Adnan Malik talking to BBC Urdu’s host Fifi Haroon about his five favorite songs.
https://vimeo.com/115623631
https://vimeo.com/115623631
Rashid Nazir Ali
Some Common Noticeable things in our dramas!
We have talked about dramas a lot but now let’s talk about the usual things that we observe in our dramas.
We have indeed noticed many clichés in our dramas and as Areeba had mentioned due to clichés the dramas become predictable and boring but have we ever paid attention towards some common things in almost every drama? If not then how about paying attention towards some of those things that I observe in almost every drama.
Tea vs Coffee: “aap chai leinge ya Coffee”, “Jee coffee manga lein” the battle between Tea and Coffee continues and most of the time coffee wins. Sometimes I think that coffee and tea is setting some sort of standard in our dramas and perhaps the perfect example of showing clear difference between rich and poor. The trend in dramas nowadays is to show highly rich family and poor family there is hardly any middle class and the coffee is preferred choice for the rich ones while poor can only afford tea.
Lavish Breakfast: “Bibi jee nashta lag gaya hai table per”, “Acha Sahab ko bhi bulalo”. Scratching my head ahh! Cannot remember in which drama I saw “Anda Paratha” or “Kebab Paratha” in breakfast. The breakfast table is usually covered with Omlette and Half fry eggs, Bread, butter or jam, apples, juice and tea (yes this time no coffee but tea). Now make sure that bread is there for buttering and it will not go with the eggs instead you will eat eggs by fork and knife. In Shanakht episode 9 Hashim’s father was eating half fry egg with fork and knife and I said to myself how he will eat the egg yolk then with a fork in his hands?
Raat ko jaldi ghar ajaiyega: “Jee aap office ja rhe hain”, “Nahi channe bechne ja raha hun”, “Acha raat ko jaldi ghar ajiyega salma ne khaane per bulaya hai” “Acha aajonga”.These wives never told their husbands about dinner one day before, not even on breakfast table but just on lastminute.com when person is about to leave the house with the briefcase in his hand.
One suitcase is enough to leave the house: “Mein aapke saath aur nahi rehsakti mein jaa rhi hun” and with this dialogue the lady step towards her wardrobe pick three designers’ dress of her choice and put it in a suitcase. O Hello! Who will pick up those makeup kits? And what about the remaining dresses? So this lady who demands for new dresses every day from her husband can leave his house with three dresses only. This is the same case in “bhaag ke shadi karlete hain” where girl picks her few dresses, put it in a hand carry or bag and run with her boyfriend, leaving at once all the lavishness that was provided by her father. The most recent example is Aik pal where Bareera tries to run away with few dresses in her rucksack. On the other side when a boy decides to leave the house, he prefers to use a bag instead of a suitcase. Perhaps the most usual thing in almost every drama.
Everyone is working on a Project: “Yeh buhat bara project hai hamare haath se nahi jaana chaiye”, “Jee sir”. This is the latest obsession from our drama writers and directors where everyone is working on some kind of project and no one is performing their everyday operational activities. The recent examples are Shukk and Shanakht. Rung was the most recent drama where the wife is a doctor and husband is a bureaucrat. I was actually annoyed with Hum as they telecast such beauty on Hum Sitaray instead of Hum Tv, anyways that’s not our topic. I hope that writers do come up with stories where the well offs belong from some other field rather than running a group of industries.
Men reading books while going to bed: Last but not the least every men in dramas prefer to read some books while going to bed, probably you guys have noticed this habit as well. This seems to be a popular scene where husband is reading some random book under a lamplight while going for bed, her wife sitting in front of a dressing table apply some lotion on her hand. She then turn around and started talking about current happenings thereby interrupting her husband from reading and meanwhile all of a sudden during the conversation they come up with some decision or if there is an argument it ends up with no agreement at all.
Any more things that you guys can add if yes then please do share your thoughts?
Dusri Biwi-Episodes 4 & 5: Dusri Shadi Mubarak ho!
*drum rolls* Ladies and gentlemen, Hassan and Farah have finally tied the knot! Since it took such extreme circumstances for the two to get married, I am a tad bit relieved that they finally tied the knot in the fourth episode without further dragging because I was honestly sick and tired of the same monologues over and over again. I had already prepared myself for the worst so when I saw Farah’s father all set for hanging himself, I wasn’t shocked at all. This is not something I’d like to be joking about but seriously, our plays are taking emotional blackmailing to a whole new level! His intended stunt actually made him the savior of the day because that’s exactly what was needed to make Hassan utter the six magical words: Mein Farah say shadi karoon ga!
”Maana kay Hassan shadishuda hai, ek bachi ka baap hai magar woh Amir say laakh darjay behtar hai.” Among the many implausible twists and turns of the plot, the most questionable one has to be the way Farah’s parents don’t have an issue with the fact that Hassan is married and has a seven-year old daughter. Believe me, this is the first time I’ve seen parents letting out a sigh of relief after finding a damaad who is not even an eligible bachelor. On one hand, they are too conservative to break off Farah’s engagement with the guy she detests and on the other, they are liberal enough to accept a married man as their son-in-law. Hello? Farah is blindly in love (zzzzzzzzz) and if she thinks this entitles her to become a home wrecker, I think she should re-question her priorities! Everything is NOT fair in love and war. Period. Farah is struck by love and her parents are driving me up the wall because their decisions show a lack of forethought- they marry her off to Hassan by taking advantage of Amir’s absence. No matter how psychotic and short-tempered Amir is, I still think it was ethically wrong to take such a huge step without even officially calling off the engagement.
The writer clearly wasn’t tired of all the pre-marriage drama because right after Hassan and Farah say, ‘I do’, another striking revelation embraces Hassan: Aisha is expecting! Perfect timing, no? Oops, now that I come think of it, I realize I didn’t even mention Aisha in the earlier part of my review but don’t worry, she is used to being sidelined and quite surprisingly, she never seems to mind :P About Aisha, I know she loves her hubby to bits but ever since Farah entered Hassan’s life, the change in Hassan’s attitude towards his wife and daughter became pretty obvious and you don’t have to be psychic to guess that he has become faintly aloof and tense. Strangely enough, Aisha doesn’t seem to realize that her significant other is not as loving and caring as he used to be and yes, we often saw Hassan messaging and calling Farah late at night but I don’t know what was Aisha doing all this time! Also, Hassan is not even excited about his child but I don’t understand why can’t Aisha put two and two together and come up with the conclusion that something is seriously wrong with her husband. She is gullible beyond belief and I am not liking her this way.
If there’s anything that’s working for Hassan, it definitely has to be his luck. I mean, while his pehli biwi is easy to fleece, his dusri biwi is proving to be quite saabir and as long as her piya’s name is attached to hers, she doesn’t have anything to worry about! Hassan is currently romancing with two young ladies and this irritates me to the core! It’s Fahad Mustafa’s last play and I don’t know why he wants to end his career with a character that has absolutely nothing likeable about it. Even though it was Farah who confessed first, I still deem Hassan the fasaad ki jurr because he took great interest in Farah since the beginning and this obviously gave away the wrong signals. I feel the writer wants us to assume that Hassan loves both his wives at the same time but I refuse to buy that.
So this was it, folks! The lighting problem remains unsolved :/ I must say the OST is really nice and easy on the ears and somehow makes it easier to stand the extra-long scenes :)
Are you watching Dusri Biwi? Share your thoughts!
P.S: Naya saal mubarak ho doston!! God bless you all :)
The Best Selfies of 2014
With the year ending, we have decided to compile a collection of the best selfies. The ones that were taken on important occasions, by awesome people, in amazing ways. As you scroll through the pictures, you’ll know that our stars are multi-talented, taking a good selfie is a talent too after all. :D
Meesha’s “Stuck in Traffic” selfie:
Meesha decided to make use of the time wasted in the traffic jam, and the Coke Studio advertisement in front of her!
A man’s gotta love his achievements:
Bilal Lashari won 4 awards at the ARY Film awards.
A Selfie with the award from across the border:
Fawad won not only the hearts of the Indian audience but the Best Debut at Masala Awards, for Khoobsurat, as well.
The Selfie with Bachan:
Mahirah Khan was invited to India by Zee Zindagi and she received an overwhelming response from the people.
Mehreen Syed on vacation:
Mikaal Zulfiqar’s “Selfie with himself”:
As he himself said. :D
Fahad Mustafa enjoys his vacation abroad:
Adnan Siddiqui’s Selfie from Dubai:
Bilal Lashari’s Selfie from James Bond Island, Thailand:
Hamza Ali Abbasi’s Selfie from Bangkok:
STAR STUDDED SELFIES:
The Rockstar Selfie:
Sajjad Ali and Ali Zafar appeared as guest judges in Pakistan idol Gala Round 3 and 9 respectively and then in the finale, they performed as well. This selfie is from the final episode of Pakistan idol season 1.
The Selfie from China:
The two buddies, Hamza Ali Abbasi and Bilal Lashari visited China this year.
The Waar couple:
Shaan Shahid and Ayesha Khan, two seasoned actors and friends, at Lahore airport.
The Star Couple:
Muhib Mirza and Aamina Sheikh’s selfie was taken in Florida, before Firaq’s shooting started.
Afridi’s selfie with the 2015 (his last) Worldcup trophy:
The 2015 Cricket Worldcup will be Shahid Afridi’s last worldcup and here we have him and the team with the trophy, when the ICC sent it to Pakistan to spark interest before the world cup.
DRAMA BTS SELFIES:
Jane woh kaise log thhe jinke pyar ko pyar mila:
Yup, our favourite Pyaray Afzal cast, enjoying their time together. This is the cast which had the best chemistry ever seen, and had a huge impact on our lives.
Haye Re Ham Sadqay Tumharay:
The couple of Shano and Khalil is worth going sadqay on. They have adorable interactions and a pure form of love which has kept us hooked.
And Bashar and Rudaba lived happily ever after:
The Residents of Jackson Heights:
Jackson Heights is a star studded drama shot in New York. Here is a selfie of the cast and crew:
SELFIES FROM EVENTS:
The AFA Selfie:
The ARY Film Awards were initiated to recognize the developments in our film industry in the year 2013. They did their job very well, in the ceremony hosted by Shaan Shahid, on 27th April in Karachi. Here is a selfie from the day:
Agents of 021:
Operation 021 was the first spy-thriller of Pakistani cinema. This selfie is from the day of its premier.
The Na Maloom Afrad:
These are the Na Maloom Afrad who took over social media by storm within hours of the release of their movie’s trailer, and then took over the box office, earning RS 11 crore.
The Wedding Selfie:
Sarwat Gillani and Fahad Mirza’s wedding took place this year. We have so many stars of our industry in one shiny night :)
The Best Selfie Moments:
This is not exactly a selfie, but a selfie moment from the AFA.
Hope to see them in a project soon.
From the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 launch.
Fawad Khan and Sadaf Khan at the Lux Style awards.
Atif Aslam rocked New Delhi and performed in front of 18,000 people.
So who is your selfie king/queen?
In the end I would like to thank Aiman for the wonderful idea. :) Hope you all like it.
Areeba Mohsen
Zidd – Episode 02!
Hmmm, still not sure what I feel about this drama because it hasn’t made a mark as yet. I understand that a few stories take some time to pick up the pace but everything for now seems a bit too forced however there are a few bits & bobs that I do like about this serial but it hasn’t made an impact as a whole. I am just trying to understand Saman’s nature & attitude but then I hope it proves to be worthy of our time & effort because other than that I don’t see anything extra ordinary in this serial for now (which I hope changes soon).
I do like the way Saman & Raza’s relation has been shown. Everyone knew that it was only Raza who could tiptoe through the minefield & convince Saman on getting married once again. I did enjoy how the conversations have been written because it was good to see some detailing in them & the way Raza got Saman’s agreement was totally interesting. He started off by trying to make her understand that two people always have different perspectives & different thinking but that doesn’t mean one always backs out on making a commitment & this thought struck a chord & she agreed easily.
I must say where I do find Saman’s nature interesting, I kind of find her odd as well. She is career oriented & is driven plus she knows that no one understands her well but then why does she always surrender when it comes to marriage? Saman knows how to take a stand for herself & that too for the right, so why can’t she just tell her family once & for all that she is not interested in getting married for now? Every single time, she allows them to get her hitched but then she gives everyone else a hard time, calls off her engagement/marriage & then she’s so much at peace that she finds a time to watch a movie while everyone in her family is having a sleepless night!
I know it was supposed to be funny but the way Saman’s family was walking on the eggshells the whole time wasn’t appeasing to say the least. I mean if they are well aware of what her thoughts are about this relation, then why are they trying so hard to get her settled? Saman; who herself agreed on this proposal was giving rude looks to Omar (Ahsan Khan) her new husband-to-be? She was indifferent, she wasn’t interested but then she’s the one who thought that this marriage was the only way to find an escape from this tedious job of rishta hunting, so was it such a hard thing to just sit through her own function with a smile on her face?
To be honest, I lol’ed at the entry of Ahsan Khan, I mean may I ask how typical can he be? I remember in one of my comments last week I mentioned that we’ll get to see a shot of a parking sedan, followed by a close-up of our hero coming out of the car with his gelled back signature hairstyle, all suited booted, prim & proper & voila! I am so glad that Ahsan Khan didn’t prove me wrong because this is exactly how he has made an entry in all of his serials lately, so how could Zidd be any different?
There was once again a verbal spat between Saman & her mother where she used the C (compromise) word & Saman wasn’t thrilled by the idea of it. The only time I found Saman reasonable in this episode was when she showed some interest in telling Omar the truth about her previous breakups because that’s when she made sense that every relation should begin with transparency, not with secrets or compromises. Omar on the other hand found Saman’s family very conservative but his mother (Huma Nawab) seemed quite satisfied because she felt that the girls who belong to such background can be moulded easily. It looked like Omar also wanted to discuss a few things with Saman before the marriage happens but Appu swooped in with her agenda of maintaining a distance between the bride & the groom, in which she succeeded & they both couldn’t find a chance to speak to each other.
Well honestly, the note at which the drama ended made me say ‘not again’ because Saman wanted to call this marriage quits as well. It was after she read her Nikkah Nama. If I’m not mistaken I think she’d be wanting a right to divorce because the way she was partaking in this marriage saga went to show that she was just using it as a medium to her freedom & more like a ticket to USA because this is exactly what she said to her friend too. The preview of the next episode didn’t make me look forward to it but I will be watching as I ain’t giving up on it as yet. This episode was just ohkay but yes, the direction & pace of this episode was better & it was good to see Huma Nawab on screen after a long long time. Share your thoughts about second episode of Zidd please.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Chup Raho – Episode 18
Rameen tumhei kub aqal aye gi?? Even after everything that happened to her Rameen is still a naive and innocent girl who can be fooled very easily. I am surprised that Rameen is still so stable mentally although she does not have any kind of support at all. Even after looking at her roommate’s pictures Rameen still thought that Zarina deserved benefit of the doubt. If she had a husband why would she be living in a girls hostel? Just like we predicted Rameen’s life in the girls hostel isn’t turning out to be easy but even after watching everything that Rameen was put through today I couldn’t help but think that she was better off here than with her so-called family. Numair has conveniently “moved on”, he had fun harassing Rameen when she was around and now that she is gone he couldn’t care less. Numair is a completely different person when it comes to his daughter, his double standards are shocking beyond belief.
The best thing about the recent developments in the story had to be that it seems our guesses about what was going to happen to Naila were probably wrong. If Naila is going to be sick and the only way for her to get better would be if Numair comes out with the truth and asks for Rameen’s forgiveness then it isn’t that bad a deal after all. Numair’s concern for his daughter and the hamdardi aur insaniyat ke lectures which he gave the doctor were ironic to say the least. Azar has decided to drink his worries away, I never knew that alcohol addiction could be this bad too.
The way Rameen’s “supporters” were willing to help her out was very strange, I haven’t seen so many nice people willing to help out a stranger like this ever. I guess the writer wanted to show that there are good people in this world too and perhaps that sometimes your close relatives might not care about you the way a stranger would. Everything else about the girls hostel from Zarina’s lifestyle to the treatment meted out to Rameen and Madam’s change of heart was shown really well. Anita Camphor is one of my favorite actresses; I admire her for her versatility and perfect portrayals in particular. Watching her in the play was a complete surprise and a pleasurable experience. One minute Madam was on Zarina’s case and the other day she was best friends with her! The actress playing Zarina performed her role really well too.
The preview of the next episode showed that Zarina is going to get Rameen involved in the same kind of activities that she is involved in. Rameen will also meet a very drunk Azar on the street. How can Rameen let Zarina talk her into wearing those clothes and going out with her? Sometimes I have a very tough time relating to Rameen’s character – she speaks like she is very wise but she acts like she does not know right from wrong. There was no violence in tonight’s episode so that was definitely a plus point. Are we supposed to stop wondering when the show will end? Because I get a feeling that it won’t be ending any time soon. I am tired of asking the same question over and over again but why can’t Rameen go take refuge in a shelter house dedicated to women like her? Maybe because the writer does not want Rameen’s troubles to come to an end just yet!
Chup Raho has always been flawless as far as the performances of all the actors are concerned and tonight’s episode wasn’t any different. It does look like the drama has come to a point where it may end in a rational manner since Rameen is still mentally stable (surprisingly!) and the writer might have something very different in mind for Naila as well.
Did you watch tonight’s episode? Do share your thoughts!
Fatima Awan
HUM vs. ARY Digital – Who Won The Race In 2014?
Most of the dramas of 2014 were a mix of controversies and clichés! The scripts of majority of the dramas reflected a lack of creativity. Star casts and great production values were used to entice the viewers and issues related to marital life remained the focus of our dramas.
Unlike the past three years or so HUM failed to keep up the high standards which it had set for itself a few years back when Hamsafar and Durr-e-Shahwar went on air. HUM started this year by airing dramas like Mohabbat Subha Ka Siatara Hai, Bunty I Love You, Zindagi Tere Bina, Rubaru, Ishq Mein Tere, Main Deewani, Izteraab and many more which mostly lacked the must-watch factor. Mohabbat Subha Ka Sitara Hai was written by Umera Ahmed but it failed to leave an impact on the viewers. Most of the viewers failed to relate to Romaissa’s character and for the most part the supporting characters got more screen time than the leading lady herself. Bunty I Love You was written by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar and it was anything but the usual love story we see on screen. This drama was definitely different but somewhat heavy duty as well and definitely not the sort of drama many people could relate to because of the unusual storyline. Mein Dewani was a weekend play which was completely sidelined by drama serial Shukk.
ARY Digital on the other hand welcomed 2014 with dramas like Pyare Afzal, Shukk, Sannata, Meri Beti, Mere Apne and Zara Aur Mehrunissa. The fact is that Pyare Afzal and Shukk were the most watched and talked about plays of the first season of 2014. While Shukk disappointed its viewers in more ways than one Pyare Afzal proved to be a play which will be remembered for a long time. The characters of the actors playing the lead in the play became their new introduction. Khalil-ur-Rehman’s script and a different storyline proved to be a breath of fresh air for the viewers. Most of the viewers who were sick and tired of watching gherulu problems on screen felt like a romantic play with some very impressive and memorable characters was just what the doctor ordered. Pyare Afzal had to be the biggest hit of this year which basically goes to show that ARY definitely won the first half of the race between these two channels.
In the second half of the year HUM aired dramas like Mausam, Aahista Aahista, Laa, Firaaq, Shanakht, Mohabbat Ab Nahi Hogi, Du Saal Ki Aurat and Mere Meherban among others. All the weekend plays of HUM in this season did not get enough attention or appreciation from the viewers. Mausam and Aahista Aahista had weak storylines, mediocre characters and both these plays were slow paced. Laa had a different storyline but it did not get a massive viewership mainly because people were not impressed by the direction or the acting. Firaaq went from being a masterpiece to a complete disaster in only 10 weeks! Plays like Shanakht and Mohabbat Ab Nahi Hogi were appreciated more by the viewers than those dramas which boasted of a star cast and had big names attached to them.
ARY Digital started the second half of the year with dramas like Shikwa, Koi Nahi Apna, Soteli, Bhabi and Pyare Afzal had not gone off air even till now when all the dramas that started at about the same when Pyare Afzal went on air had ended. All these dramas were the kind of dramas that keep you hooked for some time but completely go off track after a while. Most of the dramas that aired on HUM in the second half were not impressive in any way but they were certainly followed by the viewers more than the ones which aired on ARY Digital. The fact that Pyare Afzal was still being watched by many people proved to be a plus for ARY.
The plays that are currently on air on HUM include Sadqay Tumhare, Digest writer, Aik Pal, Mehram, Tum Mere Hi Rehna, Zid and Nikkah will be replacing Firaaq on Sundays. Until now Sadqay Tumhare and Digest Writer have proven to be far better than the plays which HUM aired on weekends in the last season but it remains to be seen how the stories unfold in the future and what kind of a response they get from the viewers.
The dramas that are presently airing on ARY include, Chup Raho, Mein Bushra, Khataa, Khuda Na Karay, Goyaa, Dil Nahi Manta, Doosri Biwi and Na Katro Pankh Meray. There are no clear winners in this list till now. Chup Raho and Mein Bushra are being followed by many viewers but are they being liked as well?? I guess not. They are more like guilty pleasures or plays which people continue watching out of curiosity. It looks like HUM will have more to offer to its viewers than ARY at the start of this new year but one cannot be too sure since many of the dramas which started off really well on HUM this year did not deliver in the last few episodes.
Do you think we have a clear winner here? I think the fact that ARY had two hits to its credit this year and HUM had none makes ARY a clear winner. While HUM failed to live up to its hard earned reputation this year ARY managed to come up as a strong contender. Sadqay Tumhare and Digest Writer might prove to be a step in the right direction for HUM if they manage to keep the viewers engaged till the end but airing dramas like Nikkah and that too on weekends might prove to be fatal for HUM. Unfortunately, our channels greatly compromised on quality this year therefore while evaluating their dramas one has to be very generous in order to reach a logical conclusion!
Let’s hope that this year these channels and all the others have more to offer than showing us the same stories over and over again!
Do share your thoughts about the dramas that aired on these two channels this year and about other dramas which you think qualified as the best dramas of the year.
Fatima Awan
Sahir LOdhi Talks To Two girls taking drugs since 4 years
Recently Sahir Lodhi did a show on a very strong topic which is the addiction of heroine. Two girls, Sana and Ana are both sisters and addicts of heroine. They say that bad company is the one reason that made them this addict of heroine and now it is nearly impossible for them to leave it. It is rightly said that a man is known by the company he keeps. Watch their exclusive interview and i am sure you will be shocked.
Written By: Moomal Hassan.
Amir Liaquat Hilarious Parody by his Duplicate! Must watch
Amir Liaquat is known for his exclusive way of presenting things. Recently at his show Subah Pakistan, his duplicate or look alike arrived and started taking over the show. He made fun of everything and presented the show just as Amir Liaquat does. The audience was amazed and Amir Liaquat was shocked. Below are the videos do watch and get amused by it.
Written By: Moomal Hassan.
Faysal Qureshi is “Aashiq Hussain” for Big Bang Entertainment
“Ashiq Hussain” is Faysal Qureshi’s upcoming drama, produced by Big Bang Entertainment. The director of the show will be Anjum Shehzad (director of Khuda aur Mohabbat) and the writer is Sana Fahad (writer of Koi Nahi Apna) .
Here is the new look that Faysal has put on for the show:
Not much is known about the plot other than the fact that Faysal himself is pleased by it. He, in this video uploaded by Big Bang Entertainment , has told that the script forced him to be a part of the show and that it will have a good cast.
The rest of the cast includes filmstar Saima, Maria Wasti, Zahlay Sarhadi, Maha Warsi, Moomal Khalid, Saboor Ali, Salahuddin Tunio and Afshan Quraishi.
Areeba Mohsen
Teen Bahadur Set To Release In May 2015
Year 2014 has been a very promising year for Pakistani films. We saw all kinds of films in this year from those that dealt with very serious issues to those that were comic. These films are not only giving the viewers a chance to enjoy Pakistani cinema on the big screen but it has also given the actors and directors to show their talent to the fullest. This is the first time that a fully animated film has been made for children. The film is titled “Teen Bahadur” and the lady behind the film is non other than the Academy Award winner director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Waadi Animations which is a joint venture of ARY Films and SOC Films has taken a much needed big step forward by investing in a venture like this one.
It is about time that our directors and producers started working on something entertaining for children which they can see on the big screen. Talking about her film Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy said, “When I first said that I wanted to make an animated feature, people thought I was crazy. But people think I’m crazy anyway, so it’s okay.” Sharmeen is very sure that this animation is going to be something different which the Pakistani children and their grown ups will enjoy equally. “I believe that Teen Bahadur is going to be groundbreaking because it provides quality entertainment for the whole family.”
The title song of the animated film has been sung by Shiraz Uppal. Teen Bahadur is the story of three brave and intelligent young kids, one girl and two boys who use their superpowers which are not based on fantasy but are very real to change the world. “These powers exist in all of us, we all have super powers, we just don’t know about them,” said the talented director.
Sharmeen believes that it is very important for the Pakistani children to have their own super heroes who they see in films and series in settings which are familiar to them. “It’s time that Pakistani children have their own heroes who live in cities and villages just like their own,” she added, “The cities in the movie are actual cities in Pakistan.”
“Teen Bahadur is not just a movie. It is a movement…….The message we’re sending with this film is that ‘We shall overcome.’ Like these three kids, we can face the challenges that come our way. You don’t need to be a superhero. You are a superhero,” said Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy with a lot of conviction.
We wish the team of Teen Bahadur a lot of success.
Aik Pal_ Episode 6
7th Sky entertainment had disappointed a lot in the past few months, and that is why I was reluctant to give Aik Pal a chance. I was sure that it would be too preachy and full of stereotypes but after watching it, I was proven wrong. Good job Sarwat Nazir, for keeping the balance. Last week, I criticized Bareera’s character for being too OTT and Omair’s for being cliched and the readers mistook my statement for the fact that I did not like Aik Pal as a whole or that I don’t find a balance in it. The fact is that I do enjoy watching Aik Pal but I am a reviewer and my job is to point out the good and bad in the show after watching it. You can agree or disagree with me and I won’t mind, because I love reading your comments, unless they are not harsh.
The episode was good and a lot happened in it, especially the university scenes. Bareera didn’t forgive Mus’haf for the proposal and indirectly told Omair that Mus’haf is causing problems for their marriage. Poor Mus’haf was beaten by Omair but being the good person he is, he did not tell anyone about who beat him. Bareera smiled when her friends talked to her about the beating and refused to visit Mus’haf in the hospital. The way she immediately decided to abandon her father for Omair was unbelievable too, but I am glad that Mus’haf was there to save the day.
Areej Fatyma’s dressing was marvelous today. The black jacket over the pink printed T-Shirt and jeans looked totally cool on her. Later in the rishte wala scene she looked amazing in the red top and jeans. Her makeup was better than before, thus I enjoyed Bareera’s scenes today. Danish Taimoor was good as always. Him and Areej totally rock as a couple and that is why I loved the way Omair announced his engagement with Bareera and in the after-class scene, put his cap over her head.
I did not feel for Mehreen at all because Maryam Ansari failed to deliver. Her dialogues were too mainstream.
Omair’s parents were, contrary to my previous impression of them, laalchi! They have a lot of money but they shamelessly asked Bareera’s Dad to give them loads of jahez. Bareera did notice their behaviour but she was sure that Omair would be nothing like them. Still under the 50k impression Bareera?
Imran did make an appearance today and this time we saw him with another woman. drinking and enjoying himself. I totally felt for Noor Fatima when she picked up her hand , looked at the engagement ring and appreciated Bareera’s good fortune. However I did not like the way she called Omair “sahab“. Was it necessary?
Overall, the episode was good. I’ll give it 7/10 stars and will be awaiting your comments.
Areeba Mohsen
Historical mistakes in ‘Mera Sultan’
With Mera sultan ending soon it is time for me to review this drama which has no doubt left it’s mark on our collective psyche. The drama while a great favorite of mine unfortunately contains historical errors so I will be reviewing it fully so for die hard fans of the drama be warned ‘SPOLIERS AHEAD’.
When Mera Sultan was first aired certain people started the propaganda that it was anti-Islamic and meant to defile the image of a great Muslim ruler. Fed as we are by a myopic version of our history we simply could not comprehend that Muslims can do bad things too. Also Sultan Suleiman was a great ruler indeed but he was not perfect. So today I’m going to discuss historical incidents only.
1) Sultan Suleman succeeded his father Sultan selim the grim ( Known so because of his cruelty) and was generally regarded as a just ruler. He is called Suleman the law-giver and expanded The Ottoman empire to it’s greatest heights however he did NOT DO IT ALONE. He was aided in it by his great prime minister Pargali Ibrahim Pasha, Khizr raees and many more able men.
2) Sultan’s greatest vizier, his best friend, brother-in-law who was like a brother to him was Ibrahim Pasha who helped him achieve great heights. However in Royal reign no other person is allowed to have so much power. He was strangled in his sleep a decision Suleman always regretted. Another reason given was that he was not in favor of Hurem sultan who conspired with her son-in-law Rustem Pasha to have him killed.
3) Sultan’s mother Ayşe Hafsa Sultan was the first Queen Mother to awarded the title of ‘ Valida-e-Sultan’. She was almost Sultan’s co-ruler and unlike the drama was not insulted regularly by Sultan for the sake of his precious Hurem.
4) Sultan had many Concubines as the Turks did not believe that any royal family was equal to them in stature and hence they kept slave-girls in their Harems. Sultan’s First concubine was Fulane Hatun who gave him a son, then came Gulfem who also bore him a son, then came Mahidevran who was the mother of Mustafa. Fulane and Gulfem’s sons died in their youth and after that they both lost their previous power and position.
5) Mahidevran was perhaps the most unfortunate Queen in history. Originally thought to be a concubine it is now known that she was the daughter of a circassian prince. According to one of her descendants who was angry at her portrayal in this series both she and Gulfem were wives of Sultan not concubines. She gave birth to FOUR CHILDREN. Mustafa, Ahmed who died young, Raziya Sultan who married her brother’s supporter Tashjee ali Yahiya and Fatima who was married to the royal architect Mimar Sinan. Mahi’s real life was even sadder in real life then that shown in the drama. She was expelled from the palace when Mustafa was very young and spent the rest of her life in remote outposts of the empire. After Mustafa’s death her royal salary was ended. She lived in great poverty but the common people gave her tremendous respect ( While they abused Hurem non-stop). It must be noted that she outlived all her children and took care of her grandchildren all by herself. It was only during Selim’s reign that her pension was restored. Sultan’s treatment of her was unfair beyond belief. It must be noted that she was extremely beautiful and is considered by some as the most beautiful woman in Turkish history. How ever this beauty did not ensure her a fate she deserved.
6) Gulfem was the concubine or wife before Mahidevran. She is said to be a Sicilian or polish concubine, daughter of a prince called Murad, Daughter of an Albanian Bey or daughter of a convert to Islam called Abdurrahman.( One of them)! How ever all Ottoman sources describe her as extremely intelligent, fluent in many languages and a favorite of Suleman. It is said that she was second only to Hurem sultan in the Harem and after Hurem’s death she reigned supreme the Sultan would spend his nights with her sharing his sorrows with her. In Turkish archives there is a letter by her to Shehzade Beyazid advising him not to rebel against his father. This clearly shows that she was genuinely concerned with the empire’s well-being and was an important member of it. How ever the other concubines sought to get rid of her. Gulfem was building a mosque and ran out of funds. One concubine agreed to give her gold in exchange for her giving one of her nights with the sultan to her. Poor Gulfem thought that it was not such a big deal however she was wrong. The ‘great and just’ Sultan had her dragged right away by her hair to his room and without even hearing her explanation had her strangled right there! Later when he found out about it he ordered her mausoleum built next to the mosque she had commissioned.
7) Hurem is portrayed as the heroine of this series although to be frank this is the first heroine I have seen who displays serious psychological problems and has all the patterns consistent with a serial killer. Hurem was a Ruthenian slave known to the west as Roxana because of her Russian origin. She bore The Sultan five sons and a daughter. One of these sons died as a baby and hence was not shown in the drama. The real Hurem was not breathtakingly beautiful but was said to be heavy with an attractive face, jolly nature and it is said that she possessed s*x appeal. She was However extremely sharp who used her wits to beat her rivals. In this she was helped by Rustem pasha who later became her son-in-law. By no standards of morality whether in the drama or in real life can Hurem be considered right. Infact as foreign ambassadors reported Turks used to abuse her openly and call her a witch especially after Mustafa’s death. Hurem’s three major achievements were
a) Marrying the Sultan.
b) Never leaving the Harem with her son as was the custom but staying on till the very end with Suleman.
c) Moving to the main palace with Sultan as a fire ‘mysteriously burned down the old harem’. ( Yaqeenan khud lagwai hogi)
8) Sultan’s sisters had nothing against Hurem. They added this part for spicing up the serial and also so people can feel sympathy for the ‘Innocent Hurem. khazeena( real name Hatice) died heart-broken two years after Ibrahim’s death. Fatima and Beyhaan lived their lives quietly after their husband were killed by the great Sultan. Sah obtained a divorce not because of Hurem’s conspiracies but because her husband beat her.
9) Mustafa was the eldest and undoubtedly the greatest of Sultan’s sons. Sultan had him killed as Rustem had him believed that the army was planning to replace Suleman with him. Our Great Sultan not only had him killed but had his young son Mehmet executed. Can any Huremist or people who admire Sultan give me a solid reply what danger could a child pose to a great Sultan like Suleman? Also he did not disobey his father by marrying Khizr raees’s daughter. Their is no Mehrunnissa Hatun. His son was by his concubine Rumaisa.
10) Hurem’s son Mehmet died a natural death due to small pox. What they showed in the drama WAS A LIE. MAHIDEVRAN DID NOT KILL HIM. THEY ADDED THIS PART SO PEOPLE CAN JUSTIFY HUREM’S CONSPIRACIES AGAINST MUSTAFA. He was married to his cousin Esmahan daughter of Sah sultan whom he fell in love with as soon as he saw her and had a daughter with her. After his untimely death the ‘great innocent sweet long-suffering poor’ Hurem snatched her grand daughter from Esmahan and had her sent to her mother where she died heart broken four years later.
11) Ayaz Pasha the vizier after Ibrahim was not killed by Sah but died a natural death in a plague. ( Lagta hai writer conspiracy theories pe yaqeen rakhti thi her death ko Hurem ke dushmanon key ser pe daal dia) LOL.
12) Kazi Ebu Saud, Yahiya effendi ( Sultan’s foster brother), Sikander chalebi, Tashjee ali Yahiya are all real historical characters.
13) Jahangir died heart-broken for his step brother Mustafa.
14) Beyazid rebelled and was executed with his sons on order of Sultan Suleman in Persia where he has taken refuge. Sultan offered shah Tahmpasamp 400000 gold coins for having his own son and grand sons killed. ( wah wah lekin phir bhi ham nahi manengen aur kahengen ye sab jhoot aur west ka propaganda hai)
15) Hurem’s son Selim was a useless drunk. Turks suffered the worst defeat of their history in his reign at the Battle of Lepanto.
16) Sadiqa/Victoria, Froze khatoon, Princess Isabella, nazenin were all fictional characters added to show how much Hurem had to fight to control/brainwash her Sultan. LOL
17) Shah Tahmpasamp of Iran was a weak rival Of Sultan. He did not obsess about harming the ottomans. Later his descendant Shah Abbas the great inflicted major defeats on the Ottomans when they were in decline in the Sultanate of women period.
18) The murders in Harem are based on reality. Hurem initiated a reign of terror. Her cruelty can be judged by the following real incident. One of Sultan’s concubines Gulshah khatoon bore him a daughter called Nuriye Gul Sultan. Hurem made numerous attempts to kill mother and/or daughter and finally when the daughter was 3 years old she succeeded. They were killed and their bodies thrown in the sea. This incident shows Hurem’s inhumanity and Sultan’s criminal negligence. ( They did show a Gulshah in the drama. She was however a gullible maid of Mahi and Later Hurem who only caused harm to her employers)
20) Meherma the daughter of Hurem was highly influential and acted as Valida-e-sultan in her brother’s reign. Her marriage to much elder Rustem was considered an unhappy one and she spent most of her time with her father. Her Husband Rustem was one of the most corrupt and hated Grand viziers in Turkish history.
21) After Mustafa’s death the Janissaries rebelled so to placate them Sultan had Rustem deposed and on his advice appointed his brother-in-law Kara Ahmet Pasha to this position. This measure basically saved their life but within two years Sultan repaid this favor by executing Kara Ahmet pasha!
When all is said and done there is no doubt that It was an excellent and entertaining drama and I look anxiously forward to Kosem Sultan the next installment of this series. The Turks really know how to make historical dramas.
Talha Rizvi
Some Wonderful Dialogues of Super Hit Drama “PYARAY AFZAL”
2014 is just coming to an end so I thought to give a small tribute to super hit Drama of 2014 “Pyaray Afzal”. This was not just the drama but an emotional attachment, a roller coaster ride and an unforgettable Journey. Every scene every episode was a visual treat to watch. This drama had truly expressed the meaning of love and the deep reality of human relationship.
Poor Afzal he was shot dead when Farah finally embraced his love and actually wrote letter to him but missing Pyaray Afzal doesn’t mean that I am only missing Afzal, how can we forget bubbly Yasmeen, Responsible Aarfa, Stylish Lubna, Confused Farah, Tensed Ruqqaiya( Wife of Maulvi Subhanallah), Respected Maulvi Subhanallah and brave Babu Hameed.
Pyaray Afzal took us all by Storm and it was not only popular in Pakistan but all around the globe, I have to admit that it is the highest quality drama produced by Humayun Saeed’s production and indeed it will took many years now for ARY or any other channel to telecast such Gem again.
Round of Applause for Khalil ur Rehman for penning down this amazing story and dialogues
So let’s remember Pyaray Afzal through some great dialogues of this drama:
“Meri Auqaat nahi hai ke mein Farah se Muhabbat kar sakun lekin us se Muhabbat karne ka Haq hai mujhe”– Afzal
“Muhabbat ko ghussa ajaina Farah to tum jeson ko bhi hojaati hai”– Lubna
“Jab koi Naya Naya Musalman hota hai to kuch zayada hi Musalman hota hai”– Lubna
“Mere abba kaha karte thay ke mardon mein se asal mard ko phechaana aisa hai jese saare tarboozon mein se lal tarbooz phechaana”– Sheikh Ibrahim
“Dil ki Saari baatein dil walon ke pass amanat hoti hain aur who amanat mein khayanat nahi kya karte”– Afzal
“Mein Maulvi Subhanallah ka beta hun Wali aur who mujhe bataya karte that ke maut Zindagi ki hifazat karti hai is se mat darna zindagi se darna yeh wahan maarti hai jahan paani bhi nahi milta”– Afzal
“Pata hai yeh goli mujhe pheli baar nahi lagi aik goli mujhe Hyderabad mein bhi lagi thi dil ko cheerkar nikal gai thi mene khud operation kiya tha khud taanke lagai thay magar toota hua dil zayada solid nahi hota sirf zinda rakhne ke liye kaam ata hai”– Afzal
“Mera naam badal diya jai Abba mujhe nahi pata yahan Afzal kon hai jo begunhai mein maare jaate hain ya jinko mene maara hai”– Afzal
“Farah ke sirf moun per ghussa hota hai andar se to who bilkul mombatti hai zara si aanch dikhao pighal jai gi” – Lubna
“Muhabbat agar cricket hoti to mein jeet gaya hota”– “Afzal
“Is tarah milo jese bin bulaye gham se milte hain, pass bulaya dil mein rakha aur phir kaha tumhaari to aisi ki taisi”– Lubna
“Jaag jao Farah is keemat per ke tumne kayion ki neendein haram kardi hain”– Yasmeen
“Yeh akhri akhri badtameeziyan hain pyaray phir tum kahan aur mein kahan”– Yasmeen
“Marne se dar nahi lagta yaar magar jeene ka buhat dil karta hai”– Babu Hameed
“Tumhaari Kasam Afzal chahe uske gham mein jalte rehna magar in khaton ko nahi jalana”– Yasmeen
“Apko kasam hai meri shadi hojai to dua nahi dijiyega mera naam le kar khaiyega jao Farah humne tumhe maaf kya”– Farah
“Main Afzal ban jaata lekin mujhe koi batai to sahi ke Afzal aisa hota hai”– Afzal
Now some funny Dialogues:
“Mein tumhaara baap hun Farah koi channe bechne wala nahi”– Sheikh Ibrahim
“Khat kyn likhongi phone mene mirchein peesne ke liye thori rakha hai”– Lubna
This is my favourite one
“Mehboob ke sar ke aagey behen ka sar tarbooz hota hai”– Lubna
Hence these are the only dialogues that I remember, so do you guys remember anymore amazing dialogues? if yes then please do share :-)
Firaaq – Happy Ending??
It is finally over! I must admit that I was expecting this last episode to be much worse because I was expecting an 8 to 10 show tonight as well. When the drama ended at 9 I was relieved! Tonight’s episode showed that the writer of the show Mustafa Afridi is talented enough to wrap things up in less than 45 minutes even when they are so messy, I wish he would have put in the same amount thinking while penning down the Paymaan/Imroze track as a whole. Hareem’s happiness lied with her son, she did not want a man in her life and she got just that. Paymaan forgave Imroze for everything he did just like all the other good wives in our plays. Honestly speaking I felt completely detached from all the character thanks to all the crazy twists that we have been witnessing for the past few episodes therefore the fact that this last episode was short and slightly less complicated was good enough!
Imroze’s second marriage and everything that happened after it was definitely a bad move. Imroze’s explanation to Paymaan confirmed that the reason why he left Paymaan was that his insecurities got the best of him but at the same time he had enough confidence to go ahead and get married again to someone who cheated on him and left him for someone else. Why are the men in our dramas naive enough to think that a second marriage will solve all their problems?? And to top it all, Imroze has learned nothing from his experiences since he suggested: “hum teeno is ghur mei mil ke bhi reh sakte hein” !! Right till the end Imroze was willing to have both these women in his life until Hareem pushed him to the edge. Paymaan never had a problem with “sharing” her husband with Hareem, which was very strange!
“Aap ne mujhe chalna, phirna, bolna, urna sikhaya” …yeh sub kub huva?? Right from the start, the viewers were shown that Paymaan’s life with Imroze was dull, to say the least. Imroze said so himself that Paymaan had stopped being happy and that is exactly what we saw too but somehow we are expected to believe that Imroze was the best thing that ever happened to Paymaan. I still remember the first scene which was shown a few months after their marriage, Paymaan was complaining and she did not look happy.
Firaaq had many tracks but the main story revolved around Paymaan and Imroze’s relationship and the Firaaq between the two. Unfortunately, the writer and the director both failed to narrate Paymaan and Imroze’s story properly. For the longest time, the viewers kept on watching the play so that they could enjoy Tabbasum and Haider’s scenes. The viewers were unable to understand why Imroze fell in love with Paymaan, the marriage was rushed and we never got to see the dynamics of their relationships. The fact that there was absolutely no chemistry between Sanam Saeed and Mohib Mirza did not help as well. There was so much about the main track of this drama that was flawed right from the start to the end. The mystery surrounding Imroze’s character right from day one was unnecessary and the truths about him that were revealed later were not worth all the wait. After watching the first few episodes we were all convinced that Firaaq was going to deliver but once Imroze entered Paymaan’s life everything went haywire. It was an absolute pleasure watching Uzma Gillani and Syed Mazhar Ali mesmerize us with their superb performances every week, for me, they were the stars of the show right till the end! Their story was far more interesting than that of Paymaan and Imroze. Junaid Khan and Noor Hassan played their roles well. Sanam Saeed did the best she could with her character, unfortunately, Paymaan’s character took a U-turn after getting married to Imroze which was definitely not what most viewers wanted to see. Imroze’s character wasn’t even remotely likable but Mohib Mirza acting was everything one could wish for. For me, Firaaq will always be the story of Haider and Tabbasum and not Paymaan and Imroze. Isn’t it sad that we were shown all the characters at the end of this last episode except Haider’s? He was the only male character in the show who was liked by many of the viewers. Adnan Jaffar’s character and his acting also deserve a special mention here but I have to add that we could have done without these new additions.
Although Firaaq turned out to be very disappointing, I must confess that I enjoyed reviewing it nevertheless mainly because of all of you out there who contributed to the discussions. I want to thank everyone for reading the reviews especially those regular readers who are kind enough to read the reviews even after they stopped watching the play. Firaaq is being replaced by drama serial “Nikkah”, the tag line of the play is ” piya naam ki choriya…bani meri majboorian!” and I am guessing that this drama also revolves around the story of a woman whose husband gets married again – yes doosri shadi all over again!! How many of you are sick and tired of these stories??
Fatima Awan
10 Mysterious Pictures That Even Science Can not Explain
Exclisive Video: 10 Mysterious Pictures That Even Science Can not Explain
Wasim Akram Becomes A Dad For The Third Time
Wasim Akram got married to his Australian girlfriend Shaniera last year. The couple has been blessed with a beautiful baby girl who they have named Aiyla Akram. Wasim Akram already has two grown up sons from his first wife Huma who passed away few years back. Wasim Akram shared the happy news of his baby’s arrival with his fans on Twitter. The happy mother also thanked everyone for their blessings.
We wish Wasim, Shaniera and Aiyla a happy life together.
Goya- Episode 7 Review
Previews are becoming quite the topic of discussion. Last week’s preview hinted at Omar backing out at the eleventh hour so the episode was a complete shocker. Omar’s everything, his fairy godmother- Mrs. Imtiyaat succumbed to the grim reaper aka Sr. Hashmi. Omar knew love only through the kind-hearted Mrs. Imtiyaaz. Not only was she faithful to the Hashmi’s, she genuinely loved Omar like her own and was trusted by his late mother with her bahu ki amanat. Having lost the woman he loved so dearly, Omar was guilt-ridden and felt unsure about going through with the wedding. After the dhamakedaar dholki, the shaadi was free of any shenanigans.
The kawwey ki tarhan ganey wala Adnan was the life of the party and interestingly enough, the ease with with he switched gears between the singing/ dancing and the flirting was sublime. I’ve never seen Gohar Rasheed except in a brief cameo and I thought he was brilliant. Ali continues to guide Omar through his uncertainties but it appears that Adnan is the one who is really looking out for him; he is very keen to have Omar and gang continue living with him for ever and ever. I would love to know more about why he is the way he is and if the story of his father having multiple wives is actually true.
Omar seems content moving in with Asma and Mohini after marriage as if it were perfectly natural to have a ghar-damaad. Omar has a long way to go and Nomi said out loud what most of us may be thinking- I don’t trust him! Seeing Asma and Mohini’s sensibilities, I can’t help but wonder why the mother-daughter duo took a nosedive into consolidating the chatt mangni patt biyaah. Jald bazi ke faislay aksar pashtawey ka baiss bantey hein…
Mrs. Imtiyaaz’s sudden death and Rahat’s cold reaction disturbed Haniya more than I had expected. This incident made her question the man she married all those years ago. She even went as far as going against her husband’s demand and informing Omar of his loss. Rahat is so full of himself he considers himself a visionary. He finds nothing wrong with the way he conducts his affairs and has now taken it as a challenge to bring his son to his knees. He has spent considerable time and money on his biggest investment and expects huge returns. What remains to be seen is how far he will go to reclaim what he believes belongs to him!
What did you make of this episode? Any guesses about what happens next?
Yours in watching,
Kanwal Murtaza
Amir Liaquat Explained The Concept Of Christmas
Amir Liaquat explained the concept of Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ in a very understandable manner in his morning show on 25th December. Watch the video and i am sure that you will like his way of explaining things. Although i find him quite irritating but still sometimes casino online his thoughts appear to be a little acceptable especially when it comes to religion. He knows a lot about our religion and that is the only purpose i find him a little impressive otherwise he has nothing extra ordinary in himself.
Written By: Moomal Hassan.
Nida Yasir Showed A Museum
Nida Yasir did a special transmission on Quaid-e-azam, the founder of the nation. She showed his belongings to the audience by taking us to a museum which is filled with the things that once belonged to Quaid-e-azam. I believe that such shows must be shown regularly so that we know how the father of the nation lived and spent his life. Do watch the video and comment.
Written By: Moomal Hassan.
Nida Yasir Showed Quaideazam’s Tomb (Unseen Place)
Nida Yasir showed Quaid-e-azam’s tomb at 25th December. She showed the secret part of this tomb where no common person is allowed to enter. Only government delegates and military personals can go there. It was definitely a sight to see. Quaid-e-azam was the founder of the nation and we should never forget his efforts for our country. Do watch the video and also comment.
Written By: Moomal Hassan.
Why Do Men Find Other Women Attractive
In Sahir Lodhi’s morning show, a woman who works in a parlour told that men pay attention to other women because they do not find their wives attractive. If women do not pay attention to their looks and start looking old before time then their husbands start avoiding them and try finding entertainment outside their homes. Watch the video for details.
Written By: Moomal Hassan.
Sahir Lodhi Got Insulted In Live Show
Sahir Lodhi got insulted in live show by a phillipino parlour worker. His over-acting is also famous and many people are fed up of him but still they bear him and his shows. He asked the phillipino girl about his looks and he got a very insulting response. Watch the video and see for yourself.
Written By: Moomal Hassan.
Face-Mask For Pimples
In Sanam Jung’s morning show, Dr. Khurram Mushir explained about a mask for fairness and removal of pimples from skin. This mask will clear away all the pimples and scars from the face. The dryness that appears in winters is also removed by this mask. The ingredients used in this mask are all easily available at home and are not costly. Do watch the video for details, try it and see the results in a month.
Written By: Moomal Hassan.
Actress Yasra Rizvi Talking About Her Experiences
Yasra Rizvi is always seen in intense roles in dramas such as Malika-e-Aaliya and Mann ke moti. She recently made a guest appearance in Amir Liaquat’s morning show and talked about her experiences. She told that this world has become so materialistic that relationhips are not the priority anymore. She also became emotional while talking about it.
Written By: Moomal Hassan
Digest Writer – Episode 13!
Ohkay so, honestly speaking I would’ve felt a lot for Fareeda if she had decided to get married to Shaukat after she had met Shehryaar. She is in a severe depression; why? Because she ‘assumed’ Shehryaar wouldn’t accept her after he’d get to know about her. Ohkay fine, Fareeda took that decision in her senses but then what’s with the regret? She should be happy that she did good by Shehryaar & also saved herself from getting embarrassed which is why to see her lingering with the guilt of what she has lost in the form of Shehryaar doesn’t make sense because no one forced her to opt for Shaukat in the first place.
I don’t understand why everyone always emphasizes on ‘tumhari story ke hero jaisa larka’. I think they shouldn’t have shown so many people confusing fiction with reality. Just because a person has a strong imagination & is capable of giving words to the imaginative world, doesn’t mean their reality would exactly be like how they perceive life in their dreamy world. Bint-e-Hawa also assumed that Fareeda would be getting married to a guy similar to the characters she has written in her novels which didn’t seem appropriate because Bint-e-Hawa knows which social background Fareeda belongs to & just because she asked her such a question, Fareeda resorted to lying because she was ashamed of letting everyone know that her real-life partner is opposite to her fictional-life heroes.
I think they changed the actor who was playing a role of Shaukat’s married sister because the former one was shown as a sensible person but somehow they decided to add some spice to her character & now she was looking like a typical nand waiting to hog benefits from her bhabhi. I knew Appa was incapable of being good but I never thought she would change colors so quickly. I felt bad for Fareeda’s parents because now Appa will exploit & taunt them every single time if they would do something beneath her expectations.
I honestly felt bad for Shehryaar in the previous episode but just one dialogue from him this time was enough to kill the sympathy that I had for him. I really don’t understand how can a person be so shallow that he’d judge someone else based on what their name is? Shehryaar found Anwar Ali’s name bizarre because it was common & simple which made me say that whatever was happening to Shehryaar is exactly what he deserved. I am glad he didn’t decide to make a scene at Fareeda’s wedding & left quietly. I must say I would’ve felt a lot for Fareeda if she had faced blunt rejection from Shehryaar but just because she didn’t give him a fair chance, I don’t feel for Fareeda either & I think we’ve been deprived of seeing what the true face of Shehryaar was; was he really this shallow as we all thought or was he any better? I feel we really won’t be able to form a definite opinion about him but may be there’s a reason why this track was left in the lurch. May be there’s a chance that they’ll get to rekindle their relation in future because the way Fareeda’s in-laws have started to treat her, it’s highly unlikely that her marriage to Shaukat would last that long.
Finally, Shaukat got what he wanted but I wasn’t amused to see him in this episode because I know what sort of plans he had in his mind for Fareeda but let me ask, which groom falls like that in front of his bride? LOL! Only Shaukat can do that. He isn’t as simple minded as he poses to be because the way he informed Fareeda of what he was expecting from her really showed how tactful he is. I am sure he will keep on sweet-talking her into doing things that only he’d approve of. Let’s see what happens next. The episode was good but a bit on the slower side. I hope they don’t give much coverage to Fareeda’s depression but rather show us what measures she’d take to shape up her life from now on & oh I loved the crisp quality & vibrant colors of this episode in particular & loved the camera angles also. Share your thoughts please.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Sanam Saeed Getting Married Soon
Sanam Saeed did not even make the news of her Nikkah public but we learned from some circles that she entered into a Nikkah with her fiance who according to her is a Karachi based banker and also a childhood friend. When a picture of her Nikkah was leaked the news became public. Many people were still speculating whether this was indeed a Nikkah or Just an engagement but now we know that this indeed was the actress’ Nikkah and she is also getting married very soon.
Even nowadays when celebrities love to share the pictures of their families and spouses with their fans Sanam Saeed still likes to keep her private life very private. Sanam Saeed will be getting married next month. According to sources there will be six different functions for Sanam Saeed’s wedding. Two functions will be held in Karachi, two in Lahore and two other in Bangkok. According to the news one of Sanam Saeed’s Mehndis was held yesterday.
We wish the actress all the best for her future endeavors. We hope to see the picture of the groom and the newly married couple soon!
Fashion Designer Sundus Khan Achakzai! ”BEAUTY WITH BRAIN”-The most beautiful bride of 2014
Today your eyes will close down when you see a model as she walks on the Ramp. We all know that currently Fashion Industry is heading towards absolute disaster and there is no sign that fashion designers will realise how they are actually destroying our cultural values.
So called Fashion designers seems to be a foreign paid agents to me, who are sent on a mission to abolish our cultural norms. However I don’t want to give the gesture of bigotry here by painting all designers with the same brush because if there are senseless people in fashion industry there are good, decent and intelligent people too and among those is an exciting and creative designer from Lahore “Sundus Khan Achakzai”.
About Sundus
Sundus Khan Achakzai previously known as Sundus Nawaz was born in Jeddah Saudi Arab where she completed her college in fine arts. She then came to Lahore and took admission in Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design to complete her bachelor’s degree. After achieving her degree she went to France for training from well renowned Ecole De La Chambre Syndicale in Paris in 2009. She then came back to Pakistan and started working with different major brands like Stoneage (as Women’s line designer), Mini Minors (as Design Coordinator), FAQ Magzine (as Fashion editor).
Sundus is not just a Fashion Designer but a successful model, fashion teacher, wall artist and Choreographer as well. She made her debut fashion show in 2012 with PFDC Sunsilk fashion week. Many of you might not know but in Lux Style Awards 2013 she was the one involved in choreographing SOS Children along with Atif Aslam in Grand Finale. Her collection was displayed along with Farieha Altaf, Wahab Shah and Nigha Hussain’s collection in the Grand Finale of Lux Style Award 2013.
Sundus and SOS Village Kids
Sundus is also a philanthropist looking after SOS Children’s Village Kids for past 8 years as a mother, sister and as a friend. She came to know about these kids through a TV add when she was a student. Sundus believed that these kids are mentally stronger than most of the children living in society, sadly a fatherly figure is missing in their life that could guide them properly. Sundus tries to spend most of her free time with these kids as now they are part of her life. It was indeed Sundus dedication that made these kids perform so well on stage along with Atif Aslam.
Mosaic by Sundus
Just a matter of time when Sundus launched her own brand Mosaic. Being a creative designer she is extremely passionate to bring new exciting designs in the market. Mosaic offers range of fashion clothing with unique designs including bridal wear for both Women and Men. Perhaps she is the only fashion designer who had promoted her brand by doing the modelling of her own collection.
The list do not ends here, Mosaic brand also offers other ranges as well like Makeup and Styling, Modelling, Fashion Drawing, Choreographing etc.
Mosaic by Sundus assures that wearing Sundus desgined clothes will make you feel special and stand you out from rest of the crowd and yes indeed with in afforadable prices that goes out for Makeup and Styling as well.
Sundus Marriage
On 6th April 2013 Sundus got engaged to Naseem Khan Achakzai, the social activist and CEO of HILA non-profit Organisation. At the start of 2014 she was finally nikkahfied and changed her name from Sundus Nawaz to Sundus Khan Achakzai. Their proper Wedding Ceremony means “Rukhsati” took place on 7th December 2014 in Lahore, on this precious occasion Sundus was wearing her own bridal collection. 2014 was definitely the year of celebrities’ wedding and this year we have witnessed lots of beautiful brides like Ayeza Khan, Sonya Hussain, Dua Malick, Maheen Khalid etc. but after watching Sundus Khan Achakzai I have to admit that she is the most beautiful bride of 2014.
About her Husband Naseem Khan Achakzai
Naseem Khan Achakzai is a graduate from SKANS school of Accountancy. Currently he is the founder and CEO of HILA (Hope Inspiration Leadership Ambition) a non-profit Organisation that works specifically for Youth Empowerment and Education. Naseem Khan Achakzai is the first cousin of Muhammad Khan Achakzai “Governer of Balochistan”.
Sundus is a hardworking young Enterprenuer who believes in style and creativity. She has a passion to create new and unique styling designed clothes that can make Women to look elegant and graceful.
Sundus wants to give clear message to all professional “stop introducing exposing fashion as it is not our cultural values and stop making fool out of people by setting the wrong price range in the market which is often too high”.
Like me many people had also entitled her as “Beauty with Brain”. I wish her all the very best of luck for the success of her brand and loads of happiness in her married life.
References
http://www.profashionstyle.com/press/sundus-nawaz-and-sos-childrens-village-pakistan
http://www.fashioncentral.pk/pakistani/designers/267-sundus-nawaz/about/
http://www.shechoice.com/journey-from-sundus-nawaz-to-sundus-khan-achakzai/
http://mosaicbysundus.com/makeupstyling.php
Most of the information given to me personally by Sundus
The Newcomers in Pakistani Drama Industry (2014)
We have had some talented and some not so talented actors making their debut this year. A few of them grabbed the spotlight immediately. while others have a long way to go. Let’s have a look at the newcomers of our drama industry in the year 2014. Adnan Malik: Being a producer and director already, Adnan made his debut with Sadqay Tumharay on Hum TV. The phrase “aate hi chha gaye” would be suitable for him, since Khalil (his character in the play) became a household name and Adnan was praised not only for his chocolaty hero looks but for his acting skills too. We are expecting some quality projects from him in the future. 
Gohar Rasheed: Gohar had bagged a few nominations for his work in the feature film Lamha (Seedlings), when he stepped into the drama industry with Shikwa. He is a part of recent dramas, namely Digest Writer, Khuda Na Karay and Goya. Gohar has nailed all the roles and hopefully, will do the same in future. 
He knows how to give the right expressions and make the audience praise him and he has selected different roles to do that.
Maryam Ansari: Maryam hails from Karachi. She worked as RJ and a model. She was part of Chaadar on Urdu-1 (2013), but her role in Shanakht on Hum TV, was more recognizable as the start of her career in the drama industry. After Shanakht, two more of her dramas, Susral Mera and Agar Tum Na Hotay aired on Hum TV. As an actress, Maryam has yet to impress. She needs to work on her dialogue delivery. 
Aleezay Tahir: Aleezay Tahir is another Karachiite who made her debut with Shikwa. She has a cute and pretty face but she really needs to work on her dialogue delivery and expressions. 
Aleezay Rasool: Aleezay Rasool worked as a model and in a few commercials before the start of her career as an actor in Bikhra Mera Naseeb on Geo TV. Presently, both BMN and her second drama Sultanat-e-Dil are being telecast on Geo Entertainment. Aleezay Rasool gives the right expressions but needs to work on the dialogues. 
Some of her clicks as Ujala in BMN: 
Zarnish Khan: Zarnish started her career with Mohabbat Ab Nahi Hogi on Hum TV. Her second drama, Susral Mera, aired on the same channel while her third drama, Khuda Na Karay, is airing on ARY Digital. Zarnish has a cute face but needs to improve her dialogue delivery to suit different situations. 
Zahid Ahmed: Making his debut with Mehram on Hum TV, the good looking Zahid Ahmed has not impressed much with his acting. While he speaks confidently and knows what expressions to give, he needs to choose better roles which give him an opportunity to show his talent. 
Janita Zafar: She has performed side roles in the past, but her recognizable debut would be Ishq Mein on Express Entertainment. Janita is a pretty face but a good actress as well. She gives suitable expressions and speaks confidently. 
Some of her clicks as Samra in Ishq Mein: 
Iqra Aziz: You must have seen her in the really long Hilal Kake ad, alongside Na Maloom Afraad famed Mohsin Abbas Haider. Iqra is a talented young actress who also made her debut with Kisay Apna Kahein and then starred in Ishq Mein on Express Entertainment. She could improve her way of speaking a bit, since she gets a bit loud at times, but other than that, her acting is good. 
Sundas Khan: Sundas started her career with Mohabbat Ab Nahi Hogi. She did not make much of an impression with her acting skills and needs to work on them. 
Hina Altaf: Hina is a VJ, and a good one at that, but not a good actor, for her work in ARY Digital’s Maryam Kese Jiye was nothing out of the ordinary. She needs to improve her acting skills for her next project. 
Feroze Khan: Feroze Khan stepped into the showbiz industry with Bikhra Mera Naseeb. His second drama is Chup Raho on ARY Digital. Feroze Khan is a good actor and his strength lies in intense scenes. 
So which one of these actors impressed you? Whom do you want to see again? Do tell us in the comments below. Areeba Mohsen
Jacks(assumpti)on Heights – Episode 15!
Oh my! It was such a slow episode that I struggled to keep my eyes open till the end. There was some progress in the story in this episode but things have been so slow that it’s getting hard to keep my interest intact in this drama.
I did like the confrontation between Jamshed & Bhatti. That was one powerful scene of this episode. After they had a spat, Jamshed tried to imply that he has not gotten involved with Michelle because he wants to get a green card & even if that’s true, it makes me wonder why Jamshed fell for Michelle. They should’ve shown some grounds as to what Jamshed saw in Michelle to fall in love with her? I feel that the writer & director have invested a lot of time on unnecessary things but they skipped to show the detailing where it was required. The question still remains that why Michelle & Jamshed fell in love with each other, that too so abruptly?
Michelle is taking care of her boyfriend & she knows he wouldn’t appreciate it but still every single time she somehow manages to convince him to accept her help. I liked the fact that Jamshed is egoistic enough that he didn’t just accept everything that Michelle offered right away but tried resisting at least & this makes me wonder again, how come Michelle had such good friends that she was ready to ask them for a favor that too for the sake of Jamshed? All this while we’ve known that she has shied away from every single friend of hers & it was only Rizwan all these years whom she was comfortable with, so it looks very unlike Michelle that she would burden herself with someone’s favor to help Jamshed out but oh, she has been doing all such things lately that she wouldn’t have, so no surprises there.
The second & the last scene that I liked in this episode was Imaan & Sikandar’s confrontation. At least she has the guts to speak the truth on his face & show him the mirror, so hats off to Imaan for having more brains than a 30+ y/o Salma, but then again, Tai Jee took it as another opportunity to blame it all on her DIL. Looks like Sikandar has it all planned & he knew he could use Imaan as a trump card that would stop Salma from leaving him & luckily for him, it worked because after that Salma; being stupid that she is, started having second thoughts which makes me think that how come she doesn’t know that if she decides to get the police involved, they would obviously check Sikandar’s previous criminal record too & they would never let Imaan stay with him because anyone would know that a child that too a girl is not safe with a felon? Plus wouldn’t they ask Imaan as to who she wants to be with? Sikandar knows too well that Salma is not only gullible but she is weak, which is why he gets the confidence to do what he feels like because he knows that his family & home are being taken care of by Salma & she is never going to leave him. It’s so frustrating that even after he openly threatens her, she still tries to cover him up.
Becharay Bhatti Sahab, lagta hai unke din buray chal rahay hain. It’s ridiculous that instead of showing some concern for her husband, Cathy, who is incapable of being nice, started bombarding him with annoying questions again. Looks like she doesn’t know how to be considerate which then makes me wonder why is she so annoyed & disturbed if Bhatti has befriended Salma? Does she really think that she can treat him like a doormat & he wouldn’t retaliate? All this while Cathy was always indifferent to Bhatti, so she should continue to stay in her own anti-desi bubble happily & is it just me or Bhatti’s bhai bhabhi’s parasite-ness is getting repetitive & old? Share your thoughts or rather new assumptions & guesses please!
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Sadqay Tumhare – Episode 12
“Wo mari hui Shano bhi Khalil ko nahi day gi!!” …. From the first scene of this episode to the last one with Rasheeda in it we saw a very desperate Rasheeda trying everything in her power and more to ensure that Khalil stays away from Shano. For a split second I thought that Rasheeda might be looking out for her daughter, it could be that she does not want Shano to end up doing something she regrets later. The way she feels about Khalil and why she doesn’t want Shano and Khalil to get married is not a secret any more. Rasheeda’s meeting with the pir was very interesting. Even this man who knows nothing about her found it difficult to relate to her problems. He obviously thought that it was Rasheeda who needed help and not Shano or Khalil. On the one hand Khalil is getting closer to God in order to get what he wants because he is convinced that the love he feels for Shano is a gift of God and He is the one who gave him the power to fight Fayyaz and his friends. On the other hand Rasheeda’s faith in God is nil, she actually thinks that extreme measures like black magic will give her a way out. This is turning out to be a fight between good and evil, it is a battle between love and hatred. On one side there is Shano and Khalil’s love and on the other side there is nothing but hatred which Rasheeda feels in her heart for her sister and almost everyone who does not do things the way she wants them to.
The flashback scene was definitely something which many of us have been wanting to see. Hearing people talk about something can never be as relatable as watching it unravel on screen. I would have really liked it if we could have been shown how Abdur Rehman found out about Rasheeda’s relations with her brother in law. Inayat looked very resigned to her fate and dejected in the flashback scene, it was almost as if she knew that there was no point in blaming anyone. Even right now she does not come across as a person who would take revenge or ruin her sister’s life in any way. I am guessing that Rasheeda was lying about Inayat not being her sister!
Khalil finally decided to ask Shano how she would feel about a court marriage, he is quite sure that she will refuse and he does not want to do anything like that either. The most powerful scene of tonight’s episode had to be the one in which Rasheeda tells Khalil off; his reaction and Samiya Mumtaz’s expressions were spot on. Only Khalil would hand over the money for the crockery he broke in rage – yeh hamare hero ka style hai!! The meeting between Shano and Khalil once again was overloaded with romance which I am glad is a permanent part of every episode of Sadqay Tumhare. The song sequence could have been cut short. I am waiting to find out what turn the story will take from here, aur kitni jangay lrni pare gi Khalil ko?? We will get to see some new characters a new twist in the story in the next episode.
I cannot praise the acting by all the actors enough, all of them manage to impress you in every single episode. The actors in the flashback scene as well were chosen very wisely; all of them were faces we haven’t seen in dramas before, they looked like the younger version of the characters they were playing and the acting was commendable as well. Khalil-ur-Rehman’s powerful dialogues are definitely very impressive. After watching this serial I am sure that Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar is one of those very few writers who write when they actually feel like they have a story to share and not because a production house requested them to write on certain lines.
Which was your favorite scene from tonight’s episode? Any predictions about where the story will go from here? Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.
P.S Good news for all those viewers who are watching Firaaq:)
Fatima Awan
Sultanat-e-Dil: Episode 1-2
SeD is the latest offering by Geo TV,produced by A & B Productions and directed by Syed Ali Raza Osama.
We have Riyasat Shahpur and a family of nawabs, headed by Mehtab Bano/ Begum Nawab, who has two sons, the elder one Farhan Shah (Abdullah Ejaz) and the younger one Wajdan Shah (Sami Khan). Yeh mulk 68 saal purana hai magar yeh riyasat 300 saal purani….. Begum Nawab has two sides to herself, on one hand she is a dictatorial and pitiless person who believes in punishing her enemies the worst way possible. On the other hand she is a mother who wants her sons to discuss their problems with her and trust her.Unfortunately her sons have seen her first side only.
Farhan and Wajdan are totally different from their mother. Farhan is a forgiving person who wants the people of his riyasat, whether friends or foes, to be treated with kindness. Ham ne apne mukhalfeen ko hamesha aman ka pegham diya hai…..He is married to Rania (Aleezay Rasool) and they are about to have a child, the waaris of Riyasat Shahpur.
Wajdan Shah is in love. He has no interest in the affairs if the state. His love interest Anoushey (Sarah Khan) and him are faced with a problem. The problem being the girl’s dad, who wants to marry her off to the man of his choice. Wajdan knows that their families won’t agree to their wedding and that’s why he’s helpless. We are yet to know what enmity both the families have.
After the go-dd bharai of his wife, Farhan Shah receives news that one of his factories has been burnt down but the culprits have been caught. He immediately drives to the factory, where he gives a heartfelt speech on how the people who have been caught are merely stooges, the person who sent them is the real culprit and that he would love to shake hands with him. In the end he lets them go.One likes his character straightaway and especially since Abdullah Ejaz has acted well.
Farhan agrees to go to Anoushey’s house for a rishta and Wajdan is the happiest person on earth. However, he first has to go to London for 3 days . The night before his flight, his mother hands over a file to him. Tumharay abba ke khuwab hain iss mein….. (Really want to know what’s in the file ASAP!) And the next day On his way to the airport , the writer does to him what the writers do to all the likeable characters, kill him! That too with a huge truck!
After Farhan’s death, Begum Nawab, who has herself felt the pain and helplessness of being a widow in the past, decides that in order to protect Rania and her child, Wajdan must marry Rania. Ofcourse, Wajdan is taken aback. He tries to protest, but Begum Nawab refuses to hear anything from his side. Mere faisle se ikhtilaaf karne ki himmat aienda kabhi mat karna….tumhara bachpana chala gaya…..woh chala gaya jo tumharay nakhrey uthata thha….
Rania has the same reaction. She can not even think of marrying Wajdan, who is just like a brother to her.
Anoushey has come across as a person who cares just about herself, but is smart for her own good. Just after Farhan’s death, she started bugging Wajdan to send a rishta to her house. She knows that waiting right now might cause problems later.
Begum Nawab is even more pitiless now. She is sure that Farhan was murdered, and now she is not ready to trust anyone. Dushmanon se haath milana chahta thha…jan haar gaya…. If Wajdan refuses to obey her, she might throw him out of her life too. I found it weird that Asma Abbas’s makeup and colourful clothes came back just one scene after Farhan’s death.
Poor Wajdan tries not only to convince his mother but Anoushey’s father (Mazhar Hayat) too. I don’t think his opinion would have differed if Begum Nawab had not dhamki-fied him. But I really understand his point that this marriage will cause problems for both Anoushey and Wajdan. Where will they live after marriage? And how will he supply for her? Wajdan’s purple attire in that scene was really distracting.
So Wajdan is stuck pretty bad in this situation. Pleasing his mother would mean leaving the love of his life and marrying the love of his life would mean leaving the entire state forever. How many times do our heroes face this problem?
Jitni bhi dafa ho, I had fun watching these two episodes. The actors have done a good job, but Aleezay Rasool needs to improve her dialogue delivery. The main couple is fresh and easy on the eyes. Although I haven’t started rooting for them yet, let’s see if they can impress me in the future episodes. I really wish they had chosen another house for the setting. A new setting would have probably had that riyasat-wala-effect on me.
SeD is a good option on Thursdays. Are you watching it? If you are, let me know your thoughts.
Areeba Mohsen
Actor Tallat Hussain Talks About Terrorists
In Sanam Jung’s morning show, the legendary actor Tallat Hussain said some really meaningful words. He explained that Islam doesn’t only mean having a beard, it is the name of changing your inner self. Islam never teaches to kill anybody then why do these Taliban killed innocent children in the name religion. This is how they are spoiling the image of our religion. Watch the video it will leave you in tears.
Written By: Moomal Hassan.
Amir Liaquat Talks Harsh For The Government
Watch the video and see what Amir Liaquat says about our government and the decisions taken by the government. He openly criticized the Indian Prime Minister. The statements and tone was very harsh. He clearly called Taliban as “Kaafir”. He said they should be hanged in front of everybody.
Written By: Moomal Hassan.
Farah Hussain crying in live morning show
Farah Hussain cried in her morning show on the Peshawar incident. She said that it is very difficult to control tears for a mother because they see their own children in the place of the innocent lives that were taken in APS Peshawar. She added that this day and the lives lost will always be remembered. We may get busy in our lives but we will always have this grief in our hearts.
Written By: Moomal Hassan.