entertainment gossip

Mehreen Syed Dropped From Bollywood Film

Super model Mehreen Syed who was to make her Bollywood debut with Indian director Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan’s film, is now dropped from the movie.

Mehreen Syed is a known fashin model and CEO of International Fashion Academy Pakistan (IFAP). Recently, she made her acting debut with Pakistani film ‘Chambaili’ and was supposed to make her Bollywood film debut soon. She signed the latest film of Indian director and screenwriter Puran Singh Chauhan but sadly, she is no more part of his film.

Pakistani supermodel Mehreen Syed, who is also the CEO of International Fashion Academy Pakistan (IFAP), has been recently removed from Indian director Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan’s latest film.

"It’s unfortunate, but true. I am not working with Mehreen Syed any more in my film”, says Puran Singh Chauhan by adding that “Circumstances are such that we cannot really cope with the stress of having an actor from across the border in our project.”
Puran Singh Chauhan earlier directed internationally hit movie Lahore and faced lot of trouble.

“I had a traumatic time handling various political parties when I shot with Pakistani actor Rasheed Naz. I really don’t want to go through that again. Also, Mehreen recently got married. So she’s quite taken up with her new life,” says Puran Singh Chauhan for not working with Mehreen Syed.

Royal baby named Prince George Alexander Louis

 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have emerged from hospital with their newborn son. 

 

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge show their new-born baby boy to the world's media, on the steps outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London on July 23, 2013. The baby was born on Monday afternoon weighing eight pounds six ounces (3.8 kilogrammes). The baby, titled His Royal Highness, Prince (name) of Cambridge, is directly in line to inherit the throne after Charles, Queen Elizabeth II's eldest son and heir, and his eldest son William.

Kareena Kapoor Khan: I don't think Saif believes that we'll look good in a film together

Bollywood's fashion icon Kareena Kapoor Khan today said that she thinks her husband Saif Ali Khan believes that the two will not look good in a film together.
In a unique promotional gimmick for her upcoming film Satyagraha Kareena Kapoor, who is not on Twitter, interacted with her fans on the social networking site via a famous production house.

 

Katie Holmes: “Mania Days” Dame in Manhattan

 

 Finishing up her work for the day, Katie Holmes exited the set of “Mania Days” in New York City on Wednesday afternoon (July 24).

The “Mad Money” actress carried a red binder and black handbag as she strolled through the East Village in a cream-colored t-shirt and denim cutoff shorts.

Directed by Paul Dalio, “Mania Days” also features stars like Luke Kirby, Christine Lahti, Griffin Dunne, and Bruce Altman.
Per the synopsis, “Two manic depressives meet in a psychiatric hospital and begin a romance that brings out all of the beauty and horror of their condition.”

 

The impact of Pakistani ‘imports’ in Bollywood

The impact of Pakistani ‘imports’ in Bollywood

Despite having risen from the same soil and sharing a common heritage, Pakistan and India have distinct identities. Pakistan, though, suffers from a dilemma – where should it draw its cultural identity from? Historically, it would connect us to the ancient civilisation of Mohenjo Daro, built around 3,000 BC, however, that coincides with India. Geographically, it should derive from individual pieces of land whose culture is a by-product of different invaders and survivors like the Persians and Assyrians to name a few. Religiously, our history dates back as long as the advent of Islam in the subcontinent which is somewhere around 1,200 years ago. With so many aspects to consider, the ‘culture’ is bound to be an amalgamation.
While we are struggling to strike a balance between “Pakistani” and “religious” when it comes to culture, our neighbours have taken their culture seriously and built upon it. So much that their culture has become their biggest export and identity. Ironically, our contributions to their culture are considered “imports” from Pakistan.
Bollywood is the major reason why our artists haven’t switched to office jobs. With India opening its doors for our talent, the number of artistic imports has surely increased but the overall quality has deteriorated.
While a myriad of musicians and actors have traveled to India, only a few succeeded in making an impact. Acting for films has never been our forte. Be it the likes of Zeba Bakhtiar and Talat Hussain or Pakistan’s version of a chocolate hero Ali Zafar, we haven’t been able to leave a memorable mark. Although Zafar is trying hard to make things work with his multiple talents, but so far he has failed to impress with his acting skills which is probably the reason no major production has featured him in a lead role.
Joining the list of imports is Meesha Shafi, who has recently acted in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. We are aware of Shafi’s raw voice but her work as an actor for TV or even a film like The Reluctant Fundamentalist has been below average. Humaima’s performance in Sher with Sanjay Dutt is yet to be seen. While she did a good job in Bol, we can only wonder how she will fare across the border. The less that said about Meera, Veena and Sarah Loren’s performances in Bollywood, the better.
Music, however, is a domain where our real power lies. Our artists no longer have the vision or impact that our legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan had, who made a Bollywood debut with his music for the film Aur Pyar Ho Gaya and never looked back. From the critically-acclaimed album Sangam with lyricist Javed Akhtar to other various projects including one with Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan went there to prove his mettle and did so with utmost style. His so-called successor Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has lost his charm and is living entirely on catchy compositions by Bollywood composers. Though, he might be getting more popular with every track and minting money, it seems he has lost his finesse as a raw performer.

While Shafqat Amanat Ali is playing it safe, Zafar hasn’t produced music that will be remembered. As for Atif Aslam, fame came to him a little earlier than expected and this may be the reason he couldn’t refine his talent. Regardless of that, the range he demonstrated in Mori Araj Suno from The Reluctant Fundamentalist, speaks volumes about his resilience as an artist. After Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, he is probably the most influential artist from Pakistan in Bollywood and if he carries on his solo projects simultaneously, he will do wonders.
So should we expect more talent budding from within Pakistan? Yes. But will it be better? No. That’s because artists such as Meesha Shafi are more or less residues of our raw musical talent. These budding stars are so focused on making it to Bollywood that they are unable to produce something different and remarkable.