The Anthology

Everybody knows that the only Pakistani film or the one properly promoted local movie that’s going to see the light of day on Eid-ul-Azha is an anthology titled Teri Meri Kahaniyaan. While a film compilation is an old phenomenon in the rest of the world, its beginning in Pakistan is a welcome sign. That said, during the trailer launch of TMK in Karachi, one of the three directors for the project — Nabeel Qureshi — said that the idea came about while he was making a short film for YouTube for the same production company, which later expanded into a three-film anthology. We’re not sure if this is the right approach to creating quality cinema, at least in terms of visual appeal. After all, the silver screen is the silver screen and the digital medium… is not the silver screen.

Same Old Drama

Writer and actor Mohammed Ahmed is in the news for his comments on Pakistan’s drama industry after complaining on a talk show that our plays and his roles in them have become repetitive, and the audience has become accustomed to seeing certain kind of stories. This all sounds true and makes the speaker come across as wise, but we still wonder: why can’t individuals such as Mohammed Ahmed sahib, who are writers and actors and are entrenched in the showbiz fraternity, themselves do something about it instead of pointing it out in interviews? They are, after all, a significant part of a system that they want to change, no?

Actors as Activists

It’s time Naseeruddin Shah kept mum for a while. We know it’s a bit harsh, but his loud political rants and the illusion that he knows a lot about literature, especially Urdu literature and language, is now getting terribly exposed. His assertion, while conversing with a journalist, that Sindhi is not spoken in Pakistan anymore, gives away how poorly informed he is on certain subjects. Yes, he did acknowledge his mistake later on but, by that time, the horse had bolted. He is a good actor but his non-arty activities are doing him no good. They say: a closed mouth catches no flies.

The Gigi-Leo Tie

Tongues are wagging about Leonardo DiCaprio and Gigi Hadid’s relationship because they have been seen together on a few occasions. On June 7, the Oscar winner reached China Tang restaurant in London from Chiltern Firehouse (a swanky hotel) along with his parents and, after 10 minutes, the supermodel walked into the same eating place, apparently from the same hotel. But insiders say they were there, sitting away from each other, as invitees to a function hosted by the editor of Vogue, Edward Enninful — nothing amorous about their meet-up. Hmmm… Given Leo’s penchant for younger gals, could there be smoke without a fire?

Marriage Trolls

Indian actor Ashish Vidyarthi is in a spot of bother. He is 57 years of age and recently got married for a second time to a woman named Rupali Barua. The moment the news of his wedding broke, he was shamelessly trolled for tying the knot because, according to the trolls, he is ‘buddha’ (old). The poor chap, after a brief period of silence, replied to his naysayers in the following words: “Each one of us will become old and we are telling ourselves, ‘Hey, don’t listen to things just because you’re old’. Does that mean you’re supposed to die unhappy? If somebody wants companionship, why should he not?” We think Ashish V has a good point. Shah Rukh Khan is his age, as are Salman Khan and Aamir Khan. And they’re still romancing women half their ages. Just because they play heroes in movies. And who says love knows any boundaries anyway?

Still Single?

Recently rumours were rife that Bollywood starlet Sara Ali Khan is dating Indian cricketer Shubman Gill. She has finally given her side of the story during an event where she interacted with the media: “I think that the kind of person that I am, to find somebody, it doesn’t matter what they do — actor, cricketer, businessman, doctor… Maybe not doctors, they will run away. But you know the truth is that, jokes apart, you will need to match me on a mental and intellectual level. And if you can do that, I think it’s great. I’ll be honest with you. I can say this with almost surety that the person I am going to be with in my life, I have not met so far.” Spot on! Almost impossible to match your intellectual level, Sara A K!

Published in Dawn, ICON, June 18th, 2023