Dananeer Mobeen, the girl behind the viral ‘Pawari Ho Rai Hai‘ video says she is overwhelmed with the response her video has gotten.
In a recent interview with BBC Urdu,Mobeen shared that she was visiting Nathiagali with her friends and was having fun when she decided to film the video.
“When I uploaded the video, I had no idea it would go viral,” said Dananeer, adding that the only intention behind making the video was to make people “laugh and enjoy it.”
“Allhamdulliah the response has been so overwhelming,” said Mobeen.
The nineteen-year-old Instagram influencer further said that she is enjoying all the recreations which she is receiving from every corner of Pakistan, adding that her countrymen are very creative when it comes to memes.
She also shared that her mother was ‘over the moon’ when celebrities recreated her video.
“I’m so happy that my video is also being appreciated even across the border, especially at a time when there is a lot of tension and polarization in the world,” stated Mobeen.
“After such an overwhelming response [on the video], I have realised that people are liking this side of my personality, so I think in the future I will show more of this side of my personality,” concluded Mobeen.
Meanwhile, Pawri Ho Rai Hai has became a trend on social media with many people including celebrities sharing their own take on it.
Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground Productions on Friday announced six new projects in development for Netflix Inc, including a love story with a supernatural twist and a young adult thriller.
The former president and first lady’s Higher Ground Productions will adapt British-Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid’s novel Exit West into a film, according to a statement from Netflix. The book tells the story of a young couple who find magical doors to transport them to other places and land in the middle of a global refugee crisis. Obama had also named it as one of the best books he read in 2017. According to The New York Times, the upcoming project will star the Pakistani-British actor Riz Ahmed.
Other film projects include a science-fiction movie called Satellite, which will be produced with T Street, a production company run by Star Wars director Rian Johnson and producer Ram Bergman. Another is Tenzing, the story of the Nepalese-Indian man who first reached the summit of Mount Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand.
The Young Wife is a feature film that follows a woman on the day of her wedding who feels out of sync as a storm approaches.
The company also is developing two TV series. Firekeeper’s Daughter is a thriller based on a young adult novel by Angeline Boulley about an 18-year-old Ojibwe tribe member who reluctantly goes undercover in a police investigation on her reservation.
The other series is a nature documentary about national parks.
Netflix said the projects will be released over the next few years but did not give exact release dates.
The Obamas signed a multiyear production deal with Netflix in 2018. Their earlier Netflix projects include American Factory, which won an Oscar in 2020 for best documentary.
Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has reportedly orderedthe removal of Allama Iqbal’s sculpture built by the gardeners of Lahore’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park.
Photo Credits: Sikandar Ali Hullio TwitterPhoto Credits: Sikandar Ali Hullio TwitterPhoto Credits: Sikandar Ali Hullio Twitter
According to the Focal Person on Digital Media to CM Punjab Azhar Mashwani, the Parks & Horticulture Authority (PHA) will not remove the statue but will fix it so that it looks more like Iqbal.
لاہور کے ایک پارک میں وہاں کے مالیوں نے مل کر علامہ اقبال کی عقیدت میں ان کا مجسمہ بنایا
اس میں حکومت کی اجازت یا فنڈز شامل نہیں تھے.
چونکہ یہ سب مالیوں کی جانب سے عقیدت کے اظہار میں کیا گیا اس لیے ان کے خلاف کوئی ایکشن نہیں لیا جا رہا لیکن مجسمے کو @PHALHR بہتر کروائے گا pic.twitter.com/9qGko5hbEK
An aerobics instructor filming her exercise routine in front of Myanmar’s parliament has gone viral on social media after it unintentionally captured the first moments of a dramatic coup in the background.
The video recorded in capital Naypyidaw shows a woman, reportedly named Khing Hnin Wai, do her workout as black SUVs drive up to a security checkpoint on the road leading to the Assembly of the Union complex behind her.
As the upbeat song she is dancing to builds tempo, the convoy swells in sync with the music. As per details, the dancer is oblivious to what is happening behind her.
A woman did her regular aerobics class out in open without realizing that a coup was taking place in #Myanmar. A Military convoy reaching the parliament can be seen behind the woman as she performs aerobics. Incredible! pic.twitter.com/gRnQkMshDe
According to The Guardian, Wai on Tuesday early morning clarified that video was real and that she had filmed many videos in the location before.
She has been filming dance videos outside the assembly for 11 months, said Wai.
Meanwhile, social media cannot get enough of the video and has been cracking jokes on it ever since it surfaced. The original clip shared on Twitter has received more than 12 million views till the filing of this story.
This woman gave her live aerobics class in Myanmar without knowing about the coup happening directly behind her as military seized control of the parliament building.
People are also debating if the video is fake or real.
I don’t think that’s right – the platform quite clearly looks raised and when she crosses over to the right her shadow continues past onto the white rail which would debunk that theory. also it is clearly visible on the silver posts.
The woman who posted the video has since posted more videos and photos to confirm that she regularly visits this spot for her workout practice and this morning she didn’t realise that there would be a coup ongoing. Check the link: https://t.co/AvWDF2zOBQpic.twitter.com/zAjurhHRHh
Sarah Khan has said that Allah has made men and women as equals and that people shouldn’t try to distinguish them as superior or inferior.
In an exclusive interview with The Current, Sarah said: “I believe in gender equality. I do not say that women should be superior, they should be treated as equals. The status Allah has given to them, we should follow that. Do not try to make it a competition.”
“Women are already strong, then why do we have to say that the women are strong as well or they should be given equal salaries as men,” remarked the actor further.
“I think, instead of fight for the rights, we should educate our sons. Don’t teach your daughters to go to ‘Aurat March’, educate your sons and teach them that their mother is also a woman,” she continued. “[A] woman is the one who runs the house, does the house chores and supports the man. If your wife is not helpful, then how will you be happy? Allah has already granted status to the woman, but I think men should be given the same rights. They deserve the same, not only women.”
Sarah, who is married to renowned singer Falak Shabir, also opened up about her marriage saying that it gave it more freedom. Sarah and Falak tied the knot in July 2020.
“To be honest, I am now [after marriage] doing my work much more freely and with a lot more passion. It wasn’t like this before. One of the reasons was that I used to be at home occupied with so many things, with my siblings etc,” said the actor.
“Now after marriage, it’s just me and my husband. He gives me so much freedom and encourages me to pursue my passion and wants me to succeed in my work. I enjoy working even more now and I want Allah to give every girl a husband like him,” added Sarah.
Besides her marriage and thoughts on gender equality, Sarah also discussed her sister’s Noor Zafar Khan’s career, her ongoing drama Raqs e Bismil and what she would have been if she wasn’t an actor in the interview. Check it out below:
Zeb Bangash is disappointed with Bollywood’s version of Bibi Sanam. Performed originally by Zeb and Haniya on Coke Studio, the international hit landed up in the Hindi film Cabaret, where it was sung by Usha Uthup.
In an opinion piece published on Scroll India, Bangash wrote: “From the moment my cousin Haniya and I released our version of Bibi Sanam on Coke Studio, it resonated with people from Kabul to Kolkata and beyond, becoming one of our most-loved and celebrated numbers. Its success spawned many other versions on YouTube and it was a delight to see and hear people from all over the world engaging with the song with so much love.”
She continued: “In time, many classic versions were uploaded. In 2013, inspired by Ustaad Shamsuddin Masrur’s performance of the song in the 1960s, I recorded an entirely fresh version of Bibi Sanam with my Brooklyn-based band SANDARAA. Not surprisingly, this version became a crowd-pleaser on SANDARAA tours even to predominantly Western audiences in North America.”
Zeb further wrote: “I came across a recently uploaded Bibi Sanam video from a Bollywood film. The film was completed a few years ago, but I hadn’t heard of or seen it. I was eager to see what space had been carved out for this beautiful folk classic by the multi-billion dollar industry we all follow and participate in so actively. The names attached to the project heightened my excitement. Usha Uthup, whose beautiful spirit and voice has inspired me since childhood, and Richa Chadha, an actor I respect as someone who stood up against objectification of women on the silver screen.”
However, the song left the singer disappointed.
“I finally heard the song, I was unsettled, disappointed by its re-imagining. I could not find Richa’s spirit or Usha’s voice in the song, neither could I find the soul of Qandahar, Tajqurghan, Kabul jaan, or Sisstaan — all the places the song has referenced,” wrote Zeb while expressing her thoughts on the rendition.
“Instead, the song was forcibly put in a place it was never meant for. I must admit it deeply disturbed me to see a cover of our loving tribute/rendition juxtaposed against the general ongoings of a forgettable Bollywood item song. What was infused into the innocence, the freshness, and sweetness of Sistaan is unwanted aggressive sexuality. Sadly, it felt perhaps for the first time a version has compromised the beauty of an ancient poetic, musical and spiritual tradition.”
Zeb said that the Bollywood version depicting gyrating women dancing around poles raises a stream of uncomfortable questions for her.
The singer further wrote: “The past 12 months, we saw social movements promoting inclusion and equality, we participated in them virtually and created a real global social impact. Social media provides an opportunity for authentic and discerning collaborations. In the context of this hyper-connected environment, I need to ask whether we as artists and content creators are making lazy and uninformed artistic choices?”
“When you sing a song in a new language, you acquire an intimacy not only with the music, but also its people, as you gain access to its stories and histories. You then suffuse it with your own histories and culture – if done right, it is always a process of inclusion. This is especially true for rich spiritual soundscapes. Is it too much to hope that this can culminate in evolution beyond the item number?” she questioned.
“When a dominant cultural machine imposes its careless vulgarity upon lesser-known spiritual traditions, it can undermine the culture and ultimately re-form and warp an identity from sacred to profane.”
“Bibi Sanam has always possessed a mesmerising quality, magic kept alive for centuries, by artists and audiences, meshed with their personal memory, experience, and history. For me the Bollywood version is a disservice to the song’s meaning and the culture it comes from,” she concluded.
Zebunisa Bangash is a Pakistani singer-songwriter from Lahore. Her family originally hails from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Given her prolific career and her ability to sing in various languages and appeal to audiences of all ages across cultures and continents, it is no wonder that Zeb has a huge international fan following around the world.
Yasir Hussain has said that “we have made Urdu a symbol of illiteracy,” and the “English language cool”.
Sharing his thoughts on the Cannoli incident and the criticism the owners received for humiliating their manager, Yasir said: “[The] interesting fact is that owner of Cannoli made fun of their manager’s English and everyone (including my actor fraternity) raised their voice in English.”
“Did anyone think why the manager needed to speak English?,” he questioned. “From where did this complex come into our society?”
“We have made English cool and Urdu a symbol of illiteracy. It is something to be ashamed of,” he added.
In the viral video, the owners of Cannoli Café Soul in Islamabad, Uzma and Diya joked that their manager, who has been working at their café for nine years, has taken three language courses until now and still cannot speak fluent English.
The two ladies asked the manager Owais to introduce himself in English and when he struggled with speaking fluent English, they made fun of him by commenting on his salary. 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 behaviour and though they later issued an apology, people called them out for their “arrogant non-apology”.
Several celebrities including Sheheryar Munawar, Adnan Siddiqui, Sarah Khan and Ahsan Khan among others slammed the women for their distasteful comments and behaviour.
Meanwhile, Ameer Gilani took to Instagram and shared details about his meeting with Owais. In a story posted to his Instagram, Gilani said that Awais is a very nice and positive man. He also urged people to focus on the good side to eradicate the wrong.
Nabila is at the receiving end of flak for leaving “bitter” comments and mocking a makeup artist Fatima Nasir’s work.
Commenting on Eman Suleman’s post, in which the model had shared pictures from a recent shoot, Nabila wrote: “Great idea, executed badly, especially the Icchra looking hairpiece. When the subject is so beautiful it’s a sin to not up to our game.”
While Nabila’s comments appear to be well-intentioned, her choice of words did not sit well with the makeup artist and model.
Defending Nasir, Eman wrote: “I think it’s a job well done, better than any parlour could have done.”
Instead of ending the debate there, Nabila continued her criticism saying: “In my opinion, the hair finish looks too synthetic and takes away from the regal styling.”
“Obviously we can choose to be reactive or grow from criticism. I prefer the latter,” added the makeup maestro.
At this point, Fatima jumped in to defend her work and explained the process behind the hairdo.
“It’s a lot easier to just criticise someone’s work don’t you think?,” she questioned, to which Nabila replied: “I see you choose to react and defend. All the best.”
During the exchange, Fatima pointed out to Nabila that it was wrong of her to use the word ‘Ichhra’ to describe her work.
“Sorry if I hurt you, but false empathy can be interpreted as false flattery in my dictionary. If I were you, I would investigate how I can improve my finishing skills. But you are not me. Let’s leave it at this,” concluded Nabila.
Soon, models Farwa Kazmi and Rehmat Ajmal also jumped in to defend Fatima and called out Nabila for her comments.
“It’s sad to see such a condensing and wicked comment coming from a very senior artist who has been in the industry for 35 years. One can only claim their right to criticise when they also praise the work others do,” wrote Kazmi.
Similarly, Ajmal wrote that the senior makeup artist’s comments were “quite disgusting and off-putting”.
Farwa further wrote: “If I were you, I would write my opinion and leave my suggestion in a polite way without attacking the artist, the work and the locality which would have been well received.”
“But you aren’t me, you are Nabila. Let’s leave it at that,” she added.
Nabila had earlier come under fire when she had demanded for salons to be opened when coronavirus cases were at an all-time high in Pakistan.
Speaking exclusively to The Current, Hareem shared that she went to visit Mufti Qavi with her friend. During their meeting, the religious leader passed inappropriate comments and was rude to them prompting Shah to slap him. She said that she left his hotel room after slapping him.
The TikTok star also clarified that all other videos with Mufti Qavi on her feed are old and that only the slapping one is recent.
Earlier, in an exclusive interview with The Current, Hareem had said that if she could slap anyone it would be Mufti Abdul Qavi because he had lied that she took a selfie with him.
Meanwhile, Hareem is all set to foray into the world of acting with a web series titled Raaz on Pakistan’s first Urdu OTT platform – UrduFlix.
