Actor Faysal Quraishi wants to restore the splendor of Pakistani cinema but has an unusual plan to do so.
In an interview the veteran performer gave to Independent Urdu, he talked about the film industry in Pakistan and how it can be revived. “I am a very patriotic person,” he said. However, he emphasized that to make Pakistani cinema thrive, it’s crucial to screen Bollywood films in theaters. “I know that our people want to watch Bollywood movies in Pakistan, so we cannot impose our will on them.”
The actor mused about building good relationships with India, stating that, “We got a great opportunity to work in India. However, due to political tensions and conflicts, those paths closed, and we often shut down routes that bring money to our country.”
Pakistani actor and producer Humayun Saeed was a guest on Samaa TV’s ‘Gup Shab’ where he was asked about his opinion on whether Bollywood films should screen in Pakistani cinemas by a member of the studio audience. The actor responded:
“They should screen in our cinemas. I have never been against this decision. Bollywood produces a lot of films and releases four films every week, while we release less films. But a cinema should always screen more films regardless of which country they’re from. Whether they’re from Hollywood, Turkey, we should keep screening films in our cinemas, so that people keep going to cinemas.”
Humayun previously spoke in favour of strengthening ties between Bollywood and Pakistani actors. In August, during an interview with Bollywood Hungama, the ‘Mere Pass Tum Ho’ actor recalled meeting Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan telling him in 2005 that Pakistani films should play in India.
“There was a lot of excitement when I met Shah Rukh. He was very sweet to me. We were in his room and he made me sit with him and discussed Indian and Pakistan films with me. That time there was a Mehreen Jabbar and a Shaan film in the theatres and SRK was talking about them. He said that Pakistani films should be released in India and vice versa. He made me comfortable. Since I had just come the previous day to the sets, I did not know exactly what to do. Shah Rukh said ‘main sambhal lunga.’ The overall moment was very special.”
In a significant move, the Bombay High Court in India has dismissed a petition that sought to ban Pakistani artists from working in India. According to details, the petitioner in question was cine worker Faaiz Anwar Qureshi, who said that Pakistani artists working in India during the World Cup could reduce job opportunities for Indian artists.
In his complaint, Faaiz demanded that artists from Pakistan like actors, singers, lyricists or technicians who are being invited by Indian citizens and companies are banned.u
The bench comprised of Justice Sunil Shukre and Firdosh Pooniwalla rejected the plea, stating that such a move would be a step back in creating cultural harmony and unity between India and Pakistan.
“One must understand that in order to be a patriot, one need not be inimical to those from abroad especially, from the neighbouring country,” the court responded.
Previously, Bollywood films involving Pakistani artists were met with extensive fanfare. Khoobsurat released in 2014 starred Sonam Kapoor and Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, was met with praises. Fawad Khan also won ‘Best Male Debut’ at the Filmfare Awards. While Sajal Aly and Adnan Siddiqui’s collaboration with Sri Devi for the 2017 ‘Mom’ received six nominations at the Filmfare awards.
It’s been five years since Bollywood superstar Sridevi passed away in 2018 from accidental drowning in Dubai, leaving behind a celebrated legacy with films like ‘Chandni’, ‘English Vinglish’ and ‘Mr India’. The beloved Indian actress starred with Pakistani actors Sajal Aly and Adnan Siddiqui in the 2017 release ‘Mom’, and the two have always remembered her in fond words.
Aly commemorated the Bollywood icon by sharing a picture of her on her Instagram stories with the caption “Happy Birthday! I miss you”.
In an interview with BBC Asian Network, Aly had praised the late actress, stating that she was “like a mother to me” and discussed her experience of working with her on ‘Mom’ by recalling how kind the ‘Mr India’ actress was to her.
“…The first thing a good person and a good actor would do is make the other person comfortable,” the ‘Ye Dil Mera’ actress gushed. “She was that kind of actor. She had a lot of empathy and kindness towards me. For instance, I had that one scene where I was wearing this red dress and when I got ready she was like ‘Oh! You should curl your hair more!’ She was acting like a mother to me, although she was just a co-star. But the fact that she cared about how I’m looking and how I could look better, that is something that stole my heart.”
The host recounted meeting Sridevi for an interview for a film at her house, where she praised Sajal, by saying she’s someone “you need to lookout for.”
“I didn’t know she said that about me, but of course in some interviews she pra
ised my acting a lot. These kind of compliments, I get scared because I feel the pressure. I never talk about her a lot and the relationship we had, it’s something I can’t explain. Because it was really real.”
Aly was also close to Sridevi’s daughter Janhvi Kapoor, whom she could emotionally connect with because both of their moms had passed away.
“We met after six years[in Dubai],” recalled Aly. “When my mother had passed away as well as hers. Probably because of our mothers as well we got a lot more closer. So I connect with her and she connects with me. We used to keep in touch but then she started her career and she’s busy with that.”
Kapoor shared a picture of her mother on set on her Instagram, writing that she wished her mother was still here today.
“And today as I’m on a set on your birthday I wish more than ever I had you with me like this, so we could convince everyone it was actually your 35th and not 60th birthday. And you could tell me if I’m pushing myself hard enough or not. And I could see in your eyes if I was making you proud. I know you’d be happy seeing us try, in your memory. Every day. I love you, you are the most special woman on this planet.”
Remember how anxious we all were when news arrived that there was a chance ‘Pasoori’ will be used ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha’, an upcoming Bollywood film, starring Kiara Advani and Kartik Aaryan.
When the rumors emerged, the internet had a rightful blowout because kuch tou rehnay do humaray pass Bollywood?! Shae Gill revealed to The Current that she had not been aware about the recent reports.
But now, it seems like Bollywood has indeed taken Pasoori…and turned it in to an item number song.
Clearly Twitter users were unhappy with how T-Series had once more, taken a beloved Pakistani hit and turned it into a cheap pop song. Adding fuel to fire, they did not tag Shae Gill in the tweet!
BC multibillion dollar industry and they need to copy a Pakistani track? That too one which is a global hit, not some obscure thing no one has ever heard of? https://t.co/H759nkGdbX
bollywood was doing comparitievely better in terms of producing good music from the last two years. there was absolutely no need to remake (read : ruin) a song which is already a global hit?? https://t.co/rs2YkDk9H7
Indian filmmaker and television personality Karan Johar marked 25 years of working in Bollywood with an Instagram post celebrating some of his best films throughout the years. In the accompanying caption, he expressed his gratitude to all those who had supported him in the journey and shared a video of some behind the scene clips from famous films like ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum’ and ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’.
“Nothing but gratitude for the magical 25 years I have spent in the director’s chair. I learnt, I grew, I wept, I laughed – I lived. And tomorrow, another piece of my heart will be yours to see and I could not be more ecstatic as I celebrate my birthday with you all. With a kahaani that has prem written all over it.”
Fawad Khan has not acted in many films, but the few select projects he has starred in have become cult favorites among fans.
Khan, who had made a successful foray into Bollywood before tensions between India and Pakistan forced him to come back home, starred in three films, ‘Khoobsurat’, ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ and ‘Kapoor and Sons’.
Seven years later after ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ was released in cinemas across the sub-continent, it seems like no one has forgotten the charm and appeal Khan oozed, even though it was showcased only a limited number of times.
On Monday Twitter users were discussing the films in which an actor had a small role, but made a powerful impact. And rightfully, Fawad Khan was the one whom both Indian and Pakistani fans cannot forget.
Lest we forget, Khan was suppose to be the antagonist who was stealing Ranbir Kapoor’s love interest, Alizey (played by Anushka Sharma), but it looks like when the looks are a 10 then there’s no competition.
If it was anyone other than Fawad Khan in his role for ADHM, we would have hated him for sabotaging any chance that Ranbir had with Anushka. But we ended up loving Fawad more than Ranbir https://t.co/Wn9hlqWBGd
A video from season 6 of Koffee With Karan is resurfacing on social media, in which Bollywood A-lister Deepika Padukone is praising Fawad Khan. After Karan Johar asked her who she thinks has the “dreamiest eyes” in the industry. The Ram Leela star responded: “Fawad Khan has the dreamiest eyes.”
Karan too had given her answer one big nod of approval.
Recently, another video of Deepika is being circulated on the web and it has the stunner going down on one knee for Khan at IIFA awards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBsmS3o0qjc
The video is from an award show and starts with Fawad trying to woo Deepika by reciting the lines ‘roop tera mastana, pyaar mera deewana, bhool koi hum se na ho jaaye‘ for her. Impressed with his gesture, Deepika then hugs Fawad and tells Karan Johar, who is also present on the stage, “he’s all mine for the next few minutes.”
She then goes down on one knee and Fawad is left blushing. While all this is happening, one can see Ranveer sitting in the audience with a weird expression on his face.
Earlier, Fawad too had expressed his desire of sharing screens with Deepika as he was quoted by Pinkvilla as saying: “I would be very excited to work with Deepika. It would be an amazing experience. I am very excited and enthusiastic about it. It would be the two right words to describe my feelings about our collaboration.”
The two were supposed to do Padmaavat together as Fawad was Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s first choice for Shahid Kappor’s role.
The Zindagi Gulzar Hai alum recently confessed that he misses Bollywood.
While in conversation with Indian journalist Anupama Chopra, he said: “If I lost a role, I was not good enough for it. I don’t think I was (out) because I was too pretty for it.” The host further asked if he missed working in Bollywood? The Khuda Kay Liye actor replied: “I do. I made some great friends there. Still keep in touch with them and yeah I miss that.”
Khan might have starred in just three films in India but he is undeniably the hottest property that conquered Bollywood in a matter of two years. The movies that Fawad worked in were Khoobsurat (2014), Kapoor and Sons (2016), and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016).
