Dilip Kumar passes away

Veteran Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar passed away on July 7, 2021, leaving a void where India’s first true superstar stood. Though irreplaceable, Dilip Kumar also leaves behind a precious body of work; films that entertained, inspired, and awed audiences of every age, through every era.

Kumar acted in 65 movies during his lifetimes. His iconic roles include his work in Mughal-e-Azam as Shahzada Saleem; in the tragic Devdas, Andaz, Aan and later in more ‘modern’ films such as Kranti, Karma, and Saudagar.

His trademark included his very involved and emotional dialogue delivery, the ability to project every emotion his character experienced through his facial expression and body language, and simply through his very powerful and distinctive voice.

Though understated in his manner, Dilip Kumar could emote enormously when the situation called for it. He also was the face of innumerable melodies, including the classic ‘Madhuban Mein Radhika Naachey’, ‘Do Sitaron Ka Zameen Par Milan’, and ‘Dilruba Mein’.

During his lifetime, he won, among awards for his acting work, national honors. Dilip Kumar was presented with a Padma Bhushan (1991), Nishan-e-Imtiaz by Pakistan (1998), and a Padma Vibhushan (2015).

He was laid to rest with full national honors, his casket draped in the national flag.

Asma Nabeel bids her final farewell

Creative professional and screenwriter extraordinaire Asma Nabeel passed away on July 1.

After a seven-year-long battle with cancer, Asma, who fought valiantly, and championed breast cancer awareness in Pakistan, leaves behind nothing but fond words and memories and a powerful body of work.

She began her professional life as a copywriter for Manhattan Leo Burnett and later went on to work for IAL, JWT, Orientm McCann and Walter.

After 17 long years in the advertising industry, Asma, who had done everything from creating phenomenal campaigns to establishing a creative department for one of her employers from the ground up, decided she was done.

With an interest in filmmaking and screenwriting, Asma set out to conquer this next horizon.

While she explored screenwriting and long-form storytelling, Asma didn’t settle for anything but the most impactful and thought-provoking.

She wrote several drama serials, including the super-popular Khaani, the topical Surkh Chandni, and brought to mainstream television a conversation about gender with Khuda Mera Bhi Hai.

Like herself, the protagonists of Asma’s dramas are strong women who fight for what they believe in till the end.

Rest in peace, Asma Nabeel, you will be greatly missed.

Adnan Siddiqui’s Dum Mastam
reveals first look

Slated for a 2020 release, like everything else in Pakistan and the world, Dum Mastam, featuring the film debut of TV actor Imran Ashraf had to wait before the world could see it shine.

A jubilant Adnan Siddiqui fronts his cast and crew as he announces that his “70-mm baby” is ready for release. We can see a brand-new poster, a video featuring the team in celebration and some quick behind-the-scenes looks, and the excitement of the Dum Mastam gang which threatens to spill out of our screens and into our lives if we look at it for too long. The team surrounds Rahat Fateh Ali Khan as he belts out the theme in this quick-look, flavor-of-Dum-Mastam video, and even if you aren’t a RFAK fan, or think Imran Ashraf was so annoying in that one drama, just think about how much heart went into something that still produces this kind of excitement even after a year.

Produced by Siddiqui himself and directed by Mohammad Ehtashamuddin, Dum Mastam sports a stellar cast apart from leads Imran Ashraf and Amar Khan. The cast includes Sohail Ahmed, Saleem Mairaj, Adnan Shah Tipu, and internet sensation Momin Saqib.

The poster for the film teases at the fun nature of the production, and the warmth that cast and crew have shared on their social handles have us excited to return to the theaters to watch Dum Mastam!

Mahira Khan returns to television with Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay

You just cant get enough of Mahira Khan! Though she serves up looks on the reg on her Insta, appears in commercials, and has done a bunch of films, we want more. And we want her on our TVs, so we can feel like we’re best friends with Mahira Khan.

Pakistan’s sweetheart Mahira Khan returns to a TV screen in your lounge, hand or whatever screen you like watching things on with an adaptation of Umera Ahmed’s Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay. Published first in the popular Kiran Digest in 2008, HKKST draws an ill-fated love triangle between cousins Mehreen, Mishaal and Aswad.

While we love Umera Ahmed and Mahira Khan, maybe the cousin-triangle story needs to stay in 2008? Because it has been done to death since then on TV. Whichever side of the fence you sit on, on this particular debate, we’re sure the production will be a good one, and the next time we see a powerful Mahira-Umera collab will be for a far more progressive narrative.