Category: Entertainment

Renowned singer Aima Baig has surprised her fans by sharing a new video on social media after a long break.

Taking to Instagram, Aima Baig posted a video of herself singing the song We Can’t Be Friends by American singer and songwriter Ariana Grande. In the clip, she showcases her vocal talent in a soulful rendition of the popular track.

Along with the video, Aima Baig wrote in the comment box, “Posted it without thinking too much. If you are listening, please don’t forget to put on your headphones.”

Her latest post has delighted her 6.6 million Instagram followers, who are expressing their excitement and admiration for her singing.

Many fans and fellow celebrities have flooded the comments section with praise, welcoming her return to social media.

Around 600 Oscar voters, including Ava DuVernay, Olivia Colman, and Javier Bardem, have signed an open letter criticising the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for failing to strongly support filmmaker Hamdan Ballal following his recent arrest.

The letter states: “It is indefensible for an organization to recognize a film with an award in the first week of March and then fail to defend its filmmakers just a few weeks later.”

Hamdan Ballal, who won an Oscar for co-directing No Other Land, was attacked by settlers and arrested by Israeli forces in his hometown of Susiya, West Bank. His co-director, Yuval Abraham, said Ballal suffered head and stomach injuries and was later released.

In response, Academy leaders Bill Kramer and Janet Yang issued a statement that did not mention Ballal or No Other Land by name, simply stating that members may have “many unique viewpoints” on the issue. This vague response sparked backlash from Oscar voters.

Several Hollywood stars and filmmakers, including Mark Ruffalo, Emma Thompson, Richard Gere, Tony Kushner, and Jonathan Glazer, signed the letter. They condemned the attack on Ballal and emphasised that documentary filmmakers risk their lives to tell the truth.

“The targeting of Ballal is not just an attack on one filmmaker — it is an attack on all those who dare to bear witness and tell inconvenient truths,” the letter reads.

The Academy has yet to respond to the open letter. However, supporters of Ballal say they will continue to monitor the situation, ensuring that filmmakers like him receive the protection and recognition they deserve.

Renowned Indian singer Neha Kakkar has finally broken her silence on the controversy surrounding her Melbourne concert, addressing accusations of arriving late.

Taking to Instagram, she shared her side of the story, making it clear that she was unfairly judged. “When the truth comes out, you will regret judging me,” she wrote.

Responding to criticism, Neha held the event organisers responsible for the mismanagement.

“It was easily said that I arrived 3 hours late, but did anyone try to find out what happened to me? What happened to my band?” she questioned.

She revealed that she initially stayed quiet to avoid blaming anyone publicly. “When I was speaking on stage, I didn’t tell anyone what had happened because I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. Who am I to punish anyone? But now it’s my turn, so I won’t stay silent.”

She further disclosed shocking details about the situation. “Do you know that I wasn’t taking any money for the performance at the Melbourne concert? But the organizer took my money and others’ money and ran away. My band wasn’t given food, hotel, or even water. My husband and his team provided them with food. Despite this, we performed just for the fans.”

Neha also explained how the last-minute chaos disrupted the concert.

“Due to non-payment on time, the sound checkers stopped the sound at the exact moment. Until the last moment, we didn’t know whether the concert was even happening. The organizers were not picking up my manager’s calls because they had already fled with everyone’s money.”

Senior actress Saima Qureshi recently shared an adorable memory from her school days, recalling a silent crush that never turned into love.

While appearing on the comedy show Mazaq Raat, she opened up about how, as an eighth-grader, she secretly admired an older boy from the eleventh grade. “When I was young, I found comfort only by looking at boys,” she said playfully.

She revealed that every morning, the boy would stand at the corner of her street just to catch a glimpse of her. Over time, she started looking forward to seeing him too. “There was never any conversation between us, but we used to see each other from a distance,” she shared.

Sometimes, she would dress up just for that brief moment. “If by chance that boy didn’t come, my whole day would be sad,” she admitted.

Years later, she was surprised when the same man reached out to her on Instagram. He is now married and has children, but their connection had only ever been through stolen glances.

Talking about her career, Saima Qureshi revealed that she never planned to be in showbiz despite her parents being from the industry.

“I wanted to join the Pakistan Army, but that didn’t happen. I studied hotel management and started working in that field,” she said. However, fate had other plans. “While I was working in a hotel, famous dramatist Fatima Surayya Bajia asked me to act, and that’s how I accidentally entered the industry,” she recalled.

Speaking about the entertainment industry, she emphasised that success comes from talent, not looks.

“Beauty and good looks can give anyone a chance to work in showbiz, but they cannot support you forever,” she said. “If a person does not have emotions, feelings, and acting skills, they cannot survive in showbiz for long.”

According to Qureshi, the Pakistani television industry values hard work over appearance, and only those with true talent can last in the field.

In a recent episode of Noor-e-Ramzan, actor-turned-host Fiza Ali shared her views on marriage, urging women to be obedient to their husbands and refrain from questioning them.

“Let me tell you, women, what irritates a man? A woman’s tongue,” she claimed, adding that as men work hard, women should remain submissive.

She went on to say, “A woman can never be stronger than a man. A woman was made out of a man’s rib, so she stays close to his heart—not try to get on his nerves and make him go crazy.”

Ali also linked women’s speech to their fate in the afterlife, saying, “Hell will be filled with mostly women because of their tongues.”

Her statements took an even more controversial turn when she criticised women for questioning their husbands, saying, “This is why men don’t want to go home! They only show love before marriage, and as soon as they are married, women start checking their pockets, searching for another woman’s hair, and questioning their husbands. Stop it! This is your auqat [status]?”

She also misrepresented the feminist slogan mera jism, meri marzi, claiming that women who chant it refuse to do household chores and expect their husbands to do them instead.

A caller, a working mother of three, challenged Ali’s views by sharing her struggle of providing for her family while facing abuse from her unemployed husband. In response, Ali insisted, “God has made your husband your boss, that is clear. You must give him his due respect. Try to bow down.”

Ali’s comments have sparked criticism for promoting outdated and harmful gender norms. Many argue that instead of holding men accountable for their actions, she is reinforcing the idea that women should endure mistreatment in silence.