KARACHI: The makers of Pakistan’s most talked-about drama serial, Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, attributed its success to content that resonated deeply with viewers, as its final episode screened in cinemas nationwide on Tuesday.
Starring leading actors Fahad Mustafa and Hania Aamir as Mustafa and Sharjeena, the drama has been a topic of discussion since its debut in July.
The 34-episode series aired twice a week, with the grand finale reaching audiences on the big screen along with television.
Each new episode kept the show trending on Twitter, not only in Pakistan but also in India and Bangladesh, sustaining its popularity across borders. The drama earned a 9.2 rating on IMDb, an exceptional achievement for Pakistani TV productions.
“What’s happening with Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum is unprecedented,” Jerjees Seja, CEO of ARY Digital Network, the channel that the drama, said. “This has never happened before [in the history of Pakistani television plays] and I wonder if this will happen again.”
“It’s [all about] how people resonate [and] how they associate with the content,” he continued. “It’s amazing how audiences have connected with the drama [and] with Sharjeena and Mustafa.”
Tickets for the final episode were sold out in advance for shows in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad and other cities, he informed. Shows were extended to midnight considering the demand for tickets.
“It’s a great thing to air the last episodes [of our dramas] in cinemas,” Pakistani artist Mehwish Hayat told Arab News on the sidelines of the finale. “There is no harm if cinemas are being revived through drama serials. The way people have filled the cinema halls across Pakistan to watch this last episode [of this play], it’s phenomenal. This trend should continue.”
Written by seasoned writer Farhat Ishtiaq and directed by Badar Mehmood, Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum followed the different stages of love in the life of lead characters Mustafa and Sharjeena.
“I think the story was quite relatable,” said Mehmood.
“Everyone was relating to one character or the other, be it Adeel, Mustafa, Sharjeena or Rubab,” he continued. “It was a very household story that happens in every home at different moments so that was very relatable.”
The ensemble cast, including Emmad Irfani, Naeema Butt, Bushra Ansari and Jawed Sheikh, was equally incredible and impactful.
“The love I am getting from all the people, not just in Pakistan [but] all over the world, it has absolutely taken me from my lowest low to the highest high in a matter of a few months,” Irfani, who played anti-hero Adeel, told Arab News.
“His capriciousness, his unpredictability [made Adeel resonate with audiences],” he added. “His antics are so volatile, he says something [and then] he does something else. I think that is what captivated the audience’s imagination and that is what inspired me to play Adeel in the first place.”
Those in attendance at the screening of the final episode said the drama resonated with them on multiple levels.
“It was a very family-oriented [drama],” Fauzia Mehtab, who came to the cinema but didn’t get the ticket to watch the show, told Arab News. “We could relate to it. It seemed like it’s the story of our house. And now we are going to get so bored on Monday and Tuesday because there will be no ‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum.’”
Fans at the screening could not contain their excitement to see Fahad Mustafa among them. Most of them were eager to click selfies with him, as he could be seen getting truly overwhelmed by the response.
“I came [to the cinema] to see the actors because I really like Fahad Mustafa,” Mehtab said. “I wanted to meet him, but you know you can’t meet him in these circumstances.”
‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum,’ Pakistan’s most talked-about drama, concludes with cinematic finale
https://arab.news/8ebty
‘Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum,’ Pakistan’s most talked-about drama, concludes with cinematic finale
- Starring Fahad Mustafa and Hania Aamir, the drama’s final episode sold out cinema tickets in advance
- Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum earned a 9.2 rating on IMDb and trended on social media in India and Bangladesh
Stars flaunt Arab looks at music’s biggest industry events
DUBAI/ LOS ANGELES: The Grammys are a night of rule-breaking looks and memorable fashion statements where artists shed the traditional playbook of red carpet dressing and take style risks.
Some artists at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards in Los Angeles looked to the past for inspiration, with British girl group Flo, a first-time nominee, paying homage to Destiny’s Child with their matching sets.
Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma and Renée Downer each wore coordinated beaded black and royal blue ensembles. Destiny’s Child famously wore matching green lace cut-out looks at the 2001 Grammys where the group won two awards for “Say My Name.”
Former Destiny Child member Michelle Williams arrived on the carpet in a black sheer gown embellished with gold leaves and a black satin train from Lebanese designer Jean-Louis Sabaji.
It was one of a few Arab looks on the Grammy Awards red carpet, with other stars opting for Middle Eastern designs at pre-Grammy events instead.
On Saturday night, Dove Cameron posed for portraits on the red carpet during the 68th Grammy Awards Pre-Grammy Gala in a pale blue Georges Hobeika gown from the Lebanese designer’s Spring/Summer 2026 ready-to-wear collection.
On the Grammys red carpet, British rising stars Lola Young and PinkPantheress who are shaking up the music industry with their individual sounds both opted for vastly different Vivienne Westwood looks Sunday. Best new artist nominee Young, who is back after taking a brief hiatus last year, sported an army green sweatsuit printed with children’s toys on the carpet. PinkPantheress opted for a signature corseted off-the-shoulder gown draped with the Union Jack symbol.
Zara Larsson glowed on the carpet in her sunny yellow bra top and maxi skirt sequined set. The “Midnight Sun” singer made reference to the song with her radiating look. In keeping with her theme, the Swedish singer wore a circular ray around her skirt while performing at the Grammy’s Premiere Ceremony before removing the rays for her walk down the carpet.
Unlike the tuxedos at other award shows, male Grammy nominees often shake things up. Singer-songwriter Darren Criss was one of the first to arrive shortly after the carpet opened. Criss, who hosted the Grammys premiere ceremony, donned a shimmering lace suit from Tanner Fletcher with an off-white silk cravat shaped into a bow.
