Former film mogul Harvey Weinstein has been convicted for attacking an actress in a hotel room during a film festival, and has been sentenced to 16 years in prison on Thursday by a Los Angeles court.
On 19 December, a Los Angeles jury found Weinstein guilty of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault innvolving an actress, who identified herself as Jane Doe 1.
The survivor recounted her experience in court before the sentence was announced:
‘Before that night I was a very happy and confident woman. Everything changed after the defendant brutally assaulted me. There is no prison sentence long enough to undo the damage.’
Weinstein had told the Los Angeles Court judge that he did not know the victim and had not assaulted her
‘I never raped or assaulted Jane Doe 1,’ he said.
Weinstein also critcized the case for having ‘too many loopholes’ and even said there were ‘so many things wrong’ with it. He especially accused the woman of being an ‘actress with the ability turn on her tears’.
Before the sentencing was announced, Weinstein begged for leniency with the court, saying ‘ I don’t deserve it’.
Weinstein had been previously sentenced in 2020 to 23 years in prison in cases of assault pertaining to a production assistant in 2006 and an aspiring actress in 2013. He is now appealing the sentence.
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.
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Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 16 years for rape
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Six Pakistani dramas that revolve around female friendship
Pakistani dramas aren’t the first option one would think of when looking for strong female representation and well written, complex characters. Pakistani screenwriters and drama creators have for long refused to acknowledge the power of storytelling. They refuse to believe it is necessary to have positive depictions of women on screen rather than relying on the same age-old mantra ‘aurat he aurat ke sabse bari dushman hoti hai.’
Our television screens are littered with tropes that demonize women who actually seek their own independence rather than being obsessed men. Characters like the gold digger, the career-obsessed heartless woman, or fighting saas/ bahu are the norm. It seems like most dramas are obsessed with getting the right amount of misogynist and sexist content in order to get better ratings.
However, there are a few dramas that were able to get representation right and give the viewers depictions of what wholesome friendships can do to a woman’s life. In the spirit of the upcoming Aurat March, here is our selection of Pakistani shows that have gotten female friendships represented properly.
1 Akhri Station (2018)
Written by Amna Mufti and directed by Sarmad Khosat, the series is a wonderful depiction of how women suffering from abuse and trauma can come together to revel in their pain and find their catharsis together. At a train station in Lahore, a group of women meet up and begin opening up to each other about the kind of suffering they had undergone. Produced by Kashf Foundation, the mini series didn’t shy away from exploring tabooed topics like sexual abuse, mental illness, HIV/ AIDS and acid attacks.
2 Churails (2020)
Written and directed by Asim Abbassi, the drama made waves across Pakistan when it was released in 2020. It is now regarded as a powerful feminist drama that centers around women coming together to take revenge on their abusers. When stay-at-home mother Sara Khan finds out that her husband, Jameel, has been cheating on her with several women, she vows to get back at him. After blackmailing him to send her money, she and a group of close friends open a secret agency, disguised as a boutique, where they help other women who are suffering from abuse or are unhappy in their marriages.
3 Sar-e-Rah (2022- on going)
One of the most well-rated dramas currently playing on ARY, it accurately captures how one woman who breaks away the shackles of patriarchy can help other women do the same, regardless of being from different backgrounds. When Rania’s father suffers a heart attack, his family loses their source of income. She decides to step up and follow his footsteps to become a taxi driver. At first, Rania faces immense difficulties because of harassment and backlash from strangers, as well as from family members who keep taunting her with ‘log kya kahenge’, but she refuses to let harsh criticism keep her from becoming the breadwinner. Soon, Rania is able to use her power and knowledge to help other women suffering from the same issues.
4 Tanhiyaan (1985)
When it comes to powerful dramas, Tanhaiyaan will always remain part of the discussion for being one of the earliest dramas depicting women living their lives to the fullest, and refusing to obsess about a man’s approval. The legendary Haseena Moin had written powerful, complex female characters and championed social issues in her dramas. The show revolves around two sisters, Zara and Saniya, who are visiting their aunt in Karachi when they find out that their parents have passed away in a car accident. Because of their father’s debts, the sister’s lose their home and have to adjust to their new life in Karachi, while Zara fixates on becoming rich and regaining the house and furniture she had lost.
5 Raqeeb Se (2021)
Penned by the powerful Bee Gul, the drama revolves around the issue of domestic violence and women finding solace in each other’s company to escape their abuse. Sakina escapes her abusive husband’s home by arriving at her former lover Maqsood’s home with her daughter, where she meets his wife. Seeking shelter and rejected by Maqsood, it’s his wife, Hania who helps Sakina find ground in their new home.
6 Kuch Ankahi (2022- on going)
If you’re reminiscing about the days of PTV dramas that had not held back from addressing social issues, then this drama is the perfect blend of comedy and social awareness. The plot revolves around the three elder sisters and their home in Karachi, where their father is facing pressure from his siblings on the ownership of their home. The eldest sister, Samiya is being pressurized by her mother to marry someone and facing taunts about her age, and her siblings, as well as phupoo, help her find her own voice.
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‘Stop spinning the truth’: social media users are furious with Farhan Saeed after he defended attending Hum Awards during floods
A tweet comparing the response of Turkish actors during earthquake response to Pakistani actors who had flown to Canada to attend Hum Awards during the floods in Pakistan triggereda debate on the micro blogging website, eventually eliciting a response from Farhan Saeed.
“First, revenue gen was for flood victims. Sec, all these telethons that happen in Pak, artists raise funds. For all the Shaukat K. hospitals, artists have raised most of the funds with IK , but with inferiority complex like yours , you’ll always like others better. So carry on”, the former member of the Jal band had written.
Saeed’s response received intense backlash on Twitter as users pointed out that the ‘Suno Chanda’ actor had not done anything to promote awareness for floods, and is responding in a dismissive manner to critics.
Users also criticized his insensitive comment and not being able to recognize the insensivity the actors had portrayed when they had refused to use their platform to gather resources for the floods of Pakistan
“i get where you are coming from, but right now, it is not about the revenue but about the angle of insensitivity that cannot be brushed under the rug, the award show was happening at the EXACT same time when millions of people had lost their homes and lives in the floods.”
Many users are called Saeed tone deaf in the comments
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Sanam Jung debunks rumor’s about wearing fat-suit for ‘Pyari Mona’
Sanam Jung has told iBBC Urdu that she does not wear a fat-suit in her latest drama on Hum TV ‘Pyari Mona’ in which she plays the role of a plus-sized woman.
In the interview, Jung addressed the backlash the show was receiving that she wore a fat suit in some episodes.
“When I first went over, they told me that I didn’t have the right look and I had to gain 20kg in order to be perfect for the role. At first I had refused, but then when I started falling in love with Mona then I thought ‘okay we have to do this’. Because we had made a body suit for Mona which was stuffed with cotton and was quite heavy, like a thick blanket. It completely covered me, and I had to shoot in the summers. So we did multiple trials, and when I wore it, my face looked small and my body looked big. Then we decided that I have to eat more for this role. At first I gained five kilos, that was not enough. Then I gained around 7 to 8 kilos, then my director was happy. He said ‘Now you are looking just like Mona!’ I stopped going to the gym because I had to stay in a character as long as the shoots were going on, so I pushed my diet plans to the side. I ate all sorts of food, because my character was even eating on set, and I couldn’t pretend like I was eating and then spit it out from the other side. I really enjoyed the process of becoming Mona.”
Jung also opened up about the reason why she chose to do ‘Pyaari Mona’, revealing that she had also faced the same struggles that her character did. Originally, Jung had rejected the drama, but when a year later she again offered the role, she decided to do it.
“This is my story. I have been through it. As in not literally with her family. But with society, and the people, I have gone through all of it. Other than that, I also thought there are so many people who are going through the same issue. So for them, and for myself I have found such an important story to tell… I felt it was an important message because we will keep doing ordinary plays with the boy and girl and they fall in love. But this was a different, message-oriented play. So I read it and I fell in love with Mona.”
You can watch the full interview here:
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‘I have never pressurized Ayeza to spend her own money’: Danish Taimoor
Actor Danish Taimoor was a guest on “The Talk Talk Show” where among many things, he opened up about his relationship with wife Ayeza Khan , who is also an actor. The two have been married since 2014 and have two children.
In the interview, Taimoor revealed that he always made sure that the couple’s household expenses would remain his responsibility, and that whatever Ayeza had earned in her career would solely belong to her, leaving her free she to do whatever she liked with it.“I do this because even in Islam, this is what we’ve been told to do,” said the actor. “What ever earnings your spouse makes, these are her own and for me to even use Rs1 from it is haram. If its her intention, then she may give it to me if she wishes. But anything regarding grocery or household, I tell her that it is solely my responsiblity,” he categorically said.
Taimoor also talked about those roles that attracted a lot of public criticism in dramas like Deewangi and Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi. He said that it was not his responsibility to become a teacher, as he was an entertainer:
“Do not connect these characters with myself…I don’t take responsibility for all of this. I am here to entertain public, otherwise I would have become a teacher.”You can watch the complete interview below:
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‘The right to love shouldn’t be a privilege’: actor Swara Bhasker marries Muslim political activist
Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker has married political activist Fahad Ahmed on __ in a court wedding. The actress shared pictures of the wedding on her Twitter account, showing the couple with her parents and loved ones.
She put up a picture of herself signing the papers with her husband and revealed that she had gotten married under the Special Marriage Act.“Three cheers for the #SpecialMarriageAct (despite notice period etc.) At least it exists & gives love a chance… The right to love, the right to choose your life partner, the right to marry, the right to agency these should not be a privilege.”
In another tweet, the actress revealed she had worn her mother’s sari and jewelry for the special occasion.
“So blessed to be supported and cheered by the love of family and friends like family! Wore my mother’s sari & her jewellery.. made @FahadZirarAhmad wear colour and we registered under the #SpecialMarriageAct Now to prep for shehnaii-wala shaadi”
Bhaskar has also addressed why she opted for a simple wedding despite the recent spate of lavish celebrity weddings like Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani. In an op-ed for The Week, the actress readers that weddings are a promise to remain faithful to each other rather than an opportunity to gain sponsorship or likes on Instagram.
‘The social media-fuelled wedding mania has also led to a fundamental shift in our fiscal values. This is a shift that consumer capitalism enabled EMI culture of ‘work hard, spend big’ has already engendered in the millennial generation, but the fantasy wedding craze generates a whole other set of fiscal habits. And, these are not very healthy!’
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Bruce Willis has dementia, condition has ‘progressed’
In a statement shared on social media on Thursday, Bruce Willis’ family, including his wife Emma Hemming Willis, ex-wife Demi Moore and daughters- announced that the former actor is suffering from frontotemporal dementia.
The statement shared that although there is no treatment for the dementia, the family hoped that in spreading awareness about Willi’s condition will encourage research on the neurodegenerative disease.
“For people under 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and because getting the diagnosis can take years, FTD is likely much more prevalent than we know. Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead. As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research.”
The actor’s family had disclosed in 2022 that he was suffering from aphasia, which was affecting his cognitive abilities and thus he would be retiring from acting.
“Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately. We know in our hearts that – if he could today — he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families.”Frontotemporal dementia primarily affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, causing atrophy in these regions, leading to either personality changes or loss of communication. The disease can be inherited but can occur independent of genetic inheritance too. It is progressive with no known cure.
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Hasan Raheem’s downtime activity is reading about SRK-and we approve.
It looks like aside from singing, Hasan Raheem has superior reading taste which got approval from an Indian author herself!
Shrayana Bhattacharya, the author of “Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh Khan”, tweeted a few days ago about her fondness for singer Hasan Raheem and his song Peanut Butter. She also hoped that he would perform at a concert in India some day.“Never thought I’d be listening to a song titled “Peanut Butter” on loop. But here we are. After an accident on the internet introduced me to the musical smarts of @hasanraheeem , I’ll hope he’ll be in concert in India someday. #peechayhutt“
Yesterday, Bhattacharya tweeted a picture of Raheem holding up her book, and wrote about how much this had moved her.
“Amidst many reasons offered by the news cycle and social media to frown, this photo moved me so very much. When #DesperatelySeekingShahRukh reached the amazing artist @hasanraheeem.”
On her Instagram stories, the author also shared the special note she had sent to Raheem:
“Your music has helped me write and has been the soundtrack to my life recently. So much admiration. Hope you will perform in India soon.”
Raheem later sent Shrayana a message, thanking her for the wholesome gift and promised that he would definitely perform in India some day!
“Just got the book Shrayana, this meant a lot me. The heartwarming note that you left moved me completely. Hoping I come to India to perform for you and all my people there. Have a blessed life and meri dua hai upar wala apki har takleef door karay”
Seriously who is cutting onions here?
Social media users are also moved by this exchange, and witnessing their two kings in the same picture
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Javed Akhtar set to appear at Faiz Festival
Renowned Indian screenwriter and poet Javed Akhtar is set to attend the Faiz Festival in Lahore where he will be a part of two discussions with actor Adeel Hashmi, as well as a mushaira with other poets.
The Current spoke to Hashmi about what their discussion will be about and he said:
“Our first talk will be about his book ‘Jadunama’ which was released a few days ago, and will also be available for purchase at the event. Our second talk [taking place on Sunday, 19th Feb, is called ‘Talking Life’ which will be a discussion about life. In the next Mushaira, he will be reading out his poetry.”
Along side Javed Akhtar, many prominent faces are expected to attend the event such as singer Shafqat Amanat Ali who will hold a performance on Friday, as well as Director and Screenwriter Sarmad Khoosat who will hold a conversation with Navid Shahzad.
Faiz Festival is taking place from February 17 to 19 at Alhamra Center. -
‘Extremely moving’: Social media is in love with the Netflix documentary ‘The Romantics’
Netflix released the anticipated documentary ‘The Romantics’ on Tuesday, garnering praise from Bollywood fans around the world, especially those who had grown up loving Yash Chopra’s films.
The documentary explored the life of the famous film maker, who was responsible for some of the biggest hits like Chandni, Lamhe, DDLJ, Band Baja Barat, Mohabattien and Veer Zaara etc. Prominent actors from three generations like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif. Madhuri Dixit etc, will talk about their experiences of working with the film giant.
Pakistanis also grew up loving Chopra’s films, and didn’t hold back on praising the documentary.
Lawyer Reema Omer had written:
“Difficult to describe how watching #TheRomantics made me feel. It is a reminder of why Hindi films have had such a profound impact on people over the decades, and why we continue to yearn for such cinema. Fills the heart with so much love and nostalgia So, so beautiful!”Journalist Sabahat Zakariya commented that the documentary stirred up many childhood memories .
The documentary especially focused on the iconic film Dilwalay Dulhania Le Jayienge, which was Chopra’s biggest ever hit with Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in main leads. Many were moved by Khan’s comment on his relationship with the late director, and his comment that he considered Chopra a father figure.
Khan also revealed that the reason he acted in more romantic movies is because Chopra himself told him that his stare was intense and not meant for action movies.
Fans called ‘The Romantics’ a moving tribute to the generation that had grown up loving Yash Chopra’s films, and also said it was the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.
Watch ‘The Romantics’ on Netflix.