Dramas

‘The Glassworker’ Makes History As Pakistan’s First Animated Submission To Oscars

Pakistan’s first-ever hand-drawn animated feature film, ‘The Glassworker’ written by Usman Riaz, has been selected for the animated films category among other eligible flicks for the 97th Academy Awards.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday that 31 animated features, 169 documentaries, and 85 international films stand eligible for Oscar nominations this year, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

A production of Geo Films in collaboration with Mano Animation Studios, The Glassworker’s inclusion as the first animated submission to the Oscars from Pakistan marks a historic moment for the country.

In the animated feature category, the film finds itself competing with industry giants such as Pixar’s Inside Out 2, already celebrated as the highest-grossing animated film of all time, and DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot.

Other significant contenders include Kung Fu Panda 4, Despicable Me 4, and the Japanese entry Kensuke’s Kingdom.

‘The Glassworker’ took 10 years in the making and was critically acclaimed by enthralled viewers for every filmmaking aspect — from storytelling and cinematography to music, composing, art, animation, and voice-over performances.

It takes the viewers through the story of a young boy named “Vincent” and his father “Tomas”, running a fine glass workshop in the country. That is when they find their lives uprooted by an impending war in which they do not want to participate.

Earlier, the film was officially selected for the 2025 Oscars in the International Feature Film category, alongside entries from 84 nations, including India’s Laapata Ladies, directed by Kiran Rao.

Palestine’s submission, From Ground Zero, has also secured a place on the list.

This year’s competition features several critically acclaimed works, such as France’s Emilia Pérez, Germany’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig, and Brazil’s I’m Still Here.

The shortlists for these categories are set to be revealed on 17 December, narrowing the field before the final nominations, which will be announced on 23 January 2025.

Dramas

Director reveals unexpected twist in final scene of ‘Meem Se Mohabbat’

The drama Meem Se Mohabbat won hearts across the board with its beautiful, light-hearted story, realistic characters, and overall positive vibe, quickly becoming a fan favourite. It ended on a high note, and viewers are still raving about the magical final scene where Talha confesses his love to Roshi on the beach. Now, director Ali Hassan has revealed a very interesting fact about that memorable moment.

The scene captured a dreamy moment as Talha brought a beautiful ring for his wife, Roshi. He got down on one knee and lovingly expressed his feelings, proposing his love to her. Roshi beamed with joy, thrilled to finally experience the romance she had always longed for.

Ali Hassan spoke to Faridoon and shared that “the team wanted to shoot this scene in Scotland. They were in Scotland and wanted to shoot the dreamy sequence in the scenic countryside. But the writer Farhat Ishtiaq shot down that idea. She said that this love story belongs to the nativity of Karachi, and it should end in Karachi. Turned out she was right as people loved how Talha accepted Roshi’s love in the place where he first rejected it.”

Dramas

Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar Honey Trap Case, Decision Revealed

Khalil ur Rehman Qamar, one of the most prominent writers in the Pakistani drama and film industry, is also known for his bold statements. He recently made headlines after getting caught in a kidnapping case. A woman named Amna Arooj honey-trapped him and called him to meet her at 4 a.m. When he arrived, her group kidnapped and tortured him, then abandoned him on the road.

Khalil ur Rehman Qamar fought a case against the group, and the Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore finally announced the verdict today. The writer pursued the case till the end and received justice today.

The Court announced the verdict, sentencing Amna Arooj and two other suspects, Mamnoon Haider and Zeeshan, to seven years in jail. This marks the conclusion of Khalil ur Rehman Qamar’s honey trap and kidnapping case. The Court also acquitted three other suspects after finding them innocent.

Dramas

Agar Tum Saath Ho’s Illogical Story & Zaviyar’s Acting Criticized

Agar Tum Saath Ho brought the newlyweds Ameer Gilani and Mawra Hocane back together on screen. They are also accompanied by Zaviyar Nauman Ijaz in the lead. A love triangle which is bound to go bitter, the show started on an okayish note but it has not been able to hold the audience’s attention as much as other dramas. Now, Mawra and Zaviyar’s characters are married while they decided to hide it from Ameer’s character.

The story has many inconsistencies and the script looks a bit haphazard in places. The internet is also not too happy with Zaviyar Nauman Ijaz’s exaggerated expressions in Agar Tum Saath Ho. In a world of social media, the drama is showing hiding a full wedding from a friend and people cannot digest this twist.

The public is questioning the script of Agar Tum Saath Ho. They are saying that this is way too non-sensical and no one can believe it. Zaviyar is also getting the heat as his performance is not up to par. One netizen called the drama’s new twist inconsistent and questioned the makers who are thinking the viewers are stupid. Another said that Zaviyar needs to polish his acting skills