In Pakistan you don’t need money. You don’t need good looks. You certainly don’t need to work. You just need one phrase. That’s it just one. One phrase and all doors are majestically and mysteriously opened with the meanest, vilest and most dangerous of men succumbing in fear to your presence. For any would-be travelers to Pakistan (this is a rhetorical scenario) I can let you in on the secret. All you need to say is:

 Tumhay pata hai mera baap kon hai? (Do you know who my father is?).

Tumhay pata hai mera baap kon hai?

There was a time when an action sequence was all that was needed to capture the audience. Vengeance and thrill always succeeded at the box office. Add a little romance to the story, and you were sure to have yourself an award winner. Now, however, modern audiences have grown tired of the same old stories. Movies today have different plots, a lot of which address social issues and real life concerns. These would previously have been condemned by people at large which is why taking them to the big screen was never an option. Interestingly enough, the audience of the 21^st century is more accepting and more willing to appreciate real life issues depicted on a big screen. The movie, Bol, for example, tackled the issue of family planning - a real problem plaguing Pakistani society, but one which we had shied away from and not given any real attention to. Thought-provoking cinema is not just appreciated but encouraged these days and the movie Vicky Donor illustrates this well as it is interesting with a controversial spin to it. Vicky Donor is the story of a Punjabi boy named Vicky Arora (Ayushmann Khurrana) who encounters a not-so-successful, middle aged doctor called Dr Baldev Chadda (Annu Kapoor), who runs a fertility clinic and is actively looking for a sperm donor. Dr Chadda eventually brings Vicky in to donate sperm on the premise that his great grandfather had 19 children. This is the story of Vicky’s balancing act with a Bengali girl, Ashima Roy (Yami Gautam), who he is in love with. It is about their trust and understanding alongside him becoming the biggest sperm donor at the fertility clinic. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jme-VkIzkoU&feature=fvwrel%22%3EVicky]] Dr Chadda convinces Vicky to donate his sperm so that he can give happiness to those parents who are not blessed with children of their own. For this, he quotes some factual yet hilarious examples to Vicky, from Mahabharat's time. The sequences between Dr Chadda and Vicky are hilarious and here Kapoor, being a veteran actor, definitely deserves the credit. I must say, that it is not easy to share the screen with an established actor like Annu Kapoor who doesn’t need a supporting cast to entertain the crowd. Ayushmann Khurrana, however, makes his own presence felt and noticed in just the right way. The two actors greatly compliment each other in almost every scene, be it dramatic or funny. Those who know the roles portrayed by Kapoor in his career will agree that he has a calibre that is not shared by many actors. Be it his Gali Gali Chor Hai or 7 Khoon Maaf, this actor is a genius. For those who are in any doubt, I recommend that you watch Ek Ruka Hua Faisla where a 21-year-old Kapoor portrays a 59-year-old lawyer. Ayushmann is also full of surprises. Performing a diverse role, he switches from easy going to smart-aleck to hilarious, pleasantly surprising the audience and finally astonishing them with his climax performance. This actor knows how to command attention with the riveting way in which he delivers. Yami Gautam is a well known name on Indian TV channels, but her debut in this movie is sure to leave many smitten by her charm and charisma. She does not have an oh-so-sexy role but even so, I am sure that many will smile after watching her and observing her simplicity. She can go a long way provided she chooses the right roles. On the whole, John Abraham has managed to produce a great piece of funny and witty cinema. The movie has a fresh and interesting plot; if we can save a dying man by donating our blood, why can't we grant our sperm to enable someone to have a baby? The positives about this movie are that it is contemporary, humorous and showcases some great performances. The only drawback, as far as I can see, is that it lacks star power, which these days is crucial for many movie-goers. The music is average, dialogues are hilarious and direction is promising. I would personally rate the movie a 7/10. It is definitely a good watch!

In the past 10 days, my thoughts were floating just like my wafting expressions in the year 1956. It was the year when the world saw the first hint of amusement in my words. No! I was not a madman running on the streets of Karachi but the famous “Lehri”. Those were the golden days of my life and also of the Pakistani industry, but today I lay quiet at my final resting place. There were days when I was the king of comedy ─ a king who was not entertained but was a source of entertainment. I did not have a brigade of ‘darbaris’ who would sing for me the moment I clapped, but it was me who was given a standing ovation for the words I uttered. For thirty years, I enjoyed the fame and fortune from the seed of comedy that I planted in the Pakistani film industry. I served and ploughed the ‘filmi duniya’ with my great sense of humour. The silver screen brought tears of joys and happiness in the eyes of the viewers. Lying on bed for days brings back those memorable moments back to life. The time that is dear to me is now just a fading history. Friends come and go, seeing me in apathy, but that is what I was destined for. Had I not been a part of a disloyal nation, I would have enjoyed more care, love and respect when I needed it the most. I am not being a nitpicker but merely expecting too much from the last days of my life. Year after year had I not received awards, I would have not  raised the bar of my expectations. Not only did I make people laugh but also made them hate me for some of my acts, but that was only limited to the cinema. Was my comic talent and constantly bringing a smile on people's faces for thirty years, not enough for them to love me till my last breath? Months passed; I lay on bed in a private hospital helplessly looking at my surroundings. I had been waiting for these days to end ─ an end to the pain that I have been suffering from. I don’t know if it is more of a physical pain or an emotional turmoil that I had been through. On September 13, 2012, I gave my last performance ─  not on screen but on the stage of life. On Thursday, I said my goodbyes to the film industry and the world. There will be no more “Lehri” who will spread smiles, however, his memory will stay forever; the legendary veteran comedian will continue his journey… Follow Tabassum on Twitter @tabassumkhot Join us on Facebook for blog updates and more!

A blog in The Express Tribune written by Ayesha Asghar (@ashsultana on Twitter) argues that Ali Gul Pir's video Taroo Maroo, about the Pakistani man's vulgar habit of staring at anyone and everyone, anything and everything in a way that makes you feel as though he’s just raped you with his eyes, promotes paedophilia. The few seconds of the video in question show Ali Gul Pir’s “maila” bragging how he’ll stare at a goat, a job, a car, a building - and a bachi. The Urdu word for bachi literally means little girl, but in slang, it also means a young woman or a girlfriend. In the video, the moment Pir says “Bachi bhi taroonga” the camera cuts to a small girl staring blankly up at the camera. Asghar argues that when dealing with issues of child sexual abuse, utmost care should be taken to portray those issues with sensitivity and awareness. She says that by including the image of the young girl and pairing it with the activity of staring, Ali Gul Pir is tacitly approving paedophilia. She also writes that the message of the video would have been just as effective without the image of the child included. The comments responding to the blog argue that the video is meant to actually highlight this uncouth behaviour in our society and mock it with satire. They also note that nobody complained when Ali Gul Pir’s previous video “Waderai Ka Beta” showed the useless activities of the feudal class; it was understood the video was social satire, not approval of those activities. Is Ali Gul Pir going too far with the imagery in “Taroo Maroo”? Ayesha Asghar thinks that he is. Because so many people idolise him (I’m not sure that’s really true, but we’ll go with it), they might think to emulate his behaviour in the video, she argues. And she says that joking about staring at children does much to desensitise the population to the issue of child sexual abuse. I’ve seen the video and I have a hard time thinking of it as anything other than satire. Anyone who thinks it is an instructional video on how to go around staring at people is taking it at a very literal level. Anyone who becomes uncomfortable with the visual of the child being stared at is being forced to confront the lack of boundaries we have in our society when it comes to permissible behaviour. I’m not sure how many people will watch this video and take up the past-time of staring for no good reason at goats, dogs, buildings, or jobs. If anything, they would probably check themselves (for a little while, at least) to make sure that they weren’t staring inappropriately at anything, until they forget about the video and go back to their normal habits of intense visual examination of both animate and inanimate objects. Again, I don’t remember droves of people suddenly deciding they wanted to be feudal after the success of “Waderai Ka Beta”. As for desensitising people to the issue of child abuse, or making them think that it’s acceptable to laugh about the issue, this is based on the assumption that the video is implying the starer is about to sexually abuse the little girl in question – a false assumption, in my opinion. We’re unsure with what intent the starer is staring at the child; idle curiosity, boredom, or criminal intent? It’s my guess that Ali Gul Pir attempted to make a humorous, entertaining video about rudeness and civilised behaviour, not a public service announcement about the dangers of child molesters. On the other hand, I am reminded of how in the past I have objected to the use of the word “bachi” as a signifier of a sexually attractive girl or woman for much the same reason as Ayesha Asghar outlines in her blog; it blurs the lines between pre-pubescent girls, teenagers, and grown women. But I was told very firmly that there was no harm in it; that it was the same thing as people calling their loved ones “baby”, and that I shouldn’t be so “uptight” or “westernised” in my outlook. What Ali Gul Pir’s video does is make a clever play on the word “bachi” and pair its literal meaning visually with its slang meaning aurally. This results in the cognitive dissonance that we experience when we see the video and listen to the song; we know that a little girl is off-limits sexually but we’re hearing a slang term that many of today’s youth think is acceptable to use. It makes for a very uncomfortable experience as we’re forced to rethink a concept we’ve already deemed “safe”. There is resistance to it, and a certain amount of shame or horror as we realise what we’ve allowed ourselves to do; unwittingly imply that a small girl is fair game. This is where the slippery slope towards paedophilia starts; paedophiles impart sexuality to a child that is not physically, emotionally or mentally mature enough for sexual activity. I’m not sure if Ali Gul Pir knew what he was doing, but it’s important that he did it, if it makes us have this conversation. This post originally appeared here. Read more by Bina here or follow her on Twitter @BinaShah

They say good laughter is a form of internal jogging, so when was the last time you laughed out really hard? You know, the uncontrollable, hearty kind of laughter that leaves you appreciating the object that triggered it? Yup, that kind. I laugh out loud every time I watch ARY Digital's drama serial Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah. Though many people I know are quite skeptical about the authentic humour it contains, I admire it for the realistic portrayal of events that the socio-economically lower class witness in their everyday lives. Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah is a comedy drama serial which aired for the first time in 2012, on ARY Digital. Just after its first premier, it became an enormous success among those who turn on their televisions for light-hearted dosage of laughter. There are multiple reasons behind the massive success of this serial: An inimitable story line: This drama serial has a unique story line which is entirely different from what we usually see in Pakistani dramas. It is written as a follow-up series to the popular telefilms by Fasih Bari Khan; he usually manages to write stories really well. Plot outline: The drama serial is based on a story of two families that share a house; one family resides on the ground floor, while the other one lives upstairs. The landlord is Aleemuddin, who lives upstairs with his family. His family comprises his wife Nanhi, a divorced daughter Bhunarya, a son Maqsood and a daughter-in-law Rooh Afza. Aleemuddin's senility never gets in the way of his flirting. He loves to hit on the neighbours' daughter and has even married the youngest one! The widow of Quddusi Sahab, Shakooran begum lives downstairs as a tenant with her three daughters, Badriqa Jahan, Khajasta Jahan, Shagufta Jahan and a son Wudood Ahmad. (The very effeminate Wudood Ahmad, son of Shakooran) Aqeela bhabhi who portrays the character of a gossipy bee jamalo is their neighbour and a good friend of Shakooran. (The "Amma" (Shakooran Begum), known for her generous use of archaic Urdu proverbs) Shakooran likes to keep an eye on her daughters because they're all boy-crazy. She often bribes Aqeela Bhabi to spy on her daughters. (Shakooran's shy daughter, Badriqa Jahan, who is a principal at a government school) Saturated amalgamation of Urdu language: This is the prime reason for my admiration of this brilliantly scripted serial. It takes you back to the old days when every character in our drama serials was scripted in saqeel  (difficult) Urdu, that represented the simplicity and modesty of Pakistani culture. This serial was able to move many hearts by conveying our national language in its original form. Picture-perfect direction: Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah is directed by Mazhar Moin who is famous for his work - examples of Mazhar Moin's excellent direction include Shakoor Sahab, Saray Ghat Ki Farzana, Bawli Bitiya, Pichhal Periyan, Ronak Jahan Ka Nafsiyati Gharaana and Burns Road Ki Nilofer. I recommend you watch all of these dramas! One woman show: Hina Dilpazir’s phenomenal performance takes the cake. Her work in this particular drama serial is worthy of applause. Watching her switch multiple roles is hilarious. The way she plays the role of women of every age and mindset is absolutely amazing! Sometimes viewers forget that it is the same person playing so many characters. She plays Shakuran Begum, Badraka Jahan, Rooh Afza, Bengali baji, Nazima Khatoon (Aleemuddin's sister), Nazeer Khan (clumsy/ill-mannered street rat), Tina Gul (Rooh Afza's mother), Elaichi (a transgender) and Tamizini. Out of all the roles that she plays, the role of Rooh Afza stands out. She represents the attitude of a woman who feels young at heart and is full of self flattery. Her best-friend is the neighbour's son Wudood Ahmad, and they often indulge in sessions of fashion and make-up talk. (The neighbours' daughter-in-law, Rooh-Afza, a gawdy self-proclaimed "glamour girl") Despite her poor English language skills, she is able to speak in English confidently and loves to gossip. Other actors like Shahnaz Pervaiz (Khajusta Jahan), Hassan Ali (Safaid aadmi), Uroosa Siddique (Shagufta Jahan), Maqsood Bhai (Maqsood), Waqar Hussain (wadood), Ubaida Ansari (Nanhi), Hira Sheikh (Bhunarya), Badar Khalil (Aqeela Bhabi), Mirza Shahi (Aleemuddin Sahab) and Sajal Ali (Farzana) add to the on-screen madness. Each of the characters play their role to the fullest. The drama has me laughing till my stomach hurts every Sunday. It's a must watch! PHOTOS: PUBLICITY Read more by Rakshinda here.

It seems Bollywood is on a remake spree. A weekend after the release of the Himmatwala remake we are offered Chashme Baddoor, a remake of a 1981 comedy of the same name. While with remakes, one inevitably ends up comparing it to the original, I am going to try and be fair to the 2013 movie, and not pitch the two versions against each other. Chashme Baddoor  is an out-and-out David Dhawan comedy – full of cheesy shayari (poetry), slapstick (and sometimes over the top comedy) and exaggerated situations. This is not a movie for those expecting any form of sense in the on-goings, while the mindless entertainment seekers will find this movie to be right on the money for sure! The story is a shallow, no-brainer – three friends fall for the same girl and when the girl falls for one of them, the other two try to first separate them and then bring them back together. To add to the onscreen masala, we also have Rishi Kapoor and Lillete Dubey falling for each other at first sight, Anupam Kher and Anupam Kher (double role) fighting each other and their whacky mother! In the music department, Chashme Baddoor  is weak and chaotic at best. “Har ek friend kamina hota hai” is its strongest track, but in the movie it does not come till the end titles. “Early Morning” and “Dhichkyaaon doom doom” are at best hummable – and all the other tracks are just super forgettable! As per box office reports, the movie has collected over 19 crore on the first weekend in India and as per Hammad Chaudhry, the film’s distributor in Pakistan (HKC Entertainment) on Twitter; “Chashme Baddoor  opened ‘zabardast’ in Pakistan with 47, ooo (on) day one including limited preview screenings Thursday late night.” Let’s weigh the good against the bad in Chashme Baddoor  and see how it fares.

• For us in Pakistan, the good has to be Ali Zafar. He looks good and does a pretty decent job as the leading man. However, on occasions (where he is looking for his inner Dev Anand) Ali sounds awkward – but who cares as long as he keeps the flag flying high!

• Siddharth and Divyendu Sharma, as Ali’s jealous friends, have a fantastic screen presence and good timing for comedy – and in reality carry most of the movie on their shoulders. This could have been because they were given the meatiest scenes and dialogues but their acting was what actually pulled us through.

• The film has some entertaining moments, its share of witty one-liners and some good jokes. I did find myself laughing many times while watching the film.
• The promotions of the film were spot on – funny, colourful and enticing – exactly what is needed to hook the Gennex audience to buy the tickets.

• For starters, the leading lady, Tapsee Pannu, who three boys have supposedly fallen for has zero on-screen presence, looks or charisma. In fact she is completely forgettable other than her constant “Dum hai boss …”

• The lead pair has zero chemistry. Ali Zafar and Tapsee Pannu’s love story can at best be called lukewarm and sadly not too happening.

• The flow of the movie is patchy and personally I account this to weak editing more than anything else.
• I found the humour to be slapstick in nature and many of the jokes were extremely sexist too. Bollywood continues to objectify women, as usual.
• In terms of music - which is the backbone of any Bollywood flick - Chashme Baddoor  is not the most memorable ride either.
• For the fans of the original Chashme Baddoor  – this will be a major disappointment, because this is nothing like the sweet and tender story where Farooq Sheikh romanced Deepti Naval.

The chance to watch the most awaited play in the theatrical history of Karachi came to me by the sheer luck of getting some free passes, as Rs1500 for a ticket seemed too steep a price. I was greeted by an excited crowd that had gathered even before the gates opened. There was palpable excitement in the air. Everyone was hoping for a worthy show that could make them relive their old memories. Being a die-hard fan of Aangan Terrha and having almost rote-learned the entire show - thanks to the presence of old DVDs in the house - I was sceptical about whether my expectations would be met or not. The auditorium was jam-packed with people even sitting on the stairs. The ushers were smartly dressed in kurta pajama and saris that set the ambiance for the show perfectly. Anwar Maqsood came on the stage just as the clock struck 8:00pm and gave a preamble to the re-adaptation of the show. The curtains were raised to Akbar humming playfully on the stairs and gradually other characters emerged in the 90-minute whirlwind of wit, satire and social comment. Was Aangan Terrha entertaining? Yes. Did Aangan Terrha outlive its predecessor? No. Akbar played by Yasir Hussain: Akbar was, and remains, the highlight of the play. It was a treat to watch his expressions and delivery of dialogue which resonated with Salim Nasir perfectly. His characteristic mimicry, mannerisms and gestures made it worth the watch. Throughout the 90-minute play, he remained the embodiment of tanz-o-mazah (satire) that was the hallmark of his character. He brought the audience laughs, irony, moments of reflection and tears, because you just couldn’t watch the play without remembering Salim Nasir. It is surely hard to step in to the shoes of a giant, and Yasir Hussain not only did that but also managed to skilfully get into the soul of the character. Jehan Ara played by Hareem Farooq: Jehan Ara was entertaining too, but no way at par with Bushra Ansari. Hareem’s delivery of dialogues did not reflect the changes in situation well. The character of Jehan Ara contains many shades - the grumpy wife who is dissatisfied at her luck in life, the suspecting wife whose radars are up for detecting any affairs her husband might have, and the subtle shade of a loving woman who secretly cares for Akbar and her husband. The portrayal fell just a bit short of the mark however, the effort was great. Mehboob Ahmed played by Talal Jilani: Mehboob sahib fell abysmally short of expectations. In the actual play, Mehboob Ahmed is a perfect embodiment of culture and refinement -- what you call “chalti phirti tehzeeb”  in Urdu. This attribute is missing in the present Mehboob Ahmed, probably due to his coarse voice. Some old characters resurface in the play, including Sahafi and Shair (reminding one sorely of Moin Akhtar). Some new additions are introduced as well, like a morning show host Mehbooba. The ambience: The sets - also done by the multi-talented Yasir Hussain - gelled in perfectly with the play’s script. The house reflected its owner’s simplicity and understated lifestyle. The power of the script and intensity of the drama did not bore audience for a second despite the single set and few characters. The play remains brilliant as it was. The dosage of heavy Urdu is reduced, probably to accommodate new sensibilities. In the actual play, even Chaudhry sahib recites perfect Ghalib verses which sound funny due to his way of pronunciation. In the new play, Chaudhry Sahab’s couplets are laden with mispronunciation, in a way to introduce humorous appeal. Besides, ambiguous, suggestive sentences have definitely increased a lot since the last play. The fusion of the old and new indeed made for a great theatrical experience. The play’s unparalleled success also tells us that if a script has relevance and content, it could survive without unnecessary dramatics, songs and cheap tactics. It is good to see that although the Aangan is still Terrha, our youth is creative and entrepreneurial enough to make it livable. PHOTOS: PUBLICITY Read more by Samreen here 

Indra Kumar followed a simple formula for success  back in the 90s. Typically, the first half of his films would be based on comedy, while the second half would be a tear jerker. David Dhawan followed a similar approach in some of his films. Additionally films like Dil, Ishq and Shola aur Shabnam were along the same lines. Karan Johar with his Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham improvised on the same formula. We can find similarities with Priyadarshan’s brand of humor as well. Then, on the turn of the millennium, Raju Hirani took this method to a whole new level. In both his Munna Bhai films as well as in 3 Idiots, Raju took the audience through an emotional roller coaster ride where there was no plausible interval between comic sequences and emotional drama. One moment, his audience would be laughing non-stop and the next moment they would be overcome by heartfelt sentiment. Mrigdeep Singh Lamba’s Fukrey has mirrored the style established by Raju Hirani. There are multiple moments in the film where you have not fully recovered from your laughter when a new development in the story leaves your mind reeling with emotion. Having said that, like the predecessors of this method, Fukrey is  primarily a comedy film, something like Delhi Belly with a Punjabi touch. Fukrey revolves around four guys, not necessarily friends, but trapped together in some interesting (read: tricky) situations. Humor ensues and they eventually conquer the challenges faced, predictably so. While the basic premise has nothing new to offer, it is the underlying tones in the script and treatment of the screenplay that distinguish the film. Fukrey does not offer a perfect protagonist like 'Rancho' of 3 Idiots. To the contrary, the heroes are weak individuals  looking for shortcuts in life. They have no money, they can’t study and they are willing to cheat their way into a college admission. While the film follows the tried and tested mix of several directors, Fukrey neither bores the audience, nor does it seem repetitive. The charm of Fukrey is boosted by its committed cast. The characters are detailed and fun. 'Bholi Punjaban', for example, carries a dappled personality: she is narcissistic and foul-mouthed with a 'Sindrella' tattoo on her neck. Meanwhile, the college watchman 'Pandit' - a kind, soft spoken yet corrupt guy, leaks exam papers, seeking backdoor registration for unqualified students in exchange for money. Both Richa Chadda and Pankaj Tripathi have handled their roles splendidly. Seeing Richa in a purely comic role after her intense acting in Gangs of Wasseypur was a joy. Similarly, Pankaj Triptahi’s role was a complete contrast to his performance in Gangs of Wasseypur, showing his adaptability as an actor. The four protagonists of the film are also well-selected. While Ali Fazal as 'Zafar' is relatively unimpressive, the other three leads are hilarious. Pulkit Samrat, being the smart wizard, reminds you of 'Amar' from Andaz Apna Apna or 'Raju' of Hera Pheri - good at heart but willing to make easy money through shady means. Pulkit’s comic timing is spectacular and his chemistry with 'Choocha' is excellent. 'Choocha' on the other hand is a cross between 'Zach Galfianikis' of Hangover and 'Babu Bhaiyya' of Hera Pheri. He is spectacular when it comes to dreaming the lottery results but a certified idiot in all other respects. Still, he surprises you when it comes to his survival instincts. His scenes with Richa Chadda are utterly hilarious. Manjot Singh is also enjoyable in his role as 'Sardar Ji'. He portrays a nice guy who does not want to charge people who eat at his father’s shop yet wishes for admission into a college without having to study for it. He swears that he will teach a lesson to his cheating girlfriend but ends up waving and smiling at her. In the first fifteen minutes of the film, I thought that Fukrey will offer several smiles but fall short of making me laugh. I spent the next hour and a half laughing uncontrollably at the characters' antics. I highly recommended watching Fukrey! Read more by Sami here, or follow him on Twitter @SamiSaayer

In 2009, when The Hangover hit big screens around the world, it created a ruckus about the characters of the movie and set a new standard in Hollywood’s screwball comedy genre. The sequel to Hangover, Hangover 2, released in 2011, received a similar response. Hangover 3 now brings the franchise to an end. Phil Wenneck (Bradley Cooper), Dr Stuart “Stu” Price (Ed Helms), Doug Billings (Justin Bartha), and Alan Garner (Zach Galifianakis) reprise their roles from the previous two installments as the ‘Wolfpack’. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD   The first few minutes of the movie focus on Alan, who is still a child inside the body of a 42-year old man. After his father passes away, his family along with Phil and Stuart decide to send him to a mental institution so he can return as a changed man. On their way to Arizona, masked men attack the Wolfpack, abducting them and presenting them before Marshall (John Goodman). Marshall’s accomplice is Black Doug (Mike Epps), the same person who sold drugs to Alan in Hangover part 1. Marshall tells the Wolfpack a story they can barely believe. It seems that Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong) escaped from a maximum security prison in Bangkok and stole Marshall’s gold worth $21 million. The four friends are unaware of Chow’s whereabouts - except for Alan, who has been exchanging letters with Chow for months. The Wolfpack have no clue about Alan’s friendship with Chow. Marshall makes a deal with the Wolfpack - he will release Doug once the Wolfpack finds Chow and recovers the stolen gold. The movie has the element of surprise as none of the main characters literally experience a hangover unlike the previous two installments, otherwise it might have turned out to be a monotonous affair. The movie’s linear plot, with all of its main characters working non-stop to reach one main goal, is similar to its previous two parts - the reason why this franchise has performed so well. What is amazing about Hangover 3 is the fact that the plot, not even for a second, deviates from the Wolfpack’s mission. The credit goes to the director and the producer who used the same approach with Hangover 1 and 2. The movie, however, has its weak points. Although third time is the charm, this doesn’t really apply to Hangover 3. Yes, the movie has some laughs. However, some of the jokes are too predictable. Alan could have been the comic relief of the movie, but his childish and immature behaviour is nothing but an extension from his role in the previous two movies, making him a flat and annoying character during some parts. Whereas the movie follows a concrete plot, it seems at points as if the Wolfpack has lost some of its chemistry - chemistry that had remained intact up till the last installment. The Wolfpack’s strength is their ability to work as a cohesive team. Unfortunately, that was not the case in this particular movie. Moreover, Jade (Heather Graham), who got married to Stu in the first part, only made a cameo appearance, turning Hangover 3 into an all-men affair. The movie ends with Alan turning over a new leaf and getting married, which indicates that the franchise may actually have ended. Had the director been working on a fourth installment, Alan would have retained his childish state. However, the end credits show otherwise. Whatever the case is, I hope that the director and producer don’t make their decision in haste. If there is a fourth part of Hangover on its way, it should have a crisp story and witty dialogues – the elements that made Hangover part 1 a blockbuster success! Read more by Omar here or follow him on Twitter @omariftikhar

The new movie, Ghanchakkar had driven me really and truly Ghanchakkar (confused) - up until I started writing this review! Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta and starring Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan and Namit Das, Ghanchakkar is not what most people would have expected it to be. I booked the first-day show for the movie, thinking that I am going to watch a rom-com with the ‘serial kisser’ Emraan Hashmi and the great Vidya Balan! Sure, we had known from the pre-release synopsis that it was a story about a bank robber who had forgotten where he had hidden his loot and the mayhem that ensues after that. However, I still thought it would turn out to be more Bollywood-ish, with some madcap comedy and a dash of romance. What we ended up seeing on the screen instead was a crazy, dark comedy/thriller told from the point of view of an amnesiac who is confused, mistrusting and forgetting more by the day. Frankly, at times the audience is confused with the on-screen events too! If you go with an open mind, you will find Ghanchakkar full of surprises. Yes, the pace is a little slow but the story lazily grows on you – the story of a thoughtful, sometimes sly portrait of a man whose identity has been shattered. (PS: There’s always a hint that he may be leading everyone on and that it’s all just a show!) Trust becomes the issue, and it’s in short supply. Can he trust his memory? Can he trust his wife - does she know more than what she pretends to? Did his suddenly rich best friend betray him? And then comes the surprising, out-of-the-box finale. It is offbeat, dark and leaves the audience with more questions than answers! Performance wise, both Vidya and Emraan are the tops – they are powerhouse actors and excel once again in their roles. Balan plays the gaudily dress, Punjabi accented housewife with a spark, but since the story revolves more around Emraan’s character, he stands out with his poker-face expressions right till the very end of the movie! The two lead actors are supported by some fine performances delivered by Rajesh Sharma and Namit Das. Their superbly timed antics are a perfect off-set for Hashmi’s deadpan seriousness and keep the on-goings entertaining. All said and done, I wish the director had edited the movie better. The run-time (137 minutes) was too long for the story genre and at some points the story just wasn’t moving! Secondly, Ghanchakkar is a classic case of a bad marketing campaign, where the audience is being duped into thinking they are coming to the cinema to see a comedy caper – which it is not. Had the movie been marketed as a dark comedy, the makers could have really saved themselves a lot of negative word of mouth. Of late, Bollywood has been churning out a lot of indie/offbeat movies and some of these films, such as Oh My God and Special 26,  have even done great box office business simply by positive word of mouth. I don't understand why the makers of Ghanchakkar didn't want to take the marketing risk. Verdict: Go watch Ghanchakkar because it is an offbeat, funny movie and includes some great performances! Rating: **1/2 Read more by Samra here or follow her on Twitter @samramuslim

The TV-show ‘Bulbulay’ enjoys a sizable fan-following in Pakistan, but I’ve never really been a part of that base. On watching its most recent episode, my face appears to have been restructured to bear a permanent grimace. The story went something like this (needless to say, you’ll find spoilers here!): A penniless man arrives at the family’s doorstep begging for food. He stays at the door for several hours, sobbing uncontrollably about his woeful condition. The fact that the show’s writers managed to squeeze jokes into the episode with such a background story, is a remarkable feat. But wait, it gets funnier! Momo- that silly amnesic goose, forgets to feed the beggar and he starves to death at their threshold. The household enters a state of panic; the trademark, overacted ‘family crisis’ scenario that is the heart of the show’s success. Hilarity ensues as they come together to figure out ways to dispose of the beggar’s corpse, and avoid taking responsibility for his demise. The writers decide that the situation isn’t sepulchral enough, so they add another twist: the poor man’s son arrives at the door, inquiring about his father. Momo’s husband accidentally informs the son that his father is dead (funny sound effects are played in the background). At the end of this - let’s say ‘awkward’ conversation - the son rushes over the father’s dead body, hugging it and moaning inconsolably. A final twist in the story ultimately pulls it out of its morbid state, but by then I had already switched off the TV in disgust (I later called a friend to find out what the ending was, so I could finish writing this blog.) I’m familiar with dark humour, but this is supposed to be family comedy for ammi, abu, nanu, guria and munna to enjoy together. There may be an audience for the show that lol’d and rofl’d through the episode, but I didn’t. My lack of amusement was blamed on my missing sense of humour, or my alleged hypersensitivity. But I had my reasons to frown: One, that the episode is airing in a country where there’s an obvious culture of treating beggars as sub-humans; pestilent beings who cause such great inconvenience to us haves by dropping dead on or near our properties. Also, it’s thing like these that fuel our annoyance towards the poor. They are consistently represented as brutes, con-artists or members of a begging ‘industry’, a street syndicate, running a lucrative business based on our generosity. These cases are certainly not non-existent. But they are wildly exaggerated by privileged Pakistanis so they can feel less guilty about not giving a damn about the poor. So that we may ignore, insult and shoo away the needy, without an ounce of remorse. Under these prevailing social conditions, the episode in question came off (at least to me) as callous and excruciatingly unfunny. Call me 'sensitive', but it worries me that we’re a society where human starvation is passé enough to be spun casually into a family comedy for us all to laugh at, and move on with our businesses. Read more by Faraz here, or follow him on Twitter @FarazTalat 

Director cum writer, Ali Abbas Zafar waited a couple of years after the release of his debut ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan’, a comedy hit of 2011, to entice filmgoers with an action packed crime thriller. This time, Zafar has replaced the genre of a light romantic comedy with a nice mash-up of 70s’ action films to present the perfect commercial movie – Gunday. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x18dlgu_gunday-hd-hindi-movie-official-theatrical-trailer-2014_shortfilms[/embed] If you are a fan of Amitabh Bachchan, particularly of his angry, young man image and classics like Sholay, Don and Kala Pathar, then Gunday is a big treat for you. It’s all about action, double-dealing, revenge tangled with friendship, deceit, romance and betrayal. The film starts with ace actor Irrfan Khan’s opening narration about the fictional story of two refugees, set in the backdrop of the 1971 war between Pakistan and India.

“Bangladesh is born as Pakistan surrenders on December 16 at the end of the India-Pakistan war. It also gave birth to two young orphans; Bikram and Bala. Fighting for survival, they clung to each other and escaped to Calcutta.”

Ali Zafar’s fifth Bollywood film, Total Siyapaa, is an outlandish comedy of errors which unfolds on a single, wild night. The movie is another version of the popular cliché of what happens when a boy meets the girl’s parents for the first time. Things are going great for the couple, Aman, played by Ali Zafar, and Asha, portrayed by the talented Yami Gautam, until Aman is persuaded, with much protest, to meet Asha’s parents. Chaos ensues as the couple face characters ranging from a Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ)-obsessed child, baseball-bat wielding youngsters, a chronic complainer (played skilfully by Kiron Kher), trollops with tooting accents and a nuttier than a bar of snickers granddad. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Total Siyapaa Official Facebook Page[/caption] Mix the quirks of the characters, which are, to put it mildly and in printable language, cucking frazy, with a dangerous container of frozen soup and some near murders, and you have the recipe for a mammoth Siyapaa. Interestingly, things at the house take a massive turn for the worse when Aman is asked the all too familiar question of ‘what is your family background’. This is when the parents unexpectedly learn that their Indian daughter, who was brought up as a Hindu, has chosen a Pakistani man, who follows a different religion. That’s when the already awkward dinner turns into an out and out farce. Aman, the innocent, well-spoken boy from a good family, struggles to maintain his nerve as each character presents a new challenge. As he becomes more and more entrapped by the family’s eccentricities and a host of unexpected circumstances, Aman’s relationship with Asha comes under stress too. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="522"] Photo: Total Siyapaa Official Facebook Page[/caption] His love for Asha makes him drop his accha bacha (good boy) standards and work to wriggle himself out of a welter of problems as he, against his will, finds himself in police stations, a flower shop and even the prospective father-in-law’s office. The interaction between Kiron Kher and Ali Zafar is hilarious throughout the film and there is a particularly funny scene where a distressed Aman has to deal with an elderly relative in a lavatory. While Total Siyapaa has its moments, I can’t help but think that the film, which is clearly meant to be an entertainer, has great unfulfilled potential. Initially titled Aman Ki Asha, it could have been fantastic had it included more of the comedy centred on the cultural differences between the two countries and Aman working to make peace with his antagonistic Indian family. It only touches on this matter briefly and if the script had more such banter, it would have really helped engage the audience for longer periods. The trailer and climax of the film, where the Pakistani identity of Aman is revealed, brings about an expectation of the Indo-Pak angle, which unfortunately isn’t exploited to the fullest. As a result, the film tends to meander from one comedy skit to another. The supporting cast, with the exception of the outlandish sister, played by Sara Khan, aren’t able to sparkle to the same extent that the family members did in the Meet the Parents series. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Total Siyapaa Official Facebook Page[/caption] While it’s neither engaging nor unpredictable enough to be termed a must see, there’s still plenty to commend in the film. Zafar is fantastic as the puzzled Pakistani and you can certainly relate to the very Pakistani earnestness and charm he brings to the role. The multi-talented Zafar sparkles, whether on screen or through the soundtrack, since in addition to playing the lead role, he composed and sung the songs too – the title track of which is sure to be a super-hit. One hopes he will soon become the first choice for the male lead in rom-coms too, much like Parineeta Chopra for filmmakers seeking a great female lead. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17ngzn_total-siyapaa-official-trailer-2013-ali-zafar-yaami-gautam-anupam-kher-kirron-kher_music[/embed] Moreover, the guy is an absolute gentleman and was supremely patient despite the stampede causing attention he was getting at the premiere in Pakistan. Courteous to the core, he even left a conversation midway with Humaima Malick and Aminah Shaikh when interrupted by a humble autograph seeker. Seeing Zafar on the big screen should be a huge draw for most people, considering he is probably the man most men want to be, and of course, the man most women want to be with. All in all, if you’re looking for a light-hearted and amusing film that the lady in your life won’t object to, this ultimately harmless film, which has some great songs, one of which sees Zafar partner with Fariha Pervez, is a good pick.

Based on John Green’s bestselling fiction novel of the same name, The Fault in Our Stars is profoundly a sweet, romantic, sensible, expressive drama expressed with warmth, poignancy and humour. It will definitely inspire you to contemplate and not give in to the grief and misery of your misfortune. The title of both, the book and the movie, has been taken from Shakespeare’s famous play ‘Julius Caesar’ where the character Caesar says,

“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.”

“Love like you’ll never be hurt, And live like it’s heaven on earth.”

“You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and for that I am eternally grateful.”

“The world is not a wish-granting factory.”

Robin Williams- when I hear that name I think of my childhood. Watching Robin portray amazing characters like in the film Jack, a young soul trapped in an old man’s body or being stuck in a board game in the movie Jumanji. When you watched him on the screen, it did not feel like you were watching a comedy legend, it felt like you were watching a kid, just like yourself, going through these extraordinary obstacles. He was never an old man trying to act young in a family comedy film, like most of the actors you see nowadays. He owned every character he played. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x22p2ru_jack-1996-trailer_shortfilms[/embed] When I got to my teens, I discovered the world of stand up comedy. A hall full of people, one microphone and a person comes on stage and makes people laugh for an hour. It was the Holy Grail for a teenage class clown and I would ask myself,

“Would people actually pay to come, sit and watch one person tell them jokes?”

“Cocaine is God’s way of saying, ‘you are making too much money’.”

 “Death is nature’s way of saying, ‘your table is ready’.”

If you’ve lived in Karachi, you’re sure to have heard the complaint about there being a lack of entertainment options in the city. Eating out represents the obvious choice for entertainment but there is always the “and now what do we do?” question that hangs in the air after the meal. It’s too early to go home and unfortunately the debate about ‘what next’ rarely moves beyond dessert options. The thought of why there aren’t more regular entertainment options in our city has been annoying me for a while now. If one looks at the thriving theatre industry or the packed cinema halls over the weekend, there is certainly a lot of demand but then why aren’t other performers seeking to fill this void? Back in February, Saad Haroon did a fantastic comedy tour of the country. While I was sitting in the audience, I remember thinking that all he needed was a microphone to put on a fantastic, sold-out show. Inspired by Saad and convinced that laughter was exactly what us, frustrated Karachites, needed, a few amateur lovers of comedy, and I, decided to try to host at least one comedy show a month. The initial thought was terrifying as stand up comedy involves a solo performance, which means rejection cannot get more personal. But back then, the prospect of quick fame – and even the juvenile thought of getting some female fans – was a better motivator than fear. To date, we’ve been persevering on little more than passion, but after two well received shows (and one very disappointing one), we were pleasantly surprised when another group hosted a show. With yet another comedy show at the end of the month, the thought has crossed my mind whether this is proof of an emerging, albeit nascent, Karachi comedy scene. So I thought I’d speak to other performers about the obstacles preventing this fledgling, live comedy scene from taking flight. Art of public speaking One significant challenge is getting hold of performers who aren’t daunted by public speaking. New performers panic at the thought of not being found funny and so those with a knack for noticing the comical in the commonplace prefer to stay in the background, writing articles or playing with Photoshop. Akbar Chaudhry, a key figure behind the LOL Waalay troupe who has been doing comedy full time since February 2014, adds that a career in the arts is still looked down upon. At the moment, the majority of performers are theatre actors who are between projects and students with free time. But the ability to attract a steady stream of talent that is willing to persevere remains a challenge. In this light, both Akbar and Junaid Akram, who is part of the Dubai stand up scene and prolific on social media, point to the limited scope for comedians to test jokes in an understanding environment like an open mic night. Both stress that paid shows are not the right platform to experiment. With there being only two venues in Karachi that organise such events on an ad hoc basis, the frustration of waiting for such an opportunity, coupled with the fear of failure, means that many have given up stand up prematurely. The next challenge is content. Junaid adds that performers need to be able to address family friendly topics. While he believes stand up can be a refreshing and entertaining way to discuss social issues, taboo topics such as religion and sex can ruin the atmosphere. Both he and Akbar agree that more mentoring is required to help amateurs understand audience tastes. This is a significant problem as there are only a handful of professionals pursuing comedy fulltime. Unfortunately, this means that very important skills about holding a crowd’s attention remain undeveloped. Attracting audience Another major challenge is of attracting an audience. A humorous show like Aangan Terrha managed to run packed houses for over 100 shows not only because its content was accessible to everyone, but because it had a star name: Anwar Maqsood. Salman Shamim, who organised his first stand up show in June 2011, is aware of how hard it can be to attract a decent crowd. Salman, who is behind a number of viral YouTube videos, hosted a show on the fourth day of Eid which wasn’t well-attended. Commenting on the challenges of organising such an event, he mentioned that it’s important for shows to be on the weekend and for marketing to be a priority. While Facebook represents a great and cost effective means to market events, he adds that one needs well-connected contacts and outdoor marketing to bring in the crowds. This is clearly a major issue as I’m often told that people had no idea a show was happening. Financial viability The need to invest in marketing and advertising bring us to the next concern: financial viability. Without a star headlining the show, it becomes risky to book a large venue. Worse still, it means the ticket price needs to be concessionary. There are thankfully a few venues that require ticket sales to be shared 50/50 with performers. This is great as it means organisers cannot lose money. However, larger venues require booking fees that can be as high as Rs40,000 per show. While Akbar concedes that venue booking costs are an obstacle, he believes that if a sponsor covers the booking fee, the show can make financial sense. There is unfortunately another challenge that pertains to monetary matters. Since a number of performers are often needed to put up regular shows, when the amount is divided there is often just a small four figure sum left to be shared. Again, this puts the onus on the performer to stay committed to improving in the hope of greater financial rewards later. Finally, there is another problem that many are unwilling to talk about. We’re fortunate in Pakistan as there are no government licenses required to stage shows, as it is in Dubai. But even though everyone accepts there is a huge need for entertainment, I’ve found comedians to be reluctant to take a chance on a big show. For more established performers, there is the concern of performing alongside amateurs and hence being associated with a poor show. In addition, there is unfortunately a short-sightedness among performers, myself included, as without a set calendar of shows, there is a greater incentive to take small earnings from a show instead of investing in booking a larger venue or on marketing. While one should be grateful that there are more shows happening, the scene remains characterised by part-time performers holding ad hoc events. Until the major issues highlighted above are addressed, it’s likely that the live comedy scene will remain in second gear. Unless someone takes the step of investing in a star-supported show to get people talking and sponsors interested, Karachi’s entertainment scene is likely to be characterised by irregular small scale shows.

Carrying a Facebook page over two million ‘likes’ strong, it would be safe to say that young Pakistani-Canadian comedian Zaid Ali T has moulded himself into an internet sensation. Each update from the young entertainer earns countless shares, likes and comments within seconds of hitting the internet. His audience is primarily South Asians, though his followers originate from many countries. Zaid’s weapons are his disarming smile and jokes that hilariously channel our exasperation with Asian cultural norms. When I first discovered Zaid, I spent hours combing through his Facebook page, chortling at every one of his shenanigans. His strict father, who gave him a hiding when he joked about selling drugs, reminded me of my own. In no time I was sharing Zaid’s work on social media, as well as when friends and family were visiting. My own parents could barely contain their laughter and became instant fans. Perhaps what was most impressive about Zaid was how he was churning out amazing videos every other day, as if he had a factory of wit. It was especially impressive considering that even the best comedians take ages to come up with winning material, while daily humourists such as Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien only produce a few good jokes a day and that too with the help of talented hardworking writers. Writing comedy is tedious work, yet it seemed to be coming more naturally to Zaid. However, when I learned the truth about Zaid, it broke my heart. When I shared the truth with others, they too were heartbroken. Before discovering the truth, perhaps the only thing that had bothered me about Zaid was how he wore his religion on his sleeve, and constantly boasted about his good deeds. For example, he recently shared news of turning down a lucrative acting role in Hollywood because a kissing scene hurt his religious sentiments. In my experience, people who try so hard to convince the world that they are pious are normally hiding deep ugliness inside. It saddens me to say that Zaid’s ugliness is that he is a thief, a thief who steals others’ hard work and ideas, and profits off of them. I’ve spoken to some of the comedians whose content was shamelessly ripped off by Zaid, and they shared their frustration and grief with me. It began with a few videos, but the more entertainers I spoke to, the more I realised that Zaid had stolen a significant portion of his life’s content. It first came to my attention when I noticed a comment under one of Zaid’s videos pointing out the plagiarism. The similarities between video Zaid’s skit and the skit he had copied from were startling. Shamelessly, he copies word to word. Here is a video of Zaid’s satire of South Asian brides: [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Screenshot[/caption] Compare that to an earlier released video from comedian Ali: [fbvideo link="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=711309765631381&set=vb.191973834231646&type=3&theater"][/fbvideo] This video is a repost - the original video predates Zaid Ali T’s video. In Zaid’s version, he gives no credit to the original creator of the skit. Here is another video where Zaid pokes fun at how ‘white people’ take photos as compared to Pukhtuns. The plagiarism here is shocking. Zaid’s version: [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2cm7cw_taking-photos-white-people-vs-pathans-by-zaidalit_fun[/embed] The original version posted from a year back by YouTube user gucciaka2pac can be accessed here. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Screenshot[/caption] Alarmed, I posted several comments on Zaid’s videos regarding this, but they mysteriously disappeared. Similarly, others who questioned Zaid’s ethics also saw their comments wiped away. I messaged Zaid several times, but my queries were ignored. Here, I contacted a comedian, who has worked extremely hard to follow his dreams. He worked difficult odd jobs in Pakistan, until his YouTube videos went viral, eventually earning him a successful comedy gig in Dubai. From this comedian, who is in touch with various entertainers, I shockingly learnt that Zaid has been stealing content from various sources whose complaints were met by deaf ears. A number of sources informed me that the comedians who go by the name of Maansals on Facebook were Zaid’s favourite hunting ground for ideas. Upon contacting Maansals, I was told that he had unapologetically stolen from many of their videos. A little research showed that some of Zaid’s greatest hits had been ‘inspired’ by Maansals. Here is Zaid’s joke about his friend receiving a call from his dad, while the two are enjoying music: [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2dq7qy_when-your-friends-dad-calls-zaid-ali-videos_fun[/embed] It was lifted from this Maansal’s video that had appeared a year earlier: [fbvideo link="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=728346843849649"][/fbvideo] What’s more, Zaid’s videos about people you find in Ramazan, how people behave during exams, are also remarkably similar to Maansals’ content. Another victim of Zaid is Pakistani comedy group Bekaar Vines, whose videos have been steadily going viral. When I contacted Mubeenul Haq on Facebook, who is instantly recognisable in Bekaar Vines for his magnificent moustache, Mubeen was amused,

“Ha ha! He (Zaid) is (the) biggest cheater.”

Dolly Ki Doli is a cinematic venture that has been hyped up beyond understanding. One reason that comes to my mind, surrounding this hype, is the fact that this is the first time Arbaaz Khan, Salman Khan’s baby brother, has chosen a lead who is not his own brother. Dolly Ki Doli revolves around a con artist named Dolly (Sonam Kapoor) who marries young men from different backgrounds and religions, and then steals their money. To help her complete such feats, she has a gang of con artists who act as her family members. Zeeshan Ayub (one of the ‘family members’) extracts information about rich, gullible families who are then approached by Dolly’s ‘family’ to get the wedding bells ringing. The movie is primarily about Dolly and the cons she undertakes with Sonu Sarawat (Rajkumar Rao), Manjot Singh (Varun Sharma) and Robin Singh (Pulkit Samrat). [embed width="620"]http://vimeo.com/114342254[/embed] Performance wise, the actors who stood out in the movie include Rajkumar, Zeeshan, Pulkit and even Varun. Sonam, in my opinion, does not manage to ‘shine’ in this movie like she did in Khoobsurat. While she carries the role well, there are not many performance-oriented scenes for her to show her merit. Besides, working with three different actors so closely and trying to match chemistry with each of them is not an easy task. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Dolly Ki Doli Official Facebook Page[/caption] Rajkumar, however, is a treat to watch from the very first scene. He is a volcano of talent and his Haryanavi diction is free from any flaw. He is a first rate actor and should consider doing comedies more often. His romantic and emotional scenes captivated the audience completely – nothing at that point could distract these viewers. And for good reason. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] Photo: Dolly Ki Doli Official Facebook Page[/caption] Zeeshan, who also gave a riveting performance, should be given more credit for his work. From his debut role to acting in films like Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Jannat 2 and Raanjhanaa, he has always managed to impress his audience. Yet he remains in the shadows. His outburst of emotions is amazing; if given a stronger role I am sure he will easily acquire a standing in the same league as Boman Irani and Paresh Rawal. Pulkit is like a gush of fresh air and he looks great! In his Robin Singh avatar, you will see glimpses of a younger Chullbul Pandey from the Dabangg series. In my opinion, the testimony to his talent is the scene in which he shouts at Sonam on the highway – keep an eye out for it! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] Photo: Dolly Ki Doli Official Facebook Page[/caption] Varun was… cute and gave a calculated performance. This performance could easily be considered one of his most prominent works. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] Photo: Dolly Ki Doli Official Facebook Page[/caption] Alongside these, Manoj Joshi, Rajesh Sharma and Brijendra Kala (Inspector Khan) also performed very well. Archana Puran Singh is, as usual, loud. With regards to the music, the ones that stuck with me were, the item song Fashion Khattam by Malaika, Naina Kafir Hogaye by Rahat Fateh Ali and Phattay Tak Nachna by Sunidhi Chauhan. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2duyxz_fashion-khatam-mujh-par-dolly-ki-doli-hd-720p-song_music[/embed] The one positive about Dolly Ki Doli was its length– Abhishek Dogra keeps it nice and crispy. Thank God. With a weak script that was predictable and not engaging at all, Dolly Ki Doli is the perfect example of how good performances still have a chance at saving a movie. The best way to describe this film, in my opinion, is ‘brainless fun’. Based on the performances and comedy, I’ll give it a 2.5 out of five.

Although New Delhi’s legislative assembly elections are just round the corner and the city that has been the helm of power in the subcontinent for centuries will choose between its ‘aam aadmis’ and ‘khaas aadmis’, the fulcrum of debate instead is a comedy show uploaded to YouTube, a video-sharing website, that many Pakistanis wouldn’t know of, on January 28, 2015. It is fascinating how one chooses to become a comedian in a part of the world where something funny is going on all the time. A few years back a group of witty comedians, comprising Tanmay Bhat, Gursimran Khamba, Rohan Joshi and Ashish Shakya, formed the AIB – an online comedy collective. While the Pakistani underground is still busy with White versus Brown themes, and more importantly its struggle against radical thought, AIB garnered an identity of its own in India. Mushtaq Ahmad Yousufi, one of the greatest humour writers from our part of the world, once wrote,

“The day we understand why we laugh, we won’t laugh again”.

Fashion icons, catwalks, style statements, and cameo appearances run wild in Zoolander 2, the sequel to Zoolander (2001). Ben Stiller reprises his role of Derek Zoolander, a silly male model while Owen Wilson returns as Hansel McDonald, another male model who was Derek’s arch nemesis in Zoolander but becomes his best friend in the sequel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XBDE7aijIs Stiller has appeared in notable movies including There’s Something About Mary (1998) Mystery Men (1999), Meet the Parents (2000), Meet the Fockers (2004), Starsky & Hutch (2004), Night at the Museum (2006) and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) giving stellar performances in each but his role as Derek in his latest comedy and its prequel is perhaps too easy to forget. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ben Stiller.
Photo: Screenshot[/caption] Was the sequel of Zoolander much anticipated by viewers? The answer is in the negative! At a time when Hollywood is buzzing with side-splitting comedies like Deadpool, Kung Fu Panda 3, and Ride Along 2, Zoolander 2 came like a fad that faded away within a week. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ben Stiller, Penélope Cruz and Owen Wilson
Photo: Screenshot[/caption] The movie has its ups and downs, and it doesn’t really seem like a sequel. It begins with unknown assassins killing celebrities. Derek, who is now living in seclusion, away from the hustle and bustle, must come out of hiding and join hands with Hansel McDonald, to find answers. With ordinary waggishness, action, and suspense being the combination of the movie, the script itself is ordinary and presents nothing inimitable. The action scenes are predictable and do not entertain. Where the prequel had a few giggly bits here and there, Zoolander 2 does not have many of them, if at all. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ben Stiller and Penélope Cruz.
Photo: Screenshot[/caption] Penélope Cruz playing Valentina Valencia, an Interpol agent working on uncovering the assassinations is a breath of fresh air. Her role could have been much better had her character not been abased to a chatterbox, plastic bimbo. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller and Penélope Cruz.
Photo: Screenshot[/caption] Other cameo appearances continue to deliver reprocessed humour, which is not funny at all. Celebrities appearing in cameos include MC Hammer, Sting, Kiefer Sutherland, and a few others. Naming them all will be a spoiler. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig.
Photo: Screenshot[/caption] Will Ferrell returns to Zoolander 2 as villain, Jacobim Mugatu. His appearance, in the latter parts of the second half, somewhat saves the movie from being an utter waste of time. Moreover, where Stiller and Wilson are lead protagonists, it is Ferrell’s comic timing which is better than all others in the movie. His antics actually make viewers laugh. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Penélope Cruz.
Photo: Screenshot[/caption] Stiller’s character of Derek Zoolander could have been made much bigger than it was in the prequel, however, the script and the plot were not cohesive enough to get the job done. Watching the duo, Stiller and Wilson, was the only sigh of relief in a movie that does not offer anything clever, or amusing. It is Stiller and Wilson’s on-screen chemistry and their ability to keep their scenes digestible that saves the movie from being a complete disaster. The burden of making sure Zoolander 2 is being funny, which it wasn’t, perhaps falls on Ben Stiller’s shoulder, who has directed it. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Will Ferrell and Nathan Lee Graham.
Photo: Screenshot[/caption] The proverb of ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’ sits aptly with the movie as the script is monotonous despite having the brains of four writers behind it. With the overuse of curse words, lustful language, and comic violence, the movie fails especially when compared to its predecessor. It seems the director and writers have tried their best to add humour but end up with senseless babble that fails to build the plot. The climax of the movie is a mere 30 to 45 minutes in length and seems too cluttered with dialogues and action that the message – if there was any – seems to be lost. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson
Photo: Screenshot[/caption] At the end of the movie, all you will remember are Stiller and Wilson for their rigid faces, Penélope Cruz for her jabbering character and Will Ferrell for his comic timing. It gets difficult for the audience to digest the excessive cameo characters that utter a line or two adding so much confusion that the story loses its charm. Even the action scenes seem to be glued together to form a sequence and with too much distraction due to nonsensical comedy and a parade of cameos, Zoolander 2 is a movie that will soon be forgotten akin to Zoolander. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson
Photo: Screenshot[/caption] If you are adamant on watching Zoolander 2, then do it only if you have no other plans.