Ohkay so, this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan didn’t bring much to the table apart from an introduction to a couple of new scenarios. I am sure the new characters are going to contribute to the story but somehow seeing the lack of development in the tracks of original characters is making me feel that the pace of the drama has been compromised upon & all of a sudden, everything has started to look so stagnant, which I hope changes soon!
So, Nazneen hasn’t moved on & since she has made it clear to Shahzeb that she is not going to give him a chance, she is making it even more obvious, which obviously puts Shahzeb in an awkward positions especially in front of his mother. I am not too sure if the never ending flashback scene of Nazneen or Basit was required or did anything for the viewers. Usually when the drama-makers start relying a bit too much on the flashbacks, that’s when you know the pace of the drama is going to become slow & the story is going to become stagnant.
Well, since Basit is quite desperate & he wants to do everything to provide for his family, he took a job at Shahzeb’s, despite knowing that he is Nazneen’s husband. I would like to believe that Basit took this job only for the sake of his family as he was burdened with their responsibility but you never know, may be is looking for a chance to see Nazneen again? I am not too sure why Shahzeb had a hard time recognizing Basit & why did he ask Nazneen if she knew Basit because when he & Nazneen got engaged, Basit was the one who was in-charge of the entire function & even after their engagement when Nazneen went to meet Shahzeb to tell him that she wants to go to the city to pursue her education, Basit was with her & he met Shahzeb first. I think it would’ve been more appropriate if Shahzeb had told Nazneen that your servant’s son Basit has been appointed to do the artwork of the Masjid. Just a small detail but yes, it did seem like a glitch.
Well Zimal’s character seems nice. She is a happy go lucky sort of a girl, engaged to be married to her cousin & looks like she & her fiancée Ali both believe in giving each other a lot of space because they both trust each other. Zimal is passionate about what she does & she shares a strong bond with her mother in law to-be. I am sure Zimal’s track will be interesting & she might contribute to the story a great deal too but usually viewers have a hard time relating to the characters that are introduced at such later stages of the drama because after spending 20+ weeks, viewers are usually interested in seeing the closures of the original tracks. Even though I don’t have any preconceived notions about Zimal’s character & have no issues with her so far but at this stage of the drama, I am not too sure if I will be interested in seeing a new beginning altogether as usually such twists do make you feel that the story has deviated from its main purpose & things are being dragged. Zimal shares a cordial relation with all her friends but looks like Shaheer is interested in her, we’ll have to see how things go henceforth!
Well, since Nawazish Ali has invested in Reena Begum so much, he expects her to do much more for him in return but Reena is interested in getting married to him & Nawazish doesn’t seem to be into the idea of a lifelong commitment. For Nawazish Ali, Reena is more like a flavor of the month & unfortunately, Reena is unable to see that. I am not too sure if Ustad Chandu deserved so much of screen-time because to be honest, I had a hard time feeling anything for him. I mean I might’ve taken him seriously but his wig made it hard for me. Yes, we all know that Reena has hurt a lot of people till date & it will come back to her but despite a few meaningful dialogues, Ustad Chandu & Chaman Begum’s scene seemed far too stretched.
For the first time I am having a hard time making up my mind about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan, like I am unable to figure out whether I liked this episode or not but yes, I did struggle hard in keeping my interest intact in the episode as all of a sudden I felt the story was all over the place. Shammo’s character has been heavily compromised upon as well & it is sad to see him gracing the screen for a couple of scenes which again seem like fillers. I am not too sure what will change when Reena will come across Shammo once again, let’s hope this time around, after her heart-break, Shammo is finally able to convince her to leave this world, at least that would make Shammo a hero once again which I would love to see! Anyways, please share your thoughts about this episode of Alif Allah Aur Insaan.
The city of Lahore is known for its vibrant lifestyle and culture which is why any person who has lived in Lahore misses it no matter which corner of the world they move to. Nadia Jamil who is a true Lahori is nowadays in Cambridge. She is really enjoying the fact that she can be as independent in Cambridge as she wants without being noticed unnecessarily but she misses so many things about Lahore.
Here are some of her tweets which show that Nadia Jamil cannot wait to get back to Lahore!
Cricket comes home! Yes the possibility of International cricket increased four folds after International players came to Pakistan in the team Peshawar Zalmi. And finally we have first International match as world XI arrived in Pakistan. First match of Azaadi Cup was played yesterday and how the guest team arrived in stadium? Yes in rickshaws. Now this is how you promote your culture. A rickshaw stopped midway in the ground too but Darren Sammy sure knows how these work since he got down and started pushing it making the rickshaw start again. Here see the colourful rickshaws bringing the guest team to stadium:
The day ended in a positive note too since we won the first match against World XI. The score card was more than exciting too as we scored big at home ground:
We wish International cricket starts soon in Pakistan and gives opportunity to all crazy fans to witness their stars live!
Hina Altaf is a goal oriented young woman who is constantly finding new ways to take her career to another level. She started her showbiz career as a VJ and now she is not only a phenomenal actress but also a host who has hosted many important shows. Hina Altaf’s next move will surprise all her fans. She has already invested the money she earned from her acting career into starting a take away service for all the foodies out there. Restaurant business is a booming industry in Pakistan so Hina Altaf is very soon going to alter this take away business into a restaurant. Hina Altaf hasn’t shared details about the kind of restaurant she will be opening but she shared that there has been a soft opening and the business will start on regular basis very soon. Until then she does not want to share any details regarding it. We wish Hina Altaf all the best!
Sanam Jung talks about her married life all the time on her morning show but this is the first time that she talked about the reason why getting married to an actor was never an option for her. When one of her guests asked her that if she did not fall in love with Qassam then was it possible that she ended up getting married to an actor? To this Sanam replied,
“I have known Qassam and have liked him ever since I was a VJ therefore I could never think about getting married to anyone else. He was the only man I imagined spending the rest of my life with.”
She also said,
“Even if Qassam was never part of my life, I would never have married an actor because I can’t tolerate my husband sharing screen space with different heroines and telling so many women on screen that he loves them!”
Hina Altaf was invited as a guest in Jago Pakistan Jago and she candidly talked about the qualities she wants in her future husband. However, Hina Altaf made it clear that she is career oriented and has no plans of getting married anytime soon. She also revealed,
“I have been getting proposals for marriage ever since I was in grade 10. Even my tuition teacher sent a proposal for me. I found that really annoying because I have always been career oriented.”
When Sanam asked her what qualities Hina wanted in her future husband. Hina was very frank and honest about it.
“My future husband should be juro ka ghulam, someone who listens to every single thing I tell him.”
She also said that she didn’t want to marry someone with a colorful personality but a man who was a little bit shy. The reason she gave was,
“A shy person will be easy to control while a man with a colorful personality would be hard to control. I don’t want to waste all my energy controlling my man, I would much rather put that energy into my work!”
All of Hina Altaf’s choices were surprising, she said that she did not want to marry a tall, dark and handsome man but she wanted to marry someone with average looks. At the same time she also said that she will turn that average looking man into a really dashing personality! Hina Altaf also said,
“I would never want to marry an actor because the timings in this profession are so tiring, I wouldn’t want two people in the same house who are tired all the time!”
Hadiqa Kiani has just dropped her album Wajd which was filled were beautiful sufi rendition. The songs as well as the videos were simply perfection. After remaining busy with that, Hadiqa is off for a vacation and is spending some quality time with her son. They did hiking and visited the Natural History Museum of LA too. Here are some fun pictures of mother-son duo from their holiday:
Aiman Khan‘s popularity is increasing everyday especially among the youngsters. She is giving some very good performances in her recent dramas and has been modelling for many brands. Recently the diva has done a photoshoot for the People’s magazine and she looks fabulous in a relaxed ripped washed blue jeans and a light dusty pink loose sweatshirt with white sneakers. Her makeup is minimal and hair curled and cascading down her shoulders.
Good Morning Pakistan is not known for a lot of original themes and ideas but yesterday’s episode was simply cuteness overload. It was all about celebrities and their precious little princesses. Their were four starlets and each had her baby girl with her and they were all dressed in peaches and pinks and golds and flowers.
Guests included Fiza Ali and her little one Faryal, Sadia Imam and her girl Meerab, Samar and her toddler Pareeshay and Abeer Javed and her little one Mina. The atmosphere was very girly with games and toys fit for their little years. There were a lot of tantrums thrown by the younger divas and a lot of portion of the show was spent sorting out the continuously ensuing fights but all in all it was treat for all little girls’ lovers.
Mikaal Zulfiqar is one of those celebrities who despite of being associated with the showbiz industry for a long time, don’t reveal a lot about their personal life in interviews. Even on social media he hardly ever posts something relating to his personal life unless it is really important. Like many other celebrities nowadays Mikaal Zulfiqar is also out of country. Nowadays he is in London, spending quality time with his brother who is also a talented actor, singer and even a dancer.
Mikaal Zulfiqar posted his feelings about his younger brother along with this photograph.
“So proud of my brother. He’s working with the biggest and best names in theatre in the UK and elsewhere too. An extremely talented actor, singer and dancer. He like me has worked hard to be where he is. Another example of how hard work, dedication, perseverance and love for what you do. Eventually pays……. Super proud of what you are doing and your dedication and focus.”
It is great to see these two hardworking and talented brothers bonding and spending time together.
Writer: Shahid Nizami
Director: Angeline Malik
Producers: Angelic Films & Center for Communication Programs Pakistan
Schedule: Urdu 1 Every Monday at 8pm
I strongly believe that we simply cannot have enough dramas which highlight social issues and cause awareness among the masses regarding those evil practices which are rampant in some areas of our country and are accepted as normal. When such practices are so common and are endorsed by the community then sometimes the line between what’s right and what’s wrong gets blurred. This is the exactly the reason why mainstream media can play a major role in reminding the public that no matter how widely rampant an unjust practice is, it cannot possibly be accepted as the right course of action. Also, most importantly people like us who are fortunate enough to live in an environment which is completely different from the one shown in these dramas, get an insight into the problems faced by people (in this case especially women) who are living under such circumstances. Since dramas do not only give information but also have a story to tell therefore the viewers find it easier to relate to the sufferings of the characters. It is great to see our writers, directors, actors, producers and channels taking this initiative with the help of NGOs which are already doing a great deal to help the victims.
This first episode of Mujhe Jeenay Do started with a wedding and ended with a funeral. In between the viewers were introduced to the main characters and tracks. Just like drama serial Sammi, this one too does not deal solely with one issue. Although the main subject of the drama is child marriage but different tracks in the story represent the struggles of women and even children on a different level. Malik Shehbaz represents the feudal system and how these feudals exercise power over their “subjects”. Shaheena (Mehreen Raheal) symbolizes all those women who are constantly abused by their husbands both physically and mentally but they always go back to them because they have accepted the treatment meted out to them as their fate. Bushra represented one of those women who do not get proper access to the kind of medical care needed at the time of pregnancy and as a result end up losing their lives. Even though Naseeb (Goher Rasheed) loved his wife and did whatever he thought he needed to do to look after her, he wasn’t informed enough to know that Bushra needed medical help from a professional. Bushra’s father (Salman Shahid) dialogues when he was talking to the midwife showed that taking women to the hospital wasn’t considered as a normal practice. Bushra was taken to the hospital only when it was too late and there was no other choice. Muhammadu (Sarmad Sultan Khoosat) and Murad (Ali Tahir) represent those men who are convinced that women are their property and they can treat them any way they want.
This episode also showed how most women living in such areas fail to look after themselves. This first episode clearly gave the message that it was vital for women to take care of their own health and also protect themselves. Yasmin’s (Nadia Jamil) character is like Aalyan’s character in drama serial Sammi, she is the only one who is educated and she does whatever she can to help these women. Nadia Jamil chose the perfect project to make a comeback especially because this character is probably more in line with her actual personality as well. She is always raising her voice and taking practical initiatives to help people who are less fortunate especially children therefore Yasmin’s concern and love for all the people she was shown caring for was translated on screen effortlessly by her. The child star playing the role of Saira was beyond impressive in this first episode. I remember watching her in one of the episodes of KGBH and I am glad she was chosen to play this role.
This first episode was fast-paced and impactful. It also had some impressive performances to its credit. Mehreen Raheal and Nadia Jamil’s comeback is remarkable. Mehreen Raheal’s outlook and accent was right on point although I believe this is the first time that she has chosen to play such a role. The first episode of Mujhe Jeenay Do started and ended on a high note. The variety of characters and tracks promises a journey which will have tons to offer. The fact that this drama has at least one strong female lead makes it even more appealing. I am looking forward to what Mujhe Jeenay Do has in store for the viewers.
How many of you watched this episode? Do share your thoughts about it.
Muhammad Amir has come along way since the start of his career. He got caught in controversies and bans and saw some very difficult time in life. But the star learned from his mistakes and rose above all the stuff he was surrounded to get his position back. Now the time is in favour of Amir and he is constantly getting good news about everything. After winning champions trophy and playing in a league he has gotten the best news of his life. The cricketer is blessed with a beautiful baby girl and she is so adorable. Here see the beauty with her papa posing for a picture:
May Allah bless the baby girl and give her all the happiness in life!
Mahira Khan has a beauty to die for. The way she rocks the shades of gold is nobody else’s business. Mahira did a photoshoot recently for a fashion campaign and the girl rocked it as usual. (Alprazolam snappywap.com) From loose buns to wet pulled back Mahira spotted different hair styles and shined in all. Here get mesmerized by the beauty of the diva:
Agha Ali and Ayeza Khan worked together in the drama Mere Mehrban and were also seen together in the telefilm Daagh Daman Ka. These two actors look great together on screen but they have never really talked about how they felt about working with each other until now.
Agha Ali was invited to an Eid special Morning Show in which he talked about all the actresses he had enjoyed working with. Among others, he mentioned the name of Ayeza Khan with great admiration. He said that working with her was a wonderful experience. He also went on to say,
“Ayeza Khan is out of this world. She is so nice that it is hard to believe that she is human. I swear she is like an Angel.”
It is always good to hear co-stars talking so fondly about each other. We are also waiting to hear how Ayeza Khan feels about Agha Ali!
Aamir Khan has been in the news a lot lately for all the wrong reasons. It all started with a tweet and then there was one controversy after another regarding his marriage. After Faryal Makhdoom announced that she was expecting, there was hope that the couple might get back together but Aamir Khan said that he did not believe that Faryal was expecting so he was going ahead with the divorce since their differences could not be reconciled.
For the past few weeks there was a rumor circulating on the social media that Aamir Khan and model Alyzeh Gabol were dating. People were also commenting that Alyzeh Gabol was the other woman in the relationship and the reason why Aamir Khan was divorcing Faryal Makhdoom. It all started when these two were spotted together in different places and Aamir Khan wished Alyzeh Gabol on her birthday.
Aamir Khan posted a video in which he made it clear that he met Alyzeh Gabol only recently and that she had nothing to do with his break up with Faryal Makhdoom. He also said that every girl deserves respect and he respected Alyzeh too. He also urged people to keep Alyzeh out of this drama!
People tend to gravitate towards moods and situations and hobbies and habits and even other human beings who are closer to them in age. While there’s hardly ever considered anything wrong in being maturer and wiser beyond your years, there is always an element of ridicule involved when someone older behaves in a younger way.
However,we have some very talented actors and actresses who will make you believe without uncertainty that age is infact just a number. They play characters much younger than themselves and being out a new dimension to them with their experience.
We have made a list of some stars whose age in real life you would never be able to guess, considering the on screen roles they perform.
Who can beat this man when it come to acting and for that matter, looking flawless. His recent roles, varying from Irtaza to Mohid to Fawad Khagga, all go more than skin deep with him. He embraces them with ease and brings his sombreness to the required boyish charm and creates a combination that is simply a treat to watch. You cannot find a lot of forty six year olds who would be able to swoon super heroines on screeen and million star struck fans off it. There is nothing even remotely middle aged about Humayun Saeed, just raw masculinity and very well groomed acting skills.
Talking of the best among the best, Mahira Khan still leads the way. When she appeared as Falak, everyone thought she had acted young enough but then came Sadqay Tumharay and you wouldn’t believe how at ease Mahira was as the innocent and passionate college girl Shano. She proved she can go years back, which she did again as Saba in Bin Roye and yet again looked perfectly fit for the role. Part of the charm may be her sheer stroke of good luck, because she is so gorgeous without makeup that it is not hard to rewind a whole decade from the thirty three year old super star’s face.
When the somber and serious businessman Ashar became the frivolous and carefree Zaroon, a lot of people were skeptical that he might be the wrong choice for this role, but he proved everyone wrong and shone brightly as the handsome man who still had a lot of lessons to learn in life. His Bollywood roles have also been quite fun and young. All in all, from Numm to Behadd to Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Fawad can easily turn back the gears and you wouldn’t notice a thing out of place.
Sarwat Gillani also defies her thirty five years very easily on screen and even off it. Her slim figure and animated persona fits her right into the centre of much younger roles. She can easily play the young and cunning Zoya and nail it perfectly and then go on to become the Alvira of Koi Nahi Apna and flaunts being the mother of a seven year old easily. From being a young mother to a young unconventional college student, age is never a deterrent in the roles Sarwat can play.
Sanam Saeed has a very nonself conscious aura around her. She is so comfortable in her own skin that she dons a colourless dopatta and no makeup looks of a sad, impoverished mother in Shukk and then the fiery and temperamental Kashaf, both with ease and charm. This gorgeous thirty two year old also has the ability to nail any and every character that comes her way, young or old, married or single.
Last but not the least is this gorgeous diva who surprised us by playing the role of mother of a teenaged daughter and translating the feelings and reservations of such a character perfectly. She has also done many roles that suit her age and has nailed them all, but for Pakeeza, she went on to play a woman much older than herself and never once did she fall short in her effort.
The plight Of Rohingya Muslims is making every kind heart shed tears around the world and especially muslims as we are all connected by faith. However, very few have taken the measure to leave the safety of their own homes to go and help and check on their brothers and sisters in Burma.
Iqrar ul Hassan, the Sar e Aam anchor who always speaks up for the underdog and makes sure everyone is given their justified due if they try to cheat the common man in any way, has reached Burma to help those in need. There were a lot of rumours, some as horrifying as the news of his death, but he is safe and sound and posted a video on his official Instagram account to explain to Pakistanis the measures that need to be taken and the atrocities those locals are facing in Burma.
Hamza Ali Abbasi is an outspoken person. He started as an actor and now he is also an anchor for a news channel. He is always seen giving controversial statements and has made a record of getting bans and notices. But Hamza has finally talked about something which is actually related to his own profession. Yes he was the one posting about the initiation of final spell shoot of Parwaaz Hai Junoon. He announced it with a fun selfie of the cast:
Parwaaz Hai Junoon is one of Hamza’s most anticipated projects. The film will show the greatness of Pakistan Air Force where Hamza is playing an officer. Last spell of shoot means we would be seeing Hamza very soon on silver screen. Now lets wait to see when Hamza gives us some updates and insights on Maula Jutt 2.
Tonight’s episode of Ghairat was not just entertaining but it was also thrilling. It was the kind of episode which keeps you at the edge of your seat right till the end. Iqra Aziz, Syed Jibran and Saman Ansari outdid themselves in this episode. They have translated their respective characters impeccably on screen. Syed Jibran has played a few negative roles in the recent past too but his performance in this play is so faultless that he makes you forget every other role he has ever played. Saman Ansari is also a versatile actress who never ceases to impress the viewers. She was exceptional as the subservient wife in Sammi and here she is equally convincing as the cold-hearted sister in law. Iqra Aziz’s acting has been brilliant throughout, she makes you feel for her character every step of the way. The director Ahmed Bhatti has done complete justice to a script which keeps on giving you something to look forward to every week.
It is truly impressive the manner in which the writer and the director have presented the mindset behind honor killings and subjugation of women. Usman and all those people around him who give him their unconditional support are so convinced that they are entitled to do whatever they want to in order to dictate their terms and conditions to the women they want to suppress. I am dead against showing violence against women in dramas unnecessarily but in this case I am actually happy that the writer and the director did not hold back. The way Usman manhandles all the women including his own mother and Khala makes his character even more convincing. A murderer would surely not think twice before ill-treating a woman who stands in his way. I feel that after a long time we are getting to see a realistic portrayal of such a man since he is being presented as a monster and there is no sensitive side to his personality. He is completely devoid of feelings and his twisted beliefs are so deeply ingrained in his mind that he no longer has the sense to differentiate between what’s right and what is wrong. I absolutely love Saba’s character as well, even though her situation is grim but she keeps on trying to change her circumstances. Her strengths and weaknesses have been shown so convincingly and effortlessly.
Saba’s mother’s helplessness is also another part of this drama which is quite realistic. She knows that she should be doing something to help her daughter but she does not have the courage to do anything practically. Someone who has lived in such a suffocating environment all her life would naturally find it difficult to break these barriers. She was shown praying to Allah and worrying about her daughter which showed that she was not like all those other people who failed to see Saba as a living and breathing human being. I absolutely loved the flashback scenes in this episode because they were used so effectively. Very often while watching dramas the viewers have trouble connecting to the characters because they don’t really know what is going through a character’s mind especially while taking an extreme step. These flashback scenes helped the viewers understand why Saba took such an extreme step and how she managed to muster up the courage to do something which could put her life in danger.
Ghairat is turning out to be one of the most entertaining shows on air right now. It is attention-grabbing and impactful. I have to say that after watching this episode, I am completely sold!
How many of you watched this episode? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.
Farhan Alam’s movie Saawan has made Pakistan proud in a lot award ceremonies around the world before its release locally. The movie is the story of a physically challenged boy who manages to hold its own in a world of demons despite his physical handicap.
The film has just bagged two more awards in the Salento International Filmfare Awards, for the best film and the best soundtrack. The film is being distributed and marketed by Geofilms and produced by Masood Qadri under the banner of Kalakar Films.
Mawra is a celebrity who is always on the move. She sure knows how to enjoy herself and at the same time keep the people intrigued. Mawra was on a vacation which obviously she started Mawra style. Wearing a shirt with her initials, she started the journey for a mystery project. Here are some pictures of her shopping out and enjoying herself in Bangkok:
Armeena Rana Khan is an actress who uses social media platforms for a lot of awareness too along with keeping in touch with her fans. Armeena took to Insta and talked about a very important social dilemma of the world, the cruelty towards animals. She talked about how brutally some animals are skinned alive and than many “admired” people of our society show off the stuff made as a result of such brutality. Here is what she said:
Armeena surely is spreading a great message with her stand on this!
Sara Bhatti and Mikaal Zulfiqar got divorced few months back. Since then Sara has talked about her marriage and her feelings after the divorce many times on social media. In a recent post on instagram she revealed that she decided to part ways with Mikaal Zulfiqar a year ago and since then she tried to keep herself busy with her work and kids to distract herself. In her post she admitted,
“Irrespective of these two blessings, the change in name, status and life really took a toll on me. This new identity left me very uncertain and I had no idea who Sara ‘Bhatti’ was.”
She talked about how this change affected her health and diet; something she takes very seriously. She added,
“The older diet refused to work on me and being an actor and a model I panicked every time I got on the scales. Yep, I cried myself to sleep, hated looking at photos and all I cared about was getting back into shape.”
Sara Bhatti shared that there was so much she had to relearn in the process. She wrote,
“I was holding on to a past and a piece of myself which no longer served me. I needed to forgive and move on. This was me relearning everything in life including how to eat again. My books on Sufism tripled, my playlist was full of Qawalis, my mentors were the likes of Sadhguru and Tolle and my diet was simple, raw, whole and unaltered by man with an emphasis on cooler foods like cucumbers, tomatoes, apples and grapes. I’d done this before and I swear by it. It’s amazing for my body and helped ease this new fire that burnt in me. Cooked was not going to work.”
She also added,
“It took recognising and accepting that everything is different for me to finally start healing. It is a process. It will not be done today, tomorrow or day after. It will continue through out my life. But one thing I can own and say, I changed, I adapted and I learnt to love my new self, and that is something I’m very proud of.”
Mujhay Jeenay Do from Urdu 1 sports a stellar cast, extraordinary director and a very unusual theme. With veterans like Nadia Jamil and Angeline Malik on board, Urdu 1 is raising yet another taboo topic and explaining it through art and drama.
This play is about child mairrage and the space for women in our society. With the first episode due soon, we would like you to listen to the beautiful OST. The lyrics are from the folk song Heer and the tune and vocals relate perfectly to the theme;
Agha Ali and Sarah Khan recently got engaged but they haven’t talked about their relationship a lot in talk shows or interviews. Agha Ali for the first time talked about how this engagement took place when he and Sarah were invited as guests on a Morning Show. Agha Ali is known for being very vocal on Morning Shows, he also loves participating in these shows.
Agha Ali said, “Sara is probably one of the best co-stars I worked with. When we worked together, everything was so smooth. We clicked instantly but it was my mother who really liked her and if it wasn’t for her maybe I wouldn’t have taken this relationship so seriously.” Agha Ali also said that he was very close to his mother and he cannot imagine getting married to someone his mother does not like.
He also said that my mother started liking Sarah Khan when she saw her on talk shows. She liked the fact that Sarah wasn’t very talkative and always had a smile on her face. He also revealed that they were going to get married very soon.
Sajal Ali has always been one of those actors who rely solely on their talent and do not depend on social media for popularity. There are many celebrities in Pakistan who are of the opinion that massive fan following on social media is a huge advantage. These celebrities also think that if they are popular on social media then they will automatically get more work.
While talking about the role of social media in making people popular, Sajal Ali said that there are some actors who put every little thing on social media which gets them more following but that does not mean that it will get them more work too. She said that at the end of the day, what matters the most is talent, social media popularity cannot make up for the lack of talent. She also said that there are also actors who are more focused on being popular on social media instead of focusing on their work.
Sajal Ali also said, “Such actors might get some work every now and then based on their popularity on social media but there comes a time when producers and directors don’t want social media sensations but they want actors who can get the job done.”
Sajal Ali also thinks that the celebrities should not reveal everything about themselves since some mystery surrounding their personalities makes people more interested in them.
I am terribly disappointed with HUM, moving a drama like TDKKH to 9pm slot and replacing it with a cliché-ridden play like Tumhari Marium was a terribly unfair decision. While I understand that a drama like TDKKH cannot possibly be a commercial hit but while allotting or moving these slots the channel should also keep into consideration the quality of a drama and the amount of effort which the entire team has put into it. TDKKH is unusual but definitely worthy of a good slot! I am certain, I am not the only one who feels this way since there are many other viewers who can clearly see that TDKKH has some major strengths.
These 10 episodes of TDKKH have been beyond amazing. Every single conversation and the entire feel of the play is brand new. This has to be one of the most beautifully written plays which is filled with deep and meaningful dialogues. The director and the actors have translated all the scenarios on screen impeccably. Just like every other episode of TDKKH, this one too had a special surprise in store. The previous episode already suggested that Maya was regretting her decision of leaving someone like Faris who loved and respected her for a crook like Saif. This episode ended with Maya admitting that she had made the biggest mistake of her life and she loved Faris more today than she ever did. I had absolutely no trouble connecting to everything Maya was going through since this change of heart did not occur overnight. It took a man like Saif to make her realize what a gem Faris was. I absolutely love the way the tables have been turned. Not very long ago Faris was the one who was desperate to have Maya back and now Maya wants to go back to him. Different scenes in this episode suggested that Faris was getting closer to Dariya; it seemed like he was more emotionally dependent on her now than ever and he needs her in his life although he does not want to get married to her just yet. Like Uncle Siraj said, in the end the person who cheats pays the price for it and not the person who has been wronged.
Although almost all the characters in this drama are appealing in their own way but Faris and Dariya’s characters as well as the relationship between these two has to be the highlight of every episode. Sami Khan and Mansha Pasha’s on screen chemistry coupled with their brilliant performances make their scenes a treat to watch. Both these characters have so many different shades to their personalities and all of them are equally appealing. Also, the fact that even with all their niceness, they are still really strong people makes them even more likeable. Maya’s character has been etched-out brilliantly too and Ayeza Khan has breathed life into this character in such a way that even with all her flaws you can’t help but feel for Maya. She comes across as someone who is naive and gullible as opposed to negative or wicked.
My favorite parts of this episode were Faris’ conversation with Zoya and everything Baila said to Maya after which she admitted that she wanted to go back to Faris. The conversations Lubna, Baila and Maya had and the kind of relationship these women share was also truly refreshing. For a change it is good to see women being there for one another although their circumstances don’t make it easy for them to support each other. Baila has always been the voice of reason; she is wise, practical and outspoken – we don’t get to see women like her in our dramas very often. Lubna too has also been quite honest about her feelings for Saif and also about her views regarding Maya’s situation. It is great to see these women being honest with one another.
Like every other episode of TDKKH, this one too had some impressive dialogues to its credit. My favorite one however was, “Mard ki jaib agr khali bhi ho na tu biwi ki wafadari apni jaib mei daal kr kehta hei k I am the richest man.”
The preview of the next episode was very enticing! Does Faris really hate Maya? Do Dariya and Faris have a future together? I am looking forward to finding out!
How many of you watched this episode? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.
Rangreza is a musical starring Urwa Hocane, Gohar Rasheed and Bilal Ashraf. Releasing this December, this movie has a lot of anticipation and expectation around it.
The film’s just released song Bulleya is certainly a winner. It is a fusion of rock and Sufi music and transports you into another world altogether. It is composed by J Ali and sung by Asrar Shah and is a beautiful number, with soft yet deep vocals and a very spiritual feel to the whole song.
Momina Mustehsan is one of the most viral celebrities we have in Pakistan. She made the world go Afreen Afreen with her debut in Coke Studio. Suddenly she became a National crush and people all over were talking about her. But little did anyone know what as a girl she went through when she came under a massive scrutiny. Momina has talked about her depression on her Insta recently and discussed a topic which is otherwise considered taboo or unimportant in our society. Listen to what Momina said and this will surely help people get themselves together:
It became a breaking news some days back that actresses Saba Qamar and Noor Bukhari are involved in tax evasion and the houses of both actresses are sealed by FBR. Saba later said while talking to a news channel that the news is fake and now she has slammed these claims on her Instagram. This is what she said:
Noor on the other hand has not given any statement!
September the ninth month of the year 2017 has started. In the past two public holidays of Defence Day (6th September 2017) and Quaid-e-Azam Death Aniversary (11th September 2017) fall, however after 1998 both these public holidays were cancelled.
From 2015, the festive muslim event of Eidul Azha also falls in this month. This year Eidul Azha is on 2nd September 2017. In recent years Eidul Azha has emerged as the most successful weekend for the Pakistani cinema. From 2013 onwards the one of the Eidul Azha release has proved the most successful Pakistani film of the year.
The new year of Islamic Hijri calendar starting with the month of Moharram is also falling in September 2017 (starting from 20th September). No new film is released in the first ten days of Moharram while cinemas are also closed from 8th – 10th Moharram. So it effectively leaves twenty days of cinema business in this month.
Last year a total of four Urdu films were released in the month of September, where three were released on Eidul Azha 2016. This year three films are releasing in the month of September, where two are releasing on Eidul Azha. All the three films are of different genre and provide plenty of variety to cine goers with respect to their choice and preference.
Punjab Nahin Jaongi (پنجاب نہیں جاؤں گی) Punjab Nahin Jaongi (PNJ) is produced by almost the same team of Jawani Phir Nahin Aani (JPNA) released on Eidul Azha 2015. JPNA proved blockbuster and to date is the highest earning film of Pakistan in any language. PNJ is releasing on Eidul Azha.
Like JNPA, PNJ also stars Humayun Saeed and Mehwish Hayat in the lead while Nadeem Baig is the director. The major highlight of PNJ is the writer Khalilur Rehman Qamar (KRQ). KRQ last wrote the film Koi Tujh Sa Kahan in 2005, so PNJ marks his comeback on the big screen after a long gap of 12 years.KRQ is known for his powerful and insightful dialogs and his fans surely expect a quality script here.
Sohail Ahmed a famous name of Punjabi commercial stage is also making a comeback on the big screen after a long time. Seasoned artist Naveed Shahzad who seldom works in dramas is also making her big screen debut. Saba Hameed is also returning to the big screen after a decade where her debut film Mein Ek Din Laut Ke Aaonga was released in 2007.
Azfar Rehman a well known name of television is also appearing as secondary hero in this film. It is his first prominent apperance on big screen, earlier he done a cameo in the film Manto (2015). Urwa Hocane who last appeared in Namaloom Afraad in 2014 is appearing in a film after a gap of three years from PNJ. Ahmad Butt is also playing a prominent role in PNJ.
PNJ is a film of family drama genre. The film is shot in the cities of Bahawalpur and Karachi and is expected to attract the viewers in the circuit of Punjab as well as Karachi.
In the recent years few films of Family Drama genre have proved successful like Bin Roye (2015), Ho Mann Jahan (2016) and Janaan (2016). Though few circles criticize such films as “tv drama on big screen”, still this genre has grown its own audience in Pakistan as well outside Pakistan. Especially in UK the Urdu films of Family Drama genre have proved successful.
Film: Punjab Nahin Jaongi (پنجاب نہیں جاؤں گی)
Release Date: 1st September 2017 (Eidul Azha)
Genre: Family Drama
Cast: Humayun Saeed, Saba Hameed, Mehwish Hayat, Waseem Abbas, Urwa Hocane, Ahmed Ali Butt, Azfar Rehman, Sohail Ahmed, Naveed Shahzad, Waseem Abbas, Behroz Sabzwar, Safina Behroz
Written by: Khalilur Rehman Qamar
Directed by: Nadeem Baig
Produced by: Humayun Saeed, Salman Iqbal, Jarjees Seja, Shahzad Nasib
Production House: Six Sigma, Salman Iqbal Films
Distributor: ARY Digital
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/pnjthemovie
Namaloom Afraad 2 (نامعلوم افراد 2) Namaloom Afraad 2 (NMA2) is the sequel of super hit Namaloom Afraad released on Eidul Azha 2014. NMA2 features almost the same cast which were in NMA namely Javed Sheikh, Fahad Mustafa, Mohsin Abbas Haider and Urwa Hocane. Nayyer Ejaz is appearing in a prominent role in NMA2, he had a cameo appearance in NMA.
The character of Amber Khan (wife of Javed Sheikh) in NMA has been shown dead. Marina Khan is a well known face of the television dramas and NMA2 is her debut film.
The character of Kubra Khan is also not part of NMA2, instead Hania Aamir will appear in NMA2 paired opposite Mohsin Abbas Haider. Marina Khan and Hania Aamir are playing mother and daughter in NMA2.
NMA also featured Mehwish Hayat in the item song Billi. In NMA2, the super model Sadaf Kanwal is doing the dance number Kaifo Suroor.
Like NMA, NMA2 is also a comedy film. In the recent years films of comedy genre have proved the most popular genre in local Urdu films followed by films of action and family drama genre. So NMA2 is expected to give a tough competition to PNJ on Eidul Azha.
NMA2 is the third film from the producer Fizza Ali Meerza and director Nabeel Qureshi. Their previous two films NMA(2014) and Actor In Law (2016) were also released on Eidul Azha and proved the highest earning films of the respective year.
Film: Namaloom Afraad 2 (نامعلوم افراد 2)
Release Date: 1st September 2017
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Fahad Mustafa, Mohsin Abbas Haider, Urwa Huccain, Hania Amir and Jawed Sheikh
Music: Shani Arshad
Directed by: Nabeel Qureshi
Associate Producer: Ghouse Qadri
Produced by: Fizza Ali Meerza & Muhammad Mehdi
Production House: Filmwala Productions
Distributor: Urdu1 Films
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/nma2official
Saawan (ساون)
Saawan (ساون) is the third film releasing in September 2017. Saawan is shot in Quetta and its adjoining areas in the Balochistan province. The biggest highlight of Saawan is, it is the Pakistan’s 2017 nomination to the Oscars award for the “Foreign Language Film Category”.
The film has also won Best Foreign Language Feature Film award at Madrid International Film Festival few months ago. The film covers multiple social issues.
Saawan is inspired by a true events:Struggle of a 9 year old Polio Victim Child. Public Awareness:1- Polio awareness, 2- Child trafficking 3- Woman bravery 4- WATER Crisis.
The official Facebook page describes the Plot Outline of Saawan as
Inspired by a true story of a disabled child, who is innocent, generous and most of all courageous.
This is a story of a people where poverty predominates, and the habitants live on a basic theory of “survival of the fittest”.
In the middle of this quintessential beauty, serenity and wilderness is a town that has been hit by a severe natural calamity. Sawan now has to face the callous nature and ignorance by all the characters of society all alone.
The tragedy of Sawan has brought together different characters on screen: an inspiring mother, a TV reporter, a common criminal, a child abductor, the cruel landlord and an ambivalent father.
These towering mountains, and intermittent gust of terrible winds across the mountains, haunt Saawan, but he has decided to fight to live for his family.
Saawan is a glimpse into the hope of tomorrow and is a lesson for many today that ignore such children during their daily walk of life.
Film: Saawan (ساون)
Release Date: 15th September 2017
Genre: Social
Cast: Karam Hussein, Mohammad Abbass, Danial Younus, Mehak Zulfiqar, Mohammad Ali, Najiba Faiz, Saleem Mairaj, Imran Aslam, Sohail Malik, Sehrish Qadri, Shahid Nizami, Arif Bahalim, Hafeez Ali,Tipu Yorguc Sharif, Nadeem Baig, Retd. Lt. Gen. S.A.A.Najmi
Writer: Mashood Qadri
Directed by: Farhan Alam
Produced by: Mashood Qadri
Production House: Kalakar Films
Distributor: Geo Films
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SAAWAN.THE.MOVIE/
Website: http://saawanthemovie.com/index.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heyVzwJeOzY
So these are the three Urdu films releasing in the month of September 2017. All the three films are of different genre and subjects and provide an option to cine goers to choose one as per their personal preference. The first two films are commercial movies while the third one is a parallel cinema film covering multiple social issues.
Before concluding lets briefly discuss a scenario which we might have noticed again and again. On social media and other forums there are many reader/visitors (count me at the top of the list) who repetitively rant and complain about the Urdu commercial movies. Such commenters have multiple concerns with respect to Urdu cinema like
The commercial cinema is not a true reflection of Pakistani society and culture
The commercial cinema shows fictional characters and stories
The treatment of commercial films is inspired from Indian Bollywood films
Why no films on real issues with social theme are made in Pakistan
It is a long debate and the brief answer to the above questions is that Commercial and Parallel cinema live side by side in any country. The success of commercial cinema provides the space to the parallel cinema. Commercial cinema has never been considered a true depiction of a society or country. So expecting reality and true depiction of society from commercial cinema is a plain false expectation. Commercial cinema always has fictional characters and situations, there may be few real life inspired events but on the whole the commercial cinema is for entertainment only. Mostly the commercial film makers do ensure to also give a message through their commercial films but it is not necessary that every commercial film is message oriented. Commercial cinema runs on the demand and taste of the public who spend their hard earned money to watch the film. So whatever we see in our commercial films is the demand of our cine goers whether we like it or not. Be it songs, dances, over emotional dialogs and situations, loud and gaudy treatment, it all works for the masses who come to cinema for entertainment. Cinema is a restricted medium where visitors opt to come after buying the ticket, no one forces anyone to come to cinema. It is not like television or radio which is free to air or have nominal fees and have access to our houses.
Still to ensure that the limits are enforced, there are censor boards functioning in our country which ensures to remove any scene from the film which is inappropriate and not in line with the defined censor code. The members of our censor board comprises of vast honorable backgrounds. Apart from members from the artist fraternity the member of censor board are senior bureaucrats, retired army officers and even retired judges. So a commercial films comes to us after passing through multiple filters, who decide what is appropriate or inappropriate for a general cinema viewer. So these honorable members of the censor board also carry a major responsibility towards the content of our commercial films.
With respect to “Why no films on real issues with social theme are made in Pakistan”, the answer is there are plenty of such films on average four to five released every year. But sadly such films seldom prove successful and even struggle to cover their expenses. So for a person like me, who loves to rant and complain on social media and showbiz forums about why social theme or reality based films not made in Pakistan, the justified act should be to come out of my cozy drawing room (living room or bed room), go to the cinema, buy the ticket and watch such film. Like Saawan is releasing on 15th September 2017, so I should follow the saying “Actions Speak Louder Than Words“. The success of social themed films will attract further investment and when film makers knew that their is a considerable dedicated viewership of social themed films, they will definitely invest further in it. Consequently the number of such films will also increase. So if I am concerned about the content of Pakistani films, I also owe a certain level of responsibility towards it.
After washing their dirty laundry in public and going through infidelity accusations and a public breakup, a new turn came into lives of Amir Khan and Faryal Makhdoom when Faryal announced her second pregnancy. People were waiting for a word from Amir and maybe a patch up between the two but Amir has spoken in a totally different direction. Amir has confirmed that he has filed for divorce from wife Faryal and he would support his children “if there is a second child“. According to Amir Faryal has not spoken to him and he found out only through social media though he would always support his daughter Lamaisah. Here is what Amir said:
In another video he made Amir clarified that Alyzeh Gabol has nothing to do with the split since people had been questioning them both on social media. He said he met her after separation from his wife and she should not be dragged in the whole controversy. Now lets see what Faryal has to say about Amir’s no care attitude since it seems the drama won’t end anytime soon!
The Muslims of Burma are suffering through an ordeal which has scared Muslims all over the world. Children are being massacred and women are being abused while the heads of Muslim states are watching silently. Pakistanis have come out in support of their Muslim brethren and have recorded their protests in different cities of Pakistan. Hamza Ali Abbasi joined a protest organized by the locals while Iqrar ul Hassan is in Burma to show the world what really is happening there. Two more celebrities have stepped forward to go and help the Rohingya Muslims in Burma and they are Waqar Zaka and Amir Liaquat. People may say a lot of things to these celebs but this is an exemplary step from their side which all the people who are in the power should support. They shared a picture from airport before leaving for Burma:
May Allah bless the Rohingya Muslims and may more people come forward to their help!
Fatima Effendi and Kunwar Arsalan are one of the cutest couples of our showbiz and their son Almir is equally adorable and fast becoming as popular as well. He frequently graces the media with his lovely presence and fans just cannot get enough of him.
Yesterday was Almir’s fourth birthday and it was celebrated in style by Sanam Baloch and the team of “The Morning Show”. The birthday boy looked gorgeous in a pastel hued polo shirt and his mummy and daddy in yellow and white and black outfits respectively.
Here are some photos from the very special birthday party thrown specially for Almir;
It is unanimously agreed that Punjab Nahi Jaungi has turned out to be a mega success, and ofcourse Fawad Khagga contributes a large part in making the movie as touching and as entertaining as it is.
Humayun Seeed expressed his overwhelming gratitude at the brilliant response and appreciation he has received for it, not only in Pakistan but everywhere in the world. The veteran actor took to instagram to pour out his feelings in the form of a letter from himself to all his fans and well wishers.
Hum Tv’s new play Khamoshi has us all excited and looking forward as it seems to offer something different. The leads are Affan Waheed and Iqra Aziz, the latter in a negative role this time.
They have just released the OST of the play, sung by Bilal Khan and Schumaila Hussain. The OST is not as impressive as the promos of this upcoming serial. There seems to be a lack of harmony between the singers. Nonetheless, we all still look forward to what Khamoshi has to offer its audience.
