J-Hope gets emotional as BTS fans deliver heartfelt surprise

The release of Bullah, a Pakistani film written by veteran screenwriter Nasir Adeeb and starring Shaan Shahid and Saleem Shah, has been placed in uncertainty after a Senate standing committee recommended that its screening be halted until its title is changed and certain dialogues are revised. The recommendation emerged from a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting held on Thursday, July 24, chaired by Senator Sarmad Ali. The session was convened to review concerns that had been raised about the film’s certification process by the Central Board of Film Censors. Officials from the CBFC appeared before the committee to defend the approval process, telling members that Bullah had already been cleared without any cuts by both the Punjab and Sindh censor boards under the same title. They explained that the federal board’s jurisdiction was limited to Islamabad Capital Territory and cantonment areas, and maintained that the CBFC chairman could not unilaterally reject a film. Certification decisions, they clarified, were taken collectively by the board, with the chairman holding only a casting vote in the event of a tie. The officials further noted that if the committee believed the film should be banned or its title changed, the matter could be referred to the federal government, which serves as the next appellate authority under the applicable legal framework. Senator Pervaiz Rashid pushed back on the board’s defence, questioning whether Nasir Adeeb’s reputation as a screenwriter was a sufficient basis for approving the film’s content. He pointed out that Adeeb was primarily known for writing violence-based films, particularly Maula Jatt, and argued that this background did not establish the screenwriter’s credentials as an authority on history, national personalities or Pakistan’s cultural traditions. Senator Rashid also remarked that Maula Jatt had introduced the “gandasa” as a cultural symbol to mainstream audiences, saying he had not been aware of the weapon before the film popularised it. Following the discussion, committee chairman Senator Sarmad Ali concluded the session by proposing that the film’s title be changed and that certain dialogues be revised before it is permitted to screen. He further suggested that Bullah remain suspended until these recommended changes have been implemented. The meeting was attended by Senators Abdul Shakoor Khan, Syed Waqar Mehdi, Pervaiz Rashid and Jan Mohammad, along with Secretary Information Ashfaq Ahmed Khalil and officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Censors. The film’s makers have not publicly responded to the committee’s recommendations. With both provincial censor boards having already cleared the film without cuts, the situation now rests on what the federal government decides to do with the parliamentary committee’s proposal.

Fashion fans can finally watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 from home as the highly anticipated sequel has officially arrived on streaming following a successful theatrical run. The sequel became available for streaming on July 29, roughly three months after its cinema release, giving audiences another chance to revisit the glamorous world of Runway magazine. The film is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+, where subscribers can watch the latest chapter in the beloved franchise. Directed by David Frankel and written by Aline Brosh McKenna, the sequel reunites much of the original cast, including Meryl Streep as the formidable Miranda Priestly, Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, Emily Blunt as Emily Charlton, and Stanley Tucci as Nigel Kipling. Set nearly two decades after the events of the 2006 blockbuster, the story follows Andy as she returns to Runway magazine, this time as the publication’s features editor, once again working under Miranda Priestly. The sequel explores how the iconic fashion magazine adapts to the rapidly changing media landscape while revisiting the complex relationships between its central characters. The film enjoyed an impressive run at the global box office before making its streaming debut. According to reports, the franchise surpassed the billion-dollar mark worldwide, making the sequel one of the year’s biggest commercial successes. For viewers who missed the theatrical release, Hulu subscribers can now stream the movie directly through the platform. The sequel is also available on Disney+, with availability depending on the subscription package in some regions. Several Disney and Hulu bundles also include access to the film. Fans looking to revisit the story from the beginning can also stream the original The Devil Wears Prada before watching the sequel. The 2006 classic remains available on Disney+, allowing audiences to follow Andy’s journey from aspiring journalist to one of Miranda Priestly’s assistants before diving into the new chapter. The sequel has also introduced several new faces alongside its returning stars, while maintaining the sharp dialogue, high-fashion settings and workplace drama that made the original film a cultural phenomenon. Critics have particularly praised the chemistry between the returning cast members and the film’s updated take on the modern fashion and publishing industries. With its digital release now underway, viewers can enjoy The Devil Wears Prada 2 from home on Hulu and Disney+, whether they’re revisiting Miranda Priestly’s world for nostalgia or experiencing the stylish sequel for the first time. The streaming launch marks the next chapter for one of Hollywood’s most iconic fashion franchises after another successful run on the big screen.

A reel that actress and writer Mehar Bano posted while on a trip to northern Pakistan has gone viral for all the wrong reasons, with many viewers finding the premise of the video deeply unfunny and some expressing genuine alarm before realising it was staged. Mehar Bano, known for her bold screen presence and her work across Pakistani dramas and films, was on vacation with a group of friends when they decided to create a prank reel built around the concept of her fake death. The video was filmed in the style of a breaking Pakistani news report, with Mehar lying motionless on a rock while her friends played the roles of reporters and devastated family members lamenting that their holiday had been ruined by her sudden passing. The production was deliberately styled after the kind of dramatic live television reporting that Pakistani news channels are known for, clearly intended as satire. The internet, however, was not amused. The backlash was immediate and pointed. Comments flooded in from viewers who found the death prank concept distasteful rather than clever. “I actually thought she died,” wrote one person, capturing the alarm that the video initially triggered before its prank nature became clear. Another was far blunter in their assessment, writing simply, “What a third class act.” A third commenter expressed their reaction without ambiguity: “I did not find this funny.” The response reflects a broader sensitivity in Pakistani digital culture around death-related humour, particularly when it is framed as breaking news. For a country where audiences have frequently received genuinely distressing news about public figures through social media and news channels, a video that mimics that format as a prank occupies uncomfortable territory. What the creators of the reel may have seen as a piece of satirical comedy landed for many viewers as something that was using a format associated with real loss and real grief for the sake of social media engagement. The criticism also reflects something about the evolving relationship between Pakistani celebrities and their online audiences. There is a growing expectation that public figures, particularly those who occupy cultural space as artists and writers, should bring a certain level of thoughtfulness to the content they share publicly. For those who follow Mehar Bano and appreciate her work, the reel felt like a misalignment between the intelligence they associate with her and the specific choice she made here. Mehar Bano has not publicly responded to the backlash or addressed the criticism of the reel at the time of writing. The video remains shared on her Instagram account, where the comment section continues to reflect the divided reaction it has generated.