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PEMRA suspended the licence of Geo Entertainment and ARY News

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has decided to suspend the license of Geo Entertainment and ARY News over multiple complaints. Geo Entertainment license is suspended for one month, with a fine of 10 million rupees for airing objectionable and defamation content. Whole team of Geo Entertainment’s morning show named ‘Utho Jaago Pakistan’ including host Dr. Shaista Lodhi is also banned.

ARY News is suspended for two weeks, for airing defamation content (which is originally aired on Geo TV) and contempt of court in its program ‘Kharra Sach‘. Apart from the ban, whole team of program Kharra Sach including anchor Mubashar Lucman is also banned.

PEMRA has also banned re-broadcasting of any content/clip from the program ‘Uttho Jaago Pakistan‘ by any channel.

If implemented, then Geo Entertainment will be off air till upcoming Eid.

Full content from Urdu Daily Nai Baat

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Mausam- Episode 5 Review

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As luck would have it, Rabia Apa happens to run into Shazia’s friend (remember her silly alibi for Hashir’s birthday party?) Enraged, she rushes home in what seems like her Hulk avatar and announces her desire to marry Shazia off by Friday! Parenting 101 right there! Upon further instigation, Shazia admits her love for another man and is rewarded with a slap. In all honesty, I was hoping for a Hulk SMASH. Oh well, you can’t have everything, can you?

Shazia pouts and continues sulking. Saman tries to calm her down and reassure her that she didn’t tattle but Shazia pouts some more. Kya museeebat hai! Her mother confiscates her phone and declares that she’s grounded until woh apni ghar ki nahin hojaati... Faisal is on cloud nine after the news of the jhat pat shaadi and is busy planning the valima. Salma Khala is exactly the kind of saas Shazia deserves- she’s equally annoying, if not more.

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Saman covers for Shazia while the latter decides to go and pour her heart out to her prince not-so charming. However, she’s in for a rude awakening when he bursts her bubble by informing her that he’d like to send his mother over for Saman’s proposal. Naturally, this is too much of a shock for our nazuk beauty and she collapses on the middle of the road. Meanwhile Salma Khala and Faisal are patiently sipping chai waiting to surprize Shazia with the new bari car Faisal bought. After all those nakhreys, why does Faisal want to marry someone as obnoxious as Shazia is beyond me. Not that he’s a catch, but c’mon, Shazia is no prize either! Hashir has single-handedly broken not just one but two hearts- Mehreen happens to eavesdrop at that very moment when Hashir is rambling on and on about how Saman is his perfect match- I still don’t see it, do you?

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Overall, this drama is heavily inspired by Mera Naseeb but fails miserably on all accounts except production values. Nothing about this drama is even remotely close to passing the common sense test. Fazilat Mami is perpetually nursing a headache- I suppose medicines must be vehemently discouraged by Rabia Apa since they are new-age and these people live in the dark ages. Fazilat has the luxury to snooze though the day but I for one, have work to do so I’m going to pop my pills now and try and recover from this nasty headache after 40 minutes of this circus. Spoiler alert– the preview for the next episode shows Shazia’s wedding being called off and Saman being manipulated into taking the place of the bride! Oh.My.God.

P.S. Hopefully this will be my last review of this drama because 1. there’s only so much brilliance I can handle 2. Fatima will be back very soon.

Yours in watching,

Kanwal Murtaza

Pakistani Ad Gets Effie Award

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The Effie Awards are special awards that are given every year to advertising agencies which come up with effective marketing ideas. The Effie Awards were launched in 1968 by the New York American Marketing Association as an awards programs to honor the most effective advertising efforts.

The Pepsi ad made by the Walter Pakistan Advertising Agency won the Effie Award this year. the award was received by Director Design Nadeem Wahid, Creative Director Ali Gondal and Chief Creative Officer Ali Hayat Rizvi on behalf of Walter Pakistan.

Imran Afzal, President of Walter Pakistan said, “I am ecstatic; this is a proud moment for us and the entire marketing and advertising industry in Pakistan.”

He also said “Not only did the campaign help in exceeding the sales target, it also achieved the highest ever awareness index for any Pepsi ad in Pakistan.”

Here are the videos of the ad which won the prestigious award



 



 

 



Upcoming Dramas

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Here are some upcoming dramas.

1. Zid- Maya Ali (Hum)

 

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2. Haasil – Ahsan Khan & Mawra Hocane (Geo)

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3. Iqrar – Maheen Rizvi & Faysal Qureshi (Geo)

 

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4. Goya – Osman Khalid Butt & Ushna Shah (ARY)

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7. No Name Yet – Mansha Pasha, Aijaz Aslam & Saniya Shamshad (ARY?)

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8. Mere Khwab Lauta Do- Aizaj Aslam, Saima Azhar, Sumaya Malik (ARY)

 

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5. No Name Yet – Adnan Siddiqui & Mahnoor Baloch (Hum, Director: Fahim Burney)

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6. No Name Yet – Saba Qamar & Danish Taimoor (Channel Undecided, Director: Nain Maniar)
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9. Nazdeekiyan- Maheen Rizvi, Affan Waheed, Naila Jaffri, Vasay Chaudhry (Six Sigma, Director: Furqan Khan)
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10. Kainat- Saba Qamar, Adnan Siddiqi, Mira Sethi (A-Plus)
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I didn’t mention Jackson Heights & Sanam/Mohib’s show because they’re are seperate articles on them, but these are the ones I’m excited for the most. I’m also happy to see Mansha Pasha too. Mere Khwab Lauta Do will be produced by Aijaz Aslam’s newly launched Production Comapany. I’ve also heard “Kaneez” will air on A-Plus.

Which actors/actresses do you want to see? Which shows are you excited for? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think.

-H.S.

Pehchaan- Episode 10 Review

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The birth of a child should be a special moment for the expectant parents. But when the time came for Laila to go into labour, she was at her father’s place while Mansoor was attending to his insatiable hunger. Shortly afterward when Mansoor arrived, he was bragging about his superior genes and his little princess. For a while there, I was fooled into thinking his princess would manage to revive his emotions but alas, I couldn’t be more wrong! Challenge na karna, Sahab Zaadey, meri beti ka muqaabla koi nahin kar sakta! Laila’s mother cannot accept that her father adores his little princess even though she’s married to the most eligible bachelor on the planet! She fears he fills her mind with revolutionary ideas that could potentially damage her oh-so-perfect marital life.

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Mansoor’s mother leaves no stone unturned to remind Mansoor of how Laila keeps falling short of her wifely duties. Despite her will, Mansoor gives Laila an ultimatum to return home and like any obedient wife she gives in. But her tears give away her pain and angst and leaves her father restless- Abb bhi kisi mushkil mein hain? Once again, Laila finds solace in her diary while she longs for acceptance. Mansoor bekhabar sotey rehtey hein, kisi se disturb nahin hotay, na bachi ke ronay se na merey ronay se!

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Mansoor and Kuku are enjoying even more freedom now that Khurram is out- while Kuku enjoys playing the role of the wife, Mansoor wants her to remain the way she is- Mehbooba ki tarhan mera dil bhelaaya karo. Kuku feels the pain of being childless even more now that Laila has been glorified to the status of a mother. On one of his conjugal visits, Mansoor absentmindedly leaves behind his bloody American cell phone and Khurram finds it in Kuku’s bedroom. He immediately rushes to confront Mansoor and while Kuku stands shivering and avoids eye-contact, Laila steps in and clears the air. That was the moment when Laila’s world collapsed but that single moment marked Laila’s transition from a nubile woman to one who had to stand up for herself and take charge of her situation.

Laila knows she can do little to salvage her marriage yet she also knows this is a marriage she cannot escape. She doesn’t give Mansoor the satisfaction of explaining himself; instead she is the one dictating terms now: Khaasa kharcha uthjaata hoga apka mujhpar; aapney aaj tak jitna bhi mujhpar khrach kiya ho mein ussey pai pai lautaana chahti houn- yeh meri iss ghar mein rehney ki shart hai! Mansoor takes this as a golden opportunity to continue leading parallel lives- one with his wife and daughter and the other with his mehbooba.

Will Kuku ever manage to move on after everything Mansoor has put her through? How will Mansoor’s mother react to Laila’s decision of working? Will Mansoor ever realize the error of his ways? What do you think?

P.S Fatima will be back soon. Her mother is recovering at home so she needs a little more time to settle down.

Yours in watching,

Kanwal Murtaza

Release of Imran Abbas’s first indian film is postponed till September 2014

Imran Abbas has worked in an Indian film named Creature 3D which was due to release in August 2014. The film is under production for almost two years due to which Imran has not worked in any Pakistani production in the same duration apart from drama Dil-e-Muztar last year. Future of Imran Abbas’s career in Indian films heavily depends on the outcome of Creature 3D. However the film is not releasing any sooner as its release date is now extended to September 2014 (November 2014). The release date is revised as some other big budgeted movies are also lined up for release in August 2014 to avoid direct competition.

Full content from Urdu Daily Nai Baat

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Kalmoohi to be published as a novel

Kalmoohi is a recently concluded drama of Geo Entertainment starring Maria Waasti in lead role, written by Ibne Aas. It was a typical formula story of an orphan (‘mazloom’) girl living with step/half siblings and step mother, facing all sorts of hardships one can imagine. Such stories are generally well received and as per Geo Tv, this play also received high TRP thus it counts as a successful drama. Kalmoohi has concluded but citing its potential, a publishing house from Lahore has decided to issue same story as a novel. The writer Ibne Aas has also agreed and completed nearly 200 pages of this upcoming novel. However it may take a bit longer to complete the novel as Ibne Aas is quite busy in writing dramas after the success of Kalmoohi.

As per writer Ibne Aas, “By providing chances to upcoming writers the production houses can overcome the lack of quality drama writers. But the production houses hesitate to try any upcoming writer resulting in a monopoly of few drama writers. Due to repeated stories in dramas viewers have shifted to foreign dramas.”

Ibne Aas is grateful to our Creator that all of his dramas are appreciated by viewers. He considers himself lucky to be able to showcase his creativity to the viewers.

News excerpt from Urdu Daily Jehan Pakistan

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Izteraab – Episode 12!

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Hmmm, this drama is now getting stretched & I feel the drama makers should start wrapping it up because I think 15 episodes would be more than enough for this story. It’s still watchable & I hope with this much happening in every episode, they wind it up nicely where we can follow it till the end with some interest on our hands.

Zara is obviously suffering but she is making sure to make Dua suffer with her too. Jazib as usual has no role to play because he’s too busy making money for his 2 wives that’s why it comes down to Zara & Dua now where Dua tries to keep things smooth, Zara finds one way or the other to insult her.

Zara; being a mother can’t see her kids mingling with Dua & getting candid with her therefore she is trying to over-take the affection they might have started to feel for their step-mother. These kids have not seen a mother figure of such sort who’d take care of the house as Zara was always busy with her job & no doubt she paid utmost attention to them but as she had a shared responsibility of her work, that resulted in the kids getting comfortable with Dua in no time as she is always there for them & the kids do not have to wait for someone to listen to them, they can share whatever & whenever they want to with Dua which is now making Zara uncomfortable.

The way Dua styled Sofia was because of the performance she was chosen for in the school but I saw no weight in Zara’s concern for how Dua was spoiling her daughter as that was just for a character she had to play in the school & it’s a norm that too at Sofia’s age. But to do more for her daughter so that she can lessen the charm of Dua, Zara tried to fulfil Sofia’s demands which had nothing to do with the school play at all. Zara easily blamed Dua for all the changes she felt in Sofia thinking she has been idealizing Dua which according to Zara was a bad influence on her & I think Zara needs to understand that if she had given her kids enough time to idealize their mother, then Sofia wouldn’t have deviated away so easily.

As much as I was concerned for the girl playing the character of Sofia, I think they have kind of crossed the limits by showing a girl of her age involving herself into some questionable activities & easily portraying the trend of dating. I know this is what’s prevalent in the society these days & dating has become a much accepted norm but to show it on the TV screen & that too by involving KIDS (who don’t even know how to speak) into it for the sake of a drama is ridiculous. I think enough attention has been given to Sofia & her problems, so the story could’ve moved forward without this bit too.

As much as Dua is being considerate & how she has invited Zara to stay at the place Dua owns now, she is being put up with a lot of blaming for no good reason. Once again Zara found an easy way out & held Dua responsible for Sofia’s dating because it made no sense whatsoever. Even though Zara knows that she has a very little time left to spend with her family, she is still not focusing on her kids & is hell-bent in giving Dua a tough time. If Zara snaps out of the sheer fixation of belittling Dua then I feel she’ll be able to give her kids some good memories of her to cling onto before she parts with them. Share your say on this.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Kucch Bara Honay Wala Hai (Something grand is about to happen) says Express Entertainment

Express Entertainment is an entertainment channel of Express media group which also includes Express News. While Express 24/7 and Times are the other channels of this media house which are either closed or least viewed.

Since its initiation Express Entertainment has not been much successful in strengthening itself among viewers. The channel relied mostly on foreign content from Turkey and India, but few months ago it allotted the prime time evening slot to Pakistani content.

Quite recently the channel is coming up with enchanting campaign titled ‘Kucch Bara Honay Wala Hai Koi Pyara Aanay Wala Hai’  (Something big is about to happen, some loved one is about to arrive).  The holy month of Ramazan is just few days away and it is the Ramazan special transmission which the channel has labelled as something big. What is big about their Ramazan transmission, well the channel has yet to disclose it. So who is this ‘barra‘ and ‘pyarra‘  rumors are that it is going to be hosted by Aamir Liaquat Hussain the man who hosted Ramazan Transmission of  Geo Entertainment last year named ‘Amman Ramazan’. Last year Geo Tv and Jang group claimed the ‘Amman Ramazan’ transmission has made new record of viewership saying the host Aamir Liaqut Hussain is ‘hardil azeez‘(most loved) host of Pakistan.  Amman Ramazan was discussed on social and international for some unusual reasons like awarding infants as freebies and the treatment of Tahir Shah (eye to eye fame). As per Geo Entertainment and Jang Group the transmission doubled the blessings of holy month Ramazan last year.

Aamir Liaqut has also hosted a show named ‘Inaam Ghar‘ on Geo Entertainment in first quarter of 2014, which as per Geo Tv and Jang group was also record breaking show, surpassing all records of all generations. As per Jang group, it was the most watched show in the Asia. During the same show (Inaam Ghar) Aamir Liaqut promised to come with Ramazan Transmission named ‘Pakistan Ramazan’ on Geo Entertainment where infants will be awarded too.

Its time for the fulfillment of that promise which Aamir Liaqut made to the audience. Geo Entertainment is passing through a uncertain period since its inception and is blocked by cable operators in many areas. So perhaps to fulfill his promise, keep his words and spread further blessings, Aamir Liaqut has switched the channel and opted for Express Entertainment.

“Who says we Pakistani dont stand by our words and promises, here is an exemplary man of prime character who has stood by promise and even switched to another channel for this cause (noble cause as per Aamir Liaqut)”. So lets wait for this grand and beloved moment where future of our nation (means infants) will be awarded as freebies, plus some invitees will experience a special treatment by host (like Tahir Shah experienced last year)

http://vimeo.com/98558333

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Fatima Surraya Bajiya hospitalized

Renowned television drama writer Fatima Surraya Bajiya has been hospitalized due to continuous illness. As per press report after a head injury due to stroke, Bajiya is hospitalized. Bajiya’s sister and famous cooking expert Zubaida Aapa informed Urdu Daily Jang “Bajiya is already suffering from prolonged illness and is therefore away from the drama writing for many years. Bajiya is also suffering from throat cancer, but despite this she is leading an active family life.”

Many relatives and admirers of Bajiya visited her in hospital praying for her health. MQM’s leader Altaf Hussain has also requested the whole party members to pray for speedy recovery and health of Bajiya.

Fatima Surrayia Bajiya belongs from a noble and famous family of Hyderabad Deccan which migrated to Pakistan after partition of India. Bajiya is eldest out of her ten siblings. Her brother Maqsood Hameedi (Government Officer), Anwar Maqsood (Writer, Painter, Compare, Actor) and sisters Sughra Kazmi (Dress Designer), Sara Naqvi (Broadcaster, Journalist), Zubaida Tariq (Cooking Expert) and Zohra Nigah (Poet) are also famous in their respective fields. Bajiya got fame for her television dramas as writer which include some famous plays like Shamma, Afshan, Zeenat, Uroosa and Babar.

Here is full content from Urdu Daily Jang

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Pakistani Films Screened At London Asian Film Festival

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Pakistani film industry is progressing by leaps and bounds. Since the past few years Pakistani films have been getting recognition inside and outside the country because of their quality. The latest news is that two Pakistani films, Tamanaa and Good Morning Karachi were screened at the prestigious London Asian Film Festival. Tamanaa was screened on the 8th of June and Good Morning Karachi was screened on 14th June.

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London Asian Film Festival also wanted to screen Josh but couldn’t do so because of technical reasons.

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Drama of The Week – Aaina!

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If you want to watch a full-on commercial & emotion-packed drama but you have a short time on your hands; Aaina is the right choice for you. It’s a remake of an old Pakistani classic film produced by A&B entertainment under the banner of Tarang Housefull Telefilms. Re-written by Talha Iqbal Mufti & directed by Surmed Sultan Khoosat. The cast included:

Faysal Qureshi as Sameer
Saba Qamar as Aalia
Firdous Jamal as Javed & Aalia’s father
Seema Askari as Shehnaz & Aalia’s mother
Yusra Rizvi as Meera & Aalia’s best friend
Seemi Pasha as Mehnaz & Aalia’s khala

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The Story:

The drama began at obviously a very bold note but the immediate introduction of Sameer & Aalia’s characters & their chemistry kept me going & was an instant click. Samir a writer who’s self-made & believed in living a life as simple as possible happens to stumble upon Aalia who after a party, in the farm house passes out in the middle of nowhere. Sameer being a gentleman brings her to his place where when she wakes up, faces a bit of a criticism from Sameer for her irresponsible behaviour & unreasonable choices. Aalia feels a connection to him at that very moment because she finds him honest, straight forward & attractive. Aalia belonging to a very sound background never really had to struggle for anything in her life. She belongs to a very close-knit family & being the only child gets all the pampering every single time.

Aalia who believes in not wasting much time approaches Sameer & confesses her feelings but he understands that they are not only poles apart in personalities & priorities but have a considerable class difference as well which will never allow Aalia’s parents to agree to their marriage, but still just because he himself can’t resist her charm, he promises to love & protect her all his life. Aalia also promises to stand by him no matter what’ll happen so just for her sake Sameer agrees to meet her father & expects the obvious. Mr. Javed obviously sees Sameer as a ‘social-climber’ & mistakes him as someone who’s posing to be in love with his daughter just for the sake of her social status.

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Aalia decides to get married to Sameer without her parents’ consent but never for once regrets her decision as Sameer gives her all the attention & expects the same from her too. Their relation hits a rock bottom when Aalia’s family reconciles their differences & forgives her, making Sameer uncomfortable & conscious because of the constant underestimation he’s put up with due to their behaviour. Aalia & Sameer get involved in an argument. Things result in Aalia parting ways with Sameer but later finds out that she is expecting their first child. To make the most of the fragility of Aalia’s emotional state, Javed creates a misunderstanding & tries everything to part them completely but just because Sameer & Aalia are meant to be together, after facing misery for years & years, they meet their happy ending & to find out how, you’d have to watch yourself. :)

The Brilliance of Aaina:

It goes without saying that the best part of this whole telefilm was the direction & then the acting. Surmed Sultan Khoosat was obviously at his comfort niche & just because of that we got to see a beautifully directed drama. He tackled the script in a way which never made it seem stagnant or boring. I must comment that Faysal Qureshi & Saba Qamar were perfect as Sameer & Aalia because their chemistry was just ah-mazing. They gave us a lot of beautiful moments & it seemed like they were meant to be. Both of them gave a best shot at being Sameer & Aalia & made me fall in love with their characters. I thoroughly enjoyed their scenes together because their emotions were portrayed beautifully & the credit goes to Saba & Faysal for enacting their characters with such ease.

I enjoyed this telefilm for the fact that looking at the time constraint, everything was well-established & nothing was too rushed. The director gave it a perfect pace at which the story unfolds. Apart from the pace, the characters were handled brilliantly as well where the audience get enough reasons to understand each & everything about them. Aalia, who might be misunderstood as an immature rich girl knew she had nothing but sincerity to offer & the way she took care of everything related to Sameer, so that he doesn’t feel any sort of pressure, made her character a lot more likable. Sameer who proved to be a very good husband still expects a lot from Aalia where it takes a toll on their relation. I liked the simplicity of the dialogues because the simple the things are, the more impact they make.

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I enjoyed how the feel of this telefilm was filmy yet very realistic. Those couple songs were a best way to revive the old classics of the cinema & they also contributed a lot in making this experience a wholesome package. I totally enjoyed the transition that Sameer & Aalia’s relation goes through from being complete strangers to a couple in love & later being a newly wedded couple who is just so full of each other that nothing else matters to them because it was shown in such a classy way. For the first time I can say I enjoyed the on-screen romance because it didn’t seem forced & was portrayed very subtly which made it look very warm & complimenting.

A big thumbs up from my side. Share what you felt about this telefilm if you’ve watched it & if you want a recommendation; well here’s mine! :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Dhol Bajnay Laga, Promos of new drama of Hum TV

Dhol Bajnay Laga is an upcoming drama of Hum TV, its shooting is done hilly areas of Murree and Nathiagali. Resham, Azfar Rehman, Javed Sheikh, Asma Abbas,Arsalan Asad Butt are in leading roles while it is directed by Faheem Burney.

Earlier we have shared the behind the scene pictures now here are the promos of this upcoming drama. From promos it looks as a light comedy play with an unusual pairing of Resham with Javed Sheikh who is quite senior then her. The play is expected to be a thirty episode  Ramazan special to be aired daily from first of Ramazan. Both are working opposite each other after a long time. Earlier Resham has worked in one film opposite Javed Sheikh named Yes Boss in 1997.

http://vimeo.com/98445861

http://vimeo.com/98445860

Rashid Nazir Ali

How much is too much? Rethinking our obsessions

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We spend a good chunk of our day either watching dramas or reading something related to our favorite celebrities. Admit it, that’s why we end up here! While it’s great that we have this platform that allows us the freedom to express our views, engage in conversations circling around our favorites, I’ve noticed it’s not just limited to our likes/ dislikes. We are slowly becoming obsessed with their very existence. Celebrities. They are people just like us except they’ve been glorified to the heights of worship. With social media becoming increasingly accessible, we are falling deeper and deeper into the abyss.

It’s great to see the passion people have for their favorites. The good wishes, the cheers, but that has also given rise to the self-proclaimed defenders- those who vow to stand by their chosen ones no matter what. This is fast becoming an unhealthy fixation for both males and females- young, impressionable minds are easily getting swayed by their media heroes. Whether it influences their dressing, way of talking, body language, choice of sporting particular brands, it’s getting ridiculously out-of-control.

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This new culture of obsessive, compulsive behavior has created a new breed of social media inclined individuals who are missing the point- their own individuality! Everyone is either a die-hard fan worshiping the aura of their favorites. We have no dearth of clones walking around us- be it a Khirad clone or an Asher clone, etc. Girls are trying too hard to become a replica of their favorite character and placing unrealistic expectations on themselves. When you try too hard to become someone you are not, you lose yourself in the bargain.

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Liking someone is great- but fixating on them is borderline madness. Let’s try and be ourselves – appreciate who we are and not become a figment of someone else’s imagination. Our differences make us unique- we should appreciate the diversity and embrace our individuality. And believe me when I say this- it’s not just the girls; the guys are not far behind! We need to understand that TV is a medium to unwind and relax. We shouldn’t make it the centre-focus of our lives. There is so much more to life than television. Let’s take a step back and re-evaluate ourselves. Let’s start to live again!

I would love to hear your thoughts- I know many of us feel very strongly but a discussion should primarily encourage positive dialogue and only then can it leave a lasting impact. Let’s get talking!

P.S This article is the result of a recent chat conversation I was having with a friend and fellow reviewer, Zahra Mirza :)

Kanwal Murtaza

Tooba Siddiqui’s Baby Shower Pictures

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Tooba Siddiqui is a successful model and an excellent actress. Tooba Siddiqui already has an adorable baby boy and now she is expecting her second baby. Tooba Siddiqui’s very close friend Sonya Khan, who is also ARY CEO Salman Iqbal’s wife hosted a baby shower for her.

 

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The theme of the shower was pink and blue and royal. Tooba’s showbiz friends joined her in this happy moment. We wish the mom to be and her baby all the best. Here are some pictures of the baby shower.

 

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Sajjal Ali and Feroze Khan Getting Engaged

Sajjal Ali has been working with Feroze Khan for a few months now shooting the upcoming play ‘Chup Raho’. The play has been directed by Yasir Nawaz. The rumor that Sajal and Feroze were involved with each other started when Feroze Khan posted a picture of him with Sajjal Ali and wrote with it “When you know it’s right <3”. Feroze Khan is Humaima and Dua Malik’s brother.

 

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Sajjal Ali was also seen in the family pictures that were taken on Dua Malik’s marriage ceremonies. The latest news is that this cute couple is very serious about their relationship and they are getting engaged soon. While Feroze Khan has just started his showbiz career, Sajjal Ali has already made a good name for herself by working very hard. We wish the love birds all the best.

 

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Dua Malik’s Mehndi Pictures and Videos

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We are keeping our visitors updated by posting the latest pictures from Dua Malik’s wedding functions. Here are some pictures and videos from Dua’s Mehndi ceremony.

 

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Celebrities’ Thoughts On Father’s Day

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Different celebrities expressed their feelings on Father’s Day in different ways on the social media facebook. Father’s Day is celebrated to honour all the wonderful fathers in the world on third Sunday of June every year. Here is what some of the celebrities had to say to their fathers.

 

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Dua Malik’s Dholak Pictures

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The functions of Dua Malik’s wedding are in full swing. Dua Malik is seen having a good time with her friends and family in these pictures. Until now Dua has kept her outlook simple for all her functions.

 

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Tribute to Fathers in the song ‘Baba’ by ISPR

Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) is an authority of Pakistan Army which handles media related matters. The authority is responsible for releasing press statements. ISPR has also produced or collaborated with production houses to produce dramas related to army like Sunehray Din, Alpha Bravo Charlie, Wilco, Shehpar, Khuda Zameen Se Gaya Nahin Hai.

ISPR has released a video named Baba, which is about a kid remembering his father who was an army officer which is a tribute to Fathers

http://vimeo.com/98272389

 

Rashid Nazir Ali

Film ‘Na Maloom Afraad’ to release in August

Naa maaloom Afraad  is an upcoming film about chaos and turmoil in Karachi. Its cast including Fahad Mustafa, Jawed Sheikh, Mohsin Abass, Urwa Hocaine, Salman Shahid and British actress Kubra Khan while Mehwish Hayyat has a guest appearance in an item song. The shooting of this film has been completed and it is all set for release in coming August. It will be first released film of Fahad Mustafa who is also working in another film Mah-e-Meer

This film is produced by Fizza Ali Meerza/Medi Ali under the banner of Filmwala productions and directed by Nabeel Qureshi. The film is co-written by Nabeel Qureshi and Meerza and the cinematographer is Rana Kamran. Shooting has been done in old city area of Karachi at original locations and places. The film was in news when during shooting some buses and cars were burnt to depict the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi. The trailers are expected to be released in July.

As per their official facebook page “Filmwala Pictures is all set to reveal the identities of Na Maloom Afraad through their film which is a true entertainment package for the audiences!”

The official page summarizes the film as

“‘Na Maloom Afraad’ is one such crazy story of three reckless poor struggling souls, running after their individual ambitions and desires, brought together by one incident which makes their not so simple life into a thrilling roller coaster ride of numerous ironic twist & turns. The three characters run around in the chaotic city of Karachi bringing out the craziest plan to save their love, life and assets.

The film is yet to reveal the identity of NA MALOOM AFRAAD in the most hilarious way -coming to the theaters near you SOON!

Here are few posters and behind the scene shots from this film

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Rashid Nazir Ali

HMM! So what’s good to watch currently!

Indeed a change of taste is required now or at least some interesting stories please, don’t know about others but I am literally getting bored watching same old stories again and again. The last quarter of 2013 and first quarter of 2014 was indeed good  lots of good dramas went ON-AIR and some ended on a good note while others proved to be a total disappointment in terms of ending for example Meri Beti, Sannata, aasmano pe likha and the greatest amongst them all was Ru-Baru. Some dramas experienced great endings like Bunty I love you (you may not agree with me on this), Muhabbat Subah ka Sitara hai, Ranjeesh Hi Sahi and Ishq mein tere. Now finally Pyaray Afzal is also coming to end, I must say that this drama proved to be the most interesting drama of 2014 and I am hopeful that its end shall not disappoint me either.

There is a saying in Urdu “Raat gai baat gai” so now we have to see what’s on in second quarter of 2014. To be honest this quarter is a complete disappointment to me, nothing new but in fact worse than before. HUM-TV has let down its viewers a big time by telecasting dramas like “Janam Jali” moreover the trend of telecasting Umera Ahmed’s dramas on every Friday at 8.00pm had also been broken as they are now telecasting drama serial “Mausam” which seems to be a mixture of past Hum TV dramas. Despite having Saba Qamar and Meekal Zulfiqar in the lead cast drama serial “Izteraab” is another addition in the pipeline of disappointments. “Ahista Ahista” was supposed to be a mega project by Hum-TV for this season and through promos and teasers I was thinking that it might be an interesting drama but sigh from the first episode it has given me a gesture that this drama is nothing but a typical story of a man stuck between two marriages. Directors and producers have to understand that shooting a drama in America and showing a large villa with an Aston Martin DB9 might add quality in production values but will not help to attract viewers until and unless there is a good storyline. Not only HUM-TV but ARY is also equally responsible for telecasting absolute crap specially in this season “Koi Nahi Apna” is the biggest disappointment of this season.

Anyways enough of disappointments so do we have actually something interesting in this season and the answer is yes of course. Since there is so much crappy stuff ON-AIR it’s difficult to encounter with the quality stuff on TV but don’t worry I am writing to let you know that what’s good that you can currently watch on TV.

Kahani Raima aur Manahil Ki: I know that most of you aren’t following this drama and the reason is that from 1st episode till 7th episode there is no storyline whatsoever in the drama except the light hearted comedy but suddenly after episode 7 this drama has become extremely interesting. Faiza Iftikhar is surely an example of wit and solemnity she knows how to add humour in her dramas. I strongly recommend to have a go on this drama you will surely find it worth watching. This drama is being telecast on HUM-TV every Tuesday at 9.10pm.

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Uff Meri Family: This is currently the most hilarious and wittiest comedy soap on HUM-TV. The lead cast is Naveen and Azfar, I know that many people don’t like this couple but my point is that aren’t we getting too judgmental and overreacting on their marriage. I mean it’s their personal decision and we have no authority or right to criticise them on their personal lives we can only criticise artists on his/her professional life. Anyways if you want to see some crunchy comedy then watch this soap for sure every Sunday at 7.25pm on HUM-TV.

Uff-meri-family-hum-tv-drama

Marasim: Seriously no words to explain the brilliance of this drama and to be honest I am loving it. Brilliant production, excellent acting and dialogues, best storyline and well executed direction. Top notch performance by the whole cast seems like directors know how to get best out of the whole cast. I wait anxiously for the next episode every week. After Aunn Zara this is the best by A-Plus. I will strongly recommend to watch this drama. This drama is currently ON-AIR on A-Plus every Sunday at 8.00pm.

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Laa: I am quite impressed from the first two episodes of this drama, good to watch sadia Khan after a long time but it’s awkward to know that she had also done lip surgery. I don’t know why the hell actresses love to undergo lip surgery she was pretty in Khuda aur Muhabbat. Anyways I know that almost everyone is watching this drama so no need to recommend it. Just waiting for Sabreen’s entry in this drama as I love her acting.

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Soteli: A story of a cruel step mother featuring Ayesha Khan in a negative role. First four episodes were really good and worth watching and I am hoping that the good pace may continue as well in future. Although ARY dramas always start with a good pace but ends drastically. This drama is currently being telecast every Sunday at 8.00 pm on ARY.

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Adhura Milan: Great start I must say! Sometimes I feel that I am watching a PTV drama, this A-Plus drama is surely a visual delight although I have serious concerns with the acting of newbies. The story seems quite impressive up till now let’s see how the drama will progress in future. This drama is currently ON-AIR on A-plus every Friday at 8.00 pm.

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Besides these plays I am reading some really good reviews of drama Phehchan on A-Plus, Shikwa on ARY and Mere humdum mere dost on Urdu 1 but I am not watching these dramas.

So tell me what dramas you are watching currently and would you recommend it to others as well.

MasterChef Pakistan Week 07 – Elimination Round!

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Ohkay, I am speechless. As much as I enjoyed the episode, the elimination came as a shock to me. Not that I was rooting for Azam but while listening to the judges feedback, I was kind of happy that they were giving out their judgment as clearly about those who were safe but there was a dish that came across as the least favourite due to the flaws but still the contestant who served that dish was safe & someone who stuffed up only a single component of the dish was eliminated.

This episode was mystery box challenge & black apron round all rolled into one. The judges picked the components of the mystery box & had a strategy at their hands to test the contestants. At first the contestants had to pick only 6 of the ingredients from the box & later they were told to exchange the components selected by them with the other contestants. Everyone was baffled but the dishes that surfaced were brilliant.

Amna made ‘English Tea Lemon Cake w/ Raspberry Jam & Creme’. Chef Mehboob liked the combination of the flavours but as Amna pointed out herself, he also felt that the jam was a bit too sour for his liking. Other than that he felt that the sponge of the cake wasn’t too moist because when combined with the sauce, it was getting soggy. Chef Khurram loved the presentation as well as the flavours too. Chef Zakir liked the vanilla sauce & felt when mixed with jam; it gave away another unique flavour that complimented the cake.

Rayyan came up with ‘Ricotta & Berry Tart w/ Chery Coulis’. Before tasting the judges commented on the perfect presentation & also felt bad seeing him in the elimination rounds again & again as they themselves know that he is a strong contender from this lot. Chef Mehboob felt that Rayyan understood the challenge & gave his best shot so for that his food tasted amazing. Chef Mehboob couldn’t stop praising him. Chef Khurram liked the presentation & also said that the dish was flavoursome. The sauce went well with the pastry & pastry was cooked beautifully. Chef Zakir (obviously) felt that the pastry was dry & it needed more sauce to make it moist.

Zain presented ‘Salmon Roulade’. Chef Mehboob felt that the most important factor while making roulade is the calculation of timing because if not cooked long enough, the core remains raw but fortunately for Zain, this wasn’t the case & his dish was great. Chef Khurram loved the overall dish & also commented that the tomato sauce was going perfectly with the roulade. Chef Zakir felt that the fish was a bit more salty.

Iqra made ‘Quiche Lorraine & Baby Spinach Salad’. Chef Khurram liked the flavours & felt that everything worked apart from the crust because it was too doughy but he loved the salad & said it had a perfect freshness & the flavour. Chef Mehboob also commented that the base had more crunch than required. Chef Zakir liked the filling because of the balanced flavours.

Azam came up with ‘Snow Cheese Cake’. Chef Mehboob liked the sponge but felt that the icing had no such flavour as Azam didn’t play much with the ricotta cheese as it has no flavour of its own so the taste has to be induced in it. Chef Khurram felt that the icing had more ratio of lemon zest which made it bitter. Chef Zakir also felt that Azam should’ve played more with ricotta cheese to bring in some sweetness to his dish.

Saad created ‘Pan Fried Salmon w/ Spinach Sauce’. Chef Mehboob thought that the pasta was too thin & for its volume it was over cooked. Chef Khurram didn’t like the sauce & said that it was too rich & buttery. He found the fish bland & also felt that the sauce & the fish didn’t go together. Chef Zakir also felt that the fish lacked seasoning as well.

It was now time for the results & obviously Amna & Rayyan got the well-deserved critique where the judges praised them for their efforts, for the flavours & for the presentation. It was good to see that Rayyan redeemed himself & I hope that he keeps up the good work. After them, Iqra & Zain got the feedback where they got appreciated but also got some criticism on the lacking components of their dish but still they were safe. It now came down to Azam & Saad & going by the judges remarks it was pretty evident that Saad was about to get eliminated but when they announced Azam was the one who was being eliminated, I wasn’t too sure why?

While listening to the detailed & elaborate comments from the judges I was kind of happy that they were giving enough reasoning about the dishes that helped the contestants in getting through to the next round & as honest as they were about Saad’s dish, I was sure that he would be eliminated because Azam only stuffed up the icing & Chef Mehboob while tasting did comment that the cake was good. & when it came to Saad’s dish, the pasta was over-cooked, fish was bland, the sauces didn’t compliment the fish & the dish on the whole lacked seasoning & yes, the presentation wasn’t great too, so I guess the judges gave enough reasons to clearly show that nothing on that plate worked & also it was mentioned on the tasting table that this dish could put Saad in danger which by the way wasn’t said about Azam’s dish so for this I feel Saad was given an unfair advantage & Azam became a scapegoat just to keep Saad in the competition because to send someone home on the basis of a stuffed up icing doesn’t really make sense. I wasn’t rooting for Azam & have always preferred Saad over the other contestants but I feel what’s unfair is unfair & Saad should’ve been eliminated.

Thankfully there wasn’t much drama in this round & whatever happened between Iqra & Azam wasn’t taken to another level by both of them because whatever Iqra said was more on a humorous side but I still don’t think telling someone that you suck that too to someone who is older to you is a reasonable joke. Share what you felt about the episode & the unfair decision of the judges?

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Marasim – Episode 12!

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OOOO EMMM GEEE!!! What a purrrrfeccctttttt episode it was. I actually got emotional while watching it & this is what the beauty of this drama is. I absolutely loved this episode as it was beautiful in just so many aspects. I can’t thank the team of Marasim enough for giving us such a beautiful drama.

 “Aisay kyun muskurati ho jaisay ronay ka ghumaan ho?”, Daood finally understood that he had a responsibility towards Nayab but before anything, Nayab made sure she conveyed to him what she was feeling like she hated being treated as a commodity, that she was not a lifeless soul hovering in his home. Very simply she conveyed her burden that she had feelings too & she was not ready to compensate the void Daood’s life had due to Momenah’s absence. It was interesting to see that Nayab got hold of the complexity of her situation & depended on Daood when she fell weak. Daood definitely took some time but when he understood how a wife should be treated, he made sure she felt like a princess.

I am glad they have portrayed the obvious beautifully like when a husband loves his wife & makes it obvious, the mother & the unmarried sister start feeling insecure & label the wife as tactful but they tend to ignore the fact that it depends on the man himself as to how he maintains a balance between all his relations. Daood’s reassurance to Nayab about the comfort she deserved was a lesson that so many men out there need to learn because very subtly they touched the subject about how wives are mistreated & often confused as life-long maids. Daood made sure that he clarified Nayab’s position & her authority in his life in front of everyone especially his mother so that she doesn’t feel burdened enjoying all the luxuries that she; being Daood Rafique’s wife is entitled to.

Nayab seems to have shut the doors of her heart because she still hasn’t gotten over the fact how her love was the reason for Zaid’s death & just because she feels obliged to him, she can’t seem to place someone else in her heart with the fear of wronging Zaid’s feelings but every single time she doesn’t forget to remind herself about how much of a gentleman her husband Daood is. Nayab still may be dwelled in a delusion that Daood ain’t happy with her but she definitely needs to understand that this relationship needs more expression, more words to make it stronger.

I loved how they have portrayed the pact between Daood & Nayab about being husband & wife, so that both of them don’t expect too much each other. Daood has been comfortably honest about not being able to love Nayab as he had loved Momenah with all his might but he also didn’t bother much about Nayab’s past as for him, none of it seemed to matter much.

Deeba obviously got jealous seeing how the low-life Nayab was now enjoying the bounties of life that too on account of her brother who couldn’t even stand the sight of her. Her comparison was nothing but a result of her idlness but little did she know that she may have to face the same feelings in the near future when she will eventually get married to Abdullah, who has returned for good & is actually single once again. Can’t wait to see more of this drama & I am surprised that they still have a lot of twists & turns in store for us. Share your thoughts about this episode.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Aahista Aahista – Episode 03!

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Hmmmmmmmm! Did they finally manage to make you guys feel a thing or two for the characters? Nope, it didn’t happen for me this time either. It was a pretty slow episode with some repetitive conversations & nothing much really happened in this one. I hope it doesn’t turn into a yawn-provoker too early.

Zawaar finally got married to Haya & once again he rubbed Bee Jaan & his superficial love for her on Haya’s face too. I think he shouldn’t expect his ladies to take care of his mother on his behalf because he himself has failed miserably in keeping up with her expectations. It seems pretty convenient that he can keep on reminding others about his poor mother but when it comes to him, he doesn’t really bother much. He’s one lucky bloke because now he’s got Haya to take care of his mother & Sofie to take care of him, luck’s working wonders for him already.

Who actually Shireen & Safeer are to Bee Jaan & her family? If Safeer was Bee Jaan’s brother, Zawaar would’ve called him Safeer Mamu or if Shireen was Bee Jaan’s sister, she would’ve been referred to as Shireen Khala but still they are addressed as Safeer Bhai & Shireen Apa, so not really sure how, the lady who is so keen about this family’s happiness is related to them? At first I thought they were living in the same house but all of a sudden it was shown as if Safeer & Shireen have a place of their own where they invited the newlyweds & Bee Jaan for Zawaar’s farewell dinner?

I don’t know why but I feel all those emotions that they tried to show actually never really made an impact whatsoever. Zawaar’s excitement of returning, Haya’s despair of separating with her trophy husband & especially Sofie’s incessant confessions of her mills & boon inspired love for Zawaar, it all actually lacked finesse. I do feel it was pretty obvious that Sarwat Gillani had a hard time delivering those typical dialogues that were lifted from Khawateen Digest. All those mohabbat k dam bharna, lambay bhayanak khuwaab se be-daar hona, saans ka atakna, neend ke na anay se tarap jana…wo bhi kiss ke liye: Zawaar ke liye? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!

I think the hype is definitely or in fact has definitely subsided because apart from the scenic views & locations of USA, the story has nothing to offer. While looking at Haya making tea for Zawaar & tending to his headache, I felt she could’ve gotten someone else, someone so better but just because our Zawaar happens to have a chicken’s spine; he ended up spoiling her life. She definitely deserved someone better but sadly, it wasn’t meant to be.

A pretty average episode with some unrealistic reactions. Share what you felt about this episode & how much did they disappoint you?

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Dhol Bajnay Laga, new drama of Hum TV

Dhol Bajnay Laga is an upcoming drama of Hum TV, its shooting is done hilly areas of Murree and Nathiagali. Resham, Azfar Rehman, Javed Sheikh, Asma Abbas are in leading roles while it is directed by Faheem Burney.

Promos of this drama will be released in coming days, here are few clicks from the shooting of this drama

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Geo TV honours Zamad for Pakistan Idol win

Geo TV is currently passing through a phase of uncertainty which raises doubts over the prize money of recently concluded Pakistani Idol. But finally Geo TV has awarded the prize money to Zamad Baig, the winner of this show.

Here is what English Daily The News has reported

Pakistan Idol’s first champion Zamad Baig was honoured yesterday in a ceremony held especially for him by Geo TV at their office. Imran Aslam, Geo’s president, presented Zamad a 25 lakh-rupee cheque as promised, along with a key to a spanking new Honda City Aspire. Well-deserved, Zamad! –

“The channel may have been suspended, but that does not stop us from fulfilling our promises. Geo has always fulfilled promises,” said Mr Aslam. “I am very hopeful about Zamad’s future. He will go far with the immense talent he has displayed on the show. He’s
already a youth icon,” he praised the rising star.

Zamad sufi-rocked his way into the homes of Pakistanis world over, adding the magic of his brilliant vocals to popular melodies episode after episode. Most fans rooted for him since the auditions.

“I’m very thankful to Geo for providing me with a platform to display my talents and abilities. And, of course, I thank all the people who watched me sing and encouraged me,” said the star, who sure has a lot of opportunities in front of him.

We wish Zamad Baig the best of luck and hope he enjoys the new slick ride along with a sparkling career. This is just the beginning for Zamad to take the world by storm.

PI
Imran Aslam and Zamad Baig

– See more at: http://magazine.thenews.com.pk/mag/detail_article.asp?id=8171&magId=11#sthash.1j9VzmkG.dpuf

Rashid Nazir Ali 

Father’s Day and Master Chef Pakistan’s contestants

Father’s Day is being celebrated today to admire the role of fathers in our life. Parents both father and mother are blessings which nothing can replace.  On this occasion, few of the contestants of Master Chef Pakistan have posted special messages which are also posted here.

http://vimeo.com/98250092

http://vimeo.com/98250097

http://vimeo.com/98250090

http://vimeo.com/98250088

http://vimeo.com/98250089

http://vimeo.com/98252585

http://vimeo.com/98255398

 

http://vimeo.com/98255399

http://vimeo.com/98272371

Rashid Nazir Ali

Adnan Siddiqi to work in film Yalghaar

Seasoned artist Adnan Siddiqi has agreed to work in Pakistani films by signing film Yalghaar, which is produced by Hassan Waqas Rana who earlier provided blockbuster Waar.  Adnan is playing the role of an army officer in this film. Adnan is also hopeful that his followers will like this film. Earlier Adnan Siddiqi has appeared in a small role in a Hollywood film Mighty Heart (2007).

Adnan further said that despite many years in showbiz, viewers still admire his performance and selection of roles. He is working in powerful and unique roles and is preferred choice of all big media houses, but few are jealous with his success.  Though few are spreading negative propaganda by objecting to his old age or working opposite against much younger female artists. Adnan said despite all criticism his only focus is his work and profession. He has always performed his roles with hardwork and attention, which is the reason of his fan following both in Pakistan and abroad.

Adnan started his career from modelling and his first major project in acting was drama Uroosa in 1991. Since then Adnan has been active in showbiz and performed leading roles in many serials.

Full content from Urdu Daily Express

لاہور: اداکارعدنان صدیقی نے کہا ہے کہ پرائیویٹ پروڈکشنز کے بینرتلے بنائے جانے والے ڈراموں میں منفرداوراچھوتے کردار کررہا ہوں لیکن میری کامیابیوں سے جلنے والے منفی پراپیگنڈہ کرنے میں پیچھے نہیں رہتے۔ 

میگا بجٹ سیریلز کے ساتھ پاکستان میں بننے والی مہنگی ترین فلم’’ یلغار ‘‘میں بھی اہم کردار نبھا رہا ہوں، جوفلم بینوں کی توجہ کامرکز بنے گا۔ ان خیالات کا اظہارعدنان صدیقی نے ’’ایکسپریس‘‘ سے گفتگوکرتے ہوئے کیا۔ انھوں نے کہا کہ شوبز انڈسٹری میں اتنے برس گزر جانے کے بعد بھی بہتر کام کی بدولت ناظرین میرے کام کو پسند کرتے ہیں اور اسی لیے پرائیویٹ پروڈکشنز کے پروڈیوسر اور نجی چینلز میرے ڈراموں کو بڑے شوق سے بناتے اور دکھاتے ہیں لیکن میری کامیابیوں سے جلنے والے بلاوجہ منفی پراپیگنڈہ کرتے رہتے ہیں۔

کسی کومیری عمر کی فکر رہتی ہے توکسی کونوجوان ہیروئنوں کے ساتھ مجھے کاسٹ کرنے پراعتراض ہوجاتا ہے، لیکن مجھے ان سب باتوںسے کوئی فرق نہیں پڑتا۔ میں اپنا کام بڑی ایمانداری اورلگن کے ساتھ کرتاہوں۔ میری ہمیشہ سے یہ کوشش رہتی ہے کہ میں اپنی اداکاری کوحقیقت کے قریب تر کروں اور یہی وجہ ہے کہ ملک اور بیرون ملک میرے چاہنے والوں کی بڑی تعداد بستی ہے اور وہ میرے کام کو پسند کرتے ہیں۔ ایک سوال کے جواب میں عدنان صدیقی نے بتایاکہ فلمساز ڈاکٹر رانا حسن کی بطورڈائریکٹر فلم ’’یلغار‘‘میں آرمی آفیسرکا اہم کردار ادا کررہا ہوں، مجھے امید ہے کہ فلم بین میری اس کاوش کو بہت سراہیں گے۔

Source: http://www.express.pk/story/256001/

Rashid Nazir Ali

Dua Malik’s Nikkah Pictures

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We already reported that anchor person and singer Dua Malik was due to get married to singer Sohail Haider soon. The Nikaah took place of 13th of June. Nikkah look very pretty in white and the couple looked great together.

Here are some exclusive pictures from the ceremony.

 

 

 

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LAA- Episode 1 & 2 Review

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“Birth is nothing without virtue, and we have no claim to share in the glory of our ancestors unless we strive to resemble them”. Our identity not only defines who we are but where we’re from; our bloodline gives us a sense of belonging. If it weren’t for our lineage, what would set us apart from each other? We take pride in our history, our family names, our backgrounds- and why shouldn’t we? They entitle us to bragging rights- thanks to the various stories passed down from generation to generation with claims of superiority. Hum TVs latest Saturday night offering, Laa brings together Momina Duraid (producer), Sarmad Sehbai (writer) and Farooq Rind (director).

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Laa ka matlab hai nahin; yeh nafi ki pehli manzil hai. Daniyal Malik (Meekal Zulfiqar), our charming and carefree hero, chaandi ka chammach laikey paida hua hai. Daniyal is the only son of the affluent Tareen (Qavi Khan) and his wife, living in Lahore and traveling to the USA after completing his MBA- wahan bachiyyan phasaata phiron ga. He spends most of his time with his friends- Shazy, Tutu and Jimmy placing pointless bets and doing a one-up on them. Enter Naina (Sadia Khan), the daughter of his father’s friend Razi (Naeem Tahir) and his wife Zainab (Seemi Raheel), who have come from Karachi to Lahore to finalize a suitable match for her. It is imperative that they find a kattar Syed zaada although Naina wants to escape from the hasb aur nasb.

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Daniyal encounters a stranger, Naimat Khan (Rehan Sheikh) who was recently released from prison- the details of his crime are unknown but a quick flashback reveals he had a daughter, Ameena who he loved fondly but he was cautioned by a powerful zameedarni (Rabia Noureen) and soon afterwards, his precious Ameena died. Did Naimat serve a prison sentence as a result of seeking vengeance? Naimat hints that Daniyal may not be who he thinks he is- a Malik. Daniyal dismisses him as a nobody and walks away. Little does Daniyal know what’s in store for him in the not-so-distant future.

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Naina is a strong-headed girl who falls weak to Daniyal’s charm and declares her desire to marry him. Naina thinks she’s had an epiphany ever since Daniyal took her to the Saaeen Baba and got a taweez for her. Her parents try to dissuade her while Daniyal smugly shares stories of his latest conquest with his friends. Naina was afterall, nothing more than a shart for Daniyal. While Naina’s mother turns frantic, her father decides to talk to Tareen and Daniyal overhears their conversation which speaks about his adoption. Daniyal loses his identity in that split second and his world changes. He clearly tells Naina that he was never serious about her and turns her down.

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Laa is off to a promising start and has the same feel as Ullu Baraye Farokht Nahin– the last interesting drama I watched on HUM TV. The background score is brilliantly composed by Sahir Ali Bagga and the title track has a sufi theme. Laa delves into the concept of spirituality and brings forward the discriminatory practices of society that distinguish one zaat from another. Meekal Zulfiqar has made a brilliant comeback and looks conspicuously handsome- this role seems tailor-made for him. Sadia Khan is pretty but she has a long way to go; for the moment her acting is sub par. As for the remaining actors, they haven’t made their presence felt or maybe I’m too busy focusing on the male lead to notice anyone else. What do you have to say about Laa?

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P.S. Laa was booked by Fatima but due to unforeseen circumstances, she couldn’t review the first two episodes. I am covering for her until she returns thus the delay. She will be reviewing it regularly once she’s back.

Yours in watching,

Kanwal Murtaza

Adnan Siddiqi photoshoot for a clothing brand

Adnan Siddiqi is a seasoned artist who is active in showbiz for more than two decades. Adnan started his career from modelling and later appeared in dramas. Recently Adnan has worked for a clothing brand Charcoal, here are few clicks from this photo shoot

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Rashid Nazir Ali

Pacer Junaid Khan set to be engaged in England

Cricketer and fast bowler Junaid Khan is getting engaged in England, here is full content which  PTV sports has reported.

Pakistan’s young dynamic fast-bowler Juanid Khan is all set to get engaged in England. The ceremony will take place on June 18.
The PTV Sports has learnt that his fiance is a 17-year-old girl, Khansa Khan, who lives in Yorkshire with her family, who originally belongs to Junaid’s village in Pakistan, Swabi.
Junaid, who has represented Pakistan in 16 Tests, 46 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and nine T20Is, has been one of the consistent performers for Pakistan ever since making his international debut in 2011.
He is currently playing T20 cricket in England for Lancashire and has been enjoying a productive spell with 11 wickets for six matches.
“I’ll be getting engaged on the coming Wednesday to Khansa Khan, who is the daughter of my father’s business partner in England,” Junaid told The PTV Sports from England.

Source: http://www.ptvsports.tv/live-news/pacer-junaid-khan-set-to-be-engaged-in-england/

Rashid Nazir Ali

MasterChef Pakistan Week 07 – Team Challenge!

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Ohkay so, over all it was a very enjoyable episode to watch. I liked the challenge & I think these team challenge episodes are becoming my favorite because you get to see the high energy of all the contestants & the judges as well.

This time the off-site challenge was set in a school where the contestants had to serve 50 students. The captains were picked randomly but then it came down to the captains to pick their team members. Azam was the Red captain & he chose Saad, Rayyan, Amna, Iqra & Zain as his team members. Maryam being the Blue captain chose Khurram, Ammarah, Sidrah, Gulnaz & Madiha as her team.

This time around the judges left it on the contestants to decide the menu themselves but did give them a bit of a briefing as to how the food should be healthy & how they should make it attractive to appeal to the kids. Maryam left it out on her team members to give out the suggestions & by the end she will make a decision of which dish to work on. Madiha suggested Pizza Sandwich & the blue team decided to go for it. Even tough Madiha’s idea was great & I liked it for being different, I feel the rest of the menu of both the teams was pretty basic. There are a lot of things that can be served to the kids so I kind of missed out on the variety because none of it spelled ‘MasterChef’ food to me though in terms of idea & then selection.

The challenge began & both the teams had only 2 hours to prepare & plate up their dishes to serve the kids. It was interesting to see the whole set-up that was done in the school to indulge the kids into some activities & it shaped up more like a party for the students but I must say I was really happy to see the confidence of all the kids that the judges spoke to because they knew their food & gave out the details pretty well. No doubt when it came to critique, the kids were too keen & didn’t miss out the details. I loved how the students explained what they liked & what they preferred.

It was good to see the preps as well but like always the preps were no doubt shown in detail but a bit too haphazardly. Like they showed everything in general & most of the times the captains were explaining who was assigned with what duty but the actual contestants weren’t speaking much for themselves. Maryam came out as a great captain where she took things in her hands & helped her contestants whereas Azam was a bit too firm & supervised his team & their errands mostly without cooking much for his team. I feel this time around all the teams worked really well together without any hiccups as they listened to their captains.

Khurram brings in a great energy, Rayyan works like a machine (Masha Allah), Madiha is always brilliant in her ideas, Iqra obviously has an upper-hand when it comes to desserts, Ammarah is focused, Saad is definitely good at marketing, Amna knows what she’s doing & for this, these contestants are definitely standing out the most. I am glad all the contestants got to convey their feelings & they were covered properly.

Red team came up with ‘Mini Beef Burgers w/ French Fries & Chicken Pops’ along with ‘Chocolate Cup Cakes’. Chef Khurram liked the chicken pops saying they were succulent & tender. He also liked the muffins saying they were rich in flavor. Chef Mehboob felt that this team paid attention to the briefing & actually understood what was required & just because they kept their target eaters in mind, they had an edge at winning the competition.

Blue team presented ‘Pizza Sandwich w/ Chicken Crispies & French Fries’ along with ‘Chocolate Trifle’. Chef Khurram found the taste quite flat but he liked the dessert. Chef Zakir felt that in comparison to red team’s cupcakes, blue’s chocolate trifle was better because it had a balance of flavors & sweetness.

It came down to the voting & I loved how the students got to vote for their favorite team. They had to pick either red or blue balloon to cast their vote & clearly the blue team won, sending the red team off to the elimination round. The judges themselves voted for the red team but unfortunately their votes didn’t matter much because blue team won with a huge margin.

I enjoyed watching the judges communicating with the students this time but when the episode began; I couldn’t help forwarding some of their screen-time because their spoon-feeding & repetition was a bit too long. It’s like when they were dealing with the contestants, they took them as kindergarten kids where they had to make sure each & every command was conveyed to them thrice so that they can understand. ‘Aik aik kar k aprons nikalain’, ‘khana banatay waqt dehan rakhna hai’, ‘bachay zalim hote hain’, ‘kaisay banana hai dehan rakhain’, ‘appki planning matter karegi’, ‘aj app bachon k liye bana rahay hain’, ‘soch samajh k banana’ & then how can we forget the ~*Ultimate MasterChef Question*~ ‘aj kya bana rahay hain app’. I think the intro of every episode should be cut down & the judges should wrap up their briefing as quickly as possible but other than that I liked their spirit & their attitude a lot, looks like they themselves have started to enjoy this MasterChef experience & therefore we can see them getting candid enough. Once again I’d say that it would be better to see the contestants talking through while cooking a bit more. This episode certainly had some & I hope they do more of it in the upcoming episodes.

It’s coming across pretty evidently that the contestants are showing zero tolerance towards each other. Rayyan’s general comment on the cupcakes was made to keep the atmosphere lighthearted & the spirits high regarding the competition but Sidrah didn’t take it too well & later Maryam & Saad’s spat was covered once again, where Gulnaz, out of nowhere, actually passed a derogatory comment regarding the whole scenario. I am not too sure but even in the last episode when Gulnaz was on a tear-spree, Amna did comment in order to clarify her position but Saad didn’t utter a single word on the camera, similarly, this time around too he didn’t say much so I think he is keeping things from being sensationalized but the ladies (being themselves) are finding it hard to keep it to themselves. Whatever happens shouldn’t be shared in the first place & if the contestants do speak about it, the editing team should edit it to keep the competition fair & healthy. I hope this unhealthy politics & those taunts are kept out of the way because I have never ever seen it happening in any other MasterChef show. People do get involved in politics & it’s a human nature but to actually give words to some harsh feelings isn’t appeasing to see & they should be shown as one team with no such politics working in their own orbits to win the title.

Share what you felt about this episode & how much did you enjoy it?

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Mehreen Raheal Is Going To Be A Mom Soon

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Mehreen Raheal looked radiant in her HSY outfit on the premier of her movie Tamana. Mehreen has made a big place for herself in the showbiz industry. She has excelled in all the fields she has ever ventured into.

Here are the recent pictures of mommy-to-be.

 

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Meera, to work for polio vaccination awareness

After a series of irresponsible news from Meera, there is a positive step from the controversial artist. Meera is supporting Sindh government to raise awareness regarding polio vaccination. As an ambassador of Sindh government, she will participate in a door to door campaign to convince parents regarding importance of polio drops and vaccination.  Saifurr Rehman, deputy commissioner of Karachi Central has also issued a notification in this regard.

Meera

Source: http://e.dunya.com.pk/detail.php?date=2014-06-14&edition=LHR&id=1117686_24154870

Rashid Nazir Ali