Dear reader, online ads enable us to deliver the journalism you value. Please support us by taking a moment to
 |
| Mehwish Hayat performing the item number in the film, 'Na Maloom Afraad'. – Photo courtesy Filmwala Pictures |
KARACHI. A three-second glimpse of Mehwish Hayat's jhatkas in a ghagra choli is really all it took to send fans swooning.
The svelte actress' special appearance for an item number in upcoming Pakistani film Na Maloom Afraad has created a stir on social media, as the first trailer for the film treats fans to a quick look of the performance. With her energetic and willowy dance performances on stage shows for Veet and Hum TV, it is no wonder that the talented actress' role in the upcoming film has people talking.
While the name of the song has not yet been disclosed by the film-makers in the spirit of building anticipation pre-release, we have learnt that the music for the number has been composed by Shani and Kami.
Also read: 'Trailer's out: Namaloom Afraad shows blockbuster potential'
“I used to watch a lot of Michael Jackson and Jennifer Lopez videos to copy the moves,” Hayat tells Dawn. “I loved to dance and really wanted to do something related to dance in the industry.”
As a child, Hayat said she had an interest in dancing and used to practice freestyle dance steps.
Read more: 'First person: Getting to know Mehwish Hayat'
With long shooting hours under the supervision of Lahore-based choreographer, Nigah Hussain, Hayat said had sore feet by the time the shooting ended for the dance number.
“It was a wooden dance floor... I had bruised and swollen feet and was unable to walk for days,” she said.
 |
| Screenshot from the film, 'Na Maloom Afraad' – Courtesy Photo |
Working through the pain, Hayat said playing the 'item girl' was a worthwhile experience.
“Item songs are the highlight for any film, and after working on this one, I definitely feel that Pakistani cinema is evolving. We’ve already made our name in television and will soon rise in the film industry as well. We [Pakistan] are no less than any other country's film industry.”
“I was working with Jawed Sheikh those days and he was all praise for the film,” she says. “Fizza (the producer) then got in touch with me. By then, I already knew what the film was about so I listened to the song, and instantly decided to do it!”
Having worked in both, television and film, Hayat says she feels more comfortable on the silver screen and is proud to be part of the upcoming feature film.
“It’s every actor’s dream to work on the big screen," she gushes. "I also believe Director Nabeel Qureshi is one of the finest directors to look forward to. He is excellent at his work and I’m proud to be part of the Na Maloom Afraad team.”
She adds that she feels strongly about representing Pakistan in the foreign film industry and is open to accepting any offer she receives from abroad.
With Chikni Chameli as her favourite item song, one can only wait and see the moves Hayat brings to the number, which looks -- even by a glimpse -- like a rendition of the upbeat Bollywood songs that are all the rage with cinema goers in the sub-continent.
Comments (78) Closed
You guys accuse bollywood of copying so what is this? Copy of a copy? Hypocrites.
@ DK this is not new it is happening in south asia since dawn of film industry. And it is not limited to bollywood.
Good news. Nice to see a picture like this on a Pakistani newspaper. Thank you, Dawn!
Why following Indian item song? you are beautiful and used to look innocent, now dont be like an item girl
@DK Same goes for your TV series dude. So you aren't only hypocrites but hold stereotypes too. As for the copy - this is nonsense which happens once in a while in Pakistan, unlike India where this nonsense continues for decades.
Cheap Bollywood copy. Come back with something original but for that you need brain. If this is the ware we are getting from new era Pakistan movie, then I must say this era should not have begun or ends very soon. Cheapsters!
@sohaib why comparing it with bollywood?? guess you havnt seen your own movies which are full of vulgarity and cheapness. you should compare it with that. why are pakistanis so much obsessed with bollywood??
Fahad Mustafa na hota to movie shayad dekh hi leta .. ab sirf mehwish hayat ka hi gana download maar lain gai
That is one sexy back. Can't wait to see this movie.
Im glad there are movies like this, it looks like a quality production if it is commercialised drama. We need more of this. makes you forget for a second that we are in the grip of extremism and fundamental religious teachings everywhere.
@Tilikum please stay from the internet (western invention) this month and continue committing sins after Eid.
Good luck to the team that has made this film. We need people back into Cinemas. We need people smiling again
Wish Pakistani Cinema the best of luck for its revival
An item song is a highlight for a film? What a pathetic joke.
@DK
It is interesting you mention. There are more than 20 different volumes of videos named Bollywood plagiarized Pakistani music. Go to youtube and see it for yourself. Bollywood should be 'Copywood', they stole from Arabic, American, French, Africans and so on. Also, don't forget to watch Pakistani Coke Studio butchered by MTV India.
Just imagine Bollywood movies without stolen: Hollywood stories, MTV dances and Pakistani music
This movie is an absolute joke and a mockery of the reviving film industry. Pakistanis should take examples from films like WAAR, BOL, DUKTHAR, AZAAD...movies with an actual moral which teaches this nation our problems and how to solve them. Having Mehwish Hayat shake her badonkadonk serves nothing....what a joke. I will not watch or promote this movie at all.
@sohaib There are plenty of good movies coming out...O21, Dukthar, Azaad to name a few...garbage like this shouldn't be taken seriously. It's just an attempt by the "Indiansed" Pakistanis to further destroy what we have in Pakistan which is authentically PAKISTANI.
@DK Not hypocritical, rather shameful. The new Pakistani movies coming out of late have been quite a treat to watch. This is just like throwing a wrench into a machine...hopefully it doesn't do too much damage. I just find it hypocritical how many women and girls are giving trash like this 2 thumbs up...what exactly is good about a movie which portray women as sex objects? What exactly is dancing around like a cheap trick exactly suppose to do for the story. The fact they even need nonsense like this proves how lame the movie probably is.
Anybody who goes to see this movie will only be proving how paindu and backwards they really are. Support good movies like Waar, 021, Azaad, Moor, Bol, Dukthar....movies with actual morals and stories you can learn.
What exactly is anyone suppose to learn from this? What a sad joke! If people wanna reduce themselves to 3rd class trash, they can go watch bollywood...we don't need these trashy films in our industry.
what is that guy front right 'thinking'. "This thing is obscene; I have to check it out thoroughly, then destroy it to slake my sinful thoughts."
The most positive and best ever news coming out of pakistan. loving it.
@Rattan Good point. That is called hypocrisy.
You get two things from film making, fame and money. As long as you do not cross a red line, nothing wrong with coping. Hollywood and Bollywood have been coping for years, they do not have law called copywrite. If Pakistani film industry copy something and get fame, money and give back entertainment to public. I say absolutely nothing wrong with this.
@Anwar Hayat Aythentic Pakistan...hmm Gandasa, Gujjar movies you mean.
Well hello Mehwish!
@Yousuf
Please don't impose our sense of modesty on the rest of the nation.
Now we are taking pride in following the footsteps of Indian film industry by falling into INDECENCY. What a rubbish, wondering what NEXT.
Thankfully half naked ladies is not a prerequisite for me to enjoy a movie. But in order to appeal to the ignorant masses, such vulgarities have to be included yes?
I still don't understand why people with barely a gain of morality like Meera, and this girl here are given so much attention by news sources such as Dawn.
Cool! Thank you Dawn and the reporter for the report!
The actress looks amazing. About time Pak had Bollywood inspired entertaining movies!
this is just a bad copy of indian style movies......you are reviving to show what??? how you are also good at making cheap movies the kind that india produces? if you want to revive Pakistani cinema then be original and make new concepts like films like waar and kambakht or our tv industry ect films that actually represent us! not this skimpy stuff ...if this is all you got then there is no point to this revival. hope it doesnt take place.
Utterly disappointed that this movie is a sad reflection of the state of Pakistan's media today. No originality, just copying Bollywood.
@DK agreed! we copy everything India produces and that is the bitter truth
wow! talk about over acting, when will my fellow Pakistanis learn how to act school. We need more and better acting schools here cuz this looks like a home project rather than a block buster. Everyone in the trailer was over acting, there was poor dialogue delivery and the story line seemed all too predictable. Another movie to miss! Salman Shahid is the only half decent actor in the lot. Pehle seekho phir baicho!
Meera , Veena , one more model don't remember her name but now Mehwish Hayat, Who else to come?
Many times I have seen comments against Bollywood masala item numbers, it's worthlessness, it's cheapness towards the woman, how it is harmful to Pakistani culture, and so on. So now it means that this being an item number of Pakistani film production, it would not harm the culture of the Pakistan, not it would be considered cheap having portrayed the woman as a commodity. Isn't it a double-standard guys?
@Lakhkar Khan Dude, so far Bollywood would have produced over a Million Songs and Movies and people give a judgement that it should be copywood based on 20 odd videos ?? I can sit back and give you names of 100 Bollywood movies that are superhit and not copied from any other movie. Check interview of any Pakistani movie maker and they all will tell you that Bollywood is the only reason of rise of Pakistani cinema which is why they can risk making movies now. You know well what was the condition of Cinemas in Pakistan before Bollywood movies were released there. Atleast be thankful for the contribution they have made to your cinema. See the huge list of Pakistani stars getting work and respect in Bollywood and be thankful for them.
what is all the fuss about folks... before even seeing the movie. yes if covers are any judge the trailer is scarily suggestive of quite an ordinary plot; with an attempt to turbo-charge it with high profile cast.
speaking of ordinary, mehwish hayat is a below average actress and performs no better than that main character lady did in movie WAAR. (which again no idea who did the casting for it as ayesha just couldn't pull it off- just not a movie star perhaps.
her frequent appearances on TV from drama to anchoring and twisting attempts are testimony to that, Enough said. she doesn't need more importance than this. Does she
All the haters here will still buy cinema ticket, buy DVD, or at least copy or download and watch. They make em because we watch em. If we didnt, they wouldnt exist. Stop hating and enjoy! Its not like a single so called such "vulgar" film ever killed anyone. On the other hand...extreme conservativeness kills daily in our country....
we have our own values and culture then why we are copying bollywood .We should have our own identity.bad news
showing hald naked women in the name of entertainment is in fact victamization of womenhood and its abuse. their are far better movies to watch for entertainment and that too without any vulgarity. copying Indians in the name of an item number has got nothing original or entertaining.
Fantastic stuff. Copy or no copy, who cares. As long as I enjoy the work, go ahead Pakistani movies. Hope I am able to watch it in a Mumbai multiplex.
Why is everyone getting in such a huff about this its a film they have to sell it so an item song is going to get bums on seats why not everyone has to make money, people in Pakistan watch Indian films with such items so why not in Pakistan it will give this flagging industry a leg up. if people do not want to watch it they do not have to go to the pictures.
@DK Well your statement makes you a hypocrite as well.
@Naseem Warsi what kind of revival is this??????
@Anwar Hayat Then don't watch it...nobody is forcing you to....... you 1990's kids don't know what the pakistani cinema was like in the 60's and 70's before mullahism throttled your collective culture.
@Fazl-ur-Rehman :P
I think Pakistanis deserve to experience something that is not terrorism, Kari kari, and Gujhar entertainment. I would definately go and watch it because we need entertainment in our lives .
Looking forward to it. she's super hot and a good dancer
Cheap rip off of every possible Bollywood action flick which in turn are cheap rip offs of all possible Hollywood action flicks. So ingenious and original are the filmmakers here that even the masks used are from the Scream franchise. And the dance number is a cheap imitation of every possible cheesy dance number in Bollywood. The next step in our evolution to become wannabes is to have our new generation of filmsaaz film Ms Mehvish and other budding female stars to be in a cheesy but hot car wash scene posing provocatively, showing enough cleavage and skin. Cleaning and leaning against a Suzuki Cultus.
Atleast something delightful from Pakistan
@sachin
Fair enough. However, Bollywood should give credit to Pakistani artists who initially sang the song. For decades big Bollywood stars are Lata, Kishore and Asha remade (plagiarizered) Pakistani music did not gave any credit to who they copied from.
Pakistan has some great artists. Music like Qawali, ghazal, pop, rock, folk to sufi, Bollywood cannot compete any of those. The film industry is not doing well but the music is ROCKING. When a Bollywood artist goes to sleep at night and dream of becoming an artist, Pakistan already has those artists.
Maybe Indians should learn some skills from Pakistanis artists to train Bollywood singers, poets and music directors if they cannot produce high quality music.
And we complain why is Pakistan loosing its values and going backwards. There is a metaphor in Urdu " Kuwa chala Hans ki chal apni chal bhi bhul gaya"
Not even gonna comment on the premise and the picturisation of the song. Clearly people like me aren't the target audience.
Is the 'Item number' as it is called needed for the success of a film? It may get people talking but in the end the story and the plot is remembered along with good acting.
Dont think REVIVAL is dependant on it at all.
@Anwar Hayat: you are right!
@Thinker Exactly!
@Mango you must be a man. These kind of movies promote the vulgarity that allows for sexual harassment and abuse to take place in our country.
Pfft. Some pathetic revival.
@Saad Zafar Really? A bit too broad for my taste!
I would like to ask the moderators to clarify why my comment was removed after being allowed at first. Intolerance much?
She's no match for "maiN aaN husan di Kalashankoff" by Nadra!!! ;))
My god she is fat. You call that beauty?
@DK - hypocrites are those who deny their acts or hide and blame only others. Just saying
@aks - why not they have even used Attaullah Niazi songs as a whole
@Maheen 100% agree
@Anwar Hayat chill maaan just enjoy...the movie!!
its funny ...
you guys love Indian movies mainly for the item numbers... so someone decided to put one in a Pakistani movie...
Item songs are vulgar, humiliating and sick! Women ain't objects for the entertainment of men! I was sooo happy with movies like waar, zinda bhaag, josh. I've stopped watching indian movies because of their item songs and now this! Yuck yuck yuck! Commercial films can have songs and dances WITHOUT vulgar moves!
looks like a clip from an indian movie, Priyanka Chopra bare back? not really.....ha ha
@DK
Copy what? it is the world's oldest profession.
Afsoooos!!
Yes Yes, Light Entertainment is not Pakistani culture. It is vulgar and destroying the Pakistani Youth. Pakistani Movies containing full of Violence, Terrorists Attacks and all are doing justice to Pakistani Culture. is it?
wow what a step backwards. Item songs are so demeaning and sexist. They promote the idea that women are objects to be started at for men's pleasure. No wonder why our men in Pakistan and India have such a staring problem, they feel they are entitled to ogle at women's bodies. In the west there is not such a staring problem. and western movies don't have "item numbers"... why not make a movie with a strong female character, that would indeed be progressive instead of harmful.
I can't believe she said item numbers are the HIGHLIGHT of films. bollywood dekh dekh kar dimagh sar gia.
Doob marna chahie is ko
I hope there is someone out there who hasnt seen the latest copy of a hollywood movie. Only then can we expect them to get cinema goers in the cinema!
Can't we make films like "Children of Heaven" . Irani films are awesome . They don't have to strip their women half naked to attract public like Indian films. Seems like Pakistani films are opting for nudity as well !
pakistani version of 'Munni badnam hui'?
please remove everything
@Sadia good for you. Stop drinking water too!!!!
@rehan Hear hear!
tbh, i am sure there will be film-makers who shall be esperimenting in that genre too.
As there will always be films made that are just for mindless fun. However, unnecessary nudity shall and will be frowned upon.