There was something very unique about his prowess as a singer; it touched those areas of emotion which people can only dream to explore. He is well-known to the point that Muahmmed Rafi was once reported to have said: “People listen to me, but I listen to Tufail Niazi.”

In recent times, Abrar Ul Haq, Meekal Hassan Band, Asad Abbas, Arif Lohar, Abida Parveen, Ali Abbas and a number of other musicians have all tried to cover Niazi’s work. His son Baber Niazi, who lives in Islamabad, says that his father’s work was intriguing for many because he always maintained a balance. On one hand, he catered to the folk-oriented music, and on the other he brilliantly performed as a classical singer. He was one of the first singers to break traditional norms and mix raags.

Lollywood choreographer Pappu Samrat, whose grandfather Ashiq Hussain Samrat was friends with Niazi, covered the ephemeral song Charkha, in what was his first attempt at singing. Niazi has always been his inspiration as he greatly loved what his music came to represent. Pappu says he thinks his first song was a good attempt and he hopes to continue music.

The song was composed by veteran composer Ronaq Ali, who said that he had tried to make Niazi accessible to modern listeners when composing it. Ali says that he was surprised by how well Pappu handled the composition for a first attempt at singing.

“As a singer, Tufail Niazi is very difficult to cover technically, that’s why I feel not many songs of his have been covered. What I did was, I made it straight so it’s more accessible, but with the same colours,” says Ali.

Baber, Niazi’s son, reveals that the cross-over value and ability of his father’s music to connect with people globally is why many people continue to attempt to cover him, despite the daunting nature of the task. “We spent a lot of time with him till the very end, learning music. I think it’s very clear he is a very difficult person to cover as he changed the style of ghazals. In essence, he was a trendsetter,” says Baber.

Niazi’s three sons — Baber, Javed and Shahenshah — have carried on his legacy. Baber and Javed, who have been honoured with the Pride of Performance awards for their work, are now more associated with in the international circuit, where their specialties in music are still remembered.

“I think it’s actually funny how sarangi is finishing from Pakistan and the sitar from South Asia, whereas, in North America and Europe they are being preserved,” adds Baber.

He says the only way a true revival of classical or folk music can occur is through live music. Moreover, another way to ensure revival would be if the mainstream media channels improve the criteria and merit in the industry.

“Performing live is the life-line of classical music, because it allows you to have two hours to expand and explore. In recording, however, you have a lot more limitation. I remember during my father’s time the emphasis was on merit, people would have to go through a series of auditions and the standards were such that everyone would have to work hard,” says the maestro’s son.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7^th, 2014.

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The conference, which is one of the few spaces that has provided a lifeline to classical music in the country, has time and again made its mark with gripping performances.

Khan and Nahid Siddiqui are among the pioneers of the kathak (form of classical dance) in Pakistan. Both Khan and Siddiqui were students of Maharaj Ghulam Hassan Kathak, who single-handedly sustained the dance form in the country.

Kathak dance, which has over the years become rare in Pakistan, is interesting because it is derived from the word katha, which means to tell a story through the movement of dance, musicians at the event explained.

It is in multiple ways an essential component of classical dance due to its ability to give form to music and, more importantly, its liaison with musical instruments that hail from the subcontinent.

Watching Nighat Chaudhry’s kathak three-taal (rhythm) performance alongside Faheem Mazhar at the APMC event was liberating, to say the least. It was interesting to see Mazhar, who is among the most respected classical singers, to collaborate with the enthralling Nighat Chaudhry.

It takes up immense hard work and concentration of the musicians and dancer to strike the perfect balance between music and kathak dance, which the performers laudably achieved. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS

“This performance is a [spiritual amalgam] because in the beginning, it pays a tribute to Maula Ali (AS) and his spirit in a classical way, and then, there was thumri that has many bol (rhythmic patterns), which even if done without kathak, people really enjoy listening to,” says Basharat Ali, the harmonium player who was excited by the live performances.

It was concluded by a performance comprising sections of the three taal, something that Basharat says the average music listener is not accustomed to, but at the APMC, most listeners connect with and sway to.

“This music is hard to understand for the average listener, but the public that is sitting here understands classical music and how it’s made because of the conference,” adds Basharat.

Chaudhry’s performance was electric as she performed in unison with the music — utilising her body, hands and feet as a way to connect with the rhythm.

The unison was demonstrated by the tabla solos, which followed her lead. Tabla maestro Sajid Ali, who is a member of Siddiqui’s troupe and has performed around four times before with Chaudhry, describes the combination of tabla and dance.

“It’s very difficult to play tabla for kathak dance because you have to follow the dancer. So, you have to practice a lot with the dancer before it is perfected,” says Sajid.

The audience gave great reviews of the performance. Ali Shahbaz Jafri, a clothing designer, has been following the classical music scene for some time. He said that Mazhar was an experienced singer and has been the student of several imminent singers. He added that the audience’s applause was testament to the success of the performance.

“In terms of the story, the combination of tabla and kathak dictates the story of the thirsty crow; there is a crow that is in search of water and when [he finds a jug of water, the neck of which is narrow] he finds pebbles, which he throws into [the jug] to make the water level rise, so that he can drink it,” says Jafri.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2014.

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“When we started our careers, Shaan, the others and  I in the industry wished to bring about changes, however, at that time there was still a demand for gandasa (a wooden poleaxe that is often used to torture criminals by the cops in Asia) in films,” says Bukhari. Even though the film Ishq Positive has been set up to be a commercial one, it has many characteristics of independent filmmaking.

The film came about by chance, when Noor decided to appear in a music video titled Channa for Raga Boyz, shot by Adeel Pervaiz Kaleem. The screen chemistry inspired Adeel to write a rough screenplay keeping in mind Noor Bukhari and Wali Hamid Ali Khan, the band’s lead vocalist and aspiring actor. Noor is certain that 2014 will be her comeback year with this film and then another one, Saya e Khuda e Zuljalal. Ishq Positive is a romantic-comedy that also stars Javed Sheikh, Shafqat Cheema and Irfan Khoosat. Interestingly, the film is being produced by the US-based producer Shazia Hussain.

“The film was always in my blood, it’s hard to explain in words what it means to me. I just love to act, the issue, however, was that, when I first started my career, I did not like the film culture that we had. This film however, is very different and interesting. We found a good team. We wanted to make a new kind of a film, that is not intense but something that people can enjoy,” says Noor.

Wali Hamid Ali Khan says that the project has generated a lot of excitement because it has been a labor of love. “I belonged to the patiala gharana and was the lead singer of the Raga Boyz who had been looking to act, I think it will be a great opportunity to act in Ishq Positive,” says Khan.

Adeel explained that unlike many of the old actors from the industry, Noor is still a young, fresh face and also a promising actor, which has helped her greatly in making a comeback.

“This will be a different role for her, I observed her and wrote it; I tried to search for the characters she is already a part of in real life,” says Adeel.

Noor, however, is not the only one who has made a comeback after seven years; Resham is making a comeback in the yet to be released independent film, Swaarangi, in which she will be seen in a completely different avatar compared to the commercial work that she has done in the past. The reinvention seems logical as even Meera, in one of her mellower interviews, said that she had not received much interest from both the television and new-cinema circuits.

The crew of Ishq Positive will be going to Azad Kashmir to shoot a song, in the coming week. The soundtrack will include songs by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, and several other well-known singers.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2014.

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Despite the fact that the LUMS student body comprises of students who are pursuing degrees in traditional fields of study, such as economics and engineering, many young minds are avidly interested in the dynamic art of film-making.

Their passion is reflected in the three-day-long festival, which constituted both in-person and virtual sessions with notable names of the entertainment industry from both sides of the border.

Kites Grounded

Saturday began with an interesting seminar on the yet-to-be released indie film Kites Grounded.

The film’s team includes producer-director duo Murtaza Ali and Seema Hameed, actor Tasneem Kausar and Ali Noor from the band Noori. Noor, who is one of the few people who have watched the film, is looking towards contributing a song to it.

The interactive discussion revolved around the technicalities of film-making, the ban on Basant, commercial versus art house film-making, and the prospects of film distribution.

“The festival is very nice, but it has been happening for many years and I wish it would expand and be open to the general public,” said Ali. “The response was good, but you still have that feeling – that film-making is not being taken seriously as a profession.”

Old cinema versus new cinema

The seminar featured an entertaining and no-holds-barred talk with Chambaili producer Shahzad Nawaz and director-producer Shehzad Rafique.

Both veterans believe that the industry is heading in the right direction, but there is still a need to produce more films and bring new film-makers to the forefront.

Awaz said that he has witnessed the change that has taken place in the industry, which favours issued-based film-making that challenges the conventional film narrative. “Film-making for a cause is like a struggle; it requires forming a new narrative – one that is our own,” he said.

He urged new film-makers to be honest to their work and not take shortcuts. He stressed upon the need for them to focus on their work instead of networking. “I think we are going in the right direction; the technology is flowing in, but what continues to persist is the need for more films,” he added.

Rafique provided a retrospective glance at the highs and lows of the old industry. He made a pertinent point: Film-makers should not shun veterans. In fact, they should seek apprenticeship from them to improve their practical knowledge of film-making.

He shared that more film festivals should be organised to promote young and independent film-makers in the country. He predicted that by 2017 local cinemas will not have to depend on Bollywood films due to what he foresees as a boom in local films.

Kaanebaz Q&A

Ali Sade’s film Kaanebaz, starring Mohib Mirza, Aamina Sheikh, Faisal Rehman, Rashid Farooqui and Shabbir Jan, premiered at the festival on February 8. It was followed by an interesting session, where Rehman shared that the film was shot in Karachi nearly a year and a half ago.

He encouraged students who are interested in the industry to consider acting as well. “It’s easier to be an actor compared to being a film-maker, because a film-maker has to be an actor and cameraman, while an actor has to be shameless to work in front of the camera and look confident,” he quipped.

It is fitting to see that the external relations team at LUMS brought together some of the industry’s biggest personalities.

Hosted by Shamoon Abbasi, the closing ceremony was attended by Resham, Sangeeta, Omair Rana, Sarah Tareen and Abdul Mannan.

At the occasion, Resham shared her decision to return to the film industry with a role in the film Swaarangi, which is a parallel cinema project.

Sangeeta aptly highlighted the value of such festivals in altering mind sets: “In our time, making a film was considered a sin. This why we want to encourage youth and young film-makers to join the industry.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2014.

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“If I had known this would happen, I probably wouldn’t have called a press conference, but I did because the Bombay press club is liberal. You have to consider that the Press Club is the centre for free speech in India, so if you can’t make press announcements there, that’s not good,” says Hasan.

“I think the press club did give a strong statement. They arrested 20 of these guys and they did say that India is a democracy and our musicians have the right to play with whoever they want to.”

Even with all the excitement surrounding Hasan’s latest initiative, he also inadvertently made local news following a comment regarding Coke Studio he posted on his personal Facebook. Hasan, who has been a staunch advocate of promoting the grassroots and working-class musicians in the country, said he was unapologetic of the statement.

“The article I was addressing had basically explained what a lot of musicians were feeling, there were big expectations when it had started, but it just ended in a rut, a lot of attention was given to superficial things,” says Hasan.

“Coke Studio also seemed to push corporate funding towards entertaining people just through TV or online. The whole idea of music is not so you can be on TV, it’s so you can play music in front of people. Coke Studio basically gave corporate funding the green signal to control entertainment,” adds Hasan.

The new Mekaal Hasan Band has been born out of Hasan’s own desire to expand his musical venture. The band includes flutist Muhammed Ahsan Pappu from Pakistan, drummer Gino Banks, bassist Sheldon D’Silva and vocalist Sharmistha Chatterjee from India. The band is now working on its third album Andholan, which is slated to be released in March by EMI India. After the release, the band plans to do both international and local tours.

“This band, for better or for worse, was getting more attention outside of Pakistan than in the counry, so it [the collaboration] made sense. So, from the record after the next, we will be working on things that [the new members] have studied or learnt. This will help the band evolve because we were previously stuck doing Sufi rock music. I hope to take it into another direction,” says Hasan. The band will maintain its local line-up in Pakistan and will turn into a more collaborative outfit, so that it becomes easier for them to tour and sustain themselves in the current musical environment.

The third album was initially supposed to have Javed Bashir on vocals, but due to his solo projects and other commitments, such a collaboration wasn’t possible. Hasan says the decision had to be made to move on and release the third album with Chatterjee on vocals.

The next album, he says, will be a more musically intense venture, which will still focus on Sufi poetry. The band’s previous album focused on Shah Hussain Inayat, while the upcoming one will comprise two kafees by Bulleh Shah.

“The third album is by far the most intense record that we have done. It’s got longer song structures and more sections in the songs. In terms of the poetry we have stuck with the Sufi poetry.”

The new line-up hopes to add to the musical fusion that the band has been known for. Chatterjee is a trained South Indian classical singer, who was part of the Louiz Bank’s World Music Project and D’Silva is a jazz player. This adds an interesting mix into the bands repertoire.

“Having Chatterjee on the vocals means that there is a whole range of stuff that we can do, which we were not able to get into before, simply because of where I was based. It will change the texture of the band without taking away from the style of writing, it will bring a certain kind of freshness and I think every band needs to, at some stage, reinvent themselves,” says Hasan.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2014.

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Earlier this year, The Hindu did a feature written by Muralidhara Khajane, on the impending crisis surrounding the move to dub Bollywood films, being faced by the Kannada film industry. The issue was also faced by Tamil, Punjabi and other film industries who protested the influx of dubbed films.

In his opening paragraph, Khajane asks: “The dubbing row has a divided house. While the anti-dubbing lobby fails to give answers to practical questions, the pro-dubbing group cites only have economic reasons. Are languages and culture no longer important questions?”

The reality is that the shift towards multiplexes has changed the context in which cinema is approached. This is the advent of cinema-going culture, bred on a certain commercial ethos that looks at films as form of retail —­ something you can experience as part of the economic liberalisation.

The move towards dubbing in smaller markets is about economics and the drive for high-quality films, which, at times, the local industry fails to provide with consistency. Therefore, over the long-term, the local industry will have to ultimately accept dubbed-film culture.

The dubbing trend has been used all-over the Middle East, Europe, Russia and even South America. It’s a trend that has faced considerable opposition from local industries and will continue do so. In places such as Germany, voice-over artistes of A-listers such as Tom Hanks, Jack Nicholson and others, can establish themselves as stars in their own right.

One insider of Bahria Town’s Cinegold operation said that there is political dimension to this phenomenon — an agreement has been made to have more Turkish films dubbed in Urdu for the local market. The officials specified that the experiment was based on the success of Turkish dramas in the country. Interestingly, it also coincides with government’s initiative to promote a shared heritage with Turkey.

“We think to explore Turkish film industry will be a very good opportunity, because it’s close to our country and its culture. The common religion also plays a role. I think a wave has taken over because of the dramas; it’s a great prospect,” said a senior official.Mohabbat Eik Ittefaq has been dubbed over by local radio jockeys who have attempted to make the film more accessible to the local market. Before the premiere, RJ Dr Ejaz Waris admitted he had done several shows condemning the dubbed television dramas and was wary of the impacts of this ‘new trend’.

“I have spoken out against Turkish dramas on my show, but now my gut feeling is that a film has come along and we should try to experiment with it. My only concern is that it should not be at the expense of Pakistani films,” says Waris. His radio channel’s radio jockeys, such as Fatimah Khan and Muaz Raja, have done the voiceover for the film. Others include Tariq Rao, Mazhar, Areeba Sohail, Denials Sohail, Shazia Shahid, Shama, Naghnama Tahir, Umer Saud, Usama Bin Hijazy, Habiba etc. Waris adds that the challenge of dubbing was to ensure that the films integrity is maintained.

“It’s interesting because you want to see how they are able to maintain the emotions or integrity of the characters — it will be fun to see that,” adds Waris.

Overall, the laws of the market suggest that if more dubbed films are introduced in the market, provided that high quality is maintained, people will certainly be watching.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2014.

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My friendship with Naseer Humayun did much to enrich my leftist leanings. He would never sit still; in fact, taking a rest was out of the question. Unfortunately, not many today are aware of this great man’s legacy. Humayun sahib was the last of the bygone era of left-wing workers and an understudy of Mirza Ibrahim, the famed Mazdoor Kissan Party leader who founded trade unions in Pakistan.

In this day and age when political activism occupies several platforms, it is important to examine what Naseer Humayun had to offer to the underlying idea of activism. He was one of the last few working-class leaders who were actually committed to emancipatory politics. Humayun said that the philosophy of a leftist, working class leader should always stem from the realisation that he/she was first a worker and then a leader.

I was lucky enough to have done one of the few at-length interviews with Naseer sahib for the publication Viewpoint Online. During our conversations, he explained that he had joined the railways in 1967, as a katcha mulaazim (non-permanent labourer), where he would shovel coals into a cart for several hours of a day. Only eight days after he had joined the railways, he was arrested during a workers’ strike.

His time both as unionist and political activist was marked by hardships which went on to be a constant theme in his life. Indeed, for many workers like him, the question of politics and activism was never a question – it was simply a way of life. Being a workers’ activist was about committing one’s life to transforming the patron-client relationship.

The optimism which marked Humayun sahib’s struggle was a beacon of hope for many. His dedication seemed to persevere, instead of compromise, to uplift himself personally. He led a life of constant struggle whether it was editing the Awami Jamhuriat, the oldest weekly political magazine of Pakistan’s Left or organising events and discussions.

For newbie leftists, he had a lot of lessons and examples to offer. He inspired them to live life with a sense of humanity and never compromise on political struggle and never be depressed about any situation. He said till the very end: “I have never felt letdown by our struggle. Being a worker of the Left and a trade unionist, I will always continue to work for the Left.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2014.

Every year around February, Al-Hamra Arts Complex in Lahore, normally known for hosting plays, concerts and arts exhibitions is transformed for a throng of aspiring Pakistan muscle-men, who vie to become Mr Pakistan. The open hall is lined with glistening biceps, rigorously toned abs and nervous expressions as the contestants wait for the jury’s verdict. This year, it is Abbas Khan, an unlikely underdog, who bypasses 180 participants from all over Pakistan to win the title for Pakistan’s best bodybuilder. But Khan’s excitement on winning the title is dampened by a sense of dejection as he will not be competing for Mr South Asia this spring in Lahore, due to a lack of funding and support. The story is not an unusual one for lower middle class men who are forced to abandon their passion after years of hard work.

Runner-up at the 2014 Mr Pakistan competition held at Al Hamra Hall, Lahore in February. PHOTOS: SHAFIQ MALIK

Bare minimum

Even though the competition for the title of Mr Pakistan first started in Pakistan in 1954, it did not get much attention until the late 1980s. It was only after an array of bodybuilders from the country competed on international forums (such as Mr Asia, Mr South Asia, Mr Olympia) that the sport gained traction locally as well. But the sport never became mainstream, since it was reported that the ulema council under the Zia era had banned it from being shown on national television, due to the men’s attire in the competition. Hence, bodybuilding has had little audience throughout most of its existence.

But that has failed to deter contestants who train meticulously for months to become the next title holder. To qualify, a bodybuilder must perfect the following seven poses: front double-biceps, front lat-spread, side chest, back double biceps, back lat-spread, side triceps and abs and thighs. The judges rank contestants based on symmetry, proportion and the size of each muscle group. As Arnold Schwarzenegger once alluded, a bodybuilder is like a sculptor, since he perceives his body as something that can be continuously molded and shaped into perfection.

Steroid usage has led to the downfall of several Pakistani bodybuilders. PHOTOS: SHAFIQ MALIK

Khan’s case is no different. Hailing from the humble neighborhood of Ichra in Lahore, he first started training at the age of 15. Since he worked as a warehouse lifter during the day, he had little option but to go to a single-room gym nearby at night with four of his friends. Even though the gym offered minimum facilities, Rs100 a month was all Khan could spare to feed his passion. Over time, he began participating in district competitions and worked his way up the bodybuilding ranks to the city level.

Despite years of experience in the field, Khan can still barely sustain his training costs and depends on a well-organised local support network of veteran bodybuilders who have opened up gyms and support young talent. “To be Mr Pakistan, you need a lot of will and money. People ask me if I train and compete to make the country proud,” says Khan. “But this country takes down people like me so I guess it’s for myself more than anything.”

Fat Busters

When it comes to bodybuilding, Lahore is seen as the hub, as it has produced the highest number of Mr Pakistan title-holders. The city boasts a rich history of masculinity and machismo derived from the sport of wrestling or pehlwani. Gawalmandi, the central part of Lahore, is not only known for its food culture but also for being home to the Bholu wrestling clan. However, with time, wrestling has been replaced by the culture of bodybuilding.

“This is a working class sport,” says Sheikh Farooq Iqbal, general secretary of the Pakistan Bodybuilding Association (PBBA). “You will see everyone from sanitation workers to labourers in this field. Despite the high costs, you will see that bodybuilding is flourishing everywhere in Pakistan, from urban centres like Lahore to small towns like Mardan, Chaman, Loralai, Swat, Larkana, Sukkur and Hyderabad. This is something that sports like cricket cannot boast.” Bodybuilding is immensely popular in the lower middle and lower income classes, but has never earned the same prestige in the more affluent sections of society who may lift weights within the confines of their gyms but have never endorsed it at a public forum.

In small mohallas, however, gyms are seen as a positive sign, as they promote fitness and keep the young men from falling prey to drugs, weapons and crime. “If you look at the history of professional bodybuilding, none of them have been associated with crime. It is an activity that promotes positive thinking,” says Khalid Malik Nawaz, who has trained Khan and runs a small gym in Rehmanpura, Lahore.

Gyms in  small mohallas have seen a massive influx of young men over the past three decades. Not only do these gyms promote fitness, but prevent young men from turning to drugs, weapons and other crimes. PHOTOS: SHAFIQ MALIK

Nawaz, a former national champion, opened Shaukat gym after retirement, which has produced several of Pakistan’s best bodybuilders. “It used to be the kind of place where we had to stop training every time it rained. There were no big halls or air-conditioning or any cover,” he says. Since its inception in the late 1990s, the small gym, which could easily be mistaken for an industrial warehouse, has been a nursery for several national champions and Mr Pakistans over the years. Some of the most prominent names include Ashfaq Butt, Muhammed Hanif, Shoaib Zahoor, Mudassir Khaliq, Amanat Ali and the current Mr Pakistan, Abbas Khan.

Khalid Fitness Center, located in Rehmanpura, Lahore, has produced many bodybuilding champions including Abbas Khan. PHOTOS: SHAFIQ MALIK

During the early 1980s there were only three gyms in the city. Today, Lahore alone has around 500 gyms, which are loosely associated with the PBBA. The growth of gyms and the fitness industry has not been limited to Lahore however and has burgeoned throughout the country.

The quality of gyms started to improve during the 1990s with the opening of Gold’s gym in Lahore, which catered to a higher income class. The rise of cable television and the internet exposed testosterone-fueled young men to the likes of Salman Khan and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Yahya Butt who was Mr Asia thrice and also won the Mr Pakistan title five times was one of Schwarzenegger’s most ardent followers. Butt is credited for introducing workouts based on Schwarzenegger’s encyclopedia of bodybuilding in high-end gyms like Gold’s and later on, Shapes.

As more educated and affluent men picked up weights, the line dividing brain and brawn started to fade and the mindset about bodybuilding began to evolve. “When we started bodybuilding, people thought of us as gangsters,” Butt speaks of the earlier days. “We made a conscious choice of not wearing skin-tight clothing and wandering outside girls colleges because we loved the sport and wanted to transform its image.”

But his passion could not steer him clear of controversy. After having tested positive for steroid use, he was twice banned from competing between 1988 and 1991. The Pakistan Olympic Committee and the PBBA also had to distance themselves from him in the long run and the Yahya Classic (a promising annual event named after Butt in the 1980s) went under the radar.

Ripped glory Abbas Khan after winning the title of Mr Pakistan 2014. PHOTOS: SHAFIQ MALIK

Butt is however, not the only one who has fallen victim to the culture of supplements in the race to push his body to the limit. In 2011, Muhammed Shafique who was made Mr Pakistan thrice died of a heart attack on the night before a competition in Badin. To date, there has been little clarity on the cause of his sudden demise.

Blood, sweat and tears

As with every other industry, bodybuilding is also torn by internal politics. Currently, there is a tug-of-war between two groups; one of them is headed by General (retd) Arif Hassan while the other is led by Major General Akram Sahi. The split threatens their chance to participate in the Olympics (for Pakistani bodybuilders). It also means that two major associations aside from the International Olympics Committee-sanctioned PBBA, Butt’s Lahore Bodybuilding Association and Masoom Butt’s small organisation, are all holding Mr Lahore competitions and vying to be the sole representatives of the sport. At a local level, the schisms between the various associations do not have much of an impact as it only provides more avenues for bodybuilders to compete. However, the lack of unity has constrained Pakistani bodybuilders from rising to international fame.

Not only does the industry lack institutional infrastructure, it provides little payback to those who brave these circumstances.

The history of bodybuilding is replete with stories of former national bodybuilders who have fallen back into poverty due to a lack of financial compensation for the sport. One of the primary examples is Rifaqat Ali, a former Mr Lahore, Mr Asia, and national champion who now drives a rickshaw in the old city.

The costs of the sport cannot be borne through the current prize money since the diet alone costs around Rs3,000 to Rs4,000 per day.

According to former Mr Pakistan, Imran Qureshi, mental acumen is as important as physical strength, if you want to excel at the sport. “If you are really passionate, you will try to understand the constraints and work to find a balance,” he says.

One of the ways bodybuilders can sustain themselves is by making a name for themselves in the industry and using it to train others. “Being Mr Pakistan is a lifetime achievement and your name goes down in the records. You can use this professional credit to train others and make a living for yourself,” explains Qureshi.

Like many former athletes, he owns a gym in Iqbal Town, Lahore, which is constantly swamped by 30 to 40 young bodybuilders, who pay a minimal fee but benefit from Qureshi’s vast experience and mentorship.

Machismo 3.0

Until a few decades ago, masculinity manifest itself in the form of pehelwans, derived from kushti or wrestling. With time, however, bodybuilding has been accepted as the alternate form of manliness. It is now seen as a move towards sophistication — a culture of young males shunning a life of indiscipline and delinquency for a life of commitment, training regiments and physical perfection. However, until the sport is promoted locally and the sportsmen compensated duly, our male Adonis will remain trapped in dingy gyms and narrow alleys.  

Sher Ali is a culture reporter for The Express Tribune. He tweets @sherakhan46

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, February 23^rd, 2014.

The event, which is taking place in collaboration with Summit Entertainment and Super Cinema at the Royal Palm Golf & Country Club and Vogue Towers, is providing screen space for several short and independent films.

Many young film-makers who were selected from local universities, such as the Beaconhouse National University (BNU) and National College of Arts, have been focusing on creating films that highlight social issues and are relatable for a global audience.

Lubna Khaleeq’s film Walled City Painter offers an activist’s view of the lives of renowned old city artists, like Ajaz Anwar and Saeed Akhtar. She says that she decided to make a film on her mentors, who she feels are not valued locally.

She adds that young film-makers have been inspired by the likes of Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, who received international acclaim with the Oscar success of Saving Face. She also highlights the challenges that new film-makers are faced with, which are not only limited to garnering local success, but also include achieving financial security.

“The thing is my generation has many issues to face. I really have no secure future and the same is the case for the coming generation. We get more feedback when we focus on issues that can resonate internationally,” says Khaleeq.

This is where the idea of film festivals comes to good use. As they do in India and France, film festivals provide a central point for film-makers who are working on the fringe to meet members of the film fraternity.

There are several other films, such as Nasir Mazari’s thesis project Life, a ten-minute documentary on poverty near the river Ravi in Lahore. Mazari says his intent is to shed light on poverty-stricken settlers near the river bank. He says international festivals tend to favour such stories and that they remain a driving point for many young film-makers who want to be noticed.

“I think what I wanted to show was not that there was poverty, but that whatever their [the settlers’] lives are like, they are satisfied with them,” says Mazari, who hails from Rahim Yar Khan and was BNU’s first film graduate gold medallist.

He says that he is more comfortable with the documentary film-making format, which allows one to work with a smaller budget. He did, however, do a short film based on Saadat Hasan Manto’s character Sugandhi, which has received recognition locally.

“We are talking about realities and Manto’s writings epitomise reality and society. A lot of his stories are still banned. I think that’s [because he intended] to show the real thing,” adds Mazari.

While issue-based film-making is on practicalities, Siyaah’s producer Imran Kazmi, who is also screening his film at the festival, indicates that it’s merely a trend and that he would encourage film-makers to follow their hearts rather than any formula.

“The truth is making films with social messages requires less work and money. I tell young film-makers that they have to follow their hearts and not a trend,” says Kazmi.

The festival’s format is focused primarily on screening films and bringing forth new film-makers. “I think the discussion format really just ends up being all about ‘talking.’ This [format allows] audiences and people who are aspiring to become film-makers to focus more on what is being screened than anything else,” comments Kazmi.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2014.

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His off-screen personality is grounded, but his insight on the traditional aspect of comedy performances is very valuable in tracing how comedy came to be in the country. His own work has evolved as he has managed to be type cast, Khoosat sees his career today as a space where he can experiment with new characters.

“I disagree with the term ‘comedian’,” says Khoosat. “The distinction between comedian and serious actor as it is portrayed, doesn’t actually exist. Any work which is done with thought and nuance is difficult, so comedy done in that manner is also difficult.”

Today, he says that the scale of work has meant most actors are being prompted in their performances. To contextualize, various forms of comedy have developed in Pakistan. One may begin with Khoosat’s father, Sultan Khoosat, who on Radio Pakistan, hosted a show alongside famed radio personality Nizammuddin, which would take an educated and aware individual, and sit him across a common man. The format had been used before by Om Prakash on Lahore Radio. Today, the format is used on several television channels.

“My father’s fame was based on his comic plays and acting, but he was a very serious man. I think it is very important to be a serious person outside of your role, in order to play heavy comedic roles,” says Khoosat. His own reputation as professional actor seems to transcend the need for attention or stardom; instead, the satisfaction of performance itself and the attempt to convey aesthetic is important.

Recently, two form of his comedy have become popular; one that uses of word-play, as enacted by the likes of Munawwar Zareef and the other, farcical comedy by individuals such as Rangeela. Khoosat himself is well-known for his eighties role of Hawaldar (officer) Karamdad in Ander Ujala, which was based on a low-ranking police official.

“This was meant to be a two-scene character, but those two scenes seemed to click because the police was known as an entity that neither catches the badmash (crook), nor leaves the average person alone,” says Khoosat.

“A writer can write a dialogue, but the attitude is something that an actor has to provide, and that’s the artists own creation.”

While the shift towards Gandasa film-making meant Khoosat would stay away from the film scene, he says his focus has been on finding the right roles. More recently, he signed up to play the lead role of Kites Grounded, an independent film. He will also be appearing in commercial film projects such as The System, Ishq Positive and other projects as well.

“I am in search of a challenging role, I think I approached Kites Grounded not because its an independent film, but more because of the character, because all art can become commercial. In acting, you do your work according to the character, I acted according to the role, I made sure it did not look like the actor is playing a character, rather the character is in the actor,” says Khoosat.

Interestingly, his children have also taken to the arts. Sarmad Khoosat, his son, is also one of the most sought after television directors and is making his acting debut in Manto. His daughter Kanwal Khoosat is also closely associated with theatre and television. He says his kids have had to struggle and like any other artiste, he made sure that they paved their own path.

“Without struggle you don’t get anywhere, this is probably one of the few professions where you actually have to do it yourself. Sarmad has done well because of his own hard work, but it’s not because he is my son or Sultan Khoosat’s grandson. If that was the case, then everyone who had money or clout could buy success,” says Khoosat.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2014.

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A political satire woven out of the forbidden kite-flying pastime of basant. PHOTOS: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS

The atmosphere was such a spectacle that the indomitable Intizar Hussain described the performance by saying:  “We don’t have basant in the city, but today we made basant here!”

Hussain provided a reminder that the tradition of kite-flying began in 1200 AD and started in Dehli. Basant is deeply connected to the legacy of the Sufi saint Hazrat Nizammudin Auliya. Even back then, it was Muslims who celebrated the event, in what was described as a season of love and peace. The ban on basant seems to address a broader theme within the state, it is things we cannot understand or control that must be banned.

Shahid Nadeem, executive director of Ajoka Theatre, attempts to address this dialectic of culture and fanaticism. Lo Phir Basant Ayee tries to explore the issue of the kite ban from several perspectives and reclaim the lost space for celebration and culture. It starts by looking at Ustaad Maaju, an old man captivated by the nostalgia and representation of kite-flying. He comes from a family of kite-makers but now, due to the ban, he has fallen from grace and is being pressured to sell his home.

Maaju is played by 82-year-old Arshad Durrani, who is making a comeback to the stage. Maaju provided a stellar performance, which sets the tone for the play.

“I feel as if I have been reborn. I was born in this city, and I know the people of this city who were connected to kite-flying and kite-making. As a child I watched them, as a boy I watched them, and as a young man I watched them, so I tried to portray that,” said Durrani after the play.

Furthermore, the story expands into other characters of the city, such as the Professor (Abbas Hussain) who finds himself being told what to teach by fanatics. His classes are routinely disturbed by members of the Rok Tham Committee, a fictional fanatical group whose world view includes the complete murder of history and thought.  This group also harrasses young lovers,stopping them from sitting on the same bench, and people who dream of celebrating basant.

The connotations are overt yet entertaining, and in the looming context of ongoing dialogue with militants, the play is very political. This is something Ajoka has always done — maintaining a balance in the realm of theatre as a platform for political struggle.

“We have this killjoy mindset, which has been to end everything that is beautiful and everything that gives pleasure and freedom, which has no relation to religion, which is sort of a message on humanity, so it was a critique on that,” said Nadeem.

The play is heavy on satire, routinely questioning the logic of fanaticism and its patron, which is the state. The intruders in this case are led by Khan Thekaydar (Sohail Tariq) whose desire is to control culture, history and education. The local police prove to be entertaining and serious.

“We show that financial interest has tried to occupy the city and minds of the people, you see an alliance between the state and the fanatics. Our state has actually abdicated its responsibility, thereby failing to protect the freedoms of its citizens,” adds Nadeem.

Director Madeeha Gauhar maintained her disciplined style of directing and ensured that the play represented the aspirations of the old-city culture and its local aesthetic. Due to the nostalgia surrounding the subject, one thing is for certain, the audience loved it and left in a celebratory mood.

The audience’s feedback showed that this event was nothing alien to our culture, and basant is still inherent in the social-cultural fabric of the city.

The play will also be performed as part of the ongoing Napa Theatre Festival in Karachi on Saturday, March 15, 2014. Tickets are available for the performance at Napa, Aghas, Farids, The Forum and The Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2014.

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His latest Bollywood film Total Siyapaa, which stars actor Yaumi Gautam as his leading lady, is a romantic comedy that attempts to look at the cultural stigmas surrounding the possibility of Indo-Pak romance.

It is a remake of the 2004 Spanish comedy Only Human, which is about a smitten Palestinian boy and Israeli girl, and the obstacles the boy faces when being introduced to his beloved’s family.

“My initial feelings on the film are good,” Ali says about Total Siyapaa. His role was said to have been written with him in mind. On the heels of well-received premieres of Total Siyapaa in both Karachi and Lahore, Ali says he is content with the response the film has garnered.

“It was good to witness the audience’s [response]. It’s a comedy and I saw people laughing throughout, but the challenge the film faces is that there are three other films being released in the same week,” says Ali.

Despite the strong offerings that have released at the same time, Total Siyapaa is currently leading the box office in the international markets. “The film is doing great numbers in neutral territories abroad, and the North of India where the audience can relate to the Punjabi nuances of the film. A lot of the jokes are oriented towards Punjabis,” says Ali.

Selective about the roles he chooses, he shares that he bases his acting picks on his instincts and takes his time to adjust to the demands of his roles. “I am very instinctive by nature; I need to be excited about a project [in order to do it]. Even now, I take my time [in making choices]. I have only done four films, so I think my emphasis has been to search for quality over quantity,” he shares.

Ali epitomises the quintessential globalised film star that new Bollywood breeds on. He is a perfect fit as he is an actor who is not confined to the borders of localised topics and ideas. He is young, vivacious and diverse.

The characters that Ali has played in Bollywood films thus far are mostly global in nature. “I have done some global projects where my character is based abroad, but I personally think it’s coincidental. The reason behind doing Total Siyapaa was simply because the film deals with much more than a romance between a Pakistani boy and an Indian girl. It’s a comedy with a cause. I felt the story looked towards addressing the generalised perception that Indians have of Pakistanis, and vice versa. People assume Pakistanis are like ‘this’ or ‘that’,” he says.

“I feel this film is important for all Pakistanis to watch due to the fact that this is the first time a film with makers and writers from Bollywood can help break a certain perception of Pakistanis,” he says.

“Being a Pakistani, I wouldn’t like to be stereotyped like my character is in the film when he goes to meet the girl’s family. I also feel that in this global age, it is advisable to co-exist peacefully with not just our neighbours, but all [members of the international community]. It’s the key to progress, which our people deserve.”

Ali shares that he tries to maintain a sense of artistic integrity while getting acquainted with a project. He has been experimental with his career choices that have ranged from his breakthrough as a model to his launch as a singer. His music comprises both commercial albums, such as Huqa Pani and Sufi and folk music-inspired Jhoom, which he released after performing songs for the  platform.

Total Siyapaa, like London, Paris, New York, also features Ali as its music composer. It’s something he says he manages to deal with because at times, the tasks of acting and thinking of melodies overlap. By composing music in films, he feels he maintains a connection with his fans as a singer.

“I still am working on my own music, but the market is not right to release an album. As of now, Bollywood [is providing me with] the right projection,” says Ali.

His upcoming project is Kill Dil, an action-romance which is director Shaad Ali’s fourth film and will star Ranveer Singh, Parineeti Chopra and Govinda. It is slated to be released in September of this year. For the film, Ali has had to physically transform his body to pull off the rugged avatar of a Kanpuriya.

The release of Ali’s latest film has coincided with his disclosure that he has started working on his first screenplay. On that topic, he has announced that he will also be venturing into production and the screenplay he is presently writing will gradually be brought forth for the Pakistani market. The film will most likely be a launching pad for his own production house. It will also mark his debut as an actor in the Pakistani film industry.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2014.

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“Artists complain a lot, everybody in Pakistan complains a lot,” says Humayun. I am not saying it’s wrong because there is a lot to be dissatisfied about, but it’s become a national characteristic. Some people I suppose are unfortunate and cannot do anything about it, and then there are people who can,” he adds.

In the essence of making a difference, Humayun plans to launch the music portal Riotarts.com, a state-of-the-art website that hopes to provide a multi-faceted platform to promote local artists. The website, with a custom-made video player, will include vast data on local artists, biographies, discographies as well as online streaming. He says that this is part of his bigger plan to make Pakistani music accessible to the world, and also create structures which can bring in revenue for local artists in the future. This is his organised attempt to respond to the Youtube ban.

“Youtube has been closed for two years. It was a global platform for people to show their work, and had all the potential in the world to go viral. Facebook has been cluttered and that will continue, artists will continue to advertise there and we will too, but the purpose of this particular web-channel is to showcase what is being recorded in my studio, in Xulfis, Meekal Hasan’s studio, Emu’s studio or whoever wants to jump on the bandwagon and form a presence,” he says.

Humayun first publicly announced the project on March 2 with Overload at a small concert event that he had organised. According to him, the platform will try to a provide one-stop-spot for local artists to promote their original work both locally and abroad. The challenge, Humayun says, will be getting quality local artists to engage with the site, but he envisions it as a potential game-changer for the industry in the long-term.

He says that if someone in Brazil or El Salvador or even America is interested in Pakistani music, he can’t find it even through Youtube, and there are few resources to guide the user through what to browse. This is an online presence of the musical talent and sensibilities of the Pakistani community, adds Humayun, comparing it to a graffiti wall in the sense that it is for anybody’s art.

At the initial launch of the website, there will be nothing for sale but Humayun is in conversation with telecom providers to add possible services that can be bought. Humayun says with the possibility that 3G will be available in the country by the spring, the website would become accessible to people in the remotest areas and villages across the country.

“At this point, we are trying to engage with people and show them that there is this much talent and there is this much potential, and this is a business, and it’s a totally a legit profession, so slowly we will grow the musician community and create presence and strength, but more importantly an ideology similar to what the fashion industry has done,” says Humayun.

In the meantime, he says he is in contact with several producers and musicians for this venture.  He says the site will not focus on those musicians who are already signed with labels. Taking it slow, Humayun says there will be no formal launch, only a casual post of the link on his profile and from there, he says he will see where it will go.

“This is what is needed at this point I think, we will take peoples suggestions, since it’s not an enterprise or a business, I just want people to slowly engage with it, see what they feel about it. I will basically just share the link when it comes out,” says Humayun.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2014.

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The Indian adaptation of the play first premiered in 1992 and was performed for over 20 years. It was conceived by Javed Siddiqui, who titled the rendition Tumhari Amrita.

It starred acting veteran Shabana Azmi and the late Farooq Sheikh, who performed the play in Lahore in 2006 and received immense applause.

The play is considered by many as one of the most notable screenplays to have come out of India, not just in terms of popularity but also critical acclaim.

Purists may argue that nothing beats the performance by Azmi and Sheikh. But due to the play’s heartfelt simplicity and honesty, it seems reasonable for the well-regarded actor Om Puri to mark his return to stage after near twenty five years with Feroze Khan’s Punjabi adaptation of the play, Teri Amrita.

Puri and actor Divya Dutta’s performances are inarguably refreshing and worthwhile. The days of extravagant theatre have been pushed to the side in the former subcontinent; the play is based on dialogic storytelling process, in which the narration of the letters is used to act out the screenplay.

The process is similar to that of Salima Raza’s play Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan, which comprises the letters of Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Alys Faiz.

There is a desk set up on the stage and a glass of water that helps both actors through the 90-minute narration. As engaging as the play is, the laminated scripts used by the actors take away a little from the visual impact of the narration.

The letters the two actors read are between two childhood friends: the simple and traditional Nawab Zulfiqar Haider and the nonconformist, independent artist Amrita Nigam.

Their conversations span over their 40-year-old relationship, which starts from before partition. The story involves the quest for love which stems from understanding. Its premise is that one loses sight of what matters the most amid the hustle and bustle of life and more importantly, the importance of honesty and purity.

The play grows on one as it travels through the trivial conversations between the boy and girl and ventures into their various stages of life. It tactfully reaches its climax, where the actors’ genuineness to their respective roles becomes growingly evident.

The layered romantic story also has a political aspect to it since the play is set in partition era. Nawab Haider goes on to become a well-known politician after his father is requested by Jawaharlal Nehru to become a Muslim representative for his party.

Divya Dutta delivers an outstanding performance in the play. She seems to captivate the true riddles of a long life that involves a deep search for something or someone worthwhile. The way in which she is able to engage the audience as the play reaches its climax is spellbinding.

On the flip side, the show’s first day showed a negative of Lahore’s theatre decorum. Aside from the fact that Alhamra Hall 1 was half empty, people were taking pictures and answering their phone calls throughout the performance.

Despite the glitches, Om Puri in his regal manner said that the performance provided strength to the duo and that he had been dreaming of visiting Lahore for many years. He further said that had partition not occurred, it could have been likely for Bollywood to be based in Lahore since it has such a strong cultural heritage.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2014.

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“I think there is nothing bigger than love and friendship, and love always conquers, so I hope that the relationship between our countries continues to grow and become stronger and the exchange of people visiting increases,” says Raza.

“I was in Islamabad, I saw the Pakistan-China friendship centre, and I want there to be an Indo-Pak friendship centre near the border, and the coming and going of people to become easier. It’s funny how things have improved, because there was a time when going to the moon was easier than travelling to Pakistan from India, or vice versa,” adds Raza.

Raza is set to visit both Karachi and Islamabad during his stay in Pakistan. His own career has had an emphasis on character acting, and he has seen a rapid growth into one of the more versatile actors to hail from Indian cinema. He is well-known for his seven nominations in the Best Villain category, and his character roles as a father-figure.

In the 1973 film Namaak Haraam, it was Raza’s role as a drunken poet in the Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan-starring classic that launched his career. Of late, Murad has been all about giving back and enjoying life. His most recent role was in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram-Leela, and showcased his ability to provide depth to his character, which is a rather rare quality in a Bollywood actor. The current landscape of Indian cinema has increasingly become a space for certain forms of commercial endeavours, and is something that Raza says people have to accept.

“Commercial cinema requires a lot of capital so the stakes are higher. Producer emphasis, as a result, is to make sure everyone makes a safe investment. So you see there are many things added into films for the sake of entertainment, such as item songs. This is reality, if someone is putting this much money into a project, it’s not for the sake of art, it’s just business,” says Raza.

His view on the Pakistan industry is interesting. He says he was a great fan of films such as Bol, Khuda Ke Liye and Ramchand Pakistani, and is intent on a future of collaborations between the two countries. More importantly, he says that the Pakistani film industry is a more nascent stage as compared to India, whose scale in terms of market size and distribution is much larger.

“This new generation that has come about, has new ideas and vision, they are educated and aware. There was a time when Pakistani films would copy Indian films, but that time has passed,” says Raza. He has been involved in training inspiring actors and film-makers at his alma mater, the famed Film and Television Institute of India. He says his experience at the institute was valuable in providing a technical basis for his character roles.  He wants to share his knowledge with local actors, and help breed a new generation of actors in Pakistan.

“I am a trained method actor who studied acting. The same facilities should be offered to Pakistanis, where directors and actors could get training. Maybe the government over here can develop its own film institute similar to the one we have,” says Raza.

“I have always believed that whatever I have been blessed with, I want to give back to society as much as I can.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2014.

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As someone who had earned his spurs in cricket till his unsettling fallout, it seems that cricket will always be a part of who he is. But Asif is all set to reconstruct his life. He is embarking upon a journey of acting with the cross border romantic comedy film India Mein Lahore.

“Starting out, everyone has to struggle. This is a second choice as a career for me, but to get the opportunity to star as a hero is every actor’s dream, so I know I will have to struggle in the beginning, but my priority in life is still cricket,” says Asif.

The switch of individuals from cricketing to filmdom is not an unfamiliar one. Mohsin Khan, former opening batsman and national team coach pivoted towards a mediocre and short career of acting in Bollywood.

Shoaib Akhtar, another former cricketer, will be lending his vocals to Pakistani film Saya E Khuda E Zuljalal, which is being co-produced and written by his former doctor Tauseef Razzaque. Among other notable names in cricket, Imran Khan and Wasim Akram have been well acquainted with the Bollywood fraternity.

“I think you have to experience [multiple things in] life; this is a different field and I have been given a chance, so why not avail it? So what if this a different career path? If I get more film offers, I will do them,” says Asif.

Asif has been busy with making appearances on local television channels to share his cricket analyses. He still believes that he will be able to make a comeback to cricket eventually.

“You learn a lot as your life progresses. There is no doubt I miss cricket, but hopefully, I will be able to make a comeback. It’s in my blood, so I cannot forget it. I’ve gone through a difficult period in my life, which almost everyone goes through, but I suppose, you learn to manage,” shares Asif.

He has followed both Indian and Pakistani cinema with great enthusiasm. Actors, such as Mohammad Ali, Shaan and Shahrukh Khan have inspired him. In an attempt to hone his acting skills, Asif has attended a workshop organised by the film’s producers, and he says that he is keen on learning from the other actors who the film features.

India Mein Lahore is an unconventional film, which is set to launch the directing career of famed screenwriter Ikram Akhtar. The film held guerrilla-styled auditions in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Dubai in an attempt to find new faces and hopes to encourage positive relations between India and Pakistan.

Tentatively, the film is slated to start shooting around March 25 in Lahore, after which the film will be shot in India.

Asif says that his attempt to venture towards acting is about moving on with his life. He says that he will be taking acting courses and hopes to get a better sense of his character with time.

“I think more than this being a new thing, the experience will allow me to explore and learn more about myself. I have not been on the set yet, so I can’t tell you how it compares to cricket in terms of enjoyment and satisfaction though,” says Asif.

There is an evident parallel between an individual on screen and a cricketer in the field. “Acting [just like cricket] is a glamorous profession. You’re around cameras all the time. Earlier, it was because of cricket, now, it’s because of acting. Hopefully, I will enjoy it,” he adds.

With all eyes set on him as he begins a new journey, Asif hopes that people will give him a second chance.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2014.

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The East Side Story, which birthed out of an unlikely music alliance a couple of years ago, is uncompromising when it comes to their sound. Therefore, they even turned down a corporate sponsored music show several months ago. “We were going to produce this song for a corporate show, which I will not name; however we didn’t because it felt like we would have had to compromise on our sound if we went ahead with it. I think we have a unique sound, something we can’t compromise on,” says Casim Mahmood, the band’s guitarist and the driving force behind the sound of the band.

The decision means that they are still where they were when they made their debut in 2012: a promising band in search for space in a heavily diluted music scene.

“We are putting everything aside and have made a decision that we should just have fun,” says Mahmood. While the local audience has not picked up on them yet, the band has received interest from across the border as their promoter who is based in India has added them on his panel.

They have been consistent with their western-folk music, even though there has been enough of an acoustic trend across Pakistan over the years, which reflects the band’s commitment to producing solid music. This time around, Mahmood has introduced the electric guitar into the arrangement for the first time. He has also incorporated Bluegrass Country sound in his music.

The video stars actor Juggan Kazim and has been directed by film-maker Ammar Rasool. The plot of the video has a dark theme, showing the murder of a man, deeply infatuated by Kazim’s beauty.

“Heeraji [the song writer] is a colleague of mine and we worked together and bounced ideas off each other. The main idea is about a man who is in love with an image he has of a girl and gets trapped in that,” says Tariq Yousaf, who is known as TG King in the band and is the vocalist of this song.

He says that Mahmood and him met at the right time and realised that they want to breed a new genre of music. He goes on to explain the concept of love that is presented in the song, saying that it revolves around a person willing to die for love.

“We met at the right time in both of our lives. Casim tends to get completely engrossed in the music he creates and I am also looking for the same kind of fulfillment, I want to do justice to our sound. We want to create a new genre of music,” says King.

He adds that the decision to tap unknown and local poets has been part of their effort to bring music back to its roots. King emphasises that poetry provides a lot more purity when it comes to music and expression. “I think our poetry is an important aspect of what we are trying to do. Many people emphasise on marketing and other things, but we are dedicated to this aspect of art,” adds King.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2014.

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“I was going through the frustration of a divorce, which turned into a bit of media circus. It was not exactly what I had in mind, but it is what it is, people may assume that I am out of love or do not want to get married again, but that’s not true, I still believe in love and relationships; I am a hopeless romantic,” says Khalid.

“I think before all of this happened I was living in a bubble, but in the past year I have had to grow up at five hundred miles per hour! I had no choice, so I am better not bitter, and happier, I don’t take anything for granted anymore, and enjoy every second of my life.”

Back on the road and touring in Pakistan, Khalid is looking to come back big. While in England, she continued recording and released a track with famed British singer Rishi Rich titled Tera Yaad Kiya which made its debut at number three on iTunes. Khalid says the success of the British scene was exciting, but she missed Pakistan. She returned to the country in February and opened for the Sindh Festival.

“As much as I love the British Asian music industry, I don’t think it is as vast as you would assume it to be. I have worked both here and there. To be honest it’s an amazing industry to be in, but I feel there is a lot more activity here (in Pakistan),” says Khalid.

“For instance, the gigs in England are more intimate, with a couple of hundred people in the audience, whereas I am used to performing in Pakistan for a thousand to two thousand people.”

Annie is looking to work on a lot of new music in Pakistan, and says that her personal experiences over the last year and half have changed her approach to music. She is taking more of an active role in her lyrics and music. Her goal is to experiment and try new things which will be relevant to her music and her following.

“I had kind of lost what had made me so unique, so I want to go back to being Annie Khalid, which means different music, different songs, different lyrics and videos; so that’s what’s planned right now,” says Khalid. She also disclosed to The Express Tribune, that she will be releasing a single titled Tharki Saala, which hopes to be a bold and exciting pop song.

Khalid maintains a keen eye on a music trends and her decision to play a more active part in her lyrics is derived from need to make sure the music comes from her heart. She says she has been writing poetry since she was seven, and sometimes adds ideas to her songs from there.

“Sometimes, I open my journals and diaries and get some material from there, or if I get a random idea, I will write it in my phone or iPad, and I take to my lyricist. I have such an amazing team here in Pakistan because I am not well-versed in Urdu, so we work on it together.”

She says that the coming year will be one filled with excitement, and now that she is back in Pakistan, her goal is to enjoy every moment and make sure she provides her fans with something unique and diverse.

“There is a lot of good music that I am working on. I like to enjoy life and not things too seriously; you will see that in my music.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2014.

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In a recent development, the senior producer Chaudhry Kamran and local exhibitor Qaiser Sanaullah have launched a film distribution company by the name of 770 Media Entertainment with the intent of improving the distribution of local films.

The first film they will be distributing is Syed Faisal Bukhari’s Sultanat, which is slated to release on Eidul Fitr. The film is said to be one of the most expensive films made for Pakistan, and has been shot in four countries — Pakistan, Bangkok, Dubai and Egypt.

It has an estimated budget of Rs250 million. The film has been produced by Aslam Bhatti, a Dubai-based hotelier and CEO of AB productions.

The decision comes on the heels of a battle between producers and distributors for several years over screen space allocation for local film-makers. Major film importers had an upper hand till an agreement was signed between the variety of exhibitors and producers to balance the allocation of screen space.

Kamran claims that his family has been involved in the local distribution of films since 2005. Another thing that catalysed him to be a vocal opponent of the screening of Indian films in the country is the trouble he faced while distributing his film Bhai Log, which received considerable acclaim in the industry.

“My family has been associated with film distribution since the 60s. We imported and distributed local films. Distributing Bhai Log was difficult because we were not able to get cinemas. I think now [with the company’s launch], we are in a better position to revive cinema and provide [local] film-makers with the opportunity to get their films screened,” says Kamran.

The significance of the company is that it will encourage local film-makers who have been criticised at various times for not promoting globalised cinematic styles.

Kamran maintains that his intent will primarily be to help and invest in local film-makers who have found it hard to compete in the market. The company will also be looking towards importing films from several foreign markets.

“We make films and once we make them, we’re not going to screen them at home. We want them in the cinemas. I think we have to move forward with a compromise. There are so many new cinemas opening up. Even if a Pakistani film does a little less business, it should be given preference,” says Kamran.

“Because as the recoveries are increasing, people who once shied away from the industry are returning to the fold.”

Meanwhile, his partner Qaiser Sanaullah, who has produced several Pashto films with director Younis Malik, says that the company will also help local film-makers who have difficulties financing films.

“Typically, we have found many film-makers who in the final stretch of their films find it difficult to finish their project. So, we want to connect with those people who need our help. Distribution is a very important aspect because we have seen people who know how to make a film, but don’t know how to release one. So, this company will provide services in terms of release and publicity,” shares Sanaullah.

The company’s team is already in conversation with several film-makers to distribute their projects and it hopes to provide an alternative to traditional companies in the industry.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st,2014.

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Asghar Bhawalpuri, who leads the Bhawalpur puppet theatre troupe, started an unlikely career in puppetry in 1995. The slightly framed man estimates there are only 20-25 puppeteers in the country, and only five professional troupes. The main festival has been this one, and has been organised by the Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop. This was a long-time dream of the late Faizaan Peerzada, who also launched the first Museum of Puppetry in Lahore, which houses an array of folk and traditional puppets from both Pakistan and the world over.

Bhwalapuri has specialised in glove and rod puppetry and says that from the beginning of his career, he had been infatuated by the various figures he could make with his bare hands. Glove puppetry is associated with modern puppetry and consists of puppets that are worn on the hands and operated through hand motions.

“This for children really, as it not only entertains, but also brings forth a message,” says Bhawalpuri, who has no familial ties to puppetry. “My inspiration had come from television actually, along with Farooq Qaiser,” he says. “My gut tells me people want the craft of puppetry to continue, but the emphasis on the craft tells me otherwise.”

While television may have been the inspiration for Bhawalpuri, the puppet scene has been limited to the avenues of festivals, foreign tours and the variety of art councils throughout the country. Saidaan Peerzada says this year’s festival did not receive the same financial support that was provided in previous years, so it meant that the scale of reach was minimised, but he said the intent has been maintained. “Ideally, there will be many more festivals like this, which will cater to smaller towns and cities of the country.”

“This year we did not receive the same media coverage that we had in previous years. Our position has always been that if the festival takes place here every year, it must be held in at least 10 to 15 other major towns. As a result, these puppeteers will gain exposure, jobs and along with that, they will become more serious about their craft,” says Saidaan.

Zulfiqar Ahmad, of the National Puppet Theatre at the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA), is different from other puppeteers who lament lack of avenues and government support. He started puppetry in 1975 and was given support from the government in 1979 to study puppetry in China. As one of the few formally trained modern puppeteersm, he says the government’s role in his profession has been beneficial in sustaining the troupe, which is based in Islamabad.

“A puppet, traditionally, has not been able to play a role in a film or television, because you need a complete team to make it work. These have to be independent performances that tell a story and send a message. We have been able to travel all over Pakistan and do regular shows, so I think the role has been positive,” says Ahmad.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st,2014.

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