Latest news with #ExcuseMe
Express Tribune
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Mahira grows into her stardom
When Mahira Khan sits down for an interview, she makes it adequately evident that she is indeed a star, a performer who never fails to deliver. Her recent appearance on Excuse Me with Ahmad Ali Butt felt less like a Q&A and more like a rollercoaster ride through memories, mistakes, men and defending Fawad Khan's dance moves to calling Nadeem Baig an "addiction," Mahira's hour and a half-long tell-all speaks to her endless charm and candour. "I felt like a child again," Mahira recalled being on the set of Love Guru, her eyes gleaming. "I had the time of my life." After years of near misses and misfires — she famously said no to Punjab Nahi Jaungi and turned down a few other Nadeem Baig projects — Love Guru is her long-awaited collaboration with Pakistan's blockbuster director. "Nadeem Baig is an addiction," she confessed. "I wish I'd worked with him earlier." Turns out, it was worth the wait. "I was doing a dance with Nadeem at one point. I couldn't even understand what he was saying, but we just vibed," she said about her chemistry with the director. And while Mahira has always been known as an actor's actor, she was clear: it's directors who fascinate her. "I'm very amused by directors. Every director has their own unique personality," she mused. "Actors don't really do it for me. But directors, I fall in love with them." The brotherhood of blockbusters Mahira had nothing but praise for her co-star Humayun Saeed. "There's no one like him. He's generous, secure, and just has a big heart," she said. "He'll give the best line to his co-actor and say, 'It's your scene, speak now.'" But it wasn't just Humayun who got love. Her long-time collaborator Fawad as well as Fahad Mustafa and Bilal Ashraf, Mahira's favourite trio, were all in the mix. "I call Bilal 'Billu Bhai.' Every time I needed him, I'd call him and he'd show up." she smiled. "Fahad, on the other hand, is a fantastic dancer. I love dancing with him." On the other hand, Fawad, she candidly dubbed a "terrible dancer." While the duo's chemistry has delighted fans for years, Mahira revealed an equally intimate off-screen dynamic. "What I cherish about Fawad is those moments when he's true to himself. That's rare. I've always protected that side of him." Marriage and motherhood Mahira also opened up about her marriage and the fears that preceded it. "I was scared," she admitted. "Not of love, but of how it would affect Azlan. I chose to leave a marriage once. I didn't want my son to go through that again." It was Azlan who gave her the green light. "He said, 'Mama, what's wrong with you?' That's when I knew it was time." Now, Mahira is happily married to businessman Saleem Karim and glowing with gratitude. "Azlan loves him for his own reasons, not just because I do." Regardless of good and bad times, the star's faith in the universe remains unshaken. "I tell Azlan all the time: imagine, pray, and work hard for it. I'm a living example of manifestation," Mahira said, grinning. "I even wrote letters to the love of my life and became his Zaalima! But remember, every dream has a price." Calling out nonsense Mahira acknowledged that she should have addressed her differences with Khalil privately, saying, "He said that I should have called him. He's right." Following the widely publicised dispute between the two, the actor's mother also suggested the matter could have been handled more discreetly, citing Khalil's seniority. Still, Mahira maintained that the writer's remarks were unacceptable. "What he said was wrong," she said. "And in our industry, we only call people out when we have nothing to lose. That's not okay I can separate the artist from the man. And I have done that." Mahira and Khalil had a falling out after the writer verbally attacked human rights activist Marvi Sirmed on live television over her feminist views in 2020. Khalil took a hardline stance on the matter and repeatedly said he would neither forgive nor forget Mahira Khan's "cheap" tweet criticizing him. He often voiced his disappointment, arguing that instead of posting publicly, Mahira should have reached out to him privately to share her concerns. As for years of industry trolling, the star recalled regaining her confidence with age. "I used to feel guilty. Like I didn't deserve success. But now, I don't let it get to me. I actually believe that if people just meet me once, they'll be mesmerised," she deadpanned. Roots in Rampur Offering rare glimpses into her upbringing, the star spoke about her father, a double-MBA hippie who once lived on a Colombian island, carved wood, and played the flute. "He went to Woodstock in '69!" she said. "He was all about free love." On the other hand, her mother was a pioneering remedial teacher who fought to support children with autism and dyslexia. "She was one of the first to do it in our school. I'm so proud of her." Though her parents' marriage was rocky, Mahira's childhood was filled with music, cousins, and laughter. "I remember my dad playing No Woman No Cry during fights. There was chaos, but there was also love." When asked what's next, Mahira laughed: "I don't plan. I never have. My career's has been entirely intuitive." She wants to act more, direct soon, and maybe, just maybe, go back to school. "But only for three months. That's my limit," she quipped. The actor closed the podcast with her usual blend of honesty and sparkle: "I just want to do a lot more. And I want to enjoy it while it's happening because it never comes back."
Express Tribune
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
How Mani empowers Hira
In a world of boys, Mani is a gentleman — and he's past feeling apologetic about it. During his appearance on the podcast Excuse Me by Ahmad Ali Butt, the actor — known formally as Salman Saquib Sheikh — spoke up about the heartwarming bond that he shares with his wife, Hira Mani. "We have honestly moved past this. But people often question the fact that I support my wife too much," Mani said, before matter-of-factly stating, "That's how it should be, friend." The Teri Meri Kahaniyaan actor, who is a father to two sons, said that he would apply the same approach if he had a daughter. "I would've liked it if she was a swimmer or an athlete, since I'm a fan of sports," he said, adding that his priority would be to empower her, no matter her creative inclinations, so that she could stand on her own feet. 'Success inside the home' Contrary to popular belief regarding the matter, Mani doesn't believe there's anything wrong with being influenced by different cultures for a change. "We've seen that in societies where women work in tandem with men, there is less room for arguments and fights. There's also a sense of joy in such societies and a decrease in economic crises." Critiquing traditional methods, he observed, "We have enforced this extended family system where everyone must live together. Many people have brought this up, but I've said this long ago that we impose this system of clan values a little too much. Maybe this problem prevails over the entire subcontinent, so it includes India and Pakistan." Mani clarified that the point of saying all this isn't that he has become westernised, rather, that his mindful approach boils down to the basic level - the relationship between a husband and wife. "Even if I was married to someone else and if she had some sort of talent that she wanted to pursue, I wouldn't have stopped her, so that she wouldn't have a reason to one day say that she wasn't allowed to put in effort." The Yaqeen Ka Safar actor shared that he grew up in a family where creative pursuits were encouraged, regardless of gender. "So whether it's my wife, or daughter, or even my wife's sister, it would make me happy to see any relative of mine accomplish their goals." Countering the idea that it's difficult for people to applaud someone else's success, he said, "The success is still inside the home. It hasn't gone anywhere; it has just shifted. And even then, it tends to fluctuate. It swings back and forth between family members." Mani cited his wife as an example. "Hira has proved herself many times through her acting skills. There must have been times when something she did backfired on her, but she picked herself back up anyway. It's the same case with any of us. We only move forward from our ups and downs." An involved household It's not lost on Mani that Hira's efforts extend beyond her professional life. "She's always looking out for the kids. Even when she returns home, the kids want to eat her handmade food," he said, adding that his wife does all this during the days when she has "painful" drama shoots. When it comes to parenting, Mani makes sure to assert his place as the co-captain of the ship. Where Hira advocates for leniency and skipping school days from time to time, Mani strikes a balance by keeping his sons academically inclined. No compromises there. In turn, Hira's strictness elevates when it comes to running the household. "That is where she tells me not to intervene and that she can handle it," the Money Back Guarantee actor said. What makes the star couple's job easier is their kids' compliant maturity, especially when it comes to picking out the right company. "It's all in the genetics. They have this intuition when it comes to people, even if those people are my friends. They'd just tell me, 'Baba, we are not too sure about these people. We don't understand their vibe.'" This maturity applies even when it comes to the digital landscape, which Mani believes is a tricky plain for celebrities to navigate. "We have taught them that since we live in the limelight, we'd be subject to trolling, hate, and even lots of love. And now they fully understand this. That's why they don't have social media accounts, or at least not public ones." Mani recalled that his son Ibrahim got too much traction on an account, so he ended up deleting it. Meanwhile, his other son Muzammil is more concerned with posting edits online. "Aaron Paul from Breaking Bad once messaged him as well, so that's been Muzammil's biggest achievement so far." For Mani, parenting gets easier with age, as his kids are now old enough to turn the tables and advise him on right and wrong. "Ibrahim is well-informed, while Muzammil is very smart," he noted, remembering the moments when the two would guide him through world affairs and navigating the harsh side of the internet. "Those two are our check-and-balance."
Express Tribune
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Abrarul Haq believes industry is holding its musicians back
In an interview on YouTube podcast Excuse Me with Ahmad Ali Butt, Abrarul Haq shared why he believes that the Indian music scene is far more triumphant than the Pakistani one. "I feel that we have been going through a famine of creativity for a while now. We're only getting superhit songs from Bollywood, not from our end, and a big reason for that is that the industry is weak," he said. Drawing a comparison between himself and Atif Aslam, Haq added, "Atif went to India, where different people were working on his songs - someone on the lyrics, someone on composition. Only his voice was being used, so he steadily became popular. Why? Because he had the industry to back him. Can our singers in Pakistan say the same for themselves? No." Haq also used Rahat Fateh Ali Khan as an example of a Pakistani singer whose talent thrived in India because of the resources available. "The moment they got cut off from that industry, their numbers began declining," he said. "So my concern is, where are our composers? Where are our poets and music producers? How long is one singer going to put in all the effort?" The influence of social media The 56-year-old singer believes that the problem doesn't lie in reach, as social media has widely accessible platforms. "There is power in the content. But there is a lack of creativity that's holding it back." Recalling Noor Jehan's prime, he said, "Back in her time, she didn't compose all her tracks." Haq added that underground singers should be supported for all the effort that they are putting in on their own and that they deserve the industry's backing. Reflecting on how social media would have helped artists in his time, he added, "It could've been a big source of income for us. Currently, there are people out there who have stolen the rights to our works, which we are struggling to get back. If social media was available then, it would've helped out then." On the rap scene Haq lauded the upsurge of rap in the Pakistani music scene, especially in the younger generation. "Many people have the talent, ranging from performing rap to writing it. So many people have it that I honestly can't even name them all." However, there was a catch to his praises. "I still haven't seen someone who's multi-talented, though. You know, like someone who's also composing, arranging, and producing his own tracks. That, I haven't seen yet. But those emerging from Coke Studio do seem to have all those talents." Polite pitch to a rival Ever the creative musician, Haq also revealed that he wanted to make a song with Jawad Ahmed, someone who he has been famously at odds with. "I told him, 'Jawad, our animosity is a hit. We should make a song on it.'" After Ahmed asked what type of song Haq had in mind, the Punjabi Touch singer described a full music video, which would open with a little girl asking the two singers for autographs. However, this would escalate into a fight, resulting in the girl's book getting ripped, making the girl cry. "This is where the song would start," he said. Eventually, the video would end with the two on a plane together, holding their long-standing grudge, until the plane would be hijacked by terrorists. "We would fight them off and save the day, then ensure that the plane lands safely and end the music video by raising the country's flag together." Unfortunately, Ahmed rejected the prospect of working with Haq. "People often ask me what I think about him. But all I say is that I have no opinions. There's a lot of difference between me and that brother of mine. And I pray that Allah protects everyone's dignity."
Express Tribune
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Where does Faiza Saleem draw the line with jokes?
During an interview on the podcast Excuse Me with Ahmad Ali Butt, comedian Faiza Saleem shed light on the boundaries she follows in her professional life in order to make her content enjoyable on a mass scale. "I try to be mindful online because I know elders and children are watching me. So, I am a little bit careful with the content I put out - as much as I can be, since the content needs to be funny as well," she said. "You know how these things tend to be filtered? About ten more of those filters are imposed on women," Faiza revealed. "Religion, politics, sex, innuendos, foul language, remove all these things from the equation. We need to stay away from many of the taboo topics. So, that's something you need to think about a lot when posting online because people of all kinds, all ages, are watching you." However, the experience seems to differ when it comes to a live performance, where Faiza is allowed some leeway. "For improv or stand-up, I'm not that careful since it's a closed environment. And there's also the fact that most people who come to my shows know what they are paying for and what they're going to be getting. "Even then, I have noticed that there are certain people who make faces and leave halfway through," she countered, adding that this prompted an announcement in the beginning of the shows that if someone wanted to scowl, they were welcomed to take their leave right away instead of disrupting the show later on. "They shouldn't just have all the fun then be offended in the end and call me out on social media." In 2016, Faiza founded The Khawatoons, Pakistan's first all-women comedy troupe, which has been going strong for over eight years now. "We make sure to announce that the show is catered to an audience of a certain age group. Children are not allowed on the shows, so of course parents shouldn't be bringing them along. Still, some do bring their kids even though we strictly tell them not to," Faiza told Ahmad. Despite the fact that she has the freedom to push her comic boundaries during improv, restrictions are ever-present, though Faiza deems them necessary in certain settings. "We also have to assess the kind of audiences that we're receiving. Corporate shows are very proper; we follow certain guidelines there, which is important. That's the benefit of improv comedy. You have the opportunity to gauge your audience's likes and dislikes and move forward accordingly," she said. "There is a flow and a structure to improv, how we'll go about the day and such, but nothing is scripted," she said. "There's training for that, rehearsals on how to improvise, but nothing is written beforehand. There's only a basic outline." Making her own rules Faiza, who worked on the sitcom Hum Sab Ajeeb Se Hain, confessed that she is sceptical about signing on TV shows frequently. "If you do one thing well, you will likely be type-casted in the future. You'll get similar offers, which isn't something that I prefer doing. I am very picky about television," she shared. "This is especially the case when you become used to social media. Then it becomes difficult for you to abide by someone else's directions and work for longer hours than you usually do," she added. "Whereas when you go viral on social media, it offers a kind of instant gratification that is difficult to find elsewhere."
