MA MA MEERA!

Last week was full of news items about our very own Meera. There came a report that her biopic, supposedly directed by Saqib Malik, was on the anvil, and the director was quick to deny it (we believe him because we know what he’s up to these days). He said, although he is working on a film project with her, it is not about the Lollywood star.

Then came the report that the actress was entertaining the idea of leaving the country for good, which also seems to be pretty unlikely. To be honest, a movie on the life and work of Meera would be a darn good idea. In fact, forget her work; even a movie on her life alone would be extremely interesting. Saqib M, rethink.

NO COUNTRY FOR NON-ACTORS

Actor Rishi Kapoor shoots from the hip (though it’s not easy to do that at his age, he is 65). He seems to be super-happy about the fact that nowadays actors of his age and experience are getting meaningful work, and time has come when ‘content’ is king. He doesn’t stop there.

Talking to an Indian newspaper he has said that this is the era of actors now, and non-actors are not going to survive. Spot on, sir! And you are a good survivor.

WIKIWATCH

This is, let’s just say, a trifle strange. Pamela Anderson has a boyfriend, the French soccer player Adil Rami, which is the reason she now lives in Paris.

But what’s got everyone talking is the fact that the Baywatch star also has a soft space in her heart for the founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, who she considers a good pal of many years and whom she has visited often in the Ecuadaron embassy in London he’s been holed out in for six years. Yes.

Talking to a journo, Pam A confessed that she’s been in regular touch with him and whenever they meet, “We talk about everything … We talk about what’s happening with my kids. What’s happening with his family … It’s not just about politics, even though I do take a lot of notes and it’s so overwhelming, the information he gives me.” Nowadays, however, she’s worried for his health because she hasn’t heard from him in a month. Yeah, we couldn’t stop blinking either.

STRINGS IN, ATIF OUT

Pop band Strings are riding a new wave of popularity. After leaving Coke Studio as its producers, they have released two new tracks, and both have been well received. The latest is: Bilal Maqsood and Faisal Kapadia will be seen as judges in the upcoming edition of Pepsi Battle of the Bands.

Apparently, they have been selected in place of Atif Aslam who has left the show and was supposed to be initially replaced by Ali Zafar, who, as we all know, is going through a difficult phase in his career and therefore couldn’t be part of the jury. So, best of luck Strings! But it’s still not clear which carbonated soft drink you enjoy most when you’re flying high.

NATIONAL AWARD FOR SRI

The unexpected and untimely death of superstar Sridevi in February saddened her admirers all over the world. On May 3, she was posthumously given her first National Award for her role in the commercially and critically successful film Mom (2017). Sri’s husband Boney Kapoor and her two daughters, Jhanvi and Khushi, collected the award.

Speaking to the media, Jhanvi expressed her gratitude to the jury and called the award ‘very special’ for her family. For sure, she deserved it. But to know that for an actress of her stature, it is her first national award makes you think a little bit.

STALKER DEAD

In 2014, a man named Joshua James Corbett was arrested for breaking into Hollywood celebrity Sandra Bullock’s residence. Released after striking a plea deal, he was sentenced to five years of probation and was admitted to a mental health facility from which he came out last year. 

On May 2 (2018, that is), the Los Angeles police tried to serve him with a warrant (for reasons they didn’t reveal) that led to a few hours’ standoff between Joshua J.C. and the police. And when the security personnel managed to get into his house, he was found dead from, apparently, a ‘self-inflicted injury’. Man! Spare a thought for Sandra B. It is not easy being a famous person.

Published in Dawn, ICON, May 13th, 2018