https://vimeo.com/114460283
Rashid Nazir Ali
Tonite With HSY- (Iman Ali & Shehzad Raza)- Episode 12
One of my favorite things about this show is the variety. There are many hits and misses yet I can’t help but appreciate the celebrity guests on the show. HSY brought forth fashion icon Iman Ali and the photographer par excellence- Shehzad Raza. I did a double take when I saw Iman walk in. She bears an uncanny resemblance to Alishba Yusuf. Iman looks gorgeous on screen but she looked very shabby on the show. Removing her shoes and having her legs up on the couch didn’t help either. One of the most surprising revelations was her lack of self-esteem. She thinks of herself as ugly and suffers from bouts of depression. She is anti-social for the most part and fears getting close to people who may see her ugliness! She agreed to the interview because of HSY and took it a little to casually- aaj toh hum shughal laga rahey hain… Iman spoke about her films, her preference to work with Shoaib Mansoor and her hopes for taking up comedy/ action roles in the near future. She has been vocal about women’s issues and shared her own story of living with MS (multiple sclerosis), a debilitating disease but one she’s tackling without medication. She said every illness starts with the mind and once you can program your mind, you are on the road to recovery. She mentioned that she has a small support system which is why she is eager to bounce back with good health and continue working.
Shehzad Raza, known as a king-maker came across as very down-to-earth. He felt there’s no pleasing people but he tries his best to remain politically correct. Shehzad said that it infuriated him to be known as Ather-Shehzad but he eventually became accustomed to it. In recent times, there has been a massive trend of people turning to photography but Shehzad Raza feels the DSLR cameras do not make one a professional- talent nahin agaya, yeh toh technology ka kamaal hai! He added that social media has turned many people into overnight celebrities due to their interactions on the likes of facebook and twitter. Many of them lack talent but have seen a boost in their popularity due to social media. Shehzad has introduced his own master make-up collection with Lucious Cosmetics– a feat he is extremely proud of. Similar to last week, Sheru asked what they had to say to the following:
Ayaan– Shehzad said wapas ajao magar zara patli hokay and Iman added that she needs to change her hairstyle. As a model, it’s a deal-breaker to maintain the same hairstyle for that long.
Imran Khan– Shehzad said that he should curb his enthusiasm and Iman felt the same- thori aqalmandi se kaam liya karein… zara easy hojayein.
Tapu Javeri– Shehzad said that he should do more work and Iman said she doesn’t really know him but she is a fan of the work he has done with Vaneeza and Amna Haq- her inspirations for taking up this line of work.
The contests started with Love or Don’t Love and both of them didn’t shy away from responding on those they didn’t love. Iman was first and she said she didn’t love Shaan as a person since they share a love/ hate relationship but as an actor, she feels no one can match his screen presence. She also named Imtiaz Ali and Nazaw Sharif as people she doesn’t love but didn’t state any reasons for her dislike. Shehzad named Nabila Maqsood, Jahan-e-Khalid, Sahir Lodhi and Shehbaz Sharif as people in the Don’t Love Category but later clarified himself and said Shehbaz Sharif has done wonders for his city and Nabila he doesn’t know on a personal level. Ajnabee Kaun Ho Tum had Faraz Manan calling in for Iman and Natasha calling in for Shehzad. Finally, the last round presented an opportunity for Iman to mimic Meera and she went all out. I don’t care how casual one may be but when you’re invited to a show, there is an expectation to be presentable. I was surprized by Iman’s chilled out attitude- even more when she said she does the same at high-end restaurants! I think these things can easily be edited since these are not live shows and moreover, the guests stick to a script of sorts. What were your thoughts about this episode?
Yours in watching,
Kanwal Murtaza
Goya- Episode 5 Review
Shayad meri shadi ka khayal dil mein aaya hai, iss hi liye Daddy ne merey tumhey chai pe bulaaya hai… When Omar broke the news to Sr. Hashmi that he has no intentions of going ahead with the wedding, Sr. Hashmi asks to meet with Mohini Mirza. Somehow, even though Omar is fully aware of his Undertaker father, he holds on to the glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, the man has a change of heart. As expected, the meeting was nothing more than to intimidate Mohini into leaving Omar. Sr. Hashmi thinks Omar is simply going through a rebellious phase and once he’s over it, he’ll get back to being the obedient son. Demaagh toh tumhara sahi kaam karta hai, yahan tumhari logic kyun fail hogayi? Do we really use logic before we fall in love? If only we did, we’d save ourselves the pain and heartache that we so often experience at the hands of love. Rahat Hashmi is void of human emotions- he has built a wall around himself. He treats everything as a financial transaction- apki yeh adat hai har cheez paise se khareed ne ki- biwi, bahu… Omar confided in Mohini that when Sr. Hashmi married Hania, she had nothing to offer- maybe she was not of the same financial status but nevertheless, Rahat took her as his wife- was Hania an opportunist? Did she marry Rahat for his money or did she get pressurized into marrying him? Can money ever buy love? Or even happiness? Rahat’s arrogance has made him a cold, bitter man who can’t see beyond the P & L statements. Yeh mera maamla hai, meri commitment hai, meri deal hai, meri business hai, meri future hai…
Having met Sr. Hashmi, Mohini finally understands why Omar was enamoured by her- uskey saath meri zindagi asaan hojati hai. She is determined to be with Omar but what I really admired about her was how she left the final decision to her mother- yeh ikhtiyaar sirf aapkey paas hai. I think when parents empower their children with the right to make their own decision, children respect their parents faith in them and ultimately end up trusting them to make their life choices. Here again, even though Asma knew Rahat Hashmi would never accept Mohini, she encouraged Mohini to go ahead and meet him for herself and then think long and hard. Despite her pain at his cruel words (Tum kyun shaam-e-ghareeba bana rahi ho?), she confided in Asma that she feels she wants to be a part of Omar’s life and Asma is ready to stand by her.
The most powerful scene was the confrontation between Omar and Rahat after meeting Mohini-
Tumse mera naam aur yeh rules cheen liye jayein toh peechay sirf ek bewaaqoof insaan bachey ga jiski networth zero hai… mutaalbey aur muzaakaraat jo hain baraabari pe hotey hai… Tum mere baraabar nahin ho! After that jolt of reality, Omar vents out by thrashing his room and once he gathers himself, asks Ali to help him find a place to stay. Ali tries to knock some sense into him- it won’t be as easy as Omar thinks but seeing his determination, Ali offers his Nani’s apartment. I like Ali- he understands Omar but offers practical solutions. Like Sr. Hashmi, Ali also feels that Omar is just going through a phase and once he has had a chance to get over it, he’ll be back home living the life the way his father dictates. Omar announces his decision to leave, but not without rubbing it in Sr. Hashmi’s face- aapka yeh ghuroor bhi mein ek din toronga… Please koi choti harkat nahin ki jiye ga… I think for the very first time, Omar is not afraid to lose anything since he is foregoing the luxuries he grew up with and is finally heading towards a real goal. All those years of being submissive have pushed him towards retaliation and he is looking forward to being in a rule-free environment. Let’s see what the future has in store for Omar- one thing’s for sure- it is not going to be a cakewalk and Sr. Hashmi will only add to his troubles. What do you think?
Yours in watching,
Kanwal Murtaza
Digest Writer – Episode 11!
I so don’t want to sound monotonous but I love the way the story of Digest Writer is unfolding. It’s like they have a clear pattern where they deal with one thing at a time. First it was Fareeda’s professional life that shaped up & when that was taken care of, they moved onto her personal life where things have started falling into perspective too. I give credit to the whole creative team for dramatizing such an amazing script so tastefully & intelligently, which is why this drama is nothing short of a treat to tune into. We’re 11 episodes down & every single episode has had a steady pace with different scenarios every single time, which is perfect because it’s been a long time we’ve seen such a strong script with so much of content in it.
Like we all dreaded, Appa has her sights on Fareeda’s talent with which she is being able to help her father & is contributing a lot in the household expenses. It was the same Pupho who opposed Fareeda’s writing by calling it a shameful display of her imagination but like Fareeda said, money changes everything; circumstances & the people as well & the way Appa’s attitude has changed, she’s a perfect example of it.
I think Fareeda made the right decision by parting ways with Shehryaar as they both are two different people. For the first time, we also got to know that Shehryaar is not only rigid but he wants everything to happen his way, which is why he was getting ticked off when Fareeda straight away ignored his wish of meeting him in person. This guy for sure lives in his own imaginary world & he is one of those who won’t give a benefit of doubt to anyone, which is why after Fareeda distanced herself from him, he kept on pressurizing her in every way possible just so that he can get what he wants.
I liked the fact that Fareeda addressed the main questions that were bothering her. She knows she can never meet Shehryaar’s standards because like she told her friend, she has sort of tried to understand him a bit & after all that, what she deduced was that they both are not compatible. I know Fareeda blames herself & her social standing for all this but I so wish someone could tell her that it’s not Fareeda who should be ashamed of herself; it’s Sheheryar who’s to be blamed because he didn’t allow her to tell him everything about her. He didn’t give her a chance to open up & share the reality of her life with him. I feel for Fareeda a lot more because the guilt she has, has got nothing to do with her but she is unnecessarily holding herself responsible for it.
Oh boy! I must say, I love the way Fareeda dealt with Rida Anmol. Like Shakeela said, times have changed for Fareeda & for good, which is why she knew how she had to tackle Rida Anmol as now she was depending on Fareeda. Their show-down was done brilliantly which really made me proud of Fareeda, haha. I can’t wait to see how Rida Anmol would react when she will get to know that Ayaan Junaid has given Fareeda the break she wanted. I think now when Mahroosh is working in the same drama that Fareeda has written, Mazhar will somehow get associated with her in some way.
I really hated the way Appa tried to make Anwar feel guilty of how he was depending on Fareeda more than needed. I think instead of worrying about what happens in Anwar’s home, she should worry about Najma’s wedding. I really think Fareeda will give in & get married to Shaukat but this will give rise to another set of problems in the duo of ma-beta because Appa would want Fareeda to write like before so that she can bring in some big bucks whereas Shaukat wouldn’t approve of it because as per him, ladies shouldn’t work. I think this episode shed a light on another major issue perfectly which people of this social class face frequently. No one wants a well-educated daughter-in-law because they have certain criterions that the girl should fit & they are only related to the household chores they expect the girl to take care of when she becomes a part of their family. In this case, Appa & Shaukat both have obviously given thumbs up to Fareeda’s mindset & her approach in life but still, she is way out of Shaukat’s league. I hope for her sake he proves to be a good husband & Appa doesn’t bother her much like a typical saas, which I am sure she will but I hope Fareeda continues to take stand for her like she does now.
Thoroughly enjoyed this episode as well & can’t wait to see what happens when Fareeda will finally go to meet Sherhyaar & oh I noticed that they have shown some changes in both Fareeda & Shakeela’s wardrobes & even Zareena & Anwar’s dressing has improved, which is again a very little detail but sheds a light on how well Fareeda is taking care of her family & for these intricate but well-thought details, I give this team a shout out & oh, is it just me or Saba Qamar actually looked really pretty in this episode in particular & especially in the white kurta that she wore in the scene where she was conversing with Shakeela? Share your thoughts on this episode & these minor details as well. :)
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Jackson Heights – Episode 13!
Ohkay so, Jamshed is a lot smarter than we give him credit for. Even though he knows his straight forward approach to his & Michelle’s relation has put her in an awkward position, still he has not only confessed his love but isn’t even ashamed of it because only he knows what’s on his mind. Jamshed saw how uncomfortable Michelle was & somehow she wasn’t coping with it well but he still stood by his stance without worrying much about what she must be thinking of him. Michelle got to talk to Rizwan because that’s what she needed but too bad for him, he didn’t know he was stabbing himself by telling her to follow her heart. So, with this, Rizwan is finally going to go out of the picture because Michelle will obviously choose Jamshed over him. I still didn’t get any such vibes that Jamshed was sort of trying to trick Michelle because he seemed pretty well aware of what he was getting into & in that sense, he looked sincere. Somehow, I now get where Michelle is coming from but I can’t say that about Jamshed though. Michelle is tired of being lonely but what made Jamshed fall for Michelle is still a mystery.
Bhatti felt bad that Cathy sort of insulted him in front of the kids but doesn’t he know it’s been a while she has been treating him like that? Cathy is always rude & misbehaves with him in front of his kids, that’s why Isabella doesn’t care much about what he thinks & she seems pretty indifferent to him. As much as Bhatti tries to be like a father figure to them, Isabella doesn’t allow that to happen because she knows even her mother doesn’t take him seriously. Finally, Bhatti stood up for himself & that left Cathy speechless. I think it’s about time he makes some decisions & starts running things in that house, otherwise there’s no point in sulking without taking control.
To be honest, I am tired of Salma’s Sikandar-nama. Sikandar ne nashta banaya, Sikandar ne paani pilaya, Sikandar ne Imaan ko drop kiya, Sikandar badal gaya hai, Sikandar ye, Sikandar wo, Sikandar bla bla bla bla bla bla. I have really started to doubt her intelligence because can’t she see; last time she got an omelette from Sikandar costed her $4000 so now this time around, for a plate of scrambled eggs, a walk in a park & a home-made biryani, she will have to pay a price of good $25,000. I hate to see how Tai & Sikandar are ganging up against her just so that they can snatch away the jewellery she has kept for the sake of Iman’s education, but more that than I hate to see Salma being so naive to an extent of being mentally challenged because she can’t seem to put two & two together even after spending more than a decade with him & that makes her oblivion look very unrealistic.
This episode was still better because the scenes were short & to the point. Salma dodged the bullet by managing to keep Bhatti meeting with Sikandar but seems like Cathy is going to learn the truth about Bhatti’s new found friend Salma pretty soon. Let’s see what happens next. Share your thoughts please.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Sadqay Tumhare – Episode 10
Like every other episode of Sadqay Tumhare this one too had enough witty dialogues to keep me entertained and I must confess that Shano’s character and the way it has been acted out is one major reason why this drama always scores high on my chart. For me the highlight of this episode had to be all the scenes with Shano in them; in my opinion tonight our heroine totally outshone our hero. Shano’s father’s character is turning out to be quite amusing. The way he asked Rasheeda “lekin Sheeda hum Khalil ko inkaar kyun kur rahe hei?” was hilarious. This man will believe anything his wife tells him which makes him sweet and gullible at the same time.
The conversation between Fayaz’s parents and Shano’s father was very interesting. The funny thing is that Shano’s father did not stop for a second even to think why they were not willing to marry Khalil to Shano! This man was taking a stand all along for something he did not even believe in – that is Shano’s father for you! Fayyaz’s mother’s statement came as a surprise to him because obviously this thought had never crossed his mind before! Rasheeda’s twisted explanation which actually proved that she was getting back at her sister too and her ex-husband (Khalil’s father) by doing what she did was enough to convince him that Rashida never wanted to marry Abdur Rehman! Rasheeda’s desperation to marry Shano off with Fayyaz was evident from the dialogue “muu tu salamat hai na us ka” – I thought that was hilarious. All these people are actually scared of Khalil, they have no idea how they are going to deal with this situation.
While Shano’s parents are simply cluess, Shano and Khalil are anything but that! Shano’s dialogue “mujhe is baat ka ghum nahi ke meri Khalil se shadi nahi ho sakti, bus yeh dua kur mere naam ke saath kisi aur ka naam na lei.” showed that getting married to Khalil is not her ultimate goal but all she wants is to live her life loving him. Shano and Khalil’s love story is one of a kind because these two belong to each other even if they never get to spend the rest of their lives together. They will always find a way to be with each other some way or the other and that is enough for them. But the fact that if Shano does not get married to Khalil she might have to one day get married to someone else is what can make the two do something they probably never thought of doing.
Khalil’s surprise visit to Shano’s house and the way Shano’s parents reacted showed their helplessness! Shano’s father kept on asking Mansoor questions but could not muster up the courage to go upstairs and find out what was going on for the longest time. The “100 bata 100 pe hansi aa jati hai” dialogue was spot on! Fayyaz and Shano’s marriage has been postponed for now because of Fayyaz’s injuries but something tells me that once he is fine he’d want to marry Shano.
In my opinion this episode belonged to Shano and Mahira Khan. I enjoyed every scene because it added something new to the story or gave the viewers an insight into the characters. There were quite a few scenes that were extremely touching.The simple yet witty dialogues make this drama a treat to watch.
Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.
Fatima Awan
Chupkay Se Bahaar Ajaye _ Episode 6-9
Mere paas itni daulat hai ke mein usse uss ki khushyan khareed kar de sakun….Mujhe koi aisa shakhs chahiye jo chupke se meri beti ki zindagi mein bahaar le aye….
The title of this drama, Chupkay Se Bahaar Ajaye, might sound too cheesy and overly romantic, but the way it has been used at certain occasions in this drama, has shown us the meaning behind it. Suddenly, someone, someday, can change your life and bring a bahaar to it. Saira’s life experienced a sudden bahaar when Saqib fell in love with her. This love was true and pure but Saira, being the selfish and greedy girl she is, failed to understand it. Thus, when Saqib lost his huge house and his father’s business (as predicted) she thought he was of no use now. People like her can make everything about themselves.
Shafaq’s mom was pretty adamant about bringing the bahaar to her daughter’s life, but not by waiting for it, buying it. Bas ek derh saal hai meri bachi ke paas…Jo uss se shadi kare ga, usse ek derh saal khush rakhe ga, mein sab kuch uske naam kardun gi… She shared her thoughts with Saira, who was ready to give Saqib to Shafaq for money!! I’ve never hated Saira more. She even started to look around Shafaq’s room and thinking of when she’ll get it!
Poor Saqib had to try for a job but too bad he hadn’t completed his degree. Saira knew that a job , even if Saqib continued it his entire life, would not be equivalent to what Shafaq’s mother was offering her. She finally spilled out everything in front of him. Saqib, as expected, refused first, but he could not deny the request of the love of his life for a long time. I have got to praise how flawless Sajal Ali is. She has nailed Saira’s role.
Saira’s mother’s death was not expected but Saira’s dhitai was. Tum kya samjhe? Mein ammi ke jaane ke baad apna mind change karlungi? Saqib had to shift to Shafaq’s house. Shafaq’s mother made sure that her daughter spent time with Saqib. Not only that, she had a final talk with Saqib and put forward her request to him. I pitied Saqib. He could never even think of leaving Saira but watching her forcefully drive him away from her was a painful experience for him. More painful than the “accident” which landed him in bed for a few weeks.
But finally, he agreed to play this role in Shafaq’s life. The conversation between him and Shafaq’s mother was pretty emotional. Koi beta apni maan ko chorr ke jaata hai kabhi? Saqib is doing this because Saira wants him to and because he feels sorry for Shafaq’s mother, not because he wants the money . Except Saqib, no one is at loss here (for now). I think, after tonight’s scenes of Shafaq and Saqib that these two will fall in love with each other. I liked how he told her that she under estimates herself . Tum bht achi ho, khoobsurat ho….. Apke andar ki, dil ki khoobsurti chehre par nazar ati hai.
The “get together” scene was nicely done. Saira, in her manipulative tone, told Shafaq that she has broken up with Saqib because he is poor now. Sari zindagi rotian paka nahi sakti! How she told Saqib to WAIT for Shafaq’s death was beyond me!! Dekhna issi tarah yeh hanste hanste dunya se chali jaye gi… Saqib, dude, save yourself right now, warna buhat der hojaye gi!!!
The story of CSBA is not exactly new. I have seen it before but I must say that the execution is amazing. The direction, production value, wardrobe, styling, everything is top-notch. It is not the kind of drama that you would desperately wait for, but when you’ll sit down to watch, it will be worthwhile. Reason? The pace. A lot happens in each episode. I did notice some dragged scenes but they were very few in number.
P.S: Guys, I have been busy with my papers and that’s why the reviews of CSBA and AP are late. Hope you guys understand.
Areeba Mohsen
Fake Audience at Hum Tv Morning Show, lady Forgets Script
Everyone knows that Morning Shows are scripted but no one could have imagined that the script is not restricted to the Morning Show Hosts alone. This recent video of HUM TV’s Morning Show shows that a woman in the audience finds it very difficult to recall what she was asked to say during the show. She is asking a question regarding her daughter’s health but the way she is doing it shows that she was asked to say a few lines but she cannot recall them. Since these Morning Shows are live therefore these bloopers cannot be avoided. After watching this video the viewers can question whether the guests who are introduced as experts are experts or not! This video suggests that these guests are told what the audience will ask so that they do their homework beforehand.
Watch the video here to judge for yourself:
The Bridal Couture Week – Exclusive Pictures
The Bridal Couture Week that is hosted by HUM has started in full swing. BCW is one of the biggest fashion weeks of its kind in which all the leading designers showcase their most exclusive bridal designs. All the important celebrities from all fields are part of this show in one way or the other.
Here are some exclusive pictures from day one of this year’s Bridal Couture Week.
Maalik, first teaser is released
Maalik is an upcoming film directed and written by Aashir Azeem. Starring Aashir Azeem, Farhan Ali Agh,a Sajid Hassan, Hassan Niazi ,Sabreen Baloch, Rashid Farooqi, Marriam Ansari, Adnan Shah, Tatmain ul Qalb the film is shot in Karachi.
Rashid Nazir Ali
Dilip Kumar and Raaj Kapoor’s ancestral homes to be converted into museum
Today is 92nd birthday of Indian film artist Dilip Kumar. Dilip Kumar born as Yousuf Khan in Peshawar, British India in 1922. After partition of India in 1947, Dilip Kumar opted for India over his birthplace Peshawar which was now part of new state of Pakistan.
Indian films are extremely popular in Pakistan, and so does Indian film artists and Dilip Kumar is amongst one of the famous ones. Dilip Kumar’s ancestral home still stands in Peshawar though in a depleted state. Government of Pakistan also awarded Dilip Kumar, Nishane Imtiaz in 1997 which is also the highest civilian medal.
Last year Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif who is also a fan of Dilip Kumar declared the ancestral home in Peshawar as national heritage and announced the house will be bought by Government of Pakistan. As per press reports the current owner of this house is demanding nearly three crore rupees from government. But the plan was not executed thus saving funds collected from Pakistani tax payers hard earned income.
However today the cultural minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Amjad Afridi announced to pursue the plan and the ancestral home of Raaj Kapoor another Indian artist will also be bought on Pakistani tax payers money. The government has also imposed an act to preserve the old heritage sites.
So atleast here is one issue where we can see the unity of Federal government in Islamabad and provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who otherwise are opposing each other on roads and television screens for past four months. If KPK or Federal government is considering to waste tax payer’s money on there are many deserving names of local cinema like late Badar Munir who dedicated his whole life for Pashto cinema.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/entertainment/2014/12/141211_dilip_home_meuseum_rwa
Rashid Nazir Ali
Mansoor Malangi passed away
Famous Seraiki singer Mansoor Malangi passed away yesterday in his home town in district Garh Mor, Jhang, Punjab. He was 66 years old.
Hailing from a small peasant family of Garh Mor, Malangi began his singing career from the Radio Pakistan, Lahore, in 1965. He soon rose to fame because of his unique voice and style. In the late 70s, his folk song ‘Ik Phul Motia da Mar ke Jaga Sohnie’ became an instant hit across Pakistan. His other songs ‘Kala Til Mahi da’, ‘Balocha Zalman’, Kehri Ghalti Hoi ai Zalim’, ‘Khan Ghara De’ etc have retained popularity for decades. He sang the kafis of Sufi poet Khawja Ghulam Farid, which included ‘Akh Phurkandi aey’, ‘Guzar Gaya Din Sara’, ‘Ronday Urmr Nibhai’, and ‘Wich Rohi De’.
Mansoor Malangi has released nearly 200 albums.The government awarded him the presidential pride of performance besides several cultural and national PTV awards for his services to promote Seraiki folk music. He performed all over the world.
He is survived by 11 sons, nine daughters and three widows besides countless fans across the world.
Acknowledgement: The content is from English Daily Dawn from this source link
http://www.dawn.com/news/1150091/folk-singer-mansoor-malangi-is-no-more
Rashid Nazir Ali
Shahzad Nawaz To Head News Channel Nayee Baat
Shahzad Nawaz is a self-made success story. He is the man who started his career with advertising but later on was the mind behind launching channels like Geo, ARY and Duniya. He has also worked to give PTV a new head-start. He is also a film maker, who is behind the only political film ever made in Pakistan “Chambelli”. In his own words he is “An avid dreamer, and a blind believer”. Shahzad Nawaz made it very clear in one of his interviews that he was in film making for money but he had a bigger purpose in mind. “The narrative for me on making the film is not money…To hell with money! I am there for a larger and bigger purpose. Try and understand this…..“That and also a sort of legislation in which as an industry you are supported, and your film gets to have a clean feed distribution for a week, a week at least without any other film launch, rest it should work on its own merit,” said the enthusiastic gentleman while giving an interview to “galaxylollywood”.
Shahzad Nawaz is now going to head the news channel Nayee Baat. He has changed the destinies of many channels till now and is eager to take this channel to new heights too. He plans to bring innovation to News genre, it remains to be seen how he will do that. We wish this dreamer all the best!
BREAKING THE MINDSET OF TYPECASTING!
The fact cannot be denied that our actors and actresses are not only talented but hardworking as well and this is the one of the key success factor that makes our dramas hit worldwide. This industry is for sure still in a growing stage on a production level, however the competition in the industry is getting intense day by day as new talent pours in every day.
In previous years we all have noticed how some actors and actresses have been typecast in dramas. Directors also love to sign those artists who knows how to perform particular role better as in the past they were offered with same kind of roles again and again. This obviously saves director’s time and energy as they don’t need to put much efforts on actors to bring out their best for a particular role. Hence we criticise some actors on their acting when they try to appear in different roles.
What I believe that some actors are versatile but typecasting wastes their versatility exponentially and this is the reason why they attempt to escape typecasting by choosing different roles that are opposite to the type of roles they are known for.
The topic here is to mention some actors and actresses who had recently proven themselves that they can also perform other roles brilliantly.
Ayeza Khan for “Pyaray Afzal” and “Jab We Wed”: Previously Ayeza Khan had always remained the biggest victim of type casting. I am a devoted fan of Ayeza Khan because she is one of those actresses who knows how to deliver expressions along with dialogues. She can literally nail down every character but unfortunately she appeared on screen mostly playing sad roles which earned her a title of “Roti dhoti Aurat”. Even the performance in AKS as a rebellious daughter and a comic role in a soap “Ghalti si Mistake hogai” didn’t help her to get away from this title. Due to typecasting her popularity graph remain steady for years however her performance in “Pyaray Afzal” as Farah did not even help her to gain immense popularity but also given her diverse portfolio. “Jab We Wed” is her another project where you will find her doing perfect variation in her character just like Pyaray Afzal.
Maya Ali for “Shanakht”: The fictional character of Cinderella might have helped her to step in the industry successfully but in no time she was tagged with a name of Tom boy. From “Aik Nayee Cinderella” to “Ranjish Hi Sahi” she performed the same character of outspoken, stubborn and careless girl except for Aunn Zara. I still remembered that she was very upset when audience was criticising on her acting in “Khoya Khoya Chand” and I told her to take this criticism in a constructive way. Maya had struggled a long way to get breakthrough in Industry. I always believed in Maya because I know she got potential and someday she will make her mark in the industry. She finally manages to escape away from tomboyish roles and turned down every finger that was raised on her acting by absolutely nailing down the character of “Qurat-ul-Ain” in Shanakht.
Faisal Qureshi for “Bashar Momin”: He is among most veteran actor in the Industry, so his versatility cannot be questioned. However it cannot be denied that in previous few years he literally bored the audience through his constant grim face on screen, well currently in “Main Bushra” he is doing the same role again. Faisal Qureshi had indeed got a diverse portfolio but I found his role as “Bashar” in drama “Bashar Momin” the most diverse role among all the roles he had performed in the past. Thus by playing against the type he had ascertained audience that he can provide variation whenever needed.
Meekal Zulfiqar for “Laa” “MSKSH”: When there is a role to play as cheating spouse or a disloyal husband, Meekal Zulfiqar is director’s favourite choice. Whether it is Shehr e Zaat, Durr e Shahwar, Paani jesa Pyaar, Aik kasak dil mein reh gai or Izteraab his roles were evidently same. There is so much that can be offered to him but due to typecasting his talent was undoubtedly wasted. Meekal Zulfiqar recently played against type by choosing the project “Laa” and “Muhabbat Subah Ka Sitara Hai” where he proved that he can nail down every character brilliantly that comes in his way. Meekal for sure needs to do more diverse roles if he want to claim best actor award.
Ismat Zaidi for “Koi Nahi Apna”: I still remembered that I mentioned her the sweetest mother of the industry. Well you can say that just because of her loving nature probably this is the only role that suits her. Recently Ismat Zaidi successfully manages to break this mind set by doing a sort of negative role as greedy mother in Koi Nahi Apna. Although Koi Nahi Apna wrecks in all departments but Ismat Zaidi created opportunity for her that she can perform negative roles as well if required. I am not sure whether she had performed negative roles in the past or not?
Samiya Mumtaz for “Sadqey Tumhare”: Just out of sheer curiosity I always wanted to know one thing that Samiya either on her own free will or it is just that she is offered with the role of “Dukhyaari Aurat” every time. From “Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishan” to “Ranjish hi Sahi” to “Do saal ki aurat” her role was quite similar in which she beared atrocities and sufferings. We all know that Samiya can also perform other roles impeccably and finally she proved to audience in “Sadqe Tumhaare” that if negative role comes in her way she can perform it in a flawless manner. Her performance as “Rasheeda” cannot be praised in simple words as she played against the type. I am hoping that she will perform more varied roles in future.
Typecasting is nothing but just a sheer waste of talent and artists should select more diverse and strong roles in future if they want to stay in competition. What do you guys say about it and do you remember any actor beside these ones that played against the type recently?
Zoe Viccaji’s five favorite songs
Zoe Viccaji talking to BBC Urdu about her five favorite songs.
http://vimeo.com/113837947
Rashid Nazir Ali
Interesting event in China
China our northern neighbour is known for its Made In China trademark through out the world.
Here is an interesting video of a Chinese Hospital courtesy of BBC Urdu. A chinese hospital has arranged a ‘Pain Experience Camp’ where
fathers of new borns can experience some sort of labor pain too like the mother.How? Watch video.
https://vimeo.com/114030956
Rashid Nazir Ali
Meekal Zulfiqar says Pakistani dramas’ strength is being close to reality
Ever since the Zindagi channel started airing Pakistani television shows across the border, our celebrities have paved their way into the hearts of Indian audiences. Mikaal Zulfiqar is one such actor, who quickly became a fan favourite because of his performances in Dhoop Chaaon and Aaina Dulhan Ka.
According to IBN Live, Zulfiqar believes Indian producers and directors should adopt a more realistic approach towards their shows, perhaps even making them shorter. The actor explained, “Pakistani serials are more inclined towards reality and it’s our strength. It’s not necessary that murder or infidelity will only add drama to the serials.
He further adds: “In our country, serials narrate about small household issues. For instance, it’s not necessary that the business deal should be of Rs500 crore, it could be of Rs10 lakh as well. I feel there’s no need to go into such elaborations.”
Zulfiqar proposes the theory that television in India is inspired by Bollywood.
“Indian TV is probably influenced by Indian cinema, which is larger than life. But in case of Bollywood, such portrayal works. Cinema is to entertain and it exudes a feel good factor if it is full of songs and dance sequences.”
Would the Paani Jaisa Pyar actor be open to working in Indian television?
The actor, who is no stranger to Indian cinema having worked in Godfather (a Pakistani-Indian movie) and Shoot on Sight, shared, “I would love to do Indian shows, provided the script is good.”
However, he confesses that Pakistani cinema is not nearly as bold as Hindi cinema and he might not be able to keep up.
“Call me old-fashioned, but I will be hesitant to kiss on-screen. It will take some time for the boldness to find a place in Pakistan. At the end of the day, we are an Islamic country and it’s a sensitive topic.”
Source: Dawn.com
Big Bang Productions To Step Into Filmmaking
Fahad Mustafa has proved himself in almost every field of showbiz. He is a very serious artist who is always working towards starting new things. He started his showbiz career from acting and he has achieved so much in a short span of time.
Fahad Mustafa talked to the Sunday Magazine about his plans for the future in which he said, ” I am getting offers for films, I even got an offer from India.” But does Fahad Mustafa want to go to India? We don’t have the answer for that yet but his central focus is on making Pakistani films better and for this reason he is working on growing his drama production house into a film production house too.
Fahad Mustafa said, “When my film Na Maloom Afraad was doing a very good business in the cinema, I got very sick, I got so sick that I could not even walk. I guess Allah does these things to show people how helpless they are.” The actor said that this was a humbling experience for him.
Fahad started doing the Game Show on ARY when he got bored with the Morning Show but he had no idea that it would be such a big hit. He feels good that so many poor people have benefited from this show. Surprisingly Fahad Mustafa does not even do rehearsal for his script because he has a really good memory, reading something once is enough for him to remember it.
Chup Raho – Episode 15
Aur kitney musibiton ke pahar tootey gay bechari Rameen pe was the first thought that came to my mind after watching tonight’s episode. Ever since this play has started I have always wondered what worse could happen to Rameen but there is always something new in store. With every passing episode those people who are supposed to be our heroine’s near and dear ones tend to let her down in the most terrifying way.
Like all the previous episodes Numair managed to get away with everything. Azar, Manal and Numair are apparently part of the “Torture Rameen” club now and everyone is doing their bit to perfection! Before it was only Manal who trusted Numair blindly but Azar’s failed attempts to divorce is his wife and all the physical and verbal abuse he subjected Rameen to clearly go to show that he does not trust his wife any more. The way Azar judged his wife did not come as a surprise to me at all, many men out there are quick to judge women but give men all the benefit of the doubt they need to get away with such things. Azar has always been immature and he has always looked up to Numair too therefore sooner or later he was going to listen to him. Numair knows how to cover up his tracks and he used whatever other tactics he could in order to have things his way. The phone call he made in front of Azar in the office was clearly an intimidating tactic. Numair is the perfect husband otherwise, he cooks for his wife, compliments her, provides for her and expresses his love for her over and over again! I have said it many times before and I will say it again that Manal is justified in being fooled by this “perfect man”!
I find everything that Rameen is being put through extremely disturbing more so because I don’t have a difficult time believing that this could actually happen to someone. There are of course some serious loopholes here and there which make you think that there are times when things are exaggerated. For instance in tonight’s episode when Azar called Manal and Numair and not Rameen I was slightly surprised because calling Rameen could have answered all his question. Secondly, Rameen did not have to shift to the quarter at all because she could have very easily stayed in the hospital with her mother who is no longer in a position to destroy her life further but she will be safe with her. Probably much safer than she is living in the servant’s quarter. It is of course difficult to be brave or even sensible in such difficult times but the way Rameen is being shoved left, right and centre is very upsetting. There is more abuse in this drama than one person can handle, the poor girl has already been raped, she does not need to be physically abused in some way or the other in every single episode.
Yasir Nawaz should get an award for dodging the viewers through the promos by making them think that the next episode will bring a big twist! I usually watch the play online so I miss the preview of the next episode therefore I do not look forward to the twists that are not meant to be but I wonder how people who actually look forward to them think when nothing substantial happens on those lines?
We have seen Rameen suffering a lot, I think it is about time that she does something significant to get out of this situation – I have a few very good suggestions if anyone’s listening;) Feroz Khan was outstanding in tonight’s episode, his performance was the best part of this episode for me. He portrayed the anger, confusion, hatred and being dead tired of it all part so aptly. The credit for bringing out the best in this newcomer goes to the director as well, so yes Yasir Nawaz I am giving you credit where credit is due. I am getting weary of watching Rameen being treated like the “choti” character, can we please move on??
Do share your thoughts about tonight’s episode.
Fatima Awan
Shanakht – Episode 17!
Ohkay so, I think the show has reached to its final stages where the last things are being taken care of & then they’ll wrap up the story properly with a happy ending. Things have gotten worse only so that they can be sorted out once & for all.
I’m sorry to say but Hashim is a perfect example of a hypocrite person who is selfish to the core. First he got married to the girl of his choice because he had some agendas in his mind, by ignoring rather forgetting about his parents completely & now ever since he has gotten married, he has wanted to see such changes in his wife that she is unaware of. How is Faryaal supposed to know what change Hashim’s in a mood to see today? It’s like as the days are passing by Hashim is getting more & more conscious about his wife’s personality, attitude & behaviour only for the worst. I think when Hashim himself didn’t care about his parents at all, how does he expect Faryaal to walk an extra mile for them? What she knew all along is that she was Hashim’s priority because he gave her such an impression & now when she is only focusing on her husband, Hashim has an issue with that too. He needs to know that Faryaal is just being herself where she is comfortable with him & also with the people around her, so his long sermons do not help the situation at all.
I know a few readers might not agree with me on this but I think Faryaal is fully justified in how she is reacting because she has a full right to be frustrated. Ever since she has walked into Hashim’s life, she has only seen herself being compared to Annie & has always been belittled because of her. I think any girl would react exactly the same way when she will see her husband being a fan of some other lady & wanting his wife to change herself so that she can reach the bar raised by the ideal woman & also I think it was way out of the line for Hashim to admit that he regrets rejecting Annie, this would’ve definitely cause a dent on Faryaal’s ego so he shouldn’t expect her to stay quiet on this. I find Faryaal justified because like she said, Hashim liked her the way she was & how in her wildest dream she would’ve thought that one fine day her husband will wake up from a deep slumber & will have an entirely new ideology up his sleeve. Faryaal belongs to UK & she isn’t conscious of those values or constraints a Pakistani family follows, so instead of being frustrated & impatient, Hashim should try to convey what he expects from her a bit more politely & appropriately. I completely blame Hashim for being so selfish & impatient that now all of a sudden he wants everything to happen according to him & he has so quickly fallen out of love & has grown out of his marriage that everything Faryaal does only makes him uncomfortable & unhappy.
Another unreasonable person of this family has to be Shireen. She is bored & lonely; therefore Faryaal is facing the brunt of her MIL’s boredom. Hashim is Shireen’s only child & she’s well aware of how careless & spoiled Hashim was before too, so why is it that ever since he has gotten married, Shireen has only held Faryaal responsible for his behaviour? She doesn’t waste a single opportunity she gets to brain feed Hashim against Faryaal & still she thinks her DIL is the only reason of her son’s agitation? Shireen wants Annie to help her with the redecoration whereas it’s always the DIL who does these sorts of things so that she can show some interest in her home & feels like a part of the family. That’s another way of welcoming a DIL but Shireen has never taken a step towards Faryaal to show her acceptance & then she thinks Faryaal will change herself for her MIL whereas Faryaal doesn’t have a reason to do anything for anyone in that house because instead of treating her with respect & showing some patience & politeness to her, they all have jumped down her throat & have pressurized her which she doesn’t deserve at all. I know people think it’s DIL’s responsibility to adjust, change & even compromise but I think it’s the duty of every single person to act reasonably. Faryaal has herself heard Shireen badmouthing her so many times, so what makes Shireen think that Faryaal will ever be able to respect her & same goes for Hashim, the moment he hears his mother’s sob stories, he loses his calm with Faryaal, so if he was such a mama’s boy, why didn’t he think about his mother before getting married to Faryaal in the first place?
Even though I feel bad for Annie for what she had to go through but I felt equally bad for Faryaal where Hashim screamed at her in front of Annie. I think before expecting anything from anyone, Hashim needs to bring a change in himself because he should know, changes don’t occur overnight, there’s a lot that has to be sacrificed in order to achieve something & if he wants to see Faryaal adjusting to his liking, then he should give her some time & more than that, some respect because by the end of the day, she’s his wife & not some servant who’d only follow his commands. I don’t think even after Hashim will change, I’d ever bring myself to like his mean character because he wouldn’t do anything for anyone but will expect that the universe will revolve around him. Share your thoughts on this episode please.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Bikhhra Mera Naseeb resuming on Geo TV
Bikhra Mera Naseeb a play which was left incomplete due to temporary closure of Geo TV in July 2014 is now resuming.
The play will be aired on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8 – 10 pm.
The play is produced by A& B Productions, directed by Furqan Khan and written by Salma Younis. The cast consists of Sami Khan, Ayeza Khan, Aleezey Rasul, Feeroz Khan,Shehriyar Zaidi, Seemi Pasha, Ismat Zaidi, Saba Hameed, Mehmood Akhter, Tariq Jameel & Many others
https://vimeo.com/93294001
Rashid Nazir Ali
Sultanate Dil from 18th December on Geo Tv
Sultanate Dil, a new drama is starting from 18th December on Geo Tv. Starring Sami Khan, Sana Khan, Amir Qureshi, Seemi Pasha, Aleezay Rasool, Fazeela Qazi, Anees Alam, Shazia Qaisar, the play is produced by A&B productions. Directed by Syed Ali Raza Usama, the play is written casino online by Myra Sajid (real name is Sajid Zaki)
https://vimeo.com/111933942
https://vimeo.com/114011853
https://vimeo.com/114011854
https://vimeo.com/114011855
https://vimeo.com/114011856
https://vimeo.com/114011857
Rashid Nazir Ali
Zidd, upcoming drama on Hum Tv
Zidd (ضد)is an upcoming drama on Hum TV written by Bee Gul starring Ahsan Khan, Maya Ali, Rubab Hashim, Shazz Khan and others. The drama is shot in Washington D.C., United States. It is directed by Adnan Wai Qureshi.
Here is the first look of this upcoming drama.
https://vimeo.com/113996989
https://vimeo.com/113996990
Rashid Nazir Ali
Khalil Ullah Khan, Bangladeshi artist passed away
Veteran Bangladeshi artist Khalil Ulllah Khan passed away in Dhaka yesterday. He was eighty years old.
Khalil Ullah Khan started his filmi career from Urdu and Bangla films in East Pakistan province of Pakistan in 1960’s. In 1971, East Pakistan separated from Pakistan and became Bangladesh where Khalil Ullah Khan continued his acting career.
Khalil Ullah Khan’s famous Urdu films in 1960’s were Preet Na Janay Reet, Sangam and Jangli Phool. Sangam was the first complete color film of Pakistani cinema. In total Khalil Ullah Khan has worked in nearly 800 films and television productions.
Rashid Nazir Ali
I can never be a successful politician, Attiqa Odho
Attiqa Odho talking to BBC Urdu
https://vimeo.com/113834255
Rashid Nazir Ali
Piya Man Bhaye coming soon on Geo Tv
Piya Man Bhaye (پیا من بھاۓ) is an upcoming play on Geo Tv starring Ushnah Shah. It is written By Asma Sayani, Directed By Ali Faizan and Produced By A&B Productions. Apart from Ushnah Shah, Sami Khan, Rubab Hashim, Abdullah Ijaz and Manzoor Qureshi are also in the cast.
https://vimeo.com/113519437
https://vimeo.com/113851204
Rashid Nazir Ali
Sahir Lodhi Started Crying in a Live morning Show
Watch exclusive Video on samaa news Tv: Sahir Lodhi Started Crying in a Live morning Show
Fawad Khan In Hello! Super Acheiver’s List
Fawad Khan has not only won hearts and bagged some good projects in India but he has already won the award for “Best Bollywood Debut” category in the Masala Awards 2014. Not only this Fawad Khan also graced the cover of Hello! Magazine in India in the special December edition. In this edition the magazine listed top super achievers and Fawad Khan is one of them.
The Pakistani actor is very happy because he achieved so much in the year 2014. He is winning awards in Pakistan and India and his popularity in both the countries is on the rise. Fawad Khan is constantly sharing his gratitude on his twitter page. The young actor made a twitter account only recently because he thought that it was important to stay in touch with his fans.
Digest Writer – Episode 10!
Ohkay so, like always, this episode was interesting too. I see a lot of developments in all the tracks which are enough to keep the viewers hooked to the show. Apparently, Digest Writer’s slot has been shifted to Saturdays, which doesn’t surprise me at all because I am sure the appreciation this project is getting is evident & well deserved so this was just another move by the channel to get it more recognized & appreciated.
So, where Fareeda’s professional life is shaping up well, her personal life has turned upside down because of Sheheryar Ahmed. I know they’ve kept his character a lot more decent than usually those stalkerish fans are but sorry he sounds like a creep to me because he is so deluded & then he makes a fool out of himself by saying his experience lets him know everything. First thing first, he has never tried to know who Rashk-e-Hina is, he has only judged her by how she has adorned the papers to make her novels & then he claims she’s all he has ever wanted & dreamed of. I have never seen Shehryar trying to know who Rashk-e-Hina is, how is she as a person but instead he has only burdened her with his imagination where he thinks she is her ideal who has traveled all over the world, belongs to an elite class & has a sound background. Even this time around, the personal questions he asked were related to her father & his background, which shows that these things really matter to him, but what doesn’t matter is the person he is speaking to & that is Fareeda.
Sadly, may be because it was the first time she got such an impressive attention, Fareeda allowed herself to fall for Shehryar & it seems she had no control over her emotions & she let her feelings sway her, which is why she kept her reality concealed all this while but to be honest, I don’t think Shehryar’s worth it because for the first time we saw Fareeda being ashamed of who she is. She has always dreamed big & even is working hard to reach her goal but if a guy like Sheheryar is the reason for which she thinks low of herself & her circumstances then he’s not worth it. Obviously, she has started maintaining a distance but I think it would be appropriate for Fareeda to tell him everything honestly & then judge him instead, rather than being conscious of herself & her social standing. It wasn’t Fareeda who invited his attention with his rigid one dimensional thinking & a lot of stamps on his passports that mark his journeys which allow him to brag & think he has garnered a lot of experience with which he can judge a book by its cover. I think if he is so uncompromising when it comes to these criterions he has set for his bride-to-be, then good luck to him, he should really part ways with Fareeda.
Like any typical mother, Appa thought Shaukat ko nazar lag gai. :) May be because for the first time his hair weren’t greasy & he had his hair tamed that’s why people might’ve gotten attracted to the guy who wore a parrot green shirt to his sister’s wedding. :) I always have such a good laugh whenever I see Shaukat as he’s one of a kind. I couldn’t stop smiling seeing his persistence at Jameela’s wedding too. He is so in love with Fareeda but for what it’s worth, he actually cares for her & if I draw a comparison between Sheheryar & Shaukat, I believe Shaukat is far more genuine than Mr. Traveler here. At least Shaukat has seen Fareeda’s worst side & still doesn’t judge her. Even though he didn’t want Fareeda to work but he tried to console her when he got to know how Rida Anmol deceived her. I know it’s also a reality that he isn’t as groomed & refined to match Fareeda’s standards but I still feel he’s a good human being. I so hope that just because Appa has learned how much money Fareeda’s making, she doesn’t start bothering her & consider it as a perk of getting Shaukat married to Fareeda because now she knows that the hobby of Fareeda, she always dissed, is actually allowing her to do good for herself & her family.
I know it could be wrong but I don’t know why I have a feeling Mazhar Hayat will try to jeopardize Rashk-e-Hina’s career. He’s already having a hard time in the industry because no channel is ready to dramatize his scripts & now Mahroosh also hurt his ego by comparing him to a new writer that he has always looked down upon & by demanding him to write something of that sort, so I feel he won’t take it lightly & somehow we’ll see some sort of professional jealousy between Mazhar Hayat & Fareeda. Another angle that they’ve tried to show is how actresses these days keep the writers wrapped around their fingers just so that they can bag good roles. It was the same Mahroosh who was celebrating Mazhar’s birthday & now here she was, throwing all sorts of tantrums because she knows he’s lonely & needs her attention but she doesn’t & that makes me wonder where Mazhar’s family is that he once thought of.
& yes, last but not the least; it was a pure delight seeing Rida Anmol’s frustration & ordeal. Sikandar & Rida really thought there was no chance for Fareeda & she will always remain dependent on them but little did they know what sort of opportunity was waiting for her. Rida knows herself that script writing is a tough job but she really thought she could throw a few bucks & get the job done but too bad for her, Fareeda’s struggling days are numbered & she is on her way towards success which Rida will herself see.
So, this is it from my side, really enjoyed this episode as well & yes, I must say this, I loved Zareena’s makeover at Jameela’s wedding, it was sooo cute & she looked so sweet. Shakeela & Fareeda looked really nice too but Zareena stole the show this time & yes, Zareena is very clean-hearted that’s why she thought Appa was actually trying to appreciate how things have changed in her household because of which she told her everything about how much Fareeda’s earning, too bad Zareena didn’t know that Appa was only there to pry & she’s not as much of a well-wisher as she claims to be. So, that’s all. Please share your thought about this episode of Digest Writer & let me know how much you enjoyed watching it.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
Lux Style Awards 2014 Hi-Tea – Exclusive Pictures
Lux Style Awards are held every year to appreciate the efforts of all those people who work hard to entertain Pakistani television viewers. LSA is always a start studded affair and the theme of the show never fails to impress. This year too the pictures show that all the important people of the entertainment industry participated in the show. We have already posted the results of the award show and some of the pictures. Here are more of the exclusive pictures:
Pakistani productions are my first priority, Fawad Afzal Khan
Fawad Khan who recently received the Lux Style Award for best drama has talked to BBC Urdu. Fawad told Pakistani productions and films are always his first priority. Currently he is more focused on his film career and is therefore not working in dramas.
https://vimeo.com/113833439
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/multimedia/2014/12/141205_fawad_khan_film_tk
Rashid Nazir Ali
Amir Liaquat’s Shocking Statements – Watch Video
Amir Liaquat ridiculed Junaid Jamshed’s mother when he expressed his opinion about what Junaid Jamshed had said about Hazrat Ayesha. The public was of the opinion that two wrongs do not make a right, if Junaid Jamshed did something wrong so did Amir Liaquat. Junaid Jamshed also expressed his grief over the way different people were giving their opinions. Junaid Jamshed called Amir Liaquat to tell him how his comment made him feel. In this video Amir Liaquat explains in detail what he meant when he said all that. So much so that he used the same words for himself saying that Hazrat Ayesha was above his own mother and if he did not respect Hazrat Ayesha than her own mother did not deserve any respect either.
Amir Liaquat also said that people only make mistakes like the one Junaid Jamshed made when they start thinking of these respected and honorable religious personalities like just another human being or like their own selves. He also said that personalities like Hazrat Ayesha deserved special respect because she could in no way be full of imperfections like any other human being.
Amir Liaquat said that he is well aware of all the things people say about his video but he said that he asked Allah for forgiveness that is why he was forgiven and anyone else who does the same will be forgiven too.
Do watch the whole video for the most shocking comments!
Roundup 2014 – Foreign films in Pakistan
Year 2014 is ending within few weeks and the recap of foreign films released in this year is the subject of this article.
Indian films:
Indian films are extremely popular in our country and like previous years more than 40 Indian films were released this year. Five Indian films also feautred Paksitani artists in lead roles which is perhaps maximum in a calendar year.
The films released this year includes Dedh Ishqiya, Yaaryian, Jao Ho,Hansi to Phansi, Yarab, Kaho Na Kaho, Gulab Gang,Total Siyyapa, Highway, Shaadi Ke Side Effects, Ragni MMS, O Teri, Youngistan, Mein Tera Hero, Bhootnath Return, Revolver Rani, Purani Jeans, Angry Youngman, Heropanti, Holiday, Figli, Humshakals, Hate Story 2, Kick,Mardani, Raja Natwarlal, Creature 3D, Finding Fenny, Bobi Jasoos, Khoobsorat, Bang Bang, Happy New Year, Queen, Super Naani, The Shoqins, Kill Dil, Happy Ending, Ungli, Action Jackson whereas few other films will also release in concluding weeks of this year like PK. Most of the films were distributed by Geo Films while few were by Hum Films and Express Films.
Business wise Dhoom3 tops the list, though it was released in last week of 2013 the film was superhit throught out the country making all time new records of revenue collection. Dhoom 3 earned more than 25 crores and it was distributed by Geo Films.
In February, screening of Indian films was put on hold for few weeks due to a hearing in Lahore High Court and it deserted the cinema halls. Thus proving that Indian films are essential for cinema industry in Pakistan. However the ban was lifted after few weeks, as the case was removed from Lahore High Court.
It is not possible to discuss each film, so this article is limited to most successful and films featuring Pakistani artists.
Total Siyyapa
Featuring Ali Zafar in lead role Total Sayyapa is released in March. Despite a good starting weekend overall the film business was disappointing in Pakistan. Geo Films was the distributor.
Kick
Kick featuring Salman Khan is screened on Eidul Fitr in end of July. The film made new record of opening week earning bypassing Waar and Dhoom3. Hum Films was the distributor.
Raja Natwarlal
Featuring Humaima Malik and Emran Hashmi in lead roles the film was released in August 2014 and failed to attract viewership. Geo films was the distributor.
Creature 3D
Imran Abbas and Bipasha Basu were in the lead cast of this film. Despite first Bollywood film of Imran Abbas, business wise it was a disappointment. Geo Films was the distributor.
Khoobsorat
The first Indian film of Fawwad Khan was quite successful in multiplexes. The film released the same week Pakistani film Dukhtar was released in September 2014 and it was a clear winner in the race. Hum Films distributed the film.
Bang Bang
Starring Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif, the film was released just before Eidul Azha in October 2014 and was quite successful.Geo films distributed the film.
Happy New Year
Starring Shahrukh Khan, the film is released in last week of OCtober 2014 and was quite successful.Geo films distributed this film.
Kill Dil
Starring Ali Zafar the film is released in November 2014. Despite a good starting weekend overall the film business was disapponting. Geo Films was the distributor.
PK
Starring Aamir Khan this film is due to release in coming weeks and is also expected to do good business like Dhoom 3 last year which also featured Aamir Khan.
Turkish Films
After seeing the overwhelming success of Turkish Dramas, first Turkish film was also released in Pakistan this year.
Mohabbat Ek Ittefaq
It was the first ever Turkish film to be released in Pakistan and distributed by Express Films. The film was released in February when screening of Indian films were temporarily banned by a stay order from Lahore High Court. Mohabbat Ek Ittefaq i.e. Ask Tesadüfleri Sever in Turkish is one of the successful film of Turkey released in 2011.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1c568e_mohabbat-ek-ittifaq-in-urdu-trailer_shortfilms
The film has an interesting story. But despite no competitor the film proved dead flop at box office. The failure of this film dashed the hopes of the other distributors who were planning to import further Turkish and Iranian films.
English Films
English films or Hollywood movies are also released. Hollywood movies were distributed by Geo Films, Express Films and Hum Films. Unlike other foreign films the details of English films and their business is not published in press.
So it wraps up the roundup of foreign films released in the year 2014.
Do share your views. Thanks for your time.
Reference: The information of Indian films released is taken from this article in Urdu Daily Dunya
http://e.dunya.com.pk/index.php?e_name=LHR&edate=2014-12-02&page=29
Rashid Nazir Ali
Tonite With HSY (Zeba Bakhtiyar & Humayoun Saeed)- Episode 11
Sheru did it again! A hat-trick no less- 3 fairly good episodes in a row! The guests this week were Zeba Bakhtiyar and Humayoun Saeed. Zeba Bakhtiyar is the epitome of grace- I love the way she speaks and carries herself. She was the first guest tonight and spoke with her usual calm and composed demeanor. 26 years ago, Zeba wanted to become a writer. Her script was rejected on the grounds of being too bold for those times and thus she came into acting. Initially she faced a certain amount of opposition since back in the days, acting was frowned upon as a career path- especially in her case since her father was the Attorney General Yahya Bakhtiyar. She mentioned that she ended up convincing her father by citing Qaid-e-Azam’s example- he too had ambitions of becoming an actor! Har politician actor hota hai infact aaj kal ke politicians haqq maar rahein hein actors ka! Though she catapulted to fame after working in the Bollywood film Henna, she mentioned that she was dropped from a number of films since she wouldn’t agree to the prerequisites of being a Bollywood starlet- she refused to compromise on her principles and thus her Bollywood career was done. She spoke about her marriage to Adnan Sami and her son Azaan. I loved her positive vibes when speaking of Azaan. Her marriage didn’t last but that didn’t stop her from growing as an individual and as a phenomenal one at that.
Humayoun Saeed was the second guest of the evening. Humayoun hasn’t been on television for a while now so it was refreshing to see him. There was a time when he was in every other serial and I’m glad he’s moved away from those days. Humayoun recollected his journey from a production manager to super stardom to being the owner of one of the biggest production houses in Pakistan. Sheru brought up the various rumors about his alleged affairs to which he replied that he gets along with everyone and his television persona is such that people often assume that he is like that in real life as well. Sheru asked both of them what advice they’d offer to the following people:
Imran Abbas- Zeba said that he shouldn’t wear contact lenses and Humayoun said he should work on building his physique- nazuk lagta hai!
Humaima Malik– Zeba said Humaima is known to be unreliable and producers are wary of such actors; Humayoun added Ziada na bolay, chup rehkay kaam karey…
Fawad Khan– Humayoun stated that Fawad is a close friend and he is happy with the way Fawad has carried himself- he chose his Bollywood debut wisely and has a promising career ahead of him.
I loved the way both the guests seemed completely at ease- they didn’t shy away from speaking their minds . On the topic of social media, Zeba stated that bas mayyaton pe selfies rehgayi hain… and Humayoun said that he isn’t fond of sharing the personal details of his everyday life but both felt that social media is a good platform to stay connected and share the news of their upcoming projects. The discussions kept me interested and then came the contests- I was anticipating Sheru to bring up both Adnan Sami and Ushna Shah and he did. In Love or Don’t Love, Zeba refused to comment on Adnan Sami’s picture but Humayoun kept a plastered smile while he stated he loved everyone on his list- except Nawaz Sharif- he respects him! Ajnabee Kaun Ho Tum had Maheen calling in for Zeba and Nadeem Baig calling in for Humayoun. The final round had Humayoun answering all his questions correctly which made him the clear winner. I was very impressed hearing Humayoun sing- he actually has a pretty decent voice. He was more than happy to translate and sing on behalf of Zeba too (Laari Adda and Channo ki aankh Mein). This was a pretty good episode and I was pleasantly surprised to see this lively side of Humayoun Saeed. What did you think about this episode?
Yours in watching,
Kanwal Murtaza
Roundup 2014 – Pakistani films
Year 2014 is ending within few weeks and the recap of films released in this year is the subject of this article.
This year few Pakistan films mainly in Urdu, Punjabi and Pashto language are released. Five Urdu, Two Punjabi, Eight Pashto and one multi-lingual (Urdu, Pashto, Dari, English) films were released throughout the year. One Urdu film Na Maloom Afraad was superhit whereas the multi-lingual film O21 did average business. Both Punjabi films were flops. The pashto films performed well in the province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa only.
Urdu Films:
After record breaking success of Waar in the last quarter of 2013 there were high hopes of more quality films however only five Urdu films were released in 2014. Ironically no urdu film is screened in first half of 2014.
The System:
The System was the first Urdu film of 2014 released on 31st May 2014.Starring Sheraz Ghafoor Butt, Nadeem, Kashaf Ali, Irfan Khosat, Shafqat Ali Cheema, Saima Saleem, Nayyer Ejaz, Saira, Saleem Shah and Maryam Ali Hussain, the film was directed by Shahzad Ghafoor Butt, written by Wajid Zuberi and produced by Ghuafoor Butt. Shailesh Suvarna from India is the music composer while all songs were recorded in Indian voice except one duet by Komal Rizvi. The film also featured on Item Song ‘Naughty Sayyan’ filmed on Maryam Ali Hussain. Despite high hopes the film did not impress the cine goers.
The System was produced under the banner of Green Chillies Entertainment and ARY Films distributed the film.The film was shot in Pakistan and Norway.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1rg4so_the-system-trailer_shortfilms
Tammanna:
Tammana is released on 6th June 2014. It is a British-Pakistani film directed and written by Steven Moor and produced by Sarah Tareen. Starring Mehreen Raheel,Omair Rana,Salman Shahid,Feryal Gauhar the music was composed by Sahir Ali Bagga. It was based on 1970’s play Sleuth by Anthony Shaffer. Tammana was an experimental film and as expected fall flat at box office. Tammana also featured three songs in the voices of Ali Azmat, Amanat Ali and Rahat Fateh Ali.
Tammana was produced under the banner of Concordia Productons and ARY Films was the distributor.
Sultanat:
A big budgeted movie starring Indian and Pakistani artists, Sultanat is released on Eidul Fitr on July 29th, 2014. It was produced by Aslam Bhatti, directed by Syed Faisal Bukhari and written by Pervaiz Kaleem. The cast of the film includes Aslam Bhatti, Javaid Shaikh , Sila Hussan , Deepak Shirke,Akashdeep Saigal, Shweta Tiwari ,Zainab Qayyum ,Nayyar Ejaz ,Shabbir Jan ,Mustafa Qureshi and Mona Lizza (Sara Loren). Sajid Hussain was the music composer, one song in the voice of Shahida Mini was remix of famous Punjabi song Sonne Di Tavitri. Sara Loren performed on the Item Song of this film.
As per press reports though Sultunat earned 4-5 crore (40-50 million), but it failed to recover its claimed cost of 22 crore (220 million).
Sultunat was produced by AB Productions and distributed by ARY Films. The film was shot in Thailand, UAE and Pakistan.
Dukhtar:
Dukhtar was released on 18 September 2014. The film is directed and written by Aafia Nathaniel. Its main cast consists of Samiya Mumtaz, Mohib Mirza, Saleha Aref, Asif Khan, Ajab Gul, Samina Ahmed, Adnan Shah Tipu, Abdullah Jaan, Omair Rana. Sahir Ali Bagga was the composer of three songs in the voices of Hina Nasarullah, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Shafqat Amanat Ali. Dukhtar was not a commercial success but was praised by critics of English Newspapers. The film is also selected for OScar Nomination from Pakistan.
The production company was Zambeel Films and The Crew Films and it was distributed by Geo Films. It was shot on the scenic locations of Gilgit Baltistan.Dukhtar was released with Indian film Khoobsorat and perhaps it suffered on Box office as Khoobsorat attracted all the attention.
http://vimeo.com/101225933
Na Maloom Afraad
Na Maloom Afraad was the last Urdu film released in 2014 on Eidul Azha in October 2014 and proved successful. The film is still running in single screen cinemas in various cities. It was the only Urdu film which can be labelled as Made in Pakistan as all the crew members were Pakistanis from actors, singers, choreographer to composer. Produced by Fizza Ali Meerza, directed by Nabeel Qureshi and written by both Fizza Ali Meerza the film stars Fahad Mustafa, Jawed Sheikh, Mohsin Abbass, Urwa Hocaine, Salman Shahid, Umber Khan, and British actress Kubra Khan while Mehwish Hayyat had a guest appearance in the item song Billi. Shani & Kami composed the music while Sajjad Ali, Mohsin Abbas Haider, Sara Raza and others provided vocals.
The production company was Filmwala productions and Hum Films distributed the film. The film was shot entirely in Karachi.
Na Maloom Afraad is the most successful film of 2014. As per press reports the film has a budget of 8-9 (80-90 million) crore rupees and till date it has earned above 11 crores (110 million). Surprisingly the film competed well with Indian films Bang Bang and later Happy New Year.
Na Maloom Afraad was announced in January 2014 and completed and released within same year unlike many other films which are under production for past two three years.
Multi-lingual film O21:
One multi-lingual film O21 was released on 2014 on Eidul Azha. It was in Dari, Pashto, Urdu and English languages.It was produced by Azaan Sami Khan and Zeba Bakhyar and directed by Summer Nicks and Jami. The main cast consists of Shaan Shahid,Shamoon Abbasi,Aamina Sheikh,Ayub Khoso,Gohar Rasheed, Hameed Sheikh and others. The film has no song.
The production companies were One Motion Pictures,Azad Film Company,Interactive Studios and ARY Films was the distributor. O21 performed average at box office mainly in multiplexes cinemas. The film failed to recover its cost too.
Punjabi films
Two low budget Punjabi films Lafanga and Jalway were released only in Punjab in 2014 and both failed to attract viewers. Jalway starred Khushboo and Saud, while Lafanga starred Iftikhar Thakur.
Pashto films
Total eight pashto films were released this year only in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi. The names of films wer Tamashbeen, Kukkay Khan, Aazari, Orbal, I miss You, Badmashon ke Badmash, Jaji Naroki, Zarayay Wabud Amla.
This year Zara Sheikh and Meera also started their Pashto film career.Pashto film is considered a safe investment and it easily recovers its cost.
So it wraps up the roundup of Pakistani films released in the year 2014.
Do share your views. Thanks for your time.
Rashid Nazir Ali