Yumna Zaidi has hit back at the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) for their notice on Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi (DNUTN), saying “we cannot make saas-bahu dramas only.”
Speaking to BBC Urdu, Yumna said that she doesn’t understand why PEMRA would take notice on her ongoing drama’s content.
“I was very disappointed [with PEMRA’s notice],” said Yumna. “I don’t understand what they want to promote [or show on television].”
“If we don’t talk about problems faced by people in government schools, gali mohallas or in the villages, then we’re only going to listen to bad news. If we force society to think about [such issues] through such content, then at least let it through instead of holding it back.”
“We cannot make saas-bahu dramas only,” lamented the actor further. “We make romantic dramas also. Different genres are given space [on television]. So this [DNUTN] should also be given a small space.”
Directing her comments towards PEMRA, Zaidi said: “I just want to ask PEMRA: ‘How can you do this?’”
The actor further said: “Other projects of mine have also previously received notices from PEMRA [Pyaar Ke Sadkay] but this one hurt more. It should not have happened. I was not happy with that.”
“Matlab kyun?,” she questioned, referring to the drama as a “very special project”.
Featuring Yasra Rizvi, Wahaj Ali, Nadia Afgan, Naumaan Ijaz, Omair Rana and Samiya Mumtaz besides Zaidi in the lead, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi is a harrowing tale of child abuse and human trafficking in Pakistan. The drama has been written by Amna Mufti and directed by Kashif Nisar and is a Kashf Foundation Presentation.
According to a press release issued earlier, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi will “bring some of the most heinous and deeply sensitive issues to light – while showing how humanity can still prevail in even the most insurmountable of situations.
The press release further said: “With three parallel stories on prostitution, human trafficking, and child abuse, the drama exposes the lowest ebb of our society.”
Meanwhile, while talking about her character in the drama, Yumna said that she plays a prostitute and while shooting for the party scenes, she was very grateful that this wasn’t her “real life”.
“The feeling was so haunting. And I felt so sorry for those women who are entrapped in such lives,” said the actor. “But I am happy that I am portraying the character of such a woman, who fights the system and breaks free.”
Omair Rana, who plays a key role in TV One’s Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi, has responded to the notice issued by the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to the makers of Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi directing them to review the drama’s content and modify it according to the regulatory body’s guidelines.
In a series of tweets, the actor appreciated the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) efforts to combat human trafficking in Pakistan and said: “Our humble effort is to help them with their honourable cause by educating the masses of our everyday actions that feed the menace that is the modern slave trade.”
Rana further said that all evil is ugly and invited PEMRA “to do what is right, not popular”.
“Join us in this jihad and help us make our beloved Pakistan, pak (clean) of such vile elements in our society,” he added.
Founder of the Kashf Foundation Roshaneh Zafar, who has produced the show, responding to PEMRA’s notice said: “Indeed evil is ugly and reality has to be faced so we can do something about changing it.”
Indeed evil is ugly and reality has to be faced so we can do something about changing it. Thank you @omairana for being part of team #dnutn#dilnaumeedtonahin We must fight in the trenches for all victims of human trafficking as such bondage strips an individual of all dignity. https://t.co/rfDzK0EzaV
Zafar also shared a news report which highlighted widespread child labour in Islamabad and said: “This why we need shows like Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi to raise awareness on issues like human trafficking, child labour and human bondage.”
“Realisation is the first step towards redressal and resolution,” she added.
This why we need shows like #DilNaUmeedToNahi#dnutn to raise awareness on issues like human trafficking, child labour and human bondage. Realization is the first step towards redressal and resolution. pic.twitter.com/tmFe2BFbSz
According to the Federal Investigation Agency, human trafficking is the third-largest source of organised crime revenue in Pakistan. Furthermore, statistics from the US Department of State on Pakistan provincial police reported identifying 19,954 trafficking victims in 2019, with the majority of victims recorded as women and children.
Featuring Yumna Zaidi, Yasra Rizvi, Wahaj Ali, Nadia Afgan, Naumaan Ijaz and Samiya Mumtaz besides Rana in the lead, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi is a harrowing tale of child abuse and human trafficking in Pakistan. The drama has been written by Amna Mufti and directed by Kashif Nisar and is a Kashf Foundation Presentation.
Six episodes of the drama have aired so far. According to a press release issued earlier, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi will “bring some of the most heinous and deeply sensitive issues to light – while showing how humanity can still prevail in even the most insurmountable of situations.
The press release further said: “With three parallel stories on prostitution, human trafficking, and child abuse, the drama exposes the lowest ebb of our society.”
Yumna, in an earlier interview, while talking about the drama had said: “The story is based on multiple causes. It has three major tracks: human trafficking, child abuse and a young girl who wants to become a cricketer. As far as my track is concerned, it is about women trafficking. Parents from slums sell their young daughters. The drama explores where these girls end up and what kind of a life they spend. And, if any of them dreams big, how does she manage to pursue that.”
Earlier, PEMRA had also banned ARY Digital’s Jalan for going against the “social and moral ethics of Pakistani society” and had also directed the makers of Fitoor to check for “inappropriate dialogues and content” in the drama.
The Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has issued a notice to the makers of Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi and has directed TV One to review the drama’s content and modify it according to the regulatory body’s guidelines.
In a notification shared on social media, PEMRA said: “PEMRA has issued a notice to TV One over content televised in the drama serial Dil Na Umeed To Nahi.”
“The channel has been directed to follow the quality of censor, according to the rules,” it adds.
The notice further directed TV One’s administration to modify the content according to PEMRA’s Code of Conduct and submit a report regarding the editorial board within five days.
Featuring Yumna Zaidi, Yasra Rizvi, Wahaj Ali, Nadia Afgan, Naumaan Ijaz, Samiya Mumtaz, and Omair Rana in the lead, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi is a harrowing tale of child abuse and human trafficking in Pakistan. The drama has been written by Amna Mufti and directed by Kashif Nisar and is a Kashf Foundation Presentation.
Six episodes of the drama have aired so far. According to a press release issued earlier, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi will “bring some of the most heinous and deeply sensitive issues to light – while showing how humanity can still prevail in even the most insurmountable of situations.
The press release further said: “With three parallel stories on prostitution, human trafficking, and child abuse, the drama exposes the lowest ebb of our society.”
Yumna, in an earlier interview, while talking about the drama had said: “The story is based on multiple causes. It has three major tracks: human trafficking, child abuse and a young girl who wants to become a cricketer. As far as my track is concerned, it is about women trafficking. Parents from slums sell their young daughters. The drama explores where these girls end up and what kind of a life they spend. And, if any of them dreams big, how does she manage to pursue that.”
Earlier, PEMRA had also banned ARY Digital’s Jalanfor going against the “social and moral ethics of Pakistani society” and had also directed the makers of Fitoor to check for “inappropriate dialogues and content” in the drama.
Meanwhile, audiences have strongly criticised PEMRA’s notice and have called out the regulatory body for interfering unnecessarily.
Seriosuly. Pak has no child abuse issue, sex trafficking… bus close your eyes and u will live in lala land. God forbid if villagers or people are aware of social issues in Pak
Your comment about subject based stories reminded me of Shamoon Abbas’s movie. PEMRA needs to loosen up and allow content through, but also create a rating system and times slots for age appropriate content.
Made in Pakistan and released on Indian OTT platform ZEE5, Churails has won the ‘OTT Platform Show of the Year’ at the British Asian Media Awards (BMA).
OTT Platform Show of the Year: #Churails, @ZEE5Global Churails released globally by Zee5 is an exclusive series on the platform directed and written by #AsimAbbasi. The show received critical acclaim as it brought together diverse characters & broke stereotypes. #BAMAwards2020pic.twitter.com/3Fp3jr7qC3
Sharing her thoughts on the win, Chief Business Officer at ZEE5 Global, Archana Anand said: “Churails with its rich, bold narrative and the globally relevant storyline has broken stereotypes and opened up the fresh conversation around gender equality not only in South Asia but also in other markets across the globe by putting strong women at the center of its story.”
“Winning this award is a recognition of the tremendous impact that our content has created across key markets and how deeply it is resonating with the audiences,” she added.
According to details, “The British Asian Media Awards (BMA) acknowledge the growing and persistent influence of different cultures and communities living in the UK.”
The awards aims to help the industry develop by showcasing exceptional work and proving the value of Asian media to the wider market.
Written and directed by Asim Abbasi and featuring, Sarwat Gilani, Yasra Rizvi, Nimra Bucha, Meher Bano and Omair Rana among others, Churails is the story of four self-proclaimed ‘Churails’ who come together to open a covert detective agency to expose cheating husbands amongst the city’s elite. As their operations expand, they come to be saviours of abused, harassed and mistreated women. The 10-episode series covers a myriad of issues such as child abuse, sexism, the domination of class and race and aims to challenge the hypocrisy of patriarchal societies.
In October 2020, the show wasbanned for viewers in Pakistan. However, it was restored in less than 48 hours. According to Abbasi, the show was taken off after the streaming platform received complaints from authorities here.
Meanwhile, in November 2020, the State Bank of Pakistan ordered all banks to block Pakistani users from subscribing to Zee5. Zee5 had commissioned five original web series from Pakistan. While two of them have released, three more are in the pipeline including Saba Qamar and Naumaan Ijaz’s Manjogiand Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly’s Dhoop ki Deewar.
Yasra Rizvi has hit back at critics of her latest projects Dunk and Churails. She also responded to those who are criticising her character, Jugnu Chaudhary, from Churails.
In a social media post, Yasra wrote: “Many saw Jugnu as a drunkard druggie who was selling be-hayai in the name of women empowerment and many think Saira will cause serious negative repercussions for harassment victims because she is a character in a story about false allegations.”
“No one really knows who I am and what I do every day, how I work, what I truly believe in, many haven’t watched Churails or will not watch all the 20 something episodes of Dunk,” she continued.
“Many don’t know anything about my body of work and its detail to really understand what is it that I even stand for BUT everyone gets to talk because I am out there doing my thing so talk away,” remarked Rizvi.
Rizvi has done a number of dramas on television along with web series Churails and Ayesha. Senti Aur Mental is her upcoming Lollywood comedy film debut. The film is directed, written and cast by herself along with Zain Afzal, and Yousaf Bashir Qureshi as a lead cast. Initially, the film was set to release in 2020 but was stalled due to COVID.
Her latest project Dunk which has been produced by Fahad Mustafa has come under fire after Mustafa stated that the drama “is a tribute to every victim who has been falsely accused of sexual harassment”.
Beside Rizvi, Dunk also features Bilal Abbas Khan, Sana Javed, Shahood Alvi, Fahad Sheikh, Tara Mahmood, Saifi Hassan, Salma Hassan, Kanwal Khan, Noman Ejaz, and Azekah Daniel. It has been written by Mohsin Ali Shah and directed by Badar Mehmood.
The banning culture in Pakistan seems to be getting out of hand. The week started with calls to ban Mehwish Hayat’s latest biscuit commercial and now original Pakistani series Churails has been banned from streaming in Pakistan.
The director and creator of the show, Asim Abbasi took to social media to express his disappointment and hurt over the move.
“How strange for Churails to be lauded internationally, and now be shut down in its country of origin,” wrote Abbasi on social media. “In the very country where hundreds of artists came together to create something that could initiate dialogue and open doors for new narratives. Artistic freedom squashed because it is wrongly perceived by some as a moral threat. Predictable, and yet, still disappointing.”
He added: “For this is not just my loss. This is a loss for women and marginalised communities that this show meant to re-represent.”
How strange for #Churails to be lauded internationally, and now be shut down in its country of origin. In the very country where hundreds of artists came together to create something that could initiate dialogue and open doors for new narratives. (1)
This is a loss for all actors, writers, directors and technicians across Pakistan, who were hoping for digital/OTT to be their saviour. And it’s a home-run for all the misogynists who have once again proven that they are the only voice that matters. (3)
Sarwat Gilani, who plays one of the leads in the show, also posted a cryptic message on social media after the ban.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGCXrW1jKMl/
Several Twitter users including Osman Khalid Butt and Sanam Saeed expressed their outrage over the ban.
Oh, you got Churails banned? Congratufuckinglations. Now please focus your outrage on the fact that police have failed to arrest the prime accused in the motorway rape incident.
Banning dancing ads, outspoken films and webseries will not end rape if that’s the agenda. Why are we riddled with such hypocrisy? Buss bandh darvaazon kay peechay ho sub. God forbid hamari bholi awaam influence na ho jai if we take creative liberty to be honest and open.
Honestly, banning #Churails just shows “maard ko dard” hogaya hai. I am happy a lot of people got to watch it as soon as it was released. It was bound to touch a nerve. Hopefully more of such shows to follow!
Pakistani Govt has its priorities sTraiGhT. They banned #churails, the content that engages in imp conversation but they won’t impose a rape emergency.
Though Churails released on August 11 and has already been streaming for almost two months, it is believed that the ban was imposed after a clip from the show went viral on social media. In the clip, Hina Khawaja Bayat’s character talks about giving a ‘hand job’ to a much older man for a promotion.
Featuring Sarwat, Yasra Rizvi, Nimra Bucha, Meher Bano and Omair Rana among others, Churailsis the story of four self-proclaimed ‘Churails’ who come together to open a covert detective agency to expose cheating husbands amongst the city’s elite. As their operations expand, they come to be saviours of abused, harassed and mistreated women. The 10-episode series covers a myriad of issues such as child abuse, sexism, the domination of class and race and aims to challenge the hypocrisy of patriarchal societies.
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.
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.
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.
Cake director Asim Abbasi’s original web series Churails, featuring Sarwat Gilani, Nimra Bucha, Mehar Bano and Yasra Rizvi, is all set to stream from August 11 on ZEE5 Global’s Zindagi channel. Churails is the first of five original Pakistani web series expected to stream on the Indian platform.
According to a press release, the show “aims to challenge the hypocrisy of patriarchal societies that vanquish women and their rights” and will narrate the story of “four self-proclaimed Churails who come together to open a covert detective agency to expose cheating husbands amongst the city’s elite. As their operations expand, they come to be saviours of abused, harassed and mistreated women.”
“The gripping and fast-paced storyline covers myriad 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. I believe Churails is a timely show with pertinent themes that will resonate with audiences globally.”
Meanwhile, the cast of the show expressed their excitement on social media and shared a preview of their characters. They even changed their handles on Instagram, adding the word ‘Churail‘ before their name.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDMBmb5DUTk/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDL_iQ9p0Hd/
ZEE5is the digital entertainment destination launched by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, a global media and entertainment platform. The platform launched across 190+ countries in October 2018 and has content across 18 languages. ZEE5 brings together the best of originals, movies and TV shows, music, cineplays, live TV and health and lifestyle content.
