“I spoke with media managers, but it’s becoming very difficult for them to play this song,” says Saeed, about the politically incorrect number that touches upon the power of the armed forces. “I expected the mainstream media not to play this song, so we really had to think about the release. We are still apprehensive.”

The song, which was released last week via the internet, has quickly become a hit. The release coincided with former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s arrest. Saeed says that that the political enigma of Musharraf has created an interesting drama that centres on the general’s ego. “We wanted to keep the song very ‘up to date’. It was actually written when the Nato supply routes were closed down, but various constraints had delayed the release. The lyrics were altered a bit and after Musharraf was taken into custody, we released the song,” he said. He added that the band had plans to release an election song earlier.

“No studio wallahs were producing the song; they would tell us that we are talking about influential people, hence we cannot record the song,” explained Saeed, adding that the studio owners told the band that it was ‘okay’ to do a parody on politicians, as they did for Aalu Anday, but not the military. The singer added that the band finally came across a person who was “kind enough” to record Dhinak Dhinak. The studio’s name, however, has not been mentioned in the credits in order to avoid any controversy.

The song has a simple composition and melody, but lyrically it is very clever. It makes jibes at the political scenario of Pakistan and mocks people who assume power. Talking about the composition, Saeed said that percussionist Daniyal Malik wanted to compose something that everyone could hum along too.

The scathing critique of ‘strategic depth’ in the song underscores the band’s strategy of writing lyrics that are critical of political actors. When asked about the lyrics, Saeed said, “There is a crisis in Pakistan surrounding Musharraf’s trial. If the trial does occur, it will open a Pandora’s Box. But, in case he is not tried, social media and our song will question why.”

Although the song has quickly garnered hits on YouTube and Vimeo alike, Saeed downplays the influence of social media. “Social media is a very tricky medium; Musharaf’s Facebook page has thousands of likes, but when he landed at Karachi airport, not even a hundred people turned up to receive him. So, even if this song may get a lot of hits, it doesn’t provide any security; it’s hard to determine what the social media can or cannot do,” he said.

The video, directed by film-maker Farhan Adeel, shows two different situations — a qawwali night and a mehendi. Adeel was fearful of how the video would be received. “There was a lot of resistance from audio producers; they were unwilling to produce anything controversial. People have also tried to play down the band strategy, by assuming that it’s just a ploy to get rich,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2013.

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Iron Man 3, which opens in most of the world this Friday and on May 3 in the United States, has Downey reprising his role of superhero industrialist Tony Stark from the first two films as well as last summer’s The Avengers.

Collectively, the three films have made about $2.7 billion at the global box office in the past five years.

Iron Man 3, which continues Stark’s storyline from both sets of Marvel franchises, centres around the evil extremist known as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) who is hell-bent on destroying the United States.

When The Mandarin destroys Stark’s personal world as well as his superhero suit, Stark must begin from scratch, rebuilding his suit, freeing the woman he loves and saving the country from destruction.

Bombs go off in crowds of people and buildings are destroyed in the film that the cast says reflects real-life threats.

“We do live in an unsafe world, that’s the truth,” Gwyneth Paltrow, who plays Downey’s love interest Pepper Potts, told reporters at a news conference this week.

“I don’t think there is anything wrong with presenting that idea. We can’t lie to our children and pretend the world is perfect.”

Marvel’s first self-financed film, 2008’s Iron Man, became a global phenomenon, transformed Downey into a superstar and set off a chain of action movies that spawned other franchises, culminating in last year’s crossover film, The Avengers.

Paltrow said all three films work because of the similarities between the off-screen Downey and his brash-but-vulnerable Stark, and also owing to the actor’s persistence.

“One particular strength of Robert’s that we don’t see on screen is the fact that he’s always asking, ‘What is the big picture here? How can we make it feel real?’” Paltrow said.

“I think that’s why the movies keep working. They’re not a weaker carbon copy of the one before.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2013.

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“We want to be more liberal, stop enforcing the old rules and instead recognise artistic endeavour,” said an official in the ministry while speaking to AFP. He further added, “With changing times, we want to have a fresh approach. Our aim is to change the old set of censor laws soon.”

The festival will be held in Delhi from April 25 to 30 and will open with a screening of the 1933 classic Karma starring Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani, whose deleted onscreen kiss was considered the first in a Bollywood film.

It will also screen films such as Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur, a film that includes a great deal of on-screen violence and abusive language, and Yash Chopra’s Dharamputra that discusses religion.

Another film to be featured is the 2004 documentary called Final Solution, which looks at the highly sensitive subject of Hindu-Muslim religious riots that was banned for being highly provocative.

Despite the fact that Bollywood movies these days show a great deal of sexually suggestive material, sex remains taboo in the Indian film industry with such movies getting an adult certificate and limiting the audience to over the age of 18.

Director, Dibakar Banerjee who ran into trouble last year with the censor board over his film Shanghai said, “I hated the idea of deleting the most powerful scenes from my movie but, well, I had to chop them otherwise the movie would have never seen the light of day.”

Acknowledging the attempt made by the organisers of the festival, he added, “Censorship has the power to kill the spirit of a film. It’s high time the government stops dictating what Indians should be watching.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2013.

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The IIFA Voting Weekend was held in March, and the resulting nominations list reflects the diverse and thriving landscape of the Hindi film industry at present.

Thirteen nods for Barfi!, is followed by nine nominations for Shoojit Sircar’s comedy film Vicky Donor, about a sperm donor. Following closely is Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur – Part I and Karan Johar’s action-packed production Agneepath.

“It’s been a phenomenal year for the Indian film industry and the nominations for this year will definitely reflect this. The growth has been remarkable,” Sabbas Joseph, director, Wizcraft International Entertainment and IIFA, said in a statement.

Other films like Cocktail, Kahaani, Paan Singh Tomar and late film-maker Yash Chopra’s last directorial Jab Tak Hai Jaan have also secured themselves a place in the 14th IIFA nominations.

This year’s awards ceremony will have directors Anurag Basu (Barfi!), Anurag Kashyap (Gangs of Wasseypur - Part I), Sujoy Ghosh (Kahaani), Tigmanshu Dhulia (Paan Singh Tomar) and Shoojit Sircar (Vicky Donor) vie for the best director trophy.

In competition for the best picture award are Barfi!, English Vinglish, Gangs of Wasseypur – Part I, Kahaani, Paan Singh Tomar, Talaash – The Answer Lies Within and Vicky Donor.

The best performance in a leading role (male) category will see Hrithik Roshan (Agneepath), Ranbir Kapoor (Barfi!), Manoj Bajpayee (Gangs of Wasseypur - Part II), Shahrukh Khan (Jab Tak Hai Jaan), Irrfan Khan (Paan Singh Tomar), and Ayushmaan Khurrana (Vicky Donor), in the run.

Among those vying for the best performance in a leading role (female) are Priyanka Chopra (Barfi!), Deepika Padukone (Cocktail), Sridevi (English Vinglish), Huma Qureshi (Gangs of Wasseypur - Part I), Kareena Kapoor (Heroine) and Vidya Balan (Kahaani).

Composer Pritam has bagged two nominations in the category for best music direction for his work in Barfi! and Cocktail, along with AR Rahman (Jab Tak Hai Jaan), Ajay-Atul (Agneepath) and Sneha Khanwalkar (Gangs of Wasseypur – Part I).

The results of the IIFA Voting Weekend were audited by KPMG. The online voting for the awards will go live on www.iifa.com, and audiences will be able to cast their votes starting May 1.

The venue and dates for this year’s IIFA gala are likely to be announced early next month.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2013.

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KARACHI: You could have been on Bond Street. SanaSafinaz held a media preview at their new Dolmen City Mall store that enthralled even the most jaded media types and socialites. Pitched as Pakistan’s answer to Topshop and Zara, the store offers an exciting mix of prêt wear and accessories.

The store concept and pricing policy may be high street but the feel of the Dolmen City Mall store is pure high-end luxury boutique. With its chic black-and-white theme, blue and white urns and clean lines, the boutique is an oasis of contemporary luxury. The racks are gloriously uncluttered unlike the “crammed to bursting point” racks in many local stores. With its stylish glass display cases and spacious seating, the ambience of the boutique is more Gucci than Topshop.

There was a doubt in some people’s minds that SanaSafinaz would pitch their retail outlet solely at the western wearing crowd; but this smart couple knows their market too well. While the store does have an extensive western and fusion range, the bulk of their prêt is pretty, wearable and unashamedly Eastern. From the lunching aunties to trendy college chicks, there’s something for everyone. SanaSafinaz has put together a design team headed by Ather Hafeez to handle the prêt-a-porter line for the store. While Hafeez’s touch is clear, it is obvious that SanaSafinaz keep a close eye on things, as overall, the collection has the unmistakable SanaSafinaz signature.

SanaSafinaz had promised a high-street shopping model and they were true to their word. The pricing wasn’t complete but the outfits that were tagged were very reasonable. Elegant, attractive joras with that indefinable SanaSafinaz aesthetics in the same price range as Khaddi or Sheep. No wonder people were pinching themselves to check whether they were dreaming. More than one person opined that they’d be queuing up on opening day, leading some to speculate that the store would be trashed in the sort of stampede that used to accompany SanaSafinaz’s lawn exhibitions. No chance of that however — there’ll be a queuing system with only 40 people allowed in-store at a time to allow customers to shop in peace. For those not in Karachi, Lahore or Islamabad their retail line will be available online in about a month. New designs will hit the stores every two weeks.

While the clothes had fashionistas drooling over them, it was the accessory section that almost stole the show. Pretty chappals, belts and scarves drew the eye. Several fashion lovers decided on the spot to start wearing scarves on their wrists. The statement necklaces simply screamed, “buy me”. There was a wide collection of bags, from outsize clutches to totes. There was a Chanel-inspired cross-body quilted purse in bright yellow and gorgeous version of iconic Alexander McQueen knuckle-duster clutch. Make no mistake — these were not fake or copies of the originals. The bags simply used design elements of the originals. It was all very Topshop and in the best possible taste.

SanaSafinaz may be the first big name designer to venture into the retail market for accessories but what they are doing is not entirely new. There are several local stores offering high quality bags inspired by big-name western designers. Pedro does a lovely version of the sought-after Celine luggage tote while Charles & Keith is known for sailing close to the wind with its versions of designer purses. The Hub similarly produces its own version of designer originals. Similarly Accessorize offers a wide range of Boho-chic accessories. Nadia Kassim has done some excellent Jimmy Choo-inspired chappals.

However, what makes SanaSafinaz line of accessories so covetable is their taste. SanaSafinaz have always based their brand on what they would wear themselves. They have put together a collection that looks intensely high fashion. The quality of every piece is exceptional. No one else is doing the sort of statement necklaces and iconic belts that are on display at SanaSafinaz. Their choice of prints for their scarves is super chic. Their high-end customers may carry the original bags, but there will be plenty of takers for the SanaSafinaz knuckle duster. With that said, it would be nice to see SanaSafinaz venture into their own line of unique shoes and bags, stamping their own signature on an original line.

All in all though, the duo’s retail store is simply superb — sophisticated, stylish and endlessly fascinating. Fashion lovers get ready for a fantastic shopping experience.

Oxford-grad Salima Feerasta is a social commentator and lover of style in any form or fashion. She blogs at karachista.blogspot.com and tweets @karachista

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2013.

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KARACHI: There was the expected high drama on the ramp when the curtains came down Pantene Bridal Couture Week Day 3. With the good, the bad and the ugly, the show kept us hooked till the very end. Here’s the lowdown:

Sana Abbas

The opening pieces of this designer’s collection showcased bridals themed on a pastel palette. With soft hues like beige, baby pink, light blue and white, Sana Abbas’s collection was designed for a graceful bride. There was kamdani on the dupattas, and cleverly done gold wire work on the long coat-like kameezes. Abbas fused peach with undertones of reds and maroons in her pishwas-cut kameezes with jamawar appliqués on the hemlines, paired with mint green Dhaka pajamas. The dresses with paisley motifs had a touch of regality and looked majestic on the ramp.

Nadya Mistry

When will this eyesore of a mystery be solved? The designer failed to impress on every level with her over-the-top, it’s-so-gaudy-my-eyes-hurt collection at a show which was about bridals. It was like the Garden of Eden from a nightmare, with butterflies literally flying out of the outfits along with peacocks, hummingbirds and all things you see in your backyard. With the right recipe for a ramp disaster in hand, Mistry showcased net chooridars, glittery mermaid-inspired lehengas and off-shoulder cholis full of coin-sized sequins. While we laud her for producing well-stitched albeit complicated pieces, we seriously wonder who will ever wear them.

Mifrah Gul

Debuting on the ramp, Mifrah Gul, who has been designing for years, is on the top of her game. Gul did not play with a lot of colour and her collection mainly featured shades of beige and off-white, with hints of maroons and peaches for both men and women. Some of her clothes had ruffled ends, which looked like ghararas, something which was brilliantly experimented and created a beautiful illusion. With reversed jamawar appliqués on the dupattas, Gul’s clothes were embroidered with a mix of dabka, zardozi, zari and stones — very wearable! The stunner that stole the limelight was a black sari embellished with lots of silver sequins.

Deepak Perwani

Boasting a successful journey of 20 years, Deepak Perwani’s collection featured gold block-printed fabric. Onlookers were treated to back-to-back solid hues of yellows and reds and shades of orange. From the slender chooridars to the magnanimous ghararas and farshi shararas, Deepak’s collection was ceremonial to the core. The embroidery, although intricate and light, looked appealing. In men’s wear, Deepak showcased structured sherwanis, paired with bright rust kullas and dhooti shalwars, which looked very classy. Deepak’s collection was indeed a feast for the eyes. The cherry on top were the showstoppers, the lovely Zeba Bakhtiar and the dashing Wasim Akram!

Hassan Shaheryar Yasin (HSY)

HSY’s collection had a signature grand appeal. From his immaculately done up sherwanis to ghararas with extensive silver wire work, everything was stunning. Using kundan with beadwork, dabka and zari, the outfits were something that a bride would love to wear on her big day. Keeping it traditional, HSY accessorised the outfits with batwas.

Haute Couturiers

A total of 14 couturiers displayed one statement outfit each. Ranging from dark, striking colours to soft, pastel hues, the overall collection was a bit muddled. It started with designer duo DnF’s off-white sherwani, followed by Ishtiaq Afzal’s spectacular red lehenga and choli. Musarrat Bushra’s contemporary off-white and turquoise farshi gharara was the best among these, followed by Naureen Arbab’s maroon and brown gharara. Arsalan Iqbal, who designed a gaudy royal blue sherwani, almost made the male model look like a bride. Tabbasum Mughal, Wasim Asghar and Wahaj M Khan’s outfits failed to make a mark.

Lights, camera, music!

The eve was topped off with an enthralling performance by Hasan Rizvi of BodyBeat, alongside Anoushey Ashraf, Komal Rizvi, Hina Bayat, Javed Sheikh, Kiran and Teepu. The foot-tapping Bollywood medley, which sent the crowd’s adrenaline soaring, left the crowd roaring for more.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2013.

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As the summer is getting warmer by the day, socialites have started to sport an array of summery pop shades to beat the heat. Out of all, this breezy coral shade is everyone’s favourite, so if you want to avoid fashion emergencies, we suggest you pick this shade for your wardrobe for a cooler, calmer you!

A coral colour is like a visual treat on a warm summer day. These socialites sported coral tops looking uber chic. From slender, long kameezes to short, peppy tops, coral has paved way in all the segments of apparel, making it the most sought-after shade of the season. The shade adds life to a boring look instantly and guarantees eyeballs.

If you think wearing a coral top will look too gaudy, then you can go for coral hints like sporting a blazer or draping a scarf around your neck to add zest to your outfit. This colour not only contrasts well with lighter shades but also looks spectacular if paired with darker, deeper hues.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2013.                    

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VJ, RJ and actor Ali Safina has finally popped the question to model-actor Hira Tareen, and he feels “lucky” that she said yes. The couple had been spotted numerous times hand-in-hand in the last two years and felt that it was now the right time. “We were coordinating to make sure both of our families could attend our engagement,” says Ali. “Everyone couldn’t make it but it was a nice small ceremony.”

Hira calls Ali her “best friend” and “one of the best human beings”. “I am super happy especially after all the warm wishes from family and friends from all over the world. Thank you all for making our special day even more special with your positivity and blessings,” she wrote with her engagement picture on a social media site.

The couple is planning on a late December wedding. “There’s no set date yet, because there’s a lot of planning to do,” says Ali.

Congratulations to the newly engaged couple!

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2013.                    

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Setting a film like Chambaili in a make-believe place might save a film-maker from the sharp axe of the censor board, but it won’t prevent the audience from making connections to Pakistan. Anything CAN happen there, but because the audience relates it so closely to home, no matter how subtle the sequences may be, the plausibility of the film will always be judged by real circumstances.

Chambaili is set in pre-election Mulke Khudadad, a reflection of Pakistan today where target killings, crime and suo motu notices are the norm. The manner in which the issues of Mulke Khudad are addressed test one’s suspension of disbelief, both as a viewer and as a Pakistani. One might even walk out of the cinema feeling cheated but not politically enlightened.

The protagonist Saif (Shahzad Nawaz) has a generally happy existence with his friends and family in Mulke Khudadad. His fiancé (Mehreen Syed) and some other friends often discuss the dark future of their country and are torn between staying and escaping. Things change when Saif is badly beaten by Inquilab party workers and no police officers come to his rescue. The situation worsens when the soon-to-be leader of the Inquilab party, Sardar Sultan Sheikh, takes interest in building a Taj Mahal Complex on residential land, where Saif’s friend Sarmad (Ali Tahir) and others live. Angry party workers break into the house and create havoc. At this point, under the leadership of their friend Moosa (Ehteshamuddin), Saif and his friends decide to stand up to the political party and go on a hunger strike.

The beginning of the film will remind you of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s masterpiece Rang De Basanti, in that it shows angry young men challenging the status quo by jumping into the political fray. The acting and scene build-up raised expectations, but sadly, a gripping first half was followed by an unexciting and predictable narrative post-interval. The real hollowness of the screenplay is revealed as the film mostly runs on montages with no real character transitions and arcs. For example, no one knows how Saif’s Chambaili party gains overnight popularity. It seems that the screenwriter is cheating his way through a film by robbing the audience of complete sequences for the film to make sense. But interestingly enough, he manages to honour an epilogue that was needless and give time to incomplete and insignificant songs.

The fall out

The biggest failure of Chambaili is that director (Ismail Jilani) and producer (Shahzad Nawaz) treat Pakistan’s heavy-weight political issues like trivial fairytales. Chambaili — the party that brings a revolution — is like the Prince Charming of Disney stories, in that it saves the day. The day is saved so easily, that it’s almost insulting to the audience’s intelligence. While artists have cashed in on the popular sentiments of ‘hope’ and the idea of a ‘Naya Pakistan’ before the elections, the message should be conveyed in a more impactful way that people can relate to.

This also reflects our expectations from politics as a nation. Becoming a successful politician in Pakistan means jail-time and hunger strikes, nothing more.

The silver linings in Chambaili are the performances. Jilani scores high for getting most of the cast from theatre and cinema. As the leader of a religious party called Hizb-e-Haq, Khalid Ahmad steals the show and infuses a new energy in every single frame that he is present in. Shafqat Cheema as a political advisor is brilliant and couldn’t have been better. While a few of Ehteshaam’s monologues manage to give goose bumps, the real surprise package is Ali Tahir from Teen Bata Teen.

Producer and writer Nawaz gives great dialogues for the film, but fails in his performance as a lead character. With his flat tone and monotonous character, Nawaz is a little like a robot programmed to deliver one-liners; Mehreen Syed, playing Saif’s love-interest/fiancé, also fails miserably as an actor. She should stick to modeling where she has better prospects.

Verdict

Watch Chambaili to support Pakistani cinema but don’t expect it to wow you.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2013.                    

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LONDON: Researchers have now found why we often feel such a strong urge to glance at our handset: checking your mobile is contagious.

The researchers observed how it has become the modern equivalent of glancing at your watch — the furtive look at a phone screen to check for new messages or have a quick look at Facebook, Daily Mail reported.

People are twice as likely to pull out their phones to check their text messages or e-mail if they’re with someone who has just done the same, a University of Michigan team found.

It also found how women were more likely to use their mobile than men since it was more “integrated into the daily lives of women”.

The team watched students in dining halls and coffee shops around campus between January and April 2011, observing pairs of students sitting at tables for as long as 20 minutes and documented their cellphone use at 10-second intervals.

“What we found most interesting was just how often people were using their mobile phones,” Daniel Kruger, the study’s co-author, said.

“Every person we observed used his/her phone at least once while one woman was on hers about half of the time.

“Individuals may see others checking their incoming messages and be prompted to check their own.”

It was found overall, the students used their cellphones on an average of 24 percent of the intervals.

But they were significantly more likely to use their phones (39.5 percent) when their companion had just done so in the previous 10-second interval, the researchers said.

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Bollywood actor Vidya Balan showed up at the special screening of Aashiqui 2 wearing what looked like a bed cover.

There’s nothing wrong with wearing desi couture, but we’re not sure what the purpose behind these rags was. It seems like, even after all the fame and money she earned in B-town, Vidya is still suffering from the no-stylist disease. Tsk tsk tsk — here’s the breakdown of what went wrong.

The charge sheet

Hair

Living in a world of divas and fashionistas, Vidya should have done better with her hair. She clipped half of her hair, leaving the rest down without any curls, waves or style. Get a nice cut at least, if you don’t have time to spend on your hair.

Make-up

What make-up? As much as we love those gorgeous eyes and pretty smile, we wished Vidya used some cosmetics to enhance her features. A bright shade of lipstick could have helped in taking some of our attention off that hideous outfit. We thank you for the black-lined eyes.

Accessories

With all that was going wrong, Vidya deserves to be applauded for the earrings. There is nothing else to comment on except the mismatched banarsi bag she’s flaunting. We wonder who advised her to buy that thing, and then carry it out in the open also.

Outfit

Now that Vidya’s moved on from her sari-wearing days, it seems that she’s turned her collection into kurtas and ghagras. The cloth of the outfit was better suited for a bed spread or cushion covers. While the low neckline might have gotten her some stares, Vidya scores no points with us — the stitching and fitting seem untidy and out of place. The kurta was not complementing her voluptuous figure and that plain black dupatta needs to be returned to the lender.

Shoes

Vidya decided to wear kolah-puris with her ghagra. The pair of chappals are nice, but only if you are going to the beach. We wished someone could kick some style sense in her. Sadly, the sandals didn’t do any wonders for her entire look.

Bail out!

Aishwarya Rai

Aish looked elegant when she arrived at the Filmfare award ceremony last year. She wore a golden net and silk lehenga with sequins and embroidery. Make some notes Vidya — the new wife and mom still had time to dress in style because well, it’s crucial for the celeb-status.

Yami Gautam

The Vicky Donor actor knew she looked good in her golden ensemble. Yami wore the perfectly fitted two-piece lehenga, embellished with gold work. We’re wondering why Vidya didn’t get the news yet — it’s East-meets-West style now. Two thumbs up for that confident smile!

Ileana D’ Cruz

The diva that made her debut with Barfi! looked stunning at the 58th Filmfare Awards 2013. She glittered from head-to-toe on the red carpet in an all gold desi-ish ghagra choli. We’re sure she was particular about what she wore to her first award ceremony and yes, it’s always better to be extra cautious than sorry.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2013.                    

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Actor Shahid Kapoor is soaking in the sun to get a tanned look for his upcoming movie Rambo Rajkumar. And this isn’t the first time he’s tried to pull this look off.

Even though he has donned a chocolate boy look in movies such as Ishq Vishk, Vivah and Kismat Konnection, it was his chiseled body and rugged look for the character of Charlie in 2009 movie Kaminey, that created a lot of buzz.

This time around, the 32-year-old has tried to achieve a skin colour three shades darker than his original so that his look is in perfect sync with the character. He’s also sporting a stubble to achieve that perfect biker boy image.

“Shahid never sported a stubble and thus, his look has been appreciated by many. In fact, he has started liking the look himself now. Wherever he is going, people are giving him compliments on his look,” a source said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2013.                    

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LAHORE: The wait is over. The coolest new retail outlet has finally arrived as Sania Maskatiya opens her very own flagship store in Lahore. Situated on the bustling MM Alam Road, the store transports you to Sania’s world of creativity.

“It’s just been two years for our brand and we are extremely excited to be able to expand into a standalone store in Lahore,” says Maskatiya. “We endeavour to bring all that the Sania Maskatiya brand has come to be known for in terms of aesthetics, design and service to Lahore.”

The new store is now the home to all Sania Maskatiya lines and specific collections, from her popular block prints, embroideries and every day kurtas along with evening couture and formal wear as well as her recent collection Naqsh, which was showcased at Fashion Pakistan Week (FPW) 5 in Karachi.

The concept store’s interior has been designed by Yousaf Shahbaz of Strata and it’s a breath of fresh air to see the interior designer incorporate Maskatiya’s design concepts into the store’s interior. With faux grass lining the entrance and geometric structures hanging around the store, it almost feels as if Maskatiya’s clothes were taken as inspiration to create the store.

Maskatiya will be showing her new collection Aghaaz at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week (PSFW). “Our new collection for PSFW celebrates the opening of this new space,” continues Maskatiya. “Paying tribute to the bold and vibrant along with the pastel hues that are representative of the magical city of Lahore, Aghaaz seeks to excite the senses as one enters a garden of new beginnings.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2013.                    

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An adaptation of acclaimed novelist Mohsin Hamid’s bestseller and Nair’s most ambitious project to date, the film’s narrative centres around a Pakistani protagonist’s journey. A compelling subject, the lead’s conflicting political ideologies explore the bicultural dialogue of the Pakistani- American equation.

The theatrical release in Pakistan is scheduled for May 17, where the film will open in the original version (in English and Urdu) as well as in a complete Urdu version called Changez. Thrilled about this, it was the realisation of a dream for Nair, who feels that the movie is her “love song to Pakistan”. She believes that the film is a celebration of not only the cinematic debut of artists and singers, but also a showcase of the rich, cultural tapestry of the country.

As the lead, Ahmed is also excited about the release of the movie in Pakistan. “Someone sent me a picture of a poster outside a big cinema in Lahore and I would just love to be there for the release,” says Ahmed. “It is important that the film is an official release because it is welcoming to the institution, which I think is huge for cinema halls in Pakistan.”

On a personal level, the experience of making this film resonated with Ahmed, who feels more immersed with his Pakistani roots. Having been raised in Britain with a family that speaks Urdu at home, he never really felt out touch culturally. However, the homework he did for the role of Changez allowed him to explore his potential. “Whether it was raising the standard of my Urdu to a point where I could read and understand Faiz or watch political discussion shows on Geo, I really tried to get to grips with it,” he says.

Ahmed also had to imbibe a sense of Pakistan from both Hamid (who co-wrote the screenplay) and novelist Ali Sethi, who acted as a guide to help him soak up Lahore from a distance. “A large part of the film is about missing Lahore and I have never been there,” explains Ahmed. He had booked a ticket when he was offered the role but was denied entry due to insurance reasons.

The experience of working with Nair also gave Ahmed a sense of home. “Sometimes we can erect these divisions between India and Pakistan or Britain and Pakistan and think that they must be really different,” he says. “While there is a cultural sensitivity that has to be taken into account and homework to be done, people are people and sometimes when you tell really specific stories, they can be universal in their impact and that’s what we are seeing with this movie.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2013.                    

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Speaking about the now defunct label Arsalan & Yahseer, Yahseer admits the two gelled well together and that there was great working chemistry between them. Arsalan was the label’s CEO and chief designer while Yahseer looked after the business side of the equation — sometimes contributing to the design aspect as well. “Arsalan is creative and not scared of trying out anything new. He was always able to pull off whatever he imagined,” says Yahseer, praising Arsalan.

After winning numerous accolades for their contributions to fashion weeks, unfortunately the duo has now split. They brought out a collection called Rangeen which consisted of hand-painted and block-printed shalwar kameez; at the Fashion Pakistan Week (FPW) 2, they presented their Coloresque collection; at the Islamabad Fashion Week last year, they presented their Modern Sindh collection; and recently at the FPW5, they showcased their Spectacle Blanc collection which was an ode to the Valley of Kashmir.

“We are just making a rational decision to move ahead in life to achieve our separate goals,” says Arsalan, adding that the decision to part ways was mutual. Apparently, Yahseer couldn’t handle the pressure of dealing with clients and handling the business. “It was getting on his nerves. Finally, on a Sunday night, he said, ‘Please jaane dey yar [Let’s just forget it now]’,” says Arsalan.

Now that Arsalan will be running the label without Yahseer, should customers expect something new? “It’s Iqbal instead of Yahseer. Nothing else changes — business, clients, ethos, values, target market and business model will all remain the same,” says Arsalan optimistically. To finalise the deal, a dramatic scene took place at a local restaurant — the contract between Arsalan and Yahseer was torn to pieces.

The aim was to establish a trendy, bold, modern and wearable menswear line. With his new label, Arsalan hopes to continue with this ideology. His main obstacles will be managing his team on his own as well as hiring a couple of fashion design graduates. Yahseer, on the other hand, has joined a well-known designer label as its creative director, but did not wish to disclose further information.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2013.                    

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“I see this film as a dialogue between our world [South Asia] and the West. No character is going to be droned in this film — a film which shows young Pakistani actors alongside Hollywood A-listers,” says Nair. “I always had a deep interest in Lahore because my father was from there. We grew up around Faiz’s [Ahmed Faiz] time; there’s always this type of vibrancy which is associated with the people of Lahore.”

The film is set in corporate New York and a richly-hued Lahore, before and after 9/11. It examines the traces of a young Pakistani’s (Riz Ahmed) journey from a Wall Street high flyer to a suspected radical targeted by the American intelligence following the attacks.

Nair then elaborates on how the verdict to make a film on Hamid’s book came about. “I fell in love with the mutual suspicion [between two characters] which was present in the story. I saw one character wonderfully layered in the shape of a thriller,” she says, adding that she feels the story fits the modern-day perception well.

The book was a monologue per se; based on a young man sitting in a café in Lahore. Nair reveals Hamid’s prose had to be re-built for the film, which is a different medium altogether. “Mohsin was deeply involved with the script, from the beginning till the end,” she says about the man who has co-written the script. “And this was something different I experienced as compared to my previous projects.”

Nair admits that the film’s production faced several delays but in a way it was beneficial as the team ended up putting the right pieces together. In the film, her biggest steal seems to be British-Pakistani actor Riz Ahmed who plays the lead role of Changez. “We were strongly considering casting one of the two actors from Pakistan for the role of Changez,” she continues. “But when we met Riz, we knew he was perfect for the role right away.”

“The chemistry between Kate [Hudson] and Riz was sizzling. He is a confident bugger and the two just got along very well,” she adds.

The film-maker was happy with the Pakistani talent in the film and feels they have a desire to learn; she has spent time giving lectures and connecting with local artists as well. Meesha Shafi also has a small yet important role in The Reluctant Fundamentalist. “I loved her [Meesha] look and I think it’s an important role because I’ve always thought that Pakistani women are vigorous — the film is trying to show these different layers,” Nair continues.

With an array of films to her credit, which have left lasting impressions, Nair admits her themes are not redundant in any way. She feels it’s important to have such films which are about two differing cultures. “I feel it’s important to stay connected to my roots but I also know that I can fly anywhere which is also very important,” she says.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2013.                    

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The sufi rock band from Jamshoro takes you on a journey of self-discovery with their new track where they convince you to question everything that is happening around you; all this, just to be at peace with your existence. For sufis, it is ultimately about the search of the divine power that exists within oneself and all that is needed to accomplish this, is a bit of soul searching.

Since their formal introduction at the finest music platform in Pakistan, Coke Studio, with Mandh Waai, The Sketches has never looked back. The band’s vocalist Saif Samejo and guitarist Naaem Shah have been persistently making music in the love of the Sindhi culture they belong to. Main sufi Hoon seems like the Nirvana of their journey of sufi music that began more than seven years ago, as the video and audio of the song hit all the right chords, making it one of the most impactful pieces of multimedia seen recently.

The recurring lyrics “Main sufi hoon sarmasta, merah kaun pehchaane rasta” (I am sufi and who knows my way) is a household rhyme for the people of Sindh and is also one of the most popular kalaams amongst sufis all around the world. The Sketches, however, has brought a more modern rendition of this original traditional tune, making it a thought-provoking and impactful song, not only for the fans of sufi music, but the fans of rock music too.

The Sketches made the right decision by involving fine musicians in the project like Gumby, Faraz Anwar and Jono Manson, a US-based composer who had earlier collaborated with the band. While listening to the melodious song, you can pinpoint a hitch; the audio quality of Main sufi Hoon is a testimony to the experience and craftiness of the musicians involved.

The video, which takes you on an unforgettable journey to the sand dunes and shorelines of Sindh, speaks volumes about the high quality work done in the post-production. The video features model Abbas Jafri, who plays a malang wandering in the desert of Thar looking for solutions of life; actor Suhaee Abro, on the other hand, plays a helpless girl doing pretty much the same thing. At the end, both of them find their strengths in the desert’s sand; while the malang finds himself controlling the wind, the girl dances to ignite fire in the desert.

What might sound like a simple plot was actually very difficult to execute, but director Adnan Kandhar and his team pulled it off well, giving the sufi kalaam Main sufi Hoon, the soulful treatment it deserves.

With no gap in the release of their music and churning out back-to-back collaborations with diverse artists, The Sketches is one of the finest new bands in recent times. Their colloquial music and folk tunes remind us of legends like Allan Fakir and Fakir Juman Shah. Their productions have a new spin on sufi music and that is the reason why they have a fan following all over the world, which is increasing with time.

Main sufi Hoon has been shared widely on social media within a month of its release, and a number of leading musicians including well-known sufi singer Sanam Marvi, appreciated the band’s effort for keeping sufi music alive.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2013.                    

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LAHORE / KARACHI: Beygairat Brigade’s new song Dhinak Dhinak, touching on the power of the armed forces in Pakistan, has been banned by some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) across the country, confirmed telecom sources on Saturday.

An email sent by the Enforcement Division of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) directed the ISPs to block the video available on websites including Vimeo and Facebook.

The band confirmed the development and said that the video was completely banned on internet services and a disclaimer saying “This video is not suitable for viewers inside Pakistan” appears every time the video is accessed on Vimeo.

Ali Aftab, the band’s front man, said that the internet providers were simply helping the bands’ cause and any attempt to band the video would backfire.

“They are helping us and making this video controversial,” said Aftab.

“Our video is asking for across-the-board accountability,” says Aftab. He also emphasised that the no television channel is airing the video, due to apprehensions that it may be too critical of the armed forces.

Several online activists and supporters of the band also expressed disdain over the video’s unavailability. Columnist and writer Tazeen Javed also wrote a blog titled “The Ultimate Beyghairti”.

“The Dhinak Dhinak video came back online after a few hours of ban. May be it was the cheeky message at the end of the video where the band asked their fans to not like the song – “No need to like the video, we will be dead any way” – that saved them,” she wrote.

In fact, being a mother has helped her in her first association with a children’s reality show, Indian Idol Junior. She is co-hosting the upcoming edition of the music reality show which will feature kids aged between five and 15.

Mandira has hosted a series of reality shows and live events in the past. “The greatest experience for me, in Indian Idol Junior, is that I am a mother now,” said Mandira, who gave birth to a son in 2011. “I’m not talking about the anchoring experience. Now that I’m a mother, I connect with children a little differently.”

“A couple of years ago, if I was in a flight, and there would be a yelling baby, I would get disturbed and upset by it,” the 41-year-old continued. “Now if I am in such a situation, I’d go to the mother and ask, ‘Do you want to eat your meal? Do you want me to hold the baby, so you can go to the bathroom’?”

The actor, who is married to film-maker Raj Kaushal, is a traveler and is always on the move.

“I travel so much with my baby and I know it’s hard. My whole nazariya [outlook] has changed towards babies and children. Not that I ever disliked them, but your relationship with children changes forever once you become a mom.”

Mandira, who will co-host the reality show along with Karan Wahi, says she also hopes to learn a thing or two about parenting from the show.

“You can learn from any and every mother around you. There are a few parents who are very indulgent and there are some, who are living their own dreams through their children, and that’s not the right route,” she said.

“On Indian Idol Junior, we are promoting ‘Singing masti hai, zabardasti nahin’ [Singing is fun, not a compulsion]. There shouldn’t be anything that children are pushed for.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2013.

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“My mother used to teach in my hometown, Panchgani. She left her career and house just to be with me in Mumbai. I was too young at that time. And she supported me throughout,” the actor told reporters. Prachi’s debut vehicle was TV show Kasamh Se and after that she took big leap with movies Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai and Rock On!!. Currently, Prachi is busy shooting for Policegiri and Rock On!! 2.

She admitted never giving importance to her mother’s dreams. “My mother always thinks about me and the family. But I never asked her about her dreams. She says she wants me and my sister to be happy and successful,” said Prachi. The actor says she resembles her mother and knows everything about her. “Her favourite colours are white and blue. I have never watched a film with her, but her favourite movies are Kati Patang and Mera Saya.”

On Mother’s Day, Prachi wants her mother and family to visit Panchgani. “I want them [family] to visit Panchgani, where we lived and grew up. They love the place. They will relive their beautiful memories of staying in the house,” she said wistfully.

Though Prachi’s mother is proud of how her daughter has balanced her personal and professional life, she complains that the actor doesn’t take care of herself. “She neglects her health while working, so I keep telling her to eat on time,” said Amita, her mom. Disagreeing, Prachi said: “It’s actually vice versa, my mother keeps doing so much for us. She pampers me so much that in the process she doesn’t take care of her health.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2013.

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