The Jatt Reception

Ever since Bilal Lashari’s The Legend of Maula Jatt has hit cinema screens, on October 13 to be precise, praise for the film has been pouring in copiously. Not just from the cinema-going public, but members of the showbiz fraternity that have been speaking highly of the movie as well. One of them is Adnan Siddiqui, who claims — and the claim gels well with the selfie he’s taken with Fawad Khan and Bilal L — that the hype of the film is worth every paisa. This implies that he didn’t get a complimentary pass for TLMJ. Maybe he should have taken the selfie earlier?

Another Divorce

What’s happening to the world! Psychologists need to study why so many people are getting divorced. The latest in that regard is film star Sana who, after more than a decade of marriage to Fakhar Jaffri, has announced that they’re not together anymore. She did that on Instagram with the message that, after several years of togetherness, the two have decided to part ways. And that she strongly believes that God has better plans for both of them. We hope the same.

Box Office Obsession

Does American filmmaker Martin Scorsese need to revisit his ideas about the contemporary world of cinema and its machinations, or is he right about it and we just do not want to listen to him? Speaking at the New York Film Festival, the director of iconic films such as Mean Streets, Taxi Driver and Raging Bull remarked that the focus on box office numbers is ‘repulsive’ and ‘insulting’. As a result, “Cinema is devalued, demeaned, belittled from all sides, not necessarily the business side, but certainly the art.” Hmmm… sir, take a chill pill. Every age comes with its trends which no one can fight, not even one of the greatest living filmmakers.

Bollywood Again

With Fawad Khan back in the news, so too are the questions and speculations surrounding his resumption of work for Bollywood. Giving an interview to a magazine about his experience working in India, the actor said, “I have a great relationship with the people that I’ve worked with and made great friends. I would love to see them again someday, and maybe work with them again. Whether it be for an international platform, a Pakistani platform, or for an Indian platform. Mainstream Bollywood is a different ball game altogether.” To be honest, Fawad K, right now count all the platforms out. The border-tension train is chugging along without any stops.

Another Case

Here’s another measure of where Indian society is headed. The controversy surrounding the film Adipurush seems to be snowballing into something extremely serious. The latest in that regard is that a case has been filed against its actors Prabhas and Saif Ali Khan and the director of the movie Om Raut, along with some others, for depicting Hindu gods in an “unwarranted” and “inaccurate” way. Efforts are underway to stop the film’s screening. Pretty soon, we feel, Indian directors and producers will sit together to redefine ‘freedom of expression’.

The Advice

Last week, two pieces of advice from top-notch Hollywood actresses went viral in the mainstream media (not social media). First, Julia Roberts claimed that the secret to a happy marriage is “making out… lots of making out.” Then came Jamie Lee-Curtis who, giving her two-cents on the issue of ageing, said, “I did plastic surgery. I put Botox in my head. Does Botox make the big wrinkle go away? Yes. But then you look like a plastic figurine… Don’t mess with your face.” Hmmm… we’re always caught between the devil and the deep blue sea aren’t we?

Published in Dawn, ICON, October 23rd, 2022