Tag: Pakistani entertainment

  • What did Mahira Khan wear on her wedding?

    What did Mahira Khan wear on her wedding?

    Last night social media was ablaze when short clips released by superstar Mahira Khan’s manager Anushay Talha, and brother Hissan Khan, showed the actress getting married in a dreamy ceremony to her long time beau, Salim Karim. The seven second video was moving enough to make social media tear up as their favourite actress found her happily ever after. Most importantly, it was her gorgeous wedding dress that mesmerised everyone.

    The ‘Verna’ actress embodied every bit of the happy bride. She looked stunning in an ivory lengha choli silver ensemble, taking the pastel bride route that many Bollywood actresses like Parineeti Chopra, Kiara Advani and Alia Bhatt had embraced as well on their wedding days. To top her look, Pakistan’s sweetheart chose to go for a simple makeup look with her hair pulled back in a bun. As for jewelry, she picked an elegant diamond jewelry set which consisted of a choker necklace, jhumkas and a mang tikka, and a sheer veil donned over in a graceful manner as she walked down the aisle to her betrothed.

    Mahira wanted to include only close friends and family to take part on her big day as well as her wedding dress. Her wedding dress was exclusively designed by longtime friend and fashion collaborator Faraz Manan, who confirmed this by sharing the post Mahira’s manager had uploaded.

    Faraz Manan is one of the most sought out Pakistani fashion designers who has also worked with Bollywood stars like Aliya Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone.

    In June, Faraz Manan was selected to dress ace footballer Christiano Ronaldo’s partner Georgina Rodriguez for Harper Bazar’s Arabia cover.

    Mahira Khan sparked rumors about her new-found romance in 2020 during an interview with Samina Peerzada, where she simply confirmed that she’s in love with someone now. In a live session with fashion designer HSY, the actress opened up about her romance with Salim, and said she was very happy in her relationship:

    “There’s a line in Humsafar, which I thought was beautiful, where Ashar says to Khirad, ‘Pata nahi tum mujhe kis naiki kay badlay main milli ho. I think the same about him. I must have done something good in my life.”

    READ MORE: VIDEO: HSY accidentally reveals the name of Mahira Khan’s mystery man

  • Here are the dramas fans are celebrating on Ahad Raza Mir’s birthday

    Here are the dramas fans are celebrating on Ahad Raza Mir’s birthday

    Happy birthday Ahad Raza Mir! The singer and actor turns 30 today and fans are celebrating the occasion by sharing some of their favorite performances by the actor. Since the moment he stepped on to the screen in 2017 as Dr Asfandyar in ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’, he has been praised consistently. Here are some of the dramas fans are highlighting as their favorites

    Hum Tum

    We will start this article by mentioning the highlight of Ahad’s career because seriously, how could y’all forget the range he has? Ahad plays the studious Adam Sultan, who is rivals with Neha (played by Ramsha Khan). The two regularly compete to get the highest grades in college. However, their rivalry takes a huge turn when a proposal comes for Neha, and Adam realises that he has fallen for her.

    Ye Dil Mera

    Ahad plays the serious and reserved CEO of an oil industry, Amanullah Khan, who is traumatised by the death of his parents- and he believes the murderer to be Mir Farooq (played by Adnan Siddiqui) who is the father of college student Aina (played by Sajal Aly). When Amanullah attempts to get back at Mir Farooq by getting closer with Aina, both realise their past traumas are connected and work to uncover the mystery about the deaths of their loved ones.

    Yaqeen Ka Safar

    We couldn’t end this without mentioning the performance that made Ahad a household name. In this drama, he plays the traumatised Dr Asfandyar, who is grieving the death of his brother Daniyal, after he challenges a landlord’s son for gang raping a girl. He meets Zubia (played by Sajal), who ran away from her home after false accusations and suffering abuse from her family members, and the two slowly fall in love as they continue to work together.

  • Indian director has a wish related to Pakistani actors, musicians

    Indian director has a wish related to Pakistani actors, musicians

    After viral videos showed the Pakistani cricket team getting a warm reception at Hyderabad from fans and media alike, its clear that the politics of hate failed to diminish the love and respect Indian fans have for Pakistani celebrities, and vice versa. Given this, Indian director Rahul Dholakia has suggested that it’s about time Pakistani actors were given permission to act in Indian films.

    “Now that Pakistani cricketers are officially here, can we also invite Pakistani actors to act in our films? Or musicians to perform?” the ‘Raees’ director wrote in a viral tweet.

    Rahul Dholakia’s film ‘Raees’ starred Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Pakistani actress Mahira Khan. Recently, in a podcast FWhy with Freiha Altaf, the actress spoke at length about the backlash she received after the ban was imposed, preventing Pakistani actors from working in India, and how it impacted her mental health. The ‘Razia’ actress revealed that she was diagnosed with manic depression and has been on medication for the past six to seven years.

    READ MORE: ‘Psychiatrist told me I had manic depression’, Mahira opens up about mental health

    “I talk it every chance I get. This is the first time I’m opening up about the fact that I’ve been taking medicine for so many years. And when I tried leaving it like I said it was bad… And I was again in and out of hospitals trying to get help. But yes, everybody has ups and downs, bad times and happy times, but clinical depression is real like any other mental illness or physical illness.”

  • Hadiqa Kiani’s charity has built an astonishing number of homes in Balochistan

    Hadiqa Kiani’s charity has built an astonishing number of homes in Balochistan

    Actress and musician Hadiqa Kiani took to social media to share a monumental milestone achieved by her charity organisation ‘Vaseela-e-Raah’, revealing the organisation had surpassed their goal of building more than 200 homes in Balochistan. Taking to her Instagram account, the ‘Dobara’ actress revealed the organisation had constructed over 370 homes, and several other community facilities.

    “By the grace of Allah and your selfless help, we have surpassed our goal. The promise I made last year to the people of Balochistan, to my mother, and to my country is now complete.”

    “Our initial goal was 200 homes, but through prayer, determination, hard work, and community, we have now completed 370 homes, 2 mosques, 2 maternity centers, 1 school, and 1 grocery store in Tamboo and Kundi villages of Naseerabad, Balochistan. All funds collected over the past year have been fully utilized.”

    The actress went on to thank the love and gratitude other people had showered on her non-profit by donating medicine, water, food and other facilities to help them accomplish their goal. She said that a follow-up video will be posted with more details about their campaign.

    Hadiqa was one of the celebrities who offered support for communities effected by the devastating 2022 floods of Sindh and Balochistan, setting up her non-profit in an effort to reconstruct homes for the survivors. In March, Kiani shared that her organisation had built over a hundred homes, a maternity clinic, grocery store and primary school for children in Balochistan.

    “As many of you know, I have been in Balochistan for the past few days…by the grace of Allah + your support, we have completed the 1st phase of our project. 100 houses are complete and now occupied by flood victims, a maternity clinic, a grocery store and a primary school..”

  • In celebration of Mawra Hocane’s birthday, here are her three performances we loved

    In celebration of Mawra Hocane’s birthday, here are her three performances we loved

    It was actress Mawra Hocane’s birthday yesterday, and what better way to celebrate the occasion than to highlight some of her best work? Within the short time we’ve seen her on screen, the actress has delivered a range of powerful performances in serials about marital rape, domestic abuse and the pressures of social media. Let’s take a jog down memory lane to highlight some of the actress’s best performances over her career.

    1 Qissa Meharbano Ka

    The drama is celebrated as a milestone in discussing marital rape. It explores the story of Meharbano, a wife stuck in an abusive marriage with her husband Muraad (Ahsan Khan). Social media users still remember how the actress took a defiant stance to ensure that the issue of marital rape is tackled in a sensitive manner, and in no way is her character’s abusive relationship is romanticised in the show. Mawra was applauded when she revealed in an interview that she requested director Iqbal Hussain and producer Momina Duraid to rewrite the script to ensure that such a toxic relationship is not justified.

     “I said that we can’t let it pass. How can a project backed by her and me – women who have voices – let a marital rape scene just pass. Because a lot of projects let it pass. And we are angry about that. So what are we doing differently?”

    2 Nauroz

    We are just twelve episodes in the drama, but audiences have already declared that this is the project that will cement Mawra Hocane as the actress no body can compete with. The drama follows the story of a sheltered girl Rishtina, who is thrust out into a new world after facing a threat, and resorts to living in slums after she is discovered by an influencer who introduces her to the world of social media. Mawra’s powerful performance has fans raving. The actress revealed in a recent interview that the shoot took a toll on her body to the point that she lost 6 kgs because of the trauma she underwent while filming some of the scenes.

    3 Sabaat

    Mawra’s ability to pick dramas with complex, powerful female characters shone through in this drama, which is still celebrated as one of the few feminist dramas made in Pakistan. She plays Anaya, a headstrong college girl who speaks out against harassment, and clashes with Hassan (placed by Ameer Gilani) after she defeats him in an engineering competition. As the two begin developing feelings for each other, their class backgrounds and opposing mindsets threaten to tear them apart.

  • Here is a complete list of the nominations from the Lux Style Awards 2023

    Here is a complete list of the nominations from the Lux Style Awards 2023

    The final nominations for the prestigious Lux Style Awards 2023 are finally here, celebrating the best of the art and culture of Pakistan. The 22nd award ceremony will be held in Karachi, attended by the creme de la creme of the entertainment industry.

    This year marks a cultural shift as Pakistani entertainment is fresh off the high of global praise. Songs from Coke Studio like ‘Pasoori’ by Ali Sethi and Shae Gill received international acclaim, and the later was also the subject of a controversial re-make in the Bollywood film ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha’.

    Pakistani films like Kamli by Sarmad Khoosat were well received , as well as ‘The Legend Of Maula Jatt’ which was sadly not included in the nominations after the producers released a statement saying the ceremony’s limited film categories honoring writers and directors is the reason why they did not submit their film as consideration.

    READ MORE: Why wasn’t ‘Maula Jatt’ nominated for the Lux Style Awards?

    ‘Joyland’ by Saim Sadiq which featured the transgender actress Alina Khan, is among the most nominated films in the awards ceremony. The movie received a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, and was shortlisted as a nomination for the Academy Awards.

    Check out which one of your favorite film, drama or actors made it as the final nomination.

  • Mahira Khan’s ‘Razia’ is speaking about the plight of young women in Pakistan like no one else

    Mahira Khan’s ‘Razia’ is speaking about the plight of young women in Pakistan like no one else

    Bold, confident and hard-hitting, Mahira Khan is back once more and this time she is not afraid to hold up a mirror to society’s face. Her new drama ‘Razia’ is creating buzz on social media. Mahira is no longer the sweet and naive female lead as we have known her. She’s the narrator who tells the story of how a young girl born in a conservative household in Pakistan learns to overcome every hardship to chase her dream.

    From the get go, this show keeps you hooked by telling you a story we’re all familiar with, but every episode is a gut punch on how Pakistani girls are robbed of their dreams and hopes because of patriarchy. Mahira waltzes around the stage and speaks with the audience about the journey of the young girl Razia, whose birth was a disappointment for the grandmother who wanted a boy. From that point, she continues to be punished for the crime of being born a daughter.

    Two episodes in, and we’re already awed by how the show speaks out on the ways young women are deprived of their dreams, whether it is something as small as eating after their brother does, or as monumental as Razia’s father banning her from playing outside because she is older now. And already, some of the powerful monologues in the episodes are gaining praise on social media.

    A user praised this scene where in a monologue from episode 1, Mahira points out how young girls today are no longer murdered on their birth, but are today buried alive by the consistent backlash society imposes on them

  • Adnan Siddiqui has unusual reaction to criticism of his stint as host of ‘Tamasha Ghar’

    Adnan Siddiqui has unusual reaction to criticism of his stint as host of ‘Tamasha Ghar’

    The beloved reality television show ‘Tamasha Ghar’ ended on Sunday with contestant Aruba Mirza declared as the winner of the second season. Social media users are still criticising the way several well-deserved constants like actress Natasha Ali, model Zainab Raza or Neha Khan were removed. Many of these comments have targeted the host,’Badshah Salamat’ actor Adnan Siddiqui, who has now addressed them with a long note on Instagram.

    Posting a picture with the actor sitting on a throne chair during the finale, the ‘Mom’ actor wrote: “‘Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.’ Shakespeare’s King Henry IV poetically agonised how those in the seat of power are beset with restlessness and worry. The burden of responsibilities never ceases to lessen for them. From the vantage point of Badshah Salamat for Tamasha the second time round, I can see why the throne is a two-edged sword. It gets you power to take decisions but not without constant accountability. You aren’t allowed to slip, you can’t falter and you definitely cannot let your prejudices creep in.”

    The ‘Maat’ actor went on share that the job as a host of a reality show is not easy, with the scrutinising gaze of millions of viewers judging every decision you make: “While you are judging the housemates, you too are under scrutiny by them and by the millions who are watching you on the screen analysing your every move. Every decision that you take brings you bouquets or brickbats and sometimes both. How demanding it is to maintain a balanced approach? I’d say yes.”

    “Reality shows expose human beings at one of their most base levels,” continued the ‘Meray Pass Tum Ho’ actor. “When people are thrown together with strangers in a closed, hostile environment which is also competitive, your most basic instinct, that’s survival, is activated. There’s no loved one around to confide in, friendships are transactional, affection is a rare commodity and to top it all, they are always striving to outdo their fellow mates wittingly or unwittingly. For two years in a row, I have seen human emotions as raw as they could be inside Tamasha Ghar. And believe me, it takes immense mental strength to live under the glare of camera 24 hours for weeks together.”

    Ending the note, the actor requested fans to stop assuming they’re much better judges than he is, and to hold back on the criticism.

    “I have often been criticised for being biased by fans and supporters of the contestants. My comment section and DMs is their favourite playground these days. They not only feel short-changed sometimes but also are supremely confident that they would done a more objective, more fair job. I read the feedback, amused by the simplistic view the audiences offer. And I again go back to King Henry IV.”

    Adnan also added a cryptic note addressing the critics on his Instagram stories, with the caption: “There are many people out here who would be in great shape if they ran as much as their mouth does.”

    Read his complete statement here:

  • Aijaz Aslam was once mistaken for another celebrity by robbers

    Aijaz Aslam was once mistaken for another celebrity by robbers

    Karachi walahs never change.

    Aijaz Aslam was a guest on Samaa News’ show ‘Had Kar Di’ where he opened up about a hilarious instance when he was robbed twice in Karachi, and how when the first time this happened, the robbers thought he was the late religious television host, Junaid Jamshed.

    The actor recalled that when he was in Karachi during Ramzan, a group of robbers approached him by first politely tapping on his car window. The ‘Cheekh’ actor chuckled saying that when he rolled down the window, the robbers greeted him by saying ‘Junaid bhai’, but after recognising him, they apologised and asked for his phone.

    The second time Aijaz recalled being robbed was when he was coming out of a friend’s studio, and when they were about to enter their car, two young boys approached him with a silver gun and demanded that the actor and his friend hand over their phones.

    “I took out my phone, he looked up to recognise me and said: ‘Array! Oh maaf kardien Aijaz bhai, mein tou boaht bara fan hoon’,” the actor laughed. The robbers handed them back their phones and apologised as they left.

    Listen to the hilarious encounter here.

  • Programs need to stop having sexist Khalil Ur Rehman as a guest after he insults yet another Pakistani woman

    Programs need to stop having sexist Khalil Ur Rehman as a guest after he insults yet another Pakistani woman

    It’s about time that television programs and producers stopped giving screen time and importance to sexist writer Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar, because it seems like he can’t stop spewing his misogyny everywhere he goes.

    We thought the entertainment industry had felt the ‘Mere Pass Tum Ho’ screenwriter had crossed all boundaries when he abused journalist Marvi Sirmad on live television for defending the slogan ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi’, and then bashed actress Mahira Khan for criticising this horrifying display of violence. It was shocking that despite this, the screenwriter was invited back on public shows and wrote dramas for entertainment channels but like always- the industry knows the best way to capitalise and earn ratings is when women are made into punching bags.

    Now once more, we have the misfortune to bear witness to Mr Qamar’s disgusting rants towards women. The writer appeared as a guest on a show by 7 News Digital along with the winner of the Miss Pakistan 2022 competition Sana Hayat, where the pageant winner can be seen talking at length about the difficult realities Pakistani women must endure at workplaces in order to achieve success. Sana spoke about how women have to face all kinds of pressures from their families and society.

    When it was Mr Qamar’s turn to respond, he started by rudely saying that Sana might have had some bad experiences. When Sana tried to elaborate, he snapped, “Don’t interrupt me,” launching into a rant about how Sana is wrong when she says Pakistani women have it hard in the workplace. Khalil Ur Rehman said any person who gives their own personal experiences when discussing issues have poor knowledge of the world.

    Acknowledging that women are being exploited by the workplace, Qamar said men are also being exploited in some places.

    “For example in the private sector if a woman is determined that she will find work based on her merit then she will find work on that basis. But then they use other ways to find work, through which men lose their right to work.”

    “If women want equality,” the screen writer further drawled. “Then they should give up on the 33% quota they are offered and make everything on merit.”

    It’s shocking that in 2023, Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar is being invited on shows to dismantle and mansplain the very issues that women in Pakistan actively suffer from. Why is it necessary to get his opinion, a man, on the issues that women are dealing with? Even after witnessing him time and time again misbehave with actresses, make light of the growing issues of rape and violence against women in Pakistan, why do our channels constantly need to offer him a platform? On top of everything, it was disappointing to watch a female host partaking in this spectacle by humiliating her female guest this way. For her to dismantle the articulate explanation by Sana Hayat by inviting a man who is known for his misogynist rants just proves how television channels are aware that women’s misery= more money for them.

    Khalil Ur Rehman represents every toxic man in our society. His popularity that surged after the meltdown on live television is proof that what our audiences love is to watch a woman in misery. Our channels endorse his mediocre scripts that peddle the narrative that an ambitious woman is a toxic woman, and turn violence inflicted upon women into comedy relief because there’s nothing that fuels money and ratings more than capitalising on the pain and misery of other women- and Khalil Ur Rehman is nothing but a sum of everything that is wrong with Pakistani men.

    We could go on and on with the numerous examples of how brazingly unfiltered Mr Rehman continues to be when it comes to his open disregard towards women and their issues- but we’re tired of constantly writing the same think pieces over and over again. We’d honestly just ask entertainment channels to stop relying on Mr Qamar for your ratings, because we can see through your formulae. Relying on toxic narratives and gossip tabloids that turns women into scapegoats is no longer acceptable, and Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar owes Sana Hayat, and every other female public figure he’s publicly misbehaved with- an apology for his actions.