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Clint Eastwood is no stranger to showing his love for American heroes, or at least people who satisfy his definition of an American hero. And that’s something that’s best reflective of the latter part of his career with films like Flags of Our Fathers (2006), J. Edgar (2011) and American Sniper (2014). And something he continues to explore with his 35^th film behind the camera: Sully. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjKEXxO2KNE Based on the remarkable true story of the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’, when on January of 2009, Captain Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger successfully landed a US Airways plane on the Hudson River, after an influx of birds knocked out both the plane’s engines. The film draws on Sullenberger’s autobiography, ‘Highest Duty’, interspersing bits of his life story with two major strands: a real-time recreation of the flight, landing, and rescue, and the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) into whether Sully acted properly in landing the plane in the river. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Tom Hanks
Photo: IMDb[/caption] With Sully, one thing that is clearly evident is that Eastwood has come to a point in his career where he can simply do no wrong, at least from a technical stand-point. And his steadiness behind the camera is one of the reasons this films works so well. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Tom Hanks
Photo: IMDb[/caption] Now, a lot of people including myself are not a fan of the blatant jingoism Eastwood’s films often project. Something that has especially ringed true for his previous film, American Sniper, where he tried to make a hero out of a sadistic, stone-cold killer. But surprisingly, his handling of the subject-matter is immaculate this time around, and free of any pandering, contrivances or schmaltz. In fact, Sully feels like a rather lean and effectively crafted film at 96 minutes, where almost every scene feels integral to the story and plot. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart and Shane P. Allen
Photo: IMDb[/caption] As much of a good job as Clint does at the helm, this film simply wouldn’t be as good as it is if it wasn’t for Tom Hanks and his impressively stoic and grounded lead performance as the titular character. Hanks has always been America’s favourite everyman, but with his recent run of films like Captain Phillips (2013), Bridge of Spies (2015) and now Sully, he seems to be excelling at playing that part. And once again he absolutely nails the role of an everyday guy who finds himself at odds with an increasingly adverse situation. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Tom Hanks
Photo: Ros Asadorian/ Splash News[/caption] It’s not a showy Oscar-baity performance, but it’s a tremendously subtle one, that’s always captivating. And thankfully, he doesn’t have to carry the film entirely on his own shoulders either, thanks to some great support from Aaron Eckhart as Sully’s co-pilot Jeff Skiles. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Tom Hanks and Aaron Eckhart
Photo: IMDb[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Tom Hanks and Aaron Eckhart
Photo: IMDb[/caption] If there’s any area where Sully struggles, it’s that it sometimes seems to be trying a little too hard to find conflict, especially when it comes to making villains out of the NTSB desk jockeys. And the post 9/11 imagery and referencing is both on-the-nose and stretching for sentimentality. But what balances that out is the engrossing character study that Eastwood provides. And how Sully constantly doubts whether he did do the right thing – all that brings a uniquely human side to the film without which it could not have worked so efficiently. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Tom Hanks
Photo: IMDb[/caption] I’m not sure if Sully is going to bag a ton of Oscars, – maybe a nomination for Hanks – it’s doesn’t have the excessive mawkishness the Academy usually looks for in real-life stories. I think what ultimately matters most at the end of the day, is that this is a solid piece of filmmaking and both a story of ordinary heroism and an ode to professionalism done increasingly well. It might not set your heart racing, but it’s bound to move you and engage you.

Peculiarity at its uber best! That, my readers, is Tim Burton for you. I don’t need to introduce him; a pure genius oddball, period. Maestro of everything that is bizarre, crazy and wonderfully strange, all at the very same time. My first ever Burton experience was the quirkily magical Edward Scissorhands (1990). It is only Burton who in this bittersweet flick could have infested every possible human emotion in an entertaining eerie -esque way. Since then, I never missed any of his ventures, though there have many hits and misses in between. And this time round too, I was enthusiastically yet warily waiting for a mind twist by his latest gaggle of eccentricity in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV_IhWE4LP0 Adapted from Ransom Riggs’s popular trilogy of the adult bestseller, the first of a hopeful franchise, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a typical Tim Burton fantasia, not at all short on the weirdness and the nuttiness which he is fêted for. It is adapted by Jane Goldman, more known for her share of fame in Kick-Ass (2010), X-Men: First Class (2011) and Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014). A bit complex, I must add, which is nothing new if you are an avid Burton follower, the plot revolves around a dorky teen Jake Portman (Asa Butterfield) who grew up listening to the childhood fables relived by his grandfather Abraham (Terence Stamp). These stories involve a bunch of mutated kids with some unusual and peculiar super powers. After witnessing his grandfather’s sudden and mysterious murder by an unknown creature, Jake is left traumatised and seeks therapy to clear his head. He then stumbles upon some bizarre palimpsest further clueing his decision to visit the isolated island associated with his grandpa’s tales. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Eva Green
Photo: IMDb[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Asa Butterfield, Ella Purnell, Pixie Davies, Raffiella Chapman, Finlay MacMillan, Milo Parker, Lauren McCrostie, Hayden Keeler-Stone, Cameron King, Georgia Pemberton, Thomas Odwell, Joseph Odwell
Photo: IMDb[/caption] He finally hunts down the home of these mysterious children, run by the falcon-transforming Miss Peregrine played by Eva Green. The house is nothing ordinary to say the least, trapped in a time loop on a one fine madding day in 1943. The younger charges of Miss Peregrine aptly known as “the peculiars” are all but odd. These children have quite intriguing magical powers à la our X-Men super heroes, such as invisibility and weightlessness to the grotesque power to host bees inside the belly! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Eva Green, Asa Butterfield and Georgia Pemberton
Photo: IMDb[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Ella Purnell, Pixie Davies, Lauren McCrostie, Cameron King, Thomas Odwell, Joseph Odwell
Photo: IMDb[/caption] However, I felt Burton could have spent some more time on developing these somewhat empty characters, but once he frantically gets to that point, the stimulating story and the commendably strong performance of Eva Green takes over. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Eva Green
Photo: IMDb[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Asa Butterfield and Ella Purnell
Photo: IMDb[/caption] Although I found the movie filled with many fascinating visual awes, I couldn’t hold on to much of the plot till the half mark until the introduction of the monstrous eye feeding villain Barron, wonderfully played by Samuel L Jackson, leading the team of “peculiars” gone bad. The prolonged pace of the movie did test my patience to be honest, but it never bored me with its unique characters and the dark but captivating storyline. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Judi Dench
Photo: IMDb[/caption] I wouldn’t dare divulge more to spoil the movie for you, but for those diehard Burton fans, all I can say is that the movie is a fitting blend of Burton’s whimsically aesthetic directing and the eccentric storyline of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Ella Purnell, Pixie Davies, Raffiella Chapman, Finlay MacMillan, Milo Parker, Lauren McCrostie, Cameron King, Georgia Pemberton, Thomas Odwell, Joseph Odwell
Photo: IMDb[/caption] [poll id="691"]

The old man had the most startling blue eyes, the kind that glittered in a wizard-like way. He was a contractual worker fixing some room in the building where I work, and I met him in the kitchen over my morning coffee. He asked where I’m from and widened his eyes. He didn’t comment on how good my English is, but how American my accent is (which I take no offence or pride in – it’s not the two years of Master’s in St Louis but all those American movies and TV shows I watch). And then he asked me that question,

“So, what’s Pakistan like?”

The question always bounces off me like a gummy ball against the wall. It’s a loaded question, even if it’s not really meant to be, and I usually respond in two ways: 1. The most generic of answers:

“Oh, it’s really nice.”

Which means absolutely nothing and really, when you think about Pakistan, nice really isn’t the most appropriate adjective. How about – incredible, wild, crazy, tragic, beautiful, turbulent, difficult to describe? 2. Or I say something completely inane like,

“Well yeah, the traffic is horrible.”

Which is true, of course, but when someone asks about what your birthplace/homeland is like, do you really want to start, and in most cases end, with that? For some reason the question makes me antsy. I feel the need to invite the inquirer to a presentation where I can have at least 30 minutes to go through a stack of 15 slides, highlighting some aspects of what my country is like. There is an insistent need to not say anything negative because there is already so much negativity out there. But if I don’t mention any of it and say it’s beautiful and lovely and the crispy tandoori parathas make everything worthwhile, then I’d feel dishonest because how can you not mention the poverty and the overpopulation and the widespread intolerance? See my dilemma? What’s it like? I wish I could say it’s horrifically dirty and there are slums like Machar colony in Karachi where children about the size of bonsai trees run around barefoot in five inches of sewerage, poking at tired dogs with patches of skin visible on their skeletal bodies. There are so many people – it’s like when you shake a can of Pepsi and open it, and there’s an explosion of foam, people pouring out, milling about in streets, squatting on their haunches, sipping tea from small glass cups, standing behind stalls selling bright purple eggplant and pale coloured cabbage, spread out on dry grass in parks sharing sandwiches and samosas, buying plastic jewelry and plastic slippers in markets, perched precariously, three, four, five and a baby on motorbikes, playing ludo late at night under streetlights… It’s haphazard and unruly; nobody follows the traffic rules and there are too many cars, the bus drivers are psychotic and pedestrians more thrill-seeking than the young men who throw themselves off cliffs – they’ll dart in front of speeding cars or pause in the middle of crossing the road to glance back at a straggling child. There are no bus lanes, no bike lanes and the 1,000 ton-containers are never bolted down on their barreling wagons. Sometimes there are cows and camels. We have too many stray dogs and cats and street children and beggars with amputated limbs. And then there is the sea that surges on and on, despite everything that has happened, and there is joy at the dirty, polluted smudgy Sea View beach where thousands of people wade in, fully clothed, holding hands as the gray sea sweeps over them, toppling them like an unruly friend, backing away just so they can get back on their feet again and then coming back again, cresting, jumping over, drenching, and if you want, there is popcorn and french fries and charred cobs to munch on. And sometimes there are fiery sunsets that whip across the sky like the orange-gold-yellow streaks of paint by a madly talented artist and your mind is wiped clean of all thoughts as you watch the burning ball of sun slipping slowly down and into the misty gray sea. It is scattered with large pockets of intolerance that breeds in small madrassas and small minds, fanned by poverty and frustration and evil. It is fed into young minds and shared in fancy living rooms and offices too. It is peppered with smaller pockets of beautiful, brave people who speak out against injustice and preach love and peace, it’s scribbled in moldy notebooks and discussed on the grey seats of classrooms and in cozy cafés with art on the walls and warm orange lamps, and every now and then at larger gatherings under palm trees and wind-blown canopies next to stalls of books and children browsing through them. It is populated with passionate, persistent people who have left lofty jobs and neat queues to come back to their unruly messy country and work there despite its maddening ways. It has sunny blue skies. And when it rains in Pakistan, people don’t put up their umbrellas or pull on their Wellingtons, they rush out and get drenched. Kids hop around in puddles and mothers fry pakoras and friends share cups of steaming tea. It has people who are nosy and judgmental and you call all strangers aunties and uncles and bhai and behan, and old women you meet for the first time on a bus will ask you if you’re married and why you don’t have kids and what you earn, and many men will stare at you as you walk down a crowded street. It has people who have hearts as big as the sky and if you visit their house, with a survey or a question, they’ll offer you anything from fried bhindi to roasted peanuts, and chai – they’ll always offer you chai. They’ll help you reverse out of a tight spot and they’ll help you change your tire, and they’ll give you directions even if they don’t actually know the way, and you can always ask to hold their cherubic baby, they won’t think that’s creepy at all. It has hundreds and thousands of people who march for things they don’t fully understand. It has artists and film directors and writers and festivals celebrating culture, literature, food, music, and these are slowly growing. It has mouthwatering delicious food – Karachi’s bun kebabs to Lahore’s fresh water fish and tikkas to Peshawar’s chapli kebabs and have you ever tried the cottage-cheese rotis in Hunza served with apricot chutney? Fruits and vegetables and nuts and don’t ever forget the chai, the spherical dense doughy parathas crispy on the outside and soft and buttery on the inside. And it has the world’s most majestic mountains that will take your breath away and when you stand in front of a snowcapped jagged brute of a mountain with the sky for a crown and the sun for a mirror, it will be like a zap from a wand. You’ll be turned into a tiny speck of dirt and you’ll never feel so insignificant and you’ll never love that feeling of insignificance anywhere else. So you see, “what’s Pakistan like?” is not an easy question to answer. Because, you see, Pakistan is complicated and rich and diverse and beautiful and horrible all at the same time. And then, Pakistan is home.

The Academy may not have given the film its proper dues – and yes, some of us may still be a tad miffed about this major award show injustice – but the fact remains that The Lego Movie (2014) was downright awesome. Both joyous and thought-provoking, the wildly entertaining animated romp ushered us into the zany Lego realm. Now, three years later, we finally get the chance to revisit Lego Land in the spin-off instalment The Lego Batman Movie. The flick is centred on the character of The Dark Knight (voiced by Will Arnett) and its trailer promises an amusing adventure in Gotham City. As per the prevue, Bruce Wayne’s trusty butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Ralph Fiennes) is concerned about his lonely lifestyle and urges him to raise the young orphan he adopted (Michael Cera), just as Batman squares off against his old nemesis, The Joker (Zach Galifianakis). Off the bat, the project seems quite amusing; the ribbing of the superhero franchise in particular is entertaining. But by the look of it, the film (obviously) lacks the novelty of its predecessor. Since we’re already familiar with the world of Batman, the masterminds behind The Lego Movie, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, have created such a (surprisingly) interesting, detailed world and filled it with so much excitement and joy that the follow-up doesn’t seem as imaginative as the original. Still, their efforts do give director Chris McKay a uniquely fascinating universe to explore. And even though we have seen Batman in so many incarnations already, this Lego persona still feels fresh and fun. Based on the few glimpses we’ve had of the film so far, it is very likely that The Lego Batman Movie will be better than the recent DC Comics films, like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad – simply because almost everything is better than Suicide Squad. So far, it certainly looks smarter and wittier than the latest DC offering. Here’s hoping the film lives up to its potential.

Welcome back to Los Angeles (LA). The year is 2049 and LA is as grey, rainy and full of neon as it was some 30 years back. The whole landscape might have evolved, but there is no mistaking the fact that this is the same world that cinephiles fell in love with from the Blade Runner. The official trailer of Blade Runner 2049 has recently dropped and the moody and atmospheric world building is exceedingly reminiscent of its predecessor, the original 1982 Ridley Scott’s cult classic which was based on Philip Kindred Dick’s 1968 short story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? It’s not just the visuals; the plot of the sequel also appears to follow the original. Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LA police officer K (Ryan Gosling), along with being mandated to track down and kill bio-engineered beings known as replicants, uncovers a long buried secret that has the potential to end humanity. This discovery leads K on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), the protagonist of the original film and a former LA police blade runner himself, who has been missing for some three odd decades now. While the lead duo of Gosling and Ford might be a huge attraction in itself, it is the support cast that is sure to be the cherry atop this delicious offering. Following his turn as The Joker in Suicide Squad from last year, Jared Leto is bringing another bad guy to cinematic life. His character of acting as a father figure to replicants is so menacingly chilling for the absurdly simple reason that it is so caring. Whether he’s a replicant himself, who has climbed up the power ladder, or some other type of non-human, remains to be seen. But what we can state without an iota of doubt is that he is going to be a formidable adversary. Despite the presence of the aforementioned A-listers, the true stars of the film in my humble opinion is the director-cinematographer combination of Denis Villeneuve and Roger Deakins, and the trailer just goes on to prove it. I have been banging the Villeneuve drum for years now. Ever since his earlier fares (Incendies and Prisoners), he has demonstrated that he is one of the most talented newcomers on the block. With his Oscar-nominated Arrival last year, he went on to prove that he is someone you can trust with an adult sci-fi, and now with Blade Runner’s follow-up, he truly looks to be in his element. One cannot praise Villeneuve, leaving out his partner-in-crime, cinematographer Deakins. The long collaborator of the director is one of the best in business and the stunning cinematography at display during the promo is a testament to his tremendous craft. Be it the dreary neon-lit setting of a futuristic LA or the desolately barren outlook of a crumbled Las Vegas, Deakins has been bang on with his photography. A 13-time Academy Award nominee, this film might just be the one that helps Deakins win his first Oscar. You also need to credit the duo with the decision to not steer too much away from the visual aesthetic conceived by the 1982 Blade Runner. The sequel might be set decades from the original, but the look and feel simply is an evolved extension of everything that made the first one such a cult classic. Case in point, the massive holograms which look eerily similar to those found in Blade Runner, but with an understandably advanced technology. Blade Runner 2049 is set to open in October later this year. All photos: IMDb

Voldemort: Origins of the Heir is a fan film that has set social media abuzz and could be the Voldemort film that we’ve always wanted to watch. The trailer, released by the production company Tryangle, received more than two million views in just 48 hours. The official website of the film says that the idea was inspired by reading the sixth book in the Harry Potter series. The book made them wonder:

“What made Tom Marvolo Riddle become Voldemort? What happened in those years, and what really went down at Hogwarts when he came back? There are some clues in the books which have not been transposed at all in the movies, but a lot goes unspoken. This is the story we want to tell: the rise of the Dark Lord before Harry Potter and his first demise.”

The narrator of the trailer tells the audience how Riddle mysteriously disappeared a few years after graduating from Hogwarts. She recounts the scandal caused by a house elf accidentally poisoning Hepzibah Smith, a direct descendant of Hufflepuff. But the narrator, who is later revealed to be a Grisha McLaggen, heir of Gryffindor, suspects dark magic at play and promises to stop Riddle.

The special effects, cinematography and production design seen in the video sets it apart from other fan-made trailers and gives it the appearance of a big budget film. However, the people behind the trailer have already said that it is a non-commercial film that was made by fans for other fans and is not endorsed by, affiliated with, or associated with Warner Bros or JK Rowling in any way.

While this might be disappointing for some fans, others are rejoicing at the chance to watch a film with their beloved Harry Potter characters coming back to life, including some new ones. McLaggen, the female protagonist of the film, has certainly never appeared in the book series but could be a possible relation of another book character Cormac McLaggen who was also in Gryffindor house and whose family was said to be ‘big in the ministry’.

The film also promises the appearance of the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, and will explore the connection between him and Riddle. All the other heirs of the Hogwarts houses and some inferi (living corpses) will also be showing up in the film.

The trailer has bewitched fans of the Harry Potter universe and already filled Twitter with excitement. https://twitter.com/MyBooks_AreMe/status/868670402670673920 https://twitter.com/QueenMelisende/status/870362229811687424 No official release date has been mentioned yet but the full film will be coming out by the end of 2017. All photos: Screenshots

‘Man’s best friend’ is a pretty common expression that refers to the powerful relationship that we humans have shared with pet dogs for ages. The first recorded use of this phrase dates back to Frederick the Great of Prussia from the 18^th century. Ever since then, it has become part of the general colloquialism. But have we ever wondered why we share such an intense bond with our canine buddies?

Worry not my friends, because we now have an upcoming movie that precisely aims to answer that very question. The From Hell and The Book of Eli famed Albert Hughes’s new historical drama, Alpha, just had its first trailer released on the internet and we get a glimpse into why this particular friendship has stood the test of time.

The movie which was formerly known as The Solutrean is set in the last ice age, 20,000 years ago, in Europe during the Upper Paleolithic period. Here we have a young caveman Zeta (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who on a hunting expedition with his tribe is left for dead after a cliff-fall following a bison stampede.

Fortunately for our protagonist, he survives the almost certain death-drop but awakens to find himself with a broken leg, miles away from his village. On his journey back home, through the harsh terrains, he finds himself an unlikely companion in a lone wolf that has been abandoned by its pack. The two of them together then embark on an epic trip where they develop their connection as allies while having to survive the unforgiving wilderness and some really nasty predators.

The trailer ends with the tagline,

“Witness the origin of the relationship that changed the world forever.”

Thus hinting at how this survival drama is much more than what its label states. On initial viewing of the promo, the film bears an uncanny resemblance to Roland Emmerich’s 10,000 BC with the icy solitude of Alejandro G Iñárritu’s The Revenant thrown in for good measure. The two and a half minute trailer also indicates how the movie would refrain from too much verbosity and instead rely on the power of visual medium to drive the narrative forward. In fact, the whole experience would be all the more better if Alpha is completely dialogue free. For the sake of rationality, you simply cannot have the characters conversing in English, now can you?

One other factor that potentially makes this movie a breath of fresh air is the fact that in this day and age of remakes, reboots and sequels, Alpha is a unique standalone project. This helps the film not being influenced or getting bogged down by absurd level of expectations set by any predecessor.

McPhee, who starred in the X-Men franchise as Kurt Wagner, aka Nightcrawler, is joined by Leonor Varela, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson and Jens Hultén in important roles.

So if you have always been curious as to why we tend to have so much affection for dogs, you need to mark your calendars for March 2, 2018, when Alpha is set to hit the theatres. All photos: Screenshots

The women and children of Afghanistan have perhaps paid the price of war most heavily. The ongoing conflict leaves nearly half of the children in Afghanistan out of school, while 87% of women in Afghanistan experience physical, sexual or psychological violence during their lifetime. It is against this backdrop of war and devastation that we find the heartfelt film, The Breadwinner. Based on the book of the same name by Deborah Ellis and produced by Angelina Jolie, the film follows the story of 11-year-old Parvana (Saara Chaudry), who navigates her life disguised as a boy, and attempts to survive under the regime of the Taliban. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKxzlNE9_7Y Parvana is a strong-minded young girl who grows up listening to her father’s stories. Her father is reported to the authorities for possessing forbidden books and teaching his daughters, and is hence taken to the Gul-e-Parchi prison. Following her father’s imprisonment, and with the only other male in the house being her infant brother, Parvana cuts her hair and dresses as a boy to enter public life as the sole breadwinner for her family. She chooses the masculine name ‘Aatish’, which means fire, selling homemade items and offering to read and write in exchange for money. The film follows her journey in disguise, and the perpetual danger she is faced with as she tries to find her father. The film begins with Parvana’s father telling a story of Afghanistan’s 2000-year-old history, the countless rulers and invasions it encountered – the Persians, Macedonians, Genghis Khan, the Soviets and more.

“Each time there was bloodshed, and each time there were survivors,” he tells her.

The film’s ability to capture an intimate family story against such an enormous backdrop of history and war makes the film all the more beautiful, and is also the reason why it will move even the hardest of souls. We have all seen the iconic images of the blue burqa Afghan women don, but seldom are the lives of those women, and especially girls, depicted in the way we see in The Breadwinner. The fact that this is an animated movie, voiced by talented and authentic actors, makes it a truly transformative experience for the viewer.

Parvana is agitated at the beginning of the film, and like so many other girls coming-of-age, she asks,

“What’s the point of stories?”

The drastic change her life takes after her father is taken away answers this question in a way that is both steady and meaningful. Her mother, a notably sad woman, hums a beautiful tune as she prepares a traditional Afghan dinner and counsels her daughter,

“Don’t grow up too fast my daughter… it might not be what you expect.”

Shauzia, Parvana’s friend who has adopted the male name “Delawar”, has a contagious tenacity for life, despite being taken out of school and forced to work for her family’s survival. Each of the girls and women carry painful stories of their own; some are explained in the film, while others are merely hinted at. Nonetheless, like their country, these women refuse to give up and choose to survive.

In addition to the strong characters and plot are the beautiful shots of Afghanistan seen throughout the film – something not always achievable in animation. We see Afghanistan’s minarets, mountains, and the birds that have graced its poetry and stories for centuries now, providing a great reminder of its beauty, and that this land tucked between the Hindu Kush is something more than just a battlefield.

In many ways, The Breadwinner is an ode to storytelling itself, as one of the most powerful lines of the film reminds us,

“Stories remain in our hearts, even when all else is gone.”

Indeed the tribute to stories is befitting for the nation that produced some of the greatest poets and storytellers of all time, including the great Mawlana Rumi. The most poignant part of the film is when Razzaq, a tall, bearded man, comes to Parvana’s stall and asks her to read a letter. She reads the letter informing him of the death of his wife,

“She died on the way to her sister’s wedding, after their car hit a mine.”

Razzaq lets out a sob, stumbles, and flees in grief. The scene is painfully telling of how everyone in Afghanistan has lost someone, all too often as collateral damage. Parvana describes her country by saying,

“We are at the edges of empires at war with each other.”

Perhaps summing up Afghanistan’s greatest tragedy. With every tragedy that strikes, Parvana escapes her reality and invokes her stories like prayers. The stories protect her, sustain her and give her the courage she needs in her greatest moment of trepidation.

Whilst managing to highlight the plight of women and girls under the Taliban, The Breadwinner also attempts to overcome the endless image of suffering by demonstrating the ability of the same women to overcome the tribulations they are faced with. The courage of the 11-year-old Parvana in particular sets the film alight with hope, against even the most unimaginable circumstances.

The film successfully captures a moment in time for Afghanistan, albeit a time marred by struggle and war. It is a story of burden and pain, and a story that is not afraid to state uncomfortable truths. The beauty and strength of any country is its people, and the Afghan are a people more than 2,000 years old. History and stories such as The Breadwinner remind us that they are a people who can be their own heroes – if only the world gives them a chance. All photos: IMDb

Newly released Zero, starring Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma in lead roles, reminded me strongly of Shahid Kapoor’s Mausam. Similar to Mausam, Zero has a strong premise. However, the 20 subplots it takes to explore this subject in a lengthy 165-minutes narrative makes it a tedious watch. It is a film with a good heart but the body of the film has a more acute case of cerebral palsy than the lead character of the film does. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru4lEmhHTF4 Zero has a misleading title. It should have been called six. Or seven. This is the number of stories the writer has tried to cover in one film. It is impossible to define what the film is about in one sentence. It is a film about people with physical limitations and emotional limitations. A film about a confused man who runs away from responsibilities and love. A relationship drama between a glamourised actress and his fan cum secretary. It’s a film about a woman on a mission to defy physical handicaps and a man trying desperately to grow up. It’s a story of friendship. A story of a broken father-son relationship. A Sci-fi thriller. It is also of course a love story (as are most Bollywood films). How many stories did I manage to list? Nine? And the list can go on and on. How then can a movie with so many stories be called Zero? The first half of the film is still bearable. It has its moments. Some parts of the story are nicely developed. The relationship between Bauua (SRK) and Guddu (Zeeshan Ayub) is heart-warming. Tigmanshu Dhulia as Bauua’s dad appears natural. There are many oh-no-they-didn’t moments in the first half of the film as well as the second half but the first half is still relatively believable. As the story progresses , the film becomes increasingly bizarre. Towards the end, things appear to be so out of control that it looks like the director skipped pages of the script to complete the film on time. For instance, he doesn't consider it important to explain just how Bauua reached the final of the dance competition with his excessively poor dancing skills. Absurdly, the film does not show any other contestant in the competition but only fits Salman Khan into a poorly choreographed song. Even the dwarfism of Bauua is badly executed. In some scenes, he looks like a dwarf while in others, he just looks like a slightly short SRK. The film keeps throwing poorly written sequences and characters on your face one after the other. Babita Kumari (Kaif) is a ridiculously written and comically enacted character. The only problem is that her performance is meant to be serious. Perhaps Kaif could have made a great comic character in a funny film but the attempt to make her character appear serious only makes a mockery of the audience. The science-fiction part of the film seems to be heavily inspired by a Chetan Bhagat book. The music is uninspiring and the dialogues are yawn-inducing. But let’s at least appreciate the filmmaker’s attempts at inducing creative liberty. What still doesn’t make sense though is the regressive theme of women’s dependence on men where a brilliant scientist sending a billion-dollar mission to Mars still needs a man in her life and the only one who is willing to accept her is a dwarf. On the other hand, the most popular actress of the country (Kaif) acts unequivocally jealous and throws tantrums in public when her boyfriend (brilliant cameo by Abhay Deol) breaks up with her. In her anger, she appallingly throws her secretary (SRK) out of her party holding him with his shirt’s collar. Stereotypes about a woman’s dependence on a man embedded deep in our society are thus definitely adhered to in the course of the film. Having said all this, the film has certain redeeming factors. The song ‘Mera Naam Tu’ has been choreographed beautifully and is the highlight of the film. Additionally, Sharma has given perhaps her best performance to date. After having played a stream of similar roles, this is actually the first time I have seen her come out of her comfort zone and play a character that challenged her. The sheer physical demands of this role are enough to warrant appreciation. SRK, on the other hand, has tried hard, at times too hard, but things just don’t seem to be working for him. He needs to rethink what he wants to do from here on in his career. This is his third failure in a row after Fan and When Harry Met Sejal. His inter-galactic tinder swiping of the stars, bringing all his friends (Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone, Juhi Chawla, Karisma Kapoor) onscreen for unnecessary entertainment purposes cannot make up for the lack of meat in the story. Zero has too many flaws to be covered in a short review. The film has too much excess fat to be burned with 30 minutes of cardio even for 30 straight days in a row. It would have been better to release a low-fat diet version of the film before this version. Zero is a film that takes itself way too seriously and in turn becomes unintentionally hilarious. Perhaps the title of the film then is appropriate: it evoked ‘zero’ emotions and ‘zero’ believability throughout its narrative. After finishing the film, I had ‘zero’ idea how to review it and what the film was trying to do. If this review still doesn’t convince you to not watch the movie, do give it a shot but make sure you go with ‘zero’ expectations. Though I feel like giving it ‘zero’ stars, I’ll be generous and give it: All Photos: Screenshots

When It: Chapter One was released back in 2017, it became a box office juggernaut breaking every record it set its eyes on. The movie made a place for not only the best film based on a Stephen King novel, but also one of the best horror movies of all times. The first part revolved around a bunch of young friends who encounter an evil entity that exploits the fears of its victims to prey on them and appears in the form of Pennywise the Clown and resurfaces every 27 years to feed on children. The first chapter ended with the Losers’ Club overcoming their fears to fight him and sending him into hibernation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhJ5P7Up3jA The sequel takes off 27 years later with all the Losers, now grown up, going on with their daily lives until they get a call from a fellow Loser, Mike, who informs them of the clown's resurfacing. The Losers’ Club reassembles in Derry, Maine in order to take him down once and for all. However, in order to do so, they will have to face the horrors from their past which have haunted them since their childhood. [caption id="attachment_87644" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] The grown-up versions of the Losers’ Club are played by James McAvoy (Bill), Bill Hader (Richie), Jay Ryan (Ben), Jessica Chastain (Beverly), Isaiah Mustafa (Mike), James Ransone (Eddie) and Andy Bean (Stanley). The actors who portrayed the younger versions of the characters in the first chapter also return in flashback scenes. Based on the trailer alone, it was clear that the director had pulled off a casting coup because the similarity between the children and their adult counterparts is frighteningly accurate. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"] Gif: Giphy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_87643" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] Director Andy Muschietti, who returns to helm this sequel, does a commendable job. He successfully manages to jump back and forth between the two timelines, 1989 and 2016, without making the plot overly complicated. Considering that King's It is a book with over 1,100 pages and hence has a lot of material, it is a difficult task to decide what should and should not be included in the movie. Muschietti leaves out the confusing parts of the book like The Turtle (let's not get into it), but includes some very interesting scenes like the one at the Chinese Restaurant. The ensemble cast comprises of some extremely talented actors. The young actors are phenomenal, like they were in the first chapter, and the new additions, who play the older version of the characters, are great as well, especially Hader who is a scene-stealer. However, it was disappointing to see that the grownup versions of the characters did not seem to have the same chemistry between them as their younger versions did. The bond the grownups are supposed to share is not seen in the sequel and takes a dig on the movie as a whole. However, in the sequel’s defense, Hader's comic timing and quirky delivery surely does add to the comedic and fun aspects of the movie. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"] Gif: Giphy[/caption] The sequel has a larger budget and hence has a much bigger scale than its prequel. The movie makes more use of visual effects and has scarier set pieces. Although I lean more towards practical effects when it comes to horror flicks – because honestly speaking, no one likes Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) blood – the visual effects in Chapter Two look good, especially during the climax. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"] Gif: Giphy[/caption] Plot wise, the movie does run into some problems. Although the writers managed to keep the plot as straightforward as possible, there were some parts that were completely unnecessary. The subplot involving an old bully was purposeless, with Beverly's scene visiting her old home going on longer than it really should have. Moreover, Chapter Two dives deeper into It’s mythology, but doesn’t make any good use of it. The intrigue and mystery surrounding the character in the first movie is no longer there and the audience does not get much insight into Pennywise’s past or origin. When it comes to the horror elements and the amount of jump scares, Chapter Two pales in comparison to the first chapter. Although it has some scary moments, they're not as scary as the first part's. Also, considering its long running time of 169 minutes, I was hoping to see more of Pennywise than I got to, because It as Pennywise is scarier than anything else. [caption id="attachment_87645" align="alignnone" width="495"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] It: Chapter Two is a decent sequel to a classic predecessor. Sadly, it couldn’t top or match its predecessor in terms of execution and storytelling, but it did come close. The sequel is more like Terminator 3 than Terminator: Judgement Day or Godfather Part III than Godfather Part II, but still an entertaining watch.

Every now and then, there comes a film in the cinemas that silently grabs you and pulls you into a seat with overpriced popcorn and a head full of questions. And when it does, you realise this is all you were looking for. That this is what you were waiting for; for a long, long time. Blinded by the Light is just that movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1YFA_J5JBU Here’s a bit of context. I moved to Canada in 2012 from Karachi, Pakistan. Since as long as I can remember, I’ve had an obscure taste in music. By obscure I mean I liked unconventional pop music. All your Biebers, Chris Browns, and Ne-Yos could've taken a hike when I had my Oasis, Goo Goo Dolls and U2s. Somewhere along that road, I found my Bruce Springsteen as well. I stumbled upon Springsteen the way I did upon most of my favourite artists. It was a happy accident, a good Netflix recommendation and a discography to die for. I binge listened to his songs while working my near deathlike odd jobs trying to cover my university tuitions. They don’t tell you the American dream starts off with a nightmare, do they? The YouTube algorithms hardly work, but when they do, magic happens. Upon scrolling aimlessly beyond the usual two hours I used to spend on my phone, I was introduced to a new trailer for a movie called Blinded by the Light. The thumbnail had a brown boy wearing the checkered red and black flannel shirt that Springsteen was known for in the Born in the USA era. Intrigued, I clicked on the trailer and what I saw was an average immigrant boy who also moved from Karachi to a western city in hopes of a better life. He’s a writer and a poet, something yours truly at least claims to be, and look what happens! He stumbles upon the music of Springsteen. Reminds you of someone? Inspired by true events, well amen to that. [caption id="attachment_87709" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] I booked my tickets and took my brother and best friend to watch it. I guess this is where my review for the movie begins. It’s not partial but it’s not biased either. This is the honest truth. This movie is amazing and I’ll tell you why. This movie speaks to you whether or not you’re an immigrant in the West, or if you know who Springsteen is, or if you’ve never lived under a Margret Thatcher government. That is the power of this movie. It is based upon the book Greetings from Bury Park by Sarfraz Manzoor, a memoir on his experience of living in the United Kingdom as an immigrant Pakistani boy and falling in love with a piece of music that he wasn’t really supposed to be in love with. I haven’t read the memoir myself, but it’s definitely in my Amazon Kindle cart. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"] Gif: Giphy[/caption] Directed by the woman who directed Bend It Like Beckham, this movie might be her magnum opus. The Kohinoor in her crown of a career. It’s the most accessible movie by Gurinder Chadha, and solidifies her name in the long list of storytellers and filmmakers around her. It touches on so many things so subtly that it’s hard to characterise this move into a specific genre. Is it a coming of age movie? Yes. Is it a musical? Well, kind of. Is it a period piece? Most definitely. Like the man whose music this movie is inspired by, Blinded by the Light is versatile and wholesome in all the right ways. It’s the story of my very Karachi-influenced family as much as it is of a Jersey family in the 70s or an immigrant family in Luton, England. It’s powerful and melodic and so efficiently told that not a second of this movie seems drawn out or boring. It’s the perfect example of 'pait bhi bhar gaya aur niyyat bhi bhar gayi' (stomach and intention, both have been filled). [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"] Gif: Giphy[/caption] The story revolves around Javed, a Pakistani immigrant boy who has dreams of becoming a writer. He lives with his parents and sister and secretly lives a double life of a Springsteen fan and a Pakistani immigrant boy trying to make it. The dynamic between him and his father is what the core of this movie is about. His father is not the villain and that’s the best part. I got what his father was saying, I knew exactly what he meant. But I also got Javed. That is the beauty of this movie. There isn’t a wrong person in this movie (except for the white supremacists, they’re usually wrong), just hard circumstances. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"] Gif: Giphy[/caption] Sprinkled with beautiful little performances by a mainly unknown cast, Blinded by the Light is as impactful as any coming of age story should be. There are some recognisable faces, Hayley Atwell from Captain America as well as Nell Williams, which some of you Game of Thrones fans might remember as a young Cersei Lannister. [caption id="attachment_87708" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] Set with a backdrop of a fascism-inducing regime and the soulful score of AR Rahman infused with Springsteen, this movie feels as modern and relevant as it ever can and should be. The music is a character in the movie. It’s like La La Land but only if Springsteen was both Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. It won’t convert you into a Springsteen fan, just as La La Land didn't make you take jazz classes, but it’ll do something a little more profound. It’ll help you appreciate. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"] Gif: Giphy[/caption] If Blinded by the Light is playing in a theatre near you, I urge you to drop everything and watch it. If you dislike it, I will personally not give a dime because you’re wrong and need to re-evaluate your life’s choices. But if you watch it, shed a tear and feel the bubbling under your chest and the movement somewhere deep in your soul, let me know. We should grab coffee together sometime. (The film is not scheduled to be released in Pakistani cinemas)

Public Services International (PSI) has announced the launch of Pakistan’s first online interactive documentary experience, providing a critical insight into the lives of lady health workers who stand on the frontline against all infectious diseases, saving hundreds of lives every single day. Lady health workers, part of a government programme developed in 1994, provide basic health care services to underprivileged communities in rural and low-income urban areas. They have played a crucial role in polio vaccine dispensation, pre- and post-natal awareness and healthcare for rural mothers, and health education and promotion, family planning, and most recently, for Covid-19. As per a press release, the docu-series will be divided into episodes, and Behind the Mask: Pakistan is a key episode that focuses on the struggles faced by healthcare workers, specifically in Pakistan. It chronicles their challenges and the impact of Covid-19 on their lives. With a focus on Hassena, a lady health worker who, along with her colleagues, formed the All-Sindh Lady Health Workers and Employees Union (ASLHWEU) to advocate for better working conditions and wages, the episode also shows how lady health workers face harassment, terrible working conditions, low pay, inflation and wage stagnation, among other issues. Behind the Mask: Pakistan, PSI campaigns for flood relief, the restoration of the health risk allowance for health workers, provision of the service structure for lady health workers, and the cancellation of debt, including Pakistan’s sovereign debt as part of climate reparations. Since the documentary was filmed, the health risk allowance has been withdrawn for healthcare workers, despite being constantly at risk, treating patients with infectious diseases. Issues around wages and hiring along with the lack of funding for the health care sector, continue to build and the recent devastating flood has created additional health crises. The floods have displaced at least 7.9 million people and damaged or destroyed more than 2 million houses and 1,460 health facilities wiping out a large part of the country's agriculture. Frontline workers are struggling to address the immediate crisis of injured and displaced people while the spread of water-borne diseases and limited medical supplies continue to create further hardship. Indeed, a huge number of Lady Health Workers themselves have been affected by the floods through displacement and illness. Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.

Actor Salman Khan has finally responded to criticism of his alleged "double standard" towards women wearing low necklines on his film sets. The controversy arose when starlet Palak Tiwari, his co-star in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, revealed that the actor had a rule about how women should dress on the set of Antim: The Final Truth. Tiwari stated that Salman wanted all the female cast members to adhere to a specific dress code “like good proper girls.” Khan made a guest appearance on the Indian TV show Aap ki Adalat, where he defended his position and stated that women's bodies are "more precious" and hence, should be covered. The Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor added that the problem is not with women but with men and the way they look at women – and he does not want to be an accomplice in giving men the opportunity to "stare at the heroine" inappropriately. "When you make a decent picture, then everyone goes to watch it with their family. There is no double standard. I think women's bodies are more precious. So, I feel that the more covered they are, the better it will be,” he said, adding that it is not the women’s fault but solely of men and their inappropriate intentions. “The problem isn't with women but with men. The way men stare at women, your sister, your wife, your mother. I don't like that. I don’t want anyone to go through that,” he said. Khan also clarified that Tiwari's statement was misunderstood by many and that he simply wanted the female cast members to dress decently on the set. “I have a great deal of respect for women and their bodies. I just don’t want them to be objectified or treated disrespectfully,” he stated. In the same interview, the Dabangg actor also revealed his plans to become a father. While Khan is often seen hanging out with his nieces and nephew, the actor expressed his desire to have a child of his own, but the laws in India prevented him from doing so. Upon his plans for a family in future, he said, “What do I even say? That was the plan. It wasn't for a daughter-in-law but for a child. But according to the Indian laws, it's not possible. Now we'll see what to do.” When asked about his thoughts on filmmaker Karan Johar being a father to two children through surrogacy, Khan stated that he had been trying to d the same but was unable to do so due to the laws. “I love kids but I also know that mothers are important for children. My kid’s mother will also be my wife,” he said. On the work front, Khan’s Eid release, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, is currently playing in cinemas. Apart from that, he’s currently busy filming for the upcoming action thriller film Tiger 3 opposite actor Katrina Kaif. The film is scheduled to be released on Diwali 2023. Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.

The Super Mario Bros Movie easily held its first-place position on North American movie screens this weekend while its accumulated global total pushed past the $1 billion mark, analysts said. The video game-based film earned an estimated $40 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period in the United States and Canada for a domestic total so far of $490 million, industry Watcher Exhibitor Relations reported. With overseas earnings now at $532 million, its accumulated global total has hit $1.02 billion. That makes Super Mario - a joint project of Universal, Nintendo and Illumination studios - the year's first film to pass the billion-dollar mark and only the 10th animation ever to do so, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Second place, for the second straight weekend, went to the bloody horror film Evil Dead Rise from Warner Bros, at $12.2 million. Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland play sisters battling a demonic crew known as the Deadites. In third was Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, a new comedy-drama from Gracie Films and Lionsgate Films, at $6.8 million. Analyst David A Gross called that only "a fair opening" for a coming-of-age film, while adding that "reviews and audience scores are sensational." Based on the beloved Judy Blume novel of the same name, it stars Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret Simon, a sixth-grader navigating the challenges of that awkward age. Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates also star. Still strong in its sixth weekend out, Lionsgate's neo-noir John Wick: Chapter 4 placed fourth at $5 million. Keanu Reeves plays the titular hitman. And showing the enduring lure of the Star Wars franchise, Disney's re-release of Return of the Jedi placed fifth, taking in $4.8 million. The film starring icons Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher marks its 40th anniversary in late May. It sold more than 80 million tickets in its initial run. Rounding out the top 10 were: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves ($4.1 million) Air ($4 million) Ponniyin Selvan: II ($3.7 million) The Covenant ($3.6 million) Sisu ($3.3 million) Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.

After The Kashmir Files, another Bollywood propaganda film has been making headlines across the border. The Kerala Story claims to tell the story of "three young girls from different parts of Kerala, who have been systematically converted, radicalised and their lives destroyed" as per its description. The absurdness of the trailer In a three-minute-long trailer, we are introduced to three Hindu women from Kerala, who apparently were 'brainwashed' by their Muslim roommate, and went on to join the militant Islamic State. Helmed by Sudipto Sen, The Kerala Story couldn't be farther from the truth, several Indian media outlets and politicians said. The film has also been slammed by the state govt, critics, Indian media and many social media users. It is produced by Vipul Amrutul Shah. The film stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, and Siddhi Idnani. Kerala govt and Indian politicians call out the film Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has already expressed his disapproval of Sen's Kerala Story. According to Hindustan Times, Tharoor was countered by his old post where he claimed that he was approached by three Kerala mothers who feared their daughters were radicalised. As Tharoor faced questions as to why he has objections to the movie based on the same subject, the Indian politician said he was aware of four cases which are a far cry from the 32,000 that the Kerala Story makers claimed. "Many are spreading this 2021 tweet of mine as if it undermines my present objections to the trailer & publicity for "The Kerala Story". Yes, I was approached then by three Kerala mothers and was aware of a fourth, and I was open about my concerns about their daughters' radicalisation," he said. Many are spreading this 2021 tweet of mine as if it undermines my present objections to the trailer & publicity for "The Kerala Story". Yes, I was approached then by three Kerala mothers and was aware of a fourth, and I was open about my concerns about their daughters'… https://t.co/R8Vn1RsfpU — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 2, 2023 "But four cases are a far cry from the 32,000 that the filmmakers are alleging. If there really were so many Islamic State female members from Kerala, that would mean double the number when you count their husbands, whereas even Western intelligence sources say the number of all Indians in the Islamic State does not approach three figures. This gross exaggeration and distortion of the Kerala reality is what I am objecting to," Tharoor commented. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the movie is to further India's ruling party's propaganda [against Muslims]. In a Facebook post on Sunday, Vijayan said that the purpose of the film was to demonise Kerala and to divide the state along racial lines. https://www.facebook.com/PinarayiVijayan/posts/765404918266667/ "From the trailer of the movie, it can be gathered that the movie has taken up the Sangh Parivar propaganda that positions an uncompromisingly secular land like Kerala as a hotbed of terrorists," he wrote. He also went on to say, "The Parivar's political designs have not worked in Kerala as it has in other parts of the country. That is why they are trying to get their agenda of divisive policies into Kerala through fake narratives". Court moved against the film The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea seeking a stay on the release of the movie on grounds that it's a "worst kind of hate speech” and an “audio-visual propaganda”, reported The Indian Express. The apex court's bench, comprising Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna, was told by senior advocate Kapil Sibal and advocate Nizam Pasha that the trailer of the movie, which is scheduled to be released on Friday, has garnered 16 million views. Pasha said, "This movie is the worst kind of hate speech. It is completely audio-visual propaganda". The bench, in response to the plea, said, “There are varieties of hate speeches. This film has got certification and has been cleared by the board. It's not like a person getting on the podium and starts giving an uncontrolled speech. If you want to challenge the release of the movie, you should challenge the certification and through the appropriate forum”. The plea which was filed said, “The movie is clearly aimed at spreading hatred and enmity between different sections of society in India. The message the movie imparts is that non-Muslim young women are being lured into converting to Islam by their classmates and subsequently, they are trafficked to West Asia where they are forced to join terrorist organisations.” The plea added, “The movie demeans the entire Muslim community and it will result in endangering the lives and livelihoods of the petitioners and the entire Muslim community, and this is a direct infringement under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.” “The movie gives the impression that apart from extremist clerics who radicalise people, ordinary Muslim youngsters, their classmates, also play an instrumental role in luring non-Muslims and radicalising them by posing as friendly and good-natured people, in accordance with instructions given by extremist scholars,” said the plea. “The movie promotes the view that love-jihad is being used to lure non-Muslim women into converting to Islam and also joining Islamic State. However, an investigation by the state police carried out in 2009 revealed that there was no evidence of love-jihad in Kerala.” Discrediting the story Consequently, the makers of the movie updated the description on YouTube and changed '32,000 women' to 'three women'. Earlier, the description said the movie is about the "heartbreaking and gut-wrenching stories of 32,000 females in Kerala'. Now it says, "A spine-chilling, never told before the true story - revealing a dangerous conspiracy that has been hatched against India. The Kerala Story is a compilation of the true stories of three young girls from different parts of Kerala." On the change of the description of the movie, Film's producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah told PTI that the film is about three women, though the makers stand by the number of 32,000. Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.

The highly anticipated crime-thriller film Taxali has completed its shooting, announced director Abu Aleeha. The star-studded movie features a talented cast, including Mehar Bano, Ayesha Omar, Yasir Hussain, Nayyer Ejaz, Iffat Omar, Iftikhar Thakur, Babar Ali, Umar Aalam and Sheheryar Cheema. The film explores important societal concerns and promises to be an intense and issue-based project. Written and directed by Aleeha, the film was shot in the historical Walled City of Lahore, adding a unique visual dimension to the film's narrative. It is expected to release around Eidul Azha this year. Mehar Bano, who plays a young girl from Lahore, praised the director's exceptional work and expressed her excitement about the release of the film while in conversation with a local publication. Waqas Hasan Rizvi, the producer of the film, shared a photo on Instagram with the cast members. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Waqas Hassan Rizvi (@waqas_rizvi) Aleeha stated to a local publication that Taxali is not only a suspense crime thriller but also depicts old Lahore's folk wisdom and humour. He added that each actor's performance in the film would set a new standard in the industry. "Everyone gave the best performance of their career, and the reason is that their characters were very powerful," he said. Thus, Pakistani cinema fans are eagerly waiting for the release of Taxali, hoping it will live up to its high expectations and critical acclaim. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ali Sajjad Shah (@abualeeha) Talking to another local publication, Omar stated, “I am thrilled to be part of Taxali and to work with Abu Aleeha, who is a talented filmmaker. I am excited to take on this challenging role and bring this story to life on the big screen. We wanted to keep it completely under wraps until we had shot major chunks of the film.” The official release date for Taxali will be announced soon, and the movie is expected to have a theatrical release in Pakistan as well as being sent to major festivals worldwide.

Veteran actor and filmmaker Shaan Shahid has taken a mighty U-turn about his stance on the local Eid film releases. The Zarrar maker, who took a jibe at Faisal Quraishi for directing Money Back Guarantee with no prior experience other than commercials in a now-deleted tweet, has now urged his fans to “support Pakistani films as they are our own.” On Thursday, Shaan took to Twitter in favour of the film industry. “Support Pakistani films as they are our own. Evolution of our stories and filmmaking must not stop,” he wrote and hashtagged Money Back Guarantee and Huey Tum Ajnabi – two of the three Eid releases this year. Support Pakistani films as they are our own .. evolution of our stories and film making must not stop .. #moneybackgurantee #hueytumajnabi — Shaan Shahid (@mshaanshahid) May 4, 2023 A user jibed that Shaan’s response came after a “software update” from fellow actors. To which, the Waar actor replied that his feedback was merely “a personal comment to a friend” and people shouldn’t have turned it into a controversy. “Haha, you think anyone in the industry can update my software? It was a personal comment to a friend. It shouldn’t have blown out of proportion,” read his tweet. Haha you think anyone in the industry can update my software ? It was a personal comment to a friend .. it shouldn’t have blown out of proportion — Shaan Shahid (@mshaanshahid) May 4, 2023 Another user wished the industry had more writers like Shaan’s dad. “I wish we have more writers like your Dad. You need good writers with broad vision. If you find a story, I can guarantee overseas Pakistanis will invest but you have to give guarantees for the security of their investments,” they wrote. I wish we have more writers like your Dad. You need good writers with broad vision. If you find a story I can guarantee overseas Pakistanis will invest but you have to give guarantees for their investments security. Think we r here — Talat Khan (@talatkhan58) May 4, 2023 “We all miss great writers like him but it’s not about making one or two projects. It’s about considering entertainment as a business and creating platforms for it. We must think big now. The era of small thinking is no more. We must establish Pakistan as one of the best content providers,” Shaan replied. we all miss great writers like him ..but it’s nt abt making 1 project or 2 anymore it’s abt considering entertainment as a business &creating platforms for it ..we must think big now the era of small thinking is no more .. we must establish Pk as 1of the best content providers — Shaan Shahid (@mshaanshahid) May 4, 2023 Faisal, after being asked about Shaan’s critique of his direction in Money Back Guarantee, said that he “respects his view” and hopes that the Khuda Kay Liye actor has seen the film before commenting on it. Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.

One of Ranbir Kapoor's most acclaimed performances is in the film Rockstar, but few people know that the role was initially offered to John Abraham. Ranbir recently disclosed this information during a virtual fan interaction, sharing that when director Imtiaz Ali initially met with him for a film, it wasn't Rockstar but a movie about marketing. Ranbir remembered hearing that John was supposed to play the lead in Rockstar before it got shelved for unknown reasons. When Ranbir reminded Imtiaz about Rockstar, he learnt that the writer of the story wanted to direct and act in it himself, leading to its cancellation. After three months, Imtiaz reached out to Ranbir again, informing him that he had spoken to the writer of Rockstar, and that's how the project came to fruition. In a 2011 interview with Hindustan Times, Imtiaz mentioned that he had replaced John with Ranbir because his new version of the protagonist was a much younger character. "When I took up the film again after the first attempt, I changed the character. I had started off with John, but now, as the story has changed, he was not required. The protagonist is now a Jat from Delhi, and much younger than the previous character," he said. Rockstar's story credit was shared with Muazzam Beg, and Imtiaz revealed that his refurbished version of the script did not include much of Beg's version. "There is only one point of his story that’s been used this time, and he will be given a much bigger credit than he deserves," he said. Ranbir's portrayal of Jordan, the aspiring musician, was a critical and commercial success. The film's music, composed by AR Rahman, was also highly praised. Imtiaz, who is known for his realistic and unconventional love stories, has worked with Ranbir in other successful films, including Tamasha and Jab We Met. Despite the film's initial setbacks, Rockstar ultimately proved to be a defining moment in Ranbir's career. His performance in the film earned him his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor, and he continues to be considered one of the most versatile actors in the industry. Rockstar also starred Nargis Fakhri. Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.

Shah Rukh Khan's latest blockbuster film, Pathaan, is on its way to making history – yet again! According to Filmfare, the action-thriller has achieved another significant milestone by becoming the first Hindi film to premiere in Bangladesh since the country's partition in 1971. Nelson D'Souza, Vice President of International Distributions, confirmed the news in a media statement about Pathaan’s theatrical release in Bangladesh on May 12. “Cinema has always been a unifying force between nations, races, and cultures. It transcends borders, galvanizes people and plays a significant hand in bringing people together. We are incredibly thrilled that Pathaan, which has done historic business worldwide, will now get a chance to entertain audiences in Bangladesh!” he stated. D'Souza also expressed his gratitude to the authorities for allowing the film to be released in Bangladesh, and said, "Pathaan becomes the first Hindi film to release in Bangladesh post-1971, and we are thankful to the authorities for their decision." He owes the film's release in Bangladesh to Khan's massive fan following in the country. "We have learned over the years that Shah Rukh Khan has a tremendous fan following in Bangladesh, and we feel Pathaan, our latest offering from YRF's Spy Universe, is the perfect first film of SRK and Hindi cinema to release in the country and represent Indian culture and cinema in its full glory." Pathaan, which has already taken the Indian box office by storm, is directed by Siddharth Anand and stars Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in lead roles. The film's release in Bangladesh is expected to strengthen cultural ties between the two neighbouring countries and is likely to be welcomed by millions of Bollywood fans in Bangladesh who have long-awaited the opportunity to watch Hindi films on the big screen. Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.

Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming film Jawan has caused a significant stir in the Bollywood trade circuit following its multiple release date changes. Initially set for a June 2 release, the film was then pushed to August before Khan recently announced that it will now hit theatres on September 7, reports The Indian Express. This announcement prompted producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani to reschedule the release of their film Fukrey 3 to November. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh commented on the situation, stating that Jawan has shaken up the entire release chart. He also speculated that Ajay Devgn's film Maidaan might also opt for a different release date, pending an official announcement from producer Boney Kapoor. The trade industry is expecting more films to announce rescheduled release dates in the coming days. The sudden shift of Jawan to September 7 has caused a ripple effect, with other films originally slated for late August and early September seeking new box office windows to avoid clashing with Khan's highly anticipated action drama. Girish Wankhede, a senior trade analyst, emphasized that Shah Rukh Khan's recent success with Pathaan, which grossed over $100 million globally, has led to the massive reshuffling of release dates. Exhibitors, who meticulously plan their calendar year based on preset release dates, are now faced with the challenge of adapting to these last-minute changes. Manoj Desai, an exhibitor, expressed his frustration, highlighting the confusion caused by the sudden alteration of release dates. Despite the chaos, Shah Rukh Khan's decision to opt for the festive weekend of Janmashtami on September 6 and 7 has received positive feedback. An anonymous senior film producer acknowledged that this choice would prevent clashes with other releases and potentially help revive the habit of regular cinema-going for audiences. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) Fans of Shah Rukh Khan and director Atlee have eagerly awaited updates on Jawan. After Khan's announcement of the new release date, relief and excitement spread among followers. The film, scheduled to release in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, has generated significant buzz on social media platforms. With the release date confirmed, anticipation continues to grow as audiences eagerly await the continued presence of Shah Rukh Khan on the big screen.

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