BOL NEWSPAPER | May 1 2022

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MOVIE TALK

BOLD TALK

MUSIC FACTOID SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION

BOLD & BOHEMIAN

To release on Eid, or not on Eid!

PTI, showbiz celebrities and Pakistani urban middle class

Market Rivalry Influencing Enough of quota Music In Pakistan

Eid looks to follow in 2022

Good things come to those who wait, our wait is nearly ove

A strong support of celebs to PTI, BOLD takes a look

The quota system has run its course and now merit is essential to establish Collaboration of brands aids in the revival good governance in the music country of contemporary

A style guide to have a perfect Eid outfit

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PUBLISHED FROM KARACHI, LAHORE & ISLAMABAD GLOBAL CIRCULATION VIA BOLNEWS.COM

Dum Mastam

Chakkar

Producers: Adnan Siddiqui, Akhtar Hasnain (Debut film) Director: Mohammad Ehteshamuddin (also directed Superstar) Writer: Amar Khan (Debut film) Cast: Imran Ashraf, Amar Khan, Sohail Ahmed, Saife Hassan, Saleem Mairaj, Adnan Shah Tipu, Momin Saqib, Uzma Beg, Faiza Gillani Genre: Romantic/Comedy/Tragedy/Drama Plot: Dum Mastam is a coming-of-age flick for not one but two individuals who are also childhood sweethearts played by Imran Ashraf and Amar Khan. While Imran's Bao loves his carefree life, Aliya wants to make a name for herself as a dancer, and everything else is a distraction for her, even Bao. Their journey to conquer the music industry is both turbulent and tricky, with one becoming successful and the other returning empty-handed. Dum Mastam seems to have everything from comedy, tragedy, drama, and romance on its plate and would appeal to the audience for its diversity.

Music: Shani Arshad, Azaan Sami Khan, Naveed Nashad, Bilal Saeed, Shiraz Uppal Target Audience: Youngsters, Music lovers, fans of Lollywood comedy

Producer: Nida Yasir, Yasir Nawaz (Wrong No. 2) Director: Yasir Nawaz (Wrong No. 2) Writer: Yasir Nawaz, Zeffer Imran, Syed Jibran Cast: Ahsan Khan, Neelam Muneer, Yasir Nawaz, Jawed Sheikh, Naveed Raza, Mehmood Aslam, Ahmed Hassan Genre: Mystery/Thriller Plot: The film revolves around twin sisters (Neelam Muneer), one of whom is married to a film producer (Ahsan Khan) and the other is the film’s main lead. Things change when in a parent-trap moment, the two sisters trade places, and one of them gets murdered. Was the housewife's sister the target or the celebrity one, that’s the million-dollar question for the inspector (Yasir Nawaz) to solve before it’s too late.

Everyone from the husband to the sister to the creditors is a suspect here!

Music: Naveed Nashad Target Audience: Fans of Murder Mystery flicks, as well as fans of Ahsan Khan & Neelam Muneer People have been telling me to postpone the release of my film because of three other Eid releases and that they all would suffer but I keep telling them that when Wrong No. 1 can stand its ground in front of Bajrangi Bhaijan and Bin Roye, so can Chakkar. In a country where no one makes murder mysteries, I am sure that the release of Chakkar would start a trend that should have been started a long time back. Some of my friends did argue that I shouldn’t have revealed the double role in the trailer, but I revealed it to inform the audience that there is a bigger mystery at hand than the double role – Yasir Nawaz

It took me two and a half years to complete the script and the screenplay of Dum Mastam which remains close to my heart. I was approached by many production houses who wanted to buy it but my mind was set that whenever Dum Mastam saw the light of the day, it would be with me as Aliya, and no one else. Thankfully, Adnan Siddiqui and Akhtar Hasnain understood my concern and helped me achieve my dream – Amar Khan Interesting Facts: Dum Mastam is the debut film of the producers Adnan Siddiqui and Akhtar Hasnain, the writer Amar Khan, the lead pair Imran Ashraf and Amar Khan (again!) as well as a handful of actors. With five music directors and nearly a dozen songs, it is likely to stand out as the musical hit of the year. Ehteshamuddin is calling the shots here, and his last film Superstar did extremely well at the box office.

Due to Imran Ashraf’s popularity on TV, his fans would throng cinemas to watch their favorite actor in action for the first time.

To look out for: The trailer shows a bald Imran Ashraf which is something interesting for the audience as well as fans of the actor. Don’t miss out on the special guest appearances including that of the dashing Kiran Malik, Arslan Naseer, and Wajahat Rauf’s Voice Over Man, besides a few entertainment journalists.

Interesting Facts: Syed Jibran’s name in the credits might raise a few eyebrows but the actor is one of the brains behind the film. He was supposed to star in it when Hassan Zia and Yasir Nawaz’s YNH Productions were producing the movie. The two partners split to go their different ways and Syed Jibran chose to act in Ghabrana Nahi Hai instead of featuring in the script he helped develop since both were under production at the same time.

To look out for: Two Neelam Muneers, and a handful of guest appearances in an item song where the ‘evil’ twin dances her heart out with celebrities the audience loves. Also, it remains to be seen whether the film revives the ‘mystery’ genre or not because, in Pakistan, most of the films that have done well have been romantic comedies. However, a handful of them were directed by Yasir Nawaz!

Parde Mein Rehne Do

Ghabrana Nahi Hai Producer: Jamil Baig (Paani Ke Pankh) & Hassan Zia (Wrong No. 2) Director: Saqib Khan (Debut film) Writer: Saqib Khan (Debut film), Mohsin Ali (also Parde Mein Rehne Do) Cast: Saba Qamar, Zahid Ahmed, Syed Jibran, Nayyar Ejaz, Dodi Khan, Sohail Ahmed, Afzal Khan Rambo, Akber Islam, Saleem Mairaj Genre: Romantic/Comedy/Action Plot: The film revolves around a corrupt police officer, a conman, and a girl who wants justice for her old father. Together they join hands to take down the corrupt and the powerful, with two of the three ending as happily ever after, and one losing out in the end.

Music: Shuja Haider Target Audience: Youngsters, fans of Saba Qamar, Zahid Ahmed, and Syed Jibran Although I began my career doing comedy roles such as James Bond in Jutt & Bond, I drifted to more serious roles as I matured as an actor, and as a person.

However, with Ghabrana Nahi Hai, I finally got a chance to make people laugh, and trust me, the film is a laugh-riot where nothing is what it seems. If you think that you understand the plot after watching the trailer, then you are in for a huge surprise!

– Syed Jibran Interesting Facts: This is Saba Qamar’s film Pakistani film since working in Hindi Medium (2017) alongside the late Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan. She has been busy on TV since and will be leading the cast with two debutants Syed Jibran and Zahid Ahmed. Zahid and Saba have worked on a handful of projects on TV including Sangat and Besharam and their chemistry would be the key to the film’s success. Syed Jibran is playing the third member of the love triangle here and whoever has seen the film, or its rushes believes that his character will turn out to be the most memorable of the film To look out for: The return of Afzal Khan Rambo who might have been active in the films since the 1990s but hasn’t done a mainstream film since performing as a Voice Over actor in The Donkey King, Pakistan’s most successful animated film. He will be playing the role of Zahid Ahmed’s sidekick but in his trademark style, one that made him popular in films during the mini-revival of Pakistani films in the 1990s. Also, Shuja Haider is doing the soundtrack for the film, and one look at his previous work would excite you for he was there in Khuda Ke Liye, Bol, and The Donkey King!

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By Omair Alavi

Producer: Shazia Wajahat, Wajahat Ali Abbasi, Wajahat Rauf (Chhalawa) Director: Wajahat Rauf (Chhalawa) Writer: Mohsin Ali (also Ghabrana Nahi Hai) Cast: Hania Aamir, Ali Rehman Khan, Javed Sheikh, Munazza Arif, Hasan Raza, Sadia Faisal, Noor ul Hasan, Saife Hasan, Shafqat Khan, Sonia Nazir Genre: Social/Romantic/Comedy Plot: The film revolves around a young couple Nazo (Hania Aamir) and Shani (Ali Rehman Khan) who are unable to have a child for years. Shani’s father (Javed Sheikh) is jealous of their neighbor (Shafqat Khan) who becomes father for the ninth time. Things turn ugly when Nazo takes the blame instead of revealing her husband as impotent, thus embarrassing him in front of his family. Will Shani be able to win back his wife or will his father do something that can result in him becoming a grandfather, without realising that his son can’t give him a grandchild!

Music: Aashir Wajahat and Hassan Ali Target Audience: Ali Rehman Khan and Hania Aamir’s young followers as well as the fans of films like Badhaai Ho This is the first time I am working solely as a producer and director, with no input as a writer. When Mohsin Ali’s script came to me, I was very surprised to see such a mature script with a social message and hints of comedy that I decided to go ahead as a director and later took over as the producer. Hania Aamir was my first choice for the leading lady because this role suited her, and I am glad that she also accepted it, despite it being a challenging role for any actress – Wajahat Rauf Interesting Facts: Aashir Wajahat and Hassan Ali’s soundtrack also stands out, considering Aashir will turn 20 in October this year. The maturity of the soundtrack disagrees with his age and the film’s target audience will love the songs, as well as watch their favorite actors dance their heart out to those songs.

To look out for: Veteran actress Saba Faisal’s daughter Sadia makes her debut in this flick as Ali Rehman Khan’s cousin who is in love with him, despite knowing that he is already married. She is not only as graceful and stunning as her mother but looks all set to have a successful career ahead. The film also gives a prominent role to Sonia Nazir who has been doing bits and pieces roles on TV despite being extremely talented. It also serves as the debut of Hasan Raza who has mesmerized the theatre audience with his comic timing and diversity.

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M AY 1 - 7, 2 0 2 2

Omair Alavi KARACHI

Eid ul Fitr has always been a tricky occasion when it comes to Pakistani films for most of the films in the highest-grossing released in Eid ul Azha.

Even then, ever since the release of Na Maloom Afraad in 2014, filmmakers have shortlisted Eid ul Fitr as one of the two occasions on which they will release a film. In 2015, Sultanat was the lone Pakistani film in the cinema while Salman Khan’s Kick, Hollywood's sci-fi Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Marvel's Guardian of the Galaxy also made it to the cinemas.

The fifth entry in the Step Up series - Step Up All in (3D) and Planes: Fires and Rescue (3D) came up with the 3D effects, enticing people to visit cinemas.

However, the other year proved to be even better as two Pakistani, one Hollywood and one Bollywood film graced the screens and they all did well.

Yes, the four films to make history at the box office included Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed's Bin Roye, Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijan, Yasir Nawaz's Wrong No. and Marvel's Ant-Man. Salman Khan was back at his best in Sultan a year later where his film smashed all box office records in Pakistan and abroad. In fact, it was impossible to get a ticket for Sultan during the Eid Holidays, such was the film's demand. Pakistani film Dobara Phir Se tried to compete with Sultan but neither it, nor Ice Age: Collision Course and Tarzan were able to dent the box office.

Action flick Yalghaar and romantic comedy Mehrunisa V Lub U competed for the top slot with Transformers: The Last Knight on Eid 2017, but with Pakistan winning the Champions Trophy in Ramadan, the cinemas were the last thing on the cricket fanatic Pakistan's mind.

Yes, Despicable Me 3 and Johnny Depp's last film as Jack Sparrow - Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales - also screened during the Eid holidays but weren't able to make an effect at the box office.

The most ill-planned Eid ul Fitr in recent years took place in 2018, when as many as four mediocre films - Azaadi, 7 Din Mohabbat In, Wajood and Na Band Na Baraati - were screened together at the cinemas, and none of them came out as the winner.

While Azaadi might have recovered its money due to smart cinema placement, the rest gone within a week, with Na Band Na Baraati denting the careers of all those who were part of the film.

Wrong No. 2 and Chhalawa kept the flag of Pakistani films rolling in 2019 and despite not being up to the mark, they were a success at the box office, proving that the fewer the films, the better the result. There were no Eid releases in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid, but since good things come to those who wait, our wait is nearly over.

By Maheen Aziz & Omair Alavi KARACHI

“Shani, tumhy bhe apna test karwana parega” (Shani, you have to get your test done) Nazo (Hania Amir) says this to her husband Shani (Ali Rehman) as the trailer of Parde Mein Rehne Do begins. The trailer hinted that the couple is not leading a happy life because of the infertility issue. As a viewer, it was actually shocking as how this is even a dialogue in a Pakistani movie?

To provide better knowledge and a sneak peek into the films, the PR agencies are playing quite a pivotal role in scrubbing the gap between journalists and celebrities, directors and producers. This chance is not only given to the journalists but now the film casts are reaching to the masses to promote their movies and deliver the message across that their films carry. This is also to not let people jump onto conclusions after watching a trailer and before picture releases.

As the cast of PMRD is already busy in promoting their movie, BOLD sat down with Hania Amir, Ali Rehman, Wajahat Rauf and Shazia Wajat to delve deeper into the story and what made them come up with such an extra ordinary narrative that has always been under the rock, especially in Asian societies.

Omair Alavi: There are four films releasing on this eid, what makes your movie special?

Shazia Wajahat: The first reason of the flick being special is Hania herself, and the on-screen chemistry of Hania and Ali. The other factor that adds value to the movie is the topic that we picked. I think this topic needs to be thoroughly discussed. And the third cause could be the movie being completely different from other pictures.

Wajahat Rauf: The unconventional comedy, music, and the cast.

OA: You played Ali’s sister in other movie, and now his wife. Wasn’t this shift a little uncomfortable?

Hania Amir: Not at all. I am an actress and that’s what I have to do (perform). One thing I would like to mention here is that Ali and I have become really good friends now and that is something brings comfort and chemistry when we perform on-screen.

Maheen Aziz: Infertility is a bold topic to even discuss. Were you reluctant picking this character?

A social romantic comedy, Parde Mein Rehne Do highlights infertility issue and how a couple deals with it PA K I S TA N ’ S N U M B E R 1 N E W S PA P E R

HA: I wasn’t reluctant at all. People who know me, know that I don’t shy away from raising my voice about social issues.

This was something I accepted wholeheartedly and when I read the script I was very excited and thought that why not such a movie has been made yet. I love my character, the script and everything about this movie.

WR Hania actually memorised the whole script (laughs) HA: I actually read it five to six times.

OA: How come Ashir Wajahat became the music director of PMRD?

WR: It is an exciting story. We actually had someone else as a music director but

thing didn’t work out. Ashir and Hassan Ali usually jam in their studio and they brought this song ‘Peela Rung’ to me and I didn’t take it seriously. However, they fine-tuned it and brought it back, played it with music and it sounded well. After I approved this, they came up with more songs and this is how it was lined up. It was not planned at all.

SW: These are amasing songs. We are happy that Ashir was acting in the movies and now taken over as a music director as well.

MA: After Janan you have been doing dramas only. How does it feel coming back to the big screen?

HA: My acting is not going to be different until the character is different. I think craft remains the same regardless the medium.

WR: Our first and last pick for these roles were Hania and Ali only. I have heard that a few actors were saying that they were offered the role, which is not true.

SW: Hania and Ali were a perfect fit for the film that I came to believe teh saying that whatever happens, happens for good.

OA: Hania is usually crying in dramas and laughing in movies.

Why is that so?

HA: I don’t think so. I always believed in playing head strong characters because I do come from a generation who has seen passive and underconfident crying women on TV so I did want a break from this.

OA: Which is the best part of the movie?

HA: The last scene was the best.

MA: There is no entertainment for locals and tickets are expensive. How do you expect a middle class to come and watch a movie?

WR: I completely agree with you. No elite person has ever made a star, stars are made because of the masses. Unfortunately, we do not have a culture of providing entertainment that is the reason authorities don’t pay heed to its seriousness. Even if 10 producers and 10 distributors sit togeth-

er, there might be some way out of this problem but no one is ready to sit and talk.

I have been raising my voice against this. Arts play least role for any government thus they do not regulate or try to structure things when it comes to entertainment. There is only food for entertainment and nothing els which is why there are more restaurants than cinemas.

MA: What do you want to say about those critics who watch the movie for free, grab popcorns for free and then bash your film like anything?

WR: To be very honest, I hated this fact in the beginning. I would wonder why these journalists are writing rubbish when I have seen the general public enjoying the movie, whistling and clapping on jokes in the movie. By the time my second movie came, I got 50% immune and realised that no matter how good my movie is going to be critics will say what they want to say and by the time the third film came I just didn’t care and continued to do so. I now dont read any reviews and spoil my mood.

SW: I would say that critics and bloggers should wait before getting aggressive about a movie. They should wait for at least some time so the general public could go and watch and build an opinion. This is not fair of influencing your opinion on public even before they have watched the movie by calling the movie ‘a flop’ before it actually reached to the audience.

OA: How will you pull the crowd to the cinemas since people have many reasons after COVID to not go to cinema?

WR: I have already done digital deals and my film is not now completely dependent on box office. I have a backup plan as well.

MA: Do you think that scheduling of the movies matter as we often see Paksitani movies releasing somewhere around the Hollywood releases.

WR: There are hardly four to five movies release every year which is not a risk near to me. However, Pakistani movies like Punjab Nahi Jaungi do a lot of business.

When Indian movies weren’t ban in Pakistan there was a culture of going to the cinemas but Bollywood flicks would do more business than Lollywood.

F O R B O O K I N G A D S , W W W. B O L N E W S . C O M / N E W S PA P E R

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By Ebad Ahmed

What is more interesting here is to see that the traditional parties long before the emergence of the PTI had cultural wings where people associated with arts and showbiz were part of them

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As the political temperature unabatedly continues to rise in the country, it appears that people all across the board are wholeheartedly expressing their political opinions and choices with no constraints – after all we are a democracy, aren’t we? While political discussions have once again resurfaced with intensity at our homes and workplace, surprisingly, we are not only finding it on the instagram stories of our celebrities but also seeing them participating in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s jalsas.

With people in thousands coming out to express their support from Karachi and Peshawar to Lahore and Islamabad, safe to say that the country is going through massive Imran Khan wave – and the entertainment industry is no exception. Looking by the profiles it seems that except Mira Sethi, every mainstream celebrity is either supporting former Prime Minister Imran Khan or have chosen to become a ‘keyboard warrior’ for him.

Many well-known entertainment personalities, including Sarwat Gilani, Haroon Shahid, Syra Yousaf, Feroze Khan were recently observed at Imran Khan’s jalsa in Karachi. Shaan Shahid, Samina Peerzada, Khalid Anam, Musician Annie Khalid were spotted in the party’s Lahore gathering. Interestingly, out of the blue, singer Waris Baig was spotted at the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s meeting held at a local Lahore hotel. But now here if Gen Z or Millennial wonders, “But who is Waris Baig anyway” – they can be given leeway.

Days before the jalsas clothing retail shops in the upscale markets of the metropolis enjoyed great business courtesy massive orders of shirts and caps that complimented with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan’s picture and his ‘Absolutely Not’ quote. Clearly Khan sahib has become a phenomena that is next to impossible to ignore in the urban centers among the upper and middle income segment of the society – but the question here is does the trend influencing the choice of our entertainment celebrities or Khan’s support base is too massive that it is engulfing celebrities as well?

Rana Asif, a Karachi-based journalist affiliated with the Voice of America, believes that celebrities putting their weight behind Khan is because their prime target audience present on digital landscape sides with the PTI chief which in some way or another influence their choice, however, he cautiously maintains that as the mainstream celebrity today also belongs to Millennial and GenZ (the segment where PTI is massively

popular) hence their support to the party can also because they genuinely believe Khan sahib fulfils their aspirations as like their middle class and upper-middle class fan base.

“What is more interesting here is to see that the traditional parties long before the emergence of the PTI had cultural wings where people associated with arts and showbiz were part of them,” Asif said. “Where they have vanished. PPP, PML-N even MQM had them but now we are seeing no presence of them.”

Singers Salman Ahmed, Farhan Saeed, Bilal Khan have regularly appeared on the PTI platforms at their public gatherings.

Infusing musical element to the charged jalsas that has an overwhelmeing presence of religion, conspiracy and nationalism. A complete social-political package complimented with entertainment that encapsulates everything for everyone - that is hard to ignore. And that brings to the next question does celeb power influence voting patterns in the country, or more specifically at the urban centers? Does Imran Khan kurtas on fashion ramps, catchy music videos, insta stories and vote shout outs bring people to the polling booth or are they are limited in scope on purely political grounds.

Digital culture journalist Syeda Afra Fatima believes that the showbiz support as seen in the previous polls does help a political phenomena become a trend, or “the cool thing” but it does not really impact the voting pattern. Showbiz factor is small in impact, she said. “The young people definitely get their confirmation bias when they see their favourite celebrity standing with their political standing but on the polling day many other factors play into effect as well so we cannot say that it has a decisive influence.”

Fatima, however, said that the PTI support base and its support from the celebrities shows a good picture of the urban, young, professional middle class aspirations present today. “You look at the PTI jalsa and you see how the youth see itself and what they want – and that includes showbiz celebrities as well,” she concluded.

The young people definitely get their confirmation bias when they see their favourite celebrity standing with their political standing but on the polling day many other factors play into effect as well so we cannot say that it has a decisive influence

By Arslan Sheikh KARACHI

‘Ab Eid me wo maza nahi raha’ (Eid is not the same anymore) this is a common phrase that we hear almost on every Eid since we have grown up. There is nothing nostalgic in the Eid that we celebrate today; no excitement for the big bulky shopping, no guests visiting you on the day, and the major missing are the eid cards to wish each other the festival.

Eid cards were one of the excitement for all age groups. Now a days you will hardly find any cards in the market as it has gone all digital. Even the shopkeepers give you a weird look when you ask them about eid cards.

About a decade back from now, there used to be eid cards stall at every nook and corner of the locality. Varying in money, there used to be cheap ones as well as luxurious ones with three or four folds.

The more expensive the card, the more special the recipient, it was an unsaid rule.

Children, teenagers and even elders would buy cards for each other. Elders would write heartfelt messages inside the cards and children would write Eid messages would differ as per relationships. When you would want to express love to a close friend, the most common message was: ‘Chalti hai gaari urti hai dhool Mere dost ke hath me gulab ka phool’ Or ‘Garam garam roti tori nahi jati Mere dost se dost se dosti chori nahi jati’ If you had a friend or a colleague who was not generous enough to wish you with eid card: ‘Aam ke russ ko juice kehte hain Jo eid card na de usay kanjoos kehte hain’ Then there were messages to tease the ones who you would not tease the whole year and wait for Eids to arrive and to annoy friends and acquaintances:

‘Siwayyan pakki hain sab ne chakhi hain Ary tum na ro tumhare lie bhi rakhi hain’ And then there were some that made actually no sense, but we loved them and loved to dedicate them to our friends: ‘Aalu gobi matar ka daana Gadhay per beth kar Amreeka jana’ It was a fun activity that did not cost much yet meant a lot. We, as kids, used to spend hours decorating these cards with different colours and stickers.

Then there were postcards, which had

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funny apes on them, Bollywood celebrities and cricketers. Usually, these cards used to be given to those who we were the least affectionate with. These were given in the name of formality and both the giver and receiver knew it.

Shopping for Eid cards used to be exciting. Surfing through hundreds of designs to choose the best ones for the people we love was gleeful. It was an act of love, an innocent token of saying thank you to people for existing in our lives.

It is sad to see that today’s generation will never experience the excitement of buying Eid cards for their friends and relatives.

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By Sahil Kumar KARACHI

Following the commercial birth of gaming as a technological peculiarity in the 1950s, it has developed into one of the most profitable industries in the world. The equipment and machinery used to play the games have grown by leaps and bounds, while the titles we used to play have evolved into astonishingly stunning pieces of art along with 4k bridging the gap between console and PC. With the recent boom in mobile technology with unconventionally powerful chipsets being introduced every year, gaming has been integrated into our culture. Every other household is involved in the industry in some manner, whether it’s streaming or content creation, investing in several gaming companies, or just playing in general.

While the industry has now centralized further towards profit-earning through the use of various technological upgrades including the internet, the 1990s was the phase when gaming in actuality stormed the commercial market. It was the decade when Sonic the Hedgehog, the Nintendo 64, and the PlayStation were introduced in the market with an innovative mentality, ruling the hearts and minds of game-lovers.

To fully understand how vastly advanced gaming has grown over the last three decades, here is a brief comparison of the original versions of some of the classic video games to their latest iterations.

Grand Theft Auto (1997) vs. GTA V (2013) The Guinness Book of World Records flagged the original Grand Theft Auto as the most controversial game, stating that it was needlessly violent. However, it was the zenith of role-playing games at that time, from the ravaging police chases to the ferocious killing sprees. Although it was not a visual delight to look at, Grand Theft Auto was on top of the table in terms of popularity.

With the introduction of GTA V, the franchise has taken role-playing to a whole new level. The game not only features an overhaul of the graphics, but also the vast improvement in story-telling, introducing a triple-character perspective.

Super Mario Bros.

(1985) vs. Super Mario Odyssey (2017) Released on the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Super Mario Bros. was the pinnacle of Mario games, from beautifully constructed levels building the story stage by stage to almost impossible jumps to the iconic flag at the end of every level. While it is not as graphically appealing as the newly released Odyssey, much of its level design has been implemented in various Mario games over the years.

Fast forward to 2017, Super Mario Odyssey has set a new standard for the franchise, especially in the graphics department. It is jam-packed with novelty, secrets, collectibles, and ingenuity at every turn, jump, nook and cranny. In addition to all of these features, the introduction of the Nintendo Switch lets you enjoy this immersive experience in a much comelier way.

Street Fighter (1987) vs. Street Fighter V (2016) A walk down the memory lane, Street Fighter, the 1-on-1 brawler game, was set in a distinctive brushstroke style with locations varying from the far-east to Mount Rushmore. The strategic depth of using defensive moves, offensive strikes, and combo attacks was the reason the game went on to become so popular. A lot has changed in 29 years. The soundtracks, the visuals, and the introduction of new moves have made the 2016 title extraordinary to play, while also keeping the originality of the first one.

While the evolution of gaming is certainly visible in terms of visuals, the role of the internet has played a vital part in its growth. It has introduced the concept of Downloadable Content (DLCs) compared to the one-time purchases we used to make in the ’90s. As for online connectivity, multiplayer games are storming through the commercial market, while also keeping the games gender-neutral. It is evident that a lot has changed, but hardcore gamers thrive on whatever technological advances are happening.

By Omair Alavi KARACHI

He may have died in the year 1980, but the legacy of film director Alfred Hitchcock lives on even after his death.

He had a career that lasted over fifty years as a film director at a time when cinema was hardly 75! In order to know what made him stand out amongst a lot of great filmmakers and why he is still remembered as a genius, one must go through Charlotte Chandler’s brilliant biography of the veteran filmmaker.

Titled It’s only a movie – Alfred Hitchcock: A Personal Biography, this book covers everything from Hitchcock’s personal life to his professional career. Laced with quotes taken by the author, it gives the feeling of an autobiography at times and tells you all there is to know about the man behind movies that are considered classics today. After all, who would not want to know about the making of films like 39 Steps, Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho, North by Northwest, The Birds, and others that inspired generations that came after Hitchcock.

The author beautifully breaks down Hitchcock's life story in these pages through his marvelous movies and divides the book into four different sections. Each section tackles the films he made during that particular era, and how those films helped him become a better director. At first, he was the Assistant Direc-

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tor his directors hated, then he became the Director who believed in the power of the storyboard, and finally, he became the filmmaker who made films for both the present and the future generation.

Unlike his contemporaries, Alfred Hitchcock stuck to suspense as his favored genre and although he dabbled in thrillers, romantics, and even black comedy, he was known as the Master of Suspense throughout his career. The author talks about each and every film of the late director, with comments from the subject as well as the actors, actresses and the people who were part of that film, giving it the authenticity, a reader requires.

This book takes the readers down memory lane when movies were simply made for entertainment. How he made Rope, the first major Hollywood film that was made as a one-take shot, or why he preferred lesser-known actors to A-listers, Hitchcock's comments are well-preserved in these pages by the author. Be it the merry-go-round sequence of Strangers on the Train, or the 3D effects in Dial M For Murder, ‘Hitch’ talks about everything that happened on the screen, explaining his point of view with clarity.

The author also shares details about Hitchcock's wit and wisdom, while also informing the readers that their favorite director was a prankster, who didn’t stop even in his old age. As for the book’s title, the author uses ‘it’s only a movie’ because that was something the director would always say when his actors took themselves too seriously.

One must commend the author Charlotte Chandler here for she talks to most of Hitchcock’s associates and weaves a web of quotes that reveal a different side of the director. From Cary Grant to Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck to Kim Novak, Sean Connery to Joan Fontaine, whoever had something good to say for Hitch, the author captured it.

She also managed to speak to Tippi Hedren and her daughter actress Melanie Griffith who are the only ones who had bad things to say about The Birds director, giving diversity to this biography.

Not only does this book cover the glory days of Hitch’s career, but it also features those forgettable films that the director made either as an overconfident filmmaker or as someone who wanted to experiment with ahead-of-his-time techniques. His flick Suspicion had a point-of-view shot that would stand apart even decades later, he conceived Dial M For Murder as a 3D venture when 2D was the norm, and he deliberately made Psycho in Black and White, and this book has the director’s comments regarding these

steps. Add to that his failed films between 1920 and 1976, and you get to know things not many of your friends do about the man who made the audience scared of Birds.

Keeping aside what Hitchcock’s family, colleagues, and companions had to say about him, there is a lot about Hitchcock that made him a darling of every collaborator, and this book brings those stories to the fore.

Why was he always dressed in a suit, how many suits did he own, why was he afraid of driving a car and where did he love to eat the most, this book answers such questions about the self-declared 'frightmare' expert. It also tells the readers about some of his films that he remade during his illustrious career, and how the remakes fared!

Although he won many accolades in his last decade, including being Knighted by the Queen of England, Alfred Hitchcock never won an Oscar for Best director despite being nominated on multiple occasions, and that hurt him a lot. However, that didn’t stop him from giving his best to his films, and that included a fascination with the national monuments. If you think that the Statue of Liberty was first used in the climax of a movie recently in Spider-Man: No Way Home, or that there has never been a scene shot at the Mount Rushmore, then you need to brush your film knowledge a lot. Because Alfred Hitchcock had been there, done that long before it was considered normal.

Any book about Hitchcock would be incomplete without the mention of the ‘MacGuffin’, a plot device that defied conventional explanation, and was part of many Hitchcock movies. In this book, the author quotes Hitchcock repeatedly who not only explains the reasons behind ‘MacGuffin’ but also behind some of his iconic sequences in films. His collaborators also confirm here that he hated giving directions to actors, loved making and following storyboards, and knew more about camera lenses than the best cameramen in the business.

The book also explains how he entered films, why he chose to make cameo appearances, and how his life changed once he became a TV personality with Alfred Hitchcock Presents. That’s not all, he always had something shocking in his sleeves that wasn’t known even to his leading men and women. The mood of this biography turns sad by the time it reaches the 1970s for Hitchcock experienced more failures in the late 1960s and the 1970s than he did in his entire career. The author explains the reasons behind Hitch’s decline and his failing health was one of them, if not the main reason.

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Others, however, not so much…

When a brand backs (yet) another music show, the assumption that fans from all demographics would like it necessitates a drastically different show in terms of audio and visuals. Even Uth Records (sponsored by Ufone), which aired for only two seasons before being cancelled, had a unique storyline. What is the significance of all of this? Because, with shows like Bisconni Music, one has to wonder what the point of such music series is, both past and present.

It appears to be following the format established by Coke Studio.

Studio-format live recordings of music. That doesn't sound very creative, does it? The first season, directed by Saad Hayat, is forgivable because the first season is always a learning experience. Plus, it included several good songs, such Sajid and Zeeshan's 'Keep Moving' and Mughal-e-'Meda Funk's Ishq,' which featured Aizaz Sohail and Mahnoor Altaf, and Mughal-e-'Meda Funk's Ishq,' which featured Aizaz Sohail and Mahnoor Altaf.

For once, Coke Studio 14 has a think tank with Sherry Khattak, Natasha Noorani, and Abdullah Siddiqui.

And, as Abdullah revealed in an interview with Instep, a lot of names were thrown around. As a result, we were able to observe the future of music as well as seasoned musicians. The concept of an assistant music associate was also beneficial to the show. Bisconni may not have the resources of a Coke Studio, but in its second season, it should've showcased more partnerships and, most importantly, an audio-visual narrative that didn't make us desire for another Velo Sound Station instead.

Bisconni Music needs to reassess its strategy after two seasons or it will drift aimlessly as a show that is neither here nor there.

Numbers are useful indications of reach and engagement, but they don't always indicate content quality. Nonetheless, in Pakistan, these brand sponsorships have elevated Pakistani music to a new level, making it more accessible to a wider and worldwide audience. Artists who previously held back their creative ideas due to a lack of funding, opportunities, or the experimental nature of their work are now courageously executing their ideas, giving the music industry a whole new dimension. These companies have also highlighted the country's wealth of talent.

Because it benefits both the brands, artists, and the music industry, this collaboration between brands and Pakistan's music industry is successfully aiding in the revival of Pakistan's lost music and talent, and speaks volumes about how the industry is better off with collaborations rather than relying on the country's already-limited resources for budding artists.

By Isra Shams Globally, there has been an emergence of music personalities across brands and marketplaces, with Pakistan having a significant part.

Between the last season of Coke Studio '22 (curated and produced by Xulfi), the early years of the same (under Rohail Hyatt's reign), and Velo Sound Station (helmed by Bilal Maqsood), any new music series, digital or televised, has a lot of ground to cover.

A slew of additional music series, particularly the second wave of Pepsi Battle of the Bands and the brand's newest series, Why Not (helmed by executive producer Ali Hamza), indicate that content production platforms are popping up quicker than we can keep up with them. The objective is to provide forums for Pakistani musicians to demonstrate their talent, each accompanied by a landscape that will compliment the music in a unique way.

As our music libraries expand, so do our chances of connecting with individuals on a deeper level. This is when the brands come into play. There is no better method for a brand to show their target audience that they understand and are like them than through the music that they enjoy. Following in Coca-footsteps, Cola's Nescafe Basement, Velo Studio, Kashmir Beats, Bisconni Music, Cornetto Pop Rock, Cornetto Music Icons, and even the reality show Pepsi Battle of Bands were revived in an attempt to promote the band culture that we had long abandoned.

With its new vision, Coke Studio sits atop the table this year, nearly making us wonder if this is the same show that's been running for more than a decade. As a result, unless there is no visual component, the representation of music on whatever platform must be unique. Music videos also play a part, so the audio-visual has to be appealing enough to tempt us away from bingeing on something else or the other on Netflix.

Because of the epidemic, which limited social contact and caused a halt in concerts, musical digital series gave a music-hungry audience an opportunity to see musicians in a live setting. Live music, on the other hand, is still gaining its feet in 2022, thanks to tight SOPs. With this in mind, digital/music TV programmes have to reinvent themselves once more. Coke Studio 14 was the one who did it. We were so taken

by Velo Sound Station that we're hopeful it makes a comeback.

AFP

Radu Lupu, widely regarded as one of the world's greatest pianists, has died at the age of 76, the organisers of the George Enescu Festival in Bucharest announced.

"We are deeply saddened to find out about the death of Maestro Radu Lupu, a dear friend of the Enescu Festival and a magnificent musician!" the festival wrote on its Facebook page.

According to media reports, Lupu died in Lausanne in Switzerland after a long illness.

Lupu won the George Enescu International Piano Competition in 1967, nine years after the prestigious festival was set up in honour of Romanian composer George Enescu.

"We will forever cherish his amazing way to transform music into magic. Words are not enough to express our sadness for this loss of the entire music world," the festival said.

Lupu was born on November 30, 1945, in Galati, Romania, and began playing the piano at the age of six.

After being admitted to the Bucharest conservatory, he went on to win a scholarship to study at the legendary Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow.

Among the other top competitions, Lupu won was the Van Cliburn prize in 1966 and the Leeds prize in 1969.

Known for his discretion and his perfectionism, Lupu was particularly highly regarded in the repertoire of composers such as Schumann, Brahms, Mozart and Beethoven.

He made his US debt in 1971 with the Cleveland Orchestra under Daniel Barenboim and worked with many of the world's top orchestras and conductors, including Herbert von Karajan, Carlo Mario Giulini and Zubin Mehta.

Notorious for almost never giving interviews, he also largely shunned the studio since the 1990s, despite winning a Grammy in 1996 for his recording of Schubert piano sonatas.

Resident in Switzerland, Lupu retired from performing at the end of the 2018/2019 season for health reasons.

Tributes poured in on Twitter, where the British cellist Steven Isserlis described Lupu as "not only one of the greatest, warmest, most profound musicians I've ever heard, but also a deeply kind, compassionate, modest and humorous man -- and a wonderful friend".

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Hania Amir

Saba Qamar

Neelum Muneer

Amar Khan

Here’s the secret to keeping your space clean

By Muhammad Ali Let’s be honest, there are millions of benefits to the bachelor lifestyle, the best of which is living in a space without the ‘constant instructions’ to keep your stuff together. But let me tell you something, nothing puts a woman off more than a stinky toilet, pants strewn floor, or sink full of dishes.

Guys ' living quarters can get disgusting without the presence of a mother, girlfriend, or any woman figure around. I guess it is because most guys aren’t “nesters”. They couldn’t care less about messy surroundings. Boys just focus on what they are doing or want, and

hell with the rest, including a tidy home.

Pardon me for my language, but that’s how most of us are!

But do you know what changed my prescription about cleanliness? No, not my wife! The thought of finding things where they belong. One fine day before I got married, I planned to declutter my space, and suddenly, finding things became easier. Things don’t just “disappear” anymore.

Trust me; it isn’t hard. In fact, more manageable in the longer term.

Guys keep their cars cleaner than their room

Most man will keep their whips cleaner than where they sleep or take a shower!

Some guys I know will make a half-day out of cleaning their car. They will play music and have protein shakes while meticulously getting every grain of dirt removed from their rides. And once done, they may go inside and sit around dog hair and old pizza boxes, enduring the sharp smell of dirty dishes and left-out mayonnaise.

But don’t feel bad yet; girls are almost the opposite of this. I have known some

organised women with bathroom floors you can literally eat off of. But to ride with them in their cars, they have to first move a bunch of garbage off the passenger seat and floor. You seldom see a girl with a super clean car unless it has just been professionally cleaned or their man keeps it clean.

So at least here’s a win for us men!

Six Tips to Keep Your Space Cleaner

If you’re struggling and need guidance on decluttering and keeping up a clean house, you’ll need to get creative with your plans. Here’s a starter pack for all my fellows.

Note: There are not your everyday tips; even your mom will be impressed by them.

1. Fix a Day: Pick a day where you are mostly at home, then slowly build momentum for cleaning your house.

Go room by room, and don’t miss your toilets. Make a checklist of where you want to start. It’s easier to declutter when you visualise where you need to get started.

2. Four-Box Method Never Fails: Okay, so this is my absolute favourite.

Arrange four boxes and label them: trash, lose them, keep, or re-locate.

Enter every room in your home and place each item into one of the following boxes. Don’t skip a thing, no matter how useless you think it is. This may take some days, weeks, or even months, but it will help you see how many items you own, and you’ll know what to do with each item. You will love it; it's nothing short of a game.

3. Don’t Shop Until You Donate Some: I know it gets difficult to decide which piece to donate. We all have around 5 tees that look exactly the same, but we still can’t decide to lose them. So here’s the deal don’t go shopping until you get rid of something from your closet. You can try one more trick to simplify things: hang all your clothes with hangers in the reverse direction to identify them. After using an item, face the hanger in the correct order. This

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way, you would know which clothes you can discard as you never touched them. Easy peasy?

4. Make Your Bed Every Morning, Even on Sundays: This never gets old - Want to impress your visitors? Make your bed every morning and change your sheet at least once a week. Keep a hamper for your dirty laundry in your room, and put your clothes away each night. No more piles on your sofas or socks under your bed.

5. Wash Right After You Eat: Don’t wait for the pile of dishes. Make a habit of washing the dishes after every meal since the more they pile, the less you are likely to wash them. Do not postpone the task of washing to a later date. The earlier you do it, the cleaner your kitchen will be, and in return, the tidy your house stays.

6. Take Before and After Photos: Nothing motivates you more than a before and after scenario; it feels like an achievement. So choose one part of

your home, like your kitchen counter or toilet, and take a picture of a small area. Quickly clean off the area in the photo and take an after photo. Once you see how your home could look, it becomes easier to start decluttering more of your home.

Not Convinced Yet? Cleaning Boosts Your Confidence

If you are not a very clean guy, you would never be able to reach anywhere on time as you would not find anything at the ‘right’ spot. Moreover, your looks speak volumes when you have a clean space; you smell good and feel more confident when you are out in the world. Having a clean place will eventually make you think better.

You may not realise how much all that dirty clutter around you affects your thinking ability. And if you keep your place clean, you start to appreciate it more and even buy a frame or a plant to make it look and feel better. So get started today!

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By Bold Desk KARACHI

Dressing up on Eid is one of the most exciting parts. The foremost concern of anyone is designing their Eid dress and here celebrities have always brought their A-game when it comes to setting a benchmark. Let it be classy, trendy, fusion, they carry all dresses with equal grace and style. On this Eid, we have compiled a few looks to guide you through to have a perfect Eid jora.

Ayeza Khan

If you want to keep it simple and elegant, then the Meray Paas Tum Ho actress is there to guide you with her minimal looks. Angarakkha (a traditional frok) with a digitally printed pastel dupatta with lace detailing is all you need this Eid. Elevate the look with pearl studs and a statement choker with a maala (necklace). You can wear heels or khussas on it.

Ayesha Omar

Known for keeping her style choices on point, Ayesha donned a pastel blue suit by clothing brand Azure. The ones who want to go minimal can have a variety of designs of detailed white embroidery and lace trims. Once the clothes are designed, you can seamlessly tie the look together with dangly earrings and high heels.

Maya Ali

Classy and trendy, Maya looks uber chic wearing her own designed outfit. Proving that you can never go wrong with a traditional white dress, the stunning actress kept the look minimal with silver accessories and tied up her tresses in a low bun. With this hot weather and Eid being just around the corner, this is a must-try look.

Saba Qamar

Saba has always been one of the role models for her fans. She boldly wears bright and light colours to break the trends. In this picture, Saba is donning an eye-catching yellow attire by Mohsin Naveed Ranjha. On this Eid, you can also pick flared frocks in bright hues and to give it an effortless touch you can wear gold or silver jhumkas.

Iqra Aziz

Iqra has always been the talk of the town for all the good reasons. On last Eid, she looked effortlessly elegant in pishwas detailed with pastel embroidery designed by Kanwal Malik. Long length, flarey, and embroidered pishwas are again in fashion. So take them out of your closet and style the outfit with traditional jhumkas (earings).

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Yumna Zaidi

It’s a well-established fact that you can always count on Yumna Zaidi to make it to the best-dressed list. To go traditional this Eid, you can browse Maya's Pret and have trendy clothes.

Yumna is wearing a hand-embellished yellow suit that had a double-shaded organza dupatta from Maya Pret. She maintained the traditional look of the attire with colourful chooriyan and kundan jewellery.

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Is stress keeping you up at night? Here’s what you can do to relax your mind and sleep better Eat healthy food

It’s important to consume a healthy diet when you are under a lot of pressure. Fresh fruits and vegetables provide you essential minerals, vitamins and fibres, as well as maintain your blood pressure and cholesterol. A healthy diet provides you lots of energy and protects you from falling ill, especially when you can’t afford a day off.

Stress can cause many health problems. It can even lead to mental and emotional turmoil, therefore be kind to yourself and use these tips to keep stress at bay.

By Mariam Naeem Khan Work-eat-sleep. Work-eatsleep. Repeat. Let’s accept that our lives have become mundane. With zilch recreational areas in the city, soaring temperatures, frequent power outages, and increasing traffic jams, our lives have become rather stressful and dreary.

Data collected by NED University of Engineering and Technology in March 2022 shows that anxiety and stress levels have increased between 35pc to 40pc amongst the young population of Karachi after the pandemic. However, not many people seek counselling and therapy for myriad reasons.

If you’re feeling anxious, stressed, burntout, claustrophobic – hold on. Don’t badger those around you, instead try these simple but effective ways to immediately release your stress and relax your mind.

Meditation

Get some fresh air

You can relax, rejuvenate, and feel less stressed by meditating every day. Meditation makes you kinder to yourself, improves your focus and helps you connect better with your emotions, feelings and stress triggers. It makes you calmer, happier, open-hearted and a better version of yourself.

The most interesting thing is: you don’t need to mediate for hours to reap its benefits, only 5 to 10 minutes a day are sufficient at the beginning. Just find a cosy, quiet spot, and sit in a comfortable position (sit in a chair with feet on the floor, cross-legged on a mat or kneel). Focus on your breath as it goes in and out. Inevitably, your mind will wander off, but don’t worry. Return your focus to the breath and focus again. Mediation is all about paying close attention to the present moment – to what’s happening inside you at the moment and taking time to process your emotions.

Gratitude journaling

When faced with a stressful situation, divert your mind to all the good things that have happened in life. Be thankful for your house, car, three meals a day, clothes, water – and all other facilities you take for granted.

Don’t let one bad incident mar your perfectly wonderful life. Maintain a gratitude journal and read it every time you are upset, so you are grateful for all the happier things in life.

Also, it’s important to differentiate between good and bad stress. Good stress motivates and energizes you; it inspires you to achieve more, while bad stress drains you. When bad stress begins to pull you down, remember the good stress that excites you, and quickly lighten your mood.

Physical activity always alleviates stress. When you can’t think of a solution to a problem, keep everything aside, and take a stroll around the block. Observe the beautiful bougainvillea and dahlias growing on the roadside. Hear the tiny sparrows chirping away and children enjoying the day.

These simple things might seem insignificant at first, but if you train your mind to focus on the positive and beautiful things, they will surely brighten your mood. Force yourself to smile, for Charlie Chaplin once said, ‘You’ll find that life is still worthwhile, if you just smile.’

Cognitive Restructuring

Many a time, our self-talk (the way we see, interpret and judge situations) influences our reactions to the situation. If we interpret a situation as negative (even if it’s neutral), we start feeling distressed and our defence mechanisms immediately swing into action. On the other hand, if we perceive a situation to be in our favour, we feel relaxed and in control. For an optimist, life’s much easier as they tend to look at the positive side of circumstances, as compared to a pessimist, who forever lives in a state of nervousness and anxiety.

You can definitely break the negative train of thoughts by exercising cognitive restructuring, which is a process of recognizing and changing negative thought patterns.

Here’s what to do: • Realize you have negative patterns, which is the biggest breakthrough.

• Recognize you have the power to consciously change your negative thought patterns into positive and constructive ones.

• Start focusing on the positive side of things actively. Change your perspective and derive some positivity out of every situation you encounter. For example, your boss rejected the report you made so diligently.

Sounds bad, but learn from his/her feedback – you might’ve missed out something. Think of it this way: your boss is only making your work better and training you for future.

• Pause for an hour before reacting. When something undesirable happens, we react either aggressively or sentimentally. Give yourself at least 60 minutes before taking any action. If possible, meditate during this time to calm down and look at things rationally, for stress will lead you nowhere.

Talk to a trusted friend or loved one

When stressed, it’s best to talk to someone who understands you and can give you sincere advice. Expressing your feelings to someone will take the burden off your chest. Besides, your confidant can always offer a fresh perspective on the matter. It’s important to have the support of your loved ones so you can pass through the rough patch unscathed.

By Zehra Batool

Food for glowing skin

Eid is just around the corner, and while we all begin prepping by putting together our finest joras and jhumkas, having fabulous and glowing skin also becomes a top priority and a must-have. As Ramadan draws to a close, there is little time left to revive your dehydrated, tired, and dull skin. But fret not. We have got you covered!

All you need to do is follow our instant skin glowing hacks provided below; however, you must keep in mind that getting healthy and glowing skin and maintaining it requires serious dedication. Let's get right to it, shall we?

When one eats well and exercises regularly, it benefits the entire body, especially the skin. Even if one has a good skin care regimen, their skin may not appear healthy if they do not care much for themselves internally. It is essential to have a healthy stomach, bowel movement, gut, and liver in order to have clear, unblemished skin, among other zillion benefits. Obviously, you will be fasting until Eid approaches, but you can still follow these tips during your Iftar and Suhoor.

You must strictly avoid foods that are high in sugar, saturated fat, as well as salt. Instead, focus on lean proteins, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats such as olive oil, ghee, and nuts. Include as much yogurt as you can in your eating window, and you will feel the difference instantly! And of course, nothing screams good skin like a bowl of fresh, green leafy vegetables full of antioxidants and various other essential nutrients and vitamins that help your skin retain its radiance and youthfulness. Don't forget to stay hydrated and up your water intake!

KARACHI

DIY aloe vera face packs Aloe vera + Turmeric + Honey facemask (for dull skin)

Turmeric is packed with healing properties and contains antioxidants that even out your sin one and brighten up your complexion. Honey, when used with aloe vera, works to calm your skin and prevent breakouts.

Aloe vera + Coconut oil (for dry skin)

Both ingredients are natural moisturizers and highly hydrating. Mix 2 teaspoons of coconut oil with 2 teaspoons of aloe vera and evenly apply to your face. Wash it off after 15-20 minutes, and you will instantly see the result.

Aloe vera + Cucumber (for oily skin)

Tan, sunburns, oily T zones, and acne are all the wonderful gifts that summer brings to your skin. But don't you worry! Apply a paste of both these ingredients for 15 minutes to remove excess oil, dirt, and other impurities from your skin.

Sun protection

Aloe vera + Carrots + Egg white (for youthful skin)

Simply combine 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel, 1 tablespoon finely shredded carrot, and one egg white, and beat the mixture to a froth. Apply the mask with a brush and wash it off with warm water once it dries completely.

Sunlight contains ultraviolet (UV) light that can cause burning sun damage and prominent signs of aging. Being exposed to it can drastically impact the skin, creating damage that can range from premature wrinkles to dangerous skin cancer. Thanks to SPF products, you can significantly reduce the risk of these effects. But make sure that when you choose an SPF product, it is SPF 30 or above, broad-spectrum, and suitable for your skin type.

Wear sunscreen on all exposed skin, including around the eyes and neck. It not only protects your skin from sunburn but also comes with a host of other benefits. Also, stay in the shade or wear lightweight clothing, and a hat to cover to head when the sun is at its strongest. Getting enough sleep

Beauty sleep The holy month brings about changes in the daily lives of Muslims around the world.

Sleep patterns often get disrupted as many tend to stay up until dawn Suhoor, the pre-fasting meal, and sleep only after the Fajr prayers. But as you are aware, good health comes with good sleep, and with good health comes good skin. Lack of sleep not only makes you look older than your actual age but also increases fine lines, and causes uneven pigmentation on your skin, along with a dozen other skin problems.

To get enough sleep, try to sleep for at least four hours at night after Iftar, before waking up for Suhoor and Fajr. Then return to sleep for a couple of hours before getting up for the day ahead. This will allow you to have at least seven to nine hours of sleep, depending on your schedule for the day. You can implement this even a day before Eid, it won't be too late to make a difference.

Though you may be seeking a shortcut to get glowing, healthier skin for Eid, you must adopt this skincare regimen for the long term by making the necessary changes in your diet and lifestyle. Meanwhile, have a wonderful Eid! PA K I S TA N ’ S N U M B E R 1 N E W S PA P E R

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Sindh

Karachi’s beaches Karachi has the best of both worlds. For people more attuned to the city life and who prefer the chaos and buzz, Seaview Beach is a great inexpensive place to enjoy the sunset, take camel/ horse/ dune buggy rides, and interact with locals. Do Darya is also close-by, which is a restaurant experience right next to the calming sea. For those preferring a more relaxed and longer stay, Hawkes Bay, French Beach, Paradise Point and Nathia Gali Beach are better options where you can rent a hut, fish, barbecue, and spend the whole day swimming and feeling the cool breeze.

Punjab

By Muhammad Adil ISLAMABAD

If you’re tired of the heat already and need something new to do this summer instead of killing time bingeing Netflix shows and shuffling Spotify for the 100th time, it is time to clear your schedule, pack your bags, and grab your best friends, so you can explore several hidden beauties within Pakistan that serve as ideal summer get-aways. Each part of the country either has magnificent lakes, cold river streams, or deep blue seas – each one as beautiful as the former.

Kallar Kahar If you cannot travel to the country’s capital, Punjab still offers various other get-aways. Kallar Kahar is famous for its rich history and natural beauty: the variety of peacocks in the area, Molat Fort, the museum, the Hindu temples, the shrines like Saint Sakhi Sultan Bahu’s Tomb, the lush green forest, and the various salt-water lakes around it. Many activities are popular here, such as boating and fishing. Swaik Lake is ideal for swimming and enjoying the waterfall, while Neela Wahn Lake is breathtaking due to the blue hues of the water, making it a great camping spot. Tourists would also enjoy the lively marketplace, that is abuzz till the early hours of the morning.

Keenjhar Lake If Karachi’s beaches do not fit your vibe, Thatta in Sindh contains the Keenjhar Lake, one of the largest fresh-water lakes in the country. Not only is it a wildlife sanctuary, but it is a beautiful picnic spot and wellknown for its boat rides. The folklore about the lake tells the story of Prince Jam Tamachi who fell in love with Noori, a fisherwoman. Their tale was one of fulfilled love.

Her shrine lies near the middle of the lake, which also makes for an interesting visit.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Islamabad

Rawal Dam Park Whether you visit Rawal Dam Park (previously known as Lake View Park) for a picnic to catch this scenic view at sunset, or whether you are more adventurous and visit it for boating or water sports, there is so much to do here to escape the monotony of the city. You can start your day by bird watching at its aviary, followed by a leisurely canoe ride. Fishing is a popular activity here, but you can also choose to partake in the park’s water skating or diving facilities. Finish your day up with an evening stroll to appreciate the greenery surrounding you, and a hearty picnic with your friends/family.

Kaghan Valley: Aansoo Lake, Lulusir Lake and Lake Saiful Muluk If you’re planning to travel up-North, this province is famous for its lakes and their rich histories. Aansoo Lake, located in the Kaghan Valley, is named such due to its tear drop shape. The folklore surrounding it tells the tale of a giant who cried due to envy and rage, as his beloved (a fairy) was not in love with him and was instead in love with a prince. The area is an idealistic campsite with friends and family.

Lulusir Lake flows throughout the rich green Kaghan Valley. It is the main source of the Kunhar River. Surrounded by snow-capped hilly areas, the cool blue water serves as a breath-taking spot to unwind. Saiful Muluk, named after the folklore of the Egyptian Prince with the same name who fell in love with a fairy princess he met at this lake, lies towards the northern end of the same valley. Summer is the best time to visit this lake, as in the winters landslides make this inaccessible. It is the perfect site for sight-seeing as well as trekking.

Balochistan

Gwadar’s beaches While Karachi is well-known for its beaches, Gwadar, a port-city, has several of its own that are mesmerizing get-away spots. To name a few, Astola Island, popular for its boat rides and snorkeling, has turquoise water with a rocky mountain range good for trekking. Daran Beach is the picture-perfect sandy beach to enjoy the sunrise at, after spending the night stargazing. If you’re lucky enough, you might even get to see the hatching season for baby sea turtles. Kund Malir Beach, located near Hingol National Park, is decorated with palm trees and is near a mountain range, while Pasni beach is a great spot to go fishing and swimming.

Regardless of whichever province you reside in or wish to visit, you can surely appreciate and marvel at these get-aways. Whether you see yourself vacationing at a sandy beach or setting camp near a river or lake up North, Pakistan surely has it all. Each destination offers a variety of activities for all kinds of people to enjoy this summer. Time to get-away!

BY AFP

After two long years without its frenetic festival of sparkling sequins, sultry samba and towering floats, Rio de Janeiro will hold its famed carnival parades Friday night for the first time since Covid-19 hit Brazil.

In what is sure to be a giant, glittering spectacle of pandemic catharsis, thousands of dancers and drummers will descend on the iconic beach city's "Sambadrome," reclaiming the carnival parade venue that was turned into a drive-through vaccination center at the height of the health crisis.

The all-night parades by the city's top samba schools Friday and Saturday nights will be the first since February 2020, marking a turning point for hard-hit Brazil, where Covid-19 has claimed more than 660,000 lives, second only to the United States.

But the festivities took a tragic turn before they began, when an 11-year-old girl died after being injured in a horrific float accident during a lower-level samba school parade contest Wednesday night, a preview of the main event.

The girl, Raquel Antunes da Silva, was with her mother at a restaurant near the Sambadrome when she wandered off and climbed up on the float, unaware it was about to start moving, according to local media reports.

Trapped in the wheel, she was badly injured and rushed to the hospital, but died Friday, city officials said.

Tragedy also struck Rio's carnival in 2017, when two freak float accidents killed one person and injured dozens.

'Pent-up emotion'

It was not the start Rio officials had hoped for after canceling carnival last year, then postponing it by two months this year from the traditional dates -- just before the Catholic season of Lent -- over fears the omicron variant would unleash a new wave of Covid cases.

But with more than 75 percent of the South American country's 213 million people now fully vaccinated, the average weekly Covid-19 death toll has plunged from more than 3,000 a year ago to around 100 now -allowing the show to go on.

All participants and the 75,000 attendees expected each night at the weekend's parades are required to present proof of vaccination.

The pandemic has left Brazilians full of "saudades" -- Portuguese for "longing" -- for their beloved carnival, a freefor-all of dancing, singing and partying at close quarters that is essentially the PA K I S TA N ’ S N U M B E R 1 N E W S PA P E R

opposite of social distancing.

And anticipation for the blowout has been building.

"I can't even describe what I'm feeling.

There's just so much pent-up emotion from these two long years at home waiting for this moment to arrive," dancer Talita Batista of legendary samba school Portela told AFP at a rehearsal.

Each samba school will have 60 to 70 minutes to tell a story in music and dance, to be evaluated on nine criteria by a team of judges.

The reigning champions, Viradouro, chose as their theme Rio's epic 1919 carnival -- the first celebrated after the devastation of another pandemic, the Spanish flu.

Other schools picked themes charged with social messages, with Brazil facing divisive elections in October expected to pit far-right President Jair Bolsonaro against leftist ex-leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Of the 12 schools, eight chose themes dealing with racism or Afro-Brazilian histo-

ry, loaded issues in a country where the current president has faced frequent accusations of racism.

Their samba songs include treatments of the protests that erupted in the United States after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020; tributes to two "orixas," or deities, of Afro-Brazilian religion; and celebrations of the black samba singers Cartola and Martinho da Vila.

Carnival should also provide some needed relief for an economy battered by the pandemic.

Beyond the swirl of floats, feathers and barely covered flesh, carnival is big business, moving some four billion reais ($800 million) for Rio's economy and creating at least 45,000 jobs, according to official figures.

Rio hotels are expecting an occupancy rate of 85 percent.

City officials have not authorized the massive carnival street parties known as "blocos," but several smaller ones are still being held.

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Love After World Domination

By Muhammad Adil Weebs every year look forward to the spring season, this is because spring always brings with it glorious new releases where the winter season usually only brings sequels mostly.

Therefore, spring offers anime aficionados something they cradle more than anything else, choices. Not only choices, but also new choices.

This may seem irrelevant, seeing that many anime fans do not exactly delve into the new release schedule for the diversity it may bring to their currently watching roster alone, however something many would not admit is that though anime like one piece are amazing, they are also extremely long and people run in and out of interest. So, to have new anime to cleanse your pallet is a god send, and this anime season has come out with some heavy hitters and might just replace some people’s main stays.

Bubble

This anime does a lot of things right. The concept of the anime is a parody of power rangers; however, the story revolves around a love story between a hero and the villain both trying to maintain their love while also continuing to pursue or cull plans of world domination. It is extremely funny and has very endearing characters that you can get behind from the moment you start watching.

Over all this anime is highly recommended if you want a love story you can get behind but are also sick of the run of the mill way love stories have been executed in anime in the past.

This has been a highly anticipated new movie from the moment the concept came out. It’s the perfect mixture of dystopian and sci-fi. It follows a Tokyo where gravity altering bubbles have descended causing massive catastrophe but also an opportunity, an opportunity for what you ask? The world’s greatest parkour competition that’s what. This might sound silly on paper but watching it it’s so much more serious especially when you take into account the breath animation that has gone into it, it seems like if studio Ghibli decided to make a dystopian action anime.

Spy X Family

Probably the most anticipated anime of this spring season is spy family. It has been gaining steam for a few years now for its more than original concept. It sees a spy create a fake family in order to carry out a mission. Little does he know that his pretend wife is an assassin and his pretend daughter a psychic. The story is also set in the early 1900s which really does add to it overall giving you that interesting kick of nostalgia for days gone by. The main attraction however is twofold.

Firstly, it is the action scenes that are wonderfully choreographed and animated and secondly the amazing dynamic that this pretend family has that just pulls you right in. The contrast the story has is probably also one of the highlights of it and why we highly recommend this anime.

Tomodachi Game

Tomodachi Game is the psychological thriller of the season. It sees a group of friends being kidnapped and forced to play the friendship game to see how close they truly are as well as to settle a few debts it gives off squid game vibes in the best way possible. It sees the friends turn to enemies and leaves the viewer wondering do we actually even know our friends? It also does an amazing job at keeping the suspense rolling and an aspect of horror is almost always prevalent because you never know what will happen next.

A Couple of Cuckoos

Skeleton Knight in Another World

The first anime that is making the rounds this season, is Skeleton Knight. It falls into the same trope as gamer issakai anime, so think sword art online or overlord. It follows the generic back story where gamer falls asleep wakes up in a fantasy game as an overpowered skeleton knight, however the action scenes from the trailers along with positive story line reviews from manga magazines makes it seem very much worthwhile. The way it differs from most other anime in its genre is that there is a focus on humor as well. Word of warning though if you are averse to the 3D fight scene animations this anime might cause you some pain as that is how most the fight scenes are formatted. Still worth it for the story though.

Ao Ashi

This anime is a sports fans dream, as the anime is based in and around football and specifically football in Japan. It takes a very unique approach to the genre where previous football anime have tried to incorporate super powers into the actual sport, Ao Ashi take a more Haikyu approach where they have made the mechanics of the game even inside the anime hyper realistic. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t lack action the choreography of each scene really gets your blood pumping and the visuals are amazing. If you were ever curious about how football clubs operate this is again another great option because the anime also gets into the mechanics of that.

Another anime that is centered around romance, but this one is so much more layered.

It’s your classic love triangle anime however there are some dynamic elements to the story.

Such as the main character having been switched out with a different baby at birth. Or the fact that the main character has to choose between a social media star and his class mate as to who to get married to. It also does an amazing job at character development where no one feels generic and each character has a discernable personality making getting behind a character all the more easier.

All in all, we have tried our best to cover as many bases when it comes to kinds of anime. There is something for everyone here and the only important thing about anime is the community it forms and the appreciation for art it instills. If any of these anime invoke these emotions in you at first glance then do add them to your watch list you will not be disappointed.

By Omair Alavi KARACHI

The sequel to Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Dr. Strange is all set for a worldwide release on May 6, but going into Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness wouldn’t be a simple task like say, watching a movie. There is a lot at stake both on and off-screen, and if you go into the theatre unprepared, you will feel as lost as Thanos did in the final Avengers movie.

So how should one prepare oneself for the sequel of where Wanda makes an ‘extended’ appearance, Dr. Strange manages to save his girlfriend, and where multiple Dr. Stranges can be seen! You don't need to be a Sorcerer Supreme to be ready for the biggest challenge since Spider-Man: No Way Home which was released six months back. You just have to be in the zone to make sense of what’s happening on screen.

And to be in that zone, all you need to do is rush to the neighborhood DVD shop or access these shows (not legally, sadly!) to well-versed yourself with the films and Disney+ TV shows that would make you understand the happenings in the world of Dr. Strange.

If you haven’t seen the original flick then you don’t need to go ahead, because then a lot would be meaningless to you including the final two Avengers flicks. But if you have seen the film where Dr. Strange makes his first appearance, then the list below is for you, since it will make you more than ready to enter the multiverse.

WandaVision (Disney+ TV)

Marvel Cinematic Universe’s biggest release of 2022 isn’t just a film, it’s a continuation of something even bigger!

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Nothing is more important than watching WandaVision before buying the ticket for Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness because Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) features as much in the new movie as Benedict Cumberbatch who plays the title character. Just like Dr. Strange, Wanda is having nightmares of her own that seem too true to be real. How did she end up in such a place, is exactly what WandaVision tells you since it serves as an introduction to Wanda and The Vision's life after Avengers: Endgame.

At first, Wanda used to be a supporting character in the MCU but through WandaVision, she got the spotlight she deserved.

The nine-episode series not only successfully kicked off Marvel’s innings with Disney+ TV, but also revealed the origins of the Scarlet Witch’s powers. She is the reason things go from bad to worse in the Multiverse as before Dr. Strange, she had been there, done that. She might still be an Avenger, but after the events of WandaVision, no one knows where her loyalty rests.

Loki (Disney+ TV)

He may not have anything to do with Dr. Strange but he has everything to do with the alternate timelines, which sort of form

the backbone of the multiverse. With Tom Hiddleston in the lead as Thor’s stepbrother Loki, this six-episode series teaches you all there is to know about alternate timelines before Dr. Strange raised the bar by dealing with the multiverse. Not only did the series make ‘Variants’ a part of pop culture but it also opened the minds of the audience by taking them through the concept of alternate timelines, where Loki met his different forms including a female variant, and an animal variant to name a few.

The scene where the animated mascot of Time Variance Authority Ms. Minutes explain timelines and variants reminds one of the animated sequences in the original Jurassic Park where the audience gets to know how dinosaurs were brought back and why they can’t be dangerous. We all know how that turned out to be, and the same goes for Loki where everyone is not what they seem, and everything is not how they claim to be.

Furthermore, the climax of Loki is where the multiverse was created, and which almost serves as MCU’s multiverse’s origin story.

Home a must-watch.

It was at the end of the last Spider-Man that Dr. Strange approached Wanda and together they become part of the Multiverse of Madness, without doing anything extra.

So, if you want to know the background of their story, watch Spider-Man’s last outing, otherwise be ready to look clueless inside the cinema.

What If...? (Disney+ TV)

Thankfully, when the weird-looking Dr. Strange made his appearance in the end credits of Spider-Man: No Way Home, I was amongst the fortunate ones who knew that he was evil. How did I know that, you might ask? Well, I belonged to that cate-

gory of the audience who knew that they had to watch What If …? even if Marvel or Disney+ didn’t promote it properly.

And now we know that the producers of the live-action Dr. Strange sequel cited the series as inspiration for the version we are about to see in theatres.

Narrated by The Watcher (Jeffrey Wright), What If …? Is an animated series that answers the many hypothetical questions in the minds of MCU fans. Based on a comic series, it takes the audience back into the origin stories, changing some of the origins on their way back.

In the fourth episode of the series, titled ‘Dr. Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?’, Dr. Strange makes a conscious decision to alter history, which breaks him into two versions or variants (whatever you want to call it) of himself. While one of them still has good in him, the ‘Strange Supreme’ version is what we call the evil one, whose taking matters into his own hands invites trouble.

Bonus Material

Watching the first Dr. Strange (2016) would help you refresh your memory regarding the origin of Dr. Strange whereas the Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019) will show you why Dr. Strange is both respected and feared. Although it might not be ‘very necessary, but since Dr. Strange’s boss Wong made his ‘presence’ felt in ShangChi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), a quick viewing might not hurt anyone.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (Film)

And then there was the last Spider-Man movie that could truly have been titled Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Part 1! It is where MCU's resident wizard did the unthinkable and unleashed forces far beyond his control. Not only did Spider-Man: No Way Home go on to become one of the highest-grossing Hollywood films of all time, but it also set up a major plot point for its unofficial sequel – the trial of Dr. Strange.

In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) asks Dr. Strange to make his secret identity a secret again but things don’t go as planned, and Dr. Strange’s problems go from global to multiversal. How Dr. Strange restores order and sends back those who came to destroy his world is what makes Spider-Man: No Way F O R B O O K I N G A D S , W W W. B O L N E W S . C O M / N E W S PA P E R

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the

By Isra Shams

Paristan

KARACHI

During Ramadan in recent years, a new type of television programmes has gained popularity. In many Pakistani households, they have served as a source of post-Iftar entertainment. The "Kis Ki Aayegi Baraat" series (also known as the wedding series), which included dramas like Annie ki Aayegi Barat, Dolly ki Aayegi Barat, Takkay ki Aayegi Barat, and Dhole ki Dhole, launched the trend of Ramadan special dramas. The success of Suno Chanda, which made viewers enjoy the charming, romantic, and amusing Ramadan dramas, increased the anticipation and popularity in 2018. Since then, such serials have been a staple of all Pakistani entertainment channels' Ramadan programming. Due to their comedy and romantic plots, three dramas that aired this Ramadan have kept the viewers hooked to their TV screens. Chaudhary and Sons, Paristan, and Hum Tum are among these dramas.

Paristan is a comedy/romance serial, written by Samra Bukhari and directed by Ali Hassan. It is set in the fairy world of Pari, a daydreamer played by Aimen Saleem. Arsalan and Aimen, the most popular on-screen pair in Pakistani dramas, are back. Last Ramadan, both stars made their acting debuts in serial Chupke Chupke, which was an instant hit. This year, though, both characters are changed, yet the tale revolves around love story. Furthermore, the drama is not limited to Arsalan Naseer's (as Arsam) and Aimen's chemistry, but also includes Ujala and Babar's, played by the young Meerub Ali and Junaid Jamshed Niazi, respectively. Ali Safina's appearance in a Ramadan drama is no less than a treat, as he plays Kamali, and the audience is enthralled by his incredibly clever portrayal. Mira Sethi also made an appearance, although not as the controlling Gul Aapa from Chupke Chupke, but as Zubaida, an innocent housemaid. Taimoor Salahuddin Mooro, a well-known YouTuber, is making his acting debut alongside Javeria Saud, Asad Siddiqui, and Navin Waqar. The plot of the drama is spins around humour as families finding suitable matches for their offspring.

Chaudhary and Sons Chaudhary and Sons is directed by Syed Wajahat Ali, contains everything a popular drama should have: comedy, suspense, a star-studded cast, and a love tale. After watching Aiza Khan in Chupke Chupke as a wicked Meenu, the audience is happy to see her in Chaudhry and Sons as Pari (Parisa). Imran Ashraf, who rose to popularity as "Bhola" in Ranjha Ranjha Kardi and has since starred in a number of other plays, is now playing Bilu, a comical yet heroic character in the romantic family comedy Chaudhry and Sons (Bilal Chaudhry). The English school principal Malika Daadi of Pari and Bilu's lively Dada Chaudhry Dildar Ali captivate the audience (played by the veteran actor Suhail Ahmed Azizi). The plot follows the collapse of Pari's connection with the Chaudhry family, as well as Pari's love affair with Bilu. Asma Abbas, Yasir Nawaz, Madiha Rizvi, Zoya Nasir, Noor ul Hassan, Isra Ghazal, Saqib Sameer, and Shagufta Ijaz are among the supporting cast members.

Hum Tum Written by Saima Akram and directed by Danish Nawaz, Hum Tum is another masterpiece. The cast includes Ahad Raza Mir as Adam, Ramsha Khan as Neha, Sara Khan as Maha, and Junaid Khan as Sarmad. Hum Tum, based on the narrative of rival neighbours and their humorous battles, is proving to be as popular as Chupke Chupke and Suno Chanda. Fans have dubbed Ahad Raza Mir and Ramsha Khan the "Tom and Jerry" of Pakistani soaps because of their love-hate relationship. The notion that the continually bickering protagonists will become love birds at the end of the series excites fans. Viewers are ecstatic to see Syed Mohammad Ahmed in the drama, playing Tiktoker "Dadu Handsome." It is not only funny, but it also defies gender stereotypes, as the two main characters, Ahad Raza Mir and Junaid Khan, are both superb chefs and are more interested in domestic chores. Ramsha and Sara Khan, on the other hand, are more interested in books and academics. The audience is enthralled by Ramsha Khan riding a Vespa, and hopes that Professor Qutub-dissatisfaction uddin's with his wife's inability to conceive a son would be resolved by the final episodes.

In the new series, most of the actors from past Ramadan dramas reprise their roles, although in different positions. The special thing about these plays is that they have fascinating stories that the whole family can enjoy. However, the audience noticed several shortcomings in all three dramas, such as overacting and the predictability of the dialogues. Hum Tum, Chaudhary and Sons, Chupkey Chupkey, and Suno Chanda are all written by Saima Akram, which means that the storylines are nearly identical to those of earlier plays, and fans, predictably, want a break from the pattern. Nonetheless, Ramadan dramas are an important element of Pakistani homes' post-iftar entertainment, and the custom has continued this year. In the future, Ramadan dramas will be more successful if they put in a bit more effort to improve the narrative.

All it takes is just one wrong piece of advice or an opinion that gets shunned, allowing fans to cancel an influencer and his/her career forever bloggers got entangled in Ali Zafar- Meesha Shafi defamation case and eventually had to issue a public apology to the Rockstar singer for defaming him on social media sans evidence.

We all remember how Junaid Akram and the Snapchat screenshots that surfaced, accusing him of flirting with women outside his marriage!

Popular YouTuber Sham Idrees’s career faced a dramatic downfall when he and his wife Froggy faked an Islamophobia episode in a café in Canada. This was just one of the endless controversies he got himself landed in and eventually, people stopped giving him attention. Such stories and episodes are endless-only proving the ugly side of being a social media influencer.

By Ghazala Sulaiman American artist Andy Warhol quite rightly said, “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes”. Today, it's never been easier to become an overnight sensation- all thanks to social media and the online entities that exist to reign over it.

From Facebook to Instagram, YouTube to TikTok; we have witnessed a mighty boom in the explosion of social media influencers who today have become more significant than celebrities. They are stars in their own realm, with thousands of fans and followers aspiring to be like them.

With great responsibility also comes cyber-bullying

The glorious life of a social media influencer

To all these devotees, the world of influencers appears quite hunky-dory. Being one can get you free PRs, paid endorsements, sponsored trips to exotic locations, excess to all VIP events, and of course, can shop all the luxury for yourself at absolutely no cost.

You get to wear pretty clothes, get your hands on the best make-up, make dazzling transition videos, eat at the finest restaurants, get pampered at premium beauty salons and receive the appreciation of millions of internet users countrywide.

If you are even more lucky and talented, you can later make your way on T.V, or in cinemas and can even star in music videos of some of the biggest singers of the nation. Not to forget, you can also become a fashion model for top designer brands.

Sounds heavenly, right? Who wouldn’t want to walk in the shoes of an influencer and get all the moola along with the freebies while enjoying

stardom? But trust us, it’s not all as rainbow and revenue as it sounds.

All it takes is just one wrong piece of advice or an opinion that gets shunned, allowing fans to cancel an influencer and his/her career forever.

The other side of the picture

Quite recently, a blogger from Karachi posted a video of hate comments taken from a private women's community on Facebook. While she intended to troll her trolls, she forgot that taking screenshots from a private group is considered a serious offense.

Instantly, an uproar began on her Instagram account and the respective community, with fellow women calling her out for violating the group’s privacy and taking screenshots. She apologised publicly for breaching privacy but the damage was done. Her image

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as a fashionista, who is proud of her dusky skin and encourages others to embrace themselves, went down the drain.

Another eye-witness account surfaced where a young girl revealed how the much-famous Karachi Blogger ‘Girl Gotta Eat’ remained mum when her friend called a waiter a ‘fool’ for slicing a piece of cake wrong at a local eatery.

According to Aymen:

I was at a restaurant the other day, for iftar where this famous blogger @girlgottaeat was with her friends as well, on the table next to ours. Out of nowhere, we heard a woman talking to one of the waiters in a very condescending manner. Telling him that he had no common sense and that he should at least use his brain. Apparently, they cut the birthday cake wrong

and for this small reason, this very well-groomed lady on the outside, got so angry that she felt it was okay to belittle the waiter in front of everyone.

During all this, both her friends accompanying her, one of whom being the blogger remained silent.

Moreover, upon apologising, the waiter was again told how he should be sorry for doing such a stupid thing which ruined the cake.

Last year, a Lahore-based influencer got bashed for using lions as a prop at her birthday bash.

Back in 2020, a popular Instagram voice took the initiative of selling her mental health journals, post the suicide of Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput. What followed was a social media upheaval with her stating that her followers will ‘butcher’ the people who are calling out to her.

Not to forget, she along with several Twitter

Research says that 88% of people put the highest trust in recommendations from influencers they follow. 80% of consumers have bought something that was recommended by an influencer. This increases the level of impact a blogger, vlogger or a TikToker has on the internet users. After all, they are no less than their digital buddies who, unlike celebrities, share in-detail snippets of their life, often from their bedrooms.

Some of us might think that influencers have it all the easy way. But not all can handle fame so effortlessly and thus, get entangled in controversies.

The rest are subjected to cyber-bullying of the worst kind. We forget that content creation is indeed an art and is not everyone’s piece of cake. It requires immense courage to stand up in front of the tripod, get dolled up, think of innovative ways of creating entertaining content and expose your life to the world, only to get bullied and trolled in comments.

While every influencer has fans, some irksome keyboard warriors only exist to spread spite. Of course, the influencers make this bold choice to share their life with the world and should be prepared to bear the volleyball of verbal attacks that come their way.

Whether you see them as ‘winfluencers’ or ‘influenzas’; they are not vacating the digital sphere any time soon. There will continue to be social media stars who will be like mentors to us while there will be some who will fall from graces- revealing the dark side of an influencer life.

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