Kajol joins Fawad Khan in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil's long list of cameo stars

Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan, Anushka Sharma and Ranbir Kapoor bring oodles of star power to the big screen. But does that satisfy their director Karan Johar? Not quite.

The Bollywood producer takes the director's chair after a hiatus of three years in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, and he's pulling out all stops to make the romance drama the biggest crowd-pleaser of the year.

KJo has roped in a string of celebrity cameos for the film, including our very own Fawad Khan and Imran Abbas. Saif Ali Khan is also said to make a brief appearance in the film as Ash's husband, reports MissMalini.

Rumour has it that that latest actor to join the long list of cameo stars is none other than KJo's favourite dulhania, Kajol! This is not unusual for a superstitious director like KJo (remember his K-phase?); maybe he thinks of Kajol as his lucky charm?

The Dilwale actress is said to play a small but pivotal role in the film. The film releases on October 28, 2016.

Weekend grub: Andaaz takes you back to the Mughal era

With so many security advisories and checks, Andaaz has become the waterhole of most of the diplomats as well as visiting foreign delegations in Islamabad as it carries a “clearance tag”.

The eatery offers fine dining Pakistani cuisine as well as the ambiance. Corporate dinners, embassy treats and Islooties looking for a quiet evening out, Andaaz provides the recipe.

Where to go:

Nestled in the lap of Margalla Hills in Saidpur Village F-6 Islamabad, Andaaz interior manages to cast nostalgia on the guests the moment they enter the eatery. The décor is nothing but mesmerizing.

Black and white photographs of music gurus of yesteryears dominates the grey stone walls of the eatery unfolding the stories of the legends of the sub-continent's music world. Malika Pukhraj, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Roshan Ara Begum , Pathanay Khan and many others take the guests at Andaaz down memory lane.

When to go:

The eatery opens at 12 noon for lunch and lights are off at midnight. With seating capacity exceeding 70 in number and that too on split levels, it is hard to decide which floor has a better view of the majestic mountains and the Hindu temple neighboring Andaaz.

What to order:

As we seated, toasted pappadums, in golden brass ramekins arrived in not more than five minutes of waiting. The overdose of dips in the likes of kachomar salad, tamarind chutney, sesame garlic paste sauce and mint chutney made it difficult to pick and savor one particular taste in the mouth. As we were a party of six and it was a lunch time on a Sunday, the place had a full occupancy.

We had decided to go Dutch so the order was massive. Cheese chicken kebabs, tandoori jheengay, , paneer sabz seekh , kandahar kebabs from the grilled side and jheenga karahi, chutney murgh and daal makhni were the other picks of the day on the gravy side.

Before the food was served, a server carrying a traditional samawarappeared on our table for finger-dips taking us back in Mughal era. We all got excited and felt like a royalty. Four silver platters arrived on our table and the waitress gently placed one piece each of char chicken cheese kebabs on the plates laid out for the hungry appetites.

The cheese chicken kebabs were divine; an amalgamation of cheddar, gouda and mozzarella, with a dust of Parmesan and two grilled mushrooms on the side, the plate looked pretty, as well as appetizing. 10/10 for marination and the grill, the cheese oozing out of the meat clearly distinguished it's own flavor with that of mince chicken.

These kebabs are a must try; order atleast two helpings if you're a big bunch because we all wanted seconds. The server had warned us before hand on the quantity of tandoori jheengay(four on one plate) so we ordered more. Grilled to perfection, the jumbo prawns were infused with umpteen home made sauces.

"Jheengas require 24 hours marinating time, as more than 25 different ingredients go into the homemade recipe, which I use for both the tandooriand the jheenga karahi," explained the Andaaz head chef.

Paneer sabz seekh and daal makhni were picked from the menu to balance the meat orders. Finely cut, as well as proportionately balanced, cubes of cottage cheese arrested in a skewer along with thinly sliced bell peppers and an onion ring, with a hint of tamarind sauce, managed to attract the three diehard meat eaters.

Daal makhni had all what one could ask for. Right amount of cream, well cooked lentils and the spice level acceptable to all. It was heavy on the appetite but tasted like the traditional makhni from across the border.Chutney murgh came out to be a Hyderabadi dish. Tandoori grilled boneless chicken chunks, beautifully laid out on a bed of green chutney, homemade sauce with caramelized onion garnishing; the dish got polished off in a jiffy.

The menu for dessert was as appealing as the main menu. Dhai ke kheer, shahi tukray and gulab jaman burlee was where we stopped. Unfortunately had to ignore the chocomosa, which was a pastry filled with melted dark chocolate and shaped like a samosa, deep fried and served with vanilla sauce. Neither our appetite nor our pockets could afford it any more.

Served in clay baked containers, the kheer lived up to it's name as well as innovation. Topped with raisins and pistachios, the chilled delight was a mix of cream and yogurt. One could not decide whether it was the sweetness of the raisins or crunch of the pistachios or the tang of the yogurt that made this novelty a hit with one spoon bite.

The jaman burlee too, seemed to be an infusion; a thin layer of custard cream, topped with gulab jaman spread before being caramelized, carried the color as well as a unique taste.Two spoons each were enough to appreciate the patisserie chef.

Damage on the pocket:

Andaaz is no doubt heavy on the pocket. Prices range from Rs 800 to Rs 1800. Char cheese chicken kebabs are priced at Rs 890 whereas tandoori jheengay will set you back Rs 1890. Similarly, kandahar kebabs carry a price tag of Rs 990, as does the paneer sabz seekh. Chutney murgh is for Rs 1190 whereas all veggies fall under the Rs 700 belt. An average bill per person should be Rs 1500 to Rs 2000.

Chinese opportunity being overblown, says Hina Rabbani Khar

Harbouring great expectations with regard to China as panacea for all its ills would do no good to Pakistan as the former’s own role in the emerging scenario would matter a lot in the upcoming great game in the region.

Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who was among the panelists at a session titled ‘Contemporary Great Games’ and moderated by historian Ahmad Rashid, said this.

Others in the panel included Swedish Pakistani Qaiser Mahmood, US journalist Steve Coll, Italian journalist Vivana Mazza and former Kyrgyzstan president Roza Otunbayeve.

Ms Rabbani said there was no denying the fact that Chinese investment was going to impact Pakistan in a big way, strategically and economically, but the prospect was being “overblown”.

She said China was more massively investing in Central Asia as compared to Pakistan. The actual Great Game would unfold in South China sea and the areas around it, she added.

She said in the contemporary great games the non-state actors had a much more important role.

To Ahmad Rashid’s query about the response of Europe, especially Italy, to the migrant or refugee crisis, Ms Mazza said: “The crisis had been used by right-winger political parties to legitimise their stance against immigrants.

She said the refugees crisis had created a lot of apprehensions among the Europeans, especially incidents like Paris attack were seen with a great concern.

“I go to schools and kids ask me whether the militants would come riding boats,” she said, adding that the right wingers were exploiting such concerns to their benefits.

She said Italy was a homogeneous society but the influx of refugees would change it, rather the whole Europe.

Ms Roza, who had been a member of Kyrgyzstan communist party, said while her country was still coming out of the hangover of communist rule, it was confronted with radical Islam.

She deplored that the non-state actors were getting stronger as they were mobile and were infiltrating schools.

Steve Coll said like Pakistan there were many governments in the United States including Congress and Pentagon and that era of counter insurgency interventions was over.

He said though there was a discussion going upon defining Pakistani Identity and the struggle among various identities, but he had a great faith in the binding power of Pakistani nationalism, which was even stronger than American nationalism.

Qaiser Mahmood hoped Europe would adapt to the change being heralded by refugees crisis by “finding a new way to define ourselves”.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2016

Girl power: The women of Bollywood wish Priyanka Chopra luck for 'Quantico'

Who says girls can't be friends? Deepika, Alia and Anushka aim to debunk that age old myth.

Priyanka Chopra's American debut television series, Quantico, premiered yesterday and the actresses took to social media to extend their support.

Many others celebs went on to wish the starlet good luck.

The men also chimed in.

Chopra has obviously made some friends in Hollywood.

The show chronicles a group of young Federal Bureau of Investigation recruits, who are training at the FBI Training Academy in Quantico, Virginia, with the Mary-Kom star as one of the leads -- a big step for South Asians worldwide.

Revamp your home with Daraz.pk’s 'Big Home Makeover' sale

Daraz.pk is giving its customers a rare chance to revamp their homes and upgrade appliances of daily use at incredibly low prices through its 'Big Home Makeover' megasale.

The shopping event that started Monday, February 15 and will run till February 21 at www.daraz.pk/big-home-makeover, is offering discounts up to 60% on some of the best home decor products, TVs and appliances from leading brands such as Siemens, Eco Star, Orient and a plethora of other leading household names.

The sale is not limited to any single category of household items and products on sale range from Smart, HD and LED TVs (28% off), large appliances like fridges, washing machines, generators and air conditioners (36% off), small appliances such as microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners, etc. (34% off), kitchen appliances such as juicers, blenders, rotimakers, etc. (36% off), furniture and bedding (25% off), interior decor (60% off) and more.

Daraz.pk is offering discounts on leading brands such as Eco Star, Orient, Samsung, Changhong Ruba on TVs, Orient, Haier, Alpine, Kenwood, Westpoint and more in kitchen and household appliances. Furthermore, J.B. Saeed, Interwood, Kitchen Stone, Sea Rose, Hoid, Florist and other leading furniture and household decor names are also up for grabs at amazingly low prices.

To help customers plan for summer and the loadshedding that comes with it, the e-commerce store has also slashed prices on air conditioners from Mitsubishi, Gree and other leading brands, and is offering discounts on generators and UPS.

About Daraz

Daraz is the leading e-commerce platform in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The company started in Pakistan in 2012 as an online fashion business, but since then has expanded its business model to a general marketplace for quality brands within electronics, home appliances, fashion and many other categories.

Daraz is owned by CDC Group – the UK Government’s Development Finance Institution (DFI) focused on supporting and developing businesses in Africa and South Asia – as well as the Asia Pacific Internet Group (APACIG) which supports some of the leading internet companies in the region. Founded by Rocket Internet in 2014, APACIG’s mission is to promote innovation and entrepreneurship throughout Asia and the Pacific and to support the development of a vibrant online culture.

I won't know anyone at the Oscars! Priyanka talks about her presentation jitters

While Deepika's xXx shoot's taken social media by storm, Priyanka has been quietly shooting the second season of her debut American seriesQuantico. That, and battling the nerves of presenting an award at the 88th Academy Awards on February 28th.

Not that she's a stranger to awards. The 33-year-old actress was honoured with a Padma Shri this year, and she remembers the memory fondly in an interview with Scoop Whoop:

''Both me and my mom had an emotional moment when my name was announced as a Padma Shri award recipient this year. An honour that made me and my mother cry out of exhilaration. I have worked so hard and it feels so good to be recognized."

Still, being a newcomer in Hollywood makes the presentation task at the Oscars quite daunting for Priyanka.

"I have attended so many award functions back home. But this is the first time that I am going to an event where I don't know anyone personally," she said.

"Everyone has been so positive with me so far. They know how the show works, they already know the people. And they are aware that I am new to the whole set up, they understand that I might be feeling little awkward. So people just walk up to me and are very warm and friendly. I am looking forward to meeting people who I admire. Its my first time at the international awards circuit in this capacity."

Just like everyone else, she's curious about how the Oscars will pan out this year:

"I loved Spotlight and I would like to see how that will go considering it has multiple nominations. I really liked The Danish Girl. I want to see if Eddie Redmayne wins. I also want to see if Leonardo DiCaprio will finally get his first Oscar or not."

Given that she's had a streak of 'wins' lately, from the People's Choice Awards to bagging her Hollywood debut, we're sure she'll do just fine on February 28.

PUBLISHED 2 DAYS AGO Women to take centre stage at LLF 2016

LAHORE: Some interesting new panelists will be expected to attend the Lahore Literary Festival this year.

There will be a mixture of foreign and local delegates, including a large number of women panelists, who will speak on a variety of issues.

South African journalist and novelist Zukiswa Wanner whose debut novel,The Madams, was shortlisted for the K. Sello Duiker Award and her latest novel, London Cape Town Joburg (2014), is a prize winner.

In 2014, she was named on the Hay Festival’s Africa list of 39 Sub-Saharan African writers under 40 with potential and talent to define trends in African literature. She has written four novels -- two non-fiction books and two for children.

Soraya Khan, whose work incorporates her own family history, is a Pakistani-Dutch author of three novels. Her works focus important events in the history of Pakistan. Her novel, City of Spies (2015), won the Best International Fiction Book Award at the Sharjah International Book Fair. Currently, she lives in New York.

Professor of anthropology at BRAC University, Bangladesh, Dina Siddiqi has done research on gender, labour, human rights and transnational feminisms across South Asia. She has taught at the University of Pennsylvania, Bryn Mawr, the New School, and Columbia University. She serves on the editorial board of Routledge’s Women in Asia Publication Series.

Tanika Sarkar is professor of modern history at Jawaharlal Nehru University and visiting professor of history at Yale University. Her works include,Bengal, 1928-1934; the Politics of Protest (1987); Words to Win: A Modern Autobiography (1999); Hindu Wife, Hindu Nation: Religion, Community, Cultural Nationalism (2000) and Rebels, Wives, Saints: Designing Selves and Nations in Colonial Times (2010).

Lucy Peck trained as an architect and town planner. Inspired by her time in Delhi, she published, Delhi: A Thousand Years of Building (2005), followed byAgra: The Architectural Heritage (2010), and Lahore: The Architectural Heritage (2014).

An expert on the history, art, and archaeology of Afghanistan, Nancy Hatch Dupree has dedicated a lifetime to documenting and preserving Afghanistan’s cultural heritage. Dupree wrote five guidebooks to Afghanistan. She is the director of the Afghanistan Centre at Kabul University.

Indian writer Tania James is a Harvard graduate in filmmaking with a Masters in Fine Art from Colombia.

Her novel Atlas of Unknowns (2009) was the New York Times Editor’s Choice and short stories Aerogrammes and Other Stories (2012) won the Kirkus Reviews Award for best book of 2012.

Other women panelists will include Fehmida Riaz, Kishwar Naheed and Attiya Dawood who need no introduction for the local audience.

The delegates will be renowned Chinese calligrapher Haji Noor Deen Mi Guang Jiang who fuses both the Chinese and Arabic styles. Jiang has been awarded Certificate of Arabic Calligrapher in Egypt, becoming the first Chinese person to be honoured with the award. He was born in the Shangdong province and he brings immense knowledge in traditional thought and Islamic art to modern audiences in a fusion of both Eastern and Western.

Mick Conefrey is an award-winning documentary maker and writer. His TV credits include Mountain Men and Icemen for BBC TV and the BBC’s 50th anniversary film for the first ascent of Everest. His books include The Adventurer’s Handbook, Everest 1953 (2013) and The Ghosts of K2 (2015).

Iraqi poet, novelist, scholar and director, Sinan Antoon starred in the widely-acclaimed documentary film About Baghdad (2004). He has published two collections of poetry; Mawshur Muballal bil-Hurub (2003) and One Night in All Cities (2010).

The author of several books, his novel, Ya Maryam (2013) was shortlisted for the 2013 International Prize of Arabic Fiction and his novel, The Corpse Washer (2013), was longlisted for the Independent Prize for Foreign Fiction and won the 2014 Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Literary Translation. His translation of Mahmoud Darwish’s last prose book, In the Presence of Absence (2011), won the 2012 ALTA National Translation Award.

Other delegates include Shuja Nawaz, Zehra Nigah, Qaiser Mahmood, Razia Sultanova, Masood Asher, A G Noorani, Muneeza Shamsie, Kamila Shamsie, C M Naim, Shezad Dawood, Rafia Zakaria, Anissa Helou, Reza Deghati, Hamid Ismailov, Iftikhar Dadi, Mary Katrina Shemza, Rasheed Araeen, Ashok Ferrey, Syed Babar Ali, and Rana Dasgupta.