Have you heard? Pak’s Netflix debut, and it had to be him!

Fawad Khan

Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan's Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo will become the first Pakistani show to stream on a global platform, on Netflix. The series, which also stars Sanam Saeed and Ahad Riza Mir, is an official adaptation of Farhat Ishtiaq's bestselling 2013 Urdu-language novel of the same name. It revolves around Sikandar, a Harvard law student who experiences a life-changing incident that makes him keep others at bay, and Liza, a talented artiste who is bursting with life but has had a troubled past. They meet in Italy, as per reports relating to the narrative. Shooting will commence in Pakistan and will also be held in the UK, and Italy, among other places. Khan featured in the Bollywood offering Khoobsurat.

Prep mode

Mohit Raina met author Shirish Thorat, whose book, A Ticket to Syria, inspired the series, The Freelancer, which is headlined by the actor. Raina understood the nuances of his character and decoded what was essential to pull it off. "I had read the book and got a chance to meet Mr Thorat as well. Learning about his experiences helped me. I got a glimpse of the world we were entering into," he said.

This comparison

Rohit Bose Roy perceives himself to be as "fun" as Peter Quill is. The actor, who voiced the character played by Chris Pratt in all three Hindi versions of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, said that he enjoyed the task as Peter is "similar to what I am in real life." "Voicing Chris Pratt in the role of Peter Quill or Star-Lord was so fun because his character is similar to what I am in real life - fun, engaging, and a little cocky. I remember the first time I dubbed for Peter Quill, they were so excited about my voice on Chris Pratt's face that I became his unofficial voice across India. Working in this industry is something that makes me happy, and the fact that the film is part of the epic Marvel Studios only adds to my happiness." He recalls that singing a Hindi song over an English song that Quill had rendered was one of the toughest challenges of the job.

Will the real Shabana Azmi please call up?

Impersonators, it appears, now have a new target: Bollywood. The latest to fall prey to a phishing scam is Shabana Azmi, who said that she had been notified of an individual making unverified phone calls in her name. She shared on social media, "It has come to our notice that some of our colleagues and associates have received messages purported to be from Ms Shabana Azmi. These are clearly ‘phishing' attempts, asking responders to make purchases on app stores. Please do not reply to, or pick up calls that appear to be coming to you from Shabanaji. This is a cybercrime of impersonation."

Back again

Shilpa Shetty Kundra is set to return to theatres with Sukhee, a family entertainer that will release on September 22. Directed by debutant director Sonal Joshi, it narrates the story of Sukhpreet Sukhee Kalra, a 38-year-old Punjabi housewife, and her friends, who go to Delhi to attend their school reunion after 20 years. Shetty took to Instagram to share, "This is a story that belongs to me, you, and all of us. Meet Sukhpreet Kalra, Sukhee, and enter my world." It also stars Kusha Kapila, Dilnaz Irani, Pavleen Gujral, Chaitannya Choudhry, and Amit Sadh. Shetty last featured in Nikamma, which failed to perform well.
That film featured Abhimanyu Dassani, Samir Soni and Shirley Setia.

Cena at it, again

WWE star and actor John Cena is known for piquing curiosity by posting images "without explanation, for your interpretation". His latest share is an image of the Indian flag, possibly posted to acknowledge the news of Chandrayaan 3's anticipated landing yesterday. "That's for Chandrayaan 3 landing today," commented an excited Indian fan on the post. Cena is all set to return to India after 17 years with the WWE Superstar Spectacle. This isn't the first time that Cena has posted an image that relates to India. One of his most anomalous posts was an image of Asim Riaz during the latter's Bigg Boss stint. Fans were convinced the wrestler was extending support to Riaz on the reality show.

Our chests swell, say stars

As the moment of landing of India's third lunar exploration mission - Chandrayaan 3 - drew closer, the film industry took to social media to share their excitement. R Madhavan, and Shekhar Kapur lauded the mission as they took to their respective social media accounts to send their best wishes to the scientists. Abhishek Bachchan had previously shared: "I am feeling very proud. It will land on the 23rd evening and our chests swell with pride because our space programme has reached the moon. (sic)" Madhavan congratulated ISRO and said the mission would be "an absolute success". Shekhar Kapur tweeted, "Almost 250.000 km away today, India's Chandrayaan 3 mission will attempt a landing in the darkness, on the far side of the moon. A billion hearts are praying for its safe landing that will lead India to the forefront of the world's exploration."