Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram is engaged to Melbourne woman Shaniera Thompson, after proposing to the 30-year-old ‘on his knee and asking her to marry him’, according to the Herald Sun.

The former star cricketer, 47, proposed to Thompson, a former public relations consultant from Brighton who has converted to Islam, in their lounge room, added the Australian daily.

“It was the [most] romantic moment of my life because it was so genuine,” she was quoted as saying. “[Akram] was really sweet about it. He asked me what my dream proposal would be and I said I’m not the type of woman who likes a big scene. I would want it to be at home or somewhere private.

“Then I came into the lounge room and he was on his knee and asked me if I’d marry him.” The pair met in Melbourne in 2011 and Akram said he was happy he had found love.

“I never thought I would get married again, but I am lucky and very happy to find love again,” Akram was quoted by the daily. “It just goes to show that life can give you a second chance.”

Akram’s first wife, Huma, died in 2009. The star cricketer is a father to two boys, now aged 15 and 12, from his first wife. The former captain was also among the headlines after reports of an affair with Indian actor Sushmita Sen. Akram denied those rumours.

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

MUMBAI: Film-maker Nikhil Advani has clarified that veteran actor Rishi Kapoor’s character in the forthcoming film D-Day is not modelled on Dawood Ibrahim, who is wanted in India for suspected terror bids.

“I completely deny that Rishi ji is playing Dawood. He plays an exiled crime lord named Iqbal. If there are similarities to Dawood, it can’t be helped. All art forms basically need to borrow from real-life headlines. It doesn’t mean we are making a feature film on any specific person,” said Advani.

A recent report based on Kapoor’s interview to a daily claimed that the actor plays Dawood in the film. The interview triggered a panic attack among the film’s team who are now frantically trying to complete the post-production while avoiding trouble from crime syndicates.

According to a source, members of the cast, including Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Irrfan Khan, were summoned a few days back to re-dub some of their more controversial lines. The director admits that the cast was called to do some additional dubbing but said, “The film is in live sync-sound. We have to dub some of the lines because the dialogues were drowned in action. That’s all.”

“Why is so much being made out of one character’s resemblance to someone we all know? I’m being asked how a director of such emotional films as Kal Ho Naa Ho, Salaam-e-Ishq and Patiala House can handle an action film,” said Advani.

“But there is much more to D-Day than just the action involving the extrication of a wanted criminal from Karachi. The drama and emotions are the mainstay, not just the action scenes,” he added.

D-Day is a raw and edgy thriller about two RAW agents played by Rampal and Irrfan being sent to Pakistan to bring back Iqbal for a trial by the Indian government. 

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

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Pop-rock band Jal’s front man Goher Mumtaz is set to start with his second drama serial, Cookie in a leading role opposite Saba Qamar, who is a household name in the Pakistani drama industry. The singer-turned-actor is currently seen in Hum TV’s drama serial Tanhai opposite actors Ayesha Omar and Sohai Ali Abro.

His upcoming serial, Cookie, will be directed by Fahim Burney, who launched him in Tanhai. The serial will be shot in Karachi and Turkey. “We are done with the first spell, which included a 7-day shoot in Karachi. We will continue shooting after Eid, as Ramazan is almost here,” he said.

Mumtaz, who is not a trained actor, finds the roles given to him as “challenging” and says that they require a lot of homework. However, he is confident about himself and considers himself lucky for having back-to-back leading roles in the start of his acting career. “I learn something every day, whether it’s [related to] music or acting. Lots of actors in this industry have not made it this big. I think I got lucky.”

The singer-turned-actor also gives himself some credit for the success he has achieved so far. “I was offered four to five plays while I was shooting for Tanhai, but I refused. I am glad that I had that patience in me to wait and make the right choices in terms for my acting career.”

Co-written by Umera Ahmed, Cookie, which is a romantic play, will air in October. Sidrah moiz Khan

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

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Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, and partly based on author O Henry’s book The Last Leaf, Lootera is a period film based in the ’50s. The film is about a happy-go-lucky landlord who lived with his daughter Pakhi (Sonakshi Sinha), until an archeologist Varun (Ranveer Singh) comes to initiate an excavation around one of the temples owned by the landlord. As fate might have it in a clichéd setting, the handsome boy and the pretty girl start talking and the boy steals the girl’s heart. With Pakhi’s father’s blessings, the two eventually agree on getting married. However, Varun never makes it to the marriage, and what follows is a sharp turn in the story which you are likely to have figured out already through the title of film. The title perhaps plays the biggest role in revealing the main storyline. If it remains at the back of your mind then you’ll easily predict what the rest of the film is all about. A different title or rather a more subjective one could have been way more suitable for the film.

Although Ranveer’s character is rather flat and composed, it somehow manages to save the mystery from being blatantly revealed at the very beginning. While Varun is a handsome young man with perfectly made hair, you can hardly feel the presence of his character. This is the reason why it takes you some time to absorb the beginning of the film because apart from clichéd moments like Pakhi accidentally pouring tea on the boy’s hand or dressing up like him in his absence, it has nothing much to offer. Supporting characters like Varun’s friend played by Vikrant Massey, and his uncle played by Arif Zakaria, help building up the story. The script isn’t bad but a better actor, probably Abhay Deol, would have made the much-needed impact.

Sinha, surprisingly, suited the role to perfection and you will be able to see a more unidirectional, focused and evolved version of the character she played in Dabangg. For a change, her character as Pakhi actually develops with time, and her physical presence accompanied by a natural stubbornness in her dialogue delivery makes her the ideal sari clad girl of the ’50s. Unfortunately, for all those who were happy about Sinha getting rid of her nose ring in the film should know that she gets it back in the second half — sigh!

After an immaculate film like Udaan, Motwane disappoints us with Lootera because it seems that he was way too occupied in having an ideal and complete ending to the film (which was not really needed) that he ended up losing the real jist of the story half way through.

Regrettably, Lootera falls victim to a common tragedy — a director making a mess out of a well-plotted story by relying on a typical Bollywood technique of ‘more, not less, is more.’ Other than the never-ending story, this film is no more than the director’s infatuation with crisp Urdu/Hindi dialogue delivery and vintage looks. We have seen much better period films from Bollywood such as Zubeidaa and Parineeta.

Verdict: Although we do not recommend it as a must-watch, if you are so amazed by the trailers then go ahead but don’t hesitate to leave only 10 minutes after the interval because from there on  it’s just a mere waste of time. Our pick for the week remains to be Ghanchakkar!

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

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Media management

While the awards were high on glitter and bling, media and press handling was at its worse. Many publications left at the gate after the PR teams failed to accommodate them. It is times like these that one missed the very efficient Team Lotus that treats media personalities like royalty.

The performances

With time delays and unnecessarily long speeches, the event moved at a painfully slow pace, making it tedious. The final version for television airing, however, will be much crisper and well-edited. As for the dance performances, Sahiba and Noor were forgettable, Mathira failed to leave a mark, Meera was visibly making an effort but it was Sana who outshone everyone with her moves. Her moves were eclectic yet composed and she seemed to be having fun. Atif Aslam, who paid a tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, along with Humaima Mallick and Amina Sheikh, was the star of the show.

Hosting

As for the hosting, Ahmed Ali Butt was a far cry from his last year’s work. Mathira was trying too hard and was a bit too much at times but then that’s Mathira for you. At one time during the event, Mathira and Ahmed came down from the stage and made a few guests dance with them on popular Bollywood hits which turned out to be quite fun. While Nomi Ansari was reluctant, Ayesha Omar showed some serious moves.

The awards

As for the fashion nominations, Ammar Belal finally won the Best Menswear Brand Award despite the fact that he moved to New York last summer for further studies and hasn’t shown much on local platforms. Khaadi and Sana Safinaz retained their Best High Street and Achievement in Fashion Design — Lawn awards respectively. Other deserving winners included Mehreen Syed, who after countless nominations in previous years, walked away with Model of the Year. The talking point of the night was the results of the remaining fashion categories, which took everyone by surprise. Imaan Ahmed of Body Focus, who has been MIA from the fashion frontier for a while and hasn’t shown a collection since forever, went away with both Achievement in Fashion Design Pret and Luxury Pret, awards much to everyone’s dismay. Most of the editors, journalists and bloggers were rooting for Sania Maskatiya for pret and Shehla Chatoor or Elan for the luxury pret categories respectively, but the announcement for the winner came as quite a shock. Another surprise of the night came when Saima Azhar won the Emerging Talent in Fashion Award ahead of more deserving nominees like Abdullah Haris and Misha Lakhani.

But it wouldn’t be Lux Style Awards without a few shockers and surprises. As Salim Chatoor (Shehla Chatoor’s husband) very aptly put it, LSA is a googly. One couldn’t agree more!

Despite the negatives, there are countless positives to take home. Bringing LSA to Lahore, the city of Lollywood was always a great idea and apart from all the controversies, LSA still remains one of the most respected and respectively impartial award shows. That does not mean that there aren’t lots of ifs and buts that need to be sorted out. Some of the awards leave too many questions to be asked. The process of nominations and jury needs to be cleared up — it’s mind boggling that some of the same nominees keep winning the award each year (like Nabila, Sana Safinaz). The performances, too, need some serious boosting. Same goes for time management and the management of guests and media, which was quite a mess this year. But as long as the platform continues to show, grow and evolve, one can hope for the show to get better each year.

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

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

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KARACHI: When girls-next-door turn designers, a multi-brand store seems to be the solution. Similarly, Ifrah Zaheer’s Cocktail — another multi-brand store in the market — opened its doors on Sunday, stocking collections from 30 different designers. 

Zaheer feels since the textile and design industry is booming, the need for stores where women can shop till they drop is still very much there. “My multi-designer brand-store will serve the purpose of bringing together some economical and other high-end brands under one roof,” said Zaheer. As a designer herself, Zaheer, who titled her collection IPret, believes that everyone has an eye for creativity.

The new store is located at main 26th Tauheed commercial street. While designers like Zaheer Abbas, Mona Imran and Zainab Chottani are also part of Cocktail, other designers given the platform to shine are lesser known names like JV’s Couture, Fashionista, Umsha, Lavender, Aisha Alam and Rani Siddiqi. The store stocks eastern wear, jewellry, shoes and bags.

Javeria Zeeshan of JV’s Couture has been designing for the last six years,  along with her husband Zeeshan Khan. She exports her line to the US, Dubai and London, and stocks at other stores including Labels, Couture and Nadia Lakdawala. She defined her taste as “simple and classic”. The semi-formal and formal wear ranges from Rs4,500 to Rs20,000.

“It’s better to stock at other places that cater to a large crowd than to have your own store, where you need to look after all the stock yourself,” said Zeeshan.

Also present at the event was Munaf Mansoor Ali — a designer who agrees with the philosophy of stocking at multi-designer brands store. “The more, the merrier,” he said while showing his collection titled Revamp. Ali also stocks at Fashion Pakistan Lounge, Elle’mint Pret, Feathers and Couture. He believes people feel comfortable shopping at multi-designer brand stores. His collection ranges from Rs5,000 to Rs16,000.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2013.

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Singer-songwriter John Mayer dedicated his new song A Face to Call Home to his on-and-off girlfriend, singer Katy Perry at the opening night of his Born & Raised tour in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The 35-year-old publicly declared his love for Perry, who was present at the concert held on July 6.

“I was just getting to know a girl and started reconsidering just how difficult everything was going to be, right as he (the doctor) was putting the needle through my neck, because I was just getting to know this girl, and I wasn’t going to be able to talk to her,” said Mayer, quoted contactmusic.com.

He also shared that the couple spent a lot of time chatting online on the webcam when they were apart and that he is grateful to Perry for making so much effort when he could barely speak. “She was so patient to continue to get to know me and love me, while we would be on speaker phone,” he said.

Mayer then dedicated his new song to Perry saying, “This is a long time coming for us and I want to dedicate this next song to Katy, my Katy.” The couple got back together last month.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2013.

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MACAU: She dances like a swan, but for her new film Gulaab Gang, actor Madhuri Dixit has tried some kicking and punching. She admits action is tough, but says she is tough herself, too. Dixit, who portrays a powerful character in the woman-centric film, says she isn’t a feminist but is all for strong and independent women.

“I don’t think I’m a feminist. I am independent and strong, which is what women should be like,” said Dixit, during a press conference. The 46-year-old also said that the progress of women is being reflected in films. “There are some wonderful directors today. Also, you can make any sort of film today. The villain of our movie Gulaab Gang is a woman, which is a rare sight in Bollywood.”

“We have a very evil woman in the film. Usually, they [film-makers] show that men are evil. This is not a fight between men and women; this is a fight of ideologies. It does not matter who the antagonist is,” she said.

Gulaab Gang is said to be loosely based on Uttar Pradesh-based social activist Sampat Pal and her Gulabi Gang, which works towards liberation of women in the state. The film, produced by Anubhav Sinha and directed  by Soumik Sen, also features actor Juhi Chawla.

Madhuri admits the movie talks about women emancipation, but it deals with the issue in an entertaining way. “The film talks about the empowerment of women, but it is set in an entertaining and beautiful set-up. You will take away a lot from the film,” she expressed.

The actor who is known for the delicacy and poise of her dance moves will be seen doing some action sequences. “I’ve done action for the first time. It is tough to do action [sequences], but I am a tough person and I enjoyed doing it. I love action films in both Hollywood and Bollywood, as well as in Chinese films,” said Dixit.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2013.

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NEW DELHI: Producers and film-makers have recently been coming up with rather unusual ideas to market their films. Not long ago, actor Vidya Balan was seen promoting her film Kahaani in a pregnant avatar and more recently, actor Arjun Kapoor did a promotional interview for his film Aurangzeb in a double role. This time, it’s film-maker turned actor Farhan Akhtar who has gone a step further with his marketing strategy. The actor will be offering his fans a chance to run along with him in a mini marathon that he will organise ahead of the release of his upcoming movie Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.

The three to five kilometers marathon will be hosted in four cities including Delhi, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and Jaipur. The idea of hosting a marathon fits well with the film that is essentially based on an athlete’s life. Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag will release on July 12 and is basically a biopic on the Indian athlete Milkha Singh played by Farhan Akhtar. The movie is co-produced by Mehra and Viacom 18 Motion Pictures.

“The curiosity to see Farhan running a marathon is at its highest. He has been able to transcend boundaries and has become the Milkha Singh of celluloid,” said a spokesperson from Viacom 18 Motion Pictures in a statement.

The actor went through intensive physical training in order to get a chiseled body like that of an athlete. His fans seem extremely eager to watch the actor run live. “Ever since the promotions started, everyone has been asking Farhan about the practice that went into playing the role of Milkha Singh. That’s why the makers have decided to give the audiences a chance to watch him run a marathon and participate with him,” said a source. “Many school and college students will be running with Farhan. They were selected via contests held recently by the makers of the film,” the source added.

The film was recently in the news for rumors relating its ban in Pakistan. The film’s release seems to be caught up in a lot of uncertainty due to the holy month of Ramadan and the implementation of new taxes on films. The film also features Sonam Kapoor in the main lead and Pakistani singer Meesha Shafi.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2013.

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MACAU: IIFA’s green carpet at the Venetian Macau was replete with glory and glamour, as Bollywood biggies descended upon it at their best. From exquisite Roberto Cavalli gowns to traditional ensembles by Indian designers, Bollywood divas were seen in a variety of stunning looks. The metallic hues definitely stood out amongst other trends. Here is a round-up on fashion’s head-turning moments at IIFA 2013.

Shahid Kapoor

The Jab We Met heartthrob looked like a fine gentleman in a crisp black and white tuxedo. Shahid adds a bit of funk to his outfit with a maroon bow-tie. Although, it does seem he has put on some make-up, his voluminous wavy hair, rugged look and that million dollar smile has got us our hearts beating faster than ever.

Vidya Balan

The talented actor stuck to her typical traditional sense of style, however, chose not to wear her all-time favourite designer Sabyasachi. Instead Vidya opted for a black and gold lehenga by Anand Kabra. By smartly wrapping the lehenga in a ’70s style sari, the actor successfully managed to accentuate her curves in all the right places. We must admit here that we are getting slightly bored of Vidya’s rather monotonous choices.

Sridevi

This timeless beauty never seems to fail on the red carpet. The English Vinglish star looks stunning in a sparkling gold bodycon gown and matching accessories. Her bright red lips, well-defined eyes and full-on-volume curly hairstyle do complete justice to her ultra-glam look.

Anushka Sharma

The bubbly and baby-faced actor from Band Baaja Baaraat looked angelic in a flowy, nude gown by Roberto Cavalli. The corset-inspired upper-half of the dress with gold embellishment around the waist — accentuates her petite figure well. With her razor-sharp bangs, glowing make-up and cute dimples, Anushka truly looks ravishing.

Deepika Padukone

The sexy Bollywood diva remained true to her sensuous self. Deepika was seen wearing a coral body con high-slit gown full of metallic embellishment. We love the splash of colour that otherwise was missing on the red carpet. With that daring thigh-high slit, bright pink lips and those ever-so-gorgeous teardrop diamond earrings, Deepika must have definitely broken some hearts. However, the neatly tied bun has been a regular in a Deepika’s list of hairstyles, care for some risk-taking?

Shahrukh Khan

King Khan is like old wine — he keeps getting better and better with time. Even though SRK had an injured arm, he looked dapper in a black and white tux with a metallic shimmer to it. And boy, are we drooling over the sexy stubble. However, the shoes have left us slightly confused. Did he just walk on the carpet in a pair of patterned socks or bathroom slippers? We understand the need for comfort in such a condition so I guess we’ll let it pass just this once.

Madhuri Dixit

The dancing queen wore a black and gold lehenga choli — the evening’s most popular colour combination. However, the heavily embellished blouse and heavy gold accessories were a bit too much for an award function. It seemed more like she was attending a wedding. Her puffy up-do and kohl-lined eyes did not bring much to the table either. Not much in your A-game Mrs Nene?

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2013.

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Hosted by Bollywood heartthrobs Shahrukh Khan and Shahid Kapoor, the four-hour ceremony of pulsating dance routines and colourful costume changes was attended by an audience of over 7,000  screaming fans. The IIFA, which made its debut in 2000, was held in Singapore last year and is held in a different country annually.

Some of Indian cinema’s biggest names, including Deepika Padukone set the Macau arena alight with high octane performances, while actors like Boman Irani and modern pin ups, such as Vidya Balan, graced the green carpet.

“We make musicals. I think every film is a musical. Every film has at least six to seven songs,” said Ayushmann Khurrana, who won the Best Debut (Male) award for Vicky Donor, a romantic comedy about sperm donation. “So that is how Bollywood is completely different from Hollywood.”

But it was the fans’ favourite Shahrukh Khan, wearing a shiny black suit, who drove the crowd into frenzy as they chanted his name. “I think it’s an amazing platform,” Khan said of the IIFAs, which he felt took Bollywood films “all over the world”.

Romantic comedy Barfi! led the way with 13 nominations including the  awards for best actor and best picture.

On his third trip to the IIFAs, The Expendables 2 star Jean-Claude Van Damme arrived at the awards, reportedly scouting for “Indian talent” to work in his next international venture, Luxury Meets Justice.

Shake it!

Not only were the performances youth-centric, but this year’s IIFAs also focused on fostering and cultivating acting talent among the youth with their workshop on acting with Anupam Kher called “100 years of Indian cinema: An actor Prepares”. The actor conducted interactive exercises with the audience.

Madhuri Dixit received a standing ovation from the audience for her stunning dance performance. Dixit started her performance by greeting Macau after which she performed on her signature numbers like Dola Re Dola, Mera Piya Ghar Aaya and Ek Do Teen, among others.

Padukone performed to some of her hit numbers, including Angreji Beat, Tum Hi Ho Bandhu and Balam Pichkari, while Parineeti Chopra and Khurrana performed together. Wearing a glittery choli and lehenga, Sridevi gave a dazzling performance with choreographer Prabhudeva. Sridevi also performed in a similar attire from her film English Vinglish.

Indian cinema is thriving commercially after the country produced almost 1,500 movies last year and the industry is expected to grow to $3.6 billion from $2 billion in the next five years, according to the consultancy firm KPMG.

This year IIFA truly lived up to its reputation of being one of the most stylish yet traditional award functions once again. A mix of old and new stars were present for the weekend, including SRK, Shahid, Madhuri Dixit, Parineeti Chopra, Sonu Sood, and Arjun Kapoor to name a few.

And the award goes to…

Best Actor: Ranbir Kapoor (Barfi!)

Best Female Actor: Vidya Balan (Kahaani)

Best Film: Barfi!

Best Director: Anurag Basu (Barfi!)

Best Story: Tani and Anurag Basu (Barfi!)

Best Supporting Actor (Male): Annu Kapoor (Vicky Donor)

Best Supporting Actor (Female): Anushka Sharma (Jab Tak Hai Jaan)

Best Debut (Male): Ayushmann Khurrana (Vicky Donor)

Best Debut (Female): Yami Gautam (Vicky Donor)

Best Actor in a Comic Role: Abhishek Bachchan (Bol Bachchan)

Best Actor in a Negative Role: Rishi Kapoor (Agneepath)

Star Jodi of the Year: Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2013.

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“I am extremely thrilled to have won,” she tells us via Facebook, as she is currently not in Pakistan. “I worked extremely hard on this album and I guess all the hard work paid off.”

While she is travelling and has not come across the Twitter posts and articles lambasting the LSA platform for awarding her the trophy, she does add, “Haters will always hate and obviously jealousy will always exist! People who lose will always be sore.” Like Twitter user karachikhatmal pointed out in his tweet “bear in mind that votes were cast on FB”, Ayesha also said, “The critics don’t always understand the way the minds of the masses work. Anything can appeal to them. Even something that is not technically great. Another huge music project is coming out right after Eid… you will see me performing in that as well. So the critics should wait and check that out.”

Before commenting on state of Pakistani music based on Ayesha Omar winning an LSA, bear in mind that votes were cast on FB. #NuffSaid

— karachikhatmal (@karachikhatmal) July 4, 2013

She says she feels honoured to have been nominated along with “huge names” like Sajjad Ali and Sajid and Zeeshan, whose music she says “has always been a source of inspiration and motivation”.

“I never expected to win,” she admits. “I don’t even come close to their experience and skill but this was a voting category and I guess music listeners and fans out there did like something about my album. The criticisers have a right to state their views.”

We spoke to LSA host and presenter Ahmed Ali Butt about how he felt about Ayesha’s victory. “At the end of the day, theek hai. Ayesha Omar is fine, one should be supportive, not critical. If you want to be critical be a strict blogger. I am all for it [releasing an album and making singles] — it takes a lot of b**** to take out music in times like these.”

Nominee Usman Riaz says he is honoured to have been nominated. “People think she deserved to win. To me, winning doesn’t matter, being acknowledged does.”

Gumby, however, was less diplomatic and more terse. “I have just heard a song. I wouldn’t rate her as a singer. The LSA’s should focus more on fashion than music. It is unfortunate that Sajid-Zeeshan and Sajid Ali and Usman Riaz didn’t win. I don’t blame the artist but I blame the jury. This is only a style award not a music award! LSA is about fashion and style and they should focus on that and not on music.”

So who are these jury members in the line of fire? Qayyum shares that a jury member informed him that the music jury vote makes up for about 30% of the award, with the rest determined by viewers.

According to the official results shared with The Express Tribune, Ayesha bagged 18,377 votes, while the lowest number was earned by Dynoman for Naubahar. It is clear that she bagged the most votes owing to her popularity from Bulbulay. It is possible that people who voted for her even didn’t even know that she could sing. Unfortunately, this is what happens when you leave an important award that does not have as much mass appeal for the public to decide. Music categories should only be awarded according to their genres, like they were with the Indus Music and The Music Aawards.

And the winner is!

Voting was conducted via SMS, call centre and votes on the LSA website. Results audited by KPMG were submitted to the LUX Style Awards office as follows: 

Best Music Album

Chahar Balish by Sajjad Ali  9,458

Circus in the Sky by Usman Riaz 2,908

Khamoshi by Ayesha Omar   18,377

Naubahar by Dynoman   2,506

The Harvest by Sajid & Zeeshan 1,624

(Shared by Fareshte Aslam of Unilever)

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2013.

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When asked about her beauty regime, she said, “I think looks are important but not as important as your skill as an actor. It’s your craft and your ability to perform that needs to shine the most. The audience will come to see a pretty girl on the screen, maybe twice, but after that they want you to bring more to the table,” Nargis told IANS in an exclusive interview.

Even though the actor has been blessed with flawless beauty, she said it is “annoying” to look her best at all times. “It all depends on what your idea of perfection is. It’s not a struggle as much as it is annoying and time consuming. I enjoy fashion, so I like experimenting with looks, but make-up is one thing I could do without,” said Fakhri.

Having said that, the actor says taking care of her tresses and skin during monsoon is important. “I need a beauty regime that guarantees results. During the monsoon season, my hair becomes unmanageable as the moisture in the air swells up the hair. I get a 20-minutes deep conditioning treatment with hot, coconut-based hair oil. It works wonders for my tresses,” said the actor. “It is also important to keep your scalp dry during monsoon as dampness leads to hair fall. I try to carry an umbrella when I step out in the rain to ensure my hair isn’t exposed to rain water,” she added.

Talking about her skincare regime, Fakhri said she makes it a point to cleanse and moisturise her skin in rainy weather. “Cleansing and moisturising your skin is very important during monsoon. All my skincare products are light, so they allow my skin to breathe in the humid weather. I never skip moisturising my skin with a natural ingredients-based moisturiser. This beauty ritual is important in all seasons.”

“Last but not the least, drinking plenty of water is always a good idea as it keeps skin hydrated and supple,” she advised.

The actor also makes it a point to wear comfortable and light clothes in the rainy season. “Clothes made of any light fabric, which can be dried easily, are perfect for monsoon. Cottons are my personal favourite. I avoid wearing light-coloured clothes. Also, carrying wet wipes always come in handy if you ever receive an unexpected splash,” she said.

The actor said that her style statement for the monsoon season is “comfortable and easy”. “I stick to shorts and T-shirts with gum boots,” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2013.

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“I have been in the industry for 20 years and in those 20 years, every day I used to think there will come a day when people will start to understand what we want to do and the cinema will change. The kind of films that have been made only proves that every time you give something different to the audience, they will accept it with open arms.”

The box-office successes of women-centric thriller Kahaani, dark comedy Peepli Live and sperm-donation-based comedy Vicky Donor have proved that viewers are accepting change. “I am very happy that the studios are today going to the directors who they would not even look at in normal circumstances. It’s the best time to make films,” said Advani. “I want to thank the audience and say that the more you accept it, the more we will give you different stuff and the more we will keep thinking differently and boldly,” he added.

Advani’s first full-fledged film as a director was the 2003 hit Kal Ho Naa Ho, starring Shahrukh Khan, Priety Zinta and Saif Ali Khan. After that he went behind the camera for Salaam-e-Ishq, Chandni Chowk to China and Patiala House, but these movies couldn’t replicate the success of Kal Ho Naa Ho. He, however, hit the bull’s eye with his animation film Delhi Safari, which won him a National Award.

The film-maker also feels today’s youth “is asking for a difference, whether it is difference in politics, leadership, music, fashion or cinema”. He admits that the demography of people looking for different films is lower than the masses sticking to certain subjects. “That’s why you will always have a Rowdy Rathore or Bodyguard or Dabangg still working [at the box office].”

His next project D Day, a film on cross-border terrorism, is coming out July 19.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2013.

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Delhi-based makeover expert Aashmeen Munjaal says the style is “evergreen”.

“Cat-eye makeup is evergreen in its own way as it manages to make the female actors look stylish, sexy and Indian,” said Munjaal.

It is a versatile style. Just as it complemented Sharmila’s sari-clad look in the 1969 film Aradhana, the cat-eye style also suited cabaret queen Helen, who sported it with a red and black frill dress in the hit song Piya tu ab toh aaja.

From the new age lot, actors like Bipasha Basu, Aishwarya Rai and Anushka Sharma apply similar make-up to enhance their look. Here is how you can try out cat-eyes on yourself.

Day look

1. With an extra creamy gel eye-liner, drag the liner using an angled brush starting from inner corner to the eye’s end. You must make the liner slightly thicker as you move your brush.

2. Start a tail in the opposite direction with the tip of the brush facing your temples. Draw the line until it’s connected with the previous line. Either make it thin and pointy or thicken it by adding another line to the shape.

Evening look

1. Extend the liner to make it thick. Make sure to use black shimmery eye-shade to top the liner.

2. Add a thin line underneath the eyes to give it more impact.

Lip colours

Make sure to have the best lip shade to suit your look. Bollywood beauties now experiment with bold and bright colours with their cat-eyes.

1. Try wearing a bright red lipstick or hot pink shades for an evening out.

2. For a day event go for soft corals or neon shades with your look.

So make your pick, and get set for a catty party!

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2013.

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Singer-actor Mariah Carey was rushed to a hospital last night after she dislocated her shoulder while filming for the music video of the remixed version of her song Beautiful. The 43-year-old singer apparently tumbled, which caused the injury. However, her representative has said that Carey is fine. 

“Mariah injured herself while filming a video for the remix of Beautiful, directed by her husband Nick Cannon,” said a rep, quoted New York Post. “She was taken to the hospital late last night (July 7), where doctors reset her shoulder. She is fine and is recovering at home.”

It is believed that she may have fallen due to the high heels that she was wearing for the video shoot.

The injury, however, hasn’t dampened Carey’s spirit and she will take the stage at the Hurricane Sandy benefit concert in Central Park’s Great Lawn on July 13, even if she has to do so with her arm in a sling, said a source.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2013.

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Things have changed drastically, and for the better. Gone are the days when a home-bound ‘maalish waali’ would be sufficient to help you make it through an aggravating day. Women now spend days off from home or work at a relaxing spa that offers salon services. Facials are not only a luxury taken prior to Eid or a wedding, but have become a necessity after every fortnight. This makes one wonder — how have these spas so quickly proliferated into our society?

Rukaiya Adamjee of Rukaiya Salon and Spa suggests two prominent reasons, “It is probably because people are traveling more to places like Thailand and other Asian cities, where they have tried these facilities and enjoyed them,” she says. “Or it could be that women have stopped feeling guilty about pampering themselves and have more disposable income now.”

With lives in urban centres getting busier than ever, Hina Shah Farid, a specialist in Caci treatments at Blush Spa and Salon, feels that spas offer a great opportunity to unwind. “As our lives are getting busier day by day, we need a place to relax, unwind and get rid of the stress from our hectic schedule — whether it’s household chores, children, traffic or work,” says Hira. “Spas just offer all that we need to pamper ourselves and rejuvenate our bodies. Other than that, they are also outlets where ladies can socialise and catch up with friends,” she adds.

Considering the amount of money spent on spa services — between Rs2,000 and Rs25,000 — it seems that only affluent members of society can afford the facilities. However, Afreen Shiraz of Ellemint Pret disagrees. “Spas are not only for the elite. They are for anyone who needs a break from their daily routine and wants to feel pampered and relaxed. They offer a great escape from stressful lives through rejuvenating your body and mind and improving your total well-being,” she says. Adamjee, too, differs from the notion that only women belonging to higher income brackets indulge in spa treatments.

While massage options were earlier limited to foot or body massages, there are innumerable variations today. But why are they gaining so much popularity and how are they beneficial? Shiraz says, “Massages not only relax the muscle but also improve blood circulation. Certain techniques also help remove toxins from the body.”

Clearly, the rising number of spas is an influx of foreign culture, since Pakistan has not always been familiar with it. “Relaxation methods in spas go back to ancient times, however, since the Far East is closest to our region, it can be said that we have been inspired by them,” says Shiraz. However, Shah, on the other hand, asserts that it is surely an inspiration from the Far East.

So far, there about 15 popular spas in Karachi, excluding the countless spas which are open in private houses. Do we then see a growing industry? Shah says, “Apparently, it seems that there will be more spas and salons and less houses! On a serious note, the way things are now, the spa trend will certainly be booming. But only spas that maintain their standards and the quality of products used will succeed.”

Shiraz, too, feels that the spa culture will continue to pick up in the metropolitan city. “The spa culture is certainly growing in Karachi. Salons have expanded into mini spas and I feel that in the next five years almost all reputed salons will offer spa facilities,” she says.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2013.

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Fashion designer Wardha Saleem and design coordinator for Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) Maida Azmat were spotted at the Lux Style Awards 2013 red carpet. Both ladies looked hot in these digital printed silk dresses which caught our attention. Here’s a breakdown of their looks:

Wardha Saleem

Hair & Make-up

Wardha had her brown straight hair half up, showing off her earrings. While the designer pinned half of her hair, she still had volume on her crown. We love the bronzy make-up and thickly lined eyes.

Outfit

Wardha’s choice to wear a flowy, printed gown seemed to work for her that night. While the dress has no shape or slits, the beautiful gold-and-black abstract design on her dress, that is her own creation, looked appealing.

Accessories & shoes

The designer carried a clutch which camouflaged with her dress. A bright coloured purse would have been a better choice. We can’t see the shoes, but her dangling earrings matched perfectly with the dress.

Maida Azmat

Hair & Make-up

The design coordinator Maida chose to brighten her look with a peachy lip-shade. Her eyes stood out with her dark make-up and heavy mascara.  She left her hair down, parting it right through the middle. Two thumbs up for maintaining volume!

Outfit

Maida rocked in her printed sleeveless flowy dress, designed by Wardha Saleem. The graceful lady pulled off this half-colour print, half black-and-white with confidence.

Accessories & shoes

Unfortunately, Maida didn’t accessorise her outfit. We would have liked to see some funky bracelets or earrings for the red-carpet event. While we can’t see her shoes, we hope Maida wore a nice pair of open-toed heels.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2013.

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The film’s writer and host of the night Vasay Chaudhry elaborated on the kind of cinema actor-producer Humayun Saeed and his team support. “Song, dance and drama is the style of cinema that we believe in,” said Chaudhry. “From 1947 to 2001, more than 4,300 films were released in Pakistan with dances, songs and drama. This is as much our style of cinema as it is our neighbour’s.”

After Chaudhry’s brief on the film, film distributor Nadeem Mandviwalla shared his views. “On all such jubilant occasions, we should never forget to pay tribute to and thank people like Nadeem Baig and Javed Sheikh who have seen the industry go through thick-and-thin and have been resilient,” said Mandviwalla. According to Mandviwalla, Main Hoon Shahid Afridi is expected to do a great job at the local box office.

Like every cricket-loving citizen of Pakistan, Saeed also expressed his love for Shahid Afridi and how this film is a tribute to him. “I would have easily made a shaadi biyaah type of a film, but I always wanted to pay tribute to one of our own Pakistani stars in their life time,” said Saeed.

“Whether he performs or not, Shahid Afridi will continue to be Shahid Afridi for us,” said Saeed. He then thanked all the cast and crew for their continuous support and hard work but failed to mention Mathira, who performed an item number in the film. She walked out of the conference in protest. Main Hoon Shahid Afridi also features Javed Sheikh, Nadeem Baig, Shafqat Cheema, Humayun Saeed, Mahnoor Baloch and Noman Habib, who plays the lead role.

Saeed, who invested $1 million into the film, initially had asked the legendary cricketer himself to act in the lead role. “They offered me the role but my elders didn’t let me act, but I happily gave them permission to use my name as this film will bring a positive message,” Shahid Afridi later told AFP.

Veteran actor Javed Sheikh talked about his experience in contributing to the new age of Pakistani cinema. “I must assure you that Humayun Saaed and his team will bring you a pleasant surprise on the first day of Eid,” said Sheikh, who also believes that if Pakistani dramas can beat Indian dramas, then Pakistani films can also beat Indian films. “The new wave of Pakistani cinema will come from Karachi and the new film-makers will make better films than India in much more limited circumstances,” he added.

Senior actor Shafqat Cheema, in his signature aggressive style, explained his character, which is significantly different from the one in Bol. Being one of the most senior cast members, Nadeem Baig said he is hopeful of the new Pakistani cinema, while he grieved over artists going to Bollywood. “There is nothing bad about going to Bollywood, but not at the cost of your own cinema,” said Baig.  “Respect your soil and culture because it’s a part of you and you are a part of it.”

Director Syed Ali Raza had a more proactive approach towards the new wave of Pakistani cinema. “We are not here to compete but to walk hand-in-hand with our neighbours, for the cause of entertainment,” he said. “Whether you win or lose doesn’t matter, but play with such a spirit that you can look into each other’s eyes after the game,” said Raza, using one of the lines from the film.

The evening ended with the unveiling of some very catchy songs from the film after which we can easily say that the audience is definitely in for some good surprises.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2013.

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However, when the men in uniform act more or less like Robin Hood, helping innocents by hook or by crook, then the image of the police force comes across as rather a mafia. While previous films have managed to tackle this representation subtly and have shifted the narrative whenever the audience might question the police as a force working purely for its ego satisfaction, Policegiri accepts the harsh reality — the growing ‘dadagiri’ of the Policegirs!

The story is about Rudra Aditya Devraj (Sanjay Dutt), Deputy Commissioner of Police, who with his grand name comes to cleanse Nagapuram of all the crime-driven activities and restore peace. Unfortunately, apart from its slight effort of evolving the typical Bollywood cop narrative, which after seeing the film seems less of a conscious effort, there is nothing brilliant about the film. Once again shamelessly borrowed from a Southern hit, Policegiri is Tamil director KS Ravikumar’s first Hindi film and rightly so because the film as a whole turns out to be bland with repetitive and incredibly loud Southern-inspired action sequences that seem pretty mindless.

The dialogues are average and the screenplay appears to be executed rather foolishly. The heroines in such movies often play irrelevant roles and so does the charming beauty Prachi Desai; she seems more fit to be Dutt’s daughter and hence, looks out of place. The real let down remains to be Prakash Raj, who despite being such an incredibly diverse actor seems to have been fixated in the role of an obnoxious super villain — that is kind of getting more ridiculous by the day.

Nevertheless, it is pretty ironic that Dutt plays a policeman in this film right after he went to jail but at the same time, it is tragic that we won’t be seeing more from this ultimate performer for a while. After all, be it the cool and witty concept of ‘Gandhigiri’ as Munnabhai or his aggressively painful Policegiri as DCP Rudra, this veteran actor knows how to fit in any role with sheer class and style. We hope to see Dutt back on the silver screen with a better film because it’s this man’s charismatic personality that has dominated the Pakistani poster market and work out routines at gymnasiums for generations.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2013.

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