No Item Number

Sadaf Kanwal is now a married woman. A couple of years ago, the actress did an ‘item number’ in the film Namaloom Afraad 2, which was talked about a bit. But ever since she tied the knot with Shahroz Sabzwari, things have changed for her. In an interview she has said that it was her first and last item song. She has a big family and therefore she wants to be careful now. We respect her for that. And the lesson for those girls who want to do item tracks: do it while you’re still single.

Hangman

We understand actor Noman Ijaz’s disillusionment with the media. The views that he shared in an online show have substance. However, when he says the media is not educating anyone, for which it “should be hanged”, it sounds a trifle uncalled-for. Primarily because, in the very next breath, he utters: “They think their audience is not smart enough, the audience has become aware but the media is stuck.” It carries two moot points. First, if audiences are smart enough, why do they need educating? They’re the ones who help a product succeed or fail by watching or not watching it. Two, to hang someone is the harshest punishment or demand you can have. Noman I bhai, thorra rehm. Compassion is the greatest piece of education you can impart to anyone.

Cake Talk

Sonam Kapoor-Ahuja is as svelte as they come. She looks after herself well. Ever since the coronavirus pandemic forced her to go into quarantine with her hubby in Delhi, she’d been itching to return to Mumbai to her parents’ house. She has succeeded in achieving that goal, as these days she’s spending her time in father Anil Kapoor’s palatial bungalow, happy as a bee. So initially we thought, when on July 9 Sonam KA posted a picture of herself on Instagram in which she’s eating cake like a child under the caption ‘cravings’, it was a sign the actress was feeling super-chuffed about being with her parents. But wait. She’s eating meetha and gaining weight in quarantine? Good news in the offing?

Jagdeep, no more

Distinguished Indian comedian Jagdeep, known for his rib-tickling portrayal of the character Soorma Bhopali in the iconic film Sholay, died on July 8. He was 81. His real name was Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafri. He was the father of actor Javed Jafri and choreographer Naved Jafri. Jagdeep sahib worked in over 400 films, and all his characters were marked by a wonderful comedic timing and distinct way of delivering lines. He began his career as a child artist, working in movies made by revered directors such as B.R. Chopra, K.A. Abbas and Guru Dutt. Apart from Sholay, some of his memorable performances were in the films such as Kaali Ghata, Qurbani and Purana Mandir. May he rest in peace.

No President K

On July 4, singer/rapper Kanye West announced his decision to run for the president of the United States in the upcoming elections and the entire world of showbiz was buzzing about it. Little did everyone know that his expected power-trip would be short-lived because, two weeks later, it was announced that he had dropped the presidential bid. Avoiding technical details, apparently he needed to secure a certain number of signatures in Florida and South Carolina to meet the July 15 ballot deadline. But his publicist’s silence on that day in response to journos’ questions implied that he couldn’t. Tch tch… we’ve probably missed out on a helluva White House reality show.

Not Interested

Recently, Hollywood hounds began to spread the news that when Charlize Theron and Sean Penn were dating (which is quite far back), they came pretty close to getting married. The Oscar-winning actress has rubbished the khabar. In fact, she has gone a step further, saying she’s not interested in dating. Talking to a journo, Charlize T has explained, “I don’t feel like I’m missing out on something in my life, it’s just not something that I’m looking out for right now.” She stressed that, in case she does manage to find the love of her life, he will have to live in a house down the street. Hmmm… girl, maybe you’re right, you’re not looking for love…

Published in Dawn, ICON, July 19th, 2020