City Lahore Showbiz Latest News and Updates

EXCLUSIVE: Bohemian Rhapsody actor Ben Hardy and newcomer Jason Patel were kept apart during the pre-production phase of Unicorns, a love story between an Essex car mechanic and a South Asian drag queen.

Naman Ramachandran Indian filmmaker and composer Sanjay Leela Bhansali has launched music label Bhansali Music with the soundtrack of Netflix series “Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.” The first song from the album, traditional composition “Sakal Ban,” with lyrics by Amir Khusro and sung by Raja Hasan, will be released on Saturday. Via the label, the filmmaker will collaborate with musicians and artists to produce compositions for his films and shows and also independent albums.

Naman Ramachandran Bollywood star Sonakshi Sinha is all praise for her director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, whose anticipated magnum opus series “Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar” is due on Netflix this year. Netflix describes the series as “an epic saga of love, power, revenge and freedom.” With a cast that also includes Manisha Koirala, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharmin Segal, Richa Chadha, and Sanjeeda Sheikh, the series is set in the midst of multiple power struggles in Heeramandi, Lahore (now part of Pakistan) and more generally in undivided, pre-independence India, where anti-colonial freedom movements were emerging.

Alex Ritman Signature Entertainment has acquired the U.K. and Irish rights to “Unicorns,” the romance drama co-directed by BAFTA nominee Sally El Hosaini (“The Swimmers”) and her long-standing collaborator James Krishna Floyd, who starred in both “The Swimmers” and her directorial debut “My Brother the Devil.” From a script written by Floyd, “Unicorns” is described as a “visually daring and heartfelt portrayal of modern masculinity” and follows a queer South Asian club performer living a double life who meets a straight, single-father mechanic, with whom unexpected sparks begin to fly.

Pakistan’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is returning home on a special flight from Dubai, ending four years of self-imposed exile as he seeks to win the support of voters ahead of parliamentary elections due in January.

Naman Ramachandran Hansal Mehta‘s Netflix series “Scoop” on Sunday won the prizes for best Asian TV series and best lead actress for Karishma Tanna at the Busan International Film Festival‘s 2023 Asia Content Awards and Global OTT Awards. The hard hitting crime drama series is based on journalist Jigna Vora’s 2019 memoir “Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison.” Tanna plays the lead role of Jagruti Pathak, a scoop-hunting journalist who is caught in the nexus of the police, the underworld and the media.

Naman Ramachandran Indian-born singer, songwriter, composer and actor Guru Randhawa has signed with CAA for representation. Randhawa began by releasing independent singles and grew to become a global icon and pop star recognized for his Punjabi and Bollywood hits. In 2012, he made his music debut with the single “Same Girl,” then signed with the leading Indian label T-Series and released “Patola,” which has more than 493 million views on YouTube.

Naman Ramachandran Prime Video India has set a global premiere date for crime thriller series “Bambai Meri Jaan,” produced by Excel Media and Entertainment’s Ritesh Sidhwani, Kassim Jagmagia and Farhan Akhtar. Created by Rensil D’Silva (“Dial 100”) and Shujaat Saudagar (“The Underbug”) and directed by Saudagar, the Amazon original 10-episode series is based on a story by S. Hussain Zaidi (“Lahore Confidential”).

Scream VI claims a second week at the top of the Official Film Chart.

Elegance and grace! Queen Camilla was a dazzling sight at husband King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday, May 6. 

Naman Ramachandran After exploring a multitude of genres, renowned filmmaker Shekhar Kapur (“Bandit Queen,” “Elizabeth”) has turned his hand to a romantic comedy with Working Title/Studiocanal production “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” The film follows documentary-maker and dating app addict Zoe (Lily James), for whom swiping right has only delivered an endless stream of Mr Wrongs, to her eccentric mother Cath’s (Emma Thompson) dismay. For Zoe’s childhood friend and neighbor Kaz (Shazad Latif), the answer is to follow his parents’ example and opt for an arranged (or “assisted”) marriage to a bride from Pakistan (Sajal Aly). As Zoe films Kaz’s journey from London to Lahore to marry a stranger, chosen by his parents, she begins to wonder if she might have something to learn from a profoundly different approach to finding love.

Naman Ramachandran Shout! Studios has acquired U.S. and Canada rights to Studiocanal and Working Title’s cross-cultural British romantic comedy “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” with a view to releasing it in late spring, it was revealed at Berlin’s European Film Market on Tuesday. Directed by veteran Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur (“Elizabeth”), “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” follows documentary-maker and dating app addict Zoe (Lily James), for whom swiping right has only delivered an endless stream of Mr Wrongs, to her eccentric mother Cath’s (Emma Thompson) dismay. For Zoe’s childhood friend and neighbor Kaz (Shazad Latif), the answer is to follow his parents’ example and opt for an arranged (or “assisted”) marriage to a bright and beautiful bride from Pakistan (Sajal Aly). As Zoe films Kaz’s journey from London to Lahore to marry a stranger, chosen by his parents, she begins to wonder if she might have something to learn from a profoundly different approach to finding love.

Lily James stands out in a lime green dress at the premiere of hew new movie, What’s Love Got To Do With It?, held at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on Monday (February 13) in London, England.

Written and directed by Saim Sadiq, Joyland has had a tumultuous trajectory this season. It burst out of the gate in Cannes as the first Pakistani film ever in the official selection, winning the Jury Prize in Un Certain Regard and taking several awards later down the road.

Pakistan has reversed a ban on Joyland, the country’s official submission for the Best International Feature Oscar. The film has now been cleared for theatrical release in its home country, though some minor cuts are expected.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been shot at a protest march in what his supporters are saying was an assassination attempt.

Activist and Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai has joined Pakistani film “Joyland’s” team as Executive Producer, a Variety report stated. “Joyland,” directed by Saim Sadiq, is Pakistan’s official submission in the foreign language film category at the Oscars. Yousafzai is backing the film through her own production company, Extracurricular Productions. 

The British Monarchy is well-known for its wealth of remarkable crowns and jewels - but one diamond in its collection is said to have a dark and cursed history. The Koh-i-Noor diamond, worth an estimated £350m, came from India's Alluvial mines before it fell through the intricacies of Indian Court and eventually came into the possession of British royal family in the mid-1800s.

Lily James is hitting the red carpet!

Her Majesty was known for eye-catching colours and classic accessories. By Katie Wright.

Love is complicated enough before factoring in culture clashes.

Naman Ramachandran Studiocanal and Working Title have unveiled the official trailer for Shekhar Kapur’s keenly anticipated cross-cultural British romantic comedy “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” The film will have its world premiere as a gala presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 10. It follows documentary-maker and dating app addict Zoe (Lily James), for whom swiping right has only delivered an endless stream of Mr. Wrongs, to her eccentric mother Cath’s (Emma Thompson) dismay. For Zoe’s childhood friend and neighbor Kaz (Shazad Latif), the answer is to follow his parents’ example and opt for an arranged (or “assisted”) marriage to Maymouna (Sajal Aly), a bright and beautiful bride from Pakistan. As Zoe films Kaz’s journey from London to Lahore to marry a stranger, chosen by his parents, she begins to wonder if she might have something to learn from a profoundly different approach to finding love.

EXCLUSIVE: Director Sally El Hosaini’s new feature Unicorns will begin principal photography in the U.K. this October, with Trudie Styler and Celine Rattray’s Maven Screen Media and Philip Herd’s Chromatic Aberration financing and producing.

Naman Ramachandran Variety can exclusively reveal the first look of top Pakistani star Sajal Aly from keenly anticipated rom-com “What’s Love Got to Do with It?,” which will have its world premiere at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival.Directed by veteran Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur (“Elizabeth”), “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” follows documentary-maker and dating app addict Zoe (Lily James), for whom swiping right has only delivered an endless stream of Mr Wrongs, to her eccentric mother Cath’s (Emma Thompson) dismay. For Zoe’s childhood friend and neighbor Kaz (Shazad Latif), the answer is to follow his parents’ example and opt for an arranged (or “assisted”) marriage to a bright and beautiful bride from Pakistan.

Guy Lodge Film CriticDiscouraged identities and taboo desires emerge tentatively into the open in “Joyland,” but unlike in a many a coming-out drama, there’s no identified villain or oppressor — just an uncertain world in its own state of societal and generational transition. Pakistani writer-director Saim Sadiq’s confident, expressive debut feature is conscientiously fair to everyone in its Lahore-set domestic melodrama of secrets, lies and unforeseen self-discovery, but never feels like it’s hedging its bets or shying away from harder truths.

The Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard sidebar handed out its prizes tonight with top honors going to Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret’s The Worst Ones (Les Pires). The Jury Prize was awarded to Saim Sadig’s Joyland, the first Pakistani movie ever in official selection at Cannes.

A married man falls for a trans woman in Joyland, the first Pakistani feature to play in Cannes. Saim Sadiq’s atmospheric Un Certain Regard drama also explores a whole family, presenting a picture of a clan torn between modernity and tradition in contemporary Lahore.

Naman Ramachandran Saim Sadiq’s feature debut, “Joyland,” returns to the world of erotic theater that he explored in his 2019 Venice and SXSW winner “Darling.”“Joyland” will premiere at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard strand. The title, the first Pakistani film to be selected in Cannes, will vie for the Caméra d’Or.The tale of sexual revolution sees a patriarchal family yearn for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls for an ambitious transsexual starlet.Sadiq drew inspiration from his own family and a theater close to his home in Lahore.

EXCLUSIVE: Javed Iqbal: The Untold Story Of A Serial Killer, which was banned in Pakistan two days before its scheduled release in theaters, will now see the light of day as the opening movie of the 2022 UK Asian Film Festival.

Naman Ramachandran Indian filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, known for his grand, operatic style of filmmaking, will now train his sights on the small screen with Netflix series “Heeramandi.” The series is set in pre-independent, undivided India, in the Heeramandi area of Lahore, which is now in Pakistan. “It is a huge saga about the courtesans of Lahore, it is something I was living with for 14 years,” Bhansali tells Variety.

Naman Ramachandran The Pakistan Academy Selection Committee has selected Sarmad Khoosat’s “Circus of Life” (aka “Zindagi Tamasha”) as the country’s entry in the 2020 Oscars’ international feature category.The film had its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival in 2019, where it won the prestigious Kim Ji-seok award.Set in Lahore, the film chronicles the chaos that ensues in the life of a staid, devout elderly man when a video featuring him gets uploaded onto social media.After

investigated for cheating Barclays, Lloyds and Bank of Scotland out of £104m. But the suspect, formerly of Hale, fled the country before prosecutors could charge him.

Kate Middleton isn't letting any family drama keep her from fulfilling her royal duties.