Tag: in-case-you-missed-it

  • Five Pakistani dramas PM Khan should watch

    Five Pakistani dramas PM Khan should watch

    Ever since he assumed office, Prime Minister Imran Khan has given us plenty of recommendations on drama serials and books – the most prominent being Turkish drama series Diriliş: Ertuğrul and Elif Shafak’s The Forty Rules of Love. Earlier this week, PM Khan recommended the youth to watch another Turkish show on Sufism Yunus Emre: Aşkin Yolculuğu, which is also being aired on PTV in Urdu.

    While we love the fact that the PM takes out time to recommend stuff to the youth, we decided to turn the tables and recommend him a few recent (in the past two years) Pakistani drama serials which are worth watching. Check out our suggestions below:

    Sabaat

    While Hum TV’s Sabaat in its essence is a family drama exploring familial relations and dynamics, its presentation was very refreshing, in particular Anaya and Hassan’s storyline. The drama highlighted the importance of having a healthy, loving relationship with your children and gave out a strong message on the importance of empowering women and daughters and gave viewers a new heroine after Zindagi Gulzar Hai‘s Kashf. It also showed how ego, money and misunderstandings can ruin relationships and your life. All these themes are the ones which PM Khan has time and time again urged our drama writers to show on television.

    Read more – ‘Sabaat’ manages to tie up loose ends in a rushed finale

    Alif

    Starring PM Imran’s BFF Hamza Ali Abbasi and Sajal Aly in the lead, Alif, written by Umera Ahmed and directed by Haseeb Hasan focuses on the spiritual journeys of two individuals Qalb-e-Momin (Hamza) and Momina Sultan (Sajal), who despite coming from completely different backgrounds help each other find peace in righteousness. Alif was a brilliant example of good storytelling and sensitive direction. Moreso, the entire cast of the drama including Hamza, Sajal, Ahsan Khan, Manzar Sehbai and Kubra Khan gave strong and solid performances. It is pertinent to add here that Hamza in several interviews has shared that his life reflects what is shown in the drama.

    Suno Chanda Season 1

    Perhaps one of the most-loved dramas in the country, Suno Chanda (Season 1) is chaotic, fun and will leave you with a warm feeling. The show which ran through Ramadan and had everyone hooked is about a household in which the children of two brothers get married just before the family’s patriach passes away. Directed by Aehsun Talish and written by Saima Akram Chaudhry, Suno Chanda is a comedy drama done just right. From the performances to the witty dialogues to the direction, everything about this drama was brilliant. The show gave us some memorable characters and there was bound to be one person in the cast you could relate too.

    Out of the list, if there is one drama the prime minister should be watching, it should be Suno Chanda. Will also give him some much-needed respite from the day-to-day political tensions.

    Aangan

    Yet another multi-starrer drama starring some big dramas of the drama industry, Aangan brought back and romanticised living in joint family systems while at the same time highlighting the issues that come with it. The drama very delicately and tactfully challenged societal norms while keeping viewers engaged and hooked. Aangan is without a doubt one of Faiza Iftikhar’s finest works. I am pretty sure Khan sahab is going to love this one. It is everything he wants to promote through television and dramas.

    Sammi

    Perhaps the darkest drama on this list, Mawra Hocane and Adnan Siddiqui’s Sammi sheds light on the custom of vani (or exchange brides) and how women are forced to continuously bear children in the quest for a son. It is gritty and makes you uncomfortable but that is because you know that this is exactly what happens to women in this country. The drama has been sensitively written by Noor ul Huda Shah and directed by Saifee Hassan.

    Is there any other drama you would recommend PM Imran to watch? Let us know in the comments below.

  • Getting wet is the new viral trend in photoshoots

    Getting wet is the new viral trend in photoshoots

    If you are an Insta-stalker like myself, you may have noticed that several A-list celebrities were spotted lounging and posing away in the pool. While I initially thought that it was just a new Pakistani trend, I stumbled upon pictures of Hollywood celebrities posing in the pool as well, establishing the fact that getting wet (and wild) is the new trend in fashion and editorial photoshoots.

    It all started with Emmad Irfani, who did an entire editorial shoot wearing dress pants and a dress shirt while standing in a pool.

    Damn, check that style and swag.

    Photo Credits – Natasha Zubair

    Sheheryar Munawar was next, who took it a notch higher and wore a full suit in the pool while inviting us to join him for a cup of tea.

    Photo Credits – Rizwan Haq

    Munawar then went on to do another shoot in the pool, this time without a shirt.

    Photo Credits – Rizwan Haq

    Read more – Syra Yousuf, Sheheryar Munawar turn up the heat with their latest photoshoot

    We then spotted Minal Khan also posing away in the pool wearing a black high-neck sweater.

    Next up we have Jennifer Lopez aka JLo, who turned up the heat and she stood in the pool. The shoot was from her upcoming skincare brand ‘JLo Beauty’. From where does the actor look 51?

    Last but not the least there is Sacha Baron Cohen, who also suited up in the pool. Though we do have to add here that our boys slayed it better.

    Which pool shot was your favourite? Ours has to be JLo and Sheheryar.

  • Kavaan no longer world’s ‘loneliest elephant’, finds new friends in Cambodia

    Kavaan no longer world’s ‘loneliest elephant’, finds new friends in Cambodia

    Islamabad Zoo’s lone elephant Kavaan arrived in Cambodia on Monday, where he was taken to his new home, a wildlife sanctuary. Cher, who had long campaigned for his release, was on the tarmac at the airport of Cambodia’s second-biggest city Siem Reap to greet Kaavan along with Buddhist monks, who performed rituals on his arrival.

    According to details, Kavaan has already made himself at home in Cambodia and can be seen making new friends and socializing with female elephants.

    “Kavaan is already socialising with neighbours: beautiful female elephants,” shared Press Officer at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia Neth Pheaktra.

    Similarly, animal rescue organisation Four Paws shared a beautiful picture of Kavaan interacting with fellow elephants in the sanctuary.

    Kavaan was first brought to Pakistan in 1985 as a gift from Sri Lanka when he was only a year old. Since then he was living at Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad with his partner Saheli, who died in 2012. After Saheli’s death, Kaavan became alone and was dubbed as the world’s loneliest elephant. In 2016 he caught the attention of Cher, who along with other animal rights activists fought a long legal battle for his release and transfer.

    He was airlifted from Islamabad to Cambodia in a Russian cargo plane.

    “Kaavan was eating, was not stressed, he was even a little bit sleeping, standing leaning at the crate wall. He behaves like a frequent flyer,” said Kavaan’s best friend vet Dr Amir Khalil, while sharing details of his flight.

    “The flight was uneventful, which is all you can ask for when you transfer an elephant,” he added.

  • Humayun Saeed, baby Mustafa Abbasi all smiles as they meet each other for the first time

    Humayun Saeed, baby Mustafa Abbasi all smiles as they meet each other for the first time

    Humayun Saeed with wife Samina paid a visit to Hamza Ali Abbasi in Islamabad, meeting his son Mustafa Abbasi for the first time.

    Both Humayun and Mustafa were beaming as they met each other for the first time.

    “MashAllah the most adorable and chilled out kid Mustafa Hamza Abbasi,” wrote Humayun in the caption.

    He added that he had the” strangest yet happiest feeling” when he held Mustafa and realised that Hamza is not only married but also has a child now.

    Humayun’s sister-in-law Sana Shahnawaz also shared pictures from their meeting and both Humayun and Mustafa were all smiles in these photographs also.

    Abbasi and Naimal Khawar welcomed their first child on July 30 this year.

  • ‘Disgraceful & insulting’: PTV sends cheque worth Rs 1400 to Simi Raheal

    ‘Disgraceful & insulting’: PTV sends cheque worth Rs 1400 to Simi Raheal

    Simi Raheal is furious with the management of Pakistan Television Corporation(PTV) for sending her a cheque of worth Rs 1400 only.

    Sharing a picture of it on social media, the actor said: “This is how artists are honoured by the state! This is the acknowledgement of Pakistan Television. After four decades, this was truly appalling!”

    While fellow actors, fans and members of the media industry extended their support to Simi and criticised PTV for their act, others told the veteran actor to not make a big deal out of it.

    Later, in a social media post, Simi, thanked those who supported her and explained that her reason for voicing her concern was not about money but was “about social attitudes concerning art and artists”.

    “It’s quite visible what people think of artists,” she said. “This dialogue this debate was essential. It does not matter what the actual amount is or should have been it’s about the respect regard of an artist.”

    She also explained her stance while replying to multiple users who left comments on her post.

    It is pertinent to add here that Raheal is not the only actor who accused PTV of mistreating artists. Earlier this year, senior actor Rashid Mahmood bashed PTV for sending him a cheque of Rs 620 of which Rs 500 is the Pride of Performance fees, leaving him with only Rs 120.

    The baffled actor has voiced his confusion and distaste on social media, saying “What are the criteria of paying a Pride of Performance winner in this country and who spent 50 years of [his] life in PTV.”

    Later, in a video message, he shared how he was invited to recite a marsiya two years ago in Muharram.

    “I hadn’t really received any work opportunities from PTV in the past two years. During Muharram, Pakistan Television Lahore had commissioned me to recite Mir Anees’s marsiya. I recorded it and it aired on the 9th and 10th Muharram multiple times. After two years, I received a cheque of only Rs 620,” he said, referring to the compensation as an ‘insult’.

    “In this Naya Pakistan, will my mother institute insult me and give me this sort of attitude? People whose worth in the showbiz industry is questionable take Rs 1.5 to 2.5 million. Today I announce that I will never work for PTV,” he lamented.

    PTV management later apologised to Mahmood and clarified that the cheque was “mistakenly issued in his name”.

    However, PTV then issued a new cheque to the veteran actor which was worth Rs 9600 only. Posting a picture of the new cheque, Mahmood said that he will not work with PTV in the future and will not be cashing the cheques either.

  • Did you know Sarwat Gilani has royal roots?

    Did you know Sarwat Gilani has royal roots?

    Sarwat Gilani, in an exclusive interview with The Current, has revealed that she has royal roots.

    “My maternal grandfather was the Nawab of the princely state of Manavadar, which included 70 villages in India,” shared Sarwat in the interview.

    “Junagarh and Manavadar were two princely states. Junagarh was his brother’s and Manavadar was his [Sarwat’s Nana’s] own state,” she continued. “And they chose to come to Pakistan at the time of Partition.”

    “So they left everything over there: their palaces, their cars, guns, everything. They left all their treasure over there in love for Pakistan,” she added.

    Sarwat then said: “When people ask me how I feel about being such a big star, they come to my mind. Because they are real stars who left everything for Pakistan and spent a very simple life after migrating.”

    The actor had earlier revealed that her family did not approve of her career choice. When asked how she managed to convince them, Sarwat said: “I convinced them by being consistent at being decent. For me, convincing my maternal grandmother, my mother and her family was very hard. So I thought if I do well, and constantly do well, they will someday be convinced on their own.”

    “And I think, I did that,” she added.

    The actor in the interview also talked about her infamous kiss with husband Fahad Mirza, meeting Karan Johar, her Whatsapp group with Mahira Khan and Sanam Saeed and how she feels that the “government has nothing better to do, [other than being] busy with banning things and [getting involved] in petty issues.”

    Watch the full interview below:

  • Every working mother will relate to Sania Mirza

    Every working mother will relate to Sania Mirza

    Juggling a heavy-duty sports career and motherhood is not easy and Sania Mirza, in a heartfelt note, opened up on the challenges it entails. In an emotional letter, Sania talked about motherhood and what it takes to defy all odds and balance family and professional life.

    The tennis champion said that she took inspiration by American Tennis player Serena Williams and her journey to pen her note.

    “Serena Williams your story has inspired me to pen this letter,” said Sania. “The ‘Being Serena’ echoes my experience and that of women worldwide who everyday balance family and personal goals.”

    “Pregnancy is something that I had experienced for the first time in my life. I thought about it and I think we all have a certain picture about it, but, once you experience it, you really understand what it means. It absolutely changes you as a human being,” wrote Sania further.

    In her post, she encouraged women to experience pregnancy.

    “It’s an extraordinary thing. It’s an experience I recommend women should go through because it really does teach you to respect yourself and your body but also teaches you the selfless kind of love that at least I never knew existed for me.”

    Read more – Sania Mirza is a ‘proud mumma’ after Izhaan Mirza Malik fluently recites his duas

    She also opened up about her physical transformation.

    “Having put on around 23kg during my pregnancy, I wasn’t sure if I was ever going back to being fit and playing tennis again. However, I lost around 26 kilos with a lot of workout regimes and very strict diets and came back to tennis because that is what I know, love, and do.”

    “Finally, when I won at Hobart after coming back, it was pretty amazing. I was honestly very proud of myself to have been able to put myself to compete at the highest level again and I think that’s where I was mentally,” she added.

    “It sometimes becomes hard to find hope in difficult situations but our love for our profession and family equally, helps us gain that balance. It makes us what we are and proves that women can achieve what they want,” concluded the tennis champion.

    Sania dedicated the letter to all the mothers who are going through a similar phase.

  • Reasons why ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ is breaking records on Netflix

    Reasons why ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ is breaking records on Netflix

    Female-led drama The Queen’s Gambit, set in the 1960s chess world, has become Netflix’s most popular limited scripted series ever.

    In a statement, Netflix shared that “some 62 million households watched the show in its first 28 days”. The seven-episode series is ranked in the top 10 most watched on Netflix in 92 countries, including first in 63, the company added.

    The Queen’s Gambit follows an orphaned female chess prodigy, Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy), who struggles with drug addiction as she rises to become one of the world’s best players. But there is so much more to this incredibly fast-paced series that has proven to be the best binge-watch Netflix has produced in a long time. A riveting watch it will leave you with reasons to love it and to be inspired by it for days, months after.

    1. You will feel like you can do anything

    The feeling of utter inspiration after watching Beth defeat world champions at chess will make you either want to order a chess set or feel like you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Why? Beth is an orphan after she survives a car crash in which her mother passes away and there is no record of her father after her mother leaves him. Her mother dies in an attempted suicide, which could’ve taken Beth’s life but she escapes unharmed.

    We then follow Beth on her journey as a brilliant chess prodigy, taught by the janitor, Mr Shaibel (Bill Camp) in an orphanage and watch her become addicted to antidepressants, which were apparently legally handed out to children in the 1950s to help them become calm and easy to handle; and to chess – a board which not only relaxes her but makes it easier for her to sleep at night.

    She grows up fighting her inner demons, adopted by a family in which the father leaves, and raised by a foster mother who loves her but passes away as well. And chess becomes her ultimate solace and one that she uses to reach the heights of success. To see her grow from a child who had nothing to a woman who slays chess grandmasters in Russia leaves one with the feeling that they can conquer the world – and play chess.

    2. You will appreciate your closest and best friends

    In the middle of the series, you see Beth becoming lost in her drug addiction, her uneasy arrogance that she can only defeat grandmasters with the help of her pills and her lack of confidence in being with the guy that she likes. What gets her through her darkest times are her friends – and what’s amazing is that her friends are actually her former rivals – the men she defeated to get to where she is. It becomes obvious near the end that she is nothing without them and you know that warm, fuzzy feeling everyone gets from a cheesy romance movie? You will get it but it will be because of the best kinds of friendships- the ones that cheer others on, even if they are getting what you wanted all along.

    3. You will marvel at the setting – and the clothes

    Make no mistake – the chessboard style patterns you see on most of the clothes that Beth is wearing were deliberate and there is no woman who would not be drooling over her black and white dress that she wears for the tournament in Russia. The thoughtful costume designs and the settings of the scenes make it one of the most beautiful series to watch – from the hallowed hallways where the chess finale happens – to the retro home where Beth lives with her foster mother – are all a wonder to watch. You will be transported to the 50s and the 60s in every scene, with every leather jacket and loud wallpaper, with the waves in their hair and the even by the way they walk – every character does justice to their roles and what we are left with is a true delight in seven episodes.

    Read more – Season Four of ‘The Crown’ is a Pakistani arranged marriage nightmare

    The Queen’s Gambit is among Netflix’s more culturally resonant programmes of recent years. Netflix, in a blog post, also shared that since the series’ debut in October, searches for chess sets on eBay are up 250 percent, and Walter Tevis’s 1983 novel that inspired the series has returned to bestseller lists. And there is zero doubt that it deserves to be where it is. A must watch for all.

  • ‘Ludo’ is delightfully entertaining

    ‘Ludo’ is delightfully entertaining

    Just when I thought I was done with Bollywood films for this year, given how terrible this year’s releases have been, Ludo popped up as I was scrolling through Netflix. The film had just released and was already trending in the top ten on Netflix Pakistan.

    Featuring an ensemble cast of Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Roy Kapur, Abhishek Bachchan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Rajkummar Rao, Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Suresh Saraf and Pearle Maaney, Ludo is a tough film to describe considering the multiple storylines running side by side. On one hand, you have Akash (Kapur) and Shruti (Malhotra), who are trying to cover up a sex tape before Sanya gets married to the man of her dreams, while on the other you have Bittu (Bachchan), who just came out of jail and ends up running into a little girl who kidnapped herself so her parents would pay attention to her. Then you have Alu (Rao), who runs a restaurant and dances to Mithun’s disco moves when he is stressed. He deeply loves his childhood crush Pinky (Shaikh), though she is married with a baby.

    Akash and Shruti

    On the surface, the characters have nothing to do with one another but their fates are all connected through Sattu Bhaiya (Pankaj) who is the resident gangster. As the leads try to sort out the problems in their lives, they end up getting entangled with one another in a very messy web controlled by Sattu Bhaiya. He manages to run everyone’s lives even while lying on a hospital bed.

    Sattu Bhaiya

    Written and directed by Anurag Basu, Ludo is a highly entertaining and enthralling watch. It keeps you gripped with its twists and turns and has been masterfully directed. A movie like this, which has multiple plotlines and characters, each with a different, distinct story, running side by side, could have easily fallen apart. But Basu holds it all together skilfully.

    Though it is slightly longer than average films these days, you will not feel yourself getting bored at any point – there is enough drama, comedy and romance to keep you hooked.

    Alu and Pinky

    All the leads gave brilliant performances though it was Pankaj who blew me away with his acting and expressions. Despite being a gangster, you couldn’t help but like his character all because of how Tripathi brought it to life.

    Bittu

    The cherry on top was the songs and background music, which perfectly complemented the theme and mood of the film. I have been listening to Aabaad Barbaad and Hardum Humdum on repeat.

    Read more – All single Pakistanis will relate to trending rom-com ‘Holidate’

    While Ludo may not be a cinematic marvel or an extraordinary film, it makes a fun, cosy watch especially on a chilly winter evening.

  • Sania Mirza, Shoaib Malik celebrate Dhoni’s wife’s birthday in Dubai

    Sania Mirza, Shoaib Malik celebrate Dhoni’s wife’s birthday in Dubai

    It’s the season of birthdays. Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik, who celebrated Sania’s birthday in Karachi earlier this week, have now jetted off to Dubai, where they celebrated Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s wife Sakshi Dhoni’s birthday.

    Pictures of the celebrations were widely circulated on social media. Salman Khan’s sister Arpita Khan Sharma and Sania’s sister Anam were also on the guest list.

    Sania shared a lovely photo of herself with Sakshi as she wished her a happy birthday.

    Sakshi also shared an adorable picture of herself with husband Dhoni.

    Dhoni was recently in Dubai for 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He decided to stay back there to spend time with family.