We all know what an avid fan Shireen Mazari is of Coke Studio. No one can ever forget the fiasco that followed when she trashed Momina Mustehsan and Ahad Raza Mir’s rendition of the 1960s classic Ko Ko Korina for Coke Studio 11.
“Horrendous! Destroyed a great classic – why oh why did Coke Studio allow such a massacre of this classic song?” the Minister for Human Rights had tweeted last year in October when the song had released.
Horrendous! Destroyed a great classic – why oh why did Coke Studio allow such a massacre of this classic song? https://t.co/Iq5gfCPYcr
The 12th edition of Coke Studio is currently underway and two episodes of the season have released so far. The second episode featured a rendition of Abrar ul Haq’s iconic Billo but the bhangra master himself and the song was an instant hit with the masses. The song was trending on all social media platforms and fans thanked producer Rohail Hyatt for bringing it back with zest.
Mazari also took to Twitter to share her thoughts on the song and said that it is “wonderful.”
Coke Studio 12 – Never thought Abrar ul Haq could do anything more to his iconic Billo number – but Abrar has done it and it is wonderful! https://t.co/QvxSpX464q
Earlier the minister also applauded Atif Aslam ‘s rendition of Wohi Khuda Hai saying that the hamd was “powerful at so many levels.”
My admiration for Atif Aslam's music keeps growing over the years. Wohi Khuda Hai is powerful at so many levels! Will miss Strings but excited to see what the new Coke Studio season has for us! https://t.co/jD0mx7dZmZ
The 11th episode of the superhit drama Meray Paas Tum Ho practically broke all records and people across the country couldn’t get over Humayun Saeed’s emotional performance as Danish. Many fans referred to his role as his career’s best.
The drama was trending on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram – basically everywhere.
Following the “outpour of love and appreciation” from the audiences, Humayun took to social media to thank his fans for their “overwhelming feedback and all the praise.”
Humayun also thanked the director Nadeem Baig, writer Khalil ur Rehman Qamar and his co-stars Ayeza Khan and Adnan Siddiqui for their input and support.
“Itna pyar itni mohabbat, aisa lag raha hai kay yeh serial ka last episode tha, ya shayad meray career ka last episode (So much love and appreciation, feels like it was the last episode of the serial or the last episode of my life)”, Humayun wrote.
For the unacquainted, Meray Paas Tum Ho is centred around the theme of infidelity and cheating in a relationship. Danish (Humayun) is married to Mehwish (Ayeza Khan). They have a son and Danish is desperately in love with Mehwish, who wants the finer things in life. Enter Shehwar (Adnan Siddiqui) who is super loaded and in a very unhappy marriage – he lives alone and his wife lives abroad. He plays on Mehwish’s desire to be rich and the fact that all Danish can afford is a small apartment and gets with Mehwish. Eventually, Mehwish starts an affair with Shehwar and decides to leave her husband for him.
What makes the drama even more interesting is the fact that it is based on a true story. Though only 11 episodes of the series have aired so far, the audiences are captivated and cannot wait to see what the next episodes have in store.
The Winter/Festive Edition of the Fashion Pakistan Week took place in Karachi last week and more than the clothes, the happenings at the event were what caught our attention. From stars dancing down the ramp to a model helping his fellow model with her shoes to religious songs playing in the background, things at the event were sensational, to say the least.
Here’s rounding them all up:
4. Boys take over the ramp
Humayun Alamgir put up a star-studded show as heartthrobs from the Pakistan film and drama industry took over the ramp with their shenanigans.
A particularly eye-catching moment was when Asad Siddiqui stopped midway and had wife Zara Noor Abbas add a scarf to complete his look.
4. Hina Altaf’s walk and Sadaf Kanwal’s reaction
As Hina Altaf walked down the ramp for Zellbury #FPWF19 Day 2, she added a little dance to spruce up her walk.
However, it didn’t appease the crowds or the models – check out Sadaf Kanwal’s reaction.
2. Subhan Awan helps fellow model take off broken shoe
This moment from the fashion week is going viral.
During the final ramp walk for SFK Bridals, model Kesha Siddique had an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction where her shoe broke. Her fellow model, Subhan Awan stopped with her and helped her take off her shoes. We can’t stop Aww-ing!
Hadiya Hashmi performs Allah Hoo as models walk down the ramp
Hadiya Hashmi famously known for her song on Nescafe Basement sang the hamd Allah Hoo as models strutted down the ramp. This particular moment from the FPW caused a stir on social media and people were outraged at this mixing of religion and fashion.
The mystery shrouding Benazir Bhutto’s biopic keeps getting complicated.
While the Bhutto family maintains that they have given no consent for a biopic (read full story here), Mehwish Hayat, who is set to play the former prime minister in a recent interview confirmed that a film on her is indeed in the works.
The Current reached out to Mehwish for further details and she told us that she “cannot say much at this stage” as she has “signed strict NDAs (non-disclosure agreements).”
However, she said that a film was indeed in the works and it is “currently in the early development stages.”
“We are just beginning to talk to writers at the moment,” Mehwish said. “The basic understanding of biopics is that we actually don’t need formal approval from the family.”
She continued, “Just look at The Crown – they don’t get permission or clearances from the Royal family or any of the other people portrayed. There are many other films in the West where information is taken from what is in the public domain.”
Mehwish further said that “when we get further down the line, I am sure that the producers will engage the family to ensure that our script is factually correct.”
“I for one would love their [the family’s] insights to help my research,” she concluded.
Perhaps it is pertinent to mention here that Sarmad Khoosat also did not seek formal permission from Sadaat Hassan Manto’s family or engage them in the making of the late writer’s biopic.
News of Mehwish playing Pakistan’s first female prime minister had first surfaced in June 2018 when Mehwish on Benazir’s 65th birthday had shared that a biopic on BB was on the cards and that she was preparing to “play the role of a lifetime.”
The announcement had taken social media by storm and everyone was excited to see the life of the slain Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader come to life on the silver screen. However, Benazir’s daughter, Bakhtawar, slammed the idea, saying that no consent was sought from the family for the project.
Certainly no consent from her living heirs/children was sought. Absolutely unacceptable and we will be taking action against it. https://t.co/onq9F4xgYT
Mehwish at that time had responded to Bakhtawar saying that the project was in its early stages and that it would not progress without “the consent or blessing of the family.”
To clarify rumours circulating.There is a project at the very early stages of development about your amazing mother. This cannot and will not be done without the consent or blessing of the family.I am sure that the team involved will be in touch before they progress further..1/2
2/2 … Meanwhile, as an actress I am researching as much as I can about a real idol of mine. Irrespective of any film I would love to meet someday and learn more about her .
While the conversation on this project died soon after, it resurfaced again recently when an interview of Mehwish with BBC Urdu started doing the rounds on social media.
In the interview, Mehwish confirmed that she will be playing Bhutto.
“InshAllah. It is a huge subject and a very complicated one,” Mehwish told the host when asked her whether the news was correct. “The story is one of a hero – Benazir Bhutto is a hero to me and I love that woman. Her story is so inspirational. [I think] that our current generation and the one that is to come, need to see her contributions, struggles, progress, her life.”
Mehwish continued, “While people write about [her] in books, films are easy access for people to know about things.”
When the host asked Mehwish that expectations with the role will be high, the actor responded, “Indeed it is a difficult character to play. It is being written as of now and it is going to take some time, but I cannot wait to play it.”
Has Mehwish started preparing for the role?
Mehwish said, “I’ve been reading up about her. The more I get to know her, the more inspired I get and I feel a lot of pride. But at the same time, I feel sad also that we lost such a great leader.”
There is no bigger discussion happening on social media right now other than the epic performance given by Humayun Saeed on Meray Paas Tum Ho’s 11th episode. Facebook groups are discussing how they, and their mothers, cried while Danish gives up the love of his life.
When Danish finds out his wife wants to leave him
The drama is in its 11th episode and come to a major twist. Danish (Humayun Saeed) is married to Mehwish (Ayeza Khan), they have a son and Danish is desperately in love with Mehwish, who wants the finer things in life. Enter Shehwar (Adnan Siddiqui) who is super loaded and in a very unhappy marriage. He lives alone and his wife lives abroad. He plays on Mehwish’s desire to be rich and the fact that all Danish can afford is a small apartment and gets with Mehwish.
The pink nightie scene in episode 9
The popular ‘pink nightie’ scene, in Episode 9, where Mehwish ends up in a hotel room with Shehwar, is also confirmed in this episode. Mehwish went to Islamabad with Shehwar and didn’t tell Danish she was going. She had taken a job as Shehwar’s secretary, and it was obvious that Danish knew something was up, but he let it go on anyway. We see her in a pink nightie which eludes that Shehwar and her were having an affair but it wasn’t confirmed.
In this episode, which has broken Pakistani social media, Shehwar shows Danish pictures of Mehwish in the pink nightie in the hotel room, confirming that they were indeed having an affair. He convinces Danish to give Mehwish a divorce since she’s just not in love with Danish anymore. Danish, after hearing a recorded conversation between Mehwish and Shehwar, is convinced to give her up.
Danish comes home, and both wait for their son to sleep before Mehwish can leave
He tells Mehwish she can go. Mehwish gets ready to leave and he asks her to stay the night and leave in the morning.
The episode was beautiful in its simplicity, the explosive performances caused tears because of how genuine they seemed. It was very obvious in Humayun Saeed’s acting that he was in love with his wife and would eternally be. He didn’t rant, didn’t scream, he spoke simply and he cried silent tears, which made him even more real. Humayun Saeed gave the performance of his life in the simple way he portrayed how deeply love can hurt – without having to scream it. When Danish tells Shehwar that “larki jubh bewafa hoti hai tou poori tarhan bewafa hoti hai,” Shehwar also has a sheen of tears in his eyes.
Ayeza Khan also gives a stellar performance because she isn’t the typical female villain. She doesn’t act like the spoilt, jean-wearing, bad girl that Pakistani dramas love to create. She is aware of her beauty, maintains her simplicity and knows what she wants. You don’t hate her; you can’t. She has made her decision to take what she wants and even though it’s selfish and terrible, Ayeza’s performance shows that it happens and there’s nothing dramatic about it. Which is why she doesn’t lose any respect. She maintains her dignity and makes her choice – without being behaya about it. The affair isn’t just Mehwish – it’s also Shehwar and the episode does a good job showing that the guy is just as much to blame as the woman. Shehwar is the one who has to face Danish first – showing that they are a team and man and woman, both are to blame.
Mehwish getting ready to leave Danish
The lessons in this drama are also incredibly important – especially this episode. Danish is concerned about his son, Rumi and what Rumi will do when he wakes up in the morning and finds his mother gone. Mehwish also tells Danish to tell Rumi the truth in a few days so that Rumi doesn’t have any expectations when his mother doesn’t comes back and if he spots her on the road. It shows the importance of how an affair – no matter who has it – affects a family and especially children.
The dialogues by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar is the spine of the whole episode and the drama. He writes how it happens – every single phrase is something that could’ve and would’ve been said. It plays to the heartstrings, making each dialogue so real that there is no one watching who is not entranced – and is wondering how these are words that anyone could be unlucky enough to hear.
Mehwish Hayat, in a recent interview, confirmed that she will be playing Benazir Bhutto in the former Prime Minister’s biopic and that the project is currently in the works.
However, according to The Current‘s sources, the Bhutto family is unaware of this project and has not given anyone any consent as yet. In fact, the source added that the family is completely in the dark regarding this upcoming project.
Meanwhile, Mehwish in a recent interview with BBC Urdu confirmed that she will be playing Bhutto.
When the host asks Mehwish if the news of her playing Benazir is true, Mehwish said, “InshAllah. It is a huge subject and a very complicated one. But the story is one of a hero – Benazir Bhutto is a hero to me and I love that woman. Her story is so inspirational. [I think] that our current generation and the one that is to come, need to see her contributions, struggles, progress, her life.”
“She was the first woman Prime Minister of the country. The world needs to know about her.”
Mehwish continued, “While people write about [her] in books, films are easy access for people to know about things.”
When the host asked Mehwish that expectations with the role will be high, Mehwish responded, “Indeed it is a difficult character to play. It is being written as of now and it is going to take some time, but I cannot wait to play it.”
Has Mehwish started preparing for the role?
Mehwish said, “I’ve been reading up about her. The more I get to know her, the more inspired I get and I feel a lot of pride. But at the same time, I feel sad also that we lost such a great leader.”
“But the world needs to see her whole story,” Mehwish concluded.
News of Mehwish playing Pakistan’s first female prime minister had first surfaced in June 2018 when Mehwish on Benazir’s 65th birthday had shared that a biopic on BB was on the cards and that she was preparing to “play the role of a lifetime.”
The announcement had taken social media by storm and everyone was excited to see the life of the slain Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader come to life on the silver screen. However, Benazir’s daughter, Bakhtawar, slammed the idea, saying that no consent was sought from the family for the project.
Certainly no consent from her living heirs/children was sought. Absolutely unacceptable and we will be taking action against it. https://t.co/onq9F4xgYT
Mehwish at that time had responded to Bakhtawar saying that the project was in its early stages and that it would not progress without “the consent or blessing of the family.”
To clarify rumours circulating.There is a project at the very early stages of development about your amazing mother. This cannot and will not be done without the consent or blessing of the family.I am sure that the team involved will be in touch before they progress further..1/2
2/2 … Meanwhile, as an actress I am researching as much as I can about a real idol of mine. Irrespective of any film I would love to meet someday and learn more about her .
The biggest ‘entertainment’ news of the week has to be Mahira Khan joining Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza’s upcoming film Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad as the leading lady.
Though the film had been announced earlier with Fahad Mustafa as the hero, the makers of the film had remained tight-lipped about the heroine and had said that the search for her was on. But that was until Tuesday evening when director Nabeel made the announcement.
Speaking to The Current, Nabeel said that he was very excited to have Mahira onboard.
“Both the actors fit in the characters perfectly,” Qureshi said.
Sharing further details about the film, Nabeel said that the film will be a satirical action-comedy – something along the lines of their previous superhit film Actor in Law, which also had Fahad as the lead.
The film will mostly be shot in Karachi and is expected to release in 2020 on Eid ul Azha.
Fans had been eagerly anticipating Mahira and Fahad’s pairing on the big screen, particularly after Mahira came on Fahad’s Jeeto Pakistan in May. Looks like their wish has finally been heard.
Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad will be Fahad, Nabeel and Fizza’s fifth project together – the trio has given us Na Maloom Afraad 1 & 2, Actor in Law and Load Wedding previously.
Meanwhile, promotions for the film have already begun and the filmmakers have started teasing audiences with short videos like the one of Mahira asking Fahad why he used to say that she doesn’t want to work with her.
“Bolo haan keh naa“, has been a tagline in most tweets.
Mahira’s last film was Superstar which released this year while Fahad was last seen on the big screen last year in Load Wedding and Jawani Phir Nai Aani 2.
Newlyweds Hamza Ali Abbasi and Naimal Khawar are currently celebrating their European honeymoon. Naimal regularly updates their fans about their whereabouts and post cutesy pictures of herself and her husband as they enjoy their holiday.
The other day, Sharmila Faruqi threw shade at the couple for having a simple wedding but a lavish honeymoon.
“Shaadi saadgi se par honeymoon Paris main,” the politician had written under the picture of Hamza and Naimal in front of Eiffel Tower.
Hamza’s close friends Vasay Chaudhry and Ammara Hikmat stepped in to defend the actor and his wife and trolled Sharmila for owning assets beyond her means.
Our favourite Punjabi singer of all times Abrar ul Haq has served a major dose of nostalgia with the remake of his iconic Billo for Coke Studio Season 12.
The six-minute song is a fun and quirky rendition of the original and we are glad to say that the producers of the song did not ruin it. Instead, the background singers were a nice touch and the song transported us straight back to the 90s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBxrpNO3EV0
Billo has become such a hit that it was trending on Twitter and has received more than 200K hits in just five hours. The rap in the song has also been appreciated by audiences.
Tikkattt kataaaooo laaainneee banaaaoooo – Billo is back!!
They did not ruin it!!!!! What a brilliant rendition. @AbrarUlHaqPK you are amaaaazing. #RohailHyatt you are brilliant. The back vocals are on point.
The song was amazing, it is pretty obvious, but I would love to praise backing volists👏 👏 👏, they made the song more entertaining. Their energy, their persona everything was mind blowing. They are one of the main essence of this song! 😍😍😍#cokestudio12#cokestudio#billohttps://t.co/5GdMCG0wy1
It’s raining films. Three news films – Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad, Money Back Guaranteeand now Dum Mastam – have been announced just this week for 2020.
Adnan Siddiqui, who is currently creating waves with his latest drama Meray Paas Tum Ho, took to social media to announce the film, it’s cast, writer, director and that his production house, Cereal Entertainment will be producing the film.
Dum Mastam, which is a rom-com, starres Imran Ashraf, Amar Khan and social media sensation Momin Saqib. Amar has penned the script of the film while Superstar director Ehteshamuddin will be directing the film.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4A6K8BHXGa/
Imran also shared the news on his Instagram account as did Amar. Amar wrote that her “years-long dream” is finally coming true.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4AyE74FzEK/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4AzhA3pxzZ/
Meanwhile, Humayun Saeed congratulated Imran on signing his first film and wished him success and luck.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4BDW-8JRNw/
Moreso, in case you missed it back then, The Current shot a fun video with Momin in which he showcased his brilliant comic skills. You don’t want to miss this one.
