Tag: Playwright

  • Khalil-ur-Rehman once again misbehaves with a female panelist

    Khalil-ur-Rehman once again misbehaves with a female panelist

    The controversial Pakistani writer, Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, has once again come under fire for using foul language with a female panelist in a talk show. During the show, Qamar lost his cool during a debate and misbehaved with a lady panelist Ailia Zehra.

    During a panel discussion on divorce rate and child marriages, Qamar began to use inappropriate language while attacking a fellow panelist. Upon being told by the host, Awais Iqbal, to speak respectfully, he went on an outburst and left the show while shouting.

    Sharing the video clip on Twitter, Ailia said: “Just had a horrible encounter with toxic masculinity. Khalilur Rehman Qamar lost his marbles during a talk show when I called him out over his hateful rhetoric. He left the show while yelling at the top of his lungs. Called me a RAW agent and spewed sexist slurs.”

    It was also reported that in his fit of anger, Qamar also told the producer of the show that his action was justified because Ailia had not greeted him when he entered the studio for the show.

    This is not the first time Qamar has behaved inappropriately on TV. In March last year, Qamar had abused activist Marvi Sirmed during a TV discussion on ‘Aurat March’ and the slogan ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi’ (my body, my choice).

    Earlier, the Mere Paas Tum Ho writer reprimanded women writers for humiliating relationships in dramas.

    In an interview when Rehman was asked what was the reason that people in showbiz are so afraid of him, he said: “People are afraid of me because I am honest with my work. They will be afraid of dishonesty.”

    He added: “Female writers have stigmatised relationships like that of a sister-in-law, mother-in-law and brother-in-law.” He said that there are 99.9 per cent of women who are writing in the industry but they only write about family politics and stigmatise sacred relationships.

  • Google honours Bano Qudsia with a doodle on her 92nd birth anniversary

    Google honours Bano Qudsia with a doodle on her 92nd birth anniversary

    Google is celebrating renowned novelist and playwright Bano Qudsia’s 92nd birth anniversary with a doodle.

    In a statement, Google said: “Today’s Doodle honours the life and legacy of Pakistani novelist and stage and television playwright Bano Qudsia, affectionately known as Bano Aapa (elder sister), who is widely credited as one of the most significant Urdu language authors in modern times.”

    “Renowned for her message of love and hope, Qudsia earned enormous acclaim for Urdu classics like her television play Aadhi Baat (Half Talk, 1968) and novel Raja Gidh (The Vulture King, 1981).”

    Bano Qudsia was born on November 28, 1928, in Firozpur, British India. She began to write short stories when she was a child. After the partition of the subcontinent, she moved to Lahore, where she earned her master’s degree in Urdu. While in school, she also met her future husband and fellow luminary of Urdu literature Ashfaq Ahmad.

    Google further said: “During a fertile era of Pakistani literature, Qudsia’s thought-provoking television plays earned her a reputation as a cultural trendsetter. In addition, she wrote a prolific 25 novels and founded her own magazine called Dastango. Even as her legend grew throughout her six-decade career, she maintained a reputation for her radical acceptance and kindness, known to embrace those from all walks of life who approached her for mentorship or assistance.”

    “Happy birthday, Bano Qudsia! Your contributions to Pakistani literature and entertainment will continue to resonate for generations to come!,” concluded the Google note.

    It is pertinent to add that Qudsia is also the recipient of the prestigious Sitara-e-Imtiaz (1983) and the Hilal-e-Imtiaz (2000).

    Read more – Google celebrates Manto with a colourful doodle

    Meanwhile, cricket commentator Ramiz Raja also remembered the late novelist and recalled the time he played tennis ball cricket at her home and broke her veranda’s tube light.

    “Readying myself for a dressing down, all I got from her instead was a warm expression to know if I was okay,” shared Raja.