True Calling

Former actress Mishi Khan seems to be super invested in Pakistani TV programmes and politics. She passes no opportunity to criticise or make fun of anything she finds worthy of comment. Simply put, like most of us, she uses social media to air her opinions. In a fair turnaround, social media also loses no opportunity to make fun of her. Recently, people dredged up a year-old clip of hers celebrating Donald Trump’s election victory, contrasting it with her opinions now. She responded saying her change of mind was natural, like having bhindi (okra) one day and steak on another. To be honest, we think Mishi K has found her calling. In fact, it seems that her online videos seem to generate more buzz than her acting ever did.

uncalled for

The verbal spat between senior actress Atiqa Odho and (now senior) actor Fahad Mustafa subsided after the latter apologised for his comments. For the uninitiated, it all started when Atiqa O suggested on a show that the Namalom Afraad star should work with women of his own age. In response, Fahad M, on another programme, responded that he would work with her after she underwent a couple of surgeries. Ouch! Ego hurt much? Later, he realised he had crossed a line and apologised, saying he thought Atiqa O was the most beautiful actress in the country. While Atiqa O graciously tried to downplay the kerfuffle, it’s safe to say that such issues would not arise if people weighed their words before uttering them.

Broadcast Blunder

During the recently held Bafta awards, activist John Davidson, who suffers from Tourette syndrome, screamed the ‘N’ word while two black American actors — Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo — were on stage. He later explained it happened because of an involuntary tic. But the controversy intensified when the moment went uncut on air despite the fact that there was a two-hour gap between the awards show and its airing. The Director-General of the BBC, which televised the annual event, ordered a fast-tracked investigation and to provide a full response to the many complainants. Let’s see whose heads roll…

Hair Apparent

A few years ago, rumours were rife that singer Harry Styles (a former member of the pop band One Direction) had gone bald, and his hair — that people often admired — was the result of a transplant. At the time, he had remained silent on the matter. However, recently, during a podcast, the vocalist-cum-actor addressed the rumours in a subtle manner. Answering a question about his teeth, he said they were real, and added rather playfully, “This hairline though.” His remark has almost confirmed that… uh-oh, hair we go again…

Short Tragedy

On February 23, 42-year-old Katherine Short, the daughter of renowned comedian and Hollywood actor Martin Short, committed suicide in Los Angeles. A social worker, she was one of the three adopted children of Martin Short and his wife, the late Nancy Dolman (who died of cancer in 2010). When the tragedy occurred, her father was on a two-man comedy tour with his friend and fellow comedian Steve Martin. May she rest in peace.

Double Celebrations

On February 26, two of India’s biggest movie stars, Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda, were married in Udaipur. They had been seeing each other for a couple of years. Their marriage didn’t generate much gossip or speculation — both enjoy decent reputations among their peers and fans. What made the celebrations interesting, however, was that two ceremonies took place, as the bride is from Kannada-speaking Karnataka and the groom from Andhra Pradesh, where Telugu is spoken. In the morning, a Telugu-themed wedding took place and, in the evening, the rituals followed the Kannada traditions of Rashmika M’s home state. We congratulate the couple — twice!

Published in Dawn, ICON, March 8th, 2026