Here Are The 10 Potential Star Debuts To Look Forward To!

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April 21, 2020

The film and drama industry’s activities are currently temporarily paused due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a never-seen-before crisis for the world. While these are trying times for the media fraternity, there is always a beacon of light in the darkness. We expect the industry’s activities to resume sooner than later. There is also the hope of fresh faces making inroads into the world of glitz and glamor in the new decade.

Here’s a list of 10 potential acting debutants we hope to see in the new decade!

Shahveer Jaffry

Shahveer is among Pakistan’s most popular digital content creators. Being a seasoned YouTuber for over half a decade, Shahveer enjoys much following for his humorous digital content. He also has a significant female fan following which is evident from his social media comment sections.

Shahveer appeared with good friend Noor Zafar Khan on Ahsan Khan’s talk show, where he confessed that he aspires to be the best actor in Pakistan in the future. It looks like Shahveer is waiting to grab the right opportunity at the right time.

Hanish Qureshi

Faisal Qureshi’s eldest daughter, Hanish has already made inroads into the entertainment industry as a stylist. She works with industry’s stars for shoots and events and also shares a friendly equation with actresses Yashma Gill and Sadaf Kanwal. Her father, Faisal Qureshi is a powerhouse performer who is now turning a film producer with his next film, Sorry.

I am sure his fans would want the father-daughter duo to revive their real equation on-screen. Hanish’s grandmother, Afshan Qureshi is an industry veteran and we can’t wait to see how Hanish makes her mark as an actress if she decides to pursue the acting line.

Adnan Raza Mir

The youngest member of the Mir clan, Adnan, is a face to watch out for. His father Asif Raza Mir and brother Ahad have always been appreciated for their craft and good looks. Guess the Mir family might get lucky the third time as well. Adnan also shares a good rapport with actress sister-in-law, Sajal Aly. He also often posts pictures of his brother and himself on social media, making the Mir clan’s fans wanting for more.

Aisha Khan

Sabaat fame Sarah Khan’s elder sister Aisha Khan has stayed away from the spotlight for reasons more than one. Sarah revealed on Samina Pirzada’s show that Aisha has studied hotel management but had to halt her career plans when their mother got diagnosed with Cancer.

Sarah and Noor have often termed Aisha to be the prettiest amongst the sister trio also consisting of the gorgeous Noor Zafar Khan. We hope to see Aisha joining the glamor world to strengthen the brand entity of the Khan sisters.

Manoucheher Siddiqui

Manoucheher, the younger brother of Shehryar Munawar, is fortunately blessed with the same dapper looks as that of his elder brother. Manoucheher is a banker by profession and a philanthropist, and on top of that, he’s pretty creative. It seems he will do well if he tried his luck in the entertainment business. Now that the Munawar tribe has a home production company, Manoucheher doesn’t even have to go too far.

Zaviyar Nauman Ejaz

Nauman Ejaz is touted to be the finest actor of his generation. The Mera Saeen actor has been holding his ground for over three decades now. Thus the curiosity regarding his eldest son, Zaviyar’s foray into showbiz is being awaited by the trade and audience alike. Zaviyar is currently pursuing a degree in Business Management in Canada and has plans to make his acting debut once he gets done with his academics.

He also is an animal lover and often showcases his wicked sense of humor through his social media posts. The 23-year old is also blessed with dapper looks, just like his star father.

Silah Yasir

Yasir Nawaz and Nida Yasir’s daughter Sila made her on-screen debut as a child artist in Feroze Khan-Sajal Ali starrer Chup Raho. The drama was directed by her talented father, which hints at her parent’s approval for Silah’s acting career in the future.

Nida often mentions on her morning show that her daughter gives her styling and grooming tips to stay relevant with the changing times. We believe Silah has the skill set to make her family proud.

Hamza Sohail

Sohail Ahmed has ruled the theater world when it was at the peak of its popularity in Pakistan. The Pride of Performance winner has also created an impact in films and Television. His son Hamza, as we hear is all set for his innings in the world of acting.

The 24-year old is currently meeting the right people to introduce him to the public. A photo-shoot is also in the works. Hamza recently came into the public eye for his humorous quarantine diaries video with his father. He is also in talks to appear in a commercial before he makes his much-awaited acting debut.

Shahbaz Abbas

Bilal often terms Shahbaz as his partner in crime and the sibling he is closest to. Bilal has made a name for himself in a short period and we are rooting for his younger brother, Shahbaz to join the fraternity soon as well. We are sure Shahbaz, who’s in his early 20s, will be a talent to look out for. After all, it runs in the family.

Abdullah Javed

Abdullah caught the internet’s attention on his sister Sana Javed’s birthday last year. The actress posted pictures with her brother and her Instagram followers went berserk over Abdullah’s looks. Abdullah is a model and thanks to his public mentions a few of his photoshoots also went viral.

We think Abdullah has it in him to make it big in the world of showbiz. Also with a sister like Sana Javed to guide, Abdullah will surely start on an impressive note.

Disclaimer: Galaxy Lollywood in no way endorses nepotism but believes in supporting talent which has the potential and the ability to entertain us. There’s always excitement surrounding a celebrity’s family members. The fans and general audiences are always intrigued and curious to know how the sibling or child fares in comparison with their established family members. In recent years, we have seen a crop of new faces in the industry who are doing well for themselves, however, we wanted to shortlist some of the potential debutants whom we can’t wait to see on television or films in the new decade.

Bilal Saeed and Sabeeka Imam Are All Flirtatious, But It’s Probably A Publicity Stunt!

By

Maisooma Batool

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April 20, 2020

Celebrities have been using their social media to keep themselves visible in the public eye in these testing times. With the lock-down in place and social distancing being heavily encouraged, celebrities’ online networks have become their sole outlets to connect with their fans and to keep them entertained. Stars, singers and other celebs are doing so by staging everything from live concerts to interactive chat sessions with their fanbase.

However, it looks like these activities are now dipping into the promotional territory instead of being just a gesture of goodwill. Yesterday, singer Bilal Saeed and the top model and actor Sabeeka Imam, last seen in Sherdil, got tangled into a somewhat strange exchange on their respective Instagram stories, which got all our attention.

The start

It started with Bilal Saeed posting screenshots from a video call that he was having with a pretty and all dolled up Sabeeka Imam with captions like he “might just apologize for the 1000th time” and “looks like will have to go to bed mad tonight“.

The next post was Bilal wondering about how girls think boys have come into the world just to apologize to them. It was followed by another screenshot from the video chat with Bilal captioning that he would not apologize whatsoever. Sabeeka was tagged in all these stories. She replied by posting Bilal’s question for her followers on her Instagram story, asking for advice on how to answer Bilal’s accusation.

Things take a weird turn

The situation was explained in another slew of story posts. Bilal posted a series on videos on his Instagram stories explaining what the whole exchange was all about. And from what Bilal said it can be safely inferred that apparently the reason Sabeeka got “mad” at Bilal was that he cut a call he was having with her to attend another to another one. According to Bilal, this was no big deal and he shouldn’t have to apologize for that.

What was most surprising was the way Bilal explained the whole situation. He did not limit himself to just explaining the reason why he was refusing to apologize. Instead, Bilal dropped hints about being forced to apologize by being emotionally blackmailed.

“We are already locked in due to quarantine. And in this situation if some person is fighting with you over trivial things and asking you to, “go find someone else”. So you tell, what should happen?” Bilal asked his followers in one of his many videos.

He seemed to drop the topic by saying that these “girl problems” have no solutions and promoted an online concert he was going to do later that night. Apparently, the issue was not dropped as he got the last word in with the message, “Girl you continue saying “go find someone else,” if one day I do find someone else you’d be the one left lamenting.”

It wasn’t the end

Sabeeka responded to Bilal’s long streak of stories with just one video in her defense. She posted on her Instagram story talking about how it’s “bad manners” to drop one call to attend another call and a person should apologize for such bad manners.

This got Bilal’s attention again and he posted Sabeeka’s response on his Instagram story. He commented about the “innocence” of Sabeeka’s response and pointed out her changed tunes.

“First it was all “go find someone else” and now this. Girls are master in the art of making boys feel guilty.”

Bilal Saeed even got to express his stance in the form of a quick few second long song where he sang that he has written many great love songs, but he has never written an apology. Sabeeka posted that song on her Instagram story with no further comment than an unimpressed Belle gif.

Staged drama?

It could be a very-well staged banter between the singer and the model as a sort of promotional tactic to gain attention for whatever product they plan on selling. Or it could be something serious. Regardless, it was certainly a bit odd to see a banter-ish back and forth between the two that is more common to actual couples instead of platonic friends.

What do you think of the situation? Let us know in the comments below!

Pakistani Dramas And Their Obsession With The Miserable Shaadi Narrative!

By

Maisooma Batool

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April 16, 2020

One of my earliest memories related to television programming is about a PTV drama called Zaib-un-Nissa. I don’t remember much about the drama, just very vague bits and pieces, but I very distinctly remember enthusiastically discussing it with my friends in our school’s playground during recess time. There was a scene in the drama where Zaib-un-Nissa (played by Nida Kazmi) stands up to her husband Mehmood (played by Adnan Siddiqui) after a confrontation. He called her by her pet name “Zaibi” and she corrected him with a firm voice, “Mera naam Zaib-un-Nissa hai.”

There was something so powerful about that scene that it stayed with me for a very long time. I was too young to fully grasp the implications of the scene i.e. a woman asserting her identity by no longer allowing her own self to be something that others dictate. And when I had forgotten about it enough to want to revisit it, I looked up the show and realized that Zaib-un-Nissa was a drama about a woman who was in an abusive marriage.

The finale of the drama showed Zaib-un-Nissa walking out of her marriage to have the chance of discovering herself. There was no mention of divorce; just the wife telling her husband that he had scarred her so emotionally that she needs time to heal her wounds. And she would do that on her own without his presence reminding her of the ugly side of their marriage. The question of Zaib-un-Nissa ever coming back to Mehmood was left up to imagination; the show ends on a powerful note.

The dramas nowadays

Two decades later, the narrative around marriage in our dramas have completely changed. There is no Zaib-un-Nissa to be found amidst all the female protagonists on television that cry a bucket of tears on average in every episode. Apart from the tears what binds all these female protagonists together is the fact that they are all married.

In the Pakistani dramas of the current times, marriage is the beginning of utmost misery which provides no way out of it. You only marry once (unless it is a man then he marries twice and his entire arc in the drama is to balance between his two wives) and regardless of how horrible that experience turns out for you, you diligently stick with it till the end.

The female character’s identity is based entirely on her married life. For instance, look at GeoTV’s latest offering Meherposh. We are introduced to the protagonist’s character as being a beloved daughter of a family who is also employed in a well-paying and respected job. But just two episodes in and tragedy has befallen her as her husband divorced her on her wedding night thanks to him thinking she has “questionable” character. There’s no point for guessing how the rest of the drama will shape up now. Hint: it involves misery and much rona dhona.

Another of Geo TV’s offering is Khoobseerat which is just a never-ending saga of the protagonist Dilkush making the most stupid decisions in the name of being a devoted wife.

Then there’s the masterpiece of a drama called Thoda Sa Haq airing on ARY Digital which I interpret as a man wanting to be in bed with his two wives (at the same time?) but the world around him not allowing him to do that. Hence, all the angst.

No stories beyond marriage

Even in dramas that are not seeped in the typical rona dhona they use marriage as a ploy for bringing misery to the female character. Yeh Dil Mera on HumTV is not a typical drama with its mystery and psychological elements. But even that drama did not spare the idea of marriage being used as a setup for misery. Amaan marries Aina to take revenge from her father Mir Farooq for killing Amaan’s parents years ago. There’s a reason why the drama’s original title was rumored to be Mujhe Vida Kar.

The general idea that Pakistani dramas give out is that there is no life or identity of a woman in Pakistan beyond her marriage. Even the dramas revolving around serious issues like a gang-rape survivor ultimately end up becoming a saas-bahu saga. Yes, Ruswai I’m looking at you. Just using the last episode to get Sameera justice does not erase the many episodes when the drama was about everything but that.

Ironically, despite all the importance that Pakistani dramas put on marriages, the representation around marriage makes it seem like the most fickle thing in the world. Forget the sanctity and the importance of consent, which is needed to marry once and needed even more when a man wants to go for a second marriage, and with how normalized dramas have made the idea of ending marriages. Characters get married in the night and before the sun has risen the divorce has taken place. Who can ever take the idea of marriage seriously after watching that?

A reset needed

There’s no denying the importance of marriage in Pakistani society. However, much nuance and deliberation is needed to portray the complexities of an average married life. If Pakistani dramas cannot let go of their obsession with marriages being the central plot for all their stories, the least they can do is make the situations more believable.

There’s rarely any random neighborhood girl eyeing a married man with three kids and scheming to end his marriage of ten years (Rabba Mainu Maaf Kare) or a young woman succeeding to fool two entire families to get married to a man just to rob him off of lacs in the name of haq meher (Jhooti). Or husbands claiming to love their wives fully and yet wasting no time in accusing them of infidelity just because someone said so (literally every other drama on television airing right now)

Television has a way of altering reality with the way it enforces certain ideas repeatedly. And if one ends up consuming the altered reality without thinking it through properly, there’s no denying that it could end up becoming the truth. And that is a very dangerous thing. As Amma wisely said, our dramas are normalizing all the dangerous topics and ideas to a shocking extent. And it will end up having a drastic effect in the long run.

I was lucky enough to have watched Zaib-un-Nissa which left a deeply positive impression on me when I was growing up. I just can’t help but worry about the countless other young girls growing up with the Pakistani dramas of today who have no such narrative to prove that yes, there is a life and identity beyond a miserable marriage. When the pandemic is over and the world survives, I wonder if anyone will take the responsibility for not giving these young girls uplifting and positive stories to look forward to a healthy future relationship?

Here’s All The New Stuff We Learnt About Celebrities During Lockdown

By

Hammad Akbar

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April 15, 2020

We are living in a dreary and uncertain world right now. With the COVID-19 rendering all activities useless around the globe, it seems like Pakistani celebrities have still found a way to keep their fans entertained.

While in quarantine, we have seen lots of different sides of them, also learning some unexpected (pun intended) truths along the way. Here’s what we have noticed so far:

Celebrities have kitchens, too?

As soon as the lockdown was announced throughout the country, it seemed like all the male celebrities went straight to the kitchen. And the women were not too far behind either. Be it helping their mothers or partners wash dishes or try a new recipe – they did it all while casually flaunting their super-cool kitchens.

While we understand that doing house chores is a responsibility for both the husband and the wife, something about their behavior made us wonder in a few cases whether it was the first time they were doing a house chore!

Flipping a burger in a pan or frying an omelet, they did it all for the world to see. Although it has to be said, the Instagram posts of the fruits of their tremendously hard labor actually came out looking good. Or maybe it was just those kitchens?

Everyone loves Instagram live

Instagram Live has to be one of the most popular features through which celebrities connect with fans. While a lot of them had been using the feature to converse with their fans, the number of stars who were live at a given time was extremely high.

Not only that, but they also asked other celebrities to join in, some, which had never even used the feature before. It was quite unusual seeing most of them live at the same time….and then a few don’t quite know how to get off it!

Quarantine stress getting to some…

When now is the best time to practice kindness and empathy, it is also a time of high stress with the celebrities cooped up inside their houses like most of us, and apparently having a hard time dealing with it. Apart from getting offended and then clarifying how a particular word shouldn’t be used as an insult, one particular singer struck the wrong note after he called certain Twitteratis commenting on his live-sessions ‘troll aunties’ and fat-shaming them after calling users ‘not to take a selfie ever again.’

…& bringing out the diva in a few others

We feel maturity and good common sense needs to be the order for the day, although some celebs need a good dose of both in their social media game. This seems to be especially true for some celebs who have spent much of the crisis complaining about the lockdown — while the rest of us go through the same crisis.

And while we are ranting about divas, who can forget about the infamous incident involving a well-known designer that openly led many to call out the apparent classism. Yes, we are talking about the one who allegedly shooed her coronavirus-ridden domestic help off. On public transport.

But there is a lot of good

Quite hearteningly, the crisis has also shown that some celebrities have a heart of gold. Some stars took the time to contribute positively towards easing the claustrophobic stress, with Aamina Shaikh and Sarwat Gilani leading from the front and doing something productive.

Amina is showing everyone that just because we are home-bound doesn’t mean the time spent has to be boring – especially for kids! The O21 star has been reading out children’s books with her adorable little daughter, Meissa, on Instagram.

Her short segments became so popular that she had to make a YouTube account, specially dedicated to her stories!

https://www.instagram.com/p/B93nQZbhA11/

Another super mom of the industry, Sarwat Gilani, is also utilizing the time effectively. She has been engaging her two cute sons, Rohan and Araiz, and the kids all around the world through her fantastic online art classes. With the help of some recycled materials, paint, and sprays, she wants to make sure that all the mothers around the world can spend some quality time with their children.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-9fKMljBMz/

Designers prove that they too care

Let’s face it: The skin-deep world of fashion and altruism don’t necessarily go hand in hand. However, a few leading forces from the world of fashion have been busy over the last few weeks proving this notion wrong. Designers Deepak Perwani and Asim Jofa donated their custom-made protective suits for hospital staff leading the battle against the Coronavirus pandemic. The two fashion mavens handed their suits over to the municipal administration and hospitals in Karachi.

In the end, the crisis has proven that celebs are as human as the rest of us. Like us, they too have their ups and downs and are doing whatever they can to cope in these difficult times. Inadvertently, that may have brought out their own flaws (in a few cases), but there’s still hope and a lot of good to focus on.

Deedar Has A Lot To Say About Wajahat Rauf’s Talk Show, And It’s Not Pretty

By

Uzair Anwer

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April 11, 2020

Stage performer and theater siren Sonia Idress a.k.a Deedar recently posted a video on her Facebook page where the actress offered some harsh criticism for Wajahat Rauf’s digital talk-show, Voice Over Man. The show has featured pretty much the entire spectrum of Pakistan’s film and television stars, including leading celebrities like Humayun Saeed, Mahira Khan and Mehwish Hayat. Wajahat even featured the show’s character in his film Chhalawa and the web-series Enaaya.

Questionable humor?

The particular brand of humor used aplenty in the show apparently rubbed Deedar the wrong way. She expressed strong opinions about it, confessing that being part of the Lahore theatre scene, she has often been at the receiving end of harsh criticism and vitriol from various quarters. The theater performer was even banned in 2010 and 2011 by the city-district government along with other theater dancers for violating the prescribed code of conduct and allegedly performing vulgar dance moves.

Elaborating her concerns, she said: “A show is currently running and I have major concerns regarding it, I am not sure if people feel the same.” She added: “I have been a part of a field which has always been under scrutiny, be it from television (electronic media), newspapers or the general public.”

Deedar’s verdict

She raised the question of what according to her was differential treatment, was related to classism. “So is it the case that by speaking English, all mistakes are overlooked?,” she opined, pointing the finger at the audience. Here it is worth mentioning that the talk show is primarily in Urdu.

The dance performer, who has also starred in films, then specifically explained her stance in relation to certain phrases/words being used in the show. “Such words have been used on the show which have never been used in the history of theater. In theater double meaning dialogues are used which can be interpreted in two different capacities but the way actors are treated on the show, it doesn’t happen in theater.”

What apparently Deedar did not mention is that such ‘double meaning dialogues’ in theater productions are usually thinly disguised, if at all. The shows have been accused of using abusive language, and at times have put on display particular form of dancing and attire that leaves little to the imagination.

Questions the audience

She questioned the audience’s and celebrities’ acceptance of the brand of humor, stating “Is it because the host of the show is a director and will give them work in the future?” Offering her own verdict, she emphatically said: “It is not funny, this is character assassination.”

It should be mentioned here that besides his online show’s risky brand of humor, which touches upon adult themes, Wajahat has never featured explicit swear language.

Deedar concluded by suggesting that the team of the show edit the explicit words used. She also played clips from the show with Wajahat’s character interacting with stars like Moamar Rana, Mehwish Hayat and Zara Noor Abbas, saying stuff which no one in normal life would otherwise consider.

What’s your take on this? Let us know in the comments below!

Here’s A List Of All TV Classics That You Need To Binge Watch ASAP!

By

Hassan Hassan

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April 10, 2020

During times when everyone including you, Idris Elba and Fawad Khan are self-quarantining, it’s only natural to look around for some quality entertainment on your home screens especially when theaters are closed and are expected to stay that way in the ensuing months.

That’s quite a lot for a film/TV fan to take in, in addition to the anxieties surrounding the pandemic. To resolve your dilemma, we bring you a list of classic PTV dramas to watch (or in some cases, revisit) that cater to every possible mood you might be feeling in the coming days and weeks.

There’s more good news: You can watch practically all these shows now on YouTube, in decent quality as they have especially been made available for the current lockdown lull. Read on, and trust us, you will not regret checking out these timeless shows.

Ankahi

Written by Haseena Moin and directed by Shoaib Mansoor, witty dialogues and strong relatable characterization made Ankahi a cult classic. Starring Shehnaz Sheikh, Javed Sheikh, Shakeel, Behroz Sabzwri and Jamshed Ansari, the drama follows the journey of a young and ambitious girl Sana Murad (Shehnaz Sheikh), and her aspirations to be rich. After the success of Ankahi, the same team collaborated for another PTV production, the legendary Tanhaiyan of course.

Fun fact: A Bollywood movie called Chal Mere Bhai starring several heavyweights (Salman Khan) from that industry is inspired by Ankahi and follows the same storyline.

Tanhaiyan

Another classic from the above team (directed by Shehzad Khalil), Tanhaiyan is about two sisters who lose their parents and go to live with their aunt in Karachi in an effort to rebuild a new life for themselves. The drama is still being lauded for a progressive portrayal of independent women, something which present-day sob-a-minute serials can learn much from.

A sequel to the play, Tanhaiyan: Naye Silsilay was telecasted in 2012 though it didn’t reach similar success.

Fun fact: Indian satellite channel Zee TV telecasted both Ankahi and Tanhaiyian without any legal permissions from PTV, as a result, PTV moved to a UK court which ultimately ruled in PTV’s favor and asked Zee TV to pay compensation to PTV.

Waris

Written by Amjad Islam Amjad and directed by Ghazanfar Ali & Nusrat Thakur it is one of the earliest PTV productions to have met massive success. Waris was amongst the dramas which would bring a deserted look to roads and bazaars across the country whenever the drama would be telecasted. It is a realistic depiction of Pakistan’s feudal society and the struggles and tussles within.

The drama like other cult classics received multiple reruns and still remains a treat to watch.

Dhoop Kinaray

Written and directed by Haseena Moin and Sahira Kazmi respectively, Dhoop Kinaray is a portrayal of the lives of doctors in a Karachi hospital, and how they work together despite the personal tussles and a gracefully depicted love triangle.

Starring Marina Khan, Rahat Kazmi and Badar Khalil, the drama was an instant hit among both the masses and classes. It made Rahat and Marina one of the country’s favorite reel couples.

Fun fact: Sahira and Rahat Kazmi are parents of today’s popular actor Ali Kazmi (Baaji, Dobara Phir Se and Laal Kabootar fame).

Alpha Bravo Charlie

Written and directed by Shoaib Mansoor, ABC is ISPRs most iconic and successful project to date. Said to be a sequel to another popular drama Sunehray Din from the same team, this cult classic tale follows three friends after they join the military and start their practical lives thus going through various ordeals and their respective journeys of self-discoveries. The drama put a new life into the then dwindling business of PTV bringing it huge TRPs that never seen before in Pakistan.

Fun fact: One of the audience’s most beloved characters from drama Gul Sher is currently a serving Colonel serving in Pakistan army’s Signal corps.

Nijaat

Starring Atiqa Odho, Huma Nawab, Marina Khan, Noman Ijaz, and Sajid Hasan this social drama explored the different roles of women in our society at various levels and also emphasized the importance of family planning. Like most PTV dramas of the era, it was a simple yet impactful presentation of our society and its rampant issues. The play was written by Asghar Nadeem Syed and directed by Sahira Kazmi.

Fun fact: The play was a joint venture between PTV and Johns Hopkins University/Population Communication Services (JHU/PCS).

Ainak Wala Jinn

The list is incomplete for 90s kids without this one of its kind TV series. Despite its very apparent budget constraints, the show is a brilliant amalgamation of fantasy, sci-fi and real-life drama where kids are taught basic life lessons about the power of truth, kindness, and compassion.

Following the titular character of Nastoor Jin and his adventures in the present-day world, it beautifully connects a parallel universe where a host other creatures join the fight the battle of good and evil. With popular characters like Hamoon Jadugar, Zakoota Jin and Bill Batori, the drama is a perfect choice to revisit the nostalgia of childhood.

Fun fact: The cast performed in front of Princess Diana and the patients at Shaukat Khanum Hospital when she visited Pakistan in 1996.

Alif Noon

Starring Rafi Khawar(The iconic Nanha) and Kamal Ahmed Rizvi(who also wrote this drama), Alif Noon is one of the most memorable dramas of PTVs history. A socio-political satire, it follows two friends who are complete opposites of each other – Allan(Kamal), the shrewd and immoral entrepreneur and Nanha(Rafi)as a naive yet idealistic simpleton, and their adventures in a society that’s ridden with fraud, corruption, and other vices.

Fun fact: Due to its cult-level popularity, a film adaptation of the show starring Shehzad Roy and Faisal Qureshi is apparently in the works.

Ba-Adab Ba-Mulahiza Hoshyar

Written by Mirza Athar Baig and directed by Haider Imam Rizvi with a cast comprising of Qazi Wajid, Qasim Jalali, and host of veteran actors from PTV, the show, despite being a hilarious laughter riot, is also very intelligently written and conceived political satire. Set in the backdrop of the Mughal era, the drama actually satirizes the political and bureaucratic elite and how they exploit the poor while giving no heed to their sufferings. It still has relevance in today’s time with its clips circulating on social media on and off.

Khuda Ki Basti

The drama is one of PTV’s earliest and most popular productions which cemented the national television’s image of producing high quality and relatable content. With an unconventional storyline that explored contemporary social issues of the society, the drama wins you over for its simplicity and depth.

Fun fact: You can well imagine how classic this drama is by the fact that it was inducted as part of syllabi at various film and television academies like the one in Pune, India and even in Europe.

Marvi

Marvi was a presentation of PTV Karachi with a stellar cast of Mahnoor Baloch, Qaisar Khan Nizamani, Hassam Qazi and debutante Ghazal Siddique while it was written by Noorul Huda Shah and directed by present-day Hum TV media mogul Sultana Siddiqui. The drama was a modern-day adaptation of the eponymous classic Sindhi folktale. The play had a strong feminist streak in its storyline and highlighted the struggle of a lower class young girl who stands against the misogynist feudal society for her rights — and (SPOILER) ultimately succeeds.

Fun fact: The drama was Mahnoor Baloch’s debut where she played a supporting character, whereas it was Ghazal Siddiqui’s first Urdu language play.

‘Aangan Is Being Re-Edited For A Digital Release,’ Says Mawra Hocane

By

Maisooma Batool

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April 9, 2020

This week’s guest on The Munshi Show, the last episode shot before the country went into lockdown mode, is none other than Mawra Hocane. Having an impeccable career that has won her praise on both sides of the border, Mawra has often been the target of various controversies over the years. Well, being the social media queen does come with some drama attached, especially when people just can’t stop using her to get their two seconds of fame.

A new phase

However, the years in the industry have definitely mellowed Mawra down as was evident when she sat down for the interview. With her free-spirited spark somewhat toned down, the Mawra we saw on the episode came across as a more sorted and matured individual who has had her enough share of being dragged into unnecessary troubles thanks to her quotes often being misinterpreted. Now, she just wants to focus on the happy and positive things in her life.

Aangan

That wouldn’t have been more clear when she talked about the much-hyped yet not-as-well-received drama Aangan. When asked about her reaction to all the hype that Aangan had gotten before its release only to end up with unfavorable reviews and ratings, Mawra said that she wasn’t disappointed at the reaction but rather she is waiting for the audience to actually watch the show.

“Aangan couldn’t even reach the audience properly when it was airing. So, I am not disappointed in the reaction because I know that people haven’t gotten the chance to watch the show properly. I know that it is being edited to be available for viewing on a digital platform.”

There were rumors of Aangan getting an exclusive deal with Netflix, said to be the reason the show did not end up on Youtube when it was airing. But apparently the deal has officially fallen through as Mawra hinted that Aangan might end up being on a different streaming platform.

“Aangan is a show that will bear its fruits for a long time.”

You can watch the entire interview and a whole lot more on Galaxy Lollywood’s Youtube page or just click on the video below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JVK3eUHGeI

Manzar Sehbai and Samina Ahmed Get Married In A Private Ceremony In Lahore

By

Maisooma Batool

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April 9, 2020

A sudden wave of excitement engulfed social media last night as the news of another major celebrity couple tying the knot was suddenly announced. But this is no ordinary celebrity duo and it certainly was no ordinary marriage. For it involves two of the industry’s most respected and veteran actors – Manzar Sehbai and Samina Ahmed.

A private affair

The two sought after artistes tied the knot in an extremely private nikah ceremony that took place on 4th April 2020. The whole affair was kept low-key and the news was not broken by either of the parties involved. But when the inevitable happened and the news finally broke out, Samina Ahmed did confirm it to a publication, disclosing that the whole affair was attended just by her and Manzar Sehbai’s families.

There is something so endearing about this whole affair that despite the late reveal that happened out of nowhere, there has been nothing but an outpour of positive messages on social media. Even though our country is obsessed with the whole wedding shebang, especially celebrity weddings, it is not every day that we see well known public figures so quietly and intimately take this step in their life. No fanfare, no publicity preceded or followed this news; just two people who gracefully made a decision of spending the rest of their life together.

Following the news #SaminaAhmed was the top trend on Twitter with many social media users posting their congratulatory messages of goodwill for the happy couple.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-uslrpFGjS/

Forging a new path

Manzar Sehbai and Samina Ahmed who have both been through about seven decades of life might seem like a very unconventional couple. However, their marriage news has set a very positive and much-needed precedent that there is no time limit to getting married. Society may judge all it wants but at the end of the day, marriage is almost all about the two people who are getting married. It doesn’t matter if they are doing so aged 19 or 70; if two people are in love and feel comfortable enough to want to spend their life with each other then that is all that matters.

The two have indeed shown the world that age really is just a number.

Manzar Sehbai is a veteran theater actor and playwright who made his film debut in the blockbuster film Bol. On television, he is well known for his character in the recently finished drama Alif. Samina Ahmed has a long list of dramas to her credit with a career spanning over thirty years. With the way both these veterans have been part of the generations growing up, it is no wonder that their marriage news received much love and blessings from all around.

We too wish them best luck and love for all their days together!

Pakistani Content Witnesses Huge Increase In Interest Worldwide: Here’s Proof!

By

Faisal Ali H

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April 8, 2020

You — and most of the world — is currently exercising self-isolation, social distancing or experiencing some form of a lockdown. This out-of-the-blue scenario means that the usual forms of entertainment are off-limits. Given that some workplaces are operating on a reduced workload, there is more time for boredom inducing leisure, which has gotten increasingly more people turning to online streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Plus, Hulu – and even the good ol’ YouTube.

Dramatic rise in interest

Interestingly, during a period when most are in some type of quarantine, Pakistani entertainment has witnessed a dramatic surge in online interest. Google Trends, the website that analyzes the popularity of major search queries across various regions and languages, indicates that Pakistani television content has witnessed nearly a two-fold increase interest over the previous month.

Currently experiencing a peak in popularity that hasn’t been seen in a long time, popular ARY, Hum TV, and Geo TV (among others) television shows can be streamed for free in HD quality on YouTube, Netflix and several other platforms.

The data shows that internet users across the globe are searching for Pakistani content in increasing numbers, perhaps a testament to the family-friendly/wholesome nature of local content. At a time when most families are cooped together at home, it seems local dramas do the job rather well when it comes to providing quality entertainment.

Note: All graphs cover data from the previous 12 months, with the portion nearest to the right indicating the preceding month, March of the current year

Worldwide Interest for Pakistani Television Shows

The past year witnessed several humongous shows such as Ehd-e-Wafa, Meray Paas Tum Ho, Do Bol, Ye Dil Mera, and Alif, with a monthly audience on YouTube alone exceeding 200 million monthly views, according to estimates. The current lull represents a great time for those on a busy schedule to catch up on these popular shows they might have missed on, besides tuning into the currently on-air Dilruba and Jhooti, among others.

Apart from Pakistan, the trend is especially pronounced in places like the UAE, Bangladesh, and India. Our methodology was to query for the top four search terms for Pakistani television shows and aggregate them.

Pakistani Television Shows: Interest Surge In UAE

Pakistani Television Shows: Interest Surge In Bangladesh

Pakistani Television Shows: Interest Surge In India

What about the films?

During the same period, Pakistani films too have experienced a worldwide increase in search volumes, although the current peak is still a bit lower than the levels seen when Parey Hut Love and Superstar released last year in August. Interestingly, a similar aggregated query for Bollywood didn’t reveal much change during the coronavirus period.

Worldwide Interest for Pakistani Films

Final word

All of this bodes rather well for the Pakistani entertainment industry, which is likely to benefit from increased revenue from the digital domain as a result of the current global quarantine period. It will be interesting to watch whether this trend persists over the coming months. For that and a lot more, stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood!

Stars Light Up Social Media With These Entertaining, Sometimes Unbelievable Sessions!

By

Uzair Anwer

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April 7, 2020

With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the entertainment industry the world over, Pakistan’s own showbiz scene too has seen dwindling activity as self-isolation and social distancing become the new buzzwords. Like most in the country, our actors have been following the instructions given by the government while encouraging their followers to do so, too. Most are staying at home and avoiding social gatherings, while practically all shoots and media-related activities have been called off.

The rare idle period has presented itself as an opportunity for many stars to better acquaint themselves with their social media following. Some have gone ahead with live text chat sessions with their fans and a few of them have even live-streamed video sessions with their colleagues.

It is also an interesting fact, that these live sessions have been used by some celebrities for showcasing their singing talents and other unique skills which the world otherwise might not be aware of as well as using the gap period for promoting their on-air television shows. Here’s a list of the most entertaining and engaging social media sessions that became the talk of the town, in this age of lockdowns and curfews.

Ali Zafar

The Teefa In Trouble actor has been creating waves online ever since he shared the PSL anthem announcement, which eventually led to his own popular track for the tournament. During the coronavirus outbreak, the actor has been streaming loads of social media content and has also been using his handle productively by spreading awareness on the essential precautionary measures to exercise.

Ali also came up with an interesting live session separately with Humayun Saeed and Saba Qamar. Bringing the Cheekh star onboard resulted in quite a lighthearted, fun banter, where the two stars also expressed their desire to work with each other. Ali narrated his experience of sharing screen-space with Saba for a scene in Lahore Se Aagay and praised her by saying that he finds her amongst the finest actresses of all time. That is no small compliment!

He also shared a video that has him paying a tribute to doctors engaged in battling the outbreak with his rendition of the patriotic anthem, Yeh Watan Tumhara Hai. Ali also entertained fans with a live digital concert.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-cgnMzlS6v/?igshid=170z7r285efhn

Saba Qamar

Besides her appearance with Ali Zafar, the Kamli star also celebrated her birthday online with her fans. She also regaled her fans with a series of live sessions to mark the occasion, which included one about skincare. Saba joked about turning 18 and also attended HSY’s call during the live session, keeping the proceedings engaging, funny and very entertaining. This is one star who sure knows how to keep the spirits up during the current lull!

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-hcCN0hJGx/?igshid=xxrkwxd5ob2u

Humayun Saeed Ends Up On Candid Camera

This live session takes the cake for being unintentionally hilarious. Joining Waqar Zaka for a live-streamed video chat, Humayun, who was in quarantine with his Meray Paas Tum Ho co-star Adnan Siddiqui, used some rough language in jest on camera thinking it’s a video chat with only Waqar and not a live-streamed session. When Adnan made Humayun realize that he’s being watched by many, the JPNA star made a hilarious expression of shock and disbelief before moving away from the camera screen.

His priceless gaffe also became a meme-worthy situation for social media content creators who used it for their digital posts with funny captions.

Hira Mani & Junaid Khan

Hira Mani and Junaid Khan live-streamed a session for the digital promotion of their new drama, Kashf, through a joint video chat on Instagram. Hira praised Junaid for agreeing to a project that has a woman playing the lead. Mansha Pasha also dropped by a message greeting the two. Hira also talked about her hit pairing with Affan and expected to ignite the same kind of chemistry with Junaid. The two mentioned they are doing regular house chores such as “jhaaru pocha” themselves. She also sang one of their drama’s OST (Sun Yaara) to entertain her fans.

Ali Sethi

Ranjish Hi Sahi singer, Ali Sethi is also a regular with his live videos and had one with Ghungroo toot gaye fame Indian singer Shilpa Rao. Here he made her sing the iconic Pakistani song Paar Channa Dey which had us humming along. In another video of his a troll abused the singer and he in a humorous way replied back by using the same beep for him and his extended family in jest.

Hania Amir & Asim Azhar

Hania also promoted currently on air Dilruba before its second episode. She urged the fans to watch it and tag her with their feedback on the same. She also showed Zara Noor Abbas and Mehwish Hayat’s visuals from Challawa while watching its TV premiere. Hania also shared a glimpse of her video chat sessions with rumored boyfriend, Asim Azhar, and the upcoming actor and satirist Momin Saqib.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-NLYzsDZpt/?igshid=13vu4yinx3grp

Iqra Aziz & Yasir Hussain

Iqra and Yasir did a joint live session for their fans. Yasir, as usual, was at his humorous best, and this time was also being all flamboyant for his lady love. Iqra also brought her pet dog for her fans to see. The Jhooti actress took this opportunity to thank her fans for all the love and affection she has been showered with following her wedding and for Jhooti. Iqra mentioned that she is not an expressive person but that shouldn’t be taken as a sign of indifference. We hear her!

The Fabulous 5

Resham, Sonya Hussayn, Ahsan Khan and Adnan Siddiqui did a joint video session where they talked about the on-going situation and also indulged in lighthearted banter as friends. Interestingly Adnan and Sonya shared a great camaraderie considering Sonya’s recent statement of not signing Mere Paas Tum Ho opposite him and Humayun Saeed. Singing sensation Shafqat Amanat Ali (who lent the vocals of Meray Paas Tum Ho’s OST) joined them in and impressed them with his musical talent by singing one of their favorite songs while everyone seemed to be mesmerized by his vocals.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-g-KlOgxkq/?igshid=v14qolb4ey1o

Osman Khalid Butt

Being the funny man he is Osman revealed in one of his Instagram chat sessions that his first email address was dancerswith_underwear@yahoo.com on being asked about his unusual username. The Baaji star had his humor game and peppered his entertaining banter with much hilarity. Interestingly, he also mentioned that Maya Ali is one of the most loving and caring individuals that he has ever met.

Osman posted a rather hilarious meme of his Ehd-e-Wafa poster with everyone sporting masks amidst the Corona wave.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B99I1yZp8ua/?igshid=1ob4dn09lkpme

Mohsin Abbas Haider

The Na Maloom Afraad and Baaji actor has been coming in live every day for his fans. Mohsin does interactive live singing sessions for his fans where he sings for them and also engages in questions and answers. He recently collaborated with a young singer Urooj from Balochistan for the rendition of some Sufi verses. His rumored lady love, Nazish Jahangir also sent her requests of songs which the actor was more than happy to accept.

Our verdict

It’s great that our celebs are using digital platforms to keep their fans entertained with dollops of entertainment and insight into their lives. We hope this trend continues and make our social media feeds are full of exciting content, even after (hopefully) getting through this crisis.