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Category: Entertainment

  • Bollywood’s biopic on Malala to release on Jan 31

    Bollywood’s biopic on Malala to release on Jan 31

    Gul Makai, the Bollywood film based on the life of Pakistani Nobel laurate Malala Yousafzai will be releasing on January 31, 2020 according to trade analyst Taran Adarsh. The film has been in the works since its filming began in 2017. Meanwhile, Gul Makai is the pseudonym Malala used when she wrote blogs for BBC Urdu during the Talibani rule, hence the title of the film.

    According to the Hindustan Times, the film has been directed by Amjad Khan and has been majorly shot in Kashmir. It will trace the then socio-political atmosphere of Pakistan. Reem Shaikh, Divya Dutta, Mukesh Rishi, Abhimanyu Singh, Ajaz Khan and Pankaj Tripathi are part of the film’s cast.

    The first look of the film was revealed last year in July and has over 18 million views on Youtube.

    Speaking about the film director Amjad Khan said Gul Makai is his tribute to Yousafzai for everything she has achieved and represents as a young and inspiring icon.

    Meanwhile, the film’s official synopsis reads, “Gul Makai accounts the courageous journey and struggle of Malala, from her humble upbringing in the Swat Valley to her becoming the champion for free education to all. Gul Makai is a small tribute to this lion-hearted girl who is in every essence a global citizen championing a cause that transcends boundaries, caste, religion and geography.”

    Malala has recently be named as the world’s most famous teenager of the decade by the United Nations.

  • Qubool Hai! Iqra Aziz & Yasir Hussain have tied the knot

    Qubool Hai! Iqra Aziz & Yasir Hussain have tied the knot

    After a whirlwind romance and a very public surprise engagement, mayun and mehndi Iqra Aziz and Yasir Hussain are now husband and wife. The two exchanged vows in a beautiful daytime wedding. Yasir gave his bride 4 tolas of gold as haq mehr.

    Iqra looked regal in an all-red Nomi Ansari ensemble and makeup by Waqar Hussain, while Yasir donned a cream sherwani.

    Sharing details about the dress, Nomi said, “Our most anticipated work this year was definitely this magnificent piece we customized for the lovely Iqra Aziz. Bringing the look we had in mind to life was a one-of-kind experience that we enjoyed thoroughly! For this distinct all-red look we decided on an old school lehnga choli done our way with plenty of glitz and magic. We loved creating this piece as much as Iqra is loving wearing it.”

    Here are the two being their usual cute self at their photoshoot.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6nDKJZlbdM/

    The celebrations included lots of pictures with their celebrity friends and cake cutting followed by a dramatic rukhsati.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6nZN5VhOf-/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6naxJylkR2/

    Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly were at the wedding with Mama Mir.

    Hania Aamir and Asim Azhar

    Bushra Ansari
    Aiman Khan and Muneeb Butt
    Mrs Asim Raza, Frieha Altaf, Asim Raza, Nomi Ansari
    Feroze Khan

    Meanwhile, here’s a picture of the nikkah venue

  • Another copyright violation for Coke Studio Season 12

    Another copyright violation for Coke Studio Season 12

    Ever since Coke Studio began in 2008, it has had its fair share of highs and low. After a disastrous Season 11, the music platform brought back Rohail Hyatt for the 12th season. Unfortunately, Season 12 didn’t impress audiences either and it hasn’t been a smooth sailing considering three of its songs have been taken down for copyright infringement.

    According to latest reports, the studio has been taken to court over the track Mundeya, sung by Ali Sethi and Qurat-ul-Ain Balouch. The song has also been struck down due to a copyright violation claim. The studio says that the song, also featured in the film Mukhra, was a tribute to its original singers: Madam Noor Jehan and Nadeem.

    The ownership of the song’s censorship certificate originally belonged to Muhammad Sadiq. After his death, the ownership was passed down to his son Muhammad Saleem, who is now taking Coke Studio to court for copyright violation.

    Saleem claims that Coke Studio did not seek any permission before remixing the song. Hence the studio has been directed to stop airing the song.

    Previously, Abrarul Haq’s Billo, Rachel Viccaji and Shuja Haider’s Saiyaan and Sanam Marvi’s Hairaan Hua were taken down for copyright infringement.

  • ‘Kahin Deep Jalay’ is terribly typical but full of masala

    ‘Kahin Deep Jalay’ is terribly typical but full of masala

    Neelam Muneer and Imran Ashraf’s Kahin Deep Jalay is halfway through and though the drama is problematic at points and follows the typical nand-bhabi jealousy, it is still a fun, masalaydaar watch and works.

    Written by Qaisra Hayat and directed by Saima Waseem, Kahin Deep Jalay is centred on Rida, played by Neelam Muneer, who is the only sister of three brothers. Her brothers and mother, played by Saba Faisal, dot on her and pamper her to no extent. Despite that she is not a spoiled brat. Rida’s brother Fahaam is married to their Khala’s daughter Shamila, played by Nazish Jahangir, who is the main antagonist in the plot. Shamila bhabhi is a materialistic woman and is super jealous of Rida because of the love and attention she receives from her brothers. Let’s just say her middle name is ‘troublemaker’.

    On the other hand, we have the humble Zeeshan, played by Imran Ashraf, an ordinary guy from a middle-class background. He sees Rida at her brother’s wedding and falls head over heels in love with her. Eventually Rida and Zeeshan get married and begin their new life together. The latest episode shows the beginning of their new life and sets the grounds for the troubles that are to come.

    While the plot is typical, the heavy dose of masala and dramatic dialogues coupled with superb acting make it a fun and entertaining watch. The drama is perfect for those times when you feel like watching something that doesn’t require too much attention or brain cells.

    All the lead actors have performed brilliantly and Imran particularly has slipped into his character of a romantic hero with ease. His expressions and the way he shies away everytime he sees Rida are brilliant. Nazish as the spiteful and vengeful Shamila bhabhi is also great – you cannot help but hate her character.

    Fahaam bhai and Shamila bhabi

    Meray Paas Tum Ho may be the drama everyone is talking about these days, but Kahin Deep Jalay is not too far behind either – the drama is usually trending at number four or five on Youtube and has a couple of millions views on each episode. If you’re the sort of person who likes their dramas to be extra, slightly Star-plussy (I just made up that word) and full of masala, you’ll definitely enjoy Kahin Deep Jalay.

    It airs every Thursday at 8pm on Geo Entertainment.

  • IN PICTURES: Iqra and Yasir’s colourful mehndi

    IN PICTURES: Iqra and Yasir’s colourful mehndi

    Though Yasir Hussain and Iqra Aziz had a full-blown public proposal, their wedding events have been pretty low-key in comparison. The couple’s wedding festivities began with a bright, yellow mayun followed by an intimate mehndi. The nikkah is on December 28, according to a card shared by the two on their social media.

    Here is the radiant couple on their mehndi

    Their pictures are full of love

    Iqra looked lovely in a pale, yellow outfit by Faiza Saqlain

    Yasir was the ultimate cool cat in a plain, white shalwar kameez paired with a bottle-green velvet shawl

    The couple did not shy away from enjoying their mehndi and took to the dance floor to express their happiness

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6i_J9ZFnb8/

    All of the couple’s celebrity friends were in attendance including Nomi Ansari, Zara Noor Abbas, Asad Siddiqui, Hania Aamir, Asim Azhar, Muneeb Butt, Aiman Khan, Minal Khan, Gohar Rasheed, Kubra Khan and Saheefa Jabbar Khattak. They all made sure it was a night to remember.

    There were qulfis also!

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6i_X-LlD4Z/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6i-OyNFnk1/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6i9pJwF05b/

    Ahad Raza Mir and Sajal Aly also made an appearance

    Rounding off the night with a grand selfie

    Picture credits – SS Photography by Saba Sahar

  • Saif Ali Khan mocked for being ‘ignorant’ about India’s citizenship bill crisis

    Bollywood bigwigs including the Khans and Kapoors have been a real disappointment as far as raising their voice against India’s controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is concerned. The act has sparked nationwide protests resulting in police crackdown and more than a dozen people have lost their lives in the process.

    According to the Act, people from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come to India till December 31, 2014, from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to religious persecution there will be given Indian citizenship. The protesters say the legislation was unconstitutional and divisive as it excludes Muslims.

    When Saif Ali Khan was asked about his thoughts on the matter, the actor said that as a citizen he is concerned about the current situation in the country.

    “There are many things that give us a cause for concern, watching and wondering how where it will all end up,” Saif said.

    “It is everybody’s right to protest peacefully and everybody’s right not to,” he continued.

    “I would like the protest to be associated with exactly what I am protesting against. There might be a possibility that I will end up representing a different kind of protest. So I am not sure yet. Until I am sure what I am protesting against and whether it is going to be taken that way, I need to think more,” he added.

    The Nawab of Pataudi further said he trying to understand the situation better and will make up his mind after he is well-informed.

    “There is so much being written in the press, there are so many things that give us concern about what we are reading,” he concluded.

    Unsurprisingly, Twitter had a lot to say on the matter and people mocked Saif for being a confident person on screen and the complete opposite in real life.

    https://twitter.com/frcl99/status/1209971870386266117?s=20

    Even Saif’s Sacred Games co-star Aamir Bashir expressed his frustration and ace director Anurag Kashyap retweeted his tweet.

    While Shaan threw subtle shade by sharing a poster of the movie The Silence of the Lambs.

    On the other hand, several Bollywood celebrities such as Farhan Akhtar, Parineeti Chopra, Anurag Kashyap, Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan and Swara Bhasker among others have voiced their disappointment over the amended Citizenship Act.

  • ‘A visionary and great leader’: Celebrities pay rich tributes to Jinnah

    ‘A visionary and great leader’: Celebrities pay rich tributes to Jinnah

    Pakistan is celebrating the 144th birth anniversary of the father of the nation, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah today with traditional zeal and respect.

    Pakistani celebrities including Humayun Saeed, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Shaan and Ahsan Khan took to social media to pay a rich tribute to the “visionary and a great leader.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6e6P4DlAGh/?igshid=i4w1u4crrvxa
  • Iqra, Yasir’s wedding festivities kick off with a mayun

    Iqra, Yasir’s wedding festivities kick off with a mayun

    After a whirlwind romance and a very public surprise engagement, Iqra Aziz and Yasir Hussain are all ready to tie the knot on December 28.

    The couple kickstarted their wedding festivities with a bright, yellow mayun.

    Pictures from the event were full of love as the couple looked into each other’s eyes.

    The couple glowed with happiness.

    Iqra wore a tailor-made jora which she designed herself.

    Iqra with her sister.

    The two even posed with Yasir’s dog Mogambo.

    The mayun wrapped up with a movie night featuring the classic Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

    Photos courtesy: SS Photography – By Saba Sahar

  • How Netflix revolutionalised the way we watch TV

    How Netflix revolutionalised the way we watch TV

    In the not-so-distant past, TV viewers were forced to wait a week for the next installment of their favorite shows, parceled out by networks in half-hour or hour-long increments.

    To understand how we got here, look at Netflix (NFLX.O).

    At the start of the decade, binge watching involved VHS tapes, DVD box sets or long nights glued to a DVR. TV cable hits included Homeland and The Wire – hour-long dramas with complicated plot lines that needed to be watched sequentially.

    Watching Saturday Night Live on a Sunday became normal, and viewers started to lose track of the broadcast schedule.

    In November 2010, Hulu, which debuted in 2008 as an ad-supported streaming video site, launched its subscription service, including full seasons of certain shows.

    Around the same time that the broadcast TV schedule was losing its hold on viewers, Netflix was beginning to invest in original content.

    In 2011, it struck a deal for its first original show, the political thriller House of Cards. It released all 13 episodes of the show’s first season on Feb. 1, 2013. That July it followed with the entire first season of Orange is the New Black.

    Viewers were hooked, and the cultural shift accelerated. “Binge-watch” was a runner-up to “selfie” for the Oxford Dictionary’s 2013 word of the year.

    Netflix championed this new kind of consumption, commissioning a survey to determine how many people binge-watch, and why.

    “Our viewing data shows that the majority of streamers would actually prefer to have a whole season of a show available to watch at their own pace,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos at the time.

    While some say the decade technically ends a year from now, the end of this year will be marked by many as the conclusion of the second decade of the 21st century. And as the new decade begins, the trend may start to reverse.

    AT&T’s (T.N) forthcoming HBO Max streaming service will debut one new episode of its original series per week. Walt Disney Co’s (DIS.N) Disney+ is releasing episodes weekly for new series including the Star Wars-related The Mandalorian. Apple (AAPL.O) released three episodes at the same time for dramas The Morning Show and See – and is doing so for most other Apple series – followed by one episode per week.

    Media companies are hoping a longer release schedule will generate buzz and create more of a shared experience among viewers.

    Just like the old days.

  • Mehwish Hayat wants Michelle Obama to be next US president

    Mehwish Hayat wants Michelle Obama to be next US president

    Mehwish Hayat wants the ex-first lady of United States Michelle Obama to become the next president of the country.

    Taking to Twitter, the actor praised the former first lady for efficiently running Obama Foundation and expressed her admiration for her.

    Michelle recently visited schools in Vietnam and Malaysia where she praised the efforts of women there to promote girl’s education.

    In October, Mehwish was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for girls’ rights by the Ministry of Human Rights.