Tag: Omair Rana

  • Shoaib Akhtar receives flak from celebrities for his comments on ‘Groove Mera’

    Shoaib Akhtar receives flak from celebrities for his comments on ‘Groove Mera’

    Shoaib Akhtar has come under fire for mocking and ridiculing the anthem of the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The former cricketer had trashed Groove Mera, calling it the worst anthem ever. He also said that he uses the song to put his children to sleep as they are scared of it.

    Following Akhtar’s comments, several celebrities including Adnan Siddiqui, Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (HSY), Hira Mani, Ahmed Ali Butt and Wasim Akram stepped forward to defend the song. Though they did not name Akhtar directly, they subtly shaded him for his comments.

    “Least we can do for our artists is respect them,” said Adnan. “It’s very easy to be keyboard warriors and shred someone’s hard work to pieces.”

    “Naseebo Lal doesn’t deserve to be trolled like this,” added the actor.

    Sharing his thoughts on the brouhaha, Wasim Akram said: “Hope all this well. Aap log theek hain, exercise kar rahay hain or mou chukk kay criticise kar rahy ho har cheez nu. That’s you guys.”

    “Abhi mene PSL anthem pay bohat saray views sunay or theek hai, har aik ki marzi hoti hai magar ennay Tan Sen therday ni tussi, har gal tey bolna hai. Tareef na karna tussi,” he added in Punjabi.

    Sharing Wasim’s video on Twitter, Omair Rana said: “I love this man! Wasim Akram. Jewndy raho!”

    HSY also praised Groove Mera, saying that he is listening to it on repeat.

    “When will we learn to take things in perspective and react accordingly,” questioned Faysal Quraishi.

    “Let’s go with the spirit of sports and celebrate little things. I personally think Naseebo Lal who is very popular with masses will rock the stadium with her ‘groove’ and high notes,” remarked the actor.

    Similarly, in a detailed note posted on Instagram, Ahmed Ali Butt said: “For people who don’t know… Naseebo Lal is a Pakistani folk singer with over 30 years of singing experience. She never got the limelight that she deserved because most of her songs were during the “raunchy” Punjabi film era. But that does not change the fact that she is a Pakistani folk legend with hundreds of songs to her credit.”

    “Groove Mera is a great song and a bold step by PCB. For all the people making fun of her pronunciation are the same people who love UK or Canadian Punjabi singers,” he said further. “So shut up and be proud of your nation’s talent. God knows you didn’t contribute to their success or hard work, so the least you can do is be respectful towards them.”

    “Ab volume kholo or bolo…aaj vaykhay ga crowd mera groove TV tay,” he concluded.

    Hira Mani, in a lengthy note posted to social media said: “We respect you madam. Bas yeh so-called elite burgers music critics internet kay dour kay hum jese chunnay munnay followers walay. Inko kia pata kay asal fan following houti kiya hai.”

    Meanwhile, other celebrities, including Farhan Saeed, Anoushey Ashraf and Haroon Shahid directly responded to Akhtar for his comments.

    “It’s his opinion, that’s ok! He has the right, but that’s a stupid opinion is what is my opinion,” stated Farhan Saeed.

    “This song will be a winner in the stadiums, mark it,” he added.

    Haroon Shahid also directly responded to Akhtar saying: “So when Shoaib Akhtar was being paid millions by Kolkata Knight Riders and this song came up I bet he would have danced on this track at the Eden Gardens just to impress Shahrukh jee.”

    In a later tweet, the singer-turned-actor said: “This guy talks about aesthetics! Here’s a guy who commentates in English defining ‘Groove’ for us in musical terms.”

    Sharing her thoughts on the controversy, Anoushey Ashraf said: “Oh dear, this is in bad taste. One thing to not like a song, another thing to run down artists, musicians this way. Big fan of Shoaib Akhtar but not the way he’s bashing the anthem.”

    Television actor, Naveed Raza also participated in the debate, commenting: “Learn to appreciate Shoaib Akhtar bhai. The worst virus is a human, dehumanising another human. Groove Mera is a solid stadium-feel song.”

    Groove Mera is currently trending at number one on YouTube Pakistan with more than five million views till the filing of this report.

    What did you think of Groove Mera? Let us know in the comments below.

  • Sanam Saeed receives flak for criticising opposition parties

    Sanam Saeed receives flak for criticising opposition parties

    With the Pakistan Democratic Movement holding rallies in different parts of the countries in a bid to oust the government, Sanam Saeed has criticised them for “creating more mess and chaos like always”.

    “Utter disgrace,” remarked the actor.

    However, the actor received immense criticism for her tweet following which she later deleted it.

    Meanwhile, other members of the entertainment industry including Shaan Shahid, Haroon Shahid and Omair Rana have condemned Capt (r) Safdar and PML-N for raising slogans at the mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan and jumping over the grill surrounding the grave.

  • PTV accused of ‘insulting’ veteran actor Rashid Mahmood

    PTV accused of ‘insulting’ veteran actor Rashid Mahmood

    Pakistan Television (PTV) has been accused of ‘humiliating’ veteran actor Rashid Mahmood by giving him a cheque of Rs 620 of which Rs 500 is the Pride of Performance fees, leaving him with only Rs 120. The baffled actor took to social media to express his confusion and disappointment over the matter, saying “What are the criteria of paying a Pride of Performance winner in this country and who spent 50 years of [his] life in PTV.”

    In a video message, Mahmood shared how he was invited to recite a marsiya two years ago in Muharram.

    “I hadn’t really received any work opportunities from PTV in the past two years. During Muharram, Pakistan Television Lahore had commissioned me to recite Mir Anees’s marsiya. I recorded it and it aired on the 9th and 10th Muharram multiple times. After two years, I received a cheque of only Rs 620,” he said, referring to the compensation as an ‘insult’.

    “In this Naya Pakistan, will my mother institute insult me and give me this sort of attitude? People whose worth in the showbiz industry is questionable take Rs 1.5 to 2.5 million. Today I announce that I will never work for PTV,” he lamented.

    Following Mahmood’s tweet, several celebrities including Ali Zafar, Shamoon Abbasi and Omair Rana extended their support to the senior actor and expressed their disappointment over the state-owned channel.

    Read more – Shaan is disappointed with PTV for airing ‘Diriliş: Ertuğrul’

    PTV management later apologised to Mahmood and clarified that the cheque was “mistakenly issued in his name”.

    However, PTV then issued a new cheque to the veteran actor which was worth Rs 9600 only. Posting a picture of the new cheque, Mahmood said that he will not work with PTV in the future and will not be cashing the cheques either.

    “I [have] framed the decorated [the cheques] in my drawing room,” said Mahmood.

    Meanwhile, when Minister for Information Shibli Faraz was asked to share the government’s stance on the matter, Faraz said he immediately reached out to PTV MD when he saw the tweet and was assured that the matter has been dealt with.

    VJ and TV presenter Sophiya Anjum also shared her experience of not getting her dues from PTV, commenting that the channel lacks basic deceny.

  • Atiqa Odho lashes out at PEMRA for banning ‘Pyar Ke Sadqay’

    Atiqa Odho lashes out at PEMRA for banning ‘Pyar Ke Sadqay’

    ICYMI, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has banned the repeat telecast of Pyar Ke Sadqay and Ishqiya saying that the content of the dramas is against the “morals” of society.

    Read more – ‘Pyar Ke Sadkay’: All’s well that ends well

    While the makers of the dramas have not commented on the matter, Atiqa Odho, who had a leading role in Pyar Ke Sadqay lashed out at PEMRA for their decision.

    “Really PEMRA? Is this the democratic way of life?,” questioned Odho.

    “Television dramas bring up important social problems which need correction. It helps educate people about mental health, social injustices, hypocrisy, abuse, misuse of power, etc. If we start to brush things under the carpet and not bring them out for discussion, we will never grow as a nation towards positive change,” said Odho.

    She added: “Stop treating viewers as if they are dumb and don’t have exposure to the rest of the world! PEMRA should be making policies to create more social awareness through Pakistani dramas and not reducing content to falsified garbage.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CE3lW6tg5DO/

    While PEMRA did not clarify what they found offensive in the drama, it is being assumed that the scenes which showed the father-in-law hitting on his daughter-in-law are what PEMRA felt was against “Pakistani values”.

    Directed by Farooq Rind and written by Zanjabeel Asim Shah, Pyar Ke Sadkay also featured Bilal Abbas Khan, Omair Rana, Yumna Zaidi, Salma Hassan, Srha Asghar, Khalid Anam, Gul e Rana and Shermeen Ali.

    Both Ishqiya and Pyar Ke Sadqay have completed their primetime run and are being re-aired. PEMRA’s notification banned their repeat telecast and said that the dramas can also not be aired on ARY Zindagi or HUM Sitaray sub-channels either.

    PEMRA has also directed the makers of Jalan to review its content and script and modify it in accordance with Pakistani values.

    Meanwhile, Chairman PEMRA Muhammad Saleem Baig on Tuesday held a meeting with United Producers Association in Karachi for “sensitizing topics and trends in dramas.”

  • ‘Black Panther’ star Chadwick Boseman passes away at 43

    ‘Black Panther’ star Chadwick Boseman passes away at 43

    Chadwick Boseman, who played Black American icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown with searing intensity before inspiring audiences worldwide as the regal Black Panther in Marvel’s blockbuster movie franchise, died Friday of cancer. He was 43.

    Boseman died at his home in the Los Angeles area with his wife and family by his side, his publicist Nicki Fioravante told media outlets. He is survived by his wife and a parent and had no children.

    Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, his family said in a statement. The actor had not publicly discussed his condition and continued to work on major Hollywood productions.

    “A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” his family said. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more – all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honour of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.”

    Expressions of shock and despair poured in late Friday from fellow actors, athletes, musicians, Hollywood titans, fans and politicians. Several Pakistani actors including Ushna Shah and Ali Rehman Khan also mourned his demise.

    https://twitter.com/ChrisEvans/status/1299550103221555200?s=20

    Journey to Stardom

    It took some time for Boseman’s moment to come. Born in South Carolina, Boseman graduated from Howard University and had small roles in television – on TV shows like ABC Family’s Lincoln Heights and NBC’s Persons Unknown – before his first star turn in 2013. His striking portrayal of the stoic baseball star Robinson opposite Harrison Ford in 2013′s 42 drew attention in Hollywood and made him a star. A year later, he wowed audiences as Brown in the biopic Get On Up.

    Boseman’s T’Challa character was first introduced to the blockbuster Marvel movies in 2016′s Captain America: Civil War and his “Wakanda Forever” salute reverberated around the world after the release of Black Panther two years ago.

    “I don’t think the world was ready for a ‘Black Panther’ movie before this moment. Socially and politically, it wasn’t ready for it,” he told AP at the time.

    The film’s vision of Afrofuturism and the technologically advanced civilization of Wakanda resonated with audiences, some of whom wore African attire to showings and helped propel Black Panther to more than $1.3 billion in the global box office. It is the only Marvel Studios film to receive a best picture Oscar nomination.

    The character was last seen standing silently dressed in a black suit at Tony Stark’s funeral in last year’s Avengers: Endgame. A Black Panther sequel had been announced and was one of the studio’s most anticipated upcoming films.

  • Quiz – Which ‘Churail’ are you?

    Quiz – Which ‘Churail’ are you?

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  • ‘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.

  • The ‘Churails’ are the superheroes we wish we had

    The ‘Churails’ are the superheroes we wish we had

    Step aside folks, Pakistan has truly arrived at the web series front with Churails. Though this is not the first original web series to come out of Pakistan, it is indeed the one that has put us on the map and from this point onwards, there is no looking back.

    Read more – Cheating husbands, badass women & girl power: ‘Churails’ promises to be ‘witchy’ delight

    Created and directed by Cake director, Asim Abbasi, Churails features Sarwat Gilani, Yasra Rizvi, Nimra Bucha and Meharbano as the four churails (witches) who are here to shake things up. Bakhtawar Mazhar, Sameena Nazir, Zara Khan, Mareeha Safdar, Amtul Baweja, Meher Jaffri and Shabana Hassan play the chosen seven while the male leads include Omair Rana, Kashif Hussain, Fawad Khan and Sarmed Aftab. There are plenty of cameos in the series, some of which are bound to surprise you and keep you hooked even more.

    The series is about four women from completely different backgrounds come together one rainy night and decide that they have suffered enough at the hands of the men in their life. They come up with the idea of setting up a detective agency under the guise of a hijab and burqa store with the aim to get justice their way. They then set up an army of baby churails – the Chosen Seven – and train them to carry out their spying and sleuthing missions. The interesting bit is that their team is not all women – their army also consists of two men, one of whom is a hacker. All is going well for the Churails until of their own goes missing and the women come face to face with the powerful men of the city.

    Churails has been wonderfully directed and presented. I like how the director made sure to strike a balance. Contrary to popular belief, the series is not anti-men or ‘fahash (vulgar)’ from any angle – it aims to challenge the system of patriarchy and break stereotypes surrounding outspoken and confident women. While the series shows plenty of ‘bad’ men, on the other end it shows decent men also, who support the women around them. Similarly, while they show mazloom and oppressed women, they also show women who support the system and enable the men around them. At the same time, I also liked how Asim cleverly combined fiction with reality. While the concept of Churails and all-women superhero team is something we all wish for, it is unrealistic at the end of the day. However, the situations the Churails find themselves in are very much real and oftentimes uncomfortable.

    Perhaps the strongest part of the whole series were the performances, cinematography and music. The performances were absolutely phenomenal – it was like each role was written with the actor in mind – whether it was Sarwat as Sara ‘the perfect wife’ or Yasra as the hippie wedding planner Jugnu or Meharbano as Zubaida the young girl aspiring to be a boxer, each actor put forward their best foot. As for Nimra Bucha, she was on another level as Batool. She spoke little and had limited dialogues but the way she communicated with her eyes and expressions was just brilliant. The male actors also deserve a round of applause, especially Hussain as Shams and Aftab as Dilbar. Not only were they great in their roles, but their characters were also likeable. Omair Rana was fantastic as the manipulative politician and Sara’s husband Jamil as were the Chosen Seven.

    Mo Azmi is a master of his craft and with Churails, he did his thing with finesse. He shot each frame meticulously, paying attention to detail, because of which the entire show was so aesthetically pleasing. The way he shot the frames in which the faces weren’t showing was simply mind-blowing. I particularly liked how Azmi played with lights to create an impact. The music of the series was also well-thought-out and each track and sound perfectly complemented the mood of the scene and added depth and character. Kudos to the music director for using music so deftly.

    Production value of the series was also high with beautiful sets and chic costumes. I particularly loved Sara’s wardrobe – so glamourous.

    Churails HQ

    While everything seems to be going right with the series otherwise, the one department which was I felt was a little weak was the editing, which would have been crisper. Each episode is approximately one hour long. Most web series have 45-minute episodes. Keeping that in mind, I do wish the episodes were a tad bit shorter. However, given how much I enjoyed the series, I’m willing to overlook this.

    Shams

    Overall the show is fun, fierce and full of sass. Asim attempted to shake things up with his series and I think he definitely did because these feisty and badass ‘Churails’ are here to stay. I would highly recommend everyone, especially all women to watch the series because I’m pretty sure you all will thoroughly enjoy it.

    Churails is currently streaming on Zee5, which is accessible in Pakistan. The service operates similarly to Netflix and Amazon Prime and requires a subscription. While the subscription is usually Rs 2500/year, they are currently offering a deal through which you can get the subscription for Rs 1500 for the whole year. Payment can be done via a credit card.

    Watch our video review here:

  • Cheating husbands, badass women & girl power: ‘Churails’ promises to be ‘witchy’ delight

    Cheating husbands, badass women & girl power: ‘Churails’ promises to be ‘witchy’ delight

    The trailer of Cake director Asim Abbasi’s original web series Churails, featuring Sarwat Gilani, Nimra Bucha, Mehar Bano and Yasra Rizvi, has finally dropped and it is more than what we could have ever wished for. The trailer promises lots of action, drama and badass women taking on misogyny head-on. It is unlike anything Pakistan has ever seen before.

    Churails “is the story of a lawyer(Gilani), wedding planner(Rizvi), convict (Bucha) and boxer (Meharbano), who come together to form a secret detective agency with the purpose to find and expose unfaithful husbands amongst Karachi’s elite, operating under the guise of a fashion store named ‘Halal Designs’. As their operations expand, they come to be saviours of abused, harassed and mistreated women.”

    According to a press release, the show “aims to challenge the hypocrisy of patriarchal societies that vanquish women and their rights.”

    “The gripping and fast-paced storyline covers myriad of issues such as child abuse, sexism, the domination of class and race and aims to challenge the hypocrisy of patriarchal societies that vanquish women and their rights,” it adds.

    The makers of the show define churails as “she who takes ownership of her life and is unapologetic of her being. She who breaks the glass ceiling and every prejudice that society has created against women.”

    “She who is strong, she who is fierce, she stands for what she believes in… she is a ‘churail’.”

    Director Asim Abbasi, while speaking about the project said that the story is about “strong women, embarking on a journey of self-discovery, empowerment and sisterhood.”

    The 10-episode series is expected to stream from August 11 on ZEE5 Global’s Zindagi channel. Omair Rana, Adnan Malik, Sania Saeed and Hina Bayat are also part of the ensemble cast.

    The trailer has already made noise and has received praise from both sides of the border.

    Watch the trailer below:

  • ‘Pyar Ke Sadkay’: The curious case of Mahjabeen’s pregnancy

    ‘Pyar Ke Sadkay’: The curious case of Mahjabeen’s pregnancy

    Pyar Ke Sadkay has been treating viewers to a myriad of emotions, the most recent being grief. However, in the latest episode, the makers of the drama take the viewers from grief into total shock by making Mahjabeen (Yumna Zaidi) pregnant. While this is a usual trope in most dramas to bring together estranged couples, in this particular drama it creates confusion because most viewers believed that Mahjabeen and Abdullah (Bilal Abbas Khan) did not consummate their marriage. All through the drama, every time Abdullah’s stepfather Sarwar (Omair Rana) would ask him about his marriage, Abdullah would say that there are no marital relations between him and his wife which is why audiences are now questioning how Mahjabeen could have gotten pregnant.

    Read more – ‘Pyar Ke Sadkay’ takes a disappointing turn

    According to our research and analysis, Mahjabeen and Abdullah consummated their marriage in Episode 16 when they skipped Shanzay’s valima and stayed home instead even though Mahjabeen was all dressed up to attend the wedding. From that moment onwards, Abdullah stopped sleeping on the sofa and moved to the bed.

    The next morning when they went down and sat with Abdullah’s parents, the two were all shy and smiley, hinting the new developments in their relationship.

    While it has now been established that Mahajabeen getting pregnant is not out of the blue, the next question is: was that really necessary? Was that the only way to bring Mahjabeen and Abdullah together? Couldn’t it have been organic with Abdullah realising his love for Mahjabeen and taking a stand for her? At this point, you half wish that the two don’t end up together because Abdullah doesn’t deserve Mahjabeen anymore. He did not value her enough. And though some may argue that he is being misled by Sarwar, we have to accept that Abdullah is not as stupid as he comes across. He’s sharp and intelligent, the only thing he lacks is confidence.

    Apart from that, at some points, it does feel that the drama is being unnecessarily dragged – for instance, the scene at Munshi Sahab’s grave felt extra and out of place. Unless the makers are preparing us for Mahjabeen suddenly becoming rich and powerful. Other than that, I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again, the Shanzay (Yashma Gill) storyline is completely unnecessary. The plot could have moved forward without it. Nonetheless, hoping it wraps up soon so we can focus on the main couple and the evil father-in-law.

    Washma (Shra Asghar), as always stole the show. Washma is one character which I feel every Pakistani drama needs to have: she’s strong, sassy and a doer. She doesn’t sit around waiting for things to happen – she makes them happen. The way she defends Mahjabeen or stands up to Sarwar and her mother, one can’t help but root for her.

    The next couple of episodes should come with interesting developments. We’ll also find out whether Abdullah has signed the divorce papers or he is just pretending to have signed those. But one thing is for sure, Abdullah and Mahjabeen will have a happy ending, or at least that’s my prediction.