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Review: The Legend of Maula Jatt The long awaited film finally hit the cinema screens this week. The film was actually finished in 2019, but due to copyright lawsuit filed by the producer of the 1979 original Maula Jatt, the film could not be released. But come 2022, and we finally got to see the masterpiece. The remake differs from the original in both the cast and the script. But the thing that stands out the most is the level of production. It will be true to say that The Legend of Maula Jatt was no less than a Hollywood blockbuster in terms of production quality. Whether it is the cinematography, CGI, sound design or the costume, the film delivered superbly. The action sequences were the best I have seen in a Pakistani film. Fawad Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi gave stellar performances, but in my opinion the show stealer was most definitely Gohar Rasheed. Gohar brilliantly captured the mercilessness and malevolence of Maakha Natt. Mahira Khan on the other hand felt a forced character. ...

Tom Cruise: The Greatest Movie Star of All Time Just this year, the 60 year old actor starred in Top Gun: Maverick which grossed over $1.45 Billion at the global box office and became Cruise's career's highest grossing film. It would be safe to say that Tom Cruise is indeed the biggest movie star alive at this point. His sheer star power is the driving force for his movies successes.  There are other actors who have starred in more high grossing films, but Cruise's Top Gun: Maverick was different. One may watch a new Spiderman film because they want to see the character Spiderman, not the star playing it (Tom Holland). Similarly actors like Johnny Depp and Robert Downey Jr. gave global hits such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Ironman, but the audiences watched these films for Jack Sparrow and Tony Stark, not because of Depp and Downey. This effect is opposite for Tom Cruise, whos films gross Billions not because of their characters, but because of Cruise himself. Tom Cruis...

 The Sopranos: Still Great After 15 Years It was during the pandemic when The Soprano's popularity skyrocketed amongst the new and younger audiences. As people were trapped in their houses, many turned to binge watching classic shows and The Sopranos seemed to be a huge hit. The Rolling Stone magazine released a list of the "Top 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time" in September 2022 and put The Sopranos in the number 1 spot. The show aired in 1999 and told the story of Tony Soprano, a mob boss in New Jersey who had problems at work and at home. When people think about the Italian mafia they think about the Corleone family in The Godfather, who had great amount of power and influence. But this show tells the story of the mafia in the 21st century. A mafia which is very small scale and not as influential as they were back in the day. The Sopranos is hailed as the first TV show to introduce the concept of an "anti-hero" (the main character who lacks the conventional ...

 CRIME & PUNISHMENT: A RUSSIAN CLASSIC Russian literature has always been hailed one of the most best. From Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Alexander Pushkin and Nikolai Gogol, Russia has blessed the world with the very best authors. There is a common misconception amongst the people that Russian literature is lengthy and boring. While the former is true, the latter can not be furthest from the truth.  I had planned to read Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, widely considered as the best work of literature ever written. But when I was visiting an "Old Book Bank" in Saddar Rawalpindi, I caught sight of Dostoevsky's Crime & Punishment. I knew nothing about this book but bought it with an impulse. The book turned out to be an utter page-tuner. I finished the lengthy novel in a matter of days.  The premise of the book is simple, it tells the story about Rodion Raskolnikov, a young student living in extreme poverty in 19th century Saint Petersburg. His abysmal financial situati...

THINGS TO DO IN RAWALPINDI Rawalpindi, often referred to as simply Pindi by the locals, is the fourth largest city of Pakistan. Pindi is the sweet mixture of modern and traditional lifestyle.  ANDROON SHEHR Inner city (androon shehr) takes you back in time. From the bustling streets of Raja Bazar to the picturesque alleys of Bhabra bazar, Androon Pindi is a sight one has to experience themselves. The 117 year old Markazi Jamia Masjid is a must visit. If you want to explore the inner city, you better start at the heart of the city: Fawara Chowk. From this junction you can visit Raja bazar, Urdu Bazar, Kalan Bazar, Nankari Bazar, Kashmiri bazar, Kartarpura and the list goes on and on. Bhabra Bazar, Rawalpindi EXPERIENCE THE CUISINE  Grato Jalebi, Sadeeq Halwai, Pappu Soda and Majeed Nihari are some places one must visit at all costs to experience the rich tastes this city has to offer. But the staple food Rawalpindi is known for is no other than Savour Pulao. This light rice dis...