Eid-ul-Adha is just around the corner and I can’t wait for the festivities to commence. Although Eid-ul-Adha is a little subdued than the Eid-ul-Fitr, nonetheless there is no denying that excitement is in the air!

Besides going on excursion trips to ‘Bakra-mandi’ with cousins, to shopping for brand new Eid clothes; this Eid is all about celebrating the spirit of sharing and sacrificing!

Let’s take a look at how Eid-ul-Adha is celebrated in a typical Pakistani household.

The Night Before

The night before Eid is all about getting prepped up for the big day. Therefore, ‘Eid Safayee Muhim’ is in full swing! From cleaning every nook and cranny in the house to adorning the house with flowers and fairy lights, everyone is super busy.

Above all, this puts everyone in the mood for a big celebration!

Perfect Mehndi Designs!

In addition to the celebratory cleaning going on in the house, a trip to the local market area for bangles and mehndi is compulsory. A number of henna application and bangle stalls are put up a few days before Eid, but we all know that actual party begins on Chaand-raat!

The Morning of!

Obviously, Eid-ul-Adha begins early with the ringing of alarm clocks and dressing up for Eid Namaz.

In most of the households now, ladies also go to a nearby masjid for Eid congregation prayers. How cool is that?

Consequently, this is one of the best ways to start off Eid as a family. Especially decked in new clothes for Eid Namaz, post-Namaz, there is a mandatory family photo session to mark the day!

The Hunger Games Begin

Later on, the family generally sits together to have scrumptious poori, halwa/ and anda paratha nashta.

How can we forget a bowl of sheer khorma or siwayeen that Ammi made?

Waiting for the Qasai to Make His Entrance!

Afterwards when the nashta is done and over with, it is time to wait for the ‘Qasaai’ to jump in and hit the Qurbani button!

Qurbani

In contrast to Eid-ul-fitr, Eid-ul-Adha is all about sacrifice and sharing what you have sacrificed. Honestly, the first memory I have of Eid-ul-Adha is having a qurbani in our home with my cousins or friends surrounding the Qasai doing his deed!

Although most of the people opt for qurbani to be done at specified grounds in their area, nonetheless, some people do it the traditional way: in their own home!

Watching the Qasaai sharpen his knife and do the actual deed is exciting and terrifying at the same time!

Meat Distribution

Eventually when the qurbani is complete, the tedious process of cutting, cleaning and distributing of the meat begins. However, there is always one Bar-b-q enthusiast in the house who stays back and makes sure that the meat is properly marinated for a Bar-b-q later in the day!

A Little Siesta Doesn’t Hurt

Apparently, the day generally gets a bit tiring with the qurbani and meat distribution. A late afternoon siesta is a good idea to charge yourself up before the traditional Bar-b-q family get-together.

Bari Eid is Incomplete Without a Bar-B-Q party with Family

Surprisingly, this Eid is also big on getting over-stuffed with meat!

Families get together for dinners and even lunches. Clearly, Bar-b-q is the theme of the day in literally every household. If not, cooked meat in the form of Nihari, Qorma or Karahi is a must.

Home Grilled meat with hot naan and raita is all you need to get the party going!!!

Eidi and Gifts

Certainly, this Eid is all about sharing, sacrificing and remembering the sacrifice that Hazrat Ibrahim made all those years ago.

Consequently, the day ends with Eidi and gifts for the younger lot. Things have changed a little bit over time though. In addition to giving out traditional Eidi to the little ones in the family (envelopes with cash), brightly-wrapped gifts are also given!

So here’s wishing you all Eid Mubarak in advance from our whole team at Curryflow! Hope you have a meaty Eid 😀

Hania Amir and Asim Azhar will be starring in a telefilm together!

It can’t get any cooler than this.

I, for one, am a total sucker for romantic telefilms and what’s better than seeing a rumored off-screen amazing couple romancing on screen?

Ever since this announcement was made, the fans of this perfect power-couple have been waiting impatiently to get a glimpse of this telefilm.

Surprisingly, one look at the promo and you’ll instantly fall in love with these two again!

What’s Pyar Kahani all about?

Directed by Ahsan Talish, the telefilm will see both Hania and Asim playing the roles of two writers who ultimately fall deeply in love. Nonetheless of course, like any other love story, there will be a few hurdles in their path.

Both Hania and Asim are Stars in Their Own Accord

Needless to say, both Hania Amir and Asim Azhar are super-accomplished celebs.

The 22-year old Hania has starred in a number of hit films including Janaan and Parwaaz hay junoon, besides the hugely popular drama currently airing on HumTV, Anaa.

On the other hand, we have Asim Azhar who is fondly known as the ‘Justin Beiber’ of Pakistan, owing to his crooning abilities. He has had an awesome time on Coke Studio. Moreover, who can forget his soulful duet with Momina Mustehsan on Coke Studio?

They Are Two Really Good-Looking People!

I, for one, am totally sold out on a drama series if two totally good-looking people are involved. Need I add that both Hania and Asim definitely fulfill this criterion, without any extra effort!

Interestingly, Hania Amir with her dimpled smile and Asim Azhar with his cheeky grin surely make up an awesome duo!

But before that..they are Really Good Friends!

First comes friendship and then comes love! This seems to be the case for these two. Although none of them has ever publicly acknowledged their off-screen romance, there are plenty of instances that we have caught them on twitter or Instagram and even in real life.

However, one thing is for sure that they are great buddies and this will definitely be reflected in their telefilm.

They Totally Compliment Each Other!

Hania Amir and Asim Azhar modeled together for a number of brands. Clearly, they complement each other perfectly and their compatibility shows in their work too.

This photoshoot of theirs literally took our breath away!

They Share a Sizzling Chemistry

Again, it is not necessary that two good-looking people also share good chemistry with one another. However, this is not the case with these super-talented stars. Both of them share a sizzling bond, both on-screen and off-screen; and we can all see it!

Indeed, who can forget the time when Asim Azhar sang his heart out to serenade Hania Amir at the Pakistan Fashion Week? It was super cute!

Mutual Respect for One Another is the Key!

In conclusion, fans of this power couple have always loved the fact that these two respect each other and have each other’s back, all the time.

In regards to that, in an interview with BBC, he was put on the spot about his relationship status and like a true gentleman; he refrained from making a comment without Hania’s consent.

Surprisingly this has earned a lot of admiration and respect from the fans from around the globe.

I can’t wait to see these two gracing our silver-screens soon enough. Can you?

From the creaking chair at the roadside barber dhaaba to a relaxing recliner at a high-end Men’s Salon; Pakistani men are setting a new trend! This evolution of Pakistani men has surprised us more than our evolution from Homo Habilis to Homo Sapiens.

The men in our society who used to mock and make fun of women spending thousands of rupees on beauty care are now willing to indulge in the same – just to look good. Expectations now are truly global!

Oh, the Irony!

Media played an important role

Additionally, with the growing influence of media on the minds of our youngsters, they are now more conscious of how they look and dress up! Everyone wants to be selfie-ready and for that, what better than high-end grooming?

We take it from the award-winning Pakistani male model Husnain Lehri that looking dapper is the way to ace all games!

Nevertheless, who would’ve thought that Pakistani men, who always considered rough and messy looks made them appear hunky would now go to salons for groomed looks? Surprisingly, spend thousands of rupees and get more grooming treatments done apart from uncomplicated haircuts to revamp their appearance? It’s a relaxing get-away, isn’t it?

Men are now heading to famous salons all around the country and we can’t help but admire their looks!

We can’t just declare that Pakistani women are extremely conscious of their appearances because men are equally mindful about their looks now.

The most popular services men are currently indulging in

You don’t need to wonder any longer because I am here to enlighten you about EVERYTHING! While stylish haircuts and beard trims are obvious guesses, what’s not so obvious are the services I’m listing below. To summarize, here are a few:

• Facials
•  Massages
•  Manicures and Pedicures
• Hair treatments

Apparently these are a few common current choices among men; however, I’m sure there are more they all enjoy at hi-end salons!

I’m sure they can NOW understand why women spend hours at Parlours!

          They too, prefer spending a day at the salon, getting pampered and sipping hot cups of coffee while relaxing without a thing to worry about from work.  

When asked what brought them here, a few men claimed that they worry that if they don’t look good, their wives won’t like them anymore!

Oh, how the tables have turned!

Top Men’s Salon in Pakistan!

With the growing demand of Men’s beauty Salons in the country, a lot of new places have popped here and there. Interestingly, we are surprised to see the positive feedback they are receiving!

To enumerate, Nabila’s N-Gents, Peng’s Salon for Men, Tariq Amin and Toni & Guy are the top picks for men and they are hefty on the pocket as well! In particualr, the growing popularity of couple’s services has also boosted the business for men’s personal grooming!

Ghar Par is an amazing venture for both men and women. Moreover, Ghar par services can be procured at the location of your choice, perfect for elderly men who can’t go to public salons.

With this in mind, following celebrities and models, with their crisp looks and neat appearances, men are encouraged to work on how they look and this is giving a boost to men’s grooming and skincare products. These products are reaching great popularity with the right creative marketing and men are now willing to spend on them too.

More importantly, it’s great to see our men spend money on themselves for self-grooming and relaxation without working tirelessly and only looking after the needs of their family. Self-improvement must always be encouraged. In conclusion, with more women going to gyms these days, men have also taken an initiative to look good.

More power to you all!  

Did you know a new, revolutionary mall is making its marks on the maps of Islamabad?

Since I am a huge fan of stepping out for an old-fashioned shopping spree, a new mall is exactly what I’m waiting for! a good one, that is!

Though it is convenient to shop online, nothing can replace the excitement and joy of stepping into a large mall. Especially one with all your favorite shops under one roof.

With that said, guess what guys? Zameen Ace Mall is opening soon and we can’t wait for that to happen!

The Opening Ceremony created a Buzz!

In short, when Zameen developments announced the opening of a groundbreaking mall in Islamabad, I was over the moon! The official ceremony was held in Islamabad on July 11th, 2019.

The chief guests at the ceremony were the CEOs of Zameen.com and officials from Ace Group. This ceremony took place in Sector J, DHA, Islamabad-Rawalpindi, Phase 2. One of the significant highlights of this landmark was the simultaneous inauguration of the on-site sales office.

It’s a Joint Venture!

Apparently, this is an international joint project headed by Zameen Developments, which is an Islamabad-based development company, Ace Group and a UAE-based group, MIH.

Hence, with big groups joining hands for this project; expectations are understandably high!

Consequently, this project has sent quite a buzz amongst shopping enthusiasts and there is a good reason for that. It is a one-of-a-kind, mixed-use property venture where both commercial and residential spaces are blended together. Need I say more?

What can you expect?

Imagine residing within the same building as a shopping mall! Cool, isn’t it?

This project is bringing a lot for the people of Islamabad, besides a high-end mall. to enumerate, from offering residential apartments and split-level penthouses to hotel apartments; you name it and it is there.

The mall will not only feature all the branded and popular retail outlets but will also have a hypermart and a multiplex cinema!

What else, you ask?

Other facilities include a swimming pool, fitness club, sports bar and most importantly, a dedicated parking lot which will accommodate around 800 cars at a time. This is a huge deal as parking is one of the most common and irritating issues faced by mall-goers of Pakistan.

Surprisingly, this multi-purpose building is being built on 10,000 square yards of land and the most special aspect about this mall and residential building is its location. on the other hand, it is strategically located and can be easily accessed from Saddar, Rawalpindi and T chowk Rawat.

In fact, it is also linked directly to Islamabad Expressway and is just a minute’s drive from G.T road.

Other Special Features?

Interestingly, another special feature about Zameen Ace Mall is that it is close to the top tier schools in Islamabad. So if you plan on investing in one of the residential apartments, you don’t need to worry about your children’s education.

In addition to this, according to Zeeshan Ali Khan, CEO of Zameen.com, this project is a refined combination of a contemporary hotel, shopping and living experiences. The main purpose of such a project is to make optimized use of available spaces and promote a culture of mixed-use developments.

Zeeshan Ali Khan further highlighted that four such projects are planned for this year, out of which two are already under construction in Lahore and Islamabad-Rawalpindi.

Ace Group CEO, Usman Zafar Cheema, lauded the partnership between Zameen Developments and Ace Group. Above all, he reiterated the importance of having multipurpose buildings in the city and how they are ready to take on this challenge.

I am a hopeless romantic at heart and I can’t help it! Every time I hear a sweet, romantic song, my heart skips a beat and yours will too when you hear Atif Aslam’s latest song for the movie, Super Star!

Unbelievably if this doesn’t do the trick, then the beautiful love ballad, Bekaraan, by Zeb Bangash and Ali Sethi is sure to melt your heart.

Although numerous movies are slated to be released on Eid-ul-Adha this year, Super Star has been the most anticipated one so far. (According to the Pakistani fans) With Mahira Khan leading the show, the feature film is bound to garner a lot of interest amongst cinema-goers.

Let’s not forget Bilal Ashraf, the male lead of this movie. Ticking all the boxes and that too, with a dimpled smile which is sure to make you go gaga over him!

Interestingly the first-look trailer was released in June and it surely left us all waiting for more. The final trailer was released a couple of days back and that too left us completely star-struck, to say the least!

The trailer launch specifically itself was a mega event and was attended by the super stellar cast of the movie and other notable stars. The reviews as well as the post-trailer release have been outstanding and rightly so.

The story-line is uncomplicated but it is the ace acting skills and directing that turns it around. Mahira khan portrays Noori, a girl from a simple background who aspires to be a super star.

 Bilal Ashraf, on the other hand, is a born super star with everything handed to him on a silver platter. It is when the paths of these two collide that the story moves forward.

Do I need to mention that the chemistry these two share is awesome and definitely makes up for some swoon-worthy scenes?

Need I mention that Mahira khan has stolen our hearts with her beauty as well as her acting prowess and this movie is no different?!

Her amazing transformation from a simpleton Noori to the super star Noori has created a lot of hype!

That nonchalant flick of the pony tail, the eyes and the swirl are not going to let you down!

While I can go on and on about the star power of Mahira khan, let me tell you that Bilal Ashraf is the yin to Mahira Khan’s yang in the movie. Seriously, did anyone look at Bilal Ashraf’s chiseled six packs?

That is a success story right under your nose!

 Music is an integral part of any movie and Super Star doesn’t disappoint at all. Azaan Sami Khan, Adnan Sami Khan’s son, has done wonders and this is definitely one of his finest works. Hence, the songs are worthy of listening on a repeat mode.

The director and his team have done a wonderful job. The cinematography has been lauded by critics. To say the least, the scenes have been shot well and the framing is equally wonderful.

Can I just say it again that these two make a superb on-screen couple?

Don’t we all just love spotting some cool cameos in a movie?

Well, Super Star doesn’t disappoint here. Although, the movie itself is star-studded, there isn’t a lack of star-studded cameo appearances either!!!

From the looks of it, beautiful Kubra Khan seems to be doing a dance number with the hunky Bilal Ashraf.

Then, we have cameos from Hania Amir and Syra Shehroz and must I add that they both look absolutely smashing.

Did we just also spot Osman Khalid Butt doing a dance number with our Noori?

 Woah! Don’t you love the cast already?

This can’t get better than this! Till then, we’ll have to wait for Super Star’s release!

The #MeToo movement was based on a very susceptible topic which is prevalent in our society and has been considered a taboo for a long time now. However, we were shocked to see that this trend turned against one of our Pakistani singers whom we have all grown up listening to.

When Meesha Shafi, a Pakistani singer, spoke up about the alleged harassment by Ali Zafar (another Pakistani singer), all the fans became awe struck.

With the #MeToo movement raging through our newsfeeds last year, we were shocked to witness women speak up about things that they had to go through. From celebrities to influencers and even the general public; every person from all around the world had taken part by either speaking about it or listening to it in order to create a safer environment for both men and women.

But do you think people would take advantage of it?

Meesha shafi took on twitter to talk about her experience and here is what she stated:

Regarding this statement, Ali Zafar on the other hand claimed that no such event ever occurred between him and Meesha Shafi and that she was merely misusing this campaign against him to gain publicity, a Canadian Immigration and to become the next Malala!!!

Here is what Ali Zafar had to say to the media about denying Meesha’s claim:

Legally, this case was taken to court by Ali Zafar against Meesha Shafi on the course of defamation at a fine of a 100 crore while Shafi’s lawyers claimed to deny any such instance and requested a public apology with a fine of 200 crore!

Anyhow, through a series of court hearings that lasted more than a year, it was claimed by Ali Zafar’s legal team that Meesha Shafi had failed to show up with proof and that there had been a technical fault due to which the court had turned in favour of Ali Zafar!

However, based on Ali Zafar’s claim regarding why Meesha falsely accused him, Meesha Shafi’s legal team claimed that those were not her motives as she already had a Canadian Immigration and also shed light on the fact that Ali Zafar had disgraced a National Hero : Malala.

 While the cases were going back and forth, we heard more of each side of the story.

Here’s what the public had to say about this scenario:

https://twitter.com/ManalFaheemKhan/status/986932699700121600

While many people supported Meesha for speaking out, Ali Zafar’s supporters were not far behind in expressing their views either!

On a TV Show, with Wife Ayesha Fazli, Ali Zafar talked about the issue and urged Meesha to come on air and talk about it too…And surprisingly, she did!

She came on a show hosted by Shahzaib Khanzada on Geo News and talked about her claims in a bold and unapologetic manner which was praised by many! People also praised Shahzaib on conducting this sensitive issue with respect and concern for the singer. 

As a reply to this interview, Ali Zafar tweeted that ‘She just won me my case!’

While numerous people from the film fraternity believed and praised Meesha on raising her voice on such a taboo topic, a lot of them stood by Ali Zafar and denied to accept any allegations against him.

With claims that the court had ruled in favour of Ali Zafar, fans were enraged to see the case turn in favour of a man through our patriarchal system of law.

It seems as if we will never be able to judge if this was a publicity stunt pulled by Ms. Shafi or if Ali Zafar really is the man she claimed him to be?

After ‘Billi’ in Na Maloom Afraad and ‘Chirrya’ in Challawa; we are now witnessing Mehwish Hayat rocking an item song as nothing less than ‘Gangster Guriya.’  On the other hand, her new-fangled number has swirled up several controversies, one of them being that she is rather Katrina Kaif-ish!!!

In the new Pakistani Feature Film ‘Baaji’ directed by Saqib Malik, Mehwish Hayat starred a special appearance in one of the 3 songs from the movie and she has obviously become the talk of the town! 

Why, you ask?

The song ‘Gangster Guriya’ is completely different from the other two songs ‘Badlaan’ and ‘Khilti Kali’ and you definitely need to watch it as the entire song is a sight for sore eyes.

With praises and criticisms going hand in hand for Mehwish Hayat and the song all over social media, we are both amused and confused by the Public’s response.

Undoubtedly, Mehwish has done justice to the song’s title as she looks utterly gorgeous in all her looks. The cherry on top are the rocking moves that could light the dance floor on fire!

Here’s a video of the song for you to enjoy and see for yourself!

However, as the Ghairat Police and the Criticism Cops blare their sirens through our windows, we couldn’t help but listen to their cries!

Is it Mehwish or Katrina?

A lot of people claimed that the item song had uncanny resemblance to numerous Katrina Kaif’s item songs and we can’t help but simply agree!

The opening of the song featured Yasir Hussain just like the Bollywood hit and Mehwish hayat’s looks seemed to be just like Katrina Kaif’s in the song ‘Husn Parcham’ from ZERO.

I mean…way to be original guys!

 Apart from the fact that this song is criticised for being a complete Bollywood copy, the fact that it is an item song is a lot more problematic.

Hamza Ali Abbasi’s statement jumps in!

Believe it or not, Pakistanis want Hamza Ali Abbasi to ban this item song based on his recent reviews on his show Pakistan Star. Hamza criticised a 16 year old girl for dancing on an item song during the auditions and pleaded to the producers and directors of Pakistani film industry to not put any item songs in their upcoming movies.

Surprisingly, the girl auditioning for the show chose one of Mehwish Hayat’s previous item songs!

Pakistani’s suggest that The Tamgha-e-Imtiaz awarded to Mehwish Hayat must be taken back as she does not deserve it. And we have heard this before too!

But should this happen?

The Final Verdict…

Moving on, the song itself is considered to be catchy but the lyrics just don’t glue themselves to people’s brains! Written by Lollywood heartthrob Osman Khalid Butt and sung by Bollywood singing sensation Sunidhi Chauhan; it definitely is ear catching and has received millions of thumbs-ups from all over the world.

The lyrics being pro-feminist are applauded on and appreciated by all the strong, independent women of the country and it is considered to be an item song that has taken a different turn this time.

From choreography to lyrics to being the Creative Director of the song; Osman Khalid Butt has his fingerprints all over the place and we can’t help but appreciate his efforts. Truly!

With the release of a Blockbuster film Baaji, that is a comeback film for Lollywood sensation Meera along with famous stars such as Amna Ilyas, Osman Khalid butt and Mohsin Abbas Haider; we are excited to see how this movie impacts the entire audience!

Reference:

The ICC World Cup 2019 has been a roller coaster ride for Pakistan! From intense matches to nail-biting innings, we have survived through most of the matches and we all can’t seem to ignore the suspicious and uncanny similarities between the 1992 World Cup and the 2019 World Cup!

I mean! What an eerie concurrence!

Team Captain Imran Khan Vs. PM Imran Khan!

In the 1992 World Cup, the Pakistani team was lead by Imran Khan as a team captain towards victory. Being Underdogs in the entire series, the Pakistan team shocked the entire world by pacing up and winning the World Cup Trophy!  

Today, we see him as the seated Prime Minister of Pakistan.

1992 Matches Vs. 2019 Matches

As opposed to the fact that there are numerous similarities to the 1992 World Cup, the most surprising similarity is the number and sequence of wins and losses of the Pakistani Team.

·         In 1992, Pakistan lost their first match against West Indies and so did the team in 2019.

·         Game 2 was won by the Pakistani team in both the series.

·         Game 3, again, was a washout in both series.

·         Game 4 and 5 was again lost by the 1992 team as well as the 2019 team!

·         Furthermore, Game 6, 7 and 8 had a brilliant victory against their rivals in both the series and we can’t help but wonder if the underdogs of 2019 are again about to bag the magnificent World Cup Trophy?

The format as well as the playing conditions of 1992 Vs. 2019!

The format of 1992 had 9 teams with all of them playing against each other with the top four teams qualifying for the Semi Finals.

 In 2019, the format has 10 teams and yet again, all of them play against everyone with the top four teams qualifying for the Semi Finals!

1992 Vs. 2019:  Playing conditions

In both the series, the administrators decided to use 2 new white balls per innings with one at each end.

Beating the Undefeated New Zealand!

Surprisingly, just as the 1992 underdogs beat New Zealand which remained undefeated till the match, the Pakistani team of 2019 also broke the undefeated record of New Zealand with an incredibly nail biting match.

Stretching the Similarity series a little further…

In 1992, Inzamam-ul-Haq was the rising star of the team whereas in 2019, his nephew, Imam-ul-Haq is the rising star.

Moreover, in 1992, India and Australia had won the previous two world cups and the situation is quite similar in 2019 as well!

In 1992, Aladdin is released as an Animated musical whereas in 2019, the Aladdin reboot is released a few days later!

Moreover, there are political similarities as well! Hilariously enough, In 1992, Asif Ali Zardari, former Pakistani President was arrested and sent to Jail and similarly, in 2019, Asif Ali Zardari is again arrested and in Jail!

Nostalgia at its peak!

As eerie as it seems, the similarities are quite astounding and we can’t wait to see how things turn out and if Sarfaraz Ahmed can lead his underdogs to victory in the 2019 ICC World Cup.

But hey! Does that mean Sarfaraz Ahmed will be the Prime Minister of Pakistan after two decades?! We’re excited to find out what happens!

Reference:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27052302/the-eerie-similarities-1992-2019-world-cups-pakistan

Watching famous Drama serials on PTV with the entire family clan gathered in the lounge is one memory all of us share! PTV was the only channel broadcasting on Television back in the day and kids as well as adults, likewise, enjoyed the drama mania to the max.

From watching Ankahi, Ainak Wala Jin, Tanhaiyan, Alpha Bravo Charlie and Alif Noon; the dramas we produce and watch today have for sure evolved to a whole new level.

Here is a list of 5 Pakistani Drama Series which have forced us to open our eyes towards Taboos we’ve been running from since a long time. Especially in Pakistan.

Udaari

A HUM TV special, Udaari is a Momina Duraid Production, penned down by Farhat Ishtiaq.

Udaari is a famous series which is believed to open the eyes of people towards the reality and taboos of our society. The Serial depicts the prevalence of social and economic marginalization of women, especially those belonging from the lower working class along with heinous issues such as child sexual abuse and child labour.

These issues are commonly not spoken about in our society and are brushed under the rug instead of looking for solutions.

Udaari is a series which has not only showcased these issues beautifully but has also provided solutions for its termination by working alongside Kashf Foundation (a non-profit organization aiding women become independent and aware of their rights in the society).

 Cheekh

Another famous series which is currently airing on ARY Digital is ‘Cheekh’.

It is scripted by Zanjabeel Asim Shah and directed by Badar mehmood starring Saba Qamar and Bilal Abbas. It is a magnificent series which again raises the important social issues of suppression of women and silencing their voices.

It is an out of the box idea as it does not connect a failing love story or a psychological illness to the issue, but it takes a mysterious and an intriguing turn towards the alertness of the subject of rape and women empowerment.

The audience is eagerly looking for upcoming episodes and it is definite that the series has struck a chord in their hearts!

Watch teaser here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy8g9JvnpOE

Khuda Mera bhi hai

This drama aired on ARY which catered to a significant and critical issue which for once does not only involve women.

This is a series based on the consequences on the birth of an Intersex child in our society. The series had tapped the hearts of millions of viewers, some of whom might have refused to accept this reality earlier. It speaks about the issues of awareness and acceptance of such conditions in our society as well as the need to provide equal opportunities to such children and beings as they deserve to live a secure life with every bounty that any other child may deserve.

Watch teaser here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZRAdlt3JoQ

Baaghi

Baaghi was an outstanding series which aired on Urdu 1 and it spoke about more than one social issue which is still deeply prevalent in our society today.

From silencing women in rural areas to touching the topic of domestic violence and exploitation of women in the across the nation; Baaghi knocked on deep seated fears in our hearts and the cry for justice is never going to die down.

Moreover, towards the end, it highlighted another taboo of our society known as killing in the name of honour. Baaghi has since been an impactful influence on our minds.

It was biographical based on Qandeel Baloch (a famous Pakistani girl) who was murdered by her own brother in the name of honour killing!

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQB-MjnTeP4

Sammi

Sammi was an eye-opening drama which was showed on HUM TV starring Mawra Hocane as Sammi. 

It displayed a common taboo practiced in our society where the girl is forced to pay for her family’s mistakes. Sammi, in the series, was forced against her will to marry a man after her brother killed her fiancé right before they were about to get married.

This series depicted the social taboo in our society like non-consensual marriage, dowry and marital rape and the creators wished to talk about these issues in order to create awareness and break the silence.  

All these dramas along with numerous others have opened our eyes towards the darker truths of our society and have encouraged us to work towards making this world a better place to live in for all of us.

Share your stories to help make a difference!

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Talent hunt shows have stormed the globe in recent years. Be it any continent, any country; there are shows being aired that showcase talents of all shapes and sizes. Pakistan has seen its fair share of home-grown talent hunts on TV as well, but none of them actually made a mark for themselves except (maybe) “Living On The Edge”; which was mostly a spinoff (or a charba, if you wanna go there) of “Who Dares Wins” rather than a talent hunt show!

Does that mean there’s no talent in our country? NO! Our country is filled with immense talent and despite having limited to no access to academics or professional coaching of any kind, our people find ways to train themselves and polish their abilities as much as it is humanly possible.

We still wonder why none of these shows become successful enough to provide a platform for our talented people to showcase themselves?

Recently, Bol Entertainment Group has launched its talent show; ‘Pakistan Star- Dum hai tou jeeto!’ and we all have our hopes high for this one!

This show has been introduced to be a platform for talents such as Singing, Dancing, Comedy, Mimicry and much more. Nevertheless, why is this show receiving a lot of backlash from its audience?

The biggest problem that we could identify is the selection of the three esteemed judges!

With Hamza Ali Abbasi, Kubra Khan and Javed Sheikh on the panel, one might believe that this is an acting-only talent show; considering all three of them are renowned actors of Pakistan’s Film and Drama Industry.  But, how does this transpose for other talents?

Why couldn’t the panel have diversity? The Inclusion of a singer, a dancer, even a comedian would have brought some sort of fairness to the judgements. We’re sure we have many talented and renowned artists in our industry who could take the place.

Here’s what Pakistani’s have to say about the show!

The criteria for judgements is simply baffling. Are the judges allowed to end an act before it is even completed? Many contestants back lashed the judges upon rejection and the judges were completely taken aback!

Despite the fact that the judges are extremely talented, they are not trained to judge all kinds of talents and that is simply not fair to the contestants.

While some people are completely against the judging panel, some show their love and appreciation towards them!

Recently, Hamza Ali Abbasi bashed a 16 year old girl on dancing on an item number and we can’t decide whether to support him on his moral thoughts or consider the fact that he is hosting a talent show where dancing is considered to be one of the core talents exhibited by our youngsters; both boys and girls and it is their choice to choose any song that they like to perform on! 

However, generally, we do believe that Item numbers must be eliminated completely from our industry as they do no good for anyone (Maybe, except the producer).

Hilariously, someone on twitter tried to compare Hamza Ali Abbasi to a well known actor Simon Cowell who is seen to host many US singing competitions, despite not being a singer himself but some people don’t agree to it at all!

Team Bol really needs to pick up its game by selecting a more diverse range of judges who have a keen eye for talent and can bring up our youngsters to appreciate and work on their God-gifted talents and hobbies!

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Until and unless Pakistani drama script writers do not widen their horizons and swerve away from tragic storylines and super depressing plots; all dramas are bound to seem the same!

Is an overdose of misery and gloominess so necessary?

Cheekh, an ARY production needs no introduction as it is rolling on the tip of everyone’s tongue and for good reason too. It mainly wraps around the story of a rapist-cum-murderer and how a close friend fights for the victim’s justice and honor.

A strong pivotal role played by none other than Saba Qamar makes up for the drama’s success- (for the most part of it)! However, while some people have converted into diehard fans of the series, others rather deem it to be deviating from its core topic.

So guys, will Cheekh remain in the spotlight till it concludes or will it head south just like previous similar soaps?

Let’s weigh in the possibilities!

Saba Qamar returning to the screen with a Bang yet again!

When exceptional yet formidable acting are paired with memorable dialogues as well as good dialogue delivery; one is bound to become the talk of the town.

Saba Qamar did exactly that!

Since Saba Qamar is extremely particular about her selection of dramas, when everyone saw her return to the screen in Cheekh, her fans knew how special it would be.

After all, who can forget how Baaghi prospered back in 2017.

A Loving and Supportive Husband!

How often do you witness loving husbands in Pakistani dramas, eh?

When Emaad Irfani’s role as Saba Qamar’s husband showed a strong bond between the couple, it not only became a chain-breaker from typical narcissistic husbands across our country, but also brought out a lighter side to the drama.

All Pakistani husbands should definitely watch the drama for tips!

What a Bold Topic!

Sexual harassment still is, as it has always been a taboo in Pakistan, especially when a girl is raped. Families choose to bury the matter instead of seeking justice because witnessing their daughters being stigmatized is something not everyone can gulp down so effortlessly.

Cheekh turned the tables in this regard.

When Ushnah Shah’s character is violently assaulted by Bilal Abbas (Wajih), instead of facing the truth, she plummets off a rooftop to meet her death (as most victims in Pakistan do).

Nonetheless, Saba Qamar (her close friend) doesn’t digest the reality easily and instead plays a heroic role towards eventually putting Wajih behind bars legally.

A woman playing a bold role- something to definitely root for in Pakistan!

Not a Typical Pakistani Family!

Instead of being hazed by tightly knit family ties like conventional Pakistani households, Shayan (the middle sibling) chooses to look at the bigger picture.

Certainly not blindly protecting his youngest brother Wajih, Shayan supports his wife (another uncommon phenomena) in seeking justice, be it against his blood brother.

The Villain was revealed midway

Unlike most stories, Cheekh revealed the bad guy midway and the audience was still compelled to watch the upcoming episodes because of the drama’s thrill.

The culprit, Bilal Abbas aka Wajih has totally aced his bad boy acting skills in Cheekh, nevertheless, is this enough to keep the fans hooked to the TV screens every time Cheekh airs?

What now…?

After reading totally out-of-the-box ideas behind creating such a solid drama, I fail to understand why Zanjabeel Asim has chosen to pen down a script which is nothing but dragging since episode 16.

The tweets and comments online show an increase in people ditching the drama and moving towards new ones because of the following factors:

·        Countless unnecessary scenes.

·        Dragged scenes.

·        Pointless amount of distress in Saba’s life: the couple losing their unborn child. (WHY?)

Acting skills take the cake!

Acting skills take the cake and we believe the cast was chosen by a pro for sure!

While Saba Qamar plays an outstandingly harrowing role against Bilal Abbas, he on the other hand equally stands tall in his.

As for Emaad Irfani, I for sure cannot imagine any other actor switching his place and becoming such a loving husband. Aijaz Aslam has done a great job too!

So now, unless Cheekh picks up the pace again and shows something different, the story will simply keep dragging; eventually losing all its fans.

Let’s see what the team has in store for us!

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Being the unpredictable person that he is, Nasir Khan Jan never fails to surprise us with his unintentional or maybe intentional jokes and statements. He truly is a one-of-a-kind entertainer for Pakistanis who does not need any kind of introduction at all. All of us just know him.

What we also know is that no matter what he does, he always receives loads of praise as well as criticism from people all over social media.

Ever since he became a social media celebrity, he has always come up with like ways no less than chalk and cheese to entertain and attract as much attention towards himself as possible. There is no way that he would let any such opportunity cross by him which can get people to talk about him.  

Hence, recently, Nasir Khan Jan replied to a tweet made by President Donald Trump expressing his disagreement on the President’s views:

Little did he know, he was starting a comical twitter outrage with a bunch of ‘Condom’ jokes! In all his seriousness, this is what Khan replied:

I’m sure he meant ‘condemn’ but how can twitter mafia let him off the hook without bashing him for every word that comes out of his mouth? Especially when he used the word ‘Condom’?

A LOT of people replied to his tweet in the most hilarious ways possible.

Behold! There are quite a few ‘condom’ jokes coming your way!!!!

While some took this lightly, some were adamant that he did this on purpose!

And some people couldn’t help but act as if they are the most innocent human beings on earth!

Some people believed that Nasir Khan Jan is surely smarter than Trump!

Yet again, surprisingly, Nasir Khan Jan stayed adamant on his statement and tweeted that no matter whether he writes ‘condom’ or condemn’, as long as everyone understood what he meant, he doesn’t care about the trolls!

While some people support Khan on his courage to speak against Donald Trump’s statement, some just can’t stop trolling the guy. Despite the incredible cause that he was talking about, the only thing we cared about was the one word he spelled incorrectly! 

And we did not let it go without letting the world know.  

Whether it’s world politics or sports; Nasir Khan Jan does not shy away from expressing his views on social media. Just like these couple of tweets that he shared after the dreadful PAK VS IND World cup match.

No matter how much we might joke around about his use of ‘condom’, we have to agree with Nasir Khan Jan on this one. War is not the solution!

Despite it all, one thing is for sure. The guy speaks from his heart and is absolutely true to his followers about his views. He is never afraid to speak out his mind and he has always welcomed hate but replied with love and laughter!

More power to you Nasir Khan Jan.

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Another wax statue unveils on 18^th June 2019 welcoming Priyanka Chopra to London…

Priyanka Chopra has taken the world by storm and we have her professional graph as a proof of that. Not only did she almost break the internet when she chose Nick Jonas (American singer) as her life companion but her iconic style, signature smile and attractive personality are what make her slay globally!

The Desi Diva knows exactly how to keep her loving fans captivated with new projects as well as her intriguing personal life activities. 

The Statue

She has done the same yet again through her brand new wax statue placed in London in her honor.

Priyanka Chopra was honored with a life size mesmerizing wax statue by Madame Tussauds earlier in New York on 7^th February 2019. Unsurprisingly, she couldn’t believe her eyes because of the amazing intricacy and detail.

The artists at Madame Tussauds recreated Chopra’s ‘lady in red look’ from 2016 Emmy Awards where the star wore a Jason Wu outfit. 

Why this pose, you ask?

Well, how else could she flaunt her incredible diamond ring gifted by Nick Jonas! 4 months apart- 2 days ago, Chopra is honored with another breathtaking wax statue by Madame Tussauds, this time in London.

I mean, check out the detail guys!

If you are wondering how it was done, here’s a glimpse of the ‘Behind the Scene!’

Priyanka Chopra’s fresh wax statue artistry was sketched on the Golden Globes 2017 appearance where she donned a completely awe-inspiring golden sequin gown. The gown was made by none other than Ralph Lauren.

Her gold shimmery drape made her Desi features pop out and oh, do we love that lip shade on her or what!!!

Deserving or Not?

While some thought Priyanka wasn’t worthy of another wax statue as a tribute, others commented negatively on her appearance (plastic looks!).

Here are a few more pictures to feast your eyes!

And here is the original picture:

Didn’t the artists do an incredible job?

Well, one thing that we are sure about is that this ‘7 Khoon Maaf actress’ is bound to keep her fans looking and waiting for more!

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