It was few days back only when we saw people going head over heels for the dashing Arshad Khan. Girls in Pakistan and even across the border were all gaga over his looks and everybody fell for his dreamy eyes. He became the social media sensation overnight. He since then has been signing many projects and his music video with Muskan Jay has finally released.
‘Be Parwai’ is a remake of Legend Nur Jahan’s classic song, but the new version by Muskan is extremely unworthy. Arshad’s good looks in the video are most certainly praise worthy but the music video itself is a disappointment.
The young talented actor Noman Habib rose to fame after his roles in Yeh Zindagi Hai, Bunty I Love You, and Main Hoon Shahid Afridi. He has also been nominated twice for ARY Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and Best Star Debut Male. Noman has finally tied the knot with a beautiful girl named Amna. After the Nikah and Barat ceremony, pictures and videos from his Reception are surfing on the social media.
The first song teaser of ‘Shukriya’ from the film Jackpot finally released on the new years eve. The teaser starring Noor Hassan and Sanam Chaudhry has been shot at some pretty exotic locations. The singers of the song are Beena Khan and Amanat Ali Khan.
Have a look at the teaser here.
Upcoming comedy/thriller film Jackpot is all set to hit the cinemas in 2017. The film is Directed by Shoaib Khan and Produced by Khurram Riaz and Shoaib khan; written by Babar Kashmiri. The film stars Javed Sheikh, Noor Hassan, Sanam Chaudhry, Inayat Khan, Indian actor Reyhana Malhotra, Sana Fukher , Adnan Shah Tipu, Faiza Khan, Ismail Tara and Sajan Abbas.
After the success of first Pakistan Super League, the second season is now just around the corner and will possibly start in February 2017. Ali Zafar had been a part of the first season of PSL as he sang the anthem and has sang it again for the second season too. So get ready for a pleasant surprise because the anthem for PSL 2017 is out and this time #KhelJameyGa. The anthem is composed, penned and sung by Ali Zafar.
Mahira Khan’s Bollywood debut film Raees is all set to hit the cinemas on January 25, 2017. The male lead of the film Shah Rukh unveiled two posters of Raees today. The first poster is intense and shows SRK in a emotional moment with Mahira. The couple in the poster is seen holding each other’s hands passionately and we just cannot stop staring at them.
Raees has been the talk of the town ever since it was announced. It was caught up into various controversies due to Mahira Khan playing the female lead. Ever since the tensions between the countries, all the Pakistani actors are banned to work in India and the ban is still continued. Mahira Khan is still in the film in full swing but will not promote the film in India.
This episode of Bin Roye proved how much potential this drama had if the story had more substance and if someone as talented as Hamayun Saeed was given the chance to showcase his acting skills. So far Irtiza’s character was completely relegated to the background and the entire focus was on Saba. Irtiza and Saman’s track never resonated with me and for me it was just as forced as Safeer’s track because of the lack of chemistry between Armeena Rana Khan and Hamayun Saeed. Another reason why irtiza and Saman’s track did not work for me was that I didn’t quite understand their connection. In this episode however Irtiza was back to being the person he was before he met Saman and Irtiza’s love for Saba which was the highlight of this drama in the first few episodes once again proved to be the driving force in this latest twist in the story. The scenes in which Irtiza confronted Safeer and Saba both were emotionally charged and were the best scenes of this episode mainly due to Hamayun Saeed’s power-packed performance. It was great watching Irtiza looking out for Saba the way he used to before he met Saman. Mahira Khan just like always gave a brilliant performance; her superb portrayal has been the best part of Bin Roye even in the worst episodes which turned out to be a complete disappointment. Bin Roye could have been far more emotional if the writer explored Irtiza and Saba’a relationship more from different angles even in the previous episodes instead of focusing on only one aspect of this relationship; Irtiza ignoring Saba completely and Saba feeling left out as a result.
Saba’s dialogue “achi bhali meri zindagi guzar rahi hai” was repeated in this episode quite often and the previous one too. I am glad now that her family knows the truth, she can finally stop saying that! Just like all the previous episodes of Bin Roye Saba’s parents’ role in this entire situation wasn’t the least bit impressive. Saba’s mother’s reaction was covered in one scene and the background music in that scene didn’t exactly suit the situation. Hamayun Saeed/Irtiza owned this episode; he was the only one who knew exactly what needed to be done because he understood Saba more than anyone else. He knew that Saba was hiding something but he had no idea she was covering up for Safeer. Mahira Khan’s expressions and body language were right on point especially when Irtiza confronted her.
The older lot in the drama was unfortunately the worst part of this episode; they were clueless and their reactions were not shown properly. Watching Sonia walking out on Safeer and Irtiza telling Sonia exactly what her husband had done was one of the most gratifying parts of this episode. In my opinion Bin Roye could have been a superb emotionally charged drama if some of the characters were etched-out in detail and if few of the unnecessary twists in the story were not forced on the viewers. A love triangle always works if there is chemistry between the leads and their relationships are well established but apart from few episodes like this one which gave the viewers exactly what they wanted to see, most of the times the story did not focus on those aspects which could have added more energy and detail to all the tracks.
This episode belonged to Hamayun Saeed all the way and Mahira Khan deserves all the credit for giving the most credible performance throughout. The preview of the next episode suggested that Irtiza and Saba will get married and Saba will not be able to accept this relationship because of her guilt. Saba’s journey is very interesting and novel but I am afraid that this latest development in the story might be rushed too just like all the other important developments in Bin Roye.
How many of you watched this latest episode? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.
The year 2017 saw a hoard of many celebrities wishing their fans and followers a Happy New Year and many celebrities took to Instagram and wished everyone with prosperous New Year greetings.
Taher Shah’s management team had officially announced that he will be giving a new year surprise and as promised his ‘Humanity Love’ message did released. Well, half of the message was already seen in the online film Oye Kuch Kar Guzar and the complete message was released today. Audiences were expecting a song but it turned out to be a video message.
The reaction from the audiences were both negative and positive, but this man certainly brings India and Pakistan together because both the nations bombarded social media with the responses.
Actor Yasra Rizvi who recently got married to a producer Abdul Hadi is disappointed with all the criticism she has been facing due to the age difference between the couple and the Mehr. Yasra’s Meher for her marriage was just Namaz e Fajar. Many people out there criticized her for this decision. Her wedding was purely a genuine event with no extravagance and just a private affair and her fans were really happy to see this but the criticism she had faced, made the actress speak out for herself.
She first thanked all the well wishers and continued to speak against all the criticism. Her emotional video does has a beautiful message too.
Veteran actress Asma Abbas was previously diagnosed with cancer. We all know that the journey of recovery for this life threatening disease is not easy but the way Asma dealt with it can be an inspiration for other patients. Despite of being severely ill, she fought with the disease and lived to the fullest. She recently made an appearance in Faysal Quraishi’s morning show and spoke about her fight with cancer. She revealed how she has went through many medical issues till date but never let anything become a constraint from functioning a normal life and stayed happy because life can still go on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bln0KdzpIk
We were glad to know that she has fully recovered and her strength and journey of recovery is an inspiration.
Hamza Ali Abbasi rose to fame with his drama Pyare Afzal and the handsome guy has been the audiences love since then. He always shares his thoughts and opinions on the political issues of the country and tries to inspire others to make Pakistan a better place. His latest new year party was the best way to do good for the country in the most simplest way like a normal person. He painted the dirt off, in Karachi and plans to have a huge get together for the next new year to do more for Pakistan.
Ohkay so, when did this episode begin & when did it end, I absolutely have no idea. This episode, like all the previous episodes was engaging & captivating as well. I am actually quite impressed with the way the director has added so much of emotion in this drama that you just can’t help feel the pain of all these characters. I always love it when the thought process & the perspective of all the characters is conveyed with a lot of clarity, because it helps the viewers form a bond with all the characters & that actually ends up becoming a winning factor for any drama, that is why, along with many others, this is the reason why Khuda Aur Mohabbat is winning hearts!
Oh, I wish, I so wish that Molvi Aleemuddin had practiced what he preached. Molvi Aleeumuddin in stead of simplifying the criteria for choosing a spouse, ended up making it quite complicated because he wanted to prove a point to Hammad that no matter what he does, his family background & his upbringing is going to be the defining factor of his personality all his life. Molvi Aleeumuddin proved today that he is just a very judgmental person who on the surface might put religion above everything else, but deep inside, puts society & its norms ahead of the religion too & actually has no courage to break free from those standards. In stead of seeing Hammad’s efforts as honest & truthful, Molvi Aleeumuddin passed a verdict that Hammad was putting up a show only because he wanted to impress him so that he accepts Hammad’s proposal for Imaan. Even though I believe the portrayal of Molvi Aleeumuddin in this season is a bit harsh but somehow it doesn’t seem odd because it sheds a light on the complicated mind set of such people is, who are unable to maintain a balance & who are incapable of keeping religious & societal values apart. Molvi Aleeumuddin is quite conniving in my opinion because he is someone who knows how to reap benefits in any situation, where when deemed necessary, he brings religion into the picture but when it doesn’t seem to work & goes against his personal wishes or thinking, he puts false & fake standards of the society in the limelight, making it a sound like a part of the pivotal religion too.
Hammad did promise to give up on the hope of getting married to Imaan because he couldn’t see Molvi Aleeumuddin in so much of pain, but as a result, he took everything to his heart & that took a toll on his health. It is actually quite nice to see how Hammad has found a new family in such a short span of time, that too on the basis of his conduct & personality. All the relationships that Hammad has earned during this time are based on love, respect, courtesy & selflessness because no one actually knows who Hammad is & which social background does he belong to. When Hammad left his father’s house, he had nothing but just his honesty with him & that is something that has earned him so much in such a short span of time. I actually loved it how Hammad was the focus of everyone’s concerns, starting from Kheru to Ghafoor to Siddique & now his wife Najma too. Kheru eavesdropped on Molvi Aleeumuddin & Hammad’s conversation & he got to know that Hammad is a son of a commissioner & that’s how Ghafoor got to know that his gut feeling about Hammad wasn’t wrong & he wasn’t just an ordinary guy. Najma’s entry at this stage of the drama was a good addition I believe. It is good to know that Hammad will now have a sister with whom he will be able to share all his feelings.
Molvi Aleeumuddin informed Abdullah that he wanted to get Imaan married to her. If I put Hammad’s suffering aside & consider the feelings Abdullah has for Imaan, it was actually quite nice to see Abdullah getting some sort of happiness, that too without demanding it because he has Imaan in his heart as well & came with an intention of being closer to her, so without even saying anything, he got to know that things were turning in his favor & the way Abdullah tried to contain his happiness in front of Molvi Aleeumuddin was actually conveyed brilliantly. Even though Hammad is persistent, but Abdullah does know Molvi Aleeumuddin quite well & he knows that if he decides something, he will never back out from his word, so despite knowing everything that was happening, Abdullah felt some sort of satisfaction because he was aware of how stubborn Molvi Aleeumuddin is & can be!
After returning from her cousin’s wedding, the way Imaan looked around at the railway station, in a hope to spot Hammad clearly showed what she had in her heart. Imaan has seen how hard Hammad has struggled for her, she has seen him getting shattered & picking up the pieces only for the sake of her love, so it was imperative that she was moved & probably ended up falling in love with him because who wouldn’t be touched with such a genuine & pure portrayal of love. Imaan couldn’t see Hammad but yes, it was evident that her eyes were searching for him. Hammad has not only made an impact on Imaan, but he has even touched Haya’s heart as well, that is why out of sheer sympathy for him, Haya informed Nighat about Hammad & his whereabouts as she knew that everyone was worried for him & it was a high time that his people came to his rescue because he was suffering a lot & was literally punishing himself!
In this episode, Hammad himself took a back seat but it showed how he was affecting all those people who were related to him in any way possible. From Kheru, to Ghafoor, to Siddique, to Najma, to Shakir, to Shakir’s wife, Nighat, Haya, Imaan, each & every single person was worried about Hammad & was either trying to do something for him or was feeling his pain, which is beautiful because it goes to show how special Hammad is & how special he has become for all of those people who are linked to him in one way or the other.
So, the best bit for me was the very last scene of this episode because it was beautifully directed & edited. Molvi Aleeumuddin playfully & innocently imposed his decision on Imaan because he knew that she will not retaliate. In the very first episode, Molvi Aleeumuddin did speak about how he knows Imaan in & out, so it was too obvious that he was a 100% sure that his daughter Imaan won’t turn his request down. The way Imaan said yes to her father’s request went to show that her heart & soul was filled with Hammad’s thoughts & his love but her mind was forcing her to say those words which only would make her father happy. Even after saying yes to Molvi Aleeumuddin, Imaan didn’t seem happy, in fact she seemed defeated & numb because even though what she said made her father satisfied but she wasn’t content with her decision as she knew that the thoughts of a guy like Hammad who is madly in love with her will haunt her for the rest of her life, sigh! I absolutely loved that scene because the flashbacks that Imaan was having while uttering those words by being submissive portrayed the battle between her heart & mind perfectly!
Overall, this episode was just as beautiful as the last few episodes of Khuda Aur Mohabbat. The direction & the editing of this drama is absolutely on-fleek & probably the strength of this drama. All the actors have played their part really well. Sadia Khan has improved so much & for the first time through her expressions, I could read the storm that had overtaken Imaan’s entire being. Firdous Jamal as Molvi Aleemuddin is very impressive & convincing. Even though Abdullah made an appearance for a very few scenes, Humayun Ashraf’s performance was brilliant. He has surely made Abdullah’s character quite convincing. I will also add that I liked the acting of the girl playing the character of Nighat as well, her dialogue delivery seems very natural & realistic, so hats off. & last, but definitely not the least; Imran Abbas, like always was the star of this episode too but can someone please tell him not to wear Black Shalwar Kameez & not to drape a Black Shawl over it because he looks graceful & so very schmickkkkkk, Masha Allah! :) Please share your thoughts about this beautifulllll episode of Khuda Aur Mohabbat!
This episode focused mainly on Noor’s state of mind and his struggles. Also, with this episode two new characters entered the lives of Zain and Mahi who feel attracted towards them and will be a regular part of their lives and the drama now. Mikael’s attraction towards Mahi was quite obvious from at least two scenes in tonight’s episode and the preview of the next episode showed that Mikael isn’t doing all this only for Noor. Kashmala’s track has done-to-death written all over it and it is surely disappointing watching someone attractive and talented like Hira Tareen playing another such character. It would however seem more “normal” watching Mahi and Zain both falling for someone at this point.
In this episode Noor questioned a lot of things which any child his age would wonder about. He wanted to know who his father was and wondered why he did not have a sir name just like all the other kids. Noor’s attempt to give himself a surname was absolutely heart-wrenching. Although his mother and many other people around him gave him so much love but like any other kid his age he is still looking for a father figure. Since Mikael is the only man who is so close to him therefore he looks up to him. Noor’s personality was translated well on screen today, I had no trouble connecting to the issues and questions he had. So far, Mikael comes across as a kind and intelligent person, I am definitely waiting to find out more about him. Aly Khan was the perfect choice for playing this role. Ayesha Khan’s effortless portrayal has also added more life to Mahi’s character.
Hassan sahib’s conversation with Mahi was one which we had all been waiting for since most of the viewers were wondering what his “stance” was regarding Noor. Apparently, he feels guilty because he cannot do much for Noor or Mahi because of Arshi but even then Mahi appreciates his “silent” support for her. It would have been nice to see Hassan sahib visiting Noor and trying to stay in touch with him so that he wasn’t completely alienated from that side of his family. Mahi’s support system is one of the best parts of this drama. Sanam, Bubban mian and all the other people who make Mahi feel less burdened and make Noor feel like he is part of a family add something special to this track.
Zain’s state of mind was shown through the flashback scene, his get-up and the dialogues afterwards. Aisha Khan wore the same outfit in the flashback scene as she did on that day, that was a little odd! Zain has not moved on at all but at the same time he finds it impossible to accept Noor. The preview of the next episode suggested that Kashmala will take Zain up as a “challenge” and Mikael will reveal how he feels about Mahi.
This was another interesting episode of Khuda Mera Bhi Hai which covered all the aspects of Mahi, Zain and Noor’s life in an apt manner. After watching this episode I am quite certain that the viewers will get to see Noor’s struggles with even more clarity in the upcoming episodes. So far, this drama has a solid screenplay and all the actors are doing complete justice to their characters. It is good to see Imran Ashraf being versatile; his expressions and dialogue delivery fit the role he has been assigned.
How many of you watched this latest installment? Do share your thoughts about it.
Our neighboring country India produces the largest number of feature films every year in the world in various languages. Among these the Hindi language film industry is known as Bollywood.
Due to its similarity with Urdu, Hindi is also understood in Pakistan. Since partition of the sub continent in 1947 Bollywood films are also very popular in Pakistan and Bollywood stars also have huge fan following in our country. Even the tense situation on the political front and borders with India seldom impact this popularity and fan following of Bollywood.
Despite similar language, no Pakstani artist worked in any Bollywood film for almost 35 years after 1947. In 1980’s upon the encouragement of the than ruler the dictator General Ziaul Haq Pakistani artists such as Nadeem, Muhammad Ali and Zeba worked in a Bollywood film. The trend continued till mid 1990s and then working of Pakistani artist was halted. After a gap of seven eight years, after 2000-01 relations between Pakistan and India improved under another dictator General Parvez Musharaf. Since 2000-01 many Pakistani artist have crossed the border to work in Bollywood films.
The screening of Bollywood films was also allowed in Pakistan after 2007. Bollywood films earn huge in Pakistan and their revenue make almost 60 – 70% of the whole cinema business in Pakistan. This year very few Pakistani artists worked in Bollywood films, but like every year most of these films were not much successful. Apart from Fawad Khan none of the other artists succeeded in registering any notable success in Bollywood this year.
Here is a compilation of the Pakistani artists who acted in Bollywood films in 2016
Mawra Hocane
Mawra Hocane has worked in many television dramas before accepting an offer of Bollywood film Sanam Teri Kasam. It was the first Bollywood film of 2016 featuring a Pakistani artist. As per press reports, Mawra had a meaty role in this film as the solo heroine. The film is released in February 2016 and proved unsuccessful in Pakistan.
Fawad Afzal Khan
Fawad Afzal Khan the most famous Pakistani artist of recent times worked in two Bollywood films this year. He played a major role in one film, and a cameo role in the other.
Fawad’s first film was Kapoor & Sons released in March 2016. A major cricketing event ICC Cricket T20 World cup was also scheduled in the same month and usually such popular sporting event hurts the cinema business. However despite this hurdle Kapoor & Sons proved superhit in Pakistan. The film earned between 10 – 11 crore in Pakistan which is more than handsome figure on local box office.
Fawad’s character in this film was quite unconventional as he appeared in the role of a gay. But the tremendous success of this film in Pakistan proved that his character was well received by the cine goers. Apart from the cine goers the film reviewers of the English press also praised Fawad’s performance in the film.
After Kapoor and Sons, the second Bollywood film of Fawad in 2016 was Ae Dil Hai Mushkil due to release on 28th October 2016. As per press reports Fawad played a cameo role in this film. Due to political tensions between Pakistan and India, Indian film producers association announced a ban on the working of Pakistani artists in Bollywood films in early October. Following this step the Pakistani film distributors and exhibitors also announced a ban on the screening of Bollywood films. Due to this the film was not screened in Pakistan.
Sara Loren
Sara Loren has been working in the Bollywood for past few years. This year she also worked in a Bollywood film Ishq Click released in July 2016. Ishq Click failed to click any chord on Pakistani box office and almost went unnoticed.
Moomal Sheikh & Javed Sheikh
The father and daughter Javed Sheikh and Moomal Sheikh also worked in a Bollywood film this year Happy Bhaag Jaye Gi (HBJG). HBJG was due to release in August 2016. The film was duly imported and promoted by the distributor but faced a last hour blockade by the film certification board. The film certification board has concerns over few scenes and dialogs of the film. Consequently the film was not released in Pakistan.
It was the first Bollywood film of Moomal Sheikh while Javed Sheikh has earlier worked in several Bollywood films.
Imran Abbas
Imran Abbas has worked few Bollywood films and also appeared in another one in 2016. He had a cameo appearance in the film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil due to release in October 2016. However due to the ban on the screening of Bollywood films the film was not released in Pakistan.
So in summary only three Bollywood films featuring a Pakistani artist were released this year in Pakistan namely Sanam Teri Kasam, Kapoor & Sons and Ishq Click. Apart from these only Kapoor & sons proved successful despite an unusual role from Fawad Afzal Khan.
As Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association has imposed a ban on casting any Pakistani artist in a new project so in coming future no Pakistani artist might be seen acting any Bollywood movie. However any such films completed before this ban will be released in 2017.
Every brand is setting the bar high by roping in stars, and the latest one is the Sunsilk advertisement featuring the very gorgeous newbie Hania Amir. She has become a popular name after making her debut with Janaan. Extravagance and glamour has been the most important aspect now for most the brands in order to leave an impact on the audiences. The one minute long Tvc is well directed with an interesting concept as Hania shines more than her black hair with some beautiful hairstyles.
Abida Parveen, the queen of classical and Sufi music is back with an amazing song. Abida Parveen’s gift for the year end is the best way to bid adieu 2016. The song has been beautifully shot showing the beauty of Pakistan and is heart wrenching. The video has been directed by Athar and Bilal and shot by Ammar Ashraf. It has been produced by Amanat Ali and the lyrics have been penned in Persian and Urdu.
Watch the video song here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoYOS7-HiqM#t=78
The video has been released on Pakistan’s first ever legal music App and Website Taazi.
This seems to be a wedding season for the celebrities, the recent one getting married is Yasra Rizvi who has been in acting for more than a decade and has some amazing performances to her credit. It is so good to see how genuine the whole ceremony is, with just close friends and family around making it a private affair. The Mehr is just Namaz-e-Fajr.
Here’s what Yasra said about the Mehr:
“Abdul Hadi has agreed on Namaz e Fajr as my Mehr. Umm Sulaym bint Milham is where I got my inspiration whereas most religious schools strictly believe it must be money or a financial asset as those are means of making an individual feel socially secure and rightly so because it is logical. And amidst extensive literature on the subject I found her and Abu Talhah’s embracing Islam is what she settled for as Mehr. It made me wonder how progressive was a woman centuries ago who understood what would make her truly secure.”
We wish them the very best as they begin to start their lives together.
In the year 2016 many new or already famous faces made their big screen debuts. This article is a compilation of such names. Some names have earlier worked in a minor or supporting role in some film, but their name is added as their first film in a major role is released this year.
An interesting aspect of this compilation is that many names which we never thought of seeing in films made their film debuts this year.
Sheharyar Munawwar Siddiqi
Sheharyar Munawwar Siddiqi has earned much fame from his televsion dramas like Zindagi Gulzar Hai (2012), Kahi Unkahi (2013) and Aasmanon Pe Likha (2013). Shaharyar has not worked in any further drama after Aasmanon Pe Likha and signed the film Ho Mann Jahan. Ho Mann Jahan was released on 1st January 2016 and proved successful.
Out of the three main character of the film Shaharyar received the most praise due to his performance in the role of Arhaan.
Adeel Hussain
Adeel Hussain first film is Bin Roye in 2015 due to his cameo appearance in one song of this film. Adeel Hussain has already been a famous name who regularly works in dramas. The first major film of his career Ho Mann Jahan released this year and it marked the successful debut of Adeel Hussain.
Later in the year the second film of Adeel, Dobara Phir Se was released in November.
Jamal Shah
Jamal Shah is a seasoned artist who appeared in many dramas during his three decade long career. Jamal Shah also made his film debut from Ho Mann Jahan released in January 2016. He played the role of the father of Mahira Khan. After Ho Mann Jahan, Jamal Shah also appeared in films Hijrat and Revenge of the Worthless
Nimra Bucha
Nimra Bucha’s debut film Manto was released in 2015 where she played a supporting role. However Nimra’s first major film was Ho Mann Jahan in January 2016. In Ho Mann Jahan she appeared in the role of mother of Mahira Khan.
Sonia Jehan Sonia Jehan has worked in few Bollywood films, and worked in first Urdu film this year from Ho Mann Jahan.
Sanam Saeed
Sanam Saeed is a famous name due to some succesful dramas to her credit like Zindagi Gulzar Hai (2012). Sanam also made her big screen debut from Bachaana released in January 2016. Bachaana proved succesful. After Bachaana Sanam further appeared in Mahe Meer released in May and Rahm and Dobara Phir Se both released in November.
Adeel Hashmi
Adeel Hashmi is known for his sitcoms and comedy characters. This year he finally made the big screen debut from Bachaana in February 2016. He appeared as the vilian in this film.
Mohib Mirza, Sanam Saeed, Adeel Hashmi
Aashir Azeem
Aashir Azeem earened fame from his debut drama Dhuwaan in 1994. Despite Dhuwaan’s success Aashir never pursued showbiz. After a gap of two decades he returned and made his first film Maalik which was also his debut film.
Asad Zaman
Asad Zaman has started his career from modelling some five years ago and also did some dramas. His debut film Hijrat released in April 2016. Asad has the looks and aura of a filmi hero but in Hijrat his voice was dubbed by someone else which made his character less impactful.
Rabia Butt
Rabia Butt is a leading model who also made her film debut from Hijrat released in April 2016. She played the role of an Indian doctor in the film. Perhaps some of the important scenes of this film were chopped by the editor as her nationality and belief was never clearly mentioned in the film which created a lots of confusion about her relation with the hero Asad Zaman. How they first met and then separated was also never made clear in the film.
Like Asad Zaman her voice was also dubbed in the film. Though a doctor her overall getup and attire were more of a fashion model than a doctor in the film.
Rubab Ali
Rubab Ali is a model who made her film debut from Hijrat too. She played the role of the second heroine paired with Asad Zaman. Shown as a doctor in the film her character has minor presence in the film despite. Her voice also seemed to be dubbed in this film.
Durdana Butt
Durdana Butt is a veteran artist working in dramas form early 1980s. After so much time on television Duradana Butt also did her first film Hijrat released in April 2016. She played the role of grand mother of Rubab Ali in Hijrat and has very few scenes in the movie.
After Hijrat her second film Ishq Positive was released in July 2016. In Ishq Positive her role was much bigger as compared to Hijrat, where she impressed in the role of a hilarious landlord grand mother (daadi)
Zeb Rehman, Durdana Butt
Huma Nawab
Huma Nawab is an acclaimed artist having several memorable roles under her credit which she performed in the dramas mostly in 1990s. This year Huma also worked in her first film Mahe Meer. Her character was a guest appearance but it was well conceived and impactful. He short character in the film was an important part of the whole story without which it was not complete.
Daniyal Afzal Khan
Daniyal Afzal Khan is a reltatively new face been active in modelling and dramas from past one year. This year his first film Aksbandh was released in May 2016. Aksbandh was a found footage horror film a genre which is not much popular in Pakistan and thus his debut was not much noticed.
Ali Mohiuddin
Ali Mohiuddin is the son of veteran film artist Ghulam Mohiuddin. Ali appeared on the big screen for the very first time through Swaal 700 Crore Dollar Ka (SSCDA) released on Eidul Fitr in July 2016. The film was not much impressive and so does Ali’s performance in the film.
Quratulain
Quratulain is a new comer who made her big screen debut from the film Swaal 700 Crore Dollar Ka (SSCDA) released on Eidul Fitr in July 2016. The film failed to impress and Quratulain debut was not successful. She is also working in another film Tum Hi to Ho directed by Sangeeta.
Wali Hamid Ali Khan
Wali Hamid Ali Khan is the son of classical singer Ustad Hamid Ali Khan. Wali is also part of the music band Raga Boyz. Wali made his film debut from Ishq Positive released in July 2016. His performance in the film left a lot to be desired. He also composed the music of the film as well as provided vocals. More than acting he was successful in the music department.
Faria Bukhari
Faria Bukhari is the younger sister of Noor Bukhari. Faria has started her career as a child star in the mid 1990s. As a child star her famous films are Phool, Jo Darr Gaya Wo Mar Gaya and Billi. This year she also appeared as the leading lady in a film from Ishq Positive released in July 2016.In this film she was second heroine paired with the hero Wali Hamid Ali Khan.
Faria Bukhari, Wali Hamid Ali Khan, Noor Bukhari
Nimra Khan
Nimra Khan has been working in television dramas from past few years. This year she made big screen debut through Blind Love in August. She was the main female lead in the film and appeared as a blind girl who lost her eye sight due to an accident.
Blind Love was out of the cinemas in a week time and thus Nimra Khan debut film was not much impactful.
Yasir Shah
Yasir Shah has been active on television from past few years. Apart from working in the Pakistani dramas he has also worked in Indian dramas. His first film Blind Love is released this year where he was the main hero.
Aamer Qureshi
Aamer Qureshi is the son of the most famous vilian of our film industry Mustafa Qureshi. Aamer has been active as a singer and actor from late 1990s. He also appeared in his first film Blind Love this year as a vilian. His performance was impressive in this film. Later in the year his second film Sayae Khudae Zuljalal is released in December 2016.
Imran Bukhari
Imran Bukhari has been working in dramas from past four years. He mostly works in the dramas produced in Lahore aired on APlus. His first film Blind Love is released in August 2016 which was not successful. Imran Bukhari is also working in another film Jung expected to release in 2017.
Fawad Jalal
Fawad Jalal has been acting in dramas from past five years. His first film Blind Love also released this year in which he played the supporting role of an inspector.
Alamdar Khan
Alamdar Khan is a singer who also acts. This year his first film Dance Kahani was released in August which was not a main stream film, Alamdar also contributed towards the music of Dance Kahani.
Ushnah Shah
Ushnah Shah is a leading name of Urdu dramas in recent years. She also made big screen debut from the film Teri Meri Love Story (TMLS) released in September 2016. TMLS struggled at the box office and almost all of the artists worked in the film were wasted by the director Jawwad Bashir.
Omar Shahzad
Omar Shahzad started his career from modeling and then acting. He has worked in few dramas and made his big screen debut from Teri Meri Love Story. TMLS was a really poorly conceived film and Omar like other artists was wasted by the director Jawwad Bashir.
Leyla Zuberi
The well known face of the television Leyla Zuberi also appeared in her first film which was Teri Meri Love Story. TMLS was a disappointment and Laila Zuberi as mother of Ushnah Shah and wife of Salman Shahid was also wasted in the film
.
Bilal Ashraf
Bilal Ashraf is perhaps the only name this year who made his debut in acting from films not television. His first film was O21 released in 2014 in which he played a minor role. His first major film Janaan was released this year which proved super hit worldwide. His performance as Asfandyar in the film received mixed response but overall he has the aura and charisma associated with a filmi hero. Bilal is already working in four films which might make him the next big name of our cinema.
Ali Rehman Khan
Ali Rehman Khan rose to fame from his television dramas Rishtey Kuch Adhooray Se in 2013. He has worked in few films like Slackistan in supporting role. His first major film was Janaan released in September. Ali Rehman Khan surely impressed in Janaan.
Haania Aamir
Haania Aamir is another new face introduced through the film Janaan. She was impressive in her role and at some occasion her role outshined the role of the leading lady Armeena Rana Khan.
Sajal Ali
The tragedy queen of dramas Sajal Ali also tried her luck in the films. Her first film Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai (ZKHH) was released in September. ZKHH performed average at the box office. Sajal was paired with Feroze Khan in this film.
Feroze Khan
Feroze Khan also made his film debut with Sajal Ali from the film ZKHH. Both Feroze and Sajal form a popular pair on television and they also impressed with their chemistry in ZKHH.
Imran Abbas
Imran Abbas is active in modeling in acting from early 2000. His first Urdu film was Safar in 2004, in which he had a brief role. Since 2004 he has mostly worked on television and after a long gap he appeared in the film Abdullah The Final Witness released in October which is also his first major Urdu film.
Saadia Khan
Saadia Khan is active in modeling and television from past few years. Her first Urdu film Abdullah The Final Witness also released this year.
Hina Dilpazir Khan
Known for her versatility. Hina Dilpazir also made her big screen debut from the film Jeewan Hathi released in November.
Saba Qamar The first film of Saba Qamar is Manto in 2015 in which she played a supporting role. Her first major film Lahore Se Aagey released in November this year.
Rubina Ashraf
Rubina Ashraf is a famous name who acted in several television dramas since mid 1980s. Finally Rubina Ashraf also acted in her first film through Lahore Se Aagey released in November 2016.
Ali Kazmi
Ali Kazmi is the son of two giants of acting Sahira Kazmi and Rahat Kazmi. This year his first Urdu film Dobara Phir Se is released in November.
Tooba Siddiqi
Tooba Siddiqi is a leading model our country who also acted in dramas. Tooba is in the showbiz for more than ten years. Her first film was Wrong Number in 2015 in which briefly appeared in a song with Danish Taimoor. Her first major film Dobara Phir Se released this year in November.
Rachel Gill
Rachel Gill is a leading name in the modelling from past few years. She also made big screen debut from the film Sayae Khudae Zuljalal (SKZ) in December. Paired with Moammer Rana as the leading lady of the film the name of her character was Razia Sultana a business tycoon and social figure.
Essa Chaudhary Essa Chaudhary is relatively a new name who worked in very few dramas. Essa also made big screen debut from SKZ released in December. He played the role of Haider in the teenage, while as a grownup Moammar Rana played the role of Haider.
So this concludes the debuts in Urdu films in 2016. Some artists in this list are already famous but since back in 1990s the standard of Urdu film was reltively low so they stayed away from the films. Now in this next generation of Urdu cinema many such artists are accepting roles in the films.
To me the most prominent debuts of 2016 are Sheharyar Munawwar, Aamer Qureshi, Bilal Ashraf and Ali Rehman Khan. In the females Saba Qamar is the most prominent one along with Haania Aamir. Also Hijrat the first film of Asad Zaman and Rabia Butt was not successful but both of these also have a spark to be a film star.
Which is the most impressive debut of the year 2016 in films in your point of view?
The diva Mahira Khan is immensely loved in Pakistan and is all set to make her Bollywood Debut with Shah Rukh Khan starer Raees. An old interview clip of Mahira from ‘The Omer Sharif’ show has went viral on social media, as an Indian woman tweeted the clip with a hateful caption.
Views of our patriotic Raees’s Pakistani co-actress Mahira Khan about India and Bollywood. Plz sell your self-esteem before watching Raees. pic.twitter.com/OFozL8iEY8
In the clip, Mahira in conversation with Omer Sharif said, “Aapko India se inspire nahi hona chahiye. Bilkul nahi. Hum Bollywood nahi hain (We should never be inspired from Indians. We are not Bollywood).” The clip, which was captured over five years ago, hasn’t gone down well with some on the Internet but there were many of those too who supported the diva. Mahira had said all this in the context of a larger conversation about supporting Pakistani talent. Unfortunately, the clip has gone viral and Twitteratti have expressed their views on this issue.
@AsYouNotWish@TarekFatah very old show sonam, she had just turned actress from a vj, people grow, mindsets change.
This is how Mahira responded to the false news doing rounds on the internet.The clip which went viral was picked out of context and used to point fingers and take a dig at Mahira for “anti-India sentiments”. Here is the full interview which was captured 5 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0sQLUaXLM8#t=891 Rimsha Butt
Pakistan’s first ever superhero film’s shooting is going in full swing. The star studded film is going to mark the beginning of superhero genre in Pakistani cinema. The cast of the film includes Humayun Saeed, Sheheryar Munawar and Syra Shehroze in the leads roles and Adnan Jaffar will be seen as an antagonist. The film is directed by Nadir Shah and produced by Ali Raza.
In the year 2016 few artists were seen after a gap of few years on big screen. The comeback on big screen was pleasant for some of them or in some cases it was not much successful.
Here is a compilation of the artists who made a comeback this year after a noticeable years. Few names like Saima Noor and Ajab Gull have been active in the regional cinema (Pashto and Punjabi) but have not worked in any mainstream film.
Aashir Azeem
Aashir Azeem is a civil servant who served in various government institutions. Deployed in Quetta in 1994 he wrote and played the lead in the TV drama Dhuwaan . Dhuwaan proved block buster back than and to this day considered a beginning of a new trend in Pakistani dramas. Despite staggering success Aashir Azeem just vanished off the scene after not pursuing the acting/writing career. He did few long plays (tele films) here and there but not something main stream as Dhuwaan.
In 2014-15 Aashir Azeem announced his comeback with the Urdu film Maalik as a producer, writer and director. Aashir also played the main lead in the film. Maalik was finally released this year on 8th April 2016 and proved a hit at the box office. On the whole the film received mixed response.
Aashir also announced his plans to start a new project after Maalik. However despite being hit at the box office, Maalik proved a bitter experience for Aashir Azeem as a producer. The film was released after duly obtaining the screening certificates from all the three functioning Film certification boards. Moreover the state run Pakistan Television was the media partner for the promotion of Maalik. PTV actively promoted the film through its morning shows and daily transmission.
Aashir Azeem (in middle) on poster of Maalik
Maalik became a victim of the inconsistency of the censor board, when after three weeks of screening first Sindh Board for Film Certification (SBFC) and later Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) revoked its screening certificate for inticing violence and depicting some ethnicities in a wrong manner. Aashir challenged the decision of the censor boards in superior court and after four months of proceedings the courts allowed the screening of the film. The screening of the film resumed in September 2016 and its second run ended in October 2016 which lasted for five weeks.
Facing all this Aashir announced to shelve his next project, so his comeback as a producer was not much pleasant.
Nadeem
The most successful artist of Urdu cinema who ruled the big screen for three decades, made a comeback on the big screen again through Hijrat released in April 2016. Nadeem’s last major film was Mein Hoon Shahid Afridi in 2013.
Hijrat was a box office disaster and Nadeem was wasted in this movie. He played the supporting role of an Indian non-muslim doctor working in an Afghan Refugee camp, but it was never elaborated at any point in the film. How an Indian doctor is allowed to work in an Afghan Refugee camp that too in the Balochistan province was beyong any sense. On the whole his character was not well conceived.
Nadeem in Hijrat
Zeb Rehman
Zeb Rehman is a respected name of television who worked in the PTV dramas from Lahore centre. After a long break from television she last appeared in the Urdu film Bol in 2011. Bol proved successful, but Zeb never worked in any other film after that. She made a comeback on the big screen from film Hijrat released in April 2016. She played the role of a social activist and the mother of the hero Asad Zaman who has differences with her husband Jamal Shah.
Hijrat struggled at box office and Zeb Rehman come back was not much noticed.
Zeb Rehman in Hijrat
Iman Ali
Iman Ali has been a super model of past decade who also excelled in acting. Known for working in selective projects, she also made a comeback to the big screen after a gap of five long years. Her last film was Bol in 2011.
Iman Ali in Mahe Mir
Iman appeared in a double role opposite Fahad Mustafa in the film Mahe Mir released in May 2016. Being a serious film it was not much successful, though the film was selected as the Pakistan’s entry to Oscars for the year 2016. Iman successfully performed the role of a courtesan and a poetess in this film. She looked stunning on the big screen however her performance in the two of the courtesan songs was not much powerfull. On the whole it was a successful comeback being noticed by fans and critics alike.
Manzar Sehbai
Manzar Sehbai is the brother of the writer Sarmad Sehbai who also works in selective projects. Like Zeb Rehman and Iman Ali his last project was also Bol in 2011. This year Manzar Sehbai was back on the big canvas as a literary critic in the film Mahe Mir released in May 2016. Manzar Sehbai’s performance was well appreciated by the film reviewers and viewers alike.
Manzar Sehbai in Mahe Mir
Meera
The scandal queen of our film industry Meera is always in news for some right or wrong reasons. Meera’s last major film was the Punjabi flick Ishq Khuda in 2013. In 2016 Meera was back on the silver screen through Hotal released in May 2016. Advertised as the first psycho thriller film of Pakistan, Hotal was horrible in production values due to limited budget. The film also proved dumb at the box office and thus the return of Meera was not a pleasant one.
Ghulam Mohiuddin
Known as Gullo Bhai in the film circles, Ghulam Mohiuddin has worked in many Urdu and Punjabi films in a four decade long career. After a gap of many years Gullo Bhai was back on the big screen from the film Swaal 700 Crore Dollar Ka (SSCDA) as a villian. His son Ali Mohiuddin also made his film debut through SSCDA.
Released as a solo Urdu film on Eidul Fitr in July 2016, SSCDA was a terrible film also rejected by the viewers.
Ghulam Mohiuddin in SSCDA
Mathira
Another contoversy queen like Meera, Mathira also returned to the silver screen this year from the film Blind Love released in August 2016. Mathira last appeared in the film Mein Hoon Shahid Afridi (MHSA) in 2013. In MHSA she appeared for a brief duration of three minutes in the item song of the film which was one of the most talked about entertainment event of the year 2013.
In Blind Love Mathira again performed on an item number. Being the vamp of the film she also has few scenes and dialogues in the film. Blind Love was out of the cinemas in a weeks time and Mathira’s return was not successful.
Mathira in Blind Love
Mishi Khan
Mishi Khan is one of those lucky artists whose first major project proved successfull. She received nation wide fame from her first project Uroosa in 1992 a television play from PTV Karachi centre.
Mishi continued working in dramas and also tried her luck in few Urdu films in 1990s. From past one decade she gradually disappeared from the scene and mostly hosted shows. Her last major appearance was in the drama Parchaian aired on ARY Digital some three years ago. Her last Urdu film was released in late 1999.
This year Mishi was back on big screen in a supporting role from the film Janaan released on Eidul Azha on 13th September 2016. Though a supporting role, her lively presence was well received in the film.
Mishi Khan in Janaan
Ajab Gull
Ajab Gull is a famous name of Urdu and Pashto cinema. Ajab Gull’s last major Urdu film Kyun Tum Se Itna Pyar Hai was released back in 2005. Since then he mostly works in Pashto films. Though Pashto films perform well in their regional circuit they seldom receive the attention of the mainstream media.
This year Ajab Gull was back in Urdu films through two films. In both the films he played the role of a Pakhtun father. In Janaan he appeared as the father of Bilal Ashraf, and in Salute he was the father of Ali Muhtesham. He made his presence felt in Janaan and in Salute his role was more bigger and impactful as a Pakhtun driver working in Dubai.
Behroze Sabazwari
Behroze Sabazwari is mostly known for his television dramas but he also appeared in few Urdu films. His most notable apperance was as a villian in the film Chief Saab (1995).
After a gap of many years Behroze was back on the silver screen through the film Lahore Se Aagey released in November 2011. He played the role of Uncle of the hero Yasir Shah.
Behroze Sabzwari
Atiqa Odho
Atiqa Odho is mostly known for her television dramas, but she has also worked in three urdu films where Mujhe Chand Chahiye in 2000 was her last film. She continued working in the television dramas since then. After a long gap Atiqa was back on big screen in 2016 through the films Lahore Se Aagey and Dobara Phir Se both released in November 2016.
In Lahore Se Aagey she had a guest appearance. In Dobara Phir Se, she played the role of supporting Mother in Law of Hareem Farooq and justified her presence.
Mehreen Jabbar, Atiqa Odho
Saima Noor
The undisputed queen of Punjabi cinema, Saima Noor also returned to Urdu cinema in 2016. Her last main stream film was Ishq Khuda in 2013. Since then she had few low budget Punjabi films released.
This year Saima made a comeback through Salute released in 2016. She played the role of the mother of Aitzaz Hassan (played by Ali Muhtesham). Though Salute struggled at the box office, but Saima Noor’s performance was praised.
Saima Noor in Salute
Gia Ali
Gia Ali has enjoyed a long career as a model and performer. She had a dream debut from the film Deewane Tere Pyar Ke (DTPK) paired with Moammer Rana in 1997. Despite the huge success of DTPK Gia Ali never became a first choice of film makers. She appeared in supporting roles since then in films.
Her last major appearance in films was in Love Mein Gum in 2011. This year she returned to the films from another major project Sayae Khudae Zuljalal (SKZ) released in December 2016. Gia played the role of a foreign agent in the SKZ. SKZ struggled at the box office and she was also wasted in the film.
Gia Ali in SKZ
Sohail Sameer
Sohail Sameer started his career from modelling and then acting. He acted in several plays. Sohail Sameer also worked in a film Dane Pe Dana directed by Syed Noor in 2011.
Sohail Sameer returned to the big screen through the film Sayae Khudae Zuljalal (SKZ). He played the role of a security officer Major Faraz in the film.
Sohail Sameer in SKZ
Asad Malik Asad is a famous name who worked in many television plays. Asad started his career from the Urdu/Punjabi film Betab in 1991/92. Not much successful in films he turned to the television and since then worked in many dramas.
This year he also returned to the big screen from the film Sayae Khudae Zuljalal. He played the role of Major Shafqat Baloch a hero of the 1965 war.
Asad Malik in SKZ
Nauman Ijaz An established artist, Nauman Ijaz also worked in few films in start of his career in the early 1990s in the side role none of which proved successful and thus he focused more on the television dramas.
After a gap of more than one decade he appeared in the Punjabi film Virsa in 2010. After 2010 he now returned to big screen again from the film Sayae Khudae Zuljalal (SKZ). He appeared in the role of a soldier Hamza.
Nauman Ijaz in SKZ
Babrik Shah
Babrik Shah made his debut in films in 2005 from the film Kyun Tum Se Itna Pyar He. He continued working in the Urdu, Punjabi and Pashto films as well as television. His last main stream Urdu film was Bhai Log in 2011, since then he mostly worked in the Pashto films.
This year his long delayed Urdu film Maula We released in December 2016. He appeared as writer, director, producer, cameraman, the lead protagonis in the film. Maula We was a below average attempt and thus Babrik Shah return was not much successful.
So it concludes the list of the artists who returned to the big screen after some considerable gap.
Do leave your feedback and also add to the list if someone is missed.
This was another interesting episode of Dil Banjara which had quite a few important developments to its credit. So far Dil Banjara has given its viewers some interesting characters and the best thing about this drama is that all the characters get plenty of screen time in every episode. None of the characters is “forgotten” which is why in all these weeks all of these characters have been well-established and I am equally interested in all the tracks at this point. The opening scene of this episode however was the weakest one tonight because of the camera shots and also because of the weak dialogue delivery by both the actors involved. Also, apart from voicing her insecurities in one of the conversations with Sikandar, Shama is being too naive especially for someone who is supposed to be an intelligent and observant person. Why can’t she tell that Sikandar isn’t excited about this wedding even though he says that his life is incomplete without her! Shama’s mother too is an independent and smart woman who somehow decided it was okay for her to force this marriage on Sikandar. The way these scenes have been shown imply that Sikandar makes it quite obvious that he is not interested in this wedding yet both these women choose to ignore it. Although Sikandar is quite selfish but somehow I find his character and his habit of putting himself before everything else and escaping difficult situations quite interesting! I am wondering if Sikandar is once again trying to escape this situation by “fleeing the country”!!
It was good watching Sikandar and Nida trying their best to move on but finding it hard to do so. My favorite scenes in tonight’s episode were the ones in which Nida gives Zahra the gift and Faseeha’s remarks about Zahra’s state of mind! The way this attention that Zahra is getting from someone who did not have the courage to take a stand for her once has changed her says a lot about her character. Zahra’s conversation with also highlighted her frame of mind. Faseeha’s character and her scenes are always on point. They make you laugh and fall in love with her character even more! Hina Bayat is absolutely brilliant as Faseeha. Zaman’s track took a new turn which wasn’t very alarming since his conversation with his mother in one of the previous episodes did suggest that he might be married. Although Nida’s friend told her about Zaman’s secret marriage yet the preview of the next episode suggested that Nida might go along with this wedding after all. After Zaman’s recent demand, there is no reason why Nida’s Taya and father would still be willing to get her married to someone who is not only spoiled but also greedy therefore I am wondering what turn this track will take.
After giving a relatively more stable performance in the past few weeks, Adnan Malik’s performance was yet again slightly shaky but he somehow fits in this role and isn’t annoying me just yet! Overall, Dil Banjara’s story is simple but I do feel that its characters add more life to the story. Also, unlike many other much hyped plays of recent times there have been no continuity or editing bloopers in the play. The fact that I am just as interested in Zahra’s track as I am in Nida’s and I actually look forward to Faseeha’s scenes goes to prove that these characters have been beautifully etched-out and their stories have been presented well on screen. Also, at this point it is difficult to tell what turn the story will take next.
How many of you watched this latest episode? Don’t forget to share your thoughts about it.
Mawra Hocane’s upcoming drama Sammi is soon going to hit the screens. Hum Tv is presenting their upcoming drama in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University. It is going to be a social cause-based drama. Sammi’s first teaser was recently released and had a lot to offer.
Mawra who is seen in and as Sammi, shined as a bride in the teaser. The teaser started with a wedding festive going on with Mawra as a beautiful bride, and soon the happiness disappeared as a man announced that someone’s murdered and we wonder whom!
One of Pakistan’s most loved pop star Uzair Jaswal has launched his very first album called ‘Na Bhulana’ and the audiences are loving it. The album with 11 songs was recently launched and Uzair has proved his talent yet again with these amazing songs. The songs are one of the best of Uzair and this is not the first time the talented guy managed to pull our emotional strings.
Imran Abbas has been loved by the audience as Hammad in his ongoing drama Khuda aur Mohabbat season 2. The drama has been ruling the trp charts since 3 consecutive weeks. The chocolate boy has been up to something these days and that is something totally unexpected. Celebrities and their growing passion for singing is nothing hidden, many celebrities have been trying their luck in singing these days and this time it’s none other than Imran Abbas. He had earlier posted a video of him jamming with the legend Abida Parveen.
Recently, he first threw a hint of him with a recording mike probably in a studio a few days back and captioned “Doing what I always loved and loving what I always wanted to do…Coming soon.”
And the latest one is Imran Abbas himself, recording a song in a studio. Well, that’s something exciting since his fans are now gonna see him doing something new, seems like he might be releasing his single very soon!
Upcoming drama Andaz E Sitam is all set to air on Urdu 1 starting from January 5, 2017, every Thursday at 8pm. The cast of the drama includes Kubra Khan, Agha Ali, Ali Ansari, Faaris Shafi, Irsa Ghazal, Manzoor Qureshi. Agha Ali will be seen as an antagonist.
Lately, there have been many dramas highlighting some social taboos such as child abuse, Transgender child and one such issue is marital Rape. Andaz E Sitam will be higlighting the issue of abusive marriage and marital rape. The powerful promos of the drama reveals that Agha Ali and Faaris Shafi’s characters are in love with Aayat and how love turns into obsession. The promos look promising as Kubra Khan outshines the rest.
Taher Shah is all set to make a comeback on 31st December. While the news of Taher fleeing from Pakistan post death threats was already circulating, and the new announcement did came as a shock. The eye to eye sensation is going to be back yet again with something different as his management team announced it on twitter.
New Year Resolution "Humanity Love" Message By Mr. Taher Shah Will Release on 31st December 2016.
Well, this has left us wondering, will it be a video message or another single? Taher Shah is up to something again and we’re eagerly waiting to see what he has this time around. His first two songs went viral beyond our imaginations and that too not just in Pakistan but also across the borders, the response he received was always mixed.
Ohkay so, as the episodes of this drama are passing by, it is getting more & more evident that this drama is everything what I expected it not to be. I had such high expectations considering the cast of this drama but it is sad to see it turning into a star-studded disaster. I actually thought that the director will be touching upon the issues that the minorities face & how people around them empower them by coming to their help, but it is turning into a disaster with each passing episode because the situations are boring, one-dimensional & uninteresting. This drama is past the stage where the drama-makers take the time to establish the plot & now when it has happened in Seeta Bagri, it is getting confirmed that this drama & the story in general lacks substance & I don’t think it is going to change for the better ever!!!
So, the Star Plus inspired villain/hero Aakash was the one who sent police to Badrinath’s house because he thinks by saving Badrinath from the police, he will be able to convince Seeta & win her over. I thought Seeta shared a very strong bond with Badrinath, but that has fizzled out ever since Aakash has come into the picture because I found it actually hard to digest that Seeta didn’t immediately tell her father that Aakash came to their house in his absence & tried to harass her. Being innocent & clean-hearted is one thing but being slow-wit is another & I am sorry to say, Badrinath seems to be the latter, because his judgments have always been wrong when it comes to his daughter especially. Badrinath could sense Nandini’s love for Ratan after a minute of meeting her but he never came to know about the relationship that was budding between Seeta & Ratan, right under his nose & even now, he thinks Aakash is the perfect choice for Seeta, but from which angle, I am unable to understand!
To be honest, every time I see an emphasis on Seeta’s ‘education’ & how much Seeta ‘loves’ it, I can’t help but laugh because I wonder if Seeta feels so passionately about studies, why is it that at the age of 25, she has only done a simple BA? Considering how many times this fact about Seeta has been rubbed on viewer’s faces, they should have shown that Seeta just completed her PhD.
Honestly speaking, the entire track of Aleezay & Taimur is so boring, I mean a mosquito can easily grab my attention when they both are on screen as their acting, their chemistry & their screen-presence, absolutely nothing works! The dramatic scene that happened between them in the last episode proved to be a filler & the mention of it in this episode left me scratching my head, like so much drama for nothing? That surely was a case of filler gone wrong! So, Taimur is into Aleezay & he wants to get married to her while Aleezay is throwing tantrums & I am still unable to figure out why did the writer assume that the viewers will be interested to see a love story between NGO workers? Also, I found it amusing that out of nowhere & without doing anything, Aleezay & Taimur informed Badrinath & family that they will be opening a health & education center in their area!?!?! When did it all happen & where? I didn’t see it, may be the editor chopped those scenes off or the director didn’t shoot them in the first place!!!
The love story of Ratan & Nandini is cringe-worthy, to an extent that if you forward their scenes, you’ll feel better because they literally have nothing else to talk about. It is actually not fun seeing an overly grown Maina romancing & being mad about her Mithu. I just can’t believe that when the drama began, I actually thought Ratan’s character will have a very strong role play in the story but seems like he got tangled between Baby-Making & Flu-Eradicating Tablets, like euuuuuuu, their dialogues are just so cheap & bizarre…like seriously, euuuuuuuu!!!!
Anyways, this drama is getting worse & worse with each passing episode. I actually wish they had given Seeta/Sarwat Gillani at least 3 more sets of Shalwar Kameez because her repetitive clothing doesn’t make her look like a daughter of a man who makes Rs. 1500 from his fruit & veggie stall, in fact it sheds a light on how limited the budget of the production house was. Also, I think I ignored & avoided talking about this aspect for quite long but it’s time for me to speak – the usage of Hindi in the dialogues only goes to show the fixation of the writer/director with Bollywood or Star Plus dramas because being a Pakistani Hindu doesn’t mean your national language isn’t Urdu. It’s like implying that all the Pakistani Muslims living in Pakistan speak Arabic in stead of Urdu; their national language. Every region & every country has a particular language & religion doesn’t change that, that is why even if the director wanted to show them as Hindus, he could’ve just kept the language purely Urdu with a very few Hindi words which they use in greetings & stuff. To be honest, this is just coming across as a project that the writer/director wanted to do because he was too inspired by Bollywood Movies or Star Plus dramas because that Aakaaashhhhhhh echo in the background seals the deal as well. Please share your thoughts about this masterpiece called Seeta Bagri!
Manhoos, bechari, ayah, goongi – and now besharam. You name it and Aina is it! With the death of Nadia and seeing Mohsin crumble (quite literally I have to add), Faraz quits his job and decides to stay on in Karachi. Since Aina and Sajal’s childhood home is now up for rent, the whole tabbar is staying at Mohsin’s house and for the meantime helping out with Tabinda. Mohsin’s hysterical reactions made me shift uncomfortably in my seat because normally you do not see men break down on screen like that and even if that was the intention, to show how grief has overwhelmed Mohsin, well Emaad Irfani’s acting was actually a bit on the comical side and secondly, it was hard to link this broken front to the man who was always putting his wife down. Yes, in the last few months he seemed a bit gentle in a couple of scenes but I could not help shake my head when he yells out (after her death) about Nadia not ironing his clothes properly. Poor Nadia!
Sajal and Faraz. Sigh. Do I have to talk about them? Okay, quickly then. Sajal is still spewing venom and is quite resourceful for she is still after Aina’s case but now is also ‘onto’ Faraz and keeping tabs on him. Faraz’s friendship seems innocent enough for now but I wonder if Sajal’s attitude will make him think otherwise. You know how earlier a woman would rarely have makeup on etc and come shaadi and she is always dolled up? That is the case with Sajal – in a different way. She was nice, sensible, warm – till she got married. This negative, wailing, self pitying woman is doing my head in.
As for Mohsin. He does not even know about Aina’s marriage, divorce and baby. Phir bhi the way he treats Aina is insane! Imagine if he found out all she has been up to. I found Aina’s cowering before him a bit odd but then maybe she is trying to be accepting since he has suffered such a huge shock but it is disappointing for I was happy to see Aina get a job and begin to look out for herself. But with this episode, the fringe was back in place as was poor, bechari Aina who now has a very desperate Noman trailing after her, making Mohsin think she is besharam for stringing him along and letting him speak to her and visit her! Noman is also a weirdo, for he happens to be everywhere – catching Aina on the streets, then watching her get hit by the car, visiting Mohsin at work. Yes, yes we get how angry his family is – I would lose my mind if I heard that line one more time.
And no, I have not forgotten the most important and extremely creepy scene. I say creepy for it creeped me out more than the movie Conjuring 2 that my husband had on TV while I watched these episodes on my laptop in an attempt to block out the horrifying screams from the TV! Mohsin mistaking Aina for Nadia and the way he poured his heart out and she just stood there – if that scene was meant to touch us, or be emotional in any way it really did not. Maybe if there had been some beginning of romance between the two, or they had been married or something – but Mohsin and Aina like that was too soon and too weird! Especially as it seems that neither of them is going anywhere anytime soon.
While I get Mohsin is grieving and everyone is trying to make sense of their lives, I wish Aina would bounce back and not take Mohsin and Sajal’s negative attitude anymore. Haye, Sajal really needs to get out of everyone’s life, mine included! It looks like Aina and Mohsin are meant to be spending more time together so then please let us get on with it and hopefully see more than a rerun of Mohsin-Nadia again with Aina cowering this time, instead of Nadia! I am curious to see Mohsin’s reaction when he learns what Aina has been through and whether Aina will come across Imran any time soon. I will be honest, not many dramas on air, save the truly amazing few are holding my interest nowadays and I did not really enjoy these two episodes much either. I do hope the constant negativity is sucked out soon. What did you all think of these episode? Please share your thoughts.
I had hoped that after overhearing Kulsoom narrate her nightmares to Meher Nigar, Haroon would finally snap out of his obedience coma but things just spiralled out of control for Kulsoom. Haroon alerted Habibullah just in time and Habibullah knew only too well how Bibi would react to Kulsoom’s story. And in the end that’s exactly what it ended up being- just a story of a girl who was forced into submission and who no one was ready to believe.
After Habibullah faked harming himself, Bibi did what was expected- dethroned Kulsoom and sent her off to live like the rest of her handmaidens. The exception here was that Habibullah convinced Bibi to cut off all ties with Kulsoom and yet retain her in slavery. No matter how hard she tries, she never gets through to the people who seem to be completely in awe of Peer Habibullah. He is an illusionist and a highly successful one at that. What surprised me was Kulsoom’s resilience- she didn’t shed a tear or complain about her new situation but accepted it with grace- she was relieved in a way to know that at least by being surrounded by the rest of the help and sharing their chambers, she would manage to save her self from being violated by Habibullah.
Bibi still has a soft corner for Kulsoom but at the same time, she is too deeply in love with Habibullah to think that he would be capable of such deception. I would like to see Bibi take a stand for Kulsoom after the reality of her Peer finally hits her. I hate to see how he’s exploiting everyone with such ease and would really like to see him become a victim of karma. Wali is another character who irks me to no end- he is pure evil and is solely driven by his own personal gain. Wali’s schemes to neutralize the threat of both Haroon and Bilal will eventually drive away Kulsoom which is certainly not something Habibullah will agree too- his desire to have Kulsoom may just be the reason why Haroon and Bilal get a new lease on their lives.
Tahira may finally be coming to her senses although her dependency on her Peer may prove to be a greater challenge than she expected. Meher Nigar tried to awaken her soul to the reality of her daughter but Rabiya’s presence doesn’t help! It’s interesting to note that all of these people are so afraid of the wrath of the Peers as if he controls their destiny! The only thing he truly controls is their minds and their weak hearts and that seems to be enough for him to reign supreme. Habibullah has become even more powerful now that Bibi is an emotional mess. I am not liking this side of Bibi at all- she’s no longer he woman she started out as.
I liked Kulsoom’s reality check with Haroon- not that it’s going to make a difference but it’s still inspiring to see her try to make him rethink his priorities. I must say that even though it’s been 24 weeks, my interests haven’t dwindled. I would like to see more of Bilal thought- that will remain my only complaint.
OMG! This is for the preview of the next episode that I just saw but I will get back to that later. Yes, I will say that this episode was a bit on the slower side but after seeing the precap, I now understand why because this was probably the calm before the storm. Even though nothing substantial happened in the beginning of the episode, it ended at such a note where things were built up properly & throughout the episode, a few things were covered as well. I will however say that I had a good time watching this episode of Sang e Marmar because the moment you tune to this drama, it is guaranteed that you are going to take something with you when it will end & that’s all that matters & that’s all what a drama should do!
So, Gulistan not only wants to see Safiullah’s children but he wants Sherbano & Torah to start a family too. Gulistan has seen how over the years, Sherbano has become bitter & he knows that the reason behind such a behavior of Sherbano is because she has no purpose in her life, that is why he wants them to have children so that not only Sherbano becomes busy but also because she gets a purpose in life so that she stops meddling into other people’s lives. Gulistan knows that he can directly or indirectly never convey this message to Sherbano because she just isn’t the one who’d pay heed to his advice, therefore he chose to speak to Torah in stead. Even though Torah didn’t take it to his heart but everything that Safiullah later said hurt Torah’s ego.
On the surface, people assume a lot of different things about a couple but they actually don’t know what they are going through, that is why everything that Safiullah said to Torah about going to a herbalist only showed how insensitive & incourteous he was because he didn’t even have an idea about the nature of the relationship that Torah & Sherbano share. Safiullah has a lot of pride on himself & he conveniently uses Gullalai as a scapegoat thinking that her ailing health is the reason why they haven’t been able to have a child but on the other hand, Gullalai got a validation that she is perfectly healthy & it is Safiullah who needs some medical assistance. All his life, Torah has been insulted time & again by Gulistan’s entire family, but where he retaliated, he let go of a lot of things too but this time around, Safiullah pushed the wrong buttons & that is why Torah couldn’t take it anymore & chose to push his agenda a little further where he now wants to deprive Gulistan of another moral support that he has & that is Safiullah!
Gullalai was pretty happy with the results of her reports because she got a clarity that she is not the one to be blamed. Even though all the things that she said about Gulistan to her friend were bitter but they were based on the truth & reality. I somehow liked that despite getting to know that the doctor asked Safiullah to take some tests, Gullalai never once blamed her husband for anything & in stead she thought it was a destiny’s play on Gulistan Khan & he & his family was facing all this because of all the atrocities that he has committed all his life. Even though Aurang heard everything but he couldn’t say a word because even he knew that everything that Gullalai said wasn’t a lie & she has suffered a lot, that is why where she was relieved, she was overwhelmed too & deserved a moment to speak her heart out!
Bulbul finally succeeded in escaping the torture cell but I really liked how he trapped Baroo Kaka. I thought may be this time around, Safiullah will get some hints about the fact that Bulbul told everything to Saif ur Rehman because Torah asked him but Torah being intelligent twisted the entire story & turned Saif ur Rehman into the culprit. If in stead of getting hyper or emotional, Safiullah had paid heed to the way Torah reacted & how he grew uncomfortable at what Bulbul was trying to say, he could’ve understood that may be everything was initiated by none other than Torah. Even though I am totally rooting for Torah because he deserves his revenge, but I would hate to see Shireen facing the brunt for it because in order to achieve what he wanted, Torah ended up dragging Shireen’s name & maligned her image a little more, which she most certainly doesn’t deserve. It is actually quite sad to see that despite being innocent, Shireen is held responsible for all the messy situations & what’s even more sad is that she never has an idea about what is transpiring behind her back. I must say, the way Torah twisted the entire story was quite interesting though, he convinced Safiullah into believing that Saif ur Rehman killed Gohar because of Shireen & then sent his wife Pari to get Shireen married to Safiullah, in order to save himself, like I have said before & I will say it again, no one can beat Torah in mind games & intelligence!!!
Hmmmmm, looks like Palwasha embraced Shireen out of immense respect for her & she not only accepted the peacock feather, but she also accepted the fact that Shireen used to love Aurang but has backed out for Palwasha’s sake, that is why after meeting Shireen, Palwasha went straight to Shameem & also ended up voicing her thoughts in front of Sherbano because for the first time she got some sort of boost & had this confidence that nothing can go wrong right now & Sherbano can’t do anything. I thought may be after getting to know about what’s in Shireen’s heart, Palwasha will do some thinking but I guess just because Shireen herself had a closure, Palwasha got a clear passage!
Durkhane is going to get married to Kaleemullah & I still find it amusing that Durkhane’s mother accepted this proposal because she is a 100% sure that Kaleemullah’s mother is going to die anytime soon, like even though I know that it is quite mean, but I find it amusing, lol! Well, Durkhane & Saif ur Rehman’s conversation made me believe that the time has arrived when Saif ur Rehman will finally find out the truth that it was Durkhane who used to meet Gohar & Shireen was innocent, but before it could happen, Baroo Kaka called Saif ur Rehman & Durkhane couldn’t tell him anything. I think by this time even Durkhane was convinced that she should tell Saif ur Rehman everything but just before she could, she lost the opportunity. I think this is something that Durkhane will now regret for the rest of her life because this was probably the last chance that she had where she could clear off her best friend’s name & pay her back for everything that Shireen suffered because of Durkhane’s silly mistakes!
Ohkay so, the preview of the next episode literally left me in shock, poor Saif ur Rehman is going to die & Safiullah will be the one who will kill him. Thanks to Torah & his planning that now Shireen will end up suffering even more because where Safiullah might approach her to fulfill the promise he made to himself, he will always mistreat her & will look at her with a lot of hatred & detest. Safiullah promised that he won’t treat Shireen as his wife till he gets a chance to kill Saif ur Rehman & now sadly, Shireen is going to suffer a lot more. Even though I know Torah is the one who was the main reason behind Gohar’s death & I feel bad for Saif ur Rehman, I also feel that when it comes to Shireen, Pari is solely responsible for her plight. I just feel so bad for Saif ur Rehman but I want to see if his death will put things into perspective for Pari because what she did with Shireen & the way she fooled her husband into believing her version of the story based on white lies was something that she should actually face the punishment for.
Well well well, I just loveee the way the story has unfolded till date, where despite being distanced, every single one of them is linked through one thing or another. Gohar’s death was a result of Torah’s planning but Shireen’s misfortune was a result of Pari’s planning which she did using the entire scenario to her advantage. I can’t wait to see how the dynamics will change now & what life has in store for Shireen especially. I don’t know why even though I know I will end up feeling bad for Gullalai, but I wish something happens to Safiullah because that way may be Aurang & Shireen will get to be together. Sigh! Wishful thinking on my part I know! Anyways, this episode surely belonged to Omair Rana & Masroor Paras, I thoroughly enjoyed all the conversations that they had, it is actually quite amusing that a man of Safiullah’s stature & persona can be so easily manipulated & fooled by a very harmless looking Torah Khan. Sharmeen Kashif’s acting has improved a lot over the episodes & I liked her performance in the scene where Palwasha for the first time retaliates in front Sherbano. All the actors have done a brilliant job, the editing & direction of this drama has always been on-fleek. I thank the writer for coming up such a brilliant story & giving us something completely different & totally engaging. Thank you Team Sang e Marmar once again. Please share your thoughts about this very interesting episode of Sang e Marmar!
It was one fine day, when a picture of a guy brewing tea went viral. Thanks to the photographer Jiah Ali, who gave Arshad an opportunity to rise and explore himself. Arshad Khan has been getting fame since the very first moment, people not just in Pakistani but whole Asia went gaga over his looks. He was hired as a model, went on to do music videos and has signed a film too, and the recent one is a photoshoot. Famous photographer Azeem Sani recently had Arshad pose for a ‘wet look’ photoshoot.
In conversation with the Images, Azeem said, “When I told him that we’ll be shooting in the pool, he was cool about it. He said, ‘The water will be cold, but I’ll do it.’ I think wo shalwar kameez pehen pehen ke bore ho gia tha (he was bored of doing shalwar kameez shoots) and wanted to do something different. I shot him for five to 10 minutes in the water and uss ne mujhay tang nahi kia (he didn’t cause any problems).”
Still, Azeem thinks Arshad has a long way to go.
“The problem right now is that he’s very desi. He has a totally plain look and until someone gives him a proper haircut and wardrobe, he can’t be transformed. And he’s not easy at all to work with. I had to tell him everything, but he was listening to and understanding what I was saying, so that’s good.”
Photographer/stylist Azeem Sani weighs in on Arshad Khan’s potential, “As people like him and respond to him, Arshad’s getting more and more energy. He’ll do better with practice.”
“I see him doing better in commercials as opposed to modelling. He looks better chalta phirta (while moving). He has great hair, great skin. Shampoo, soap commercials can totally be his thing, even if starts with a small brand.”
“He’s only 17 years old, I want to see what he’s doing five years down. As people like him and respond to him, he’s getting more and more energy. He’ll do better with practice.”
“Yeah, he’s probably 17. You can tell from his body, it’s like a child’s,” he concluded.
Noman Habib is one of the finest stars and has been appreciated for his roles in many popular dramas. He gained more fame for his supporting role in film ‘Main Hon Shahid Afridi’. Noman announced his engagement early this year and exchanged rings in July 2016. The actor recently got married, as the Nikah ceremony was held on the 25th December in Badshahi Masjid followed by the Mehendi and Baraat. Pictures from all three ceremonies are out and both bride and groom look extremely good.
Not long ago, Hamza Ali Abssi’s jamming session was buzzing on the social media since his fans were glad to see him playing guitar. He’s at it once again, the actor along with his buddy Ayesha Khan jammed to Junaid Jamshed’s famous song ‘Aitebar’. Junaid’s death was a shock for the whole nation and the celebrities expressed their grief in every possible way. Many celebrities paid their tributes to the singer turned preacher and this time it’s the duo jamming to the song.
Actress Yasra Rizvi has been in acting since more than a decade, and has some successful work to her credit. Earlier this month she got engaged to Abdul Hadi in a private ceremony. There’s wedding bells for the duo now and they are all set to get married. Yasra and Abdul Hadi’s Mayoon were held recently and the pictures from the ceremony are already surfing on the social media.
These days most of ad makers depend on stardom and extravagance to make their advertisement different from others. However, Sprite’s tvc’s have always made an impact on the audiences because their first pick is food, and can make the audience starve for all those desi things.
The latest tvc featuring Momina Mustehsan is no different than other tvc’s but is still new in it’s own way. Moreover, Momina is looking extremely daring and spicy. Khol dey Sprite aur macha dey shor! #MirchiKoSpriteKar
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The clip which went viral was picked out of context and used to point fingers and take a dig at Mahira for “anti-India sentiments”. Here is the full interview which was captured 5 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0sQLUaXLM8#t=891 Rimsha Butt
