Shehryar: If you have to think that much then it can’t be your ultimate fantasy!
Syra: (Turns the table) What is your ultimate fantasy?
Shehryar: Someone in a full white sari, not me of course. (Laughs)
Syra: I hope not.
Shehryar: (Laughs) But, yes, full on rain scene
Syra: (Asks in excitement) Rain Scene? Even me, even me! Not in a white sari, but definitely a rain scene.
Shehryar: Do you mean a full on romantic scene with rain falling?
Syra: Yeah, I don’t mind that.
Syra: What turns you off about a girl?
Shehryar: Do you mean like physical stuff?
Syra: Anything
Shehryar: I tell you what turns me on–I like nice hands and feet and decolletage. I think those are very interesting…
Syra: (Interrupts) That wasn’t my question!
Shehryar: (Laughs) I think I got carried away; I should stop now.
Shehryar: (Repeats the question) What turns me off? Let me think!
Shehryar: If I say body odor…
Syra: (Interrupts) That’s what I’m saying, no BO or bad breath, that’s just basic. Who can tolerate that?
Shehryar: (Repeats the question) What turns me off? Girls who use the “I’m a girl†card. That’s a complete no, no!
Syra: (Imitates) But I’m a girl.
Shehryar: Yes, I dislike that. I believe in equality. I give you respect, you give me respect. Don’t pull out that I am a girl card that is very demeaning to all girls, period.
Shehryar: What turns you off about a guy and what turns you on?
Syra: Turns on include he has got to smell good, and be smooth and confident, but not cocky. It’s a turn off if they guy is full of himself.
Shehryar: OKAYYYY!
Syra: Don’t take it personally.
(Shehryar and Syra both laugh)
Shehryar: No, I wasn’t taking it personally really, just self-analyzing. Ok let’s take Shehroz out of the picture…but let’s say you have a celebrity crush who would it be?
Syra: See all my friends make fun of me, but my type of boys are more like Edward Cullen type.
Shehryar: (Laughs)
Syra: So he must have that don’t talk to me kinda look.
Shehryar: OK, OK!
Syra: Your celebrity crush?
Shehryar: You mean currently? ‘Cuz it keeps changing. Well apart from you…
Syra: Awww…
Shehryar: Maya!
Syra: Yes, I think Maya is pretty.
Shehryar: Yes, she is doing amazing work these days. I wouldn’t mind working with her.
Syra: Why do you select these roles where you are always fighting with yourself? Is there a fight within you?
Shehryar: It’s interesting you asked me that. It’s because I really look for those kinds of roles. They allow you to do a lot.
Why do you like having the girl next door image?
Syra: I don’t enjoy that and I don’t like playing that.
“That is why I am super excited about Project Ghazi because I have a very different role in itâ€
Shehryar: But you do. I have to say that because she (the girl next door) is sitting right next to me.
Syra: I have no idea why, but yeah that’s what I get offered. And that is why I am super excited about Project Ghazi because I have a very different role in it.
Shehryar: Would you do a negative role?
Syra: I’ve done a negative role.
Shehryar: Oh yes, I saw it.
Syra: I would love to do it again.
Syra: Did you see it really?
Shehryar: No, I didn’t!
(Both laugh)
Syra: You know a lot of people want to know about you?
Shehryar: They do?
Syra: Yes
Shehryar: Can I be honest? Whenever we go to work we put on our public face and I am really good in public but then I come home exhausted.
Syra: You can’t do small talk?
Shehryar: I can but for me that is work too. It takes me a long time to open up to someone.
“I think Maya Ali is doing amazing work these days. I wouldn’t mind working with herâ€
Syra: So you are very reserved.
Shehryar: Yes, I am very closed up. I don’t like showing what I am actually like.
Sana: What does your tattoo say about you?
Shehryar: It’s a suad and a meem, which a lot of people don’t believe because they think it’s a socialist symbol but it’s not a sickle and hammer . Inversely, suad and a meem also stand out for Safia Munawar and Munawar Siddiqui, my parents’ initials, and I’ve just added roses because I think roses are interesting.
Sana: What about the one on your back?
Shehryar: That is shaped like wings but it’s actually calligraphy and it says, “Nahin tera nashiman.†The weird thing is my mother didn’t know about it for the first two years. When she saw a photoshoot that showed my tattoo, she said they must have had to work really hard on it. My father, who was sitting on the table, pulls my shirt and points towards it. (Laughs) This one represents Aztec warriors, people fighting for their culture. Since I’m half Baloch and half Brahui, I feel like I’m fighting too. Ours is also a dying culture.
What is the story behind your owl tattoo?
Syra: It’s because I am nocturnal and I also feel like it’s a very misunderstood bird.
Shehryar: So, you feel misunderstood?
Syra: Yes, mostly
Shehryar: What is the real Syra like?
Syra: People tell me that it’s the way I am. People misunderstand what I say and how I say it. That’s where the issue lies, but I am not mean… (Laughs)
Shehryar: Yes, we all have seen a certain show we put on that’s all I am going to say, just kidding. (Laughs) But what’s the story behind that tattoo?
Syra: It was spontaneous.
Shehryar: Pre or post Shehroz?
Syra: Pre. He couldn’t say much (double standards you know) because he has one too. All he said was, “You got it?!â€
Shehryar: Do you feel we have double standards? You guys were friends before you guys got married, so how was it different before and after marriage?
Syra: Initially, there were some double standards. He was immature, and I was also immature.
But Shehroze has really changed and evolved over time.
Shehryar: Who wears the pants?
Syra: Him
Shehryar: Shabash! (Well done)
Syra: He gives me authority here and there and we both respect each other.
Shehryar: That’s really good!
Coordination and styling by Sana Zehra
Photography by Arsalan Bilgrami of a.bilgrami studio
Talk about a perfect life—Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are blond, beautiful, famous and successful movie stars, with two lovely daughters and a picture perfect house. They live an idyllic life full of sweetness, sunshine and smiles. Everything is a choice and, according to Ryan, this is a life that Blake has created for her family. Let’s see how she is achieving her dream
With her momWith her parents, Ernie & Elaine Lively
During the summer between Blake’s junior and senior years at Burbank High School, her brother Eric asked his agent to send Blake on auditions, which is how she was cast in the coming of age movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) alongside Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel and America Ferrera. Blake caught the eye in the film and was nominated for a Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Breakout – Female. Back in school, she became the senior class president, a cheerleader, and a member of the championship choir.
It was when she was cast as the poor little rich girl Serena van der Woodsen in the hit teen series Gossip Girl based on the bestseller book series by Cecily von Ziegesar that Lively became a household name the world over. The mega successful show ran from 2007 till 2012. During the summer hiatus of 2008, Blake reprised her role in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 and by this time she had become fast friends with the actresses.
Blake was a cheerleader and senior class president in Burbank HIgh School
“I don’t want to date someone just to date someone,†Lively said in an interview for Cosmopolitan magazine that year. “I want to be with a guy who’s going to better my quality of life, better me.†She outed her relationship with her GG costar Penn Badgley at the 2008 Met Gala and continued seeing him for the next three years.
Very close to her family, Blake said that on holidays, like Christmas Day, all the siblings would stay in bed together. “Somehow we just spend seven hours a day all together just chatting and it’s really nice to have that time, because it’s rare that we get together for such a nice chunk of time. We never leave the house. We’re together all day whether we’re making gingerbread houses, or baking cookies, or sitting around and watching movies all piled up.â€
Inordinately fond of food and cooking, Blake called Martha Stewart her “idol†as well as being a fan of Nigella Lawson, a TV chef. Lively spent evenings working as a pastry chef at the renowned Per Se in New York City and took cookery classes wherever she travelled as a way of immersing herself in the local culture, including a tailor-made workshop at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Her ambition was to become a restaurateur and also “hoped one day to have an interior decorating company,†due to her love of “antiques, colours and textures and layering things.†Even though her GG role that she became synonymous with was of a spoilt rich girl, she was actually much more family oriented and more interested in perfecting her domestic arts rather than painting the town red like other celebrities her age. After GG ended, Blake was cast in the superhero movie Green Lantern starring Hollywood heartthrob Ryan Reynolds.
BeforeAfterGossip GirlSisterhood of the traveling pants 2
Ryan Rodney Reynolds was born in 1976, in Vancouver, British Columbia the youngest of four brothers to James Chester “Jim†Reynolds, a food wholesaler, and Tammy, a sales assistant. The handsome blond actor is of Irish descent and was raised a Roman Catholic. His older brother became police officers, while Ryan began his showbiz career with a stint in 1991 in the Canadian teen soap Hillside. He graduated from Kitsilano Secondary School in 1994, but dropped out of Kwantlen Polytechnic University in 1996 and moved to Hollywood. His breakout role was in the hit show Sabrina the Teenage Witch with teen queen Melissa Joan Hart.
Reynolds’ next big role came in the sitcom Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (1998-2001). He had a relationship with the show’s star Traylor Howard for two years even though she was a decade older than him; then he moved on to Kristen Johnston, also a TV star nearly a decade older; till he finally started dating Rachael Leigh Cook, an actress closer to his own age.
“I’ve had four boyfriends in my whole life. I’ve never been with anyone that’s not a boyfriend. If I spend time with a man, it’s because there’s somebody that I know well who has been a friend for a whileâ€
—Blake lively
In 2008, Ryan married sex symbol Scarlett Johanssen, his girlfriend for a year, but the marriage only lasted for three years with Scarlett calling it quits citing her monogamy issues and hinting at his insecurity with her success. In the meantime, Reynolds had a big summer hit in The Proposal (2009) opposite established box office star Sandra Bullock. Not only did he effortlessly hold his own against the senior actress, but their on screen chemistry was hot, and the two ended up having a fling after his marriage had irrrvocably broken down.
Ryan was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada
When the movie’s stars Lively and Reynolds made their debut as Green Lantern costars at 2010 Comic-Con at the San Diego Convention Center, he was still married to Scarlett, and she was still dating Badgley, but they had clearly established a good rapport with each other. With Green Lantern Reynolds was expected to become an A-list leading man but when the $200 million superhero movie hit theatres, it was a disappointment for critics and audiences alike. It just barely broke even. By the end of the year, the two stars were both single. During next year’s WonderCon press conference the two stars were seen giggling and enjoying each other’s company, but they were only friends at this time. Ryan told Details, “I’m very happy not to be in a relationship right now. That’s okay. I didn’t plan on it, that’s for sure . . . but that’s okay. I’ve been in relationships pretty much since high school….Some people look at that as a good thing. I think wiser people might see that as a house of cards….Anyone that gets divorced goes through a lot of pain, but you come out of it….I’m not out of it yet. At all.â€
Men usually seek solace when experiencing pain in the arms of the next willing woman and Reynolds followed up his fling with Sandra with two more flings that year, one with German model Agnes Fischer and the next South African glamazon star Charlize Theron as salve to his ego and pain.
Meanwhile, Lively was concentrating on her career and snagged a lucrative and high profile campaign as the face of the new Gucci fragrance, Gucci Premiere. And she was the arm candy of none other than Leonardo DiCaprio who squired her around the South of France during the summer of 2011. But he is not one to settle down or even stay with any one woman for long, regardless of how good looking or sweet she may be.
Back Stateside, Reynolds and Lively started spending more time together. He later reminisced on Entertainment Weekly’s SiriusXM show, “We were buddies then. I remember it was funny because for about a year after Green Lantern had come and gone and all that stuff we were both single,†he said. “We went on a double date. She was on a date with another guy and I was on a date with another girl. That was the most awkward date for their respective probably because we were just like fireworks coming across (laughing). It was weird at first but we were buddies for a long time. I think it’s the best way to have a relationship is to start as friends.â€
Speaking about the same date to Entertainment Weekly, Blake said: “That date went well for him. I don’t know about fireworks for me. No, we were such good friends for so long and we both got to know each other as friends so when we were both single, we were still trying to find each other’s perfect date—‘Oh, who would be good for you?’
First day on the set of Green Lantern, Blake arrived with a batch of freshly baked cupcakes that Ryan devoured
Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds Promoting Green Lantern at Comic-Con 2010Scream Awards 2010 AwardsGL-0740 (L-r) BLAKE LIVELY as Carol Ferris and RYAN REYNOLDS as Green Lantern in Warner Bros. PicturesÂ’ action adventure “GREEN LANTERN,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.<> at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on June 15, 2011 in Hollywood, California.
We’d sit around being like, ‘Oh jeez, do you know anyone?’ And it didn’t click for, I mean, a good year and a half. Like, ‘Oh hey, wait, hold on. We could date!’â€
Lively paid him a visit him on the set of his movie R.I.P.D., a 3D supernatural action comedy film starring Jeff Bridges, in Boston on his birthday in October with a big bouquet of balloons tied to her dog Baxter as a cute surprise. Soon they became inseparable; the new couple spent the Christmas holidays with Reynolds’ family in Vancouver where they were spotted holding hands while walking through the Granville Island Public Market. In January 2012, they were seen going for an incognito stroll in New Orleans, La. In the summer, they were back in British Columbia, visiting the Ferry Terminal in Nanaimo.
Reynold’s back to back flings after his marraige disentigrated
“They are very much in love,†a source close to the couple reportedly told press. “They rarely travel without one another.â€
“I’ve been with very few people. If I’m not with somebody who really excites or inspires me, then I’d rather be by myself,†Lively told Marie Claire. “To be around me, you must love food or I’m the most obnoxious person you’ve ever met. I’m in a big cooking phase. That’s all I’ll talk about.â€
Perhaps in anticipation of putting down roots, Lively sold her West Village apartment and bought a $2.3 million country style house in Bedford, in upstate NY with 1.7 acres of garden, a wood panelled living room, formal dining room, library and sun porch. “They keep to themselves,†said a neighbor. “They frequent the Bedford Hardware store for home improvement goods, buy groceries and go to restaurants in the area, but aren’t very talkative to the locals. They eat out a lot, and are polite, but don’t make friends with people there. The pair just want to be left alone in their home.â€
Blake sneaking out of Ryan’s Boston apartment once early morning in fall 2011
Following a romantic trip to Venice, the couple tied the knot in a super secret ceremony at Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (where The Notebook was filmed) on Sept. 9th 2012 after only a year of dating They had not even announced their engagement before getting married. The bride, 25, wore a silk tulle Marchesa ball gown with rose gold embroidery and crystals while the bridegroom, 36, was in a Burberry suit. Only 35 guests were in attendance including her Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars — America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel. The ceremony was held in a rustic barn and the reception was held in a white tent at the plantation, while Blake’s good friend, British singer Florence Welch serenaded the newlyweds with three songs and Bette Midler performed as well. Blake’s elder half-sister, also an actress, Robyn Lively recreated her Teen Witch dance from the late ‘80s film classic that she had appeard in. No one, not even the performers or any guests were allowed to bring in phones and everyone was sworn to utter secrecy. Even after the wedding, no pictures were released except for those of certain details, like the bouquet, cake and dessert table, which were published in Martha Steward Living magazine. The vanilla-and-sour-cream wedding cake with peach-apricot preserves and Earl Grey-milk chocolate butter cream was made by Maggie Austin Cake in Alexandria, Virginia. Among the deserts were s’mores, espresso beans, blueberry cheesecake tartlets and lemon meringue tartlets, as well as fruit jellies and mini strawberry cupcakes.
Their super secret wedding at the Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
The morning after, the couple were pictured sharing a kiss in Charleston as the bride displayed her stunning pink diamond engagement ring designed by celebrity jeweller Lorraine Schwartz, featuring a large center stone supported by a band of small diamonds. “Ryan chose Lorraine Schwartz to help him find a flawless, light pink oval diamond. They worked together to design a custom setting in rose gold and pave diamonds with a nod to deco,†a spokesperson for the jeweller said. The bride’s rose gold wedding ring, also by Schwartz, has a series of delicate diamonds to complements the engagement sparkler.
Lively settled down to domesticity well, preferring to cook at home rather than head out to expensive restaurants. “I use a lot of fresh ingredients, which really does make a huge difference. It’s easier to be healthy when eating things that are fresh, because they are often fruits and vegetables,†she said while filming a segment making Puff Pastry for Vogue.com. Her go-to recipes are sausage and brie puff pastry and rotisserie chicken.
“Right now, I’m so peaceful. I’ve never been happier in my life. He treats me like a queen,†announced newly wed Blake
Even Martha Steward called her “a groovy cook.â€
The newlyweds took a romantic trip to Paris that winter. An eyewitness told Us magazine “They were kissing the entire time. The locals said hello, but they were only interested in each other.â€
Always known for her unerring fashion sense, Blake’s sartorial style climbed a notch even higher after her wedding. She said, “It’s (fashion) such a passion of mine. That’s the reason I don’t have a stylist, not because I think I can do it better than any of these people, but because I just love it so much that it would be like handing over something.â€
As the face of Gucci Première
Lively’s career chart continued to progress and, in 2013, the blond actress scored her first major makeup campaign as the new face of L’Oreal, The next year she launched a lifestyle digital magazine and e-commerce website with artisanal hand-made one-of-a-kind items that she personally selected called Preserve. The products she was hawking were too expensive for the average consumer. The site never really took off and sensibly she shut it down after only a year, claiming that she had launched it before it was ready and she would redo it and relaunch it later.
Lively’s failed e-commerce website PreserveThe Age of Adaline
Lively returned to her lucrative film career and started filming for the The Age of Adaline with Harrison Ford in a cameo role. She plays a woman who “stops aging after recovering from a near-fatal accident,†but the film was only a modest success.
The Reynolds made a string of glamorous, high profile appearances that garnered them much publicity. First stop was at the 2014 Met Gala. However, the genetically blessed married couple skipped the after parties to eat hot fudge sundaes with peanut butter sauce at NYC hot spot Serendipity despite being all glammed up. Right after they graced the red carpet of the 67th Cannes Film Festival to attend the screening of Canadian independent film Captives, starring Ryan Reynolds
Ryan declared on The Late Show With David Letterman, “I’m not one for vomiting declarations of sentiment out across the airwaves, but when we had that baby, I fell more in love with my wife than I’d ever been in my entire life. I couldn’t even believe it….I used to say to (Blake), ‘I would take a bullet for you. I could never love anything as much as I love you.’ And the second I looked in that baby’s eyes, I knew in that exact moment that if we were ever under attack, I would use my wife as a human shield to protect that baby.â€
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 20: Actress Blake Lively (L) and Ryan Reynolds attend Angel Ball 2014 hosted by Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation at Cipriani Wall Street on October 20, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation)
Lively shared her marital bliss with Marie Claire , “We’ve never gone a week without seeing each other. He’s my best, best friend. If I could spit out a litter of kids, I would.â€
And she did, having her first, a daughter who looks just like her who they named James, on Dec 16th 2014. The wary couple kept the birth under wraps for weeks before any public announcement was made.
A striking resemblance— Blake (left) & daughter James (right)
On Valentine’s Day 2015, Ryan said, “One of the most common things in the world is making out, having a couple of drinks, and then doing it, and then having a baby. I was perfectly sober for this one though. I gotta say,†he joked. “It’s amazing. I just always marvel how common it is and yet how profound it is. And I always laugh because you know celebrities you always cringe when they talk about their kids. Like ‘my child is the only one that has ever exited a womb out, ever. Amid his laughter he continued, “Well, a lot of people have done this, so you always want to temper it with a little of self-effacement. But I love it. I truly worship that kid. It’s terrible. She has me so far wrapped around her finger it’s dumb. She says ‘dada’ and I will walk through a cement wall to get to her.â€
“I was recently asked how my style has changed since I got married, as if I was living under some sort of dictatorship. I’m very lucky to be with someone who has better taste than me. We influence each other in different waysâ€
CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 14: Blake Lively attends “The BFG (Le Bon Gros Geant – Le BGG)” premiere during the 69th annual Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 14, 2016 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Still a working actress, Blake accepted the challenge of filming the movie The Shallows mostly in a bikini after the birth. Lively had been known for her incredible 5’10†tall and curvaceous but slim body before pregnancy. To get fit for her upcoming role, Blake hired a personal trainer who made her exercise for 90 minutes each day. Her circuit training regime included squats, lunges, push-ups and planking. The exercise did more for her than lose the baby weight she’d gained. She said, “I worked out with an amazing trainer Don Saladino. He kicked my butt. It was also eight months after having a baby so my body was already completely different than what it normally was. Not just aesthetically but also your muscles are different, your body, everything is just shifted and changed.â€
Then speaking about the actual intense filming, she told E! News: “It was really crazy. But it was also nice to have that motivation because I wouldn’t have done that. I wouldn’t have gotten in that kind of shape. It was like training for a marathon, but a marathon is one day. This was six weeks straight, six-day weeks, no lunch breaks, thirteen-hour days, four-foot waves at all times. By the time I was done with the movie…I had muscles that I had never had before.†In the film, Lively has absolutely flat abs and there is not an inch of fat or loose skin anywhere.
Then in 2016, Reynolds finally hit the big time when Deadpool, the eighth installment of the X-Men film series, was released having been in inception since 2004. After a new type of viral marketing campaign, the film earned over $783 million dollars, becoming the overall highest-grossing R-rated film as well as the highest grossing X-Men film to date. Script writer Rhett Reese described Reynolds’ role being instrumental in ensuring the success of the movie by being “the keeper of the Deadpool flame for many years … if we ever do something that is off the Deadpool path, or if it doesn’t feel like Deadpool, he catches it.†His tenacity paid off and finally Ryan had a superhero franchise of his own, with a sequel announced after the movie’s mega success.
“Everything we do in life we do together. I get to share my life with the person he’s become, and we get to grow from thereâ€
—blake
Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively arrive for the State Dinner in honor of Prime Minister Trudeau and Mrs. Sophie Trudeau of Canada at the White House
The same year, Blake gave birth to their second daughter Ines. After having a second child, Ryan admitted that parenting gives him anxiety, because he now finds he is constantly in a rush and has to cram things into short bursts of time, “I think you’re just more desperate in everything you do, ‘cause you’re like, ‘I’ve got 10 minutes to do this, and then I gotta get home. There’s just no time anymore, so you’re hardened by it. Anxiety, I think, that’s probably it.†He said that earlier he didn’t think he would make a good dad because of his not having had a good relationship with his own father, but Blake assured him he would and patiently schooled him in becoming a hands on dad, changing diapers and cleaning spit up.
On December 15th 2016, Reynolds received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard. His beautiful wife, toddler daughter and new baby were all there with him to share in his honour. In another landmark, Blake took Ryan to Japanese restaurant O Ya in NYC to celebrate his 40th birthday. Blake, in a rare public declaration paid tribute to her husband, posting on Insta, “We fell in love at your restaurant in Boston. We stay in love at your restaurant in NY. Thank you for the BEST food and memories!†In the photo, Reynolds holds a picture of the two, making the same pose, in a shot taken five years prior to this.
Lively celebrated Ryan’s 40th birthday in the Japanese restaurant OYa, NYC. They had gone to OYa, Boston, for their first date five years earlier
During this year’s Met Gala, Humans of New York shared Ryan Reynolds’ heartfelt message about his other half on. Ryan was quoted gushing about some of Blake’s best qualities, “She always responds with empathy. She meets anger with empathy. She meets hate with empathy. She’ll take the time to imagine what happened to a person when they were five or six years old.†He added that she had made him a more empathetic person by helping him strengthen his relationship with his dad. “I had a very fractured relationship with my father. Before he died, she made me remember things I didn’t want to remember. She made me remember the good times.â€
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 08: 74th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS — Pictured: (l-r) Actor Ryan Reynolds and actress Blake Lively arrive to the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CA, USA – DECEMBER 15: Actor Ryan Reynolds and wife/actress Blake Lively and daughter James Reynolds and newly born daughter attend a ceremony honoring Ryan Reynolds with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – Dedication of the 2,596th star on the Walk of Fame in the category of Motion Pictures on December 15, 2015 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Xavier Collin/Image Press/Splash News)
Pictured: James Reynolds, Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively Ref: SPL1412004 151216
Picture by: Xavier Collin/Image Press/Splash
Splash News and Pictures
Los Angeles: 310-821-2666
New York: 212-619-2666
London: 870-934-2666
photodesk@splashnews.com
While Blake told USA Today: “We’ve both given up projects that we really love because we can’t keep our family together. People often think their career is something they have to chase and maintain, but for us, we said, ‘Let’s always chase and maintain our personal life.’ This is a career that’s like the stock market: You’ve got to stay hot while you’re hot. But your family, that’s the real thing that gives you security and success and happiness.†And that is the secret to her success.
Rachel Weisz plays the enigmatic and spellbinding titular character in this dark and thrilling adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s celebrated novel. Set in Victorian Era England, the film focuses on a young Englishman Philip Ashley (Sam Claflin) who awaits with suspicious displeasure the arrival of the widow of his beloved cousin Ambrose, whom he believes to be responsible for his death. His plans to take revenge on her are overset by his increasing infatuation with the lady in question.
The psychological thriller, directed by Roger Mitchell, develops twists and turns as the audience is kept wondering if Rachel’s motives are pure or insidious. The audience is joined in these questions by Philip’s godfather (Iain Glen), his family lawyer (Simon Russel Beale) and his lifelong friend (Holliday Grainger) who consistently warns Philip against the widow’s wiles. The film is set to release on the 9th of June and has already gained acclaim from critics for the wonderful use of musical score and cinematography to set a richly atmospheric tone.
Music:
HOT 100
TOP 5
#
Song Name
Artist
1
Despacito
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber
2
That’s What I Like
Bruno Mars
3
I’m The One
DJ Khaled Featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne
4
Humble
Kendrick Lamar
5
Shape Of You
Ed Sheeran
TV Series:
Versailles
This has to be our newest favourite binge-worthy show. Set in the 17th century court of the Sun King of France, Louis XIV. It spins a tale of power, lust and greed.
In a bid to reign in the schemes and plots of the nobility and to consolidate power unto himself, the monarch shifts the royal court from Paris to Versailles. Political intrigues and sordid love affairs are the order of the day at Versailles.
Those who have seen Game of Thrones will have no issues with the level of raunchiness displayed in this show but for the shy and timid a fair warning: this show is not for the faint of heart and the amount of nudity is off the charts. For period drama lovers this maybe the ticket to filling the void the conclusion of Downton Abbey left in many of us.
Books:
The Curse Of MohenjodaroÂ
—by Maha Khan Phillips
The Curse of Mohenjodaro is a sweeping narrative that takes place in two parallel timelines with two different heroines. The first being Nadia Osborne in modern day 2016 who is hell bent on finding her sister, Layla, an archeologist who supposedly perished in a mysterious explosion along with her colleagues at the ancient site of Mohenjodaro. Nadia, not convinced of the explanation given by authorities, embarks on a quest like journey to discover the truth behind her sisters disappearance and concurrently to discover the meaning behind the visions she has had of the ancient site and the people who once inhabited it, specifically our second heroine, Jaya.
Jaya, who lived in the area in 3800 BC, has a special space in her society as the only one able to read the Bloodstone (considered the heart of the Goddess Shakari) yet she has to navigate the politics, religious doctrine and corruption running rampant in a city on the brink of revolution.
This novel is inspired by the legends that surround the ancient city of Mohenjodaro and is a historical thriller the likes of The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown and Kate Mosse’s The Labyrinth and is according to Kamila Shamsie “Unputdownable!”
Fashion designer Maher Gillani recounts the tale of Buddhist nun Khema’s path to enlightenment
Just as there were two for most disciples in the order of monks, namely Shariputra and Moggallana, likewise Buddha named two women as foremost amongst nuns, Uppalavanna and Khema.
The name Khema means well-settled or composed or security and is synonymous for nirvana. The nun Khema belonged to a royal family from the land of Magadha. When she was of marriageable age, she became one of the chef consorts of King Bimbisara. As beautiful as her appearance was, equally beautiful was her life as the wife of an Indian maharaja.
When she heard about Buddha from her husband, she became interested, but she had a certain reluctance to become involved with his teaching. She felt the teaching would run counter to her life of sense-pleasure and indulgences. The King tried to influence her to listen to his teaching. He described at length the harmony, the peace and beauty of the monastery in the bamboo grove where the Buddha stayed frequently. Because she loved beauty, harmony and peace, she was persuaded to visit there.
Decked out in royal splendor with silk and sandalwood, she went to the monastery. The Exalted One spoke to her and explained the law of impermanence of all conditioned beauty to her. She gave her full attention to the sermon and still dressed in royal garments, she attained enlightenment, just like the monk Mahakappina (a former king). She likewise became liberated through the power of the Buddha’s words while still dressed in the garment of the laity. With her husband’s permission, she joined the Order of Nuns as Khema.
Such an attainment, almost like lighting, is only possible where the seed of wisdom has long been ripening and virtue is fully matured.
An ordinary person hearing Khema’s story only sees the wonder of the present happening. A Buddha can see beyond this and knows that this woman did not come to full liberation accidentally, but the transformation was due to her inner attraction towards higher truth.
While most people were either milling around the realms of heaven or hell during Buddha’s lifetime, Khema always tried to be near the source of wisdom. Buddha even praised her as being the nun foremost in wisdom. Khema purified her heart and perfected her virtues now that she was mature enough. She had such pure tranquil emotions, that she could accept the ultimate Truth in the twinkling of an eye.
Having acted in such hit TV plays as Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Shehr-e-zaat, Mohabbat Subh ka Sitara Hai, Zara aur Mehrunnisa, Daraar, Mera Naam Yousaf Hai and Thumhare Siwa, Mansha Pasha is one of the most sought after actors in the industry. sana zehra catches up with Mansha on love, life and her debut film Chalay Thay Saath recently
Describe yourself in 3 words
Passionate, reserved and opinionated
Hugger or non-hugger?
Hugger for sure!
One fashion trend that you hope never comes back?
The olden European fashion of big wigs piled up high hair and that cakey makeup I hope never comes back.
Favourite place to eat in Karachi
Aylanto, Flo and Pompeii are really nice
Gulab Jamun or Nutella?
Gulab Jamun
Favourite dance move?
The disco finger!
Favourite Disney movie?
Pocahontas
Do you chew on your pencil?
No
Would you Rather be really big or really small?
Really, really big
If you were to have super powers what powers would you choose to have?
I want to be able to lift somebody’s mood. I know it’s a really super boring super power to have but hey! everyone’s happy
One thing you’d never promote?
I would never promote something that I know would cause cancer or would be detrimental to health
What would be one thing you would do on Mars to survive?
SURVIVE!
Perfect date in 3 words?
Casual, comfortable and sweet
Favourite on screen moments so far?
I did a serial with Ahsan Khan and Sami Khan that I really enjoyed. Both were great to work with. There are also some fun moments in the movie Chalay Thay Saath that I had fun working on
Who do you think will love Chalay thay Saath?
My mother who is extremely critical loved it. I think everyone who will watch the movie will love it also
Chalay Thay Saath is your debut movie. What do you think was most difficult to bring this character to life?
My character is not a candy floss, glammed up character. People will either love it or hate it. It’s abit dark and not always palatable
Do you think you have a mysterious personality?
Yes, I do!
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
That I’m a hugger! When I’m really close to someone I’m like a clingy dog but I when I don’t know someone I have my fangs out and am extremely guarded—these are the two extremes of my personality.
Ever been hurt?
Many times
Ever been in love?
Many times, but not like in love-love but l have had crushes when I was a child and sort of grew out of them, many times!
Were you nervous about your debut?
Very nervous, definitely more than little bit
Why did you want to be involved in this production?
Well when they told me Faris is in it, I had my hesitation (laughs out loud). Of course when I read the script and learned Beenish and Umer Adil are a part of this then I knew this would be a good production. It is extremely important for me to work with people who I’m comfortable with and the team is great! I made sure I pick my debut movie wisely and make it a memorable one for myself.
Rabiah Hussain, a student of Mass Communication at NUST, Islamabad, is passionate about telling interesting stories about everyday life through her photographs. She excels at capturing the unnoticed beauty and magic of the real world we live in. A wanderer and a dreamer, she is constantly mesmerised by the vibrance of Pakistani culture and society, and hopes she can bring some of it to the forefront through her work. Rabiah tells Sana zehra about her experience viewing the Lal Kurti bazar through the camera lens…
9am on a Saturday. Most of the shop owners are still at home, or cleaning out their shops to welcome customers for the day; Shafi Sahab is nearing the end of his daily work orders. The establishment, a mere 10×20 shop in Lal Kurti, a bazaar and residential area dating back to British Colonial Times, is hardly eye-catching, if not for the bright flair of freshly dyed fabric.
I see a man, on who age shows, sweating through his ragged work clothes, standing on besides a hot cauldron mixing dyes. The moment he sees my camera, his face lights up. It was as if the wrath of the cruel sun, or that of the burner just a foot away from him had vanished. He says “khincho khincho beta†“achi si photo lena†which roughly translates to “take a good photo, childâ€. Containers on containers of colors of every hue imaginable are lying around, yet the shop has a single light source and the dullest shade of white on its walls.
As I start taking pictures, he is halfway through coloring a light pink dupatta. Like a seasoned chef, he takes an amount of dye powder that is only measured by his experience, and artfully flicks it into the cauldron. “The girlâ€, he tells me, “wanted the shade to be exactâ€. With the quiet contemplation of a connoisseur, he holds the sample color next to the dyed fabric in the natural light to check for the color grade. After all, perfection is hardly underrated.
Admist all this, a slight grin rests on his face. A grin of satisfaction, of pride. And why shouldn’t he be proud of himself? To be the owner of a shop that is over a century old, and to be known as THE ‘rung walay bhai/uncle’ in a busy marketplace is hardly a small deal.
As he leans onto one of the cauldron and looks beyond his shop, he tells me how proud he feels when people come to him, and after seeing the dye tell him that, “this is exactly what I wantedâ€. He smiles, satisfied.
The smile on his face, the realness of his laughter cannot be forged; it cannot be created with some dyes and a pot of hot water. It comes from within.
A swept back sense of speed and exhilaration…. our Spitfire Single Seat Sofa takes its cue from military aviation history inspired by the twin-cockpit seats of the F-14 Tomcat deployed by the U.S. Navy for some of its most prolific missions in the 1970s. It’s shown here swathed in distressed leather with all the worn-down softness of a vintage bomber jacket.
Ecru Chess
Large, stylish and unique, the Ecru Chess set will be cherished by anyone that enjoys the game. An etching process has been employed to to skillfully create this eye-pleasing chessboard with ornate edges, squares and trim. A complimentary set of 32 similarly styled chess pieces complete the decorative, yet usable wooden chess set for the home.
Sand Time Machine
Collectible, beautiful and awesome, with an aim to stand tall on the expectations of our esteemed clients, is the Hour Glass Antique Touch Sand Timer.
Tow Headed Black Magnifier
This magnifying glass has a horn handle and is finished with a solid or sterling bronze terminal with a fluted design. Both the solid as well as the sterling rustic ferrule are hallmarked with Sheffield 1891.
Spitfire Revolving Chair
Upholstered in aged leather on the front and clad in sleek, polished aluminum on the back, we’re totally drooling over the Spitfire revolving Chair. Inspired by planes from World War II, patch worked panels of polished aluminum wraps our chair’s silhouette – recalling the sleek modernity of aviation’s Golden Age.
Plato De Marmo
These Dark Green platters feature hand dyed Plato De Marmo, making almost anything you put on them look beautiful. Use the tray as a cheese platter or a centerpiece on your table to help organize and groupe your collectibles.
Marble Tea Coasters
These dark Agate coasters range from deep green to amethyst with grayish marbling and crystal centers.
Gait Clock
Gait Clock is just simply an easy on the eyes vintage clock, which will look just perfect wherever you put it.
Baton Antique Globe Ball
This makes an ideal feature for any living room or study and is a firm favourite of our customers.
Tic Tac Toe Wooden Box
A tactile version of the classic family favorite game, this Tic Tac Toe set includes a wooden game board, storage box and nine game pieces (5 X’s and 4 O’s). All pieces have a smooth metal finish. Grooves on the board marking the lines of the nine boxes make it easy even for sightless players to identify.
Ferris Wheel Floor LampÂ
The Ferris Wheel Floor Lamp is inspired by nineteenth century experimental physicist Leon Foucault’s gyroscope, a device used for measuring orientation.
Log Coffee Table
The Log Coffee Table, available in both a bark or debarked edge, is the perfect blend of modern and rustic for your living room, den, or bedroom. Each table is finished with a trio of black painted metal hairpin legs. The legs come pre-drilled and with the required hardware, ready for easy installation.
Sewer Lamp
Called cheekily the Sewer Lamp, this table lamp uses each metal piece and special light bulbs to enhance the aesthetic value of the object it’s lighting up.
Log Coffee Table
Beautiful, natural and 100% real, natural, seasoned wood the Log Coffee table brings the organic beauty of the outdoors into your living room, bedroom or office, adding a rustic touch that is sure to draw attention.
When I first heard the title of the romcom, I too felt a little confused as I did not know how the word “lub†fit into the equation. But then Sana and Danish’s insane chemistry burned our TV and phone screen. The trailer yelled and begged to be played over and over like you would a hot filmy Bollywood song. As it turns out the movie is not just a simple romcom, but delivers an important social message as well. Set to release on Eid this year, the film promises to live up to the audience’s expectation
Sana Javed
What word do you always misspell?
Mississippi
What is your favourite Disney princess?
Rapunzel
Describe yourself in three words
Headstrong
Honest
Very loving
What is your idea of a perfect date?
Candlelight dinner by the ocean
What is your dream role?
Really want to act as a biopic of someone influential
Who would love Mehrunisa V Lub U?
It’s a very lovable character and I think everyone will love it regardless of age and gender
Would you enjoy a vacation away from all of your technology?
Absolutely not
Is there anything such as an ugly fruit?
Yes, banana!
What product would you seriously stockpile if you found out they weren’t going to sell it anymore?
Ellie Saab goodies
What is the absolute worst movie you have ever seen?
Passenger—hated it!
What food do you crave most often?
I am a desi girl and I can eat desi anytime
What is the grossest sounding English word?
Fart
What’s the silliest thing you get nostalgic for?
I’m always feeling nostalgic about my childhood memories
When is lying the right thing to do?
Never
What is your version of “There’s two types of people in this world…�
Good and Bad
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Amme kay haath ka khana (my mother’s cooking) over anything anytime
What is your dream car?
Bugatti
If you opened a restaurant, what kind of restaurant would it be?
Definitely a cafe
What quote do you (try to) live by?
Be positive
Do you think the world would be a better or worse place if everyone suddenly could read eachother’s thoughts?
I really want to do that! I think it would definitely be a great super power to have.
Danish Taimoor
If you lived in a tribal society, what role would you play? (Hunter, gatherer, shaman, chieftain, etc.)
Chief
Which appliance can you not live without?
An air conditioner!
Whose advice do you always listen to?
My father
Would you go to another planet even if it meant that you would never return to earth and eventually die on that planet?
No way!
Would you rather take a two week all expenses paid vacation right now or a one month all expenses paid vacation in one year?
Paid vacation in a year
Your spirit animal is…
Tiger
Your mantra in life is…
Be as simple as you can
If you could give your college self some advice, it would be…
Grow up
If you weren’t an actor you’d be…
A cricketer
What is up with lub instead of love?
For that you have to watch the movie
Have you ever dumped someone over text message?
Never
Have you ever written someone a love letter?
Yes, many
Ever dated someone your parents hated?
Never
What is Danish like in real life
Simple
Wish list item
Got ‘em all!
Who is your role model in Bollywood and in Hollywood?
Salman Khan in Bollywood and Tom Cruise in Hollywood
Why should anyone go watch Mehrunisa V Lub U?
This movie is bringing new context on the table. Lyrically, it is soul profound by Sir Gulzar and music by Seemab Hussain. This movie is bound to change how you look at Pakistani cinema.
How was your wife feeling when she saw you on screen with Sana?
She was super excited because it’s been in the making for almost 2 years.
Armeena rana Khan is a delicate beauty who possesses purpose and intelligence in equal measure. One of the most bankable actresses in the country, there is no role she can’t tackle. A dream face for gorgeous shoots in ethereal gowns, she brings her trademark luminosity to all her endeavors. Armeena spoke to Afshan Shafi about upcoming movies, Disney Princesses and more!
What was filming for Yalghaar like?
It’s been a long process. Yalghaar is the second film that I signed after Bin Roye. Janaan is my third. Hassan Rana, known as Doc, shot some of my scenes back in 2014, some in 2015 and the rest in 2016. It’s been a steep learning curve. The film is full of macho men and, hence, the sets were testosterone filled, so you can imagine what it must’ve been like, the jokes, the stunts and all. All in all, it was an enjoyable experience. ALSO, don’t underestimate the Yalghaar girls, we’ve held our own as wives, girlfriends, journalists and doctors in the film! I am glad that we are finally going to share this masterpiece with the world.
What drew you to your character in Yalghaar ? What elements of the script attracted you the most?
My first ever Nishat campaign was hitting the scene. Bilal Ashraf saw the billboards and contacted me. We met and he explained the character to me, I saw the story boards and I knew I wanted to do the role. Jero is confident, loud and feisty; she is a no nonsense kind of a girl and yet is fiercely loyal to those whom she loves. I love the fact that my character brings a lot of glamour to the film. You’ll see me in this film like you’ve never seen me before. This character is a far cry from the damsel in distress, scared Haya of Rasm-E-Duniya (my TV play that runs every Thursday at 8 p.m. on ARY). I am confident that Jero will draw in the crowds especially because of the way Hassan Rana has captured the character on camera.
What was your experience like playing an agent for the film Real Target?
Western cinema is a different ball game altogether. No one is ever late (notice the emphasis here), scripts are given months in advance and training starts almost immediately.
My training started in December because I was in Pakistan shooting for Rasm-E-Duniya. All my co-stars are experts in MMA (mixed martial arts) so the pressure was on with perfectly sculpted bodies and chiseled jaw lines surrounding me, combined with crazy fighting skills. The bar was set high.
I was nervous as this was my first British feature film. I’ve worked in British shorts before but this was different. We will be shooting my fight scenes later this year as I am still under training. You can’t pretend to be a fighter, your punches and kicks have to be convincing. I’ve started with boxing and will move onto other disciplines as my body gets conditioned. My character Agent Wilson is an extremely strong, intelligent woman with mad fighting skills. She is a Canadian/British double agent and my favourite character to-date. The Real Target boasts an international ensemble cast and is slated for release in 2018.
Rapid fire: Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Morning person Celebrity crush local/international?
Ryan Gosling, I don’t have a local crush Puppies or Kittens?
Kittens Biggest pet peeve?
The inability to admit fault and say “I am sorry.†That to me is a weak person and I have no time for such people. I can’t stand chauvinism either Things you can’t live without?
My family Beauty essentials?
Sunscreen and water Who’s your favorite Disney Princess?
Belle and Ariel Craziest fan story?
I have a bunch of sweet little kids following me on Instagram and they call themselves the “Armeenian family†and “inna boys, inna girls†which is extremely sweet and humbling. I am grateful for them What quote do you (try to) live by?
Go down the road less traveled. I guarantee you an adventure if you do this
Last song that was stuck in your head? Starboy by The Weeknd
What’s your favorite emoji? The poop
What has been your must fun experience with a co-star during one of your recent projects?
We were shooting a song for Yalghaar up in the northern areas of Pakistan. This took us to a very remote location where we were completely cut off from the world. We had no internet and the nights were extremely dark. The forests were lush and sometimes a little eerie. We would stay up nights, gather around this big fire in the garden and tell each other scary stories. Needless to say, those kept me up all night as some were actually quite disturbing. I will look back onto this time fondly, playing “Chor, Sipahi†(cops and robbers) with Doc and the team.
What would your alternative career choice be if you weren’t an actor?
I am doing it already. I have my own property business in Manchester and that is my day job. I have a business degree from Manchester and I applied it as soon as I graduated.
What do you think distinguishes Pakistani films from films from other countries?
I am going to answer this question truthfully. I think we are still a long way away from making proper films. Film is a very different medium and it requires a lot of TLC, it’s not something that you can rush. Our films are shot like dramas, the schedules are crazy and budgets are very low. Corners are cut and, hence, quality is compromised. We don’t have our own flavour yet as we are still a fledgling industry, so I don’t expect much at this stage. It will be another 5-10 years before we start seeing actual results as we evolve, change and finally come into our own. It won’t be our generation of actors that will reap the rewards from this one.
On the flip side, I am glad that producers are trying; tremendous effort is going into its revival. But can I please, please request our producers to not go down the route of hiring one or two faces for every film! Fresh new faces have to be introduced, and new genres need to be explored to give way to growth. Otherwise, the industry will stagnate really fast.
Nivrutti Munim was born in Bombay in 1955 the youngest of nine sisters and one brother in a Gujarati Jain family residing in Bhuleshwar, an older South Mumbai neighbourhood where most of the Gujarati community resided. Inspired by her elder sister Bhawna, a model, Nivrutti adopted the Anglicised name Tina and entered the beauty pageant circuit. Fair, pretty and slim, she was crowned Femina Teen Princess India 1975 and subsequently represented India at the International Teen Contest in Aruba 1978; she became the 2nd runner up and won the Miss Photogenic and Miss Bikini awards.
After appearing in a toothpaste commercial, Tina caught the eye of producer/director/star Dev Anand who cast her as his leading lady in Des Pardes (1978), which became a big hit. He cast her in two more films with him in the lead, Lootmaar and Man Pasand, which also became blockbusters quickly making her a household name. The press linked her with the elderly lothario who had launched her into films and whose production house she was signed to, a claim she denied later. Tina had been childhood friends with bad boy star kid Sanjay Dutt and they became sweethearts. When Sunil Dutt launched his son in Rocky (1981) and Tina was cast as the movie’s leading lady, she not only left Dev Anand’s “camp†but also turned down two other romantic films that went on to become big grossers: Rajendra Kumar’s film Love Story introducing his son Kumar Gaurav and Ek Duje Ke Liye starring South Indian popular actor Kamal Haasan. Tina dimmed her light to play the supportive girlfriend, but Sanjay was heavily into alcohol and drugs. Despite several interventions by friends and family, Sanjay was badly addicted and eventually the two broke up.
Des Pardes with elederly lothario Dev Anand who launched her in her film career
Tina’s rapid climb to success via the men in her life
With boyfriend Sanjay Dutt, her co-star in Rocky
Tina was paired with the superstar Rajesh Khanna in a total of 11 films of which 8 were released and became huge hits including Souten and Bewafai. In their personal life too, the pair clicked. After his divorce from Dimple Kapadia, Khanna took up with Tina in 1980. She moved in to his palatial house Aashirwaad on Carter Road, but he never sealed the deal by marrying her. Towards the end of this scandalous, by the standards of the time, live in relationship, she attended a Gujarati wedding wearing a black sari. Traditional Gujarati wedding colours are red and gold, and she was the only one dressed minimally. A Gujarati industrialist’s son couldn’t help but notice the stylish Bollywood star, and thought himself how pretty and different she was. This young man was Anil Dhirubhai Ambani who would go on to transform her life.
Tina played the heroine in 11 Rajesh Khanna starrers as well moved in with him in his house after his divorce from Dimple Kapadia
Sex symbol
Three years younger than Tina, Anil was the son of one of India’s leading industrialists Dhirubhai Ambani of Reliance Group. He had gotten his Masters degree from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania and had brought his modern ideas back with him with which he was modernizing his father’s business. A few months later, Anil ran into Tina in Philadelphia and was formally introduced to her. He asked her out, but being a star often propositioned by random men she was standoffish. Besides she was still living with Rajesh, who was not marrying her. In 1986, after she broke up with her older lover, Tina was again introduced to Anil by her nephew who insisted she meet this eligible Gujarati boy. She agreed to meet him reluctcantly, but kept dilly dallying. When she finally capitulated and met him, she was struck by how straight forward and genuine he was, saying simply to her, “You are pretty.â€
The Gujarati business tycoon Dhirubhai Ambani with Mukesh & Anil Ambani
CAPTION CORRECTION- CORRECTING NAMES AND ADDS IDENTIFICATION Vice Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani (L-standing), Managing Director Anil Ambani (R-standing) and Chairman Dhirubhai Ambani (seated) of the Reliance Group pose for a photograph at their residence in Bombay November 3, 2000. Few analysts find it strange that two brothers run the $13.2 billion petrochem-to-telecoms giant Reliance Group, the countrys‘ largest by sales, assets and profits. Picture taken November 3, 2000. REUTERS/Jayanta Saha TO ACCOMPANY FEATURE INDIA-BUSINESS-FAMILIES
Kokilaben & Dhirubhai Ambani
On the talk show, Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, Tina recounted their first date, “The first time I met him, I was quite struck by his simplicity. I found him very upfront and genuine….He was unlike the other men I had met, because most of the guys I met were from films. Also, we spoke the same language, not literally, but we were brought up in a similar manner.â€
Anil agreed on the show about their affinity to each other, “When you meet someone from the film fraternity, you have certain notions about them. I have known many people from that industry, but she is just different. The attraction came about only after I met her.â€
Anil knew that he had found The One, while Tina realized that he was the kind of marriage material guy she needed to settle down with. But it was not to be that easy. They dated only a few months before the budding romance was splashed all over the tabloids and the conservative Ambanis were not amused. Their son wanted to marry a scandalous actress who had openly been living with a man. Anil’s parents asked him to end this relationship, which could have no future. The dutiful son promptly complied by breaking up with Tina after explaining the situation to her. Tina’s film career was already at its tail end. After yet another failed romance, disheartened, she decided in 1987 to leave for Los Angeles to qualify as an interior designer.
Extremely lavish but traditional Gujarati wedding
The two had no contact for the next four years, even though Anil said of his feelings at this time, “There was a lot of pain. A feeling of great loss!â€
Then one day after a big earthquake hit the Los Angeles area, Anil called up Tina to check if she was safe. She greeted him warmly and said she was fine. Anil abruptly disconnected the call. After he hung up, Tina was flabbergasted that he called her out of the blue and then hung up so quickly. She recalled, “That was the time I was so upset and crying away. And, I asked myself why this guy called me, came into my life, and revived all the feelings? Obviously he cared that’s why he wanted to know whether I am OK or not. But, he did not even complete the conversation. The least he could do is complete the conversation.†It was an emotional blow for her. For the first time, she realised that Anil really cared for her.
On their first date, Anil said simply to Tina, “you are pretty”
Anil explained his side, “There was no conversation to be held. It would have been a sob-sob conversation, because when you are talking to someone you love so much after three to four years, you get into it.â€
Though he could have had his pick of girls, Anil all this time kept trying to convince his parents to let him marry Tina. She in her turn had kept her head down and did not make any waves. Finally, seeing their son’s loyalty and commitment to Tina, they caved. With his parents blessing, Anil again called her up, and asked her when she would return to Bombay. Still smarting from his abrupt call two years prior, she brushed him off saying “soon†but not thinking anything of it she kept postponing her plans. After six weeks of this cat and mouse game, Anil told her that if she did not come this time, he would not call her again. Hearing the seriousness in his voice, she said, “That was when I realised that something is going on and I shouldn’t miss this. Now, I should go back, and that following week, I came back.â€
The very next day, Anil picked her up and immediately took her to his home to meet his parents. He recalled, “Even before she came back to India, I had very clearly laid out a plan. This is the day she will meet my parents, this is the day will get engaged, this is the day we will get married and this would be the location.â€
Anil Ambani with sons, Anmol & Anshul
When Anil left Tina with his family, his older brother, Mukesh Ambani, casually asked Tina how she felt about getting married the next month. She said that she was shocked when she realised that once the parental consent was given how quickly they were to be married. After this, Anil only had her family to contend with.
Anil said, “I went to her house in Khar. Tina’s sister and brother-in-law were there. They both were quite shocked to see me because they didn’t know what was going on (in Mumbai). Her brother-in-law went inside to tell her mother. She was shocked to see me. I said that you love your daughter, Tina, very much, and she said, ‘yes, absolutely.’ I said that ‘if that is the case, then you can keep her here otherwise, I very much want to marry her.’â€
The billionaire brothers with their wives, Nita & Tina
Tina & Anil with the Spielbergs at the Golden Globes 2013 representing their co-production Lincoln
When Tina’s mother figured out that the son of India’s richest man was asking for her daughter’s hand in marriage, she was overjoyed and took his hand in gratitude. Anil and Tina got married only six weeks later in February 1991 in a lavish but traditional Gujarati wedding. Tina wore a red Gujarati bridal sari with heavy gold Gujarati jewellery. Anil wore a cream coloured sherwani with gold embroidery and a Maharaja’s multi strand pearl necklace.
Tina, after leading an independent life, moved in with her in laws. When the former sex symbol was asked how she felt about staying in a joint family system, she said, “I have all the freedom that I want. If at all there is a restriction, it has been put by me. I believe that in our culture and our society, it’s not only the guy you are getting married to, the family is also apart of the marriage. I was brought up like this, so this hasn’t been difficult for me.â€
The couple has two sons, Jai Anmol Ambani and Jai Anshul Ambani, who Tina said have been brought up in as simple a manner as possible and don’t make many public appearances.
Sibling Rivalry
Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani
Net worth: $31.3 Billion (as of March 2017)
Chairman & MD, Reliance Industries,
inherited their father’s core
businesses, which he made even more profitable
Reliance Group
Reliance Industries,
Reliance Petroleum (RPL)
Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd (IPCL)
Reliance Industrial Infrastructure Ltd (RIIL)
Anil Dhirubhai Ambani
Net worth:$2.9 billion (as of March 2017)
Chairman, Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG)
inherited the newer companies, which suffered losses
Reliance Communications (RCOM)
Reliance Capital (RCL)
Reliance Energy (REL) Reliance Natural Resources
Ltd (RNRL)
Reliance Broadcast Network
Ltd (RBNL)
After the death of Dhirubhai, Mukesh and Anil fell out over their vast inheritance, but finally their mother mediated and divided up the family’s businesses and assets. Mukesh Ambani is India’s first trillionaire in INR or worth more than $33 billion and lives with his wife and three kids in India’s most expensive private residence Antilia, a billion dollar high rise, while Anil, a low single digit billionaire, owns Telecom, Entertainment, Financial Services, Power and Infrastructure companies. His notable deals include launching India’s largest IPO of Reliance Power in 2008, which was subscribed in less than 60-seconds on offer, fastest in the history of Indian capital markets till date. In 2008, he also signed a joint venture worth US$1.2 billion with Steven Spielberg’s production company DreamWorks. He is also building a multi story residence called Abode, ironically on Nargis Dutt Road, Pali Hill, Bandra, which will cost even more than his brother’s home. Both the brothers have been awarded many outstanding business awards by prestigious institutions the world over.
Tina at 62 has lost her former slim figure and has also had a nose job
While her husband is hard at work wheeling and dealing, Tina spends her free time promoting worthy charitable foundations including Harmony Foundation – For Senior citizens, Harmony Art Foundation – For Promotion of Art, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Medical Research Institute – Mumbai, and Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Nursing College (KDA-NC) – Mumbai.
She sums up her wedded bliss, “Lots of happiness, two beautiful children, a wonderful marriage.â€