As Ramadan nears its end, people continue to gather for Suhoor and Iftar, sharing blessings with loved ones.
Celebrities are coming together for Suhoor, Iftar, and game nights. Atiqa Odho too hosted an Iftar dinner recently.
Stars like Fawad Khan, Mawra Hocane, Mohib Mirza, Sanam Saeed, Asim Raza, Maria Wasti, Vaneeza Ahmed, Leila Zuberi, and others attended the event, delighting fans.
Check out some pictures here:
Actor Mohib Mirza has addressed rumours surrounding his second marriage to actor Sanam Saeed, debunking claims he cheated on his first wife Aminah Sheikh, his spouse from 2005 to 2019, and the mother of his child. The secrecy behind his and Sanam’s relationship led to allegations that Mohib had cheated on Aminah, leading to a divorce.
The actor appeared on the FHM podcast where he cleared the air by saying that the two began a relationship after his divorce.
“Who is assuming this?” the actor responded to the accusations. “Do you have my divorce certificate or does Wikipedia say so? My marriage had ended when I pursued Sanam.”
“No one can question this because I have my divorce deed with me, I know what had happened,” the ‘Razia’ actor fired back. Mohib reminded the audience his and Sanam’s relationship was a private affair, and it is their prerogative to reveal it to the public or not.
Opening up about the couple’s wedding, Mohib revealed that it was a private event with only five people present at Sanam’s house.
Actress and UN ambassador Mahira Khan joins the rallying cry to protect Afghan refugees from deportations. Right now, Aurat March reports several Pakistani Pushtuns were picked up and taken to deportation centers because they ‘looked Afghan’.
READ MORE: ‘Afghan-looking’ Pakistanis taken to holding centres for deportation, says Aurat March
The ‘Humsafar’ actress shared pictures wearing her UNICEF vest and standing next to women. In the caption she wrote:
“No one leaves their home behind by choice.
Here in Pakistan, I’ve been proud of our tradition of hospitality towards those in search of safety, dignity and respect.
For over 40 years we have provided safety to our Afghan brothers and sisters in need.
There are people who are still in need of our kindness and compassion, who are at risk if they return.
I appeal to my government to continue to support those who need it.”
Several prominent celebrities have raised their voices as gruesome stories of the brutal treatment of Afghan refugees arrive from activists. Sanam Saeed appealed to the Pakistani government to show mercy to those seeking a better life. She wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
“Deporting refugees who seek shelter here will not make our fundamental issues go away. It looks like we are deflecting blame from challenges that the govt or the country overall is facing. At a time like this in the world right now, we need to show more mercy.”
READ MORE: ‘Show more mercy’: Sanam Saeed calls for Pakistani government to stop deporting Afghan refugees
The Pakistani government is set to deport more than 90,000 Afghan refugees by November 1, prompting protests among civil rights activists. Actors, too, are condemning the expulsion. Viral videos show Afghan children in tears as they say goodbye to their friends, expressing sadness over being deported.
Your Namak (Salt) was enough. Thanks everyone. An Afghan student says goodbye to his classmates. pic.twitter.com/DSg16wBeKv
— Arshad Yousafzai (@Arshadyousafzay) October 30, 2023
Actress Sanam Saeed has appealed to the government of Pakistan asking that in light of circumstances around the world, Pakistanis must extend their kindness to people seeking shelter in this country.
“Deporting refugees who seek shelter here will not make our fundamental issues go away. It looks like we are deflecting blame from challenges that the govt or the country overall is facing. At a time like this in the world right now, we need to show more mercy.”
Deporting refugees who seek shelter here will not make our fundamental issues go away. It looks like we are deflecting blame from challenges that the govt or the country overall is facing. At a time like this in the world right now, we need to show more mercy. @GovtofPakistan
— Sanam Saeed (@sanammodysaeed) November 1, 2023
Veteran actress Nadia Jamil expressed her outrage over a post showing how Afghan children were taken to court and treated as criminals. She shared Osman Khalid Butt’s post and wrote “Statelessness. Their crime is their families Afghan refugee past. Most of them were born here.”
Statelessness. Their crime is their families Afghan refugee past. Most of them were born here. @taherahasan @valekhan please correct me and throw some light on this for us. https://t.co/5Ny6gS6tUd
— Nadia Jamil (@NJLahori) October 31, 2023
Columnist Fatima Bhutto shared a video of an Afghan child tearfully saying goodbye to his classmates as he was set to be deported. In the caption she wrote:
“This is just wrong of Pakistan. It’s inhumane. We must protect the Afghan refugees of this country and allow them a chance to rebuild their lives.”
Once again, its common knowledge that at the heart of every single celebrity scandal, a woman is targeted with the most blatant misogynist taunts by the public. Over the past two days, two major scandals have broken out in Hollywood. The way publications framed out the narrative to paint the women as scheming shrews who have manipulated the men in their lives proves the public loves nothing more than pushing women down as a public sport.
Today, news outlets confirmed ‘Jonas Brothers’ singer Joe Jonas has officially filed for divorce from his wife of four years, actress Sophie Turner, and sources representing the actor told TMZ that the breakdown of their marriage happened because Sophie, who was by the way 23 when she married 30 year old Joe, was to be blamed for her extravagant lifestyle:
“She likes to party, he likes to stay at home. They have very different lifestyles.”
The source also claimed Joe was the one who was taking care of the couple’s two children while Sophie had been shooting for a project in the UK. We have to ask, why does a man need to be applauded over the fact that he took up the parental responsibility, and a woman is being blamed for working. Suddenly, she’s a bad mom?
On the other hand, actor Timothee Chalamet and beauty tycoon Kylie Jenner decided to go public with their long-rumored relationship. The two were filmed kissing at a Beyonce concert- but most of the talk on the internet once more was sexist, blaming Kylie for stealing a heartthrob just so that she could get ratings for the reality show ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’. Several users have come to Kylie’s defence.
A few days ago, a now deleted article written by Vogue about Timothee Chalamet and Kylie’s relationship went viral, where the writer expressed that it was difficult for her to believe that the two could be a couple because Kylie’s career was nothing compared to Timothee Chalamet’s as the quote goes:
What do they do together? Does he hold her makeup brushes while she contours? Does she help him sift through Wes Anderson scripts? Does he give Stormi French lessons?”
“And how did they end up together, anyway? Legend has it that Kylie’s sister Kendall introduced them, but it’s hard for me not to picture Kris sifting through a laminated binder full of leading men, debating which of the Hollywood Chrises would pair best with Kylie’s latest haircut.”
The piece was criticized for insensitivity and for diminishing the reality TV star’s achievements, including Kylie Cosmetics, an enterprise worth around $750 million.
While the rest of the world is angry at the way the two women are being publicly humiliated and blamed for events they weren’t responsible for, we have to reflect on the way this is commonly happening in Pakistan. Female celebrities like Sadaf Kanwal, who married Shahroze Sabzwari, was subjected to brutal trolling on social media for months because it was insinuated that she had played a hand in the break up of her husband’s previous marriage, even though both partners confirmed that their breakup was consensual.
Similarly, Sanam Saeed was targeted by trolls for being a ‘home wrecker’ and a cheater when she went public with her relationship with actor Mohib Mirza, after his divorce to actor Aminah Sheikh. Or when actress Ayesha Omar had to clarify that she was not a home wrecker, because some modelling shoots between her and cricket player Shoaib Malik fuelled the fire that she was the culprit behind his rumored divorce to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.
We’d really like to urge our audience to keep their opinions to themselves, especially those about female celebrities. How Kylie and Sophie choose to live, and who they date, is none of our concern because by the end of the day, they’re human beings as well as public figures. It is natural to be a fan of a celebrity and to respect their work- as its understandable since its Timothee Chalamet- but its crossing a line when you’re ranting about the women he dates.
But most importantly, its necessary now more than ever that women- even female celebrities like Sadaf, Kylie or Taylor Swift- are no longer held responsible for the decisions made by the men in their lives, and we learn to understand the fact that it is not our business to know who they’re dating or not. There are better things on this planet to worry about!
Its now official that Pakistan is about to get it’s first ever Netflix drama, starring our own actors. In July journalist Hassan Kazmi broke the news on social media, announcing that Lollywood’s A-list celebrities like Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi are set to star in a Netflix adaptation of Farhat Ishtiaq’s novel ‘Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samiat Lo’, with director Momina Duraid on board.
Now, Variety has revealed kay waqai mein the drama will live up to its name by leaving no actor behind, as the cast is chockfull of Pakistani A-listers like Sanam Saeed, Ahad Raza Mir, Bilal Ashraf, Maya Ali , Iqra Aziz , Hania Aamir , Khushaal Khan, Nadia Jamil , Omair Rana and Samina Ahmed.
According to the publication, Momina Duraid will serve as the show runner, and her firm Momina Duraid Films FZ, will be producing the series. The show is currently being shot in US, Italy and Pakistan.
The novel revolves around Sikandar, a Harvard law student who undergoes an incident that compels him to keep people away. He then comes across Lisa when he’s travelling to Italy, an energetic artist with a troubled past.
Ishtiaq’s other novels ‘Humsafar’ was adapted into the critically acclaimed 2011 drama, starring Mahira and Fawad. Her other novels have also been turned into screen fare, including ‘Bin Roye’ which was adapted into a 2015 film starring Humayun Saeed and Mahira, and ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’ which was adapted in 2017 into a drama starring Sajal Aly and Ahad Raza Mir.
Fawad is riding high on the blockbuster ‘The Legend Of Maula Jatt’ which also starred Mahira Khan and Hamza. He is set to come back to television screens with the series ‘Barzakh’ starring Sanam Saeed, and directed/ written by Asim Abbas.
Right now, it looks like the Pakistani film industry is morphing, with a string of upcoming movies that cover a range of diverse topics. Babylicious is gearing up for release, an exes-to-lovers story. Kukri which explores the story of serial killer Javed Iqbal. And now, director Azfar Jafri is developing an adaptation called ‘Umro Ayyar: A New Beginning’ from the Urdu novel “Dastan-e-Amir Hamza”.
The beloved Urdu novel, is based on the Persian folklore written by Ghalib Lakhnavi in 1855. It is an epic tale about the legendary exploits and adventures of Amir Hamza and his crew. Umro Ayyar, the central character of this film, is described as a thief who is known for his cleverness and steals from the rich to help the poor.
The upcoming film will star Usman Mukhtar, Sanam Saeed, Adnan Siddiqui, Ali Kazmi and veteran actor Simi Raheal.
The Current reached out to Mukhtar to ask why he chose to take part in such a project, and spoke about his love for the original novels:
“I chose this project because I have loved Umro since I was a child, and have read all of its books. I was very excited when I became a part of this film.”
Mukhtar also talked about the need to familiarise today’s generation with stories like Umroo Ayyar.
“I think that it’s about time. I think there are so many stories we have in the sub-continent, in our own culture, that are un-explored that we don’t make films about. I honestly don’t understand why producers don’t focus on our own stories. I think it’s about time that it’s happening and I’m really excited and I hope people, when they watch the film, they like it.”
Mukhtar last appeared in ‘Sinf-e-Ahan’ along side Sajal Aly and Kubra Khan. In 2022, he released his horror short film ‘Gulabo Rani’ which received rave reviews from audiences, and also received the ‘Best Short Horror Film’ Award at the Los Angeles Sci-Fi & Horror Festival.
Speaking about whether he will step back into dramas once more, the ‘Sabaat’ actor said he’s waiting for a good script to come around:
“I hope so as well, I just feel that the scripts…are not that great, but as soon as I’m offered a good script I’d love to come back on television.”
There hasn’t been a better time to watch Pakistani dramas than now, what with a whole range of shows and actors set to make their mark on our screens. It looks like finally the entertainment industry has started listening to our calls for something other than the saas-bahu jhagray, because these shows range from celebrating women in sports to satire to exploring the thrills of first love.
It also looks like Pakistanis are about to see fresh faces as well as some beloved actors make their debute on screen as Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed are coming back once more, and Instagram influencers like Mamia Shahjaffer, Khushhal Khan and Dananeer are set to star as main leads.
We’re definitely certain that you’re cancelling your plans to set up your movie night after scrolling through our list.
22 Qadam
Starring Hareem Farooq and Wahaj Ali, the drama is set to explore the lives of women in sports, through the story of Fari (played by Farooq) who aspires to become a cricketer. Speaking to The Current, Farooq called 22 Qadam “the voice of the unheard” and said that the sole inspiration behind this show was women like Sana Mir:
“The first person that comes to our mind when you talk about women and cricket is Sana Mir, she’s been an inspiration for so many women out there. It is just about breaking stereotypes and the taboos out there that women can also excel in sports, and if nothing else it makes you more independent and gives you that confidence that allows you to face the world in the best way possible.”
College Gate
It looks like the entertainment industry has finally understood that there isn’t any one out there willnigly ready to sit down and listen to another shaadi story about underaged women marrying men twice their age, because we’re finally getting a story about college students and their personal experiences. The show, starring Khaqan Shahnawaz, Mamia Shahjaffer and veteran actress Saba Hameed, promises to be a drama unlike what has been shown before with topics like addiction, peer pressure and depression thrown into the story.
Barzakh
Starring power leads Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed along with newcomer model Khushhal Khan, the series has definitely captured our attention, especially the fact that it is written and directed by the mastermind behind Churails (2018), Asim Abbasi. Speaking to Variety, Abbasi said that the inspiration for the series came after the death of his father and watching his own son grow into a young boy:
“In the aftermath of my father’s passing, and witnessing my son grow into a young boy, I found myself consumed with nostalgia, and memories of times gone and loves lost. And I began to think about my fears – the end of consciousness, the end of imagination, the end of love. And from these fears, grew a story where love was indeed eternal. Where it survived us – making it the ultimate human legacy.”
Producer of the series Kerjiwal said:
“‘Barzakh’ is a product of COVID brain – it was a time where like everyone else, Asim and I were talking about love, life, death, losing loved ones, unable to say our goodbyes. There was a sense of loss, but also confusion, because of a lack of completion. Death and parting didn’t seem like a finality like it used to because funerals and weddings were both happening on Zoom.
This new reality was surreal and to make any sense of it, physical contact or in-person meeting with friends and family became crucial. Hence the idea about a show which essentially was a family reunion came up.”
101 Talakhien
This looks like the perfect drama for anyone (especially us) who is bored to death of marriage obsessed culture, and wants something dark and satirical- which is exactly what the show promises to deliver. Zahid Ahmed stars as famous lawyer Rustom Kavasji, who artfully decodes how couples begin to fall apart after getting married.
Muhabbat Gumshuda Meri
This seems like a Pakistani version of K-dramas which will explore the thrills of high school relationships, because this trailer has already got us counting down the days to the release. TikTok star Dananeer and model and actor Khushhal Khan are the main leads of the drama and are shown to be complete opposites, who slowly come to fall in love with each other. However, their relationship is threatened by their parents leading to the couple going to any lengths to protect their relationship.
Idiot
Fans of Ahmed Ali Akbar who loved him in ‘Parizaad’ and ‘Ehd-e-Wafa’ are in for a treat because the hearthrob has already sparked anticipation with his upcoming film ‘Gunjal’ and now with his drama ‘Idiot’ where he is set to star opposite Mansha Pasha.
Maula Jatt fans are in for a feast, because the heartthrob of our dreams is coming back to the big screen once more with a film and a drama!
Fawad Khan’s film ‘Money Back Guarantee’ is set to release on April 21, while the highly anticipated drama ‘Barzakh’ is set to have a world premiere on March 18 at the Series Mania Festival in France.
This will be the second time Khan and Saeed will share the screen after their popular drama ‘Zindagi Gulzaar Hai’.
Production company Zindagi shared the announcement on their social media pages where the caption read:
“And here we go! Barzakh is to have its World Premiere at International Panorama Series Mania 2023 on 18th March 2023. Let’s spread the word, shall we?”
Director of this web series Asim Abbasi, who had previously partnered with Zindagi to produce the popular series ‘Churails’, spoke to Variety in Febuary about what ‘Bazarkh’ will be all about:
“What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to have a soul, and does it survive us? How does one find hope and joy in a perpetual state of limbo? These are the central concerns of ‘Barzakh’.”
Abbasi also revealed to Variety that the inspiration for the series came from the aftermath of his father’s passing:
“In the aftermath of my father’s passing, and witnessing my son grow into a young boy, I found myself consumed with nostalgia, and memories of times gone and loves lost. And I began to think about my fears – the end of consciousness, the end of imagination, the end of love. And from these fears, grew a story where love was indeed eternal. Where it survived us – making it the ultimate human legacy,”
Actor Sanam Saeed has stated in a recent interview, that Pakistanis grew up on Bollywood while Indians aren’t really aware of Pakistani culture bits.
Sanam in an interview with Indian Express talked about how generations in Pakistan are aware of Indian culture. She said, “Personally, I am more of a Hollywood binge-watcher. But the whole of Pakistan has been raised on Bollywood, from our grandparents to us, we know Madhubala, Kareena Kapoor stuff to now Deepika Padukone. We have seen all the generations. We have literally grown-up consuming Bollywood, the song, the dance, the culture, the way they eat, and the way they do pooja. We know what happens in India. But India doesn’t know what happens in Pakistan.”
She further added, ‘Indians don’t know how we eat, how we are). The way we wear salwar kameez, tie our hair, there are these small differences. We know the difference between what an Indian choti (braid) is, but I don’t think India knows what the Pakistani choti is like. These small nuances are there. When ZEE Zindagi launched, then India saw, ‘Oh this is how they wear their clothes, this is how they interact’, how independent women are here also. That was interesting to see.’
Last year she opened up about her desire to star in Bollywood movies after the political situation changed between India and Pakistan.
In an interview with Mid-day, the Cake star was asked about her interest to work in Bollywood after Zindagi channel is reinstated.
The actor replied, “When the political situation changed, a lot of things that were to work out did not. Over the years, the desire died for a lot of us. Bollywood is one of the largest industries in the world, and has much-loved directors.”
“I always wanted to do Bollywood and Broadway, but after the change of political situation, the bubble burst for us. I am (grateful) for OTT platforms because they have helped us grow professionally,” she added.
Talking about Zindagi Gulzar Hai’s return on Indian TV screens, Sanam said, “I am grateful that something that was made a decade ago continues to be a hit.”
She continued: “The show had a lovely Jane Austen vibe of strong, independent woman, and was made from a female gaze. I am still attached to the character.”
Earlier this year she spoke about her Bollywood plans during the trailer launch of Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam.
“I am open to working in Indian films, not television. I prefer TV on this side of the border. There are so many genres of films I want to work in, so many actors I would like to collaborate with.” She added, “But to start with, Aamir Khan is someone I would like to work with.”
“We know how India is, we have watched their films. But they didn’t know how we look and what our lives are like. So it was eye-opening for them. We look the same, eat the same food, we are practically brothers and sisters,” she shared further.
Earlier the Zindagi Gulzar Hai diva was invited to Mumbai to audition for Raees opposite Shah Rukh Khan which she didn’t as she was getting married. The role was then bagged by Mahira Khan.
The Deedan diva however sent a digital audition.
I wasn’t offered Raees, I auditioned for it, along with several other films from across the border. I have no qualms with working in Bollywood. If the script is substantial and the team top notch in the game, only then I’ll take up a project.