During the fading moments of the Lahore film industry of the 90s, every passing year saw the movie business dwindle, with fewer films being made and the returns on investments getting progressively worse.

Despite the troubling scenario, the industry kept stumbling forward, with many new starlets venturing into the film business looking for that big break. To some of such ambitious newbies, it seemed the only way up the career ladder was by elbowing out the queen bee – or whoever else that stood between them and stardom. Taking potshots at star rivals was the norm, which besides settling scores or stirring a new feud also generated more media buzz than the sloppily produced films of that era could manage. The actresses got the attention they craved for – by hook or by crook, and mostly, by bayaanbazi and catfights.

Back to the future?

Fast forward 20 years, and it seems we are dealing with an unwelcome case of a blast from the past. While it seemed the two former reigning stars Reema and Meera had finally made peace, with the latter even agreeing to shoot for a promotional number for the former’s film Love Mein Ghum, their squabbles have reared their ugly head all over again. Just last year, the Reema and Meera rivalry took an ugly turn when the two divas had a bitter exchange at the Lahore Press Club in late February. Apparently, things got so heated that even a physical altercation was involved, with Meera later complaining bitterly that “Reema is jealous due to my popularity and professional work.” However, thenceforth Meera became quite occupied with the promotions of Baaji and the controversy seemed to have fizzled out.

That is, until now.

In an interview with EntertainmentPK, Meera criticized her formal rival rather brutally, questioning her entire stock of lineage. “I was always more concerned with Reema’s talent than her background. I never raised a finger at her background. But she could never become a complete actress,” is what the diva said, and this too was the least offensive of all the things the Salaakhain star stated. Perplexingly, Meera has had quite a good year, with her comeback performance winning kudos, and her special appearance in Parey Hut Love also generating a decent amount of buzz. So why try to stir the hornet’s nest now?

And then there’s the case of then-upcoming starlets of the 90s, Sana Fakhar and Noor Bukhari, who also happen to be real-life cousins. Over the years, the two have shared a tumultuous off-screen relationship, however, they seemed to have made peace and Sana was even signed by Noor to be part of her comeback film Ishq Positive.

In an interview with a satellite channel recently, when Sana was asked about her supposed feud with her cousin, she responded by saying that these squabbles were simply concocted by media-wallahs and were not true. However, only a few moments later when prodded to comment on Noor’s rumored fifth marriage, the Yeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa star cattily quipped: “This (i.e. Noor’s alleged marriage) seems to be old news, mere khayal mein un ki shaadi ka number ab bohat agey barh gya hoga. I am sure she has gotten married a few more times, by now.”

Noor chose to respond to Sana with more composure, saying: “I am very happy with my life, and am not even a part of show-business anymore so I don’t know why some people discuss me and take my name. I hope Allah sab ko hidayat de.” It seems all common sense and some level of maturity is thankfully not lost on the former queens of the Lahore industry, after all. Previously, the Ishq Positive actress had addressed the rumors regarding her tying the knot for the fifth time in an Instagram post where she said: “For God sake get a life. Doesn’t (the media) have any content then (sic) to discuss my life and me all the time?” Makes sense!

Final word

During the Lollywood era, it seemed most catfights were a result of turf-wars over the limited space in filmdom. However now, there are close to 50 movies that have been announced or are at various stages of production, therefore the mind boggles as to why we are witnessing the return of nasty politics that distracted the film fraternity previously from what it was supposed to do i.e. make quality films. Is it a case of media playing upon some uncontrollable impulses of certain celebrities, or the stars using such episodes to stay in the limelight? It might be a combination of both, from what we can tell, however for the industry as a whole it would be far healthier if stars maintained a professional decorum and refrained from personal attacks and mudslinging that more than anything, reflects poorly upon themselves. Here’s hoping that better sense prevails in tinsel town!

The post Sana vs. Noor, Meera vs. Reema – Why Are Star Rivalries Making A Comeback? appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

Mere Paas Tum Ho is undoubtedly the biggest blockbuster of the past few years when it comes to television serials. The craze for this Nadeem Baig directorial has hit the roof with every episode garnering more viewership than the previous one, both on television as well as digital platforms. Now the MPTH team has decided to add another feather in its cap. Hear this: The finale episode of the Humayun Saeed starrer will be screened in cinemas across the nation. 

Theatrical extravaganza

The finale episode is set to be a real treat for fans of the show as it will be a double episode as revealed by the makers. The episode will bring the star-studded cast boasting of big names such as Humayun Saeed, Ayeza Khan, Adnan Siddiqui, Hira Mani, and Savera Nadeem to the big-screen for viewers to enjoy the show in true cinematic glory. The dialogues and situations that have been penned by renowned writer Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar are said to be truly worthy of the silver screen experience.

The screenings will be held across the country next week on Saturday (25th January). While unusual, this is not the first time that a Pakistani drama will be screened in theaters. In 2012 the Turkish Drama, Ishq-e-Memnun which broke the rating record and became a household favorite was the first play to get its finale episode a theatrical screening, although that was limited to one theatre in Lahore.

In 2014, another drama penned by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, Pyaray Afzal starring Hamza Ali Abbasi, Ayeza Khan, Sohai Ali Abro and Sana Javed had its last episode run across theaters in the major cities, such as Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad. 

However, MPTH is going to be screened on an even larger scale and more screens. ARY Digital has decided to screen the finale in all the major cinemas in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad from 8 pm-10 pm. The cast of MPTH will also attend a special screening of the show at Nueplex cinemas in Karachi, with notable members of the showbiz fraternity said to be in attendance. 

Final word

This is surely great news for the fans of the hit show and cinema lovers as well who will get to see a gripping finale episode of the most talked-about drama in the country on the big screen. With still over a week to go, we are sure the wait will be worth the while. 

The post Mere Paas Tum Ho Gets A 2 Hour Finale Which Will Be Screened In Cinemas! appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

2020 has officially started. And that means all eyes are turned on all the movies that have been announced for this year, and there are many. But apart from those films which are already in production, new projects are also being announced. Like this new film that stars Saba Qamar as a lead!

The details

Saba Qamar posted a snippet of a film’s script on her Instagram story which made us reach out to her to find about this new project. Saba confirmed that she has signed on a new film and she shared her excitement with us about the project. She talked about how the film is a complete mass entertainer with lots of commercial elements in it. From the sound of it, it looks like this film will be a different genre than that of Saba’s other 2020 release Kamli.

We had previously reported about Bilal Ashraf being in talks with Hassan Zia for a project but back then, nothing was confirmed. Turns out this is the very same film of which Saba is now a confirmed part. The film is being produced by Jamil Baig and Hassan Zia under the banners of JB Films & Mastermind Films. However, Bilal Ashraf’s involvement in the film is not officially confirmed yet. It is yet to be announced whether he or some other actor altogether, will sign on to the film as a leading hero.

The script which is penned by Mohsin Ali is not of the run of the mill variety. In fact, sources close to the project informed us that the film will be somewhat hatkay. Handling the megaphone is director Saqib Khan who has several advertisements and documentaries to his credit and runs a company by the name of Hazaar Dastaan Films.

Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for all updates related to this project!

The post Saba Qamar Has Signed Her Next Film And Here Are All The Details! appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

The hottest show of the season, Meray Paas Tum Ho is finally about to reach its conclusion, and the buzz around the show is at an all-time high. The Nadeem Baig directorial is not just the most successful drama in recent times but has also become a hot topic of discussion, especially regarding content some think promotes misogyny. The kind of brouhaha the show has managed to create over the course of its run reminds one of masala-flick Kabir Singh that sparked a similar conversation across the border. Beyond the kind of buzz both the projects have generated, there are interestingly even more parallels, and here we take a detailed look. 

The similarities

Kabir Singh featured a not-so-hot cast but stunned with its theatrical business in its domestic market, grossing about 250 crores. While it received an overwhelming endorsement from the masses, it polarized the critics and media alike since the film’s heroine is shown to be treated rather harshly by the male lead. Be it the infamous slap scene or the extremely possessive and entitled behavior of the male protagonist towards his girlfriend, the film received its fair share of criticism from prominent Bollywood critics such. Even the online community on various social media platforms voiced its concerns about the toxic content of the film.

Meray Paas Tum Ho too is an extraordinary success, earning TRPs that are the highest in Pakistani television’s history. Like Kabir Singh, it too has received backlash regarding its content from a certain section of viewers and entertainment commentators despite breaking TRPs with literally every episode. The drama’s take on gender relationships and its alleged advocacy patriarchy has come under much scrutiny and has been seen some prominent media personnel to be stereotypical, even though the show packages it in an intriguing storyline and top-notch production values.

Depiction of women

Meray Paas Tum Ho has faced some flak for lacking nuance and is seen by some to be one dimensional in depicting its characters. It is narrated through the lens of Danish’s character, and his wife Mehwish played by Ayeza Khan is shown as a gold-digger who leaves her family for a wealthy man. Although Ayeza’s understated and nuanced performance saved Mehwish’s character from being a caricature, the role on paper seems to be dark and has few redeeming qualities. On the other hand, Kabir Singh has been panned by naysayers due to its depiction of violence and abuse towards women as being a legitimate part of romance. The fact that the male protagonist raises his hand on his lady love in the name of affection has been seen as highly problematic.

Both these projects have their infamous slap scenes. In Kabir Singh, Preeti, the female protagonist gets slapped in the name of love. In Meray Paas Tum Ho Mehwish is slapped by Shehwar’s wife essayed by the veteran actress Savera Nadeem for her extra-marital affair with the latter’s husband. The question arises — Why was Shehwar spared the slapping ordeal? Is only the female character involved to blame? These are the questions that the writer has brought to the forefront. 

Writers share similar controversies

Interestingly at the time of the Bollywood film’s release and MPTH’s telecast, the writers of both these projects got involved in heated controversies due to their misogynist remarks. Sandeep Vanga (writer of Kabir Singh) was bashed by feminists for stating on record that if a man can’t hit his girlfriend in a relationship, it’s not love. Similarly, Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar irked a large section of the media and audience for ridiculing industry’s respectable female personalities such as Saba Hamid and Urwa Hocane and also made comments where he stated that women should “rape” men, too, since it’s in male psyche to be entitled to women.

Despite receiving criticism, the writing has been the biggest asset of both the projects. Writers Sandeep Vanga and Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar have penned down compelling scripts with well etched out characters and dialogues which have worked well with the audience. Some of the dialogues have become mired in controversy, though.

Meray Paas Tum Ho’s “Do Takkay Ki Aurat” line was thrashed by progressive online commentators and critics for being derogatory towards women. Similarity Kabir Singh has a monologue by male lead Shahid Kapoor in which he warns his on-screen girlfriend’s classmates to stay away from her as she is his “property”. Interestingly, the tone of both scripts is in sync with the off-screen statements of the writers. That doesn’t come as a surprise since the writer of Kabir Singh stated that the film is based on his experiences. Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar has also stated that the character of Roomi is drawn from his life.

The two projects also have to their credit some popular music, with MPTH’s title track being all the rage these days.

Final Verdict

While some comparisons can be drawn between the two projects, it’s fair to say that Meray Paas Tum Ho is relatively more subtle when it comes to controversial content compared to the heavy-handed treatment of Kabir Singh. MPTH’s writer has stated that the play draws some influences from his own life whereas Kabir Singh was a fictional story and a remake of a South Indian film Arjun Reddy, hence it could have been handled with more sensitivity. 

Both these highly successful ventures started a debate in their respective countries and received polarizing views for content. With the last episode of Meray Paas Tum Ho coming out in a few days, we hope that the conclusion of the script allays some of the concerns that have been raised about the play.

The post Here’s How ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’ And ‘Kabir Singh’ Are Both Similar Success Stories appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

Azfar Jafri commanded the megaphone for two prominent projects in 2019 – the air force flick Sherdil as well as Eid-ul-Azha release Heer Maan Ja, capping his successful five-flick run at the box office. Now, he is all set to return this year with a grand animated project directed by Allahyar and The Legend of Markhor’s Uzair Zaheer Khan. The movie is expected to hit the screens this summer.

Speaking exclusively to Galaxy Lollywood, Azfar stated: “We are attempting to make what will inshallah be Pakistan’s best animated film. As with Allahyaar, I am handling the animation of this project, too.” A first look teaser from the project was released on new year’s day, which hints at an animated film with some sci-fi content revolving around robots.

Shedding more light on the film, director Uzair Zaheer Khan explained: “With this film, we are trying to raise the bar, in terms of both entertainment quality as well as the production level. We learned much through our experiences making Allahyaar, and have applied all of that on this project, through which we hope to make up for any shortcomings that were present in our previous film.” He further added that the promising animated film belongs to the “sci-fi action-adventure genre,” the name for which will be revealed soon.

With a good chunk of work having been wrapped up already, the team at 3^rd World Studios is planning to release the film this summer. Following the blockbuster success of The Donkey King in late 2018, it seems the market has opened up for animated content, not just in Pakistan but internationally as well, which 3^rd World Studios will surely be looking to capitalize on.

Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for the latest on this venture as well as the best of Pakistani showbiz!

The post Director Azfar Jafri Is Back This Year With This Grand Looking Project appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

The release of Sarmad Khoosat’s Zindagi Tamasha is just around the corner, with a nationwide rollout planned for January 24. The film, which had its world premiere at the prestigious Busan Film Festival, was originally passed by the Central Board of Film Censors and the two provincial boards earlier in 2019, but subsequently attracted attention of a far right fringe group, after which its trailer was taken down and a re-edited version uploaded in its place.

On Thursday, Sarmad wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan to draw his attention towards the obstacles that being created for his film. He shared the letter on Twitter in which he stated “Like any other film, made in any part of the world, Zindagi Tamasha is a reflection of its setting. My team and I explored themes around gender constructs, class divisions and complex human experiences. There was never any intention to attack, to point fingers at or humiliate any individual or institution.”

میں بھی پاکستان ہوں
An open letter to:@ImranKhanPTI@ArifAlvi #Chiefjusticeofpakistan #Chiefofthearmystaffpakiatan#ministerofinformationpakistan@DanyalGilani #censorboardofpakistan #ZindagiTamasha #pakistanicinema pic.twitter.com/D10lS1V1gw

— Sarmad Khoosat (@KhoosatSarmad) January 16, 2020

In the letter, he noted that the film had been cleared by the three censor boards (2 provincial and CBFC) already, however a ‘complaint’ had been registered against him, the producer and the writer based on the content in the trailer. Following the ‘complaint,’ the film was submitted again to the three censor boards, and was cleared by all three after minor cuts. The Humsafar director vouched with “full conviction that there is nothing offensive or malicious in the film.”

The latest on the film is that the same far-right group which originally lodged the complaint has now called for a protest rally against the film days prior to its release. It should be noted that the same group had previously been involved in creating unrest throughout the country as well. According to the filmmaker, “Just a week before the film’s release, another attempt is being made by the same group to stop the release of the film and this time they are hell-bent on using pressurizing tactics.”

With the film scheduled to hit theatres in less than a week, the coming few days will be crucial towards how the government addresses this issue. Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for the latest on Zindagi Tamasha and a lot more.

The post Zindagi Tamasha’s Release In Trouble: Attracts Attention Of Fringe Group appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

The year 2020 is over half a month old now. This provides us with an opportunity to look back at all that happened in the world of Pakistani showbiz in 2019. And a lot did happen in 2019. While some instances had us saying WTF, others could easily be called ‘for the wins’ of the year.

Here, Galaxy Lollywood takes a look back at all the major WTF and FTW moments of Pakistan’s entertainment industry from last year.

1. Showbiz heartthrobs tie the knot (FTW)

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A post shared by Hamza Ali Abbasi (@realhamzaaliabbasi) on Aug 26, 2019 at 11:23am PDT

Between marriages of actors like Yasir Hussain-Iqra Aziz, Hamza Ali Abbasi-Naimal Khawar, Iman Ali, Sanam Chaudhry, and Mira Sethi, producer Imran Raza Kazmi, and fashion powerhouse Ali Xeeshan, 2019 was full of celebrity marriages that kept the Instagram timelines alive and buzzing throughout the year.

2. Celebrity sweethearts break-up (WTF)

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T H E E N D And so this journey officially comes to an end. It has been a long time since we both realised that our paths are destined to be separate. After multiple attempts and much consideration we have called it quits. I am sharing this on social media because I'm tired of answering questions about my status and going through interrogations about why. I’m tired of people’s opinions and involvement. I'm tired of pretending that things are ok so that I can keep a facade going. I'm tired of people assuming that I'm engaged or getting married. There was a proposal but unfortunately it did not materialise due to irreconcilable differences. I would like to request everyone to just let this difficult time pass as our friends and families are involved and I don't want them to go through any further pain or disappointment.

A post shared by Sabeeka Imam (@sabeekaimam) on Dec 18, 2019 at 12:00am PST

2019 gave us many unions, expected and unexpected. And it also gave us many breakups, all of them rather unexpected. Industry power couples like Amna Sheikh-Mohib Mirza separated, and so did the beloved couple Shahroze-Syra. One of the IT fashion model couples Sabeeka Imam-Husnain Laghari broke up too, as announced by Sabeeka herself. The popular on & off-screen pairing of Sarah Khan-Aagha Ali also broke up. Sheheryar Munawar got engaged to a non-celebrity and then that engagement too ended within a few months.

3. Pakistani films score big at International Film Festivals (FTW)

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The poster! ZINDAGI TAMASHA For more details: @khoosatfilmsofficial

A post shared by Sarmad Khoosat (@sarmadkhoosat) on Sep 22, 2019 at 6:07am PDT

2019 was the year when Pakistani content won big time at the international film festivals. First, it was the short film “Darling” directed by aim Sadiq which won the award for Best Short Film at the Venice Film Festival. Then Sarmad Khoosat’s Zindagi Tamasha premiered at the prestigious Busan film festival in South Korea, where it won the coveted The Kim Ji-Seok award. Making the win all the more notable was the fact that prominent directors Mohsen Makhmalbaf from Iran and Huh Moon-young from South Korea were featured on the jury. Zindagi Tamasha releases nationwide on January 24.

4. Cinema Industry suffers bigtime as not enough content to screen (WTF)

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The Pulwama attack brings financial losses for the film world as well. Link in bio and story #PulwamaAttack

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Feb 22, 2019 at 4:24am PST

Post Pulwama, Indian films got banned in Pakistan and the cinema industry has been suffering bigtime. Cinema chains all over Pakistan have reportedly been downsizing, operations have been decreased and the industry is going through a rather rough patch due to a lack of content for screening.

5. JPNA2 and ‘Teefa In Trouble’ wrap their spectacular global business (FTW)

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This is a new level of crazy. #JPNA2 Link in bio @jawaniphirnahiani2 #jawaniphirnahiani2 #jpna2 @saeedhumayun @mustafafahad26 @vasaych @ahmedalibutt @sarwatg @uzmakhanofficial @thekubism @mawrellous @sohailabutt1963 @nadeembaigdirector @salman_ary @jerjeesseja @sixsigmaentertainment @aryfilmsofficial #ARYFilms #sixsigmaplus #humayunsaeed #fahadmustafa #ahmadalibutt #kubrakhan #sarwatgillani #pakistanicinema #pakistaniactors #MadeinPakistan #EidulAdha #2018 #turkey #dubai #uk #usa #uae #worldwide #istanbul #films #istanbul #selfie #filmmaking @b4umusic #b4umotionpictures #worldtour The minions @uzzifilms @nuzairaimam @cheekoo212 @haiyab @sherrypage33

A post shared by Jawaniphirnahiani2 (@jawaniphirnahiani2) on Aug 3, 2018 at 10:56pm PDT

The 2018 blockbuster movies Jawani Phir Nahin Ani 2 and Teefa In Trouble continued their successful run at the box office in 2019. Their run ended on a hugely positive note with JPNA2 making over 70 crores at the worldwide box office with TNT crossing 50 crores mark globally.

6. ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ faces legal troubles (WTF)

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And…. It begins! 2019 it is. Twitter: @MaulaJattMovie Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheLegendofMaulaJatt Instagram: @MaulaJattOfficial

A post shared by Hamza Ali Abbasi (@realhamzaaliabbasi) on Dec 7, 2018 at 8:31am PST

Fans kept waiting throughout the year for any headway regarding the release of The Legend of Maula Jatt however the film’s never-ending legal saga stumbled on. The movie’s first look trailer came out in December of 2018, and a release was even planned for Eid-ul-Fitr, only to be delayed at the last minute supposedly to tie in with a more lucrative international release date. As of now, the film’s legal travails continue and a Netflix release has been rumored.

7. A plethora of projects announced for 2020 (FTW)

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Fahad and Mahira together, in a film, directed by Nabeel Qureshi?! Say no more! Link in bio and story. #MahirahKhan #FahadMustafa

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Oct 22, 2019 at 9:30am PDT

While 2019 saw a lot of big names missing from the big screen, 2020 seems to be a packed year where a whole lot of biggies are set to release. The last few months of the year saw many announcements being made notable among them Humayun Saeed’s next with Nadeem Baig, Fahad Mustafa-Mahira Khan Nabeel Qureshi directorial, Sarmad Khooat’s next with Saba Qamar, and many more such promising projects.

8. Crowding of film releases around Eid continues (WTF)

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Four Pakistani films are all set to release this Eid-Ul-Azha and the situation is a mess!!! We talked to all the makers and here’s what they have to say about the ethics and economics of this multiple Eid releases situation. Link in bio and story #HeerMaanJa #Superstar #PareyHutLove #KaafKangana

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Jun 10, 2019 at 9:41am PDT

Pakistani films tend to open well over the festive Eid period, and now literally every filmmaker with a major production wants to bank on the lucrative holidays to release their projects. 2019 served to highlight the problematic clashes with 5 of the year’s biggest films hitting over the two Eids. The number would have been higher but The Legend of Maula Jatt backed out at the last minute on Eid-ul-Fitr.

9. Film and television serial music returns to glory (FTW)

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Glimpses from the chirpy song #HayeDilBechara from #PareyHutLove sung by #JimmyKhan will definitely lift up your mood! Running Successfully in cinemas near you! A film by #Asimraza #aryfilms #sifilms #thevisionfactoryfilms #madeinpakistan #b4u #destinations #cocacola #daewooexpress #pepe @sheheryarmunawar @official_mayaali @zaranoorabbas.official @ahmedalibutt @salman_ary @jerjeesseja @asimrazatvf

A post shared by ARY FILMS (@aryfilmsofficial) on Oct 6, 2019 at 2:35am PDT

Film soundtracks returned to the spotlight in 2019, with composer Azaan Sami Khan contributing much with two popular soundtracks for Parey Hut Love and Superstar. Tracks from the two films got much mileage on satellite television and video streaming platforms and generated a positive buzz for both the ventures. Among dramas, the OST of Do Bol and Meray Paas Tum Ho became hugely popular as well.

10. Industry disputes 2019’s highest-grossing film (WTF)

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This year gave us two major films batting for the box office winner's crown Read our article to find out which film won it. #ParayHutLove #Superstar

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Dec 20, 2019 at 8:56am PST

The absence of a legitimate box-office tracking system continued to haunt the nascent Pakistani film world in 2019, its absence being crucially highlighted when both Superstar and Parey Hut Love claimed to be the highest grossers for the year. Despite the issue being brought to the notice of the Pakistan Film Producers’ Association as well as the government’s Ministry of Culture, no action has yet been taken and the final tally of movies remains a game of smoke and mirrors.

11. Meera makes a sensational comeback (FTW)

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#MeeraJee and #Director #SaqibMalik at #WeplexCinema in Quetta for the special screening of #Baaji movie. Back in cinemas all over #Pakistan! #ARYFilms #Page33films #SaqibMalik #MadeInPakistan #Meera #AmnaIlyas #OsmanKhalidButt #AliKazmi @aclockworkobi @meerajeeofficial @aamnailyas @thealikazmi @salman_ary @jerjeesseja @saqibmalik33

A post shared by ARY FILMS (@aryfilmsofficial) on Dec 8, 2019 at 6:58am PST

Meera gave the phrase ‘never say never’ an all-new meaning when following a string of duds, she made a comeback of sorts with the tinsel-town thriller Baaji. Noted for her strong performance in 90s hits Khilona and Inteha, the actress delivered a power-packed performance playing the aging former star Shameera. Baaji fared decently at the box office and Meera was back in the limelight. Besides Baaji, the actress was also noted for her special appearance in Parey Hut Love.

12. Danish Taimoor’s ‘Sirf Tum Hi Tou Ho’ turns out to be a career-low (WTF)

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'Sirf Tum He Tou Ho' did not impress us and here's why Link in bio and story #SirfTumHeTouHo #DanishTaimoor #QuratUlAin #Mathira #Sangeeta

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Jul 23, 2019 at 6:34am PDT

Danish Taimoor was the hot new kid in tinsel-town – once, that is. The Wrong No. star’s box office credentials sank further in 2019 with 90s director Sangeeta’s much delayed Sirf Tum Hi Tou Ho finally releasing and bombing at the box office. More than anything, we were left wondering about Danish’s wisdom in signing the project, which had sloppy production values and a non-descript cast.

13. Mehwish Hayat awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (FTW)

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An eight year old girl went to the PTV studios holding her mother’s hand tightly. She was totally clueless about all the hustle and bustle going on around her. But she was equally fascinated by the lights, the cameras and the way in which everybody was hard at work including her mother who was an actress. Even as a child the wobbly sets amused her but she could see on the screens the magic being woven in that studio creating dreams for so many people. Yesterday that same little girl arrived at the Aiwan e sadr holding tightly on to her mother’s hand equally bemused by her surroundings. That girl knows that she is blessed to be there receiving such a prestigious honour in the company of such distinguished people following in the footsteps of so many legends, so many of her own heroes. At heart she remains that simple little girl from Karachi who has been fortunate to live her dreams. Her journey from that PTV studio to the Awan-e-sadr has been a long one and by no means the easiest. But never in her wildest dreams did she see this recognition coming at such a tender age. Nor did she see the role she would go on to play in the revival of Pakistani Cinema and her contribution being acknowledged in this way…! Thank you to the Government of Pakistan and the President for bestowing this honour upon me and making the dream of that little girl come true. Today, I share this with all the other girls in Pakistan who have a dream, to them I simply say, "Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams turn into reality." Thank you also to all my family, friends and colleagues who have shared this wondrous journey and above all to all the fans who have supported me each step of the way and made me worthy of this award! #MehwishHayat #Tamghaeimtiaz #Medalofexcellence #pakistanzindabad

A post shared by Mehwish Hayat (@mehwishhayatofficial) on Mar 24, 2019 at 1:14pm PDT

Mehwish Hayat was awarded Tamgha-e-Imtiaz for her contribution to the Pakistani entertainment industry as an artist. There is no denying the impact and stature of Mehwish as one of the top artists of the country and the government officially acknowledging that was definitely a major win.

14. Mehwish Hayat and Amir Liaqat continue their Twitter feud (WTF)

And should I not sue your movie load wedding where your entire movie revolves around me, defaming and wrongly portraying my character WITHOUT my consent? As an artist you did not only work in such a movie but you failed to stop the nonsense in it. Shameful! https://t.co/lg7EqZ3W7v

— Aamir Liaquat Husain (@AamirLiaquat) March 15, 2019

Mehwish Hayat winning the Tamgha e Imtiaz, unfortunately, made her a target of a lot of some petty industry bitching. One of the figures at the forefront of it was Amir Liaquat who criticized Mehwish multiple times on twitter, even going so far as to say he would sue her and her film Load Wedding. Their feud continued on social media with Mehwish not pulling back any punches.

15. Yasir Hussain proposes to Iqra Aziz at Lux Style Awards (FTW)

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A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Jul 7, 2019 at 1:32pm PDT

When Yasir Hussain publicly went down on his knees to propose to Iqra Aziz at the Lux Style Awards, it instantly went viral. In a country where public displays of affection can raise eye-brows, this open display of love and commitment was something to be celebrated. Despite facing some expected backlash as well, we choose to look at the positivity of the gesture instead of the alleged scheming behind it.

16. Yasir Hussain’s ‘daanedar’ comment about Hania Amir (WTF)

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Annnd Yasir Hussain is caught amidst another controversy Read our article for the full story #YasirHussain #HaniaAamir

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on May 13, 2019 at 2:48pm PDT

Speaking of distasteful behavior, Yasir Hussain made a joke about Hania Amir’s acne problem by calling it “daanedaar”, and rightfully earned criticism for joking about something that was sensitive for Hania. But when the fight continued on, that too on their social media platforms, with both sides refusing to be mature about the issue and talk it out among themselves, too many cooks ended up spoiling the broth with everyone of the social media pitching in with their hot-takes. 

17. Galaxy Lollywood crosses new benchmarks, launches new shows (FTW)

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The Luxus Grand Galaxy Lollywood Awards 2019 announced the winners on December 1st and here's a list of stars who won your hearts and ours Link in bio and story. #LuxusGrand #GalaxyLollywoodAwards #GALA2019

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Dec 3, 2019 at 4:56am PST

Galaxy Lollywood went through some developments as well as kept up with old traditions. The trendsetting host of the entertainment industry Momin Ali Munshi made a comeback with his very own celebrity talk show The Munshi Show on Galaxy Lollywood’s official Youtube channel. The channel also features regular movie review series under Sach Sach Review with What’s The 411 feature updating the audience about the happenings of the industry. The 5th edition of the Luxus Grand Galaxy Lollywood Awards 2019 was held and was a huge success, as always.

18. Shaan Shahid’s ‘Zarrar’ experiences endless release snags (WTF)

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#ZARRAR…it starts Now #2020 #JehanFilms

A post shared by Shaan Shahid (@official.shaanshahid) on Jan 15, 2020 at 7:12am PST

Shaan Shahid’s directorial Zarrar, in which he is also playing the main lead, has been in the pipeline for the last few years now, and many were anticipating to catch the film in 2019. However, that did not happen, despite the actor tweeting throughout the past year that the film’s teasers and character posters were set to be launched soon. Apparently, the Waar actor attaches a different meaning altogether to the word “soon.”

19. Armeena Khan exposes Priyanka Chopra’s Hypocrisy on Twitter (FTW)

WHAT?!!! But aren’t you supposed to be a Good Will ambassador for @UNICEF? Screen shot this everyone and next time she speaks up for peace and goodwill. Let’s remind her of this hypocrisy. https://t.co/Jew88bMtYv

— Armeena Khan (@ArmeenaRK) February 26, 2019

Following India-Pakistan tensions last February, Bollywood’s Priyanka Chopra posted her now infamous ‘Jai Hind #IndianArmedForces’ (i.e. victory to India) tweet, which received a swift response from Sherdil star Armeena Khan, who highlighted Priyanka’s hypocrisy for advocating war despite being a UNICEF ambassador. And Armeena didn’t just stop there – later, she petitioned UNICEF to strip the Bollywood actress of her designation. Armeena’s tweets were instrumental in highlighting problematic postures some celebrities tend to take, and the incident further reinforced that jingoism and peace-advocacy simply don’t mix.

20. Khalil-ur-Rehman shocks with controversial statements (WTF)

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Our stars weigh in on Khalil-Ur-Rehman Qamar's comments on feminism #OsmanKhalidButt #ArmeenaKhan #IffatOmer #UsmanMukhtar

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Nov 1, 2019 at 6:40am PDT

Khalil Ur Rahman Qamar was in the news almost throughout the year. First for his film Kaaf Kangana that was supposed to create a clash but then got delayed, then through the controversy his statements about feminism and what it means to be an “aurat”, and then with the underlying misogyny in his hit drama Meray Paas Tum Ho. The artiste was not separated from his art and rightfully so. KRQ’s position in the industry definitely makes us question just how progressive our industry actually is. Answer – it is not as much as it deludes itself to be.

21. Quite a few celebrities blessed with newborns (FTW)

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– Praise the Lord #MashAllah

A post shared by Feroze Khan (@ferozekhan) on Jan 14, 2020 at 5:26am PST

The blessing of parenthood was bestowed on some newly married celebrities. Aiman Khan-Muneeb Butt had a baby a girl, Feroze Khan had a baby boy, Aisha Khan had a son. Even Atif Aslam celebrated the birth of a son. Congratulations to all of them!

22. Mohsin Abbas Haider’s wife came forward with shocking allegations(WTF)

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Mohsin Abbas Haider's wife, Fatima, just posted on Facebook about facing domestic abuse and we're shocked Read our article for the full story. Link in bio and story #MohsinAbbasHaider #FatemaSohail

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Jul 20, 2019 at 1:56pm PDT

Mohsin Abbas Haider was embroiled in controversy when wife Fatima Sohail came forward with domestic abuse allegations. The matter became he said she said situation when both the parties placed their hands on the Quran and shared their versions of the story. The controversy resulted in Mohsin Abbas Haider being ousted from Mazaak Raat and a general ostracisation by the industry whereas Fatima Sohail made a comeback to television via acting and hosting gigs. Moreover, Moshin later made a comeback via a music video too.

23. Jami comes forth with rape claims and names Dawn’s Hameed Haroon as the alleged rapist (FTW)

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In a surprising move, Jami took to twitter to name and shame his alleged rapist Read our article to find out more. #Jami

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Dec 29, 2019 at 12:49am PST

Art-house film director Jami created an online stir when he claimed that a ‘prominent media tycoon’ raped him thirteen years back. Following much online speculation, he later named the alleged perpetrator as CEO of Dawn group Hameed Haroon. The Moor director complained bitterly about the media silence around his case, which he said served to prove the legitimacy of the #MeToo movement.

24. Rabi Pirzada’s private data leaks online (WTF)

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A post shared by Rabi Pirzada (@rabi.fairy) on Nov 2, 2019 at 12:22am PDT

Rabi Pirzada finally ended up making headlines in 2019, although not for the best reasons. The perpetual starlet-in-waiting’s private data was apparently leaked online, which generated a social media frenzy of the kind that has been rarely witnessed. Pirzada later claimed that she contacted the cyber-crime wing of FIA, however, we have yet to receive any update on any headway in solving her case.

25. Fawad Khan finally starts work on his new film and launches script competition (FTW)

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'The Next Big Story' is Fawad Khan's venture to bring quality scriptwriting to the forefront of the industry Read our article to find out more. #FawadKhan

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Dec 14, 2019 at 3:05am PST

Fans of Fawad Khan have been waiting since forever to watch their favorite star on the big screen. With The Legend of Maula Jatt facing its endless legal battles and Fawad not signing on to any other film, much uncertainty prevailed around the star. However, Fawad finally signed and started shooting for Money Back Guarantee in October of last year, and what’s more, he even launched a scriptwriting competition for a film he will be producing.

26. Experimental films ‘Gumm’, ‘Project Ghazi’, and ‘Durj’ bomb (WTF)

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Get ready Pakistan !!! #DURJ releasing across #PAKISTAN on the "25th OCTOBER 2019". Book your tickets online via Bookitnow.pk for the most awaited film by the nation. — DURJ – A Feature Film" Shaam films Blunt Digital IMGC Global Entertainment (PVT) LTD. #Walnut #Bookitnow #DurjGoesGreen

A post shared by Shamoon Abbasi (@shamoon_abbasi_official) on Oct 19, 2019 at 8:31am PDT

2019 saw a few experimental films such as Gumm, Project Ghazi, and Durj hitting the big screen. The three films starred major players from the entertainment industry, however, that didn’t seem to help their sorry fate at the box office despite being well-produced productions. The only experimental film that received some box office traction was Laal Kabootar.

27. Shehryar Munawar and Maya Ali shine during promotions for ‘Parey Hut Love’ (FTW)

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Saniyar… @sheheryarmunawar @nomiansari @pareyhutloveofficial @shahbazshaziofficial #LSA2019 #pareyhutlove #eiduladha #shehryarmunawar #mayaali

A post shared by Maya Ali (@official_mayaali) on Jul 8, 2019 at 6:40am PDT

Sheheryar Munawar and Maya Ali made sure that their chemistry was the talk of the town while promoting their film Parey Hut Love. The beautiful couple left no chance of showing their explosive chemistry both during magazine photoshoots as well as via their candid interactions. They took their chemistry not only to different cities of Pakistan but internationally as well. They hands-down won the promotions game because the audience was eager to see the magic they were showing offscreen to be exhibited onscreen.

28. Shamoon Abbasi rails against the makers of ‘Gumm’ (WTF)

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Shamoon Abbasi blasts Shaan Shahid, Jami Mahmood, along with the makers of Gumm, and makes explosive revelations in this exclusive story!!! Read on, link in bio and story #ShamoonAbbasi #ShaanShahid #JamiMahmood

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Jan 12, 2019 at 10:12am PST

A few days after the release of his film Gumm, actor Shamoon Abbasi took to the social media to voice his allegations of mistreatment by the director-producer duo of the film Kanza Zia and Ammar Lasani. Interestingly throughout the entire squabble, Sami Khan, the film’s lead chose to remain silent, and we are yet to hear whether any of the many grievances voiced were resolved.

29. Pakistani dramas score big on digital platforms (FTW)

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Pakistani dramas are immensely popular both live and online Read our article to find out what we're talking about. #Alif #MerayPaasTumHo #ThoraSaHaq #EhdEWafa

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Nov 7, 2019 at 6:21am PST

Whether it was Ehd-e-Wafa or the phenomenon that is Meray Paas Tum Ho, 2019 it seemed was the year when Pakistani television broke big on the digital streaming platform. We at Galaxy Lollywood had estimated that Pakistani shows were now garnering over 200 million monthly views online, which means that besides television, local productions can now look to effectively bank on the lucrative digital market as well.

30. Hamza Ali Abbasi quits acting to focus on religious activism (WTF)

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WE TOLD YOU SO Read our article to find out more. #HamzaAliAbbasi

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Nov 14, 2019 at 11:45pm PST

Hamza Ali Abbasi posted a long video message in November where he announced that he was quitting acting to focus on a new path towards religious enlightenment. Interestingly, the Parwaaz Hai Junoon star stated that he will continue to direct and produce films and dramas, which are his passion. He subsequently launched a YouTube channel where he is yet to post any content.

31. ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’ ends up being a humongous success (FTW)

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Wow#MerayPaasTumHo creates HISTORY Once AgainIt has broken its own record, and has the Highest Ever Ratings of Any TV Program of Pakistan. Thank you viewers’ for the phenomenal response on the 2nd Last Episode! Don’t miss the Last Mega Double Episode on 25th Jan, 2020 on #ARYDigital and in cinemas across Pakistan. @saeedhumayun @ayezakhan.ak @adnansid1 @hiramaniofficial @nadeembaigdirector

A post shared by ARY Digital (@arydigital.tv) on Jan 14, 2020 at 9:58am PST

A drama that both rocked and shocked the nation. Mere Paas Tum Ho pushed the boundaries of the impact a Pakistani drama can have on the audience. With every episode instantly trending and the dialogues of the show going viral, MPTH has set benchmarks and made records that would definitely be looked up to.

32. ‘Aangan’ not released on YouTube, serial flops (WTF)

One of Hum TV’s mega serials upon which the channel was counting so much on, Aangan finally aired on television after months of delay. However, the show did not get a digital release on YouTube and that contributed majorly in the show flopping. The show was just not good enough for the audience to watch on television every week and while the international audience could’ve saved the show somewhat with the YouTube views, HumTV sabotaged that chance for itself by not giving it a digital release to begin with.

33. ‘Laal Kabootar’ chosen by Pakistan’s Oscar committee for Best Foreign Picture nomination (FTW)

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Repost from @cinepaxcinemas using @RepostRegramApp – Pakistan's Official Submission for Oscar's @laalkabootar is valid on #BestDealEver! Catch it from this weekend at your nearest #cinepaxcinemas!

A post shared by Laal Kabootar (@laalkabootar) on Oct 8, 2019 at 4:45am PDT

Laal Kabootar was 2019’s black swan, a film that came out of nowhere to receive unprecedented critical praise. The Mansha Pasha and Ahmed Ali Akbar starrer was selected by Pakistan’s Oscar selection committee to be the country’s nomination for the best foreign picture slot at the Academy Awards, a feat which undoubtedly will be a feather in the cap for debutante director Kamaal Khan.

34. ‘Kaaf Kangana’ experiences prolonged casting feuds (WTF)

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Eshal Fayyaz, Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar & Sami khan at the media Junket of his upcoming film Kaaf Kangna. kaaf kangna is all set to release on 25th October 2019 stay tuned for more updates and keep following #kaafkangna @sami_khan.official @ayesha.m.omar @ieshalworld @aabikhan.official @khalilurrehmanqamar1 #eshalfayyaz #samikhan #ayeshaomar #fizaali #khalilurrehman #comingsoon #lollywood #1947 #humaadnan #fayyazahmed #nabila #aryfilms #anincompletelovestoryof1947likelytobecompletedin2019 #takellpr #take2pr @kaafkangna @aryfilmsofficial

A post shared by ARY FILMS (@aryfilmsofficial) on Oct 14, 2019 at 11:54am PDT

Turns out the casting process of Kaaf Kangana had even more over-the-top drama than the much-panned film itself. For the female lead, Sohai Ali Abro was initially signed, but the Motorcycle Girl starlet later left the production for Urwa Hocane to take over. Urwa quit the film too after a few weeks, and both these women, along with veterans Saba Hameed and Mahmood Aslam had to face the verbal wrath of director/writer Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, who frequently took to his preferred entertainment portal to vent his anger.

35. Mawra Hocane, Uzair Jaswal, and Rahat Fateh Ali receive their academic degrees (FTW)

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So, this just happened while @mawrellous was here right about nowHer law result just came out and she passed it with flying coloursShe’s now a lawyer with distinctiionMore power to you, superstar #etlifestyle #etribune #lifestyle #etlifestyle #mawrahocane

A post shared by Express Tribune Life&Style (@tribunelifestyle) on Aug 13, 2018 at 3:13am PDT

Mawra Hocane and Uzair Jaswal successfully finished their studies at the University of London. The pictures and videos of the young graduates with their degrees and gowns definitely sent a positive message about the importance of education. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in Music by Oxford University.

36. Feud between Ali Zafar and Meesha Shafi drag on (WTF)

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In the latest update of the Meesha Shafi-Ali Zafar controversy, a woman has taken back her accusation and here's what we know about it. Read our article to find out more. #AliZafar

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Sep 24, 2019 at 2:34am PDT

The court case between Ali Zafar and Meesha Shafi continued on with the social media buzzing with all developments regarding it. It was all too ugly and too much and there seems to be no end of this issue as of yet. 

37. Dating no longer taboo as celebrities open up about their personal lives (FTW)

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We see you cuties #AimaBaig #ShahbazShigri

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Nov 30, 2019 at 3:04am PST

The decade ended with celebrities being more open about their dating life. It is no longer a surprise to see celebrities being in a relationship before making it official with a marriage. Whether they announced it officially or not, we saw many celebrities such as Hania Amir and Asim Azhar openly showering love and affection to their partners.

38. Hamza writes an endless note saying relationship with Naimal was ‘platonic’ (WTF)

Aik aur lamba paragraph! … Mera accnt, Meri marzi pic.twitter.com/G3PKRRC2M1

— Hamza Ali Abbasi (@iamhamzaabbasi) August 23, 2019

Hamza Ali Abbasi has opinions and he loves sharing them, we all know that. But when Hamza announced his marriage with his then “platonic” friend Naimal Khawar on social media with a rambling, endless note that talked about how he was marrying to fulfill God’s commandment more than anything else, it all became a little too much. Hamza fiercely defended his relationship with Naimal by calling it anything but “dating” as it is in layman’s terms. The intentions were good but it gave rise to many jokes. 

39.  Celebrities join Youtube and become Vloggers(FTW)

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Hina Altaf, Hania Aamir, Yashma Gill and now, Iqra Aziz too! Find out why all our favorite celebs are flocking to YouTube Link in bio and story. #HaniaAamir #IqraAziz #HinaAltaf #YashmaGill

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Oct 21, 2019 at 8:56am PDT

Gone are the days of lengthy Facebook posts as many celebrities turned to Youtube as a way of sharing their life and connecting with their fans. Iqra Aziz, Hania Aamir, Hina Altaf, and Yashma Gill were a few of the many celebrities who started their youtube careers this year.

40. Hamza Ali Abbasi and Naimal Khawar’s honeymoon comes under public scrutiny (WTF)

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Bonjour

A post shared by Naimal Khawar Abbasi (@naimalkhawarkhan) on Oct 23, 2019 at 5:18am PDT

Hamza Ali Abbasi and Naimal Khawar’s simple marriage was praised a lot for setting a positive example of not indulging in extravagant festivities to celebrate weddings. But when the duo decided to go on a luxurious honeymoon trip in Europe, they were criticized for being hypocritical. Going on a honeymoon is a personal choice that is not obligated by the religion so anyone can choose to spend their honeymoon, or not do it at all, as per their convenience. This scrutiny in the couple’s private affairs was definitely too uncalled for.

41. Celebrities launch their designer lines, Mikaal opens his hair-salon (FTW)

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All that glitter will be Gold @uxmofficial stay tuned. #UXMiconic #UXM #girlswHOCAN P.S can you guess what this could be? @urwatistic

A post shared by MAWRA HOCANE (Hussain) (@mawrellous) on Nov 11, 2019 at 12:36am PST

Some of the popular celebrities ventured into new avenues apart from acting. The Hocane sisters Urwa and Mawra launched their own clothing line UxM. The most famous twins of the industry Aiman and Minal Khan also launched their clothing line A&M. Mikaal Zulfikaar opened up his own men’s salon Headlines.

42. Reema Khan versus Meera, version 2.0 (WTF)

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Meow! Contrary to what we thought, some rivalries don't die easily. These divas prove just that Read our article to find out more. #SanaFakhar #Meera #Reema #NoorBukhari

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Jan 14, 2020 at 3:49am PST

Well, some things never change. Earlier in 2019, Reema Khan stated in what some interpreted was a jibe at rival Meera, that a certain prominent actress attempted to poison her during her heydays in the 90s. Later, the two divas had a physical altercation at the Lahore Press Club, which was followed by some vicious verbal barbs by Meera on her arch-rival. More to follow in 2020? We hope not.

43. Bushra Ansari and Asma Abbasi come up with hit song on India-Pakistan tensions (FTW)

The dynamic sisters Bushra Ansari and Asma Abbas made a song that is a conversation between a Pakistani and an Indian woman who are neighbors. The song talks of the similarities between the two women and their way of living and is a message about how as humans we are all the same; man-made boundaries do not make us different creatures. 

44. Saboor and Saheefa’s unfunny on-set jokes (WTF)

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Enjoy Life

A post shared by Saboor Aly (@sabooraly) on Oct 8, 2019 at 1:08am PDT

Not everything is supposed to be shared on social media as proven by Saboor Aly and Saheefa Jabbar Khatak who posted a video about fooling around on their sets. The duo was seen laughing and making fun of an everyday laborer, which the social media awaam did not find funny. When called out for their behavior, the two quickly apologized and clarified that it was all done without malice. However, the damage was already done.

45 Celebrities embrace the 10 year challenge (FTW)

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Exactly 10 years ago my life changed. I was a 24 year old girl with a baby in my arms celebrating my 25th birthday. These ten years feel like a thousand… with experiences worth a lifetime. I became a mother, I became an actor.. there was loss and separation, I witnessed success and fame. I fell in love. I lost hope at times and mustered up courage most of the time. I realised some of my dreams.. And had to let some go. And on this journey, I had all of you with me. Every step of the way. I wish I could write it all.. maybe one day I will. I am so grateful for everything – all of it. We are nothing without the people who have stood by us – you all are the wind beneath my wings. I thank you with all my heart and soul. I promise you all that I will pay it forward in every way I possibly can. InshAllah. As I write this, here I am a 35 year old woman with a 10 year old not so baby boy, still wrapped in my arms. Thank you for the birthday wishes.. overwhelmed and overjoyed. Grateful. So grateful. Alhumdullilah.

A post shared by Mahira Khan (@mahirahkhan) on Dec 24, 2019 at 2:46am PST

2019 marked as the end of a decade and like the whole world, Pakistani celebrities too were seen posting throwbacks to the start of the decade. It was heart-warming sightseeing various 10-year challenges of our favorite stars. The journey of a decade and all the transformations it brings surely was a good way of marking new beginnings.

46. Coke Studio Season 12 turns out to be dull, dull, dull (WTF)

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How cool is this! @mohsin.naveed.ranjha hits it out of the park with this bespoke all black outfit for superstar @atifaslam for his new song coming out later today We love the play with the turban #MNR #MohsinNaveedRanjha #MNRMenswear #AtifAslam #MNRDesignStudio

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Nov 8, 2019 at 3:02am PST

The previous installments of Coke Studio faced some backlash so when it was announced that the man who started it all, Rohail Hayat, was coming back on the platform as a producer, expectations were bound to rise. However, the 2019 edition of Coke Studio came and left without leaving a significant mark. Plus, the copyright strikes the songs got on YouTube which got some videos removed only added to the season’s troubles.

47. Mahira Khan walks the ramp for L’Oreal (FTW)

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My Mahirah.

A post shared by Celebrity Make up Artist. (@adnanansariofficial) on Sep 28, 2019 at 12:46pm PDT

Mahira Khan is definitely the face of Pakistani entertainment industry on a global level. She has been representing Pakistani positively at an international stage for a while now. Another feather added to her hat of achievement was when she walked as a global brand ambassador for L’Oreal at the Pakistan Fashion Week, making her the first Pakistani to do so.

48. Firdous Jamal ends up being banned by Hum TV following controversial comments (WTF)

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– my question … is this what freedom of speech gets you ?! Getting someone’s bread and butter cancelled ?? If it does … then I want every single bastard out there bashing any human being on the internet get cancelled the same way !! Coz you can’t ! Enough is enough ! Get up before you’re next ! #ShowMeIfYouCanCancelMe jokes !!!

A post shared by Feroze Khan (@ferozekhan) on Aug 1, 2019 at 3:50am PDT

Firdous Jamal’s ageist remarks about Mahira Khan earned him backlash, and rightfully so. The veteran actor was called out for having a regressive mindset especially considering Mahira’s stature in the industry. But when Momina Duraid, head of one of the biggest channels and production houses of the industry as well as a very close person to Mahira Khan, announced that Firdous Jamal would be “banned” from ever working with any project by her, things took a turn for worse. Many questioned the decision and even expressed their concerns about Mahira because it came across as using her clout to take revenge. There are better ways of handling these situations and may the new decade teach the industry that.

49. Mehwish Hayat speaks up about villainization of Muslims (FTW)

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Was a great privilege to be interviewed on BBC World Service for their "Impact" Programme by BBCNuala. Such a wonderful opportunity to be taking Pakistan's story to the world. Talked about cinema, Kashmir and the 5 schools I am rebuilding in Pakistan with Penny Appeal. Please check the link in my BIO to see how you can help and support me with my cause #MehwishHayat #BBCworld #PakistanRepresent

A post shared by Mehwish Hayat (@mehwishhayatofficial) on Aug 20, 2019 at 12:29pm PDT

Mehwish Hayat used her voice, especially after being bestowed the Tamgha, to speak about the gross villainization of Pakistan at the hands of Bollywood. The years of showing Pakistan in a negative light in Bollywood movies contributes much to the negativity and bitterness between the two countries and also adds to the war drum-beating on the Indian side. It was about time someone spoke up about it and we are glad Mehwish did so, not just on her Twitter but also on a reputed platform like BBC.

50. Stars shock with ‘bold’ statements (WTF)

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Yikes! Hina did NOT hold back Read our article to find out more. #HinaAltaf #AamirLiaquat #MuneebButt #FaisalRehman

A post shared by Galaxy Lollywood (@galaxylollywood) on Jan 10, 2020 at 8:30am PST

Various morning shows and talk shows were successful in creating controversies. In the guise of giving “bold answers” and being undiplomatically honest, some celebrities made statements that earned them severe backlash. The highlights were Firdous Jamal’s ageist remarks against Mahira, Nadia Khan not considering Mahira Khan and Mehwish Hayat as actors, Sadaf Kanwal’s remarks about Mansha Pasha, and Hina Altaf’s comments calling Muneeb Butt a bad actor. The behavior exhibited was not in good taste.

The post 2019 In Review: 50 FTW And WTF Moments From The Year! appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

The uncertainty over the release of Sarmad Khoosat’s upcoming film Zindagi Tamasha has escalated with the director sharing disturbing threats he has been receiving over the past week. Taking to Twitter on Sunday, the Manto filmmaker said: “Getting dozens of threatening phone calls and msgs. Should I withdraw Zindagi Tamasha?” Following his open letter to the prime minister, he penned another note in the same tweet addressed to “anyone whom it may concern”, where he described the sustained campaign of threats and harassment against his film.

Getting dozens of threatening phone calls and msgs. Should I withdraw Zindagi Tamasha? pic.twitter.com/OJB396B1xq

— Sarmad Khoosat (@KhoosatSarmad) January 19, 2020

In the note, Sarmad quite emphatically stated that that people should not be allowed to “spew hate, fear, and anger in the name of religion,” and that he “did not make Zindagi Tamasha to hurt, offend or malign anyone.”

Prominent celebrities and journalists rallied to support Sarmad and the film, with many voicing their concern for protecting the voice of independent filmmakers in the country. Mahira Khan, star of the director’s hit show Humsafar tweeted “Time and again we are made to realize our power and our influence. A film (that people haven’t seen) can make some this scared.”

Time and again we are made to realise our power and our influence. A film ( that people haven’t seen) can make some this scared.
Mushkil ko bata ke tera Allah kitna bara hai @KhoosatSarmad https://t.co/AGVeTl8Dfh

— Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) January 19, 2020

Star Humayun Saeed, who is witnessing a career-high with Meray Paas Tum Ho urged the government to “address this (i.e. concerns raised in Sarmad’s letter) at the earliest.”

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

— Humayun Saeed (@iamhumayunsaeed) January 18, 2020

Sanam Saeed tweeted: “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?”

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

— Sanam Saeed (@sanammodysaeed) January 20, 2020

Journalist Mahwish Aijaz, also the writer of upcoming Yaara Vey tweeted:

Hi @ImranKhanPTI this is happening under your watch pls ensure that Sarmad is able to release his film and he and his team are safe from harm’s way. You owe it to the artists and those who stood with you to bring tabdeeli. Stand with them & support them please. #ZindagiTamasha

— Mahwash Ajaz (@mahwashajaz_) January 19, 2020

Activist and journalist Beena Sarwar also rallied to Sarmad’s support, saying “This choked me up. With you Sarmad in solidarity. Stay strong. This too shall pass.”

This choked me up. With you Sarmad in solidarity. Stay strong. This too shall pass. #Pakistan #ZindagiTamasha #Censorship https://t.co/7j9vxJNbUU

— beena sarwar (@beenasarwar) January 20, 2020

With the country’s leading showbiz personalities and progressive voices echoing the sentiments of many fans of Pakistani cinema, who want to see more diversity and depth in content, Sarmad seems to have brought the issue in the public spotlight it deserves, for it to be urgently addressed by the authorities. Here’s hoping better sense prevails!

The post Celebrities Rally To Support ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ In Face Of Release Uncertainty appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

The battle over the theatrical release of Sarmad Khoosat’s socio-drama Zindagi Tamasha continued today, with the director’s father and veteran actor Irfan Khoosat filing a petition on Monday in a Lahore court against TLP, the main agitator against the film, for “unlawfully harassing pressurizing and blackmailing” the makers. Additionally, in an important move, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has decided today to intervene, and the film’s release is now likely to be delayed by over a week.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has now decided to have the film re-screened for board members, at which a representative of TLP and the ministry will be present. In light of this arrangement, the fringe group has decided to call off its protests against the film, scheduled for tomorrow. Reports suggest that the film will be screened only if it is approved by the representatives of TLP and the government.

Getting dozens of threatening phone calls and msgs. Should I withdraw Zindagi Tamasha? pic.twitter.com/OJB396B1xq

— Sarmad Khoosat (@KhoosatSarmad) January 19, 2020

Interestingly, despite being cleared twice already by CBFC and the provincial censor boards, the film had not been issued a censor certificate so far. That is now likely to happen in the following week, in the scenario where the film is green-lit by MOIB and TLP. In this regard, the CBFC has specifically instructed the provincial boards to delay the completion of the certification process till February. Meanwhile, legal proceedings for the petition filed by Irfan Khoosat are already underway, with the court hearing the opening arguments today. Khoosat has also fired for an injunction from the court to give an authoritative warning against the group interfering with the film’s release.

Previously, the director had drawn the Prime-minister’s attention towards what he called a ‘campaign of interference and harassment’ against his film, and later also tweeted another note to all Pakistanis where he stated that he is considering not releasing the film at all.

With the intervention of the MOIB, we hope that the controversy and intrigue behind the release of the film shall be settled soon. Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood to follow the latest developments on the release of Zindagi Tamasha!

The post ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ Release Delayed, To Be Re-Screened For TLP And Government Representatives appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

Meray Paas Tum Ho is all set to create history by releasing its final episode in cinemas across the country on 25^th January, with a record number of shows allotted for a television serial in Pakistan’s history.  While advance booking reports suggest a blockbuster opening for the Humayun Saeed starrer, some in the audience were left disappointed as the finale episode was postponed by a week.

While there have been all sorts of speculation regarding what the ending could be — or how it ideally should be — the makers apparently still have not zeroed in on the ending of the play. Galaxy Lollywood has learned that MPTH’s team has shot three different endings for the play, however, they are yet to decide on which should make the final cut.

We reached out to the leading man, Humayun Saeed for his comment on this and the actor confirmed the development saying; “Indeed, three different endings have been shot and we are yet to decide on the final one.” As the play has received an overwhelming response, it’s climax has become a hot subject of debate and discussion on social media.

Fans have been divided on how the finale episode should conclude. A chunk of the audience wants Danish (Humayun Saeed) to embrace his former wife, Mehwish (Ayeza Khan) while a section wants Danish to not forgive Mehwish. Fans of other cast members such as Adnan Siddiqui and Hira Mani have also expressed their desire for various possible endings. There has also been immense speculation on whether the ending should be tragic or hunky-dory.

Final word

If the ending for the play is changed from what was originally planned, it would not be the first time. Previously, Humsafar had its tragic ending changed to a happy one due to massive audience expectations and pressure. While the ending for MPTH is not finalized, we trust the writer Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar to surprise us once again with his compelling storytelling. The finale episode premieres this Saturday in theatres across the country along with TV screens and digital platforms.

The post Three Endings Have Been Shot For ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’: Here Are The Details appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

Meray Paas Tum Ho has been setting one new standard after another for television serials since it started airing in August. Among the show’s notable achievements is the kind of traction it has generated on the online streaming platforms. On YouTube alone, all its episodes and related videos have crossed the 250 million views mark. The digital audience was rather upset when news broke that show’s grand finale will not be uploaded on the popular video streaming platform.

The final episode is eagerly anticipated by the show’s many fans and has become a hot topic of discussion and speculation. It will be aired on television and also screened simultaneously in theaters, whereas the digital audience will be able to catch the show on ARY’s free mobile app ARY ZAP.  With the finale not being uploaded on YouTube, many netizens voiced their dissatisfaction with the makers and broadcaster ARY Digital. Some even went as far as to accuse the makers of profiteering from the serial’s humongous popularity by not streaming it on a free popular streaming platform like YouTube.

It’s worth noting that the channel’s app, which is being given a strong marketing push through the play, is free to download and digital viewers of the play will be able to catch it with the same experience that is offered by YouTube, without any fee or payment. While a YouTube release would have gotten the episode unprecedented YouTube views, the makers and the channel have zeroed in on ARY’s own ZAP app to stream the finale.

In 2018 HUM TV’s Aangan starring Ahad Raza Mir and Sajjal Ali was also not released on YouTube to keep the television ratings soaring and also to keep the exclusivity for a future digital deal, however, the results were somewhat mixed. With Pakistani plays garnering global attention, production houses are now monitoring their digital releases in order to get a solid deal with bigger digital streaming portals such as Netflix, however, this does not seem to be the case with Meray Paas Tum Ho.

The expectations for the Humayun Saeed and Ayeza Khan starrer’s last episode are sky-high, and we will be providing you with the latest updates, as they happen!

The post MPTH Finale Will Not Stream On YouTube: Here’s How To Watch It Free appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

The kind of hype and audience response the theatrical release of the grand finale of Meray Paas Tum Ho has generated is unprecedented in Pakistani cinema or television’s history. While taking into account the fact that the screening of the popular show’s concluding episodes will likely be a single weekend event, its advance reservations at this point are better than any domestic film. The cinema business is currently experiencing slow volumes, and leading exhibitors are naturally excited about the manner in which the audience has taken to catch the screenings of a popular television serial on the big screen. The show’s broadcaster ARY and its production house too stand to gain lucratively from the arrangement.

Given the win-win scenario for all – the audience, the production houses, the actors and the exhibition sector – more serials will naturally follow suit. Here we discuss the two most likely contenders for the theatrical screening of their finale episode(s), and why they are likely to do so.

Ehd-e-Wafa

 Along with Meray Paas Tum Ho, this show too is enjoying massive popularity as well. With a cast that includes Ahad Raza Mir, Osman Khalid Butt, Zara Noor Abbas and Ahmad Ali Akbar, actors who have a film or two to their credit, the show packs in much big-screen star appeal. Like MPTH, its digital viewership on YouTube routinely crosses the 10 million mark. Moreover, HUM TV and ISPR, which have produced the show, have extensive experience with film production and HUM even has its own distribution arm, therefore it is quite likely that the show’s finale episode – or episodes – will receive theatrical screenings.

That the show’s pace has been picking up off late only works in its favor. Industry insiders suggest that planning towards the theatrical rollout is already in place, and when we reached out to HUM TV’s production head Mahesh Waswani, he stated: “We are open to the idea and there have been discussions. However, as of now, nothing is concrete and no final decision has been taken.”

Alif

Alif is popular film and television star turned socio-religious activist Hamza Ali Abbasi’s swansong act, therefore audience curiosity for the show is naturally there. Along with Hamza, Alif also stars Sajal Ali, Kubra Khan and Ahsan Khan, three of the most popular stars currently, all having worked in cinema previously. Since the show has a somewhat offbeat theme of spiritual reawakening, it has not stirred the kind of mass hysteria of MPTH, however, it does cater to a niche audience that has responded well to the show.

What makes Alif standout from the rest is its very cinematic treatment, not just in terms of photography and production values, but also its somewhat unusual theme and the star-power it packs. The exotic Turkish setting is another plus point. While it may not end up being a record-breaker, Alif packs in enough to attract a sizable audience. The question arises, are its makers and Geo TV, which airs the show, interested? When we reached out to producer Sana Shahnawaz, she stated “It’s all contingent on audience demand. If the show’s fans so demand, we will surely consider.”

Final word

With popular television shows currently on air capturing much audience interest, it is only a matter of time before more jump on to MPTH’s bandwagon. For now, MPTH hysteria is sweeping the nation and the show’s theatrical screenings are highly anticipated by its fans. Watch this space for the latest on this developing story!

The post After The Craze for MPTH, These Serials Might Also Hit Cinemas Soon! appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

Popular actor and singer Gippy Grewal is currently in Pakistan, visiting from across the border to tour the many Sikh holy sites in the country. Although the Carry On Jatta 2 star has been present for only a few days now, he has managed to generate quite a buzz – especially after one of his media interactions, where the actor expressed his desire of working with our very own Gangster Guriya, Mehwish Hayat.

Gippy confessed to watching Mehwish Hayat’s tour-de-force Punjab Nahi Jaungi and loving her in the film. Gippy also maintained that following his visit, he is more aware of rich Pakistani culture and that he would be interested in catching more feature films and entertainment content coming from the country.

Mehwish took to twitter to welcome the celebrated actor in Pakistan, and she also thanked him for expressing his desire of working with her. Interestingly Mehwish also said: “Let’s get you a Pakistani flick soon,” which set the grapevine abuzz with speculation that Gippy will be signing a Pakistani project.

Welcome to Pakistan @GippyGrewal . Thank you for your words of appreciation. Glad that you are enjoying our films and hospitality. Let's get you a Pakistani flick soon ! @TBajwa7 https://t.co/0D4Jxko6Do

— Mehwish Hayat TI (@MehwishHayat) January 21, 2020

The Load Wedding star who refused Bollywood films such as Derh Ishqiya and Fanney Khan, had previously used the platform of an international awards ceremony to draw attention to Bollywood’s negative depiction of Pakistanis in their movies.

It’s worth noting Gippy has quite a following amongst Pakistani masses, especially in the Punjabi hinterland where his songs and films are extremely popular, often being played on weddings and functions even in the smaller towns of the area. Pakistan also has a strong Punjabi film tradition dating back over 70 years, and thus is a tailor-made market for Punjabi content. It should also come as no surprise that the highest budget film to date in the country is a Punjabi language film, The Legend of Maula Jatt. 

Final word

We believe Gippy is a perfect fit in the country’s entertainment industry, and any collaboration that he would be involved with would also have additional appeal in East Punjab in India. As far as on-screen theatrics go, Mehwish and Gippy will surely make an exciting filmi jori, appealing to both the classes and the masses, making their collaboration a big winner. 

Stay tuned for the latest developments on this end!

The post Is Gippy Grewal Signing A Pakistani Film? appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

Affan Waheed is one actor whose star profile has risen meteorically over the last year with his breakthrough performance in the super successful Do Bol. With his on-air show Ghalati generating positive response as well, speculations have been rife within industry circles that he would be making that inevitable jump to films, soon. Turns out the Guzaarish star will be making that anticipated leap to the world of megaphones and arc-lights, after all, having signed a film opposite Baaji’s Amna Ilyas.

Speaking from the sets in Islamabad, where the shooting for the project is currently underway, Affan said: “I did not want to sign on to just any film – I wanted to step into films with a worthwhile project, and when (director) Usman Rizvi shared the script with me, it instantly appealed to me and after some initial discussions, I decided to go ahead with it.” The film will be the director’s first feature-length project, having worked on some shorts in the United States previously. When queried about the film’s genre, Affan revealed that the movie, titled Mastani is “a suspense-drama with elements of comedy”, his role being that of a kind-hearted everyman. Production for the film is firmly on schedule and “the team is planning for an Eid-ul-Fitr release, if everything goes according to plan,” according to him.

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I think too much, I think it all…

A post shared by Affan Waheed (@affanwaheedofficial) on Oct 9, 2019 at 12:59pm PDT

Sounds like Mastani is set to be another addition to the promising line-up of films planned for this year, and with Affan making his film debut opposite the sultry Amna Ilyas, expectations would surely be high.

Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for the latest on the film and the best of Pakistani showbiz!

The post Affan Waheed Set For His Silver Screen Debut: Reveals These Details appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

Money Back Guarantee stars some of the most sought after faces in the country and is directed by comedian Faisal Qureishi, who has previously collaborated extensively with director Ahsan Rahim. Boasting of the director’s trademark slapstick, in-your-face brand of humor, the film is high on hype, bringing a huge ensemble cast comprising of well-known names such as Fawad Khan, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Wasim Akram, and Shayan Khan along with many, many others.

The film’s marathon back to back shooting spells just concluded a few days back with the cast and production team calling it a wrap, and now the film is headed for post-production. Galaxy Lollywood spoke with Mikaal Zulfiqar and Shayan Khan, who will be essaying prominent roles in the movie along with co-producing the film.

Mikaal sounded quite pumped up about wrapping the project. “We concluded the shoot with a 36 hour long grueling shooting schedule, which was quite challenging, however, it all worked quite well in the end!,” enthused the Sherdil star. “We have shot the film on locations in Thailand and Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad within Pakistan, over a period of 42 days. I can assure you that we have given our hundred percent to this film.”

When we brought up the tricky question of the male and female leads, Mikaal remained enigmatic and stated: “The script will be the film’s hero as it’s an ensemble cast where everyone has gotten their due space to perform.”

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It's a wrap.. On Pakistan's biggest star cast feature film Money Back Gaurantee #MBG Congratulations @faisalqureshi_official and the entire team! A phenomenal effort! Guys get ready for the biggest entertainer of 2020! #Pakistani #Movie #Comedy #Action #Cinema #Actors #Film #Zashko #Gameover

A post shared by Mikaal Zulfiqar (@mikaalzulfiqar) on Jan 24, 2020 at 10:25pm PST

With the project, Shayan Khan got to share screen space with some of the most established artistes in the industry, such as Fawad Khan and Mikaal. We queried the Na Band Na Barati actor about how that experience turned out to be. “All the actors were great and very serious about the project. About Fawad Khan, I can say now I totally see how he has taken Pakistan on another level — I am a big supporter of his efforts and personally loved his professionalism. He has done an amazing job in the film. He’s fun, professional, and a very good actor!”

The project will be Shayan’s second outing with Mikaal Zulfiqar, who he termed as a “very talented and hard-working actor.” “Mikaal has always been supportive and has given an amazing performance in the film which I am sure the audience will look forward to.” Wrapping up the conversation, the Canada-based actor and producer said: “I have fallen in love with our amazing team in Pakistan.”

With these positive vibes emanating from the film’s key performers, we look forward to seeing their efforts bear fruit on the silver screen. Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for the latest on Money Back Guarantee!

The post It’s A Wrap For ‘Money Back Guarantee’!: Mikaal Zulfiqar and Shayan Khan Share Their Experience appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

That Meray Paas Tum Ho is a phenomenon unlike any other in recent Pakistani television history is beyond any doubt. The Humayun Saeed-Ayeza Khan starrer broke one TRP record after another as the episodes kept building momentum towards what promised to be a grand, unexpected finale. Prior to the airing of its concluding back-to-back double-episodes, the show also managed to create new benchmarks for digital viewership, with its aggregate views on YouTube alone estimated to be over 400 million.

Given the massive buzz, the makers decided to go ahead with a nationwide theatrical release of the finale, however, what no one expected was the kind of response it would generate. Roughly 60-70% of the screenings were fully sold out in advance, and the craze was pretty much the same across the big-three metros as well as the smaller centers. The bigger multiplexes in Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore scheduled as many as 12 shows, and some like Nueplex in Karachi screened even a higher number. It was certain that the finale would take quite a big opening.

Saturday estimates put the finale’s box office tally at over 2 Crores, which is a spectacularly high number, even for a blockbuster opening on the lucrative Eids. That a television show managed to achieve this, that too in a historically slow month like January, just proves that in the end, content coupled with hype and star value is what sells at the ticket counters. The grand opening serves to drive home the point that Pakistani filmmakers need to seriously focus on taking up the challenge of scoring on all three counts for a box office win – which this television drama has proved can happen at any point in the year.

The opening day box office numbers were second only to Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 for star Humayun Saeed and director Nadeem Baig, who have collaborated on quite a few mega-projects now. The final numbers when they come in could go even higher given the late-night surge, which will be another win for the serial. The kind of audience endorsement MPTH has received on television, digital platforms and theaters will take star Humayun Saeed to an all-new high, setting high expectations for a fantastic response to his next titled London Nahi Jaunga, which like MPTH has been penned by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar and is to be directed by Nadeem Baig.

The weekend total for the serial will be determined by the figures for Sunday, which will be lower than the earth-shattering Saturday. That being said, the overall reception at cinemas has been nothing short of astounding from the perspective of an industry observer. The question remains: Is the show headed for a sequel? And if so, will it be a film or a play?

Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood to find out!

Note: All figures are estimates courtesy Boxofficedetail

The post ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’ Sets The Box Office On Fire appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

After weeks of waiting, anticipating and booking tickets to the cinema, the fine morning of  Saturday, 25th of January finally rolled around. Audiences across Pakistan held its breath, counting down the hours to a finale that had everyone almost as excited as an India versus Pakistan cricket world-cup match.

As the hours turned to minutes and minutes to moments, cinema-goers settled into their seats, popcorn at the sides ready, while many families huddled in front of TVs, children hushed, husbands fed and distracted as Rahat Fateh Ali Khan started crooning: ‘Meray paas tum ho, to kya aur mangun, meri zindagi men, meri aas tum ho.’

The Finale Episode

Now let’s look beyond the hype and talk about what went actually down once the finale aired.

The first 20 minutes or so were spent recapping everything that had happened in the drama so far. It began from Danish’s happy family, showed how Shahwar wooed Mehwish, her gargantuan betrayal, the famous ‘do takkay ki aurat‘ branding and the fitting anjaam for her ‘shirk‘. Roomi was a little darling throughout and Hania too accepted the proposal he’d brought her — but we knew all of this that already, two weeks ago, to be sure.

The actual show started about 20 minutes in as we witness that on Monty’s persuasion, Danish has agreed to go and meet Mehwish, telling Roomi that he might not be able to return and that Hania would be okay, for men are famed to be bewafa.

On the other hand, Shahwar is all ready, with packed bags, to leave but Maham stops him. She gives an emphatic speech, telling him that she’ll give him a car, and an office, but not his former position back though, if he stays. She further tells him that even though he has betrayed her, she is asking him to stay but if he leaves, the divorce papers will reach him the next morning.

Undertones of dark comedy?

Cutting to Mehwish, she’s overjoyed at the news of his arrival and when he does come, Danish spends most of the time reminiscing over old memories. All of a sudden, things go wrong, Danish falls down, clutching his chest in pain. He urges Mehwish to not touch him and passes out, to be taken to the hospital.

In the hospital, Hania arrives with her sister and sends Roomi to comfort Mehwish. After some time, a doctor comes to fetch Roomi and he is taken to Danish, who we learn has suffered a heart attack.

Despite the doctor’s warning, Danish takes off his oxygen mask (we wondered whether this was dark humor but Khalil sahib would know better)  and starts talking to Roomi. He tells Roomi that his mother had gone away for some work but that’s she’s back now and everything will be okay. He tells Roomi that he’ll visit him in his dreams every day. Danish then passes away, as our collective seratonin levels plunge. The drama shortly thereafter ends.

Deaths, disappearances and crushed hopes

As the finale ended, one thing was a given. All the viewers cried. Some cried because of Danish’s untimely demise while others out of sheer frustration after what was largely viewed as an unsatisfactory ending. People went into cinemas expecting fireworks but came out with fizzled spirits.

Funnily enough, mock endings Twitteratis had come up with were way meatier. Some people had guessed that Danish would pick Hania, forcing Mehwish to commit suicide. Some had thought he would pick Mehwish, leading Hania onto a path of vengeance. A lot of viewers had speculated whether Roomi would play a bigger role than that of a bystander after hearing his father’s last speech — however, subsequent scenes eliminated that hope. Also, Salman and Ayesha’s disappearance was strikingly odd, considering how they were all the family Danish and Mehwish had left. Yet, they were nowhere to be found.

Dushman zinda rahay

One of the biggest flaws we see in the ending is how none of the supposed bad guys were actually punished. Shahwar, who played a key role in the destruction of Danish’s family, got a second chance with his wife. Mehwish, though she ended up a widow got her flat back and would probably win Roomi’s custody. Well, honestly, some on-screen suffering would have been nice to see for these two!

Doing away with Danish, that too with a heart attack didn’t really take the plot anywhere rather came off as too convenient and oddly reminiscent of Khalil-ur-Rehman’s previous sob-sagas. More screen space needed to be given to settle the final fates of other important characters, and we thought we had done away with those long, death-bed monologues at least 30 years back.

The biggest question, whether Danish would finally go back to Mehwish or settle down with Hania remained crucially unaddressed.  We mean, was the choice really so difficult that Danish had to be killed off to avoid the confrontation? Do we really have to wait for a rumored sequel to get a sense of what actually happened?

And the original quibble…like, a hale and hearty guy is done away with a measly heart attack, with no indications of an ailment in the previous episodes. Oh well…

Final Word

The finale of Meray Pass Tum Ho was one of the most anticipated concluding shows in recent times but in some ways, it really did struggle to live up to the hype, leaving us with some shattered expectations.

Let us know if you agree or disagree in the comments section.

The post ‘Meray Paas Tum Ho’ Climax Left Us Underwhelmed appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

Keeping up with tradition, the 4th Hum Style Awards were recently held in Karachi. The event is designed to celebrate the best of fashion, television, film, and beauty and from the glamor of the red carpet to the glittering stars on stage, it managed to pull off a star-studded affair. Although many prominent names of the industry were missing in action from the event, the stars that did attend managed to make the event quite a talked about spectacle.

With the official slogan of this year’s event being “focus on style and entertainment that aims to not only showcase the industry in the best light possible but also to reward excellence”, the Hum Style Awards had a multitude of nominees in both entertainment and fashion categories. The performances by the stars kept the energy of the event high while the hosting by Adnan Siddiqui, Aamina Sheikh, and Usman Mukhtar had the audience engaged and entertained.

The Performances

The event was opened by the underground rapper duo Young Stunners. It felt good to see a mainstream event like the Hum Style Awards which was hosting some of the most important figures of the Pakistani entertainment industry also feature artists like Young Stunners in their official lineup. Zara Noor Abbas also took to the stage and performed on some OSTs of popular HumTV dramas including Deewar e Shab in which Zara had an important cameo role.

The power couple that is Farhan Saeed and Urwa Hocane also put up an energetic dance performance and enthralled the audience with their chemistry on stage. There cannot be an award show without an Ahsan Khan performance and this time he paired up with Sara Loren, who made her comeback on stage, and the two mesmerized the audience.

Abrar ul Haq also performed on his famous songs. An endearing sight was when Abrar called up Mikaal Zulfikar for an impromptu dance on the song Sanu Tere Naal Pyaar. The song was Mikaal’s debut music video back in 2000s and it was a wonderful sight to see this reunion of sorts.

The Awards

Between entertainment and fashion, a total of 18 awards were given out with two special awards. There was a rather odd adjustment of the Most Stylish Actor Film (Female) having two winners. Mahira Khan won in the “popular” sub-category for the award while Kiran Malik won the “jury” sub-category for the award. No other category was divided into popular and jury sub-categories.

Winning speeches by Ayesha Omar, Sonya Hussain, and Asim Azhar were all odes to their mothers. The mood was somber and sentimental when these stars went to the stage and gave the credits of their wins to their mothers who have dedicated their lives to them. Asim dedicated the award to all the single mothers out there, as an ode to his own mother who raised him up as a single woman.

The complete list of the winners is as below:

Most Stylish Film Actor Male – Ahad Raza Mir
Most Stylist Film Actor Female – Mahira Khan
Most Stylish Film Actor Female (Jury) – Kiran Malik
Most Stylish Television Actor Male – Mikaal Zulfiqar
Most Stylish Television Actor Female – Sonya Hussain
Style Icon of the year – Ayesha Omar
Most Stylish Performer – Asim Azhar
Most Stylish Sports Personality – Hajra Khan
Best Model Female – Zara Abid
Best Model Male – Aimal Khan
Designer of the year (Lawn) – Zara Shahjahan
Fashion Photographer of the year – Alee Hassan
Hair and Makeup Artist of the year – Qasim Liaqat
Rising Star 2018-2019 – Hamza Khan Bandee and Mushk Kaleem
Designer of the year (Bridal) – Shehla Chatoor
Retail Label of the year (Apparel) – Chapter 2 by Khaadi
Designer of the year (Menswear) – Ismail Farid
Designer of the year (Demi-coture) – Zaheer Abbas
Designer of the year (Pret) – Sublime by Sara Shahid
Excellence in the field of Interior Design and Furniture Manufacturing – House of Zunn
Timeless Beauty – Reema Khan

The post The 4th Hum Style Awards Extravaganza: Who Won And What Went On appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

Saba Qamar is one star who we would not mind seeing more of. After her effervescent performance in Lahore Se Aagay, an intense one in Cheekh and what seems to be a promising act in upcoming Kamli, the star is set to be the leading lady in yet another project where Zahid Ahmed and Syed Jibran have been signed as the male leads.

Oh, lest we forget – it is important to remind the readers that the project in question is not a drama serial, but a film, although some casting choices made us think otherwise, too. The project we are talking about is the upcoming feature film being produced by Jamil Baig and Hassan Zia which Saba signed just last week.

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OK!

A post shared by 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐐𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 (@sabaqamarzaman) on Jan 8, 2020 at 5:25am PST

Before Zahid Ahmed, Bilal Ashraf was rumored to be the lead, however, the Ishq Zah-e-Naseeb actor has now been taken on board for the project. Interestingly, Saba Qamar has already shared the screen space with Zahid in television shows Sangat and Besharam, with the former show landing itself in quite a bit of controversy for reinforcing patriarchal themes around rape. Coming back to the film, it is said to be an unusual comedy and will be directed by newbie Saqib Khan and is written by Mohsin Ali.

With the pre-production of the film complete, it is set to go on floors soon and is planned for an Eid-ul-Azha release later this year. If that does indeed happen, the film would be Saba Qamar’s second release after Sarmad Khoosat’s Kamli, which is currently under post-production. With the diva set to shine on screen again along with her two male co-actors, we will be keeping a close tab on this film.

Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for the latest on this film and a lot more!

The post Saba Qamar, Zahid Ahmed and Syed Jibran to Star In A New TV Drama, Oops Film appeared first on Galaxy Lollywood.

Meray Paas Tum Ho came, it saw, and it conquered – there is no better way to succinctly describe the phenomenon this drama was. Or we could say it would remain for the foreseeable future because it is going to be so hard, if not impossible, for any other drama to have the entire nation under its grip the way this Humayun Saeed production did. It was a show that was marketed very cleverly and strategically by its entire team. Which other drama can boast of the tactics that MPTH applied? Heck, it can give even our movies a run for their money when it comes to marketing lessons.

It started before the pink nighty

A couple of episodes before the now-infamous “Pink Nighty” scene, ARY Digital and the show’s production team, had already started to hint towards the major twist that would shock the viewers. From releasing special promos to the cast using their social media following to build suspense about an otherwise average story, those were the first signs of the show using any and all means necessary to make sure that it became THE most talked about show of the town. Even as its competition show Alif struggled to get the major chunk of the audience hooked to its more nuanced and complex story, MPTH continued to rope in more and more viewers to the point that when the show dangled the sweet treat of enjoying its ending on the big screen, there were queues ready to fill up the halls.

Ah, the ending. Unlike what some news portals, including Galaxy Lollywood, were led to believe that MPTH supposedly had three endings, the show just had one. And now that the show has milked itself to the maximum of its capabilities, its production team is coming clean about its tall claims.

Three endings? Ha!

Humayun Saeed talked about the ending of Meray Paas Tum Ho in an insta-live session and clarified that he had deliberately lied about the show having three possible endings. Glowing in the happiness of giving the box office yet another blockbuster, Humayun was in quite a jolly mood as he talked about how the audience had been predicting that his character, Danish, would end up dying since the show’s first episode aired.

“It’s like [the audience] saw something on my face and started predicting that Danish would die. Even recently when a few people asked me what the ending of the drama would be like, I told them that Danish would die. But nobody would believe that. They thought I was lying when I was telling the truth,” he said, before dropping the bombshell: “The show never had three endings, it always had one. That was a lie.”

And then there were some more

This speaks volumes about the interest that the nation had in everything MPTH. With the way everyone was desperate to find out any kind of crumbs about the show’s story or its twists, it’s not surprising that the show’s cast had used all that interest to keep the show in the spotlight even if it meant taking us on a ride. For instance, when Humayun made a social media post about one of the most important episodes of the drama not being available online just hours before the episode was to be aired on television had the audience glued to their television screens. The “do takay ki aurat” line was witnessed by a large number of audience on television. The episode ended up becoming available online after 9 PM on ARY’s Youtube channel the way it normally did every week. Humayun even wasn’t the first one to misinform (intentionally or not) about something that never happened in the show.

Hira Mani had in an interview talked about how Mere Paas Tum Ho might have a character that would be murdered. Something that we now know did not happen at all. But back when Hira had revealed this “spoiler”, it had become the topic of discussion for the audience as they theorized about which character would die and in what matter. An utter waste of time in hindsight but back then, it seemed like the most logical thing to do.

The writer who created more drama off-screen

And if we start to talk about how the drama’s writer contributed to making sure that it tended, then we’d be here for a long time. No, we aren’t talking about Khalil ur Rahman Qamar’s writing skills but rather all the rather, ahem, unique insights that he shared on the topics of feminism, infidelity, and the nature of men and women during his various interviews around the time when Mere Paas Tum Ho was on-air. The question of separating the art from the artist sprung up again. Would it be wrong to say that this whole debate even made many intellectuals question their morals? How does one actually openly defy or criticize a piece of media that is such a rage all around the country, if one even dares?

One of the leads of the show, Adnan Siddiqui, has accepted the show’s problematic writing and expressed his wish for the drama being more nuanced in its portrayal of women, but one does wonder where was this energy while the show was on-air? When it was the right time to talk about it because the debates and discussions were not only heated but relevant. Back then Adnan, alongside the show’s other cast, was busy in basking in the glory that the show was giving them and enjoying their characters’ dialogues going viral all around.

Now that the drama has finished its run and all manners of discussions around it as well as all variations of the memes that it gave birth to have been done and dusted, it does make us wonder what the post-MPTH future of Pakistani drama would be like. Sonya Hussain, who was one of the choices to play the role of Mehwish before Ayeza Khan ultimately made the character her own, has talked about her turning down the role saying she couldn’t “see women being characterized in such negative light” and that she did not want to be a part of the show that would perpetuate more issues for women in a society that is already so hard on the gender. It is an admiring stance to take but we do wonder, would the other mainstream actors be able to take such a stand?

Final word

Meray Paas Tum Ho was certainly a lot. From all possible ways to explain it, this is the one way that can capture the emotions and sentiments behind the all-consuming nature of this drama. It did wonders for every person involved in the drama be it behind the camera or in front of it. And it wasn’t just because the drama just had excellent acting and mind-blowing level of writing. A large reason why Mere Paas Tum Ho became big was the very conscious efforts put behind it to make it big.

As we all know in Pakistani drama industry all it takes is one successful project to usher in a big string of projects following the same formula to replicate that one project’s success. MPTH has given the industry new lessons on how to not just make a drama but how to package it and advertise it. Its success lies behind the collective effort of the channel, the production house, and the actors all coming together to grip the audience. Who is to say future projects across different channels won’t follow the same methods? Now that MPTH has made an example that successful dramas can have poor men in the role of a victim and the lead heroine of the project being the vamp in disguise, maybe the trend of a roti-dhoti aurat would be replaced with images of rota-dhota mard.

Who knows? 2020 has just begun.

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