Meera’s hospital

Film star Meera has appealed to Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the daughter of former prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif, to provide her with a piece of land where she can build a hospital to serve dukhi loag (helpless people).

The actress’s appeal followed her visit to a facility for disabled children in Karachi. Meeting the children made her realise that they needed love and celebrities should work around their busy schedules to spend some time with them.

Nice gesture, Meeraji! All the best for your endeavour because it seems you also need some love.

Call for academies

Veteran film director Syed Noor is right. According to media reports, Noor sahib in a recent chat with journos has argued that there should be academies to train aspiring filmmakers.

He says in order for the film industry to progress and prosper, there’s a need for educated artists to join the industry. And, more importantly, he sees things improving in the near future. Hmmm … Noble thoughts indeed. But it still doesn’t explain Noor sahib’s cinematic disaster Chaen Aaye Na.

Best entertainer

They say if wishes were horses, everyone would be a rider. But it seems that Ranveer Singh’s wish is about to come true, if it hasn’t already.

The actor, while talking to Anupama Chopra on the latter’s YouTube channel, said he doesn’t get carried away with success and failure doesn’t bog him down. The actor added that he just wants to be the best entertainer that he can possibly be.

Tell you what mate: now that we’ve watched you super ham it up as Alauddin Khilji in Padmavat we can safely say you, for sure, know how to entertain.

That’s what’s cooking

Comedienne Amy Schumer is no more single. A handful of insiders knew that but not many knew who she was going out with because the relationship was a bit of a hush-hush thing.

Last week, one of the funniest women in Hollywood put her picture on Instagram from Ellen DeGeneres’ 60th birthday bash where she’s seen passionately embracing chef Chris Fischer, declaring he is her BF.

From now on, on a daily basis, Amy S will keep tickling Chris F’s funny bones and he will keep cooking sumptuous food for her. And if the jokes aren’t funny, the roles can be reversed.

Brando and Pryor?

We are living in strange times where one revelation about someone’s sexual conduct after another is sending shockwaves in showbiz circles. This one, though, is not about the current, living crop of actors.

Distinguished music producer Quincy Jones, in a recent interview, has suggested that Marlon Brando, arguably the best actor to have walked the earth, was in a relationship with comedian Richard Pryor.

The news spread like wildfire and, ironically, Richard P’s wife Jennifer Lee confirmed it. What! What’s next? Marilyn Monroe had an affair with a kangaroo?

Ado about nothing

What’s going on in India? After the mindless hullabaloo about Padmaavat, now a Hindu group called Sarv Brahmin Mahasabha has gone after an upcoming film Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, starring Kangana Ranaut.

The group has created a fracas over an alleged romantic scene that involved Rani Laxmibai (Jhansi Ki Rani) in the movie. Kangana R has issued a statement saying there’s no such scene in the film. So this suggests, in a manner of speaking, that in the history of mankind, romance started in the 20th century.

Published in Dawn, ICON, February 18th, 2018