The Lux Style Awards are easily the most eagerly awaited award show in Pakistan and the ceremony is right around the corner! While our stars gear up for the perfect red carpet looks, all we can do, except anticipate the glitzy evening, is sit and make predictions.
We racked our brains to list down our guesses for big wins in fashion this year at the highly anticipated ceremony, and we’re back with our extensively thought out list of predictions for the remaining categories at the show.
FILM
Pakistani cinema, arguably, had its biggest year in 2018, with some big budget releases, like Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 and Teefa in Trouble, which had even bigger collections at the box office. But does success at cinemas equal to success in front of the jury?
BEST FILM
A mixed bag of nominations, with big budget films like Teefa in Trouble, going head to head with smaller productions that have tons of acclaim like Motorcycle Girl, this category is sure to be a hard one. Cake’s family drama, JPNA 2’s comedy, and Load Wedding’s heavy social message round up the nominations.
Who we think will win: Teefa in Trouble
BEST DIRECTOR
You know what they say; behind every good film there’s a great director, and who can deny the prowess of our talented maestros? They’ve worked tirelessly round the clock to bring us films that have put Pakistan on the global radar, and for that they deserve all the accolades! Ahsan Rahim’s flawless direction for Teefa in Trouble, Asim Abbasi who made Cake stand out, Haseeb Hassan who touched the clouds with Parwaz hai Junoon, Nabeel Qureshi who expertly tackled an important topic in Load Wedding, and of course Nadeem Baig bringing Jawani back, it’s a tough one!
Who we think will win: Asim Abbasi for Cake
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BEST ACTOR
This category has big surprises this year, with some actors being promoted to the lead actor league with the supporting actor category being eliminated. Adnan Malik bags his first nomination as a lead actor for his role as Romeo in Cake, while Ahmed Ali Butt is the surprise entry this year, being a supporting actor in JPNA 2 and managing a nomination in this category where neither of the two actual lead actors are nominated. We have Ali Zafar for portraying the bad boy gone good troupe with his Teefa in Teefa in Trouble, and Fahad Mustafa for his role as a humble Punjabi boy in Load Wedding. Then there’s the senior actor and screenwriter Mohammad Ahmed for his role in Cake which is a welcome surprise.
Who we think will win: Fahad Mustafa
BEST ACTRESS
The Best Actress category is also surprising, with no mention of Mahira Khan; gone are the days of pandering to the audience, maybe? The category includes both the leads from Cake, Aamina Sheikh and Sanam Saeed, who play the sister-act to perfection. Hajra Yamin’s gripping debut performance in Pinky Memsaab already put her on the list too which is a great feat, and then there’s Mehwish Hayat for her solid role in Load Wedding. Sohai Ali Abro rounds up the list with her outstanding performance in Motorcycle Girl, which has cemented her status as a serious actor in the industry.
Who we think will win: Sohai Ali Abro
BEST PLAYBACK SINGER
With such big productions come big soundtracks, and 2018 sure was a big year in OST’s. From classic to modern sounds, they have it all! There’s Arif Lohar’s Tillay Wali Jooti that made JPNA 2’s soundtrack instantly recognizable, and Atif Aslam’s Thaam Lo from Parwaz Hai Junoon that is so beautiful to listen to, you’ll want to go back to it again and again. Mulazim Hussain and Missal Zaidi’s melodious rendition of Rangeya in Load Wedding, and Shuja Haider’s Donkey Raja which was all the rage after the 2018 elections round up the list.
Who we think will win: Atif Aslam for Thaam Lo
TELEVISION
Easily the most loved category of the LSA’s, television has always commanded the most attention from the audience. Which is exactly why this category automatically becomes the toughest! With 2018 being a hugely successful year for TV, there are big names going head to head and here are our predictions for the big night!
BEST TV PLAY
The list of nominees this year include plays that tugged at the viewer’s heartstrings with their heavy stories and powerful performances. There’s Aisi Hai Tanhai, which made sure to convey how our digital actions can have very real consequences, and Dar Si Jati Hai Sila, which helped to highlight the issue of sexual abuse. Dil Mom Ka Diya, which looked at prejudice and ego, Khaani, a drama that hit epic proportions and Suno Chanda that broke away from the mold and brought good lighthearted comedy back to our screens complete the list.
Who we think will win: Khaani
BEST TV PLAY DIRECTOR
Big names get big things done and this list of nominees is proof. Ahsan Talish made post-iftaar time TV bearable with Suno Chanda, while Anjum Shahzad’s direction in Khaani made it as huge as it was. Then there’s Kashif Nisar for Dar Si Jati Hai Sila who expertly tackled a sensitive topic, Qasim Ali Mureed for Aangan that explored familial ties, and Shahid Shafat closes the list with his direction for Dil Mom Ka Diya that catapulted the drama to great heights.
Who we think will win: Anjum Shahzad
BEST TV WRITER
Writing for TV is no easy task; the writer can easily make or break an entire story. Amna Mufti’s version of Amrita Pritam’s Pinjar translated beautifully on TV in the form of Ghuggi, while Asma Nabeel’s writing made Khaani as gripping as ever. Bee Gul’s Dar Si Jati Hai Sila served its purpose to the T, and Zanjabeel Asim Shah’s Balaa also succeeded with its narrative. Faiza Iftikhar is never a disappointment with her scripts and Aangan was no different.
Who we think will win: Asma Nabeel
BEST TV ACTOR
Rounding up actors who made hearts thump not just with their looks or personalities but more importantly, their performances, this category is highly anticipated. Bilal Abbas’ portrayal of Taimur in Balaa accelerated his career, while Feroze Khan made Mir Hadi almost a household name. Nauman Ejaz proved his acting prowess once again as a sexual predator in Dar Si Jati Hai Sila, and the iconic Qavi Khan performance in Aangan was as stellar as they come. Sami Khan’s role in a love story as intense as Khudgarz makes him the last but not the least entry in the list.
Who we think will win: Feroze Khan
BEST TV ACTRESS
TV actresses clearly made the most out of 2018, with many of them finding their footing in the industry last year. We have Iqra Aziz, of course, for her unforgettable performance as Jiya in Suno Chanda, Neelam Muneer for whose penchant for playing negative roles, like Ulfat in Dil Mom Ka Diya, is a Godsend, Sana Javed’s career defining performance in Khaani, Sonya Hussayn’s who played Pakeeza to perfection in Aisi Hai Tanhayi, and Ushna Shah who made her dark role in Balaa look like a piece of cake with her prowess. The list is a crazy mix of talent and we’re here for it!
Who we think will win: Iqra Aziz
BEST ORIGINAL SOUND TRACK
Pakistani drama OST’s are always the biggest hits, resonating with audiences far and wide. Their popularity is a testament to the talent of our music industry and naturally, this category is chock full of talent. Aangan by Farhan Saeed and Naveed Nashad, Dar Si Jati Hai Sila by Sami Khan and Yasira Habeeb, Ghuggi by Naveed Nashad and Bina Khan, Khaani by Sahir Ali Bagga featuring vocals by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, and Naulakha by Saif Samejo complete the list of nominees.
Who we think will win: Khaani by Sahir Ali Bagga and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
BEST EMERGING TALENT
This category is specially curated to help budding talent in the industry, from actors to writers and everything in between that makes Pakistani TV what it is. With four out of five nominees being actors, this category could do with some diversity, but we’ll wait for that in coming years. There’s Amar Khan for her role in Belapur ki Dayan, Nabeel Zuberi for his successful transition from modeling to acting with his role in Suno Chanda, Osama Tahir’s fundamental performance in Dar Si Jati Hai Sila, Zubab Rana for her role in Meray Khudaya that proved her talent. Representing writers is the lone wolf, Rida Bilal, for her play Khudgarz.
Who we think will win: Amar Khan
MUSIC
Music is Pakistan’s grace and the Lux Style Awards has always made sure to award talent with its due. Encouraging music and rewarding people who use their talent to the best of their abilities has always been the LSA’s playing field. This year too, emerging as well as established talent will be awarded for all the work they’ve put in the past year to make Pakistani music as beloved as it is.
BEST SONG
What makes for a good song? One may instantly think, vocals! But that’s really not the case. From the arrangement of the song, to the vocals and instruments, and the overall feel, producing a good song is really a task! And the nominees have sure got it all down, having produced songs that touch all the right chords, literally and figuratively! Chand Tara Orchestra’s Rung De, and Ya Qurban by Khumariyaan are the only two nominees, making this category as exclusive as they get.
Who we think will win: Rung De by Chand Tara Orchestra
SINGER OF THE YEAR
Having honed their voices and techniques over years, these vocalists are the best to come out of Pakistan in some time! Bilal Ali of Kashmir is no stranger to praise and this nomination is just another feather in his cap. Then there’s Khurram Iqbal for his beautiful rendition in O Ki Jane, Mohsin Abbas and Sohail Haider’s collaborative effort in Na Jaa, and Shamoon Ismail’s ability to make a contemporary song like Marijuana soulful with his vocals.
Who we think will win: Bilal Ali of Kashmir for Khwaab
BEST EMERGING TALENT
This category is aiming to put these newbies on the map and we’re positive that the winner is sure to be the next big thing! Abdullah Siddiqi, Anna Salman, Nehaal Naseem, Saakin, and Sami Amiri may not be as well-known right now but don’t hold your breath to hear their name everywhere soon.
Who we think will win: Nehaal Naseem
Here’s wishing all the nominees all the best of luck!
Do you agree with our choices? Who do you think will win? Let us know!
