KARACHI:
With each passing year, Pakistan brings countless surprises, and revelations which not only impact upcoming trends but cause a stir to questioning the sanity and logic of people within the entertainment industry.
2014 was full of such instances from news about a potential Junoon reunion to reports that Saad Haroon finished as runner-up in the first ever Laugh Factory Funniest Person in the World Competition. This year comprised of a lot.
This year saw several Pakistani actors make their Bollywood debuts with Fawad Khan being the lone one able to hold his own in his first Indian outing. Imran Abbas and Humaima Malick, however, did not deliver much to brag about, especially with their weak performances and the low box office collections of their movies.
With 2015 ready to be braced, it’s time to start looking forward to the New Year with the hope that our celebrities and members of the local industry learn from the mistakes made in 2014. We anticipate that the New Year brings more game-changing moments that elevate the status of our entertainment industry. Here are some of the most unforgettable moments of the year gone by.
Game changers
Saad Haroon
For a person who has been performing stand-up comedy in Pakistan for more than a decade and that too in English, Saad Haroon deserves an award. The comedian secured second position in the first ever Laugh Factory Funniest Person in the World competition. Haroon is known as the creator of the comedy troupes Blackfish and Shark and also as the brains behind the English comedy sketch show The Real News.
Na Maloom Afraad
For a film made on a budget of under Rs3 crores, Na Maloom Afraad raked in Rs13 crore. The film proved that if a movie is made with a proper business plan and framework it can prove to be a commercially successful venture. Additionaly audiences would pay to enjoy a film that provides wholesome entertainment.
Tehzeeb Foundation of Pakistan
At a time when Pakistani music is in a downward spiral, efforts of the Tehzeeb Foundation of Pakistan should not go unnoticed. Tehzeeb Foundation is working for advancement and promotion of music, literature and fine arts (including Muslim Arts) in Pakistan. A feat worth lauding was that the Tehzeeb Foundation’s music compilation Indus Raag: Beyond Borders has was long listed in the Best World Music Album category at the 2015 Grammy Awards.
Cinestar IMAX
This was the year that finally saw the launch of an IMAX theatre in Pakistan with CineStar in Lahore having the honour of becoming the first cinema to do so with the Transformers: Age of Extinction. Hopefully 2015 will see many more cinemas follow the suit in other cities. Cinestar Cinema has currently single largest screen in Pakistan and has also acquired exclusive rights for IMAX theatres across the country.
Fawad Khan
The Humsafar actor multiplied his fan following with his Bollywood debut in the film Khoobsurat opposite Bollywood actor, Sonam Kapoor. Not only did he made a major impact on the silver screen but also on the television sets as well with Humsafar being broadcasted in India for the very first time. The actor is all set to appear in another Bollywood with the same Khoobsurat team.
Grease
Nida Butt’s musical Grease despite receiving mixed reviews became the first licensed play to be ever performed in Pakistan. It was nice to see Pakistani theatre developing by acquiring theatre rights to a show as phenomenal and global as Grease. Speaking to The Express Tribune earlier in the year, Nida Butt said that it took her quite a while to contact the right people to acquire the rights to the musical.
Zindagi TV
Despite having such a huge soap opera industry, Indian audiences seem to be falling in love with Pakistani dramas courtesy the efforts of Zee Zindagi, an Indian channel dedicated to airing only Pakistani dramas. TV serials like Humsafar and enjoyed success in India as well after having been equally well received in Pakistan.
Amir Zaki’s return
Though he keeps on performing at places like the MAD school it was a great gesture on part of Strings to invite the guitar maestro to be a part of the latest edition of Coke Studio. Especially after his earlier friction with Rohail Hyatt who rejected him after calling him for an audition. Not only was his appearance one of the highlights of the show but was also a reminder that Coke Studio still remains one of the best platforms to honour the greats of Pakistani music.
DJ Butt
He is the one and only person who provided the music to Imran Khan’s anthem of Inquilaab and Tabdeeli. The man who was bequeathed the title of “official sound designer” for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). The DJ has had his own run-ins with the law as he was arrested on the charges of inciting violence in the city of Islamabad only to be released later.
Maheen Khan
She set the runway ablaze in the FPW’14 grand finale. Khan’s collection titled ‘To Karachi with love’ featured pieces made of fabrics, such as organza, silk and velvet dominated by bold shades of black, gold and red. The line showcased sweeping cocktail dresses, skirts and capes and set new trends for the winter season. What stole our hearts was the tomato-red silk ensemble with a loose turtle neck which was a total knockout.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2015.
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