Though only four episodes of ARY’s latest drama Bewafa have aired, it has created a huge stir in social media groups. Women are discussing how relevant and real the drama is.
And it is.
The drama is a great, and refreshing, watch after the ajeeb saas bahu dramas with unreal twists (the brother’s wife marrying another brother concept is just TOO MUCH). This one seems to stay true to its basic concept – why and how people cheat.
Finding messages on her husband’s phone that shouldn’t be there
Ahaan, played by the stellar Ali Rehman Khan, is a successful IT guy and his wife Kinza played by Naveen Waqar starts off not being the shakki sort but soon starts to seriously doubt her husband’s fidelity. And for good reason since Ahaan is becoming way too friendly with his co-worker Shireen played by Ushna Shah. Shireen proclaims her love for Ahaan in a voice note that Kinza hears and is OBVIOUSLY not happy about it. Ahaan tells Shireen off initially but then kind of likes talking to her too.
Justification to Kinza and presents from Shireen
Women are loving the drama because it shows, simply and starkly, how cheating can affect a family and how it, sometimes, begins. In groups, women are discussing how the same thing has happened with them or someone they know; men AND women first engaging in an emotional affair, which develops into something else. Women tend to blame the cunning and ambitious Shireen, who is developing a full game to get to Ahaan; but she isn’t the only one to blame. Ahaan is also changing her name on his phone to a guy’s name to talk to her so Kinza won’t get jealous. He is lying to Kinza to go out with Shireen on lunch dates. Kinza, with her incredibly jealous and controlling behaviour is also driving Ahaan away.
The drama also shows how this issue can affect the mental health and well being of a child since Kinza and Ahaan have a son who is old enough to understand that something is not right. He asks his father if he is bringing another wife, showing how tough suspicion and an affair can be on a full family unit.
Ushna and Ali have acted brilliantly in the drama, fully engaging with the realistic role they are playing. Naveen’s portrayal of the suspicious wife could be a lot better since she seems to exude only one emotion – distrust. Her acting is a little wooden at times, making the viewer wonder if she is even invested in the relationship.
The drama is definitely one to watch – and will be the one to discuss long after its finale.
ARY’s on-going drama, Gul o Gulzaar, which has a few episodes left, drags a bit but hits a realistic note.
Two besties, Gul, played by Saboor Aly and Gulzar played by Kinza Hashmi are inseparable. Gulzar’s father is a teacher while Gul’s father is a fruit seller. Gulzar is the prettier, richer, sweeter and the beychari one of the two.
One day a creepy guy Adil, played my Omer Shahzad, sees Gulzar outside her school and gives her his number (and also a declaration of love). Gulzar is so shocked kay haw hai, dekho kaise number dia and Gul agrees – except Gul has ulterior motives and a plan to get with this loaded, “gari wala” guy herself. So she calls Adil and tells him how Gulzar is a terrible person, doesn’t like him, and is also getting engaged.
Of course, Adil and Gul then get together and Gul decides to run away with him – the twist is that she doesn’t tell Gulzar about her plans. Not only that, she also steals Gulzar’s brother’s honay wali biwi’s wedding jewellery from Gulzar’s closet, the night before Gulzar’s brother’s wedding). So all hell breaks loose, with Gul’s father accusing Gulzar of making her daughter run away with some guy.
So Gulzar’s reputation is also being ruined because she is best friends with a runaway woman, so her father and brother decide to get her married to a guy she hasn’t seen. The guy is the only child, good, sharif (obviously). She agrees and sees the guy’s picture the day of her mehndi and the guy, Jamal played by Paras Masroor, isn’t the best looking. It’s also really really uncomfortable HOW they portray this darker-skinned, not so bad looking guy as soo ugly that Gulzar cannot fathom marrying him.
Gul has called Gulzar and told her how happy she is living her huge house with a hot husband who will take her to London. So Gulzar calls up Gul after she sees Jamal’s picture and asks her to help her run away. Gul jumps at the chance and says she’ll pick Gulzar up at dawn and when Gulzar is running away from her house, she hears the Azaan. So she goes back in and does the right thing and marries Jamal.
Poor Gulzar and now-loaded Gul
Gulzar soon realizes that money is not everything and sharif log and amazing saas are so much more important. Meanwhile, we find out that Gul’s life is not as rosy as she made it sound. Her husband has given her a lot of money and a huge house but hidden her from his family. In this time, Gul finds out that Adil is getting married to someone else and she’s the secret wife. So she goes over to his parent’s house and exposes the truth – and finds out that Adil was married to another girl before her and his parents had to pay off the first wife. Before they could do the same with Gul, Gul finds out she’s pregnant and there’s no way she will let Adil go (Adil is also a physically abusive husband, but that’s not as important as money right?)
Adil gets married to another girl with Gul still living as the secret wife and Gulzar is still super conflicted about living a happy life on a motorbike or wanting the rich life.
The drama is pretty dramatic at points and slightly cringe-worthy too but it does reflect key elements in our society – and any society; people will live in crappy marriages for money, best friends can betray each other and family values change from family to family. The episodes drag a lot and one is tempted (and does) forward a lot but the highlight of the whole drama is Gul. Saboor Aly’s acting in the drama is excellent (a little over at times) but overall, excellently done.
There’s bound to be a twist – most likely between Adil and Gulzar since they were the original couple – and it’ll be interesting to see how the dynamics change when it comes to love or money.
It is always a delight to spend the summer in Europe but spending the summer in the European countryside is special. Think bright, sunny mornings, long, warm afternoons by the pool and cool nights under the starlit sky.
This summer I had the chance to spend the summer in Provence, a historical province in southeastern France. The culturally rich province extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east and is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the south. To be honest, my family and I couldn’t have picked a better escape to relax and unwind from the hustle-bustle of our daily lives.
What’s so special about Provence?
Where to stay
Chateau de Goult
Getting around
Places to explore
Goult
Provence Market
Bonnieux
Roussillon
Gordes
Learn how to make French Cuisine
Don’t forget to soak in some Vitamin D.
Just writing this piece has given me a serious case of wanderlust and made me want to go back.
With rising costs of basic necessities, other products which are categorized as “not so necessary,” such as expensive clothes, are taking the back seat. But it appears that fashion brands are oblivious to these shifts in the economy. Why? Because they seem to churn out products that are categorized as affordable but are way out of the average Pakistani woman’s league.
On one hand, we have Generation, which has always prided itself for being inclusive and affordable and on the other, we have Elan, a high-street fashion brand which most people love from afar.
Generation, with their latest campaign featuring teachers, has gotten a few things wrong. For starters, people are unhappy with the prices. The joras are priced between Rs 6500 – 9000. Most school teachers in the country, including those who work in private schools, earn up to Rs 40,000 a month. Given the rising costs of basic necessities, it is unlikely that teachers will have any money left over to splurge on such items.
Social media users also thought the same and many of them commented on Generation’s posts, asking them to rethink their prices and offer discounts to teachers.
When we contacted Generation for their response on the social media backlash, they commented, “We kicked off August with our “Back to College” campaign and the shoot in question, was its extension.”
“Inspired by the nostalgia of college and the fact that a huge part of our customer base is from the teaching profession, we shot the campaign with Naveed Anjum, a college professor herself-who is a regular customer of GENERATION and who herself chose the clothes for this shoot. The blackboard, chalk and the old-school feel of the visuals served to evoke memories of good old classroom days with the teachers who shaped our present.”
They added, “Our casual product price ranges from Rs 1,500 to 9,000 and we chose one of the more sober collections featuring three-piece suits which ranges from Rs 6000 to 9000 but perhaps price should have been centre stage in deciding which collection to feature for the teacher segment. We’ll be more mindful of these things in the future.”
A balanced and well-curated response as one would expect, given their up-to-date marketing and PR teams.
Meanwhile, Khadija Shah of Elan came under fire after she took to Twitter to announce that she is introducing an “unstitched wedding season collection” which will be priced between Rs 18,000 and Rs 20,000.
The trolling that Khadija received, after her tweet, had no end. People called her out for being an elitist who lives in her own bubble.
With all due respect, i cannot afford to spend 20k on a dress. I would rather buy books in that amount and be contented for life. https://t.co/Xm3xwDD7Iv
At the same time, several people stepped forward to defend Khadija.
People giving @khadijah_shah grief over this. She’s explicitly said this is a WEDDING season collection. These are to be worn at WEDDINGS. WEDDING clothes are expensive generally. Unless you want to wear these for the school run… which is baffling. https://t.co/0f8fd5BZGy
Trollling #Elan for her new unstitched collection is UNJUST. I know it to be true how much cost goes into making of such articles. Frankly the bling COSTS !! If you can’t afford it just don’t buy it ! Nazi proletariat needs to get real ! @khadijah_shah
Khadija also tried to reason and explain the logic behind the high prices. She said that because of the depreciating rupee, the cost of raw materials and production has increased.
The annual Emmy’s took place last night and TV’s hottest stars, actors, and writers put forward their best looks. The dresses on the Emmys red carpet were nothing short of glamorous, ranging from designer pieces like Ralph Lauren to outfits that haven’t even debuted at the Fashion Week yet.
With Hollywood’s most elite all in one place, it was no surprise that the Emmys were a high-fashion affair. Here are some of the best looks from the night.
Games of Thrones stars Emilia Clarke and Sophie Turner stunned in Valentino and Louis Vuitton respectively.
Emilia Clarke
Sophie Turner
Kendall Jenner and half-sister Kim Kardashian looked effortlessly glam in black outfits. While Kendall donned a Richard Quinn dress over a Viex bodysuit, we’re still trying to find out which designer Kim wore.
Kristen Bell wore a Dior dress with platinum Harry Winston jewelry and Brian Atwood shoes.
Annie Murphy is a sure-shot head-turner in this midnight blue sequenced dress.
So we are well into the first term of the school year. The excitement is slowly wearing off and energy levels in the morning are not so high anymore (as if they ever were!), and I have started DREADING the morning routine which has now become a blur between breakfast and running out the door. Putting together the school lunchbox for my boys’, aged 6 and 3, is probably THE most difficult task of the day.
In this article, I will share tips and tricks I use for quick and healthy snacks and lunches to suit all types of eaters.
Tip 1: Don’t be afraid of leftovers
Leftovers from dinner the night before are actually lifesavers! Whether it’s daal chaawal (lentils and rice) or chicken saalan curry, if you learn the art of presentation, your kids can eat a full meal in school.
For anything rice-based like chaawal qeema I use the insulated Thermos Food jars. These keep the food warm and fresh until lunch break and act as a bowl to help my kids eat without making a mess.
On days that I have leftover chicken or any other curry, I just take out the meat, wash away the curry and mash it up with mayonnaise to make a chicken sandwich or paratha roll and voila, I have a meal.
And our personal favourite is leftover PIZZA!
Tip 2: Use pasta as an alternative to rice
Giving rice more than 2 times a week means getting rice back in their lunch box. The best alternative to this is pasta or noodles. My quick and easy go-to pasta recipe is:
Boil the pasta a night before along with boiled chicken (with a dash of salt and pepper)
Store it in the fridge
The next morning, warm up a helping of pasta and chicken. Add butter generously and you have Butter Pasta with Chicken for lunch.
Once again, give this in a steel jar or box to keep it warm and fresh and soft.
Tip 3: Make heavy snacks
Let’s address the parents who were rolling their eyes in the above section because their kids would NEVER touch rice or anything they have eaten the night before. Some kids just need more snack-based meals and there’s no reason to think these can’t be healthy and proper meals that can also be prepared quickly and easily first thing in the morning. On days I have not boiled rice or pasta in advance I am saved by BREAD.
Two slices of bread covered generously in butter with a slice of cheddar cheese is my two-minute sandwich.
However, to make this a little more substantial I add anything and everything from the fridge that I know my kids will eat. These can include:
Turkey slices to give that dose of protein (but I would only recommend this once in two weeks as turkey is processed meat).
Those Shaami Kebabs that us desi moms always have stored in our freezers is a great addition also.
(Extra tip: I use my beloved Air Fryer to save frying time in the morning. I just have to defrost the kebabs in the microwave and put them in the air fryer while I get the kids ready. If you don’t have the option of an air fryer, you can fry them the night before and heat them up in the morning to save time).
Homemade or store-bought frozen chicken or beef burger patties with ketchup and mayonnaise on burger buns to make a yummy burger.
(Extra tip: Add vegetables only if your kids enjoy them and only the ones they prefer. You don’t want a perfectly good burger going to waste!)
Tip 4: Eggs are your best friend
Generally, my kids eat scrambled eggs in the morning. But on days I need to give them eggs for lunch (because I have nothing else in the fridge), I give them cereal or croissants for breakfast. And then I use eggs to make the following lunches:
Fry an egg. Toast 2 slices of bread and put butter on both. Grab a slice of cheese. Put them together to make the easiest egg sandwich.
Make two slices of French Toast and add some cheese slices in the box to make it a substantial meal.
Boil eggs during the weekend. Mash. Add salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Store the mixture in the fridge for upcoming school mornings to make a different kind of egg sandwich.
2 minute Egg Quiche: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a mug. Add 1 egg, 2 tablespoon milk, salt and pepper, any other topping like spinach or tomatoes or turkey. Place broken bread on top and dip it in so it’s wet. Microwave for 2 minutes. Once done scoop it out in one whole piece.
Egg Quiche
Tip 5: Add small bites for a full stomachs
Rice, pasta, sandwich, burgers, paratha rolls – we have covered our grains here. But my kids need more favours and fun things to keep them going during the day.
There are many snacks one can give such as biscuits, chips and cakes. But under the health policy in our schools, chips, chocolates and anything with frosting is a no-no.
I mostly alternate between the following snacks for my kids as I know they will actually eat them.
Others: Plain Cake, Cheese Sticks, Crackers and Cheese, Plain Biscuits
An alternative for kids who don’t enjoy fruits are:
Banana cupcakes
Apple Crumble
Blueberry Muffins
Healthy alternatives for chips are cereals or crackers. I give my boys protein cereals or cheddar crackers for them to nibble at during snack or lunchtime.
Apart from that, I am also a firm believer of water versus juices as they too contain a large amount of sugar. But sometimes when I feel like the food and snacks will not be enough I add flavoured milk or juice for some extra energy. This way they are not weighted by oil or heavy sugars and spend an active day.
Hope these tips help you during rushed mornings for the rest of the remaining term and you are able to feel better about your children’s lunch menu in school!
Zunaira is the author of a blog called From Dresses To Diapers. The part-time blogger and full-time mommy can be reached at her Instagram account.
Tucked inside Sui Northern Officers Co-Operative Housing Society, Déjà by Khadija is a cute little bakery café. Decorated in pink, gold and grey, this cosy café’s décor and the presentation of their dishes set a good impression.
Now let’s discuss food! We tried their sharing platter, which was quite delectable and filling. The taco parathas were yummy, as were the assorted bread, especially the one with white sauce in it, but the aalu chaat was not all that great. While the chicken strips were nice, they could have been better. The mozzarella sticks with sauce were great but the assorted fries were so-so, especially the wedges.
Sharing Platter
We also tried the K’s Style Chicken Parm – it was well cooked and the sauce wasn’t too acidic though we do think they could have added a bit more parmesan. The Open Lamb Sandwich was also very well made with soft meat, which wasn’t smelly. It was served with sauce, didn’t taste too meaty and the cabbage was paired well with it.
Meanwhile, the Baked Marinara could have been better but as an afterthought, it wasn’t all that bad. We absolutely loved the Mushroom Toast. It had just the right amount of mushrooms, and the chilli scrambled eggs were just perfect. We highly recommend that if you love eggs!
Baked Marinara
Mushroom on Toast
What we really enjoyed were the drinks which were presented in a very fun way; they reminded you of Chemistry Lab at school. The ice-cube with rose petals was also a nice touch. Strawberry Lemon Potion was nice with the right amount of tangy and strawberry juice. Strawberry Slammer is also lovely.
Strawberry Lemon Potion
Coming onto the desserts now. Déjà also serves homemade ice-cream. We tried their chocolate ice-cream, which was nice but very creamy. Their gurr (jaggery) ice-cream wasn’t good; too much aftertaste of butter or cream and minimum taste of gurr.
Meanwhile, their French Toast is excellent – it was soft and crispy and the caramel sauce that comes with it was delicious. The best part was that they didn’t skimp on it like a lot of other places. After Amu and Aylanto, this is another place that makes really good French Toast in Lahore.
Off-the-counter Mango Cheesecake was meh (5 out of 10) – it was more like mousse than a cheesecake. But the Apple Pie slice was good (7 out of 10).
Overall, Déjà was a good experience because of the nice and cutesy ambience. They serve good portion sizes for a reasonable cost, which is a major plus point (Per person cost comes to Rs 1500). If the owner is around, she ensures that you feel welcomed and are properly taken care of. However, we do wish the chairs were comfier; it felt like a ‘grab your food, quickly eat and go’ place. Or maybe – given the shortage of space – this is their aim at the moment.
We recommend that everyone should try out this place as you get value for your money and the ambience makes it different from the rest of your restaurant experiences. Just keep in mind that it is a small place with very few tables so if you’re a large group, either reserve a table in advance or otherwise be ready to wait.
When D’Amla eatery launched in Karachi, it was received critically. More than the food, the outrageous prices of the items and the owner’s behaviour seemed to irk the customers who took to social media to bash the restaurant. To be honest, the prices of the platters were touching the sky but overall it was not that expensive. Other than that, the owner had advertised the restaurant as less of an eatery and more of an experience.
A few days back I decided to visit the restaurant on a whim and it left me quite surprised. I, for one, am not the person who goes on reviews as I like to make my own judgments.
Our meal started with Ceviche with White Pearls, Three Cheese Large Bowl Salad with Nuts and Fruits, Chicken with Wasabi, Parsley Sauce Prawns with Potato Puree and Undercut Meat (Smoked) with Greek Curd Cream. The Ceviche was a refreshing change from the usual as were the prawns.
For the main course, we had Lamb Chops with Portuguese Potatoes, Argentinian Rissoto with Sujuk and Grilled Chicken Thigh, Prawn Pesto Spaghetti and Swiss Charcoal Chicken. Oh man, these dishes were to die for. The meat was succulent and juicy, the seafood fresh and the Sujuk which is a Turkish sausage was absolutely delightful.
Rissoto with Sujuk and Grilled Chicken Thigh
No meal is ever complete without dessert so for that, we had Walnut Tart with Vanilla. This was so fresh and yummy that I had to stop myself from ordering another one.
Given the negative reviews, I was a bit skeptical about visiting D’Amla but the small, dimly lit restaurant won me over and I cannot wait to go back. The food was not only well-presented but it was delicious to the core. Everyone has their own experiences – someone’s cup of tea might not be yours, so it’s always better to decide for yourself.
The Pakistani drama scene is currently very lit with new and interesting dramas hitting our TV screens. Here are the dramas that have caught our attention.
Meray Paas Tum Ho
Humayun Saeed, Ayeza Khan and Adnan Siddiqui’s latest blockbuster has an interesting storyline and the first three episodes have us hooked.
Sanam Baloch and Ali Rehman Khan’s Khaas focuses on the troubles of a married couple and highlights mental abuse in a relationship. It is safe to say that the drama’s storyline is fresh and realistic which makes you want to tune into it every week.
Gul o Gulzar
The drama’s plot focuses on the life of two opposite friends Gul and Gulzar. Saboor Aly who plays the cunning, manipulative Gul has given a brilliant performance and we can’t praise her enough.
Bewafa
Bewafa hasn’t hit the TV screens yet, but it is set to air from this Monday. From the teasers, we can tell that the drama will be a love triangle in which Ali Rehman Khan will have two wives.
Kismat
One episode down, Minal Khan’s latest drama on Hum TV seems typical but we think it’s going to be pretty masalaydaar. The first episode has crossed 1 million views already.
Breathtaking is what everyone is calling the new, open to the public, Samandar Lake. So when the Minai family decided to take a weekend trip from Islamabad to see the now-famous lake, they planned their day around it.
The Minai family at Gali’s End, Nathiagali
They stayed at Gali’s End, a renowned retreat at the end of Nathiagali. A trek up to the cottages, the view was the definition of breathtaking.
Enjoying a cup of tea on a perfect summer day
The rooms were decent, the view gorgeous. It was almost like living in a cottage in a European country and since it was a trek up, it is secluded from the rest of the small city. If anyone needs a break, its the place to go so you can get away from the world. The only con was that the bathrooms were older and had not been renovated.
View from a room in Gali’s End
A perfectly cloudy day, they took the 45 minute drive down to Barra Gali. Google Maps wasn’t as effective as expected, and they got lost, stumbling upon a beautiful stream to dip your feet in.
Beautiful stream near Nathiagali
Stand in the Stream
They asked the locals around, where is this Samundar Katha lake? Don’t go there, said the locals. Your car won’t be able to take the drive down and it’s seriously not worth it. Not worth it? PTI Official’s pictures say otherwise.
PTI Official images of the lake
PTI Official images of the lake
Ignoring their advice, they took their car down to the lake car park area where they were told they had to walk the rest of the way or take a Mehran to the lake. The locals were right. There wasn’t a set road so taking a normal Corolla would ruin the car. They paid a guy 1000 rupees to sit in the back of a Mehran and went to the lake that everyone was talking about and found:
View of the car park from the lake
Lake View
Lots of cars, a small lake with boats and zip-lining. The boats didn’t make any sense. The lake was so small, you could only go round and round the lake and get seriously dizzy in the process. The zip-lining looked like fun but was such a short line, it didn’t hold much appeal either.
Zip-lining at Samundar lake
And the view? The stream they had stumbled upon was more beautiful – and free. On the way back to their car, they got stuck in a traffic jam.
Not a great time.
Bummed, they went to Nathiagali bazaar to the famous Taj Mahal restaurant for Patakha chicken. The fried whole chicken, with its perfect masala made the trip up North worth it.
Patakha chicken at Taj Mahal restaurant
So, will they go back again? To Nathiagali, yes. To Samundar Lake? Definitely not. They might have if it wasn’t so difficult to get there. The views along the way are a lot more beautiful but getting to the lake is 100 percent not worth the hassle.
