The Reluctant Fundamentalist (TRF) is all set for its red carpet premiere on May 23 at Cinestar in Lahore, where socialites and celebs are expected to attend. The drama-packed film by Mira Nair, an adaptation of Mohsin Hamid’s acclaimed book of the same name, has many at home and abroad excited about its release.

TRF is about a Pakistani man Changez (Riz Ahmed) who meets an American journalist Bobby (Liev Schreiber) in a café in Lahore. Changez talks about his experiences in the US after 9/11 which affect his relationship with Erica (Kate Hudson), work and the American dream he had been pursuing.  Meesha Shafi plays Changez’s sister in the film, and has also contributed to the soundtrack.

British-Pakistani actor and rapper Riz feels he is very different from the character he played. “I am very much a Londoner — born and raised — while this character is from Lahore. I have never even been to Lahore! So I had a lot of homework to do,” Riz told examiner.com earlier this year.

The film will be officially released throughout Pakistan on May 24, along with The Great Gatsby and Iron Man 3. While the Indian film-maker is making headlines around the world already, we are proud of our Pakistani author and cast — three cheers for Mohsin Hamid and Meesha Shafi!

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2013.

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SAN JUAN: Gay rights have remained a rather controversial issue in the west as more and more people disclose their sexual orientation and voice their concerns over continuous discrimination against homosexuals. Latin pop singer Ricky Martin, who came out in public in 2010, has been an active advocate of gay rights ever since. He recently sent a letter to the Puerto Rican House of Representatives to approve a bill that would prohibit growing discrimination at the island based mainly on  sexual orientation.

The letter, which was released by Martin’s representatives in San Juan, was made public at a time when the bill faced opposition by a group of lawmakers in the lower house after being approved by the Puerto Rican senate last week.

It was only in February this year that the Puerto Rican government denied same-sex couples the right to adopt a child after a huge crowd of people protested for traditional family values. Legislators with the majority Popular Democratic Party in the lower chamber have still been unable to reach a consensus despite the intervention of Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla, who supported the bill’s approval during his election campaign.

Martin called on the House Speaker Jaime Perello and Governor Garcia Padilla to take the lead in forging consensus among lawmakers for passing the bill. “The rights of homosexual people are human rights and human rights are for everyone,” he said.

Martin emphasized that Puerto Rico must not lag behind while countries including France, Argentina, Spain, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and the US are moving forward on acknowledging the rights of gays. He said that all people have the right to equality, regardless of their sexual orientation or sexual identity and he declared that the lawmakers have a responsibility to put an end to the increasing violence and hatred against the homosexual community.

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

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They say the way to win a man’s heart is through his stomach, but Prince William was already head-over-heels for Kate Middleton in 2001, without her stewing up anything at all.

With the Queen’s permission, the Duke and Duchess have hired Antonella Fresolone, one of the Queen’s top housemaids famous for her Italian dishes, to help them in their new life. Prince William and Kate, who were reluctant to hire help before are now happy with Fresolone, who has been giving Kate cooking lessons in their Nottingham Cottage.

This isn’t the first time Kate has donned the commoner hat post-marriage. She was seen using her Starbucks points card, searching for Gap jeggings and grocery shopping, but this is the first time the Duchess of Cambridge is cooking.

Recently, Kate was spotted with her mother Carole Middleton, shopping at baby boutiques and décor for their new home. The Royal couple is expected to move into Apartment 1-A Kensington Palace in London later this year, and has been busy preparing for their new home as they welcome their first child in July.

The way Kate is going, she will make Prince William fall in love with her all over again!

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

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MUMBAI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) has become very popular among viewers and celebrities alike. It is not just cricket, but a proper show for the audiences to enjoy with A-list appearances, dances and cheerleaders. Recently, there has been a scandal going on about spot-fixing within the league, about which many Bollywood actors have expressed their concern.

Actor Deepika Padukone, daughter of badminton icon Prakash Padukone, says sports was pure and clean during her father’s time. She rues how malpractices such as spot-fixing can give any sport a bad name.

Following the news of actor Vindu Dara Singh’s association in the recent spot-fixing scandal of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Deepika says it is sad how because of a few people, several others come in the ambit of doubt.

“It gives a bad name to the sport. It is unfair just because of a few people following this malpractice, you start doubting everybody else. As a country if you want to shine or if you want to be on the same level economically or otherwise (with others), I think it’s important that sports people in our country do really well and this (spot-fixing) is not really helping that,” Deepika told reporters at an event.

“It’s sad. I have grown up in a generation where I have seen my father play, and sport at that time was so pure and clean. So, to see it go down this route is very disappointing,” she added.

Calling the spot-fixing scandal shameful, Deepika’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani co-star Ranbir Kapoor said: “IPL has become such a great entertaining platform for the world right now and when such things crop up — like people playing dirty, it’s unfortunate.”

“There is no justification to it and I hope people who are concerned in this mischief should be punished. It is not fair to the people who are playing the sport with the right intention,” he added.

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

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MUMBAI: Bollywood actor-director Kunaal Roy Kapur, who was recently seen in Rohan Sippy’s Nautanki Saala! alongside actor Ayushmann Khurrana, is currently looking for a male lead for his new directorial project. With the script ready and a producer already on board, Kunaal seems all set to go on floor by the end of this year. “I am hoping to direct a movie by the end of the year. I have a producer on board and I am casting for it at the moment,” he said.

Talking about the subject of the movie, Vidya Balan’s brother-in-law Kunaal said that the movie can be considered as more or less a dark comedy although the shooting will only begin as soon as the cast is finalized. “I can’t say too much about it but it will be a dark comedy set in Mumbai and will have a social message to it. I hope people enjoy it but I am currently still on the lookout for my leading man.”

Kunaal, who was also seen acting in the Aamir Khan produced black comedy Delhi Belly and is also a theatre director, made his directorial debut in 2009 with his film The President is Coming adapted from a play. Kunaal will now once again be seen with his Delhi Belly co-star Vir Das in Kabir Sadanand’s Golu and Pappu in the House.

“We finished shooting for the film quite a while ago. The project has been ready for release and it will release sometime this year,” he said. Adding that the movie is a “family entertainer,” Kunal said, “Kids and families will enjoy the comedy. It was a fun experience working with Vir again so I am really looking forward to it.”

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

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While the foreign cast and crew members could not make it to the Lahore show, Nair was busy promoting the film earlier this month in Mumbai, where celebs including Priyanka Chopra attended. The Cinestar event in Lahore, which was co-hosted by HKC and Encyclomedia PR, was attaended by TRF author Mohsin Hamid Meesha Shafi, Atif Aslam, Ali Zafar, Cybil Chowdhry and many others.

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

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Nobody wants to see the same old looks over and over again. In some recent events, we’ve spotted fresh and fun hair-dos that celebrities and socialites have sported. Here is a round-up of our favourites.

Ayyan

Model Ayyan showed off Tapu Javeri’s book in her goth-look and sleek hair-do. The pressed down, neatly-parted shiny bun gave way to her dramatic make-up and Brook Shield-brows.

Farah Khan

Let’s overlook the ‘things gone wrong’ with Farah’s look and concentrate on her hair-do. While we advise you to use hair spray to keep your hair in place, we will also recommend this side pony-tail. It’s great for summer outings!

Fixi

Posing in her all-gold look, Fixi looked elegant. She went for a side-do with soft curls — perfect for any summer wedding when the weather doesn’t work in your favour!

Resham

Actor Resham was photographed at the launch of Rani Emaan in this fancy look. We love her overwhelmingly voluminous hair-do. Not only has she teased her front bangs and set them in style, the rest of her hair is curled and flowing with perfection.

Noor

Actor Noor looked drop-dead gorgeous with her long spiral locks at the launch of Rani Emaan. She manages to keep her hair healthy, long and shiny even after dyes, chemicals and products.

Anushay Ashraf

The versatile Anushay kept her look simple and sexy at the Tapulicious 2 book launch. She pinned her front bangs loosely to the side while leaving the rest of her caramel hair down. For a similar yet bouncier look, you can go a step further and curl the ends.

Amna Kardar and Saba

Designer Amna and her friend Saba both sported different looks at the launch of Rani Emaan. While we love Amna’s highlights and blow-dried hair, we also give Saba full points for her jet-black curled-and-crimped hair. Tip from this look: long hair doesn’t have to be boring!

Rubya Chaudhry

Model-actor Rubya showed up at the Tapulicious 2 launch sporting a cool and casual look. With abstract prints, bright colours, and dark make-up, Rubya’s choice of a pulled back bun was bang on trend.

Nadia Hussain

Model Nadia made sure to keep her hair out of her chunky jewellery at the launch of Rani Emaan. She opted for a loose but high bun with some side hair strands out. If you don’t mind showing off your forehead, this is the perfect hair-do.

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

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Aamir certainly has an eye for spotting similarities. He broke the story of one of SanaSafinaz’s 2013 lawn designs being inspired by a pair of Zara pants. He also reported SanaSafinaz’s use of a Pucci print, Gul Ahmed’s homage to vintage YSL and many more. It’s a talent to be able to spot close copies from amongst the hundreds of fashion images out there, and Aamir is particularly good at it.

His latest blog entry is startling. For example, it seems some of Karma’s smash-hit Gatsby collection shows staggering similarities to Balmain’s fall 2012 collection.

Aamna Aqeel seems to have been similarly inspired by Balmain for some shorts in her SS2013 collection. Ali Xeeshan and Tabassum Mughal also make his “Hall of Shame” but their crimes seem to be more about copying styling rather than actual design similarities.

Xeeshan uses an umbrella in the same way as Reema Acra while Mughal’s crowns are just like the ones used by Dolce & Gabbana.

Batur’s Givenchy-inspired outfit is more along the lines of Karma’s outfit — too close of a copy for comfort. While not all of Aamir’s picks are in the same league in terms of “inspiration”, there is a clear pattern. There’s also a rumour that another top designer’s showstopper at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week was heavily inspired by Balenciaga but with no pictorial evidence available, it seems unfair to name names. 

So, are some Pakistani designers crossing the line? Are they compensating for a lack of originality by appropriating other people’s designs? Well, some Pakistani designers may be “inspired” by other designers, but this isn’t a Pakistani problem. It happens all over the world and blogs like Aamiriat have made it easier for such cases to come to light. For example, the Tumblr blog called “Balenciaga did it first” is devoted to highlighting instances where other designers do looks that Balenciaga has previously done. 

Elan is called to book for using a painting of Mount Fuji that is ascribed to both Joel Edwards and “Trinifellah”. It’s not clear from the blog that Elan has merely used a picture and not plagiarised an outfit. This, I think is unfair as the implication of copying an outfit is a far graver accusation. In fact, a quick Google search reveals this painting is being used on many sites, often without any picture credit.

“I never made any secret of the fact that I used images from a variety of sources for my prints. In fact, I printed every picture I used in my press release,” says Khadijah Shah of Elan. “Many of these were ancient pictures and with pictures like this one that were posted in many locations, there was little way to authenticate ownership of the image.” She went on to reveal that whenever she used images of known artists, such as Saeed Akhtar for her first collection, she was always careful to get prior permission. With oriental images of dubious ownership plucked off the net, she neither felt this was possible nor necessary.

Call it inspiration or imitation, designers copy each other all the time — that’s how trends are born. A dozen different designers don’t spontaneously come up with the same idea — it’s an organic process. Sometimes trends are inspired by pop culture, hit TV shows, films and the like. More often, one person makes something truly original, unusual or aesthetically pleasing and others are inspired to do their own versions. These variations gradually filter down to the high street (or darzis, in the case of Pakistan) and suddenly everyone is wearing jumpsuits or chooridars or whatever.

Blatant exact copying is a separate yet genuine problem, with entire websites and production houses devoted to churning out replicas. That is an issue that needs to be dealt with severely as replica merchants are genuinely stealing intellectual property.

Although a couple of the designs highlighted by Aamir, particularly the Balmain-inspired ones, did sail very close to the wind, none are truly replicas. Is it right for designers to be getting critical acclaim for something that is not truly and entirely theirs? Probably not. But genuine originality is rare and as long as people put their own twist on an idea they copy, fashion has no problem with the concept. However, it’s important to point out that those who merely emulate can never hope to compete with those who really create. A unique signature is crucial and designers would do well to remember this.

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 24^th, 2013.                    

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Fawaz Gruosi, the founder of the Swiss firm, said the necklace was part of the company’s 20th anniversary collection, paraded by 20 models at the glitzy event at the Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes outside Cannes, on Tuesday night. Sharon Stone and Paris Hilton were among the guests.

Gruosi said 80 bodyguards, local police, hotel security, and De Grisogono staff had been on duty but when a check was made at the end of the night the diamond necklace was missing.

“We don’t know what happened exactly…it was one of the most beautiful items we had,” Gruosi told Reuters.

“The police are trying to figure out what happened.”

A Cannes police source said authorities were investigating whether it was a theft, a problem of inventory or a loss.

Another Swiss jeweler, Chopard, had gems worth $1.4 million stolen in the first week of the 12-day festival on the glamorous French Riviera, which attracts thousands of actors, film-makers and journalists.

Police said the Chopard jewelry had been in the safe of a room at the Suite Novotel hotel in central Cannes, which had been rented by an employee of the jeweler.

The entire safe was removed from the wall and taken during the night of May 16. Someone entered without forcing the door or using the magnetic key card, a police source said.

A spokesman for Chopard, a sponsor of the Cannes festival, later played down the report, saying the value had been exaggerated.

Jewelers and fashion houses use the world’s largest film festival at Cannes as a promotional showcase, lending gowns and accessories to celebrities who are photographed on the famous red carpet and at parties along the palm-lined Croisette waterfront.

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

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While many may have thought that this trend is a passing fad or too gaudy for daily wear, it seems like printed pants have come straight from the runway to reality and are here to stay. Ever since the beginning of spring, it appears as if celebrities and socialites alike are having a printed pants party! From bright florals and ikat prints to eye-catching snake skin and polka dot designs, the variety is endless.

Whether you want to keep it simple and subtle or go wild with an animal print, these fresh and flirty pants are great for every occasion. They can make any average outfit look uber chic. If you want to keep it safe then go casual yet trendy by pairing them up with a solid-coloured basic tank. However, if you are one of those fashionistas who love to make a style statement then dress ‘em up with a glitzy blouse or a gorgeous peplum top.

Skinny, wide-legged, palazzos or boyfriend-slacks, work it up in any shape or size you want and you are sure to get some heads spinning. A style tip for the sexy, curvaceous ladies; opt for larger prints and darker colours to give a more toned effect where as the petite can try out smaller and clustered prints. So what are you girls waiting for? Get your hands on them and turn on that swagger!

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

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Forrest appeared in 1954’s Prisoner of War, which also featured Ronald Reagan, who was later elected as US president. In the ‘60s Flaming Star, he played alongside Elvis Presley and Barbara Eden. Forrest’s older brother, Dana Andrews, was the star of the ‘40s films Laura and The Best Years of Our Lives.

Forrest died peacefully on May 18, his family said in a statement. No cause of death was given.

He gained a following as Lt Hondo Harrelson on ABC’s crime drama series S.W.A.T., which ran for 37 episodes from 1975 to 1976 and was produced by Hollywood titans Leonard Goldberg and Aaron Spelling.

Forrest also made a guest appearance in the 2003 film adaptation of the series.

The actor, who fought in the US Army at the Battle of the Bulge in World War Two, got his big break when actor Gregory Peck saw him in a theatre production in 1950, which led to a contract with film studio MGM.

Forrest also starred in the 1965 British TV spy thriller series The Baron, which was one of the country’s first colour television programmes.

He was born on September 25, 1925, in Huntsville, Texas and was the youngest of 13 children.

He has left behind a wife, three sons and four grandchildren. 

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

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British-Asian actor, comedian and film-maker Aatif Nawaz has made Pakistan proud with his film Postcards from Lahore. It was the only Pakistani film shown at the Cannes Film Festival 2013.  After being screened at the Raindance Film Festival in 2012 by the Pakistani High Commission in the UK, the documentary was even awarded an Honourable Mention at the Los Angeles Film Festival 2012.

The London-based film-maker wanted to recreate the memories of his childhood trips to Lahore through six photo-like postcards he had from when he was seven-years-old. The documentary not only includes the historical and cultural aspect but also touches upon the security situation in Pakistan.

The film begins with a narration by Nawaz which explains why he made it.  “Lahore. The second largest city in Pakistan; the fifth largest city in South Asia and the 26th largest city in the world but more than that though, this is the place of my parents’ birth and the place they now live in. I lived here only once, as a seven-year-old, now at the age of 24, I’ve finally got another chance to visit the place of my origins, and recreate the early mementos of my childhood trip: my postcards from Lahore.”

Congratulations to Nawaz on this success! HAFSA KHAWAJA

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

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The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival red carpet looked a lot like the Bollywood Filmfare Awards this year. Apart from the usual suspects, Freida Pinto and the faces of the L’oreal Paris brand Sonam Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, there were a host of newbies joining in.

Amisha Patel in Manish Malhotra and Puja Gupta in Gauri and Nainika, Aishwarya Rai in Gucci Premiere, Aishwarya Rai in Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla

We are all for Vidya Balan being an appointed jury member, she deserves it, but what in the world was Ameesha Patel doing at the esteemed French film festival? In any case, the multi-cultural ambience offered an increasingly variable fashion component so we are not complaining in the least.

Vidya Balan in Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Sonam Kapoor in Anamika Khanna, Sonam Kapoor in Shehla Khan

There were a few faux pas on both sides with Vidya playing the traditional Indian card a bit too hard. While we can forgive the done and dusted Sabyasachi high neck and long-sleeves-politician-looking saris, the ethnic nose ring and dupatta over her head was unforgivable, and whether it was intentional or just a naive styling choice, her overly contrived look came across as fake and just plain silly. We have never once seen the Dirty Picture heroine cover her head at any Indian award show, so why now? This in no way implies that one should not opt for Eastern wear; we thought Sonam’s Shehla Khan Black lace lehnga choli was one of the most beautiful ensembles of all. That brought us to our first Cannes misfire trend, the oversized tribal nose ring also seen on Sonam who usually doesn’t fall for such tacky nuances.

Aishwarya Rai in Elie Saab, Aishwarya Rai in Saint Laurent, Jessica Miller in Dior

Zoë Saldana in Emanuel Ungaro, Carey Mulligan in Vionett, Rooney Mara and Jennifer Lawrence in Dior and Emma Watson in Chanel

After considerable misses, Aishwarya is finally starting to get it right. Her lace embellished black Elie Saab gown was one of the most applauded of the entire event and even though the teal silk Gucci Premiere didn’t work quite as well, the Abu Sandeep vintage European motif dress, with a touch of English Rose, was a pretty choice for the red carpet. The actor was also part of the most popular Cannes trend — solid black and white. She picked an insanely smart Saint Laurent high-waist mermaid cut belted skirt and a button-down tucked in shirt. It almost seemed like there was a pre-planned secret dress code given the amount of celebrities who showed up in nothing but simple structured black and whites.

The bell-shaped ball gown may look physically daunting to wear but it always gets the job done. Its flamboyant cut instantly attracts attention and associates with a certain fairytale charm that is ingrained in our psyche. Sonam and even Malika Sherawat worked the look stunningly, both in Dolce & Gabbana, while Hadewych Minis was a close runner-up. A slightly more modern version was modeled by Bernice Bejo who topped off her white net wedding dress cut with a navy blazer. We loved her innovative assembling technique.

Nicole Kidman in Dior, Malika Sherawat, Sonam Kapoor in Armani Prive

The world is having a midi moment. The ‘70s bell-shaped dress seems to be ‘the’ silhouette for summer time and it took some time getting used to as the length can be slightly tricky to wear. But it grows on you, especially when it comes with pockets as it did on Sonam’s Armani Prive dress.

Dita Von Teese in Elie Saab, Jessica Biel in Marchesa

The cut takes you nicely inwards at the waist and has an air of sweet finesse. The midi was in fact so popular that both Sonam and Dita Von Teese ended up wearing the same Elie Saab sheer tulle dress!

We have already talked about the universal canary yellow colour rage when we discussed red carpet trends seen at PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week (PSFW) 2013, however it is worth mentioning again just to show you the glittering Elie Saab version worn by Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio.

Cheryl Cole in Zuhair Murad, Eva Longoria in Versace

The sheer trend that was introduced with great delicacy and technique by the likes of Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta and Elie Saab is now being grossly abused by the likes of Zuhair Murad and Versace among others. It is time to put an immediate end to this so-called trend now as it borders on tacky and tactless, not to mention leading to unavoidable wardrobe malfunctions as is the case of Eva Longoria.

Jada Pinkett Smith, Carey Mulligan in Balenciaga

A subtle micro trend that caught our eye was the circular reverse scoop neckline on Carey Mulligan’s Balenciaga jumpsuit and Jada Pinket Smith’s orange sheer dress. We may not be crazy about Jada’s dress on the whole, however, we do appreciate the clean-cut away neckline that is a nice change of pace from straight and plunging.

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

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Correction: An earlier version of the article was running an older picture of Malika Sherawat. The error has been rectified.

HSY

Amongst the buzzing crowd stood fashion’s beloved HSY in an abs-tastic Marc Jacobs T-shirt and silver converse sneakers by John Varvatos. A long-time fan and friend of Hamid, HSY stood a proud Pakistani at this crossover with Hollywood. “I think it is so amazing that our perspective is being shown by the world in which ours was not considered an interesting perspective.” He continued, “And our girl Meesha, no matter how big or small her role is, has done us proud.”

Zara Peerzada — Top by H&M; shoes by Insignia.

Mohsin Hamid

Mohsin Hamid himself, contained in his excitement, clearly looked every inch the success story he is for Pakistan. A literary celebrity any way you turn it, he was rather endearing in his effort to answer the very hard question of who he was wearing (Levi’s, with a Boggi shirt and blazer, Bally shoes and socks from Marks and Spencer).

Hamid was clear about the demarcation between writer and director in the filming of his story. “I was happy to be hands-off and let the film look like the director’s vision. Had I not, it would have been akin to me watching cricket and telling [Shahid] Afridi how to bat, when clearly I’m no Afridi at the wicket. So I picked the right batsman in Mira Nair and hoped for the best.”

Ayesha Noon — Dress by Mahgul for Nasreen Shaikh; earrings by Amber Sami.

He believes, and I wholeheartedly agree, that Nair has delivered. And as far as costuming goes, the film is a visual success. Hamid explains that it was a team of four, comprising his own sister, Ali Sethi and Meesha Shafi who oversaw the costumes for the Lahore scenes. They especially ensured that the wedding, in which Shafi delivers her robust performance of Bijli Aaye Ya Na Aaye, looked like one in Lahore and not one in Delhi. Arjun Bhasin, the costume designer for TRF scores an A for authenticity on this front.

Trending on the red carpet were practical sandals and flats; churidaars galore; 20-somethings in long hemlines, and 40-somethings favouring shorter ones.

Meesha Shafi — Blouse by Mahgul for Nasreen Shaikh; Cotton sari from her personal collection; archive clutch by Mahgul for Nasreen Shaikh.

Amber Sami remained a popular choice for jewels, while Mahgul for Nasreen Shaikh spotted on three superlatively dressed guests was the designer for the evening — the jewel in Mahgul’s crown being starlet Shafi, who elegantly fused a gorgeous cotton sari (her own) with a top and an archive clutch from Mahgul Rashid’s SS13 collection.

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

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Famous for that gorgeous smile and toned body, Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone is our style icon for this week. We couldn’t help it — she’s been looking as chic and fashionable as ever during the promotional events for her upcoming film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. Our favourite dress so far is a skinny black dress she wore.

Deepika’s style statement is simple: she wears what she can carry and what suits her body type. And clearly, her mantra is ‘I’m sexy and I know it’!

At YJHD events, Deepika has mostly been spotted in light and bright colours, floral prints and of course tiny shorts and dresses which we feel suit her long legs the best.

In an interview with Bollypage, Deepika said that she likes to splurge on shoes. Seen mostly in traditional sandals and heels, this Bollywood bombshell sure knows how to wear the right shoes with her outfits. While she’s not big on accessories, she does wear the occasional watch since she’s the brand ambassador for Tissot.

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani co-starring Ranbir Kapoor hits theaters on May 31.

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

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However, the three have entered filmdom via different routes — elder brother Siddharth Roy Kapur is the managing director of Disney UTV Studios while younger brother Aditya, who was last seen in Mahesh Bhatt’s Aashiqui 2, is an actor.

“I wouldn’t call us a film family. We have followed different routes into the film world. My brother Siddharth came from the corporate sector and had his own route. Whereas I came in through theatre and TV and Aditya, as a VJ. We aren’t really born into a film family,” said Kunaal.

Kunaal, who was seen acting in films such as Delhi Belly and Nautanki Saala, revealed that his grandfather came to Mumbai to make films, but couldn’t get much success.

“Our grandfather came here to make films; he made some, but failed miserably at it,” he said. “My dad was in the army and my mother was a dance teacher.”

Before facing the camera, Kunaal went behind the lens to direct The President Is Coming, a satirical mocku-mentary. “It takes a certain amount of political and social awareness to be able to enjoy satire,” he said.

“You have to be aware of the social climate at that time. It works in context to what is happening in society,” he added. “For people who are aware, it is a great form of entertainment as it is sourcing from what is there.”

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

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We are not done with Twilight spin-offs. This time the boy is mortal and the girl is facing a coming-of-age dilemma of whether she will be claimed by the dark or good forces as a witch. The inelegant choice of word for ‘witch’ in Beautiful Creatures is ‘caster’. At least, it is an appropriately Southern-sounding nominalisation or verb-into-noun transformation — someone who casts spells is a caster.

The book, and film, taken on by screenwriters Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is set in the small town of Gatlin in South Carolina. The hero is Ethan Wate (Alden Ehrenreich), whose father remains confined to his room (and is never revealed on screen). The apple-cheeked lad dreams of escaping the town but meets and falls in love with the dark-haired Lena (Alice Englert) only to learn that her family isn’t quite ‘normal’. This just means plenty of Addams Family couture trotted out in a True Blood setting of the gallant South: Lashings of black eye-make-up for the ashen-faced mother and silk cravats for Jeremy Irons, who plays Lena’s father.

As the plot trundles along, Lena and Ethan slowly begin to uncover secrets about the founders of Gatlin, which ultimately affects their relationship. As Lena’s 16th birthday approaches, the action intensifies, as this would be the D-day to decide which force she will side with. Her decision-making is complicated by the arrival of über-caster, Mrs Lincoln played by a stout Emma Thompson. Poor Ethan, with no powers as a mortal, is caught in the middle of the family feud over which way Lena will go.

And thus, the supernatural is the theme of this film much in the same vein as the Twilight saga — a mortal loves an unnatural being. In another similarity to the Twilight saga, here too family and friends are drawn in as pawns in the “war” of good vs evil. And as it rages on, it becomes difficult for the viewer to pick a side because the antagonist characters are the ones providing the most entertainment.

The other side of young adult fiction

1. Hatchet

Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single-engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Instead of panicking, crying, and giving up, he decides to own the wilderness. He learns how to build a fire, eats turtle eggs, and fights off bears. And that’s all before the tornado shows up.

2. Watership Down

In the rabbit warren, Fiver, sees terrifying visions of the destruction of his home. Led by his brother Hazel, a small group of them leave in search of a new home. Reminiscent of the dystopian 1984 by Orwell and We by Yevgeny Zamiyatin, Richard Adams’s Watership Down is a classic that has terrified and enthralled children and has never been out of print. Also watch the 1978 animated film.

3. The Book Thief

Given the novel’s title, you might think it’s about a Da Vinci Code-type character finding clues in the world’s oldest books. Nope. The Book Thief is about nine-year-old Leisel in Nazi Germany. She loves reading so much that she steals books from Nazi book burnings and from the mayor’s wife’s personal library. Oh, and the novel is narrated by Death.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, May 26^th, 2013.

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In the current scenario, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) categorises both adult and sleazy content under one umbrella of A-certificate.

Kapoor, the director of films like Rock On!! and Kai Po Che! said, “We can always put a rating system where we can distinguish between a good film and a sleazy film. A lot of people have been discussing this because the censor thing is damaging us [the industry].”

“No one realises that it’s like a bottleneck for such a big industry and we have to figure this out keeping in mind that you don’t want to offend the sensibilities,” the film-maker told IANS.

Censorship needs to shape up to offer innovative solutions, and to refrain from moral policing.

“The problem is you can’t show an A-certificate film [on TV] because if you televise it, you will also end up showing some absolute sleaze porn as well because they both go with an A-certificate,” he said.

“There should be a bifurcation; what can be shown in adult certification and what can be shown on television or what cannot be shown on television so that one can come up with some other certification,” he added.

His films have been clean so far, but Kapoor feels that when he ventures into bolder subjects, his film should not fall prey to censor certification.

“Tomorrow, if I make an adult film, nobody should be able to stop me like that. You can keep a separate rating for it,” he added.

Citing the example of National Award winning film The Dirty Picture, he said, “The film had to go through so much of an embarrassing experience. At the end of the day, it’s not just a business, it is a piece of art and it’s treated so badly that it’s very humiliating.”

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

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Maqsood, who believes that there is a need to take men’s grooming to another level, even if not a dire one, says that N-Gents is more of a modern day barbershop than a men’s salon. “Amongst the old-fashioned ‘barbershop’ related services, such as shaves, cuts and massages, we have also added a list of other relevant treatments for the modern man. All of these are offered in a very masculine environment, leaving the male client comfortable — the way it ought to be,” he said.

Despite the fact that Karachi is one of the most modern and liberal cities of Pakistan, cutting-edge male parlours have not made an impact in the city. This is the reason why Maqsood was proactive in bringing his entrepreneurial self to the forefront. “As a particular male client, I had never visited a place here that offered an extensive personal grooming service list delivered at a high standard at a males-only salon while keeping pristine hygiene standards; therefore, I came up with my own.” He added, “From what I have seen offered in Karachi, not much fits into the bill of the competition.”

Zair Maqsood says N-Gents is a modern-day barbershop with a high standard, targeting more aware male clients. PHOTO: HUMAYUN M @ 18% GREY

Considering the classy, opulent interior of the salon, with leather chairs and rusty wooden furnishing, it sure seems that place is likely to cater to the high-profile client. “Our target audience is the up-market and aware male group aged between 30 and 65. They may come from the business sector, media, government, or sports but they are all well-travelled, image-conscious and appreciate finer things in life,” he said.

However, all is not lost for all those who want a quick service without spending much, as Maqsood and his team are accommodating an array of budgets. “We have adopted a multi-tiered pricing system to suit all pockets. Depending on the services, the prices could vary from Rs300 to Rs15,000. These services range from moustache reshaping to body scrubbing and exclusive packages for grooms.”

With weddings becoming such grand events, men’s salons probably have more visits from grooms than regular clients. Maqsood specifies that “men should keep in mind that the cameras and lights can get fairly bright and that imperfections in the skin can easily become prominent. This can be camouflaged through prior skin treatments and our ‘camera-smart’ make-up.”

Maqsood, who firmly believes in having a zero-tolerance policy towards controversies that normally surround men’s massage parlours, takes pride in his achievement with the launch of N-Gents.

He says, “At N-Gents, Nabila and I have worked hard to retain the charm and luxury of a place where a man should feel at home and be able to take pride in his grooming and appearance. We are operating this place with a high level of vigilance, standard and professionalism.”

With expansion plans that are a secret for now, Maqsood concludes by adding that the place is “at par with the West, if not better.”

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

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One of B-town’s favourite bachelors, Salman Khan is reportedly getting married to Romanian TV anchor Lulia Vantur according to Times of India. Sources have also revealed that Salman is very serious about his ladylove and has been with her since 2011. According to some reports, Salman had kept his secret love affair away from the public eye. 

However, the twist in the picture came in when India Today quoted the actor’s father Salim Khan denying the marriage rumour. “He meets thousands of people because of his work and travel. The girl you are talking about is a friend. It’s nothing serious.” Adding to this outrageous rumour, Salman’s father also confessed that “all the girls whom he [Salman] falls in love with are actors wanting to make their careers”.

Salman has been involved with Bollywood actors like Sangeeta Bijlani, Somy Ali, Aishwarya Rai and Katrina Kaif, and has admitted in his past interviews that he is a terrible boyfriend.

Wether the rumour is true or not, we wish Salman Khan the very best for his future love life!

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

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