Meesha Shafi is a talented name in Pakistan Film fraternity. She is a model, an actor, a singer and a famous face of Pakistan. She is proud daughter of Saba Hameed. She has been interviewed to reveal the artistic side of her personality and here is what she has to say.

Where were you schooled?

I went to the Toddlers’ Academy for preschool and then Lahore Grammar School till I gave my A levels and graduated from there.

Were you involved in any sports during your school days?

I was extremely athletic throughout school. I’m very passionate about a lot of sports and love exercise and being physically active. I was on pretty much every team and was a competitive swimmer and a gold medalist in diving.

How were you approached to represent L’oreal Paris as the official spokesperson in Pakistan? What factors did you consider in making this decision, if any?

It was a very easy decision to make. I admire and respect what L’oreal Paris stands for. Their image and philosophy are something I am proud to be a spokesperson for because I too believe that beauty is more than just what you see, it is about substance, talent, accomplishment and doing all with grace and self assurance.” Because you’re worth it”

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 definitely feel extremely flattered. It gives me great pride to represent the world’s largest beauty brand and to know that they chose me to communicate to thousands of beautiful women across the country. Yes, I most certainly feel that I’ve come a long way. This is a huge and very exciting achievement.

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

As a model, I have set standards for myself from day one. There is a lot of work I say no to. I don’t want to compromise on quality. I’ve tried to do consistently outstanding projects, be it print, ramp or commercial work. Up until now, I can safely say that I look back at the work I’ve done and am proud of it. No regrets. It’s not easy to do, because nobody likes saying no to money and work. But my standards are something I do not compromise on. Music is a brand new horizon for me. I am loving the feedback and appreciation so far. The first album with Overload is full of chances. We produced, wrote and released what we as artists like. The response has been overwhelming. Again, we didn’t think too much about what sells and what would be commercially desirable. Instead, we followed strict quality and aesthetic control and made music we believe in.

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?

It works like clockwork for me. I have grown up watching a mother who runs an excellent household, is a big, successful celebrity and she takes all challenges in her stride. All you need is a little support and I am now married into a very encouraging and understanding family. I’ve been lucky to learn from the best and end up in a family full of artists just like my own.

What defines beauty and glamour in your opinion?

Grace and dignity. A woman who goes through life with poise and charm, all the while hurdling the obstacles that come her way, is beautiful. Glamour is the perfect sugar-coating that any beautiful woman has the right to don herself with. Dressing up, makeup, hair, colour, scents, all these are a woman’s territory. When done well, a glamorous woman is a spectacular sight.
Beauty has very few boundaries; everyone is beautiful in one way or another. Some people can be beautiful to me just for the way they think, what they have to say or how they treat those around them. Other than physical beauty, there are many ways to win the hearts of people. Glamour on the other hand, does have a lot to do with style, whether it be understated or very out there. It has to do with what you are expressing through being very elaborate or polished in your appearance, be it your face, the clothes you wear or even just the way you carry yourself through a crowd. But with glamour, I feel you have to have a certain degree of self awareness and a grounded sense of what works for you, since being glamorous is rarely subtle, it can quite often go horribly wrong.

How do you feel being part of L’oreal Paris?

It’s extremely flattering to be approached by such a prestigious company, to be part of a list of beautiful, dynamic and highly talented names from around the world. I’m thrilled to be one of the first brand spokespeople from Pakistan. It’s a big honour and an association that I’m immensely proud of.

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

I would love to use this opportunity to help people become more confident about how they look, beauty is all about enjoying what God has given you, feeling good, being positive and surrounding each other with happy vibes. L’oreal Paris is a brand which celebrates beauty and gives everyone a chance to feel good, look good and think well. Through their constant innovation and hundreds of patented breakthroughs, they bring you closer to realising what works for you, giving you customised care and thousands of options for your needs. I want to bring their message of celebrating beauty at any age, any colour and in every human being to the masses. Because You Are Worth It!

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

The most thrilling aspect of being a part of L’oreal Paris is what they represent. They represent self empowerment, confidence and growth. These are essential for any individual, and with the position of being brand spokesperson for L’oreal Paris comes a chance to inspire people to embrace their inner beauty and the way they look. It’s challenging only because our nation gives little attention to the way the dress and take care of their bodies, skin, hair etc. But it’s a big step in the right direction and I’m honoured to be on board.

To what extent do you think you can represent Pakistani culture and beauty being a L’oreal Paris brand spokesperson?
The extent to which Pakistani culture and beauty can be represented is limitless. There is so much tradition, rich culture, exotic beauty and talent that we have to offer and the world doesn’t have a clue. We have it all, all we need is to promote it, and with a patron as big as L’oreal Paris, we can actually achieve that. As their brand spokesperson, I see the true image of Pakistan as a vibrant, colourful, young nation finally being put across to not just the rest of the world, but to other Pakistani’s who seem to not realise their true potential.

Considering the problems the country is facing today, do you think you can use this platform to send a positive message across internationally?

It is most certainly the perfect platform to encourage the many suppressed women of our country and make them realize their potential. As spokesperson for L’oreal Paris, I hope to communicate to women that they need to realize and embrace their worth.

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

Most probably CARE. They have been doing a brilliant job for so many years educating and helping the less fortunate. I’m a big fan. And what our people need first and foremost, is good schooling.

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

Believe in yourself, but don’t ever compromise on your dignity or principals. If people around you are holding you back from something you know you’re good at, do not give in. Life is bigger than what your boyfriend likes or dislikes and what your parents want you to be. If you have a talent or potential to excel in something, don’t care what people say. But remember, work is work. It is trying, tiring, difficult and frustrating. No shortcuts. That is, if you want to stand out.

I hope you guys must have enjoyed the interview. Please don’t forget to vote the article and drop your comments beneath

S. Rasool

This fact can’t be denied that years have gone when Pakistani females can be seen in some particular areas (dramas, serials etc) on television. Today, women are stronger than before. They know they can prove themselves in a variety of genres, one of the most popular being “anchoring”. I can recall old days when there were a handful of television channels broadcasting current affairs talk-shows. Most of them being dominated by male anchors but then a new era emerged, when women also started to pursue the field of anchoring. Being the anchor of talk-show which is based on the current affairs of the state is a big deal because it involves not only great efforts to compile the research matter but also it is one of the most time-consuming jobs. Nevertheless, our females have nailed it and Pakistan has produced a good number of these females which are successfully delivering their best in this area of Pakistan Media Industry. Some of the most popular anchors are:

1. Jasmine Manzoor:

Who doesn’t know Jasmine Manzoor. It won’t be wrong to put here that she is the most aggressive female anchor in Pakistan. She is not only an anchor and a journalist but also a blogger.

Jasmine did her Masters in International Relations. She has been working as an anchor since 1999. Her famous show “Tonight with Jasmine” on SAMAA T.V started in March 2010. Jasmeen has also made documentaries on various subjects and has received four awards for her outstanding work, one of which was the Benazir Excellence Award for Best Female Anchor in Pakistan in 2009. She is a powerful female current affairs anchor

2. Mehar Abbasi @ Mehar Bukhari:

Meher is brave and sharp. She knows everything about Pakistani politics and knows how to get to the point. She worked as a host on Dunya News, in a program “Cross Fire with Meher Bukhari”. Currently she is doing “News Eye with Meher Abbasi” on DAWN News. In this program, she interviews Pakistani politicians, and talks about the current affairs in Pakistan. In November 2011, Meher married ARY News current affairs talk show anchor Kashif Abbasi

3. Asma Shirazi:

Born in Islamabad, Asma Shirazi has a Postgraduate Degree in Political Science. Asma Shirazi started her career with the media industry in 2001. She has substantial experience as a news reporter and program anchor. She started her career from GEO T.V and after some years she switched to A.R.Y Group. After working for years with A.R.Y Group (hosting current affair shows etc), she joined SAMAA in July 2010 and where she hosted a weekend program ‘Faisla Aap Ka’. These days she is doing a talk show called “Faisla Awam ka” on DAWN News.

4. Sidra Iqbal:

Sidra Iqbal is also my personal favorite anchor. She is not just a journalist and an anchor but also one of the celebrated youth icon. Sidra is a prominent television broadcaster in Pakistan since 2006 and has a number of signature shows, productions and momentous coverages to her credit. Her shows have featured a number of VIP guests from Heads of States, Policy makers, corporate heads and celebrated popular icons. Sidra especially enjoys a country-wide strong youth fanbase, who keenly follow her comment and advice on youth issues and self empowerment.

In July 2012, Sidra became the first Pakistani anchorperson to host the official digital platforms of the International Indian Film Awards 2012 (IIFA), the mega Bollywood extravaganza of immense global popularity in Singapore, a project that expanded Sidra’s fans base across borders.

Her popular talk-shows on P.T.V are “Insight” and “Spot-light”

These iron ladies of our media are doing exceptionally well and they are the ones who possess the capability to fight for the right of common Pakistani by showcasing basic and core issues  in front of the elected representatives of the state and trying to resolve them. These young ladies address the real issues of our country and try to fight it. There are other female individuals as well who are trying to give their best in this field but the ones mentioned above have earned good name as well which must be considered as a payoff of their hard work.

We wish them best of luck.

Do let us know who is your favorite female anchor person and why. Leave your comments in the comment box beneath and also don’t forget to vote the article

Enjoy reading

S. Rasool

I was cleaning my wardrobe today and guess what did I find? Memories! We all feel equally excited while going through our childhood pictures no matter how old we are, it is always a new feeling to recount the days of growing. Based on this tiny incident that I encountered today, here are some of the interesting childhood pictures of our favorite celebrities of Pakistan who seem just as adorable as they look now.

Have a look!

Mahira Khan

We all like  her, don’t we? Mahira was born a beauty. Isn’t it?

Sajal Ali

Sajal has hardly changed a bit.From her eyes to her smile, she looks pretty same in both of the pictures

Sheheryar Munawwar 

Sheharyar’s hairstyle in Aasmano par Likha resembles his childhood haircut and no doubts, it has really suited on him irrespect of his age anyway

Ayeza Khan

To me, Ayeza was even cuter in her childhood. It is hard to judge from her childhood picture that she has turned into a celebrity known as Ayeza Khan.

Amina Sheikh

Style  diva Amina Khan- in her childhood

Mikaal Zulfiqar

One of the most expensive celebrities these days, Mikaal looks extremely dashing in this click of his childhood.

Mehwish Hayat

Who knew that this tiny soul will be one of the top 10 beautiful faces of Asia someday? Mehwish Hayat in her childhood!

Imran Abbas

There are some of the lucky ones who are born smart, grow smart and then look smart as their life progresses, and Imran is its example. His silky straight hair and eyes, his cheekbone and nose, all seems to have not changed a bit with age.

Jana Malik

People know her as Jana  Malik- The  Celebrity now! Jana Malik was really cute in her childhood

Nazia Hassan

‘Ankhen Milaane Wali-Dil ko Churaane Wali’ Nazia Hassan(late) in her childhood days.

So these were some of our favorite celebrities who are loved by a huge audience for their phenomenal work and talent.

Please share your views on the collection.

Wishes,

Nida Zaidi

Who doesn’t know Atif Aslam. He is “THE PAKISTANI GUY”. Lets have a sneak peek into his journey to stardom.

Student Life and “JAL”:

Atif attended high School at PAF College, Lahore, where he played Kabaddi and became interested in music.

He attended Punjab Institute of Computer Science (PICS) to do his Bachelors in Computer Science (BCs).

It was at PICS, Lahore that he met guitarist and talented young composer, Gohar Mumtaz. This lead to performances at their college and at various restaurants eventually pushing the pair into finding a name for their subtly formed band, which they named “Jal” – which means water.

Working together, the pair recorded the song Aadat (with the help of Salman Albert, amongst other established and accomplished Pakistani musicians). It became popular on a host of promotional Pakistani music websites.
The music video for Aadat was shot one day in a warehouse in Karachi. On the base of this one song, “Jal” began their tour of Pakistan—such was the strength of “Aadat”.

Atif leaving “JAL”:

However, whilst on tour, personal problems led to a verbal bust-up resulting in an unannounced and indefinite hiatus, during which Atif launched his solo career. Atif Aslam, after leaving Jal, released a new solo album, Jal Pari (meaning “Mermaid”) which was a big hit.

The Songs Woh Lamhey, Dil Haarey and few others were smash hits on both Pakistani radio stations and Music Channels. As both the Jal, “Aadat”, and Atif’s album, Jalpari, shared certain tracks (such as “Aadat”, “Bheegi Raatein”, “Wo Lamhey”, “Ankhon se”) an unofficial war over rights began which resulted in both sides claiming to possess hard proof to support their respective claims (that, they alone owned the concerned songs).

The hype this feud gave to both Atif and the new Jal was extraordinary and split the musical nation with the fans of each side backing their respective favourite.

Atif’s voice in BOLLYWOOD:

Whilst the drama of lyrics & composition ownership continued in Pakistan, Bollywood director Mahesh Bhatt called Atif Aslam to seek his consent to include “Woh Lamhey” in the soundtrack of his new motion picture, Zeher (2005).The song (especially the remix version) became a hit.

This pattern of a slow playback song by Atif in the movie, supplemented by a remix version released for radio airplay was to become standard procedure with Atif’s songs on the Indian market.

He recorded a song for the movie Kalyug (2005), entitled Juda Hokey Bhi – a slight variation of the ever famous Aadat song.

Like with “Wo Lamhey / Bheegi Yaadein”, a slow version became the theme for the movie and part of the official soundtrack, whilst a remixed version was released to hit the radio stations and desi clubs worldwide.

After recording for Kalyug, an Irani director in Hollywood contacted Atif and within very little time, Atif recorded three songs for that same director’s Hollywood movie, Man Push Cart and was rewarded with a small cameo role in the movie.

Atif re-emerged in the subcontinent with a new track, “Tere Bin” (translation: [Without You]) for the Bollywood Movie, Bas Ek Pal (2006). The song “Tere Bin” became a hit in India and Pakistan.

It was also being considered as one of the most touching and heart melting numbers of the year 2006.

In between the copyright war and media war with Gohar ( Jal ) and recording Bollywood songs, Atif has been touring the world and working on his new album.

Atif visited various countries in Asia, Europe & The Americas which include Pakistan,Bangladesh, India, UAE, UK, Canada & America—taking his sound to the “pardesi” (expatriates of the subcontinent) worldwide.

Atif’s new album has been entitled Doorie and has released on December 2006. The songs include Maula, Doorie, Kuch is tarah, and Hum Kis Gali.

Atif’s Passion:

For his immense passion for cricket he was selected in his school team as a fast bowler. Atif cleared his 10th grade in 14 years of age with a distinctive edge that he has always been the youngest boy in the class because of his double promotions while he was in Kimberley Hall.

Atif started his HSc in PAF College Lahore. Cricket was all the times with him. He was in his college team as well where he presented his college in other cities. Beside his studies he was putting his maximum time in practicing for the professional cricket. During his college life he came across with some interest in music. His eldest brother was having a collection of more than 8,000 songs of almost all music genres.

Un-intentionally he was developing a habit of listening to this all kind of music in his house.

As a good learner he quickly grasped the control of voice but till that time he was not interested in singing, his passion was to enter in Pakistan cricket team as a fast bowler and he was right on track while practicing at the net at Shapes club Lahore where Imran Khan use to come and give tips to him for bowling.

The twist in the story comes when one day he was singing with his friends at the college canteen. His friends insisted him to participate in the singing on Independence Day celebrations at PAF College Lahore and Sargodha in 1998. He performed there and won the competition. After HSc Atif Joined Punjab Institute of Computer Science Gulberg Campus. This time studies were much more demanding as compared to the previous ones. He has to sacrifice his time for the cricket.His hobby of singing continued when he entered in the singing competition of his college There were a total of 8 participants .The media team entered atif’s name in the competition at the eleventh hour and he won the competition singing a hit number of “string” “Duur”.

He kept on winning these competitions every semester until he announced that he will not participate in next competitions so that someone else can also win the competitions. He found Goher at his college who was having good interest in Music & was a good, talented guitarist. Together they use to practice a lot and started doing mini concerts for their friend.

Atif use to sing the Junoon’s and string’s song at the concert. The volume of audience kept on increasing. They performed concerts for their college, McDonalds and some other restaurants as well. Atif recorded the legendary song “AADAT” at Mekal Hassan’s Studio. Mekal injected his professionalism in the song to make it worth listening time after time. Atif formed the band and named the band as “JAL” which means water, the essence of life.

The song got popularity on the different musical websites on Pakistan. The song was also being on aired on major Radio channels of Pakistan like FMr within just 5 months of the sale and its still continuing.

Atif’s triumph – inflow of awards:

His song Woh Lamhay fetch him the nomination as best singer for 2005 in almost all the film awards of bollywood including Film Fare Awards, Zee Cine Awards, and IIFA Awards etc. He just got nominated for Best Playback Singer (Male) for his song “Tere Bin” from movie “Bas Ek Pal” for Filmfare Awards 2007.

Some of the awards he has won include: Best playback singer, Best debut singer – Sahara Sangeet Awards (India) Winner OF Best Song Best Lyricist Best Composition – ARY Music Awards (Pakistan) Most Wanted Male – The Music Awards (Pakistan)

He has been the judge of musical shows as well and has earned a good name in India too.

After his marriage he didn’t take much of break and is still in producing more of good musical stuff.

We wish him good fortune for the upcoming projects

S. Rasool

Whenever you travel, either it is abroad or within your own country, there are such situations that end up making your journey a really tough one. I have been traveling in Pakistan and also abroad and every time I see different people ruining my journey. This article will focus on these people, their actions and how to get rid of them. People who have had experiences like me must read and then share their opinions in the comments section below. I have spent a lot of time in traveling from one city to another and I have also been traveling abroad since three years. Daewoo buses, trains and even planes have different people in them who come with an aim to disturb others. Under circumstances like these, travelling is a challenge.

While travelling through train I have seen babies crying like anything and their mothers scolding them instead of trying to stop them. These babies not only disturb the people by not letting them sleep but they often make a normal person sick. Continuous crying noises actually result in nauseating others and this has happened to me before. Apart from this I have send families eating stuff and throwing the leftover under their seats. Like seriously is this the place to throw stuff? This results in a very bad odor all around the cabin. I have also experienced typical uneducated boys staring continuously at any girl sitting in the train. This also creates a lot of discomfort. Once something like this happened with me and I was not able to sleep the whole night in that train.

While going out of Pakistan, I came through such families who are fully dressed up. Women wear matching glittery dresses and same colored shoes and dark formal makeover while men wearing a suit. I usually start laughing when I see people like them having no dressing sense. A person must always be casual while they go through the journey. I have also seen men who call the air hostess after every five minutes and this is according to me the most stupid act that I have ever seen before. My point is that when you need something you can call the air hostess but why do some people call the air hostess just to look at her? This is something that disturbs me a lot while I travel. Apart from this there are some people who disturb others by their eating habits. They eat like almost everything on the dish and then they burp and fart. That is truly ridiculous. Once an incident like this happened with me and I had to change my seat.

Moving on to the journey through Daewoo, this is for me the most tiring journey ever. The most common disturbing actions during this journey are when some one continuously kicks your seat from the back and the never ending cell phone discussions. The act of kicking seats is common in adults and children. This act is actually done to disturb others. What I do to get rid of this disturbing act is that I point them out at that very instant. It is your job to make them aware that this is a disrespectful act. Kids who are older then 4 years I speak to them directly and if a small child is disturbing me, what I do is just that I tell his mom to take care of him. You shouldn’t be afraid to speak up to them because this is your right. More over there are times when the person sitting next to you smells really bad. At that moment what you should do is that make yourself prepared because this is something that you can’t tell him directly. If you tell him directly it would be hurtful. You can keep a small vial of organic peppermint oil and use it in these cases. Just rub some of it around your nose and you won’t smell anyone else’s odour.

Now coming to the people who continuously talk on phone in a high voice, what I do here again is pointing them out. I directly say that please can you keep it down. Sometimes an eye contact can also help you make that person realize his mistake. If this also doesn’t work then I walk to that person and say that can you please understand that we are trying to relax here. Remind them politely but forcefully and I am sure that they will realize. These are some of the habits that irritate me while travelling. Don’t forget to share yours.

Written by: Moomal Hassan

Sanam Baloch is not a very new face in the industry but it is worth noting that the place which she has occupied in the industry in a very short span of period is worth-appreciating. She has become an icon for the newcomers and it is all because of her extraordinary hard – work that she put in. Lets have a glimpse on her career life.

Top actress and television host Sanam Baloch was born on 14 July, 1986 in Karachi.

Education:
Sanam Baloch is a graduate of Karachi University. She has two brothers Farhan Baloch and Abbas Baloch and three sisters Sabreen Hisbani, Maheen Hisbani & Ghinwa Baloch. Sabreen Hisbani is also a well known television actress.

Career start:

Pakistani actor Sanam Baloch started her career with the talk show in the Sindhi television KTN. On Sindhi channel KTN; Sanam Baloch worked in two shows i.e. Sanam Ji Pasand and Diyoo. Sanam Baloch entered Urdu television industry with Fahad Mustafa’s play Kalag. The play was a hit. Sanam Baloch has also appeared in many music videos both in Urdu and Sindhi languages.
Sanam Baloch has been successful from the first day of her career. All this fame was not new for her as she has been popular in Sindhi television. Pakistani actress Sanam Baloch started her career in Sindhi television channel KTN immediately after completing her matric.

Sanam’s popularity:

Sanam Baloch because of her lively nature and innocent face became so popular that people would climb over one another just to get the glimpse of her when she used to go to Sindhi speaking areas like Larkhana. Sanam Baloch was launched by Fahad Mustafa also known as Sunny Tunio.

Sanam’s career and Fahad’s role in it:

Sanam Baloch and Fahad Mustafa had met on the set of talk show Sanam Baloch was hosting. At that time, Fahad Mustafa was working in a play Kalag and he needed a female actress. Fahad Mustafa immediately approached Sanam Baloch. The female actress said an instant no as she was doubtful if she could act. But Fahad Mustafa somehow convinced her to say yes. The play went to be a hit. However, Sanam Baloch had never expected the play to get huge success. Pakistani actress says:

‘The play was aired at night, and in the morning I started getting calls from people congratulating me on my performance! In this day and age when there are so many channels this is truly remarkable.’

After such a successful break in Urdu television industry, Sanam Baloch went on vacation for two years. This was obviously very foolish decision on her part but she says that in these years she grew as a person and after returning she knew what kind of roles she would like to play and portray and that what role to choose, what scrip and director to choose. Top actress learnt to say no to roles that were not worthy. She only accepted lead roles that too with strong scripts. Sanam Baloch says:

‘New people have difficulties enough getting work, but I have been lucky that I have actually selected what I want to do.’

Years of success:

In 2009-2010, Sanam Baloch was hosting morning show named Morning with Hum. But she left it to focus more on acting. Currently Sanam Baloch is hosting a program Subha Saverey Samaa Ke Saath on Samaa TV. She has also recently completed her drama serial “Kankar” on HUM TV which got enormously popular. She has been the part of various other popular drama serials as well but her drama “kankar” this year is phenomenal.

In 2013, she got married to Abdullah Farhatullah. We wish this couple a very happy marriage and also wish to see more of Sanam Baloch in the drama serials

What do you have to say about Sanam Baloch? How do you find her as an actor? Do you want to see more of her?
Please leave your comments in the comment box

Cheers

S. Rasool

In one of my article before I wrote about the increasing trend of promoting Indian culture through the launching of their dramas on Pakistani TV channels. At that time this topic came in my mind that not only their dramas but also the actresses and actors of India are playing an active role in cultural invasion. The brands of Pakistan choose Indian celebrities as Pakistani brand ambassadors and this is where our talent gets suppressed. This article will focus on some of the brands that have chosen Indian celebrities as their brand ambassadors.

What is a brand ambassador? This question must be arising in the minds of many people who are not aware of this. Actually a brand ambassador is usually an icon or a celebrity who promotes the brand through his popularity. The main things going on in the brand owners mind are that they should choose such a brand ambassador who is very much popular among the audience. This is the only way they can increase the sale of their brand. Unfortunately this is the biggest reason why Indian celebrities are chosen because they are more popular in Pakistan. Advertisements in Pakistan have always been followed by the trends and innovations adopted globally. From 1998-2008, after the formation of PEMRA there was a huge flood of channels which brought about the culture of Indian actresses as Pakistani brand ambassadors.

Coming to the brands that chose Indian celebrities as Pakistani brand ambassadors, Veet is a very famous hair removing cream in Pakistan. Almost 70 percent above women use this product. It has a wide range of products which include; hair removing creams, lotions and wax strips. Veet has different creams for different skin types. Katrina Kaif has been the brand ambassador of Veet since a very long time. We have been seeing her in many advertisements of Veet. Katrina Kaif was brought into Pakistan advertisement agency in 2008 and that was when this race continued.

Not only the beauty products but also the mobile phone companies of Pakistan want Indian celebrities to be their brand ambassadors. Q mobile is the leading mobile phone brand of Pakistan. They are always in the spotlight for their expensive and glamorous advertisements, bringing the real-wanted celebrities on screen. Q mobile has signed Aditya Roy Kapoor as their brand ambassador. it is expected that the company will surely get a boost in its sales. As this Indian celebrity has been extremely popular after Aashiqui 2 and he has turned into a heartthrob for many girls out there, he will now be seen in a couple movies that he has already signed and will also be doing commercials, which off course are also a good source of generating revenue that is why Q mobile has made a choice and took him as their brand ambassador so that they can get a high increase in their sale.

Moving on to clothing brands of Pakistan, Firdous Lawn is considered to be a trend setter for hiring Indian actresses for their latest lawn collections. Previously they chose Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, both of them have a big Bollywood name and brought about fame from across the world. They also captured the attention of every fashion follower. Recently they have gone for Sonam Kapoor who is well known for her style sense. Sonam Kapoor is a very popular Indian actress and she will surely increase the sale of Firdous Lawn. This trend was followed by Crescent lawn that have opted Karishma Kapoor as brand ambassador for their collection. Also the leading designer Fahad Hussayn has chosen Priyanka Chopra to be the brand ambassador of his brand.

Pakistan is spending a very high budget on such pure Indian advertisements. Since these actors are appreciated quite a lot for their unique dressing and taste of glamour in India and so they are equally welcomed in Pakistan by the common man. It does bring attraction to their brand but is it the right thing? I will definitely say no. Pakistan has such an immense lot of talented actors and actresses who are also very popular but still we need others to display our brands, Why? Calling out on actors from other countries and neglecting our own stars, this is pure injustice to them. We are degrading them openly through such acts. Some of the Pakistani actors have even complained about this trend. Instead of promoting the brands with other people, the Pakistani brand managers should go for people from their own country. Pakistan is full of talent and beauty which is being neglected by its own people. We should learn to appreciate it.

Written by: Moomal Hassan.

Amina Sheikh is the super fashion model, actor  & host in Pakistani Media Industry. Her elegance and elective style has taken her to the heights of success in a very short period of time.

She has a very positive picture of supporting and caring family.  According to her “I take great pride in my family, my support system that is built around me, my husband Mohib Mirza and all our close relations attached to my marriage.”

She has been given a privileged title of Amina Haq of today by Instep Magazine due to her ability and charm to amuse the audience with her hot looks and figure.

The dazzling beauty, Amina Sheikh recently modeled for the Big name Maria B. She has worked in many dramas and long plays. She has done ramps for some of the big fashion designers. She has also modeled for several high profile campaign and editorial magazines.

Revealing the secret of her slim figure she said that there is only one week in the month when she does not stop herself to eat sweets and snacks but rest of the month she keeps a strict diet schedule

Now let’s look into early years of her life and how she entered into show biz

Amnia Sheikh did her primary schooling in Karachi and secondary schooling in America. Aamina Sheikh done courses in film video production which she got from Hampshire College in Boston. After the return from America Amina Sheikh start her career in Pakistan showbiz Industry. She worked in Geo Television program Bachey Man ke Sachey. She is also a producer and produced a talk show in 2007. Aamina Sheikh started her acting career from Gurmuch Singh ki Waseeyat which was a telefilm. The telefilm was Saadat Hassan Manto novel based and has very strong storyline. Second drama was Wilco the ISPR and this was major break for her. As an actor, Aamina is portraying strong and challenging characters with incredible sensitivity and attention to details along with being extremely natural in her portrayal of complex roles. She was brand Ambassador of clear shampoo in 2009. She was also Regional face Emirates in 2009 and 2010. Aamina sheikh was also nominated for best model in Lux Style award.

These are Aamina Sheikh’s Popular Drama Projects:

 Qissaon Ki Chaadar
 Mera naam hai muhabbat
 Boltay Afsanay
 Dil-e-eNadan
 Agar tum na hotay
 Haa;-e-Dil
 Daam
 Saleena
 Tere Liye
 Ishq Gumshuda
 Hum Tum
 Uraan
 Mera Saaein
 Main Abdul Qadir Hoon
 Maat
 Umm-e-Kulsoom
 Kuch Kami Si Hai
 Mora Piya
 Ek Hatheli pe hina ek hatheli pe lahoo
 Mera saaein 2
 Mirat ul uroos

Because of these projects and her excellent modeling skills she has been really recognized & appreciated by the film fraternity.
But some of her critics also say that she doesn’t possess a model’s face. A greater number of her fans and followers love her because of her great acting skills.

It can’t be denied that she has struggled a lot to make room in the media industry. From modeling to acting and hosting, she has proved herself in every area and this is a positive sign that she will soon become a renowned media person.

It is also worth mentioning here that she her film was also nominated in SAARC Film Festival of 2013 and it brought her great laurels. It is something worth appreciation

A number of her fans want to see more of her. At the moment HUM TV is not showing any of her dramas and this is making many of her fans and followers, unhappy.But anyway, it is evident that Amina Sheikh has really made her “NAME” in the industry

We wish her best of luck

But before you move-on, please share your comments about Amina Sheikh in the comment box below. Also let us know whether you think she is a YAY for the Pak-Media Industry or a NAY

Cheers

S. Rasool

Mathira is no one but who you want to see, you know? I am turning into a controversial author here for my topic selection perhaps, but I speak my heart, after all this is where we can share our opinions and thoughts with a complete liberty. Getting back to the topic, yes, Mathira is someone who the audience wants to follow. We have been taught throughout our childhood that there are two ways to progress, and Mathira seems to have chosen the easier one. I was going through her official fanpage and was really shocked to see some of her pictures. Interestingly, even more surprising were the number of likes and comments on her each click which represents her followers within the country.

Starting off with a mid-night live talk show from a local channel, Mathira started her showbiz career and got prominence for her bold attitude and slang language in no time. Using her confidence as a weapon to polish her over-confidence, Mathira soon earned even a higher limelight by being in the news for her dress malfunctioning in a fashion show. She got noticeable and cashing her as a source improving TRPs, different channels kept on bringing her on screen. Those of you, who still wonder about the family and morals of Mathira, it is necessary to state that she was born to an African mother in Zimbabwe. Nowadays, the actress is busy in India and shooting for her upcoming film.

While the high-rated celebrities condemn indecency on screen, they know their class and the life of showbiz really well and mix out with controversial celebrities openly. Here are some pictures of Mathira with her good friends who are known for their reputation and decency on-screen.

While half of the audience hates her for her roles and nude photoshoots, there are some veteran actors of our industry who still do not mind her company during the shoots and parties.  Mathira, surely has a big showbiz circle!

Besides the fact that Danish Nawaz is good as a director, his acting skills often reveal the spark within him. Watching him with her in the click is really nothing to be surprised about.

The Lollywood star Moammar rana with Mathira and a friend in a party

Now this one is really funny. Wudood of QSKB with Mathira

I soo wanted to see Noor Hasan somewhere apart from his ‘Aseerzadi’,and here is where I could see him lately.

*Sighs* I wonder where was Sania this time!

Amazed? at least I was! It was lately that Mathira was found calling Shahid Afridi as mentally sick and here they are again, together in a snap.

Jahanzeb Khan is a rising star and whether it be the movie Armaan, or drama serial ‘Rishtay Kuch Adhooray se’, he has managed to force the audience to like him. Here is one of his pictures with a ‘naughty friend’ Mathira. This is how he has elaborated this picture on his official fanpage.

Mathira’s dressing is a real embarrassment actually. Saud spotted too in one of her recent shares.

Is Fahad suffering from an eye infection or drunk completely? *Wonders* It is one of the most rotated pictures on social media fan pages these days.

Following the footsteps of Veena Malik, Mathira has earned enough of hatred along with stardom in Pakistan and now all set to give her career a new turn.The best part about this entertainer is that she has something very similar to the audience. Neither she nor they care about her actually. Now that she is in India, I really hope that she do not return on screen with religious comeback like Veena  Malik, because unlike their respect, religion is NOT a Joke!

To me, Mathira is what Audience wants to see her as. Please feel free to contribute your share here.

Wishes,

Nida  Zaidi

There are a number of talented singers in Pakistan but there are only a hand full of female singer that have still been successful in maintaining their name in the industry. Hadiqa Kiani is one of them

Hadiqa was born in Rawalpindi as the youngest of 3 siblings, her older brother (Irfan) and sister ( Sasha). Her father died when she was 3 years old. Her mother Khawar was the Principle of a Government Girls School. Since childhood, Hadiqa and both her brother and sister had a knack for music, and as such her mother and school enlisted her in the Pakistan National Council Of The Arts. During her childhood days, she used to perform in front of crowd of thousands of people, at the Liaqat Memorial Hall Pindi in various children music festivals. Also music was taught as a subject in her school and she recieved early education in music from her music teacher Madam Nargis Naheed.

She went on to study at Viqar-un-Nisa Noon Girls High School Pindi. She represented Pakistan in International children festivals in Turkey, Jordan, Bulgaria, and Greece, winning various medals along the way. She also used to be on Sohail Rana’s children’s program “Rang Barangi Dunya”; a weekly musical on PTV.

As an eighth grader Hadiqa moved from birth place Rawalpindi to Lahore. She was then enrolled in Naya Aligar Public School Lahore. She then went on to Kinnaird and Govt. College, due to her excellent academic performance, and earned a master’s degree in Psychology.

In Lahore she got classically trained by Ustad Faiz Ahmed Khan (Late) and was also groomed by Wajid Ali Nashad (Late).

In early 90s, Hadiqa came onto TV to host a children music program from PTV called Angan Angan Taray. In the three and a half year long run, she had sung over eight hundred songs for children and also hosted the same show along side renowned music Composer Amjad Bobby (Late) and later on with music composer Khalil Ahmed (late).She also appeared as a VJ for a music charts program called Video Junction on NTM.

Hadiqa sung songs as a playback singer for a musical movie called Sargam (featuring Zeba Bakhtiar) in 1994 (muscic of which was composed by Adnan Sami Khan). The same year, she received various awards for her playback singing.

She won “NTM Viewer’s choice award” for the best female Singer of Pakistan in 1995. In the same Award show, Late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was awarded as the best Male Singer of Pakistan.

Hadiqa released her debut album Raaz (Secret) in 1996. She composed and wrote the lyrics to her first single, “Jeevan” (Life). The album spawned a string of radio friendly tunes and generally had favorable reviews. One reason Hadiqa”s album did well was because it was not common for female singers (from non musical backgrounds) to release albums in Pakistan. Also, she was the first female singer to release a pop album after a former pop singer, Nazia Hassan, gave up her musical career in 1993. Hadiqa’s ability to sing in various dialects also helped the album gain momentum.

In 1996, Hadiqa’s debut had sold over 700,000 thousand copies, a very impressive figure for Pakistan. This milestone came when piracy in Pakistan hit an all time high. She kept on releasing singles from the album, all of which were received well. These included “Yaad”, “Tu Agar Mil Jaata”, “Jaan E Jan”, and “Manne Di Mauj”.

Her increasing popularity was further highlighted in January 1997 when Hadiqa became the first Asian singer ever to perform on the British National Lottery Live BBC1 (a program with an estimated viewership 16.6 million at that time). Afterwards she worked on two more shows with Bally Sagoo for BBC 2 and ITV before moving to perform in the U.S. Her U.S. tour covered 15 states and a show in Canada too. The same year Hadiqa performed on several other international events such as “Celebration Hong Kong 97” at Happy Valley Race Course, alongside other International singers like Lisa Stansfield, Wet Wet Wet, Michael Learns to Rock, All 4 One and The Brand New Heavies.

By the end of the year she became the first Asian female singer ever to be signed by Pepsi Cola International. She was the second female in the world to achieve this, with the first being Gloria Estefan.

In 1998 Hadiqa began working on her second music album, Roshni (Light). The album was dedicated to her nephew Sonu, the son of her older sister, The first single off the album, “Tu Nawa Tu Sada” was released before the album was released. Hadiqa then released a second single, “Inteha-e-Shauq”. The song became the official song for the Pakistani Cricket team for the Cricket World Cup that year. Both songs being patriotic gained favorable reviews, however “Inteha-e-Shauq” was a much better success for Hadiqa.

On November 1, 1998 Hadiqa released Roshni. Initial album sales were powered mostly by “Inteha-e-Shauq”, which made the final listing of the album along with “Tu Nawa Tu Sada”.

Hadiqa’s third single off the album, “Dupatta” was an instant success. “Dupatta” gained more popularity than any other single .The success of the song was attributed to its quasi-bhangra rhythm with fat, funky techno beats and wah wah guitars, and Hadiqa’s “dreamy-meets-husky- vocals”, which made the results “stunning.” In wake of Dupatta’s success, Hadiqa soon went on to be widely accepted as the country’s leading female vocalist.

Capitalizing on “Dupatta’s” success, Hadiqa went on to release two other moderate hits, “Roshni”, and “Woh Kaun Hai”. She then delivered once again by releasing a sixth single off the album, “Boohey Barian” which went on to become an even bigger hit for her than “Dupatta”. To date, “Boohey Barian” is widely accepted as Hadiqa’s best single ever. So much so that it was adapted in TWO Indian films as “Hum Tuharey Hein Sanam” and Dil Laga Liya”.

Hadiqa’s massive success in 1999 was highlighted when she won PTV World viewer’s choice award for the best female singer in 2000. She also released seventh single off the album, “Intezaar”.

In October, 2005, Hadiqa became the first person to adopt a baby from the earthquake. She has named the baby boy “Naaday Ali” and officially announced her adoption decision on Geo TV the same night she adopted him on a live show “Capital Talk”. She then proceeded to announce it in an official press release. Later she was given the sole guardianship of the baby by the honourable court of Law.

Hadiqa represented Pakistan on the 25th Anniversary of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) in Turkey. Musicians and Artists from Islamic Countries such as Azerbaijan, U.A.E, Iran, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Turkey, Pakistan and Yemen took part in the festival. The event was organized by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. She performed at the AKM concert Hall on 23 November 2005. Among the audience were musicians from various countries. The biggest surprise for the audience was when Hadiqa sang “Sanalama” (Turkish song of Living Legend “Sezanaksu”). The audience gave her a standing ovation. At the end of her performance, The Mayor of Istanbul presented a bouquet of flowers to her. After her performance she received invitations for upcoming Art festivals in various countries such as Iran, Syria, Qatar and Lebanon. During her stay in Istanbul she officially visited various historical sites in Turkey and conveyed the love of Pakistan for Turkey. Her performance in Istanbul was important news in various Turkish News papers. She had to extend her tour of Turkey and performed in Ankara and Izmeer (Police Academy)

As an Ambassador of Pop culture in Pakistan, Hadiqa officially performed for various royalties and Heads of the states. She performed in China for the Chinese 2nd Premier on 21st Feb, 2006. She performed for President George W.Bush on 4 March, 2006. She performed for the Crown Prince of Brunei Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah on 29 May, 2006. She performed for Mrs.Laura Bush on September 21, 2006 at The Kennedy Convention Centre, Washington DC. She closed the year by performing for HRH Prince Charles on October 30, 2006, and the Chinese President Mr. Hu Jin Tau on November 23, 2006.

In January 2006, Hadiqa released a single, “Iss Bar Milo”. Although the song was off her album Rung, it was used instead to promote a duo between her and Aamir Zaki. They both had planned to release an English album. The song became a huge success, and its video continue to build on the trend of videos Hadiqa had released. In the video Hadiqa plays a schizophrenic patient at a mental institution for women. Reviews for the rock song were extremely favorable, with people appreciating her acting and her decision to sing different genres.

In Feburary 2006, Hadiqa’s mother got paralized. She is not just a mother but her best friend and her biggest support in life. Her mother is also the lyric writer of Hadiqa’s songs like Boohay Barian, Ranjhan, Mahi, Jogi and many more. Hadiqa decided to focus all her attention towards her mother and everything else came later.

On March 23, 2006, Hadiqa was awarded the “Tamgha-e-Imtiaz” by the Government of Pakistan, one of the highest civil awards of the country, for acknowledging her services in the field of music and bringing good name to the country for over a decade. The award was announced on August 14, 2005, but the ceremony was on March 23 2006.

Hadiqa had released another video by the end of 2006. She was featured on UK based producer Khiza’s album Loyal To The Game. The album’s lead single, “Mehr Ma” featured Hadiqa. The song was a massive success in Pakistan and UK, and was seen as a great return for Hadiqa after her ballads in Rung. This was highlighted by the fact that Khiza’s same album in Pakistan was titled Mehr Ma and not Loyal to the Game. In the video, Hadiqa is seen with different hairstyles and outfits. Its reviews have been extremely favorable. Hadiqa also performed the same song at the 2006 Lux Style Awards.

In March 2007, Hadiqa was one of the many artists that were featured in a widely popular track called “Yeh Hum Naheen”. In this song, various Pakistani artists joined to send out a message that people should stop blaming Muslims for the innocent killings of other Muslims. The song also sends out an anti-terrorism message. Other artists in the song are Haroon, Ali Haider, Ali Zafar, Shafqat Amanat Ali, Strings, and Shuja Haider.The song had been picked up by international stations like Fox News and BBC, and had received over 70,000 downloads.

In 2007, Hadiqa Kiani released her fourth album, Rough Cut, which was her 1st Eastern Alt Rock album in collaboration with Aamir Zaki. With the release of Rough Cut, Hadiqa became the first Pakistani main stream artist to release a complete English Album.

In April 2007, Hadiqa released the first single from the album, titled “Living This Lie”, a song which talks about the stressful life of being a star. The same week, Hadiqa was named “Hotstepper of the week” for a Karachi based magazine. The magazine also stated that
“Ultimately, as long as Hadiqa is around, there is still hope for women in the patriarchal music world of Pakistan”.

Hadiqa’s second single that was released from the album was titled “All The Same”. Because of having limited audience for such genre of music, Rough Cut didn’t sell as much as Hadiqa’s older works. Many experts said that since an overwhelming majority of people in the country do not understand English, the album didn’t sell as much. However the single “Living This Lie” got nominated for “Best English Song” for “The Musik Awards” in 2007. But, due to the emergency situations in the country in 2007, the awards were called off. Hadiqa also got nominated for Best Female Singer in the same awards.

In August, 2007, Hadiqa was one of the performers for the London Day Parade at Trafalgar Square, London which was broad casted by Geo TV to celebrate 60 years of Independence for the country. Hadiqa was the only singer who sang completely live that day. She was also part of closing the show with the popular patriotic song “Jeevay Pakistan” alongside Ali Zafar.

Later that year, she also released an Urdu single titled “Zindagi” which was a rock themed song about the life (Zindagi) of Pakistani children. The song was released a few weeks after the London Day Parade.

Hadiqa did not perform much internationally as she did in years before, and even toured around Pakistan less frequently towards the end of the year 2007 (primarily due to the state of emergency and the turmoils the country went through). However earlier in 2007 (May 19) Hadiqa performed at Dead Sea Marriott Jordan for 28 Heads of States at the World Economic Conference. During her performance Hadiqa performed an Arabic song too.

Hadiqa performed on Ten Sports Channel at a 20-20 cricket match between Pakistan and Bangladesh on April 20, 2008 at the National Cricket Stadium Karachi.

On 13 August 2008, Hadiqa Kiani’s 2nd marriage officially came to an end.

Later in September 2008, Hadiqa was signed as a Brand Ambassador for another Uni Lever Brand “PONDS (Age Miracle).

In October 2008 Hadiqa went to Mumbai to shoot two new Music videos.

After coming back from Mumbai, Hadiqa was signed as the Brand Ambassador for a Shoe Company “Soul Collection” a Company owned by Service Shoes (the biggest local shoe making Company in Pakistan). As the brand Ambassador of Soul Collection, Hadiqa revealed the 1st reversable shoe of the world called Soul Mirror.
In 2009 Hadiqa became one of the judges for a Music reality show on GEO TV called LG-Awaz Baney Star (1st student singing competition in Pakistan).

Later, on 16th June 2009, Hadiqa was signed as the Brand Ambassador for LG-Mobiles alongside singer Shehzad Roy.

On 17th June 2009 a press conference was held in PC Hotel Karachi in which Hadiqa’s 5th Album (4th Pop Album) “AASMAAN” was released officially in Pakistan by Fire Records (the leading Music Record Company in Pakistan). The same day her music video “Sohnya” was released on various music channels.

From 2010 till 2012 she has been busy in various projects inside and outside Pakistan. These days she is doing a singing reality show (Pakistan Idol) as Judge

We wish her best of luck for future.

Happy reading !

S. Rasool

I must admit that I found this week of Pakistan Idol a bit better than the onsetting one. I know a few bits & bobs were still there which pulled the show from stirring the WOW factor but I am sure it is getting better.

This week the judges paid visits to Multan & Faisalabad for the auditions & some really good voiced surfaced. Before coming to those parts, I would once again raise an objection at the editing team of this show for using Indian Songs at the background to fit a certain situation or anyone’s selection. I am sure there are a numerous Pakistani songs which can definitely be used but to actually hear Indian songs in Pakistan Idol hardly speaks some sense. I really want to feel the touch of PAKISTANI music in Pakistan Idol but just because of the Indian songs in the background & even the Indian songs sung by the contestants, I am finding it hard to jump into the bandwagon of Pakistan Idol because till now it sounds more like Sub-continent Idol, they should’ve at least briefed the contestants for singing Pakistani songs but sad about that!

Another thing that really made me worried was the rudeness of the judges. Bushra Ansari proved herself in the first week that even though she has NO know-how of singing, she is here to revive her inner-conscience as one & she is going to give the contestants a hard time but to add to my woes, Ali Azmat seems to be taking the first place in being unnecessarily stern towards the contestants now. I know it’s a tough job to go out there & listen to thousands of people & for that you really need to keep your cool but at times I really felt that he & Bushra Ansari – both were quite rude & passed remarks which were uncalled for.

I found the Faislabad episode obviously better than the Multan one because in Multan auditions, more focus was on the humorous side & on those people who were there for time-pass. Not sure if they were paid actors or what but I know there are definitely a few people out there who suffer from a disease called ‘over-confidence’, so apart from that a few voices that surfaced brilliantly in Multan Auditions were Gopal Guddu Ram, Waqas Ali Vicky, Nadia Hashmi, these three got the Golden Tickets to Karachi but a few contestants are worth a mention here too. One of them was Dr. Mohammad Usman, who sang different songs with the guitar but without it, he sounded still better than many of them. I still believe that he should’ve gotten the ticket, if not for the final round, they should’ve at least selected him for the next round because he did have versatility which the judges keep speaking of.

One special guy who became a laughing stock was Naveed Ali who even sang the table of 2 in Urdu just because Ali Azmat asked him to. I am sheepishly ashamed to admit that I found that part way too funny & it left me in a laughter fit. That sort of humour was alright but I think it was now wrong on Naveed Ali’s part to actually appear in the auditions. LOL!

Ohkay so Faisalabadis shocked us with some awesome voices & those who got the Golden Tickets were Salman Cecil, Rimsha Noor, Mohammad Aijaaz, Ramzan Ali. They all were good but after listening to Aun Ali who happens to be the younger brother of Amanat Ali, I thought it was absolutely a wrong decision to let him go because his voice was just perfect. I really don’t understand what they are looking for because that guy had a complete knowledge of singing but according to Bushra Ansari he ran out of breath & hadn’t been practicing. I thought it was definitely a loss of Pakistan Idol to let a guy with that sort of a voice go & Hadiqa Kiyani’s remark on him was hideous where she thought he wasn’t taking his singing seriously, I must say he never sounded like one who didn’t take his singing seriously. In comparison to Aun Ali, I thought Rimsha Noor didn’t deserve to go to the next round at all. Maria Meer & Aqsa Rani both sounded nice too but yes their voice was one dimensional, hence, they didn’t make it through this round.

I am not convinced with the judges remarks at times because some people really sound good but are not qualified where as the other few really don’t sound that impressive but they get the Golden Ticket. They do say that they are looking for versatility so I think they must adopt the thing from Indian Idol where when the judges are not too sure of how much variety a contestant can offer, they make them sing 2 or at times 3 songs just to be sure & I think our Pakistani judges are being too hasty in giving the verdict here, plus I do really want to hear their remarks on the lines of technicality but the comments aren’t that convincing till now. Another thing that I noticed was, if Bushra Ansari is convinced with someone’s voice, she would try & influence the other two judges as well but if she ain’t convinced, she wouldn’t let them put forward their opinions too. I think if she is a senior in age, she shouldn’t act like a senior in singing too!

I’m taking Pakistan Idol for review every week because it would get a lot more interesting & I am sure people would have a lot to say about it in the coming weeks too. Do share who is your favorite so far. My favorites from Multan & Faisalabad are Nadia Hashmi & Ramzan Ali.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Nowadays Pakistan is under turmoil. There are increasing prices of goods and crime rate. Our law and order situation is definitely not in control. Whenever we switch on the television we hear news about target killing, bomb blasts, thefts and corruption. People want some relief and they need some sort of entertainment. Under such a situation, some talented people of Pakistan have launched political comedy shows. These shows are a very good time pass. They are not only a sort of entertainment but at the same time they give the politicians and the corrupt people some lessons.

Among these shows some of the shows are very popular like; Hum Sab Umeed Se Hain, Khabarnaak, Hasb e Haal, Mazaak Raat and Banana News Network. These shows are very popular due to some reasons; firstly they connect to the audience in such a way that they convey whatever the common man has to say. Secondly, they add up a humor to the serious issues of Pakistan and it doesn’t seem that depressing as it does while watching news and thirdly, these programs are informative as well. They are an excellent source of information and awareness a person can get. In this article I will describe these shows and I will also tell reasons why I like them. You can share your views in the comment section below.

Starting off with Hum Sab Umeed Se Hain, this amazing political comedy show of Pakistan is written by Dr. Younus Butt. I must say that this man is a genius and sir I truly respect you from the core of my heart and I am a big fan of yours. This show has different segments which include Ek Din Hum Sub Umeed Se Hain Ke Saath, News fuse, B-ads, Parody songs, Side news, Sochna vi naa, Bachey ghair siyaasi hotey hain and boiling point. In this show the main focus is on the poor people and the challenges that are faced by them. Talented actors mimic the politicians and tell them what is right and wrong. This show has been hosted by very popular actresses including; Saba Qamar, Mehwish Hayat, Noor Chaudhry, Mathira , Veena Malik and many more. This show is seen by people of all ages and people wait to watch the show.

Moving on to another famous political comedy show named Khabarnaak, this show is hosted by Aftab Iqbal and there are some people who add life to the show by their mimicry which include Honey, Mir Muhammad Ali and Saleem Albela. The main focus of the show is on the current affairs and the political scenario of Pakistan. This show discusses all the aspects of the society. This show features a segment of Zaban o Biyaan where the host Aftab Iqbal who is brilliantly talented corrects the wrong use of our language. Apart from this Naseer Bhai guesses the composer, lyricists and actors by just listening to the songs which are suggested. This is to add an element of joy. The comedians of the show add a lot of fun to the show and an hour passes just with the blink of an eye. It is indeed a wonderful source of entertainment.

Coming to the next political comedy show, Hasb e Haal has become very popular these days. This show has the honor of being the most watched program in Pakistan. Sohail Ahmed appears on Hasb-e-Haal as Azizi, while the rest of the crew Junaid Saleem and Najia are playing themselves. Sohail Ahmed is a very popular and talented actor we have in Pakistan. This show is an effort to raise the voice of the society. The popularity of the show is understandable in a society like Pakistan. This show has many segments including; Adabparay, Baitbaazi, Hasb e Mazzi, Hasb e Daak, Interview, Khabron par Tabsara, Mukhbariyaan, Off beat Hasb e Haal, Siasi film and tu tu main main.

The other very famous political comedy shows are Mazaak Raat and Banana News Network. Mazaak raat is hosted by Noman Ijaz who is himself a very good actor. This show also interviews some popular politicians and mimicry is done. Apart from this the show has a singing element in it as well. The comedians make the show a competition for the other political comedy shows. Coming to the Banana News Network, it is a comical spin on the happenings in Pakistan. It is a fictitious channel in which celebrities are mocked. The show features segments such as Sports Desk, News Room and Central Studio discussion. In my opinion there should be more shows like this so that our attention gets diverted. I really like all these shows because I do not see any element of show or pomp in them. They are based on realities happening around us and we have to face them. Apart from this I also wish that our corrupt politicians must see shows like these so that they get an overview of our sufferings.

Written by: Moomal Hassan