The fate of many of the leading men and women in our dramas has been determined by the kind of friends they had. If Sara in Hamsafar did not go along with what Asher’s mother had planned for Khirad, things would be very different. Had Maham and her husband been more sincere in their friendship, the misunderstandings between Sehrish and Ehtesham in drama serial Shuk would not have occurred. If Maleeha in drama serial Daam decided to put her friendship before her own interests, had she not been jealous of her best friend who had always stood by her, Zara’s life would have been very different! Mahi’s online friend Saifee in drama serial Malal almost ruined her marriage because he wanted to get back at her. Recently in drama serial Shanakht we saw Hashim rejecting Annie’s proposal primarily because of what his friend had to say about her.

What I am trying to say is that friends do not only make a huge difference in real life but they play a pivotal role in taking the story forward in dramas as well. Not many of the leading men and women in our dramas have been lucky enough to have good friends but there are some characters who were blessed with friends who were always there for them.

Here is a list of friends in some recent dramas who played an important and positive role in the lives of the main leads.

Laila In Laa:

Daniyal’s journey would never have ended happily if he hadn’t met Laila on the train station the day he was leaving for Karachi. In the beginning the viewers kept on guessing whether Laila’s intentions were pure or not but gradually it was revealed that Laila genuinely wanted to help Daniyal because she valued his friendship. Laila was lonely and so was Daniyal therefore they understood each other. Even though Laila had feelings for Daniyal but she never tried to manipulate her way into his life. The friendship between both these characters was made even more special because of the on-screen chemistry between Mikaal Zulfiqar and Sabreen Hisbani.

Kukoo and Mrs. Khan in Pehchan:

We hardly ever get to see women characters in our dramas standing by each other through thick and thin but the three friends in Pehchan, Kukoo, Mrs. Khan and Laila had an exemplary friendship. Laila derived her strength from Kukoo and Mrs. Khan and they always gave her sound advice. Mrs. Khan helped Laila in her business and looked out for her like she was her own daughter. Kukoo’s character was one of a kind in many ways, she did not want Laila to continue fooling herself. The story wouldn’t have taken the turn which it did if it wasn’t for Kukoo. The conversations between these three friends and the settings in which these conversations were shot were definitely a treat to watch. The chemistry between Iffat Rahim, Anita Camphor and Alishba Yusef was unforgettable and the way their experiences helped shape up their personalities made their characters more relatable.

Mrs. Khan did not have the strength to break away from a marriage that was only harming her emotionally but she wanted Laila to be happy because she did not want her to end up like her after 30 years or so. Now how many of the older ladies in our dramas have such positive thinking? Barely any!

Romaissa’s Friend In Mohabbat Subha Ka Sitara Hai:

I must say that Romaissa’s conversations with her friend were few of those moments when the viewers got the chance to look at Romaissa as a living and breathing human being. Romaissa’s friend always proved to be the voice of reason and since she was the only friend which Romaissa had therefore whatever she said had a lasting effect on her. Romaissa’s friend advised her to be more confident when she was in her Khala’s house and most importantly she always asked Romaissa to stay positive after Nabeel’s death.

Ayesha In Shanakht

The actress playing the role of Annie’s friend in Shanakht may not be very convincing as far as her performance is concerned but her character has everything going for it. The main protagonist of the show Annie always turns to Ayesha for advice since Annie has just started following religious teachings strictly but Ayesha has been wearing a scarf for a long time and she also has complete support of her family. Ayesha is not only a friend in need but also one who understands Annie’s situation. Even after Annie’s mother tells her off she does not hold a grudge against Annie. Ayesha must have been an inspiration for Annie because we see Annie’s mother constantly “blaming” her for the change in Annie’s personality. A very well-balanced character with a very pleasant feel to it, Ayesha is definitely a friend in need!

Koi Nahi Apna

Koi Nahi Apna was a total wreck in all the departments, Fahad Mustafa’s performance was the only good thing about the show but he could not obviously save this sinking ship single-handedly since good dramas are a result of team effort. Apart from Fahad Mustafa the only likeable character in the play was that of Zainab who was actually Alvira’s friend but after Alvira left she supported Hamza and Shiza in all ways possible because she felt that it was the right thing to do until Alvira and Hamza got back together. Many viewers wanted to see Hamza and Zainab together but she was the one who brought Alvira and Hamza together in the end.

Salma Hassan played her character very well and the way in which she got closer to Shiza and Hamza was rather unpredictable and probably the only intelligent development in the play. Zainab definitely falls in the category of one of those friends that change the lives of our leading men and women in dramas.

Arham’s Friend In Mohabbat Ab Nahi Ho Gi

Apart from some of the most nuanced mother characters in the play, this one too has a friend which everyone would wish to have! Arham leaves for Kuwait right after getting married and Fiza is constantly complaining about every other thing, he is under stress all the time and the only person he can turn to is his friend and roommate. Without siding with either of the three ladies in the house Arham’s friend tries to calm him down and solves his problems. The character’s presence is rather nominal in the play but one can’t help but wonder where Arham would be without his friend to rely on. The actor playing the role is a newbie and you don’t really warm up his style of acting instantly but the positivity in his character makes it likeable.

These are all the good friends that I could think of, I am sure the Pyare Afzal fans will probably have a name or two to add. Feel free to add to the list and do share your thoughts about the friends which are included in the list.

Fatima Awan

I finally decided to write about this topic as I am still noticing that our dramas usually revolves around cousins’ love and marital affairs. Our drama makers love to show affairs between cousins while in reality cousins are like brother and sisters, so I don’t know what prompts them to suggest that cousins are usually indulged into each other.

Marriage is indeed a beautiful phase of life as everyone wants to have a life partner who can be with you in all stages of life. Some people do Love Marriages and some people do Arrange Marriages. All I can see in dramas that you prefer to do both love and arrange marriages with your cousins. I understand that cousins do marry with each other because of the so called reason of “Dekha Bhaala larka/ larki” but according to our dramas it seems like everyone is interested in marrying with their cousins.

So have a look on list of dramas that revolves around cousins marriages:

Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishan:

Let’s start with a drama MZZB, Arfeen love Saba his paternal cousin and decided to marry her. Adil, saba’s another paternal cousin had also shown interest in Saba. Arfeen’s mother succeeded to apart Arfeen from Saba by setting a trap to prove that Adil and Saba were involved in illicit behaviour. This drama was a perfect story of cousins’ tragic love story. Result= cousins marriage failed.

Humsafar:

This drama is the best example of cousins’ love and martial affairs. Let’s see how strings are attached, Khizer, Sara’s Paternal cousin love Sara, Sara madly love Asher her maternal cousin, Asher love Khirad his wife and Paternal cousin. Sara with help of Khizer succeeded to apart Asher and Khirad but fate re unites them. In the end one cousin Sara died after not getting Asher as her life partner. Result= Cousins marriage half succeeded half failed.

Kankar:

This drama was although based on domestic abuse on women but in the end everyone was happy after getting married with their respective cousins. Arzoo love Sikander her maternal cousin but Sikander wants to marry Kiran. Kiran’s paternal cousin Adnan wants to marry Kiran as well. In the end Kiran got remarried with Adnan after getting divorce from Sikander, as he used to beat her and Sikandar got remarried with Arzoo and all cousins live happily ever after. Result= All cousins are successful.

Dil-e-Muzter:

Yet another successful drama of Hum-TV but again the story revolves around cousin marital affair. Sila love Adeel her paternal cousin and they both got married. Although Adeel treated Sila badly but in the end when Adeel ask forgiveness she forgave her cousin and decided to move on with him leaving Ahmer friend zoned. Result= Cousins’ marriage successful.

Marasim:

This drama was indeed a masterpiece in terms of story line and direction however it is another fine example of Cousins’ love affair. Dawood and Deeba were engaged to their paternal cousins Momenah and Abdullah from childhood. Dawood and Momenah love each other madly, Deeba also love Abdullah but Abdullah was not at all interested in Deeba. In the end Deeba was finally married to Abdullah and Momenah got married with Fahad her maternal cousin. The interesting and funny fact of this drama was that both Zaid and Dawood died as they were unable to marry their respective cousins. Result= Cousins marriage successful and those who are unsuccessful died.

Daam:

This was yet another gem by Umera Ahmed but as usual story revolves around cousins. Junaid love Zara, Maliha’s best friend, Maliha love her paternal cousin Yasir. Fiza, Yasir’s sister got some real psychological problems and she always show her jealousy towards Zara and she succeeded to snatch Junaid from her. Not all dramas have happy endings, this drama got finished with some real grim faces as all cousins got nothing but separation. Fiza Jealousy and Maliha’s selfishness indeed destroyed everyone’s life. Result= Cousin’s marriage unsuccessful.

Ru Baru:

A drama that was self-destroyed by the writer, I mean this could be among great dramas of 2014 but writer got some another plan. Although the main characters were sarmad and shabeeh but most of the drama was focused on Kiran and Tipu who were both maternal and paternal cousins. Tipu at first divorced Kiran as she always blamed Tipu for having extra marital affairs but when Tipu’s mother insisted him to marry her again he agreed. This drama was ended on a very absurd note leaving many questions unanswered. Result= Cousins’ marriage successful.

Ahista Ahista:

The Lameness of this drama cannot be defined in a single word. I just want to say that huge money had been spent on Production Quality but the story is actually unbearable. Anyways Zawar is a lucky man as he is enjoying his life with an Indian and a Pakistani wife and yes the Pakistani wife is as usual his cousin. Its fine to show  Zawar’s second wife as his cousin but casting Mawra against Adnan Siddiqui I mean are you serious? Result=  Cousins’ Marriage Successful.

Jab We Wed:

Another perfect example of cousins’ love affair, this drama is currently on-air on Urdu 1. Nisa love Faris madly, her Paternal cousin but Faris needs to fulfil his mother’s last wish that Faris should marry with one maternal cousin out of three cousins. When Faris told Nisa about her mother’s wish she was heart-broken. Farish wants Nisa to help him to suggest which cousin will be suitable for her, Nisa was although not willing to help him at start but finally she agreed. Result= although the drama is still On-Air but the result is successful as per the story line we all know that Faris will eventually marry Nisa.

Rung:

I know most of you are not watching this drama, it is currently On-Air on Hum Sitaray. I found this play much better than most of the HUM-TV plays currently On-Air. So Saniya and Zafar are cousins and best childhood friends. Saniya grows up to be an over ambitious woman as a doctor who wants to be on top and everything should be perfect in her life. She prefers her work and ambition over her family, while Zafar prefers family and simple life. On Saniya’s mother last wish Saniya got married with Zafar but it was like a forceful marriage as Saniya never finds Zafar as a compatible companion. Saniya is so workaholic that she neglected her children while Zafar cared for his family. Result= Not applicable until drama ends but it seems like Saniya might leave Zafar or she may realise in the end that she is actually losing her beautiful family.

So any other drama in your mind which is based on Cousins’ marital or love affair? P.S: Please no debate on cousins’ marriages.

It has been said that the early you get married, the more are the chances of your marriage turning successful. The reason is obvious, mature minds show less flexibility when it comes to molding oneself according to the desires of their partner. So yes, I am in favor of those who get married in between 20-30 years of age. After that, complications are more and chances to live a happy married life are less(not in all cases, ofcourse.) I have compiled a list of artists who got married at the peak of their career. Here it is.

1 . Sahiba & Rambo 

Everyone is familiar of “John Rambo” of guest house and actress, Sahiba. They got married at very early age; Despite of her mother being against their marriage, Sahiba somehow managed to convince her and they are living a happily married life with two sons now.

2. Ali Zafar  

Who knew that a person who drew portraits while sitting in lobby of Pearl Continental Hotel, will become one fine artist one day. Yes, he is Ali Zafar; He got married at young age when he met his soul mate Aisha. Till date, she accompanies him in all his tours and trips and is always standing by his side.

3. Atif Aslam

Kitni he larkyu k dil tornay walai ,Atif Aslam, got married to Sara Bharwana last year . It was indeed  peak of his career when he took the decision to start his family life and now they are enjoying their parenthood with a cute little son.

4. Sanam Baloch

Marriage news of Sanam Baloch was quite a surprise for me ,as there was no hype of her getting married in media ever before.. and then suddenly , we got to see her “surprise” wedding pictures that ensured us about her marriage.

5. Syra & Shehroz 

I always liked Syra Yousaf for the way she carries herself; She always looked decent and poised and I think, she took right decision  of getting married at right time. Syra and Shehroz are living a very happy married life with their 3 months old daughter.

6. Annie Jaffery

Annie looks like a Barbie doll and I always thought that she is too young to be taken as lead female..par itni young hain nahi...  Right at the peak of her career, she announced her engagement with this UK mate,Faris Rehman. Within months, she got married but we are unable to see her onscreen till date. Come back soon Annie ,We miss you !

7. Fatima Affindi & Kanwar Arsalan

Fatima forms a part of emerging talents in Pakistan Showbiz fraternity. She did some promising roles in dramas and while working with Kanwar Arsalan, she decided to get married. They are blessed with a baby boy a couple of days ago.

8. Soniya Hussain & Wasif 

One of my favorite actresses these days, Soniya Hussain, recently got wed-locked to model cum showstopper, Wasif.

8. Aiza & Danish

Aiza and Danish, stepped into showbiz as a couple but they always preferred not to amalgamate their personal life with professional. Some people took their relation as rumor but this rumor proved to be true last month.

10. Sarwat Gillani & Fahad Mirza 

Sarwat Gillani needs no introduction ; Be it her role in Malaal or in Dil e Muztar, she proved herself as a versatile actress. Fahad Mirza has his short acting career but I can sense a potential lead male in him.They tied the knots last month too.

Do come up with your names of celebrity couples or artists who got married at the peak of their careers, if any.

Rabia Basharat.

There are many talented youths in Pakistan, especially in the entertainment industry. Generally models debut as actresses, though this is not always the case. To claim fame and critical success when you are hardly 25 years of age is a big achievement. I have put together a list of 10 actresses who are 25 years of age and under, with a bit of information on each.
NOTE: Ages are taken from Wikipedia.

~ AIZA KHAN

An actress loved by many across the globe, Aiza Khan entered the television industry with the Hum TV drama serial ‘Tum Jo Miley’ in 2008. Since then she has appears in many many dramas and telefilms, mainly in lead roles. She is also a victim of typecast, where it seems she is also acting in rona dhona roles. However in recent hit drama ‘Pyaray Afzal’, she played a totally different kind of role of Farah, which was a hit with viewers and showed her different acting style.

Last month she married actor ‘Danish Khan’, whom she has appeared in some dramas with before. Currently she is seen in Urdu 1 drama ‘Jab We Wed’, Geo TV drama ‘Bikhra Mera Naseeb’ and Hum TV drama ‘Mere Meherbaan’.

~ MAYA ALI

25 year-old actress and model Maya Ali made her debut into the acting industry through the drama ‘Durr-e-Shahwar’. Her first lead role was in ‘Aik Naye Cinderella’ in 2012, a drama that proved to be very popular. In 2013, she starred alongside Osman Khalid Butt in the romantic comedy, ‘Aun Zara’, a fun, highly-rated and charming drama.

Maya Ali is a natural actress, and has improved her acting immensely over the last few years. Currently she is seen in Hum TV drama ‘Shanakht’ portraying the role of Annie, which I think she is portraying beautifully.

~ MADIHA IMAM

Born 8th Feb 1991, Madiha Imam is a VJ, model, host & actress. Her hobbies include singing, traveling and listening to music. Recently she was in drama ‘Ishq Mein Tere’ which aired on Hum TV opposite Azfar Rahman & Mehwish Hayat. Her acting really stood out, leaving a lasting impression on viewers. She was also seen in a small role in drama ‘Ru Baru’, also on HumTV.

~ URWA HOCANE

Urwa is a 23 year-old Pakistani VJ, model and actress. She started her acting career from ARY Digital serial Meri Ladli. Since then she has appeared in Hum TV serial Madiha Maliha, Kitni Girhain Baqi Hain and dramas Kahi Un Kahi, Namak Paray, Aik Pagal Si Larki. Her current drama ‘Tum Mere Hi Rehna’ is aired on Hum TV on Wednesdays at 8pm in which she is seen opposite Meekal Zulfiqar.

She has appeared in the film ‘Strawberry’ as female lead opposite Sohail Haider and can also be seen in the upcoming Pakistani social comedy, thriller film ‘Na Maloom Afraad’ which is scheduled to release across Pakistan on Eid ul-Adha 2014.

~ MAWRA HOCANE
Younger sister of Urwa Hocane, Mawra Hocane is best known for her serials Yahan Pyar Nahi Hai, Ek Tamanna Lahasil Si, Kitni Girhain Baqi Hain, Billo Bablu and Bhaiyya & Nikhar Gaye Gulab Sar, for which she was also nominated as Best Actress at the 1st HUM Awards 2013. A graduate of Pakistan Institue of Fashion and Design, Mawra followed in her elder sisters’ footsteps, transitioning from VJ to acting.

Though her acting is not top notch, she definitely seems to be improving. Currently she is seen on our very own Sunday Comedy Nights Special with Zahra Mirza ;) more commonly known as ‘Aahista Aahista’, opposite Adnan Siddique and Sarwat Gillani.

~ SOHAI ALI ABRO

Born on the 13th of May 1994, Sohai Ali Abro is only 20 years old. At such a young age she has worked in many dramas, photoshoots & has much to be proud of.

Abro made her acting debut with Geo TV serial ‘Saat Pardon Mein’ opposite Mikaal Zulfiqar and Alyy Khan. Later she performed a dance on ARY Digital’s reality show, Naach. Some of her other dramas include Hum TV serial Tanhai opposite Goher Mumtaz, Ayesha Omar & Azfar Rehman, Khoya Khoya Chand opposite Ahsan Khan and Maya Ali, Rishte Kuch Adhore Se opposite Yumna Zaidi and Mehmood Aslam & Pyaray Afzal opposite Hamza Ali Abassi and Aiza Khan.

Abro made her film debut with Yasir Nawaz’s 2013 film ‘Anjuman’ opposite Imran Abbas Naqvi, Sara Loren and Alyy Khan for which she was nominated for a Tarang Housefull Awards in the Best Supporting Actress category. She is also in the cast of the film ‘Kambakht’, opposite Sheheryar Munawar Siddiqui.

~ YUMNA ZAIDI

Born in 1989 making her 25 years old, Yumna Zaidi is best known for her roles in serials Thakan, Khushi Ek Roag, Meri Dulari and Ullu Baraaye Farokht Nahi for which she was nominated for Hum Award for Best Actress Viewer’s Choice. Though she has only acted in a handful of dramas, viewers find her a talented actress, though this depends widely on the script and drama. Currently she is seen in Hum TVs Friday night prime-time drama Mausam.

~ SANAM CHAUDHRY

Born in Jeddah Saudi Arabia in 1991, Sanam is the younger sister of Pakistani actress Zaib Chaudhry.
Some of the dramas she has acted in include Ishq Humari Galiyoon, Mein, Saheliyaan & Naqaab, but perhaps the most widely and critically acclaimed is ‘Aasmona Pe Likha’. Currently she is seen on Mondays on Hum TV drama ‘Mere Meherbaan’. Her acting still has room for improvement and she seems to get shrieky-type roles, but she is a young, hard-working girl who is still quite young.

~ ARIJ FATYMA

Arij Fatyma started her career as a fashion model in 2011 at the age of 22. Since then she has done many projects in the fashion world, appeared in many TV commercials & acted in many drama serials. Some of her drama serials are: Humnasheen, Aik pagal si larki, Meri beti & Kisay apna kahein.

She is multi-talented a hard worker, and her acting and performances are very much liked by the viewers and critics. Her upcoming drama is called ‘Aik Pal’ which will be shown on Hum TV soon.

~ SAJAL ALI

Pakistani actress and model Sajal Ali, 20 years old, needs no introduction. Sajal made her screen debut with the 2011 ARY Digital serial ‘Mehmoodabad Ki Malkain’. Some of her other famous works include Mastana Mahi (2012), Ahmed Habib Ki Betiyan (2012, Meri Ladli (2012), Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah (2013), Nanhi (2013), Sannata (2013) and Aasmanon Pay Likha (2013).
She is noted for playing a variety of characters in a range of serials—from contemporary social to romantic dramas.

The innocent face of television industry, she is doing a lot of hits shows on different TV channels. She is young, beautiful and a talented woman who made her name and fame in a very short time.

Well that was my list, though I’m sure there must be more. Share your comments below.

Sabreena

The “Big 3” (or 2 now that Geo is off the race) have promised to torture us beyond our tolerance level.  This has reached a limit when even their avid followers have stopped watching their shows.  They drag and stretch dramas, even those which have no story lines. I can’t choose to ignore them because I want my drama industry to flourish.

The list includes:

1. Mere Mehrbaan: From 7th Sky Entertainment, the director of Laa, Farooq Rind and writer of Ranjish Hi Sahi, Maha Malik, Mere Mehrbaan airs on Hum TV on Mondays. The story is regular, with two families_ one of Shaista and the other of Nayyara Begum. Shaista is the pure evil and Nayyara Begum is the pure good. Their daughters are exactly like them. Obviously, the good ones are facing all the problems in life and the evil ones are enjoying their lives. The problem is that the “problems” have been dragged so much that the drama doesn’t move an inch in a whole hour and it is stagnant.  There are many OTT scenes and they are truly annoying. So Hum TV, please end this drama because it is unbearable now.

2. Arranged Marriage: This drama also airs on Mondays but on ARY entertainment. The story is about a girl Roshanay who plays with dolls or plays cricket most of the time. She gets married to Ahmed who is in love with someone else. Agha Ali is once again playing the role of a torturous husband who hates his wife (remember Rukhsar? ) Roshanay becomes the regular chup chaap girl after marriage. The drama is stagnant for now since the only scenes that take place are Ahmed threatening Roshanay to take divorce from him otherwise he will make her life a living hell. He hasn’t done anything other than threatening though . He has been doing it for like 8 episodes!!

3. Janam Jali: This show airs on Thursdays on Hum.  It has nothing to offer accept a mother-in-law who wants grandsons only and could slaughter her daughter-in-laws if they don’t give birth to sons. The story has been stretched beyond compare and all the stereotypes have been thrown in. From annoying saas to shukki husband and harrassing  behnois to sick and wailing children asking for their mothers and oh yes, second wife.

4. Mausam:  On Fridays we see Shazia and Saman who are cousins. Shazia loves Hasir, the guy who fell in love with Saman at first sight (Saman doesn’t know anything about it) . Shazia’s jealousy compelled her to turn against Saman and to get her married to her own fiance’.  Hashir tou hain hi majnu! He decides never to leave Saman. He tries to help her in every way but she keeps rejecting his help , unaware of  his feelings. Her husband spots Hashir near her and this leads to misunderstandings after which he tortures her. The worst part is, Saman’s mother knows everything (thanks to her amazing eavesdropping skills) and chooses to remain silent. Hashir decides to sacrifice for Saman and purposes Shazia. Shazia is over the moon and can’t wait to get married. The reason I want it to end is, that the story is not engaging. Hum TV has given us blockbusters after blockbusters on Fridays and now……

5. Aahista Aahista: One man with two wives is struggling to live. He has just been caught with the second one by the first wife. Ever woman in the drama whether his mother, his sister or his wives love him so much that they just can’t hate him. The story is being dragged and should end now!

6. Adhura Milan: I can’t explain the story here. That’s because there are thousands of tracks in this drama. This explains the reason of it’s dragging but doesn’t explain the over-the-top scenes or the unskilled actors. There’s an over-aged man caught between 3, I repeat, 3 wives and his one and only love. His one and only love being tortured by her husband.  A really long coma (taken from Indian dramas) . A person who wants to keep all the family wealth to herself. And so on. A-Plus please wrap up this drama quick!

Feel free to express your views . Thank you.

Areeba Mohsen

Following is a list of 5 actors and 5 actresses who have the most fans on facebook:

5 Top Actors with most fans on facebook:

1. Hamza Ali Abbasi:  1,164,430 likes

2. Shehryar Munawwar Siddiqui: 839,223 likes.

3. Fawad Afzal Khan: 632,617 likes

4. Imran Abbas Naqvi:  604,795 likes

5. Faysal Quraishi:  446,058 likes

5 Actresses with most fans on facebook:

1. Ayesha Khan: 1,266,701 likes

2. Ayeza Khan:  1,060,841 likes

3. Sanam Jung: 906,491 likes

4. Saba Qamar:  680,848 likes

5.  Sanam Baloch: 646,244 likes

Areeba Mohsen