With Ramzan underway, Mehwish Hayat has come forward to share “a piece of her heart” with her fans in this Holy month.
The actor recently shared a video of herself reciting the naat Karam Mere Aaqa. Mehwish shared that this naat is very special to her and she hopes that it touches her fans the same way it touched her. While speaking about it onPTV’s Ramzan Transmission, Mehwish also said that the first time she heard the naat, it touched her to so much that she started crying.
The naat has been penned by M Ali Zahoor while the music has been composed by Yousuf Salahuddin, better known as Mian Salli.
Watch it below:
I feel blessed that this Ramzan I am able to share a piece of my heart with you. This naat-e-Rasool-e-Maqbool (S.A.W) is very special to me.I hope it touches you in the same way it touched me. “Karam mere Aaqa” 🤲🏻 Composed & Prod by Mian Yousuf Salahuddin. Lyrics by M. Ali Zahoor pic.twitter.com/IZErIGvYtJ
As the teasers of Bushra Ansari’s latest drama, Zebaish, hit the screens and are doing the rounds on social media, the veteran actor says she is done with “saas-bahu” dramas which is why she decided to work on something different. Ansari remarked that drama makers need to move away from the traditional storylines which depict a mazloom larki and focus on something with more substance. And from the look of the teasers, it appears that she has succeeded in achieving that because the teasers of Zebaish promise a story which is dark yet intriguing.
Without giving away the theme or plot of the drama, Ansari said that her upcoming drama Zebaish, which she has also written, aims to step away from the typical storylines that build on a woman’s distress. She said as drama makers, it is their responsibility to upgrade the audiences.
Talking about Zebaish, Ansari said that the drama’s story has multiple interconnecting tracks.
“The drama will focus on the complexities of human nature and how one’s behaviour defines their life,” said Bushra while speaking to The Current about it from Toronto where she is currently isolating.
She said that the drama will show raw human emotion and shed light on the human feelings of insecurity and selfishness. The actor further shared that in order to make the serial entertaining for the viewers, they have added a lot of glamour and drama. The teasers also show shrine culture and when asked about this, Ansari said that the spiritual and Sufistic elements have also been weaved into the plot.
Shedding light on her character, Ansari said that her character is of a simple, yet confident woman, and how relationships and loss affect her personality and life. She also revealed that she plays a glamorous star in the drama.
The drama also features Ansari’s sister Asma Abbas, niece Zara Noor Abbas and Zara’s husband Asad Siddiqui. Talking about why she chose her family members, Ansari joked that it was convenient. However, she added that the actors suited the characters she had written and it’s not like she was giving them a big break.
“Asma, Zara and Asad are already well-established actors, so it’s not like I am launching their career. I wanted people who would be willing to listen, learn and not show unnecessary attitude on set which is why I decided to go with people I know,” said Ansari. She added that this was also the reason they managed to wrap up the shoot within four months because there were no unnecessary delays caused by actors and their “tantrums”.
“Asma, being a veteran is a professional, while Asad apna bacha hai,” said Bushra. “He was so involved in the drama that he would sometimes shock me too – the director made him rehearse 25 times for some scenes and he would willingly oblige. And Zara, Allah na karay woh nakhray karay. Uss say pehlay hee hum ussay seedha kardein.”
Other cast members include the legendary Shabbir Jan and Babar Ali, both of who were the director’s call. Both the actors will play Ansari’s husband in the serial.
When asked where she got the inspiration for the drama, Bushra shared that stories are all around us but developing a plot and writing a screenplay is what is tough. She revealed that it took her seven months to pen the screenplay for Zebaish because she was tied up in other commitments. She added that she has several other stories in mind but because the process of doing a drama is so tedious, it takes time for things to come into shape.
The drama has been directed by Iqbal Hussain and Ansari shared that though she had written the screenplay, she gave the director full authority to make any changes he wanted. She praised Ahmed for being a master at his craft and said that no one does dramatic elements and dialogues better than him.
Meanwhile, Zara Noor Abbas, on the other hand, had earlier shared that the project was very close to her heart as it was shot during a very difficult phase of her life.
After the pictures of the crowded marketplaces did the rounds on social media, celebrities are urging people to stay at home in order to stay safe from the virus.
Sanam Saeed, who was stranded in Thailand for a couple of weeks due to the virus, took to Twitter and questioned, “Do we really need to run to the markets for Eid shopping?”
Do we really need to run to the markets for eid shopping? Will we go back to our old ways without showing any change? Please ehtiyaat say bahir jaain. This is another crucial time since everyone is rushing out together at once. Maybe try celebrating eid differently this year?
Earlier, actor Ushna Shah and Shaniera Akram had also expressed disappointment at people for not taking the necessary precautionary measures.
Seeing footage of traffic blocked roads, congested streets and market places and hundreds of people without even a mask on. This country makes me want to cry
After being stranded in New York for several weeks, Meera has managed to return to Pakistan on a special flight arranged by the Government of Pakistan to repatriate stranded Pakistanis in the United States.
In a video message posted to Instagram, the actor shared that she is back in Pakistan and gave a special shoutout to the Pakistan Embassy in Washington and the New York Consulate for assisting her. Meera appreciated the work of the Pakistan Embassy and Consulate in the US and said that they facilitated her – and all other stranded passengers – at every step. She also requested people not to pass negative comments or lash out at them because they are trying to do their best to help everyone as much as they can.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAGl83fjaA6/
Last month, Meera had appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to bring her back home. In a video message, the actor had said that she was stranded in New York for the past two months and that she was running out of resources and funds to sustain herself. Meera urged the Government of Pakistan to facilitate her journey back home as soon as possible because New York was turning into a graveyard and she did not want to die in a foreign land.
Meanwhile, Ambassador of Pakistan to the US Asad Khan had earlier shared pictures and videos of the first special flight taking off from the US for Lahore.
Saw off the first of six special charter flights being organized by the Govt in conjunction with @Official_PIA for the repatriation of Pakistanis stranded in the US from @Dulles_Airport today. The safe return of Pakistanis stranded abroad is Govt’s top priority. @ForeignOfficePkpic.twitter.com/nDsnAfAOTQ
Saw off the first of six special charter flights being organized by the Govt in conjunction with @Official_PIA for the repatriation of Pakistanis stranded in the US from @Dulles_Airport today. The safe return of Pakistanis stranded abroad is Govt’s top priority. @ForeignOfficePkpic.twitter.com/fKleovUXG5
After Pakistanis moral policed the lead cast – namely Esra Bilgiç and Engin Altan Duzyatan – of hit Turkish drama series Diriliş: Ertuğrul and expressed their disappointment over their choice of clothing and living, Ahsan Khan has stepped in to defend the actors and urged Pakistanis to “at least spare the cast”.
In a Twitter update, the actor expressed his anger at the behaviour of the Pakistanis and said “Who the hell are we to do this to them?”
Diriliş: Ertuğrul, which was released in the country in Urdu on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s advice to “help youngsters connect with their roots”, has gone on to become a sensation in the country. As praise pours in for the historical fiction over the internet by both celebrities and the general public, fans have started following the show’s actors on social media.
Amid all the hype, a group of fans, who apparently do not understand the concept of acting, is having a meltdown because actors, who play different characters in the show based in the pre-Ottoman era, are much different in their real lives of the 21st century. These ‘fans’ have left hundreds of unwarranted comments on the Esra’s choice of clothing and have called her out for it.
Meanwhile, Engin who plays Ertugral in the drama series, has received flak for having a dog inside his house which these people believe is ‘haraam‘.
Model turned actor Amna Ilyas, who won critical acclaim for her role in Baaji, is getting married and she wants Aamir Liaquat to officiate her wedding. The actor made the revelations during her appearance on Liaquat’s game show Jeeway Pakistan.
After announcing that Ilyas has won the game, Liaquat cheekily added that she should now get married.
In response, Amna said, “Haan aap hee parhwayen gay nikkah (You will officiate the marriage).”
When Liaquat asked Amna who her to-be husband is, Amna said that she’ll tell him in due time.
From Aamir’s conversation, it was evident that he knew who Amna’s special someone is because he then asked, “Do you guys work together?” To this Amna said that they do. Amna also shared that their families are on board with everything.
The model was also spotted sporting an engagement ring during her appearance on the show, though she kept switching it around her fingers.
Meanwhile, it is being speculated that Amna’s to-be husband is photographer Ayaz Anis Khan. Amna has always been very low-key about her private life and does not share much about it. Her last film Baaji, in which she shared the screen with Meera and Osman Khalid Butt was a hit. She was set to be part of Haseena Moin’s stage play Ankahi, but due to the coronavirus lockdown, the play was postponed.
Watch from 01:05:30 to see her talk about her upcoming nuptials:
Pakistan is celebrating the 108th birth anniversary of renowned Urdu short story writer Saadat Hasan Manto. His birthday is trending at number one on Twitter and Google even honoured the writer with a doodle.
The doodle was designed by artist Shehzil Malik, who took to social media to share the news. Talking about the late author, Malik said, “I’m a big fan of Manto. He is a hero to me for pushing the envelope in Pakistan through his art (which I try to do and often get in trouble) so this is the perfect assignment! His stories are dark, beautiful, brutal, honest; once you read them, you can’t forget them. He used his words as a mirror to society, to speak truth to power, and would not back down in the face of intimidation.”
Meanwhile, people from Pakistan, as well as India celebrated the acclaimed writer and his words on Twitter.
Today, as I remember Manto and Safia on their birthday, I am sharing how I celebrated it 3 years ago, amidst the shoot. Here is a page from my book, Manto and I, that chronicles the journey of making the film. Some photos with the family; and Manto & Safiahttps://t.co/HEjaNT74kdpic.twitter.com/PIs2Dmo2mr
Google celebrated 108th birthday of Saadat Hasan Manto.Greatest short story writer of Urdu.Subject of two films #Manto one in India one in Pakistan.Elite always hated him public still likes him. pic.twitter.com/pvGDVdzub0
"And It is also possible,that Saadat Hasan dies,but Manto remains alive" ~Saadat Hassan Manto Today is the BirthAnniversary of the most fearless writer and legend "Saadat Hassan Manto"#Mantopic.twitter.com/ZyEv7fkcp7
20ویں صدی کے عظیم افسانہ نگار منٹو کی108ویں سالگرہ۔گوگل کاکیا دلکش ڈوڈل۔11مئی1912،سمبرالہ لدھیانہ پنجاب کےگاؤں پپروڈی کی پیدائش۔کشمیری النسل۔ معاشرے کے خفیہ کالے کرتوتوں کی عریانی کے مجرم۔ فحاشی کے جرم میں چھ بار پرچہ کٹا۔ تین بار تقسیم سے پہلے۔ تین بار آزادی کے بعد پاکستان میں۔ pic.twitter.com/VAsE32MnTd
— Gharidah Farooqi (T.I.) (@GFarooqi) May 11, 2020
Manto is my conscience! The present society disturbs me most of the time. https://t.co/fEB9G9KxLy
Jyoti Studio Compound, near Kennedy Bridge, Grant Road, Bombay. Where Saadat Hasan Manto worked at Ardeshir Irani's Imperial Film Co & where he wrote his first film, Kisan Kanya (1937), the first indigenously produced Indian colour film.#Manto#indiancinema100yearspic.twitter.com/K7wrD25tkJ
Remembring Saadat Hasan Manto on his birthday. He has inspred me a lot who is known for his writings about the bitter truths of society that no one dared to talk about.
Manto was born in Ludhiana, British India on May 11, 1912. The writer spent his life in Bombay before shifting to Lahore after the Partition. Though he was already an acclaimed name before the Partition, it was his vivid and intense stories on the partition that earned him critical acclaim. Manto produced 20 collections of short stories, five collections of radio dramas, three of essays, two of sketches, one novel and a clutch of film scripts. He wrote about sex, desire, alcoholics, prostitutes which led to him being charged with obscenity six times – thrice in British India before 1947, and thrice in Pakistan after. Despite this, he received the Nishan-e-Imtiaz from the Government of Pakistan.
Some of his most praised works include Thanda Gosht, Khol Do, Toba Tek Singh, Iss Manjdhar Mein and Babu Gopi Nath.
Manto’s life and works have also been adapted into two feature films: one by Sarmad Khoosat and another by Bollywood filmmaker Nandita Das.
Manto passed away on January 18, 1955, in Lahore at the age of 42.
With hit Turkish series ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’ continuing to grip Pakistan ever since it was released in the country in Urdu on Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s advice to “help youngsters connect with their roots”, the Instagram handle of one of the show’s stars has left many in the country “disappointed”.
As praise pours in for the historical fiction over the internet by both celebrities and general public, fans have started following the show’s actors on social media.
Amid all the hype, a group of fans, who apparently do not understand the concept of acting, is having a meltdown because actors, who play different characters in the show based in the pre-Ottoman era, are much different in their real lives of the 21st century.
Among these characters is Halime Sultan played by Esra Bilgiç, who a couple of weeks ago posted on her Instagram a picture that wasn’t very well-received by her fans in Pakistan.
Some also apologised on behalf of their countrymen:
Meanwhile, owing to the show’s popularity in Pakistan and after hitting millions of YouTube subscribers, the team behind the series has urged fans for more subscriptions in order to hit the world record for “most subscribers on YouTube in a month”.
There is no doubt that Iqra Aziz is a great actor. From her role in Suno Chanda to her portrayal of a greedy, selfish manipulator in Jhooti, she gets her roles down. But why she picked Jhooti is a question she might soon need to answer. 16 episodes in, the drama is going from lame to lamer and watching it makes it even more painful.
Lovesick husband Nasir with classic manipulator Nirma, handing her money to save his marriage
Maybe the pain comes from the fact that Yasir Hussain really can’t act or that the storyline is so typical that only an Indian soap opera miracle can help it. Nirma (Iqra Aziz) is a self-absorbed thief who manipulates sad, lovestruck Nasir (Ahmed Ali Butt) into giving her a lot of cash and property because he wants to marry her. They marry, get divorced and she meets Ali (Yasir Hussain) who she thinks is this loaded bachelor and is going to invest all her ill-gotten money in property.
She falls for him, marries him but turns out he’s just as big a manipulator as her. He’s using Nirma to get money so he can pay back his ex-wife who is threatening him if he doesn’t. So here he is, lying to Nirma, trying to get money out of her while she turns from manipulator to manipulated.
Ali, played by Yasir Hussain, is probably the most important but the most mediocre character in the series
Painful isn’t it? And so very typical. The running into your lying husband who says he is in Dubai but ends up at Park Towers Mall is so overdone. Bus kardo yaar, we all know she will find out that she got what she deserved and everyone was right about what a jhooti she was and oh ho, she totally deserved it.
There is no doubt that Iqra Aziz is a fantastic actress as she fully takes on the role of Nirma
The only saving grace is Iqra. Her acting as Nirma is on-point perfection. She seems like a greedy sister, a classic narcissist right down to her nails. Even Iqra’s height suits the role, this little innocent girl who is lying to everyone around her. But that’s just it. The drama doesn’t inspire anything else. It’s one that can be watched while you’re doing something else and it just plays in the background, or be seen because you have to write a review on it. Otherwise, it’s a dead bore and the only way it can be redeemed is if…well can’t really think of anything that can help this storyline.
Turkish historic drama series Diriliş: Ertuğrul has been trending ever since its first episode aired on PTV Home. Pakistanis are loving the drama series and it has become a sensation in the country to the point that PTV is now aiming to set a new record with the series.
In an exclusive interview with The Current, Senator and Senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Faisal Javed Khan revealed that the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gifted the drama series to Pakistan as a goodwill gesture.
“When President Erdogan met PM Imran Khan, he gifted the series to him as a goodwill gesture,” said Khan, adding: “PTV did not have to purchase the drama or its rights. TRT gave the drama free of cost to PTV.”
It is pertinent to mention here that President Erdoğan himself is a huge fan of the series and has often visited the sets of the drama series and hosted the drama’s creators and cast.
Senator Faisal Javed further remarked that the youth nowadays have stopped reading books and enjoy watching videos more, which is why the best way to impart knowledge on history to the youth is through dramas, films and music. He said this was the aim of PM Imran Khan when he requested the state-owned channel to air Diriliş: Ertuğrul.
Meanwhile, addressing Shaan’s concerns, Faisal said that he has worked extensively with Shaan and discussed in detail the situation of the Pakistani entertainment industry. He said that like other industries, the previous governments have not paid much heed to the entertainment industry as well, which is why it is still underdeveloped. He also revealed that the government is working on a policy for the film and entertainment industry and that he hopes that it will be implemented soon. Khan also said that Bollywood films will not be returning to Pakistani screens anytime soon.
Khan further said that Islamic history has been extensively explored by different cinemas across the world including Turkey and Iran, which is why it doesn’t make any sense to spend further resources on the subject.
