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Veteran stage actor and comedian Lucky Dear has passed away on Tuesday after a long battle with multiple ailments. 

Family members told the media that Lucky had been receiving treatment for diabetes and lung disease since a few weeks in Lahore’s Mayo Hospital. His condition deteriorated rapidly, after which he fell into a coma. 

Lucky had acted in dozens of stage plays and in the last decade of his life, had transitioned to television with ease. 

His funeral, scheduled to be held in Baghbanpura in Lahore on Tuesday afternoon, is expected to be attended by other luminaries of the stage.

Bollywood is continuing its dangerous trend of rewriting history to appease Hindutva narratives with an upcoming film that will present an “alternative history” of the iconic Taj Mahal. 

The Taj Story, starring the once-beloved-now-reviled Paresh Rawal, will be released in cinemas on October 31, 2025. The courtroom drama will focus on alternative histories of the Taj – built by Muslim Mughal king Shah Jehan as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal- including one conspiracy theory that says that the monument was originally an ancient temple called Tejo Mahalaya. 

A promotional video shows Lord Shiva emerging from the dome of the Taj, with Paresh Rawal staring grumpy into the camera. The video was slammed immediately after it was posted online. Netizens were swift to condemn what they said was yet another attempt by the Indian film industry, and Paresh Rawal, to stoke communal fires. 

One X (formerly Twitter) account laid it out straight, saying, “I won’t be surprised if these people issue a (sic) permission to demolish Taj Mahal in the coming years.” 

Paresh Rawal has become evil personified. Look at his eyes. They aren’t the eyes of a human but a demon. https://t.co/280DmtrVnw

— Ashwin Baindur (@ashwin_baindur) September 30, 2025

Tech wizard Sabeer Bhattia joined the growing list of people offended by the premise of the film, writing on X: “The film The Taj Story revives the debunked claim that the Taj Mahal was once a Hindu temple. Historians reject it as pseudo-history, but critics fear it fuels communal divides.” 

Oh, Paresh Rawal, you absolute relic of recycled outrage—look at you, perched there like a discount wizard, plucking the dome off the Taj Mahal like it’s a goddamn party hat hiding a cheap magic trick.

A Lord Shiva idol? Inside the eternal symbol of love built by Shah Jahan for… pic.twitter.com/UJiXYm3xxT

— Parth Solanki (Taylor’s Version) (@heistkid) September 30, 2025

One netizen pointed out that the ruling BJP thrives on issues that create communal rifts: “After Babri, now sanghis are going to claim Taj Mahal. This would probably be the main election agenda of BJP in 2029.” 

Another movie is coming out based on WA University forwards. This time it’s the turn of the Taj Mahal. A sick Sanghi like @SirPareshRawal can think about acting in a propaganda movie & try to convince Indians to demolish India’s pride “Taj Mahal” in the name of Lord Shiva.
pic.twitter.com/rYKaKSByTv

— Luv Datta #INC (@LuvDattaINC) September 30, 2025

Paresh Rawal, accused by many of being a bigot, came under direct fire, angering many with the video he shared on his account. One social media user called him a “sick Sanghi”:  “A sick Sanghi like @SirPareshRawal can think about acting in a propaganda movie & try to convince Indians to demolish India’s pride “Taj Mahal” in the name of Lord Shiva.”

After Babri, now sanghis are going to claim Taj Mahal. This would probably be the main election agenda of BJP in 2029. pic.twitter.com/UnM7VKWmId

— S Surinder (@KhalsaVision_) September 30, 2025

Another account didn’t mince any words when addressing Paresh Rawal, calling him an “imbecile”. 

“Oh, Paresh Rawal, you absolute relic of recycled outrage—look at you, perched there like a discount wizard, plucking the dome off the Taj Mahal like it’s a goddamn party hat hiding a cheap magic trick.” 

The film The Taj Story revives the debunked claim that the Taj Mahal was once a Hindu temple. Historians reject it as pseudo-history, but critics fear it fuels communal divides. The Taj remains a 17th-century Mughal masterpiece – India’s shared heritage.

— Sabeer Bhatia (@sabeer)

September 30, 2025

“Paresh Rawal has become evil personified. Look at his eyes. They aren’t the eyes of a human but a demon,” one person wrote. 

I won’t be surprised if these people issue a permission to demolish Taj Mahal in coming years. This is some next level bigotry. And it’s always some “story” like be creative with your propaganda atleast. https://t.co/Y1VJI1Y7mF

— Anjali (@kahanganguteli) September 30, 2025

Pakistani actor Madiha Imam has recalled a hilarious mix-up when she was mistaken for fellow actress Yumna Zaidi, leading to an unexpected confrontation between a fan and her husband.

Appearing on Geo News’ Hasna Mana Hai, hosted by Tabish Hashmi, the actress recounted the incident that took place abroad. “I was shopping overseas when a woman rushed up to me, expressing admiration for my dramas and enthusiastically listing several titles,” she recalled.

To her surprise, none of the dramas mentioned were hers. “As the woman continued naming hit serials, I realised she had mistaken me for Yumna Zaidi, as all the shows she named featured Yumna.”

“I stayed quiet intentionally,” Madiha said, adding that she thought the fan would take a selfie and later realise it wasn’t Yumna.

“But that didn’t happen. She even asked for an autograph, and I didn’t know how to tell her I’m Madiha, not Yumna.”

The situation escalated when the woman’s husband arrived and tried to clarify the mix-up, telling his wife that she was speaking to Madiha Imam, not Yumna Zaidi. “However, the woman refused to believe him and started arguing… insisting she knew her dramas better than he did.”

“I just wrote ‘love’ on the autograph and left,” Madiha said, laughing about how the fan walked away mid-argument with her husband.

It has been 28 long years since the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan passed away at a relatively young age, leaving his fans from across the world devastated by the loss. 

But the great singer’s admirers still remember him in glowing words, including his fans and collaborators from across the border. 

Salim-Sulaiman Merchant, the sibling duo who has composed music for many hit Indian films, recounted their experience working with Nusrat in a recent interview. 

Told by an audience member that he and his colleagues in office listen to Nusrat when their headphones are on, Salim replied, “He was too good.” 

He then went on to recount that though he didn’t remember the year, he worked with Nusrat in Mumbai on Aur Pyar Ho Gaya. “He would have lunch and then start around 4 pm. And then the session would continue till 12 am or 1 am. His style was unique and obviously, his singing was lajawaab.” 

At this point Sulaiman chimed in to say that when the duo worked with the iconic singer on the smash hit song Piya Re, his voice was “like a small child’s, full of truth and honesty. He had a very spiritual voice.” 

He also said that the qawali king talked to everyone with “a lot of love and respect.” 

At this point the host interjected to say that he often imagines Nusrat singing in a huge concert in one of the newer large venues in India. “What an atmosphere that would have been,” he mused.

Pakistan’s sweetheart Hania Aamir visited Dhaka, Bangladesh and went to YouTuber Iftekhar Rafsan’s house to eat Bangladeshi food cooked by his mother.

In a YouTube video that garnered over a million views overnight, Hania is seen engaging in light-hearted banter with Rafsan’s mother, asking if she speaks or understands Urdu, telling her how ‘amazing her son is’ and appreciating the Bangladeshi food Rafsan’s mother has made. 

Hania even takes a bite into a raw green chilli, saying it doesn’t taste that spicy and later regretting it by saying, “Mazay mazay mai kar jaati hoon ghalat cheezain.”

She then has a serving of local gulab jamans and says that she has never been able to find the same in Pakistan and asks if she can take them with her.

Rafsan then tells her how people have been asking him how ‘Hania Aamir is’ and he then analyses her personality saying she is a super extrovert and has a bubbly character. 

People in Pakistan and Bangladesh have both appreciated the video with comments about Hania and Rafsan’s humbleness and how sincerely his mother has made an effort for Hania. 

Hania was in Dhaka to attend an event there and has charmed social media in both countries with her energy and joy being in the city.