Tag: hum tv

  • ‘Actors should get paid for reruns’, says Mikaal Zulfiqar

    ‘Actors should get paid for reruns’, says Mikaal Zulfiqar

    Mikal Zulfiqar calls for a movement to pay actors for reruns after watching his hit drama serial Diyar-e-Dil being televised again.

    “Actors should get paid for reruns. It’s unfair. Start a movement!,” the actor expressed his opinion.

    Taking to Instagram stories, Zulfiqar shared a picture from one of the scenes of the drama and wrote: “Hum TV is airing Diyar-e-Dil for the umpteenth time.”

    In another story, the actor said: “If only we got paid for reruns. would never have to work another day in life.”

    Yasir Hussain also took to Instagram and wrote: “Shukar hai khuda ka kisi senior actor ne ye bat keh hi di. Mikaal Zulfiqar aap chah gaye hain.”

    Meanwhile, the famous drama is a Hum TV production that portrays Pakistan from a realistic point of view. The story highlights the honour and obedience one practises towards their parents as well as the importance of family and the age-old eastern culture of close-knit families. The drama is set in Khaplu Palace, Gilgit.

    Farhat Ishtiaq’s powerful story shows us the real jageedar (landlord) of Pakistan. One of the main characters in the show, Agha Jaan, his role is played wonderfully by Abid Ali. He played a hard-working landlord, who has worked his way up the ladder of success.

    The cast of the drama is strong and the acting definitely makes the serial worth a watch. With names such as Maya Ali (Faarah Wali Khan), Osman Khalid Butt (Wali Suhaib Khan), Hareem Farooq (Arjumand), Sanam Saeed (Ruhina), Mikaal Zulfiqar (Behroze Bakhtiyar Khan), Ali Rehman Khan (Suhaib Bakthiyar Khan) and Ahmad Zeb (Moeez Tajamul), one can expect nothing less than brilliant acting. Farhat Ishtiaq has managed to give each of her characters the luxury of telling their own story in their own way.

    Diyar-e-Dil was developed by Hum TV’s senior producer Momina Duraid of MD Productions, the channel hired the award-winning director Haseeb Hassan to direct the series.

  • It’s a happy ending for ‘Mushk’

    It’s a happy ending for ‘Mushk’

    Imran Ashraf’s ‘dream’ Mushk came to a close Saturday night with a perfect fairytale ending giving all us hopeless romantics just what we wanted on Valentine’s Day eve.

    The final episode of the drama had all the usual tropes of a happy ending with star-crossed lovers coming together and riding into the sunset for their happily ever afters.

    On one hand, Mehak (Momal Sheikh) and Shayan (Osama Tahir) finally reunite after Shayan managed to escape his evil Mamu Muqaddar Khan’s (Aehsun Talish) clutches while on the other, Adam (Imran Ashraf) realises his love for Guddi (Urwa Hocane) and the two get married.

    Adam also turned into the knight in shining armour for Guddi after she is kidnapped and forced to marry Chotay Malik, helping her escape, though not before she slit her wrists in an act of defiance. Once she recovers, she decides to head back home and is waiting for her train, when Adam catches her and asks her to marry him. The drama ends with Adam saying ‘Shukar Alhumdulillah‘ to everything that transpired.

    Meanwhile, the evil characters in the drama are punished with Chotay Malik jailed for killing Dr Rana (Raja Haider) and Muqddar Khan paralysed and confined to the wheelchair, leaving viewers satisfied with their anjaam.

    While the drama had most viewers hooked with its interesting storyline and unpredictable twists and turns, it faltered at places and was slow-paced with some scenes unnecessarily dragging on. But what did work for the drama was its dramatic dialogues and brilliant performances. Imran proved to be a wonderful romantic hero and was a delight to watch on the screen. Osama was brilliant as Shayan and the range of emotions he expressed deserve a round of applause, even though most of the time you just wanted to give him [Shayan] a slap for his stupidity.

    As unfortunate as it is, dramas currently trending on Pakistani television are those which are either centred on women running after other women’s husbands or the usual family issues in which two people who like each other are not allowed to get married for whatever XYZ reason. In all this hullabaloo, Mushk was like a breath of fresh air and a great example of a solid script enhanced by brilliant performances.

  • Ali Xeeshan responds to criticism on ‘anti-dowry’ bridal campaign

    Ali Xeeshan’s latest collection ‘Numaish,’ which debuted at the Hum Bridal Couture Week 2021 last week, has created a bit of a storm on social media. The collection, aimed to highlight the burdening culture of dowry in our society, was designed in collaboration with UN Women Pakistan.

    While the campaign was well-intended, the designer received backlash on social media, with people criticising Xeeshan for the cost of his outfits and referring to Ali’s campaign as an act of hypocrisy.

    Responding to the criticism, Xeeshan said: “When I was developing it [the campaign], I was only looking into girls’ struggle but later I realised that dowry pressurises the parents more.”

    “I remember last year a client’s wedding was called off because one of the demands from groom side was to have a gold-plated shaving kit,” shared Xeeshan.

    He continued: “Many people say that you make expensive outfits, then why are you talking about this? These two are very different things – that [designing outfits] is my business and no one is compelled [to buy them].”

    “If you can afford my clothes please be my guests and if you can’t then don’t put yourself under the pressure,” added Xeeshan.

    The designer concluded by saying, “Agar meray say koi poochay keh mere kapray khareeday ya beti ko education de, toh beti ko education day dein. Mein kapray baich loon ga.”

  • Zulfi Bukhari, DG ISPR stand out at Pakistani cinema celebration

    Zulfi Bukhari, DG ISPR stand out at Pakistani cinema celebration

    Hum TV on December 16 celebrated the 16th anniversary of its premier entertainment channel in Islamabad in a special show hosted by Ahmed Ali Butt and Shiffa Yousafzai.

    The anniversary celebrations was a star-studded event attended by prominent faces of the country’s entertainment landscape and dignitaries including DG ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Zulfi Bukhari, Adnan Siddiqui, Bushra Ansari, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Farhan Saeed, Sarah Khan, Vaneeza Ahmed, Momina Duraid, Usman Mukhtar, Sultana Siddiqui President HUM Network Limited and CEO HUM Network Duraid Qureshi.

    While everyone enjoyed watching their favourite stars take the stage, it was DG ISPR and SAPM Zulfi Bukhari who Twitter couldn’t stop talking about.

    Check out Twitter reactions below:

    https://twitter.com/baatsamjhoyaar/status/1350827400976805888?s=20
    https://twitter.com/Corpor8Xploiter/status/1350822152531009537?s=20

    Meanwhile, others were concerned that none of the participants were wearing masks.

    https://twitter.com/alishae_e/status/1350829885116342272?s=20

  • Imran Ashraf, Sarah Khan shine in ‘Raqs-e-Bismil’

    Imran Ashraf, Sarah Khan shine in ‘Raqs-e-Bismil’

    While most of the time, we critics or drama viewers, complain about how Pakistani dramas have become redundant and monotonous with the same old storyline based on unrequited love, marital woes, or love triangles, every now and then comes a new drama that shakes things up and makes you believe in the drama industry once again.

    Sarah Khan and Imran Ashraf’s ongoing drama Raqs e Bismil is one such example. Directed by Wajahat Rauf and written by Hashim Nadeem, the drama’s plot revolves around Sarah and Imran’s characters – Zohra and Moosa. Moosa comes from a very conservative background – he refuses to let his sister marry her love because he did not belong to the same sect – while Zohra belongs to a family of dancers and entertainers. The two cross paths on a bus and Zohra, who is wearing a burka at the time, catches Moosa’s attention, who immediately falls for her and her gutsy nature and asks her to marry him after their second meeting.

    While Zohra initially rejects Moosa’s advances with some powerful dialogues, she later invites him to her home so that he can find out her reality first-hand. The third episode of the drama ends with Moosa finding out Zohra’s reality and viewers are excited to know what will happen next for the two protagonists, who are worlds apart.

    Read more – Sarah Khan hits back at troll who criticised her over father’s death

    The first three episodes were engaging and fast-paced with brilliant performances by the lead and supporting cast. Imran and Sarah were brilliant as Moosa and Sarah, while their chemistry was also lit. Moosa, in particular, has many shades and Imran manages to portray them flawlessly; fluidly switching between a hardened family-man and a man smitten. A special mention to Momin Saqib, who really gave a solid performance as Essa, Moosa’s brother and wingman.

    Raqs e Bismal has quickly made it to our list of must-watch dramas and one we are delighted to recommend.

  • Sarah Khan hits back at troll who criticised her over father’s death

    Sarah Khan hits back at troll who criticised her over father’s death

    Sarah Khan has hit back at a troll who criticised her for posting a picture of her drama Raqs e Bismil, a week after her father’s demise.

    The comment which has now been deleted read criticised the actor for posting about her work, not long after the death of her father.

    “You are worried about Moosa and Zohra! And your father? He hasn’t been gone a week and here you are posting about dramas. Oh, God. What is this world of showbiz!” it read,

    In response, Sarah hit back saying: “Would my pain have lessened if I posted after a month? Does that even make sense?”

    Sarah’s father passed away in December 2020. The actor had earlier posted a heartfelt note for her late parents.

  • ‘Sabaat’ manages to tie up loose ends in a rushed finale

    ‘Sabaat’ manages to tie up loose ends in a rushed finale

    Sabaat, with its refreshing storyline and empowered female characters, won acclaim over the weeks for being different from other dramas being shown on television. It drew to a close Sunday night with a finale that felt a bit rushed but successfully managed to tie up loose ends.

    Warning: Spoilers ahead

    Miraal & Dr Haris

    The final episode of the drama saw Miraal (Sarah Khan) get involved in a car accident and damage her spinal cord which leaves her paralysed from the hip down. That one incident changes everything and gives all major characters in the series a happy ending. When Miraal regains consciousness after her accident, she discovers that her current love interest and ex-fiancé Ali, who was driving the car has run away, while her estranged husband Dr Haris (Usman Mukhtar) is by her side. She realises that she has done wrong to a lot of people and starts redeeming herself – first by telling Hasan (Ameer Gilani) that she was the one who ruined his relationship with Anaya (Mawra Hocane) and then apologising to Anaya personally (That one scene was very well executed). Later, she also seeks forgiveness from her husband, who she was seeking khula from. Everything comes full circle and all characters in the series get a happy ending, including Anaya’s mother (Simi Raheal).

    Anaya and Hassan

    Though in its essence, Sabaat is a family drama with all the usual tropes like a mistrusting husband, nand-bhabhi tensions, etc, its treatment was what set it apart from other dramas. Besides, the drama resonated well with audiences because of its realistic presentation.

    Sabaat was beautifully written by Kashif Anwar (Fun fact – Kashif played Yasir Qureshi in the drama), with some impactful dialogues and brilliant story development (I will forgive the makers for stretching the drama in the last few episodes). The performances were solid – it will not be wrong to say that Mawra Hocane delivered her career-best performance as the quiet but headstrong Anaya, while Sarah Khan played the manipulative and spoilt Miraal to perfection. The boys (Ameer and Usman) also gave great performances and Usman, in particular, blew me away. Not only was Dr Haris an incredibly likable character but Usman also did complete justice to it. I will never forget that tear that dropped from his eye when he received the divorce papers. Laila Zuberi and Simi Raheel were wonderful as the supportive and encouraging mothers while Moazzam Ali Khan was brilliant as the arrogant Fareed Sahab.

    Another reason why the drama stood out was because of its strong and empowered female characters. Though Anaya was a mild-natured person, she did not resort to being a bechari when things went bad and made the best of her circumstances. Even Hassan and Dr Haris were a rare breed – they were shown as sensitive and caring individuals. It is unusual to come across such characters on Pakistani television these days.

    Personally, what I liked best about Sabaat was that nothing about it was over-the-top. Even in her angriest moments, Miraal was restrained and did not resort to screaming (read: screeching) like a mad person.

    Read more – ‘Sabaat’ will have you hooked

    The OST and background music was lovely and perfectly complemented the drama and storyline. Also a shoutout to the drama’s styling team – Miraal’s wardrobe was amazing. I loved each and every outfit and Sarah carried them all so well.

    Sabaat is definitely one for the keeps and is highly recommended. For me, it is going in the same category as Humsafar, Diyaar-e-Dil, Yakeen ka Safar, Ehd-e-Wafa and Zindagi Gulzar Hai.

  • Sajal, Ahad win big at HUM Social Media Awards

    Sajal, Ahad win big at HUM Social Media Awards

    The first HUM Social Media Awards Powered by Facebook were streamed live Friday night and while there were a lot of winners, power couple Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly took home four major awards – Most Popular Actor (Male and Female), Most Popular On-Screen Couple and Most Popular Off-Screen Couple. The couple, in a video message, thanked and appreciated their fans who voted for them.

    Read more – Did you know ‘Ehd-e-Wafa’ was shot in 16 cities?

    Other winners include Atif Aslam (Most Popular Music Artist – Male), Aima Baig (Most Popular Music Artist – Female), Shahzad Noor (Most Popular Model – Male), Sadia Khan (Most Popular model – Female), Shahid Khan Afridi (Most Popular Sports Personality), Fahad Mustafa (Most Popular Television Host (entertainment)) and Zaid Ali T (Most Popular Content Creator). Aiman Khan was given a special award for being the Most Followed Celebrity of Pakistan. All the winners were part of the show via audio/video calls and special messages.

    Though the awards were virtual, they were not without some fun performances. Due to COVID-19, celebrities at the ceremony were limited and those who attended included Aiman Khan, Muneeb Butt, Ayesha Omar and Aijaz Aslam. Those who attended kept the viewers engaged with their antics. The highlight of the ceremony, hosted by Yasir Hussain and Mooro, was an electrifying performance by Asim Azhar and the Young Stunners.

    According to a press release, “HUM Social Media Awards Powered by Facebook is the first digitally based award show in Pakistan that has Facebook under its banner, making it distinguished and authentic in its true sense by recognising and encouraging deserving individuals working in the fields of music, entertainment, fashion, sports and content creation who have gained popularity over the years and have made their mark digitally.”

    “The criteria of these awards and selection of nominees was based purely on their social media followers/subscribers, interaction rate and content created between July 2019 to June 2020, using Facebook Authentic Tool. All the nominees were put up for audience voting via website and the winners were selected on the basis of audiences’ votes,” it adds.

  • Mahira Khan reveals why Khirad is her ‘most special’ character

    Mahira Khan reveals why Khirad is her ‘most special’ character

    To say that Humsafar was a game-changer in the Pakistani drama scene would be an understatement. The Mahira Khan-Fawad Khan starrer truly revolutionized the Pakistani drama industry and had everyone hooked.

    Humsafar is currently celebrating its ninth anniversary and to commemorate the occasion, Mahira shared a few clips from the drama and talked about why the drama is close to her heart.

    “What is there left to say that hasn’t already been said?” wrote the actor on Instagram. “Maybe that’s the thing about Humsafar, there is always more to say.”

    She continued: “Khirad is by far my most special character. She loved fiercely, she gave wholeheartedly and when it came to her self-respect she held that closest to her heart. What a woman.”

    “Humsafar is beyond all of us who made it,” wrote Mahira further. “It’s all of yours. This safar, this journey is nothing without all of you.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFh-XwchQ1m/

    Earlier, in an interview with The Current, Mahira had said: “I believe Khirad was one of my strongest characters…And I do not associate crying with being weak.”

    When asked if there can be another couple like Khirad and Ashar on Pakistani television, Mahira said: “Yes. Ashar and Khirad have their own chemistry. And they should be left alone there. But I believe and I think, there have been so many other couples that people have loved and liked.”

    Directed by Sarmad Khoosat and written by Farhat Ishtiaq, Humsafar also featured Naveen Waqar, Atiqa Odho, and Hina Khawaja Bayat.

    Read more – Can you guess which film is Mahira Khan’s ‘most special’?

    Mahira was last seen in Superstar opposite Bilal Ashraf. Her next film Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad was scheduled to release on Eid ul Azha 2020 but was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from that, Mahira will also be seen in The Legend of Maula Jatt and Neelofar, both of which also star Fawad Khan.

  • ‘Pyar Ke Sadkay’: All’s well that ends well

    ‘Pyar Ke Sadkay’: All’s well that ends well

    Hum TV’s much-loved rom-com Pyar Ke Sadkay came to close Thursday night with a happy ending that left viewers satisfied.

    Starring Bilal Abbas Khan, Yumna Zaidi, Atiqa Odho and Omair Rana among others, Pyar Ke Sadkay is a love story of two bawlas (simpletons) Abdullah (Bilal) and Mahjabeen (Zaidi) who end up getting married after fate throws them together. Over the course of the drama, they fall in love and overcome several obstacles along the way including an ex-crush Shanzay (Yashma), a manipulative father-in-law Sarwar (Omair Rana) and a weak mother-in-law Mansoora Begum (Atiqa Odho) before finally ending up together in the last episode.

    Though the last episode paid attention to all the subplots in the drama and ensured that there is no loose end left, I do wish it was not as rushed as it was. Throughout its run, the drama has been well-paced except in the last couple of episodes which were a bit of a drag. But that doesn’t mean the finale did not have its moments. In fact, there were plenty of them starting with Abdullah telling Shanzay to shut up, Mahjabeen’s mother refusing to take a settlement from Abdullah, Abdullah’s run-in with Sarwar and finally the confrontation between Mansoora Begum and Sarwar. The finale was packed with drama and had viewers hooked. Abdullah’s evolution in the last episode was brilliant and every time he stood up to his bullies, you couldn’t help but cheer.

    On the flip, I do wish that Pho and Washma were given more attention in the finale. Mahjabeen’s pregnancy was also forgotten and Sarwar’s moment with his mother just seemed forced and out of place. I really didn’t understand why Sarwar is upset with his mother and blames her for all his actions.

    Meanwhile, the performances were absolutely brilliant – whether it was Yumna, Bilal, Atiqa, Omair, Shra Asghar (Washma) or Salman Hassan – each one of them did complete justice to their characters. Credit for the amazing acting also goes to the director Farooq Rind who brought out the best from his actors.

    Zanjabeel Asim Shah’s script was solid and the characters very likeable. Some of the dialogues, especially those by Mahajabeen’s mother were powerful and thought-provoking.

    Pyar Ke Sadkay was one of those rare, well-written and well-produced drama which you enjoyed watching. Will definitely miss watching Abdullah and Mahjabeen’s shenanigans every Thursday but onto the next now.