Mahira Khan, who is celebrating her birthday in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, has thanked her fans, friends and family for their good wishes and prayers.
In an Instagram story, the actor wrote: “I’m going to try and reply to all the love and messages I have received in this time. And all the wonderful birthday messages, letters and videos too.”
Mahira shared that is better and on her way to recovery.
“Have no doubt in my heart that all of your prayers worked their magic. I felt the love, I felt it all. I love love you all,” added the actor.
Not sure if we heard correctly, but looks like Fahad Mustafa just shaded Fawad Afzal Khan and Mahira Khan for going to Bollywood.
In a recent interview, the actor while talking about his stardom said: “Sab chalay gaye India or mein yahan reh gaya. Main superstar ban gaya. Koi tha hee nahi.”
“Ab sab Turkey jayen gay. Main yaheen hoon,” he continued. “Turkey eik din visa band karay ga sab kay. Uss kay baad hum reh jayen gay.”
“Believe in your audience. Believe in your people,” he added. “Apnay logon ko banao gay toh acha bhi lagay ga.”
Defending Nand and Jalan, Fahad said: “People are watching Nand and Jalan. If they weren’t watching the dramas then they won’t be talking about it.”
“I am proud of Balaa, Cheekh, Nand and Jalan. We can’t educate people with every drama but we do what we can. I try to attract people with unique titles of my dramas. That’s why my dramas have such titles. If Nand had another name, people might not watch it.”
He continued: “This is the age of social media and people are watching ‘pocket films’. To keep the audiences engaged for 26 to 30 episodes, we try to make content that creates curiosity and keep viewers hooked.”
Fahad then went on to say that people and critics should wait for a drama to end before passing their judgements and remarks.
“People are talking and criticising them [Jalan, Nand] because they are recent dramas. Being the producer of these two dramas, I own and like both of the dramas. Poor or rich, everyone is talking about them,” stated Fahad.
Concluding his remarks, the actor said: “I think this drama does not have any unethical content. If anyone didn’t like it, then they have mental issues.”
Mahira Khan has wrapped up shooting for her upcoming film Neelofar in which she will be sharing the screen with Fawad Khan.
“I take with me a piece of you, leaving a bit of my soul with you,” said Mahira, while sharing pictures from behind the camera. “My darling Neelofar, I shall miss you, oh so much.”
In her post, Mahira also thanked those who worked on sets with her.
“Each and every one of them put their heart and soul in it. Can’t wait for all of you to see our hard work and love on your screens soon.”
Mahira had talked about sharing screen space with Fawad in Samina Peerzada’s web show earlier this year. The star had revealed that shooting for their film had halted due to the ongoing pandemic, that too in its last spell.
“We were left with ten days of shooting,” Mahira shared, “But due to COVID-19, the conditions became quite unfavourable for us to continue work.”
The film has been extensively shot in and around Lahore.
She also shed some light on her character and shared that it was quite different from her role in The Legend of Maula Jatt.
“I had so much fun working on this project with Fawad,” she had said. “It had been so long. Neelofar is just about these two people, it is very different from our characters in Maula Jatt. In Neelofar, it’s just the two of us, all our scenes are with each other. It was just so great to back with Fawad as older, more mature actors and people.”
She went on to say that not just the audience, the director of the film also shared similar thoughts on her and Fawad’s onscreen pairing – he loves it!
“My director always said you guys make a really good team. I asked him why thinks that is so? He just says that it is a nice balance. We really hope that we still have the same chemistry as Humsafar,” said Mahira.
Though details about the film are being kept tightly under wraps, audiences are looking forward to Neelofar because of Mahira and Fawad’s pairing. The project will be the actors’ next after Bilal Lashari’s The Legend of Maula Jatt, which is yet to hit screens.
Neelofar has been written by Ammar Rasool and produced by Qasim Mehmood.
Yet another proud moment for Pakistan as Mahira Khan, Aiman Khan and Atif Aslam have made it to the inaugural Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars list. The list highlights celebrities from across the Asia Pacific region who have taken the digital world by storm, according to a press release.
Writing about Mahira, who earlier also featured on BBC’s ‘100 women of 2020’, Forbes said: “The star of Pakistani musical Superstar will return to the screen this year in action drama The Legend of Maula Jatt, Pakistan’s most expensive film to date. Khan uses her social media presence—nearly 7 million Instagram followers and over 4 million on Facebook—to raise awareness about mental health issues, violence against women and breast cancer.”
Similarly, while writing about Aiman, the magazine said: “With nearly 8 million followers, Khan is the most-followed Pakistani celebrity on Instagram. She and twin sister Minal run the clothing site Aiman Minal Closet, with 249,000 Instagram followers. Last year she was nominated for Best Actress at Pakistan’s Hum Awards for roles in TV shows Ishq Tamasha and Baandi.”
“Released in May, his song Asma-ul-Husna recites Allah’s 99 names to encourage hope during the pandemic and has over 22 million views on YouTube. Aslam urged his 20 million Facebook followers to stay home to curb the spread of the coronavirus,” read Atif’s write-up.
Other prominent celebrities who featured on the list and are popular in Pakistan include South Korean band BTS, Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Ranveer Singh, Hrithik Roshan, Margot Robbie, Chris Hemsworth, Hugh Jackman, Akshay Kumar, Alia Bhatt, Madhuri Dixit, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma.
In a statement, Forbes also explained how they chose those featured on the list.
“To determine the finalists, Forbes Asia evaluated the candidates’ combined social media reach and engagement. Their recent work, impact and advocacy, brand endorsements and business endeavours, and their recognition profile on a local, regional and global level were also considered. Only those active in film, music, and TV were eligible,” said the publication.
About Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars list
Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars list features 100 singers, bands, film and TV stars with a strong social media presence. With millions of followers across popular platforms, these celebrities have maintained their relevance and popularity in this challenging period by leveraging on the power of social media. Many have also used their influence to support worthy causes, especially those with a Covid-19 focus.
“The inaugural Forbes Asia’s 100 Digital Stars list couldn’t have come at a more relevant time. Artists rely on social media platforms to connect and communicate with fans, especially in the absence of live entertainment due to Covid-19 restrictions around the region,” said Rana Wehbe Watson, editor of the list. “The 100 celebrities highlighted on the list range in age from 20 to 78, proving that social media influence is a cross-generational phenomenon.”
Fawad Khan, who rarely makes an appearance on social media and in the public, recently celebrated his 39th birthday with close friends and wife Sadaf Fawad in an intimate birthday bash.
Pictures of the celebrations were shared by those in attendance on social media. Among those present included Fawad’s long-time co-star Mahira Khan, The Legend of Maula Jatt’s director Bilal Lashari and producer Ammara Hikmat. Fashion designer Rana Noman, hair stylist Shammal Qureshi and Redah Misbah were also present at the party.
The birthday boy cut a beautiful yellow, fondant cake decorated with flowers.
Meanwhile, Fawad also gave his guests a sneak peak into his new studio.
Mahira Khan, who was recently listed in BBC’s ‘100 women of 2020′ for being outspoken about social issues, in a recent interview said that the media, including actors, filmmakers and drama makers, need to take responsibility to change the narrative.
In a recent interview, the actor said: “Something happens, there is a lot of noise about it. Everybody gets on the streets, everybody talks about it on the media, and then what? And then it dies out. Another news comes out, another story comes out or another rape happens! Then that is just another name or another hashtag attached to it. The problem is that we are not ready to educate our public, create programs that educate children, we are not ready to talk about it openly and I think we need to change that narrative.”
She continued: “I also take responsibility for it. I am a big part of the media of this country. I feel that our films, our television serials, we have to change the narrative.”
“We can’t just show a woman being assaulted (by a man) and then falling in love with him and show him to be the hero. A hero cannot be someone who is abusive. So, I think somewhere even we have to take that initiative.”
Mahira also talked about her stance on fairness creams and why she refuses to endorse them.
“I’ve been approached from the beginning of my career, not just as an actor – even when I was a VJ – I was approached to do a lot of fairness cream products, skin whitening products,” shared the actor. “It doesn’t make sense to me, it never made sense to me. So, I am endorsing the idea that a darker girl, a man is not as attractive as someone with a fairer complexion? It just didn’t make sense to me.”
Mahira also took a moment to recall her first award as an actor. In the interview, she said that though she has received many awards over the years, the award – Lux Style Award for Best Actress – she received for Humsafar is her most special.
“This is my first award as an actor, for a drama that really launched me, in the year that I was launched,” said Mahira. “I won many awards after that but this remains very, very special.”
A proud moment for Pakistan as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar and Mahira Khan make it to BBC’s ‘100 women of 2020‘ list.
According to BBC, the list includes “100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2020”.
“This year 100 Women is highlighting those who are leading change and making a difference during these turbulent times,” said the publication.
Writing about Mahira, BBC said: “Mahira Khan is no ordinary actress – she is outspoken against sexual violence, refuses to endorse skin-lightening creams and supports the fight against racism. She wants to tackle social issues in her native Pakistan by changing the narrative in films and on TV.”
“Mahira is a national goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, raising awareness of the plight of Afghan refugees in Pakistan. She’s been a firm favourite with audiences ever since starting out as an MTV video jockey (VJ) in 2006. Mahira is also a devoted mother to her 11-year-old son,” it added.
Mahira Khan with son Azlan
Similarly, talking about Dr Nishtar, BBC wrote: “Dr Sania Nishtar is a leader in global health and sustainable development. Since 2018, she has been spearheading the transformative Ehsaas Poverty Alleviation programme, which has improved the livelihoods of millions of Pakistanis by providing mobile banking and savings accounts, and other basic resources.”
“As SAPM on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Sania has helped to empower the masses by taking the necessary first steps toward the development of a welfare state in Pakistan.”
Explaining the process behind the selection, BBC stated: “The BBC’s 100 Women team drew up a shortlist based on names gathered by them and suggested by the BBC’s network of World Service languages teams. We were looking for candidates who had made the headlines or influenced important stories over the past 12 months, as well as those who have inspiring stories to tell, achieved something significant or influenced their societies in ways that wouldn’t necessarily make the news. The pool of names was then assessed against this year’s theme – women who led change – and measured for regional representation and due impartiality before the final names were chosen.”
The list also includes Sanna Marin, who leads Finland’s all-female coalition government, Michelle Yeoh, star of the new Avatar and Marvel films and Sarah Gilbert, who heads the Oxford University research into a coronavirus vaccine. Meanwhile, one name on the list has been left blank as a tribute to countless women “around the world who have made sacrifices to help others”.
Gone are the days when fans would glue themselves to television screens just to get the slightest glimpse of their favorite celebrity’s personal life. God bless Instagram for ensuring that we all are a click away from stalking our favorite celebrities, giving birth to our own online identities, participating in influential social media movements, and being the Emilys in our own virtual Paris.
However, such accessibility comes with heavy responsibility which intensifies in the case of celebrities. From being an average application for posting pictures to becoming a social media giant, Instagram, and its management is now an art. So, let’s dive in and analyze how well our Pakistani celebrities have succeeded in influencing fans through their Instagram feeds. The analysis will take place through the Current ranking edition where you can find an exclusively ranked scorecard highlighting the top and the bottom three Instagram feeds of Pakistani celebrities.
The magic formula for Instagrammy perfection combines just the right proportion of posts featuring everyday adventures, western and eastern dressing styles, catchy captions, precise bios, a classy overall outlook, adequate interactivity with the followers through comments or live sessions, and lastly, a unique special strategy which sets your feed apart from all the others. The perfect score sums up to a total of 16 points with 2 points per category.
If you’re done taking notes, scroll down to see which three best and worst Instagram feeds have made it to the Scorecard. Remember, you are what your Insta feed is!
Disclaimer: Nothing Personal
Mahira Khan: 12 / 16
Although Mahira doesn’t post frequently about her everyday adventures and uses lengthy and boring letters involving her emotional experiences as captions, the girl checks all other boxes for a perfect Instagram account. Her work, individualism and nature-oriented posts give a nostalgic outlook to the feed. Popular instances of interactivity include 2018’s incident when Mahira ended up gifting her Eid outfit to a fan who expressed a desire to wear that dress in the comment section of Mahira’s Eid post. Mahira may reply to your comments as well, you never know! This feed neutralizes its western dimension which stems from a preference for western clothing by a traditional aspect added by her bio titled ‘Funkaar’.
Besides, who could not like the post featuring her incredibly hot gown for Cannes 2018? Everything aside, the point winner for Mahira’s Instagram feed is her special strategy which never lets the glory of her old characters die as fans are constantly reminded of her signature roles like Khirad (Humsafar) or Falak (Shehr-e-Zaat) via her posts. You go, girl!
Aiman Muneeb: 9.5 / 16
Acknowledging the fact that Aiman does not have a striking bio and she rarely replies to comments, her frequent highlights about travelling (Florence, Dubai, Lahore etc.), diet plans and lunch dates really capture the interest of the followers. Her feed maintains a traditional outlook with family-oriented posts about sister dates, her daughter, husband, and mother. Aiman doesn’t shy away from influencing fashion trends by posing in stunning trench coats and desi kurta shalwar. The most captivating part about this feed is its brief, catchy and impactful captions like, “Be your own muse”. All the aforementioned qualities help Aiman skillfully market her special strategy which revolves around the ‘keeping it real’ vibe of a young girl getting the best of both worlds. This strategy does a remarkable job in attracting all those Pakistani girls who dream of making it big, just like our Aiman did.
Ayeza Khan: 3.0 / 16
Jeez, that score’s pretty low but what could we do. The raw bio and majorly sponsored posts and highlights make this feed seem more like a wedding photo album than a celebrity’s feed. Don’t believe us? Try stalking this diva and all you’ll find are some breathtaking but clichéd and glossed up pictures of Ayeza in designer clothes. Her audience interactivity was pretty low until she dedicated a video post to her fans on October 3, 2020, just to let them know that she does read all their messages and comments but is unable to reply due to her busy schedule. This actor does get a decent score for her special strategy through which induced temporary curiosity among her fans. What was it?
On May 3, 2019, Ayeza made headlines by turning her Instagram private after reaching 3.1 million followers. In her own words she “wanted fans not followers” …for a short while though. This move did get her Instagram account under the spotlight. Master stroke, indeed.
And here comes the #ouch part. Below are the ranks and scores of three of Pakistan’s least followed celeb accounts on Instagram according to The Current Scorecard. The grading criteria remains the same, however, there’s a twist. Here, we have graded every category out of -2 with 0 being the highest (which means no damage done) and -2 being the lowest. The maximum score obtainable is -16. By the way, to compensate for the brutal critical analysis, The Current has given #free suggestions to help improve the feeds. So scroll down to discover who has done the most irrecoverable damage (it’s predictable though).
Meera Jee: -15.5 / -16
This feed seems outdated as videos that could have sufficed well as highlights can be seen featuring everyone but herself. Where to begin! Absolute lack of audience interactivity, lack of defined styling preferences in the very few solos posted, and a bio that seems more like a nice and concise resume are just a few of the Instagram blunders we have identified. The whole concept of public engagement seems to have been turned upside down. You’ll see plenty of posts featuring people without adequate description. For instance, did you see the post regarding a gentleman who “is a very creative man in the world of educational”?
Also, dedicating a video post to Zulfi Bukhari without having him or herself in either of them is nothing but awkward. The Current’s Instagram feed takes inspiration from this people-oriented feed to improve as news media because you shall find random posts regarding celebrities’ birthdays, deaths, marriage anniversaries, award nominations, COVID-19 test results, and makeup reviews. Moreover, we all know the major issue with captions. In the broader picture, let us ponder over the unreasonable motivation to be who we aren’t meant to be.
Free suggestion for improvement: Be Yourself
Embracing yourself and being comfortable in your skin can make you a stronger personality to be marketed on Instagram. Instead of promoting others in a language that is not exactly your expertise, why not try writing captions in Roman Urdu or Urdu? Also, we recommend using your amazing solos from your highlights as posts. After all, your fans want to see the iconic celebrity in you!
Sanam Jung: -9.5/16
Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the Jaago Pakistan Jaago feed. Although Sanam’s Instagram feed seems to have a balanced mix of work-oriented posts with a tinge of everyday adventures, it lacks maintenance. You’ll see plenty of grid photos highlighting workout routines, travelling experiences, notable literature preferences and many more, but the absence of relevant captions seem to confuse the followers between sponsored and non-sponsored content. Almost all posts uniformly follow Eastern styling trends only. Additionally, choosing a list-like format for a lengthy bio is never a good option as self-descriptions should be different from grocery lists, don’t you think? Despite zero audience interactivity, this feed might capture the attention of female fans of morning shows with its content about family adventures; however, it fails to properly grip the admiration of other genders. We expect more from you, Sanam!
Free suggestion for improvement: Get Out of the Box
Instagram can be your best resort to help separate the real you from the “the stereotyped Pakistani beti/bahu” identity of yours, thanks to the morning show fandom. We suggest you to start promoting individualism in your feed because we are sure that there’s another amazing side of the ever-empowered Sanam, which the world is yet to see.
Mira Sethi: -2.0/-16
This feed has a soothing outlook as is laden with life-oriented posts appreciating humanity, family, poetry, music, art and culture. Seeing Mira play sports or hug her pets in vividly colored sarees and some classic tank gives us an exotic feel. With brief and multi-lingual captions and a perfect bio, this lady does a considerably good job of interacting with the audience as she asks them for their reviews on her drama episodes (Yeh Dil Mera) and more. However, all these plus-points dim in comparison with a major flaw related to mass appeal. This feed does an outstanding job in luring elite Urdu/English literature enthusiasts and Pakistanis settled abroad. Unfortunately, that makes up the narrowest segment of the Pakistani population. While posts about Californian parks or #BlackLivesMatter are immensely appreciated, sadly, they will fail to interest a regular Pakistani, who can barely relate with them.
Free suggestion for improvement: Go more desi
Your Instagram displays the progressive mentality that we all hope to see among the Pakistani population one day. However, today isn’t that day and the best you can do is make your target audience inclusive of all Pakistani population segments because we all deserve to discover the charismatic international face of our country.
Naseer Turabi is a poet who wrote Woh Humsafar Tha in 1971 to express his sadness on East Pakistan’s separation.
Naseer Turabi
He was born in Hyderabad, Hyderabad State which was then, Deccan.
Naseer came to Pakistan after the independence of Pakistan in 1947. He did his M.A. in Mass Communications from University of Karachi in 1968. The poet now lives in Karachi.
He began writing poetry in 1962. His first collection of Poetry Aks-e-Faryadi was published in 2000.
After the East Pakistan Separation, he wrote a Ghazal Woh Humsafar Tha expressing the sadness at the great tragedy of separation of East Pakistan.
The same Ghazal was later used as a theme song for the Humsafar drama series. He also wrote lyrics for the theme song Dil Ka Jo Mol Chukatay Honge of Mol and Zindagi Gulzar Hai drama series. He has also written the lyrics of Dil Aitebaar for Khwab Saraye and for Yaqeen Ka Safar OST.
The ghazal is top-notch, Abida Parveen has also sung it. But for the newer generation, the Quratulain Baloch version of the song for Pakistani drama Hamsafar on modern instruments and rhythm is more engaging.
