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THE GRAPEVINE

Published

6 days ago

December 7, 2025

hussainbinnoman3@gmail.com

THE MAN WHO CONNECTED PEOPLE

On November 24, Indian film icon Dharmendra, aka Dharam ji, passed away at the age of 89, saddening his fans across the world, including those from the global showbiz fraternity. Closer to home, Pakistani celebrities who expressed their sorrow at his demise included the likes of Mahira Khan, Reema, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Adnan Siddiqui and Anoushay Ashraf. The latter’s words were particularly perceptive: “He believed in the power of cinema to connect people, and that is why his loss is felt so deeply here in Pakistan.” That is so true. Unfortunately, the Modi government in India doesn’t think like that. Rest in peace, Dharam ji!

IDOL PRAISE

The contestants on Pakistan Idol’s current season are so good that even great artists from across the border are acknowledging their prodigious talent. More specifically, Indian vocalist par excellence Hariharan, in a social media message to Bilal Maqsood (one of the four judges on Pakistan Idol), said, “I’ve been enjoying the recent reality show you’re on. You are looking cool. Some of the participants are really good.” Thank you, Hari sir! Your praise means a lot. Let’s hope this bit of cross-border camaraderie doesn’t cause a political brouhaha in India again.

LESSONS FROM SHAKESPEARE

Irish actor Paul Mescal is playing the role of playwright William Shakespeare in a new film, Hamnet, that has been gathering Oscar buzz. This is what he says he’s learnt from working in the movie: “If the film’s taught me anything, and it’s taught me many things, it’s that you can’t be a great version of yourself without the immense support from the people around you. As a society, we’ve become individualised and need to carve out our own path. And actually, it’s a hell of a lot more enjoyable and more exciting to do that in contact with people with a real desire to love and be loved.” Interesting, but his comment does beg the question: didn’t Paul M learn anything from the miniseries Normal People, which earned him an Emmy nomination?

MISSING UNIVERSE

A Thai entrepreneur, Jakkaphong Anne Jakrajutatip (aka Anne JKN), is the co-owner of the Miss Universe pageant, which was recently won by Mexico’s Fátima Bosch Fernández. Anne JKN took the spotlight, in a manner of speaking, away from the winner only five days after the pageant, when an arrest warrant was issued for her in relation to a 2023 fraud case. It happened because Anne JKN did not appear for a court hearing on November 25, and her whereabouts remain unknown. The Thai court has said her absence is a ‘flight risk’. Well, you know, the universe is her playground.

OLD-FASHIONED OR TOXIC?

The fourth instalment of the action comedy Rush Hour, starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, is on the anvil. It will be directed by Brett Ratner, who helmed the first film of the franchise. Incidentally, in 2017, Brett R was accused by six women of sexual harassment. However, maybe the reason this has been all but forgotten has to do with the fact that he has directed a documentary on Donald Trump’s wife, eponymously titled Melania. Apparently, this has endeared him to Donald T, and now, reportedly, the President of the United States of America is pushing for Rush Hour 4, because it will entail “old-fashioned masculinity.” Seriously? In this day and age, is that a good thing?

SRK V WANKHEDE

Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan’s Netflix series Ba***ds of Bollywood is in the news again… for a tension-filled reason. Indian Revenue Service officer Sameer Wankhede, who had arrested Aryan K in the 2021 Cordelia Empress cruise (drugs) case — charges against Aryan K were later dropped — has filed a two crore rupee defamation lawsuit against Netflix and SRK’s Red Chillies Entertainment, which has produced the series, arguing that the depiction of a government officer in it resembles him and that it has tarnished his reputation. The production house, in response, has said that the Netflix venture isn’t a documentary on the cruise incident and opposed the plea in the Delhi High Court. All we can say is that things are getting spicier than red chillies.

Published in Dawn, ICON, December 7th, 2025

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Story time : What steals our joy

Published

13 minutes ago

December 13, 2025

hussainbinnoman3@gmail.com

It was Friday when the teacher announced a test that would be held on Monday. Bisma made sure she studied and learnt everything for it.

On Monday, the teacher handed out the test sheets. Bisma, along with the rest of the class, completed the test. Most students felt optimistic about their results. However, Bisma was a bit overconfident.

The next day, when the marked test papers came back, Bisma was happy to see she had scored 17 out of 20, until she heard that one of her classmates had scored 19.

This made Bisma feel a bit uneasy. She had thought she was the topper, but hearing someone else had scored higher took away her joy. She began to doubt herself and her abilities, thinking she hadn’t worked hard enough or wasn’t good enough.

Days passed, but the thought continued to bother her. A few days later, the school announced a speech competition. Despite her insecurities, Bisma prepared for it. On the day of the competition, when her name was called, she went on stage and delivered her speech. But as she came down, she didn’t feel satisfied. Her unease grew as she listened to other students’ speeches. She began finding non-existent flaws in her own performance, thinking her accent wasn’t perfect and her pronunciation wasn’t good enough.

After the competition, there was a snack break. Bisma took her lunch, sat down, and started eating half-heartedly.

Zehra, her friend, noticed the sad look on her face, walked up to her, and asked with concern, “Hey Bisma, what’s up? You look sad. Is everything okay?”

Bisma snapped out of her thoughts and tried to smile bravely. “Yeah, everything’s okay.”

“Are you sure? You know you can share anything with me,” Zehra said gently.

Bisma sighed. “I feel like a failure.”

“What!? Why?” Zehra asked, surprised.

“Because every time I do something, I never seem to get it right. I don’t know why. I try so hard, but still, I always mess something up while others do so much better. Like that test — I studied so hard for it, but I only got 17 marks while others got 19. And that speech today? It was a complete disaster! Others were far better than me,” Bisma bemoaned.

Zehra patiently listened and then said, “Bisma, I think you did a great job in that speech. And about that test, you worked so hard and got good marks. Don’t you remember that all our other classmates, including me, got marks below 15? What you’re doing right now is comparing yourself to others. Haven’t you heard that famous quote, ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’?”

Bisma frowned a little. “Umm… no, I don’t think so.”

Zehra smiled. “It means that when you compare yourself to others, it ruins your happiness and makes you doubt your own hard work. The only person you should compare yourself with is your past self. Tell me, did you deliver this speech better than your last one?”

Bisma thought for a moment and said, “Yes.”

“Exactly,” said Zehra. “You shouldn’t compare yourself to others but to yourself. If you did better, be proud of yourself. And if you didn’t, don’t be too hard on yourself — just try to do better next time.”

Bisma listened to her friend and understood her mistake. Gradually, she started feeling proud of her small achievements, and that helped her become genuinely happy for others.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 13th, 2025

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Cook-it-yourself : Mug chocolate dream cake

Published

25 minutes ago

December 13, 2025

hussainbinnoman3@gmail.com

Chocolate is amongst the richest and most decadent ingredients around. It can be found in all sorts of baked goods, and ranges from smooth, creamy milk chocolate to bittersweet dark chocolate.

But what if you don’t have the time to concoct a complex dessert? Luckily for you, this recipe requires only a microwave and a few pantry staples to be served.

With the dream cake trend, you might have wondered if there was an easier way to enjoy it, in the comfort of your home. Well, find out with this easy-to-follow recipe, which takes minutes.

This single-serve treat will meet all your chocolate cravings, combining a soft, fluffy sponge layer with a hard chocolate top to give the perfect balance of textures.

Ingredients

For the cake:

8 chocolate biscuits

50ml warm milk

1/4 tsp baking soda

For the ganache:

50g chocolate

50ml warm milk

Method

In a greased, microwave-safe ramekin, crush biscuits. Add milk and baking soda and stir.

Microwave on low for 90-120 seconds or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. In another bowl, melt the chocolate using the microwave.

Add milk and stir continuously until your desired consistency is reached.

Pour the chocolate ganache over the cooled cake.

Drizzle melted chocolate on top and freeze for 2-3 minutes or until the chocolate is set.

Finally, crack the top and enjoy! n

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 13th, 2025

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