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triviareads · 5 months

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Tastes Like shakkar sounds so good! What are your top 5 books with brown or desi characters?

I enjoyed Tastes Like Shakkar a lot more than I was expecting, and have relentlessly been shilling it ever since. It's such a solid romance, the sex was good, a lot of the desi family stuff (the concept of being a "family manager") really hit, but it never took away from the main romance. Also, it's always nice to feel "seen" in the books you read even though it's pretty rare for me, but since this was specifically about Indian-Americans in the NY-NJ area, I really felt that.

Here are books with desi rep apart from Tastes Like Shakkar that are in my top 5:

Wrong to Need You by Alisha Rai: I debated putting my other fave by Alisha, Serving Pleasure, on here but Wrong to Need You portrayed a less-troubled desi family dynamic than Serving Pleasure so I'm picking this. Sadia is a widowed single mom grappling with her attraction to her brother-in-law, Jackson who's just returned after a self-imposed exile related to a mysterious fire. The restrained tension between these two is so hot (ok maybe not entirely restrained; she doesn't recognize him when he first returns and nearly has sex with him lol). Also, Sadia, like Jiya below, subverts the passive Asian woman trope on multiple levels, and based on the dynamic between her and Jackson.

I also liked how Sadia's large, close-knit Pakistani-American family was portrayed; they may not see eye-to-eye all the time, but they love one another and are willing to learn and compromise.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert: Zafir Ansari is truly a prince among men; him and Dani go viral for his rescue of her, and they start fake dating so his football charity can get some positive attention and donations. I like how Zafir was the romantic one among the two of them (and is a Bollywood romance fan, predictably), and is also great in the sack so... a winner, basically.

Also, Talia wrote this lovely exploration of grief (Zafir lost his dad and brother) and this really sweet relationship between Zafir and his SIL, and his family as a whole which I appreciated.

Sink or Swim by Tessa Bailey: I know Tessa has gotten a lot of flak for her portrayal of Latinx characters (which, deserved imo), and she's otherwise by and large stuck to writing white characters, but I can't deny she did pretty damn good job of writing Jiya and her family, who are desi, in this book. Here are my full thoughts on this.

The Roommate Risk by Talia Hibbert: Friends to lovers AND probably one of the only unrequited love books I'll ever recommend only because I love Jasmine so much (even while she's STRUGGLING to figure out that yes, Rahul has had feelings for her ever since she deflowered him on the... I wanna say library floor), and Rahul Khan is adorable and a stern, stern man who can absolutely get it. Similar to Zafir above, Rahul's dad also dies during the book (there's a lot of flashbacks) and Talia portrayed Muslim funeral customs and just the general family dynamics thoughtfully and in such an emotional way.

Hard Way by Katie Porter: lol my problematic fave because there are a few things that are just so weird in terms of rep: For one, the author keeps putting Sunita, the heroine, in "indian inspired" clothes, for example, some kind vaguely described professional suit inspired by a saree? Like, this woman is an attorney who works for a United States congressman. She's probably wearing a regular-ass suit like the rest of the people in that office. Also, her nickname in law school was the "Ice Queen of Bangalore" which was meant to be microaggressive, but the nickname literally makes 0 sense to me since she was raised in AMERICA, and considering half the Indians I know can't make the connection between being Kannadiga and possibly being from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, what are the chances these white mfs can, right? And the weird thing is, she narratively sort of "reclaims" her nickname, but it was such a cringe one to begin with and I don't even know why the authors bothered to put it in in the first place.

BUT Sunita is the only Kannadiga heroine I've ever read (I am. kannadiga, to clarify), she's a martial artist, she's struggling to work out her marriage with her husband (I'm a sucker for that shit), she's good with being kidnapped and zip-tied straight from the grocery store by her husband because it's a mutual fantasy, and she attends yakshagana performances (also very personal to me and my family)! Do you know how rare it is to see any of these things as far as brown heroines go? Maybe I have a lower bar for South Asian rep because there are so few romances that have South Asians who don't hate themselves/the culture AND have good sex scenes, but hopefully that will change as time goes on.

#talia hibbert #alisha rai #nisha sharma #katie porter #tessa bailey #book recs #romance novels #ask

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beebrainedstudios · 2 years

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Cute Vicious Headcanons:

Because sometimes I just want my faves to be happy for once. Spoiler warning for both Vicious and Vengeful, and a warning for a brief mention of panic attacks and religious trauma!

- While Victor, Sydney, Mitch, and Dol never returned to Merit until the events of Vengeful, Dominic would often come stay with them for long periods of time before he got his job at EON. These were usually comparable to vacations where they would hang out and Victor would adjust his grip on Dom’s nerves, but one time it was specifically to help him make headway on his alcoholism; between Mitch clearing their safehouse of alcohol, Sydney distracting him when cravings came, and Victor dampening triggering sensations and watching diligently to make sure he couldn’t slip away to a bar, he was eventually able to make progress on his addiction. Afterwards, the group was careful to alert Victor ahead of time before Dominic would visit so he could hide his stash or arrange to drink it elsewhere.

- Victor loves music and will unashamedly dance around if a song he likes is playing over the radio; if someone's watching he’ll be a little more reserved unless theatrics is the point (If it’s a villain song or he’s in the mood he’ll usually perform to it, as he likes the attention and it makes him feel like he’s in a movie), but if he’s alone he goes all out. Think Dr. Robonik’s dance in the Sonic movie- he’ll shimmy and sing all throughout the room/house if given the chance. Sometimes the others will join in for a proper performance; it’s a great way to get Victor to thaw out a bit because it reminds him of many hours in his youth spent happily dancing and singing around the empty Vale estate.

- For one of Victor’s birthdays, Mitch helped Sydney make a large framed print of a page of one of Victor’s favorite anatomy tomes that they had carefully blacked out into a somewhat sappy poem about family. Sydney also took a book chapter about lightning and made a surprisingly ornate blackout poem out of it that was supposed to about Victor. To this day, Victor treasures both gifts and considers them the best things he’s ever gotten.

- Victor, Sydney, Mitch, and (when he’s there) Dominic take turns picking what to do for Halloween. Typically Sydney convinces everyone to go somewhere in costume if they don’t outright trick-or-treat, but the group’s theme is left up to whoever’s in charge of the festivities. Victor usually finds some way to be the villain and will do everything in his power to keep up his all-black color scheme; his favorite costume was when he went out dressed as the reboot version of Cruella (it was a Disney Villains theme- Sydney was Hades, Mitch was Shere Khan, and Dominic was Diaval from the Maleficent movies). Sydney also once designed original supervillain/superhero costumes for them; to Victor’s chagrin, Mitch helped her make them and he was forced to participate in going to a Halloween festival dressed like comic book character. While he complained about it at the time, he secretly appreciated the gesture and thought it was cool, though he’d rather die than admit it.

- Mitch calls Dol his “wingman” because he has been hit on multiple times by other dog owners at the park while walking him. While he always turns them down, he finds the attention flattering, especially since he’s so used to people judging him for his appearance.

- Dominic is the resident “sidekick” of the group, as he’s always down for mischief, no matter whose instigating it. He’s a bit of a “follower” personality, which makes him everyone’s first choice when they need backup for something. He’s helped Victor sneak out multiple times, participated on all three sides of a Victor-Mitch-Sydney prank war, often helps Sydney with some of Mitch’s homemade homework even when he’s technically not supposed to, and once helped Mitch slip cough medicine in Victor’s water when he came down with a cold and refused to do anything about it. He’s also loyal to each cause and won’t rat out whoever he’s helping for any reason- even Victor’s threats aren’t enough to break his nerve.

- If they get in a serious argument, Mitch will absolutely pull the “breadwinner” card on Victor to keep him from doing something stupid.

- Alternatively, Sydney will absolutely pull the “I revived you from the dead” card to keep Victor from doing something stupid.

- Victor likes to call himself a “necromancee” and affectionately calls Sydney his necromancer. He thinks it’s funny and once introduced them like that to a curious barista.

- Victor originally did not get along with most of his teachers in college, as they all in some way reminded him of his parents and he just generally resented their authority. Once he arrived, Eli did a lot of networking in college for Victor and was able to improve his standing with several professors by either joining Victor whenever he had to interact with them and smoothing out any animosity or by talking with to them and spinning his rude behavior as simply Victor being shy, blunt, or introverted. Victor never outright thanked him for the help, but he did make more of an effort to play nice with the instructors after that.

- Sydney likes to draw new tattoos on Mitch with Sharpies whenever she can nab one from Victor’s stash. Victor once offered to do the same to Mitch before they went out on a supply run; Mitch was pleased until they arrived at the store and he realized that Victor had just used him to write a shopping list.

- A year or two after Eli’s arrest, Victor asks Mitch to help him find a tattoo place so he can get something in remembrance of their previous confrontation- and secretly because he sometimes misses Eli and wants to have something physical to act as a reminder. Mitch is thrilled and helps him find the perfect location, design, and parlor. He also stays with him for the whole thing, since Victor ends up mildly nervous while letting the artist touch him as they apply it. It all culminates in a small tattoo that reads “Always and forEver,” with the marked out lines crossed out like a blackout poem and just a little bit of those letters visible so the words underneath are still understandable. He gets it put over his back scar where the final bullet went through. Post-Vengeful, when Victor is away from the group, he gets three more; a flying, cawing raven behind his ear for Mitch, a trail of footprints running up his spine that fade into nothing for Dominic, and a tiny sparrow clutching a thread and anatomically accurate heart over his actual heart for Sydney.

- Dave (the guy Victor killed in Vicious) and Stell were very close buddies, with Dave looking up to Stell as a mentor figure and Stell finding him somewhere between a best friend and the son he never had. This is more of a semi-AU than a headcanon, but a concept to consider: Sydney snuck back to revive him again during Victor’s time being dead (she was careful not to let Dave see her, and he was frankly too spooked to notice; it was ruled a very miraculous recovery), and while he immediately quit the police force after that he and Stell kept in touch.

- During Eli’s time at EON, Stell would sometimes help Eli out of panic attacks that were triggered by various religious “slip-ups,” such as forgetting verses or not stopping to pray at certain times (I imagine Eli has some scrupulosity-adjacent tendencies). Because Eli’s body maintained constant homeostasis, he didn’t have things like hunger, exhaustion, or even fainting to help shake him out of it, so he would sometimes spend days kneeling in his cell, refusing to stop praying over and over for forgiveness until he felt he’d been made clean again- which never came on its own. Stell, who while not religious grew up going to church and having a religious sister, eventually began to come down to Eli’s cell to try and talk him through his attacks, which would usually work once he was able to break Eli out of the loop so he could convince himself of his covenant again and get back to work. He also did enough digging into Eli’s background to recognize some heavy religious trauma, so he eventually dragged up enough sympathy to get him a Bible in the hopes that it would give Eli the tools to pull himself out of these attacks. It surprisingly worked, though Stell still found himself occasionally having to reassure him when Eli got particularly antsy.

- Victor has broken his “all-black-clothes” rule once, when he went with Mitch and Sydney to a very popular movie that the pair had been dying to see on opening night, despite it coming out during a time when they were under a lot of pressure to fit in. While they were perfectly content to disguise themselves, they weren’t expecting Victor to and were prepared to have to leave the theater in a hurry, only to find Victor waiting by the door in a long grey cardigan, a cream-brown sweater, and fancy wire-frame glasses so he wouldn’t stand out so much in the crowd. According to Sydney, he looked like “a cottagecore college student one decade after his graduation,” while Mitch only called it “cute;” he got his foot stomped on and most of his popcorn stolen for his commentary.

- Dominic is really creative with waking Victor up from nightmares and can usually do so without getting his pain dialed up; he’s figured out that Victor’s power needs direct line-of-sight to work, so he’s taken to either poking Victor with a broom from around the corner or tossing a backpack or book over the edge of the couch/bed/chair he’s sleeping on before ducking behind it. Victor always complains about his methods, but Dominic is just glad he can escape with little more than his hair standing on end.

- Victor likes to have self-care days with Sydney; he’s always been fond of pampering himself and will even dabble in a bit of makeup from time to time. Sydney enjoys it too, as the pair will usually take over the tv while they try out new eyeshadow, do each other’s nails, etc. Victor also likes using an occasional bath bomb, as he’ll take one of his novels in the bath to work on it for a bit while he either stews in the calm or in thoughts of revenge- whatever he’s feeling up to that day.

- Mitch and Victor once arrived back to their hotel to find both Dominic and Sydney a) dressed in all black and wearing two of Victor’s coats, b) wearing a frankly ridiculous amount of black eyeshadow under their eyes, and c) with red marker smeared on their faces like blood. Turns out they were having a contest to see who could do the best Victor impression. Mitch voted for Dominic and Victor- who was too tired to protest at this point- voted for Sydney, so the deciding challenge was to see who could rant about how much they hated Eli. Sydney won and was able to keep the rant going for several minutes, with Mitch eventually having to stop her once she just started cursing him out.

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themarysuep · 2 years

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Ms Marvel Episode 4 : Spoiler-y Ramble

Gah. This episode was a beautiful take on Pakistan. This show has the ability to show South Asians and Muslims in a way I've never seen in Hollywood before. It's respectful and cool!? I am... shocked.

I enjoyed Kamala hanging out with her cousins, the daylight robbery by street vendors (so true), the bonfire and biryani with Kareem and his friends. The theme this episode was relationships with mothers and it was nice to see Muneeba's and Sana's normally dysfunctional relationship included.

The action was also really great this episode. It was the usual Marvel action. I liked Kamala and Kareem's little fight when he thought she was a Clandestine. I liked their dynamic, it's a little different from her dynamic with her other friends.

Also I cheer everytime Kamala does Nat's pose. Such a poser.

I appreciated that there was more use of Urdu/ Hindi (it's the same thing when spoken). I loved that we got a salaam from Kamala. I was randomly waiting for that.

Also.. Lol

I am still confused about why the show decided to go with this Clandestine story because it seems it is not alien but just some random dimension like in Shang-Chi. I really hope we don't have to wait for The Marvels to see how it ties together. I really think the show could have had a Kree tie in and still kept the Partition.

I guess there's still more to the story because the two people who truly know are Najma and Aisha.

Kamala's family house is beautiful.

I felt really bad for poor Waleed. But I really enjoyed Farhan Akthar's character. They confirmed that Hassan will be played by Fawad Khan so I'm excited to see him and Aisha.

Kamala's driving is improving at least.

I liked that they only included Kamran this episode! They kept it about the desis and I appreciated that. Also... my poor boy. Someone give him his powers. He's going through it in this universe.

I'm also a little confused about why they were treated this way? None of them have powers? They just started a random fight? They should have been released immediately? I mean I see them being treated this way by American agents because they're Muslim, don't get me wrong. But... yeah.

There was a lot of greatness in this episode.

There's also a lot to wrap up in 2 episodes.

#kamala khan #ms marvel #marvel mcu #kamran #najma #kareem #red dagger #black widow #muneeba khan #sana #ms marvel spoilers

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badedramay · 1 year

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@roobylavender replied to your post:

thank you for answering! this is super insightful and i really appreciate the point you make about intention and how despite include some repercussions of feudal traditions, addressing that niche of pakistani society as a whole was not actually the central aim of the drama (so in that aspect it’s distinct of dramas like sang-e-marmar, sang-e-mah, malaal-e-yaar, badshah begum, etc.). i definitely think that’s a valid defense to shielding it from some criticism bc like you said the more pertinent intent is to address misplaced judgments, rectification of old mistakes, the harms of parents projecting onto their children, the plights of stubbornness and inflexibility, etc. that definitely holds when, like you said, you approach ruhi’s arc as a whole, bc it’s about much more than a mere reaction to societal practice and i like the point you bring up in the tags about faarah too! i’m less endeared to wali this go around bc some of his alpha male behavior towards her in the beginning of their relationship seriously turns me off lol but it’s true a lot of faarah’s relationship to the haveli is premised on her dynamic with agha jaan first, and that’s definitely where the show wins a lot of viewers over (including me! they were so sweet and i loved them) in any other show that tried a similar approach of “wait and see that this guy you got married to isn’t Actually so bad even though he’s trying to dictate everything you do” i think i would probably still remain super turned off bc there’s not often a character like agha jaan present to balance out that transition into accepting that maybe your judgments of your spouse and their family are not entirely solid. so aH he was here lol! such a crucial character to tie everything together truly

(making this reply a new post rather than continuing in comments cuz I need my space with me especially when talking about Wali akjsdhakwjeahw)

Yes! exactly! I was thinking of dramas like Sang-e-Marmar and Mere Humnasheen as examples when I was making that point. In those dramas, the background of the characters is the plot. because when you remove the background the entire story falls flat on its place. the characters and their actions in those dramas they are not justified but also plausible because of the characters’ backgrounds. the same doesn’t fully apply to the characters of DeD. Aga Jaan’s family could’ve been from any non-specific feudal background and the story would still take place. the reasoning might have to be altered to fit that but on the whole, the plot progression could’ve happened in the same way as it originally did.

As for Wali...oh boyyyy yahan pe aata hai conflict. because Wali remains my most criticized AND most beloved Pakdrama hero. my history on PakDrama fandom world is witness to how much I have dragged this man for his actions (even as recently as just a few days ago!) however, regardless of how much some of his actions continue to irk me..on the whole Wali’s character journey is so fascinating and intriguing for me that I can never see him as a “red flag bad guy”. there are layers to him!! I do sometimes wonder how Wali would be perceived in today’s landscape. like i am SURE he’d be criticized a lot more than he was back in 2015. some of his actions wrt Faraa are so ruthless that I can vividly imagine some people on stantwt making it their mission to start “Cancel Wali Suhaib Khan!!!” parades.

But like I said, the beauty of DeD is how a character comes across when you take the context of their situation when they were performing a certain action. Wali’s abusive kidnapping of Faraa and the initial manhandling he did with her within the first few days of her return to the haveli..these are things added in the drama for well drama’s sake. Wali of the novel was always the picture of perfect gentleman. Wali of the drama was prideful. for six years he had witnessed his own pride be spat on by Faraa’s cold demeanor. Wali forgave the insult to his pride, where he fully lost his senses was when he witnessed his Aga Jaan, his most beloved grandfather, be reduced to a man just breathing not living because of all the hurt Faraa’s attitude had caused him for years...that was unforgivable for Wali. in a very pathetic attempt to be his defense..Wali was pushed to show his most brutal self to Faraa and confirm her worst fears about him that she had nursed for years all because there was no other way Faraa would just LISTEN to him. Wali had never tried to impose the power their nikaah gave him over Faraa except just this once. and he did that not for his own self but for his grandfather’s.

Wali is not a perfect character; good heroes seldom are (hence why drama!Wali is more beloved to me than novel!Wali) The show had already established Wali as someone who had the habit of exercising his dominance where he could. We saw it in how he would scold Zarminay when she tried to be nosy in his affairs or him reprimanding her for planning picnics. but at the end of the day that strictness was not what defined him. we saw how Zarminay confided in her brother and leaned on to him in the time of intense grief. because he was raised by Aga Jaan, he didn’t learn to put walls around his heart and was taught to have more love and respect in all the relationships he shared with anyone. THAT BEING SAID..Wali was ALSO a young man with all the hotheadedness youth brings with itself. it was his initial youthful blunder of putting himself across as a lazy, entitled brat to Faraa which made it easier for her to cement her bad opinion of him. it were his own insecurities that made him unable to empathize with Faraa when she found peace in Moiz’s company. yeah sure Wali’s guess about Moiz being a leech ended up being true but we cannot deny that Faraa’s proximity with Moiz wounded Wali’s pride as a man to the point where he started to question that maybe him assuming duties far beyond the capability of his age had rendered him into an undesirable man. Wali was also well..petty.

Despite all that..I cannot see Wali as someone who, after his rage died down, was incapable of asking for forgiveness for his actions. YEAH I KNOW THE SHOW DIDN’T GIVE ME THAT SCENE AND I WILL FOREVER HOLD A GRUDGE AGAINST IT FOR DENYING ME THE SCENE OF WALI ON HIS KNEES BEGGING FOR FARAA’S FORGIVENESS FOR TREATING HER SO HORRIBLY but i also know that how Wali’s character was shaped up..there did come a point when he did apologize for it all. HECK! I can imagine Aga Jaan severely reprimanding Wali if he so got a whiff of HOW ACTUALLY Wali managed to bring Faraa back to haveli and refusing to talk to Wali until he SEES Wali on his knees holding his ears and awaiting Faraa’s forgiveness. which she’d give him of course. not only because she loved him but because she is at that point in her life where she wants all the past mistakes kept aside to start afresh.

Wali works because Aga Jaan works. if Aga Jaan who started as the villain of the story can have a character arc that makes him THE BEATING HEART AND SOUL of the entire story, Wali also cannot stray too far away from the circle of redemption purely because of his connection to Aga Jaan. it’s because of Aga Jaan Wali is mercifully not given the “he’s good because we say he’s good so whatever you saw and how you interpret him is wrong” treatment that so many of the current Pakistani dramas subject their protagonists to (coughmeerabcough). because we SEE Wali’s connection with Aga Jaan and we SEE how Aga Jaan’s sheer love won over Faraa and gave her the peace and acceptance that she was craving for for years..we can SEE why Faraa, by this connection, falls for Wali. not just because he’s her husband and she has no choice but to love him. i see it in a more poetic manner...’the beloved’s beloved becomes my beloved’.

#diyar e dil #i can talk about Wali for hours man..i cannnn T_T #type: opinion #pakistani drama #because DeD emphasizes a lot on connections #and how WHO we are connected with defines who WE are #i see the characters in connection with other characters #rather than lone figures #isn't that human nature though? that we react to how others treat us #by removing the 'others'#can we truly know who we are and what we are capable of??

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queerestqueertoeverqueer · 1 year

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So Then I Took My Turn

Fandom: Doctor Who

Ship: Thirteenth Doctor/Yasmin Khan

Summary: The Doctor and Yaz need to stop by her parent's flat to pick up some supplies, only someone unexpected is there - and she wants to speak to the Doctor. Thirteen finds herself reevaluating decisions she's made. Title from Yellow - Jodie Whittaker (Coldplay cover)

AN: A conversation between these two is something that's been floating about in my head for a while - enjoy :) and massive thanks to @logically-blue for reading this for me <333 Read on AO3

The Khan family flat was usually quiet this late on a Sunday evening; Sonya absent-mindedly watching the Real Housewives while scrolling through Instagram, occasionally interrupted by Najia and Hakim bickering over the cleaning. So when the doorbell rang seven times in a row, followed by rather anxious knocking, naturally they were all surprised, even more so when Najia opened the door.

"Yasmin Khan!! It is 10:45pm, is this really the best time you could come up with to visit??" she scolded, but fondly, as she pulled her daughter into a warm hug. She couldn't even remember how many weeks it had been, but based on the guilty look on Yaz's face, it must have been longer than she had liked.

"Sorry, sorry. Can we come in, mum? We needed to borrow some stuff. And all the shops are closed."

"Course, love, come on. Wait, we?"

"Hiya, Yaz's mum!" said a familiar voice from behind the door, although Najia noted a tinge of apprehension that she hadn't before - was the Doctor seriously scared of her after their last conversation? She couldn't help but smile to herself at the thought.

"Doctor, hello. Right, let's get you lot some tea - hang on, where are your other friends?"

"Oh, they're uh. Asleep?" Yaz quickly responded, sighing at herself for not being able to come up with a better alibi. Najia didn't appreciate knowing her daughter was lying to her, whilst also knowing there was no way she'd have it explained to her any time soon.

Setting her annoyance aside, she ushered the pair of them in, and waved them towards the living room as she put the kettle on.

The Doctor walked behind Yaz down the corridor, unusually silent.

"Come on Doctor, what's the big deal?" she thought to herself."It's just the Khans. You love the Khans! Okay, well, yeah. In fact, Doctor, maybe that's the issue. Why do they make you so nervous? Maybe you are just socially awkward. Or is it because-"

Her reasoning with herself came to an abrupt halt when she made contact with a pair of eyes she hadn't seen in a while. Well, it hadn't been so long for her. For Umbreen, it had been 75 years.

"Nani! I didn't know you were here" Yaz beamed at her grandmother, "this is my friend. You can call her the Doctor".

Suddenly, Yaz realised the weight of this meeting. Surely, Umbreen wouldn't recognise her? It had been so long, after all. She felt her heart pound as she looked anxiously between the two of them. She thought that her Nani had a certain glint in her eye, although that may have just been a response to the Doctor's bum bag, which she had insisted on wearing yet again.

"Doctor, lovely to meet you" she said, "how did you two meet?"

This question was monumentally less intimidating than when her own daughter had asked it years ago, and Yaz found herself able to answer this time.

"We met while I was on the job, and we've been travelling a little with our other friends.(Not even technically a lie, nice one Yaz)"

Umbreen didn't respond, but smiled softly. Knowingly? The Doctor looked at Yaz, both clearly thinking the same thing. The eye contact didn't end, and somehow didn't feel awkward, but they both felt the weight of their conversation only the other week weighing down on them a little more with every second they didn't look away. The Doctor gave Yaz a little smile, and she finally forced herself to turn her head.

That just wasn't fair, Yaz thought. For the Doctor to look at her like that, to smile at her like that, when she was the only thing stopping them from being together. And that isn't fair either, she thought, to be thinking that. It seemed as though the universe was doing its best to get in the way of them. It wasn't the Doctor's fault, she knew that, but in moments like this it felt better to have something to hold against her. It felt easier then to pretend she wasn't that bothered by it. That she could even be in the same room as the Doctor anymore without thinking of the beach, the stone, the jokes, the tears.

That damned beach.

Umbreen, meanwhile, had been watching this intense eye contact, followed by uncomfortable silence, intrigued by this side of her granddaughter she hadn't seen in, well, ever. But she knew Yaz well enough to tell that she was hurting, no matter how hard she tried to pretend she wasn't, and she imagined it had something to do with this woman decked in rainbows. She'd have to do something about that.

Everyone exited their respective trains of thought when Najia came rattling in with cups of tea.

"Your dad's on his way to pick up Son from some party." she explained, as she passed the drinks around. "What was it you needed to borrow, love?"

"Oh, the Doctor needed something for a... a project she's working on..." she looked towards the Doctor expectantly, who was again looking a little less assertive than usual. Yaz knew how much her mother would be enjoying this.

"Just some coffee beans! I've got pretty much everything else I need, but the TAR- um, my... landlord? Yeah, my landlord, she does NOT trust me with coffee. Neither does Yaz, actually. Or anyone." she continued a little sheepishly.

"Right... well, you can help yourself, there's plenty in the kitchen" Najia responded, barely surprised at this bizarre statement.

The Doctor got up, and Yaz was just about to follow her, when she felt a hand on her arm.

"You stay here and catch up with your mum, beti. I'll go and show the Doctor where everything is." Yaz opened her mouth to argue, but Umbreen made a face at her that she knew better than to talk back to, and moved towards the kitchen.

The Doctor was already busy foraging through cupboards when Umbreen came in. The rustling of packets was interrupted with a calm, yet attention-commanding statement.

"I haven't forgotten, you know."

"Crap. Crap. Shit! Oi, language, Doctor. But seriously, what now??" her mind raced as she tried desperately to avoid eye contact, without seeming any more suspicious than she already did.

Umbreen sensed her trying to wiggle her way out of this, and thought it best to keep going.

"I mean really, Doctor, a hyperactive blonde in a big bright coat with a magic wand is not something I saw every day in Lahore. Especially not one who spoke Punjabi! What did you expect?"

"Yeah, maybe should have thought that one through a little. Could have gone a tad more local. Or not come at all... I told them! I said to Yaz, very tricky business! Too many risks! But she kept asking, and you know I couldn't..." the Doctor stopped herself abruptly.

Umbreen smiled. "It is hard to say no to that sweet girl's face, I know."

The Doctor felt herself smile too. Relax a little, even. Najia and Yaz were well out of earshot; she heard them chatting faintly, and she smiled a little more upon hearing Yaz laugh - a proper, happy laugh. One that sounded like those first few months of travelling together. One she didn't hear so much anymore.

"And whose fault is that, Doctor?"

The smile fell. Silence, too, for a moment.

"Doctor, may I ask you something?"

"Yeah, course."

"You knew Prem and I would not have the life we dreamt of. And yet, you married us, bound us together. You told us about love and hope and faith. Why?"

"Just like I said. You were so certain in each other. Nothing - no forces, no hate, no demons - no-one could ever come above that."

"Would you not rather have saved us the pain of losing each other? Made it so that we had nothing to lose? Tell me Doctor, what was the point if we had no hope of forever?"

The Doctor paused. Umbreen saw pain - veiled, but there - flash across her face. "A wonderful person once told me this, and I might not like it, but I do stand by it. Happy ever after doesn't mean forever. It just means time."

"Wait."

The point of this conversation clicked.

"Umbreen." the Doctor sighed, "This is a more difficult situation than I can really convey. I understand, truly, I do, but I... I don't HAVE time. I have nothing to offer anyone that won't end in pain. Pain that will last lifetimes. Not just for me. For them too. ...For her."

"I never said you did. My question is, did you ever offer it in the first place?"

"You want to see her get hurt? Because that's where this goes, Umbreen. That's where this always goes. I know you see it between us, the whole bloodyuniverse,seems to see it, but it's too late. It was always too late. No matter when I start, no matter what I do, I will never,ever, have enough time left. Never enough time to keep them safe, to explain it all, to give them what they deserve. It's not worth the pain. It's not worth another ending."

"That does not seem like your choice alone to make."

The Doctor sat, a look on her face that said the conversation was over. That it was all fine. But beneath that, Umbreen could see pain. It reminded her of her own Yasmin, all those years ago. The face, the smile, that screamed she was fine, but the eyes that pleaded for help. She didn't know this mysterious figure enough to push much further. Only one card was left for her to play, the one she used without fail, time and time again, on her children and grandchildren alike.

"How would it feel if this were happening to you?"

"...What?"

"How would it feel if someone, who had lifted you out of loss and pain and darkness, told you no? Not letting you choose the difficult road that meant more time with them? Even if you knew that time was short?"

Frozen between one heartbeat and the next.

"If they told you that you weren't getting a say. That their mind was made up and it was too late to do anything about it."

Push that button, Doctor, it will go off in your own face.

"That they wanted you to move on with your life and find something better, to pretend they never meant anything to you!"

Tell me about her.

"I know you think you're being kind, Doctor. I don't doubt that for a second. But I know what truly hurts my granddaughter the most. And it's not rough days, because she knows how to get through those. It's not endings, or sadness, or loss. It's the feeling that she isn't worth those things." Umbreen silently left both the kitchen, and the loud thoughts that she could almost hear the Doctor thinking.

People like me and you, we should say things to one another. And I'm going to say them now.

The walk back to the TARDIS felt at least five times as long as usual."Maybe it is, maybe you've moved" thought the Doctor, "if you're trying to get me to talk to her first.""Maybe I should do it now. So if it all goes wrong and she never wants to see me again, at least she hasn't got as far to walk back." The Doctor was snapped out of her thoughts at the feeling of a cold hand brushing lightly past her own, gently bumping into her as they walked.

"Are you alright?"

Yaz wondered if she would ever get an actual answer to that question. Try rephrasing, maybe.

"...what did Nani say?"

The sound of footsteps stopped.

"Did I really make you think you weren't worth it?" she replied, her voice cracking a little.

Yaz looked up, and was shocked to see tears brimming in her shining eyes.

"Doctor, what do you mean? Worth what?" she took the Doctor's trembling hands into her own, looking to her for permission. The Doctor held on as if Yaz's touch could undo these months, years, decades of hurting.

"I didn't... I neverwantedto shut you out. I was only ever trying to protect you. I have never, for a single second of our time together, thought that you weren't worth the pain. Really, not once. Scout's honour. I just-"

The Doctor felt Yaz's thumb rub gently over her own, encouraging her but never rushing her. She felt her cold metal rings, the two carefully chosen heartbeats that Yaz thought she didn't notice, pressing against the palm of her shaky hand.

"I just thought thatIwasn't worth that. I didn't want to take your life away from you, Yaz."

Yaz sighed. She never would understand how one person could be so quick, so bright, but also so very stupid about these things.

"Doctor, that exact thing has happened to me three times before. Once when I was in school. You know the time I mean." the Doctor squeezed Yaz's hand even tighter. "But the other two times were probably even worse. My life was taken away from me for ten months, and then for almost four years!"

"See, that's what I mean, Yaz. I couldn't stop you getting stuck in the past, how can I risk you getting lost somewhere I can't get to you?"

"It's a good thing she's cute," Yaz thought,"or I so��would have kicked her by now."

"Not that, bighead. That wasn't the problem, not really.

The only thing you could ever do to take my life away from me isleave."

The Doctor met Yaz's gaze. Years upon years of nothing but kindness, patience, loyalty,carebeamed back at her.

"Now or never, Yaz."

"I know you want to look after me. The thing is, I want to look after you too," Yaz grinned, "And technically, you are still a witness from a crime scene on a train,Madam. Which means I've got to make sure you're alright. You know. Duty of care."

The Doctor gave no response except a wide-open mouth. Yaz took that as a yes.

"So... what now?"

I guess we're both just gonna have to be brave.

...Let her be brave.

Yaz felt chapped lips gently, experimentally, press against hers, a hand tangled in her hair. It was brief, unpolished, maybe even desperate, but tender. She heard a huge sigh of contentment and almost immediately felt the Doctor's cold face jammed between her shoulder and her neck, arms coiled tightly around her waist. Fighting back tears that came flooding at this moment she'd waited so long for, Yaz held the Doctor close and buried her face in her hair. She lightly kissed the top of her head before they took a step back, smiling at each other warmly, but a little cautiously. This was new.

"Yasmin Khan.My Yasmin Khan.

You wanna try that whole 'date' thing again?" End Notes: The Doctor needed coffee for a science experiment, btw. Did the science experiment involve her trying the coffee with disastrous consequences, maybe. Still very new to this writing thing, so any comments/tips much appreciated :)

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kingdomoftyto · 1 year

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Li'l author spotlight for all a' you'se tonight, bc I've been bingeing a bunch of their works page on AO3 and everything they've ever written is gold. Okay? Okay. Let's give it up for AO3 author ApprenticeOfDoyle:

The main fic I wanna gush about is pressure (pushing down on me), which is more or less a pathos-riddled retelling of the trilogy up until it veers hard into canon divergence--of a distinctly NaruMitsu flavor, of course. By the time the events of AA4 roll up, Phoenix has a much more prepared (and present) support network, which is just so satisfying and wonderful and ugh. Even after that point, however, it follows the outline of the canon cases closely enough that it turns into an almost 'what-if' style of fic, where the only major difference is that the Phoenix, Maya, Pearl, and Miles (and later Trucy) are all one big happy, adorable, inseparable family.

And like, that'd be enough for me already--I LOVE canon retellings, especially ones that are different in just small ways like this. But this fic also just feels so good to READ. I think in my comment on the fic I described it as "crystallized catharsis", and I stand by that. Phoenix CRIES in this fic, and he does it a LOT, and Maya and Miles and everyone else around him all cry, too, and it is AMAZING. If the author's main goal with this fic was to expand on all the moments in the games that made you think "oh wow, that was effed up, I bet the characters are effed up about what just happened", then they SUCCEEDED.

God and don't get me started on how much appreciation this author has for the Feys, or for Phoenix's sibling bond with them, or for all the trauma these characters have experienced to be given some damn breathing room so they can help each other heal...

Guh. Anyway. The fic is great. If you like it when characters cry a lot and hug a lot and talk about their feelings, this is the fic to read.

(And if you'll allow me to gush just a second longer: the first fic in the series covers from right after Dahlia's trial to the disbarment [and, spoilers: Kristoph's early defeat]. Then, there are SEQUELS, one focusing on Trucy and her adoption, and another focusing more on Apollo in this universe's version of AA4. Both are WIPs but I am salivating over both of them waiting for more, they are SO GOOD. HhhhHHHHNNNGH FAMILY!!!!)

And THEN!!!

Not part of the same 'verse as the aforementioned series (though I think it could work as a part of it no problem): a whole damn fic just retelling the events of the first Investigations game...... but if Miles and Phoenix were happily dating. It's essentially just AAI1 but Phoenix is there to freak out and give Miles hugs after all the terrible things happen lmao. It's delightful and also treats all the panic attacks and kidnapping etc with the gravity and emotion that the game failed to deliver, meaning it's an automatic win in my book. Just let them be mushy sappy boyfriends who offer comfort at each other's time of need.

And finally, because even this author's little smutty oneshots are brilliant, here's a short post-JFA get-together fic with very sweet, heartfelt dialogue, and here's a VERY funny comedy about everyone mistaking a bruise on Phoenix's neck for a hickey (and, as the tags say, Miles getting "a little bit Genghis Khan"). Delightful, delightful, delightful.

I'll stop now bc this post is too long already, but this rec has been ready to burst out of me for almost a week now and I had to write it out. Now go give these fics some love 🌻

#fic rec #Ace Attorney #Apollo is trans in that series btw. there's a little moment when he starts out at WAA that is gonna live rent free in my head from now on #where (spoilers) he asks Phoenix if the firm is LGBT friendly and Phoenix goes ''god I hope so or my husband would be so mad!''#is that not the best? holy shit gdksafhkfa #anyway. *glances back up* oh god I really did ramble didn't I. oh well I'm trying to be more effusive about the fics I like #I'm actually leaving REAL comments semi-regularly now! and I'm trying to get back into rec'ing things more regularly like I used to

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i-sveikata · 10 months

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Hey there! Maybe you are in the writing process for the next chapter hehe. I am going to apologise in advance for the random babbling I am going to do. 🙏

I think after everything is done, Vegas and Pete should seek professional help. Not only them others too lol. Even if they would get back together things won't be that easy. No matter what someone like Vegas deserves love too. It's not easy to forgive what he did for Pete though. I think Pete's grandmother would love him and Macau in the future. As long as she doesn't know the whole story I guess. Vegas is like Khan's guard dog. In the series after Khan's death, How Vegas behave kind of explains things about their father-son bullshit bond. I wish they could show us a little bit about how to survive after getting four bullet wounds. Series lack details. *Sigh* Both Vegas and Pete's characters are complicated. Who's more complicated in your opinion? To me it's Pete.

I am very excited to know what's going to happen in your way. I love how you explain every piece in detail. Sometimes I read slowly to absorb everything🤣Lol. That's weird. Patiently waiting for the next chapter. Lots of love and hugs to you amazing writer. 🤗 ❤

Hello there!! I am for sure in the writing process for the next chap I just write bits and pieces whenever I have the time tbh but we are definitely in that process now!

Omg I TOTALLY agree with you anon they and so many other characters seriously should seek therapy but considering all the trauma that tankhun went through as a child and he clearly needed help but it’s seems like he was mostly left to deal with it himself I’m assuming the family doesnt really put any thought or value into their mental health or even consider talking to professionals. I mean ideally we would all want them to seek some kind of help but I seriously doubt that they would especially when most of them prefer to pretend they’re never vulnerable.

Yeah so true even Vegas deserves love! Though of course yeah hard to imagine him ever being forgiven for what he did to Pete (nor should it be expected that Pete ever has to forgive him too!!) I think Pete’s grandmother would like Vegas especially in the ways he places so much time and energy and value in Pete esp when Pete might not value himself. I defs think she’s too clever to fall for his bullshit if she was ever to meet him in person though and yeah of course she’d love Macau too! Yeah the dynamic between Vegas and his dad is like super messy for sure and he defs won’t know what to do with himself once he’s gone. Omg yeah I swear doesn’t he get like shot in the chest multiple times in the show?!? Lol no idea how Vegas survived that but I wasn’t complaining. Hmm that’s a good question and I guess I would say both? Tbh they’re complicated in similar ways but then they’re also complicated in different ones too??? it’d be hard to pick one.

Ah thanks so much for saying so!! I hope you like the rest that I come up with!! Omg lol no that’s not weird at all I’m so glad that you’re taking the time to appreciate it!! Thanks so much!! Lots of love and hugs sent right back angel!

#fic asks #I’ll fill the graveyards until I have you

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voteformightyclocks · 2 years

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Ms. Marvel - How They’ve Set Her Up For Failure

Ms. Marvel was a FANTASTIC show, and I’m really sad that it’s over...6 episodes was not enough and I can definitely feel the pain of her show being gone. However, it’s a show that definitely had major flaws. First, let’s talk about a couple of things I really, really appreciated about the show.

1. Ms. Marvel doesn’t really go anywhere. Why is this good? Because she had no reason to go anywhere. The entire story was centered around her place in this wide open world. Doe she side with Cladestines and restore her home dimension? Does she side with the civilians of Earth and protect them, even when Damage Control (part of the people she would be protecting) is out to get her? Does she stick close to her family and refuse to get involved in anything? Everything had a strong motive, and she had to go on a journey to learn what each side would mean for her and her future. This served the story well because it meant Ms. Marvel as a hero and a character is still naive and immature, and is still trying to figure out her powers...she’s still at Square One. But meanwhile, she gave us an awesome and compelling story that establishes what her goals for the future are. The implications for her future are therefore, at first glance, great.

2. There’s no central antagonist. At first the lack of a central antagonist bugged me...it put too much emphasis on the conflict against society, and that wasn’t really highlighted well. However, this, again, benefits Ms. Marvel as a character. She has yet to encounter anyone actually evil; she’s only fought people who are scared and doing what they can to protect themselves, their homes, and their people. People like, well, Kamala Khan herself. This preserves her as a pure-hearted character who couldn’t fathom what it’s like to just be evil. She’s empathetic to those in pain or in need and she’s willing to do anything for a total stranger. This means a betrayal-style plotline, or a plotline in which someone she loves dies (Peter Parker-like) would ravage her character and make for a compelling and heartbreaking story. Do I want that to happen to her? No. But also, I’m writing these articles from the perspective of a storyteller, and the storytelling value of her innocence is spectacular, especially since we kinda need a replacement for Peter Parker at the moment since his future is a bit uncertain.

That being said, it feels like Ms. Marvel’s future should be secured- set in stone. But there’s a major issue with that. And that, is The Marvels. All-in-all, it would be fine, but something many fail to consider is that Captain Marvel is a killer. A massive killer. It’s hard to say how many people were in the Kree battleships, but Captain Marvel can kill without batting an eye. Monica Rambeau, while not a killer herself, has certainly shown her willingness to fight against people she knows and cares about for the sake of protecting others. And Ms. Marvel? She’s purely defensive. Offense is always a last resort. Carol Danvers will be a toxic influence, and I can nearly promise you that Monica and Carol will disagree, and we will probably get a duel between them at some point. And how does Ms. Marvel fit into that? So, I have three reasons Ms. Marvel is set up for failure:

1. She’s too inexperienced/innocent to be crossing over into other projects, especially not one with Captain Marvel. She at least needs one more season of her own show before she’s ready.

2. She’s not a cosmic hero, she’s a local hero. Placing her in space so suddenly, again, undermines her as a character and a hero. She needs to stay in familiar territory (earth) until she establishes herself more as a hero.

3. MCU Phase 4 sucks, and The Marvels will not be an exception. As hyped as I am for The Marvels, now, I can’t deny that most of Phase 4 has been lackluster at best. No Way Home and Thor 4 were really fun movies to watch, but inconsistent with pacing and plot quality. WandaVision and Loki were standout shows, however WandaVision was removed from it’s sitcom origins and Loki didn’t handle the introduction of Sylvie well at all (gross, Loki, don’t fall for yourself...) Shang-Chi was a pleasant surprise, but the third act was all but an absolute failure. Phase 4 just doesn’t hold a candle to Phase 3, and I’m strongly positive that a Brie Larson-led film is not going to be the exception we all want/need.

So...yeah. I’m loving Ms. Marvel as a character and a hero, I absolutely love Season 1, I’m hyped for Season 2, I love the setup they’ve done for her, and I think all of this will come to a screeching halt.

Anyhow! Thanks for reading my Clock Talk!

#ms marvel #ms marvel spoilers #the marvels #captain marvel #monica rambeau #carol danvers #kamala khan #voteformightyclocks #marvel #mcu phase 4 #wandavision #loki #sylvie #shang-chi #phase 3

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papakhan · 1 year

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8, 9, 18, 23, and 24 for Sun/Manny?

thank youu hehe

8. What do they love most about the other? Why?

Manny loves how down-to-earth and practical Sun is. He really appreciates the fact that even tho Sun is Papa Khan's heir and future leader, Sun still gets his hands dirty with jobs like butchering animals and mucking out horses. He's still just a family-orientated, hard-working guy just like Manny. Sun can put on a more regal flair if he needs to and Manny likes that too, his natural charisma. Basically everything he hated about Carla is because Sun was the opposite.

Sun loves how passionate Manny is, both about his skills but he's also very passionate about people and Sun really likes that. Manny is loyal to people more than he's loyal to organisations and he's unafraid to kick up a stink about something if he doesn't agree with it. Sun cares a lot about what other people think of him but Manny's "fuck them and what they think of me" attitude gave him a lot of confidence when they were teens.

9. What do they dislike most about the other? Why?

Manny dislikes that Sun is so stubborn, which is kinda similar to Regis and Papa (Sun takes after his dad a lot lol). Sun is more frustrating to Manny though because he can socially roll with the punches and seem like you've changed his mind about something when really he hasn't

What Sun loves about Manny also cycles into what he hates about Manny, which is how argumentative he can be. As with Carla, Manny has a bit of a habit of getting obsessively hateful towards people who hadn't really done anything wrong. Sun actually liked Carla the few times that they met and thinks the way Manny treated her was unjustified.

18. How do they care for each other when one of them is wounded/sick?

Neither of them are really medical-minded, though Manny is a lot more used to looking after sick family members than Sun is. Like, Manny would give Sun a bed and cook him some broth or something hearty, whereas Sun would take Manny to the Khan's like 'village wise woman' who can make healing powder or something medicinal. They'd both take the other in and play nurse to them, but Sun is more likely to defer to an expert while Manny would try to take the job on himself.

23. What are the defining characteristics of their relationship?

Sun and Manny's relationship is like a teenage sweetheart. They weren't just a fling, but were never really meant to be. They both sort of matured out of each other in different ways. They'd be defined by childish fun and memories of better times :')

24. How do their personalities affect their relationship? Do their characteristics compliment each other, or clash often?

I think they complimented eachother pretty well. They were both charming and cool and fun, hard-working earthy working-class type boys. Their only clashes really is just how boldly Manny can put his foot in it and how much Sun stresses out about that type of thing lol

#thank you i love my boys this was fun!#txt #manny vargas #oc tag: sun

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allkinds-oftrash · 1 year

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The Crown S5E9 Commentary

Non-Spoiler Review: THIS EPISODE!! This episode had the Peter Morgan writing I have loved for The Crown since S1 and that went all out in S4. I’ve been missing this spark all season and he FINALLY got it back after 8 episodes - s i r why. So far, this and Mou Mou have been the best written episodes of the season. We deserved more punchy episodes like this especially in highlighting the media war between Diana and Charles. But phew what a way to showcase the end of their marriage. I really really loved the writing of this episode!

Spoilers Under The Cut

The fallout of the Interview!! This should be juicy

I always appreciate how Peter Morgan uses other people or events to parallel against what's happening in the family at the time. It's just such a clever narrative device and works every time!

Also ohmygod Couple 31 - they're going to be the 31rd couple on the divorce docket aren't they!

LMAO LIZZIE WROTE THEM A LETTER TELLING THEM TO DIVORCE HSKDHJD Only took you 14 years Lizzie I'm cackling "To request a divorce" HSJDJDJ I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING Like this is so sad but also it was a long time coming and they all deserved to be free from the marriage

Oh nooo Patrick and Dr. Khan WHY 😭😭 Patrick was always there for her too dammit I mean the separation was always going to lead to a divorce Di But I can't help but still feel sad for her sigh Not the fucking press hounding her outside her therapist's office too wtf??? She deserves to drain him for all he's worth Lord knows she'll put that money to good use with her charities more than the BRF ever will

Well Camilla's prophecy from S4 came true - wasn't so much a prophecy but a prediction Girlie is the villian now and being hounded by the press Lmaooo not Charles getting her a PR expert to protect her image

LIZZIE I KNOW YOU'RE NOT MAKING POOR JOHN MAJOR THEIR DIVORCE MEDIATOR SHDKJDJD Mans really became their babysistter-therapist-marriage AND divorce counsellor this season huh This is too funny pls All the previous PMs have had serious political reports to give her And this one who I like the most so far despite him being a Tory, is set up to put out personal fires for the Royal Fam I can't stop laughing Not him listing all the suitable candidates with such obliviousness and then Lizzie drops the bomb hskdjkd

Lizzie: "What about you"

John Major: "Me?"

I DIED Johnny Lee Miller I LOVE YOU The Crown is ✨a comedy✨ yall Not her comparing this divorce to the conflict in Northern Ireland Elizabeth STOP IT Yeah he is easy to like and trust and I hate it cos he's a TORY Lmao well Lizzie he can't really say no, can he. Who the hell is going to say no to the Queen of England dhdkkds Omg he's into it?? Just cos she used the word umpire John babes don't you have a country to run?? Not his family feeling neglected 💀💀 Occupational Hazard things I guess

This Irish couple is going THROUGH IT Ngl I like these divorce couple breaks in the episode. It's really interesting

Okay Mark stop lying you can hate her too Lmao okay Camilla you made the consistent choice to do so loving him and in the process tagteamed with your lover to bully and manipulate a 19 year old so yall do not get off that easy

God this conversation is depression to watch now that she IS the Q word Also again with the "word" although in this case I get it. Better than the divorce conversations with Andrew dkdkkdkd LMAO THE CALLBACK TO TAMPONGATE I'M SCREAMING God Charles is being such a baby

John Major is really good at this I'm shook Not this motherfucker telling her never to speak publicly abt what she went through Basically paying her off to be silent LMAO DIANA "If he's hoping to stuff my mouth and hoping I gag on it, then that sum better be 8 figures and start with a 3" W H A T A L I N E

Not them sucking up to the Spin Doctor shdkjdd this is so funny

OH this dentist and hygienist's age gap and dynamic is PEAK Diana and Charles This was sad to listen to

Chucky I KNOW you're not flirting with your ex wife right now what is wrong with you Also ALL her looks are iconic "Natural" Okay stfu Chucky Yeah you never said nice things ever Chuck She's right you got everything you ever wanted He's being too nice I do not trust it nor him

Lmaooo he doesn't remember where the kitchen is She's right buddy you were never happy here This is the first time he's ever said anything I agreed with: "Why doesn't one eat scrambled eggs all the time" He's right they are a vibe

Charles: An audit of the marriage Diana: An autopsy I LOVE IT

Holy fuck this is a brilliant piece of writing Just wowow this conversation is so snappy and tight THIS is the kind of writing I've been wanting all season

It might have been mean Di but it's true the mans has always been old He has Old Energy nothing wrong with that jajjsks Lmao she called him old once and he got upset 💀💀

"You do know there was always love there" Okay Mr "Whatever In Love Means" Charles is odd wanting Di to say her name God this is a painful conversation Ofc Chucky is throwing a tantrum Not the "Ask my parents" line 💀💀

Dominic's Charles feels more restraint I can't decide if that's a good or bad Like Josh went OFF Dominic even while yelling doesn't feel as visceral?? This was an autopsy indeed Okay sorry but that was such a bad crying shot - should have just kept it a wide from the start

Lmaooo NOW the divorce court is full of the press after being empty I mean I know why it's just funny it was just the lawyers for the other couples who weren't even there and now the whole court is full They weren't even there 💀💀 Also omg imagine the person finalising THE Wales' divorce - w i l d shit Damn to end it on their wedding procession that was A Choice

Now onto the finale!

#The Crown #The Crown Season 5 #The Crown Spoilers

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vaultboyenthusiast · 2 years

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🌹🌻🌲 for any OC(s) of your choosing! + I love your writing!

dude this absolutely made my day <3 I have been extremely unmotivated and seeing this slapped me in the face and said “bitch get ur shit done” (in a good way lol don’t worry)

I’m gonna do these for Dusty because he’s the only one I’ve talked about a whole lot!

🌹 Where in the world does your OC feel most at home? Is there any reason why? If it’s not the place they were born, where were they born? Is there a certain somebody that makes them feel at home where ever they may be? What does home mean to them?

Dusty has four different places that he could really consider a “home” - Goodsprings, Freeside, Red Rock with the Khans, and the Nellis Air Force Base. However, I doubt he would even think about settling down somewhere, as the boy is, at his core, a wanderer. He’s very well-liked in all of those places because he has a very helpful nature. Also people tend to see him and instantly decide that he needs a family, so in all four areas, he’s basically got an army of adoptive parents and grandparents. As for where he was born, the would be some generic city in New Mexico that I do not have a name for because. Yeah. Dusty does not consider that to be a home at all, seeing as it’s still where his shitty rich dad who he hasn’t seen in years lives. Actually, he does travel back there at some point in his story (which I will be writing. soon. i’m working on it.) but not for fun ahaha. When it comes to people who make him feel at home, Dusty has no romantic interests, but friend-wise, he has Benny and Arcade. At this point, they’re basically his dads. And yes Benny adopted the kid he shot because I said so. Dusty isn’t quite sure what home means to him, but if he had to put his finger on it, he’d say it’s somewhere he doesn’t feel like he has to run from. Most of his story is about leaving things behind, so finding somewhere he’d want to return to is a good feeling.

🌻 What little things do they notice about people or the world around them that make them happy? What tiny little treasures do they find in the normal every day that makes the world seem a little brighter for them?

Dusty is a very perceptive person. Very little gets past him. This mostly applies to bad things, such as someone about to attack him or a trap hanging right above his head, but it can also apply to good things. He loves seeing that plants still grow in the wasteland, especially flowers, and he has a tendency to point them out wherever he sees them. Flowers were also very important to his mother, so they remind him of her. The idea that good things can still happen and life can still flourish in the Mojave always brings him a bit of hope when he remembers it.

🌲 How deeply does your OC feel? Are they typically empathetic or do they have a hard time connecting with others in this way? What are they like when offering support and comfort to someone they care for?

Dusty does feel very deeply, but he is also very emotionally constipated. His thoughts and feelings are kept private for the most part, and he tends to bottle up any kind of strong emotion. Because of that, he struggles a lot with empathizing with people and prefers to take a more logical approach, which isn’t always appreciated. He’ll always be the first to offer support, though, whether that just means sitting there and listening to you or helping you out with things you need done. Dusty also can and will murder anyone who hurts someone he cares about. You said some guy was harassing you? Not anymore.

:DDDD this was very fun to write thank you!!

ask game

#oc; dusty #ty for the ask <3 #thewastelandwriter i hope you have an absolutely wonderful amazing day because you just made mine #fallout oc #fnv oc #courier oc #oc ask game

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playermagic23 · 2 months

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CONFIRMED! Alia Bhatt-led Spy Universe film to go on floors this year; YRF CEO Akshaye Widhani shares exciting details

While speculations about Alia Bhatt joining the blockbuster YRF Spy Universe has been hitting headlines for nearly 6 months now, Yash Raj Films’ CEO Akshaye Widhani confirmed it.

While speculations about Alia Bhatt joining the blockbuster YRF Spy Universe has been hitting headlines for nearly 6 months now, Yash Raj Films’ CEO Akshaye Widhani confirmed this huge development today at FICCI Frames! When prodded constantly to reveal one new development within the YRF Spy Universe, Akshaye said, “I'll share the worst kept secret in the industry, which is, that Alia Bhatt is headlining a Spy Universe film and that the schedule starts later this year. But you know, talking about this spy universe, we are just so thrilled and excited about having this IP in the studio.”

He adds, “I think the YRF Spy Universe is a financial and cultural juggernaut. And as one of the most prized IPs, we take a lot of pride in it. So there's a lot of stuff that's going to come on the spy universe. We're going to see more and more films getting made under it. But of course, not going to share everything here. But we will talk about it at a more opportune time. But for now, I can just say that Alia Bhatt is headlining a spy universe film.” ⁩ Alia Bhatt is set to team up with young and rising Bollywood star Sharvari Wagh in the yet-to-be-titled film. They will play super-agents in the action entertainer! The YRF Spy Universe kicked off with Salman Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger (2012) then followed by Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), and War (2019), starring Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff. It was taken forward with Pathaan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham and then Tiger 3 with Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif. Now, the next project will be War 2 starring Hrithik Roshan, NTR Jr. and Kiara Advani and directed by Ayan Mukerji.

Akshaye also touched upon the super successful year YRF has had on streaming with The Railway Men, about the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, being a global hit show! It trended at Number three on Netflix! The Romantics, a docu-series on YRF and its impact on Pop culture for 50 years, also became a global success story.

Akshaye says, “The Railway Men trended in over 36 countries, but you feel the success of content when you know people who don't speak your language, are watching the content and appreciating it. For me, that is a huge definition of success. We are a company that is not afraid to fail. We want to be able to do disruptive content.

He adds, “India loves the movies. It's a big part of our culture, it's a big part of our team. And I think The Romantics was a journey that every viewer went on. So everybody has a YRF story in their life. My parents had a YRF story from Yash Ji's times. I had a YRF story from Adi's times. So like me, there are other people who all have a YRF story. There is a song that played at your wedding, which was from a YRF movie. There was a time in life when you went watch a movie and that was a YRF movie and you went with that certain someone which you might be with or might not be with, but you still have fond memories of.”

Akshaye further says, “I think, because of that connect, and connect with this company, and the studio has had it, it's a cultural connect with audiences. And I think that's what excited people and drew people to watch the Romantics that would make them love it more. The sheer nostalgia here, as to the youth connected to them, because again, there was a story about their family, or a movie that they have watched and loved. Not to forget, it also had Aditya Chopra making his debut on screen and that gave us incredible amount of eyeballs!”

#Akshaye Widhani #Alia Bhatt #News #YRF #YRF Spy Universe #bollywood hungama

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strang-news · 2 years

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OH! & OOF…

Film/Television Review By Mitchell Clarke Hey y’all! Welcome to the first film/television review of ‘Brakits, "OH! & OOF…”, where we look at two shows or films that make us say “OH!, that is some great story telling!”, and then one that makes us say “OOF…I’m not getting that time back am I?”. This is not meant to be snarky, mean spirited, or judgmental of any particular type of show or film, but more reviewing why we like some attempts at story telling better than others. At the end of the day, this is story telling, something we all do in our everyday lives. This review looks at Netflix Original Series or Films, meaning any series or film created by Netflix is up for grabs. This doesn’t include documentaries or docu-series, nor does it include shows that you simply can find on Netflix but was created by a different studio, as those deserve a review for themselves.

OH! (RUSSIAN DOLL - Season 02)

Rated: TV-MA Running Time: 24-33 minutes (7 episodes) Created By: Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler, Leslye Headland Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Charlie Barnett, Greta Lee, Yui Vazquez, Elizabeth Ashley, Chloë Sevigny Quick Synopsis: While her journey back into her family's past effectively changed nothing, Nadia learned a vital lesson: That her family history is something she must accept as it is. She returns determined to make the most of her life and to appreciate the time she has while she has it.

Best Line: “In The End, Nothing Can Absolve Us But Ourselves” - Ruth Brenner (Elizabeth Ashley)

Review: (Spoiler warning!)

A rockin’ soundtrack of 80s synth pop, plenty of witty comebacks, and time travel. What more can you ask for. Natasha Lyonne takes us on another surreal adventure as Nadia, a chain smoking video game designer with a lion’s mane of red hair, but instead of season one’s macabre interpretation of Groundhog’s Day, we get a treasure hunt matched with Back to the Future. With any time travel concept, you of course get the typical “you can’t change the past!” arc. What makes this interpretation different however, is that it looks at the trauma of generations before. Nadia’s mother suffers from mental illness, constantly paranoid about her surroundings. The paranoia of her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, reigns in just as deep. This plot begins to look at how inter-generational trauma affects how we live in the world. To think what would have happened, constantly living in the realm of “what if”, hoping that if we could have changed what happened to our parents and theirs, maybe we’d be ok. That of course, is never a reality. That’s what makes this show particularly satisfying. It doesn’t make us live in the fantasy of “what if”, it’s not even an option nor do we get a glimpse. Rather it lets us come to terms. Not to wipe away our past, but embrace it. This is the story telling that will make you think, and possible stare at the wall for a bit. It might also make you call your parents or grandparents to let them know you love them. I know it made me do that. Final Take: Watch it, but definitely not with your kids.

Rating: 4/5

OOF…(THE BUBBLE)

Rated: R Run Time: 124 minutes Created By: Judd Apatow Starring: Karen Gillan, Iris Apatow, Fred Armisen, Maria Bakalova, David Duchovny, Keegan-Michael Key, Leslie Mann, Kate McKinnon, Pedro Pascal, Guz Khan, Peter Serafinowicz, Harry Trevaldwyn Quick Synopsis: Sneaking out. Hooking up. Melting down. The cast and crew of a blockbuster action franchise attempt to shoot a sequel while quarantining at a posh hotel.

Review:

Look I understand what Judd Apatow was trying to do, I really do. This could have been a great opportunity to critique the response to the pandemic, how films are created, the lack of self awareness that celebrities have, indie films versus blockbuster films, cancel culture. But in that lies the problem. This is trying to be all those things. This easily could’ve taken one of the nearly dozen plot lines that got thrown in here, and just run with that. This easily could have focused on just one little aspect, instead you get one liners that fall flat, two dimensional archetypes, and characters that don’t provide enough for us to connect to. It doesn’t leaves us rooting for anyone, it leaves us wanting to find the remote. What’s so disheartening is that this is a cast of very talented actors. At the top of their game, they can evoke so much emotion that we could all relate to regarding the pandemic. Trying to make it seem like they’re “in on the joke” as if this is a spoof, it doesn’t make us laugh, it makes us cringe with how terrible things were (and in some aspects of life, still are). Multiple montages of quarantining in the lapse of luxury doesn’t make us pity anyone, nor did the numerous tweets from celebrities complaining about staying at home in the beginning of the pandemic garner any sympathy. Maybe a film like this could be something attempted down the road, albeit with better writing. Right now, it just feels too on the nose for anyone to enjoy it. Hard pass.

Best Line: “Yeah, You Will Soon Learn To Hate These People” - Anika (Maria Bakalova)

Final Take: Don’t watch it with you kids, with your partner, or your friends. Don’t watch it at all actually. Rating: 1/5 OH! (HEARTSTOPPER- Season 01)

Rated: TV-PG Starring: Kit Connor, Joe Locke, William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Corinna Brown, Kizzy Edge, Tobie Donovan, Fisayo Akinade, Olivia Colman Running Time: 26-33 minutes (8 episodes) Quick Synopsis: Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty, and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make something larger. Charlie and Nick attend the same school but never meet until the day they're made to sit together.

Best Line: “I don't want to lose you because I did something stupid. I'm having a proper full-on gay crisis. I think I just need some time to figure this out.”

- Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) Review: (Spoiler Warning!) Let’s end this on a high note. I will fully admit, I’m completely biased here. This is the type of show that I’ve been waiting for, for years. The kind that doesn’t simply focus on two characters being queer, not an over dramatic coming out or a show that ends in tragedy. No, merely two people who find each other, grow to love one another, face their own fears and be together. As simple as that, that’s where this story leads us, not two queer characters who are now in love, but merely two people who are in love, they just happen to be queer. Their identity isn’t what defines them, but it is a part of them. Some more open than others, this takes a realistic dive into coming out, being out, being in the closet and all the fears that come with it. Just because this isn’t a tragedy, that doesn’t mean we aren’t left crying in certain moments. One particularly tough scene is with Charlie, the teen who’s been out for a year now, saying he’s used to the bullying, thinking his presence is a bother. That the world would be better without him. This is the story of so many gay teens who lived in fear, and didn’t think that they were worthy of love, because they were always had the love they had was dirty. Which makes the confession of love at the end truly heart warming, making us have a glimmer of hope. This is the kind of story telling that makes us look within ourselves, queer or not, and be reminded that yes, we are worthy of love. To have love, and to share it. Just, bring a box of tissues. You’ll need them. Trust me.

Final Take: Watch it, with your friends, your partner, your kids, your family, with anyone really. Rating: 5/5

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sleights-of-hand · 2 years

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1- Hey! first of all I wanted to tell you that I love Sleights of Hand and with every update my day gets better! How do the guys keep themselves stocked with their medications? I ask because I'm also publishing a fancomic abt Fallout and I'm always struggling to find a balance between the realism of living in a world that has lost a lot of its previous technology and medicine, and still being able to set certain narratives in it.

First of all, congratulations on starting a comic! I wish you a very good time, I hope you’re having a lot of fun working on it! Second off, thank you so much for your kind words! I really appreciate it, and I'm glad you're enjoying my story. <3

To answer your question about how my characters maintain HRT: first, a caveat. I chose a while back not to get bogged down in specifics because I realized early on in writing that the aspects of being trans that are enjoyable for me to write are not the medical ones. I could write about blood tests, prescriptions, doctors, and access to all the aforementioned, but it became clear to me that this was not fun or healing for me. I may explore it in another project one day, but I probably won’t get deep into it with Sleight. That said, I do have some rough idea of how HRT looks for my protagonists!

Lucky is implied to be receiving some regular self-administered dose although I don’t think I canonized whether it’s injectable, topical, or something else. I usually think of him as doing intramuscular injections, though. The only part of this I feel is in any way unrealistic for Fallout's universe is the line where Doc Mitchell mentions giving him a spare dose because injectable T is temperature sensitive-- I will go into this more deeply below the cut. If I had to write my way around this, I would either invent some cooling tool he could use, or I would take the line out and make it a plot point that Lucky must return periodically to some clinic or provider to receive another dose. Since he's a Great Khan, and I headcanon Khans as suppliers of chems for medical use as well as recreational use, I figure this is where he got his T in the past and this who he’d go to first if he needed more. Nick has different health needs than Lucky which make topical and injectable less viable for him, and different privileges because he was a Ranger, and is an NCR citizen with privileged family willing to advocate for him. He has implanted testosterone pellets to keep his T levels stable, which means he needs to seek out specific medical care from a specific clinic a few times a year to replace them.

Now. A lot of text on storage options below.

I want to begin this section by pointing out that if you’re open to such a solution for your OC, subdermal implantation of T pellets was one of the earliest methods of administering TRT and would basically make storage a nonissue. However if you’d prefer your character use injectable T (or some other form of T) in your story I think you have some options.

When it comes to storage specifically the biggest obstacle I see is temperature. Most medication works best when stored within a certain range of temperature. That said, the game already allows us to run around with injectable chems that never seem to go off. For example it's my understanding that Med-X is injectable morphine, which also has very specific temperature requirements in real life. Yet merchants still carry and sell Med-X, and you + npcs can still walk around with it in your pockets no problem, so I think you could justify the existence of personally-sized temperature controlled storage if you wanted to.

Something that might work for a single person would be a tool like a cooling wallet or tote-sized cooler (sort of like an insulated lunchbox). Tools such as these exist for transporting temperature-sensitive medication such as insulin and EpiPens while traveling. There’s usually a time limit to how long they keep a sufficiently cool temperature, so your character may need to periodically find a working refrigerator or ice or water or whatever method of activation their tool requires to keep everything working.

As for how your character would get something like this, if they’re a Courier then... maybe they got it from work? After all, wouldn’t it be important for the Mojave Express to have some insulated containers that could be used to safely transport temperature sensitive goods (including medication)? Alternatively, I can see the NCR producing insulated packaging and containers (especially for military use, but maybe some merchants or doctors can source them from California for medical or culinary use too) and that might be how your oc gets ahold of such a thing.

Another option is to forgo your character having their own stockpile altogether and have them go to a clinic to get their next dose.

TRT has been around in some form for almost ninety years, and there are a variety of medical uses for testosterone, so I think clinics 100% could source and apply T even if it were synthesized elsewhere. Options that come to mind are the NCR, the Followers or Dr. Usanagi's clinic (where she can surgical implant prosthetic aids into people that heighten agility, improve eyesight, and make people more muscular for less money than some guns cost in game... for anyone doubting the feasibility of transitioning in the Mojave...).

Basically I think you have as many or as few options as you want. Fallout has a lot of sci fi tech. What your character has access to could vary spectacularly depending on what you *want* them to have access to for your story.

If I were in your shoes I would probably pick which themes or struggles I want to explore specifically and work those into my plot intentionally; there are just so many solutions a person could come up with based on canon!

Best of luck with your project!

#asks #HRT storage ask #long text #trans people in Fallout

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badedramay · 8 months

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i definitely agree actors should be able to have fun and do things out of the box, that test their limits, etc., but i also feel like those are things you can do while honoring some semblance of artistic integrity. my view is less that pemra recognition should be held up as a standard wholesale and more that if you’re going to star in a work where the highlight is on the long lasting harms of the sexual abuse of women then choosing a work that involves the near complete degradation of its female mc is in poor taste. and i do understand where she might have gotten the idea originally of it being an empowering role given meerab’s take no shit attitude, etc. but in the end if you still can’t take any criticism after having seen where your work and character ended up i do think people can raise some eyebrows. being able to walk away from a work having acknowledged both the love you received and the areas you could have improved on is a good quality to have. it’s something i really appreciated from the kuch ankahi writer-director team recently, bc they were very comfortable with the criticism and willing to acknowledge where they faltered. accountability from the production team is a very pertinent factor as you mentioned and definitely influences how the actors talk about the work themselves, but the actors still have a choice between the scripts they’re offered at the end of the day esp once they’ve built up the requisite resume, and i think constantly putting the onus on production does strip actors of an accountability they do need to have somewhat. i’m definitely hoping tere bin is a rare abnormality in her resume but i don’t know what any seasoned actress really thinks they’re going to gain from picking a script where a domineering and hypermasculine male lead is romanticized. it just feels way too old and recycled atp to justify if you’re not still struggling to get any work in the industry

i don't think the situations of KA and TB can be compared. KA hardly made any impact on the pop culture conversations while TB did. i mean Yumna is literally out there modelling for a 100k+ pkr joda that's literally named after her character in TB. she's benefitting from her work. artistic integrity is good and all but when the choice comes down to sticking with artistic integrity or having a job then only very few extremely rare actors will choose to do the former. and they are the ones who have some sort of security net to fall back on which I don't think Yumna has as I have only ever seen her as an actor.

imho Yumna is still very much an actor that is only as good as her previous work. she is known for her projects but beyond that her presence has been limited if not non-existent. why else wouls be doing consistent work on TV only? she belongs to no powerful camp that would offer her work in a big big project after years of absence (Sohai making a comeback with a Humayun Saeed project) nor does she have the love and affection of this country's star makers (a privilege Mahira Khan enjoys) and she most definitely does not rub shoulders with the powerful honchos of the country (Mehwish Hayat). her full time job is that of an actor and I believe that means her choices are vastly different from her peers regardless of them being contemporaries. you mentioned Sajal in the previous ask and how she doesn't compromise on the social message of her projects now that she has made a name for herself. well I'd say because Sajal has different connections than Yumna hence she can afford to make choices that Yumna can't. Sajal has starred in two international movie projects and moves in different circles. the scripts she gets offered don't necessarily land up on Yumna's table. and vice versa.

Yumna's real integrity as an actor, from what I have observed, is that she wants to do modest work. even when she romances she does so without any explicit sexual overtones in it (TB romance was hot but not uncomfortable to watch with family). 'glamour' is not her forte nor does she want it to be. so while the other actors were busy pursuing the big screen dreams with their big dance numbers..Yumna was doing intense work. and now others are chasing intense work on tv, Yumna is wanting to do the mainstream masala on her own terms. different people, different arcs. again..just my observation.

TB regardless of its flaws is a HUGE success and is now a new benchmark of popularity. no conversation about PakDramas is without the mention of it and its actors. which seasoned actor wouldn't want this level of success???? aap jitna bhi socially aware kaam kyun na karlo agar logon ko yaad hi nahin rahega kyunke unhon ne dekha hi nahin hoga toh phir faida? actors and artists want to experience acknowledgement in present. not some distant future jab har cheez pe dhool mitti padi hogi. PakEntertainment industry is one where even the icons of the past vanished without a trace because they were unable to or weren't allowed to secure viable sources of income to sustain them when work stopped coming. the actors now are more aware that long term sustaining doesn't just come from doing socially conscious work all the time but also doing something mainstream that brings them easy money. and i see no problem in that. capitalism ka zamana hai aur ghar sab ne chalana hai.

#yumna zaidi #type: opinion

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