Category: Entertainment

Lahore (Qasim Ali) Glowing tributes were paid on Monday to theatre icon Madeeha Gauhar on her 4th death anniversary at Ajoka Office Lahore. The event was organised by Ajoka Theatre and attended by Ajoka members, Madeeha’s family and friends of Madeeha .

Those who spoke in the occasion included Asim Bukhari, Professor Shaista Siraj ud din, writer Neelam Ahmad Bashir, Ajoka Chair Zara Salman, Chinese theatre Scholar Yu Hao Hara,  Madeeha’s son and head of Ajoka Institute Nirvaan Nadeem, actor Usman Zia and Ajoka General Secretary Sohail Warraich. Young Ajoka members who spoke included Aisha Khan, Usra Irfan and Umar Bhatti.“ Madeeha’s husband Shahid Nadeem while welcoming the participants , shared his memories and talked about her undying passion for theatre .”

Musical tributes were paid by Naseem Abbas, Usman Raj and Kanwal Christopher. Dancer Luke Kelvin presented a beautifully choreographed dance tribute.

Lahore (Nut Desk)

Pakistani social media star turned drama star Momin Saqib joined TikTok in a style by mimicking Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan (SRK) dialogue.

Momin who got famous when his video following the defeat in the semi-final of T20 World Cup 2021 went viral, gained 33,000 followers, 180,000 likes and nearly three million views on his first five posted videos.

In a video where he informed his fans that he is now on TikTok also expressed his affection for TikTok through the famous SRK dialogue with the background music of his famous film. He said, “Aa gaya hoon, aa gaya hoon TikTok par. Subha uthta hoon to TikTok, sham ko sota hoon to videos lagata hoon’.

He thanked all the fans for loving him on other platforms by saying, “Tum logon ne mujhse bohat pyar kiya hay, har jaga bohat pyar dia hay.”

https://www.tiktok.com/@mominsaqib/video/7087233224660749595

The comedian has a verified account with the title “Momin Saqib” under the username @mominsaqib. In his bio he says, “The ‘Maro Mujhe Maro’ guy. Actor. Educationalist.”

In another video he showed his routine of the Ramadan and how he have his sehri. He is seen lying down on sofa, when his mother comes to wake him up, gives him food and water in a hurry. He captioned the video, ‘After a long day, my Sehri be like. What about you? Tag your friends and siblings.’

https://www.tiktok.com/@mominsaqib/video/7086933150181412122

With his every video full of humor one can expect entertaining short videos on his account. He is one of many celebrities and athletes to join the video-sharing app as the platform continues to gain popularity in Pakistan.

 

 

Lahore (Nut Desk)

Gulabo Rani- a short film directed by Usman Mukhtar and produced by MeirajHaq and Usman Mukhtar under their new production house Eastern terrestrial Studios is all set to release.

The two friends have added a new platform in the form of their production house,EtStudios that will change the future for talents and actors across the country giving them  this golden opportunity to come out and prove them selves.And the main aim of this production house is to focus on those who otherwise do not get a chance to showcase their talents elsewhere.

Usman and Meiraj both dropped the teaser poster of Gulabo Rani on their Instagram that caused great excitement and suspense amongst their friends and fans and it seems like everyone is waiting for the final drop of the short film with much anticipation and enthusiasm.

Starring UsamaJavedHaider,MeirajHaq,DanialAfzal,OmarAbdullah,NatashaEjaz and Khushal Khan Gulabo Rani is directed by our very own ace actor turned director and producer Usman Mukhtar and produced by MeirajHaq. And written by Ali Mudar.

A very strong team with even a stronger vision is about to give something to our viewers that has never been seen before.

Spotify celebrates the spirit of Ramadan with a special EQUAL Pakistan edition and a Ramadan Destination

Mehak Ali, welcomes Ramadan with “Saleh Ala Nabi Yena” and becomes EQUAL Pakistan Ambassador of the Month

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) As the Muslim community in Pakistan and around the world embraces Ramadan – a time for reflection, giving and togetherness – Spotify celebrates the essence of the Holy Month through audio and announces its Ramadan edition of EQUAL, revealing Mehak Ali as its EQUAL Ambassador for April. Additionally, Spotify has updated its Ramadan Destination for Pakistani listeners, curated for every Ramadan moment. 

EQUAL Pakistan Ambassador of the month 

As part of the EQUAL Pakistan Music Program, Mehak Ali joins as the Ambassador for April. From her debut in Bollywood with the song “Baab-e-Rahmat” in 2017, Mehak is the first Pakistani to be nominated for Mirchi Music Awards for the hit’s lyrical composition.

Marking the arrival of Ramadan, Mehak Ali has released a soul-soothing praise Kalam, “Saleh Ala Nabi Yena“, showcasing the religio-cultural significance of the Holy Month and the devotion and compassion the Muslim community has for the Holy Prophet. The Kalam can be listened to on Spotify’s EQUAL Pakistan playlist, where Mehak is on its cover.  

As the EQUAL Pakistan Ambassador, Mehak Ali will be receiving organic and on-platform promotion across Spotify’s editorial and social spaces. This model has proven effective in propelling significant growth on the platform in both the artists’ home countries and beyond. Mehak will also be featured on Spotify’s digital billboard in Times Square later this month as Spotify continues to turn up the volume on local women creators. 

“It is an honor to be selected as an Ambassador for EQUAL Pakistan especially in a month as auspicious as Ramadan. This is an opportunity not just for me as a woman to inspire women in the country but provide listeners with a beautiful track for this Holy Month,” said Mehak Ali

“It gives me great pleasure to be a part of this initiative that elevates women’s voices in society. It is amazing to witness how a brand like Spotify creates a 360 experience that embodies a sense of aspiration for a segment of society, i.e., women who have relatively fewer resources to showcase their talent, especially in fields like music.” 

Spotify’s Ramadan Destination 

Audio and spirituality are intricately connected to provide inspiration, an outlet for expression, or create the right atmosphere for prayer and contemplation. Every year, Spotify updates its Ramadan Destination, which features a wide variety of spiritual songs, Qawwalis, Recitations, Hamd-o-Naat, and more. 

Last Ramadan, Spotify saw an 80% increase in streams from Pakistan for nasheeds (Islamic devotional songs or spiritual hymns) during April than the previous month. Based on streams in March 2022, nasheed consumption should also continue to rise this year.

When it comes to how Pakistani listeners define Ramadan, it is clear from their user-generated playlists on Spotify that Naat and the Quran are critical components of their spiritual journey. The data also revealed that Hamd-o-Naat was one of the most popular playlists in Pakistan last year, proving the significance of Naat throughout the Holy Month. In addition, Ramadan Spirit, a collection of popular spiritual songs sung by some leading nasheed artists, including Maher Zain and Sami Yusuf, is another popular playlist for Pakistani listeners during Ramadan.

In case you’re looking for more Ramadan playlists to listen to, here are a few recommendations from Spotify’s editors in Pakistan:

1. South Asian Sufi
2. Salam
3. Layali Ramadan
4. Stargazer
5. Hamd-o-Naat

 

 

 

Lahore (Nut Desk)

Zindagi celebrates Saba Qamar’s birthday; releases ‘AjjLagiya Yeh Pata’ music video from her latest show Mrs. & Mr. Shameem

Watch the OST here: https://youtu.be/SULYCCX3TW0

Pakistan: Loved and appreciated by fans from across the border, Zindagi’sMrs.& Mr. Shameem has been the talk of the town for its unique storyline. Starring Saba Qamar and Naumaan Ijaz in the lead, the show launched recently on ZEE5. On the occasion of Mrs. Shameem aka Saba’s birthday Zindagi has released the music video of its OST ‘AjjLagiya Yeh Pata’.

Composed by Sami Khan and sung by Fariha Pervez, the song hits all the right chords with its soothing melody and meaningful lyrics. It perfectly captures the pain and heartbreak suffered by Umaina and Shameem.

Taking to Instagram Saba Qamar said,“There are moments when reality hits you, and what better way to put that feeling into words, with this song. A perfect song that captures true emotions of Umaina. What a beautiful birthday present”

Produced by Kashif Nisar and Misbah Shafique, Mrs. & Mr. Shameem is a distinctive love story of a pure bond graduating from friendship to growing old together and everything in between.

A Zindagi original, Mrs. & Mr. Shameem is available exclusively on ZEE5.

Lahore (Nut Desk)

After months of anticipation and amazing musical talents pouring in from all over Pakistan, three music geniuses have won the hearts of Pakistan to become the winners of Bajao Pakistan’s online music competition, Nayi Awaaz.

The moment that everyone has been waiting for! The three winners who have made it to the top of Nayi Awaaz:  3rd Position goes to Danish Butt (winning a cash prize of 2 lakhs) ,  2^nd position is a tie between Sameen Khawaja and Zaira Ali (winning a cash prize of 4 lakhs each), and the winner of the competition is *drumroll* Noman Al Sheikh (winner a grand cash prize of 5 lakhs and a song produced by a leading music producer).

Congratulations to all the winners and we wish them the very best of luck for the future!

The team behind Bajao.pk, one of Pakistan’s leading music streaming platforms, devised an ingenious plan to promote and bring forward the hidden talent of Pakistan. Nayi Awaaz, the biggest and one of its kind online singing competition was launched with full hype and vigor on January 26^th through Bajao Music’s social media handles including Facebook, Instagram and the Bajao Music App.  The celebrities onboarded included the most popular names from the music industry: Yashal Shahid, Abdullah Qureshi, Umair Jaswal and Bilal Khan.

Not only was the scale of the competition huge, but also the prizes that were announced for the top 3 positions were amazing. Major cash prizes for top 3 as well as the chance to work with one of the leading music producer (for 1^st position) gave the contestants something to look forward and added to their incentive to come out as the best of the best in Pakistan!

After the competition was declared open, Bajao Music received an overwhelming response with 1000+ entries from aspiring singers from all over Pakistan. With so much talent and such strong vocals, the judges had a tough time shortlisting winners for the next round. Public voting was also given heavy weightage in the assessment process.

Nayi Awaaz received a lot of love from the people of Pakistan and massive attention from media.

Nayi Awaaz was based on 3 rounds, providing exemplary opportunities to underground singers to showcase their talent and become the next voice of Pakistan. From the 1000+ entries, 125 contestants were shortlisted and entered the 1^st Round; 25 winners of this round qualified for 2^nd round; and then 10 lucky winners made it through the 2^nd round. After this, the 3^rd and final round took place and 3 winners were selected. While the 1^st round was based on cover songs and could only be judged on voice quality and performance, Round 2 and 3 had a twist! The finalists for these rounds were given three interesting hashtags to choose from and then this hashtag had to be included in their original songs.

Nayi Awaaz was not just another competition. It was a designed to be a musical journey for the singers, from developing voice quality to using their creative juices to produce music that brings out their personalities.

We look forward to many more musical events from Bajao Music. If you haven’t already, do download the Bajao Music App, and listen to the music that has won the hearts in this Nayii Awaaz competition!!!

Lahore (Nut Desk)

See Prime strikes again with yet another short-film in the making. Yaariyan, a film by Danish Behlm and executively produced by Seemen Naveed is all set to be released.

Yaariyan starring Zuhab Khan, Malaika Riaz, Mustafa Baloch, Zeerak Khan and Babar Ali all play as best friends upto some mischief.

When four best friends are out at a dhaba, one of them decides to leave before  paying the bill and excuses himself saying he has some important work.

This is when the other three cook up a plan and decide on a way where the friend can pay back for not paying the bill.

So the three best friends now decide to meet up all over again along with Aliyaan. And right when his phone beeps and a message arrives the boys ask him whose message that was?And clearly it turned out to be a girl wearing a Niqaab who he had to meet up for lunch at a fancy place.

Now this is where the plan starts getting into action. Right when he goes to meet the girl we all know who must have been behind the Niqab! The three friends succeeded in tricking their friend and making him pay for that day!

A story filled with laughter and pranks. A story that will uplift our moods and lighten the vibe.

 

Lahore (Nut Desk)

Nida Hussain fills our ears with her melodious track Tu Hi Chahiye featuring Model Town and starring Sadaf Kanwal and Azfar Rehman and a special appearance by Hira Faisal.

“Tu Hi Chahiye” evolves into a love story that unfolds in three acts as we witness three songs in one.

Directed and produced by Rameez Anwar and written by Asim Raza this song take you on a mesmerising journey filled with love and hope.

Nida Hussain’s vocals add a whole new level of melody and charm to the song audio and video. Her charisma and persona makes the song hit the right beats.

The video also has a very serene and soothing vibe to it. The outdoors and the naturistic views go so well with the song and its vibe.

“I had a wonderful time recording and then shooting this song.It definitely is very close to my heart and the team that I worked with was also phenomenal and helped me make this dream come true” added Nida.

The song is available on all digital platforms and it is a must have on the playlists.

You can watch the full music video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0ottShnLGA

Lahore (Nut Desk)

Continuing with its legacy to redefine the way short video sharing platforms operate, Likee, one of the country’s leading social media apps, has partnered with Stardreams Global Entertainment for the promotion of female musicians in Pakistan. Likee has signed up as the official partner for DIVA Pakistan, the first-ever musical program dedicated to females providing the unsung voices in the country, a stage to showcase their talents to the world. Season 1 of DIVA Pakistan will launch in Summer 2022 and will contain 8 tracks from emerging vocalists across the nation.

Women are rapidly rising through the ranks in society and redefining a lot of domains be it in the corporate circle or the entertainment industry. Social media and short video sharing platforms in particular are providing them with an extensive opportunity today, to promote their talents that would otherwise remain hidden for the lack of relevant resources. Through its partnership with DIVA Pakistan, Likee will empower budding female musicians from all over Pakistan to have the spotlight they deserve and make a better living amid the COVID-19 pandemic. DIVA Pakistan will have official handles on the Likee app while a 7-day promotion will also run on the feature page, in-app to give relevant exposure to the musicians and the event. The 8 tracks being released in Season 1 will be around 15 minutes each with a 5-6-minute background story of the singer followed by the original solo track.

Commenting on the development, Likee Representative stated: “At Likee, we’ve always focused on creating unique opportunities and innovative avenues for hidden talents to emerge. From comedy to drama and now music, we are revolutionizing various segments to level the playing field for the masses no matter what background or area they belong to. We are delighted for this partnership with DIVA Pakistan, an event that is the first of its kind in the country and hope that it will open more paths for women to grow and highlight their talents.”

Usman Yusuf, CEO of Stardreamz Global Entertainment said,“My purpose oflaunching Diva Pakistan is to create a platform which can assist upcoming female vocalists, showcase their talents to a global audience. Likee as one of the leading short video platforms is doing interesting work in Pakistan and we see the importance as well so we are truly excited for this collaboration.”

Likee has emerged as one of the most popular short video sharing platforms in Pakistan within a short time span. The application is reforming many of the industries for youth in the country.