In an exclusive event for media, Coca-Cola unveiled the FIFA World Cup Trophy. The event was attended by Pakistan National men’s and women’s football teams and the who’s who of Pakistan’s fashion, sports and entertainment fraternity.
The PR was handled by Asiatic Public Relations.
Star-studded premieres of # GlucoAlllahyarAndTheLegendofMa rkhor, produced by 3rd World Studios in association with #ARYFilms, were held in Lahore and Karachi on 30th and 31st January 2018 respectively.
Produced by 3rd World Studios and spearheaded by Uzair Zaheer Khan, the film aims to educate children to also play their part in protecting the environment. The voiceovers are done by some of the leading names of the Pakistani film industry such as Ali Noor, Arieb Azhar, Ali Rehman Khan, Hareem Farooq, Arshad Mehmood, Nadia Jamil, Amjad Chaudhry, Ahmed Ali, Anum Zaidi, Azfar Jafri and Natasha Humera Ejaz.
Pritti Nanda organised So Pritti a multi designer trunk show at Roda Al Murooj Hotel in Dubai where designers like Saadia Mirza and Munib Nawaz participated from Pakistan and Rimple and Harpreet Narula of Padmavat fame from India.
The Citizens Foundation (TCF), organised the Finale of Obhartay Sitaray 2018, where contestants were school going children brimming with the passion for music and singing. Obhartay Sitaray is an annual inter-school singing competition that provides students a platform to prove their passion for singing with the opportunity to raise funds for education of the less-privileged children of TCF. The Chief Guest of the event was the US Consul General Mr. Grace W. Shelton.
The story
Rani Padmavati (Deepika Padukone) – the wife of Maharawal Ratan Singh (Shahid Kapoor), is known for her beauty and valor in 13th century India. She captures the fancy of the reigning Sultan of Delhi, the tyrant Alauddin Khilji (Ranveer Singh), who becomes obsessed with her and goes to great lengths to fulfill his greed.
The review
Based on a Sufi poem of the same name written in 1540 by Malik Muhammad Jayasi, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has added his own flair and interpretation to ‘Padmaavat’, giving it a fairy-tale sheen. This makes all the controversy pointless, and pale in comparison to the spectacle that unfolds. Bhansali reunites with two of his favorite leads in recent times – Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, but adds Shahid Kapoor to complete this trio of commendable acting talent.
Shahid is steadfast and unflappable as Maharawal Ratan Singh – the ruler of Mewar, brimming with Rajput pride. He brings a regal aura to the character that warrants him winning the confidence and loyalty of the Mewar kingdom and more importantly, Rani Padmavati’s heart. Deepika is radiant as the Rajput Queen whose beauty, brains and valor moves the entire plot along once Alauddin Khilji becomes obsessed with her. Padmavati’s allure beyond the superficial is prominent post-interval, when her character comes to life and she gets to showcase her acting range.
Ranveer as Alauddin Khilji is seen as an unhinged, barbaric Sultan, who is consumed with a ravenous libido for power and flesh. He unleashes an animal magnetism on screen with a scarred face, kohl-lined eyes and a greased torso. The scenes between him and Shahid are some of the most engrossing, as both flex their acting muscles at opposite ends of the moral spectrum.
Besides them, Aditi Rao Hydari stands her ground as the naive Mehrunissa who gets a rude awakening when she discovers her husband Alauddin’s true nature. Jim Sarbh is somewhat misplaced as the Sultan’s slave-general, unable to generate enough menace to overshadow his master’s own. Nonetheless, the ensemble moves well in tune with Bhansali’s vision of this larger-than-life retelling.
The director’s expertise in heightening opulence and grandeur is well-known, further distinct in 3D. Cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee compliments him by beautifully capturing some jaw-dropping scenery. However, the effects in the action/ war scenes don’t meet the expectations raised by a film of this scale. Also, the songs don’t do much to further the narrative other than providing visual delight. Granted, it could do with a tauter screenplay and shorter run-time but ‘Padmaavat’ is an entertaining, large canvas experience, brought to life with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s stroke of visual brilliance.
By The Way – a rapid fashion brand opened their first ever store out of Lahore in the city of lights; Karachi at Dolmen mall, Clifton. With its new store, BTW has gone nationwide in the span of only 1.5 years. The brand has come a long way in such a short period of time and is aiming to go further with its premium quality products and unbeatable price range.
Cornetto Pop Rock season 3 started off with an amazing concert. Catch the highlights of the event in the pictures.
Askshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor’s upcoming movie, Padman, is all set to come out on January 25 and it is about taboos surrounding the topic of menstruation.
The producer of the movie and Akshay’s wife Twinkle Khanna was recently invited to Oxford University to discuss PadMan and all the taboos attached to the subject. Malala Yousufzai was also present at the discussion and showed full support for the film and what it stands for.
While presenting her argument at the Oxford Union, the actor turned columnist said, “I hope this movie becomes a movement where women are no longer held back or shamed for their biological functions.”
PadMan became the first Indian film that became a topic of discussion at The Oxford Union. Explaining why she chose to address the disgrace around menstrual hygiene in her debut production, Twinkle said, “My primary motivation to make a movie on menstruation was to bring awareness to a subject that so far has been tucked away in shadows and like Voldemort – the dark lord from Harry Potter, it is never mentioned.”
Mrs Funnybones also discussed with Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai why is it important to end the taboos around menstruation.
Talking about what attracted Twinkle to make Arunachalam Muruganantham’s story of revolutionizing sanitary hygiene in rural India, into a movie, Twinkle said, “He is a man whom most people would have perhaps dismissed because he was not fluent in English- but he went on from being a school dropout to an award-winning innovator.”
Addressing the students of Oxford University, Twinkle presented her view on failure. “I would say failure has been my role model. Every time there was an obstacle in my life, I examined it, and invariably it taught me something about myself or the world around me that I didn’t know. To not be afraid to keep leaping is what I’ve always believed in.”
The film is ready to hit the box-office on January 25th.
Pakistan’s numero uno entertainment network HUM Network Limited, celebrated the 13th anniversary of its premier entertainment channel HUM TV on January 19, 2018 in Karachi in a special transmission of Jago Pakistan Jago hosted by the gorgeous Sanam Jung. The anniversary transmission attended by the prominent faces of the country’s entertainment landscape included Bushra Ansari, Kubra Khan, Adnan Siddiqui, Imran Ashraf and Yasir Hussain. The new look of HUM TV was revealed and raised curtain for its upcoming mega projects.
Pan Asian cuisine has always been known for its blend of complex flavors, and at Tao, you can experience it all as there is something for everyone.
However, it falls into neither the ‘mind-blowing’ nor ‘terrible’ categories, and is a space where different people with different tastes can find something they like. Unlikely to be anyone’s favorite restaurant, it is equally unlikely to a hated spot. Tao is pleasant, inoffensive and safely middle of the road. While many restaurants are polarizing, Tao’s perfect averageness actually makes it universally acceptable.
Combining elegance and a refined ambiance, Tao achieves a rare zen-like balance evoking a sophisticated vibe. The soft lighting and unique cool interiors are both comforting and calming.
The space has been utilized very well with a variety of seating options, accommodating a cozy dinner for two, a meal with a large group of friends or perhaps a live sushi bar where you can sit on stools as your sushi is prepared right in front of you. But it is the splash of a fountain that you notice almost immediately as you enter Tao which allows for a soothing and relaxed atmosphere.
The menu has an extensive array of modern Asian cuisine with a variety that comprises the full spectrum of flavors ensuring that there is something for everyone. With wide ranging choices from soups, starters, salads, and sushi the main courses start on the sixth page of the menu. By keeping a Pan Asian theme, the restaurant is able to serve an assortment of dishes ranging from Japanese to Thai to Chinese. Most of this is traditional fare injected with subtle continental influences.
It would have been nice to be served a bread basket or some kind of amuse-bouche before the meal. Anything to nibble on while customers wait, even something as simple as green tea would be appreciated. It is subtle little touches like that make dining out special, and the absence of this detail is felt strongly.
Covered in a rich, sweet glaze, the ‘Salmon Teriyaki’ might have been interesting if it was not overcooked. Salmon should have a silken texture and melt in your mouth, this was dry and rough to the extent that the excellent teriyaki sauce could not save it.
Recommended by the server, the ‘Crispy Beef’ was very good. Richly flavored and juicy despite being thin cut it had a serious kick and was satisfying.
‘Spicy Crispy Vegetables’ was a personal favorite with its play on textures and unique tangy sauce. Deliciously crisp on the outside and soft and tender inside, it was deceptively simple definitely a dish one worth returning.
‘Pad Thai’ is an iconic and popular Thai dish and mandatory to fully experience the cuisine. Chewy rice noodles with bean sprouts tofu create an interesting blend of flavors without one note overpowering the others. The earthiness of the noodles was lovely, but it could have used a touch of lime.
The drinks may have been the best part of the meal. Instead of leaving it as an afterthought, the drinks seem to be specifically designed to complement all the dishes well. The ‘mint ginger lemonade’ was refreshing (because of the mint) and exciting (because of the ginger). If you are in the mood for something fruitier, the strawberry lemonade is also excellent.
The overall food at Tao is not that mind-blowing neither a disaster, you get everything sitting under a single roof.
Rating: 4/5
Food: 3 | Ambiance: 4.5 | Service: 5 | Value for money: 3.5