Ishaq Dar urges global support for gulf peace effo…

Actress and BJP Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut has sparked widespread outrage after sharing a series of inflammatory Instagram Stories targeting the Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party movement, which has been demanding accountability over exam paper leaks that rocked India’s education system. Her remarks, which took direct aim at young women protesters and described them in deeply offensive terms, have drawn sharp condemnation from across the country. The political context for her comments is significant. The CJP protests, which began in New Delhi and spread to other cities, were triggered by widespread allegations of paper leaks in competitive examinations. The movement gained considerable momentum after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, intensifying public debate around the protesters’ demands for systemic reform and accountability. Ranaut chose not to address those demands. Instead, she used her platform to launch a sweeping attack on the character of the people participating in the protests. “They don’t do this at the cost of their parents or families,” she wrote. “Here is a new generation of so-called westernised Indian women. I call them generational gutter. Some of them have nothing to offer to the system. They are not good at studies but they are so ugly and corrupt that they can’t be home makers either. But they probably flaunt their freedom to have drugs, drinks or endless body counts.” She went on to specifically criticise young Hindu women whom she accused of aspiring to a form of independence they had not earned. “Most appalled is the behaviour of young Hindu women who want to imitate the lives of independent career women, without earning that freedom,” she said. “Women who are truly independent, they make rebellious choices, bold opinions, unconventional career moves and they take accountability for their actions.” She also addressed those who had faced physical confrontations during the protests, framing the violence as a natural consequence of their own behaviour. “Protesters who are getting beaten and abused on the roads by the common people because of their filthy and abusive roles, must understand that once you post, you will be criticised and once you damage public property, the public will damage you.” She concluded with a statement she presented as philosophical but which read to many as dismissive. “Now is not a time to cry. If you receive the opposite reaction, it is due to cause and effect. You will understand soon if you have not already.” The remarks have landed with considerable force at a moment when Indian celebrities are already divided over whether and how to support the CJP movement. While figures including Diljit Dosanjh, Arijit Singh and actor Imran Khan have expressed solidarity with the protesters, Ranaut has positioned herself firmly on the opposite side, in a manner that has gone well beyond political disagreement into personal attack. The language she used about young women in particular has drawn the most intense criticism, with many pointing out the specific ugliness of describing protesting citizens in the terms she chose.

Veteran Pakistani actor Javed Sheikh has revealed that he initially refused to take any remuneration for his role in the hit 2007 Bollywood film Om Shanti Om, stating that sharing the screen with Indian megastar Shah Rukh Khan was an honor in itself. ​Speaking in an interview with Vasay Chaudhry, the veteran actor reminisced about playing the role of Rajesh Kapoor—Shah Rukh Khan’s on-screen father in the Farah Khan directorial—and reflected on the immense warmth and respect he experienced during the film’s production. ​Recalling the financial negotiations prior to filming, Sheikh shared that when the production manager approached him to finalize his contract and discuss his fee, he immediately declined monetary compensation. He emphasized that being chosen out of countless actors across India to portray Shah Rukh Khan’s father felt like a massive privilege that transcended money: ​”Farah Khan wanted me to play Shah Rukh’s father and they started discussing my fee. I said, ‘Money? I won’t take it.’ They said that was impossible. I told them it was such a big honour that, out of everyone in India, they had chosen a Pakistani actor to play Shah Rukh Khan’s father. Money wasn’t important.” ​When the production team insisted that working without pay violated contract guidelines, Sheikh jokingly proposed accepting a symbolic fee of just one rupee. However, both director Farah Khan and Shah Rukh Khan rejected the gesture, insisting on compensating him generously to honor his professional standing. Sheikh praised Shah Rukh Khan for his exceptional hospitality and care on set, describing their working relationship during the shoot as superb. ​Reflecting on his journey in the entertainment industry, Sheikh spoke candidly about his early career struggles. He disclosed that despite his deep passion for acting—which often involved running from school to Radio Pakistan—his father remained strict and skeptical. After his debut film Dhamaka (1974) failed at the box office, his career faced significant setbacks, leaving him devastated when industry insiders initially labeled him a “flop actor.” ​Five years later, his fortunes took a dramatic turn with the hit television drama Ankahi, which earned immense popularity across both Pakistan and India, effectively cementing his star status. Sheikh concluded by highlighting the mindset that guided his decade-long career: focusing entirely on self-improvement rather than competition, envy, or status. ​With a career spanning over four decades, Javed Sheikh continues to remain a vital force across Pakistani media, recently appearing in prominent projects including Delhi Gate, Aag Lagey Basti Mein, and the drama series Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum.