Haalim (Episode 10)- Review by Shoby

Haalim (Episode 10)- Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

Dr. King Schultz: Well, Broomhilda was a princess. She was a daughter of Wotan. Anyways, her father is really mad at her.

Django: What she do?

Dr. King Schultz: I can't exactly remember. She disobeys him in some way. So he puts her on top of the mountain.

Django: Broomhilda's on a mountain?

Dr. King Schultz: It's a German legend, there's always going to be a mountain in there somewhere. And he puts a fire-breathing dragon there to guard the mountain. And he surrounds her in a circle of hellfire. And there, Broomhilda shall remain. Unless a hero arises brave enough to save her.

Django: Does a fella arise?

Dr. King Schultz: Yes, Django, as a matter of fact, he does. A fella named Siegfried.

Django: Does Siegfried save her?

Dr. King Schultz: [Nods] Quiet spectacularly so. He scales the mountain, because he's not afraid of it. He slays the dragon, because he's not afraid of him. And he walks through hellfire... because Broomhilda's worth it.

Django: I know how he feel.

Django Unchained (2012)

Slowly & steadily Nemrah Ahmed is paving ways to get the story back to the track from where it all started. The first hint is off course the dream. Thanks GOD the dream sequence has been updated. This time, it has featured a modern corporate office environment in 21^st century. The dream symbolically refers to two things apparently. First, obviously the ever increasing authority of Taliya and second, what I assume, fully grown influence of Taliya on Fateh's decisions in the life to come and I feel this is something which we shall see in upcoming episodes.

They say, it is a world where survival is assured only for the fittest and just like how they fight in the ring, it is every man for himself. The phenomenon is quite literally proving true here as Yan Su Fu has orchestrated a sort of indigestible plan of rescuing her own maternal life. Fact of the matter is who likes to be deprived of the power, authority, title & above all, his/ her respective strong position and what if it is as strong as a crown.

The episode Sanam Taraash comes with couple of twists, which were much needed to retain the story alive. Yes, you guessed it right. Under critical circumstances, Fateh ties knot with Taliya (more of a paper marriage contract only). Well the story does not ends here, the icing on the cake is the cupid has strike Adam with his deadly lethal weapon. Itni si baat thi or Adam ka dil khaali ho gaya... Ker lo gal. Nevertheless, the moment Taliya prepares herself as a bride for wedding ritual is perfectly written. Although only two or three very short lines penned by Ms. Nemrah but undoubtedly these few sentences were more than enough to leave a huge emotional impact on the readers.

It was quite evident that Fateh is the most self-centered person on the planet and yes he had to be practical by every mean. This sentence further strengthens our belief. Mohabbat sirf fairy tale mein hoti hain Adam... Is ko asal zindagi mein nahi dhoondey...

The much celebrated statue of Wang Li is also implanted in the episode and once again it is carved by none other than Taliya. However the reason why she made it was quite engaging. Last but not the least, apparently the much talked about treasure for which Taliya has crossed the worlds, has been unfolded finally. It is not the gold or jewels as many of us have been imagining. Rather it’s the antiques. And what a plan structured by the cat burglar. To bury the things and discover them in the future. And this is why she was creating the statue in order to get access to Wang Li's house. Tasha’s poem was also a landmark. Bravo.

Just like last few episodes this one was also having a good dose of public awareness messages. This time Nemrah focused on inflation & self-esteem. Talking about inflation first, Taliya projects the results of her Root Cause Analysis on increasing trend of inflation in the state of Malacca, keeping in view the statements of Fateh once given in a talk show. And the matter in the court stands resolved by accepting the foreign aid from Chinese kingship in the form of Foreign Debts... Beautiful explanation by Nemrah about how the corrupt politicians and their so called tajarbey'kaar teams are the real reason of drastic conditions of drowning economies in Third World countries.

I feel, "Jia" is also gaining a good volume of fame (obviously not as popular as our very favorite #FoodlyEverAfter) as almost all of the brave heart sort of renditions by Fateh have been given here. This time it was no different. Fateh talks about Self Esteem and how it effects one's personality & his behavioral patterns. However I would like to add just one point here so that readers may not get distracted by the illustration.

There is a very thin line between self-esteem & ego. Interesting thing is, the word Ego also means self. Someone, who always talk about self, who make fun of someone else with comparing to his own self, whereas Self-esteem is standing up for yourself when someone makes fun of you for your liberty, beliefs or something else.

Coming back towards Haalim, I would like to mention one thing which I am regularly missing from last two episodes and I am sure many of the readers are also missing the same. I feel Nemrah is not giving the due share of space to the beautiful teachings from Islamic & Quranic stories for which she is famous. I hope she will surely come up with something like what she used to write as we are all missing the much needed dose of golden quotes.

Once again, Nemrah has never left the opportunity to bring impressive slapstick one-liners. At times, we feel Adam hails from our very own society as he has an amazing comic timing. Bara hi koi seincedaan baap hai aap ka... and Yaani mere ander waqai cell daltey hain... were the most entertaining sit-coms in this episode.

Readers, I have an important thing to discuss here and it is the concept of parallel universes or multiverse. Many of my readers are asking me questions that how come Taliya has grown whereas all other things remained constant as she time traveled twice (forth & back) and lived a good number of years in future. So here is my take.

Actually this concept of time travel is associated with parallel worlds and borrowed from different international fiction, movies & seasons. They say, more than one world or universe exists simultaneously but no one can cross over due to certain constraints. However, by incident (may be surpassing Einstein’s' Equation of Energy), if someone travels through the times, he reaches another world or may be the same world but in a different time period.

The best examples for this are seasons Fringe & The Flash. The key element in time travel is that when you cross over the time lines, you arrive in a world parallel to the one of yours. However, this time travel does not come without any impact. It is like, when you cheat with the thin fabric of time, it alters the course of history, thus arranges to make new timelines. So in one way or another history & future has an impact of this time travel. And I feel, our dreamers are here for the very same reason. Taliya wants to change the course of her future, whereas Fateh desires to alter the course of history. It is also discussed in Metaphysics by various scientists esp. Stephen Hawking in today's era. I hope this elaboration has proved to be fruitful for those who were a bit confused.

Summing up today's discussion, let me conclude all this by giving you a hint of what to expect in upcoming episodes. Worry not readers, nothing is going to happen to Taliya Muraad, what-so-ever Fateh predicts (read tells to Raja Muraad). The time is soon to arrive when the three of these time travelers will return back to the future from where they belong. Interesting thing would be their synchronization in the 21st century, as the things have now changed quite rapidly.

Leaving you till the next episode with the below statement which reminds me of my childhood story "Sher Aya"

Kiya sari umr jhoot bhoolney ki yehi saza hoti hai ke jab indagi ka sab se bara sach bolna chaho to koi yaqeen hi na kerey...

PS: Don't forget to give your feedback in below comments box.

Padmaavat- Movie Review by Shoby

Padmaavat - Movie Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

4.5 Hearts out of 5

Some movies are made to elaborate what is written in the history whereas only few of the movies re-write history on celluloid. Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat definitely belongs to the second class. The magician is back with his latest period war drama after Bajirao Mastani and lets see what he has to offer to his audience this time.

Padmaavat is the story of the fight between lust filled obsession of a ruler (Ranveer Singh) who posed to be a pseudo-god and the resilience of a royal couple (Shahid Kapoor & Deepika Padukone). Story involves multiple edge of the seat twists & turns and grooms smoothly to implant a solid premises for a heartwarming war drama.I don't want to be a spoiler so won't tell you the whole lot about movie. 

First thing first, unlike what I perceived, I feel Padmaavat was never intended to be a romantic cinema, as this time Bhansali focused more on the fight between good & evil rather than highlighting the lovely warm companionship of protagonists. This is the primary component that makes Padmaavat stand out from the last two outings of Sanjay Leela Bhansali (RaamLeela & Bajiramo Mastani).

Talking about the acting department, Padmaavat is simply a Ranveer Singh's show right from the word go. He gets into the skin of the character of Khiljee so placidly that eventually earns him a well deserving standing ovation. He dominated more than half of the movie courtesy his powerful portray of this ruthless emperor’s character. Deepika Padukone in the role of Rani Padamaavati is a treat to watch. Along with her tranquil innocence & serene on-screen beauty, She has once again proved her mettle in acting department. Shahid Kapoor, to me gets a role of his lifetime. The best thing about the character written for him is, for never a minute second, you think that his role has been under-written than other characters. Aditi Rao is a grooming her acting skills  movie by movie and this time she has played a pitch perfect role. She looks so different in the avatar of a Queen. This time the surprise package was Jim Sarbh who enacted the role of a transgender with utmost authenticity.

The film never loses its grip and remains successful in sticking the audience to the screens till the finale part, courtesy its compelling script & superbly written screenplay. Dialogues are a winner and characters come up with a magnificent punch line right after every few minutes in regular intervals. I would specially like to highlight the dialogues penned for Ranveer's character. Bold, ruthless, savage & humorous embedded in brutality. Jab khaney ko itna kuch hai to hum khouf kiyo khaey. The initial conversation between Padmaavati & Pandit is the heart of the story. 

Set designing has always been a forte of Bhansali's films and Padmaavat is no different. Art direction is at its prime best, blended with immensely beautiful cinematography by Sudeep Chatterjee, Padmaavat is a well-deserved visual treat. For those who always say that why don’t Bhansali moves out of the sets, this time he has a loud answer. Some war sequences and few other outdoor shots are mind boggling. Bhansali has definitely made a strong statement that he can unequivocally project the beauty of the nature at its prime best.

Although unlike Bhansali's earlier projects, Padmaavat has lesser number of songs but all of them are well placed just where they were needed in the script. Ek Dil Ek Jaan is the latest romantic anthem and Binte Dil comes out as a surprise element. A. M. Turaz and Siddharth-Garima have penned relatable suitable lyrics for the movie whereas Bhansali's signature sound track is a winner. Kruti Mahesh Midya has choreographed Ghoomer in an amazing way. War sequences are choreographed in a make-believe manner. The ultimate combat sequence between Khiljee & Rajpoot emerged victorious.

Padmaavati stands tall in displaying the grandeur of royal legacy of Rajpoots and it has the stamp of SLB written all over it. Padmaavati is a dream that you never wants to get finished in just above 2 and a half hours. My verdict, this magnum opus is a must watch for all the fans of larger than life cinema.

Husnul Muab Or Concludes... Novel Analysis by Shoby

Husnul Muab Or Concludes... Novel Analysis by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

By Al-Asr. Indeed, mankind is in loss. Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience. (Sura Al-Asr)

And I say, we the human creed is seriously in loss. Do you know why, because either many of us do not Believe and for many others in case we believe, we don't believe it wholeheartedly on embracing truth & patience, leave aside the aspect of advising it to others.

Husnu Muaab Or, a Saira Raza novel gained my attraction initially just because of its very unique title. And when I started reading the pilot episode, it instantly took me into a trance as I fastened my seat belts & got ready to read a magnum of treat in the form of this written endeavour. To me, this thirteen episodic novel is more of a spiritual endowment theory than a mere social assignment.

To give you the gist of the story, it primarily revolves around the lives of our protagonists Husnul Muab and Musa B. It is about how their fortunes unites & apart them with certain tricks & twists along while battling out with the stories of many other characters who contribute to make the mega plot. As per my habit, I obviously am not going to tell you the story, as I want you to experience the thrill by reading it yourself. :-) 

First of all let us examine the most important characters of the novel. Although it had a plethora of characters but all of them are well justified considering the canvas of the subject matter. Starting with Musa B (aka Sami Uddin), he is the heart of the story. An international signing sensation, a rockstar, heartthrob of thousands of fans, a style icon who unfortunately started the very first day of his life with a regret of having (self-confessed) worst parents and went on to live each & every day of the remaining life with the same regret. His parents have stories of their own, and although they never tried to justified how they lead their lives but indeed they were not to blamed, in the totally. After all, we as a Muslim believe that every child is born on the phenomenon of Fitrat: state of intrinsic goodness.

Lets now talk about Husnul Muaab, an enthralling combo of beauty & mind. Her brought up was of a highly respected religious family and she had the knowledge in tons of volumes but due to what we may call the rigidness of some of the family member's attitude, she got diverted from the path as she was all set to fly high with new horizons to explore. After all, who cares whats good & bad. What matters the most is the self satisfaction. Manasa Rao says, “A question that always haunts me. Why can’t people just be real? It’s easier being real than pretend being real. Give yourself a chance.”

Sheher'Zaad, an ageing celebrity who needed the support of an established artist (Musa B) to be in the game. Showbiz is said to be a fad event in celeb's lifeline and she was almost out of the game, just when Musa B entered into her life. From nowhere she grew love for Musa B out of this friendship and later on played a vamp and did every written task to separate Musa B & Husnul's pair.

Then comes another very interesting character Mehru (aka Merry), an off spring of a Muslim (by birth) father & a Muslim (converted from Christianity) mother. You noticed, I hereby unintentionally drew a line between the religious school of thought of her parents and this is the same thing which people associated closely to her have done all through her grooming days and this paradox floating around dual gods made her live a confused life which ultimately lead her to bear no religion.

I don't want to make the review more lengthy so I am just cutting of the character anatomy here, however I must mention some other important characters which were pertinent in growing up the story. Khadja, Haleema, Scarlet, Badruddin, Abdul Mubeen, Ram Nath (in a strong cameo) and this list is literally a never ending thing, however not even a single of these characters was placed by the writer in the heart of the plot to make things look exaggerated. 

Coming towards the narrative part of the story, I would give 10 on 10 to Ms. Saira for the utmost perfection in her execution. You may find no or very little loopholes in the script. She was crystal clear about the idea she conceived and she went on to project it quite impressively. The circumstances she built for the pertinent incidents in the story were truly make-belief. Although it was quite evident that Husnul's prayers (to marry Musa B) would be answered positively but I was wondering how will she manage to look it realistic on papers and let me say, she did a very commendable job in this perspective.

Saira presented in front of us diverse atmospheres in the story. From glitz & glamour of entertainment industry to the orthodox religious mentality, from a church attached Christian family to to a balance Islamic following school of thought family, she was spot on in the projection of many different envelops that wrapped up the story nicely.

It would not be false if I say that we, the humans are selfish & above all hypocritical in nature. We assume we are the best and the version of any particular entity we have is the best one available. We overlook the other party's side of the picture and being judgemental, we are always in a hurry to announce someone as doomed.

Let us confess many of us are in the pride of being righteous ones but in fact, it is not true. How can we be a true Muslim, if other Muslims (or even other creations of ALLAH) are not saved from our hands or tongues. People like Mehru & Maria have to go through a tragedy which no one else can understand. They are being stereotyped and we as a society totally disowns them. This whole episode was beautifully materialised by Saira in this novel.

Talking about my favourite scenes, I still cant get over the frame where lost Mus B is finally discovered and then abused by Ram Nath. It brought tears to my eyes literally. Specially these lines:

Us ne kaha, kaisey Muslim ho? Apney NABI (saww) ke barey mein kuch jantey nahi. Mujh se pooch lo kisis bhi devi devta ke barey mein. Tum kaisey Muslim ho. Tumhain k,uch pata hi nahi.

Woh mujh se UN (saww) ke Father (asws) or Mother (sa) ke Naam pooch raha tha. Mujhey nahi maloom they. Main un ke Bachon ke Naam bhi nahi janta tha.

Naam to tumhain bataeney parhey ge... Woh meri charpai ke gird chakar laganey laga.

"Mujhey maloom hi nahi tha. Bohat zor deney per IMAM HUSSAIN (asws) ka Naam bataya to us ne naya sawal ker diya...

Acha to WOHI HUSSAIN (asws) Jis ka tum logon ne pani band ker diya tha... Yaar kaisey log ho tum... Wesey pani kiyo band kiya tha..."

Mujhey jawab nahi aya...

This one specific scene gave me goosebumps. Hats off Saira on penning this one.

Apart from this, music concert scene where Husnul Muab noticed Musa B for the first time was also impressive. Maria's wedding with Fayaz was also a notable scene. Another scene that managed to gain my attention was the rift & fight sequence which took place at Mufti Abdul Rehman's home. When Scarlet & Samiudin goes to meet Musa B and he finally agrees to meet them was emotional at its core.

Saira's research in the subject matter was also very authentic. She properly used Ayat e Mubarka from QURAN PAK & some verses from Bible wherever she found appropriate & necessary. Her dialogues were pitch perfect and went smoothly with the characters for which they were written. One thing I must highlight here that she intentionally avoided the cheesy so-called romanticism in this novel & the dialogues, whereas she was having all the liberty to showcase this in the form of Husnul Muaab and Sheher'Zaad's characters.

The most beautiful part of this story is the way Saira depicted multiple shades of different characters. It is said that every person has more than one personality and he discovers (or presents) his face according to the need of the times. Similarly, all the pertinent characters went through a transformation and Saira was very convincing in this display of transformation. We have seen multiple shades of personalities pertaining to Husnul Muaab, Musa B, Mehru and others in the novel.

I loved the ending parts, where she ended the story with a new ray of hope, a bright light, a new beginning by telling that Husnul Muaab Or is not only the story of Husnul. In fact, Mehru completes the pending phrase. Thankfully, Saira didn't made the finale cheesy by making all love wins. If she would have shown Husnul Muab & Musa B once again united, it would have been a unrealistic & unjustified affair.

On the whole, I would rate this novel as a very good read. The author emerged as victorious in telling what she wanted to tell. Do tell me, how you found Husnul Muaab Or...

PS: Please don't forget to provide your valuable feedback in the below comments section.

Haalim Episode 9 (Nemrah Ahmed)- Review by Shoby

Haalim Episode 9 (Nemrah Ahmed)- Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

Queen Elizabeth II: It doesn't feel right, as Head of State, to do nothing.

Queen Mary: It is exactly right.

Queen Elizabeth II: Is it? But surely doing nothing is no job at all?

Queen Mary: To do nothing is the hardest job of all. And it will take every ounce of energy that you have. To be impartial is not natural, not human. People will always want you to smile or agree or frown. And the minute you do, you will have declared a position. A point of view. And that is the one thing as sovereign that you are not entitled to do. The less you do, the less you say or agree or smile...

Queen Elizabeth II: Or think? Or feel? Or breathe? Or exist?

Queen Mary: The better.

The Crown

First of all let me apologize my dear readers for this long break on Haalim's review. I know, its been too long since we last discussed Haalim and your messages that I received clearly show how much you have missed my reviews. But I promise, I'll do my level best to regularly review Haalim from now onward. Meanwhile, so much has happened in Haalim and I have to bridge up the gap.

So the time travel journey of our Three Musketeers (Fateh, Taliya & Adam) is continued and looks like there is some important stuff to be done here in ancient Malacca. Just to sum up the proceedings in "Jahan Miltey Hain 3 Chaand", let me tell you what actually happened here. 

Ancient Malacca Sultanate is turning into a jungle with no rules at all. New regime is appointing the people of their liking on important administrative positions. At one place, Sultan has appointed Abul Khair as Finance Minister  on the advise of Princess Tasha (Taliya) and Adam bin Muhammad has been appointed as the Official Court Historian by Tasha. So this Adam is the one is going to write the fabricated history of Malacca. Muarikh barey do number log hotey hain. Well, history has numerous examples of these greedy, selfish historians and their bizarre endings.

In Slaves Auction held at Abul Kher's place, Adam & San Bao come shoulder to shoulder to get Fateh and Fateh himself decides to go with San Bao. In short, he has reached his own place of future.

It is now quite evident that San Bao Wang Li (inspired by famous Chinese sailor Zheng He) is not what was written in the history book. He is not a savior. In fact Fateh is the one who looks to be the savior of the slaves. He is going to change the course of history in Malacca Sultanate. And by recognizing the fact , Fateh is somewhat broken.

However, Fateh, being a born leader is showing his true colors here as well. He has always been different from the folk and he is depicting the same in the avatar of the slave. 

Bharosa kero...

Tum Pe...

Nahi... Apney aap pe...

The dialogues penned by Nemrah for Fateh reminds me of classical Braveheart moments, where William Wallace says:

Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM! (Braveheart).

Taliya beautifully persuades Yan-Su-Fu to make a team against Bendahar Raja Murad and within a few informal meetings, they have established quite a nice bond. Dunya mein koi taaluq itna mukhlis or gehra nahi hota jitna un do aurton ka rishta jin ka dushman aik mard ho...

Taliya inspects the treasure room at her father's palace and discovers that her father is involved in Money Laundering. So she is now in search of Raja Murad's off-shore account. On the other hand, Bendahara is quite clear about the fact that Taliya was not the only one who time traveled to Melacca and he is asking her for the others she brought here with herself. Meanwhile king (Sultan Mursal Shah) has proposed Taliya and this move has seemingly not gone well with both Haalims (Taaliya & Fateh).

Beside the ongoing story, this whole episode revolves around two major phenomenon related to governance of a state. Taxation System and Administrative positions in primary institutions of the country. Nemrah gives a thorough explanation regarding how merit-less society ends up in becoming a jungle of sorts. Nemrah is so right in explaining the concept that when a corrupt person heads the crown, the first task he performs is to replace the people placed at important state affairs related departments so that his corruption does not get questioned. By doing so, he saves himself but at the cost of non productive staff that ultimately lands into the term of bad-governance. Dark is the nation and insane the king.

This episode was a nice heavy dose of brief introduction to taxation systems that flows like blood in the arteries of the state. I am not going to elaborate it more as Nemrah has already enlightened us in this regard. However I would definitely want to clear my point by just adding up this.

When a non qualified person is given the task to run anything (e.g.,) regulating finance of a country, or if ruler of a state is a business man by himself, he tries to secure his own wealth by providing undue leverages to the business class by reducing direct taxes and imposing indirect taxes to middle & lower middle class. This further strengthens the impact on inflation. Similarly, in order to cope up with a Federal Budget going deficit and Balance of Payment, they go for circulating debts and foreign debts & aids. Thus forfeiting the sovereignty of the state in the hands of foreign players. So Nemrah is 110% correct in saying that Asal  chor to yeh hukmaran hain jo ghareebon se churatey hain...

Haalim is a dense mystery series and something that really uplifts the whole energy of the story is the conversation that regularly takes place between Taliya & Adam. Nemrah's dialogues for Taliya are pitch perfect and they never fail to bring a smile to the reader's face even in most intense of the situations. Believe it or not we have some very interesting & innovative languages in making. Just like Roman text wali Malay, Urdu & Eng... Perfect Slapstick...

One thing I really like about Nemrah's writing is her focus on the distinctive qualities of the characters which are in limelight. For instance see how perfectly she has made our belief firm on the Authentic Leadership abilities of Fateh. Nemrah has made sure that we must put this thing in our minds that leaders like Fateh don't overlook the hot issue currently being faced at the moment, while looking at the larger picture.

To kiya faisal kiya tum ne...

Mujhey raja ke kamrey ki talashi leney ka mouqa nahi mil saka...

Main wazeer e khazana ki tayunati ka pooch raha hoon.

My most favorite scene in the episode was the Fateh's outburst in Restaurant Jia. The way he exploded whatever was going within himself specially after realizing the truth of San Bao, the rage he evolved was exceptional.

Mera naam Fateh bin Ramzel hai... Mujhey ALLAH ne her tabqey mein se guzaar ke is maqaam tak pohanchaya hai... Mujhey in cheezon se mat darao, jin se Fateh nahi darr sakta... (Hats Off Nemrah)...

Well (Off The Record), in China, tea was also known as Jia and its primary name in ancient Chinese was "tu".

Now coming towards a few shortcomings that made me a bit irritated in the whole series. OK I admit, Haalim is one of its kind experiment in mystery genre as far as Pakistan digest industry is concerned, but still sometimes, the characters in Haalim looks much larger than life (read meta-humans).

I mean, I really cant understand, how on Earth they can always play a super hero card in circumstances that does not assist them in any manner. For instance, how Raja Murad's treasure room was compromised even with the tightest of security being implanted. How, Taliya just banged into the room along with Adam with this much ease. How Fateh treats people including his own master like a president in charge, while he is a slave himself.

OK giving a leverage in above regards, considering Haalim a fictional tale, lets summarize this episode's review, the story in Haalim is moving at a good pace and looks like dreamers are going to get whet they deserve pretty soon. 

Fateh has succeeded in bringing all the slaves at one place (Jia, in the name of free food & drinks) and he has set the stage quite well to start the freedom moment for the slaves. It would be interesting to see how Taliya will cope up the situation she is facing in front of Raja Murad & how would she escape from the wedding proposal of Sultan. And the million dollar question is still here. How Fateh, Taliya & Adam can pave the way back to the future. But they will surely reach the destination because KL is the place where these three moons met for the first time and it will remain the place where the three moons will get together again.

PS: Don't forget to give us your feedback.

The Master Storyteller Season 3- Terms & Conditions

The Master Storyteller Season 3

Terms & Conditions

Us Darr Ka Jogi (Sumaira Hameed)- Fiction Review by Shoby

Us Darr Ka Jogi (Sumaira Hameed)- Fiction Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

Before starting my review, let us take a moment and enjoy few of these couplets from one of my "Taveel Ghazal" from my debut poetry book Main Bekhayali Mein Sang Tere...

بھلا کے روز و شب کے سب جھمیلے
وہ میرے دکھ اٹھانا چاہتی تھی

زمانہ چاہیے تھا اس کو سارا
میری بانہوں میں آنا چاہتی تھی

وہ لمحے جو خموشی کی نزر تھے
وہ ان میں کچھ بتانا چاہتی تھی

اسے میرا جہاں بھی چاہیے تھا
وہ خود بھی کچھ لٹانا چاہتی تھی

حقیقت کیوں کہانی کی طرح ہے
محبت کیوں فسانہ چاہتی تھی

بلا کا جال تھا اس کی نگاہیں
مجھے جن میں پھنسانا چاہتی تھی

وہ پاگل تھی یا پاگل کر گئ ہے
وہ کیوں دل میں سمانا چاہتی تھی

میرے اس دل میں کیونکر بس گئ وہ
جو اک بہتر ٹھکانہ چاہتی تھی

ملن بھی اک ازیت تھا یہاں پر
محبت ہار جانا چاہتی تھی

شہباز علی نقوی

Reason why I quoted my Ghazal is a simple one. The moment I read Us Darr Ka Jogi, I recalled this Ghazal and thought, had this fiction been written prior to my Ghazal by Ms. Sumaira, I would have very conveniently said that the expressions & feel of my this Ghazal is inspired from Sumaira Hameed's Uss Darr Ka Jogi. The resemblance as far as the feelings are concerned are shockingly positive.

Some characters don't need a name. There mere presence in the narrative is more than enough to strengthen the belief that they were here to live a long lasting life in your memories. If you think that gone are the days of that pure innocent love dipped in utmost shyness that used to be a tale of every town, then think again. As I always say, re-visit your premises and you will surely find a real life story which would be a practical representation of what Sumaira Hameed has written. Some where some Ranjha would surely be going crazy for his Heer. (And I am not saying it for those street frenzy, Tere Naam type guys who go crazy for every passing by girl).

Remember Janardhan from Imtiaz Ali's critically acclaimed musical romance Rockstar. The college canteen owner categorically said to him, look if you want to make a real name out of your singing, you need to have a heart break and he went on to search for a love (going wrong) situation which ultimately lead him to be Jordan, the musical icon.

No one and literally no none can deny that youth is the prime time period when every one of us regardless of gender, cast, creed or color blossoms a feel to be loved and loved in a special way. Our Qudoos had the same desire too and he wanted to fell in love with someone who fells in love with him. And that poor rural layman didn't knew that someone has already lost her heart over his simplicity. 

Usey bara intezar tha ke koi us per apni jaan luta de... Koi jogan ho ker usey jogi ker de. And when it was disclosed to him that it has happened, he couldn't sum up courage to face the music and went back to village, only to get some more of the burning.  Hikmat ke chorahon per bhi hijr ke nasoor duhaiyan detey phirtey hain... Idher udher phirtey hain... Phir bhi na rah patey hain na yaar... The reason being her father's known nature. Her father the mean Hakeem saab. You may call him the male version of Miss Havisham (Great Expectations). What happened next, should be read in Us Darr Ka Jogi.

“Ah, clear they see and true they say

That one shall weep, and one shall stray”

Dorothy Parker

Let me confess you get to know if it is a Sumaira Hameed's literature right from the word go. She can trick you with her beginnings. Check the goosebumps moment... Awaz kuch aisi thi ke woh sota hi reh jata to kitna zulm hota... Is per... Us per... Dono per...Beautiful way of expression. Hats Off Ms. Sumaira. Story doesn't conclude here. Sumaira is one of those few genuine artists, who enjoy playing with the fabrics of the words and this fiction is no different. A galaxy of brilliantly executed monologues are here and they work as a treat for those who love to read with supreme pleasure. Aap ka kiya gham hai jee... Jab khud hi batana hota, to yahan kiyo ati???

For Yaaram fans, this time Sumaira has a lot more in the store for you. Many of the phrases were having so much resemblance with Yaaram and they were inviting you to enjoy the proceedings the way we enjoyed Yaaram. Woh janti thi, woh aey ga... Woh janta tha woh jaey ga... Sumaira gives a very sweet taste of first love. See how authentically she portrayed the feel of young lovers. Us ne sir ko utha ker uper dekha... Phir sir ko jhukaana bhool gaya... Kaajal ki jagah aaj ankhon mein surma laga tha or mehboob qadmon mein betha tha...  It was quite amazing to see the paradigm shift in terms of expressions & dialects when Sumaira takes the story from Lahore to the village. Dil per jandri lag gai hai kaka... Khol do ya khulwa do. I just loved this coming of age for main characters. 

I feel this fiction is a very suitable reply for those who were saying that Sumiara can write only dark stories. Although she has already broken this fake myth by delivering some real hilarious (and decent at the same time) comic situations in many of her written pieces but this time she kept her focus on entertainment quotient a bit more. Her primary character (both of our protagonists) show them as jolly good, happy go lucky people and the lively atmosphere was all over the story along with the depiction of intense hard hitting melodramatic romance. Needless to say that Sumaira is a master when it comes to evolve characters.

Another important aspect which should never be ignored is that the story took place in the center of lively city Lahore, yet it had a touch of that particular spiritualism or Sufism in it which is a signature style of Sumaira Hameed's writing. Not only the title had its due share of Sufism (with the word Jogi in it) but also the love of Qadoos & our untitled lady (I would prefer to call her Heer) was more of a spiritual in nature rather than what we experience in this era.

In totality, this is yet another Sumaira Hameed's read with an ocean of expressions, beautifully discovered characters and some heart touching quotations.

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Padmavati (Sanjay Leela Bhansali)- Trailer Review by Shoby

Padmavati (Sanjay Leela Bhansali)- Trailer Review by Shoby

When the name of Sir Sanjay Leela Bhansali appears in front of you, what do you assume. Grandeur in cinema. He has given classics in his carrier including Hum Dil De Chukey Sanam, Devdas, Black, Saawariya and Baajirao Mastani. After a wait of almost two years, the father of cinema is returned to the business with his another period magnum opus titled Padmavati, which is slated to be released on December 1st, 2017. Film stars Deepika Padukone, Shahd Kapoor, Ranveer Singh & Aditi Rao Haidari in lead roles. Music has been composed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali himself, where lyrics are penned by Siddarth & Garima and Background Score is composed by Sanchit Balhara. The trailer of the film has been released a couple of days ago and here is our analysis on the same.

First thing first, this trailer has the same Sanjay Leela Bhansali's signature feel. You will witness the true larger than life canvas in all the frames. From the majestic set design to the noble wardrobe, from slight gestures of Deepika Padukon's standalone sad eyes to the opulent background score, I feel, Sir Sanjay Sir has never gone flat. No compromise has been made over the prestige & grandiosity of the product.

Although all the scenes in the trailer are breathtaking views, a result of stunning cinematography but to me the one where Deepika is shown looking on to the head turban of Shahid while Shahid looking into her eyes is sheer goose bumps. With only two monologues featuring in it, this one is without any doubt one the grandest affairs we have witnessed in history, when it comes to viewing Bollywood films. With Shreya Ghoshal & many other excellent voices behind the mic, the music lovers must be waiting anxiously for the soundtrack of the film, which would be one of its kind for sure. 

With this trailer which itself asking for more, I personally cant wait for its release.

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Daaj (Sumaira Hameed)- Fiction Review by Shoby

Daaj (Sumaira Hameed)- Fiction Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

These violent delights have violent ends

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder

Which, as they kiss, consume

Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare)

Do we ever realize what sort of society we are living in. Love, for which Marianne Williamson said, "An enchanted love, an awakened love, between two people is a blessing on the entire world." Love, which is the base of the humanity. Love, without which no Earth can survive is still considered something taboo. It looks like someone has written over the heart of everyone that hey, don't dare to touch Love, it is not for faint-hearted. Love, that was bestowed to conquer the worlds is now assumed to be prohibited, courtesy our so-called social norms which allow human devastation in large but never are kind enough to make two souls one. And I agree that Albert Einstein was so true in saying that, "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."

Daaj that literally means dowery. Dowry that is considered to be almost a sacred entity for the women attached to it, especially the mothers that prepares the same & the brides. Dowry for which Quintus Horatius aka Horace (Roman Poet) said, "The great virtue of parents is a great dowry." But why to prepare a dowry as no one survives to avail the blessing.. Daaj, jo kisi ko naseeb nahi honey wala tha...

Sumaira Hameed's Daaj is not a story, it is an experience that takes you to the journey to a place in the pre-independence era, where society is plagued with various syndromes. Love is a forbidden act and men have to be the guardian angel, where they have to demolish this evil (read love) and what else could be the easiest way of doing so, other than finishing the prime cause, so in the words of Sumaira Hameed, Zameen apni kokh mein banjar ho chuki thi, jab se is kunwey ki koskh mein kokhey ujarney lagi thi... and there was no stopping for them in this regard.

Time was steadily passing by and every female culprit of the love was subjected in a punishment of throwing into the village well. Guardian angels were happy & proud of their strong valid acts whereas poor mothers were mourning over the loss of their wealth, the daughters. Yaar ki pakhi bani dikhai deney lagi to gaon ke aik aik mard ne kunwey ki rah dekh li or aik aik maa ke dil mein anni gaarni shuru ker di... Read what happens next in the fiction.

I believe Sumaira is at the top of our female leading writers list when it comes to show the actual social ongoing. She never shies in presnting the actual terms that the society uses in the daily speech and it makes her writing look so authentic. Stories like Main Bint e Jameela & now Daaj are evidences that she never goes below the belt but uses the original metaphors that validates the native linguistic approach, prevailing in the society on which her stories are based on.

Although Sumaira has written it as a period story but I feel this very situation still prevails somewhere in the society especially in the ruler areas of Indo-Pak region, where people still fight over the minor disputes of water or cattle. 

I admit that it is a bit difficult for an average reader to connect with these type of stories and they may find it hard to swallow the same because we the people living in a fad world don't know what it tastes to be like one of them. Gaon ki baas mein aurton ki ahen sisakti thi... Mardon ke sang in ke dil kuchaltey they... Un ke lams inhain taar taar kartey they... WHY??? Because, after seeing this serious genocide, they were losing every possible hope of living, till the time arrived when they decided to take revenge. Kunwey ki kanwariyon ke daaj ki tayari unhon ne apni jaano pe khel ke ki thi...

Daaj is a superlative of atrocity & revenge. Good thing is that writer here, has never intended to make a statement out of it and she has left it totally to the readers to be the judge and decide which segment of the society went wrong. Although its haunting but keep a check, somewhere around us, you may still find a place, where objects are all set to seek revenge...

Daaj ke soot kaat'tey kaat'tey, maon ne taatron ki dhaar bhi tez ker li thi...

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Surkh Aandhi (Aymal Raza)- Fiction Review by Shoby

Surkh Aandhi (Aymal Raza)- Fiction Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

“What is it, dear?” asked Sue.

“Six,” said Johnsy, in a voice still lower. “They’re falling faster now. Three days ago there were almost a hundred. It hurt my head to count them. But now it’s easy. There goes another one. There are only five now.”

“Five what, dear? Tell your Sue.”

“Leaves. On the tree. When the last one falls, I must go, too. I’ve known that for three days. Didn’t the doctor tell you?”

The Last Leaf (O Henry)

What makes this world an impossible place to live in? Yes, you guessed it right. It is the wickedness of these dangerous social animals that takes away the peace & prosperity of the planet and in return, gives a devastation that cannot be repaired in any case. In this materialistic world of people filled with severe greed, It is considered as a real taboo to love in its purest form. Hardly we have seen a couple surviving in this selfish arena. Aymal Raza gives us a taste of a handful of different global literature and projects the master plan beautifully to present a heart touching story of a mother whose only daughter Shaano was unluckiest enough to find a path which no one survives in totality. “So it’s true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love.”  E.A. Bucchianeri (Brushstrokes of a Gadfly)

It happens by luck that Shaano dives deeply in the love of Akram who by chance belongs to the clan of enemy. Let me pause you here for a while and share with you one of my most favorite scenes from Sir Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Raam-Leela, which to me suits here the most.

Tu mujh se pyar mat ker lena... Rajjari hoon main... Dusman...

Dusman... Tabhi to ankhen lar rahi thi baar baar

Coming back towards Surkh Aandhi, as the story progresses, you will observe that you are not at all reading a Desi version of Romeo & Juliet. In fact, there is so much more in the heart of the plot to explore. Courtesy, the ever-occurring phenomenon of greed & selfishness, Shaano's brothers were bothered more for her very existence rather than to look upon the act she has committed (i.e. felling in love). The relationship that sprang between Shaano & Akram paved a way for them to make the penultimate decision. After all, it is the Zarr, Zann & Zameen that becomes the seed of the war globally. How karma plays its part and what happens next must be read in this 10 odd page fiction.

I feel Surkh Aandhi is a strong comeback of Aymal Raza. It shows the real power that the writer posses when it comes to producing gem of a product. See how beautifully, she has shown the actual face of our ruler life where people are still living a stone-age life. They still fight ruthless wars over non-issues and women creed for them is just another entity that can be used wherever the utilization is demanded.

It is true that they don't bury the daughters now, but they wait for them to grow up and then kills them even more brutally, as the fate of the female fraternity has not changed after achieving this much so called civilization. Pakkey phal ki rakhwali is ke aghaz se bhi zeyada kerni parti hai... It tells us what the mothers have to go in these ruthless circumstances. Bayahi maa ko phir se kanwari honey jaisi fikrey hi to laga deti hain yeh betiyan....

Apart from the strong subject matter handling, Surkh Aandhi is a treat for those who love to collect quotes from the reads. Aymal surprised after every two or three lines with a spectacular heavy punch line. A couple of my picks are mentioned here:

So jangey haar jaaney jitna matam us ki ankhoin se ayan hota tha...

Kaashi koi qismat ko jaan sakta... Phir na doodh se jalta, na chaj ko phoon marta...

One particular thing that makes the story stand out from the cluster was the symbolical portrayal of subject, that is managed so well by the author. See how smoothly she depicted all the grief & sorrow of the plot symbolically with the condition of the pomegranate tree. Throughout the story, the tree remained a firm source of symbolism. No, its not another The Last Leaf. It is a well orchestrated thought that has a solid reasoning & heavy brainstorming involved in it.

My verdict, Surkh Aandhi is Aymal's genuine take on classics like The Last Leaf and Romeo & Juliet, with a much needed twist in the epicenter of the story. You may argue that there was nothing much new in the proceedings as far as the subject is concerned, however as far as the narrative & storytelling is concerned, to me, Surkh Aandhi emerges as a clear winner.

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Rah Noor Dashauq (Sumaira Hameed)- Novel Review by Shoby

Rah Noor Dashauq (Sumaira Hameed)- Novel Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby)

Disclaimer:

This is the property of critic Shahbaz Ali Naqvi (Shoby) and blog Shobywood. Reproduction of any of its part without written approval of the owner is subject to punishment, as per prevailing law.

Gary Vaynerchuk said, "The chef that grew up with the grandma who cooks tends to always beat the chef that went to the culinary institute. It's in the blood." And our dear poor village girl Deena was the one same being. Rah Noor Dashauq is a success story about how a female village caterer went on to achieve the prime of her triumph with the blessings of ALLAH PAK, courtesy the art of cookery that was bestowed to her. Jaisey maa ko aulaad, kesan ko beej, ankh ko noor, aisey us ne masalon ko naam se nahi, khawaas se jaan liya tha... My regular readers, please don't get bored of my this one sentence. Sumaira Hameed manages well to surprise us all again with a story that is never ever tried earlier in our Urdu digest industry, as she has once again chosen a field of life that has never been explored may be in any mainstream media leave alone digests in Pakistan.

Deena, a village girl who has a passion to take her father's occupation (catering) to the next level by becoming a professional chef starts of her journey by catering in small functions, after demise of her father. Maut ke kaaley namak ne seedhey saadey zaiyqey nigal liye... The novels highlights  all the downs & downs (as she has not tasted even the minimal sugar of ups in the life till the very end) of Deena. It is an interesting tale about how she managed to take admission in a culinary institute and later on got expelled on drugs charges. She didn't lose hopes and started job as a helper of professional chefs but once again got struck badly by the fate. No matter what... Zindagi aap ko medaan mein sab se akhir mein hi le ja ker khara kiyo na ker dey... Kharey ho jaey... Buss girey nahi... Her lose-lose situation continued and she tried to stand up after every damn hit of the luck till the time she gave up. However destiny had some other plans for her and she was born to fly high, as she had a mystery ingredient which other's recipes lack. Sab masaalon mein sab se mehnga... Dunya ke bazaar mein sab se sasta juz... Aansoo... To know, how she managed to step in the game again, read the novel, as I don't want to be spoiler now. KHUDA ke ilawa kon hai, jo lain se pehley dain teh na karey...

Let me tell you, attempting this endeavor in a mainstream commercial digest writing is not an easy task to do and if I say, only Sumaira has the power to take this challenge, it wont be false. I remember, when R Balki announced Cheeni-Kum with a male chef as a protagonist, public & even some critics thrashed the idea but later on, it went on to be a huge success, not only critical but also commercial.

The best thing about this story was Sumaira's research on the subject matter. If you look closely at the things, you will be surprised to see that she had to undergo an extensive research on several entirely different environments. From the desi life of a Punjabi village & the things associated with a traditional caterer (read nayee) to the extra glittering life of a high class culinary institute and then lively atmosphere of central Lahore (Bhaati Gate & adjacent areas) including an old traditional haveli & its 25 odd inhabitant. You will be stunned to read the use of daigs along with the culinary terms she used all through the proceedings that really enhanced the overall taste of the story.  Ten on ten for this. 

This novel is a sparkling star as far as the dialogues are concerned. I don't know, how many times I have literally screamed in joy and vocally said WAH, while reading her dialogues. Barkat asmaan se insano ki niyyat per uterti hai... (Beshak... Subhan ALLAH)...

One thing about  Sumaira Hameed's writing is, she has a natural tendency to align her dialogues with the primary theme of the subject. For instance, here we are reading something based on cookery and Sumaira gives us a delightful aroma of the same in every second or third dialogue. Yahan ke log pather dil hain or main pather ko zaeyqa daar nahi bana sakti... Too good.

As every other struggling star's story, this one was full of pain & grief but Sumaira pulled some excellent slapstick one-liners that forced me to laugh. "Forun le jao per faut ker ke to na le ke jao na..." Her dialogue "Her cheez ki aik qeemat hoti hai... Huner ki bhi..." reminded me of one of the most extensively used dialogue in the series Once Upon A Time, "Every magic comes with a price..."

Sumaira has given all of us a universal lesson. No matter what field we belong to, if we consider ourselves as a true artist, we should always follow this simple & straight rule of thumb. Jean-Louis Barrault (A French Actor/ Director) said, A classic is like a hidden treasure. Its core is buried under so many layers of varnish that it can be reached only by patience and infiltration and in Rah Noor Dashauq Sumaira says, "Jo shakhs ujlat ka shikaar ho... Besabra ho or jaldbaaz ho.. Woh koi takhleeq kesey ker sakta hai...". True indeed.

Overall, this novel is a beautiful take on a wannabe chef's life including all the professional jealousy that a naturally talented person has to face in this world of fake & fad. It enlightens us with her struggle to make a carrier out of dust with a pertinent message written all over it. Takhleeq kisi bhi sinf ki ho, shafaaf dil per uterti hai... Kamiyabi kisi bhi darjety ki ho, musalsal jadojehad se milti hai...

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Faisla (Episode 1)- TV Show Review by Shoby

Faisla (Episode 1)- TV Show Review by Shahbaz Ali Naqvi

When trust is broken, the relationship fails to prevail. Faisla, the debut written TV serial of Aymal Raza kicked off last week on ARY Digital with a double episode. In this inaugural episode of Faisla, the whole focus was on the character of Maryam (Sonia Mishal), who is shown truly madly deeply in love with her husband Umair (Ali Abbas) and how their love marriage concludes in a devastating manner in the form of a divorce, courtesy Umair's extra marital relationship with another girl. It was also told in the script that all this was a by-product of Maryam's nature where she was always in doubt with respect to Umair's behavior. Meanwhile we are also introduced with Asad's  (Gohar Mumtaz) love for Maryam who belongs to relatively lower class as compared to rich birds Umair & Maryam.

So considering it as a introductory episode of the play, let me tell you that the serial was much successful in building a strong premise for the story. Seems like Asad will be able to turn the table in his favor, considering Maryam is now divorced. In the acting department, Sonia has done a fabulous job. Right from the first frame, where she was shown cutting (read destroying) her wedding anniversary's cake to the scene where Umair gives her the divorces, she was at her very best in almost every scene. The best thing about this acting was, her being natural. Ali Abbas & Gohar were good in bits. I like Ali's conversation with his mother post divorce. Waseem Abbas & Saba Hameed are seasoned actors and they have surely implanted a positive energy through their acting prowess.

Coming towards the story, it was a signature start of Aymal. We all know, whenever she writes episodic, the first episode starts & ends like this very way. She shows her characters in agony & pain and then eventually re-evolves her characters and bring them back to life. Maryam is presented in the same affliction which we are used to of observing in Aymal's characters (Nigaar in Piyaal Saaz & Bianca in Taveez e Hubb).

Aymal tried to keep the things simple & self explainatory in the innaugural episode. She never looked in a hurry to tell what she was up to. Dialogues were natural and much related to our daily routine life. I expect some solid punches in upcoming episodes from Aymal, the type of dialogues she is famous for. However we have seen a glimpse of it in, Maaon ko weham nahi, ilhaam hotey hain...

Aymal is famous for giving unorthodox titles to her writings. This time, we have seen rather a traditional one (i.e. faisla). I feel, may be this is so, because the word Faisla (decission) is going to be the key factor in the script. But as a regular reader of her, somewhere in my mind, I was perhaps looking forward for something more out of the box.

One thing is for sure that Aymal is going to show us the glimpses from the past in flashbacks and in this regard, we shall get to see the warm romantic side of the story. We all know, Aymal is at her prime best in writing both the feelingsof pain & romance. People still cherish the exceptional conversations which took place between Basil and Zimel in Piyaal Saaz.

Upcoming episodes will unfold the story more. Leaving you with two questions to answer. What will Umair do now, after divorcing Maryam and how will Maryam reacts over the same, once the things move further.