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Category: Entertainment

  • Kristen Stewart embodies Princess Diana in the first look of ‘Spencer’

    After Emma Corrin’s brilliant performance in the fourth season of Netflix’s The Crown, Hollywood star Kristen Stewart is all set to step into the role of the ‘People’s Princess’, Diana, in an upcoming film titled Spencer.

    Read more – Season Four of ‘The Crown’ is a Pakistani arranged marriage nightmare

    As per details, Stewart was roped in for the role in June 2020. The film is helmed by Pablo Larraín.

    In a first look unveiled on Wednesday, January 27, the Twilight actress embodies Princess Diana in a red blazer and a black hat with a veil. Stewart is also sporting Di’s signature short blonde hair.

    According to Deadline, the film will be “a drama that shapes up to be a hot package for the virtual Cannes Market. The Steven Knight-scripted film covers a critical weekend in the early ‘90s when Diana decided her marriage to Prince Charles wasn’t working, and that she needed to veer from a path that put her in line to one day be queen.”

    “The drama takes place over three days, in one of her final Christmas holidays in the House of Windsor in their Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England.”

    Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins and Sean Harris are also part of the cast.

    Spencer has begun principal photography. It will be shot in both Germany and the UK. Spencer is scheduled to release in Fall 2021, ahead of Diana’s 25th death anniversary in 2022.

  • ‘Bridgerton’ smashes records to become Netflix’s biggest show ever

    ‘Bridgerton’ smashes records to become Netflix’s biggest show ever

    Regency-era British drama Bridgerton is Netflix’s biggest series ever with more than 82 million households tuning in to watch the show, the streaming platform has announced. That is a 19M households higher than the four-week projection Netflix issued 10 days into the Shondaland series’ run (63 million), at the time the streamer’s fifth-biggest launch in history.

    Read more – ‘Bridgerton’ is the arranged marriage we all want

    The series which continues to be a sensation is now Netflix’s biggest series ever, pushing down the previous record-holder The Witcher (76M in its first 28 days) to number two.

    Read more – Netflix’s five most-watched original series revealed

    Created by Shondaland veteran, Chris Van Dusen, Bridgerton ranked number one overall in 83 countries including the US, UK, Pakistan, India, and South Africa, and made the top 10 in every country except Japan, Netflix stated in a blogpost. The series is based on Julia Quinn’s novels of the same name. The first season followed Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) as she made her debut in Regency London, seeking a husband.

    Analysts say that the series’ timing likely played a role in its breakout success. It arrived amid the latest deadly COVID-19 surge with people in many countries exhausted after months in quarantine.

    “I think the show really provides an incredible escape for audiences at a time where that’s exactly what’s needed,” Van Dusen said last week when the series Season 2 renewal was announced. ”Bridgerton is this lavish, vibrant, steamy Regency love story; it is about romance, love, and joy; I think all of those things are really universal themes people are responding to.”

    Meanwhile, the cast and creators of the drama have also expressed their shock and delight over the show’s success.

    It is pertinent to add here that The Queen’s Gambit still ranks as Netflix’s biggest scripted limited series to date.

  • Gauhar Khan responds to Indian SC’s refusal to grant ‘Tandav’ makers protection from arrest

    Gauhar Khan responds to Indian SC’s refusal to grant ‘Tandav’ makers protection from arrest

    Gauhar Khan has responded to the Indian Supreme Court’s refusal to grant the makers and actors of the controversial Amazon Prime Video series Tandav protection from arrest. According to reports, the top court has denied relief to director Ali Abbas Zafar and others seeking quashing of FIRs against them for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of Hindus. The top court has also issued notices to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and other states on their pleas.

    As per details, the bench hearing the case said that the “right to freedom of speech is not absolute”.

    “Your right to freedom of speech is not absolute. You cannot play the role of character that hurts the sentiments of a community,” said the bench.

    When Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub’s lawyer argued that he was just an actor under contract and that the views expressed by his character could not be attributed to him, Justice MR Shah said, “You accepted the contract after reading the script. You cannot hurt religious sentiments.”

    Responding to the bench’s comment, a Twitter user said: “Excellent. Next people playing murderers on screen might be tried for the same. After all, they read the script.”

    Gauahar retweeted the tweet along with three ‘face with monocle’ emojis.

    Tandav has been accused of disrespecting Hindu deities, with several political leaders including Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya demanding legal action against the team.

    Read more – India’s Karni Sena announces INR 1 crore award to whoever cuts tongue of ‘Tandav’ makers

    Following the backlash and outrage, Tandav creator Ali Abbas Zafar issued an “unconditional apology” on behalf of the team. Calling any resemblance to real-life persons and incidents coincidental, he wrote in a statement, “The cast and crew did not have any intention to offend the sentiments of any individual, caste, community, race, religion or religious beliefs or insult or outrage any institution, political party or person, living or dead. The cast and crew of Tandav take cognizance of the concerns expressed by the people and unconditionally apologize if it has unintentionally hurt anybody’s sentiments.”

    Later, Ali issued another statement, in which he said that the makers decided to ‘implement changes’ to the web series after concerns were raised. At least two scenes were removed from the show.

    Tandav is a nine-episode series that takes viewers inside the corridors of power and politics. It was released on Amazon Prime Video on January 15.

  • IN PICTURES: Fahad Mustafa celebrates son’s birthday with a cricket-themed party

    Fahad Mustafa recently celebrated his son Musa’s 5th birthday with a cricket-themed birthday party.

    The star’s wife Sana Fahad shared pictures from the celebrations on social media. Check them out below:

  • I have always been a ‘Churail’, says Sarwat Gilani

    Sarwat Gilani says that she has always been a churail.

    In a recent interview Sarwat candidly talked about her character in Churails and her definition of feminism.

    Responding to a question about who her favourite character, Sarwat said: “Sara in Churails. Undoubtedly.”

    IN PICTURES: Sarwat Gilani’s ‘Churail’ themed birthday

    When asked how the web series changed her, Sarwat said: “I was a very Churail-like person myself, I have always tried to carry women along.”

    “I have travelled in all kinds of public transport during my university days to save money, so I have always been a Churail,” she continued. “But Churails taught me how to take ownership of your own problems.”

    Later while talking about her thoughts on feminism, Sarwat said: “I would not say I am a feminist.”

    She continued: “I feel a man has his own place. I feel that a certain time a woman needs a man, no matter how independent she is. I am an independent woman, but at the end of the day I feel like I need somebody, who would say that I will take care of you and who I can depend on.”

    “But at the same time, especially in Pakistan when we talk about feminism, people think that men have nothing to do with it but there are so many men who help to promote feminism because they support their women to come forward, so I feel feminism is a very balance sort of idea where you say everything belongs to whoever earns it,” she added.

    When the host questioned if Sarwat why she is hesitating to call herself a feminist, the actor said: “A lot of people think that feminism is all about women. I feel it has to do with men also. If a man is making changes in himself we can also call that feminism.”

    “We misunderstand feminism, that is why I don’t call myself a feminist,” said Sarwat. “But yes I talk about equal rights.”

    “I’m feminist but I also talk about the problems faced by men,” she added.

    Read more – Who banned ‘Churails’?

    Meanwhile, in a recent interview with The Current, Sarwat talked about her experience of working in Churails and how she felt when the series received backlash in Pakistan.

  • Kerala HC issues notice to Virat Kohli for ‘getting India’s youth addicted to gambling’

    Kerala HC issues notice to Virat Kohli for ‘getting India’s youth addicted to gambling’

    The High Court of Kerala has issued notices to Indian skipper Virat Kohli, along with actors Tamannaah Bhatia, Aju Vargheese, and the state government in a plea seeking a ban on online gambling in the state.

    According to reports, the court plea alleges that as brand ambassadors of online rummy games they are getting the youth of India addicted to gambling after victims claimed the three celebrities have played a role in tempting them.

    The petition also seeks a ban on the game.

    The petitioner had complained to the high court that several people have lost their lives in the country after losing huge amounts of money by playing rummy online. A 27-year-old had reportedly committed suicide two weeks ago after losing Rs2.1 million in the online game.

    Sajesh, 32, who had lost a huge amount playing online rummy said: “The intervention of the honourable high court is welcome as I know that several people have lost huge amount of money playing this online game and I myself have lost more than Rs 6 lakh.

    “The brand ambassadors indeed play a big role in attracting the gullible youth in playing this game which soon turns into an addiction. I had to seek professional medical help to come out of this addiction and the court must ban this game in India.”

    No statements have been issued by the three celebrities yet, with Kohli currently on paternity leave while he spends time with his newborn daughter and wife Anushka Sharma.

    Kohli and Anushka Sharma were blessed with a baby girl earlier this month. On the other hand, Tamannah recently wrapped up the shoot for her upcoming web show November Story, which she described as a ‘nail-biting series’. The series will release on Disney+ Hotstar soon.

  • Baby on the way for Zaid Ali T and Yumnah

    Zaid Ali T and his wife Yumnah Ali T have announced that they are expecting their first child.

    Read more – It’s raining…celebrity babies

    Sharing the good news on social media, Zaid wrote: “We are going to be parents! By the grace of Allah, we have been blessed with a child!”

    “Today is the happiest day of my life,” he added.

    Similarly, Yumnah, while sharing the news said that she cannot “wait to be a mom!”

    Soon after the couple announced the news, wishes poured in from loved ones and followers.

    The Canadian-Pakistani YouTuber and Yumna tied the knot in 2017. Zaid has over 2.9 million followers on his YouTube Channel.

  • ‘It was awful’: Priyanka Chopra regrets endorsing fairness products

    ‘It was awful’: Priyanka Chopra regrets endorsing fairness products

    Priyanka Chopra-Jonas has said that she has expressed her deep remorse for promoting skin-whitening creams in her upcoming memoir Unfinished. The book is scheduled to release on February 9 and will chronicle Priyanka’s childhood, facing racism during her teenage years in the US, winning Miss India and Miss World, and the challenges she faced while navigating a career in Bollywood and Hollywood.

    Speaking to Marie Claire, Chopra-Jonas, said: [Skin lightening] was so normalized in South Asia; it’s such a large industry that everyone was doing it. In fact, doing it is still a check [mark] when you are a female actor, but it’s awful.”

    “And it was awful for me, for a little girl who used to put talcum-powder cream on my face because I believed that dark skin was not pretty,” she said, adding that she hated being described as “dusky” by industry influencers and the media.

    Priyanka further shared that her new sustainable beauty brand, ‘Anomaly’, is a metaphor for the self-acceptance she’s finally found. She is hopeful that men and women today don’t feel like they have to live up to the restrictive beauty standards that she used to.

    “I’m an anomaly, and everyone else is in their own way,” says the actor.

    Meanwhile, talking about her journey and accomplishments, Priyanka said: “For that girl who was so scared, I’m proud of the person that I evolved into. I dealt with a lot, and I came out thriving. I want little girls around the world to think about that. It doesn’t matter where you come from; it doesn’t matter what your circumstances are. Your grit matters, your ambition matters, your perseverance matters.”

    Earlier on 2015, while talking to journalist Barkha Dutt about endorsing fairness creams, Priyanka had said: “I felt really bad about it, that’s why I stopped doing it.”

    “All my cousins are gora-chitta (fair) I was the one who turned out dusky because my dad is dusky. Just for fun, my Punjabi family would call me ‘kaali, kaali, kaali’. At 13, I wanted to put fairness creams and wanted my complexion changed,” she shared further.

    Read more – Priyanka Chopra reportedly defies lockdown rules in London to visit the salon

    Later, sharing a screenshot of Priyanka’s statement on her Instagram story, Iqra Aziz wrote, “When will we [regret endorsing fairness creams]?”

    It is pertinent to add here that Iqra is one of the few female Pakistani actors who has not endorsed a fairness product. Her husband Yasir Hussain had publicly lauded her for rejecting a lucrative offer to represent a fairness cream brand.

  • Hadiqa Kiani’s ‘Jaanay Iss Dil’ is Indo-Pak’s first female qawwali

    After a powerful acting debut in Hum TV’s Raqeeb Se, Hadiqa Kiani has enthralled fans with her first qawaali Jaanay Iss Dil.

    In an exclusive interview with The Current, Hadiqa revealed that Jaanay Iss Dil is Indo-Pak’s “first-ever female qawwali“.

    The composition is nothing like anything has Kiani has ever done before. The award-winning singer collaborated with the legendary qawaali icon, late Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s patent Tabla player, Ustad Dildar Hussain for Jaanay Iss Dil.

    “Qawaali is indeed the purest form of music. Having had the opportunity to jump into a genre that is somewhat outside my comfort zone, I have an even greater appreciation for the art that is Qawaali,” said Kiani while talking about her latest venture. “The opportunity to work with Ustad Dildar Hussain, someone who has been an important part of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s entourage was nothing short of extraordinary.”

    Later, while celebrating the qawwali’s success and the response it got, Hadiqa said that “this was a project of love”, adding that she is grateful that her audiences “were able to connect to our message through the power of pure music.”

    “No auto-tuners, no heavy machines, just the beauty of our regional music, our language, our instruments,” she added.

    Meanwhile, the poetry of the qawwali has been selected by Abrar Hussain and verses of numerous classic poets have been incorporated to enrich it with Girah Bundi.

    The qawwali has been musically arranged and recorded live by one of Pakistan’s leading music producers and Hadiqa’s long-time collaborator and brother, Irfan Kiani, without the use of click track or auto-tuners. Kiani also incorporated the all-elusive Sarangi instrument to add to the beauty of this qawaali. The sound has been mixed and mastered by Eva Kiani.

    Read more – Hadiqa Kiani pays a rich tribute to Ertuğrul with a song in Turkish

    The qawaali has been produced by Mian Yousaf Salahuddin for Sufiscore and has been visually captured by director Abdullah Haris. Mohsin Naveed Ranjha did the wardrobe while Shahama Sajid designed the set.

    Listen to it here:

  • Owner of Kapoor Haveli demands Rs 2 billion for property

    The owner of Kapoor Haveli in Peshawar has refused to sell the house to the government at the price set by the authorities.

    According to a report in The News, the owner of the mansion Haji Ali Qadir is asking for Rs 2 billion for the property whereas, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has set a price of Rs 15 million for the house.

    Speaking to the publication, Qadir had said that the price set by the government was ridiculous as “half a marla of land is not available in Dhaki Nalbandi near historical Qissa Khwani bazaar for Rs15 million and the government is giving us Rs15 million for a six marla house”. He added that the government has yet not made any formal contact for property and that he is getting news about it from the media.

    He further shared that his father Haji Khushal had bought the property in 1965 through a government auction.

    “When our father bought the house, the gold was Rs50 per tola,” said Qadir. “In this house, diyar wood has been used which is very expensive.”

    Read more – Rishi Kapoor’s unfulfilled wish: a visit to Pakistan

    On the other hand Director Archeology and Museum, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr Abdul Samad said the government has fixed the price of the house at DC rate as plots are bought and sold at DC rate in the area, adding that the government cannot pay more than the said price.

    Dr Samad further commented that if the owner has an objection to the price, he can submit an application to the Deputy Commissioner.

    Previously, when it had been reported that the owner is demanding at least two billion rupees for the historic haveli, the province’s archaeology department had said that it will use legal powers to purchase the Kapoor Haveli as well as Dilip Kumar’s house if needed.

    Read more – Dilip Kumar recalls memories of his ancestral home in Peshawar

    Meanwhile, Chief Minister KP Mahmood Khan recently approved funds of Rs 23.56 million to purchase the ancestral houses of Bollywood legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor in Peshawar. Both houses will be converted into museums after restoration work.