Artist Seffy Soomro was astonished to find his long-lost artwork in an unexpected place: on the TV serial Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, which stars Hania Aamir and Fahad Mustafa.
The artwork, which had been missing for years, appeared in the show, leading Soomro to realize that pieces he had sent for an exhibition at Karachi’s Frere Hall in 2017 had reappeared without his knowledge. Soomro had lost hope of ever seeing his work again after being informed by Frere Hall officials that his paintings were lost after the exhibition. Feeling misled, Soomro vented his frustration on social media.
In a detailed Facebook post, Soomro recounted, “In 2017, I entrusted my paintings to Frere Hall for an exhibition. After the event, they claimed they couldn’t find them. I thought they were gone forever.”
However, in 2024, Soomro was shocked to see his artwork in episode 17 of Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum. At the 22:30 mark, he noticed characters played by Emmad Irfani and Maya Khan admiring what he recognized as his thesis work from the University of Sindh’s Fine Arts Department. “I was told my paintings were lost, only to see them reused without my permission,” Soomro wrote. “I have not received any credit for these works.”
In response to Soomro’s post, Big Bang Entertainment, the production company behind Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, issued a statement addressing the issue. They clarified that the location and props, including the paintings, were rented, and they had no knowledge of the artwork’s origin. “As fellow artists, we understand the concern, but we were not involved in this matter,” the statement read.
Big Bang Entertainment advised Soomro to discuss the issue with Frere Hall and expressed hope for a quick resolution. They emphasized their commitment to “fair usage rights” and reassured that the success of the drama should not be overshadowed by this incident.
