<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" version="2.0"><channel>
                        <title>Latest Lifestyle News, Fashion &amp; Celebrity News - The Express Tribune</title>
                        <atom:link href="https://tribune.com.pk" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/>
                        <link>https://tribune.com.pk</link>
                        <description>The Express Tribune keeps you up to date with all the latest happenings from Pakistan and across the world!</description>
                        <lastBuildDate>Sun, 26 Jul 26 19:02:30 +0500</lastBuildDate>
                        <language>en-US</language>
                        <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
                        <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
                        <generator>https://laravel.com/</generator><item>
			<title>Express Entertainment's 'Shaandaar' breaks new ground</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620351/express-entertainments-shaandaar-breaks-new-ground-1</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620351/express-entertainments-shaandaar-breaks-new-ground-1#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 Jul 26 00:01:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Qaisar Kamran]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620351</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Television drama's exploration of darker side of privilege comes as breath of fresh air that departs from typical Pak]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A man is killed on a road. The case makes headlines. Social media erupts with questions. Then, slowly, attention shifts elsewhere.But what happens when such incidents are not treated as isolated crimes, but as part of a larger pattern?

That is the question at the heart of Shaandaar, a new crime thriller airing on Express Entertainment.

The 16-episode drama, directed by Wajahat Rauf, draws inspiration from several real-life roadside killing cases that have sparked public debate in Pakistan. It is not a dramatisation of one specific incident. Instead, the story brings together elements from different cases involving violence, power and influential individuals.

The result is a television drama that attempts to move away from the familiar formulas that dominate Pakistani television.There are no traditional family feuds at the centre of Shaandaar. Instead, the drama explores crime, privilege, power and the consequences of actions that can sometimes appear to have been buried by influence.

The drama features an ensemble cast including Shamoon Abbasi, Shahzad Sheikh, Areeka Haq, Ali Dayan, Laila Wasti and Ahsan Afzal Khan. Its treatment is deliberately fast-paced, with the makers aiming to combine the tension of a crime thriller with the realism of stories inspired by events that have already entered public consciousness.

For Ahsan Afzal Khan, who plays the central character Salar, the opportunity to work in such a genre was one of the main reasons he agreed to the project.

&quot;A script picked by Mr Wajahat Rauf already gives you the impression that something different is coming,&quot; Khan told The Express Tribune.

He said Pakistani television rarely gets the opportunity to explore stories of this kind. &quot;There are very few such stories,&quot; he said. &quot;We were getting a chance to do something different a crime thriller genre.&quot;

That difference, he believes, is one of the drama&#39;s biggest strengths.Khan describes Shaandaar as fast-paced, gritty and dark, but not without moments of lightness. The tone, he says, gradually changes as the story progresses. &quot;There is a light mood too, then slowly it gets darker and darker,&quot; he said. &quot;There are social messages and a lot of things.&quot;

The actor also believes that the drama&#39;s pace is an important part of its appeal. &quot;It keeps you interested,&quot; he said. &quot;I watch the episodes myself. I watch them with my family and I feel like watching the next episode. It is not dragged.&quot;

That response is particularly significant for Khan because, according to him, Shaandaar has brought him a new audience. &quot;Teenagers and Gen Z are enjoying this drama a lot,&quot; he said.

He also said that people who do not usually watch Pakistani dramas, and instead prefer international content, have shown interest in the series.

That may be partly because the drama presents a world that feels closer to the crime thrillers many younger viewers already consume on international streaming platforms.

At the centre of the story is Salar a character who is privileged, arrogant and powerful.He looks down upon others and misuses his influence. He is narcissistic and wants things on his own terms. But Khan says Salar is not written as a one-dimensional villain.

&quot;I hope people relate to the human side of Salar, but not to his entire personality,&quot; he said.

The character may be difficult to defend, but the actor believes that understanding the reasons behind a person&#39;s behaviour is not the same as approving of it. &quot;No negative character is a bad person, and no positive character is a good person,&quot; Khan said. &quot;We are all layered somewhere.&quot;

He argues that people are shaped by their experiences by what they see at home, what they face at school and how they are treated by those around them. &quot;Did we face bullying? What did we face? All of that is incorporated into your mind,&quot; he said. &quot;You are reacting as a defence mechanism.&quot; this is what makes Salar interesting.

Beneath the arrogance and privilege, there is a human being with emotions and vulnerabilities. But those qualities do not erase the damage he causes.

&quot;He is privileged. He is arrogant,&quot; Khan said. &quot;He wants what he wants.&quot;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/style1785024519-0/style1785024519-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Zohran Mamdani reveals Pakistani rapper Shamoon Ismail is among artists on his playlist</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620193/zohran-mamdani-reveals-pakistani-rapper-shamoon-ismail-is-among-artists-on-his-playlist</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620193/zohran-mamdani-reveals-pakistani-rapper-shamoon-ismail-is-among-artists-on-his-playlist#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 08:17:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620193</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[NYC mayor discusses Jay-Z, Eiffel 65, says music part of how he understands world]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revealed that Pakistani rapper Shamoon Ismail was one of the artists in his playlist, saying he had been listening to the musician for years.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Mamdani opened up about his love for music while sharing some of the artists on his playlist, featuring musicians from Uganda, Pakistan, and the United States.

&quot;I&#39;ve also been listening to a Pakistani rapper named Shamoon Ismail, who I&#39;ve listened to for a few years, but I&#39;m also listening to a little bit more of his music,&quot;&nbsp;Mamdani said.

Reflecting on his relationship with music, the NYC mayor stated, &quot;It&#39;s part of how I understand the world and how I understand my place in the world.&quot;

He also recalled some of his earliest memories in New York City, saying, &quot;I used to love going to Tower Records. They would have just floors of an incredible number of CDs and, for some reason, I loved The Offspring at the time.&quot;

The NYC mayor also reminisced about discovering artists such as Jay-Z and Eiffel 65. &quot;There were three to four albums. The first version I was given was the clean version of Jay-Z&#39;s The Blueprint. The funny thing was that they used to sell bootleg CDs right outside of Tower Records, and that&#39;s where I bought Eiffel 65&#39;s Europop,&quot;&nbsp;Mamdani shared.

Born in Uganda, Mamdani also spoke about his connection to his roots. &quot;I&#39;ve been listening to a lot of Radio &amp; Weasel, who are a duo from Uganda, who were running the charts for a long, long time,&quot; he said.

Adding a country favourite to the mix, the mayor stated, &quot;And, you know, if I&#39;m feeling reflective, throw on some Kacey Musgraves.&quot;

Of South Asian and East African descent, Mamdani famously wrapped up his 2025 electoral winning speech to the iconic&nbsp;Bollywood track Dhoom Machale, while his parents and wife walked onto stage.

&nbsp;





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





In a previous interview, Mamdani also spoke about Indian-American rapper Himanshu Suri, better known as Heems, who he said had been one of his favourite artists since before he decided to enter politics.

The NYC mayor&#39;s candid conversations about music have garnered&nbsp;praise from fans. His eclectic and relatable taste &mdash; from Jay-Z and Kacey Musgraves to Uganda&#39;s Radio &amp; Weasel and Pakistan&#39;s Shamoon Ismail &mdash; helped many relate to Mamdani while introducing others to artists they may not have discovered otherwise.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/mamdani1784967539-0/mamdani1784967539-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Ali Gul Pir calls out unsolicited warnings new parents receive</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620211/ali-gul-pir-calls-out-unsolicited-warnings-new-parents-receive</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620211/ali-gul-pir-calls-out-unsolicited-warnings-new-parents-receive#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 11:05:30 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620211</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Comedian points out relentless warnings, parenting advice in sarcastic skit]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Comedian Ali Gul Pir, who recently welcomed a baby with his wife, shared a sarcastic video highlighting the unsolicited warnings and backhanded comments new parents often receive. He emphasised that society needed to learn to let parents experience the joyful milestone of parenthood without unnecessary negativity.

In the clip, the comedian pointed out that people continue making discouraging remarks no matter how old their child gets, never allowing parents to simply enjoy the experience.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Among the comments he highlighted were: &quot;You guys had a kid, now your life is finished,&quot;&nbsp;&quot;Now he&#39;s 10 years old, he&#39;ll have you running all over the place,&quot;&nbsp;and &quot;He&#39;s 20 now. When he goes off to college, you guys will be crying.&quot;

Pir also addressed the comments parents receive&nbsp;about their pets after having children, such as, &quot;You guys should get rid of your pets now that the baby has come.&quot;&nbsp;The comedian responded to such advice, saying, &quot;Pets are not placeholders that you get rid of once you have kids. Studies actually show that children who grow up with pets have fewer allergies and are more compassionate.&quot;





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Concluding the skit, Pir offered a message of perspective to those who give warnings to others amid big milestones in their life such as getting married or having a baby. &quot;Why do you guys give so many warnings? Like everything big you do in life requires sacrifice. Even if things are difficult, overlook them because you can find thousands of very good things, and find happiness, focus on that.&quot;

Pir announced the birth of his child with his wife Dr Azeemah Nakhoda on June 21, sharing his excitement and gratitude at welcoming what he described as a true blessing on Father&#39;s Day.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/ali-baby1784980702-0/ali-baby1784980702-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Arjumand Rahim opens up about anxiety, depression after father's death</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620206/arjumand-rahim-opens-up-about-anxiety-depression-after-fathers-death</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620206/arjumand-rahim-opens-up-about-anxiety-depression-after-fathers-death#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 10:18:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620206</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor credits therapy, psychiatric care for recovery, urges reflection on life]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Actor Arjumand Rahim spoke candidly about her struggle with anxiety and depression following the sudden death of her father from cardiac arrest, highlighting the role of therapy and psychiatric care in her recovery.

Arjumand, appearing on a show, shared, &quot;My father passed away in 2006. Later, I went through a lot of anxiety and became depressed.&quot; The actor added,&nbsp;&quot;It was severe anxiety, and I had to seek proper treatment. I also experienced panic attacks and did not understand what was happening. The scariest part is not knowing what is going on.&quot;

Further, she noted, &quot;When a person understands they have a problem, only then can they find a solution that helps. Otherwise, you do not know why your heart is racing, why you are sweating, or why you keep worrying that you are about to have a heart attack. I lost my father like that. He died very suddenly after feeling unwell, and it turned out to be cardiac arrest.&quot;

Arjumand revealed that therapy, psychiatric care, and medication eventually helped her recover. &quot;Going through therapy, consulting a psychiatrist, and taking medication gradually makes you feel better,&quot;&nbsp;she said.

Reflecting on life&#39;s priorities, the actor encouraged people to slow down and pay more attention to their well-being. &quot;You should pause and reflect on your life, especially in today&#39;s fast-paced world where we often ignore important things,&quot;&nbsp;she urged.

With this, Arjumand also stressed the importance of spending quality time with family, sharing how her own family made a conscious effort to stay connected after their loss. &quot;We realised we should make more of an effort to get together, even if it is just once a month for tea. We try to meet as often as we can,&quot; the actor shared.

Beyond discussing her personal life and struggles, she opened up about her acting career and entry into the entertainment industry. Saying she entered the industry in the mid-1990s, Arjumand noted that she initially became known for portraying shy and innocent characters before she was repeatedly cast in more dominant roles.

&quot;My dominant roles became associated with me after dramas like Sher, where I played a strong Punjabi woman. It was a great character, but afterward I kept receiving similar offers. I wanted to explore different kinds of roles, not just the ones people thought suited me,&quot;&nbsp;the actor said.

She also expressed her belief that directors often typecast actors instead of allowing them to showcase their range. &quot;I think it is also a form of laziness,&quot;&nbsp;Arjumand said. The actor&nbsp;added, &quot;Directors see someone perform one type of role well and keep casting them in similar characters because it is easier.&quot;

According to Arjumand, 20 years ago she questioned why she was always cast as the innocent, weak girl, but stated that she was now repeatedly offered dominant roles. &quot;I really want to play different kinds of characters,&quot;&nbsp;she said.

Comparing Pakistan&#39;s entertainment industry with international productions, Arjumand highlighted the importance of planning and time management. &quot;I went to New York to study acting. Although I was not working in the industry there, I noticed that the biggest difference was time management and planning,&quot;&nbsp;she said.

According to the actor,&nbsp;in Pakistan, people tend to do everything at the last minute. &quot;It is not just a problem in the media industry, it is a broader issue,&quot;&nbsp;she said. Arjumand added, &quot;We invest money in one project, then move on before completing it. Time management and financial responsibility should be part of our ethical training.&quot;

Concluding the conversation, she&nbsp;expressed her desire to see more critically acclaimed television dramas that balance meaningful storytelling with entertainment. &quot;When dramas receive critical acclaim, they spark conversations across social media. Directors should focus on creating such projects with a clear vision. If there is an important message, it should be presented in an engaging way rather than overwhelming viewers.&quot;

Arjumand has remained a prominent television actor since 1995, with some notable projects including&nbsp;Chup Raho, Phaans, Sher, Manto, as well as the anthology series Ek Mohabbat Sau Afsaney and Qurat-ul-Ain.

She currently stars in the Express Entertainment drama Raja London Ka on Express TV.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/arjumand1784974858-0/arjumand1784974858-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Shehzad Roy, Tabish Hashmi to tour US for education fundraiser</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620187/shehzad-roy-tabish-hashmi-to-tour-us-for-education-fundraiser</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620187/shehzad-roy-tabish-hashmi-to-tour-us-for-education-fundraiser#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 07:15:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620187</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Zindagi Trust fundraising dinner aims to rally diaspora support for quality public education in Pakistan]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Singer, activist and philanthropist Shehzad Roy, along with comedian and actor Tabish Hashmi, announced Zindagi Trust&#39;s annual fundraising dinner tour, which will take place across various cities in the United States from September 18 to 25.

The campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of quality public education in Pakistan and the organisation&#39;s efforts to transform the country&#39;s government school system.

Roy shared the announcement in a video posted on his Instagram account, where he spoke about the urgent need to improve access to quality education and strengthen Pakistan&#39;s teaching profession.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





He stressed that no child should ever have to fight for their right to an education and emphasised the importance of creating better opportunities for teachers through proper licensing and professional qualifications.

&quot;That time is not far when people in Pakistan won&#39;t have to beg for education, and parents will be able to send their children to government schools with confidence, knowing they will learn from the best local teachers,&quot;&nbsp;Roy said.

He added, &quot;We also need proper licensing and qualifications for teachers.&quot;

Roy shared that the tour would give supporters an opportunity to learn how Zindagi Trust was&nbsp;transforming public education. &quot;We are coming to share how the organisation is changing the paradigm for government schools and government teachers,&quot;&nbsp;he said.

The singer also explained why he chose to bring Hashmi along for the fundraiser. &quot;He is a great entertainer and will bring happiness into your lives. The reason I am bringing him is because he truly believes in our cause,&quot;&nbsp;Roy said.

Concluding his message, Roy encouraged members of the Pakistani diaspora to attend the events and support the initiative. &quot;We will share everything that has been accomplished, what still needs to be done, and how each of you can play an integral part in this cause. So please be there,&quot; he said.

The tour will visit Chicago, New Jersey, Washington, Dallas, Houston, and San Francisco.

Over the years, Roy has remained one of Pakistan&#39;s most prominent advocates for children&#39;s rights. Through his work with Zindagi Trust, he has campaigned for safer learning environments, spoken out against child abuse, pushed for stronger child protection measures, and highlighted the need for accessible, high-quality public education across the country.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/tabish-shehzad1784963818-0/tabish-shehzad1784963818-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Cappadocia prepares for annual festival of special-shaped hot air balloons</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620004/cappadocia-prepares-for-annual-festival-of-special-shaped-hot-air-balloons</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620004/cappadocia-prepares-for-annual-festival-of-special-shaped-hot-air-balloons#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 26 11:22:49 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620004</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Balloons in the shapes of animals, rockets, the Earth will fly above the region's iconic rock formations]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Thirty special-shaped hot air balloons from 10 countries will take to the skies over Cappadocia, the UNESCO World Heritage region in central T&uuml;rkiye known for its fairy chimneys and renowned as one of the world&#39;s most popular hot air balloon destinations, during the seventh Cappadocia Balloon Festival.

Organised by T&uuml;rkiye&#39;s Culture and Tourism Ministry, the four-day festival will run from July 30 to Aug 2.

Balloons from T&uuml;rkiye, the US, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, Slovakia, Austria, and Poland will fly alongside the region&#39;s 156 commercial hot air balloons, which operate daily.

Designed in the shapes of the Turkish flag, an octopus, an owl, a clown, a chick, a wolf, a duck, a parrot, a rocket, a heart, and the Earth, the balloons will rise over Cappadocia&#39;s valleys at sunrise each morning before returning in the evening for illuminated balloon glow displays at the Pasabag Open-Air Museum.

Festival coordinator Mehmet Halis Aydogan told Anadolu that interest in the event has continued to grow, while participation has been capped because of the region&#39;s already busy balloon traffic. He said balloon pilots and support crews arriving from abroad had begun entering T&uuml;rkiye as final preparations were completed.

&quot;Balloon festivals are held in many parts of the world. There are major festivals in the United States, France, Belgium and Mexico. Cappadocia&#39;s greatest advantage is its extraordinary landscape, where 156 balloons fly every day. It is a place where thousands of people come both to fly in hot air balloons and to watch them. When we decorate the skies with special-shaped balloons, it creates an incredible spectacle. That is what distinguishes us most from other festivals,&quot; Aydogan said.

He added that demand from Europe had been particularly strong this year, but participation was limited to 30 special-shaped balloons because of the high volume of regular flights in the region.

Winning design by sixth-grade student to make debut

Aydogan said the festival will also feature the maiden flight of a whale-shaped balloon designed by sixth-grade student Bengi Serra Kaya, winner of the &quot;My Dream Balloon Design Competition&quot; organized among primary and middle school students.

The specially manufactured balloon will make its first flight during the festival. &quot;Our first-prize balloon has been specially produced and will make its inaugural flight. Children have shown tremendous interest in the festival, and we want to build on that enthusiasm,&quot; he said.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/balloons1784892319-0/balloons1784892319-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Sarwat Gilani celebrates athletes as Special Olympics Pakistan event concludes</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619996/sarwat-gilani-celebrates-athletes-as-special-olympics-pakistan-event-concludes</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619996/sarwat-gilani-celebrates-athletes-as-special-olympics-pakistan-event-concludes#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 26 10:35:43 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619996</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor shares moments from the three-day event celebrating inclusion, resilience and sporting achievement]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Actor and Special Olympics Pakistan Ambassador Sarwat Gilani shared heartwarming moments from the organisation&#39;s three-day national competition, which concluded this week after running from July 21 to 23.

Taking to Instagram, Gilani posted a series of photos and videos recapping the event, showing her interacting with athletes, volunteering alongside organisers and presenting awards during the closing ceremony.

The competition brought together athletes with intellectual disabilities from across the country to celebrate inclusion through sport.



Screengrab: sarwatg/Instagram



Screengrab: sarwatg/Instagram

&nbsp;

Special Olympics Pakistan also documented the event on its official Instagram account, highlighting the athletes&#39; achievements and the spirit of the games.

&quot;A total of 82 athletes from Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, Federal, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan regions have stepped onto the field with great talent and the true spirit of inclusion. Every moment of the competition reflects the passion and dedication these incredible athletes bring to the game,&quot; the organisation wrote.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Gilani also used the occasion to promote Inclusion Rocks, a concert series featuring Faisal Kapadia and Murtaza Qizilbash, which is scheduled to take place next month in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





According to its official website, Special Olympics Pakistan works to transform the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through the power of sport by promoting inclusion and creating opportunities for athletes nationwide.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Gilani has long been an advocate for the organisation&#39;s mission.

Reflecting on an earlier event in February, she wrote: &quot;At Special Olympics Pakistan, we celebrate athletes who redefine courage, resilience, and possibility every single day. They don&#39;t just compete &mdash; they inspire a nation. They remind us that inclusion is not charity; it is justice. It is love in action.&quot;





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





The latest competition concluded on a celebratory note, with Gilani and the organisation using social media to spotlight the resilience, determination and achievements of the athletes while reinforcing Special Olympics Pakistan&#39;s mission of building a more inclusive society through sport.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/special-olympics1784889445-2/special-olympics1784889445-2.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Javed Akhtar laments decline of originality in the age of virality</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620010/javed-akhtar-laments-decline-of-originality-in-the-age-of-virality</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620010/javed-akhtar-laments-decline-of-originality-in-the-age-of-virality#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 26 11:52:14 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620010</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Veteran Indian lyricist urges young writers to read more and resist the pressure to chase viral trends]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Indian lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar believes the internet has fostered a culture in which people are increasingly afraid to step outside their comfort zones, arguing that meaningful creativity is being sacrificed in favour of chasing trends.

Speaking to Vogue India, the veteran writer reflected on how social media, algorithms and the pursuit of virality have reshaped music and storytelling. He also stressed the importance of reading, reflection and originality, urging younger generations to look beyond fleeting trends and reconnect with literature.

&quot;The echo chambers created by the internet have made most people afraid to do something for the first time. Once someone else does it, they&#39;re fine to follow in their footsteps,&quot; Akhtar said.

&quot;People no longer want to pause, think, analyse or sit with an idea. They are living happily, so why would they bother to think about this universe or the vastness of nature? For them, it is a waste of time.&quot;

He argued that meaningful art cannot exist without patience and introspection.

&quot;But meaningful creation requires time, discomfort and reflection. Perhaps that is why I have never hesitated to question dominant voices and widely accepted ideologies, especially when there is a gap between what is preached and what is practised.&quot;

Akhtar also criticised the industry&#39;s growing obsession with what is considered &quot;trendy&quot;, saying commercial priorities have diminished the role of lyrics in music.

&quot;Today, words have become less important because the marketing team has decided that slow music won&#39;t &#39;trend&#39;. They say music preferences have changed and that old music is no longer in currency.

&quot;But then they take those same songs, edit the mukhras and remix them with some inferiorly written antaras,&quot; he said.

&quot;There was a time when writers had more space. Today, other forces dictate what music gets made. And yet, songs that are decades old still endure, while many recent ones have a short shelf life.&quot;

The celebrated lyricist also urged aspiring writers to cultivate the habit of reading, regardless of genre.

&quot;They must read. We grow up being told to read classical literature and big writers. Yes, read respected fiction and non-fiction authors, but at the same time, don&#39;t shy away from reading light literature. The real loss is not in reading something trivial but in not reading at all,&quot; he said.

Reflecting on the creative process, Akhtar described writing as a balance between imagination and technical skill.

&quot;All arts can be divided into two parts. On one hand, there&#39;s imagination, passion, fantasy and romance, and on the other, there is craft. Every art has a craft. You can learn the craft in a crash course. But imagining, fantasising and romanticising cannot be learned. There are no courses for yearning.&quot;

Akhtar further said inspiration rarely followed a fixed formula and could emerge from almost any experience.

&quot;Sometimes, it is a social issue that refuses to leave my mind, sometimes a person I have encountered, a story I have heard or a fleeting incident. At times, something as simple as good weather can stir a thought or a line. I do not follow a fixed ritual. I do not have tantrums. I can write in a room full of people, even at a party, even in dim light. The only thing I need is a plain sheet of paper without lines. When words, thoughts, scenes and lines knock, you have to welcome them in.&quot;

Concluding the interview, Akhtar shared a lesson from his father that continues to shape his approach to writing.

&quot;My father had once told me that it is very easy to write in difficult language, but very difficult to write in easy language. When you write simply, there is no space for your idea to hide behind big words. Only if you are totally convinced of what you are writing can you afford to use transparent language.&quot;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/javed-vogue1784893946-0/javed-vogue1784893946-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Ali Fazal chooses purpose over stardom in new phase of career</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619976/ali-fazal-chooses-purpose-over-stardom-in-new-phase-of-career</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619976/ali-fazal-chooses-purpose-over-stardom-in-new-phase-of-career#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Jul 26 08:52:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619976</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Indian actor says success comes from choosing meaningful stories, embracing creative risks instead of blockbuster hits]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Indian actor Ali Fazal says he is no longer chasing stardom, choosing instead to pursue projects that align with his values and leave a lasting impact on audiences. Speaking to Elle India, the actor reflected on cinema, creative risks and why meaningful storytelling now takes precedence over commercial success.

Fazal said he increasingly prioritises roles that have &quot;less relevance and more resonance&quot;, explaining that he wants both his Bollywood and Hollywood work to reflect the ambition and humanity that define him as a person rather than simply as an actor.

&quot;Mostly the feeling that you&#39;ve made less of a difference in people&#39;s lives,&quot; he said when asked what worries him most.

Using his upcoming film Raakh as an example, Fazal said some projects go beyond commercial success by sparking conversations.

&quot;Sometimes you&#39;re part of things that work, and that&#39;s wonderful because we all need appreciation to move forward. But once in a while, there are projects that actually begin conversations. They come at a time when society perhaps needs them or needs reminding that, sadly, not much has changed fifty years later. That&#39;s what Raakh has done. It has humbled me.&quot;

The actor said his priorities have shifted significantly since the early days of his career. &quot;Earlier, I&#39;d jump into whatever came my way because I had to,&quot; he admitted. &quot;Today, I can afford patience.&quot;

Rather than chasing one blockbuster after another, Fazal said he now gravitates towards intimate, character-driven roles, streaming projects and stories with emotional depth. He also revealed that the screenplay remains the deciding factor when choosing a project.

&quot;The script is always the first thing. The punctuation in a screenplay tells you whether it&#39;s going to be good or bad. I&#39;m not some A-list star who&#39;s staying away from genres because they&#39;ll spoil my image,&quot; he joked. &quot;I&#39;ve probably stayed away from bad scripts more than genres.&quot;

Reflecting on his career, Fazal credited one of his earliest films, Always Kabhi Kabhi, with shaping his understanding of filmmaking despite its modest box-office performance. &quot;It taught me the grammar of cinema. It helped me understand filmmaking. That was the beginning of my journey.&quot;

The film also marked his first collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan, who produced the project. &quot;He&#39;s one of the best artists we have. I&#39;m really glad he was one of my first producers.&quot;

Fazal said international projects have similarly expanded his creative outlook, citing Victoria &amp; Abdul as a defining experience that deepened his understanding of performance and storytelling.

Looking ahead, the actor said his upcoming slate reflects the variety he now seeks as a performer.

&quot;It&#39;s funny because Raakh and Mirzapur: The Film are coming around the same time, and then there&#39;s Batwara 1947. They&#39;re all completely different worlds. It&#39;s a fun year. I&#39;m enjoying it, and I&#39;m excited for audiences to see more of me.&quot;

Speaking about Mirzapur: The Film, Fazal described the project as an ambitious experiment. &quot;It&#39;s a giant experiment,&quot; he said. &quot;We&#39;re bringing a streaming universe to theatres. Let&#39;s see if it works.&quot;

Although Guddu Pandit remains one of his most recognisable characters, Fazal said it is not the violence associated with the role that has stayed with him. &quot;It&#39;s the gentleness. If people can look past all the violence and the trauma, there&#39;s innocence there. That&#39;s what has stayed with me.&quot;

Away from acting, Fazal and his wife, Richa Chadha, are quietly building their independent production company, Pushing Buttons Studios. He said the venture aims to support original storytelling at a time when the industry is still recovering from the disruption faced by cinemas.

&quot;The industry is still recovering. After theatres struggled, everyone naturally started chasing whatever was working. But we&#39;ve done experimental cinema before. We know how to do it.&quot;

Speaking about collaborating with Chadha, Fazal said creative disagreements are part of the process. &quot;We have to, otherwise it would be boring.&quot;

Asked to describe his acting journey in a single word, Fazal chose &quot;relentless&quot;, a reflection of a career that, for him, is now defined less by fame than by purpose.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/ali-fazal-elle1784883322-0/ali-fazal-elle1784883322-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Zohran Mamdani reveals Pakistani rapper Shamoon Ismail is among artists on his playlist</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620193/zohran-mamdani-reveals-pakistani-rapper-shamoon-ismail-is-among-artists-on-his-playlist</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620193/zohran-mamdani-reveals-pakistani-rapper-shamoon-ismail-is-among-artists-on-his-playlist#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 26 08:17:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620193</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[NYC mayor discusses Jay-Z, Eiffel 65, says music part of how he understands world]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revealed that Pakistani rapper Shamoon Ismail was one of the artists in his playlist, saying he had been listening to the musician for years.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Mamdani opened up about his love for music while sharing some of the artists on his playlist, featuring musicians from Uganda, Pakistan, and the United States.

&quot;I&#39;ve also been listening to a Pakistani rapper named Shamoon Ismail, who I&#39;ve listened to for a few years, but I&#39;m also listening to a little bit more of his music,&quot;&nbsp;Mamdani said.

Reflecting on his relationship with music, the NYC mayor stated, &quot;It&#39;s part of how I understand the world and how I understand my place in the world.&quot;

He also recalled some of his earliest memories in New York City, saying, &quot;I used to love going to Tower Records. They would have just floors of an incredible number of CDs and, for some reason, I loved The Offspring at the time.&quot;

The NYC mayor also reminisced about discovering artists such as Jay-Z and Eiffel 65. &quot;There were three to four albums. The first version I was given was the clean version of Jay-Z&#39;s The Blueprint. The funny thing was that they used to sell bootleg CDs right outside of Tower Records, and that&#39;s where I bought Eiffel 65&#39;s Europop,&quot;&nbsp;Mamdani shared.

Born in Uganda, Mamdani also spoke about his connection to his roots. &quot;I&#39;ve been listening to a lot of Radio &amp; Weasel, who are a duo from Uganda, who were running the charts for a long, long time,&quot; he said.

Adding a country favourite to the mix, the mayor stated, &quot;And, you know, if I&#39;m feeling reflective, throw on some Kacey Musgraves.&quot;

Of South Asian and East African descent, Mamdani famously wrapped up his 2025 electoral winning speech to the iconic&nbsp;Bollywood track Dhoom Machale, while his parents and wife walked onto stage.

&nbsp;





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





In a previous interview, Mamdani also spoke about Indian-American rapper Himanshu Suri, better known as Heems, who he said had been one of his favourite artists since before he decided to enter politics.

The NYC mayor&#39;s candid conversations about music have garnered&nbsp;praise from fans. His eclectic and relatable taste &mdash; from Jay-Z and Kacey Musgraves to Uganda&#39;s Radio &amp; Weasel and Pakistan&#39;s Shamoon Ismail &mdash; helped many relate to Mamdani while introducing others to artists they may not have discovered otherwise.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/mamdani1784967539-0/mamdani1784967539-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Atif Aslam announces fourth studio album 'Subah Aye Na', his first in 18 years</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619267/atif-aslam-announces-fourth-studio-album-subah-aye-na-his-first-in-18-years</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619267/atif-aslam-announces-fourth-studio-album-subah-aye-na-his-first-in-18-years#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 26 06:19:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619267</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Singer unveils album cover for eight-track record including 'Ishq', 'Sunn Sajna', and 'Chaar Yaar']]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Singer Atif Aslam announced the release of his fourth studio album&nbsp;Subah Aye Na, marking his return to the album format nearly two decades. The new record features eight tracks and signals a fresh chapter in the celebrated vocalist&#39;s career.

Aslam unveiled the album cover on Instagram. He also revealed the tracklist: Subah Aye Na, Safar Mein Hoon, Ishq, Let&#39;s Have Some Fun, Sunn Sajna, Hoon Ishq Mein, Chaar Yaar, and Sachey Wadey.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Subah Aye Na follows Meri Kahani, which was released in 2008 and produced chart-topping tracks such as Tere Bin, Kaun Tha, Kinara, and the title track. Before that, Aslam established himself as one of South Asia&#39;s most recognisable voices with Doorie (2006), featuring hits including Kuch Is Tarah&nbsp;and Maahi Ve.

The singer&#39;s debut solo album&nbsp;Jal Pari (2004) had catapulted him to stardom with songs such as Aadat, Bheegi Yaadein, and Woh Lamhe. The album cemented his reputation as one of Pakistan&#39;s leading pop-rock artists and laid the foundation for a career that would transcend borders.

Over the past two decades, Aslam has become one of the most successful and influential singers in the region, lending his voice to numerous chart-topping film soundtracks in both Pakistan and India. His versatile vocals have produced enduring hits such as Tera Hone Laga Hoon, Jeena Jeena, Pehli Nazar Mein, Dil Diyan Gallan, Jeene Laga Hoon, Tu Jaane Na, O Saathi, and Main Rang Sharbaton Ka.

Beyond playback music, Aslam has also performed on Coke Studio, collaborated with international musicians, and maintained a global touring presence.

Most recently, he featured on Tu Hi Mera Raazdaan, a composition by British-Azerbaijani musician Sami Yusuf. The song was recorded live at Abu Dhabi&#39;s Etihad Arena and showcased Aslam&#39;s signature vocal style alongside Yusuf&#39;s orchestral arrangements.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Aslam&#39;s announcement of his new album was met with excitement from fans who expressed their excitement.





Subah Aye Na marks Aslam&#39;s first full-length studio album in 18 years, offering longtime fans new collection of original music while reaffirming the singer&#39;s place as one of the country&#39;s most enduring musical icons.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/atif-aslam1784528406-0/atif-aslam1784528406-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Zoha Waseem gets candid about fame, pressure after hit song 'Majboor'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618953/zoha-waseem-gets-candid-about-fame-pressure-after-hit-song-majboor</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618953/zoha-waseem-gets-candid-about-fame-pressure-after-hit-song-majboor#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 18 Jul 26 09:31:36 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2618953</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Singer says she stays mentally strong despite online backlash, hate campaigns]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Singer Zoha Waseem claimed in an interview that the realities for male and female celebrities were very different and that people often failed to differentiate between genders and extend equal respect. She shared, however, that she doesn&#39;t let online backlash affect her mental health.

The singer of the viral hit Majboor, Zoha reflected on the success of the breakout track&nbsp;which catapulted her to fame. She also discussed the loss of privacy that came with public recognition.

&quot;You can&#39;t imagine how popularity feels until you experience it,&quot; she said. The singer added that although she didn&#39;t consider herself &quot;that popular,&quot;&nbsp;Majboor had &quot;changed so much in such a short time.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;You have to maintain that momentum, and life in the spotlight is very different. Sometimes you become extremely cautious about everything,&quot; she said.

Discussing the challenges that women in the&nbsp;industry face, Zoha expressed her belief that male celebrities didn&#39;t face the same pressures.&nbsp;&quot;The realities are very different for male and female celebrities. People fail to differentiate between genders and show respect,&quot; she said.

The singer also noted that women in the industry had to be&nbsp;especially mindful of how they presented themselves, as any moment could be recorded and circulated online without their permission. &quot;Being on screen, you have to be very careful on wardrobe, the way you speak and talk on screen when you are on a show, and people are literally there to make videos and bloopers and capture content for views and likes,&quot;&nbsp;she noted.

Criticising the culture of filming people without consent, Zoha noted, &quot;There&#39;s no point in recording someone.&quot;&nbsp;She added, &quot;If I am at an event performing, that is fine, but backstage and at soundchecks and shooting these videos, you want to get comfortable with the idea but you cannot.&quot;

Further, Zoha shared that the reality of fame for women was also far less glamorous than many may imagine. &quot;Being a female artist and getting fame is not as glamorous&nbsp;as it is in our heads,&quot;&nbsp;the singer said. She added that the fear of&nbsp;being misrepresented often made female artists more guarded, noting, &quot;You don&#39;t want to get friendly with anyone. That gets you into a lot of trouble. You need to be aware of things that men don&#39;t think about.&quot;

Addressing the criticism she faced after Majboor went viral, Zoha&nbsp;revealed that she learnt not to let online negativity define her. &quot;It&#39;s something you can&#39;t control. You get upset, but you have to remember who you really are. The people who&#39;ve supported you from the beginning know you better than what others portray online,&quot;&nbsp;she said.

The singer added that while negative campaigns emerged, she refused to let them affect her. &quot;There may be campaigns against you and haters will always appear. There are people trying to do that to me right now, but I don&#39;t care or panic. I&#39;m mentally very strong,&quot; she shared.

Zoha also admitted she never anticipated the overwhelming popularity of Majboor. &quot;It&#39;s been amazing. We&#39;ve had incredible collaborations, and there&#39;s much more coming over the next three to four months. Suddenly, you&#39;re being approached by people you never imagined would reach out,&quot; she said.

Further, the singer shared that confidence had always been one of her strengths. &quot;The director assumed it was my first music video and that I&#39;d be shy, but I&#39;ve never had stage fright or camera shyness. He even asked why I could do everything in a single take,&quot;&nbsp;she shared.

However, the singer admitted that performing Majboor live for the first time came with unexpected pressure, saying, &quot;I grew up posting covers on social media, but performing an original song was completely different. I felt people expected much more from me. That was my transition from being a cover artist to an original artist.&quot;

Regarding her love for music, Zoha shared that she used to sing ghazals. &quot;That was my genre,&quot;&nbsp;she said. The singer revealed, &quot;My music teacher discovered that I sang ghazals and took me to Alhamra. At the time, it was very exclusive, and I didn&#39;t realise how special that opportunity was. I used to perform tributes to Madam Noor Jehan, and very few people were allowed to do that.&quot;

Reflecting on&nbsp;personal growth, Zoha noted that she had become more balanced over the years. &quot;Two or three years ago, I had a lot of masculine energy. I drove everywhere on my own and wanted to handle everything myself,&quot; she said. &quot;Now I&#39;ve realised I don&#39;t have to carry that energy all the time,&quot; the singer stated.

Beyond music, she revealed that she studied jewellery and gem-making in college and also established her own salon as a makeup artist. Her latest solo track&nbsp;Duur Ve&nbsp;was released earlier this month as she continues to build on the success of Majboor and expand her career.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/zoha-waseem1784367200-0/zoha-waseem1784367200-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Jay-Z pays tribute to NY hometown crowd and his 30-year legacy</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618192/jay-z-pays-tribute-to-ny-hometown-crowd-and-his-30-year-legacy</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618192/jay-z-pays-tribute-to-ny-hometown-crowd-and-his-30-year-legacy#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 14 Jul 26 11:47:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2618192</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Rapper explodes back onto stage after years away for three concerts, last of which was blighted by delays]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Jay-Z has exploded back onto the stage after years away from performing for three spectacular concerts in front of an adoring crowd of hometown New Yorkers, the last of which was blighted by delays.

Yankee Stadium in the Bronx was full to bursting as the three nights saw a galaxy of stars join the rapper on stage, including his wife Beyonce, Rihanna, Eminem, Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys, Usher, Nas and Pusha T.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





The third concert on Sunday was marred by hours-long delays. According to the organisers, hundreds of ticketless fans tried to sneak in, forcing security to close the entrances, only reopening them gradually. Ticket-holders spent hours trying to get in, with some claiming they were not admitted.

Jay-Z did not appear until after midnight, visibly annoyed and apologising for the wait.

But once the chaos subsided, the crowd belted out the 56-year-old&#39;s hits with gusto, finishing with mega-hit Empire State of Mind. The 2009 single is the unofficial anthem of a city where each of his performances is hailed as a homecoming.

&quot;Only a select few number of hip-hop artists could create sufficient demand to sell out a venue as large and iconic as Yankee Stadium. Even fewer could do so with music they released decades prior,&quot; Timothy Welbeck, a scholar of African-American studies at Temple University, told AFP.

Jay-Z&#39;s most recent album 4:44 dates back to 2017. But for two of his three concerts, he chose to highlight albums released decades ago &mdash; 30 years ago for Reasonable Doubt&nbsp;and 25 years ago for the second, The Blueprint. Both left indelible marks on hip-hop history.

While Jay-Z has more or less stepped away from the studio, he has found global success with interests in sports, spirits, media, and fashion, making him the first billionaire rapper according to Forbes.

His marriage to Beyonce created a power couple to be reckoned with and further cemented his status as a cultural icon, with both among the entertainment world&#39;s most influential figures.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Back in the Bronx, the artist returned to the roots of his craft &mdash;&nbsp;stripped down and sharp. He ran through tracks, though not just hits, without once relinquishing the mic.

He bestrode the stage with delight, relishing the pared-back setup. Thousands of voices echoed his, with much of the crowd knowing his lyrics by heart.

After thrice selling out Yankee Stadium for around 140,000 people, Jay-Z will perform in September at the Stade de France, a not-yet sold-out date, and in London&#39;s Tottenham Stadium, concluding in LA.

The tour could well lay the groundwork for new music. &quot;It is widely speculated that Jay-Z will release a new album at some point this year,&quot; said Welbeck.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/jay-z1784031063-0/jay-z1784031063-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Abdul Hannan reflects on turning down engineering for music</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617992/abdul-hannan-reflects-on-turning-down-engineering-for-music</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617992/abdul-hannan-reflects-on-turning-down-engineering-for-music#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 26 12:29:13 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2617992</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Singer opens up about rejecting a corporate career, raising local concert standards and plans for rock-inspired album]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistani pop sensation Abdul Hannan has reflected on his journey from an engineering student secretly writing songs to becoming one of the country&#39;s most recognisable voices behind hits such as Iraaday, Bikhra and the Coke Studio favourite O Yaara with Kaavish.

Speaking during a recent podcast appearance, the singer-songwriter recalled turning down a corporate engineering job in Berlin, Germany, after graduating during the Covid-19 pandemic&mdash;a decision that ultimately set him on the path to a full-time music career.

Describing the internal conflict between pursuing a secure, well-paying career abroad and taking a chance on music in Pakistan, Hannan admitted the corporate route never truly felt like his own. &quot;I was observing; I was looking at that from afar, and it didn&#39;t feel like it was me.&quot;

Explaining what ultimately guided his decision, he added: &quot;Work only on the things you can do with your whole heart; otherwise, don&#39;t do them.&quot;





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





From engineering to music

Hannan said music had always been an escape rather than a career plan. He spent his school and university years singing covers, competing in music competitions and teaching himself guitar whenever he had spare time.

Despite his passion, his primary focus remained academics, with the goal of securing a stable corporate career.

The pandemic, however, became a turning point. Graduating under unusual circumstances and spending months at home gave him the opportunity to experiment creatively, eventually leading to the release of Iraaday, the viral breakthrough that transformed his career.

The heartbreak behind Khasara

The singer also revisited the emotional inspiration behind Khasara, describing the song as an exploration of heartbreak, loss and the uncertainty that follows the end of a relationship. &quot;Sometimes things happen in your life, and you don&#39;t understand why, but slowly it becomes clear that going through it was necessary for your art.&quot;

Discussing his songwriting process, Hannan said he intentionally leaves room for listeners to interpret his music in their own way. &quot;I try to make sure that the song is open to interpretation, so that every person can associate their own meaning with it.&quot;

He added that songs often reveal themselves naturally rather than through careful planning. &quot;Sometimes the melody itself dictates what the song is about.&quot;

For him, songwriting is both deeply personal and therapeutic. &quot;If even two people are getting therapy from my song, it&#39;s a vent for me as well.&quot;

He also noted that the meaning behind his work sometimes becomes clear only after a song is complete. &quot;Sometimes you do things without realising their meaning, and then the visuals trigger new ideas in others&#39; minds.&quot;

Raising the bar for live shows

Beyond songwriting, Hannan spoke about his ambition to improve Pakistan&#39;s live music scene, expressing frustration with the country&#39;s conventional concert formats, which he believes often suffer from weak sound production and uninspired staging.

Through what he calls &quot;The Abdul Hannan Experience,&quot; he hopes to create concerts that prioritise both sound and visual storytelling.

Drawing inspiration from international acts such as Coldplay, he said he wants to introduce interactive LED wristbands, immersive stage production and higher technical standards for local audiences. &quot;I am a live music enthusiast. I want to control and contain the experience to make it a nice sonic and visual one.&quot;

He believes meaningful change requires challenging existing industry standards. &quot;You always have to challenge the system to improve standards.&quot;

Hannan stressed that his vision extends beyond simply performing on stage. &quot;It&#39;s not just about me performing; it&#39;s about making sure everything is in order.&quot;

He attributed that attention to detail to his personality, describing himself as naturally disciplined and something of a perfectionist.

Although widely associated with pop and indie-pop, Hannan revealed that his musical influences are rooted in rock and power ballads.

He said he hopes to incorporate heavier rock elements into a future album, while emphasising that any artistic evolution must happen organically. &quot;Art should dictate all of that.&quot;

As his career continues to grow, Hannan admitted his greatest competition is no longer other artists but himself. &quot;Nowadays, my battle is with myself. You create something, and then you want to top that.&quot;

The singer also reflected on the importance of gratitude and humility in navigating success.&nbsp;&quot;Before any show or any major milestone, I remind myself where I started, to just be grateful and not let it go to my head,&quot; he said.

Looking back on his rapid rise, Hannan acknowledged that success can easily feed one&#39;s ego if left unchecked. &quot;It is very easy for ego to creep in, but you have to manage that. Being humble is very important.&quot;

He added that staying grounded requires constant self-reflection. &quot;You need to give your mind a reminder to just be grateful for the work you are doing.&quot;

Friendship and collaboration

Hannan credited his close circle of friends for helping him remain grounded throughout his career, saying they have played an essential role in shaping his decisions. &quot;If friends weren&#39;t in my life, I would probably be making my own decisions, and I wouldn&#39;t be here.&quot;

Reflecting on Pakistan&#39;s music industry, he said collaboration has become far more common than in previous years. &quot;Overall, the insecurity and jealousy have decreased; we have realised that we are important for each other.&quot;

According to him, genuine friendships have translated into stronger creative partnerships. &quot;The friendships and collaborations are based on pure intentions, and that projects onto the music.&quot;

At the same time, he acknowledged that fame makes it difficult to distinguish genuine relationships from opportunistic ones. &quot;It is very hard to tell who is really your friend and who just wants to be there because of the fame.&quot;

Speaking about his recent collaboration with singer and actor Samar Jafri, Hannan said allowing both artists to write and compose their own sections created a more authentic emotional dialogue within the song, with Jafri&#39;s verse serving as a response to Hannan&#39;s opening lyrics.

As the conversation concluded, Hannan said he has no intention of rushing the next phase of his personal life, believing the right opportunities will arrive naturally. &quot;I don&#39;t want to rush it or force it. I believe that when life naturally provides the opportunity, it will happen.&quot;

Professionally, however, his focus is firmly on creating a full-length album while continuing to experiment with heavier, rock-inspired sounds. &quot;My focus is now on an album; I want to build a collective.&quot;

The project, he suggested, marks the beginning of a new creative chapter&mdash;one that balances the introspective songwriting that made him a household name with the rock influences he has long wanted to explore.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-2026-07-13t172835-7871783948626-0/untitled-design-2026-07-13t172835-7871783948626-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Misha Japanwala brings Pakistani artistry to Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619619/misha-japanwala-brings-pakistani-artistry-to-christopher-nolans-the-odyssey</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619619/misha-japanwala-brings-pakistani-artistry-to-christopher-nolans-the-odyssey#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 26 08:35:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619619</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Artist designs two sculptural pieces worn by Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistani artist Misha Japanwala achieved a remarkable milestone for Pakistan by collaborating with the creative team behind Christopher Nolan&#39;s The Odyssey to create two sculptural pieces worn by Lupita Nyong&#39;o in her portrayal of Helen of Troy.

Japanwala shared a feature by W Magazine on Instagram alongside behind-the-scenes images documenting the sculpting process and her attendance at The Odyssey fashion event.

&ldquo;The Odyssey &mdash; The honour of a lifetime to contribute to Christopher Nolan&rsquo;s vision and work with the legend Ellen Mirojnick and Sara O&rsquo;Donnell to create these two very special sculptural works that adorn Lupita Nyong&rsquo;o&nbsp;as Helen of Troy!&rdquo;, she wrote.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





She also thanked Nyong&rsquo;o for championing her work, adding: &ldquo;Thank you Lupita for championing my work, and to the costume designers for trusting me to bring these pieces to life. A dream come true to be a tiny part of this monumental film and cinematic history. I still can&rsquo;t believe it&rsquo;s real&rdquo;.

Describing the collaboration, W Magazine detailed Japanwala&rsquo;s creative process behind the designs. &ldquo;Dressing the face that launched ships presented an initial challenge: Helen had to feel enigmatic, almost otherworldly, yet fit the film&#39;s grounded vision. &quot;We really had to get down to the realism of that queen,&quot; said Mirojnick.

The magazine added that Nyong&rsquo;o recommended her friend, artist and fashion designer Misha Japanwala, who is known for her sculptural body casts that celebrate all shapes.

Japanwala also designed a bespoke gold choker for Helen&rsquo;s final look: &ldquo;Helen&#39;s final gleaming gold look&mdash;a choker, also by Japanwala, and a chainmail-like caftan-gown&mdash;provides a striking bookend, as she bids farewell to Telemachus and sends her wistful regards to Penelope&rdquo;.



https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd51tp7rIrW/



This is not the first time Japanwala&#39;s work has received international recognition. In 2022, Vogue India featured her bridal look, which paid homage to her signature sculptural breastplate aesthetic.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Earlier, in 2021, she designed a custom gold breastplate and arm cuff for Cardi B, worn in the music video for Rumors, the rapper&#39;s collaboration with Lizzo.

Japanwala&#39;s contribution to one of Hollywood&#39;s most anticipated films marks another significant milestone in her growing international career. Her work continues to showcase Pakistani artistry on the world stage, bringing greater international recognition to Pakistan&#39;s contemporary creative talent.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/misha-designer1784709753-0/misha-designer1784709753-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Hong Kong's Robert Wun: the bold millennial conquering Haute Couture</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617487/hong-kongs-robert-wun-the-bold-millennial-conquering-haute-couture-1</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617487/hong-kongs-robert-wun-the-bold-millennial-conquering-haute-couture-1#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 26 06:32:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2617487</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Robert Wun rose from kitchen startup to couture star, dressing icons with bold, boundary-pushing designs]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Five years ago, Hong Kong-born designer Robert Wun was working from his kitchen -- now he dresses some of the world&#39;s best-known entertainers.

In a short space of time, the 34-year-old has rocketed from unknown to one of the most sought-after fashion names, designing for everyone from Lady Gaga to rapper Cardi B, who sat front row at his latest show on Wednesday in Paris.

&quot;I have some days off, sometimes,&quot; he told AFP with a smile, while admitting to being &quot;quite exhausted mentally and physically because I haven&#39;t had a break for two and a half years.&quot;

&quot;It&#39;s something I always wanted, so that&#39;s why I seldom complain about it.&quot;



The latest collection was called &#39;Childsplay&#39; and drew inspiration from fairy tales and other childhood stories/AFP

Working with his team and models again ahead of presenting his latest collection, Wun appeared relaxed and good humoured, a man at ease with the success that wasn&#39;t obvious for someone from his background.

His mother worked in insurance and his father in electric cabling, while the conservative Hong Kong boys&#39; school he attended was a hostile place for creative teenagers like him.

&quot;That&#39;s where my stubbornness came in, because I was getting bullied a lot. I managed to still stick with what I truly wanted to do, or how I wanted to do things, or how I want to express myself,&quot; he explained.

He found his calling -- and other kindred spirits -- studying at the London College of Fashion, going on to make the British capital his permanent home.

He now lives in Hackney in east London, with his 12-person studio in Dalston producing two or three made-to-measure outfits a month for red carpet events, galas or weddings.



US rapper Cardi B, wearing one of Wun&#39;s lateest designs, at his Fall/Winter Haute Couture show on Wednesday/AFP

Wun was possibly the busiest couturier at this year&#39;s Met Gala in New York, dressing eight people, including K-pop star Lisa, couture collector Jordan Roth and Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka.

Asked by AFP what she admired about Wun, Cardi B said &quot;everything&quot;.

&quot;The creativity, the colours ... It&#39;s really the quality,&quot; added the New Yorker, who was one of the earliest adopters of Wun&#39;s designs after his breakout collection in 2021.

The &quot;I Like It&quot; singer sat next to Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing, underlining how Wun&#39;s popularity straddles East and West.

Horror influences 

Fascinated by the natural world and heavily influenced by film, the British-Chinese designer produces work that is widely described as bold, futuristic and sculptural.



Haute Couture collector Jordan Roth also chose Robert Wun for the 2026 Met Gala/AFP

It can often feel dark and claustrophobic too, incorporating influences from horror movies, leading some to see him as the fashion world&#39;s millennial interpreter of the anxiety-filled 2020s.

After catching the eye of Vogue and other fashion influencers five years ago, he made his Haute Couture debut in Paris in 2023 as a guest.

Undaunted by becoming the first Hong Kong designer on the fashion world&#39;s elite stage, he sent out models in outfits with stains and obvious defects.

For Autumn-Winter 2025, he included what looked like blood-stained handprints, while he also likes to incorporate disembodied hands or limbs.



A model in the Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2025-26 collection show in Paris/AFP

What you will not find is an obvious Chinese aesthetic.

&quot;It&#39;s a beautiful thing to be able to reference your culture and put it into your work. There&#39;s so many creators out there doing a marvelous job at that,&quot; Wun explained.

He aims for something more universal, boundary-defying, or as he puts it &quot;the power of taking a back seat sometimes to let your work speak for itself, not yourself being the centre (of attention).

&quot;It&#39;s less about, like &#39;oh my god, I was inspired by this Chinese painting&#39;.&quot;

Latest show

His latest autumn-winter collection was named &quot;Childsplay&quot; and drew inspiration from fairytales and Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, whose films are beloved by kids and adults alike.



Models at the Robert Wun Haute Couture Fall/Winter show on Wednesday /AFP

It was a slight departure from Wun&#39;s previous work, more playful yet still unsettling, with the use of male models and suits a reminder that he is happy to blur gender lines.

&quot;It was never really my intention to do something that perhaps people see as very serious, or as a reflection upon the times, when things are difficult and dark,&quot; he said.

&quot;I really used childhood as the anchor ... I&#39;m not using the lens of a child to create this collection. It&#39;s more from the point of an adult that has lost childhood, and what are we supposed to do now, looking back.&quot;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/hong-kong-show1783665875-0/hong-kong-show1783665875-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Hania Aamir, Sajal Ali go all-black for international beauty brand launches in Lahore</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617483/hania-aamir-sajal-ali-go-all-black-for-international-beauty-brand-launches-in-lahore</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617483/hania-aamir-sajal-ali-go-all-black-for-international-beauty-brand-launches-in-lahore#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 26 06:10:36 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2617483</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Celebrities, influencers gather as global luxury labels open first boutiques in Pakistan]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Actors Hania Aamir and Sajal Ali, among many others, showed off black looks as Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Beauty and Armani Beauty opened their first official flagship boutiques in Lahore.

The international beauty brands officially launched in Pakistan, with glamorous events attended by celebrities, influencers and beauty enthusiasts.&nbsp;

The YSL Beauty launch took place at a Lahore mall, where Hania led the guest list in a striking all-black ensemble. The mall shared photos from the event on Instagram, featuring Hania on the cover.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





&ldquo;The boutique opened with an exclusive launch event, bringing together distinguished guests and celebrated personalities to mark the arrival of this iconic name in beauty,&quot; the mall wrote.

Hania wore a black top embroidered with the YSL logo, paired with a ruffled mini skirt featuring a dramatic train, black leggings,&nbsp;and sleek heels.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Other celebrities including Mamya Shajaffar and Aena Khan, alongside influencers such as Nimra Jacob, Hemayal, and Bisma Alam Khan were also in attendance.

The same day also marked the opening of the Armani Beauty boutique in Lahore, where Sajal and fellow-actor Hamza Sohail took centre stage in coordinated black looks.

Sajal wore a fitted black top with lace detailing around the neckline, paired with a long black skirt. The actor completed the look with glasses and a sleek side-parted bun. Meanwhile,&nbsp;Sohail opted for a classic black suit for the occasion.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





The&nbsp;launch attracted several influencers including Murtaza Babar Khan, Ken Doll, and Abeer Asad Khan, who joined the celebrations as the luxury beauty brand officially entered the Pakistani market.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





With the launch of YSL Beauty and Armani Beauty in Lahore, Pakistan&#39;s luxury beauty market continues to expand, giving consumers access to two of the world&#39;s most sought-after makeup, skincare and fragrance brands through official flagship boutiques.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/hania-sajal1783665000-0/hania-sajal1783665000-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Fashion's mystery man Margiela sells off his archives</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617306/fashions-mystery-man-margiela-sells-off-his-archives</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617306/fashions-mystery-man-margiela-sells-off-his-archives#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 26 07:38:42 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2617306</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Elusive designer Martin Margiela is breaking his camera-shy silence to auction off his personal Paris archive]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[After spending his career scrupulously avoiding being photographed, star Belgian fashion designer Martin Margiela has decided to open up and sell off part of his personal archives.

Fans of the 69-year-old trailblazer, who retired in 2009, will be able to snap up artefacts ranging from sketches to one of his white work coats at an auction in Paris on Thursday that Margiela personally supervised.

But anyone hoping to learn more about one of the most enigmatic characters in fashion is likely to be disappointed, with the sale barely lifting the veil on the man behind the stripped-back brand of monochrome clothing.

&quot;This sale is a creative act, and also a manifestation of his concept, his philosophy,&quot; auctioneer Salome Pirson from Maurice Auction told AFP during a tour of the items.

&quot;He&#39;s giving the public the opportunity to discover his inner world, to touch his objects, to own his personal coat, but at the same time, he is the one who is most conspicuously absent,&quot; she added.



Photo: Martin Margiela&#39;s work overcoat with his name written inside during an exhibition of his belongings/AFP

More than 3,000 people have lined up to see the collection featuring a prototype of one of the face masks he obliged models to wear to avoid being distracted from the clothes, or champagne corks from bottles drunk to celebrate with some of his earliest clients.

Other items include Barbie dolls used as mannequins and a purple velvet badge to raise awareness about AIDS, with a message reading &quot;There is more action to be taken than to wear this badge, but it is a good start.&quot;

Margiela&#39;s motivations for selling his personal items range from clearing out his storage to personally overseeing the dispersal of the items of fashion history to collectors and institutions.

&quot;He is 69 years old, he has no heirs, and in one way, by organising this sale, he is arranging his own legacy by putting all the potential buyers who might be interested in competition with one another,&quot; Pirson said.

Given his huge following in Japan, many Japanese buyers are expected to bid in the sale, which will be held in-person and online. Museums and other institutions will also be competing.

Margiela was barely ever photographed, never gave media interviews, and shunned the industry convention adopted by most of his peers of taking a bow in public at the end of a catwalk show. In a rare effort to engage with fans, he collaborated on a retrospective of his work held at the Palais Galliera museum in Paris in 2018.

The auction will also include Hermes items designed by Margiela while he worked as creative director at the French label from 1997-2003.

The items were all gifted to his late mother.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-671783583436-1/untitled-design-671783583436-1.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Dr Azqa Sohail to represent Pakistan at Miss Supranational 2026 in Poland</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617310/dr-azqa-sohail-to-represent-pakistan-at-miss-supranational-2026-in-poland</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617310/dr-azqa-sohail-to-represent-pakistan-at-miss-supranational-2026-in-poland#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 26 08:08:26 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2617310</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[British-Pakistani doctor and women's advocate will become only the third Pakistani to compete at Miss Supranational]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Dr Azqa Sohail has been named Miss Supranational Pakistan 2026 and will represent the country at the 17th edition of the Miss Supranational pageant, set to take place in Poland on July 31, 2026.

A British medical doctor, aesthetic practitioner and women&#39;s empowerment advocate, Dr Sohail will join contestants from around the world as they compete for the international title while showcasing their cultural heritage and social initiatives.

Raised in the United Kingdom, Dr Sohail has built a successful career in medicine and aesthetics. She is the founder of Your SisterGram, a platform dedicated to celebrating women and highlighting their achievements worldwide. She also serves as a board member of Adanna, a London-based organisation that promotes women&#39;s rights and empowerment.

Dr Sohail says much of her inspiration comes from her mother, whose roots trace back to the village of Malakwal in Punjab. She credits her with instilling a strong sense of resilience, pride in her Pakistani heritage and the ambition to represent the country on the global stage.

The 2026 competition will mark Dr Sohail&#39;s international pageant debut. She will also become only the third Pakistani contestant to compete at the Miss Supranational pageant.

Commenting on the announcement, Miss Pakistan President Sonia Ahmed said, &quot;Miss Supranational is among the top five international beauty pageants in the world, and Dr Azqa Sohail is the third contestant to represent Pakistan at the competition in Poland. We are very proud of her and hope to see her achieve a top placement.&quot;

The Miss Supranational 2026 competition will bring together contestants from across the globe to compete for the crown while promoting cultural exchange, philanthropy and social advocacy.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/miss-supranational1783584681-0/miss-supranational1783584681-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Express Entertainment's 'Shaandaar' breaks new ground</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620351/express-entertainments-shaandaar-breaks-new-ground-1</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2620351/express-entertainments-shaandaar-breaks-new-ground-1#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 Jul 26 00:01:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Qaisar Kamran]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2620351</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Television drama's exploration of darker side of privilege comes as breath of fresh air that departs from typical Pak]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A man is killed on a road. The case makes headlines. Social media erupts with questions. Then, slowly, attention shifts elsewhere.But what happens when such incidents are not treated as isolated crimes, but as part of a larger pattern?

That is the question at the heart of Shaandaar, a new crime thriller airing on Express Entertainment.

The 16-episode drama, directed by Wajahat Rauf, draws inspiration from several real-life roadside killing cases that have sparked public debate in Pakistan. It is not a dramatisation of one specific incident. Instead, the story brings together elements from different cases involving violence, power and influential individuals.

The result is a television drama that attempts to move away from the familiar formulas that dominate Pakistani television.There are no traditional family feuds at the centre of Shaandaar. Instead, the drama explores crime, privilege, power and the consequences of actions that can sometimes appear to have been buried by influence.

The drama features an ensemble cast including Shamoon Abbasi, Shahzad Sheikh, Areeka Haq, Ali Dayan, Laila Wasti and Ahsan Afzal Khan. Its treatment is deliberately fast-paced, with the makers aiming to combine the tension of a crime thriller with the realism of stories inspired by events that have already entered public consciousness.

For Ahsan Afzal Khan, who plays the central character Salar, the opportunity to work in such a genre was one of the main reasons he agreed to the project.

&quot;A script picked by Mr Wajahat Rauf already gives you the impression that something different is coming,&quot; Khan told The Express Tribune.

He said Pakistani television rarely gets the opportunity to explore stories of this kind. &quot;There are very few such stories,&quot; he said. &quot;We were getting a chance to do something different a crime thriller genre.&quot;

That difference, he believes, is one of the drama&#39;s biggest strengths.Khan describes Shaandaar as fast-paced, gritty and dark, but not without moments of lightness. The tone, he says, gradually changes as the story progresses. &quot;There is a light mood too, then slowly it gets darker and darker,&quot; he said. &quot;There are social messages and a lot of things.&quot;

The actor also believes that the drama&#39;s pace is an important part of its appeal. &quot;It keeps you interested,&quot; he said. &quot;I watch the episodes myself. I watch them with my family and I feel like watching the next episode. It is not dragged.&quot;

That response is particularly significant for Khan because, according to him, Shaandaar has brought him a new audience. &quot;Teenagers and Gen Z are enjoying this drama a lot,&quot; he said.

He also said that people who do not usually watch Pakistani dramas, and instead prefer international content, have shown interest in the series.

That may be partly because the drama presents a world that feels closer to the crime thrillers many younger viewers already consume on international streaming platforms.

At the centre of the story is Salar a character who is privileged, arrogant and powerful.He looks down upon others and misuses his influence. He is narcissistic and wants things on his own terms. But Khan says Salar is not written as a one-dimensional villain.

&quot;I hope people relate to the human side of Salar, but not to his entire personality,&quot; he said.

The character may be difficult to defend, but the actor believes that understanding the reasons behind a person&#39;s behaviour is not the same as approving of it. &quot;No negative character is a bad person, and no positive character is a good person,&quot; Khan said. &quot;We are all layered somewhere.&quot;

He argues that people are shaped by their experiences by what they see at home, what they face at school and how they are treated by those around them. &quot;Did we face bullying? What did we face? All of that is incorporated into your mind,&quot; he said. &quot;You are reacting as a defence mechanism.&quot; this is what makes Salar interesting.

Beneath the arrogance and privilege, there is a human being with emotions and vulnerabilities. But those qualities do not erase the damage he causes.

&quot;He is privileged. He is arrogant,&quot; Khan said. &quot;He wants what he wants.&quot;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/style1785024519-0/style1785024519-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>'Politics, not quality' keeps Pakistani content off Netflix: Mehreen Jabbar</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617702/politics-not-quality-keeps-pakistani-content-off-netflix-mehreen-jabbar</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617702/politics-not-quality-keeps-pakistani-content-off-netflix-mehreen-jabbar#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 11 Jul 26 12:26:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2617702</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Hopes Pakistan's first Netflix show will debut next year and that it will open the doors for Pakistani content]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Director Mehreen Jabbar believed &quot;politics, not quality, is the biggest obstacle preventing Pakistani content from reaching global streaming platforms such as Netflix, Prime Video and HBO&quot;, arguing that commercial and regional considerations shape the platforms&#39; decisions.

Speaking on a recent talk show, Mehreen shared her two cents on why Pakistani content had not made its way onto global streaming platforms.

Mehreen was asked why Pakistan still didn&#39;t have a strong footprint on international streaming platforms, especially given how much the industry had grown technically and creatively, and given that a fair amount of what already streams on these platforms was not exactly award-worthy either.

&quot;I think the main thing everyone knows is that it&#39;s politics,&quot; Mehreen said. &quot;Their head offices are in neighbouring countries, and obviously, their population and subscriber base are much bigger. That market is still developing here; a lot of people don&#39;t pay to subscribe to Netflix or Amazon Prime. So these companies go where it&#39;s financially beneficial for them.&quot;





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Still, she isn&#39;t without hope. &quot;I hope this changes,&quot; she said. &quot;Hopefully, our first show will come on Netflix next year, and that&#39;s when I hope the doors will open.&quot;

The conversation moved to a topic that&#39;s been stirring unease within the acting community: the government&#39;s move to remove the foreign drama tax, particularly Turkish content, from local airwaves. Due to this, people in the industry fear that it will open the floodgates to more competition and could hurt homegrown productions.

Mehreen wasn&#39;t convinced this was a real threat. &quot;Turkish dramas used to be very popular, but if you notice, hardly anyone talks about them anymore, because our own industry has grown so much,&quot; she said. &quot;In the last two or three years especially, our industry has really taken off among the diaspora and South Asian audiences, so I don&#39;t think we face that threat.&quot;





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





&quot;Personally, I think competition is a healthy thing,&quot; she added. &quot;When there&#39;s competition, you focus on improving yourself.&quot;

Mehreen was also asked about recent criticism from writer Dr Yunus Butt, who aimed her directorial pacing, specifically calling out how a 26-episode drama can stretch to 32, and describing her style, along with actor Shuja&#39;s performance, as slow.

Her response was measured. &quot;Honestly, this is their opinion, and good for them,&quot; she said. &quot;I&#39;ve never really been the type to respond to statements like that. It&#39;s their opinion, the way critics have theirs and audiences have theirs. That&#39;s what freedom of speech and freedom of thought mean. You liked it, or you didn&#39;t, that&#39;s okay. We can&#39;t please everyone. There isn&#39;t a single project in the world, out of billions of people, that everyone likes the same way. No one can pull that off.&quot;





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Having previously sat on the Censor Board herself, Mehreen said she understood the fine line broadcasters must walk. Since television entered every household, she explained, channels have to use their own judgment about what fits their audience and internal policy, a responsibility she didn&#39;t take lightly, even if she personally leaned away from restrictive censorship.

Mehreen didn&#39;t hold back on one of the industry&#39;s most persistent complaints: delayed payments. She described a chain of blame that&#39;s become almost routine: production houses blame channels, channels blame advertisers, and advertisers blame their own vendors and retailers. By the time the money doesn&#39;t arrive on schedule, she said, it&#39;s often the makeup artists, electricians, and the crew who bear the brunt of it.

&quot;Unfortunately, I&#39;ve said this many times; it feels like I&#39;m on a repeat record,&quot; she said. &quot;It really comes down to figuring out where and at what point it needs to be fixed. Project management isn&#39;t proper in our industry, and I honestly don&#39;t know when that will change.&quot;





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





She also pointed to a lack of unionisation as part of the problem. &quot;I think the real issue is that people don&#39;t unionise,&quot; she said. &quot;Unions exist, but they have no real power, because there&#39;s no unity behind them.&quot;

On a more hopeful note, Mehreen pushed back on the idea that Pakistani dramas were only now becoming progressive in how they portray women. &quot;In the 90s and 2000s, in the plays I did, it was very common. But at one point, we were influenced by a certain kind of Indian soap opera, but now we&#39;re coming back to our own history. We&#39;ve always had so many strong female characters, going back to the classic PTV plays, and you&#39;ll find them full of strong women. So it&#39;s not like this is happening for the first time. It&#39;s always been there. We&#39;re just coming back to it.&quot;

For Mehreen, it seems, the story of Pakistani television isn&#39;t one of catching up; it&#39;s one of returning to strengths the industry has always had, while it waits for the world to catch on.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/mehreen-jabbar-11783779740-0/mehreen-jabbar-11783779740-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Ali Wasi Kazmi discusses playing Sikandar in ‘Raja London Ka’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617112/ali-wasi-kazmi-discusses-playing-sikandar-in-raja-london-ka</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617112/ali-wasi-kazmi-discusses-playing-sikandar-in-raja-london-ka#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 26 06:54:23 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2617112</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor talks about honing his craft, director's guidance and co-star Samar Jafri's honest critique]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Actor Ali Wasi Kazmi discussed his character Sikandar in the drama Raja London Ka&nbsp;in an interview. The Express Entertainment action-thriller took the television industry by storm, with Kazmi&#39;s portrayal of the scheming anti-hero at the centre of the show&#39;s dark underbelly.

While his performance in Raja London Ka showcased immense polish, Kazmi admitted that adjusting to the television screen required stepping out of his comfort zone. Reflecting on his debut role in Bakhtawar alongside Yumna Zaidi, Kazmi shared that while public praise was encouraging, it was a close friend and fellow Raja London Ka co-star, Samar Jafri, who gave him the honest perspective he needed to mature as a performer.

&quot;Samar is someone I really like because he speaks to me very straightforwardly. He openly told me &#39;You performed very badly in Bakhtawar.&#39;&quot; Rather than taking offence, Kazmi said he used the critique to refine his acting, shifting away from amateur habits to master subtle screen presence.

Kazmi shared that his friendship with Jafri came full circle while the two were hanging out in Lahore and Jafri received a call from the Raja London Ka&nbsp;production team.&nbsp;&quot;I was in Lahore, and Samar was there with me. He got a call, while sitting next to me, from the production team asking if there was a guy available in Lahore for a character role,&quot; the actor recalled.

He added, &quot;The casting team later looked at me and said, &#39;Ali, you naturally walk and talk exactly like this character.&#39;&nbsp;If I weren&#39;t sitting there with Samar that day, I wouldn&#39;t have auditioned for Sikandar.&quot;

According to Kazmi, although he was able to find the&nbsp;physical essence of Sikandar easily, capturing the psychological weight of a manipulator wasn&#39;t instant. Kazmi opened up about his early days on the set of Raja London Ka, saying, &quot;The first four to five days of filming were highly intimidating.&quot;

However, he revealed that a breakthrough for him came entirely from director Fajar Raza, who helped Kazmi peel back the layers of the script. The actor noted that Raza&#39;s precise direction gave him the clarity to understand Sikandar&#39;s planning, schemes, and quiet calculations. Under the director&#39;s mentorship, Kazmi stated that he &quot;managed to settle comfortably into the role.&quot;

Further, discussing the production dynamic, the actor stated that it worked seamlessly alongside Jafri&#39;s leading performance, recalling that crew members often remarked that they &quot;chose the least violent person in real life to play the most violent character on screen.&quot;

Reflecting on his life before entering the entertainment industry, Kazmi said that he was paving an independent creative path. Sharing that he came from a traditional family background where his father expected him to join the military, the actor said that he had initially enrolled at the National College of Arts to hone his creative passion but then dropped out to chase storytelling.

The move materialised with Kazmi&#39;s indie visual cover of Paar Chana De, with the video exploding online, crossing 28 million views on YouTube. The success, according to the actor,&nbsp;proved that he had the visual eye and screen presence to captivate an audience, ultimately acting as his calling to mainstream television directors.

With Raja London Ka&nbsp;continuing to introduce major plot twists, Kazmi shared that he was fully enjoying Sikandar&#39;s ongoing arc. Despite receiving new offers since the show began airing, Kazmi stated that he remains conscious in choosing not to rush into signing his next project, preferring to take his time and evaluate characters with depth.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-2026-07-08t124030-5991783496443-0/untitled-design-2026-07-08t124030-5991783496443-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Ahad Raza Mir takes on Maya Ali's tongue-twister challenge and fans love it</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2616965/ahad-raza-mir-takes-on-maya-alis-tongue-twister-challenge-and-fans-love-it</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2616965/ahad-raza-mir-takes-on-maya-alis-tongue-twister-challenge-and-fans-love-it#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 07 Jul 26 12:17:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2616965</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The dynamic duo give fans a glimpse of their playful friendship on the sets of their upcoming drama]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Ahad Raza Mir and Maya Ali have given fans a fun glimpse from the sets of their upcoming drama &lsquo;Aik Mohabbat Aur&rsquo;, where a playful tongue-twister challenge turned into a lighthearted behind-the-scenes moment.

Taking to her Instagram, Maya shared a candid video from the drama set, showcasing the warm camaraderie between the two actors that quickly caught fans&rsquo; attention.

In the brief clip, Maya decides to test her co-star&rsquo;s Urdu articulation with a classic, albeit difficult, linguistic trap: a tongue-twister. What followed was a masterclass in set-life friendship. Mir, known for his otherwise stoic and intense performances, gave it a brave shot but stumbled over the hard consonants, sending Maya into a fit of laughter.

Not one to back down easily, the Yaqeen Ka Safar star playfully fired back, suggesting that Maya should cleanly demonstrate the tongue twister herself before handing out pop quizzes on set.

Ever the patient guide, Maya was later seen slowly breaking down the syllables behind a giggling to the camera while Ahad carefully navigated his way through the phrase, flashing a good-humoured grin. The mini-challenge didn&#39;t just highlight Ahad&#39;s good-natured sportsmanship; it gave a rare look into the organic bond the two have developed while filming.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





While both actors boast stellar portfolios, with Maya commanding hits like Mann Mayal, Sunn Mere Dil, and Teefa in Trouble, and Ahad solidifying his career with Ehd-e-Wafa and international stints, Aik Mohabbat Aur marks the very first time the two are sharing the screen.

If this brief, unscripted moment of lighthearted banter is any indication of the energy they bring to the table, audiences are likely in for an effortless on-screen partnership when the drama finally hits television screens.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-661783427553-0/untitled-design-661783427553-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Hajra Yamin on carving an independent legacy, why sisterhood matters</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2616772/hajra-yamin-on-carving-an-independent-legacy-why-sisterhood-matters</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2616772/hajra-yamin-on-carving-an-independent-legacy-why-sisterhood-matters#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 26 10:40:18 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2616772</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor opens up on creative autonomy, industry burnout, female solidarity and the accountability of men]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Actor Hajra Yamin opened up in an interview about why she refuses to compromise on her craft, discussing her deep need for creative freedom, the heavy emotional toll that acting takes on her, and her strict rule against playing the same kind of character twice.

According to Hajra, acting is not a repetitive task but an exhausting emotional investment. The intense dedication, she noted, has made her deeply protective of her craft. &quot;I have become very particular about the work I do,&quot; the actor shared, adding,&nbsp;&quot;Even a single emotion that I have put out on screen, I feel I can&#39;t just redo it again. The characterisation must always be completely different from anything I have done before.&quot;

Hajra also pointed out that the industry&#39;s relentless pace often takes a heavy toll on the quality of storytelling. &quot;Our industry truly has great stars but people get overworked. That inevitably leads to the production of not-so-good shows, and matching the stakes becomes incredibly difficult under those conditions,&quot; she said.

Despite these structural hurdles, Hajra noted that she has maintained a fiercely independent identity. In a landscape where actors are routinely grouped into &quot;on-screen couples&quot; to guarantee ratings, Hajra stated that she stands entirely on her own merit. &quot;I take immense pride in the fact that my name isn&#39;t joined to a male co-star just to be cast together in a drama again,&quot; she stated, adding that she takes &quot;real pride in that independence.&quot;

Discussing the support that she found among her female audience, Hajra deemed that connection one she wanted to protect and cultivate. &quot;I wanted women as my allies,&nbsp;and in the past couple of days, I have truly felt that happen for me,&quot; the actor said. She also noted that her audience reached out to her and appreciated her work, saying, &quot;I know this is exactly what I want to continue doing.&quot;

Distancing herself from the traditional rat race of digital metrics, Hajra shared that her focus remained on building something that outlasted temporary trends. &quot;I want to leave a legacy for the girls who come after me. I want to work with more women and create,&quot; she stressed. The actor also added a piece of advice for newcomers entering the field, telling them to not be scared to say no.

When asked about her personal life and the perception of high-profile women in the entertainment sector, Hajra dismissed the idealised tropes often assigned to independent figures. &quot;People look at us and assume we come out as something totally extraordinary. But the reality is different. We are just normal girls with big dreams who are trying to be content with life,&quot; Hajra said.

She also spoke passionately about systemic gender inequality, safety, and the crucial role of domestic support, stressing that the fight against female mistreatment begins long before it reaches the public sphere. &quot;A support system is vital. Women should feel safe at home first. They need to counter the threat at home before they can deal with the ones outside,&quot; the actor noted.

Further, she expressed her belief that addressing violence and harassment required unwavering parental trust and absolute social responsibility from men. &quot;Believe your child,&quot; she urged, saying, &quot;You cannot keep quiet or ignore it; if you do, you are equally accountable.&quot;

Ultimately, Hajra placed the burden of change squarely where she believed it belonged: on men. &quot;It will be all men who are held accountable for what happens to women, until there are no men left enabling it,&quot; she said. Arguing that society remains biased toward male voices, Hajra urged men to actively use their platforms to speak out against crimes targeting women, while praising those who already do. &quot;We live in a society where men are listened to and believed far more than women. Given that reality, it is heartening to see at least some men who possess a platform finally speaking out against these acts,&quot; the actor said.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-611783336080-0/untitled-design-611783336080-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>A once wary Hollywood slowly warms to AI</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619632/a-once-wary-hollywood-slowly-warms-to-ai</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619632/a-once-wary-hollywood-slowly-warms-to-ai#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 26 09:43:41 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619632</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Hollywood embraces AI via studio deals and production tools while human creativity stays central as core promise alive]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Once wary of artificial intelligence, Hollywood is now striking up partnerships with AI start-ups and weaving the technology into productions more and more openly -- all while insisting the creative process itself will remain untouched.

&quot;Everybody is still wrapping their head around it,&quot; said Mike Mosallam, COO of production company Shadowbox Studios, in an interview with Variety as recently 2025.

Rattled by the technology, Hollywood initially went on the defensive.

Studios worried about their intellectual property being misused, and actors feared becoming little more than raw material for AI systems -- and made it a central plank of their strike action in 2023.

Those who did experiment ran into the technology&#39;s early limitations -- six-fingered hands, mouths that didn&#39;t move right.

But a floodgate opened in early March, when Netflix bought a small, little-known company -- fewer than 20 employees -- for a hefty $587 million.

Co-founded in 2022 by producer, director and actor Ben Affleck, InterPositive is an AI platform designed to assist film and TV production.

In early June, studio Lionsgate took a stake in Runway, one of the leading names in AI-generated video, and the two will now develop creative projects together.

Days later, Google made a similar move, investing in independent studio A24.

Recent ad campaigns and short films have shown that AI video -- even when it includes human characters -- has crossed a real threshold.

As Runway put it in May: &quot;In many cases, if the story is strong enough, the technology is now good enough to become invisible.&quot;

According to Jamie Umpherson, Runway&#39;s chief creative officer, people are learning to use the tools better as the technology improves on a &quot;scale that was unimaginable a couple of years ago.&quot;

&quot;There&#39;s more familiarity than there was even a year ago,&quot; he said, adding that this is freeing up creative teams to focus more on story and style.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos struck a similar note when presenting the company&#39;s results in mid-July: &quot;We&#39;re making higher quality output more quickly and efficiently than we could have using traditional methods.&quot;

He said GenAI workflows have now been used on roughly 300 Netflix titles, mostly in post-production, adding: &quot;We&#39;re leveraging GenAI for really complicated shots and sequences.&quot;

&#39;Hybrid&#39;

Still, the streaming giant seems to be focusing mainly on the edges of production -- from visualizing a concept early on to color-grading footage after filming wraps.

Independent director and producer Jon Erwin insists the core of the craft isn&#39;t going anywhere.

&quot;Actors drive all the performances, and we use these tools to amplify the sets and the scope of the shows,&quot; he said.

&quot;But we preserve the core of the filmmaking process, which is the relationship between the actor, the director and the camera. These tools do not replace that.&quot;

In April, his production company Wonder Project launched a joint venture called Innovative Dreams with Luma, a rival to Runway.

Together they have developed a new process that lets actors be filmed naturally -- no green screen, no motion-capture suit -- and then surrounds them with a hyper-realistic AI-generated world.

Erwin calls it &quot;hybrid&quot; or &quot;nonlinear&quot; filmmaking.

The process is fast enough that the AI-generated backdrop can be added just minutes after a scene is shot, giving filmmakers an almost-instant preview -- and the chance to shoot additional takes right away if needed.

The first feature film built on this approach, &quot;Young Washington,&quot; has already grossed more than $40 million at the box office -- double its production budget -- starring Oscar winner Ben Kingsley alongside two Golden Globe winners.

Technicians, actors and camera operators still have a place in this new ecosystem, though how many of them will be needed remains an open question.

Actor Matt Damon voiced concern about this, referring to Christopher Nolan&#39;s &quot;The Odyssey,&quot; shot across three continents: &quot;I don&#39;t think people are going to be given the resources to shoot movies that way for much longer.&quot;

So far, Hollywood&#39;s traditional powerhouses -- Paramount, Universal, Sony, Walt Disney and Warner Bros -- have officially stayed on the sidelines of the AI shift.

But Tanya Porquez, CEO of Generated Group -- which has just launched a database of AI-generated video creations -- thinks that won&#39;t last.

&quot;Studios will have to get on board. Not because they necessarily want to, but I think it&#39;s just the wave.&quot;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/universal1784713908-1/universal1784713908-1.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>'The Odyssey' brings in $264.1 million in worldwide ticket sales, studio says</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619453/the-odyssey-brings-in-2641-million-in-worldwide-ticket-sales-studio-says</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619453/the-odyssey-brings-in-2641-million-in-worldwide-ticket-sales-studio-says#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 26 10:59:31 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619453</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Christopher Nolan's Matt Damon-led epic ranks as his third-highest-opening film globally]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Director Christopher Nolan&#39;s adaptation of The Odyssey&nbsp;had an epic debut, grossing $264.1 million in global ticket sales on its opening weekend, including $124.5 million in the United States&nbsp;and Canada, Universal Pictures said on Sunday.

The film, based on the ancient Greek poem by Homer, stars Matt ​Damon as the Greek hero Odysseus, and follows his perilous journey home after fighting the Trojan War. It ​is Nolan&#39;s first movie since the 2023 blockbuster Oppenheimer,&nbsp;which won Academy Awards in several categories, including ⁠directing and best picture.

&quot;There&#39;s just palpable excitement across the domestic market this weekend for The Odyssey,&quot; said Jim Orr, Universal&#39;s ​president of domestic theatrical distribution.

The film topped the weekend&#39;s domestic and global box office, according to Rentrak. It had broad appeal ​with movie-goers, with half of ticket-buyers between the ages of 18 and 34 years old, Orr told Reuters.

The strong opening performance of the film is a testament to Nolan&#39;s popularity among moviegoers. &quot;Modern audiences should not be underestimated on their knowledge of film and filmmakers,&quot; said Paul Dergarabedian, ​Rentrak&#39;s head of marketplace trends. &quot;And that passion they have for film is manifest in their devotion to Christopher Nolan. It ​really is a thing.&quot;

The Odyssey&nbsp;cost $250 million to make. It received an A CinemaScore from filmgoers who attended opening-night screenings, and an audience &zwnj;rating ⁠of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film ranks among Nolan&#39;s biggest opening weekends.&nbsp;Factoring in inflation, The Odyssey&nbsp;ranks as his third-highest-opening film globally, behind 2012&#39;s The Dark Knight Rises&nbsp;and 2008&#39;s The Dark Knight, which brought in inflation-adjusted totals of $358.5 million and $304 million, respectively, in worldwide ticket sales during their opening weekends.

Half the movie-goers elected to see The Odyssey&nbsp;in an enhanced format in the US and ​Canada, including 23% at IMAX, ​according to Universal.

Fans began snapping ⁠up tickets for The Odyssey&nbsp;a year ago when seats at select IMAX theaters went on sale. IMAX said demand for tickets was so high that more than 50 theatres across North America ​added show times between midnight and 7am.

IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond said the company had ​booked $50 million in ⁠advance ticket sales, its strongest presales ever. He has extolled the use of IMAX cameras and 70 mm film to capture the sweeping narrative, generating more buzz around the movie. &quot;It was just a well-made &mdash; almost perfectly made &mdash; movie in many respects,&quot; said Gelfond.

Most scholars believe ⁠the epic ​poem attributed to Homer was composed in the seventh or eighth century ​BC and was sung and passed on orally before it was written down. Nolan&#39;s film centers on a portion of Odysseus&#39; homecoming, where he encounters ​gods and monsters, storms and tragedy.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/nolan-film1784631859-0/nolan-film1784631859-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Marvel releases first Avengers: Doomsday trailer ahead of December 2026 release</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619310/marvel-releases-first-avengers-doomsday-trailer-ahead-of-december-2026-release</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619310/marvel-releases-first-avengers-doomsday-trailer-ahead-of-december-2026-release#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 26 14:11:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Pop Culture &amp; Art]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619310</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Marvel unveils the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer as ticket sales begin ahead of its December 2026 release]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Marvel Studios has officially released the first trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, offering fans their biggest look yet at the highly anticipated superhero blockbuster ahead of its theatrical release on December 18, 2026.

The trailer previews an epic crossover that brings together heroes from three different universes, setting the stage for what Marvel describes as a deadly collision against an unprecedented existential threat. The film features one of the franchise&rsquo;s largest ensembles, including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Florence Pugh, Vanessa Kirby, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Letitia Wright, Simu Liu, Channing Tatum and several other Marvel stars.





Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, who previously helmed Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, the film is produced by Kevin Feige, Louis D&#39;Esposito and Jonathan Schwartz.

Alongside the trailer launch, Marvel also confirmed that tickets for Avengers: Doomsday are now on sale. Moviegoers will also be able to experience the film in INFINITY VISION, a new certification for Premium Large Format (PLF) cinemas designed to provide enhanced picture quality, larger screens and immersive sound.

The trailer has quickly generated excitement across social media, with fans analysing its action sequences, returning characters and hints about the next chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Avengers: Doomsday is expected to be one of the biggest cinematic releases of 2026, continuing Marvel Studios&#39; interconnected superhero saga with a large-scale multiverse story.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-2026-04-13t162404-0071776079711-0/untitled-design-2026-04-13t162404-0071776079711-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Dubai dreams, dodgy heists and big laughs: 'Aag Lagey Basti Mein' returns to cinemas on popular demand</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2600346/dubai-dreams-dodgy-heists-and-big-laughs-aag-lagey-basti-mein-returns-to-cinemas-on-popular-demand</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2600346/dubai-dreams-dodgy-heists-and-big-laughs-aag-lagey-basti-mein-returns-to-cinemas-on-popular-demand#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 26 15:13:33 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Nawal Ahmad]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2600346</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Mahira Khan and Fahad Mustafa's chemistry shines in a comedy that addresses Karachi's realities with humour]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan&rsquo;s most anticipated comedy, Aag Lagey Basti Mein, which released on Eid-ul-Fitr earlier this year, was met by a circus of fans scrambling for a seat at the show. Just recently, the film has once again made it back to the big-screen, re-released in cinemas across Pakistan on popular demand.

Gaining positive traction from local and international viewers alike, the week of it&#39;s release had been a cinematic feast for audiences, with two other blockbusters, Delhi Gate and Bullah, releasing at the same time, alongside international films Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, and Project Hail Mary.

Even then, Aag Lagey Basti Mein did not fall short at the box office.



The film reunites Pakistan&rsquo;s most established stars, Mahira Khan and Fahad Mustafa, on-screen for their second blockbuster together following Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad (2022).&nbsp;The actors took on the roles of Almas and Barkat, a couple with distinct personalities yet excellent on-screen chemistry.

Mahira portrays Almas, an imaginative girl, obsessed with makeup, fashion, and a longing for travel, which leads her to marry Barkat, whom she believes works in her dream destination, Dubai.

Her notorious emotional depth, including her over-the-top likable, and sometimes unlikeable, crying scenes in previous roles such as Neelofar and Humsafar, is again prominent in this film. However, here it fits perfectly within the film&rsquo;s light, non-serious comedic aura.

Mustafa takes a different approach in his portrayal of Barkat. After his release from prison over a gun-related dispute linked to his family, Barkat emerges as someone not quite cut from the same cloth as his father and brother, who unlike him are infamous for theft and violence.

He portrays Barkat with a restrained and subtle performance. Despite the character&rsquo;s background, Mustafa avoids exaggeration, instead highlighting Barkat&rsquo;s inner conflict and future goals.

After getting married, the couple begin to uncover each other&rsquo;s secrets: some big, some small. Almas hadn&rsquo;t actually baked the cake at their proposal meet-up, and Barkat didn&rsquo;t have a job&mdash;let alone one in Dubai. To make matters more complicated, this was Almas&rsquo;&nbsp;second marriage.

Yet the dream of going to &ldquo;Doobai&rdquo; becomes a driving force for the couple. Almas works as a maid and Barkat as a janitor for some time, until he is accused of theft, turning their journey into a test of resilience and determination, a plot we haven&rsquo;t seen in Pakistani cinema before.



At the same time, the film depicted the harsh realities of Karachi that many locals resonated with, regardless of whether they were rich or poor.

Their life is modest: barely a proper bed, a dirty, stained sink, and not much to their name, but they make do. Almas doesn&rsquo;t give up easily, nor is she as materialistic as she claims to be. She dreams of Dubai but also learns to find happiness with what she has.

Guest stars, like influencer Samra Shehzaadi, famous for her viral line &ldquo;Acha jee, aisa hai kya?&rdquo;, add spice to the storyline by revealing the couple&rsquo;s pregnancy, which further instigates Almas&rsquo;s determination to reach Dubai.

&ldquo;Bacha Dubai mai hoga&rdquo; is an iconic line in the film, where Mahira&rsquo;s character avoids intimate interaction with Barkat, following her pursuit in having her baby abroad, no matter the circumstances.

The film does a good job of balancing comedy and relevance, with some risqu&eacute; couple jokes hinting at the romantic chemistry between Almas and Barkat. The comedy works brilliantly, earning applause from audiences throughout.

For example, when a young boy in the neighbourhood, with whom Barkat has a connection with, suddenly dies from an illness, the film takes a serious turn, touching on concerning issues like child labour and the importance of using their money for good.

Barkat has a panic attack preceding the child&rsquo;s death, thus initiating a strong twist of faith where Almas convinces Barkat to pursue a robbery because how far has being good ever got them?

The hilarious situation following a robbery in the home where Almas works as a maid adds a touch of sitcom-style humour to the film. It occurs when the characters find themselves in a troublesome situation after accidentally entering the occupants&rsquo;s janazah while attempting to steal money from a locker.

The plot spirals further when they accidentally kidnap underworld don Marble Seth (Javed Sheikh) and his son Changezi (Tabish Hashmi). The screenplay takes on a comedic villain arc. For his first acting debut, Hashmi delivers a memorable performance

However, the drastic shift from emotional drama to comedy in the second half can feel slightly abrupt.

The first half of the film, leading up to the little boy&rsquo;s death, showed strong potential to explore Barkat&#39;s moral struggles, his battle with poverty, and possibly a philanthropic journey. This was hinted at through Barkat&#39;s character development and Almas&#39; evolving perspective, her inherent selfish desires gradually tempered by a newfound admiration for her husband&rsquo;s honest way of life.

Instead, the narrative abruptly pivots into a dark slapstick action comedy, and the characters&rsquo; moral conflicts become more of a joke than a driving force in the story. This is especially disappointing given the moving performance of the father-son duo portraying the living gold statues, who convey the harsh realities of poverty with minimal dialogue but intense emotional depth.

Surprisingly, the second half of the film still shows promise. Had it not been preceded by such an emotional plotline and had the comedic sequences been a bit tighter, the humour would stand strong on its own. In its own way, this section highlights the darker aspects of life: the influence of gangs and criminals on communities, the power tied to wealth and status, and the disregard for ordinary citizens.

Overall, the film is unpredictable, with random and chaotic twists that keep viewers guessing. The shift from laughter to tears is drastic and abrupt, yet it suits the unserious, almost chaotic tone of the story. Though some song sequences feel out of place, they contribute to the film&rsquo;s quirky charm. The main drawback is its pacing as certain scenes feel unnecessarily long, leaving the audience wondering why the story drags.



Abid Rizvi, who handled the cinematography, shared that a range of wide-angle lenses was used to create a more immersive feel for the film. While this approach is noticeable, there remains a subtle sense that something is missing, an impression often observed in many Pakistani films.

This could come down to factors like color grading or overall production quality; despite its charm, the film sometimes lacks a certain finishing touch. At times, the visuals feel overly reminiscent of Pakistani television dramas, with a polished yet slightly flat aesthetic that doesn&rsquo;t fully capture the cinematic depth audiences might expect.

In conclusion, the film feels like a playful nod to Mahira and Mustafa&rsquo;s last comedy together, though it isn&rsquo;t drastically different. Once again, they portray lovers navigating a chaotic world, where even the misuse of money can humorously threaten the very face of Jinnah on the currency.

Overall, Aag Lagey Basti Mein succeeds as a lighthearted comedy, delivering several genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. While it may not rank among the very best in the industry, it remains an enjoyable watch, particularly&nbsp;with family and friends.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/nawal1774971493-0/nawal1774971493-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Documentary on 2023 Battagram cable car rescue to premiere at Sundance Film Festival</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618771/documentary-on-2023-battagram-cable-car-rescue-to-premiere-at-sundance-film-festival</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618771/documentary-on-2023-battagram-cable-car-rescue-to-premiere-at-sundance-film-festival#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jul 26 11:23:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2618771</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Filmmaker Naqvi calls work 'full-on, Hollywood-style action thriller']]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Hanging by a Wire, a gripping documentary thriller based on the 2023 cable car rescue in northern Pakistan, is set to premiere on the opening day of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, on August 28.

Pakistani filmmaker Mohammed Ali Naqvi revisited the incident in which a cable car carrying children to school along their daily route became stranded after one of its cables snapped in the Himalayan foothills. Six children and two adults were left hanging approximately 900 feet above the ground.

According to Variety, Naqvi described the incident as one of the first rescue operations to unfold as a social media phenomenon, with footage captured by drones, television cameras, and bystanders, helping draw global attention to the incident and prompting authorities to mobilise a massive rescue effort.

After nearly 14 hours, all eight passengers were safely rescued.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Naqvi described Hanging by a Wire as a &quot;full-on, Hollywood-style action thriller.&quot;

&quot;So many of the films that come from this region are framed through the lens of victimhood, of helplessness, of poverty,&quot;&nbsp;Naqvi told Variety. The filmmaker added, &quot;I did not want to do that. I wanted to be deliberately subversive with this one. I wanted to show these people as resilient, as having agency. I wanted to show them as heroes.&quot;

Naqvi also expressed hope that the documentary would bring greater awareness to the Battagram district, where many communities rely on makeshift cable cars due to the lack of proper roads. In a video shared by the Sundance Institute, the filmmaker elaborated on the dangers residents in the area face daily. &quot;There are no proper roads. The way people get around is by makeshift cable cars, and it is so dangerous because, during location scouting, I did the stupid thing of taking one,&quot;&nbsp;he said.

Recalling the experience, Naqvi admitted, &quot;It&#39;s petrifying. About halfway across, I thought, never again!&quot;

Regarding the 2023 incident, he shared that local experts told him that the damaged cable was unlikely to survive for more than 10 hours, creating a race against time for rescuers. &quot;This story is told through the perspective of the rescuers, who only have a few hours, and they risk it all to try to save these kids,&quot; he said.

The film highlights the individuals behind the rescue, including local wire repairman Sahib Khan, whom Naqvi described as the community&#39;s go-to rescuer and a &quot;sky pirate&quot;; professional rescuer Ali Swati, a gymnast and operator of what Naqvi says is the world&#39;s largest zipline; and police officer Sonia Shamroz, who also played a crucial role in the operation.

The rescue unfolded live on television and online, filmed from the ground, and even from inside the cable car, which Naqvi said allowed the filmmakers to access an unprecedented archive of footage. &quot;The entire rescue played out live &mdash; on TV, online, on the ground, and even from inside the cable car. With such rich archives, we knew we had to tell this story with the scale and intention of a Hollywood action thriller, one that just happened to be a documentary.&quot;

More than just a retelling of a dramatic rescue, Hanging by a Wire seeks to spotlight the everyday realities of communities that depend on dangerous cable cars for transportation.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/hanging-on-by-a-wire1784287564-0/hanging-on-by-a-wire1784287564-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Dr Mehr Afshan Farooqi traces a lifelong bond with Urdu</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612239/dr-mehr-afshan-farooqi-traces-a-lifelong-bond-with-urdu</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612239/dr-mehr-afshan-farooqi-traces-a-lifelong-bond-with-urdu#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 26 12:09:38 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2612239</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Professor reflects on literary upbringing, academic journey, research on Ghalib, and Urdu’s future]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Urdu is not something Dr Mehr Afshan Farooqi, daughter of&nbsp;Shamsur Rahman Faruqi,&nbsp;first encountered in a classroom. It is something she remembers hearing, speaking, and breathing long before she ever thought of it as an academic discipline.

Her father remains one of the most influential Urdu literary critics of the modern era. Today a professor of Urdu and South Asian Literature at the University of Virginia, Dr Mehr has built a career around a language that shaped her earliest sense of the world.

Yet her journey into academia was not a straightforward inheritance. It was shaped as much by privilege as by a quiet resistance to living in the shadow of her father&rsquo;s towering intellectual legacy.

Her childhood in Allahabad was steeped in books, poetry, and conversation. &ldquo;My parents taught me to memorise and recite Urdu couplets from the moment I could speak,&rdquo; she recalls, describing a home filled with literature, visits to old bookstores, and late-night gatherings where she would sit quietly, absorbing it all.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Despite this deeply immersive upbringing, Dr Mehr initially resisted following the same intellectual path. Determined to define herself independently, she pursued a Master&rsquo;s degree and later a PhD in medieval Indian history. But distance did not dilute her connection to language; it sharpened it. Eventually, she returned to the literary world she had grown up in.

Today, she is recognised as a leading scholar in her own right, best known for her acclaimed work on the 19th-century poet Mirza Ghalib. Her research revisits Ghalib&rsquo;s mustarad kalam&mdash;the verses he chose not to include in his published collections&mdash;offering a more intimate look at his creative process.

She describes this as a sophisticated act of self-editing, shaped by a period of major cultural and technological transition. &ldquo;Ghalib was writing at a time when the printing press was revolutionising literature,&rdquo; she explains.

Beyond scholarship, Dr Mehr is also vocal about how Urdu is positioned in contemporary discourse. She criticises attempts to confine the language to a single religious identity, arguing instead for a more expansive understanding of its cultural roots. &ldquo;Urdu belongs to the soil of India, not to any single religion,&rdquo; she says.

Despite concerns about institutional neglect, she remains hopeful about the language&rsquo;s future. In her view, Urdu&rsquo;s survival will depend less on official patronage and more on public engagement.

With the help of digital platforms, social media, and private initiatives, she believes a new generation can be inspired not only to appreciate Urdu&rsquo;s beauty but also to actively read, write, and preserve its script.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-81781009445-0/untitled-design-81781009445-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Marjane Satrapi, Iranian-French author of graphic novel 'Persepolis', dies aged 56</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611439/marjane-satrapi-iranian-french-author-of-graphic-novel-persepolis-dies-aged-56</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611439/marjane-satrapi-iranian-french-author-of-graphic-novel-persepolis-dies-aged-56#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 26 13:24:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2611439</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[She also designed nine-metre wool triptych ⁠for Paris 2024 Olympics, showing athletes competing around Eiffel Tower]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Marjane Satrapi, the Iranian-French artist, filmmaker and author of the autobiographical graphic novel &quot;Persepolis&quot;, has died aged 56, French President Emmanuel Macron&#39;s office said on Thursday.

&quot;Her ​passing is that of a figure of French culture and of an &zwnj;artist enamoured of freedom, whose work carried a universal message and had earned her immense international renown,&quot; the Elysee said in a statement.

A statement released by members of her family to the French news ​agency AFP said she had died of &quot;sadness&quot;, a little over a year after ​the death of her husband, Swedish actor, producer and screenwriter Mattias Ripa. ⁠No further information about the cause of her death was available.

Born in 1969, Satrapi spent ​her childhood in Tehran in a communist-leaning household. Her parents sent her to Vienna as ​a teenager, before she returned to Iran to study fine arts and later settled in France, where she continued her training in Strasbourg.

Read More: French author becomes an Urdu novelist after coming to Pakistan

She drew on that life of revolution, exile and return in &quot;Persepolis&quot;, the ​stark black-and-white memoir that chronicled her childhood during and after Iran&#39;s 1979 Islamic Revolution. The ​book became an international success and was later adapted into an animated film, which won the jury &zwnj;prize ⁠at Cannes and was nominated for an Academy Award.

Satrapi&#39;s work mixed political defiance with dark humour and a stripped-down visual style, making her one of the best-known graphic novelists of her generation. She went on to direct films including &quot;Chicken with Plums&quot;, &quot;The Voices&quot; and &quot;Radioactive&quot;, about scientist ​Marie Sklodowska Curie.

Satrapi also designed a nine-metre wool triptych ⁠for the Paris 2024 Olympics, showing athletes competing around the Eiffel Tower.

Satrapi also became a prominent voice on exile, women&#39;s freedom and ​authoritarianism, frequently using her public platform to denounce repression in Iran.

Also Read: Novelist Kenize Mourad: At home in the world

In ​2025, she ⁠refused the Legion of Honour, France&#39;s top order of merit, citing France&#39;s &quot;hypocritical attitude&quot; toward Iran, French media reported.

&quot;I can&#39;t continue seeing the children of Iranian oligarchs come to spend their holidays ⁠in France, ​even become naturalised, while at the same time young ​dissidents have difficulty in obtaining a tourist visa to come to see what the country of the Enlightenment and ​human rights looks like,&quot; she wrote at the time.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/law-11780579879-0/law-11780579879-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Maheen Elahi takes South Asian miniature painting to London with 'Reimagined Realities'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2607467/maheen-elahi-takes-south-asian-miniature-painting-to-london-with-reimagined-realities</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2607467/maheen-elahi-takes-south-asian-miniature-painting-to-london-with-reimagined-realities#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 11 May 26 05:54:56 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2607467</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Lahore-based artist debuts major London showcase blending traditional miniature techniques with contemporary themes]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Lahore-based artist Maheen Elahi&nbsp;unveiled her latest exhibition&nbsp;Reimagined Realities&nbsp;in London, sharing artwork that serves as a reflection of South Asia&#39;s oldest art forms and focuses on peace, tranquillity and bliss through solitude.

Maheen presented a varied collection of works that explored the centuries-old practice of South Asian miniature painting. The exhibition, displayed at the Green &amp; Stone Gallery, marks the artist&#39;s first major showcase since graduating from one of South Asia&rsquo;s leading art schools.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Maheen is the granddaughter of renowned painter Saeed Akhtar, who was one of Pakistan&rsquo;s most celebrated visual artists. She is gaining attention in artistic circles for her detailed gouache paintings on wasli paper, a traditional hand-prepared surface usually associated with classical miniature art.

Combining traditional techniques with contemporary themes, Maheen creates impressive landscapes that focus on tranquillity, reflection, and the passage of time. In an interview, she explained her artwork as &ldquo;a renewal of the miniature tradition rather than a repetition of it.&rdquo;

Her collection centres on visual narratives that unfold slowly, encouraging viewers to spend time with the paintings. Moving beyond conventional storytelling to explore themes of duration, change and contemplation, Maheen&#39;s work transforms painting into a meditation on nature.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Hester Baldwin, Managing Director of Green &amp; Stone Gallery, praised Maheen&rsquo;s work, saying it was a pleasure to introduce the artist to the London art scene. Baldwin said the artist&rsquo;s work immediately caught her attention, recognising Maheen as an artist of unusual sensitivity and assurance.

She added that Maheen had found a stillness within painting that speaks with confidence without demanding attention, yet remains capable of holding it.

&ldquo;What distinguishes Maheen&rsquo;s practice is her ability to inhabit the language of traditional South Asian miniature painting without ever becoming subordinate to it,&rdquo; said Hester. She also described Maheen&#39;s work as &ldquo;contemplative in the truest sense&rdquo;, calling it attentive to atmosphere, duration and the subtle emotional shifts found within nature itself.

Maheen has previously exhibited her work at group shows in several cities across Pakistan and Mumbai. She also shared that she plans to work in New York and Dubai later this year.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-2026-05-11t141712-9381778491007-0/untitled-design-2026-05-11t141712-9381778491007-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Momina Iqbal shares stunning wedding moments with Hamza Habib</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611070/momina-iqbal-shares-stunning-wedding-moments-with-hamza-habib</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611070/momina-iqbal-shares-stunning-wedding-moments-with-hamza-habib#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 26 12:34:29 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2611070</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor showcases multiple designer ensembles and heartfelt moments with husband]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Actor Momina Iqbal tied the knot with Hamza Habib this week, sharing photographs and videos from their wedding festivities, including the Dua-e-Khair, Mayoun, Mehndi Lagayi, Mehndi and Baraat ceremonies.

The actor documented each event on Instagram, giving followers a glimpse into the celebrations through candid moments, couple portraits and detailed looks at her bridal wardrobe.

Iqbal began by sharing images from her Dua-e-Khair ceremony, where she wore a light pink garara paired with a gold blouse and an embroidered dupatta by Aneelas Formals. She completed the look with soft pink-toned makeup and fresh pink roses woven into her hair.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





For the Mayoun ceremony, the couple coordinated in shades of yellow. Iqbal complemented the traditional colour palette with orange floral accessories and a matching dupatta.

At her Mehndi Lagayi event, the actor chose a golden sharara ensemble by Haseens, consisting of a shirt and dupatta adorned with intricate detailing.

She later switched to a heavily embellished gown by Ahmad Sultan for the Mehndi celebration, pairing it with a dark purple dupatta while Habib coordinated his attire to complement her look.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





However, it was her bridal ensemble that drew the most attention.

Designed by Fahad Hussayn, the orange-and-gold outfit featured intricate craftsmanship, statement jewellery and bold bridal makeup.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





One of the most distinctive elements of the look was the use of three dupattas &mdash; one draped over her shoulders, another styled across her outfit, and a third placed traditionally over her head.&nbsp;





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





In her final wedding post, Iqbal shared a heartfelt message dedicated to designer Fahad Hussayn alongside a series of bridal portraits.

&ldquo;Fahad, I honestly don&#39;t have enough words to express my admiration for you or to offer prayers that truly reflect how much you deserve,&rdquo; she wrote.

&ldquo;Meeting you made me understand why God grants certain people such respect, recognition, honour and a special place in the hearts of others.&rdquo;





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





The actor also expressed gratitude to the photographers, stylists and the wider team involved in bringing the wedding celebrations together.

The couple&#39;s wedding photos have since garnered widespread attention on social media, with fans congratulating the newlyweds and praising Iqbal&#39;s carefully curated looks throughout the festivities.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/momina-iqbal1780403935-0/momina-iqbal1780403935-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Miss Universe Pakistan finalist Aneesa Sheikh calls for end to cyberbullying, harassment</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2615920/miss-universe-pakistan-finalist-aneesa-sheikh-calls-for-end-to-cyberbullying-harassment</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2615920/miss-universe-pakistan-finalist-aneesa-sheikh-calls-for-end-to-cyberbullying-harassment#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 26 11:25:53 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2615920</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Issues an appeal directly to women worldwide to disrupt toxic subcultures]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Amidst intense digital scrutiny and mounting online tensions, Miss Universe Pakistan finalist Aneesa Sheikh has delivered a powerful, heartfelt public service announcement urging a complete halt to cyberbullying and harassment.

The Pakistani-American model, singer, and academic, who previously represented the nation as Miss Grand Pakistan 2022, took to her official platform to clarify her stance on internet safety. Far from a routine pageant response, her statement carries deeply personal weight, referencing the tragic loss of her 22-year-old brother to online bullying.

In an emotional video and caption, Aneesa made it undeniably clear that human safety and mental health must always take precedence over any title. &quot;No competition, no title, and no disagreement is ever worth someone&rsquo;s safety or mental health,&quot; she shared. &quot;Having lost my brother to online bullying, this is an issue I take incredibly seriously. I will always condemn threats, harassment, intimidation, and bullying toward anyone, regardless of who they are.&quot;

The announcement comes at a critical juncture in the Miss Universe Pakistan selection cycle. When tensions recently escalated online, with digital fanbases and aggressive commentary beginning to target the competition&#39;s judging panel, prompting previous titleholders to speak out against coordinated cyber harassment.

Addressing the behaviour of digital spaces, Aneesa firmly distanced herself and her management from any abusive behaviour, emphasising that a true community is built on empathy rather than division. While acknowledging that no single individual can police the entire internet, she vowed to continue using her voice to lead by example, fostering discussions rooted in kindness.

She also issued an appeal directly to women worldwide to disrupt toxic subcultures, asking them to &quot;Shift away from habits that tear others down, cultivate meaningful, compassionate discussions and prioritise unity and think twice before posting.&quot;

In an Instagram post, Aneesa said that to ensure accountability, her team has set up a dedicated reporting channel where users can forward screenshots of credible threats, targeted harassment, or abusive messaging.

&quot;Valid reports are being systematically documented and forwarded to the appropriate authorities and legal commissioners in Lahore and Islamabad for immediate official review,&quot; she said.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-2026-07-01t163939-3211782905990-0/untitled-design-2026-07-01t163939-3211782905990-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Nida Yasir shares highlights from Europe trip with son</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611043/nida-yasir-shares-highlights-from-europe-trip-with-son</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611043/nida-yasir-shares-highlights-from-europe-trip-with-son#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 26 09:07:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2611043</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[TV host documents her travels, sharing sightseeing adventures, family moments and a stylish vacation wardrobe]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Television host Nida Yasir has been drawing attention on social media after sharing glimpses of her recent family trip to Europe with her son, Balaj.

Through a series of Instagram posts and videos, Nida documented moments from her travels, including sightseeing tours, interactive art experiences and visits to some of the region&#39;s most popular attractions.

One of the most talked-about clips from the trip shows the host riding a Vespa scooter through the streets of Budapest, passing several iconic landmarks.

In the video, she is seen wearing a yellow dress paired with a brown top and statement jewellery.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





The post received an enthusiastic response from followers, with many praising her energy and adventurous spirit. One user commented, &quot;The heart should stay young,&quot; applauding her youthful outlook.



In another update, Nida shared footage from a visit to Fr&ouml;csk&ouml;lő, an interactive art space where participants paint on one another as well as on surrounding surfaces, turning the activity into a colourful paint-filled experience.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





The host also gave followers a look at her travel wardrobe, which differed from the traditional attire viewers are accustomed to seeing on her morning show appearances.

During the trip, Nida opted for several Western outfits, including a black-and-white polka dot dress paired with a white cardigan.

Fans were quick to notice the style shift and compliment her fashion choices throughout the vacation.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Nida is married to actor and director Yasir Nawaz, and the couple have three children. She is widely recognised as a long-running morning show host on television.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/nida-yasir1780391300-0/nida-yasir1780391300-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Reports suggest strain in Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel’s marriage amid singer’s drinking habits</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2609135/reports-suggest-strain-in-justin-timberlake-jessica-biels-marriage-amid-singers-drinking-habits</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2609135/reports-suggest-strain-in-justin-timberlake-jessica-biels-marriage-amid-singers-drinking-habits#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 26 08:37:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2609135</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Tabloid claims Biel 'sick of being publicly embarrassed' following husband's 2024 drink-driving charge]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Reports suggest that singer Justin Timberlake may be facing strain in his marriage to Jessica Biel after 13 years together, with rumours alleging the situation has worsened due to public scrutiny surrounding Timberlake&#39;s alleged driving-related incidents and concerns regarding aspects of his lifestyle.

A report by&nbsp;Radar Online&nbsp;suggests Biel has long tolerated the musician&rsquo;s irresponsible behavior and drinking habits, and is now reportedly feeling embarrassed about how their relationship is perceived publicly.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Timberlake received a driving while ability impaired (DWAI) charge in September 2024 after prosecutors dropped the more serious driving while intoxicated (DWI) count as part of a plea deal. The singer was required to pay a $500 fine, complete 25 hours of community service, and publish a public safety announcement.

The case drew further attention in March 2025 when additional police bodycam footage emerged showing the singer performing sobriety tests.

&ldquo;She [Biel] does everything with the kids, and she&rsquo;s sick of being publicly embarrassed&rdquo;, an insider told Radar Online. The source also told the outlet, &ldquo;Justin is the kind of guy that when he&rsquo;s out, has always had a drink in hand&rdquo;, referring all the way back to the singer&#39;s NSYNC prime tour days.

Timberlake and Biel, married since 2012, share two sons. However, they have reportedly been going through a rough patch ever since their engagement days in 2011, when Biel warned Timberlake to &ldquo;settle down or she was out&rdquo;.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/billboard1779266603-0/billboard1779266603-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Fact check: Viral video does not show Hollywood actor Jason Statham displaying Palestine flag on his car</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2606680/fact-check-viral-video-does-not-show-hollywood-actor-jason-statham-displaying-palestine-flag-on-car</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2606680/fact-check-viral-video-does-not-show-hollywood-actor-jason-statham-displaying-palestine-flag-on-car#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 06 May 26 16:33:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Fact Check By iVerify]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2606680</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The clip is from 2023 and does not feature Statham; no such video was found on actor's social media accounts]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Multiple accounts on the social media platform X were sharing a video since May 5, 2026, claiming to show Hollywood actor Jason Statham displaying a Palestinian flag on his car. However, the clip is old from 2023 and does not feature Statham.

Public figures, including actors, musicians, and athletes, have repeatedly used their platforms to comment on the war in Gaza since late 2023. Several celebrities have expressed solidarity with Palestinians by calling for&nbsp;ceasefires, humanitarian aid access, and protection of civilians, while others have&nbsp;voiced support&nbsp;for Israel or focused on condemning violence more broadly. These positions have often been communicated through social media posts, open letters, fundraising campaigns, concerts, and appearances at public events.&nbsp;

HOW IT STARTED

On May 5, 2026, an X user, who appears to be based in Turkiye per their profile and previous posts,&nbsp;shared&nbsp;a video of an individual displaying a Palestinian flag on his car, with the following caption: &ldquo;Famous actor Jason Statham hung a Palestinian flag on his car.&rdquo;

The post, which racked up 2.5 million views, also included a photo of Statham.

A similar post, including the clip and the actor&rsquo;s photograph, was&nbsp;shared&nbsp;by another X account with the same caption. It garnered 176,700 views.

An X user, who calls themselves a journalist in the bio, also&nbsp;shared&nbsp;the video with a similar caption, gathering 90,600 views.

Subsequently, several other social media users shared the video on&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;and X, as can be seen&nbsp;here,&nbsp;here,&nbsp;here,&nbsp;here,&nbsp;here, and&nbsp;here; collectively accumulating more than 90,000 views.&nbsp;

METHODOLOGY

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its high virality and keen public interest in celebrities expressing solidarity with Palestinians.

A keyword search was conducted to corroborate whether any credible international media outlets had reported on such a video of Statham; however, it did not yield any results.

Similarly, no such video was found on any of Statham&rsquo;s official social media accounts, including&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;and&nbsp;Facebook.



@sitsavorbite

he made sure to wash his car first🥹 #freepalestine #freepalestine🇵🇸❤️ #freepalestine🇵🇸 #palestine #palestinetiktok #fyp #fypシ
♬ الصوت الأصلي - Ramos Hajjaj




A reverse image search yielded a&nbsp;TikTok post&nbsp;dated October 21, 2023, wherein the same video was shared with the caption: &ldquo;He made sure to wash his car first.&rdquo; It was accompanied by several pro-Palestinian hashtags.

As can be seen, the video is old, and the caption suggests that the individual in the clip is preparing for a pro-Palestinian rally by washing his car first.

The results further identified the&nbsp;location&nbsp;in the clip as&nbsp;Moo Moo Express Car Wash, which is situated on Rome Road in Ohio, US.



When the team conducted a keyword search, it yielded several news reports regarding a pro-Palestine rally in Downtown Ohio on October 22, 2023. They&nbsp;featured&nbsp;cars at the rally that were similar to the one in the viral clip, displaying Palestinian flags on their bonnets.





The search results also found news reports by several media outlets from October 2023 &mdash; including Turkish and&nbsp;Pakistani&nbsp;social media outlets, such as&nbsp;Anadolu Agency,&nbsp;T&uuml;rkiye Gazetesi, and&nbsp;TGRT Haber&nbsp;&mdash; in which they had debunked the claim that the viral clip showed Statham or his car.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE

The claim that a viral video of Hollywood actor Jason Statham displaying a Palestinian flag on his car is&nbsp;false.

The footage is old and shows a pro-Palestinian demonstrator preparing for a rally in Columbus, Ohio.

This fact check was&nbsp;originally published&nbsp;by iVerify Pakistan &mdash; a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/fact-check-statham-palestinian-flag1778085440-0/fact-check-statham-palestinian-flag1778085440-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>From hiking to hotpot, lonely consumers in China fuel a $7.4b companionship economy</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611049/from-hiking-to-hotpot-lonely-consumers-in-china-fuel-a-74b-companionship-economy</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611049/from-hiking-to-hotpot-lonely-consumers-in-china-fuel-a-74b-companionship-economy#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 26 09:50:26 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2611049</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Young adults in China are paying gig workers for emotional support and shared activities to cure social anxiety]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[On the stone steps leading up Mount Tai, one of China&rsquo;s best-known peaks, hikers can book and &zwnj;pay for &ldquo;climbing buddies&rdquo; to walk with them, carry bags, and take photos for a few hundred yuan.

The increasingly popular service is part of a broader &ldquo;companionship economy&rdquo; emerging in China, which includes paid partners for running, sightseeing, and even eating out at hotpot restaurants, a meal traditionally shared with friends.

Providers, often students or ​young gig workers, advertise on social media with promises of &ldquo;emotional value&rdquo; conversation, and practical help, turning what was once an ​experience or favour among friends into a bookable &ndash; and payable &ndash; service.

While there is no official data about ⁠the size of the companion economy, estimates cited by state media said it was worth around 50 billion yuan ($7.4 billion) in 2025.

The ​trend reflects broader shifts in China&rsquo;s urban lifestyles and service economy.

Researchers and state media have described growing demand for &ldquo;emotional consumption&rdquo; as young ​people live and work farther from family networks, face longer working hours and have a harder time maintaining traditional social ties.

China&#39;s prolonged youth unemployment has coincided with - and contributed to - a growing reliance on gig and flexible work among young people, as graduates and job seekers turn to delivery, ride‑hailing and ​other online platform work in the absence of stable jobs.

Official data shows China has more than 200 million so-called flexible workers.

Paying for company

After leaving the army in 2022, Chen Wenxin founded a hiking-companion company, with a focus on the eastern province of Shandong. &ldquo;I have always been &zwnj;a hiker ⁠and have a lot of hiking experience,&quot; Chen said. &quot;I noticed rising demand in the hiking escort service, then decided to try my hand in the field.&rdquo;

His team has expanded from fewer than 10 workers to about 370 now. He said the company charges 800 yuan ($116) for daytime climbs on Mount Tai, the highest point in Shandong.

Psychotherapist Sami Wong, managing director of research firm 3Drips Psychology, said the appeal ​of paid companions is partly about ​certainty and control in a ⁠social environment that can otherwise feel like a lot of effort and high-risk.

Meeting people requires emotional labour and investment, she said, and &ldquo;the outcome is very uncertain,&rdquo; which creates anxiety. Paid companionship can help ​customers avoid the sting of rejection. &ldquo;When you pay for this service, you always get a &#39;yes&#39;,&rdquo; Wong ​said.

Tang Junxing, 24, a ⁠junior at a university in the southern Chinese city of Guilin, said he earns pocket money as a travel companion. The side gig started when a university professor asked him to be her driver on a week-long road trip.

&ldquo;That&rsquo;s when I realised you can actually make money ⁠by accompanying ​people on trips and driving for them,&rdquo; he said. Tang says he typically ​earns 3,000 to 5,000 yuan a month.

&ldquo;Most of my clients are women and their core need is emotional value, someone who makes them feel good and makes the ​trip easy,&rdquo; he said.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-271780395814-2/untitled-design-271780395814-2.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>In New York, waiting in line becomes a social scene</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611619/in-new-york-waiting-in-line-becomes-a-social-scene</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611619/in-new-york-waiting-in-line-becomes-a-social-scene#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 26 12:18:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2611619</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The power of social media trends means that for some, waiting for hours is an attraction in itself in New York]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[In front of L&#39;industrie Pizzeria, as at many other New York restaurants and shops, customers line up behind barriers in this case, all to grab a prized pizza slice.

Not everyone in America&#39;s biggest city finds standing in line to be a chore. The power of social media trends means that for some, waiting for hours is an attraction in itself.

&quot;It&#39;s gotten pretty crazy in the city recently,&quot; food influencer Ali Chilton, who has 168,000 followers on Instagram, told AFP.

&quot;Some would blame me for the lines at some of those places,&quot; the 31-year-old said, citing a craze for hot chocolates at dessert shop Glace after a video she posted in 2023 racked up tens of millions of views.

People can queue overnight in New York if needed, as happened last year when punters sought to bag free tickets for a play starring Lupita Nyong&#39;o and Peter Dinklage in Central Park.

Isabella Downes, who lately waited 40 minutes outside a Manhattan deli, said she was drawn to the idea of &quot;participating in something trendy and fun.&quot;

She was queuing to try out Dot Cakes, small frosted cakes with multicoloured sprinkles that went viral and sell for $11 apiece.

In a &quot;polarising&quot; world, she said, &quot;being collectively together over one thing, and it&#39;s usually a pretty happy and excited environment, that can be really nice too.&quot;

Line sitters



Photo: Queue outside Swatch/AFP

For the impatient, a new tool has recently become available: the website &quot;Damn Lines&quot; estimates waiting times in real time using cameras installed in nearby homes, in exchange for payment.

Or you can hire a line sitter to wait in your place.

One firm, Same Ole Line Dudes, says its workers are in at least two separate queues on any given day.

They charge clients $25 an hour for the privilege of sparing them the boredom of waiting. At courts, where media outlets often use line sitters to get a seat for high-profile cases, the rate rises to $50 an hour.

Robert Samuel, the company&#39;s founder, said that customers include businesses that may hire sitters to create a queue, enticing others to join it.

&quot;I can&#39;t say the name, but we&#39;ve had a few companies that have hired my line sitters as posers to wait outside their establishments,&quot; he told AFP.

Social ritual

Roberto Casati, a French-Italian philosopher, pointed to a deeper sense of meaning for people who join long queues like those in New York.

&quot;A social ritual is being created around the line,&quot; Casati, a research director at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, told AFP.

These moments become &quot;shareable,&quot; &quot;Instagrammable&quot; experiences and therefore more &quot;acceptable&quot; than waiting at the supermarket, he added.

Samuel Abrams, a professor at Sarah Lawrence College in New York state, said that queuing was about &quot;status.&quot;

&quot;To wait at the right place signals taste, knowledge, and stamina,&quot; he wrote in a piece for specialist website NewGeography.com.

The phenomenon can, however, create tensions.

In 2024, the hugely popular bagel chain Apollo ended up in court with the owner of a building over its long lines blocking neighbouring tenants&#39; entrances.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-801780731267-0/untitled-design-801780731267-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>French museum reports theft of arty banana</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610853/french-museum-reports-theft-of-arty-banana</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610853/french-museum-reports-theft-of-arty-banana#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 26 07:26:51 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2610853</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[In July last year, a visitor ate the fruit but guards quickly intervened and stuck up a replacement banana]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The missing fruit, which was taped to a wall to form the provocative work by Cattelan called &quot;Comedian&quot;, was noticed by a guard on Saturday to have gone missing.

The Pompidou-Metz museum, which is a branch of the famous Pompidou Centre in Paris, said in a statement it had lodged a criminal complaint for theft against persons unknown.

It also said it had replaced the banana.

It is not the first time damage has been dealt to the conceptual artwork, whose perishable banana centrepiece is replaced every three days to keep it contemporary.

In July last year, a visitor to the museum ate the fruit. But guards quickly intervened and stuck up a replacement banana.

Cattelan said at the time he was disappointed the hungry visitor had consumed only the banana and not the tape as well. The museum did not take legal action in that instance.

This time, though, it decided to make its criminal complaint because the perpetrator was unidentified, and therefore &quot;there is no possibility of dialogue&quot;.

It also said that &quot;this is the second time this has happened&quot;, and it felt it was an issue of respect for the artwork.

Cattelan&#39;s edible creation, which aims to question the notion of art and its value, has sparked controversy ever since it made its debut at the 2019 Art Basel show in Miami Beach with an asking price of $120,000.

A performance artist, David Datuna, ate &quot;Comedian&quot; at that 2019 show, saying he felt &quot;hungry&quot;.

But the work&#39;s value has only risen.

Chinese-born crypto founder Justin Sun, in 2024, forked out $5.2 million for one iteration of the work, then days later ate it in front of cameras in Hong Kong.

As well as &quot;Comedian&quot;, Cattelan is also known for producing an 18-carat, fully functioning gold toilet called &quot;America&quot; that was offered to Donald Trump during his first term in the White House.

A British court in March found two men guilty of stealing it during an exhibition in 2020 in the United Kingdom, from an 18th-century stately home that was the birthplace of wartime prime minister Winston Churchill.

It was split up into parts, and none of the gold was ever recovered.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-221780299367-0/untitled-design-221780299367-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>PCOS renamed Polycystic Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome in hopes of improving diagnoses</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2607884/pcos-renamed-polycystic-metabolic-ovarian-syndrome-in-hopes-of-improving-diagnoses</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2607884/pcos-renamed-polycystic-metabolic-ovarian-syndrome-in-hopes-of-improving-diagnoses#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 13 May 26 10:51:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2607884</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[PCOS renamed PMOS after 14-year global effort to better reflect hormonal and metabolic nature of condition]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) has officially been renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), following a landmark 14-year collaboration between Monash University, medical experts, researchers, and patients worldwide.

The announcement was made by The Lancet on Tuesday, marking a significant shift in how the condition is understood and discussed globally. The condition affects around one in eight women, impacting more than 170 million people worldwide.

According to speakers at a press conference announcing the change, the previous name &ldquo;Polycystic Ovary Syndrome&rdquo; was considered misleading because it inaccurately suggested the condition was primarily a gynecological issue centered on ovarian cysts.

Patient advocacy and professional organisations, including the Endocrine Society, participated in the renaming process. Experts explained that the new term, PMOS, better reflects the complex nature of the condition by highlighting its hormonal, metabolic, and reproductive aspects rather than focusing solely on the ovaries.

The updated name aims to simplify public understanding of the condition while recognising its broad effects on the body. PMOS is associated with hormonal imbalances, metabolic complications, weight fluctuations, skin issues, mental health challenges, and reproductive health concerns.

A three-year international transition period will now begin, supported by educational campaigns and awareness initiatives involving healthcare professionals, researchers, and governments worldwide. The updated terminology is expected to be formally incorporated into the 2028 International Guideline update. 

&ldquo;The thought behind that is that there&#39;s no cysts in the ovary, so it&rsquo;s very confusing,&rdquo;&nbsp;said Dr Melanie Cree, of the pediatric endocrinology department at the University of Colorado. She added, &ldquo;The hope was that with a more comprehensive and accurate name change, that it would start to enable and push better care.&rdquo;

The conference also highlighted the contributions of Lorna Berry, an Australian woman living with PMOS who played a key role in the renaming initiative. &ldquo;This is about accountability and progress,&rdquo;&nbsp;she said.

Berry added, &ldquo;It is about my daughters, their daughters, and the countless women yet to be born. We deserve clarity, understanding, and equitable healthcare from the very beginning.&rdquo;

Rachael Morman, chair of Verity, also welcomed the change, saying the new name properly acknowledges the hormonal and metabolic dimensions of the condition.

&ldquo;It is fantastic that the new name now leads with hormones and recognises the metabolic dimension of the condition,&rdquo; she said. She concluded, &ldquo;This shift will reframe the conversation and demand that it is taken as seriously as the long-term, complex health condition it is.&rdquo;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/most-effective-ways-to-manage-pcos-naturally1721801108-0/most-effective-ways-to-manage-pcos-naturally1721801108-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Soviet-era watches revived for luxury market</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2603857/soviet-era-watches-revived-for-luxury-market</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2603857/soviet-era-watches-revived-for-luxury-market#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 26 20:10:40 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2603857</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[From frozen factory floors to the wrist of Putin, former British lawyer turns ailing Raketa into a success story]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[When David Henderson-Stewart first visited Russia&#39;s Raketa watch factory, its few remaining watchmakers were huddled in winter coats over vintage equipment.

The British former lawyer knew nothing about watches, but his love of Soviet design led him to see potential in the ailing enterprise, which once employed 7,000 workers and produced timepieces for astronauts and the mass market.

President Vladimir Putin now wears a watch made by its bespoke offshoot, Imperial Peterhof Factory. &quot;I would never have found something as interesting as Raketa in the West,&quot; said Henderson-Stewart, who did not wear a watch until he took over the factory outside St Petersburg with a partner in 2010.

A yearning to live abroad drove Henderson-Stewart to move to Russia to work in law after studying at Oxford and at Paris&#39;s Sorbonne University. He has stayed, raising three children, who all have Russian citizenship. Under his leadership, Raketa&#39;s pivot to high end watches with an emphasis on their &quot;Made in Russia&quot; credentials has paid off.

Western sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine squeezed trade and shuttered foreign luxury stores in Russia from 2022, but domestic demand rose for the largely unsanctioned company, while sales continued to Europe and the Middle East. Its own supply chain was little affected.

&quot;We don&#39;t depend on the West for components. We produce most of them ourselves,&quot; Henderson-Stewart said at the revamped Raketa facility, whose industrial roots date to 1721. &quot;That&#39;s what our community likes ... that it&#39;s a Russian-made watch.&quot;

PUTIN BOOST

In the factory, some of the over 200 employees use refurbished machinery to fashion tiny cogs, wheels and springs, continuing the rare practice of making all mechanical parts in-house. Elsewhere, watchmakers with magnifying eyepieces work painstakingly, pop music blaring in the background.

Raketa received a boost in 2022 when Putin was spotted wearing his Imperial Peterhof Factory watch. Some local media read it as a signal of support for domestic production after the invasion of Ukraine. Putin has since worn the watch regularly, spurring demand for similar designs, said Henderson-Stewart.

Public records show Raketa posted profit of 109 million roubles ($1.43 million) in 2025, over 15% more than in 2024. Priced from around $700 to $3,500, Raketa watches are mostly based on Soviet designs, including the steely-faced Baikonur, named after the cosmodrome from which Moscow still launches crewed space flights.

The hands of another of its watches sweep counter-clockwise. This unique model has become a bestseller since it was brought to Henderson-Stewart&#39;s attention by head engineer Lyudmila Voynik, 86, who has worked at the factory since the 1950s. &quot;I have lived my life here. I am proud that we managed to revive it all once again.&quot;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/111776716144-4/111776716144-4.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Shehzad Roy unveils teaser of new podcast featuring Malala Yousafzai</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2600850/shehzad-roy-unveils-teaser-of-new-podcast-featuring-malala-yousafzai</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2600850/shehzad-roy-unveils-teaser-of-new-podcast-featuring-malala-yousafzai#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 26 08:52:03 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2600850</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Shot at her London home, Malala appears as the first guest on Roy’s new venture, ‘Laga Reh Podcast’]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Shehzad Roy has given fans a first look at his new venture, Laga Reh Podcast, with a teaser featuring Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai as his first guest.

The short clip, shared on Thursday on YouTube and Instagram, was filmed in Malala&rsquo;s London home and promises a conversation that is open, honest, and more personal than usual interviews.

In the teaser, Roy is seen asking Malala questions about her life, her work in education, and the challenges she has faced over the years. The discussion touches on topics that are often surrounded by public debate, showing that the episode will not shy away from tough questions.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





At the same time, the conversation feels natural, with moments of light humour and relaxed chatting, making it clear that the podcast will mix serious discussion with friendly conversation.

The teaser also shows Malala&rsquo;s husband, Asser Malik, joining parts of the conversation. Roy directs a few questions to him, including topics about Malala&rsquo;s bestselling book. This gives a hint that the podcast will not just focus on Malala alone but also on the people around her, giving viewers a fuller picture of her life and work.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





What makes the promo stand out is how relaxed and open the conversation feels. The podcast will be more than a standard interview, aiming instead to give viewers a chance to hear personal thoughts and insights that are rarely shared in public.

The pacing and tone of the teaser suggest that the full episode will be a mix of deep questions, personal stories, and lighthearted moments.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





With this first glimpse, anticipation is growing for the full episode.

Fans are eager to hear Malala speak openly about her experiences all in the calm and thoughtful style that Roy brings to his podcast.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/shehzad-roya-malala-yousufzai1643634928-0/shehzad-roya-malala-yousufzai1643634928-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Thought-provoking 'Khali Stage' wins hearts on World Theatre Day</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2599838/thought-provoking-khali-stage-wins-hearts-on-world-theatre-day</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2599838/thought-provoking-khali-stage-wins-hearts-on-world-theatre-day#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 26 20:36:34 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2599838</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Play captivates audience with powerful message, artistic brilliance; receives all-round praise from enthusiastic audie]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Marking World Theatre Day on Friday, the thought-provoking play &quot;Khali Stage&quot;, presented in collaboration with Dolphin Communication and the Pakistan National Council of the Arts, captivated the audience with its powerful message and artistic brilliance. The hall echoed with applause for a long time after the outstanding performance, as attendees paid rich tribute to the creative efforts of Asma Ismail Butt.

They remarked that such meaningful and creative productions not only breathe new life into theatre but also play a vital role in highlighting social values and intellectual awareness.

The play was written by Muhammad Waqar Azeem, while direction and presentation were led by Ms. Asma Ismail Butt.

The drama effectively and movingly portrayed the spirit of theatre, its history, and its decline and revival. The cast included Lareb Rathore, Imran Rashdi, Kaleem Khan, Masooma Shah, Noor Shararti, Waqas, and Samran Ali, all of whom delivered powerful and deeply felt performances that received great appreciation from the audience.

The story revolves around a young girl who is deeply connected to theatre. On an empty stage, she begins to see characters from the past come alive before her eyes. However, as soon as a modern director enters the scene, all the characters disappear.The dialogue that unfolds between the girl and the director reflects the lack of creative spirit in modern theatre and raises important questions about its future.

According to the CEO of Dolphin Communication, Ms. Asma Ismail Butt, &quot;Khali Stage&quot; is a sincere effort to highlight the creative and intellectual dimensions of theatre and to remind audiences of its enduring importance.

At the end of the performance, the audience praised the play wholeheartedly and stated that such productions play an important and necessary role in promoting intellectual awareness and cultural sensitivity in society.

World Theatre Day (WTD) is an international observance celebrated on 27 March. It was initiated in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute.

World Theatre Day was initiated in 1962 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI). It is celebrated annually on 27 March by ITI Centres and the international theatre community. Various national and international theatre events are organized to mark this occasion. One of the most important of these is the circulation of the World Theatre Day International Message through which at the invitation of ITI, a figure of world stature shares his or her reflections on the theme of Theatre and a Culture of Peace. The first World Theatre Day International Message was written by Jean Cocteau (France) in 1962. It was first in Helsinki, and then in Vienna at the 9th World Congress of the ITI in June 1961 that President Arvi Kivimaa proposed on behalf of the Finnish Centre of the International Theatre Institute that a World Theatre Day be instituted. The proposal, backed by the Scandinavian centres, was carried with acclamation.

The 2023 International Message was entrusted to Samiha Ayoub, an Egyptian actress mainly in theater, but also active in the world of cinema and television.

For the 62nd edition of World Theatre Day in 2024, the message, entitled &#39;Art is Peace&#39;, was written by Jon Fosse, Norwegian writer and playwright. It strongly and profoundly recalls the founding values of theatre with respect to the global community, emphasizing the peaceful and universal value of art.

The 2026 International Massage was entrusted to American actor Willem Dafoe with the conclusion: &quot;In a world that seems to get more divisive, controlling and violent, our challenge as theatre makers is to avoid the corruption of theatre solely as a commercial enterprise dedicated to the entertainment by distraction or as the dry institutional preserver of traditions, but rather to foster its strength to connect peoples, communities, cultures and above all to question where we are going.&quot;]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/151774730459-2/151774730459-2.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>James Tolkan, iconic 'Back to the Future' actor, dies at 94</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2599840/james-tolkan-iconic-back-to-the-future-actor-dies-at-94</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2599840/james-tolkan-iconic-back-to-the-future-actor-dies-at-94#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 26 20:36:34 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2599840</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Also famous for his 'Top Gun' role, star leaves behind strong legacy]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[James Tolkan, the veteran character actor known for his steely presence and unforgettable roles, has died at 94 in Saranac Lake, New York, a family spokesperson confirmed. Tolkan became an indelible figure in Hollywood with his portrayals of intense, no-nonsense characters, leaving a mark on audiences across decades.

Tolkan is perhaps best remembered for Back to the Future, where he played the strict Hill Valley High School principal Mr. Strickland, famously berating students as &#39;slackers&#39;. He reprised the role in the sequel and even appeared as Strickland&#39;s grandfather in the third installment. Audiences also cheered his commanding presence as Tom Cruise&#39;s officer, Pete &#39;Stinger&#39; Jardian, in Top Gun.

Beyond these iconic roles, Tolkan&#39;s filmography spanned a remarkable range. He appeared in Woody Allen&#39;s Love and Death as Napoleon and his look-alike, played the crooked accountant Numbers in Dick Tracy, and featured in three Sidney Lumet films: Serpico, Prince of the City, and Family Business. His versatility extended to horror with The Amityville Horror, sci-fi with WarGames, and fantasy with Masters of the Universe.

On stage, Tolkan shone in Broadway productions, including the original Glengarry Glen Ross as Dave Moss and Wait Until Dark, where he replaced Robert Duvall in the role of Harry Roat. His television credits were equally extensive, with appearances on Remington Steele, Miami Vice, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Wonder Years, Leverage, and A Nero Wolfe Mystery, where he also directed several episodes.

Born on June 20, 1931, in Calumet, Michigan, Tolkan moved through Chicago and Tucson, Arizona, after his parents divorced. Following service in the U.S. Navy, he studied at Coe College, the University of Iowa, and honed his craft at The Actors Studio alongside classmates like Warren Beatty. He made his onscreen debut in 1960 on Naked City and built a career defined by dedication, discipline, and memorable intensity.

Tolkan is survived by his wife, Parmelee, whom he met on the set of the off-Broadway play Pinkville in 1971. The couple married that year in Lake Placid. Fans wishing to honour Tolkan&#39;s memory are encouraged to donate to local animal shelters or Humane Society chapters.

Tolkan is perhaps best known for his role in the 1985 film Back to the Future as the strict Hill Valley High School vice principal Gerald Strickland; the character refers to Marty McFly, his father, and Biff Tannen derisively as &quot;slackers&quot;.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/131774730459-0/131774730459-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>'Cheating fruit' AI trend gains millions of TikTok views</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2599111/cheating-fruit-ai-trend-gains-millions-of-tiktok-views</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2599111/cheating-fruit-ai-trend-gains-millions-of-tiktok-views#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 26 23:07:11 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[News Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2599111</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Video shows strawberry cheating on her husband with eggplant]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The latest social media trend featuring AI-generated fruits has people creating dramatic, soap-opera-style stories where fruits cheat on one another. It all started with a TikTok video showing a strawberry cheating on her husband with an eggplant. Since then, these anthropomorphic fruit characters have continued the trend, engaging in over-the-top relationship drama and infidelity.

Posted by creator trombonechef and AI cinema on TikTok, the sad fruit stories have increased to subsequent multi-part videos and continues stories of affairs. Many compared the drama to Love Island storylines.

Although not very impressive productions of AI, the trends have taken over for pure entertainment purposes, which often include ridiculous storylines of betrayal and awkward voiceovers, gaining millions of views.

Another popular trending storyline is that of a strawberry couple, whose upcoming wedding is sabotaged by a chocolate. The video features the chocolate going out of her way to steal the strawberry&#39;s man and set fire to her wedding dress.

Many viewers took to TikTok to share their obsession with these AI-cheating fruit videos, saying that they are taking over their lives.

Many musicians, including Zara Larsson, received criticism for reposting these videos after talking about the negative consequences of AI.

This is not the first time that we have seen AI videos go viral. Just last year, AI cat videos were blowing up on social media, featuring cheating scandals and videos of mothers accidentally cooking their children in ovens or throwing them into washing machines.

Commentators took to social media to share the consequences of this type of content for children who are scrolling online.

This trend has also entered the Eastern sphere, where content creators in South Asia are making similar AI videos with desi-flavored items including Samosa and Jalebi, as well as Karela and Aloo.

All in all, it could be noted that this viral wave of AI-generated &quot;cheating fruit&quot; dramas highlights both playful creativity and the growing absurdity of internet culture in the age of artificial intelligence. While these humorous and exaggerated soap-opera-style short films might appeal to the audience, they also raise concerns about the type of content we are allowing our children to be subjected to.

As this phenomenon grows globally, we can see how AI is not just a tool for innovation, but also a powerful force shaping entertainment, trends, and digital behavior.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/cheating-fruit-pic1774394562-0/cheating-fruit-pic1774394562-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Comic-Con kicks off with Marvel's return</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619823/comic-con-kicks-off-with-marvels-return</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619823/comic-con-kicks-off-with-marvels-return#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 26 11:01:23 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2619823</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[San Diego Comic-Con returns with Marvel, DC, Star Trek, del Toro and major previews through July 26 for fans galore]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Comic book fans will return to San Diego, California on Thursday for the latest Comic-Con, with many convention-goers buzzing about this year&#39;s return of Marvel.

The studio skipped last year&#39;s event, but will be back at the coveted Hall H on Saturday to promote &quot;Avengers: Doomsday,&quot; which is slated to premiere in December.

Under the Russo brothers&#39; direction, the latest superhero flick will pick up where 2019&#39;s &quot;Endgame&quot; left off, bringing together heroes and villains from X-Men, the Avengers, Black Panther and the Fantastic Four to duke it out once more.

The last time Marvel was in Hall H, they stunned more than 6,000 attendees by announcing Oscar-winning actor Robert Downey Jr&nbsp;would return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- or MCU as breathless fans call it -- not as Iron Man, but as the villainous Doctor Doom.

DC Studios will also grace Hall H to preview its HBO series &quot;Lanterns,&quot; starring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as small-town Nebraska detectives, which debuts August 16.

The flesh-and-blood narrative offers a new take on 2011&#39;s &quot;Green Lantern,&quot; a Ryan Reynolds-led space adventure movie.

Sneek peeks

Since the pop culture festival began in 1970, it has grown into a major event, with thousands of sometimes-costumed fans gathering in San Diego to buy memorabilia, see their idols and celebrate beloved stories.

Mexican director Guillermo del Toro will mark the 20th anniversary of Oscar-winning &quot;Pan&#39;s Labyrinth&quot; on Friday.

Crew members from &quot;Star Trek&quot; will also land in San Diego on Saturday, to commemorate six decades of exploring the far reaches of the universe.

&quot;That&#39;s what I&#39;m most excited about,&quot; local fan Reyna Villalobos told AFP.

&quot;They told me there will be actors from across the franchise and I think that&#39;s incredible.&quot;

Studios line up to showcase their best and newest offerings at Comic-Con, with dozens of panels to entertain fans.

In addition to promo for Emmy-nominated horror comedy &quot;Widow&#39;s Bay,&quot; Apple TV is expected to offer a glimpse of upcoming films &quot;Mayday,&quot; starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, and &quot;Matchbox: The Movie,&quot; with John Cena and Jessica Biel.

On Friday, fans will see the hotly anticipated preview for &quot;Spaceballs: The New One,&quot; a long-awaited sequel to Mel Brooks&#39;s legendary space comedy.

Weeks before its opening in Los Angeles, the Lucas Museum will be on hand to share new details about its exhibits.

Comic-Con runs through Sunday, July 26.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/san-diego-comics1784804554-1/san-diego-comics1784804554-1.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Aniqa Jamal Iqbal to represent Pakistan in historic Miss World debut</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618559/aniqa-jamal-iqbal-to-represent-pakistan-in-historic-miss-world-debut</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2618559/aniqa-jamal-iqbal-to-represent-pakistan-in-historic-miss-world-debut#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jul 26 08:31:59 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2618559</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The 24-year-old will represent Pakistan at Miss World for the first time in the pageant's 73-year history]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan is set to make its official debut at the Miss World beauty pageant for the first time in the competition&#39;s 73-year history, with 24-year-old Aniqa Jamal Iqbal crowned Miss World Pakistan 2026.

Aniqa was officially crowned during a ceremony held at a hotel in Lahore, where she received the title from Dr Shafaq Akhtar, Miss Pakistan Universal 2022. Mr Pakistan World Ataullah Gujjar also attended the event to mark the historic occasion.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





Currently pursuing a master&#39;s degree in accounting and auditing, Aniqa is no stranger to the international pageant circuit. She has previously represented Pakistan at Miss Earth, Miss Global, Miss Cosmo, Miss Eco International and Miss Aura International.

She also gained international recognition after winning four titles at the Miss Freedom of the World competition in Kosovo.

Beyond pageantry, Aniqa said&nbsp;she hopes to use the platform to advocate for social causes. In line with Miss World&#39;s &quot;Beauty with a Purpose&quot; initiative, her campaign focuses on raising awareness and support for people living with thalassaemia in Pakistan.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





The Miss Pakistan World Organisation, established in 2002, has spent more than two decades preparing Pakistani women for international beauty pageants.

Sonia Ahmed, head of the organisation, described Pakistan&#39;s participation in Miss World as a landmark moment.

&quot;Pakistan&#39;s first official participation in Miss World is not only a major milestone for national representation on a global stage but also proves that Pakistani women are proving their mettle across international platforms, just as they do in other fields,&quot; she said.





&nbsp;


&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;




View this post on Instagram


&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;



&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;




&nbsp;

&nbsp;





While Pakistani contestants have represented the country at several international beauty pageants over the years, this will mark the nation&#39;s first official appearance at Miss World.

Aniqa&#39;s participation in Miss World 2026 closes one of the last remaining gaps in Pakistan&#39;s representation at major international pageants, opening a new chapter for the country on the global stage.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-831784191666-0/untitled-design-831784191666-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Justin Bieber joins Madonna, BTS, Shakira for historic FIFA World Cup final halftime show</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617309/justin-bieber-joins-madonna-bts-shakira-for-historic-fifa-world-cup-final-halftime-show</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617309/justin-bieber-joins-madonna-bts-shakira-for-historic-fifa-world-cup-final-halftime-show#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 26 07:55:35 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2617309</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Coldplay-curated spectacle will debut at the World Cup final, with an 11-minute performance raising halftime concerns]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Canadian megastar Justin Bieber will join Madonna, Shakira and K-pop sensation BTS for the Super Bowl-style halftime show at the FIFA World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, US.

Curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, the spectacle marks the first halftime show in the tournament&#39;s history and has sparked debate over whether it will require extending football&#39;s traditional halftime interval.

&quot;The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can,&quot; Bieber said in a statement. &quot;I&#39;m grateful to be part of this halftime show, and even more grateful knowing it&#39;s already helping expand access to education for children around the world,&quot; he added.

Under the Laws of the Game, halftime must not exceed 15 minutes. While FIFA has confirmed the performance itself will last approximately 11 minutes, additional time will be needed to assemble and dismantle the stage, raising questions about whether the interval will be extended.

The announcement, however, puts to rest earlier speculation that the halftime show alone could run for as long as 25 minutes.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has described the event as &quot;definitely the biggest stage ever,&quot; saying he expects &quot;a couple of billion&quot; viewers to tune in worldwide.

The show will also feature characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets in support of FIFA&#39;s Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aiming to raise $100 million to expand access to education for children around the world during the World Cup.

The announcement also confirmed the addition of Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy and Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel to the lineup.

Coldplay will perform in collaboration with the acclaimed PS22 Chorus, a choir made up of students from a New York public elementary school.

&quot;This is the single largest gathering of artists united for a cause since Live Aid, and it could well be the most-watched 11 minutes of broadcast music performance in history,&quot; said Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen, the anti-poverty campaign group organising the event.

At 11 minutes, the World Cup final halftime show will be slightly shorter than recent Super Bowl halftime performances, which have typically lasted between 13 and 14 minutes.

FIFA trialled a halftime show during last year&#39;s Club World Cup final, also held at MetLife Stadium. That performance extended the halftime interval to just over 24 minutes, drawing criticism from some observers over its potential impact on players&#39; recovery and performance.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-681783584083-0/untitled-design-681783584083-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>'This might be reverse nepotism': Wajahat Rauf on son Aashir's popularity</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617113/this-might-be-reverse-nepotism-wajahat-rauf-on-son-aashirs-popularity</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2617113/this-might-be-reverse-nepotism-wajahat-rauf-on-son-aashirs-popularity#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 26 07:00:44 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2617113</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Filmmaker reflects on being recognised as rising star's father]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Filmmaker Wajahat Rauf said he is proud of his son, singer and actor Aashir Wajahat, jokingly describing their dynamic as &quot;reverse nepotism&quot; and admitting that he is often recognised because of Aashir.

In an interview, Rauf opened up about his son&#39;s growing popularity in the entertainment industry, saying he is glad Aashir carved out his own path to success. Saying he is often recognised as Aashir&#39;s father, Rauf told the host, &quot;I&#39;m very happy you introduced me that way, that he is the father of a huge star. This might be reverse nepotism. It is a very good thing.&quot;

Reflecting on his family&#39;s experiences with fans, Rauf shared that they are now often recognised because of Aashir&#39;s success in music and his recent role in the drama Kafeel. &quot;People used to come up to me for pictures, but ever since Aashir released his song Sadqay, nobody asks for me. I thank God for this, that they are interested in him,&quot; the filmmaker said.

Further, he described his son as a grounded young man who is not driven by fame. &quot;He does not do it for this purpose. His brain works differently; not for the sake of ratings and trends. He has also gotten involved in the storytelling process of my films,&quot;&nbsp;Rauf shared.

He added that he and his wife have encouraged their children to pursue their interests while prioritising education. &quot;Education is important. Aashir also got 8As in school, so he took it seriously. I was the headboy, as was he. We both have been in bands and are used to performing and doing speeches for large audiences,&quot;&nbsp;the filmmaker said.

However, he noted that he would have been proud of his son regardless of the career he chose. &quot;I told him do whatever you want but do it well. 10-year-old Aashir would beg me to let him be the small character in dramas. Now that he is older, he is happy his success came later,&quot;&nbsp;Rauf said.

Reflecting on his own career, Rauf admitted that music was his first passion. &quot;I was a failed musician,&quot; he said with a laugh, explaining that although he loved music, he never expected to achieve success through it. &quot;I have been a musician since I was seven years old and can play five to six instruments,&quot;&nbsp;Rauf said, adding &quot;I got good professionally but people did not know what was good or bad at that time.&quot;

The filmmaker also revealed that his children grew up surrounded by musicians, saying, &quot;Aamir Zaki used to stay with us as did Ali Zafar and the Noori boys. These artists really influenced the kids.&quot; He noted, however, &quot;I think it is good that I did not get famous from it [music] and they came into it on their own. Now there are no comparisons of where they come from, whether that be in music or in the acting world. We all have our own fields in show business.&quot;

Rauf added that his wife is also in the industry as a producer, but said that he had &quot;no correlation to that side of the business,&quot; noting, &quot;I think that made it very easy for me to focus on my craft, and it has created such a well-mannered environment on set.&quot;

Discussing his new Express TV drama Shaandaar, the filmmaker revealed that the serial is inspired by a true story and features a talented young cast. &quot;I have always worked with young talent since I started in 2003. When I got the opportunity, I liked that the story was based on true events and suited this age group.&quot;

Regarding the cast, Rauf noted, &quot;Ali Dayan is an incredible talent. This is also my first time working with Areeka from Kafeel. Shamoon Abbasi is a master of his craft.&quot;

The filmmaker also praised Express TV for giving creators artistic freedom, saying, &quot;Express lets you do creative stuff rather than forcing casting. They tell you to do your own thing and I easily accepted.&quot; He added that the channel &quot;also experiments and that has worked for them. They are changing their overall screen with Raja Ka London, where we are getting a good thriller which other channels do not have.&quot;

Currently, Rauf is preparing for the release of his sixth film&nbsp;Panchhi Pyare, which is a family comedy set to hit cinemas soon.]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/wajahat1783494109-0/wajahat1783494109-0.png" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item><item>
			<title>Actor Haris Waheed recalls nervous TV debut with 47 takes for first scene</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2616935/actor-haris-waheed-recalls-nervous-tv-debut-with-47-takes-for-first-scene</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2616935/actor-haris-waheed-recalls-nervous-tv-debut-with-47-takes-for-first-scene#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 07 Jul 26 07:24:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2616935</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Says director was angry and he used the entire box of tissues]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Actor Haris Waheed has revealed that when he first stepped into television acting, he had to perform a single scene in more than 47 takes due to extreme nervousness.

Waheed made the revelation during an exclusive interview on Tabish Hashmi&#39;s show, where he spoke about playing villainous characters, his struggles as an actor, his transition from theatre to television, and his admiration for Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, whom he described as his biggest inspiration.

Recalling his first-ever television acting job, Waheed said he frustrated the director after requiring dozens of takes. &ldquo;I did a lot of takes. I had just transitioned from a theatre kid to television and did not know the technicalities. For this scene, it was also the first time the female actor was on television, so there were so many takes that the director got upset and told us to pack our bags and leave&rdquo;, he said.

The actor added, &ldquo;I did more than forty-seven takes. The director was angry, and I was extremely nervous. I used the entire box of tissues for my sweat. Even though the actress could not perform, it was a weird day. The next time I came back, I got into a flow.

Waheed also shared that he trained in theatre at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA).

&ldquo;I wanted to do acting, and Saleem Mairaj, who was very well known at the time, told me to go to NAPA, where they teach theatre and arts&rdquo;, he said.&nbsp;Reflecting on his childhood, Waheed revealed that Shah Rukh Khan had the biggest influence on his dream of becoming an actor.

&ldquo;I love you, sir.&nbsp;I&rsquo;m glad you exist. When I was little, my exposure was Shah Rukh Khan movies. In 1994 and 1995, I would watch Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge on the VCR&rdquo;.

The actor also gave tips to the younger generation. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t believe in giving advice because everyone&rsquo;s situation is different, but whatever you can do in life, you don&rsquo;t have to decide the outcome right away; just do it very well. The positives come at their own time&rdquo;, he said.

Addressing young people who may hesitate to enter the entertainment industry, he added, &quot;If there is good or bad in the industry, that doesn&#39;t define your work. You just have to go and act. Put effort into what you want, regardless of the field you choose.&quot;

To conclude, Waheed reflected on playing the antagonist Tabraiz in Jaan-e-Jahan and the unexpected audience reaction to the character&#39;s death.

&ldquo;I did not expect it, but while I was playing him, I did not have a villain antagonist in my head. I thought of a human who makes mistakes, and that is what hit the audience. That he is just a real person. I think the character got closure when he fell in love, and that is what killed him inside slowly. Physically, he was always gone&rdquo;, he said.

Haris Waheed is currently starring in Bas Tera Saath Ho alongside Farhan Saeed and Sana Javed.

Haris Waheed reveals he took over 47 takes for first TV scene]]>
			</content:encoded>
			<image>
				    <img src="https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/haris-waheed1783437017-0/haris-waheed1783437017-0.jpg" class="featured_image"/>
            </image>
			</item>	</channel>
                </rss>
