The second season of the popular drama ‘Fairy Tale’ arrived on our screens after a five month break, and this time the production delivered an empowering, wholesome story revolving around Farjaad and Umeed. If during the last season fans had to deal with the slow burn of the two settling their differences, learning to like each other and then developing a relationship, in this season we watch the two settle into married life and learn to overcome their personality clashes.
Writer Sehar Majeed has left no stones unturned with the insane amount of wholesome, endearing moments she wrote for Farjaad and Umeed. Seriously, don’t watch the show unless you’re in your room alone because jitna hum nahi expect kar rahay thay kay aisa koi Pakistani drama would make us squeal this much.
We know its too early but here are some of our favorite moments so far from the last four episodes where Farjaad and Umeed shine.
1 Starting with the dance sequence in last week’s episode, with shy boy Farjaad stepping up for the couple dance because Umeed requested him to.
I know most ppl r losing it over the poetry but THIS is MY bit! Him, despite all his shyness, which even made her backout cz she got it, taking the 1st step & initiating the couple dance cz she WANTED it. Dancing for e/o is my love language #fairytale2https://t.co/VwrMVwFa4M
2 Or how in episode one, Farjaad proving he’s the only one jis ko Umeed ki naraazgi sambhalni aati hai.
“kabhi kisine socha tha ki hum dono yun ek saath baithkar chai pee rahe honge?” reminds me of “haan toh hum chai peelenge” & how farjaad was probably the one person who thought repeatedly of the two of them, alone in their world, cups of chai in their hands. #fairytale2#farmeedpic.twitter.com/gyLq4Q1AcP
3 Caring fiance setting our standards high by protectively laying his coat over Umeed when she accidently slept over in his office.
this man is going to wake up for the rest of his life with a prayer on his lips. one that he presses into her skin, grateful that he gets to be by her side #fairytale2#farmeedpic.twitter.com/C294DEi30o
5 Afterwards when the two are sitting outside and Farjaad says ‘Kis nay kaha tha itna khoobsurat lagnay ka?” Reham karien humaray upar sir
umeed’s voice goes lower when she asks “abhi aap yahan kyu aa gaye”, & her eyes get coy, almost inviting. my bb wants to hear him flirt but gets SO flustered when farjaad turns on the charm (they keep staring at each other’s lips. A1 performances, guys). #fairytale2#farmeedpic.twitter.com/B9ZdFFUt66
Just a few months after receiving critical acclaim for Season One, Hum TV’s beloved drama ‘Fairy Tale’ is back with a second season. The series, penned by Sarah Majeed, revolves around the energetic, fun-loved Umeed Pasha (played by Sehar Khan), a middle class girl who dreams of getting rich. Farjaad Khan (played by Hamza Sohail), her complete opposite in many ways, finds her naiveness opposing with his stiff and cold demeanor, but slowly comes to fall in love with her.
The first season wrapped in April, with fans across India and Pakistan showering praise on the powerful female lead, the romance and the stellar script writing. The overwhelming praise
Newcomers Hamza and Sehar were taken aback by the meteoric rise of the show, while in an interview with Fuchsia, Ali Safina admitted being shocked by how popular the show was.
In this season, Umeed and Farjaad are more in love than they were previously, as she gears up to start her career as well as being married to Farjaad. The story wouldn’t be memorable without hilarious road blocks between our beloved kharoos and his larki right? The fanbase has not gone anywhere, already heaping praise on the first episode.
highlight of the episode for me has to be how soft and gentle farjaad is with umeed, how delicately he touches her. even when she’s going off on mehak or arrives too early at the office, he simply plays along and doesn’t rain on her parade. now THAT’S love idc #fairytale2pic.twitter.com/KHTQITtcCM
Since ‘Fairy Tale’ is set to arrive back this month with another incredible new season, we get that fans are rewatching the episodes over and over again. For the first time, a Pakistani drama managed to actually enrapture women, with a non-problematic male-lead as well as a fun-loving, well written female lead. Yes its true that there is nothing good to watch out there that won’t make you cringe in the first 15 minutes. But plenty of our followers need to discover classical dramas, their incredible story lines about powerful, hilarious women not abiding by toxic patriarchy, and one of them is Syed Muhammad Ahmed’s ‘Tum Se Kehna Tha’.
Directed by Sahria Kazmi, the five episode drama starred Marina Khan as Hira, a witty and fearless woman whose crush on a stranger accidently leads her to be mistaken as the fiance of a man in coma. Many Twitter users even began drawing a comparison between Hira, and the protagonist of ‘Fairy Tale’ Umeed Pasha, played by Marina Khan, as a viral tweet showed.
Hira Muzaffar walked so that Umeed Pasha could run.
Two imperfect FL’s, navigating love & life, finding joy in the little things & spreading smiles all around. Sometimes I’m so proud of ptv & the beautiful people it brings into our lives like #MarinaKhan & #SeharKhan.♥️ pic.twitter.com/hFvFDS9ax8
— Bliinding.liights | END THE OCCUPATION (@B_liights) August 3, 2023
And honestly, we’ve been waiting for the public to realize this so we could write another piece to praise this classical drama and just to write about how brilliant Fairy Tale is for catering to an audience nostalgic about the brilliant dramas of the 90’s. So if, like us, you’re patiently waiting till August 5 arrives when Season 2 of Fairy Tale drops, watch ‘Tum Se Kehna Tha’
Brilliant, hilarious and talented female leads
It’s no shocker that Umeed won the hearts of Pakistani women because of how similar she was to the women from dramas like ‘Tanhaiyaan’ and ‘Dhoop Kinare’, stories of head-strong, independent women who were complex and completely unlike the wailing women trope we see in dramas these days. Hira Muzzaffar from ‘Tum Se Kehna Tha’ is a wonderful example of how progressive 90s dramas were. She lived alone, was independent and fearless about pursuing what she loved. She didn’t hide away her love, and expressed it bluntly. And she didn’t adhere to the crazy tropes our dramas today think all women want, like being slapped by useless men, or engaging in some cold war with her saas.
Wholesome family dynamics
If you loved the crazy family dynamics of family members like Aghoo Jaan, Pasha Saab, Mimi and Nigo aunty from ‘Fairy Tale’, then ‘Tum Se Kehna Tha’ will draw you in without any haste because of how every single character has a hilarious role, there is no part where it feels like the episodes are dragging. Every character, like Hira’s boss Sajjad, has a special part in the episodes, even if a small one.
Wholesome, well-written male leads
We’ll get to the meat of what made a drama like ‘Fairy Tale’ so engaging for audiences: because of the rare occasion where men aren’t toxic, worthless creatures and are actually the opposite of that. Many users loved the male lead Farjaad from ‘Fairy Tale’ because aside from the splendid acting of Hamza Sohail, this intoverted and shy man matched the fierce and loud Umeed in an amazing way. Rather than taming her fire, he encouraged her to embrace it, and kept loving her regardless of how clumsy or oppinionated she was. In the same way, Bilal from ‘TSKT’ and Hira stand out because of their hilarious banter and how he becomes the loving family she had constantly longed for.
Geo TV’s new drama serial has quickly gathered a lot of eyeballs. The series is about two main leads who are poles apart in their personalities, family background and lifestyles.
Starring Anmol Baloch and Hamza Sohail, written by Seema Munaf and directed by Mazhar Moin, ‘Sirf Tum’ is a production of 7th Sky Entertainment.
Love and jealousy are the cornerstone of the story. Hanan (played by Hamza Sohail) and Abeer (played by Anmol Baloch) are the main characters. Abeer lives abroad with her mother and stepfather. At the beginning , we see that Abeer and Hanan are close friends while Hamza (played by Mohsin Abbass) falls in love with Abeer.
The drama is a showcase for the acting skills of both the main leads and Mohsin. Supporting cast is also engaging.
We can expect the drama to go further into exploring the jealousy and obsession angles as the story progresses.
If you’re chronically online like us, then you’ve heard the phrase floating around on this internet a lot – “written by a woman”.
This phrase is used to describe a male character from a book or a drama who is not toxic or misogynistic. He does not pass degrading remarks about women; instead, he is kind and supportive towards them. Which means he was written by a woman.
There are a lot of beloved characters from our television screens that could fit this description, like the Hot Priest from ‘Fleabag’, Otis from ‘Sex Education’ and King George from ‘Queen Charlotte’. But in Pakistan, can we say that male characters written by women are non-problematic and wholesome?
There are female screenwriters like Nooran Makhdoom and Umera Ahmed who seem to be in a competition to see who can horrify their audience the most with the most unbearable male character.
However, very rarely, women screenwriters in Pakistan have written some of our favorite, wholesome and well-rounded male characters who won audiences with charm and attention to female characters.
Farjaad Bahadur from ‘Fairytale’
Farjaad starts off as a warning flag in ‘Fairytale’ as a grumpy businessman who is dismissive of people unimportant to him, sticks to a strict routine. That means when he and Umeed meet, he comes of as a jerk who dismisses her as ‘spoilt’ and not capable of meeting his standards. However, when he starts falling in love with Umeed, we come to see how much Farjaad is a green flag because of the way he immediately reforms to help empower and never wants to tame or control her. Mr I-can’t-come-to-my-own-birthday-because-I’m-working to following the love of his life around and giving her flowers. He drives to a police station in the middle of the night because Umeed is stuck there, then successfully gets her out of there without complaining? Settles arguments without gaslighting or demeaning Umeed, but instead takes her on a chai date?
Who were we before Sarah Majeed introduced this absolutely wholesome character in our lives? We’re glad we don’t know either.
2 Zain from ‘Tanhaiyaan’
No one can talk about the phrase ‘written by a woman’ without mentioning the beloved writer Haseena Moin, who set high standards for men with her beloved dramas like ‘Tanhaiyaan’ and ‘Ankahi’. A key token of her dramas were the strong, empowered women who took destiny in their own hands, refused to sit around and wail to be saved, and the men in their lives respected their power rather than shunning them. Zain from ‘Tanhaiyaan’ was a beloved male character because he respected Zara’s ambition, was caring and considerate to her sister Suniya, and chose not to impose his love on her but respectfully walk away until she was ready to love him back.
3 Maahir from ‘Doobara’
There is a settled notion within Pakistani dramas that a romance must take place between some balding dude who is a self-declared bad boy and some sheltered, naive girl who is barely in her twenties, who must shift between being a full-time therapist, punch bag and mommy to her lover. But rarely do we see this toxic trope switched and audiences are given a beautiful love story like Mehrunnisa and Mahir’s in ‘Dobara’.
Although he is younger than her, Maahir works hard to prove that despite the setback he receives from Mehrunnisa’s family, he is worthy to be her husband. He works hard to get a job, empowers Mehru to start taking life in her own hands and do the things she was always restricted from doing, never standing in the way of her dreams. Kudos to Sarwat Nazir for giving us this absolute gem of a character
4 Adam from ‘Hum Tum’
Saima Akram Chaudhry already won hearts with ‘Suno Chanda’, but we feel that it was ‘Hum Tum’ that was one of her best works and also her most feminist drama because of how it introduced us to empowered female characters, and men who are more ‘female-centric’. We have women who have impressive careers like working in psychology, chemistry and computer science, but it is the men like Adam (played by Ahad Raza Mir) who take care of the chores around the house, is attentive and kind to his little sister and his elder brother Sarmad is a successful chef, a trait mostly associated with women.
You’ve probably heard this name to death on the internet: Hamza Sohail. Women are fangirling over the ‘Fairy Tale’ alum, sharing clips from his recent dramas, while the actor’s Instagram following soared from 60K to 251K in a matter of weeks. A lot of us are shocked because a Pakistani man being thirsted over by women is a rare thing. That there is a man out there without a problematic past, is actually humble, respectful and is also an incredibly good actor?
We found it difficult to believe as well but Hamza Sohail is currently the leading man of our hearts. With his limited but stellar performances in rom-coms like ‘Fairy Tale’ thrillers like ‘Badshah Begum’ and ‘Raqeeb Se’, he has cemented himself as a star to look out for, and we want our audiences to remember his name.
So if you have likely woken up from under a rock and are taken aback by this sudden take over of Hamza Sohail on the internet, let us guide you through a brief introduction of who he is and what he has done in his career so far.
1 He’s the son of renowned comedian, Sohail Ahmed
Being a Nepo Baby is not exactly something that would strike well with an audience that is longing for fresh faces, especially when it is clear how the entertainment industry tends to sideline people who are not from a well-connected background. But Hamza spoke about this issue in an interview with Fuchsia Magazine, sharing that he wanted to become an actor not because of his father, but of his own interests. He also shared that his parents were quite strict, hoping that he would complete CSS and go into the civil service like his grandfather, which is why they often shielded him from the spotlight and urged him to work hard in school. But Sohail developed a passion for acting from participating in theatre and school plays.
2 He made his debut in ‘Raqeeb Se’
His first drama was ‘Raqeeb Se’ where he played Abdul Rehman, the love interest of Insha (played by Faryal Mehmood).
3 He also played the dashing and sensitive Shahmir in ‘Badshah Begum’, which has now reincarnated on the internet despite airing almost two years ago.
‘Badshah Begum’ was a gripping story about politics and rivalry among siblings to claim the throne. It had a star-studded cast including Farhaan Saeed, Zara Noor Abbas and Yasir Hussain. Sohail played the youngest member of the Pir clan, Shahmir. A year later, fans are still in awe of his performance and the tragic love story between Shahmir and Gulnar (played by Hiba Aziz). We’re definitely joining in on the re-watch!
HUM’s drama ‘Fairy Tale’ cemented itself as a household name with a hilarious storyline, stellar performances by actors and a compelling love story. The series had audiences, especially young women, applauding the growing change in how drama’s are abandoning sexist tropes to make empowering stories where for once, the women are smart and men aren’t chauvinists.
For a lot of women, ‘Fairy Tale’ provided relief that somewhere, some one was listening to them about what they wanted: a feminist rom-com where the male lead respected, cherished and catered to the woman he loves. Farjaad (played by the talented Hamza Sohail) was described by many as a benchmark in how women wanted men in dramas to be: supportive, caring and completely the anti-thesis of what typical male leads in Pakistani dramas are like. In some of the viral clips from the drama that were garnering applaud on social media, Farjaad was considerate of Umeed’s independence, empowering her and stepping up to help her rather than shoving her inside the four walls.
he brought red roses for her. he apologized for all their issues. he asked her out on a lunch date. he gave her that flirty smile and made hearteyes at her
Which is why discussing the finale is important because rather than following through with the expectations and ending with a bang, with Umeed finally accomplishing her dream by opening a chai cafe and being married to Farjaad, it took a U-turn.
The drama followed Umeed’s desire to break her father’s restrictions, a feat she manages to accomplish by participating in a game show through which she wins Rs2 crore and becomes the breadwinner of the family. Through Umeed, a lot of Pakistani women found catharsis because finally, a female lead who is financially independent? One, who empowers the women in her life, and doesn’t think twice before schooling a man who tries to lecture her? Is passionate about making her own path and establishing her own business, when currently one of the leading dramas in Pakistan involves slaps and suicide attempts *cough cough Tere Bin*? Umeed was an anomaly, reminiscent of the kind of characters who led the dramas of the 90’s when Haseena Moin was alive, and she was quick to win the audiences over.
However, these accomplishments were for naught when by the finale, Umeed decides immediately that she isn’t interested in making more money, and gives a speech about how she would rather become an obedient daughter and get married to Farjaad. Like, why bother taking us all for a ride? Why would you explore 30 episodes about a young woman discussing business initiatives, ending with her choosing to give up all of it, and settle to marry?
Through Farjaad especially, it was rare to see a man in a Pakistani drama own up to his actions, and empower the women in his life (READ: extremely rare), but that finale was a double-take for many audience members because in the first part he threatens to break up with Umeed if she chooses to go on and participate in the game show, something that was unexpected from a guy who told his love interest that he would keep supporting her. Then, when Umeed arrives at his office to apologise to him (why?) he taunts her for being in love with AK (played by Ali Safina). Even though he does apologise for this as well and admits that he isn’t perfect, shouldn’t the finale have ended with Farjaad owning up to his promises by helping Umeed setting up her business?
These lose threads dangling from the plot will keep fans of the drama anxious about whether asking for a feminist rom-com was too good to be true, or maybe since Season 2 has been announced, some hope is left.
But had the show kept true to its promise and given women what they wanted, a drama about a woman rejecting patriarchal norms and her father’s strictness to make her own dreams come true, it would have been much nicer.
Actors Zarnish Khan and Hamza Sohail have expressed their concern on the rising crimes against women in Pakistan.
Taking to Instagram, the Sun Yaara actress wrote: “Nowadays, whenever I open my social media, I only see stories about people being raped, murdered, harassed, or fight over women’s clothes. Why is this country in such a mess?”
The Yeh Dil Mera star urged people to raise their voice, saying: “Raise your voice for the greater good instead of bashing individuals for their dressing, their statements, or their personal choices. It is time for the Awaam to rise up and use social media to demand basic human rights instead of fighting about petty issues and wasting time on gossips.”
She added, “I find it extremely depressing to see that our society has become crippled as well as finding itself teetering on the edge of lawlessness. There needs to be an end to this chaos by the authorities as soon as possible so that we can all feel safe at home and on the streets. We have been racked by terrorism for decades, and now we have these animals wearing human skin to continue the sad story. When will it all end?”
Raqeeb Se actor Hamza Sohail expressed his concern for the plight of women in Pakistan with an exclusive heartfelt statement to The Current, “The recent surge in horrific incidents of femicide across the country is heart wrenching for all Pakistanis. I feel there’s a dire need to prevent the unfurling moral decline in our society. It’s high time that we condemn these horrendous crimes and take a pledge to protect our women.”
He also penned a thought provoking note on his Instagram handle.
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.
