It looks like aside from singing, Hasan Raheem has superior reading taste which got approval from an Indian author herself! Shrayana Bhattacharya, the author of “Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh Khan”, tweeted a few days ago about her fondness for singer Hasan Raheem and his song Peanut Butter. She also hoped that he would perform at a concert in India some day.
“Never thought I’d be listening to a song titled “Peanut Butter” on loop. But here we are. After an accident on the internet introduced me to the musical smarts of @hasanraheeem , I’ll hope he’ll be in concert in India someday. #peechayhutt“
Never thought I'd be listening to a song titled "Peanut Butter" on loop. But here we are. After an accident on the internet introduced me to the musical smarts of @hasanraheeem , I'll hope he'll be in concert in India someday. #peechayhutt
Yesterday, Bhattacharya tweeted a picture of Raheem holding up her book, and wrote about how much this had moved her.
“Amidst many reasons offered by the news cycle and social media to frown, this photo moved me so very much. When #DesperatelySeekingShahRukh reached the amazing artist @hasanraheeem.”
On her Instagram stories, the author also shared the special note she had sent to Raheem:
“Your music has helped me write and has been the soundtrack to my life recently. So much admiration. Hope you will perform in India soon.”
Raheem later sent Shrayana a message, thanking her for the wholesome gift and promised that he would definitely perform in India some day!
“Just got the book Shrayana, this meant a lot me. The heartwarming note that you left moved me completely. Hoping I come to India to perform for you and all my people there. Have a blessed life and meri dua hai upar wala apki har takleef door karay”
Seriously who is cutting onions here?
Social media users are also moved by this exchange, and witnessing their two kings in the same picture
"New wave I see all you groovin', this wave’s gonna hit the charts main najoomi" – @hasanraheeem knew it! 🎶
Everyone should read @BShrayana's brilliant book – full of commentary on young women's search for intimacy, independence, and hopes for alt desi masculinity SRK style!🕺🏻 https://t.co/I8XYeaggPx
Renowned Indian screenwriter and poet Javed Akhtar is set to attend the Faiz Festival in Lahore where he will be a part of two discussions with actor Adeel Hashmi, as well as a mushaira with other poets. The Current spoke to Hashmi about what their discussion will be about and he said: “Our first talk will be about his book ‘Jadunama’ which was released a few days ago, and will also be available for purchase at the event. Our second talk [taking place on Sunday, 19th Feb, is called ‘Talking Life’ which will be a discussion about life. In the next Mushaira, he will be reading out his poetry.” Along side Javed Akhtar, many prominent faces are expected to attend the event such as singer Shafqat Amanat Ali who will hold a performance on Friday, as well as Director and Screenwriter Sarmad Khoosat who will hold a conversation with Navid Shahzad. Faiz Festival is taking place from February 17 to 19 at Alhamra Center.
Netflix released the anticipated documentary ‘The Romantics’ on Tuesday, garnering praise from Bollywood fans around the world, especially those who had grown up loving Yash Chopra’s films. The documentary explored the life of the famous film maker, who was responsible for some of the biggest hits like Chandni, Lamhe, DDLJ, Band Baja Barat, Mohabattien and Veer Zaara etc. Prominent actors from three generations like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif. Madhuri Dixit etc, will talk about their experiences of working with the film giant. Pakistanis also grew up loving Chopra’s films, and didn’t hold back on praising the documentary. Lawyer Reema Omer had written: “Difficult to describe how watching #TheRomantics made me feel. It is a reminder of why Hindi films have had such a profound impact on people over the decades, and why we continue to yearn for such cinema. Fills the heart with so much love and nostalgia So, so beautiful!”
Difficult to describe how watching #TheRomantics made me feel
It is a reminder of why Hindi films have had such a profound impact on people over the decades, and why we continue to yearn for such cinema
The documentary especially focused on the iconic film Dilwalay Dulhania Le Jayienge, which was Chopra’s biggest ever hit with Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in main leads. Many were moved by Khan’s comment on his relationship with the late director, and his comment that he considered Chopra a father figure.
Yashji was no less than a father to SRK. The importance he held in his life was beyond any measure. The silence, the grief, and the numbness on SRK's face say it all 💔#TheRomantics#ShahRukhKhanpic.twitter.com/2SaPD8a4V8
Khan also revealed that the reason he acted in more romantic movies is because Chopra himself told him that his stare was intense and not meant for action movies.
💠Your eyes have something that cannot be just wasted in action @iamsrk : Adi Chopra
Fans called ‘The Romantics’ a moving tribute to the generation that had grown up loving Yash Chopra’s films, and also said it was the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.
Is it just me who got all teary-eyes watching #TheRomantics? It suddenly hit me that all of us 90s kids and now either hitting 30 or are in 30s and it just…… 🥲
This show turned me into a puddle of joy and tears seeing all the legacy the old world Hindi films from waqt to lamhe to DDLJ to JTHJ This is the world!! This is the dream!! This is where I wish to belong…one day!!#TheRomanticshttps://t.co/SrWmgeBcFG
I never thought I’d be so mesmerised learning about the making of all these films. This is struggle, determination, perseverance and belief combined into beautiful storytelling as a final product we see on the big screens. Thanks for the movies #TheRomantics
Loved the new Netflix show #TheRomantics I do not believe in those cliches anymore, but back then it was such a joy watching a hard-core Hindi movie. Loved all 4 episodes, especially episodes 1 n 2. I love classics and growing up with 90s movies ♥️🥰. Pure Bliss. pic.twitter.com/a4RovVpsMf
If the first episode of Sar-e-Rah was about the impact one woman makes when she stands up for herself, the next episode shows us how she can keep on inspiring women from different backgrounds to take a stand for themselves.
In this episode, our protagonist Rabia meets Dr Muzna, a woman who has longed for a child has kept her husband’s infertility a secret from the rest of their family. Muzna faces the burden of this secret because of the taunts her mother-in-law gives her for not being able to give the family a child, and because she decides to go back to her job and refuses to abandon her practice.
In this episode, Sar-e-Rah explores how empowered women who broke away from the shackles of patriarchy are able to recognize the burden society puts on women who chose alternative paths towards motherhood. In one scene, when a grandmother and her child scold Muzna in a cafe for bringing her newborn child along with her, Rabia takes a stand by telling them that Muzna did a noble thing by choosing to give shelter to a child that had been abandoned.
In the rest of the episode, we watch the two women find solace in one another as Muzna faces opposition from her husband and mother-in-law for choosing to adopt a baby with taunts telling her that bringing home another woman’s child won’t make her a mother, but Razia keeps reminding her that what she is doing is quite noble. Their wholesome bond remains steady as Rabia helps Muzna in facing her husband and the rest of the family, and also to search for the mother’s child.
At a time when triggering topics like domestic violence, child abuse and forced marriages are not treated with the sensitivity and depth they deserve, it is heartening that a show like Sar-e-Rah isn’t shying away from exploring such tabooed topics and reminding women that they can find the strength they needed in each other.
Nida Yasir surely knows how to make an interview memorable. She went viral last year for not knowing how Formulae 1 cars work but this time, her gaffe is even more hilarious.
In an interview on ‘The Shoaib Akhtar Show’ on Urduflix, host Shoaib Akhtar conducted a round where he asked quick questions from guests Nida Yasir and Shahista Lodhi. When it was Yasir’s turn, she was asked: “What year did Pakistan win the ’92 world cup?” And Yasir’s reaction went viral
We should probably stop posting selfies with celebrities, because actor Iffat Omar won the day when she received a video message from THE Shah Rukh Khan himself! Earlier this morning, Omar shared the video message on her Instagram page, writing in the caption:
“Happy Valentines my all time crush @iamsrk and thanks for these 2 seconds of your life you gave me is one of the happiest moment of my life. Congratulations for the success of #pathaan superstar “
The Current reached out to Omar, asking her she got this spectacular Valentines gift, and turns out, she just casually happens to be an aquaintance of SRK all this time. Omar revealed that a mutual friend, who knew about her love for the Bollywood Badshah, had later sent the video message to her. “He sent me this message earlier, but I just posted it today to thank him and wish my crush on Valentine and congratulated him on the success of Pathan,” said Omar. Omar was definitely very pleased that her favorite hero knows who she is, calling it “a fan’s dream come true “ She further elaborated that she would love it if more Pakistani and Indian actors are able to interact freely in this manner. On whether in the future if she got a chance to work with SRK or any other actor, Omar’s response was she would definately do it, and would also love a chance to work with K.K Menon.
The wedding of Bollywood actors Sidhart Malhotra and Kiara Advani was the most anticipated event of the year, with millions of fans around the world flocking to send their well wishes to the new couple as soon as they uploaded a video on Instagram.
But what fans realized later was the inclusion of the song ‘Ranjha’ in the wedding video, which had previously been used in the film ‘Sheershah’ where both starred as star-crossed lovers in the backdrop of the Kargil war.
The iconic song ‘Ranjha’, sung by Jasleen Royal and B Praak, was originally about the heartbreak both characters had to endure when they parted ways because of the war,. However, fans were deeply moved to find out that the song was re-written for the bride’s entry.
The filming team “The Wedding Planner” shared exclusive details revealed that the couple chose ‘Ranjha’ as their song, so they called some people to re write it in order to fit their day!
‘Very few humans are so generous with their love that they are willing to share it with the world. She wanted to walk towards Sidharth on ‘Ranjha’, which is their song. “But it’s a sad song!” I argued. “But it’s our song!” She maintained! So we rewrote the lyrics with respect to fit the situation we were in, and suddenly, everyone’s dreams came true! ‘
Prerna Arora and Ashwani Basoya, who sang the new version, shared clips of the wedding on their Instagram page, and thanked the Bollywood stars for including them in their big day.
“I feel really happy and honoured to share this with you all. ❤️ Recorded my vocals for @kiaraaliaadvani and @sidmalhotra wedding day song – “Ranjha” As we say, it was a happy ending for Shershaah and Dimple in the parallel universe..” wrote Arora
“Every wonderful opportunity in my life is just Grace ✨ Thankful and grateful to have sung a happier version of YOUR song for you both @kiaraaliaadvani@sidmalhotra. It’s an honour to be a small part of your beautiful Love. Wishing you a lifetime of Love and Happiness ! ❤️” wrote Basoya
Fans on Twitter were moved to tears by this wholesome dedication
the fact that ranjha was originally a sad song but held so much significance in their relationship that the artists rewrote the song with happier lyrics just so kiara can walk to siddharth while it plays in the bg 🧍🏽♀️
still can’t get over kiara singing ranjha in her and sid’s wedding trailer and that being their entrance song as well they’re so wholesome i will die pic.twitter.com/DZv1PZ1mXf
not sid and kiara commissioning to make the iconic ranjha (that was theirs anyway)which was a heartbreak song into the most beautiful love song just for their wedding video oh my god🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠
With Valentine’s Day coming up, your amma jee’s earnest khuwaishien about turning her into a dadi maa, and those bachiyan you stop to hoot at aren’t impressed by how much of a hero you can be. It’s clear that you don’t have a date because more women are rejecting entitled, selfish brats because do khori paisay kya kama liye, ab kehti hain they don’t want a man in their lives! Clearly dear reader, you have tried everything to impress her but have no chick to take to Hooters while Beena is out of town. So we are ready to help because we know how hard it is to get home and no live in maid is around to make you food and treat you like chota sardar. The best place to go for advice is definitely Pakistani dramas and their never ending tips on how to create the perfect male heroes. Whenever drama creators and screenwriters have been questioned about why they chose to consult no real woman, and included domestic abuse in their dramas, their response was that this is what society has always favored! So we have, with our superior mind and years of journalism experience, decided to write down some of the popular dramas released over the last few years, and the stellar advice they offer to men across Pakistan whose hairlines keep receding as Bisma doesn’t answer their 1999th hookup call.
1 Introduce yourselves by demanding her to call out your name repeatedly
Tricky thing but follow our steps closely because you want to ensure she likes no one else but you. You’ve met the dream girl and want her to like you back, but how do you do so? As Danish Taimoor splendidly shows us, kidnap her dad and then when she calls you in tears begging for help, demand that she repeatedly say your name. Over and over again. That will put her in a trance, she will wake up and go around thinking only of you, and you alone.
2 To develop a deeper bond between the two of you, pick someone who’s your cousin
You’re hitting 39 soon and you don’t know when will you stop being a chichora. Dramas say you should pick a girl who is naive and won’t be able to see the real douchebag that you are. That’s why you should pick your cousin. She can easily be pressurized by her parents to date you, and even marry you in the near future because otherwise their daughter’s honor might go to shambles. Ignore the cries of those rabid feminists telling you that intermarrying cousins is medically questionable, especially when it involves a child! She won’t protest regarding how much she has to clean up after you, or has to literally take care of the rest of your family as well!
3 Swoon tip: neglect all of her need’s and accuse her of being a drama queen!
Among the many things men are clueless about when it comes to dating, is not knowing how to make a woman feel special. Many men are consistently trying to figure out the ways they can remind a woman they love that they think she’s special and value her existence. So here’s a tip: gaslight her when she comes to you with a problem. Is she spiraling due to a panic attack and can’t breathe? Stand there and accuse her of faking it all and then go on your day pretending what you saw never happened. After all, for any relationship to become successful, a period of hardship and torture is quite important!
4 Refuse to- and we emphasize this so much – keep refusing to take no for an answer
Anything that a woman says after meeting you should be a hint that she wants you. If she’s complaining about having no food, it secretly means she wants to cook food for you. If she’s asking about the time, it secretly means time to go home with you. So don’t mistrust what your gut is telling you, and keep letting her know that you can hear her inner voice, which she can’t. If she tells you she doesn’t like you, refuse to let her go and keep pressurizing her to listen to her desperate inner voice wanting to be with you! Akhir kaar there is nothing wrong with you! So why would she reject you?
5 Lastly, to seal this joori into a lifetime commitment, put a gun to your head so she quickly agrees to marry you.
The day is ending, you know you just met her and don’t know anything except for her phone number and where she goes to study. But you think you have found the perfect live-in nanny that can cook you and keep up with your mummy’s constant nagging so it’s only right that you drop a proposal now! She’ll say no at first because obviously, she doesn’t know that she wants to marry you as well. So to make it quick, and actually get her to marry you- hold a gun to your head, and start screaming that you’ll shoot yourself if she doesn’t say yes. Start counting down from ten, and she’ll definitely say she want’s to marry you. It’s a win-win!
Celebrity Iffat Omar and other Pakistani feminists have called out Pakistan Literature Festival for appointing Ali Zafar as a panelist for a conversation with actor Yasir Hussain. Activist and makeup artist Leena Ghani shared the announcement by Alhamra on her social media page, and revealed that the organization had previously refused to allow Aurat March to use their grounds for an event on the grounds that the march ‘was too controversial and had a negative image’. “In 2020 Alhamara declined Aurat March’s request to let them use the Alhamara grounds for their event because Aurat March was “too controversial and had a negative image”. Yet they have no issues when a sexual harasser is invited? Is he not controversial with a negative image?!” she asked.
In 2020 Alhamara declined Aurat March's request to let them use the Alhamara grounds for their event because Aurat March was “too controversial and had a negative image”.
Yet they have no issues when a sexual harasser is invited? Is he not controversial with a negative image?! https://t.co/SGOjnqEXNk
“What makes him an expert and what contribution does he have for the youth? He’s neither youthful nor did he ever support the young emerging talent. Even if we keep the harassment aside, there is nothing about him that fits the topic. So many other relevant people to choose from,” Ghani had further written.
What makes him an expert and what contribution does he have for the youth? He's neither youthful nor did he ever support the young emerging talent.
Even if we keep the harassment aside, there is nothing about him that fits the topic. So many other relevant people to choose from.
Other women on Twitter have also called out Hussain for sharing a platform with an alleged harasser, when he had previously applauded his wife, Iqra Aziz, for refusing to act in a drama with one.
Wife denied doing drama with a domestic abuser but husband is moderating a session with an alleged harasser.
Actor and model Iffat Omar also took to Twitter to protest, by revealing that she had been excited to give a talk at the event, however chose to back out when she learned about the alleged harasser’s panel.
“Pakistan Literature Festival, Lahore, thank you for inviting me as a moderator for a discussion today. I was excited, but then I learned that #PLF made an alleged harasser a part of the event. I cannot share the platform with an Alleged Harasser, so I am boycotting. @ACPKHI#harassment#Boycott.”
پاکستان لٹریچرفیسٹول،لاہور کاشکریہ جنہوں نےآج ایک ڈسکشن میں بطورماڈریٹر مدعو کررکھاہے۔ایکسائٹڈبھی تھی لیکن علم ہوا کہ #PLF نےایک مبینہ ہریسر کوبھی ایونٹ کاحصہ بنایاہے۔میں ایک Alleged Harasser کےساتھ پلیٹ فورم شئیرنہیں کرسکتی اس لیےبائیکاٹ کرتی ہوں۔ @ACPKHI#harassment#Boycott
Women have also criticized the event for not including female authors for panels this year. Editor and writer Mehr Husayn criticized the PLF organizers in a Twitter thread, where she shared that there were no recent authors included in the lineup.
“I cannot help but marvel at the staggering disconnect the old guard has with modern Pakistan. Case in point. Not ONE recent author in this. Do better @ACPKHI I expected @thebankofpunjab to do their research. Where are the new authors?? Fresh female writers??”
Ya Ali Maddad!!!
I cannot help but marvel at the staggering disconnect the old guard has with modern Pakistan. Case in point. Not ONE recent author in this. Do better @ACPKHI I expected @thebankofpunjab to do their research. Where are the new authors?? Fresh female writers?? https://t.co/htz6D9dhPP
Husain shared a list of female authors who had released books last year, and went on tag the main organizer of the event and called him out for refusing to include the voices of female authors who were new to the publishing industry but were not included in the event.
“@zafar_masud Zafar sahib I request you to consider the above female authors. How can you not have them be part of such a festival when you have members associated with controversy? How can you ignore female roles in furthering publishing when EVERYTHING goes against us?”
@zafar_masud Zafar sahib I request you to consider the above female authors. How can you not have them be part of such a festival when you have members associated with controversy? How can you ignore female roles in furthering publishing when EVERYTHING goes against us?
Singer and actress Komal Rizvi was a guest on Nadir Ali’s podcast where she opened up about her abusive first marriage and how she managed to escape it. Recalling her past, Rizvi revealed that she was quite naive at the time she got married, as she was only 21 years old and this was a semi-arranged marriage for which she had been given only four months to accept the propsal. The actress had lived in Dubai for a year, and later shifted to Oman when the beatings began, getting worse to the point that even the police had to be called.
“I was 21 years old when I had gotten married, so I was very young… When we lived in Oman, I didn’t have any family or friends that I could escape to, and my ex-husband never gave me any money to keep me under his control. One time, I called the police on him when he was beating me. But instead of taking action, they dismissed it as a domestic problem and left, leaving me completely alone with him.”
Recalling what she had learned from her past ordeal, after getting a divorce four years later, the actress said she wished more parents would educate their children about understanding boundaries, because her husband would psychologically abuse her to believe the beatings she was receiving were her own fault.
“Women from the start in our society are told that they will have a beautiful wedding, after which they will have a husband who will take care of all of their needs. Which is why, so many women are willing to give their 200% in order to make their marriages work. But I detest that we never teach women about the importance of establishing boundaries, that let alone their husband, no man can cross. Which is the thing I regret the most because then I would not have wasted three and a half years trying to make my marriage work. My husband would play all sorts of mind games to gaslight me and make me feel like I am responsible for the beatings because I made him angry. For instance, he would say ‘it’s your fault that you served me with cold food, so I hit a frying pan on your head.’ I kept believing that if I loved him better or worked harder, he would be proud of me.”
Rizvi especially emphasized how important it is that women are emotionally strong and be vary of men who try to encourage them to abandon their careers and dreams, because this is how her husband treated her.
“Men like my ex-husband, who are psychopaths, especially try to ensure that they trap the girl to prevent her from escaping in any way. They go after girls like me who were quiet independent and successful, and ask her to abandon all of this in order to become a wife. They want a simple, meek girl who has no independence or opinions of her own, so they can bend her in to two pieces.”
After escaping her abusive marriage, Rizvi recalled that it was incredibly difficult to be happy and come out of her dark hole, and said that it’s important that society helps women understand that their life isn’t over after a divorce, and provide them with the support system and care one needs.
‘Because I was very young when I got divorced. I used to think ‘Oh my life is over! Who would marry me?’ Now I look back and I’m shocked that I said things like this because I remind myself today that I still have a long way to go!” joked Rizvi.
On the lesson she wished parents, and especially men, would take away from her revelation, Rizvi said that men need to learn to respect women, and ensure that when they’re bringing a woman who had a lot of protection when she lived with her parents, ‘Make sure you provide her the same amount of honor, respect and love. And when she becomes the mother of your children, provide her with twice the amount of love and care than you usually gave.”
