NOT IN A HURRY

Humaima Malik is a feisty character. One expects her never to beat about the bush but rather to speak her mind. So when, in her recent chitchat with an Urdu journalist, the actress said she never takes hasty decisions in her life and whatever she does (for example, signing a film), she does after consulting her friends, one can’t help but take it with a pinch of salt.

She couldn’t have hesitated much to take up a small role in Arth. After all, when you don’t have much on your plate, you take what’s offered.

FAN IN HANDCUFFS

That’s exactly how society should be treating weirdoes. A Polish man named Pawel Jurski had been stalking pop star Katy Perry for some time but nothing of alarming proportions had taken place.

Last week, however, at the American Airlines Arena, where the singer was doing a gig, he tried to step into a restricted zone with all his might. The security staff stopped him and he was handed over to the police. Later, during investigation, he remarked he would do whatever it took to be with Katy P. Well, for that the first thing he would need to do is overturn a court order. He has been charged with “aggravated stalking and prowling,” ordered to stay away from the singer and surrender his passport.

SALMAN IN A SOUP

Salman Khan and controversies have a moth-to-flame relationship. Just when he had barely escaped the protests by a section of Hindu fundamentalists against his film Tiger Zinda Hai, the actor found himself in further trouble after an appearance on a TV show where he’d gone to promote the same film.

He referred to people belonging to the Scheduled Castes as bhangis, which the members of the aforementioned castes did not take kindly to. He was not the only one to use the word though; actress Shilpa Shetty also uttered it disparagingly on her dance show. Consequently, a complaint was filed against him and Shilpa S at the Andheri Police Station. And on Dec 23, the Mumbai police beefed up security around Sallu mian’s house to preempt any uncalled-for incident. For professionals whose livelihood depends on using the right words (read: dialogues), they sure can get them wrong sometimes.

CAKE WITH SON

It turns out that Indians sorely miss Mahira Khan. There’s nothing surprising about it.

On her 33rd birthday on Dec 21, an Indian newspaper published a picture of the Raees star cutting her birthday cake with her son. Not just that, she received a series of messages from across the border, including from Farhan Akhtar and Rahul Dholakia. To be honest, if geopolitics had not intervened, after the success of Raees, Mahira K could’ve been the next big thing in Bollywood. Okay, maybe not the next, but next to next …

AFTER 10 YEARS

Jab We Met was an iconic film. Released in 2007, it cemented in Indian cinema Shahid Kapoor’s reputation as an actor and Imtiaz Ali’s position as a gutsy director. Both went on to do other successful projects. Now the two are working together again in a movie for which filming will start in early 2018. It has got Shahid K, who considers JWM the most special film of his career, super excited.

He thinks the new venture with Imtiaz A will be “amazing”. Best of luck to the both of you! No word yet though who will provide the chemistry brought earlier by former girlfriend and current Mrs Saif Pataudi.

TOGETHER, AGAIN?

It’s been barely two months since the talented pair of Jennifer Lawrence and Darren Aronofsky broke up. Things went sour between them after the filming of Mother! ended. The split was widely discussed in the media. But lo and behold! On Dec 20, the two were again spotted walking to a friend’s house together in New York City with Jennifer L holding her little dog in her arms. Apparently, they haven’t stopped meeting and talking and, if a source is to be believed, they still care deeply about each other. Now that’s what you call a mature relationship.

Published in Dawn, ICON, December 31st, 2017