Tag: Pakistani Celebrities

  • Hannah Husain becomes first Pakistani to debute at Le Bal des Débutantes, wears diamond necklace worth USD 2.5 million

    Hannah Husain becomes first Pakistani to debute at Le Bal des Débutantes, wears diamond necklace worth USD 2.5 million

    Hannah Husain has become the first ever Pakistani woman to debut at the coveted Le Bal des Debutantes ball in Paris, attended by eligible single ladies from around the world. The ball was organised by Ophélie Renouard to raise funds for the cardiology research unit ARCFA of Neck-Enfants Malades Hospital and for the World Central Kitchen, which provides meals to vulnerable communities around the globe. It was held at the Shangri-La Paris, the former residence of Napoleon Bonaparte’s nephew.

    Hannah Husain is the great-great granddaughter of Sir Fazli Husain, a barrister from Cambridge, and an Education Minister, while her great grandfather served as Pakistan’s ambassador to Beirut, Lebanon.

    Husain debuted at the ball wearing a pastel gown adorned with roses designed by Georges Hobeika and Elie Saab, and was escorted to the event by her brother Harris.

    It was Hannah’s necklace that caught the attention of social media. The bauble has a history dating back all the way to the 1800s according to Christie’s, and is the estimated to be worth $1.5 to 2.5 million.

    According to royal watcher blog, the necklace was designed for Princess Maria Caroline of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the Duchess of Aumale, later gifted to his god daughter Princess Helene of Orleans when she married the Duke of Aosta.

    The necklace was worn by the Marchioness of Chomondeley, Sybil Sassoon, and later by Lady Churchill in 1953 for the Nobel Prize Ceremony.

    At the 2022 debutante ball in Paris, Princess Helene d’Orelans had loaned the necklace to her namesake.

  • Dhoop Kinare, Fairy Tale: dramas that are our favourite example of the ‘she fell first, he fell harder’ trope

    Dhoop Kinare, Fairy Tale: dramas that are our favourite example of the ‘she fell first, he fell harder’ trope

    Everyone who uses the internet knows about the beloved trope ‘she fell first, but he fell harder’, and how it keeps on winning the hearts of audiences. In this trope, it is the woman who falls first, but becomes a cynic after getting rejected. Later, the man learns from his mistake and falls even more in love with the woman than she does with him.

    We know Pakistani dramas aren’t the first things that come to mind when you think about well-written male leads who aren’t misogynist man-children, but there have been rare occasions when we got to see what happens when romance dramas empower women, and actually don’t rely on depressing tropes to generate interest for the audience.

    Fairy Tale

    Starting with the drama that really proved how much Pakistani women needed to see a healthy romance where the male lead’s ego did not rely on taking away another woman’s independence and vivacious nature. Farjaad starts off as the typical saroo man with a strict schedule he refuses to break for any woman. When Umeed enters his life, he dismisses her off as too careless and irresponsible for him. But the way this man shifts positions, doing everything to prove his love for Umeed, made the internet sob oceans because can’t Pakistani men take a blueprint from Farjaad?

    Dude started the show as someone who is completely cold and aloof and after marriage, he began learning how to make tea just because he promised Umeed? He was the strict one whom no one could ever think of displeasing, but is now purchasing a shop to help Umeed fulfil her dream of owning a chai business? Kudos to Sarah Majeed for spoiling us with this show. There’s no way we’re setting our standards low after Farjaad.

    Ankahi

    Every one remembers the cult classic show with a brilliant performance by Shehnaz Sheikh as the hilarious Sana, but few people talk about the love story between her and Taimur, the sariyal boss who grows to fall in love with her. Taimur starts off as a cold and brutal boss who makes Sana miserable as his secretary, but soon her lovable nature and warmth makes him fall for her. His unfamiliarity with love holds him back when he realises how good of a match Faraz is for Sana. In the last moments of the show, the audience realises how much Taimur has fallen for Sana and wants to find happiness with her, but knows she would be happier with Faraz so lets her go.

    Dhoop Kinare

    Haseena Moin, you were the absolute best. Even today, your dramas continue to inspire viewers with portrayals of complex and empowered women. Dhoop Kinare was startlingly unique, with three dimensional interesting characters, and an endearing love story between the two leads. Dr Ahmer Ansari originally clashes with Dr Zoya Ali Khan, a new intern at the hospital where he is the most respected doctor. He calls her careless, while continuing being cold and aloof, while Zoya’s carefree and warm nature continues to win hearts at the hospital, eventually winning him over too.

  • ‘Dangerous and irresponsible’: Ushna Shah calls out Maria B for misusing Palestine activism

    ‘Dangerous and irresponsible’: Ushna Shah calls out Maria B for misusing Palestine activism

    Actress Ushna Shah took to her X (formerly Twitter) account to call out controversial fashion designer Maria B for misusing her tweets and photos from the Palestine march in Karachi to malign the transgender movement.

    “Maria B’s collaboration with questionable low grade bloggers and use of my tweets and photos from the Palestine March — where I was incidentally standing with a transgender rights activist — for her agenda is dangerous and irresponsible. She’s misusing edited content to stir controversy, exploiting trending topics like Palestine in a way that’s beneath even her.”

    “I am not aligned with her extreme right-wing or any extreme left-wing views,” continued the ‘Habs’ actress. “I have a diverse social circle, like most actresses working in showbiz, and I don’t subscribe to any political agenda. I value all life, from minorities to even animals. I urge Maria to realize the harm and potential risks to my safety her actions cause. In layman’s terms: please keep my name out of your mouth & don’t drag me in a war that has nothing to do with me.”

    “I am not pushing any agenda except the liberation of Palestine, do not use me to push yours.” Ushna wrote. “I’m sorry I rejected coming to your march, but this was a sick retaliation which has endangered me. Me not wanting to associate with Maria and her march doesn’t make me an LGBTQ activist. It has nothing to do with that. She has made me uncomfortable since her stunt with the covid patient working in her home, I see her as an irresponsible person who weaponises religion to push her brand & her recent stunt proves just that. Using the photo from a *Palestine* march in which an activist Shahzadi came next to me for a while & posing it as an LGBTQ March is again highly irresponsible of her, not to mention spreading lies online to endanger someone is illegal.”

    In the next tweet Ushna wrote: “To the fundamentalists threatening me: I’ve written this in Urdu. Simple words “meri dosti SAB ACTRESSES ki tarah SAB sey hei, meinay Palestine ke ilawa koi agenda push nahi kiya, Jo sawal mujhse karney hein woh sab actresses sey karein. LogoN ko mazhab Matt istemal karney dein sales banaaney ke liye. Mere Falasteen make stance ke baad haath sey endorsements jaa rahi hein, matlab high paying multinational waqfay, Jo ke aap sab ko patah hei mujhe bohot miliey thee alhamdulilah, Aur yeh logue Falasteen ko Aur mujhe istemaal kar rahey hein ratings ke liye”. I am at Umrah, let me get back to it without fearing propaganda. Jo masla mera hei hee nahi uss mein mujhe mutt ghaseetein. Aur meri avaaz falasteen ke haq mein Jo uthee hei ussey chup Matt karwayein.”

    Ushna Shah ended the thread by writing: “Maria, I am not new to cheap made up controversies by bloggers but a woman in your position should know better than to use me and to use this genocide. You are old enough to be my mother. Since you decided to address me online and open me up to threats, even though you have my number, I’ve decided to do the same. What you have done is dangerous, irresponsible & illegal, and if I had time to visit FIR offices, I would.”

    Maria B has yet to comment on Ushna Shah’s statement.

  • Aiman Khan, Saboor Aly, shower love on Zara Noor Abbas as she announces pregnancy

    Aiman Khan, Saboor Aly, shower love on Zara Noor Abbas as she announces pregnancy

    Zara Noor Abbas could win the cutest pregnancy announcement award if there ever was one, with a hilarious picture she posted holding a desert with a simple caption: “Round 2- – InshaAllah ‍ ‍ ”.

    The actress married Asad Siddiqui in 2017, becoming pregnant in 2021. But sadly, the actress announced she had suffered a miscarriage and lost her son. We’re praying for her health and hope a miracle lies ahead.

    It was also wonderful to witness celebrities showering love and prayers upon Zara and her husband. A-listers Saboor Aly, Mawra Hocane and other actors sent warm congratulations in the comments.

    Among the celebratory notes was actress Merub Ali, who expressed her joy at becoming a khala.

  • ‘Thomas Shelby from Daraaz’: Hasan Raheem’s new look has the internet divided

    ‘Thomas Shelby from Daraaz’: Hasan Raheem’s new look has the internet divided

    Just when we thought Hasan Raheem couldn’t be any more adorable, he takes it a step further.

    The ‘Joona’ singer shared a fit check from a concert where he looked like a hippy dada from the 60’s who is going to a club to play sudoko with his friends. Twitter users were in fits and soon came up with hilarious tweets.

    Fans made all kinds of comparisons, from calling him the sarial physics teacher in college, Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders to our new nana abu.

  • Celebrating Fawad Khan’s birthday with five of his hottest roles

    Celebrating Fawad Khan’s birthday with five of his hottest roles

    Happy Hearthrob Day Pakistaniyon! Fawad Khan is turning 42 today and will remain the reason why we keep winning the dilf game against India. But aside from his good looks, the actor has won over audiences with his performances. Whether it is playing a swoon-worthy prince, a ferocious warrior, or even a dorky villager, he’ll pull you in and keep you glued to your screen. Aap haar man lo bas.

    Chalien phir aaj National Heartthrob Day hai aka Fawad Khan’s birthday, we’re celebrating it with our favourite five roles that prove he will keep ageing like fine wine.

    Khoobsurat (2014)

    Yes we know, the film was a flop. But holy moly Fawad outshone like nothing else. He had limited screen time compared to Sonam, but created a cult following on the internet that has Indian fans, to this day, pleading with their government to give this man an exception and cast him in another Bollywood rom com. And yes, we’re also adding in a TikTok that proves why the film established a cult following online.

    Kapoor and Sons (2016)

    If critics thought Fawad only had the ability to work as eye candy on the screens, this film singlehandedly proved them wrong. The actor played a closeted writer Rahul Kapoor, who arrives back at his home to celebrate his grandfather’s birthday and also navigate fragile relations with his family.

    Dastaan (2010)

    Dastaan is celebrated today as one of the best dramas to come out of Pakistan, and Fawad cemented his role as a promising actor with his performance as Hassan. He plays a man who is deeply in love with Bano (played by Sanam Baloch), but both are tragically split apart due to the partition when she is forced into a marriage with a Sikh man.

    Akbari and Asghari (2011)

    Don’t call yourself a Fawad stan if you don’t remember this hilarious gem of a drama. Fawad had a small role as Akbari’s dorky husband from the village, but he still wins hearts for his comedy skills and hilarious acting.

    Humsafar (2011)

    Yes yes coming to the drama that made Fawad into the household name he is today. Ashar will continue to tower over all the leading men on our screens, and the reason behind this entirely is how Fawad enlarged the role with his seductive looks and charm. We were all Khirad every single time he stepped into the screen. And just to keep the fans happy, here is a TikTok of him in the serial.

  • Afghan migrants barred from supporting or funding elections

    The Ministry of Interior announced on Monday that Afghan migrants are barred from supporting candidates in the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 8 next year.

    The caretaker government, citing security concerns, has initiated a nationwide campaign to expel millions of illegal foreigners, predominantly Afghan citizens, residing in the country.

    The Ministry of Interior specified that both illegal and “legal” Afghans residing in Pakistan are prohibited from funding political and electoral activities, including providing funds to any candidate, in the upcoming polls.

    “Any Afghan citizen involved in such activities will be deported regardless of his or her legal status in Pakistan,” it stated.

    Pakistanis were also cautioned not to provide employment to illegal aliens or assist such individuals in obtaining employment.

    “Information about any such illegal alien or the person providing employment to him should be provided to the Ministry of Interior for legal action on the helpline available on the website of the Ministry.”

    Of the over four million Afghans in Pakistan, an estimated 1.7 million are undocumented, many having fled their war-torn country during decades of internal conflict, with another exodus occurring after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.

    While the government asserts that its policy targets all illegal aliens, irrespective of nationality or ethnicity, human rights organizations, including the UN, have expressed concerns, emphasizing the importance of a “voluntary” return.

    Amidst the ongoing efforts, several Pakistani politicians and Human Rights activists have approached the Supreme Court, seeking judicial intervention against the caretaker government’s deportation of illegal foreign nationals, including Afghans.

  • Merub Ali shut down criticism on her visit to a gurdwara

    Merub Ali shut down criticism on her visit to a gurdwara

    It’s 2023, can we please stop prying into religious beliefs? On Sunday, actress Merub Ali shared pictures on Instagram of her visit to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib.

    Some users responded with hateful rhetoric. Instagram commentators trolled the actress by claiming she wasn’t Muslim enough and that she wasn’t supposed to visit a Sikh temple. And honestly, we love the way Merub responded to a troll.

    “News flash: ANYONE can go to a gurwara!! You should go to. The people were really kind there. Maybe you can learn a thing or two.”

    We also have to appreciate how some users responded warmly to Merub’s visit, and encouraged others as well to visit the temple.

  • ‘Insensitive’: Waqar Zaka slams Nida Yasir’s claim he tried to sabotage her show

    ‘Insensitive’: Waqar Zaka slams Nida Yasir’s claim he tried to sabotage her show

    Television presenter and cryptocurrency expert Waqar Zaka fired back at actress and morning show host Nida Yasir over her claims that he tried to sabotage her show. In a video statement posted on his social media accounts, Waqar revealed he had complained about Nida’s conduct of hosting morning shows when she invited the parents of a deceased girl who was raped and then murdered. The show was subjected to intense controversy as Nida made the parents cry by asking them invasive and hurtful questions, which caused outrage.

    Waqar said that Nida claimed the parents had themselves requested to be invited on the show in order to gain media support to grant their daughter justice. However, he refuted these claims by sharing the video of an activist interviewing the parents, who revealed they were invited by Nida, rather than the other way round.

    Waqar debunked another claim made by Nida on her show, where she claimed the family had filed an FIR after their appearance. But as Waqar shared in the clip, the activist spoke with the victim’s parents who revealed they had filed it before making their appearance on the morning show.

    Waqar shared that these revelations had created an outrage on social media, which is when in 2020 he had encouraged his followers to file a report with PEMRA, and to message Salman Iqbal, the CEO of ARY, to remove Nida as a host.

    “It is insensitive how Nida exploited a case like this for the sake of getting ratings, and lied so much that she couldn’t even apologise after getting caught later,” said Waqar. “And also remember: a host is always aware of what goes on during the show. If the host approves something, then it appears on the show.”

    Waqar further added it’s time all the elderly hosts sitting on their morning shows should now consider letting go, and giving other young people a chance. He added Nida should host a contest to see who could replace her, and revealed he had complained to Salman Iqbal that other women should be given a platform because Nida was no ‘Oprah’ and nor did she hold any philosophy in her life.

    On Saturday, Nida made headlines when as a guest on Geo’s ‘Hasna Mana Hai’, she revealed Waqar Zaka had tried to sabotage her morning show as well as her career. She added the two were on good terms during the time he worked with the channel, but his demeanour changed when he left.

    “When Waqar left ARY, he started sending emails to the channel’s management, urging them to remove me from my morning show,” she confessed.

  • ‘I don’t regret what I said’: Actress Mehar Bano reflects on controversial 2021 viral video

    ‘I don’t regret what I said’: Actress Mehar Bano reflects on controversial 2021 viral video

    Actress Mehar Bano appeared as a guest on Samaa news’ ‘Had Kar Di’ where she opened up about her viral 2021 video from Aurat March where she was seen defending gay rights. The video led to extensive backlash, with Mehar Bano receiving a lot of hate on social media. She has been open about how she sought therapy to deal with suicidal thoughts.

    Reflecting on the video, Mehar Bano revealed she did not regret what she had said, but feels she could have conveyed her words in a more understandable manner.

    “I don’t regret anything that I said. After the backlash I felt that maybe I should have worded things differently. Maybe the things I had tried to say regarding Aurat March, it wasn’t communicated well to the audience.

    “Whatever happened it was a learning experience for me,” Mehar Bano addded, “and I continued to learn from everything that happens around me and everything that I do.”