On the work front, Danish is currently featuring in Ishq Hai co-starring Minal Khan whereas Ayeza will be seen next in Laapata opposite Ali Rehman Khan and Sarah Khan.
Aymen Saleem debuted with the Blockbuster Ramadan special play, Chupke Chupke co-starring Osman Khalid Butt, Ayeza Khan and Arsalan Naseer. The actress received praise for her debut performance as Mishi, her chemistry with Arsalan was also lauded by fans.
Aymen took to social media to announce that she will no more be acting in media artefacts.
Entertainment industry is not easy to get into, its cut-throat competitive nature makes it more challenging for the newer lot to gain opportunities and professional growth. Every day hundreds of aspirants try their luck in the acting realm but only few can get themselves noticed.
Here’s a list of the most promising fresh faces of recent years:
Zubab Rana
Zubab Rana made her acting debut with a role in Hum TV’s series Naseebo Jali in 2017. She further appeared as an antagonist in Shahood Alvi’s directorial Mere Khudaya in 2018 and as a protagonist in horror series Bandish 2019, which landed her a nomination at the Lux Style Awards. Her recent biggie Fitrat along with ARY’s Bharaas presented her range as a performer. Rana has been praised for her acting nuances and strong screen presence.
Danyal Zafar
After launching a series of popular songs, Danyal finally made his acting debut in Saife Hassan’s Tanaa Banaa opposite Alizeh Shah. Being a Ramadan special play, the series had thirty episodes and got Danyal noticed for his acting skills and impressive dressing sense. Danyal is also interactive with his fans on social media.
Hamza Sohail
Hamza made his debut in Kashif Nisar’s Raqeeb Se, co-starring Faryal Mehmood. Playing a layered character with grey shades, Hamza was impressive in his part and fans want to see more of him in the future. His chemistry with Faryal was also one of the highlights of the show. Rumour mills are buzzing that Hamza will be seen next in Fahad Mustafa’s production, directed by Badar Mehmood.
Nazish Jahangir
Nazish made her television debut in 2017 with drama serial Bharosa, followed by Gali Mein Chand Nikla and Khatakaar.Dil Tanha Tanha and Kahin Deep Jaley showcased her growth as an actress.
Arez Ahmed
Arez received fame with his breakthrough role of Asim in Saima Waseem’s Kahin Deep Jaley. The Meherposh actor received critical acclaim for his performance in Uraan where he shined in the role of Waqas. His pairing with co-stars Hiba Bukhari and Nazish Jahangir have been appreciated by netizens. Arez will be seen next in Mere Apne co-starring Zoya Nasir and Hajra Yamin.
Aymen Saleem
Aymen Saleem started her acting career with the hit Ramadan special play Chupke Chupke, despite it being an ensemble, Aymen got herself noticed for her natural and likeable performance.
Arsalan Nazeer
Prior to his acting debut, Arsalan has been a successful youtuber with a loyal digital fanbase. With an effortless comic timing in Chupke Chupke, Arsalan managed to stand tall opposite seniors such as Osman Khalid Butt and Ayeza Khan. His chemistry with co-star Aymen Saleem is one of the highlights of the show.
Usama Khan
Usama debuted with Hania Amir starrer Mujhay jeene do in a brief role, before delivering his breakthrough performance in Hum TV’s Sanwari as Tabrez Farasat Ali for which he also received a HUM award. Usama gained further prominence with dramas like Uraan and Ishq Jalebi and is currently featuring on Geo Entertainment’s Mohlat as Essa.
Zainab Shabbir
Zainab Shabbir started her drama career in 2018 with Maa Sadqey where she played a negative role. She is well known for her characters in Malaal e Yaar and Meherposh, Zainab has the skills to perform mature characters. Currently she is working in Hum TV’s drama serial Yaar Na Bichray.
Hammad Shoaib
After enjoying fame on digital platforms such as TikTok, Hammad turned a mainstream actor with dramas such as Soteli Mamta and Deewar-e-shab. Hammad featured in ARY’s Eid Telefilm Uff Yeh Biwiyan in which the actor displayed his diverse acting range.
Momin Saqib
After being an internet sensation post his viral world cup meme, Momin forayed into the world of acting with HUM TV’s Bey Adab, followed by Wajahat Rauf’s Raqs-e-Bismil, in which the actor impressed his critics by essaying the role of Isa in the show.
Dur-e-Fishan Saleem
Dur-e-Fishan made her acting debut in 2020’s Dil ruba, followed by an engaging performance in Bharaas alongside Omer Shehzad. The two have been like for their on-screen pairing.
Momina Iqbal
Post debuting with Ishq Mein Kafir opposite Gohar Mumtaz, Momina gained recognition for her performance in Ehad-e-wafa. She is currently playing a significant role in Geo TV’s Khuda Aur Mohabbat 3.
Mirza Zain Baig
Zain is a growing name of the local entertainment industry, with a right balance of lead and supporting parts, Zain is getting popular with the drama audiences. After entering showbiz with Humayun Saeed and Mehwish Hayat starrer Dillagi, Zain achieved popularity with his roles in Dil-e-Gumshuda, Fitrat and Malal-e-yaar. His latest outing is Khuda Aur Mohabbat 3 in which he plays a love-struck Taimoor.
Saima Akram Chaudhry, who has penned the wildly successful Chupke Chupke, Ishq Jalebi and Suno Chanda has said that there will be no second or third seasons of these dramas.
“Dear fans, viewers and followers, I know you loved Chupke Chupke, Ishq Jalebi and Suno Chanda. I am grateful to all but it’s not possible for me to take your Instagram calls and talk [to] everyone,” wrote Akram on social media.
“Please accept my apologies and don’t call directly. Trust me it’s too irritating and it is too unethical to call someone at midnight,” she said further.
Chaudhry also said that she cannot help anyone launch their career in the entertainment industry as it’s not her department.
“And channels are not planning for season two or three,” added Chaudhry.
Meanwhile, earlier fans had speculated that a sequel of Chupke Chupke was in the works after Ayeza Khan shared a clip of herself and Osman Khalid Butt dressed up as Meenu and Faazi from the drama.
Furthermore, director Danish Nawaz said that there is a possibility for a sequel if the script and story are good. He said discussions on the topic are ongoing and that he cannot confirm anything as yet.
Safe to say, we’re not getting over Chupke Chupke anytime soon given the amount of light-hearted entertainment it provided us during Ramzan this year. The show has been a hit with the audiences with episodes trending on televsion and social media. The highlight of the series included the love story between Faazi (Osman Khalid Butt) and Meenu (Ayeza Khan) and Haadi (Arslan Naseer) and Mishi (Aymen Saleem).
Since Chupke Chupke ended on a high and happy note, we decided to take look back at some of our favourite scenes from the romantic-comedy show. Though it was extremely hard to narrow down the list to just five, we did our best. Check it out:
Faazi and Meenu’s first romantic scene
First time pyaar ka izhar and Bebe’s raid
Faazi’s reaction to Meenu’s foot injury
Mushtaq Plumber and Hajra Padicure Wali
Haadi and Faazi’s patch-up and Faazi requesting Haadi to placate Meenu for him
Chupke Chupke was a complete package with a high dose of entertainment and emotions, power-packed performances, romance and comedy.
Which scene from the show was your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.
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!
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.
Ever since the phenomenal success of Suno Chanda, Ramzan dramas have become a thing on Pakistani television with a cult following. Chupke Chupke is Hum TV’s latest offering and it is safe to say the drama has gathered a huge audience with fans tuning in to watch the show every night at 9 pm.
While Chupke Chupke features many established stars including Osman Khalid Butt, Ayeza Khan, Tara Mahmood, Farhan Ally Agha, Asma Abbas, Ali Safina, and Mira Sethi, the drama also marks the debut of two new faces – Aymen Saleem and Arslan Naseer. Sidra Niazi is also a fresh new face who has made a mark in the drama.
Aymen Saleem
Daughter of former cricketer Saleem Yousuf and an alumnus of the prestigious Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Aymen has won everyone’s heart with her performance as the sweet and innocent Mishi.
The hopeless romantic in the house, Mishi is secretly in love with her cousin Haadi played by Arslan Naseer. Not only Mishi but fans have been shipping Haadi and Mishi and we’re hoping to see their love story take off soon.
Saleem is also the first recipient of the esteemed Diana Award which “celebrates the achievements of 20 outstanding young leaders, visionaries and role models from across the world, aged 12-25, who have demonstrated their ability to inspire and mobilise new generations to serve their communities.”
Arsalan Naseer
One of Pakistan’s earliest YouTubers, Naseer is the brains behind Comics by Arslan (CBA), and no stranger to the camera. His spoof videos, movie reviews and commentary on pop culture have a cult following in Pakistan. In fact, there is even a CBA Army on social media.
Naseer, who spent several years studying and working in Ireland and the United Kingdom, plays the fun and easy-going Haadi in the series. Earlier, while talking to a local media outlet, Arslan shared that though he got several offers from the TV industry and Bollywood, this one came at the right time.
“I suppose this came at the right moment as I was about to take the leap of faith and was planning on quitting my corporate job. Though it happened all of a sudden, God has been kind and the timing was right,” shared Arslan, adding that he was thrilled to be a part of it because it was written by Suno Chanda writer Saima Akram Chaudhry.
Besides having great chemistry with Saleem, Arslan’s bromance with Faadi (Butt) is also winning hearts.
Budding actor Sidra Niazi is just a few projects old but the actor sure has left a mark on the screen. The actor played Hania in the drama, Faadi’s former fiancé.
Niazi is also part of Geo Entertainment’s Qayamat in which she is playing a grey character with finesse.
