Superheroes take to the stage at Middle East Film & Comic Con
Updated 20 April 2025
Shyama Krishna Kumar
DUBAI: Abu Dhabi’s Middle East Film & Comic Con turned into a multiverse crossover event as Andrew Garfield, Charlie Cox, Grant Gustin, and Wilson Bethel took the stage for a packed superhero panel.
The four actors — known for portraying Spider-Man, Daredevil, The Flash, and Bullseye respectively — reflected on their iconic roles and what it means to bring beloved comic-book characters to life.
Garfield discussed meeting fans at conventions. “It’s always a bit nerve-wracking when you’re coming to see fans. And every time I get very shy, and then as soon as I am faced with, you know, a group of people who just love so deeply what they love, and the fact that we’re all involved in things that you guys love so much, it’s such a beautiful relationship that we get to have with all of you,” he said. “I just feel so lucky. I think we all feel so lucky to get to be a part of your lives in such an intimate and emotionally joyful way.”
Bethel has returned to her role as Bullseye in the Disney+ show “Daredevil: Born Again,” in which Cox plays the titular hero. “Charlie and I just fell back into our dancing positions. I lead and he follows. Coming out of that long period of not doing the show, to returning to it in such a dramatic, physical way, was very cool,” she said, referencing their bloody fight in episode one of the new series.
Gustin, who played Barry Allen/The Flash on the hit CW show “The Flash” from 2014 to 2023, said: “The coolest part of playing a character like this is that, no matter what else you do, you’ll carry it always, because you will forever be a part of that character’s legacy.
“I was 23 when the show started filming,” he added. “And I didn’t know how stressful that would be at times. I had to learn how to handle that stress as I grew up on the show. And I think by the time it was over, I was enjoying it more than ever.”
‘Terhal’ play returns to Diriyah with rich tapestry of Saudi culture
Compelling tale of young man searching for roots in Kingdom
Innovative use of live music, acrobatics and equestrian displays
Updated 05 August 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: A celebration of Saudi Arabia heritage is underway in Diriyah with the return of the play “Terhal,” which offers a visually rich and emotionally resonant expression of the Kingdom’s cultural tapestry.
Held at the Mayadeen site and running until Aug. 25, the production of the Ministry of Culture combines live performance, cinematic visuals, and traditional storytelling to narrate the evolving story of the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
‘Terhal’ depicts a compelling tale of a young man searching for roots in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
At the heart of “Terhal” is the story of Saad, a young Saudi who travels across the country’s diverse regions in search of his roots and future.
His personal journey becomes a symbolic reflection of the nation’s broader transformation and is grounded in heritage, driven by ambition, and inspired by generations past.
FASTFACTS
• Held at the Mayadeen site and running until Aug. 25, the Ministry of Culture’s production of ‘Terhal’ combines live performance, cinematic visuals, and traditional storytelling.
• The production seamlessly fuses the Kingdom’s landscapes with innovative stage technology, creating a captivating showcase.
• Tickets can be booked via webook.com.
The production seamlessly fuses the Kingdom’s landscapes with innovative stage technology, creating a captivating showcase.
‘Terhal’ depicts a compelling tale of a young man searching for roots in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Audiences are treated to dazzling acrobatics, immersive soundscapes, live music, equestrian performances, and cultural displays, including references to traditional crafts, attire and cuisine.
Building on the artistic and public success of its 2023 debut, “Terhal” continues to push the creative boundaries of local theater production.
Elyanna shares heartwarming moment with Palestinian children at Coldplay concert
Updated 04 August 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna took to Instagram to share a heartwarming moment with two young Palestinian children at a Coldplay concert, invited through the non-profit organization Heal Palestine. She was joined by Egyptian American comedian and creator Ramy Youssef and US journalist Ayman Mohyeldin.
“Thank you @heal.palestine for making it possible for me to meet these angels,” wrote Elyanna on Instagram, along with photos from the meeting.
Heal Palestine, the organization that facilitated the encounter, focuses on supporting Palestinian children and families affected by war and displacement, offering both emergency relief and long-term education initiatives. The group took to their official Facebook page to thank Elyanna, Youssef and Mohyeldin.
“A heartfelt thank you to @elyanna, @aymanm, and @ramy for giving Qamar and Sara an unforgettable night at the Coldplay concert. Watching Elyanna perform on stage was a moment of pure magic — a much-needed escape from their treatments after their injuries in Gaza. We are deeply grateful for your compassion and for standing with us in our mission,” the post read.
Elyanna will perform at this year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix After-Race Concerts on Dec. 5 at the Etihad Park on Yas Island.
The young star is expected to sing some of her most popular tracks, including “Ghareeb Alay,” “Mama Eh,” and her Arabic rendition of “La Vie en Rose.”
Her performance is a part of the Yasalam After-Race concerts, held alongside the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, one of the UAE’s biggest entertainment and sporting weekends.
Elyanna joins a high-profile lineup of artists already announced for the four-night concert series, including Benson Boone on Dec. 4, Post Malone on Dec. 5, Metallica on Dec. 6 and Katy Perry on Dec. 7.
Access to the concerts is exclusive to F1 ticket holders, with each night set to feature large-scale performances at the open-air Etihad Park.
One of Elyanna’s standout appearances was during Coldplay’s four-night concert series in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, part of their “Music of the Spheres” world tour.
In April, Coldplay announced that Elyanna had again teamed up with the band to release a new version of “Ma Meilleure Ennemie,” a track originally performed by Belgian artist Stromae and French singer Pomme.
‘Freakier Friday’: Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis talk ‘more mature’ sequel
In “Freakier Friday,” the highly anticipated sequel, the duo returns as mother and daughter, but with a new twist
Updated 04 August 2025
Shyama Krishna Kumar
DUBAI: More than 20 years after their beloved body-swap comedy “Freaky Friday” first hit the cinemas, Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis are back — and this time, they are switching roles with the next generation.
In “Freakier Friday,” the highly anticipated sequel, the duo returns as mother and daughter, but with a new twist: A four-way body swap involving two younger characters, played by Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons.
Lindsay Lohan — a resident of the UAE for the last decade — returns as Anna Coleman in the film. (AFP)
When asked what it takes to convincingly pull off a body swap, the actors both agree — it is all about the details.
“Mannerisms, the physicality, is a big part of it,” Curtis explained in an interview with Arab News. “You have to mirror each other. It’s not like you’re doing the mirror exercise, but in a way, you are.”
Lohan — a resident of the UAE for the last decade — picked up on subtle changes too, saying: “Harper (Coleman) was slouching more, and she had a slower way of responding to things. She would kind of be more to herself and in her head. Anna would stay up straight more. Those were two of the things I would do.”
But no matter how much prep you do, Curtis says, the real test comes on set. She said: “You can work with the director and vocal coaches and all the rest of it, until that director says action — and the four of you have swapped, and you’re looking in the mirror — you just can’t know if it’s going to work. And I will tell you, when we shot the scene in the mirror, which is why it’s in the end credits, we knew it was working. The crew knew, the director knew, the producers knew, the studio knew — and then we relaxed.”
Both Lohan and Curtis also took on the role of executive producers for the film, a first for Lohan and a return to producing for Curtis. Stepping behind the scenes gave them more creative control and a deeper sense of ownership over the story.
“It feels so nice,” Lohan said. “Especially because women in Hollywood have come such a long way … it feels so encouraging to be executive producing with someone like Jamie and having more of a say in how things go in the movie. Just seeing it from the ground up feels so, what’s the word I’m looking for? Empowering.”
Fans of the original film will be thrilled by the return of Pink Slip, the fictional band fronted by Lohan’s character Anna. For Lohan, slipping back into Anna’s combat boots was as nostalgic as it was exhilarating.
“It was really fun,” she said. “I haven’t really been singing that much, and I haven’t been playing guitar in my daily life as much. So, it was nice to relearn guitar again and brush up on that and then sing and just be there, back with the band. We had so much fun. It was a really, really good time.”
While “Freakier Friday” is packed with physical comedy and music, both actors agree the film’s heart lies in its message of empathy.
“There’s a beautiful message in it,” Lohan said. “Walk a mile in my shoes. Get to know me before you assume things about me. Really know who I am first. And I think that’s a message we should all take with us every day, everywhere in the world — especially now.”
Curtis is in agreement. “It’s basically everything she just said. The first movie was funny and moving; this one is funnier, more moving … and therefore, it’s freakier. But the same themes are there: compassion, understanding, conflict, conflict resolution, physical comedy. It just feels richer, fuller, more mature.”
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani singer and actor Fawad Khan will be part of a panel of prominent judges who will feature in “Pakistan Idol,” which is set to make a comeback after a decade-long hiatus, a report in the international website Variety said this week.
Pakistan Idol was a reality singing television competition show that followed the “Idol” franchise created by British entrepreneur Simon Fuller. The show ran from December 2013 to April 2014 and featured pop stars Ali Azmat, Hadiqa Kiani and prominent actress Bushra Ansari as judges.
The show ran on Geo Entertainment and featured just one season. Production company MHL Global has secured the rights for Pakistan Idol from format distributor Fremantle to revive the singing competition series, Variety reported on Saturday.
“The show will feature a star-studded judging panel including actor Fawad Khan, singer Zeb Bangash, qawwali artist Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, and Strings musician Bilal Maqsood,” Variety said. “The revival marks a significant return for the franchise, which last aired in 2014.”
The report said MHL Global has planned an ambitious distribution strategy for the show’s reboot, with it set to air simultaneously across five television networks, a first for any “Idol” franchise globally.
“According to the company, this multi-platform approach aims to reach diverse audiences across Pakistan’s various regions and languages,” it added.
Zoya Merchant, director of MHL Global, said the launch represented “a cultural movement.”
“Pakistan has incredible musical talent, and this platform will not only spotlight it nationwide but elevate it to the global stage,” she said.
Variety said the production will incorporate modern digital engagement alongside traditional television broadcasting, adding that online auditions are launching through the Begin platform, while in-person casting calls are planned for major cities and remote regions.
“Production is expected to begin later this year, with broadcast details and premiere dates to be announced,” the report disclosed.
Khan enjoys heartthrob status in both Pakistan and India. After making a name for himself in hit Pakistani TV drama serials and movies such as Humsafar, Zindagi Gulzar Hai, The Legend of Maula Jutt and Khuda Kay Liye, he went on to star in Bollywood films Kapoor and Sons, Khoobsurat and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.
Before his acting career took off, Khan was a member of the Lahore-based rock band Entity Paradigm. He also sang the Pakistan Super League (PSL) anthem for the 2019 edition of the cricket league.
ISLAMABAD: Waiters weave through the busy restaurant floor, hurriedly taking orders from famished customers and making room for plenty of others who amble into the busy Xander’s gourmet café in Islamabad. It has been a little over three months since the restaurant opened for business in Pakistan’s capital. The steady stream of customers suggests it’s here to stay.
This is the story of several restaurants from Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi that have opened their outlets in Islamabad in recent years and found success in the capital. These include Xander’s, Hot N Spicy, Red Apple, Caffe Praha, Student Biryani and others.
These people bring much-needed diversity to the city’s culinary landscape. The southern port city is home to the Memon, Bohra, Punjabi, Pashtun, Baloch, Bengali, Malbari, Sindhi and a large community of MuHajjirs--people who migrated from India at the time of partition. Each group has contributed distinct flavors to Karachi’s ever-evolving palate with their own signature dishes.
But while Karachi has always been famous for its mouthwatering biryani, slow-cooked beef stew popularly known as nihari and the haleem, a thick, savory porridge of meat, lentils, and wheat, Islamabad’s residents did not find the same delight in the capital city’s version of these dishes.
Hence it comes as no surprise that Karachi’s prominent eateries that tried their hand in Islamabad have gotten impressive results so far. Take for instance Red Apple, a Karachi-based restaurant food chain popular for its paratha rolls and barbecue items, that started in Karachi in 1996 and now has 25 branches in total in the city.
“Three years ago, we launched in Islamabad and Lahore and within that period, have opened seven branches across Islamabad and Rawalpindi,” Hamza Channa, the general manager of Red Apple’s F-6 branch in Islamabad, told Arab News.
“There was no good roll paratha here. So Red Apple brought a good roll paratha and barbeque,” he said, adding the restaurant chain has the potential to open 20 outlets in the capital city.
The picture taken on July 31, 2025, shows Karachi-based eatery Red Apple in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AN photo)
The picture taken on July 31, 2025, shows a chef preparing a paratha roll at Karachi-based eatery Red Apple in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AN photo)
Xander’s, another Karachi-based eatery, describes itself as a modern gourmet café that serves simple and flavorful meals to customers. The cafe has been operating in Karachi for the past 14 years and found success with three outlets there before it expanded into Islamabad three months earlier.
Khasham Zaman, a businessman who has savored meals at both Xander’s outlets in Karachi and Islamabad, said the arrival of Karachi-based restaurants in the city is narrowing the gap in fine-dining experience in the capital.
“There is still room for improvement in the quality of the food, but I think they are doing exceptionally well,” Zaman told Arab News.
“I have tried Xander’s both in Karachi and after that in Islamabad. It’s a new addition and it’s fantastic.”
The picture taken on Juky 31, 2025, shows a customer taking picture at Caffe Praha in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AN photo)
Another Karachi-based eatery that has gained popularity in Islamabad is Caffe Praha. After operating in the southern city since 2019, Praha, which offers its customers the experience of relishing coffee and cakes at its outlets that it says are styled after Prague’s street cafés, opened for business in Islamabad on June 26.
The picture taken on July 31, 2025, shows a customer taking a picture of food at Caffe Praha in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AN photo)
For popular food vlogger “Guy Knows Food,” the popularity of new food chains opening in Islamabad has less to do with taste and more with “aesthetic appeal.”
“It is really easy for Karachi’s restaurants to enter Islamabad’s food market because consumers here have really low expectations when it comes to restaurants,” the vlogger told Arab News.
“They usually just focus on the aesthetic and/or location of the restaurant and are not concerned about actual fundamentals, like food or service or choice of ingredients, or its sourcing even.”
The picture taken on July 31, 2025, shows a chef preparing pizza at Caffe Praha in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AN photo)
He described Karachi’s range of food options as “absolutely amazing,” saying that restaurants based in the city are proof of that.
“Even Karachi’s restaurants don’t maintain the same quality of food and service here as they know that Islamabadi consumers won’t be too concerned,” he said.
“They can get away with it.”
Mahira Khan, however, absolutely relishes both the taste and experience that Praha offers.
“As they are advertising from Prague to Islamabad, I was expecting the same kind of touch, [that is] European food,” she said, sipping her Peach Mojito.
“And yes, the food was exactly what I was expecting.”
