THE GRAPEVINE

Praise Across Wagah

While we understand that India is a big showbiz market, we must realise that we are a nation of extremely talented artists. Our very own Hania Aamir is a fine actress whose work in the play Kabhi Mein Kabhi Tum is being liked. It also got the attention of Indian interviewer Faridoon Shahryar (nothing to write home about regarding his interviewing skills) who has invited the actress for a chitchat session. This has been treated in our neck of the woods as big news. Well, it’s good that her talent is being recognised across the border. But we think that Hania A is destined to go way beyond that border!
Humsafar on Stage

After an Indian court’s decision, taken a year back, of allowing India’s companies and individuals to work with Pakistani artists, news is that a stage adaptation of Pakistani super-hit drama series Humsafar is on the anvil. This bodes well for both countries. After a long period of border tensions and no collab between the fankaar community, things are finally looking up. Some kind of backchannel diplomacy is at work here… and it seems to be working fine.
The Breakup Plan

What an interesting place the world has become! After the slight rumour that Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift might part ways, a public relations company representing the former came out with a ‘breakup plan’ or a media strategy should the sportsman split with the pop star. When the document got leaked, Travis K’s spokesman said, “These documents are entirely false and fabricated and were not created, issued, or authorised by this agency.” Hmmm… even if they’re false, there’s no harm in keeping them. You never know when they might become useful…
Waka Waka Taxa!

Columbian pop singer Shakira was mired in a tax evasion case in Spain where, the government claims, she lived from 2012 to 2014. She denied the charges, arguing she wasn’t a resident of the country for that time period. Last year, however, she settled things by coughing up $7.5 million and a three-year suspended sentence. The vocalist is adamant she went for the settlement despite doing nothing wrong, as her latest statement goes: “I made the decisions to protect them [her two kids], to be by their side, not out of cowardice or guilt.” Yep, that’s right, wrongdoers aren’t cowards.  
Tom Cruise Wannabe

Salman Khan is busy shooting for the movie Sikandar, helmed by AR Murugadoss. But while filming an aerial scene, in which he was required to hang from a plane at an altitude of 33,000 feet (à la Tom Cruise), the Bollywood A-lister broke two of his ribs. Reports suggest that while he is on the mend, he is feeling fine and is still working. We wish him a full and speedy recovery and would like to say to him that all good actors go through such times. Wait. Good actors… bad actors, too…
It’s a Girl!

On September 8, Deepika Padukone and her husband Ranveer Singh became the proud parents of a baby girl. The couple announced the khushkhabri on Instagram with a short message that read: “Welcome baby girl! 8.9.24. Deepika and Ranveer.” There was no photograph and the text was placed against a white backdrop. Congratulations to the two of them. May the child bring a lot of happiness to the family, in the shape of Deepika P’s beauty and Ranveer S’ energy! Hopefully it isn’t the other way around…
Published in Dawn, ICON, September 15th, 2024