Senior Citizens’ Exchange

A couple of weeks ago, on a talk show, actor Behroze Sabzwari, answered a light-hearted question about what would writer Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar be had he not been a playwright. He replied that ‘he’d be getting beaten up by people.’ Obviously, it didn’t fit someone of the stature of Behroz S to stoop down to that level, even if his answer was given in jest. After the social media uproar, he realised his mistake and released a video apologising to Khalil Q, saying that he considers him one of the great writers that we have. An apology is a good thing. But the praise that followed… was… better.

Marvel Mania

It’s absolutely fine to rejoice in the fact that a Pakistani family is at the centre of the Ms Marvel story being shown on Disney+. However, going gaga on networking websites and mainstream media every time a Pakistani actor appears in the series (for example, in the latter half of the tale, Fawad Khan and Samina Ahmed make an appearance) doesn’t reflect on us in a particularly good way. It seems as if our artists and industry need international recognition to be acknowledged as talented. They are talented, make no mistake. Try and appreciate their local work too, not just their appearances in projects done in the English language.

In the Family Way

Ever since Alia Bhatt announced that she’s pregnant with her first baby, expressing her and hubby Ranbir Kapoor’s happiness about it, congratulatory messages have been pouring in. The latest to relay that message is actor and Alia B’s close friend Varun Dhawan who, while giving an interview related to his latest release Jugjugg Jeeyo, was asked how he felt about Alia B being an expecting mom. He said: “Jugjugg Jeeyo!” Now that’s what we call killing two birds with one stone — making a friend feel good and promoting your film.

Little Atif

Singer Atif Aslam on his tour of Canada has, apart from signing some delightful songs, done some very endearing things. Remember, he held out a placard made by a boy who said that his fiancée had delayed their marriage just in order to be present at Atif’s concert? In another nice gesture, the vocalist invited his eight-year-old son to perform on stage in Vancouver alongside him. And the child did very well by reciting Tajdar-i-Haram. With a little bit of vocal training, in the future he could also be someone that people will put off their weddings to attend his gigs.

She’s Sorry

The co-creator of the famous sitcom Friends, Marta Kauffman, has admitted, almost two decades after the show ended, that Friends wasn’t ‘diverse enough’. Talking to a journo she elaborated, “It was after what happened to George Floyd that I began to wrestle with my having bought into systemic racism in ways I was never aware of. That was really the moment that I began to examine the ways I had participated. I knew then I needed to course-correct.”

Better late than never, they say.

The Letdown

In case you were wondering why actress and former Ms Universe Sushmita Sen never tied the nuptial knot despite being in some serious relationships, well, here’s the reason that she gave to the question asked by Twinkle Khanna on the latter’s talk show: the men in her life were a letdown. She clarified that it had nothing to do with her two adopted girls — they’re fine with whoever she dates. The issue was that when she adopted her second child, there was no guy who fully understood what her responsibilities were. Hmmm… we think you did the right thing. When let down, rise up.

Published in Dawn, ICON, July 10th, 2022