MUMBAI: When actor Kareena Kapoor, who represents the fourth generation of her family, says that acting is in her genes, it is absolutely right as the Kapoor family has enjoyed an 85-year long association with arclight, greasepaint and camera.

It was Kareena’s great-grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor who laid down the foundation of acting in the family by entering showbiz in 1928, which was taken forward by his three sons — Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, and Shashi Kapoor whose wife Jennifer was the first female from the clan to act in movies.

Later, all three sons of Raj Kapoor — Randhir, Rishi and Rajeev — faced the camera. In the fourth generation, it was Randhir and actor Babita’s daughter Karisma Kapoor who carried forward the legacy of her family. Later, Kareena followed her sister’s footsteps.

As the Indian cinema celebrates its 100 years, talking about her association with filmdom, Kareena told IANS: “Being a Kapoor, acting is genetic for me. My sister paved the way for me in the industry when she became the first Kapoor girl to take up acting.”

Remembering filmdom as a child, Kareena said that she would accompany Karisma, who entered the industry in 1991 with Prem Qaidi, to the sets and has grown up with the industry.

“As a child, I used to accompany Lolo [Karisma] on the sets of her films, so I’ve seen the industry grow and vice versa. I have nothing but the highest regard for the industry,” said Kareena, who has completed 13 years in filmdom and has been a part of over 45 films, including hits like Ajnabee, Aitraaz, Jab We Met and 3 Idiots.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.                    

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NEW DEHLI: Actor-producer Saif Ali Khan is treading new territories with Go Goa Gone, a zombie comedy, after making romance-based entertainers like Love Aaj Kal and Cocktail. However, he’s quite sure he won’t ever make a “sleazy” comedy.

There’s a thin line between “naughty” and “sleazy”, he believes. Why is comedy all about sleaze nowadays?

“Everything should have a representative, I guess! So, have a branch of comedy also, which is sleazy, but I suppose there is an audience for that as well. There are different kinds of people in our country, and you’ve got to cater to all,” said Saif.

“But I don’t think I want to make a sleazy film. I’d rather make a naughty one,” the 42-year-old told IANS.

Go Goa Gone, his production and acting venture, releases on May 10. Starring Kunal Kemmu, Vir Das and Anand Tiwari in key roles, the movie, as Saif believes, is a “naughty” kind!

Narrating a scene from the movie, he said: “There’s a scene in which Kunal’s character goes and buys condoms. The shopkeeper asks him, ‘So what kind of condoms do you want?’ and then Kunal’s character says, ‘Well, the ones for having sex!’”

“So this, I think is naughty and funny, but not sleazy.”

While the movie has been heavily promoted as a ‘zombie’ film, Saif says it’s not all that “zombie”.

“It’s a very urban movie. It’s a funny one and not aimed at buying anyone into the theory of the zombie. It is essentially a story of three boys and their ridiculous adventures. So, I think it’s nice if we can just laugh a little bit without thinking what a zombie is and all of that,” he said.

The idea behind Go Goa Gone was also to cater to the audience which wants “new and exciting” genres and storylines.

“The audience is ready and maturing. So it is up to us now to give them the content. I remember Kunal came up to me with this script, and said this is a comedy about zombies. At first I was apprehensive to try something new, to produce something new, but then when I read the script, I laughed out loud quite a number of times.”

“I believe the audience will laugh too,” Saif said.

The budget for the film, he said, was “not very much”. But he promises they haven’t “cheated” the audience.

He said the crew shot a lot on beaches and in jungles of Mauritius, besides getting Hollywood experts to work on the zombies’ make-up. Saif’s own look is different in the film — he sports blonde locks. “I liked the idea,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.                    

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“In our society, milaawat [mixing] is so prevalent in every other thing, even food. So cosmetics can easily be meddled with too,” says Dr Mohammad Hanif, an eye specialist. “Before buying any eye-liner, it’s essential to find out what it contains.” There are low quality products as well as well-known brands in the market. “It is essential on the user’s part to find out if it contains lead or other toxins.”

Kajal, kohl, eye-liner — are they all the same?

All these are one of the many names of the same devil. However, on a scale of one to 10, if you were to pick the least harmful product, it would have to be the eye-liner — not the kohls and kajals. While the former contains a toxin called arsenic — which is poisonous to multi-cellular life — it is still suprisingly less fatal than the lead content which is found in the latter. Important note: an eye-liner is still very harmful.

Kohl is an ancient eye cosmetic widely used in the Middle East and South Asia; you aren’t desi, if you don’t have kajal in your eyes! But how this product is manufactured is what really grabs one’s attention. It is made by grinding lead sulfide. And that’s not all. Kohl may also contain a variety of other dangerous toxins such as aluminum, antimony, carbon, iron and zinc compounds.

Kohl has been banned by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA); it identifies four popular products which contain high levels of lead:

• Hashmi Surma Special (47% lead)

• Pure Kohl from the Waters of ZamZam (36% lead)

• Hashmi Kajal (27% lead)

• Hashmi Kohl Aswad (4% lead)

Health Canada, Consumer Product Safety has also deemed Hashmi Kohl Aswad — which is manufactured in Pakistan — to be highly hazardous. An interesting fact to mention here is that Hashmi Surma Special and Hashmi Kajal are also produced in Pakistan.

Are you a victim of lead poisoning?

There’s a myriad of symptoms you will face when you’ve been caught in the deathly web of lead poisoning such as vomiting, weakness, paleness, weight loss, headaches, poor attention span, slowed speech development and learning difficulty, hyperactivity, abdominal pain and also irritability.

Lead is a toxin which can easily be absorbed through the skin. So when you put kajal on and realise that it has somehow faded away, you should know that it has been absorbed by your skin and has also entered your eyes.

“When eye-liner is applied, its particles enter your eyes instantly and act like a foreign body,” Dr Hanif explains. “The particles float along your tear film or duct and eventually come between the cornea and contact lens. This causes irritation and the chances of the cornea being scratched massively increase.”

He goes on to reveal the kinds of infection lead can cause to the human eye. “Sometimes these infections are chronic and you find out years later,” he says, adding that what makes matters worse is when members of the same family share the same pencil. “The infection will instantly travel to the next person’s eye.”

That’s just the damage it does to your eye. What about the rest of the human body? Lead is a toxin which causes direct damage to the brain. And since every organ of the body is controlled by your brain, the side effects form a scary never-ending list.

The FDA has listed a number of health problems which result from lead exposure such as anaemia, kidney problems, learning and behaviour problems and neurological damage that may include seizures, coma and death, as well as, hormone disruption, cancer, memory loss, mood swings, reproductive and developmental disorders, diarrhoea, lung damage, dermatitis and hair loss.

Please note: Get rid of all your kajals and kohls and find out whether other cosmetics you use, contain toxins such as lead or arsenic — mascaras, lipsticks and lip glosses are all known to contain such toxins so don’t be too surprised.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.                    

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“I have been doing production for the last 10 years,” says Farhad Humayun. He mentions that he has produced two of Atif Aslam’s albums, including Jal Pari and Meri Kahani. Apart from that, Farhad has also produced for SYMT and, not to forget his work with Overload, a collaboration that introduced singer Meesha Shafi and folk talent such as Pappu Saeein to the mainstream.

The Pepsi Smash series can be seen as his vision of how music should really be. The series will have 12 sessions and eight artists, who will be working towards bringing something new to the music scene that seems to be monotonous, otherwise.

The show has been shot at Humayun’s very own Riot Studio; a state of the art studio that has been functioning since 2006. This is also the same space where he launched an online music series by the name Live at the Apartment, in which Humayun and his friends would record and experiment with music. The success of this online series seems to be a precursor for the upcoming show Pepsi Smash that faced several delays before it finally launched its first show on May 1.

When asked about the kind of music that will be showcased on the series, Humayun said, “We have decided that there will be no sufiana kalams and no covers. Rather, all songs will be original; made specifically for the show. We felt that contemporary Pakistan and individual artists should have a chance to play whatever music they feel like.”

Last week Pepsi Smash released Jaag by Jarrar Malik, an electronic club anthem. Humayun says he ensured that the music was an original team effort if nothing else. The compositions that were produced by Sheraz Siddiq and DJ Faisal Baig were a unique blend of fresh beats and contemporary soul that seems to be missing from Pakistani music these days.

Supporting the need to encourage contemporary artists, Humayun stressed, “We are lacking vision and contemporary voices within Pakistan. If we only focus on releasing sufi albums or traditional music, we are in a way restricting young talent from expressing themselves.”

The new venture will include tracks from SYMT, Noori, Strings, Siege, Sajid and Zeeshan, Jarar Malik and Ali Asad, to name a few. Humayun says that they were lucky to receive some quality songs from artists. He emphasized that the point was to give a free platform to artists for singing their heart out while keeping the audio production and quality intact. The songs were played live in a studio environment and were not lip-synced.

Humayun is working collectively with Faisal Baig, an old friend who was also associated with Overload,  to introduce the electronic genre to the Pakistani music industry and has managed to produce great results, in process.

“I think the introduction of that electronic/rock mix genre in Pakistan is very new and hence, the artists have been very welcoming but the overwhelming response is also because we asked them to compose original songs for a certain purpose,” said Humayun.

While an initiative to promote fresh talent, Pepsi Smash is yet another show that has followed the overall trend of major brands getting involved in the music industry. However, Humayun is skeptical about whether it entails any benefits for music itself. The brand, he says, cannot say what is good or bad for music, it can only fund it.

“The brand is not interested in marketing music, it’s not even interested in selling music, it is only concerned about its own product,” says Humayun. He adds that Pepsi Smash is an ambitious project because it is not created for the masses unlike the brand supporting it.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.                    

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It seems that the queen of parallel cinema, Tannishtha Chatterjee has been inspired by Bollywood biggies such as Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachan and Priyanka Chopra who have wooed audiences with their sensational singing abilities.

Chatterjee who will be seen in the upcoming Bollywood drama Gulab Gang says she has also been given a slot to playback in the film.

“I recently wrapped up shooting for my film Gulab Gang. We had a wonderful time shooting for the movie and not many know that I also sang a song in it,” said the actor, who is a trained Indian classical vocalist. “The song is picturised very well. I am a trained singer and I am not allowed to talk much about the song beyond this.”

The movie also features veteran Bollywood actors and once known archrivals, Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla in lead roles. When asked if she would be seen shaking a leg with the dancer diva, Tannishtha said, “Madhuri is the number one dancer, she is the best. It was a pleasure working with her. Though, I am not dancing in the film as my character doesn’t allow me to do so.”

The movie that is based on a real-life gang of Indian women activists called Gulabi Gang and is directed by Soumik Sen and produced by Anubhav Sinha.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.                    

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Bollywood’s sultry superstar Priyanka Chopra was spotted at the Samantha Edwards’ Muzicworks concert in Mumbai, hitting all the ‘wrong’ chords with her dud rockstar look.

Priyanka, who is known to be the stunning glam diva of the red carpet, has shocked us with this tacky combination of rags!

Hair

It seems like Priyanka just stepped straight out of bed without making an effort to comb her usually beautiful locks. That flattened-from-the-top hairstyle, messy fringe and visibly prominent split-ends are not flattering at all. We would have appreciated a voluminous blow-dry or a front puff instead.

Make-up

We are big fans of Priyanka’s unconventional features, cat eyes and full lips. We understand that natural is always pretty but Priyanka desperately needs some powder and cosmetics here to enhance those features. A subtle pink lipstick, light base, ginger blush and properly lined eyes would have definitely done the trick.

Accessories

Those oversized, tinted aviators covering her gorgeous eyes should be crashed and burned! While we are going to be honest in expressing our admiration for that hot Gucci belt, the rest of the accessories including that belly button stud, are just blah! How about a nice chunky bracelet and some bling on those fingers?

Outfit

Denim at a concert is often the best pick and coloured jeans are on trend. But we don’t know why she chose to pair it off with that mouse-coloured midriff baring tank top. Bare midriff is probably the one trend that we want to nip in the bud! A pair of black leather skin tights and a chic, embellished tank top would have looked way more appealing.

Shoes

Probably the worst part of the entire outfit was that pair of overpowering net booties! A pair of chic stilettos would have probably saved the look from being the disaster that it was.

Kristen Stewart

Priyanka should have taken some cues from the Twilight beauty Kristen Stewart. She looks sensational in a fitted grey blazer with, black leather tights and beautiful wavy locks. Those uber awesome red hot heels are the highlights. Now that is exactly how one can look like a true rockstar!

Ashley Simpson

Singer Ashlee Simpson rocked this goth/rock-inspired attire. Her leather top and shimmery mini skirt does wonders to her look. We love her two strap heels and silver accessories. Her kohl-rimmed eyes and nude make-up provided finishing touches.

Olivia Wilde

Hollywood actor Olivia Wilde looks simple yet rock chic with a leather blazer, ash grey skinny tights and shimmering red stilettos. Despite a very natural make-up, Olivia pulls off the rockstar image with complete ease and we are loving every bit of it.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.                    

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Actor Will Smith’s son Jaden wants freedom from his parents on his birthday.

Jaden, who will turn 15 in July, might be doing films with his father but he wants his own place, reports thesun.co.uk. Will, 44, reveals, “He says, ‘Dad, I want to be emancipated’. I know if we do this, he can be an emancipated minor, because he really wants to have his own place, like ooh.”

“That’s the backlash. On the other side, if kids just want to have command of their lives, I understand,” adds Will. The father and son duo will be in upcoming sci-fi film After Earth.

Hollywood stars Will and Jada Pinkett Smith have two children — Jaden, 14, and 12-year-old Willow. Following in their parents’ footsteps, Jaden is an actor like his father and Willow is a singer like his mother.

The father and son have a close bond with each other and have also worked together on several occasions. In their new movie After Earth, Jaden’s character Kitai Raige has to prove he is as tough as his legendary father Cypher. “It’s very similar for Jaden and me — your father’s the biggest movie star in the world, and you’re struggling for your little piece of dignity in this extreme shadow,” he explained.

Earlier in an interview, Will said he and his wife don’t believe in punishing their kids. “We don’t do punishment. The way we deal with our kids is: they are responsible for their lives. Our concept is, as young as possible, give them as much control over their lives as possible. The concept of punishment in our experience has been a little too much of a negative quality.”

“We generally don’t believe in punishment. From the time Jaden was five or six we would sit him down, and all he has to do is be able to explain to us why whatever he did, was the right thing for his life,” Will explained.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.                    

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LOS ANGELES: Tony Stark’s superpowers lifted blockbuster Iron Man 3 back to the top of the movie charts in the United States and Canada, beating out a strong debut over the weekend for lavish Jazz Age drama, The Great Gatsby.

Coming off a gigantic opening a week earlier, Iron Man 3 commanded $72.5 million in ticket sales from Friday through Sunday in its second weekend. Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as millionaire Jay Gatsby in the classic F Scott Fitzgerald tale, earned a strong $51.1 million, according to studio estimates.

Domestic ticket sales for Iron Man 3 dropped 58% from a week earlier, when the film hauled in $174.1 million for the second-biggest movie opening of all time. The film from Walt Disney Co’s Marvel Studios stars Robert Downey Jr as Stark, a billionaire businessman with a superhero alter ego.

International sales for Iron Man 3 reached a massive $664 million through Sunday after adding $89 million from the weekend, Disney said. The film’s worldwide take now stands at $949 million.

Gatsby outpaced pre-weekend forecasts for an opening of up to $45 million. Directed by Australian film-maker Baz Luhrmann, it is the latest Hollywood rendition of Fitzgerald’s classic American novel, The Great Gatsby. A 1974 version starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow fared poorly at the box office.

DiCaprio stars in the title role, a millionaire pining for a lost love, played by Carey Mulligan, during the height of the hedonistic ‘20s. Tobey Maguire and Joel Edgerton also star. Rapper Jay-Z produced the soundtrack.

“We never expected to open this picture at this level,” said Dan Fellman, president of theatrical distribution for Warner Bros, the Time Warner Inc unit that distributed the film.

Fellman said the picture, which has been accorded the prestigious opening night slot at this week’s Cannes Film Festival, was now well-positioned for a long run into the summer as an alternative to traditional action movies.

The majority of ticket buyers were female by 59% to 41%, and 31%of ticket buyers were under age 25, Warner Bros said.

“We’re going to have a nice, long healthy run,” he told Reuters.

DiCaprio’s performance was widely praised, but the movie, which cost about $105 million to produce, received a mixed reception from critics. As of Saturday, 48% of reviews recommended the film on the Rotten Tomatoes website.

But in its opening weekend, the film very nearly eclipsed the total $57.4 million take of Luhrmann’s most successful film, Moulin Rouge, which went on to win several Academy Awards.

Elsewhere over the weekend, dark action comedy Pain & Gain starring Mark Wahlberg placed a distant third with $5 million at US and Canadian theatres.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.                    

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SHIMLA: Sanjay Dutt’s jail term has come in the way of his journey to Delhi. Director Subhash Kapoor says the third installment of the Munnabhai franchise will start only when the actor finishes his jail stint.

“We can’t imagine Munnabhai’s next part without Sanjay Dutt,” said Kapoor, who was set to wield the megaphone for Munnabhai Chale Dilli.

The Indian Supreme Court on Friday dismissed Sanjay’s plea seeking review of its March 21 judgment upholding his conviction under the Indian Arms Act and sentencing him to five years in jail in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. Dutt, 53, was sentenced to five years in jail by the apex court.

The actor has already undergone one-and-half years of imprisonment and according to the apex court order, he still has to complete the remaining three-and half years of the sentence.

“We will wait for our lead actor to complete his jail term,” Kapoor told IANS in an interview. “He [Sanjay] and Circuit [Arshad Varsi] are the true spirit of Munnabhai series.” The first two films — Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munna Bhai — were directed by Rajkumar Hirani, but for the third installment, Kapoor has been roped in.

The director is nevertheless hopeful of Sanjay’s early release. “We are hopeful that Sanjay will be freed early [on humanitarian grounds],” he added.

Journalist-turned-producer and director, Kapoor made his debut with Say Salaam India, which failed at the box office, but his films Phas Gaye Rey Obama and Jolly LLB were decent films.

“Bollywood recognises talent, but for this you need an opportunity. For the new entrants getting an opportunity depends all upon [the big] break,” Kapoor said. “My struggle in Bollywood, in fact, started after my first movie was a flop.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.                    

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Her bridal collection was all about net, satin and jamawar with safe blues, greys, reds and cream coloured fabrics. The heavily-embellished outfits portrayed a regal touch while keeping the traditional look intact and that’s probably what kept the audience spellbound.

“The design philosophy behind the brand [Teena] is to provide trendy, stylish, ready-to-wear clothes for the modern day Pakistani woman at affordable prices,” says Butt, who is a business graduate from LUMS. “I knew from day one that I would pursue this business and hence, I came up with my own fashion label.” Teena is a nickname her close ones have given her and it means inspiring people.

“I love to dress up — everyone around me always gets inspired by what I wear,” she adds in a chirpy tone.

Lebanese designer Elie Saab’s style and cuts inspire Butt deeply. “Saab’s unique fusion of Western and Eastern cultures inspires me a lot. His cuts and embellishments impart an elegant yet royal feel to the garment,” she explains, adding that she follows the International Trend Forecast and tries to incorporate ideas and designs into her own collections.

“A major chunk of our target market for prêt wear and semi-formals include working women,” she continues, adding that the label also caters to the upper-middle and elite classes in formals and bridals. “Our semi-formal range is selling like hot cakes and for the summer, we’ve introduced our casual prêt collection which has received a very positive response.”

Hina Butt’s PBCW debut

This year marked Butt’s entrance into PBCW as she successfully did her first show. “The response I received was commendable. I wasn’t expecting this from the Karachi crowd considering this was my first bridal show here,” she says. “Apart from the appreciation, my experience at PBCW was also very good.”

“One thing however, which I feel people should always keep in mind when dressing up brides is that no matter what the silhouette is, it’s all about grandeur,” she advises other designers and soon-to-be brides. “A floor-touching silhouette with a trail and a flared hem has always looked grand.” She feels it’s important to weigh out the option of how the bride looks when seated and not just when she walks. “In our culture, brides are seated for most of the time during the ceremony.”

Butt will be showcasing her designs in London at the Pakistan Fashion Extravaganza London 2013 in June, at Association of Physicians of Pakistan Descent of North America (APPNA) Annual Summer Convention 2013 in the US in July and at PBCW again in October later this year. “Our focus this year is to expand the business internationally,” she admits.

Teena is currently stocked at 12 different locations in Pakistan including L’atelier in Islamabad, FPL (Fashion Pakistan Lounge) and PFDC (Pakistan Fashion Design Council) in Lahore and Karachi along with other places and four outlets internationally — three in London and one at Bossini in the US.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.                    

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“People have always underestimated the local audience’s passion for cinema,” well-known film critic and box office analyst Nawab Huzurul Hasan Siddique tells The Express Tribune. “Whether the roads are flooded with water or there is a strike in the city, hordes of people come to watch films and there was a similar situation during the pre-election days.”

Siddique believes that people, especially Karachiites, have become so habituated to violence and uncertainty that they no longer think twice before stepping out for a film in volatile moments — unless an untoward incident takes place right before them. A testimony to this is the smooth sale of movie tickets for Chambaili, which was released at a time when shutter-down strikes and days of mourning were being observed. “Whenever cinemas were open in those days [strikes], the films screened — Chambaili and Aashiqui 2 — received housefuls,” says Siddique.

Analysing the box office success of Chambaili, the critic says that it performed above expectations wherever it was released. According to sources, the film had crossed the Rs20 million mark before the elections and managed to gross Rs4.5 million at Atrium Cinemas alone. The figures would have been higher had the screening of films not been suspended on Election Day.

Interestingly, the screening of Bollywood flick Aashiqui 2 alongside Chambaili proved fruitful for the latter. “Chambaili got a higher viewing because there were no seats available for Aashiqui 2. So people who would not get tickets to Aashiqui 2, would stay back to watch Chambaili instead,” explains Hassan. “As expected, the decision of releasing a local film with an Indian film helped the former and this trend will continue in multiplexes throughout the country.”

Aashiqui 2 did not harm Chambaili’s business prospects, but there is no assurance of a solid competition and constant business, primarily because only four Pakistani films will be released this Eid sans any Indian flick.

However, neither Siddique nor any other box office analyst is willing to compare Chambaili’s business with that of Bol, a film that grossed Rs110 million in Pakistan after running for more than 15 weeks. But if we look back, Bollywood actor Imran Khan-starrer Delhi Belly was banned in Pakistan when Bol was screened. Much similarly, Shootout at Wadala and Go Goa Gone have been banned for Chambaili.

Censor board’s covert support

Although this trend does not downplay the massive response Bol received, the dots are worth connecting, since the censor board’s role in prohibiting Indian films may not be clear in the case of Bol, but is pretty clear in with Chambaili.

The argument that the films are being banned owing to controversies — Shootout at Wadala is based on the downfall of Dawood Ibrahim, wanted in India for terror bids, and Go Goa Gone is rife with profane language — falls flat, because in the past, a film like OMG — Oh My God! that questions blind faith and Emran Hashmi-starrer Raaz 3 with its racy scenes, made it to screens.

The noticeable trend of banning Indian films at the time of a Pakistani film release signifies an underlying intent of shielding the business of local films — an act which impedes healthy competition at the box office.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.                    

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NEW YORK: Bottling up emotions is thought to harm both mind and body, but a new study suggests that the opposite extreme may be no better.

In a study of thousands of heart attack patients, those who recalled having flown into a rage during the previous year were more than twice as likely to have had their heart attack within two hours of that episode, compared to other times during the year.

“There is transiently higher risk of having a heart attack following an outburst of anger,” said study author Elizabeth Mostofsky, postdoctoral fellow with the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

The greater the fury – including throwing objects and threatening others – the higher the risk, Mostofsky’s team reports in The American Journal of Cardiology. The most intense outbursts were linked to a more than four-fold higher risk while milder bouts of anger were tied to less than twice the risk.

“The association is consistently stronger with increasing anger intensity; it’s not just that any anger is going to increase your risk,” Mostofsky told Reuters Health.

The data came from a group of 3,886 patients who were part of a study between 1989 and 1996 to determine what brought on their heart attacks.

Within four days of having a myocardial infarction – the classic “heart attack” – participants were asked about a range of events in the preceding year, as well as about their diets, lifestyles, exercise habits and medication use.

A total of 1,484 participants reported having outbursts of anger in the previous year, 110 of whom had those episodes within two hours of the onset of their heart attacks.

Participants recalled their anger on a seven-point scale that ranged from irritation to a rage that caused people to lose control.

The researchers found that with each increment of anger intensity, the risk of heart attack in the next two hours rose. That risk was 1.7 times greater after feeling “moderately angry, so hassled it shows in your voice;” and 2.3 times greater after feeling “very tense, body tense, clenching fists or teeth” and 4.5 times greater after feeling “enraged! lost control, throwing objects, hurting yourself or others.”

The most frequent causes of anger outbursts that participants recalled were family issues, conflicts at work and commuting.

Although the research cannot prove that the angry outbursts led to the heart attacks, the results “make sense,” according to Dr James O’Keefe Jr, a cardiologist at St Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City who wasn’t involved in the research.

Anger is an emotion that releases the fight-or-flight-response chemicals epinephrine and norepinephrine, he said.

Those hormones raise our blood pressure, our pulse, constrict blood vessels, make blood platelets stickier (increasing the risk of blood clots), which O’Keefe says could be one way anger may be associated with increased heart risk.

“Contrary to the urban myth that it’s best to express anger and get it out there, expressing anger takes a toll on your system and there’s nothing really cathartic about it,” O’Keefe told Reuters Health.

“(Anger) serves no purpose other than to corrode the short and long-term health of your heart and blood vessels,” he said.

In the study, patients on blood pressure medications known as beta blockers had a reduced chance of having a heart attack following an angry outburst, Mostofsky’s team notes in their report.

The authors say that finding suggests doctors might consider using those drugs preventively in people at risk of heart attack and prone to anger.

In discussing other possibilities for protecting people at risk, the researchers also write that during the 1990s when the data were collected, not enough study participants were on the newer statin drugs to determine their potential effects on heart attack risk.

Similarly, the number of participants who were on antidepressants was too low to tell whether they would have made a difference.

Regular exercise, Mostofsky and her colleagues write, has been shown to lower overall heart attack risk. Though they found no differences in the link between angry outbursts and short-term heart attack risk among regular exercisers in the study, they conclude that maintaining an active lifestyle couldn’t hurt.

The study is part of a broader field of research looking at managing the effects of emotional states on cardiovascular systems, said Donald Edmondson, assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, who studies heart attack survivors but was not involved in the new work.

“People prone to angry outbursts or more broadly, who are prone to anxiety, depression or other intense emotions should be aware that this is something that impacts their cardiovascular system,” Edmondson told Reuters Health.

Make-up and photography duo Maram Azmat and Aabroo Hashimi were spotted amongst the guests present at rock band Entity Paradigm’s member Ahmed Ali Butt’s mehndi looking uber traditional.

Here is a breakdown of how they dressed up:

Maram Azmat

Hair & make-up

With hair tied in a voluminous bun and beautiful crimson lips, Maram looked elegant and ladylike. Maram’s lightly rouged cheeks and boldly lined eyes completed her look. 

Clothes

Maram wore a white anarkali from Rano’s Heirlooms, with intricate tea pink and mint green floral embroidery on the dupatta corners. We loved the outfit on her. She wasn’t just glowing at the event, but is also glowing at our style-o-meter! 

Accessories and shoes

The stylist kept it simple with a few golden bangles in one hand and a blingy ring in another. However, she could have totally upped her look by wearing big hoop earrings or some kundan jhumkay rather than those raisin-sized diamond ear studs. The length of her outfit keeps us from having a look at her shoes.

Aabroo Hashimi

Hair & make-up

Abroo neatly tied her hair in a ponytail, which complemented her look for the evening. Her perfectly lined eyes, peachy pink blush accentuating her cheekbones and a bright pink pout looked really nice on her. 

Clothes

She wore a deep yellow angarkha also from Rano’s Herilooms which she paired with a crushed orange dupatta appliquéd with kataan. However, we wish she had not draped the dupatta around her like a nani amma. 

Accessories and shoes

A chunky black ring and diamond ear studs is all we can see Aabroo sporting. A little more jewellery would have added life to her outfit. And since she was at a mehndi, traditional flower jewellery would have done wonders for her look. Keeping it traditional, she wore gold kohlapuris from Khussa Mehel.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.                    

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Teen singing sensation Justin Bieber wooed his South Africa audiences with a rocking performance, but more than his fans, somebody else was happy. After the concert, Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium was robbed of more than $300,000 in cash, reports eonline.com.

The sum was a collection from both Bieber’s show and Saturday night’s Bon Jovi concert.

Spokesperson of the South African police Katlego Mogale said, “The suspect had gained entry through the roof.” However, the South Africa-based entertainment promoter Big Concerts, refused to comment on the incident.

“In the interest of safety and security of our staff and in the light of an ongoing investigation, Big Concerts will not comment further on the incident,” said the promoter.

Bieber’s Believe world tour will resume June 22 in San Diego. Happy with the unexpected break, the singer tweeted: “Glad to chill for a few days. Gonna take it easy. That was an amazing tour. Thanks to all the fans around the world. Grateful to all of u [you].”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.                    

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Veteran film-maker Subhash Ghai, who started off his career as a junior actor in films like Taqdeer and Aradhana and who is known for his fascination with the letter M, seems pretty confident about his upcoming directorial venture Kaanchi.

In a recent event held at his film and media arts institute, Whistling Woods International, to celebrate 100 years of Indian Cinema, Ghai said, “Kaanchi is a very promising film. I have made it with great energy and passion and I hope that the audience will feel that energy in the theatre.”

The movie that revolves around a young girl’s struggle against power is a romantic love story and features newcomers Kartik Tiwari and Mishti in lead roles. The film also features veteran actors Rishi Kapoor and Mithun Chakraborty as the supporting cast.

Ghai who has worked with superstars such as Shahrukh Khan in Pardes, Anil Kapoor in Ram Lakhan and Madhuri Dixit in Khalnayak, is known for discovering and launching new talent in Bollywood like Manisha Koirala and Mahima Chaudhary.

While most directors bank the future of their film on a famous star cast, Ghai believes that it is the story which is more important and anybody who can pull of the character in the film, in its true sense, is a star.

“For me, my subject, my story (that I am telling) is important. Only the person, who is in front of the camera at that particular moment is a star for me whether he is a newcomer or a superstar,” he said.

Kaanchi is slated to release on August 30, this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.                    

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Being a celebrity, however, is not all about the glitz and glam. Like everything else, it also comes with a price: being under the constant glare of the paparazzi and media and of course, the odd work hours. But this doesn’t come in the way of Sonam’s first love — her career. She loves what she does.

“I like everything about stardom. I don’t mind being in the public eye. If anyone tells you that they want to be a film actor but they don’t want to be a star, then that means they are lying,” she said. “I love acting. I love the fact that people like both my work and me. I am not pretentious enough to say that I cannot stand the attention.”

The 27-year-old, who was seen in Aisha and I Hate Luv Stories, will be next seen in Aanand L Rai’s Raanjhanaa as well as Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and YRF’s untitled film. Sonam will also be seen in the remake of 1980 film Khubsoorat that was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and starred Rekha and Rakesh Roshan in the lead roles.

“I love being in front of the camera and I love creating new things. Can you imagine a girl from Juhu playing a girl from Chandni Chowk or a girl from Banaras or a girl from Defence Colony. It is amazing to be able to play different people,” said Sonam, who has also starred in films such as Delhi-6 and Players, about why she loves the industry.

Despite everything, Sonam admits the job is a challenging one. “Actors are not as bad as people think they are in the industry. We work very hard and at very odd hours. It is not only emotional, it also has physical and mental work,” she said.

Veteran actors Rekha, Nutan and Waheeda Rehman inspire this young actor deeply. “I did meet Rekha and she was like ‘It is amazing that you are doing the re-make [of Khubsoorat]’”, she continued. “There are three or four heroines I am obsessed with. Waheeda Rehman, Nutan, Rekha, Jaya Bachchan and Sridevi. I copy them all the time.”

The actor said she would also love to be a part of other re-makes such as Guide, Saraswatichandra and Umrao Jaan. “I would love to do a re-make of Guide of Waheeda ji and Saraswatichandra of Nutan. I am a part of Khubsoorat and I would love to do Umrao Jaan as well,” she admitted. “I have completely copied Waheeda ji’s performance in Guide in my film Raanjhanaa.”

In Sonam’s view, the trend of re-makes is good. “I think every generation has a way of doing a story. I don’t think there is anything wrong with re-makes,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.                    

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MUMBAI: Yesteryear’s Pakistani actor-singer Salma Agha, who got her first break in Bollywood as a result of her family connections with Raj Kapoor, has decided to try her hand at something new by stepping into the field of direction with a women-oriented subject.

“I am working on a subject right now and all I can say is that it’s in the pipeline,” said Salma, in an interview. “I still have to work a lot on the subject but there is definitely a topic that I am working on. I am somebody who never wastes time and always wants to learn something.”

Talking about the subject line of her directorial debut, she said “I can’t say whether it’s related to my life but it is a women oriented subject. It’s a little far-fetched yet.”

Salma, who strongly believes that there is no age limit for learning, debuted in Bollywood with the box office hit Nikkah. She not only acted as the main lead but also sang all the songs of the movie, which was a classic family drama based on Shariah laws regarding divorce.

Expressing her appreciation of how the process of film-making has changed over time, Salma said, “Nowadays, the subjects that are being explored would not have worked 10 years back. Thanks to the film-makers’ efforts, the public is now accepting a different kind of cinema.”

Salma’s daughter, Sasha Agha, will also be seen making a debut this year alongside Arjun Kapoor in the upcoming movie, Aurangzeb.

“It’s a very strange experience every time she comes on screen.  I get so excited I feel it’s me. It’s a totally confused state of mind. It’s a reflection that I see,” said the overwhelmed, 46-year-old Salma.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.                    

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KARACHI: Sit back, enjoy your pedicure, and while a salon girl files your nails, savour some Hyderabadi delights. On your way out after a day of pampering, pick something you like from a range of ajraks placed on racks.

If this sounds tempting, you’ll be glad to know that entrepreneur Saeeda Effendi is offering all of it under one roof — Nano’s Hangout located at Tauheed Commercial area in Phase V. Nano’s Hangout, which was previously just a food catering company dealing with fresh and frozen Hyderabadi cuisine, now incorporates three of Effendi’s businesses — salon, food, clothing — together.

The manicure and pedicure offered at the salon are priced at Rs450 and Rs550, respectively. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

When asked why she named the place Nano’s Hangout, Effendi had a story to tell. “This is where my mother used to live. My children, who call her nano, used to come visit her. Now my grandchildren come to this place, too and it has become their ‘nano’s hangout’ too,” she explains.

Effendi opened up her first salon in 1975 at the Intercontinental Hotel (now Pearl Continental Hotel), a venture in which she partnered up with her close friend Azra Hasan. However, later on, due to her husband’s reservations about her business, Effendi had to quit altogether.

When asked how she feels about returning to the trade years later, she says, “I love it and I am enjoying it once again. Now that I have three businesses operating under one roof, it is very easy for me,” says Effendi, adding that she is very concerned about quality and managing the businesses together makes the check and balance easy for her.

The manicure and pedicure offered at the salon are priced at Rs450 and Rs550, respectively. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

The salon offers hair-cutting, colouring and styling along with skin services including facials, massages and party make-up. Nano’s Hangout, which opens at 10:30am and closes its doors at 7:30pm, offers reasonable services. Their manicure is priced at Rs450, pedicure at Rs550 and party make-up at Rs5,000. Most salons in DHA Phase V offer a manicure for Rs800 with a pedicure for Rs1,000.

Effendi, who seemed very excited about the venture, says she wants clients to drop by at the salon to unwind after a long, tiring day at work. “I am ready to welcome my friends here [at the salon]. I want them to enjoy and feel light after the day has ended.”

One of Effendi’s friends, Sara Munir, got a haircut done similar to one Effendi gave her at her previous salon years back. “I loved the cut she [Effendi] gave me at her previous salon. I am reliving the same feeling I felt back then; it’s like déjà vu,” says Munir.

Another of Effendi’s friends, Ayesha Durrani, says that she invited her daughter-in-law’s mother to the salon, too, so she can enjoy herself and have a good time.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.                    

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“Don’t jump the gun. We’re more than half way done with our release [of the new single]. Be sure to look out for it in June and then you can talk about it,” says lead vocalist Basim Usmani, admitting that The Kominas is experimenting with its sound this time. The band’s guitarist Hassan Ali Malik aka Sunny Ali accompanied Usmani to Pakistan but drummer Abdullah Saeed aka The Kid, wasn’t able to tag along.

Usmani feels the energy they felt during their performance in Islamabad shows the music scene in Pakistan has evolved. “Apart from the sheesha ban, Islamabad is a cool place — a city filled with marijuana plants,” he says. “The lights went out when we sang the line ‘Ghup andhera vich [in the pitch dark]’ and then they were back on in time for the chorus. The crowd knew the lyrics — it was pretty crazy.”

In the US, the band has a diverse following of listeners and has even considered altering their sound from its original punk style and tapping to reggae for their fans. “We get a pretty mixed crowd in the States and hearing them sing along to songs which aren’t in English, is very interesting to say the least,” continues Usmani. “In Pakistan, it’s always a shock because well, everyone always knows the words,” he adds sarcastically.

The Kominas has been performing at local gigs in the US, and after visiting Pakistan, they were impressed with the diversity present in the music scene. “It seems pretty diverse to me at least. It’s kind of ironic. The country doesn’t have YouTube access but I’ve heard Pashtu rap, metal from Lahore and shoegaze from Karachi,” he says. Usmani was in Lahore for five days where he attended a Punjabi rap show, Indian classical musicians who performed at a private venue along other music shows/concerts.

“There’s Coke Studio as well, if that’s your thing. But the backing vocalists, Lord have mercy [on us],” he laughs, mocking the musicians. But despite everything, he still feels the music scene has evolved. “This [the music scene] is definitely better than what it was when I lived there [in Pakistan] in 2007,” he adds. “The only music [song] which was promoted nationally was the Khuda Ke Liye soundtrack.”

The Kominas is known for their electrifying live performances. Ali, who was also in Pakistan with Usmani, had an exciting time during his stay, too. “We performed two shows in Islamabad, it went pretty well. A couple of hundred people [turned up],” he says, adding that he was impressed with the evolution of the music scene on several levels. “I didn’t really get a chance to attend any other shows. The drummer we were playing with only had one day to rehearse. He was very talented though.”

“Our trick has always been to change things around, but we don’t compromise on the art although that will also change,” he explains about the band’s upcoming album. “The new stuff we are about to record is pretty different.” He feels a song needs to maintain its own sense of creativity and not be a sell-out. His favourite local bands include Orangenoise and Malang Party.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.                    

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What designer doesn’t want that sort of exposure? A lot of the pizzazz at PSFW was provided by Karachi-based designers. With former CEO of FPC Amir Adnan now joining PFDC, could this be the beginning of the end for FPC?

Certainly there is a case for combining the two councils given the miniscule size of Pakistan’s fashion industry. It’s certainly possible for designers to keep relations with both councils but it seems superfluous. It would be better if everyone put their energies into one combined council. If Sehr Saigol can manage strong personalities like HSY, surely the likes of Maheen Khan and Shamaeel Ansari can work with her. Amir Adnan’s experience at PFDC will be a good test case. We may have one politically, but fashion can do without a Karachi-Lahore divide.

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, May 16^th, 2013.

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