Category: Entertainment

Best entertainment news in the industry, we break entertainment stories as soon as celebrities post on their social media and do Pakistani drama reviews.

  • ‘Poora maza lootun’, SRK has a hilarious response to going bald

    ‘Poora maza lootun’, SRK has a hilarious response to going bald

    Shah Rukh Khan did another one of his hilarious #AskSRK sessions on Twitter to celebrate the release of ‘Jawaan’ on September 7.

    In response to one question, the actor addressed his unique look as a bald man, an image that had shocked social media.

    When a fan asked him why he chose to shred his dark locks for a bald look, the actor hilariously responded:

    “Ghar ke bahar aule padh rahe the….socha ganja ho jaoon….pura maza lootun….”

    Not quite a bad reason in our opinion! And twitter users had to cackle as well!

    Other than his witty remarks, the Bollywood Badshah had to commemorate some of his iconic films like ‘Chak De! India’ by praising the female actors who helped make the film so memorable

  • Mahira Khan, Nina Kashif buy rights to ‘This House of Clay and Water’

    Mahira Khan, Nina Kashif buy rights to ‘This House of Clay and Water’

    Actress Mahira Khan is about to attempt changing the Pakistani entertainment industry for good by bringing forward an array of unique projects. Yesterday, author Faiqa Mansab announced on her Instagram page that the actress, along with producer Nina Kashif had brought the rights to her novel ‘This House Of Clay And Water’ under the banner of Soul Fry Films. Mahira is grounded yet a true superstar, the novelist wrote, adding that her book is in good hands:

    “I am so happy to have Mahira and Nina at the helm for this project because they really get the essence of this story. I was immediately won over by Mahira, who is grounded and yet a true superstar. In a few words she showed me how deeply she understood my novel. Few people have shown such insight. My novel is in extremely good hands. I look forward to seeing it on screen. Thank you to all who believe in my stories!”

    In a statement released to Book Brunch, Mahira and Nina called the novel “one of the most poetic pieces of writing”:

    ‘This book is one of the most poetic pieces of writing that we have come across from our part of the world. Each character stays with you, you feel invested in all of them. A story that is so different and yet so rooted. It would be an honor for us to adapt it for our screen audience. We are so grateful to Faiqa for putting her trust in us with what we feel is a piece of her heart, and now ours.”

    ‘The House Of Clay And Water’ was released in May 2017 and explores the lives of two women, Nida and Sasha and how they navigate a world that makes them feel alienated.

  • Taylor Swift announces 1989 (Taylor’s Version)

    She never goes out of style

    Taylor Swift really knows how to keep cruising. On Wednesday she announced that her next rerecorded album will be 1989, on the sixth L.A show of the Era’s tour at SoFi Stadium.

    The new rerecording comes after Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version)- in an effort to own the original masters of her own albums after she spoke publicly about cutting ties with her own record label when they sold it to Scooter Braun.

    Swift said the album will be released internationally on October 27, calling it a dream to own her music:

    “Since I was a teenager, I wanted to own my music and the way to do it was to re-record my albums and call them Taylor’s Version. And the way that you have embraced that, the way that you have celebrated that, you really decided that it was your fight, too, and that you were 100% behind me and that if I cared about it, you cared about it,” the ‘Anti-Hero’ singer. “I will never stop thanking you for that. It was so generous. And so now here we are at the last night of the US leg of the Eras Tour in the eighth month of the year, on the ninth day of the month.”

    “There’s something that I’ve been planning for a really, really long time… and I think instead of just like telling you about it, I think I’ll just sort of show you,” and Swift gestured to the screen which showed the album artwork for 1989, along with the release date.

    Along with a post on her social media account, Swift called this her ‘FAVOURITE re-record’ and said that the 5 From The Vault tracks are ‘insane’.

    Released in 2014, the album featured critically acclaimed tracks like ‘Blank Space’, ‘Style’ and ‘Wildest Dreams’, and had gone on to win Swift’s second Album of the year award at the Grammy’s.

  • Natalie Portman separates from husband Benjamin Millipied after 11 years

    Natalie Portman separates from husband Benjamin Millipied after 11 years

    Oscar winning actress Natalie Portman and her husband, professional ballet dancer Benjamin Millipied, are separating after being married for 11 years, after rumors surfaced that Millipied was having an affair with climate activist Camille Étienne.

    US Weekly has reported that the couple had been trying to work on their marriage since the ‘Jackie’ actress discovered his affair, for the sake of their two children.

    A source to the publication revealed that Portman was ‘humiliated’ by the rumors but was trying to work it out and stay together after Millipied said he regretted his actions.

    The two met on the set of the thriller ‘Black Swan’, with Portman being taught ballet by Millipied.

    “I met my husband on it, so I think I was in, like, dreamland,” Portman spoke during a SiriusXM Town Hall interview in 2018. “He was teaching me to dance. You know, one of those romantic [stories] … It was definitely exciting and fun. It was beautiful. I don’t know about instant. It was like I really got to know him and that was when it seemed like, ‘Oh this is the person.’”

  • ‘Shah Rukh Khan, 365 days star Michele Morrone wanted to work with me’: Meera

    ‘Shah Rukh Khan, 365 days star Michele Morrone wanted to work with me’: Meera

    Lollywood superstar Meera was recently a guest on the celebrity talk show ‘Hasna Mana Hai’. While speaking about her career and the challenges she faced, the ‘Baji’ actress revealed that not one, but two A-list actors had wanted to star her in their movies! It was Shah Rukh Khan, the actress claimed, who wanted to cast her in the film ‘Jab tak Hai Jaan’ before he eventually went with Katrina Kaif. However, the offer couldn’t work out because Meera wasn’t able to secure a visa to London.

    Then the other A-lister was the ‘365 days’ Italian actor Michele Morrone, who had reached out to Meera to do a film together.She confirmed on the show that the two are planning to do a film together once his current projects finish:

    “Yes, for work…He said, ‘Let’s work together.’ Once his current projects finish, we will work together professionally, God willing.”

    Meera has been the butt of misogynist and elitist jokes in the past because of her limited English speaking skills, among other absurd reasons, but the actress revealed she doesn’t let this backlash shatter her self-confidence or her resilience:

     “If you wish to be successful or live a peaceful life, you must forget about what people will say…If you love me, what does my age, personal life, or past have to do with it?” she declared.

    However, the actress said after living a public life, she now prefers to remain out of the news, humorously answering a question from an audience member:

    “When I was in the news, people had objections that I’m constantly in the news, always on television. Now that I’m not in the news, how do you feel now?” She continued, “Those in print media would write, ‘Learn the talent of staying in the news from Meera Jee.’”

  • Pakistani documentary ‘As Far As They Can Run’ bags Emmy nomination

    Pakistani documentary ‘As Far As They Can Run’ bags Emmy nomination

    Another proud moment for Pakistani entertainment! The documentary ‘As Far As They Can Run’ was nominated for the prestigious Emmy awards under the category ‘Oustanding Documentary Short’. Haya Fatima Iqbal was the field producer along with Ziad Zafar co-producer, Tanaz Eshaghian the director and Nadir Siddiqui was the cinematographer behind this project.

    The film follows the lives of three young adults dealing with intellectual disabilities, while competing for the Special Olympics.

    The filmmaker, who had previously won an Oscar and two Emmys, shared the exciting news on her Instagram stories, revealing that one of the kids in the film, Sana Kapri, lit the torch at the Special Olympics in Berlin only a month ago.

    It was a joy and honour for me to witness the care and love that the coaches put into this work to ensure that these children can fly high,” she gushed about the project.

    Haya Fatima Iqbal has previously been a producer for Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s 2015 documentary ‘A Girl In The River’, an exploration of honor killings in Pakistan. The film followed the story of a woman who survived attempted murder at the hands of her family, after she married of her own choice. The documentary received critical acclaim and won an Oscar for ‘Best Documentary Short’.

  • Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Hollywood A-listers donated $1 million to the SAG-AFTRA strikes

    Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Hollywood A-listers donated $1 million to the SAG-AFTRA strikes

    The SAG-AFTRA strike in Hollywood has reached its 21st day of protests against studios paying low residuals, poor working conditions as well as the use of A.I to replicate images of background actors. Studios like Warner Bros, Netflix and Disney have reportedly refused to negotiate with the union, with sources revealing the studios were planning to prolonge the protest till most of the actors become broke, according to ‘The Bear’ staff writer Alex O’Keefe.

    In the midst of the protests, multiple A-list celebrities have come forward to offer donations to keep the movement going. Variety reports that some of the A-list celebrities who contributed to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Emergency Financial Assistance Program were Meryl Streep, Dwyane Johnson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Amal and George Clooney and Oprah Winfrey.

    “Thanks to the support of some of Hollywood’s top-earning stars, the Foundation is preparing to bring aid and hope to thousands of journeymen actors facing tremendous economic hardship,” the foundation said in a statement released a few days ago.

    In a statement sent to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers to end the strike and pay fair residuals to writers and actors, Meryl Streep recalled how she began her career working as a waitress and struggled to make ends meet:

    “I remember my days as a waiter, cleaner, typist, even my time on the unemployment line,” Streep said in a statement. “In this strike action, I am lucky to be able to support those who will struggle in a long action to sustain against Goliath. We will stand strong together against these powerful corporations who are bent on taking the humanity, the human dignity, even the human out of our profession. I am proudest of my fellow actors who have immediately offered to fund the Emergency Financial Assistance Program.”

    “We stand ready to get back to the table and make a fair deal with the AMPTP,” George Clooney said. “Until then, I’m proud to be able to support the SAG-AFTRA Foundation and my fellow actors who may be struggling in this historic moment. We’ve stood on the shoulders of the likes of Bette Davis and Jimmy Cagney and it’s time for our generation to give something back. I can’t thank Courtney enough for his determination in putting this effort together by shedding light on the human toll happening right now, and how we can work together to alleviate some of the pain and suffering.”

  • ‘I’m not a villain’: Lizzo responds to harassment claims, dancers reject her statement

    ‘I’m not a villain’: Lizzo responds to harassment claims, dancers reject her statement

    Pop singer Lizzo has been mired in a huge controversy since a few days ago when a suit filed by her former dancers accused her of bullying, sexual harassment and body shaming. The three dancers detailed their experience of being fired after being accused of gaining weight, unprofessional working environments as well as being pressurised into controversial activities.

    In a statement released on her social media accounts, the Grammy award winning singer has responded to the suit, calling the stories “sensationalised”, adding that the former employees had already admitted their behavior on tour was unprofessional:

    “These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.”

    ‘I am not here to be looked at as a victim but I also know I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be the last few days…There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight.”

    READ MORE: Lizzo sued after three former dancers accuse her of sexual harassment, unprofessional behavior

    The statement was slammed by dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez who spoke to UK’s Channel 4 about the 44 page lawsuit they filed against the ‘Good as hell’ singer, and her dance captain Shirlene Quigley.

    “Initially for me, it just further deepened my disappointment in regards to how I was feeling and how I was treated,” Williams said. “I think the overall theme in all this is that our experiences were our experiences and our traumas were our traumas. In bringing that forward, it feels like it was disregarded completely. It feels like we were made out to be putting out false allegations when that’s not the case.”

    “So yes, it was very disheartening to read and feel overlooked especially when she stands for what she stands for in regards to women’s empowerment – being an advocate for mental health, being an advocate for body positivity – and to just further prove that that’s not the case, because nothing was acknowledged in that statement,” the former dancer further added.

    Speaking to CBS News, Davis elaborated on the Amsterdam accident, when Lizzo had taken the backup dancers to a strip club and pressurised Angela to grope the nude dancer, then forced a security guard member to go on stage and strip. She described the situation as ‘mortifying’:

    “I did not ask for it. I said no multiple times,” Davis said.

    After facing intense pressure from Lizzo, she “briefly touched” the performer. “I was very, very mortified, everyone burst into laughter,” she recalled.

    In the lawsuit, it was also mentioned that Lizzo body-shamed the dancers, firing one of them after commenting that she seemed “less committed” about the role.

    Arianna told NBC that the fatphobia comments weren’t spoken directly, but underlined every criticism she was given:

    “It was very nuanced and very underlying underneath all the other issues that were going on,” Davis explained. “I just had this feeling that they had a problem with the way I was gaining weight and looking different and that I wasn’t ‘the same’ as when they first cast me.”

    Attorney Neama Rahmani, who is representing Davis, Williams and Rodriguez in the lawsuit, addressed Lizzo’s statement and said the case will be moved to trial to prove whether what the pop singer is saying is true:

    “Given Lizzo is denying that any of this happened, let’s take it to trial. More witnesses are coming forward every day corroborating the plaintiffs’ allegations, so we’re looking forward to facing Lizzo and her team in court.”

    Lizzo’s lawyer representing her at the trial is Marty Singer, whose previous clients include Johnny Depp, Charlie Sheen, Chris Brown and Jonah Hill.

  • Alia Bhatt, Suhana taught how to lip-sync by Shah Rukh Khan himself

    Alia Bhatt, Suhana taught how to lip-sync by Shah Rukh Khan himself

    To masterfully execute romantic lip-syncing song for the first time in her career, actress Alia Bhatt sought tuitions from the King of Romance himself, Shah Rukh Khan.

    At a special event held for the release of ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani’, the actress said director Karan Johar encouraged her to reach out to Shah Rukh Khan, because she was nervous about shooting the song ‘Tum Kya Millay’.

    When she called up the Bollywood Badshah, the actor decided to give her and his daughter, Suhana, tuitions on the complicated art of lip-syncing.

    “I was going back to shoot after a couple of months. First time I was doing a full lip-sync song after Ishq Wala Love. There was nervousness in me. I was discussing with Karan and he said, ‘Why don’t you call Shah Rukh up, maybe he will give you some tips.’ So I called him up to talk on the phone. I just wanted to understand because nobody lip-syncs like him.

    “He said, ‘Tu ghar aaja.’ Suhana also was wanting to learn this toh dono saath mein tution kareinge. I went and I was there for 2-3 hours,” the actor said.

    The ‘Gangubai’ actress hilariously recalled how at the actor’s Mannat house, the trio kept going over the song over and over again to get the lip-sync right. By the end, even Shah Rukh himself knew the lyrics to ‘Tum Kya Millay’.

    “There’s this whole lip sync portion which Shreya Ghoshal has sung beautifully. The video of that extended version we will release shortly. It was quite fast and I was getting quite hyper. But the way he (Shah Rukh Khan) broke it down. He made me download some app. He said, ‘Baar baar karo.’ He had also learnt the song by the end of it. It just shows how generous and large-hearted a man he is. He is so wonderful, always willing to help.”

  • If you loved ‘Fairy Tale’ then watch the classical drama ‘Tum Se Kehna Tha’

    If you loved ‘Fairy Tale’ then watch the classical drama ‘Tum Se Kehna Tha’

    Since ‘Fairy Tale’ is set to arrive back this month with another incredible new season, we get that fans are rewatching the episodes over and over again. For the first time, a Pakistani drama managed to actually enrapture women, with a non-problematic male-lead as well as a fun-loving, well written female lead. Yes its true that there is nothing good to watch out there that won’t make you cringe in the first 15 minutes. But plenty of our followers need to discover classical dramas, their incredible story lines about powerful, hilarious women not abiding by toxic patriarchy, and one of them is Syed Muhammad Ahmed’s ‘Tum Se Kehna Tha’.

    Directed by Sahria Kazmi, the five episode drama starred Marina Khan as Hira, a witty and fearless woman whose crush on a stranger accidently leads her to be mistaken as the fiance of a man in coma. Many Twitter users even began drawing a comparison between Hira, and the protagonist of ‘Fairy Tale’ Umeed Pasha, played by Marina Khan, as a viral tweet showed.

    And honestly, we’ve been waiting for the public to realize this so we could write another piece to praise this classical drama and just to write about how brilliant Fairy Tale is for catering to an audience nostalgic about the brilliant dramas of the 90’s. So if, like us, you’re patiently waiting till August 5 arrives when Season 2 of Fairy Tale drops, watch ‘Tum Se Kehna Tha’

    1. Brilliant, hilarious and talented female leads

    It’s no shocker that Umeed won the hearts of Pakistani women because of how similar she was to the women from dramas like ‘Tanhaiyaan’ and ‘Dhoop Kinare’, stories of head-strong, independent women who were complex and completely unlike the wailing women trope we see in dramas these days. Hira Muzzaffar from ‘Tum Se Kehna Tha’ is a wonderful example of how progressive 90s dramas were. She lived alone, was independent and fearless about pursuing what she loved. She didn’t hide away her love, and expressed it bluntly. And she didn’t adhere to the crazy tropes our dramas today think all women want, like being slapped by useless men, or engaging in some cold war with her saas.

    1. Wholesome family dynamics

    If you loved the crazy family dynamics of family members like Aghoo Jaan, Pasha Saab, Mimi and Nigo aunty from ‘Fairy Tale’, then ‘Tum Se Kehna Tha’ will draw you in without any haste because of how every single character has a hilarious role, there is no part where it feels like the episodes are dragging. Every character, like Hira’s boss Sajjad, has a special part in the episodes, even if a small one.

    1. Wholesome, well-written male leads

    We’ll get to the meat of what made a drama like ‘Fairy Tale’ so engaging for audiences: because of the rare occasion where men aren’t toxic, worthless creatures and are actually the opposite of that. Many users loved the male lead Farjaad from ‘Fairy Tale’ because aside from the splendid acting of Hamza Sohail, this intoverted and shy man matched the fierce and loud Umeed in an amazing way. Rather than taming her fire, he encouraged her to embrace it, and kept loving her regardless of how clumsy or oppinionated she was. In the same way, Bilal from ‘TSKT’ and Hira stand out because of their hilarious banter and how he becomes the loving family she had constantly longed for.