Firaaq and some in a perfect manner without being dragged like Shanakht.
It’s good to see that each succeeding quarter is better than preceding quarter and I am glad that even in this quarter we are encountering ourselves with the quality entertainment.
So what’s currently good to watch in this quarter?
Aik Pal: My drama week begin from HUM-TV mega project Aik Pal. Have you ever wondered why Dusri Biwi was promoted heavily by ARY DIGITAL despite having a monotonous storyline? The simple answer is just to compete Aik Pal. ARY exactly knew that it was hard to compete Aik Pal a drama whose facebook page received 0.2 million likes before even it goes on air. ARY wants TRP and they are finding it hard to compete Aik Pal on Monday. I am disappointed with Aik Pal team as they have revealed their whole story in OST video. Hence the story is interesting and I am happy with the pace but I am not curious anymore as what will happen next. This drama is ON-AIR on HUM-TV every Monday at 8.00 pm.
Zid: A new drama serial on HUM-TV which had replaced Shanakht. 5 episodes have been completed and I am enjoying it so far. I am glad that this topic is highlighted for the first time where we stand for our rights but others consider it as Zid because our way to ask for the rights is quite straight forward “Baat sahi thi tareeqa ghalat tha”. Production Quality is really good and I hope so will be the storyline. So those who are not watching it is recommended to watch this drama every Tuesday at 8.00 pm on HUM-TV.
Chup Raho: Rameen ke liye Arz kya hai “Aik sitam aur meri Jaan abhi jaan baqi hai” Does anyone know when this drama will end and up till when we have to face illogical twists in this drama. I had seriously no idea where this drama is heading and to be honest it is being dragged unnecessarily. Only Yasir Nawaz direction is keeping me hooked up and I am rooting for Numair to confess for his heinous crime otherwise I should have left watching it but still as I watch it on internet so there is a facility to keep forwarding unnecessary scenes ;-). I wonder what ARY will offer on Tuesdays when this drama will end in order to compete successfully with Zid. This drama is ON-AIR on ARY Digital every Tuesday at 8.00 pm.
Still nothing much exciting on Wednesdays still. Tum Mere hi Rehne failed to make an impact. I hope some channel will bring quality entertainment on Wednesday prime slot.
Main Bushra: “Mene qismat se buhat jangein lari hain aur kehte hain jise qismat baddua de de usse Ishq hojata hai aur jise ishq hojai usse kisi ki baddua nahi lagti”. So Moving on to Thursdays now I don’t know but there is something in “Main Bushra” drama that keeps you engaged either dialogues or pace. So far 20 episodes have been completed and anyone who wants to catch up with this drama again can watch it every Thursday at 8.00 pm on ARY Digital.
Sadqey Tumharay: Well I left watching this drama as it is not my cup of tea. Anyways no need to recommend as I am pretty sure most of the audience is still watching it every Friday at 8.00pm on HUM-TV.
Jackson Heights: This 24 Instalments drama might have dragged in between but now it has entered in exciting phase. The way Bhatti finally expressed his feelings for Salma reminds me of Sajjad Ali song “Chahe jis Mulk bhi jai, chahe jis shehar bhi jai mein hi Mahiwal hun tera sonhi meri gal sunja”. I am curious to know whether Sikandar will actually shoot Bhatti in next Installment or not. To stay tuned keep watching this drama every Friday at 9.00 pm on Urdu 1.
Digest Writer: I guess there is no need to recommend this drama as most of you are already watching it. However I do want to say one thing that for past few episodes this drama is losing charm which was there at start, this drama now seems to be like a typical saas bahu stuff. I do hope that Fareeda’s professional phase will be soon put on front. This drama is ON-AIR every Saturday at 8.00pm on HUM-TV.
Goya: Will I consider it currently the best drama on screen? This is something new and super exciting on-screen considering the fact how our dramas remain incomplete without prolong unnecessary wedding functions but you will not find as such thing in this drama. Another reason to love this drama is the cast, it’s good to watch young and old talent performing impeccably in this play specially I want to mention the short role of Adnan played by Gauhar Rasheed. Those who are still not watching this play, it is highly recommended to tune on to this play every Saturday at 9.00pm on ARY Digital. Previously this play is on-air on prime slot at 8.00pm but I don’t understand the strategy of changing the time. Is it just because to avoid competition with Digest Writer and to increase TRP?
There is nothing good on-screen on Sundays but yet another substandard drama “Nikah” revolving around two wives and all those wedding craps. However if you want to watch something hilarious then you can watch HUM-TV new sitcom Mr.Shamim every Sunday at 7.30pm.
So what are you watching nowadays?
Khuda Dekh Raha Hai, Coming Soon on APLus
Khuda Dekh Raha Hai (خدا دیکھ رہاہے)is an upcoming play on APlus. The play will be aired on Thursdays after completion of currently aired serial Jaanum (جانم). Earlier the play was named Istikhaara (استخارہ) however now it is changed to Khuda Dekh Raha Hai. The drama is directed by Sabiha Sumaar who is famous for award winning film Silent Waters (Khamosh Paani خاموش پانی). Sabiha also directed recently released film Good Morning Karachi . She has also directed a drama Mi Raqsam on Geo TV few years ago.
Cast
Bushra Ansari as Khalida
Sajal Ali as Zoya
Agha Ali as Junaid
Sana Askari as Sanam
Qazi Wajid as Akhtar
Imran Aslam as Adnan
Parveen Akbar as Hina
Asad Siddiqui as Moiz
Directed By: Sabiha Sumaar
Written By: Shahzad Javed, Afifa Muhammad
Produced By: Saadia Jabbaar, Alpha Productions
Khuda Dekh Raha Hai highlights the important issue of manipulating lives of people in the garb of religion, and in this story, the life of someone as near as your own daughter.
Khalida, a pious yet narrow minded woman who has brought up her children according to her own religious boundaries and is known for offering Istikhara for people faces the biggest challenge when her daughter wishes to marry a singer.
Will Khalida’s personal intentions take over her piety and make her forget that God is always watching?
https://vimeo.com/117808171
https://vimeo.com/116565747
https://vimeo.com/116669858
https://vimeo.com/116565745
https://vimeo.com/116565746
Rashid Nazir Ali
Sultana Siddiqi talks about upcoming film Bin Roye
Sultana Siddiqi is an iconic figure of Pakistani media industry. She is the only female head of a media house when she established HUM TV networks a decade ago.
Sultana talks to BBC Urdu’s host Fifi Haroon about her long successful journey, upcoming film project Bin Roye Aansoo and other aspects. Sultana said Bin Roye will not feature any item song. Asserting she is not against item song, but want to experiment with a movie without item song. Instead of item song, Bin Roye will feature song on traditional festivals and events like Chaand Raat, Mehndi.
https://vimeo.com/117736205
Rashid Nazir Ali
Humayun Saeed talks about upcoming projects and film making
Humayun Saeed talking to BBC Urdu’s host Fifi Haroon about his upcoming projects and contemporary film making
https://vimeo.com/117660472
Rashid Nazir Ali
HUM TV Brings “Drama Meter” Competition
HUM TV turned ten years old today. People from different walks of entertainment industry have been wishing HUM a very happy anniversary and HUM is busy in celebrations too. HUM has a special competition for its viewers by way of which they can win gift hampers.
HUM TV has challenged its viewers to think of names of as many HUM TV dramas as they can in one minute and upload their video on this link: http://www.hum.tv/dramameter/
There is an option to upload the video on the site on the left hand corner. Many stars expressed their appreciation for all the chances that HUM has given them. Actress Noor said that HUM was like a second home to her. Juggan Kazim also said that she always felt at home on HUM. Many of the stars mentioned names of different dramas from HUM, some which they have starred in them and some which they like.
So, who wants to be a part of this competition?
Mawra Hocane – Latest Pictures
Anyone who follows Mawra Hocane on Twitter and Instagram would know that Mawra is not only a very talented actress but she is also a young girl who believes in living life to the fullest. Mawra Hocane enjoys spending time with her family, likes working out and always wears a traditional outfit on Fridays. Mawra always keeps her fans posted on her activities. She posts pictures of her every day activities with and without make up. Mawra has been enjoying winters eating out, working and being happy. She appreciates that she is being acknowledged as one of the top newcomers. The January issue of Hello Pakistan had Mawra Hocane on its cover.
Here are some recent pictures of Mawra Hocane:
Hamza Ali Abbasi’s Political Career Takes A New Turn
When Hamza Ali Abbasi joined PTI it was a moment of surprise for many because Hamza’s mother’s political affiliation lie with the Pakistan People’s Party. Hamza Ali Abbasi said that he had faith in PTI’s leadership and agenda therefore he felt that it was his duty to be a part of this political party so that he can serve his country better.
Ever since Hamza has joined PTI he has been very vocal on Social Networking Sites about his take on the political ups and down in the country. He has been inspiring his fans and followers to do what is right in order to set Pakistan on the right path.
It is not a surprise that Hamza Ali has been designated with an important responsibility within the party which is in line with his profession also in a short span of time. Hamza Ali has been designated as PTI Karachi’s Secretary Culture. The party’s Karachi President Ali H. Zaidi made that announcement on the 23rd of January.
Here is Hamza’s first tweet as the Cultural Secretary of PTI Karachi:
Pakistani Stars Unite For A Noble Cause
Pakistani from all around the globe were deeply saddened and shocked by the gruesome acts of the terrorists when they attacked the Army Public School in Peshawar. The celebrities from Pakistani entertainment industry also expressed their sorrow regarding this tragic incident. Ali Zafar was one of those very few stars who cancelled his New year celebrations concert because he felt that it was impossible for him to celebrate when the whole nation was grieving.
Ali Zafar has taken a new initiative to pay tribute to the victims of the Peshawar tragedy. He has brought stars from different fields of life in the video of his upcoming song titled “Urein Gay”. This video will have stars like Shoaib Malik, Humaima Malick, Mahira Khan, Saira Kazmi, Ali Kazmi, Imran Abbas, Mehwish Hayat, Sanam Saeed, Aminah Sheikh, Mohib Mirza, Fahad Mustafa, singer Sajjad Ali, Behroze Sabzwari and others.
Ali Zafar and other shared their feelings about this video in this way:
Burka Avenger Season 2! Starting from 1st Feb 2015
The Emmy Nominated and Multi Award winning series is back. Now you will be able to watch Burka Avenger Season 2 from 1st of February 2015 daily at 5.30 pm and 8.30 pm only on Nickelodeon Pakistan.
Previously Burka Avenger had won many awards including “Peabody Award 2013” , “Gender Equity Prize” and “Rising Star Award” in animation category at Canada International Film Festival. It also won the Best tv show at Asian Media Awards in UK in October 2014.
Burka Avenger is nominated in international Emmy Kids awards, these awards will took place on 20th February 2015 in New York.
The man behind Burka Avenger is Pakistani Pop Singer Haroon who is the creator and director of this show whereas the production team behind Burka Avenger is Unicorn Black.
Goya- Episode 11 Review
Rahat-my-way-or-the-highway– Hashmi is finally seeing his plan come to life. With Mohini and Asma struggling to pay for Omar’s treatment, Rahat knows it’s only a matter of time before they will be left with nothing and turn to him for help. Rahat is at ease with the knowledge that Oman is fine but he is milking it to ensure Omar’s ultimate return. He even feigns concern – Tumhare saath raha toh zinda nahin bache ga… Wohh tamaan khushiyan jo Omar se tumney cheenli hain, wohh ussey milein gein… Rahat puts forth his conditions to save Omar’s life- Mohini must leave him so Omar can have his life back. Not one for emotions, he couldn’t care less for what becomes of Mohini or all that she has sacrificed for his son thus far.
Haniya is getting sick of Rahat’s perpetual temper tantrums- Pata nahin kab mujhe iss admi ki samajh ayegi… She is constantly humiliated by Rahat who reminds her to live within his stipulated rules. I wish for the sake of her dignity and sanity, she leaves this egomaniac and never comes back! Haniya tries to help Mohini out of hamdardi and insaniyat- words that are completely missing in Rahat’s dictionary. Her efforts are in vain when Rahat discovers she is trying to help with the finances to ensure Omar recovers.
Amongst the many emotional scenes, the one that had the strongest impact was where Mohini expresses her dismay to Nomi- Wohh meri sunta hai; mein bolti toh wohh theek hojaata! I really missed Omar today. Those few glimpses of him were a painful reminder of what’s to come. Nomi will be the anchor in Mohini’s life once she strikes the deal with the devil- I wouldn’t be surprized if Rahat suggests Mohini aborts her child! Technically speaking, a divorce can’t take place until the child is born and I’m not too sure Rahat will want to wait any further. He has to take care of pending transactions with Saleem Sahab.
The mystery surrounding Zeb is building with each passing episode- Rahat’s surprise at finding out she has a Masters degree from the University of Chittagong and Haniya’s almost acceptance that she shares a past with Rahat. Jab tak insaan apney past se dosti nahin karley, wohh kabhi khush nahin rehta… Will this man ever make peace with his past? A past that’s obviously dark and one that’s he’s kept from the rest of the world?
Overall, this was a much slower episode in comparison to the previous ones. The preview for next week suggests we’ll be seeing more of the same- majbooriyan until finally Mohini breaks and gives in. It will be easy for Rahat to manipulate Omar by playing the saviour- I hope Omar knows better than to believe that there is an ounce of good in his father. What did you think of Rahat’s deal? Did anyone else think it played down in a similar way to the scene from Dil where Hazari Prasad strikes a similar deal with Madhu?
Yours in watching,
Kanwal Murtaza
Digest Writer – Episode 17!
Well, I guess it’s safe to say that the pace for which Digest Writer is known for is back. I found this episode a lot more happening because there were so many scenes that were to the point & contributed a lot in progression of the story. I am glad that finally Fareeda’s professional life has come to the forefront & her personal life is still getting some coverage but is being balanced out by the focus on her career.
Mazhar Hayat is just a pompous, self-assertive & insecure senior who thinks he has an ultimate right to pass the verdict on people & their calibre without even knowing them. He is giving Fareeda a tough time just because she’s a digest writer & Mazhar doesn’t approve of the road she has opted for to become a writer. If Mazhar’s ulterior motive would’ve been to guide & teach the basics of script writing to Fareeda, his tact would’ve looked justified but he is definitely on a trip of his own where he is making it difficult for her to concentrate as he is constantly putting her down. Mazhar Hayat is stuck in the past where he is unnecessarily drawing a comparison between olden & the recent times. It looks like he is so blinded by his thoughts to see that he’s achieving nothing out of it. I found it completely unfair that just because he had preconceived notions about Fareeda, he allowed them to cloud his judgments & he didn’t make an effort to give her a reasonable chance to prove herself. Obviously, Fareeda writes well because of which she has been able to gain immense popularity in no time but seems like Mazhar is insecure of her success as he knows that his writing days are numbered & he’s clearly having ego issues as he can see that now youngsters are striving to get to the top & somehow people are allowing that to happen which means that his name will be long forgotten & no one will bother much about it.
I liked how they juxtaposed the situations where at one hand she was striving to do what she’s passionate about & on the other hand she was doing all in her might to fulfil the responsibilities that she’s supposed to. Sadly, Fareeda has understood that her journey to become a script writer won’t be easy especially when she will be supervised by Mazhar Hayat as he is clearly not impressed by her work. Mazhar, being a male can obviously not relate to Fareeda; a female writer. For him writing is such a thing that requires undivided attention. He might see untidy pages that carry Fareeda’s words but he cannot ever connect to what pain Fareeda goes through to pen down her thoughts. She is juggling so many lives & responsibilities that even if she herself explains what it takes for her to write, Mazhar will just tag it as a bunch of excuses as he just isn’t ready to look at the other side of the picture.
Is it just me or Shaukat actually seemed a bit concerned seeing how Fareeda hit her lowest? He is clearly done with how he has to maintain a balance between his mother & his wife where at least Fareeda doesn’t say much but his mother’s complaints aren’t coming to a stop. Shaukat might not have proved to be an ideal husband & he may not be mentally groomed to match Fareeda’s calibre but yes, what he does is a result of what he’s being brain fed. I am sure if his mother wouldn’t keep a hawk eye on what he does & how he treats Fareeda, he wouldn’t have made such a bad husband. Yes, after getting married he hasn’t done anything that he promised he would but I somehow feel he isn’t responsible for all his reactions. I found it really amusing that Sajida could ignore her bedridden husband for the sake of outing whereas she is the one who gives lectures on how one should never slack off when it comes to responsibilities.
It was good to see Fareeda having a conversation or two with her family members. I kind of felt relieved to see a smile on Zarina’s face because ever since Fareeda has gotten married, Farhaan’s fee has been bothering Zarina so much that she forgot to smile. Even though Fareeda’s family isn’t greedy but it’s a sad reality that people ought to financially depend on their daughters who are capable of making money. I really like the fact that they have continuously kept Surriaya in the picture & her presence is a part of those responsibilities that Fareeda has to look after, otherwise in most of the dramas, kids are just shown in a couple of episodes but are never made a part of the story but in Digest Writer Fareeda’s always seen taking care of Surraiya & in the meantime tending to Shaukat’s demands too, which somehow completes the picture of what a life of a housewife is like.
The preview of next episode seemed really interesting because looks like Mazhar Hayat will again be hell-bent on pushing Fareeda to a threshold. I think she will eventually come up with such a brilliant piece that will shut him up for good. All the actors have done a marvellous job in this drama & I am glad that the pace has finally picked up again. Share your thoughts on this episode of Digest Writer please. :)
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
ps: It’s just a random thought but we’ve noticed that the reviewers on this website aren’t being acknowledged for their efforts lately. It looks like the readers have only started to share what they feel without saying much regarding the reviews. The team of reviewit takes pride & joy in taking a special time out of their routine to write for the dear readers, to provide them with quick & timely reviews & in return their comments, support, encouragement & remarks keep us motivated. I hope it’s not an unreasonable demand but we do expect some courtesy, acknowledgement & appreciation from our dear readers. ;)
Keep rocking because you all are awesome! :)
Jalaibee gets a release date
Jalaibee a much anticipated film is releasing on 20th March 2015. The full trailer will also be released next week.
It is directed by Yasir Jaswal
Cast: Danish Taimoor, Ali Safina, Wiqar Ali Khan, Zhalay Sarhadi, Sajid Hasan, Sabeeka Imam, Adnan Jaffer, Uzair Jaswal
Produced by: ARY Films & Redrum Films
Releasing on Friday 20th March 2015 in Cinemas Across Pakistan, UK, USA & Middle East
Here is the teaser of the film released last year.
Rashid Nazir Ali
Jackson Heights – Episode 19!
Hmmm, so after two good episodes back to back, this one seemed a lot less interesting. Except for a few bits & bobs, I didn’t enjoy this episode much as it now seems repetitive & looks like there’s nothing much left in this drama.
Is it just me or Michelle looked really stupid when she went on & on & on about how good Jamshed was & how perfectly she knows him in & out because I still believe that if Michelle was a 20 y/o, it would’ve made sense that she was incapable of judging people accurately but unfortunately, a women of her age doesn’t look good being so desperate that she didn’t even resist or didn’t think things through properly before going out with a guy half her age. Rizwan told her to be free but he didn’t advise her to become stupid. Yes, we understand that Jamshed charmed his way into Michelle’s life but I still don’t find it realistic that it only took him a couple of months to woo Michelle so easily that she now can’t see through his cunningness. In the beginning I thought there was something mysterious about Michelle’s character but as the episodes progressed & now when the drama’s about to end, I am pretty sure it wasn’t a mystery but is a clear case of lack of substance because the writer didn’t add any detailing in her character. Was it really necessary to show that any random guy can have an upper-hand in fooling any woman & she will blindly follow? I expected better from Vasay Chaudhry!
Another superficial & bland character of this serial is Cathy. We have no idea as to why she was so ticked off with Bhatti initially when he was still loyal to her & now why does she want to bind him in a relation when he has actually fallen in love with someone else? Either she clearly has some mental issues or she’s a victim of bad script writing as well. There was absolutely nothing in this whole serial that could’ve given us an insight into their actual problems but we all had to do our guesswork & it still doesn’t seem to be working because we don’t know what her issues were/are? She is now trying to walk an extra mile for Bhatti when she has seen that he’s slipping away, so why didn’t she show a little bit of interest in him or in their relationship before? By the way, any idea where Mark or Lizzie are? What was their contribution in this serial? I am sure if they had subtracted Cathy’s children, it wouldn’t have made much difference because she wasn’t clearly interested in what her kids did nor she was interested in what her husband was up to. She failed as a mother & a wife – for the reasons best known to the writer of course.
Finally, fortunately & thankfully, Salma has found a much needed strength to deal with the parasites in her life. She sat down, took a moment & tried to figure everything out because it’s a high time she does that. Yes, Aliya must take a bow for helping Salma understand the situation better because she has given everything she could to Tai Jee, Sikandar & even Imaan but now it was important that she gave herself a priority & took a few necessary steps. I just don’t understand what Tai Jee’s issues are, is she blind to see what sort of a human being her own son is, that she goes around judging Salma? I am actually surprised that people were rejoicing seeing Nilofer Abbasi playing a role in this drama but excuse me for saying this; not only her character is bad, her acting’s equally bad too & her odd monotone doesn’t help either.
The only scenes that I enjoyed watching in this episode were of Bhatti & Salma. I can clearly say that Amina Sheikh & Nauman Ejaz have been the saving grace of this drama because they got proper characters to portray & play whereas others’ are quite confusing & aren’t well-written. Salma’s character took it’s time to unfold but after knowing her & her story, I do feel for her. Salma’s excitement in explaining what she did was spot on, she actually achieved something because what she did was so unlike her & Bhatti’s presence caught her off guard otherwise she wouldn’t have brought herself to admit that to his face. For the first time in her life she understood what it means to be loved by someone who is ready to do everything for you. Bhatti happens to be the first person who made Salma feel special by taking a stand for her in such a way which she couldn’t have thought of in her wildest dreams & this was enough of a push for her to just go with the flow & accept what has come her way. I loved the subliminal conversation both of them had because in very simple words, they solved a very complex conundrum, I must say that conversation was well-written & those scenes were done beautifully because they managed to stir a smile on my face & yes, I’m totally rooting for Bhatti & Salma.
Yes, even though I really hate Sikandar’s character (which is supposed to make us feel that way) but I don’t really get his purpose, his story & his character. Why did he turn out to be like this? What made him become such a burden on Salma? Why did he choose such a path in his life that too after he had a daughter & married twice? That’s another character which lacks detailing in Jackson Heights. Anyways, the only interesting factor of this drama for me is Bhatti/Salma’s relationship & their track, the rest are pretty boring & have had nothing to offer right from the beginning till the end. Share your thoughts about this episode please.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.