Take a Break

We totally understand why Mahira Khan has taken a break from social media “for a little bit”, as she announced last week. The kind of cacophony and constant barrage of opinions that we hear on networking websites, on virtually every topic under the sun, can sometimes be terribly disconcerting. The actress was pretty good in trying to keep her admirers’ spirits up in difficult times on such platforms, but things can sometimes get on your own nerves. So, good decision, Mahira K. A breather for a peaceful time is always good. See you after the break.

Timing Off?

Yasir Hussain’s assertion that we should respect our acting greats when they’re alive and not when they’ve passed on is fundamentally right. The point, however, that needs to be raised here is the timing of his statement. A couple of senior and top-of-the-drawer actors had just died across the border, and he could’ve waited for a while to cast forth his pearls of wisdom. To remember people who have substantially contributed to the world (of art, in this case) after they’ve passed away is a mark of heartfelt respect, for enriching others’ lives. Timing, for actors, is of the utmost importance. Yasir H should know.

Poet Anushka

On May 1, Bollywood star Anushka Sharma celebrated her 32nd birthday (in isolation, with her cricketer hubby Virat Kohli, of course). How did she engage with her fans on the occasion? Answer: she posted a poem written by her on her Instagram page. It took many by pleasant surprise. The poem, in English, talks about her wish that suffering and sadness are soon eliminated from the world. Well-intentioned and well-meaning as they are, the lines are composed in a pretty straightforward and elementary manner. Some would say, much like her acting.

Nosiness

It’s courageous of Zahid Ahmed to talk about something, on his YouTube channel at that, which many showbiz celebs shy away from discussing. He admitted on camera that he had had a nose job which went wrong, and that he now regrets it. In his words: “When a person is too involved in worshipping his own ego, he begins to find problems in himself, wanting to improve them. When in reality, these are not problems, because God has made everything so perfect.” Right you are! We hope your colleagues too will now be able to see beyond their nose(s).

Papa Private

Now that’s how you protect your spouse from bad publicity! Recently, a fan asked Eva Mendes on Instagram (after she mentioned in a post that she was a tired mum) how come she never speaks about her husband Ryan Gosling’s contribution to her child’s upbringing, and whether he’s a good father. She replied: “I love connecting to women. That’s mainly why I have this page. So when I say I’m a ‘tired mama’ and want to connect to other ‘tired mamas’ it’s not about excluding the fathers or other caregivers that do so much. It’s just me connecting to other women but in no way does it de-value what papas do. And why I don’t talk about Ryan and all the wonderful things he does as a father is because I keep that part private.” By the looks of it, you’re keeping a whole lot of other things private as well, Eva, and well done for doing so.

Isolation Exes

This is interesting. The once-married couple, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, are quarantining together to stay safe from Covid-19. Together, yes! Not just that, it seems that they’re having tremendous fun in each other’s company (good on them). On May 1, a video in which both are dancing like no one is watching them went viral on the internet. The visuals were recorded by their daughter, Rumer. Hmmm … old habits die hard. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink!

Published in Dawn, ICON, May 10th, 2020