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                        <title>TV</title>
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                        <description>The Express Tribune keeps you up to date with all the latest happenings from Pakistan and across the world!</description>
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			<title>Saba Qamar goes blue for World Children’s Day</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2578307/saba-qamar-goes-blue-for-world-childrens-day</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2578307/saba-qamar-goes-blue-for-world-childrens-day#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 20 Nov 25 08:55:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2578307</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The UN ambassador highlights nationwide children’s issues]]>
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				<![CDATA[Saba Qamar is once again using her platform to amplify the challenges faced by children across Pakistan. Marking World Children&rsquo;s Day on Thursday, the actor took to social media wearing blue, a symbolic gesture to draw attention to the country&rsquo;s ongoing children&rsquo;s rights issues.

&ldquo;Every child has a right to learn, to grow up healthy, to live in a safe environment and to have a voice in the decisions that shape their future,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s come together to make these rights a reality for every child.&rdquo;





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Qamar&rsquo;s participation in this year&rsquo;s observance builds on her role as UNICEF Pakistan&rsquo;s National Ambassador, a position she was first appointed to last year. The announcement coincided with the International Day of the Girl Child, a moment aimed at highlighting girls&rsquo; rights and the distinct challenges they face globally.

At the time, Qamar expressed her gratitude for the appointment, stating, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s an honor to join UNICEF. I will promote our shared mission of ensuring every child&#39;s rights, wherever I am.&rdquo; She had also spoken about insights from her recent travels, where she witnessed firsthand the difficulties children and women face across the country, as well as the meaningful effects of UNICEF&rsquo;s ongoing initiatives. &ldquo;I am committed to doing my part for the children and youth of Pakistan, enabling them to dream and achieve those dreams,&rdquo; she added.





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Her renewed call comes at a time when children&rsquo;s issues remain critical in Pakistan. Child marriage is among the most pressing concerns, with the country home to 19 million child brides &mdash; the sixth highest figure in the world. More than half of adolescent girls become pregnant before the age of 18, a reality that poses severe health risks for both mother and child. Without urgent, targeted intervention, UNICEF projects that Pakistan may take decades to eliminate child marriage.

In acknowledging Qamar&rsquo;s advocacy, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan Abdullah Fadil welcomed her involvement, describing her as a courageous and influential advocate for women&#39;s and girl&#39;s rights. Her commitment, he noted, strengthens ongoing efforts to safeguard children&#39;s futures and push for meaningful change.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Lux Style Awards set to return to Karachi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2577570/lux-style-awards-set-to-return-to-karachi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2577570/lux-style-awards-set-to-return-to-karachi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 15 Nov 25 09:28:53 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Film]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2577570</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Show adds new digital creators’ category to honour online storytelling]]>
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				<![CDATA[Lux Style Awards is gearing to return to a physical stage in Karachi in December. This year&rsquo;s ceremony theme, Mirror the Magic&nbsp;promises new collaborations, a renewed vision and an event that celebrates &ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s creative spirit&rdquo; for the world to see, according to a press release issued on Friday.&nbsp;

This will be the award show&rsquo;s proper comeback after being halted twice. In 2020, the LSAs opted out as the Covid-19 pandemic staggered global events. Unilever instead donated the ceremony&rsquo;s budget to the Akhuwat Foundation to support fashion industry workers affected by lockdown closure. The brand later acknowledged the winners of the 19th edition online. Then, in 2025, the awards were disrupted again, following heightened India&ndash;Pakistan tensions in May. The winners of the 23rd Lux Style Awards were announced digitally again, with no formal ceremony. &nbsp;

This year, the LSAs are introducing a new award category dedicated to digital content creators, to honour a space that has grown considerably after the lockdown. &ldquo;As an audience-driven platform, the 24th Lux Style Awards introduced this category to acknowledge their growing impact on the creative economy and their role in shaping the future of storytelling,&rdquo; said Samir Sultan, general manager of Personal Care, Unilever Pakistan.

The show is aiming for &ldquo;infused collaborations between real and reel achievers,&rdquo; a phrase that likely points towards influencer crossovers and pop culture mash-ups.&nbsp;

The organisers promise a broader reach this year, with nominations to be announced in the following weeks.]]>
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			<title>'You shouldn’t have to beg for your own money,' says Romaisa Khan</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2576612/you-shouldnt-have-to-beg-for-your-own-money-says-romaisa-khan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2576612/you-shouldnt-have-to-beg-for-your-own-money-says-romaisa-khan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 09 Nov 25 07:44:52 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Film]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2576612</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor’s remarks add to growing artist outcry for timely payments in entertainment industry]]>
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				<![CDATA[Romaisa Khan has joined Pakistani celebrities that are calling out the film industry for untimely payment for their work. Agreeing that we cannot deny that late payments exist in the industry, she shared her take on the matter in a recent interview.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&ldquo;I feel like it&rsquo;s your own money and you shouldn&rsquo;t have to beg for it time and again,&rdquo; said Romaisa. The Hadsa actor shared that it is something she struggles a lot with herself. &ldquo;I often don&rsquo;t get paid because of this because I feel so hesitant and shy to ask for it. I just let it go and my friends and family are angry on my behalf.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The actor&rsquo;s statement was part of a bigger problem that many industry professionals like director Mehreen Jabbar, veteran actor Mohammed Ahmed and actors Ahmed Ali Butt, Ramsha Khan, Nadia Afgan, Yasir Hussain and Alizeh Shah have pointed out.&nbsp;

Previously, Mahira Khan had shed light on the struggles of technicians in the film industry back in September. Taking to her Instagram story, she reminded us of the scale of the problem. &ldquo;Imagine, if senior actors and hit maker directors go through this,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Just imagine what technicians go through.&rdquo;

Before that, Mehreen had burst the bubble of those harbouring the impression that a career in the television industry equates to a thriving bank account in July. &ldquo;Our drama industry has progressed a lot, and there has been a very high viewership,&rdquo; she said during&nbsp;an&nbsp;interview. &ldquo;But behind the scenes, there is a lot of compromise and this industry operates in a very unprofessional way. That is the sad part.&rdquo;

Then, Mohammed thanked Mehreen for starting the conversion back in July. Taking to Instagram, he said: &quot;Mehreen has spoken very clearly about the system and the drama industry, and it makes me so glad. She said plainly what I have been quietly saying for years.&quot; The Cake actor said that a delay of three to four months is extremely normal.

Backing up Mehreen&#39;s beggar analogy, Mohammed continued, &quot;You have to pretty much clasp your hands together and beg them to pay you. Then they dispense a cheque your way, all the while giving the impression that they are doing you a massive favour, just because they have decided&nbsp;to pay you. In every project, I feel their aim is to make actors beg for money. It destroys your dignity.&quot;

Ahmed slammed the industry&#39;s recurring issue with late payments too. &quot;Late payment is an industry standard,&quot; he said in an Instagram story in July. &quot;Production houses, television channels and corporate sponsors all have a 60 to 90-day payment clause, and that too is hardly ever met on time.&quot;

He added, &quot;There are a few rare people who will pay you on time, otherwise everyone will make sure that you have to beg for your money, and that too in installments.&quot; On a lighter note, the actor said, &quot;Work for YouTube. Be your own boss.&quot;]]>
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			<title>Fans breathe a sigh of relief as ‘Main Manto Nahi Hoon’ finally ends</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2575443/fans-breathe-a-sigh-of-relief-as-main-manto-nahi-hoon-finally-ends</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2575443/fans-breathe-a-sigh-of-relief-as-main-manto-nahi-hoon-finally-ends#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 02 Nov 25 09:54:35 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2575443</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Controversial Humayun-Sajal starrer show wraps up after months of criticism]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Khalil-Ur-Rehman Qamar drama that was making headlines for its controversial plotline has finally come to an end. The show premiered its last episode on ARY digital on Saturday and fans had a bag of mix responses.&nbsp;

An overwhelming majority was glad that the show had finally come to an end. &ldquo;Today is the best episode because it is the last episode,&rdquo; penned one YouTuber commenter. &ldquo;I believe the writer should now stop working on these scripts. He(Khalil-Ur-Rehman) only works on dialogues and not on the story.&rdquo; While another claimed that the music was the only redeeming factor, &ldquo;Today&rsquo;s instrumental music was better than the whole drama,&rdquo; they wrote.&nbsp;

The drama was previously criticized for its portrayal of a problematic romance between a teacher and a student. Public opinion had held that Manto (Humayun Saeed) and Mehmal (Sajal Ali) should not be romantically involved with each other due to their disbalanced power dynamics and the respect a teacher-student relationship demands. &nbsp;

Now that the show reached its conclusion, many had a problem with the ending too. &ldquo;I waited so much for this ending,&rdquo; wrote one with a disappointed laugh. &ldquo;Best of luck, do not make a drama like this again.&rdquo; Another was simply not impressed. &ldquo;This drama has completely lost its charm,&rdquo; they penned. &ldquo;The romance between Mehmal and Manto feels forced and awkward. Sajal&rsquo;s character just looks uncomfortable and messy throughout.&rdquo;&nbsp;

On the other hand, Miss Maria(Sanam Saeed) fans demanded justice for the character. &ldquo;Manto should have been with Miss Maria,&rdquo; they wrote. &ldquo;They ended up showing a teacher-student romance.&rdquo; Another wanted to see Miss Maria and Hazrat&rsquo;s end, &ldquo;What is this?&rdquo; they wrote. &ldquo;Miss Maria and Hazrat&#39;s wedding should also have been shown. It&rsquo;s an incomplete ending.&rdquo;&nbsp;

However, fans made sure to acknowledge the good the show had offered. &ldquo;The drama should be awarded for best cinematography and best background music,&rdquo; wrote one user. Another praised the writer&rsquo;s decision to keep writing despite the controversies surrounding it. &ldquo;Salute to the writer for going against the wishes of the audience,&rdquo; they wrote. &ldquo;It really takes courage to produce such a masterpiece which is difficult to comprehend.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The show was written by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar and directed by Nadeem Baig. It was distributed by Six Sigma Plus and Next Level Entertainment. The drama featured a star-studded cast with Humayun and Sajal taking the lead and Sanam Saeed, Asif Raza Mir, Saba Hamid, Saba Faisal, Saima Noor and Azaan Sami Khan in supporting roles.]]>
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			<title>Masterchef Pakistan returns after an 11 year hiatus</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2575295/masterchef-pakistan-returns-after-an-11-year-hiatus</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2575295/masterchef-pakistan-returns-after-an-11-year-hiatus#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 01 Nov 25 10:12:33 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Food]]></category><category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2575295</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[New season is being judged by chefs Saadat Siddiqi, Mahwish Aziz and Asad Monga]]>
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			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Masterchef Pakistan has made a comeback after an eleven year break. The new season of the show&nbsp;promises to be bigger and better, featuring a revamped format and high production quality that aligns with global standards.&nbsp;

The show has a new panel of judges that features chef maestro Saadat Siddiqi, baking expert Mahwish Aziz and ingredient specialist and chef Asad Monga. The culinary competitions will, &ldquo;Bring together the country&rsquo;s top home cooks in a battle of skill, heart&nbsp;and flavor,&rdquo; according to their official Instagram. Adding that it is more than a competition, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s passion under pressure.&rdquo;

MasterChef Pakistan aims to showcase culinary talent and celebrate Pakistani cuisine, providing aspiring chefs a platform&nbsp;to gain recognition and guidance. With its return, the show will&nbsp;reignite the passion for cooking among viewers. Fans can look forward to high pressured challenges, fresh stories, and creative&nbsp;dishes in the upcoming season.&nbsp;

Registrations and auditions for the show were held in mid-2025 across major cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, gathering significant responses from aspiring chefs nationwide.

The first season aired on May 3, 2014, on Urdu 1, featuring 100 contestants from major cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. The show was produced by Paragon Productions and was based on the international MasterChef format. &nbsp;The original judges included Chef Zakir Qureshi, Chef Mehboob Khan, and Chef Khurram Awan, who guided contestants through various cooking challenges. It concluded on July 27, 2014, with Ammara Noman winning the title and a cash prize.

The new season is produced by Pixel Entertainment. It is powered by Knorr, Vim Pakistan and Nestle Everyday. The show is co-sponsored by Walls, Kashmir cooking oil and Laziza and presented by Sabroso. Its official pantry partner is Imtiaz and official appliance partner is Dawlance.

The culinary competition show will air on HUM TV every Friday and can be streamed online on YouTube.]]>
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			<title>Liam Hemsworth takes up the sword as Geralt in a reimagined Witcher world</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2574923/liam-hemsworth-takes-up-the-sword-as-geralt-in-a-reimagined-witcher-world</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2574923/liam-hemsworth-takes-up-the-sword-as-geralt-in-a-reimagined-witcher-world#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 30 Oct 25 06:13:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2574923</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA['The Witcher' returns with new lead as Netflix’s fantasy saga enters its final chapters]]>
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				<![CDATA[Netflix fantasy series The Witcher&nbsp;returns to screens after more than two years with a new lead actor and a fresh tone, its makers say.

The new instalment, which starts streaming on Thursday, sees Australian actor Liam Hemsworth taking over the role of Geralt of Rivia from Henry Cavill, who played the monster hunter since the series began in 2019 and stepped down after 2023&#39;s season three.

The show is based on Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski&#39;s books, and follows Geralt as he hunts monsters in a fantasy realm known as the Continent.

&quot;It was definitely an interesting decision to make, it&#39;s a unique situation,&quot; Hemsworth said of taking over the role mid-series. &quot;It wasn&#39;t lost on me that there&#39;s a massive, passionate fan base that really care about this character and this world. As a fan myself, I felt like I could bring something to it and I wanted to do justice to this world.&quot;

Hemsworth came to the project with &quot;a lot of ideas&quot;, hoping to inject some levity into Geralt&#39;s storyline. &quot;I&#39;m playing my interpretation of what I think is going to be beneficial to this world, this story and his journey,&quot; he told Reuters.

Creator Lauren Schmidt Hissrich said season four strikes a balance between the dry sense of humour brought by Hemsworth and &quot;super dark moments&quot;. &quot;It feels like a refresh for the show,&quot; she said. &quot;Liam brings a new energy and everyone rose to meet that, including how the show looks, how it sounds, how it moves.&quot;

In season four, Geralt, who was last seen separated from princess Ciri and sorceress Yennefer, teams up with new travel companions and makes emotional connections.

Matrix&nbsp;actor Laurence Fishburne is another addition, playing vampire Regis. New to the fantasy genre, Fishburne was drawn by the diversity he saw in earlier seasons. &quot;The way that they cast this world was very non-traditional. This world looks like the world that we all live in,&quot; he said.

Season four was filmed with the fifth and final season. Together they cover Sapkowski&#39;s three remaining novels Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow and Lady of the Lake.]]>
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			<title>Latest episodes of 'Case No.9' challenge the culture of silence around sexual assault</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2573990/latest-episodes-of-case-no9-challenge-the-culture-of-silence-around-sexual-assault</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2573990/latest-episodes-of-case-no9-challenge-the-culture-of-silence-around-sexual-assault#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 24 Oct 25 08:48:05 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2573990</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Episode 8 exposes how families often choose shame over support for survivors]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Saba Qamar&ndash;starrer Case No.9 has delivered one of its most hard-hitting episodes yet, portraying how rape victims are treated within their own families in Pakistan.

In episode 8, Sehar (played by Saba Qamar) is locked inside her home for five days after being raped, as her family tries to keep the incident from leaking out. The episode captures the suffocating silence and moral policing that often follow cases of sexual assault, not only from society, but from within the home itself.

When Saad&rsquo;s friend Maryam visits and learns that Sehar has been confined, the family&rsquo;s hypocrisy, despite their education and social status, is laid bare. Maryam confronts Sehar&rsquo;s brother, asking him to stop blaming the victim. She reminds him that Sehar could not have known the rapist&rsquo;s family would be away when she went to their house.

Her decision to speak up breaks through the silence that surrounds most such cases. Yet instead of reflecting on her words, the family turns their frustration towards Sehar once again, angry that their so-called honour has been challenged rather than recognising the injustice she has faced.

The scene is not just a dramatic turning point but a commentary on how families and communities fail rape victims, forcing them into isolation instead of offering support and justice.

Case No.9 follows the story of Sehar Moazzam (Saba Qamar), a woman in search of justice after being sexually assaulted. The show stars Faysal Quraishi, Gohar Rasheed and Aamina Sheikh in key roles, with Junaid Khan, Rushna Khan, Hina Khawaja Bayat, Noorul Hassan, Navin Waqar, Azra Mohyeddin, Ali Rehman Khan, Shahnawaz Zaidi, Ahmed Randhawa, Zohreh Amir, Mizna Waqas, Kamran Jeelani and Faiza Gillani also featuring in the ensemble cast.

Written by journalist Shahzeb Khanzada and directed by Syed Wajahat Hussain, Case No.9 has been created by 7th Sky Entertainment for Geo Entertainment and produced by Abdullah Kadwani and Asad Qureshi.]]>
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			<title>Reality TV show ‘Tamasha’ gears for last episode, builds hype among fans</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2571665/reality-t-show-tamasha-gears-for-last-episode-builds-hype-among-fans</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2571665/reality-t-show-tamasha-gears-for-last-episode-builds-hype-among-fans#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 25 08:19:52 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Host Adnan Siddiqui praises contestants in goodbye post on IG]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Pakistani adaptation of Big Brother has finally reached its end. Viewers are eagerly waiting to see who will be crowned the winner. Since airing in August, Tamasha has had audiences hooked, and even those who weren&rsquo;t watching couldn&rsquo;t escape the viral clips flooding social media.

The show&rsquo;s host Adnan Siddiqui is ready to conclude the winner&rsquo;s mystery and took to Instagram to pen a goodbye on Friday.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Every day that I walked into the Tamasha Ghar, I witnessed a world within walls: a microcosm of emotions, alliances and raw human instinct,&rdquo; &nbsp;wrote Adnan. &ldquo;Within those walls, I saw laughter that came from the heart and silence that carried the weight of a thousand thoughts. Bonds were forged in fire, tempers flared, egos bruised and regardless, they played their game honestly and fiercely. I watched people stripped of pretence, reacting as they truly are when the world isn&rsquo;t watching except of course, the world always is.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The actor-host applauded the contestants for being able to live under constant scrutiny and the different ways that it tests you. He wrote that there were days when even the strongest cracked under pressure and broke down and praised them for having the strength to move on from that. &ldquo;As we now approach the grand finale, I carry immense respect for every single one of them,&rdquo; he wrote.&nbsp;

Siddiqui ended his note in style, he wrote, &ldquo;May the best player win.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Rumors of an alleged leak about the winner ahead of the finale episode have only fueled the hype online. According to Pakistani blogger Drejaz Waris&#39;s Instagram post, fan favourite Saif Ali Khan has won this season of the show. One user online celebrated this alleged win online and wrote, &ldquo;Yay, Saif is the winner of Tamasha 4. I&#39;m so happy for him. Season 4 truly belongs to him, well deserved. Saif reigns supreme.&rdquo;

Another supported Saif&rsquo;s alleged win and wrote, &ldquo;Honestly, the only one who truly deserves to win this show is Saif Ali Khan. From day 1, the whole show has revolved around him. He made genuine bonds, showed his real personality, supported others, played every task effortlessly and took stands where it actually mattered.&rdquo;

However, the official winner will only be revealed in the grand finale episode, set to air tomorrow on Saturday,&nbsp;October&nbsp;11.]]>
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			<title>Gordon Ramsay’s 'Knife Edge' dives into pressure behind Michelin glory</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2571100/gordon-ramsays-knife-edge-dives-into-pressure-behind-michelin-glory</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2571100/gordon-ramsays-knife-edge-dives-into-pressure-behind-michelin-glory#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 25 12:13:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[New Apple TV+ docuseries talks about ambition and sacrifice that drives world’s top kitchens]]>
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				<![CDATA[Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay goes behind the camera for a new series, Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars, that shines the spotlight on restaurants working to attain the coveted culinary accolade.The multi-starred restaurateur and TV personality is an executive producer of the eight-part Apple TV+ series premiering on Friday, which visits eateries in the United States, Britain, Italy, Nordics and Mexico seeking to gain, or retain,&nbsp;stars.

&quot;(It) is a sort of a real reflection on what goes on in these businesses: what&#39;s at stake, what kind of jeopardy is up for grabs and then the emotions,&quot; Ramsay told Reuters.&quot;This is an&nbsp;unscripted, real version of life in the culinary world and the extent you go to for the badge of honour. Actors want Oscars, football players want F.A. Cup winners&rsquo; medals, chefs want Michelin stars.&quot;

Episodes show host Jesse Burgess meeting chefs as they compose menus, primp up dishes and seek to impress that lone diner who may be a secret Michelin inspector. There is also input from the anonymous Michelin inspectors, voiced by actors.&quot;We ask them questions and they answer. In reality, it was all very secretive so that none of the producers or nobody actually saw the real-life inspectors,&quot; Burgess said. &quot;They just judge the food on the plate.&quot;

The first Michelin guide was published by the French tyre company in 1900, with the restaurant star rating introduced in the 1920s. The annual guides award up to three stars.

Ramsay received his first Michelin star when he was head chef at London restaurant Aubergine. His own Restaurant Gordon Ramsay has held three stars since 2001.

&quot;You become an overnight sensation and then you&#39;ve got the fight and the slug to maintain it,&nbsp;you need to understand the word delegation, teaching, creating, and most importantly, passing the baton on,&quot; he said. &quot;I have one foot in the kitchen and one foot in the media world and am I there 16 hours a day? No, of course I&#39;m not. I am there like a conductor and I&#39;ll sign things off, but I want to hear from them.&nbsp;&nbsp;And so maintaining it is where the real work starts.&quot;

Asked if he still gets nervous when Michelin issues new editions of the guide, Ramsay said: &quot;I do get nervous,&nbsp;no one likes losing,&nbsp;(going) down to even two stars is unique, but&nbsp;it&#39;s major headlines if you do. I&#39;m often asked, &lsquo;What would you do if you did lose a star?&rsquo; Then, I&#39;d fight and win it back.&quot;]]>
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			<title>I was offered Sanam Saeed’s role in 'Main Manto Nahi Hoon': Mira Sethi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2570551/i-was-offered-sanam-saeeds-role-in-main-manto-nahi-hoon-mira-sethi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2570551/i-was-offered-sanam-saeeds-role-in-main-manto-nahi-hoon-mira-sethi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 04 Oct 25 06:56:50 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor reveals how she rejected a Khalil-Ur-Rehman Qamar script due to writer’s views]]>
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				<![CDATA[Mira Sethi is not one to act against her beliefs. In a recent interview with Muneeb Qadir, the actor revealed that, &ldquo;I was offered Sanam Saeed&rsquo;s role in Main Manto Nahi Hoon, if you guys watch that show.&rdquo;&nbsp;

She further elaborated&nbsp;that the project&nbsp;intrigued her.&nbsp;&ldquo;I was so tempted because it would have been Humayum Saeed, Sajal Ali and myself and I had already worked with Sajal in Kuch Ankahi. But because of the writer of the show, I didn&rsquo;t do it. I just thought that I talk so much about feminism and then if I had ended up doing a role created by a writer who holds such problematic views on women, then all of it would have gone to waste.&rdquo;&nbsp;



Had this talk with Mira Sethi a couple of weeks ago &amp; I always have the greatest respect for individuals who stick to their principles. We need many more people in our film industry who have the courage to say &amp; do what is right pic.twitter.com/9GmZp2hq8B
&mdash; Muneeb Qadir (@muneebqadirmmq) October 3, 2025




Fans priased the actor&#39;s decision to not go forward with the script. &ldquo;Very few people in the industry have the ability to stand by their views,&rdquo; wrote an IG&nbsp;user. &ldquo;Love Mira. So much respect.&rdquo; Another reaffirmed that she made the right decision, &ldquo;Thank you! The drama is not making any sense at all,&rdquo; they penned. &ldquo;Glad you stayed away from that chaotic piece of mess.&rdquo;

Sanam Saeed who plays Miss Maria, has previously shared why she decided to take the role in an interview with Aamna Haider Isani on Haute Talk.&nbsp; &ldquo;I know that Main Manto Nahi Hoon was in the works for a long time,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;And that its cast has been changing and evolving over the years. So he (Khalil-Ur-Rehman)&nbsp;named all the actors he had roped in by then, including Humayun Saeed and Sajal Aly. And I was like, I&rsquo;ve never worked with Humayun or Sajal before.&rdquo;

She admitted that she had declined Baig&rsquo;s offer twice before due to unavailability and time constraints. &ldquo;This time, if I had said no again, it would be like saying, &lsquo;don&rsquo;t ask me again&rsquo;. So this time I was like, here&rsquo;s a drama that&rsquo;s got Humayun and Sajal, it&rsquo;s a Khalilur Rehman Qamar script, but, let&rsquo;s see what we can do.&rdquo;

Due to limited time, Saeed said she didn&rsquo;t read the entire script, just the portions involving her character. &ldquo;This is the first time that I didn&rsquo;t read the whole script, just my parts. And I really enjoyed Miss Maria.&rdquo;

Khalil-Ur-Rehman has previously been under fire for his comments about Saba Qamar &nbsp;when he criticized her dress choice at an award show, claiming that her attire went against his values and beliefs. Despite acknowledging her talent, he made it clear that she could never work in any of his projects due to her fashion choices.

The writer was slammed by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) politician Sharmila Faruqui in April. During her appearance on TV host Waseem Badami&rsquo;s show, Faruqui expressed strong disapproval of the renowned drama writer. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t like him,&quot; she said. &quot;Or I don&rsquo;t want to talk about him. He is such a misogynist.&rdquo;

Badami followed up by asking whether she believed women should refuse to work on his projects. In response, Faruqui said, &ldquo;I think nobody should even watch his dramas and producers also should not produce his serials.&rdquo;

Whether it&#39;s criticizing celebrities for their personal beliefs, airing his grievances about actors or making bold claims about women&rsquo;s roles in society, Khalil has sparked drama both on and off-screen.

His strong views have often led to clashes with some of the biggest names in the industry such as Noman Ijaz, Mahira Khan, Urwa Hocane and Sonya Hussyn, making him the subject of much discussion in entertainment circles.&nbsp;

Main Manto Nahi Hoon is directed by Nadeem Baig and distributed by Six Sigma Plus and Next Level Entertainment. It is being aired on ARY Digital. The drama features a star-studded cast with Humayun and Sajal taking the lead and Sanam Saeed, Asif Raza Mir, Saba Hamid, Saba Faisal, Saima Noor and Azaan Sami Khan in supporting roles.]]>
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			<title>'Biryani’s' big twist has fans doing math homework</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2570032/biryanis-big-twist-has-fans-doing-math-homework</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2570032/biryanis-big-twist-has-fans-doing-math-homework#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 01 Oct 25 11:52:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2570032</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Fans were quick to notice loopholes in the timeline after the latest plot twist]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Biryani has left audiences both entertained and puzzled after its latest episodes introduced some surprising twists - and more eyebrow-raising inconsistencies.

In episode 14, viewers finally learned the true nature of the relationship between Meeran (Khushhal Khan) and Gul Meher (Sarwat Gilani): the two have been secretly married for four years. The reveal, however, came with a set of logistical questions that fans were quick to point out.

For instance, Gul was married at 35, which means she is now 39, while Meeran, four years younger, would currently be 35. This implies that Meeran, at 35, is still a university student, something audiences found difficult to digest. &ldquo;Was doing the same calculation when I saw the scene,&rdquo; one user joked, adding a string of laughing emojis. Another, who claimed to be a math teacher, admitted even her calculations didn&rsquo;t add up.

The confusion does not end there. Haroon and Gul Meher&rsquo;s age difference was revealed to be eight years, which would make Haroon a surprisingly youthful-looking 30-year-old. &ldquo;A 35-year-old man enrolled in BBA as a freshman and he just missed 3 or 4 courses?&rdquo; one Instagram user asked. &ldquo;How is it possible? Please solve this mystery too.&rdquo;

Not everyone, however, was concerned with the details. Some viewers felt age should not be the focus at all. &ldquo;I think age shouldn&rsquo;t be an issue,&rdquo; one comment read. &ldquo;The main thing is Gul is going through such a difficult situation. She is still sweet with everyone and now Nisa. What will she do? Such a pure soul.&rdquo;

Despite the loopholes, audiences have appreciated the drama for daring to touch upon the sensitive subject of cousin marriages, particularly those that are forced. The series sheds light on how individuals who grow up together are often pressured into relationships that do not necessarily translate into marital harmony. For many, it is refreshing to see a mainstream drama address this reality rather than gloss over it. As one user put it, &quot;Apart from this age gap issue, forced marriage between cousins is real.&quot;]]>
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			<title>Azaan Sami Khan wants people to stop misquoting him</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2569782/azaan-sami-khan-wants-people-to-stop-misquoting-him</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2569782/azaan-sami-khan-wants-people-to-stop-misquoting-him#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 30 Sep 25 07:31:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor cleared the air around people saying that he doesn’t want his wife to be on social media]]>
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				<![CDATA[Azaan Sami Khan has come forward to clarify an earlier statement he made. The actor and singer referred to a previous interview he did where he was quoted to say that he wouldn&rsquo;t want his future wife to be on social media for religious reasons. Posting an Instagram story on Monday&nbsp;that links the original interview, he asked people to fact check before quoting him.&nbsp;

&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve found a certain statement I made in an interview to have been highly misconstructed and posted on several platforms,&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;Would respect all publications and portals to please fact check what was actually said before mis-interpreting. Lots of love to all always.&rdquo;

In the original interview with Something Haute released last month, Azaan said that he has certain religious beliefs according to which some relationships are pure. He thinks &nbsp;we should only reveal them when they have been made pure. &ldquo;As a Muslim, a nikkah is a very secret thing,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;And I think that protects the respect of the girl as well.&rdquo;&nbsp;

According to the actor, you cannot jump from dating to suddenly showing your married halal life. He thinks we should only talk about our personal relationships when it&#39;s in that realm of sanctity.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Why would I harm someone&rsquo;s dignity for something not very long term?&rdquo; he asked. &ldquo;I would personally like to be known for my work only.&rdquo; Azaan said that when the time is right, he will happily own the person he is with, but until then he would not like to brag about it.





watch from 54:45&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Shamoon Abbasi demands credit for 'Jinn Ki Shaadi Unki Shaadi'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2569266/shamoon-abbasi-demands-credit-for-jinn-ki-shaadi-unki-shaadi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2569266/shamoon-abbasi-demands-credit-for-jinn-ki-shaadi-unki-shaadi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 27 Sep 25 09:14:04 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Writer talks about his role in developing the script of drama]]>
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			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Shamoon Abbasi has come forward to claim his work. In a recent Facebook post made this week, the actor revealed that he developed the idea, story and name of the TV drama, Jinn Ki Shaadi Unki Shaadi but was not given credit for his work.&nbsp;

Thanking the audience for making the show successful, he wrote, &ldquo;I would like to thank all audiences around the world that are liking my serial Jinn Ki Shaadi Unki Shaadi (title also given by me) as well as my story and screenplay, the serial is being liked by a large audience.&rdquo;

Abbasi expressed&nbsp;happiness on the success of the drama &ldquo;Jinn Ki Shaadi Unki Shaadi is my thought and it proves that my stories are connecting with the audiences, Alhumdullilah,&rdquo; he wrote.&nbsp;

However, the actor was disappointed by the creators. &ldquo;I wish that the creators had the courtesy to mention my name,&rdquo; he wrote, &ldquo;If not now (as the director who created this amazing project to direct it) but as the screenplay writer after working 4 months on the project with a writer dictating every scene and track.&rdquo;&nbsp;

According to him, he had helped the writer, Syed Nabeel, develop the script simply as a goodwill gesture when in reality he wanted to be involved in the direction. Otherwise, he has been a writer himself since the start of his career, he wrote.&nbsp;

He pointed out that ironically his name is still written on the scripts that are distributed to the actors on set.&nbsp;

Making the intention of his post clear, he wrote: &ldquo;This post is for awareness purposes only, it&rsquo;s not a fight or challenge to anyone who wants to pick a fight. But if that is the case, I have all the rights and evidence to prove in multiple ways.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The actor reflected on his experience and shared that it&rsquo;s a lesson learned. &ldquo;Never give away your hard work to anyone without a plan,&rdquo; he wrote.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The drama stars Wahaj Ali, Sehar Khan, Arsalan Naseer and Romaisa Khan, amongst others and is currently airing on HUM TV Network. It is written by Syed Nabeel and directed by Saif e Hasan and is a lighthearted comedy.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>AI hologram of Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee debuts at L.A. Comic Con</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2569249/ai-hologram-of-marvel-comics-creator-stan-lee-debuts-at-la-comic-con</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2569249/ai-hologram-of-marvel-comics-creator-stan-lee-debuts-at-la-comic-con#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 27 Sep 25 05:56:50 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Film]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Art and Books]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2569249</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Avatar is programmed to interact with fans the way Stan would have, critics call it dystopian]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Wearing a green sweater and tan pants against a bright blue screen,&nbsp;Marvel&nbsp;comic&nbsp;book superhero&nbsp;creator&nbsp;Stan&nbsp;Lee&nbsp;will return to&nbsp;L.A.&nbsp;Comic&nbsp;Con&nbsp;in holographic form&nbsp;to meet fans of his characters including&nbsp;Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron&nbsp;Man&nbsp;and Thor.

Fans can interact with a&nbsp;hologram&nbsp;of&nbsp;Lee, who died in 2018 at the age of 95, in an enclosed booth at the Los Angeles&nbsp;Convention Center.

&ldquo;It was obviously sad for&nbsp;many of us when&nbsp;Stan&nbsp;passed,&rdquo; said Chris DeMoulin, chief executive of Comikaze Entertainment, which operates Los Angeles&nbsp;Comic&nbsp;Con. &ldquo;For the last couple of years, we&rsquo;ve been talking about things we might be able to do to help extend&nbsp;Stan&rsquo;s legacy.&quot;

About six months ago, DeMoulin said he came up with the idea of creating an avatar of&nbsp;Lee&nbsp;to serve as an &ldquo;entry point for fans, old and new, into the Marvel universe.&rdquo;

The project was a collaboration of Proto&nbsp;Hologram, a company whose holographic technology has been used in malls to promote films such as The&nbsp;Conjuring and A Minecraft Movie,&nbsp;and Hyperreal, an artificial intelligence firm that creates realistic-looking digital humans.

The&nbsp;hologram&nbsp;was trained on&nbsp;Stan&nbsp;Lee&#39;s myriad appearances on red carpets and at fan&nbsp;conventions.&nbsp;Fans who never met&nbsp;Lee&nbsp;in person might recognize him from his cameo appearances in every live-action Marvel movie made during his lifetime.

&quot;This avatar will never say something that&nbsp;Stan&nbsp;didn&rsquo;t say,&quot; said DeMoulin. &quot;It will never have a point of view about Marvel or the stories or&nbsp;Stan&rsquo;s role in them that hasn&rsquo;t come directly from something&nbsp;Stan&nbsp;has said.&quot;

Mammoth Vision&#39;s George Johnson&nbsp;said that they used technological guardrails to prevent&nbsp;Lee&nbsp;from saying something out of character. &ldquo;We take&nbsp;Stan&nbsp;Lee&rsquo;s words and import them into the model and then we put rails on the side of it,&quot; said Johnson, &quot;So he doesn&#39;t go off and talk about things that&nbsp;Stan&nbsp;wouldn&rsquo;t have said.&quot;

In a demonstration Friday, holographic&nbsp;Lee&nbsp;talked about his love of fan&nbsp;conventions. &ldquo;My favorite thing about being at a&nbsp;comic&nbsp;convention is getting to meet all the amazing fans and hearing their stories about how Marvel has impacted their lives,&rdquo;&nbsp;Lee&nbsp;said in the late actor&#39;s voice.

Not everyone welcomed&nbsp;Lee&#39;s posthumous appearance at the&nbsp;convention. Some commenters on Reddit criticized the&nbsp;Stan&nbsp;Lee&nbsp;Experience. &quot;Even in death, they won&#39;t let the guy rest,&quot; wrote one commenter, posting under the name RGCBlade. &quot;It&#39;s all pretty dystopian.&quot;]]>
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			<title>Fawad and Mahira's sizzling chemistry is back on screen</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2568857/fawad-and-mahiras-sizzling-chemistry-is-back-on-screen</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2568857/fawad-and-mahiras-sizzling-chemistry-is-back-on-screen#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 25 Sep 25 08:09:36 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Film]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[The duo is back to awe audiences as they drop teaser for latest romantic film 'Neelofar']]>
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			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan have dropped the first teaser for their romantic film, Neelofar. Taking to Instagram, the actors posted a black and red movie poster featuring themselves with the caption, &ldquo;Will be waiting for the next meeting.&rdquo;

Co-produced by Fawad himself, the film is written and directed by Ammar Rasool and produced by Qasim Mehmood. The film also stars Madiha Imam as one of the main characters along with Samiya Mumtaz, Atiqa Odho, Behroze Sabzwari, and Gohar Rasheed.





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A post shared by Mahira Khan (@mahirahkhan)




The shooting for Neelofar had begun before the Covid-19 outbreak but the pandemic postponed it. However, the team defeated hurdles and wrapped its shoot on 9 December 2020, according to an Instagram post by Mahira.

Celebrating its wrap, Mahira captioned the post in 2020, &quot;I take with me a piece of you, leaving a bit of my soul with you. My darling Neelofar, I shall miss you, oh so much. Here is a shout out to all those who worked on this film. Each and every one of them put their heart and soul in it. Can&rsquo;t wait for all of you to see our hard work and love on your screens soon, Ameen.&quot;

Mahira had talked about sharing screen space with Fawad in Samina Peerzada&#39;s web show in 2020. &quot;I had so much fun working on this project with him,&quot; she said. &quot;It had been so long. Neelofar is just about these two people, it is very different from our characters in Maula Jatt. In Neelofar, it&#39;s just the two of us, all our scenes are with each other. It was just so great to be back with Fawad as older, more mature actors and people.&quot;

Mahira and Fawad&rsquo;s on- and off-screen chemistry has been one of Pakistani entertainment&rsquo;s most durable pairings. As fans gear for their project, here is a list of some of our favourite appearances of the two:

1. Humsafar (2011)

The drama that turned Mahira and Fawad into a continental talking point. Sarmad Khoosat&rsquo;s Humsafar (based on Farhat Ishtiaq&rsquo;s novel) paired Mahira&rsquo;s Khirad with Fawad&rsquo;s Ashar and became a cultural phenomenon. High TRPs, streaming re-runs, and an export that helped define Pakistan&rsquo;s 2010s TV golden age. It also created global hype for the two actors and they went on to make their Bollywood careers after it. 

2. Lux Style Awards commercials (since 2015)

The duo reunited for award-show promos and Lux commercials that gathered fans through nostalgia. The advertisements and behind-the-scenes footage were widely shared and whetted fans for live-show reunions and red-carpet moments.





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A post shared by Mahira Khan Fanpage (@mahirakhansquad)




3. Aquafina TV commercial (2012)

One of their early post-Humsafar pairings on screen came in a heartwarming TV commercial for Aquafina mineral water. A glossy and emotional story that reminded viewers why the pairing had such strong recall.



https://www.instagram.com/reel/BUfkP_iD2RP/



4. Brides Today photoshoot (2018)

Mahira and Fawad fronted a bridal fashion editorial for Brides Today (showcasing Sadaf Fawad Khan&rsquo;s SFK bridals). The photoshoot, shot in Dubai, was a big media moment: editorial, glamorous, and a reminder that the duo&rsquo;s chemistry works equally well on glossy covers as it does on screen.

5. The Legend of Maula Jatt (2022)

A major reunion: Bilal Lashari&rsquo;s The Legend of Maula Jatt cast Fawad and Mahira in a high-budget, stylised reboot that became Pakistan&rsquo;s highest-grossing film on release, and a headline maker for both stars. The pairing here moved from television romcom energy into large-scale cinematic drama.

The pair will also be seen together in Netflix&rsquo;s Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo. Not only will it be Pakistan&rsquo;s first-ever Netflix original adaptation, but will also bring the two together on a global platform. The cast features Hania Aamir and Hamza Ali Abbasi as well.

Now, all eyes are on Fawad and Mahira as they reunite in a deeply emotional love story. According to IMDB, it is &ldquo;a love story between a writer and a blind woman.&rdquo; Mahira plays the role of a blind girl which according to her, was her most-challenging role yet.]]>
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			<title>'Jinn Ki Shaadi Unki Shaadi' scene makes X users' eyes fall out</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2568686/jinn-ki-shaadi-unki-shaadi-scene-makes-x-users-eyes-fall-out</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2568686/jinn-ki-shaadi-unki-shaadi-scene-makes-x-users-eyes-fall-out#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 24 Sep 25 10:36:44 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Viewers share mixed reviews over latest episode featuring a jinn sequence]]>
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				<![CDATA[The latest episode of Jinn Ki Shaadi Unki Shaadi has polarised television viewers. The drama is Pakistan&rsquo;s attempt at a horror comedy and is gaining attention on social media for its unique visual effects.&nbsp;

The drama stars Wahaj Ali, Sehar Khan, Arsalan Naseer and Romaisa Khan, amongst others and is airing on HUM TV Network. It is written by Syed Nabeel and directed by Saif e Hasan.&nbsp;

While the drama&rsquo;s leads have garnered enough fans to tune in, X&nbsp;users are still not satisfied with the visual effects. Pointing out a particular scene from the drama where a character sizzles out black smoke and divides into two, revealing another person that resided in him, the internet has fans divided.&nbsp;



Saife sir 🙌 what a direction cinematography vfx everything is so perfect 👏 kudos to the whole of #JinnKiShadiUnkiShadi &amp; most importantly caption of ship saife sir love this epi so much 🤍 pic.twitter.com/SlQEfgrVs1
&mdash; 🕊 (@ayesharaat) September 22, 2025



One viewer took to X&nbsp;and commented, &ldquo;There&rsquo;s no way you can make this and be proud of it.&rdquo; Another criticised the show&rsquo;s storyline, &ldquo;There was a time when HUM TV produced masterpieces like Yakeen Ka Safar, Zindagi Gulzaar Hai, Dastaan, Udaari and Parizaad,&rdquo; they wrote. &ldquo;Now, they&rsquo;re churning out illogical jinn-bhoot dramas with substandard VFX. And blind fans are hailing it as perfection masterpiece.&quot;

Fans jumped to defend the limited technological expertise Pakistan&rsquo;s industry has. &ldquo;VFX is a direct result of the budget,&rdquo; they wrote. &ldquo;And for the average budget of most HUM&nbsp;TV dramas, this is pretty good. Comparisons without context are super weird.&rdquo; However, despite the disappointing VFX, X&nbsp;users deemed it unbearable. &ldquo;I&#39;ve no issue with the VFX&nbsp;because I know it&#39;s PTV &amp; you can not&nbsp;expect Game Of Thrones level,&rdquo; they wrote. &ldquo;But what the actual hell is this cringe and unbearable overacting?&rdquo;&nbsp;

One user praised the director for his work. &ldquo;Saife sir,&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;What direction, cinematography, VFX,&nbsp;everything is so perfect. Kudos to the whole of Jinn Ki Shadi Unki Shadi and most importantly the captain of the ship, Saife sir. I love this episode so much.&quot;&nbsp;

Another pointed out its stark similarity to Indian dramas and wrote, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m starting to notice that Pakistani dramas are shifting and becoming more like Indian dramas,&rdquo; with a meme of a man crying. Another agreed to this, &ldquo;What is this Naagin type show, when did we become Indian television?&quot; they asked.&nbsp;

As Pakistani dramas open the floor to new genres and visual effects, social media users are ready with their verdict.]]>
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			<title>Leonardo DiCaprio’s 'One Battle After Another' skewers extremism in satirical fashion</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2568649/leonardo-dicaprios-one-battle-after-another-skewers-extremism-in-satirical-fashion</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2568649/leonardo-dicaprios-one-battle-after-another-skewers-extremism-in-satirical-fashion#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 24 Sep 25 06:52:19 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[The actor calls his latest role one of the most demanding of his career]]>
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				<![CDATA[Few Hollywood stars carry the weight of cultural expectation like Leonardo DiCaprio. Whenever he steps into a new project, the attention it draws is as much about the story on screen as it is about what the film might say about the moment we are living in. His latest collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson is no exception.
&nbsp;For Leonardo DiCaprio, explaining the synopsis for his new action thriller film &quot;One Battle After Another&quot; is no easy feat.

&quot;I think it&#39;s probably because it&#39;s a complex thing to articulate, but at the heart of it, I think the movie&#39;s a lot to do with humanity. It&#39;s a lot to do with polarization in the world that we live in, extremism on both ends,&quot; the Titanic&nbsp;actor said.

The movie follows Bob Ferguson, played by DiCaprio, and his wife Perfidia Beverly Hills, played by singer Teyana Taylor. They are a loving but strained couple that embark on daring humanitarian missions in modern-day America.

&quot;It&#39;s not a film where people are imposing any political beliefs on anyone else,&quot; DiCaprio said. &quot;It&#39;s satire on both ends. It&#39;s a great film to have coming out in today&#39;s world. I think it&#39;s important.&quot;

In the movie, Perfidia suddenly disappears soon after giving birth. Bob changes his identity and goes off the grid to raise their child as a single parent. When an enemy resurfaces after 16 years for revenge, Bob must work to rescue his kidnapped daughter. Writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson is known for his distinct style in films like Licorice Pizza,&nbsp;There Will Be Blood&nbsp;and Boogie Nights.

According to DiCaprio, Anderson has &quot;incredible flexibility&quot; and can change whole sequences based on an actor&#39;s suggestion. &quot;Not to say that he takes all your ideas, because he certainly doesn&#39;t,&quot; DiCaprio said. &quot;He&#39;s got a great B.S. detector. But when you say that one good idea, I mean, the entire course of the movie may change.&quot;

&quot;One Battle After Another&quot; arrives in theaters on Friday. Film critics granted the film, distributed by Warner Bros a 97% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with high praise for Anderson.]]>
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			<title>Paris DVD rental store struggles to compete with streaming giants</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2567930/paris-dvd-rental-store-struggles-to-compete-with-streaming-giants</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2567930/paris-dvd-rental-store-struggles-to-compete-with-streaming-giants#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 20 Sep 25 07:03:53 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Film]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[JM Video has launched crowdfunding call in order to survive]]>
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				<![CDATA[JM Video, one of only two remaining DVD rental stores in Paris, is a focal point for film lovers and visited by actors like Brad Pitt when they are in the city, but the ever-growing competition of streaming platforms means this Paris institution is fighting for survival.

Choice is not the problem: JM Video has a library of more than 50,000 films, more than some 5,000 on offer at any time on Netflix (NFLO.X),&nbsp;opens new tabs&nbsp;and more than the catalogues of all the major streaming actors combined.

&quot;It&#39;s one of the few places in Paris with a real film collection, you can find things here that you cannot find anywhere else,&quot; said movie buff Virginie Breton, who rents DVDs several times a week. But not enough to keep JM Video afloat.

Sky-high Paris property rents and a dwindling customer base, combined with the arrival of ever-more streaming services like Amazon Prime, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+ and Apple TV+ are squeezing the life out of the cave-like shop, where DVDs spill out from floor-to-ceiling racks.

Founded in 1982, JM Video was one of around 5,000 video rental shops in France at the end of last century, well before Netflix switched from being a DVD rental outfit to a streaming pioneer around 2010.

Now, France has only about 10 DVD rental shops, two of which are in Paris. Store manager Theo Bancilhon said JM Video is struggling to pay rent and the salaries for its three employees, and has lost close to 20,000 euros ($24,000) in the past two years.

This month, the store launched a crowdfunding call, raising around 26,000 euros from over 1,000 donors in less than two weeks. But it needs 35,000 euros to secure its immediate future and 65,000 to be safe in the long run, Bancilhon said.

He firmly believes in the DVD rental concept, noting young people in particular are interested in high-quality formats. &quot;We are a beacon in the night that goes against the new ways of consuming a certain culture. It&#39;s good for people to know there is another way of approaching cinema, not driven by algorithms,&quot; Bancilhon said.

($1 = 0.8445 euros)

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>ABC discontinues 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' after host's statements on Kirk</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2567545/abc-discontinues-jimmy-kimmel-live-after-hosts-statements-on-kirk</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2567545/abc-discontinues-jimmy-kimmel-live-after-hosts-statements-on-kirk#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 18 Sep 25 06:02:10 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Controversial moment leads to unexpected shakeup in late-night lineup]]>
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				<![CDATA[Walt Disney-owned ABC said on Wednesday it was pulling &quot;Jimmy&nbsp;Kimmel&nbsp;Live&quot; off the air, after comments by the late-night show&#39;s host about the assassination of conservative activist&nbsp;Charlie Kirk&nbsp;prompted a threat by the head of the top U.S. communications regulator against Disney.

President&nbsp;Donald Trump, who has repeatedly pressured broadcasters to stop airing content he has found objectionable, celebrated the news in a social media post. A number of Democratic lawmakers assailed the decision, saying free speech was under attack.

The suspension of&nbsp;Kimmel&#39;s show marked the latest action taken against media figures, academic workers, teachers and corporate employees over their remarks about&nbsp;Kirk following his assassination.

Republican leaders and conservative commentators have warned Americans to&nbsp;mourn Kirk respectfully&nbsp;or suffer consequences, and some people have been fired or suspended after discussing the killing online.

Kimmel, who has frequently targeted Trump on his late-night comedy show, drew fire for remarks he made about the killing in his monologue on Monday. &quot;We hit some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,&quot;&nbsp;Kimmel&nbsp;said.

Kirk, a 31-year-old activist and Trump-world celebrity known for his&nbsp;right-wing views&nbsp;and pugnacious debating style, was shot in the neck while speaking at a Utah university a week ago. A 22-year-old suspect has been charged with his murder, and&nbsp;his&nbsp;precise motive remains unclear.

Kimmel&#39;s comments led to a response from Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, who urged local broadcasters to stop airing &quot;Jimmy&nbsp;Kimmel&nbsp;Live&quot; on ABC. Carr suggested the commission could open an investigation and that broadcasters could potentially be fined or lose their licenses if there was a pattern of distorted comment.

&quot;This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney. We can do this the easy way or the hard way,&quot; Carr said in a podcast interview with conservative&nbsp;commentator&nbsp;Benny Johnson that aired Wednesday.

&quot;Disney needs to see some change here, but the individual licensed stations that are taking their content, it&#39;s time for them to step up and say this, you know, garbage to the extent that that&#39;s what comes down the pipe in the future isn&#39;t something that we think serves the needs of our local communities.&quot;

After Carr spoke, Nexstar Media Group&nbsp;NXST.O&nbsp;said it would stop airing the show on its 32 ABC affiliates, citing&nbsp;Kimmel&#39;s comments. Nexstar, which needs FCC approval for its $6.2 billion deal to acquire smaller rival Tegna&nbsp;TGNA.N, drew praise from Carr, who thanked Nexstar for &quot;doing the right thing.&quot;

Shortly after Nexstar announced its decision, ABC, which holds FCC-approved licenses for the local broadcast affiliates that it owns, also said&nbsp;Kimmel&nbsp;would be pulled from the air.

&quot;&lsquo;Jimmy&nbsp;Kimmel&nbsp;Live&rsquo; will be preempted indefinitely,&rdquo; an ABC spokesperson said, without elaborating.

Sinclair, the nation&rsquo;s largest ABC affiliate group, then said it would&nbsp;not air&nbsp;Kimmel&#39;s&nbsp;show, even if ABC decides to bring it back, unless &quot;appropriate steps&quot; were taken. Sinclair called on&nbsp;Kimmel&nbsp;to apologize and said it would air a tribute to Kirk in&nbsp;Kimmel&#39;s time slot on Friday.

Kimmel, who was seen on Wednesday leaving the El Capitan Theatre where his show is taped, did not respond to a request for comment.

As broadcasters took action, Trump applauded the news in a post on Truth Social while also calling on Comcast-owned&nbsp;CMCSA.O&nbsp;NBC to fire&nbsp;Jimmy&nbsp;Fallon and Seth Meyers, the hosts of late-night comedy shows on the network who often make jokes at Trump&#39;s expense.

&quot;Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done,&quot; Trump said.

Democrats in turn criticized the removal of&nbsp;Kimmel&nbsp;from the air, with Senator Ed Markey calling it &quot;censorship in action.&quot;

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the FCC&#39;s only Democratic member, said U.S. free-speech laws should prevent the FCC from telling broadcasters what they can air.

&quot;This administration is increasingly using the weight of government power to suppress lawful expression,&quot; she told CNN.

Trump has repeatedly sued, berated and threatened media companies whose coverage he disputes with legal or other action.

Trump this week filed a $15 billion&nbsp;defamation lawsuit&nbsp;against the New York Times and book publisher Penguin Random House, accusing them of treating him unfairly.

CBS-parent Paramount&nbsp;paid $16 million&nbsp;in July to resolve a civil suit over what Trump alleged was the network&#39;s deceptive editing of an interview with presidential candidate Kamala Harris. ABC in December&nbsp;paid $15 million&nbsp;to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by Trump over anchor George Stephanopoulos&#39; on-air description of the president&#39;s conduct in the E. Jean Carroll case.

Following Kirk&#39;s killing, political analyst Matthew Dowd was fired from MSNBC after he described the activist as a &quot;divisive&quot; figure who spread &quot;hate speech,&quot; and added &quot;hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.&quot;

MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler issued a statement apologizing for Dowd&#39;s comments, which she said were &quot;inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable.&quot;

Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah said on Monday she was fired by the newspaper over a series of social media posts she made following the killing of Kirk, including one in which she noted Kirk&#39;s past comments on Black women. The Post has said it does not comment on personnel matters and the newspaper&#39;s union condemned the firing.]]>
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			<title>'The Khawatoons' prepare for an all girls comedy show on Friday</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2567357/the-khawatoons-prepare-for-an-all-girls-comedy-show-on-friday</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2567357/the-khawatoons-prepare-for-an-all-girls-comedy-show-on-friday#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 17 Sep 25 07:19:26 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Hina Ahmed]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2567357</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Creating a safe space for women to enjoy adult comedy, the group plans to leave the audience in laughing fits]]>
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				<![CDATA[&#39;The Khawatoons&#39; keep coming back to District 19. They have previously done more than five shows there. Now, the all girls comedy group is scheduled to perform at the place this Friday in Karachi. The event will go on from 7:30pm to 9:00pm on September 19.

The show promises a night &ldquo;packed with fresh jokes, quick wit, and the kind of laughter you don&rsquo;t want to miss.&rdquo; It is rated to be 16+ and we can expect some adult comedy from the group, according to their Instagram.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Ashika Shaikh, group member of The Khawatoons said that it&rsquo;s a ladies only show. &ldquo;It&#39;s a safe space for women to enjoy adult comedy,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Our shows are super interactive and heavily dependent on audience participation so a women&#39;s only show allows the ladies to come out of their shell and let loose with us so that&#39;s what you should expect.&rdquo;

Tickets for the event can be purchased at Ticketwala and at the entrance of the venue. Each ticket costs 1500 rs.

The event is organised by District 19 which is a multi-functional urban space that brings together individuals ready to stretch their minds with new experiences. It is for like-minded individuals, both locals and travelers. It is also an alternative hotspot for gathering in Karachi with a space to create and share, co-work, learn and socialize. 

The Khawatoons was founded in 2016 by Faiza Saleem. It was and still is Pakistan&rsquo;s first all-women comedy troupe, which has been going strong for nine years now and Ashika has been part of it for eight years.

Reflecting on working in a mostly male dominated comedy field in Pakistan, Ashika said that she has to work twice as hard to stand in line with her male counterparts. This is because they aren&rsquo;t just doing comedy, they&rsquo;re also actively fighting the stereotype that women aren&rsquo;t funny. &ldquo;So you&rsquo;re working extra hard to appease an audience that wants you to not be funny,&rdquo; she said.

Offering a more positive outlook on their personal journey, Ashika said, &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been lucky and we&rsquo;ve been at this for so long that we&rsquo;ve found our voice and we&rsquo;ve found our place and people.&rdquo; Their current troupe members consists of Faiza, Ashika, Jaweria Khan, Amtul Baweja, Nimra Ali Zaidi, Amtul Baweja, Shanzeh Ishtiaq and Zemal Amin.

The group has performed in different locations around Karachi throughout the year such as IBA city campus and Habitt City and is gearing for their next show.

So gather your friends and expect some banter from the ladies this week!]]>
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			<title>Ayesha Omar’s ‘Lazawaal Ishq’ sparks debate as PEMRA responds to complaints</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2567365/ayesha-omars-lazawaal-ishq-sparks-debate-as-pemra-responds-to-complaints</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2567365/ayesha-omars-lazawaal-ishq-sparks-debate-as-pemra-responds-to-complaints#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 17 Sep 25 08:27:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Pakistan’s first dating reality show stirs controversy online]]>
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				<![CDATA[Ayesha Omar is set to host Lazawaal Ishq, Pakistan&rsquo;s first dating reality show. The announcement has already triggered sharp debate. The concept mirrors international formats like Love Island, bringing together four men and four women in a villa where they will date, take part in challenges, and form alliances while cameras track their every move. The finale will see one couple declared the winners.

The teaser, released in mid-September, quickly divided audiences. Online criticism poured in, with many arguing that the program clashed with cultural traditions and Islamic values. Boycott campaigns spread on social media, with hashtags targeting both the show and its host. Calls also grew for regulators to step in before it could reach screens.

Responding to the controversy, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issued a clarification. The regulator confirmed it has received a large number of complaints but explained that Lazawaal Ishq has not been licensed for television broadcast in Pakistan. PEMRA noted that its jurisdiction applies only to licensed TV channels, and since the show&rsquo;s teasers are circulating online and will air on Youtube, it cannot either ban or approve the content at this stage.

From Istanbul, Ayesha Omar defended the project as a groundbreaking step for Urdu-speaking audiences. She said the contestants are all Pakistani and described the production as a mix of drama, romance, and competition. With its villa setting, swimming pool, and 24-hour filming, she added, the series is designed to deliver an immersive reality-show experience never before attempted in the local industry.

Despite her optimism, pushback remains strong. Religious groups, cultural commentators, and many social media users argue that dating shows risk undermining family values and promoting behaviors seen as inappropriate. Some critics have even pledged to approach the courts to try to block the program before it launches.



One user stated &quot;Guys, we all have to report it. It&#39;s against our religion culture and norms.&quot;



Another stated &quot;Report it please, we don&#39;t support it.&quot;



Another user stated to &quot;Have some decency it&#39;s one thing to sin ... And is another to to publicize it!!! Fear Allah ... What are you leaving behind in this world!??? What are you leading people to ??? You might be getting fancy checks and what not but so you not at all understand the fitnah!?? Do you not fear your grave!??? How will you face Allah it&#39;s mentioned Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, &ldquo;Everyone from my nation will be forgiven except those who sin in public. Among them is a man who commits an evil deed in the night that Allah has hidden for him, then in the morning he says: O people, I have committed this sin! His Lord had hidden it during the night, but in the morning he reveals what Allah has hidden.&rdquo; Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6069, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2990.&quot;



Another stated &quot;Sadly, the people criticising here are often the same ones who enjoy reality shows from other countries. But when it&#39;s our own reality show, made by our own people, we&#39;re quick to criticise and degrade it, without even knowing the actual context and watching the show. We just never encourage or appreciate the efforts of our own people. Everyone acts like they spend all their time in worship, follow everything that our beautiful religion teaches, and never watch anything, which is simply not true. Stop acting like you&#39;re a saint. For once, try to support your own country&#39;s star and your own reality show. And if you don&#39;t like it, no one is forcing you to watch it. Stop giving your irrelevant opinion without even watching it. She&#39;s our own Star, try to appreciate and respect, we shouldn&#39;t be degrading our own people. Watch the show first, then give your opinion.&quot;



Another user stated &quot;Lets boycott and raise our voices before this shamelessness starts! Look the way these female actresses of Pakistan are spoiling our youth through western culture&#39;s clothing! We don&rsquo;t want such shows please!!&quot;

As of now, no broadcast date or official platform has been confirmed, leaving the show in uncertain territory. What is clear is that Lazawaal Ishq has already become a flashpoint in discussions about entertainment, regulation, and cultural identity. For supporters, it represents a chance to experiment with new formats and expand Urdu content on the global stage. For detractors, it highlights the tension between imported media trends and local values. Whatever its fate, the debate surrounding the show has ensured it will be remembered as a marker of how contested the future of television in Pakistan has become.]]>
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			<title>10th HUM Awards reveal six nominations for viewers' choice awards</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2567156/10th-hum-awards-reveal-six-nominations-for-viewers-choice-awards</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2567156/10th-hum-awards-reveal-six-nominations-for-viewers-choice-awards#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 16 Sep 25 07:48:41 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category><category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Sajal Aly and Mawra Hocane dominate several categories]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The 10th Hum Awards have opened voting for their viewer&rsquo;s choice awards for the public this week. The nominations consist of five categories for TV shows and one award for Global Icon.&nbsp;

The Kashmir Hum Awards are presented by Cola Next and powered by Leather Galleria Luxury Leather Furniture. The awards will be hosted by Hamza Sohail and will feature a performance by Mehwish Hayat.&nbsp;

The six actors nominated for Best Actor-Female are Mawra Hocane(Jafaa), Durefishan Saleem(Ishq Murshid), Kinza Hashmi(Khushbo Main Basay Khat), Sarah Khan(Namak Haram), Sajal Aly(Zard Patton Ka Bunn) and Sehar Khan(Jafaa).

On the other hand, The Best Actor-Male has seven nominations with Adnan Siddiqui(Khushbo Main Basay Khat), Bilal Abbas Khan(Ishq Murshid), Mohib Mirza(Jafaa), Hamza Sohail(Zard Patton Ka Khat), Faysal Quraishi(Zulm), Imran Ashraf(Namak Haram) and Usman Mukhtar(Jafaa) making the cut.&nbsp;

A number of varied TV shows can be seen in the Best Drama Serial category. Zard Patton Ka Bunn, Ishq Murshid, Khushbo Main Khat, Jafaa, Zulm and Namak Haram were the shortlisted shows out of many that adorned our screen this year.&nbsp;

Ishq Murshid, Zard Patton Ka Bunn, Hum Dono, Jaan Se Pyara Juni and Khushbo Mein Basay Khat were recognised for Best Original Soundtrack. The Hum Network has also put forward choices for best on-screen couple. With Sehar and Usman and&nbsp;Mawra and Mohib from Jafaa, Dananeer and Ameer from Very Filmy, Sarah and Imran from Namak Haram, Sajal and Hamza from Zard Patton Ka Bunn and Durefishan and Bilal from Ishq Murshid.&nbsp;

The awards put forward four stars for Global Icon: Hania Aamir, Sajal Aly, Mawra Hocane and Ahad Raza Mir. All four actors have starred in international projects with Hania&rsquo;s Sardaar Ji 3, Sajal&rsquo;s Mom, Mawra&rsquo;s Sanam Teri Kasam and Ahad&rsquo;s World on Fire. The actors have a large fan following from all over the world with Hania carrying 18.8 million IG followers, Sajal having 11.2 million, Mawra&rsquo;s 9.8 million and Ahad&rsquo;s 3.6 million.&nbsp;

Voting and tickets for the awards are now live and the ceremony will take place in Houston in Texas on October 11.]]>
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			<title>Mahira takes a stand for off camera crew</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2566593/mahira-takes-a-stand-for-offcamera-crew</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2566593/mahira-takes-a-stand-for-offcamera-crew#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 13 Sep 25 08:55:32 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Film]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2566593</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Actor took to social media and joined industry call out of late payment by production houses]]>
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				<![CDATA[Shedding light on the struggles of technicians in the film industry, Mahira has chosen to stand up for the little guy. Joining the chorus of the entertainment fraternity speaking out on late payments, Mahira took to her Instagram story on Thursday and reminded us of the scale of the problem.

&ldquo;Imagine, if senior actors and hit maker directors go through this,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Just imagine what technicians go through.&rdquo;

Mahira&rsquo;s comment was a nod towards earlier callouts by director Mehreen Jabbar, veteran actor Mohammed Ahmed and other industry professionals like Ahmed Ali Butt, Ramsha Khan, Nadia Afgan, Yasir Hussain and Alizeh Shah.

Mehreen had burst the bubble of those harbouring the impression that a career in the television industry equates to a thriving bank account in July. &ldquo;Our drama industry has progressed a lot, and there has been a very high viewership,&rdquo; she said during a virtual interview with Drama Pakistani. &ldquo;But behind the scenes, there is a lot of compromise and this industry operates in a very unprofessional way. That is the sad part.&rdquo;

The Jackson Heights director further said that the US may have many problems but payment schedules are always kept. However, in Pakistan, with every channel and production house, the entertainers have to chase their money like beggars.

Confirming Mahira&rsquo;s statement, the Dobara Phir Se director said that this is not an issue limited to just actors. &ldquo;Everyone faces this, from actors to the spot boy to the director,&rdquo; said the filmmaker. &ldquo;There is no system. You ask anyone, and you will get thousands of stories about payment issues.&rdquo;

Mohammed thanked Mehreen for starting the conversion back in July. Taking to Instagram, he said: &quot;Mehreen has spoken very clearly about the system and the drama industry, and it makes me so glad. She said plainly what I have been quietly saying for years.&quot;

The Cake actor said that a delay of three to four months is extremely normal.

Backing up Mehreen&#39;s beggar analogy, Mohammed continued, &quot;You have to pretty much clasp your hands together and beg them to pay you. Then they dispense a cheque your way, all the while giving the impression that they are doing you a massive favour, just because they have deigned to pay you. In every project, I feel their aim is to make actors beg for money. It destroys your dignity.&quot;

Ahmed slammed the industry&#39;s recurring issue with late payments too. &quot;Late payment is an industry standard,&quot; he said in an Instagram story in July. &quot;Production houses, television channels and corporate sponsors all have a 60 to 90-day payment clause, and that too is hardly ever met on time.&quot;

He added, &quot;There are a few rare people who will pay you on time, otherwise everyone will make sure that you have to beg for your money, and that too in installments.&quot; On a lighter note, the actor said, &quot;Work for YouTube. Be your own boss.&quot;

With Mahira joining the chorus and reminding us how it might affect the people behind the camera, some accountability is needed from production houses.]]>
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			<title>Paramount disagrees with Hollywood's boycott of Israeli film institutions</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2566575/paramount-disagrees-with-hollywoods-boycott-of-israeli-film-institutions</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2566575/paramount-disagrees-with-hollywoods-boycott-of-israeli-film-institutions#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 13 Sep 25 06:22:56 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Film]]></category><category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2566575</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Studio criticizes pledge signed by 4,000 entertainers]]>
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				<![CDATA[Paramount&nbsp;said on Friday it condemned a pledge&nbsp;signed earlier this week by more than 4,000 actors,&nbsp;entertainers, and producers, including some Hollywood stars, to not work with&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;film&nbsp;institutions&nbsp;that they see as being complicit in the abuse of Palestinians by Israel.

Why it&#39;s important&nbsp;

Paramount&nbsp;became the first major studio to respond to the&nbsp;pledge&nbsp;released on Monday.

Some organizations have faced calls for boycott&nbsp;and protests over ties with the&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;government as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza from Israel&#39;s military assault grows, and images of starving Palestinians, including children, spark global outrage.

Key quotes&nbsp;

&quot;We do not agree with recent efforts to&nbsp;boycott&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;filmmakers. Silencing individual creative artists based on their nationality does not promote better understanding or advance the cause of peace,&quot;&nbsp;Paramount&nbsp;said. &quot;We need more engagement and communication - not less.&quot;

The&nbsp;pledge&nbsp;from earlier this week said it was not urging anyone to stop working with&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;individuals but instead &quot;the call is for&nbsp;film&nbsp;workers to refuse to work with&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;institutions&nbsp;that are complicit in Israel&#39;s human rights abuses.&quot;

Israeli&nbsp;film&nbsp;institutions&nbsp;had engaged in &quot;whitewashing or justifying&quot; abuse of Palestinians, it said, drawing parallels with how&nbsp;entertainers&nbsp;had made a similar&nbsp;pledge&nbsp;in the past against apartheid-era South Africa.

Signatories included actors Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Riz Ahmed, Javier Bardem, and Cynthia Nixon, among others.

Context&nbsp;

U.S. ally Israel&#39;s assault on Gaza since October 2023 has killed&nbsp;tens of thousands of people, internally displaced&nbsp;Gaza&#39;s entire population, and set off a starvation crisis. Multiple rights experts and scholars assess it amounts to genocide.

Israel casts its actions as self-defense after an Octuber 2023 attack&nbsp;by Palestinian Hamas militants in which 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage.]]>
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			<title>Apple takes creative risks and receives Emmy recognition</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2566385/apple-takes-creative-risks-and-receives-emmy-recognition</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2566385/apple-takes-creative-risks-and-receives-emmy-recognition#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 25 07:20:41 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Film]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2566385</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Hollywood talent talks about fresh experience of working with streaming service]]>
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				<![CDATA[Nearly six years after technology giant&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;AAPL.O&nbsp;made its&nbsp;Hollywood&nbsp;debut with the launch of&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;TV+, the iPhone maker&nbsp;is positioned for primetime glory at Sunday&#39;s&nbsp;Emmy&nbsp;Awards.

Apple&#39;s streaming service earned 81&nbsp;Emmy&nbsp;nominations for 14 titles this year, the company&#39;s strongest showing to date at the annual celebration of television excellence. Its science-fiction series Severance&nbsp;and&nbsp;Hollywood&nbsp;satire The Studio&nbsp;are frontrunners for best drama and best comedy, awards experts say.

The company known for its carefully cultivated image has taken chances on unconventional stories, trusted script writers and provided&nbsp;creative&nbsp;freedom, according to producers, writers and actors who have worked with&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;TV+.

Its approach has helped&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;attract A-list&nbsp;talent&nbsp;and elevated its reputation in&nbsp;Hollywood.

How Apple TV+ lures top talent&nbsp;

Actor Seth Rogen said one reason he brought The Studio&nbsp;to&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;TV+ was because of the latitude provided on another comedy of his, Platonic.

&quot;I was really worried that maybe they&#39;d be restrictive,&quot; Rogen said. &quot;And then there&#39;s a scene in Platonic&nbsp;where we snort cocaine and ketamine off of an iPhone.&quot;

&quot;We were allowed to do this!&quot; Rogen said. &quot;They were not as corporate overlord-y as maybe I was worried they were going to be.&quot;

Apple&nbsp;TV+ launched in 2019 with a handful of original series including The Morning Show,&nbsp;Jennifer Aniston&#39;s first TV foray since Friends.&nbsp;At the time, industry insiders criticized the company&#39;s strategy of providing limited offerings without a collection of previously released shows.

Studio executives Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg stayed the course, building&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;TV+&#39;s library of programming, one bespoke series at a time. The company acheived a milestone in 2021, when Ted Lasso&nbsp;became the first streaming series to win the best comedy&nbsp;Emmy.

Apple&nbsp;has increased spending on original programming to $4.9 billion this year, from $660 million in 2019, according to Ampere Analysis. That investment has helped Apple TV+ reach about 60 million subscribers, according to Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, who believes the service is likely breaking even.&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;TV+ does not disclose subscriber numbers or financial details.

Netflix&nbsp;NFLX.O, by contrast, spends roughly $17 billion and has more than 300 million subscribers.

Investing in award-winning content&nbsp;

Now,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;TV+ is considered a top&nbsp;Hollywood&nbsp;destination, said Endeavor&nbsp;talent&nbsp;agency co-founder Rick Rosen.

&quot;They&#39;ve shown a lot of patience, and they&#39;ve really built a very high-quality slate that&#39;s gotten people&#39;s attention,&quot; Rosen said.

Ben Stiller, an executive producer and director of Severance, said no other studio wanted to make the mind-bending show about characters who undergo surgery to separate their work and personal memories. Erlicht and Van Amburg, and programming head Matt Cherniss, &quot;got the concept completely,&quot; Stiller said.

Severance&nbsp;leads all series with 27&nbsp;Emmy&nbsp;nominations. &quot;As a startup, they had a lot on the line,&quot; Stiller said. &quot;I found them to be very deferential to&nbsp;creatives, but also with smart thoughts.&quot;

Jason Segel, star of best comedy nominee Shrinking,&nbsp;credited&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;executives with seeing the promise in a story about a therapist who tries to help others while often making bad choices for himself, such as taking drugs and entertaining sex workers while his daughter is upstairs.

&quot;This is pretty dangerous territory for a feel-good comedy,&quot; Segel said. &quot;But right from the beginning there was trust, like these guys can pull this off.&quot;

Oscar-winner Jessica Chastain said&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;TV+&#39;s domestic programming director, Michelle Lee, reached out as the actress and her producing partner were pitching the upcoming thriller The Savant,&nbsp;about an undercover investigator who infiltrates online hate groups. Working with&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;was so positive, Chastain said, that she has two more projects with the streamer.

&quot;All of the notes that were coming our way were really specific and moved the story forward,&quot; she said.

TV Achievements follow movie success

Breaking Bad&nbsp;creator Vince Gilligan said he took his coming sci-fi series, Pluribus,&nbsp;to&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;TV+ in part because they made &quot;a very generous offer&quot; among multiple bidders.

Gilligan said other factors counted more than the dollar figure, which he declined to disclose. A major plus, he said, was the opportunity to reunite with Erlicht and Van Amburg, who led Sony Pictures Television when it produced Breaking Bad&nbsp;and spin-off Better Call Saul.&nbsp;He lauded&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;for supporting an ambitious show.

Recent TV achievements follow success for&nbsp;Apple&#39;s original movies, which play in theaters before heading to&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;TV+. Coda&nbsp;won the best picture Oscar in 2022, and Brad Pitt racing drama F1: The Movie&nbsp;was a summer box-office hit.

Apple&nbsp;&quot;understood that the movie had to be made in the right way,&quot; said F1&nbsp;producer Jerry Bruckheimer, noting that meant filming during actual Formula 1 races and building a race car.

&quot;They realized that the value of doing it in a very accurate way would be the best way to present this movie as something from&nbsp;Apple,&quot; Bruckheimer said. &quot;It&#39;s really well designed and beautifully done.&quot;]]>
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			<title>'Severance' bags six trophies at Emmy ceremony</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2566187/severance-bags-27-emmy-nominations-and-wins-six-trophies-at-ceremony</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2566187/severance-bags-27-emmy-nominations-and-wins-six-trophies-at-ceremony#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 11 Sep 25 07:15:57 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2566187</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Psychological thriller show tackles loneliness in corporations]]>
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				<![CDATA[When Adam Scott filmed Severance for Apple TV+ AAPL.O, he and fellow cast members were unsure how viewers would respond to a streaming series built around brain chips, a room full of goats and waffle parties.

The psychological thriller, the most-nominated show at Sunday&#39;s Emmy Awards, tells the story of office workers who undergo a surgery that makes them forget their home life at work, and vice versa.

&quot;We all felt it was weird, and maybe too weird,&quot; said Scott, the Parks and Recreation actor who plays a history professor turned manager inside the sterile offices of the fictional Lumon Industries.

Voters for the Emmys, the highest honors in television, have embraced the mind-bending tale. Severance racked up 27 Emmy nominations and won six trophies at an Emmys ceremony last week for technical awards.

The sci-fi series is in the running for more Emmys on Sunday including the top prize of best drama. Competitors include Star Wars series Andor, emergency room tale The Pitt and murder mystery The White Lotus. Winners will be announced at a red-carpet ceremony televised live on CBS PARA.O.

Scott was nominated for best drama actor and Severance co-star Britt Lower for best drama actress. Seven other Severance stars received supporting or guest actor nods.

Many of the Severance actors play two characters - an &quot;innie&quot; version who works at Lumon performing tedious tasks and an &quot;outie&quot; variation who lives in the outside world.

Among the show&#39;s unusual touchpoints, the Lumon building includes a room where caretakers raise herds of goats. One employee is rewarded for good work with a waffle party that provides an opportunity for sexual experiences.

What does all of this add up to?

Severance offers a philosophical take on the work-life balance and the power of corporations, while &ldquo;poking a stick at it with an absurdist light,&quot; said Chris Rice, co-CEO of Fifth Season, the production company behind the show.

Supporting actor nominee John Turturro, who plays loyal Lumon employee Irving, said the show &quot;poses questions without giving all the answers.&quot;

&quot;I think people find that really participatory,&quot; he added. Plus, &quot;people have to navigate work life and personal life, and that is an eternal conundrum that people go through.&quot;

Big questions

Severance debuted in 2022 to critical acclaim and gained traction with viewers when season two was released in January 2025. The show landed in Nielsen&#39;s top 10 list of the most-streamed shows.

Stars of the series said they thought it was more than job dissatisfaction that drew people to Severance. They cited loneliness in today&#39;s society as people are glued to technology rather than seeking human connection.

&quot;There&#39;s a certain alienation that we&#39;re all feeling from one another these days,&quot; Scott said.

Zach Cherry, a supporting actor nominee who plays dependable office worker Dylan, said Severance makes people turn inward. &quot;Beyond the characters connecting to each other,&quot; Cherry said, &quot;it&#39;s also about the characters learning to connect to all the different parts of themselves, which I think is also something that everyone has to deal with.&quot;

Lower, who plays the stubborn Helly, said the show has earned fans among high school and college students who have not yet entered the workforce. She believes the series is prompting people to ask deep questions, such as &quot;what makes us human?&quot;

&quot;To me, that is kind of the most exciting part,&quot; Lower said. &quot;Are the innies human? Are they full humans? And what makes them that?&quot;]]>
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			<title>Pakistani geeks are more alive than ever</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2566028/pakistani-geeks-are-more-alive-than-ever</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2566028/pakistani-geeks-are-more-alive-than-ever#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 10 Sep 25 11:29:42 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Hina Ahmed]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Art and Books]]></category><category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2566028</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[With Popclash right around the corner, we look at what has made anime so popular in Pakistan]]>
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				<![CDATA[At Habib University&rsquo;s student-run HUcon, Fahad Ali Shah remembers the first time fans in Pakistan gathered for anime. &ldquo;They could never imagine a convention of this level,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It used to be on a very small scale. Now, you find people with similar interests everywhere. If a person likes a character, you go and talk to them. There are references that only anime fans understand.&rdquo;

It is this sense of recognition that has pulled anime out of the niche social media circle it was restricted to and into Pakistani youths&#39; social calendar. Once confined to online fan groups, the culture now fills university auditoriums, expo halls, and social feeds. Student clubs at IBA and LUMS organise events like IBAcon and Comic Day, while vendors set up stalls to sell items like Naruto pillows and One Piece mugs. In Lahore, Geek Haven&rsquo;s Geek Con&nbsp;first set the benchmark, and its spin-offs continue to shape how these gatherings look and feel.

Photo credits: Fahad Ali Shah, HUcon organiser

The most anticipated is Popclash, scheduled for late November. Organised by Hox Studios, the convention offers free stalls to artists, publishes original work, and builds spaces for cosplayers, illustrators, and writers to turn hobbies into professions. Similar efforts have multiplied across the country. Geek Con, organised by Geek Haven, took place in Lahore last month and earlier in Karachi, featuring performances by Young Stunners alongside anime-inspired art. Each event keeps the micro-community active but more importantly, visible.

For organisers, the drive is both personal and practical. &ldquo;The reason why they&rsquo;re too hyperactive to grow and invest is because younglings get to write their stories and work in some situations instead of wasting their time,&rdquo; said Mohammad Umair, host of Popclash. Yasir Obaid, Geek Haven&rsquo;s co-founder, described their first convention as a passion project that later revealed a wider market. &ldquo;The few events that were happening before were done by old people and we didn&rsquo;t really get their mindset,&rdquo; he said.&ldquo;We wanted to bridge that gap and do it in a more community-driven way.&rdquo;

Streaming platforms have accelerated the shift. Netflix offered shows like The Last Airbender, Howl&rsquo;s Moving Castle and The Boy and the Heron brought anime into new households, while global hits such as Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer gave it mainstream status. &ldquo;The stigma around watching it has lessened,&rdquo; said Yasir. &ldquo;It has now become cool to watch anime.&rdquo; Others trace the boom back to the COVID-19 lockdowns, when people turned to accessible content like Dragon Ball Z and Pok&eacute;mon available online.

For fans, the appeal goes beyond novelty. &ldquo;Unlike kids&rsquo; cartoons, Japanese anime is made for all ages,&rdquo; said Arsalan Hussain, who has followed the genre since the Dragon Ball Z era. This broad demographic makes anime easier to sustain, he explained. To Umair, the fandom also reflects a particular profile: educated, English-speaking, and often working in professions like law, coding, or freelancing. Even cosplayers, he said, save and invest carefully to fund their craft.

The reasons, he argues, are partly linguistic. &ldquo;Anime fans are watching the anime in Japanese, which has subtitles. For that, they need a specific reading speed to consume it in Japanese and instantly understand the context too. So you need a little bit of intelligence to do that.&rdquo;

But the majority of the crowd is younger. &ldquo;It has the OG fans out there in their twenties or thirties, but most are sixteen to twenty,&rdquo; Umair said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s more of a youth movement at this point.&rdquo;

As November approaches, calendars are filling fast. Popclash in Lahore, Geek Con in Karachi, and student comic days across campuses will keep anime at the centre of youth culture. What began as a niche pastime is now an industry of gatherings, merchandise, and shared language, proof that Pakistan&rsquo;s anime geeks are not just alive, but thriving.]]>
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			<title>What if 'Money Heist' had a Pakistani cast?</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2564859/what-if-money-heist-had-a-pakistani-cast</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2564859/what-if-money-heist-had-a-pakistani-cast#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 25 12:39:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Life And Style Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2564859</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[We bring a desi re-imagination of the hit TV show]]>
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				<![CDATA[What if the Professor and his crew walked the streets of Karachi or Lahore? Fans of the Spanish hit TV show&nbsp;Money Heist have long wondered how the show&rsquo;s adrenaline-fueled drama would unfold with a local cast. Would they be robbing the National Bank of Pakistan and name&nbsp;themselves as Sialkot, Hyderabad and Multan?

The Life &amp; Style desk at Express Tribune imagined the show with a Pakistani cast&nbsp;and the results are nothing short of intriguing.

1. Faysal Qureshi as the Professor&nbsp;

Known for his commanding screen presence, Qureshi fits perfectly as the calm, calculated mastermind pulling the strings.

2. Saba Qamar as Raquel

Qamar, celebrated for her fearless and layered portrayals, steps into the shoes of the conflicted negotiator torn between law and love.

&nbsp;

3. Faryal Mehmood as Tokyo

With her fiery performances and bold persona, Mehmood channels the impulsive and intense energy of the narrator.

4. Alyy Khan as Berlin

The seasoned actor, often seen in both local and international projects, brings charisma and unpredictability to the Professor&rsquo;s enigmatic brother.

5. Hajra Yamin as Stockholm

Yamin, known for her nuanced portrayals, suits the arc of a hostage-turned-heister navigating survival and love.

6. Bilal Abbas Khan as Denver

One of Pakistan&rsquo;s most celebrated young actors, Bilal&rsquo;s blend of charm and vulnerability makes him a natural fit for Denver.

7. Shamoon Abbasi as Arturo

A veteran of edgy roles, Abbasi slips easily into the skin of the arrogant, disruptive hostage audiences love to despise.

8. Mehwish Hayat as Alicia Sierra

Hayat, acclaimed for both her dramatic and action-packed roles, brings grit and sharp wit to the relentless inspector.

9. Ahmed Ali Butt as Helsinki

Butt&rsquo;s versatility, balancing humor with warmth, makes him ideal for the tough yet gentle enforcer.

10. Hamza Sohail as Rio

A rising star with a boy-next-door charm, Sohail embodies the youthful hacker caught between love and loyalty.

11. Asif Raza Mir as Moscow

With decades of experience, Mir naturally carries the gravitas of a father figure holding the crew together.

12. Sarwat Gilani as Nairobi

Gilani&rsquo;s fierce yet compassionate performances align seamlessly with Nairobi&rsquo;s role as a leader with heart.

From Karachi&rsquo;s streets to Lahore&rsquo;s historic buildings, a desi Money Heist could easily transform into a high-stakes saga with local flair.]]>
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			<title>Mawra Hocane wants young girls to be financially independent</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2564433/mawra-hocane-wants-young-girls-to-be-financially-independent</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2564433/mawra-hocane-wants-young-girls-to-be-financially-independent#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 01 Sep 25 08:42:31 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
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			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor shares how her parents raised her to build a work ethic from a young age]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Mawra Hocane is all about female empowerment. The actor recently talked about the importance of young girls having financial autonomy in an Instagram video. &ldquo;I was taught at a very young age that for girls, financial independence is very important,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;

&ldquo;You don&rsquo;t understand that in your childhood,&rdquo; she said while she reflected on her upbringing. &ldquo;Urwa and I were school going girls when mama pushed us to do theater. It helped us build a work ethic. It becomes ingrained in you from a young age to make yourself useful, to work hard.&rdquo;

The Sanam Teri Kasam lead&nbsp;is okay with making little sacrifices. &ldquo;You can lose a little less sleep and&nbsp;it&rsquo;s okay, hustle is important,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;So I think this is our parent&rsquo;s effect on us.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Mawra had an important message for girls that look up to her. &ldquo;To all the girls watching, I would say there is nothing better than financial independence,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;

The newly-wed star also thinks that a supportive family can help but making it on your own is crucial. &ldquo;No matter how good your family is. How rich your family is. Or your in-laws or your husband. I think the money you earn with your hard work gives you a different kind of confidence.&rdquo;





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A post shared by Rubia Moghees (@rubiamoghees)





The actor&rsquo;s reflection on in-laws comes from experience as she tied the knot herself with co-star Ameer Gilani back in February. In photos shared on Instagram, the two posed together, adorned in their wedding attires. &quot;And in the middle of chaos, I found you,&quot; she wrote. Adding a short prayer, she punctuated the caption with the hashtag #MawraAmeerHogayi.

The two have also starred in projects together, including drama serials Sabaat and Neem.

Mawra is an entrepreneur herself and started a brand name with sister, Urwa in 2022. They did a wordplay with their brand name featuring the motivational hashtag #WHOCAN derived from their surname. The venture translated their sisterhood into something tangible and consisted of casual western wear, festive traditional wear and chic accessories.]]>
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			<title>Maya Ali’s marriage plans need no rush</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2564111/maya-alis-marriage-plans-need-no-rush</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2564111/maya-alis-marriage-plans-need-no-rush#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 30 Aug 25 09:59:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Entertainment Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2564111</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor believes you need a connection before you commit to someone]]>
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				<![CDATA[Maya Ali does not give into societal pressure. The actor recently made an appearance on podcast, Golootlo presents Naam Faizan this week. The actor was asked about her plans for marriage and she shared her unapologetic take on it.

&ldquo;We shouldn&rsquo;t get married simply because someone is asking why we haven&rsquo;t done so yet,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Or if someone tells you to get married because you are getting old or they have a suitable person in mind who might keep you happy.&rdquo;

Maya thinks that marriage is a serious matter. &ldquo;Marriage is a very important decision in your life,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Between two families and two individuals. For that, having a connection is crucial. If I ever find that connection in a person, I will definitely get married.&rdquo;

The actor is clear about her intentions for making the decision. &ldquo;Not because people are telling me to. Or if people are worried about my future and age.&rdquo;

She wants people to trust the process, &ldquo;If we so strongly believe that everything happens if God wants it to happen, then why can&rsquo;t we apply it to marriage?&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;This is His decision too.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The host asked Maya if she had yet found someone whom she wanted to marry. To this, the actor smiled and said, &ldquo;If I ever find someone like that, everyone will know.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The Mann Mayal actor touched upon her past experiences too, sharing, &ldquo;I have been in love of course, like everyone else,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;It depends if you fell for the right person or the wrong person.&rdquo;

The actor had a mature perspective to offer. &ldquo;Actually, there are no right or wrong people,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;You just might not be compatible. I might be wrong for the person. Finding love is easy but keeping it is difficult. I have tried it.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Maya has previously explained her preferences in a partner in a local talk show back in March.&rdquo;I need someone who understands my work and me, and also knows how to value a woman like she deserves,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I&#39;m looking for someone who respects my mother and I. And it&#39;s not like I wouldn&#39;t do the same. Obviously, I would. This is a two-way road. So, yes. I&#39;ll definitely get married when my heart knows it&#39;s time.&rdquo;]]>
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			<title>Imran Abbas is secure in his masculinity</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2563923/imran-abbas-is-secure-in-his-masculinity</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2563923/imran-abbas-is-secure-in-his-masculinity#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 29 Aug 25 09:03:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Entertainment Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Film]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2563923</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor claps back at Babrik Shah, says he isn’t manly enough]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Imran Abbas refuses to listen to the opinions of people who &lsquo;haven&rsquo;t made it in life&rsquo;. In a recent Instagram video shared over the weekend, the actor clapped back at Babrik Shah who said, &ldquo;Imran Abbas does not look like a man.&rdquo;

In a recent appearance on Hina Niazi&rsquo;s talk show Suno To Sahi, Babrik said that, &ldquo;Imran Abbas does not look like a hero. He is zero percent filmy material&rdquo;. The actor also remarked that Hamza Ali Abbasi is a seven out of ten in terms of acting and called Fawad Khan &lsquo;overrated,&rsquo; declaring he is a 50/50.

Imran did not shy away from answering back and counting his blessings. &ldquo;Whether anybody believes it or not, God keeps giving me more,&rdquo; he said in the video. &ldquo;So I don&rsquo;t care what people say because it comes with the package. These people have an inferiority complex, they are all left behind in life.&rdquo;

The actor pointed out a pattern in his haters. &ldquo;Whoever has written negatively about me, just open their profiles,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;You will get an idea where the person is from, what they are deprived of, what is in their heart. You will understand that their hearts are very sad because they don&rsquo;t have anything in their life. This happens in the profession too. They have the right because they are not doing too well themselves.&rdquo;

Offering some kind words, he said, &ldquo;I pray that God gives them success and guidance.&rdquo;

Following this incident, film star Reema Khan came out in Imran&rsquo;s support and penned a supportive message on Instagram. &ldquo;Dear Imran Abbas, don&rsquo;t let someone&rsquo;s sarcasm dim your light,&rdquo; she wrote. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re one of the most genuine, talented, hardworking, self-made, extremely handsome, humble and a wonderful human being I know and anyone who matters sees that.&rdquo;

Reema expressed her love for the actor. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m proud of you, actually we are all proud of your journey, love and will always stand on your back,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Keep rocking and attach more feathers on your cap.&rdquo;

Fans were quick to chip into this feud. &ldquo;How can anyone insult a co-actor like this,&rdquo; said one Instagram user. 

Another pointed out the host&rsquo;s fault in starting a bitter conversation, &ldquo;It is all the host&rsquo;s fault. Why don&rsquo;t celebrities boycott such hosts?&rdquo; 

A few agreed with Babrik and criticised Imran&rsquo;s acting. &ldquo;Imran Abbas does not know how to act. He used to be good looking but now he looks weird with so much make up on,&rdquo; shared one user. 

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>‘Main Manto Nahi Hoon’ faces backlash for hinting at a student-teacher romance</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2563088/main-manto-nahi-hoon-faces-backlash-for-hinting-towards-a-student-teacher-romance</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2563088/main-manto-nahi-hoon-faces-backlash-for-hinting-towards-a-student-teacher-romance#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 25 Aug 25 07:51:33 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Entertainment Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2563088</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Fans describe storyline as inappropriate]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The recent episodes of Main Manto Nahi Hoon has fans raising their eyebrows over the show&rsquo;s seemingly problematic build up of romance between the main characters. Public opinion holds that Manto (Humayun Saeed) and Mehmal (Sajal Ali) should not be romantically involved with each other.

The show follows the story of Mehmal, a girl from a violent and patriarchal family who fights to get higher education against her father&rsquo;s wishes. At university, she encounters the quiet writer-economics professor, Manto who shares his name with the legendary writer.

While not shown explicitly, the show is hinting towards a romance between Mehmal and Manto. In one scene, Mehmal&rsquo;s aunt teases her for having a crush on her professor by pointing out how much she talks about him, hinting towards a romantic attraction. In another scene, Manto grabs Mehmal&rsquo;s hand and tries to save her from her cousin Farhaad (Azaan Sami Khan) who is forcefully pursuing her. He later gets beaten up by Farhaad&#39;s guards for her.

Fans are disappointed by Sajal and Humayun&rsquo;s choice of script that is one the verge of normalizing such dynamics. One Instagram user wrote, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t understand how A-listers agree to doing crap like this, do you people not read scripts?&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Another Sajal-stan commented on her Instagram: &ldquo;I expected better script from you.&rdquo; 

&nbsp;

Despite the show&rsquo;s high-budget filmography and good acting, fans couldn&rsquo;t look past the writing, &ldquo;Even though Manto is a great character, I can&rsquo;t shake the weird feeling of a student and teacher having a romantic relationship(plus 20+ age gap)&rdquo; read one YouTube comment. &ldquo;I really hope Mehmal and her fiance (or Farhaad) come together.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Some pointed out the respect a student-teacher relationship demands.&ldquo;The heroines who haven&rsquo;t studied in university wouldn&#39;t know the respect teachers hold,&rdquo; read a YouTube comment. &ldquo;Students also have their own dignity, teachers are your spiritual parents. Such a poor script Sajal worked on.&rdquo; 

&nbsp;

Another was simply stunned by how wrong this dynamic is. &ldquo;No family will send their daughter to male teachers this way&rdquo; read the Instagram comment. &ldquo;And if they do, then teachers and students will start viewing each other from this lens, shame on this drama.You should all report this type of script as they will destroy pure relations and make people dirty minded.&rdquo; 

&nbsp;

The show is written by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar and directed by Nadeem Baig. It is being distributed by Six Sigma Plus and Next Level Entertainment and aired on ARY Digital. The drama features a star-studded cast with Humayun and Sajal taking the lead and Sanam Saeed, Asif Raza Mir, Saba Hamid, Saba Faisal, Saima Noor and Azaan Sami Khan in supporting roles.

Main Manto Nahi Hoon has been on air since 18 July and released its 12th episode this weekend.]]>
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			<title>Helen Mirren thinks we underestimate older people</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2562751/helen-mirren-thinks-we-underestimate-older-people</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2562751/helen-mirren-thinks-we-underestimate-older-people#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 23 Aug 25 06:28:39 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Reuters]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2562751</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor talks the joy of seeing elderly life experiences in 'The Thursday Murder Club']]>
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				<![CDATA[Actor Helen Mirren, one of the stars of The Thursday Murder Club,&nbsp;a movie about a group of retirees who enjoy cracking unresolved murder cases, said it&#39;s great to see older people&rsquo;s life experiences celebrated on screen on Thursday.&nbsp;

Eighty-year-old&nbsp;Mirren&nbsp;plays former spy Elizabeth Best in the new Netflix mystery, who along with her other impressive retired friends - played by Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie - find themselves with a real&nbsp;murder&nbsp;to solve.

&quot;We underestimate&nbsp;older&nbsp;people. I did it when I was 25,&quot;&nbsp;Mirren&nbsp;said at the film&#39;s premiere in London. &quot;It&#39;s&nbsp;absolutely right that young people feel as if the world is theirs and nobody&#39;s ever done what they&#39;re doing before, you know, but the reality is, of course, every generation has done everything that they&#39;re doing.&quot;

Directed by Chris Columbus, the film is based on Richard Osman&#39;s 2020 best-selling novel by the same name. &quot;I don&#39;t plot at all,&quot; Osman said of his writing process. &quot;I literally have a rough idea of what might happen. I have a little twist somewhere, but I literally write a chapter at a time and&nbsp;see&nbsp;what happens,&quot; he said.

Describing the movie, one of the screenplay writers, Katy Brand, said it mixes &quot;serious, heartfelt warmth&quot; and moments of silliness, humour and satire.

&quot;This whole sort of genre that we have in this country of the sort of Sunday night crime drama ... where amateur sleuthing goes on but&nbsp;it&#39;s&nbsp;also got mischief to it,&quot; said Osman.&nbsp;

As for the future, with three more novels in the series already out and a fifth instalment from Osman planned for autumn, he hopes there will be more films. &quot;Certainly if it does well,&quot; he said. &quot;I think the cast had such an amazing time last summer filming this. So I think they&#39;d like to spend next summer filming another one as well. Fingers crossed.&quot; Osman said.

Netflix&nbsp;NFLX.O&nbsp;will begin streaming The&nbsp;Thursday&nbsp;Murder&nbsp;Club&nbsp;on August 28.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Puppet show ‘Pakkay Dost’s’ YouTube account hacked</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2562392/puppet-show-pakkay-dosts-youtube-account-gets-hacked</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2562392/puppet-show-pakkay-dosts-youtube-account-gets-hacked#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 21 Aug 25 09:37:31 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Entertainment Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2562392</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Show’s creator Bilal Maqsood cautions people to not open any links from the channel]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Hackers have taken over the social media account of Pakistani puppet show, Pakkay Dost.

The show&rsquo;s creator, singer Bilal Maqsood, took to social media on Thursday and made the announcement.

&ldquo;Our Pakkay Dost YouTube channel has been hacked and is currently under someone else&rsquo;s control,&rdquo; he wrote.

Bilal reassured viewers that the necessary course of action is in place. &ldquo;We are already in touch with Google/YouTube and working to recover,&rdquo; he wrote. Cautioning viewers to protect their security, he further penned, &ldquo;Please do not click on any new videos or links from the channel until we confirm it&rsquo;s safe.&ldquo;



The puppet show came out in 2023 and its visuals and narrative garnered widespread acclaim, fostering a love for Urdu and imparting life lessons to children.

Bilal released a second volume of nursery rhymes from the show on YouTube last month.

Actor Sajal Ali gave her seal of approval and lauded Bilal&rsquo;s work on social media then and wrote, &ldquo;Bilal Maqsood, you are doing a great job!&rdquo; She appreciated the show&rsquo;s reignition of Urdu language amongst the youth, &ldquo;Urdu is a beautiful language and it&rsquo;s high time we stop running away from it.&rdquo;

The show has previously received praise from parents too. &ldquo;My kids absolutely adore Pakkay Dost. The little one didn&rsquo;t speak any Urdu and now randomly sings Pani hay bachana(one of the nursery rhymes on the show).&rdquo; read one Instagram comment. Another praised the show and wrote, &ldquo;Wonderful initiative to promote Urdu language for the new generation,&rdquo; with a string of clapping emojis.

In January, Bilal announced partnership with ConnectHear to make Pakkay Dost accessible to the hearing-impaired community through the integration of sign language interpretation. &quot;We are very excited to partner with ConnectHear,&quot; said Bilal. &quot;Our mission is to bring joy, learning and cultural enrichment and create a brighter childhood for all children. This collaboration is a significant step towards making Pakkay Dost truly inclusive and ensuring that every child can experience the magic of our show.&quot;

With the recent turn of events, Bilal asked for the support of his fans and wrote, &ldquo;Pray for its recovery.&rdquo;]]>
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			<title>Where are all the children's shows in Pakistan?</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2561246/where-are-all-the-childrens-shows-in-pakistan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2561246/where-are-all-the-childrens-shows-in-pakistan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 14 Aug 25 05:53:43 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Hina Ahmed]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2561246</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[From PTV classics to empty screens, the magic has disappeared]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Children often carry the memories of the shows that they watch during their early childhood into their adult lives. When Gen-Z recalls the shows they watched, the blue flying cape of Commander Safeguard as he fought the germ-filled advances of Dirtoo and Kachra Rani comes to their mind. There were not many shows that aired but the ones that did, became memorable and widely hyped. That&rsquo;s why local children&rsquo;s shows are important. They can allow children to watch themselves on screen and consume a more thoughtful source of entertainment.

For instance, in the golden era of PTV in the 90s, shows like Ainak Wala Jinn and Sim Sim Hamara appealed to the younger audience. &ldquo;I would get really excited about it,&rdquo; said Farhana Naheed, a regular viewer of PTV&rsquo;S children&rsquo;s shows in an interview with The Lifestyle desk at The Express Tribune. &ldquo;We would all discuss the shows in school the next day. We would all clap in front of the TV and have our snacks ready. I don&rsquo;t think kids do that nowadays. They were on TV after 5pm and we would make sure to complete all our work before that. They would also not repeat so if you missed it, you missed it. There was no YouTube at the time for a rewatch either.&rdquo;



This no longer seems to be the case now. Children between the ages of 6 to 13 spend their time glued to their mobile devices. This excessive screen time leads to various problems, including sleep deprivation, eye strain, and decreased attention span.

Abdul Rauf, creator of PTV&rsquo;S kids&#39; music show Saray Sur Hamaray in 2018 believes the same. &ldquo;There are no shows being made for kids,&rdquo; said Rauf while talking to the Lifestyle desk at The Express Tribune. &ldquo;Name any channel, there are only comedians that sit and insult each other. Who are they entertaining? The kids of our time need guidance, we would have game shows with quizzes and debates, all of that has ended now. Parents just hand their kids mobile phones now and they play games all day. It&rsquo;s their whole lives now.&rdquo;

Jamal Khurshid who briefly worked as an art director on Commander Safeguard in 2005 talked about the same need. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a vacuum of stuff that people want to see,&rdquo; he said while talking to the Lifestyle desk at The Express Tribune. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s trendy because no other source of entertainment exists. Whether it&rsquo;s good or bad depends upon taste to taste. These shows were mediocre according to me but they are exactly what people needed to see at the time. I don&rsquo;t know if Commander Safeguard was a good program but it did entertain a lot of people.&rdquo;

Khurshid talked about the shows&rsquo; downsides. &ldquo;The problem with Commander Safeguard was that it was a commercial for a product,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;He has the soap name written on his chest. If you look at Western superheroes, Spiderman and Batman aren&rsquo;t trying to sell anything. You don&rsquo;t put product commercials on characters made for kids, I find the act manipulative. Commander Safeguard did inspire some superhero characters like Burka Avenger and 3 Bahadur though.&rdquo; 

One example of a thoughtful show is Burka Avenger. Created by band Awaz&rsquo;s musician Haroon, it is the story of Jiya, a school teacher whose alter ego is the super-heroine named Burka Avenger. She fights for justice, peace and literacy. However, Burka Avenger aired in 2013, about twelve years ago and very few shows have come out after that.

The show featured a relatable storyline that resonated with Pakistani children. &ldquo;The way good TV shows work is that you take a story and localise it,&rdquo; Khurshid expanded on what makes Burka Avenger good. &ldquo;Shows abroad will pick up a black neighbourhood and create a show on life revolving around the hood, in order for the audience to relate to it. We should also do the same. Pick up a disadvantaged area and narrate about their kids. Make the characters brown, more relatable. That&rsquo;s why I like Burka Avenger. Haroon went for something that was trying to cater to the locals rather than us trying to be West. We need to create our own industry.&rdquo;



The only good example of a recent show featuring representation with entertainment is Pakkay Dost. Pakkay Dost is a children&#39;s puppet show created by former Strings member, Bilal Maqsood and funded by the ministry of culture and tourism in Sindh in 2023. The show fosters a love for the Urdu language while imparting life lessons.

&ldquo;My kids absolutely adore Pakkay Dost. The little one didn&rsquo;t speak any Urdu and now randomly sings Pani hay bachana(one of the nursery rhymes on the show).&rdquo; read one Instagram comment. Another praised the show and wrote, &ldquo;Wonderful initiative to promote Urdu language for the new generation,&rdquo; with a string of clapping emojis.

&ldquo;Representation of a similar culture, language and environment doesn&rsquo;t only help them learn about their roots and values, it instills a deeper connection which we have lost over time due to neglect in this regard,&rdquo; said Beenish Umer, production designer of Pakkay Dost in an interview with the Lifestyle desk at The Express Tribune. &ldquo;It is essential to have Pakistani content for children so they can see a representation of themselves in the media.&rdquo;

Looking at the lack of initiative to make content for children, there&rsquo;s no denying that available shows are not enough to cater to the local audience and have declined in quality since the PTV era. The shows that did exist had their share of the good and bad.

Here&rsquo;s to hoping the industry gets back on its feet and starts working for the largest age group in Pakistan.]]>
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			<title>Farhan Saeed confirms ‘Suno Chanda 3’ script is underway</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2558662/farhan-saeed-confirms-suno-chanda-3-script-is-underway</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2558662/farhan-saeed-confirms-suno-chanda-3-script-is-underway#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jul 25 07:39:48 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Entertainment Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2558662</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor-singer’s presence in show is pending]]>
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				<![CDATA[Farhan Saeed has addressed fan speculation surrounding a potential third season of Suno Chanda, confirming that its script is currently in development. The actor-singer recently appeared in an episode of Tapmad&rsquo;s YouTube series, where he participated in a segment titled &ldquo;Truth or Rumour.&rdquo;

When asked by the host, &ldquo;Suno Chanda 3 script is secretly in the works and you have already read the script,&rdquo; Saeed responded, &ldquo;Half of it is true and half of it is false.&rdquo; He further clarified, &ldquo;I have not read the script but it is being written. I&rsquo;m not sure if the show will definitely happen.&rdquo;

Loyal fans of the show erupted with excitement following Saeed&rsquo;s statement. One fan echoed the audience&#39;s wishes, commenting, &ldquo;We want Suno Chanda season 3!&rdquo; while another enthusiastically wrote, &ldquo;Can&rsquo;t wait, Farhan Saeed! Bring it on!&rdquo;

However, the confirmation was met with some skepticism as well. One Instagram user commented, &ldquo;Wanna see them (Farhan Saeed and Iqra Aziz) together but in a different type of story. Suno Chanda 3 shouldn&rsquo;t be in continuation with previous seasons!&rdquo; Another criticised the idea of reviving the show, writing, &ldquo;They don&rsquo;t have anything new or creative to grow the industry, that&rsquo;s why it is getting worse day by day.&rdquo;

Suno Chanda was a game-changer in the world of Ramadan dramas. From its very first episode in 2018, the series captured hearts across Pakistan and beyond, becoming one of the most beloved Ramadan dramas of all time. The on-screen chemistry between lead actors Farhan Saeed and Iqra Aziz was undeniable, and the show quickly became a go-to for families seeking a feel-good, laughter-filled experience during the holy month.

Back in March, Farhan Saeed shared that while he would be thrilled to return to his beloved character, he had one condition: the story must be fresh and original. He emphasized, &ldquo;I am happy to do it, but it has to be with a new story, and then we&rsquo;ll see how the fans receive it.&rdquo;

In 2022, the show&rsquo;s writer, Saima Akram Chaudhry, also promised to pen the third season of the hit series. Taking to Instagram, she wrote, &ldquo;I am so overwhelmed by the response of my fans. This is the love I have been carrying since season one.&rdquo; She added, &ldquo;If my fans showered the same love for my current projects, Hum Tum and Chaudhry and Sons, then this is my promise that I am going to write Suno Chanda season 3,&nbsp;for the love of Suno Chanda.&rdquo;

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.]]>
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			<title>‘Mayi Ri’ does not need a sequel: Director Meesum Naqvi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2558290/mayi-ri-does-not-need-a-sequel-director-meesum-naqvi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2558290/mayi-ri-does-not-need-a-sequel-director-meesum-naqvi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 25 09:44:17 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Entertainment Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2558290</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[How ‘Parwarish’ was created in response to high viewer demand for duo Aina-Samar]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[Fan-favourite director Meesum Naqvi made an appearance in an episode of YouTube series, Gup Shup with FUCHSIA Magazine, where he answered fan questions such as whether Mayi Ri will have a second season and how Parwarish&rsquo;s script was developed.

&ldquo;When we created Mayi Ri, beautiful things like Aina and Samar happened,&rdquo; Naqvi said. &ldquo;They gathered an insane fan following.&quot; After Mayi Ri, the production house wanted Naqvi to cast Aina Asif and Samar Jafri together again.

Mayi Ri delved into the life of a 15-year-old schoolgirl who is compelled to marry her underage cousin. The show unraveled the devastating consequences of child marriages, which can shatter innocent childhoods forever. On the other hand, Parwarish touches upon the challenges of parenthood and turns the spotlight on the younger generation&rsquo;s ache for control and independence.

Both shows have captivated viewers with their layered scripts and focus on meaningful societal issues.

Naqvi shared that he did not want to make Mayi Ri 2. &ldquo;What would even be the plot of it, that the couple does a halala and is back together?&rdquo; he asked. &ldquo;That would not have made sense.&rdquo;

&ldquo;I made the show against child marriage, and I cannot have negated that just because people wanted the two back together. There will be no Mayi Ri 2 because I have told a complete story,&rdquo; clarified the director.

Naqvi still wanted to make something with the two of them together, and Parwarish was created.

The director was not fully on board with Parwarish at the start. &ldquo;Two years after Mayi Ri, I didn&rsquo;t have any ongoing projects. Someone in the production house asked, &lsquo;Why not Parwarish?&rsquo; The script wasn&rsquo;t complete at the time so I was a bit hesitant. The people at the production encouraged me to give it a go. Eventually, I gave it a read and loved it!&rdquo;

Regarding the two main leads, Aina had a bit of scheduling issues but made it work. For Samar&rsquo;s background, the director shared, &ldquo;We were always sure that Samar would play the character of Wali. The character was designed keeping him in mind, from his music background to his personality traits.&rdquo;

Calling upon repetitive storytelling, the director revealed, &ldquo;We initially considered turning Nooray Zeeshan into one of the heroines and creating a proper love triangle. I didn&rsquo;t do it because I did not want to show cousin marriages on screen. We had seen enough of this in Mayi Ri.&rdquo;

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.]]>
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			<title>Do not fall for the lies spouted by ‘We Were Liars’ </title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2557434/do-not-fall-for-the-lies-spouted-by-we-were-liars</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2557434/do-not-fall-for-the-lies-spouted-by-we-were-liars#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 25 08:40:15 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Urooba Rasool]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Art and Books]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2557434</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[In both show and book format, steel yourself for an unreliable narrator as insufferable as an adolescent’s essay]]>
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				<![CDATA[It is a rare achievement for a book and its corresponding television show to be as spectacularly terrible as each other in a stunning array of ways, but We Were Liars is the unique work of art that pulls it off.

Nobody else will tell you this, by the way. In a bid to eat into hours of your time that you will never get back, E Lockhart&#39;s We Were Liars attempts to sell us the story of Cadence Sinclair, her picture-perfect cousins, their tiny private island, their idyllic sun-drenched, sea-soaked summer holidays. There is also a terrible tragedy that Cadence alludes to but does not deign to give us any details about.

A huge part of the reason for Cadence&#39;s reticence is that she has no memory of any of these terrible things, and no one with a fully functioning memory in her life sees fit to supply answers. Additionally, despite the promising title, nobody actually does any lying here. Everyone is just irritatingly obtuse. Cadence is left to play detective, causing you to come close to throwing either your remote or the book by the time she has arrives at her tortuous conclusion. We really need to find a way to cure literary amnesia to spare future readers the pain of a rambling, incoherent protagonist who probably could have been shoved off a cliff at the earliest opportunity.

Unfortunately, not everyone subscribes to these unkind thoughts about fictional amnesiacs like Cadence. Enraptured BookTokkers who were late in picking up this 2014 bestseller, along with giddy IMDb reviewers who fell in love with the Prime Video show of the same name which arrived in June, will conspire to trap you into the well of horror that is both the book and the limited series. Do not be the deluded fool who falls for their solemn promises of excellence, unless you enjoy the incomplete, imaginatively punctuated sentences spilling forth from an unreliable teenaged narrator who unfurls a twist that makes you heartily wish she had perished on page 1 - of both the book and the script. Consider this warning a public service.

A rambling mess 

If you are not already overflowing with gratitude for this simple public service, you should be, because you have now been spared two days of skimming through tedious descriptions of our heroine&#39;s trauma-induced headaches. And do not feel you will be left out of this headache party if you only plan on watching the show! You show watchers will also get to experience your fair share of We Were Liar-induced headaches after suffering through intense close-ups of blinding blonde hair and shiny white teeth. Before you are all up in arms, we must make it clear, we are not discriminating against dental hygiene and bright hair hair; what we are saying is, one should not have to reach for sunglasses upon finding oneself in extreme close quarters with teeth that dazzle like the sun and dominate the screen, certainly not one we are are squinting at these teeth on TV instead of our phones.



Anyway, just what manner of trauma has caused Cadence to be plagued with her aches and pains is not made immediately clear; what is certainly clear is that gets them, and keeps us all in the loop with no thought to spare for commas or, indeed, punctuation of any description - at least not in the traditional sense. Devoid of scaffolding and structure, Cadence&rsquo;s sentences melt into one another with not quite the finesse of sugar pooling into caramel on a hot pan, but more like instant coffee granules spilling onto a wet kitchen floor. You are left with sludge, a mess that you wish you a nearby adult would clean up, until you remember that you are the only adult in the vicinity, and no one else is coming to do any cleaning. In doing so, Cadence has become the Holden Caufield of the 21st century, which is not quite the sterling recommendation lovers of Catcher in the Rye would like to think it is.

Irritating comrades 

Like all her fellow teenage protagonists, Cadence also has a love interest her age who goes by &lsquo;Gat&rsquo;. Gat is the Montague to her Capulet, the Jack to her Rose. We are informed in both the book and show (via Cadence&rsquo;s expository monologue), that Gat is &ldquo;contemplation and enthusiasm. Ambition and strong coffee.&rdquo; In case we missed it, we are reminded of it repeatedly, although the first time we get this opening description of him is when Cadence and Gat are both eight years old, so quite what she knows about either ambition or strong coffee at that age is a bit of a question mark. Perhaps the strong coffee is a metaphor for Gat&rsquo;s skin colour (owing to his Indian heritage, which of course must be given a food-oriented description if we are to have any hope of picturing what he looks like.) It certainly isn&rsquo;t because Gat is a caffeine addict. We have also yet to deduce what levels of ambition or contemplation Gat radiated at age eight that were picked by young Cadence.

Gat is not the only person who is awarded such trite allegories. On both page and screen, Cadence&rsquo;s cousins and best friends, John and Mirren, come with similar labels. John, apparently, is &ldquo;bounce, effort, and snark.&rdquo; Mirren, meanwhile, is &ldquo;sugar, curiosity, and rain.&rdquo; How does one come spring-loaded with effort or sugar? This, like Gat&rsquo;s ambition and coffee, remains tantalisingly unclear, although if at least one easily impressed reviewer is to be believed, all of this is indicative of &ldquo;beautifully executed, spare, precise, and lyrical prose.&quot;

In addition to being snark, sugar, and strong coffee, John, Mirren, and Gat form the bedrock of Cadence&rsquo;s annual sland holidays, which, as you may have guessed due to the presence of the mysterious Bad Thing, are not quite as idyllic as either lyrical prose or close-up shots of beautiful sun-kissed hair will lead you to believe. Will Cadence&rsquo;s besties help her find the answers she so desperately and tediously seeks?



If you are the type of reader who prefers that their book or show sticks to the genre that has been promised in the blurb, then I have even more bad news for you, because We Were Liars takes liberties here as well. With a plot that moves with the speed of an elderly sloth with arthritis, we must ask ourselves: are we dealing with a murder mystery? A supernatural thriller? A medical drama? Is any of this real? Are BookTokkers high?

The good news is that we do end up receiving answers for most of these questions. The bad news is that the answers will probably send you into a spiral of rage cleaning as you try to delete them from your mind. (Thoughts and prayers if you embark on this foolish book or show journey during a long-haul flight, when the advantages of rage cleaning are not available to you.) In short, I trust this public service message will have made it abundantly clear that you should definitely recommend We Were Liars - in both show and book format - to a much loathed foe.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below. 
&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Aina Asif is still a kid, and wants you to remember it when you troll her face</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2556409/aina-asif-is-still-a-kid-and-wants-you-to-remember-it-when-you-troll-her-face</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2556409/aina-asif-is-still-a-kid-and-wants-you-to-remember-it-when-you-troll-her-face#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 25 11:57:54 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Entertainment Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2556409</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[‘Parwarish’ star talks trolls, favourite roles, protecting her peace ]]>
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				<![CDATA[You need not have a particularly vivid imagination to picture the pressures faced by a teenaged actor in a world of unfiltered social media piggybacked to a ruthless comments section. If, however, you lack even the unvivid imagination required to come to this realisation on your own, 16-year-old actor Aina Asif is here to confirm that the throbbing pressure is indeed real - albeit backed with support, passion, and an ounce of common sense, it is entirely survivable.

Taking pains to illustrate the unique experience of a Gen Z adolescent flourishing in the public eye, the young Parwarish star could not stress enough in a BBC Urdu interview&nbsp;that viewers still struggle to grasp her real age. &ldquo;No matter how I dress, no matter how I act, people know I&rsquo;m 16!&rdquo; she began. &ldquo;Everyone knows this, and yet they say, &lsquo;But you don&rsquo;t look like a child!&rsquo; But whatever I look like, I still have the mind of a 16-year-old!&rdquo;&nbsp;





Becoming Maya&nbsp;

Aina&rsquo;s acting career began at the tender age of 14 when she played a teenaged mother in Mayi Ri, although her current claim to fame is playing the head-over-heels-in-love Maya in Parwarish. Fans will recall Maya convincing her (deeply concerned) mother that her beau of choice, Wali, is in his &lsquo;struggling phase&rsquo; and will soon be rolling in riches after he embarks on his imminent career in music.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Maya is close to her mother, and has the space to vent and share her feelings - something she cannot do with her father,&rdquo; noted Aina.&nbsp;

Whatever else the script puts Maya through (&ldquo;Maya is forced into marriage, and I cannot even imagine myself in a situation like that!&rdquo;) sharing a bond with a parent is nothing new to the girl who brings her to life. As someone who has grown up in a loving, supportive family.&nbsp; environment, the closeness Maya shares with her mother is one that, to Aina, felt like home.&nbsp;

&ldquo;I found it so relatable to play Maya, because I, too, can tell my mother anything,&rdquo; explained Aina. &ldquo;I feel like Maya has a canvas on which she can express her emotions, which is very much needed for a growing child.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Relatable roles&nbsp;

Not all of her roles, of course, have been as easy to relate to for the emerging young actor. If Aina found it difficult to stomach playing a young girl forced into marriage, inhabiting the skin of a teenage mother, Aini, in Mayi Ri was one she found even more alien.&nbsp;

&ldquo;When I was filming Mayi Ri, I was still learning. I was 15 - no, 14!&rdquo; recalled Aina. &ldquo;My character had a daughter, so when I would pick her - because of course, there was a real kid on set! - she would cry every time. Then I would turn to the camera, because I was so flustered! I was like &lsquo;I&rsquo;m a kid too, How am I supposed to handle this?&rsquo;&rdquo;

So overwhelmed was Aina that she would seek solace from director Meesam Naqvi (who has also directed Parwarish) and plead, &ldquo;Should I just give her my phone for two minutes?&rdquo; Two years down the line, Aina has not forgotten her director&rsquo;s next words.

&ldquo;He would say, &lsquo;No, Aina, if you are so frustrated, remember that you will go home at 10PM. You will not have to put her to bed or anything. But a real mother your age (because Aini was my age), she will feel the same things. I want you to feel things, because I want these things to come out.&rdquo;

The realisation that other girls endure in real life what she was struggling to portray on screen proved to be a humbling lesson for Aina.&nbsp;

&ldquo;It really hit me that me, Aina, with the family that I come from, it&rsquo;s very different from the characters that I play,&rdquo; pointed out the star. &ldquo;I mean, I cannot even imagine that my mother or father would come and tell me - and this age, especially - that they have found a rishta for me. So to understand that hurt, that pain, was a little difficult for me, but once it hit me, it hit me hard.&rdquo;

The impact of Aini&rsquo;s story, and what it represents, is not lost on Aina. &ldquo;Even today when I think of Aini, I get teary-eyed,&rdquo; she confessed. &ldquo;Because what happened to her was so unfair.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Finding fame at 14

Besides having the opportunity to peek into how the other half lives, as it were, Aina is well aware of the cost of having a very public career at her age. If she had her own say, she would reduce working hours for actors, but for now, she has set her own boundaries (&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t wear revealing clothes and I don&rsquo;t like intimate scenes&rdquo;). Through it all, she still acutely feels the pressure of finding fame at 14.&nbsp;

&ldquo;You need to enforce a specific track or mindset on yourself,&rdquo; she insisted. &ldquo;I need to make sure that I am not affected by some things. As for criticism, - there are some parts that I need to understand, but these are the people who will help you get where you need to go. You need to know who you should listen to and who you can ignore.&rdquo;

Social media, of course, is a different ballgame. Again, Aina has been forced to learn to block out hurtful comments - mainly about her looks - and has trained herself to firmly look the other way.&nbsp;

&ldquo;It used to affect me so much - to the point where if I read something negative about me, it would ruin my whole night,&rdquo; she admitted. &ldquo;I would start to cry. Now - I am still affected, I am not totally immune, but I try to not think about them so much.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Aina does, however, have some choiceful words for those who insist on commenting on her looks or comparing her unkindly to cartoon characters online - something she assures viewers has happened.&nbsp;

&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think anyone should comment on the way anyone looks. If you don&rsquo;t like someone, don&rsquo;t watch them!&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I remember one time I saw this post where someone was comparing me to a cartoon character [...] I didn&rsquo;t realise until later that they meant it as an insult!&rdquo;

The actor then did the very thing she should have avoided: she dived into the comments section. &ldquo;Everyone was making fun of me! It affected me - but then I felt sad that people don&rsquo;t see the craft. My career is about acting. They don&rsquo;t consider that I&rsquo;m a child. These things obviously hurt!&rdquo;

Aina&rsquo;s eye-opening foray into the world of social media has led to a determination that there are parts of herself she will never reveal to fans and followers. &ldquo;There are certain parts of my life that are just mine that no one has been able to comment on,&rdquo; she insisted. &ldquo;If people start criticising that too, I would lose myself.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.&nbsp;

&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>Faisal Rehman is a riot to work with: Tazeen Hussain recalls shooting 'Qarze Jaan'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2556212/faisal-rehman-is-a-riot-to-work-with-tazeen-hussain-recalls-shooting-qarze-jaan</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2556212/faisal-rehman-is-a-riot-to-work-with-tazeen-hussain-recalls-shooting-qarze-jaan#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 25 10:57:26 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Entertainment Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2556212</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor showers praise on long-standing co-star]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[What&rsquo;s it like picking up where you left off with a co-worker from 28 years ago? If your name is Tazeen Hussain and that co-worker is fellow actor Faisal Rehman, then the answer is very simple: it is as if no time has passed by at all.&nbsp;

&ldquo;It felt not like 28 years, but 28 minutes. Or 28 seconds!&rdquo; recalled Tazeen about her onscreen husband from Qarze Jaan (2024) in a resurfaced clip from The Rafay Mahmood podcast. Eagle-eyed fans of classics from Pakistani television will recall the pair from Shahpar (1997). But although 1997 may be locked away in the previous century, Tazeen is adamant that the Faisal of today is no different from the Faisal she remembers from almost three decades ago.&nbsp;





&ldquo;Faisal hasn&rsquo;t changed much, and he told me I haven&rsquo;t changed much!&rdquo; continued Tazeen. &ldquo;He is a riot to work with. That&rsquo;s how it was before, and that&rsquo;s how it is now.&rdquo;

According to Tazeen, the effervescent energy Faisal brings to the set is rooted in his love for thinking on his feet. &ldquo;A lot of our scenes have a lot of improvisations. He&rsquo;s amazing with that,&rdquo; she explained.&nbsp;

Tazeen is adamant that her long-time co-star is also adept at tweaking a scene before anyone can quash his ideas. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s very clever!&rdquo; admitted Tazeen. &ldquo;He knows if he tells [me what he is up to], I won&rsquo;t agree! So he just does it on camera!&rdquo;&nbsp;

However much she may be taken by surprise during a shoot, Tazeen&rsquo;s chemistry with Faisal is such that she is able to draw on instinct during her scenes with him. &ldquo;My reaction to him would be totally natural,&rdquo; admitted the actor.&nbsp;

Having cultivated this shared history and fun-loving chemistry with her seasoned co-star, Tazeen credited Faisal for allowing her to feel comfortable behind the camera, even when she experienced inner turmoil at the demands of a scene.&nbsp;

&ldquo;You know my wedding night sequence [in Qarze Jaan]? I was so stressed over it, and I told [director] Saqib [Khan] that I couldn&rsquo;t do it, it was too awkward. But he got me to calm down and shot it beautifully. And it became what it did because Faisal was with me. It is so important to have a relaxed relationship with the actor you are working with.&rdquo;&nbsp;

In Tazeen&rsquo;s experience, the fact that Faisal exudes this air of comfort, coupled with his refusal to belittle anyone he works with, combine together to make working with him a joy.&nbsp;

&ldquo;He respects all his co-stars, whether they are new or experienced. That, and he owns what he is doing and he is totally shameless and unapologetic about it. That&rsquo;s what makes him what he is!&rdquo;

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>'Severance' charges ahead to lead Emmy nominations with 27 nods</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2556173/severance-charges-ahead-to-lead-emmy-nominations-with-27-nods</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2556173/severance-charges-ahead-to-lead-emmy-nominations-with-27-nods#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 25 04:54:09 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2556173</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Apple TV+ drama was followed by HBO Max's Batman spinoff 'The Penguin', which bagged 24 nominations]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Apple TV+&#39;s dark sci-fi office drama Severance&nbsp;on Tuesday led the contenders for the Emmy Awards, television&#39;s version of the Oscars, with a whopping 27 nominations.

The Penguin,&nbsp;HBO Max&#39;s Batman villain spinoff series, came in second with 24.



Two satires - HBO Max&#39;s skewering of the rich, The White Lotus,&nbsp;and Apple&#39;s new Hollywood cringe fest, The Studio&nbsp;- tied for third with 23 nominations each.

In the comedy categories, behind The Studio&nbsp;were two past winners: Hacks&nbsp;at 14 and The Bear&nbsp;at 13.

The announcement from the Television Academy marks the official start of the race to the 77th Emmy Awards, set for September 14 in Los Angeles.

After last year&#39;s record-breaking 18 Emmy Awards for Japan-set historical epic Shogun,&nbsp;this year&#39;s drama competition looks to be more nuanced.

Severance,&nbsp;in which employees of biotech company Lumon have their memories surgically separated between their &quot;innie&quot; work lives and their &quot;outie&quot; personal lives, is clearly the early favourite, with star Adam Scott a nominee for best actor.

But he will compete with ER&nbsp;veteran Noah Wyle, who leads The Pitt&nbsp;- HBO Max&#39;s take on the travails of a Pittsburgh emergency room team during one 15-hour shift, effectively filmed in real time.

&quot;It&#39;s ER on steroids!&quot; Deadline awards expert Pete Hammond told AFP of the show, which earned 13 nods.

Also competing for best drama honours are Disney+&#39;s Star Wars&nbsp;offshoot Andor,&nbsp;Netflix&#39;s The Diplomat,&nbsp;HBO&#39;s apocalyptic video game adaptation The Last of Us,&nbsp;Hulu political thriller Paradise,&nbsp;Apple&#39;s spy drama Slow Horses,&nbsp;and The White Lotus.



Scott and Wyle have stiff competition for best actor: Oscar winner Gary Oldman in Slow Horses,&nbsp;Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) and Sterling K&nbsp;Brown (Paradise).

Scott&#39;s co-star Britt Lower is a nominee for best drama actress, alongside Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us) and Keri Russell (The Diplomat).

The White Lotus&nbsp;earned a slew of acting nominations in the supporting categories.

The Penguin&nbsp;is competing for best limited series honours against Dying for Sex&nbsp;(FX)&nbsp;and three Netflix efforts: buzzy teen murder saga Adolescence,&nbsp;Black Mirror,&nbsp;and true-crime saga Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.

Adolescence&nbsp;breakout star Owen Cooper, who plays a 13-year-old British boy accused of murdering a female classmate, earned a nomination for supporting actor.



Monsters,&nbsp;the story of a pair of California brothers in prison for killing their parents after what they say was years of sexual and physical abuse, earned acting nods for Cooper Koch, Javier Bardem and Chloe Sevigny.

Comedy newcomer&nbsp;

In the comedy categories, new series The Studio,&nbsp;a satire starring Seth Rogen that eviscerates the film industry, emerged as a clear favourite.

Rogen also wrote and produced the show, which earned acting nominations for Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O&#39;Hara and six guest performers.

Hacks&nbsp;- starring Jean Smart as a stand-up comedian who locks horns with her dysfunctional millennial assistant -&nbsp;won for best comedy and best actress in September last year, and is nominated again in those categories.



The Bear,&nbsp;a dark satire set in the Chicago restaurant world, took the top prize at the previous ceremony (held in January 2024 due to Hollywood strikes), and its star Jeremy Allen White has two trophies for best actor.

Beyond those three, other nominees for best comedy series are ABC&#39;s mockumentary-style sitcom Abbott Elementary,&nbsp;rom-com Nobody Wants This&nbsp;(Netflix), Hulu&#39;s Only Murders in the Building,&nbsp;Apple&#39;s Shrinking,&nbsp;and FX&#39;s vampire laugh riot What We Do in the Shadows.



Harvey Guillen (What We Do in the Shadows) and Brenda Song (Running Point) unveiled the key nominations in a livestreamed ceremony.

Voting members of the US-based Television Academy will then have a month to catch up on their viewing before final-round voting begins in mid-August.

The September 14 gala will be hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>We are reduced to beggars in the Pakistani television industry, says Mehreen Jabbar</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2554761/we-are-reduced-to-beggars-in-the-pakistani-television-industry-says-mehreen-jabbar</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2554761/we-are-reduced-to-beggars-in-the-pakistani-television-industry-says-mehreen-jabbar#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 25 10:06:37 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Entertainment Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2554761</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Filmmaker slams production houses’ inability to pay workers]]>
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				<![CDATA[For those of you harbouring the impression that a career in the Pakistani television industry equates to a thriving bank account, director and producer Mehreen Jabar is here to burst that bubble.

&ldquo;Our drama industry has progressed a lot, and there has been a very high viewership,&rdquo; conceded Mehreen during a virtual interview with Drama Pakistani. &ldquo;But behind the scenes, there is a lot of compromise and this industry operates in a very unprofessional way. That is the sad part.&rdquo;

The New York-based Ek Jhooti Love Story director, who has accrued a rich catalogue of work over her three-decade career, lamented that actors and crew have a constant struggle extracting payments out of Pakistani production houses.

&ldquo;You know, in the US, they have many problems, but over there, payment schedules are kept. You know you will be paid,&rdquo; she illustrated. &ldquo;But in Pakistan, with every channel and production house (and yes, some are better than others), you have to chase them like beggars, asking when you will be paid.&rdquo;

Mehreen confirmed that this is not an issue limited to just actors. &ldquo;Everyone faces this, from actors to the spot boy to the director,&rdquo; maintained the filmmaker. &ldquo;There is no system. You ask anyone, and you will get thousands of stories about payment issues.&rdquo;

The director noted that in this shambolic set-up, it is the behind-the-scenes crew members who pay the biggest price. &ldquo;If you compare the salaries of our light men and crew (because you have to make things in a certain budget), what they are paid, it is very low,&rdquo; rued Mehreen. &ldquo;There is no union here, so no one can really fight for their rights - but they are the ones who work the hardest [...] I don&rsquo;t know how this cycle will ever break&rdquo;

The director elaborated that owing to such this frustrating state of affairs in the Pakistani entertainment industry, taking on a project in her country of origin has proved to be a largely unrewarding experience.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s very frustrating to be shooting in Pakistan sometimes. The smoothest in my experience has been either a short series, because those end in about 35 days, or if a brand is involved,&rdquo; she mused. &ldquo;Which is the sad thing, because our drama industry is the biggest industry media wise, since we have no films and our musicians are strugglings. So our TV industry has to find a way to make the behind the scenes environment better!&rdquo;

Mehreen, however, has limited hopes that a radical industry change addressing the issue of timely payments will ever come. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been working for 30 years now, and sometimes I feel the issues I faced then still exist today. In fact maybe they are even worse!&rdquo;

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.]]>
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			<title>‘Shut up, I am sad’: The internet responds to Danish Taimoor in 'Sher' psych ward scene</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2554161/shut-up-i-am-sad-the-internet-responds-to-danish-taimoor-in-sher-psych-ward-scene</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2554161/shut-up-i-am-sad-the-internet-responds-to-danish-taimoor-in-sher-psych-ward-scene#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jul 25 09:34:59 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Entertainment Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category><category><![CDATA[Gossip]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2554161</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor goes off the deep end, and takes the set design with him]]>
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			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[(Spoiler alert!)

The internet is having yet another field day with a Danish Taimoor drama. No, it is not him handcuffing himself to a woman like he did in Mann Mast Malang but it is his portrayal of mental illness in the latest episode of Sher that took things to a whole new level.

Let&rsquo;s rewind: Fajar was supposed to marry Sher&rsquo;s younger brother. She bailed. Drama ensued. Sher got shot, or well, his aunt did. And now? Sher is in a full-blown mental health crisis and has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital.

Last night&#39;s episode featured a scene so unintentionally hilarious that it hijacked TikTok and sparked a thousand memes. In this now-viral clip, Sher sits slumped on the floor of his room, surrounded by a wall of scribbles. Among the chaotic scrawls are phrases like &ldquo;Shut up, I am sad,&rdquo; &ldquo;Kill me,&rdquo; and bizarrely, &ldquo;Corona Virus&rdquo; written in Urdu.

For reasons best left to the production team&rsquo;s imagination, the psych ward room is also decorated with stock photo-style framed diagrams of brains presumably to remind every patient that yes, they are indeed crazy. Very subtle, very sensitive, very&hellip; not how psychiatric care works.

Perhaps the most bizarre and frankly unsettling aspect of this entire arc is that Sher Zaman is shown shackled to his hospital bed as if he were a high-risk prisoner rather than a patient in professional care. It&rsquo;s a jarring image, one that evokes more of a prison drama than a medical facility.

Social media reacts

One user on TikTok commented, &ldquo;Me as a little kid in my bedroom after being yelled at by my parents.&rdquo; Relatable!



Another user said, &ldquo;How I feel trying to explain something logical to my desi coworkers.&rdquo; We&rsquo;ve all been there!



&ldquo;It literally said coronavirus.&rdquo; We really wonder why?



&ldquo;&lsquo;Shut up I am sad&rsquo; 😭 im gonna use this everywhere now.&rdquo; Us too!



While the memes are undoubtedly hilarious and the virality is free promo, this scene does raise an important question: when will our dramas start treating mental health with the nuance it deserves? Is this our understanding of treatment?

The regression from something layered like Main Abdul Qadir Hoon, a well-thought out and executed drama that explored mental health and personal growth to Sher&rsquo;s wall-of-doodles is disappointing.

It&rsquo;s high time big production houses, veteran writers, and star actors collaborate to depict mental health with dignity.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.]]>
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			<title>Playing Maya's mom in 'Parwarish' opened a floodgate of traumatic stories: Bakhtawar Mazhar</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2554152/playing-mamas-mom-in-parwarish-opened-a-floodgate-of-traumatic-stories-bakhtawar-mazhar</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2554152/playing-mamas-mom-in-parwarish-opened-a-floodgate-of-traumatic-stories-bakhtawar-mazhar#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jul 25 08:25:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2554152</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Actor's scene-stealing viral performance led to an inbox overflowing with tales of childhood trauma]]>
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				<![CDATA[Bakhtawar Mazhar - it is a name that will be on your lips if you, like so many others, have been enraptured by Parwarish, the drama turning the spotlight on the younger generation aching for control and independence.

As Sadia - or &lsquo;Maya&rsquo;s mom&rsquo;, as she has been lovingly crowned by viewers online - Bakhtawar is one step removed from this aforementioned younger generation, but that in no way means that her impact on the show has had limited impact. Bakhtawar&rsquo;s Sadia has been winning hearts left, right and centre, sealing the deal in a viral scene as she goes almost feral protecting her daughter from a father on the warpath. And now, during an appearance on The Rafay Mahmood Podcast, the actor recalls how she was blown away after that particular scene spread like wildfire across social media.





Impact of &lsquo;that&rsquo; scene

&ldquo;When that scene went viral, people didn&rsquo;t even know my name,&rdquo; recalled the theatre veteran, known to film critics for her performance in Cannes film In Flames. &ldquo;They would just refer to me as Maya&rsquo;s mom.&rdquo;

Being known purely as Aina Asif&rsquo;s character&rsquo;s mother caused the actor to smile, with Bakhtawar adding that the way she became entrenched in the minds of the show&rsquo;s fans left its mark on her.

&ldquo;People started leaving comments on YouTube clips. It didn&rsquo;t strike me that people were talking about me - what hit me was how they were talking about me, and why. &lsquo;Maya&rsquo;s mom&rsquo;, the way she stood for her daughters, the way she protected them - she was there for them. I liked that.&rdquo;

But the impact of the emotional scene where &lsquo;Maya&rsquo;s mom&rsquo; physically stands in the way of her husband beating their daughter ran far deeper than Bakhtawar could have ever predicted.

&ldquo;That opened up the floodgates to other things, and it was so emotional,&rdquo; shared Bakhtawar in awe. &ldquo;That whole week, I was up weeping until 2AM after getting thousands of messages from people sharing their personal stories that were so painful.&rdquo;

An unwitting confidante 

The thousands of messages pouring into Bakhtawar&rsquo;s inbox in the wake of her performance - from men and women, boys and girls - all stemmed back to one thing: parental abuse.

&ldquo;These were things that they didn&rsquo;t think they could share with anyone else, not even their close friends,&rdquo; explained the actor. &ldquo;In our culture, there is this stigma of never badmouthing your parents - but they wrote to me. So many said to me, &lsquo;Please ma&rsquo;am, this is not for sharing, this is only for your eyes, we are sharing because we feel the link. We have somehow connected with you.&rdquo;

That connection, borne out of a scene in front of a camera that was in turn conceived in the mind of screenwriter Kiran Siddiqui, led to an invisible current flowing between Bakhtawar and those who had suffered beatings at the hands of their parents.

&ldquo;Someone wrote and said that when their mother took them, she, too, got beaten up - and they pointed out that in the real world, my character [Sadia] would have also got beaten up just for standing up for her child.&rdquo;

Amongst the messages Bakhtawar found most painful, however, were the stories where it was mothers remained bystanders after watching their children suffering physical abuse.

&ldquo;Someone else said, &lsquo;My mother stood by and watched as I was beaten up by a belt. She did not say a word. She did not acknowledge it even the next morning. She just brushed it under the rug,&rsquo;&rdquo; related Bakhtawar.

However, amid all the dark stories of childhood trauma, one particular message stood out - the account of a mother who took away a life lesson from watching the fictional Sadia becoming Maya&rsquo;s protector.

&ldquo;Someone wrote, &lsquo;I am a mother, I have daughters, and whenever my husband raises his voice at my daughters, I am in a dilemma about whether or not we should put up a united front and discipline together as a husband and wife, or if I should say something,&rsquo;&rdquo; recalled the Parwarish matriarch, as she stressed the importance of viewing matters through a child&rsquo;s lens. &ldquo;[She added], &lsquo;Right now my daughters are young, but I&rsquo;m so glad that I saw this scene, because now I see how important it is for children in that situation to know their mother is there for them.&rsquo;&rdquo;

Not just women

In a heartbreaking twist, Bakhtawar noted that it was not just women who bore the brunt of physical abuse in their homes; men, too, wrote to her of the times they had been beaten by their mothers, and how they have yet to move on from that trauma decades down the line.

&ldquo;One man wrote that his mother had beaten him up when he was eight years old just to appease the other elder women in the family,&rdquo; she remarked. &ldquo;He said that his mother cried about it afterwards and apologised to him, but he said that he is now in his 30s and cannot forget how humiliated he felt in that moment, and how it has affected his self confidence even now.&rdquo;

The tsunami of traumatic personal stories flooding Bakhtawar&rsquo;s inbox opened her eyes to the amount of invisible pain still being carted around by so many in society.

&ldquo;There were so many DMs,&rdquo; she recalled. &ldquo;I felt I needed to call in the services of a psychologist for them, because I was not equipped, not trained to give them the response that they needed. What could I say to them?&rdquo;

Bakhtawar credits writer Kiran for sticking to the core of the story of Parwarish without adding unnecessary garnishing. She is adamant that without it, the impact of that scene that has struck so many would have been lost.

&ldquo;If Kiran had not written it with such honesty and added &lsquo;spice&rsquo; to it, things would have been different,&rdquo; she maintained. &ldquo;It was kept to the bare bones. There were no layers. She said this is how it is.&rdquo;

With YouTube comments hailing Bakhtawar&rsquo;s &ldquo;phenomenal&rdquo; performance as &ldquo;giving goosebumps&rdquo;, one thing is clear: the powerful scene where &lsquo;Maya&rsquo;s mom&rsquo; becomes a tour de force has secured a place in the hearts of Parwarish fans - for reasons rooted in more than just acting alone.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.]]>
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			<title>Love, Death and Robots review: Falling short of greatness</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2547642/not-enough-love-for-robots</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2547642/not-enough-love-for-robots#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 24 May 25 22:01:45 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Rahul Aijaz]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2547642</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[The latest volume of the David Fincher and Tim Miller anthology suffers from lack of fresh ideas..]]>
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				<![CDATA[Netflix recently dropped the fourth volume of acclaimed animated anthology series Love, Death &amp; Robots,.created by David Fincher and Tim Miller. Since 2019, Fincher and Miller have crafted this sleek universe where opportunities for top-of-the-line animation and exciting, genre-bending stories are in abundance. However, after six years and four volumes, it seems that the series is running out of original ideas.

Standouts

While Volume 4 of Love, Death &amp; Robots still delivers absolutely beautiful animation and keeps its diversity in terms of the different visual styles, it&#39;s the storytelling that suffers.

The first three volumes were hugely successful because they always had a few standout episodes. The series has always been structured to offer a few episodes, usually 10 to 15 minutes, which have the strongest story concepts backed by the most stunning animation. These episodes offer a banger beginning, middle and end to each volume, which is sprinkled with shorter, usually comic experiments.

The first volume &ndash; with its 18 episodes, the highest of any so far &ndash; offered the most gems. Episodes like Sonnie&#39;s Edge, Good Hunting, The Witness and Zima Blue blew away the audience.

Sonnie&#39;s Edge was a revenge tale set in the underground &#39;beastie&#39; fighting world while Good Hunting explored the bond between a shape-shifter and the son of a spirit hunter in a rapidly industrialising world. The Witness follows a woman fleeing through the city after she witnesses a murder while Zima Blue recounts the journey of the artist Zima and his true identity in a story that leaves your jaw on the floor.

While the eight-episode second volume saw interesting ideas like genetic modification in Ice and themes of immortality and loneliness in Snow in the Desert, it was Jibaro in volume three which deserves a spot in the all-time great episodes of the series. Alberto Mielgo&#39;s masterpiece became a cultural phenomenon due to its hypnotic CGI work and brilliant characters and story, all told without words. You could see its influence as tons of fans recreated their own versions of the iconic &#39;dance of death&#39; sequence with all the makeup, jewelry and costumes.

The purpose of all this is to say that there are no episodes in the latest volume which achieved this level of emotional resonance. This volume consists mainly of filler episodes that are rehashed from filler ideas of previous seasons.

Night of the Mini Dead (Vol. 3) became Close Encounters of the Mini Kind. The Other Large Thing serves as a prequel to Vol. 1&#39;s Three Robots. Micro experiments like Smart Appliances, Stupid Owners, while funny, are not strong enough to be complete episodes. They are test exercises at best and feel too short to have any substance.

Even Can&#39;t Stop, a Red Hot Chilli Peppers concert with animated puppets, directed by Fincher himself, seems underwhelming.

This is something that Neill Blomkamp&#39;s Oats Studios also did back in 2021. The District 9 director experimented with his own collection of strange, fascinating world building and concepts. Love, Death &amp; Robots Vol. 4 faces similar issues as Oats Studios did: exciting concepts which are left half-baked almost as teasers to full-length films which never come about.

In love with death and robots

This is not to say that Vol. 4 offers nothing. It offers just enough to keep it going. There are some great ideas in episodes such as Spider Rose, The Screaming of the Tyrannosaur, How Zeke Got Religion and For He Can Creep.

The first three of the aforementioned episodes come close to scratching the signature Love, Death &amp; Robots itch. Spider Rose, set in the same universe as Swarm from Vol. 3, explores a grieving woman&#39;s pursuit of revenge with the help of a furry companion.

The Screaming of the Tyrannosaur offers a race-slash-fight between genetically modified gladiators atop custom-bred dinosaurs on a space station above Jupiter. It follows the same tropes of dystopian sci-fi where the poor die for the entertainment of the elite until it backfires. Despite the rehashed narrative and a feeling that perhaps more could have been done with the story, the world-building and characters make this episode a worthy addition to the series.

How Zeke Got Religion is absolute chaos, a loud, twisted feverish nightmare come to life. It works with a similar structure as Kill Team Kill (Vol. 3) where a team of US armed forces fight inhumane beasts they never expected. While that team was at least foul-mouthed and humorous, the new deployment of the forces forgo the humor. And considering the hellish monstrosity that awaits them mid-air, you can&#39;t blame them for not finding the situation funny.

In the same vein, we find 400 Boys where a band of survivors fight giant baby monsters called &#39;Boys&#39;. But beside the hilarious image of baby-faced giants causing destruction, it doesn&#39;t give you much to take home.

Love, Death &amp; Robots also offers a surprise this season with a live-action episode Golgotha in which an aquatic alien race arrives on earth. It essentially warns us not to kill and torture aquatic life and maintain the balance of the ecosystem. But the episode itself isn&#39;t much of a standout. Despite having something important to say, it doesn&#39;t say so with impact and style.

For He Can Creep had the potential to be an all-time great episode. Set in London in 1757, Satan is here to battle a poet&#39;s cat as he wishes to take the poet&#39;s soul. The soul is in the form of a new verse and taking it would allow Satan to rule over the earth. But his cat isn&#39;t a pushover and will fight at all costs to defend its master.

An interesting twist on the deal-with-the-devil idea that has prevailed in myth, literature and film for so long, the episode still feels like it tries too hard to be fun. But there is a lot that could have been done with this &#39;selling the soul&#39; trope, and the makers end up choosing a rather vanilla iteration and presentation of the idea.

Regardless, while the latest volume does offer just enough dopamine to not be bored, it is not as engaging or innovative as the early volumes. On the animation front, it still delivers top-notch visuals and sound. The issue isn&#39;t with the production, but rather the quality of stories. It feels littered with vignettes and unfinished ideas, and often weak concepts to begin with.

One does hope we get a Vol. 5 to rebound with some exceptional takes. If the makers have to follow old concepts and flesh them out, the worlds of Jibaro, Zima Blue and Good Hunting offer plenty of rich aspects and depth to go on for the next several seasons.]]>
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			<title>Why does anyone care about Peppa Pig's new baby sister?</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2547506/one-more-snorting-menace</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2547506/one-more-snorting-menace#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 25 23:16:12 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Urooba Rasool]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2547506</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig have unleashed one more snorting menace upon television]]>
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				<![CDATA[Praise be, Peppa Pig&#39;s parents have welcomed a brand new baby! Is it possible for anyone of sound mind to be able to contain their joy upon getting word of this auspicious occasion? Perhaps not &ndash; but let us see if we can carry on amid all this excitement.

For those of you who do not keep up with important global current affairs, the announcement of Evie Pig came on May 21, with the proud new 2D animated parents posing before the real-life Lindo Wing at St Mary&#39;s Hospital. As Kate Middleton has exhibited on three separate occasions throughout her parenting career, this particular private maternity wing is the one favoured by the poshest of the posh, so Mummy and Daddy Pig must have climbed up the social ladder in secret when no one was looking. Things are truly looking up for them.

Who on earth cares?

It transpires that a mystifyingly large number of people care, as was evidenced by the fact that&nbsp; the BBC saw it fit to cover Mummy and Daddy Pig&#39;s exciting family update. One anonymous poster on Soul Sisters Pakistan even pondered what sort of delivery Mummy Pig endured. Of course, there may be some of you out there hazy on just who or what Peppa Pig is. If you are amongst this blissfully unaware crowd, do not tamper with that bliss by peering down this awful rabbit hole. Flee now and never return.

The rest of us will at some point have been duped into believing that five-minute segments of this British preschool television show centering on a young family is a reasonable exchange for a quick shower. On the surface, a few minutes of Peppa Pig appears to be a harmless way of washing your hair in peace.

Here is a family-friendly show where the children bond with their parents, go to school, make friends, and go to the park. Plot-wise, with sports day races and car keys falling down gutters, it is as edge-of-the-seat stuff as it can be for its demographic of preschoolers. As a survey by entertainment consulting firm Parrot Analytics demonstrates, since debuting on May 31, 2004, Peppa Pig is now the world&#39;s fourth most popular children&#39;s television series. Ergo, do not be consumed with guilt if you have fallen prey to Peppa&#39;s dubious (or rather, non-existent) charms. You are not alone.

So far, so normal

Like so many animated fictional characters &ndash; SpongeBob, Dora, Mickey Mouse &ndash; Peppa has remained immune to the march of time. The only hint of any sort of clock in her universe is the arrival of baby Evie. For now, Peppa remains frozen at age four, ostensibly providing comfort for the next generation of frazzled parents of young children, but really only perpetuating her love of muddy puddles and bratty behaviour until someone tapes her mouth shut.

If there is one thing people know about Peppa Pig, it is that she and her parents are drawn to muddy puddles like a lioness without breakfast is to a herd of unassuming impalas. They see a puddle, their brains command them to go and jump. The subtext is that yo-yoing in puddles with reckless abandon is the very essence of a happy childhood. Perhaps Mummy Pig is also secretly in cahoots with makers of detergents &ndash; except that science has not yet invented a detergent potent enough to eradicate all the mud Peppa encourages those in her orbit to accumulate.

It would be somewhat acceptable if Peppa&#39;s errant behaviour was limited to dirty laundry, but her problems run far deeper. Unlike SpongeBob, who can inexplicably light a fire underwater, but at least cherishes a noble goal as he eyes the dizzying heights of retail management, Peppa has achieved what very few understand to be possible: she has become more irritating than Dora and Mickey and his cohorts combined. Having witnessed Dora&#39;s ruler-cut fringe and nails-on-a-blackboard voice, you may scoff at the prospect of Peppa (or literally anything) outranking her. You could not be more wrong.

Does she deserve the hate?

Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes. This is not just because she is of the porcine orientation and often communicates via the medium of snorting. Although having said that, Reddit forums illuminate the existence of Muslim Pakistani parents grappling with the fear that introducing their children to Peppa Pig will segue into an undying love for pigs.

However, these parents can lay those fears to rest: whilst there is no denying that their Peppa-addicted children may develop an affinity for pink snouty farm animals and take to random snorting, they are hardly likely to hanker after a haram bacon sandwich or an equally haram pork pie, which is the real underlying cause for aforementioned fears. At least, not unless Mummy Pig reaches the end of her tether and her parenting takes a very dark turn.

Fears of bacon sandwiches aside, a lesson that desi parents very quickly learn is that whatever entertainment surveys show, Peppa should be kept very far away from their precious offspring. Classics such as Tom &amp; Jerry and Looney Tunes have come under fire for promoting unrelenting violence, but at least Tom, Jerry, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck used such ludicrous means of revenge (hurling a grand piano as a weapon, using giant U-shaped magnets, and so on) that no human &ndash; adult or underage &ndash; can hope to emulate, no matter how much they may yearn to.

Peppa&#39;s sins, on the other hand, are far more achievable for the average child seeking fresh ideas for bad behaviour. She is prone to frequently calling her father &#39;silly daddy&#39; (a verdict that yields tears of unstoppable mirth from the surrounding adults), bullies her brother George with ruthless tenacity, and has no idea how to offer a sincere apology to any of her friends.

She shows no interest in learning manners, and the sanguine Mummy Pig and serene Daddy Pig show even little interest in teaching any. There is no denying that had they been of the desi persuasion favouring outdated parenting methods, Peppa would almost assuredly have been a regular target for an airborne chappal.

Sadly, Peppa&#39;s parents do not subscribe to chappal-inspired discipline, so it is futile hoping that baby Evie will be any better behaved than her elder sister. Still, for seasoned parents who have thankfully exited the Peppa Pig stage of their lives, news of this new baby kindles a strange form of nostalgia. Today, we may deal with hormonal adolescents (who would rather die than ever admit to their peers that they once craved this mortifying show), but news of Peppa&#39;s burgeoning family is a beautiful reminder that those trying days of early childhood are a speck in the rearview mirror. Mummy and Daddy Pig may be stuck in time, but we are not &ndash; and for that, we are more grateful than anything else.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>'You' severs all ties with logic during its final season</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2543971/murder-through-monologue</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2543971/murder-through-monologue#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 May 25 21:30:52 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Urooba Rasool]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category><category><![CDATA[Spotlight]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2543971</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Enjoy Joe Goldberg's last ever outing as he lays out murder through monologue again]]>
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				<![CDATA[Out of all the serial killers running rampant in the world of fiction, only two can get away with giving us a relentless on-screen running commentary of their unapologetic innermost thoughts. The first is Dexter Morgan (a more dedicated forensic specialist, we have yet to meet). The second is Joe Goldberg, lover of glass cages with a keen interest in housing his (live) victims therein until that tipping point where he can stand them no longer.

It is the outwardly and sometimes inwardly charming Joe we are concerned with today with You Season 5 having crawled to an end. For as long as we have known him, Joe (Penn Badgley) has been spreading murder and mayhem wherever he goes, be it a bookstore in New York, a suburb in Los Angeles, or within the affluent confines of South Kensington in London.

In his latest and most ludicrous outing yet, Joe relocates to New York from his brief but characteristically violent spell in London, having persuaded his otherwise intelligent love interest (Kate Lockwood, played by Charlotte Ritchie) from the previous season to marry him. Will their wedded bliss continue to bloom? As you may have already surmised, it does not.

A rocky road

We enter season 5 three years into Joe and Kate&#39;s marriage. Joe&#39;s son Henry &ndash; whom he had abandoned for the previous season &ndash; now lives with them. For viewers who have forgotten, Joe had disposed of Henry&#39;s mother during an earlier encounter in season 3. Kate, who is in the dark about all this, is startled to learn that Joe is not quite the easily led white knight she had originally hoped for.

Whilst Kate is perfectly happy for Joe to kill on command when the situation demands it, she cannot understand why he is not racked with insomniac guilt like other normal people (i.e. herself). In other words, she wants to have her cake and eat it too.

On the other side of the equation, a hurt and bewildered Joe cannot for the life of him fathom Kate&#39;s opposition to murder for what they have both agreed is for (their) greater good. In Joe&#39;s eyes, his past actions have proved a more heroically blameless man has never existed. (Relatedly, he remains convinced he is also father of the year despite the niggling issue of having killed his son&#39;s mother that one time.) Kate&#39;s inhibitions vis-a -vis murder irk Joe to no end and pave his backslide as he encounters his most boring love interest yet: Bronte (Madeline Brewer).

If you are open to being emotionally manipulated as a viewer, unlike the denizens of Reddit and IMDb, you may be willing to overlook Bronte&#39;s objective dullness. Bronte swans into Joe&#39;s life via his largely empty bookstore and successfully woos him over with talk of literature. (This may be one of the most unbelievable aspects of You: stumbling upon a man interested in literary fiction.)

Unless you are a very gullible Joe busy handing over your heart, Bronte&#39;s true motivations remain a question mark throughout her time on the show. However, since the new love of Joe&#39;s life remains as interesting as a bowl of soggy bran flakes, you lack any emotional capacity to care why she does any of the things she does.

To compensate for Bronte&#39;s boring interlude, however, faithful viewers will be rewarded cameo appearances from all the people Joe has wronged over the years, much in the same way the Seinfeld series finale brought back Babu and the Bubble Boy for that one glorious day in court. All is not lost.

Insanely absurd

Kate has bigger problems than just a wayward husband (or so she thinks). For example, her sister Raegan, who is acting very strangely indeed, appears to be engaging in all sorts of shady nonsense in the family business. Due to not being privy to Joe&#39;s inner monologue, Kate has no way of realising that Joe is not entirely blameless in this Raegan situation. Unbeknownst to her (her husband is not in a sharing mood after Kate&#39;s reservations regarding violence), Joe cannot resist meddling in his wife&#39;s affairs and dealing with Raegan in his own special way.

Unfortunately for both him and us, things unravel as if plotted by a fourteen-year-old writing fan fiction. That is the thing to be said for You: it never shies away from the insanely absurd. Instead, it goes the other way and embraces it like a long lost brother. Just when you think you know where you are headed, along comes a mad plot twist to wrench you off course and bait you into the next episode to tentatively check if common sense will ever make a comeback.

Great news for common-sense haters: it doesn&#39;t. And why should it? Rationality has no place in a show about a well-read good-looking serial killer with an alluring baritone, and you will be relieved to learn that as the seasons progress, You liberates itself entirely from the shackles of cold hard logic. Mistaken identities, a twin switcheroo (Sherlock from Sherlock would be appalled), a heavy reliance on pop culture knowledge, girl-fixes-boy tropes, suspiciously clean glass cages with not a fingerprint in sight, a UK Home office that grants visas with the scantest of background checks, a rich woman who can click her fingers and make murder charges poof into thin air &ndash; this is not a short list. You invites you to not only suspend your disbelief, but to shred it to pieces.

Is this the end?

Who knows? When it comes to television, you can never be too sure if producers and writers will stick to their word after promising they have finished. For example, we all thought we had seen the last of Dexter after his questionable lumberjack era in Dexter: New Blood, and look at us now. Poring over Dexter&#39;s troubled youth in Dexter: Original Sin to see what started his serial killing journey. On TV, the dead can be revived in a manipulative &#39;haha, fooled you&#39; moment, and the imprisoned can dig their way out of jail, if they are dedicated enough. Throughout this roller coaster of a journey, however, one question, however, remains unanswered. How on earth does Joe keep his glass cage so sparkly? Out of all the things he shares with us, Joe never does let us in on that particular secret.

But do not despair. Despite Netflix swearing this is the last of You, we may hear from Joe again one day. As the saying goes, anyone can be a murderer if they have a good reason and a bad day &ndash; and as Joe&#39;s fans and wives come to know exceedingly well, here is a man who often finds good reasons on as many bad days. All he needs is one more wretched day and an excellent reason, and he may be back to murder and maim once more. And this time, let us know about that glass cage.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>'The Stolen Girl' will steal your time - and not in a good way</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2542651/stolen-girl-will-steal-your-time</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2542651/stolen-girl-will-steal-your-time#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 27 Apr 25 22:04:55 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Urooba Rasool]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2542651</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Do not succumb to this thriller unless you have five disposable hours]]>
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				<![CDATA[There are shows that hook you from the opening thirty seconds, and others that are so repellent from the outset that you need to take refuge in a dark sensory room. Netflix whodunnit The Residence, for example, slots into the former division, and anyone who spent a childhood studying the ripped pages of Archie comics would be the first to tell you that Riverdale takes the crowning glory in the latter. Disney+ thriller The Stolen Girl, however, occupies neither bracket.

Instead, this thriller packed with nonsensical there-for-the-hell-of-it twists (picture a screw made out of playdough molded by a three-year-old) falls into that other overlooked but nevertheless appreciated TV category: background noise. If you are on the hunt for something you can nap along to on the sofa but lack the energy to go upstairs to bed like a sensible person, congratulations. The Stolen Girl is the answer to a tired insomniac&#39;s prayers.

Been there, done that

Containing slightly less charm than radio static, this utterly forgettable thriller, adapted from the novel Playdate by Alex Dahl, is billed as every parent&#39;s worst nightmare. Spanning five episodes, The Stolen Girl circles around a girl who is, well, stolen. Denise Gough (Anora) stars as Elisa, our designated irresponsible mother, although she won&#39;t like you calling her that.

Elisa is careless enough to allow her nine-year-old daughter, Lucia, to attend a sleepover after befriending a suspiciously friendly white-blonde woman calling herself Rebecca (Holliday Grainger from Strike). The charming Rebecca, too, has a daughter the same age as Lucia, and one thing leads to another, with Elisa agreeing to let her daughter spend the night at Rebecca&#39;s &ndash; a move she will heartily regret for the remainder of the show.



For any mothers who are already wary of overly chatty women at the school gates, The Stolen Girl is an excellent example of why they are not to be trusted. Sadly for Elisa, Rebecca has an agenda of her own that, at this stage, she has declined to share with the audience. For now, all we know is that she has put a devious plan in motion to whisk Lucia far away from her family for reasons best known to herself. She offloads most of the heavy lifting to a dodgy builder-like man, who, fortunately for an otherwise uninspired police force, ends up being incompetent enough to be filmed at a key location on CCTV.

Whether Rebecca does this just for kicks or because she has taken a particular dislike to Elisa is something that will become clear later on, but do not worry if you give in to that insomnia and miss most of the explanation. Also, do not be alarmed, on waking, to learn that Rebecca is now called Nina, has transitioned to a&nbsp;brunette,&nbsp;and speaks fluent French. Yes, she is leading a double life.



Yes, she knows a thing or two about kidnapping. No, she does not always pick the best henchmen. Yes, she knows how to dispose of said problematic henchmen. Yes, she has her reasons. No, her method of coping is not really what a trained therapist would recommend. Yes, Elisa deserves everything headed her way. In short, there is nothing here that hasn&#39;t already been done scores of times in any Harlan Coben thriller (in either book or screen format) about a murky past catching up with you.

Any redeeming qualities?

In terms of plot, the short answer is: no. As is standard practice in this special brand of fiction involving criminals who abscond with children, there is not a single police officer with any imagination or initiative. Of course, fans of thrillers and crime fiction already know that to expect big brains from a police force is like having a pigeon fly in through an open window and expecting blind obedience when you tell it to go away. In other words, you would have better luck turning lead into gold. In the opening episode of Sherlock, for example, Benedict Cumberbatch&#39;s titular character outrightly accuses one particular detective of lowering the IQ of the whole street.

Whilst the police force in The Stolen Girl may not be as blatantly dim as the policeman that so irked Sherlock, they are still slow (or at the very least, unmotivated) enough to be outwitted by outwitted by young Selma, a journalist who is who is brown, female and homosexual, ticking three diversity boxes in one fell swoop.



Selma&#39;s will to live is being sapped away by having to cover news stories about errant pigs. However, duller than dishwater work has not diminished this journalist&#39;s spark, and her antenna begins to twang after she espies Elisa&#39;s repeated appeals on Instagram to help find her daughter. Selma decides, on the basis of Elisa&#39;s lack of social media presence up until a few years prior, that something is &quot;off&quot; about her. The lesson to be learned here is that if you also never bothered to create an Instagram&nbsp;account because you don&#39;t see the point, you, too, may find yourself at the mercy of a journalist bored out of her mind after writing pig-related content.

And so, Selma begins her investigation, carrying out a simple reverse Google image to identify a key piece of evidence, which is not something that occurs to anyone on the investigative team. Does she succeed? Is Elisa reunited with Lucia? Does Rebecca/Nina get her comeuppance? Does Selma ever get promoted?

By all means, take the plunge and find out for yourself, but please do not fall for IMDb reviewers in raptures about the &quot;twists and turns&quot; and &quot;pivotal role of a journalist&quot; or a &quot;layered script&quot;. There is no soundtrack that will lodge itself into your head, nor any characters whose decisions make any sense. The actors do the best they can with the material they have been given. You haven&#39;t got a hope of figuring out any of the twists for yourself, so at least the burden of trying to unravel the plot on your own is taken off you.



For the shallow brigade out there, there is one small glimmer of hope here, and that is Jim Sturgess, who plays Fred, Lucia&#39;s father and Elisa&#39;s criminal lawyer husband. If you are plagued by the repeated thought that the painfully confused-looking Fred resembles a boyband lead singer far more than a member of the legal profession, you are not entirely wrong.

Sturgess&#39; other claim to fame is playing Jude in Across the Universe (2007), whence he spent much of his screen time serenading his lady love of choice with Beatles songs and one cock of an eyebrow. Sturgess appears to have aged barely a week since his Jude days, and if we can get our hands on whatever anti-ageing potion he is on, all is not lost.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.&nbsp;]]>
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			<title>No, accountability doesn't redeem an abuser</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2542490/a-qarz-still-owed</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2542490/a-qarz-still-owed#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 26 Apr 25 22:56:12 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Haaniya Farrukh]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2542490</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA['Qarze Jaan' departed from its audience with a debt still owed]]>
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				<![CDATA[Spoiler alert and Trigger Warning!

When a beloved series is a bow away from drawing its curtains, the audience must tackle the brewing clash between anticipation and fear &mdash;&nbsp;anticipation that their favourite show will end on a well-deserved high point versus fear that it might not. The truth of this manifested after the ending of Qarze Jaan, which triggered a debate online.

What began as a strong drama with a powerful story and great cast quickly fell apart, becoming a clear example of how not to handle sensitive topics like sexual assault.

For the silenced



Qarze Jaan follows many stories, some buried under the weight of domestic honour and others that are silenced when they dare to fly. It focuses on the subdued lives of Nashwa and her homebody mother after her father&#39;s early death, an unforeseen consequence of patriarchy. It also follows the brutal making of an abuser, Ammar, who is guilty of many conscious crimes &mdash;&nbsp;an unfortunate yet expected consequence of patriarchy that is allowed to thrive.

Nashwa&#39;s bursts of resistance inside the home that belongs to her despotic uncle and high-handed grandmother is but a flicker in her overall fire for justice. Her relentless pursuit of the law is presented in sharp contrast to her reckless cousin Ammar&#39;s alcohol- drug-induced lifestyle.

Referring to an &quot;alcohol- and drug-induced lifestyle&quot; treats substance abuse as an instigator rather than the perpetrator. Even when personified, it remains only one grisly part of a much larger, more revolting whole. The distinction between the actual culprit and the inanimate accomplice is crucial &mdash;&nbsp;a nuance the drama fails to acknowledge.

Perpetrator turned victim



For Qarze Jaan, Ammar is not merely an abuser, but a product of his environment. In isolation, that is not a wrong approach. Nuance is the key ingredient in making a villain frightening, real enough to be deemed a danger to society. The cycle of abuse is vicious and tends to break open the most vulnerable of its sufferers. It is as the saying goes: hurt people hurt people.

But there&#39;s a stark difference between an earnest portrayal and losing the plot entirely. Giving the rapist a platform in a court of law and having him bleat about his tragic upbringing is definitely a choice. And, just to be clear, it is a poor one.

When the ending has your audience viewing the perpetrator as a &quot;winner&quot; and someone worth crying over, it does spare some room for reevaluation. While Nameer Khan&#39;s performance as Ammar deserves praise for standing out amongst an array of brilliant performances, it does depart with much to be desired in the way of the character&#39;s arc.

For a man written to be devoid of pity in the previous episodes, Ammar&#39;s remorseful confession to his heinous crimes comes off as insincere. As he breaks down the many times his father put a veil over his crimes, he says, &quot;Maybe all parents protect their children. But I&#39;m sorry, father. Your approach was wrong. Your thinking was wrong.&quot;

In this moment, Ammar is no longer a predator responsible for a rape, a murder, and the grief of many bereaved individuals, including his own sister. Instead, he has become the drama&#39;s voice of reason, an innocent who has broken out of the daze that made him commit those deplorable crimes.

Here lies the fundamental problem: misplaced grace. The drama wants to tell you that this is not a shot at redemption, that Ammar is definitely going to serve his sentence, but not without placing the blame of his actions on someone else first.



Granted, the family&#39;s patriarch, Bakhtiar, does indeed bear the traits depicted strongly in Ammar. Granted, enablers perpetuate systemic problems until it becomes difficult to separate them from culture. But Bakhtiar is the only character who remains loyal to his character arc, hence underscored as the one true villain of the show.

You need not take my word as the law. The romanticised edits of Ammar as a misunderstood hero, a jealous husband straight out of BookTok, and a spotlighted &#39;victim&#39; worth shedding tears over all speak for themselves.

Doing better, being better

There is nothing inherently wrong with fictional stories willing to take a risk. But an explanation is not a justifiable excuse. In a world infested with men like Zahir Jaffer and Imran Ali, creators must exercise caution to truly do justice to the rising number of victims and survivors subjected to sexual assault and murder.

At the very least, Ammar deserves no grace and absolutely no teary speeches to lessen the severity of his offences. Even if he earns the benefit of the doubt that his actions were premeditated, that doesn&#39;t distract from the fact that he did commit those crimes.

The problem doesn&#39;t just lie in the ending, in this case. It&#39;s in all those scenes elevated with gentle background music as Ammar takes a break from being a raging abuser to banter with his family members &mdash;&nbsp;yes, that includes the despondent Nashwa who is coerced into a marriage with him. As if to say, &#39;Hey, do you see these traces of humanity? He&#39;s not a total lost cause!&#39;

And then there&#39;s that moment in the courtroom when Ammar kneels in front his sister Beenish and her son and, a shoddy apology later, reassures her and us that his nephew will grow to love the uncle who killed his father. Maybe Ammar is right, considering he kills Beenish&#39;s husband before their child could even memorise his father&#39;s face.



The truth of the matter is, violence of this degree is driven by a lack of empathy towards the victim. It isn&#39;t difficult to imagine the abuser not having any even after the world becomes aware of his crimes.

Perhaps, Ammar was created as a wake-up call for enablers, urging them to control their boys before it&#39;s too late. But his final speech does beg this question: did that have to be done while absolving a grown man of his responsibilities?

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.]]>
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			<title>The uncanny in 'Black Mirror S7'</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2541637/the-uncanny-in-black-mirror-s7</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2541637/the-uncanny-in-black-mirror-s7#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Tue, 22 Apr 25 22:55:59 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Zehra Khan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Life &amp; Style]]></category><category><![CDATA[TV]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2541637</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Tantalising, troubling, terrifying... tooth-pulling?]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[To say that the latest instalment of Black Mirror broke the internet would be a no-brainer. When the show&#39;s first season dropped in 2011, it forever changed the landscape of sci-fi story-telling on the small screen, if not also the silver screen, infinitely extending the boundaries of what cinema can do and what its lovers can expect.

So when Black Mirror Season 7 dropped on Netflix on April 10, it didn&#39;t just break the internet -&mdash; it dissected it, uploaded its consciousness, and sold it back to us as a subscription bundle. And in an exquisitely genre-defying turn, it&#39;s hard to say if this new season is sci-fi or horror because either seems too reductionist for what the six episodes actually offer: an uncanny feeling that stays from beginning to end, never waxing or waning, never teetering away. Creator Charlie Brooker promised a return to the show&#39;s darker, more unsettling roots, and he delivered.

Too real for us commoners

Like every other set of episodes, this latest season stays with its audience because it never wanders too far away from what us commoners (read: everyone who&#39;s not Charlie Brooker, Charlie Kaufman or David Lynch) can perceive to be true at some point in our existence.

Black Mirror coddles our humble capacity for suspension of disbelief by keeping real-world issues at the heart of each story: debates surrounding rogue technology, environmental degradation, fertility, high school bullying, the invention and imagination of God&#39;s messenger, ideas of death and infinity, coupled with everyday annoyances that ail human existence: long-distance love, relentless ads, shitty breakups and losing very (I emphasise, very) important USBs.

A wide variety of devices function in tandem during the course of the six episodes, weaving together the thick, suffocating fabric of strangeness that envelops Black Mirror&#39;s viewership. Of them, some are as overt as the references to the dark web in Common People, through which the ever-so-tired blue-collared Mike tries to earn some extra cash to afford his beloved wife&#39;s Rivermind subscription, which keeps her alive. If that means setting a mousetrap loose on his tongue or drinking his own urine in a dingy room for a sick digital audience, so be it. The horror one feels watching someone pull out a perfectly good tooth by sheer force on-screen is often inexplicably more complex than watching a full-blown murder, perhaps because the former seems so much closer to us, and it is this phenomenon that this section of the episode monetises on. Add to the mix entirely believable characters we have all personally witnessed: overworked and desperate labourers trying to make ends meet, high school computer geeks who befriend no one (or the other way around), furious &#39;nice guys&#39; and the likes, and you&#39;ve got yourself the crawling feeling that you&#39;ll run into one of these characters soon.

Here and there, very obviously uncomfortable things happen nonchalantly for just a blip in the Black Mirror universe. Blue spit and blue blood in USS Callister tops this chart by a mile, though of course, one cannot forget frowning at the randomly appearing thick Scottish accent on a planet one has just laid eyes on. And while appearing briefly and matter-of-factly, Brooker does not waste a single moment of plot development to fluff, so in the case of USS Callister, the normalcy of blue bodily fluids causes discovery of rogue elements in the game who bleed red (big, big surprise.)

Are we overreacting?

And then there are things that Brooker places onto the screen so subliminally that the feeling of unease catches you before you can put reason to it. There are the faces that change so quickly in real time, it&#39;s hard to tell if it&#39;s incredible acting or a body double.

At the end of USS Calister, when Robert finally descends into his penultimate insanity after 500 years of hard labour as God of Infinity, his face goes from actually-a-nice-guy to a not-so-nice-guy so fast, one has to blink twice to know that the throbbing temple veins really do belong to the same character who was in his place five seconds ago.

There&#39;s also something deeply off about the way people stare in Black Mirror Season 7, a gaze that makes a small incision in some tender part of your skin, crawls under it and stitches the wound back up. It&#39;s the too-long, too-unblinking, too-knowing gaze that drills into your spine. In Common People, Amanda stares blankly as ads hijack her eyeballs, irrespective of how steamy the situation; in B&ecirc;te Noire, Verity&#39;s coy side-eyes are almost serpentine in their slyness. The girl&#39;s eyes go from naive and teary to hard as stone like it&#39;s not a problem.

But then, you&#39;d learn that much if you&#39;d lived a million lives, one of them as Empress of the Universe. Eulogy ramps it up with a daughter&#39;s glassy-eyed glare as her mother&#39;s affair is dissected across the table and it&#39;s the switch-up that&#39;s hard to swallow: sympathetic eyes, investigative eyes, infuriated eyes in no time. And then there&#39;s Robert in USS Callister - smiling, staring, saying nothing - making you feel like you&#39;re the program bug. Forget the Stanley Stare; every gaze in Black Mirror is a unique glitch in the human code.

Brooker does not spin his magic in a vacuum. He is accompanied by equally competent and creative directors who create worlds element by element, so nothing seems out of place. In Eulogy, the restaurant&#39;s soft lighting turns harsh as emotional tension spikes and colour becomes confrontation. Throughout the season, palettes shift with mood: sterile whites, shadowy blues, garish neons. Pair that with an unnerving sound design - hums, static, silence stretched too thin, Thronglet sounds that will never leave our minds (rest in peace) - and the atmosphere does the storytelling before characters even speak.

Mind-numbing madness

Black Mirror has done this before with Bandersnatch (and is looking forward to doing it again with Banderstruck) but this time, Brooker has taken it too far (or has he?) Various viewers and outlets have caught on to the many easter eggs scattered throughout the six episodes, the most noticeable one being references to Juniper. On top of that, viewers are reporting that they are seeing different versions of B&ecirc;te Noire on their screens, and for an episode that utilises the Mandela Effect to an unhealthy level, that is as spooky as it gets. Whether this is gossip, mischief or the truth, demanding this kind of interactive viewership turns the viewer into a participant, blurring boundaries between fiction and reality. It&#39;s disorienting - like the show knows you. That unpredictability, that sense of being watched back, adds a chilling layer to the already uncanny experience.

In short, watching Black Mirror Season 7 is falling into a very stylish, very glitchy existential spiral with WiFi. It&#39;s funny, freaky, and frightening in equal measure, with just enough uncanny polish to make you question whether that weird stare your co-worker gave you today was... normal. Brooker has re-coded the show and the result is a season that asks, &quot;What if tech goes too far?&quot; and &quot;What if you already have?&quot; Whether you binged all six episodes in one blackout afternoon or are still piecing together the multiple versions of B&ecirc;te Noire, one thing&#39;s clear: Black Mirror is watching you too.

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