Ahmed Ali Butt’s take on the Aurat March and the slogan ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi‘ has elicited strong reactions from all around. While there are some who agree with his comments that the Aurat March is a “foreign-funded movement”, others are calling him out for his ignorance and misuse of privilege.
Among those criticising Butt is Osman Khalid Butt who has been vocally advocating for the Aurat March on social media. Osman threw shade at his fellow actor without taking his name.
Let. Me. Say. It. Again. People who believe women’s rights are a joke or ‘foreign propaganda’, who turn a blind eye to the atrocities women face daily in this country, who refuse to educate themselves despite their privilege, should definitely not procreate till they evolve.
Bro muting you. You’re clearly doing this for self-promotion. Women in Pakistan are using this slogan to speak up for their rights, to claim ownership over their bodies. But aap lagay raho. Congratulations on your newfound fame. pic.twitter.com/flDsm1etMc
Other Twitter users also schooled Butt for his comments.
Truly idiotic understanding from a man whose family legacy is entirely a woman who defied her time, and society to be the super star Noor Jehan was. What an embarrassment this man is. https://t.co/BPLaQ9RVoi
Ehd e Wafa’s last episode is coming to cinemas on March 14 and it appears that audiences will be in for a thrilling ride. At least, that’s what the trailer promises.
To celebrate ‘Surprise Day’ – the day Abhinandan’s plane was shot down in Pakistani airspace – Momina Duraid Films released a trailer for the last episode of the super hit drama serial.
The two-minute teaser doesn’t give away much but introduces two new characters in the drama – Major Humayun and Indian Airforce’s Wing Commander Abhinandan. It is likely that the episode will shed light on the retaliatory attack by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) after India’s Balakot airstrike.
Apart from that, there is also a glimpse of the Kartarpur Corridor which marked a monumental moment in Pakistan’s history and action on the Line of Control.
The teaser ends with an injured Captain Saad (Ahad Raza Mir) trudging through the trees.
Directed by Saifee Hassan and written by Mustafa Afridi, Ehd-e-Wafa is centered around the SSG, short for Secret ‘S’ Gang, consisting of Shehryar (Ahmed Ali Akbar), Shariq (Wahaj Ali), Saad (Ahad Raza Mir) and Shahzain (Osman Khalid Butt). The series won the hearts of the audiences because of its heartwarming storyline and great performances by the ensemble cast which also includes Alizeh Shah, Hajra Yamin, Vaneezah Ahmed, Zara Noor Abbas, Faraz Yahya, Syed Muhammad Ahmed and Adnan Samad Khan (Gulzar) among others.
A man has filed a petition against the drama serial Ehd-e-Wafa in the Lahore High Court arguing that the drama has negatively portrayed politicians and media personnel.
The petitioner, Muhammad Zeeshan, in his petition stated that the show has represented a politician, media anchor, bureaucrat and army official but have ignored the judiciary.
“Four pillars of the state were displayed but the role of the army was shown instead of the judiciary,” read the petition.
Zeeshan further said that Ehd-e-Wafa could damage the image of politicians and media personnel. He said that the roles shown in the drama portrayed a negative image of Pakistan internationally and requested the court to stop the airing of the drama episodes.
In Ehd-e-Wafa, Shahzain (Osman Khalid Butt) is a politician, Shariq (Wahaj Ali) a successful journalist, Shehryar (Ahmed Ali Akbar) an assistant commissioner and Saad (Ahad Raza Mir) an army officer.
Directed by Saifee Hassan, Ehd-e-Wafa is a joint collaboration between ISPR and Hum TV. It has been penned by Mustafa Afridi of Sang-e-Mar Mar and Aangan fame.
Ehd-e-Wafa promised to be an emotional rollercoaster but truth be told, I was not prepared to shed a few tears while watching it. The 21st episode of the drama serial aired last Sunday and though it was a bit of a drag and completely disconnected from the last scene of the previous episode (the last episode ended in Waziristan and this one began in Pindi on a happy note), two emotional scenes – Saad (Ahad Raza Mir) and Shahzain’s (Osman Khalid Butt) reunion and Shehryar’s (Ahmed Ali Akbar) effort to help Khursheed (Muhammad Hunbal) – made the entire episode worth a watch.
All four members of the SSG (Special ‘S’ Gang) have settled into their respective lives. Saad (Ahad Raza Mir) is now Captain Saad, while Malik Shahzain (Osman Khalid Butt) is a well-known politician. Shehryar (Ahmed Ali Akbar) cleared his CSS exams and is currently serving as an Assistant Commissioner, while Shariq (Wahaj Ali) is an established journalist.
Shehryar, who is serving as the Assistant Commissioner, comes across his old teacher Firdous Baig, whose son, Khursheed was his class fellow at Lawrence College. In a tear-jerking scene, it is revealed that Khursheed was put behind bars by some powerful land mafia over a dispute. Sheheryar uses his power to release Khursheed from jail and when the two meet and Khursheed throws himself in his friend’s arms. This scene was brilliantly executed and pulls at your heartstrings, leaving you misty-eyed.
On the other hand, Saad is about to get married to the love of his life, Dua when he happens to run into Shahzain. After exchanging the usual pleasantries, Saad pulls down the barriers between the two and they have an endearing conversation in which they bury their hatchet and promise to start their relationship afresh. If you’ve ever reconnected with an old friend after a long time, you’d feel the scene.
But everything aside, this episode was without a doubt Ahmed Ali Akbar’s, who owned every scene of his. Ahmed played Shehryar with utmost ease and slipped into the many layers of his character without a hiccup. It was an absolute treat to watch him.
And we’re not the only ones who thought this episode was an emotional roller coaster. Osman Khalid Butt also felt sentimental after watching this episode.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8ZMYIAJwO2/
Directed by Saifee Hassan, Ehd-e-Wafa is a joint collaboration between ISPR and Hum TV. In the stream of dramas which are either tackling serious topics such as rape (Ruswai) or are the usual masala fest (Jhooti/Kaheen Deep Jalay), Ehd-e-Wafa is a great entertainer and something you can enjoy watching with your family. It airs every Sunday at 8pm.
The first Pakistan International Screen Awards (PISA) are being held in Dubai Friday night. The organisers have gathered pretty much the entire entertainment industry and flown them to Dubai for the event. However, turns out that several nominees have been neglected and not given their due respect.
Among those is Osman Khalid Butt, Saqib Malik, Bulbulay actor Nabeel Zafar and Suno Chanda‘s Nadia Afgan. According to these celebrities, they were nominated and invited for the event but the management bailed on them at the last minute leaving them hanging.
In a social media post, Nabeel recounted how he was nominated for an award and invited to the event by the organisers through their PR company. He said that the organisers requested him to submit his documents only to vanish.
Nabeel regretted that his name was used to promote the event and attract audiences.
“To all the people who are expecting us in Dubai, let me categorically inform you all that I will not be a part of the show.”
Osman Khalid Butt had a similar story to share though he did not go into details.
Please add Saqib Malik, Ahmed Ali and me in the list of non-influencer ( ) nominees deprived of private jet pictures. Seriously, though, the level of disrespect is astounding. None of us were gagging for a Dubai trip, all of us were kept in the dark and on standby till today.
Nadia Afgan who was also nominated for her “outstanding work as an actress in a comedy role” also shared her story in an Instagram post. She also shared screenshots of her conversation with the organisers of the event.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8RHnlBB0Z5/
“I feel like if you’re not an Insta star you’re not an Insta star. Aap jitni bhi mehnat karley aap jitney bhi achay actor hoon (No matter how hard you work , how good of an actor you are) its no use if you’re treated like this,” Afgan said while speaking to a local media outlet, adding that she had even gotten her dress made for the event.
Usman Mukhtar also slammed the organisers for promoting the event by using his videos even though he asked them to remove them as he wouldn’t be part of the event.
Ali Safina also slammed the award show and the organisers in a Facebook post.
Several actors including Sanam Saeed, Tara Mehmood, Bilal Ashraf and Aijaz Aslam lauded Safina for speaking up against the organisers behaviour.
PISA had earlier also misled audiences by announcing that Mahira Khan will be performing at the award show. However, Mahira clarified this on Twitter saying that she will only be attending the event.
Hi. This is incorrect information. Will not be performing at the awards. Just attending. https://t.co/mTsVotWF8A
Earlier, the organisers of the award show had flown a handful of celebrities to Dubai in a private jet, pictures of which had gone viral on social media.
Meanwhile, other celebrities who will be attending the event include Meera, Ali Zafar, Mahira Khan, Sheheryar Munawar, Strings, Adnan Siddiqui, Humayun Saeed, Hira Mani, Aima Baig, Zara Noor Abbas, Ayesha Omar, Sarwat Gilani and Hareem Farooq among others.
The fate of Sarmad Khoosat’s Zindagi Tamasha hangs in limbo as the government is yet to decide whether the film can be released or not. The film, which was scheduled to hit screens on January 25, was stopped from being released days before its release after the federal and provincial governments feared public unrest.
While the Federal Government had said that the film will be reviewed by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), the Punjab Government directed the filmmaker to hold a screening on February 3 so that the film can be reviewed again. However, the screening has not taken place as yet. It is pertinent to mention here that the provincial and central censor boards had earlier cleared the film for release with a few cuts.
Osman Khalid Butt not only agreed with her but also requested artists and actor attending the first Pakistan International Screen Awards in Dubai to raise their voice for the film.
Strongly urge everyone taking the stage (or walking the red carpet) at the #PISAs tonight to speak out regarding the #ZindagiTamasha fiasco. An attack on one film is an attack on the entire fraternity. Freedom of expression cannot be held hostage like this. Let’s get political.
Nadia Afgan, who played Shanno in Suno Chanda, also spoke out in favour of the filmmaker.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8JsBwXB10v/
Ever since the film was barred from release, director Sarmad has not made a public statement. His father, Irfan Khoosat, who had filed a case against Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) for interfering in the smooth release of the film also withdrew his petition for reasons unknown.
Meanwhile, TLP chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi recently said that he would not let the film release no matter what remarking: “We will not let Zindagi Tamasha release and will do whatever it takes to make sure it does not see the light of day.”
Earlier, Sarmad had also appealed to the Prime Minister, President, Chief of Army Staff and the Chief Justice of Pakistan to facilitate the release of the film.
Following the controversy that sparked surrounding the release of Sarmad Khoosat’s Zindagi Tamasha, celebrities including Mahira Khan, Osman Khalid Butt and Mansha Pasha have extended their support to the filmmaker and raised their voice against the intolerance in the society.
Clearly they get things done faster than anyone in Pakistan. Sindh has banned #ZindagiTamasha until further notice. Others bound to follow suit. So, maybe after celebrating this ‘success’ you can raise your voices against one of the most heinous crimes one can commit?
The govt needs to do so much more to promote the arts in Pakistan which are currently going thru a huge credit crunch due to lack of advertising revenue. One can forget abt original Pakistani content if now they also start caving into outside pressures. #ZindagiTamasha
Worrying and amusing when you realise that under the current environment a film like #ZindagiTamasha would have a much smoother screening in KSA than Pakistan. We have a Ministry of Religious Affairs and the CCI but we submit to outfits like TLP giving them credibility & power
On Tuesday, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan announced that Khoosat’s Zindagi Tamasha will be critically reviewed by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII). The film’s producer was also directed to postpone the release of his film for the time being.
Before that, the Government of Punjab had barred the filmmaker from releasing his film “in wake of persistent complaints received from different quarters”. The government also said that the film will be re-examined and the film’s makers have been directed to arrange a show in this regard “in any cinema house” on February 3 at 3pm, so it may be reviewed. The film’s team has also been told to ensure the presence of a representative “for personal hearing, if required by the committee”.
Similarly, the Sindh Government also placed a ban on the film as it may create unrest within the religious segment of the society and disrupt peace.
Earlier, after Khoosat penned an open letter to the Prime Minister, President, Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chief of Army Staff, Humayun Saeed and Sanam Saeed had also requested the government to facilitate the smooth release of the film.
The government must address this at the earliest. Filmmaking in Pakistan is already a tough challenge; those who dare to venture into it need to be encouraged and appreciated https://t.co/H2ZP1Wjd8H
Having produced a film myself, i can very well relate to the difficulties/challenges one has to face to make and release a feature film in a country with no real infrastructure. The government should facilitate all such endeavours otherwise our cinema will die before emerging. https://t.co/EZKW6D6DeE
Zindagi vaqai tamasha hai. All this effort to ban thought provoking stories despite censor boards giving it the go ahead, despite it being edited time and time again to appease sensitive sensibilities of a certain few, why? https://t.co/WvsJySGDFC
Written by Nirmal Bano and directed by Sarmad Khoosat, Zindagi Tamasha starres Arif Hassan, Samiya Mumtaz, Eman Suleman and Ali Qureshi in the lead. The film is centred around a naat khwan Rahat Khawaja (played by Hassan) and his family who are outcast from the society when a secret of Khawaja’s is leaked.
The official synopsis states: “The film is an intimate portrait of a family as well as a scorching political commentary on little gods on this earth who police our private passions.”
The film premiered at the Busan International Film Festival held in October 2019 where it also won the prestigious Kim Ji Seok Award.
Maya Ali is no stranger to link-ups. Over the years, the actor has been linked to several of her co-stars. But among them all, her onscreen chemistry with Osman Khalid Butt had their fans swooning and the two began to be popularly known as Osmaya.
While fans rooted for the two to get together in real-life, some people started speculating that the two have tied the knot after pictures of them in wedding attire were shared on social media. Turned out that the pictures were from a magazine cover shoot and not from their “marriage.”
Nonetheless, every now and then, people raise questions pertaining to their relationship status. On a recent post by Maya, an Instagram user commented, “Is she still married with Osman Khalid Butt? Never seen them together.”
To this, Maya replied, “Did I, my family or Osman or his family ever mention this thing anywhere? You have a right to ask a question but please don’t give any statements about anyone…Thank you.”
The comment appears to have been removed.
Osman and Maya made their debut in Aik Naeey Cinderella, following which they appeared in Aunn Zara. Their third drama together was the superhit Diyar-e-Dil. Their last drama together was Sanam which aired in 2016. Maya has often referred to Osman as her best friend and the two have walked the ramp and appeared on the red carpet together. However, they have never hinted at anything more than that.
Meanwhile, Maya who has had a stellar year given the success of her second film Parey Hut Love, also reflected upon the past year and shared why it was so special for her.
Eleven episodes in, ISPR and Hum TV’s joint collaboration Ehd-e-Wafa has begun to gather momentum and is picking up pace.
Directed by Saifee Hassan, the drama follows the life of four friends – Shahzain (Osman Khalid Butt), Saad (Ahad Raza Mir), Sheheryar (Ahmed Ali Akbar) and Shariq (Wahaj Ali). The boys were together in Lawrence College Murree before they were expelled because of their shenanigans. While Saad went onto join the army, Shariq is pursuing a career and education in journalism. Sheheryar’s profession is still unclear and Shahzain, who belongs to a feudal family is incorporating himself into the family business.
All four boys also have their love interests, though the stories of Shariq and Sheheryar aren’t as well developed yet. Alizeh Shah as Dua plays Ahad’s love interests while Zara Noor Abbas as Rani is Osman’s.
While the premise and central plot of the story is the life of the four boys, there are several subplots running side by side because of which the episodes are a bit packed and muddled at some points. Instead of one scene flowing into the next, the episode tends jumps from scene to scene.
However, the acting of all the main characters is superb. Particularly note-worthy is Zara Noor Abbas as Rani, whose lively and colourful performance puts a smile on your face no matter what. Adnan Samad Khan, who is playing Gulzar Hussain from Basti Malook, Dera Ghazi Khan, is phenomenal in his character and has won the audiences with his strong performance. Ahad and Alizeh’s chemistry is very lit and their scenes together are very adorable.
Zara Noor Abbas as Rani
Adnan Samad Khan as Gulzar Hussain
Saad and Dua
The supporting cast of the drama including Vaneezah Ahmed and Syed Muhammad Ahmed are also doing a commendable job.
Last but not least, the background score and OST is very enjoyable – the upbeat tune perfectly complements the mood of the drama.
Ehd-e-Wafa is no Alpha Bravo Charlie but the drama is a much-needed refresher in the list of dramas which are either tackling serious topics such as rape (Ruswai) or are the usual masala fest (Meray Paas Tum Ho). Moreso, it also qualifies as a great family entertainer.
Imran Raza Kazmi, the man behind several hit films including Janaan, Heer Maan Ja and Parchi tied the knot in an intimate event in Islamabad.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4mU0FbD8UQ/
Though the event was low-key, the producer’s close friends and stars Hareem Farooq, Osman Khalid Butt and Ali Rehman Khan were in attendance. And from the pictures and videos, it appears that they had a blast.
There are bound to be giggles when the gang reunites.
Selfies are a must.
And some portraits from the wedding photographer
We’re loving the chemistry between the bride and Hareem
Hareem looks gorgeous in an outfit by Mohsin Naveed Ranjha and makeup and hair by Faiza’s Salon
