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  • Debut Projects: How were these twelve leading ladies launched in Pakistani showbiz?

    Debut Projects: How were these twelve leading ladies launched in Pakistani showbiz?

    Pakistani entertainment industry has flourished over the last two decades, one such reason has been an influx of promising new comers who went onto become leading ladies with scene-stealing performances and crackling screen-presence.

    The audiences might remember an actor’s breakthrough project but, not many people are aware of the projects with which they started their careers. Often underrated and even undocumented, the very first or the debut projects of many of the popular actors are not known by the audiences.

    Despite there being many actors that dominate our television screens, only a handful of actors have proved their mettle over the years in a way that makes them worthy of the title of being a “leading star”.

    These divas have been working in the industry for quite some time now and have cemented their positions as being part of the top-of-the-list category of stars. The journey of these stars is truly inspirational.

    Take a look at and see which projects actually launched these actresses’ careers and how much they have grown in the industry since then:

    Mahira Khan

    Mahira Khan was a popular video jockey prior to becoming an actress. She was approached by several filmmakers during her stint as a VJ, however, she ended up saying yes to the celebrated director Shoaib Mansoor. Mahira first made her acting debut in the 2011 film Bol where she was cast in a supporting role opposite Atif Aslam. The song picturized on the pair, Hona Tha Pyaar, became a national anthem and contributed to Mahira’s first brush with mainstream popularity. Later that year, The Hum Kahan Kay Sachay thay star made her television debut with Mehreen Jabbar’s directorial Neeyat on ARY Digital. She also made her Bollywood debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan with Raees in 2017. Mahira’s last film project was the blockbuster film Superstar (2019) and her next film, Quaid e Azam Zindabad will be released on Eid this year.

    Saba Qamar

    In 2004, Saba had gone to see a shooting of a play but when the heroine for the play opted out at the last minute, Saba was asked by the director to perform in her place. Saba acted out the lines given to her and received praise from the director and the crew. It led to Saba initially making brief appearances is some PTV plays that are undocumented. However, in 2005 Saba debuted with a prominent role in the drama Main Aurat Hoon for which she won PTV Award for Best Actress. Later in 2007 with Khuda Gawah on PTV, Saba got more mainstream popularity and was approached by several private channels. Saba was last seen on TV in the drama Cheekh (2019). Her next projects include two feature films, Kamli and Ghabrana Nahin Hai, and a web-series titled Mann Jogi.

    Mehwish Hayat

    Mehwish got her first experience of being in front of the camera at the age of eight in a commercial as a child artist. She forayed into the world of acting with a short film, InshaAllah with Mohib Mirza which was premiered at international film festivals in 2009. However, Mehwish’s first prominent performance was in 2010 with the multi-starrer soap Larkiyan Mohallay Ki, produced by Momina Duraid for Hum TV. She did her first drama in the lead role in the following year titled Mere Qatil Mere Dildar. Mehwish’s last project was the film Chhalawa (2019). She will be next seen opposite Humayun Saeed in the Nadeem Baig directorial film London Nahin Jaunga.

    Sajal Aly

    Sajal’s first acting stint was in Nida Yasir – Yasir Nawaz starrer sitcom Nadaaniyaan in 2009, where she appeared briefly in one episode. She auditioned along with her sister Saboor Ali for ARY’s soap, Mehmoodabad Ki Malkain produced by Humayun Saeed’s banner. Both sisters passed the audition and got cast in the ensemble soap serial. Sajal impressed the critics with her natural yet impactful performance and she immediately signed on more projects. She later made her Bollywood debut with Sridevi starrer Mom. She was last seen in the critically acclaimed film, Khel Khel Mein opposite Bilal Abbas Khan. The Mom star will be seen next in Jemima Goldsmith’s Hollywood production, What’s Love Got To Do With It?

    Ayeza Khan

    Ayeza was discovered through an event held at her college. She had auditioned for a commercial campaign during her teenage which ultimately led her to make her acting debut in a supporting role in Fahad Mustafa – Sunita Marshal starrer Tum Jo Miley (2009). Despite limited screen time, Ayeza managed to make an impressive acting debut and the project got her more work as an actor followed by a breakthrough performance in Pyaray Afzal which made her the most searched actress in 2014. She peaked her career with a smashing hit in Meray Paas Tum Ho.

    Maya Ali

    After a brief stint in the field of television hosting, Maya landed a small supporting role in the Sanam Baloch – Mikaal Zulfiqar starrer Durr-e-Shehwar. She played the role of Sanam’s younger sister in the drama. The project was produced by Momina Duraid, directed by Haissam Hussain, and written by Umera Ahmed. Maya managed to impress the team with her dedication and the director signed her as the leading lady in his following project Aik Nayi Cinderella (2012). Maya was last seen in the 2019 blockbuster film, Parey Hut Love and is currently starring in drama, Jo Bichar Gaye.

    Mawra Hocane

    Mawra’s first stint on television was a VJ on ARY Musik before she got noticed by television producers. Her debut as an actress happened through a sitcom titled Kichari Salsa in 2011 which aired on A-plus where Mawra displayed her acting chops. She was immediately noticed by bigger channels such as HUM TV. Her Bollywood debut is Sanam Teri Kasam (2016), followed by Pakistani film debut was blockbuster Jawani Phir Nahi Aani 2. She is currently seen in the Hum TV drama serial Qissa Meherbano Ka.

    Yumna Zaidi

    After a brief stint with hosting, Yumna was encouraged by fellow-actor Affan Waheed, who was friends with Yumna’s older sister, to pursue acting in a serious capacity. She bagged her debut role in ARY’s Thakan (2012) which was produced by Asif Raza Mir. Yumna acted as the antagonist in the drama, which starred Saba Qamar as the protagonist. Despite being her first acting project on television, Yumna managed to impress the audience and ended up getting more projects as a lead actor. Her last drama Pyar Kay Sadqay got much critical and commercial success including two awards at the Lux Style Awards. She is currently featuring in Ishq-e-Laa and Sinf-e-Aahan.

    Sanam Saeed

    Sanam debuted with Mehreen Jabbar’s Daam in 2010 which starred Sanam Baloch, Amina Sheikh, and Adeel Hussain in lead roles. Sanam played the antagonist in the drama and was praised for her refreshingly subliminal performance in the role. Before her television debut, she did theatre plays, modeling and even hosting as a teenager. Sanam got her first drama as a parallel lead in 2011 with Mera Naseeb followed by a leading role in Blockbuster Zindagi Gulzar Hai.  Her next project is a film titled Ishrat Made In China and Zee5 web-series with Fawad Khan.

    Hira Mani

    Hira started off as a VJ followed by a stint in hosting. Hira made her acting debut in a sitcom Teri Meri Kahani in 2013 opposite her husband Salman Saqib a.k.a Mani. Hira played a fictionalized version of herself in the sitcom. She displayed her humorous side on the show and was appreciated for her comic timing. The show, which initially aired on ARY Digital, was extended due to its popularity with its target audience and had a second season which aired on Hum TV. The Sun Yaara diva attained A-list stardom with Kashf in 2020. Hira is currently seen in ARY’s Yeh Na Thi Hamari Kismat.

    Saboor Aly

    Saboor started her acting career with a brief role in Choti Si Kahani, followed by a supporting role in the family drama Mehmoodabad Ki Malkain on ARY Digital in 2011. In September 2016, she made her film debut with Nabeel Qureshi’s socio-comedy film Actor in Law, starring Fahad Mustafa and Om Puri. Her portrayal of a supportive sister of Mustafa’s character earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination at Lux Style Awards. She entered the big league with Geo’s Fitrat in 2020.

    Minal Khan

    Minal’s acting debut was in the Geo TV’s drama Kaash Main Teri Beti Na Hoti  in 2011, as a child star. This was followed by a supporting role in the sitcom series Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah (2012) on ARY Digital. She recently catapulted to stardom with back to back hit projects, Hassad, Nand and Jalan.

  • ‘Broken hearts unite’: Shehbaz says PML-N and PPP are on the same page to oust Khan

    ‘Broken hearts unite’: Shehbaz says PML-N and PPP are on the same page to oust Khan

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif hosted Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari at his Lahore residence on Saturday to discuss the present political situation.

    Both Zardari and Bilawal expressed well wishes for PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif’s health and also inquired about Shehbaz, who had recently tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a statement issued by the PPP.

    Both sides discussed the political situation in the country in a meeting which was also attended by Maryam Nawaz,l and Hamza Shehbaz.

    Speaking after the lunch, Shehbaz said, “Broken hearts can be united again. Both PPP and PML-N are united to take Prime Minister (PM), Imran Khan, out.”

    “The government is incompetent and the more the Opposition unites and works in coordination, the more we will be able to pressurise the government,” said Bilawal.

    “We believe, the trust of the people is no more on the government. And the parliament should also stop trusting the government,” said the PPP chairperson.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Shehbaz called Bilawal on Friday and invited him for a luncheon meeting on the instruction of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

  • Man arrested for second marriage without taking consent of first wife

    A man convicted of remarrying without the permission of his first wife has been arrested in Lahore High Court. The convict was sentenced to six months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 560,000 in December last year by trial court. However, he ran away before getting arrested.

    Ghulam Rasool, who had remarried without permission from his first wife, had come to the Lahore High Court to file an appeal against the sentence, where he was arrested.

    A one-member bench of the Lahore High Court will hear the appeal against the sentence next week. Ghulam Rasool has requested the High Court to suspend the sentence till the decision on his appeal. The accused’s first wife had filed a case against her husband for remarrying.

  • Shehbaz Sharif invites Bilawal Bhutto for lunch, meeting arranged on directives of Nawaz Sharif

    Shehbaz Sharif invites Bilawal Bhutto for lunch, meeting arranged on directives of Nawaz Sharif

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif contacted Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday and invited him for a luncheon meeting on Saturday, reports Dawn.

    Bilawal accepted the invitation. The PPP chairman arrived in the city along with his father Asif Ali Zardari earlier in the day for the luncheon meeting on Saturday.

    Officials privy to the matter have told the news outlet that the meeting is being arranged on the directives of party supremo Nawaz Sharif who, they claim, has been contacted multiple times by the PPP.

    It is being reported that in-house change, both in the National and in Punjab Assembly, will be on top of the agenda of the meeting.

    PML-N leaders say the PPP wishes to start the no-confidence or in-house change process from Punjab, while they wish to see a change in the federal setup.

  • Amna Ilyas jokingly clarifies about sexual orientation on Wajahat Rauf’s show

    Amna Ilyas jokingly clarifies about sexual orientation on Wajahat Rauf’s show

    Actor and model Amna Ilyas appeared on Wajahat Rauf’s digital chat show, on which she spilled the beans about her colleagues and personal life.

    On being asked about being confused about her sexual orientation, Amna stated that she has now understood that she is not a lesbian and is very much interested in men. She joked about the same on Wajahat’s previous show.

    Last year the Baaji diva appeared on Faizan Sheikh and Aadi Adeal Amjad’s chat show, The Mazedaar Show. During the ‘This or That’ segment of the show the Zinda Bhaag star was asked that what does she do when she see a girl who is short.

    The host asked if she laughs at them or tells them that they can get taller.

    Amna said that “I laugh at them, I am not a racist but I laugh.”

    ‘Aiman ko btana hoga’: Amna Ilyas jokes about Muneeb Butt’s ‘libido’

    ‘I ain’t a lesbian, divorce changed my life’: Mathira opens up on personal life, divorce

  • ‘Pakistan is our strategic partner’: US responds to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks

    ‘Pakistan is our strategic partner’: US responds to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks

    The United States (US) has responded to Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in the Indian parliament, Lok Sabha, that the policies adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi have brought Pakistan and China closer.

    The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price refused to “endorse” such a statement on Washington’s behalf and said, “Pakistan is our strategic partner.”

    “I’ll let Pakistanis and the PRC (People’s Republic of China) speak for themselves about their relationship. These remarks will certainly not be endorsed by me,” Price said during a regular press briefing.

    The US said it values its relationship with Pakistan while emphasising that there was no requirement, as far as Washington was concerned, for other countries to choose between the US and China.

    “We’ve made the point all along that it is not a requirement for any country around the world to choose between the United States and China,” Ned Price told reporters when asked if Pakistan and China have become closer because “they feel abandoned” by the US.

    Rahul, while speaking in Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on President’s address during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament on Wednesday, said, “India’s single most important strategic goal has been to keep China and Pakistan apart but what you have done has only brought them together.”

  • ‘Firecracker, Insane’: Alia Bhatt impresses Anushka, Janhvi and others in Gangubai Kahthiawadi’s trailer

    ‘Firecracker, Insane’: Alia Bhatt impresses Anushka, Janhvi and others in Gangubai Kahthiawadi’s trailer

    The trailer of Alia Bhatt starrer Gangubai Kathiawadi has been released The much-anticipated trailer depicts the real-life story of a sex worker in Mumbai’s Kamathipura who was forced into prostitution at a young age.

    Directed and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the movie will release in cinemas on 25th Feb 2022.

    Gangubai Kathiawadi also features Ajay Devgn, Jim Sarbh, Seema Pahwa and Vijay Raazi.

    Have a look at the trailer:

    Many celebrities have praised Alia and the trailer:

  • Pakistanis call out drama for showing hero not believing kidnapped wife after attempted rape

    Pakistanis call out drama for showing hero not believing kidnapped wife after attempted rape

    Pakistani Twitter is calling out a drama serial Aitebaar for showing a husband not believing his wife, and assuming she was raped by goons after she tells him that she was not raped. The drama serial features Zarnish Khan and Syed Jibran in lead roles, in the characters of Parisa and Hamza respectively.

    The particular scene is from the second episode of the drama in which the wife Parisa is trying to convince Hamza that she was not raped, but Hamza refuses to believe his wife.

    Parisa and Hamza were in the car when kidnappers took Parisa with them after beating Hamza and leaving him on the road. However, Parisa luckily manages to escape from the situation and remains unharmed.

    The husband in the scene says to his wife: “Mein nae bhula pa raha kay kisi geayr ne tumhe chuwa hai” (I am unable to forget that some stranger has touched you.” To which Parisa explained it to him that nothing happened to her but he refused to believe.

    Pakistani Twitter is calling out the drama serial for showing a husband victim blaming his wife:

    The drama is written by Maimoona Aziz and is directed by Nadeem Siddiqui.

  • Pat Cummins hopes ‘close to a full-strength’ squad to tour Pakistan

    Pat Cummins hopes ‘close to a full-strength’ squad to tour Pakistan

    Australia’s Test captain Pat Cummins is confident that a near full-strength squad will tour Pakistan as only a few players have security concerns for the forthcoming tour.

    According to the Australian Associated Press (AAP), Cummins is optimistic, while also acknowledging the pre-tour preparations made by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    “I think we’ll get close to a full-strength squad. There is still a little bit of more work to do,” he said.

    “We have received a lot of information and it has been great. All the pre-tour security and biosecurity work has been done and it’s been fantastic,” he added.

    Australia’s red ball captain also revealed that the majority of the players are confident in the tour’s continuation, while the others are concerned about security. Cummins, on the other hand, is committed to back his teammates if anyone withdraws.

    “There are a couple of players still keen to get a bit more information but everyone is really pumped and feeling relatively comfortable,” he said.

    “If anyone doesn’t make the tour it is absolutely okay, we will back them for sure,” he added.

    Earlier, Australia’s pacer Josh Hazelwood had said that he will not be surprised if a few players will miss Pakistan tour.

    Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that Australia’s historic tour to Pakistan comes after a gap of 24 years and is set to begin on March 3. The tour is comprised of three Test matches that will be contested in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore, followed by a three-match ODI series from March 29 to April 2. On April 5, a single T20I will be played to conclude the tour.

  • TRAILBLAZER: HUM TV’s cinematic tribute of blockbuster serial ‘Parizaad’

    TRAILBLAZER: HUM TV’s cinematic tribute of blockbuster serial ‘Parizaad’

    The finale screening of drama serial was held in Lahore last week and it was attended by the ensemble cast and crew of the show.

    Parizaad

    The grand screening was attended by prominent industry veterans like Sania Saeed and Resham apart from the stellar ensemble cast of the play headlined by Ahmad Ali Akbar, Naumaan Ijaz, Saboor Aly and Ushna Shah.

    What made the event special was the press conference after the screening, in which the cast and makers of the show spilled candid details.

    Ahmad revealed that he initially refused the drama but later agreed to do it after reading the entire script and it made him cry.

    Have a look at the pictures:

    Produced by Momina Duraid, the masterpiece has been directed by Shahzad Kashmiri of Yaqeen Ka Safar fame.