Tag: trending

  • ‘Sabaat’ will have you hooked

    ‘Sabaat’ will have you hooked

    Six episodes in, Sabaat has managed to capture the audiences with its compelling and entertaining storyline and strong performances. The drama had intrigued viewers before it even aired thanks to one of the main leads Mawra Hocane, who is an ace at the social media game – but a few episodes in, it has everyone, myself included, hooked.

    Sabaat is centred on two families: Hasan Fareed (Ameer Gillani) and Anaya Aziz’s (Mawra). Anaya belongs to an average middle-class family. She has big dreams and wants to make a difference in society. She actively campaigns for harassment against women in workplaces and is a class topper. Hasan, on the other hand, is from an affluent and well-off family. He and Anaya are class fellows and start off as fierce competitors but an incident changes that and the two become acquaintances following which Hasan develops feelings for Anaya and wants to marry her. Though Hasan’s character development is a little weak, given how the swiftly the drama is progressing and how sparkling the chemistry is between him and Anaya, we are willing to overlook this.

    While these two are in their own little university bubble, Hasan’s elder sister Miraal (Sarah Khan) is the real devil of the show. She is a spoilt brat who cannot take no for an answer. Miraal is rude, arrogant and selfish and thinks she can get away with anything because she is rich to the point that she goes to her brother’s university and slaps Anaya for no reason. She generously uses the dialogue “Tumhari aukaat kya hai” and is enabled by her father who is also a snob.

    While Mawra’s character, for now, is one-dimensional, it is Sarah who steals the show with her bratty act. Her facial expressions, body language and moods are on point and she delivers a convincing performance making you hate Miraal. Nonetheless, it is refreshing to see both women essay strong and confident characters. At this point, I’d like to add here that Sarah’s wardrobe, hair and makeup are brilliantly done and she looks super chic in all of her scenes.

    Sarah Khan Sabaat

    Usman Mukhtar is yet to make an entry and fans are waiting with bated breath for it. While the theme of the drama is still unclear, Mawra in an interview had shared it is primarily a love story which is meant to entertain audiences and not deliver sermons or lessons. However, she added that the drama will highlight several issues including classism in our society.

    Read more – We take it back; ‘Ghalti’ is ARY’s best running drama

    Sabaat has been penned by Kashif Anwar and directed by Shehzad Kashmiri of Anaa fame. Apart from the four leads, the drama also starres Simi Raheel, Laila Zuberi and Mohammad Ahmed.

    It aires every Sunday at 8 pm on Hum TV.

  • ‘Extraction’ & ‘Love Aaj Kal’ are trending on Netflix Pakistan but not worth the watch

    ‘Extraction’ & ‘Love Aaj Kal’ are trending on Netflix Pakistan but not worth the watch

    To make decision-making easier for their users, Netflix has recently started sharing a list of ‘Top 10’ movies or seasons which are trending in different countries. According to a blog post from the company, the Top 10 row will be updated every day with “the most popular titles within a subscriber’s country, and the position of the row will also change depending on how relevant the shows and movies in the list are to their interests.”

    As of Friday (May 1) night, the top three things trending on Netflix are Diriliş: Ertuğrul, Love Aaj Kal and Extraction, while the two films are also the top two in the Movie Category. While we all know that Diriliş: Ertuğrul is a hit among Pakistani audiences, Extraction and Love Aaj Kal are new additions to the streaming service.

    Read more – R-rated ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ number 1 on Netflix Pakistan

    Like any other Pakistani who grew up on Bollywood films, I couldn’t resist watching Love Aaj Kal. I mean Imtiaz Ali, Sara Ali Khan and Kartik Aryan — bring it on. As for Extraction, because for the most part, my job does require me to keep up with the latest trends, I decided to step out of my usual romantic comedies/dramas zone and watch something different and see whether it was worth the Netflix hype.

    Let’s start with Extraction. The Chris Hemsworth action-thriller has been creating a buzz since he went to India for its shoot. A day before its release, Hemsworth on social media had said that “making this film was one of the most exhausting but rewarding experiences I’ve ever had on a set.”

    He further said: “We set out to make the most insane, intense action film and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved.” Unfortunately, the film only made me insane with the amount of bloodshed it had it in. To be honest, I’m generally not a big fan of action films but I do enjoy them from time to time. The two-hour-long film, which I finished in three sittings, was just a Bollywood film on steroids given that a lot of actors [for example Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi] in the film were from India.

    The film is focused around Tyler Rake (played by Hemsworth), a black-market mercenary and former Australian Special Air Service Regiment soldier with a troubled past. From Rake’s first scene in the film, one can tell that he is the sort of person who likes to challenge and see death in the eye. Except for a few glimpses from his past, Rake’s character isn’t adequately developed. Anyways, Rake is hired by a fellow mercenary Nik Khan (Golshifteh Farahani) to rescue Ovi Mahajan Jr. (Rudhraksh Jaiswal), the son of India’s biggest drug lord (Pankaj Tripathi), from Dhaka, Bangladesh who has been abducted by Bangladesh’s biggest drug lord, Amir Asif (Priyanshu Painyuli).

    The film is just one, long and bloody action sequence. There are limited dialogues and the characters just run through the narrow streets of Dhaka as they try to escape Bangladesh’s most notorious drug lord. They jump from building to building, kill countless people on the way and lockdown an entire city. The ending is as abrupt as the beginning – there is no character development or plot development. So unless you want to see only action, I’d advice you to skip the film altogether.

    Now onto Love Aaj Kal. If I had to sum up the film in one word, or two, I’d say half-baked. The story, the characters, the plot, everything about the film is half-baked. The film follows the same premise as Imtiaz Ali’s first Love Aaj Kal, which had two love stories running side by side.

    Zoe (Sara Ali Khan) is a free-spirited but ambitious girl who wants to make a career. She is bold, speaks her mind and does what she feels like, which sometimes gets a bit over the top. Veer, on the other hand, is a sensitive guy who looks at life differently than Zoe. The two meet in a club and while Zoe just wants to have a one-night stand, Veer decides that it’s not right because Zoe is “special”. How he decided that within an hour is beyond my understanding. Zoe gets annoyed with this and leaves his house and goes back to her life. Except Veer starts stalking her, not in the 90s way by singing songs and all, but by getting a spot at the co-working space where she sits. Soon the two grow closer and get into a relationship but Zoe’s mother who wants her daughter to become independent first urges her to not give up on her career for marriage. This confuses Zoe who then breaks up with Veer. The breakup scene was so ridiculously cringed that you cannot help but wonder how Imtiaz Ali even came up with it. What follows afterwards is a typical Bollywood story of how two people who are meant to be together will find their way back to each other. In between all this, Raghuvendra “Raghu” Singh, who is the owner of the cafe where Zoe works, narrates his 20-year-old love story to Zoe to help her understand her own feelings and make her decisions.

    What I did not like about the film was first Zoe’s character. It was highly irritating and Sara’s acting was also terrible. Especially the scenes in which she was drunk or crying. In fact, her own dialogue basically sums up her acting: “Tum mujhe tang karnay lagay ho“.

    It appears that all the attention was paid to Zoe and Raj’s character because Veer’s character was highly underdeveloped. We don’t understand his profession, neither do we understand why he spends his days just buzzing around Sara – does he not have his own life. And to top it all, his insecurities deriving from his parent’s relationship are summed up in a rap song, which is more confusing than explanatory.

    While the plot did have its heart in the right place, the film was not engaging enough. It lacked the humour [like in Jab We Met] or simplicity [Highway] which Imtiaz usually beautifully weaves into his films. Sorry, Imtiaz, I really did try my best to like the movie but it just wasn’t happening.

  • Council of Islamic Ideology to ‘critically review’ ‘Zindagi Tamasha’

    Council of Islamic Ideology to ‘critically review’ ‘Zindagi Tamasha’

    Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that Sarmad Khoosat’s Zindagi Tamasha will be critically reviewed by the Council of Islamic Ideology on the request of the Central Board of Film Censors. The film’s producer was also directed to postpone the release of his film for the time being.

    Awan’s announcement came hours after censor boards in Punjab and Sindh stopped the film’s release.

    Earlier on Tuesday, the Government of Punjab through its Information and Culture Department barred filmmaker Sarmad from releasing Zindagi Tamasha “in wake of persistent complaints received from different quarters”. Following this, the Sindh Government also placed a ban on the film as it may create unrest within the religious segment of the society and disrupt peace.

    According to a notification issued by the provincial government, the film will be re-examined and the film’s makers have been directed to arrange a show in this regard “in any cinema house” on February 3 at 3pm, so it may be reviewed. The film’s team has also been told to ensure the presence of a representative “for personal hearing, if required by the committee”.

    Meanwhile, the director has also been instructed not to release the film “till final decision of the committee”.

    Notification by the Punjab Government
    Notification by the Sindh Government

    It is pertinent to mention here that the censor boards of Punjab and Sindh had earlier cleared the film.

    It is also being reported that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) will once again hold a board members meeting to review the film in which a representative of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and a representative of the ministry will also participate.

    “Film will only be cleared if the members of the religious party and government officials approve of the content,” said the report.

    Following the temporary ban on the film, the TLP has cancelled its protest against the film that was scheduled to be held Wednesday.

    Many people are criticising the government decision especially considering that earlier this month, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar had announced the formation of a task force on Art and Culture, in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    According to the notification, the initiative was taken to promote and revive performing arts, culture, heritage and the film industry. Shaan, Resham, Ali Zafar, Yousaf Salahuddin and Vasay Chaudhry are among the members of the task force.

    Written by Nirmal Bano and directed by Sarmad Khoosat, Zindagi Tamasha starres Arif Hassan, Samiya Mumtaz, Eman Suleman and Ali Qureshi in the lead. The film is centred around a naat khwan Rahat Khawaja (played by Hassan) and his family who are outcast from the society when a secret of Khawaja’s is leaked.

    The official synopsis states: “The film is an intimate portrait of a family as well as a scorching political commentary on little gods on this earth who police our private passions.”

    The film premiered at the Busan International Film Festival held in October 2019 where it also won the prestigious Kim Ji Seok Award.

    Petition filed against TLP for hindering the release of Zindagi Tamasha

    A few hours before the Punjab Government’s notification, a Lahore Civil Court heard the petition filed by Sarmad’s father Irfan Ali Khoosat against the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) for “trying to interfere into the smooth running, public screening/releasing” of Zindagi Tamasha. Judge Ziaur Rehman heard the petition and issued notices to all respondents to appear before the court on Wednesday to present their arguments.

    According to reports, Irfan who serves as the director of Khoosat Films Private Limited, appealed to the court to “[restrain] the defendant permanently from interfering into the peaceful releasing/public screening of above-named film on big screen/cinema in all over Pakistan illegally, unlawfully”.

    Sindh Film Censor Board, Punjab Film Censor Board and Markazi Film Censor Board were also named as though it was clarified that the censor boards were “mere [proforma] defendants and the plaintiff has not claim (sic) any relief against them”.

    Irfan had also filed for interim injunction from the court under Rules 1 (cases in which temporary injunction may be granted) and 2 (injunction to restrain repetition or continuance of breach) of Order 39 read with Section 151 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

    Last week, the filmmaker had appealed to the Prime Minister, President, Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chief of Army Staff to facilitate his film’s release explaining that he was receiving threats. Sarmad shared that there were attempts to stop his film from releasing despite it being cleared by the central censor board

    In his letter, Sarmad clarified that “As a law-abiding citizen and with full conviction that there is nothing offensive or malicious in the film, in response I submitted the film for another review to the censor board. It was cleared once again with a few cuts to appease the complainants.”

    Read more – Sarmad Khoosat appeals to PM, President to facilitate his film’s release

    Following that he penned another letter, this time addressed to “my beloved Pakistan and Pakistanis” detailing that he is getting dozens of threatening phone calls forcing him to reconsider the release of his film.

    Read more – Sarmad Khoosat considers not releasing ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ amidst threats

    Zindagi Tamasha was scheduled to release on January 24.

  • Pakistani movies releasing in 2020

    Pakistani movies releasing in 2020

    2019 was not a very lucrative year for the Pakistan film industry. Films were few and not entirely up to the mark. The highest-grossing film of the year, Superstar, made only PKR 30 crores at the box-office.

    2020 looks promising in terms of the film industry with more than a handful of releases expected to release this year. Moreso, a lot of favourite TV actors including Imran Ashraf and Junaid Khan will also be making their debut this year. Here is a list of all the film that have been announced.

    Zindagi Tamasha

    Sarmad Khoosat’s controversial film Zindagi Tamasha is the first release of 2020. The film is expected to tackle some serious issues regarding religion and societal stigmas.

    Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad

    Mahira Khan and Fahad Mustafa’s first project together has fans excited. Given that the duo behind Load Wedding and Actor in Law, Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza, are helming this project, anticipation levels are high. The film is expected to release around Eid.

    WATCH: Fahad Mustafa practices his action stunts for ‘Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad’

    Fatman

    Nabeel Qureshi and Fizza Ali Meerza’s other project is a superhero film titled Fatman with Ahmed Ali Butt in the lead role.

    Speaking exclusively about the film to The Current, Ahmad had said, “It’s a different and bold take on superhero films but at the core, it is a story about a father-son relationship.”

    He added, “It also addresses body shaming, yet keeps the family entering factors in mind.”

    Kamli

    Saba Qamar is returning to the silver screen with Sarmad Khoosat’s Kamli. Though there is not much known about the film as yet, we are sure it’ll be a must-watch. Shooting has wrapped up and the film is currently in its post-processing stage. It is expected to release on Eid-ul-Fitr.

    PICTURES: From the sets of Saba Qamar, Sarmad Khoosat’s ‘Kamli’

    London Nahi Jaungi

    Humayun Saeed and Nadeem Baig are coming back with a new film titled London Nahi Jaunga. Not much is known about the film, except that it has nothing to do with Punjab Nahi Jaungi. Mehwish Hayat and Kubra Khan are also reported to be part of the project.

    Money Back Guarantee (MBG)

    Faisal Qureshi’s star-studded film MBG is expected to be a mad comic caper. It starres Fawad Khan, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Wasim Akram and Gohar Rasheed among others. Given that Faysal is directing the film, we’re sure it’ll be a laughing riot.

    The Legend of Maula Jatt

    Just hoping it comes out this year.

    Patakh De

    Azaan Sami Khan will be making his film debut opposite Hania Aamir in this film which will be produced by Momina Duraid Productions. Shamoon Abbasi will also be part of the film.

    Tich Button

    Urwa Hocane production Tich Button starring Farhan Saeed, Iman Aly, Sonya Hussayn and Feroze Khan is expected to release this year also. It is being directed by Qasim Ali Mureed and has been written by Faiza Iftikhar. According to Urwa, the film is a fun-filled one about love and friendship.

    Dum Mustam

    Imran Ashraf will be debuting on the big screen with Dam Mastam. Amar Khan, who has written the script, will also be part of the film as will social media sensation Momin Saqib. The film is being directed by Mohammed Ehteshamuddin and produced by Adnan Siddiqui.

    Ishrat made in China

    Ishrat Made in China will mark the directorial debut of Mohib Mirza. It will star Sanam Saeed and Shamoon Abbasi among others. While no further details about the project are known, Mohib has been kept his fans updated with pictures from the sets.

    Dhai Chaal

    Dhai Chaal starring Ayesha Omar and Shamoon Abbasi is an action film inspired by story of Indian spy convicted in Pakistan Khulbushan Yadhav. The film has gone on floors and shooting has commenced.

    Delhi Gate

    Looks like 2020 is going to be Shamoon Abbasi’s year because his nth venture for the year is Delhi Gate. According to the actor, the film is a romantic thriller where he will be playing the role of ‘Malik Gold’, the main antagonist in the film. The film will be related to one of the 13 gates of the old walled city of Lahore.

    Gawah Rehana

    Emaad Irfani and Ghana Ali’s film based on the Khilafat Movement is currently under production and is expected to release in 2020. The film is written and directed by Tahir Mahmood who has served as an official of the Foreign Service in Turkey. It will be released in Pakistan and Turkey both. Veteran actor Qavi Khan is also an integral part of the film.

    Half Fry

    Real-life couple Yasir Hussain and Iqra Aziz will be coming together for this action-comedy by writer/director Abu Aleeha. Faizan Khawaja, Faryal Mehmood, Saleem Meraj, Sana Fakhar, Ismail Tara, Danish Nawaz and Iffat Omer make up the supporting cast of the film.

    Kahay Dil Jidhar

    Junaid Khan is debuting on the big screen opposite Mansha Pasha in Kahay Dil Jidhar. The film is being directed by Jalal Rumi. Popular RJ turned actor Dino Ali will also be debuting in the film.

    Zarrar

    Shaan has been teasing us with this film for a long time now. Hoping it releases this year.

    Rehbra

    Described as a ‘love story with a twist’ Rehbara, starres Ayesha Omar and Ahsan Khan in the lead and has been directed by Amin Iqbal. Ghulam Mohiyuddin and Saba Hameed will also be part of the film.

    Qulfee

    Crime-caper Qulfee has an ensemble cast which includes Shahroze Sabzwari, Moamar Rana, Saeeda Imtiaz, Sana Fakhar and Wali Hamid. It is being directed by cinematographer Salim Karim Daad, whose previous works include Jawani Phir Nahi Ani, Balu Mahi and Sherdil.

    Sorry: A Love Story

    Produced by Faysal Qureshi, Sorry will mark the actor’s comeback on the big screen. Directed by Sohail Javed, the film stars Faryal Mahmood, Aamina Sheikh and Zahid Ahmed in the cast.

    A lot of other films are also supposedly in the works but details on them are limited which is why they haven’t been included on the list. In a lot of cases, films are announced and later shelved.

    Here’s to hoping that 2020 is the year Pakistani cinema grows even bigger and audiences have plenty of movies (good ones of course) to watch on the big screen.

  • Shireen Mazari applauds Mehwish Hayat for exposing ‘rabid Pakistan-hater’

    Shireen Mazari applauds Mehwish Hayat for exposing ‘rabid Pakistan-hater’

    Pakistan-born Canadian writer Tarek Fatah was recently trolled by Mehwish Hayat and other Twitter users after he posted a scene from Mehwish’s and Fahad Mustafa’s Load Wedding in an attempt to discredit Pakistan.

    The video shows a mother slamming the door on two polio workers while screaming, “I will never ever allow my children to take these drops. Never never will my kids drink these drops. Never.”

    https://twitter.com/TarekFatah/status/1217209562433871872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1217239982768885761&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samaa.tv%2Fnews%2F2020%2F01%2Ffact-check-tarek-fatahs-polio-refusal-video-from-mehwish-hayats-load-wedding%2F

    Soon after the video was shared, Mehwish responded to Tarek and let him know that the video he shared was from her film and the scene aimed to raise awareness about polio. She called him out for spreading fake news and snubbed him by asking him “to verify the source before posting [any misleading videos] next time.

    People also started trolling the writer for posting the video. Minister for Human Right Shireen Mazari also applauded Mehwish for exposing a “rabid Pakistan-hater!”

    Meanwhile, in 2016, an actual video went viral of a woman fighting polio workers who had come to her house to vaccinate her children. All the dialogues of the Load Wedding scene were taken from the actual footage with minor amendments.

  • The Royal Fab Four: Which one are you?

    The Royal Fab Four: Which one are you?

    Edit quiz
  • Five lines you can’t miss at Karachi Eat this weekend

    Five lines you can’t miss at Karachi Eat this weekend

    Let’s face it. Karachi Eat’s lines are super long and they’re bound to be longer this Saturday and Sunday. The festival kicked off today (Friday) and will go on till January 12 at at the Beach Park on Edhi Avenue, Sea View. The best stalls will have the longest lines but which ones are going to be worth the wait?

    O Donuts

    Getting famous on Karachi’s food groups, ODonuts is giving Easy a run for their money. The donuts are soft and fresh and a big hit with Karachiites. Worth the line and best with a cup of chai. They are priced at Rs. 160 per donut at their stall.

    Crust Bros

    Authentic Italian Neopolitian Pizza? Karachi is a tough crowd to please when it comes to pizza so this one is definitely worth the try. Even if it doesn’t live up to the taste, Crust Bros is doing what the fancy bakery, Marcels did when it launched in Karachi: introducing 24k gold as a enticing meal for Karachiites. The crust of the pizza is 24K gold and topped with gold too. Will be interesting to see how well this one does – we’re on the fence since this might work in Lahore but Karachiites are a bit more finicky about the flavour more than the shashkas. But will be interesting to try it out.

    Tikyani

    Hai the traditionalists will not like this one at all. But it will be worth a try. Tikka Biryani can only do well if it doesn’t taste like chicken and rice, which most tikka biryanis end up tasting as. It’s not completely new though and some major food dhaabas do it well. It will create interest but it will have to be really good for people to rush towards it. Everyone knows there’s one dish that everyone in Karachi is an expert on – it’s biryani.

    Sol

    Their burgers are out of this world good. And they are at Karachi Eat and a long line is expected. Although they have suffered reviews about their brisket being dry, this is one line that will be long and the end result should be worth the wait

    Mana’s Cookies

    Are they us good as the abroad wale Ben’s cookies? Apparently, they are and they will be available at Karachi Eat, the cookie and giant marshmallows too. And who can resist a cookie s’more? Watch out for the line on this one.

  • DG ISPR Gen Asif Ghafoor praises Deepika for being ‘a brave person’

    DG ISPR Gen Asif Ghafoor praises Deepika for being ‘a brave person’

    DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor praised #DeepikaPadukone for being a brave person and “standing both with youth and the truth.”

    However, later he deleted his tweet for reasons unknown.

    Deepika won the appreciation of the public after she visited Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to stand in solidarity with the students who were protesting after masked assailants wielding batons and iron rods attacked the university leaving more than two dozen injured.

    According to an Indian journalist, the masked mob was linked to a BJP linked student group. They barged into hostel rooms and assaulted left-wing students and also beat up visually impaired people. There were reports that they were carrying acid as well.

    Deepika’s presence at the protest signifies that she is most likely standing with them in protest of these BJP-linked attacks and not the tuition fees hike protests that had been happening at the university earlier. The hostel fee hike is an ongoing issue and protests were held against it previously.

    Read more: ‘Mad respect’ for Deepika Padukone after she stands in solidarity with JNU students attacked by BJP supporters

    Previously, in a media interaction when asked about the ongoing protests, Deepika had said that she is proud that the students are not scared of expressing themselves.

    “I feel proud about it that people are coming out – be it on the streets or wherever they are – they are raising their voice and expressing themselves as it is important. If we want to see change in life and society, it is important that a point of view be put forward,” Deepika had said.

    Meanwhile, several other Bollywood personalities including Vishal Bharadwaj, Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dia Mirza, Rahul Bose, Richa Chadha and Taapsee Pannu led hundreds of people in a peaceful protest against the violence.

  • Nida Yasir reveals why she doesn’t allow male fans to take pictures with her

    Nida Yasir reveals why she doesn’t allow male fans to take pictures with her

    Pakistan’s number one morning show host Nida Yasir is anything but shy. She is full of energy, spunk and sass and is loved by millions of viewers across the world.

    While Nida loves her audiences and is always willing to interact with them, in an exclusive interview with The Current revealed that she doesn’t allow male fans to take selfies with her.

    When asked what is the worst thing about hosting a morning show, Nida, “You’re not left with any privacy. No matter where you go, to the bazaar or anywhere – I like to meet them [my fans] – but when I’m out with my guests and they have to stop and wait while I click pictures with my fans, I don’t like that,” adding that she can’t even say no.

    Nida then shared that she never gets photographed by her male fans.

    “It’s a rule,” she said. “The reason is because I have seen photographs of a lot of actresses on random pages with captions. They [other actresses] must’ve posed considering them their fans but the captions on Facebook etc say ‘Meet my friend, [XYZ].’”

    “I don’t judge anyone ever since, but I’ll get photographed with families, with female friends, but not with male fans,” she remarked.

    Watch the full interview here:

  • IN PICTURES: ‘Ring of Fire’ eclipse enthralls observers in Asia

    IN PICTURES: ‘Ring of Fire’ eclipse enthralls observers in Asia

    Skywatchers from Saudi Arabia and Oman to Pakistan and Singapore were treated to a rare “ring of fire” solar eclipse on Thursday.

    Annular eclipses occur when the Moon is not close enough to the Earth to completely obscure the Sun, leaving a thin ring of the solar disc visible.

    While these types of eclipses occur every year or two, they are only visible from a narrow band of Earth each time and it can be decades before the same pattern is repeated.

    Depending on weather conditions, this year’s astronomical phenomenon was set to be visible from the Middle East across southern India and Southeast Asia before ending over the northern Pacific.

    Hundreds of amateur astronomers, photographers and set up by Singapore’s harbour for what some described as a “once in a lifetime” event.

    Bahrain
    Dindigul in Tamil Nadu, India
    Singapore
    Bangkok, Thailand
    Sanaa, Yemen
    Bangkok, Thailand

    Meanwhile, in Pakistan due to the dense fog, smog and cloudy skies, the eclipse wasn’t very visible.

    The next annual eclipse in June 2020 will be visible to a narrow band from Africa to northern Asia.

    The following one in June 2021 will only be seen in the Arctic and parts of Canada, Greenland and the remote Russian far east.