Plays that set the stage for revival of theater in Pakistan this year

Actor Tanveer Gill plays the role of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (left) and Omar Kazi acts as Muhammad Ali Jinnah in “Saadhay 14 August” in Karachi, Pakistan, on August 16, 2022 (Photo courtesy: ACP)
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Updated 25 December 2022
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Plays that set the stage for revival of theater in Pakistan this year

  • Anwar Maqsood’s ‘Sadhay 14 August’ and Zia Mohyeddin’s adaptation of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ were applauded by audiences
  • Two years of coronavirus pandemic and accompanying restrictions proved devastating for Pakistan’s theater industry

KARACHI: The year 2022 saw Pakistani theater limp back to normalcy after two devastating years of the coronavirus pandemic that dealt a severe blow to live stage performances.

Pakistan has always produced stellar acts in the theater industry that have inspired audiences over the decades. However, the pandemic confined people to their homes, depriving them from visiting playhouses amid harsh restrictions.

“2022 has been the best year for theater so far,” President Arts Council of Pakistan (ACP) Muhammad Ahmed Shah told Arab News this week. “One shouldn’t be afraid of experimental theater. We have formed strong roots for theater.”

He maintained the ACP management catered to all social classes while planning their productions.

“With Awami Theatre Festival, we catered to the masses and made sure to entertain them without any vulgarity or senseless content,” he continued.

Shah said 50 theater plays were produced in 2022 that ran for a total of 165 days. The list also featured two English dramas.

He maintained the development of Pakistan’s theater industry was witnessing an “evolutionary process” while informing that the Sindh administration was its “biggest source of funding” in province.

The ACP president said the official funding was only to strengthen the industry “so it can sustain itself in the future.”

One of the stage performances that resonated with audiences in the outgoing year was Anwar Maqsood’s “Sadhay 14 August,” the final part of a trilogy focusing on the relationship between Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, two towering figures of the Subcontinent who helped wrest Pakistan and India from British colonial rule in 1947.

The play premiered on the 75th anniversary of Pakistan’s independence this year.




Actor Fawad Khan as Amjad threatens Irshad (Nazar-ul-Hasan) in a scene from “100 Din Chor Kay” at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi, Pakistan, on December 17, 2022. (Photo courtesy: ACP)

Zeeshan Haider’s recent two-hour-long comedy play “100 Din Chor Kay” enthralled audiences with its witty banter and attracted large number of people. In one of the shows, the artistic performances received an extended standing ovation.

Audiences particularly loved the craft displayed by theater actors Fawad Khan and Nazar-ul-Hasan. The play was the first production under the newly launched repertory theater at ACP.

Haider, a National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) graduate, has been an acting coach for the last 15 years. He also helped an American actor for Disney’s Ms. Marvel with dialect and pronunciation.

“We wanted to begin in a lighter vein and make it an inviting thing for audiences,” he told Arab News about his play this week. “There were many who watched the theater for the first time and we built some new audiences with ‘100 Din Chor Kay.’”




Juliet cries after Romeo commits suicide in Zia Mohyeddin’s Urdu adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet” in Karachi, Pakistan, on June 16, 2022. (AN Photo/S.A. Babar)

The cause was also helped by legendary British-Pakistani actor Zia Mohyeddin who directed the Urdu version of “Romeo and Juliet” in 2022. The play is a 1597 tragedy penned by William Shakespeare and is considered by many as one of the finest dramas ever written.

In addition to that, some prominent NAPA productions released during this year included “Betaali Prem Katha,” an adaptation of an Indian folklore, written and directed by Fawad Khan.

“READER” was another production directed by Sunil Shanker’s adaptation of Ariel Dorfman’s play by the same name.

“Both Sit in Silence,” featuring Joyland stars Ali Junejo and Rasti Farooq, also made waves for its unusual concept and setting. Written by Junejo, it was performed in an enclosed space, with audiences sitting on both sides of the stage, and only featured two characters.




Ali Junejo and Rasti Farooq practice “Both Sit in Silence” in Lahore, Pakistan, in June 2022. (Photo courtesy: Olomopolo Media)




President Arts Council of Pakistan Muhammed Ahmed Shah (left) addresses audiences after the performance of “100 Din Chor Kay” at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi, Pakistan, on December 17, 2022. (Courtesy: ACP)

 


Primark to open 3 stores in the UAE 

Updated 08 May 2025
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Primark to open 3 stores in the UAE 

DUBAI: Primark is officially making its way to Dubai, marking its debut in the UAE after years of rumors about the popular store’s launch in the country. 
The popular budget retailer is partnering with retail giant Alshaya Group to open three stores in Dubai, as announced by Alshaya Group CEO John Hadden on Virgin Radio Dubai’s Kris Fade Show. 
Set to launch in early 2026, the stores will be located at Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and City Centre Mirdif.
“Price is the same. We’re going to do jeans at a starting price of AED 50 and a basic t-shirt will be AED 15,” Hadden said on the show. “I’m so excited I can’t sustain it. It’s just brilliant.”
Primark’s regional debut is set for The Avenues Mall in Kuwait, with the store expected to open by late 2025. Following that, the brand will expand to Dubai as its next stop in the Middle East.
Primark began 55 years ago in Dublin, Ireland, where it originally opened under the name Penneys. Since then, it has grown to operate 450 stores worldwide.
With a presence in 15 European countries and 16 locations in the United States, the brand offers a wide range of products including clothing for women, men and children, as well as cosmetics, home goods and accessories.


Diwan Kitchen brings Saudi soul to North London

Updated 1 min 37 sec ago
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Diwan Kitchen brings Saudi soul to North London

  • The UK capital’s latest Saudi restaurant drew the crowds for its opening night

LONDON: North London just got a little warmer. On May 1, at 510 Holloway Rd, the heart of the Kingdom found a new home in the UK capital. With oud music drifting through the air and the scent of spiced lamb and simmering wheat pulling people in from the street, Diwan Kitchen opened its doors to the public.

The new Saudi restaurant isn't just serving food. It’s telling stories.

The interiors are a soft, glowing tribute to the Kingdom’s past. From carved wood panels evoking the mudbrick homes of Najd, to vibrant fabrics and lanterns echoing the coastal souqs of Hijaz, every corner of Diwan Kitchen feels like a page from a living history book.

Guests on the restaurant's opening night. (AN Photo)

Those traditional mudbrick homes of Najd, designed to keep cool in scorching summers and warm in desert winters, weren’t just shelters; they were social spaces, built around courtyards, where family, memory, and hospitality were the foundation of daily life.

“We wanted to show people what traditional Saudi dining is like” Adem Nasraddin, co-founder of the restaurant, told Arab News. “There’s a rhythm to Saudi life. A scent, a pace, a flavor. We bottled that feeling and served it on a plate.”

And what a plate it is. The tasting menu is a culinary journey across the Kingdom. You can start in Hijaz, with motabag — pan-fried pastries that are light and crisp and deeply comforting. Whether filled with spiced vegetables, gooey cheese, or minced beef, each bite transports you to a Jeddah street corner at sunset.

There’s foul medammas, a creamy mash of fava beans seasoned the Hijazi way: with garlic, lemon, and cumin. And tamees bread; hot and soft, made for tearing and sharing — just as it should be.

The restaurant serves authentic Saudi cuisine. (AN Photo)

The main courses venture into the windswept heartlands of Najd, with jareesh, a dish made from crushed wheat, simmered with tomatoes and onion, that tastes like something a Bedouin grandmother would proudly serve you under an open sky. Alongside it is marqooq, a rich, flat-dough stew that has nourished generations through long desert nights.

Of course, no Saudi table would be complete without rice. Diners can choose between kabsa — the fragrant national treasure of the central regions — and mandi, with its delicate smoke, hailing from the misty mountains of Asir and the southern valleys.

Then comes saleeg, a creamy rice dish from Taif, cooked in milk and broth and topped with tender chicken. It's the kind of meal that slows you down, insisting you stay a little longer.

“My experience has been that it’s completely authentic,” one Saudi guest, Fahad Habib, told Arab News. “It feels like I’m back home.”

Beyond the menu, Diwan Kitchen is a space built on memory and modernity. Saudi music played at the launch, and as guests chatted over cardamom coffee and dates, the atmosphere was part-family gathering, part-culinary pilgrimage.

The opening night drew a mixed crowd — Saudis living in London, curious neighbors from Holloway Road, and food lovers eager to explore a cuisine that’s still underrepresented in the UK. For many, it was more than just a meal; it was a chance to connect with a culture through flavor, memory, and setting.


Best and Worst: Saudi presenter Ftoon Marwan talks family, freedom and fashion

Updated 08 May 2025
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Best and Worst: Saudi presenter Ftoon Marwan talks family, freedom and fashion

DUBAI: The Saudi presenter and content creator discusses fashion and how family and freedom have influenced her journey. 

Best TV show or film you’ve ever seen?    

The best TV show? “The Walking Dead.” I’ve watched it more than six times. I’m crazy about this show. I’ve been watching it since I was little kid. For movies, I like “Life or Something Like It” with Angelina Jolie. I’ve also been watching it since I was a child. The story of the movie is very nice.  

Worst TV show or film you’ve ever seen?   

“It.” I hate that movie. I don’t understand, are they trying to make kids scared of clowns? They’re already afraid of them. To me the idea is stupid.  

Best personal style moment so far?    

My mom actually does all of my styling. I could get a stylist, but my mom is honestly the best. I like all the outfits she chooses for me. At one event I was emceeing I was wearing a fuchsia dress. It was so bright. I was shining among everyone. I love this outfit!  

Worst personal style moment?    

I don’t have a worst style moment to be honest. There’s a saying in Arabic that means “There is a right moment for everything.” I don’t judge my style that harshly.  

Best accessory for a little black dress?    

A gold belt with simple gold earrings and accessories. All gold. Simple, simple, simple. For heels, it has to be gold. I have gold heels that I love so much. They work with everything!  

Worst accessory for a little black dress?  

Everything matches black. So, I do not think there is a worst accessory. It’s the king of colors.  

Best fashion trend of 2025?    

Statement accessories like bold bags and chunky jewelry. I like when they are out there and obvious, but the outfit itself has to be simple. Accessories give life to the outfit, you know?   

Worst fashion trend of 2025?    

Tiny bags, who wears them anymore? I can’t put anything inside them! It’s a stupid idea.  

Best advice you’ve ever been given?   

Focus on your health, family, money and work. I’d say focus especially on your family. Your mother and father brought you into this world with the hope of raising a child they could be proud of and honored by in front of others. My parents dedicated their entire lives to raising us to become the best versions of ourselves.   

Worst advice you’ve ever been given? 

“Get married early so we can see your kids.” Someone once proposed to me and said that. Thankfully my family said no. I truly appreciated it. They said no to make me free to do whatever I want whenever I want. 

Best thing to do when you’re feeling low?    

When I go to the beach, I swear I am the happiest creature in the world. Also, when I was a little kid, I used to tell my parents to take me ice skating whenever I felt low. This habit stuck with me until now. It gave me really good balance.  

Worst thing to do when you’re feeling good?    

Oversharing my feelings and my money. I’ll go spend my money on my friends and family. My mom keeps telling me: “Stop, you’ll need this money someday.” But I always tell her what goes comes around in double. That’s my motto.   

Best holiday destination?    

Dubai. I really love it. I lived most of my childhood there. I also like Germany. I went there in 2013 with my whole family. It was so nice. Honestly, I remember every moment of it. 

Worst holiday destination?   

I’ve never been to Egypt, but my family were saying they didn’t like it because of the situations they they’ve been in there. 

Best subject at school?  

I used to enjoy history, archaeology and science. Then in college, I did archaeology and tourism. It was meant to be. It was so me.  

Worst subject at school?   

Math, math, math. I remember a lot of Ds and one F.  


Summer’s hottest box-office hits 

Updated 08 May 2025
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Summer’s hottest box-office hits 

DUBAI: From super-fast cars to superhero stars, some of the blockbusters due in the next few months 

‘Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning’ 

Director: Christopher McQuarrie 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames 

Ethan Hawke is back in this direct sequel to 2023’s “Dead Reckoning — Part One.” It continues the story of Hawke and his crew’s battle against the Entity — a rogue AI capable of controlling Earth’s defense and financial networks. After the relatively poor box-office performance of “Dead Reckoning,” this needs to be a big hit, or else it really might — as the name implies but as no one yet believes — be the final outing for Cruise in one of the most iconic action roles in cinema history. Due out May 22. 

‘Lilo & Stitch’ 

Director: Dean Fleischer Camp 

Starring: Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Zach Galifianakis 

Live-action remake of Disney’s 2002 animation about a young orphan girl (Lilo) who befriends Stitch, a dog-like alien who, unbeknownst to Lilo, is genetically engineered to be a destructive force. Lilo hopes that Stitch can help with the troubles she is having with child protective services, who are threatening to separate her from her older sister Nani. But if he’s going to do that, then together they will have to keep him safe from the aliens hunting for him. Chris Sanders, writer and director of the original movie, returns as the voice of Stitch. Due out May 22. 

‘The Phoenician Scheme’ 

Director: Wes Anderson 

Starring: Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera 

This new feature from one of the world’s most singular filmmakers is a darkly humorous thriller in which wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda decides to make his somewhat estranged daughter Liesl (a nun, and the only female among Korda’s 10 children) the sole heir to his fortune after surviving the latest in several attempts on his life. That fortune depends greatly on the success of a land-expansion project he’s been planning for years. The two of them team up with Korda’s Norwegian tutor Bjorn to complete the project at great risk to themselves. Due out May 29. 

‘F1’ 

Director: Joseph Kosinski 

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon 

Sports drama whose makers have trumpeted the realism granted by its collaboration with the governing body of the F1 World Championship. Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a former F1 driver who retired following a horrific crash in the Nineties. His friend — and F1 team owner — Ruben Cervantes persuades him to come out of retirement in order to mentor the team’s rookie prodigy Joshua Pearce. Due out June 26. 

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ 

Director: Gareth Edwards 

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey 

Sequel to 2022’s “Jurassic World Dominion,” set five years on from the events of that film. Few dinosaurs have managed to survive. The ones that have are generally to be found in remote tropical areas. Covert operative Zora Bennett is hired by a pharmaceutical company to accompany its team on a secret mission to acquire the DNA of the largest remaining prehistoric species from land, sea and air respectively, which the company claims holds the key to a miracle drug that will save billions of lives. Due out July 3 

‘Superman’ 

Director: James Gunn 

Starring: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult 

As DC looks to launch its own cinematic universe to rival Marvel’s, it makes sense it would begin with a reboot of the Superman franchise. The eponymous hero, who spends his non-Superman time as mild-mannered journalist Clark Kent, has been described by producer Peter Safran as “the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way.” The movie apparently finds Superman attempting to reconcile his alien heritage with his adoptive human family. Due out July 11. 

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ 

Director: Matt Shakman 

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach 

Marvel Studios are hoping it’s third time lucky for The Fantastic Four, this being the second reboot of the series. It’s also the opening of Phase Six(!) of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film is set in a Sixties-inspired parallel Earth, which the eponymous team of heroes — Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic; his wife Sue Storm/Invisible Woman; her brother Johnny Storm/Human Torch; and Reed’s best friend Ben Grimm/The Thing — must protect from the planet-devouring being Galactus. Due out July 25. 

 

 

 

 


Four songs to stream before Guns ‘N Roses hits the stage in Riyadh

Updated 08 May 2025
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Four songs to stream before Guns ‘N Roses hits the stage in Riyadh

DUBAI: As legendary US rock band Guns 'N Roses prepares to take to the stage at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena on May 23 to kick off their 2025 world tour, we’ve rounded up four of their hits to stream before the show.

The Kingdom Arena gig will be the first show of a 24-gig tour. The iconic band will also play in Bahrain at Beyon Al-Dana Amphitheater on May 20, 2025, and in Abu Dhabi at Etihad Arena, Yas Island, on May 27, 2025.

‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ (1990)

This ballad has all the wonder of the Bob Dylan original, with epic Guns ‘N Roses flair to boot.

‘Paradise City’ (1987)

With one of the most recognizable choruses in rock history, fans can expect to belt “Take me down to the paradise city, where the grass is green and the girls are pretty” at the Riyadh concert on May 23.

‘November Rain’ (1991)

The epic ballad came with an equally emotional music video.

‘Sweet Child o’ Mine’ (1987)

No Guns 'N Roses tracklist would be complete without this anthem, a favorite of air guitar afficionados everywhere.