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‘Jalan’ To Air As Per Schedule: Sindh High Court Reverts PEMRA’s Decision

By
Maisooma Batool
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Drama serial Jalan has been in the news ever since the drama’s promos went on-air. Initially, the promos had left the audience skeptical about the drama’s theme and when the drama finally went on-air, it received criticisms from the audience for having indecent content. The complaints about the drama’s content got to the point where PEMRA had to take notice of the situation and intervened.

Subsequently, the drama serial Jalan was banned by PEMRA to be aired on television a few days ago. One would think that would be the end of the tale but apparently, the tale continues on. In the latest turn of events, Sindh High Court has reversed the ban on drama serial Jalan, allowing the drama to air its next episode as per its schedule.

PEMRA overstepping

A tweet posted by a journalist Omair Alvi earlier in the day announced Sindh High Court’s decision to overrule PEMRA’s ban on the drama. As per the court’s decision, PEMRA has no right to put a ban on any on-air content as it is a regulatory body that is meant to regulate the content of a drama, not put a ban on it.

According to Something Haute, there were some sources close to the drama that had said that the team behind Jalan was in talks with PEMRA to reach a compromise. Talks about cutting out the objectionable content from the episodes were on between the two parties. Looks like Jalan‘s team has succeeded in defending their project as just a day before Jalan‘s new episode is to be aired, the ban on the drama has been lifted.

The news of PEMRA banning the airing of drama serial Jalan on ARY Digital had sparked a whole discussion on social media on what this move could mean for the future of dramas in Pakistan. If one side was celebrating the ban because it meant “indecent” content would be pulled off-air, the other side brought up valid arguments about the rather questionable precedent this ban would set for other dramas.

Well, Jalan lives to see another day on-air. It will be interesting to see which changes, if any, the drama has gone through to avoid getting a warning from PEMRA again. And what this situation can mean for the Pakistani drama industry as a whole.

‘I Never Left The Industry.’ – Armeena Khan

By
Maisooma Batool
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Armeena Khan has been gone from the television for quite some time now. Her last outing in the Pakistani entertainment industry was last year’s film Sherdil. Since then, Armeena hadn’t taken on any significant film or television project in Pakistan which led people to believe that Armeena has left the Pakistani entertainment industry.

However, that is not the case. The actress has not left the industry as evidenced by the pictures that surfaced on social media from the sets of an upcoming drama serial. Armeena Khan is all set to do another drama serial for Hum TV alongside Hira Mani and Junaid Khan.

Armeena talked about her prolonged absence from the Pakistani entertainment industry in this week’s episode of Galaxy Lollywood’s What’s The 411!

A hiatus

Armeena explained that she had never left the industry nor had she ever announced any such thing. All she did was take a hiatus to set her priorities straight in her life.

“I am an actor, this is my job. I had to come back at some point.”

Armeena talked about how a human being has many facets to them. Life is short so Armeena needed that time to herself to set a few things in order. She further explained that that hiatus has helped her in loving being back on sets and shooting.

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?” Armeena commented with a chuckle.

Some details about her upcoming drama

Armeena was all praises for the team of her new drama Mohabattein Chahatein that will air on Hum TV. She said that she was thoroughly enjoying her role and her time on set.

“I have a great, wonderful, supportive team. My director, the cast, and the crew is great. I am thoroughly enjoying playing the role as it is something very different, literally, to anything I have ever done before.”

She did not reveal any more details about the project or her character as doing so will ruin the intrigue of the drama and she wants the audience to keep guessing.

“All I can say is that there is no predictability in the script. No one can be sure about what is going to happen until the end.”

The script for the drama is written by Sameera Fazal who had coincidentally also been the writer for Armeena’s last drama, Daldal.

For more fun discussion about what topics had the social media’s attention this week, check out the full episode of What’s The 411! only on Galaxy Lollywood’s Youtube channel!

https://youtu.be/SdeLvQz143Y

Does Being An Actor In Pakistan Take Away Their Right To Condemn Heinous Crimes?

By
Kasim Bilal
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All celebrities have their own formula regarding their online presence. While some take the time out to interact with fans, others tend not to. It is understandable considering how celebrities are soft targets for the social media trolls that take no time in taking offense to every word they post online.

However, celebrities are also citizens of the country and the pressing issues of the country affect them as much as any common citizen. The heinous Motorway Incident has sparked outrage on social media and our Pakistani celebrities are also not hesitating in demanding strict actions against the rapists and urging the system to take accountability. They are well within their rights to exercise freedom of speech and yet, people on social media don’t make it easy for them to simply because they are celebrities who work in the Pakistani entertainment industry.

Questioned for demanding justice

the hashtag #PublicHangingOfRapists was endorsed by many Pakistani celebrities who had posted it on their respective social media. Faysal Qureshi was one of the actors who expressed his frustrations at the increasing number of sexual crimes against women and demanded strict repercussions for the criminals. However, the responses that his tweets got were more to do with his job than what he was actually saying.

Faysal was involved in a Twitter spat with some users who had taken offense to Faysal demanding punishments for the culprits when he was a Pakistani television actor. Apparently, just because Faysal has acted in a couple of dramas that have the theme of sexual violence in them, Faysal is in no position to comment on the issue that is becoming rampant in the county. He is, according to some twitter users, a contributor to the crimes.

Faysal Qureshi was not the only one who was questioned for demanding justice. Mahira Khan had also posted on her Instagram where she expressed her frustrations regarding the whole situation. Even her post got a comment which put the entire blame on the Pakistani entertainment industry instead of the actual culprits. Mahira shut down the person by pointing out the very obvious in a sarcastic manner.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CE9oF91hAcc/

Is the industry really to blame?

Every time there is a new tragic and unfortunate incident regarding harassment and rape, this argument is brought up. The recent clips from Say It All With Iffat Omar that have resurfaced online were also brought in the conversation to act as evidence for the role that the industry is playing in all this.

Faysal was even questioned about the controversial statements that Iffat Omar has made in her show. While Faysal rightfully replied that the ones who made the comments are the one who should be questioned for it, it does give proof of how social media tends to think of the entire drama industry as one homogenous entity where every individual can be asked to take accountability for the actions of others.

This argument is a very childish and stupid one. Rapists and the criminals are the ones responsible for such heinous crimes and nothing as TV serials or movies can be blamed for it. No content either on TV or film has ever glorified or tried to normalize the horrors of these crimes. Even in the stories that do have sexual violence and crimes as a plotline, it is never presented in a way that could potentially entice carry out the same deeds.

Regardless of the accusations against the industry, it’s an undeniable fact that our artists, dramas, and films do have an impact. They raise awareness by presenting the realities of society in a fictional movie or a show. In real life, they used their platforms on social media to bring attention to the pressing matters. The importance of celebrities speaking up for issues cannot be denied. And it is high time netizens learn it.

Directors And Their Favorite Actors That Are Ruling The Pakistani Drama Industry

By
Hammad Akbar
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Entertainment industries around the world have their share of cliques and camps. And the Pakistani drama industry is not any different. While not rampant to a notorious extent, there is no denying that many of our dramas tend to have a team that is often repeated.

Over time it has become quite noticeable how certain directors tend to repeat actors in their projects. Sure, Nadeem Baig will more often than not have Humayun Saeed as the leading man of his project but that’s not the only case. There are other directors for television who have a set of favorite actors that they like working with.

Here are some of the major Pakistani drama directors and their favorite actors that they like to work with the most.

Directors and Actors

Farooq Rind and his clique

Notable for his works that include Pyar Ke Sadqay, Baaghi and Besharam, Farooq Rind’s clique consists of actors Zahid Ahmed (Jugnoo, Pukar, Ishq Zahe Naseeb), Yumna Zaidi (Jugnoo, Pukar, Ishq Zahe Naseeb, Pyar Ke Sadqay), and Saba Qamar (Besharam, Baaghi) who often play the main leads in his dramas.

Apart from the main leads, Farooq’s clique also consists of supporting actors Malik Raza (Besharam, Jugnoo, Pyar Kay Sadqay), Saba Faisal (Baaghi, Pukaar), Ismat Zaidi (Jugnoo, Ishq Zahenaseeb), Khalid Malik (Baaghi, Laa, Ishq Zahe Naseeb) and Rehan Sheikh (Pukaar, Besharam, Laa, Jugnoo).

Kashif Nisar and his clique

Kashif Nisar is another prominent name in the Pakistani drama industry. Often playing the main leads in his dramas are actors Naumaan Ijaz (Kami Reh Gayee, Ullu Baraye Farokht Nahi, Dumpukht, Pinjra, O Rangreza and Dar Si Jati Hai Sila, Saat Mulaqatein, Bay Emaan Muhabbat upcoming web series Mann Jogi and drama Raqeeb Se), Saba Qamar (Sannata, Ullu Baraye Farokht Nahi, Sangat, Bay Emaan Muhabbat Mann Jogi), Yumna Zaidi (Ullu Baraye Farokht Nahi, Pinjra, Dar Si Jati Hai Sila, Inkaar), Iqra Aziz (Ranjha Ranjha Kardi, Raqeeb Se) and Imran Ashraf (Lashkaara, Inkaar, Ranjha Ranjha Kardi).

His supporting cast includes Kiran Haq (Sangat, Pinjra, Dar Si Jaati Hai Sila), Faiza Gillani (Intezaar, Pinjra, Mann Jogi), Munazzah Arif (Inkaar, Dar Si Jati Hai Sila, Ranjha Ranjha Kardi), Omair Rana (Ullu Baraye Farokht Nahi, O Rangreza) Noor ul Hassan (Darr Si Jaati Hai Sila, Ranjha Ranjha Kardi, Inkaar), Kinza Malik (Darr Si Jaati Hai Sila, Inkaar), Uzma Hassan (Mann Jogi, Bay Emaan Muhabbat, Ullu Baraye Farokht Nahi).

Anjum Shahzad and his clique

Known for his work mostly on Geo Entertainment, Anjum Shahzad’s clique consists of actors Sana Javed (Darr Khuda Say, Khaani, Romeo Weds Heer) and Feroze Khan (Khaani, Romeo Weds Heer). Saman Ansari also starred in Khaani and Romeo Weds Heer in a supporting role.

Badar Mehmood and his clique

Badar Mehmood has only made a handful of dramas so far, but after he directed Aisi Hai Tanhai, he became one of the most sought-after directors on TV. His next three dramas Balaa, Cheekh and Ishqiya were quite popular during the time they went on air. His clique consists of Bilal Abbas Khan (Balaa, Cheekh, and upcoming Dunk) and Azekeh Daniel, who surprisingly, starred in all three dramas Bilal starred in.

Directors and Writers

It is not just the actors that the directors are fond of working with. Some directors also have favorite writers whose stories they tend to direct for screen more than others.

Saji Gul and Kashif Nisar

Director Kashif Nisar not only has a camp that consists of his favorite actors but writers too. That is precisely why he keeps collaborating with one of his favorite writers, Saji Gul, time and again. The director-writer duo first worked together on the drama Sannata. Then they delivered the super hit O Rangreza. The duo will be back with yet another project, this time a web series, Mann Jogi, set to air on Zee5.

Faiza Iftikhar and Kashif Nisar

Faiza Iftikhar is known for writing brilliant and complex female characters. She wrote two dramas that Kashif directed, Pinjra and Ranjha Ranjha Kardi. Both dramas received unanimous appreciation for having distinct storylines.

Bee Gul and Kashif Nisar

It was only ten years ago when Bee Gul started her writing career when she first wrote the drama Kaun Qamar Aara. But since then, she has become a household name in the Pakistani drama industry. She wrote Dar Si Jaati Hai Sila, which handled the sensitive topic of sexual abuse in a great manner. The drama was directed by Kashif Nisar. Both of them will reunite once again for the upcoming Raqeeb Se.

Badar Mehmood and Zanjabeel Asim Shah

Director Badar Mehmood and writer Zanjabeel Asim Shah have worked together on two dramas as of now: Balaa and Cheekh. Although both dramas had a brilliant start, the audience complained that they stopped making sense somewhere in the middle.

Having cliques in an industry may not necessarily be a bad thing, but when well-established channels, writers, and directors choose to work with the same actors, again and again, other talented actors have no choice but to work on average scripts. While this might not seem like a huge problem now, in the near future it could negatively affect the kind of talent that is promoted in the industry.

Breaking: PEMRA Orders A Ban On Drama Serial ‘Jalan’

By
Maisooma Batool
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The news of PEMRA taking notice of content that goes against the religious, ethical, and moral values of the Pakistani society had surfaced a few days ago. PEMRA had given out a statement that had banned the re-runs of dramas Ishqiya and Pyar Kay Sadqay from airing on televisions.

In the same statement, the fate of the on-going drama serial Jalan was still left undecided. PEMRA was still investigating the content of the drama and based on the investigation, the drama’s fate was to be decided.

Well, the verdict is out now.

Jalan is banned

PEMRA has released a statement banning the drama serial Jalan from airing on television. The statement reads that PEMRA has put an immediate ban on the drama as it goes against the social and moral ethics of Pakistani society.

The statement also reads that PEMRA had given repeated warnings to the channel ARY Digital to revise the content of Jalan to make it more in accordance with the social and moral ethics of Pakistani society. However, the channel refused to comply with PEMRA’s warnings.

As a result, PEMRA has now but an immediate ban on the drama. Jalan includes a plotline that depicts an illicit affair between a brother-in-law with his sister-in-law. The outrage regarding the drama’s storyline has been present on social media ever since the drama started airing.

Meera All Set To Make Her Stage Show Debut With ‘Selfie Queen’

By
Hassan Hassan
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“Zamana hey theatre ka! Stage pe apney jalwey dikhaney ka!” One of the biggest entertainers from Lollywood era Meera seems to have taken this dialogue from her comeback film Baaji quite seriously and in all its literal meanings now that the news of her first-ever stage performance has surfaced.

That’s right! Meera would be performing in one of Faisalabad’s commercial theatres for the first time in her career. The show called Selfie Queen is all set to start its run from 11th September.

Financial struggles are the reason?

Some time ago Meera had requested financial aid from the Punjab Government. The Artists Support Fund was created to support the senior artists of the country that are going through financial struggles due to lack of work. Meera had requested a whopping sum of 40 million rupees from the Artists Support Fund citing the reason that she needed the money to get through the pandemic.

Meera’s request was rejected unanimously as, as per the Fund’s rules, an artist can only be paid up to 10 thousand rupees. Looks like Meera has now turned to more practical ways of supporting herself financially.

The news may not come as surprise considering the dwindling work opportunities Pakistani artists are having in the pandemic hit world which only added further misery to the shrinking film industry of Pakistan. In such a scenario Meera’s detour to commercial theatre could be considered no less than a natural progression of events.

The presence of a superstar from the 90s in a stage mujra would surely be an intriguing factor for the commercial theatre fans and could big moolahs to the producers of the show. For an artist who has worked in both commercial and critically acclaimed films in Pakistani cinema, Meera is perhaps the biggest name who would be performing on Punjab’s rather infamous commercial theatre scene.

Not the first case

There have been a few names earlier too who migrated from films to the theatre. Before Meera, the biggest name has to be that of another 90s film star named Nargis. Nargis performed in various Punjabi and Urdu films before opting for a parallel career as a stage performer. She became the queen of commercial theatre in Punjab. People would flock to see her dancing on the stage thus making her the highest-paid stage actor for a long time in the theatre’s history. She was reportedly paid up to Rs. 25 Lakhs for one of her performances. Meera could be just the name to outshine the huge crowd puller that Nargis used to be.

Speaking of the 90s, Madiha Shah is another name from the same era who worked in mainstream Pakistani Urdu and Punjabi films opposite actors like Shaan and Javed Sheikh to name a few. She remained active in Lollywood during the 1980s and 1990s. Later she moved to the commercial stage as an alternative career option. Madeeha Shah was last seen in Syed Noor’s Shaan-Saima romantic flick Majanan as supporting lead. The film itself was a commercial success and Shah was praised for her performance in it.

Zara Akbar was another star who surprised many when she moved from her rather somber yet critically acclaimed TV career to the commercial theatre. Zara Akbar performed lead roles in many of PTV’s and private production dramas. She had surprised many people when she suddenly started working on stage. Her performances were, as per commercial theatre’s norm of course, raunchy and raised many eyebrows. Zara cited her struggling economic status as the reason to dance in the commercial stage.

Celebrities Showing Up For Social Causes Sends Out A Positive Message

By
Ozair Majeed
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It is not every day that we see stars showing up on the streets in the city to show their support towards social causes. Although it is not something new for celebrities to be brave in the public domain, it certainly feels like the turnout has seen an uptick over the recent years.

While some celebrities offer relatively empty seeming gestures, with social media certainly making it easy for them to offer their thoughts and prayers regarding any tragedy, others have shown more practical ways to show their support for certain causes. The physical presence of celebrities in any real-life protests meaningfully contributes and offers much more to the cause than their carefully vetted PR sanctioned social media posts.

Here are some of the causes which had the celebrities showing up personally to show their support towards.

Karachi rain disaster protest 

The recent record-breaking rain lashed the metropolis and the resulting damages caused to the infrastructure of the city affected all civilians of the city. Many celebrities who call the city of lights their home slammed the authorities for the mishandling of the flood crisis. Showbiz stars Feroze Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Fahad Mirza, Yasir Hussain, Frieha Altaf, and Maheen Khan gathered in the gardens of Frere Hall for a peaceful protest demanding to restore the basic amenities and facilities for the city’s residents.

Zainab Ansari murder protest

 The brutal case of rape and murder of innocent Zainab struck a raw nerve and incited widespread protests and outrage in 2018. Popular celebrities among the protestors were Mahira Khan, Hina Bayat, and Sanam Saeed who had gathered at the Karachi press club and held placards to demand justice and measures to end child abuse. The nationwide public outrage at the case led to the passing of Pakistan’s first national child abuse law as the ‘Zainab Alert Bill’ directing that any individual found guilty of child abuse would face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.

Protest at Supreme Court to ban Indian content on Pakistani channels

Yet another bold step by Pakistani celebrities as they stood outside the country’s top court to demanding a ban on Indian content in 2018. The protest was initiated by UPA’s (United Producer’s Association) tweet stating that the Cheif Justice of Pakistan should take notice of the excessive foreign content being aired on Pakistani channels. They further proposed that only 10% of foreign content shall be allowed to be broadcast. Many prominent film and drama artists such as Faysal Qureshi, Aijaz Aslam, Wajahat Rauf, Adnan Siddiqui, Samina Ahmed, Noman Masood, and many others stepped forward to support the stance.

Climate emergency protest

Pakistan has been listed as the seventh most endangered country to be affected by climate change. Our celebrities addressed the climate emergency and gathered together for the citizen-led first-ever Climate March of Pakistan in 2019. Celebrities like Sanam Saeed, Shahzad Roy, Shaniera Akram, Ali Rehman, Saboor Aly, and many others took to Frere Hall and raised their concerns about the deteriorating climate change.

Kashmir Hour  

Celebrities honored PM Imran Khan’s initiative to take part in ‘Kashmir Hour’ to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people against Indian oppression and curfew in 2019. Stars like Hareem Farooq, Faysal Qureshi, Fakhr-e-Alam, Bilal Ashraf, Shahid Afridi, and Ahmed Shahzad came out in support at different landmarks in their respective cities. They also encouraged fans and followers on social media to raise their voice against injustice.

Final Word

In spite of having a large social media following, celebrities are stepping out and participating in protests and that surely sends out a positive message all across. Being in the limelight fetches great outcomes when celebrities turn activists and take the cause a step ahead.

Should Naumaan Ijaz’s Casual Admittance To Infidelity Be Taken Just As A Joke?

By
Atiqa Ali
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Another day, another controversy. A clip has resurfaced where senior actor Naumaan Ijaz is seen baring it all in Iffat Omar’s Youtube show Say It All with Iffat Omar. The interview spans topics such as his immense success, humor, past memories the actor and host share, and much more. However, the clip that has caught the public’s attention, and is now a hot topic on social media, is a bit where Nauman Ijaz is seen casually admitting to indulging in infidelity.

What went down

The interview in question has the esteemed actor having a candid conversation with host Iffat Omar. During the conversation, Iffat comments on how artists are ‘aashiq mizaaj’ as she leads it into a question of how Nauman handles the ‘titliyaan‘ fluttering about him and any passing fancies he might have had.

Mr. Ijaz casually admits that he’s an amorous man who falls in love a lot, even daily he jokes. Naumaan goes on to explain that how he easily falls for a woman who is beautiful both in nature and in appearance and the more “difficult” a woman the more fun it is to fall for them. When Iffat inquired how his marriage filters into it, Naumaan remarked that he’s a great actor and has never let his wife find out. Neither the women’s husbands, he cheekily added. Iffat then asks him but do the women, who are the subject of his fancy, know of his affections and Naumaan confidently replies that yes, they do.

These statements are largely problematic as they promote infidelity and show no respect for the sanctity of marriage. Furthermore, Iffat Omar was seen making light of the statement and responded by saying, “You must teach me these tricks”‘. What kind of tricks are we talking about here? The trick to keeping your partner in the dark while trapezing about with other romantic interests?

The sad part is, it doesn’t end here. Iffat then moves on to the #MeToo movement and asks Naumaan’s views on it. Naumaan Ijaz answered by citing his personal experience that if he’d see talent in a young girl and invite her over and then for some reason wasn’t able to give her a role at that moment in time, the girl would be disappointed and what she says as a result of that disappointment is out of his control. He further said that the movement was dangerous, could be weaponized, and is all due to ‘deen se doori‘.

The #MeToo movement has already been through a lot with the general air of disbelief people have towards harassment survivors. An analysis like this by a senior actor only makes matters worse.

Problematic nature of the show

Naumaan Ijaz’s interview is not a lone incident. Iffat Omar’s show is notorious for inappropriate content either in the form of her questioning methods or the answers to said inappropriate questions. In this case, Iffat questioning Naumaan, a married man, about extramarital romances is wrong before he even begins to answer it.

Similarly, in another interview with Sawera Nadeem, Iffat is seen asking questions about her character Maham in her drama Meray Pass Tum Ho. The questions seem more accusatory than inquisitive and while Sawera answers gracefully, she has to remind the hostess quite a few times that she’s taking things out of context.

In another interview with Meera, Iffat inquired about Meera’s age and did not let it go. Meera and the director of Baaji, Saqib Malik, steered the conversation towards ageism in the industry and how actors had a shelf life but even after that, despite Meera’s visual discomfort, Iffat was seen demanding a number.

Another such example was from an interview with Ali Rehman Khan and Hareem Farooq. Iffat talked about her disbelief when working with Rahat Kazmi saying that she took many retakes of a scene where he had to hug her while playing the role of her father. Iffat said that Rahat Kazmi was unaware but she was fulfilling her own ‘tharak‘. The statement is wrong on so many levels and sets a completely wrong precedent for on-set interactions between colleagues.

https://twitter.com/harrypotter_pak/status/1303243521470627840?s=21

Final Word

The above examples present a clear dilemma now. Do we get to blame guests for speaking without thought? Yes. Public interviews are not drawing-room talk. They need to uphold a certain level of decorum.

But we also need to hold the hosts accountable for inappropriate questioning. Interviewers need to deviate from this norm of cornering guests into giving controversial statements all for the sake of getting masala to boost their ratings and views. They need to have some basic ethical guidelines so that they’re questions do not infringe upon morality or the guest’s privacy.

Amna Ilyas And Dawar Mehmood Tie The Knot In An Intimate Nikah Ceremony

By
Maisooma Batool
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The year 2020 has been quite happening in terms of the changing relationship status of celebrities. There have been many news of celebrity marriages, divorces, link-ups, and breakups throughout the year that have surprised many people because of their suddenness. Well, keeping up with the spirit of the year, there is one more surprising celebrity marriage news that has come to our knowledge.

According to sources, supermodel and actress Amna Ilyas recently tied the knot with the renowned theater director Dawar Mehmood in a private and intimate nikah ceremony.

A lowkey affair

As per sources, the entire affair was kept lowkey. The prominent names that were in attendance for the ceremony are Anwar Maqsood and Sajid Hassan. Dawar has had a long working relationship with Anwar Maqsood as he has directed many of the playwright’s plays for theater under his company Kopykats Productions.

Reports of her tying the knot had surfaced a few months ago when Amna had appeared on Amir Liaquat’s show Jeeway Pakistan where she had talked about having a special someone in her life.

Interestingly, earlier this year Amna Ilyas was set to lead Dawar Mehmood’s latest theatrical production Ankahi. The play is based on Haseen Moin’s classic PTV drama of the same name and Amna was to play the character of Sana Murad, a character originally played by Shahnaz Sheikh. However, the COVID situation caused a delay to happen. But now with the lockdown restrictions lifted up, the play is set to take on the stage in October.

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

Dawar Mehmood has many acclaimed theatre productions to his credit. Last year’s theater play Naach Na Jaane, that had Yasir Hussain playing the lead role in it, which had gotten a lot of attention from the media and the entertainment industry was also directed by Dawar Mehmood.

Galaxy Lollywood wishes the new couple all the best in this new chapter of their lives.

Does PEMRA Banning Reruns Of Dramas Make Sense?

By
Maisooma Batool
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A few days ago a report was released by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) which stated that a ban was placed on the re-runs of ARY Digital’s Ishqiya and Hum TV’s Pyar Kay Sadqay. The reason behind the ban was said to be the content of the dramas that go against the values and morals of the Pakistani society.

Another drama included in the statement was ARY Digital’s Jalan. It was stated that PEMRA had received multiple complaints about the questionable content being shown in the drama. An investigation was ordered by PEMRA into the content of the show based on which it will be decided whether the show will be banned or not.

The question here is: why now?

Done and dusted

Ishqiya and Pyar Kay Sadqay ended their highly successful run just a few weeks back. The shows had trended on social media and Youtube every week. They featured big names and many digital platforms had covered the developments in the show excessively during the weeks that they were on-air. So, it is not like people were not aware of the two shows or the content that was being shown in them.

PEMRA taking notice of the questionable content shown in these two dramas weeks after they have stopped airing makes little to no sense. Putting a ban on the reruns of these two shows on television would hardly affect the shows considering how the shows have racked up millions of cumulative views on Youtube. It is the age of digital. The audience no longer relies on television reruns to catch up to shows that they have missed. A simple search on Youtube brings them to the complete episodes of the show, uploaded in HD format, for them to enjoy at their leisure.

What even are our ‘values’?

Drama serial Jalan has been under fire ever since it started airing because the drama shows a girl pursuing her brother-in-law romantically. The supposed illicit relationship shown between a brother-in-law with his sister-in-law is undeniably immoral. But when we look at the general themes and tropes that are rampant in our Pakistani dramas, Jalan does not come out as the biggest evil.

In Jalan‘s defense, the illicit relationship showcased in the drama is always portrayed in a negative light. The show doesn’t go out of its way to romanticize the sequences. The ‘wrong’ in the show has never been portrayed as being ‘right’. It is a work of fiction that has taken a few creative liberties to tell a story that might not be a norm in society but is not far from reality as well. Pyar Kay Sadqay and Ishqiya too fall under the same category, arguably.

PEMRA’s priorities sure do come across as quite questionable when it chooses to take action against these dramas that are showing wrong as wrong but has remained silent about the dozens of shows on-air that thrive on showing the women being tortured. According to PEMRA, a father-in-law trying to harass his daughter-in-law is against the values of our society but a woman repeatedly getting physically and mentally tortured by her in-laws is very much according to our values?

Women in Pakistani dramas are constantly shown to be berated, insulted, forced to compromise to satisfy the patriarchal customs of the society, hardly ever shown in progressive roles, never given happy endings in case they do end up being shown in a happy married life etc. yet that content is never questioned for going against the values and morals of Pakistani society. Is the picture of a woman constantly suffering the true reflection of the values of our society? PEMRA apparently seems to think that.

Future actions will decide

With PEMRA deciding to take in account the content being shown in Pakistani dramas and taking strict actions against the dramas that fail to live up to the country’s social, moral, and religious standards, it remains to be seen which dramas will end up passing the test and which ones will be ones getting the ban. It will be interesting to see how PEMRA will take action against the dramas which show physical abuse and constant cryfests of the female characters on the regular.

Because when bans happen, they send out a message. PEMRA’s future actions will decide if its interest truly lies in cleansing the content so that it is replaced with truly positive and inspiring content. Or if it only cares about our dramas putting up a superficial image of Pakistani society being a morally upright utopia.

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