Humayun Saeed all set for his next television production ‘Main Manto Nahi Hoon’

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January 19, 2021

Less than a month into the year 2021 and it seems like Humayun Saeed has already made a vow to conquer the year. Apart from being creatively involved in the upcoming high-scale Pak-Turk drama collaboration based on Khilafat Movement, Lala Turk, Humayun Saeed has some purely Pakistani plans for the year as well; plans that involve a film as well as two dramas!

After delivering arguably the biggest Pakistani drama of the recent past, Meray Paas Tum Ho, the megastar Humayun Saeed is all set to produce and star in two new dramas this year and the first of these is set to begin shooting quite soon, according to Humayun.

Main Manto Nahi Hoon

Penned by Humayun Saeed’s trusted writer Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, this upcoming drama is titled ‘Main Manto Nahi Hoon’ and as per Humayun the script is in the final stages of completion. When we asked him if the drama is a biopic or a period production, the actor clarified, “The drama is not about [the writer] Manto but Manto is symbolic to the story.”

Talking a little more about the project, Humayun revealed that Main Manto Nahi Hoon is going to be a love story “for sure”, paired with a bit of action. He also informed that the drama will be shot in areas of Punjab which, he says, is a place that has his heart. Humayun added that the project is a big production that was originally supposed to be a film but has now been turned into a drama serial specially for his audience.

A new on-screen couple?

Interestingly, writer Khalil Ur Rahman Qamar, talked about the same project when he appeared as a guest in a morning show on the channel Neo News and asserted that the drama will star Humayun Saeed opposite Maya Ali as leads. If true, this will be the first time Maya Ali will be paired opposite Humayun Saeed giving the audience a completely fresh new pairing to look forward to.

Humayun, however, has given us no such confirmation. When we asked him who the leading lady will be in his exciting new production, he said, “We think of a fitting actor for the role and once the chosen actor is interested, accepts the offer and we’ve signed them on, we announce it to the public”. So basically, the leading lady is yet to be finalised and all rumors are speculative.

A trusted team

But that’s not all! Humayun Saeed is also hopeful that he will take another drama into production this year too as soon as the first one goes on air. It is also worth mentioning here that Humayun currently has a few scripts in development and which on goes on floor first is yet to be confirmed.

Also on the film front, he aims to finish shooting London Nahi Jaunga, also penned by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, which is currently in its last phases. Shooting for this film has been at a pause due to the global pandemic hitting hard in the UK. However, Humayun is keen to complete the remaining 20-day shoot of the London spell very soon. The first half of the movie has already been edited and completed revealed the actor.

Humayun Saeed and Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar have previously worked together and delivered blockbuster dramas (Pyarey Afzal, Meray Paas Tum Ho) and a film (Punjab Nahin Jaungi). However, Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar received severe backlash for certain unsavory comments he made during and after Meray Paas Tum Ho aired that had many members of the industry speaking out against him. But it looks like Humayun Saeed remains unfazed about all those comments as this megastar continues to work with Khalil Ur Rahman Qamar on different projects.

Will the public accept this upcoming project with as much love and interest as the duo’s previous ones? Only time can answer that. Main Manto Nahin Hoon will reportedly begin shooting once the writing and the casting for the drama is finalised.

Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for the related news and updates!

2020 In Review: FTW And WTF Moments From The Year!

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Galaxy Lollywood

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January 7, 2021

Ah, 2020. What a year it has been. The global pandemic by the name of COVID-19 had the entire world by its clutches. Life as we knew it had to practically be changed overnight as individuals and industries struggled to get used to the “new normal”. But life goes on. Our Pakistani entertainment industry and its various celebrities gave us plenty of content to keep us both entertained and frankly baffled all throughout the year.

Here’s looking at some of the major WTF and FTW moments of the year in no particular order. So, sit back and read through this breezy recap of the year that was 2020 in the Pakistani Entertainment Industry.

Celebrities Conducting Charities During COVID-19 (FTW)

The world witnessed one of the worst times due to the global pandemic COVID-19. Fortunately, some of our celebrities took it upon themselves to help those in need. Some names that helped people in times of need include Feroze Khan, Ali Zafar, Maya Ali, Hira Mani, Iqrar-ul-Hassan, and Shahid Afridi. All of them were seen handing out ration bags to various underprivileged families.

Celebrities Down With Corona (WTF)

Many Pakistani celebrities, unfortunately, tested positive throughout the year. Mahira Khan, Ameer Gilani, Usman Mukhtar, Saheefa Jabbar, Shahid Afridi, Nida Yasir, Yasir Nawaz, etc are just a few names who had to endure the painful days of isolation and recovery from this virus.

Celebrity Weddings (FTW)

While the whole world hit the pause button in the year 2020, that didn’t let some of our celebrities from starting new phases of their lives. Kicking off the celebrity wedding season were Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly, followed by a number of celebrities – including Manzar Sehbai and Samina Ahmed, Aagha Ali and Hina Altaf, Faryal Mehmood and Daniyal Raheal, Sadaf Kanwal and Shahroz Sabzwari, Haroon Rashid and Farwa Hussain, Sarah Khan and Falak Shabbir, Amina Shaikh and Omar Farooqui, Sana Javed and Umair Jaswal – tying the knot.

Celebrity Break Ups (WTF)

From Hania Amir-Asim Azhar breakup turning into a meme, the ‘false alarm’ nature of the Farhan Saeed-Urwa Hocane separation, and Feroze Khan-Alizey Fatima’s rumored divorce, the year saw quite a lot of news about the troubles in some of industry’s beloved couples’ lives.

Celebrity Children (FTW)

If there was one thing that made the year 2020 a little more bearable, it had to be celebrities posting pictures of their children. From Amal Muneeb’s adorable antics to Muhammad Mustafa Abbasi being cute as a button, it was hard to not fall in love with them every time their parents posted a picture of them on their social media accounts.

Nida Yasir’s Insensitivity (WTF)

The brutal rape-murder case of a 5-year-old girl Marwah shook the nation. Nida Yasir the host of ARY’s long-running morning show Good Morning Pakistan invited the family of Marwah on the show and asked them rather insensitive questions about the whole case. Both Nida and the show got backlash for trying to get ratings through an appalling tragedy that befell a poor family.

Ertugrul Craze In Pakistan (FTW)

Being smitten with international stars isn’t new for the Pakistani audience. However, this year, they took things up a notch when they fell in love with the cast of Turkish historical fiction series Dirilis: Ertugul. In fact, they got so obsessed with the main leads Engin Altan Düzyatan and Esra Bilgic that the former ended up visiting Pakistan and the latter became the face of multiple Pakistani franchises including Jazz and Khaadi’s.

Yasir Hussain Vs Ertugrul (WTF)

Continuing the legacy for being in controversial news this year, Yasir Hussain seemed to have found a problem with the stars of the Turkish dizi Ertugrul. Although he tried to make a valid point, but his words were very distasteful when he tried to point out that giving work to international stars would leave our own stars out of work. This left the fans of the show fuming and they started trolling him for his ill remarks.

Celebrities Pride Of Performance (FTW)

Many celebrities from the entertainment industry were announced to receive the Pride of Performance, which is one of the highest civilian awards. Some prominent names that made it to the list were Humayun Saeed, Sakina Samo, Resham and Ali Zafar. Bushra Ansari, Talat Mehmood and Sultana Siddiqui were named for Sitara-i- Imtiaz while Abida Parveen was name for Nishan-i-Imtiaz. The ceremony to hand out the awards will take place on 23^rd March, 2021.

The Banning And Unbanning Saga (WTF)

Various Pakistani regulatory authorities had found a new hobby this year: banning and then unbanning content. The ban started with Sarmad Khoosat’s film Zindagi Tamasha, which was supposed to release earlier this year. Churails on Zee5 was banned and then unbanned within a few days, followed by a ban on buying a Zee5 subscription in Pakistan. Then came the ban on drama serial Jalan, repeated telecasts of dramas Pyar Kay Sadqay and Ishqiya. However, the ban on Jalan was soon lifted. Perhaps the most confusing ban was on Mehwish Hayat’s Gala biscuit advertisement for violating ‘accepted standards of decency’ and ‘socio-cultural norms of Pakistan’.

Pakistani Web series On Zee5 (FTW)

The Indian OTT platform Zee5 commissioned five original web series from Pakistan. Two of the five web series Churails and Ek Jhoothi Love Story were released to favorable reviews. It was definitely a great news for Pakistani entertainment industry as these original web-series were made available to stream in more than hundred countries, giving Pakistani content creators the chance to showcase their talent to a global audience.

Feroze Khan ‘Quits’ The Industry (WTF)

Following in the footsteps of Hamza Ali Abbasi, Feroze Khan announced in March that he would be quitting the industry and he will be only acting to spread the message of Islam. However, not too long after and quite out of nowhere, it was announced that he will be returning to the small screen with Zara Noor Abbas in a telefilm. This left his fans scratching their heads considering his ‘leaving the industry’ announcement. The telefilm was definitely not a spiritual one which made everyone wonder whether he had really quit the industry. In a recent interview Feroze revealed that his Sheikh advised him not to leave the industry and use his platform and his reach for good.

Sajal Aly Wins At DIAFA (FTW)

Sajal Aly’s professional career reached new highs in 2020. Apart from delivering powerful performances in Alif and Yeh Dil Mera, she also went on to earn Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards (DIAFA) for her contribution to film and television. It was truly a milestone not just for the actress, but Pakistan as well.

Naumaan Ijaz On Infidelity (WTF)

Naumaan Ijaz appeared as a guest on a talk show hosted by Iffat Omar. The veteran actor made some casually distasteful remarks about frequently indulging in infidelity that landed him hot water. For a respected figure of the industry to talk about such things on a public platform, even as a joke, was just not acceptable and the netizens made sure to make their displeasure known.

Celebrities Protesting (FTW)

For some reason, a lot of people think that celebrities shouldn’t voice their concern when it comes to societal causes. That, however, didn’t stop many of them from coming to streets, protesting against various causes. Some stars that are often seen protesting include Feroze Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Fahad Mirza, Yasir Hussain, Frieha Altaf, Maheen Khan, Sanam Saeed, Mahira Khan, Hina Khwaja Bayat, Faysal Qureshi, Aijaz Aslam, Wajahat Rauf, Adnan Siddiqui, Samina Ahmed, Noman Masood, Shahzad Roy, Shaniera Akram, Ali Rehman, Saboor Aly, Hareem Farooq, Fakhr-e-Alam, Bilal Ashraf, Shahid Afridi, and Ahmed Shahzad.

Celebrities Hijacking Protests (WTF)

Things took a weird turn when a few celebrities-Mahira Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Ayesha Omar, Ali Rehman Khan, Sarah Khan, Aijaz Aslam, Freiha Altaf allegedly hijacked another protest that was being conducted by the transgender community for their safety along with protesting against the horrific Motorway incident. People took to social media to write long posts citing how the celebrities shifted the narrative from the transgenders’ protest to their own.

Celebrities Calling Out Colleagues For Endorsing Fairness Creams (FTW)

The Black Lives Matter movement in United States of America had widespread global impact. When the topic of colorism was brought up, our Pakistani celebrities didn’t stand back and called out their fellow colleagues for endorsing brands that indirectly support colorism.

Amna Ilyas Vs Ayeza Khan (WTF)

Ayeza Khan and Amna Ilyas got into an ugly social media fight. To make things simple, Amna Ilyas made a video making fun of an ad Ayeza Khan did for a fairness cream. A few days later when an old interview clip of Amna Ilyas went viral where she was body shaming supermodel Amnah Haq. Amna made a clarification video addressing the interview. Ayeza Khan commented on the video and told her to stay away from such mess. This did not sit well with Amna and she sarcastically asked Ayeza why did she unfollow her on social media?

Celebrities Clapping Back At Trolls (FTW)

Social media trolls camping under celebrities social media posts to comment unsavory remarks is not rare by any means. However, many of our celebrities chose not to ignore these trolls and put them in their place by giving them scathing replies.

Humayun Saeed Vs Naumaan Ijaz (WTF)

Humayun Saeed and Naumaan Ijaz made headlines after they two threw jibes at each other. Noman Ijaz said during an Instagram live session with Vasay Chaudhry that Humayun might one day learn to act. Humayun retorted a couple of days later that Noman Ejaz played his father in his first serial and he can play his father again in Humayun’s next film.

Zara Sheikh Debut On Television (FTW)

Zara Sheikh ruled the big screen as Lollywood’s superstar. When it was announced that the model-turned-actress will be debuting on the small screen, joining none other than Imran Ashraf and Sarah Khan in the drama serial Raqs e Bismil, her fans were over the moon.

Khalil Ur Rahman Qamar’s Remarks (WTF)

Khalil ur Rehman Qamar keeps getting embroiled in controversies due to his destructive behavior but apparently, he is still working in the industry. Back in March, the writer appeared on a talk show and got into a spat with a former journalist, Marvi Sirmed. The spat turned for the worse when they started discussing Aurat March. Khalil could not control himself and started using abusive words and profanity for Sirmed. The backlash from the social media and even some prominent personalities of the country was severe towards Khalil ur Rehman Qamar but the man remains unphased and unbothered.

More Fawad Khan Movies (FTW)

Despite being a huge star Fawad Khan’s filmography in Pakistan is quite limited. However, it appears that the actor is now working to rectify this as he signed on two new films – Aan and Nelofar. The shooting for Nelofar, which reunites him with his Humsafar and The Legend of Maula Jatt co-star Mahira Khan, has been finished.

Drama Finales In Cinemas (WTF)

Drama serials Mere Paas Tum Ho aired its finale in cinemas across the country and Ehd e Wafa planned to do the same but couldn’t due to the countrywide lockdown. The film industry of Pakistan is already having a tough time surviving. Dramas getting the film treatment for nothing else but to make the producers some extra money is just absurd to say the least.

Maya Ali And Sheheryar Munawar Back On Television (FTW)

Both Maya Ali and Sheheryar Munawar have been away from television for quite some time now. The news of the Parey Hut Love co-stars making a joint comeback to television in a drama was a piece of very welcome news for the fans of the actors.

Uzma Khan Vilification (WTF)

Actress Uzma Khan filed an FIR against the daughters of business tycoon Malik Riaz for forcibly entering her house and attacking her. The attack happened because of Uzma Khan’s alleged affair with the tycoon’s nephew. Social media went wild both in support of and going against Uzma Khan. In the end Uzma Khan ended up taking back all the cases.

Parwaaz Hai Junoon Releases In China (FTW)

The Hamza Ali Abbasi-Ahad Raza Mir-Hania Amir starrer film was announced to be the first film in four decades to get a mainstream theatrical release in China, one of the largest cinema market in the world. It is definitely a moment of pride for the team of the film as it has opened new avenues in the global market for Pakistani movies.

Zindagi Tamasha Release Stopped (WTF)

Zindagi Tamasha, which was supposed to be one of 2020’s first theatrical releases, never got to be released thanks to some conservative religious group objecting to the content of the film. Sarmad Khoosat even got death threats for making the film. Needless to say, the country’s system failed to protect the freedom of artist once again.

Zindagi Tamasha Official Entry For Oscars (FTW)

Sarmad Khoosat’s directorial venture Zindagi Tamasha was selected as Pakistan’s official entry for the 93^rd Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category. While the film still awaits its release in Pakistan, this feat achieved by the film can be seen as the fraternity standing for the freedom of art and expression in the country.

The 50 Crore Scam (WTF)

It was announced that some prominent names of the industry will be seen together in an upcoming film titled 50 Crore. The announcement left people scratching their heads primarily because of how similar everyone in the first glimpse looked like a blatant rip off of the successful Netflix show Money Heist. Galaxy Lollywood was the one to break the news that it was just an elaborate promotional tactic for an online shopping app’s yearly mega sale.

Saba Qamar Directorial Debut (FTW)

Saba Qamar added another feather to her cap when she turned towards direction. Saba not only starred in but also directed the music video for Bilal Saeed’s romantic track Qubool. The music video was beautifully shot and it proved once again that Saba is a woman of many talents.

Qubool Controversy (WTF)

A behind-the-scenes short video of Saba Qamar being twirled by Bilal Saeed Lahore’s famous Wazir Khan Mosque landed the duo in trouble. As soon as the video hit the internet, both of them were under heat for violating the sanctity of the mosque. Both of them took to social media to address the issue but by then, the damage had been done. They later issued an apology and removed the portion shot at the mosque from the music video.

Sheheryar-Syra Viral Photoshoot (FTW)

Sheheryar Munawar and Syra Yousuf had the entire social media talking about their chemistry after they did a sizzling photoshoot for a magazine. The viral photoshoot that featured these two attractive and officially single stars had the fans start shipping them; such was the power of their chemistry.

PTV’s Shameful Actions Towards Veteran Actors (WTF)

Earlier this year, veteran actor Rashid Mehmood lashed out at PTV for giving him remuneration worth PKR 650. He took to social media to question the criteria of PTV based on which they pay their artists. Two months later, Seemi Raheel also posted a picture of a cheque worth PKR 1400 she had received from PTV. She expressed her disappointment over how artists are honored in Pakistan.

Quaid e Azam Zindabad Teaser (FTW)

The first teaser of the Fahad Mustafa-Mahira Khan starrer film Quaid e Azam Zindabad was released. The truly exhilarating teaser got all the fans of Pakistani cinema excited for the film. We hope the situation with the cinemas in the country will soon be favorable enough for the makers of the film to release the film and give the Pakistani audience a truly masala experience fit for the big screens.

Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida Ripoff (WTF)

Audience fans couldn’t help but notice the similarities between the Zahid Ahmed-Sonya Hussyn-Mansha Pasha drama Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida and the Bollywood movie Judaai ever since the drama’s teasers were released. The rather blatant similarities between the drama and the movie were not hard to miss for anyone. What was staggering was that both Zahid Ahmed and Sonya Hussyn denied knowing that the movie was a copy of the hit Bollywood film. Mansha, on the other hand, tried to defend the show’s premise as being not copied from Bollywood but it was a very weak defense.

Asia’s 100 Digital Stars (FTW)

Mahira Khan, Atif Aslam, and Minal Khan were included in the list of Forbes’ list of Asia’s 100 Digital Stars. The three were included in the list among many other prominent personalities across Asia.

Forbes names Mahira Khan, Atif Aslam, Aiman Khan in 100 Digital Stars list

Deepak Parwani’s Insensitive Comments (WTF)

Ace designer Deepak Parwani lost control of his emotions during an Instagram live session conducted by designer and host HSY. Deepak Parwani made insulting comments about certain senior fashion journalist and was called out harshly by the social media for his insensitive remarks.

Amma TV Aur Main Wins Hearts (FTW)

Galaxy Lollywood’s very own drama review show Amma TV Aur Main got the approval and love of the audience and became the biggest drama review show of the year. Amma’s hilarious take on the latest happenings in dramas received widespread acclaim. Even the actors who were part of the shows Amma was reviewing couldn’t help themselves but fall in love with Amma and her way of reviewing dramas.

Bushra Ansari Vs Amma (WTF)

Bushra Ansari found herself in hot waters when she lashed out at Lubna Faryad AKA Amma of ‘Amma TV Aur Mein’ for pointing out the flaws drama Zebaish, written by Bushra Ansari in a now-deleted Facebook post. Bushra Ansari used disrespectful words towards Amma and even wished death upon her. This enraged the fans of Amma TV Aur Mein and #IStandWithAmma started trending on social media as fans demanded an apology from Bushra. Amma, being the graceful woman that she is, replied to Bushra in a respectful manner.

Galaxy Lollywood – Most Popular Social Media Platform (FTW)

Galaxy Lollywood has prided itself for being a portal that provides the most authentic and unbiased news of the world of Pakistani entertainment industry. Thanks to our fans, Galaxy Lollywood won the award for Most Popular Social Media Platform at the first ever Hum Social Media Awards. It was certainly a huge honor for this humble platform and it was all thanks to our fans. We hope to continue bringing you the latest and the most relevant news from Pakistani entertainment industry as well as more entertaining content in 2021 and in many years to come.

2020 In Drama: Recapping The Year That Went By

By

Maisooma Batool

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January 2, 2021

Pakistani drama industry has been the strongest of the entertainment industries in the country for a long while now. However, never before than 2020 have our dramas, both as a form of art and as a source of entertainment, been so thoroughly dissected. The content being served in our dramas has polarized not just the audience consuming the content but the makers of the said content as well. The conversations revolving around a “Pakistani Drama” were many and quite interesting as well. With all eyes on the Pakistani drama industry in the absence of any other form of entertainment, the Pakistani drama had a rather interesting year in 2020.

So, here’s looking back to how Pakistani dramas fared in 2020, both on screen and their off-screen implications.

Too Long

Thematically speaking there was no one kind of drama genre that dominated through the year. However, there was one thing common to almost all the major dramas that aired in 2020: over-stretch. Many viewers complained about dramas being unnecessarily stretched and dragged to the point where the audience lost interest in the narrative. Dramas that aired on Geo TV specially were criticized for being too long. Raaz-e-Ulfat, Muqaddar, Bandhay Ek Dour Se, Meherposh are all dramas that had 30+ episodes while having a story that could’ve easily wrapped up within 28 episodes at best.

Pyar Kay Sadqay over at Hum TV was the channel’s biggest hit of the year however, it was also criticized for being stretched in the middle. A fewer number of episodes would’ve made the drama crisper and made up for a few of the show’s flaws.

Hits And Misses

Many dramas that aired this year trended high on social media. In terms of the views and ratings, Geo TV’s dramas were ahead of other channels with dramas like Deewangi and Raaz-e-Ulfat trending high on Youtube with their every episode. ARY Digital gave Geo TV a tough competition on the ratings and the views with an added bonus of trending on social media as well. Ishqiya trended for many weeks on Twitter and Youtube. Jalan fetched the channel high ratings and views alongside the controversy. Pyar Kay Sadqay and Sabaat were Hum TV’s two biggest offerings as they got both critical and commercial success for the channel.

There were some major duds that aired throughout the year as well. Despite having a cast made of rather strong actors dramas like Jhooti, Zebaish, Kahin Deep Jalay and Dil Ruba turned out to be huge disappointments.

Raaz-e-Ulfat Episode, Raaz-e-Ulfat Drama Cast, Raaz-e-Ulfat Schedule, Raaz-e -Ulfat OST

Different Flavors

Nevertheless, more than the disappointments Pakistani dramas pleasantly surprised us in 2020 by offering different kinds of stories. Pyar Kay Sadqay, Kashf, Dushman-e-Jaan, Prem Gali, Ghissi Pitti Mohabbat, Bikhray Moti, Chalawa, Saraab, Sabaat; none of these dramas have anything common in them in terms of their stories and their execution. But all these dramas were praised for steering clear of the conventional path as they gave the audience either characters or storylines that felt fresh.

If Sabaat showed an empowered woman who refused to give up on her self-respect and dignity, Dushman e Jaan showed a man tortured by his guilty conscience. Chalawa offers supernatural elements in its story whereas Ghissi Pitti Mohabbat is Pakistani drama that makes fun of Pakistani dramas. Pyar Kay Sadqay blended the light hearted characters with a serious story and Prem Gali gives important social lessons through its light hearted tone. Kashf was a heartbreaking story about a woman both blessed and cursed by her ability to have a glimpse of the future and Bikhray Moti focused on the story of innocent children who have to suffer in life due to the absence of proper parental figures in their lives. Mushk stands out for having a story that feels out of the world yet grounded in reality and is really refreshing to watch due to its complete lack of conventional trope of being a saas-bahu saga. Saraab tells a story of a young woman suffering from schizophrenia but unfortunately, the drama suffers from the typical saas-bahu-saazish subplots.

Image may contain: 4 people, people standing and outdoor

Performances

Performance wise the year has been great. Some trusted actors gave memorable performances and some other actors established themselves as performers to look forward to. Yumna Zaidi gave two distinct performances in Pyar Kay Sadqay and Raaz-e-Ulfat and delivered two superhit dramas in the year. Although both of Sajal Aly’s dramas had started last year but since their finales happened in 2020 she made her presence felt as one of the finest actors of the country in the first half of the year.

Urwa Hocane came back stronger than ever in Mushk. Hira Mani wowed both the critics and the audience with her phenomenal performance in and as Kashf. Mawra Hocane gave a performance of a lifetime in Sabaat. Sarah Khan as Miraal in Sabaat shed off her good girl image and embodied the character of the antagonist of the drama oozing with charisma and flare. Minal Khan’s character in Jalan might have been a controversial character of 2020 but her performance won her much praise. Neelam Muneer’s strong character in Bikhray Moti shone bright. Sonya Hussyn has the audience divided because while her performance in Saraab is nuanced and complex, her performance in Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida came across as a tad over the top. Same goes for Hania Amir in Ishqiya, where she delivered a solid performance, and in Dil Ruba, where she failed to make an impression. Ramsha Khan got criticism in Ishqiya but praises in Ghissi Pitti Mohabbat.

Pyar Ke Sadqay concludes on a promising note - Cutacut.com

Bilal Khan as Abdullah in Pyar Kay Sadqay had him in a totally different avatar than his previous drama Cheekh and he nailed the character. Yeh Dil Mera and Ehd e Wafa ending in 2020 meant Ahad Raza Mir made his mark in 2020. Feroze Khan in Ishqiya gave another solid performance and proved why his fandom is loyal to him. Ameer Gilani was the new star of 2020 as his performance in Sabaat not only got him praises from the critics but saw a boost in his popularity as an actor as well. Sami Khan’s distinct performances in Dulhan and Saraab, where he is almost playing a double role, cemented his position as a reputable and a respected actor of the industry. Faysal Qureshi delivered another strong performance in Muqaddar, as expected from an actor of his caliber.

Imran Ashraf made up for his previous blunder i.e. Kahin Deep Jalay by giving a layered performance in Mushk. Junaid Khan in Kashf shed off all his inhibitions and gave perhaps the strongest performance of his acting career so far. Mohib Mirza’s character and performance in Dushman-e-Jaan got the audience’s attention and made the drama into the success it was.

Comparisons And Controversies

2020 was also quite a controversial and rather complicated year for the dramas. The airing of the Turkish historical dizi Diriliş: Ertuğrul on PTV and it being endorsed by the country’s Prime Minister made it into the biggest drama of the year. In a year where a Turkish drama was showing all the glory and the values of the religion while local Pakistani dramas were showing “controversial” topics like a man’s extramarital affair with his sister-in-law (Jalan), a man lusting after his step daughter-in-law (Pyar Kay Sadqay), a man marrying the sister of his ex-girlfriend in the name of revenge (Ishqiya) led to a certain section of the audience vocally expressed their displeasure over the content of Pakistani dramas being made.

However, the very same dramas that got the most criticism and in one case an outright ban, turned out to be the biggest hits commercially for the channels. More people watched those dramas online, more audience tuned in on the channels when those dramas were on-air. This contradiction in what the audience was demanding and what it was practically consuming led to multiple discussions around the topics ‘do creators make dramas that audience wants to see or does the audience have no choice but to watch what is being served to them?’

Not just Ertuğrul, the airing of two original web-series on Zee5 as well as many short films released on Youtube were also used as examples to point out what is lacking in the mainstream dramas this year. Churails was more a more controversial series but Ek Jhoothi Love Story was hailed as a true Pakistani drama that unfortunately had to be aired on an OTT platform as the channels no longer supported that kind of storytelling for their mainstream dramas.

Nevertheless, not just the audience but the drama makers and the actors themselves were divided on this topic. Some actors and producers said the dramas being made nowadays are only being made because they are what sell and make profit. While some other directors, writers, and actors lamented the fact that television in Pakistan has become a fully commercialized industry with little to no space allowed for any creative liberty.

Final Word

Controversial or not, good or bad; there is no denying the fact that the Pakistani drama industry was the only entertainment industry in this year that made sure television was not out of fresh content. Despite the troubling work conditions the cast and the crew of the dramas kept the cameras rolling for which they must be commended. The many discussions happening around the impact and importance of dramas that happened this year make us hopeful that maybe the coming year will be a better year for dramas in terms of the quality of content.

And that’s a wrap! Here’s a cheer to bid 2020 farewell and welcome 2021 with a new hope, a new positivity, and a new strength to see it through!

Teasers For ‘Qayamat’ Show Glimpses Of Some Powerful Performances

By

Maisooma Batool

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December 24, 2020

As 2020 approaches its end, Pakistani drama channels are already busy airing teasers for their grand projects that will be going on air in the new year. It is definitely an impeccable feat of our drama industry which despite being hit by a global pandemic continued to churn out content so that television never ran out of fresh new content for the audience to consume. One such drama to go on air on Geo TV pretty soon is Qayamat.

A 7th Sky Entertainment production, Qayamat is written by Sarwat Nazeer with Ali Faizan directing the project. Starring Ahsan Khan, Amar Khan, Neelam Muneer, and Haroon Shahid in lead roles, the drama’s teasers have been released. And judging from the glimpses of the teasers, it looks like the audience are going to be in for a ride filled with powerful performances.

What Is It About

The teasers have shown some snippets of the characters played by Ahsan, Amar, Neelam, and Haroon. Ahsan Khan appears to be playing a character with negative traits as he is a man who is shown to be a selfish man who has no regards for anyone else but himself. He is seen partying in the streets, flirting with women, indulging in smoking and drinking, and to top it all off – being an abusive husband to his wife.

Amar Khan is playing Ahsan’s wife in the drama. Neelam and Haroon appear to be involved romantically as there are glimpses of the two sharing private moments during wedding festivities. The twist happens when it is shown that the character played by Neelam gets married to Ahsan’s character. How did that happen? We will have to watch the show to know.

Amar Khan Shines Bright

Amar Khan definitely stands out in all the teasers. She has nailed the character of an abused wife who is at the whims of her husband’s unpredictable mood swings. Her character appears to be both physically abused as well as mentally tortured. And yet she seems to be clinging on to her husband and her relationship with him.

The teasers haven’t shown the reason why she is going through all this torture and there is no way of knowing until the show airs. But if the teasers job is to create anticipation within the audience then the teasers for Qayamat have definitely gotten us excited for what Amar Khan has in store for the audience with her performance. Her previous drama on Geo TV Dil-e- Gumshuda showed her in a negative role and that got Amar much praise and love for the audience. This time she is all set to appear in a completely different avatar and this talented actress has, from the looks of it, completely nailed her character.

More To Look Forward To

Last time Ahsan played a negative role in Udaari, he gave the audience a memorable character in the shape of Imtiaz. It is definitely exciting to watch Ahsan Khan don the skin of a character with negative shades. Neelam Muneer has wowed the audience with her strong character in the drama Bikhray Moti. Her character in Qayamat appears to have similarly strong characteristics. It would be interesting to watch her pairing with Ahsan in a serious drama since their previous outing was a comedy film Chupan Chupai.

With Sana, Shabbir Jan, and Saba Faisal being a part of the supporting cast, it is hard to believe that Qayamat will not have impeccable performances to look forward to. There is no air date for the drama announced.

Old ‘Nand’ In A New Face – Drama Goes The Plastic Surgery Way!

By

Hammad Akbar

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December 24, 2020

The story might end but the show must go on. This is the philosophy with which the team behind the ratings hit drama Nand seem to be working with. While the drama’s story has apparently ended some time ago, the show does not show any signs of ending any time soon.

Confused? We will explain. Drama serial Nand is a typical story of an evil sister-in-law whose only agenda in life is to make the lives of all her family members as miserable as possible. Ultimately the evil character, Gohar played by Faiza Hassan, had the typical went-mad-and-got-lost-in-the-streets ending after all her lies were exposed and her reputation in front of her family was tarnished. All’s well that ends well?

Not quite. Because Gohar is all set to make her comeback to the drama even if the actress who played her might not. How? Well, through the good old plastic surgery trope!

A Huge Hit

Drama serial Nand was a typical affair right from the start as it was choke full of clichés (helpless women, naïve men and an evil sister-in-law who controls them all) that one usually witnesses in Pakistani dramas. What set the drama apart was the fast pacing (it airs four times a week) and Faiza Hassan’s excellent performance as the evil, manipulative titular nand. Faiza Hassan, who is very selective about the projects she does, had been missing from the small screen for a long time. Nand served as a comeback vehicle for the actress and it proved to be a huge success for her.

And as is the case with most dramas these days, the channel and the makers of the show decided to stretch the drama as soon as they found out it was doing well in terms of TRPs. As the the producer of the drama Fahad Mustafa has already confessed that he is only here to make money so, that is exactly what he is doing with the drama. The drama, which has already crossed 80 episodes, continues to bring in the ratings and the views for the makers clearly pointing out that the audience is not yet done enjoying it.

Here Is Why Javeria Saud Replaced Faiza Hassan In Nand

The problem, however, is that for quite some episodes the titular nand has been missing from the story. If the show has to continue for a longer time this might create troubles for the makers. So, to solve this little trouble, the makers of the drama serial Nand have borrowed the tried and tested trope of “plastic surgery” from the dramas across the border.

Who Is The New ‘Nand’?

There was a time when Indian dramas, especially that of Star Plus, were criticized for being never-ending. They went on for years, some of them aired more than a thousand episodes. The shows kept retaining characters by replacing old actors with new actors after showing the old characters undergoing plastic surgery. Nand appears to have taken its inspiration from such dramas as it is is set to introduce the same trope of plastic surgery in Pakistani dramas. Long after Gohar’s arc has ended, the drama will be reintroducing her.

But this time she will be seen wearing a new face, that of Javeria Saud’s. In the latest episode, Gohar’s character was seen getting a plastic surgery after she went through an accident which burned her face beyond recognition. It is likely that the drama will introduce Javeria Saud as Gohar in the next episode. The teasers for the new face of Gohar as well as her “revenge” plan against the family are already airing, building anticipation for the fans of the show.

Javeria Saud revealed in an interview that Faiza Hassan couldn’t continue the soap serial because of some personal reasons. Javeria, who has been away from acting herself for quite some time now except for doing some projects for her home production, said that she will be doing a drama for another production house after a very long time.

Final Word

Introducing the often frowned upon trope of plastic surgery might seem like a new low for Pakistani dramas, but if the makers and the audience are happy with the development then who are we to complain? All we can do is hope that after this nand meets her end we won’t get to see yet another Indian drama trope being used to continue the story. Nand ka punar janam? We shudder at the very thought.

‘I Am Here Only To Make Money’ – Fahad Mustafa

By

Maisooma Batool

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December 16, 2020

Fahad Mustafa is one of the few celebrities of the Pakistani entertainment industry whose success rate is far bigger than his failure rate. In the past few years, some of the biggest hits of the Pakistani entertainment industry have had the Fahad Mustafa stamp on them. Biggest blockbuster film of Pakistani cinema? Fahad Mustafa was one of the main leads of it. The biggest game show of the country? Fahad Mustafa has been hosting it for years. Some of the biggest dramas in terms of ratings and online views to air in the past year? Unsurprisingly, they are produced under Fahad Mustafa’s production house – Big Bang Entertainment.

While the popularity of Fahad Mustafa the actor and Fahad Mustafa the host cannot be argued, it is Fahad Mustafa the producer that has a very conflicting image in the eyes of the audience. On one hand, the dramas he produces continue to fetch high ratings for the channel making them successful business ventures but on the other hand, those very same dramas tend to get criticized a lot for their problematic storylines and how they represent certain kinds of sensitive issues. Fahad Mustafa is the one to bear the brunt of all the criticism his dramas get simply because he is the one whose investment made those dramas possible in the first place.

However, judging by a recent interview Fahad Mustafa gave to SomethingHaute, he could not be less bothered about the criticism and is fully focused on his successes.

A ‘Producer’ Producer

Drama serials Jalan and Nand might just be two of Big Bang Entertainment’s dramas yet. But they are also two of the most controversial dramas to air in the recent past as well. The dramas have been heavily criticized for the content and yet, they managed to top all the rating charts and get millions of views online on every episode. Jalan was even embroiled in a banning controversy but that only ended up making the drama get even more viewership and views.

When questioned about what he feels about the criticism these dramas get, Fahad Mustafa was quick to dismiss the idea that there is a sizeable set of audience that is unhappy with the content being produced. He said that as a producer he has to cater to a larger audience and it is the kind of audience that doesn’t even know what a Netflix even is.

“I am a ‘producer’ producer. I have to work with a lot of people. I can’t make all my projects with the aim of pleasing the critics. That just can’t happen. And even if I were to then at least prove me wrong with my other projects. Make them flop, don’t watch them. But no, the audience is fully engrossed in those dramas and love to watch them.”

Fahad mentioned that his audience is made of the common folk. He said that he has met butchers in the marketplace and security guards at gates knowing him not just as an actor but as a producer as well. And that is his biggest success. His dramas Jalan and Nand are being loved by these kinds of people.

“My audience is the kind that stands in the jalsa. Now if someone is questioning the legitimacy of these people’s choices because of their literacy rate then that’s another debate. But I make my dramas for these people.”

Fahad also said that the live audience he interacts with at his game show Jeeto Pakistan is where most of his stories come from. He says observing his audience at a close distance that Jeeto Pakistan provides him has given him the opportunity to learn how the common folk of the country live and how their relationships are with one and other.

It’s All Business

Fahad Mustafa said that initially he used to approach projects as an actor and used to have many concerns about how things work. But when he turned into a producer he learned that there are many things he has to take care like making sure that his projects are both feasible and profitable for the entire team.

He talked about how he has to work with the channel and adhere to their demands. Doing so, later on, gives him the chance to make a project that is completely according to his own wishes. It is a system and as a producer, he has to respect it. He cannot always try to have things that happen in his own way. As a producer, he has to make a feasibility plan before every project to see how it will be made and sold. This means the dramas will have to be 26-30 episodes long. Short dramas won’t work, regardless of who is cast in them. There is no money in them.

“And why would anyone want to do any project for free? Why would the actors and the technicians be okay with not being paid and having all that money poured into the production? Don’t they want to make money? I will be honest I came into the industry to make money and I have no shame in admitting that.”

Fahad unabashedly confessed that he makes all his money through Big Bang Entertainment.

“Actors want to act in my dramas, the audience wants to watch my dramas, the channels want to air my dramas; so, what am I doing wrong here?” Fahad questioned in defense of the dramas he produces.

Not His Responsiblity

When questioned about a producer’s responsibility to make good content for television, Fahad said that television is for entertainment and isn’t meant to be a school that teaches morals. Fahad also said that not all dramas will have a moral message to them and that some dramas are meant for sheer entertainment only. According to Fahad Mustafa, there are bigger evils that are corrupting society namely apps like TikTok.

“I have huge respect for PEMRA but there are bigger issues to deal with. We can’t tell a story the way they want us to.”

Well, Fahad Mustafa made many points in the hour long interview which shed light on how he works as a producer as well as how he fulfills his needs as an actor. Did all his points make sense? We’ll let the audience be the judge of that.

‘Dunk’ Promises A Thrilling Story Revolving Around The #MeToo Movement

By

Hammad Akbar

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December 14, 2020

The highly anticipated Dunk has released its teasers, indicating that the drama is finally about to go on-air. Produced by Fahad Mustafa’s Big Bang Entertainment, directed by Badar Memood and written by Mohsin Ali, Dunk has a very strong team working on the project. Fans of Pakistani dramas had been waiting for a glimpse of the show ever since it was announced earlier this year in April for various reasons. For starters, it was going to reunite Bilal Abbas Khan with director Badar Mehmood, who previously directed him in superhit dramas Balaa and Cheekh. Secondly, the drama roped in Sana Javed to star as the female lead, giving the audience a fresh new pairing to look forward to.

And if that wasn’t all, the drama cemented itself as a potential blockbuster when the veteran Noman Ejaz joined the cast. Nothing much was revealed about the story back then except that Dunk is supposed to be a “modern thriller.” However, after watching the three teasers released by the team, the audience now have an idea about what they can expect from the drama.

A Glimpse

Judging from the teasers, it seems like Dunk is going to highlight the prevailing issue of harassment at educational institutions. In the first teaser, some students can be seen protesting against a professor Humayun, played by Noman Ijaz, for allegedly harassing a student Amal, played by Sana Javed. Professor Humayun, however, denies all the claims made against him. Bilal Abbas Khan plays Haider, Amal’s class fellow, who can be seen extending his full support to Amal. Joining them on their cause is Azekah Daniel, possibly playing a student at the same institution. Yasra Rizvi plays Noman Ejaz’s wife.

Rounding out the ensemble cast are Atiqa Odho, Salma Hassan, Saifi Hasan and Laila Wasti. It feels like the actors are in full command over their roles, particularly Sana Javed and Noman Ejaz whose characters are in the direct conflict with each other. For now, it’s hard to tell which one of them is speaking the truth regarding the allegations and that’s the best thing about the teasers – they revealed just enough of the story to get the audience talking about the drama but also leave them wanting for more.

A Sensitive Topic

The teasers of Dunk have definitely made an impactful first impression and the audience has already started talking about it. Many fans are guessing that Dunk is going to be tackling the issue of false allegations of sexual harassment that leads to the accused person’s life being ruined. Last year there was a case of a MAO college lecturer committing suicide after a female student accused him of sexually harassing her. The allegations were proved to be false by the inquiry committee of the college however, the lecturer being unable to handle the stress of the aftermath of the situation that he was put under and getting his personal and professional life disturbed because of it, ended up committing suicide. Judging from Dunk‘s teasers, this case might just be the inspiration behind the drama.

This is not a new thing as Pakistani dramas lately have been taken inspiration from sensitive real-life events. In the past few years, channels have stepped out of their comfort zones by taking up sensitive topics. Unfortunately, majority of them have failed to grasp the fragility of the topics by butchering the storylines and the characters in hope of getting more TRP’s. For example, Sana Javed’s previous drama Ruswai, which also aired on ARY, was criticized for how it had started as the story of a gang-rape survivor’s journey and later became a typical story of saas-bahu drama.

Heavy Responsibility

#MeToo movement is already a heavily misunderstood movement in Pakistan. Dunk‘s teasers are promising a story that tells the tale of a victim of sexual harassment taking up a fight against her abuser. But they are also hinting towards Dunk being a drama that tells the tale of the misuse of the #MeToo movement. Such a drama needs to be a one that treats the topic with immense sensitivity and nuance. While there is no denying the fact that cases of false accusations of sexual harassment do exist in the world, the reality is that the real cases of sexual harassment far outnumber the false ones. Dunk has a heavy responsibility on its shoulder to take care to not, even unwillingly, damage the already fragile state of #MeToo movement in Pakistan where the victims have a hard time getting justice to begin with.

Nevertheless, the strong cast and team involved in the project give us hope that Dunk will manage to fulfill our expectations of being a sensitively handled drama. Any drama that doesn’t tell the regular soapy stories of domestic issues is a breath of fresh air and Dunk‘s teasers are promising a thrilling story that will have the audience engaged in how it will unfold. And if nothing else, at least the performances in the drama are guaranteed to be top-notch.

‘Clickbait’ Is A Fun New Web-Series About Youtubers At War

By

Maisooma Batool

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December 8, 2020

Web-series in Pakistan is getting more mainstream attention after Zee5 commissioned five original web-series to be made by some of the top creatives in the country. However, Pakistan’s digital content has been quite strong for a very long time. For years now, many content creators have been churning out great content for the digital spaces in the form of vlogs, sketches, and mini web-series. The lack of an OTT platform’s backing in Pakistan has not deterred many content creators from making a respectable career in the field as platforms like Youtube and Facebook have provided them the space that allowed their creativity to reach millions of people around the world.

One such group of young filmmakers under the name of Imagine Nation pictures released a web-series on Youtube last year by the name of BFFs. The quirky, fourth-wall-breaking, six-episode-long comedy web-series that told the story of two best friends that get married more out of convenience to escape their families than for any romantic reason collectively got millions of views and was praised for unconventional humor. Now, Imagine Nation is back with their second web-series, and this time they are dabbling in the world of Youtube vloggers.

Youtubers At War

Aptly titled Clickbait, the web-series is a story about two rival Youtubers Sara (Rida Zahra) and Asad (Sami Rehman), who are constantly trying to outdo one another. The first episode of the web-series clearly establishes the main characters of the story and their rivalry. But the most interesting thing about the episode was the way it shows a sneak-peek into the machinations that go on behind-the-scenes in the lives of famous Youtube vloggers.

The first episode of the series was an easy and breezy watch as it quickly delved right into the main story without wasting any time. The production value of the series is also excellent and it is evident that the team has not compromised on the quality by doing their best to put together a top-quality project. While Sami Rehman and Rida Zahra’s acting still needs work, it is not bad enough to be distracting. Considering it is a web-series and the duo have also worked on major departments of the series behind-the-scenes as well, it is engaging enough to immerse the audience in the world of the characters they are playing.

Clickbait is definitely of a different genre than the team’s first web-series BFFs as the trailer and the promos suggest that it is a more serious story that focuses on the ups and downs of internet fame and how different reality really is from what the internet perceives. The series which is primarily shot in Thailand also promises to treat the audience to some picturesque visuals alongside an explosive storyline that deals with complex characters, their ambitions, and the relationship they share with each other. In addition to all of this, Clickbait also boasts of cameos of some of the biggest Pakistani Youtubers that the long-time fans of Pakistani digital content will easily be able to spot and recognize.

The Team Behind It

Imagine Nation pictures (IN) was set up by 4 young filmmakers namely Sami Rehman (of Bekaar Films fame), Rida Zahra, Ghania Asad, and Sidrah Jamil. IN was formed in the hopes of further exploring the web series market in Pakistan and later dabbling into films and other media. Their goal is to present a range of different genres and exciting content that would inspire Pakistani youth.

Sami Rehman and Rida Zahra have co-directed both the Imagine Nation web-series as well as acting in them in the leading roles. Talking about the experience of shooting the series, the co-director duo said that despite the difficulties of taking on such a project, the experience was very fulfilling for them.

“Acting, directing, and doing several other things on set at the same time was never going to be easy but we still had a blast filming in Thailand.”

A very small team went to shoot the majority of the series in Thailand (Bangkok, Phuket, and Phi Phi Island) and among them were fellow teammates and producers Sidrah Jamil and Ghania Asad. Being a small team and all, each member was wearing multiple hats on set and had to work on almost no sleep for the 9 days they spent out of the country. No matter how tough things got, the team persevered and didn’t hold back.

“We’re more than excited to finally show what we’ve been working on,” Sidrah and Ghania pitched in.

The first episode of Clickbait was released exclusively on Imagine Nation’s Youtube channel on 4th December, with the remaining five episodes to be released every Friday.

Is The New Zara Shahjahan Shoot A Blatant Ripoff Of ‘A Suitable Boy’?

By

Atiqa Ali

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December 5, 2020

Ever since the official social media handles of the designer brand, Zara Shahjahan, posted a back shot of two people in extravagant outfits sitting on a swing, there was a flurry of netizens speculating who the mysterious couple was. Eagle-eyed fans were quick to guess that it was none other than Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly, the internet’s favorite jodi. They were proved right when the official collection was unveiled.

The campaign, which is for the designer’s luxury bridal wear collection, is stunning. It also features the Lollywood darling Resham and model Eman Suleman alongside Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly. The shoot was Sajal and Ahad’s first campaign together after their wedding and fans all over the world cited it as their best one yet. The brand too was lauded for the amazing creative vision of the shoot.

However, some people started noticing that something was off with the shoot soon after it was released. After some scrutiny, people started pointing out the rather blatant similarity of the shoot with the popular Netflix series A Suitable Boy. And once one notices the similarities, it is impossible to ignore how ‘inspired’ the shoot actually is.

What Is ‘A Suitable Boy’?

The BBC television miniseries A Suitable Boy is an adaptation of the novel of the same name written by Vikram Seth. The series was streamed on Netflix after originally airing on BBC One earlier this year. The story of the series takes place in the still tumultuous post-partition India in the 1950s. The setting of the drama meant that the drama was full of many period-specific visuals that gave it an old-world charm. A significant part of the story revolves around the romance of an older courtesan (Tabu) and a young man (Ishaan Khatter) which means there were specific sets designed in the drama to show the setting of a haveli where their romance grew.

The Zara Shahjahan shoot appears to have made suitable use of the visuals shown in A Suitable Boy. From the set to the models to the shots and even the color palette of the shoot, everything bears an uncanny resemblance to the aforementioned series.

Similarities

For those of you who haven’t noticed it, let’s dissect the entire shoot. Beginning with the set, our models are seen posing in a charming old haveli much like Saeeda Bai’s haveli from the series. The wooden lattice windows, the mihrab arches, the furniture, the birdcages and the famous jhoola are some of the props that link both sets and therefore, create a similar vibe.

Besides the sets, even the posing tells a similar story. In one picture Resham, who is playing the character of Resham bai in the shoot, is seen strumming the sitar while Ahad looks on leaning against a wall. The caption says “all that are present fall under the veil of magic”. In the series, the first time Maan sees Saeeda Bai is when she sings at a mehfil at his house and he is transfixed, much like a spell has been cast on him. The sitar is also a visible similarity as Saeeda Bai plays the very instrument multiple times while singing ghazals. Also, the way Ahad leans against a wall while looking at her mirrors a scene from the movie where Maan leans against a pillar, staring at Saeeda Bai as she reads.

Another glaring similarity is the swing. In the series, the swing plays a huge part in showcasing Maan and Saeeda Bai’s romance. Sajal and Ahad posing on a swing in the shoot seem incredibly inspired. In the series, Saeeda Bai is gifted a book of ghazals by Maan, whom she affectionately calls Daagh Sahib. In the shoot, in one picture we see Ahad and Sajal immersed in the book while in several others Ahad is seen engrossed in his poetry while Sajal lingers about. The caption of these pictures suggests Ahad is a poet and his muse Sajal impatiently awaits his next verse. Co-incidentally, the bridal wear collection by Zara Shahjahan is also called Ghazal.

In A Suitable Boy one of Lata’s suitors, Amit Chatterji is a poet and while sending her his poetry book, writes her a poetic dedication. He treats Lata as his muse and when he has a poetry reading at the latter’s university, he makes a point to show that all his poetry is dedicated to Lata only.

The shot of Eman with a paandaan reminds us of Saeeda Bai’s paandaan where she makes paan for her beloved. The shot of Resham and Eman sitting together reminds us of scenes where Saeeda Bai is seen interacting with her sister Tasneem. The shots with Eman somewhere nearby as Sajal and Ahad are enjoying each other’s company reminds us of Tasneem watching from the sidelines as Saeeda Bai and Maan got closer. The birdcage reminds us of the birdcage that housed Saeeda Bai and Tasneem’s parrot, Mian Mithu. To sum it up, there is no dearth of comparisons as the shoot seems to have mixed and matched several elements of A Suitable Boy and made them all a part of a single shoot.

Coincidental Twinning?

While one may argue that Sajal, Ahad, Resham and Eman were chosen for the magnitude of their influence, their resemblance to some characters from the show can not be ignored.

Ishaan Khatter and Ahad Raza Mir both share similar unruly curls, height, and build. Add on the identical settings and wardrobe affinity and voila. Comparably, Tania Maniktala has beautiful big eyes and a petite build, much like our doe-eyed Sajal. Resham embodies the very glamour and allure that allowed Tabu to portray a stunning older woman who had captured the heart of a young gentleman. Even Eman makes us reminisce about Joyeeta Dutta’s portrayal of Tasneem in the series.

Final Word

All in all, despite the homogeneity among the series and shoot, we have to say that team Zara Shahjahan has pulled off a formidable marketing campaign and for one reason or the other, people are talking about it. We’ll leave you to be the judge of whether the idea of an inspired shoot was successful or not.

‘Zindagi Tamasha’ Chosen As Pakistan’s Official Oscar Entry Despite Eligibility Confusion

By

Hassan Hassan

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December 3, 2020

The year 2020 has been a tumultuous affair for the whole world and the Pakistani film industry is no exception to it. A year that was supposed to be a “make or break” for the local cinema, unfortunately, witnessed everything going upside down courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the coveted films originally planned to be gracing our local cinema screens, Sarmad Khoosat’s Zindagi Tamasha was supposed to be one of the firsts to hit the theatres. The film, however, met a controversial and unfortunate fate soon after its theatrical trailer was released when a section of hardliners objected to the questions the film allegedly raised. While the release of the film still hangs in limbo, it seems all isn’t dark for team Zindagi Tamasha.

Pakistan’s Official Oscar Entry

Earlier this week the Pakistani Academy Selection Committee selected Zindagi Tamasha, Sarmad Khoosat’s second silver screen directorial, as Pakistan’s official entry for Oscar’s consideration in the ‘International Feature Film Award’ category for the 93rd Academy Awards. The committee for 2020 was chaired by Academy and Emmy award winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and had Faisal Kapadia, Asad-ul-Haq, Hamza Bangash, Syed Muhammad Ahmed, Mehwish Hayat, Hasan Shehreyar Yasin, Asim Abbasi, Arshad Mahmud, and Jamal Shah as its members.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will choose the final nominees for all award categories including International Feature Film in February 2021. The complete and final list of Oscar nominees will be announced on 15th March 2021, with the presentation show for the 93rd Academy Awards scheduled to take place on 25th April 2021.

Concerns About The Film’s Release

Starring relatively unknown faces like Arif Hassan, Eman Suleman, Ali Qureshi alongside TV and film artist Samiya Mumtaz, Zindagi Tamasha is co-produced by Sarmad Khoosat, along with Kanwal Khoosat and penned by Nirmal Bano.

The makers describe the film as an intimate portrait of a family and scorching political commentary. It was initially expected to be a brave and timely film as it is shot with the backdrop of the city of Lahore during the celebrations of the holy month of Rabi ul Awal. However, a protest against the film’s release by hardliners brought the film unnecessary attention which delayed its release. The film was later cleared by all censor boards without any major cuts but it still couldn’t see the light of the day due to the inevitable security concerns. The COVID-19 pandemic further deteriorated its release prospects and the film is yet to see the light of the day.

Eligibility Confusion

This situation revolving around the film having had no theatrical release, wide or limited, also raises questions about the film’s eligibility to be nominated for the Oscars as far as the rules of Academy Awards are concerned. One of the rules for the films competing in the International Feature Film category is that the film must be first released in the country submitting the film during the eligibility period defined by the rules of the Academy, and must have been exhibited for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial movie theater.

Another disqualifying factor is a film’s television or internet transmission before its theatrical release. The Academy has in the past rejected the Dutch film Bluebird (2004) on the above premise. This rule is the reason why a film like The Irishman (2019) first had a limited theatrical run in cinemas before it was made available for viewing on Netflix.

Having said that, it is for sure that the local Oscar selection committee must have considered these rules before opting for Zindagi Tamasha as the final contender chosen to represent Pakistan this year. There is no doubt about the brilliance of a director like Sarmad Khoosat and Zindagi Tamasha could be no exception to the gems he has produced earlier. While the audience in Pakistan still wait for the day when they can watch the movie for themselves, here is hoping that the film manages to be shortlisted by the Academy and makes Pakistan proud at the most prestigious film awards in the world.