Nabeel Zafar is an actor and producer who has been a part of the drama industry for 35 years now. He has worked in many dramas over the years and people love him as Nabeel in Bulbulay. He has made a detour towards serious acting with dramas like Sar e Rah and Sher. He was a guest on Wasi Shah’s show and spoke about his late parents.
Nabeel Zafar revealed his biggest regret in life. He shared that his father struggled financially when he was raising them. His father passed away when he had just found his footing in the industry. The biggest regret in his life is that he could not provide luxuries to his father. He wishes his father had seen how much he was able to achieve and may have lived to enjoy it.
This is what he shared:
Nabeel Zafar revealed that his mother had come to live with him in Karachi when she had a heart attack. She went through angioplasty but a clot travelled to her brain and she passed away. He painfully shared how much confidence she had in him. His mother told his wife after her procedure that she always prayed that she was with Nabeel if something happened to her as he will be able to take care of her.
Here is what Nabeel Zafar revealed:
Nabeel also shared how he missed his father when he bought his first car. He shared that there was a time in college when he wanted to buy a bike but his father did not have enough money. He was truly disheartened but his father gave him 17 thousand rupees after a few days. He went and bought a bike with that money. This made him happy as his father was noticing that he really wanted that bike. He missed his father the day he bought his own car but his father was not there to enjoy it with him.
Nabeel Zafar is an outstanding Pakistani actor who got huge fame ever since he appeared on the television. His charachter of Dr. Daud from blockbuster old play Dhuwan got him fame. His other significant projects are Ajaib Ghar, Din, Qissa Saat Raaton Ka, Daldal, Payal and Dais Pardes.
Nabeel is popular for his widely watched sitcom Bulbulay. Nabeel is a jolly and friendly person with great sense of humor.
Lately, Nabeel appeared in TimeOut With Ahsan Khan along with his colleague & popular actor Hina Dilpazeer. In the show, Nabeel had to reveal the secrets of someone from industry as per one of the show segment. He chose Mahmood Aslam & Aijaz Aslam.
Talking about Mahmood Aslam Nabeel said, “one of our friend is not vaccinated and he is afraid of Covid vaccine, we have also urged him to get it soon as we all have gotten vaccinated, we hope so that he will be vaccinated by the time your show goes on air as he has to travel now and it’s a compulsion”, Hina Dilpazeer revealed that it is about Mahmood Aslam.
Talking About Aijaz Aslam he said, ” Our one friend eats 10 eggs per day and he’s very particular about it, also he is very particular about his diet, once we were in Scotland and it was freezing cold, the skimmed milk was finished and he fetched it somehow after two three hours, after bringing it he restricted me from using it because I didn’t go with him and he was angry on me”, his name was guessed by Ahsan Khan right in the start of the story.
Nabeel Shaukat is one of the most melodious singers we have in Pakistan. He has a unique voice and is loved immensely by the audience. Nabeel’s Bewaja was a big hit. Kooch also got a very good response. Now Nabeel is back with Ruseya Rawe. The song is a perfect mixture of love and chirpiness. The song was released on 22nd July. Listen yourself:
Nabeel Zafar who is most famously known for his plays “Dhuwaan” and “Bulbulay” recently made an appearance in “The Couple Show” which is hosted by Hina Altaf and Aagha Ali. In the show, Nabeel shared that how the idea of Bulbulay initiated and also talked about the success factors of Bulbulay.
“Many people know this, we started Bulbulay in 2009 and it was written in 2006,” said Nabeel. Nabeel also shared that they were four friends Ali Imran, Rana Rizwan, Azmat, and himself. He said that he wanted to produce something so he asked his friend to give him a role in a sitcom. As the drama proceeded further they turned it into a family play after the wedding sequel.
The information was also revealed that the most famous character “Momo” which is played by Hina Dilpazeer was written for just one episode and was supposed to make appearances off and on, but because of the fame that the character got, it became a permanent part of the drama. Talking about the success factor of drama, Nabeel said that the popularity of the drama isn’t because of anyone’s character it is a team effort.
The music video ‘Ki Jana’ is nominated for the music video category of two award shows which are Miami Short Film Festival and Bucharest Film Awards.
The music video has been shot by none other than talented director Nabeel Qureshi who is also the mastermind behind many films including Load Wedding and Actor In Law.
Actress Sonya Hussyn is the lead star in the video and Mohsin Abbas Haider also made a short cameo in the music video.
The beautiful song has been composed by Shani Arshad and the lyrics which are narrated in the video were penned down by Baba Bulleh Shah.
The main theme of the video is ‘honour killing’, the girl and the boy falls in love irrespective of their caste, creed, religion and colour and they tried to escape from girl’s family however the girl’s father caught them and shot them in a horrible way.
The video has been shot in the breathtaking desert area of Balochistan. The director has shot the video beautifully and people are loving it.
The big news was shared by Mohsin Abbas Haider and he wrote, “Ki Jana Music Video is selected for “Miami Short Film Festival” and “Bucharest Film Awards” Congrats To The Whole Team Of #KiJana”
Here is the song ‘Ki Jana’ video:
Congratulations to the whole team of ‘Ki Jana’ and may their work keep entertaining us!
The cases of Coronavirus are increasing by each passing day and everything has been postponed for the safety of people.
Earlier, Director Nabeel Qureshi announced that he will release two films this year and revealed the names of upcoming projects: Fatman and Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad.
Unfortunately, the Load Wedding director decided to postpone the shoot of film Fatman as preventative step for the safety of the community.
“Surrounded by concern regarding COVID-19, we FilmWala pictures have made the decision to postpone the shoot of our film Fatman,” Nabeel Qureshi said.
He further said, “We take the health and safety of both our crew and Actors seriously and we are taking preventative steps to ensure the wellbeing of our community in this time of a national crisis.”
Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad which features Fahad Mustafa and Mahira Khan in lead roles will release on its time.
“While we know there is disappointment in having to wait a little while longer for Fatman, We would love to tell our audience that Quaid e Azam Zindabad remains on the original release plan of Eid Ul Azha 2020 Inshalah.”
The Actor In Law director prayed and wrote, “In the meanwhile let’s pray for a healthier and safer world.”
This Ed was huge for Pakistani cinema. Three big-budget films with a glitzy star cast were released. All of them are performing extremely well at the box-office with JPNA 2 in the lead. Though all the films have performed well JPNA 2 and Parwaaz both have done better than Load Wedding pertaining to the lesser screens given to the latter. The director of the film Nabeel Qureshi has expressed his disappointment with the situation in cinemas:
The situation has been similar in all cinemas as Load Wedding has got the least number of shows and it is still performing well. The release of three major films together has clearly taken a toll on the business!
What do you think about this situation? Share in comments!
Nabeel Qureshi is one of the best film directors in Pakistan. His name make people come out of their houses to cinemas as the content is always of great quality and there are hidden messages wrapped in fun and comedy. His latest venture Quaid e Azam Zindabad starring Fahad Mustafa and Mahira Khan is running successfully in cinemas.
As soon as the trailer came out, people were accusing the film to have copied scenes from Bollywood cop saga Singham. The scene where a jeep bursts out of the wooden doors was a Singham staple and people connected to that. Here is Quaid e Azam Zindabad on left and Singham on right.
Money raining outside the bank in Quaid e Azam Zindabad and Dhoom3:
Also, one action sequence copied from the iconic Matrix:
Nabeel Qureshi accepted in his latest interview that yes, some scenes are copied and he recreates scenes he likes as a viewer in his own movies. He further said “Meri Film, Meri Marzi” and explained that getting inspired by iconic scenes and recreating them is not an issue at all.
Nabeel Gabool is a prominent politician from Karachi. He belongs to Baloch clan of Karachi. Several times Nabeel has been elected as member of national assembly and provincial assembly. Nabeel joined Muttahida Qaumi Movement for 2013 elections, before which he was a front line leader of Pakistan Peoples Party.
In a recent television show Nabeel Gabool proposed a television anchor named Rehaam Khan in a light mood which created an interesting scene. Rehaam Khan is from Swat and works for news channel Jaag TV. Nabeel Gabool also told he is already married four times, out of whom two have passed away.
Relevant news excerpt from Urdu Daily Akhbar-e-Jehan
Kya Drama Hai judges are under fire again and this time criticism came on face. The show is about critiquing different dramas and we have big names like Atiqa Odho, Marina Khan and Nadia Khan sitting and speaking about different projects. Atiqa Odho is working in Sher right now and she came as a part of a panel on Maliha Rehman show where debate started.
Zanjabeel Asim Shah who is the writer of Sher was also present and she openly criticized Kya Drama Hai panelists. She spoke to Atiqa Odho and said she is not a fan of how even a single line is picked up by the “judges” and then it is ridiculed. This is not how established industry people should be doing. She added that we do not care about public opinion on a project or negative comments as it is part of the parcel, but in this show, we have established women who are criticizing hard work.
Nabeel Zafar was also a part of the panel for Sher and he advised Zanjabeel Asim Shah to not take Kya Drama Hai seriously. He said people are using different platforms to earn money, so we should not take this seriously and let them earn their keep.
The director candidly said that he just goes to YouTube, sees how his show is getting millions of views and switches it off.
Below is the Facebook Status of Haya Ali which is self-explanatory
“I’m guessing most of you saw the news on ARY last night.
I’m going to now break it up for you and provide every detail necessary to try my best and put an end to this vile behavior.
It all started Tuesday around 1 pm when a client at my salon started to create an issue about a chain she had lost after she took it off to get her services done (and completely forgotten about It I may add) She claimed it was valuable and returned the next day to look for it. Okay so first she starts a fuss about why her calls weren’t answered at 11 pm last night. Whereas our closing time is 9pm. I politely told her that our phones whether mobile or landlines are only operated during business hours, just like every single other business in the world!
Next, she refused to take responsibility for her loss. And got furious when I told her over the phone that I can do everything I can to look for it and have my staff look for it but no promises. And that if incase I don’t succeed in finding it, it is not my fault, But hers for forgetting it. I happen to have a giant sign at the reception that clearly states that my salon is not responsible for any loss whatsoever and every client must look after their personal belongings, Which is why we have brides bring attendants to look after their sets and stuff. This is where she got hyper and out of hand. I asked her to calm down (still politely and still over the phone) and assured her that me and my staff would do our best to help her find her chain. And I kept my word. My staff helped her look even in the trash! After I told her that nothing can be done about it and me or my employees aren’t responsible for her loss (as stated in the sign at the reception). Here’s where she completely lost it and starting screaming like her life depended on it. And started blaming my employees. I told her that all of my employees possess good morals and I would know because I interview and hire them myself. They’re like family to me, given they’ve been with me since many years. She demanded i show up to address all her concerns personally ASAP and slammed the phone shut.
And so i rushed to the salon to find her sitting at the main reception, STILL yelling at my staff. I tried talking to her and asked her to calm down several times (STILL POLITELY) And she refused. She got physical and started scaring my other clients. One of which was an elderly woman who rushed to her, gave her water and asked her to calm down. Upon which she yelled twice as hard and almost got physical with my client. I told her that her behavior was unacceptable as it is and that she shouldn’t cross the line by harassing anyone.
I asked my other client to please take her seat and apologized. She was such a sweetheart she held my hand and told me to take it easy and not be bothered by such people. Anyways so coming back to that woman whose name is Hina Khan because I’m going to stop referring to her as my client now. So by now Hina had gotten up and tried her best to make her way past the reception and yell at the employees who tried their best not to pay any attention to her which pissed her off more given how terribly she feeds on attention.
I swear everyone who knows me is well aware of the temper I have. But today… I literally am so proud of myself for the way I kept my cool (sorta). Believe it or not I was still asking her very politely to calm down. And yes, I even apologized for anything I might have said that she claimed was offensive. All I was asking her for was to please take it outside so my clients aren’t disturbed. Once we’d go out, I’d let her yell to her hearts content. But she, being the difficult person she is, refused again and this time she added that I was trying to kick her out. (even though God knows how bad I wanted to), She said she won’t leave. And that she’ll keep yelling until her husband gets there with a police mobile. I had to eventually call security for help and that’s where things just took a turn for the worst. She started verbally abusing the entire staff. Two of my employees went to calm her down AGAIN (of which one is pregnant and the other with a fractured arm) And she had the gall to get physical with both of them!! This was too much to take and I asked for my staffs help to escort her out FORCEFULLY after tireless efforts. It seemed to be working until she looked me dead in the eye for two seconds and punched my face with full force.
Oh and thank God for CCTV cameras because I have all her BS on video.
Anyways, my staff lead me out from the back gate and I left to gather myself. And I found out that Hina STILL REFUSED TO LEAVE!!! She sat in her car out-front and was insistent on that police mobile getting there. Which eventually did and that’s where this got real ugly.
Four men (ARMED) and without uniform stepped out of a police mobile and beat the crap out of my guard. (also armed) They snatched his gun and almost broke his leg. Next they beat up a 14 year old boy after finding out that he works here too. They made their way upstairs and my girls quickly locked all doors and called ADT security immediately. (upon arrival we learned that they too were helpless if the police is involved)
Those men trespassed without a warrant and vandalized my establishment! They entered a place full of women forcefully and scared all my girls. These men also went door to door and tried to kick every room open and tore the place apart. When my manager told them they can’t go any further they pushed her away and ENTERED THE MASSAGE SECTION WITH CLIENTS!!! They burst the door open and opened Every. Single. Curtain. Might I add this is where women lay with their bare backs.
I honestly couldn’t believe all this till i saw it with my own eyes. (CCTV)
These men also searched for the girls phones to erase the videos I made them record because there’s no audio in the CCTV footage.
Coming towards the end now, it was a very difficult day for me, my family and my girls. One mentally unstable woman managed to mess so much up. And I am so terribly and deeply saddened by the misuse of authority in this country. Despite taking extraordinary measures, my girls and I felt unsafe because of four men who were POLICEMEN. How ironic? Are these people here to make our lives easier or to further instill fright in our hearts and make us women tremble with fear? Those four men were government officers who came in a police mobile after Hina’s husband, a NAB director named Ausaf Mir Talpur had ordered them too.
After reaching korangi jail, Hina khan made her way with a new hairdo and scratches all over her face. This woman legit messed her hair up and started to limp across the police station as if she’d just gotten back from war. My mother and sister couldn’t believe the level of stupidity she possessed and decided not to comment on it.
Bottom-line,
This woman got my guard beaten up, trespassed (NO WARRANT) and scared my girls. Who’re out here making a living just like the rest of us. These women choose not to go work outside because of safety issues. Are people in this profession not safe anymore either? Is this the protection our government has to offer?
How can this absurd misuse of authority be stopped? And when can we tether our hopes to genuine law and safety? What happened today was unforgivable and I will make it my duty to make sure this psychotic woman pays for hurting my family, my staff and me. Please help me spread the word. JUSTICE NEEDS TO BE SERVED and all these imbeciles who think they can get away with misusing authority this way, need to be taught a lesson!
It is very difficult for me to publish every single detail with my mom’s brand on the line. But if this is the loss we must face then let it be, as long as it is purposeful and I can prevent others from suffering the way we did today.
PS: I will be uploading the CCTV footage, the videos I had girls make from phones and the news bulletin recording.”
Naazo(نازو) is a new drama on Urdu 1 starting from Monday 27th July at 8 pm.
Directed by Aabis Raza
Written by Sameena Ejaz
Produced by Fahad Mustafa & Dr. Ali Kazmi
DOP: Faraz khan
Singer: Ahmed Jahanzeb
Big Bang Productions
We usually see female roles weeping and sobbing endlessly in dramas, but in Naaraaz male hero Faysal Qureshi is competing with the heroine in this regard.
Taapsee Pannu starrer Naam Shabana has been banned in Pakistan.
Initially, the film was criticized for showing Pakistan in a bad light, but was cleared to release in Pakistan after several cuts by the Censor Board. Now, the film has been banned after a single day of its release. The Censor board has banned Naam Shabana after one of the local cinemas screened the film without editing the questionable parts, reported The Express Tribune.
Naam Shabana is an action thriller based on the story of a spy. The film has been directed by Shivam Nair and produced by Shital Bhatia and Neeraj Pandey. Naam Shabana is being termed as the prequel of Baby (2015). Starring Taapsee Paanu, Akshay Kumar and Manoj Bajpayee in the lead roles, Naam Shabana was released on 31st March 2017.
Na Maloom Afrad 2 is going to release on the first day of Eid-ul-Azha. The anticipation is already mounting after the success of its first installment. After Kaif-o-Suroor and its ultimate success, the movie makers have released another song of the film titled, ‘Chal Hug Lay’, and has termed it as the party anthem of the year.
In the song, Mohsin Abbas Haider, Fahad Mustafa and Javed Sheikh are grooving on the beats of the song at beach. Have a look:
Though we have good expectations with the movie, the song seems too culturally inappropriate and forced Indian copy. It could easily be said that the makers were inspired by ‘Jawaani Phir Nahi Aaani’, which had similar sort of beach celebratory song.
At first we can’t come up with our own content and then we are openly leading our generation towards vulgar music. This doesn’t seem acceptable at all. At this point, we can only wish that film producers and directors come out of such obscene tactics and make the content refreshing in terms of appeal.
We all are well acquainted with the 2014 comedy Na Maloom Afraad. The first installment was set in our very own Karachi and now Na Maloom Afraad 2 goes international as the movie is set in Cape Town. The film also stars Hania Amir along with the original cast Fahad Mustafa, Javed Sheikh, Mohsin Abbas Haider and Urwa Hocane. Have a look at the trailer:
Will Na Maloom Afraad 2 be able to get the popularity and success its first part got? We will have to wait to see. Till then watch the trailer and enjoy!
Na Maloom Afraad has to be one of the most awaited films of this year. The teasers of the film show the amazing chemistry between the actors, the theme of the film looks interesting and now the teaser of the latest song evidently shows that it will have a romantic element too. Until now Mehwish Hayat’s item number in the film has been the talk of the town but the latest song shows that there will be some good songs in the film also. Urwa is playing the leading role in the film along with Fahad Mustafa. This is going to be Fahad Mustafa’s first film which the viewers will be seeing on the big screen. Urwa was asked in an interview if she was feeling awkward because Mehwish Hayat until now had been getting much more attention than her but she said that she did not feel that way because she had a substantial role in the film.
2014’s Na Maloom Afraad created an uproar at the box office and if you haven’t got out of the magical spell of ‘Na Maloom Afrad’, then get ready for the second instalment.
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The dream team of the movie is back with a bang, with yet another promising venture to hit the silver screen this year on Eid-ul-Azha. The shooting of the social satire film has been wrapped up and the team is all set to promote their film post-Eid-ul-Fitr. The teaser of Na Maloom Afraad 2 is expected to release soon.
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The Nabeel Qureshi film now has an even more stellar cast with Fahad Mustafa, Moshin Abbas Haider, Urwa Hocane, Hania Aamir and Sadaf Kanwal (in an item song).
Na Maloom Afraad 2’s shooting spell has already begun and director Nabeel Qureshi is all set to bring a fully loaded fun and entertainment film.
Returning for the sequel are lead actors Fahad Mustafa, Javed Sheikh, Mohsin Abbas Haider and Urwa Hocane. Numerous actors including Nayyar Ejaz, Saleem Mairaj and Ashiq Ahmed have completed their shoot. Nayyar Ejaz will be seen playing the role of an Arab Sheikh. The rest of the actors will shoot for the film in South Africa.
Previously, Nabeel Qureshi and Fiza Ali have made two films together under their banner of Filmwala Entertainment, Actor In Law and Na Maloom Afraad. Both films gained immense popularity and did great business at the box office.
Na Maloom Afraad is slated to release on this Eid-ul-Azha .
Na Maloom Afraad 2 was scheduled to release on August 31,2017 in UAE however, it has been put on hold by the UAE film Censor Board and awaits clearance from their National Media Council (NMC).
The cast of Na Maloom Afraad 2 along with the director and producer had flown to Dubai on August 28, especially for the film’s promotional events but after the Board’s decision, all the press tours and promotional events have been cancelled.
Speaking to gulfnews.com, Usaf Shariq, Head of Films Division, Urdu1 Pictures, said;
We were informed this afternoon that the film has been put on hold by the UAE censor board and a decision has yet to be taken if it can release with some cuts. We are expecting an answer today. There are seven members of the film who have flown down here and we didn’t want them facing a difficult situation until we have clarity.
Let’s hope the film manages to charm the UAE audience when it hits the UAE cinemas after meeting their censor board’s requirements.
Na Maloom Afraad 2 is set to release on September 2 in Pakistan and August 31 in UK. Here’s the trailer of the film, in case you haven’t watched it yet:
Writer: Nabeel Qureshi & Fizza Ali Meerza
Director: Nabeel Qureshi
Producers: Fizza Ali Meerza & Mehdi Ali
Cast: Fahad Mustafa, Mohsin Abbas Haider, Javaid Sheikh, Hania Aamir, Urwa Hocane, Marina Khan, Saleem Mairaj, Nayyar Ejaz & others.
I am going to be honest, I did not have high expectations from this film especially because of the trailers more than anything else. I was definitely not expecting to be thoroughly entertained and did not expect to laugh hysterically for most part of the film. The trailers and even the songs did not do justice to a film which has a solid screenplay and is shot so well that at times you forget you are watching a Pakistani film. This film definitely has more highs than lows. The characterizations of the three main protagonists are brilliant, their interactions (for the most part) enjoyable and some of the dialogues are remarkably witty. Fahad Mustafa, Mohsin Abbas Haider and Javaid Sheikh own their characters completely right from the get-go and in this sequel are more improved versions of their respective roles. Shakeel’s (Javaid Sheikh) is definitely the most enjoyable one among them all.
What I absolutely loved about this film was that it is a side-splitting, all out comedy. The writers do not hold back at all but at times they even go overboard. One aspect of the film however which did not appeal to me and which wasn’t even needed was the excessive use of foul language, the F word (although muted) is used number of times and there are plenty of other scenes in which the crass jokes are added unnecessarily. The toilet humor makes you cringe a couple of time but there are plenty of scenes in which it is tolerable and even hilarious!
The plot of the film is also unpredictable, the writers couldn’t have given the viewers a more solid entertaining plot. It is however not logical; since this is a comedy film therefore I feel it is unfair to decipher every tiny detail based on logic! I must say that it is one of those very few Pakistani films which has a solid and well thought out storyline which went well with the theme of the film. Like other films written by Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza, this one too highlights the trials and tribulations of the common man residing in Karachi in particular but the script on the whole will be relatable for any Pakistani viewer since the issues faced by every Pakistani are the same. It addresses class difference and much more. Watching Marina Khan act on the big screen after a long time was an absolutely delight. Nayyar Ejaz is brilliant as Sultan al- Baklawa; it has to be one of his best performances. Saleem Mairaj and the actor playing his companion were absolutely brilliant in their respective roles.
Na Maloom Afraad 2 can easily be termed as a film which is fun and also an impressively “stylish” film which is visually stunning as a whole. The biggest shortcoming of the film is that it failed to include the talented female leads in the story effectively. Like Actor In Law and Na Maloom Afraad, this one too relegates the female characters in the background and does not really incorporate their characters properly in the story. This is especially sad because Hania Aamir and Urwa Hocane both have given remarkable performances even though their characters have not been explored properly. Both the actresses were even excluded from the songs, which I felt was rather unfair because they deserved more screen time. Instead of showing Sadaf Kanwal’s item number, they could have been part of a song which took the story forward in some way. The song “Chal Hug Ley” was also a disappointment because the girls in bikinis could not dance and their bare bodies were supposed to be the only attraction. I definitely expected better from a director like Nabeel Qureshi at least in this context. Urwa Hocane dances so well and Hania Aamir I am certain could have shown her dance moves too if she was given a chance to do so. The songs and the way they were shot was the biggest disappointment in the film.
Overall, I would give this film 3.5 out 5 and recommend it to anyone who does not mind a few jokes which are in bad taste. This film will make you laugh especially if you watch it with a friend. Even with a few shortcomings, you will leave the cinema hall happy because NMA 2 is definitely an entertaining film. The styling, makeovers and the cinematography give this movie a unique and modern look. Nabeel Qureshi’s creativity reflects in many scenes and I especially liked the scene which came before intermission. The background score is also highly impressive. This film has a completely different flavor from PNJ therefore if you enjoyed one, you should definitely watch the other. Those of you, who like me found the gold commode repulsive should go watch this film as well, you won’t be disappointed! There is more to that commode than meets the eye ;)
Namaloom afraad is the story of three down on luck individuals Farhan played by Fahad Mustafa, Shakeel played by javed sheikh and Mansour aka moon played by Mohsin abbas hyder. All of them need money desperately. Farhan wants to marry the love of his life Naina played by Urwa hocane who is the younger sister of Shakeel bhai. Shakeel bhai wants his sister to have a grand wedding and moon wants to go to Dubai and support his family who live in Lahore. To meet their demand for money the trio come up with a plan. They plan to open a bank account and then wait for the bank to be burned in the next strike in Karachi and then collect the insurance claim. It is a far fetched plan to say the least and many hilarious incidents follow.
Many of these incidents originate from the involvement of the three with notorious Don/loan shark/drug trafficker Gogi bhai played in a hilarious role by Salman shahid. Moon had a previous encounter with Gogi bhai when on his first attempt to go to Dubai he was given a doll by Gogi bhai which turned out to be filled with drugs. In one of the many hilarious scenarios in the movie Gogi bhai goes around as a kind old toy maker In his neighborhood in old Karachi.
There is also a subplot of Moons love interest Hina merchant played by Kubra khan. She plays a bank employee who is kind-hearted to the point of foolishness.
Over all the movie is brilliantly directed. The current situation of Karachi which unfortunately is quiet violent is portrayed with a pinch of salt. All actors play out their parts brilliantly whether it is Mohsin with his loud and brash Lahori accent and mannerisms, the sweet stammering Shakeel bhai or the sadistic Gogi bhai. The only weak link is Mehwish Hayat as the mistress of Gogi bhai plus the so-called star of the item song billi which is not only idiotic but also completely unnecessary. Also why is Urwa shown as the sister of Javed sheikh! I mean he has kids older then her in real life.
Despite these few glitches the movie is enjoyable and a hit. Pakistan needs more commercial movies to revitalize our film industry.
Na Kutro Mere Pankh is an upcoming serial on ARY Zindagi starring Saba Qamar and Danish Taimoor. The play is directed by Nain Maniar. Other cast members include Hassan Niazi, Saboor Ali, Rida Asfahani, Rabia Abid Ali, Asad Siddique. It is produced by iDreams productions.
Na Kutro Pankh Mere a drama serial starting today i.e. from Saturday 6 Decenber on ARY Zindagi starring Saba Qamar and Danish Taimoor. The play is directed by Nain Maniar. Other cast members include Hassan Niazi, Saboor Ali, Rida Asfahani, Rabia Abid Ali, Asad Siddique. It is produced by iDreams productions and Naughty Forty productions.
Mikaal Zulfiqar is coming up with four movies and the teaser for the first one is out. Na Band Na Barati is a production of Hum Films starring Mikaal Zulfiqar, Ali Kazmi, Qavi Khan among others. Na Band Na Barati is a comedy film which revolves around a marriage. The film will release this year on 29th of June. Here is the teaser:
Pakistani cinema lights up every Eid ul Adha and this is considered an occasion when people actually step out to watch films. A few releases happened this year too and the one which is a new experiment for cinema is Nabeel Qureshi’s Na Baligh Afraad. The film was made in just 17 days with a limited budget. With a young cast comprising Samar Jafri and Aashir Wajahat, the film took everyone on a 90s journey with the two teenagers and how they got stuck in different situations.
The film came out with its trailer and promotions in the very last days before Eid and the young cast was enthusiastic about how it will work. It has names like Ehteshamuddin and Aadi Adeal Amjad attached to it and everyone wanted the movie to work due to its experimental approach.
The film is getting mixed reviews from the audience. Many people have liked it while others found the story non-engaging. It was a fun watch for some while some felt like they had wasted their time. Here is how the audience reacted:
Na Baligh Afraad has managed to earn 2.1 crores in the Eid holidays and it is a good box office number.
Eid ul Adha is around the corner and like every year we will be getting several film releases during the holidays. Like many other movies, a big one that is coming out on this Eid ul Adha is Nabeel Qureshi’s Na Baligh Afraad. Na Baligh Afraad follows the pattern of Na Maloom Afraad but this time we have a young cast with Samar Jafri of Mayi Ri fame and Aashir Wajahat in the lead. Aadi Adeel Amjad is also playing a pivotal role in the movie.
The trailer is finally out and the film is set in the 90s era. VCR is going to be the third lead in the story as is visible by the trailer and both the boys look good in their respective characters. This is going to be a comedy blast for the audience and Nabeel Qureshi always succeeds in winning the audience.
Myra Lakdawala, a Pakistani student at The University of the Pacific has set a new record for Pakistan by breaking a 5-year-old record set by Olympic runner Sumaira Zahoor.
At the Johnny Mathis Invitational in San Francisco, Lakdawala set this record.
Despite not being able to come 1st, 2nd or 3rd place, she still set a new record in Pakistan with 19 minutes and 3.01 seconds on the clock for the five-kilometer race.
This has placed her at the 20th place out of 33 participants from universities and colleges all over Northern California. She is also the first Pakistani woman to represent her country in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
We are very proud of this young woman and we wish more Pakistani women keep making us proud.
All of you must know by now that this year Hum TV has decided to have its own award function, the nominations for the viewer’s choice award have been made public. Nida already mentioned in her post that out of 32 categories, seven are for the viewer’s to decide who will bag an award. Since my primary interest is in dramas only so I want to share with all of you how I felt about the nominations for viewer’s choice related to the drama industry. First of all lets discuss the nominations for best drama. The nominations are
Best Drama
Maat
Shehr-e-Zaat
Mere Qatil Mere Dildaar
Yahan Pyar Nahi Hai
Roshan Sitara
Bari Apa
Why are plays like Roshan Sitara and Mere Qatil Mere Dildar there and not Hamsafar, Durr-e-Shehwar or Bilquees Kaur? Hamsafar may have been criticized by the critics for its cliché storyline and the stereotyped characters but there is no denying the fact that it was one of the most popular dramas of its time. Hamsafar was not only popular in Pakistan but also in other countries where people watch Pakistani dramas. Durr-e-Shehwar had amazing dialogues, the direction was flawless, the underlying message was in line with our social norms and the acting was top notch, but it almost seems like Durr-e-Shehwar has been left out on purpose, although I see no reason for it except that two of Umera Ahmed’s plays have been nominated already so they did not want to nominate a third one. Bilquess Kaur is another play that deserved to be nominated much more than a drama like Roshan Sitara in particular that was a complete flop because the storyline totally went haywire.
Now take a look at these nominations
Best Actor Female
Mehwish Hayat For Mere Qatil Mere Dildaar
Saba Qamar For Maat
Mahira Khan For Shehrzaat
Sania Saaed For Zard Mausam
Sanam Baloch For Roshan Sitara
Savera Nadeem For Bari Apa
I was definitely expecting that Bushra Ansari would be nominated for Bilquees Kaur but like Durr-e-Shehwar, Bilquees Kaur has also been left out of the nominations although both the plays were incredibly popular among public and these are after all nominations for viewer’s choice! Sanam Baloch has been nominated for Roshan Sitara and not Durr-e-Shehwar, which is somewhat unfair because had she been nominated for Durr-e-Shehwar she had a far greater chance of winning this award. I am not entirely happy with Mehwish Hayat’s nomination too because I think Syra Yusef’s and Sadia Imam’s performances were far more powerful in Bilquees Kaur.
Here is the next category
Best Actor Male
Ahsan Khan For Mere Qatil Mere Dildaar
Adnan Siddiqui For Mere Qatil Mere Dildaar
Noman Ejaz For Bari Apa
Mikaal Zulfiqar For Shehrzaat
Imran Aslam For Sanjha
Faisal Rehmaan For Zard Mausam
Ahsan Khan for Mere Qatil Mere Dildar and not Bilquees Kaur? Mikaal Zulfiqar for Shehr-e-Zaat and not Durr-e-Shehwar? So is Durr-e-Shehwar not going to be nominated in any category and neither is Bilquees Kaur? I am sure many of the viewer’s would have much rather chosen their favorites out of these two plays than any other play.
The last drama related category in Viewer’s Choice is
Best On-screen Couple
Fawad Khan & Mahira Khan For Humsafar
Mikaal Zulfiqar & Mahira Khan For Shehrzaat
Ahsan Khan & Mehwish Hayat For Mere Qatil Mere Dildaar
I may sound like a die hard Durr-e-Shehwar fan but in my opinion Mikaal Zulfiqar and Sanam Baloch deserved to be in this category too. And I would much rather have the option of voting for Ahsan Khan and Syra Yusef for Bilquees Kaur rather than Ahsan Khan and Mehwish Hayat.
These were just some random thoughts about the nominations. What do you people think about these nominations? I think Durr-e-Shehwar, Bilquees Kaur and Hamsafar deserved a little more recognition.
The rating system of Pakistani dramas does not always represent just how popular these dramas actually are but most often dramas which get very high TRPs are those which are being appreciated by majority of the viewers. For example right now Udaari is one such drama which has been getting high TRPs and most people here will agree that these ratings are well deserved. Generally the highest TRPs that quality dramas get nowadays is 7. something. This rating is considered to be groundbreaking. Mann Mayal however somehow managed to break all the records set by most popular recent dramas when HUM claimed that the previous episode of Mann Mayal got 9.7 TRP which is the kind of rating which dramas like Hamsafar, Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishan, Mera Saeein and many other dramas which fell in the same league got. This basically goes to show that when a drama gets such high TRPs there is usually a very good reason for it and people are not just watching that drama out of curiosity but are actually completely involved in such dramas. Even Zindagi Gulzar Hai, which had a star-studded cast, a very popular writer and was definitely a much better play than Mann Mayal did not secure such ratings.
There was a time when people were very enthusiastic about Mann Mayal because it promised to be an unforgettable love story. When the viewers were not able to connect to this ‘love story’ they continued watching it because they weren’t sure if Hamza Ali Abbasi will ever be seen in a drama again any time soon and Maya Ali’s acting was stupendous for the longest time. In the past few weeks majority of the people want this drama to end!! Yes, people might tune into this play every week only out of curiosity but how many people out there actually think that this is the best drama around right now because such high claims would automatically imply that Mann Mayal is getting all these TRPs because it offers quality entertainment.
Do these TRPs prove that Mann Mayal is as good a drama as all these dramas??? In fact better!!
Even those ‘fans’ who were following this drama because of their favorite actors find it hard to relate to the characters and the happenings. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that after winning over a certain number of viewers, the makers of the drama now are only stretching it at this point to make the most of the viewership. But my question is that Is a drama like Mann Mayal with a weak storyline which went off track a long time back in the same league as some of the most amazing dramas we have seen in the past? Because claiming that it is getting so many ratings basically means that it is.
It is sad that the producers, writer, director and even the actors continue to convince people that they are still on the top. Those who can see the glaring flaws in this drama and point them out are considered ‘haters’! I think that it is sad that a drama like Mann Mayal which has to be the worst drama of this season is being promoted as the biggest hit. It makes you wonder if there is hope for our drama industry! If Mann Mayal is a splendid success than God help our drama industry!
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
Day 4 & done with Dastaan. Still surprised at how much they had to share till the end of the drama even. No one could’ve predicted what would’ve been the ending of this serial but whatever happened seems completely justified.
In my honest opinion I think the drama was very gripping till the 18th episode but later on I didn’t enjoy watching it come to a level of family politics. I am also glad that it just didn’t end at that note & in fact showed how Bano contributed the way she could to at least help & inspire people around her. Luckily, Rasheeda escaped from being the only hated character of the drama & that place was over taken well deservingly by Sultana. No doubt she just did what any mother would do but I am glad Rabia was different. As the story moved forward I developed a certain level of respect for Rabia’s character & her wisdom which clearly she didn’t inherit from both her parents but had it as an exclusive trait & strength of her own.
I thought Bano would find peace when she will come to Pakistan but it was upsetting to see no improvement in her mental state in fact it seemed that it worsened as the time progressed. I say that because she took the trauma of 5 years pretty well but now when she came to Pakistan, she should’ve at least forgotten what happened & should’ve worked her way towards the betterment of her dream land – her Pakistan. I know it was Bano’s hope that kept her going when she was trapped with Basant Singh but to see her hopes shatter every single time she came across something unexpected was heart breaking.
Bano was a patriot to the level of devotion but it was sad to see the smallest of the small details take a toll on her state of mind. I think it would’ve been a little more appreciable in my opinion to see her walk towards the acceptance of what her country was. Having said that, after when she starts working, I found that part the best again because those were very serious issues which were conveyed in such a short time but with a brilliant impact. They showed how the system of dowry compelled the helpless parents to keep their daughter’s unmarried. How the elite class crushed the poor & needy beneath their greediness. How people who got the freedom forgot they had to pay the price & justify why they were entitled to it. How those who sacrificed everything were forgotten by the flow of few tears. How the fixation with English was a symbol of mental enslavery. How disowning your mother tongue was nothing but a confession of your complexes & in the end how turning away from the teachings of Islam was the sole reason of all the social evils that people were sunk in. I loved how effortlessly they highlighted the issues which weaken the nation & this is exactly the state of Muslims in Pakistan & all over the world.
I am still a little surprised that whenever the name of Dastaan came under discussion all I ever heard was about Bano, Hassan & their love story but I never actually came across a comment on the issues that this drama highlighted & the lesson it carried to give away to those who watched it. For me, Dastaan was something more than Bano & Hassan & it was an experience from which I learned a lot, it would be an understatement to say that Dastaan is an experience of it’s own & is a journey which was supported by the characters but the message is independent of any character. I feel I am taking the story of hope & sacrifices with me more than anything else.
I must say the way Rabia took responsibility of Bano when she was with them was heart warming. She thought that it was her duty to take care of someone who lost everything to make it to this country. Hassan till the end thought Bano was his responsibility or more like a liability & he labeled himself as guilty whereas this wasn’t the case. I would’ve enjoyed a little more conversations between Bano & Hassan to see how he tried to bring her back to the normal life. After the little speech of hope Hassan gave to Bano, I thought they would actually show them as a pair who worked to enlighten the people & will share the story of Bano with the nation to keep it’s people on the feet but nothing of that sort happened. I think this was ignored because Hassan was surrounded by the issue of marriage at his hand. He was being convinced by everyone around him to get married to Rabia & for this Bano’s progress came to a halt.
Kaleem was once again a dark spot in Bano’s life but he had a pivotal role to play because his murder was what made Bano come to terms with the fact that Basant Singh died & people like him vanished too. This is what made her believe that she is past that stage & she did what she had to because in her perspective Pakistan was now free from people like him & Pakistan was on it’s way towards a brighter future. I think Bano & Hassan had two parallel paths & I sussed it beforehand that they would never be together again because I believe in realistic endings so for this I rate this 10 on 10!
So, my verdict is that it was a time well-spent on this serial. The story was brilliant but a special appreciation should be given to the director for having such a to-the-point & accurate approach in dealing with a script like this. Never came across any such drama where the whole cast was perfect & everyone lived the character assigned to them. Starting from those who had major roles to play to those who came for guest appearances, everyone justified & contributed towards the success of such a perfect drama.
In the end, I would like to thank all those who recommended Dastaan to me & those who actively responded to all the reviews. This level of appreciation & encouragement means a lot to me & I am actually overwhelmed by the warmth I received. You people rock & thanks for being with me on this.
Ohkay so, Day 2 & 6 episodes down so far. So much has happened in the story & what more has to come, I can’t predict. This is what I am loving about this drama that nothing is predictable & they have took me by surprise at times pleasantly & at times sadly with the turn of events.
I resumed watching the play when Bano decides to join Muslim League & becomes an active member of the campaign. Surraiya while taking in consideration her husband’s detest, does what she think is suitable & the least she could do. Giving away her jewellery as a token of support to fund Muslim League’s campaign was heart warming. Even though later on she seeks for her husband’s forgiveness but the way she stands by her decision spoke volumes about her character.
Hassan faces what Saleem wanted him to face but despite all that, his family manages to seek Bano’s proposal. At that moment when Bano senses that her eldest brother Saleem isn’t happy with her engagement, she tells Faheem to help her call off the engagement. This showed how much Bano kept her family close to her heart. It also went to show the seeds of respect, courtesy & compassion Bano had towards her family. Even though she loved Hassan with all her heart & wanted to be with him but just because her brother seemed unhappy, this made her believe that sacrificing her love for her brother’s dignity was the right choice.
Saleem’s character was worth sympathizing with because his mental state was a representation of a lot such Muslims who actually took Hindus as being their well-wishers. Saleem was so brain fed by Raam & Ravi that he was even ready to give away his only sister in a marriage to him. Again it shed a light on the acceptance Muslims had of Hindus & how inter-religion marriages were done to save the families & give a name to the friendship they shared. The time when Saleem learns about his friend’s intentions & cries in helplessness was executed brilliantly. He then understands that whatever the supporters of Muslim League said was right because Congress was a Hindu dominant political party where no one ever intended to help Muslims in this hour of need. Saleem’s frustration surfaced when he wished that Bano had gone away after being married to Hassan, leaving his family shaken in shock because a family member who had so much faith in his political party was at a loss of words, making all the others burdened with worry.
The episode in which the whole family fights & dies was absolutely gutting. I took it fine but the moment Faheem pleads to Bibi that she should strangle Bano to death was what made me teary & overwhelmed. Samina Peerzada & Sanam Baloch should take a bow for such brilliant performances. It was heart-wrenching from there onwards. Surraiya’s last moments were heart-breaking & the way all of them die in just a jiffy tell us about the painful reality that we can not even imagine of. Bibi’s last interaction with Kaminee & her last moments were depressing. The guy who lead the caravan & motivated them had a very small role to play but it was again a powerful performance. The moment he died showed that at that particular time no one was sure of how much time they were left with & no one knew that would they ever be able to make it to their new found home – Pakistan.
What Ravi did to protect Bano was again an unpredictable turn but then I wished if he had manned up a little earlier when Saleem seeked for some help, then things wouldn’t have been the way they were. Raam’s murder by Ravi himself was a proof that Ravi at least once in his life thought of them as a family. Later when that Sardar brings Bano home made it a bit more realistic because I am glad they just didn’t just show that all the Hindus & Sikhs were against Muslims. There were many such Sikhs who actually gave shelter to Muslims & protected them.
I think the recent entry of Basant Singh & his mother is my least favorite so far. I believe they have gotten a lot more screen time than they actually deserve & things are getting a bit slower from now on. Not sure what his intention is but at least it makes the drama a bit light hearted again. It was sad to see Rasheeda & Hassan worry about their family but after not getting any heed of them, sadly Rasheeda kind of moved on but Hassan was naturally stuck in the past showing how sensitive he was. Hassan’s proposal to Bano & then their parting was impactful. Who would’ve thought that when they will see each other again, they’d have suffered so much. Bano’s first ever letter to Hassan was filled with warmth & hope. Little did she know that Basant had no intention of posting it in the first place but at least if this gave her restless heart some peace, then it was worth it.
So far the drama’s going strong. I love how they have again & again labeled Pakistan as‘Paak Zameen’. We really can not imagine what this partition meant to the Muslims living at that time & how much of a blessing they took it as.
Day 3 of watching Dastaan, 6 episodes down & still finding it as gripping as the moment it started off with.
I didn’t like Basant Singh & his part but this doesn’t mean that I didn’t think it wasn’t important to show in the drama. I had my dislikes because obviously he was playing a role to stir everyone’s detest & he was good at it but I do believe that it was unsuitable to show Bano getting married to Basant Singh but it wasn’t unrealistic by any means. This is what exactly happened back then. A few Muslim girls did surrender & got married to save their lives but a few others like Bano were made to do it despite how much they hated & resisted. This obviously highlighted the level of how much Bano suffered & how much she tolerated.
It was sad to see Rasheeda & Hassan move on in their lives. I think Mehreen Raheel did play her part as Rabia quite suitably but on a personal note, I would’ve found it a bit more convincing if someone younger to Sanam Baloch was casted for that role because we all remember how young Rabia was when Hassan was in University & Mehreen Raheel has all those braids, a sort of a try to cut down her age but still she looks more mature than Sanam Baloch defying the purpose of a young Rabia – bride-to-be of Hassan. I think it was Sultana’s mistake that she let her only daughter get involved in one sided love with Hassan all her life & for this reason we saw how disturbed Rabia seemed when she didn’t get the attention she expected from him. Whereas everyone in the family knew that Hassan got engaged to Bano 5 years ago, though they all parted because of the partition but still Rabia’s claim that she had loved only Hassan all her life showed how much she was pushed by her mother. I know their scenes were just shown to move the story forward but seeing how Hassan belonged to Bano & how Bano longed for Hassan all those years, I didn’t enjoy Rabia & Hassan’s scenes at all. All this while I had Bano’s sympathy with me more & another reason being Mehreen Raheel playing the role of Rabia.
I think no other actress should be labeled as a best actress ever after this performance of Sanam Baloch as Bano. She has a league of her own & she was flawless. Struck the chord hard & she was absolutely brilliant through out. Finally, it was good to see her rescued by Basant Singh by the fate’s play. Her little dance gestures in hysteria made it seem more real that how much she hated being in a relationship with him & how much she awaited this moment.
While Basant still remains the character who I disliked but my least favorite would have to be Rasheeda. After Bano met Hassan & they got hold of the fact that how their family was killed, Rasheeda thought shedding a few tears at the sacrifice of her family’s Shahadat was just the right & enough of a thing to do. But the way she treated Bano & gave her a cold shoulder after sussing that the dream of her son’s marriage wasn’t going to materialize showed how mean Rasheeda was. She was the one who moved on though after seeing her cry I thought she would hold Bano near to her heart but it was upsetting to see how easily she cried at the death of those who she loved but how she treated Bano – the one who didn’t die physically but suffered a million deaths every single day before she made it to Pakistan. This was the last thing I ever expected to see in this drama, that too from Rasheeda. To see her become a typical mother who just wanted her son’s happiness her way wasn’t appeasing at all. It was the same Rasheeda who suffered & tolerated her Bhabhi’s dominance all her life without once complaining & just how typical she turned was something I never expected to see.
Bano’s disbelief after she steps on the land of Pakistan was beautifully portrayed by Sanam Baloch. To see her get what she wanted all these years was overwhelming. Finally, Bano & Hassan are back together & Hassan has already decided to lend the shoulder Bano needs to cry on & shower her with all the love & care she deserves but I want him to fall in love with his Bano again & then get married to her. I wouldn’t want to see him take Bano as a responsibility & a liability cluttered with guilt that he has to undo what Bano went through. It would be magical to see Hassan love Bano wholeheartedly where no such signs of sympathy would be involved. I loved the little condolence speech Hassan gives to Bano to bring her back to her senses & how he tells her to move on in her life & work towards the progress of the nation by forgetting what happened & by forgiving those who did that to her in the past.
Still finding the story unpredictable & loving it so far.
So, after a lot of recommendations & after facing a lot of haw haye’s I decided to give this blockbuster a go. I must say I am impressed. Day 1 – down with 5 episode & counting. I thought I won’t be able to do justice with the drama in just one review after I finish watching it, so decided to divide the reviews as I go.
Ohkay, speaking of the first impression. I was in an awe of such a huge star cast. I must say I am totally impressed by the screenplay & the direction. The way they have brought back to life the olden era is definitely a treat to watch. The feel of the drama with a special consideration to both Urdu & Hindi languages is what has contributed a lot to this drama’s success. I am so far enjoying all the characters but the one character that has made a mark for me until now is that of Surraiya, even though till now all she does is hide behind her ghoonghat but her minute expressions tell a million feelings within. I have never been so convinced by Saba Qamar as an actress but I think she is phenomenal as well as beautiful in this drama so far.
Yes, the story as we all know emphasized on the co-existence between the two religious communities of pre-partitioned India. Starting off from Punjab, no doubt we have a clean history of Muslims & Sikhs living peacefully together. I found this a lot more convincing that they showed the time lapse in between to elaborate the progress & crisis people faced altogether. Not only Muslims in India over all faced the blood shed but very convincingly they have brought down the story to the happy household in Ludhiana & the toll partition took on their close-knit family.
I must admit that when the drama began I wasn’t much into the character of Bano because I thought Sanam Baloch over did it but I am glad as the story is progressing Bano is showing more of her real nature. Fawad Khan as Hassan is phenomenal – an Engineering student, active & proud worker of the Muslim League political party, the most sought after bachelor & a kind hearted person, I can’t even begin to imagine what this character would be meaning to his fans. ;) I loved the note at which the drama began, showing all the festivities, harmony among the people, all the tehzeeb & adab o lehaaz where a wife shied smiling at her husband even behind a closed door & a sister thought her brother has gone disrespectful just because he took his wife for a little outing. I loved the situational comic moments they showed because this is what I as a viewer look in a drama. Some sweet moments, some overwhelming ones & a few bits that bring a smile to the face is what all I need. So, I am ticking all the boxes for now.
I thought Ahsan Khan had a strong role to play as Saleem & no doubt he did play his part well & acted out his character brilliantly but Saleem’s nature is of someone who has a few complexes & had no such insights. At first when Hassan & Saleem had a difference of opinion about supporting Congress or Muslim League, I thought it was because Saleem had a few convincing arguments in his bag but this came across as something which wasn’t the case. Saleem is someone who is scared of taking a stand on a larger scale, despite the fact that he is being stern on his family, he actually has no guts to stand against the people he has shared the shelter with. I thought Saleem’s support to the Congress was based on the positivity but till now I believe just because Hassan is an active member of the Muslim League, Saleem has to oppose it because like he says to his father, he has always faced some sort of a comparison to Hassan all his life which shows us more that the mere disagreement had a little backing of personal feelings too. This sheds a light on those few innocent Muslims who thought supporting Congress was the right thing to do because the Hindu’s sugarcoated their hatred in front of a few such Muslims & made them believe that they meant no harm to them whereas deep down, they were only happy when Muslims were just a minority & nothing else.
The story of Bano & Hassan as a side note is sweet & done really well. Luckily for Hassan, Bano also shares the same ideology as him. I think now the story is going to take a serious turn but till now I am totally hooked to the show. All the characters have played their parts extremely well but this had me thinking. When I looked at the direction & the locations & all the characters, it shook me with grief that just a matter of years ago this phenomenal & record breaking drama was produced for the Pakistani audience & shown on Hum Tv, but don’t know what got wrong with the channel that they have stooped to the level of Ek Tamanna La Hasil Si & Rishte Kuch Adhoore Se type of dramas? I think when they could pull off such sort of brilliant dramas in the past, why can’t they redeem themselves & get back to this level again? I will end my say on this wishful thinking with a sigh!
I am being a little mean here, I hope & request that I don’t get to come across ANY spoiler alerts but sadly I know what will happen to Bano in the end but for now I want to enjoy this moment of glory. Share your say with me & those who recommended me Dastaan & awaited the reviews, there you go & a big fat THANK YOU! :)
Okay so the 2nd Hum TV awards ceremony took place as expected. It is quite true that 1st Service HUM AWARDS ceremony was successful so last year I had predicted that 2nd HUM AWARDS will took place as well. Well the awards have not been telecast yet because it is still undergoing edit procedure but from the pictures I must say that this time Sultana Siddiqui was very keen towards making this year awards even more glamorous than last year.
There is no doubt that award ceremonies are yet another entertainment and so previously we got only Lux style awards then from 2010 Pakistan Media Awards garnered great attention and now we are being presented with Hum awards as well, more over ARY is also coming up with ARY Film awards. It’s good to reward our artist on their performances and we need to reward them because if we don’t motivate our artists they will eventually turn themselves towards Bollywood and still some artists are preferring to work in India Ali Zafar is a great example of it.
Anyways the topic is to provide my analysis and my personal opinion on 2nd Service HUM AWARDS, first of all I want to say that HUM TV should accept the fact that in previous year they had provided audience with loads of crap and hence they didn’t have any options but to include those crappy dramas in nominations. This year seems pretty much impressive in terms of quality because this year they are in competition with ARY and GEO although you can still notice lots of crap but it is less than previous year. I have divided my analysis into parts so here you go:
AWARDS DISTRIBUTION: Well this year the awards distribution was a bit disappointing for me and I found nothing new except that Arij Fatima got the award for best actress in a soap “Aik Pagal Si Larki”. I will not talk about the awards given to fashion designers and awards given relating to music industry. I will only talk about awards specifically given to our actors and actresses. Firstly we will take a tour of viewers’ choice awards. I am 100% satisfied with the awards given to actors and actresses here, Zindagi Gulzar hai deserves the best drama award and so Fawad for best actor and Sanam saeed for best actress. My argument is that why the viewers’ choice awards are limited to best actor, actress, and drama and on screen couple. This should be extended to best telefilm, writer and director. Ok so now coming to jury’s choice awards and we can again notice the biases don’t know why the claimant of awards decided by the jury revolves around same senior actors and we are still not encouraging new talent. As expected the awards for best actor goes to Noman Ejaz as previously and best actress to sania saeed. For best actor the award should be given this time to Imran Abbas for Dil-e-Muzter and for best actress sanam baloch was deserving one for Kankar, her character was indeed very powerful in this drama. It seems like HUM TV got only one sitcom “Extras” by Danish Nawaz and each year they are giving award to the same sitcom, what a waste of award. So as usual awards are pre-anticipated and biased. How boring!
DANCE PERFORMANCES: I think that organisers also knows that people are not getting interested any more that who will win because as I have mentioned earlier this thing is pre-anticipated. So to generate interest organisers are getting more focused to provide entertainment to the viewers by presenting more dance performances. No award ceremony is complete without two to three dance performances. HUM should give special award to Ahsan Khan and Mehwish Hayat because they are the best dance partners I have ever seen and HUM couldn’t be able to find their replacement that’s why in 2nd HUM awards you will be able to see their dance performance again. Although I don’t like dance performance on award ceremonies but if they are being presented to bring more entertainment than dancers must wear full clothes at least. Anyone remember last year Humaima Malick dance performance? Ridiculous indeed is this the culture we are representing?
MODERNISM: This is seriously a hot topic here, as Saud have mentioned you can also call me “Mullah” or whatever you want to call me but honestly we are heading towards worst and towards destruction. I mean why actresses are getting so obsessed to wear half sleeve and off shoulder skirts, seriously if getting naked is modernism than animals are more modern. We are stuck in two extreme ends on one hand we are religiously extremist and on the other end we want to become westerners by following their footsteps to wear half clothes. Where is decency and modesty gone? Kissing and hugging seems to be no problem at all and by doing this our artists are showing that how modern and broadminded we are. Oh who told them by doing these cheap stuffs they will become broadminded. Western people are broad minded in a sense that they do not bother what are you doing or where are you going, they don’t interfere in your lives and they mind their own business and we cannot pass our day by criticizing others. Our country is full of wannabes who only copies bad stuff from the west but never try to copy good stuff.
DECENT ACTRESSES NOT TURNING UP: Well it will not be true to state that all actresses are going out of their limits, we have still got some actresses who knows their limits. One thing that I have particularly noticed that decent actresses either turn up not at all or if they turn up you will notice decency in their dressings. Sanam jung and Sajjal Ali is a great example, in this award you can notice both of them in decent dresses, other actresses who are trying to be cheap must learn from them. I have never noticed Ayeza Khan appearing in any awards although she never gets nominated but as a popular actress I am sure she must have received invitations. She is a great example of decency, you will hardly see her even wearing sleeveless. I only saw Sanam Baloch in 2nd Pakistan Media Awards and in that ceremony she only came to receive award for her performance in Dastaan in a simple black Shalwar Kameez. Arij Fatima won the award for best actress in soap but she was not present as well. I never saw Ayesha Khan as well hope she will appear in ARY Film awards.
So do you agree with me if not then please provide your argument but please argument must be related to the topic only.
