Celebrities

Sangeeta Breaks Silence on Dropping Naeema Butt From Her Film

Veteran Pakistani actress and filmmaker Sangeeta has spoken candidly about her decision to part ways with actress Naeema Butt, revealing that creative differences and what she described as “unnecessary tantrums” ultimately led her to remove the rising star from one of her projects.

The veteran director made the remarks during a conversation with journalist Ambreen Fatima from the set of her upcoming film Mukho. Speaking openly about the incident, Sangeeta said the decision was not made lightly but became unavoidable after disagreements over the production.

According to Sangeeta, Naeema Butt had originally been cast for the project, and the collaboration initially appeared to be moving in the right direction. However, things changed when, she claimed, the actress began offering suggestions regarding the casting of the film’s male leads.

Recalling the events, Sangeeta said she was not comfortable with an actor trying to influence casting decisions, insisting that such responsibilities belong to the director. She explained that after refusing the suggestions, she chose to end the collaboration in a respectful manner. The veteran filmmaker said she apologised to Naeema Butt and requested the return of the advance payment, which, according to her, the actress returned without any dispute.

Sangeeta also reflected on the experience by comparing it with the professional standards she believes were followed during her own acting career. She remarked that despite spending nearly five decades in Pakistan’s entertainment industry, she had never witnessed actors attempting to interfere in directorial decisions in the way she experienced this time.

The celebrated filmmaker said that Naeema Butt is still relatively new to the industry, despite her growing popularity on television. She acknowledged that the actress has been doing well in dramas and had been offered what she considered to be a strong role. However, Sangeeta maintained that she preferred to withdraw the opportunity rather than continue working under circumstances she felt were affecting the production process.

She further added that professionalism has always been her priority, saying that actors from her generation focused on performing their roles rather than bringing attitude or unnecessary demands onto the set. For her, maintaining discipline and respecting the director’s vision remain essential parts of filmmaking.

Sangeeta’s remarks have quickly generated discussion across social media, with fans expressing mixed opinions. While some supported the veteran director’s stance on maintaining discipline and respecting creative authority, others argued that actors should be free to share their opinions during the filmmaking process, provided those discussions remain professional.

Sangeeta has enjoyed an illustrious career spanning more than 50 years. As both an actress and director, she has contributed to numerous successful television dramas and films, earning recognition for her work across multiple generations.

Her television credits include popular serials such as Kis Din Mera Viyah Howe Ga, Meri Behen Meri Dewarani, Bari Phupo, and Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewa. As a filmmaker, she has directed several memorable Lollywood productions, including Society Girl, Nikah, and Sona Chaandi.

The veteran is currently busy directing the upcoming film Mukho, which features an ensemble cast including Saima, Moammar Rana, Meera, and Layla. She is also working on the mega drama Bhulley Shah, starring Saima, Shahid, Ayesha Fayyaz, Kamran Mujahid, and Zaviyar Nauman.

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Celebrities

Firdous Jamal Takes U-Turn on Shah Rukh Khan Statement

Firdous Jamal is a senior Pakistani television and film actor known for his dramas like Pyare Afzal, Khuda Aur Mohabbat, Waris, Manchalay Ka Sauda, Dehleez, Dhoop Deewar, Takmeel, Kaanch Kay Par, Anna, Nashaib, and many others. The senior actor often makes headlines for his controversial remarks about legendary actors.

Firdous Jamal recently appeared in an interview with the Click 10 Official YouTube channel, where he retracted his previous statement about Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

Firdous Jamal said, “I didn’t say anything against Shah Rukh Khan. I admire him; he’s a great actor and an extension of Dilip Kumar. Every actor has a school of thought. I belong to the Dilip Kumar school of thought. Actors like Shah Rukh Khan are different. Different actors take inspiration from different people, while I take inspiration from actors like Dilip Kumar, Muhammad Ali, Agha Talish, and Alauddin. An actor’s beginning and foundation involve learning from others. Man is a mimicry artist; from Adam till now, we have been copying and learning everything. It’s not a bad thing. Learning is a great skill; it’s not a negative thing. It’s the nature of man. Also, Mahira Khan is not my issue. Don’t make her my issue. Neither is she my wife nor a family member, so why are you dragging her into it? It’s good that people like her.”

Firdous Jamal had previously said that Shah Rukh Khan was not a good actor and that comparing the two did not make sense. He had criticized SRK’s pronunciation and diction and said that his physique was also not up to the mark. According to Firdous Jamal, Shah Rukh Khan is a far bigger star than he is an actor

Celebrities

Pakistani celebrities demand justice for toddler raped, murdered in Karachi

Pakistani celebrities have condemned the rape and murder of an 18-month-old child in Karachi’s Qayyumabad, calling for swift justice, stronger child protection measures and greater awareness of risks children may face from people within their homes and families.

From Frieha Altaf to Adnan Siddiqui and Sanam Baloch, several public figures shared messages of grief and outrage, urging authorities to ensure accountability while highlighting the need for increased vigilance to safeguard children.

Actor and host Frieha Altaf questioned the country’s unrelenting crime rate, saying “none of this is new news.” “I’m sick to my stomach. An 18-month-old child gets raped and murdered by a relative in Qayyumabad, Karachi. A truly heinous crime committed,” she wrote. She warned that many cases of child sexual abuse involve people known to the victim.

“Sadly, parents trust friends, neighbours, domestic staff with their young sons and daughters. The biggest percentage of child sexual abuse comes from people you know and trust! As a survivor of this abuse, and the goodwill ambassador of Sahil NGO, I urge all parents to take more care with such decisions. Also, if your child tells you of any such incident or inappropriate touching, please believe them. Children don’t lie!” she added.

Actor Adnan Siddiqui also shared his reaction on Instagram.

“How depraved have we become? An 18-month-old baby. Eighteen months. The accused is reportedly just 17. That doesn’t lessen the horror; it deepens it. Feeling disgusted and heartbroken. There are no words left. Only rage, grief and shame that we have come to this.”

He concluded by praying for “swift and uncompromising justice” for the child and strength for the grieving family.

PHOTO: adnansid1/Instagram

Screengrab: adnansid1/Instagram

Several other celebrities, including Aiman Khan, Mariyam Nafees, Ahsan Khan, Srha Asghar, Zhalay Sarhadi and Ayesha Omar, also shared messages expressing grief and demanding justice.

Celebrities

Rubina Ashraf Breaks Her Silence On The Reality Of Postpartum Depression

Rubina Ashraf is a veteran Pakistani television actress, director, and producer who has been a prominent figure in the entertainment industry since the 1980s. Her hit dramas include Pas-e-Aaina, Tapish, Kasak, Do Bol, Khuda Aur Muhabbat 3, Iqtidar, and others. She also directed the acclaimed serial Ruswai. In her personal life, Rubina is married to Tariq Mirza, and together they have two children: a son and a daughter, Nawal Tariq and Minna Tariq, who also followed in her mother’s footsteps and entered the showbiz industry as an actress.

Today, Rubina Ashraf was a guest on Good Morning Pakistan. During the show, she opened up about the reality of postpartum depression in women after pregnancy.

Talking about it, Rubina Ashraf said, “As a society and as a social setup, we need to understand that pregnancy, postpartum, and pregnancy blues are real. No one knew about these things because there was no concept of them. The story ran for years that it is the job of every woman to give birth to children and that it is something normal, no matter how difficult it was for them or how they individually dealt with it. But now, people need to understand that when a girl is pregnant, her skin, body, and everything else is changing. Despite the happiness, she can suffer from anxiety, which is very real. If she is not taken care of and looked after, she can go into a really bad state of depression. The support and compassion of a husband are important from pregnancy to postpartum because it is a difficult time for a woman. You need care because it can become impossible for you to manage multiple tasks during pregnancy.”