Tag: Usman Mukhtar

  • How to spend Eid ft. your favourite celebrities

    How to spend Eid ft. your favourite celebrities

    Like last year, this year’s Eid is different too with no Eid parties, ban on travelling and Apa Firdous keeping a close eye on all jhappis and pappis. However, nothing can hold back Pakistanis from celebrating even if they are confined to their homes. The Current asked your favourite celebrities how they plan to spend their Eid weekend and here is what they said.

    Ahsan Khan

    Ahsan, who hosted the super successful Ramzan transmission on PTV, while speaking to The Current said he does not plan to attend any Eid gatherings or meetings this year, even though he and his entire family have been vaccinated. The actor added that if he does, he’ll only meet some friends who have also been vaccinated but with all COVID-19 protocols in place.

    “As it is Sunnah to dress up and wear new clothes, my family and I will dress up, spend time together and enjoy lots of delicious food,” said Ahsan.

    He further said: “We should try to keep Palestinians in mind today as they are going through very tough times and we should try to donate for them also. I am also trying to organise relief for them.”

    Aijaz Aslam

    Fresh off his stint on Jeeto Pakistan, Aijaz Aslam says that he plans to spend Eid “mostly indoors with family”.

    “It’s best to stay at home and do some activities with family. I don’t have any plans of going out visiting friends. It’s best for us and everyone else,” shared the actor.

    Wahaj Ali

    Ali, who recently won hearts as Basim in Ishq Jalebi, shared that he’s going to spend some quality family time, minus the celebrations.

    “With the on-going pandemic, it’s best to spend Eid at home with family,” Wahaj told The Current. “Family celebrations are out of the question! I’m not going to be risking it at all and so it’ll be a small and simple affair where I’m going to be relaxing and enjoying my time with my family.”

    Faysal Quraishi

    “The only way to make Eid in lockdown better is being with your family,” said Quraishi while sharing his Eid plans. The actor said that after a hectic Ramzan with back to back shows, he hopes to stay home and chill out with his family and children.

    Ramsha Khan

    Ramsha’s Eid is going to be all about chilling with her favourite girls. If not for the pandemic, this one party we would have loved to be a part of.

    “I plan on spending it with my mum, sister and Bella (my dog),” shared Khan. “Just going to get all dressed up with nowhere to go!”

    The actor added: “It’s so important to follow SOPs right now and avoid huge gatherings. We need to take responsibility and play our part so that we can get back to normal life as soon as possible.”

    Anoushay Abbasi

    Anoushey Abbasi plans to avoid all large family gatherings this year.

    “I’m going to be spending Eid at home with my loved ones, where everyone is safe and sound. It should definitely be kept low-key with everything that is going on, we should really be more responsible and careful,” said Abbasi.

    “It’ll definitely be a simple affair, nothing too crazy. Big family celebrations are a huge no for me this year, I’ll be avoiding those for sure,” added the Raqs e Bismil actor.

    Junaid Khan

    “The plan is to spend Eid with my family in a simple way,” shared Junaid, asserting: “Keeping the COVID situation in mind, the fewer people we meet, the better.”

    “Even within the family, we need to stay careful because there are elders and kids. So just like last year, I plan to spend Eid the same way and I think we’ll be spending the next few Eid’s like this too,” said the actor. “We should get used to this if we want our family and loved ones’ safety. We will spend these festivities with simplicity, and even while doing so, we will keep all SOPs in mind.”

    Usman Mukhtar

    Food is going to be the central theme of Usman’s Eid celebrations.

    “I plan of spending Eid at home with family,” shared Usman, who recently tied the knot.

    “We’re gonna cook some food and spend some time together because the past few months I haven’t been getting a lot of time to spend with family. So this is a good opportunity to do that instead of going out and meeting a lot of people because I feel that we should really starting being responsible now,” said the actor.

    Ayeza Khan

    Khan and husband Danish Taimoor gave their fans a treat on Eid with a romantic video of themselves.

    The actor said that while one should celebrate Eid as it is a gift from Allah for those who fasted during the month of Ramzan, one should strictly adhere to all COVID-19 SOPs. Ayeza added that one should also not forget to include those suffering in Pakistan, India and Palestine in their prayers.

    As most of our favourite stars said, stay home and spend time with your family. Dress up, have an intimate dinner or plan a game night or movie night with your fam and chill with some snacks and food. And don’t forget to pray for those going through a tough time.

    Meanwhile, to help you all out, The Current has made a list of Do’s and Don’t for Eid in lockdown and the ultimate guide to Eid TV and telefilms airing over the Eid weekend.

  • Usman Mukhtar ties the knot

    Usman Mukhtar ties the knot

    Usman Mukhtar, who won hearts as Dr Haris in Sabaat, has tied the knot in an intimate nikkah ceremony in Islamabad.

    Announcing the news on social media, Mukhtar shared pictures from the nuptials and introduced his wife.

    “Dear world, I married this amazing woman today in a small socially distant gathering,” said Usman. “Our big day was supposed to be on April 2, but due to the lockdown restrictions, we had to pull it back.”

    The actor further said: “Zunaira Inam Khan. Thank you for making me the luckiest man on earth.”

    “I haven’t felt such happiness in a very long time. You’ve stood by me in the moments I was down and amplified the happy moments. Been my rock and my support. I am blessed.”

    While the groom looked dapper in a white and gold embroidered kurta shalwar, the bride looked radiant in a light pink and gold ensemble.

    Mukhtar’s co-stars and others from the entertainment industry including Aiman Khan, Ameer Gilani and Shahzad Shaikh sent their good wishes to the newlyweds.

    Wishing the happy couple all the best for the new chapter in their lives.

  • Usman Mukhtar recovers from COVID-19

    Usman Mukhtar recovers from COVID-19

    Usman Mukhtar has recovered from COVID-19, ten days after testing positive for the virus.

    Read more – Pakistani celebrities who recently tested positive for COVID-19

    In a social media update, the actor said: “By the grace of God and your best wishes my COVID test came out negative.”

    “I am overwhelmed by your support; the journey itself has been overwhelming,” he added.

    Usman also urged fans to be safe.

    “Please stay safe and stay healthy. It’s important for us to consider this is not just for ourselves but also for people around us.”

    Mukhtar had tested positive for COVID-19 on October 29. Earlier, on October 5, the actor had shared that he was “feeling much better and getting stronger everyday”.

  • Pakistani celebrities who recently tested positive for COVID-19

    Pakistani celebrities who recently tested positive for COVID-19

    The second wave of COVID-19 has arrived in Pakistan with infections spiking. Several Pakistani celebrities and noted personalities have tested positive for the virus in recent days including Sabaat co-stars Usman Mukhtar and Ameer Gilani and models Saheefa Jabbar Khattak and Farwa Ali Kazmi and singer Jawad Ahmed.

    Saheefa, on Tuesday, shared that she is “COVID positive” and requested her followers to pray for her. She is isolating at home with her husband.

    Late Monday night, Ameer Gilani, during a question-answer session with his followers revealed that he too had tested positive for the virus and was isolating in his room.

    “I’m COVID positive and there is no sense of taste and smell. I request you all to remember me and my family in your prayers as your prayers are very powerful,” shared the actor.

    Last week, Gilani’s co-star Usman Mukhtar had also tested positive for the virus.

    Pop musician Jawad Ahmad also tested positive for COVID-19, earlier this week. The singer is also isolating at home.

    Last week, model Farwa Ali Kazmi, had also tested positive for the virus, days after walking the ramp for Hussain Rehar’s solo show. Farwa had initially dismissed her symptoms, thinking it was seasonal flu only to discover later that she had COVID-19.

    “All those with cough, body aches and headaches but no fever, please get yourself tested. I had delayed it thinking its seasonal cold but it’s not,” stated the model.

    Farwa added that she thinks she got it by “sharing food and cigar with a COVID-positive”.

    Other celebrities, who had earlier tested positive for COVID-19, include Rubina Ashraf, Nida Yasir, Yasir Nawaz, Naveed Raza, Noman Sami, Alizeh Shah, Alyzeh Gabol, Abrar ul Haq, Sakina Samo, Shehzad Roy and Bilal Maqsood. All of them have recovered from the virus now.

    Meanwhile, several politicians including PTI’s Ali Haider Zaidi and PML-N’s Dr Musadik Malik have also tested positive for COVID-19.

  • Ameer Gilani releases his first song ‘Sabaat’

    Ameer Gilani releases his first song ‘Sabaat’

    Budding actor Ameer Gilani, who won applause for his role in the recently concluded Sabaat as Hassan Fareed, has launched his own YouTube channel where he released his first song titled Sabaat.

    Gilani has also penned the lyrics for the soulful melody as well as done its original composition. Meanwhile, the music video has been directed by Usman Mukhtar.

    Later, in an Instagram post, Ameer said that the song was in response to the love he has received from his fans.

    “Mere pyaaray doston,” said the actor. “Mein bata nahi sakta ke aap ka pyaar kitna special hai. Mein ne koshish ki hai ke likh ke bayaan karoon. I’m sure this represents the feeling of the entire team.”

    He also said that the song was a small gift from the team of Sabaat to their audiences.

    “Ek chhota sa gift humari taraf se. Ek aakhri baar Sabaat ke liye. Aap ka Aur humara saath ho Sabaat.”

    Sharing the song on his social media, Mukhtar said: “Guys check out this really cool music video I directed for Ameer.”

  • ‘Sabaat’ manages to tie up loose ends in a rushed finale

    ‘Sabaat’ manages to tie up loose ends in a rushed finale

    Sabaat, with its refreshing storyline and empowered female characters, won acclaim over the weeks for being different from other dramas being shown on television. It drew to a close Sunday night with a finale that felt a bit rushed but successfully managed to tie up loose ends.

    Warning: Spoilers ahead

    Miraal & Dr Haris

    The final episode of the drama saw Miraal (Sarah Khan) get involved in a car accident and damage her spinal cord which leaves her paralysed from the hip down. That one incident changes everything and gives all major characters in the series a happy ending. When Miraal regains consciousness after her accident, she discovers that her current love interest and ex-fiancé Ali, who was driving the car has run away, while her estranged husband Dr Haris (Usman Mukhtar) is by her side. She realises that she has done wrong to a lot of people and starts redeeming herself – first by telling Hasan (Ameer Gilani) that she was the one who ruined his relationship with Anaya (Mawra Hocane) and then apologising to Anaya personally (That one scene was very well executed). Later, she also seeks forgiveness from her husband, who she was seeking khula from. Everything comes full circle and all characters in the series get a happy ending, including Anaya’s mother (Simi Raheal).

    Anaya and Hassan

    Though in its essence, Sabaat is a family drama with all the usual tropes like a mistrusting husband, nand-bhabhi tensions, etc, its treatment was what set it apart from other dramas. Besides, the drama resonated well with audiences because of its realistic presentation.

    Sabaat was beautifully written by Kashif Anwar (Fun fact – Kashif played Yasir Qureshi in the drama), with some impactful dialogues and brilliant story development (I will forgive the makers for stretching the drama in the last few episodes). The performances were solid – it will not be wrong to say that Mawra Hocane delivered her career-best performance as the quiet but headstrong Anaya, while Sarah Khan played the manipulative and spoilt Miraal to perfection. The boys (Ameer and Usman) also gave great performances and Usman, in particular, blew me away. Not only was Dr Haris an incredibly likable character but Usman also did complete justice to it. I will never forget that tear that dropped from his eye when he received the divorce papers. Laila Zuberi and Simi Raheel were wonderful as the supportive and encouraging mothers while Moazzam Ali Khan was brilliant as the arrogant Fareed Sahab.

    Another reason why the drama stood out was because of its strong and empowered female characters. Though Anaya was a mild-natured person, she did not resort to being a bechari when things went bad and made the best of her circumstances. Even Hassan and Dr Haris were a rare breed – they were shown as sensitive and caring individuals. It is unusual to come across such characters on Pakistani television these days.

    Personally, what I liked best about Sabaat was that nothing about it was over-the-top. Even in her angriest moments, Miraal was restrained and did not resort to screaming (read: screeching) like a mad person.

    Read more – ‘Sabaat’ will have you hooked

    The OST and background music was lovely and perfectly complemented the drama and storyline. Also a shoutout to the drama’s styling team – Miraal’s wardrobe was amazing. I loved each and every outfit and Sarah carried them all so well.

    Sabaat is definitely one for the keeps and is highly recommended. For me, it is going in the same category as Humsafar, Diyaar-e-Dil, Yakeen ka Safar, Ehd-e-Wafa and Zindagi Gulzar Hai.

  • Usman Mukhtar’s ‘Bench’ selected at the first Cannes International Independent Film Festival

    Usman Mukhtar’s ‘Bench’ selected at the first Cannes International Independent Film Festival

    Congratulations are in order for Usman Mukhtar, whose short film Bench has been selected at the first Cannes International Independent Film Festival. The film earlier also won the ‘Best Short Film Award’ at the South Shore Film Festival, New York.

    Sharing the exciting news on social media, Usman said, “With great humility, joy and pride do we announce that Bench has been selected at the first Cannes International Independent Film Festival – CIIFF.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CEraLQaJh32/

    Rubya Chaudhry, who is Mukhtar’s co-star in the film also expressed her excitement on social media.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CErdGZcl_QL/?utm_source=ig_embed

    The film which has been directed by Mukhtar and written by Ali Mudar the film sees two people at difficult crossroads of their lives, cross paths.

    Speaking to a local media publication, Mukhtar shared that the “film is about two people who meet on a bench. It’s a dialogue based film which takes a very interesting twist and turns.”

    He had also shared that the film has been submitted to a lot of film festivals including the Toronto, Cannes and Busan Film Festivals but due to the current situation, they’re screening the film online but he is yet to hear back from them.

    Watch the trailer of the film below:

  • Sarah Khan’s engagement: Usman Mukhtar has the cheekiest reply for all the memes

    Sarah Khan’s engagement: Usman Mukhtar has the cheekiest reply for all the memes

    Sarah Khan gave her fans a shock when she announced her engagement to singer Falak Shabir Wednesday evening. A few hours later, fans were in for another surprise after videos from their mehndi began to circulate on social media.

    While fans were super excited for the new couple, they couldn’t help but poke fun at Usman Mukhtar with whom Sarah is sharing the screen in Sabaat. Usman plays Dr Harris Ahmed in the serial who is Miraal’s (Sarah’s character) love interest. Fans joked that whoever Usman shares the screen with ends up getting married.

    Earlier, Usman had played Altamash, Naimal Khawar’s character Izza’s love interest in the drama serial Anaa. And while the drama was still on-air, Khawar got married to Hamza Ali Abbasi.

    https://twitter.com/mujhgan99/status/1283697451531206658?s=20

    Following all the jokes and memes, Usman said in his next drama he will come solo so that he also gets married.

    https://twitter.com/MukhtarHoonMein/status/1283668810306850816?s=20

    Sarah and Falak are expected to tie the knot today (Thursday).

  • Usman Mukhtar’s short film ‘Bench’ wins big at New York’s South Shore Film Festival

    Usman Mukhtar’s short film ‘Bench’ wins big at New York’s South Shore Film Festival

    Usman Mukhtar’s short film Bench has won the ‘Best Short Film Award’ at the South Shore Film Festival, New York.

    Mukhar shared the news with his followers and audiences on social media.

    https://twitter.com/MukhtarHoonMein/status/1280216996706242561?s=20

    Later, the actor, who was over the moon with the win, also shared a heartfelt note in which he said that he had no words to express his happiness and thanked his co-star Rubya Chaudhry for being the “heartbeat of this film”.

    “I do not have words to explain my happiness with you,” said the actor. “This is our first win so I am going to be very emotional. Since as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to be a filmmaker. Starting from those VHS cameras to right now. Winning this makes me feel that all the hardships that I went through, meant something. Thank you all for your support and I cannot wait to share the film with you all.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CCVz9yWpVwq/

    Rubya also expressed her excitement on social media and called Mukhtar “a true gem, a star, a guy that deserves everything amazing and then some”.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CCWAis8AgIH/

    The film which has been directed by Mukhtar and written by Ali Mudar the film sees two people at difficult crossroads of their lives, cross paths.

    Speaking to a local media publication, Mukhtar shared that the “film is about two people who meet on a bench. It’s a dialogue based film which takes a very interesting twist and turns.”

    He added that the film has been submitted to a lot of film festivals including the Toronto, Cannes and Busan Film Festivals but due to the current situation, they’re screening the film online but they are yet to hear back from them.

    While it is not clear when the film will be screened in Pakistan, we’re hopeful we get a chance to watch it soon.

    Watch the trailer of the film below: