Zahid Ahmed to make his silver screen debut with Saba Qamar

Zahid Ahmed is the talk of the town for his exceptional performance in Ishq Zahe Naseeb. He is now all set to debut on the silver screen, with the gorgeous lady, Saba Qamar.

We have previously seen the two brew some amazing chemistry in drama serial ‘Besharam’, and they have also appeared together in a telefilm 'Dil Diyyan Gallan’.

It’s time for the two to amuse us all in a film together! We are super excited and can’t wait.

The web series ‘Sorry’ that stars Zahid is reportedly on hold for now. He announced working for his debut film on Instagram. The film is written by Mosin Ali and directed by Saqib Khan.

He wrote: Yes, it’s true! Alhamdulillah, it’s a very exciting time for me. With the last film project being put on hold this will officially be my debut on the silver screen and I couldn’t be happier to share it with Saba Qamar Zaman who is undoubtedly one of the greatest artists in the country has ever produced.

He also confirmed that the movie is expected to release on Bakra Eid 2020 and that it features Syed Jibran, Sohail Ahmed and Nayyar Ejaz in pivotal roles.

Affan Waheed to make big screen debut with Amna Ilyas in 'Mastani

KARACHI  : Expected to hit cinemas across Pakistan sometime later this year, shooting for upcoming film Mastani is underway in Islamabad and Pindi these days. What’s even more exciting is that Mastani will mark Do Bol star Affan Waheed’s first foray onto the big screen and he will be doing so opposite none other than model-turned-actor Amna Ilyas.

 Mastani is a rom-com written and directed by Usman Rizvi, a US-based film-maker who will be releasing it in Pakistan. Asked why he chose this particular project as his debut, Waheed told The Express Tribune, “I had refused a couple of films before this for their generic storylines, but it wasn’t like I had many offers lined up either. However, this one was an accident waiting to happen.

” He went onto explain how Mastani had also seemed like just another run-off-the-mill script initially but after being constantly prompted to read the script, he decided to take it on.

“I thought it was just going to be like all the other films but when I read the whole script, it hit me,” Waheed recalled. “My character is a decent and kind-hearted man coming from a humble background. He falls in love with this girl named Aliya, played by Amna Ilyas, and then their story progresses. I really wanted to break that big screen ice with this role.

” Waheed revealed there wasn’t anything extraordinary about Mastani that swooped him away but instead, how it presented ordinary things in an extraordinary way. “I would love to do something more experimental too but I don’t mind commercial as long as the audience can connect with it.

” The actor also addressed the ongoing comparisons between Mastani Ranbir Kapoor/Deepika Padukone’s 2015 hit Tamasha because of something Waheed had said earlier. “A year ago, I said I would love to do a film like Ranbir Kapoor’s Tamasha so people automatically assumed that this project is similar to that, but it isn’t,” he clarified.

Waheed added that Mastani is a family drama which targets several social issues, following which Ilyas also commented on the matter.  “The film is about a lion-hearted girl who wants to study further but fate has other plans for her. She doesn’t want to get married but she wants to bring a change in the society,” said the local star. “Amna is quite professional and I’ve learned quite a few things about working on the big screen from her.

” Meanwhile, Ilyas also dished out the dirt on her latest character. “I play is Aliya while Affan is Shakeel. More than romance, their chemistry is expressed through their deeply-bonded friendship.”

She added, “Shakeel works in an NGO and he is more like the listener, the helper and a generous man, while Mastani focuses on Aliya’s non-conformist attitude that takes the story forward.”

According to Ilyas, Rizvi is “really open” as a director they haven’t had to deal with a lot of barriers on the sets. “He doesn’t care about the audience wanting to watch a shy, innocent girl. He is more interested in showing a powerful woman – which is why I took up this role.” Asked why the audience should watch Mastani once it has released, Ilyas commented, “Any kind of social issue is worthy of viewership in our society. That’s why why Zindagi Tamasha should have been released as well. As for this film, I’m just hoping the audience is ready to see a woman as a hero because we also have good stories to tell.

” Both Waheed and Ilyas explained how the audience was shocked when news of their respective roles broke out. “Affan is this charming, decent and sweet guy and people were probably not expecting he’d be paired up with the bold and hot me, but I’m sure they’ll love our chemistry when the film comes out,” Ilyas concluded. Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.

Gohar Rasheed joins the cast of ‘London Nahi Jaungi’

Gohar Rasheed, the talented actor will be seen in 3 movies in 2020. He has already shot for The Legend of Maula Jutt which we are hoping will release this year. He is currently working on Money Back Guarantee that comes out this year, and now he has joined Nadeem Baig’s London Nahi Jaungi, as Humayun Saeed’s right hand.

We haven’t really seen Gohar in a comic role before, so this is going to be his first attempt at comedy. In an interview he revealed that his role in LNJ is similar to Circuit's role, from Munna Bhai MBBS, so we can expect a whole lot of comedy.

While talking to the Hashtag Magazine, the actor said:

I can’t reveal much about my character but let me tell you that it’s something you haven’t seen me doing before. This time I will be trying my hands on comedy for the first time. I am playing Humayun Saeed’s best friend in the film. I am actually playing his right-hand man who follows his orders and make sure his commands get fulfilled at any cost. In a nutshell, you can say that he is Circuit(of Munna Bhai MBBS) in the life of Humayun Saeed's character

London Nahi Jaungi is produced by Humayun Saeed, also the lead actor of the movie. It is written by Khalil ur Rehman and directed by Nadeem Baig. It’s an absolute entertainer as confirmed by Rasheed. The film is all set to release on Eid ul Adha.

Sheheryar Munawar & Hania Aamir pair up for a romantic comedy

Wajahat Rauf is returning with another romantic comedy but this time with a new on-screen Jodi.

The title of his new film is yet to be revealed but we do have information on the lead cast. The heartthrob, Parey Hut Love star Sherheryar Munawar will be seen opposite the cute and bubbly Hania Aamir.

Earlier the same project was to be called Pardey Mein Rehnay Do, with Ahsan Khan as the lead actor and Mohsin Khan as director.

However, the project has been handed over to Wajahat Rauf, with a slight change in the actors, and hopefully a new title. The film will be produced by Wajahat Rauf under the production company Showcase Productions with Zayed Sheikh, who co-produced and acted in Chuppan Chuppai. Shooting for the film will begin shortly.

Looking forward to the equation shared by these two in their first-ever appearance on the big screen, together.

Government postpones the release of Zindagi Tamasha

Zindagi Tamasha has undergone quite the trouble, despite being approved by 3 censor boards. This Sarmad Khoosat production was to release on January 24th as announced, but as evident from the ongoing situation, the release might not take place any time soon.

Following the threats received by Sarmad Koosat, and his open letters to the Government and all of Pakistan, the Federal Government, has issued directives to postpone the release. Firdous Ashiq Awan, a special advisor to Prime Minister for information and broadcasting issued a tweet on Tuesday advising the producer to postpone the release of Zindagi Tamasha. She also added that the Central Board of Film Censors has decided to immediately approach the Council of Islamic Ideology to critically review the film.

The Government of Punjab also issued a notice to ban the release of the film, which was followed by another ban from the Sindh Government, claiming that the release of this film may create unrest within the religious segment of the society and disrupt peace.

Both Punjab and Sindh censor boards had cleared the film earlier. It all seems kind of absurd, provided that the censor boards found no objectionable content while analyzing the contents of the film.

Shaan Shahid's Zarrar To Have Its Trailer Released In March

Shaan Shahid is undoubtedly the most loved actor in Pakistan who has been ruling the film industry for over almost two decades. Not only is he known for being passionate towards his career, he can easily be categorized as the pride of Pakistan because of his patriotism. And we always want to know what is he up to.


So with him having given us Arth 2 recently to enjoy which had remarkable songs to its credit, it is his other movie Zarrar which has kept us wanting to view it soon.

Besides directing, Shaan is also the writer as well as the lead for Zarrar which is an action thriller, being produced by 5th Dimension Films in partnership with Blue Orca Pvt Ltd. This is also the first time that UK's Timothy Hallam Wood will be the Director of Photography (DOP) for a Pakistani film.

So when is the trailer releasing? Well Shaan himself has announced the good news and it happens to be March this year!

Having posted a video clip Shaan said, "Watch out for Zarrar trailer, it is coming out soon in March. I hope you like it, we as a team have worked hard for it."

Zarrar also stars Kiran Malik and the London-based Adnan Butt who will mark his debut as an antagonist. With the post production of Zarrar done in Pinewood which is UK's biggest studio, we are sure Shaan is going to give us a film which will make Pakistan immensely proud of him yet again.

Sarmad Khoosat appeals Imran Khan to save his film

After Sarmad Khoosat’s upcoming film Zindagi Tamasha, became the first Pakistani fiction to win big in South Korea, it’s trailer received criticism from its own country.

 Turn’s out the filmmaker is just as depressed as the people awaiting his film are, given it was set to release on January 24, 2020. According to Khoosat’s recent open letter to the Prime Minister, Imran Khan, there is an ongoing attempt to prevent the film from releasing at all.

 Khoosat uploaded the letter on his social media, stating the film is yet again being stopped from release after the first complaint was entertained, in a law-abiding manner.

Sarmad started his letter by providing details of his contributions to the film industry, “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.”

He continued to address the appreciation his film received abroad, “Upon completion, the film was cleared by all three censor boards of Pakistan and had its world premiere at the prestigious Busan International Film Festival.”

“January was set as the release date. However, a ‘complaint’ was registered against the writer, the producer and myself, based on assumptions made from the two and a half minute long trailer..” Khoosat went on to clarify, “I couldn’t be more excited to bring this film to it’s original intended audience, however, a complaint was registered against the writer, producer and myself based on assumptions made from the trailer,” he said.

 “As a law-abiding citizen and with full conviction that there is nothing offensive or malicious in the film. In response I submitted the film for another review to the censor board. It was cleared once again with a few cuts to appease the complainants. ” 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 pressurising tactics.”

“I am bringing this to your notice not just because my team and I are being bullied and pressurised but also because this series of episodes undermines a state institution like the Central Board of Film Censors and strips it of its authority and stature,” he added. He concluded by saying, “The space for rational and artistic thinking and expression must not be annexed by a few troublemakers for their political ends but I fear this is what will happen if we buckle under this time.” Zindagi Tamasha premiered at the Busan International Film Festival, where it won the Kim Ji-seok Award. Khoosat had cleared the air regarding the previous ban in an interview with The Express Tribune, explaining how he respected the censor board’s decision.

 “They were certain people who got offended, thinking I was pointing fingers at them. That wasn’t the idea and I was completely fine with re-editing the trailer. However, what’s problematic is that anytime one picks out a theme which people are uncomfortable discussing in public spaces or even behind closed doors, has to be deemed controversial.” Zindagi Tamasha is slated for release January 24. Here is hoping it makes it.

The first look of the romantic thriller – Delhi Gate is out!

2020 is up to a great start and actor turned director Shamoon Abbasi is beginning his new year with a bang. The first look of his 2020 romantic thriller – Delhi Gate is out!

Shamoon is all geared up to play the role of the primary antagonist in the film who goes by the name ‘Malik Gold’.

The film is said to be related to one of the 13 gates of old Lahore. “I play the role of a millionaire and how his influence can become a problem for the couple in love,” Abbasi shared in an exclusive conversation with Instep.

 Directed by Nadeem Cheema and penned by Mohammad Kamal Pasha, Delhi Gate features Jawed Sheikh, Shafqat Cheema, Roma Micheal, Khalid Butt, Qavi Khan, Yasser Khan, Suzain Fatima and many more.

Delhi Gate is expected to release in mid of 2020.

'Zindagi Tamasha' trailer taken down from Youtube

Sarmad Khoosat’s upcoming social drama Zindagi Tamasha appears to have stirred some controversy . The trailer of the film that was posted in September, has disappeared from Youtube. Khoosat was reached for a comment however refused to disclose any details. The director notes that he will release a press release soon to address everything.

Given the subject matter of the film, the possibility of the trailer being removed due to objectionable content always stood. However the Censor Board has maintained that this is not it’s doing. “We have no concern with  issues relating to  YouTube. Only the film producers or distributors know best. Our work is to censor films and issue clearness certificate,” said a source from Central Board of Film Censors told Express Tribune.

Khoosat had earlier on shared that Zindagi Tamaasha was made with the background of political and social situations wherein major traits of Pakistani society have been depicted. “The topic of the film is sensitive but I have spoken the truth and one doesn’t fear when speaking the truth,” he said."

Khoosat added that the film is a reference to Khwaja Pervez’s famous song Zindagi Tamasha Bani, written for the old film Naukri Vodi Da. The Manto director clarified that he had acquired legal rights for the aforementioned song.

Zindagi Tamasha created major buzz when it won big at the prestigious Busan International Film Festival, back in October. Khoosat’s directorial won The Kim Ji-seok Award, named after the festival’s co-founder and executive programmer who died in 2017.

The film-maker shared the award with Indian director, Pradip Kurbah, whose film Market was also being screened at the festival. The film was said to be released in January 2020.

‘Thori Setting Thora Pyar’ gearing up for a 2020 release

LAHORE: 2020 is already shaping up to be a big year for films in Pakistan. To add to the list of films that have already been announced for the upcoming year, Thori Setting Thora Pyar is all set to hit the screens after Pakistan Super League ends in 2020.

Helmed by director/producer Fayyaz Adrees, the film is being described as a romantic-comedy. Known for his engaging story-telling techniques, Adrees has a number of drama serials to his credit including, Surkh Jora, Zindagi Mujhe Tera Pata Chahiye, Haye Bechara Tipu and Jabeen-e- Ishq.

He has also done journalistic work for international channels like CNN, BBC, and National Geographic.

According to details, the film is touted as a dream project for Adrees, who has left no stone unturned to make sure that it is a complete family entertainer. He reportedly studied the art of film making from the prestigious New York Film Academy, ahead of his debut project for the silver screen.

Currently going through the post-production phase, the film can be expected to be full of music, comedy and love and consists of an entirely fresh cast. The promising actors that have signed on include Nauman Habib, Saeeda Imtiaz, Malik Aqeel, Mahnoor Malik, Maira Bangash and Laila Zuberi in pivotal roles.

The young, fresh-faced cast helps make the backdrop of the story more believable – the story revolves around university students and presents sentiments of young love, comedy and drama with compelling dialogues.

Along with being the director of the film, Adrees is also serving as the co-producer and hopes that his film can be a good addition to the Pakistani film industry. “Thori Setting Thora Pyar will prove to be a breeze of fresh air in the film industry because all the team involved in the project is young with creative mindsets and everyone has given their hundred percent,” he said.

“We are especially focusing on its post-production. Editing, color grading and patch work of the film is under completion and we are trying our best to complete the post-production using modern trends in film making. Our production team has not made any compromise on standard of quality,” added Adrees.

According to him, the film has been shot in more than one location, and the team travelled extensively around the world for it. “The last song of the film will be shot in America during second week of January 2020,” he confirmed. “Beautiful locations at Islamabad, Hunza and other areas of KPK have been used to create an authentic look for the film in terms of framing. We’ve made sure to use modern production techniques and latest equipment,” he elaborated.

Penned by Wahid Siraj, the five songs featured in the film are composed by musician Saji Ali, with Rahat Fateh Ali khan, Amanat Ali, Damia Farooq, and Sana Zulfiqar confirmed to lend their voice to the tunes.

Adrees also cleared that the film does not include unnecessary comedy saying, “Comedy scenes are purely situational and spontaneous.” Nauman Habib, who plays the lead role in the film revealed, “The film’s production team are aiming to release it in March 2020 and before that, official trailer and music will be launched soon across Pakistan.”