Love Release

It has been announced that the eagerly awaited film produced by Jemima Goldsmith, titled What’s Love Got to Do With It?, will have its worldwide release on January 27, 2023. Directed by the critically acclaimed Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, its cast includes Emma Thompson, Shabana Azmi, Lily James, Shahzad Latif, Asim Chaudhry and our very own Sajal Aly. After reports of her separation from Ahad Raza Mir took centre-stage in the last few months, Sajal A is finally back in the news about her work… and love’s got nothing to do with it.

Wedding Bells

On June 9, pop star Britney Spears and Sam Asghari got married at the former’s residence in Los Angeles after half-a-dozen years of being together. Congratulations to the two of them! Those who were invited to the wedding included, among others, Drew Barrymore, Madonna, Selena Gomez and Paris Hilton. Recently, the vocalist also hit the headlines in Pakistan for giving a shout-out to the Coke Studio song Pasoori. We hope the invitees to the wedding party exhibited their dancing skills to the foot-tapping, finger-snapping beat of Pasoori.

Reaction Time

Aamir Khan’s upcoming project Laal Singh Chaddha is the Indian adaptation of the Academy award-winning Hollywood film Forrest Gump, for which Tom Hanks won his second best actor Oscar (1994). Apparently, Bollywood’s Mr Perfectionist is not just excited to see his movie screened but has also given the following statement: “Forrest Gump is an iconic film. I am very curious to see how Tom Hanks reacts after watching the [Indian] film. He is a wonderful actor.” Well, we’re not sure whether he’ll like it, because, after all, life is like a box of chocolates…

Money Talk

If his supporters are to be believed, Hollywood A-lister Johnny Depp’s reputation as a ‘nice’ guy is increasing by the day after winning the defamation case against his former wife Amber Heard. His lawyers have hinted that Amber H may not have to pay the substantial monetary damages that she’s supposed to cough up as a result of the verdict because, according to them, the trial “was never about money, this was about restoring his reputation and he’s done that.” Whatever one may think about the verdict and its repercussions, you can’t take away from Depp’s PR juggernaut.

Emma Thompson on MeToo

The Johnny Depp-Amber Heard case has generated a debate about its effects on the MeToo movement, that is, many fear the campaign will now not be as effective as it was when it first began. Lo and behold, the 63-year-old Emma Thompson has expressed her views on the subject, and they sound spot on: “The MeToo movement is not going to be derailed by that, but in order for it not to be derailed, we just have to keep on talking. We have to keep on talking and refuse to allow it to be derailed by a case [with] two very, very, very famous people.” So, keep talking peeps!

Love, Kill, Marry

It’s… almost… official: the Dabangg girl Sonakshi Sinha and actor Zaheer Iqbal are an item, and soon they will tie the knot — if the ring on her finger is anything to go by. Rumours always had it that they were going out but Zaheer I’s Instagram post last week about her birthday (June 2, so it was belated), in which both can be seen on a plane having a good time, kind of confirmed the relationship. He wrote, “Happy Birthday Sonzzz. Thank you for not killing me. I love you. Here’s to a lot more food, flights, love and laughter. PS: This video sums up the entire time we’ve known each other.” To which she responded, “Thank you, love you, now I’m coming to kill you.” Hmmm… Sounds like they’ll make a cute, albeit typical and predictable, married couple.

Published in Dawn, ICON, June 19th, 2022