Current Final

Tag: Pakistani Celebrities

  • ‘Don’t give Pakistan any animals’: Nadia Jamil slams Sri Lanka’s offer to send elephants

    ‘Don’t give Pakistan any animals’: Nadia Jamil slams Sri Lanka’s offer to send elephants

    After the tragic death of Karachi Zoo’s ailing elephant Noor Jehan after years of neglect and abuse, Sri Lankan authorities announced that they were donating two elephants to Pakistan. According to Geo News, Sri Lankan Honorary Counsel Yasin Joya announced that one will be given to Karachi Zoo and the other one to Lahore Zoo.

    Celebrities like veteran actress Nadia Jamil spoke out against this decision, slamming the Pakistani government for providing poor facilities for the animals that had led to Noor Jehan’s death.

    “I beg Sri Lanka, DO NOT GIVE PAKISTAN ANY ELEPHANTS. NOT until Pakistan develops a policy to protect animals in its zoos and learns to take care of animals as they should be taken care of. Please. No more tragic deaths. Please spare more animals from suffering like Noorjehan.”

    Other celebrities like Anushay Ashraf and Ahmed Ali Butt mourned the loss of Noor Jehan, and slammed the Karachi authorities for their limited resources which had led to the neglected conditions of animals at Karachi Zoo. In a now-expired post on her Instagram stories, Ashraf pointed out how zoos are not safe places for animals, and should not be entertainment facilities for humans:

    “Another reminder for the govt that zoos are a place where animals are kept in captivity for our entertainment. This narrative cannot work in 2023. Am sure they tried their best with Nuri, but the concept is faulty to begin with. No one trusts the animals are getting the best possible care anyway. And chargingn money to see animals behind cages is a narrative the world has grown out of.”

    Singer and actor Ahmed Ali Butt slammed the decision to import elephants from Sri Lanka, because as he wrote:

    “We don’t deserve a zoo, just like everything else in this country, animals and their care is the least of our worries. This is just a feather in our incompetetnt cap.”

  • ‘How could anyone be in favor of ending such a life’: Yashma Gill against euthanizing Noor Jehan

    Actor Yashma Gill shared a video clip of her visiting Karachi Zoo to see the facility’s ailing elephant Noor Jehan, whose condition is growing worse day by day.

    Karachi Zoo has been slammed by animal right activists for neglecting the animals under its care. Noor Jehan’s prolonged illness and mishandling of her ailment led to national outrage on social media.

    Gill discussed her experience of watching the elephant fight for her life:

    “As I stood before Noor Jehan, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of admiration for her unrelenting spirit. Despite her illness, she remains hopeful and determined, a true symbol of resilience. Her eyes hold a gentle yet unwavering gaze, a testament to her will to live. Her sheer strength and perseverance were truly inspiring, leaving me with a renewed sense of hope and optimism.”

    Gill rejected eeports that the elephant will be euthanized as her illness shows no improvement, asking authorities to keep fighting hard for Noor Jehan and give her the best possible chance at life:

    “For me, the answer is clear – we must do everything in our power to give her a chance to heal and recover. No matter how difficult the road ahead may be, we owe it to Noor Jehan to give her the best possible chance at life. After all, where there’s a will, there’s always a way.”

    Read her complete post here:

    Anoushay Ashraf had also joined the growing cry to shut down Karachi Zoo when she shared a clip of herself visiting elephant Noor Jehan and talking to the wildlife expert Maira over there.

    Celebrities like Hamza Ali Abbasi, Arooj Aftab and Ayesha Noor had joined the rallying cry to shut down zoos across Pakistan, by sharing how the animals suffering in cages are deprived of the natural habitat and are not given the proper facilities they need to survive:

    Arooj Aftab had re shared a clip of her interview with The Current, and in the caption she said that authorities could build much better entertainment facilities for children:

    The ‘Maula Jatt’ actor had shared pictures of the lions in Karachi Zoo, who were suffering from starvation and neglect, and demanded that authorities shut down the zoo and transport the animals to proper shelters.

  • ‘ELITE ordered from Daraz’: Trailer for ‘College Gate’ has the internet divided

    On Wednesday, Green Entertainment has released the trailer for ‘College Gate’, an upcoming series about a group of students. Starring Instagram influencers like Mamia Shajaffar and Khaqan Shahnawaz, the series explores the lives of a group of students and how they tackle parental pressure, love, dating and learn to rely on their friends during the tough moments of their lives.

    However, the trailer has divided the internet, with many users thinking that the series is just plagarised from hit Netflix shows like ‘Elite’ and ‘Class’.

    TBH we have the same question on our mind.

    Others pointed out that despite the fact that the trailer seemed a direct copy of a show about the lives of privileged kids, it did seem like a progressive step that Pakistani dramas were starting to focus on the lives of teenagers!

    We can also agree that it’s good for Pakistani dramas to tackle societal pressure and the anxieties of students growing up in this stage, rather than churn out another series focusing on saas bahu conflicts and the satti vs slutty savitri trope.

    So while we can agree with some folks on Twitter here that the storyline is completely unoriginal but lets not drop the ball so quickly? Pakistani dramas are in desperate need of some revival right now, and its good that some people with logical minds had actually thought about discussing what issues students are facing today.

  • ‘Enough’; Saeeda Imtiaz slams critics for saying death rumor was publicity stunt

    ‘Enough’; Saeeda Imtiaz slams critics for saying death rumor was publicity stunt

    On Tuesday, actress Saeeda Imtiaz made national headlines when it was reported that she had passed away at her home. Later in the day, the ‘Tamasha ghar’ actor and her legal representative slammed the rumors to confirm that she was alive. The news reports had been released after the actress’ Instagram page posted an announcement of her death.

    Saeeda Imtiaz said that a group of hackers had posted fake news on her Instagram and Facebook accounts leading her family and friends to become extremely upset, as they kept calling her to confirm the news.

    Television host Mathira had slammed Imtiaz for refusing to come forward with details, calling this a badly staged publicity stunt, in a screenshot shared by Galaxy Lollywood.

    Taking to her Instagram account, Imtiaz criticised those who were claiming that this was a publicity stunt, pointing out that the incident was traumatising for her, especially listening to news sources saying that she had passed away. She called for the critics to be mindful of their actions, because no one knows about how their life would turn out.

  • ‘Even as a cricketer, you’re an actor’: Wasim Akram talks to The Current about why he chose to act in ‘Money Back Guarantee’

    ‘Even as a cricketer, you’re an actor’: Wasim Akram talks to The Current about why he chose to act in ‘Money Back Guarantee’

    In an exclusive interview with The Current, cricket great and commentator Wasim Akram along with his wife, philanthropist Shaniera Akram, discussed their upcoming film ‘Money Back Guarantee’.

    The film plays host to a star-studded cast with the names of actors like Fawad Khan, Ali Safina, Ayesha Omar and Mikaal Zulfiqaar on the marquee.

    When asked about why he chose to venture into acting after 25 years in cricket and commentary, Akram opened up about his decision:

    “I have been acting for 25 years not just for television commercial or brands. And before that, even during the time I was a cricketer”, the 56-year-old former captain of the Pakistan team said. “When you’re on the field you have to be mindful about where you have to be angry, where you want to be excited, where you have to have a go at one of your fielders when they have dropped a catch.”

    Akram revealed that he had always enjoyed watching movies and television shows, and was grateful for the opportunity writer and director Faisal Quraishi gave him by casting him in ‘Money Back Guarantee’.

    “I enjoy watching movies…especially on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Stand TV in Australia. I watch very different movies too, so credit goes to Faisal who convinced me to give it a go,” the former pacer told us.

    Akram also shared that this was not something he was making a career out of at this stage, but thought, “Why not, let’s give it a go?”

    The complete interview with Wasim Akram and Shaniera Akram will be released on The Current’s YouTube channel on the first day of Eid.

  • ‘See you soon’: We’re loving this heartfelt cross-border exchange between Sonam Kapoor, Fawad Khan

    ‘See you soon’: We’re loving this heartfelt cross-border exchange between Sonam Kapoor, Fawad Khan

    Anyone who has ever been a fan of Bollywood remembers how the earth’s axis shifted when Fawad Khan starred as Prince Vikram in the Bollywood film ‘Khoobsurat’ with Sonam Kapoor. Hearts swooned across the subcontinent en masse. No man has had the kind of impact that Fawad did, and we’re still reeling from it.

    It looks like the other side of the border still can’t get over Fawad’s smoldering looks either, and this recent exchange between Kapoor and Khan proves it.

    Khan shared a clip from an upcoming action film on his Instagram page, and Kapoor commented on it, saying that she missed him, and couldn’t wait to see him soon.

    “FK always magic on screen,” wrote Kapoor. “See you and Sadaf soon.”

    Is another collaboration in the works? A chance that Fawad Khan might star in another Bollywood film?? We’re shaking just thinking about it.

    Twitter users also loved how regardless of the political tensions between India and Pakistan, Bollywood and Lollywood actors still care for eachother.

    Kapoor once said in an interview that it was Fawad Khan with whom she had the best chemistry, but was unhappy with how Karan Johar sent him back to Pakistan.

  • Top five TV ads that Twitter users love the most

    Do you guys remember which TV ads you loved? Some of the most popular commercials have been made by companies like Ufone, Cocomo and even Shan, entertaining audiences as much as the dramas they interrupted.

    A few days ago, a Twitter user asked followers about their favorite ads while growing up.

    And Pakistani Twitter users took us down memory lane with some of the best responses.

    1 Yes, we all remember when Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan cemented their status as the number one television couple, solely with this commercial.

    2 Nobody, and I repeat nobody, did ads like Ufone did. We’re sharing two because it’s incredibly hard to pick one.

    3 No body can forget the dances that were inspired by this Coca Cola commercial alone.

    4 Or this very moving ad by Shan which reversed gender norms and showed a man cooking in the kitchen to impress his in-laws.

    5 Another ad that was a popular response among Twitter users was the Pepsi commercial in which both Wasim Akram and Imran Khan had starred.

    Just because Eid anay wali hai, we’re not signing off without sharing this masterpiece of a commercial by Ufone.

  • Death clarification: Saeeda Imtiaz posts statement to rubbish death rumours

    Death clarification: Saeeda Imtiaz posts statement to rubbish death rumours

    Actress and model Saeeda Imtiaz rubbished rumours about her death by posting a video, where she revealed that her Instagram and Facebook account had been hacked, leading to the posting of the fake death news.

    Imtiaz also revealed the mental anguish her family and loved ones went through:

    “My family members were incredibly upset, I don’t live with them.. they are here right now to see whether I was okay.”

    Imtiaz also made it clear that she is currently tracing down the people who were responsible for the hacking and will take strong action against them. You can listen to her full statement below:

    Imtiaz’s lawyer, Mian Shahbaz Ahmed, posted the clarification on his Instagram account by slamming the death rumors, and wrote that the ‘Kaptaan’ actor was alive and well.

    Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.

    Model and film actress Saeeda Imtiaz has passed away at her home on Tuesday morning, her team has confirmed in a statement posted on her Instagram account.

    The statement said that Imtiaz was found dead in her room. No cause of death has been given as yet.

    Imtiaz was born in the United Arab Emirates and raised in New York, USA.

    She started her career working as a model, before moving on to the bigger screen in 2012, starring as Jemima Khan in the biographical film about Imran Khan, “Kaptaan: The Making of a Legend”. She also starred in ‘Wajood’ in 2018.

    We send our condolences to her friends and family.

  • Ahmed Ali Akbar’s upcoming film ‘Gunjal’ follows investigation of labor activist Iqbal Masih’s murder

    Actor Ahmed Ali Akbar’s upcoming film ‘Gunjal’ will certainly change the way Pakistani audiences see him. Akbar will essay the role of a journalist investigating the brutal murder of bonded child labor activist Iqbal Masih, who was assassinated on 16 April, 1995 when he was just 12 years of age.

    The film also stars veteran actor Resham and Aamna Ilyas.

    The film is directed by Shoaib Sultan and the screenplay has been written by Nirmal Bano and Ali Kazmi.

    Iqbal Masih had campaigned against abusive child labor in Pakistan from a very young age. He had received the Reeebok Human Rights Award in 1994 for spreading awareness about child labor and bonded slavery. He was posthumously awarded the Sitara-e-Shujaat in 2022.

  • ‘Janwaron say bad dua lenay say behtar hai’: Hamza Ali Abbasi joins rallying cry to shut down zoos across Pakistan

    ‘Janwaron say bad dua lenay say behtar hai’: Hamza Ali Abbasi joins rallying cry to shut down zoos across Pakistan

    Actor Hamza Ali Abbas has joined the chorus of voices calling for zoos across Pakistan to be shut down. As the country watches veterinarians try to save the life of one of Karachi Zoo’s elephants, Noor Jehan, celebrities have lent support to the demand that the animals be shifted to sanctuaries.

    Taking to Instagram, the ‘Maula Jatt’ actor shared a clip of a post by Express Tribune, slamming authorities for not caring about the welfare of the animals:

    “We can’t take care of animals in zoo’s- it is better than to receive curses from animals that we should ban zoos and send the animals to a safer place.”

    Abbasi’s criticism comes after countless celebrities, including Grammy award winner Arooj Aftab, raised their voices to support animals and shut down zoos. Aftab re-shared a clip from her interview with The Current where she had talked about the abysmal conditions of animals in Lahore’s zoo, calling for better facilities to be set up for animals.

    Just as Noor Jehan improved, she fell into a concrete pond built inside her shelter, leading to worsening of her condition. Authorities had remained in contact with the animal welfare organization Four Paws to coordinate for her treatment.

    Yesterday, The Nation reported that Minister of Climate Change and member of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Sherry Rehman, had advised Sindh government to shut down Karachi Zoo, and for the animals to be moved to enclosures where they are provided with proper facilities.