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Actress Hareem Farooq couldn’t resist playing the role of Masooma in drama serial ‘Bismil’ and here why.     

Appearing on Something haute hosted by Hassan Choudhary she talked about her role in Bismil.

“When I first discussed the role of ‘Masooma’ in Bismil, my primary focus was to align it with the director’s vision. I always asked the director [Aehsun Talish], ‘How do you see this character?’ I wanted to ensure we were on the same page.”

  
“The director described Masooma as someone who acts out of innocence, not malice. This resonated with me because I believe people are rarely inherently evil. Their experiences shape their actions. Masooma’s impulsive decisions reflect innocence… where she doesn’t consider long-term consequences… a characteristic I find relatable in real life,” the Bismil actress explained.

Talking about Masooma’s intentions, Hareem shared, “I wouldn’t call her a gold digger because it wasn’t just about money. She was also running after security, wanting power, wanting change in her life. She wanted that lifestyle for herself. It’s a very selfish manner, but she cared about securing her future. Once she has something in her grasp, she won’t let go. I think Masooma’s relationship with TT [Naumaan Ijaz] is more than just that of a gold digger… she is a selfish person, but not just running after money.”

A scene from a recent episode had viewers questioning Masooma’s confidence. When asked about it, Hareem said, “She had the confidence, which she had before, but now it was more about believing she could marry a business tycoon. It seemed like she thought, ‘If I marry a business tycoon, I’ve made it.’ It was a display of confidence that, in a way, was also a mix of ignorance and stupidity.”

The 22 Qadam actress went on to describe how Masoom’s newfound belief in her invincibility led her to think that. “I know I’ve married a business tycoon, and now I’m untouchable.”

She also said that the ending of Bismil will leave viewers with a powerful lesson.

“Wait for the end of Bismil, it’s going to teach a huge lesson to a lot of people.” 

She also talked about how the story was relatable for people. “I was shocked how it was the story of almost every household. I can’t even begin to tell you how many people in my circle opened up to me. They said, ‘You know, as kids, as wives, and as husbands, we’ve been through the same thing.’ It’s not something that’s uncommon. It’s very common. But the sad part is that betrayal is very common.”

Bestselling British-American writer Barbara Taylor Bradford, whose first novel “A Woman of Substance” turned her into an overnight success, has died aged 91, a spokeswoman said on Monday. 

Taylor Bradford, who wrote 40 novels and notched up 91 million book sales worldwide during her career, died peacefully at her home on Sunday following a short illness. 

She “was surrounded by loved ones to the very end”, the spokeswoman said, adding that a private funeral would be held in New York.

“A Woman of Substance” tells the story of servant Emma Harte who overcomes a humble start in Taylor Bradford’s native Yorkshire in northern England to head of a business empire, navigating personal tragedy along the way.

Many of her subsequent novels were also set in Yorkshire and followed a similar theme of great success against the odds, powered by grit and hard work.

Her most recent novel “The Wonder of it All” was published last year.

Born in Leeds in northern England in May 1933, Taylor Bradford began her working life as a typist for her local newspaper The Yorkshire Evening Post before becoming a reporter.

She moved to London aged 20 where she continued working as a journalist while dipping her toe into the world of fiction.

She started and abandoned several novels before striking gold with “A Woman of Substance”, which was an instant success when it was published in 1979.

– ‘Powerhouse’ –

The novel was turned into a double Emmy-nominated miniseries in 1985 and starred Liam Neeson with British actress Jenny Seagrove in the role of Emma Harte.

Seagrove paid tribute to a “dear friend” and “powerhouse of glamour and warmth”.

“Success never diluted her warmth and humour or her ability to relate to everyone she met, whether a cleaner or a princess. She never, ever forgot that she was just a girl from Yorkshire that worked hard and made good,” she said.

Charlie Redmayne, chief executive of publisher HarperCollins, described Taylor Bradford as a “truly exceptional writer”.

“‘A Woman Of Substance’ changed the lives of so many who read it -– and still does to this day,” he said.

“She was a natural storyteller, deeply proud of her Yorkshire roots. For 45 years, she was a huge part of our company and a great, great friend –- we will miss her so much,” he added.

Taylor Bradford had lived in the United States since 1964 following her marriage a the previous year to American film producer Robert Bradford.

The couple were married for 55 years until his death in 2019.  

Taylor Bradford’s spokeswoman said she would be buried alongside her late husband at New York’s Westchester Hills Cemetery.

Music maestro A.R. Rahman has initiated legal action against slanderers, warning them of dire consequences if objectionable content surrounding his divorce with his wife, Saira Banu, is not removed.

Rahman and Banu announced their divorce a few days ago, ending their 29-year-long marriage.

With Rahman’s bassist Mohini Dey also announcing her divorce with husband Mark Hartsuch a day later, claims of a possible love affair flooded social media.

While his son rubbished all claims, Rahman himself appealed for privacy regarding his personal life amid emotional turmoil.

With netizens continuing to speculate, Rahman has now initiated legal action against those responsible for the campaign. Reports claim his legal team has demanded the removal of fabricated content and served official notices to individuals and platforms behind the rumours.

Rahman’s lawyer says they would proceed with defamation lawsuits if the material was not removed within 24 hours.

Sharing the notice on his social media, Rahman expressed his disapproval of certain media outlets and YouTubers making baseless stories about his private life.

“I will not tolerate any defamatory content about my family. Legal action will be taken if the false rumors are not removed within 24 hours,” he said.

His lawyer said that some interviews and programmes had misrepresented facts, causing harm to the composer’s reputation and his family. “We are fully committed to protecting A.R. Rahman’s reputation and will not hesitate to file defamation lawsuits,” he added.

Earlier, his son, Amin, has expressed disappointment over the circulating rumours regarding his father.

Following the announcement of his divorce, AR Rahman, his former wife Saira Banu, and their children requested privacy, but the appeal fell on deaf ears.

After 29 years of marriage, A.R. Rahman and Saira Banu announced their separation on Tuesday evening, asking the public to respect their private lives. Despite this, rumours have been circulating, with some linking Rahman’s divorce to Mohini Dey’s recent split. Rahman’s son has dismissed these speculations as baseless and disheartening.

On social media, Amin shared a picture of a child and his father, captioning it, “What’s the difference between these two? Just their age.”

In his post, Amin further wrote, “My father is a legend, not just because of his work but because of the values, respect, and love he has earned over the years.”

Amin expressed frustration over the spread of false and unfounded rumours, urging people not to circulate incorrect information regarding his parents’ marriage.

He clarified in an Instagram post that there is no connection between A.R. Rahman’s divorce and Mohini Dey’s separation.

Earlier, Rahman’s daughter Raheema also took to social media, writing, “Always remember, rumors are spread by haters and fools, and only fools believe them. Live life honestly.”

The reality behind entertainment industry isn’t as glamorous as it seems as actor Saheefa Jabbar Khattak has revealed why making a living in the industry is tougher than it looks.  

Appearing as a guest on After Hours with Ushna Shah, the Rafta Rafta actress opened up about the financial realities of working in Pakistani dramas, her journey in acting and the valuable lessons she learnt along the way.  

“Making a living through acting alone isn’t easy,” Saheefa said while opening up about the struggles of running a household.

“In our dramas, we don’t make enough money to keep our kitchens running. It can’t run unless I’m doing four projects in a year and also working on social media… making appearances and hustling a lot,” she added.

When asked what lessons she has learnt from her modeling and acting career, Saheefa said it had taught her how to be patient.

“Acting has taught me a lot of patience and gratitude. We are very privileged… very, very privileged. We come to the set in a car, we have AC… we get food. Our job is tough, I don’t contest that… but when I see the rest of the crew members who hold things for us while we do a scene, who make sure the sunlight doesn’t affect us… when I see them getting one meal a day while we are waiting for our coffee before the shoot, it makes me realise how privileged we are.”

The Log Kya Kahenge actress also reflected on the importance of choosing meaningful projects.
   

“I waited for a good project and didn’t regret it. I’ve learned that if I regret something, everything turns negative. Now, I am back… I don’t want to say that whatever I’m doing, I’m proud of it [but] I like it. It resonates with me and my soul. I don’t approve of it, but I know this is how it is right now. In my 8-10 years, I’ve learned that out of 10-15 projects, there’s always one that speaks to your heart and you do it for that one project. Even if it took 8-10 projects to get to that point,” Saheefa said.

Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s legendary and melodious voice continue to leave an unforgettable impact, even on international stars like Diljit Dosanjh. 

In a media talk, senior actor and comedian Sohail Ahmed has shared how Diljit reacts whenever he hears music legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s name.

“Whenever I mentioned the name of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, by God, his eyes would lower. He would say, ‘I have listened to music from all over the world, but Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is from this land and I cannot understand who he was… I still can’t figure it out. He was beyond anyone’s comprehension,” he said.

“People from India greatly admire our poetry, which is unmatched. They say that the poetry of Pakistan, the old poetry we had in our songs, is very special. They love our actors and singers, and they give respect to our musicians. You can see that our singers have been featured in their films. Without our singers’ songs, they wouldn’t have been able to make their films,” Sohail added.

The Jeevan Nagar actor also raised an important point, asking why Pakistani artists needed to go international to gain recognition, stressing that they should be respected and celebrated in their own country.  

“So why do we think that a star has to go international to be recognised in Pakistan? Why can’t we respect our own artists when they perform here? I have seen Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan perform at the Data Darbar in Lahore. Even then, he was already Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.”

Sohail continued to share a personal memory of a conversation he had with famous Master Manzoor Sahib about Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s talent.

“I remember very well that I once spoke to a very famous master, Master Manzoor Sahib, and he said that Nusrat Sahib was like no other. His voice didn’t have the same quality as others; he was unique. He didn’t believe in anyone else,” the Standup Girl actor added.

In 2022, Sohail worked on the film Baba Bhangra Paunde Ne alongside Diljit Dosanjh.

 02 years back in 2022, While speaking exclusively to Hello Pakistan, the Diljit Dosanjh said, “I think all the characters in this film were made for these actors who are playing them – no one else could do the role of Sohail Ahmed but him only, it’s tailor-made for him like it is for the rest of the cast that is part of this movie.”         

“I believe that the actors that this story deserves are all part of it – a great project comes together when the right characters are met with corresponding actors. The film has a lot of art in it–if there is a good script and a good character, the artist likes to work. An artist is only hungry for people to like his work. I hope everyone who liked the trailer of this movie will also like the whole movie.”