Yesterday the Pakistan Selection Committee for the Academy Awards (aka the Oscars) selected the Pakistani film ‘Cake’ for the country’s official submission to the Academy.
Everyone was overjoyed at the news!
Even Meera Jee herself sent her well wishes
Congratilations to the entire team of #Cake for becoming Pakistan's entry to the #Oscars.
— Meera (@TheMeeraJee) September 19, 2018
There was a general feeling of joy and excitement surrounding the news
Brilliant news & well deserved!
#Cake to be submitted as #Pakistan entry for an #Oscar in the 'Foreign Language Film Award’ category at #AcademyAwards
Watch it & see for yourself how clever, moving & funny it is @IllicitusProduc 👏🏾🇵🇰 https://t.co/NS6Nl5m3Ex— Saima Mohsin (@SaimaMohsin) September 18, 2018
Pakistani celebrities were all celebrating the news
Congratulations @sanammodysaeed @adnanmalik and the rest of the gang! 🙌🏼 https://t.co/DYnUArHbVl
— MEESHA SHAFI (@itsmeeshashafi) September 19, 2018
The cast of the film was all, obviously, over the moon
Belief, perseverance and passion can take you a long way! Thank you Pakistan’s Oscar submission committee for nominating #cakethefilm for best foreign picture. And thank you @IllicitusProduc for believing in yourself and all of us.
❤️🙏🏼 https://t.co/OrnDMtxM6T— adnanmalik (@adnanmalik) September 18, 2018
Our labour of love the film Cake is Pakistan’s nomination for the Oscars as foreign language film…
Whatever the outcome, Cake was the most moving creative experience of our lives- and I confidently speak for all of us cast and crew… well done team Cake … pic.twitter.com/1RXZGPwUOi— Beo Raana Zafar (@BeoZafar) September 18, 2018
Wow…delicious news 😊🎂
Thank you to the Pakistani Selection Committee for submitting our film ‘Cake’ for Oscar consideration in the ‘Foreign Language Film Category.’ The Academy of… https://t.co/3vk9g0MTk7
— Aamina Sheikh (@aaminasheikh) September 18, 2018
International publications also took up the news, which is GREAT news
Pakistan Chooses ‘Cake’ for the Oscars https://t.co/6s86txmiH7
— Variety (@Variety) September 18, 2018
#Oscars: Pakistan selects 'Cake' for foreign-language category https://t.co/qwJf3LecBx pic.twitter.com/JbG1WLSvgj
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) September 18, 2018
The news of the movie being selected coincided with the producer of the film, Zulfi Bukhari, being appointed the Minister of Overseas Pakistanis and HR Development.
Since the stars of the film worked very closely with him, they took to Twitter to congratulate him
Congrats to my friend @sayedzbukhari on becoming special asst to pm on overseas Pakistanis! #zulfibukhari is a young successful & professional overseas Pakistani. His resourcefulness, international stature & ability to get things done will be an asset to a very important ministry
— adnanmalik (@adnanmalik) September 18, 2018
Big shoutout to @sayedzbukhari for becoming our new minister for overseas Pakistanis & HR development. May your meticulous and professional ways lead us into the light ! Congratulations and best wishes 👍🏼 pic.twitter.com/0xtrSHadxS
— Aamina Sheikh (@aaminasheikh) September 19, 2018
Some people..ahem Reham Khan ahem.. thought that this was just more than a coincidence
She made quite the snarky comment about the film and its producer
Who says you can't have your 'cake' & eat it too?
Zulfi Bokhari friend of the PM now gets his film selected to be sent in as Pakistan's entry to the Oscar's too.— Reham Khan (@RehamKhan1) September 19, 2018
Adnan Malik didn’t stay quiet about the tweet and responded to her, essentially telling her to stop
What an odd & unfair assertion, completely disregarding the integrity of the respectable Oscar committee members with diverse political ideologies, as well as the calibre of the film itself, which was critically acclaimed across the board (including 4 stars in the guardian, U.K.) https://t.co/PXROHzuIu4
— adnanmalik (@adnanmalik) September 19, 2018
Now people just need an excuse to hate on Reham, but really, people came out in support of the film
Last person whose opinion u need to be worried about 🙄 #cakethefilm totally deserves the nomination!
— aq (@afiaqazi) September 19, 2018
Cake, according to many online, was the best choice, regardless of whatever political slander she’s trying to pull
#Cake is the most apt selection from #Pakistan, it's classy, content driven and loaded with brilliant performances. For #Oscar no other movie from Pakistan can be nominated in recent years. You need to have eyes for the art and not for other agendas.
— Scheff (@shafiqulhasan81) September 19, 2018
Of course, comparisons were drawn to Janan
Unfortunately jannan wasn't up to standard so had to select something better 😀😀😀
— Khurram Shahzad (@kh786am) September 19, 2018
Kisi ki khushi raaz nahin aati Reham ko
Haha..do you know anything about how films are selected for Oscar..v much sure if this film wins Oscar u would put that on IK as well..carryon with ur jealousy..
— Puran.Harani (@00P1) September 19, 2018
It doesn’t seem like she watched the film. I legit watched it twice and cried twice- movie was AMAZING
Have you seen that film? It really was a wonderful film
— Usama (@usama0455) September 19, 2018
People were breaking down the selection process for her
There is a jury to selects Pakistani films to be sent to Oscars. I would not worry none of them make the cut except Sharmeen who makes docs.
— Nazneen Sheikh (@nazneensheikh) September 19, 2018
Even her supporters were like, ‘Nah, you wrong!’
Although mam I respect you and your views but don't you know that this movie got a lot of positive response from the critics, and the audience loved it too. Also, which other movie in your opinion should've been sent to the Oscars if not 'Cake'?
— Usman Khan (@TBag_afridi) September 19, 2018
Reham Khan seems to find ANYTHING to hate on Imran Khan and his administration. Not everything needs to be politicized. ‘Cake’represents a change in Pakistani cinema, and that change needs to be celebrated and appreciated worldwide. It really demeans the efforts of the entire cast and supporting teams when you paint such brilliant news with a political tint.
Reham, maybe just actually watch the movie and let Pakistani cinema grow and prosper. There is no room for hate and political slander in the Pakistani entertainment industry.