The Tharoor Effect

Akbar Chaudhry is a comedian largely known to social media users, although he has the ability and talent to become a mainstream figure. It doesn’t matter in the larger scheme of things because, if an eloquent politician such as Shashi Tharoor from India is watching his virtual performances, he doesn’t need to mainstream himself. Akbar C made fun in a video of Shashi T’s usage of the English language, which some feel is a bit pompous. It was largely a mime act which went viral. The politician saw it and, in an act of appreciation, requested Akbar C to make Prime Minister Imran Khan his next target. Tell you what, Shashi ji. The comedian already has stiff competition on that front.

The Idea called Mahira

Mahira Khan seldom makes comments that the media can twist into something she didn’t intend to say. Which is to say, she’s usually very guarded in what she says. Her interview with Mira Sethi mostly had the same vibe. However, she was, a bit more candid about her life than she normally is and even became a tad philosophical while discussing it. For example, she said no one really knows the real her. Extending the argument, she articulated that any star who has liked her is perhaps infatuated with the idea of her more than the real her. Hmmm…

What an idea!

Birthday Shutterbugs

On March 3, Bollywood starlet Shraddha Kapoor celebrated her 34th birthday. The thing is that she wasn’t in India at the time: she was in the Maldives taking part in her cousin’s wedding. When she returned to her country, however, she was greeted at Mumbai airport by quite a few photographers who had brought a cake for her to celebrate the special day. She obliged and cut the cake right at the airport to the cheering sound of ‘happy birthday to you’. Mind you, she was wearing a mask all the while and took it off only to take a small bite of the cake. Now that’s what you call obliging the paparazzi who keep you in the limelight.

Korean Masters

Katrina Kaif is busy preparing for her role in an upcoming film Tiger 3 these days, co-starring, of course, Salman Khan, whose movie franchise it is. As can be guessed, it’s a thriller with a lot of fiery moments. To look the part, the gorgeous gal recently underwent a two-week training session with South Korean stunt artists. Insiders say that it did not take her long to learn all the kicks, jumps and punches. You never know, there might even be a K-pop song in the movie. K for Katrina, we mean.

Deactivated

Alec Baldwin is miffed. So much so that he has deactivated his Twitter account, about which, by the way, he announced on his Instagram page. The actor did that because he didn’t like the way he was trolled by American twitterati when he posted “oh that’s interesting” while commenting on Gillian Anderson’s “switching accents” (the American actress is working in quite a few British projects for which her British accent is being scrutinised). The reason Alec B’s response to Gillian A became a topic was that, in December last year, his wife Hilaria, who is of a mixed cultural background, was made fun of for faking a Spanish accent. The trolling was so aggressive that he had to leave Twitter. So if you now want to troll him, join Instagram.

The Bieber Obsession

We had no clue that someone like Billie Eilish could be in love with someone like Justin Bieber (yes, we know both are pop stars, but still…). In an interview given in the documentary made on her life and work titled The World’s a Little Blurry, which has become the talk of the town, she says, “I literally remember sobbing into a pillow because I thought I’m never gonna feel this way about anyone. I was terrified that when I got a boyfriend when I was older that… he won’t compare.” Well, he still won’t compare Billie E — ask his wife.

Published in Dawn, ICON, March 14th, 2021