Defending the Indefensible

In 2023, a Pakistani-born UK national Salman Iftikhar threatened a flight attendant, Angie Walsh, with rape on a Virgin Atlantic flight. The incident was recorded by a fellow passenger and went viral a little later. Now the man has been sentenced in the UK. Interestingly, his wife (second wife, we might add) Abeer Rizvi, a Pakistani influencer and model, has come out in defence of her husband, saying he has mental health issues and requesting everyone to try and understand before judging… “be kind, be human,” she wrote. The problem, Abeer R, is this: spare a thought for that flight attendant. Doesn’t her mental health matter?

Chef’s Kiss

Despite the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan, and despite the Indian government’s and Hindutva-supporters’ hawkish stance of not letting Pakistani artists work in India, the film Abir Gulaal, starring Pakistani Fawad Khan and Indian Vani Kapoor will be released all over the world (except India, of course) on August 29. The movie has been directed by Arti S. Bagdi and it is a rom-com in which Fawad K is playing the part of a chef. In that regard, this is what we have to say to the Indian authorities: if you can’t handle the heat, get out of the kitchen.

The Time Factor

Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio is going to turn 50 in November. In a recent interview to an American magazine, he has talked about the preciousness of time and, in that connection, the importance (or lack of it) of relationships. “Being more upfront and risking having things fall apart or risk the disagreements or risk going your separate ways from any type of relationship in life — the personal, professional — it’s that you just don’t want to waste your time anymore. You have to just be much more upfront. It’s almost a responsibility, because much more of your life is behind you than it is ahead of you.” Could Leo D C have found this wisdom after dating 27-year-old Vittoria Caretti rather than the under-25s he normally dated?.

A Man of Commitment

Recently, Atif Aslam performed at the Sindh Governor House in Karachi as part of Marka-i-Haq events held to celebrate Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day. While singing Jal Pari, the fifth track on the playlist that day, he noticed that some girls in the audience were feeling uncomfortable with the crowd and stopped the gig. He requested the organisers to fix the problem. After 20 minutes or so, the show resumed. It was a laudable gesture from the singer. Also, the next day, his father, Chaudhry Aslam, died in Lahore, and yet he honoured his commitment of performing at the National Stadium in Karachi the day after. Our heartfelt condolences to Atif Aslam and his family.

No Charge

The film titled Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and which celebrates South Indian superstar Rajnikanth’s 50 years of working in movies, has created quite a bit of buzz. One of the reasons is that Aamir Khan has made a guest appearance in the project. News is that he has not charged a single rupee for his performance. He’s done it all for his inordinate love and respect for Rajnikanth. Those who have watched the film say that the way Aamir K has acted in the film, it’s good that he hasn’t taken a fee for it.

Goodbye America

Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is not happy with, perhaps even afraid of, Donald Trump’s second tenure as president of the United States of America. He has often spoken openly against Donald T. Last year, as soon as the latter was elected president of the country, Jimmy K obtained Italian citizenship. It was easy for him because his grandmother is Italian. The comedian says a lot of people he knows are thinking about where they’re going to get citizenship. Hmmm… Isn’t facing the problem manlier than running away from it?

Published in Dawn, ICON, August 24th, 2025