There was much that went on in 2024 that could be written about in long, detailed paragraphs. Instead, we’ve chosen to chart the year in entertainment with a list that runs from A to Z. So here’s a sweep through the year’s highs and lows, the successes and the abysmal failures and the inevitable social media controversies …

is for the Ambani Wedding, a display of ostentation which made news headlines for a large chunk of 2024. The world’s most famous, most influential people formed the guest list, and they came with great enthusiasm, dressed in blingy designer lehnga cholis, dripping diamonds and other precious jewels, breaking out into enthusiastic bhangras and pronouncing their love for the bride and groom — such all-out adoration is admirable, especially since many of these people hadn’t known the bride and groom until a few weeks ago, before they received their invites for the wedding!

Social media influencers and paparazzi were also extended invitations — when you deck out entire roads with fairylights, buy out all the flowers in the country to create ginormous displays, create stages bedecked with bulky gold monuments, set up extensive buffet tables on multiple floors that go on and on, host concerts by veritably the world’s most famous pop stars and ricochet from locations in India to exotic, expensive European locales, you want it all to be recorded for posterity in the annals of social media. You want to show it off like no one’s ever showed off before. You want to make the poor feel poorer, the unemployed feel absolutely hopeless, and the starlets that you didn’t invite want to wallow in a puddle of shame until they dissolve in it completely.

But one wonders if ‘abhi tau party shuroo hui hai’ [Has the party only just started]? Surely, a bit more showing-off must be planned for the next year? A goad-bharai rasm [babyshower]? A first anniversary celebration?

Icon looks back at all the people, events and trends that defined the outgoing year in the performing arts, fashion and entertainment… in alphabetical order

is for ‘Blockbuster’, the feisty, foot-tapping Coke Studio (CS) hit that you couldn’t stop humming once it got into your head. This song was CS’s crowning moment in 2024, merging strong visuals with the talents of Faris Shafi, Umair Butt of Butt Brothers and the all-female Gharwi Group into a concoction that was half-pop and half-folk, half-modern and half-vintage, very hummable and very danceable! The song hauled in more than 50 million views across YouTube — true to its name, what an absolute blockbuster!

is for the very well-narrated procession of cause-based dramas that were seen on TV this year. Hum TV President Sultana Siddiqui returned to the producer’s chair and helmed a series of three dramas that projected how religion is often misused to instigate mob violence, and can lead to tragic consequences. From the poignant Mann Jogi to the gritty Nadaan to the emotional Tann Mann Neel-o-Neel, each drama extended for just nine episodes and set new standards for thought-provoking, concise storytelling on TV.

In the realm of longer dramas, Hum TV network and Kashf Foundation’s collaborative Zard Patton Ka Bunn similarly stood out for its storytelling, with morals woven into it rather than taking the form of long, overbearing lectures. Of course, even in past years, cause-based dramas have reared their heads now and again on the local drama-scape. The key, however, is to deliver messages with sensitivity without resorting to sensationalism.

is for Durefishan Saleem, one of the country’s most loved leading ladies, who shook up TV ratings this year with dramas that constantly topped the charts. Within the span of a single week, one would see her playing the forthright, morally correct, romantic heroine in Ishq Murshid and, then, the tortured woman intent on murder in the thrilling Khaie. The characters were so starkly different that they emphasised just how versatile the talented Ms Saleem truly is.

E is for Emmad Irfani who made a fabulous return to TV this year. He played the thwarted side-hero in Jaan-i-Jahan, and then brought life to the wheeling-dealing, two-timing Adeel in Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, a character who wasn’t anything new to drama storylines had Emmad not made the effort to make him unique. The character became so memorable that, while much of the audience’s attention was drawn towards the main love story, Adeel managed to gain his own fanbase.

F is for Fahad Mustafa, producer, actor and Pakistan’s favourite hero. The year 2024 will be earmarked in Pakistani TV history for Fahad Mustafa’s TV drama acting comeback after a nine-year break, with the drama Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum. He played the quintessential hero, relatable, charming and taking on the emotional arcs of his character Mustafa with ease. In fact, he performed like such a pro that it made one wonder why he had taken a break from drama acting at all!

But even looking beyond the success of Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, there is so much more that makes Fahad Mustafa extremely well-loved. He continues to be the country’s favourite host, with his live show, Jeeto Pakistan, which wrapped up 11 years in 2024. This year just added to his glory.

F is also for Faraz Manan, the designer du jour for anyone who is anyone, his designs running the gamut from being seen at the most exclusive Pakistani weddings to weddings abroad and award events, from the upper crust of Pakistani stars to some of the most famous names in Bollywood. It’s understandable that his work is so highly coveted: Faraz Manan designs are renowned for their exquisite embellishments and impeccable tailoring.

What is also admirable is the way the designer projects himself and his work. Even though a considerable proportion of his business has been operating from the Middle East for a long time now, and while his Instagram reveals that he is perpetually travelling the world, Faraz has also always been proudly Pakistani. This year, he became the first Pakistani designer to be selected to be part of the very selective, high-end BoF 500 list.

What’s better is that Faraz Manan just goes about doing what he does without resorting to braggadocio, sitting front row at the most coveted fashion shows at Paris Fashion Week, attending the invite-only BoF celebration, dressing Ranbir Kapoor one day and Mahira Khan the next. He feels no need to advertise his success to the world or pronounce himself as ‘king’ or ‘pioneer’ or what-not. His work speaks for itself.

G is for the baby girl boom that one witnessed this year. Urwa Hocane and Farhan Saeed’s Jahan Ara Saeed, Zara Noor Abbas and Asad Siddiqui’s Noor-i-Jahan Siddiqui and model Mushk Kaleem and Nadir Zia’s Arya Zia were all born in 2024. Little girls do make the world go round — one expects to see some really stylish little fashionistas taking over the Instagram feeds of their famous parents very soon!

H is for Hania Aamir — actress, Instagram star and the Pakistani celebrity that has enamoured the world at large! The year 2024 was Hania Aamir’s year for many reasons, the most obvious one being the drama Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, where she proved her acting mettle expertly as the emotional, sensible Sharjeena. The audience was absolutely hooked to the character, her emotional travails were discussed in great detail and social media is rife with reels dissecting Sharjeena’s particular journey.

There’s also the fact that, in 2024, Hania became the most followed Pakistani actress on Instagram. Till 2023, this particular honour was set aside for Ayeza Khan but, bit by bit, month by month, Hania’s fan following has inched forward. At the time at which this article was written, Hania’s ‘Insta-fam’ is a colossal 16.6 M!

And then there’s the very spontaneous, very natural content that Hania rolls out on social media regularly. She’ll sit in a hoodie in a hotel room and give out advice or indulge in a very hyperactive cooking session with her girlfriends, or record a quick, very effective make-up tutorial or post videos of herself attending a concert by her ‘good friend’ Badshah.

Wrapping up the year neatly are the accolades that have been extended Hania’s way — only recently, she was the only Pakistani to be recognised in the Top 50 Asian Celebrities in the World list, securing a spot at No 9. Way to go!

I is for Ishq Murshid, the Hum TV Network drama which was an all-out stupendous success. What made Ishq Murshid such a hit? It certainly wasn’t the story, which was replete with loopholes and inexplicable twists and turns. However, helming the story was director Farooq Rind, with an exceptional cast headlined by Bilal Abbas Khan and Durefishan Saleem. Helping things along was a dreamy title track sung by Ahmed Jehanzeb and dashes of silly humour. And there you go, the desi audience — all romantics at heart, really — opted to ignore the storyline and just enjoy the drama’s beautiful ride.

J is for Jaan Nisar, another unfathomable hit. The Geo Entertainment drama was heavy on masala, courtesy borderline sizzling scenes, an evil brother-in-law, some scheming other women, a mean mother-in-law, a tortured sister, the works. There’s more to the story: a thwarted pregnancy, threats and slaps, a prostitution ring, a hero forcefully married to his deceased brother’s wife. Evidently, the desi audience enjoys salacious, risque storylines. At the same time, one has to give credit to the high-end production by 7th Sky Entertainment, a catchy title track and the drama’s leads, actors Danish Taimoor and Hiba Bukhari, whose previous drama Deewangi was also a mega-hit.

K is for Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, the ARY Digital drama that had audiences across Pakistan and beyond enthralled. Produced by Big Bang Entertainment, directed by Badar Mehmood and written by Farhat Ishtiaq, the drama raised the bar in terms of storytelling. The cast was also exceptional; with Fahad Mustafa and Hania Aamir as the main leads, accompanied by Emmad Irfani, Naeema Butt, Bushra Ansari, Javed Sheikh and Maya Khan, among others. What’s notable is that the drama highlighted that typical tropes aren’t needed anymore to gain the audience’s interest — short-term profits can be attained with trashy, click-bait plots but absolute all-time hits are created because of the genuine effort and thought put into bringing the dramas to life.

L is for London, Pakistani celebrities’ favourite holiday destination this year, thanks to the tickets extended to them for being part of the Hum TV Awards, which took place there. Sure, the celebrities attended the awards — some performed, some gave out awards, some were simply nominated and others won awards. But everyone was a winner, really, because hey, they were in London, for free, free, freee!

The celeb selfies started before the flight to London took off and, then, continued: there they were touching down at the airport; there they were roaming the streets, having ice-cream, enjoying the buffet breakfast at the hotel with at least one half of the country’s entertainment fraternity dotted about the dining hall. The bonhomie continued after the awards. Why not visit all the khalas [maternal aunts] and phuppos [paternal aunts] that you hadn’t seen in years? Why not take on a few modeling and acting gigs and earn a bit while you’re there? Why not master a fake British accent? Aah, but they did have to leave eventually. It doesn’t matter. They have 2025’s Hum TV Awards to look forward to.

M is for designer Mohsin Naveed Ranjha, who made Pakistani fashion proud with the opening of his flagship store in London in early 2024. While most of Mohsin’s peers are satisfied with online sales and, at most, expanding to the Middle East, the store in London is testament to the designer’s vision and has now made his brand easily available to the considerable desi market in the UK. From a wider perspective, the store is representing Pakistani fashion at a major international destination — about time too!

N is for acting powerhouse Naumaan Ijaz, who proves that, if an actor has talent and dedication, he can own the screen regardless of his age. Take the hit drama Bismil, for instance, where he, along with the rest of the cast and crew, transformed the generic storyline into a riveting narrative. His Mrs and Mr Shamim, created for the OTT platform Zee5 some years ago, was also made available to Pakistani viewers this year and he was simply brilliant, enacting an effeminate, sensitive man. And then there’s Duniyapur, where he has been brandishing guns and making murderous plans. While most of his peers may be relegated to forgettable paternal roles, drama-makers seem to set aside particular characters just for this senior actor, and with good reason too!

N is also for Nayab and Na Baaligh Afraad, the two movies that won critical acclaim this year, even though they didn’t exactly storm the box office. In these dark times, when Pakistani cinema is struggling to survive, the audience has lost faith in local films and ticket sales tend to be low. But at least these two movies — Nayab with its sports-centric, nuanced storyline and Na Baaligh Afraad with its crazy twists and turns — won great reviews. Nayab also went on to win awards internationally.

O stands for obituaries of the talented individuals that Pakistani entertainment lost this year. Veteran actors Talat Hussain, Khalid Butt, Sardar Kamal and Shaukat Zaidi all passed away this year. The milestones set by all these brilliant men will always continue to be a source of inspiration and learning for others in the field. The death of musician Haniya Aslam was debilitating for the Pakistani music industry. As one-half of the duo Zeb and Haniya and, later, in her capacity as a solo artist, Haniya is associated with some very beautiful melodies. The music that she created and the love that her peers had for her will always remain.

P is for that long-lost ‘Pir sahib ka dum kiya hua pani ki botal’ which threw singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan into such a fit of anger that he shouted ‘Where is my bottle?’ and began thrashing a man. So blinded was he with rage that he didn’t even realise that he was secretly being filmed! The video got leaked on social media, creating a furore and the world at large wondered — what was so special about this ‘botal’? Rahat soon took to social media to clarify the nature of the bottle, just in case anyone was thinking otherwise. This was no suspicious bottle, he insisted, it had contained blessed water that had been given to the singer by his spiritual leader, aka ‘pir sahab.’ A simple explanation, really — shame on people for thinking such unholy thoughts about a bottle containing only holy water!

Q is for the title ‘Queen of Controversy’ dedicated to actor Veena Malik, who suddenly surfaced on social media with news that she had found the love of her life! A courtship took off, narrated in due detail via social media, and culminating in a wedding announcement some time later. Strangely, the face of the man in Veena’s life was never visible, even on his own Instagram page. At some point, Veena declared that she didn’t want to show her groom’s face because of “jealous people.” Alright, then. That makes perfect sense!

R is for Rastah, the local street-wear brand that continues to spread its wings internationally. This year, world famous singers such as Justin Bieber and Zayn Malik, and actors Timothee Chalamet and Barry Keoghan all flaunted Rastah creations. A Rastah pop-up store was also set up in Soho, New York, for a month. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Rastah has now firmly become a major brand, extremely popular as a casual sartorial statement for the very edgy, the very modern (the very rich?).

S is for the scriptwriting disasters penned by Khalilur Rehman Qamar this year. Through the strength of his wayward pen, Khalil sahib proved that, no matter how high-end the production or how great the actors, if a script is bad, no one can save the project. The drama Gentleman, for instance, was testament to the talents of producer Haissam Hussain and the actors, including leads Humayun Saeed and Yumna Zaidi, as they tried their best to make the implausible script somewhat watchable. Similarly, Sunn Mere Dil, with its heavy-duty production budget, direction by Haseeb Hassan and a star cast including Wahaj Ali and Maya Ali, has been floundering simply due to its haphazard story and long-winded dialogues. We’ll leave aside Khalil sahib’s penchant for ‘honey traps’ — an unfortunate affair which would warrant a different write-up altogether — but it is more unfortunate that, having written some very popular scripts in the past, this year he seemed to have lost the plot entirely!

S is also for the surprise sprung upon the world by cricketer Shoaib Malik and actress Sana Javed when, one fine day in early 2024, they announced on social media that they had tied the knot. Wait, what? Instagram reeled and X (formerly Twitter) trends did the rounds. Wasn’t Shoaib Malik married to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza? Wasn’t Sana Javed married to musician Umair Jaswal? It turned out that both Shoaib and Sana had been divorced for some time but hadn’t made it public. With one single Instagram post, then, both not only announced their wedding but also their respective divorces.

T is for The Archies, the much-anticipated Netflix spin-off of the favourite comic books which came and fell flat. The series boasted some significant credentials: directed by Zoya (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara) Akhtar and featuring a triad of Bollywood nepo-babies in the cast: Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan, Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda and Sridevi’s daughter Khushi Kapoor. And yet, it failed, perhaps because Archie Comics have a cult fan following and any cinematic version has to be created with a gimlet eye, making sure that the story is entertaining without being annoying. It could also be that the rampant nepotism in the movie sadly made viewers inclined towards ripping it down even before they saw it.

A dismal U is dedicated to all the ugly fashion which one saw all through this year. With fashion councils no longer in action, the concept of editing collections has faded out. As long as a designer can afford the participation fee (hint, hint), it seems that anything and everything can be shown on the runway. Moreover, whatever one pleases can be advertised as ‘high fashion’ on social media with the aid of a few paid posts. Unseemly embroideries, strange colour combinations, badly fitted men’s suiting and disturbing, macabre designs were the order of the day this year. Perhaps next year too!

V is for Vaneeza Ahmed aka Vinnie, who is a former supermodel that still owns the runway anytime she steps on to it — as she did this year for a show by Zainab Chottani — and a seasoned choreographer who has now helmed 22 editions of the Hum TV Network’s Bridal Couture Week, among other events. And this year, she also turned entrepreneur once again, launching a range of delicate, artistic precious jewellery pieces with her brand Vao Fine Jewellery. Onwards and upwards, Vinnie!

W is for writers of dramas who have proven that, above all, a good script is essential for making any project a success. Farhat Ishtiaq’s masterful storytelling in the drama Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum must be mentioned here, as well as Mustafa Afridi’s expert wordplay in Faraar, Zard Patton Ka Bunn and Tann Mann Neel-o-Neel, and Zafar Mairaj’s knack for balancing romance with social messages in Mann Jogi.

X is for Xulfi, the musical genius who transformed Coke Studio back in 2022, infusing it with a new look, a new sound and a new energy. The show’s 15th season, which released this year, boasted all-out hits such as ‘Blockbuster’, ‘Jhol’, ‘Piya Piya Calling’ and ‘O Yaara’. Merging strong visuals with song and dance, Xulfi has a knack for producing original, innovative content that clicks with the audience immediately.

Y is for the influx of desi celebrities on YouTube. From Ahmed Ali Butt to Syed Jibran, Muneeb Butt, Bushra Ansari, Sarah Khan and Asma Abbas, among others, the desi celebrity fraternity is now YouTube-ing away. Actress Javeria Saud, in fact, recently announced via Instagram that she was done with giving interviews for free to media outlets, and would charge for interviews. Should she feel the need to connect with her fans, she would simply do so via her own YouTube channel. Have a lot of people been approaching her for interviews? Just wondering....

Z is dedicated to the exciting collaboration early this year, between international music sensation Zayn Malik and local band Aur. The band’s previous hit ‘Tu Hai Kahaan’, was revamped in the collaboration, with Zayn singing in Urdu. It was an exciting moment for the young band — who are incredibly talented and have fast become hugely popular for their unique blend of hip hop and R&B. It was also a proud moment for Pakistani music.

Published in Dawn, ICON, December 29th, 2024