This has been a very exciting year for Urwa Hocane, as she has starred in more movies than any other Pakistani actress. After a very successful release of punjab nahi jaungi, the actress is all set to promote her next upcoming release, Rangreza. Its trailer has been launched a couple of days earlier and Urwa has now shared some photos from the ceremony on her social media accounts. She is looking pretty in an off shoulder gown with a metallic sheem to it. Alongwith her co actors Gohar Rasheed and Bilal Ashraf , Farhan Saeed was also also present in the function, as usual in full support of his wife’s new film.
This Sharmeen Obaid Vs AKUH doctor fiasco needs no previous context anymore, everyone knows when and how everything went down.
Sharmeen shared a note on her twitter earlier today to justify her stance and her previous tweets. It is a general agreement that what the doctor did was unethical and unprofessional and can’t be justified as “alright” under any circumstances but the way Sharmeen Obaid handled the situation and especially her choice of words blew the whole thing out of proportion.
While Celebrities like Ushna Shah and Mahira Khan supported her stance Hamza Ali Abbasi and Haroon Shahid disagreed, this lead to a massive media debate and still is catching more fire.
In her recent tweet Sharmeen had the following to say,
Firstly Sharmeen agreed that her choice of words was rather poor and has lead people astray from the matter at hand, she further explained that her “wrong women in the wrong family” expression didn’t stem out of some wrongly placed sense of power or privileged-ness she merely meant that women in her family are strong and can stand for themselves.
She went on to add that the examination that AKUH doctor conducted was of rather private nature after which he not only sent her sister a friend request but also commented on some of her pictures. It is a breach of trust and shows severe lack of professional code of conduct. She stated that all she did was voice her concerns whether that doctor stays at the hospital or leaves will be decided by AKUH’s own investigation team and she doesn’t have anything to do with that.
So far the AKUH administration has given no updates on the development.
“The AKUH always maintains the highest standards of confidentiality and will not release any information on either employees or patients.”
Shehzad Roy is not just a singer but a hardcore philanthropist too. Throughout his career, Shehzad has worked a lot for the humanity. He has worked for the well-being of 2005 earthquake victims. He has worked a lot for the betterment of education system in Pakistan. He ran a whole show and helped upgrade education in many areas. Shahzad is also the recipient of Sitara e Imtiaz, the highest civil honour in Pakistan.
Shehzad has now been honoured as being appointed as United Nations Good Will Ambassador against drug abuse. He will be seen talking about drug abuse as well as reforms in our system of justice including police and prisons.
Way to go Shehzad. He totally deserves this position after the work he has done!
Seriously, as this drama is progressing, the story is losing its purpose & nothing is really making an impact. I can not believe this drama has come down to such a stage where it is hard to sit through its episodes & impossible to praise it!
Reena came back to the brothel & Chaman Begum like a kind hearted mother accepted her back. When Nigar & even Reena used to rule the brothel, they used to make all the decisions but this time around it was Chaman Begum who welcomed Reena back despite Shireen Bai telling her not to. What’s next in Reena’s life? What’s left in her story & if I take a look back at her entire journey, I do get that she has fallen flat on her face but I want to know the crux of it? Somehow things are not making much impact & that is ruining the drama for me completely.
So, Basit & Nazneen got married. Malkiyani did all she could to bring Nazneen back but she was a bit too late as they already tied the knot & Nazneen told her mother that she had nothing to do with her parents. I still see it as a biggest flaw that Malik Hashmat had no idea that Shahzeb divorced Nazneen & even Malkiyani chose not to give him such an important information. Yes, she must have been waiting for his return but still Malkiyani not telling Hashmat the first thing after he came back that his daughter got divorced is a bit hard to digest!
So, Nazneen had a verbal spat with Basit’s parents too & the way she dragged him made it look like she forgot that Basit was now her husband & not her servant’s son that she was bossing around. I really don’t get the transition that Basit’s character has been through. He was fine without Nazneen like he came to terms with the fact that he couldn’t be with her. He then took a job at Shahzeb’s despite knowing that he will come across Nazneen. He then fought with his parents for Nazneen & completely overlooked what their opinion was when it came to his & Nazneen’s wedding & now when he finally got her, he started feeling guilty thinking that he wronged Shahzeb. If that was the case then why did his guilt occur the moment he got married? Why didn’t he think things through before taking such a huge step knowing that his parents were against this marriage? If he had done that, his parents wouldn’t have died because this was Hashmat’s way of taking his revenge – Basit took away his daughter, he took away Basit’s parents from him!
This drama is becoming worse with each passing episode, not to forget the extremely boring & long scenes which show that there isn’t much content left & that is why the episodes are just being filled for the sake of it. Zimal is another filler which has gone wrong, it is quite annoying to see her getting the coverage that too like she is the main character of the drama. It is amusing that by making her cry, they thought we will sympathize with her character, one can barely tolerate her character let alone sympathize with her. The direction of this drama has become a joke as well. Anyways, please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.
This drama which is a sequel of Landa Bazar, a Khalil ur Rehman Qamar drama that was aired 15 years ago transports you into another world altogether. The writer and producer have tried to incorporate that story into the new social set up of today brilliantly. The new generation is shown to be more enlightened and advanced, yet still weaved into a complicated web of love, revenge and dynasty. It is not an entertainment play. Your heart and mind becomes heavy as it is about what is possibly the darkest side of human emotions. It would be a little too gloomy if not for some characters’ natural wit and a shady sense of humor. The credit for providing comic relief goes to Waseem Abbas, who has taken it on brilliantly. The veteran actor never fails to impress with his impeccable dialogue delivery and total ownership of the character that he is in and this play is no exception. The other experienced stars including Saba Hameed, Babar Ali, Kashif Mehmood, Tauqeer Nasir are all in full awe inspiring moods. The newcomers are all relatively new faces but they are also doing quite well in their respective characters.
The first three episodes have shown the aftermath of age old murder of Mehar Hukum, where his widow has been keeping constant fasts, praying wholeheartedly for revenge and nurturing the seed of hatred with more care in her heart than any other feeling, including motherly instincts. She had been raising her son with the sole intention of killing Baali, the man who killed her husband. She is single minded to the point of crime and loved her late husband to the point of self destruction. Her son Mehar Punaar, played by Aabi Khan has imbibed her hatred, her aggression and her revenge in the truest possible way, while her daughter, who has just returned from America after three years, tries to talk sanity and patience and self preservation with both her mother and brother, but to no avail.
Mehar Charagh, the grandfather played by Waseem Abbas is also helpless in the face of his daughter in law’s wrath. It was him on whom Baali had initially attacked but he survived and his son got killed when he was on a revenge spree from Baali. Babar Ali is nailing the role of Baali perfectly. He has been released from jail after serving his term which Hukum’s family had initially mistaken for death penalty. He is trying to gain footage in the world which is now alien to him. He has come from Rahimyar Khan jail to Lahore and is looking for his children whom Jajji took away after his wife’s death. He is still aggressive and voilent but age has certainly mellowed him down and he is quite woeful over the fact.
Another twist is that both of Baali’s kids and Hukum’s daughter Maahi were studying together in America and Maahi and Baali’s son Farhad are in love with each other. While they are still oblivious to each other’s paternal identity, Maahi has become quite disheartened at the state of hatred and revenge she finds her mother and brother in. She has decided to warn Farhad to stay away from her as she herself intends to do. She does not want him to get entangled in the game of life and death her family are playing.
Stay tuned to see how these two generations come to terms with both their pasts and futures.
Cast: Neelum Muneer, Minal Khan, Wahaj Ali, Waseem Abbas, Zainab Qayyum and Nida Mumtaz among others.
When the promos and pictures started surfacing for Dil Nawaz, honestly my first instinct was that it will be a stupid try at horror genre with people screaming and objects floating in every second episode. But Dil Nawaz literally came out as a pleasant surprise for me. When the first episode came out, it was a clichéd start, with Aijaz Aslam and his family shifting in a haunted house and then leaving it due to supernatural stuff. The start may be clichéd but the drama as a whole is a great package, it shows the evils and manipulations prevailing in our society. Eight episodes are down up till now and let’s break how everything went on:
Characters and Storyline:
The writer has hands down done a great job. All the characters are developed with accuracy and that takes the story forward. Alam Ara (Zainab Qayyum) and Jahan Ara are two sisters who have mastery with magic and control over supernatural beings. They inherited the knowledge from their father but Alam Ara has become super greedy and manipulates and harm people who come to her. Hazrat Bibi aka Alam Ara has cut off all ties with the normal world due to her devious deeds and with the recent developments, looks like she is the one who has forced to do Jahan Ara the same.
Next, comes the two lovebirds Fawad(Wahaj Ali) and Kiran(Minal Khan)who are neighbours and want to marry each other. Fawad is a young doctor and his character is probably one of the very strong male lead characters of recent times. He stood for the right and protected the character of the girl he loved even if he had to go against his mother. Kiran, on the other hand, is a great daughter. She loves Fawad but she is not “Mai tumhare liye sabb ko chorr doongi” type. She has self-respect and she loved and respected her mother to the extent that she left Fawad to protect her mother’s honour.
Fawad’s parents are Waseem Abbas and Nida Mumtaz. His father is chill like a glacier and his mother is heated like a volcano. She is not only possessive but pure evil too. She can go to any extent just to get the results she wants. Her objective in life is to get her son married to her sister’s daughter kyunki unki industries hain. Kiran’s mother, on the other hand, is a single parent who has worked hard all her life and supported her daughter when she chose Fawad as her life partner. Her character is very positive and a treat to watch.
And yes the main and titular character, Dil Nawaz. Dil Nawaz is a supernatural entity. She is under Alam Ara’s thumb and has to do everything to please her. Her character is not black and white but grey. She harms people on Alam Ara’s orders but regrets it too. She didn’t even want to manipulate Fawad and Kiran’slove because she saw they were serious about each other. Fawad is the first person she has let stay in her house and she will fall for him hard.
The story has now become a love triangle because Dil Nawaz has fallen for Fawad. On the other hand, Kiran will seek Fawad because there is a person warning her to help him. We will have to wait to watch the next developments in the story now.
Performances:
Wahaj Ali has performed exceptionally from the start. From a love-struck doctor to a person who stands for right, he portrayed every emotion flawlessly. Minal Khan is good in her role too, her scenes with her mother are the best ones. Her performance was a bit weak in the scene where Fawad comes to talk to her at her engagement. It could have been more emotive. Zainab Qayyum and Nida Mumtaz are the best performers until now. The way Zainab is portraying the character of greedy and hungry for power Alam Ara is exceptional and Nida Mumtaz looks like a true obsessive mother who just wants her child to do what she wants him to do and see what she wants him to see. Neelum Muneer is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful supernatural entity in the history of the horror genre. Her dialogue delivery is lacking but her expressions and those orange death stares make up for it.
Direction:
The direction of this play has been a plus point for it up till now. The story is moving forward smoothly and there are mostly no useless scenes inserted just to prolong the drama. And thank God, there are no floating sheets and broken vases after every scene since they are the only two things which happen in our supernatural genre. The overall look and feel of the play are exciting and for that credit goes to the director.
OST:
A fitting OST and Alycia Dias’s voice actually makes it sound magical and supernatural. Yes, it is different from the typical OSTs but the drama too is. The theme music when plays in the background gives a feel to the overall story. Here is it if you want to listen to it:
So eight episodes down and I am unexpectedly loving Dil Nawaz. I hope they don’t start dragging it reasonlessly which is a plague that hits all the dramas I start liking. But since the news is that Dil Nawaz will have about 25 episodes, I am a bit relieved. This is a treat to watch, a successful experiment and I will look forward to the next episode.
Have you watched Dil Nawaz? Share your thoughts in comments!
Earlier this month we heard the news of Pakistani-American actor Faran Tahir’s appearance to be expected in American T.V series ‘Scandal’s final season.
Faran appeared as Bashran’s President Rashad in second and fourth episode of the show respectively.
US President Mellie Grant’s introduces him as the guest of honor at a state dinner designed to mend relations with the unstable Bashrani government and as a step toward peace in Middle-East.
Bashran is soon to become a nuclear power and the aim of the episode was to get President Rashad to sign on a de-proliferation agreement. Rashad doesn’t cave in initially but eventually agrees when he is saved from an assassination attempt, the episode also hinted a possible romance between The US President and President Rashad.
In the fourth episode a spark is shown between both Presidents while they are struggling for the Middle East peace summit between Bashran and Dacal to succeed.
Amidst all this a coup in Bashran unseats President Rashad. Mellie insists that US sends troops into Bashran to restore Rashad’s presidency while Olivia accuses her of letting her personal feelings for Rashad cloud her better judgement.
Over all Faran did an amazing job, the intensity he brought to President Rashad’s character is downright beautiful.
Not sure if he’ll be returning to the show after this whole coup scene but we certainly hope he does.
This episode of Mujhe Jeenay Du had some important developments to its credit and once again Mehreen Raheal completely stole the show. She is beyond brilliant as Shaheena; the way she carried herself and the manner in which she delivers her dialogues is impressive, she definitely deserves an award for her performance. Gohar Rasheed is also giving an outstanding performance in this play although he is also playing a role completely different from the ones we have seen him playing in other dramas. The writer of this drama deserves tons of credit for penning down characters which are not black and white. While there are men like Murad, Mohammadu and Saira’s father who can easily be termed as stereotypes, there are also characters like that of Naseeb and Shaheena in particular which have tons to offer. Naseeb isn’t a bad guy but he tends to lose his temper every time he gets frustrated and he treats Saira like a punching bag in these situations. As long as Shaheena was around, he was happy and he was very kind to Saira but as soon as Shaheena left he obviously blamed Saira for it too and started treating her the way he was treating her before. Also, Naseeb is a product of the system he grew up in. He is a good person at heart but Bushra’s loss, his inability to run the house or to look after his son made him do something which he knew was wrong but it seemed like a convenient option. The fact that he was pressurized into getting married to Saira also shows that overall he is different from all the other men around him. He also loved his wife unlike Murad and Muhammadu who fail to see their wives as human beings.
Although the divorce was rather sudden and somewhat unexpected as well but I liked the way Shaheena didn’t mourn over the “loss” much. Yasmin was there to comfort her and to give her a reality check as well. It is great watching these women stand by one another although they have very little control over their own lives. There is a definite attraction between Shaheena and Naseeb therefore I am wondering where this track will lead. Mohammadu’s reaction was completely in line with his character; instead of taking responsibility for his actions, he decided to teach his wife a lesson by divorcing her!
There was a great deal of focus on Shabo in this episode. Even though his father is doing everything he can to make him happy but he feels that his father betrayed him and his mother therefore he finds it difficult to forgive him. Shabo’s situation and his feelings are easy to connect to and the writer has also given this child a definite personality. He does not get convinced easily and knows the difference between right and wrong – after all he is Yasmin’s son! Saira and Shabo also share a special bond, one which is unbreakable. At this point it would be even better if the story picks up pace and the viewers get to see how things change once all these characters get older. Emaan Sher, the child star playing Saira’s character has been phenomenal throughout, her confidence and natural portrayal is impressive.
The overall feel of this drama is very real, it manages to transport you to another world and you can’t help but feel for the characters. The preview of the next episode was very interesting. I am waiting to see how Naseeb will react once he finds out that getting married to a minor is illegal. Yasmin will also meet her husband’s second wife in the next episode, it is really difficult to predict what turn all these tracks will take in the next episode but I am waiting to find out!
How many of you watched this latest episode? Do share your thoughts about it.
This Saturday marked the one year anniversary of film-maker Karan Johar’s film “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” so Karan took to his twitter and opened up about the film.
He said that the movie is very close to his heart and thanked everyone who was a part of this project except of course Fawad Khan.
Indian political party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena gave this film a hard time and banned the release based on the fact that it stars a “Pakistani” actor to mark their protest of the Uri attack on 18th of September 2016.
As a result the decision by Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India prevented the release of films with Pakistani actors in four states – Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Goa.
Karan issued a video back then addressing this agenda and had the following to say:
“For me, my country comes first… When I shot Ae Dil Hai Mushkil from September to December last year, the (political) climate was completely different. There were efforts made by our government for peaceful relationships with the neighbouring country. Going forward, I would like to say that of course I wouldn’t engage with talent from the neighbouring country given the circumstance.”
Have something to add to the story? The comments section is all yours.
This is truly an era of female empowerment and feminist stances. From Bollywood to Pakistani showbiz a, almost every controversy boils down to gender inequality and female harassment or the forces fighting it. It is essentially a very tricky topic because you don’t want the bullying and harassment to run its ruins on males either, but you also do not want that fear to empower men to mistreat women once again. So let’s see what the two lead stars of upcoming movie Verna had to say about the recent issue of harassment raised by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy against a doctor in Karachi;
Mahira Khan clearly supports the Oscar Award winning feminist, saying that using personal details by a doctor to approach a girl, it is definitely the wrong code of conduct. She said it is acceptable if someone is using a social platform to voice their complaint about a doctor. The debate is about how far will they be willing to take it.
The debutante Haroon Shahid, voiced his opinion that merely sending a friendship request does not constitute harassment in the true meanings of the term.
I believe this issue will always keep people divided on all sides..
Abida Parveen’s name is synonymous with every beautiful and mystical adjective you can associate with a a woman’s voice. She has mesmerized generations with ethereal vocals lent to sufi numbers and ghazals.
Ather Bilal Producations have now used her voice for a lovely new video song ahat si which features Saima Ajram, the famous BBC Asian Network London presenter in a traditional attire, waiting for her husband, all dressed up in white. Her actions expressed in Abida Parveen’s voice keeps you enchanted inside the beautiful haveli where it is shot.
Tau Dil Ka Kya Hua continues to be unpredictable, unusual and intriguing but it isn’t the same without Dariya. Dariya and Faris’ relationship as well as their interactions were the highlight of every single episode. Their on-screen chemistry and the way these characters were translated on screen made their scenes a treat to watch and I must say that even though Sami Khan was brilliant as usual but nothing can beat the magic Faris and Dariya’s scenes created on screen. Although Dariya kept on saying that she couldn’t stay forever but even then I was hoping that she will stay in the picture somehow.
This episode covered Lubna and Faris’ interactions and by the end of the episode Faris found out that Lubna and Saif were engaged. This entire development was shown superbly. Faris noticed Lubna’s reaction when Saif hit Faris’ car and he knew instantly that she knew him. Later on the resignation and most importantly everything that Lubna said to Faris about Saif getting away with taking Maya away from him is going to be the reason why this time around Faris will not let Saif decide how things run in his office or life! Lubna, like every other girl Faris meets, seemed to like Faris instantly – her conversation with Baila said a great deal about what she thought about Faris. The fact that even with all his flaws Faris is a charming man makes it easy for the viewers to understand why it is impossible for someone to not like him! Lubna is the only woman Saif has ever been serious about therefore now there is a way for Faris to take revenge from this man however so far, Faris has been shown as someone who does not believe in playing games therefore whatever he does, he will probably do it genuinely to help Lubna and not just because he wants to teach Saif a lesson!
Maya’s mother’s dialogues were the most meaningful as well as powerful dialogues in this episode. Although Farah Shah tends to go overboard at times and I do not like the way she delivers her dialogues but even then those dialogues showed that this woman knew her daughters only too well. She already had a feeling that Maya was about to do something outrageous to get Faris back therefore in her own way she tried to warn her. Although Maya thinks she is very intelligent but the fact is that she is constantly letting other people make her decisions for her. Tipu might appear to be a simple person but he is actually much more clever than Maya, he knows how to play with people’s feelings and how to use a situation to his advantage. It is great watching Imran Ashraf playing roles in different drama which are poles apart. He is a remarkable actor who is versatile as well. Ayeza Khan’s makeover in this drama is right on point and she has given a flawless performance throughout. Maya’s character however isn’t as strong or appealing as that of Dariya’s or even Baila’s character. Rehan Sheikh is also an exceptional actor who always gives a solid performance. No one could have played Uncle Siraj’s role with more finesse than him.
This episode had some remarkable performances, powerful dialogues and interesting scenarios to its credit. Just like every other episode of Tau Dil Ka Kya Hua this one too was directed brilliantly. I am waiting to see Faris and Saif face to face and hoping that we will get to see Dariya soon!
How many of you watched this recent episode? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.
Naimal Khawar just aced what can only be described as a dream debut, what better way to start your acting career than to work with the filmography maestro Shoaib Mansoor himself. Born to a Persia mother and a Pakhtun father Naimal grew up in Islamabad and was studying visual arts when the opportunity knocked at her door and it is interesting to note that she didn’t want to be an actress in the first place.
Shahbaz Shigri the assistant director discovered this gem from her instagram profile and invited her over for the auditions, after getting the role Naimal’s family was still a bit paranoid but after explaining the fact that Verna isn’t the usual commercial film and focuses on something more than just box-office figures they approved of it.
In a recent interview Naimal said that her role is of Haroon’s sister and is very much like the real life her, she herself is very vocal about social issues like women empowerment, she also added that so far she doesn’t know if she really enjoys acting for now she will finish her thesis and then give acting any thought.
When asked of her experience with huge names like Mahira and Shoaib himself she said that she has learned a lot, Mahira being the star that she is doesn’t have any airs and is very comfortable to work with, she went on to say that the breaks during the shoots were her favorite part when they all laughed and had a good time where Haroon would sing for them and Mahira sometimes joined him.
She stated that she is getting a lot of offers these days but for now she doesn’t know if she is ready for it so she’d rather they wait.
“I do get other offers. I got some recently and called Shoaib Sahab asking what I should do. He said this is just beginning but don’t let it get to your head. And I won’t because I still have my studies to complete.”
She went on to add:
“There are dramas that are coming my way and some films as well. I want to see myself on the screen and I want to see how I do in films before I make a decision about my future. I want to finish my thesis as well before I take on any other projects.”
When she was asked if there’s anything she absolutely wouldn’t do she said and we quote:
“I think I would prefer roles that impact our society, in terms of social issues. I guess I wouldn’t ever do an item song or something of the sort.”
It does look like Shoaib has one more time given us a gem of an artist in the form of Naimal Khawar and we wholeheartedly want to see her succeed.
Coke Studio started with Rohail Hyatt as the producer. It went on to become the biggest hit in Pakistani music scene. Later Strings became the producers of the show and they have been here for four seasons now. Many hits and new singers came out during the Strings era. The news is that the Strings duo are bidding goodbye to Coke Studio making season 10 their last. They announced it on their facebook page. Here is the post:
Also, Strings are completing their 30 years in 2018, so let us wait to see what they have in store for us as a celebration. Who do you think should be next producer for Coke Studio? Share your thoughts in the comments section!
Sid grew up in Karachi in a middle-class family with seven siblings – and a male name. “I was very feminine,” she recalls. Her family wouldn’t let her go outside for fear she would be molested. Her father passed away when she was an adolescent and she was raised by her mother, who Sid says is completely accepting.
She has a bachelor’s degree in business studies, and wanted to study in the UK – but couldn’t get a visa. Her brother got her a job at a freight-forwarding company, and then she landed work at a visa consultancy. In 2012, her outspokenness on Facebook got her noticed by an activist running an organisation focused on trans issues. That year, Kami travelled abroad for the first time – to a transgender network conference in Thailand – which opened her to the world of activism. But it was her debut fashion shoot last year – as Pakistan’s first trans model – that brought on a slew of attention. (Via The Guardian)
Kami is all set to make her acting debut on Express Entertainment in collaboration with Talent Hub and Gold Bridge Media production house in their upcoming play Dil e Nadan. Just like Kami’s real life story the play too revolves around the life of a transgender and her relationship with the society.
In a recent interview Kami gave the following insight about the play,
“I have been offered roles before in television, but they always wanted me to do dance numbers and reinforce the stereotypical image of transgenders. That’s why I didn’t do any of them. For Dil e Nadan, it was different. In fact, the story was shaped into what it is after we met and discussed how it’s supposed to not do the same schtick.”
When asked about her character in the play she said it is also named Kami,
“This is a human story about me and how a community where I live supports me. I feel it’s great that Talent Hub is giving opportunities to all genders and all kinds of people.”
She further added that she doesn’t mind transgenders who opt for roles that include singing or dancing but she has an image to uphold as an activist.
“I may dance like Madhuri Dixit but don’t want to do this on screen. I have to represent my community in a positive manner and it’d be weird if I do such a role and then go to colleges and talk to kids about changing our image.”
https://youtu.be/Wt-Z_O5Smb0
She concluded her interview by saying she hopes Dil e Nadan helps in portraying a more human side of transgenders to the public. The play airs on Express Entertainment, commencing November 6 at 8:30pm, Monday to Friday.
Feel like adding something to the story? DEVOUR the comments section.
Halloween is celebrated all over the world on 31st October. It is an occasion when people dress in scary outfits and kids go trick or treating. For some years now, Halloween has become a great festival among showbiz industry. In Hollywood, celebrities go extra miles to have the best looks at different parties. The trend is coming to Pakistan too and many celebs were seen at a Halloween party recently. Here are the pictures:
How did you find our celebrities take on Halloween? Share in the comments below!
Riz Ahmed is on “he came, he saw, he conquered” mode these days, he just won’t stop making the headlines and we’re loving it.
Our favorite Pakistani-British actor has made it to the fourth spot in this year’s list of most influential Asian people in Britain, while the first three spots were bagged by politicians with the first spot belonging to London Mayor Sadiq Khan for the second consecutive year. The cabinet ministers Sajid Javid and Priti Patel were ranked second and third respectively.
The GG2 Power List of the 101 leading Asian influencers includes various influential politicians, artists and actors of Asian origin in Britain.
Slumdog Millionaire and Lion star Dev Patel climbed up 61 places to the 21st place.
Riz Ahmed won critical acclaim for his performance in The Reluctant Fundamentalist but is widely recognized for playing Nadir is HBO’s mini series The Night Of for which we all know he recently bagged an Emmy. He is very vocal about lack of diversity in Hollywood and said the following during Channel 4’s annual diversity lecture in British Parliament.
“If we fail to represent, we are in danger of losing people to extremism,”
We not only stand with and respect his stance but also feel proud for what this young man has accomplished so far, kudos to you Ahmed.
It’s been ages since I’ve listened to a new Atif Aslam song but he’s back and back with a bang, the singer sang a soulfully heartbreaking song for the upcoming Irrfan Khan starrer “Qarib Qarib Singlle”.
“Jaane De” carries in it the pain synonymous to every heart out there, the song is penned by Raj Shekhar and composed by Vishal Mishra.
“Qarib Qarib Singlle” is quite an unconventional story, this Irrfan Khan and Parvathy starrer is an extraordinary love saga of two very ordinary people with very human and relate-able dilemmas. Out beyond the ideas of fairy tales and Prince Charmings there is a field and you’ll see QQS there.
The film is set to release this November the 10th, we wish team QQS team all the luck and hope that it does well on the box office.
When Mahira Khan and Ranbir Kapoor’s controversial pictures leaked out last month, almost all of her star friends defended her vehemently. Among those was Ali Zafar who had written an open letter with his sign to remind people of their own punishment for judging someone’s character . Recently, he had a chance to explain his stance with more clarity on the topic. Speaking to Gulf News, the famous singer was asked about what prompted him to defend her. He replied, “For so long in this part of the world we have suppressed women in general — especially us men who think that we are superior and women are our slaves. We feel we can do whatever we want them. We own them.” He further elaborated, “Ultimately, it’s her [Mahira Khan’s] life, I do understand that when being in the limelight one needs to be more careful about various things. But at the end of the day we are all human. We all make mistakes and we need to be more compassionate and forgiving towards one another. I don’t think this is something great that I have done. These are just the basics. Our fundamentals and our basics are so wrongly placed that its taking time for us to get back to the right.” Let us know if you think his heart was in the right place in coming up for her defence.
Actress Noor Bukhari has made it to the headlines yet again but for all the wrong reasons this time.
On 8th September 2017, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) announced that the properties of actresses Saba Qamar and Noor Bukhari will be seized over tax evasion.
Previously FBR has frozen accounts of other celebrities one of them being Mehreen Syed, in Mehreen Syed case FBR succeeded in recovering one million rupees.
FBR is on the roll again and the officials claim that the former actress Noor Bukhari failed to pay her taxes worth 1.4 million rupees for the year 2015. Therefore FBR carried out a raid in the branch of a bank located in defence area and happened to recover Rs. 1,60,000 from Noor’s account.
The revenue board claims that Noor is a defaulter of almost 1.4 million rupees.
Want to add anything to the story, you know the drill.
Faysal Quraishi has had his fair share of ups and downs. From delivering brilliant performances in plays like Qaid e Tanhai & Meri Zaat Zara e Benishan to terrible ones like Zakham, Faysal has come a long way in Pakistani entertainment industry. He is also one of the very few males to take on a morning show and gain fans and admirers through it, since morning shows have always been predominantly a woman’s domain.
The veteran actor has just launched his own production house called Connect Studios on his forty third birthday. The event was announced on twitter after the celebrations by the birthday boy himself.
We all wait to see how Faysal Quraishi’s very own production house fares under his widespread experience.
AllahYar and The Legend Of Markhor is an upcoming Pakistani animated film. The film will focus on conservation of nature and will show AllahYar’s adventures. The animation is out of this world and the movie looks of very high standards. The first teaser looked interesting and the second one is no less. This one shows the kind of dangers AllahYar and his friends will face. The movie seems to have a comic touch to it too. Here watch the second teaser of the movie:
The name of this play matches the main theme extremely well. It has shown how after getting betrayed and hurt by the ones you love most in the world, the only thing left behind is silence. Arsala has accepted her fate as she knows her family wants money more than they want her. She has submitted to all the ill-doings of Haseena because she knows there will be no one to look out for her. Amber Khan has really played the part of Haseena well. She looks really spiteful and makes a viewer hate her, which is what this character is meant to do. Mudassir chacha is a weak character and has accepted defeat from his wife’s hot-headedness since long. In today’s episode when he finally tried to show some backbone by sending Arsala back, she was not willing to do so as she has realized that it is her fate to suffer in silence for her family.
Atif finally talked to Arsala but the scene was more like that of some Indian soap where you don’t listen to the other person and keep pressing your own thoughts. Though he didn’t trust Arsala’s story he still didn’t give her any reassurance either which shows that his character is determined but not strong. Naima, on the other hand, succeeded to get her mother think of her objectives finally. With Atif getting a job, she made her mom realize that they should not let the acha larka slip away. So what Arsala has become an ATM, we will marry off our other daughter to Atif. The best scene of tonight’s episode was where Atif explained Shehnaz’s nature to his mother. He thoroughly explained that she is selfish and greedy and the income has blinded her from her daughter’s well-being.
Shehnaz will now try to impress her sister with the ghareloo skills of Naima since they are not willing to marry Arsala. Naima as always was trying to drill ugly stuff about Arsala in Atif’s head and though he insulted Naima, the guy is falling to all these confusions. The only objective of the family seems to keep a hold on Atif now because he has his own house, a job and just a mother at home. Shehnaz didn’t even think about Arsala’s feelings who has been betrothed to the same man since childhood. She does not want to let him slip away and will try that her sister takes Naima’s proposal in Arsala’s replacement. Sabir is the only super happy person in the drama right now. He was glad to hear what Arsala told Atif and to decrease the bojh of the household, he is ready to marry Naima to Atif despite hating Atif to his core.
This episode also focused on the ill-treatment of house helps in our society. We see these people getting beaten on mere things and find it normal ke ye aise hi chalte hain. We also crush their self-respects the same way Haseena did to Arsala like they are our slaves as we are paying them to help with the housework. This episode focused on how people even do not forgive their own children for material gains.
How did you find today’s episode? Leave your feedback in the comments section!
After the success of Waar, Maula Jatt will be Bilal Lashari’s second film and it is already set to be huge with names as Fawad Khan, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Humaima Malik and Mahira Khan attached to the cast. The film was expected to release next year but recently the CEO of Bahoo Films Corporation, the company which produced original Maula Jatt, has sent notices to all the actors of the film to stop shooting. According to him, Bilal has not purchased the rights of the film and he is not even willing to sell them. The CEO Muhammad Mutaqi has come forward with a message on social media as he says that Bilal is using their characters and story without any legal permission. Watch his message here:
A new drama is coming soon on ARY Digital and it is named as Aangan. As was reported before, Hum Tv is also planning on producing a period drama named Aangan with a huge cast attached to it. But looks like the name is already taken. Aangan stars Qavi Khan, Mansha Pasha, Waseem Abbas, Irsa Ghazal, Vaneeza Ahmed and Pras Masroor among others. The drama is written by Faiza Iftikhar and directed by Qasim Ali Mureed. It looks like the drama will have a lighter touch to it. Watch teasers below:
Verna is marking the comeback of ace director Shoaib Mansoor after six years. Like always the story is based on a social issue. The film stars Mahira Khan, Haroon Shahid and Zarrar Khan in pivotal roles. The first song of Verna Sambha Sambhal Ke had a light feel to it and now the second song Khushi Ki Baat is out and it looks as intense as the trailer. The song shows the emotions Mahira and Haroon’s character will go through after whatever tragedy they will face. This is sung by Richie Robinson and Zeb Bangash. Here is Khushi Ki Baat:
Does the song make your expectations higher from the movie? Do you like Smabhal Sambhal Ke or Khushi Ki Baat? Share your thoughts in comments!
Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is a famous Pakistani filmmaker who has won academy awards two times for her documentaries. She is very vocal about her opinions on different issues. Recently a Hollywood producer was accused by many A-list actresses of sexual harassment and it started a debate on this topic. People shared their experiences in this regard and supported the actress Ashley Judd who started this debate after coming forward with the allegations against the famous producer. Maybe due to the roaring topi, Sharmeen also took to Twitter after her sister got a friend request from the doctor who treated her at Agha Khan University Hospital. She termed the request as a form of harassment and also said that she will report him.
Many people were put off by her definition of harassment and expressed their views. Ali Moeen Nawazish also wrote a post on this:
After his post, a colleague of the said doctor sent him this message:
The doctor is now fired from the hospital. He has four kids, is jobless and yes an allegation of sexual harassment too on him! Do you think it is right for a celebrity to get a person’ career destroyed due to a friend request? Share your thoughts!
Ohkay so, if we watch this drama as it unfolds without expecting the story to be clear on its purpose, then it surely is enjoyable to watch. Even though the message that the writer is trying to convey has now become a bit too repetitive, I still had a good time watching this episode.
It was interesting to see how Khayyam & Sassi were both struggling to be who they were as they both were falling short of the confidence they had on themselves only because they gave too much power to others to have over them. Sassi & Khayyam’s dispute hasn’t subsided but it has settled for now but it was noteworthy that the father-daughter duo was faced with the similar sort of situation. For the first time Khayyam was unsure of himself because of Sonia & similarly, Sassi was unsure of herself because of Wajih.
I must say, I liked how it was shown that the source which was an inspiration to Khayyam for his writing & the source whose love made Khayyam feel self-assure was now also the reason behind him feeling like a failure. Where Khayyam’s love for Sonia Jahan gave him this confidence, it also shattered his confidence this time around. This was something that I enjoyed watching when I analyzed it. Similarly, even though Sassi’s sudden love for Wajih has no justification at the moment, even she felt like a nobody due to how Wajih was treating her by not accepting her or her feelings.
To be honest, as much as I like Qasim’s character, I felt disapponted even more when I saw him settling for such meaningless life whereas he could’ve done so well for himself if he had chosen to stay out of this messy situation. I don’t get why Qasim had to personally come to be all ears to Sassi & her feelings, because he could’ve listened to her & advised her over letters too. Qasim chose to come back so that he could play the role of Sassi’s chauffeur & settle for a beating from Tipu? Like really? Even though as much as their scenes together are enjoyable, I so wanted to see Qasim doing something to make his presence felt in this family. I totally found Wajih’s question apt where he asked Qasim ‘kya tum sab pagal ho’, even I am finding it hard to take them all seriously too because like Wajih said, they don’t seem normal!
I am still annoyed with Tipu’s character but for the first time I saw the reason why he was a part of the story. Sassi thinks just by supporting Tipu’s love for Meena, she will be able to get the support back when she will need it in regards to her love for Wajih, but I am sure she is gravely mistaken. Sassi is repeating her mistake where she blindly supported Khayyam’s love for Sonia thinking he will let her choose the path that she wanted but that didn’t happen, so I believe she will go through that again when Tipu will refuse to support her. Once again Sassi’s trust will be shattered & once again out of all the people she will have Qasim by her side!
Meena & Mumtaz’s scene was sweet. It was like Meena could see the pain in Mumtaz’s eyes & may be because she herself has seen someone dear to her going through the same experiences, she can not only feel but relate to that pain as well. I think after Qasim, may be Meena will feel for Mumtaz.
So Sassi chose to let Wajih know what she is made of & that riled Wajih up so much that he ended up meeting Khayyam to give him a piece of his mind. Well, this was something that I said in my earlier reviews when Khayyam took Sassi to see Sonia’s shooting that Khayyam Sani is a coward who uses ladies of the family as a sheild. So, Wajih Kamal used the exact same words for Khayyam & what he said was spot on. Khayyam is someone who needs a supportive punching bag by his side every single time, that is why now that Sonia is gone he is being dependant on Mumtaz for his selfish reasons whereas she is being sincere in extending support to her husband!
Anyways, overall this episode was quite interesting & I had a great time watching it. The acting of Sajal Ali is a treat to watch & I love her as Sassi. I am sure no other actor could’ve done a better job at portraying Sassi the way Sajal has done. The preview of the next episode suggested that Tipu will finally unleash his conservative side, though I am not interested in Tipu, I am keen to see Sassi’s reaction. Please share your thoughts about this episode of O Rangreza.
Ohkay so, this episode of Yaar e Bewafa tried to stir some sympathy for a negative character but I am not sure showing it after 16 weeks was a good idea because it is a long time for the viewers to form a definite opinion about a character so not sure why did the writer & director think this was a good idea or if it was going to work!
This episode was all about Saleem & his guilt which surfaced after Zaid had a conversation with him & tried to knock some sense into him & finally it worked but still I wasn’t a fan of all the flashbacks or how good Saleem used to be.
So Amna was an orphan living with her relatives when Saleem’s mother saw her & chose her for her son. It was good to see that Saleem & Amna did have a good marital life when things were working for Saleem, but then again, I want to have an insight into Amna’s character a bit more. Yes, we do get it that just because Saleem did so much for her in the beginning, she is returning it back to him but still I need to know what’s more behind that too good to be true facade.
Saleem got the news that he is terminally ill & no medication, nothing can save him, which further forced him to do something good for his family, even if it meant allowing his son to meet Zaid. I will say I teard up when I saw Saleem put shoes on Omar’s small feet. That child deserves all the happiness in the world & it was good to see Saleem doing at least something for him. Amna’s cluelessness was once again odd, like why couldn’t she put two & two together that after Zaid’s visit, Saleem was behaving differently so Zaid must’ve been the reason behind this change in Saleem?
Zaid & his friend’s conversations about Amna have become a bit too repetitive, it’s like they have nothing else to talk about & even when they do talk about Amna, it is all related to how Zaid is creating troubles for her! Anyways, looks like the story is going to move forward with Saleem’s exit & then it will be all about Zaid convincing Amna to accept his proposal, which I want to see happening. Please share your thoughts about this episode of Yaar e Bewafa.
From assisting Fahad Mustafa in Jeeto Khelo Pakistan to becoming an internet sensation in Pakistan with her social media photos, it seems as if Fabiha Sherazi is ready to up her game in showbiz now. In a series of videos posted by K Entertainment Studios, which is an independent video production company, Fabiha is seen performing in various roles. While her talent is raw and acting skills deficient, her enthusiasm for dramas shine through it all.
Watch how she takes some street goons head on as they try to intimidate her here;
It seems as the time is not too far when we will be seeing her in a drama serial on television.
In another short video, she is seen practicing some very heavy lines and wondering if she is coming into character or not. Watch how she pretends to be an aspiring model and actress;
Our celebrities have always been very philanthropic and always show support to the ones who need. Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital is an institute on which people believe and celebrities have always helped in raising donations for cancer patients. They also visit the hospital time to time. This time Armeena Rana Khan and her fiance Fesl Khan visited SKMCH and spent some quality time with kids and staff there. Here are some pictures of Armeena and Fesl while they met the patients:
Armeena also shared how she wants to show the positive image of Pakistan everywhere:
Mohsin Abbs Haider is ruling the hearts of many. He has done some very substantial work in a short time and has impressed everyone with his performance. With Muqabil, Na Maloom Afraad and the recent hit Na Maloom Afraad 2, the actor is soaring high on the success in professional life. He is also a part of political show Mazaq Raat where he plays a DJ and is quite liked by the audience.
The actor is blessed with a baby girl and announced the good news on his Instagram. So he is having a beautiful sight in his personal life too. Indeed a very good time for Mohsin.
A huge congratulations to Mohsin and his beautiful wife Fatima on the arrival of their baby girl!
Nadia Khan has made headlines many times this year by announcing that she is no more interested in doing a morning show, even though she is one of the pioneers of morning show culture in Pakistan.
She is now ready to come on screen after a gap of 17 years as a drama actress again. She has started her career with pal do pal by Haseena Moin in 1996. She had also won the best actress award for her drama Bandhan, which aired on Ptv. Nadia will now be seen in Ary Digital’s aisi hai tanhai which also features Sami Khan, Saba Pervaiz and Sonya Hussain. In a video posted on Ary Digital, Nadia speaks up about her reasons for signing the project and what she finds special about it.
Ary Digital has released promos of its new soap Bubbly kya chahti hai today. It will be airing every Monday to Thursday. Watch the promos so you can anticipate what is in store from a drama whose tagline says that sometimes words are not necessary to express your love.
The latest heartthrob of Pakistani entertainment industry, the boy who has started selling dreams from his very first drama as the male lead, Ahad Raza Mir says acting was not only his passion, but his obsession, to the extent that he would get on stage whenever he saw a remote chance of performing.
Speaking to Nida Yair on her show, Ahad spoke about his aspirations as an actor just beginning to gain footage in the showbiz. He spoke of his gratitude and pleasure at the immense appreciation he has gotten during his first play. His parents had always allowed him to follow his heart’s desires and he knew that his heart was in acting, so it was a pretty straightforward choice for him to join this field.
He expressed his desire to venture into the film industry as well and is ready to learn and practice dancing, singing, romance and everything else required to succeed in there as well.
Speaking of his marriage, the handsome newcomer said that he prefers a beautiful soul rather than merely a pretty face, because the former is the only kind of beauty that lasts. He said he is closer to his mom and whenever he will feel the pull to marry a certain girl, he will be more inclined to share it with his mother than anyone else.
Ahad’s mother, Samrah Asif was also on the show. She said that Ahad is very complacent when it comes to food and appreciates everything that is served to him, and that he is very good in helping around the house and manages the chores including cooking and hoovering very well. She also spoke fondly of the mother son squabbles that she has with Ahad but they do not last very long from either of their side.
From this interview of his and his behaviour with audience, he seemed very genuine and humble and stardom does not seem to have reached his head yet. Hopefully, he will continue to remain himself as he proceeds to give us many more powerful performances to remember.
After mesmerizing two nations for more than decades now, Rahat Fateh Ali still manages to enchant the listeners with his voice quality, his magical vocals and his ethereal tone. He has recently sung the OST of Sana Javed and Feroze Khan’s starrer, khaani which is all set to appear on Geo Entertainment in November, though the air date has not been revealed yet. Listen to this love hate number whose lyrics are by Sahir Ali Bagga and prepare to get carried away once again with the magic of Rahet Fateh Ali Khan.
Recently, he had a chance to explain his stance with more clarity on the topic. Speaking to Gulf News, the famous singer was asked about what prompted him to defend her. He replied, “For so long in this part of the world we have suppressed women in general — especially us men who think that we are superior and women are our slaves. We feel we can do whatever we want them. We own them.” He further elaborated, “Ultimately, it’s her [Mahira Khan’s] life, I do understand that when being in the limelight one needs to be more careful about various things. But at the end of the day we are all human. We all make mistakes and we need to be more compassionate and forgiving towards one another. I don’t think this is something great that I have done. These are just the basics. Our fundamentals and our basics are so wrongly placed that its taking time for us to get back to the right.” Let us know if you think his heart was in the right place in coming up for her defence.
