“Another year older, another year wiser!,” wrote Momal on social media. “Thank you for the heartfelt messages, prayers and endless birthday love.”
The actor continued: “I am so touched and grateful for being surrounded by such warm and affectionate friends, family and fans. I am where I am because of you all. It means the world to me to be loved and respected unconditionally.”
“To those who took out the time to post on the fan pages, I am and will always be indebted for your dedication and love,” said Momal further, adding: “I only grow personally and professionally because of your love and encouragement. I pray for your safety and happiness.”
Chupke Chupke’s Aadi Khan aka Kaddu (Waleed) called out media outlets for spreading misinformation about his family.
In a note posted on social media, Khan said: “I just want to make sure everyone that me and Sami Khan [DJ from Suno Chanda] are brothers Alhamdulillah.”
“We don’t have any sister. Please please aap bhi zaleel na ho or humein bhi na karein, biography likhne se pehly rabta kr liya karein. Kabhi apne comments parha karein to aap logo ko he galiyan par rhi hoti hai,” he added.
Aadi is a young actor and elder brother of Sami Khan, who is famous for his role as DJ in Suno Chanda and it’s sequel.
Aadi has worked in several Pakistani dramas including Nibah, Aye Muhabbat, Kam Zarf and Lamhay. He is currently part of Hum TV’s Ramzan special Chupke Chupke, in which audiences are loving his character.
With Chupke Chupke continuing to dominate television ratings and Ayeza Khan receiving a lot of appreciation for her performance as Meenu, it has been revealed that Khan was not the first choice for the character of Maneeha Kifayat Ali.
As per reports, Sohai Ali Abro was the first choice and the actor had even shot a few scenes for the drama before the shoot was halted due to COVID-19 and lockdowns. Later, Abro had to exit the show due to personal reasons.
A source also confirmed to The Current that Sohai was the original choice for the character.
Meanwhile, netizens are divided over Ayeza’s casting in the show. While many are praising her for her performance, there are some who are criticising the makers for casting Khan as a young, 20-something clumsy girl, given that she has two children and her last roles in Meharposh and Meray Paas Tum Ho were mature ones.
Written by Saima Akram Chaudhry of Suno Chanda fame and directed by Danish Nawaz, Chupke Chupke airs on Hum TV at 9 pm daily. The ensemble cast also includes Osman Khalid Butt, Mira Sethi, Asma Abbas, Uzma Beg, Arslan Naseer, Aymen Saleem, Ali Safina and Salman Mani Shaikh among others.
I’ll be honest. When the first teasers of Chupke Chupke released I was not impressed. Ayeza Khan as a clumsy, 20-something bewakuf larki didn’t really appeal to me and she appeared to have no chemistry with co-star Osman Khalid Butt. Don’t get me wrong here, both actors are brilliant but somehow I was unable to connect with the show.
Though I initially decided to avoid the drama altogether, the nature of my job doesn’t really allow me to do so and soon enough Chupke Chupke memes and fan edits started popping up on my social media feeds piquing my interest. And when ten-something episodes later, Faazi (Butt) and Meenu (Khan) tie the knot against their wishes, I ended up getting hooked to the show.
The premise of Chupke Chupke is by no means simple, given the number of characters in the show. Kudos to director Danish Nawaz for dealing with the script so skillfully and straightening out the creases. Nawab Sahab, the family patriarch had two wives – Bebe (Asma Abbas) and Ama (Uzma Beg). While Nawab Sahab has passed away, both his wives live in the same house but in different portions. The two cannot stand each other and are always putting each other down even though all their grandchildren are friends. Meenu, Haadi (Arslan Naseer) Mirchi (Areesha Sultan) and Waleed are Bebe’s grandchildren, while Gul Apa (Mira Sethi), Faazi, Roomi and Mishi (Aymen Saleen) are Ama’s grandchildren. Gul Apa is married to her maternal cousin Miskeen (Ali Safina), while Roomi is married to Mani (Salman ‘Mani’ Shaikh). Tara Mahmood and Farhan Ally Agha play Meenu and Mirchi’s parents and Qavi Khan plays Nawab Sahab’s elder brother.
Meenu and Faazi, who are constantly trolling each other, are set to marry outside the family on the same day. In a dramatic turn of events, the two end up getting married to each other and from there on there’s only trouble with a capital T. From the two refusing to acknowledge the marriage and later their feelings to the two grandmothers rejecting the nikkah and calling for an annulment to a ‘khufia’ (suspicious) and rushed rukhsati in the middle of the night – it is a mad caper.
If this drama was not enough, Haadi and Mishi, popularly known as Hashi, are also interesting in getting married to each other, while Gul Apa makes sure she makes life for the new bahu living hell with the help of the other ‘evil’ sister Roomi. Gul’s husband Miskeen, staying true to his name, will do or say something silly which is bound to make you laugh out loud. All the characters are so lovable that it is terribly hard to decide which one is your favourite. But if someone puts a gun to my head and forces me to choose, I’d go with Haadi and Miskeen.
The ‘evil’ sisters minus Mishi and Ama
What makes the drama stand out, even more, is the performances. Each actor from little Mirchi to the two dadis, everyone has brought their A-game lighting up the screen and bringing so much energy that it perks up the viewer also. Like mentioned earlier, I had some reservations about Ayeza playing Meenu, but I can now say with full conviction that the actor has done complete justice to her role and despite racking my brain for other options, I couldn’t think of a better actor for this role.
Meanwhile, Safina and Naseer in particular deserve a special shoutout. Safina’s transition into Miskeen is incredible – he has performed the role with such finesse that every time he comes on screen and says “Sarkar,” I want to cheer for him – his comic timing is excellent. Similarly, Naseer has made a promising debut as Haadi delivering one sarcastic comment after another with such ease.
The drama takes a while to set the stage but once it’s set its a rollicking rollercoaster.
As far comparisons with Suno Chanda are concerned, there are plenty, but I think I’ll leave those for another day. It’s Chupke Chupke’s time in the spotlight and it’s best to let it shine.
With only a few episodes to go till the finale, I am curious to know whether Haadi and Mishi will get married and what the future holds in store for Meenu and Faazi. Will Gul Apa go to Sadiqabad with her husband and leave them in peace? Can’t wait to find out!
Danyal Zafar has shared one of his favourite scenes from his ongoing Ramzan special drama Taana Baana.
The scene which shows Danyal and Alizeh on the beach was “coincidently” also the last scene they shot together.
“One of my favourite scenes between Zain and Zoya, which coincidentally [also] happened to be the last scene we shot for the drama,” wrote Danyal. “It was a wrap right after this.”
“When I read in the script that Zain sings for Zoya, I asked Saife Hasan [director] bhai, if I could sing a few lines of the OST, which would kinda break the fourth wall, but could also serve to be the icing on the cake, since it’s been their song and could elevate the ‘romance’ between Zain and Zoya,” he added.
“In the entirety of the scene, I realised Saife bhai didn’t say anything to us, he was smiling throughout while looking at the monitor; a moment I felt kinda proud of myself because for me that indicated we were doing it right,” continued Zafar, adding: “Or at least well enough to strum a few chords in everyone’s hearts, because everyone was just smiling.”
Zafar also gave a shot out to his co-actor Alizeh Shah for doing a “phenomenal job”.
While Taana Baana appears to be a typical romantic comedy, when you start watching it you are immediately pulled into it due to a variety of reasons ranging from the script to the cast and their performances.
Featuring Zafar (Zain), Alizeh (Zoya), Javeria Abbasi (Fozia), Aamir Qureshi (Zain’s Father), Ismat Zaidi (Zain’s Dadi ), Komal Rizvi (Zebunnisa) and Hassan Noman(Shahid, Zebnunnisa’s husband), Taana Baana revolves around the newly married couple of Zain and Zoya and the challenges they face.
Take a flashback to the past few years, we have been observing the trend of airing sitcoms or romantic-comedy dramas on different channels during the month of Ramzan. Although this trend initially received much criticism. However, with the passage of time, people have started to enjoy watching these entertainment packages. Chupke Chupke and Tanaa Banaa of HUM TV are giving us laughter dose after every Iftaar, while Geo TV has given Ishq Jalebi.
These dramas are offering comedy, controversies and family politics but they’ve also given us four delightful on-screen couples. Zain and Zoya from Tanaa Banaa, Hadi and Mishi, Meenu and Faazi/Ustaad Jee from Chupke Chupke and Basim and Bela from Ishq Tamasha.
Zain and Zoya
Zain (Danyal Zafar) is a young boy who fell in love with Zoya (Alizeh Shah) at first sight. The couple has interesting chemistry with Zain expressing all his love for Zoya and Zoya just starting to realise that how much Zain loves her. While Zoya is stubborn, Zain is a loving and caring husband. The two are poles apart and this keeps the drama interesting.
Hadi and Mishi
Arslan Naseer is playing the role of Hadi while Aymen Saleem is acting as Mishi in Chupke Chupke. There is a unique hidden chemistry between this couple that was initially growing in the form of one-sided love. But now that Hadi has also fallen in love with Mishi, this love story has taken a new turn and one of the reasons why you tune into Chupke Chupke every night.
Meenu and Faazi /Ustaad Jee
Ayeza Khan is playing as Meenu and Osman Khalid Butt is playing as Faaz aka Meenu’s Ustaad Jee. Faaz used to teach Meenu so she calls him Ustaad Jee. However, in a strange turn of event the two ended up getting married and while they were initially embarrassed by this development, they are now slowly beginning to catch feelings.
Faaz, who didn’t like Meenu for her carelessness and ignorance towards studies, is now falling for her innocence. Meenu too has started to like him and their cute ways of showing affection is making the drama more interesting. With many twists and turns, their wedding is at stake and everyone is eager to see what will happen next and what new problem will arise for the newly weds.
Basim and Bela
Ishq Jalebi stars the Madiha Imam and Wahaj Ali in leading roles. Basim who is on the lookout for a shortcut to go abroad is in cahoots with Bela (Madiha Imam). She is his sidekick, best friend, and partner in crime in all that he does and also his maternal cousin who was orphaned as a child and lives with them. While Basim may not have realised how much Bela truly loves him, we the audiences can definitely see it and are absolutely loving the chemistry the two have with each other. With scenes that will make your heart have a happy dance, these two stars are a treat to watch and we’re anxious to see what Ishq Jalebi has in store for them next.
While each couple has its own charm, my favourite has to be Meenu and Faazi. Both Osman and Ayeza have brought Meenu and Faazi to life brilliantly. Very much like Faaz, I used to detest Meenu and didn’t want him to marry her. But as the story progressed, I am also enjoying their naivety, blamelessness and non-romantic fondness. Looking forward to seeing how they will cross all obstacles among them and finally become husband and wife.
Zainab Qayyum, popularly known as ZQ, has explained that why she underwent multiple COVID testings during the pandemic.
Responding to a news report which said that the actor got herself tested 11 times because of fear, Zainab Qayyum said: “Uff. Mein wehmi loony nahin different projects may acting karnay kay tehat yeh ehtyaati tadbeer ka hissa hai.”
🙏🏻🙈uff🤭🤣 mein wehmi loony nahin diff projects may acting karnay kay tehat yeh ehtyaati tadbeer ka hissa hai😷 https://t.co/y04cCAyMlX
The actor further explained that she got “11 tests in the past nine months because I’ve been working on eight different projects with eight different sets of cast and crew. We have to be careful for ourselves as well as our costars.”
Qayyum also bashed a local media publication for publishing a misleading headline.
“Dunya News poori khabar dayni chayay na kay sunsannnnni waali headline,” said Zainab.
🤷🏻♀️poori khabar yeh thi kay 11 tests in the past 9 months coz ive been working on 8 diff projects with 8 diff sets of cast & crew. we have to be careful for ourselves as well as our costars🙏🏻 @DunyaNews poori khabar dayni chayay na kay sunsannnnni waali headline🙄🤷🏻♀️ https://t.co/KSrQCw7v5f
“Honestly, as an actor, I don’t have a choice but to go to work where we work under the strictest SOPs,” said ZQ. “I haven’t met anyone apart from my costars on set for fear of being a silent carrier since last year. Have had 11 covid tests (all negative).”
“Please don’t host [or] attend social events and then come on set to work with us,” she added.
When a social media user appreciated ZQ for not attending any gatherings, she replied: “Because I am choosing NOT to go. I am responsible, not only for myself but also [for] my co-stars who I have to come on set and work with daily. I’m not going to put them or their families at risk, nor do I expect them to put me at risk either.”
because i am choosing NOT to go🙏🏻i am responsible not inly for myself but also my costars who i have to come on set and work with daily. im not going to put them or their families at risk, nor do i expect them to put me at risk either…..
Yasir Hussain has highlighted the plight of Ainak Wala Jinn cast and has requested Prime Minister Imran Khan to help them amidst the ongoing debate on royalties.
Sharing a photo of PM Khan with Ainak Wala Jinn’s cast, Hussain drew attention towards the financial troubles these icons have had to undergo since the 90s comedy show ended years ago. The purpose was to add onto the nationwide movement backed by showbiz personalities to be paid royalties for their work and serials that are re-run repeatedly.
Hussain also mentioned how gruesome it has been for the cast to find suitable roles after Ainak Wala Jinn.
“Did you know that the cast of Ainak Wala Jinn was never cast for any other drama? Some of them died of hunger while others are hardly surviving on charity,” lamented Hussain.
The actor also reminded the PM how these actors are the sole reason why he could build all the hospitals he has so far.
“[PM] Imran Khan, these people have supported you from the days when you placed the first brick of your hospital to the beginning of your political journey,” Hussain asserted, adding that our government needs to offer help to veteran artists and have mercy on those who have been part of our showbiz for generations.
Ainak Wala Jinn was one of the biggest serials that children grew up watching on PTV for years. The show continued for four seasons with the same cast as. Be it Zakota Jinn or Bil Batori, the dialogues are still remembered till this date with many in their homes mimicking their favourite characters.
This is not the first time that Hussain has raised his voice in support of senior artists. He was also among the first Pakistani celebrities, who spoke in support of Naila Jaffery and urged the government to help the ailing actress.
Love triangles and cheating husbands are not new to Pakistani television. I have seen at least one if not more dramas on the subject and they have pretty much been done to death. Fitoor, which airs on Geo Entertainment, is the latest love triangle on the block with our hero oscillating between two women: one his wife and the other his pehli mohabbat (first love). He is unable to make a decision or decide who he wants to spend his life with. In this review, I try to break down whether our hero is confused and masoom or if he’s simply being unfaithful and enjoying the attention of both the women in his life.
Haider (Faysal Quraishi) was (or is) in love with his cousin Mehmal (Kiran Haq) since the two were young and Haider was poor. However, Mehmal, who wanted a better life (read money) ditched him and got married to her other cousin Ansab (Tipu Sharif), a well-off man with many indulgences including women and alcohol. From the beginning, Ansab made it clear that he was not going to change his ways. Haider is heartbroken with Mehmal’s bewafai and doesn’t get married focusing all his energies on building his business and becoming rich.
He has a chance encounter with Dilnasheen (Hiba Bukhari) at a wedding and falls for her and soon the two get married. Now that Haider is rich and married, Mehmal starts feeling insecure and regretting her decision so she leaves her husband and settles into Haider’s house with her young daughter.
She continues to make advances on Haider, who makes half-hearted attempts to tell her off but Mehmal is persistent. When Haider’s mother (Ismat Zaidi) realises what is happening, she throws Mehmal out of the house. However, Mehmal spins this around and gains Haider’s sympathies. Instead of taking her back home to face the wrath of his mother, Haider books Mehmal into a hotel under the name of Mr and Mrs Haider Salman. Not only that, but he also spends a substantial amount of his day with her in the hotel.
While initially, we gave Haider the benefit of doubt, understanding that Mehmal was his first love and it is hard for him to get over her, we have now had enough. Haider is simply not making a decision or taking a stand but is instead yo-yoing between the two women. He spends his mornings with Mehmal, allowing her to fawn over him, and in the evening he goes home and gets cosy with his wife who is spending all her energies trying to win his heart.
Haider has also saved Mehmal’s name as Muneer on his phone and one wonders why he needs to do that unless he is hiding something. Besides, he also lied to Mehmal telling her that his phone’s battery was dead when in fact he was sharing a romantic moment with his wife. By doing this he is leading Mehmal on and giving her hope instead of drawing the line.
In the latest episode, Dilnasheen catches Haider having lunch with Mehmal at the hotel and decides she has had enough. She leaves and goes back to her mother’s house. The scene that plays out at her mother’s house is disappointing, to say the least. Dilnasheen’s mother (Saba Faisal) not only justifies Haider’s behaviour but also tells her to accept it and try to win Haider’s heart. On the other hand, Dilnasheen’s brother Yawar (Kamran Jilani) blames the entire situation on her, telling her that she still harbours feelings for her ex-boyfriend Hamza (Wahaj Ali) and has not accepted Haider as her husband.
Mehmal’s damsel in distress act and reluctance to go back to her husband is also getting tiring and one wishes that Haider would stop constantly trying to be the knight in shining armour for her. At this point, it’s getting a little hard to believe that Haider is confused. He knows exactly what he is doing but is continuing to do so under the act of being caring and supportive towards his “yateem” cousin. So unless he pulls his act together, he’s going to get the label of a ‘cheating husband’.
While Fitoor may seem typical on the surface, it is saved by great performances. Each actor has slid perfectly into their roles, giving solid performances. We may hate Haider but we are thoroughly enjoying Faysal’s performance. The writing is strong in most places as is the direction. The production value is a little weak with jumps in many scenes and Dilnasheen terribly needs a good stylist – the flowy clothes and hair are doing her no good. Especially when Mehmal’s outfits ooze glamour. Quraishi’s makeup is also terrible, making him look older and plastic in some places.
Written by Zanjabeel Asim and directed by Siraj ul Haq, Fitoor airs every Thursday on Geo Entertainment.
Sharing a picture of himself with Qavi from the sets of an upcoming project, Khan said: “Recently had the honour to spend some quality time with this great man.”
“His perseverance and dedication have always been beyond inspirational,” said Junaid. “A true benchmark for us in terms of performance and patience. His level of patience and his humility while on set or off-set has always inspired me.”
The actor added: “May he always continue blessing us with his skills and his love.”
Junaid is currently being praised for his performance in Geo Entertainment’s Khuda aur Mohabbat 3, while Qavi Sahab is winning hearts with his performance in Ishq Jalebi.
