Celebrities

Zeeshan Rokhri: Moammar Rana paid only Rs5 lakh for ‘Mukho’

Singer Zeeshan Rokhri has criticized the low remuneration of actors in Pakistan’s film industry, saying he was shocked to learn that veteran actor Moammar Rana was paid only PKR 500,000 for a film role.

Speaking in a recent interview, Rokhri said he learned about Rana’s fee while discussing his own payment for a project.

“I had already shared my fee for eight days of work. During the discussion, Sangeeta Ji told me how much they were paying Moammar Ji for the film,” he recalled.

Rokhri said he was disheartened by the amount, considering Rana’s stature in Lollywood.

“When I found out that a star like Moammar Rana was being paid only PKR 500,000, I was deeply disappointed. He is a respected actor, one of Pakistan’s biggest stars, and someone who represents our industry with pride. If we aspire to compete with India, how can our leading actors be paid so little?” he said.

When the interviewer pointed out that Rokhri himself charges around PKR 1.5 million for a single event, he responded by clarifying that his own fee is even higher, and that his concern was about the industry rather than any individual.

“Listen, I actually charge even more than that. We are trying to compete with India, and I’m not criticizing Sangeeta Ji, I respect her a lot. I’m talking about the industry as a whole. If our hero is being paid only PKR 500,000 for a project that’s meant to compete with India, that amounts to only around ?70,000-80,000 in Indian currency. Just compare that with what actors in India are paid,” he responded.

Rokhri added that the low fee for a lead actor reflects a wider problem with how the industry values its stars. “How can we compete with India when our leading stars are paid so little? I was so upset after hearing this. I thought, if this is what they’re paying him, then even if they paid Saima Ji four times as much, they would still be casting her for only PKR 2-2.5 million,” he said.

The project referenced in the conversation is Mukho, a Punjabi feature film directed by veteran actress and filmmaker Sangeeta.

The film is backed by the Punjab government and stars Saima Noor, Moammar Rana, Meera, Hassan Murad and Fajar, along with several other actors taking on fresh and different roles.

Sangeeta has said that the movie was completed on a tight schedule after intensive day and night shooting, and that she hopes Mukho will help bring audiences back to cinema halls.

The film is scheduled for release on December 25, 2026.

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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.”

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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.

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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.”