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The Lux Style Awards come as the most awaited validation of excellence in Pakistan. Several other award shows like the Hum Awards have emerged over the years but launched by TV channels, they are perceived as being favourable to the host, which is all but natural. The Lux Style Awards, now in its 17th year – making it the longest standing award showing celebrating contemporary fashion, music, cinema and television in Pakistan – is still considered the most credible and the most non-partisan. That does not, however, mean that it is controversy free.

The LSA TV nominations – the toughest category, I feel – were announced on Friday evening and there has been heated dispute over several inclusion and a few unbelievable snubs. I want to make a couple of observations as I go over the categories.

Let’s take a look…

 

Best TV Play

Alif Allah Aur Insan

Muqabil

O Rungreza

Sammi

Sang e Mar Mar

It’s a little unbelievable that Baaghi and Yakeen Ka Safar did not make it to the list as both drama serials were (and Baaghi still is) extremely big, especially in comparison to Sammi and Sang e Mar Mar. From the given list, I’d say the award will go to Hum TV, for either Alif Allah Aur Insan or for O Rungreza.

 

Best TV Actor

Adnan Siddiqui in Sammi

Ahad Raza Mir in Yakeen ka Safar

Imran Abbas in Khuda Aur Mohabbat

Mohin Abbas in Muqabil

Noman Ijaz in Pinjari

Ahad Raza Mir’s popularity may just land him this award BUT I would vote for Adnan Siddiqui, who was stellar in Sammi. Infact, he was the strongest link in the play. I would have hoped that Furqan Qureshi would have landed a nomination for his role as Noor in Khuda Mera Bhi Hai.

I would also like to point out that this category has to expand. There should a Best Supporting Actor/Actress category too because Adnan and Ahad do not serve the same purpose in both plays. And if we’re going beyond the protagonist, then Noman Ijaz is just as strong in O Rungreza. TV has grown incredibly since the LSAs started 17 years ago; the segment has to grow accordingly too.

 

Best TV Actress

Bushra Ansari in Seeta Bagri

Kubra Khan in Muqabil

Saba Qamar in Baaghi

Sajal Aly in Yakeen Ka Safar

Sajal Aly in O Rungreza

This is an exciting category and while all nominees are worthy, it’ll be a battle between Sajal Aly (in O Rungreza not YKS) and Saba Qamar. Both actresses have displayed intense range in their characters, Sajal creating an absolutely original persona with Sassi and Saba recreating Qandeel with Fauzia/Kanwal Baloch.

 

Best TV Director

Ahsan Talish for Alif Allah Aur Insan

Farooq Rind for Baaghi

Kashif Nisar for O Rungreza

Safie Hassan for Sammi

Saife Hassan for Sang e Mar Mar

Kashif Nisar may be a popular choice but O Rungreza’s direction has seen many ups and downs; it’s not been consistently strong. I think this award should go to Farooq Rind for Baaghi because it’s not easy to recreate a story as complicated as Qandeel’s was.

 

Best TV Writer

Mustafa Afridi for Sang e Mar Mar

Noor ul Huda Shah for Sammi

Qaisara Hayat for Alif Allah aur Insan

Saji Gul for O Rungreza

Zafar Mairaj for Muqabil

I’m surprised that Baaghi is not nominated because again, to write Qandeel Baloch’s story for the screen could not have been easy. I also feel Khuda Mera Bhi Hai should have been nominated as it was an extremely difficult story to pen. I don’t think O Rungreza should win because the story tends to wander all over the place. Alif Allah and Muqabil are strong contenders for this category but I feel Nur ul Huda Shah should win for Sammi.

 

Best Original Sound Track

Adnan Dhool and Sana Zulfiqar for ‘Bay Khudi’

Ali Azmat for ‘Rasm e Dunya’

Jimmy Khan for ‘Tumharay Hain’

Nabeel Shaukat for ‘Woh ek Pal’

Richi Robinson for ‘Shayad’

This is the only category that I don’t have an opinion on; in fact, if there are limited awards to give in TV then this should be replaced by Best Emerging Actor/Actress to encourage new talent. I really can’t say which OST should win from the given list but I am shocked that two of the best and most popular songs – from Baaghi, O Rungreza – are not on the list.

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