Hum TV left no stone unturned to ensure that the Servis 4th Hum Awards were the most grand of all the awards they have organized so far. The organizers raised the bar high last year and now it seems like it is only going to get higher with every passing year. Last year these awards covered only dramas but this time around there was a special category for films and the directors talked about Hum Films’ plans to add to the revival of Pakistani cinema. Almost all the prominent and new faces of the entertainment world especially the world of drama were seen on the award show and on the stage as well.
I would like to discuss the highs and lows of this award show by highlighting different aspects of the show one by one. Also, please keep in mind that this article attempts to discuss the award function and not the nominations or the awards.
The Hosts:
The show was opened by Hamza Ali Abbasi and Ayesha Khan. It wasn’t the perfect beginning because although Hamza Ali Abbasi is a great speaker and he has a nice voice but he needs to lighten up. Hamza’s body language in particular made this start too serious and not entertaining enough. Also, Hamza’s reply to Feroze Khan when he said that he could never think of competing with Hamza was in bad taste! Hosting isn’t just about reading out your script but also adding some life to the evening. Ayesha Khan’s more-American-than-the-actual-Americans accent and lack of spontaneity definitely did not help kick start the show. These two hosts were much better later on once they were on the stage for a while.
Vasay Chaudhry and Ahmed Ali Butt’s entry changed the mood of this show altogether. The lyrics of the song they sang and performed on were witty and relevant to the show. Also their performance was top-notch. They brought with them the spontaneity and wit which was lacking in the show. It cannot be easy being on the stage with such a big responsibility on your shoulders but these two makes it look like a piece of cake. Ahmed Ali Butt in particular is truly gifted.
Sanam Jung hosted part of the show with Hamza Ali Abbasi and Vasay Chaudhry. Sanam Jung was confident, articulate and definitely much better than some of her co-hosts. She did not shake for a single second even and was definitely not on a mission to impress anyone with her English accent!
Vasay Chaudhry, Ahmed Ali Butt and Sanam Jung did their job well and made these award shows fun to watch.
The Stage And The Script:
The stage was perfect in every way. Whoever was in charge of the stage did complete justice to the task assigned to them. Every time there was a new performance the background changed and it looked beautiful.
This time around there was plenty of Urdu in between too unlike the last time when the entire script was in English. Ahmed Ali Butt and Vasay Chaudhry mentioned in the beginning that some people got offended last time therefore they kept the personal jokes to the minimum and focused more on general things like the excessive rona dhona in our dramas and different reasons why people watch these dramas etc.
The introduction part in the beginning of the show however was less than average, there was more focus on rhyming and less on briefly asserting the importance of these awards. Unlike the last time the most important awards were not introduced very eloquently.
The Dance Performances:
I have to say that after I was finally done watching the award show I felt like I had just watched a dance competition! There were too many dances in the show, some of which were truly impressive without any doubt. The costumes, set and choreography was spot on but why do we continue to be fixated with Indian songs? Honestly speaking, it was shocking to see so many dance performances on Indian songs at a time when we are all raving about the growth of Pakistani film industry. If all these producers and directors are so impressed by the growth of the Pakistani film industry then why do they choose Indian songs for these performances?
Atif Aslam’s performance was impressive but was he singing live or just lip syncing?
Few Suggestions
I was very tempted to give a few suggestions after watching this award show. A lot of hard work went into organizing this grand ceremony – something which I truly appreciate and acknowledge but if our organizers pay a little more attention to few things here and there then they can truly give these award shows a more ‘made in Pakistan’ feel.
Pakistan is blessed with some amazing writers and our actors who hosted this show are very good at speaking Urdu therefore it would be nice to ask one of these writers to write the script which I am certain even Ayesha Khan can read and deliver without any hindrances!! I hate to say this but there were times when I felt like some actors were trying to prove their accent was more ‘English / American’ than others!
Personally, I would much rather watch an award show with absolutely no dance performances but since that is inevitable, it would be nice if the organizers put in some effort to make medleys of OSTs instead of live performances in which yet again mostly songs that are sung are Indian and recorded. Also, Pakistani films have plenty of dance number therefore these songs can easily be used for the dance performances. Dancing on Indian songs sends out the wrong message – as if we don’t have any good songs of our own! If we use our own songs, that will encourage the composers and the singers as well and give the show a more Pakistani feel.
This award show function was thoroughly entertaining especially Ahmed Ali Butt and Vasay Chaudhry were hilarious but it was too long. I couldn’t help but wonder how the guests managed to sit and watch it for that long. I suggest separate award shows for dramas and films next year, I am certain that Hum TV can do that. I would like to thank all those people who put in so much effort and time into organizing this show and request them to implement some of the suggestions mentioned above next time.
The best thing about watching this show was seeing all these fabulously talented people under one roof being recognized and appreciated – they truly deserve it!
How many of you watched 4th Servis Hum Awards? Do share your thoughts about it.
Fatima Awan