Akhlaq Ahmed’s 14th death anniversary was observed on Sunday. He was a known playback singer who died of cancer in 1999.

Film circles told this correspondent that Akhlaq Ahmed’s death anniversary was observed by organising seminars and other events to pay a tribute to him.

Akhlaq Ahmed was a member of a famous group with two other performers -- singer Masood Rana and actor Nadeem. Akhlaq debuted as a singer in the 1973 film ‘Pazaib’. He was born in Delhi in 1946 and started as a stage singer in 1960s in Karachi. He struggled many years but shone in 1970s as a playback singer of ‘Sona na chandi na koi mehal…’ (Bandish -- 1980) and ‘Sawan aye sawan jaye in chahat’ (1974).

He took his last breath on Aug 4, 1999, in London.

Popular stage comedian Amanullah has been invited by two Indian singers to perform at a couple of events including two wedding ceremonies in their families.

Hans Raj Hans and Daler Mehndi have invited Amanullah to perform at their functions and stage a show for general public as well. The comedian has large fan following in India especially in East Punjab.

Meera’s upcoming movie ‘Bharas’, an Indian flick, will not be released in Pakistan as local film exhibitors have reservations against the movie. They are of the view that the film belongs to B category and Meera has exposed herself beyond a limit.

In the past too, Meera’s Indian flicks such as ‘Kasak’ and ‘Panch ghantay mein panch crore’ failed to do good business at the box office.

Meera is also trying to have some role in ‘Earth’ being made by Mahesh Bhatt. Shan is playing the lead role in that film and Meera is learnt to have sought his help for the purpose. The present movie is the remake of original ‘Earth’ released in 70’s in India.

Actor and Director Javed Sheikh is back in movie production after over a decade. He will begin his new film in October and it is likely to be shot in Karachi. Javed Sheikh told his close circles that he was making a film because the Pakistani film industry badly needed some good productions to stage a comeback. In Karachi, 10 to 15 films are already being produced. The commercial TV play industry has already moved to Karachi and now most film stakeholders are seeing their fortunes there as producers get instant sponsorships for their projects.

Humayun Saeed has changed his mind and will not hold the premier of his film ‘Mein Hoon Shahid Afridi’ in Lahore. Earlier, Saeed had planned to hold a grand premier of the film in Lahore but he announced change of venue to Karachi and Islamabad. Humayun Saeed and Shahzad Nasib are producing the movie based on a young boy’s dream to become Shahid Afridi.

The film is the story of a boy (Noman Habib) who dreams to become Shahid Afridi and finds himself down on luck when the only club he ever knew goes bankrupt. With no place else to go he discovers one last chance to save his club, his town and his dream. A cricket tournament coming to Sialkot which may be the club’s last hope. But are they ready yet? A team of misfits with no facility and no coach, can they even qualify for the cup and face the highly-skilled undefeated rivals who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths and every facility in their hands? With that question in mind they decide to take help from an ex cricketer, Akbar Deen (Humayun Saeed), but Akbar has a dark past of his own. When fates collide and mysteries unfold, ‘Main Hoon Shahid Afridi’ embarks on a journey of mistrust, betrayal, love, power and unfulfilled dreams.