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Hindustan Times
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Sonu Kakkar says ‘love is the answer' as she reunites with siblings Neha Kakkar, Tony Kakkar a month after cutting ties
In April, singer Sonu Kakkar took to social media to announce that she was cutting ties with her siblings Neha Kakkar and Tony Kakkar. However, she deleted the post soon after. Now, the singer seems to have buried the hatchet, as she reunited with her siblings to celebrate their parents' anniversary. (Also Read: Neha Kakkar would send money to elder siblings Sonu, Tony Kakkar from Rishikesh while they were struggling in Mumbai) On Sunday, Neha Kakkar took to Instagram and shared several pictures from the intimate yet grand celebration of their parents' anniversary at their home. In a couple of the photos, her sister Sonu was also seen posing with the family for a sweet group picture. Tony Kakkar was seen holding her close in one of the images as she smiled for the camera. Sharing the photos and videos, Neha captioned the post, 'What a night!!!!! 🫶🏼', to which Sonu replied, 'Indeed ❤️.' A post shared by Neha Kakkar (@nehakakkar) Fans expressed happiness at seeing the siblings reunite. One of the comments read, 'Happy to see these siblings together again.' Another said, 'This celebration is as beautiful as their bond!' Some users, however, questioned whether Sonu's earlier post about cutting ties was merely for attention. Shortly after Neha's post, Sonu also took to Instagram and shared a story that read, 'Love is the answer!' In the now-deleted post on X, Sonu had written, 'Deeply devastated to inform you all that I am no longer a SISTER to the two talented Superstars, Tony Kakkar and Neha Kakkar. This decision of mine comes from a place of deep emotional pain, and I am truly disheartened today 🙏.' Sonu is a singer and the elder sister of Neha and Tony Kakkar. One of her most popular songs is Madari, which she performed on Coke Studio with Vishal Dadlani. She has also done playback singing for various films, including songs like Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo in Dum, Sayonee in Sandwich, Bareilly Ke Bazaar Mein in Jail, Yeh Kasoor in Jism 2, and London Thumakda in Queen, among others. She has served as a judge on singing reality shows such as Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Punjabi and Indian Idol 12.
IOL News
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Tyla unveils release date for her highly anticipated single 'Bliss'
South Africa superstar Tyla Seethal is set to release a new song titled 'Bliss'. Image: X New Tyla alert! The Met Gala is not the only occasion the 23-year-old superstar is gearing up for. Tyla has revealed the release date for her new single, 'Bliss'. The 'Water' hit-maker first previewed the song at her 2025 Coachella debut and later hinted at the single's arrival through a recent collaboration with Erewhon, where she launched a limited-edition smoothie, which was also called 'Bliss'. The smoothie, which is not only a tasty treat but also a way to give back, supports 18twenty8, an organisation empowering girls in South Africa through education and personal development strategies. The partnership with Erewhon may have been a subtle nod to her upcoming music release. Tyla has previously expressed her excitement to share her new music with the world, and it is clear that she's been working hard to create something special. Last year, in an interview with Coke Studio, the 23-year-old singer shared how she wanted to break away from her original sound when she released 'Tears', a single in collaboration with Coke Studio. With 'Tears', she showcased her enchanting vocals, revealing a more vulnerable side that is different from her previous work. Breaking away from the amapiano and pop sound that she is best known for, Tyla may be embarking on an exciting new journey with 'Bliss', and it is only a matter of time until fans get to experience it. The Grammy Award-winning singer also featured on 'Show Me Love', a single by South African artist WizTheMc. Tyla's part in the collaboration has taken the song to greater heights as it has since gone viral on TikTok, also topping the music charts. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Show Me Love (with Tyla) - Spotify Streams Day 15: 1,412,064 streams Day 16: 1,321,731 streams Total: 13,862,013 streams — Tygers Access 💓 (@TygersAccess) May 4, 2025 For fans, it was a nice treat to hear something different from Tyla after they have been enjoying her self-titled debut album. Tyla's upcoming song marks her first solo release since her debut album. With her previous hits and critically acclaimed debut album, her upcoming release is expected to make waves in the music industry. In a Billboard Women in Music interview, Tyla announced that she will release a new album later this year. 2025 is about to be yet another Tyla-filled year. As the release date approaches, fans are eagerly awaiting the music. Will it be a continuation of her previous work, or a bold new direction? One thing is certain: Tyla's 'Bliss' is a highly anticipated release set to showcase her versatility. With 'Bliss' set to drop on Friday, May 9, fans won't have to wait much longer to experience Tyla's latest creation.
India.com
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Blocked In India: 9 Pakistani Stars Indian Fans Can't Follow Anymore
photoDetails english 2895495 Updated:May 04, 2025, 04:27 PM IST Hania Aamir 1 / 9 Although Hania Aamir hasn't yet made her Bollywood debut, Indian fans adored her quirky and witty Instagram content. Recently, after Indian followers used VPNs to access her account, one fan commented, 'Don't worry, humne VPN subscription liya hai apke liye' (We've taken a VPN subscription for you). Touched by the gesture, Hania replied, 'Ro doongi' (I'm gonna cry), along with a heartfelt 'Love you' message. Mahira Khan 2 / 9 The Raees actress, famously known as the "Zaalima girl," enjoys massive popularity in India. Her account has also been restricted. Mahira made her Bollywood debut in 2017 opposite Shah Rukh Khan. Ali Zafar 3 / 9 A beloved singer and actor, Ali Zafar's Instagram is now inaccessible to Indian fans. He's known for his roles in Bollywood films such as Dear Zindagi, Tere Bin Laden, Chashme Baddoor, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, and more. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan 4 / 9 The legendary singer's social media accounts have also been banned in India. Renowned for his soulful voice, Rahat enjoys substantial popularity in the country. Momina Mustehsan 5 / 9 The Afreen Afreen singer became a fan favorite in India after her breakout performance on Coke Studio in 2016. She later sang Awari, and in 2017, was named one of BBC's 100 most influential women. Fawad Khan 6 / 9 One of the most talked-about actors recently, Fawad Khan was set to return to Bollywood with Abir Gulaal opposite Vaani Kapoor. However, the rom-com will no longer be released in India. His Instagram account is also now unavailable to Indian users. Mawra Hocane 7 / 9 Known for her role in Sanam Teri Kasam, Mawra Hocane recently expressed gratitude to her Indian fans for supporting the film's re-release. Her account is now restricted in India. Abida Parveen 8 / 9 The iconic Pakistani Sufi singer's Instagram account has also been banned in India. Her tracks such as Main Naraye Mastana, Pardadari, Chaap Tilak, and Aaqa are still celebrated across the country. Iqra Aziz 9 / 9 Iqra became a household name in India thanks to her beloved role as Ajiya Nazakat in Suno Chanda. Her portrayal of the quirky and lovable character earned her a loyal Indian fanbase.
News18
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Pakistani Singer Momina Mustehsan Faces Heat, Instagram SUSPENDED In India
Pakistani singer Momina Mustehsan's Instagram was suspended in India amid a crackdown on Pakistani personalities' social media after a terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir. Pakistani singer and songwriter Momina Mustehsan's Instagram account has reportedly been suspended in India. The move comes in the wake of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which left several tourists dead and heightened tensions in the region. Mustehsan's Instagram account is currently inaccessible to users in India. The Afreen Afreen siner joins a growing list of Pakistani celebrities whose social media presence in India has been curtailed, including acclaimed actors Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, Ali Zafar, Ayeza Khan, Sanam Saeed, Maya Ali, Iqra Aziz Hussain and Sajal Aly. So far, Momina hasn't reacted publicly. But fans in India have noticed the disappearance of her account and are sharing their confusion and disappointment online. Many have been following her for years, not just for her music but also for her thoughtful posts and positive messages. Indian users trying to access the accounts are met with a message saying: 'Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content." Momina Mustehsan rose to prominence as a co-singer and writer in Farhan Saeed's single Pi Jaun, and later sang the acclaimed song Awari for the Indian thriller film Ek Villain. Her claim to fame came later, when in 2016 she made her Coke Studio debut as a featured artist in season 9, with the ghazal song Afreen Afreen and the romantic song Tera Woh Pyar. This isn't the first time something like this has happened. In past situations where tensions have risen between India and Pakistan, steps like this (restricting access to certain apps, content, or profiles) have been taken to manage the situation. Right now, it's unclear if the blocks are temporary or long-term. This move comes just days after the Indian government blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels that had a combined following of over 63 million subscribers. The list included major news outlets like Dawn, Geo News, Bol News, and Samaa TV, as well as individual creators such as journalist Asma Shirazi and the popular digital talk show The Pakistan Experience. Government sources said the action was taken because some of the content was considered misleading, provocative, or harmful to peace and public order in India. On April 22, terror returned to Kashmir's scenic Pahalgam as armed militants opened fire on a group of tourists, turning a peaceful visit into a nightmare. According to accounts from survivors and grieving families, the attackers reportedly asked the tourists their names and religion before opening fire. Those who identified themselves as Hindus were shot dead on the spot, while Muslim individuals were reportedly asked to recite the Kalma before being spared. The brutality of the attack left 26 people dead, including a tourist from Nepal. Survivors, many of them women and relatives of the victims, were spared but told to go back and 'tell the government what happened," according to their statements to the media. First Published: May 03, 2025, 09:36 IST
Express Tribune
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Tethered to the homeland
Each essay in this anthology is a mosaic of childhood memories, family lore, and the national events that quietly shape one's identity, hence there is something deeply intimate about Home: It's Complicated. These are not just abstract reflections but lived experiences — stories of loss and longing, of resilience and rediscovery. Some recount personal tragedies, others moments of quiet joy; some trace the pursuit of justice, others the search for belonging. Yet, woven together, they resist any singular narrative of Pakistan, offering instead a layered, deeply human portrayal of the homeland. Home is not just a place but a feeling — one found in the warmth of family traditions, the weight of generational traumas, and the unexpected moments that tether us to where we come from. The writers in this collection deal with their own histories, questioning what ties them to their homeland and what pushes them away. At the heart of many essays is the idea that home is stitched together by cultural markers — food, music, poetry, sports. Azra Raza, a cancer researcher in the US, clings to Urdu poetry, a legacy from her migrant parents — who sought to preserve the 'courtesy culture' of Aligarh and Lucknow. Now, she harbours the same 'immigrant's anxiety' to pass this heritage to her daughter living in the US. Similarly, Farrukh Karim Khan finds solace in music, declaring that while Pakistan may be 'sad, disillusioned, even broken,' it still finds joy and unity in Coke Studio's melodies. Cricket, another national obsession, emerges as a powerful metaphor in multiple essays. Omar Shahid Hamid, a police officer and crime novelist, compares his tumultuous relationship with Pakistan to the unpredictability of its cricket team — breaking hearts one moment, soaring the next. For many expatriate Pakistanis, cricket serves as a powerful link to their homeland. Muhammad Ali Bandyal, now a journalist in Dubai, echoes this sentiment, describing the life of a Pakistani expatriate as either 'hair-tearing or chest-thumping,' depending on the cricket team's performance. Likewise, Ali Khan, raised across continents as the son of a diplomat, found cricket to be his strongest connection to home. No matter where they lived, his father ensured their ever-changing residence always had space for net practice and indoor cricket. Meanwhile, Seher Fatema Vora, a second-generation Pakistani-American, is drawn to her Pakistani roots through familiar comforts — the rich flavours of nihari and the familiar sounds of Urdu. She recounts how experiencing Islamophobia, in post-9/11 America, pushed her to embrace her Muslim and Pakistani heritage even more openly. But for some home is not just a source of comfort — it can also be a set of shackles. Sundus Saqib's essay is a stark reminder of this unfortunate reality, recounting how she was forced to abandon her education and adventurous spirit for marriage and motherhood. The burden of patriarchy, rigid societal expectations, and outdated values appear throughout the anthology, reminding us that for many, home is not just complicated — it is stifling. Zofishan Umair recalls how, even in childhood, relatives viewed her body through the lens of motherhood, while Aisha Sarwari compares Pakistan to an oppressed bahu [daughter-in-law] exploited by her overbearing nands [sisters-in-law]. Zofishan's essay is filled with stories of women who refused to be defined by their circumstances — women like Qandeel Baloch and Saba Qaiser, whose defiance came at a cost but whose legacies challenge societal norms. Aisha insists it is time for the 'founding mothers' to take the forefront from the 'founding fathers'. Amber Zafar Khan in her essay highlights the double standards within a patriarchal household — while her uncle, Nakhshab Jarchavi, thrived as a poet and filmmaker, the performing arts were deemed unfit for women of the house. Growing up under her father's strict puritanical rules, creative expression had little room, and it was only later in life that she was able to pursue music on her own terms. The writers in the anthology also explore the traumas of migration — both their own and their ancestors' — and the fractured sense of identity that follows. Writers such Sameer Khan and Arsalan Athar embody this struggle, tackle issues to do with identities that previous generations withheld, if not erased. Now living in New York's Jackson Heights, Sameer catches glimpses of home in Bengali street vendors and Gujrati shop assistants, yet his nationalistic instincts clash with fellow South Asians who romanticise pre-Partition India or long for its reunification. Khaled Anam, in 'Kaleidoscope of Dreams', offers a starkly different perspective. Raised in privilege near Karachi's Passenger Pier, he views Partition through a more idealistic lens. Calling it a 'political requirement of 1947,' he even suggests a reunification with India, drawing parallels to Germany's unification — a stance that sharply contrasts with Sameer's, for whom Partition is defined by the sacrifices of his ancestors. Bee Gul's account adds another layer to Partition's legacy. Her maternal grandmother lived in a house once owned by a Hindu man who, despite being forced to leave, returned every year to visit. The home, imbued with the ghosts of migration, became a lingering symbol of loss and displacement. People inhabiting the pages of Home: It's Complicated navigate the familiar terrain of nostalgia — yearning for lost homes, childhood flavours, or cultural symbols. Saba Karim Khan introduces the term 'expatsplaining' to describe the often critiqued tendency of diaspora writers to exoticise Pakistan, romanticising mangoes, mosques, and monsoon-drenched earth. There was one essay that I believe disrupts this pattern. I personally found Dur-e-Aziz Amna's defense of Islamabad's architecture the most compelling read. Rather than indulging in the sentimental pull of an 'authentic' past, she defends Islamabad — a city often dismissed as soulless or too modern. Where others see sterility, she finds an intentional, post-colonial vision of nationhood. Amna does not apologise for its modernist design but treats it as a national honour. Her essay suggests that home does not have to be a relic of the past; it can also be a place still in the making. A similar non-apologist celebration of one's national identity is explored by Osama Siddique. Reflecting why he stays in Pakistan despite its challenges, he finds his answer in the country's generosity and humor — the hospitality of strangers, and the wit embedded in everyday conversation. Beyond its individual stories, what makes this anthology particularly compelling is how it intertwines personal narratives with historical and political events. Omar Shahid Hamid, as a police officer, has lived through Karachi's most violent moments, investigating high-profile assassinations and terrorist attacks, yet he keeps returning, unable to sever his connection with the city. The retelling of national events through individual perspectives transforms history into something deeply felt rather than abstract — whether it's Ali Khan reminiscing about watching Pakistan's 1992 World Cup victory in his Cambridge apartment with friends from India and Pakistan, Seher Fatema Vora recalling how her family nearly got caught in the ensuing chaos in the aftermath of Benazir Bhutto's assassination, or Nadeem Farooq Paracha tracing Pakistan's ideological evolution through his father's political struggles, these essays reveal how personal histories intertwine with national events. Each account bridges the personal and the political, much like the anthology itself. Despite the anthology's recurring themes of loss, disillusionment, and fractured identities, it does not leave the reader hopeless. If anything, it highlights resilience — the ability to endure, to redefine home, to carve out spaces of belonging even in exile. It acknowledges Pakistan's flaws without erasing the love its people hold for it, however complicated that love may be. Home: It's Complicated is an important addition to the discourse on Pakistan's identity, adding layers of nuance to the way we understand belonging, displacement, and national memory. Through these deeply personal essays, we see a Pakistan that is not made of a monolith narrative but a cacophony of unique experiences — some painful, some beautiful, all undeniably real. Tayyaba Iftikhar is a lecturer of English at a public college, with a research focus on postcolonial historical fiction and memory studies All facts and information is the sole responsibility of the writer
