Best entertainment news in the industry, we break entertainment stories as soon as celebrities post on their social media and do Pakistani drama reviews.
Renowned political analyst Irshad Bhatti has been through a devastating personal loss that has shaped his life and career. He lost his wife, his best friend and support, leaving him to care for their young children alone. Recently Irshad Bhatti appeared on the show ‘On The Front Eid Special’ hosted by Kamran Shahid.
“When my wife died, I felt like I lost my companion, my best friend, the woman who used to pray for me. I remember her every day, and I believe that I will meet her one day,” he poignantly said.
Safina Bhatti passed away on December 9, 2020, after a long battle with cancer.
Renowned Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh has teamed up with actor and social media influencer Momin Saqib to promote the upcoming film ‘Jatt and Juliet 3’. Scheduled for worldwide release on June 27, the movie is the third installment in the popular ‘Jatt and Juliet’ series.
In a video posted on Diljit’s official Instagram account, he announced the film’s release date with Momin Saqib by his side, stating, “‘Jatt & Juliet 3’ Releasing Worldwide 27th June.”
Dressed in traditional Punjabi clothing, Diljit also spoke about the Pakistan match in the T20 World Cup, saying, “I decided to come after I saw you feeling sad following the World Cup match.”
Momin Saqib commented, “Paaji, you’re one of the kindest and most down-to-earth people I’ve met. It was a pleasure. Can’t wait to see Jatt and Juliet 3 in cinemas.”
In the video, the duo embraced four times in traditional Punjabi style, adding to the excitement surrounding the film’s release.
Social media is buzzing with rumors that Pakistani heartthrob Sheheryar Munawar is preparing to get married. The celebrated actor, famous for his roles in hit dramas and films, is reportedly in love with fellow actor Maheen Siddiqui, Samma News has reported.
Speculation about their relationship started when People Pakistan hinted at a possible union between the two stars. Pictures circulating online have added fuel to the rumors, showing close moments between Sheheryar and Maheen.
Fans and followers have eagerly picked up on the clues, flooding social media with discussions about their alleged romance. The rumor mill went into overdrive when Sheheryar was seen interacting on Maheen’s social media posts, adding to the intrigue.
Although neither Munawar nor Siddiqui have officially confirmed the news, the idea of their union has already captivated their admirers. If reports are true, wedding bells may ring for the couple as soon as December, marking a new chapter in their lives.
For those eagerly waiting for ‘Barzakh,’ the suspense about its release is finally over. According to Variety, the makers of the highly anticipated Pakistani web series, starring Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed, have announced that it will premiere on Zee Zindagi’s YouTube channel and ZEE5 on July 19.
Written and directed by Asim Abbasi, the creator behind Zee Zindagi’s hits ‘Cake’ (Pakistan’s 2018 Oscar submission), ‘Barzakh’ promises to captivate viewers. Zee Zindagi recently released six striking artistic posters to keep the audience excited.
“When all has withered…will love endure? ‘Barzakh’ premieres 19th July on Zindagi’s YouTube and Zee 5 Shows,” the channel captioned the poster on its official X handle. Sanam also shared the posters on Instagram with the same tagline.
‘Barzakh’ had its grand debut at the prestigious Series Mania Festival in France in 2023. This project marks Abbasi’s second collaboration with the channel and reunites Sanam and Fawad for the first time since their hit series ‘Zindagi Gulzar Hai’ ended in 2013.
Set in the beautiful Hunza Valley, ‘Barzakh’ tells the story of a 76-year-old recluse who invites his estranged children and grandchildren to his remote valley resort for a special event — his wedding to the ghost of his first true love. This emotional story invites viewers to think about the mysteries of life, the afterlife, and the enduring power of love.
Shatru Rumors of the impending marriage of Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha have been circulating since a long time. Reports state that she will marry her longtime boyfriend Zaheer Iqbal on June 23, 2024. Sonakshi herself has stayed mum on the issue, choosing instead to honour her dad Shatrughan Sinha with a heartfelt note on Father’s Day, just before her wedding.
She posted a story on her Instagram with the caption , “Happy Father’s Day to my pillar of strength, ❤️❤️❤️” Former Indian film star Shatrughan Sinha has addressed the rumors last week .”I am neither confirming nor denying her wedding news. Time will tell. She will always have my blessings,” he said.
Calling Sonakshi “the apple of my eye”, Shatrughan stated that she is very close to him. “She has developed as an actor over the years, which makes me a proud father. She has shown herself to be a brilliant performer, from Lootere to Dahaad to now Heeramandi.”
Calling everyone (especially Pakistani guys, who need to learn from K-Dramas, yes?) The Current interviewed Actor Kubra Khan and discovered her secret obsession – Korean dramas. The actress, who is gearing up for her upcoming film release on Eid ul Azha alongside Gohar Mumtaz, revealed her love for the foreign shows.
When asked about her favorite shows, Kubra Khan shared, “I’ve seen Boys Over Flowers 23 times! It’s a classic, and I just can’t get enough of it.” She also talked about enjoying ‘It’s Okay To Not Be Okay’, praising the show’s emotional depth.
But what caught our attention was her recommendation for two must-watch K-dramas – ‘Gyeongseong Creature’ and ‘Blood Hound’. “These shows are not only entertaining but also packed with emotions,” she said.If you’ve seen a K-Drama, you know they’re really good. One thing’s for sure, we’ll be adding Gyeongseong Creature and Blood Hound to our watchlist.
Umr-o-Ayyar is everything I could not have imagined: badly written fanfic and a thrilling display of VFX-laden action unknown to Pakistani films.
Invited to the premier on behalf of The Current, I recalled all I had ever known about the character of Umr-o-Ayyar. Having been an avid reader of the legendary series of Dastaan-e-Ameer-i-Hamza and Talism Hoshruba, I was a fan of the conniving, quirky character of Umr-o-Ayyar, a friend and close confidant of the protagonist, Ameer-i-Hamza, but a legend in himself. The expectations were a little too high. The reality was a bit of a downer.
It was a marriage of convenience between the magical world of Harry Potter and the legendary period drama of Ertugrul.
My father, a master in Arabic language and literature, always told me that the name’s correct pronunciation was Ammar-Ayyar and not Umr-o-Ayyar, as per the rules of the Arabic language. Ammar, the protagonist played by Usman Mukhtar, really marked the right box with the name, but unfortunately, that’s about it.
His portrayal of the ‘clueless chosen one’ who remained true to character till the end made him look stupid more than likeable. Just like it was said about Harry Potter that magic still surprised him, Usman embodied the same traits, keeping his quintessential baffled expression intact whether it was his Schrodinger phase or him as an Ayyar.
The hero’s entourage, comprised of Ali Kazmi Salman Shaukat and Sanam Saeed, did leave their mark. It was the story that let them down. Manzar Sehbai’s Guru is there to mentally prepare the chosen, pure-blood Ammar Ayyar just like Master Shifu did with Po in Kung Fu Panda, but his styling, like that of Ertugrul’s Ibn Arabi, seemed out of place in the uber-cool setting. His verbose speeches and boasting of the power to know it all led to an all too predictable ending.
Director Azfar Jafri, known for family entertainers like Janaan and Heer Maan Ja falls short on this period cum super-hero cum action genre. Despite the fact that the two legends featuring the titular character are quite internalised in our language and culture, the movie comes across as an adaption of foreign celluloid. It has elements of Harry Potter’s pure-bloodedness, Voldemort’s black magic, inconsequential mention of physics, a motor-bike chase, Marvel’s VFX, fight sequences, and a world of supernatural elements ironically being dealt with both guns and knives. Consequently, the original plot, if there was any, got lost.
A sign of a flawed storyline is that the movie does not reflect much on the very conflict of the plot as to why the two parties are at war with each other. Ayyars, weak enough to get possessed, riding on bikes, and combating magic with internal powers, guns, and daggers made it all funny, even funnier than the comic reliefs in the film.
The best thing about the movie was the villains. The plot was driven by Sana’s Cheno, inspired by Bellatrix Lestrange, and Laqqa-a desi Voldemort- played by Faran Tahir. They were visibly ominous, and however flawed their dialogues were, their actions made more sense as they acted their part well. At one point in the film, Laqqa, the villain, has his first showdown with Ammar Ayyar, the hero, where the former says to the latter, “I am extremely disappointed after meeting you.” As an audience, you agree with him because such is the extent of Ammar’s incorrigibility. While it is not a well-written character, it performed even worse.
Hamza Ali Abbasi’s styling and acting take the cake. During those five minutes of his guest appearance, you are reminded of the beauty of the original tale. His portrayal of the OG, vivacious and witty Umr-o-Ayyar, who has especially come to knock some sense in the hero, made me reminisce about the accessories he owned, such as “zanbeel,” a satchel he used to carry everywhere that contained all the things under the sun, including the jinns he had entrapped. Alas! Its a lost opportunity.
While the storyline keeps boggling the mind, VFX in the final showdown really gives that larger-than-life experience. It deserves all the praise for being groundbreaking in Pakistani cinema. It’s the story which is the hamartia, a fatal flaw of this presumed epic of a film. The title, Umr-o-Ayyar-A New Beginning, indicates that the makers intend to make a series under the same banner. The next effort should not be as frivolous as this one. Overall, the movie is a good one-time watch that really lacks originality.
What a hot, hot Eid ul Azha most of the country witnessed. But being the resilient country that we are, we didn’t let the weather dampen our celebrations, and that includes our celebrities.
Many actors have shared their pictures, showing off their best outfits for the first day of Eid. Some started celebrating in the evening and posted their pictures later.
Check out some of your favorite celebrities celebrating Eid:
Jin from BTS has finished required military service in South Korea, leaving the military base in Yeoncheon on Wednesday, June 12.
Wearing his military uniform, Jin was welcomed back by his bandmates J-Hope, Jimin, Jungkook, V, and RM, who played the saxophone to celebrate his return.
Later, BTS posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) showing all six members together. Jin sat in the middle on a couch with decorations that said, “Jin Is Back.”
The group wrote “I’m home!” under the photo, which got more than one million likes on the platform.
Jin also did a livestream on Weverse for 19 minutes, where he talked with fans and thanked them for supporting him while he was away.
He posted a message thanking reporters and ARMY fans who came to see him after he finished military service. He said sorry for not being able to greet everyone properly because he was worried it would get too crowded.
In January, BTS put out a video on YouTube of Jin celebrating New Year’s with fans while he was still in the military.
“Ta-da everyone! Hello! Seok-jin came to say hi for the new year,” he said. “It’s January, everyone. The new year is here. I’m getting older in January. I’d be in my mid-30s now.”
“I miss you all. I miss you a lot,” Jin added. “Guys, please wait a few more months. Now that it’s the new year, we have a few months left. Make a lot of snowmen and think of me when you make them.”
BTS said they will come back together by 2025 after everyone finishes their military service.
Actress Komal Aziz Khan has been missing from the screen for a while, and she’s finally revealed the reason she’s been off from TV screens. She appeared as a guest on ‘Ayaz Samoo’s’ show where she talked about why she has stopped acting in dramas.
“I chose to prioritize my clothing brand, which has been doing well. My initial break from acting was meant to be temporary, but as my brand continued to flourish, I found myself devoted to it full-time. It’s been a while since I last acted in dramas.” She added that she will never collaborate with a few actors in the future.
“I’m a sensitive soul and I cannot work with someone who is not punctual, backbites, or creates drama on sets. I just cannot take it. I need a peaceful and professional environment to work in.” Komal added.
Komal Aziz Khan has had a notable career in television, having worked in dramas such as Mere Dard Ki Tujhe Kya Khabar, Aye Dil Tu Bata, Mere Khudaya, Tere Liye, Kam Zarf and Mera Kiya Qasoor
