Netflix Calling

After Humayun Saeed bagging an important role in Netflix’s The Crown, Ahad Raza Mir has also made us proud by now being, we think, an important part of the cast of Resident Evil, an original offering of the same streaming service. Although it is not known what character he’s going to essay in the horror-cum-action miniseries based on a Japanese video game, we are sure that whatever he will play he will do a ‘hell’ of a job. After all, it’s a horror show. So fingers crossed!

Ms Marvel

Pakistan is making some serious waves in the world of international showbiz. If you have not seen Ms Marvel’s trailer, go watch it at the earliest — chances are you already have. It’s cool. We all know the Disney+ series is about a 16-year-old Pakistani Muslim girl Kamala Khan (played by the super confident and competent Iman Vellani) but the trailer made us realise that it is a very well made project, which, by the way, also has our very own Nimra Bucha in the cast. Now, isn’t that marvelous!

Insta Ban

Last week, rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, was banned on Instagram for a day after using a racial slur for TV presenter and comedian Trevor Noah. Earlier, Trevor N had criticised the musician for still trying to get in touch with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian after their divorce. In response, Ye altered the lyrics to the famous spiritual song Kumbaya to koon baya my lord which is a derogatory term for a black person. The comedian did get back to him by writing a serious, scathing note but Instagram went a step ahead and banned the rapper for a day. Ye(ah)… that’s more like it.

No Potter

The stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, based on the book from the same series by J.K. Rowling, has been a pretty decent hit. Conjecture is that a movie adaptation is soon to be made. However, Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry Potter on celluloid, may not be seen in it. Why? Well, talking to an American newspaper, he has said, “This isn’t the answer that anybody’s going to want, but I think I was so able to go back and enjoy it because it’s not a part of my day-to-day life anymore. I’m getting to a point where I feel like I made it out of Potter OK and I’m really happy with where I am now, and to go back would be such a massive change to my life.” Hmmm… Change is the only constant in life.

Early To Bed…

Twinkle Khanna (wife of Akshay Kumar, in case you’re not familiar with her acting credentials, which by the way are nothing to write home about) is a famous social media star and a columnist. She is one of the most followed Instagram Indian celebs. So, when she posted about her morning routine, claiming that she gets up at 5.45 am every day, it got people talking — for the simple reason that her hubby dear is also known to be an early riser. This makes complete sense: both hit the bed early and wake up at the crack of dawn; after breakfast, he goes for film shootings and she begins to write. What an interesting couple — no long, sleepless nights.

Propaganda Film

An Indian film, The Kashmir Files directed by Vivek Agnihotri is in the news for controversial reasons. It has a Kashmiri Pundit family at its centre. From the time it was screened, while a big section of rightwing Hindus praised it, there were those who came under fire for not commending it. For example, comedian Kapil Sharma didn’t promote it on his TV show. Actress Swara Bhaskar, too, was trolled for her indirect comment on the subject of the movie. Clarity was provided by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel when he remarked: “The entire film is focused on only one family but, in the end, the main hero emphasises that not only Hindus, people of different religions, including Buddhists, Muslims, Sikhs, were also murdered. But this film has been made to send only one political message — that only Kashmiri Pandits were displaced. Half-truth is shown in the film. It is not appropriate to show one side in the film. If the BJP wants to do politics through this and prepare for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, then they are taking the country in a very wrong direction.” No wonder, the cast of the movie includes Anupam Kher.

Published in Dawn, ICON, March 27th, 2022