No matter how corny it sounds, but our state channel Pakistan Television has an inevitable place in our drama history. Those were the days when only a two minute silent scene was enough to make an ordinary person a recognized star. Those were the times, when script was the primary importance and artists used to rehears at least ten times before facing the camera!

We all have grown up watching PTV, some of the plays were breathtakingly ah-mazing and some were just good time-fillers. But there is another category other than these two; the category of must-watch PTV classics, the plays that everyone should watch!

Khuda Ki Basti

“Mother of All Serials” Khuda Ki Basti is Pakistan Televisions’ record breaking sensational novel-based play that actually was produced and broadcasted twice on TV, each time creating the same excitement among the masses! That was the time when a PTV play was a good enough reason for barren streets and pin drop silence on otherwise roaring roads. A true reminiscent of PTV’s glory that now deserves to be taught in our acting academies. 

The script of the play was written by Shaukat Siddiqui. It was a Sahira Kazmi direction, featuring some of the legends of Pakistani drama industry; Qazi Wajid, Zaheen Tahira, Mehmood Ali, Behroz Sabzwari, Munawar Sultana and others.

Aangan Terha

Aangan Terha – a witty comedy with just the perfect tinge of satire is another play that you should totally watch, if haven’t already. The settings and plot of the play was amazingly simple featuring only three main characters, Mehboob Aalam, Jahan Aara Baigum and Akbar, played by Shakeel Ahmad, Bushra Ansari and Saleem Nasir respectively.

Originally the play was a satirical commentary on the sociopolitical upheavals of 80’s Pakistan, penned by none other than Anwar Maqsood. Each actor was a suitable fit in the character, giving their best but it was Bushra Ansari who actually nailed it. She was quite young to play the character of an aged nagging wife back then but till date it is one of her most flawlessly done projects.

Shehzori

“Mein Bohot Buri Aadmi Hun”  How many of you can still recall this sentence? It was the pillow talk of hilarious Neelofar Abbasi in Shehrozi, which undoubtedly is one of the best slapstick comedies PTV ever presented.

Haseena Moin’s debut serial Shehzori is a hilarious play that revolves around a tom boyish girl Tara (played by Neelofar Abbasi) who apparently is a kiddish girl who gets nothing right but eventually evolves as a strong woman with a firm standing point. The play belonged to the black and white PTV era and Neelofar and Shakeel is without any comparison the cutest on screen couple of that time.

Tanhaiyan

From the pen of Haseena Moin, the cult classic PTV play Tanhaiyan is the story of two sisters Zara and Sanya who dig deep into the philosophy and essence of living in an attempt to get their parent’s house back. The play was a hot favourite among the audience giving the ultimate fame and popularity to the entire cast that includes Shehnaz Sheikh, Marina Khan, Behroz Sabzwari, Qazi Wajid, Asif Raza Mir and others.

This is probably the only PTV classic that made it to its sequel. Approximately after 27 years, Marina Khan came up with a sequel of Tanhaniyan that was very much the culmination of the same story but of course with new twists. New faces included Syra Yousaf, Alishbah Yousaf, Shehroz Sabzwari and Shehertar Munawar Siddique.

Ankahi

Timmy, Jibran, Maamoo, Faraz and Sana – sounds a bit familiar maybe? We all have grown up watching this family and share a common love for them, don’t we? The outstanding duo of Haseena Moin and Shaoib Mansoor presented Ankahi, the unforgettable PTV play in early 80’s.

Ankahi was a mega-cast play starring Jamshed Ansari, Shehnaz Sheikh, Shakeel, Javed Sheikh, Salim Nasir, Behroz Sabzwari, Badar Khalil and others. Ankhai was the story of unexpressed emotions and unfulfilled desire, one of those plays that kept the audience giggling only to leave them with an ultimate deep sorrow. Ankahi has been telecasted quite a few times now and its DVDs are still selling like hot cakes, you definitely need to grab one if you already haven’t amused yourself by this play.

How many of these PTV classics have you watched already? Don’t forget to add your personal favourites in the list by commenting!

Zubia Rizvi

Pakistani drama industry has a huge name within and outside Pakistan and no one can deny this obvious fact

The Pakistani drama industry has come a long way. Every year, we see extraordinary and touching stories that keep us well entertained and involved. However, behind the victory and success of every hit drama is the contribution of a director who may be considered as a shaper of the drama

Following is the list of top four Pakistani drama directors who have worked hard to provide us with quality entertainment.

1. Mehreen Jabbar:

Mehreen Jabbar is an accomplished director who has more than twenty dramas to her credit as well as a highly acclaimed feature length film, Ramchand Pakistani.

She studied film-making in the United States. Some of her well known Pakistani dramas include Doraha, Malaal, Vasl and Daam.

Mehreen manages to bring the best out of the actors who work in her dramas.This has helped her dramas to gain recognition and loyal fans everywhere.

2. Haissam Hussain:

Haissam stepped into the direction scene in 2007. Ever since then, he has been very active in directing telefilms, dramas as well as plays.

He is the director of hit dramas such as Noorpur ki Rani, Aik Nayee Cinderella, Dur-e-Shehwar and Ishq Gumshuda.

However, his drama Dastaan is the most well-known and he won numerous 2010 best director awards due to this.

This drama is still remembered as the perfect blend made up of a strong story line, powerful acting and flawless direction.

3. Sarmad Khoosat:

Sarmad is not only a director but also an actor and script-writer. He is the son of Irfan  Khoosat, an accomplished actor and producer of his time.

Sarmad started his acting career in 1998. However, his first project as a director and actor came in the form of Shashlick, in which he played the role of “Cheekoo” for which he is still remembered by many.

Ever since 2007, Sarmad has been directing dramas that have made people sit up and recognize his potential.

His biggest success as a director is the highly acclaimed drama Humsafar which won numerous awards of the year including best director at various award functions.Humsafar has garnered a huge fan following of both Pakistanis and non-Pakistanis alike. Other hit dramas directed by Sarmad include Pani Jaisa Pyar and Sheher-e-Zaat.

4. Anjum Shahzad:

Anjum Shahzad has made a name for himself as a very capable director in a short span of time.

His dramas have touched on sensitive issues amongst other topics. Some of his hit dramas include Thoda Toda Pyar, Khuda aur Mohabbat and Mirat Ul Uroos. He also directed the remake of  the 1966 movie Armaan. The remake has the same name and was aired in 2013 as a telefilm.

S. Rasool

Nowadays Pakistani media industry is criticizing the airing of dubbed soaps on the local TV channels. It claims that our local drama industry will be destroyed if these foreign plays will replace the domestically produced dramas and the matter is not taken care of. Specially they will occupy the prime-time hours which have a significant history of showing us some of the finest Pakistani dramas that gained popularity not only in Pakistan but abroad as well.

Apart from the debate about the quality of our dramas, we should have a patriotic feeling about our TV dramas. At least it is something of our own, of our own country. It belongs to us.

Pakistani drama industry has a dignified and glorious past of producing the unsurpassed dramas like ‘Dhoop Kinaray’, ‘Tanhaiyaan’, ‘Chand Girhan’, ‘Dhuan’, ‘Alpha-Bravo-Charlie’ and the list goes on. These plays were famous for creating a pin-drop silence on the streets. Even in the recent past we saw some noticeable plays like ‘Manay Na Ye Dil’, ‘Qaid-e-Tanhai’, ‘Meri Zaat Zarra-e-Benishan’ etc. The DVDs of the aforementioned and many other plays were interestingly seen overseas not only by Pakistani expatriate community but other nationalities also. Pakistani dramas are also shown in the acting schools of the neighboring country as inspiration.

There was a period when an attempt was made by the Indian TV channels to invade this industry through their low-quality soaps that had weak plots and senseless stories. Those dramas left negative impact on our society such as hatred, jealousy, greed and revenge. These behaviors entered our houses and females of our country were largely affected. These substandard plays also influenced the fashion sense of our people. Honestly, I never saw a man wearing a shocking pink embroidered suit before.

Then enters the dubbed plays. Urdu1 ventured into dubbed programming with a Turkish soap ‘Ishq e Mamnu’. Pakistanis loved the Urdu-speaking ladies of the Bosphorus and the play went viral as far as the ratings are concerned. For channels, this is a jackpot. With minimal production cost, just buy foreign content, dub it in Urdu and you are good to go.

I’ve read some arguments on the web that dubbed programming is a common feature of primetime across the world. I say, this might be a trend worldwide but the countries where this practice is followed might not have their own quality content. Pakistan is a different case.

Pakistan has a legacy of producing good quality dramas. From writers to actors, from producers to directors, Pakistan has a vast variety of talent that is increasing day by day. We don’t need any foreign content to amuse our television viewers. I agree that there is some shortcomings in our dramas but those deficiencies could be fixed.

I’m not against the screening of foreign content on our local TV channels. People like change and I agree with that. But, it should be controlled and limited. The prime time should be reserved for the original Pakistani dramas only. We should also keep in mind that local production of the drama is also connected to our economy. A huge number of people are associated with this industry. Broadcast of too much foreign content on TV channels will ruin the careers of people (including many labor and low category technical staff) associated with the drama industry. Let us save our drama industry from foreign influence before it is too late.

S. Rasool

Been born in London, England on October 9th, Ahsan Khan is one of the leading hunks of Pakistan who are known for not only their looks but for their tremendous acting skills. Having a long list of hit dramas on his credit, Ahsan Khan is an interesting person to know about. I have been looking for some interesting stuff on him and came across one of his most quickest and to the point interviews. Here is a quick session based on 23 quick questions which are beautifully been answered by Ahsan  Khan.

Residence?

 Lahore

Memorable Work?

Saiqa, Muthi Bar Chawal, Shala Kot, Duniya Daari, Dastaan

Favorite Food?

Sushi, Japanese Food

Favorite Color?

Black

Hobbies?

Horse Riding, Swimming, Watching movies

Family?

 2 elder sisters Qamar and Mehr, 2 Brothers

Debut?

Nikah (Movie)

Most valuable asset?

 My faith, my family and my power of intuition.

Craziest thing you ever did?

It’s too crazy to even mention here!

 One person you idealize?

In my field; Sir Anthony Hopkins.

One Talent, you would love to have most?

To be able to sing really well and play a few musical instruments.

 On what occasions do you lie?

When I’m afraid someone’s feelings might get hurt by the truth.

 Philosophy of life?

Be honest in your undertakings and have faith that God will reward you for your sincerity.

Secret ambition?

It wouldn’t be a secret, if I told you, would it be?

 You’d like to be reborn as?

A saint.

 A historical figure you are in love with?

None other than the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

 A project you wish you could have done?

No regrets, let bygones be

One activity that keeps you occupied in your free time?

Playing with my daughter.

Name one thing you would never or rarely get bored of doing?

My work, I love it.

What fictional character do you wish existed in real life?

 Superman! I’m a fan!

 If there were one thing you could change about yourself, what would it be?

I’m thankful that God has made me the way I am, I wouldn’t change a thing!

 Your mostly likely turns offs?

Rudeness and unkempt appearance.

  Turns ons?

Brains; an essential component to beauty.

All for now,

 share your views please.

Nida Zaidi

Marina Khan was born in Peshawar on December 26, 1962. Khan’s mother is English and her father Pakistani ,who served in the Pakistan Air Force. True to her Capricorn star sign, Marina is a lively, humorous, romantic, committed and sensitive person, with a special love for cats and dogs.

Marina remembers her childhood fondly :

“My father was in the Forces so we practically had to shift base every two years. Each time we moved, there was a new school and environment. The real friends that I made during my school days were when I got into class eight. I don’t have what would you call ‘childhood friends’. The thing with so much shifting around is that one never develops any deep association for any institute. Otherwise, I enjoyed the process of packing, going to a new home, decorating my new room and all. It was fun but I am sure my parents got fed up with all the shifting. My brother, Zarak, was not around the house as he was sent to a boarding school to ensure he had steady schooling. I guess I did feel lonely. Despite the fact that we fought a lot, it was wonderful when he used to come home.”

“Marina’s career in acting started with the long play, Rashid Minhas. Soon after came the hit serial, Tanhaiyan, which gave her instant recognition and the nickname, “Pink Panther”. Since then, Khan has worked in a number of plays that include: Ehsas; Dhoop Kinaray; Nijaat; Farar; Tum se kahna tha; Khali haath and Tanha, a serial in India written by Haseena Mom and was recently aired again on Star Plus. She has also been involved in theatre with Yasmin Ismail and Rahat Kazmi. Now Marina has ventured into Direction and debuted with, Tum hi to ho. Khan also runs the production company, ‘FAT CAT’ Production.”

So how did Marina enter this field ?

“My friend, Kehkashan Awan was working in the serial, Jungle, and I used to go with her to the studios just to see what it was all about. The assistant director to Shehzad Khalil (who produced and directed Rashid Minhas) had met me and I think at that point he was looking for a new face and asked me if I had ever acted or had thought about it. I replied that I had acted once in a while in school and college. I also told him that Urdu was my weak point. He was quite fine with it and named five people who have problems speaking in Urdu! He managed to convince me. After that came Tanhaiyan, which was also Shehzad Khalil’s production.”

Marina has fond memories of those days. ‘Tanhaiyan’ was a classic, it just became one of those plays. Though we hardly had any competition way back then, it was a huge success. Shehzad Khalil was the main force behind Tanhaiyan; that is one reason why I chose to work in this play. He was an amazing director.

“The script writer, Haseena Moin, was very apprehensive – obviously, there was this nobody (me) from nowhere, but Shehzad sahib had full confidence in me and saw beyond my Urdu. To convince Haseena Apa, he gave me a scene from Ankahi and made me rehearse. Shehzad sahib had made up his mind that he wanted me in Tanhaiyan. I went early to the studio and kept on rehearsing so when the moment came, there I was and there was Haseena Apa, sitting in one corner. I was so nervous!” And how did she manage to overcome her problem with Urdu? “I used to go two to three hours early for rehearsals and sit with the assistant director, Shaheen Ansari, and rewrite on the script itself, reading it along the way. By the time the actors would come, I was quite prepared. I remember Qazi sahib once commented, ‘Yeh ladki khoon thukwaya gi.’ We had a lot of fun during Tanhaiyan and we were like one big happy family.”

Marina recalls with a smile: “There was this scene where Shehnaz comes late and I am very upset with her and start shouting, ‘Bilcul tumhay koi fikar nahin hai, hum toh samjahy kay tum kissi rickshi taxa kay nichay ah gayee.’ Suddenly there was silence and then everybody started laughing and I was left wondering what I said. They asked me: Marina what is a rickshi-taxa?!”

The role of Saniya made Marina a household name and she is still identified with that character. “Nobody allowed me to come out of character. I was also very comfortable with it, but after a while I said I couldn’t do the same thing again and again. If you have a good director you don’t mind, as he/she will get the best out of you. But if you leave it up to me, I’ll do it the way I have always liked to do it with a good director. For instance, I thoroughly enjoyed Tum se kehna tha. Sahira guided me and would tell me not to be Saniya”. Right after Tanhaiyan, Marina did a serious role in Ehsas, which was a total change. After that came Dhoop kinaray, a mix of the comic and the serious. Her character in this serial was quite memorable as Marina romanced with Rahat Kazmi. Though she considers herself to be a romantic person by heart and believes in projecting romance and love as much as she can while directing, when it comes to doing romantic scenes, she finds herself unable to romance on screen. “During the making of this serial, I literally sailed through. I was on cloud nine as I was madly in love on a personal front. My mind was somewhere else. I just didn’t want to be in the studio and I didn’t feel like doing the romantic scenes with Rahat. I would start laughing during the scenes. Rahat would get upset as he hated the fact that I was starring opposite him and he kept calling me ‘kal ki bachci’ who couldn’t even speak Urdu correctly. Sahira literally yelled at me, and at the same time coaxed her husband to do a romantic scene with me. She was definitely caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. But now when I watch that play, it seems so effortless – hats off to Sahira, she handled it all so well.”

Earlier in the conversation, Marina mentioned that she was madly in love during the making of Dhoop kinaray. Considering her marriage was based on love, does Khan subscribe to the institution of marriage and where does her marriage to Jaleel Akhtar stand?

“Yes, I totally subscribe to the institution of marriage. It is a two-sided affair. There has be give-and-take from both sides. There should be humor and understanding, allowing the other person to grow by giving him/her space. Trust is the most important element in a marriage. Never try to change your partner as you are marrying the person you met and saw. If you do that, then your spouse will try too hard to change and he/she will not be the same person. Certain things do bind us together while other things change automatically.”

“I am married to the most wonderful human being. I have been very lucky. My life has not changed one bit. He is in the same field as I am, which is an added advantage. We don’t have kids so we are together all the time. I haven’t given up anything in my life. My love for animals continues, I don’t think I would have married a man who did not like animals.”

Most of Marina Khan’s acting career was with PTV. Why, then, did she go on the infamous strike against the organization?

“It all started when a news item appeared in the papers saying that artists would be getting a lesser salary than what they were originally given. The article felt like a slap in the face. I consider myself new, but people like Talat Hussain, Badar Khalil, Qazi Wajid are the ones who have given everything to Pakistan Television. Without any regard and respect for them, PTV gave a little snippet in the paper about such an important issue. So we got together and said, ‘fine, if that’s what you think of us then we are not going to work for you”. People like Behrouz and Shabir Jan walked out of serials already on air. Initially, we had a whole bunch of people supporting us but of course as we are Pakistanis, we obviously don’t stick together and many opted out’. On the whole, it was a lovely feeling to be under one roof, fighting for one cause. I feel sorry for the ones who were not with us – I call them ‘two-faced’ and ‘lotas’. I think that they should have stuck with us because in the end we would have won. As for PTV, the fact is that we have brought it respect and worked for nothing. Suddenly, the authorities turned around and implied that they are the ones who made us. Okay, even if they did make us as stars, there must have been something in us that they decided to use. You earn respect, you cannot forcibly ask for it and at that point PTV did not need the respect it was getting because it was just kicking us in the face.

With reference to PTV, Marina holds Shehzad Khalil in high esteem. She remembers him as a humble and wonderful person. “He was one person who respected every person in the studio. He was never a ‘me, myself’ person. When we were on the sets, he used to see to it that everything was completed on time. If we did not learn our lines and things got delayed because of us or anyone else, he used to give us hell”.

“Shehzad sahib never once claimed that he was the one to introduce me to show business. Haseena Apa once took credit for it but as much as I love her, I have to say she did not. It was Shehzad sahib, he literally fought for me for Tanhaiyan.”

For Marina, her fellow actors were fun to be with. She talks fondly of all the actors she has worked with. “It was a lot of fun working with Shehnaz. We are still in touch and whenever I see her on television, I stop and watch the whole programme just because of her. She is an amazing person and yes, she was a fool to stop acting. Sania and Huma Nawab, my co-actors in Farar, were a pleasure to work with. I remember there was this scene with Huma and Sania where I was supposed to cry but I just couldn’t stop laughing. Sania used to get very angry and the more she got upset, the more we would laugh! Sania is very serious when she is acting. She is a very professional actress. Recently, I did a play with Humayun Saeed. He is a good actor and has done a brilliant job. I am very happy with his work. He understands the subtlety of acting. He’ll give you his all.”

Marina went to India to work for Haseena Moin’s serial, Tanha, for a three-day-shooting schedule in Raigarh village, outside Mumbai. “Working there was a wonderful experience. Indians are very professional in their work and have a lot of respect for artists. We were working with a team of seventy-five people but everyone was doing their job. Nothing was delayed.”

How would she compare ours to their television industry ?

“Look at how small the world has become… and yet we want to stick to our little corner. India is doing a lot for its entertainment industry. Recently, I was in New York and attended the first Bollywood music awards. Atiqa was invited and I was visiting. Later, a television program was aired on an Indian-based channel with Atiqa, the Indian singer, Suneeta Rao and I. Live telephone calls were coming in so that people could talk to us. Most of the calls were for Atiqa and I. I was shocked as I thought nobody would know who we were. Most of the people who called up were Pakistani and were so happy and proud to see us. I was so overwhelmed with the welcome feelings and thoughts. We should take shows abroad and give our artists the exposure they deserve”.
“It took me fourteen years to get into Direction. The first time, I directed just to see if I could do it or not. I enjoyed it, so I stuck to it. My directorial play, Tum hi to ho was not a good experience as there were too many tensions. I think I mismanaged a few things and Humayun definitely mismanaged some, too. I was working with Shabir Jan for the first time and we had our differences. He is a brilliant actor; I would love to work with him again but on my terms, not on anyone else’s. Then there was this new girl with whom I had a bit of a problem. I had Vinnie and Atiqa in this play but they never objected to their roles. But this new girl behaved very badly and I don’t want to work with her again.”

So will ‘Marina, the director’ like to be ‘Marina, the actress’ ?

“I hate being behind the camera and in front of the camera at the same time. I can’t direct myself. I am a director’s actor. I feel I need someone telling me what to do and how to do it. Initially, Humayun asked me to play the role of Vinnie but I was more interested in being behind the camera”.

What is Marina, the director, working on these days ?

“I am busy editing two Eid plays. One is Satish Anand’s Eid dot.com, the other is Humayun Saeed’s Tu lakh chalay re gori. I had a wonderful time doing Tu lakh chalay re gori. We had five days of recordings and it was a blast. Normally, one tends to get tense but I was going home and not feeling tired. The cast included Atiqa, Humayun, Ismat Zaidi and Sumayra – all lovely to work with. I loved the script of the play – it’s very cinematic. I had an excellent editor, Mussaver. I strongly believe that you should enjoy your work and create a relaxing atmosphere. I would hate to be a director who tells artists to act in a particular way. I’d rather let them be, and just guide them.”

“I hope to do a sitcom and then, Kirchiayan, another play that was written two years ago. It’s a lovely story. I want to keep it as a long play. Next year, inshallah, if someone gives me the money, I’ll make a film. I am dying to make a good film. And in that, I am going to have a special dance number that I am going to do myself. Oh yes, I just have to do a Alfred Hitchcock dance. Why not?”
“Marina has recently migrated to Canada. Once settled, she’ll see how things work out. She feels that the decision to go abroad is a good option, as one doesn’t know what the future holds here. “It is such a political yo-yo here. One day there is no censorship and then one hears that the duppatta policy is in place. I feel that it is not fair on the people who have put money and hard work in a feature only to suddenly hear that certain things cannot be shown because of a sudden change in [social] policy. If you have the means, capability, and are intelligent enough, there is no harm in having an option. Having an option does not mean that you are betraying your country because no one can take your country away from you.”

S. Rasool

Who doesn’t know her-  Sanam Saeed, the most versatile and a beautiful face of Pakistani Media Industry

Lets have a short conversation with us and know a little bit more about her

Which part of Pakistan do you hail from?
I was born in London, lived there till I was 6 years old and moved to Karachi in 1991 and have been here since then.

What is your Zodiac sign?
I am an Aquarian

Where were you schooled?
I was in Bay View High School till my O Levels

Were you involved in any sports during your school days?
I was a national swimmer in school and participated in long jump and high jump competitions.

After being chosen out of a population of 170 million people to represent the world’s leading beauty brand, do you feel you have come a long way in your profession?

I certainly do feel I have come a long way in my profession and it was a pleasure to see that the hunt was not just for models but for multi faceted all rounders who were successful in their respective careers and have worked hard over the years to become somebody.

How difficult is it in your opinion to balance your personal life with your professional life, as sometimes it can be difficult for a working woman?

Balancing your personal life from your professional can be challenging at times depending on your lifestyle I assume. I have been fortunate not to get the two mixed up or find it challenging.

Tell us a bit about your work as a model and actress?

I have been acting ever since I can remember. I started modeling when I was 16. As a teenager I didn’t enjoy modeling too much and was afraid I was too young to be caught up in the industry therefore seldom did shows. As an adult I grew to be more confident with a stronger more mature head on my shoulders and found modeling more interesting and easier. However, I still try to be selective about my work. As for acting I feel time and practice like anything makes one better and better at it. Black Fish, Chicago and Mamma Mia have been my best projects to date. Good team leaders, directors, years of experience on stage and passion has brought me where I am.

Today 51% of the population of our country are women, how do you feel they can progress and play a more active role in the country?

Women on news channels today, commercials, models, teachers especially, doctors, actors, NGO workers these women and many more are playing as big a role as they can in society. They are inspiring men, other women and children all the time. Their commitment, dedication, independence and femininity are prevalent all around us. An independent working woman’s role has proved to go a long way both nationally and internationally.

What makes a woman beautiful?

Confidence, warmth, humility and a great smile.

How do you feel being part of Loreal Paris?

Surprised for starters. I am also extremely flattered to have been chosen as the only representative from Karachi, and am excited to see the difference my participation in this project can make.

Do you have any personal goals you hope to achieve by being the brand spokesperson for Loreal Paris, how do you want to utilise this platform?

I hope that my involvement in this project encourages other girls particularly in the modeling/glamour industry to strive a little harder than just working on their appearances; to be passionate about other things they might enjoy doing and to never stop trying. In other words, (it has to be said) I hope that my being one of the brand spokespeople makes them all feel they’re worth it too.

What is the most thrilling or challenging aspect of being part of the largest cosmetic and beauty brand in the world?

The thrill is the fact that it is largest cosmetic and beauty brand in the world and little old me is part of it.

To what extent do you think you can represent Pakistani culture and beauty being a Loreal Paris brand spokesperson?

I am an example of one of the modern day, working, independent young women of Pakistan. I have represented my country as captain of my swim team, as a comedian, as an actor, as a model and now I get the chance to represent Pakistan as a brand spokesperson of the largest beauty company in the world. Therefore I think I can add to the positive message and idea regarding women of the third world countries that we have been able to achieve every now and then through various platforms.

If you were to pick a charitable cause, which one would you pick?

Any organisation working with children. An orphanage, Edhi or SOS.

You have garnered so much success and acclaim in your field, what would your message be for the young women of our country?

Follow your dream, never ever for one second give up something you feel you are immensely passionate about. Always try before you knock it down, not just once or twice but several times before you decide you have to give it up. Parents: support your children, let them put their foot in the door of their dreams and give them a chance before holding them back. I for one am extremely grateful to my parents for believing in me and letting me chase my dreams

S. Rasool

From Durr e Shawar’s younger sister Mahnoor to Cinderella Meesha, from Meesha to Responsible wife Zara, from Zara to loving and caring sister Ahmerin, from Ahmerin to stubborn teenage girl Meenu, from Meenu to Protective sister and Possessive daughter Hiba. Yes I am talking about Maya Ali. Maya Ali is a bubbly character of our drama industry with in short span of time she has recognised herself as a good actress in the Industry. Her success can not only be marked in the field of acting, she got variety in her talent. She is not only a good actress but a successful model, a skilled reporter, a fine host and a talented VJ as well. She has worked for Samaa Tv, Waqt news, A-PLUS, Dunya news and Kohinoor channel. Currently she is just working as an actress in different dramas.

Maya Ali received a mixed views on her acting skills. Some are happy with her performances and some consider it not up to the mark. Starting her career in acting from a brief role in durr e shahwar Maya Ali had up till now done 6 projects and there are more in pipeline. In every drama Maya has appeared in a different role, well mostly you can find her in a sisterly role but her each role is dissimilar.

Here is a short review of her career up till now which defines her role in each dramas:

Durr e Shahwar: She started off well with a brief role in drama durr e shahwar telecasted on HUM TV. In this drama her name is Mahnoor. Her role is not very explanatory except that she is a younger sister of Durr e Shahwar (Sanam Baloch) and was born in a rich family and she always respects her elder sister. The drama was directed by Haissam Hussain and written by Umera Ahmed.

Aik Nayee Cinderella: This is her very next drama after durr e shahwar telecasted on Geo TV and she got the lead role in this drama opposite Osman Khalid butt and Faizan Khawaja. Maya’s role in this drama was Meesha (Cinderella). This drama is a modern retelling story of Cinderella and people were resembling it to Disney world stories. This drama was also directed by Hassaim Hussain and written by Faiza Iftikhar. Meesha (Maya) is a pity girl who was mistreated by her step mothers and sisters but her grandmother always loved her and took care of her. She cried and asks help from GOD to send fairy to help her and then Rooman (Faizan) appears who claims to be a fairy helped her to get Mayer (Osman) a rich guy for whom Meesha thinks that he is her prince charming. Meesha got confused between the love of Rooman and Mayer. She was angry with Rooman as she came to know that Rooman is not a fairy but an ordinary person. She finally embraced the love of Rooman when she found out that Mayer is a coward and cannot get her out of difficulties. As Meesha Maya has made this character successful despite her debut lead performance. She received loads of appreciation from viewers. This drama is a basis of Maya’s recognition in Industry and a signature drama of Maya Ali.

Aunn Zara: After Aik nayee Cinderella Maya got the project of Aunn Zara again under the direction of Haissam Hussain. This drama is written by Faiza Iftikhar as well but the real name was Hisar e Muhabbat. Maya played the role of Zara opposite Osman as Aunn. Zara co-incidentally get married to Aunn telling lie to her father an uptight army officer that she loves him because her father wants her to go join Air force but she wants a complete family as she is the only female member. There were lots of dynamics in Zara’s Character, a lively girl, an obedient daughter, an adorable daughter in law and a responsible wife yet furious as well who fights with Aunn over the bedroom and little things during early days of marriage. Hence this character needed a great amount of expressive acting and Maya had done this beautifully. This is a top notch performance by Maya in her entire career. This drama received huge applauses from viewers and listed as the top ten drama of 2013.

Khoya Khoya Chand: Maya finally opted out from Haissam Hussain’s direction to catch up with Khoya Khoya Chand a drama which is again written by Faiza Iftikhar. Maya played the role of Ahmerin who is a loving and caring sister with a sweet nature. After death of her sister she married to her sister’s husband Arib (Ahsan) who also loves her in the past but had never expressed. She took care of her sister’s baby, she ran away misunderstanding Arib but later came back realising she was wrong. In this drama Maya had received lots of criticism on her acting. Well bad things happens in Professional Life how can we forget Numm of Fawad Khan.

Meri Zindagi hai tu: Now Maya finally landed into A&B’s Production. This drama is currently ON-AIR on Geo TV. Well Maya is not in the lead role in this drama she is doing a supporting role along with Ahsan Khan and Ayeza Khan in a lead role but her role is very vital and almost closer to the lead role. This is a very different character played by Maya a teenage girl Meenu who is very stubborn and her stubbornness always results in a serious problems to Nazo (Ayeza) who is her aunt and took care of her after the death of her parents. Due to her closeness with Nazo she didn’t want Nazo to get married to Aman (Ahsan). Aman develops close friendship with Meenu. Meenu however reaching at the age of 18 misunderstood this friendship and thinks that Aman loves him. Now she doesn’t want Aman to get married to Nazo and so to stop this marriage she does abnormal activities resulting in new problems for Aman and Nazo. This character is a bit tricky because this character is new in its own kind and these type of roles can be rarely seen. Maya had done absolute justice to the role but according to people’s views she needs to work hard on her vocals.

Ranjish Hi Sahi: This drama contains a much diversified story from usually stories, another project by A&B production which is currently ON-AIR on Geo TV. This drama is full of tragedies, sorrows, sufferings and pain. Each and every character is very difficult to be played. Maya is yet again in a sisterly role but a possessive sister Hiba who hates to share her sister and mother with anyone. At start Maya was in a supporting role but after the death of lead role Yumna (Samiya) in the serial there is now a confusion that whether Tooba (Sana) or Hiba (Maya) will be in the lead role. The character of Hiba requires so much effort to be put in, a girl who is overprotective, a little bit selfish and extremely loves her sister and mother and how she bears the shock of her mother Yumna’s death. This drama carries so much twists and turns which requires characters to get bend and conform according to the situation specially the character of Hiba and Tooba. Maya had done a remarkable job and latest episode results in a lots of gratitude by viewers to Maya. A much difficult drama for Maya I must say. This drama is directed by Nadeem Siddique and written by Maha Malik

Maya had proven herself as a very promising actress in the Industry and she is gradually improving. There are ups and downs in every person’s career life but we have a tendency to criticise first and start judging others on negative aspects only neglecting overall performance. Maya got a very bright future ahead in Pakistan Entertainment Industry. I wish best of Luck for her future.

Maaz Ahmed Siddiqui

Script and screenplay are the backbone of any drama we watch on TV! A megastar star cast can be a gimmick to promote the play, create a hype and attract audience for a few initial episodes of the play but only a strong story-line will make the viewers stick till last episode. During the last few years, our entertainment industry has opened doors and welcomed few novelists on board, that I must say is like a fresh gust of air for the industry, let’s explore three of those female novelists who actually made it BIG on TV in no time!

Umera Ahmad

Don’t have a thing for fantasy, sugarcoated romance and non-realistic comic plays? Do you actually prefer watching plays that genuinely inspire a social change in society?  If you have replied “yes” to both questions then Umera Ahmad is the one writer you are definitely going to savour!

Unveiling the hidden evils of society, presenting them through an engaging story and then summing up the play with a possible solution is Umera’s thing! Her plays Doraha, Maat, Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishan, Daam, Qaid-e-Tanhai and others all have a purpose; purpose of bringing a change into the society for good.

Kankar, is one of her recent plays that actually received mix feedback from the audience. The play revolved around a girl Kiran who was stubborn enough to not to surrender and compromise at the cost of her self-respect and individuality. The play wrapped up with a message that there is a fine line between standing up for your rights and being stubborn and that marriage is not the end of a girl’s life. Getting married doesn’t mean that now a girl will have to live only for her husband and in laws but this relationship should be established on the basis of equality for both parties.

Faiza Iftikhar

I remember Faiza Iftikhar as one of the most hilarious and genius comedy writers, of course after watching her beautifully written play Manchalle (starring Sanam Baloch and Danish Taimoor). But comedy isn’t the only genre where Faiza excels; she has given an amazingly beautiful fairy tale play for probably the first time ever to the drama audience of Pakistan in the form of Ek Nayi Cinderella.

Faiza Iftikhar is a versatile writer, who at one point makes her viewers giggle with dramas like Aaun Zara and at other times tries to be more responsible and presents the not-so-pretty side of socitey with plays like Akbar Asghari. Personally I feel, Faiza’s play can be a hit or miss, they can either wow you or disappoint you totally (I’m pointing at Khoya Khoya Chaand).

Farhat Ishtiaq

The queen of romance Farhat Ishtiaq made her television debut with the universally famous play Humsafar. Like her novels, the play recvieved huge appreciation from all across the globe, Sultana Siddquie, the Chief Executive Officer of Hum Networks declared it the best play of all times and honoured the entire team of the play in channel’s official award ceremony. The success story doesn’t end here rather it was just the beginning, Humsafar gained international recognition with it’s telecasting on Indian TV channel Rishte, not only that but the pay was dubbed in Arabic as well.

Farhat Ishtiaq’s another novel, Matta-e-Jaan was also dramatized under the supervision of dynamic Mehreen Jabbar, the play didn’t create as much Ohhs and Ahhs as was expected but it wasn’t a plain flop either. The fact that the screen play for this drama was written by another writer but not Farhat herself shouldn’t be ignored while rating her as writer.

Rehaii was the play where Farhat wrote about anything but romance for the first time ever, The play was disturbing mainly because it aimed to unveil the shockingly bleak side of our society, it proved the versatility of Farhat Ishtiaq.

Bin Roye Ansoo, the upcomming play of Farhat Ishtiaq has already created a buzz around before it’s release. Let’s see if it meets up with audiences’ expectations.

Who is your favourite playwright among these three? Your feedback is appreciated!

Zubia Rizvi.

So, another one of GEO’s attempt of grabbing the attention & TRP’s is Inaam Ghar. This one takes after & more like is a remake of Tariq Aziz’s famous PTV program Neelam Ghar. Neelam Ghar has entertained us a lot just because a learned man like Tariq Aziz hosted it. Back in those days when we had no other channels, Neelam Ghar was the only quiz/game show which had a huge fan following because no doubt the ideas Tariq Aziz instilled in his program were for sure very unique.

So, the modern day Neelam Ghar is Inaam Ghar which is not a bad attempt but isn’t a good one either. Despite the huge studio & modern-day setup, the show lacks the charm. The main face of the show is none other than Dr. Amir Liaqat, who was introduced to the media industry by the GEO Channel itself. As a man who was affiliated with the religious institution of the country, he has remained a controversial celebrity for more than a decade now. I think the thought of reinventing a quiz/game show wasn’t that much of a bad idea but to see Dr. Amir Liaqat host it isn’t appeasing at all.

I must say 10 – 15 minutes of watching the show was enough for me to understand his tangent. The show has a segment named ‘tukka lagao’ where he is constantly repeating the tagline which he used in Ramzan transmission last year & even after getting criticised for it, once again he blurted ‘Musalmanon, tukka lagao’. Jumping from one place to the other, mimicking the girls who replied to him in English, being extra-friendly with the ladies, taunting paunchy old men for their huge waistlines, jumping with younger boys to compete, this is what Inaam Ghar is all about because our very own, very learned, very talented, very genuine & very humble Dr. Amir Liaqat is hosting it.

No doubt he is just a host, who is doing what is asked of or more like what he is capable of but I think viewers must remember that when his behind-the-scenes video got leaked, he was hosting a Ramzan Show for ARY Digital & very conveniently he blamed GEO Channel for fabricating it against him. If he was a man of substance, he would’ve never ever gotten affiliated with the channel once again, but the very next year we saw him back on GEO, working for them ardently. This is enough of an excuse for us all to understand how commercial he is. I think people need to wake up & understand the antics pulled off by him.

I think it’s a high time for us to understand how conveniently he switches his modes just because he wants to be in the limelight. The best way is to boycott such personalities because they do not teach us anything which they think they do & claim to. I think he loves to be controversial & also I have never ever seen him apologize for the wrong he has done & how he has hurt the sentiments of his fans, instead he got away with all his unjustified deeds by blaming others for it. Taher Shah’s bit is another open example of what Dr. Amir Liaqat is capable of & what sort of sense of humour he endorses.

I think to make this show a hit GEO should’ve opted for another host, who wasn’t as controversial or had a decent sense of humour. It isn’t necessary that one has to stoop to a certain level where hosting a show is required. A decent, witty & humble person can always be a better host. Just because Dr. Amir Liaqat is hosting it & without rectifying his mistakes, this show has become a comedy show completely. I think a person like him should learn from his mistakes & must understand what is expected of him because no matter what he likes to be known as a man who has profound knowledge of our Deen so for that he must act responsibly & reasonably. I didn’t find anything positive about Inaam Ghar except the fact that the people were getting sponsored giveaways & I got a chance to laugh my head off because he reminded me of that particular amazing parody of his, released by the 3 idiots Production in July last year.

Decide for yourself & share your thoughts if you have seen Inaam Ghar kyunki Firdous ki lawn appki huiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!! :D

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Pakistani drama industry has got a big list of celebrities who are adored for their contributions in the field of acting and Sania Saeed is one of them. Whether it be her Sitara Aur Mehrunisa, her Zaib-un-Nisa, Aahat, reality show Maa or Numm and Aseerzadi now, Sania has always proven that she knows every bit of acting by showing versatility in all her onscreen characters.

 Been born on August 20^th 1975 in Lahore, Sania is often called as ‘Sani’ by her friends and family. Belonging to an educated family of Punjab, Sania is has done B.E. in Psychology from the University of Punjab. For her flawless acting, she has won 2nd Lux Style Award for best actress award, 16th PTV Best Actress Award,3rd PTV Best Actress Award so far.

 Out of so many interviews that I have come across lately, this one is, for sure, the best of all.

 Have a look!

From theater to acting on the small screen, how has the journey been so far?

When I started working for theater it was the early 90s and it was an Indian script called ‘Aurat’ that we reproduced for the Pakistani theater for the 8th of March. That was the beginning of my career as an entertainer. Then I did some theater on and off, but went back my studies. Later I joined NTM as an announcer; in fact I was the first announcer who opened the NTM transmission from Karachi. Then Sahira Kazmi offered me ‘Aahat’ for which I had to leave the job. But the job was not that important for me in any case, so I quit the job at NTM and went for ‘Aahat’.

How was the experience of working with a legend like Sahira Kazmi?

While working with her in ‘Aahat’ I realized that television as a medium has a lot of potential and I really enjoyed working with Sahira especially. There was a lot of interaction, she never treated me like a new actor or a child, and she would not let go of a mistake I made, and corrected me all the time. But in the end it was a learning experience for me. Years later she came to me full of appreciation and said that this is why I never gave you space, because I knew you could do it better.

If acting didn’t work out, what would have been an alternative career for Sania Saeed?

I have been trained to be a psychologist and if I had not ventured into dramas and acting, that would have been my field of choice. The subject interests me and human psychology has so much to it. That is my approach towards my characters as well, to analyze and perform a role by first assessing the psychology of a character. I might have been a teacher or a Vet, as a child I always wanted to be a vet.

Did your family accept it at once that you have chosen media as a career?

 I never had much opposition in whatever I wanted to do. I come from a family where they believe in doing whatever you believe in doing, as long as you can stand by it. I take it as a job as a learning experience where I am still learning. I don’t take what comes as a result of my work too seriously, people’s opinions, especially when you are at college it becomes a lot to take when people come and appreciate you or criticize for the work. I am just not cut out to be a ‘Star’ and I can’t lose my personality to adapt the kind of persona that is requisite to be a star.

 You have been working for a long time now, what changes have you seen in the industry?

This whole nostalgia business that our work used to be very good has more flash back value than real. We go flash back; Tanhaiaan was very good, flash back; Dhoop Kinarey or Aahat were very good. A lot of plays at that time too were very not very good and not very popular. If I ask you to name 10 plays from the 80s and 90s that were very good, you will not be able to do that. So we have just fallen into the habit of saying that the plays used to be much better in the past. There were many plays where the audience did not like the content, cast or acting and it is still the same. There are good and bad plays in every time. We have to accept this and learn to appreciate when people produce quality work because they are putting in a lot of effort and hard work.

 The drama industry has expanded in recent years; do you think the standard has deteriorated due to that?

I think this is all in our head, we are living in flashbacks. Every time we see a drama we go in flashback, Tanhaiyaan was so much better, or Dhoop Kinarey or Aahat for that matter. It is our fault that we have stopped looking at the new productions with an open mind; instead we revisit our past only thinking of a few good plays. If I ask you right now to name a dozen PTV productions from the 80s and early 90s that you can remember, you will not be able to do that. There have been both good and bad productions at every point in time, stop living in déjà vu and start finding the good in what is being done today. This might help the people who put in a lot of effort and energy into their work.

Which projects did you enjoy working on the most in recent times?

From my recent ventures Aao Kahani Buntey Hein has been my favorite project. Kanwal Khoosat had directed it and it is written by Afzal, a new writer, who developed the stories. It is very theatrical and creatively done. The story is of a writer and his wife who develop a story each night. They are the narrators and the actors as well.

 What are your considerations when choosing a project?

I am a storyteller; the first thing I look at is what am I saying and what is the story conveying to my audience. I do not want to do a role that I don’t want to stand by or they go home empty. It’s basically the story, what is the story saying, what impact will it have, what impact my character would have, not a big fan of big jargon and slogans. I like subliminal messages, I like portraying people in different light, I don’t like stereotyping which is what television drama have become. Sometimes even I get stuck with it, because it is your profession and you have to do something, but most times I have been able to avoid it.

There are other people playing an important role in the production, how do you negotiate it with them as how you want to play the role?

I am notorious for debating my character and projects, even though I like most of the people and like to work with everybody. But the kind of process that I want my work to have, not everybody works with that, that’s why I have ended up working with very few directors. In my whole career, which is more than a decade, I have only worked with seven or eight directors.

These days’ people choose to work on so many projects that if you switch channels you won’t know if that is the same play, why have you not done that, does money not as important for you?

This is a decision that you make as an artist and as a professional. What is it that you want to achieve from what you are doing? I have a skill, that I have made my career, I want people to remember me for the characters that I have performed, even if they forget my name, they should remember the plays that I have done and the characters that I have given to them. If I am doing similar plays all the time, then it will be a little difficult to achieve that. I will give my luck a lot of credit that people have come to me with substantial project, with which, by a lot of hard work, I have been able to get my characters recognized. So people remember my characters and the stories that I was telling.

Can you name some of the most memorable plays that you have done?

All the projects that I have done have been so different from each other in experience and have different memories; great memories that I would like to keep. I have learnt a lot from every project, every writer, director and cast that I have worked with. It’s a totally different energy and a totally different experience, so I would not be able to say which one was the most memorable.

How would you like to be remembered?

As an artist who worked hard, gave a lot of hard work, performed some good characters and was good at what she did and told good stories.

You have performed such diverse characters, from a vengeful step mother to a hardworking and caring daughter. What kind of characters do you find the most challenging?

I have to work very hard on my characters, hard in the sense that I want them to be different, I want them to be convincing, and I don’t think it’s a job you can take lightly. There is a lot that can assist the actors in their roles elsewhere, but in Pakistan, it mostly depends on the actor. They depend on the actor a bit too much; you have to establish the whole thing with only your performance. Make it convincing, create a persona, and come up with the get ups and all. So every character becomes invariably challenging for you. Like there was this play Lamha Lamha Zindagi, when I read the script I thought what is it about, what is the story saying? For me it was an inane script, with no impact. My character was crying throughout the serial. But my husband (Shahid Shafaat) was doing it, so he sat me down and asked me how I wanted to portray that character. So without changing anything with the script we managed to turn that character into a very controlled, strong and focused woman. Whose silence speaks for it, she is not cowing under the pressure but her silence became her strength. A lot of women I met later said that the character was all too good and they had told their daughters that a woman should have at least this much pride and grace in her. The character was not a proud in any bad way, but she had confidence in herself and she believed in what she was saying. So the point is that you have to create challenges for yourself and come up to them.

What factors contribute to a play’s success and facilitate you as an actor?

The success of a project depends on the entire team. Sometimes the directors is not that receptive to your ideas and does not let you perform a role in the manner you would prefer to do it. I think the understanding between an actor and other team members is key to a project’s success. The experience differs from project to project and script to script, but it is team work that eventually makes a script into a masterpiece.

What do you think is the biggest issue that we are faced with in our television productions?

The biggest problem at the moment is with scripts, and the stories television is telling people. The stories are bad, they have a negative impact, they are stereotyping men and women, and they are dictating a certain moral code which I don’t think is their business. They are telling the story in a manner that does not leave any questions in your mind, but only reinforces what you have already been told. These stories are not allowing you any thinking space; they are not challenging your already very strongly built belief system, which I think is the need of the day.

Why is it that such stories are being written, do you think the writers suffer a narrow vision?

Most of the plays are written by women and these women I think have a narrow vision. I do not call it good or bad in any manner, it is just their own life experiences which make them build such stories. They probably have spent their lives within the boundaries of this belief system, so they are writing whatever they can see and come up with in this narrow sphere. Television being a huge medium, in terms of its potential and its outreach could have been used to propagate thought provoking stories, which is where we lack. Channels have formed this notion about certain type of stories that this is what sells, this might not be wrong but we are not utilizing the mass medium to its full potential.

 What kind of criticism do you face as a seasoned actress?

I wish we did get criticism. I have been asking all the journalists I meet why they have stopped writing on television? Why there is no feedback for television? Criticism is an art and it is something that you cultivate, that you develop with time. You have to have an understanding to be in the rightful place to criticize. It’s not anyone’s business to do so. I want people to come up with productive criticism, it bothers me that they are either not thinking at all or if they are thinking, they are not able to verbalize it. People who call them critics write with a very superfluous vision, which does not contribute to the productions in any manner.

  Do you think the emphasis on perfecting a role is forsaken, in favor of quantity rather than quality? Who do you think can correct this?

That is true; quality is often compromised for quantity. It is us who can correct this behavior, we have to put our foot down and make them read a script of rehearse. When I am doing a role, I ask the other actors with me that I need rehearsal even if they don’t, none of the actors or directors have refused to rehearse with me. It has to be you who have to stand up to achieve perfection. You are responsible for the kind of developments that are taking place in your profession. Sometimes I may not need to practice a scene but the other actor does, so it’s my professional duty to make them rehearse the scene, so we can perform it convincingly. It about working together and synergy it is not an individualistic art.

Is there a chance that you will take up a movie project in Pakistan?

If they produce a film in Pakistan I will surely act, if offered a substantial role in it.

 As a person how would you define yourself?

I think no one can define themselves, you should ask others, the people we interact with, they might be better able to tell you about me.

You started off your career with plays like Aahat and Sitara aur Mehrunisa, do you think starting off your career from such a high level set you apart from others on a higher standard?

I would never think that way, either it is a very big project or a small one, if I take it up, I will consider it as a challenge and take it forward that way. Why create limits for yourself, when there is a lot more work to be done.

  Why do you think the standard of drama has been compromised? Is it due to extensive commercialization?

The industry is still new, give it some time. It will sift out the bad itself, you have to give it space. And of course productive criticism will also help in sorting things out. You write about something you do not like, once, twice, the third time it appears in print people will give a serious thought to evaluating their stories for that specific element. Don’t blame any individuals or the industry at large, think and come up with ways to reform it.

Hope you all enjoyed reading about her. Please share your views,

Wishes

Nida Zaidi