The Lahore based media house, ATV has now also ventured into film distribution by announcing its new entity named A-Plus films. Good Morning Karachi will be first film distributed by A-Plus films.
Before ATV, other media house like Geo and ARY also have their film distribution entities named Geo films and ARY films respectively.
Rashid Nazir Ali
Urdu Daily Jang is the largest circulated Urdu newspaper in the world. As per a report of Daily Jang, Subh Pakistan the new morning show of its associated channel Geo Entertainament has made new records on its first day i.e. on 19th November 2014.
As per the report the show continued for four and half hour and thus made the record of longest time duration of a morning show. Further adding the report says the show has also made new record of popularity (though metrics of these popularity records are not mentioned in the report).
As per report, the show is the talk of the town and it relieved the curiosity of many viewers. The unique style of Aamir Liaqut has won the hearts of television viewers. As per observers (name not mentioned) the show has the tendency to make further new records. The show started with reciting of Holy Quran and then National Anthem which was first such instance of its kind.
Informing about the rationale behind this morning show, Aamir Liaqut told that this show is for audience of every walk of life. The show is a light of hope to entertain, unite and amuse the audience. In past few years, the way mornings of television audience is destroyed in the name of morning show and the non eastern ways are adapted by morning show host has motivated Aamir Liaqut to start his own show. Through this show Aamir Liaqut wants to show how an eastern, muslim society should start its day and morning.
The first show has various segments and many renowned religious scholars participated in the show. A young lady who lost one eye in an accident in the show and told her tragic story making everybody sad. The host, Aamir Liaqut promised to bear all the expenses of the wedding of the lady.
Here is the full report published in Daily Jang today.
Rashid Nazir Ali
The year 2014 has been happening for the Pakistani entertainment industry in more ways than one. Many Pakistani celebrities did not only grow in their respective careers but many of them also tied the knot in this year. There are many others who extended their families in the year 2014 and also those who became moms and dads in this year. Here is a list of celebrities who started a new life with their spouses in the year 2014.
Bilal Khan
Bilal Khan is a very talented singer who is also a song writer. He has the honour of being nominated for Best Album at the 11th Lux Style Awards for the album “Umeed”. Bilal Khan feels very passionately about his music career. Bilal Khan got married on 1st January. Here are some pictures of the talented singer with his wife:
Madiha Rizvi and Hassan Nauman
Madiha Rizvi and Hassan Nauman both are actors so this was a celebrity wedding from both sides. The family members of both these celebrities have been attached to the entertainment industry too. Here are some pictures of the happy couple:
Umera Ahmed
Umera Ahmed needs absolutely no introduction, she is the dynamic writer who has given us some unforgettable plays. Umera Ahmed got married in the 3rd week of January. Umera Ahmad is a private person who does not share any of her picture, which is something we respect. But here is the shot of the news of her wedding on her facebook page:
Gohar Mumtaz and Anam Ahmed
Gohar Mumtaz is a singer and actor and Anam Ahmed is an accomplished model so this is a celebrity wedding from both sides too. The couple looked very good together on all the functions of their wedding. You can see the pictures here:
Veena Malik and Asad Khattak
Veena Malik tied the knot at the end of December but she got married in Dubai therefore the wedding celebrations took place in the year 2014 in Pakistan. Veena Malik is already a mother who is enjoying her new status as a mother and wife. The pictures of the happy couple show that they are making the most of it!
Umer Akmal
Umar Akmal is a Pakistani cricketer who started his career in the year 2009. Umer Akmal got married in Lahore on 12th April 2014. He married Noor Amnah who is the daughter of former test cricketer and leg spinner Abdul Qadir. Here are some pictures of the couple on their wedding day:
Dua Malik and Sohail Haider
Dua Malik is a host and Sohail Haider is an accomplished singer. The two of them got married on 13 June. You can see the pictures here:
Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor
Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor’s couple had to be the most loved one of the year. They got married on August 8 in a simple Nikkah ceremony which was followed by many functions. Ayeza Khan and Danish Taimoor are considered as trendsetters because they had a red carpet on their Mehndi. Everyone from the drama industry attended their grand wedding. Here are some pictures:
Sonya Hussain
Sonya Hussain is a versatile actress who is liked by many. Sonia Hussain got married in August 10 to Wasif Muhammad who is also a model. Here are some pictures of the couple:
Samia Jamil
Those viewers who watch Zaiqa TV must be well acquainted with Chef Samia Jamil; she hosts her own show on the channel and is an expert in making desserts. Chef Samia Jamil got married in August. Here are some pictures:
Sarwat Gillani and Fahad Mirza
Sarwat Gillani and Fahad Mirza got married in August as well. Both of them are actors, apart from being an actor Fahad Mirza is also a cosmetic surgeon. Sarwat Gillani and Fahad Mirza shared only some pictures of their wedding day. You can few of them here:
Mathira
Mathira got married last year but she disclosed her wedding this year. While talking to Dawn News Mathira revealed that she has been married for a year but she never disclosed the secret till now. Mathira Said in her interview, “I am a very private person. Controversies break things. People shatter things. I keep family very safe and close. I’ve been broken, don’t want to break again. Just being careful.”
Here are pictures of Mathira with her husband Flint J, who a rapper based in Dubai:
Asad Siddiqui
Asad Siddiqui has acted in plays like Aazer ki aaye gi Barat, Dolly ki aayegi Baraat. Asad Siddiqui tied the knot with Maham Babar in Karachi in the middle of the year. Here are some pictures from the wedding:
Nasir Jamshed
Nasir Jamshed is a test cricketer, he tied the knot this year by getting married to Dr. Samira Afzal who is a British citizen. Nasir Jamshed has not been playing for the National Cricket Team because he is out of form for many months. Here is a picture of the couple:
Anoushey Abbasi
Anoushay Abbasi is well known for her versatile acting and she is also related to two very famous celebrities Shamoon Abbasi and Javeria Abbasi. She tied the knot on September 29 with Ainan Arif who is the son of former cricketer Tasleem Arif Abbasi and actress Rubina Arif. Here are some pictures from the wedding:
We wish all these celebrities all the best.
Year 2014 can safely be termed as the year of celebrity weddings! Can you think of any other celebrities who got married in 2014?
Finally an episode that was happening and also quite convincing. Rameen broke her silence because she thought that this was the right time to tell Azar and Manal the truth but Numair had everything planned just in case anything went wrong. Numair’s fabricated story was very intelligently planned but his plan could not have been a success had Rameen’s mother not supported him. Numair got away with everything yet again, something which all of us were already anticipating but the way it was done was very impressive! After what happened tonight Numair will only get even more confident (if that is possible!). Tonight’s episode was very well directed, it was fast paced and all the scenes were nicely put together and everyone acted brilliantly. I can’t praise Numair’s conniving ways and Syed Jibran’s acting enough. You hate his character but love the way he translates it on screen. This man is a pro at his game – I am talking about the character and the actor both!
Everyone’s reactions to what happened were also very convincing for a change. I wanted to shoot Rameen’s mother for doing what she did to her daughter but I understood why someone like her would do something like that. Unfortunately Rameen’s mother is not thinking about Rameen at all, she is thinking about how things will be if she tells the truth. She knows that Numair will divorce Manal and Azar is definitely not the sort of man who will live with a wife who has been raped. Rameen’s mother would much rather tell this lie and let her daughter suffer instead of bearing the responsibility of two divorced daughters. Unfortunately our society is full of women who think that they are completely helpless without men. This over dependence on men is what made Rameen’s mother did what she did. She wants her daughters to have these husbands in their lives because no matter how evil Numair is he is still providing for his wife and daughter and he is her daughter’s husband. When Rameen’s mother found out about the rape, her first reaction was that no one should find out otherwise Manal’s house will be destroyed!
Azar’s reaction was not at all surprising either. He immediately backed off; it did not look like he felt for his wife or wanted to support her but he wanted to be away from her! It was obviously a very shocking piece of information for him but then if he really loved Rameen, he would have thought of her and not his own self. The second he found out that Rameen had a mental illness, he was relieved! He would have definitely left Rameen had her mother told everyone the truth, he is not the kind of person who can live with something like that.
I found Manal’s reaction very real, at first she was sure that Rameen was right. When she found out that her mobile was home and someone texted Numair she wasn’t very sure what to think but when she saw her husband remorseful and repenting, she felt for him. Her mother’s lie did not leave room for much doubt! But you just don’t get over these things so quickly and how can all of these people continue living under the same roof?
Rameen did come across as a mental patient today but the reason for her state of mind was the utter frustration of not being able to convince anyone that she had been wronged. Rameen’s mother betrayed her once again and this time in the worst way possible. Her entire family thinks that she is a mental patient. She mustered up the courage to tell the truth but no good came out of it. What does a girl do in such a situation? Isn’t she better off without such a family?
Numair won once again! Numair knew that this was a do or die situation for him, he had to do everything in his power to make sure that the truth was not revealed. Numair played all his cards right; he had already talked to Manal about Rameen making advances at him and he had told his Mother-in- Law that if she ever told the truth he will divorced Manal right there and then. I wish all this would have happened weeks ago and I hope that the story doesn’t start going around in circles yet again. Today’s episode was engaging but it was also a case of too little, too late. Samira Fazal has nailed Numair’s character and Syed Jibran definitely deserves an award for playing this character brilliantly.
So, how many of you think that Rameen’s mother should get the worst mother of the century award? And how many people think that Syed Jibran deserves full marks for his superb performance?
Fatima Awan
Hmmmm, this drama is indeed breaking some norms here. It was once again a very well-paced episode but the main focus was purely on Hashim. I do still not understand how his & Faryal’s track will unfold but I wish whatever happens, they end up sorting their own matters by leaving Annie & Rohaan alone.
To be honest, I really thought that Faryal’s mother would push her to stand against her in-laws but all the advices that she gave to her daughter really came as a pleasant surprise to me. I never thought that she’d tell her daughter to compromise & will make her understand how she needs to work on her marriage. After this I really thought Faryal would show some concern but before blaming her, I think the whole blame goes onto Hashim. I really am having a hard time liking his character because to me he seems like a very confused person who has got no brains of his own. One fine day, he woke up & didn’t want to get married to Annie. Another fine day, he got married to Faryal without even giving this relation a second thought. Now he barely has a time for his wife but he’s shamelessly eyeing his best friend’s wife & cousin Annie & what for, I really have no idea about that.
I don’t think Hashim was such a child that he really took his friend’s words about a religious girl seriously that he ended up marrying Faryal because after meeting him again, all sorts of different thoughts started gushing through his head & for all the wrong reasons. I was right; Hashim is a quitter because now instead of looking for solutions, he’s just trying to avoid his problems. He is capably seeing Faryal’s weaknesses & faults but he doesn’t have a nerve to take the matter in his own hands & guide her rightly. Does he really think that just by verbally reminding her repeatedly about the differences between the dynamics, he’d be able to rectify her & mould her? Hashim needs to give her some time rather than avoiding her using workload as an excuse & yes, why is it that the oh-so modern & liberal Mr. Hashim is having a problem with the idea of his wife doing a job? She belongs to UK & that’s such a done deal there, but his shock doesn’t help the situation at all. Faryal has a lot of free time on her hands so it’s better to utilize it because Shireen makes her feel unwelcomed, so to keep her sanity intact, Faryal has made the right decision.
I can clearly see that Hashim has started to take some interest in Annie because he wanted to speak to her but changed the topic the moment Rohaan showed up which I thought he might’ve wanted to speak to her about Faryal but the worst fear was confirmed when he clearly showed his disappointment just when Annie didn’t show up for the dinner. I really think the joint-project was a bad idea to begin with because both Annie & Hashim are oblivious of what’s churning in his mind. I really didn’t like the way he went around telling Annie how inconsiderate Rohaan was & how typical she has become because before saying all that, he needs to know that he has a love-wife of his on waiting for him at his house but sadly, he has someone else on his mind & that makes me dislike his character even more. I think Hashim shouldn’t really let the past memories cloud his mind to an extent where he’d stop seeing the good in his wife & will start fancying Annie as a perfect partner. Hashim himself knows that Rohaan is a very easy-going person & now while working with them he himself has seen how stronger their relation is, so before getting carried away with his feelings, he should rationally back out but then can we expect anything better from such a selfish person like him, who only puts his wishes ahead of anybody else? I so wish Annie tackles him wisely & gives him a shut up call when needed because let’s face it, Annie is way out of his league & I certainly don’t want to see them together, EVER!
Annie has pretty much taken the charge of her house & office & she is maintaining the balance between the two perfectly. It was good to see Rohan’s mother being all praises for her Annie & now when she has gotten to know her, she couldn’t tolerate the way others spoke about Annie as if she was some uncultured person. I think the transformation that Rohaan’s mother has shown is very realistically portrayed & what makes it better is that she has not only recognized her mistake but has rectified it too. & yes, I certainly like the calm & peaceful Huma a lot better as well. It was good to see her having a conversation with Shireen where not because she herself is in such a position, she tried to make Shireen understand how she should give a chance to Faryal as well because Huma was speaking while keeping her own experience in mind. Huma clearly misunderstood Rohaan but was totally impressed by Haris & now she has understood that you really don’t know what lies inside someone’s heart & just because she herself has seen how she was wrong too, she wants Shireen to let go of Faryal’s mistakes as well. To be honest I still feel Shireen’s being unreasonable because she is hell-bent on not budging & is so overwhelmed by the detest she has towards Faryal, that I don’t think anything’ll be able to change that.
I must say I had a panic attack when I saw the accident scene in the upcoming clip but thankfully the crisis was averted. I hope they don’t begin the series of misfortune after all this because first Rohaan wasn’t feeling well & then he had a minor accident. To be honest when I heard them talking about the flight, I was scared but thankfully Rohaan showed up in the next episode’s preview, phew! :)
This episode had some great conversations once again & I really like the way Rohan always steals the moment to praise Annie whenever he can. This time around it was her name that he said a few good words about & it really shows how sweet a relation of a husband & wife is when they’re completely in love with each other. Well, there is a jinx (Hashim) hovering around them & I so wish someone shoos him away, lol!
It goes without saying but I’d have to do the honours so yes; I thoroughly enjoyed watching this episode of Shanakht as well. Share your thoughts, your fears & your worries please. :)
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Mawra Hocane looks stunning in these photos from Mag The Weekly.The designer is Zainab Chottani while the hair & make-up is done by Saba Ansari @ Sab’s Salon. Rohail Khalid has captured these shots in his camera.
Photos taken from : magtheweekly.com
Areeba Mohsen
We all waited for it desperately and then loved it. MasterChef Pakistan was just about everything we were hoping for.
It is a very proud moment for MCP fans, that their favourite reality show has been nominated for Asian Television awards.
ATA is a one-of -its kind within Asia and it’s purpose is to “recognize and reward programming and production excellence in the Asian television industry.”
As per ATA’s Official Website, in 2013, the Awards ceremony was televised regionally on STAR World and Channel [V], FOX International Channels’ leading general entertainment channel and music channel respectively, reaching to some 28 million households in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, India, Macau, Middle East and some other smaller Asian markets.
Let’s pray that MCP brings home the award and makes us proud!
Areeba Mohsen
![Star Studded Downers! [Part 1/2]](https://reviewit.pk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/1-Copy1.png "Star Studded Downers! [Part 1/2]")
Well well well, recently we’ve seen a lot of dramas that were chock-a-blocked with stars which were nothing short of a dream for the viewers but sadly, we didn’t know what we were about to experience. Apparently, if a star decides to associate oneself with a project, the credibility of such a drama increases tenfold & the fans are automatically drawn towards such dramas because if a successful actor with a massive fan following opts for a project, people expect it to be perfect as they blindly trust their favourite stars but lately we’ve seen that the trends have changed. Those dramas that were lustered with stars failed to deliver whereas the dramas that had a mediocre cast really struck a chord. These dramas can be also be pointed out as bad choices that such successful actors have made in their careers which might not’ve affected them in any way, but has left the viewers frustrated & regretful for tuning into such dramas.
So, I’ve categorically compiled a list of such dramas that had/have an amazing cast but were/are amazingly disappointing & also there’s another article about the dramas that didn’t have much of a big star-cast but were/are actually very promising. So here’s the very first list of:
Star Studded Downers:
Jackson Heights:
We all know the big names that are associated with this project. It’s a story of desis living in America written by Vasay Chaudhry & directed by Mehreen Jabbar. The cast includes Nauman Ejaz, Amina Sheikh, Adeel Hussain, Marina Khan, Ali Kazmi, Adnan Jaffar & Nilofer Abbasi. This drama’s currently on-air but sadly, it hasn’t delivered what we all expect from it & I am still having a hard time in accepting that Jackson Heights has become a perfect example of ‘too many cooks spoiling the broth’ because I never thought it’s going to fail this way. Having such stars all rolled into one project really skyrocketed our expectations but seems like we’re through with the 9 episodes & the story is still digging its way up from the underground to kick-start & I suss that it ain’t going to happen till the end because the script lacks depth. Apart from 2 – 3 episodes, the rest have been extremely repetitive & haven’t given much to the viewers that is going to stay with them. Sadly, the charm of the character played by Nauman Ejaz has faded away as well. Seems like the script is really weak & to be honest, the idea of this drama having 24 episodes in total has started to haunt me.
Firaaq:
Once again, Sanam Saeed, Mohib Mirza, Uzma Gillani, Syed Mahzar Ali, Cybil Chaudhry, Junaid Khan, Noor Hassan, this drama for sure has a bunch of amazing performers but once again, looks like the director; Abis Raza Abidi hasn’t stayed true to his position because he doesn’t know how he should go on with this script. The drama indeed began at a very strong note but now the episodes have become painfully slow & never-endingly long & the theme to me seems to be lifted from the famous Bollywood flick Kal Ho Na Ho. Sanam Saeed & Mohib Mirza for sure attracted a lot of viewers but now people are just watching it for the sake it of it & what’s amusing is that the elderly couple has given more reason to tune to this play whereas the lead pair(s) isn’t adding much to the drama anyways. It’s a writing of Mustafa Bilal.
Aahista Aahista:
Surprise Surprise! Can I go without mentioning my favorite drama here? It was a blockbuster flop of this year written by Aliya Bukhari, directed by Haseeb Hassan & the cast that has a credit of working in this mega serial includes Adnan Siddique, Sarwat Gillani, Mawra Hocane, Hina Bayat, Saba Hameed, The Sabzwari/Sheikh Family (who till date are oblivious of what they were doing in that drama). To be honest, It was Sarwat Gillani who really compelled me to give this drama a go & can we forget the scenic locations of USA that also added a lot more to fool the viewers into believing that we were going to see a brilliant drama soon, but later what happened is an exposed truth, so I’d spare myself from getting my blood boiled, but yes, another star-studded drama that went terribly wrong & the theme of 1st wife versus 2nd wife was done all over again to prove what? It’s still a mystery.
Koi Nahi Apna:
Sajid Hassan, Sarwat Gillani & Fahad Mustafa? Did I state the right names here? I guess YES! Once again a leading pair of Fahad Mustafa & Sarwat Gillani actually got me excited because they really looked cute together in the promos but after the drama began it went from a sweet story of a couple in love to a story of a caterwauler cat who was unhappy just because the mouse was always out of her sight. The purpose of this drama? This truth is buried in the heart of the writer; Sana Fahad & the director; Badar Mehmood only.
Bashar Momin:
Well I know the rest of the cast wasn’t such a biggie but it had Faysal Qureshi who is singlehandedly capable of ruling & carrying a drama forward. Even though the rest of the actors weren’t too popular but they weren’t newbies as well like Maheen Jafri, Ushna Shah, Yasir Mazhar & Sami Khan. People really gave in thinking it was going to be a blockbuster but if I put it in simple words, it was a story of a don who chose to become a hardboiled peeled egg because he was too tired of carrying a weight of the facial hair on himself. Yes, not to be forgotten the marketing campaign that was conducted to promote Bashar Momin as ‘the most expensive’ drama ever made in the history, was nothing but a hoax. I think if they had focused more on the quality rather than spending time on promoting it wrongfully, they would’ve definitely come up with a better project. The writer Zanjabeel Asim Shah really wrote a very weak script which was directed weakly by Syed Ali Raza Usama.
Izteraab:
The name says it all. It indeed was no less than an izteraab for those who watched this drama. I really don’t know what the writer Amna Mufti was thinking here by trying to give us a Pakistani version of Hollywood’s Step Mom & Bollywood’s We’re Family. Mikaal Zulfikaar & Saba Qamar were the big names that honoured this drama by acting in it but eventually it was proven that this drama was only made to show that one should never underestimate the power of a Roti & a Roti-maker. I really thought that this drama would have something to offer because credible protagonists chose to work on this script but sadly, it wasn’t the case. This drama was directed by Misbah Khalid.
Mujhe Khuda Pe Yakeen Hai:
Well, let’s relive some bitter-sweet memories, shall we? Mikaal Zulfikaar, Ayesha Khan, Ahsan Khan, Shauqeen Shaquille & Moomal Sheikh are a few names that helped in getting this drama some attention. To be honest, the promos & the smiling faces of these people made me watch this drama but I was so wrong, so so wrong in thinking it was a serious drama because eventually it turned out to be a sitcom where the idea of wrongful accusations was dragged & dragged & nothing was achieved out of it. My only problem is that all they needed to do was to let us know that it was more comedy based, then we wouldn’t have wasted a lot of time in staying confused as to how shall we react while watching it? This masterpiece was a creation of the two masterminds, yes, two writers Seema Munaf & Atiya Dawood & was directed awfully by Barkat Ali Siddique.
Kadurat:
Deepak Parwani, Angelline Malick, Sanam Saeed, Junaid Khan, Moomal Sheikh & Imran Aslam played considerable roles in this drama. To be honest, I was looking forward to Deepak Parwani’s performance the most after Mere Pass Pass plus Sanam Saeed was also a big name but this drama was nothing short of a torture to be honest because the story was worse & the performances were worst. I thought Deepak Parwani will once again impress us with his acting but he was seen clueless like an infant lost in a maze. Sadly, the writer of such a script was a female herself; Zoha Hassan where she resorted to a whole new level of mental torture by showing us a journey of Mina (Sanam Saeed), a disturbed girl who plans an ambush Nikkah of her father to later blackmail him (lol) & yes, this masterpiece was directed by Abis Raza Abidi.
Mohabbat Subha (Susti) Ka Sitara Hai:
Sanam Jung, Adeel Hussain, Mikaal Zulfikar are a few names that are included in this overly crowded drama but sadly they didn’t add much to the whole experience to make it memorable. Apart from the script being weak, the execution was weaker & so was the contribution of the main leads in this drama because they were underwhelming in their performances except Mikaal of course but sadly, he couldn’t prove to be a saving grace as his character wasn’t even saved. It was a story of an orphan Romaisa who eventually finds her way to light & happiness after spending an age in the darkness & depression. Sadly, I think it was one of the weakest writings of Umera Ahmed & was an inept direction of Sakina Sammo.
So, this is it from my side for this part of the article. I’d say that these were the biggest disappointments for me especially because they had such nice actors working in it but somehow failed to make an impression. I’d also add the name of Shukk here because it started off really well & had a good star-cast but later it was sacrificed for the greed of ratings which ruined it & also the names of Silvatein & Kabhi Kabhi pop up in my mind because Silvatein’s cast included Adeel Hussain, Amina Sheikh, Daniyal Raheel, Mira Sethi & Ahsan Khan, Mehwish Hayat, Nosheen Shah, Alyy Khan & Javed Sheikh appeared in Kabhi Kabhi but these dramas were disastrous as well. I think it has something to do with ARY’s strategy, so yeah!
Anyways, my dear friend Fatima Awan also suggested the names of Ek Kasak Reh Gai & Numm, so I especially thank her for contributing to the list. Please feel free to add more such names which you think had a stellar star cast but were sloppy flop(py) dramas & check out the next article where I’ve discussed the reciprocal projects that generally have had a normal cast but have proved to be some very good dramas to watch & remember. :)
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
![Normal Cast Novelties! [Part 2/2]](https://reviewit.pk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/1.png "Normal Cast Novelties! [Part 2/2]")
Ohkay so, yes, where in the previous article I’ve discussed how there have been such dramas that didn’t really deliver even after having some great actors with big names working for the project, in this one I’m discussing those dramas that frequented our screens which didn’t really have a standout team of cast members but the overall effort of the entire team certainly gave us a good drama. I say that over the last two seasons, such dramas have succeeded more in comparison to the star-studded downer dramas. So, here’s another list of:
Normal Cast Novelties:
Shanakht:
To be honest, I tuned to this play because it didn’t have any big names attached to it as I really wanted a break from all of them as I was tired of seeing bad dramas with good cast, so this one for sure caught my eye. Neither having a considerably overrated cast nor a weekend slot, this drama indeed is a breath of fresh air because of its execution, it’s extremely strong script & the way the mediocre cast has performed to do justice to their roles. Shanakht is based on a unique theme that revolves around a couple that is trying to lead their lives according to the teachings of Islam & I think it is dramatized beautifully. Maya Ali & Fahad Mirza have been phenomenal & Noor Hassan has contributed aptly as well. I must say the writer/director Amna Nawaz Khan has indeed given us such a play which will stay with us for a long long time for sure. :)
Digest Writer:
I wasn’t too keen on watching this drama as well because of Saba Qamar’s latest Izteraab but I am glad I gave this drama a go because it has a different story which I haven’t seen before. Yes, as the name suggests, it’s a story of a girl who aspires to be a writer. This drama isn’t big on cast as well except Saba Qamar, but everyone has contributed in making this drama a complete package. The whole team of drama-makers also deserve a shout out for executing it intelligently because it shows that they have a grip over this project & know what should be done when. Apart from Saba Qamar, Maheen Jafri, Gohar Rasheed, Aiman Khan, Zhalay Sarhadi, Farhan Ali Agha & Agha Ali are also a part of this drama & have been doing really well in their respective bits. The writer is Madiha Shahid & it is directed brilliantly by Ahmad Kamran.
Mohabbat Abb Nahi Hogi:
This drama was indeed a treat to watch. I think that even though the cast was mediocre but this fact was concealed by their wonderful performances & a great direction. Not even a single episode of this drama made you bored & by the end always left you with a little curiosity to anticipate what was going to happen next. The story revolved around Fizza (Armeena Khan) who after marriage didn’t understand her responsibilities & that gave an outlet to a set of new problems that her husband’s family had to face with the onset of new day; every single day. Syed Jibran, Ali Rehman, Armeena Khan, Zainab Qayyum, Nargis Rasheed & Laila Zuberi are the main names of this drama but I never expected a weekday play that too of a 9PM slot to be this good & I must say Saima Akram Chaudhry did a fantastic job as a writer of this play.
Marasim:
The big cast wasn’t one of the main reasons why this drama attracted a good lot of viewers; it was the execution & the story that really kept the interest intact in this play. I remember I used to wait for Sundays so that I could watch & review Marasim as it was a very good drama that dealt with family politics & relations in a whole new light. Ahsan Khan, Sonia Hussain, Mawra Hocane, Saba Hameed, Naila Jaffri, Badar Khalil & Sadia Faisal were the members of the cast & along with the director’s hard work, they gave us a very impressive play. It was a writing of Zanjabeel Asim Shah which was directed tastefully by Owais Khan.
Laa:
I can’t say enough good things about Laa. It was after a very long time when I saw such a drama that created a world of its own & took the viewers on such a ride. I think the strength of this drama was a very strong characterization because every single character had a taste of its own & offered you something incredible. I feel it was one such drama that really had a unique feel to it & the story was unusually fresh as well. Too bad that it ended abruptly but apart from Mikaal Zulfikar, there wasn’t any other popular actor included in the cast but each & everyone did extremely well irrespective of how big or small their roles were. Sadia Khan, Seemi Raheel, Rabia Noreen, Khalid Malik, Sabreen Hisbani, Laila Zuberi, Rehan Sheikh & Qavi Khan were the main members of the cast & it was a writing of Sarmad Sehbai which was directed brilliantly by Farooq Rind.
Ishq Mein Tere:
Ah! This drama brings in some great memories as I remember I loved watching it. Even though the story of Ishq Mein Tere was simple & at times predictable, the direction really made it worth a watch because the director; Faheem Burney knew what he wanted to do with this project & it was evident that he was clear in his vision when it came to this script written perfectly by Sadia Akhtar. The story of Ishq Mein Tere was solely about Aiza (Mehwish Hayat) who was a selfless but a very dignified & focused person who wanted to do good by her family & for the people whom she cared for. Only Mehwish Hayat was a famous actor in this drama but I must say Shehzad Nawaz, Azfar Rehman & Mediha Imam worked brilliantly to add more to this drama.
So, this concludes the series of articles I had in my mind that solely revolved around the cast members. After my recent experience with such dramas, I am definitely giving a try to more such plays which are short on the stars because I am sure they’d be nothing short of perfection. Share your say please & feel free to add more names to the list. :)
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Malaal fans should be excited as Mehreen Jabbar is once again directing Imran Abbas in an upcoming drama “Zulekhaan Bina Yousuf” in which Imran stars opposite Maya Ali. The supposedly intense love-story is written by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar.
Alvidaa , an up-coming Hum TV serial, included Imran Abbas, Mawra Hocane, Sanam Jung and Naveen Waqar previously. Now Mawra Hocane has left the cast. The actress who will now be performing that role is Sara Khan.
Saba Hameed is an extremely talented actress who has been with the drama industry for a very long time. She has many memorable dramas to her credit. Saba Hameed along with her daughter Meesha Shafi, who has also made her mark in the Pakistani and International entertainment industry, was invited to HUM Sitaray’s talk show “Tonight With HSY”. HSY asked some very intelligent questions from both his guests. Saba Hameed said that she usually avoids giving interviews because she does not want to give her personal details away to the viewers. Saba thinks that there should be a distance between the actor and the viewers, the viewers should know the actress on the basis of her talent and not her personal life.
HSY asked Saba Hameed if she is going to venture into direction to which she answered that she is being pushed in that direction therefore it might be inevitable at some point. She also said that she will, in fact she can only direct if the script is perfect. If the script is flawed in any way then she will not be able to direct a play because she cannot work with such a script. Adding to that Saba said that there are some writers in the industry who can write perfect scripts.
HSY asked Saba Hameed who would she like to play the leading role in her drama and she said without much thinking that it can be no one else except Sanam Saeed. Saba also said that Sanam was the young actress with the most potential in the industry right now. It was very clear from Saba Hameed’s conversation with HSY that she is a big fan of Sanam Saeed. We are all waiting for Saba Hameed directorial debut and we wish her good luck.
Indians are loving Mahira Khan and Mahira Khan is enjoying India to the maximum. She is visiting different cities of India and it looks like exploring India is turning out to be a fun experience for our vibrant beauty. Mahira has tried many Indian treats and has been part of many shows there. There are lines of people who want to interview Mahira. Currently Mahira Khan is enjoying the lively city of Mumbai. In this interview Mahira shares how away from the online social networking sites she was when Hamsafar went on air. Mahira says that she had no idea that the show was this popular because she did not check facebook or twitter. But when she used to step out of the house the response of the people indicated that they really liked Mahira’s work and the drama in general.
The host asked Mahira if the rumor that Fawad Khan was jealous of Mahira’s fame and success was true. Mahira was surprised to hear this because she said that Fawad Khan was a very close friend and it was out of question that he will ever be jealous of Mahira Khan. She said that she would never be jealous of Fawad’s success either because his success is her success and vice versa.
The opening few minutes of the video show Mahira posing for her photoshoot the theme of which was India. The shoot started with namastey, which is an Indian way of saying hello. Mahira Khan said that the secret of her beauty is that she eats everything, she has enjoyed all the foods in India. When she came to the studio for this interview she was offered sandwiches but she said she wanted to eat a specialty from Mumbai.
Mahira Khan also talked about her play Sadqay Tumhare that is currently on air on HUM. She said that the script of the drama was beautiful. Mahira Khan said that she was very proud and happy for Fawad Khan. She watched his first Indian film Khoobsurat and was also hooting for him in the cinema.
Watch the interview here:
Faysal Quraishi always comes across as a person who speaks his mind but not in a way that offends anyone. He likes his fans to know how he feels about everything which means that he respects them just as much as they respect him. Faysal Quraishi is also one of those very few actors who concentrate on their looks just as much as they work on their acting skills. We have always seen him sporting different looks in different dramas according to the character which he is playing. In order to play the leading role of Bashar in Bashar Momin, Faysal Quraishi grew a beard and he also changed his hairstyle. Now that the drama has ended and he is busy with the shooting of his next drama MOL. He is clean shaved in this drama and his hairstyle has changed too.
When an actor changes his outlook so often different people react differently. Some people appreciate the changes and others want them to stick to the same look but what Faysal Quraishi faces is more of a paradox. He had to put up what he thought about his fans’ reaction to his changing looks as a status update. He said that when he grew a beard people were saying what is wrong, actors do not grow a beard like this etc. And now that he shaved his beard people say that he looked better in the beard! Faysal Quraishi does not sound very happy with this scenario. Faysal thinks that we do not accept change readily, that is something which he believes needs to be changed. He asked his fans to be more open-minded otherwise they will never be able to get any where in life.
Veena Malik is out of the news for some time especially after the controversy about the Morning Show in which she was invited as a guest but that does not mean that she has not been busy! According to Veena’s twitter account the couple along with their newborn son was on a six month world tour. Now they are back in Dubai. The news is that Veena Malik and her husband Asad Khattak have started a charitable organization named Veena Asad Khan Foundation (VAK) . This organization is going to work at an international level with UK as the starting point.
Here are the latest pictures of Veena Malik with her husband and son:
Sanam Saeed is a versatile actress who has proved her mettle in modelling much before she entered the field of acting. Currently she is playing the leading role of Paymaan in drama serial Firaaq which airs on HUM. Paymaan is a girl who was raised in a very rigid environment by an over authroratitive mother, therefore she is not like other girls her age. Sanam Saeed in her interview with Dawn News admitted that playing this role was not easy. “Paymaan was a tricky character to play. I had to work at making sure I didn’t fall too flat, or become boring. It certainly was a challenging role. I’m used to being assertive, and speaking my mind in other plays, but Paiman does transition into that stage as the story progresses.” said the actress who likes to play such roles in dramas which can be role models for other women.
After leaving her mark in all the other fields she has been involved in now Sanam Saeed is starting her film career with the upcoming film Mah-e-Meer. Talking about her character in the play Sanam Saeed said, “I play a shaairah who gives in to commercialism unlike the rebellious anti-politics shaair played by Fahad Mustafa. I play a supporting role in adding to the conflict in the story.”
Sanam Saeed has also worked in theatre which according to her is her favorite medium. “I love being on stage, nothing compares to it. I was afraid of films, but I’ve had my taste of it and I think it’s my second love…I enjoy the rehearsals and the pace at which a film is shot compared to television. I don’t know how much I’ll still like it after appearing on the big screen though, that is the true test I have not been through yet.”
Sanam Saeed also revealed in her interview that she is getting married next year. Sanam Saeed said that she will continue working even after she gets married. She said, “You prioritize, you don’t be lazy. If you make the effort to keep the balance, anything is possible. Hard work, honesty and support make it all happen.”
Fawad Khan hasn’t only won many hearts in India but he has also already won the Fresh Face Of The Year at the Hello! Hall Of Fame 2014. Fawad Khan is pleased with his success in India, he has said in many interviews that he was not expecting such an overwhelming response from the Indian audience. Indians cannot stop praising Fawad Khan’s looks and acting skills, according to Irengbam Jenny of Zee News, “He belongs to that rare breed of actors who can play a gentleman as well as the bad boy with equal ease and elan. The way he looks into the camera, it’s almost as if he pours out of the screen giving his audience complete and unwavering attention. “
Hindustan Times recently reported that Fawad Khan and Sonam Kapoor continue to be in contact with one another even though currently they are not working together. The Hindustan Times asked Fawad Khan about his rapport with Sonam Kapoor to which he replied, “I am emotionally attached to Sonam. I really enjoy her company. I really want to work with her and the whole team again.”
This is not the first time that Fawad Khan has praised his Khoobsurat co-star, he has been appreciating Sonam’s support and friendship in almost all his interviews. Talking about the his next film with Sonam he said, “I know that there is a film being planned with Sonam and me. This is one of the offers I have. Let’s see what happens eventually.”
Bin Roye, the film version of Bin Roye Aansoo, has been delayed yet again. Humayun Saeed, Mahira Khan, and Armeena Rana Khan are the main leads of the film. The film may release on Eid-ul-Fitr of next year. The drama will most likely be delayed as well.
Farhat Ishtiaq announced this delay on twitter earlier today.
-H.S
Doosri Biwi is an upcoming drama on ARY Digital. The team has released few video asking the questions on the most important issue our drama makers have i.e. ‘Doosri Shaadi’. Questions like ‘kiya aap doosri biwi laana chahtay hain?’
See the response of public on this question and few other ones.
https://vimeo.com/111988508
https://vimeo.com/111988887
https://vimeo.com/111988889
https://vimeo.com/111988886
Rashid Nazir Ali
Sultanat e Dil is an upcoming drama on Geo Tv. The malika of this sultanat is Sara Khan.The ruler of this Sultanat is also a khan and is no other than Sami Khan.
Here is the first promo of this drama
https://vimeo.com/111933942
Rashid Nazir Ali
Na Kutro Mere Pankh is an upcoming serial on ARY Zindagi starring Saba Qamar and Danish Taimoor. The play is directed by Nain Maniar. Other cast members include Hassan Niazi, Saboor Ali, Rida Asfahani, Rabia Abid Ali, Asad Siddique. It is produced by iDreams productions.
Rashid Nazir Ali
ZuleKhaN Bina Yousaf(زلیخاں بنا یوسف), is the upcoming play written by Khalilur Rehman Qammar. Imran Abbas is signed for the project and it is directed by Mehreen Jabbar.
Here is what facebook page of Imran Abbas has posted.
Confirmed my new serial ” ZULEKHAIN BINA YOUSUF “. Undoubtedly one of the most amazing script I’ve ever come across in my entire career. Written by Khalil Ur Rehman Qammar and directed by Mehreen Jabbar. Get ready for the most intense love story coming your way soon.
P.S. The story and drama has no connection with the Prophet Hazrat Yousaf (A.S.).
Rashid Nazir Ali
Tabdeeli (Change) is the talk of town from past few months where many protesters of sit-ins demanding a tabdeeli of Government. Their demand is not met, however A-Plus has announced a tabdeeli in its morning show. A new host is joining their morning show replacing Javeriya Abbassi. Here are the promos of their new host, the name is yet to be made public.
https://vimeo.com/111911211
https://vimeo.com/111983382
https://vimeo.com/111983383
It might be Noor who will replace Javeriya Abbasi
Rashid Nazir Ali
Ohkay so, I can’t get enough of this drama because each episode is interesting than the other. Every single time the drama shows some new developments & it keeps the viewers engaged. I think short scenes & the pace are the strength of this drama along with a very realistic approach on a story of a writer. I believe it’s the first time that we’ve being given an insight as to what goes behind the cameras & what it takes to make a good drama & such a journey is a delight to watch.
I know it’d sound surprising but in this episode I felt for Shaukat a lot. He is genuinely a nice guy who also has some weaknesses but the way he shows his concern for Fareeda & tries to rectify his mistakes actually portrays that he is a nice person. It’s his tough luck that Fareeda’s not interested in him because let’s get honest, she is way out of his league & Shaukat is in a strong denial of this fact. Even after Fareeda has told him a million times that she won’t get married to him, he remains persistent & tries his luck but one thing that’s worth a mention is that apart from her own family, it was only Shaukat who tried to console Fareeda when she was going through a hard time & for this he definitely earns some bonus points.
Sadly, Fareeda’s worst nightmares have materialized because she had to experience what she, never in her dreams, had thought of. Rida Anmol obviously backstabbed her & took credit for her hard work. I thought in this tough time, a little gesture by Bint-e-Hawa would at least serve as a little compensation but too bad, Rida Anmol & Sikandar are a strong team because they’ve survived in this industry for a long long time & they very well know how to mend the ways in their favour.
It was obvious that nobody would trust Fareeda & because of that she backed out but it was Bint-e-Hawa who guided her rightly. I felt for Fareeda a lot as well not only because she had made some promises to Jameela but solely because she lost motivation for writing. I think this brunt will serve as a good opportunity for Fareeda because she will bounce back & eventually will end up meeting the right person who will value her talent. A little utterance of Manzar Hayat also showed that commercialism has overwhelmed this industry. He was determined on not changing the script but then like anybody else, he had financial obligations to tend to & this sheds a light on the fact that often producers force the writers to make some changes that they’re not comfortable with. It was somehow also a depiction of the writers’ helplessness because eventually they end up submitting to the demands of the producers & the channels.
Finally, Fareeda has given an edge to Shehryar because he seems completely smitten by her mental calibre. Obviously, he was the reason that forced Fareeda to make an ID but the way she posed as if she has been very busy was rather sweet. Her excitement was evident yet she didn’t want to give him a hint of such sort. I can’t wait to see how their track unfolds.
The preview of next episode seemed really interesting. Rida Anmol would try to hire Fareeda because she knows she’s talented as well as this is her only way of making money, so let’s see what decision would she make & finally her mystery fan will make an appearance too. Can’t wait to find out more. Thoroughly enjoyed this episode of Digest Writer as well & I must say it’s a very intelligent script writing where each card is being revealed at a relevant time. Share your thoughts please.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Deemak is an upcoming play on Geo Tv. Starring, Beenish Chauhan, Zhalay Sarhadi, Sami Khan, Kamran Jeelani and others.
Produced by A&B productions, it is directed by Mohsin Talat and written by Seema Munaf. The play has a different subject from routine dramas as it addresses the disease of Thalassemia. The play will raise the much needed awareness regarding this fatal disease. It is said cousin marriage is a major factor in spreading of this disease.
https://vimeo.com/111925610
https://vimeo.com/111925611
Rashid Nazir Ali
Actress Binitta lost a lot of weight lately, Sanam Jung invited her to her show so that she could share the secret of her weight loss. Actress Binitta shared with the viewers that she was 65 kg before but after her soup diet she was only 47 kg. She said that everyone she meets wants to know how she lost so much weight so she is going to share the secret today. Here is the recipe of the soup she had to lose weight:
Saute some chopped onions in a little bit of oil until they are light pink.
Add one finally chopped capsicum to the onions when they are light pink.
Add some finely chopped carrots along with the capsicum.
Add some spices to this mixture – black pepper (according to taste), chilli sauce (according to taste), One clove of garlic, you can add ginger too if you like it, a little bit of soya sauce, some finally chopped tomatoes, soya sauce (according to taste)
After adding the spices, add the cabbage and fry it for a few seconds then add chicken stok to it along with some water. Leave it for cooking, when it is done enjoy the filling and healthy soup which will help you lose weight fast.
Subh e Pakistan, the new morning show of Geo Tv hosted by famous media personality Aamir Liaqut Hussain is starting from 19th November. The show’s tagline is ‘Real Morning Flavor’ but no information how it tastes sweet , sour or bitter?
As part of promotions many famous celebrities are praising the idea of Geo Tv. See here what they are saying….
https://vimeo.com/111935198
https://vimeo.com/111935199
https://vimeo.com/111935200
https://vimeo.com/111935203
https://vimeo.com/111935204
Rashid Nazir Ali
People are getting more and more weight conscious now because they realize that being over weight does not only make you look bad in appearance but it is not good for the health too. Many Morning Shows hosts nowadays are covering the aspect of weight loss, in this video the expert of HUM’s Morning Show gives some very useful tips by way of which people who are on a diet can decrease their calories intake in an intelligent and healthy way. Cutting down on food altogether is always a bad idea therefore having food alternatives that are nutritious and filling is the wise method to pursue.
According to the expert on the show clear soup minus cornflour is the recipe for success. The expert tells the viewers in details the variety of vegetables that can be used in preparing the soup. She also tells how gradually people can turn to proteins as well after giving their diet a kick start with vegetables only. Daal soup, cabbage soup, spinach, cauliflower, Bell pepper, carrots, peas, chicken, mutton, all these can be used one at a time. On the tenth day you can add onions and tomatoes too. Slowly you can use cottage cheese as well because it will provide you with nutrients but will not increase your weight. Coriander and mint leaves or lemon is always a good option to choose from after 11 days.
The easy way to continue with this diet without much hassle is to make a lot of stock once and then freezing it. This is especially helpful for working women who do not have enough time to cook everyday. This soup will help people a lot of weight in 15 days only if you drink only this soup and eat fruits.
The scenes following the death of Saqib’s parents were short and delivered. They were not prolonged unnecessarily with useless dialogues and that’s why I could connect to the characters especially Saqib.
Saqib lost his parents and now the only family he has left is his khala’s and that is why he asked her to stay at his house. The scene between the two where he hugged her and asked her to stay was really emotional.
I dislike Saira, but I have never hated her till now. She has dreams and everyone is allowed to dream. It’s just her thirst for acquiring money with a shortcut which bothers me. It’s okay to dream but using people who love you, to fulfill your dream is wrong and that’s exactly what Saira is doing with Saqib. She does not love him, she loves his money. Instead of being thankful for a blessing like Saqib, she is busy thinking about what she will do with his money. She didn’t even bother to console him!
Saira’s brother-in-law decided that Saira and Saqib should get married now. Everything is in Saira’s favour for now. On the other hand, Shafaq’s life is the same as before. What came as a shock was that she is at death’s door. Once again, Rahma Ali and Ismat Zaidi impressed me. Not only their acting, but their chemistry as mother-daughter is heart-warming. Shafaq’s mother has decided to fight for her daughter’s life with all her money and wealth.
This time, we weren’t shown the dream which Shafaq told her mother about. That would have been a pretty cool horror scene in the otherwise emotional episode. I don’t know why such scenes are cut down and just narrated. This happened in “Shab-e-Zindagi” (Sumbhul Iqbal and Agha Ali starrer). Agha Ali went into Afghanistan by illegal means and was shot by the Afghan Army at the border. That scene would have stirred interest in the otherwise boring drama but it wasn’t included and simply narrated.
From what I have understood is that Shafaq was being chased by a man with a dagger and she ran off into a dark place. She started sinking into a quicksand and then another man saved her. 
Shafaq came to meet Saira at Saqib’s house and had a small conversation with Saqib. After that, it was pretty evident that she fell for him. The question is, why? Why would Shafaq fall for Saqib? She is not a girl who values looks and money isn’t of any worth to her.
For the answer, let’s wait for the next episode. Please share your thoughts on this episode.
Areeba Mohsen
Two celebrities, one host. Questions, quizzes and a bit of chit chat. This is pretty much the format of any talk show but why is it that Tonite With HSY doesn’t deliver week after week? Are the guest boring? Well, truth be told, unless you’re genuinely interested in any particular actor or celebrity, you’d most likely find them boring. But somehow, I feel they end up looking even more mundane than they might be.
Today’s guests were the dynamic mother-daughter duo of Saba Hameed and Meesha Shaafi. Sheru was animated throughout which was quite surprising since he prefers to let the guests take over his show. But despite his best efforts, this episode was a snoozefest. I went through two cups of chai in an attempt to stay focused. Meesha narrated the story of Mama Simi– a role played by her mother that she thought was her best work till date. Saba admitted that she puts up a fight whenever she feels something isn’t right. According to Sheru, this was the first time Saba and Meesha have given an interview together. Furthermore he claimed Saba hardly gives interviews to which Saba responded that she prefers to maintain a private life away from fans.
Meesha spoke about her projects- her rise to success has been phenomenal and she has achieved much in a short span of time. She attributes her achievements to sheer luck. Indeed- luck happens to be the one factor that sets most of us apart from our contemporaries. Saba wants to pursue direction while Meesha wants to continue creating more music and simultaneously work in film projects. Meesha is ready to take on a challenging role but feels people perceive her as glamorous which may have worked to her disadvantage. Speaking of glamour, Sheru asked Saba why our drama makers are constantly working to portray beautiful women as Bibi Maasi Musibatein and the answer was obvious- ratings are to blame was this disturbing trend.
Fortunately, we were spared at least one of three contests but we had to sit through Love or Don’t Love and Ajnabee Kaun Ho Tum. I think getting rid of them altogether may not be such a bad idea and replacing it with something that livens the atmosphere a little. Personally, I like talk shows- I just think the creators if TWHSY need to seriously rethink their approach and do things differently. Not every guest has the capacity to take over the show and when they don’t Sheru comes across completely clueless.
Let’s hope for a better episode next week. Fingers crossed! What did you think?
Yours in watching,
Kanwal Murtaza
And finally- the much awaited drama by ARY, written by Mohammed Ahmed, produced by Six Sigma and directed by Farrukh Faiz, Goya is here! Go do something constructive- you’re wasting my time and your time! Welcome to the world of Rahat Hashmi (Usman Peerzada)- successful businessman, public figure, jo hamesha ya toh kuch baich rahein hotay hein ya phir kuch khareed rahey hotey hain. A man who thrives on control to the extent that he has conditioned his only son, Omar aka Jr. Hashmi (Osman Khalid Butt) into responding in the following three ways- Yes Sir, Okay Sir, Sorry Sir. Omar, who routinely graces the covers of various magazines is one of the most sought after bachelors in town simply by virtue of birth. But his feelings aren’t that of any stereotypical ameerzaada– on the contrary, he feels suffocated with the burden of being a public figure. Omar’s only outlet is his buddy Ali (Furqan Qureshi) and Mrs. Imtiyaaz (Shamin Hilali) who is tasked with the responsibility of carrying out the orders given by the Sr. Hashmi. Rahat has married a second time to Tara Mehmood but so far she hasn’t shown any inclination towards being a riwaayati soteli maa. In fact, she seems to be the voice of reason and reminds her husband azaadi bhi koi cheez hoti hai.
Rahat strongly believes that he has done right by his son by keeping him in a controlled environment and safeguarding him from the ayaashiyan that are common of the rich and famous. He has chosen a suitable match for his son- the daughter of his friend Saleem. He is confident that his son won’t refuse him to which his wife questions- Aaap ne apney bete ko inkaar ka haq diya hai? Omar wants to go to the USA and pursue an MBA but is predictably shot down by his father- jo students bahar parhney kaatey hein wohh uss position ke liye jaatey hein jis position pe tum already ho! In his eyes, Omar needs to settle down although seeing how his mind works, I’m certain there’s more to this match than meets the eye. Knowing full well that his father won’t take no for an answer, Omar does what any rational 20something would do- plan an escape!
We are also introduced to a mother-daughter duo of Asma (Farah Shah) and Mohini (Sana Javed). These two share an impossibly casual relationship so much so that Mohini often refers to her mother as Asma. Mohini is a news reporter and seems to be the mature one out of the two while Asma is a drama queen with a filmy fascination. Some of their conversations circled around finding a suitable match for Mohini- a man who would double as a handyman. It seems like these two women have been living on their own but fortunately there’s no melodrama here- not just yet. Both these women are independent and self-sufficient. They work respectable jobs to make a decent living and are a huge contrast to the father-son relationship shared by the Sr and Jr Hashmi.
How do two people who are poles apart cross paths? Well, as luck would have it, Omar happens to be at an art exhibition where Mohini is covering the event. In their brief encounter, Mohini is seen as a strong, confident woman whereas Omar appears to be socially awkward. Will this turn into love at first fight? Who knows? But we do get a glimpse into a growing attraction- Omar shares as much with Ali after he meets the annoying Ayeza. Does anyone know the name of the actress? I hope we really, really, really don’t get to see anymore of her.
Some of the scenes that stood out were the ones with Omar and Ali- be it their man-to-man way of settling an argument by resorting to rock-paper-scissors or Ali’s sincere advise to Omar- Tu khudkhushi karley bhai- apni mari hui machli jaisa moun lekar please mere paas mat aana. Even the scene of those two referring to Sr Hashmi as Undertaker while playing a WWF game was amusing. Other than that, some witty one liners by Mohini like Raam Leela ki Amma reminded me of her role as Lubna in Pyarey Afzal. As far as the actors go, I felt Farah Shah was a bit OTT. I wasn’t particularly fond of Hina Tareen either. But the rest of the cast more than made up for the shortcomings. Osman Khalid Butt was amazing as Omar; Sana Javed has yet again nailed the role given to her; Usman Peerzaada – naam hi kaafi hai; Furqan Qureshi is another one to watch out for- he makes his presence felt everytime and Shamin Hilali was spot on as Mrs. Imtiyaz. However, I couldn’t help shake this movie feel- maybe the print had something to do with it? Another rant- for someone as high and mighty as Rahat Hashmi, his home was a huge letdown. Budget interior designer anyone? For a first episode, it was intriguing but definitely didn’t make me go- Wow! Isn’t it mind-blowing? What about you? What did you think? Yay or Meh?
Yours in watching,
Kanwal Murtaza
Malikae Aaliya is an ongoing play by Geo Tv which is aired on Monday, Tuesday from 9-10 pm. As per Geo Tv, the play has the highest TRP in the said time slot.
Malikae Aaliya has a large cast comprising of Maria Wasti, Sohail Sameer, Sohail Asghar, Afshan Qureshi, Faiq Khan, Yasra Rizvi, Anoushay Abbasi, Ahmed Zeb, Arisha Razi, Sumbul Shahid, Gul-e-Raana. It is produced by A&B productions. Earlier another play Kalmoohi also achieved high TRP which was aired on Geo Tv in same time slot earlier this year.
Rashid Nazir Ali
We can finally stop guessing what is wrong with Imroze because the cat is out of the bag. Imroze’s reaction was not surprising at all because we are all well aware of how negative he is by now, even the positive streak in him that was revealed when he asked Roomi to let Paymaan think that he left her because he was not loyal to her was not very convincing. A man must have a very big heart to make such a sacrifice even if he is about to die. We can only wonder if Imroze loved Paymaan enough to put himself through all this pain in order to ensure that his wife can move on and have a happy life because from the very first scene to the last one of Imroze and Paymaan’s life together we never saw them happy. Paymaan always felt like she was not good enough or that Imroze did not love her enough. Imroze’s character will most probably make its exit in the next episode and I still feel like the viewers weren’t even introduced to his character properly unlike all the other characters in the play. It is somewhat ironic that the writer and the director managed to cover the smallest details about the past and present of the side characters brilliantly without leaving any loop holes but failed to do the same for the man who is going to play a major role in changing the life of our leading lady. So, Imroze was all alone in this world after all, he did not have an ugly past or a dirty secret …. basically there wasn’t much to his character at all except that he was lonely, depressed, insecure and now very sick too and he only entered Paymaan’s life only to ruin it forever!
Poor Roomi has yet again been given a huge responsibility and like a good friend he only questions Imroze’s future plans instead of revealing the truth to Paymaan. Roomi tried to make Imroze realize that he was being unfair to Paymaan but Imroze just wants to go away so that Roomi and Paymaan can have a happy life!! I must say that Imroze’s character had potential, if we could have been shown the good and the bad in him but all we saw was a lot of negativity which basically makes it impossible for me to feel for his character.
Tabbasum, Haider, Shams and Sara finally got their happy ending. It was quite predictable what Tabbasum had in store for Shams but the complete change in Shams’ stance regarding having a child came as a good surprise. It was good to see Tabbasum and Haider dance in joy but even these two loveable characters could not keep my interest in the story alive tonight. Things keep on moving forward in Firaaq but do they really make you look forward to more? I have to say not at all. There is too much talking in the play and most importantly our leading lady has become very dull. Tabbasum wants to mend fences with her daughter next and honestly speaking I am not looking forward to it one bit! Can Paymaan be any more berung? Do I want to see Roomi playing the savior yet again? I guess not! Roomi’s character is sweet but the story is too predictable and there is hardly any chemistry between Sanam Saeed and Noor Hassan. Why would someone like Roomi want to be with someone like Paymaan? I hope that the drama gives us something new and entertaining to watch in the upcoming episodes because for now there isn’t much I can connect to. The highlight of tonight’s episode was Shams and Sara’s reunion and it was nice to see Sara wearing Tabbasum’s wedding dress. Honestly speaking, I couldn’t care less about what was going on in the lives of our main protagonists – which is sad!!
Fatima Awan
Aik Pal is starting on Hum TV from Monday 24 November. It stars Arij Fatyma, Danish Taimoor, Affan Waheed, Sumbul Iqbal , Mariam Ansari, directed by Sirajul Haq and written by Sarwat Nazeer. Like its name the play is about a moment which changes the entire life.
Here is the OST in the voice of Nabeel Shaukat and Faiza Mujahid
https://vimeo.com/111912442
Rashid Nazir Ali
Fawad Khan has worked in an indian commercial for GQ India.Fawad Khan has worked in an indian commercial for GQ India.Fawad Khan has worked in an indian commercial for GQ India.Fawad Khan has worked in an indian commercial for GQ India.Fawad Khan has worked in an indian commercial for GQ India.Fawad Khan has worked in an indian commercial for GQ India.Fawad Khan has worked in an indian commercial for GQ India.
https://vimeo.com/111912271
Rashid Nazir Ali
After ever so popular Mera Sultan on Geo Kahani, A-Plus is also coming up with a turkish historical play named Kosem Sultan. The drama will be aired in coming days on A-Plus
https://vimeo.com/111911209
https://vimeo.com/111911210
Rashid Nazir Ali
