The Express Tribune

This has been a year of reformation and introspection for Pakistan's entertainment industry. After India closed its doors to Pakistani artists in the wake of the Uri attack last year, Pakistani artistes – who were minting a heavy buck from the biggest culture industry in Asia, Bollywood – were forced to come up with a plan B. Nothing can compare to the attention and recognition a successful project in India can bring. In fact, a lot of Pakistani artistes still bank on that one short role (that nobody remembers) to enhance their portfolio. But as Junoon said in their song, “khwaab adhooray sahi, khwaab saharay toh hain” (while our dreams may be incomplete, at least we have them), dreams are what we live for. Pakistan’s Bollywood dream was officially over the moment Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPAA) put a ban on hiring Pakistani artistes for new projects. So the cream of Pakistani talent and music, which used to heavily rely on Bollywood, realised that home is where the heart is. This ban naturally instilled a sense of patriotism; a word that should be defined as hating India in Pakistan and hating Pakistan in India. As an independent commentator, I was moved to see the likes of Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan follow Mahatama Gandhi’s guidelines – not respond to filth with filth – something that was being bombarded by the Indian artistes’ community under severe government pressure. But we never realised that such a gruesome burning of bridges between the two countries would actually benefit Pakistan’s culture industry instead of hampering its growth. Even Pakistanis didn’t know that. Almost one year down the line from the conflict, the biggest names of Pakistani entertainment are engaged in unusually high number of projects in Pakistan, some being financed by corporations, others on their own. This would have been close to impossible had the Bollywood bliss been available. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"]Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view. Photo: Instagram/Fawad Khan[/caption] Fawad Khan returns to music Well, the new Khan of Bollywood, the guy who was compared to a “juicy ice lolly” in an Indian publication, has returned to music. The Kapoor & Sons actor first came into the limelight in 2002, when his band Entity Paradigm qualified for Pakistan’s first Pepsi Battle of the Bands. Seventeen years and a vast portfolio later, Fawad has returned to the same show alongside Atif Aslam, Meesha Shafi of Jugni fame and Vital Signs founding member Shahi Hasan. Not only was it a delight to watch the biggest star of the country hone fresh musical talent, but his regular appearance on TV, as a judge and mentor, has also managed to bridge the gap between Fawad and his Pakistani fans. His much-awaited Maula Jatt 2 by Bilal Lashari has completed its first spell too. He is expected to resume work on Maula Jatt 2 and kick off the Pakistani pop legend, Alamgir’s biopic soon. Thanks to his no-commitments-in-Bollywood status, we will finally get to see Fawad star in a Pakistani film after a decade. Along with Fawad’s appearance, we will witness the return of Pakistan’s cult Punjabi characters, Maula Jutt and Noori Nat. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"]Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view. Photo: Instagram/ Mahira Khan[/caption] Mahira Khan signs three Pakistani films Like Fawad, Mahira had also found a new home via the immense popularity of Pakistani serials in India. She had the grace, elegance and everything that was needed to become the first Pakistani to debut alongside Shah Rukh Khan. Although the role wasn’t as significant as one would imagine, it still managed to raise few eyebrows on both sides of the border. However, she couldn’t promote the film in India for obvious reasons so she stayed back home and watched the fireworks from a distance. As a result, Pakistan’s most successful producer/director Shoaib Mansoor (Shoman) announced his next project, Verna, with Mahira in the lead role. Speculation was rife that Kareena Kapoor might end up playing the lead but Shoman had Pakistan’s most followed diva on the sets. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"]Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view. Photo: Youtube/ Raees[/caption] The film is now in its post-production. Mahira has also started shooting for yet another Pakistani film titled Saat Din Mohabbat, after long spells of rehearsing for the role while simultaneously training for the labour intensive Maula Jatt 2 – in which she plays the female lead. So, if things go as planned, we will get to see Mahira in not one, not two, but three Pakistani films! And trust me, that’s a lot of films for Pakistan. The Atif Aslam we missed is back! The biggest music export to India is now back in Pakistan. Yes, speaking of recent times, I would put Atif way above Rahat Fateh Ali Khan or Shafqat Amanat Ali in terms of the influence he has had on Bollywood music. Like it or not, but had it not been for his powerful falsettos both high and low in signature eastern classical and semi-classical melodies, someone like Arijit Singh would have never been welcomed. After bending the rules on both sides of the border, Atif is finally back home, releasing original music which is not restricted to films. Since the beginning of 2017, he has released three original songs which are not a part of any film. The songs are becoming less filmy and more profound with every passing release. ‘Yaad Tehari’, the song that he performed on Pepsi Battle of the Bands reminded us of the Atif of the ‘Jal Pari’ days, one who was as much inspired by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as he was from the works of Peter Gabriel. Apart from his fresh music and live concerts, Atif was the second usual Bollywood customer who was judging Pepsi Battle of the Bands in Pakistan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N08-TtqukoU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf6MsltI7lQ This deadly combination of Fawad and Atif’s star-power combined with exceptional young talent has given the 10^th season of Coke Studio a serious run for its money. On the set of Battle of the Bands, someone asked Atif why his music was getting more complicated yet profound with every passing release, to which he responded,

“If I don’t do it now, I’ll probably never do it.”

Now that sounds fresh and inspiring. Ali Zafar completes shooting his first Pakistani film He is a painter, singer and an actor. Ali Zafar may not have bagged his dream role in Bollywood but he created quite a stir with his diverse skill set. However, despite being offered a number of Pakistani films, including filmmaker Jamshed Mahmood Raza’s (Jami) Operation 021, Ali was yet to appear in any Pakistani films until this year. Disgruntled and disheartened at how his voice was replaced with Arijit’s in the only song he sang in Dear Zindagi, Zafar seems to have closed the Bollywood chapter, at least for now. Instead, he has started working on his Pakistani film debut, Teefa in Trouble, which is an action-comedy being produced by Ali himself and directed by famed ad-filmmaker Ahsan Rahim. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Youtube/ Dear Zindagi[/caption] Ali, who returned to Pakistan after wrapping up the shoot for Teefa in Trouble in Warsaw, Poland, is basking in the success of his Coke Studio rendition of the Lollywood classic, ‘Jaan-e-Bahaaraan’. While we wait for his much-anticipated original from Coke Studio, titled, ‘Julie’, the Kill Dill actor has already started working on his next music album. His last album, Jhoom was released in 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89XMV2AWqdg Rahat Fateh Ali Khan A voice like Rahat’s finds its way no matter what the political landscape may be. Bollywood didn’t really close doors on Rahat. They, in fact, only worked around his previous arrangement of recording in Dubai by getting the vocals recorded in Pakistan. He went on one of the most expensive world tours of his time, in memory of the late maestro, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. From the earnings of the tour that featured almost 50 concerts, Rahat pledged to establish a music academy in Pakistan. He is also actively participating in the soundtracks of Pakistani films and in no time featuring ‘a Rahat track’ in your film has become as much of a Pakistani formula as it was of Bollywood’s. The actor also has a series of concerts lined up in Pakistan apart from his appearance in the ongoing season of Coke Studio. So the verdict is… The wave of hatred propagated by groups such as MNS and Shiv Sena may have closed Bollywood’s doors to Pakistan but has the move actually dented Pakistani entertainment industry? Yes, Fawad may have lost the Bollywood momentum after Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Saba Qamar could barely capitalise on the commercial and critical success of Hindi Medium, but has it really stopped them from working? Not at all. In fact, if anything, this red flag by the Indian entertainment industry has helped Pakistani artistes trust their own abilities and muster the courage to believe in their aptitude as they used to before the Bollywood explosion happened – special thanks to Mahesh Bhatt (No pun intended). After a huge lacuna, the Atifs, the Mahiras and the Fawads are working for Pakistan in Pakistan, resulting in a plethora of locally funded and supported projects. The Pakistani vocalist who had completely become dependent upon a Bollywood breakthrough for mainstream recognition has started jamming again. Pakistani film producers, directors, and actors have set their eyes on the big screen as the cinema industry saw exponential growth in the past 10 years. We have gone from 27 screens in 2007 to almost 107 screens in 2017 and the private sector is getting more and more interested in cinema as a medium of revenue generation. However, none of these signs are going to last in the long run, for the progress of both India and Pakistan’s cultural industries is dependent on the exchange of talent and ideas and we learnt our lessons the hard way. Last year, Pakistani exhibitors decided not to screen Indian films until ‘normalcy’ and the deserted cinemas spoke volumes of our collective, hyper-nationalistic attitude towards culture. It’s about time both countries realise that no form of restrictive cultural policy is going to help anybody’s cause – love it or hate it but melody finds its own way out. The cultural similarities between Pakistan and India are such that for a global audience, they are an extension of each other, and rationally speaking, that isn’t far from the truth. Let’s hope we have better things to talk about on the next Partition anniversary. This post originally appeared on The Quint here.

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On February 22, 2018, the Federation Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) unanimously agreed to ban Pakistani artists and technicians from working in films and TV serials made by Indian producers in any language. This decision was of course made in light of growing tensions and the deteriorating relations between the two countries as of late. Every country is entitled to take action based on their political reasoning, and justify it through patriotism. If India wants to do so as well, so be it; it has the right to do so. However, once again we see that art too has been unfairly politicised. In the past, gems of the Pakistani industry have shone brightest through their performances across the border, winning the hearts of the masses. Be it Ali Zafar vibrantly bringing life to characters with his exceptional acting; Atif Aslam and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, who have entranced everyone with the magical intonations of their voice; or Fawad Khan, whose effortless charm wooed Indians and Pakistanis alike and made him a heartthrob across the border as well. And these are just the men! How can we forget our leading ladies who have so phenomenally left their mark in Bollywood? Mahira Khan, our industry’s queen who was rightly paired with Bollywood’s King Khan, and Sajal Aly, whose intensity and versatile expressions shook audiences as she starred opposite the late Sridevi. Then of course there is Saba Qamar, who became the first Pakistani nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her immaculate performance in Hindi Medium. However, despite the stars of the Pakistani industry simply doing what they do best and exceeding all expectations across the border, the reality needs to be accepted. Our talent is no longer welcome across the border, and is being made a victim of sheer prejudice. https://twitter.com/SharmeenRizvi/status/966751329090711552 https://twitter.com/RoshanKrRai/status/966733698250035200 India’s ban on Pakistani talent is a wake-up call for Pakistani channels to set aside Indian media content and focus on their own national media content and on promoting new talent, both of which the country is overflowing with. Our film industry is at its full bloom currently, along with our dramas flourishing by the day. Both of these can most definitely be aired and suffice for the masses to view instead of Indian content. In fact, the Pakistani industry’s golden era of our yesteryears is so remarkable that to date they remain national favourites! It would be a breath of fresh air and a revival of lost cultural values if our classic films and dramas were to be aired on our channels yet again. Thus, it is absolutely incomprehensible why the “achievements” of our Pakistani celebrities are believed to be elevated if they work for Bollywood. Yes, performing internationally is a matter of pride for artists in any country, but it is important to note that Pakistan’s multi-talented performers do not need any validation from across the border – their work speaks for itself. I got in touch with a couple of the members of our industry, and here's what they have to say about this ban: Armeena Khan:

“Every country has good and bad people. This decision seems to be driven by extremists, yet again coercing decent people into religious or nationalistic policies that perpetuate division and hatred. Art and artists do the opposite. We transcend borders, and through our craft bring people together and promote love. This is dangerous for the extremists because it undoes all their work. The ban itself is purely symbolic and these difficult conditions for the Pakistani artists in India have actually served to bolster Pakistan’s entertainment industry over the past. We should not reciprocate, as it’s about as symbolic as banning Argentinian artists from working here. Finally, in the grand scheme of things, does it actually make a difference to us? I’ll leave that to you.”

Imran Raza Kazmi:

“Art has no boundaries. I have been incorporating Indian talent in my films, from editors to singers; they are mostly from across the border. In fact, my film editor from India is actually like a brother to me. Our relationships across the border and vice-versa cannot really be made to end. In an era of globalisation an exchange of talent should be encouraged rather than the opposite. I believe that the Indian government has taken a very strict action regarding the matter and they should definitely think over it. This will only give heed to more hatred rather than improve ties between the two nations.”

Moreover, other celebrities have also commented on the ban: https://www.facebook.com/shamoon/posts/10155140635851712 https://www.facebook.com/iffat.umar.1/posts/10156070416126678 https://www.instagram.com/p/BfxkMjLlT6B/?taken-by=zahid.ahmed.official Despite the never-ending tension between India and Pakistan, Bollywood’s movies and stars have been whole-heartedly accepted by Pakistanis regardless of political conflict. However, in the present situation, India has announced that it will “stand by their security forces and their families”, as their “nation comes first”, per the press release by FWICE. As Pakistani artists pose such an elevated threat to India’s national security, they have subsequently been banned. If art and artists are now a means of national security, then Pakistan should take India’s lead and put its own nation first. Although the Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) in Pakistan has banned Bollywood’s most recent release, Pari, promptly after India’s ban, however, the reasons provided by the CBFC do not suggest a deterioration of ties to be behind this decision. Nevertheless, considering the current events, Pakistan should definitely initiate the step to ban Indian content on our TV screens and their films in our theatres. Atif can already be seen taking a stand against India banning Pakistani artists by refusing to promote his upcoming Bollywood song Sehmi Hai Dhadkan. At the same time, our actors are working in local projects, as Ali will be next seen in Teefa in Trouble, Fawad in Maula Jatt 2, while other stars like Saba have seen incredible success with productions like Baaghi. Make no mistake, being banned in India does not mean no work for Pakistani artists. https://twitter.com/mehvishchaudhr2/status/969469452965367808 This is not a matter of debating whether art is obliged to be confined by borders, because realistically India has proven otherwise. However, Pakistan banning Indian content and artists would be a move prioritising Pakistan, while also showing that Pakistan is not dependent on Indian media either, the way it once used to be. As far as the art of acting, phenomenal scripts and entertainment is concerned, no one can ever take that away from Pakistan. Whether a country bans us or not, we will soar regardless, because #PakDontCare!

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Like most cricket fans excitedly preparing for the return of international cricket back home, I was also looking forward to going to the National Stadium to watch the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where last year’s champions Peshawar Zalmi were up against the storming Islamabad United. The security was tight, the functioning was strict, and as the Sindh government could not afford any mishaps, they tried their best to pull the edge of each string to ensure no serious problems arose on the big day. This is precisely why each attendee was checked at least three times on their way in. After going through the security measures and having our tickets and CNICs scanned repeatedly, and our pockets checked thoroughly, all of the spectators entered the ground with empty pockets. With only our wallets clad in our hands, we all hoped to find refuge inside the National Stadium. Every item we brought – including Smarties, lip gloss, hand sanitizers, Skittles, cigarettes, lighters, matchboxes, and even baby food – was dispensed and surrendered before we were allowed to enter the stadium. Admittedly, banning cigarettes and lighters at the entrance of the stadium is a smart and routine procedure, and is part of the standard protocol to take away fire hazards like lighters and match boxes. With a capacity of almost 25,000 people, and a tainted past reputation, the government could, after all, take no chances. Thus we sat there, empty handed yet excited, as the ceremony began in full swing. The performances sailed smoothly, with the audience screaming and applauding to get the attention of the likes of Hamza Ali Abbasi, Mahira Khan and Sheheryar Munawar, who were all there to support their team. Celebrities such as Fawad Khan, Farhan Saeed and Shehzad Roy graced the stage to welcome everyone, and foreign players danced alongside Pakistanis to our national cricket anthems. The Chief Minister of Sindh, Murad Ali Shah, even made a round of the stadium, waving at the eager smiling faces waiting to watch history being made in Pakistan. The return of cricket to Karachi was thus quite the extravagant affair. Nevertheless, the experience was far from picture-perfect. From the hoard of mismanagement that took place inside National Stadium, the worst one was the zero supply of water at all the stalls. From Pizza Point and United King, to even Pepsi’s official stall, there was no bottled water; just coolers installed in certain enclosures. This was clearly terrible management, given the heat wave that came alongside the PSL final. However, if there was one particular thing that caught my attention, and one thing I shall take away from my entire experience, it is the frequency of hearing the sentence,

“Bhai sahab, cigarette hai?” (Mister, do you have a cigarette?)

My friends and I left my enclosure after the first inning, full of disappointment (being Zalmi fans), and instantly craved a cigarette. We weren’t the only ones. Stepping out, I came across an entire sea of people – seemingly equipped with hawk-eye vision – scanning across every person their vision could reach to catch the trace of a smoke. Even the simple act of holding a lighter was enough to draw crowds towards you, chanting,

“Cigarette hai aap ke pass?” (Do you have a cigarette?)

The atmosphere inside and outside the watching stands was thus of stark contrast. While people inside were concerned with the players, with gimmicks that would catch the camera’s attention, or with the overall significance of the day, the people outside were only concerned with one thing – their “sutta” (smoke). [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="460"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Giphy[/caption] Honestly, it was quite surprising to see how quickly and drastically people reacted to the deprivation of tobacco. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="460"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Giphy[/caption] Forget saying ‘hi’ and catching up; all my old and new acquaintances – and even some people I had never met before – would come up to me, only to ask if I could somehow get them a ‘smoke’. On the rare occasion someone was lucky enough to find a cigarette – by borrowing one from the police officials or other security personnel – they would sprint in joy to one of the stalls and borrow a match to light it. Those who were not so lucky spent their time scanning the air around people, to see if they could smell or see the smoke from a cigarette. When a friend of mine was fortunate enough to find one, at least eight people came to ask him if he could spare a “kush”. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Giphy[/caption] And this is how, when cricket came home, the cigarette-addicted people of Karachi were unable to see past the smoke. As the match ended and fans left the National Stadium wearing a frown or a flag of victory, the most unforgettable thing I heard them say on such a memorable occasion remained,

“The first thing we’ll do once we get out of here is get a smoke!”

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Given the current milieu of tense relations between India and Pakistan, an Indian contemplating the comments made by a relatively unknown Bollywood actress regarding Pakistan being a “failing state” may not be the most reasonable exercise. However, her statements bring forth something very typical about an average Indian’s perception of Pakistan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEYBZhACTr4 Over in Pakistan, actress Urwa Hocane’s posts calling Swara Bhaskar out for her contradictory statements on Pakistan have already gone viral on social media. https://twitter.com/VJURWA/status/1002964640874319872 https://twitter.com/VJURWA/status/1002964827600572419 https://twitter.com/VJURWA/status/1002964922605756421 However, it needs to be mentioned it’s not just Pakistanis who are expressing their anger, as Bhaskar has been equally condemned in India for her comments. And this time it’s not just the leftists and the liberals lambasting her, but also the right-wing of India, notorious for their trolling on Twitter. https://twitter.com/AsYouNotWish/status/1003013233953796096 From her famous “vagina” comment regarding Padmaavat to the masturbation scene in Veere di wedding, Bhaskar had already annoyed the Indian right-wing. And after showering her wisdom with the passionate use of the heavy strategic terminology “failing state” to describe our neighbour, she has reduced herself to a mockery even among her traditional leftist and liberal fans. Someone like Bhaskar has many reasons to resort to such tactics for cheap publicity. She has been struggling for a long time, and even now she is not a top-league actress in India. In the extremely competitive world of Bollywood, it is not easy for someone like Bhaskar – with average looks, mediocre talent, and not from a famous family to boot – to make a mark. Plus, in an industry that is still a male bastion, the career of an actress is very short. Hence, resorting to such publicity stunts is a common practice in Bollywood. Rakhi Sawant, another Bollywood actress (perhaps much better known than Bhaskar) built her entire career on such tactics. https://twitter.com/GoharRsd/status/1003226852796911616 https://twitter.com/GoharRsd/status/1003227264404869120 https://twitter.com/ayeshasaeed674/status/1003044104933134337 Furthermore, such sensational statements are an easy way to compensate for other shortcomings. In fact, this is quickly becoming a trend in Bollywood. When they don’t have good stories, they come out with raunchy, obscene and sensational plots, with imaginary narratives on sexual openness or perversion as their central theme, for reasons that are more than evident in the sexually suppressed socio-cultural milieu of South Asia. In this entire fiasco, Bhaskar comes out seeming not only like an opportunist, but also as someone whose awareness level is shallow when it comes to international affairs. The crass opportunism she has displayed is very characteristic of India’s middle class and elite socio-cultural world. Bhaskar has lived in Delhi. Her father has taught at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), India’s left-wing bastion. In Delhi’s upper middle class, it is a general trend to visit dargahs (shrines), accommodate for certain Islamic practices, praise Pakistan, advocate cultural exchange, and criticise the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to project oneself as a diehard liberal and secular. However, when the same group wants to appear nationalist, they start bashing Pakistan, as it is the most convenient choice. Through such gimmicks, they occasionally get the support of India’s right-wing. Moreover, these days it has become very fashionable to sound nationalist and patriotic in India. Those who are not very comfortable with the rigid social restraints advocated by the Hindutva crowd on eating habits and sexual freedom, often resort to Pakistan bashing to prove their nationalist credentials. https://twitter.com/mahwashajaz_/status/1002969343179853824 https://twitter.com/bbcriticpak/status/1002967417574879234 This serves many ends. It makes you nationalist without sounding communal, regressive, orthodox, or even religious. Hence, such opportunism is rooted in the subconscious of India’s elitist and intellectual class. Most people belonging to such a crowd in India use buzzwords like feminism, liberalism, and LGBT activism, without actually knowing or meaning what they proclaim. Generally, it is a PR exercise and makes you look “cool” and more acceptable in the elitist ecosystem. Further, Bollywood in general does not seem to like Pakistan a lot at the moment. Understandably, when talented artists like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan and Ali Zafar make forays into Bollywood, survival becomes a bit difficult for upstarts like Bhaskar. On a more serious note, I would also like to clarify that using the epithet “failing state” for Pakistan is very common among Indians in general. It’s very common here to come across people with absolutely no knowledge of international affairs passing grand judgments of Pakistan being a failing state. Of late, the element of future telling has also become common. Semi-literate media presenters invade primetime shows with their conspiracy theories and predictions of the dismemberment of Pakistan. https://twitter.com/padhalikha/status/1003465073514278912 I think we have been taught to believe we are superior because of our democracy, without realising how dysfunctional and distorted it is. People hardly display any awareness on the kind of progress Pakistan is making through infrastructure projects. The narrative is mostly biased, presenting Pakistan either as a colony of China or as a pivot of religious extremism. This perception deficit, or rather lack of sufficient understanding of the Pakistani state, society, and cultural ethos, is also present in India’s strategic community and political circles. This partly stems from the arrogance which prevented pre-independence Indian leaders from accepting the idea of Pakistan, and partly from a highly insular attitude and a false sense of superiority that prevails in India today. However, if there is to be lasting peace between both countries, I think us as Indians first need to understand and appreciate Pakistan and find more of a common ground, rather than make salacious and aggravating comments for the sake of cheap publicity.

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The year is almost over, and there is no doubt the ‘revival’ of Pakistani cinema continued in 2018. It would even be fair to say the so-called revival phase is over and the industry has stabilised to a degree. It should only go up from here, as our filmmakers have now understood the basic needs of the modern cinema going audience. While production values, music and the film treatments have significantly improved, the stories remain the weak link. However, this is a problem with most large-scale films, even across the border. Yes, there are still some black sheep insisting on making poor films and drowning our cinema again, but that number has grown to be fairly limited. And no, this was not a sly dig at the makers of 7 Din Mohabbat In (7DMI) or Maan Jao Na. This year saw a good mix of mainstream commercial ‘masala’ cinema with experimental and unique storytelling. Amidst all the chaos, there was some method to the madness. In other words, it was not like the Pakistan cricket team. In this article, we will have a look at the news-makers in the Pakistani film industry over the past 12 months. The all-rounder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw5dTVTX9zo Arguably the biggest film produced by Pakistan, and also its most awaited one, was Teefa in Trouble. It was a movie of firsts; the directorial debut for Ahsan Rahim, the first film for cinematographer Zain Haleem, the first film for actress Maya Ali, and the first Pakistani film for Ali Zafar. It took its time to complete and the producers took a gutsy step by not releasing it on a holiday. Teefa in Trouble lived up to its hype and turned out to be a technically sound, well made, all out entertainer. It was a master class in editing, while its brilliant cinematography, quirky humour and apt sound design were the strength of the movie. Veteran actors such as Mehmood Ali and Javed Sheikh stood out, whereas Maya had a reasonable debut. On top of it all was the excellent chemistry of the trio formed by Rahim, Faisal Qureshi and Zafar. It was evident the three of them had complete confidence in each other, which is why despite a recycled storyline, the film was a huge success and set even higher future expectations from Rahim and Zafar. The underachiever https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkXBll2DpuQ Nabeel Qureshi’s track record has been nothing short of remarkable at a very young age. Along with Fizza Ali Meerza, Qureshi has created two instalments of Na Maloom Afraad and the very entertaining Actor in Law. This year they came together with Fahad Mustafa and Mehwish Hayat to present Load Wedding. Load Wedding is a good film. It has the cultural sensitivities of interior Punjab, Shani’s soulful music, good acting, satirical humour and most importantly, a couple of very strong social messages i.e. the nahoosat (bad luck) brought by a widow, and the load of dowry upon a girl’s family. Despite flaws in its execution, such as the Punjabi accents of non-Punjabi actors, it was still a very well-made film. However, it did not receive the success Qureshi’s previous films did, the main reason for which was a box office timing clash with Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 (JPNA 2) and Parwaaz Hai Junoon (PHJ), both of which released on the same day. After all, a Pakistani couple was not going to spend Rs6,000 on three films in three weeks. Ultimately, the audience chose the higher entertainment value of JPNA 2 and the more glamorised cast of PHJ over Load Wedding, which went under the radar despite being the best of the three Eid releases. A hot wave in the summer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qa_DNWlYlA June was the month of Eid, and one would expect major films to come out during the occasion. Although we saw a flood of releases on Eid this year too, all of them left the audience high and dry. The biggest disappointment, which was expected after seeing its trailer, was 7DMI. The first venture in films for its producers, 7DMI was a loss-making venture from a financial view point and a painful venture from the audiences’ point of view. Despite being quite awful, it was still not the worst film of the weekend. It was accompanied by two other duds in Wajood and Na Band Na Baraati. However, it was Azaadi which singlehandedly ruined Eid for the cinema going audience of the country. Terribly painful to watch, even for half-an-hour, Azaadi was infused with patriotism and devoid of any story, acting or direction. It made it worse to hear this was allegedly produced at tax payers’ expense. The ‘accidental’ hero https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr96skoXSuM A film I have already praised wholeheartedly in an earlier review is Cake. You wouldn’t have expected first-time director Asim Abbasi to create the sensitive piece of art that he did through this movie, which is now Pakistan’s official entry for the 2019 Oscars. It even generated decent box office collections for a semi parallel artsy genre without any mega film stars. Cake is exquisitely crafted, beautifully written, purposefully directed and sensitively acted. It should have garnered a lot more than the credit and praise it received; however, being the official entry to the Oscars is definitely a cherry on the cake. The king of animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o996V_puWU The animated movie of the year is undoubtedly The Donkey King. There was definitely stiff competition, as both Allahyar and the Legend of Markhor and 3 Bahadur were good animated films. This genre is still relatively unexplored for Pakistani audiences, as it requires a lot of commitment and effort. The Donkey King, a film as much for adults as it was for the kids, was a brilliant political satire. It spoke of a world where cops are turtles, the media is run by monkeys and political advisors are foxes. And let’s not forget the presence of a grand circus master trying to control everyone! Aziz Jindani, having proven his mettle in the corporate world over the years, has done remarkably well in his debut venture in the world of films. The moneymaker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUM6liPArUE In 2018, JPNA 2 became the highest grossing Pakistani film in history. Making more than Rs60 crores, JPNA 2 set new benchmarks for Pakistani cinema. It is also encouraging to see that a Pakistani film with a high budget (said to be in the range of Rs25 crores) can actually be profitable for the producers and distributors. Even though I personally don’t buy the content of the JPNA franchise, it is quite obvious that Nadeem Baig and Humayun Saeed have figured out the formula of entertaining Pakistani audiences and becoming commercially successful. https://twitter.com/iamhumayunsaeed/status/1044554545123282945 As the year draws to a close, there are some big projects in the pipeline for 2019. Saqib Malik’s long-awaited debut Baaji is highly anticipated, while Asim Raza is coming back with Paray Hut Love. Shaan’s Zarrar promises to be a high-octane spy thriller, but the biggest of them all could be Fawad Khan’s first Pakistani film in years – Maula Jatt. Here’s hoping these will all be fantastic films for 2019, and we will finally see the first Pakistani film to cross Rs100 crores! Happy New Year!

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At the time of writing this article, the trailer for The Legend of Maula Jatt (LoMJ) has already garnered around three million views on multiple accounts on Facebook, around one million views on YouTube, and more than a million views through different reaction videos. It has generated the hype it truly deserved. Anurag Kashyap was one of the first ones to tweet about the trailer, while the likes of Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt and Sonam Kapoor are full of praise for what they have seen. https://twitter.com/anuragkashyap72/status/1076108848929202176 https://twitter.com/karanjohar/status/1076341258686091264 This is Fawad Khan’s first film since returning from greener pastures, Bilal Lashari’s second venture after the trendsetting Waar, and Mahira Khan’s reunion with Fawad. What’s not to look forward to? It has something for everyone; even for someone like me, who thought Waar was overrated and disjointed (even though very well treated). Before moving further, let’s address the elephant in the room. I have seen numerous posts leaving comments like:

“Gladiator ki copy hai.” (This is a copy of Gladiator) “Game of Thrones chhaap liya.” (They’ve copied Game of Thrones)

My simple answer to whoever says that to me is:

“Tou aap chhaap letay!” (So you could have copied it!)

Whether or not it is copied, has the Pakistani audience seen Fawad in this avatar before? Has the Pakistani audience been privy to this scale on the big screen by a Pakistani film before? The answer is a plain and simple no. Teefa in Trouble was a big film, but even that does not come close to the scale Lashari has brought to the screen. It might not be at the level of Baahubali, but it’s close to KGF, which is already breaking record after record. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Screenshot[/caption] Undoubtedly, LoMJ looks grand. However, what’s important is the substance behind the froth. It doesn’t look grand for the sake of it; effectively meaning it does not look like Thugs of Hindostan or Tashan. It looks rustic. It looks raw. It looks audacious. It does not look like a remix by Neha Kakkar; it looks like a remixed track by Tiesto. It does not look like what Farhan Akhtar’s Don was to Chandra Barot’s Don; it looks more in line with Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes to Alfred Werker’s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes; essentially improving a classic in modern times. Does it also have the potential to become Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag? Yes, it does. Remaking a classic is a daunting task. Expectations are high and there will always be some purists who will never be happy, no matter how well you do. Agneepath, for example, was a very good remake; however, it also faced criticism for removing the character of Krishnan Iyer. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Screenshot[/caption] Fawad’s look is on point; his hair, not so much. However, his intensity is contagious. My forehead had a frown while watching his trailer, and for no reason at all really. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Giphy[/caption] Hamza Ali Abbasi looks closer to Khilji of Padmaavat, and to be honest, falls slightly short of Fawad in the trailer, particularly in that laughter scene. Perhaps he is supposed to? [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Giphy[/caption] Mahira is there, albeit overshadowed by Humaima Malick’s slyness. Gohar Rasheed looks evil, and Nayyar Ijaz even more so. Sreejesh Nair’s soundtrack speaks for itself, and is probably going to be 50% of the ticket’s worth. I would also not have been surprised if the characters started speaking Dothraki, but why not? [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Screenshot[/caption] One of the toughest tasks of the film was the makeup, and boy have Maram and Aabroo lived up to the task, barring Fawad’s hair. Did I mention his hair looks out of sync? The trailer of LoMJ is thus everything it was expected to be and then some. Will it make commercial sense? Let’s have a look. Firstly, it’s an expensive film. That scale and grandness does not come cheap. In order to make money, it will have to become the highest grossing Pakistani film ever. Not just the highest, but highest by a mile. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Screenshot[/caption] There are still two problems with the film though – starting with the language. It’s 100% a Punjabi film, just like the original. How the audience from Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will react to a national level Punjabi film remains to be seen. If Shaan Shahid is to be believed, Karachi already has a problem with films being made in Lahore, let alone a Punjabi film. Secondly, if the rumours are true, there are no songs in the film. A film without a song in today’s time is, once again, audacious. In front of LoMJ will be Wajahat Rauf’s third film, taking around 20-30% screens out of the 130 or so available. Rauf’s film is a comedy entertainer with a relatable young cast. Can that topple the grandness of LoMJ? You never know. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Giphy[/caption] As Maula says,

“Maulay nu Maula na maray tay Maula nae marda!” (If Maula does not kill Maula, then Maula does not die)

Maybe the only reason for Maula Jatt not working at the box office will be Maula Jatt itself. The Legend of Maula Jatt is set to release on Eidul Fitr 2019.

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Karan Johar is the king of love triangles; perhaps even ‘love squares’ at times. After all, most of the movies he has directed, including Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Student of the Year, have the same elements at play and this formula seems to work for Johar. However, it seems too much to expect his movies to also make sense, as very rarely do they possess an actual plot that doesn’t include a Rahul falling in love with an Anjali. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, his most recent directorial success, became known for many things but unfortunately, its story wasn’t one of them. Sure, it had memorable songs that you still lie awake listening to (Channa Mereya, anyone?) and you remain mesmerised by how beautiful Anushka Sharma, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and especially Fawad Khan looked. But the movie’s plot was pretty mainstream, and quite frankly, disturbing. Ranbir Kapoor’s Ayan meets Sharma’s Alizeh and eventually falls in love with her. However, Alizeh never reciprocates his feelings and only sees him for the friend that he is to her, refusing his advances throughout the movie until she literally dies. That’s it. That’s the whole movie. The movie exists to act as a shoulder to cry on for men who find themselves in the infamous ‘friend zone’. The entire film is pretty much Ayan going after Alizeh, pursuing her despite repeatedly being told an explicit no. He sings a song expressing his love to her while attending her wedding as a guest, and tries his luck yet again as she is dealing with her cancer diagnosis. Clearly, the protagonist here doesn’t realise that ‘no means no’, and that being nice to a woman who is your friend does not mean the woman owes you anything in exchange. Did Johar really expect us to side with a man-child who did not understand what consent is and what platonic relationships entail? Fast forward a couple of years after the movie’s release, we thought we had erased the horrors from our mind completely, until a recent interview of Johar brought it all back. The director/writer claimed he killed off Alizeh as a form of karma because she did not love Ayan back, who had loved her so much throughout and deserved his romantic feelings to be reciprocated. Johar stated,

“Yes, the last track met with many polarised responses and rightfully so, but I was like she didn’t love him, she has to die. I wrote this character. He loved her so crazily. She could’ve loved him back, why couldn’t she? So she got cancer and she died.”

https://twitter.com/SoKneeOh/status/1088356337757507584 To be honest, the ending was perhaps the worst part of the disaster that was this movie. It made no sense to kill Alizeh off like that; in fact, an abrupt ending would have made far more sense. You could have put Baby Shark instead of the ending and it would still make a more interesting and satisfying conclusion to whatever the audience spent almost three hours watching. Taking it a step further, Johar explains how the death was appropriate because according to him, if you are inexpressive, you can develop a tumour. Apparently, your personal dynamics and keeping all your emotions bottled up inside can cause blockages in your heart. Meanwhile, scientists all over the world are burning their degrees as we speak. https://twitter.com/UTariq09/status/1088498810953891841 Jokes aside, Johar’s reasoning behind his decision to kill Alizeh hints at something far more sinister. He seems to be under the impression that unrequited love must be punished, and the suggestion that Alizeh deserved to actually die a painful death if she could not love Ayan back is yet another instance of men being encouraged to react negatively if their feelings are not returned with enthusiasm. https://twitter.com/themadrasponnu/status/1088880215051268096 How dare Alizeh deprive her friend from getting into her pants (even when she is suffering from cancer and is nearing the end of her life) when he was so nice to her and loved her throughout? The disgusting and ignorant mentality displayed here, and that too by a man in Johar’s position – one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation – is disconcerting and reveals a lot about why women find themselves in the state we are in. It would have been better if Johar had simply stated he killed Alizeh off for the drama or the surprise quotient, instead of letting us know that even a fictional woman in a bad movie had to suffer in life and death as a form of punishment for not loving the male protagonist back. https://twitter.com/Saisailu97/status/1088484791983489025 In the real world we all live in, we see regular instances of what men in our society are capable of when they don’t get what they want. Women are beaten, raped, attacked with acid, and even murdered for the simple act of saying ‘no’ to marriage proposals. In the midst of a worsening climate, why would you add fuel to a conflagration? But then again, Johar is already so far up on the ladder of privilege, it does seem unrealistic to expect some thought and nuance from a male director evidently unwilling to recognise the reality women live with. However, what makes this ironic, and frankly hypocritical, is that Johar has openly declared himself a feminist. He claims to have been raised by women, which is why feminism comes naturally to him, and has also publicly spoken out against item songs and the objectification of women. Yet here he is, writing female characters only to fulfil male desires and then killing them off when those fantasies are not met. Is his ‘feminism’ just a ‘fad’ for point-scoring? Is Johar yet another celebrity who tries to be politically correct but does not fully comprehend what feminism and supporting women actually entail? After all, the recent controversy that took place during his show alongside cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul is proof that Johar’s words are wind while his actions are damning and reveal where his allegiances truly lie. https://twitter.com/nosheenali/status/1088776424792698885 On another note, Johar could have killed off Kapoor in the start so we wouldn’t have to go through the torture of watching him mope around in the ‘friend zone’. Or put Khan on the cinema screen for three straight hours, for literally no one would complain. Also, in what world can we believe that after witnessing the angelic beauty possessed by Ali (Khan), Ayan honestly thought he still had a chance? What Johar has said may seem harmless, but hints at the sexism and misogyny entrenched in an industry where male writers and directors are responsible for writing female characters that millions then watch and learn from. Not to mention that an adult man taking his own failed romantic history out on a fictional female character as an act of vengeance seems quite petty and alarming when one remembers how successful Johar is in the industry. In the books of history, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil should definitely be ranked Johar’s worst movie ever, particularly after this added context we have been provided with. However, anyone who has seen the abomination that was Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna will certainly find it in themselves to disagree.

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Ladies, have you ever been told that you have ‘really high standards’ when it comes to men? That you need to lower the threshold a bit, otherwise you will never ‘find anyone’? Or that you need to make some ‘compromises’ to be in a relationship? When it comes to dating or finding a husband, women are constantly told they cannot find a ‘perfect guy’, which is why they should just be happy and settle for a man who seems to be a reasonably okay person. If the ‘boys will be boys’ trope wasn’t enough, it has been made very clear to women that men will not change, so your idea of perfection should. Thus, while men strut around settling for nothing less than precisely what they want in a woman (a debate on sexism for another day), after experiencing a general disappointment over collective male behaviour, women regularly keep lowering the bar of what they want from men, all in the hopes that their toad prince would at least be ‘charming’ on the inside. The bar has now sunk deep into the ground, and yet men keep finding ways to trip over it. To add to it, we keep finding ways to dig the ground even deeper as we reward men and swoon over them for doing the barest of minimums. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="501"]Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view. Photo: Giphy[/caption] We have all come across #HusbandGoals, #BoyfriendGoals, #RelationshipGoals – the internet is full of women appreciating men who are only doing things one would expect of normal human beings. How do we keep lowering the bar? Well, the following are just some examples: 1. When he is ‘chivalrous’ Recently, Chris Evans offered his arm to Regina King as she made her way up the stage to collect her Oscar, and as expected, it was blown way out of proportion. As with most things involving Evans on the internet, women were quick to drool over this gentlemanly display and called him a ‘true feminist’ and a 'real gentleman'. Now, we love Evans as much as the next Captain America fan, but is offering your arm to a woman in a complicated dress really the criteria for what makes a man ‘#goals’? https://twitter.com/AshleyKSmalls/status/1099845539439538176 https://twitter.com/Fourens_/status/1099954280033861632 A similar infamous incident took place when John Legend helped take off Chrissy Teigen’s jewellery, and the internet collectively lost its mind seeing a husband do that for his wife. Even in Pakistan, when Fawad Khan recently fixed his wife’s hair at an event, women on the internet fell all over the place catching their breaths. Are we really basing our romantic fantasies around men who get up to help women up the stairs, take off their wives’ jewellery, carry their bag or fix their hair? Is this really where we want the bar to stay? Just something to think upon this Women’s Day. 2. When he ‘lets’ you have your freedom We can’t be the only ones to have seen women frequently exclaim something along the following lines about their significant other:

“My partner lets me work, he doesn’t mind at all.” “My partner has no issues with me hanging out with my friends, even my male friends!” “My partner lets me wear whatever I want. He isn’t close-minded or possessive like that.”

Yes, a relationship or marriage is a commitment between two people and does require you to take the other person’s feelings into account – but as equals! You can determine the boundaries of your relationship together, but if your sentence begins with “he lets me…”, then we’re in some real trouble. Ladies, we are not belongings or property for a man to decide whether we work, if we go out with our friends or even our sartorial choices. You can seek your partner’s opinion not their permission, and if you can’t tell the difference then you really need to raise the bar. Your partner does not get brownie points for acknowledging that your personal decisions are just that: personal. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Giphy[/caption] 3. When he does his job as a parent Women have been responsible for babies since time immemorial, because sprouting them from our bodies isn’t enough. From changing diapers to feeding the baby or even getting up at night when the baby wakes up crying, these responsibilities are automatically expected to be taken care of by the mother, and when fathers actually step up and take responsibility, they somehow become ‘#DadGoals’. After carrying the child for nine months and pushing it out while tearing her body apart in the process, everything a woman does for her baby is just her ‘being a mom’. But a man taking his eyes off the television for five minutes to stop the baby from crying or feeding them once in a while is how a woman knows she has ‘got the right man’. Even men changing diapers has to become a hashtag and a nationwide campaign appreciating them for doing what is technically half their responsibility in the first place. Perhaps this year women can expect more from the fathers of their children? https://twitter.com/AsteadWesley/status/963794606310805505 https://twitter.com/jestme/status/1049513818915786752 4. When he doesn’t rape you Real talk: men make women uncomfortable. They ogle, they grope, they make unsolicited advances, they harass, and they rape. This is a reality women are achingly familiar with, but that doesn’t mean the bar has to start here! Too many women will define being attracted to a man in the following ways:

“He didn’t make a move on me – he was such a gentleman!” “I like him because he at least didn’t make me uncomfortable.”

Ladies, the criteria for a potential partner should not stem from a man not harassing you or making you uncomfortable or creeped out. There are many factors that determine romantic or sexual attraction between human beings, but it is alarming that the fact that a man doesn’t feel like a harasser or a rapist alone would make him someone worthy of your interest. If you don’t feel safe with any man at any point of time, you need to run. But if you do feel safe with him, while we’re happy for you, please don’t end up marrying him for that reason alone. https://twitter.com/EdBasheeran/status/1102588970154766337 https://twitter.com/glentickle/status/1046123099018735616 https://twitter.com/srussellkraft/status/1041739065643679744 5. When he cares about women’s rights Tiptoeing around the word ‘feminist’, many men declare that they do believe women should have equal rights. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="493"]Image may be NSFW.
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Photo: Giphy[/caption] Believing that women should be granted the same status in society as men isn’t a medal-worthy find. “Does he think I’m a human being?” should not be on the list of what you look for in a man! Respecting women’s rights is respecting human rights and everyone should be doing that already. Too many men out there pretend to be ‘woke’ so they can score points with women, but it is high time we raise the bar higher than just finding a man who has half a brain to at least publicly support women’s rights. https://twitter.com/MattMcGorry/status/718938220122226689 https://twitter.com/kate_fal/status/1103442612638363648 So if a man comes up to you and says that he is a feminist like he is doing you a favour, roll your eyes and walk away. Let’s get this straight: when you claim an average relationship or a basic man to be ‘#goals’, one can only imagine how subpar your life with your significant other or your past romantic experiences must be. But should underwhelming or sad romantic experiences determine where women keep the bar? It’s not ‘#goals’ if he brings you soup when you are sick. It’s not #goals if he takes care of the baby. It’s not #goals if he buys you flowers for Valentine’s Day. This is the bare minimum, and raising the bar is the only way women will eventually internalise the fact that we deserve better. This Women’s Day, we want to appeal to all the ladies out there: you’re beautiful, you’re smart, you’re worth it and you’re enough. It is time that women stop lowering the bar for men, and it’s high time men rise to the occasion and raise the bar from the ground, where it’s been lying for quite a long time now. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="501"]Image may be NSFW.
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For much of the 2018-19 season, Real Madrid’s campaign has been driven by pessimism and trepidation. From mediocre performances on the field to a lack of purpose off it, the Los Blancos found themselves entrenched in a diatribe with a swathe of negative opinions from fans and critics alike. But the return of the clubs’s favourite son Zinedine Zidane after his dignified exit nine months ago has cut through all the noise, at least for the time being. Zizou’s work is cut out for him as the rebuilding job at a club like Real Madrid, with extremely high expectations, won’t be an easy task by any stretch of the imagination. https://twitter.com/kevinchimuka/status/1113392173150502914 However, unlike towards the end of his last tenure, Zidane will have financial backing from the club. A report from The Independent claimed “Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has promised Zidane an expensive overhaul,” immediately after the Frenchman’s arrival. A few days later L’Equipe’s front page (titled Casino Royal) stated that: “Perez is ready to show faith in Zidane to turn the ship around by giving him a €500 million summer budget.” If Madrid are keen on spending heavily in the upcoming summer transfer window, they will have to do it wisely, bearing in mind their current expectations and without compromising future ambitions. Defence Real Madrid’s defence is, arguably, the least concerning aspect of their squad. Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane might not have had the best of seasons, but they still form a formidable pairing in the centre of defence. But with Ramos aging and especially if Varane decides to leave, Madrid would need adequate replacements in order to beef up their backline options. Looking at the options, three names stand out in particular. These include Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly (27), Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar (24) and Ajax’s Matthijs de Ligt (19). [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Kalidou Koulibaly during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and SSC Napoli at Mapei Stadium - Citta' del Tricolore on March 10, 2019 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy. Photo: Getty[/caption] All three have no obvious weaknesses and possess the ideal skill set expected from a defender (strength, positioning and ball playing skills), supplemented by the fact that they are young enough to be part of the club for a very long time. While Madrid would be happy to bring in any one of these players, Skriniar would be cheaper as compared to the other two, considering the absence of a release clause in his contract with Inter. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Milan Skriniar of FC Internazionale competes for the ball with Danny da Costa of Eintracht Frankfurt during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Second Leg match between FC Internazionale and Eintracht Frankfurt at San Siro on March 14, 2019 in Milan, Italy. Photo: Getty[/caption] The 24-year-old also offers an added dimension of having played as a defensive midfielder with the Slovakian national side, and consequently can provide cover on two positions while also aiding in-game tactical switch. Midfielders Real Madrid have a substantial amount of talent in the centre of the park, with an impressive blend of young (Marcos Llorente, Fede Valverde and Dani Ceballos) and experienced players (Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro). In order to cater to an aging Modric and take off pressure from Kroos, Madrid need a couple of additions to their midfield. However, they don’t need to spend heavily in this regard as the players they have loaned out – James Rodriguez to Bayern Munich and Mateo Kovacic to Chelsea – will be ideal suitors. Rodriguez’s incisiveness in the final third, both in open play and dead ball situations, will add creativity in central positions. This is of particular importance because a majority of Madrid’s attacks are wing-based, which is why the Colombian’s presence will stretch opposing defences and bring more unpredictability going forward. Also, through his quotes in the press, the midfielder has also indicated that there is no love lost between him and the Spanish giants, despite being left frustrated for playing time under Zidane previously. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] James Rodriguez of FC Bayern Muenchen controls the ball during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern Muenchen and 1. FSV Mainz 05 at Allianz Arena on March 17, 2019 in Munich, Germany. Photo: Getty[/caption] Kovacic might not have had the best of seasons at Chelsea, but he can still play a vital role in The Whites midfield with his ability to play line-breaking passes; a trait which is of pivotal importance, especially against many La Liga sides who like to sit deep and defend. Also, the Croatian’s best time in Madrid colours came while playing under Zizou, which makes a strong case of having him back in the Spanish capital. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mateo Kovacic of Chelsea in action during the FA Cup Fifth Round match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on February 18, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. Photo: Getty[/caption] Forwards Ever since the departure of club legend Cristiano Ronaldo, the talk surrounding Real Madrid’s attacking pedigree has shown no signs of subsiding. Since the departure of the Portuguese, the goals have significantly dried up for the Los Blancos and hence the need for some clinical finishers in front of the goal is, probably, more than ever. Talking about forwards, one player that has constantly been linked with Real Madrid is Chelsea’s Eden Hazard. Although there is no doubt about the Belgium international’s footballing prowess and he will also be a seamless fit at Real, signing him now, at the age of 28, would mean the club shelling a lot of money in return for only two to three peak years. While it would be unfair to totally rule out a move, the club should only consider Hazard as a fall-back option. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] 31st March 2019, Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales; EPL Premier League football, Cardiff City versus Chelsea; Eden Hazard of Chelsea looks back at a missed chance. Photo: Getty[/caption] Moving on, Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) Kylian Mbappe, despite being an ideal solution to Real Madrid’s goal scoring troubles, is a long shot considering his massive price tag. Although there are plenty of rumours in the transfer market regarding his move to Spain, the French club will go all out to keep the 20-year-old star at the club, keeping in mind the fact that he is at the core of their European ambitions. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Kylian Mbappe of PSG celebrates a goal during the Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint Germain and Guingamp at Parc des Princes on January 19, 2019 in Paris, France. Photo: Getty[/caption] Taking into account all the factors and realistic options available on the market, Real Madrid will be better off if they work on the lines of signing Liverpool’s Sadio Mane and Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi. Mane’s pace and technical ability has been part and parcel of Liverpool’s success in the past couple of seasons, and he will add a lot of potency to Real Madrid’s attack. Although he has played mostly as a winger for The Reds, if need be, he can play in a more central role as a striker as well. In Mane, Madrid will find a willing worker, who can track back and help out with defence and also link up well with Marcelo Vieira on the left wing. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Sadio Mane of Liverpool FC runs with the ball during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on March 31, 2019 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. Photo: Getty[/caption] On the other hand, Icardi has stacked up some great numbers for his Italian club with his lethal finishing. He may not participate much in build-up play but his positioning and movement in front of the goal is particularly impressive. Real Madrid have been guilty of creating lots of chances but not converting them during the ongoing season, but Icardi’s signing should go a long way in changing that. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mauro Icardi of FC Internazionale scores the second goal during the Serie A match betweenGenoa CFC and FC Internazionale at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on April 3, 2019 in Genoa, Italy. Photo: Getty[/caption] To Madrid and Zidane’s advantage, being knocked out of the title race on all fronts is somewhat a blessing in disguise, as it gives them additional time to plan for the future. But the 13-time European Champions will have to be clever with the way they go about their business in the transfer market, before it builds up more scar tissue against their name as a formidable force in the world of football.

The United States has introduced a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution to blacklist Masood Azhar as an international terrorist. Azhar is the leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed (banned in Pakistan since 2002) and has been blamed by India for masterminding February’s Pulwama incident, even though no evidence has been produced which links Azhar to the incident. China has refused to list Azhar as an international terrorist after careful consideration of the definition of international terrorism according to international law. China has made this position absolutely clear and as such, it would appear that the US is looking to transform the UNSC into a place of high stakes geopolitical theatre, because China’s veto of the US resolution is inevitable. The US therefore is using the internationally immaterial issue of Azhar in order to provoke tensions between China and India at a time when the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is already invoking blood-curdling Sinophobia in further attempts to rally the jingoist Hindutva vote. But this is not all that the US is doing. Washington is also provoking and in fact insulting Pakistan by suggesting that a local matter is worthy of wasting the UN’s time, even after one of the permanent members of the Security Council has made its position unambiguous. As if on cue, India’s jingoistic media kicked into high gear suggesting war against China. Meanwhile, members of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) continue to call for a boycotting of Chinese goods. When it comes to Pakistan however, America’s willingness to inflate the international importance of Azhar makes it clear that the US is willing to risk productive relations with Pakistan in order to both placate India and to goad India into an even more extreme position vis-a-vis China (not that the BJP needs much help in this respect). Although the US has admitted that Pakistan’s role in the Afghan peace process is crucial, beyond this, the US has clearly made its decision in terms of a long term strategy in South Asia. While some US diplomats will feign attempts at a balanced South Asia policy, the reality is that India is now a key US strategic partner. US diplomats at the UN will happily do India’s bidding, even over a matter as absurd as trying to convince the world that Azhar is an international terrorist when legal precedent says otherwise. Pakistan must adjust its own expectations accordingly. While it would be imprudent for Pakistan to provoke any superpower, the message that Washington is not so subtly sending is that when it comes to a superpower partner, China is the singular key to Pakistan’s prosperous future, while the US is becoming little more than a puppet master helping direct flagrant Indian aggression against China. This is all the more reason for Pakistan to take a more assertive role in the Afghan peace process. As the country most directly affected by Afghanistan’s prolonged status as a failed state, Pakistan has no excuse not to emerge as an international leader in driving forward an all-parties peace process. Any idea that Pakistan should merely shadow the US in respect of the peace process should now be put to rest, as it is clear that the US has India’s strategic desires at heart and that, by comparison, Pakistan’s security needs come a very distant second or even third. The reality Pakistan must now face is that whilst America’s priorities in the South Asia during the 80’s related to containing Afghanistan to the West and the Soviet Union to the North, today the US is squarely focused on provoking China and for this, India will remain a key ally of Washington. All that Pakistan must now do is acclimate itself to a new reality where China’s all-weather friendship will grow in stature and material importance while the US will be willing to insult, debase and ignore Pakistan as though the events of the 80’s never occurred. This post was originally published here.

Following the Marvel path, The Conjuring universe has grown steadily over the last six years through both, the increasing returns that most films in the franchise have delivered and in stature through the critical acclaim that the first two Conjuring movies received. Now five movies in, the franchise is showing no signs of slowing down with a third Conjuring film already set for 2020. But before that, we’re getting another Annabelle movie. And this one promises to be much different than its predecessors. [caption id="attachment_81026" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] Annabelle Comes Home, which will serve as the sixth film in the Conjuring franchise and the third Annabelle film, does not take the prequel route like Annabelle: Creation did. Unlike the first Annabelle, which was widely panned for being a rudderless and aimless production, this film shifts the focus directly towards the Warren family – the paranormal investigators played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga who served as the protagonists of the first two Conjuring films. [caption id="attachment_81027" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] The first trailer, which came out recently, sprinkles a handful of jump-scares throughout its two and a half minute runtime and the film more or less appears to centre on an artefact room where the Warrens keep the demonic doll. However, soon enough the doll begins turning up in strange places and much to the surprise of the Warrens, so do the other artefacts. The weight of this is felt by the Warren’s 10-year-old daughter, Judy, and her friends who seem to be at the centre of the latest Conjuring film. [caption id="attachment_81024" align="alignnone" width="598"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] By all accounts, Annabelle Comes Home seems like a much more small-scale film as compared to its predecessors which were much more expansive in scope. And though the Warrens are back, they don’t seem to have a central role in the film in the same way as their daughter does. This is promising because it means that perhaps this time the focus will be on a tightly-constructed narrative, which is where horror films work best. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Screenshot[/caption] As evidenced by the trailer, it’s perhaps also safe to assume that this film won’t just be about the titular doll but will also focus on some of the other haunted artefacts in the Warren family’s possession which, if anything, may provide the producers with a few more ideas for some future spin-offs. In the context of this film though, it will undoubtedly add to the scares. This is something that producer James Wan has confirmed when he essentially described the film as being Night at the Museum with an evil doll because of the various haunted artefacts that will be activated in the film. [caption id="attachment_81031" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] The good thing is that Annabelle Comes Home seems to channel all the elements that have made the Conjuring franchise such a big success, which provides the viewer with something to look forward to. After straying away from the central narrative and focusing on aimless origin stories, the franchise seems to have finally learned its lesson. With Annabelle Comes Home, the focus seems to have been shifted back towards the scares and, in a blatant but smart bit of fan-service, the filmmakers have brought back two of the franchise’s most beloved characters, even if it’s in a supporting capacity. That said, only time will tell if the latest installment in the Annabelle saga matches up to the Conjuring movies, which at present, stand head and shoulders above the other films in the franchise. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Screenshot[/caption] Annabelle Comes Home hits cinemas on June 28, 2019.

“Our message is stronger than ever. Please stop the fighting. Please stop the killing. Please drop your guns.” Juan Antonio Samaranch, President International Olympic Committee speaking at the Winter Olympics, 1994. The sports arena has often been used in modern-day diplomacy to advocate for peace, but it has also been used to aggravate existing conflict. George Orwell wrote in The Sporting Spirit (1945) that sports is “war, minus the shooting” and has the potential to bring out the worst characteristics of nationalism. How that is controlled, or even amplified, is in the hands of those who hold the political controls. In the days following the Pulwama incident, tensions once again began to escalate between Pakistan and India. While India’s very first reaction was the imposition of a heavy economic sanction, many of the responses which followed came in the form of sports sanctions, primarily impacting something very close to the hearts of people on both sides: cricket. The fourth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) became the primary target of the increasing hostility and vitriol. Prominent Indian-owned media companies and broadcasters, including IMG Reliance, D Sports and CricBuzz, terminated their contracts and coverage of the tournament, leading to a virtual PSL blackout in India. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also came under extraordinary pressure from prominent Indian sporting personalities, media outlets and ordinary citizens, to boycott the upcoming Pakistan-India match at the cricket World Cup (June 2019). https://twitter.com/YusufDFI/status/1097384109200928768 https://twitter.com/MinhazMerchant/status/1099007211689467906 Outside of cricket, other sports have also been effected. It is suggested that Pakistan supplies 90% of the hockey sticks used in India, and would suffer heavily from an increase in customs duty of 200%. As a result, the hockey fraternity in India would have to quickly find new suppliers who could match the demand, as well as replicate the quality from across the border. The Shooting World Cup, which was taking place in New Delhi a week after the attack and was intended to be an Olympic qualifier, also got dragged into the conflict when Pakistani athletes were not granted visas to participate in the tournament. Further economic sanctions would come later, followed by military responses, but it appears that the use of sports sanctions was going to kick start this ‘Operation Isolation’. However, these sanctions did not prove to be effective in isolating Pakistan on the sports field. We saw the PSL replace its distributors almost immediately and have yet another successful edition. Regarding the World Cup, wide coverage of the discussions between the BCCI and the International Cricket Council (ICC) were made public, including copies of the communication between the two bodies. It is clear that the ICC and the organising team of the World Cup do not condone any political battles being played out on the cricket pitch. https://twitter.com/TimesNow/status/1098065107693625344 Perhaps the most surprising stance came from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in response to Pakistan’s plea regarding the Shooting World Cup. Not only did the IOC revoke the tournament of its Olympic qualification status for the particular discipline, they further went onto suspend all discussions with the Indian government regarding hosting future sporting events in India. The IOC also recommended that all international federations should refrain from hosting any international sporting events in India until written guarantees are provided assuring participation of all athletes. This may prove to be a landmark ruling from the Olympic governing body, which has traditionally not taken such a publicly strong stance on political matters. This is especially true as the initial plea was only to do with the shooting event. However, India is no doubt going to work to revoke this suspension as quickly as possible, even if it means salvaging its ties with Pakistan. Failure to do so could mean that a number of its hosting rights and bids would be up on the chopping block, including the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup (2020), the Hockey World Cup (2022/2023) and ICC Cricket World Cup (2023), among others. https://twitter.com/mehreenzahra/status/1098830460862558208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1098830460862558208&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fblogsdesk.tribune.com.pk%2Fapplication%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D80906%26action%3Dedit This of course is not the first time tensions have escalated between the two neighbours, nor is it the first time that the field of play is used for sanctions to be deployed and political statements to be made. India-Pakistan cricket relations have been turbulent ever since they kicked off in 1952. There have been many positive outcomes where both countries have hosted each other on multiple occasions and opened up their borders for citizens to travel in support of their teams. At the same time, boycotts from governing bodies and protests from ordinary citizens have also had the opposite impact on cricket and other sporting ties between the two nations. The Indian cricket tour to Pakistan (2004) is considered as one of the four most prominent acts of sports diplomacy, with the ‘Christmas Truce’ of World War I (1914), where German and British soldiers were said to have held informal sessions of casual football on Christmas day, being number one. Even outside of the subcontinent, sports have always been a feature of international diplomacy, albeit a more subtle one. We have seen countless protests and boycotts when it comes to international sports, such as the Black Power Salute (at the 1968 Olympics), America’s boycott of the 1980 Olympics during the Cold War, the Soviet Union’s boycott of the 1984 Olympics, and the international sporting boycott of Apartheid South Africa. However, it would not have been difficult to foresee the potential for sports to have these impacts when the Olympic movement was first initiated. After all, it was developed on the sole idea of using sports to encourage and improve peace among the warring kingdoms in Ancient Greece. The way international sports are conducted and covered today, indicates their potential and ability to bridge gaps between nations. With massive potential to be used as a catalyst in international diplomacy and break barriers, the power of sports can only be as strong as the will and commitment of our global leaders. In an era where hard power is frowned upon by the international community, governments are increasingly inclined to use alternative modes of diplomacy, sports included, to achieve their political goals and shape their international image. If we, the people, can understand the relationship between the two, then we can also influence its impact. This isn’t the first time sports have been used to convey and act upon undertones of conflict and hate, and it unfortunately won’t be the last. For now, we can be aware of how these actions relating to the field of play can be used to condition or influence certain emotions within us, and also pray that our leaders use the pitches and courts to help us come together, rather than to push us apart.

The sky was a pool of black ink, dusted with stars at midnight. Arsh looked out from the window — she saw many little streets sprawled out below. She had only known these streets from inside the walls of her room. She had never walked on them. She had never been under the open sky. She looked at these streets longingly. To her, these streets and everything else of the outside world was a distant dream. Arsh was thinking about him. He came again tonight. Her caramel skin flushed bright pink as he folded her into his arms. Her heart fluttered as his fingertips grazed her bare skin. She had never felt so close to a man before. Over the years, many men held her, touched her, felt her — but he was different from all the others. She fell in love with him. She waited for him each night. She longed for him, as any lover would. On the nights he didn’t come, she was restless. She waited for him till she saw him next, till he told her how beautiful she was. As she stood by the window and watched darkness engulf the sky, she decided she’d tell him what she felt for him. Maybe he’d take her away somewhere far. Maybe he’d relieve her of this life. Overhead, a star blinked in the dark sky, as if telling her it was time. The morning sun filled the brothel. It was bright inside. Arsh slipped into plain white clothes and went downstairs. The morning is always bright. It’s the night that’s dark. It’s always the night that’s dark. “Arsh!” Farnaz called, with a cigarette clenched in the corner of her mouth. “You look happy! I’ve never seen a bigger smile on your face.” “I’m going away,” Arsh said in low voice, so that nobody else could hear. Farnaz laughed. But then her eyes were suddenly wide with concern, and her skin shone pale under the gleam of sunlight. “You know you can’t go away,” Farnaz said quietly. Arsh smiled in reply and bustled away. The rest of the day, she was tangled in her thoughts. She didn’t even know his name but she knew he was the one who’d save her. The world glittered with promise. “Take me away!” Arsh whispered into his ear. There was a steely glint in his eyes. “Please take me away!” Arsh’s voice crackled at the edges. He slapped her so hard her teeth rattled. “You’re a whore,” he spat. Arsh swallowed everything else that she had to say. The words dried up in her throat. It was near dawn but Arsh was wide awake. She looked into the mirror, her dark eyes sunken in an ashen face, stared back at her. Her lips were stained in a dark, blood-like red. Her hair, black and velvety like the sky at midnight, carelessly tumbled down her back. Her angarkha, heavily embroidered in gold and silver threads, danced around her when she moved. 'A whore,' she thought. She felt sparks of resentment cascading in her as she looked at herself. She felt angry. But then her anger melted and she started crying. And as a tear caught in her lip, she realised her lipstick was smudged at the corners. His words filled her head. They were sharp, piercing—they cut through her like knives. Even after he left, the word ‘whore’ twisted inside her. It crushed her. It tinted her entire existence. It was a small word but it encompassed a bitter world — a whore’s world. Arsh had endured years of abuse. There were different men in her bed each night. They treated her like an object. They used her and then discarded her. She was perceived as an unthinking, unfeeling being. Her existence only sparkled in the dark hours of the night. They forgot she was human too. She looked at the faded sky from the window. She spread out her hand towards the sky, trying to reach for it. It was close but far away. Maybe just like the man who she thought would save her. Khudkushi (suicide). The word echoed against the big, bare walls of the brothel. Its weight settled on all women who lived inside. It grew heavier and heavier, thicker and thicker, folding them in, needling them all over. It hung in the air, sharp and poisonous. 'Khudkushi,' they murmured in small voices, afraid not to say it out too loud. They didn’t want anyone else to hear. A silence spread in the brothel, full of fear and anticipation. It was suddenly dark inside, and empty despite the people. Outside, the day shifted from morning to night. And the air smelled of earth and ash and rain. And faintly of death. Arsh took away her life. She cut her wrists and bled to death. For her, death wasn’t just an end—it held meaning. It meant freedom. It meant floating somewhere far, untethered. It meant relief from a corseted existence. Khudkushi became Arsh’s freedom. She finally fled from a life she did not want to live.

I was recently invited to a trip to Iran and Iraq by a group of close friends from Lahore, and as I had never been to these states before, I decided to take the opportunity to visit the shrines frequented mostly by Shia pilgrims. After all, how else was I going to be able to travel through war-torn Iraq (where the Islamic State has only recently been defeated) and gain access to the heavily sanctioned country of Iran? Mesopotamia – the cradle of civilisation and home to many Imams of the Islamic world – has been off-limits to most ordinary tourists since the days of Saddam Hussein. We took off from Lahore and a few hours later found ourselves landing in Baghdad, the famed city of The Arabian Nights. The airport was small and run-down, and we had to wait for at least two to three hours for our group visa to be cleared. We waited patiently and entered Baghdad at dusk; there were palm trees galore and the roads were smooth enough. Our excitement was mounting as we headed straight for the illuminating shrine of Ghous Pak (Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani). We paid our respects at the beautifully lit white shrine, ate the delicious langar (communal meal) of rice and chicken (provided by a Pakistani family from Faisalabad) and then headed to our hotel. We felt more than welcomed to a city founded on the west bank of the Tigris in 762AD by the Abbasid dynasty. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The beautifully illuminated shrine of Ghous Pak[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] The door to his shrine[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="419"] His final resting place[/caption] We stayed at Hotel Palestine, which is located near the ancient Tigris River, with a colourful history of its own; it was a favourite among foreign journalists during the Gulf wars and had been shelled! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] View of the Tigris River from Hotel Palestine[/caption] There are roadblocks all over Iraq and paramilitary forces with armoured vehicles can be seen on all major roundabouts. The receptionist at our hotel smiled and clapped joyfully when she discovered we were Pakistani and gave us comfortable rooms (our recent military standoff seems to have made them happy). Baghdad looks like it is stuck in an 80's time warp – the buildings all seem to be from that era. However, most of the debris from the bombed-out infrastructure has been removed. We found it to be a bustling city with crowded restaurants and bad traffic jams. We crossed the Tigris River many times, the last one being to visit the shrine of Persian mystic Mansur al Hallaj. He is known for his saying, “I am the Truth”, which many saw as a claim to divinity resulting in his execution, while others saw it as an instance of annihilation of the ego. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] The tomb of the Persian mystic[/caption] We also visited the burial place of Abu Hanifa, the founder of the Hanafi school of Sunni jurisprudence. However, the highlight of our Baghdad stay was the visit to the north of the city to Kazmain, where Imams Musa al Kazim (AS) and Muhammad al Jawad (AS), both direct descendants of the Prophet (PBUH), are buried. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Outside the Ziyarat of the Kazmain Imams in Baghdad[/caption] This is a world famous shrine and one of the most important mosques in the Islamic world, with a huge gilded dome and four minarets rising above its courtyard, all covered with gold, Kufic inscriptions. There are canopied balconies, mirror mosaics, glazed tiles, and endless floors of marble. The final resting places of all the Imams buried in Iraq, we were to discover, were equally awe-inspiring. The shrine was very crowded during our visit and there was a long walk to it as it has been bombed in the past, which is why the nearby streets had been cordoned off. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Armoured vehicles and soldiers guarding shrines are a common sight in Baghdad[/caption] The other highlight of our Baghdad visit was to the 2,000-year-old Persian monument Taq Kasra, or Arch of Ctesiphon, the world’s largest brick vault. Somehow it has survived all the recent wars and is truly a sight to see, given its immense scale and elegance. Taq Kasra is located near the shrine of Salman al Farsi (RA), a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the first Persian to convert to Islam. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] Taq Kasra[/caption] On our last day in Baghdad, we headed to the ancient town of Samarra to visit the 10th and 11th Imams, Ali al Hadi (AS) and his son Hasan al Askari (AS). Both are buried in a heavily-guarded shrine, which has been bombed twice in recent years and had to be rebuilt. Adjacent to the mosque is another domed building built over the cistern where the 12th Imam, Muhammad al Mahdi (AS), disappeared; hence the title of the Mahdi, the Hidden Imam. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The last place Imam Mahdi was seen[/caption] We were sorry to leave Baghdad – there was much to see and such little time – but we had to move on to Karbala, where rain greeted us. Powerful energy emanates from this city, the burial place of Imam Hussain (RA), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), near the place where he was martyred during the Battle of Karbala in 680AD. Within the shrine of Imam Hussain (RA), we found the mass grave of all 72 martyrs of Karbala who fought and died alongside him, despite the heavy odds they faced. We soon joined the thousands of people jostling to enter the Ziyarat. Opposite is the shrine of his brother, Hazrat Abbas (AS), who was also martyred during the Battle of Karbala by Yazid’s men while bringing some water from the Euphrates River for the Prophet’s (PBUH) family. There is a lovely walkway lined with palm trees between the two shrines, and we often went there to sit and pray as our hotel was nearby. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Hazrat Abbas (AS) shrine glistening as the sun sets in Karbala with the walkway in front[/caption] Our next stop was Najaf, and luckily our hotel was located right next to my favourite Ziyarat: Imam Ali’s (RA) resplendent shrine. He is considered the father of Sufism, as almost all Sufi orders claim their descent from him. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] Imam Ali's (RA) shrine in Najaf[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] The entrance to the shrine[/caption] After visiting his peaceful shrine, we went to Kufa to see the great mosque, one of the oldest in the world, where Hazrat Ali (RA) was struck by a poisoned sword and passed away after two days. We visited his simple but elegant house next to the mosque (thankfully preserved by the Iraqi government) where his body was washed before being buried in secret. Imam Ali (RA) had earlier dug a well in his house and even today one can drink its healing waters. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The Great Mosque of Kufa[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The house in Kufa has been preserved by the Iraqi government[/caption] Our final stop was the city of Mashad in Iran, home of the eighth Imam, Hazrat Ali Reza (AS), whose shrine is really the heart of the city – all roads lead to his Ziyarat! We took a short flight from Najaf to Mashad, which is the second most populous city in Iran. Mashad means the place of martyrdom; Imam Reza (AS) was poisoned by Caliph al Ma’mun. A fact I learned during my journey is that none of the Imams lived to an old age – all were poisoned or assassinated. Imam Reza’s (AS) ornate shrine is enormous, with its many courtyards and mosques, and is considered the Vatican of Iran, run in an efficient and orderly manner. It is also gorgeous, with its Persian carpets and crystal chandeliers galore. We were lucky enough to eat from the shrine’s famous langar and enjoyed the Imam’s hospitality! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The underground crypt where people can pray and meditate[/caption] Mashad is a clean, modern city, and feels like it could be anywhere in Europe, except all the women wear long black chadors. Before we knew it, our visit was over, and tired but rejuvenated we found ourselves on the plane back to Lahore. There were so many memories to treasure and so many adventures to retell. Iraq is slowly recovering from war and getting back on its feet, and I would recommend everyone to go visit this fascinating country alongside Iran, regardless of your religious beliefs. As we were told wherever we went, “Ziyarat qubool.” (May your pilgrimage be accepted) (All photos by author)

In the post-modern world, the topography of the city has undergone a drastic shift. Rapid urbanisation and growing job opportunities have resulted in many cities in the developing world being swamped by an increasing number of people coming in from the villages and suburbs. In order to accommodate this burgeoning populace, the intrinsic structure of the modern metropolis has had to evolve. Countries such as India and Pakistan have had to grapple with the dual ambitions of wanting to urbanise their cities while also wanting to hold onto their rich architectural heritage. The complex history of a multi-ethnic country such as Pakistan has been razed to the ground in order to erect soulless towers to replace the colonial monuments which have served as a reminder of our turbulent past. [caption id="attachment_81733" align="alignnone" width="600"] Heritage building encroached on by local traders at Jamia masjid road.[/caption] Rawalpindi is an example of a city wrestling with these two seemingly dichotomous aims. On the outskirts of the Rehmanabad Metro station lie some old houses with large verandas and an edifice which is almost reminiscent of the homes in Downtown Abbey. Erected in the early 1960’s, they adorned the city with their marvellous porticos and the locality came to be known as Satellite Town. During the time that Islamabad was being built as the nation’s new capital, Satellite Town functioned as a diplomatic enclave of sorts, with many embassies located there. The Victorian-style houses were thus built to accommodate foreign dignitaries residing in the city. [caption id="attachment_81748" align="alignnone" width="600"] A night view of Jamia Masjid Rawalpindi which was founded in 1905.[/caption] Over the years, however, as Islamabad became the diplomatic hub, Satellite Town found itself shrinking in importance, and the neighbourhood was consumed by a city which was expanding at an unprecedented rate. The old houses of the locality now stand like ghostly relics of the past. [caption id="attachment_81678" align="alignnone" width="452"] Chan bazaar, Rawalpindi.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_81734" align="alignnone" width="450"] A view of Raja Bazaar road.[/caption] In a house on Sadiqabad road lives an old engineer who has closed the gates of his house, along with his heart, to the outside world. The resident is Afzaal Ahmad, a man who comes from a distinguished family of army personnel. While looking at his old photographs, Ahmad recounts: “The Rawalpindi I was raised in was a marvel, an image straight from the British calendars. Smooth clean roads, small markets, coffee shops along with a nice book shop (London Books company), low traffic and an orderly crowd.” [caption id="attachment_81736" align="alignnone" width="600"] The main entrance of the Afzaal Ahmad's house.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_81737" align="alignnone" width="600"] Old magazine ads from the collection of Afzaal Ahmad.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_81745" align="alignnone" width="600"] Rawalpindi's Kashmir Road in the 1960's. From the records of Afzaal Ahmad.[/caption] The markets at the time were quite small and there was only one major road in Saddar at the time, Mall Road, which catered to everyone's needs. Ahmad recalls that the famous road had a hairdresser, a laundry shop and few clothing outlets as well. He adds: “I remember most of my classmates in Station school were British or Anglo-Indians. Anglo-Indians were considered to be the most educated after the British. I still remember this one Anglo-Indian traffic sergeant who used to roam around alone on Murree road. People were so afraid of his discipline that they wouldn’t cross the road until he had gone away.” [caption id="attachment_81738" align="alignnone" width="600"] Backyard of the house.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_81743" align="alignnone" width="600"] An old building occupied by partition migrants in Saddar.[/caption] For Ahmad’s generation, and the ones which followed, things took a downward turn after Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came to power. Fearing the consequences of nationalisation and increasing religiosity, many foreigners fled the country. The Anglo-Indians too fell prey to this and many migrated to America and Australia. The resultant vacuum gave rise to a new emerging class of locals who had a different mentality. They were hungry to tear down the old to make way for the new. [caption id="attachment_81744" align="alignnone" width="338"] An old temple in miserable condition in Moti Bazaar.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_81749" align="alignnone" width="475"] A name plate outside a house in Dhakki mohallah, Angat Pura.[/caption] Rawalpindi as a city has always had a storied history. Punjab has been ruled by Graeco-Bactrian Kings and later by the Sakas, Iranian nomads, and in 1765 Sardar Gujjar Singh controlled the area which is now called Rawalpindi. The city remained under Sikh rule till 1849 when it was taken over by the British. Hence, this land has had many identities, and one can find linkages to an extraordinary past through the city’s buildings and districts. [caption id="attachment_81679" align="alignnone" width="600"] A view of Moti bazaar, Rawalpindi.[/caption] Despite the removal of the Sikh Raj, the Sikh community remained an integral part of the cultural fabric of Rawalpindi till 1947. Their remnants are still visible in Kartarpura, Angatpura, Arjun Nagar, Mukha Singh state, Old Banni and adjoining areas. The city was predominantly influenced by Rai Bahadur Sujan Singh whose haveli (house) still stands in the old Bhabra Bazaar. Rawalpindi at one point in time was a jewel, a unique blend of both old and new architecture. Over the years, people that have been allotted these vacant properties have damaged them due to sheer negligence, and today these buildings are but a shadowy reflection of their former glory. [caption id="attachment_81739" align="alignnone" width="600"] An old pre-partition haveli in Saidpuri gate trying to save its colors from the wrath of the modern age.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_81741" align="alignnone" width="600"] A colonial style balcony on College Road, where famous Indian actor Balraj Sahini grew up.[/caption] Rawalpindi today is a chaotic labyrinth. Building laws and municipal regulations are virtually non-existent. Politicians and profit-driven land owners have given local municipal authorities the approval to demolish heritage buildings and sites. Commercialisation has trumped heritage. Heretics have squashed history. Rawalpindi still has the potential to become the epicentre of regional heritage, but only if preservation work is begun immediately. Today, the view from the metro bus offers a gloomy look at a frenzied skyline onto a city which does not know what it wants to be because it has forgotten what it once was. (All photos by author)

It had been some time since I cried while reading a book. And A Place for Us changed that. Fatima Farheen Mirza’s dazzling debut novel tells the story of a South Asian Muslim family living in America. The family members find themselves torn between discovering their individual selves, while also grappling with their respective roles within the family. As a result of living in a deeply polarised American society, the characters in the novel are in a constant battle with themselves, their family and the world around them, each looking to find relevance, liberty and peace. Interestingly, one of the main talking points with regards to this book has been Sarah Jessica Parker's involvement in its publication. The Sexy and the City star chose Mirza’s novel as the first book to be published under the Parker imprint for Hogarth publications. A Place for Us begins at the wedding celebrations for the family’s eldest daughter, Hadia, in California. The occasion, however, is made all the more special due to the youngest child and only son, Amar, coming back home after having fled three years ago. The story thus revolves around the circumstances which led to Amar’s estrangement from the family and the narrative is interspersed with memories from the parents, Rafiq and Layla, and their children, Hadia, Huda and Amar. What I found particularly inventive about the narrative was how the story unfolds through the point of view of a host of different characters, with the same memory often being shown through different perspectives. We are thus able to see how the same moment impacted each member of the family in a wholly unique manner. Mirza beautifully brings to light the nature of familial love, which can be limitless and unwavering, but also envious and petty. The depiction often seems like that of a typical diaspora family, with parents trying desperately to instil both Muslim and South Asian values in their children and encouraging them to speak their native language at home. The author explores the subtle dynamics of the household, from the siblings safeguarding each other’s secrets, to the family following Islamic rituals and customs like fasting in the month of Ramazan and observing Muharram. But that’s just the feel-good part of the book. What is heart-wrenching, poignant, and particularly relevant for our part of the world is how Mirza explores the pressure parents tend to put on their children. South Asian parents often have their own expectations from their children, insisting that they must be obedient, unquestioning Muslims and top performing students who go on to become either doctors, engineers, lawyers or entrepreneurs. The novel attempts to illuminate how pitting children against one another, failing to acknowledge past mistakes and the inability to express love can tear a family apart. Hence, when Amar leaves, a part of Rafiq and Layla’s souls also leaves. But by then it’s too late to mend their broken ways. Perhaps the saddest thing in the world is to see your child leave you because of your own mistakes. Not feeling at home with your own family is a tragedy, one which Mirza renders beautifully on the page. And so, I cried when the family was torn apart because of secrets, betrayals, and the smallest of estrangements which could no longer be brushed under the carpet. The last section of the book, told from Rafiq’s perspective, is absolutely devastating. The feelings of an emotionally-reserved father, who falls prey to his own shortcomings, are expressed in a remarkably raw and affecting manner, which is quite an achievement for a debutant writer. Mirza has done a truly commendable job at penning down the story of a family over decades, and it is no surprise that her novel has received great critical acclaim. The recurrent themes of children trying to find their own identity and parents trying to protect and understand their children resonate at a deep level. After this stellar debut, one hopes that Mirza is able to pack the same amount of authenticity into her next novel, one which I am eagerly awaiting.

“My dear Marwan, I look at your profile, In the glow of this three-quarter moon, my boy, Your eyelashes like calligraphy, Closed in guileless sleep. I said to you, ‘Hold my hand. Nothing bad will happen’.” These are a few verses from the context of Sea Prayer, the fourth book by Khaled Hosseini. Hosseini is a well-known author of three books, including the international bestseller The Kite Runner, and is the Goodwill Ambassador to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Sea Prayer is a 40-page book, or rather, a free verse poem beautifully complemented by Dan Williams’ illustrations. It can best be described as a small prayer to the sea by a helpless father on a moonlit beach, who is going to cross the Mediterranean with his child as soon as dawn arises but in less than ideal circumstances. The story begins with the remembrance of the happy days spent by the father in Homs, Syria when the city was at peace, with its bustling and crowded lanes and streets. Of a time when the stirring of the olive trees and clanking of pots used to awaken him, and when this city of western Syria was not dismantled by bombs, starvation and death. The father wishes for his son to remember some of the more pleasant memories of Homs. The story has been inspired by the three-year-old Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi, whose body washed up by the sea on the shore of Mediterranean Sea in 2015 as he fled the Syrian War. While talking in an interview, Hosseini became teary-eyed even as he remembered seeing the photograph of Kurdi. “I was gutted,” he says. “I tried to imagine, as a father, what it must be like to see viral photographs of your deceased three-year-old lying face down on the sand at the water’s edge and being lifted into the arms of a stranger.” He also stated, “I hope that this book Sea Prayer is a small tribute not only to his (Kurdi’s) family, but also, on a broader level, I hope it highlights the unthinkable despair that thousands of other ordinary people face every day to abandon home and community and take a chance on this brutal and often lethal journey across the sea.” Hosseini thus pays tribute to Kurdi’s family through his Sea Prayer, while portraying the tragic and wretched condition of millions of refugees all over the world with help of Williams’ illustrations. The beautiful memories of Homs are like a dream now, not only for the son but also for the father. Protests followed by the atmosphere of fear and beleaguerment, the black skies showering bombs and bullets instead of rain, and the sight of living bodies buried under devastated buildings is all that remains in their memories of Homs. In Sea Prayer, Hosseini not only points out the way in which the war imposed by mighty powers upon Syria has destroyed the childhood of millions of innocent kids, but also highlights the emergency and the growing crisis of refugees being forced to leave their homes and approach smugglers in search of safe shelters which are in actuality not safe at all. A heartrending letter from a father to his son provokes in us the thought of the thousands of refugees who risk their lives on the threshold of death every year just in search of shelter, while many of them simply perish at sea without leaving anything behind. Every night they sleep among the remains of human flesh burnt by explosive bombs, with their own bodies stained by blood, dreaming of a better future – a hope for a safe shelter, a desire for a home. Carrying their misfortunes, they are longing for acceptance and searching for a place where they are welcomed. But no one cares. Not even the sea. The sea is deep. It is vast. A large swarm of unwelcomed and unasked bodies of flesh are waiting impatiently at the cold beach for the sun to rise. The father sees his son, his only precious cargo, and tries to console his sleeping being with his words, while praying that the sea knows his worth. It kills him every time he thinks of the depth and vastness of the sea and the helplessness of his own self. At this instant, the mother’s voice comes up: “Oh but if they saw, my darling. Even half of what you have. If they only saw. They would say kinder things, surely.” The book will make tears fall out of your eyes silently as the deep ocean engulfs the bodies of thousands of refugees fleeing war and persecution. Some pages are without any words, and here the illustrations speak more powerfully than words ever could. Quietly, they will make your heart wail in silence due to the barbarity of what we call human beings. Humans, the greatest creation ever to be created, that cannot even feel the pain of its fellow beings. Every word, every illustration in this book will leave a deep mark on your heart. The demonstration of the transformation of a peaceful, crowded and bustling Homs into the city of death; no one could have written this better than Hosseini. No words could carve out such an impression on a heart other than his own. This book deserved to be written purely, with a heart that could feel the pain and emotions of thousands of homeless Syrians, Afghans, Somalis and Iraqis. Then who would be better than Hosseini to write it? After all, no one could feel the pain of a refugee better than a refugee himself. As he stated, “If I was a father on a moonlit beach about to take one of these journeys, you can bet that I would... say one of these prayers too.” Sea Prayer is about questioning your own self: what would you have done if you had to abandon your home and cross a deep sea on a cold night? How would you have reacted if you had lost your loved ones in the same sea? Imagine them dead. Imagine their fates being ended as a feast for the sea. Imagine the struggle of their last breaths before they were taken forever. Imagine them being washed up by the sea at the shore itself. How would you have felt? Imagine how a father would have felt to see his three-year-old like this? Hosseini leaves the grave questions for the mighty powers of the world to ponder through his short work of fiction!

Pakistan’s unique geostrategic location at the crossroads of East, South, West, and Central Asia enables it to function as the “Zipper of Eurasia”, as I wrote over half a decade ago in September 2015 for the Russian Institute of Strategic Studies. I built upon this observation in March 2019 to declare that the creative leveraging of the unprecedented trans-regional connectivity potential offered by CPEC enables Pakistan to become the Global Pivot State. This ambitious vision is finally beginning to take shape after Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Uzbekistani Minister of Transport agreed to pursue a trans-Afghan railway line on Wednesday. I previously proposed such a corridor in my April 2019 debut analysis for CGTN about how “CPEC+ Is The Key To Achieving Regional Integration Goals”, which described the northern branch of CPEC through Afghanistan into Central Asia as N-CPEC+ (“N” referring to North). Eventually, this corridor could expand as far northwards as Russia to create a new North-South integration axis across Eurasia which aligns with President Putin’s vision for the Greater Eurasian Partnership (GEP) like I explained in an academic article that I co-authored over the summer that was republished by the prestigious Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC). As Pakistan begins to take on a more prominent role in trans-Eurasian integration processes, its strategic importance to both China and Russia will continue to rise. Both Great Powers have a shared interest in the South Asian state fulfilling its destiny to unite the supercontinent through CPEC+. It’s only through this connectivity paradigm that a true Convergence of Civilisations can occur, like I explained in an analysis for CGTN in May 2019. The outcome of Eurasia’s diverse civilisations cooperating on trade and other forms of integration could powerfully discredit Huntington’s infamous prediction about a coming “Clash of Civilisations”. Russian, Chinese, and Pakistani interests are all directly served through N-CPEC+. Moscow’s regional allies can become more internally stable as their economies grow upon securing access to the global markets that this corridor provides through the Indian Ocean, as could Russia’s resource-rich Siberian region. Beijing, meanwhile, will see its Pakistani-based CPEC investments put to use as a springboard for trans-continental integration processes and could also secure contracts to construct parts of its northern branch expansion as well. As for Islamabad, it would financially benefit by having its ports facilitate Central Asian trade with the wider world. N-CPEC+ is therefore more than just a connectivity corridor, it’s a grand strategic concept for the future of intra-Eurasian relations in the emerging Multipolar World Order. Russia, China, and Pakistan are coming closer together as each country realises that they need the others in order to fulfill their shared vision of stability in the supercontinent. In fact, continued movement in this direction might even lead to the creation of a new multipolar trilateral between them to replace the stalled one between Russia-India-China (RIC). The end result could be that a Golden Ring rises between them, Iran, Turkey, and Azerbaijan in the Heartland of Eurasia. To be clear, this won’t happen overnight, but the progress that was just made on agreeing to the Peshawar-Kabul-Mazar-e-Sharif trans-Afghan railway shows that the political will is certainly present to take this vision to its ultimate conclusion with time. Some formidable obstacles still remain, however, such as the unresolved conflict in Afghanistan and the efforts of external powers like India to sabotage this vision. There are also obvious questions of financing and other issues related to project implementation, as well as identifying which companies in the region and beyond are most eager to immediately tap into this project upon its completion. Nevertheless, there are plenty of reasons to remain optimistic, especially since it’s becoming undeniable that Russia and China both appreciate the strategic significance of Pakistan’s N-CPEC+ initiative to their GEP and Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) respectively. In fact, as GEP and BRI continue to synergise their connectivity capabilities, their patron states are realising that N-CPEC+ is indispensable to the success of their joint vision for the supercontinent. This understanding is accelerating trilateral integration between them and therefore leading to one of the most exciting geopolitical developments of the 21st century thus far.

It is safe to say that more than gripping storylines and a star-studded cast, our local audience appreciates the magic of a good on-screen couple more than anything else. Recent film and television additions have paid heed to this unspoken rule and viewers couldn't be happier. From global hits like Ms. Marvel to local hits like Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad, our screens have been blessed by a selection of pairings that viewers can’t get enough of. Fawad and Mehwish The star duo recently graced our screens in the miniseries Ms. Marvel, their captivating chemistry as the great-grandparents of our main character undeniable. With Fahad playing Hasan, the outspoken activist in the village Mehwish's character Aisha lands upon, the on-screen couple falls naturally in place. Viewers have the pleasure of witnessing their chemistry through flashbacks, building their home and family together until the Partition separates the two forever. Fahad and Mahira They made their first silver screen appearance together in the Eid box office hit Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad, a first-of-its-kind action-comedy based on a policeman played by Fahad. As moviegoers witnessed how well the actors fit together, it appeared to be a pairing destined to be on screens. Mahira seemed to agree and told The Express Tribune, "I think with Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad, our stars aligned. You know when everything just goes effortlessly and there are no hurdles, you know then that it's meant to be." Feroze and Ushna It is no surprise that fans have been absolutely smitten by Feroze and Ushna's sizzling connection in the drama Habs. Viewers love a good office romance trope, especially when it's translated so well on screen through the acting chops of Feroze and Ushna. However, interactions have fans head over heels, with social media users even creating a "ship name" for the actors called #UshRoze. All in all, viewers are eager to see where the drama takes the couple as its 13th episode is due to air soon. Atif and Kubra When it was first announced that Atif would be making his transition to the small screen, people were a bit hesitant about how the renowned singer will be able to pull off his first acting role. But never to fear, for he has embodied his demanding character in Sang-e-Mah to a T. Of course, his talented co-star and on-screen love interest Kubra ensures their crackling chemistry never fizzles out as the drama beautifully re-tells William Shakespeare's Hamlet in a local context.

The summer of 2021 saw Pakistanis go gaga over a teen web series by the name of Midsummer Chaos. The coming of age story, set in Islamabad, became one of those guilty pleasures; the one show that lured you in for various reasons, ranging from sheer cringe to a story about Islamabadi elites that actually had a lot of potential if done right. While the high-school student drama gave us memes for the century, it also tapped into talent that we, the mainstream audience, were not aware of and Khushhal Khan tops the list without an ounce of doubt. When the project had to be re-shot given the creative differences between actors and the production team, writer Ahmed Sarym was bummed about the delay. But once they got their auditions rolling and a new cast was finalised, Sarym was the first to announce Khushhal as a “brilliant” actor who is the "next big thing" for the industry. And he wasn’t wrong because Midsummer Chaos, his acting debut, landed him a Hum Style award for Best Emerging Talent and there was no looking back for him. Not only did Khushhal manage to bag projects with bigwigs like Mahira Khan, Sanam Saeed, Fawad Khan, Mawra Hocane and Saboor Aly, he also worked hard on his craft and proved that he is more than just a pretty face with a “burger” accent. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Khushhal Khan (@khushhalk) So in case you are obsessed with him, don’t judge yourself, we know where you are coming from! And if you’re not there yet, here’s a fair warning: scrolling ahead might get you there. Oh, that walk! Of course, a pair of dreamy brown eyes and a chiselled jawline works in his favour in the modelling business but what Khushhal brought with him to shoots was his playful, and mind you very Gen Z personality, and it shows! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Khushhal Khan (@khushhalk) A major breakthrough, and a proud moment in terms of cross-country collaborations, was when Indian designer Abhinav Mishra featured Khushhal in his 2021 formal/wedding wear campaign titled Mastana. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Khushhal Khan (@khushhalk) Not surprising at all, the campaign made him dubbed as the “national crush” here while he also became a hit in India. Wearing a mirror work kurta, the ad sees him shimmying around with the other models dressed in the designer's garb. In conversation with Times of India about the overnight fame, Khushhal said, "The shoot happened in full Bollywood style and I enjoyed every moment of the shoot. Little did I know that the shoot is going to go viral and I have been getting messages on my Instagram inbox from so many Indians, and reading those messages makes me blush.” Humble and cute? We love it! Fast forwarding to 2022, after their drama Mushkil together, Khushhal went viral once again, this time for his his steamy shoot with Saboor. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Khushhal Khan (@khushhalk) Singer Aima Baig also couldn’t stop herself from praising the young talent and commented, “Alrighty mate” with a fire emoji on his post on Instagram. Acting gigs Khushhal made his television debut with the highly acclaimed Qissa Meharbano Ka that starred Mawra and Ahsan Khan in lead roles. The drama was touted to raise awareness against marital rape and it’s impressive to see Khushhal start his acting career with projects that have a strong storyline and message to follow. Another important project where he shone through was the telefilm Aik Hai NIgar, a biopic of General Nigar, where he essayed the role of Shahid, Nigar’s brother. Since Mahira headlined the project, he became quite close with the “superstar” he calls her and their selfies on Instagram are proof of it. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Khushhal Khan (@khushhalk) In conversation with a local publication, Khushhal opened up on working with the Raees star. “It was amazing. She’s one of the sweetest, kindest people and very humble. She has changed everything for me, in a very good way. She’s a superstar for a reason.” Jump to 2022, and the model-turned-actor is no longer a side character, we now see Khushhal headlining a Marina Khan directorial titled Mushkil with Saboor and Zainab Shabbir in the lead roles. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Khushhal Khan (@khushhalk) His Instagram feed saw some shots from a project for which he thanked director Asim Abbassi. Not revealing what project the stills are from, our guesses are that it's the one with Fawad and Sanam in it since his next post is a selfie with the two actors and Fawad’s wife. Nevertheless, we’re pumped to see him on screens again! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Khushhal Khan (@khushhalk) Sunglasses and mirror selfies Keeping aside his work in the industry, can we take a moment to appreciate how aesthetic the 22-year-old’s Instagram feed is? It definitely is one of the reasons that makes you go ‘aww’ all over again. Mastering the art of mirror selfies and hypnotic stares, his feed showcases his modelling gigs, candid behind-the-scenes shots with his *ahem* co-stars. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Khushhal Khan (@khushhalk) Oh and also, the young boy also has an incredible taste in sunglasses. From yellow tinted narrow glasses to classic black Raybans, he knows how to carry it well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Khushhal Khan (@khushhalk) Making fashion statements on the go, his wardrobe is a mixture of casual solids and fancy prints– and also, he quotes song lyrics from the classic romantic Shah Rukh Khan movies as well. Funny, good looking and romantic, he's a straight 10/10! Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.

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