Wahaj Ali, Hajra Yamin, Ahsan Khan and Neelam Munir: Stars Kickstart New Film Projects

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March 19, 2020

ahsan khan neelam munir wahaj ali hajra yamin

Despite all the not-so-encouraging news from around the world, it seems Pakistan’s tinsel-town has decided to live by the mantra of ‘never-say-die.’ While some films, such as Nabeel Qureshi’s upcoming social-themed comedy Fatman have had their shooting spells temporarily halted, others such as Saba Qamar starrer Ghabrana Nahi Hai are fast racing towards wrapping the project at the earliest. And then there are those projects which have been resurrected anew altogether.

Chakkar starts rolling

Which brings us to Yasir Nawaz’s next directorial after Wrong No. 2, Chakkar. The film was scheduled to go on floors sometime in January in Karachi, however, that did not quite happen and rumors started making rounds that the film has been shelved. Adding fuel to the fire was the fact that the film’s final cast had still not been announced despite announcements to the effect that the production was ready to roll.

Well, we have the final word. Hear this: It is Ahsan Khan and Neelam Munir who have been taken on as the film’s leads. Interestingly, the duo has already shared screen space in 2017’s indie project Chuppan Chuppai and received decent reviews for their performance. In this new film where the characters reportedly have grey undertones, it seems the casting choices are on point as both Neelam and Ahsan meld rather well on the positive and negative side of the character spectrum.

Performing alongside the two will be Yasir Nawaz, in a prominent role in the film. The project has already gone on floors and prior to the pandemic-crisis, was scheduled for an Eid-ul-Fitr release.

Fly all set to soar

Then there’s the enterprising writer and producer Asma Nabeel, who earlier in the year announced two film ventures, one related to breast cancer awareness and the other about body shaming. As it turns out, she has finally zeroed in on the cast for the former one, a project going by the title of Fly.

Poised to be helmed by veteran director Misbah Khalid, the film will star Ehd-e-Wafa favorites Wahaj Ali and Hajra Yamin, along with Beo-Rana Zafar. Nabeel disclosed this at an event yesterday, where she also mentioned that being a breast cancer survivor herself, this a film that is very close to her heart.

Seems like there’s much to look forward to as far as cinema is concerned. While everyone needs to be exercising strict social distancing or self-isolation/quarantining regimens, you can leave it to us to update you on the latest about these promising ventures. Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood.

Hira Mani and Nida Yasir Shock With Their Attitude Towards Coronavirus

By

Hammad Akbar

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March 18, 2020

While people in different parts of the world are taking strict measures such as practicing self-isolation and social distancing in battling the global Covid-19 pandemic, some local celebs are sending the totally wrong message by reacting in the most irrational way conceivable.

At a time when governments are ordering people not to gather at any venue in large groups, these showbiz personalities, who exercise significant influence over their fan-base are sending a dangerously wrong message.

Hira Mani decides to educate ‘goras’

Hira Mani is currently in the U.S. along with her Mere Paas Tum Ho co-actors, Humayun Saeed and Adnan Siddiqui. The cast is there to celebrate the success of their blockbuster drama serial. While now might not be the right time to travel, apparently the trio departed before the situation escalated. Since the outbreak was not in their control, their presence abroad is understandable.

What’s not understandable, however, is what Hira Mani thinks of people who are quarantining themselves at home.

Recently, Hira posted a story on her Instagram account. In the clip, she can be seen talking about how all the big brands are closed in New York due to the curfew in effect. She then goes on to say that she recently visited a mall, First Colony, where all the ‘gora’ people were on holiday and the only people present were Pakistani salesgirls.

Shockingly, she then laughs and calls them ‘phat**’ whereas the people who were present in the mall were cool, according to her.

Bear in mind that Coronavirus has taken the lives of over 8,000 people all over the world. Millions of people are in lockdown in Europe and a few Asian countries too. The fact that Hira finds this funny doesn’t just display her ignorance, but is also downright disappointing.

Nida Yasir doesn’t get it either

Another celebrity that doesn’t quite get the idea of social distancing is Nida Yasir, host of Good Morning Pakistan. Dressed in a heavily-embroidered off-white lehenga, Nida started Monday’s episode by telling everyone how the world is in chaos right now and that she didn’t invite a live audience (as otherwise is the norm on the program) keeping in mind the safety of all people.

While this decision should be appreciated, what comes next would want to make you hit your head on the wall. Since many people are staying at home due to the pandemic, she thought of arranging a make-up competition to entertain the viewers. For that, beauticians from all over the country were invited to the show to showcase their talent. The rest of the program follows contestants and models standing close to each other, pretending the disease isn’t contagious.

Final word

While celebrities in the rest of the world are taking advantage of their status to spread awareness about the deadly disease, these two celebs are sending a dangerous message while facing its dangers.

All we can say is that if people cannot say or do anything uplifting or within the bounds of safety in this dire situation, then maybe they should quarantine themselves at home too.

‘I Lost ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’ Because I Asked To Be Paid When Khalil Sahab Approached,’ Says Feroze Khan

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Faisal Ali H

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March 18, 2020

Feroze Khan has developed a knack of staying in the headlines of late – not that it’s a bad thing. In fact quite the opposite.

After making startling disclosures about leaving showbiz in the previous weeks, only to somewhat backtrack later, the actor was once again in the mood from some straight-talk, making some interesting soundbites as he appeared in a talk show on a news channel.

Losing Danish

During the conversation, when asked about why he lost the part that eventually Humayun Saeed played in Meray Paas Tum Ho, he responded, with a grin: “I lost the show because I asked to be paid.” Spilling more juicy details, he added: “I am not sure to what extent it suited Humayun Saeed to cast me in his production – that angle I am not aware of, but I do think Khalil sahib didn’t like the idea of an actor demanding money for performing on a script written by him.” Previously Humayun Saeed had disclosed that his part was originally meant to be played by Adeel Hussain and then later, Feroze Khan.

Actors who work for free?

The Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai star also insinuated that actors who are eventually signed for Khalil-ur-Rehman’s scripts “work for free,” but chose to leave his comment open-ended by adding “I don’t really know,” with an enigmatic smile.

Message for Khalil-ur-Rehman

Not that this was all he had to say. Prodded about a message he would like to send Khalil-ur-Rehman’s way, he said: “Apne aap se niklein.” He also added: “I am not a big fan of Khalil sahib since he has a lot of ego and pride in him, and then he has also said some awful things about my mentors, besides making statements like ‘I have turned kings into beggars’ which I personally think don’t suit him.”

On the controversy that brewed when a shouting match erupted between Khalil-ur-Rehman and Marvi Sirmed on live television, Feroze stated that he is a fan of neither, and considers Marvi Sirmed to be associated with the likes of Islamophobes such as Tarek Fatah.

It seems now that he’s changing lanes in life, Feroze Khan feels it’s the right time to get candid and talk about issues or episodes in his life that have affected him. Stay tuned for more on this end, right here on Galaxy Lollywood!

Here’s Why Ehd-e-Wafa’s Finale Makes Us Want To Hit The Repeat Button

By

Hajira Waheed

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March 17, 2020

That Ehd-e-Wafa has set new milestones for television shows to come would not be an overstatement. Where previously many Pakistani dramas were focused on staple saas-bahu fodder and secret love affairs, this Saife Hassan helmed project has breathed new life into coming of age stories revolving around friendship and love, stories we rarely get to see on television anymore.

Once Upon a Time

It all began with our favorite gang of SSG coming together at the inception of the show. They gave us some major friendship goals and showed how friends can save the day on countless occasions. We fell in love with the peppy, lifelike characters, be it Ahad Raza Mir’s Saad, Osman Khalid Butt’s Shazain, Ahmed Ali Akbar’s Shehreyar or Zara Noor Abbass’ Rani. Credit has to be given to all the talented actors who breathed life into characters given to them.

The story itself revolved around four friends and how they find their way through life’s different phases, eventually ending up in four different fields – journalism, the media, bureaucracy, and the military.

The happily ever after

While overall, Ehd-e-Wafa kept the proceedings tight as far as its screenplay and editing were concerned, the two were rather outstanding in the last episode. We saw each of the principal characters grow some more and the episode was nothing less than a roller coaster ride, with unexpected twists and plot reveals. Here are some things which made the concluding episode all the more memorable.

First, there was the Abhinandan drama. Yesss! We got to witness it all and since it was an ISPR backed show we know it must be accurate on details. There were no taunts or jingoism involved, rather what we saw on screen was just a reenactment of a very major event that will go down in our history. We also got to see the infamous Goswami jee in action. However, his character could have been a little harsher — if you have heard or seen the gentleman in real life, you would know what we are talking about.

Then, of course, who could have missed Humayun Saeed, peeps!? Yes, you read it right. Our favorite superstar gave a guest appearance. He aced the role of an authoritative commander that was given to him. In fact, it was he who narrated the infamous story of Abhinandan.

Finally, with the show, we have a writer who did not kill the main lead. Yes, Saad did not die indeed. Thank God too because we would have needed a lot of tissues/wipes and with the current shortage, it would have been a problem. We were waiting with bated breath as Saad ran across the border to save a colleague. He ended up being wounded, tricking us into believing that he had been martyred — but we were in for a surprise. He was saved and that too by the very love of his life. Matlab kya baat hai. We were happy to see a drama ending on a happy note for once.

Final word

The last episode of Ehd-e-Wafa was as action-packed as it was a roller coaster of an emotional ride. The difficult to predict narrative kept us glued till the last scene. Now we are on a lookout for an equally good show to fill the void. I hope we get more dramas like this in the future but till then, please safely quarantine, and like us, you can watch the final episode on repeat to take care of the boredom. You will not regret!

After ‘Do Takay Ki Aurat’, Ayeza Khan To Play ‘Shadi Ki Raat Talaq Leni Wali Dulhan’

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Faisal Ali H

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March 17, 2020

With her powerful performance in Meray Paas Tum Ho Ayeza Khan managed to steal the thunder from among a stellar list of powerhouse female actors who have been making waves on television recently. While the Pyarey Afzal star was already a household name courtesy a series of popular television serials, it was her turn as the cheating wife in the Nadeem Baig directed venture that propelled her fame and stardom to the next level.

However, that is only half the story.

Starting the ‘do takay ki’ movement?

Following the conclusion of the play, rumors started doing rounds over social media that Ayeza was slut-shamed for her role when a crowd of onlookers at an airport allegedly started chanting ‘do takay ki aurat’ as she quickly passed by. For those not in the know, this is the infamous slur used in MPTH against Ayeza Khan’s character, which many critics have accused of reflecting a misogynist bias.

Well, as the airport story started gaining more traction, Ayeza quite emphatically denied that anything at all had taken place. The social media user who originally tweeted about the alleged incident maintained his account of events.

https://twitter.com/itsthepianoguy/status/1233110351996170245

Now, as one reflects upon the legacy of the hugely popular television play, the nagging concern remains that it has given more currency and acceptability to a problematic refrain that will be embraced by misogynists. That MPTH’s writer publicly launched into a series of misogynist and transphobic tirades recently only confirms the suspicion.

Death by stoning, version 2020

All the hullaballoo surrounding Meray Paas Tum Ho aside, it seems with the play Ayeza Khan has found her new niche in enacting regressive, overly-filmi situations involving problematic gender commentary. In the teaser of her upcoming play for Geo TV, in which she performs against husband Danish Taimoor, Ayeza cries and beseeches like no other playing the cornered damsel (bahu?) in distress. As Saba Faisal scorns her for being the ‘Shadi ki raat talaq leni wali dulhan’, Saif-e-Hassan one-ups her by melodramatically calling the crowd of onlookers to – and we are not making this up – stone her. After some rapid dramatic zooms, pans and loud music that put drivel from across the border to shame, our hero Danish Taimoor arrives to save the day, with Ayeza kneeling and clinging to his knees as she bawls her heart out.

Sounds like something from the medieval ages? We kid you not. Seeing is believing, and it seems Ayeza is more than happy to embrace such problematic situations and themes, rather than using her star-power and influence in a more positive way.

There’s nothing else to say, really.

Watch the teaser here and let us know what you think in the comments below!

The Last Episode Of ‘Alif’ Makes Us Say Subhan Allah!

By

Hammad Akbar

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March 16, 2020

For most of its run Alif aired in the same timeslot as the massively popular Mere Paas Tum Ho, but it still managed to create a loyal fan base due to its heart-wrenching storyline, slick production, and superb performances. The television show concluded last night with its storyline coming full circle, and here we take a look back at what made this Sufi-themed show such a spectacularly different viewing experience.

The equation between Allah and mankind

Throughout its narrative, Alif kept pressing on the question: What exactly is the relationship between man and Allah? Piece by piece, the answer fell into place. The drama followed two periods – past and present – without confusing the viewers. The credit for tying these two threads of the narrative together goes to director Haseeb Hasan and of course, its acclaimed writer Umera Ahmad. With each important plot reveal, they ensured that they gave just enough to keep the viewers engaged in the gripping teleplay while retaining the aura of mystery surrounding its principle characters.

Rich characters, engaging storyline

On the surface, Alif appears to be the story of director Qalb-e-Momin and actress Momina Sultan, but peel the layers a bit more, and you will find its narrative was deeply imbued with Islamic Sufi-philosophy as it explored the journey of its characters.

One of the reasons why the show managed to retain its grip on the audience was because of the deft manner in which the web of crisscrossing character story-arcs handled. As a viewer, one never felt the narrative was muddled despite having so much on its plate. Whether it was Momina’s life story or Sultan’s connection with Husn-e-Jahan – all the separate storylines had something to conribute towards the central message and theme of the plot.

Perhaps the most influential character in the drama was that of Abdul Ala, Momin’s grandfather. He loved Momin when he was a child and it was because of his challenge that Momin, in his adult life, created his most ambitious project, Alif. It not only changed the course of his life but also made him cross paths with Momina Sultan. The way their connections were slowly revealed is something you can only experience while watching the play. Words would never be able to do justice to their journey.

Memorable performances

Hamza Ali Abbasi and Sajal Aly were phenomenal as Qalb-e-Momin and Momina Sultan, respectively. There were times when neither of them said a word yet conveyed emotions perfectly just with their facial expressions and eye movements. Besides the two, the rest of the performers were equally exceptional. Lubna Aslam, Hina Ashfaq, Fareeha Raza, Saif-e-Hassan, Musaddiq Malik, Yashma Gill and Sadaf Kanwal – all played a crucial role in the drama and did complete justice to their characters.

Joining them were senior thespians Manzar Sehbai and Saleem Mairaj, who connected the threads of Momin’s past with his present. And of course, how could we ever forget Kubra Khan, Ahsan Khan and Pehlaj Hassan? The three actors, who were the key part of the show’s flashbacks, made sure that the these sequences never got boring. Even with their relatively limited screen-time, these talented performers left a huge impact on the viewers.

Credit also must be given to the play’s production team for drawing an eclectic pool of suitably-cast actors and to director Haseeb Hassan for steering their talents in the right direction.

Final verdict: Magical

There are very few dramas that touch the topic of spirituality, and even fewer dramas that manage to do so effortlessly. Alif was one of those rare ones. You could give the cast and crew all the awards in the world, but truth be told, there is no award show worthy of Alif’s appreciation. For Alif was not just a drama; it was a life-influencing experience for many of its viewers.

Uncertainty Prevails: Cinemas Shut Down, Fast & Furious 9 Postponed From Eid

By

Galaxy Lollywood

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March 14, 2020

With the Covid-19 (popularly called Coronavirus) pandemic sweeping across the globe, the world is experiencing a crisis on a scale and magnitude that has never been witnessed before. Even the best experts are unsure as to what course the viral outbreak will take, and when, if ever, the crisis will die down.

Fast 9 delayed

All of this uncertainty has naturally affected the entertainment industry, which is set to take a painful hit as public gatherings will be restricted across the globe in the coming months. Anticipating a drastic loss in theatrical revenues, postponements have been announced for Hollywood’s key releases, including critical summer tent-polers such as Disney’s Mulan, in the past few days.

Joining this club now is the highly-anticipated action flick Fast & Furious 9. The Vin Diesel headlined project is a lucrative money-spinner for studio NBCUniversal, which is likely to face significant financial losses as a result of the delay. The film was set to arrive in Pakistan over the Eid-ul-Fitr weekend and early word suggests that it will now hit theaters next year in April, a delay of about eleven months.

Coronavirus vs. Maula Jatt?

Adding to the woes of the local exhibition circuit, the National Coordination Committee today decided to shut down all educational institutions, marriage halls, and importantly, cinemas to prevent mass gatherings. The order will be in effect starting today for a period of three weeks, however given the course the pandemic has taken in other countries, the closure might last longer.

Immediately impacted are theatrical screenings of popular television show Ehd-e-Wafa’s finale, the advance booking for which was said to have picked up in the last few days. The other project impacted is the art-house release Intezar slated for a March 20 rollout. Ramadan arrives in late April, therefore it’s reasonable to expect the release vacuum to extend all the way till Eid-ul-Fitr in the last week of May.

That, however, only under the best-case scenario.

Galaxy Lollywood spoke to Ammara Hikmat, producer of The Legend of Maula Jatt, a film that seems to have the potential to turn around the film industry’s fortunes this year. Hikmat announced earlier in February that her film will release over the lucrative Eid-ul-Fitr holiday. Regarding the impact of the viral outbreak, she acknowledged the uncertainty prevailing. “It’s a wait-and-watch situation,” she said, responding to a query as to whether TLMJ is releasing as planned. “As of now, (the film is) on schedule for Eid release.”

The fate of another important Eid release, the Farhan Saeed-Feroze Khan starrer Tich Button too will be riding on how the crisis unfolds. If the Eid-ul-Fitr release schedule is thrown in a tizzy, it is anyone’s guess as to what date the projects will eventually be postponed to. Will another melee ensue with five or six prime projects duking it out for the prime Eid-ul-Azha slot?

Wait-and-see

Ironically, as the outlook for theaters the world over is getting bleaker, at least for the coming few months, prospects for clearance of Sarmad Khoosat’s long stuck-in-the-cans Zindagi Tamasha seem to be improving. The film will finally be screened for a special senate committee to decide its fate, bypassing a religious advisory body.

The next few weeks will be critical as the country watches what course the Coronavirus outbreak takes. Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for all the latest updates on the release schedules, as and when they happen.

‘God Forbid The Time Comes Again When Our Dramas Get Screened In Cinemas’ – Fahad Mustafa

By

Maisooma Batool

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March 13, 2020

Missing out on your weekly celebrity masala fill? The latest edition of The Munshi Show has it all sorted out for you.

With the masses’ favorite superstar Fahad Mustafa taking the hot-seat, it is yet another exciting episode that is full of interesting revelations, soundbites, and fun games.

And why wouldn’t it be? With the kind of run Fahad has had in the industry both as a successful TV and film actor and the best game-show host of the country, he offers some legitimate first-hand insights into how the industry works.

What’s more, he shared them all pretty candidly and frankly!

Dramas screening in cinemas

While Fahad continues to produce dramas for television under his production house BigBang productions, he has expressed no desire to return to television to act in dramas. It is no secret that he has limited his acting to film projects only, much to the disappointment of his ardent fans who wish to see him more frequently on the screen. However, Fahad’s views about television dramas have always been quite different from the norm and that was once again when he expressed his opinions about some popular recent dramas screening in cinemas.

Interestingly, despite being a major drama producer for television, Fahad stated that he is not in favor of the television content on the big-screen idea.

“You can’t compare the two mediums. God forbid the time comes again when our dramas get screened in cinemas. Nobody wants that, not even Humayun Saeed who had his drama screened on the big screens. It’s not a progressive step that we are taking, in reality, we are taking a step back. Think of how desperate the people are for content. Our films have grossed big numbers of 70 crores, the focus should be on the next ones making more than that. But [dramas screening in cinemas] is just an easy escape.”

A healthy trend?

This is definitely a striking opinion to have in a time when dramas are not missing out on the chance of getting the big-screen treatment. With the kind of success that Meray Paas Tum Ho got at the box office and the positive anticipation within the fans for the upcoming Ehd e Wafa finale, it looks like the industry is getting the audience used to the idea of having more dramas being screened in cinemas.

“This trend will end up harming the entire industry,” Fahad stated as a matter-of-fact.

Watch it here!

Check out the full episode of The Munshi Show out now on Galaxy Lollywood’s Youtube channel and let us know in the comments about whether you think television dramas should be running in theaters or not.

https://youtu.be/_8un90_nMKo

Here Is What To Expect From The ‘Ehd-e-Wafa’ Finale

By

Uzair Anwer

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March 13, 2020

Saife Hassan’s magnum opus Ehd-e-Wafa is all set to treat its fans with a big-screen experience for its finale episode on 14th March, Saturday at selected cinema halls across the country and then again the following day for the television audience. Being one of the most ambitious projects in recent memory, the show has managed to shine bright despite overwhelming competition from the likes of Meray Paas Tum Ho and Alif.

Right from its announcement to what is a much-awaited conclusion, the serial has kept the newswire running, be it its supposed similarity with Alpha Bravo Charlie, the star-studded ensemble cast boasting of names such as Ahad Raza Mir, Osman Khalid Butt, Ahmed Ali Akbar, Wahaj Ahmed, Zara Noor Abbas, Alizeh Shah, and Hajra Yamin, or its multi-layered narrative with interesting sub-plots.

Recently the drama has been trending on social media for a series of emotionally charged sequences such as the one between Shehryar (Ahmed Ali Akbar) and Khursheed (Muhammad Humbal) in jail as well as the one featuring Saad (Ahad Raza Mir) and Dua (Alizeh Shah). The penultimate episode too was also high on emotions with Osman Khalid Butt’s Shahzain owning up to his grandfather and Shehryar about his mistakes.

The action-packed trailer of the finale episode was released by the makers about two weeks back, catching everyone by surprise with the featured guest appearance by superstar Humayun Saeed. Going by feedback on social media, the preview generated much positive buzz and naturally has us all excited to grab our popcorn to watch the concluding act unfold on the big screen.

Here’s everything we are excited about and needless to say, we do expect quite a bit…

Saad’s LOC experience

One of the major highlights of the finale episode will be Saad’s war combat sequence. It has already been much in the news lately for the question on the mind of every fan of the show i.e. “Will he die?” The ardent viewers of the play are waiting with bated breath to see whether Saad survives the war turmoil. The trailer, which concludes with Saad leaving for Kashmir, showcases some grand action-packed visuals which are said to have been shot with a hefty budget. Dua’s track will also be tied to Saad’s story arc takes.

Another popular theory doing the rounds over social media is that the four friends will make an appearance together in the concluding reels, however, whether this happens or not remains to be seen.

Rani and Shahzain’s camaraderie

The teaser shows Rani and Shahzain sharing some light moments together which builds up the hope of them providing this high on emotions episode with some relief and humor. Zara Noor Abbas has been appreciated for making Rani a very relatable character and for never going overboard with her expressions since she provides the play with comic relief. Shahzain had the best scenes in the second last episode and hence it will be interesting to see what more does his character has to offer.

Shehryar’s final moment with Masooma

In the previous episode, we see Shariq pressing Shehryar to reciprocate Masooma’s romantic feelings for him. He even offers to be the mediator between the two but Shehryar dodges the conversation. The teaser promises Shehryar and Masooma’s reunion although there might be an emotionally charged monologue by Masooma involved.

Masooma’s character thus far has been successful in receiving viewer’s empathy and hence a lot of the viewers are rooting for a happy ending for Masooma and Shehryar.

The twist in the tale is that Masooma hints at a wedding that her parents are planning for her, making things a bit more intriguing.

So, will they end up together or won’t they? We have our fingers crossed.

Shariq’s career-high

Shariq was shown being appreciated by his boss for his contribution to his channel’s success and it will be amusing to see if Shariq has something in store for fans who can’t wait for him and Ramsha to be together. Shariq’s journalism credentials might also come into play as the play wrap’s up Saad’s fate with the war combat scenes.

‘Surprise Nahi Shock Dena Hai’

The drama has churned out many interesting one-liners, such as Surprise Nahi Shock Dena Hai. The teaser had this winner of a line penned by the drama’s acclaimed writer, Mustafa Afridi. This line has been trending on social media ever since the trailer is out and it also promises shocking content for its viewers in more ways than one.

Considering that the team has gone for a theatrical release, a few surprise sequences are definitely in-store and we just can’t wait anymore. Something to surely watch out for will be how Abhinandan and Humayun Saeed’s character fit into the plot.

Seems like the finale has literally all of the play’s characters’ fate riding on it. We are quite sure this one is going to be a nail-biter, packing in quite a bit more than its trailer gives a glimpse of. Let the countdown begin…

Did You Know That These Supporting Actors In Dua-e-Reem Are Trans-Women?

By

Faisal Ali H

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March 12, 2020

Shoaib Mansoor is known for projects that quietly usher a revolution. The man behind trendsetting pop-acts such as The Vital Signs and the movie Khuda Kay Liye prefers breaking new ground with his projects and, more often than not, hits bull’s eye. With the largely positive feedback pouring in for his latest production titled Dua-e-Reem it seems the director has done it again.

The roughly eight-minute-long sequence, which stars the elegant Mahira Khan, offers a clever twist on Allama Iqbal’s iconic prayer Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua, molding it into a young bride’s prayer about her husband and her new home. She is surrounded by a whole coterie of what we presume are female friends and extended family members; often breaking into a dance as she sings her take on the Iqbal’s dua.

Watching the video, you may want to pause for a minute, and take a closer look at the well-heeled vintage-era women that surround Mahira in the darbar like setting.

The hidden surprise

You would be forgiven if you fail to miss what is perhaps the most unique element of the video, i.e. its extensive cast of supporting actors which include several trans-women. Performing alongside Mahira Khan are Jannat Ali, Naghma jee, Sania Abbasi, Sonia Naz lip-syncing to the voices of Damiah Farooq, Shehnaz and Mehak Ali. No longer garishly styled and depicted as transgendered individuals usually are, these trans-women look every bit as poised, graceful and elegant as many iconic women of that era.

One of the performers in the video, Jannat Ali, who is a trans-activist in real life, said: “For trans-women to be working alongside a top-director like Shoaib Mansoor, that too for a mainstream project, is a big, big achievement. It will help to break the fixed mindset people in the society have (about transgendered people) as it presents us in a beautiful manner like never before — as actual women.”

Being the change

It should be noted that Shoaib Mansoor also highlighted the plight of trans-community in his blockbuster film Bol, and with this new video, he has proven that his social activism is not simply limited to the reel, but that he is actually very much part of the change he advocates.

Starting with official recognition by the government of the third gender and introduction of the trans-community into mainstream jobs, steady progress has been made as far as trans-rights in Pakistan are concerned. This new initiative by the legendary director will be another positive step towards reducing the stigma and prejudice that often hampers the trans community’s progress.

In case you missed out on the spectacularly shot music video, be sure to check it out here!