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Has Hamza’s Fandom Given A Thumbs Down To His New Religious Gig?

By
Hammad Akbar
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hamza ali abbasi

Hamza Ali Abbasi is no stranger to courting controversy, creating headlines and also delivering box-office smashes. Over the years, the star turned religious activist seems to have perfected the art of staying in the news. Sometimes it has been due to his comments and opinions on current political affairs while other times, it has been due to developments in his personal life. 2019 was no different for him, especially the latter part of the year when the news cycle pertaining to him seemed to go in the overdrive!

Darling of the news cycle

This past August, the Parwaaz Hai Junoon star announced marriage to fellow actress Naimal Khawar of Verna and Anaa fame. This development caught his fandom completely by surprise as it was totally out of the blue. And then later, during October, he posted a cryptic tweet saying that he had an important announcement to make at the end of the month. Interestingly, his long-awaited drama serial Alif also went on air on Geo TV around the same time.

The bombshell tweet

After a sabbatical of almost a month from social media, he reappeared in mid-November to drop the big bombshell in a rambling 23-minute long video that he would be quitting acting and using the digital medium to spread the word of God. He further revealed that one of the reasons why he chose to do Alif was because of the spiritual nature of its script.

Hamza did not say that he would be leaving showbiz completely, as he still would be making films and dramas to spread the message of Islam and God. Interestingly, his co-star Humayun Saeed revealed in an interview that Hamza also plans to direct a patriotic film that he will be producing. It should be noted here that Hamza has already starred in two patriotic-themed movies, Waar and Parwaaz Hai Junoon.

The big change

November 14th marked the day Hamza formally started his YouTube channel. To date, its subscribers stand at 51.9K. While amassing more than 50K subscribers in over a month is a great achievement for an average YouTuber launching his or her channel, Hamza already has followership in the several millions on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, therefore this kind of response can at best be described as lukewarm. Underscoring the need to amass more subscribers, Hamza has been periodically reposting links to his YouTube channel and asking his fans to subscribe to it, however, in the last few weeks the subscribers have stagnated at below 52K. The only video he has posted so far has received about 197,000 views which frankly doesn’t do justice to a celebrity of his stature.

The initial response given his popularity not just as a showbiz personality but also a social media phenomenon was expected to be stronger and then Hamza hasn’t uploaded anything new either since the initial attention-grabbing announcement. His digital channel is lying dormant, for now.

Now given the lackadaisical response to his new stint, Hamza seems to have returned to Twitter with a vengeance. The Jawani Phir Nahi Ani actor has recently been pretty active on the platform, commenting on the Musharraf verdict, the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act in India and the Junaid Hafeez blasphemy case. It seems there was ample material for a YouTube video here, however, Hamza still chose to address his fans via his Twitter account rather than going the video monologue route.

Speaking of which, his followership on Twitter seems to have plateaued at around the 2.4 million mark too, and he has not really attracted more audience to his account since his announcement about quitting acting. Statistics on Instagram and Facebook don’t paint a much different picture either.

Next, let’s talk about Alif. Given its mega-cast, a religious theme and the fact that it is, according to Hamza, his last appearance on the small screen, the serial was expected to score massive numbers. While the Haseeb Hassan directed venture has been scoring decent ratings and online views, the numbers aren’t exactly the kind that suggest that the play is the rage it was expected to be. Rather, it is playing third or fourth fiddle to Meray Paas Tum Ho and Ehd-e-Wafa, scoring about 3 million YouTube views for each of its recent episodes.

alif

Final word

All of this brings us to the question on everyone’s lips – has Hamza’s fandom and the wider audience given a thumbs down to his new YouTube televangelist gig? While it’s still early days, and it very well could be that the star has more content in the pipeline, it seems to some observers that the audience has not reciprocated in the manner Hamza had been expecting. A clearer picture is likely to emerge in the coming few months, and we will be there to tell you like it is, and as it happens.

Tell us about your views about Hamza’s brand new avatar in the comments below, and stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood!

Alif’s Momina Will Force You To Search For Inner Peace, Too

By
Guest Author
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alif

By Maha Zainab Saeed

 

“Alif’’ is the first alphabet of the Urdu language and has a strong symbolic value in religion and mystic sufi traditions. Similarly, the namesake drama serial that is currently on air might just be proving to be a catalyst for positive change in the younger generation tuning into the show. The show often provides thought-provoking fodder for meaningful conversation about the transience of material wealth and finding one’s journey towards inner peace.

The character named Momina, quite skillfully played by Sajal Aly, is especially instrumental in this regard. Among her memorable dialogues is “Jo kama rahi hoon who kamana nahi chahti” and of course, “Aisay mat kahayn master sahab, mujhay sharam ati hai.” The simplicity in her eyes made us all feel, that perhaps we all have a Momina concealed somewhere deep inside in us. Perhaps she exists but we have lost touch with her due to the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. In the drama serial, the fast-paced life around her has driven her to her breaking point where she strives to find the true meaning of existence beyond striving for material wealth.

What is Momina searching for?

Specifically what struck me was that despite her struggles and ambitions, she still was able to figure out the reason she broke down. She felt the need to go to master sahab and practice the art of calligraphy, to paint her Lord’s name. She believed that it is something selfish that will give her peace. The bottom-line being that she was striving to find the path that leads her towards finding inner peace and satisfaction.

What strikes me is not that the majority of the people I meet today are not at peace, it is that they are not even trying to identify the reasons for lack of it. The world around us is involved in its material struggles, its inhabitants disengaged from their soul, looking out for money, love, leisure and so much more. When Shuja Haider in the drama’s soundtrack mentions that “Ishq par haq bus Alif ka Hai,’’ it makes me wonder the extent to which we are detached from reality. Today our society stresses ‘the new look’, the perfect click for Instagram or the expected bonus at work. Our illusion is not different from Qalb-e-Momin’s. We are just probably a more subtle version of him. The Momin in us is increasingly taking over us. The illusion has overpowered us to the extent that we do not even recognize the strength of it.

Inner strength

On the other hand, despite being broken and kindhearted, Momina should not be taken for a weak character. Her lack of outward strength should not be confused with a lack of self-respect as she very much knows how to hold her ground. What strikes me about her is that she understands and recognizes her weakness i.e. where she lacks in terms of her spiritual bond with the higher power, where her Lord may be disappointed with her. On the other hand, the Momin in us today holds us back from finding true spiritual enlightenment. Momin here refers to the pride and ego we hold to prove that what we are is the perfect way of being.

In recent episodes, we saw glimpses of Momin’s ego and pride cracking as he attempts to tread on the path created by his dada. Momin’s dada serves as the change agent, the catalyst that will push him towards a path yet uncharted, a path that will inevitably lead him towards finding the higher truth.

Final word

Through this article, we urge you to discover the Momina in yourself. Momina is the one who is always striving to better her spiritual connection with God. We or no one at this forum claims to be perfect, but that’s where the beauty lies – in the imperfection amongst us. It lies in shedding the Momin, the pride and the ego, and moving towards the Momina, discovering your Alif, your Allah and at least trying to build a bond with him. This takes time, but as we all know “Alif has a lot of strength’’ as it echoes in our ears “Alif bus harf nahi hai, yeh zarf hai kamaal ka”

Good luck in discovering your journey, with a mentor like Momin’s dada or on your own. As Rumi says “what you seek is seeking you’’, so seek your Alif and spiritual enlightenment will come your way.

Is Bilal Ashraf’s Next Movie Going To Be This Action Comedy?

By
Maisooma Batool
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bilal ashraf

Despite having a considerable career in the entertainment industry made mostly out of acting exclusively in films, Bilal Ashraf hadn’t really tasted success as an actor. That is until Superstar happened earlier this year and Bilal finally got to have a film to his name that was both a critical and commercial success. So, when in a recent interview where Bilal claimed that he would be alright if he didn’t do any films after Superstar, that certainly raised a few eyebrows.

 

Bilal spoke at length about films like Yalghaar and Rangreza, which gave the actor immense physical and mental strain yet did not provide the expected career boost. Quite the opposite, both the films bombed leaving his nascent acting stint in the doldrums. It was with the success of Superstar that Bilal managed to rise from the ashes and get his groove back about working in cinema. And it looks like he is all ready to get started on his next project.

Bilal Ashraf to be seen in a Hassan Zia production?

Hassan Zia, who has produced films like Wrong No., Wrong No. 2 and Mehrunisa V Lub U is all set to launch his next production. This time, he has zeroed in on an action-comedy script which is written by Mohsin Ali. Mohsin has the films Wrong No. and Chuppan Chuppai to his credit.

We reached out to Hassan Zia to get his comment about whether or not Bilal has signed on to the film. Hassan affirmed that the project has been discussed with the Janaan star however, nothing has been finalized as of yet. The film’s final shape will be locked by early next year and once confirmed, the details about the project will be shared officially.

Final word

It will be interesting to see Bilal act in an out and out comedy film with some masala action in it. Bilal is yet to do an action-comedy film, so if this Hassan Zia production does end up happening then he would be venturing into new waters. And maybe he will be able to continue his success streak after Superstar with this move, too.

Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for all the details about this project!

Sonya Hussyn Shocks With Revelations About Sexual Harassment And Rejecting MPTH

By
Uzair Anwer
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sonya hussyn

Sonya Hussyn has attained quite the celebrity status in the industry with her risqué choice of characters and bold demeanor. The sultry Aisi Hai Tanhai starlet is known for her spunky and outspoken nature so little wonder she is controversy’s favorite child. Recently in an interview with former model turned host Iffat Omar, the actress made some shocking revelations about her experiences in the showbiz fraternity and notably, about rejecting Humayun Saeed’s blockbuster drama serial, Meray Paas Tum Ho. All of this had our radars on high alert, and here we present the story as Sonya made it happen.

On escaping sexual harassment 

Sonya revealed that she was recently approached for a prestigious brand’s campaign, which she agreed to. However, the night before the advertisement’s shoot, the advertising agency head allegedly called her at wee hours of the night and asked her to go out on a late-night drive with him in Karachi. The actress told him off, to which the man in question responded by saying: “You are an actress, so don’t act like a saint as it’s all part of the game.” Sonya says she ignored that comment and ended the conversation right then and there.

The next morning as she was waiting to depart for the said shoot, she learned that she had been replaced at the eleventh hour. Sonya confessed that this industry has its share of predators who don’t just harass physically but also leave one emotionally scarred.

Alleged scolding by a senior actor

When asked about her on-set experiences with fellow actors, Sonya narrated an incident from the first day of her career, where she was at the receiving end of some scolding by the veteran performer Bahroz Sabzwari. Sonya says that she felt discouraged by the star as she was attempting to enact her scene, which eventually put her to tears. Recalling the incident, she mentioned that she eventually decided to leave that shoot. Sonya claimed that some seniors are not supportive and don’t take you seriously unless you become a star. 

Rejecting Mere Paas Tum Ho

Sonya dropped the big bombshell when she claimed that she had rejected the role that eventually went to Ayeza Khan in the super successful drama serial. The reason, according to the Azaadi star was that she didn’t endorse the character of Mehwish in the narrative, especially since she felt it was depicting women in a negative manner — and that she also had strong issues with the way it was written by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar.

Sonya emphasized that she didn’t want to provide more fodder to people in the society who already have issues with accepting modern women, plus the aspect of the character related to marital infidelity was a little too much for her. Concluding her comments on the serial, Sonya said she was quite happy with the way Ayeza Khan has handled the character.

Fashion Fizzles 

The actress is known for her bold and unique fashion sense and discussed at length the presence of western culture through gowns at local award shows. She candidly mentioned wanting to wear Shalwar Kamiz over the extravagant gowns. Sonya rated Mahira Khan and Ayesha Omar as her fashion (statement) favorites, with Sajjal Ali and Ayeza Khan being her least favorites as far as fashion choices are to go by. 

Final word

Whether it is sexual harassment, seniors with attitude, rejecting major roles or those in the industry with style (and those with not), it seems Sonya has quite a story to tell about everything. She will next be seen alongside Feroze Khan and Iman Ali in ARY Films’ Tich Button and Sami Khan starrer Lafangey and we will not be surprised if she sets the screen ablaze, too.

Dear Indian Media, Atif Aslam Has Not Named His Baby ‘Alhamdulilah’

By
Faisal Ali H
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atif aslam baby

It seems not even a day can go by till we have a colorful nugget about a popular celebrity surfacing and creating a stir. Just a few days back, pop-sensation Atif Aslam announced the arrival of the latest addition to his family, which took social media by storm. One particular Indian website called ‘DesiMartini’ decided to create a splash with the following headline: ‘Atif Aslam And Wife Welcome Their Second Child, Names (sic) Him Alhamdulilah.’

atif aslam baby

So, how did this happen?

Needless to say, the story created quite a stir for unintended reasons. Naming a baby Alhamdulilah is well, rather unheard of, and many were curious about the source of the story, and that is where things get even crazier. Turns out Atif took to Instagram and posted a picture with a short message about his baby’s arrival. “Ladies and gentlemen our new arrival Alhamdulilah,” the Hona Tha Pyaar singer wrote, adding a health update about his wife and the newborn baby: “Both mother and baby are fine. Keep us in your prayers and don’t forget to say Mashallah.”

Well, all we have to say is such politically incorrect blunders are not too unheard of across the border, especially when it comes to their media.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6VNGpwllxM/

All of this did not go ignored in the Twittersphere. Unsurprisingly, social media users had a field day roasting the story which to us screamed of unintended idiocy. One twitterati said “The writer of the article clearly needs to go back to English class,” while another one quipped “And Atif aslam said: Astagfirullah.”

Meanwhile, Atif and Sara’s five-year-old son Ahad keeps making frequent appearances on the singer’s Instagram. On Ahad’s birthday this year, Atif wrote this heartfelt note: “Happy birthday son – you are my superstar and your happiness means the world to mummy and daddy. Allah apko sehatmand zindagi day.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgCdTlzFkW6/?utm_source=ig_embed

Back to our original story, the website which made this glaring gaffe has since updated their piece with the error corrected. Their twitter account even posted an apology.

All we can say is, Amen to that and Subhanallah!

 

So Which Is The Highest Grossing Film of 2019?

By
Faisal Ali H
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As far as box-office outcomes go, 2019 has shaped up to be somewhat of a damp squib, with projects from some of the leading filmmakers not bearing the spectacular, earthshaking results that had been expected. Having said that, two films released over Eid-ul-Azha managed to outdo all others at the ticket counters and generated strong enough numbers to underscore that the nascent cinema machinery has the mojo to deliver commercially viable films even in economically challenging times.

Who claims the box office crown?

The two films in question, Parey Hut Love and Superstar were backed by two of the country’s most well- known studios The Vision Factory Films and M&D Productions, respectively, which gave them further momentum going into the lucrative Eid-ul-Azha period. That the festive period is known to bring in the highest footfalls is a recognized fact, however, one cannot discount that in addition to the prestigious production banners and star power, the content of the films resonated too with the audience. While both the films are still being exhibited at a few locations countrywide, their final box office tally has come into the spotlight, drawing attention to a rather interesting scenario where both films claim to have outdone each other at the ticket counters.  

A close race

To be sure, the makers of Parey Hut Love have been pretty consistent in claiming the box office throne for the current year. In early September, ARY Films tweeted about their production being “the highest-grossing film of the year.” 

 

 

 

A week ago, they claimed via a social media post that the film had exceeded the 30 crore mark at the worldwide box-office.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5fADg7nEwz/

M&D Films’ Superstar, on the other hand, was widely reported to be closely trailing Parey Hut Love at the Eid-ul-Azha box office worldwide, owing mainly to the latter’s better box office performance overseas, in particular in the North American market where Parey Hut Love was reported to have led by grossing 2.94 crores in the first three weeks. The difference between their performances in the high revenue UK market was a tiny 20 lacs, with Superstar showing a slightly higher lead, and Parey Hut Love led Superstar by a margin of 0.44 crores in the three-week overseas box office from the major markets. However, with figures tied for the domestic box office (both films were reported to have made 15 crores in the extended first week by EPK), the overall difference in the aggregate global tally was minuscule.

Analysis of the final figures for both films is complicated by the fact that none of them are independently verifiable and their country and venue-wise breakdowns have not been provided by either studio. With both the films claiming the box office crown, it just might be that one might be leading the other by a hair.

Galaxy Lollywood reached out to the man behind The Vision Factory films, Asim Raza, who said he would not like to comment on the development that Superstar was now claiming to be the highest grosser for the year.

Final word

That both the films managed to exceed the 30 crore mark worldwide is a heartening accomplishment for the film industry given the prevailing economic environment. Perhaps with a better release strategy where the two biggies were not released simultaneously, they could have scored even higher. For now, the jury is out there on which film claimed the box office crown, however, what we can say is that Parey Hut Love has the edge given its claimed the throne earlier and with more consistency.

Kumail Nanjiani Has Been Featured On An Adult Site — Is He All That Hot?

By
Maisooma Batool
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Kumail Nanjiani

Desirability is a very subjective thing and while there is no scientific measurement to gauge how desirable someone is, there are certain ways of finding out who is the hot flavor of the moment. Be it arbitrarily curated list of sexy and attractive people or someone’s bare-bodied pictures going viral, social media has a way of passing judgment about whether someone is hot or not.

 

A few days ago a picture posted by the Pakistani born comedian-actor Kumail Nanjiani broke the internet. Kumail, known mostly for his stint in the successful comedy show Silicon Valley and the critical-commercial hit film The Big Sick, shocked the world by his complete body transformation.

Setting social media ablaze

The actor who is to star in the upcoming Marvel movie The Eternals has beefed up for his role and has shed his body fat to rock perfectly lean abs. Needless to say, the social media had a gala time marveling at Kumail’s transformation and the world instantly began to see this Pakistani born man into a new light of desirability.

The impact of Kumail’s body transformation can be measured by a never-been-done-before feat achieved by any Pakistani origin star. We are talking about Kumail’s viral picture being featured on the internet’s biggest adult website Pornhub. The picture was used as a thumbnail on the website for the category of “Muscular Man”. This is the first time any Pakistani has ever featured on the website and while the topic about whether or not this feat is something to be celebrated is certainly debatable, one cannot argue that it is indeed big for a brown person, that too of Pakistani origin, to be featured on one of the largest website of the world so prominently.

Most desirable?

All of this just makes us wonder – is Kumail Nanjiani now the most desirable Pakistani star in the world? Pakistani actors and stars get featured on many annual lists like Sexiest Personality of Beautiful Faces and that too on near top spots. So the idea of a Pakistani star being considered beautiful and desirable is not new. But the kind of social media attention and traction that Kumail has gotten is certainly something else. Perhaps it is due to where the attention is coming from instead of the attention itself.

Let’s face it the western side of the world especially America has a huge say in what is considered globally popular or not. If a star or a musical act can make it there in the land of whites and the English then that means they have made it big. And since Kumail Nanjiani is getting the approval of the very same white and English audience which has the final say in what is actually considered a hit and whatnot, at least in the eyes of the commonly accessed media.

Final word

Not to take away from Kumail Nanjiani’s hard work and success but Pakistan has many more charming, attractive, desirable, and even sexy stars that we’d love to be our representatives. With personalities like Fawad Khan, Bilal Ashraf, Ali Zafar, Imran Abbas, Feroze Khan to name a few, there is no dearth of attractiveness found in the motherland. What they lack is the right kind of international exposure to garnering this kind of attention. And until that happens, it looks like we’ll have to make-do with Kumail Nanjiani as being the representative of Pakistani brand of desirability at an international level.

Aaah…warna kam toh hamara Fawad Khan bhi nahin.

Fresh: Ahsan Khan And Ayesha Omer Starrer ‘Rehbara’ To Release Next Year

By
Faisal Ali H
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Rehbara

Looks like the coming year will see quite a few long in the pipeline projects, such as The Legend of Maula Jatt, Sorry and Huay Tum Ajnabi (formerly The Trial) hit the silver screen. Joining the ranks of these anticipated productions will be acclaimed television director Amin Iqbal’s debut film Rehbara which features Ahsan Khan, Ayesha Omer and Sarish Khan as the leads. The film went on floors in January of 2017 and has since faced a series of production delays. However, it will finally see its final spell wrap up soon after which it will go into post-production.

The concluding spell

Previously, director Amin Iqbal had stated that 90% of the shoot had been completed and the delays had happened due to the producers being out of the country. However, now the remaining portions are now finally being shot. Sharing this good news was star Ahsan Khan, who told Galaxy Lollywood that the final scenes are currently being canned after which the film will enter its post-production stage.

When it finally releases, Rehbara will be Ahsan Khan’s first silver screen appearance since 2017’s Chupan Chupai. It will also mark Ayesha Omer’s return as a female lead after Karachi Se Lahore, although she was featured prominently in Yalghaar as well. Joining the duo will be Sarish Khan who debuted with Chain Aye Na, and who also hasn’t been seen since in any project. As far as senior actors go, Ghulam Mohiyuddin and Saba Hameed will be lending their presence to the film as well.

Final word

Described as a ‘love story with a twist’ Rehbara is a film that has quite a lot going for it. Director Amin Iqbal is quite a well-known figure in the Pakistani entertainment industry, with plays such as Deedan and Mannat to his credit. Ahsan Khan too is known to bring his A-game to all the projects he signs whereas upping the oomph quotient will be stars Ayesha Omer and Sarish Khan. The team, on the whole, is promising and from what we can tell, Rehbara is shaping up to be a strong project. To find out the latest on the film, and about when it finally hits the theater screens, stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood!

The Evolution Of Mehwish Hayat: Movie Icon to Future PM?

By
Uzair Anwer
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mehwish hayat evolution

Mehwish Hayat created headlines earlier this year when she was announced as a recipient of one of the most honorable civilian awards in Pakistan, the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz. The news put social media into a frenzy and broke the internet. And now Mehwish has decided to create a stir again with her latest tweet about competing in general elections in 2028, although we are not quite sure if Mehwish was being tongue-in-cheek.

The transformation

Ever since consolidating her star status with a series of back to back blockbusters, the actress has cultivated a brand for herself by being socially and politically active on social media and in her interviews. Be it the Kashmir issue, Indo-Pak crises, issues affecting women or even social media trolling, Mehwish makes sure she has her voice heard and puts out her opinions through her twitter and Instagram handles. Her interviews post-Punjab Nahi Jaungi also are more centered on social topics and political shenanigans. The Load Wedding star became the talk of the town when she delivered a powerful acceptance speech after receiving a Pride of Performance award in Oslo this year. In that speech, she talked about how Bollywood has always portrayed Pakistanis in a negative light in their films. 

mahira mehwish charityAs the Jawani Phir Nahi Ani star has become very choosy with her work, she has also increased her participation in media marathons and social events, all of which eventually add to her public image. She recently became an official goodwill ambassador for girls’ rights for the Ministry of Human Rights. She amplified the good news through her social media, emphasizing that she wants to see a Pakistan where all women are given the opportunity to get an education.

Mehwish recently surprised the netizens when she surprisingly made a jibe at her numerous fans congratulating her for making it to the top ten of Eastern Eye magazine’s list of Sexiest Asian women along with Superstar fame Mahira Khan. The stunning actress took to Twitter to react to the feat, “I’ve been receiving a lot of congratulatory messages via texts & social media. I should be flattered to be on the list of sexiest Asians &, to be honest, ten years ago when I was the 1st Pakistani to make it onto the list I was. “Sexy” is defined as sexually attractive or alluring. How can potential “shagability” and that is what it is- be criteria for comparison?! Judge people on talent, on merit, on intellect, on wit.. but not on physical attributes. Times have changed and these sorts of lists should now be confined to history!”

The actress was appreciated by netizens for her stand on such lists, and a Twitter user went as far as suggesting Mehwish contest for Elections in 2023. To which the actress reacted with jest, announcing that not in 2023 but rather 2028. This broke the internet and her fans started hyping this statement of hers by posting her pictures with captions such as “My future Prime Minister”. Mehwish responded to this by asking the fans to vote for her in 2028. 

Serious political ambitions?

Even if the actress saw this as lighthearted banter, her recent efforts do suggest that she just might be vying for political authority to make a difference in society. There were also rumors doing the rounds that the diva has been roped in for a biopic about former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Late Benazir Bhutto, however, there has been no official confirmation on this. However, if the actress does go ahead with the movie it will further strengthen her social fan base and do good things for her career, too.

It is interesting to observe that Mehwish has changed her Twitter handle to “Mehwish Hayat TI” which signifies her National award win. On the work front, the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz winner will be seen next opposite Humayun Saeed in Nadeem Baig’s London Nahi Jaunga, also starring Kubra Khan in a key role. Whether she chooses to continue to amaze her fans in films or join politics, we are sure this empowered woman will continue to make waves. 

Celebrities React To Musharraf Verdict And Indian Citizenship Law Protests

By
Hammad Akbar
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celebrities social media

The social media, as always, has been abuzz with activity. However, after some rather interesting turn of events in the world of politics and current affairs, Pakistani celebrities upped their social media game quite a bit and made their presence felt with their opinions and views in a way they seldom do. Earlier, on Tuesday, a special court in Islamabad announced that the former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has been found guilty of high treason and sentenced him to death. This was the first time that a court in Pakistan tried and then convicted a military dictator, and it created quite a stir.

 

The verdict drew mixed reactions from different people. Among those people were some of our very own celebrities, who are quite vocal when it comes to discussing political issues of Pakistan. Here’s how they reacted:

Some were not in favor of the verdict

Celebrities like Mehwish Hayat, Shaan Shahid, Haroon Shahid, singer Annie Khalid and Salman Ahmad spoke out in favor of the president on Twitter. Mehwish posted a quote from a very famous Irish Soldier, Thomas Francis Meagher which said ‘The treason of which I stand convicted loses all its guilt, has been sanctified as a duty, and will be ennobled as a sacrifice’.

Actor Shaan Shahid called the day a sad day and went on to say that Pervez Musharraf will always remain our patriot. He posted that Pervez Musharraf should be treated as a patriot, not a traitor.

Annie Khalid posted pictures of Pervez Musharraf with captions claiming that they stand by him.

 

Haroon Shahid too tweeted in favor of Musharraf.

Salman Ahmad meanwhile criticized the court system of Pakistan and questioned how they could hand out a death sentence to Pervez Musharraf while so many convicted criminals have fled the country.

Veena Malik, who is quite active on Twitter of late, also expressed her views in Urdu.

Khadija Shah, the founder of Elan, had the following to say:

Supporters of the verdict

As expected, Hamza Ali Abbas also made his voice heard by appreciating the court’s decision. In his post, he said that after Musharraf’s verdict, Pakistan Muslim League (N) should also apologize for their allegations about the judiciary being the establishment’s puppet back when Nawaz Sharif’s verdict had come out.

Indian Anti-Citizenship Law Protests

Protests have been raging against the citizenship amendment act across the border. While celebrities in Bollywood have by and large decided to stay mum, leading showbiz icons on this side of Wagah have been very vocal and supportive of the reaction pouring on to the Indian street in wake of the law which is said to be discriminatory against India’s minority population.

Mehwish Hayat once again led the pack, tweeting “Ethnic cleansing was happening in Kashmir nobody did anything. Now it has started in India,” in relation to the law.

Hamza Ali Abbasi meanwhile said that history had proved the founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah right as the proposed law was set to deprive Indian Muslims of their citizenship.

Shaan Shahid, meanwhile retweeted PM Imran Khan’s tweet condemning the Citizenship Amendment Act in India.

Busy days on twitter

With so much happening in the world of current affairs, there is one thing that these tweets prove — that our celebrities have been on top of their politics and newsfeeds. Now only if they managed to be as productive when it comes to their work?

Stay tuned to Galaxy Lollywood for the latest on Pakistani showbiz!

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