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'Toot Gaya' gives 'Love Guru' a heartfelt, melancholic kick
'Toot Gaya' gives 'Love Guru' a heartfelt, melancholic kick

Express Tribune

time12 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • Express Tribune

'Toot Gaya' gives 'Love Guru' a heartfelt, melancholic kick

Anticipation for Love Guru grows the closer we get to the release date. And that's not just because Eid is within reach but also thanks to every snippet and song from the romantic comedy that is being unveiled prior to the big day. The creators are back to break our hearts with a melancholic number from the soundtrack, titled Toot Gaya. The stirring song strums its way into your soul before sweeping you off your feet with the lyrics, floating over clips of the yearning love interests. Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed's wistful chemistry adds an extra kick as the harmonic blend of vocals from Yashal Shahid, Farhan Saeed, Zain and Zohaib take you on an emotional ride. While the song departs on a high note, leaving you aching for more, it's a fulfilling tease for fans lying in wait for the film. Many of Farhan's fans stormed the comments section, with one user writing, "This man just rips your soul apart with that smooth, honey-like voice of his. It's so raw and rich in emotion. It's like flames setting water alight." Meanwhile, Mahira's fans noted that the song brought out the best in the actor, as a user gushed, "Oh, my God. Perfect. This is purely Mahira-coded. The depth, impact, and gravity – this is where our Mahira shines the brightest! This video left me craving for so much more! Cant wait for the release!" Yashal and Humayun's fans were also not to be taken lightly as they sent their many compliments to the artists for elevating the song with their presence, confident that the film will impress audiences far and wide after it hits theatres. Tracks that were unveiled before Toot Gaya included Pashto dance song Sada Ashna, groovy party number Aa Tenu, and title track Dil Toran Waleya. What to expect The official trailer for Love Guru dropped in May, flaunting a star-studded cast of Humayun, Mahira, Javed Sheikh, Marina Khan, Mira Sethi, Sohai Ali Abro, and more. Helmed by Nadeem Baig, the film is slated to hit theatres this Eidul Azha. Set in London, the romantic comedy follows Humayun's love-hopping character as he vows to rescue all women one romantic connection at a time. "My love isn't for one woman. I want to save them all through this love," he says. Enter Mahira's Sophia Khan, an architect who is all set to get married, oblivious to the interference that's going to change everything. Signing on his new assignment, our love expert conspires with Sophia's father to prevent the marriage from happening. Cue a montage of meet-cutes, comedic moments, and banter that amps up the chemistry between our two leads, promising the audience a film packed with heart-swelling moments. The trailer also teases the film's music, from upbeat dance numbers to romantic ballads, as the two groove to the rhythm or take to the skies in a hot air balloon. Much like the shot of the two soaring through the clouds, the film is infused with scenic moments that add to the adrenaline kick that the love story offers. From an intimate boat ride to road trips across a winding landscape, the film lands a lasting visual impression on its wonderstruck audience. With a screenplay penned by Vasay Chaudhry, a key appeal of the film is the reunion of the Bin Roye stars in what appears to be another tale packed with obstacles that challenge the leads' affection for each other. We'll find out soon whether or not Humayun and Mahira's characters will trump the odds dividing them.

We must dig deep to figure out someone's intentions'
We must dig deep to figure out someone's intentions'

Express Tribune

time3 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Express Tribune

We must dig deep to figure out someone's intentions'

In an interview with Ambreen Fatima, fashion designer Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (HSY) shared his views on the vitriol that actors like Fawad Khan and Hania Aamir received for not condemning India's war crimes as strongly as their fans hoped they would. "The eyes are the windows to a man's soul. One must dig deep to figure out what someone's actual mindset and intentions are," HSY said. "I know Fawad very well, and I know how much of a die-hard Pakistani he truly is. He's my friend." The designer also added Mahira Khan to his observation. "Mahira, another friend of mine, is devoted to Pakistan. I know how much she works to promote the Pakistani sentiment and does what she can for those who cannot raise their own voices." Bringing up yet another showbiz friend, he continued, "Hania is a relatively recent entry in the industry. I've seen her since the beginning of her career. I've also worked with her. We're friends and we share mutuals. Hania is very pro-Pakistan." HSY reckoned that the criticism was fuelled by a collective anger or passion that netizens have for showbiz. "Those watching must believe that they are a part of a celebrity's life, and rightfully so because they are involved in everything, be it the movies or the promotions," he acknowledged. HSY reasoned that, perhaps, the mentioned stars weren't able to express themselves as strongly as their fans were hoping they would. "I can't say anything about that because your opinions are valid," he said. "But I can vouch for my friends and safely say that they didn't intend to cause any hurt." The designer added that everyone can speculate as much as they want, but they won't have the answers to everything. In the same way, he can speak about Fawad at a friend's capacity, nothing less or more. "I am aware of the public's disapproval of his statement," HSY said. "Because he is my friend, I'll share my perception of him. But neither has anyone paid me to do so nor is this benefitting me in any way. HSY is going to remain HSY. But I can uplift someone else's truth because that's the right thing to do." He, however, reiterated that public criticisms weren't misplaced. "Yes, the public's belief that celebrities should confidently speak out is valid. And we are the ones who should be taking that stand because every drop counts and makes one Pakistan, which is not a small thing. So wherever I am qualified to talk about Pakistan, I try to do so to the best of my abilities," he vowed. What the stars said Following India's aerial attack on Pakistani civilians last month, multiple local celebrities took to social media to condemn the aggression, stand in solidarity with the victims, and call out Indian celebrities who celebrated the loss of lives in Pakistan. This included Mahira, who decried India's "war and hate rhetoric" and asserted that the Indian entertainment industry was claiming victory in fear-induced silence. "To me, that silence is your greatest defeat. You attack cities in the middle of the night and call it a victory? Shame on you," she said. Fawad, meanwhile, offered his deepest condolences to those injured and killed in "this shameful attack". Adding a prayer for the deceased and the bereaved, he said, "A respectful request to all: stop stoking the flames with rabble-rousing words. It's not worth the lives of innocent people. May better sense prevail, InshaAllah. Pakistan Zindabad!" Joining the chorus, Hania rued India's aggression with a heavy heart. "A child is gone. Families are shattered. And for what? This is not how you protect anyone. This is cruelty - plain and simple. You don't get to bomb innocent people and call it a strategy. This isn't strength. This is shameful. This is cowardly. And we see you." Netizens criticised some of the artists for not outright naming India as the aggressor and upholding peaceful sentiments while Indian artists stood by their war-mongering narrative.

Mahira grows into her stardom
Mahira grows into her stardom

Express Tribune

time27-05-2025

  • 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."

Mahira Malini (Editor and Lover of Christian Literature) Q&A with a Christian Author
Mahira Malini (Editor and Lover of Christian Literature) Q&A with a Christian Author

Time Business News

time27-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Time Business News

Mahira Malini (Editor and Lover of Christian Literature) Q&A with a Christian Author

I'm delighted to welcome American author J. Edwards Holt to this Q&A session. As an editor specializing in Christian literature here in South India, I've had the pleasure of reading several of your works. I deeply appreciate not only the readability of your storytelling but also the thoughtful way you weave the underlying Christian message into modern narratives. Today, we'll explore the theme 'Incorporating Christianity into Modern Literature.' Mahira: Hello, J. Edwards Holt. Thank you so much for joining me for this Q&A session about writing Christian books. I hope you're doing well today, J. J.: I'm doing well, Mahira and I hope you are too. Mahira: Thanks, I'm doing great. Let's go ahead and get started by diving into some questions. Balancing Faith and Narrative: Q (Mahira): First off J, how do you ensure that your Christian themes enhance the story rather than interrupt the flow or come across as didactic? A (J.): When I begin a new project, my first commitment is to the characters and their emotional journeys. Faith elements only enter the manuscript when they arise organically from a character's struggle. In my memoir and in my novels, I've found that readers stay engaged when spiritual highs and lows are rooted in real human stakes like grief, hope, betrayal or redemption. If a scene demands a moment of prayer, it flows from the plot's pressure point rather than feeling like an inserted sermon. That way, the Christian themes feel like the story's heartbeat instead of a break in the action. Character Development: Q: What techniques do you use to create characters whose faith journeys feel authentic and relatable to a contemporary audience? A: Authenticity comes from drawing on the messy, complicated moments of my own life. I don't write characters who immediately find the right Bible verse and everything is solved. Instead I show the late-night prayers that feel unanswered, the doubt that makes you question whether God is listening, and the slow, sometimes painful steps toward trust. By portraying faith as something you wrestle with, whether that be through anxiety attacks, strained relationships and small acts of courage, readers from all backgrounds see themselves in the characters' imperfect journeys. Modern Contexts: Q: In what ways do you adapt biblical truths to address today's social and cultural challenges without compromising the integrity of Scripture? A: Adapting biblical truths to today's culture means identifying the timeless heart beneath new challenges. In previous talks I've explored issues like social media shame and the refugee crisis by returning to principles of hospitality, mercy and justice. When a story features online bullying, I show characters practicing forgiveness toward a digital aggressor. When I write about displaced families, I lean on the command to 'welcome the stranger' as both a moral imperative and a plot driver. This approach lets ancient wisdom speak into twenty-first-century dilemmas without feeling forced or outdated. Subtlety vs. Explicitness: Q: How do you decide when to present Christianity overtly and when to let it emerge more subtly through plot and character? A: Deciding how overt to be depends on setting and tone. If my scene takes place in a bustling office, a quiet gesture like paying a coworker's medical bill or offering a listening ear can stand in for an unspoken sermon. But if a story were to turn toward a church potluck or a prayer vigil, it makes sense for characters to sing hymns and share scripture passages out loud. My aim is coherence: every faith moment should feel natural to the world I've built, whether it emerges in whispered prayer or in the painted words of a sermon banner. Engaging Secular Readers: Q: What strategies have you found effective for writing Christian-themed literature that resonates with readers who may not share your faith background? A: To reach readers outside the faith community, I begin with universal themes such as loss, hope and moral courage. I avoid insider Christian jargon and let spiritual layers reveal themselves through character conflict. Many of my secular readers tell me they picked up one of my novels for its suspenseful plot or its exploration of mental health, and stayed because of the quiet message of redemption woven through each chapter. By showing rather than telling, or by letting characters discover grace on their own terms, I invite readers of any background into the story. Avoiding Clichés: Q: Christian fiction can sometimes fall into tropes or stereotypes. How do you keep your work fresh and avoid predictable patterns? A: I steer clear of two-dimensional 'perfect believers' or villainous 'sinners.' Instead I write characters who wrestle with their own anger, heroes who wonder if prayer even works, and leaders whose charity springs partly from guilt. To refresh my own perspective I read thrillers, literary novels, and memoirs outside of Christian fiction and borrow narrative techniques that feel new. This cross-pollination helps me surprise readers who might expect worn-out tropes and shows that stories with faith at their core can still innovate. Symbolism and Allegory: Q: Do you employ biblical allegory or symbolism in your narratives? If so, can you share an example of how you've done this effectively? A: I prefer everyday symbols with layered meanings, like a seed pushing through concrete, or a broken window that the protagonist gradually learns to repair, or even a recurring family photograph that shifts from faded and torn to vibrant and restored. I let these images echo spiritual truths about resilience, renewal and God's quiet presence. By weaving symbolic details into the background of a scene rather than spotlighting them, the deeper meanings seep in almost unconsciously, inviting readers to reflect without feeling lectured. Dialogue and Authenticity: Q: How do you craft dialogue around faith issues so that it sounds natural, honest, and avoids platitudes? A: Real conversation rarely unfolds in polished sentences, especially around faith. I spend time listening in coffee shops, support groups and church gatherings, absorbing how people actually speak to one another about doubt and belief. In my drafts, I keep 'ums,' hesitations and truncated thoughts, like 'I just…sometimes wonder if God even hears me,' and then pare back only as much as the scene needs to remain readable. Honest, imperfect dialogue builds empathy and lets characters' faith feel lived-in rather than rehearsed. Publishing Landscape: Q: As a Christian author, what challenges and opportunities have you encountered in today's publishing industry? A: Christian publishing has widened its reach through digital platforms and independent presses, creating space for diverse voices and fresh styles. Mainstream houses still proceed cautiously with overtly spiritual content, so I've worked with both types: faith-imprint editors who champion every gospel reference and secular editors who look for crossover appeal. Navigating those two markets can be challenging, but it's also invigorating to see how different audiences respond when you tell a compelling story grounded in Christian hope. Vision for the Future: Q: Looking ahead, how do you hope Christian literature will evolve in the next decade, and what role would you like your work to play in that evolution? A: I hope Christian literature will continue to diversify in authorship, in subject matter and in narrative form. I'd like to see more novels that tackle emerging ethical questions in technology or modern dilemmas, told by writers of varied backgrounds. If my work can help expand the tent, showing that faith-based stories belong alongside the best of contemporary fiction, I'll consider that a success. My prayer is that in the next decade Christian literature will be known not only for its message but for its literary excellence and its willingness to push creative boundaries. (Mahira): That is fantastic, sir. Thank you so much again J. Edwards Holt for coming on with us today and giving us some insight into the inspiration behind your literary works. (J.) Anytime, Mahira. It was great talking with you! TIME BUSINESS NEWS

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