TV series, Uncategorized

Mr. Khan’s Review on Digest Writer (2014)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama series, Digest Writer (2014). This TV series is directed by Ahmed Kamran and written by Madiha Shahid. Digest Writer stars Saba Qamar in the lead role and in 2014, was aired on Hum TV.

+ Crew

  • Directed by Ahmed Kamran
  • Written by Madiha Shahid
  • Produced by Larachi Entertainment

+ Note

The drama series dives into the bizarre, corrupt world of writing where egos play a key role in politics of the entertainment industry. Although the title of the show is Digest Writer, the show primarily focuses on the show business side of writing. The plot also indulges in the misogyny and family pressures that women have to face and eventually overcome those obstacles.

 + Main Cast

  1. Saba Qamar as Fareeda/Rashk-e-Hina
  2. Gohar Rasheed as Shaukat
  3. Maheen Khalid Rizvi as Jameela
  4. Khalid Ahmed as Mazhar Hayat
  5. Zhalay Sarhadi as Rida Anmol
  6. Farhan Ali Agha as Sikandar
  7. Aiman Khan as Shakeela
  8. Kashif Mehmood as Ayaan Junaid
  9. Agha Ali as Sheheryar

+ Plot

Fareeda comes from a lower, middle class part of society who loves to write stories but is too afraid to share her passion with her family due to their conservative values. Eventually, she gains enough courage to submit her story to a local Urdu Digest and becomes an overnight sensation. With success in her storytelling abilities, the opportunity of a lifetime comes knocking at Fareeda’s door…

+ High Points

i – The drama series has a very intriguing premise. It is a case study of a talented young woman who has a knack for great storytelling. Because of her success as a Digest Writer, she is elevated to writing TV series scripts and from there on, the show becomes meta commentary on show business itself. And of course, with quick success comes jealousy and sabotage. Digest Writer does a good introspection of how show business in Pakistan works and what lies beneath the facade of visual storytelling.

ii – Even when the drama is struggling to be coherent with its storytelling, Saba Qamar as Fareeda is always the highlight of the show. With each passing episode, you can notice the evolution of Fareeda growing more bitter and numb to the abuse she has to face from her family and her bosses. Saba Qamar was casted perfectly as the naive, wonder eyed writer and proved to be a memorable role for her career.

iii – For the most part, the show is bitter and pessimistic but it perfectly encapsulates the world of show business. Throughout the series, we see Fareeda’s naivety being destroyed in front of her eyes, where “you should never meet your heroes” rings true like never before. Fareeda finds herself in a situation where she is forced into making sacrifices for the sake of her loved ones in order to maintain stability within her family life. Success is not all glitz and glamour, it has a dark underbelly that we do not get to see often in Pakistani dramas and for the most part, Digest Writer encapsulates it quite well.

iv – What I really appreciate is the visual differences you see of Fareeda throughout the series. She starts off as a naive, wide eyed girl with pony tails but slowly evolves into a mature but hardened woman. Just the change in her makeup and hairstyling makes a massive difference to the viewers watching this story unfold. 

v – No matter how flawed the scripts are, Hum TV dramas are always well shot, directed and framed. Every scene defines the situation the characters find themselves in. Every tight framing from the window defines the claustrophobia our protagonist is experiencing at the time. Subtle visual elements like these keep the audience engaged with the show till the very end.

+ Low Points

i – Before I go any further into the critique of the show, the “copyright” elephant in the room needs to be addressed here. The entire drama series has been uploaded on Youtube for several years now and in every single episode, certain sections have been entirely muted due to “copyright issues”. Alright but then why is the dialogue muted as well? As most of us know, dialogue and music are two separate audio files and if HUM TV still holds the original editing files, would it not be possible just to mute certain copyrighted music sequences? My guess is either the original files do not exist anymore so they decided to just use the exported files to mute out entire audio sequences OR Hum TV was just too lazy to edit out from the original files. Either way, this is incredibly unprofessional and most of all, hurts the viewing of the show.

ii – This show did not deserve 24 episodes and clearly, should have ended 10 episodes ago. The creative team uses every dirty trick in the book to stretch and prolong the drama series and it became pretty stale half way through its run. There are countless scenes of Fareeda “meditating” her thoughts, repetition of the same dialogues we heard in the previous scene, long stretches of the soundtrack playing while absolutely nothing happens onscreen. This is absolutely no exaggeration that these “nothing happens” scenes take up at least five episode runtime for the entire show and that is just ludicrous! 

SPOILER!!! If you haven’t seen the show yet and do not want the plot twists to be spoiled, please skip to the ‘Overall’ section below:

iii – In the latter half of the series, the constant back and forth between Fareeda and Shaukat became so monotonous and predictable. Shaukat is a terrible husband and cheats on her, she snaps back at him and regrets her life choices. This dynamic is repeated one too many times and at least one expects a conclusion to all this but nope, nothing really happens. Fareeda accepts her misery while Shaukat somewhat (?) learns his lesson? What are we supposed to learn from all this? That success comes with a miserable private life? That people (including your own family) care for you only because of your wealth and success? Sure but where is the nuisance in all this? We know all of this. It’s not a big revelation that should make us sit through the entire 24 episode drama series.

iv – Digest Writer has another prominent side character which could have been a good “ally” for Fareeda but ends up being a disgruntled artist himself. And yes, I am talking about Khalid Ahmed as Mazhar Hayat. He starts off as a character who is being pushed around in the drama industry for being too “old fashioned” and a “has-been”. But when he finally gets a chance to show the industry what he can really do, Mazhar sahib takes his frustrations out on Fareeda instead. I do understand that there are a lot of veteran artists like Mazhar sahib who abuse upcoming artists to cement their ego but Fareeda already had numerous such characters in this show. Mazhar could have been a unique positive character in her life but ended up being exactly like the rest. This is not a knock for being “unrealistic” but lack of diversity within the show. 

v – Most of the cast of characters were unlikable. They are underwritten, shallow figures who are only there to either support or abuse Fareeda. They have no characteristics of their own. I cannot, for the life of me, explain what characteristics defined any of these people. The father starts off abusive but turns a new leaf once he learns that his daughter’s “hobby” can be profitable. Shaukat starts off as a lonely heart, desperate fool who wants to win the love of Fareeda but once accomplished, he immediately turns into an abusive psychopath. These sudden “character switch” moments are too jarring and make no real sense. We never get to see the world from their perspective, we never truly understand what makes Shaukat act the way he does. The entire cast of characters act the way they do is in service of the story and not the other way around.

vi – The original soundtrack is not bad per se but its overuse with every scene made me hate it when the show was over. Every meditative moment of Fareeda had the same soundtrack blasting in the background. It personally made me feel skipping such scenes entirely as I knew nothing will happen here and it’s not worth my time.

vii – And finally, we can talk about the “secret lover” of Fareeda; Agha Ali as Sheheryar. Even though her heart wanted to marry Sheheryar, her “obligations” to her family got the better of her. Later in the series, they coincidentally meet again and once again, confront their feelings for each other. But then, it turns out that Sheheryar also is not a “good person” to be with. So Fareeda calls it off once again. As a viewer, you are kind of left scratching your head as to why Sheheryar was reintroduced to the series just to cement the fact that he is “just like the rest of the men”. 

I like the fact that they bump into each other again but why not show him happily married with kids, quite possibly not in love with Fareeda anymore and that in turn, makes Fareeda realize the biggest mistake of her life. That perhaps, she should have defied her parents and went to the path of her personal happiness instead. I truly feel that Sheheryar’s character was mishandled in the end and ruined the show as well.

+ Overall

A great premise is wasted on repetitious storytelling and uninspired characterizations. Digest Writer could have been a unique show but ended up being a dud. 

Tele-Films

Mr. Khan’s Review on Half Plate (1991)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama Long Play, Half Plate (1991). This PTV Long Play is directed by Syed Mohsin Ali and written by the great Anwar Maqsood. This play was a series of projects starring the most beloved collaboration of Talents between Anwar Maqsood as the writer and Moin Akhtar as the Lead Actor. Half Plate is a Long Play produced as part of PTV’s famous ‘Tele Theater’ series and was aired on Pakistan Television in 1991.

+ Crew

  • Directed by Syed Mohsin Ali
  • Written by Anwar Maqsood
  • Produced by Pakistan Television

+ Note

The Term Half Plate in South Asia, is referred to a ‘light meal’ as the 70 minute Long Play entails a short, satirical comedy sketch between an aging married couple.

 + Main Cast

  1. Moin Akhtar
  2. Khalida Riasat
  3. Badar Khalil
  4. Jamshed Ansari
  5. Latif Kapadia
  6. Arshad Mehmood
  7. Afzal Syed
  8. Jaffar Hussain
  9. Meraj Habib

+ Plot

Half Plate is a Kammerspiel theatrical play where an aged failed Urdu poet (played by Moin Akhtar) lives with his wife (played by Khalida Riasat) who are now far away from the twilight years of their lives.

+ High Points

i – Half Plate is considered a legendary and memorable Longplay featuring the duo of Maqsood/ Akhtar and it is quite evident why it is fondly remembered even decades later. Although the plot is pretty elementary, what keeps the Longplay interesting is the writing of Anwar Maqsood and the banter between Moin Akhtar and Khalida Riasat. As clearly evident from their performances, they had great chemistry together and even with minimal plot progression, they knew how to keep the viewer engaged till the very end.

ii – There are certain moments in this Longplay where Half Plate shines the brightest, namely the sequence with Badar Khalil where her flitatious ways are not enough to swing Moin Akhtar’s aged poet away from his principles. The combination between Akhtar’s over the top antics and Khalil’s subtle charm churns out a great scene between the two.

iii – Despite the fact that Half Plate has an extraordinary set of characters, the one that stood out for me was Jamshed Ansari as the naïve son of a failed Urdu poet. His dialogue delivery and verbal slapstick mishaps brought the best comedic moments of this Longplay.

iv – I have to be honest, I do miss this era of PTV dramas where Longplays dominated fictional television shows. A self-contained story, 70 or so minutes long, each one more memorable than the last, displaying talents of such legends like Moin Akhtar… it is a real shame that we can never go back to this format of entertainment because of obvious commercial reasons.

v – In one of his interviews, Anwar Maqsood revealed that he wrote this long play solely for the actress Khalida Riyasat because she was suffering (at the time) from a life threatening disease and would not live for long. While the inception of the script springs from tragedy, Khalida Riyasat gave her most celebrated performance.

+ Low Points

i – As far as PTV “Tele Theater” Longplays go, this is not one of the best. In fact, it’s a very timid effort from the legendary duo of Maqsood and Akthar. The writing is not as sharp and witty as one would expect from the two. There is an entire plot point devoted to “kebabs” which I found utterly unfunny, stretched out and although they tried to tie it in at the end with a sombre ending, it still does not justify its place in the script. 

ii – Unfortunately this is also not one of Moin Akhtar’s best work. Its really one of the few times where he just went too nonsensical and implausible with his portrayal. if I’m being truly honest. His mannerism of an old, jaded Urdu poet are truly exaggerated to a point of farce. This type of performance might suit well on a theatre stage but not in front of a camera.  

iii – The “sappy” ending comes out of nowhere and it feels very abrupt and unearned. The plot progression of the wife’s critique towards her husband’s passion work is always played for laughs but in the last 5 minutes of the Longplay, writer Maqsood wanted to end it on a more “thoughtful” note which unfortunately does not work.

+ Overall

Half Plate is truly a mixed plate of delicious kebabs and wet/ soggy Biryani. With names such as Moin Akhtar and Khalida Riasat attached to it, you would naturally expect more.

Feature Length Films

Mr. Khan’s Review on The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Hollywood feature length film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025). The feature length is directed by Matt Shakman. The film stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) is the third reboot of the characters of Fantastic Four on the silver screen and the first time they have been integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

+ Crew

  • Directed by Matt Shakman
  • Screenplay by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer
  • Cinematography by Jess Hall
  • Edited by Nona Khodai and Tim Roche
  • Music by Michael Giacchino
  • Produced by Kevin Feige
  • Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

+ Note

After the conclusion of the ‘Third Phase’ of Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios has struggled to maintain its box office dominance that it once had. With the introduction of the new streaming service ‘Disney +’, the output of Marvel content dramatically increased which directly led to decrease in quality of the content. On the other hand, Fantastic Four had been a movie property of 20th Century Fox and the studio has tried twice to make the brand a viable movie franchise. In order to regain the rights of their Marvel characters, Disney ended up purchasing 20th Century Fox altogether (which included the X-Men and Fantastic Four properties), ready to be used and integrated in their cinematic universe. And thus, we have this year’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. 

After many mediocre attempts, Marvel Studios is desperate to regain the trust of its core and casual audience by placing a lot of care and attention to the first modern Superhero family of comics. 

 + Main Cast

  1. Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic
  2. Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
  3. Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / The Thing
  4. Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / Human Torch
  5. Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal / Silver Surfer

+ Plot

In Earth 828, the Fantastic Four protect the Earth and its inhabitants. They are already an established force with the support of the US government and its people. But when an alien lifeform visits New York City and warns them of the inevitable destruction of their entire planet at the hands of a cosmic entity named Galactus, the Fantastic Four must do everything to ensure that they are capable of protecting the earth and its people. 

+ High Points

i – Fantastic Four, on the silver screen, has always spelled disaster. Whether its the non-released Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four (1994), the clunky, comedic 2005 film or the disastrous, ultra dark 2015 film by Josh Trank. It was proven time and time again that Fantastic Four cannot be adapted to the big screen. Until now…

Yes. The Fantastic Four: First Steps accomplishes what others failed to do so. Kevin Feige (the producer) and Marvel Studios took their time and attention to adapt the charm, goofiness and the adventurous nature of Fantastic Four to their cinematic universe. As a long time fan of Fantastic Four from the comics (especially the Lee/ Kirby era), I was relieved to see the characters faithfully portrayed without overstepping their boundaries.

ii – As mentioned above in the Plot section, the film takes place on Earth 828. I believe this was a smart move as this led the writers to not carry the “baggage” of previous 15 or so MCU films. No questions can come up like “Why doesn’t Iron man or Avengers come and help?” or “Where were they when Thanos was whipping half of the earth’s population?”. It’s a self contained universe with Fantastic Four being the only Superheroes. The film obviously gives a very “1960s vibe” but doesn’t specifically state it out loud. Most likely a “Fantastic Four meet the Jetsons” look. The superhero team has an established headquarters, has the faith of the US government and its people and fights monsters and super villains on a regular basis. Which is why I’m glad that they kept the Fantastic Four universe separate from the rest…. At least for now. Eventually, we all want them to interact with the other superheroes but for now, they need to have their own separate adventure.

iii – I found the plot and the pacing of the film quite different from any other Marvel film I have seen before. The film takes its time to introduce the brand new world to the audiences, no constant quips or jokes that undercut a dramatic scene, the three act structure itself plays very “low key” and forgoes the importance of forced universe building over focusing on the central plot of this film alone. It clearly shows that Marvel did finally listen to its criticisms and tiredness of the “Marvel formula” being forced into each and every one of their films and acted upon it.

iv – The characterizations of all four protagonists was well executed. Whether it’s the brilliant but complex thoughts of Reed Richards, the down to earth approach of Sue Storm, the cocky yet heroic Johnny Storm or the loveable yet tragic figure of Ben Grimm; none of their character traits were ever forced or overstayed their welcome. They all played their parts well and had a reason to be there. The character that the audiences were most skeptical about was Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards and honestly, I think he did a much better job than I would’ve hoped for. Ultimately yes, it does seem like Pascal is holding a lot of his “charm” but that was not required for this role. Reed Richards as a character is an anomaly of this world. His brilliant mind alienates him from the rest of his family but at the same time, Reed knows that he cannot live without them.

I also thought that Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm was incredible who went beyond the stereotype of “the only girl of the team” by having no real motive in the plot of the film. She actually had some of the biggest setpieces of the film centered around her which was great. Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm was of course, cocky and head on but never overplayed his role. His quips and comedic antics were lowkey and fit perfectly to the tone of the film.

v – As mentioned above, the futuristic 1960s aesthetic of the film is very charming and pleasant to watch. The addition of H.E.R.B.I.E. the robot from the cartoon show was a great move which cemented the “Jetsons’ vibe “ even further.

vi – One aspect that is almost always mediocre in superhero films (especially Marvel films) is the score of the film. Every dramatic set piece of the film was accompanied by Michael Giacchino’s outstanding music that elevated the scene even further. It’s perhaps comical to even mention this but while watching the film, I actually noticed the music being played in the background! Hallelujah! 

vii – Speaking of setpieces, the second act of the film when the Fantastic Four visit outer space was amazing and truly, one of the best scenes of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. It captured the essence of the source material so perfectly. 

+ Low Points

i – Because of the film’s unusual pacing, some viewers might find the film “dull” and I can understand it to some extent. The tone of the film is deliberately sombre and lowkey. The emotions do not flare up and the superhero team discusses its matters in a more calm and collective way (at least for the most part). So if you’re a fan of previous MCU films, watch this film with an open frame of mind. It is a stand alone film and refrains from any previous MCU events.

ii – Even though I liked that they mostly skipped the “origin story” aspect and replaced it with newsreels explaining the characters and their backstories, I felt like it was a bit too short for my liking. A little more explanation of these characters and their superpowers would’ve been welcomed. The first half of the film is at times, rushing through the plot points and would have preferred if the film stopped and took a deep breath before moving forward.

iii – Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm was not as much explored as I would have liked. In the earlier comics, the fact that Ben was the only one in the group who got turned into a hideous monster tears him emotionally apart. He is the only member of the group dissatisfied with his new found powers and questions his own mortality. In the film, we get to witness that very briefly before moving on with the storyline. Maybe a lot of such character building scenes ended up on the cutting room floor but they could have kept some of it as the film is less than 2 hours (including credits!).

iv – I’m not sure if having Galactus as the antagonist in the very first film was the right choice. Having a cosmic entity leaves very little room to “humanize” the villain so there’s almost nothing that the Fantastic Four can bounce off of when it comes to interacting with the enemy (so to speak). Its well known fact that the MCU is saving Dr. Doom for the upcoming Avengers films so they couldn’t work with him either I suppose.

v – Julia Garner as Silver Surfer also felt “underexplored”. I realise that Silver Surfer was transformed into a woman for the film so that Johnny could have someone outside to interact with but we never really get to understand her backstory until this brief scene near the end of the film which also felt rushed and unsatisfying. 

+ Overall

This film is exactly what it says in the tagline: ‘First Steps’. And these steps are essential in making Fantastic Four a doorway to Marvel’s greatness in superhero films once again. 

Feature Length Films

Mr. Khan’s Review on Superman (2025)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Hollywood feature length film, Superman (2025). The feature length film is directed by James Gunn. The film stars David Corenswet as the Man Of Steel, Rachel Brosnahan as tough as nails reporter Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as the diabolical Lex Luthor. Superman (2025) serves as the first film in the new DC Film Universe headed by James Gunn with many other DC film projects planned ahead.

+ Crew

  • Directed by James Gunn
  • Written by James Gunn
  • Cinematography by Henry Braham
  • Edited by William Hoy and Craig Alpert
  • Music by John Murphy and David Fleming
  • Produced by Peter Safran and James Gunn
  • Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures

+ Note

Due to the financial and critical failures of the Zack Snyder DC Universe, Warner Bros. decided to reboot the entire DC Film Universe and hired James Gunn to serve as the head of this new Superhero franchise. Due to his critical and commercial successes in the Guardians Of The Galaxy films for Marvel Studios, Warner Bros. decided to take a chance with James Gunn by hiring him first as the director for the Suicide Squad (2021) film (reboot). While not as popular as the Marvel films, the film was a modest success which grew further faith in James Gunn to head the entire DC Film Franchise. In order to bring the characters back to their roots, Gunn’s vision promises to be much more connected to the Comic folklore which also serves as a clear distinction from the gritty, dark realism of the Zack Snyder films. Superman (2025) mainly takes inspiration from the 2005 limited comic book series All-Star Superman from Grant Morrision and Frank Quietly. 

 + Main Cast

  1. David Corenswet as Clark Kent / Superman
  2. Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane
  3. Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor
  4. Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt / Mister Terrific
  5. Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason / Metamorpho
  6. Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner / Green Lantern
  7. Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders / Hawkgirl

+ Plot

The film takes place in a world where Superman has already been introduced to the city of Metropolis. But he is caught up between learning how to balance between real world politics and serving humanity. When Lex Luthor (Superman’s arch rival) discovers a secret Kryptonian message from Superman’s birth parents and reveals it to the world, Superman is left with either conforming to the will of the powerful or fighting for the truth, justice and the Human way.

+ High Points

i – Whether you are a fan of the Zack Snyder DC Universe or the original Richard Donner Superman films from the 70s and 80s, no one can deny the fact that James Gunn knows the genre of Superheroes quite extensively. He was undoubtedly one of the best candidates to reboot the entire DC Film Franchise. Superman (2025) is supposed to be the launching pad for this new universe and a lot of money and faith is riding on this project. Does it deliver? Short answer; yes, it does. Optimism and Color. Two major two aspects that I found missing from the Snyder films have again returned for Superman. Gunn’s vision of Superman is young, naive and empathetic to a fault. His vision of a superhero world makes the corniness of comics much more natural and acceptable. The daily occurrences of a giant monster destroying Metropolis is served as a minor inconvenience for the innocent bystander. There is a clear homage to the wackiness of the Golden and Silver Age comics (case in point, Krypto the superdog). Its very refreshing to have a balance between the grittiness of the Snyder films and the quippy one liners of the standard Marvel films. If the film turns out to be a critical and commercial success then Superhero films are back in a big way!

ii – David Corenswet is the best portrayal I have seen of the Big Blue on the big screen since Christopher Reeves. His natural charisma, naivety, the ‘gee golly’ approach to Life is perfect. He can play the timid, mild mannered reporter Clark Kent as well as the dashing superhero. 

iii – Speaking of great casting, Rachel Brosnahan amazingly brought Lois Lane to life. Her tomboyish mannerism, straight forward/ head on approach to Life is wonderful and comic accurate. And so was Nicholas Hoult as the devious, cynical Lex Luthor. Hoult’s performance is calculating, menacing and for me, the best portrayal of Lex Luthor on the big screen (move over Gene Hackman!). 

 iv – Then you have other minor side characters like Jimmy Olsen who’s little subplot channeled a lot of his 60s/ 70s comic book series ‘Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen’ adventures (loved it!). Also one cannot forget the “Justice Gang”, Nathan Fillion killed it as the arrogant knucklehead Guy Gardner. Every single minor character, including Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, was so impressive that we really have to give credit to James Gunn for juggling so many side characters and still giving them a reason to exist for the plot of the film.

v – Even though Superman is a fictional character in a fictional universe, I can truly admire the fact that James Gunn did not shy away from dealing with ‘real world issues’. I will not spoil it here of course but lets just say that its a very prevalent topic right now and it was great to see what Superman would’ve done if he actually existed. And suffice to say, he stands on the side of the oppressed (as he should). 

 vi – When I first came across the trailer for the film, I was worried that a CGI dog is going to make it overbearing for the entire runtime of the film. That was pleasantly not the case. While Krypto was indeed in large chunks of the film, his presence was limited and adorable.

vii – The romance between Lois and Clark was perfect. From their performances, you can feel the chemistry and tension as their relationship grows from a casual office fling to a serious one. While not as memorable as the Interview with Superman scene in Superman (1978), I did always enjoy whenever they both were onscreen.

viii – While I am not in love with the costume of Superman, it did eventually grow on me. But the best part is of course that it makes the color prominent and dominating whenever its onscreen. You just can’t miss it.

ix – Superman is portrayed as a man with values. Empathy, Kindness and Justice. These three key elements have always defined Superman for who he is and were sadly missing (or obscured at best) from the Zack Snyder films. I am glad that this time, its front and center because the world needs this Superman right now. In the face of real life tyranny and injustice, we need a Superman to help us remind ourselves what makes us Human in the first place.

+ Low Points

i – For the audience members who are not really aware of Superman and his mythos, I can understand the first half an hour of the film can be VERY confusing and narratively disorienting. The film does not retread waters of origin story but the introduction of a barrage of completely new characters can be overbearing to many casual viewers.

ii – The music was a major letdown for the film. Throughout the film, one could hear a few notes of the famous John Williams’ score but none of the other music from the film ever stuck with me. This problem, unfortunately, is very prevalent in modern superhero films. For whatever reason, the music is the most forgettable part of these films.

iii – Amongst all the minor characters, I think Perry White suffered the most. Mainly because he was never given anything to do in the film. Lois got a small story arc, so did Olsen. Hell, even Mister Terrific got one. Perry White is a very prominent character from the comics and was hoping he would get something substantial to do but guess we’ll have to wait for the sequel.

iv – From a technical standpoint, the film is nothing special. The cinematography was not outstanding or memorable. There were one too many close ups of Superman flying which made it hard to figure out what was really happening at times. Especially during fight scenes.

v – A direct note to James Gunn; please bring others in the Superman rogues gallery to the big screen! I am so sick of just Lex Luthor being portrayed on screen for the 1045th time. Where is Braniac? Metallo? Parasite? Hell, even Titano the Giant Ape? In the sequel, I would like to see at least one of these Super Villains fight Superman!

+ Overall

Charming, fun and adventurous; James Gunn’s vision of Superman hits the mark in all the right places.  

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Tan Man Neel o Neel (2024)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Tan Man Neel o Neel (2024). The eleven episode TV mini-series is directed by Saife Hassan and written by Mustafa Afridi. Tan Man Neel o Neel is a story of the Pakistani dance entertainment industry along with the politics and corruption that surrounds it.  Tan Man Neel o Neel was aired on HUM TV late 2024.

+ Crew

  • Directed by Saife Hassan
  • Written by Mustafa Afridi
  • Produced by Sultana Siddiqui

+ Note

Tan Man Neel o Neel might have a deceivingly simple narrative on paper but it pertains dark complexity within its plot dealing with controversial issues like sexual abuse, corruption, torture and blasphemy.

 + Main Cast

  1. Shuja Asad as Sonu
  2. Seher Khan as Rabi
  3. Sammiya Mumtaz
  4. Saleem Mairaj
  5. Nadia Afgan
  6. Nauman Masood
  7. Muhammad Usman Javed
  8. Haseeb Khan

+ Plot

The story takes place in a city of dreams where Sonu (played by Shuja Asad) wants to become a professional dancer in the Entertainment Industry. After his performance in a small gig, he comes across Rabi (played by Seher Khan), a social media video blogger, who takes a shine at Sonu and forms a professional business partnership with him. After Sonu’s dancing partner becomes a victim of an unspeakable incident, Sonu and Rabi fight to find justice in a society where corruption runs the entire system.

+ High Points

i – This drama serial takes a massive chance with its highly controversial subject matter. Tan Man Neel o Neel is inadvertently a throwback to a time in the 90s where Pakistani dramas did not shy away from dealing with subjects that were detrimental to our society. Unfortunately I cannot discuss this “controversial subject matter” for readers who have not seen the show but will discuss it below in the spoiler section.

ii – Although I was not fully convinced in the beginning with the performances of our two young main leads, they did kind of grow on me as the series progressed. The naivety and lack of experience actually proved to be vital in their characterizations. Sonu grew up with a single parent while Rabi’s parents are loving and at times, lenient with her adventures into a dangerous, rogue world of online entertainment. Seher Khan’s interpretation of Rabi is a bold faced sweetheart who is never shy to speak her mind whereas Shuja Asad’s Sonu thinks perhaps a bit too much, before he speaks. In the world of Television, they are made for one another.

iii – The very first episode itself has a gut punch prepared for its audience with one, very controversial scene. It is very subtle in its visual and spoken presentation but for most viewers, it is obvious what has just happened to Sonu’s close friend. Without spoiling any plot point, let’s just say I did not expect a Pakistani TV drama to tackle such a taboo subject on public television. Kudos to the creative team for going through this.

iv – I always love watching Sammiya Mumtaz on screen. Her calm yet emotional performances always bring out the best in any TV show she is a part of. She plays a retired singer who is haunted by her past. As the show progresses, we get to learn more and more about it which involves her, her fiance and a jealous lover. This side story is well written and honestly, could have been a separate show in itself.

v – The surroundings of old city Punjab plays a vital role in creating an atmosphere for the show. I love the small, narrow streets, filled with deteriorating rows and rows of apartment buildings, wet clothes hanging on wires, rooftops, kite flying and so on. 

vi – The cinematography and framing at times, is so brilliant. The interior architecture is perfectly utilized in capturing the essence of the scene. Take for example this picture below, Rabi’s father had just revealed a terrible secret to his wife and the framing conveys the emotional claustrophobia that they feel now within the situation. Such visual storytelling adds so much to the entire atmosphere of the show.

SPOILER!!! If you haven’t seen the show yet, please skip to the ‘Low Points’ section below:

vii – The crescendo to the show, the plot that was leading up to the final confrontation; the blasphemy law. This law that has been shoved into Pakistan’s Penal Code since the early 90s, has been responsible for countless deaths of innocent muslims and non-muslims. This modern day witch hunt destroys the vision of Quaid’s Pakistan to its very founding principles. Salman Taseer, a Pakistani PPP politician was assassinated just for tackling this highly controversial topic and since then, no serious opposition was ever brought up against it due to backlash or worse, death. 

I genuinely applaud the creative team behind Tan Man Neel o Neel for actually tackling this topic head on and making it very clear where they stand on this issue. And the ending itself is not just used for mere shock value. If we listen closely to the dialogue with each episode, the topic was hinted at beforehand and is cleverly executed. 

+ Low Points

i – With all its strong characterization and brilliant pacing, the plot can get slightly repetitive and convoluted at times. With each episode, the revenge scenario between different factions started dominating the show a bit too much and as a viewer, one can easily be confused where our sympathies are supposed to lie.

ii – The “singing” sequences were badly synchronized with the actors. The show did not even attempt to make them believable. Obviously they had a professional singer singing on behalf of Seher Khan but the audio mixing was utter nonsense and laughable. Thankfully these scenes were very few but nonetheless, took me out of the scene every single time.

iii – When it comes to the antagonists of the show, nothing really stood out for me. Nauman Masood’s performance was commendable but the characterization and motivation was quite two dimensional. He is a terrible person because the script requires it. There was no nuance, no hint of what shaped his character in such a way. He’s just a troublemaker who wants to control Rabi.

+ Overall

Tan Man Neel o Neel is unapologetically a controversial show and it lives by that reputation. 

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Nadaan – Episode V-VIII (2024)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Nadaan Episode 5-8 (2024). The new TV series is directed by Mehreen Jabbar and written by Saji Gul. Nadaan is a story of an honest police officer, trapped in a world of corruption and deception. Can he defy all odds and stand up for justice? Nadaan is a Moomal Productions and HUM TV Production.

+ Crew

  • Directed by Mehreen Jabbar
  • Written by Saji Gul
  • Produced by Sultana Siddiqui 
  • Production by Moomal Productions

+ Note

‘Nadaan’ plot tackles the complexity of a police officer in search of justice from a corrupt system driven by outerior forces of religion, money and power. The plot displays how naivety can lead citizens into believing myths of miracle cure as opposed to medicine and doctors.

 + Main Cast

  1. Ahmed Ali Akbar       as Officer Haider
  2. Ramsha Khan           as Dr. Tabeer
  3. Hammad Shoaib
  4. Ahmed Ali Akbar
  5. Kashif Hussain
  6. Ahmed Randhawa
  7. Ali Gul Mallah

+ Plot

In search of justice, a police officer Haider ends up entrenched in the world of corruption, drug addiction and societal follies. Along the way, he is befriended by a young Dr. Tabeer who is willing to join him in the battle to protect the vulnerable and expose the wrongdoers.

+ High Points

i –  Episode 5 started off with a bang! The plot takes a major turn and all hell breaks loose. Now the lives of Dr. Tabeer and the medical staff are in severe danger as the radical mob tries to overthrow and burn down the hospital itself. But could Officer Haider save the day? Episode 5 was truly intense and the most engaging episode of the entire series.

Major SPOILERS ahead. If you would like to avoid it, please skip to Overall section:

ii – As I have previously mentioned before Kashif Hussain’s performance as the devious second in command is truly remarkable. He is perfectly casted and lives up to his role quite magnificently. His performance entails various sets of emotions; from his disturbing devotion to his Peer to utter insanity at the end, Kashif Hussain proves his wide range of acting masterclass throughout the series.

iii – I also found the plot redirection of Peer’s wife taking over the empire quite an interesting take with such great opportunity for further plot development. From the meek, obedient wife to powerhouse overlord; her sudden character development had great potential to bring something new and unpredictable to the show.

iv – The romance between Officer Haider and Dr. Tabeer is much better handled in the last four episodes as the dangerous circumstances naturally bring them closer to each other. This, I believe, is a much more convincing way of creating chemistry between the two protagonists as in comparison to some forced conversations and dialogues in the earlier episodes.

v – I love this shot (pictured below). The bars of prison visually divide the two protagonists but as they talk through their past trauma, it threatens to break the walls that divide them and bring them closer together.

vi – The last shot and the wrapping up of the plot from past to present is well executed and nicely brings the story to a close. 

+ Low Points

i – I was not a fan of the last episode. The overall conclusion felt abrupt and rushed as too many plot threads were quickly resolved because the story needed to end at this point. It also felt very unrealistic how quickly the wife of the late Peer was convinced of the innocence of Dr. Tabeer and quick turnaround of the mob against Tayeeb. The series could have used an extra episode to wrap things up in a proper and natural way.

ii – Also I felt there were way too many instances where Dr. Tabeer was arrested and then set free but then once again arrested. This whole plotline felt a bit convoluted and repetitive. 

iii – The plot twist with the wife of the late Peer, taking over the empire was a completely wasted opportunity. It was such an interesting move by the writer but was way too quickly resolved. The sudden loss of her husband could have had some severe consequences and made her into the new villain of the show. And perhaps she did not even need to turn “good” by the end. The corruption of power could have left her in a state of agony. Nonetheless, it was disappointing that the show did not follow through with this plotline.

+ Overall

Nadaan was a short but exciting TV series with some good performances and an engaging plotline but due to its not following through its plot into bold new directions, I cannot claim it to be one of Mehreen Jabbar’s best works to date.

TV series

Mr. Khan’s Review on Nadaan – Episode I-IV (2024)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani drama TV series, Nadaan Episode 1-4 (2024). The new TV series is directed by Mehreen Jabbar and written by Saji Gul. Nadaan is a story of an honest police officer, trapped in a world of corruption and deception. Can he defy all odds and stand up for justice? Nadaan is a Moomal Productions and HUM TV Production.

+ Crew

  • Directed by Mehreen Jabbar
  • Written by Saji Gul
  • Produced by Sultana Siddiqui 
  • Production by Moomal Productions

+ Note

‘Nadaan’ plot tackles the complexity of a police officer in search of justice from a corrupt system driven by outerior forces of religion, money and power. The plot displays how naivety can lead citizens into believing myths of miracle cure as opposed to medicine and doctors.

 + Main Cast

  1. Ahmed Ali Akbar       as Officer Haider
  2. Ramsha Khan           as Dr. Tabeer
  3. Hammad Shoaib
  4. Ahmed Ali Akbar
  5. Kashif Hussain
  6. Ahmed Randhawa
  7. Ali Gul Mallah

+ Plot

In search of justice, police officer Haider ends up entrenched in a world of corruption, drug addiction and societal follies. Along the way, he is befriended by a young Dr. Tabeer who is willing to join him in the battle to protect the vulnerable and expose the wrongdoers.

+ High Points

i –  Mehreen Jabbar is always known for her unique storytelling and fantastic backdrops of the underbelly of Pakistani society. And ‘Nadaan’ is thankfully no different. Director Jabbar always brings the ‘realism’ to the table; not just the grittiness and despair but also human interaction, the kindness that a good samaritan displays in need of help. And thus, her shows feel so much more authentic and ‘lived in’ as compared to many tv shows distracted with displaying only wealth and power as a background for a melodramatic storyline. In short, Mehreen Jabar’s shows are always a breath of fresh air for Pakistani television.

ii – The casting of the show is one of the main reasons for its success. Ahmed Ali Akbar as the guilt ridden police officer along with Ramsha Khan as the kind hearted doctor is a good dynamic for some interesting chemistry. Kashif Hussain as the devious antagonist along with other supporting cast makes each scene of the show lively and there’s hardly a dull moment.

iii – The central plot of the show is by far, the best aspect of the show. Writer Saji Gul does not shy away from the dangers of ‘personality worship’ as many locals tend to follow their ‘pirs’ for miracle cures rather than qualified doctors. The misuse of religion, the dangers of drug addiction and abuse of power play pivotal roles in bringing this show to light. Although it is heavily dramatized, the plot itself feels realistic and believable. 

iv – As mentioned above, the locations, set design and costumes all blend well into the gritty atmosphere the show is trying to create. 

v – Love the fact that the show starts off with a flashback of a ‘crossroads’ moment in the life of our protagonist and then it cuts back to the beginning of the story. This keeps the viewers engaged into the storyline and ultimately root for the redemption of our protagonist.

vi – The main theme of the show is melodic and fits perfectly to the show’s atmosphere. The soundtrack itself is well orchestrated and enhances the emotion of each and every scene of the show. 

+ Low Points

i – With all the right moves to have yet another classic Mehreen Jabbar show, it doesn’t hit its mark as well as it should have. The plot seems to be mostly predictable and by the numbers. One can almost anticipate each scene that will drive the narrative forward. The predictable romance between the police officer and the doctor seems out of place and plays no role in adding any depth to the narrative. ‘Nadaan’ is not a bad show by any stretch of imagination and it’s miles better than most shows we currently watch on our television but for some reason, Mehreen Jabbar chose to play safe with this show (even if the plot is quite an interesting one). The twist and turns of the show are entirely predictable and never left me at the edge of my sofa.  

ii – Even with a predictable show, perhaps the performances of the actors can make the show worth watching, right? Well, it is worth a watch but the actors are not at their “A” game. For one reason or another, the performances feel at times, lifeless and formulaic. And it is utterly surprising that even Ahmed Ali Akbar falls into this trap. The only performance that left me wanting for more was Kashif Hussain as his character is by far, the most fascinating of all.

iii – In the first episode , there were some audio issues with the microphone of Ramsha Khan. Perhaps the microphone was not attached properly but nonetheless was very noticeable and distracting throughout.

iv – I also felt that the romance of the show was way too quickly developed between the police officer and the doctor. They hardly shared a single emotional scene together and for some reason, that was enough. Frankly, I would have preferred without any romance angle as it adds nothing to the main plot of the show. 

+ Overall

Four episodes in, ‘Nadaan’ is still an interesting watch but not to the levels of what one would expect from the talent of Mehreen Jabar. 

Feature Length Films

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Hollywood feature length film, Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). The feature length is directed by Shawn Levy. The film stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin and Matthew Macfadyen. The film continues Wade Wilson aka Deadpool’s journey to find his sense of purpose in Life. Deadpool & Wolverine is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

+ Crew

  • Directed by Shawn Levy
  • Written by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells and Shawn Levy
  • Cinematography by George Richmond
  • Edited by Shane Reid and Dean Zimmerman
  • Music by Rob Simonsen
  • Produced by Kevin Feige, Lauren Shuler Donner, Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy

+ Note

Deadpool & Wolverine is a swansong for the 21st Century Fox era of superhero films. The film brings major elements of the X-men franchise back into play to the current Deadpool mythos and functions as a buddy cop story of two characters with opposite personalities. Even after the purchase of 21st Century Fox by Disney, Ryan Reynolds was insistent that Deadpool always remained ‘R-rated’ to which Disney head Bob obliged. Another aspect that Reynolds was insistent upon was the return of Hugh Jackman in the film. Although Jackman was at first reluctant to revive his character Wolverine back from the dead, he was quickly convinced due to working alongside Reynolds.

Before its release, the film was heavily marketed with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman appearing as themselves in multiple advertisements including the Euro 2024. Since Avengers: Endgame (2019), the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been on a downward spiral of mediocre films and TV shows. Could Deadpool & Wolverine finally be the breakthrough that Disney is hoping for?

 + Main Cast

  1. Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson / Deadpool
  2. Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine
  3. Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova
  4. Morena Baccarin as Vanessa Carlysle
  5. Rob Delaney as Peter Wisdom
  6. Leslie Uggams as Blind Al
  7. Aaron Stanford as John Allerdyce / Pyro
  8. Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Paradox

+ Plot

In an alternative Universe, Deadpool has it all; loving girlfriend, trustworthy friends and all round comfortable life. Enter: Time Variance Authority. After informing Deadpool that his timeline is on the brink of annihilation, Deadpool needs to team up with his ‘anchor being’ Wolverine in order to defeat Paradox and save his universe in the process.

+ High Points

i – As expected, Deadpool & Wolverine is filled with provocative humor. Some of it works, others do not. But the ones that do are laugh out loud moments of the film. The self-deprecating humor has now officially entered the MCU and through Deadpool, Marvel can easily poke fun at their failures for the past 3-4 months.  

ii – In the comics, Deadpool is famously identified as ‘Merc with a mouth’. And when it comes to the big screen, Deadpool’s bag of gags can become easily tiresome. But with the straight man of Wolverine, Deadpool has someone to play his jokes off from. And that is indeed an important aspect to the film. Reynolds and Jackman have natural chemistry with one another. The film heavily depended on the two protagonists and they did not disappoint.

iii – The Marvel Cinematic Universe is not known for its memorable villains. Apart from Thanos, Loki and a few others, most Marvel villains are under-developed at best. While Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova may not be a high tier villain in the MCU, she works perfectly as the ever powerful antagonist for Deadpool & Wolverine. Her mind blending, fingers through the skull effect is one of the most visually unique powers that has ever been put on the silver screen. It looks extremely uncomfortable and bizarre. Perfect and memorable for the villainess. Also Corrin does a fantastic job in bringing the character to the big screen.

 iv – The opening credits scene was fun and full of dark humor. It is clearly obvious that Ryan Reynolds has been very passionate about the character of Deadpool since its debut in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and will always go the extra mile in his performance.  

v – The Honda Odyssey fight scene! It was absurd, gory, unapologetic and masterful. While the MCU is not known for its creativity, this fight scene was glorious and brilliantly executed. 

 

vi – In most of my reviews, you would almost never find me praising the use of licensed music in films but Deadpool & Wolverine did an amazing job in integrating the music into the tone of the film. None of it felt out of place nor forced. From Nsync to Madonna, the pop songs played a key role in fleshing out each and every scene of the film.

vii – The cameos served a role in the story and never felt out of place. Were they mostly fan service? Yes, I am a fan and I was indeed served. And at the same time, the cameos never took me out of the narrative of the film.

+ Low Points

i – Deadpool & Wolverine has some flaws and they are evidently present throughout its runtime. Let’s start with the humor. I believe this one sentence could summarize the film’s comedic direction: “Hey, isn’t homosexual sex hilarious?”. Unfortunately the jokes that do not land might prove to be detrimental to the film for some viewers. 

ii – The villainess of the film Cassandra is extremely powerful. Yes, she is the twin sister of Charles Xavier aka Professor X but the film had almost no answers on how to neutralize her. Perhaps she needed more screen time to fully develop her character but nevertheless, characters are only interesting if weaknesses are also conveyed to the audience.

iii – I also believe that the film overstays its welcome. Clocking at around 129 minutes, it is 15 minutes too long. And there are plentiful scenes that could have ended up on the cutting room floor.

iv – I think we can all safely say that the concept of Multiverse has become tiresome in superhero movies now. It was unique and special when Spiderverse was introduced back in 2018 but by now, it is damaging the investment of the viewer for certain characters as they know that death has no consequences as their “variant” can easily be integrated into the sequel. 

+ Overall

Despite its obvious flaws, Deadpool & Wolverine promises a good time. The humor might not be for everyone but then again, Deadpool has always been a divisive character to begin with.

Rate: out of 5 stars 

Tele-Films

Mr. Khan’s Review on Zara Si Aurat (1992)

Mr. Khan's Reviews

A review on Pakistani classic telefilm, Zara Si Aurat (1992). This telefilm is directed by Sultana Siddiqui and written by Noor ul Huda Shah. Zara Si Aurat was part of the PTV ‘Tele-Theater’ program.

+ Crew

  • Directed by Sultana Siddiqui 
  • Written by Noor ul Huda Shah

+ Note

Zara Si Aurat is a case study of what it means to be a married woman who is torn apart between the wishes of her family and her sense of eternal happiness. Envy and lack of empathy plays an integral role in this melodrama as the protagonist is torn apart between Independence and loyalty to her family.

+ Main Cast

  1. Bushra Ansari as Qudsia 
  2. Shafi Muhammad  as Asad
  3. Behroze Sabzwari as Ahmed

+ Plot

Qudsia (Bushra Ansari) is trapped in the world of endearment. Her task of a model housewife for her husband Asad (Shafi Muhammad) is destroying her career and worse, her sense of happiness. Enter; Qudsia’s cousin Ahmed (Behroze Sabzwari) who makes a surprise visit to her home. As they both feel compatible with each other’s misery, this leads to anger, envy and despair.

+ High Points

i – ‘Zara Si Aurat’ is undoubtedly a daring piece of small screen cinema. The premise of the Tele Theater starts off as a character study but then swiftly turns into a Shakespearean tragedy. The main protagonists of the telefilm mostly play their roles with conviction and a poignant sense of self-realization.

ii – Bushra Ansari has always been an epitome of revolution in Pakistani television. And ‘Zara Si Aurat’ is one of her finest performances on the small screen. 

One of the more memorable dialogue comes early on in the telefilm as Qudsia feels degraded by her husband. She confesses to her friend that she feels like a ‘lesser woman’. A living being without any sense of happiness on the horizon. And hence, comes the title of the Long play.

Qudsia’s character struggles to maintain her identity while being a good wife and a mother. And ultimately, her loyalty leads to her downfall.

iii – Another outstanding performance from the telefilm was from Shafi Muhammad. In all of his previous roles, Shafi has always played the calm, kind hearted man who is empathetic to his fellow man or woman. But not this time. Here, we get to see his sinister side, his pragmatic and contempt for his partner. Shafi Muhammad gives such a unique performance which is a strong departure from all of his previous well renowned roles.

iv – The writer of the telefilm Noor ul Huda Shah did a fantastic job in bringing this story to life. The plot moves at a brisk pace and as the story progresses, the tension becomes more and more intense and with the third act of the telefilm, one is completely engrossed into the narrative of the film.

v – One factor that I always highlight about the Telefilms of the 90s is that they never shy away from powerful endings. And ‘Zara Si Aurat’ is no exception.

+ Low Points

i – Behroze Sabzwari is one of few factors that did not help the telefilm live up to its true potential. This is not a knock against Behroze as an actor but clearly, his performance felt slightly out of place and mildly annoying. So his ‘happy go lucky’ attitude was indeed intentional but a bit of restraint to his performance would have elevated the telefilm towards absolute brilliance. Sadly, his performance did hinder its success.

ii – Of course when it comes to the technical aspects of the telefilm, ‘Zara Si Aurat’ is a victim of its times. The shot composition, the melodramatic music seems bland and ultimately forgettable. The strength of telefilm lies with its premise and brilliant performances from its main cast.

+ Overall

 ‘Zara Si Aurat’ has a fantastic premise and a memorable ending. One of the best telefilms from the 90s era of Pakistani television.

Rate: out of 5 stars