Best entertainment news in the industry, we break entertainment stories as soon as celebrities post on their social media and do Pakistani drama reviews.
Indian channel Zee TV has recently announced to re-run Pakistan’s mega-hit drama serial ‘Zindagi Gulzar Hai.’
The drama was aired earlier on Zee–Zindagi, a channel launched by Zee TV for Pakistani, Turkish, and Indian serials. The show had to be pulled down due to the sociopolitical turmoil between the two neighboring countries, which worsened when a ban was imposed on Pakistani celebrities to work in India.
The channel took to social media to break the news. The drama will be aired from 5th June at 12:00pm for two consecutive hours on weekends.
The drama serial directed by Sultana Siddiqui and written by Umera Ahmed was aired back in 2012 on Hum TV. This Fawad Khan-Sanam Saeed starrer is amongst the biggest television blockbuster of the last decade. It was also added to Netflix for transnational streaming in December 2015 with the current 4-star rating.
“I would respectfully disagree. She’s still the same person, just expressing herself differently,” said Momina while replying to one of the trolls.
Mustehsan further added: “You and I wouldn’t be here on her page if she hadn’t already gained the ‘fame’ you’re implying she changed herself to chase. If anything, I’m sure you guys have made her more than aware of your sentiments towards her choices – yet she’s choosing to be herself.”
“Let’s allow people to express themselves, however they want to. Just like you and I (and everybody else), people evolve. The way we think, feel, look keeps changing and that’s the beauty of life. Extend freedom to receive freedom,” said Momina, adding, “Just some food for thought. have a lovely day.”
Replying to another comment, Momina said: “But Islam doesn’t allow us to hurt people either, right? Whatever someone chooses to do with themselves (with no impact on you) is between them and Allah. It’s not on you. But hurting someone – that’s on you.”
“And Allah for sure doesn’t like that , neither can He forgive you for it, unless the person you’ve hurt. Think about it. Let’s focus on our own Aakhirat,” she added.
Earlier, Shah lashed out at trolls who had criticized her for lifestyle choices and fashion looks. The actor was being targeted for her clothes in the music video of her debut song, Badnaamiyan, with Sahir Ali Bagga.
Zhalay Sarhadi has clapped back at a troll over comments on her feet. During a question and answer session on Instagram, someone commented on her feet saying, “Your feet look so big Mardana type”
To which Zhalay replied, “Yes my hands are even bigger!”
She continued, “I can deliver some real tight slaps and throw mad punches!”
Earlier, Syra Yousuf clapped back at those who posted negative comments about her skin after her sister Palwasha Yousuf, a stylist, posted an unfiltered picture of the actor on social media.
Meanwhile, earlier in 2019, Hania Aamir in a social media post had opened up about her struggle with acne and talked about unrealistic beauty standards.
Adnan Siddiqui has penned a love letter for mangos.
“This post may cause readers to salivate and OD on mangoes,” wrote Siddiqui while sharing a video of himself, eating mangos on Instagram.
“As a kid, I looked forward to summers despite the punishing heat and lethargy the weather is notorious for. Minor inconveniences as this was also the season of the best creation by Nature: mango—undisputed emperor of fruits. Not just because of its divine taste, mangos and summers hold a special place in my heart as both always remind me of my Abba. May Allah grant him higher place in Jannah. Ameen,” he added.
Siddiqui went on to say: “Abba used to bring payti or carton of mangos and that was one day, none of us threw any tantrum at the dinner table because we knew a sweet bounty awaited us at the end of the meal. Right after finishing our food, we would hover around Abba, waiting for him to open the treasure chest. He would then gather all eight of us around him like mother hen, a huge bucket brimming with mangos in the centre. We would sit on the floor— a ritual reserved only for mangoes. Abba always believed that the fruit needs to be accorded due respect by cooling them in buckets filled with water and to be eaten, sitting cross legged on cold floor.”
“Once everyone had settled, he would roll up his sleeves: cue that showtime is about to begin. He would then start cutting the fruit, juice dripping from his wrists onto his kurta pajama, handing one piece after the other according to seniority. Of course, being the youngest, my turn came the last by when I would have reached the tail end of patience. One bite into the succulent, juicy, ripe mango and all the wait seemed worth it. We got up only after finishing the entire bucket. No one cared about sugar, calories, gaining weight. It was only about savouring the simple pleasures of eating mangos,” he continued.
“Such were those carefree days when you lived footloose and fancy free and ate with gay abandon.”
Siddiqui also asked his fans if they had any childhood story of mangos.
Who doesn’t love a good high school movie? It’s got a hero, but what we love is that the women are the real star. It is set in a young, relatable world, and some of these are so iconic that they have truly stood the test of time. Shanzeh Chaudhry ranks her favourite movies with strong female leads, for The Current.
1.Mean girls (2004)
Of course, I’m going to start with the most iconic and original teen movie of all time. This movie is one of the first that displays the realities of being a teenage girl in high school. It’s narrated from the perspective of a girl who’s been homeschooled till she moves and starts going to school. Her experience isn’t what she expected, and entering “Girl World” is not as easy as it looks. The process from the innocent new girl to shiny hard plastic is a journey of backbiting, stealing boyfriends, and lying about the health bars that help you “lose weight”. The movie shows the process of how corrupt the high school system is and the lengths girls would go to fit in. Personally, I feel like the movie tried its best to give an idea of the full high school experience, which was accomplished, as it is the most popular teen movie, 17 years later.
2.Shes the man (2006)
This movie was honestly so inspirational that I just had to add it to the list. It relates to the common sexist attitude and expectations towards females. A girl with a passionate love for football will go to all most any lengths (no matter how absurd) to prove that women can play football just as good as men, maybe even better. Even if it means posing as her twin brother and trying out for a university soccer team. Despite the message, it was just a generally funny and entertaining family movie. We watch our main character, Viola, juggle between her double life of being a university boy and being the “lady” that her mother and society expect her to be. It promotes feminism and inspires girls to stand against society’s expectations if it means doing something they’re passionate about.
3.A Cinderella story (2004)
We’ve all watched the Disney classic “Cinderella”. In the animated version of the film, the main message it was trying to put across was to always be kind despite evil in the world. This version is a bit more modern and relatable to girls in their teens. Our main character, Sam, lives with her evil stepmother and sisters after her father dies in an earthquake when she is eight years old. She works for her stepmother in her father’s diner to save up to go to her “Dream college, Princeton”. She has a secret texting relationship with an anonymous guy, who we soon find out is the glamorous high school football star Austin Aims. They both bond over their dream of going to Princeton and all their problems and concerns for their future. Sams bravery and patience, despite her struggles, are really motivational and admirable. This movie really is a lovely romance, with a touch of nostalgia that really hits home.
4.The Princess Diaries (2001)
‘Mia Thermopolis’ is your average high school teenager, who can’t speak in public to save her life and dreams of a car for her sixteenth birthday. Her life takes a twist when her long-lost grandmother shows up and turns out, she’s the Queen of a tiny country called “Genovia”. Which, yes, makes Mia a princess! After her father (the king) passed away a year before, Mia is the only rightful heir to the throne. All this information comes crashing into Mia’s life, changing it completely. Suddenly, the girls who would once make fun of her and the boy who practically didn’t even know she existed, started trying to weasel their way in her life. She has to go through a series of “Princess training courses” but most importantly, she has to decide if she’s going to take on the role of “Princess” and as “Future Queen of Genovia”. Mia’s sarcastic and witty personality definitely adds a comedic touch to the movie. It really seems like every girl’s dream; to wake up one normal day and find out you’re the princess of a whole country! We watch as Mia transforms from a regular introverted American girl to high-class royalty!
5.She’s All That (1999)
High school star, Zac Siler is forced to go to extreme lengths to protect his reputation after getting dumped by his cheerleader girlfriend. He makes a bet with his friends to turn Laney Boggs, “the introverted weird girl”, into prom queen in just six weeks. After a lot of convincing Zac finally get Laney to go out with him. What started off as a silly bet turned into a blossoming romance. We watch how slowly Laney opens up to the world and how Zac realises that popularity isn’t everything. It’s a classic case of opposites attract. They both show each other a different perspective. I personally love how we slowly see the characters develop and along the way spark a romance that they didn’t expect at all.
Hasnain Lehri has penned a heartfelt note for his late father, who passed away on May 22.
Lehri uploaded a picture of his hand holding his father’s for the last time. “Papa jaan, holding your hand for the last time was the second most difficult thing I have ever had to do,” he admitted while sharing his thoughts on social media.
“Letting go of your hand for the last time was the first.”
“This is the price you pay for having a great father. You get the wonder, the joy, the tender moments — and you get the tears at the end, too. I love you and I miss you the most, Papa Jaan I talk to you all the time, I hope you hear me,” he went on.
The model went on to ask Allah for the patience to bear such a heavy loss.
“Allah has given me Himmat, hope He give us Sabbar,” wrote Lehri.
Really saddened to know the sudden demise of Alim Mama. May Allah Pak grant him best place in jannah and give you people strength to bear such a big loss.
Lehri had lost his younger brother, Mansoor Lehri, to a heart attack on May 26, 2019. He had written a similar heartfelt message for him upon his death.
American actress, activist, and producer Susan Sarandon has lauded Bella Hadid for her efforts for the Palestinians and condemned Israel’s apartheid in Palestine.
“I stand with the Palestinian people fighting against the apartheid government of Netanyahu and pray for the Israeli people that they too, will enjoy peace,” said Susan while writting on Twitter.
She also commended Bella’s efforts, saying: “I also support Bella Hadid for having the bravery to stand in solidarity with her people,” adding, “that can be lonely.”
I stand with the Palestinian People fighting against the apartheid government of Netanyahu and pray for the Israeli people that they too, will enjoy peace. I also support @bellahadid for having the bravery to stand in solidarity with her people. That can be lonely.
Replying to Susan, the American supermodel said: “Susan I’ve always looked up to you and your advocacy for the world. You give me the strength to keep speaking up for the things that matter to me… human rights for everyone worldwide. You give me the strength to stay strong in my power, to keep moving forward with kindness, respect, integrity, and love… no matter what!”
“Thank you for your support, Susan. You are the legend above all legends. I am lucky to hear these words from you, and I know Palestine is grateful for your support as well. We will always stand tall for the voices of the oppressed and of the silenced, Thank you, I love you dearly,” wrote Bella.
Earlier, Hadid had joined a protest in New York in solidarity with Palestinian people against Israeli violence in Palestine.
Despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Israel ruthlessly attacked worshipers at Al-Aqsa the next day during Friday prayers on May 21.
Imran Abbas has had enough of people (read: YouTubers, clickbaiters) getting him married to his co-stars.
“After Alizeh Shah, Saboor, Ushna [and] now Urwa. My fourth marriage since January 2021,” wrote an exasperated Abbas on social media.
“Yaar in bloggers ko koi aur kaam nahi hai? Ya ye samajhtay hain ke mujhe koi aur kaam nahi hai,” questioned Abbas while sharing a collage of himself with the aforementioned actresses in bridal shoots.
The Khuda Aur Mohabbat actor further said: “Can we take action against these bloggers/clickbaiters? It’s very shameful to associate any female’s name with her co-actor/friend or vice versa.”
“I would request all of you to atleast unsubscribe these YouTube channels, bloggers or social media pages to let them have their own medicine,” added Imran.
Sharing Abbas’s post in her Instagram stories, Ushna Shah said: “Sometimes we laugh it off, sometimes it isn’t so funny. These clickbait headlines travel in WhatsApp groups to our families and it’s pretty embarrassing.”
“Can you guys stop already?” questioned Shah.
Earlier, fake news of Abbas’s marriage with Ushna had emerged on social media and both the actors took it lightly and responded to it humourously.
Shah had tagged Imran on the screenshot, writing: “Mubarak ho Imran Abbas [Congratulations to you Imran Abbas].”
In response to Shah’s story, Imran had said: “Ushna! And we even forgot to inform each other in haste.”
At the same time, he had slammed YouTubers, saying: “YouTubers!! At least do photoshop properly.”
Pakistani wicket-keeper batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed has shared a list of his favourite Pakistani dramas as he quarantines for Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) sixth edition.
“Bhi Pakistani dramo ke be kiya baat hai bhi wah wah,” said Sarfaraz while sharing his list.
The dramas which made it to his list include:
Ishqiya featuring Feroze Khan and Hania Aamir, produced under Fahad Mustafa’s Big Bang Productions
Raqs-e-Bismil featuring Sarah Khan, Imran Ashraf, Furqan Qureshi and Momin Saqib
Fitrat featuring Saboor Aly, Ali Abbas and Zubab Rana
Aulad featuring Marina Khan, Syed Mohammad Ahmed, Hassan Ahmed, Nabeel Zuberi and Sunita Marshall
Nand featuring Aijaz Aslam, Shahroz Sabzwari, Minal Khan, Faiza Hassan, Javeria Saud and late Sumbul Shahid
Khani featuring Sana Javed and Feroze Khan
Qayamat featuring Ahsan Khan, Neelam Muneer, Shabbir Jaan and Saba Faisal
Muje Khuda Pe Yaqeen Hai featuring Aagha Ali, Nimra Khan and Yashma Gill
Jalan featuring Minal Khan, Fahad Sheikh, Nadia Hussain, Hajra Yamin and Emmad Irfani
Sarfaraz also tagged the actors who were part of all the aforementioned dramas and appreciated their work in them.
The Quetta Gladiators captain, along with other PSL6 players and coaching staff has to go through a seven-day quarantine period for the remaining matches, set to be played in Abu Dhabi in the first week of June.
Veteran actor Bushra Ansari has expressed her gratitude for those who prayed for her sister Sumbul Shahid during her battle with coronavirus.
“You all saw a few days ago I lost my sister Sumbul Shahid,” said Bushra in a video posted on Instagram. “We’re told a lot about the coronavirus. But we only realise it when our loved ones suffer from it and depart from this world.”
“We all are grateful for the prayers you sent,” remarked Ansari.
“There was a lot of love among us sisters,” said the actor, adding, “Sisters’ bond has another level.”
In March 2021, Bushra and Asma Abbas had shared that Sumbul was battling coronavirus and had been put on a ventilator. Their mother had also contracted the virus at the time. They requested followers for prayers and advised them to follow safety protocols.
Sumbul passed away after a long battle with COVID on May 6. She was last seen in drama serial Nand, which aired on ARY Digital.