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On Kaaf Kangana and working with Khalil Ur Rehman: In conversation with Ayesha Omar

By
Ozair Majeed
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Kaaf Kangana

Pakistani playwright, TV and film director Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar has lately been busy shooting for his next  film; Kaaf Kangana. It’s a love story between an Indian girl and a Pakistani boy. The film stars Ayesha Omar, Eshal Fayyaz and Sami Khan in tutorial roles.

Kaaf Kangana recently made headlines when Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar lashed out at Urwa Hocane, accusing her of extremely unprofessional behavior, which later resulted in Urwa’s exit from the film.

We recently talked to one of the lead actresses of Kaaf Kangana – Ayesha Omar – about her character in the film and her experience working with the notoriously strict Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar. Here’s what Ayesha had to say: 

While talking to Galaxy Lollywood, Ayesha said, “the name of my character is Gulnaz. Gulnaz is a Punjabi girl who is young, carefree and free-spirited. She lives with her sister and grandfather in a huge haveli in the walled city of Lahore. Her motto in life is living it to the fullest. She is the quintessential girl next door; straight forward and feisty who eventually falls in love with his neighbor (Sami Khan).”

“The plot of KK is a square; I fall in love with Sami who is already in love with Eshal and then there is another boy who is in love with my character. Sound confusing but it definitely won’t be, on screen. *Ayesha laughs* There are two tracks in the film; one is the Indian girl and the other is Pakistani. I play the Pakistani girl.  KK’s content was the main reason that made me say yes to the film. It’s a beautifully written script. Gulnaz is a character that the viewers will just relax and go with. It, however, does not resemble to the real me in any way,” she further added.

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Upon being asked about her experience working with Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, Ayesha surprisingly only had good things to say.

“Khalil Sahab may have a reputation for being a tough taskmaster on the sets, but to me he is an institution to work with. Yes, he can be extremely tough with unprofessional people but for the most part, he is full of knowledge and expertise, he knows his script, characters and most importantly, his craft. He brings out a creatively-enriching feeling in me as an actor. The way he pushes you and challenges you, you just let him guide you.  It was surprising that Khalil sahib and I were always on the same page. He used to call me “Cheeti” as I was quick to perceive his vision. He is someone who has no ego issues when it comes to learning from others,” told Ayesha.

Also Read: Exclusive: Urwa Hocane’s response to Khalil-ur-Rehman is dignity personified

Towards the end, Ayesha told Galaxy Lollywood that as a performer, she always prefers to discuss and rehearse her lines with her co actors and directors before showing up on set. It’s really disturbing for her when people skip this step due to time issues.

Here’s wishing Ayesha Omar and the entire team of Kaaf Kangana the best of luck!

7 Pakistani celebrities who need to make their silver screen debuts ASAP

By
Galaxy Lollywood
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Pakistani cinema is on its way to getting bigger and better (hey, it doesn’t pay to be pessimistic so let’s just keep our fingers crossed). New movies, even though, few and far between are still coming out. At the same time, the line between television and cinema is blurring with every passing day. Gone are the days when an exhaustive list of film stars comprised people that were never seen in the television dramas and vice versa. Today, both the mediums have hundreds of common names and faces. Here are, therefore, a few Pakistani celebrities from the television industry who we genuinely think need to make their silver screen debuts as soon as possible.

Iqra Aziz 

Iqra Aziz is both a remarkable actress and a model, in one. The characters she has played in ‘Khamoshi’, ‘Suno Chanda’ or the currently on air ‘Ranjha Ranjha Kardi’ show her versatility as an actress. Iqra is bubbly, chirpy and boisterous and possesses all the germs of a super star. We cannot wait for her to light up the silver screen with her presence. Casting directors, please take note.

Farhan Saeed 

While Farhan’s wife – Urwa Hocane – has already entered the world that is Lollywood , it’d be pleasant to see Farhan Saeed on the big screen. He can sing, has a charming personality and can act too- case in point ‘Suno Chanda’. That’s honestly a complete package, what more can we ask for!

Ayeza Khan 

Ayeza Khan is probably one of the most genuine actors/people the television industry has had the pleasure of having. She is true to herself, can cry well and has performed exceptionally well in whatever she had don, which is a clear manifestation of her skills as an actor. Again casting directors, please take note.

Shahzad Noor 

The 31 year old actor and model – Shahzad Noor – is our next candidate for the much aspired to, silver screen. At the risk of sounding shallow (but oh well!), Shahzad has the face of a super-star (he has won awards for being the best model, guys), is taller than almost every one of our current film stars and can kind of act too. With that, we rest our case.

Aiman Khan/Minal Khan 

This sister duo has us all captivated with their adorable social media posts, for almost a year now. Their vibrant social media presence, remarkable acting skills combined with their rather innocent personas make them the perfect candidates for the big aka silver screen. Who would refuse to watch a movie with Aiman/Minal just being themselves?

Bilal Khan 

We have all seen Bilal Khan try his luck with music. In our opinion, now is the time for him to experiment with something new; something that we feel is right up his alley. Bilal Khan has an adorable face, is soft spoken and can act too (thanks to Sammi and Khamoshi). It wouldn’t hurt to see him play the role of a lost lover in a movie or two. Wouldn’t you agree?

While names such as Saboor Aly, Sana Javed, Feroz Khan, Ramsha Khan etc. are also on our list, they have (un)fortunately made their silver screen debuts already. Here’s requesting our casting directors to include these names and faces to their potential film stars’ lists. We, for one, shall be very thankful.

“Maan Jao Na is not my best work as an actor.” – Hajra Yamin

By
Ozair Majeed
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Lately, Pakistani cinema, in addition to producing diversified films, has produced diversified faces as well. Names such as Kiran Malik, Sonya Husein and of course, Hajra Yamin have given aspiring actors and actresses the much needed hope for their future. At the same time, it is, indeed, great to see so many theater and television actors entering Lollywood. Amidst this massive transition that the industry is currently going through, there is a new name that has arrived on the scene; Hajra Yamin. The frizzy haired actress of Man Jao Na fame (even though hardly 20 people know about the movie), sat down with us for a candid conversation and here’s what we found out about her previous and upcoming projects including ‘Pinky Memsaab’.

Hajra Yamin isn’t thinking too far for now. She is happy soaking in the adulation, for the time being. Articulate, passionate and intelligent, Hajra’s candour and belief in herself are refreshing and inspiring, to say the least.

Hajra is the youngest among her siblings. She majored in Communications and Media studies and then came to Karachi for a theater play. Later, she stayed back to try out her luck in TV and films. She was quickly noted on TV for her role in ‘Tau Dil Ka Kia Hua’. Soon after, she succeeded in bagging her first film with Aabis Raza – ‘Maan Jao Naa’. The film, unfortunately, failed to engage the critics and audience on account of its pitiable storytelling and sloppy performances, backed by poor dialogues and forgettable music. Despite everything, however, Hajra is determined to remain versatile as a performer, instead of just being recognized by one particular genre.

While talking to Galaxy Lollywood, Hajra Yamin also revealed some rather juicy secrets on ‘Maan Jao Naa’ biting the dust, “it wasn’t my best work as an actor. It happened all of a sudden, I was approached by the makers so I just went with the flow and said yes.While filming, however, I felt terribly lost, having no clue whatsoever as to how things are done in the industry.”

Hajra is a trained theater actress. According to her, even though her transition to cinema has been organic, she still feels at a loss from time to time.

As our conversation steered towards her work portfolio, I asked Hajra if it was a conscious move on her part to take up unconventional projects like Pinky Meemsaab to which she replied, “Yes, it was a bit of a choice on my part. My work is sacred for me and I have fought my entire life for it. The idea has always been to do roles that have a unique voice and perspective. I try not to walk the beaten path and have always tried to do things in a way that suit me and what I feel is the right thing to do. And it’s always good to keep challenging yourself, and pushing your boundaries.”

“I have transformed myself on-screen for Pinky Meemsaab. One cannot see any traces of Hajra in Pinky. It’s important to be real and be truthful with your work. Screw the fact that you should look beautiful, just be real. For any actor, that’s the biggest achievement and I hope the audience will appreciate the diverse work that I am hopefully going to do in my career here onwards,” added Hajra.

The 26 year old Hajra is of the view that our approach towards cinema has transformed a lot over the years. Times are changing. Gone are the days when small budget projects were neglected and films with lavish profiles, item songs and eye catching foreign locations used to attract people.

“I feel that parallel cinema and commercial cinema have their own spaces and it’s unfair to compare the two. Lollywood is going through a transition phase and is still experimenting with its content. In the last couple of years, we have seen some good parallel cinema films come out that have been applauded both by the audiences and critics,” said Hajra.

Towards the end, Hajra mentioned that there are two things that Pakistani industry really needs to work on; their pre-production work and their discipline. She believes that her upcoming film ‘Pinky Meemsaab’ will cater to people from all walks of life.

Galaxy Lollywood wishes Hajra and the entire team of ‘Pinky Meemsaab’ the best of luck! It releases in Pakistan on December 7, 2018.

“My absence doesn’t mean that I am not getting any offers!” – Mohib Mirza

By
Ozair Majeed
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With a career spanning across two decades, Mohib Mirza has ruled the industry for the most part with his varied performances as an actor, a theater director, a television host and a comedian. The man has only grown, both professionally and personally, over time but lately, we haven’t been seeing a lot of him on our TV screens. We, at Galaxy Lollywood, therefore, recently sat down with the man himself for a candid conversation. Here are a few excerpts from the interview where Mohib Mirza opens up about his life interests, experiences and his upcoming projects.

Until Deedan, your last TV serial Firaaq was aired back in 2014. You’ve made your fans wait for quite a long time. Why such a long gap?

I took my time to wait for a good script instead of grabbing just any project, just to stay relevant. I got a lot of lead role offers these past few offers but the characters just didn’t appeal to me. The plots were getting repetitive and there was nothing new. I truly believe that an actor should and must evolve with time and the offers I was getting didn’t align with that. Deedan, on the other hand, has given me an opportunity to prove my versatility. I have worked really hard on it and have broken quite a few stereotypes through it. I couldn’t have asked for a better comeback project.

How does it feel to have a comeback tag attached to your name?

I haven’t made a comeback as I never went away. *laughs*

Listening to words like ‘comeback’ etc. tend to be tiresome for actors like me who choose to lead their lives – personal and professional – on their own terms and desires. Technically speaking, it is a comeback as I will be reappearing on the screen after four years. It definitely was a long break. I am currently constantly on a look out for powerful roles and thankfully, I am getting them too.

Bachana did really well whereas Teri Meri Love Story and Arth both opened to  luke-warm responses and didn’t perform well at the box office, as well. What, according to you, went wrong?

Yes! Bachana fared well while TMLS struggled to get its act right with the audience. The audience shouldn’t be blamed for disliking a film. Personally I felt, TMLS had a good script but something went intrinsically wrong with the technical support i.e. colour grading and sound until the final screening. Lack of promotions was also a cause for its debacle. As for Arth, it was completely Shaan’s visualization from start to finish. As an actor, I surrendered myself to him and completely trusted his vision. Each film has its own destiny, maybe the hype around the film was missing or it wasn’t the right time to release it. As an industry, we are still in the experimenting zone and it is really unfair to label a film a hit or a flop. It’s a tough phase for the actors, distributors and filmmakers.

You seem to be getting more and more selective with your filmography. As an actor, has it been hard to find scripts that satisfy your soul?

Cinema is a combination of talent, hard work and perseverance; all three of them are needed to cement one’s place in the industry. I want to do something that I am remembered by. I never read a script with pre-conceived notions, I let go off them completely and then read with an open mind. However, at the same time, I am open to the idea of being a part of commercial potboilers, provided the story is good. I will always choose something that gets me excited. If I am not seen in films, it is not that I am not getting offers.

I feel as a performer I should justify every bit of my work. After all it is my bread and butter. One thing I have realized over time that as an actor, you can’t take long breaks mainly because ‘Jo Dikta Hai Wo Bikta Hai’

What are your future plans? What can we expect from Mohib Mirza in the coming months and years?

I am doing another drama serial titled ‘Dushman’. Besides I will start shooting my next film from January 2019. It would be too early to reveal much about the film but I shall surely get back with some exclusive scoop for Galaxy Lollywood.

Sarwat, Mahira, Aamina and Sanam are all set to make films ‘on women, for women, and by women’

By
Ozair Majeed
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The media landscape worldwide is undergoing a paradigm shift; the content is going digital, gender stereotypes are being thrown out of the window and audience demographics are changing left, right and center. The communication gap between the celebrities and their audience is reducing withe every passing day and the film/drama makers are now aware of the fact that they can no longer trick the audience into watching whatever and whenever. Amidst all of this, the role of women in the world in general and in the industry, in particular is getting more and more pronounced. However, there still remain a few gaps that need to be filled. The ever talented Sarwat Gilani is of the view that despite having female writers, we still do not have enough dramas that are pro-women.

Sarwat Gilani, therefore, along with Sanam Saeed, Mahira Khan and Aamina Sheikh is all set to start a “film collective” for women where films will be made ‘on women, for women, and by women.’

While talking to Galaxy Lollywood, Sarwat Gilani had a lot to say on what exactly happens when someone tries to make something that deviates from the tried and tested formulas, without a safety net of big, crowd-drawing stars.

“I feel it’s quite unfortunate that when you approach powerful production houses and investors, with a script on women, you’re instantly posed with questions like “Film Mai Hero Kaun Hoga?”  etc. It’s a deep level of discrimination. The audience in Pakistan, unfortunately, still has a mindset that dictates that only a hero can pull crowds to the theaters,” told Sarwat Gilani.

“We have a bundle of great ideas but with no takers, unfortunately. People are not willing to learn and experiment. Everyone just wants to play safe. Sadly, we only have a handful of people left in the society who actually think about breaking stereotypes practically, while most of them are just busy in making speeches on women and empowerment,” Sarwat further added.

Sarwat told Galaxy Lollywood that her, Mahira, Sanam and Aamina get along really well, not just as friends but as contemporaries too.

“We share creative instincts and our ideas are almost always on the same page. Now, in order to eradicate myths around being a heroine, her star power, her shelf life and her ability to bring in business, we have planned to start a “film collective” for women where films will be made on women, for women, and by women. We are working on giving it to a proper and a willing platform,” told Sarwat.

Towards the end, Sarwat revealed a few details about the upcoming project, “We initially plan to start with four films only. From producers and directors, to actors, publicists and camera operators, we’ll have women do the most of work. We believe that the films are a reflection of our social structures and this is an attempt at changing those social structures by making them more women- friendly.”

Here’s wishing Sarwat Gilani and her fellows the best of luck, for this upcoming project!

 

On turning 40, working with Shaan and Pinky Memsaab: In conversation with Kiran Malik

By
Galaxy Lollywood
-

Kiran Malik, the fashion model turned actress, is all set to make her silver screen debut with Pinky Memsaab in December, 2018 while her other movie – Zarrar – against Shaan Shahid is expected to hit cinemas in 2019. Aside from her stellar professional accomplishments, Kiran Malik’s candid nature has us all captivated. She is just the right amount of blunt, doesn’t hide her age and isn’t afraid to call a spade a spade. Galaxy Lollywood’s Momin Ali Munshi recently went to meet her for a candid conversation. Here are a few excerpts from the interview:

Pinky Memsaab is coming out in December and Zarrar isn’t due for another few months even though the latter was supposed to be your first film to hit the cinemas. How do you feel about it?

I think critics would like me more in this film because it’s more acting oriented and more raw since it is an indie film. Even though both the characters are totally different from each other, my acting skills would be seen more in this film than in Zarrar.

You’are an entrepreneur and have your own website. You’re also an HR consultant, where does acting fit in all of this?

I never thought I’d ever act. Although, I have always been connected extensively to the media. So some three years back, Bilal Ashraf called to tell that Shaan was in the city and asked if I wanted to meet him. I said yes, obviously. We met him at a cafe where another dear friend of mine was also present. I had a massive ‘Shaan’ moment. I chatted with him for a little bit. In the evening, I got a call that told me that Shaan wanted to talk to me. He asked if I wanted to be in a movie. I told him that I had never acted before in my life. Shaan said that I was already an actress from what he could tell. And that’s how I joined Zarrar, there wasn’t even an audition. Shaan has made me who I am. I’ll always take his name first.

When you were announced as a lead for Zarrar, it got a lot of people talking. Did you have to face any criticism or questions from the industry? 

Yes, I did. I heard things like ‘Tum kese?’ or ‘Ye kyun?’ from people who I am sure we all know. My answer would always be ‘ye tou ap Shaan se pochain.’ He actually had someone in mind for Zarrar but then I came along and he said he didn’t want to audition anyone else. The thing is he wanted a new face. He prepared me well before we started shooting. He gave me a lot of acting workshops for the first two weeks, went through the lines with me and only then we started shooting.

Shaan is notorious for making himself the center of attention in his movies. Did you feel like you were sidelined in the film in any way?

When I signed the film, a lot of my friends told me to tread carefully since Shaan is known to be old school. However, contrary to the popular belief, he isn’t old school at all. He has zero ego and has a great sense of humor. He, in fact, gave me an extra background song because he thought we needed more of me in the movie. We went to Turkey to shoot it. I am in the movie through and through so I didn’t feel sidelined in any way.

 You’re in your 30’s, was it difficult to start this late?

I am not in my 30’s. I am turning 40 soon.

I am glad you said it out loud yourself, it is a norm in the industry to hide your age. 

Both of my characters are very mature, mujhe wese hee bacha nahi ban’na. A lot of people told me that I should’ve joined earlier but it’s just that I had never thought about acting before. Zarrar came along, I thoroughly enjoyed acting in it so I signed Pinky Memsaab too. I firmly believe that my age would not get me work, my talents and skills would. I was recently approached by a big firm in Karachi, they said that they wanted me to meet a producer but advised me to not reveal my true age. I told them that I would never do that.

Is Zarrar a commercial film? 

Zarrar is a very much commercial film but it is a great action film. In fact, it has redefined action films. It’s coming out on Eid-ul-Adha of 2019. It’s written and directed by Shaan.

The film is produced by Adnan Butt and there was this whole facebook thread with some nasty comments I came across. What was that all about?

I did a song with Farhan Saeed and Adnan left some not so nice comments on it. I called Shaan and told him that I was going to actually reply to him. I mean I get it that everyone has their opinion but there is a way to say it. He didn’t even respect the fact that I was working with him. I just blocked him and told him that I’d rather not have a chat with him. We are not kids anymore and waisay meri un se koi khas bani bhi nahi kabhi.

How did Pinky Memsaab come to you?

The lady Shazia who made this film is friends with a friend of mine. She found out about me through my friend. I had to audition for it because the lady is really hardcore when it comes to work. Everything worked out for me; it was great money and the location suited me too.

I think drama/indie films like Cake and Motorcycle Girl and now even Pinky Memsaab would be better suited for Netflix instead of cinemas, would you agree?

Honestly, Shazia doesn’t even want it to be screened in the cinemas. She just wants it to be screened at film festivals. I get it that people like to see more jhatkay matkay wali films but it is about time that the cinema undergoes a change. We need more acceptance for the indie films in Pakistani cinemas. I am a little nervous about the audience reaction but that’s how it is.

How difficult was it for you to act with theater actors in Pinky Memsaab?

It was super difficult but I learnt a lot from all the other actors in the film. I was very nervous when I joined the team because I had only done one commercial film by that time but fortunately, I had some great sessions with my fellow actors which made things easier for me.

After Pinky Memsaab, what is next for Kiran Malik?

There are a few things in the pipeline but nothing is signed yet. I just want people to see me first and then I’ll think about what I have to do next. Shaan and I might be doing something together. I have a daughter and a husband so that’s my priority. I want to enjoy my work and not just run after money.

Towards the end, Kiran Malik urged the viewers to go watch Pinky Memsaab because if they want to experience ‘real cinema.’ Here’s wishing Kiran Malik all the success.

Trailer for the new psychological thriller ‘Durj’ has us on our toes

By
Momina Mindeel
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The teaser for Shamoon Abbasi’s directorial debut ‘Durj’ came out back in May. It showed a bald Sherry Shah who is said to have put on 40 kgs for this role and a hardy recognizable Shamoon Abaasi, interspersed with intense feels of a psychological thriller. We were intrigued, to say the least. The film’s first trailer finally came out last night and it, beyond any doubt, has us all captivated.

The trailer opens with an acknowledgement that states that the film is based on an actual series of events that took place, right here in Pakistan. From what I have gathered from the trailer, there is a woman whose husband has gone missing, there is a couple; Shamoon Abbasi and Sherry Shah who are involved in a killing spree of sorts. There’s armed forces running around, trying to uncover something (God knows what) and there’s also Shamoon Abbasi being tortured in what looks like a jail cell. There is lots of blood, broken skulls and fresh dead bodies. According to Shamoon Abbasi, the film is based on some of the most gruesome and horrifying crimes committed in the history of Pakistan. Now is it about cannibalism or just a mass murderer, only time can tell. I guess we’ll just have to wait for the movie to come out to find out what the trailer actually entails.

Keeping the disjointed trailer aside, the film definitely looks intriguing and dark; something that has not really been tried or played in our cinemas before. The trailer had us on our toes throughout the entirety of its duration.

The film has been written and directed by Shamoon Abbasi. It is produced by Majid Khan and co-produced by Sherry Shah herself who also has a part to play in coming up with the film’s concept, along with Shamoon Abbasi. The cast includes a diverse list of actors such as Shamoon Abbasi, Sherry Shah, Myra Khan, Nouman Javaid, Majid aka Dodi Khan, Imran Rizvi, and Hafeez Ali. The music of the film is directed by Asif Noorani.

Here’s to wishing Shamoon Abbasi and the entire team of ‘Durj’ the best of luck! We cannot for the movie to come out next year.

 Here’s the full trailer:

Box Office: The Donkey King becomes the ultimate king with a record business of 18 crores

By
Momina Mindeel
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This year, Pakistani cinema has seen two successful animated movies; Allahyar and the Legend of Markhor and The Donkey King. Both of them have done exceptionally well on the Box Office which is an indication of the fact that not only our cinema is diversifying, our audiences’ preferences are diversifying too, at the same time. The Donkey King’s insane success is the living testimony to it.

The Donkey King, a Pakistani animated comedy film, was released on October 12, 2018, under the banner of GEO films. The film is directed by Aziz Jindani and features the voices of some of the most versatile actors in the industry including Hina Dilpazeer, Ghulam Mohyuddin, Javed Sheikh, Ismail Tara, and Jan Rambo. The film opened to jam-packed cinemas and recorded the biggest opening in Pakistan for any animated film, till date.

The Donkey King had already hit 1 crore mark by the end of the second day of its release which is, beyond any doubt, quite an achievement for a Pakistani film, that too animated. Its grand first week total was about 4 crores followed by a whooping 5.1 crores in its second week which roughly added to 9 crores. The film had earned 14.15 crores by the end of the third week. The story, fortunately, doesn’t end here. The Donkey King maintained its numbers even after the nationwide protests and emerged with a number of 16 crores, by the end of four weeks.

The movie is currently in its 5th week. It recently hit the 18 crore mark, last weekend (that’d be its 5th weekend in the cinemas).

Here is the complete breakdown of the film, according to the latest records:

Week One: 4cr

Week Two: 5.1cr

Week Three: 5.05cr

Week Four: 2.55cr

5th Weekend: 1.3cr approximately

Grand Total:  18cr

The film is expected to hit 20 crores by the end of 6th week, despite the mega release of Thugs of Hindostan in the Pakistani cinemas.

Here’s congratulating the makers on this remarkable feat.

We cannot vouch for the authenticity of these box office numbers given by independent box office tracking site EPK Pakistan However, until we have some official box-office tracking system in Pakistan this is all we have got. The numbers are also revised at times and hence you may observe fluctuations.

Dark skinned male actors talk about discrimination in the Pakistani industry

By
Momina Mindeel
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Desis‘ obsession with gora rang is no new news. We have all grown up in a society where a girl’s worth is judged based on how fair her complexion is, where fairness creams are a norm and where having dark skin is considered synonymous to being ugly. Pakistani film industry is no exception. Dark skinned actors have almost always stayed on the periphery but lately, things seem to be taking a turn. We now see a diverse array of actors on our TV screens. Does this mean that the desi mindset is finally undergoing a paradigm shift or is it just another false alarm? We, at Galaxy Lollywood, talked to a few dark-skinned male actors to see if there’s actually hope for diversity in the industry and if having dark skin is, in fact, considered equivalent to being ugly in the same.

Before we delve deeper into what these actors had to say, we’d like to mention that almost a month ago, Galaxy Lollywood’s co-founder Momin Ali Munshi had the ever talented Mohsin Abbas Haider on his show. Amidst all thing industry and Lollywood, Mohsin Abbas Haider mentioned how Faisal Qureshi, in one of his shows, pointed out that he was glad that dark skinned actors like Moshin himself, Gohar Rasheed etc. are making their mark in the industry, based on their talent and not their looks. While we understand that Faisal Qureshi meant well, the fact that this still had to be pointed out in this day and age is problematic, to begin with. An actor should only be assessed based on his acting capabilities and nothing else.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpjt2WMDfpG/

While talking to Galaxy Lollywood, Mohsin Abbas Haider said that the industry is primarily performance arts. The only thing that can take an artist far, is his talent and hardwork.

“There are of course exceptions to this general rule for some people have been going up and up based on their looks only, for years. However, there is only so much that can be attained through good looks. The audience is cruel and brutally honest. They can throne you or dethrone you for that matter overnight; case in point: ko ko korina. Therefore, it is best to focus on your work because at the end of the day, it is your ability to do justice to you work that stands out. I don’t mind not being a heart-throb, I don’t believe in buying followers or likes. The only thing I believe in is being an honest artist and not a super star,” told Mohsin Abbas Haider.

Yasir Hussain, on the other hand, believes that the notion that only fair people are beautiful has nothing to do with the industry, in particular. The idea has been perpetuated by us as a society, as a whole. Industry is just a small part of it.

“Faisal Qureshi has always supported me and all the new people in the industry. He does a morning show every day and things like these do happen sometimes. I know he didn’t mean any of it. But, at the same time, it is also true that our industry and people are obsessed with gora rang and beauty. Some of the big actors are still doing fairness cream ads. This, by no means, implies that gora actors are not good actors. It’s just that the society, on the whole, has a warped concept of beauty. Mothers are always looking for gori bahus for their sons and vice versa,” told Yasir Husain.

Last but definitely not the least, Mohib Mirza had more or less the same things to say as the other two. According to him, “racism exists everywhere. It’s not just confined to the industry, it is a problem common to this region. We have been instilled with the notion that gora rang is the only way forward. Isi liye bohat saray logon se apne rang bhi goray kar liye hain.”

This is 21st century. The world is going nowhere but forward. In this time and age, it is imperative that we reconsider our preferences when it comes to beauty and not indulge in trivialities such as these.

Guess what? There’s a film with Syra and Shahroz in the works

By
Momina Mindeel
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Lollywood’s most adorable couple – Syra and Shahroz – have had us all tuned in with their cute instagram posts, these past few years. At one point or another, we have all wanted to see them together on the big screen. It looks like our prayers have been heard for Syra and Shahroz have paired up for their first ever silver screen project together and the film is all set to release in 2019.

While talking to Galaxy Lollywood, Shahroz Sabzwari told that the film does not have a name yet. There are two or three names under consideration right now and they’re not sure what they are going to go with eventually. However, one thing he was certain of, was the fact that it’d be a romantic name since the movie is all about coming of age romance (honestly, our hearts are melting right now).

Written and directed by Omer Esa Khan, the unnamed films is being made in collaboration with Bluesteel Films in Bahrain. The last spell of shooting is currently underway in Bahrain and is expected to be finished in another month. The film will tentatively be released on Eid-ul-Adha in 2019. According to Shahroz Sabzwari, the film revolves around two young people – that’d be Syra and himself – who fall in love wholeheartedly. Their love, however, falls apart owing to their circumstances. That’s all that we know about the storyline so far. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see if the film has a happy ending just like their real life story.

Upon being asked if the plot is based on Syra and Shahroz’s real life story, the latter told Galaxy Lollywood that it’s definitely not true. They are just two characters in a fictional film and that’s all that there is to know about it. The film also features a ‘phenomenal’ (as Mr. Sabzwari puts it) Indian actor Ankur Rathi who according to our over own Shahroz plays a vital role in the movie. Some other names include Shahzeen Rahat, Aaadi, Mohi Abro, Sabeena and Amir Qureshi.

“This film is going to be something nice, something fun to watch. It will be an escape for people; something lovely to disappear into for a while,” told Shahroz Sabzwari. He further added that Bahrain is being incredibly kind to them and that they are loving their stay there.

Here’s to wishing our favorite couple – Syra and Shahroz – and the entire team of the film the very best of luck!

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