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Category: Entertainment

  • Obamas to adapt Mohsin Hamid’s ‘Exit West’ for Netflix with Riz Ahmed in the lead

    Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground Productions on Friday announced six new projects in development for Netflix Inc, including a love story with a supernatural twist and a young adult thriller.

    The former president and first lady’s Higher Ground Productions will adapt British-Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid’s novel Exit West into a film, according to a statement from Netflix. The book tells the story of a young couple who find magical doors to transport them to other places and land in the middle of a global refugee crisis. Obama had also named it as one of the best books he read in 2017. According to The New York Times, the upcoming project will star the Pakistani-British actor Riz Ahmed.

    Other film projects include a science-fiction movie called Satellite, which will be produced with T Street, a production company run by Star Wars director Rian Johnson and producer Ram Bergman. Another is Tenzing, the story of the Nepalese-Indian man who first reached the summit of Mount Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand.

    The Young Wife is a feature film that follows a woman on the day of her wedding who feels out of sync as a storm approaches.

    The company also is developing two TV series. Firekeeper’s Daughter is a thriller based on a young adult novel by Angeline Boulley about an 18-year-old Ojibwe tribe member who reluctantly goes undercover in a police investigation on her reservation.

    The other series is a nature documentary about national parks.

    Netflix said the projects will be released over the next few years but did not give exact release dates.

    Read more – Netflix to release a new movie every week in 2021

    The Obamas signed a multiyear production deal with Netflix in 2018. Their earlier Netflix projects include American Factory, which won an Oscar in 2020 for best documentary.

  • Amna Ilyas highlights ‘show off charity culture’ in new video

    Amna Ilyas highlights ‘show off charity culture’ in new video

    Amna Ilyas has highlighted show off charity culture in a new video.

    Read more – ‘You don’t hit women’: Osman Khalid Butt reacts to Bilal Saeed’s video

    In the video posted on Instagram, the model turned actor threw light on the prevailing show off culture in the society.

    “They say do charity silently or else the charity is you,” wrote Amna in the caption. “Remember, you’re doing it to fill someone else’s void not yours.”

    “The next time you give, the camera doesn’t need to follow,” she added. “Sadqa aese do ke dayen hath se karo toh bayen hath ko pata bhi na chaley.”

    In the video, Amna can be seen giving money to the poor in front of the camera. When the cameras turns off, she stops pretending to be nice with the poor and pushes them away.

    Read more – Mani hits back at those labelling his charity efforts a ‘cheap publicity stunt’

    This is not the first time Ilyas has made such a video. Earlier, she shared a video in which she highlighted the culture of exercising ‘power’ to avoid taking responsibility and stressed the need for respecting the rule of law.

    Meanwhile, Shaniera Akram praised Ilyas for smashing this culture.

    “Unfortunately this exists! Well done Amna, smash this culture for six,” she wrote.

  • Azaan Sami Khan says upcoming album ‘Main Tera’ is ‘extremely personal’

    Azaan Sami Khan says upcoming album ‘Main Tera’ is ‘extremely personal’

    Azaan Sami Khan has announced that his upcoming solo album will debut on February 10.

    The music composer of Superstar unveiled the album cover on Instagram, along with an exciting tracklist. Titled Main Tera, the album is Khan’s way of branching into something far more intimate than just producing music for chart-topping movies of recent times.

    According to a press release, the first single from the album, also titled Main Tera, is expected to release on February 10. Khan will be taking over the vocals and song-writing units for the very first time in this album.

    “I wanted it to be extremely personal. It’s almost biographical in some ways. I have delved into the first time I fell in love with somebody, the first crush, the first heartbreak, you’d basically witness a lot of firsts in this as it’s my first album,” said Khan while talking about Mera Tera.

    The singer also revealed that the 9-song track list includes a collaboration with Ustaad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.

    Read more – Hadiqa Kiani’s ‘Jaanay Iss Dil’ is Indo-Pak’s first female qawwali

    “For me, the fans and the listeners are the most important,” stated the singer. “So far, they have given me so much love for my compositions in films, so it is equally important for them to know that I haven’t compromised anything when it came to sharing my own album with them. The idea is to give them the absolute best experience that I can,” he said.

    The album announcement completes what has been a remarkable period for Khan, who gave us hits after hits in films like Parey Hut Love, Superstar, and Parwaaz Hai Junoon.

    While a release date for the complete album is yet to be announced, we’re looking forward to seeing what the single has in store for us. The album will be released under the banner of HUM Music.

    Meanwhile, Bilal Ashraf, Mahira Khan, Maya Ali, Amanat Ali and Shafaat Ali congratulated Khan on his new feat and wished him luck.

    “Super excited for you Azaan. All the best my bro,” wrote Bilal on Instagram.

    “Mubarak! Can’t wait to hear this one,” said Maya.

  • ‘You don’t hit women’: Osman Khalid Butt reacts to Bilal Saeed’s video

    ‘You don’t hit women’: Osman Khalid Butt reacts to Bilal Saeed’s video

    Osman Khalid Butt has reacted to Bilal Saeed’s viral video in which the singer was seen physically assaulting a young man and woman. Along with sharing his thoughts on the matter, Butt also requested social media users to stop making memes of the unsettling incident.

    “Following the Bilal Saeed hashtag and – just so we’re clear, he instigated it,” wrote Butt on Twitter. “This is physical assault, not meme fodder. Please understand this is not normal behaviour; it cannot be condoned or played for a laugh.”

    “You don’t hit women. Please, have some decency,” he added.

    In a follow-up tweet, Butt said: “You can choose to hate feminist activism, but don’t let that hate spring from ignorance.”

    “In plainer words, no, please, this is not what women mean when they’re asking for equal rights,” he concluded.

    On Thursday evening, a video of Bilal beating up a man and woman, purportedly his brother and sister-in-law, in the presence of the Dolphin Force went viral on social media. Later, responding to the video, the singer shared another video of his house with broken items and claimed that the destruction was done by them in his absence.

    “I know how to respect women and I know how to protect a woman too! I raised my hand to protect my family,” wrote Bilal in the caption. “This is what they did to me while I was away from my house!”

    The singer further said that he has been a victim of blackmailing.

    “And that’s not about it I have been the victim of their blackmailing and unfair behaviour for a very long time,” claimed Bilal. “I stayed quiet because obviously as an artist my priority is my career but these people have been taking advantage of my situation for a very long time.”

    The singer also apologised to his fans for the video, writing: “I am sorry that my fans had to see this side of me and I do not intend to support or promote violence.”

    The singer also shared an official statement which read: “Every human has the right to live with dignity and security, regardless of gender. I am a believer of peace, however, I also believe in establishing boundaries when that peace is repeatedly compromised by another, regardless of gender.”

    “When the safety and dignity of a person is violated and jeopardized over and over again, he unfortunately is left with no option but to react,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Bilal Saeed became the top Twitter trend in Pakistan as thousands of users reacted to his video.

  • Asim Azhar’s ‘Ghalat Fehmi’ trends in India

    Asim Azhar’s Ghalat Fehmi from the film Superstar, is trending in India a year after it’s release.

    Read more – Indians lose it after an old picture of Rihanna with Zulfi Bukhari surfaces

    Sharing the lyrics of his song on Twitter, Asim wrote: “Ghalat Fehmi trending in India after a year of it’s release.”

    “Art surely has no boundaries and that’s beautiful,” added the singer.

    He later also shared that the song is trending at number two on Spotify India.

    A romantic number, Ghalat Fehmi featured in Mahira Khan and Bilal Ashraf’s Superstar, which released in August 2020. The film was directed by Mohammed Ehteshamuddin and released by Hum Films.

    Read more – Asim Azhar asks PCB to stop ignoring him

    Meanwhile, the singer has also announced that he will releasing new music soon.

  • ‘I raised my hand to protect my family’: Bilal Saeed responds to viral video

    ‘I raised my hand to protect my family’: Bilal Saeed responds to viral video

    A video of Bilal Saeed physically assaulting a young girl and a boy in the presence of the police went viral on social media Thursday evening.

    According to reports, the girl and the boy in the video are Bilal’s brother and sister-in-law. The singer allegedly also wanted to file an FIR against his brother but no case was registered as the two parties later reconciled. The report further claimed that Bilal has refused to comment on the matter.

    On the other hand, Geo News reported that the incident occurred on January 10 within the remits of Sundar Police Station.

    Soon after the video went viral, Bilal shared a video of his house with broken items and claimed that the destruction was done in his absence.

    “I know how to respect women and I know how to protect a woman too! I raised my hand to protect my family,” wrote Bilal in the caption. “This is what they did to me while I was away from my house!”

    The singer further said that he has been a victim of blackmailing.

    “And that’s not about it I have been the victim of their blackmailing and unfair behavior for a very long time,” claimed Bilal. “I stayed quiet because obviously as an artist my priority is my career but these people have been taking advantage of my situation for a very long time.”

    The video has now been removed from social media.

    Later, in an official statement, Bilal said: “Every human has the right to live with dignity and security, regardless of gender. I am a believer of peace, however, I also believe in establishing boundaries when that peace is repeatedly compromised by another, regardless of gender.”

    He continued: “When the safety and dignity of a person is violated and jeopardized over and over again, he, unfortunately, is left with no option but to react.”

    Meanwhile, this is not the first time Bilal has been involved in controversy. Last year, the singer came under fire for shooting his music video inside Masjid Wazir Khan.

  • IN PICTURES: Fawad Khan, Maya Ali spotted at HSY’s star-studded bash

    IN PICTURES: Fawad Khan, Maya Ali spotted at HSY’s star-studded bash

    Trust Hassan Shehryar Yasin, better known as HSY, to throw a star-studded bash. The designer-turned-actor recently celebrated his drama debut and opening of his luxurious ‘HSY Mansion’ with his friends from the industry. The designer is all set to open Pakistan “largest most luxurious couture studio” for “a one of a kind bridal couture experience.” The designer also announced that he will be officially opening his studio with a solo show in March.

    The pre-event party saw all the A-listers including Fawad Khan, Maya Ali, Ali Zafar, Adnan Siddiqui, Sarwat Gilani and Ayesha Omar in attendance. Pictures from the party were widely circulated on social media. Check them out below:

    HSY recently made his acting debut with drama serial Pehli Si Muhabbat alongside Maya, Sheheryar Munawar, Rabia Butt, Saba Faisal, Nausheen Shah and Shabbir Jan. Written by Faiza Iftikhar and directed by Anjum Shahzad, Pehli Si Muhabbat is described as “an intense love story”. The OST of the drama has been composed by Ali Zafar.

  • Twitter users are stereotyping Pakistani actors with hilarious memes

    Twitter users are stereotyping Pakistani actors with hilarious memes

    All actors fear being stereotyped and it appears that their worst fears just came true because Pakistani Twitter has started typecasting Pakistani drama actors.

    Audiences on Twitter have put together a list of actors who always end up doing the same type of roles. Actors who have ‘meme-d’ include Yasir Nawaz, Junaid Khan, Agha Ali, Hira Mani, Minal Khan and Gohar Rasheed. Check out some of the memes below:

    https://twitter.com/Maliiihaarif/status/1357040809560985618?s=19
    https://twitter.com/maniac_says/status/1357032494500052992?s=19

  • ‘Emily in Paris’ writer surprised with Golden Globe nomination

    The nominations for the 78th annual Golden Globe Awards were unveiled on Wednesday, and Netflix’s Emily in Paris ended up receiving two nominations – Best TV Series (Musical or Comedy) and Best Performance by an Actress in a TV series (Musical or Comedy).

    The unusual nominations did not sit very well with audiences who were upset with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association – a 90-member group known, and often criticised for, unpredictable choices – for snubbing out favourites such as I May Destroy You and Bridgerton.

    Read more – Every Pakistani girl wants to be ‘Emily in Paris’

    Interestingly, even the writers on the show are surprised with the nominations.

    “I’m a writer on the show. I tried to avoid reading its criticism, but I don’t live under a rock. It never occurred to me that our show would be nominated,” said Deborah Copakenn, a writer on the show.

    In a piece for The Guardian, Copaken said: “Emily in Paris aired a few months after I’d spent June and July marching for racial justice through the streets of New York with my kids. I could definitely see how a show about a white American selling luxury whiteness, in a pre-pandemic Paris scrubbed free of its vibrant African and Muslim communities, might rankle. Our show also aired soon after I read Caste by Isabel Wilkerson and gobbled down Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You, a work of sheer genius about the aftermath of a rape. ‘That show,’ I told everyone who would listen, ‘deserves to win all the awards’.”

    She continued: “When it didn’t, I was stunned. I May Destroy You was not only my favourite show of 2020. It’s my favourite show ever. It takes the complicated issue of rape – I’m a sexual assault survivor myself – and infuses it with heart, humour, pathos and a story constructed so well, I had to watch it twice, just to understand how Coel did it.”

    Copaken added that though she is excited about the nomination, “but that excitement is now unfortunately tempered by my rage over Coel’s snub. I May Destroy You did not get one Golden Globe nod is not only wrong, it’s what is wrong with everything.”

    Created by Darren Star of the Sex and the City fame, Emily in Paris follows Emily as she navigates her life in Paris and tries to add an “American touch” to the firm she works at. The series has been produced by the show’s star Lily Collins.

    In November 2020, Netflix announced that it was renewing Emily in Paris for a second season.

    Note – An earlier version of the story wrongly credited Abby Govindan as a writer on the show after she tweeted: “As the creator of Emily in Paris, can I just say…why the f*** were we nominated for a Golden Globe. I made that show as a prank.”

  • SRK reportedly gearing up to be the first Bollywood hero to perform stunt on Burj Khalifa

    SRK reportedly gearing up to be the first Bollywood hero to perform stunt on Burj Khalifa

    Shah Rukh Khan is reportedly gearing up to perform a hi-octane action sequence inside the world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa. The stunt is expected to be part of his upcoming spy thriller Pathan.

    According to reports, this is the first time a Bollywood film will be shot at the iconic building.

    “The idea is to go one notch above what’s already done so far,” stated the report, quoting a source. “Apart from [Tom Cruise’s] Mission Impossible and the Fast and Furious franchise, not many films have been shot inside Burj Khalifa. Pathan will be among the first few Indian films (probably the first) to have actual visuals of the tower from inside.”

    “A big-scale action scene centred around Burj Khalifa is in the offing from the team of Pathan,” added the source.

    Sharing details about the scene, the report said: “It is a prolonged action sequence designed by an international stunt team, and one can expect spectacular visuals on the screen. It’s a culmination of [director] Siddharth Anand, [producer] Aditya Chopra, and SRK’s vision, to shoot a massive action scene at Burj Khalifa.”

    “Don’t be surprised if you find SRK fighting on the top of the tower just like Tom Cruise when you watch Pathan on the big screen,” added the report. “However, all the details of this Burj Khalifa fight scene have been kept under wraps. It’s a car, bike, guns, blasts, hand to hand combats – get ready for action, that’s sleek and stylish.”

    Featuring Deepika Padukone and John Abraham besides SRK, Pathan is being directed by Anand [Salaam Namaste, War, Bang Bang!]. Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan are reported to make cameo appearances in the film.

    Pathan also marks SRK’s return to the big screen after a hiatus of more than two years. His last release was Zero in 2018 which was a commercial and box-office flop. It is also being reported that Khan is going all out for his upcoming film and was also spotted sporting a new look for it. It is expected to release at the end of 2021.

    Read more – Shah Rukh Khan promises fans a surprise for 2021

    Last year in November, Burj Khalifa was illuminated to honour SRK on his birthday on November 2. The message: “Happy birthday to the King of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan” was displayed on the building with the song  Dhoom Tana, from his film Om Shanti Om playing in the background.