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Ek Aur Ek 3: Danyal Zafar’s Debut Single Is An Audio And Visual Winner.

By
Uzair Anwer
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Danyal Zafar debuted in the world of music with Coke Studio. He featured in the first episode of acclaimed music platform’s 10th edition with a duet number titled ‘Muntazir’ featuring Momina Mustehsan. He then became a lyricist with brother Ali Zafar for the latter’s  blockbuster film Teefa In Trouble. After working in pairs for his first couple of ventures in the music field, Danyal has finally released the first song from his solo debut album, Ek Aur Ek 3, which is touted to be his passion project. The song was launched on 3rd August, at Packages Mall in front of a live audience.

Danyal has surely created a cracker of a song. The vibe of the song is both very fresh and peppy. The guitar, the grooving R&B effect, the blending of qawwali through the dholak and tabla results in a winner fusion and is a testament of the young singer’s creativity with his music.

The Music Video

The music video for the song has been shot by the maestro Abdullah Haris. His signature camera work and dark color palette that gets a pop of color with a neon lit microphone and hotel signs give the video a very unique feel. The video gives the impression of being shot in one long-take, which makes the flow of the video very engaging.

The director has been successful in showcasing the chemistry between Danyal and the young, dimpled sensation Hania Amir. The two share a smouldering chemistry which lights up the screen every time they share gazes in the song, all of it captured brilliantly by the camera. Hania has shown a rather bold side to her in the song which really hits the mark. She also lent her vocals for a bit in the song that blends beautifully with Danyal’s voice and elevates the song further.

A special mention to the lighting and art direction used in the song. It’s refreshing and enhances the visual appeal of the video. It also does justice to the vibe of a group of young people partying. The choreography is in sync with one-shot camera work.

Final Word

Team Galaxy Lollywood has loved the song; no wonder it’s one of the fastest song to reach the 1 million mark on YouTube i.e. within 24 hours of its release. However, the song, or rather its music video, has gotten a mixed response from the general audience. A section of the viewers felt the song was a bit too raunchy for the Pakistani norms. The apparent seduction element shared between the leads of the music video has the audience divided about how to react to the song.

Either way, we see a potential superstar in Danyal Zafar, who has certainly captured the attention of the audience with this stellar solo debut. We would surely be keeping an eye out for his future projects and wish him all the best for all his endeavors.

“I will not rate them as actors,” says Nadia Khan about Mahira and Mehwish!

By
Atiqa Ali
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It truly has been a scintillating week for Lollywood with controversies brewing left, right and center. On one hand, we have some master-plans and faux engagements being uncovered while on the other hand, Firdous Jamal called Mahira Khan a ‘mediocre sort of model’, to the fury of the entire industry. We were still reeling from these issues when another one has reared its head.

What Went Down

On Ahsan Khan’s show, an interesting question was asked. Ahsan asked his guest Nadia Khan to rank some actresses according to their acting prowess. The options included Saba Qamar, Mehwish Hayat, and Mahira Khan.

Nadia Khan replied with, “Saba Qamar, Iqra Aziz, Iqra Aziz”, deeming herself a big fan of Iqra thus taking her name twice instead. She also said that she wouldn’t rate the other two ladies since she does not even consider them actresses.

You can watch the full video here:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0qVs26Hud_/?igshid=v3jf8rpyclon

 

Why Mahira, Why

While Nadia’s answer was shocking, to put it mildly, Mahira Khan has had controversies circling above her head like pesky bees, for quite some time now.

Not long ago, Yasir Hussain had also said on his Instagram story, that Mahira doesn’t know how to act when asked to choose between her and his beau, Iqra Aziz. Apart from that, the Firdous Jamal controversy is still going pretty strong. You can read all about that here.

These incidents make us wonder why Mahira’s on everyone’s radar all of a sudden and not in a nice way.

Final Word

Statements like these often find us stuck between an opinion/freedom of speech versus plain ridicule debate. We acknowledge that everyone is entitled to their own opinion regarding someone’s work but is it really fair to give opinions in a way that might hurt said person’s sentiments?

Let us know in the comments below.

MD productions just cancelled Firdous Jamal and we’re seeing mixed reactions

By
Kahkshaan Ismail
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Just a few days ago, a video of veteran actor Firdous Jamal making sexist and ageist remarks about Mahira Khan went viral. His comments received severe backlash from almost all of the people in the industry. While most people showed their support for Mahira in a few words, CEO of MD Productions Momina Duraid stated that her company would not be working with him again in any capacity. She further went on to say that she was ashamed that Firdous Jamal was part of the fraternity.

You can read Momina’s full statement here.

Hamza Firdous Reacts

Reacting to Momina’s statement, Firdous Jamal’s son, Hamza Firdous released a video message. In his video, he said that he respects Momina’s decision of not wanting to work with his father again but he felt disappointed on her statement, of saying that she was ashamed that Firdous Jamal was part of the industry. He further went on to say that Momina should not forget his father’s stature and the respect given to him by God and the public, not MD Productions. Moving on, he said that he was ashamed to have ever been a part of Hum TV’s productions. Hamza called the matter a nonissue that was being unnecessarily dragged. He also stated that his father had been getting calls from various channels to further comment on the situation but stayed quiet. Hamza urged everyone to not ridicule, defame or hurl abuses at his father while starting a support movement called #SupportFirdousJamal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdK9dVpfBpo&fbclid=IwAR0nww5NbEqf68wzMkCr0EABfOUbXjlzGQFhFuSoeEWn6VJ1knDzc9Eu_uM

Celebrity Attention

As the matter gained momentum, many celebrities came forward to give their opinion. Iffat Umar, Feroze Khan, Bilal Ashraf, and even Mahira Khan spoke up.

When asked in an interview about Firdous Jamal’s opinion, Mahira commented that while she was thankful for the support from the industry, she had already spoken on the matter, it had been blown out of proportion mainly due to social media. She also said that she feels as an artist, everyone should respect each other. Ending her comment, she said she had already played a mother in Humsafar and plans to stay in the industry until she plays a nani dadi or par-nani even.

While Bilal lent his support towards Momina’s decision, Feroze left no stone unturned to call out the producer on her statement. Here is what he said “my question… is this what freedom of speech gets you ?! Getting someone’s bread and butter cancelled?? If it does … then I want every single bastard out there bashing any human being on the internet get cancelled the same way !! Coz you can’t ! 🙂 Enough is enough !”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0nqkh1F4kn/?igshid=1fqbox869amfp

While the remarks made by Firdous Sahab were certainly unfavorable, we applaud Mahira’s graceful response. Nonetheless, we feel the matter has been blown out of proportion.

What do you guys think on the whole scenario?

Here’s Why ‘Superstar’ Is Our First Choice This Eid

By
Atiqa Ali
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As Eid draws nearer, the promotional race is on. Our star casts are city-hopping to gather the crowds and their social media teams are busy spreading the word online. All three films are trying their best to gain the audience’s attention for the Eid weekend which will crown one of them as the decisive winner.

For now, we’re all over the little snippets, songs, and trailers the films are giving us and analyzing everything the best as we can. While Parey Hut Love promises a grand affair and Heer Maan Ja is banking on great laughs, Superstar promises a roller coaster of emotions which looks like a complete crowd magnet.

This comes as no surprise, seeing as the woman behind it all is Momina Duraid. MD Productions has churned out some of the most lauded dramas and films over the past years. Be it Humsafar or Diyar-e-Dil, or the blockbuster Bin Roye, intense romance is Momina’s forte and the Superstar trailer shows the same promising glimpses of passionate, doomed love.

Another plus point for the film is that it is directed by Ehtesham-Ud-Din. He has already worked with Mahira in the past and given us Sadqay Tumharay, a drama with a beautifully tragic love story. So, the team behind Superstar is a fortress of talent with maximum success rate.

First Look

The trailer for Superstar gives us a good idea of the plot and while some argue that the frames lack the ‘larger than life’ vibe required for a film, the overall beauty and sentimentality shines through. Interestingly, another criticism has been that the trailer has revealed the entire plot, which when we asked Mahira and Bilal, they reassured us that the way the trailer has been cut is nothing like what the actual film is all about!

The trailer starts off with a fairy-tale vibe, glorifying the film industry but slowly takes a darker turn. It shows an undercurrent of darkness and mystery that will surely be a treat to watch on the big screen. The best part is how Noor’s character evolves, even in the 3-minute trailer. It promises some serious character development for her in the film, from a small-town actor to the “sab se roshan sitara” or Superstar.

Also, following Sameer and Noor’s journey, seeing the infatuation bloom into a full-blown romance and then seeing them lock horns as they try to establish dominance in the same fraternity is bound to be good. So much drama!

Stellar Cast and Sizzling Chemistry

Coming to the cast, while Mahira is Lollywood’s darling and there’s no denying it, Bilal Ashraf is also one of the country’s hottest actors and Superstar shows it. The lead cast of the film is super attractive and the chemistry they share is a very promising part of the story.

All 3 films are centered on love stories but Superstar seems to be the strongest on this front as it is selling the film on the lead’s chemistry. PHL has a very promising lead couple but, owing to the film’s promotional choices, we haven’t seen the strong chemistry that Sheheryar and Maya share off-screen reflect to its full potential on-screen yet. The case with HMJ is similar – great cast but mediocre emotions. On the other hand, Sameer and Noor’s pairing, their connection has us intrigued already. Both actors bring the characters to life in a way that each of their emotions seems totally heart-felt.

The beauty of new love, the smitten couple, the heartbreak, it all seems so lifelike that it’s hard to remind ourselves that it’s scripted. Also, the lead pair is sure to pull in big crowds based on star status alone. Already, the trailer and music videos have received millions of views and rave reviews from audiences all over the country.

Great Music

As the release dates are almost upon us, both Parey Hut Love and Superstar have released four songs each, whereas Heer Maan Ja has released two.

The songs from Superstar are all, in a word, beautifully done. Bekaraan is the ultimate love anthem with its sweeping melodies and soulful lyrics. Mahira and Bilal are a vision in black, gracefully twirling around each other in a beautiful, chandelier-lit, studio. Their costumes are also completely on-point with Bilal’s black shalwar qameez perfectly complimenting Mahira’s flowy angrakha. The song was specially shot for promotions and consider us sold.

https://youtu.be/bUvt6kYWwzY

The next release by Superstar was Noori and it is, without a doubt, the most uninhibited we’ve seen Mahira, ever. She dances with an abandon that is infectious. The track itself is an item number that signifies our protagonist’s journey in the industry. The beat makes you want to get up and dance. Mahira’s fiery lehnga choli gives the video an extra kick of heat.

https://youtu.be/2BE-fh6spMM

Superstar released another love song after Noori called Inn Dinon. Inn Dinon is soft, sweet and everything you’d expect from young, new love. Noor and Sameer seem smitten with each other as they walk around hand in hand. The video was shot outdoors and the mountains and bridge scenes really take you into a lovestruck fever. The melody is, above all, dreamy.

https://youtu.be/w-AkDjIYD0E

The recent release can only be described as a breakup song. Ghalat Fehmi foreshadows the inevitable misunderstanding that will become a thorn in Sameer and Noori’s relationship. In the sad song, emotions are on full frequency. Bilal plays the role of a dil toota ashiq to the nines and Mahira’s defeated manner… haye. She has a few steps in the song and they’re executed to perfection. This song will remind you of your first heartbreak and it is not for the faint-hearted.

https://youtu.be/0Np37l4ykRE

Another new track called Dharak Bharak released just yesterday where Bilal Ashraf is flaunting his six-pack abs and is looking like a total hunk. Accompanying him is the gorgeous Kubra Khan who is totally a scene-stealer with her expressions and moves. The song will have you stamping your foot along with the lively beat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0sgOeDaHN8

 

 

Final Word

Each of the movies has some plus points. The teams have all worked super hard and it shows. Where Parey Hut Love has the grandiose factor of a true Eid release on its side, Heer Maan Ja has the comedy factor. As for Superstar, it is a visual treat packing an emotional punch with Mahira Khan looking like a dream. So, no matter what you watch, there will be something for everyone in the theaters.

For us, the promise of a beautifully executed story full of love, angst, drama, and heartbreak, backed up by good music and solid performances make the perfect Eid film, so our vote goes to Superstar.

Resham Calls Firdous Jamal’s Statement “Disgusting”; Defends Mahira Khan

By
Maisooma Batool
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The video of the senior actor Firdous Jamal making sexist and ageist remarks about Mahira Khan in a morning show has gone viral all over social media. And the reaction towards Firdous Jamal’s remarks has not been positive, to no-one’s surprise.

Firdous Jamal remarked that Mahira Khan is a, “mediocre sort of a model. She is not a good actress and not a heroine.” He further went on to say that Mahira Khan is too old to play heroine roles. “Iss age mein heroinay nahin hoti, maa ke kirdaar karte hain.” The remarks are not only extremely offensive but also reflect the deeply rooted toxic mentality of our society who deem a woman as too old once she crosses the age of thirty.

The severe backlash these remarks have faced is all over social media. But what is the most refreshing is that while on one hand we have a veteran actor like Firdous Jamal pulling Mahira Khan, the woman who has made Pakistan proud on many international platforms, down and criticizing her based on her age, on the other hand we have another veteran of the industry, Resham, speaking up in Mahira Khan’s defense and showing a rare case of women uplifting women in this industry.

The need for appreciation

In a casual conversation with GalaxyLollywood, which we are putting on-record with her permission, Resham commented on Firdous Jamal’s comments and expressed her disappointment in the veteran for pulling down Mahira Khan like that.

“It’s saddening to see a senior actor making such remarks. If the seniors of the industry would not support and appreciate this lot of actors then who would?”

She further said that Mahira Khan keeps improving herself as an actor and the difference in her skills as an actor before and now can be clearly seen in the trailers of Superstar and Parey Hut Love.

“I feel this is the first time that I have been so impressed by Mahira on screen. She has shown grace and the adayein that have me very excited to see her work now. Acting is something that you improve upon the more you do it. And that can be seen in Mahira’s work. The current lot of actresses continue to work on their craft and groom themselves constantly which is then reflected in their work. It has been years since I last watched a Pakistani film in the cinemas but Superstar and Parey Hut Love have really impressed me and I am looking forward to watching them.”

Resham pointed out the double standards by saying that whenever a Bollywood film is screened in Pakistan that features Kareena Kapoor or Aishwariya Rai, the actresses who have been in this field of work for so long, those films do great business in Pakistan but if a Pakistani actress in the same age bracket is doing lead roles in a film then she gets criticized instead of appreciated.

Opinions should be expressed more respectfully

Pointing out the way Firdous Jamal made those remarks, Resham commented that while every individual is entitled to have an opinion and freedom of speech, that does not mean it should happen in a crass manner.

“I was shocked to hear him say those remarks in such a disgusting manner. A senior actor like him should realize that we have done our best work; now is the time for the current generation to do their best. And we should appreciate them and support them. It is with our positive encouragement that they would continue to grow which would positively affect the industry and it would grow to be bigger and better.”

The social media way of staying relevant

The recent trend of being of actors being in the spotlight by commenting on some other actor has not been missed by Resham. She expressed her dislike about this misuse of social media and said that this way of becoming relevant by pulling others down just for the sake of two minutes of fame is very immature and classless.

“We are seeing it almost every day now that any person who feels left out sitting at home and wants to be in the news would either make a tweet or a post making negative comments about another actor or a politician and get their claim to fame. I dislike this way of thinking and more so, abhor the direction at which our industry is going by doing all this.”

In a concluding note Resham said, or rather appealed to the seniors of the industry as well as the audience of the country, to appreciate the things that belong to us.

“The country we live in, the land that we belong to, this place that we call our home, and the people that we call our own – learn to appreciate them and support them. This must be our collective priority. Instead of looking at others and praising them all the time while criticizing and pulling down our own work, we should focus on positively uplifting what is our own.”

Final Word

The old Lollywood has always been full of stories of actresses getting involved in petty fights, a behavior that can still be seen some in those actresses. So, it is such a refreshing change to see a veteran like Resham to exhibit such grace and maturity by speaking up in defense of Mahira Khan like this. Our industry, like the rest of the world, desperately needs to set more examples of women standing up for women and we are hoping Resham’s stand would set a positive example for the rest of the industry veterans to follow.

As for Firdous Jamal’s sexist and ageist remarks, so all we can say is that it is because of this mentality that we see young girls, who are barely out of their teenage, taking on roles that have them romancing actors almost twice their age. This toxic mentality has normalized a highly problematic trend that actresses only have a limited shelf life while no one questions the male actors as they continue to work as leading heroes even after reaching the age of 40+.

More power to Mahira Khan that continues to prove that this mentality wrong by continuing to not only lead projects but also shining bright in them.

We Need To Talk About Ali Rehman Khan’s 100% Success Ratio

By
Hajira Waheed
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ali rehman khan

Starting from an indie film, and performing exceptionally well in his subsequent releases, Ali Rehman Khan has come a long way as a film actor. Interestingly, the star who is now gearing up for his third commercial release has an enviable box office success rate. Yes, in an industry where the biggest of stars have shaky box office report cards, Ali is probably one of the very few lucky actors who has a 100% success ratio at the box office.

Slackistan

Back in 2010, Ali Rehman Khan starred in an indie feature film alongside many other now prominent faces of the Pakistani entertainment industry. Unfortunately, the film was not released in Pakistan due to the censor board refusing to clear it without cuts. But the film did get screened at various film festivals around the world. Shot on a shoestring budget, Slackistan showed the life of some 20-something-year-olds living in Islamabad and deals with their mundane day-to-day life struggles. It had a unique insider’s view of the elite class of Islamabad and their apathy towards issues like the Taliban’s threats and the general political situation of the country.

Janaan

Janaan was Ali Rehman’s first venture in mainstream cinema, and he shined like a man on fleek. Janaan was the film that made Ali Rehman Khan into a heartthrob – the boy next door we all ogle over; a brother we all root for and a lover we are attracted to. He starred opposite Armeena Khan and Bilal Ashraf and the film highlighted the often-stereotyped Pashtun culture in a positive and relatable manner and was a commercial success like no other. The film made more than 30 crores at the global box office, a number which no one had expected, skyrocketing Ali and everyone involved with the film to stardom.

Parchi

Ali Rehman Khan’s next film released in 2018 was also a huge success. A non-Eid release, Parchi was a crime comedy film, a genre relatively unexplored by the Pakistani filmmakers. Despite the risks of the genre and the release date, Parchi went on to become a huge success commercially and gave Ali Rehman Khan yet another hit in his bag. The film was made on a budget of 4 crores and ended its run at 10+ crores emerging as a blockbuster.

Ali Rehman Khan has a very impressive mark sheet for a film actor in Pakistan nowadays. These days Khan is busy promoting his upcoming film alongside Hareem Farooq. With such impeccable record, all eyes are set on Heer Maan Jaa and whether it will be able to hold up the record of hits. We wish Ali Rehman Khan all the best and hope for his film to yet again have another successful run at the box office!

Here Is How Asim Raza Is Destroying The Other Eid Releases

By
Kasim Bilal
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Asim Raza

Before I get canceled for the blasphemous title, hear me out.

Asim Raza is not an unknown name of the Pakistani entertainment industry. For decades, this man has proved his mettle as a director who has a very unique vision and an ability to present that vision beautifully for the screens. He has won a Lux Style Award for Best Music Video Director in 2004 for Faakhir’s chartbuster song Maahi Ve. Then, in 2013 he won the Best Telefilm Director for Behadd. He has been associated with some of the biggest brands of the country for whom he has directed countless memorable TVCs.

When Asim Raza brought his more than two-decades-long experience in the industry to the big screen, he made sure that it left an impact. Ho Mann Jahaan might not have been the critics’ favorite movie of the year, but it gave the audience a chance to experience the grandeur that did not look unrealistic. The film’s hit song Shakar Wandan Re was shot in one of the most expensive outdoor sets created for any Pakistani film. Till this date, the song and its visuals remain fondly etched in the audience’s memory.

With Parey Hut Love, Asim’s second directorial feature which is all set to release on Eid ul Azha, he has only gone further to prove why his experience makes him a force to be reckoned with. And that is exactly why, I believe, he is making it difficult for the rest of the industry to catch up to him.

The First Look

Parey Hut Love has been sold to the audience as an “Eid Entertainer” by the team behind it ever since they started the promotions. Of course, that does not mean the other two films, Superstar and Heer Maan Jaa, are, in any way, less deserving for the title. But if we compare the trailer of the three films it becomes clear that PHL wins just by the extravagant grandeur it promises to deliver on the big screens.

Lavish sets, stunning real-life locations, an ensemble cast portraying various kind of characters, emotions ranging from humor to drama; Parey Hut Love’s trailer might not have told what the film’s story is about but it most definitely showed every emotion that is packed within it.

Superstar’s trailer put the spotlight on both the limited budget and vision of the film. There is something so claustrophobic about some of the frames of the film. The trailer also makes the story of the film very clear. Heer Maan Jaa, unlike the other two films, promises a quirky fun story. But the mood and aesthetics of the trailer heavily remind of the previous IRK Films venture, Parchi. There’s nothing new about it and there’s no reason why this film should release on Badi Eid.

The Songs

One way of attracting the audience to a film is by its music. And in this regard, the three films are not leaving any stone unturned. PHL has released four music videos, Superstar has released three with the fourth one on its way, and Heer Maan Jaa came out with its second music video today. Just a brief comparison of the songs of the three films is enough to show that PHL is, yet again, miles ahead in terms of cinematic excellence as far as the visuals go.

Ik Pal from Parey Hut Love and Addi Maar from Heer Maan Jaa, for instance, are both shaadi songs aimed for rocking the mehendi dance floor with. Also, both the songs feature a classic Lollywood diva in a special appearance. But comparing the visuals of both the songs is like comparing apples to oranges. But where Asim Raza really wins, is how he has treated Meera’s guest appearance in the song. She is in the center, and she is the star. Among the hundreds of perfectly synced back up dancers, Meera shines the brightest. While Zara Sheikh makes an entirely forgettable appearance in Addi Maar. From her dressing and makeup to the choreography, none of the things are suitable for a comeback of such a beloved face of Lollywood.

The Mahira Khan factor

I am, like millions of other people, a Mahira Khan fan. So, the idea of a double Mahira Khan feature on this Badi Eid really excites me. But when I see Noori from Superstar and then Morey Saiyaan from Parey Hut Love, I can’t help but wish that Noori was more Asim-fied. What can I do? Asim Raza has completely spoiled me with the finesse with which he has directed all the PHL songs.

Morey Saiyaan looks like a dream and with Mahira in the middle of it, it immediately becomes unforgettable. She fits right in the grandly created set as her long, red, 100-yard dress swishes and flows around her with every twirl. The visuals pull you in and mesmerize you and it made me think, this is something only Mahira can do. And Asim is the only one who could make her do it.

Noori shows an uninhibited side of Mahira but her infectious energy is not supported by the visuals. A film is a visual medium and every element of the frame needs to be in harmony for it to look beautiful on the big screen. Unfortunately, Noori lacks that as far as the visuals go.

The Special Songs

Superstar with Beqaraan and Heer Maan Jaa with its title track, both have released specially shot songs for the film’s promotion. Beqaraan was released ahead of the film’s trailer and is all about the chemistry of the lead pair of the film. Heer Maan Jaa’s title track is a Punjabi dance number with dark, edgy visuals and a rather robotic choreography. The film’s titular Heer (Hareem Farooq) is present there to dance with and for the leading boys of the film and her silent, smug expressions throughout don’t exactly make this song appealing.

What remains to be seen is how Asim Raza has treated the special song for his film. Balma Bhagoda is the only song of PHL that is not been shot on an extravagant set or gorgeous locales. Shot in a studio and featuring the primary cast of the film, this special credits song of the film is going to be the final test for Asim Raza to prove that his vision is the standout winner among the three big Eid releases.

Final Word

Judging solely by the content that has been officially released for the three films, I have come to the conclusion that Asim Raza and his loyal team, is the only one taking the words “grand cinematic experience” seriously on this Eid. It definitely looks like he has come a long way from his debut film Ho Mann Jahaan and has applied the lessons learned from there to make Parey Hut Love a more wholesome product. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the other two films based on what they are promising and the history of the teams behind these films.

Of course, the real result will only be seen when the three films will be presented in front of the audience on Eid ul Azha but in my eyes, Asim Raza and Parey Hut Love are already very close to be standing on top of the victory podium.

Mohsin Calls Gohar A Naqli Gawah, Cites Personal Reasons Behind Witness Statement

By
Atiqa Ali
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The ongoing domestic abuse case between Mohsin Abbas and wife, Fatema Sohail is still going strong. Now, with statements recorded from both sides, the public is divided.

Gohar’s Part

 

From Fatema’s side, witnesses are coming forward one after the other and the most prominent among them is Gohar Rasheed.

Gohar had originally posted a statement claiming to be a second-hand witness to the abuse. He said that he only knew Mohsin in passing but had learned of the incidents when a mutual friend had taken Fatema to the hospital, following a “beating”. He also claimed to have seen the pictures, reports, and talked to Fatema on the phone at the time of the incident after which he had come to believe her. Gohar also maintains that Fatema had been trying to save the marriage so he did not come forward with the story.

 

He recently also came on a television segment along with Fatema to show public support to her cause.

Mohsin Responds

Following the show of support, Mohsin responded to Gohar’s support and Fatema’s allegations in a video.

Mohsin started by saying that Gohar’s connection to the case was actually his girlfriend, who was also friends with Fatema. Mohsin called Gohar a “naqli gawah” and said that he was saying all kinds of things based on his girlfriend’s whims. He further defended his case by saying that Gohar was never present at the jaa-e-waqua (place of the incident), he wasn’t even a neighbor, rather just a part of a grand plan against Mohsin.

 

Mohsin divulged some more details when he said that Gohar had acted as an “informant” in the past for Fatema. According to him, Gohar had worked with Nazish Jahangir and reported her comings and goings to Fatema, who suspected Mohsin of having an affair with Nazish. So, he had an old link to the case as well.

Mohsin concluded his statement by saying, “Men unn se hamdardi hi kar sakta hoon ke wo yeh sab karnay pe majboor hain“, once again, claiming that Gohar’s motives for speaking up lie in his relationship.

Final Word

Mohsin and Fatema both are building up their case. We only hope the matter gets resolved quickly and justly with due punishment dealt soon.

Box Office: Pakistani Films Struggle To Find Their Footing Against Hollywood Release

By
Sinwan Maryam Zahid
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box office

After a pretty happening few weeks involving the releases of ‘Chhalawa’, ‘Wrong No. 2′ and ‘Baaji’, the box office took some rest. However, that wasn’t the case for long as two local releases, ‘Tum Hi Ho’ and ‘Ready Steady No’, were set to release the past weekend.

Along with the two local movies, the much anticipated release of the live-action remake of Disney classic ‘The Lion King’ was expected to bring great numbers solely because it was a film for all ages and had also been dubbed in Hindi/Urdu making itself open for wider audiences. Previously the live-action remake of of ‘Aladdin’, ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’, and also ‘Spider-man: Far From Home’ fared well at the box office, so good numbers were expected.

So how have the films done at the box office over their first weekend? Let’s see.

Ready Steady No

Rom-com ‘Ready Steady No’ starring Amna Ilyas, who gained much admiration for her performance in ‘Baaji’, opened to good reviews from the industry. Being a small budget film, it wasn’t heavy with marketing, but it did do a decent job with the promotions, resulting in an 80 lacs figure on its first weekend, contending against ‘The Lion King’. The film, if it manages to hold well during the weekdays, can longer run but we have to wait and see for that.

Weekend 1: Rs. 80 lacs

Tum Hi Ho

Director Sangeeta’s ‘Tum Hi’ Ho had been a long time coming with the film’s first trailer coming out in 2017, but somehow the film never saw the light of day. It was announced even further back in 2015. However, it was finally revealed to the audiences the past weekend and as expected, with the zero hype around it and also the trailer being poorly-made, the film was a disaster. Collections were not even half of ‘Ready Steady No’. The poor quality of this should be a lesson for filmmakers that audiences have certainly matured and expect good production.

Weekend 1: Below 40 lacs

The Lion King

‘The Lion King’ live-action remake also released over the weekend and like predicted, it was massive. The film registered a 5 crore weekend, the second biggest for Hollywood in Pakistan this year. The film did really well in Karachi, followed by other major cities. The film seems to have defied all criticism and has families flocking to theatres. This one seems like a horse with strong legs. ‘The Lion King’ seems to be ruling the box office until ‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw’ comes.

Weekend 1: Rs. 5 crores

While ‘Tum Hi Ho’ has tanked, ‘Ready Steady No’ may stand a chance. Let’s hope the film is able to invite more watchers even though it does not seem likely. ‘Baaji’ in its fourth weekend at the box office is setting new benchmarks by making Rs. 50 million, and coming to a combined Rs. 102.5 million.

Sirf Tum He Tou Ho (Review): A Nightmarish Throwback to 90’s Lollywood

By
Hassan Hassan
-

Movie Name: Sirf Tum He Tou Ho

Release Date: 19th July, 2019

Director: Sangeeta

Review by: Hassan Hassan

Growing up watching films like Nikaah and Harjai, it was only the hope of invoking nostalgic feels of good old 90’s ka cinema that urged me to go watch a movie that seemingly had no redeemable qualities judging by its trailer. Lollywood movies from this decade are generally frowned upon by the cine-goers but on the other hand, they are also cherished by some for various reasons even in this day.

Taking strength from my naive hope, I went in to watch Sirf Tum He Tou Ho with zero expectations. The film did manage to take me into that long lost era that I was hoping to revisit, however, instead of the being immersed in a euphoric state of nostalgia, it brought back the cinematic nightmares that were the reason why cinema viewers stopped going to the theaters in the 80’s and 90’s.

Manual for a bad Lollywood film

The film’s story follows a typical, predictable Lollywood film pattern. Noor (Danish Taimoor) who belongs to a rich family, falls for Roshni (Qurat ul Ain), who belongs to a poor family. Shiza (Mathira) is Noor’s friend and is in love with Noor, which naturally makes her the vamp of the story.

After some cheesy romance, Noor and Roshni ultimately marry against the former’s parents’ wish. What follows in the story are multiple emotional and financial struggles that the couple have to face to make their marriage work. A complicated pregnancy, a life threatening disease, a third person threatening to wreck havoc in the couple’s life with her seductive charms; the story has all the clichés to be expected in a typical Lollywood film from a couple of decades ago.

Strong acting performances

It is not a complete mess though. As was the case with 90s film industry, where most of the actors remained under explored for their acting credentials, Sirf Tum He Tou Ho doesn’t disappoint on the acting front.

The lead actors standout the most among entire team. Danish Taimoor as Noor delivers an adequately good performance in whatever space provided to him by the clichéd and poor script. His chronic issue of being a hyperactive dancer is persistent however, which the actor should work at controlling. Otherwise he plays the quintessential romantic Lollywood hero with sincerity and dedication and you can’t blame him for whatever shortfalls you observe in his performance.

Same is the case of the leading lady Qurat ul Ain, who shines as Roshni in most of the instances. She comes across as a pretty decent actor and did justice to her role. Unfortunately, the leading lady has more external factors playing against her than Danish, bad make-up and poor wardrobe being the foremost among these. It is frustrating to see an actor give their best in what is required of them, i.e. good acting, and be let down by things not in their control. Had proper care been taken in the makeup and wardrobe departments, Qurat ul Ain’s performance would have been far more memorable as she does have the acting chops in her to be a good addition to the already limited film industry of Pakistan.

As an antagonist Mathira as Shiza also fulfills the demands of her job description. She certainly has the looks and the attitude that are required for the character of a seductress. Her job was to look sexy on screen and she delivers on that front perfectly. Mathira showed a contagious energy that made you pay attention to her whenever she appeared on screen, particularly in the beach song.

Rest of the supporting cast give strictly okay-ish performances.

Extremely poor writing

Quite simply, the blame for the disaster that STHTH ultimately turned out to be straightaway goes to the script writer Suraj Baba. It is not that he is new to the business, but his tendency to stick to every possible cliché and then writing it poorly without bringing any freshness to it, makes you question whether anyone in the team really read the script or not.

There are hardly any efforts visible in the development and research of the script. Our heroine is suffering from endometrial cancer yet she manages to conceive and the disease is diagnosed in pregnancy. In which medical world does this happen? Perhaps the writer thought the film is being made only for the single screens so there is no point of digging for facts. And if the story’s loopholes weren’t enough of a turn off, the dragging screenplay and clichéd dialogues make sure you have an unbearable cinematic experience.

Copied music

Any traces of an enjoyable experience are further hampered by the horrible background music. STHTH has such inappropriate background music that it makes you wish it wasn’t there in the first place. There is sad music being played in the happy scenes, and happy music pasted over sad scenes. A cringe worthy moment ironically makes you laugh when you see Bollywood’s hit film Mohabbatein‘s score (the sad version) shamelessly used in a romantic sequence.

Apart from Rahat’s Ishq Anokhari Peer, which sounds better on the big screen and is shot decently, there is nothing in the music that we could talk of. Sangeeta is a well known and respected name of the old Lollywood. As a director, her films were always garnished with soulful and romantic music (Nikah, Harjai, Khilona) and this is where you doubt whether STHTH is really made by the lady.

Another case of a failed comeback

In terms of direction, Sangeeta is not the first person from the old-school Lollywood who disappoints big time with her comeback project (Javed Sheikh, Syed Noor, and Shaan have already done so with their projects as directors). Such fears were already looming on my mind when I had seen the film’s trailer. Sirf Tum Hi Tou Ho might even get you in an unending argument with your friends over the million dollar question that is, which film between Chain Aye Na and STHTH is more horrendous? Because both films are bad even if seen through the perspective of a viewer who has fond memories of the 90s Lollywood films.

Being an admirer of the courageous era of 90s where film-making was a daunting task, seeing the veteran directors fail big time in their comebacks is really disappointing. Sangeeta’s comeback film will only cement the notorious rhetoric that 90’s Lollywood is a cinema that no one wants to adore or revisit.

Verdict

Watch Sirf Tum Hi Tou Ho if you are an ardent Danish Taimoor or Mathira fan or more rarely, if you love the cinema of yesteryear in any of its forms.

Rating:  1.5/5 stars

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