Social media has been buzzing since Wednesday after a sex tape of controversial screenwriter Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar with the woman who orchestrated his honey trap went viral.
While the misogynistic writer was called out on different platforms for hypocrisy, actress Sabeena Farooq took time out to urge people not to target Qamar’s family, especially his daughter.
The ‘Kabli Pulao’ actress took to Instagram to write, “We ask this to ourselves and everyone almost every day. Is there no humanity left? What does KRQ’s daughter have to do with his actions? Why bully her? It can have an impact on her for life. Why do we take so much pleasure in watching other people’s misery?”
Sabeena ended her message by asking people to stop blaming children for their parents’ actions and vice versa.
A Britney Spears biopic is in development after Universal Pictures bought movie rights to the pop star’s best-selling memoir, the Hollywood studio announced Thursday.
“Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon Chu is attached to develop and direct the film, based on Spears’s recent autobiographical book “The Woman In Me,” the company said in a statement to AFP.
Universal won a “highly competitive auction” for the film adaptation rights, with “La La Land” producer Marc Platt due to oversee the project, it said.
“Excited to share with my fans that I’ve been working on a secret project with #MarcPlatt. He’s always made my favorite movies,” Spears herself posted on social media Thursday.
“Stay tuned,” she told fans.
“The Woman In Me” laid bare the troubled singer’s journey from child star to global pop phenomenon, as well as her subsequent high-profile public breakdown and legal battles with her father.
Full of criticism of her controlling family and an industry that mercilessly devours its talent, the book sold over 2.5 million copies in the United States alone following its publication last October.
Spears’s phenomenal early music success with late 1990s hits like “…Baby One More Time” coincided with an aggressive paparazzi culture that delighted in capturing her partying alongside hell-raisers like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.
In the book, Spears revealed that Justin Timberlake urged her to have an abortion after she became pregnant during their relationship.
And she shared details of her brief but intense affair with Irish actor and Oscar nominee Colin Farrell, which she called “a two-week brawl.”
Following Spears’s public breakdown, she was placed under the conservatorship of her father Jamie Spears, who controlled her money and her personal life, even as she continued to perform high-profile concerts.
The conservatorship was dissolved by a Los Angeles court in 2021, after a groundswell of public support to “Free Britney.”
Her father has always insisted that he had the best interests of his daughter at heart and was seeking to protect her from exploitation.
No release date has been set for the Britney film.
Universal has previously released musical biopics about hip-hop group N.W.A (“Straight Outta Compton”) and rapper Eminem (“8 Mile.”)
Chu is also directing Universal’s big-budget, two-part movie adaptation of the musical “Wicked,” with the first film out in November.
Netflix has announced that the popular Korean series ‘Squid Game’ will have a third season, while also confirming that Season 2 will start on December 26 this year.
In a statement released on Thursday, Netflix said that the show will end with season 3 in 2025.
The show’s creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, said, “It’s been almost three years since Season 1 was a big hit around the world. I’m very excited to tell you that Season 2 will start soon and that we will also have a third and final season.”
Hwang also shared some details about the new seasons. “Seong Gi-hun, who wanted revenge at the end of Season 1, comes back to the game. Will he get his revenge? The Front Man will be a tough opponent again. Their intense fight will continue in Season 3, which you will see next year.”
He added, “I’m happy to see how the story of ‘Squid Game’ has grown. We will do our best to make the final seasons exciting. I hope you’re looking forward to what’s coming.”
Netflix had already announced a second season for the smash hit in June 2022. The new seasons will bring back characters Gi-Hun and The Front Man.
As the countdown to Season 2 begins, excitement is higher than ever. Fans can look forward to an emotional rollercoaster full of suspense, mystery, and surprising twists. The deadly games will return with even higher stakes, promising a thrilling experience.
Beyond the action, ‘Squid Game’ has always offered deep social messages, and Season 2 is expected to continue exploring these themes. The final chapter promises to be as exciting and thought-provoking as the earlier seasons.
Singer Aima Baig recently surprised her fan base with a series of stories on her Instagram account, hinting at her leaving Pakistan. Fans were left worried and confused, thinking she was leaving the country for good.
Aima has now clarified that the speculation was not true.
“I’m not actually leaving Pakistan, it’s just an extended trip. As an artist, I have to live out of a suitcase, but my roots are still here,” she said. Aima Baig has calmed her fans’ concerns and informed them that she won’t be leaving Pakistan’s music industry in the near future with her clarification.
Renowned actor Danish Taimoor recently channeled Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan by striking his iconic arm pose in a sunflower field in the UK.
In a reel shared on his Instagram on Tuesday, Taimoor was seen recreating the signature pose, accompanied by SRK’s song ‘Main Yahan Hoon’ from the Bollywood movie ‘Veer Zara.’ He captioned the post, “Good memories are the timeless treasures of the heart.”
The video quickly went viral, amassing over 5 million views and thousands of likes and comments from fans who dubbed Taimoor the “King of Pakistan,” drawing comparisons to Bollywood’s Shah Rukh Khan.
Ayeza Khan also shared a gallery of photos from their trip, captioning it, “Sunflower field vibes, feeling like we’re in a Yash Raj movie song!”
In recent years, the Pakistani film industry has experienced an incredible comeback, which led to a number of hit movies that have captivated viewers both locally and globally.
Despite facing challenges, Pakistani cinema has produced many great films that people love. Here are the top ten highest-grossing Pakistani films:
The Legend of Maula Jatt
The Legend of Maula Jatt was released in 25 countries, making it the highest and widest-ever release for any Pakistani or Punjabi film yet, with a worldwide box-office gross of more than Rs. four billion. Maula Jatt in Pakistan has earned over 121 crore. The film is written by Bilal Lashari, Nasir Adib, and directed by Bilal Lashari. Featuring Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, the film has set a new benchmark for Pakistani cinema with its stunning visuals and gripping storyline.
Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2
Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 did well at the Pakistani box office. It crossed over Rs. 70.35 crores. People loved the film’s direction, script, cast, and performances. It was a huge success for the revival of the film industry.
London Nahi Jaunga
London Nahi Jaunga was also a successful film and the film gave tough competition to Bollywood film Shamshera, which was released after London Nahi Jaunga. The film’s worldwide collection was Rs. 53.58 crores, and in Pakistan it collected 29.48 crores at the box office. The film is written by writer Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar and directed by Nadeem Baig.
Punjab Nahi Jaungi
Punjab Nahi Jaungi is a rom-com that stars Humayun Saeed and Mehwish Hayat alongside Urwa Hocane. It recorded the biggest bang in a single day for any Pakistani film with a collection of Rs. 2.80 crores and then a worldwide gross over Rs. 51.65 crores.
Jawani Phir Nahi Ani
Jawani Phir Nahi Ani, the first movie in the Jawani series made a worldwide gross of Rs. 49.44 crores. The film stars Humayun Saeed, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Ahmad Ali Butt, Vasay Chaudhry, and Mehwish Hayat. The film is written by Vasay Chaudhry and directed by Nadeem Baig.
Parwaaz Hai Junoon
Parwaaz Hai Junoon includes Hamza Ali Abbasi, Ahad Raza Mir, Hania Aamir, and Kubra Khan. The film, which is a tribute to the Pakistan Air Force, made a worldwide gross of Rs. 43.20 crores. The film is written by Farhat Ishtiaq and directed by Haseeb Hassan.
Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad
Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad stars Fahad Mustafa and Mahira Khan. It was an action-comedy film that made a collection of Rs. 42.05 crores. Written and directed by Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Mirza.
Teefa in Trouble
Teefa in Trouble, which includes Ali Zafar and Maya Ali, was overall good in the box office collection. The total collection of the film was Rs. 50.3 crores. Directed by Ahsan Rahim and written by Ali Zafar, Ahsan Rahim, and Danyal Zafar.
Bin Roye
Bin Roye stars Humayun Saeed, Mahira Khan, Armeena Khan, and Zeba Bakhtiar. The film is based on the novel Bin Roye Ansoo by Farhat Ishtiaq. Bin Roye was praised by critics and became the sixth highest-grossing Pakistani film. The worldwide collection of the film was Rs. 40.5 crore.
Wrong No. 2
Wrong No. 2, which is a romantic comedy film, features Sami Khan, Neelum Muneer, Javed Sheikh, and Mehmood Aslam. The worldwide revenue of Wrong No. 2 was Rs. 21.75 crores. The film is directed and written by Yasir Nawaz.
These films are representative of the diversity of storylines and the talented skill in Pakistani cinema, as well as audience interest in local film content. Pakistani films are earning their due place and pulling people into cinemas.
Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan recently made his acting debut in the film Maharaj. During the launch of Raj Pandit’s song, proud father Aamir said, “When Junaid’s film Maharaj was released, I was very stressed thinking if the audience would like his work or not.”
The star has a surprise for us. “I have started learning to sing. I have been training for the last year with Sucheta Ji as my guru,” the Dangal actor added.
Mahraraj was released on Netflix on June 21, 2024.
Usman Riaz’s first hand-drawn animated film, The Glassworker, made a successful debut with more than Rs 10 million collected at the box office in its opening weekend. The movie has created interest among people of all age groups and brought audiences to Pakistani cinemas.
The Glassworker is produced by Geo Films and directed by Usman Riaz and Mairam Riaz Paracha. The film showcases Riaz’s unique storytelling and artistic vision in the Studio Ghibli style. The film became a success story and is a new chapter in Pakistani cinema, after Geo Films’ previous hits like Khuda Kay Liye, Teefa in Trouble, The Legend of Maula Jatt, and The Donkey King.
In an interview with BBC, the writer and director of The Glassworker talked about how many years it took to make the film.
“These 10 years for me have just been purely driven with passion and obsession. The film’s production took four years, but the entire journey took 10 years. I was 23 when I started, and I am 33 now,” Usman Riaz added.
The Glassworker was released on July 26, 2024 all across Pakistan.
Former supermodel Iffat Omar has spoken out in defense of controversial playwright Khalilur Rehman Qamar following the scandal involving his leaked videos.
Using X (formerly Twitter), Omar addressed the situation without directly naming Qamar. She pointed out the irony that those Qamar had often criticized might now be the ones defending the misogynistic writer.
“If two consenting adults are together, their privacy is none of my concern. Their body, their choice.” Qamar recently made headlines after falling victim to a honey-trapping scheme, resulting in his release after a ransom was paid. The main suspect in the case claimed to possess two videos, each about an hour and a half long, showing Qamar getting intimate with the woman who had trapped him. The videos leaked online later.
Qamar has alleged that the videos were made under duress at gunpoint. His defence seems in contradiction to the video, where he can be seen smoking while sitting with the woman and chatting with her casually with his feet up.
Bella Hadid has broken her silence after sporting giant Adidas dropped her under pressure from pro-Israel groups. The controversy started when Adidas featured Hadid in a campaign about the 1972 Munich Olympics but did not mention the 11 Israelis killed by the Palestinian group Black September at the same event.
Hadid was wearing shoes inspired by Adidas’ SL72 sneakers, first released during the 1972 Munich Olympics. On Instagram, Hadid explained that she did not know about the tragic events linked to the Olympics when she agreed to the campaign. She said she would never knowingly take part in something connected to a tragedy.
In her statement, Hadid said, “I want you to hear directly from me about my recent campaign with Adidas. I would never knowingly engage with any art or work that is linked to a horrific tragedy. Before the campaign was released, I did not know about the connection to the events in 1972. I am shocked, upset, and disappointed by the lack of sensitivity in this campaign.”
Hadid made it clear that she would not have participated if she had known about the attack. She criticized herself, her team, and Adidas for not being aware of the historical context. She emphasized that she always speaks up against what she believes is wrong.
Hadid also addressed the issue of antisemitism. “I do not believe in hate in any form, including antisemitism. I stand by this fully,” she said. She criticized linking the “liberation of the Palestinian people” to terrorism, saying it misrepresents Palestinians. Hadid declared her pride in being Palestinian and emphasized that there is more to their culture than recent negative associations.
She stated, “I will forever stand by my people of Palestine while continuing to advocate for a world free of antisemitism. Antisemitism has no place in the liberation of the Palestinian people. I will always stand for peace over violence. Hate has no place here, and I will always advocate for my people and everyone worldwide.”
Earlier in the summer, when the Adidas campaign was launched, the American Jewish Committee called the decision a “massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory.” Adidas pulled the campaign photos and apologized in mid-July for any upset caused, stating that the connections to tragic historical events were unintentional. That did not stop pro-Palestine people from staging a boycott of the brand.
Adidas later apologized to Hadid and other partners involved, saying, “We made an unintentional mistake. We apologize to our partners, Bella Hadid, A$AP Nast, Jules Koundé, and others, for any negative impact and are revising the campaign.”
