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.

  • Malala shares a list of her favourite TV shows, films

    Malala shares a list of her favourite TV shows, films

    If anything the pandemic induced quarantine gave everyone a chance to binge-watch endless TV shows and films. Malala Yousafzai, in a recent interactive session with her Instagram followers, asked them to share their recommendations and listed TV shows and movies she recently watched and enjoyed.

    Malala revealed that she recently watched and enjoyed The White Tiger, Wolfwalkers and Soul.

    Read more – ‘Family-friendly’ movies you should NOT be watching with your family

    The White Tiger

    Based on Aravind Adiga’s book of the same name, The White Tiger explores poverty and class struggles in modern-day India. The book was published in 2008 and won the 40th Man Booker Prize in the same year. Meanwhile, the cast of the movie includes Priyanka Chopra-Jonas and Adarsh Gourav besides Rao. It has been directed by Ramin Bahrani. The final instalment in directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart’s “Irish folklore trilogy” 

    Wolfwalkers

    Wolfwalkers is an animated movie and has been directed by Tomm Moore, and Ross Stewart. Wolfwalkers is the final installment of the Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart’s “Irish folklore trilogy”.

    Soul

    Soul, produced by Disney, revolves around the Joe, who is a middle school band teacher , who suddenly finds his soul detached from his body. The movie premiered at the London Film Festival on October 11, 2020.

    Malala further revealed that she loved Boys State.

    “In this documentary, it’s amazing to see teenage boys act like established politicians,” said Malala. “Some have strong convictions based on their own experiences. Other boys will just say anything for power and to win the support of the crowd.”

    Malala added that she would love to see Girls State too.

    In December 2020, Malala joined TikTok to raise funds for her charity organisation.

  • ‘Masterstroke’: Celebrities, cricketers jubilant over PM Imran’s Vote of Confidence

    ‘Masterstroke’: Celebrities, cricketers jubilant over PM Imran’s Vote of Confidence

    Fans and supporters of Prime Minister Imran Khan are celebrating his vote of confidence in the National Assembly of Pakistan with many expressing their delight over the development on social media. Several celebrities and cricketers including Farhan Saeed, Imran Abbas, Hadiqa Kiani, Waqar Younis and Mohammad Hafeez have also expressed their happiness and have thrown their weight behind him.

    “It wasn’t the first time, it won’t be the last. It’s such a difficult road, it’s such a difficult task,” said Farhan Saeed. “But if there’s anyone, who can do this, it’s you PM. We will do whatever it takes to give our future generations the Pakistan we all dreamt of.”

    Mohammad Hafeez termed the win a “Masterstroke,” while Waqar Younis said: “The tiger roars again. Congratulations skipper.”

    Earlier, the former cricketer and bowling coach of the Pakistan Cricket Team said that he loves PM Khan because of his “principles, honesty, and never give up attitude.”

    Sharing PM Khan’s picture on Twitter, YouTuber Shahveer Jafry wrote: “Checkmate.”

    Gohar Rasheed, Haroon Shahid, Fahad Mirza, Shaan, Anoushey Ashraf, Feroze Khan, Areeba Habib, and Omair Rana also expressed their excitement over PM Khan’s win.

    Similarly, actor Javeria Abbasi said: “I am Javeria Abbasi and my vote of confidence goes to one and only my skipper. I am confident that Imran Khan will never break the trust of Pakistanis, he will never cease to struggle for the betterment of Pakistan.”

    https://twitter.com/JaveriaAbasiPTI/status/1368058570256887808?s=20

    Hadiqa Kiani also celebrated Khan’s victory by sharing a picture of him. Earlier, in an exclusive interview with The Current, Kiani had said: “Pakistan is on the path to stability. I have all my hopes,” adding “A lot of people have lost hope but I still am hopeful.”

    After Pakistan Democratic Movement’s candidate Yousuf Raza Gilani emerged victorious against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh in the Senate Elections, PM Khan in an address to the nation announced that he is going to seek a vote of confidence from the National Assembly. The premier said the vote of confidence will be held through the show of hand and that he will have no objection if any member of his party does not trust him, adding that his party would sit on opposition benches if they lose this time.

    Following his decision to seek a vote of confidence, celebrities including Shaan Shahid, Rohail Hyatt, Imran Abbas and Omair Rana had extended their support for the prime minister.

  • ‘Don’t pit women against women’: Hania Aamir responds to backlash on using beauty filter

    ‘Don’t pit women against women’: Hania Aamir responds to backlash on using beauty filter

    Hania Aamir recently sparked backlash after she talked about colour shaming and flawed beauty standards in a series of posts on her Instagram stories. Netizens and social media users called the actor out for using a beauty filter and not showing her own raw skin while talking about embracing flaws.

    Responding to the criticism, Hania said: “I was even wearing makeup that day. The point is being comfortable with who you are, doing things because you want to do them, not doing things because [of] the beauty standards that are set.”

    “Does that makes sense?” questioned Hania after clarifying her stance.

    “If I am using a beauty filter because I want to use it then it’s fine. But if I use a beauty filter because I feel pressurized by the society, then it is wrong,” she explained.

    The actor further said: “Let’s not kill the whole conversation and pit women against women just because you don’t understand my point of view. There is something good going on over here, so please expand your brains and think positively.”

    Hania further said that she has been talking about skin positivity for the last two years.

    “Agar mein ne beauty filter user kar lia aik din toh aap ko opportunity mil gae hai. Itnay opportunist na bano yaar,” she remarked. “This is me with a bare face, deal with it.”

    This is not the first time Hania has talked about unrealistic beauty standards. Earlier in 2019, Aamir had opened up about her struggle with acne and talked about unrealistic beauty standards.

    Meanwhile, Syra Yousuf also posted a barefaced selfie of herself while responding to those who posted negative comments about her skin.

  • Netflix India announces star-studded lineup for 2021

    Netflix India has announced that it would release 41 shows and films in India this year, calling the move its “next big leap” in the world’s second-most populous nation India, where video streaming services have become more popular.

    According to details, Netflix’s new roster includes 41 titles featuring Bollywood actors, stand-up comedy shows and original series. Most shows will be in the Hindi language.

    The upcoming content will feature top Bollywood actors including Madhuri Dixit, Kartik Aryan, Sonakshi Sinha, Karan Johar, Manoj Bajpayee, R. Madhavan, and Raveena Tandon.

    “We are taking our next big leap in India,” said Netflix while announcing the news, adding that the upcoming lineup “features more variety and diversity than we have seen before”.

    India, whose Bollywood film industry makes more productions each year than Hollywood, remains a challenging market for the streaming services.

    Amazon’s Prime Video has become embroiled in legal cases and police complaints over a political drama Tandav deemed offensive to Hindu religious sentiments. The streaming platform apologised to viewers over some scenes.

    Earlier this year, Netflix announced that it will release more than 70 movies this year across comedy, drama, family and other genres, a lineup that underscores the streaming service’s growing prominence in the film business. It added that it plans to release a new movie every week for the entire year of 2021.

  • ‘I really like my skin’: Syra Yousuf hits back at trolls

    ‘I really like my skin’: Syra Yousuf hits back at trolls

    Syra Yousuf has responded and hit 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. While many, especially women, lauded Syra for embracing her skin and putting down unrealistic beauty standards, others mocked her skin for being textured and not smooth.

    Responding to the backlash on social media over her skin, Syra posted a natural selfie of herself, writing: “I really like my skin.” She also used the hashtag “No Filter” to further get her point across.

    In a similar incident, Dubai-based beauty influencer Huda Kattan also opened up and discussed how edits make a person appear perfect, setting unrealistic beauty standards for the rest.

    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.

  • Indian politician requests Pakistani comic Akbar Chaudhry to mimic Imran Khan

    Indian politician requests Pakistani comic Akbar Chaudhry to mimic Imran Khan

    India’s Shashi Tharoor has requested Pakistani comedian Akbar Chaudhry to mimic Imran Khan after enjoying Chaudhry’s hilarious take on the politician’s oratory English skills.

    Read more – Shashi Tharoor all praise for PM Imran

    Tharoor, a member of the Indian National Congress, is known for using extensive English vocabulary during his speeches and interviews. Chaudhry had made a fun video on that and shared a few tips on how people can also speak fluent English like Tharoor.

    The video shows the comedian making a drink out of the Oxford Dictionary and then drinking it. The second tip is to get a ‘blood transfusion’ with the Oxford Dictionary on one side and Tharoor’s speech on the other.

    In the third step, Akbar crushes a dictionary and snorts it. According to the comedian, if these steps are followed, anyone can speak like Tharoor.

    Soon after the comedian’s video went viral on social media, the politician responded and requested him to mimic PM Khan. Tharoor shared the video with a laughing emoji and wrote: “Next one on Imran Khan please!?”

    Speaking about the video, Akbar told The News that his friends from India have told him that the video is a hit on Indian WhatsApp groups.

    When asked about the idea behind the video, Akbar said that he had earlier done a video on “How to Speak English Like a Burger” and had received a lot of positive response on it.

    Akbar said that when that video did very well, he thought about doing similar stuff.

    He shared that almost two weeks ago, he had seen a tweet which joked that this year’s English exam for the Civil Superior Services (CSS) was set by Shashi Tharoor given the extensive and difficult vocabulary used in it.

    “[That’s when] the idea came to me that I can do a video on ‘How to speak English like Shashi Tharoor’,” said Akbar.

    He shared that he has been a big fan of Shashi Tharoor’s usage of the words in the English language.

    The comedian from the improvisational comedy group ‘Lol Waalay’, said that he had been hopeful that his effort would reach Tharoor.

    “Obviously, I didn’t believe it would happen, but somehow lots of people tagged him [Tharoor] in it and he replied,” said Akbar, adding he was “very happy” with the response. 

  • Amazon Prime offers rare apology ‘to anyone who felt hurt’ over ‘Tandav’

    In a rare move, Amazon Prime has issued an apology to its Indian viewers over the scenes in its political drama Tandav which sparked outrage and hurt religious sentiments, Reuters has reported.

    In a statement, the streaming said that it deeply regrets that viewers found certain scenes to be objectionable.

    Amazon apologises “unconditionally to anyone who felt hurt,” read the statement, adding that it will continue to “develop content while respecting the diversity of audiences’ culture and beliefs”.

    While Tandav controversy began in January, soon after the series released, it escalated last week when police in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) questioned one of Amazon’s top executives for hours in one case filed against the show.

    When asked about the company apology, a senior state police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said authorities would continue to investigate the matter.

    Read more – ‘Tandav’: A weak script saved by brilliant performances

    Featuring Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Sunil Grover, Gauahar Khan and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub in key roles, Tandav has been accused of disrespecting Hindu deities, with several political leaders including Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya demanding legal action against the team. Karni Sena also announced a Rs 1 crore award to the person who will chop of the tongue of Tandav’s makers.

    Earlier, following the backlash and outrage, Tandav creator Ali Abbas Zafar issued an “unconditional apology” on behalf of the team and, clarified that “Tandav is a work of fiction and any resemblance to acts and persons and events is purely coincidental” and that’s how one should also take it. While the series does appear to have been inspired by real-life incidents, it is also imperative to keep in mind that creative liberty has been taken.”

    Later, Ali issued another statement, in which he said that the makers decided to “implement changes” to the web series after concerns were raised. At least two scenes were removed from the show.

  • ‘Incredible in every way’: Ejaz Durrani’s daughters pen emotional tributes for him

    Ejaz Durrani’s daughters Hina Durrani, Mina Hasan and granddaughter Natasha Ali Lakhani have penned emotional tributes for their father and veteran actor.

    Durrani’s daughter, Hina Durrani remembered her father by calling him “a kind-hearted, empathetic, gifted and incredible in every way”.

    “My heart is broken and you take a piece of me with you but how I love you,” she wrote. “Thank you for doing all that you did for me and all of us.”

    Hina also requested everyone to pray for her late father, saying: “I ask everyone reading this to pray for him today and always as I shall pray for you all and your families.”

    Similarly, Hina’s sister Mina Hasan, sharing a picture of herself with her father said: “Dad, my hero. You were an exemplary human being and excelled in all your relationships. You were the best in the truest sense of the word.”

    “Thank you for everything you did for me because of you I am who I am. I remember how proud you were of me and it always made me want to make you prouder,” she added.

    Meanwhile, Durrani’s granddaughter and Hina’s daughter Natasha also remembered her late grandfather with a video from her wedding in which he was walking her down the aisle.

    “Love you so much Nana and shall always miss you,” wrote Natasha in the caption.

    Durrani passed away early on Monday at the age of 88 after battling a long illness. He is fondly remembered for his role as Ranjha in the movie Heer Ranjha in which he shared the screen with Firdous.

    On the personal front, Durrani was married to Noor Jehan, and the two had three daughters together. However, they later parted ways after which he married his co-star Firdous. That marriage too ended in divorce.

  • Bollywood celebs wish Suniel Shetty’s son success for his debut film ‘Tadap’

    Bollywood celebs wish Suniel Shetty’s son success for his debut film ‘Tadap’

    Suniel Shetty’s son Ahan Shetty is all set to make his Bollywood debut with Tadap. The movie, which will see Shetty share the screen with Tara Sutaria will be an “incredible love story”.

    The first poster of the film was launched by Akshay Kumar and shows a wounded Ahan hugging his co-star Tara.

    Sharing the poster on social media, Kumar said: “Big day for you Ahan. I still remember seeing your father Suniel Shetty’s first film Balwaan’s poster and today I’m presenting yours.”

    “So happy and proud to share the poster,” he added.

    Ahan’s father Suniel Shetty also posted a poster of the upcoming movie with the caption: “A new journey begins today.”

    Wishing Ahan good luck for his movie, Abhishek Bachchan recalled the days when Ahan was a baby and used to play football with him.

    Salman Khan also extended his best wishes and success to Ahan for his debut film, saying: “The tadap of hard work should never die.”

    Directed by Milan Luthria, Tadap is a remake of RX100, a Telugu film. Talking about the film, the director had said: “The plot of the film is very intriguing. It is a love saga which will leave the audience surprised. It is a stark love story, with both the leads having strong parts. I have seen Tara and Ahan perform together during the rehearsal workshops and they have immense chemistry.”

    He added that the movie will not be a “typical candy floss romance”, but an edgy version of the modern-day love story.

    Read more – Alia Bhatt creates waves with ‘gangsta’ act in ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ teaser

    Tadap is scheduled to hit cinemas on September 24.

  • Everything yellow: Rehmat Ajmal glows on her mayun

    With spring in full bloom in Lahore, Rehmat Ajmal kicked off her wedding celebrations with a yellow-themed mayun, pictures of which have gone viral on social media.

    Rehmat looked radiant in a simple yellow outfit by Faiza Saqlain. The model-turned-actor paired her peshwas with a bright silk chunri dupatta.

    Check out pictures from the festivities below:

    Ajmal got engaged in October last year in an intimate ceremony.

    A graduate of the National College of Arts (NCA), Ajmal made her way into modelling after being approached by a teacher during her second year. From there, she began getting featured in ad campaigns for different brands before bagging a role in Meray Paas Tum Ho. However, Rehmat later revealed that she is “not proud to be part of something [ Meray Pass Tum Ho] that is so compromising and ill-informed.”