Stories by Sadaf Siddique

Iranian cinema allows for a glimpse of a country we rarely get to see

Working within strict censorship laws, Iranian films do not shy away from exploring sensitive social and cultural issues.

Published 31 Aug, 2020 09:26am

Why Malayalam cinema is an engaging alternative to Hindi cinema

Mollywood opens new perspectives on regional Indian cinema but is it a cut above Bollywood?

Published 17 Jun, 2020 11:52am

Akhri Station shows us the worst moments of women's lives but where's the relief?

While Akhri Station touches on taboo topics, it is less successful in showing the full spectrum of human experience

Published 13 Mar, 2018 12:32pm

Review: Sarmad Khoosat's Akhri Station is off to a brutal start

The mini-series' first episode tells the story of Yasmin whose no-good husband forces her into unthinkable circumstances

Published 15 Feb, 2018 01:28pm

Drama Manto shows an artist besieged by opposition on all sides

Manto forces us to question whether our current system is also holding our artists back

Updated 08 Feb, 2018 01:34pm

TV director Ehteshamuddin reveals why he's obsessed with Partition

Ehteshamuddin on his Partition obsession, what's different about his next project and the acting role that got away

Published 07 Dec, 2017 09:14am

Review: 'Mom' propels the raw power of desi motherhood to a cathartic but troubling conclusion

When a heinous crime is committed against her daughter, Devki (Sridevi) finds herself taking the law into her hands

Published 10 Jul, 2017 03:13pm

Saba Qamar and Irrfan Khan make the most of Hindi Medium's slightly shallow script

While director Saket Chaudhary gets full marks for novelty, he fails to adequately flesh his ideas out

Published 22 May, 2017 11:19am

What were the best and worst TV trends of 2016?

What's good? Working women finally got their due. What's bad? We celebrated stalkers as heroes.

Updated 30 Dec, 2016 11:00am

New drama Sanam could offer a fresh take on mental illness, but it's off to a slow start

Starring Osman Khalid Butt and Hareem Farooq, Sanam needs to be jolted from its slumber

Published 24 Sep, 2016 12:23pm

The IMAGES survey vs the LSA jury: Who picked the better winners?

Our readers had their money on (most of) the same celebs!

Published 02 Oct, 2015 03:58pm

First look: Will Sangat deal with sexual violence any better than typical TV?

Saba Qamar and Mikaal Zulfikar have previously played a couple dealing with the aftermath of rape in Pani Jaisa Pyar

Published 25 Aug, 2015 03:16pm

Do class concerns trump love? Mera Naam Yousuf Hai asks big questions

Starring Imran Abbas and Maya Ali, the TV drama unites writer Khalil Ur Rehman and director Mehreen Jabbar

Published 29 Jul, 2015 12:06pm

Do modern Pakistani TV romances fall short of classics like Dhoop Kinarey?

We dissect the state of romance in today's dramas and find out what makes modern-day onscreen love work — or not

Updated 24 Jul, 2015 10:42am

TV drama Mera Naam Yousuf Hai plays the filmi card and wins

Each characters is predictable, but at least they're believable (for the most part!)

Updated 22 Jun, 2015 03:54pm

Review: TV drama Zid goes on a killing spree

The series takes a morbid turn as characters are bumped off to make the plot work

Published 19 May, 2015 01:08pm

Review: In Mera Naam Yousuf Hai, even a kidnapping can't hide sexism

Maya Ali's character Zulaikha lacks backbone and her actions reinforce all that patriarchy holds dear

Updated 12 May, 2015 11:54am

Review: In Zid, desire is mostly passionless

While it's hard to portray desire on Pakistani TV screens one can't forgive Zid's frigid take on the emotion

Updated 16 Apr, 2015 01:12pm

Review: Mera Naam Yousuf Hai is a one-sided love story so far

Yousuf loves Zulaikha but we're not convinced Zulaikha loves anyone, not even herself or her own future

Updated 06 Apr, 2015 01:40pm

Review: 'Jackson Heights' shines as an immigrant's take on love and loss

We round up what worked and what didn't in Mehreen Jabbar's drama serial

Updated 04 Apr, 2015 03:41pm