On the occasion of late actor Irrfan Khan’s birthday, his son Babil Khan revealed how he dealt with his father’s death.
During the promotion of his debut project Qala, Babil shared the difficult phase of his life i.e. his father’s death. He added: “When it first happened, the first day, I didn’t believe it. One week had passed and it hit then. And then I just went into a really bad spiral. I just locked myself in my room for one and a half months.”
“Back then he used to shoot so much that he’d be gone for a long shooting schedule. When it just happened, I had somehow convinced myself that he’ll come back after the shooting schedule. And then I slowly started realizing that this is an indefinite shooting schedule. He’s not coming back. I just lost my best friend. It was devastating on a level that I can’t really put into words.”
Khan says that now he feels positive whenever he remembers his late father.
On the work front, Babil Khan just made his acting debut with the Netflix film Qala. He further has a web series coming his way by the name The Railway Men. The series features prominent actors like Kay Kay Menon, R Madhavan, and Divyenndu Sharma. Babil will also be collaborating with filmmaker Shoojit Sircar for a project, reports IndiaToday.
Singer Sajjad Ali clarified to his fans that he was not pointing fingers or accusing anyone of plagiarising his song ‘Ab Ke Hum Bicharay’ in the Bollywood number ‘Besharam Rang’. A few days ago, the singer had posted a clip on Instagram where he said that he had been listening to some new music a few days ago, and which had reminded him of an old song of his.
On Tuesday, Sajjad Ali posted a video where he said that he was not pointing fingers at any artist or song and had not claimed that they had copied his song.
“After watching my previous video, many people started saying that ‘Sajjad Ali is claiming his song has been copied’. First of all, when did I even say this? Please see the clip again and observe how I never uttered any singer’s name, never called out any song, music director or even actor,” the veteran singer said.
Ali revealed that the reason why he had made the video because the tune of that song had been similar to his own music.
“I actually said that I was reminded of Ab Ke Hum Bichare while listening to some of the latest music in cinema. Why did it remind me of my song? Because 80% of the tunes made on raag bhairavi sound pretty similar to each other. I have also curated multiple songs on the same raag, therefore the tunes reminded me of them.” Ali further explained that he didn’t need to indulge in theatrics to gain fame, as many of the critics were pointing out.
“To the people who are suggesting that I made such statements to gain fame, I’ll remind everyone that, Alhamdulillah, I am already pretty popular and don’t need to perform any theatrics to gain attention. I have many fans and never get involved in controversies because I always mind my own business. When many of my songs were actually copied in the 90s, I never made any public claims and hopefully I will do the same in the future.”
Sajjad Ali concluded the video by requesting his followers to educate themselves on the matter before spreading rumors.
“The problem is we don’t understand these technicalities of music because we have the passion for arts but lack the required knowledge of it. So, please my fellow brothers, when you don’t have an understanding of a topic, don’t go on to pass such comments.”
Actor Mahira Khan has opened up about her work experience in India and friendship with Bollywood celebs in her latest interview. Speaking of her experience, she said, “I had the most amazing time working in India. I am still in touch with so many people and there’s a lot of love there. Unfortunately, we are easy targets, soft targets, whether it’s us here in Pakistan, whether it’s them there in India. Because we’re artists, and we’re connected by that thread of art, we actually get each other.”
She further said, “So we’re trying to look out for each other, more than anything. Even now, we are so careful with what we write on social media. It’s not that we don’t talk to each other. It’s not that we don’t wish each other on our birthdays. It’s not that we don’t meet each other in different countries. It’s not that – it’s just that we are actually not just protecting ourselves but protecting each other.”
Mahira also mentioned that the reason behind this feud is politics. She said, “Unfortunately, it’s politics, it’s not a personal thing. On both ends, until the time that scapegoats are needed, we will always be that… But let’s say that it gets better. Let’s say that there is someone in power who does not use us as easy targets. That would be lovely. Can you just imagine the collaboration? It would be lovely.”
Last year, Khan shared a seven year old picture from the sets of her Bollywood debut, Raees. The Verna star shared the picture on her Instagram story and made a heart emoji.
She starred opposite Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan in the hit movie Raees (2017).
On the work front, the Humsafar diva will soon be seen in Neelofer opposite Fawad Khan.
It is heartening to witness those rare moments when Pakistani and Indian actors are able to put aside their differences and express their love for each other’s talent and creativity. As Mahira Khan had put it in a recent interview: “Because we’re artists, we are connected by that thread of art, we actually get each other.”
Recently, Saboor and Sajal Aly’s brother Muhammad Ali bumped into Bollywood actress and model Sushmita Sen, and asked her to send a message to his sisters, which he later uploaded on his Instagram story.
In the video clip, Sen was seen sending her love to the actors and also lauded their acting skills:
“Hi sweetheart, Sushmita here! You both have the sweetest brother who insisted that a photograph wasn’t enough and I also had to say hello in a video too. Wish you all the best, you are amazing actors, keep growing. May peace be always with you.”
It seems as though Bollywood’s tendency to plagiarize Pakistani music hasn’t ended. This time, it was singer Sajjad Ali who called out Bollywood for plagiarizing his song ‘Ab Ke Hum Bicharay’. Yesterday, the singer uploaded a video on Instagram, where he says he was listening to songs from an upcoming movie and realized that the melody resembled a song he had written years ago. He did not name drop the Bollywood song directly, but left it for his followers to interpret.
After close observation, many fans were quick to point out that the melody of Sajad Ali’s song was similar to the Bollywood song ‘Besharam Rang’.
This is not the first time Bollywood has been called out for stealing music from Pakistani artists. Politician and singer Abrar-ul-Haq had announced that he was suing T-series for copying his iconic song Nach Punjaban in the film Jugjug Jeeyo, that too without giving him any credit.
Singer Hadiqa Kiyani had criticized Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor for covering her song ‘Boohey Bariyan’ without giving any credit to the original singer. In her Instagram stories, Kiyani called it ‘the theft of Pakistani music’ and said that covers of original songs need to require permission from the original artists first, and also revealed that this was not the first time she had seen her music stolen by Bollywood.
Shah Rukh Khan is not just a gifted actor but also a dedicated and loving father to his three children Suhana, Aryan and AbRam. The superstar has spoken up multiple times about how his children mean the world to him.
Recently, his daughter Suhana Khan followed in her father’s footsteps with a feature role in the upcoming Netflix film The Archies. Today on Instagram, she shared a present her dad had gifted her as she begins to forge her own acting career. It was a journal in which Shah Rukh Khan had written down acting tips he had learned in his 34 years in the Bollywood industry.
Shah Rukh Khan also left a wholesome comment on the post, saying that this was everything he hadn’t known about acting before and hoped that his daughter might teach him.
Previously, the actor had posted a congratulatory note to Suhana when the trailer of The Archies was released worldwide. In the post, Shah Rukh wished his daughter good luck and reminded her to always be kind and giving as an actor.
Actor Alyy Khan recently revealed in Nadir Ali’s podcast that he will be featuring in an international web series with famous Bollywood actor Kajol. The British Pakistani star opened up about filming an intimate scene with the Dilwale diva.
Talking about Kajol, he said, “I used to be a fan of Kajol, she was my childhood favorite, I have been seeing her for many years. Now, I got a chance to work with Kajol, I played her boyfriend’s role, the upcoming web series with Kajol is eight episodes American web series which was later bought by Disney, in that web series, I played Kajol’s Boyfriend, it is produced by Ajay Devgan.”
He added, “there was a kissing scene with Kajol, we have almost completed the shoot, we did rehearsals and also discussed our scene which was together, the scene went well. It was quite a professional shoot and we all were satisfied with the outcome. I and Kajol objectively monitored the scene”.
He concluded by saying, “when you work professionally with the burden of doing good, you never hesitate to perform any kind of scene.”
Alyy has been a part of several Bollywood films, including Don 2.
After giving Bollywood a hit film with the Katrina Kaif starrer Sooryavanshi in November 2021, all of his films- Bachchhan Pandey, Samrat Prithviraj Raksha Bandhan and Ram Setu, turned out to be flops. He is also trolled for being a selfish actor who just takes away all the money from producers and just does an average job in each film.
His flops have sent the filmmakers in dismay. This has also resulted in his replacement from the sequels of his films.
Now budding superstar Kartik Aaryan has replaced him in the next edition of his cult film franchise Hera Pheri. He even replaced Akshay in Bhool Bhulaiya‘s sequel last year.
Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Suniel Shetty became one of the most loved comedy trios after Hera Pheri and Phir Hera Pheri were released decades ago. Soon the film became a cult. As the third installment is in the making, Paresh Rawal now reveals that Kartik Aaryan has come on board.
Producer Firoz Nadiadwala recently confirmed that he is planning to bring back the comedy films franchises. The much-awaited Hera Pheri 3 that fans have been demanding for so long is finally seeing the light of day. Amidst this, speculations were rife that Kumar has backed out and the new actor will be Kartik.
A Twitter user, seemingly a fan of Akshay Kumar, tagged Paresh Rawal and asked whether the reports of Kartik Aaryan joining the cast of Hera Pheri 3 is true. The veteran actor confirmed it by replying, “Yes it’s true.”
Akshay Kumar attended the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit on Sunday. He broke his silence on the controversial matter as he said, “Hera Phera has been a part of me and I have good memories about it. Mujhe bhi dukh hota hai ki itne saalon se woh film bani nahi matlab uske aage ka part 3. (I am also upset that this film has still not been made, the third part.) We have to dismantle things. We have to start thinking in a different way.”
In a rare scenario, Akshay Kumar revealed why he made an exit from Hera Pheri 3. He revealed, “The film was offered to me and I was told about it. But the screenplay, script and everything, I was not satisfied, not happy with it. I have to do what people want to see and that is why I backed out, I took a step behind. For me, it’s a part of me, my life, my journey, in a huge way. Mujhe bhi bahut dukh ho raha hai. Main khud bhi bahut dukhi hun iss baat se ki main kar nahi paa raha hun (I am also very upset. I am very upset with teh fact that I won’t be doing it) because I’m not happy with how things have shaped up. That’s why I backed out”
Just not that, Akki also got emotional with a heavy heart as he expressed gratitude towards his fans who demanded his return as Raju.
“Kal hi ki baat hai, mai dekh raha tha that ‘No Raju No Hera Pheri’. As much as hurt they are, I myself am hurt. It’s a very sad thing but at the same time, unhone is baat ko trend karaya, thank you very much. Mai bata nahi sakta, mere fans jo hai wo, unki pagal pan ki intehaan toh bohot upar tak hai. Bohot pyaar karte hai mujhe wo log. I apologize to them that I won’t be doing Hera Pheri,” Akshay Kumar concluded.
After Paresh’s confirmation, Akshay’s fans started a troll fest on Twitter.
Earlier this year, Akshay opened up about his consecutive failures.
Kumar said, “If my films are not working, it is our fault, it is my fault. I have to make the changes, I have to understand what the audience wants. I want to make changes, I want to dismantle my way of working and think what kind of films I should be doing. Nobody else is to be blamed but me.”
Akshay also replied to a question where he was asked if releasing a film directly on OTT is a safe route amid back-to-back failures, as his Cuttputlli will be directly arriving on Disney+ Hotstar. The Raksha Bandhan actor said, “It is not safe, that also requires people to say if they like the trailer or not. Nothing is safe, it is not our safety net. Even here (on OTT) people are watching, the media is watching it, the critics are watching it, the audience is watching it, they give feedback whether they like it or not. So, there’s nothing like creating a safe space, you have to work hard, period.”
Meanwhile, Akshay’s Cuttputlli is releasing on Disney+ Hotstar on 2nd September 2022.
Bollywood actor Nargis Fakhri came to the limelight with feature film Rockstar opposite Ranbir Kapoor.
In a recent interview with Masal magazine, Nargis Fakhri recalled her initial days and revealed, “I didn’t know how to manoeuvre in a new culture. I was told that because I was so authentic and honest in my feelings it wasn’t a good thing. You have to interact with people even if you’re not comfortable with them. You have to put on a game face, which I couldn’t. I was said to be immature.”
She also stated in another interview that after Rockstar’s release, Imitiaz Ali and Ranbir Kapoor never contacted her or helped her with anything. They abandoned her despite being aware of the fact that she knew no one in the industry and was a foreigner.
This was difficult to digest for her.
Fakhri understood overtime that people have three faces in the industry, a business face, a creative face and the personal face. The Houseful 3 star also underwent a lot of stress as she had to deal with several toxic people.
“Consequently, I developed health issues. Was I depressed? I guess you can use the word. I was unhappy in my situation and was questioning myself as to why I was still there. I took two years off to get healthy. I did Vipassana meditation in the US,” Nargis Fakhri added.
Indian Punjabi actor Diljit Dosanjh has recently opened up about his bond and professional experience with the legendary Pakistani actor and comedian, Sohail Ahmed. The two artists have collaborated for Indian Punjabi film, Babe Bhangra Paunde Ne.
While speaking exclusively to Hello Pakistan, the Udta Punjab star said, “I think all the characters in this film were made for these actors who are playing them – no one else could do the role of Sohail Ahmed but him only, it’s tailor-made for him like it is for the rest of the cast that is part of this movie. I believe that the actors that this story deserves are all part of it – a great project comes together when the right characters are met with corresponding actors. The film has a lot of art in it–if there is a good script and a good character, the artist likes to work. An artist is only hungry for people to like his work. I hope everyone who liked the trailer of this movie will also like the whole movie.’
He added, “First of all, working with Sohail Sir was a dream come true and I was elated to share screen space with him – Sohail Ahmed is loved not only here in Punjab but also in Punjab of India. When we were creating this character, we only thought of Sohail sir.”
“I am very happy when I am on set because I love shooting. This is my first Punjabi film which will be shown in Pakistan. I hope Pakistani people will like this family movie.”
“Sohail Ahmad is a legend in Pakistan, and his shows are also very popular everywhere – it was an honour working with him. ‘Azizi sir’ is famous all across – my family is a huge fan of his work and I have watched his show ‘Hasb e Haal’ and absolutely fell in love with his work. I have learned a lot during my film shooting about the culture and tradition of Punjab (Pakistan) which is very similar to ours, especially the language. I would say the Punjab is ‘sanjha’, we are the same.”
