Stars for Gaza

It was so good to see Pakistani actors sharing pictures of their recent trip to Jordan, where they partnered with the UK-based charity, SKT Welfare, to support displaced Palestinian families. During their visit, they helped prepare more than 500 boxes of food for the people of Gaza and spent time with the displaced families. The artists who went to Jordan included Javed Sheikh, Saba Hameed, Khaled Anam, Nabeel Zafar, Alyy Khan, Shagufta Ejaz, Gohar Rasheed, Kubra Khan and Ahmed Ali Akbar. Well done to all of them. Keep up the good work!

Fame vs Craft

Actor and director Shaan Shahid has a point. What are we talking about? We’re talking about his latest statement about the enduring quality — or lack of it — of digital media content creators. He says that if they don’t learn the art and craft of their job, for example, acting, and only focus on getting hits, they’ll be successful in the short term, but their work will not remain relevant three years later. Shaan S is spot on. That said, perhaps these creators know all of that… and just want to live in the now.

Ex Respect

It’s been over two years since Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez separated (again) and their divorce was finalised in January 2025. And yet, Ben A is still gushing over his ex, arguing that her performances in films such as Hustlers were ignored by those who give away awards. In an interview given to a magazine, the actor argued, “I’m biased. I have an enormous amount of respect and admiration for what she can do. What I’ve found with awards is that sometimes the degree of commercial success for things doesn’t always correlate to my taste. It’s a part of this weird, subjective business that people bring a lot of their own stuff to. I don’t always think the right person won the right award.” Hmmm… Some people say the same about a couple of awards given to Good Will Hunting.

Bombshell Bloodlines

What?! Actresses Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe are related? We had an inkling that both had somewhat similar pathways to success, and both brunettes became famous as blondes, but this is downright weird! According to MyHeritage, an online family history platform, Marilyn M is Sydney S’s ninth cousin once removed. The latter’s father, Steven Sweeney, and the former’s (biological) father, Charles Stanley Gifford, both trace their ancestry to a man called Ezra Perry. Wow! No wonder The Housemaid star seems to like billowing dresses a lot.

Bollywood on Track?

This is interesting. Last week, Indian actress Kareena Kapoor-Khan posted a picture of herself on social media wearing a helmet that race car drivers wear. She didn’t add anything else to the image, making netizens wonder what it was all about. Then, the Indian media conjectured that the actress is doing an international project with the Formula 1 champion, Lando Norris. The nature of the project, again, was not divulged. Well, if Bollywood and F1 are getting together for an assignment, it will be a great mix of fluff and guff, and rough and tough.

The Show Goes On

Ace vocalist Celine Dion just finished up a 16-show residency in Paris. During a concert on October 7 in the suburb of Nanterre, the singer slipped on stage while she was singing and dancing to one of her hit tracks, ‘Dans un Autre Monde’ [In Another World]. She recovered almost immediately and got back on her feet with a great deal of poise and composure. She even gave the audience a thumbs-up in the middle of the song. Later, as she paused between songs, Celine D said to those who had come for the gig, “Don’t worry.” Isn’t that cool! She’s 58 years of age, has famously suffered from a rare neurological disorder, and not just her heart, but her body, will still go on…

Published in Dawn, ICON, October 18th, 2026