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Ali Rehman Khan And Alizeh Shah To Star In HUM TV’s Upcoming Drama ‘Lekin’

By
Warshma Chughtai
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Hum TV has been delivering one extravagant drama after another with big names from the entertainment industry. Another drama has been added to the list as Ali Rehman Khan and Alizeh Shah are paired in an upcoming show, ‘Lekin’. 

Creators of ‘Lekin’

‘Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida’s’ director and producer, Barkat Sidiki, will be returning on set with the project. It is penned by Aliya Bukhari, known for writing several HUM TV shows, including the ongoing ‘Yun Toh Hai Pyar Bohut’. It is produced by Barkat Sidiki and Momina Duraid. 

Cast

‘Lekin’ will be the first time leading actors; Ali Rehman Khan and Alizeh Shah will be seen together. One of the favourite actors of MD Production, Ali was recently seen in ‘Safar Tamam Howa’ and another TV show featuring him, ‘Laapata’, premiered last week. Alizeh last starred in HUM TV’s Eid special rom-com ‘Tanaa Banaa’. It will be exciting for the viewers to see their fresh chemistry. 

Barkat Sidiki shared some behind-the-scenes pictures and footage on his social media while announcing the show. 

The drama also has an ensemble cast, featuring Javed Sheikh, Farhan Ali Agha, Waseem Abbas, Ismat Zaidi, Hina Rizvi, Shagufta Ejaz, Eshal Fayyaz and Khushhal Khan.

It is currently being shot, but no release date has been announced yet. Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for all the updates regarding the project. 

Review: ‘Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay’ Makes A Promising Start

By
Aliya Tajwar
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mahira, usman, kubra

One of the most anticipated dramas of Hum TV, ‘Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay’ aired last night. This drama is written by Umera Ahmad, directed by Farooq Rind and produced by Nina Kashif and Momina Duraid Productions. 

Cast

The star-studded drama has Mahira Khan, Kubra Khan, Usman Mukhtar and Haroon Shahid in the leading cast. The show has acclaimed actors in supporting roles as well, including Omair Rana, Huma Nawab, Zainab Qayyum, Shamim Hilali, Laila Wasti and Ali Tahir. 

This project created quite a buzz soon after its announcement as Mahira Khan signed a television project after a five years hiatus. Likewise, fans of Usman Mukhtar, who were disappointed by his very limited appearance in ‘Sabaat’, were eagerly waiting for the show as he is the male protagonist in this drama. On the other hand, Kubra Khan was all set to hit the screens with another blockbuster drama after ‘Alif’

Story

The story of ‘Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay’ is based on Umera Ahmad’s novel of the same name. The story revolves around three cousins named Mahreen, played by Mahira Khan, Mashaal, played by Kubra Khan, and Aswad, played by Usman Mukhtar. 

All of them belong to wealthy families. Aswad lives in Kuwait, he visits Pakistan once a year. Mahreen is his maternal aunt’s daughter whereas Mashaal is his maternal uncle’s daughter. 

The drama starts with the narration of the story by Aswad, who takes the audience to their childhood where the three protagonists of the drama are approximately 10-14 years old. 

Mahreen is an intelligent and sensitive girl who is well-raised by her mother Rabia, played by Laila Wasti. Mashaal’s mother, played by Zainab Qayyum, incessantly compares her daughter with Mahreen. This constant comparison made Mashaal jealous and covetous of Mahreen. Aswad is a sweet little boy who has a natural inclination towards Mahreen. 

A sudden turmoil renders Mahreen’s life upside down. Her father, Mansoor, played by Omair Rana, fell prey to drugs and subsequent speculation charges. When Rabia decides to leave her home along with Mahreen, Mansoor commits suicide. The story takes a lapse of many years after this grievous vicissitude. 

Adult Mahreen, who is now an MPhil student, continues to suffer as her mother remarries and she lives a gruelling life in Mashaal’s home. Adult Mashaal has grown up as a negative character full of resentment and spite.

Performances

This drama entails some of the finest actors of the country, and the performances of the actors are phenomenal. Even the child stars have done an astonishing job. 

The first scene of the drama is quite intriguing and sets the base of a gripping story. Omair Rana has given the most stellar performance. His acting in a particular scene, where Mansoor implores his wife not to leave him, is marvellous. Laila Wasti as Rabia and Omair Rana as Mansoor are so natural. The succeeding scene, which showcases the love of Mansoor for his daughter Mahreen is deeply poignant and heart-wrenching, it definitely touched the audience. 

Mahira khan’s character in this drama is different from any of her previous television characters. She convincingly plays the role of an asthmatic, good-hearted yet emotionally disturbed girl. Life calamities have imparted shades of bitterness on her character. Mahira Khan’s getup exactly matches her character as well. 

Kubra Khan has a limited screen presence in the first episode, but in a couple of scenes, her character makes a powerful impact. She successfully establishes a negative aura of her character on screen. Likewise, Usman Mukhtar only has two scenes in the first episode, yet his performance is promising. 

Direction

Farooq Rind is a renowned director, who has some remarkable works such as ‘Baaghi’, ‘Pyar Ke Sadqay’, ‘Ishq Zahe Naseeb’ on his credit. Likewise, ‘Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay’ is well-directed. 

This drama has exceptional cinematography. The camera work is quite different from other Pakistani dramas; the wide-angle shots grasp the audience’s attention. The scene where Mansoor says “I love you” to her daughter for the last time is beautifully executed. The slow-motion scenes, synchronized with impactful camera angles, are highly gripping. Also, Mansoor’s suicide scene paralleled with Mahreen’s expression is impact-fully directed. In addition to this, Mahira khan’s bus scene rightly projects her rebellious nature and the extent of her suffering.  

The story of this drama is a conventional love triangle of cousins, however, it hints at a rather unconventional succeeding event that will trap the protagonists in an intricate web of love, agony, lies and regrets. Nonetheless, the stellar cast, their spectacular performances and amazing direction will definitely bring the highest TRPs for this show.

Do We Need Women Like Geeti And Amal On Our Television?

By
Ifrah Butt
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Aiza and Sana

Every other day we’re being bombarded by news of abuse, rape, killings of women in the country. And in times like these, we have dramas that glorify women who make a joke out of such news.

We have had stories and protagonists on television with the sole intent to further degrade and justify violence against Pakistani women, by showing how women are able to use their gender and harassment card to their gains.

The purpose of dramas is to entertain but showing stories where women like Amal from ‘Dunk‘ and Geeti Princess from ‘Laapata‘ can use their women card to gain undue advantages, goes highly against the ethics. It is definitely more like tightening the noose around women in a country where they are already unsafe, even in the confines of their homes.

Perhaps these makers consider their dramas purely money-making machines and don’t necessarily care about driving cultural changes or highlighting important social messages.

The Problem

According to statistics around eleven incidents of rape are reported every single day in Pakistan while the countless others, which are unreported, stay out of counts. The reporting and conviction rate of rape cases and culprits in Pakistan is less than 40% and 0.3% respectively, but do the creators of such dramas care?  They would rather show stories that highlight how women can misuse important movements like #MeToo and sexual harassment to their gains.

Recently we have had highly sensationalized serials depicting women as liars and cheaters using our society’s alleged respect for women for their own materialistic gain. There has been Mehwish in ‘Mere Pass Tum Ho’, Nisha in ‘Jalan’, Amal in ‘Dunk’ and now Geeti Princess in ‘Laapata’ amongst countless others.

The actresses portray a role they have been offered and they execute it very well. The writers pen their scripts and descriptions well, too, trying to explicitly explain the personality traits of their characters, but where is their conscience? How can they belittle an already oppressed gender in society?

In the very first episode of ‘Laapata’, you have Ayeza Khan as Geeti Princess trying to convince a shopkeeper to let her get her groceries for free. When the shopkeeper refuses to give Geeti a favour, she uses her social media presence to threaten him with accusations of sexual harassment. A pathetic feat indeed. Of course, the scene is there to depict how remorseless and shameless Geeti’s character is but in the light of the current situations in the country, was it rather necessary to use such a scenario to depict Geeti’s manipulative character.

Similarly, we have Sana Javed as Amal from ‘Dunk’, who is seen falsely accusing men of rape and harassment. Amal is simply ripping apart what little respect women who survive such ordeals get. Who is to be trusted and who isn’t, such serials question the authenticity of all allegations, no matter how true they are. 

Is The Public Really Blinded?

Who knows how the response to these sensationalized serials actually is? It is the channels bombarding the public with self proclaimed ratings because otherwise the public seems rather woke to notice such conflicting scenes and raise a voice against them on their social media. Perhaps, it is not audiences that want serials like these. Maybe it is more so the media and those handful of the top guns of our society who view the public as small-minded, wanting petty and mindless entertainment.

Where is PEMRA here? Infamous for banning bold dramas that call for societal change, we wonder why they didn’t react to such a scene from ‘Laapata’ or perhaps a show like ‘Dunk’. The regulatory body prides itself on protecting Pakistan’s cultural values, threatening to take off indecent content, banning dramas and films where alleged rape survivors fight a battle for their survival. Where is PEMRA now when we have dramas that glorify women who push extremely insensitive and false narratives?

Celebrity Reaction

Even Pakistani celebrities have pointed out the aforementioned scene from ‘Laapata’. Here’s what the celebs are saying.

As the Pakistani entertainment industry is evolving, it is time to think less about what is lucrative and more about what the world needs.

Sadaf Kanwal’s Take On Feminism: Right Or Wrong?

By
Amina Ahmed Malik
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Sadaf Kanwal and Shahroz Sabzwari

The internet is in the middle of a meltdown after a local TV channel aired an interview of Shehroz Sabzwari and Sadaf Kanwal Sabzwari. #SadafKanwal has been trending since last night on Pakistani Twitter, for all the right or wrong reasons? You decide..

The couple’s past controversy

In the past, this couple has been in the controversial limelight. When they got hitched in 2020, as soon as Sadaf Kanwal posted an official announcement of their Nikkah via her Instagram, all hell broke loose. There was a backfire as most people did not appreciate Shehroz’s second marriage and the timing of it.

Sadaf and Shehroz allegedly started seeing each other before Syra and his divorce was not finalised. While we still don’t know the actual truth, Shehroz came to Sadaf’s defence and his narrative has been that he closed all chapters before moving on.

At the time, everyone was in their Sherlock mode by sharing screenshots, comparing timelines and endlessly trolling on the newly wedded couple’s profiles. Syra Yousaf, Shehroz’s ex-wife maintained her silence throughout and handled the entire fiasco quite gracefully.

Why is she trending again? 

The host had asked Sadaf the question which took the internet by storm. The host queries Sadaf about her opinion on Aurat March, feminism and equality. Sadaf answers the question by saying that women are not weak, they should not be labelled as ‘beecharis’. 

She considered herself to be a strong woman and if she spoke about Aurat March, then it would be a separate debate. As a wife, she considered it her duty to look after her husband and these beliefs were derived from what she saw growing up.

Sadaf further added that the feminism which has been trending nowadays is for liberals only.  For her, feminism is taking care of her husband as a dutiful wife. She clearly stated that as a woman, she should know about Shehroz’s needs and not necessarily vice versa.

Her comments stated in the above-mentioned segment of this feature are what sparked this trending social media controversy.

People’s reaction

This time around, interestingly, the internet is divided. There are masses who are totally supporting Sadaf’s stance. If you read their comments, then there is applause for how she has destroyed the feminist narrative. 

The masses consider Sadaf’s narrative to be closer to their own societal beliefs. This is from the masses, who are now against the feminist movement and the Aurat March ‘brigade’. They believe that this movement of “desi liberals” is the root cause of obscenity and unrest.

On the other hand, the ‘liberal brigade’ is also up in arms of words on various social media sites. They believe that the irony of this whole interview is that Sadaf Kanwal really does not know what she is talking about. According to them, the fact that Sadaf actually went on to explain her role as a wife was far removed from the actual question she was asked.

Furthermore, the ‘other side’ became incensed about Sadaf going on and on about how she consciously plays the role of an obedient wife and fulfils her duties. Perhaps, her revelation of picking up ‘Sherry’s shoes’ did not go down too well with this stratum of Twitteratis.

They believe that it simply seems to be extremely ignorant on the part of Sadaf as a celebrity to be so far off from such an important issue. They seem to want to take it upon themselves to sit Sadaf down and explain to her the concept of feminism first, and Aurat March subsequently.

Some of her critics have also pointed out that Sadaf herself is a perfect example of feminism. Throughout her interview, she spoke of how she enjoyed equal rights in her marriage. She was quick to say that Shehroz would never object to her choice of attire. She clearly has her own voice due to being a self-made woman, who in the past has made bold career and personal choices and this is precisely what feminism is all about.

The media industry fraternity has shown their disapproval of what they consider to be a negligent stance. Sabeeka Imam challenged Sadaf Kanwal’s idea of feminism.

Shahroz Sabzwari posted in support of his wife.

VJ and actress Anoushey Ashraf found it to be a “low blow”.

The interview has come at a time when the urban society is already in despair. There is rage over why the domestic violence bill has not been passed as yet. One could assume that the general negativity in society is enough to anger people over any personal opinion of a celebrity.

Was the host to be blamed? 

As much as Sadaf is being scrutinized, the host should be held responsible for being insensitive. The most cringeworthy part of this interview was the host literally making a mockery of Sadaf’s emotions while asking her about an issue as sensitive as the death of her father. As soon as the host asked Sadaf about her deceased father, she could not control her tears and the first thing the host had to say jovially was: “Let us all cry together.” In any civilized society, this should be unacceptable, however, social media trends do not necessarily adhere to such prerequisites of morality.

There was no question regarding her upcoming projects, talent or craft. Collectively, as a society, we seem to be in dire need of some grace.

Mehrooz Waseem Responds To Usman Mukhtar’s Harassment Allegation

By
Warshma Chughtai
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Usman and Mehrooz

Actor Usman Mukhtar recently revealed that he has “been harassed, blackmailed, bullied online for one and a half years” by an artist he collaborated with back in 2016 for a music video. He also added that this caused him distress and anxiety. Following his post the accused singer, Mehrooz Waseem came forward with her side of the story.

Who is Mehrooz Waseem? 

She is a singer from Islamabad, who first launched two singles in 2007 and then the song ‘Azaad’ in 2016, whose video is the centre of the conversation. She hasn’t released any song after that year but has been part of open mic nights and television transmissions. 

Her Side 

Mehrooz Waseem posted a picture of a statement referred to the deputy director of Cyber Crime Wing at FIA, in which she accused Usman Mukhtar of being “extremely unprofessional, difficult and arrogant” during the video shoot and for sexually harassing her at a mutual friend’s birthday. 

She explained that she was “hesitant to work with him due to the extremely high charges”, which she could not afford. However, he convinced her that his rates were reasonable and had willingly offered her a discount. 

Mehrooz further recalls that during that time he would talk about his personal life; mental health, past relationships and future plans, instead of focussing on the shoot. She also revealed that she wasn’t given any signing agreement or concept paper, due to which she had to write the screenplay herself. 

According to her in January 2020, she wrote about the incident when Usman Mukhtar had groped her, but she immediately received a call from his friend who “gaslighted, threatened and intimidated” her to remain silent. 

She stated in the end that the purpose of this letter “is to raise awareness about a widespread social issue that all women and even men experience, yet are victim-blamed and silenced for it, due to the culture of silence that permeates Pakistani society.”

Mehrooz later posted a video in which, according to her, Usman is “threatening” her. 

Video Credits: The Social Glam Instagram

People on social media questioned her on how exactly he was threatening her in the video, to which she replied: “It sounds like he’s frustrated at me for not listening. Even then his tone and usage of words are completely inappropriate”.  

Usman Mukhtar’s Response

He denied the allegation by putting out the FIA case number and said: “The FIA statement shared by the woman on her social media is not the official statement given to the FIA. That was on a stamp paper received by the organization. This is a word document that can be drafted by anyone.” He further added that he is a feminist, himself, and strongly condemn the use of his story for anti-feminist movements.

People’s Reaction

According to Mehrooz, she is getting bullied by Usman’s fans after coming forward with her side of the story. After which, the actor urged people not to send her abusive and offensive messages. He stated: “Please respect the fact that this is now a matter for the authorities to resolve.”

Also, several celebrities came in support of the ‘Sabaat’ actor, however, another controversy surfaced when Ali Zafar began comparing his situation with Meesha Shafi to that of Usman Mukhtar. 

However, Usman quickly retorted by asking not to be clubbed with them. 

The case is now being legally handled and only time will tell the truth. Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for all the updates.

Laapata Review: The Light-Hearted Drama Starts Off On A High Note

By
Ifrah Butt
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Laapata's cast

Keeping its tradition of bringing entertaining content our way, Hum TV has launched another exciting drama serial ‘Laapata’. With Ayeza Khan, Sarah Khan, Ali Rehman and Goher Rasheed in pivotal roles, the show is written and directed by Khizer Idress and is a Momina Duraid Production.

The first two episodes of ‘Laapata’ were full of entertainment. The drama seems rather different from the usual run-of-the-mill stories where family politics, plottings and plannings make the majority part of the story. The protagonists are different, each portraying a character they haven’t played before.

Characters

Ayeza Khan as Geeti or Geeti Princess isn’t anywhere near the character Meenu from ‘Chupke Chupke’, although viewers assumed it would be. Ali Rehman Khan as Shams too plays a very unusual character, something he hasn’t really done before; a street smart boy who isn’t afraid to try any means or shortcut to get his hands on money that isn’t his own. Sarah Khan as Falak, however, portrays a sane headed woman who knows what she wants and isn’t tempted to stray.

Story

Ayeza Khan, Sarah Khan and Ali Rehman Khan are cousins. Neither extraordinarily rich nor suffering to make their day to day ends meet. This is the story of three different individuals intertwined by fate. While Shams and Falak are absolutely crazy for each other, Geeti believes in keeping men handy. Geeti has a boyfriend she wants to elope with and insists that he does it as well. And when this isn’t possible, she sets her eyes on Shams, despite knowing that her own cousin Falak likes him.

Geeti is a TikTok star and is rather famous. As beautiful as she is, Geeti is also cunning and rather selfish. She isn’t your miss goody two shoes neither she is your girl next door. Geeti is gorgeous, confident, bold and a social media celebrity. She also knows how to cash her social media following and threatens shopkeepers with allegations of harassment if she is forced to pay her dues.

Geeti knows what she wants and how to get it. Since she has her eyes on Shams now, she threatens her cousins that she will tell on them to the family.

The First and Second Episodes

Both the first and second episodes of ‘Laapata’ brought about an interesting storyline with a very fast pace. Along with character introductions in detail, we discovered their traits and dreams as well as an insight into their personalities. The direction is crisp, scenes to the point and the story has moved on at a good pace.

For now, the viewers know that the show is light-hearted with a catchy story. However, things will get intense in the coming episodes as fate intertwines Falak, Shams and Geeti in unconventional ways and tests the limits of their tolerance. The first two episodes have given us a storyline to keep us hooked.

One thing that irked the viewers about ‘Laapata’ however, was the one particular scene where Geeti tries to wheedle out favours from a shopkeeper by threatening him with allegations of harassment. With the current situation of the country and issues of harassment and women being raped, abused and murdered, perpetuating such anti-version of an issue already marginalized, the scene came off in a very bad taste.

Direction and editing are on point as you don’t get to see a lot of fillers and the story moves on with relevant details. ‘Laapata’ has impressed us as an upbeat serial bringing a new story to our screens. Let’s see what transpires in the upcoming episodes next week.

Exciting Lineup Of Upcoming Dramas By Geo Entertainment

By
Armaan Shehreyaar
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Geo upcoming dramas

One of the leading media networks and top entertainment channels, Geo Entertainment has been providing content that viewers want to watch on primetime after a tiring day. From stories highlighting the intensity of love; ‘Khuda Aur Mohabbat’ and ‘Fitoor’ to family sagas; ‘Raaz e Ulfat’ and ‘Mohlat’, Geo surely knows how to give out hits.

With their grand sets, comprehensive detailing, and over fantasized scenarios, Geo has been ruling the viewership charts because they know what people wish to see on TV. Continuing the tradition, Geo Entertainment is all set to bring a bunch of star-studded projects that will surely rule your TV screens in the coming months.

Here’s an exciting list that Galaxy Lollywood has curated:

Mohabbat Dagh Ki Soorat

Based on renowned novelist Saira Raza’s novel of the same name, it will feature an ensemble cast. Much loved ‘Chhupan Chhupai’ and ‘Tere Bina’ pair, Neelam Muneer and Sami Khan will be returning to screens with it. Syed Jibran and Sunita Marshall will also be seen in pivotal roles. The show is directed by Zeeshan Ahmed, whose drama ‘Deewangi’ is still something many people cannot forget.

Dil e Momin

The popular on-screen pair of ‘Muqaddar’, Faysal Quraishi and Madiha Imam will be seen in an upcoming drama titled ‘Dil e Momin’. The project is also directed by Shehrezade Sheikh, the director of ‘Muqaddar’ and written by Jahanzeb Qamar of ‘Kaasa e Dil’. The cast of the project also includes Mirza Gohar Rasheed, Momal Sheikh, Saba Faisal, and Nida Hussain, who made her debut with the ongoing ARY Digital drama ‘Shehnai’.

Badzaat

This drama has already gathered attention due to its cast. After sharing captivating onscreen chemistry in Hum TV’s ‘Mushk’, Urwa Hocane and Imran Ashraf will again be seen together in ‘Badzaat’. It is written by ‘Meherposh’s’ Misbah Nosheen and directed by ‘Koi Chaand Rakh’ and ‘Fitoor’ fame Siraj ul Haq. In an exclusive conversation with Galaxy Lollywood, the writer of the project shared that the story is not run-of-the-mill and will have a modern perspective of storytelling.

Aye Mushte Khaak

A project that has been the talk of the town lately, ‘Aye Mushte Khaak’ is definitely something people are anxiously waiting for. This one will bring the blockbuster ‘Khaani’ couple Sana Javed and Feroze Khan back to screens in very different roles. Directed by Aehsun Talish of ‘Yeh Dil Mera’ and ‘Suno Chanda’, the project will get a release date very soon.

That’s a whole lot of entertainment coming our way this year. Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for all the updates on these dramas. 

Express Originals ‘Aik Aur Story’ Brings Star-Studded Telefilms To Screen

By
Warshma Chughtai
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Aik Aur Story cast

Express Originals has announced a string of star-studded telefilms that promise to bring the charm of the silver screen to television. Their first project, ‘Aik Aur Story’, is an innovative idea that will bring us some exciting new blockbuster content featuring few of the most prominent faces.

About ‘Aik Aur Story’

The channel released a teaser, which created a stir on social media, leaving the viewers excited. ‘Aik Aur Story’ will have two telefilms, bringing family drama and entertainment to screens. The creators said that the idea behind this new project is to revive the film era which has been lost during the pandemic. 

What does the project have in store? 

The first telefilm reunites the super-hit pair of ‘Jalan’, Minal Khan and Emmad Irfani. Sadaf Kanwal will be joining the two as the main lead. As per the teaser, a love triangle looks to be at the centre of the narrative. It will also feature the veteran actor M.Ahmed Syed and Azfar Rehman.

The other telefilm is about an unconventional married couple, played by talented actors, Imran Ashraf and Ushna Shah. The pair will be together onscreen for the first time. As per the promo, Imran is a stay-at-home husband, whereas Ushna is the bread earner. It will be interesting for the viewers to see how the story unfolds. 

The music

The OST sung by Ali Amanat for the first telefilm has been creating waves across social media due to its soulful tune. The video includes clips from the telefilm of the trio; Minal Khan, Emmad Irfani and Sadaf Kanwal. 

The creators

The telefilm doesn’t just boast of a stellar cast, it is also backed up by brilliant directors, producers and writers. With famed directors, Fahim Burney, Aabis Raza and Badar Mahmood having directed blockbuster serials like ‘Yahan Pyaar Nahi Hai’, ‘Jalan’, ‘Cheekh’ and ‘Bala’, the telefilms are definitely one of the most anticipated projects of this year.

They are penned by ace writers including Wasiq Awan and Muhammed Ahmed, along with some talented upcoming writers.

The release date hasn’t been announced yet but the hype around these telefilms has been soaring. It will be interesting to see what all they have lined up for the viewers going forward.

Zahid Ahmed & Sonya Hussyn To Reunite In ‘Mor Maharan’

By
Ifrah Butt
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Zahid Ahmed and Sonya Hussyn

Zahid Ahmed and Sonya Hussyn make a classic onscreen couple. Both Zahid and Sonya happen to be phenomenal actors who can get into the skin of their characters with ease. The audience simply loved them together in ‘Muhabbat Tujhay Alvida‘ and ‘Ishq Zahenaseeb‘ and couldn’t wait to get more of their favourite on-screen couple.

And so, it seems, without a doubt, Zahid Ahmed and Sonya Hussyn will wreak havoc with their onscreen chemistry in the upcoming drama ‘Mor Maharan’.

‘Mor Maharan‘ is written by Ali Moeen and directed by Owais Khan. Seema Taher Khan is producing it. While talking to Galaxy Lollywood, Zahid Ahmed revealed a few details about the drama, especially his character, Ahmed Khan Gardezi.

Zahid Ahmed as his character Ahmed Khan Gardezi in ‘Mor Maharan‘

“Sonya and I are playing people who belong to the Cholistan area but have had education and exposure outside Cholistan. Not abroad but their education has been outside of their village. My character, Gardezi, comes back to take over his family business that deals with sugar mills and politics,” shared Zahid.

Adding further, Zahid revealed: “Ahmed Khan Gardezi is your typical power-hungry, without a conscience feudal who revels in luxuries and wants to continue to do so.” He also stated that Sonya’s character is the opposite of Gardezi who has come back to her village after her education and wants to make the life of people, living in the village, better than what it actually is.

Zahid Ahmed as his character Ahmed Khan Gardezi in ‘Mor Maharan’

“The main aspect and story of ‘Mor Maharan‘ actually highlight the environmental issues in the Cholistan area. How Sonya in her own capacity tries to improve things for people in her village and observing her endeavours my character gets the inspiration to do the same. It’s not a typical love story but a story of two different individuals with different goals who come together, keeping differences aside to do something for their land,” shared Zahid.

Zahid Ahmed shared that ‘Mor Maharan‘ was something artistic but with an important message. “It’s a play with a purpose. It’s art with a purpose. World Wildlife Fund also has a keen interest in the play as the message it is trying to impart is about global warming and climate change, focusing on issues such as weather conditions, plantation, and the current water crisis in Pakistan,” stated Zahid.

In an interview with Dawn News, Sonya Hussyn, also revealed that her character will be an environmentalist from Rohi, Cholistan. “She is very passionate and dedicated to resolving issues that her community deals with, such as water consumption and plantation, she said. Her character works with village women, pulling out water from wells and breaks bread with the villagers too.”

Sonya Hussyn as her character in ‘Mor Maharan’

While we are eager to see Sonya and Zahid together in action, the fact that ‘Mor Maharan‘ will also have a star-studded cast makes it all the more interesting. Alongside Sonya and Zahid, the drama will also star Shehryar Zaidi, Babar Ali, Firdous Jamal and Samia Mumtaz. It is slated to go on air soon on TVOne.

The cast of ‘Mor Maharan’

Parizaad’s Second Episode Picks Up After Slow Start

By
Kasim Bilal
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Parizaad

The promos for ‘Parizaad’ definitely had the audience hooked. A cast with numerous fan favourites, a new controversial look for Ahmed to say the least and a script penned by the writer from ‘Ishq Zahe Naseeb‘, the expectations were quite high, however, it failed to impress the viewers. 

After a slow and rather underwhelming start, the second episode was definitely an improvement from its debut episode last week albeit still a bit tedious. More on that below:

Story

Parizaad is a Hum TV drama by Hashim Nadeem and director Shehzad Kashmiri. It revolves around the titular Parizaad, played by Ahmed Ali Akbar, who has been overlooked and shunned his whole life by society and his family due to his dark complexion.

The first episode which aired last week gave us an introduction to his world. But one mistake of writing a love letter for a friend comes back to bite him as the letter got caught and the handwriting is immediately identified as his.

The First Episode

Ahmed Ali Akbar gives a very subtle performance as Parizaad, truly capturing the essence of his character. Ushna Shah, who plays Naheed, also does a fine job as Parizaad’s new student who struggles with her Urdu. The episode mostly serves as an introduction to a few of the characters but does an adequate job at setting up the plot. 

What became the centre of discussion was the problematic storyline of colourism. The show seems to be spreading awareness on the issue and yet it’s quite ironic for the creators to cast a light-skinned actor and apply brownface makeup instead of giving a dark-skinned actor a chance. Viewers have already begun criticizing them for it. 

The Second Episode

The major bulk of the episode was spent on the ramifications of what went down in the first episode. Naheed’s father, played by Syed Muhammad Ahmed, takes the letter to Parizaad to confront him. What followed was some pretty standard and cliché Pakistani show melodrama with a slap from the girl’s father and a beating from his own brothers.

While the rest of the episode is really slow-paced and standard, the real meat of the episode comes in the second half, right before the end. Shoki, the town rascal played by Raza Ali Abid, while apologizing to Parizaad tells him that he was not alone with Naheed when he dropped the letter.

This compels Parizaad to follow Naheed from college where it is revealed that she has been in an affair herself and stayed quiet only to protect her image. This leaves Parizaad feeling shocked and betrayed who stayed silent to protect Naheed’s image whereas she acted selfishly.  

Naheed also drops a rather insensitive comment about no one ever suspecting her to be in a relationship with someone like him which hurts Parizaad. The episode ends with Parizaad standing at a train station making it seem like he is about to commit suicide.

The viewers get more insight into Ushna Shah’s character. Though, Ahmed Ali Akbar’s acting overpowers others. He perfectly conveyed the sense of betrayal merely through his eyes. 

The directing and editing have improved from last week. There were interesting shots in the confrontation at the start of the episode. However, there were a few scenes ending abruptly which were distracting the viewers from the story but this episode flowed better overall.

While most of the episode was very slow-paced, an issue with a majority of our dramas, the new developments in the end with Naheed definitely made us want more. We are definitely hooked for the next episode to see how all of this unfolds. Hopefully, the following episodes have more story to offer.

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