The two renowned chefs worked together on each other’s personal recipes. While chef Javed followed Amina’s instructions to make grilled prawns, Amina flexed her hands with Javed’s traditional Lahori chicken karahi recipe. The redolence of the food along with great ambiance was the highlight of the day where the traditional decoration portraying the rich culture of the Mughal era made it a win-win situation and a memorable experience for the visitors.

Talking about her trip to Pakistan, Amina said, “It is a wonderful experience visiting Pakistan. I would love to come back again, as Chef Anjum Javed is very open to teach me how to cook a traditional Pakistani dish.”

Pakistani cuisine is all about the fieriness of spices and an overdose of tender meat but why did chef Javed particularly pick the karahi for this event? “Lahori karahi is a dish which every Lahori eats. So, by such fusion cooking we could promote our cuisine and culture internationally,” he said.  “It helped me a great deal in learning about their cuisine and recipes, so honestly, I feel honoured to do a fusion cooking session with such a professional cook and it surely is an opportunity of a lifetime for me,” said Javed while sharing his experience with Amina.

Such a cultural exchange with Australia is surely one of its kinds for Pakistan as Amina truly represents the best of both worlds. “We are really delighted to bring her to Pakistan as she is a perfect picture of the modern Australia ready to learn about different cultures, traditions and cuisines and interact with them. She is a young, dynamic professional who is enthusiastic about foods and cuisine of different regions,” asserted Melissa Kelly, the first secretary of Australian High Commission in Pakistan.

Surely it was a great opportunity for the hotel itself to host this event. “It is an honour for us. They agreed to do a fusion cooking session with us which we arranged to show some significance between the two cultures as food is universal. It surely is a great initiative to promote culture exchange between both the countries,” said Aalia Tariq, director public relations at PC Hotel.

Considering Amina’s impeccable talent that was clearly evident throughout the time she was on MasterChef, there is no doubt that everybody present at event was all praise for her. “She is a through professional at her job and felt naturally comfortable with Pakistan, which was quite surprising and exciting for us at the same time,” told Faizan Haq, media and political officer at the Australian High Commission, to The Express Tribune.

Overall, the session was an exciting treat for visitors as well as those who were involved in putting it together, including actor Ayesha Sana, who hosted the event.

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

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As the biography moves along, tales become larger than life, peppered with filmy Bollywood lines. The journalist, who’s a reporter by profession, stresses that he can only write the story, not print it. Daku retaliates, stating that the story be written and formatted in English so he can get away with subtle lies which are more obvious if written in Urdu language.

There are also a number of other prominent characters, constantly adding spice to the play as the plot unfolds. Daku’s partner, called 18, resides with the gang, and her jhatkay and nakhray are what make it more of a commercial success. A definite first for Pakistani theatre was the presentation of a caged lioness on stage (yes it was real) also referred to as Mano, the Daku’s little cat. The booklet provided at the venue mentions that “no animals were harmed in the making of this theatre play”.

The leading man of the show is none other than Salman Shahid, who plays the role of Sultana Daku effortlessly.

Daku’s henchmen Chuski and Kackraa, are played by Usman Ali Khan and Zubair, respectively. These two definitely steal the limelight, and if the play is a success, it’s due to their brilliant dialogue delivery.

As a smart journalist called Danish, Ahmad Ali can perform better. While the purpose of his role is to untangle knots and put things in perspective, he doesn’t quite pull through, and his performance can be best described as mediocre.

Violinist Ustad M Saleem does complete justice to his part, playing the right music at the right time, and really setting the mood of the scene.

Abdullah Farhatullah has written a great play, but his direction falls short in some instances, making it look as if some actors are over-reacting. Producers Usama Qazi and Mohsin Ejaz also deserve credit for producing this play in a rather somber Karachi. Props and setup by Ahmed have been duly noted, and very accurately depict the look of a robber’s den.

The play runs in FTC Auditorium till the September 8, 2013, and begins every evening from 8: 30pm. Regular tickets are priced at Rs1,000, with student tickets priced at Rs500.

Verdict: If you’re up for some hilarious moments with friends and family, and can relate to filmy Bollywood lines from the ‘80s, then this play is right up your alley! However, if you prefer satire or drama, this play is a no-go.

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

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While the play is primarily about “the two people who contributed most to Pakistan’s destruction” — General Ziaul Haq and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto — it manages to mention everything that appears on the checklist of Pakistan’s problems. Drones, negotiations with the Taliban, Pakistan Peoples Party’s governance (or lack of), assassination of Nawab Akbar Bugti, PIA , railways, Pervez Musharraf’s arrest, target killings and of course, the “minorities” — you name it, they have it.

Given the growth of theatre in Pakistan in recent years in which we have seen some brilliant performances, the acting of Gohar Rasheed as Ziaul Haq, Wassam Waheed as Bhutto and Zahid Ahmed as Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, were fairly mediocre. The exaggerated sulk and hunch and loud and emotional speeches meant to add patriotic fervour made for a generally poor performance.

But one actor who does outstandingly well is Yasir Hussain, who plays three different characters — a Sindhi politician, a Pakhtun poet and an aged man on the railway station. Hussain has brilliant dialogue delivery and steals the stage with his presence each time.

The weakest part of the play is the script itself.  It thrives on the sadistic pleasure of counting present losses and thinking back to a glorious past — the existence of which, is of course, debatable.

The separation of East Pakistan surfaces at various instances with Jinnah criticising Bhutto for the split between the two sides.  It seems that the creation of Bangladesh has left a deep scar on the writer as it is discussed with a great sense of loss in both Pawnay 14 August and Sawa 14 August. But although there is repeated mention of the incident, the script puts the onus solely on Bhutto. In fact, he is made to seem almost nonchalant over the matter. At one point he says, “Woh to kabhi Pakistan ka hissa tha hi nahi [East Pakistan was never a part of the country].”

This version of history does not only reflect a selective amnesia, but is also dishonest. There is no mention of the riots over the national language, decades of economic neglect, discrimination or human rights violations by the Pakistani state that existed prior to the emergence of Bangladesh.

The script is similar in its mention of Balochistan. While there is a Sindhi, Pakhtun, Punjabi and one character who seems to be a mahajir, there is no Baloch. When the Pakhtun poet (who for some unexplainable reason carries a parrot with him) is asked about how things are in Balochistan, he says there is a problem in the ‘Bugti rag’. Very intelligent. Very witty. Very simplistic.

The script hinges its humour on stereotypes from the clueless PPP voter, to the elite Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf supporter and Pakhtun accents. Classist humour at one part of the play is particularly shocking when there is a dialogue on ‘maasi tumhay Mercedez ki sair karoun’. Worse than the dialogue itself, is the roar of laughter from the audience at this point.

Jinnah’s emphatic message for students at the end of the play is yet another loophole. In an emotional speech, he tells students to concentrate on their studies and not indulge in politics. This is particularly surprising for the portrayal of a man who encouraged students to direct their energies towards attaining Pakistan. The inclusion of student politics by Maqsood is both surprising and out of place, especially because the play bashes politicians throughout. The writer does not seem to recognise that it is perhaps the restriction on student politics that has led to the political vacuum we suffer from today.

If sensitive and controversial matters are to be discussed, they must be told with a greater degree of honesty. While the intention of the writer and director to tell the history of Pakistan to the younger generations may well be good, telling half the story is more dangerous than not saying anything at all.

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

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And yet, plenty of retail space is no guarantee of success. The short-lived D-Mart had the space to include a deli counter, a meat counter and more, alongside an extensive grocery section. However, it was poorly laid out and never quite managed to get its mix of stock quite right. This, and an over-reliance on own-brand products quickly lost it customers. Housewives don’t want to go to a store where they won’t find the top-selling local brand of washing-up liquid.

Farid’s, however, has not made any of these mistakes. The grocery section is well thought out and offers a staggering variety of well-known brands, both local and imported. There is a dedicated baby shop in the pharmacy section that has everything from Avent bottles to Cerelac. Its own brand of rice, daals, spices, etc are all high quality and well-priced. The meat section similarly, is super-hygienic and is priced lower than competitors like Hyperstar. It also stocks specialist gluten-free food and organic food, as well as catering for wheelchair users. An immense amount of thought has gone into the inventory and layout and this is what will keep customers coming back.

The tableware section is particularly well done, with a small but well chosen array that includes Royal Doulton and silver chafing dishes, as well as brands from the Far East. Budding Masterchefs can find an interesting array of kitchen gadgets including those appealing blow torches that chefs on TV are always using.

The homewares section is the only one that is not entirely convincing. Existing stores like Gul Ahmed Ideas and Chen One offer a better selection of bedding and towels. There are some interesting decorative home accents but overall the choice is somewhat limited. This section could have been so much more. What Farid’s does do well, is that is has a great variety of high-quality home products. Little things like storage jars, dustbins, soap dishes, shoe racks and toilet brushes — all very tasteful and priced to suit any budget.

Farid’s is keen not to pigeon-hole itself as an upscale, high-priced store merely for the moneyed few. It claims to cater to everyone and seems to have achieved this. It has the space to stock an extensive range of local products alongside its imported and specialist goods. It certainly made an effort to include quality products to suit every budget. For example, Farid’s tableware section includes hand-painted Pakistani plates as well as Versace tea sets. The beauty section has displays for Karaja and Luscious as well as MAC and Clarins. The toy section has Fisher-Price toys alongside less well-known brands. This aim to suit every pocket is bound to work to Farid’s advantage, but it is ultimately its range of luxury goods that sets it apart. The cigar store, the extensive range of golfing equipment and the designer cufflinks in the men’s corner are all aimed at a certain lifestyle.

Al-Fatah in Lahore may not have a mini spa or nail art machine like Farid’s, but it offers an even wider range of goods than Farid’s. However, it is difficult to think of a store in Karachi that offers everything this store does. Other upscale groceries tend not to have as wide a variety of local goods due to space considerations. Groceries like EBCO and My Superstore have the space but haven’t achieved the same delicate balance between everyday and luxury groceries. For example, Farid’s has a far more extensive cheese section than either EBCO or My Superstore, and it is the only one that stocks Lloyd Grossman’s Pasta sauce as well as cheaper varieties.

Prices at all these stores are very similar though Farid’s is keen to point out that it’s prices are more reasonable than Hyperstar for staples like meat and daal. Like Farid’s, Hyperstar does offer more than just groceries, but its inventory of imported goods is not of the same high standard as Farid’s. Add the hangout possibilities at Liberty Books and the mini-food court outside, and it’s clear that Farid’s is set to become very popular indeed.

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

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

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Multi-talented singer-songwriter, Adele came to fame in 2008, when her debut album, 19 released gaining great commercial and critical success. She won an Oscar for the Best Original Song, earlier this year for her James Bond theme song, Skyfall.

Due to her originality and award-winning talent, she has now been approached by a top publishing company, Puffin to write children’s books which will have a simple story-line based on motherhood (since she is the mother of an adorable baby-boy,) with simple images that will make it an easy-read for kids. Dailystar.co.uk, quoted a source as saying “Adele loves the idea. It won’t reveal anything too personal as that’s not her style. But the book will be something she can have as a memory of her early days as a mum and also something she can dedicate to her son. Everyone is very excited.” Like Madonna, Ricky Gervais and David Walliams who have been very successful as authors of children’s books, Adele is also expected to do remarkably well.

“Everything Adele touches turns to gold and this will rocket the way JK Rowling and Harry Potter did,” the source added.

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

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A case in point: Shaan Shahid

Don’t get me wrong. Shaan is a credible and intelligent actor. His choice of roles, over the years, may suggest otherwise, but the man is Pakistan’s biggest film star. His contribution to cinema — even in the form of wild gujjar films — is not small. He’s still here.

Shaan was the poster boy for the so-called ‘revival of cinema’ in 2007 when Shoaib Mansoor’s Khuda Kay Liye released. The film was a mammoth hit and Shaan put up a solid performance but it was a one-off. And there have been some fabulous looking films that Shaan has done since then including Zilay Shah and the recent Ishq Khuda. Yes, I’m smirking. No, I haven’t seen them. I have reluctantly watched the trailers and they paint a strange and horrifying picture.

Shoaib Mansoor’s second feature film, Bol, created a star out of Humaima Malick while Mahira Khan and Atif Aslam grabbed the youth’s attention. A bold effort by Mansoor had Pakistan feeling uncomfortable, talking about things we usually shove under the carpet, quietly. It made us think.

Now fast-forward to 2013 and you’re in for a surprise. Some prolific films are coming out in the upcoming weeks. One of the most-anticipated films of the year is Bilal Lashari’s stylistic debut feature, Waar. Bilal Lashari has our attention partially because of some superlative videos behind him such as Overload’s magnificent Dhamaal and the most credible Atif Aslam video to date, Hungami Halaat. Casting Meesha Shafi and Ali Azmat was a masterstroke because they will pull in urban audiences right alongside Shaan and his ‘mass’ appeal.

So, we’ve got Ishq Khuda and Waar featuring Shaan. Then there is Zeba Bakhtiar and son Azan Sami Khan’s Operation 021, co-produced with Jamshed Mahmood’s Azad Films, that also stars Shaan as a CIA agent. Finally, there is Nasir Tehrany’s Naach, a film revolving around the performing arts, also featuring Shaan — whether it’s a supporting role remains to be seen.

So, we’ve got two films inspired by the war on terror (or so it seems from the trailers) in addition to Khuda Kay Liye (another war on terror theme) and all of them star Shaan. Shaan is multi-faceted so he’s also going to be directing a film — and not for the first time — and it will, in all probability, star Humaima Malick and you guessed it, Shaan. The film is supposedly called Mission Allahuakbar. Shaan has also announced a remake of the timeless Mahesh Bhatt film, Arth. Preliminary media reports suggest that he is indeed planning on casting himself.

Numbers don’t lie

Maybe Shaan fits the bill for ‘all’ of these roles but it doesn’t change the fact that it feels like we have no other actor who can act in movies. It isn’t hard to analyse why Shaan was cast. He can act and he’s very popular with the masses.

Shoaib Mansoor took a leap of faith by casting Fawad Afzal Khan in Khuda Kay Liye. It paid off because one can’t imagine Ali Zafar bringing that same level of intensity to the role. Farjad Nabi and Meenu Gaur cast Amna Ilyas and Khurram Patras and in doing so, they managed to set their film apart from every other film. Zinda Bhaag managed to bag four awards at the Mosaic MISAFF festival in Toronto, including Best Picture by beating out prolific films like Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist.

Shameless flirting, falling in love, dreaming of foreign shores, illegal immigration, the ties of friendship are just some of the themes running through Zinda Bhaag. Khurram and Amna, meanwhile, make an interesting onscreen pair. With Naseeruddin Shah in a supporting role and a special appearance by Manzar Sehbai, the film looks unique.

We love Bollywood so much so let’s take their example. It’s always been a star-driven industry. So, what’s changed? Bollywood is no longer just a star industry. The success of newbies like Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh, Ayushmann Khurrana, Aditya Roy Kapoor and Sushant Singh says otherwise.

In recent years, the success of television dramas like Humsafar and Zindagi Gulzar Hai has transformed an actor like Fawad Khan into a national heart-throb. Even a newcomer might do the trick. However, if every film-maker continues to run with Shaan, the excitement of ‘revival’ may just fizzle out or maybe it’s just one woman’s opinion.

Maheen Sabeeh

is a freelance journalist. She blogs at maheensabeeh.wordpress.com and tweets @maheensabeeh

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

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Actor Robert Pattinson started off his career as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire but only acquired worldwide fame after bagging the role of the attractive vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga. This made him one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood and also earned him a spot in TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the World in 2010.

However, now this renowned actor is supposedly concentrating on his singing career by working with some top names in the music industry. “He’s heavily invested in his music career and it will only be a matter of time that he has a number one hit on his hands. He is very talented and extremely passionate about making this happen. Rob is a very humble, deep, thoughtful person and music is his way of expressing his authentic self,” a source said, according to showbizspy.com.

Pattinson has also decided to shift into a new home in an attempt to put his ex-girlfriend, actor Kristen Stewart, behind him so he can move on with his life.

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

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SRK co-produced Chennai Express, which also stars Deepika Padukone as the female lead, with UTV, and the romantic comedy is reaping gold at the box office. Farah is interpreting the success of the film as good news for her upcoming film, as Bollywood Badshah is producing her project as well.

“I am very happy at the success of Chennai Express. It has broken all records. Shahrukh is the hero and producer of my film. Now he will come on the sets of my film filled with more energy, and will hopefully shell out more money for my project. I am very happy,” said Farah.

She was speaking on the sidelines of the curtain raiser of Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2013. Farah is repeating hit pair of SRK-Deepika in Happy New Year. She worked with them in Om Shanti Om, which also marked Deepika’s debut in Hindi filmdom. Farah also informed Happy New Year, which also stars Abhishek Bachchan, is set to go on floors next month. “The schedule will start on September 1 in Dubai,” said Farah.

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

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The dollar amounts in dispute had not been previously disclosed in the court challenge that the Jackson estate filed in July to a bill from the IRS, the US tax-collecting agency.

At issue is the wide difference between what the estate said Jackson’s legacy was worth versus what the IRS determined was its taxable value. An IRS spokesman and lawyers for the estate declined to comment.

Jackson died on June 25 in 2009, the date of the estate tax return. His estate’s beneficiaries are Jackson’s mother, Katherine, his three children and charities.

The estate’s 2009 tax filing said the total Jackson estate had a $7 million taxable value. In May, the IRS issued the estate a tax deficiency notice for $505.1 million in taxes and $196.9 million in penalties, according to Tax Court documents dated Tuesday.

Jackson’s image and likeness were valued by the IRS at $434 million. The estate said its taxable value was $2,105.

The largest taxable item was the estate’s stake in some of Jackson’s recording assets, listed as MJ/ATV Publishing Trust interest in New Horizon Trust II, which was valued at $469 million by IRS. It was not valued in the 2009 estate filing.

The IRS’s alleged tax deficiency also includes some items that were overvalued by the estate. A Jackson estate spokesman said the IRS’s appraisal values “were based on speculative and erroneous assumptions unsupported by the facts or law.” The Jackson estate has paid $100 million in taxes, he said on Friday.

Under Tax Court rules, the Jackson estate will not need to pay any taxes or penalties unless the court rules in favour of the IRS.

Jackson died at age 50 from an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol while rehearsing for a series of comeback concerts in London.

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

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“Hamid Mir has given out wrong information to the general public. He said he’s been watching me on TV for the past 27 years whereas, I entered the industry as a child star in 1995,” she says in an angry tone, claiming that it’s misinformation. “He is a senior journalist and he should not share false news. This is not the right kind of journalism that he is promoting.” Wary of his intentions, she asks, “What personal grudge does he have against me? What kind of a national agenda is this that he’s insulting me?”

Meera says that she had high regard and expectations from a man of Mir’s calibre but was left stunned when she watched the Eid transmission on Geo — hosted by cricketer Shoaib Akhtar — where she feels she was mocked.

Comments regarding age and looks are secondary when it comes to making heads turn for Meera. It’s the way she speaks English that has really brought her into the limelight. “No one has the right to make fun of me or my English. Either you prove it or you sit quietly,” she says.

“Nobody can defame me. I will send notices to those involved through my lawyer, and they will have to face the court.” Meera believes that she is a prominent star and does not deserve to be openly ridiculed. “Every Tom, Dick and Harry is on TV acting like Meera!” she snaps. “I am taking my life very seriously now and want to build a hospital in Pakistan for my country-men.”

Speaking about other journalists and TV personalities, Meera says, “They are doing better journalism and at least, not doing injustice to others,” referring to Mubashir Lucman and Sahir Lodhi.

All the mockery has resulted in a de-motivated Meera who is no longer interested in entertaining the audience. “Ishq Khuda is my last Lollywood film. I am not going to sign anymore — they [people] make fun of me for no good reason,” she says regretfully. “There is no motivation or support for an actor like me.” This final comment is strange, since she recently expressed gratitude at the ‘success’ of Ishq Khuda and vowed to continue working.

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

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The charge sheet

Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor is always out to make a fashion statement. And while we are mostly out of seats to give her a standing ovation, her outfit at the trailer launch of her father’s TV show 24 left us scratching our heads. She could have looked so much snazzier!

Hair

The hair is making her look like a librarian — she’s just missing the glasses. A high-pony tail with back-combing at the crown would have given it the voluminous boost it needs.

Make-up

There’s smokey eyes and then there’s a black eye. Sonam is sporting a mild case of the latter. A simple liner and a brighter lip-shade would have done the trick. The nude gloss and bronzed cheeks are just not going with the black eyes.

Outfit

This military-inspired dress from Victoria Bekham’s 2012 fall collection is not working for Sonam. The black patch pockets are not doing any wonders for her gorgeous figure. With the unflattering length of her dress she indeed, looks like a military-enrolled soldier.

Accessories and Shoes

With the gold buttons on the dress, the fashion diva could have accessories with a cuff. But she decided to go with a simple Prada clutch and gold earrings which added no style whatsoever. Her black ankle-boots are out of place.

Bail out!

Deepika Padukone

With her red luscious lips and sexy silver high-heels, this gorgeous Cocktail fashion star, looks absolutely ravishing! The red body-con dress with black stripes flatters her ultra-fit body and makes her look bold and beautiful. With a back-combed crown and elegantly tied hair (which Sonam should learn from!), she lives up to her high fashion status.

Kareena Kapoor 

Even though we usually see Bebo carrying a simply elegant dress, this edgy Tom Ford dress suited her impeccably.  With the shapely silhouette of a bodycon and a gold belt, the dress blended well with her majestic personality. Even though there was something quirky about the dress, it did not make her look graceless as she showed-off her sleek straight hair and black peep-toes. Sonam really needs a tip or two from our lustrous chammak challo.

Priyanka Chopra

OMG! That was our first reaction when we saw this actor-singer pulling off size-zero with utmost perfection! The light blue, partly off-shoulder dress makes her look sexier than ever! With flawless make-up and tousled hair, PC is appealing to the eye and will definitely attract attention from all the heartthrobs of B-town.

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

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Actor Shabana Azmi, who is also a popular social activist, recently expressed her disapproval over politicians blaming migrants for the rise in crime against women. “Firstly, I would like to begin by condemning this horrible incident of gang-rape in the city of Mumbai, which we take in pride in calling the safest of India. But the incident has happened after the anti-rape law has been passed in Parliament,” said Azmi to the reporters at a fund-raising event, according to IANS. “The fact that it can happen with such impunity points out that people do not have fear instilled in them that the law will actually take its own course. This is very shocking, and the culprits should get the severest punishment possible.”

Shabana Azmi says that it is very unfortunate that politicians are blaming migrants for the rise in crime against women. PHOTO: FILE

Branding the trend of politicians jumping to conclusions as “hasty” and “unfortunate”, the 61-year-old said that one should focus on solutions, rather than “politicising the debate”. “To randomly make comments about why crimes are on the rise without going into any real social analysis would be a hasty decision. I think this is a very unfortunate way of saying that migrants are responsible for such incidents. If you look at the statistics of Maharashtra, more than 30% of the migration that takes place the state happens from its interiors only,” said Azmi.

“I would have hoped that instead of rushing to such hasty conclusions, we should look at the facts as they are and keep our concentration on making sure that each one of us, as active citizens, participates in whatever solutions are required to change the mindset that uses rape as a means of subjugation, instead of politicising the debate,” she asserted.

The actor, who herself has featured in a number of women-centric roles, has been quite active on the ‘crimes against women’ front. She was previously seen at a protest rally in New Delhi relating to the Delhi rape case and had accused the government of “diluting the potency” of the Justice Verma Committee report on sexual crimes. “We must keep pressure on the government, so that it implements the report in its totality,” she had said, reported the Hindustan Times.

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

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The troupe will play five shows in Canada, 13 shows in England, including one in Glasgow, and then 14 shows in Europe. The growing international exposure caters mainly to expat South Asians, who are predominantly of Indian descent.

Muhammed Shahid Ali, who is a theatre veteran and manager of Thakur’s troupe abroad, is organising the tours. He says that the idea to take along more people on tour is in order to expand their overall look and performance. He said that famed stage actor Khushboo, was also tabbed to go along with several other major theatre personalities.

“We have been getting a great response abroad,” says Ali. More importantly, he explained that they had found that Punjabi was the most commonly spoken language amongst the expatriate community. “We have to look at the audience when deciding the type of plays we want to perform, and we do it in Punjabi for that reason.”

A dwindling culture

It is ironic though, that theatre reach within Pakistan is deteriorating, while Punjabi theatre is flourishing abroad. Regional Punjabi stage theatre was once connected to a vibrant theatre scene also present in Karachi and Islamabad, and included the likes of Sohail Ahmed, Umer Sharif and others. “It’s unfortunate, that the situation in Karachi has changed to the point where it has become difficult to do theatre,” says Thakur. “We have limited performances, and what we do is change some of the characters to Urdu-speaking or Sindhi, to accommodate the audiences there, we have artists from different backgrounds who can represent each province when necessary.”

Built from the ground up, local Punjabi stage theatre has transformed into one of the most self-sustaining industries in Punjab, and one of the few entertainment spots where revenues are generated primarily on ticket sales. The Al Falah theatre group consists of many serious theatre talents, such as Aman Ullah, Amanat Chan and Nasir Chiniyoti

Thakur explains that popularity of local theatre has emerged from the absence of any other outlets of entertainment. Unfortunately, Al Falah theatre has been under threat in the past, as it was bombed by terrorists in 2009.However, that’s something no one really talks about, and Thakur considers theatre a simple way for his audience to escape every day stress.

“People assume that only Pakistan is in crisis, but the news shows us that crimes occur all across the world, and that being said, bullets are fired regularly,” says Thakur. “Our goal is to make sure no bullet is fired during a play, and to maintain continuity throughout the performance, which for two hours and 10 minutes has the audience laughing.”

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

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Hip-hop artists Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars were among other top winners, with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis taking home three awards, including best hip-hop video.

But even top VMA nominees had been overshadowed in recent days by the rumoured ‘N Sync re-union, their first performance since 2002, which took place in the midst of Timberlake’s lengthy medley of hits ahead of his accepting the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.

As the star wound down his solo performance, the band’s other members rose up through the stage and slowly turned to face the audience, spotlights shining from above. The ‘N Sync members then performed another extended medley of hits.

“I don’t deserve this award,” Timberlake, 32, said after TV talk show host Jimmy Fallon presented it to him. “But I’m not going to give it back.”

He noted that half of the many VMAs he had won were “with these four guys right here,” referring to ‘N Sync singers JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick. “I’m going to share this award with them,” Timberlake said.

Lady Gaga opened the live broadcast with a splashy rendition of her new single Applause, appearing in a series of outfits ranging from a riff on a nun’s habit, with pearls, to a seashell-and-string bikini.

Other performance highlights of the evening broadcast from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center included Miley Cyrus backed by a line-up of dancers outfitted as giant teddy bears as she sang We Can’t Stop. She was then joined by Robin Thicke as the pair led into a duet of Good Girl.

Kanye West, who at the 2009 VMAs notoriously snatched the microphone from Swift as she accepted her award, sang Blood On The Leaves in theatrical fashion as he was lit in dramatic silhouette.

This year, when Swift won best female video for I Knew You Were Trouble, West left her alone.

“I want to thank the fans,” Swift said, adding “I tweeted about this a lot. I really wanted this and thank you so much for doing this for me.”

Macklemore won best hip-hop video along with Ryan Lewis for Can’t Hold Us while One Direction won an award for best song ever. Other winners included Thirty Seconds to Mars’ Up In the Air, which won best rock video, Pink featuring Nate Ruess’ Just Give Me a Reason for best collaboration, Selena Gomez’s Come & Get It won best pop video and Bruno Mars won best male video for Locked Out of Heaven.

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

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“I got my first film because of who I was,” clarifies Parineeti. “After I started getting awards, people started noticing me. I don’t have to sell myself. Directors come to me if they feel I suit the role.” The young actor joined Yash Raj Films (YRF) as a public relations consultant and later went on to sign a three-film deal with the company as an actor, according to the Times of India.

However, Parineeti admits that she does ask Priyanka for advice when she is confused. “She, being my sister, helps me in a way but I get work on my own,” she adds. “We aren’t from a film family so I know who to fall back on for ideas and suggestions. Her presence in the industry makes me more confident.”

She says that she chooses her films herself. “I choose them on my own or with [producers] Aditya Chopra and Maneesh Sharma’s help,” she admits. “But when I am ever in doubt, I ask Priyanka.”

When asked whether the two girls are ever compared, the 24-year-old laughs and says, “We have grown up together and worn each other’s clothes. When comparisons happen, we just laugh. We don’t get why it happens.”

Parineeti will soon be seen in YRF’s Shuddh Desi Romance while Priyanka will be seen in the re-make of Zanjeer. Interestingly, both films will hit the screens on September 6 but Parineeti insists there’s no competition between the Chopra cousins. “I have seen the promos and I loved them,” she said about Priyanka’s upcoming film.

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

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“He said, ‘Parents will now blame me because you came and lived with me in Mumbai, you had a perfectly decent job in a bank and it’s my influence. And you better explain to them that it is your choice!’ Which I did,” she added.

Soha, who is a graduate of the prestigious Oxford University and has a Masters’ from the London School of Economics and Political Science, made her debut in Bollywood in 2004 alongside Shahid Kapoor. She admitted that she never dreamt of following the footsteps of her mother, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore, or her brother and become an actor. But it was simply her love for theatre that eventually drove her in this direction and made her leave a secured job.

“I didn’t think that I wanted to be an actor. I really wanted to do something different. I thought if I would become an actor, everyone would compare me to my brother and mother and say that she chose the easy way. [But] I couldn’t help myself, I loved theatre, I loved acting,” she shared while interacting with students.

“Every time I would cry, I would run to the mirror and watch myself cry like an actor’s scene from a film. So I thought there is a part of me that wants to do it. I tried till I was 25 not to do it, and I said I am going to do something different,” said Soha.

So far, Soha does not have any popular films to her credit but she was appreciated for her role in her last film, Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster Returns. The actor, who is currently in the news for dating actor Kunal Khemu, will next be seen in a war comedy, War Chod Na Yar and another movie called, Chaarfutiya Chhokare.

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

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The Veet Celebration of Beauty 2013 event held over the weekend saw more than a few celebrities walking the pink carpet. However, amidst the glamour and subtle elegance, there were a couple of misses that could have been easily avoided. Here is a round-up on who looked the best and who should have thought twice.

Mehwish Hayat

Contrary to the relatively demure evening, Mehwish Hayat wore this high-on-bling parrot green flared dress by HSY. She sported quite a lot of shimmer and shaadi glam with heavily gold embellished bodice made quite a statement. The soft make-up, loose curls and glittering accessories, added the finishing touches to her overall look. We want to see her in a more subtle and funky floor-length gown.

Aaminah Sheikh

Unlike the LSAs this year, the Veet event was all about pastels. Actor Aamina Sheikh looked mesmerising in soft peachy pink dress, courtesy Nabila. The criss-cross detailing on the top half of the dress and the sheer panel over what was actually a cocktail mini dress, was bold and different – something that has been missing from the red carpet for a really long time. The pearl bracelet was cute too.

Moomal Sheikh

Amidst the girly gowns, actor Moomal Sheikh stepped out in a pair of white skinnies and an oversized powder pink top by Amna Aqeel. Kudos to her for keeping it fresh. Although we feel the length of the back should have been cut in half in order to fit well into the high-low top category, the hairdo and plush lips are bang on trend!

Sara Loren

The actor followed the footsteps of her counterparts from the LSAs and chose to wear a metallic gown by Shehla Chatoor. The dress is just not flattering for her, or maybe we have seen too much of Shehla Chatoor on the red carpet, and are becoming more selective about who we love in it. More effort with the hair would have been appreciated. Those untamed locks are a complete no-no and her bland make-up doesn’t do her justice either.

Ayesha Omer

Ayesha Omer was a true picture of elegance in a one-shoulder, floor-length gown from Khadija Shah’s Elan collection, Ode to a Nightingale from this year’s PSFW . The olive green base with a delicate floral print complemented her petite figure and dewy skin. Her side-parted up-do is similar to what she pulled-off at the Hum TV Awards but a tad bit messy which we simply love. The earrings with green accents also earn her extra points on our style-o-meter.

Sana Sarfaraz

The promising young model, Sana Sarfaraz looked as plastic as they come. In a billowing dress by Sana Safinaz, she tried hard to make a statement with the colour of the season but didn’t quite manage. The oversized black bow, used to cinch the gown for draping, is not at all appealing. Rather, it feels completely out of place. On the other hand, her Grecian braided hairdo is scoring high on our style-o-meter.

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

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Hosting and performances

With a number of outfit changes, the lovely Aamina Sheikh hosted the show with Azfar Rehman. It is interesting to see how Aamina has become the poster girl for various brands and projects. With film ventures such as Seedlings, Josh and My Punjabi Love for You already under her belt, she was also the face of Lux this year. We are not complaining – this beauty is unrivalled in her killer combo of talent, sophistication and charm. During the event, the hosts kept the audience entertained with constant comedy. Jokes ran along the theme of beauty, with mentions of men using these products. In some light-hearted moments, the presenters didn’t spare their event sponsor, as puns centered on hair removal.

The LED light performance was enthralling and different. A tribute was then paid to legendary actor and singer Madam Noor Jehan by Mehwish Hayat, who performed the song Mehki Hawain dressed as a peacock, which would be best described as different. As the night wore on, Zoe Viccaji performed two Nazia Hassan numbers, App Jaisa Koi and Disco Deewane. But the two acts that had the audience raving were Ali Azmat’s performance of Neeli Neeli Aankhon and Dil Mera Bolay and Sara Loren’s closing performance Teri Jhokhi Nazr and Kajra, Kajra was enchanting.

Fashion showcase

The capsule collections of designers Elan, Sadaf Malaterre, Ali Xeeshan and Sana Safinaz were a mix of prêt, luxury prêt and bridal wear.

With some pieces from last year’s bridal week, the Vintage Era by Elan showcased an Eastern bridal wear collection. Playing with an array of colours such as grey and copper, there was also excessive use of gold and silver wire work, along with jamawaar. The collection consisted of everything from dhaka pajamas to jamawaars, with the beautiful Zeba Bakhtiar as showstopper.

Paying homage to the flamboyance of the 1970s, Retro was presented by Sadaf Malaterre, with Sana as the showstopper. Inspired by Western cuts, the collection toyed excessively with black and white. From striped black and white tops and black shimmery bottoms, to black and white polka dot shirts, the collection was loud. The sequined black and white tops were standouts, but the jumpsuit-inspired cuts with frilly collars were unappealing.

Ali Xeeshan Theater Studio presented Pop, experimenting heavily with black and gold for Western cuts. With a Balmain 2012 feel (much like Aamna Aqeel’s FPW5 collection), the over-the-top collection tried hard to make a style statement. Gold skirts, tops with lace and gold details and skirts with black and white digital prints were dominant features, and Nadia Hussain was show stopper.

Sana Safinaz’s Eclectic collection was again inspired by Western cuts. In black and white, giant floral prints ruled the ramp. The collection experimented with high-low hemlines, peek-a-boo sleeves and belted dresses in monochrome. Award-winner Humaima Malick was also showstopper.

Beauty Awards  

A total of eight beauty awards were presented, and the winners are:-

Most Beautiful Smile Award: Syra Yousuf

Most Promising Model of the Year: Saima Azhar

Best Posture Award: Nadia Ali

Miss Catwalk: Amna Ilyas

Most Beautiful Skin: Ayyan

Miss Photogenic: Aamina Sheikh

Miss Elegance: Mahnoor Baloch

Beauty of the Year: Humaima Malick

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

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Nandita reportedly filed a case against her husband, actor Puri, at a police station alleging domestic violence. Journalist-columnist Nandita filed the complaint at the Versova Police Station on August 23. “He has been accused of domestic violence. A complaint was filed by his wife on the August 23,” a police official from the police station told IANS. It was recently revealed that Puri has been taken into custody.

However, the official refused to reveal more information about the case. An alumnus of the National School of Drama and the Film and Television Institute of India, Puri carved a niche for himself with films like Aakrosh and Ardh Satya. He also entertained viewers with his comic timing in Hera Pheri. This is not the first time Nandita and Puri are facing problems. In 2009, when Nandita came out with a biography on her husband titled Unlikely Hero: The Story Of Om Puri, highlighting some of his most private sexual incidents, it upset the Padma Shri winner. “She is a compulsive liar. I have never been involved in any kind of violence. Earlier, she accused me of trying to kidnap her son. Her allegation proved to be a lie,” he said, adding that Nandita ruined his life by writing a book. She denied the allegations. “After my book, he got a Spielberg film,” she said, according to the Times of India.

Puri rekindled ties with his first wife Seema Kapoor, while going through a rough patch with Nandita. He subsequently moved in with Kapoor in Oshiwara. Nandita and Puri are yet to separate legally.

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

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“Saif and I were in love and we decided to get married. For us everything is same. Things are going great (in married life). Saif is the same as before and hopefully, he will never change,” she said, reported the Hindustan Times.

“For media and people, it [marriage] seems like a big thing. But in real life, it is not like that. There have never been any restrictions. We are surprised when people ask what the difference is after marriage, we fail to understand this as there is no difference,” she added.

Being married is usually deemed as a responsible job, but Kareena feels that singlehood and married life have been more or less the same for her. “Since childhood, I was a responsible girl. I had the responsibility of my family… first of my mother, then my sister Karisma and now [I have] Saif’s responsibility. But he is pretty much on his own, he is a responsible person and quite mature,” emphasised the 32-year-old actor.

A strong believer in balance and equality, Kareena said, “Both [love and work] are equal for me. I have been balancing things. I am an actor who has been open about my relationships. There is nothing wrong in falling in love. I don’t know why people associate love with your career. I don’t understand why people ask this. Because love is like the way you breathe air… You love your mother but still you work. I love my mother, family and I still work.”

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

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