Main Bushra will air on ARY soon. It is produced by Zeekay Films, directed by Ahmed Bhatti and written by Sanam Mehdi. The cast includes Mawra Hussain, Affan Waheed, Saba Faisal, Faisal Quraishi Saba Abdul-Hameed and others.
Here are the promos:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=322576081252696
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=322617677915203
BTS photos and stills:
Areeba Mohsen
After Syra Yusef and Mehreen Raheal, Mathira is going to be the nexe female celebrity who is expecting her first baby. A few days back while giving an interview to a local newspaper Mathira disclosed that she had been married for a year. She, however did not disclose the identity of her husband but only said that he was not a Pakistani and he was not a celebrity. Everyone was asking why she disclosed the news when she was not going to give the details about her spouse, well now we know why!!
Mathira still feels no need to share who the father of the baby is because she is very private about her family affairs.
The news of her pregnancy is all over social media now after she went to Agha Khan Hospital for a check up which confirmed her pregnancy. Some of the pictures from a recent event also confirmed the news. When Mathira was asked why she did not share the news with her fans, she said
““Sab ko khud he pata chal jaye ga. I’m afraid nazar na lag jaye kahien.”
Imran Abbas has joined the Azaadi March in Islamabad to show solidarity with protesters. Here are few clicks of Imran.
Rashid Nazir Ali
Adnan Siddiqi is a well known senior (both in terms of experience and age) artist who has played leading roles in various plays for more than two decades (22 years in acting to be precise as his first drama Uroosa was in 1992 but he was into modelling since 1990-91). Recently drama Maat having Adnan Siddiqi in leading role is aired on Zindagi channel in India, which introduced this senior Pakistani artist to indian audience. Adnan is also interviewed by Press Trust of India which is shared below. Adnan’s interview by Indian press is continuation of series of interviews which Indian press is doing once a drama is aired on Zindagi. Earlier Sanam Saeed, Umera Ahmed, Samina Peerzada, Osman Khalid Butt and few others are also interviewed by Indian press after successful launch of their dramas.
Actor Adnan Siddiqui, who has impressed the Indian audience with his performance in TV soap ‘Maat’, says that Pakistani dramas are as big as Indian films in terms of quality and popularity.
The actor, who is now seen on ‘Mere Qatil Mere Dildar’ on Zindagi and has been a part of many successful dramas back at home, feels storytelling in Pakistani serials is at par with that of Bollywood.
“Our dramas match Indian movies. We tell the story in a similar manner like filmmakers in India do. Our main focus is the content and it is no less that of Bollywood. We put emphasis on the script and performances. Indian directors make wonderful stuff and Pakistani dramas match that quality,” Siddiqui told PTI over phone from Karachi.
The 44-year-old actor feels Indian soaps on the other hand need to grow out of saas-bahu stories and be more realistic, like Pakistani serials.
“There was a time when Indian soaps had an amazing fan following in Pakistan. That is still there to some extent, but I think there should be more realistic serials, the stories, direction, everything needs to move on from the old stuff, according to me,” he said.
The actor says he wants to act in Bollywood but is not desperate to be a part of Hindi films.
“I would love to do a Bollywood film but I will not approach people for work in India. In fact, once I was asked to give an audition for the role of a villain in a Hindi film. I was shocked because in my 22 years of acting career, I have never given any audition or test in Pakistan,” Siddiqui said.
“Look at Fawad Khan or Ali Zafar; they have become popular in India because people have recognised their talent. Indians have an eye for talent. I feel they don’t waste any opportunity in grabbing a good actor,” he added.
Siddiqui plays a villainous character in ‘Mere Qatil Mere Dildar’ and is glad that the Indian audience will see him in a different avatar.
“People will see my versatility as a performer and I only wanted that. I have never played a villain before ‘Mere Qatil Mere Dildar’ so it was a challenge but I enjoyed,” the actor said.
Rashid Nazir Ali
“Hur roz mujhe yeh lagta hai ke bus jo hona tha ho chuka, saari azmaishein khatam ho gaye, ab honey ko reh hi kya gaya hai magar hur roz aik naye jung aik naya mahaz…kub meri himat jawab de jaye gi, kub mei is meidan-e-jung mei maari jaun gi, ya mei yun hi lrti rahu gi!” The path that Laila has chosen is most certainly not an easy one, the hurt that she feels at every single step when her mother makes things even more difficult for her is being portrayed brilliantly by Alishba Yusef. Laila does not blame her mother for a second because despite of everything that she has put Laila through, she understands her majburis. The way Laila kept on hoping that her mother will at some point share her happy moments if not do anything to support her was shown superbly. Even after Laila leaves her mother’s house because she knows that she is not welcome there any more, she is ecstatic to see her mother when she comes to meet her at Kukoo’s salon. Laila does not even react when her mother asks her to give up her share of the property because that is what the man of the house wants. Even when her mother hands over the baby’s toys to her, as if saying that Laila should never come back to her parents house again, Laila does not judge her. Laila is beyond all these things now; she does not want to rely on her brother or husband’s money, she wants to make her own jannat with her own efforts. Laila is ready to make space for new relations but she also knows that leaving her mother and Bhaiya behind is not going to be easy. There are memories attached to these people and Laila clearly loves both of them that is why she is so willing to forgive them! Laila’s call to her mother after she gets her apartment was one of the many scenes in tonight’s episode that went to show that Khalid Ahmed and Bee Gul both believe in showing and not telling. Laila’s mother answers the phone only in the hope that her daughter may have changed her mind and when she finds out that Laila has something completely different to share with her, she hangs up instantly. Kukoo explained the reason behind Laila’s mother’s attitude brilliantly, she has to pay this price….make this sacrifice to continue being the queen of her house.
Laila is a POW now, just like her father said, ” POW bun jana zulm na sehna”. Things would have been entirely different for Laila had her father been alive. Laila has the convenient option of going to her husband’s mahal because after all she is expected to do just that. Like her mother says, ” mard mei jitne bhi aaib hun, aurat apni aulad aur aram ke liye guzara kr leti hai”… this is SO true! Our society is filled with women who put up with the worst only because of their children or because they have a roof on their head and get free meals. Laila has taken a path less travelled and therefore her experiences are going to be very different from that of her mother’s, Mrs. Khan’s and other women like them but she is ready to face those challenges. This play also goes to show that sometimes people who are not related to you support you more than your close relatives. Kukoo and Mrs. Khan have always been there for Laila and so has Saadi. Laila has only been able to come this far because she had support from all these friends. The conversation between the three friends about Mansoor and Kukoo’s statement about Mansoor that there was no room for improvement in his life was just what the doctor ordered. A man like him certainly deserves to be pitied. The scene on the dinner table when Laila asks Kukoo is she was waiting for someone and she replies, “nahi ab mujhe kisi ka intizar nahi” was brilliant.
Mansoor’s mother is already looking for a new wife for him, we saw her raving about her son’s wealth and thanda mizaj while Mansoor shouted in the background! The list of khoobiyan she wanted in her bahu was never-ending. Mansoor, on the other hand still has a very bruised ego which will not be satisfied until Laila comes pleading to him. The fact that Kukoo and Laila both can do without him now is eating him up. Laila is warming up to Saadi and this time she does not decline when Saadi puts the ring on her finger. Laila shared with Saadi how she used to be there for her brother when he was a baby. I must say that I found it hard to relate to the story because if Laila used to take care of her baby brother like that she must be at least 9 or 10 years older than him but she just got married and her brother is already married. Laila must be in her early twenties so that means her brother should be a teenager then…correct me if I am wrong.
I really felt for poor Alishba tonight; Saadi could not take his hands out of his pockets because it was that cold and Alishba was wearing a chiffon saree. Another thing which is a little too odd is that Laila has absolutely no help just like Kukoo, not even someone to clean up the tables etc. Other than that, this episode and the drama in general is picture perfect. Every episode is full of meaningful dialogues and scenes that leave you speechless. Every little gesture suggests something or the other. Pehchan is keeping me glued to my seat because every scene has something significant to offer. In my opinion this episode belonged to Laila – Alishba Yusef. She was the perfect choice for playing this character. The wonderful thing about this drama is that you are able to connect to all the three women in the play. Kukoo has clearly moved on but will Mrs. Khan find her own pehchan too?
Fatima Awan
Muhammad Amir”s fans were very disturbed when the fast bowler was banned from cricket due to the spot fixing charges. The good news for his fans is that the young fast bowler will be starting his film career very soon with the movie “Blind Love”. While talking to a local newspaper the ex-cricketer said, “In the last couple of years, I had nothing to do. So when the well known film maker Faisal online casinos Bukhari approached me to be a part of the film, I accepted.”
Syed Faisal Bukhari is the man behind the film with which Mohammad Amir will be starting his career. Recently two of his films Bhai Log and Sultanat were shown in the cinema. The films did nominal business. While talking about the film Amir did not give away too many details but said, “This is a new challenge for me and I am eager to see how everything I discussed with the filmmaker translates onto the big screen…..The shooting will start soon and I am totally geared up for this one”.
It remains to be seen if Amir”s acting career will take off or not but we wish him all the best.
Alvida is one of the most awaited dramas recently. This is because Imran Abbas and Sanam Jung’s hit jodi is back and we all want to see the same chemistry between them as Dil-e-Muzter. The two other actresses include Mawra Hussain and Naveen Waqar. The director is Shehzad Kashmiri and writer is Samira Fazal.
Areeba Mohsen
Fawad Khan’s fans in Pakistan have been unsure whether they will see him in a Pakistani project again sometime soon or not. Fawad Khan revealed something that will make his Pakistani fans very happy. In a recent interview he said that he has played the romantic, love struck hero roles back-to-back for too long now and he really wants to do something different in the future. He also said that he is very selective about the roles he plays because he only wants to opt for roles to which he can do justice. In an interview with an Indian reporter Fawad Khan said, “There is a project right now that we are working on back at home, it is a Pakistani film”. He also said that this film addresses his desire to play a different role.
About the offers from India he said, “As far as offers from here are concerned, there is nothing concrete as yet, it is just talks, things we are discussing. If there is something concrete, I will definitely let the audience know.” Fawad Khan also said that he doesn’t think that there will be any problems with the releasing of his film in Pakistan. “This film I am thinking would release quite easily”, said Fawad Khan.
Fawad Khan said that his overall journey in India till now has been “warm, courteous and very pleasant.”
It is always fun to see the latest pictures of our favorite celebrities. Celebrities keep on sharing their personal and work related pictures on twitter, facebook and instagram. Here is a collection of some of the pictures which in my opinion will interest the readers.
These are Mehreen Raheal’s pictures on her baby shower. When we reported that she was expecting, many people did not believe us. Well, I hope everyone knows now that the news is confirmed!
Here is a picture of newly-weds, Anum and Gohar in Turkey:
Ayesha Omer at Nomi Ansari’s sister’s wedding:
Javeria Saud poses with her daughter Jannat on Independence day:
A recent picture of Shehryar Munawar with his sister:
Humaima Malick and Emran Hashmi:
Adnan Sami Khan with his wife on his birthday:
Here is a recent click of Fawad Khan:
Model Nadia gives Sanam Baloch a make-over!
Noor visits Universal Studios
Latest click of Imran Abbas
A click from Sajjal’s recent photoshoot
Mahira Khan with a fan
Faysal Quraishi with his daughter
Look at the cute way Fatima Effendi’s son is looking at her!!
Tum Mere Hi Rehna, is an upcoming play by Hum Tv starring Mikaal Zulfiqar, Urwa Hocane, Kiran Haq, Saba Hameed and Waseem Abbas. The play is expected to replace Izteraab on Wednesday at 8 pm or recently concluded Kahani Raima or Manahil Ki on Wednesday/Thursday at 9:10 pm.
http://vimeo.com/103871838
http://vimeo.com/103542197
Rashid Nazir Ali
Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar is penning down Mahirah Khan’s next drama serial. It will be directed by Ehtishamuddin and produced by Six Sigma and Momina Duraid productions. Adnan Malik is a part of the show as well. It is not confirm whether he is playing the male lead or not.
Mahirah Khan is wearing traditional clothes along with other actresses. The drama has been shot in Lahore.
Adnan Malik performed really well in PTV’S drama Imtehaan many years ago and recently he showcased his acting skills alongside Jana Malik and Nauman Ijaz in Kabhi Kabhi Anjaney mein.
MindWorks Media is producing Yalghaar which will be directed by Hassan Waqas Rana. Claims are that it will be the most expensive Pakistani movie up till now. It is based on a true story about a successful military operation conducted in the Parichar region of Swat district. The lead actors include Shaan Shahid, Adnan Siddiqui, Humayun Saeed, Sana Bucha and Ayesha Omar. Ashir Abdul-Azeem has also returned after so many years.
These are the bts pictures of Yalghaar, which I am sure will make you all excited about the movie.
Oh god! Even though I don’t want to sound to rude but I really think it’s about time that the character of Zara dies peacefully. There’s no need to linger on the hope of her life because it’s unbeneficial after all. The story has become stagnant & seems like the team is in no mood to pack up. Finally & sluggishly they have managed to cross the mark of 20+ episodes, which for them might be some sort of a milestone but for us; the viewers, it nothing short of a punishment to be honest!
Jazib Jee now wishes that none of it should’ve happened between him & Zara as he has fallen in love with his first wife all over again, but I guess he is forgetting that a mean guy like him wouldn’t know how to survive alone on his own & take care of kids & for that reason he needed Dua in his life. Now that Jazib knows that he has Dua who is taking care of his kids & his home & just because she is sharing his burdens & responsibilities, he is tension free & has a free mind to focus on rekindling his love for his strong-headed, determined wife; whose determination was something that he hated the most as she was too determined to be wasting her time in making garam garam rotis for him.
Dua has started to feel alienated obviously because even though she took Jazib’s kids & his home as her responsibility, she still feels that she is falling short because Jazib is completely overlooking her efforts & her contribution in his life. To him, all what matters is Zara & that’s it & in this scenario Dua is politely absorbing it all, which she shouldn’t because she isn’t entitled to it.
Seems like the writer is so in love with Zara that she doesn’t want her to die (so why did she bring in the whole disease issue in the first place) because after wasting 7 – 8 episodes, Jazib is now going for second or third opinions for Zara’s case. I think they should’ve dealt with it ages ago when they were wasting episodes on Sofia’s rebellion & her love-flick. They should’ve dealt with it way before rather than wasting time on the forced negativity & hatred that Zara was feeling for Dua & the time she was wasting in insulting her. Now that everything’s done & dusted & Zara is ready to die, Jazib swooped in with some miraculous news of a Japanese drug that a Japanese company is preparing for those patients who have a certain type of c~~~~~ that Zara is suffering from.
At first Zara feels she has given up every single hope & now wants to depart but Jazib is hell bent on making her agree for the trial. As per the doctor, Zara & Jazib need to submit an application to the company so that they can hand over some drug to Zara as she has no other option left which means that there’s still some scope of drama left before Zara actually breathes her last breath.
As shown in the preview, Zara feels she wants to live & now will also have an issue with Dua because she feels she can’t share her boring husband with Dua anymore. How convenient right? I feel they should’ve named her as Tissue/Toilet Paper instead of Dua as everybody seems to be using her just so casually & now when they’ve used her pretty much, they’re ready to dump her out of their lives.
For the love of dramas, I wish this petty drama comes to an end because it’s just a mood spoiler & nothing else. To be honest, I don’t care if Zara lives or dies, I just want a Wednesday prime slot free of this crap so that it can be filled with at least something tad bit tolerable & watchable. Share your feelings & your wishes of how much you want to see her or Jazib dead!
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Jaago Pakistan Jaago is the morning show of Hum Tv, which is due to find a new permanent host as the previous host Fahad Mustafa has left the show. The show is provisionally hosted by Umber Khan, Ainnie Khan from past few months and now a new permanent host will join the show. The name of the host is still kept as surprise, and to increase the curiosity few promos are aired by Hum TV as well. As per unconfirmed reports Sanam Jung may appear as host. But what is your guess after watching these promos?
http://vimeo.com/103872542
http://vimeo.com/103872067
Rashid Nazir Ali
First episode of the show and too good with pace; This show was worth giving a try. Chup Raho is Yasir Nawaz’s direction and is written by Samira Fazal and from now on, I will be the one reviewing this show for you guys.
Episode started with a very different yet impactful scene; Rameen (Sajal Ali),who lives in Rawalpindi, was travelling to Karachi with her parents in train. For me, first impression is the last impression when it comes to opening scene of the show and I literally enjoyed watching such unconventional start where they made everything clear that what is going to happen exactly.
So, Rameen is getting engaged to Aazar (Feroz Khan) and for that she had to stay at her sister’s for a week. Manaal (Arjuman Raheem) and Numair (Jibran Syed) are a very happy married couple and unlike typical husbands, Numair loves to do anything that can make his wife happy. Right from the time when he went to pick his in laws, he got attracted towards Rameen and after that, he was unable to divert his mind from her.
It was pretty evident that Aazar is a one woman man. Aazar never wanted a wife who was associated with someone else or was in a relationship. He kept himself away from such mushy-gushy stuff solely because he knows that pure soul gets the purest as a life partner; He feels lucky that Rameen will be his life partner.
Numair was like a dream husband but that was only one side of card; He was addicted to physically abuse young girls and this time Rameen was his prey. At Rameen’s dholki, when he saw Aazar and Rameen together, it was like adding fuel to the fire and with twinge of envy, he asked them to stay away from each other. Manaal trusts Numair like hell and for that, he can’t even think that Numair will have bad intentions for Rameen and for that, when she saw him outside Rameen’s room attempting to go inside, she took it casually. Manaal wanted to go to saloon with Rameen and with amoral intentions, Numair offered her a ride and asked Manaal to stay at home. Instead of Saloon, he took Rameen to his friend’s apartment and attempted to molest her.
Chup Raho is definitely a bold move in terms of prime-time shows but at the same time it highlights the social issue that young girls are facing for a very long time and will definitely help the girls to raise their voices against such evil and monstrous creatures. This show gave me a mysterious feel due to its camera-work but it has a tendency to attract the viewer and keep them glued to their television screens.
Share your thoughts on first episode of Chup Raho.
Rabia Basharat.
Everybody is praising Pyare Afzal for its acting, direction, writer, script, support cast, music and OST but producer of drama is as important as other persons, in the end it is the producer who provides finance to make a dream into a reality i.e. to shot a script to be a drama.
Pyare Afzal is produced by Six Sigma Plus, which is the production house of famous artist Humayun Saeed. Recently Humayun Saeed has talked to Urdu Daily Naibaat over the rumors of second part of Pyare Afzal. As per Humayun he is thrilled by the overwhelming success of PA which has encouraged him to come up with something even better than PA. Humayun has neither denied nor confirmed the reports of sequel of Pyare Afzal. As per Humayun the original story was shot as it is, and no part of original story/script was modified during dramatization. The story was a true reflection of our society equally well scripted by the writer Khalilur Rehman Qamar. As per Humayun after the tremendous success of PA, he is challenged by the viewers to produce an even better drama then PA.
Rashid Nazir Ali
People who wear glasses are usually met with responses like “Bht padhaku ho?”, “TV bht dekhte thhe?” and stuff like that. Most people are terrified of wearing glasses and find them embarrassing while some people wear them proudly and rock them as well. Most of our celebrities have been spotted wearing glasses and looking really good as well.
1.Nadeem Baig:
2. Shehzad Qaiser: We all love our “AINAK” wala jin ;)
3. Abdul-Qavi Khan:
4. Javed Sheikh:
5. Shabbir Jan:
6. Fazila Qazi:
7. Nauman Ijaz:
9. Asad Malik:
10. Mehmood Aslam:
11. Moammar Rana:
12. Adnan Siddiqui
13. Farhan Ali Agha:
14. Fawad Khan
15. Danish Taimoor
16. Imran Abbas
17. Fahad Mustafa
18. Faisal Qureshi
19. Humayun Saeed
20. Hamza Ali Abbasi
21.Ahsan Khan:
22. Shehryar Munawwar Siddiqui
23. Hina Dilpazeer: We all know she rocks her glasses as Momo!
24. Ayeza Khan
25. Osman Khalid Butt:
26. Meekal Zulfiqar:
27. Sanam Jung:
28. Mawra Hocane
29. Ayesha Khan
30. Syra Sheroze
31. Sajal Ali:
32. Sohai Ali Abro
33. Mehwish Hayat
34. Agha Ali
35. Nausheen Shah:
36. Babar Khan
37. Sanam Chauhdry
So guys, what did you think of this article? Do comment and tell me who rocks their glasses in your opinion.
Aw! It’s such a nice drama. I don’t know how to put it but it has a very appeasing feel to it. The way all the actors have acted & the way the director has taken the story forward is really nice & makes it look very realisitic. I know this family especially Annie will go through a bit of a tough time henceforth but I am sure the story has a lot to offer.
The episode began with Hashim’s birthday gathering where Rohaan’s family got to have a good look at both Annie & Kashaf too but simply for Rohaan’s mother & one of his sisters, Annie’s Hijab was an element of conservation but the only person who seemed to have liked Annie was Rohaan’s father. As much as Kashaf tried to find out what Annie feels about Hashim, Annie made sure she didn’t lay bare her feelings in front of her younger sister even because like Annie said, she’d only feel love for her husband & before any official decision, she restrained herself from thinking on those lines about Hashim. Even though she felt an ounce of excitement, she didn’t showcase in front of anyone & I guess that happened for the best.
Finally Huma & Amjad’s bubble burst when Shireen & Ahmad spoke about Kashaf. As much as they wanted to sound sweet, Ahmad ended up telling the truth that Hashim doesn’t want a Muhajjaba as his wife & he feels that they both are two different people. Annie took it well but what shattered her most was the reason for which she was rejected as Annie now knows that she’ll be the one who’d have to face all the criticism for the choices she has made.
Very conveniently, Huma got another reason to blame Annie because she thinks so high of Hashim that for Huma, her own daughter is the culprit. I think even though Kashaf has a side role to play but her character has a lot of importance. It was so good to see that she was the one who understood her sister & took a stand for her. For Kashaf, Hashim is a hypocrite who deceived Annie. Even though Kashaf is seriously involved with a guy who is ready to get married to her & even though Kashaf has that as a solid reason to reject Hashim’s proposal but keeping that aside, she has clearly mentioned that she will never get married to a person who has double standards & for this reason, Hashim is unacceptable to her.
Hashim for now comes across as a very indifferent person who has no thoughts of his own. Even though he wasn’t happy about Annie’s Hijab, he took his friend’s advice way too seriously & even though he confessed in front of his parents that he just wanted to escape a relation from Annie, he took Kashaf’s name. It shows that he doesn’t even like Kashaf but for him the best way to avoid a commitment from Annie was to treat Kashaf as a scapegoat.
Sadly for Huma, Hashim is too precious to let go of therefore she thinks ignoring Annie’s feelings is the best thing to do. She has a lot of fears when it comes to her daughters proposals & that’s the reason she thinks it’s best to get married one of her daughters to Hashim as they know the family too well & Huma takes Hashim as her son. It was disappointing to see Shireen react so badly to the changed attitude of Huma & Amjad, she should understand that as much as her son means everything to her, Annie means something to Amjad & Huma too. As much as Shireen thinks her son’s happiness is important, she should give a benefit of doubt to Amjad’s family as well.
I must say the star of this episode for me was Kashaf. She not only shares a very good relation with her sister but she understands her well. She isn’t so engrossed in her own life that her sister’s ordeals do not affect her. Kashaf has proven to be a strong support system to Annie & the way they both communicate & share their secrets with each other; I must say it’s refreshing to see such a nice bonding between the two sisters. & yes, I totally feel that the girl who has played the role of Kashaf has done a very good job as all her gestures & expressions look so real. She is an effortless actress & that’s a bonus.
I really feel that for a change Shamim Hilali should opt for different kind of roles. As much as I have seen her, she always acts like a manipulative sweet-cutter where she will always act very nice & sweet with people but will harbour grudges in her heart & will make sure she mends the situation to her benefit. Malal, Shukk & now Shanakht. She is a phenomenal actor but I wish she really opts for one-sided roles where either she is negative or she has a positive attitude.
Once again, a pretty decent episode with an amazing amount of acting to see from all the actors. Maya Ali has played her bit really really well & so has everyone else. Can’t wait for the next episode.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
When the film Dukhtar’s release was delayed this month, the cinema goers who were waiting to see it were very disappointed but the Dukhtar Facebook fan page reported that there was a very “cool” reason for the release being delayed.
Now we know what this cool reason is. Dukhtar’s world premiere will take place in Toronto on September 5th 2014.
The official Facebook page of the film reported,
“Dukhtar will have its World Premiere in Toronto on 5th Sept 2014 as an Official Selection of the Toronto International Film Festival in their Discovery section. It will be followed by its theatrical release in Pakistan on 18th Sept 2014.
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has become the launching pad for the best of international, Hollywood and Canadian cinema. The Discovery section of TIFF is dedicated to presenting the first or second feature films from filmmakers from around the world.
Writer, director and producer of ‘DUKHTAR’, Afia Nathaniel says: “It’s a great honour for a Pakistani film to be selected for Toronto. We hope audiences all over the world get to enjoy this beautiful film. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry. It will make you sit on the edge of the seat until the very last scene of the film. I am so looking forward to bringing ‘DUKHTAR’ home right after Toronto.”
Says Jane Schoettle, Programmer for TIFF, “TIFF is dedicated to presenting strong contemporary stories from around the world, and Afia Nathaniel’s DUHKTAR is precisely that: a beautifully photographed, compelling story that is universally accessible. We are pleased to present the film in our Discovery section, where we aim to draw attention to this year’s most exciting emerging directorial talents, a category into which Afia Nathaniel most certainly fits.”
As Pakistan’s first road-trip thriller ‘DUKHTAR’ is a departure from regular Pakistani films. While highlighting an important issue like child marriage, it also explores a frenzied search for a new life for a mother and daughter with an ex-mujahid truck driver played by award-winning actor Mohib Mirza. The film is set against backdrop of the surreal landscapes and roads of Hunza, Skardu, Gilgit and Kallar Kahar all the way to the urbanscape of Lahore. And chase scenes have been shot in Pakistan in below freezing conditions on one of the world’s highest altitude roads, the Karakorum Highway.
The producer of ‘DUKHTAR’, Muhammad Khalid Ali, commented on the international release, “This is an incredibly proud and humbling moment for us all. This is the first time a Pakistani film made by Pakistanis is going to be showcased in the world’s most popular film festival. The talent of our local cast and crew will now be seen on the big screen by the rest of the world.”
The feature film boasts a star studded cast that includes Samyia Mumtaz, Mohib Mirza, Saleha Aref, Asif Khan, Ajab Gul, Adnan Shah (Tipu), Abdullah Jan, Samina Ahmed and Omair Rana. The film features a rich OST, with acclaimed artists including Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Shafqat Amanat Ali. Their songs “Ya Rahem Maula Maula” and “Jeenay Chaley” have already been released publicly and more tracks will follow soon.
‘DUKHTAR’ has already garnered significant international acclaim having won several prestigious and competitive awards like the Hubert Bals Fund, SORFUND, National Geographic’s All Road Seed grant, Adrienne Shelly and Women in Film-NETFLIX award. This makes it the first Pakistani feature film to have all these awards under its belt.
‘DUKHTAR’ is set to release in various other countries following the festival release in Toronto. The full release plan for Pakistan will be shared closer to its release date of 18th Sept 2014 in the local market.”
We wish Dukhtar and its team all the best!
The leading jodi of Maat which had dynamics totally different from the other leading pairs we see on our television screens usually are back on Aplus. The promo of a new drama, the name of which has not been disclosed yet showed a very possessive and madly in love Saba Qamar romancing Adnan Siddiqui”s character Taseer. Dialogues like “Taseer ki zindagi mei ab meri jaga koi nahi aa sakta” indicate that the online casino story is going to be based on another love triangle.
Aplus has not given any details of the drama till now except a very short promo. Here are some screen shots from the promo.
Before I begin, I would like to say that throughout this episode, there were scenes that made me cringe, scenes that made me laugh out loud and finally-scenes that forced me to lower down the volume.
Starting with the part that made me LAUGH! This episode began with the scene where Dr Dim-witted (yes that’s what I am planning to call Shariq from now on :P) called and talked about sending his proposal. Mehar dropped the call but she wasn’t as infuriated as I expected her to be. Shariq is so dim-witted (hence the name) that he safely ‘assumed’ that he must have dialed the wrong number! I mean, this possibility didn’t even cross his mind that perhaps it was someone OTHER than Sidra who picked up the phone, since he wasn’t calling her on her personal cell. I couldn’t help laughing out loud on the level of his stupidity.
There was too much of Firdaus Aapa in this episode. Firdaus aapa ka naashta, Firdaus Aapa ka ‘tail’, Firdaus Aapa ka cough syrup and-you name it! To be honest, ‘Shikwa’ might lose some of its viewers mainly because of Qaiser Naqvi’s way too irritating voice, her painfully monotonous dialogue delivery and expressions! I just HAD to lower down the volume every time she appeared on the screen. As much as I am loathing Firdaus Aapa’s character, I have fallen in love with Mehar’s character because after a long time, I am seeing the character of a girl who is NOT Miss Goody two –shoes and she’s definitely not dim-witted. She never pretends to be someone she’s not and unlike the rest of our senseless heroines, she always voices her opinion at the right time. I truly felt for Mehar when she was recalling how her father had great plans for her.
I guess we all knew that soon after Saqib will go abroad, they will add some ‘romantic’ letter-writing bits. And that happened right in this episode. Oh my! ‘Cheesiness overload’-it’s the only ‘phrase’ that hit my mind when I heard Saqib saying things like, ‘aaj pehla mauqa hai kay apni mehbooba ko khut likh raha hoon’ and ‘tumhari yaadon nay iss kamray ko rangon say bhar diya hai’. In case you are wondering, these were exactly the scenes that made me cringe. Maybe these dialogues would have been a tad bit likeable if Waseem Abbass had not been the one reading them aloud :P However, the scene where Mehar attempted to write back, was actually kind of cute. Needless to say, Sonia Hussain’s acting has been spectacular! The way she was carefully choosing her words and tearing one paper after another-it was all top-notch. I must admit that the letter-writing bits were well-executed and enjoyable (excluding some lame dialogues for sure :P).
Moving to the side track, Shariq’s sister finally got committed and as soon as this milestone was achieved (honestly, they made it look that way), Shariq’s mother magically transformed into a kind and understanding mom. For the first time, I saw a glint of ‘happiness’ on that lady’s ever-scowling face! As Dr dim-witted promised (did I mention he’s very desperate), he, along with his mother and sister, went to pay Munazzah a visit. But apparently, they didn’t talk about his proposal yet. Thankfully, that misunderstanding of Mehar being Shariq’s love interest wasn’t prolonged. I don’t think any guy in his right mind constantly nudges his mother and whispers,’aap meri baat kab karain gi’, and that too when he is sitting right in front of his future MIL.
The way things are shaping up, I don’t think Mehar will turn into a vamp. I just hope things don’t take a shocking U-turn. This was it folks! Did you guys watch the latest installment? What do you guys think of the latest developments? Please share your thoughts; I will be looking forward to them!
Maryam Mehdi
Sarwat Gillani and Fahad Mirza’s official pictures of the valima are not out yet but here are few pictures of the ceremony that were taken by friends.
Chalain jee, ladies & gentlemen please grab some pillows & quilts & be ready to sleep because this drama will act as a lullaby to you all because saaf si baat hai yahan andon, parathon aur raiton se aggay baat nahi janay wali. I am wondering if they had to show nashtay mai khanay ki 101 cheezain, why did they go to USA for it? This could’ve been shot in Pakistan too.
I am totally on Sofia’s team this time. Whatever she said about Bumble Bee was right & I wish she gets a bit more harsh about her whenever she speaks to Beta Bee about Bumble Bee because Awazaar needs to understand that now he can’t make Sofia respect his Bumble Bee, as he himself gave her an edge of disrespecting her by getting married to her, keeping his mother’s wishes aside. Very conveniently Awazaar uttered to Sofia that Bumble Bee means the world to him & she is his priority, which really didn’t strike a chord because I’ve got a news for you Awazaar, you’ve spent 4 years fooling Bee Jaan, so please don’t say she means everything to you. This episode seemed pretty haphazard where they kept on switching from one dining table to the other followed by some forced VT’s of American places to assure us that they shot this drama in America & not in Dhok Hassu! Bee Jaan came & Bee Jaan went, but who benefitted from it? No one!
Just when Bee Jaan departed, I thought Awazaar; who by the way could afford two mansions in USA, would keep Haya in a dingy apartment, but the way he brought her with him in his house was totally uncalled for. I thought by now he must’ve massaged his spine with a lot of Deep Heat so that he could strengthen it to confess in front of Sofia about his & Haya’s marriage but trust me, seeing them play ankh micholi rigth under Sofia’s nose wasn’t appeasing at all. What has this drama come to? Eeekh!!! All that nazron ka milna, nazron ka churana, mobile ka bhool jana aur thakki hui muskurahatain dena…Euuuu!!!
Just because Haya helped Awazar in fooling his Bholi Bumble Bee, he thinks he can’t live without her as ush ne ish ka booottt saath diya hai nawwww. I mean sorry but how mean can he be & isn’t he tired of telling lies 24/7? Bari himmat ki baat hai bhai, sach mai waisay! While watching Sofia literally feed him with her hands made me think, this is the reason why he has become such a spoiled brat. I actually want to ask writer what made her conceive of such a useless character where she thought so high of him that every single lady in his orbit ended up revolving around him? He ain’t such a catch either FYI!
Finally, just because Haya got to spend time with Awazaar & she helped him with his hoax, she now thinks that she has conquered Awazaar & that is why while pouring her heart out in her diary she was like ‘Awazaar mujhse bohat mohabbat karte hain Bee Jaan, isi liye wo abb mujhe dekh dekh k saib khatay hain’. I mean but sorry as if Sofia kam thi na jo abb ye bhi a gai hai patti ke pyaar ka pahara parhne!
To be honest, as ridiculous as this episode was, I had such a good laugh because my imagination rolled & made it look like I was watching a sit-com. Hence, for me it was a good episode. The ending scene of the drama looked like an advert of Statelife Insurance, which goes like:
& oh about what they showed in the preview, I think Sofia must be expecting a child that’s why she’d faint & that will once again slow down the urge of Awazaar to confess his love for his Baby Biwi, hence, another justification of the name of the drama: Slowly Slowly. Share your thoughts on this hilarious episode. :)
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
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.” The following the statement shows that no matter what people say about Mathira, deep inside she is a very sensitive person.
When asked who was she married to, Mathira refused to tell saying “I am a person who keeps her family life secret. Relationships are very fragile so I avoid talking about them….Sahi waqt par shakal bhi dikha doon gi.” She did tell the newspaper though that he is not from Pakistan and he is not a celebrity.
Mathira told the newspaper that her wedding had taken place in Pakistan. She said, “I don’t believe in 9 lakh ka gharara aur 50 lakh ki jewellery, 50 log ko bulao aur 100 TV channels ko … that’s where trouble starts and how marriages end.”
Mathira has disclosed the news now so the media will be after her now, how will she respond to the media? To this her reply was, “Shadi kar li gunah nahi kiya. When we are ready we will come and face the camera. I will not allow anyone to comment on my personal life.”
Is Mathira really married or is this another publicity stunt?
Nabeel Gabool is a prominent politician from Karachi. He belongs to Baloch clan of Karachi. Several times Nabeel has been elected as member of national assembly and provincial assembly. Nabeel joined Muttahida Qaumi Movement for 2013 elections, before which he was a front line leader of Pakistan Peoples Party.
In a recent television show Nabeel Gabool proposed a television anchor named Rehaam Khan in a light mood which created an interesting scene. Rehaam Khan is from Swat and works for news channel Jaag TV. Nabeel Gabool also told he is already married four times, out of whom two have passed away.
Relevant news excerpt from Urdu Daily Akhbar-e-Jehan
Source: http://akhbar-e-jehan.com/August2014/11-08-2014/politics20.asp
Rashid Nazir Ali
So, guys we are back with more pictures of Ayeza and Danish as we promised. Enjoy the photo shoot.
Rabia Basharat.
Chupp Raho is replacing our all-time-favourite-drama Pyaray Afzal on ARY this Tuesday. The promos have been released and even though they did not stir much enthusiasm, the promotional pics are good enough to catch attention. Even though they look weird because of the obvious violence, they don’t have random poses and annoying expressions. I wonder if this means that Feroze Khan’s character will be of another weak man. I hope I am wrong.
Areeba Mohsen
This was another exciting and happening episode of Laa which made up for the slow and disappointing episode of last week. The pace of the show along with a different storyline sets this drama apart from rest of the plays that are currently on air. The story is unfolding at a really good pace with every passing episode. Although, I was a little taken aback and disappointed with the developments in the last episode maybe because I was expecting something completely different but the fact is that this was the best way to take the story forward. Daniyal is dealing with murderers so he can’t just make them understand things the way he could have if Dilawar and his mother did not have so much on stake. Dai Maa will do anything to get hold of the Pir’s gaddi and jaidad, she tried to get Daniyal killed once and she will do anything to get him killed now too.
Naimat Khan was the one who brought Daniyal to his adoptive parents all these years back, which means they knew about Naimat Khan all along. Daniyal tells Hina that he is looking for his mother and for a little while Daniyal reminded Hina of her son. Hina also told Daniyal that Laila did not consider him just a friend but she was in love with him – that explains a lot! The only reason Laila put her life in danger for someone she had known only for a month or so was because she loved him. Dilawar proved that he isn’t such a chooza seth after all; he planned to kill Daniyal while he was on his way to the court but Naimat Khan who for very good reasons does not believe in the justice system decided to “rescue” Daniyal before Dilawar could harm him. I am glad that we were not shown the scene in which Naimat Khan’s men took Daniyal with them from the police because that scene would not have been any good unless it was very well directed.
I was waiting for Daniyal and Naina to meet for the past so many episodes but tonight when they finally met somehow the chemistry between them was just not the same. Sadia Khan’s acting was at its worst in that particular scene. That scene however was very significant because it gave Daniyal hope. Daniyal told Naina that Dilawar killed Laila and the only reason he is not telling anyone that is that he does not want Naina’s husband-to-be to be behind bars. The logic didn’t quite click with me because why would Daniyal want Naina to marry someone like Dilawar in the first place. Naina told Daniyal that she didn’t want to marry Dilawar which meant that he did not need to save him and which also meant that Daniyal and Naina could get married now. Dilawar saw the tape of the meeting between Naina and Daniyal and that is when he decided to take more aggressive measures.
Khalid Malik deserves tons of appreciation for playing Dilawar’s character with perfection. He depicted his anger and frustration in tonight’s episode so aptly. Mikaal Zulfiqar has been spot on as Daniyal too. The only weak link in the play is Sadia Khan. The preview of the next episode looked very enticing although I do think that it revealed a little more than it should have. Naina will tell Hina the truth about Daniyal’s identity in the next episode and I can only wonder where things will go from there. Looking forward to another exciting episode of Laa!
Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.
Fatima Awan
India is our eastern neighboring country, and has a thriving film industry known as Bollywood. Both Pakistan and India got independence from Britian in 1947, after which the local film industry in Pakistan also flourished producing many notable artists, musicians, singers. Indians films have always been popular and followed in Pakistan, but in past 67 years very few Pakistani actors have worked in Indian films. As compared to actors Pakistani singers/musicians have been more successful in India.
This article is a compilation of Pakistani actors who acted in Indian films. Interestingly the first such incident was in 1980’s more than three decades after independence. Till 1980’s Pakistani Urdu and regional cinema of Punjabi and Pushto was booming. But in 1980’s Urdu cinema gradually faded while regional cinema continued its progress.
From 1977 – 1988 Pakistan was ruled by dictator General Ziaul Haq, during his reign Pakistan enjoyed very warm relations with neighboring India. Though Ziaul Haq put many restrictions on Urdu films but he has close friendships with many Pakistani and indian actors. Many Indian artists like Shatrughun Sinha and Dilip Kumar visited Pakistan during his reign, where they warmly welcomed at President House. General Ziaul Haq also encouraged leading Pakistani actors to work in Indian films, a move he thought to bring two countries even more closer. There were also many regular bilateral cricket series played during Zia’s era.
So then in 1980’s any such incident where a Pakistani actor has worked in an Indian film was a normal thing and none of the actors was ever questioned for loyalty or patriotism. Instead it was termed as good will gesture while the artists were termed as goodwill ambassadors.
Salma Agha
Salma Agha is basically a british national of Pakistani and Indian origin. Her father Agha Liaqut was a trader and mother Zareena Agha had also worked in Indian films in 1950’s. Salma Agha’s aunt (khala) Shaheena Ghaznavi had also worked in few Pakistani films in 1950’s. Salma is brought up in London and she rose to fame from her first superhit Bollywood film named Nikaah in 1981. Salma also provided vocals for the film and also won Filmfare award for best singer in Nikaah. Throughout 1980’s Salma continued working in Indian films. In mid 1980’s Salma came to Pakistan to work in Pakistani films as singer and actor.
Nadeem
Nadeem is undoubtedly super star of Urdu cinema of Pakistan. He ruled the Urdu cinema for more than three decades. Following warm relations of Indian and Pakistani as a goodwill gesture in 1986 Nadeem was perhaps the first ever Pakistani national to work in an Indian film. He appeared in a negative role in Indian film named Door Desh where Raj Babbar was the main protaganist. To this date, it is the only bollywood film of Nadeem.
Muhammad Ali and Zeba
Muhammad Ali and Zeba, a premiere couple of Pakistani film scene also worked together in an Indian film in 1989 named Clerk. Muhammad Ali has personal terms with many politicians indcluding former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. He even served two months in jail for supporting Bhutto under Ziaul Haq regime in late 70’s. But gradually the bitterness faded and Ziaul Haq and Muhammad Ali became friends. Muhammd Ali also has warm relations with many Indian artists who use to stay at his home in Lahore during visit to Pakistan.
On personal interest of Ziaul Haq, Muhammad Ali and Zeba agreed to work in film Clerk directed by Manoj Kumar who was also a friend of Muhammad Ali. Clerk has some big names like Rekha, Manoj Kumar, Ashok Kumar but before its release General Ziaul Haq passed away in a plane crash in August 1988. To everybody’s surprise Muhammad Ali and Zeba had a very less screen time with minor roles in Clerk and both of them were wasted in this movie. Muhammad Ali expressed his discontent at his closest friend Manoj Kumar for cutting short his role in the movie.
Talat Hussain
Talat Hussain a very fine artist known for his examplary acting also played a supporting role in one Indian film. In Pakistan Talat Hussain has worked in both films and television, though he is more known for his work on television. Talat Hussain appeared as a lawyer in Indian film Souten ki Beti in 1989.
Zeba Bakhtiyar
Zeba a pretty face hails from an influential family of Pakistan. Her father Yahya Bakhtyar a prominent lawyer also served as Attorney General of Pakistan and was leading lawyer of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for famous Kasuri Murder case. Yahya Bakhtyar was married to a western lady named Eva Bakhtyar, so the family has dual nationality. Apart from Pakistani nationality, Zeba Bakhtiyar also holds a foreign nationality.
Zeba first appeared in a long play Anarkali in 1989 on television and was applauded more for her beauty rather than acting skills. Zeba Bakhtyar first appeared in Indian film Hinna opposite Rishi Kapoor in 1991 which was produced by legendary Indian artist Raj Kapoor. Hinna was successful, and afterwards Zeba also worked in few other Indian films.
Till Zeba Bakhtiyar, the response of Pakistani press and public was quite favorable towards Indian films starring Pakistani artists. Infact Hinna was also widely viewed and appreciated in Pakistan on VCR on video tapes.
Mohsin Khan
Mohsin Khan is a famous cricketer who married indian artist Reena Roy in 1980’s and migrated to Mumbai where he also started his acting career by appearing in many Indian films. Batwaara in 1989 was perhaps his first movie. After breakup with Reena Roy, Mohsin came back to Pakistan and worked in many local films.
Somy Ali
Somy Ali basically belongs from USA. She was born in Karachi and later shifted to USA. Her father was Pakistani so she can be termed as an American-Pakistani. Somy Ali worked in many Indian films in 1990’s. She was famous for dating Salman Khan in that era as well. Somy never worked in any Pakistani production.
Aneeta Ayoob
Aneeta Ayoob was the first full Pakistani national female artist to work in Indian films. Before Aneeta Salma Agha has worked on her british passport and Zeba Bakhtiyar also worked on her foreign passport (US or Ireland) in India, but Aneeta went to India with her Pakistani passport. Aneeta was studying acting from an acting institue in India where she was offered a role by famous Indian artist Dev Anand for film Pyaar Ka Trana in 1993. Pyaar Ka Trana failed miserably at Indian box office but Aneeta was casted in another film Gangster also produced by Dev Anand. In 1993, India was shocked by a series of bomb attacks in its financial capital Mumbai (then Bombay).
The hostile Indian government refused to issue visas to all Pakistanis passport holders, thus Aneeta forced to leave India midway through the shooting of film Gangster. Later Gangster was completed outside India but it also failed at box office ending the Aneeta’s career in Bollywood.
Back in Pakistan Aneeta was widely criticized not for working in Indian films but for her bold photoshoots for some Indian fashion magazines.
Aneeta Ayoob was the last in a series of artists who worked in India from 1980’s to 1990’s. After Aneeta no Pakistani actor crossed the border for almost a decade. Meanwhile in Pakistan the fading Urdu cinema reached its end, thus halting film making. From early 2000’s many new satellite Pakistani channels emerged which revived Pakistani drama industry providing recognition to new breed of artists. Also the generation born and raised during and after 1980’s was in full bloom now. Though most among this new generation do watch Indian movies with same craze as earlier generations, very few of them have ever seen any Pakistani actor in a contemporary Indian film.
From 1999 – 2006 Pakistan was again under the dictatorship of another General named Parvez Musharf. Like General Zia, Pakistan also enjoyed warm relations with India during Musharraf regime, so cricket ties are resumed and Indian cricket team visited Pakistan after a gap of nearly 15 years. Same was the case for arts and showbiz, under these favorable relations many Pakistani artists started seeking work in Indian films. But unlike Zia’s era when such act was termed as a good will gesture, most of these artists generally faced hostile attitude from general public, press, electronic media and social media some even questioning their faith and loyalty.
During the same era, ban on screening of Indian films in cinemas is lifted (it was imposed in 1965) which proved a positive step towards cinema industry. Indian films received overwhelming response and whole heartedly welcomed by Pakistani cinegoers and since then Indian films are making new records of business in cinemas.
The artists who worked in Bollywood since early 2000 are mentioned below.
Sonia Jehan
Sonia Jehan, the grand daughter of Madam Noor Jehan has worked in Bollywood film Taj Mahal An Eternal Love Story in 2005.
Moammar Rana
Moammar Rana a famous filmstar worked in Bollywood movie Doobara in 2004 and then worked in few other films. Moammar Rana is never criticized for working in Indian films as all his films went unnoticed.
Meera
Meera worked in Bollywood movie Nazar in 2005 though Nazar failed at box office. In Pakistan, Meera is more known for her off the field statements and incidents rather than acting and same was the case in India. Meera received a harsh response from Pakistani media over working in Indian film. After working in Nazar meera appeared in few other bollywood movies which were not much successful.
Sana
Sana is a famous name of films who also worked on television. Sana also worked in few Indian films. Kaafila in 2007 was her first Indian film. She later also worked in Indian punjabi films. Unlike Meera, Sana escaped the criticism from media, beacause her films went unnoticed.
Salman Shahid
Salman Shahid is known for his flawless acting and he also worked in few Bollywood movies. Kabul Express was his first film in 2006. Salman Shahid was lightly criticized for appearing in an anti Taliban role in this movie. Salman Shahid also worked in few other Indian films afterwards.
Humayn Saeed
Humayun Saeed who ruled the television screen for a long time in Pakistan has also worked in one Indian film Jashnn in 2009 in a negative role. Jashnn was not much successful and not much discussed in Pakistan as well.
Mona Lizza aka Sara Loren
Television artist Mona Lizza started her bollywood career from Kajraare in 2010 which was not much successful. Mona Lizza worked in few other films as well and changed her name to Sara Loren. Sara Loren is widely criticized for working in Indian films.
Veena Malik
Veena Malik who is known more for her controversies also worked in many Indian films. Her first appearance was in a Punjabi Indian film Pind Di Kurri in 2003. Later she appeared in many other Bollywood films. Veena was hugely criticized in Pakistan for her selection of roles and bold photoshoots in India.
Mehr Hassan
Mehrun Nissa Hassan aka Mehr Hassan is an American national of Pakistani origin. She is daughter of renown scholar Dr. Riffat Hassan. Mehr Hassan is basically a classical dancer who also acts in films. She has worked in one Pakistani film Shararat (2003) directed by Samina Peerzada. Mehr Hassan has worked in several Indian films of various languages like Diwali in 2002 though none of her film is ever discussed in Pakistan.
Javed Sheikh
Javed Sheikh is a senior artist, who made his bollywood debut quite late. He appeared in supporting roles in few Indian films like Jannat in 2008 and Om Shaanti Om in 2007.
Ali Zafar
Ali Zafar the Channo fame singer is also workingi n Indian films. His first film was Tere Bin Laaden in 2010 which paved his way to further work in bollywood. Ali Zafar is still working in Indian films, and in general recieves favorable response from Pakistani media and audience over this.
Meekal Zulfiqar
Meekal who started her career as a model also worked in Indian films. Shoot on Sight in 2007 was his first film, later he appeared in film U R My Jaan. All his films went unnoticed and never discussed in Pakistani media, which perhaps prevented him from any crticism.
Mathira
Mathira who is known more for her controversies has appeared in an item song in Indian Punjabi film Young Malang. Last year Mathira also announced that she is working in another Bollywood movie.
Saasha Agha
Sasha is daughter of Salma Aagha and squash coach Rehmat Khan. She is also a British national. Saasha worked in Indian film Aurangzeb in 2013 and is criticized for this role.
Alyy Khan
Alyy is a british citizen of Pakistani origin. He has worked in supporting roles in various Indian films like Stumped (2003), Nazar (2005) and others.
Meesha Shafi
Multi talented Meesha Shafi is singer, actor and model as well. She was appreciated for her negative role in blockbuster film Waar. Meesha has also worked in supporting roles in few Indian films, like in Bhaag Malka Bhaag in 2013.
Humaima Malick
Humaima is known for her powerful performance in film Bol in 2011. Humaima will be making her Bollywood debut from film Raja Natwarlal in 2014. Though the film is not released so far Humaima is criticzed for this role.
Imran Abbas
Imran Abbas has many successful drama serials to his credit. His debut film Creature 3D will release in September 2014. He received a mixed response from media over the promos of this film.
Fawad Afzal Khan
Fawad Afzal Khan will be making bollywood debut from film Khoobsorat in September 2014. Yet to be released, the promos of the film have received mixed response on social media and press.
So it ends up a relatively long list. Thanks for your patience.
P.S. Special thanks to my niece Samia Wajid as well who has helped me to compile this list especially for the artists who worked in bollywood after 2000.
Rashid Nazir Ali
This independence day the Indian band “Maati Baani” launched a song “Rang Rangiya” in which they also gave Pakistani singers and musicians a chance to participate. The song gives out the message of peace and love. It is a very melodious song which aims at bridging the differences that exist between Pakistan and India.
Evelyn D’souza, one of the main members of the production team and head of talent search and coordination, said, “Everything was online.”
This was the main reason, she said, that helped in reaching out to artists in Pakistan.
The team found Pakistani artists, Komal Rizvi (singer), Gulab Afridi (Rubab player), Omran Shafique (guitarist), Kurt Menezes (drummer) and Asfandyar Junejo (beatboxer) on YouTube. They reached out to them and started recording. No musician from either country charged any fees for working on the song.
Here is a video of the song:
The best thing about the play so far is the strong and positive relationship between everyone in Zubair’s house. Eman and her mother’s wicked ways are totally opposite to the positivity we see in Zubair’s house. I am not sure if I am liking the contrast much though! I was expecting a lot more action in tonight’s episode but there was too much talking and very little action. The prequel of the show was short and to the point but I have a feeling that this sequel is going to be long. Conversations between Eman and her mother already seem repetitive, we see so much of this gherulu politics in our dramas every day, I wish the writer would have come up with a different storyline for the sequel. It would have been better if there were no issues in the family but the only real problem was the demon which was haunting the house. I have a feeling that it is going to be Emaan vs the demon sort of a scenario…..because both of them are evil!! The focus has been on Umair’s wedding like every other Pakistani dramas in which the focus is always on marriage and the problems related to it.
Zubair and Yasmeen never talk about Ali, who has an invisible friend ever since they moved in the new house. Yasmeen has been noticing change in Ali’s behavior but somehow it is not bothering her at all. Yasmeen appears to be more worried about Awais than Ali, which is strange. The last scene of tonight’s episode was spooky but the rest of the episode was strictly okay. The “bhoot’s” appearance has of course been inspired by the film “The Ring”. This is a screen shot from the movie “The Ring”, can you see the resemblance? These two disturbed souls must be related to each other;)…long-lost twins maybe!
Yasra Rizvi is portraying the character of the caring and intelligent bhabi and wife’s role perfectly. Shahood Alvi is a natural who always delivers. Seema Sehar who plays Emaan’s mother is an expert in playing the role of a troublemaker but I don’t like her character much for obvious reasons. The advices she gives her daughter have been-there-heard-that thousand times written all over them and same is true for Emaan’s character. Umair’s character is actually a breath of fresh air because unlike most of the love-struck men we see on screen, he still looks at things from a neutral perspective.
I am actually disappointed with this second episode and I wish that the director did not copy the look of the evil spirit from a Hollywood movie; I expected Angeline Malik to be slightly more creative than that.
Fatima Awan
I liked today’s episode not because of Haider,Aiman or Sajeela,but because of growing father-daughter relationship. We, finally got to see some beautiful and very cute father-daughter scenes today.Aiman always complained Haider that his father never owned her, neither did he called her “beti”, nor did he uttered a single word that can show his concern for her. But tonight, all doubts of Aiman got vanished.
Sajeela is trying every possible way to win Haider’s heart again and for that she is tending to be as much cheap and desperate as possible. She planted seeds of doubts in Aiman’s head and everytime Aiman rose with a new spirit, Sajeela was there to let her down. This time Aiman asked Bibi about love and longing for someone and the reply she got from her was way more satisfying than her expectations.
From the day Sajeela came back to Pakistan, Haider clearly gave her “not interested” signal but she wants to get him back- by hook or by crook. Almaas tried to talk to Haider about her sister but he didnot pay heed to what she said either. By the way, I am hating how Sajeela is intervening in Haider and Aiman’s life and trying to ruin their relation, I am hating how she is trying to manipulate her sister and compelling her to take a move against her nature and her will and I am literally hating how she is faking herself just to pose herself as if she is the nicest person on earth. Sajeela is so desperate that she even challenged Bibi that she will win Haider back.
Anyhow, coming back to my favorite part, Taufeeq Kamaal decided to make Aiman a permanent part of his business. Aiman,for the very first time,felt that her father really cares for her. But deep down inside, some vague doubts were still intimidating her to not accept her father’s loyalty towards her. And like always, Haider was there to clean up the mess that was in her mind since her childhood. Her mother never told Aiman that Taufeeq never disowned her, it was her who wanted Taufeeq to not meet her.Despite of all the failed attempts by Taufeeq to meet his daugher, Aiman’s mother never gave a glimpse of satisfaction to her daughter by telling her that Taufeeq loved her and always cared for her.No matter how much differences they had, Taufeeq wanted to take care of every need and necessity of Aiman’s but it was her mother who never let that happen.
Aiman loved her mother and since she is living with her father now, she was unable to deny the fact that she has a soft corner for her father too. Now that, everything was crystal clear, she forgave her mother for what she did and tried to forgot the deprivations and longings she went through entire her life because her mother kept her away from Taufeeq Kamaal.
It was really nice to see that just before going to office, Taufeeq presented a car as a gift to Aiman- Aiman was overwhelmed and very much excited after getting a gift from her father. I loved the way how Taufeeq introduced Aiman infront of everyone as his daughter and Aiman felt much more confident as her father boosted up her moral.
Whereas on the other side, Haider was feeling depressed as few seconds ago, Almaas called him Aiman’s uncle. Haider came such a long way with Aiman that he completely forgot the age difference they had ; Now that bitter truth came to haunt him again, he got worried about what will happen next; He was unable to believe what he just heard but still, he gave his honest opinion to Almaas that she should consider Shaheer’s proposal for Aiman; Almaas’s expression were worth watching at that time; She was ashamed of doubting Haider’s intentions.
As Aiman clearly told Sajeela that she is interested in Haider, I am anxiously waiting to see that what will be her next move.Preview of next seems very interesting; Aiman will confess her love which will make Haider upset. Lets see what happens next.
Share your thoughts on this recent installment.
Rabia Basharat.
I have not seen so many dukhi people in one drama and the background score is just as sad as the fate of all the characters in the play! Mubarak ho! The good news is that a year passed in few minutes in tonight’s episode but not much has changed in this one year. Hashir is still stuck on Saman, Shazia is still counting days, “waqt guzarana” is her favorite hobby, talk about being fixated… she needs treatment! Hashir’s father continued blackmailing his mother, Nigar and Saman are still going to the same parlor and Saman still hasn’t figured out that Faisal and Shazia are “in touch with each other”. Looks like everyone has started borrowing foundation from Saman or they have been using Zubeida Apa’s whitening cream:) It was good to see that at least one unmarried lady in the drama has some self-respect; Mehreen decided to move on after finding out why Hashir left.
The recap of everything that transpired between Shazia, Hashir and Co was a waste of time, it was totally unnecessary. And although the music that played in the background while Shazia recalled everything that happened was really melancholic but I did not feel an ounce of sympathy for her. Like I said before she comes across as someone who needs professional help from a good psychiatrist. No girl in the right state of mind would obsess over someone she barely knows the way Shazia has been obsessing over Hashir. What she feels for Hashir is anything but love because if it really was that then she wouldn’t be involved with Faisal at the same time too. It is almost as if Shazia will do anything to ensure that Saman does not get any happiness at all. She feels pride in the fact that Faisal does not treat Saman well and is still in love with her.
I must say that this drama has been very thanda till now. Something or the other happens in every episode but the story doesn’t really take off. There has been no character development in the play at all. Faisal is still mean, Shazia has always been selfish, Hashir is too seedha and dukhi of course and Saman does not believe in using her brains or showing any emotions. It must not have taken the writer Aliya Bukhari a lot of time to pen this script down because the amount of “effort” that has been put in character development and story development shows clearly in every episode. I honestly feel like it is about time that our writers start concentrating on quality and not quantity! And our producers stop relying on the same ghissi pitti stories. I am so not looking forward to the next episode; nothing about the preview appealed to me. I just hope the drama ends decently, right now it seems to be going nowhere. Romaissa has been replaced by Saman on Friday nights….hurray!
Fatima Awan
Wedding season is on and many celebrities are getting married this season. Out of all, most awaited and most hyped wedding is of Aiza Khan and Danish Taimoor. Enjoy Aiza’s Mehndi photoshoot.
Rabia Basharat.
Danish Taimoor and Ayeza Khan have been very generous with sharing the photographs of their wedding functions with their fans but Sarwat Gillani whose Baraat was yesterday which probably means that the other functions were on Tuesday and Wednesday has not shared the photographs of her functions with her fans. I found this photograph of Sarwat on her wedding day. I am sure that her fans will really like to see her as bride.
This does not look like a photograph that has been taken by a professional photographer so the result is different from the wedding pictures we usually see of celebrities.
There is one more picture in which Sarwat Gillani and Fahad Mirza are seen with their friends in a group photo.
Here is another one of Fahad and Sarwat together
