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Feature films Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad and London Nahi Jaunga received commercial and critical success at the box office on Eid-ul-Azha. However now these successful films have become a victim of piracy, a widely and eternally decried practice affecting film and entertainment businesses worldwide.
The pirated version of these films is being sold on Pakistan’s biggest online shopping website, Daraz.
Actor Mahira Khan and director Nabeel Qureshi took to their Twitter handles to express their shock and anger on the app’s stint. Nabeel even announced that he will pursue the legal route
Theor film was being sold with a meager price tag in the name of “Azadi Sale”.
Innumerable copies of both films have been sold on the website of the shopping giant, as is evident from the comments section of the website. And it is surprising that such a huge platform would commit a such blatant violation of Pakistan’s piracy laws.
It is pertinent to mention that Daraz is owned by the multi-billion dollar international giant AliExpress, and that makes AliExpress equally involved in this case.
Late pop singer, Nazia Hassan graced New York with her ethereal presence at Times Square on the eve of her death anniversary thanks to Spotify.
The aesthetic trendsetter in music, who blessed us with some of the greatest songs in Pakistan’s pop music history, tragically passed away on August 13, exactly 22 years ago, with Spotify deservingly paying tribute to her on August 13 at the iconic Times Square with an EQUAL playlist dedicated to her music.
“Nazia Hassan is a name synonymous with finesse and soulful rhymes. Her influence on the subcontinent continues to be emulated and admired until this day, even after her passing. Making her debut with the song Aap Jaisa Koi in 1980, she and her brother Zoheb Hassan have sold more than 65 million records worldwide. Having won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer at 15 in 1981, she remains the first Pakistani and the youngest recipient of the accolade to date,” stated a press release issued by the music streaming platform.
It further added, “As the world celebrates the 22nd anniversary of her passing on Aug 13, EQUAL Pakistan acknowledges her profound impact on Pakistan’s music ecosystem. With her brother Zoheb Hassan, Nazia holds enormous respect and affection for her music and contributions to social causes.”
Indian filmmaker and actor Anurag Kashyap took to his Twitter handle to laud Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi starrer, The Legend of Maula Jatt‘s trailer. “Finally the film I’ve loved so much and the film you really want to see, the trailer is out!” the Gangs of Wasseypur director tweeted along with the link to the trailer on YouTube.
https://t.co/CieDpEwi6wFinally the film I’ve loved so much and the film you really want to see , the trailer is out!
Film critic Joginder Tuteja tweeted, “This is as huge as it gets! Imagine, the action drama was made before K.G.F! This can become one of the biggest blockbusters ever! Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Bilal Lashari, Ammara Hikmat – you have indeed made something spectacular!”
The Legend of Maula Jatt is the most expensive film to come out of Pakistan. This intense and epic hero origin story, with a screenplay by Bilal Lashari and dialogues by Nasir Adeeb, is a hard reboot of the 1979 cult classic Maula Jatt. The film is directed by Lashari as well, known for his directorial debut, the box office mega-hit Waar, and produced by Ammara Hikmat under the joint venture of Encyclomedia & Lashari films in association with AAA Motion Pictures.
The film, which was initially announced in 2011, has seen many hurdles along the way. Be it the prolonged legal battle or a pandemic, The Legend of Maula Jatt kept getting delayed for one reason or the other. Now, fans and critics are hopeful that the film will finally see the light of the day and will release on the recently announced date, October 13 of this year.
Pakistani stars Ushna Shah and Saba Faisal shot a commercial with Kashyap earlier this year in Belarus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8ph1JpIiJw
The Baaghi actor recently took to Instagram and shared a video from Minsk where the team filmed the commercial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhaORPAAiHc
“Today is the first day of why I am currently in Belarus,” the Qayamat star shared in a video. “You will get to see our upcoming project with a great director.”
Although the Balaa star mentioned in another story that she will announce herself when she will do a project with the Raman Raghav director.
In 2018, Anurag spoke about the ban on art in both countries, given the current political standpoint. Discussing the possibility of filming in Pakistan, Kashyap said, “I would love to film in Pakistan. I have always wanted to visit and attend the literature festivals but it never worked out. I have friends who have visited Pakistan and they tell me how badly they want to go again.”
Indian singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala passed away on May 29th this year. He was shot dead in his which had a connection with his famous song, 295 that he created for his enemies. Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar has taken responsibility for his murder, and Lawrence Bishnoi and others are involved. Now his father Balkaur Singh claims his ‘brothers’ turned out to be his enemies.
A lot has happened ever since Sidhu passed away. A statue has been erected at his cremation site in Mansa and his father inaugurated it. He broke down and even expressed how hard it was to see his son in that form at the age of just 28. Police continue their investigation and several linked to the case have been arrested.
In the latest statement to Indian media, Balkaur Singh said, “Some black sheep became enemies of his career. It was his misfortune that people whom he met at the beginning (of his career) were not the right persons. He could not realize that those who were claiming to be his brothers now would become his enemy tomorrow. I will take their names. Let the time come. It is a matter of a few days. I will make everything clear about who did what.”
Meanwhile, out of 6 shooters who killed Sidhu Moose Wala, three have been arrested. 2 of them have been neutralised while the remaining one is still absconding.
Days after Sidhu’s murder, Mumbai Police reached Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s house on Monday after a death threat letter had been sent to him and his father, Salim Khan.
Salim Khan’s guards had spotted an unsigned letter at Mumbai’s Bandra Bandstand promenade. The letter had a death threat for the Khans, “tumhara Moose Wala kar denge (you will end up like Moose Wala)”.
Following the discovery of the letter, an FIR was registered by Mumbai Police, an official said. On early Sunday morning, Salim was sitting on a bench at the Bandra Bandstand, which is his routine, after a morning walk when an unidentified man handed him a letter which mentioned a threat to kill Salim and Salman, the official said.
Later, with the help of his security personnel, Salim Khan contacted the police and an FIR was registered under section 506-II (Criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Bandra police station.
Bishnoi had reportedly planned a plot to assassinate Khan over his involvement in a blackbuck poaching case. Blackbucks are considered sacred creatures by the Bishnoi community.
Today is the 75th Independence Day of Pakistan. In seven decades of Pakistan’s history, many mili naghmas (national songs) were produced. We have listed the top five mili naghmas that we think are loved by everyone.
Yeh Watan Tumhara Hai
This mili naghma was sung by Mehdi Hassan in 1962. “Mir-e-karwaan hum thay, rooh-e-karwaan tum ho. Hum to sirf unwaan thay, asal dastaan tum ho.” These lyrics will surely re-ignite the patriotic spirit in you.
Dil Dil Pakistan
It won’t be unfair to say that Dil Dil Pakistan by Vital Signs can be termed as the unofficial national anthem of Pakistan. It was released on Independence Day in 1987. It was also copied and used in an Indian film in 1990.
Ae Watan Pyare Watan
Ae Watan Pyare Watan was released in 1965 and is sung by Ustad Amanat Ali Khan.This mili naghma evokes strength, jubilance, and a sense of patriotism.
Ae Watan Ke Sajeelay Jawano
Malika-e-Tarranum Noor Jehan recorded 12 songs during the 1965 war. Ae Watan Ke Sajeelay Jawano was one of them. Composed with love and passion, this is a song that is guaranteed to evoke patriotism in you.
Ae Rahe Haq Ke Shaheedon
The song was composed and sung for the film Madar-e-Watan released in 1966, a year after the 1965 War to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1965 War and is sung by Naseem Begum. The lyrics and music of this song never fails to touch our hearts.
A video of Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan is resurfacing on social media in which he admits to having regretted passing on Pakistani superstar Fawad Khan’s role in Kapoor & Sons.
Co-guest Kangana Ranaut said that Saif should have done the film while praising the Zindagi Gulzar Hai star for his performance. “Fawad was so good in the film, I love Fawad.”
Earlier in another interview, Said revealed that, “I’m not a petty guy with a narrow-minded mentality. I’m very liberal in my views and can look beyond things. It’d be amazing to have a gay character as one of the roles in my portfolio and I look forward to playing one. It’s got nothing to do with being perceived as an alpha male, like your article argued, as I don’t think I have a particularly macho image. At the time when Kapoor and Sons was offered to me, I didn’t feel it was the right project for me to get into.”
“It’s very sad if people have perceived my rejection of Kapoor and Sons as something to do with homosexuality, something that I wholeheartedly support. Everyone makes mistakes, but when Karan (Johar, film producer) and Shakun (Batra, film director) came to me, I just didn’t feel like doing the film… just like when Sajid Khan came to me, I had felt like doing Humshakals, which now I know was horrible. Shit happens.”
When Shakun Batra’s Kapoor And Sons was released back in 2016, no one had thought that the film would be what it is. It is probably one of the most realistic yet entertaining family films that, instead of painting a rosy picture, gives us a glimpse of what really goes on in a family. The way the vulnerabilities, flaws, and shortcomings of each character were portrayed has been lauded for years and it made us empathize with the family. Fawad Khan was unanimously praised for his acting in the film. His portrayal of a closet man was spot on. However, the role was rejected by multiple A-list actors before it fell in Fawad’s lap.
Popular film critic Rajeev Masand wrote in a leading daily, “As many as half a dozen actors are believed to have turned down the role of the elder brother in Shakun Batra’s hit Kapoor & Sons, before the makers approached Fawad Khan. Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Shahid Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapoor were all approached. While some explicitly admitted that they didn’t want to play a character that happens to be gay, others reportedly cited different excuses.”
Rajeev also sighted that Farhan was the only one who gave declined in the most professional way. “Farhan, whom Shakun had assisted previously, said he loved the film but didn’t see himself playing the older sibling. Of the lot, the makers say he was the most professional and upfront about his reservations.”
Sima Taparia of Indian Matchmaking fame is back with the second season of her show on Netflix. While several original cast members returned to the show, such as Pradhyuman Maloo, Aparna Shewakramani and Nadia Jagessar, the highlight of the season was the matchmaker rejecting Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’ pair.
In the second episode of the latest season, Taparia asks Jagessar about how her relationship with Shekhar, the bachelor she set her up with, is going. She told the matchmaker that despite giving multiple hints, she doesn’t feel he has the same feelings for her as she does for him. But Taparia knew the truth that Jagessar had flirted with another single at a party and she had not told Shekhar about it. The person whom she flirted with, Vishal, was seven years younger than her.
To prove that Jagessar’s relationship could work, Taparia jokingly gave the example of Chopra and Jonas who have an 11-year age gap. “But I don’t feel it’s a good match, sorry to tell them,” Sima said. She added, “Just they have married, but it’s not a good match. He looks so small and petite in front of her, and she looks elder.” Jagessar let out a shocked laugh in response to what the matchmaking aunty said on the show.
Chopra and Jonas tied the knot in 2018 in a grand Indian wedding after a whirlwind romance. Earlier this year the couple welcomed their first child via surrogate, a baby girl whom they named Malti Marie Chopra Jonas. Clearly, they’re doing just fine, regardless of what a random matchmaker says.
Netizens are calling out Sima for her ageist remarks.
People who used to bully Priyanka-Nick and Arjun-Malaika as couples, have problems with Indian Matchmaking Show. That show is the most realstick Indian reality show, I have seen recently. They show, what you are. #indianmatchmakingnetflix
— Prince Vij ਪ੍ਰਿੰਸ ਵਿਜ (@Iam_PrinceVij) July 26, 2020
Last year Indian television actress Nausheen Ali Sardar, known for her role in Kkusum, revealed that Sima refused to find her a match because she’s Muslim.
In a recent interview, Nausheen said that she was “blatantly” told by Taparia that she doesn’t cater to Muslims or Catholics.
Speaking to Pinkvilla, Sardar said: “My family was insisting on getting me enrolled on a matrimonial site since the lockdown was going on, and I wasn’t even going on dates or anything as such. So they thought of approaching Sima Aunty, the famous marriage maker from the show Indian Matchmaking.”
“We were in for a shock when she blatantly told us on our face that she did not cater to Muslims or Catholics,” continued the actor.
“I mean it’s 2021! Yes, I am a Muslim, so what? I have an equal right too in society…I had gotten so annoyed at this that I put this entire bitter experience on her social media page where I had asked her to broaden her mindset,” said Sardar further, adding that she later took down the post on her family’s insistence as they feared that someone would try to hurt Nausheen.
In the same interview, Nausheen shared that this wasn’t the first time she had to face discrimination on the basis of her religion.
The actor shared that she was rejected by housing societies because ‘they do not give houses or flats in their building to Muslims.’
“I was shocked! It’s so important to respect every religion and if any society is going to be so rigid in their thoughts, it will be extremely difficult to survive there,” lamented Sardar.
Nausheen made her television debut with Ekta Kapoor’s hit soap opera, Kkusum in 2001.
Deepika Padukone began her journey with Om Shanti Om in Bollywood and there was no going back. She was the lucky one as her big Bollywood debut was with Shah Rukh Khan. Ever since, the actress has been a part of some remarkable projects like Piku and Bajirao Mastani amongst others.
During a recent interview, Deepika revealed that she was suffering from depression some years ago and was suicidal at times. However, the signs and symptoms were recognised at the right time and she fought back bravely.
Opening up about when she was suffering from depression, Deepika said, “I give all the credit to my mother for recognising the signs and symptoms because it just happened out of the blue.”
She went on to add, “I was on a career-high, and everything was going well, so there was no reason or no apparent reason why I should’ve felt the way I was feeling.”
“But, I would break down for no reason. There were days when I just didn’t want to wake up, I would sleep because sleep for me was an escape, I was suicidal at times,” she said.
During the interview, the ‘Cocktail’ actress said that she used to behave normally in front of her parents. As her parents, who live in Bengaluru, visited her most often.
Further, she said, “Even now when they visit me, I always put on a brave front that everything’s okay. You always want to show your parents that you are fine.”
Earlier this year, Padukone was asked by Filmfare magazine about the worst advice she’s ever received. Reacting to the same, the Gehraiyaan diva said, “I was told to get breast implants. I was all of 18 and I often wonder how I had the wisdom to not take it seriously.”
When asked about the best advice, the Cocktail star answered, “Shah Rukh (Khan) gives good advice and I got a lot from him. One of the most valuable pieces of advice I got from him was to always work with people you know you are going to have a good time with, because while you are making a movie you are also living life, making memories, and creating experiences.”
Discussing the aforementioned experiences, Deepika added, “Some [experiences were] public, some not so public. But in hindsight, I am grateful for those experiences. You don’t always walk into them knowingly. But eventually, you realise that all of life’s experiences teach you something. They give you clarity. They tell you a lot about who you are and give you perspective about the people around you.”
Meanwhile, Deepika will be next seen in Siddharth Anand’s directorial Pathan. She reunites with Shah Rukh Khan in it. She’ll be also seen in Anand’s Fighter, marking her first collaboration with Hrithik Roshan.
American magazine Page 6 has exclusively revealed that reality television star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian and comedian Pete Davidson’s age difference caused them to split earlier this month.
“Pete is 28 and Kim is 41 — they are just in very different places at the moment,” the insider says.
“Pete is totally spontaneous and impulsive and wants her to fly to New York, or wherever he is on a moment’s notice,” the source adds. “But Kim has four kids and it isn’t that easy. She needs to focus on the kids.”
The source also tells us that Kardashian — who runs multiple businesses and stars on a reality show — was “totally exhausted by this relationship and other things going on in her life.”
“Kim is a really dedicated mother, and her kids will always come first. She wants and needs harmony at home and in her life.”
Earlier this year, a fan embarrassed the reality television star while she was heading out from her movie date with Davidson, whom she started dating in November 2021 after filing for divorce from rapper Kanye West.
As Kim and Pete enjoyed a movie date over the weekend, video footage surfaced online showing a fan approaching Kim and directly telling her, “Yo Kim, Kanye’s way better, I’m not even going to hold you.”
Fan tells Kim Kardashian that “Kanye’s way better” as she leaves movie theater with Pete Davidson. pic.twitter.com/tjb5A67den
Pakistan’s only female actor to be nominated in the prestigious Filmfare Best Actress category, Saba Qamar is amongst the biggest names in the Pakistani film & television fraternity.
The Cheekh actress is currently riding high on the success of her back-to-back hits Ghabrana Nahi Hai and Kamli. Saba exclusively revealed in her interview with The Current that she rejected Bollywood films Love Aaj Kal and Delhi 6 early on in her career.
The Baaghi actress said that she turned down Love Aaj Kal because Deepika was doing the female lead part but Saba was offered a parallel role, so she thought that Padukone will overshadow her.
Qamar termed this rejection to be a stupid act of hers.
As for Delhi 6, Saba’s mother didn’t allow her to work in Indian films at that point in time.
The Pani Jaisa Pyar diva was always lured by Bollywood directors and producers for leading roles but she dared to refuse the movies and work on her own terms.
The Hindi Medium star mentioned that she will only work with A-listers like Khans and Kapoors as she is an A-list actress here in Pakistan. She wouldn’t compromise on the production value and the team that she would work with.
Saba made her Bollywood debut in 2017 with Hindi Medium opposite Irrfan Khan.
On the work front, she is currently featuring in ARY Digital’s Fraud opposite Ahsan Khan and Mikaal Zulfiqar.
