Best entertainment news in the industry, we break entertainment stories as soon as celebrities post on their social media and do Pakistani drama reviews.
This Eid is the best time to head back to the cinemas as a flux of A-list celebrities are set to star in unique films.
If you’re someone who isn’t a fan of cringey rom-coms, you’ll want to check out this list because aside from comedies, the list includes thrillers with powerful leading ladies, historical action films and much more!
Let’s look in to the upcoming films set to release on Eid.
Money Back Guarantee
Written and directed by comedy king Faisal Qureshi himself, the film is set to star Fawad Khan, who is making his silver screen comeback after a long hiatus, and will also mark the debut of Wasim Akram and his wife Shaneira. The film is an action-packed comedy that is definitely the right flavour for Eid.
2. Huey Tum Ajnabi
Directed by film star Kamran Shahid, the film is based around the events of the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh. It stars Mikaal Zulfiqar and Sadia Khan in leading roles, as well as Ayesha Omar, Samina Peerzada and Adnan Jillani.
3. Daadal
If you were disappointed by not being able to watch ‘Javed Iqbal’, then this next action film with a fiercely powerful female lead by Abu Aleeha will definitely make you want to book tickets today! This film stars a boxer from Lyari played by Sonya Hussayn who kills a gang of rich evil men to avenge the honor of her sister. Soon she teams up with a police officer to go after the criminals.
4 Lahore Qalandar
Looks like we’re also getting a Punjabi-style story with a lot of action and conflicts. Directed by Shahid Rana, this film stars Saima Noor, Bando Butt and Shafqat Cheema.
5 Dorr
A man tries to save the woman he loves from a violent gang, who have kidnapped her in exchange for a bribe. Directed by Nadeem Cheema, it stars Asad Mahmood, Shafqat Cheema and Saleem Meraj.
Events hosted by the Ambanis are among the most anticipated nights in Bollywood. Indian film royalty as well as international stars arrive dressed to the nines to provide a spectacular night filled with entertainment.
However, as much as we plebeians can gape at this show of money, there was a moment that did not sit well with twitter users. A viral clip showed a performance by Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan pulling Hollywood model Gigi Hadid on stage and spinning her around before kissing her cheek.
The performance was planned, as Hadid posted a clip on her Instagram stories, with the caption saying: “Thank you Varun Dhawan for making my Bollywood dream come true.”
But Dhawan drew backlash on social media because of his response to a twitter user and defending his behavior by trolling critics for being ‘woke’.
I guess today you woke up and decided to be woke. So lemme burst ur bubble and tell u it was planned for her to be on stage so find a new Twitter cause to vent about rather then going out and doing something about things . Good morning https://t.co/9O7Hg43y0S
the plan was for her to be on stage? did it include you lifting her as well??? there's a difference between both you weirdo.. she clearly looks uncomfortable and even said "what was that" https://t.co/WA9AlIPMuL
Twitter users pointed out that this was not the first time Dhawan had crossed boundaries, as they shared old clips of him crossing boundaries with other Bollywood actresses.
So kissing her was also planned. in movies actors do kissing because of need of the character why you want to kiss offscreen any women being married. During jjj promotion you tried to throw Kiara in pool and she was very uncomfortable #VarunDhawanhttps://t.co/AD4c39zUmlpic.twitter.com/eQyWY9TXbQ
I’ll be there for you but not when you’re making offensive jokes.
Since its debut in 1993, the popular American sitcom ‘Friends’ has won hearts of generations across the world with its hilarious depiction of the struggles of five adults living in an apartment near Central Park. Neat-freak Monica, the line “JOEY DOESN’T SHARE FOOD!”, Rachel and her lewks, but especially Ross and the line “PIVOT!” are part of our psyche.
But it turns out, not all that glitters is gold because recent generations have found the popular sitcom to be insensitive for the copious amounts of sexism, body shaming, and especially Joey and his creepy flirting.
Jennifer Aniston, who starred as the fashionista Rachel Green on the show, has addressed these controversies in an interview with AFP, while she was promoting her upcoming Netflix film ‘Murder Mystery 2’ which will co-star Adam Sandler. The actress lamented the dearth of comedy shows and criticism of ‘Friends’.
“There’s a whole generation of people, kids, who are now going back to episodes of ‘Friends’ and find them offensive,” Aniston said. “There were things that were never intentional and others… well, we should have thought it through — but I don’t think there was a sensitivity like there is now.”
The ‘Dumplin’ star went on to lament how difficult it is to make humor today.
“Now it’s a little tricky because you have to be very careful, which makes it really hard for comedians, because the beauty of comedy is that we make fun of ourselves, make fun of life,” she said. “[In the past] you could joke about a bigot and have a laugh — that was hysterical. And it was about educating people on how ridiculous people were. And now we’re not allowed to do that.”
Anniston went on to stress that it was necessary now more than ever that more shows like ‘Friends’ are made:
“Everybody needs funny! The world needs humor! We can’t take ourselves too seriously. Especially in the United States. Everyone is far too divided.”
Are you worn out and tired by constantly hustling under capitalism? Adulting can be incredibly hard, especially when you’re working from 9 to 5 on a regular basis, its hard to find a good show to bring some peace of mind.
With the constant flow of sexist and repetitive plot lines and utlra-cringey jokes that Pakistani dramas can’t seem to put a cap on, we can understand the frustration our audiences could be going through to find something they can binge watch.
Especially now that one has to fast, you might be looking for a good show to help pass the time.
So ranging from some iconic Pakistani dramas to a spooky murder mystery and even some captivating Korean dramas, we have carefully crafted a list of shows we know our followers will drain in a day!
1 Dolly Ki Ayegi Baraat
How can we forget the iconic Saima Chaudhry, the fashion designer from Faisalabad? The hilarious comedy drama may have aired in 2010, but years later fans still binge watch the iconic drama and its sequels every Ramzan. The series starts with Dolly’s wedding preparations and the cultural clashes between two families as relationships form, misunderstanding emerge and discrimination based on class are pointed out.
2 Akbari Asghari
This one is for the ‘Dastaan’ fans, if you couldn’t get enough of Sanam Baloch and Fawad Khan’s jorri in a tragedy, then get prepared to wheeze in this hilarious family drama. A modern adaptation of the popular Urdu novel ‘Meerat-ul-Aroos’, the story follows two sisters, Akbari and Asghari living in the US, and their parent’s plan to get them married to their cousins living in Pakistan. While Akbari is a wild child who is unafraid to be bold in front of her parents, Asghari tries to be a dutiful daughter but resents the idea of marrying her cousin, when she actually wants to marry Roger.
3 The Haunting of Hill House
Not a fan of light-hearted comedy? Do you need something dark and spooky to beat the work fatigue? Then this is the perfect series that blends in the works of popular Gothic writers like Shirley Jackson, Edgar Allan Poe and explores themes like trauma, mental health and love. The series drifts between the present and the past, following the lives of five siblings and the aftermath of a tragedy they suffered in a house they moved into for the summer of 92. Slowly, strange events begin occurring, leading to each family member begins doubting each other.
4 Abbott Elementary
Have memorized ‘The Office’ and ‘Friends’ and now need another feel-good comedy series that makes you giddy in the same way? This comedy drama has received rave reviews from audiences for its stellar writing and especially performances from the likes of Quinta Brunson. Set at a Philadelphia public school, it follows five teachers who are passionate about their job, despite the limited funding they receive from the district to provide supplies to their children.
5 Mr Queen
We obviously cannot form a list of good television shows without including Korean dramas, because literally every one has a comfort K-drama on their list. And this is the one we want our audience to look up, for a feel-good time travel rom-com involving gender bending and romance. When modern chef Na In-Woo accidentally falls from a building while trying to escape cops, he wakes up to realize he’s in the body of a woman, who is set to become the queen in the Joseon era.
6 Tomorrow
Need something dark and broody to really draw you in? Fans of heartthrobs Rowoon and Lee Soo-Hyuk would definitely want to include this show in their watch list. When an accident causes Choi Joon-Woong to go into a coma and turn into a half-spirit, he is enlisted in a team of Grim Reapers whose job is to counsel people struggling with suicidal thoughts. Brilliantly performed with a gripping script that engages with a dark topic with humour and gentleness, this is definitely a drama you should look up.
Qudsia Ali has been on a roll- with her spectacular performance in ‘Betiyan’ and now as Taniya in ‘Kuch Ankahi’, she has been recieving rave reviews for her performance as the headstrong, youngest daughter of the family who actively pursues her dream to become a filmmaker.
Recently in a talk with Fuchsia Magazine, Ali opened up about how she struggles with criticism about her weight. She revealed that a lot of feedback she received at auditions was about her weight:
“Whenever I would go for auditions, I was told directly if I wish to come on to the main screen, then I would have to lose weight. But if we look at international work, you see people with different skin tones and body types, no one cares about such things because it is your skills that matter. Then why is it so important here?”
Ali revealed that she had recently started losing weight, but did it more for the sake of her health rather than to please the critics because she doesn’t want to change herself to prevent standing out, alluding to a remark made about her curly hair:
“I will never lose weight because of someone’s criticism, but I started this journey because I cared about my own health, to stay fit and healthy. Not for work, industry or for anyone.
People often tell me that I look overweight in scenes because of my hair, and I should get keratin treatment. No! This is how I stand out from other people. How many people do you know who have curly hair? If I’m going to find work based on my skills, then I will find it. I’m going to wait for that. I’m someone who can wait.”
Ali opened up that in the beginning of her career, hearing such negative feedback sometimes took a toll, but eventually with a positive mindset, especially with the help of colleagues like Sajal Aly, she was able to let it go and keep doing what she liked:
“In the beginning of my career, whenever I heard comments like these I had thought sometimes to listen and change my appearance. But what is the guarantee that after changing your appearance you will find work? You become slim and straighten your hair, whats the guarantee that you will find work?.. This was my own thought process. Ahmed saab and Sajal Aly would advice me a lot that I should do what makes me happy, rather than for others.”
Indian streaming platform EORTV has announced that they are in the process of making a biopic based on the life of the queer icon and Pakistani television host Ali Saleem, who was famous for his cross-dressing alter ego Begum Nawazish Ali. His popular talk show ‘Late Nights With Begum Nawazish Ali’ featured interviews with actors, politicians and even religious figures. In 2010, Saleem, along with actress Veena Malik, were the first Pakistanis to take part in the famous reality show ‘Big Boss’.
Saleem had described himself as gay, bisexual and even transgender.
According Deepak Panday, the CEO of EORTV, the channel was planning to approach actor Mallika Sherawat for the role. He also elaborated on the reason they had chosen to film this story:
“This is a strong story, a story of boldness and courage. The character is multifaceted and needed someone as courageous and undaunted as the Begum thyself. I am planning to approach Mallika Sherawat for this role as she would be apt for a fearless performance like this. It is important to create stories like these that can encourage more and more people to be open about their sexuality and sexual preferences. This is going to be a story of an unapologetically fearless man who’s leading a life of his own choice in spite of living in a politically warm environment”.
He further went on to say:
“Begum Nawazish Ali’s background and childhood is interesting but the journey he makes in due course of his life is even more interesting. He has interviewed the who’s who from business, politics, entertainment with gusto. He has courted satire and controversy but managed to make a place in the hearts of the common man. His life will make for very compelling content on screen”.
Every one knows about the popular film ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ and the famous moment in the film when Waymond says to Evelyn “In another life, I would have liked doing laundry and taxes with you.” Yes, we all remember how much we sobbed.
But the tragedy of Waymond and Evelyn not getting together in another life is something desi users are all too familiar with, because we can recall tragic dramas that made us wail for days. The main couple who could have had it all, end up never getting together.
So did Twitter users find an example of the Pakistani drama that is their Evelyn and Waymond? Turns out there are plenty.
One user quoted that it was Jamaal and Heer from ‘Qurbaan’ who should have been together but tragedy drove them apart.
In another life, I would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you pic.twitter.com/hcoFkbvrwX
Fawad Khan’s forgotten but beloved telefilm “Behaad” made an entrance where he plays Jamaal, a man who falls in love with a single mother, who is played by the iconic Nadia Jamil, but soon begins facing difficulties from her family.
In another life, I would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you pic.twitter.com/l5VuIKm3M7
On March 25, 2021, Strings announced that after a successful run for 33 years, they had decided to break up the band, with members Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood going their separate ways.
The decision broke hearts across the subcontinent, as fans grappled with the end of the band they had grown up listening to.
Now, Bilal Maqsood has opened up about why the decision to end ‘Strings’ was difficult but necessary. He said that because both him and Kapadia wanted to end the band with good memories rather than being cast out of the limelight with disgrace:
“We were incredibly happy to end ‘Strings’ because the respect we wanted our band to have was our top priority. Both of us had discussed prior to our announcement that if we would ever end the band, we’ll do it at the peak of our career, rather than dragging it on to a point that people beg us to leave and retire.”
Maqsood made a reference to other members of the sports and music industry, especially senior officials who grow vastly unpopular with audiences because of their denial of the fact that they could lose their fanbase
“We had noticed this with the sports and music industry, with senior officials who remain in a sort of denial that they could never be unpopular, and since they’ve been here longer they deserve respect from the public. We never wanted ‘Strings’ to go out of the public this way, so we decided that it’s best to end this before that happens. Lockdown provided us with the perfect opportunity because that’s when things began to stagnate, concerts weren’t happening so it was a good opportunity to end with good memories with our fans.”
Maqsood went on to thank the fans who had kept the band popular for 33 years since they began and promised that even though they had gone on their separate ways, he will have a lot of respect for Faisal Kapadia and wished him the best of luck with everything in his life.
Maqsood also assured his fans that he was still making more music, and soon they will see other projects that he is working on come to light.
Feroze Khan has issued a public apology to the ten celebrities whose personal information was leaked to the internet when he posted their personal phone numbers and home addresses on Twitter in a screenshot.
Khan had written in a statement: “As an actor, I know the importance of privacy and value it the most. I never intended that anyone’s peace be disturbed. If any one of my colleagues had to go through any inconvenience I’m deeply sorry for that.”
Actor Muneeb Butt and his wife, Aiman, along with her sister Minal, were among the celebrities whose private info was leaked, but yesterday Butt shared a picture of him and Khan together, and revealed that they had settled their differences and decided to drop the charges against the “Habs” actor.
His statement read:
“..To give us pain and mental distress wasn’t FK’s intention it was a mistake I announce to drop all of the charges.”
Butt had previously filed a stalking report with the cyber crime department against Khan for leaking his and his family’s personal information.
“Whoever is suggesting this to you has thrown you into deep trouble my friend I feel bad for you now you will have to face all of this… Initially I thought it’s a stupid mistake waited for 24 hours but no apology or excuse proved that it was a deliberate move, I thought you were better than that seriously. Complaint registration/ verification process has been completed FIA cyber circle has intiated the inquiry. The process has started, you will have to taste your own medicine now wait for the call,” he had written.
Celebrities like Yasir Hussain had slammed Khan for being ‘stupid’ for first beating up his wife, and then leaking his number to the world.
Actor Sarwat Gilani had shared a screenshot on her Instagram page of the numerous phone calls she had received since her number was leaked by Khan, and publicly announced that she was suing him along with the other celebrities.
Gilani had written: “It is bizarre and despicable that private information, including phone numbers, of various famous individuals has been publicly shared on the absurd pretext of issuing legal notice to them by @ferozekhan Not only are such actions clearly illegal but also demonstrates the total lack of maturity to handle matters in a civilized way.”
Actor Yasir Hussain has talked about the recent posthumous Nishan-e-Imtiaz awarded to Qavi Khan, who passed away in March this year after a prolonged illness.
Hussain shared a screenshot of the award on Instagram and quoted lines from the celebrated poem ‘Hamesha Dair Kardeta Hoon’ by Muneer Niazi.
He also write that the Pakistani government should celebrate their actors while they are alive and acknowledge their contributions to the industry:
“You came late, but was necessary to happen. Celebrate the actors who are above 50 and acknowledge the contributions they have made. What will you do with keeping them to yourself?”
