KARACHI: Producer and lead actor Meera has described her upcoming film Psycho, scheduled for release on Eid ul Adha, as a world-class production capable of competing with Bollywood and Hollywood films, The News reported on Saturday.

She expressed confidence that the film would earn more than Rs500 crore and set new records for popularity worldwide.

Meera also said that if a sequel, Psycho 2, is made, it will be shot in Karachi. Speaking about her role, she said she became so immersed in the character that she began to feel like the “biggest psycho” in the world.

She described the role as extremely challenging, saying it also affected her mentally.

Meera made the remarks during a press conference in Karachi held as part of the film’s promotional campaign, and in a conversation with Geo TV. Senior actor Mustafa Qureshi was also present.

Geo Films is the media partner of the thriller, suspense, action and adventure film.

Meera further said that although Pakistan produces relatively few quality films, Psycho will elevate the country’s film industry on an international level. She added that she always strives to deliver better performances and also provides opportunities for newcomers to learn.

She also revealed that the film is directed by Shan Shahid, calling it a unique experience to work under his direction. 

Meera stated that she worked extremely hard for the role and even experienced mental stress and depression due to its intensity, adding that acting is not an easy profession and requires full dedication and passion. 

She said, Psycho is not just a film but a symbol of Pakistan’s pride, dignity, and identity. According to her, the film has the potential to compete with Indian and Hollywood productions in terms of quality, and it will make the Pakistani audience proud.

Senior actor Mustafa Qureshi also said during the event that if a film can be made on Phool Devi in India, then a film can also be made on Paki. He added that the extensive media coverage given to Paki’s arrest for hours was inappropriate, while some important issues are not given similar attention.

He further stated that producers in Punjab are often funded on political grounds for film projects. The press conference also paid tribute to the senior actor for his contributions to the industry.

John Travolta arrived at Cannes expecting to premiere a film. He left with something that left him in tears.

The 72-year-old actor was surprised onstage at the Debussy Theater on Friday, 15 May, when festival head Thierry Frémaux presented him with an honourary Palme d’Or, one of the most prestigious honours in world cinema. 

Frémaux called Travolta “one of the greatest actors” deserving of the recognition, catching the star completely off guard.

“I can’t believe this. This is the last thing I expected,” Travolta said, visibly emotional. 

“You said this would be a special night, but I didn’t think you meant this. This is a humbling moment. This is beyond the Oscar.”

The evening had already been a significant one for Travolta, who walked the red carpet earlier alongside the cast of Propeller One-Way Night Coach, his directorial debut, which he also wrote, narrated and produced.

The film, based on his 1997 book of the same name, follows an eight-year-old aviation enthusiast named Jeff who takes a cross-country flight to Hollywood with his mother. 

Travolta wrote the original book for his late son Jett, who died in 2009 at the age of 16.

His daughter Ella Bleu Travolta, 26, stars in the film and was by his side throughout the evening, having also accompanied her father on the rather spectacular journey to get there. 

Earlier that day, Travolta piloted his own plane to Nice, documenting the flight on Instagram and signing off with a promise that champagne for all passengers was on him.

Accepting the honour, Travolta made clear just how much the people around him have shaped his work. 

“This is the blueprint of my life and everyone that was in the movie is sitting in the audience right there, my family, and this is why this film exists and why I exist as an artist because of that group of people right there,” he said.

Cole Sprouse is excited to become an uncle soon as his brother Dylan Sprouse and sister-in-law Barbara Palvin unveiled the update about an upcoming addition to their family.

The 33-year-old actor took to Instagram and re-posted a picture of the couple walking at the Cannes Film Festival red carpet where the supermodel showed off her baby bump.

The Riverdale star shared three heart emojis alongside the wholesome picture from the event.

While rumours about a pregnancy had been swirling for a while, since Dylan fought off the intruders at their house, the news was confirmed at the 79th annual film festival on May 14.

After the pictures from the event went viral, Barbara and Dylan took to Instagram and shared cute pictures from the festival, as well as a scan of their baby. 

Barbara and Dylan have been together since 2018, after they first met in 2017.

They transformed their strong bond into marriage in 2023 after they got engaged and tied the knot later that year in Barbara’s hometown in Hungary.