It was a time when Pakistani dramas were known for being short, sweet & to-the-point but the current trend has it going. Whenever I was asked if I was following any Indian dramas I always replied for not having much time & patience to invest in their never-ending headache-provoker dramas & for this reason I have always enjoyed watching Pakistani dramas because of the limited number of episodes. But sadly, I’m disappointed at the unnecessary stretching of our dramas lately.

We all have seen how each channel strives to stretch the drama beyond 20+ episodes just for the sake of TRPs. I have seen so many dramas that have proven to be a huge disappointment because of the unnecessary dragging & stretching leaving the viewers agitated at the deviation from the main plot & irritated because of the uncertain & unexpected changes that spoil the drama. Definitely the unpredictability does play an important role in the success of the drama but only that unpredictability which makes some sense unlike the one which is enforced in the drama to prolong it. I believe if the story actually has a substance then it should be covered in more than 20 episodes but if they just bring in the twists & turns for the sake of keeping their prime-time slots filled & to get the ratings, then that is totally uncalled for. This stretch has only left the viewer’s furious because they feel betrayed & the whole blame goes onto the channel for not providing the quality entertainment. It’s actually getting burdensome to see the channels strive for the quantity & missing out on the quality big time.

There was a time when everyone knew about the number of episodes the drama would offer & because of this tiny detail, everyone used to anticipate what might happen in the end because they knew that by each passing episode the drama was approaching its climax but sadly this isn’t the case anymore. These days it’s like we literally have no idea about how many episodes there’re going to be & by the time when the drama reaches its final stages, we either get depress when we see that the drama didn’t end this week or mostly we’re left surprised at the immediate & rushed wrapping up of the drama.

Sadly, this has been the case with so many dramas lately that the moment the channels get the idea that a certain drama is getting popular among the masses, they decide to stretch it & make sure that people gather all the hatred they can offer towards their product which most probably would’ve become their favourite. I feel it’s a high time that the channels must understand that it’s the quality that matters & not the quantity. The viewers would any day prefer a short normal paced drama instead of a lousy long slow play where the story progresses at a speed as good as to put a turtle to shame. These days, it looks like the channels & the drama-makers promise themselves that they’d skyrocket the viewer’s expectations by the beginning of the drama but eventually will bring them down & disregard their loyalty by the end leaving a bad taste in their mouths. The providers of entertainment i.e. our channels are definitely responsible to ensure we get what we want when they promise to deliver us a quality drama rather than worrying about their own profits & ratings which they might achieve by wasting our time.

I have seen it happening so many times that after a certain point the dramas literally have nothing left to show & it’s like the drama which might’ve been suitable to be wrapped up by 16th episode is dragged just to go over the count of 20 episodes, but when comes to the ending, it is tackled inappropriately leaving viewers unsatisfied because the endings are always rushed & it looks like a single episode wasn’t enough & they should’ve divided it in at least 2 – 3 episodes. Zard Mausam, Silvatein, Mere Dard Ko Jo Zuban Mile, Mujhe Khuda Pe Yakeen Hai, Mirat ul Uroos, Kankar, Kabhi Kabhi & now our new found detest SHUKK, all have been ruined solely by the end because they weren’t treated properly & were left to be dragged for the reasons channels know better.

My point is that the channels should & must provide us at least with the number of episodes the new drama is going to be covering so that we aren’t kept in the dark. They should at least mention it on their respective websites in the details section as to how many episodes this drama consists of. If that happens; by the beginning of the drama we can decide whether we are ready to invest so many weeks in a certain play or not. Being the viewers & the reason behind the channels success I think we do have a right to know the number of episodes beforehand & the channels owe this much of a detail to its viewers at least.

Share your opinion about it & tell us what you think. :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Lately adaptations of novels as drama or film have become a popular trend. Viewers do appreciate these adaptations but unfortunately it doesn’t go very well with the readers who most of the times find the adaptations unsatisfactory. Adapting a novel into drama isn’t new in Pakistani Drama Industry, super hit dramas like Khuda ki Basti, Bhandan and Aag were adaptations.

Most of the recent adaptations have been mediocre or complete disasters; there have been some good adaptations as well. Dastaan, Darbar e Dil, Man o Salwa, Doraha, Talkhiyaan, Humsafar, Aunn Zara and Meri Zaat Zara e Benishan are examples of rather good adaptations. Sadly wonderful novels like Ambar Bail and Jo Chalay to Jaan se Guzar gai turned out to be disasters, especially the former which have been dramatized twice failed to impress the audience both times. All of the adaptations might not be up to the mark or super hits like the novels but these adaptations have increased the quality of dramas as compared to the dramas of few years ago. It is up to the writers; be novelists or original playwrights to bring new and engaging topics on the front.

These adaptations at times offer nothing new; they seem mere repetitions of timeworn predictable stories and plots (novels published in digests are somehow predictable or formula novels, at least majority of them). One of the main factors rooting disinterestedness in adapted dramas can be having already read those novels (being an avid reader I’m never satisfied with the adaptations). But this is not always the case, sometimes the scenes turn out more engaging in dramas than in novels. Another factor for mediocre dramas is unrequired omissions and additions. The dramas are needlessly stretched; viewers resultantly lose interest resultantly. Inappropriate choice of actors can also result in a disaster drama as happened in Amar Bail.

Despite all objections and reservations I desperately look forward to adapted dramas. The only adaptions (which I have watched) I found better than the novels were A Walk to Remember and Stardust. Do share your opinion, your choice; what do you prefer, the novels or adaptations. For me it is always novels.

Faiza Cheema

Yes, we all know entertainment industry is about the appearances. It’s all about looking good irrespective of the role you are playing & also it’s just the way you carry yourself. Being on the TV, I think it’s definitely important to be careful about what you wear & how you wear it.

Pakistani fashion is regarded as one of the best all over & the main faces to promote our dressing are obviously the actors who appear on-screen. Now, in these times, it only depends on the actor as to what sort of a wardrobe they want to endorse on the screen, so for this most of the dresses that our actresses wear end up being their own picks for themselves & mostly belong to their personal collections.

This critique is strictly confined to the looks our actresses have carried in the dramas, this is by no means stated to say that they have been making great or bad choices in their screen time apart from the dramas too. So yes, I have seen a lot of ladies who pull off both the eastern & western looks to the perfection but those who rock the eastern style in our dramas are:

Ayesha Omar:

I think this lady should launch her fashion brand. Who doesn’t know her as Khoobsurat of Bulbulay? Each & every dress of hers is a statement of it’s own. I have never seen her wearing flashy or fancy dresses but even if she wears casuals in a drama, she makes sure it stands out. So, for me she is THE BEST in terms of dressing sense & style. I have been watching Bulbulay once in a while for couple of years now & I can’t pick one such episode in which her ensemble didn’t appeal to me. I’d be the happiest & probably the first buyer if she launched her clothing line.

Hina Khuwaja Bayat:

After Ayesha Omar, for me, the best in terms of dressing is Hina Khuwaja Bayat. She is graceful yet trendy. I love most of the dresses she wears. All those pastel colors & embroidered chiffons makes her dresses to die for. I think she knows what looks good on her & she pulls it off very gracefully. Not even a single dress of her that I can pick not to be the best.

Sanam Saeed:

I like her dressing sense a lot too. She is a model & a great actress so I think modelling did refine her skills in terms of dressing. I loved her decent but elegant look in Zindagi Gulzar Hai & those amazing Khaadi kurtas she wears in most of her dramas. She knows what suits her best & for that reason her choice is great too.

Ayeza Khan:

I have never seen a girl look so pretty in the most casual dresses. She looks absolutely adorable in simple & plain single toned Shalwar Kameez because she knows what look she is capable of pulling off & for this even though I have seen a very few dramas of her she has managed to make a mark for me.

Mahira Khan:

I think she looked absolutely stunning in those simple Pishwas in Humsafar. Even after Humsafar, her dressing style in Shehr-e-Zaat was unique & brilliant. She can also pull of both the eastern & western style of dressing but I found her beautiful in the simple but elegant choice of eastern style dressing in Humsafar.

So this was all about the actresses who have made a mark in terms of best dressing but those who should pay a little more attention as to which color to choose & what might look better on them, are:

Mehwish Hayat:

Despite the fact that she is my favorite, a phenomenal actress & obviously her talent speaks for herself. I think if she can be bold enough to go under the knife to look good, this shows how conscious she is of her appearance & for this reason & for her own sake to look more stunning I’d suggest her to work on her wardrobe. I think she is one of the best actresses in terms of makeup, that contoured face & highlighted T-zone tells us how much she takes care of her looks & how much effort she puts in to look good, so to complete herself & top it off she should compliment herself with a better dressing. Though I have always liked her in the western style, skinny pair of jeans with a tee on top, she looks so comfortably cool but those heavy colored eastern dresses in her recent dramas look so unlike her.

Moomal Sheikh:

No color combinations, no cuts & nothing, I think she doesn’t know how to dress up nor she knows which colour suits her the best. I once saw her in an interview, she wore pastel pink toned dress which made her look absolutely stunning so yes, we know what sort of tones can look good on her but if only she understands.

Sanam Baloch:

Please don’t kill me for she is my favorite too & I love her. Who doesn’t know what a flawless actress she is but sadly I am never appeased by her dressing sense. Even though she has played period dramas & for which she didn’t have to put much effort into looking trendy but the dramas which showed her in current times were Kankar & even some parts of Roshan Sitara but I was slightly unhappy with what she wore. Those cute little flowery prints must’ve looked stunning on her when she was a teenager but now we know she is a beautifully grown up girl so, I hope to see her in anything but the flowers. Loud statement dupattas seem to be a part of her dressing so I hope she does carry them but with a little touch of style. :/ BUT irrespective of this all, I love Sanam Baloch! :)

Who do you think should make it to the list of best & not so best in terms of dressing sense, do share with us. :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Makeup is undoubtedly an art. A little colour and some basic enhancement of definition makes a pretty face even more gorgeous. When an industry is called showbiz industry; it is quite clear one has to show herself to the audience and has to look flawless as much as one can be. May it be films, dramas or award shows and in the recent times even the social media, actresses have to look their best and they go to best makeup artists and use best products on market to get those flawless looks. Here is a list of actresses who have the best makeup looks on their look books:

Mahira Khan:

Be it her classic red pout or nude lips Mahira knows her makeup game. In her complete look, the most focused part is always her lips. She keeps her blush and contour soft. Thick lashes and well defined lips are her get go. She never makes a pastry of her face. Even her brows are never extremely filled. Mahira’s makeup is the true definition of less is more and that is why she always makes it to the best looks list.

Ayesha Omer:

This lady has come a long way as far as makeup prowess is considered. Ayesha started her career as a bubbly slightly chubby and cute girl. She has the most beautiful skin and after shedding some pounds now Ayesha has really worked on her style game. She looks effortless and beautiful in all departments of her looks. Her hair is always looking the best, be it fluffy blow dry or beachy waves. Ayesha’s contour is on point too and make her face looks chiseled. She also experiments a lot with her lip colours and can rock darks and nudes effectively.

Sajal Aly:

Sajal’s style sense has improved by leaps and bounds in past few years. She joined the industry at a very young age and with time not just her acting has improved, her makeup game has also become stronger. Sajal knows she has very beautiful eyes and she always enhances this feature of hers with makeup. Cat eyeliner and heavy mascara just make those beautiful eyes even more drool-worthy and noticeable. She mostly keeps her hair sleek and straight which keeps her face shape look defined. Sajal can rock matte shades and the glossy ones equally on her lips.

Meesha Shafi: 

Meesha is known for her unique style. She even stylizes herself for shoots. Meesha goes for natural makeup most of the times. She goes for nudes and corals with soft contours. But she also knows how to rock darks and many times is seen with the red pout which is loved by every woman on earth. Her brows are always on point and totally filled in. She never over do’s her makeup and knows which hairstyle will complement her overall look. She rocks top buns and wild waves equally.

Syra Shahroze:

Syra’s mother is an Afghani and her face has a touch of that too. Syra knows her face structure and always does her makeup which complement her soft and innocent features. She is never seen wearing bold and dark colours on her face. She is more of a no makeup person and most of the time it seems she is not wearing anything on her face. Even on her wedding Syra kept herself toned down and that made her most innocent looking bride ever.

Mawra Hocane: 

Apart from running a top notch social media, the only other thing in which Mawra actually excels is makeup. She can carry both soft and heavy looks beautifully. Her good skills at makeup and styling keep her in news more than her acting does. She is mostly seen wearing pinkish lip shades with classic style liner. She also styles her hair according to her face shape and her side parts make her look pretty. She also carries bold lip colours and smoky makeup beautifully.

Which are actresses do you think have good makeup sensibility? Share your thoughts in comments!

There is no doubt about the potential that the Pakistani Actors have. These days when we see the local audience loving our dramas, praising our actors for the good work, it has been seen that there are actresses who are mostly coming up with similar roles. By saying so, I really am not criticizing these talented celebrities but that is what I have been observing that the following actresses are often casted in similar roles, probably because of the fact that they have received popularity for those specific acting skills.

The popularity do not only require hard work but luck as well. If I talk about the entertainment industry only then getting one good project is considered as a golden chance to prove that who you are, some artist do lots of hard work but they fail to earn the level of recognition what they actually deserve. This does not only happens in Pakistan but in Bollywood and Hollywood as well. However here we are only talking about Pakistan Entertainment Industry.

Since the rise of drama industry from 2009 new talent injecting every year is making grounds difficult for the current talent to sustain the rule of Industry and each year we notice new actor or actress ruling the hearts of audience. We all know that the only way to rule the drama industry is to perform in a powerful project scripted and directed by a popular writer and director. Here my topic is to give you a list of only those actresses who had ruled the drama industry from 2009 through their power packed performance in a mega project.

2009: The actual rise of Drama Industry begins from 2009 from a drama called “Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishan”. This drama gathered immense TRP through its powerful storyline. Beside Samiya Mumtaz, Sarwat Gillani was also in the lead role but Samiya’s performance as Saba was widely praised by the audience. She was definitely ruling the Industry at that time.

2010: The year of 2010 was purely dedicated to Sanam Baloch, she was able to rule the hearts of audience through her mesmerizing performances in super hit dramas Dastaan and Daam. Both dramas took the overall TRPs of above 7.

2011: In year 2011 our drama industry was clinching towards growth stage. In this year we have noticed many new talent pooling in the industry. This year was quite competitive in comparison with 2010. At the start of 2011 three actresses were ruling the industry Syra yousuf for Drama “Mera Naseeb”, Sadia Khan for “Khuda aur Muhabbat” and Saba Qamar for “Paani Jesa Pyar”.

Then there comes Mahira Khan with super dooper hit drama Humsafar leaving all actresses behind in terms of popularity. Drama serial “Humsafar” had not only given extra-ordinary fame to Mahira Khan but to Naveen Waqar as well and this was the reason why most of her fans overreacted on her marriage with Azfer. Both Naveen and Mahira were ruling the industry when Humsafar went On-Air. Saba Qamar could have remained on the ruling position with drama serial “Maat” but due to “Humsafar” Mahira and Naveen was able to take the ruling position.

2012:  Sarwat Gillani  was leading the Industry with Drama serial “Mata-e-Jaan Hai tu” straight after when Humsafar came to an end in February 2012. Sarwat Gillani may not be able to outshine in “Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishan” but she was outstanding in “Mata-e-Jaan” . She was leading the Industry until Mahira Khan claimed back her ruling position in July 2012 with another project “Shehr-e-Zaat”. She once again outclassed other actresses with her mesmerizing performance as Falak in Shehr-e-Zaat. Straight after when Shehr-e-zaat came to an end the crown was placed on Sanam Saeed’s head for drama Zindagi Gulzar Hai. In this year Sanam Baloch failed to acquire leading position as Dur-e-Shahwar received less viewership.

2013: This year was dedicated to three actresses with a cognominal name Sanam. Firstly Sanam Saeed led the Drama Industry for a half a year until May 2013. I still remember that many people have shown concerns on Sanam Saeed’s selection as a lead actress but she proved that she is not a novice actress as she performed tremendously with Fawad Khan in “Zindagi Gulzar Hai” thereby making character “Kashaf Murtaza” super hit. After Sanam Saeed, Sanam Jung was also leading on the popularity chart for drama “Dil-e-Muzter”. Sanam Baloch once again claimed her ruling position back in June 2013 through drama “Kankar”.

By the end of 2013 the competition had become already tough this time many actresses were performing in good projects. Soon after Kankar ends in November 2013 I was thinking that Sanam Jung will again lead the Industry for “Muhabbat Subah Ka Sitara” but my prediction was wrong as Sajal Ali had already taken up the ruling position with drama “Aasmano pe Likha”.

2014: Currently Ayeza Khan is ruling the Industry with drama “Pyaray Afzal” but from the beginning this year had remained competitive. No one actually ruled the Industry sustainably as everyone was working in good projects. Ayesha Khan, Ayeza Khan, Sajal Ali, Sanam Jung, Saba Qamar and Arij Fatyma they were all competing equally as they were all working in good and popular projects.

Now who will rule the Industry when Pyaray Afzal will come to an end?

Ayeza Khan will definitely go back from the driving seat as besides Pyaray Afzal she is not working in any good projects. Mere Meherban is not a powerful content. Sanam Jung might rule again for Mere Hum Dum Mere dost but I am not hearing much from this drama. Sarwat’s Projects are absolute disaster in this year. “Izteraab” Yet again wrong choice from Saba Qamar. There might be a chance for Ayesha Khan with drama “Soteli” but up till now this drama is not receiving much viewership. So the answer is that Sadia Khan or Sabreen Hisbani might rule the Industry with drama “Laa” this is currently the most interesting drama and a mega project ON-AIR on HUM-TV and it is the time for Sadia Khan to claim back the lead position of Industry.

If Sadia Khan fails to mesmerize people through her acting then there will be a strong chance that Sonya Hussain will rule the Industry as she is the strong contender with a drama “Shikwa”. Sonya Hussain is a next rising star and with one mega project she can easily claim the leading position as she is a talented actress. My sympathies with Sonya as Marasim is currently ON-AIR on least watched entertainment channel A-Plus and not on HUM TV or ARY Digital, however if anyone wants to see her versatility then my suggestion is to watch Drama Serial Marasim.

I know most of you may not agree with my analysis so please do correct me. I did my analysis by taking popular and Mega Projects.

Our drama industry is loaded with talented and pretty actresses. When you are in show business, your talent is not the only thing that matters but in order to get the top contracts especially for modeling the actresses should be stylish as well. Look at Mahira Khan, she is pretty and stylish so you would see her modeling for the top brands whereas actresses like Sanam Baloch or Ayza Khan who are also very gifted actresses will never be signed by a top designer because they do not have style which a model needs to carry such designer outfits.

Anyone who denies that looks and talent alone matter in entertainment industry is wrong because without style no actor or actress can go far. This is my list of actresses who are very pretty, they have the perfect features but they lack style because of which they are never seen modeling for top designers. These actresses are well appreciated as actresses but no one considers them style icons. Style isn’t only about wearing trendy clothes but also about carrying them in the right way.

I think if these actresses had style too then they could have taken the entertainment industry by storm. Right now they are restricted mostly to dramas because of lack of style.

Sajjal Ali

Sajjal Ali has beautiful, expressive eyes. She also has full lips and a good shape of face but no one can say that she is stylish. Sajjal Ali is the girl next door and with that style she can’t go much further especially in the modeling world. In dramas too, she can perform only specific roles due to the lack of style.

Ayza Khan

If you look at Ayza Khan you will notice that she has a perfect face which can be transformed in Eastern or Western looks easily but does Ayza have style? The answer is no! You can’t learn to be stylish, some people do but not everyone can.

Sanam Baloch

Sanam Baloch is the queen of hearts. She has won her fans over and over again by giving some outstanding performances. Sanam has a pretty face but she is nowhere near stylish Maybe that is the reason because of which she is confined to playing roles of a girl from middle class family.

Sania Shamshad

Sania Shamshad has a very cute face and she has very beautiful hair. She could pass as a very stylish girl if she had that natural trendy way of carrying herself.

Saba Qamar

There are no doubts about her acting skills in my head and she dresses up very modern too whenever we see her in awards. Even in some ads we have seen her wearing very modern clothes but modern isn’t always stylish. Saba Qamar still needs grooming and she is definitely not the catwalk material.

Madiha Iftikhar

Madiha Iftikhar does not have the perfect features but she has an attractive face. Her sense of dressing is good too but what is missing is style. She does not talk or walk like a diva!

I know some of people’s favorite actresses are on the list, they are my favorite actresses too but the fact stays that they don’t have the style which some other actresses like Aysha Khan, Sarwat Gillani, Maria Wasti, Aysha Omer, Syra Yusef and many others have.

Alina Ali

Now that we have covered the male artists of Pakistani drama industry who successfully maintained themselves and didn’t let the age take its toll on them let’s talk about those female celebs who are polishing their looks and acting skills with age and getting better day by day.

You can check out the list of male celebs we covered a few days earlier by clicking here.

Saba Hameed

When it comes to stylish senior artists, Saba Hameed hands down is my ultimate pick. I totally adore the way she adopts and adapts the ongoing fashion according to her personality without going over the top most of the times and of course there is never a compromise on her acting skills as well. Whether it’s the stylish mom of Aks or the simple one from Qaid-e-Tanhai, Saba Hameed knows a way to perform it the right way!

Sameena Peerzada

The timeless beauty Sameena Peerzada is also one of those artists who are getting only better with their age. I agree, sometimes she kind of overdo her dressing in gathering or functions but in her drama projects, which we are considering here, she fits perfectly in all roles. She was just perfect in Zindagi Gulzar Hai as Kashaf’s mother, in Ghost – well as a ghost, in Sheher-e-Zaat as the Nani and in Durr-e-Shehwar as the mother, wasn’t she?

Sameena Ahmad

Sameena Ahmad is also one of those senior artists who keep themselves up to date with the lastes fashion trends and what not but hardly crosses their boundaries and avoid adopting stuff that would make them look like ridiculous. Kis KI Aye Gi Barat series is an excellent example, a modern but definitely not so over or loud Nani was beautifully played by Samina Ahmad.

Sania Saeed

The simple yet graceful Sania Saeed never fails to impress me with her acting skills. Zaib-un-Nisa, Ghost, Shayad Ki Phir Bahar Aye, Aahat, Jhumka Jaan are few of her famous projects. Sania has won many awards for her tremendous performance as an actress including Lux Style Award and hearts of her viewers. She definitely knows how to nail a character and only getting better at it with age.

Nadia Jameel

Nadia Jameel is one of those artists I have been following since my childhood and she never disappointed me. She has an individual style of her own which makes her prominent and distinguishes among others. Durr-e-Shehwar was the last project I enjoyed by her, looking forward to see her on screen again.

Sawera Nadeem

Oh God! I’m her fan!! Period. I love the way Sawera Nadeem chooses quality over quantity, not overburderning herself with the projects hence giving her cent percent in every single one. Her acting skills are definitely getting better and better with age. Her characters in Mera Yaqeen, Qaid-e-Tanhai, Mile Kuch Yun, Teri Berukhi and Badi Aapa were totally different with each other and she has done justice with all of them.

Ayehsa Khan

Ayesha Khan, again is from the young lot of the female artists but has gone through a considerable transformation from Mehendi to Shakk. Time has nourished her dressing sense and acting skills both well. I like the way she doesn’t keep appearing in similar roles but try to present diversity to her viewers.

Saba Qamar

Saba Qamar belongs to the comparatively younger and junior actresses of the lot but the pace with which she is improving her acting and dressing skills is worth praising. I remember when she first appeared in some PTV sitcom, I used to strongly dislike her appearance and acting but with time she has groomed her to an extent that now she is one of my favourite Pakistani drama actresses.

So this was my list guys, don’t forget to add those female celebs you think are getting better with age!

Zubia Rizvi