Tag: movies

  • ‘Sans par bhi tax ley lein,’ Sindh to tax Netflix subscriptions

    ‘Sans par bhi tax ley lein,’ Sindh to tax Netflix subscriptions

    If you’re a Netflix user in Pakistan, get ready to pay more for the streaming service. The Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) has added new taxes to your subscription fees.
    Starting now, Netflix users will have to pay a 3% sales tax on IT services. Additionally, if you’re making an international transaction to pay for your subscription and you’re a tax filer, there’s a five percent advance tax. On top of that, there’s a four percent card transaction charge when using debit or credit cards, plus a federal excise duty.

    Out of all the over-the-top (OTT) streaming services, Netflix continues to be the most well-known. It offers highly regarded TV series, films, documentaries, and other original material in various genres.
    The platform allows viewers to stream content on-demand over the internet to a variety of devices, including PCs, mobile phones, tablets, TVs, and consoles. While Pakistanis consume a lot of free content, many are happily paying for premium OTT services like Netflix.

    Recently, a new Finance Bill was introduced in 2024 that imposes tax on tech companies like Netflix that earn income in Pakistan through digital means and presence, even without a physical establishment.
    Last month The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has served a notice to Netflix for recovery of over Rs. 200 million in income tax.
    Effective immediately, subscribers will see additional charges on their Netflix subscriptions. Here’s how the new taxes will affect the current subscription rates:

    Mobile Plan: PKR 250
    Basic Plan: PKR 450
    Standard Plan: PKR 800
    Premium Plan: PKR 1,100

    Here are the Netflix subscription plans and their rates in Pakistan after the new taxes:

    Mobile Plan: PKR 324.80
    Basic Plan: PKR 584.64
    Standard Plan: PKR 1,039.36
    Premium Plan: PKR 1,429.12

    These new taxes are part of the government’s efforts to generate more revenue from digital services. So, the next time you settle down for a Netflix binge, be prepared for these extra charges on your bill.
    This new taxes significantly increase the total cost of Netflix subscriptions in Pakistan. This is something users need to be aware of when budgeting for their monthly entertainment expenses.

  • Did you know Pakistan offers the cheapest Netflix subscription in the world?

    Did you know Pakistan offers the cheapest Netflix subscription in the world?

    Did you know Pakistan offers the cheapest Netflix subscription in the world?

    In a recent report highlighting global Netflix subscription costs, Pakistan stands out as the country with the cheapest monthly fee at just $2.82 (approximately 794 rupees). Netflix subscription fees vary significantly worldwide, ranging from $16.46 to $15.49 in countries like Denmark, Greenland, Ireland, and the US, with Switzerland having the highest monthly rate at $21.48.”
    Netflix subscription prices vary across different countries due to factors like the economy, market competition, content licensing fees, and currency value changes.

  • Social media star Urfi Javed getting ready to act in movies

    Social media star Urfi Javed getting ready to act in movies

    Indian social media sensation Urfi Javed is going to start acting in movies, as per Indian news reports.
    The influencer will be appearing in her first Bollywood movie called ‘LSD 2’, an Ekta Kapoor production.

    The film is a sequel to a movie from 2010, said the reports. The exact date when the movie will come out is not known.
    Urfi Javed is bringing something new to the movie. She is known for being bold and for her unique fashion sense. People are excited to see how she will do in her first movie. It’s not just her, though. There are reports that actors Tushar Kapoor and Rooney Roy will also be in the movie, making special appearances.
    Make sure to mark your calendars, as it’s expected to be an exciting movie experience.

  • Greta Gerwig, director of ‘Barbie,’ to lead jury at 77th Cannes Film Festival

    The Cannes Film Festival announced Thursday that Greta Gerwig, director of summer blockbuster “Barbie”, will preside over the jury at its 77th edition in May.

    The 40-year-old Gerwig, also an actor and screenwriter, takes the baton from Sweden’s Ruben Ostlund, whose jury awarded the 2023 Palme d’Or to courtroom drama “Anatomy of a Fall”.

    She is the first American woman filmmaker to take on the role, the festival said in a statement.

    Gerwig’s presence will provide a youthful flair to Cannes, which has not had such a young president since 1966, when it was led by then-31-year-old Sophia Loren.

    She is also the first woman since actor Cate Blanchett in 2018 to assume the prestigious position, where men remain over-represented.

    “I love films — I love making them, I love going to them, I love talking about them,” Gerwig said in a statement.

    “As a cinephile, Cannes has always been the pinnacle of what the universal language of movies can be”.

    Aside from “Barbie”, a vivid feminist satire about the all-conquering line of plastic dolls, Gerwig has also directed “Lady Bird” (2017) and “Dr March’s Daughters” (2020).

    She is currently working on an adaptation of “The Chronicles of Narnia” for Netflix.

    The festival described Gerwig, who has starred in more than two dozen films, as a heroine for modern times who has rattled the status quo.

    “This is an obvious choice, since Greta Gerwig so audaciously embodies the renewal of world cinema,” said Cannes boss Iris Knobloch and festival delegate Thierry Fremaux

    “Beyond the seventh art, she is also the representative of an era that is breaking down barriers and mixing genres, and thereby elevating the values of intelligence and humanism,” they added.

    In announcing a high-profile woman director, the world’s largest film festival stole back the spotlight from its younger competitor, February’s Berlinale.

    The festival in the German capital on Monday announced its own jury president, 40-year-old Mexican-Kenyan actor Lupita Nyong’o, the first black person named to the role.

    In choosing Gerwig, Cannes is also highlighting its continued ties with the powerful American film industry.

    The Cannes Film Festival has yet to unveil the rest of the jury or the films in the official selection.

  • ‘In Flames’ and ‘Kamli’ win major international awards

    ‘In Flames’ and ‘Kamli’ win major international awards

    Two Pakistani films are winning prestigious awards at international platforms. ‘In Flames’, directed and written by Zarrar Kahn, has won local and international praise since its release. The film has now won the prestigious ‘International Newcomer Award’ at the International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg. Taking to his Instagram account, Zarrar quoted a statement from the festival’s jury along with a picture where he posed with the award:

    “Our award goes to a filmmaker who manages to shift and play with genre while maintaining a connection both to his audience as well as his protagonist throughout the film. The main character is a young woman who is allowed to be both brave and fragile, and she is brought to life through a wonderful debut performance that complements the mise-en-scene. The winner is In Flames.”

    The Instagram account for the movie shared another clip from the event, adding in the caption that this was the first time in 70 years a Pakistani director had the honour to take home such a prestigious award.

    While Sarmad Khoosat’s film ‘Kamli’ continues to win accolades even a year after its release. In Belarus, the Saba Qamar starrer bagged three awards at the prestigious Minsk International Film Festival. Qamar received the Best Actor Award, director Sarmad received Best Director and the Viewer’s Choice award.

  • Mahira Khan, Nina Kashif buy rights to ‘This House of Clay and Water’

    Mahira Khan, Nina Kashif buy rights to ‘This House of Clay and Water’

    Actress Mahira Khan is about to attempt changing the Pakistani entertainment industry for good by bringing forward an array of unique projects. Yesterday, author Faiqa Mansab announced on her Instagram page that the actress, along with producer Nina Kashif had brought the rights to her novel ‘This House Of Clay And Water’ under the banner of Soul Fry Films. Mahira is grounded yet a true superstar, the novelist wrote, adding that her book is in good hands:

    “I am so happy to have Mahira and Nina at the helm for this project because they really get the essence of this story. I was immediately won over by Mahira, who is grounded and yet a true superstar. In a few words she showed me how deeply she understood my novel. Few people have shown such insight. My novel is in extremely good hands. I look forward to seeing it on screen. Thank you to all who believe in my stories!”

    In a statement released to Book Brunch, Mahira and Nina called the novel “one of the most poetic pieces of writing”:

    ‘This book is one of the most poetic pieces of writing that we have come across from our part of the world. Each character stays with you, you feel invested in all of them. A story that is so different and yet so rooted. It would be an honor for us to adapt it for our screen audience. We are so grateful to Faiqa for putting her trust in us with what we feel is a piece of her heart, and now ours.”

    ‘The House Of Clay And Water’ was released in May 2017 and explores the lives of two women, Nida and Sasha and how they navigate a world that makes them feel alienated.

  • ‘I’ve been dreaming about this for a long time’: Ranveer Singh celebrates being cast as ‘Don’

    ‘I’ve been dreaming about this for a long time’: Ranveer Singh celebrates being cast as ‘Don’

    On Wednesday, the internet was blown away when Excel Entertainment announced that the next actor to play the iconic villain ‘Don’ jis ko 11 mulkoon ki police dhoond rahi hai will be Ranveer Singh.

    The thriller icon was previously played by Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan- leading to incredibly high expectations about who would be the next person to fill in such big shoes.

    READ MORE: Ranveer Singh confirmed to be the next ‘Don

    Taking to his Instagram account, Ranveer celebrated the announcement by sharing some throwback pictures of his childhood when he used to pretend to play the villain, calling this something he had been dreaming about for a long time:

    “As a child I fell in love with the movies, and like the rest of us,” gushed the ‘Rocky and Rani ki prem kahani actor. “Watching and worshipping Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan – the two G.O.A.Ts of Hindi Cinema . I dreamed of growing up to be like them. They are the very reason I wanted to become an actor and a ‘hindi film hero’. Their impact and influence on my life cannot be overstated. They’ve shaped the person and actor that I am. Taking their legacy forward is a manifestation of my childhood dream ”

    Addressing some of the critics who were aghast by the announcement, Singh went on to say:

    “I understand what a great responsibility it is to be a part of the ‘Don’ dynasty. I hope the audience gives me a chance and showers me with love, the way they have for numerous characters over the past so many years. ”

  • Ranveer Singh confirmed to be the next ‘Don’

    Ranveer Singh confirmed to be the next ‘Don’

    Don ka intezar sirf gyaaran mulkon ki police nahi, balkay poori dunya kar rahi thi.

    There was a lot of anticipation in the air when it was announced that the iconic thriller film ‘Don’ is going to be revamped for a third film. While rumors suggested that Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan will reprise his iconic performance in Don and Don 2, many were heart broken when SRK reportedly walked away from the project. At the time, sources revealed to media outlets that the superstar was not sure that this was the kind of cinema he wanted to support.

    READ MORE: Shah Rukh Khan steps away from Don 3

    There was all kinds of suggestion about who would embrace the staple black jacket and say ‘Don ko pakarna mushkil nahi, namomkin hai” which had begun with the veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan.

    But now, it has been revealed that the next Don is…Ranveer Singh.

    A teaser released by Excel Movies yesterday has confirmed the casting.

    In the comment section, fans were incredibly excited with this choice, and were anticipating to when the movie would release in theatres

  • Netflix shares full list of globally trending shows and movies

    Netflix reveals the list of the top 25 movies and series trending globally.

    Here’s the list of the top 25 trending movies and series:

    Movies:

    1. Viking Wolf
    2. You People
    3. True Spirit
    4. Pamela, A Love Story
    5. Infiesto
    6. Bloodshot
    7. Sniper: Ghost Shooter
    8. The Hurricane Heist
    9. Vadh
    10. Nobody
    11. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
    12. An Action Hero
    13. Spider-Man: No Way Home
    14. F9
    15. The Prince & Me
    16. Narvik
    17. Mission Majnu
    18. Let Him Go
    19. Sniper: Ultimate Kill
    20. The Throwaways
    21. Last Seen Alive
    22. The Nanny Diaries
    23. All Quiet on the Western Front
    24. Raangi
    25. Crisis

    Series:

    1. Ginny & Georgia
    2. La chica de nieve
    3. Wednesday
    4. Lockwood & Co.
    5. Physical: 100
    6. Alchemy of Souls
    7. La Reina del Sur
    8. Til Money Do Us Part
    9. Vikings: Valhalla
    10. Crash Course In Romance
    11. Class
    12. Cunk on Earth
    13. Fauda
    14. The Unbroken Voice
    15. Chainsaw Man
    16. Freeridge
    17. Şahmaran
    18. Les Combattantes
    19. Pablo Escobar, The Drug Lord
    20. The Interest of Love
    21. Record of Ragnarok
    22. Café con aroma de mujer
    23. The Glory
    24. Kings of Jo’Burg
    25. Gunther’s Millions 
  • Joy for Joyland: SHC dismisses plea seeking ban on film

    Joy for Joyland: SHC dismisses plea seeking ban on film

    The Sindh High Court has dismissed a plea requesting ban on the movie Joyland, Naeem Sahoutara reports for Dawn.

    The petitioner requested a ban on the movie, stating that the movie depicts a relationship between a married man and a transgender woman, and that the plot is against the Constitution and Islamic principles.

    The bench was headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh.

    “In our view, where a cinematic work has passed through the censors, who have examined its content and cleared it for release with an appropriate certification, an individual cannot be allowed to trump that decision through a court proceeding based on his conception of morality. Indeed, it is not the function of the Court under Article 199 to make a moral judgment so as to curtail the freedom of speech and expression of a filmmaker, as safeguarded under Article 19 of the Constitution,” stated the detailed order passed by a division bench.

    “On the contrary, the default position of the Court under Article 199 ought to be that of fully safeguarding the fundamental right by giving as expensive an interpretation to Article 19 as possible, and in that event of a restriction being imposed by the Board or any other authority that may be competent in that regard, testing the reasonableness of that restriction stringently, so as to ensure that the same is “reasonable” in the strictest conceivable sense.”

    “Looking to the matter at hand, we are confident that Islam, being the great global religion that it is, is strong enough to withstand a cinematic work portraying a purely fictional account of a relationship humanizing a transgender character, and are equally sanguine that our society is not so weak as to crumble as a consequence,” the order stated.