Tag: elitist

  • ‘College Gate’ hits TV screens with mixed reviews

    ‘College Gate’ hits TV screens with mixed reviews

    Green Entertainment rolled out a list of its anticipated dramas this week, including College Gate, an exploration of the lives of six students as they tackle bullying, financial independence, career dreams and pressure to step into adulthood. The cast includes a list of newcomers like Mamia Shajaffer, Khaqan Shahnawaz and Zarrar Khan.

    The first two episodes, where we see the students stepping into a new phase of their lives, debuted this week. We see the main leads struggling to follow dreams to become a singer, dealing with bullying or drug abuse.

    Social media users have mixed reviews about the episodes, with some applauding the show for focusing on the lives of teenagers and taking a break from saas-bahu dramas, while others felt that the casting choices could have been different.

    Some users found the episodes to be engaging for tackling issues only teenagers were dealing with.

    Many felt that the script was similar to the web series ‘Midsummer Chaos’ or Netflix shows like Elite.

    Others pointed out that the actors playing the characters could not pass off as teenagers, stressing that a more age appropriate cast should have been selected rather than actors in their 30s.

  • ‘Elitist’ Cannoli owners mock restaurant manager’s ‘English’

    ‘Elitist’ Cannoli owners mock restaurant manager’s ‘English’

    Uzma and Diya, who own Cannoli Café Soul in Islamabad, are at the receiving end of outrage for mocking and ridiculing their restaurant manager for his English speaking skills.

    In a now-deleted video from the café’s Instagram page, the two women explained how their manager has been working at their café for nine years and has taken three language courses until now. 

    They then asked him to introduce himself in English and when he struggled with speaking fluent English, they made fun of him by commenting on the manager’s salary. The manager, Owais, was visibly uncomfortable in the video.

    Soon after the video was posted on social media, people started calling out the women for their elitist behavior.

    Even Shaniera Akram stepped in to defend Owais and said that she “knows what it’s like being put on the spot to speak another language”.

    Later, #BoycottCannoli began to trend on Twitter as netizens called for people to boycott the restaurant.

    Meanwhile, Cannoli Lahore has said that they are not linked to the Islamabad Branch and that they condemn the incident.

  • VIDEO: Viral rendition of poem slammed as being too ‘elitist’

    VIDEO: Viral rendition of poem slammed as being too ‘elitist’

    A performance of a poem at the Faiz International Festival in 2019 has gone viral on social media.

    The poem, ‘Sarfarsohi Ki Tamanna’ by Bismil Azimabadi was performed by a woman to a charged audience and has been posted multiple times on Twitter. The words are patriotic, written by Azimabadi in 1921 as a war cry for freedom during the British Raj.

    The video went viral on social media

    The poem started trending on social media with the hastag #StudentSolidarityMarch, with students and activists mobilizing people to join the student march on November 29th.

    But not everyone was moved by the performance – or the people supporting its cause.

    Activist Gulalai Ismail, who fled the country first tweeted that “Cool log hain yar! Bas entertainment tak Mehdood kar dia hai inqilab ko,” and then deleted her tweet, clarifying that:

    Gulalai deleted the tweet (above), tweeting an apology later (below)

    Others also called the students “maraasis” and were defended.

    From maarasis to entertainment, the protesters were also seen as being elitist.

    Which led activist Ammar Ali Jan to tweet out in support for the students.

    For the older generation of activists, it was a reminder of their old and golden days. Senior Journalist Iftikhar Ahmad remembered protesting on the streets of Mall Road, Lahore.

    The Student Solidarity March is being held on November 29th.

    Follow The Current for its coverage of the events leading up to the Student Solidarity March, their demands and the March itself.