The whole idea of a marriage is more appealing to me than a wedding: Sonam Kapoor

While Bollywood’s fashionista Sonam Kapoor is reportedly set to marry her long-time boyfriend Anand Ahuja next month, it seems like a destination wedding is not on the cards anymore.

Sonam Kapoor finally responds to marriage rumours

Contrary to rumours, a source close to the Khoobsurat starlet revealed it was becoming extremely difficult for the Kapoor family to make arrangements for a wedding in Geneva, reported Pinkvilla. “It was becoming too cumbersome to manage the travel and living arrangements for approximately 150 members of the extended family and close friends of the Kapoors as well as Anand’s,” shared the insider.

“It would have been difficult for the senior members of the extended family, who are expected to attend all the ceremonies, to fly to Switzerland.” The two families were reportedly also considering having the wedding in Jaipur or Udaipur earlier.

Sonam Kapoor to reportedly marry in March

When asked what she is looking most forward to in her wedding festivities, Sonam said, “I think the whole idea of a marriage is more appealing to me than a wedding. I think there is too much money spent; it’s all very crass, and I would rather give that money away. I’d rather have a wedding at home than anywhere else. I think it’s important to do all the rituals but I don’t believe in spending all that money. I find it disgusting and very wasteful and I’m not okay with that at all.”

Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja’s wedding date confirmed!

Well, this is the first time that Sonam has been so open about her wedding. Reports now suggest that Sonam and Anand will tie the knot in Mumbai on May 7, 2018, and the couple will host a grand reception in Delhi, where Anand’s family is based. Sonam and Anand will allegedly shift to London after their wedding.

Read More

There was an invisible glass pane between my son and I: Rishi Kapoor

Rishi Kapoor who is currently busy promoting his upcoming film, 102 Not Out with Amitabh Bachchan spoke about his relationship with his son.

According to Filmfare, Rishi was spotted at an event where he was asked about his relationship with Ranbir Kapoor – a topic that has been brought up on multiple occasions.

The 65-year-old actor revealed, “There was a time when Ranbir and I didn’t get along because I was really busy. There was an invisible glass pane between us – like my relationship with my father, late Raj Kapoor. But I’m a loving father now.”

Rishi added that he now wants his son to get married so that he can be a grandfather and make up for lost time. The proud father also spoke of the many avatars Ranbir will be playing in Sanju.

He said, “The reactions to his new film have been phenomenal. All the calls and messages I’ve been getting since morning are about him.” Rishi also stated that Ranbir always told his mom that he wanted to be an actor with a caliber.

The 35-year-old’s father explained, “Ranbir wanted a different career graph so he did films like Wake Up Sid and Rocket Singh. Some films failed but no actor has a 100% track record – as the saying goes, ‘Form is temporary, class is permanent’.”

Read More

My daughter will marry a man of her choice: Shakti Kapoor

MUMBAI: 

Actor Shakti Kapoor says his daughter and actor Shraddha will marry a man of her own choice. When asked about the Baaghi star’s wedding plans, Shakti said, “Every father wants his daughter to get married into a good and respected family. I wish that she grows in her personal and professional life, but I think as a parent, you have to give some kind of liberty to your children because now that period is gone when parents used to marry their children to a person of their choice.”

Shraddha Kapoor, the songstress

Shakti revealed Shraddha is very busy with her career at the moment. “We have to ask our children about their choices in terms of everything, including their life partners. She is right now very busy in her career, but whenever she will tell us about her marriage plans, she will marry a man of her own choice and we don’t have any objection with that.”

As a father, he is happy that Shraddha is working hard to take on challenging roles. “In today’s time, every actor is taking challenges in his career. If you see actors right from Ranbir Kapoor and Farhan Akhtar, all are doing really good in biopics in which they have worked. Every actor is working hard in the film industry. I am proud that Shraddha too is experimenting with her roles.”

I wanted to venture into new kind of films: Shraddha Kapoor on ‘Haseena’

On his own journey in the film industry, Shakti said, “My journey in film industry has been really good and children are also doing really well in their life. I think God has been really kind and it is also blessing of the audience.”

Shakti, who is also close to the Dutt family, is happy to see the teaser of Rajkumar Hirani’s Sanju, starring Ranbir. “I think the teaser of Sanju is extraordinary. I think it’s one of the finest teasers that I have seen. Ranbir is looking and acting crazily close to Sanjay Dutt in the teaser. My real name is Sunil Kapoor but Mr Sunil Dutt named me Shakti Kapoor. So, I am close to the Dutt family.”

Read More

I've told my daughters that Bollywood is not as glamorous as it looks: Arjun Rampal

While many Bollywood kids are about to mark their debut in the industry, actor Arjun Rampal believes that there is still time for his daughters to choose a career path, reported Hindustan Times.

Arjun Rampal doesn’t like ‘one dimensional roles’

Arjun said that he doesn’t think either of his daughters, Myra 12 and Mahikaa 16, really know right now what they want to do in life. He said that it takes time for some people.

The actor stated that he won’t groom his daughters to become a part of Bollywood only to realise later that they don’t like the profession. “If my kids want to do something outside this industry, I would support them. And if they want to be a part of Bollywood, then from whatever experience I have, I will guide them,” shared the Rock On!! star.

Arjun also mentioned that he will not show only the “rosy” side of the film industry. “I will tell them that it’s a difficult job and not as glamorous as it looks. They realise this already because they have seen it. They need to accept that it takes a lot out of you. You sacrifice a lot of things. So, if they really want to do it correctly, I will definitely encourage them,” explained the actor.

Arjun Rampal slams rumours of assaulting a man

He further added that one should follow their heart when it comes to career choices. Speaking of nepotism in the industry, Arjun quoted, “Despite your background, nobody will put money on you if your work is not good. Certain people do get more chances than others but eventually, it’s your talent that takes you places.”

Have something to add to the story? Share in the comments below.

Read More

Fashion roundup: Aisha Khan's 5 wedding looks

Following actor Feroze Khan and model Saheefa Khattak, former actor Aisha Khan has also taken the plunge and tied the knot.

The Mann Mayal star previously took to Instagram to announce her departure from the Pakistani entertainment industry in a heartfelt note that shocked fans and colleagues alike.

In another post, she made public that she will be getting hitched very soon, sharing a picture with her fiancé. “My fiancé and I are overwhelmed with all the love and prayers that have poured in thus far,” read the caption.

Aisha and Major Uqbah Malik’s five-day wedding celebrations have now come to an end and we just had to talk about Aisha’s looks from all the ceremonies! So, starting with the mayoon, here are all the looks Aisha rocked at her events.

1. Mayoon

Following actor Feroze Khan and model Saheefa Khattak, former actor Aisha Khan has also taken the plunge and tied the knot.

The Mann Mayal star previously took to Instagram to announce her departure from the Pakistani entertainment industry in a heartfelt note that shocked fans and colleagues alike.

In another post, she made public that she will be getting hitched very soon, sharing a picture with her fiancé. “My fiancé and I are overwhelmed with all the love and prayers that have poured in thus far,” read the caption.

Aisha and Major Uqbah Malik’s five-day wedding celebrations have now come to an end and we just had to talk about Aisha’s looks from all the ceremonies! So, starting with the mayoon, here are all the looks Aisha rocked at her events.

1. Mayoon

Many brides prefer not to wear any makeup on their mayoon, purely because they usually end up getting haldi on their face. However, although very minimal, Aisha chose to put her face on.

Bold brows, shimmered eyes, lightly blushed cheeks and a peach pout was what made for a fresh, bright face. And in true tradition, the star chose to wear flower jewellery, clad in a simple yellow outfit with her hair left natural.

2. Mehendi

For her mehendi, Aisha chose a green and maroon outfit with very light embellishments. The makeup stayed minimal, similar to her mayoonlook, with just the addition of smokey, winged out eye makeup.

Sporting two necklaces, Aisha’s jewellery was a mixture of silver and gold polki (one of my personal favourites). Also, she wore no earrings… NO EARRINGS. Surprisingly though, it doesn’t look unusual and the nicely teased, quiffed hair more than compensates for it.

3. Nikkah

Aisha stunned in a fawn coloured outfit – perfectly appropriate for her daytime nikkah ceromony. The shirt had self-coloured detailing while the dupatta was kept plain with simple muted gold kiran on the borders.

For jewellery, she donned a heavy choker with a simple teeka andjhumkas. The makeup, once again, was nominal with just the lipstick changed to more of a brown shade.

4. Shaadi

Although the Khuda Mera Bhi Hai actor took the traditional route for her past few events, Aisha ditched the red and went for a heavily adorned peach ensemble for her wedding ceremony instead.

Her makeup was turned up a notch for this event with black smokey eyes, dramatic lashes and a chiselled face with blush and lipstick matching the outfit. For jewellery, on the other hand, Aisha chose diamond studded this time to match the silver details on her attire.

5. Valima

At her Valima, which was the last of the functions, Aisha was dressed in a gold and dark green ensemble, creating a nice contrast. Her dupatta was thoroughly detailed with gota work.

She let her hair down for this event (both, literally and figuratively speaking), with a jewelled teeka and matching earrings. Her makeup, however, was much heavier with glittery eyes and bold red lips.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.

Read More

I stand with all women who’ve been sexually harassed: Ahsan Khan

KARACHI  : 

The #MeToo movement is gaining momentum in Pakistan, spearheaded by Meesha Shafi’s harassment allegations against Ali Zafar. The episode took a turn for the worse last week, when the latter denied Meesha’s claims and sent her a legal notice, seeking Rs100 crore for defamation.

Either way, Pakistanis have primarily remained divided on the matter. While Meesha’s confession saw a few other women, celebrities and non-celebrities, come forth with their own experiences of sexual harassment, others have been questioning her long silence. Many have been defending Ali, saying that a family man like him, that too one as accomplished as him, would never be so irresponsible.

Meesha’s lawyer confirms legal notice from Ali Zafar

To find out more about the issue, The Express Tribune caught up with actor Ahsan Khan, who is known for propagating women’s rights and speaking up against child and sexual abuse. Asked about his first reaction to Meesha’s allegations, the star said, “I would stand with all women who have been sexually harassed. Actually, I would stand with any person, not just women, who have suffered any type of harassment.”

Ahsan added people should not disgrace women who brave the odds to break their silences. “There’s no glory in discrediting a woman for revealing that she has suffered a crime. Some people are making jokes out of this situation as well, which is very distasteful,” said the actor, who played a child molester in the hit TV serial Udaari. “Honestly, I’m hurt by what happened after Meesha claimed that she was harassed. It is very hard for a woman to speak out about harassment. Such women deserve support, not criticism.”

The Chupan Chupai star went on to cite the example of  24-year-old Samina Samoon, who was recently shot dead for refusing to dance for an armed man, to highlight how women from showbiz are often disrespected more. “It is depressing how our society holds high regards for only male actors while the girls in this profession are mere objects,” he stated. “In Samina’s case, there was a blatant disregard for humanity as she was six-months pregnant. They didn’t kill just her but the unborn child as well. Two lives were taken that day. What should we expect from a society which nurtures this kind of mindset?

The actor continued, “Always remember no one can ever take away your honour, respect, and dignity unless you willingly give it up. I think one must know where to draw a line, to define his or her social limits and alert others of them. Sexual harassment should never be taken lightly.”

SSP torture case: ATC defers judgment, summons Imran on May 4

In the meantime, Ahsan hopes that the truth will prevail and the innocent will not get hurt. “Ali has said that he will move to the court. Now, let us breathe, sit back and wait for the law to take its course,” he stated. “We must have faith in our legal system. We have a law that guarantees protection against harassment. Section 509 of the Pakistan Penal Code is intact. More importantly, God is fair and will ensure the right outcome. Gossip, slander and chatter will only hurt our sentiments so let’s behave with dignity, grace and responsibility.”

He added, “The only two people who know the facts in the Meesha and Ali case are Meesha and Ali themselves. I don’t think anyone else should muddle in the matter. I wish truth, peace, justice and the courage to admit fault to the both of them.”

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below. 

Read More

Lollywood distressed over lack of new heroines

It’s almost as though every time one delves into into the subject of Lollywood, a new issue comes to light. This time, industry insiders are distressed over the fact that no new female actors have emerged from the southern Punjabi regions of Pakistan in over a decade or so, including cities such as Bahawalpur and Multan.

The south of Punjab has been home to many renowned Lollywood beauties including Anjuman, Saima Noor, Sana Ghori and even Reema Khan. In fact, the region has always been a cultural hub for films, music and dramas, with decades’ worth of contribution to the field of arts.

There are no art schools or performance institutions but its showbiz imports have almost always ruled over the industry. Actors such as Pathany Khan, Tauqeer Nasir, Sureya Multanikar, Naheed Akhtar, Sohail Asghar, Uzma Gillani, Diljeet Mirza and Ustad Ghulam Abbas have all hailed from southern Punjab and done commendable work for Pakistani showbiz.

In fact, there have also been many singers to come out of the region, namely Ustad Nazakat Ali Khan, Ustad Akhtar Ali Khan, Ustad Tawal Hussain, Taj Multani, Raj Multani, Krishan Laal Bhail, Faqeera Bhagat and Deen Muhammad Qawwal. Some of the artists have gone on to receive presidential awards such as the Sitara-e-Imtiaz and Pride of Performance as well.

The fading out of Lollywood’s iconic playback singers

Unfortunately, that is no longer the case – and due to the lack of finances and welfare projects, much of southern Punjab has been overlooked of late.  “Southern Punjab has surely produced many artists, some of whom have earned national and international fame. The history of Lollywood would be incomplete without its contribution,” director Altaf Hussain told The Express Tribune.  “But that was 40 years ago, when this region dominated the industry and most Lollywood hits had southern Punjabi actors in them. Sadly, after Sana, no good female actor comes from there, due to the shortage of work opportunities and other discouraging factors.”

Fellow director Naseem Haider Shah also lamented over the matter. “Heroines from the south of Punjab used to be considered lucky for the industry, which was flourishing because of them. But after Sana and Saima, none of the girls who came were able to make it very big. None of them became as popular as the southern Punjabi heroines of the past,” he confessed.

Disillusionment with Lollywood

Ustad Tafu agreed. “In the past, many Punjabi celebrities have been awarded for their services to films and music and a number of Multan-based artists are still working in the industry. But it’s unfortunate that we haven’t been able to find a new heroine for the last 10 years,” he stated. “However, I still believe that the region is very fertile when it comes to talent. Every film done by Anjuman, Reema or Saima is proof of that. We just need the government to take some steps and try to discover and hone that talent,” Tafu continued. “Perhaps it can set up an art academy in southern Punjab in reward for the services of the regions’ artists,” he concluded.

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below. 

Read More

راحت فتح علی خان کی بیٹی نے بھی گلوکاری کے میدان میں قدم رکھ دیا

لاہور: 

پاکستان کے نامور گلوکار راحت فتح علی خان کے نوجوان بیٹے کے بعد اب ان کی بیٹی نے بھی گلوکاری کے میدان میں قدم رکھ دیا ہے۔

گزشتہ روز لاہور میں جان ریمبو اور صاحبہ کی جانب سے اداکارہ ریما خان کے اعزاز میں ڈنر دیا گیا جس میں انجمن، شان، صاحبہ، ریشم، معمررانا، صوفیہ مرزا، سارہ لورین اور عمران عباس سمیت فلم، ٹی وی اور فیشن انڈسٹری کی نمایاں شخصیات موجود تھیں۔

تقریب میں راحت فتح علی خان کی بیٹی نے اپنی گلوکاری سے شرکا کو محظوظ کیا جب کہ ڈنر میں موجود تمام افراد نے راحت فتح علی خان کی بیٹی کے ٹیلنٹ کی تعریف کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ وہ بھی ایک دن اپنے والد کی طرح ضرور نام کمائیں گی۔ ذرائع نے بتایا ہے کہ راحت فتح علی خان کی بیٹی نے موسیقی کی تمام تعلیم اپنے والد سے ہی حاصل کی ہے

Read More

سونم کپور کی شادی کی خبروں پر انیل کپور نے خاموشی توڑدی

ممبئی: 

مشہور بھارتی اداکار انیل کپور نے بیٹی سونم کپور کی شادی کی خبروں پر بالآخر خاموشی توڑدی۔

بھارتی میڈیا میں گزشتہ کئی مہینوں سے اداکارہ سونم کپور کی شادی کے خوب چرچے ہیں، بھارتی میڈیا کے مطابق انیل کپور کا گھر بھی اسی سلسلے میں سجایا گیا ہے جب کہ گھر میں فرح خان کی نگرانی میں شادی میں ڈانس کے لیے ریہرسل بھی کی جارہی ہے۔

اس خبر کو بھی پڑھیں : سونم کپور کی شادی کی تاریخ تبدیل

بھارتی میڈیا کے مطابق سونم کپور اور بھارتی بزنس مین آنند آہوجا کی شادی اگلے ماہ ہے، مشہور اداکار انیل کپور بیٹی کی شادی کی خبروں پر اب تک بالکل خاموش تھے لیکن اب انہوں نے بھی خاموشی توڑدی ہے۔

اس خبر کو بھی پڑھیں : سونم کپور شادی کے سوال پر بھڑک اٹھیں

میڈیا سے بات کرتے ہوئے انیل کپور کا کہنا تھا کہ میڈیا شروع سے ہمارے ساتھ رہا ہے تاہم صحیح وقت پر ساری چیزیں سامنے لائیں گے، کسی سے کچھ نہیں چھپایا جائے گا۔ ان کا کہنا تھا کہ سب کو حقیقت کا بہت جلد پتہ چل جائے گا، گھر پر چراغاں کے حوالے سے انیل کپور نے کہا کہ آپ سب کو بہت جلد پتہ چل جائے گا کہ گھر کیوں سجایا گیا اور چراغاں کیوں کیا جارہا ہے۔

Read More