ATLANTA: Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly of the 1990s teen rap duo Kris Kross died in May from a drug overdose, according to toxicology reports, authorities said on Tuesday. Mary Beth Hauptle, an investigator with the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office in Atlanta, released the test results to Reuters but declined to identify the drugs used.

The Kris Kross duo of “Mac Daddy” Kelly and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith was best known for the single Jump, which topped the mainstream US music charts in 1992 when Kelly and Smith were both 13 years old.

A friend of Kelly told police that Kelly, 34, was using a mixture of heroin and cocaine on the evening before he was found unconscious in his Atlanta home on May 1, according to a police report. He died three hours later at the hospital.

Based on evidence found at Kelly’s house, police assumed from the beginning that Kelly died of a drug overdose. An autopsy found no signs of foul play or trauma, police said. Kelly had an extensive history of drug abuse, his uncle told police, according to a police report.

The duo, whose look of backward pants and shirts was mimicked by fans, never scored another top 10 US hit and released their third and final studio album, Young, Rich & Dangerous, in 1996.

“To millions of fans worldwide, he was the trendsetting, backwards pants-wearing one-half of Kris Kross, who loved making music,” Kelly’s family said in a statement after his death. “But to us, he was just Chris — the kind, generous and fun-loving life of the party.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2013.

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LOS ANGELES: When the western television series The Lone Ranger first rode into US homes in 1949, the masked man was the dashing, charming hero and the Native American Tonto his loyal sidekick. When the movie opens in US theaters on Wednesday, it will be Tonto who takes centre stage. Played by Johnny Depp with the same offbeat charm as his Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Tonto is the brains of the operation.

In an opening sequence — a breakneck fight scene on a runaway train — Tonto directs an escape from outlaws while a mask-less Lone Ranger, played by Armie Hammer, is the naive one, unsure at the outset that he was even in danger.

“It’s a story we’ve all heard, but we’ve never heard it from the guy who was there,” the film’s director Gore Verbinski, 49, told Reuters. For the new incarnation, Verbinski wanted to update the story by making Tonto more relevant than just a sidekick. Once the idea was hatched to make him the narrator, “it opened a lot of doors” in terms of storytelling, he said.

Through Tonto’s eyes, audiences get an origin tale of how former lawman John Reid, the Lone Ranger, came to fight injustice in the Old West. “This is not history told from your radio station, your movie studio or your network,” Verbinski said. “It’s told from Tonto and his memory  — and his memory may be questionable.”

To make Tonto’s point of view authentic, a Native American consultant was used on the set, Verbinski said, adding that they also spoke with various tribes to get certain details correct.

No one embraced the Tonto-centric viewpoint more than Depp, who was told from an early age that he was part Native American. Since production on the Disney film has wrapped, the actor has gone on to strengthen his ties to the community. Last year, Depp was named honorary member of the Comanche Nation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and he also served as grand marshal at the Comanche Nation Fair in Oklahoma.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2013.

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LAHORE: With the Lux Style Awards (LSAs) taking place Thursday night, anticipation is running high as to what to expect from this year’s show.

The LSAs have always been one of the most anticipated events of the year, giving us something to look forward to in an otherwise scorching summer.

The fact that the show is being held in Lahore for the first time in its 12-year run makes it all the more exciting. Knowing Lahore’s penchant for pomp and show, one can expect a show full of razzmatazz, some OTT theatricals and lots of Lahori zeal.

The LSAs or ‘luxies’, as they have been referred to lately, have seen the highs and lows of their own.

The show went from a larger-than-life extravaganza in Malaysia in 2007 to just a skimmed down dinner and photo op in 2009 and 2010, owing to security and financial situations. But the year 2011 marked the return of festivities, performances and a full-fledged award show that the LSAs platform has identified itself with.

Bigger and better

This year’s show is touted to be bigger, better and much more glamorous than 2012. Ahmed Ali Butt will be resuming the responsibility as host and based on the great job he did last year, it amplifies the expectations audiences have from him.

Actor Ali Zafar was the star of the show at last year’s LSAs as he put up a splendid performance by singing hits from his album Jhoom, and also dancing to his Bollywood stint Mere Brother ki Dulhan’s songs.

Music sensation Atif Aslam will be doing the same for this year’s show as he returns to the LSAs platform after five years. Atif’s association with the LSAs go way back –whether it was landing on the stage on a flying carpet at the 2007 show in Kuala Lumpur where he performed alongside model Aaminah Haq, or the soulful tribute to yesteryear’s singer Reshma at the very next year’s show in Karachi.

Given the fact that some of the most memorable LSA performances were the ones that featured Atif in them, this time around, it will be interesting to see what Atif has in store for his fans.

Girl power

On the performance front, the line-up includes the new Lux ambassadors Aamina Sheikh and Humaima Malick.

Both girls are familiar with the LSA platform. Humaima performed alongside Zafar at last year’s show and their chemistry was sizzling, while Aamina Sheikh performed with her husband Mohib Mirza at  2011 show.

Aamina and Humaima are the current ‘it’ girls of the industry – both have successfully transitioned from modelling and TV to film and bigger prospects.

While Humaima is trying her luck in Bollywood to follow up to her debut film Bol, Aamina has recently starred in a crop of new films including Lamha (Seedlings) and Josh, that mark a new genre of cinema.

The timing of being brand ambassadors couldn’t be any better for these girls. It remains to be seen whether they can transform their beauty and talent into energy that is needed for a good on-stage performance.

Controversy’s favourite children Meera and Mathira are slated to perform as well. On paper, it sounds like they have something exciting prepared for the audiences for the 12th LSAs, but whether Lahore can outshine all the previous years’ events is yet to be seen.

Usama Hamayun is a fashion and entertainment writer. He blogs at stylesupplement.wordpress.com and tweets at @Usama_Hamayun

PHOTOS OF LSA 2013 PREPARATIONS 

After working under master chefs such as Alain Ducasse, Guy Savoy and David Bouley, Khan has flown back to Lahore to give his motherland a taste of his skillful cooking. With almost 13 years of experience, one is bound to have high expectations from Khan which, to our surprise, he meets perfectly.

Polo Lounge has been most famously known for its gourmet burgers, Mongolian chicken and puddle cake. Come polo season, Polo Lounge becomes the hottest spot for Lahore’s diners, not just by choice but also out of compulsion. Over the years, Polo Lounge has maintained its loyal clientele, but has faced a drop in mainstream diners. Chef Shahnawaz hopes to make up for that. Chef Shahnawaz Khan exposes his culinary skills to The Express Tribune, lending us a pleasant experience.

“I grew up watching my father cook,” says Khan. “Cooking was his hobby and we would cook and grill at our farmhouse all the time. I have loved cooking since I was a child and when the time came for me to go off to college I knew I had to pursue my passion.” In an attempt to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a chef, Khan landed in Paris at the age of 17. With his energies focused on French cuisine, Khan ended up with a Masters in French Classic from Ferrandi.

“After four years in Paris I moved to Dubai and started cooking there but sadly Dubai was not the place for me and I did not enjoy it,” shares Khan. After backpacking through Egypt for two months, Khan realised that New York was his calling, and so began his culinary journey in the Big Apple. “I worked there for eight years at restaurants such as Bouley and The Dutch,” adds Khan. “Even though I loved every minute of that experience, I just felt it was time to come back and give Pakistan a chance.”

For fish lovers, a great new entrée to try is the Red Snapper Orange Gastric Fish. PHOTOS: PUBLICITY

At Polo Lounge, Khan has not only revamped almost 50% of the menu, but has also been working as the head chef since February. Our evening started off with a serving of Chilled Cucumber Soup with Poached Prawn — an experimental soup with the freshness of mint and a hint of spice. While it is refreshing and perfect for mint lovers, the flavour of the mint seems to have overpowered the flavor of cucumber. The slowly cooked poached prawns in the soup are by far the best-cooked prawns in Lahore. Not only did they add to the flavour of the soup, but also added a bit of texture and wholesomeness to it.

Summer Salad is another very light and fresh addition to the menu that includes a mix of mangoes, apples, oranges and grapes over a bed of chilled iceberg garnished with walnuts and goat cheese. Drizzled with a light balsamic dressing, this salad beats your everyday Caesar salad. While the fruits add sweetness to the salad, the light balsamic eliminates any excessive sweetness and blends well with walnuts and goat cheese.

For fish lovers, a great new entrée to try will have to be the Red Snapper Orange Gastric Fish. This golden-brown seared fish is glazed with honey and orange sauce with a hint of rock salt, which brings the dish to life.

“I feel that the problem with most Pakistani diners is that they do not want to experiment,” remarks Khan. “People here either like to stick to what they know or they just want excessive spices.” Trying to keep up with the Lahori market while still holding on to his French tradition, Khan creates a French fusion entrée for the spice lovers. The Lamb Chop with Mint Chutney creates a natural juxtaposition between our local spices and the flavorful French puree. “I am color blind so I have had to teach myself to see the difference between shades of green, red and brown. While the lamb chop rests on a bed of mashed potatoes alongside roasted eggplant, it is served with a spicy mint chutney and a mint and zucchini puree to not just add flavour, but also some texture to the whole dish,” adds Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2013.

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Shehzad Ghafoor is the son of Ghafoor Butt, a distributor and producer of Pakistani cinema. However, Shehzad does own his own distribution company in Norway. Up until now he has mostly done business in Bollywood and Lollywood fare. The System will be his first film as a director but he does have some experience with smaller projects such as music videos and advertisements.

As its title suggests, The System is an action film that will focus on corruption, a hot favourite with Pakistani audiences. Shehzad’s brother Shiraz, who has helped with the plot, will play the lead and the cast includes big names such as Irfan Khoosat, Shafqat Cheema and Nadeem Baig.

“Our country’s film industry was on its way down,” says Shehzad. But he feels encouraged that it has changed in the last two years. “Last year when I visited, I came across a script which I liked and I thought why wait until times improve. We should start now.”

The System is set in a neighbourhood in Lahore and will telescope out from the everyday lives of a middle-class family to expose local corruption. Shehzad plans to begin shooting in September.

The challenge, now, however, will be to ensure that the production of the film meets a certain standard. Shehzad is in talks with Indian professionals for production support and hopes to shoot with the latest technology cameras. They will be using several names from Bollywood to help with the technical and musical elements.

“We are doing something unique, because we have hired a lot of the technical team from India,” says Shehzad. Four songs on the soundtrack will be produced in India, and will be directed by Shalesh Suwarma, with poetry from Bollywood’s lyricist Irfan Siddiqui. The tracks will include several leading singers such as Javed Ali, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Komal Rizvi, Palak Muchal, Mohit Pathak. Two of the film’s song videos will be shot in Norway.

The System will be a Norwegian film in Urdu, subtitled in English, Tamil and Hindi. While Shehzad believes that the market for Pakistani films in Europe and North America is still limited, he plans to release at an international level.

“The biggest issue for the market of Pakistani films is that there is no distributor for them,” he says. “Indian films have a distribution network, but Pakistanis have not been able to make that yet.” As a result, Pakistani film-makers have to take their film to each international market themselves due to the lack of distribution companies who could do the job for them.

Meanwhile, Shiraz who was also seen in Lollywood’s Khamosh Raho, says that his brother’s idea to undertake a large-scale project in Pakistan had been on their minds for almost a year. He feels that it is important to move beyond Lollywood’s clichéd themes and work towards what he describes as refined work. This does not mean, however, that they should not be accessible to the average movie-goer.

“Our goal is [to do] a project that can improve the value of the industry,” says Shiraz. “We need to move beyond Gujjar-style films otherwise our industry won’t survive.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2013.

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LAHORE: The maiden Lux Style Awards (LSAs) in Lahore threw up some surprises.

A lot of deserved awards were given out with acknowledgments to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and fashion icon Sehyr Saigol.

Humsafar sweeped the satellite television category bagging the best actor awards, best serial and director awards.

Ayesha Omer was a surprise after her debut music album won the best record award.

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1:20am

That, ladies and gents, is a wrap.

Almost five hour long show has finally come to an end.

In case you missed it, here is the official list of winners as revealed by the LUX Style awards on their facebook page.

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1:10am

Humsafar’s haul is only growing after Sarmad Khoosat bags the Best Television Director (Satellite) award for Humsafar.

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1:00am

After both of the lead actors won the best male and female actor awards, Humsafar bags the Best Television Play (Satellite) award.

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12:50am

Though many would have expected this, but Fawad Khan is awarded the best Male Actor (Satellite) for his role in the blockbuster television series Humsafar by Hum Tv.

Also fitting that the lead in that drama production opposite Fawad, Mahira Khan, bags the Best Female Actor (Satellite) award.

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12:40am

Funny man Sami Shah, not given a stand up slot at the LUX Style Awards, has taken to twitter to put out a few jokes.

I failed to receive the Best Male Model award, yet again. Totally thought I had it this time. #LSA2013

— Sami Shah (@samishah) July 4, 2013

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12:35am

The LUX Style Awards pays its own tribute to fashion by awarding fashion icon Sehyr Saigol the Lifetime Achievement Award.

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12:30am

2013 was a year of change on the back of youth, the LUX Style Awards recognise it to give the Best Emerging Fashion Talent award to Saima Azhar. The award is presented by two of the most well established names in fashion, Shehla Chatoor and Saniya Maskatiya.

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12:25am

Shahzad Noor’s opposite number for the Best Model of the Year, female, is Mehreen Syed. 

Model of the year winner @iMehreenSyed poses with husband, award in tow #lsa2013 pic.twitter.com/8wMBmIhXFA

— Atika Rehman (@AtikaRehman) July 4, 2013

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12:25am

Shahzad Noor bags the Best Male Model award. 

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12:20am

Ammar Belal has just been awarded the Best Designer Menswear. 

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12:15am

Khaadi is deemed the best high street brand. 

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12:10am

The show is in its fourth hour, but the awards are still coming in.

Iman Ahmed of Body Focus has just won the award for best fashion designer (luxury pret).

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11:56pm

Faris Shafi and Mooro, the emerging talents for the night are now rapping on stage at the LUX Style Awards.

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11:55pm

Hosts dance at the LUX Style Awards.

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11:51pm

Award for Achievement in Fashion Design: Sana Safinaz!

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11:46pm

Best Hair & Make-up trophy goes to Nabila.

Extremely grateful and humbled to have won the award for Best Hair & Make-up at #LSA2013 @LuxStylePk

— NABILA (@Nabila_Express) July 4, 2013

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11:45pm

The CEO of Warid says “these kind of events are important because they show a softer side of Pakistan”

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11:44pm

Award for the best fashion photographer goes to Guddu Shani.

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11:37pm

Best dressed male goes to designer Ali Xeeshan, whilst the best dressed female on the red carpet is Aamina Sheikh.

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11:34pm

Ahmed ali butt and ZQ present the fashion awards.

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11:30pm

Atif Aslam is back on stage.

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11:28pm

Beauties at the LSA dance to Ludi.

Luddi Hay Jamalo Pa with the beauties at #LSA2013 http://t.co/BcHnszkr5G

— LuxStyle.pk (@LuxStylePk) July 4, 2013

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11:22pm

Aamina Sheikh performing to Nusrat Ali Khan’s Aaja Mahi.

Aamina Sheikh moves her way to the top of the stage. Overheard at #lsa2013 "is she going to jump?" pic.twitter.com/aOD8ldihuP

— Atika Rehman (@AtikaRehman) July 4, 2013

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11:20pm

Atif Aslam sings Dholna at the LUX Style Awards.

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11:18pm

Noor performs at LSA 2013!

Noor performs at #LSA2013 http://t.co/8M0xrWG4k9

— LuxStyle.pk (@LuxStylePk) July 4, 2013

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11:12pm

Best TV Actress (Satellite) goes to Hina Dilpazeer.

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11:11pm

Aamina sheikh, Humaima and Atif Aslam performing Nusrat Fateh Ali’s Afreen Afreen.

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11:05pm

Lifetime Achievement Award in Music goes to the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and is presented by Mian Yousaf Salli.

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11:03pm

Naheed Akther presents the Best Music Icon award to Atif Aslam!

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11:00pm

The award for the Best Album goes to the Ayesha Omar for Khamoshi.

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10:56pm

Ahmed Siddiq wins the Lux Style Award for the best emerging talent in music category.

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10:50pm

Sajjad Ali won the Song of the Year award for his single “Katna nae“. Though it was previously reported as Overload winning the category for their song Ankahi, Farhad Humayun won for best music video director category for the song.  …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

10:46pm

Ali Zafar wins the Best Original Sound Track award for Zindagi Gulzar Hai.

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10:36pm

Mathira and Ahmed Ali Butt engaging the audience!

Mathira and ahmed walking amongst the crowd wanting guests to sing and dance with them! #improv #lsa2013 pic.twitter.com/dMeRXgjsRL

— Atika Rehman (@AtikaRehman) July 4, 2013

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10:30pm

Veteran Saba Hamid pays tribute to the deceased entertainers Mehdi Hasan, Mehnaz, Aasiya and Faizaan Peerzada.

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10:20pm

Actor Nauman Ijaz has just won the best actor (terrestrial) award at LSA2013.

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10:16pm

Sana, Mathira, Sahiba & others dancing to classic Lollywood songs during a performance.

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9:50pm

Best TV Writer goes to Khalil-ur-Rehman for Manjali on Geo.

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9:48pm

Best TV Actress (Terrestrial) goes to Mahnoor Baloch for Tilafi on PTV.

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9:40pm

Meera performs at the LUX Style Awards.

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9:24pm

Ahmed Ali Butt performs Eye to Eye!

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9:22pm

Mahira Khan enters the Red Carpet.

Mahira Khan enters the Red Carpet #LSA2013

— LuxStyle.pk (@LuxStylePk) July 4, 2013

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9:16pm

The LUX Style Awards kick off.

The event has officially begun!

— LuxStyle.pk (@LuxStylePk) July 4, 2013

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9:10pm

Mohsin Saeed at LSA Red Carpet.

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9:05pm

The legendary Mustafa Qureshi at LSA Red Carpet.

The legendary Mustafa Qureshi at #LSA2013 Red Carpet. http://t.co/tvc2pSqjPU

— LuxStyle.pk (@LuxStylePk) July 4, 2013

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8:52pm

The ravishing Ayyan shines on the ‎LSA Red Carpet

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8:28pm

Ayesha Omar puts the LSA Red Carpet on fire.

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8:00pm

Newly weds, Ahmed Butt and his wife at the Red Carpet.

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7:34pm

Fashion Nominations

Nominations for the Model of the Year (Female) are Amna Ilyas, Ayyan, Cybil Chowdhry, Mehreen Syed and Rabia Butt.

Nominations for the Model of the Year (Male) are Abbas Jafri, Ather Amin, Jahan-e-Khalid, Shehzad Noor and Waleed Khalid.

Nominations for the Best Fashion Photographer are Azeem Sani, Fayyaz Ahmed, Guddu Shani, Nadir Feroz Khan, Rizwanul Haq.

Nominations for the Best Hair and Make-up Artist category are the Creative Team at Nabila, Creative Team at Tariq Amin, Juju Haider & Shammal Quraishi at Toni&Guy Lahore, Maram Azmat & Abroo Hashmi and Raana Khan.

Nominations for Achievement in Fashion Design — Luxury Pret are Shehla Chatoor, Iman Ahmed at Body Focus, Khadija Shah at Elan, Maheen Karim and Sania Maskatiya.

Nominations for Achievement in Fashion Design — Pret  are Feeha Jamshed, Iman Ahmed at Body Focus, Sanam Chaudhry, Sania Maskatiya and Wardha Saleem.

Nominations in the Best Menswear Designer category are Ahmed Bham, Amir Adnan, Ammar Belal, Ismail Farid and Republic by Omar Farooq.

Nominations in the Achievement in Fashion Design — Lawn category are Khaadi by Khaadi, Mahnoush by Arjumand Amin, Orient by Deepak Perwani, SanaSafinaz by Sana Hashwani & Safinaz Muneer and So Kamaal by Elan.

Nominations in the Best Emerging Talent category are Misha Lakhani (Women’s wear designer), Abdullah Haris (Photography), Natasha’s Salon (Hair & Make Up Artist), Saima Azhar (Modeling) and Sana Sarfaraz (Modeling).

TV Nominations

Nominations for the Best TV Play are Humsafar (Hum TV), Maat (Hum TV), Manjali (Geo Entertainment), Mera Yaqeen (ARY Digital) and Shehr-e-Zaat (Hum TV).

Nominations in thes Best TV Actress (Satellite) category are Hina Dilpazeer for Qudusi Sahab Ki Bewa (ARY Digital), Mahira Khan for Humsafar (Hum TV), Mahvish Hayat for Mere Qatil Mere Dildar (Hum TV), Saba Hameed for Manjali (Geo Entertainment) and Saba Qamar for Maat (Hum TV).

Nominations for the Best TV Actor are Adnan Siddiqui for Mere Qatil Mere Dildar (Hum TV), Faisal Qureshi for Jahez (Geo Entertainment), Fawad Khan for Humsafar (Hum TV), Imran Aslam for Sanjha (Hum TV) and Shahood Alvi for Mere Huzoor (Express Entertainment).

Nominations in Best TV Director category are Amna Nawaz for Maat (Hum TV), Hassam Hussain forDurr-e Shahwar (Hum TV), Kashif Nisar for Mein (PTV), Nadeem Baig for Manjali (Geo Entertainment) and Sarmad Khoosat for Humsafar (Hum TV).

Nominations for the Best TV Writer are Amna Mufti for Jahez (Geo Entertainment), Faiza Iftikhar for Bilquis Kaur (Hum TV), Khalil-ur-Rehman for Manjali (Geo Entertainment), Seema Munaf for Tilafi (PTV) and Umera Ahmed for Maat (Hum TV).

Nominations in the Best TV Play (Terrestrial) category are Mein (PTV), Mein Muhabbat aur Tum (A Plus), Paayal(PTV), Qeemat (A Plus) and Tilafi (PTV).

Nominations in the Best TV Actress (Terrestrial) category are Beenish Chohan for Chalo Phir Se Jee Ke Dekhen (PTV), Fiza Ali for Love, Life aur Lahore (A Plus), Mahnoor Baloch for Tilafi (PTV), Mahvish Hayat for Mein (PTV) and Resham for Ek Yaad Hai (A Plus).

Nominations in the Best TV Actor (Terrestrial) category are Babar Ali for Mein (PTV), Kashif Mehmood for Love, Life aur Lahore (A Plus), Nauman Ejaz for Qeemat (A Plus) and Saleem Shaikh for Anokha Ladla II (PTV).

Music Nominations

Nominations for the best music album are Chahar Balish by Sajjad Ali, Circus in the Sky by Usman Riaz, Khamoshi by Ayesha Omar, Naubahar by Dynoman and The Harvest by Sajid & Zeeshan.

Nominations in the Song of the Year category are Ankahi by Overload, Jaag by Jarar Malik, Kahani Purani by Mooroo, Katna Nae by Sajjad Ali and Pi Jaon by Farhan Saeed.

Nominations for Best Emerging Talent are Ahmed Siddiqui, Faaris Shafi, Mooroo, Naseer and Shahab and Sibti.

Nominations in the Best Music Video Director category are Farhad Humayun for Ankahi, Hammad Khan for Ane De, Sohaib Akhtar- for Khamoshi, Taimoor Salahuddin for Awam and Taimoor Salahuddin forKahani Purani.

Nominations for the Best Original Sound Track are Hain Yeh Silsilay by Zoe Viccaji (Tanhayan Naye Silsilay, ARY Digital), Matae Jaan by Bilal Khan (Matae Jaan, Hum TV),Roshan Sitara by Qurat ul Ain Baloch (Roshan Sitara, Hum TV), Yaar Ko Humne by Abida Parveen (Shehr-e-Zaat, Hum TV) and Zindagi Gulzar Hai by Ali Zafar (Zindagi Gulzar Hai,Hum TV).

He came, he saw and he conquered. Taher Shah, the man behind the video “Eye to Eye” that became the rage over the Internet and social media websites, rose to over night fame despite no background in professional singing.

In an exclusive interview with Express News, Shah explains the inspiration behind his song.

“True love begins from the eyes and then transcends to the heart. This was the concept when I wrote the song,” he elaborated.

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With over a million views on platforms like Vimeo, YouTube, DailyMotion and traditional media, the song has become a sensation due to the unique lyrics and signature Taher Shah moves.

Several foreign publications have also reviewed the artist. While some praised him for his eccentric style, others subjected him to harsh criticism. But Shah claims that these remarks make no difference to him.

“Music is a form of personal expression. Therefore, I see no reason for negativity. I don’t care about the criticism as long as my work continues to flourish,” he said.

Along with being flooded by offers from Pakistani and Indian record labels, Taher Shah’s future plans include producing a film.

Whether you love the man or hate him, it cannot be argued that the man has scaled heights of fame that has taken many others decades to achieve.

Carell, 50, who appears again as Gru in Despicable Me 2, and as a dysfunctional dad in independent comedy The Way, Way Back, both out in theaters this week, is also exploring new challenges in his career with the hopes of more dramatic roles.

Now that he’s a dad, was there any fear that Gru wasn’t going to be quite as despicable as the first film?

I feel like you still see that dark side of him and when push comes to shove, he is an evil mastermind which he will always be. But he’s reformed so he can’t be that anymore because he has kids. His career has to change but his sense of self doesn’t.

Which part of Gru’s story did you relate to in this film?

I have two little kids so I don’t really relate to him as a super spy, but I do relate to him as a dad for sure.

Are your priorities changing in your career now that you’re getting older and your kids are getting older?

I’ve been doing some more dramatic work, I’m writing something now and eventually I might direct something. I’ve got some other things in the fire, but that’s just to keep it interesting and exciting.

It’s interesting how this movie mirrors what a lot of parents go through when they have kids, because when you have kids, they become the focus. I know that became the case with my wife and I, almost at the expense of everything else, it became all about our kids. Which is fine, but within that, you can’t lose your sense of self, you can’t lose your career and what motivates you and what nourishes you.

You recently returned to The Office for the finale in May, was it difficult saying goodbye second time round?

I feel like I really said goodbye to it the first time. When I came back, it was primarily to honour the show and out of respect for all of my friends and the people who created it.  I just wanted it to be a simple tip of the hat to the show and not to take away from the goodbye and the farewell that all of those people were having, because I felt like I already had mine and I didn’t want to step on their moments.

Your upcoming film Anchorman 2 has been getting a lot of attention. How is it getting back into the suits?

It felt the same. The first time around, none of us knew what we were doing or whether it would be funny. It was just fun to do, it was ridiculous and we laughed until we cried every day.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2013.

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“She is one of the best dancers we have,” said Parineeti of Ishaqzaade fame. The 24-year-old, who is recently attending the 14th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, said she grew up watching Priyanka and other celebrities attend award functions and is now thrilled to be part of the festivities.

“It just used to be a distant dream at one point when I used to see stars go abroad and attend these awards and be on the biggest stage of Bollywood. I feel blessed to be  part of that entourage,” she said.

Parineeti will be seen performing with actor Ayushmann Khurrana, of Vicky Donor fame, at the IIFA Awards on Saturday night.

Praising the IIFAs’ organisers, she said: “It is exciting as always. I have said it before that the IIFAs were the first ones to do it. They were the reason that Bollywood came closer to global fans. This time I have been offered to be on their main stage,” she said.

“It’s a romantic act with Ayushmann. I will be performing on slow songs,” added the young star.

While she is excited to perform, Parineeti is also edgy. “I will be nervous, like 10 minutes before the act, but right now I am excited,” she said. “There are lots of rehearsals and I will be practicing all night.”

Though she won several awards for her debut film Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, Parineeti confesses she never expected the honours.

“When I was doing the first film, I was just enjoying each day and focusing on my scenes. But once the nominations began, I got excited,” she said.

Talking about her future projects, she said: “Only Hasi Toh Phasi and Shudh Desi Romance are romantic comedies. The other two films, which I am doing, are different, but I cannot talk about them right now,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2013.

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The 47-year-old is married to Gauri Khan and together, they have two children — son Aryan and daughter Suhana. Recently, however, there have been rumours about his decision for a surrogate child and the baby’s health.

A lot has been written about the superstar’s family life, but SRK refuses to talk about it, saying it’s a “very personal matter”, and he shall break his silence when it’s appropriate.

“This is not the right time to talk about it, we are going to get on the train baby and not talk about my baby. This is very private and personal,” he said. “There is a mix of sadness and happiness about this news. Let the sad part get over, then I will talk about it. I would request that the people who are doing the interrogation to do a thorough check,” he added.

Shahrukh did not explain the sad part. However, it is being speculated that the baby in question is underweight. The surrogate baby was reportedly born on May 27.

Meanwhile, SRK is not letting his personal life affect his film’s promotional events. The music launch of Shahrukh’s Chennai Express recently was a huge success for the actor and director. Reporters were asked to wear lungis along with the superstar to go along with the film’s theme.

“It was quite an experience wearing a lungi and it was helpful because we were shooting in a hot place,” said Shahrukh.

The music of the film is given by music-directing duo, Vishal and Shekar. Directed by Rohit Shetty, Chennai Express is slated for an August 8 release.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2013.

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KARACHI: His colleagues at the newspaper thought that he was too eccentric for writing headlines; students at the media school he taught at believed he will make headlines some day. Writer Imran Yusuf may be been a Londoner, but Karachi is where his heart is – both literally and metaphorically.

Formerly sports editor at The Express Tribune, he now works as a content writer for an engineering website. His wife lives in Karachi; a place that not only continues to inspire him, but has also served as the platform where Yusuf formally established himself as a playwright.

The Urdu translation of his play, STUMPED!!!, a story based on cricket and controversies, was presented by National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) students. The play breathed new life into Pakistani theatre, which was suffering from an overdose of clichés and rip-offs. At a recently held interview at the writer’s residence, he talked about his journey with STUMPED!!!.

“It was faithful in terms of direct language, and somehow, the rhythm, the idioms, the authenticity naturally elevated the whole play,” said Yusuf.  “Apart from some direct translations which you tend to take out as the production goes, I think [Napa graduate] Fawad Khan did a great job with translation.”

Yusuf feels that the aesthetic tools that accompanied the production of STUMPED!!! were well-gauged by the play’s director Zain Ahmed, and were toned down wherever they appeared overbearing. Yusuf, who visits Pakistan frequently, set the play in a place called “Qabristan”, which was his reflection of Pakistan and says a lot about his perspective of this country.

“The play definitely stems out of an almost morbid bitterness, but at the same time, it comes out of true love for this place [Pakistan],” elaborated Yusuf. “I think if the play keeps running with a bit of bitterness that keeps poking you as you desperately run towards the finishing line, it can heighten the quality of the play,” he added.

Drawing parallels between UK and Pakistan, Yusuf said, “When one person gets murdered in London its headline news – you know his name, you know his wife’s name, you know he owns a Labrador called Frankie. But in Pakistan, if someone is shot dead and if he is not a bigwig, then they end up becoming a statistic. This phenomenon had an impact on me and has also translated into the play I have written.”

Yusuf doesn’t find the musicals Karachi presents attractive; he expects something very different when entering a theatre hall. For him, cricket however, is the right device to convey theatrically what he feels about Pakistanis.

“Cricket was the lens through which I understood Pakistan,” Yusuf said. “I would have been more comfortable in setting the play in the drawing room of a rich burger bacha who has parties where Absolut Vodka is served, but I don’t find that interesting and I certainly don’t find that reflective of a wider segment of the Pakistani society.”

Since cricket is more of a man’s domain, it was also his way of commenting on the masculinity of the Pakistani society, as the only female in the play is planted for the exploration of all other male characters.

Yusuf’s future plans include forwarding STUMPED!!! to theatre companies in the UK and prohibiting his wife, Shandana Minhas, who is also a famous Pakistani writer, from writing plays because he thinks that she is just too good at it. “The hunger of an upcoming artist, film-maker or writer in Pakistan is 50 times more than that of a youngster in the UK and this will eventually pay off,” concluded the optimistic Yusuf.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2013.

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The Lollywood-centric performances included a total of five songs performed by four Lollywood actors, along with late-night talkshow host Mathira. Mathira, Sahiba, Sana, Noor and Meera Jee lit the stage with their performances. The choice of using yesteryear’s hits such as Aaj Meera Nache Gi, Akh Lari Bado Badi, Tu Je Mere Hamesha Kol Rawain, Tere Naal Naal Wey Main Rehna, Luddi Hai Jamalo Pao for the performance was intelligent, as it encouraged the audience to sing along. The performances were entertaining and lively, especially that of dancing queen Noor but the outfits worn by these Lolly beauties were abominations. We understand that outfits for stage performers need the extra bling and drama, but these gola gunda-inspired creations were simply an eyesore.

Ahmed Ali Butt hosted the LSAs again after his performance last year. Though one expected him to strive to perform better than last year, it was quite disappointing to see that apart from three jokes and a video, everything Ahmed Ali Butt had to offer was either flat and crass or simply tacky. Also it was a sheer embarrassment to see the announcer fumbling and announcing incorrect names. Though admittedly the most entertaining part of Ahmed Butt’s performance was his rendition of Taher Shah’s Eye to Eye – very well executed and supremely funny.

Sana busting a move on the LSA stage. PHOTO: FAISAL FAROOQUI

Humaima Malik performed to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s celebrated Afreen Afreen with grace and natural rhythm. In comparison, Aamina Sheikh, who had a futuristic, sci-fi-inspired performance, paled. The choreography fell flat and she looked like she was trying too hard. We love Aamina and think she is a brilliant actor, but performing such choreographed sequences is not up her alley.

Ahmed Ali Butt trying hard to keep the audience engaged. PHOTO: FAISAL FAROOQUI

Faras Shafi and Mooroo’s performance was by far the most interesting one of the evening. The futuristic flashlights and oversized glasses fit perfectly with the essence of the performance. Faras Shafi wearing a wife-beater over his shalwar added more to this character on stage.

Humaima dazzles the audience on Afreen Afreen. PHOTO: FAISAL FAROOQUI

Atif Aslam’s finale performance was a hit, not because of the singer himself rather because of the children dancing with him. These young dancers were by far the best performers we had seen all night and one can only wish they had come earlier to entertain the crowd. Young Aryan Aslam completely took over the stage and over-shadowed Atif’s presence. Thanks to their perfectly executed and thoroughly entertaining dance moves, the evening ended on a great note.

The Inside Scoop

The best acceptance speech was made by Farhad Humayun, who chose to speak in Punjabi. It was commendable that he reached out to his fans and band members. Hands down one of the most touching speeches of LSA 2013!

Mehreen Syed, winner of Model of the Year, was seen arm in arm with her husband Ahmed Shaikh, looking as happy as a newly-wedded lady could be. At one point, she refused to take any more questions from the press, and said, “My husband is waiting for me.”

Designer Shehla Chatoor had an army of ambassadors at LSA 2013! From Lollywood actor Sana to performer Mathira, model of the year nominee Amna Ilyas, album of the year winner Ayesha Omar, Frieha Altaf and Unilever’s Fareshteh Aslam, it seemed that every second person was wearing Shehla Chatoor dresses in metallic colours or digital prints. A source tells us that presenter Humaima Malik was also meant to wear Shehla Chatoor, but on the condition that Shehla dresses only her and no one else at the event. When Shehla refused, Humaima wore a lovely gold one-shoulder dress by Layla Chatoor.

Brace yourselves for something disturbing. Some guests at the red carpet were intrigued when Meera ji introduced a gentleman in a blue jacket as her boyfriend. While the entertainment industry buzzed with the news that Cupid has struck for this Lollywood lady, her family clarified that Meera ji ‘pyaar se’ introduces her brother as ‘my boyfriend’.

Ahmed Ali Butt and Mathira’s attempts to grab the audience’s attention, by dragging guests for an impromptu dance performance, were quite entertaining. While Nomi Ansari was too shy to break into a move, journalist Zurain Imam, singer-actor Ayesha Omar and designer Ali Xeeshan’s moves on hit Bollywood item songs added some much-needed life to an evening that seemed to drag on forever.

The verdict

The winners of the LSAs under the music category were rather disappointing. More than half of the better artists from last year were excluded from the nominations and those who made it were not done justice to. The most absurd and rather hilarious was the Best Album award that went to Ayesha Omar for her album Khamoshi against iconic albums like The Harvest by Sajid and Zeeshan. Despite Faisal Rafi’s finesse with music production and Omar’s improved vocals, Khamoshi does not close to the quality and innovation of The Harvest.

Katna Nai by Sajjad Ali won the song of the year award and rightly so, given the limited amount and variety of nominations. This just goes to reiterate our love for established artists and our rather sad behaviour towards newcomers like Jarar Malik and Mooroo who actually had something new to offer to our industry. How could Ali Zafar be nominated and not get an award?! Shahi and Zoe had given us a brilliant new-age sound of Arshad Mehmood’s melody for Tanhaiyan Naye Silsilay but unfortunately that was ignored.

No one in the audience seemed to understand the purpose behind awarding Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan being posthumously given the Lifetime Achievement Award over a decade after his passing.

As far as the fashion awards are concerned, we strongly feel that Kamiar Rokni or Salim Chatoor should have bagged the Best Dressed Male award for having immaculate style. Aamina Sheikh, for the Best Dressed Female award, seemed like a very biased choice since she is not only the brand ambassador for Lux but was also styled by Nabila, the official stylist for the event. It was no surprise to see Nabila bag the Best Hair and Make-up artist award. It’s high time she is given a Lifetime Achievement award instead. 

Here is the list of winners:

Terrestrial Awards

Best TV Actress: Mahnoor Baloch for Tilafi

Best TV Actor: Nauman Ijaz for Qeemat

Best TV Play:  Paayal

Satellite Awards

Best TV Actress: Mahira Khan for Humsafar

Best TV Actor: Fawad Khan for Humsafar

Best TV play: Humsafar

Best TV Director: Sarmad Khoosat for Humsafar

Best TV Writer: Khalil ur Rehman for Manjali

Best Original Soundtrack: Zindagi Gulzar Hai

Music Awards

Album of the Year: Khamoshi by Ayesha Omar

Song of the Year: Katna Nai Sajjad Ali

Best Music Video Director: Farhad Humayun for Aankahi 

Best Emerging Talent: Ahmed Siddiq

Music Icon of the Year: Atif Aslam

Lifetime Achievement Award for Music: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Fashion Awards

Best Dressed Male: Ali Xeeshan

Best Dressed Female: Aamina Sheikh

Best Fashion Photography: Guddu Shani

Best Hair and Make-up Artist: Nabila

Best Lawn: Sana Safinaz

Best Fashion Designer (Pret): Body Focus Museum by Iman Ahmed

Best Fashion Designer (Luxury Pret): Body Focus Museum by Iman Ahmed

Best High Street Brand: Khaadi

Best Menswear Designer: Ammar Belal

Model of the Year (Male): Shahzad Noor

Model of the Year (Female): Mehreen Syed

Best Emerging Talent: Saima Azhar

Lifetime Achievement in Fashion: Sehyr Saigol

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2013.

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It may surprise those who have met me to know that I have extremely curly and frizzy hair. No one sees me that way; I have religiously styled my hair since I was a teen. It is for this reason I can tell you with absolute certainty that always blow drying  your hair does absolutely no damage to it, if you follow the proper steps. 

But come the Karachi summer and no amount of anti-frizz and epic blow dry skill are going to beat the hair’s desire to go back to its natural state. I have never dyed my hair or indeed put any chemicals in to it, so it was with great trepidation that I approached our head hair whizz, Nadya Hussain, about a more permanent solution. Here is what I found out.

The Silk Route

The path to frizz free hair

Problem

I am obviously rather particular about my hair and was terrified of hair fall, a loss of body and roughness. I have a short bob (a classic Vidal Sassoon cut that Nadya has maintained and tweaked for the last two and a half years) and we thought that while the cut would be all the better for loss of body in the front, we needed the back to stay textured and rounded.

Solution

Nadya suggested that we relax the front sections of my hair, leaving the back to do its own thing.

Process

At our salon we use L’oreal X-tenso Moisturist, a formaldehyde-free hair smoothing treatment. Formaldehyde carrying Keratin treatments were banned by the Canadian government last year due to their cancer causing properties, and for this reason we do not offer this service at our salon. It poses a risk to clients and salon workers alike.

L’oreal has introduced a new nutri-cationic technology (which basically means that positively charged ions attach themselves to negatively charged ions in damaged hair). So in a layman’s terms the moisturising and smoothing agents in this treatment get where they need to go, attaching themselves to the areas where your hair needs the most help. The moisturist formula contains a mixture of emollients, softening wax and cationic polymers, leaving your hair smoother and shinier than ever before.

A relaxant is applied to the hair, the hair is rinsed, partially dried, straightened with an iron and then a sealing agent is applied. After this you get your final rinse out and a gentle blow dry. You can’t get your hair wet for 3 days after this process, tie it, or even tuck it behind your ears.

Result

The initial result is a little flat with slightly crunchy roots, but Nadya assured me that the body would return and the roots would soften up. I have had 3 washes now and I have oodles of body…but NO FRIZZ WHATSOEVER. This is supposed to last up to 8 weeks, and as your new hair comes out it will grow out with it’s original texture.

Verdict

This is a life changing experience for me. As a lifelong frizzy hair line sufferer, to look smooth, pulled together and unwilted, even if I am standing in the hot afternoon sun, is nothing short of a miracle. And the time it takes to style my hair is easily halved. I am going to struggle without this, as Nadya doesn’t advise doing it too often. Since the winter is coming (frizz-free season!), she advised me to wait till next summer. I hope I manage without!

Regime

As with any treatment (like facials) home care is the key. The entire Liss range (shampoo, conditioner/masque and serum) will help extend the life of your X-tenso. I have also added L’oreal’s Smooth instant smoothing serum to my regime. I found my fingers getting caught in the ends of my hair, but with this I can run my fingers through the strands without impediment or roughness. (This is a great product for anyone with dry or rough hair — smells great too).

Advice

If you have thin hair, this may not be the product for you. But if you have unruly, frizzy or unmanageably curly hair, this is definitely the product for you. I am so thrilled with my smooth but full-of-body hair that I find myself stroking my hair wonderingly. I can’t believe my luck.

The job has its perks indeed!

Bina Khan is a make-up artist, photographer, skin technician and writer who owns a salon and photography studio in Karachi.

All images and content are the property of Bina Khan. Any unauthorised use of the same is illegal and liable for prosecution.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2013.

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Lala Textiles, which started off as a Lahore-based trading house in 1947, has now grown out to four diverse retail brands, coming up with summer, midsummer and winter collections for women across the country.

After the Surat Dreams exhibition, Lala is planning to make customised products for the Indian market. The company believes that its range of three piece suits — shalwar, kameez and dupatta — is its unique selling point for the Indian market, something that has been well-received in Pakistan. CEO Lala Textiles Pervez Lala says that “the brand’s innovative concept, good quality and affordability” will help carve a niche for the company in India. Capitalising on this brief exposure, Lala Textiles will market its products in collaboration with Surat-based importer, Fair Lady.

Promising ‘something new’ for the women of India, Lala told IANS, “Our products are 15-20% cheaper when compared to Indian products, but the main thing is the difference of concept and quality. That is the reason we are successful here. People need something new; they like us. We have a different concept which India lacks.”

Lala Textiles is currectly retailing its products through various distribution channels in India and sees potential in the market which is more populous than Pakistan. “We see huge potential [in India]. We will go for customised products [for the Indian market]. It takes time because we are also in the learning process. We are in the process of finding out the tastes of Indian women, the colours and the dresses they like.”

Lala noted that the market in India for three piece suits is huge and constitutes about 50% of the overall textile market. Having participated in various shows in Delhi and Mumbai, Lala Textiles displayed its products first time in southern India. “We see a huge market in south India, especially in Hyderabad, where there is a large Muslim community.”

Lala’s grandfather, who started the trading house, moved to Pakistan from India at the time of partition in 1947. Currently, the textile firm has a turnover of about Rs3.5-4 billion. Lala Textiles has presence in markets like Bangladesh, the UK and the UAE. “From the concept to finished product, everything is done in our company. We don’t outsource any work,” elaborated Lala, who belongs to the third generation of businessmen in the family.

Owing to its affordability, Lala Textiles claims to be the only company in Pakistan that caters to people belonging to all financial strata of Pakistan — the lower income segment, the middle class and the upper class. In its 2011 Collection, the brand’s products were priced between Rs675 and Rs995. “We have suits which are priced between Rs600-700 and also have suits which are priced between Rs3,000-3,500. Our brand is very economical with good quality,” he said.

Lala favours liberal trade between India and Pakistan and believes that this exchange will benefit the average man in both countries and the people will have access to cheaper, good quality products. However, he felt that the tight visa policy needs to be reworked in a way that facilitates the business community from both sides. “We have some technical issues. We are already discussing with the ministries of trade and commerce. InshAllah, things will get better,” he said while talking about Pakistan’s decision of granting India the status of Most Favoured Nation (MFN).

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2013.

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Hot

Rabya Butt

Model Rabya Butt, also nominated in the Model of the Year category, looked every bit the dusky beaty that she is. With a figure-hugging Feeha Jamshed dress in faded chocolate brown lace, the model looked like the perfect belle of the ball. The up do and red lips were red carpet savvy and  the gold clutch paired with minimal accessories like drop earrings, a watch and an aqiq ring on the pinky were the icing on the cake.

Huma Amir Shah

Anchorperson and morning show host Huma Amir Shah looked sexy and sophisticated on the red carpet. She attended the LSAs in a one-shoulder dress by Shehla Chatoor in this bang-on-trend lime colour.  We love the shimmery sandals that match the digital print on the dress, and like the Alexander McQueen-inspired clutch.

Mahira Khan

Actor Mahira Khan, who also won the Best Actress award for Humsafar, looked the very picture of timeless elegance in this Élan ensemble. The Orient-inspired printed layer over what would otherwise have been an off-white jumpsuit looked lovely, and the colours suited the beautiful actor well. We love the blue sandals, teased hair, bright lips and shiny clutch!

Humaima Malik

Model-actor Humaima Malik glowed in golden on LSA’s red carpet. She glittered in a one-shoulder gold Layla Chatoor gown embellished with sequins. She accessorised with gold earrings and a gold clutch and kept her tightly curled long locks to one side. Loving the newly crowned Lux ambassador’s flawless skin!

Feeha Jamshed

Designer Feeha Jamshed wore the most scrumptious shade of yellow — this refreshing lime hue. The floor-skimming dress was made in layers of chiffon, with the bodice worked in lines of sequins. We love the wild hair, red stained lips and lots of mascara she has on. The silver clutch and matching ring are also winners.

Not so Hot

Vinny

Fahad Hussayn was absent from the LSAs (rumour has it that he was not invited), but Vinny chose to endorse him by wearing this East meets West disaster. We can’t tell whether this is one of those over-sized, voluminous kameezes that are so out of fashion, or a frumpy chiffon dress that is unappealing it its entirety. The hair-do is also making this attractive lady look a bit ‘amma jaan’.

Ayyan Ali

While the Deepak Perwani low-backed dress with a sequined bodice and chiffon trail looked beautiful on her toned frame, Ayyan’s face elicited quite a few whispers; has she got her lips done? Is that a chin job? Is it botox? The beautiful girl was looking too bland for our liking. We do, however, like the hair and earrings.

Sana

Lollywood actor Sana tried hard to look graceful in this Shehla Chatoor dress but had no luck. The shiny metallic-type dress was overshadowed by these sparkly gold shoes. We don’t love the hair and the make-up could have been better.

Meera

While we love actor Meera for obvious reasons, we can’t give her any points for her look at the red carpet. This Maheen Karim dress from FPW4 looked fabulous when Fayeza Ansari modelled it, but is just not made for someone with Meera’s curves. Her face looks washed out, too, and she looks quite awkward. The Michael Jackson-inspired shoulders of the ensemble are not flattering on her.

Fariha Parvez

Will Fariha Parvez ever get it right? She may sing like a nightingale but why does she dress like she got ready in the dark? The gold pants are so shiny, they make us want to put on sunglasses. The top is plane and ends at an awkward height. Time to hire a stylist!

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2013.

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A Muslim search engine that blocks forbidden content “according to Islamic law” was launched today, a press release stated.

‘Halalgoogling’ fetches results from leading search engines such as Google and Bing and has a built-in “advanced special filtering system that blocks Haram content according to the Law of Islam”, the press release said.

According to the report, a special and unique filter system excludes forbidden content from its search results such as “pornography, nudity, gay, lesbian, bisexual, gambling, anti-Islamic content”.

According to the report, a team of ‘internet experts’ all around the world had been working for years on the project. The need for such a search engine arose with 1.5 billion Muslims around the world worrying about the content provided over the internet to their children and even themselves.

The system is being updated continuously, and has been designed to respect Muslim culture, the report stated. The new search engine hopes to be the number one search engine in the Muslim community, it added.

Features

Halalgoogling comes up with the following system components for safe searching over the internet:

General category filtering: A filtering of overall search results amongst different categories.

Forbidden sites: A list of blacklisted websites that are not allowed to appear in the search results.

Link filtering: Removal of specific pages/links from within a website, blog or forum.

Haram Keywords: A list of keywords that are not allowed to be searched.

Report button: Which allows users to identify and email Halalgoogling admin when haram content is found.

Only from Pakistan: Option to see page results from within the country exclusively.

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BAHAWALNAGAR: Pakistani film actor Meera announced on Sunday that a charity hospital will be constructed in Haroonabad in her mother’s name, which will cater to over a million residents in the area.

The hospital, Darul Shafqat will aim to provide low-cost health care in District Bahawalangar and the nearby rural areas.

The land where the hospital is to be constructed was donated by the people in Haroonabad. As per initial plans, the hospital will be equipped with over five hundred beds.

Meera is also set to work on a film which will be based on the lives of people in Haroonabad and will also highlight the need for a new hospital in the region.

She said that the movie will be screened internationally to raise funds for the hospital.

Meera’s mother is a philanthropist in her own right and runs a charity organization which provides vocational and technical training to women from impoverished communities.

MACAU: Bollywood director Anurag Basu, who teams up with Ranbir Kapoor for Jagga Jasoos again after Barfi!, will also be co-producing the film with the star and said their business partnership will bring new dynamics to their equation.

“The status is that the script is ready. There will be new dynamics this time as Ranbir and I will be partnering in business — we both are producing it. Everyone wants to work with him — so he will have to finish those two films and come to me,” said Basu.

Last year Basu’s Barfi!, starring Ranbir along with Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D’Cruz, not only did brisk business at the box office, but also won him many awards. The director confesses that he did not expect so many honours.

“I was not expecting such a big response at award functions. IIFA has been overwhelming for technical awards that we received. It has been amazing,” he said.

“When you don’t get an award, you say it doesn’t mean anything to us. But when you get it, you feel happy,” said Basu. “As a child too, I loved keeping awards on the shelf. It gives inspiration to everyone around you, as well. It is great. When I will be old, these awards will have more value,” he added.

Meanwhile, the director is set to produce more films this year and will be soon announcing the details. “I have written many stories, which I will be producing and other directors will direct them. We will start shooting this year itself,” he said.

There were reports that the director has bought the rights of popular crime TV series Prison Break, but he denied it. “That was just a rumour. I have not bought the rights. I don’t want to remake it as I don’t want to do too much of TV.”

Recently seen judging the TV reality show India’s Best Dramebaaz, Basu would like to remake some old Hindi shows. “I want to remake Zindagi  and I would love to remake Tamas, as well,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2013.

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MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh has his ways to impress; he is smart, witty, charming and has a natural flair for acting. The young star, who is often called a flirt, says he doesn’t mind this, but he admits he has a problem with tags.

“I’m just generous with my compliments. I tend to see the beauty in everyone. I don’t hold back in expressing my feelings and that’s why I think all these traits of mine add up to me being tagged a flirt,” said Ranveer.

“It’s not that I have a problem with being tagged as a flirt! I have a problem with tags. You define and limit people with them. Each person is complex and infinite,” he said. Thus, his song Kya karun oh ladies, main hun aadat se majboor gels well with his ways — the actor has been seen flirting with actress Sonakshi Sinha at promotional events for Lootera as well.

The on-screen couple was not bereft of dating rumours, but giving his side of the story, Ranveer said that he has great chemistry with her.

“She is easy to work with. She has great ease with the way we work. I learn from her to be easy about my work,” he said. “She is a spontaneous actor and understands that films are about capturing life’s moments — Sonakshi is tremendously gifted.”

Lootera, a period drama directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, spells an old world charm. Ranveer sincerely believes Sonakshi was the best choice for the part. “She fits the character. No one can pull off that old world charm and look. She can, with her look and mannerisms, completely transport you into believing that she is from that era,” he said.

The going was not so easy for the young actor, who admits he was in a “do or die” situation when he stepped into showbiz. Ranveer, who had no godfather to fall back upon in the industry, made a successful debut with Yash Raj Films’ Band Baaja Baaraat in 2010. It’s been a rollicking innings ever since — Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl and now Lootera, as well as other plum projects in the offing for the 27-year-old.

“I think I made a strong start and I knew that was important and I knew that I will not get many chances. I had to make a good first impression and I managed it,” Ranveer said.

He believes that his effortless portrayal of Bittoo Sharma, a street-smart boy, helped him get the visibility he wanted. “A lot of good work is coming from that perception which people formed of me from my first film. I am happy that I was able to make a mark,” Ranveer added.

Having said that, the actor admits delivering good work consistently is vital. “It is about delivery after this. Gone are the days of surviving on your persona,” he said.

For now, he is doing good — with movies like Ram Leela and Gunday in his kitty!

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2013.

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MARRAKECH: The versatile actor and now an emerging pop star, the fashionable Priyanka Chopra is not only winning hearts all over with her immaculate talent but also with her uber-chic sense of style. Priyanka has gone from simply being the gawky pageant queen to Bollywood’s most sought-after fashion icon. She has been awarded India’s Best Dressed Woman by People Magazine and won a number of other accolades for her glamorous looks. Whether she is wearing a pair of casual jeans and shirt at a promotional event or sporting an exquisite gown on the red carpet, PC can pull-off any look with utmost poise!

While not every woman can pull off a heavily embellished saree or a lehenga, it seems that these traditional outfits were made only for her — evident at Marrakech International Film Festival where she dazzled on the red carpet in an exquisite lehenga choli by Manish Malhotra.

We feel that Priyanka, who can be best described as this millenium’s Rekha, has a rather simple style philosophy — to look hot every time, everywhere. PC is downright sexy and there is no doubt about it.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2013.

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