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In talk with Bilal Ashraf and Ali Rehman about ‘Janaan’ and more!

By
Iman Ali Munshi
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Janaan has created massive buzz because of its beautiful cast which includes two very handsome and charming actors Ali Rehman and Bilal Ashraf. The film is hitting the cinemas this Eid and we are sure that the people will go gaga over both of them for their killer looks and great acting skills.

We talked with Ali and Bilal about Janaan, entertainment industry in Pakistan and some other fun stuff. Check out what these heartthrobs have to share with us.

How is your role in this film different from something you have done before?

Bilal: I think it’s completely different. I haven’t done anything like this before, it’s a very serious character and it goes through different shades of emotions.

Ali: It’s very different because I am doing comedy in this role. I have played very serious roles before and I never got to play a really fun role so this was one of the reasons why I took on the role. I had never done comedy before and I wanted to challenge myself and push myself to the limit with it.

And the #Janaan boys @ashrafbilal and @alirehmankhan pose for us at the #Janaan premiere in Lahore. #BilalAshraf #AliRehmanKhan

A photo posted by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on

When a film is offered to you what are the aspects you look for before giving the final nod?

Bilal: The script and the team behind the film: the director, the DOP and the entire production team.

Ali: Script, the team behind it, and the actors involved. These are the three things I always look at. Script is number one priority and then the director, as the script is nothing without good direction. I also look at the production quality. Your co-stars really make a difference as well, as you have to see whether they are a best fit for you or not. These are things I really take into consideration before saying yes to a project.

You seem like a very happy person generally but what is that one thing that you are very serious about apart from work?

Bilal: I think what I am serious about is negativity. I don’t like negativity around and I think I don’t like people who say negative things. There are a lot of people out there who point fingers and my message to them is stop pointing fingers and concentrate on your own work and contribute to the society positively.

Ali: I am serious about my family. Generally, I am not serious about a lot of things. I am the most non-serious person you will find but I am really serious about my family.

One actor/actress you would really like to work with?

Bilal: I think I am already working with the actors and actresses I really like.

Ali: It’s a tough choice. I mean if you’re talking about Pakistan I would love to be able to work with Fawad Khan one day because I think he is brilliant. In actresses, I think there are many I would love to work with. I can’t just say one. I think Mahira Khan is a brilliant actor. I would love to work with her one day. Sonya Jahan is another one that I would really like to work with someday.

A photo posted by Janaan (@janaanofficial) on

Is it difficult for newcomers to make it in the film industry without connections?

Bilal: I think it was difficult but with the amount of films being made and with the help of social media it has become easier for the newcomers to get recognition now. If you have talent put it on Facebook, Dubsmash it and you can get picked by someone. Hania Amir from Janaan is a prime example of this.

Ali: I think that it is very difficult to make it to the industry. You need to have right connections and resources to support your life. I came into this industry without any connections. I was chosen on the merit of work I had done. And It took me longer than I had thought but there are certain people who might get in through connections. One of the biggest mistakes I ever made was I wasn’t close enough to the industry. I never made myself available to them. I was in Islamabad, whereas the industry was based in Karachi. May be that’s what created the rift and it took me longer to get there. So, I feel like it is definitely a reason but it’s not like the ultimate truth and it’s not difficult if you place yourself in the right place where the industry exists. I think you will be able to get a job.

Who in this industry is someone you get along with so well that if needing something you would call them at 4 a.m?

Bilal: The producer of Waar Dr. Hassan Rana, who is also my mentor and he is also the producer, writer and director of upcoming movie Yalghaar.

Ali: There are so many people in the list, like Bilal ashraf, Hareem Farooq, Imran Kazmi who is the producer of Janaan and Osman Khalid Butt to name a few.

What is the craziest thing a fan has done for you?

Bilal: Jumped into the pool because I was swimming and then managed to take a selfie in the pool with me. (laughs)

Ali: Many things, which I probably cannot share. (laughs)

??And team #Janaan poses for #GalaxyLollywood at a recent promotional event. #ArmeenaKhan #BilalAshraf #AliRehmanKhan

A photo posted by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on

Also read: Usman Mukhtar, one of the hunks of ‘Janaan’, talks about the films and all

If one day you woke up and you were one of the following people  what would you do?

-Mahira Khan

Bilal: I would go and meet Shah Rukh Khan.

Ali: I would just look at myself all the time, and just try to pinch myself.

-Fahad Mustafa

Bilal: I would go to Jeeto Pakistan.

Ali: I would run to Jeeto Pakistan and try to host that show.

-Urwa Hocane

Bilal: I would ask her to come to set and shoot the two films she’s doing with Bilal Ashraf.

Ali: There is nothing Urwa hasn’t done. She is brilliant. I don’t know what I would do differently probably give a shout out to Ali Rehman Khan. (laughs)

-Ali Zafar

Bilal: I would go and sing ‘Rockstar’ in Coke Studio.

Ali: I would be making lots of Pakistani films and singing in them.

Lastly what are your future plans? Whats in line for us?

Bilal: There’s Yalghaar which is going to come out next year. I am shooting Rangreza and Jhol after the Janaan promotions are done and then I will move on to Waar 2. No plans for TV yet.

Ali: Lots of things. I am in Yalghaar with Bilal and Armeena and then I have two other very interesting projects in the pipeline which are coming up very soon. I will talk about those when the time comes.

Edited by Zeeshan Mahmood

Teri Meri Love Story (Review): Weak production values ruin an otherwise decent film

By
Momin Ali Munshi
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Movie Name: Teri Meri Love Story

Release Date: Sept 2, 2016

Director: Jawad Bashir

Review by: Momin Ali Munshi

Ever since the first announcement of the romantic comedy Teri Meri Love Story was made back in April, this film was on my most eagerly awaited releases of the year. The film had a great ensemble cast which included Mohib Mirza who was fresh off the success of ‘Bachana’, television’s sweet heart Ushna Shah, supermodel  Omer Shahzad, funny guys Mohsin Abbas Haider and Ahmed Abdul Rehman who have proved their mettle when it comes to comedy, and the glamorous Uzma Khan who was last part of the blockbuster ‘Jawani Phir Nahi Ani’. Add to that the prolific sitcom director Jawad Bashir , Summit Entertainment as the producers, a wardrobe partner in Honey Waqar, a very well planned schedule with a release date in mind and it very well seemed like a super hit was on the cards.

But things dont always go as planned now do they. When the first trailer of the film was out it was there for all to see how everything had gone haywire! The color grading was bad, the comedy seemed stale, camera work seemed unimpressive and generally there was nothing working for the movie. However the expectations were still there, albeit low, and  it seemed that the film could redeem itself from this mess by proving that the trailer was just a blunder which would not be reflective of the film.

Unfortunately though now, after having seen the film,  I can say that the trailer was in fact quite on point when it comes to predicting what the film would be like and that the film could not translate into what the vision initially was.  So here is my review where I break it into three parts, the good, the bad and the ugly!

The Good

The music is without doubt the biggest strength of the film. Afzal Hussain and Ahsan Pervaiz have definitely given their best which shows when you give the album a listen. Be it the soulful ‘Qatra Qatra’ or the peppy ‘Dil Jit Lena’, each song adds to the power packed album. Sadly though the picturization of the songs isnt that great, more on that later.

The actors have all done a commendable job and proven that they were the best choices for their respective roles. Mohib Mirza as the tough guy Nael is perfect as is Ushna Shah playing the chirpy Esha. Moreover be it Omer Shahzad , Mohsin Abbas, Ahmed or even Uzma for that matter , who by the way is the weakest link, they all do a great job in the limited capacity they had.

The reason I say limited capacity is because the script and the director failed these talented individuals and despite having great performances couldn’t convert them into a cinematic treat for the audiences. Confused? Well let me explain. For instance assume there is a film being shot and I go to the sets, shoot a video of the actors and play it for you. Although the actors have done a fine job with what they are delivering you wont enjoy it as a film because there will be background noise, the video will be shaky, there will be no post production, my camera angle wont really be that great and well you get the idea. Something similar happened for the film where the technical crew did not deliver and the result was bad video quality , background noise, shaky camera , poor lighting. Therefore even the strong comedy scenes featuring Mohsin Abbas Haider couldn’t elicit laughter because the presentation was bad.

Having said that I must reiterate that the actors all did a great job when it comes to the acting department. Given a better platform to work with Im sure all these actors will go on to show that they are forces to be reckoned with.

The Bad

The script was a bit of a miss. The main premise of one girl, two guys has been done to death and this script just played on the same old tropes and came across as one big cliche! Here is the main premise which I have lifted from the wikipeida page of the film.

‘The film’s plot resolves around Esha (Ushna Shah), a beautiful, stylish TV host who is on an adventurous shooting assignment is accompanied by her shooting crew and friends, the goofy and mischievous Sherry (Mohsin Abbas), Uzma Khan and Danish (Ahmad Abdul Rehman). Esha wants to marry her true love Ramis (Omer Shahzad) but her father (Salman Shahid) is adamant that she marries her childhood family friend Nael (Mohib Mirza). TMLS follows the trio’s adventurous and hilarious journey to finding true love’

The dialogues could have saved the weak script but sadly they were not that great either. The comedy bit was flat as the dialogues specially the comic ones weren’t really funny, barring a few. Furthermore the character of Layla Zubairi which was added for comic relief was anything but funny.  So the script and dialogues were on the weak end.

The Ugly

I remember when I was a young kid there was this Bollywood talk show on where a certain actor was mentioning how the film is made beautiful only because of the cinematographer and how well he knows his work. A young me thought how this didnt make sense for if you shoot at a beautiful place it is bound to look good. I wish I could go back in time and show the younger me ‘Teri Meri Love Story’ where the most beautiful of locations look horribly ugly thanks to the poor director of photography Mr Farhan Golden.

For a film that was promoting itself as one which was all shot in Pakistan there should have been some effort to make sure that Pakistan would be shown in a flattering light. The song ‘Qatra Qatra’ and ‘Ho Gaya Pyaar’ have been shot in some very beautiful locations but thanks to the poor cinematography they look rather bland.

But its not only the DOP who is to blame as the director Jawad Bashir hasn’t fared well either. In the opening scene itself where we see Ushna, Mohsin and Ahmed passing through a tunnel like place and delivering dialogues with extremely poor lighting one realizes how the director is at fault and the entire journey wont be a pleasant one. What’s surprising is that his debut film ‘Maya’ ,which was probably made with a fraction of the budget of ‘TMLS’, was far superior when it comes to direction or other technicalities. Furthermore as mentioned earlier in the review the camera goes shaky at points, the aerial shots are  mostly blurry and on the whole the director and DOP are major disappointments.

A quick chat with the cute couple of ‘Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai’

By
Iman Ali Munshi
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Feroze Khan and Sajal Ali, the cute couple of upcoming movie Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai, visited Lahore for the promotions of their film and we got a chance to have a quick chat with them.

Lets check out what did they have to share with us.

If given a chance would you trade your profession for something else?
Feroze: I would be a fitness trainer.
Sajal: I don’t know. Singer or may be still an actor.

One actor/actress you would really like to work with?
Feroze: I would like to work with everyone, I can’t name anyone because I think that will be bad to other people.
Sajal: I would love to work with Noman Ijaz and Fawad Khan.

Do you think actors are a narcissist breed?
Feroze: Well it depends. I think it depends from person to person but yeah they are.
Sajal: It depends kind of well I think yes they are one.

Is it difficult for newcomers to make it in the film industry without connections?
Sajal: Yes. Yes. Yes, of course.
Feroze: No, it’s not difficult.
Sajal: Yes, it is.
Feroze: Well, that’s your answer (smiling). It’s not difficult but as long as you’re talented obviously you get to the right place but yeah you need some strings in the industry.

Who in this industry is someone you get along with so well that if needing something you would call them at 4 a.m?
Feroze: Sajal
Sajal: Feroze

What is the craziest thing a fan has done for you?
Feroze: Uh craziest thing? There are many fans and they do a lot of crazy stuff.
Sajal: Mujhe toh pappiyan shappiyan miljati hain khawatinoon sey.

What is the funniest rumor you have heard about yourself?
Feroze: That I am married and I have a son.
Sajal: Seriously?
Feroze: I had married you in that rumor too.
Sajal: yeah, that was the rumor.

Best and worst thing about your co-star?
Feroze: Worst thing is that she panics a lot and the best thing is that she is very supportive.
Sajal: I think Feroze was all good on the sets and he is very caring.

How is your role in this film different from something you have done before?
Feroze: I have never played a father before.
Sajal: Yeah, I also have never played a mother before.

#Repost @sajalaly with @repostapp ・・・ With jazzy live right now !!! Tune in x #LAHORELAHOREHAI #raspberrypi

A photo posted by Feroze Khan (@ferozekhan) on

If one day you woke up and you were one of the following people  what would you do?

-Humaima Malick
Feroze: I woke up and was her? Well, I would look for Feroze. (laugh)
Sajal: I don’t know.
Feroze: Yeah that’s a very nice question

-Fawad Khan
Feroze: I would again look for Feroze.
Sajal: I don’t know.

-Sohai Ali Abro
Feroze: Well I think she moves well, she dances well so I would just try and quickly learn some moves. (laugh)
Sajal: I would dance, yeah.

-Shaan Shahid
Feroze: I would drive his Porche. (laugh)

What do you think is the biggest challenge our industry is facing today?
Feroze: People. The right people.

Lastly what are your future plans for us? Whats in line?
Feroze: Future no one knows, you can’t plan future.

ARY Films is set to release ‘Lahore Se Aagey’ & ‘Dobara Phir Se’ in November

By
Galaxy Lollywood
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ARY Films knows its game very well. Since the release of the biggest hit of Pakistani cinema, Jawani Phir Nahi Ani, on Eid-al-Azha last year, ARY Films seems to have been planning to bring only quality entertainment to the theaters and betting on the winning horses.

This year started with the box office hit and star-studded Ho Mann Jahaan, bringing a good omen for the one of the most active film production and distribution houses of Pakistan. They waited for next nine months to release another of their much-hyped and eagerly awaited film Janaan, which is finally hitting the cinemas on September 13.

Janaan will be followed by three more movies of ARY Films releasing this year, with two of these movies, Lahore Se Aagey and Dobara Phir Se, now have the confirmed release dates. Both of these movies are releasing in November, making it a super busy month for ARY Films and the casts of both films.

Lahore Se Aagey

The sequel of 2015’s road trip Karachi Se Lahore, titled Lahore Se Aagey, is releasing on November 11. Lahore Se Aagey, the co-production of ARY Films and The Showcase Films, is directed by Wajahat Rauf and written by Yasir Hussain.

The case of the film includes Yasir Hussain, Saba Qamar, Behroz Sabzwari, Rubina Ashraf, Abdullah Farhatullah, Noor ul Hasan, Mubashir Malik and Omer Sultan.

ARY Films: Lahore Se Aagey releasing on 11th November 2016
Wajahat Rauf’s Lahore Se Aagey releasing on 11th November 2016. Courtesy: ARY Films

Read more: Lahore Se Aagey: The first look of Karachi Se Lahore spin off is out

Dobara Phir Se

The eagerly awaited Dobara Phir Se was eying for August release earlier but it could not be materialized. However, ARY Films just announced the official release date of the film which is hitting the cinemas on November 25 now, two weeks after the release of Lahore Se Aagey.

Dobara Phir Se is the production of ARY Films and it is directed by the renowned TV director Mehreen Jabbar, who is returning to the silver screen with her second directorial venture eight years after release of Ramchand Pakistani.

The cast of the film includes Adeel Husain, Hareem Farooq, Sanam Saeed, Ali Kazmi, Tooba Siddiqui, Atiqa Odho and Shaz Khan.

ARY Films: Mehreen Jabbar's Dobara Phir Se is releasing on November 25th, 2016.
Mehreen Jabbar’s Dobara Phir Se is releasing on November 25th, 2016. Courtesy: ARY Films

Read more: Mehreen Jabbar returns to cinema with romantic drama ‘Dobara Phir Se’

The sequel of Oscar winning director Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’s animated movie 3 Bahadur will be released in December. The exact release date is yet to be announced.

Filmy September: More than 20 films to hit Pakistani cinemas this month!

By
Momin Ali Munshi
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We are sure you have been hearing about the Eid clash where three Pakistani films are all set to fight each other at the box office. Moreover there has also been talk about Bollywood films releasing before and after the Eid week which will give the local releases a tough time. However did you know that a total of 22 films which include Hollywood biggies, Bollywood favorites and very own local Lollywood flicks are set to release in the coming four weeks! Yes, an average of 5 films will be releasing every friday this month of September in Pakistan. Dont believe us well check out the detailed list below!

*Yes, there are reports of banning Indian films on Eid. But technically since Eid does not fall on a friday there is no direct competition so we dont know how this ban will work.
*Generally 5 films per week is not that big a number for markets like India and the US where the number of films per week usually exceeds five. But for an emerging market like Pakistan these are huge numbers!
*This is a tentative list as censor certificates and distribution deals are yet to be confirmed.

 

September 2 ( 4 films)

teri meri love story

  1. Film:Teri Meri Love Story
    Genre: Romantic Comedy
    Cast: Mohib Mirza, Ushna Shah, Omar Shahzad, Uzma Khan, Mohsin Abbas Haider, Ahmed Abdul Rehman, Laila Zuberi and Salman Shahid
    Director: Jawad Bashir
    Directors Previous Work:Mayaakira
  2. Film: Akira
    Genre: Action Drama
    Cast:Sonakshi Sinha, Konkona Sen Sharma and Anurag Kashyap
    Director: AR Murugadoss
    Directors Previous Work: Ghajni, Holidaymorgan
  3.  Film:Morgan
    Genre: Science Fiction Thriller
    Cast: Kate Mara, Anya Taylor-Joy, Toby Jones, Rose Leslie, Boyd Holbrook, Michelle Yeoh, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Paul Giamatti.
    Director: Luke Scott
    Directors Previous Work: Debut film but worked as an assistant on ‘Exodus : Gods and
    Kings’ and ‘The Martian’mechanic
  4. Film: Mechanic: Resurrection
    Genre: Action Thriller
    Cast: Jason Statham, Tommy Lee Jones, Jessica Alba and Michelle Yeoh.
    Director:Dennis Gansel
    Directors Previous Work: The Fourth State ( German Film)

 

September  9 ( 4 films)

baar baar dekho

  1. Film: Baar Baar Dekho
    Genre: Romantic Drama
    Cast:  Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra
    Director: Nitya Mehra
    Directors Previous Work: Debut filmfreaky ali
  2. Film: Freaky Ali
    Genre: Sports based Romantic Comedy
    Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui , Arbaaz Khan and Amy Jackson
    Director: Sohail Khan
    Directors Previous Work: Jai Hosully
  3. Film: Sully
    Genre: Biographical Drama Film
    Cast:  Tom Hanks , Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney, Anna Gunn, Autumn Reeser, Holt McCallany, Jamey Sheridan and Jerry Ferrara.
    Director: Clint Eastwood
    Directors Previous Work: Invictus, American Sniperbad moms
  4.  Film: Bad Moms
    Genre: Comedy
    Cast: Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Annie Mumolo, Jay Hernandez, Jada Pinkett Smith and Christina Applegate.
    Director: Jon Lucas and Scott Moore
    Directors Previous Work: 21 and Over

 

September 13- Eid ul Azha ( 3 films)

actor in law

  1. Film: Actor In Law
    Genre: Comedy
    Cast: Fahad Mustafa, Mehwish Hayat and Om Puri
    Director: Nabeel Qureshi
    Directors Previous Work: Na Maloom Afraadjanaan
  2. Film: Janaan
    Genre: Romantic Comedy
    Cast: Armeena Rana Khan, Bilal Ashraf, Ali Rehman
    Director: Azfar Jafri
    Directors Previous Work: Siyahzindagi kitni haseen
  3. Film: Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay
    Genre: Romantic Drama
    Cast: Feroze Khan and Sajal Aly
    Director: Anjum Shahzad
    Directors Previous Work: Mah-e-Mir

 

September 16 ( 4 Films)

pink

  1. Film: Pink
    Genre: Thriller
    Cast:  Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu and Angad Bedi
    Director: Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury
    Directors Previous Work: Bengali Film Directorraaz
  2.  Film: Raaz Reboot
    Genre: Horror
    Cast: Emraan Hashmi ,Kriti Kharbanda and Gaurav Arora
    Director: Vikram Bhatt
    Directors Previous Work: Mr X, Raaz 3D, 1920bridget
  3. Film: Bridget Jones’s Baby
    Genre: Romantic Comedy
    Cast: Renée Zellweger ,Colin Firth and Patrick Dempsey
    Director:  Sharon Maguire
    Directors Previous Work: Bridget Jones’s Diaryblair witch
  4. Film: Blair Witch
    Genre: Found Footage Horror
    Cast:  James Allen McCune, Valorie Curry and Callie Hernandez.
    Director: Adam Wingard
    Directors Previous Work: You’re Next, The Guest

September  23 ( 3 films)

banjo

  1. Film: Banjo
    Genre: Drama
    Cast Ritesh Deshmukh and Nargis Fakhri
    Director: Ravi Jadhav
    Directors Previous Work: Debut film in Hindi Cinemamagnificent seven
  2.  Film: The Magnificent Seven
    Genre: Western Action
    Cast: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, Lee Byung-hun, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Martin Sensmeier, Peter Sarsgaard and Haley Bennett.
    Director: Antoine Fuqua
    Directors Previous Work:The Equalizer, Southpawstorks
  3.  Film: Storks
    Genre: Animated Adventure
    Cast:  Andy Samberg, Katie Crown, Kelsey Grammer, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Jennifer Aniston, Ty Burrell, Danny Trejo, and Stephen Kramer Glickman.
    Director: Nicholas Stoller and Doug Sweetland
    Directors Previous Work: Neighbors Forgetting Sarah Marshall

September 30 ( 4 films)

dhoni

  1. Film:M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story
    Genre: Biographical film
    Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput ,Disha Patani, Kiara Advani, and Anupam Kher
    Director: Neeraj Pandey
    Directors Previous Work: Special 26, Babybeiman love
  2.  Film: Beimaan Love
    Genre: Thriller
    Cast: Sunny Leone, Rajniesh Duggall and Daniel Weber
    Director: Rajeev Chaudhari
    Directors Previous Work: Debut filmdeepwater
  3.  Film: Deepwater Horizon
    Genre: Thriller Drama
    Cast:  Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Gina Rodriguez, Dylan O’Brien and Kate Hudson.
    Director: Peter Berg
    Directors Previous Work: Battleship, Lone Survivormiss peregrines
  4. Film: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
    Genre: Fantasy Adventure
    Cast: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Chris O’Dowd, Allison Janney, Rupert Everett, Terence Stamp, Ella Purnell, Judi Dench and Samuel L. Jackson.
    Director: Tim Burton
    Directors Previous Work: Alice in Wonderland . Dark Shadows

 

So which films will you be seeing in cinemas this September? Let us know in the comments section.

‘Fahad Mustafa is not less talented than Khans of Bollywood’, says Om Puri during promotion of ‘Actor in Law’

By
Galaxy Lollywood
-

As Eid-al-Azha approaching fast, the promotional campaigns of all the three films releasing on Eid are gaining momentum. The team of Actor in Law kick-started the promotions last weekend with the tour of smaller cities in Punjab, including Multan, Gujranwala and Faisalabad.

This is an unprecedented promotional gig by any film, as its being promoted in cities with hardly one or two family cinemas. None of the any other recently released film had been promoted there at this scale before and Actor in Law sets a precedent for the future releases.

Fizza Ali Meerza, the co-writer and producer of the film, is leading the tour with her team comprised of the main cast of the film including Fahad Mustafa, Mehwish Hayat and Om Puri. Om Puri is traveling from India especially for the film’s promotions. Nabeel Qureshi, the film’s director, has also joined them in Faisalabad since Tuesday after completing the technical work of the film in Mumbai, India.

While talking to the media in Faisalabad, Om Puri expressed his thoughts about India-Pakistan relations in following words.

“I am visiting Pakistan for the sixth time and Faisalabad for the first time. Every time I visit Pakistan I enjoy being here and I always receive love and respect from the people. I cannot believe that the news spread (against Pakistan) by the media and newspapers (in India) could be real. I would say that the 95% of people here and 95% people in India have no issues with each other. It is regretful to see that people living in India have relatives here and similarly people living here have relatives in India and they cannot see each other easily. I request the governments and the hardliners of both countries to put aside their conflicts and enjoy the beauty of the universe.”

He applauded Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza for their work and co-writing the film with such a good and powerful message. He also expressed that he believed the film would definitely be a hit.

While admiring the work of Fahad Mustafa, who is playing his son in Actor in Law, Om Puri said that, ‘he is not less (talented) than the three Khans of Bollywood’, clearly referring to Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan. This is undoubtedly a great complement received by Fahad Mustafa from the Bollywood’s veteran actor, enough to make him proud and jubilant. He also praised the female lead Mehwish Hayat for her performance in the film and expressed deep admiration for her.

In the end while talking about the future of Pakistan Film Industry, Om Puri expressed the hope that it seemed bright to him. He also praised the team of Actor in Law for being professional and every individual fully aware of his/her work role.

He further stressed on the importance of cross border exchange of films for the progress of film industry in Pakistan saying that, “the future of Pakistan Film Industry also lies in the hands of India, as your language (Urdu) is understood by the whole India which has a huge population. If your films are released in India then the producers would be able to make more and bigger movies. They can make epic movies with big budgets. It needs to be focused on, as Indian films are released in Pakistan, similarly, Pakistani films should also be released in India.”

Actor in Law is a social satire/comedy movie, made by the makers of 2014’s blockbuster comedy movie Na Maloom Afraad, and it will be released on Eid-al-Azha.

The cast of the film includes Fahad Mustafa, Mehwish Hayat, Om Puri, Aly Khan and Nayar Ejaz. The soundtrack of the film includes some of the great voices of Pakistan including Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam and Asrar.

Mahira Khan will give a cameo appearance in ‘Actor in Law’

By
Galaxy Lollywood
-

Mahira Khan, who recently won the award for Best Actress at the 15th Lux Style Awards, has kept her next film project hush-hush for the time, but it seems her fans won’t need to wait much longer to see her on the silver screen again.

The Ho Mann Jahan girl is doing a cameo in Nabeel Qureshi-Fizza Ali Meerza’s Actor in Law, as the surprising news was shared by the director of the film on his Instagram last night along with the picture of the beautiful Mahira Khan.

Fizza Ali Meerza, the producer of the film, has earlier promised a lineup of few ‘surprising’ cameos in the film and this is the first name revealed so far.

We spoke with the team of Actor in Law to know about Mahira Khan’s role in the film but they wanted us, like all of you, to wait till the film is released. We definitely can’t wait now.

It’s a special/guest appearance; however nothing can be revealed at the moment. It’s a surprise for the audiences.

Mahira Khan is also returning to TV with the drama serial Bin Roye, which is basically the extended drama version of the film of the same name released in 2015. The drama is expected to hit the screens soon on HUM TV.

Actor in Law is a social comedy and it casts Fahad Mustafa, Mehwish Hayat, Om Puri and Aly Khan. The film is releasing on Eid ul Azha in September.

Extra scoop: Nabeel Qureshi seems to be enjoying his trip to Mumbai these days. He shared a selfie with Bollywood veteran actor Om Puri on Instagram.

New Coke Studio sensation Momina Mustehsan lends her voice to the upcoming movie ZKHH

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Galaxy Lollywood
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Momina Mustehsan  has taken the internet by storm with her first Coke Studio track ‘Afreen Afreen’ released on Friday (S09E02). The people are going gaga over the singer for her small but significantly ‘felt’ presence in the track along with maestro Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.

The track is drawing the criticism from the hardcore fans of the original track sung by the King of Qawaali, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, but Momina Mustehsan has made her way to the hearts of the people with her performance and the screen presence.

This is not the first track Momina Mustehsan has sung, as she was featured in Nescafe Basement 2014 and debuted as a playback singer in Bollywood film Ek Villian with the song ‘Awaari’. She has recently sung the title track of upcoming Pakistani movie Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai along with Adnan Dhool which is one of her best performances so far.

Listen to the title track here.

Momina Mustehsan is an engineer and mathematician by profession. Currently enrolled in Industrial Engineering, she previously holds a degree in Biochemical Engineering and Applied Mathematics.


Momina Mustehsan trended on twitter, receiving love and attention of her new newly made fans.

Usman Mukhtar, one of the hunks of ‘Janaan’, talks about the films and all

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Galaxy Lollywood
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Usman Mukhtar is a multi-talented artist and one among the fresh crop of filmmakers in Pakistan. After directing numerous music videos and short films, including the adaptation of Bollywood cult hit Gangs of Wasseypur, Mukhtar is debuting at the silver screen with Janaan along with the talented and beautiful cast of the film including Armeena Rana Khan, Ali Rehman and Bilal Ashraf.

In Janaan he is playing the supporting character of a UK-settled hunk with Punjabi background who, according to the trailer, is not ‘esa wesa’ at all and visiting Pakistan to marry a pretty girl (Hania Aamir) in a Pakhtoon family.

Galaxy Lollywood exclusively talked with Usman Mukhtar about his experience of working in Janaan, his upcoming projects and why did not he jump on the bandwagon of working on TV. Read the exclusive interview below.

Janaan releasing on Eid ul Azha
‘Janaan’ is a rom-com, starring Armeena Khan, Bilal Ashraf, Ali Rehman and Usman Mukhtar. Releasing on Eid-ul-Azha.

From short films to first commercial feature film, how has been this journey for you and how was the experience of working in ‘Janaan’?

Well, it’s been a tough journey and it hasn’t been the smoothest. After doing short films and the stuff, I ended up doing my first feature film Janaan.

Working in Janaan was amazing. I got the opportunity to work with some amazing people, an amazing director, some of the people I have already worked with before, Ali Rehman, for example, and it was a great experience working with everyone. I hope that the film turns out great.

Tell us about your role in ‘Janaan’.

I cannot tell you a lot because you have to go to watch the film but I can tell you this much that my character comes from London and he comes to Pakistan to get married.

Share any interesting incident which happened on the sets of ‘Janaan’.

Janaan was a lot of fun. We had to shoot a fire sequence on the sets and one of the crew members caught fire but he is fine and it wasn’t really bad fire accident. It is not interesting but, yeah, an incident that happened on the sets.

Your short film ‘Aasiqui’ was adaptation of Bollywood movie ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’. How was the experience and is there any plan of more adaptations?

Aasiqui was actually an accident and I don’t think if I will make a Bollywood or Hollywood adaptation again. But, Gangs of Wasseypur is one of my all time favorite films coming out of India. It was such a well made film that I fell in love with it the first time I saw it and I wanted to do something like that. I thought this was the kind of film I would want to make and when I reach a certain point in my life I would love to be a person who made something like it. So, that was one of the reasons why I wanted to make Aasiqui which was a tribute to Gangs of Wasseypur.

We heard you are making a rom-com. Tell us more about it and how much progress has been made on it?

Yeah, I am making a rom-com but it’s in the process of being written right now and there’s a lot of problems with the dates of the actors I want to be in the film. Hopefully, by next year it will go in production.

Beside this movie, which other projects are in the pipeline?

I have a couple of film projects in the pipeline. One of them will be revealed as soon as Janaan is released, hopefully, in a month or month and a half. Then there are few other projects which I will be doing next year and these will be revealed soon too.

What are your views on the ‘new-age cinema’ in Pakistan? Are we doing enough to create a sustaining film environment in the country. What are your hopes for the future?

I think we’re already making a lot of films. Its like everyone is making a film now and that’s also because we have an insane increase in the cinemas in the country and the more cinemas we have the more films we will have ultimately.

Its a beginning right now for Pakistani Cinema and filmmakers need to experiment with different genres and not stick to one typical genre. Right now its like if someone is making a rom-com then five other people will start making a rom-com. Whereas, I think every genre needs to be tested and I am hopeful that soon we will see a lot of different films and contrast in films in this country.

Do you see scope of sci-fi, superhero and fantasy movies in Pakistan? Any plans to make a feature film in any of these genres?

That’s my favorite genre and I absolutely think there’s a lot of market for that kind of movies in the country. The only problem is that these kind of films require really big budgets and technical expertise. There is even one movie being made right now called Project Ghazi (starring Sheheryar Munawar, Humayun Saeed and Saira Sheroz) and its a sci-fi superhero movie.

As I am a really big comic books fan, so, I actually came up with an idea about four years ago but obviously I needed a lot of budget to make that film so it could not be turned into a reality. But, I am hopeful that in next few years we will have an industry where producers will invest into these kind of films as well.

Why have not you done any drama serial so far?

I, actually, never believed in doing a drama serial. I don’t have anything against drama serial. It’s just that drama serial made back in the 90’s were really good and now we’re just dumbing things down and I don’t want to support this kind of entertainment. Also the producers mostly want to hire a known face which can pull the crowd and ratings, instead of hiring a relatively less known person who has been doing indies or short films.

I was, actually, offered my first drama serial in 2010 and I think dramas aren’t for me. Whenever I see a drama serial it’s basically based around a crying woman and I believe women are so much more than that. I, at least, have never seen a serial based on a strong woman or having a strong female character. In dramas we are stereotyping women, men, and phupos and khalas. If there’s something that’s being done outside the box then I would love to do that but I haven’t come across anything like that till now.

Do you think we need a “revolution” in drama industry as well and its time to make dramas for wider audience and in multiple genres? Does any change seem coming soon to you?

To me, yes! Personally, I think there should be a revolution or if not such a revolution but just producers and people taking more initiatives towards making different genres of dramas and selling them to the television channels.

In reality, if you come up with an idea of a drama serial that’s kind of different than the troupe, then the channel will not buy it because they think it won’t generate ratings. It is true to a certain extent as well, as our audiences now are so used to watching all that stuff that’s been coming on television for the past ten or eleven years and they also enjoy it. But, I also say that how you can know something different will not work if you don’t give it a try.

Interview conducted and edited by Zeeshan Mahmood

Transcription by Iman Ali

Sarmad Khoosat to be awarded with Pride of Performance

By
Galaxy Lollywood
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Sarmad Khoosat, son of seasoned actor and producer Irfan Khoosat, following the footsteps of his father created a niche for himself first in television, as an actor and director, and then in cinema with just one film.

Since very young age he has been contributing towards the theater and drama in Pakistan and producing some of the finest and most memorable work of the recent times. His cult hit drama serial Humsafar took two big stars of the time, Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, to the new heights of fame, and opened doors of international recognition to our dramas and artists. His first film ‘Manto’, based on the life of idiosyncratic writer Saadat Hassan Manto, was a critical and commercial success here and it bagged him multiple awards in Pakistan and India for his exceptional performance.

After winning the hearts of people and impressing critics, the prodigy of multiple talents is to be awarded with Pride of Performance by the Government of Pakistan. The announcement was made on the Independence Day, 14th August, by the office of the President of Pakistan. The award will be conferred on him on 23rd March next  year.

Khoosat took to Facebook to reveal the great news, with visible pride and jubilation, on the morning of Independence Day.

Pride of Performance is one of the highest civil awards conferred by the Government of Pakistan to the civilians for  their exceptional work in the fields of science, arts, literature, sports and medicine. Khoosat won the award in the field of Arts (cinematography).

Mahira Khan, who worked with him in serials Humsafar and Sher e Zaat and film Manto, poured her love on Twitter as soon as the news was broken.

Khoosat returned it with equal amount of love (and some code name, I guess!).

Many other star friends of Sarmad Khoosat took to Twitter to congratulate him, including Mawra Hocane, Meesha Shafi, Saba Hamid, Hina Bayat, Humayun Saeed and Adnan Sarwar (Shah).

Congratulations Sarmad! You deserve it. We wish you keep surprising us with your work. 🙂

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