Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari and Mahmood Choudhry’s wedding extravaganza over the weekend is all anyone can talk about. The two tied the knot in an intimate nikkah ceremony on January 29 with a wedding reception the next day. Pictures and details from the wedding festivities are limited considering there was a no cellphone policy at the event and guests were also limited because of COVID-19 SOPs.
However, while thanking everyone for their prayers and wishes, the bride promised that the couple “will be sharing [their] joy” with their wellwishers through the moments captured.
Staying true to their word, Bakhtawar and Mahmood shared pictures of themselves from their mehndi night on social media. While the groom donned a cream shalwar kameez with a shawl for the occasion, the bride glowed in a red and green outfit by Zara Shahjahan. Bakhtawar also shared a closeup of her outfit to show the details which included a tribute to her late mother Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
The dupatta was embroidered with the poem, ‘Woh ladki laal qalandar’ and Bakhtawar also held a pouch an embroidered portrait of Benazir on it.
Speaking to a local media outlet, the designer shared that the “lehnga had patchworks of Sindhi embroidery and mirrors” on it. She further revealed that the embellishments on the shirt “were worked with flowers and at the centre of every flower, we embroidered Bakhtawar and Mahmood’s names.”
“It was all done very minutely which is why it isn’t easily visible in the photographs,” she added.
Meanwhile, check out pictures from the reception below:
UAE Minister for Culture Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan also flew to Pakistan to attend the reception.
UAE minister for culture and tolerance Sheikh Nahayan Bin Mubarak Al Nahayan was in Karachi to attend BB @BakhtawarBZ‘s wedding reception, He was received at the airport by Sindh Information and Local Govt Minister @SyedNasirHShah. pic.twitter.com/oW2IgjHCE1
Bakhtawar and Mahmood got engaged in an intimate ceremony in November 2020 at Bilawal House. Bilawal was unable to attend the event since he had tested positive for coronavirus at that time and was in quarantine.
Sarah Khan has said that Allah has made men and women as equals and that people shouldn’t try to distinguish them as superior or inferior.
In an exclusive interview with The Current, Sarah said: “I believe in gender equality. I do not say that women should be superior, they should be treated as equals. The status Allah has given to them, we should follow that. Do not try to make it a competition.”
“Women are already strong, then why do we have to say that the women are strong as well or they should be given equal salaries as men,” remarked the actor further.
“I think, instead of fight for the rights, we should educate our sons. Don’t teach your daughters to go to ‘Aurat March’, educate your sons and teach them that their mother is also a woman,” she continued. “[A] woman is the one who runs the house, does the house chores and supports the man. If your wife is not helpful, then how will you be happy? Allah has already granted status to the woman, but I think men should be given the same rights. They deserve the same, not only women.”
Sarah, who is married to renowned singer Falak Shabir, also opened up about her marriage saying that it gave it more freedom. Sarah and Falak tied the knot in July 2020.
“To be honest, I am now [after marriage] doing my work much more freely and with a lot more passion. It wasn’t like this before. One of the reasons was that I used to be at home occupied with so many things, with my siblings etc,” said the actor.
“Now after marriage, it’s just me and my husband. He gives me so much freedom and encourages me to pursue my passion and wants me to succeed in my work. I enjoy working even more now and I want Allah to give every girl a husband like him,” added Sarah.
Besides her marriage and thoughts on gender equality, Sarah also discussed her sister’s Noor Zafar Khan’s career, her ongoing drama Raqs e Bismil and what she would have been if she wasn’t an actor in the interview. Check it out below:
Zeb Bangash is disappointed with Bollywood’s version of Bibi Sanam. Performed originally by Zeb and Haniya on Coke Studio, the international hit landed up in the Hindi film Cabaret, where it was sung by Usha Uthup.
In an opinion piece published on Scroll India, Bangash wrote: “From the moment my cousin Haniya and I released our version of Bibi Sanam on Coke Studio, it resonated with people from Kabul to Kolkata and beyond, becoming one of our most-loved and celebrated numbers. Its success spawned many other versions on YouTube and it was a delight to see and hear people from all over the world engaging with the song with so much love.”
She continued: “In time, many classic versions were uploaded. In 2013, inspired by Ustaad Shamsuddin Masrur’s performance of the song in the 1960s, I recorded an entirely fresh version of Bibi Sanam with my Brooklyn-based band SANDARAA. Not surprisingly, this version became a crowd-pleaser on SANDARAA tours even to predominantly Western audiences in North America.”
Zeb further wrote: “I came across a recently uploaded Bibi Sanam video from a Bollywood film. The film was completed a few years ago, but I hadn’t heard of or seen it. I was eager to see what space had been carved out for this beautiful folk classic by the multi-billion dollar industry we all follow and participate in so actively. The names attached to the project heightened my excitement. Usha Uthup, whose beautiful spirit and voice has inspired me since childhood, and Richa Chadha, an actor I respect as someone who stood up against objectification of women on the silver screen.”
However, the song left the singer disappointed.
“I finally heard the song, I was unsettled, disappointed by its re-imagining. I could not find Richa’s spirit or Usha’s voice in the song, neither could I find the soul of Qandahar, Tajqurghan, Kabul jaan, or Sisstaan — all the places the song has referenced,” wrote Zeb while expressing her thoughts on the rendition.
“Instead, the song was forcibly put in a place it was never meant for. I must admit it deeply disturbed me to see a cover of our loving tribute/rendition juxtaposed against the general ongoings of a forgettable Bollywood item song. What was infused into the innocence, the freshness, and sweetness of Sistaan is unwanted aggressive sexuality. Sadly, it felt perhaps for the first time a version has compromised the beauty of an ancient poetic, musical and spiritual tradition.”
Zeb said that the Bollywood version depicting gyrating women dancing around poles raises a stream of uncomfortable questions for her.
The singer further wrote: “The past 12 months, we saw social movements promoting inclusion and equality, we participated in them virtually and created a real global social impact. Social media provides an opportunity for authentic and discerning collaborations. In the context of this hyper-connected environment, I need to ask whether we as artists and content creators are making lazy and uninformed artistic choices?”
“When you sing a song in a new language, you acquire an intimacy not only with the music, but also its people, as you gain access to its stories and histories. You then suffuse it with your own histories and culture – if done right, it is always a process of inclusion. This is especially true for rich spiritual soundscapes. Is it too much to hope that this can culminate in evolution beyond the item number?” she questioned.
“When a dominant cultural machine imposes its careless vulgarity upon lesser-known spiritual traditions, it can undermine the culture and ultimately re-form and warp an identity from sacred to profane.”
“Bibi Sanam has always possessed a mesmerising quality, magic kept alive for centuries, by artists and audiences, meshed with their personal memory, experience, and history. For me the Bollywood version is a disservice to the song’s meaning and the culture it comes from,” she concluded.
Zebunisa Bangash is a Pakistani singer-songwriter from Lahore. Her family originally hails from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Given her prolific career and her ability to sing in various languages and appeal to audiences of all ages across cultures and continents, it is no wonder that Zeb has a huge international fan following around the world.
The High Court of Kerala has issued notices to Indian skipper Virat Kohli, along with actors Tamannaah Bhatia, Aju Vargheese, and the state government in a plea seeking a ban on online gambling in the state.
According to reports, the court plea alleges that as brand ambassadors of online rummy games they are getting the youth of India addicted to gambling after victims claimed the three celebrities have played a role in tempting them.
The petition also seeks a ban on the game.
The petitioner had complained to the high court that several people have lost their lives in the country after losing huge amounts of money by playing rummy online. A 27-year-old had reportedly committed suicide two weeks ago after losing Rs2.1 million in the online game.
Sajesh, 32, who had lost a huge amount playing online rummy said: “The intervention of the honourable high court is welcome as I know that several people have lost huge amount of money playing this online game and I myself have lost more than Rs 6 lakh.
“The brand ambassadors indeed play a big role in attracting the gullible youth in playing this game which soon turns into an addiction. I had to seek professional medical help to come out of this addiction and the court must ban this game in India.”
No statements have been issued by the three celebrities yet, with Kohli currently on paternity leave while he spends time with his newborn daughter and wife Anushka Sharma.
Kohli and Anushka Sharma were blessed with a baby girl earlier this month. On the other hand, Tamannah recently wrapped up the shoot for her upcoming web show November Story, which she described as a ‘nail-biting series’. The series will release on Disney+ Hotstar soon.
Fahad Mustafa has condemned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for ignoring Fawad Alam for a decade.
“If you want to witness what a failure of our system really is, watch Fawad Alam playing like a champ that he really is. We have wasted 10 years of this incredibly talented athlete,” wrote Fahad on social media.
If you want to witness what a failure of our system really is watch @iamfawadalam25 playing like a champ that he really is. We have wasted 10 years of this incredibly talented athlete.@TheRealPCBpic.twitter.com/yDS0o9YLV2
Fawad, who was ignored for almost eleven years, has gone on to score a century during the Pakistan vs South Africa series, happening in Karachi. This is the cricketer’s third century. He scored his first in 2009 when he hit 168 on his Test debut against Sri Lanka while opening the innings. Since then Alam has played just six Tests having made a comeback in 2020. He scored his second hundred in New Zealand during the Pakistan vs New Zealand Test series after he got a chance to play when Babar Azam was ruled out due to his thumb injury.
Meanwhile, Pakistanis including celebrities, politicians and sports analysts cannot stop praising Alam for his brilliant feat and many have called out the previous selectors for ignoring his talent.
Fawad Alam resilience is exemplary. Shining star indeed!!! A hall mark of talent & hard work. Shine on & make Pak proud.
Fawad Alam = resilience we can all learn from his journey to never give up & only focus on hardwork till your last breath in life not only cricket #PAKvsSA
Superb performance Fawad Alam!!! @iamfawadalam25 Brilliant Knock!!!! Not only justifying his inclusion but also raising questions why he has been out of the test team for so long. A great innings and hope he remains consistent. Keep Rocking!!! Very well done!!!
What a gratifying story. Every time I see Fawad Alam score runs, my heart rejoices. 10 years denied him will never be returned, but all we can do is celebrate these apogee moments with him. Well played; #Fawadever .
Fawad Alam is the sign of a fighter, Pakistan was 27 for 4, under pressure at home but the experience stands tall of Fawad against South Africa and he brings up hundred from 220 balls including 8 fours and 2 sixes. What a knock, one of the best. #PAKvSApic.twitter.com/DUpzNWNUWi
SO FREAKING HAPPY FOR FAWAD ALAM!! A fighting century! Showed what it is to have home ground advantage- scrappy- gritty- brilliant knock under pressure! Nobody deserves it more than him- the hero we all needed to save this match. #PAKvsSA#fawadalam
What a comeback from Pakistan on day 2! Fawad Alam leading the way with Azhar, Rizwan and Faheem playing key knocks. We’ve got a decent lead and with the rough built outside the left handers off stump things look tough for SA. Well played Pakistan ❤️#PAKvsSA
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy continues to defend her stance on Turkish actor despite receiving immense backlash and criticism.
In a series of stories on Instagram, Chinoy backed her opinion questioning her followers and presenting facts.
“Let’s play a game,” wrote the award-winning director before questioning how many Pakistani films were made in 2020 and how many brands slashed their budgets last year.
Chinoy then went onto say that “every industry that the government want to see grow has protections” because of which imports are taxed and/or discouraged.
“When you have budgets and work for Pakistani actors, then begin to import foreign ones,” continued the filmmaker. “Bollywood and Hollywood can afford to do that – we cannot.”
She then urged her followers to invest in “your own people and industry first”.
“I welcome the day when our industry will thrive and we will afford to welcome talent from overseas but not when I see our own struggling without work,” she added.
“Too bad the truth isn’t always pretty,” concluded Chinoy.
Sharmeen’s comments come after she was trolled for disapproving Peshawar Zalmi’s decision to appoint Esra Bilgiç as the face of the team.
“I find this hilarious!,” Sharmeen had said. “A Turkish actress whose country doesn’t even play the sport will now be a mascot for cricket.”
“What happened to Pakistani actresses by the way?” she said further. “Did they all disappear that we have to get foreign ones? Whatever is left of our industry will die if you keep paying Turkish actors for jobs Pakistani actors can do!”
Diriliş: Ertuğrul has been trending in Pakistan ever since its first episode aired on PTV Home in Ramzan 2020. Pakistanis are loving the drama series and it has become a sensation in the country. According to some estimates, millions of people have tuned in to watch the show on PTV and YouTube.
Recently, several Turkish actors from the super hit series Diriliş: Ertuğrul have visited Pakistan for different purposes. From Engin Altan Düzyatan (Ertuğrul Bey) to Cavit Çetin Güner (Dogan Alp) and Celal AL (Abdur Rehman Alp), almost every prominent actor from the drama series has visited different cities of the country.
Days before she ties the knot, Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari is celebrating her 31st birthday with brother Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and sister Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari.
Sharing a picture of herself with her siblings and Khala Sanam Bhutto, Bakhtawar thanked everyone for their wishes, joking that she is “sticking to 30” this year because “2020 didn’t count right?”
Sharing the same picture from a different angle, Bilawal also wished his sister a very happy birthday. As per details, the PPP Chairman has suspended his political activities for a week to participate in his sister’s wedding.
Bakhtawar is all set to tie the knot on January 29 with Dubai-based businessman, Mahmood Choudhary. A spokesperson of Bilawal House has revealed that the nikkah will take place on January 29 while the baarat is scheduled for January 30. All events are expected to take place at the bride’s residence in Karachi.
Pakistani dramas are often criticised for unnecessarily dragging the story. Those which usually start off at a good pace eventually get stuck in a rut and lose audiences’ interest. Ongoing drama serial Nand has gone too far in following this trend, crossing 100 episodes.
The drama has taken a complete turn from when it began and we now have new characters and situations driving the plot. The titular character, Gohar aka the Nand, has gotten a face transformation and Faiza Hasan, who initially played the role and was a major attraction, has been replaced by Javeria Saud. The Nand is not the only one who has undergone a change but another female protagonist Rabi (played by Minal Khan) died in Episode 95 that aired on January 13. Rabi and her daughter Dua died in a car accident in Germany, where they had gone to visit Rabi’s sister-in-law.
While most viewers thought that when Gohar lost her mind after she was exposed for ruining her brothers’ marriage and creating a ruckus in the family, the drama would end, they were in for a surprise when it continued with multiple twists and turns before returning to square one. After Gohar was admitted to a hospital and treated for her mental condition, she regained her memory and got a brand new face. She returned to a completely different household and began to create havoc again.
On the other hand, Gohar’s brother Saqib[Shahroz Sabzwari] and Hassan[Ayaz Samoo] remarried after getting divorced from their first wives. While Saqib’s wife is a mild-natured girl, Hassan’s new wife, Gul Rukh[Amna Malick] is evil and greedy. She even killed her mother-in-law with her mother Naeema’s help.
Meanwhile, another mother-daughter duo – Sundus and Amna – have entered the storyline. The two have come to Pakistan from Germany with Rabi’s things to give to Jahangir [Aijaz Aslam].
With multiple new faces taking the story forward, Gohar is now plotting to get rid of Gul Rukh and Naeema.
Produced by Fahad Mustafa’s Big Bang Entertainment, Nand is written by Sameena Aijaz and directed by Zeeshan Ali Zaidi.
As absurd as the drama is, Nand has proven to be a commercial success, trending on television as well as on YouTube. According to some estimates, it was also one of the top TV plays with the highest ratings in November 2020.
Ever since students discovered that Suno Chanda’s Masooma aka Tara Mahmood is Minister of Education Shafqat Mahmood’s daughter, her social media has been flooded with requests and appeals from students who are asking the actor to convince her father to close schools. The government had announced that schools and universities will reopen in three phases from January 18.
“Ma’am please apnay Baba say kahen keh humaray papers online kar dein,” “Please colleges aur schools band karwa dein Abba ko keh kar” are just some of the messages the actor has been receiving on social media. Some have even commented that they are sure Shafqat will listen to her because “betiyon ki baat baap nahi taaltay”.
While Tara has not yet responded to the comments, earlier while responding to a social media user, she had said: “Schools shut for long will harm many students who don’t have access to online education.”
“As a minister, he has to think about everyone in this country. And there are people out there dying for educational institutes to open. Hang in there and protect yourself by wearing a mask. Trust me, nothing will happen,” she added.
Earlier, in an exclusive interview with The Current, Shafqat had said that closing schools and universities late last year was a “difficult decision”.
“I think children don’t want to go to school,” the minister had said. “But seriously it was a difficult decision to close schools, colleges and universities. InshAllah as soon as the situation gets better, we will open them again.”
Shafqat Mahmood has three daughters, two of who are twins. The actor has often shared pictures of her family on social media.
Abdul Qavi, who has remained in the limelight for his controversial actions and alleged involvement in the Qandeel Baloch murder case, has been stripped of his ‘mufti’ title by the family that says Qavi is being hospitalised in a “mental institution because his thoughts are not in control”.
In a press conference, Qavi’s uncle Wahid Nadeem announced that the cleric has been isolated in his house. “Abdul Qavi has been used by different people over the years for media attention,” the uncle said, referring to the recent controversies that the cleric had embroiled himself in.
Nadeem said that Qavi shouldn’t be addressed as a ‘mufti’ because he brought shame to the family. “We have seized his mobile phones and now he is under treatment for mental illness he is suffering from,” he added.
Dr Hafiz Abdul Kadir, personal physician of the scholar, reportedly said that Qavi will be kept away from the public eye.
Recently, Qavi was reportedly slapped by TikTok star Hareem Shah after he passed “inappropriate comments and was rude” to her. The video of the incident was also shared by Hareem on her Instagram.
In May 2020, Qavi had said that drinks with less than 40% alcohol by volume were halal. “Whichever drink contains alcohol below 40 per cent… that drink is halal. It means we can drink it. In my opinion, even the drinks that contain 100 per cent alcohol but are extracted from minerals… are also halal,” he had said during an interview.
Earlier in 2018, the mufti was among five suspects, who were indicted in the case pertaining to the murder of social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch.
The murdered social media star had posted selfies and a video with Qavi on social media weeks before her death.
It was alleged that he had incited Waseem Baloch, brother of Qandeel, to get rid of his sister in the name of honour after he received flack for his pictures with the girl. Qavi was also removed from the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee after his pictures with Qandeel went viral.
Some of his endeavours include, brazenly flirting with transgender Almas Bobby during a television show in 2015, and being accused of sexual harassment by a female reporter in 2017. He has also time and again been spotted in several videos on social media featuring various showbiz stars and internet celebrities.
