The movie had all the ingredients of a blockbuster but amateur execution killed the final product
By Omair Alavi KARACHI
It is the first UAE film to feature both Indo-Pak talents but despite their best efforts, Yaara Vey comes out as a vague product and has more in common with the Pakistani films that were released before than the Bollywood films of the same era. It wasn’t just a case of a good script gone wrong but seems that the director Manish Pawar was himself confused as to whether he wanted to make something in the Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge way or repeat the successful formula of Pakistani TV dramas from the last two decades. In the end, it was neither here nor there, and no one is to be blamed for that, except the captain of the ship, who could have kickstarted something meaningful instead of the run-of-themill product.
The Plot Yaara Vey is the story of a young, ambitious girl Sania Siddiqui (Aleeze Nasser) who works in an architectural firm and lives with her mother Soni (Marina Khan) in Dubai. Despite being a perfectionist, she is all set to marry her colleague Armaan Syed (Faizan Khawaja) when a wannabe restauranter Sameer (Sami Khan) enters her life
on a trip to Thailand. He may not be as brand conscious or well-off as Armaan but Sameer makes Sania want to be something she isn’t, a lively person and she falls for him during their visit to Georgia. While Sania has no clue who she wants to be with, both Sameer and Armaan try to win her, one by being there and the other by trying to impress her. However, it all changes when Sania’s mother tells her a secret that she wasn't ready for, and all hell breaks loose.
The Good Sami Khan is undoubtedly the star of Yaara Vey not because he is the biggest name amongst the lead but because he looks perfect for the part. As someone who lives in Thailand and wants to open his own restaurant, he passes as Sameer mentioned in the script. The film’s leading lady Aleeze Nasser also looks good as well and impresses the audience in her debut film as the main lead (she did have a small role in Yalghaar) since the story revolves around her character. Marina Khan and Jawed Sheikh are veterans when it comes to acting and displayed their prowess without breaking a sweat, and it wouldn’t be incorrect to say that this film adds a few years to their careers as actors, if not a decade.
Apart from the acting, the first thing that strikes the audience is the excellent locations, as well as the
makeup, the dresses, and the feel of all the characters. It doesn’t seem Pakistani at all, which is more than one could say for the other films released in 2022, except a couple. It was shot excellently and while the use of expensive cars and heavenly locations keep the audience interested, so do the soundtrack and the background score. To top it all, the Choreography is also a notch above the usual Pakistani films and our local filmmakers can learn a thing or two from Yaara Vey in that regard.
The Bad
Why the songs weren’t lip-synced, how Ali Sikandar’s Sikki and Sameer were related to each other or to their favorite Kabir uncle, and why didn’t the director opt for flashbacks is the last thing on one’s mind, because the final product has far bigger issues to handle. Although the story, screenplay, and dialogues are credited to writers Althea Kaushal and Mahwash Ajaz, there is another category of additional dialogues mentioned featuring director Manish Pawar, and actor Ali Sikandar. With too many cooks, the broth usually ends up being spoilt and that’s exactly what happened with Yaara Vey. Had the director been someone who had grown up in Pakistan, watching an insecticide commercial that screened in cinemas and had seen the beginning of Shoaib Mansoor’s Verna, he might never have used Imran Abbas’ narration for any scene.
The same goes for the Quentin Tarantinoesque Chapter wise division of the film, and what is shown on screen is not what anyone expected from a flick that gave them the Bollywood vibe instead of something that fell into the amateurish land. As for the characters, except for the leading lady and for some reason Armaad Syed, none of the characters had a surname and could have been mistaken for an Indian easily. Sami Khan is Sameer, Jawed Sheikh is Kabir, Asad Raza Khan is Omair, and so forth. Although his character had a surname, Faizan Khawaja had nothing to do on the screen, and although he was introduced as Gucci Ki Dukan, there was nothing expensive about him at all. The only noticeable thing he did in the film besides showing his dancing skills was shaving off his beard which had no link to the story, except that one moment he had a beard and the next he was cleanshaven!
The same is the case with Sami Khan and Jawed Sheikh’s characters who had no backstory, and while the director tried to add some angle behind the latter, he failed miserably. There was one character in the film who was shown to be imprisoned at his home but no relatives were shown and it could have been a robot attack if the audience had a wild imagination. No justification was given for Sameer’s flirty attitude, which seemed odd and could have been justified with a simple flashback. Last but not least, everyone in the film lived in a huge place, drove expensive cars, and wore the best clothes available, despite working paid jobs which also seemed out of place.
The Verdict 2/5
Yaara Vey missed the trick big time, and had the
makers been a little smart, they could have ended up not just as a contender but also as trendsetters. Despite having a track about long-lost love, the film suffers from trying to be too many things at the same time. It could have been a film that could have started a trend where people from Pakistan, and India could work together in a neutral country, but it failed to create the kind of product that could have taken the movement forward. Instead, it destroyed any hope of an Indo-Pak collaboration by being messy and dizzy at the same time, the former for the makers, the latter for the audience.
The amateurish take could have been expected from a Pakistani filmmaker, considering they used to make more bad films than good before 2022, however, to expect such flimsy work from a director from across the border was the last thing anyone
could have expected. The incorrect use of Urdu (it’s magar, not par, it’s baghair, not bina, it’s kehna, not bolna) is acceptable but the length of such a film to exceed 150 minutes isn’t. It could well have been trimmed by 30 minutes, and the scenes that gave the TV drama vibes could have been edited out.
For some reason, the film was shot in three countries namely Thailand, Georgia, and the United Arab Emirates but there was no need to take the audience on a globetrotting trip when a minor change in the script could have restricted the locations to two. Yes, the picturesque locations did change the screen for the audience but without anything to offer in the form of the script. The songs are excellent but that only helps when the story is well-knit, the screenplay is breathtakingly fast, and when the audience is considered intelligent, instead of stupid, which is exactly what seems to be the case here.
'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' has now taken in a total of $409.8 million in the US box office
By Bold Desk
Having concluded its production phase recently, Pakistani feature film ‘Wakhri’ is slated to make a long-lasting impact because of its socially apt theme upon its final release in Pakistan. A feature film directed by Iram Parveen Bilal, Wakhri features actors like Faryal Mehmood and Gulshan Majeed alongside senior actors and renowned social media influencers from the country.
Inspired by the stories of unapologetic and often perceptively controversial social media influencers like the slain Qandeel Baloch, the film highlights social media trolling and marginalizing of society’s misfits in modern-day Pakistan.
The storyline revolves around a character named Noor played by Faryal Mehmood who accidentally finds out about the
power of social media when a video of hers accidentally becomes viral. Hence, her online identity "Wakhri" (one of a kind) gets created and now begins the dance of keeping her two identities distinct and separate. She craftily uses her celebrity for socio-economic impact. The film touches on the sensitive and relevant subjects of social media trolling, the marginalization of women and minorities, and the stigmatization of girls' education.
Wakhri is already making waves through its distinct storyline, stellar team, cast and musicians, astute direction, and an array of international producers. Its themes have resonated with the press and social media.
Director Iram Parveen Bilal has called the film a “grounded masala” genre, which promises thought-provoking subject matters whilst also featuring entertaining, loud Punjabi-language club
tracks and Urdu-language rap songs to dance and chant with. Bilal was named one of the directors to watch by the Alliance of Women Directors in 2020. Her previous film, “I’ll Meet You There,” was in the Grand Jury competition at SXSW in 2020, and hopes to overturn the ban on its release in Pakistan.
The film is also a Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) and CAA Foundation Full Story Initiative grant recipient and recently participated at the Busan Asian Project Market.
The film is being produced by Sandstorm, Apoorva Bakshi and Awedacious Originals, alongside Parveen Shah Productions. Roman Paul is co-producing. On the music side, award-winning music producer Abdullah Siddiqui will write the score, and the soundtrack features the likes of Meesha Shafi, Eva B, and other exciting names which will be unveiled shortly.
By Bold Desk Disney and Marvel's "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" has again led the North American box office, according to industry watcher Exhibitor Relations, but the film's estimated weekend take of just $11.1 million reflected a deep slump in cinema-going. Hollywood has suffered from a dearth of big new films and the growing popularity of home streaming services. This weekend's top 12 films grossed under $35 million, one of the year's worst totals, analysts said.
In its five weeks out, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" has now taken in a domestic total of $409.8 million. But that is far from the $700.4 million grossed by the original 2018 film, and "Wakanda" is expected to be knocked off its reigning perch next weekend.
The release of 20th Century's much anticipated "Avatar: The Way of Water" "can't come soon enough," said BoxOfficeMojo. com. "Until then, the box office
is slowing to a crawl."
In second place this weekend was Universal's action comedy "Violent Night," at $8.7 million for the Friday-through-Saturday period. David Harbour stars as a sledgehammer-wielding Santa who takes on some bad guys trying to ruin one family's Christmas. Disney's computer-animated sci-fi film "Strange World" again placed third, with ticket sales of $3.6 million.
Searchlight's horror-comedy "The Menu," starring Ralph Fiennes, held at fourth place, taking in $2.7 million.
And in fifth was Sony's "Devotion," about the friendship of two US fighter pilots during the Korean War, at $2 million. One weekend bright spot, said Variety.com, was A24's "The Whale," which in limited release took in $360,000 from just six theatres, the best per-screen average this year. Brendan Fraser, in a prosthetic suit, stars as a 600-pound (270-kilogram) man who tries to reconnect with his daughter.
Rounding out the top 5 were:
"Black Adam" ($1.3 million)
"The Fabelmans" ($1.2 million)
"Met Opera: The Hours" ($791,000)
"I Heard the Bells" ($751,000)
"Spoiler Alert" ($700,000)
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The film highlights social media trolling and marginalising of society’s misfits in the country
Netflix's Wednesday ought to be commended for reviving interest in a lost treasure that many of us left behind in our childhood days
of cruelty among the cohort makes the series seem like a drearier version of Mean Girls. Wednesday, therefore, stands the risk of being relegated to yet another teen drama laced with elements of mystery.
The first episode begins on a promising note.
with a characteristic wit that will surely endear her to viewers.
By Taha Kehar KARACHI
For those of us who grew up watching Cartoon Network, the mere mention of The Addams Family evokes fond childhood memories.
The family of misfits won the hearts of many people, even though their eccentricities defied all standards of appropriate conduct. The cartoon series was a welcome testament that normalcy is a relative term and judging people for their quirks is imprudent and unjustifiable.
It is only befitting that the pull of nostalgia is what may draw viewers to the Netflix series Wednesday. At first, many of them may be tempted to question why Morticia and Gomez's daughter Wednesday has been made the central focus of the show. The Addams Family comprises a motley crew of quaint and complex characters who are equally, if not more, eligible to be at the heart of a Netflix series.
Viewers are advised against pondering too deeply over what the series could have been with another member of the Addams Family as its main protagonist. The vision that the creators had in mind for the show could only be executed with Wednesday at its dark, mysterious core.
In the past, series based on the misadventures of the Addams Family have depicted Wednesday in contrasting hues. She has always been presented as an eccentric girl with braided pigtails who enjoys raising spiders and is particularly adept at concealing her emotions. Other televised adaptations have portrayed her as relatively more good-natured than her parents and brother, even though her preternatural obsession with headless dolls shows that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. As a result, the character of Wednesday Addams has been something of a creative plaything for scriptwriters and producers. Her malleability becomes her greatest strength as she can
be moulded like clay to suit any situation.
However, this isn't the only reason why Wednesday is an ideal choice for the main protagonist. Conventional wisdom would have us believe that Wednesday isn't an ordinary member of the Addams family household. Unlike the rest of the eccentric clan, she possesses the rare gift of intelligence ¬¬– a quality that she possibly derives from her mother. Unlike her brother Pugsley, she isn't an inveterate troublemaker, albeit she is capable of other forms of mischief. In addition, the other members of the Addams family are too ingrained in their idiosyncrasies to tread the tightrope between normalcy and deviance.
Wednesday has negotiated these challenges with great aplomb. Her personality is not only informed by the peculiarities of her familial life, but also derives its force from her broad worldview. In Wednesday Addams, we have a multifaceted character that is both enigmatic yet discerning.
When Wednesday is dropped off to Nevermore Academy, she seems bitterly resentful of her family as she believes they want her to fit into a stereotypical mould. At the same time, she is coming to grips with the fact that she has psychic powers. Even so, her challenges aren't given due attention by her parents. Her bitterness morphs into an extreme display of teen angst and she often raises objections about the self-created cocoons that her parents have grown accustomed to. Rebellion remains at the heart of Wednesday's struggle throughout the series. Her cold exterior and reluctance to mingle with her peers are blatant signs of a deep-rooted betrayal of trust. The creators have made a concerted effort to mine the depths of her fractured heart and mind. For instance, Wednesday's efforts to disguise her vulnerabilities are upended as she is thrown into situations where she confronts her deepest fears.
Unfortunately, these attempts appear to be somewhat half-baked as Wednesday fritters away its energies on engaging audiences in a vapid storyline that meanders too much.
Be that as it may, the script is exceptionally well-written. Wednesday's dialogue is laced
In the Netflix series, Wednesday begins her journey as an uncharacteristic troublemaker who is expelled from a run-of-the-mill high school for attacking a group of boys who bullied her brother. Her parents pluck her out of her school and enrol her at Nevermore Academy, a school for social pariahs where students who aren't "normies" (a term used in the series to describe ordinary humans). Wednesday's aversion to her new surroundings eventually morphs into a thinly veiled curiosity as she finds herself embroiled in murder investigations and discovers facets of her family's past that were concealed from her. At its core, the series seems to borrow its creative thrust from popular shows such as Sabrina and rehashes tropes that were used to great effect in the Harry Potter films. Nevermore Academy resembles the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, albeit it is far more inclusive. At times, the fevered air
The casting for the series is undoubtedly its biggest accomplishment. Catherine Zeta-Jones is astonishingly convincing as Morticia Adams while Luis Guzman stands out in the role of her doting husband Gomez. Jenna Ortega is a suitable choice as the titular teenager who is a perennial misfit. Christina Ricci, who played Wednesday in an earlier film adaptation of The Addams Family, has been cast in the role of a botany teacher at Nevermore Academy who is a "normie".
Ricci's presence in the Netflix series is a useful near-metafictional device as it explores how the boundaries between normalcy and eccentricity are porous. From the outset, Wednesday is compared with her mother Morticia as both women have faced similar challenges. However, Ricci's perceived normality provides an indicator of how our eccentricities as children are ironed out once we become adults.
Though its plot is a tad predictable and monotonous, Wednesday ought to be commended for reviving interest in a lost treasure that many of us had left behind in our childhood days. Even so, the creators made a big mistake by taking Wednesday out of her natural habitat and throwing her into an ecosystem that drains her true potential as a member of the Addams household. Future seasons of the show, therefore, need to feature more characters from the original series with greater regularity.
AFP Britain's royals are braced for Netflix's six-part docuseries on Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, after the first extracts reignited a simmering row with his brother William.
Recent fly-on-the-wall documentary follows Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, as their strained relationship with his family unravelled.
It is billed as the couple lifting the lid on what happens "behind closed doors" but risks damaging both the royal family and the couple themselves.
A recent British poll suggested the couple are now the least popular senior royals apart from the disgraced Prince Andrew.
Harry and his brother William, 40, were once close and bonded through their shared grief over the death of their mother Princess Diana.
But they have been at loggerheads since Harry and Meghan, also known as the Duke and Duch-
ess of Sussex, quit royal life and moved to California in 2020.
The couple's complaints about the strictures of royal life -- and even racism in the family -- have made headlines around the world.
One trailer for the programme entitled "Harry & Meghan" shows Meghan looking distressed as Harry throws his head back in apparent despair.
"I had to do everything I could to protect my family," Harry is heard saying.
"No one sees what goes on behind closed doors," he adds.
In the second, a lawyer for Meghan, Jenny Afia, claims that during her time in Britain "there was a war against Meghan to suit other people's agendas".
Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 while trying to shake off paparazzi photographers.
"I was terrified, I didn't want history to repeat itself," says Harry in the latest trailer, referring to the hounding of his mother.
"I realised they (Buckingham Palace) are nev-
er going to protect you," adds Meghan, speaking over a clip showing her looking over her shoulder as if fearing she is being followed.
Buckingham Palace refused to comment when contacted by the media.
British media has been critical of the timing of the first trailer.
Several said it was a blatant attempt to upstage heir to the throne William as he visited the United States and effectively amounted to a "declaration of war".
The Mail on Sunday newspaper last weekend reported that Charles and Queen Consort Camilla were "not worried but wearied" by the constant stream of criticism.
Other sources, however, said they believed the programme would be "worse than the royals imagine" and strained relations could be broken.
"I'm told that it's going to be utterly explosive," one unnamed source told the Daily Mirror.
The docuseries airs three months exactly since the death of Harry's grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, and a month before long-awaited publication of Harry's memoirs, "Spare".
Despite their differences with the royal family, the couple attended the queen's state funeral in September.
At one point, William and his wife Catherine appeared to offer an olive branch by inviting Harry and Meghan to join them to view flowers left for the late monarch.
But the two couples were noticeably frosty and hopes for the start of a thaw in relations were dashed further when the warring brothers failed to even make eye contact at the funeral.
A YouGov poll last month indicated that William and his wife Catherine -- also known as the prince and princess of Wales -- were now the most popular members of the royal family.
A total of 81 percent of people questioned had a positive view of William and 75 percent of Catherine.
Only 39 percent of people viewed Harry favourably while the figure for Meghan was 28 percent. Only the disgraced Prince Andrew polled worse.
The Sun tabloid criticised what it called the couple's "obsessive self-pity" at a time of war in Ukraine and a cost of living crisis in the UK.
"The Sussexes plainly despise the royal family. So take their titles," it said, suggesting they be stripped of their royal designations.
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'Harry & Meghan' Netflix docuseries scratches old wounds
Founded by three British cricket fans in 1994, UK’s Barmy Army has brought manic energy to England's long-awaited Pakistan tour
AFP
England's "Barmy Army" of diehard supporters brimmed with frenzied energy as they barrelled to victory in Rawalpindi in December, opening their first Pakistan Test tour in 17 years with barnstorming style.
As England sealed a 74-run victory in fading daylight, the gaggle of fanatical spectators chanted: "Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh what fun it is to watch England win away."
Drenching the stadium in trumpet music, fans wore T-shirts reading "bring the noise", while also singing songs praising the host nation as they directed their infectious cheer towards commiserating home fans.
International cricket was suspended in Pakistan after a 2009 terror attack on the visiting Sri Lanka team, but Test play resumed under heavy security in late 2019 as the threat subsided.
"I couldn't wait to come back," veteran
Barmy Army fan Andy Thompson said. Thompson attended a staggering 77 Tests and 22 ODIs on tour before "retiring" from his post in the Barmy Army three years ago.
"When they asked 'would you go back to Pakistan?' I said I will come out of retirement because I love this country," said Thompson, who last visited during the 2005 Tests.
"I am very comfortable here. It's pretty much the same to 2005, the same welcoming smiles from the people and everybody wants to help you."
The Barmy Army was founded by three backpackers touring Australia in 1994, and have been a raucous presence at all of England's matches ever since. They were given their name by the Australian press — "barmy" because of their cultish devotion to the team, and "army" because of their huge numbers.
The fan organisation has since branched into a commercial venture, organising trips abroad to follow the England team wherever they play.
Beforehand "everybody was concerned
AFP
From the Song family and their hat store in Detroit to Jibril, a Somali cook in Minneapolis, the dream's ideal — that you can succeed in the United States through hard work and perseverance — is still alive.
But the emotional toll of uprooting oneself, financial difficulties, family pressure to succeed and sometimes the disappointment of failing to connect to New York City appear throughout the eight sub-40-minute episodes, which are inspired by true stories. They include Zahir, an Afghan pianist who comes to the Big Apple to escape the Taliban and ends up enrolling in the conservatory of music but is far from his mother back home.
"One of the themes we were really interested in exploring this year was, what happens when the American Dream doesn't work out the way that you expect it to," said Heder.
For Heder — the director of 2021 movie "CODA," which won three Oscars this year including best picture — the "whole idea of America of like, pull him up by your bootstraps, and capitalism, and it's up to you to make it work out, you know, is a huge strain."
"It's an incredible amount of pressure on an individual.
"This is the land of opportunity, but in a way. There's not a lot of safety nets in this country to catch you if you
In these picture taken on December 1, 2022, English cricket fans, also known as the Barmy Army, interact while watching the first day of the first cricket Test match between Pakistan and England at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, in Rawalpindi. England's "Barmy Army" of diehard supporters brimmed with frenzied energy as they barrelled to victory in Rawalpindi, opening their first Pakistan
and hesitant" about the return to Pakistan, said the firm's managing director Chris Millard. But "it's completely changed to what we thought", he added.
"It's probably the most welcoming community of people we have ever come across on a tour."
Among the heaving crowd of support-
ers now bound for the second Test in Multan was Matt Root — the father of batsman Joe Root. "He is loving it here and so am I," declared Matt.
In non-Muslim nations, the Barmy Army are often buoyed by pints of lager, but in dry Pakistan fans bonded with opposing
spectators over a shared love of tea.
The local food, spicy by European standards and avoided by the England team — who hired a specialist chef — was the subject of good-natured jokes.
One banner trailing from the stands in Rawalpindi read: "Imodium currently in high demand amongst the Barmy Army".
Matching the zeal of the Barmy Army is the group "Not Out" — "a bit quieter, a bit older" but "on the same side", according to Ross Midgley, visiting Pakistan with his wife Alison. "It is a wonderful country and we will spread the word when we get home," he said.
AFP
don't succeed," she added. The first season was released in early 2020, when ex-president Donald Trump still occupied the White House.
"There was almost a reactivity to all the negativity where we felt that we needed to be very optimistic and positive about this country and take it back, in a way."
"I think this season there's probably more freedom to explore the nuances and complications of whatever the American dream means," said the 45-year-old Heder.
The series is adapted from Epic Magazine's portraits of immigrants.
Some of the episodes are humorous and light-hearted, such as the one where a Sri Lankan immigrant in Texas participates in a car-kissing contest. The contestant who keeps his or her lips pressed to the car the longest wins the car.
"What we are looking for in our subjects are very average people in a way," said Heder.
The cultural mosaic of America is reflected in the actors' dialogue, which often occurs in their original language, and in the dishes they eat around the dinner table.
Each episode ends with an epilogue where we discover the real character who inspired the story.
"I think through our commitment to try to honor their real experience, you actually get a much more true portrait of what it's like to be here," said Heder, who was born in Massachusetts.
Spinning once again, the sign above France's biggest cinema, the Grand Rex, is testament to how well Paris venues have weathered the twin threats of streaming and the pandemic.
The 2,700-seat Art Deco venue reopened in November last week after a major facelift to mark its 90th birthday.
It has reason to be hopeful: ticket sales in France are down just 10 percent on pre-Covid levels, compared to almost a third in the United States.
That is partly due to the country's long-standing love affair with its cinemas, immortalised in 1960s New Wave classic "Breathless", in which Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg duck in and out of theatres along the Champs Elysees.
Paris is thought to have the highest density of screens in the world, and the atmosphere has influenced generations of filmmakers.
"I went to old cinemas in the Latin Quarter to watch retrospectives, screenings of old films from Hollywood, France or Japan," director Damien Chazelle ("La La Land") said.
"The first time I saw 'Metropolis' by Fritz Lang was here. I'll never forget it!"
Paris authorities say there are 398 screens across 75 venues — up eight percent on 2000 — and down just slightly from 411 in 2019.
Survival requires some creativity.
To coax viewers off their sofas, the Grand Rex has been
offering "event" screenings such as manga previews and film marathons that cater to the biggest fans.
Its history has made it a popular choice for premieres, with Steven Spielberg next on the agenda for the launch of "The Fabelmans".
It also requires diversification. The Rex moonlights as a nightclub, escape game venue — and most importantly as a concert hall, featuring everyone from Madonna to Bob Dylan.
"If we had to survive on the cinema alone, we would have closed the doors long ago," said manager Alexandre Hellmann. He added that that 71 bigger halls have opened during the Rex's lifetime but none have lasted.
While the overall picture is positive, the map of Paris cinemas is evolving.
Next year will see the reopening of the Japanese-style La Pagode, another mythic venue.
And in 2024, the Pathe Palace, billed as the most beautiful cinema in the world, will open next to the Paris Opera.
But this shift is coming at the expense of other historic areas. Rising rents are threatening many cinemas, particularly on the Champs Elysees, where the renowned Marignan will soon shut for good.
"It was THE cinema district in Paris but it is disappearing, due particularly to the exorbitant rents," said Michel Gomez, who leads the city's "Mission Cinema" to support the industry.
"It's hard to see cinemas close but cinema in Paris is a living fabric. It follows the sociological and geographical evolution of the city," he said.
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Test tour in 17 years with barnstorming style. PHOTOS: FILE
Shows in the picture is the main screening room of the Grand Rex cinema in Paris. Paris remains the world capital of cinemas with 400 cinemas, including the Grand Rex cinema, which is the largest in the world and has been given a new life. On the Grands Boulevards, the facade of the Grand Rex building is under renovation to have a new architectural appearance like the early days of cinema in the United States, the look of the 1930s. PHOTOS: FILE
The series returned to screens for a second season
The cinema industry is struggling in Paris, which is thought to have the highest density of screens in the world
By
Canadian pop singer Celine Dion has recently been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS)
Bold
Desk Celine Dion, one of the leading pop singers from Canada, has recently been diagnosed with Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS).
A rare neurological and autoimmune disorder, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS) is commonly known as Stiff-man syndrome. However, it affects twice as many women as men, as said by the US National Institutes of Health.
The disease exhibits thoracolumbar stiffness coupled with severe muscle rigidity and spasms, normally between the ages of 30 to 60. The condition is aggravated by a heightened sensitivity to excessive sound and light, which thus causes a higher degree of psychological and emotional distress together with functional disruption. If timely medication is not taken and the disease remains untreated for a considerable time, SPS can have a significant impact on a person's ability to do daily activities and perform everyday tasks and can even lead to difficulty walking. The exact cause of the most crippling disease is still unknown.
Though Celine Dion has been suffering from the SPS-associated health problems "for a long time,” according to her 5-minute video which went viral on various social media outlets, she has recently been diagnosed with SPS. The
rare neurological disorder is severely affecting her singing abilities, and she is now going to postpone a series of musical shows to be held next year in various European countries, says Dion.
"Recently I have been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called Stiff-Person Syndrome which affects something like one in a million people," the Canadian pop diva revealed. Causing severe spasms, the symptoms of autoimmune disease "affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I'm used to," she added.
"It hurts me to tell you today this
means I won't be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February. All I know is singing, it's what I've done all my life and it's what I love to do the most.”
Thanks to the constant support from her family, especially children, Dion says a team of dedicated doctors is working day and night to improve her debilitating condition. However, "I have to admit, it's been a struggle," says Celina Dion, who rose to global fame with such hit songs "My Heart Will Go On" and "The Power of Love."
Dion says she is desperately missing the thrilling experience of being on the stage as well as her millions of fans and performing for them live.
By Bold Desk
As Pakistan’s entertainment industry continues to establish a name for itself on the international circuit, the skill and craft of Pakistani artists is gaining global recognition. Be it the Cannes Film Festival, the Grammys, or the 2022 Spotify charts, it has been a good year for Pakistan’s film and music industry.
The latest example of this was the presence of the leading lady Mahira Khan at the Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, Sau-
di Arabia. The event, which hopes to recognise the best that film has to offer, both from the east and the west, was graced by many movie bigwigs, including Mahira. Dressed in a glimmering saree by Faraz Manan, Mahira attended the closing ceremony of the festival, where she rubbed shoulders with the likes of Hrithik Roshan and Jackie Chan. Seated next to one another, Mahira and Hritihk could be seen engaging in a candid conversation as cameramen and attendees swarmed around them.
Apart from Jackie, Hrithik and Ma-
hira, the festival, which took place over several days, was also attended by Sajal Aly, Jemima Goldsmith, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Freida Pinto among several others. The festival hosted many delegates from the Pakistan, Indian and American film industry.
While walking the red carpet at the Red Sea Film Festival, Mahira talked about the success of The Legend of Maula Jatt and how excited she was to be attending the event.
AFP
From "Terminator" to "Titanic" to "Avatar", director James Cameron has pushed Hollywood's technical wizardry to new limits, but human emotion must always come first.
In an era when special effects are much more accessible to filmmakers, and studios are willing to regularly spend hundreds of millions of dollars on blockbusters, it is the artistic talent that makes the difference, Cameron said during a visit to Paris.
Whether he can still strike the balance will be tested as the world finally gets to see "Avatar: The Way of Water" — a sequel to his ground-breaking extraterrestrial epic that has been 13 years in the making.
"Anybody could buy a paintbrush. Not everybody can paint a picture," the Canadian director said. "The technology doesn't create art. Artists create art — that's important."
It was originally hoped that a first sequel would be out in 2014, but Cameron's gargantuan ambitions led to repeated delays. He does not come across like the sort of megalomaniac director of Hollywood lore — describing his sets as "a big hippie commune with a bunch of really great artists."
But these hippies are armed with some powerful computers.
"We had over 3,200 shots, which is a lot to maintain high quality, high quality control," Cameron said.
"We brought in machine deep learning and plugged AI into various stages of the process to assist us, not to take the place of the actors at all but actually to be more truthful to what they had done," he said.
Connection to nature
The challenge was managing to draw emotion out of performances that were largely shot in front of green screens,
AFP
As a child, Hopwood DePree heard stories about the family owning an ancestral country home in England but always thought it was the stuff of legends. That was until the Hollywood producer tracked down a red-brick 15th century pile with 60 rooms in the countryside in northwest England.
In 2017 the American quit California to live full-time near Manchester and restore the building, which had fallen into a state of disrepair, to its former glory.
The unlikely chain of events began one evening in 2013 when DePree was looking on a genealogy website and found an old photo of the property.
"My gosh. It's the place my grandfather was talking about," he recalls thinking.
The property was Hopwood Hall, explaining DePree's unusual first name passed down the generations, which he had always felt embarrassed about.
Soon afterwards DePree got on a plane on a mission to find Hopwood Hall, "just out of curiosity". His arrival was inauspicious: when he
and where most of the scenery and props would only appear later in the effects booths.
"The heart, the soul, the emotion, the conflict, creativity... all that happens first, and then all the technical work begins," he said.
Cameron has always justified the vast sums he has asked of studios — "Titanic" was both the most expensive and most profitable film of all time following its release in 1997, only to be topped by "Avatar" in 2009 — and he feels that responsibility "every day".
"I can't be whimsical or impulsive, I have to be very focused and dedicated to creating something that's both pleasing to me artistically, and that I think will be pleasing to the public and commercial enough to make some money," he said.
"It can't be too intellectual, but I can make it satisfying to me by putting in secondary and tertiary levels of meaning that I know are there."
Clearly, much of the impulse of the Avatar series is drawing attention to humanity's impact on nature, but the sequel also focuses on Cameron's aquatic interests.
Long fascinated by the sea, from 1989's "The Abyss" to "Titanic", Cameron became a deep ocean explorer for National Geographic in the 2000s and was the first solo human to visit the deepest underwater trench, the Mariana Trough, in a purpose-built submarine.
He sees "Avatar" as "awakening that thing in all of us, that connection to nature.
"The film asks you to feel something for nature... It's about maybe feeling a sense of outrage," Cameron said.
"These Navi characters... they don't look like us, they're blue, they've got the ears and tails. But they represent the better angels of our nature.
"Maybe for 10 minutes after the film is over, you see the world a little differently," he added.
pushed open the door, there were rodents and part of the roof had collapsed.
But coming from Los Angeles, he remembers his sense of "emotion" at being surrounded by history: the original chimneys and doors and the nursery where his ancestors were born.
Locals who showed DePree around were quick to warn that "if nothing is done in the next five to 10 years, it would crumble and turn into a ruin and be lost forever," he told AFP.
Hopwood Hall had been abandoned for decades.
The owners, distant relatives of Hopwood, died without an heir after their two sons were killed in World War I.
It was then used to make uniforms during World War II before being taken over by monks.
Five years have now passed since DePree began his renovations.
The results are still far from Downton Abbey, the fictional stately home that is the setting for the hit British television series about an aristocratic family in the early 1900s.
DePree has written a book about the restoration process called "Downton Shabby", detailing his new life in glowing terms despite the slow progress.
"Everywhere you look, there's something
to do," says the 52-year-old, who fits the Hollywood mould with his blond hair and blue eyes. "I knew it was a massive project, but I had no idea of the many challenges, the delays... It's exciting."
Touring the building site in a hard hat, DePree warns of a hole in the parquet floor or a badly placed beam, while construction workers repair the building's facade.
The 39 chimneys are being renovated, along with part of the roof. Now the most urgent task is to finish the windows.
He calls it "a race against time, above all with the heavy rains here" -- and the bats.
Despite the dilapidation, treasures have survived the ravages of time and robbers: the family crest on the chimney pieces, intricate wood carvings and the lozenge-shaped stainedglass windows.
One of the fireplaces was a gift from the poet Lord Byron, DePree said. The Romantic poet wrote many of his verses in the castle. The composer Frederic Chopin played in the banqueting hall.
In the 1970s, such abandoned places began attracting various subcultures and Beatle John Lennon is rumoured to have visited. Street art painted on the walls dates back to this era.
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Canadian filmmaker James Cameron’s "Avatar: The Way of Water" is a sequel to his ground-breaking extraterrestrial epic that has been 13 years in the making
American filmmaker Hopwood DePree quit California to restore his ancestral home in Manchester to its former glory
Canadian filmmaker James Cameron poses on the red carpet upon arrival for the World Premiere of the film "Avatar: The Way of Water" in London on December 6, 2022. PHOTO: FILE
Bra
Born in São Paulo in June 2008, Giulia Barreto joined the showbiz industry after getting some inspiration from her elder sister Bela Barreto, who was studying theatre in the local art school. Giulia, a Portuguese name by origin, did some auditions for many shows and films but she has not had much success in the beginning of her career.
In April 2017, however, she took the audition for the film ‘Monica and Friends: Bonds’ and was selected for the lead role of Monica. Released in 2019, the film turned out to be a huge hit and Giulia emerged as a new sensation overnight. Winning the ‘Revelation of the Year’ award from My Nick Awards, the Brazilian version of the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards (KCA), Giulia’s instant fame as Monica helped her earn new work. In 2019, she got a leading role in the comedy film ‘10 Horas para o Natal’ as well as a Brazilian TV series titled ‘Segunda Chamada.’ Currently, she is appearing in many films and TV serials.
Egypt is using the ancient grandeur of its pyramids as a backdrop for modern pop concerts and fashion shows, hoping to boost its image, tourism and the luxury brand sector beloved by its moneyed elite
AFP
French fashion house Dior debuted its latest collection Saturday at the Giza pyramids, after Italian designer Stefano Ricci held a show at Luxor's dramatic Temple of Hatshepsut in October.
Dior CEO Pietro Beccari told AFP the fashion house chose the pyramids as far more than "just a useless background", drawing on Egyptian astrology for the collection named "Celestial".
Before that, American pop bands Maroon 5 and the Black Eyed Peas performed at the Giza Necropolis, where contemporary art was also recently shown at the latest Art d'Egypte exhibition.
The modern cultural push is a new direction for Egypt's image.
Long a cultural powerhouse in the Arab world, with wildly popular singers and movie stars especially in its heyday in the 1950s-70s, Egypt has set its sights on its ancient heritage to attract the global spotlight once more.
A harbinger of the new embrace of ancient culture and history was a "golden parade" last year of 22 pharaohs that crossed Cairo from an old to a new museum in a carnival-style grand spectacle.
It was part of a push by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's government to revive tourism, which accounts for 10 percent of GDP and some two million jobs but has been hammered by political unrest, economic upheaval and the Covid pandemic.
'Vital' glamour
Showcasing Egypt's heritage in a new context "will encourage other brands and international cultural figures to come to Egypt," said art historian Bahia Shehab.
Fashion photographer Mohsen Othman agreed that such glamorous events are "vital".
Big brands like Dior "come in with a huge budget," employ local talent and "support young creators who can put Egypt on the global fashion map".
Iman Eldeeb, whose agency cast two Egyptian models for Saturday's show, told AFP it was a "long-awaited step for the
fashion world in Egypt".
Egypt's luxury goods sector has grown despite years of economic turmoil that saw the pound lose half its value in a 2016 currency devaluation.
Despite the downturn, Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country, is home to 86,000 millionaires, according to the bank Credit Suisse.
"The richest one percent are enough to create demand," said public relations specialist Ingy Ismail, who advises luxury brands.
The boutiques in the shopping centres of Cairo's chic new satellite cities, she said, are "up to the standards of international luxury brands".
'Young creative talent' Egypt's bubble of super rich has helped create a home-grown fashion design scene whose pioneers have recently ventured onto
the catwalks of Milan and Paris.
At this year's Paris Fashion Week, Cairo-based luxury brand Okhtein showed a resin-made bustier that evoked Egyptian alabaster at French fashion house Balmain's show.
It was a rare success story for Egypt's creative sector, where "most people are self-taught, working hard with scarce resources to try and meet international standards," said Othman, the photographer.
Ismail said the country's luxury clothing and jewellery market "has gone from under 100 Egyptian brands to more than 1,000 today", fuelled by "a huge pool of young creative talent".
International events offer rare exposure, but getting them to the country is still a challenge.
"It is a big step for the government to authorise Art d'Egypte and Dior to organise events at the foot of the pyramids," the art show's curator, Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, told AFP.
Red tape and tight restrictions can still get in the way, she suggested, conceding that "the legislative framework is complicated".
Timeless marvels
But "promoting the country's culture" must be a priority, added Abdel Ghaffar, who believes a dedicated government body could better promote exhibitions, concerts, shows and even film production.
Shehab, the art historian, said many realise that Egypt, known for its timeless architectural marvels in the desert, needs to project an updated image of itself.
"There's more and more awareness about the need for soft power and for culture as a representation for the country," she said, cautioning however that Egypt still requires "better infrastructure" to make this happen. She even dared dream that Egypt could draw in Hollywood productions, if it only starts granting permits.
"We have lost count of the number of international productions that have resorted to shooting in Morocco, Jordan or Saudi Arabia," she said.
The latest Egypt-themed production was a Disney+ TV miniseries, Marvel Comics' "Moon Knight," for which two entire Cairo city blocks were built from scratch -- on a set in Budapest.
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Rebecca Dayan
Sophie Marceau
Christine Quinn
Adele Exarchopoulos
BY Bold Desk Giulia Barreto is one of the leading film actresses from
zil and is particularly known for portraying Monica in the film ‘Monica and Friends: Bonds.’
Sajal Aly's girl-next door looks ensure that the doe-eyed actress pulls off a variety of outfits and designers with a casual nonchalce and ease
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AFP
Bold Desk
Widely regarded as the most prominent and biggest music and food festival on Pakistan’s social calendar, Soul Fest’s latest iteration in Karachi came to a glittering and star-studded conclusion last weekend. Heralded as being the perfect nexus point of the best Pakistan has to offer from a cuisine and music stand-point, Soul Fest Karachi ran this year from 9th to 11th December. The fact that it was spread out over a three-day period meant that visitors and families had plenty of opportunities to make a trip to Beach View Park in order to attend the event and join in with the festivities. While the event had plenty of foot outlets and stalls to choose from for those wishing to satiate their appetites, there is no denying the primary draw of Soul Fest are the performances of the musicians and bands. What sets Soul Fest apart from other food-centric festivals is the fact that it serves as a concert venue too. The event boasted of a bevy of talented musical artistes who had audiences enthralled across the three-day duration of the gathering. Kashmir, Ali Tariq, Safeer Jaffery and Sahara UK were some of the artistes who performed at Soul Fest, while Bilal Maqsood also graced the stage as the main attraction. The event was hosted by Dino Ali and Sophiya Anjam, who kept the show flowing in a smooth manner. One of the headline grabbers at Soul Fest this time was Farhan Saeed, who sang on stage as the audiences grooved along to his soulful voice. After the success of Soul Fest in Karachi and Lahore this year, the festival is now headed to Islamabad.
Pop megastar Taylor Swift is set to direct a feature-length film
AFP
The singer-songwriter behind hits like "Shake It Off" has written a script that will be produced by Searchlight Pictures, Variety and others reported. "Taylor is a once in a generation artiste and storyteller," Searchlight presidents David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield said.
"It is a genuine joy and privilege to collaborate with her as she embarks on this exciting and new creative journey."
Details about the feature, including its plot and casting, were not made available.
The American superstar last year wrote and directed the 15-minute-long short film "All Too Well," which served as the music video for the re-recorded and expanded version of her 2012 song, and has behind-the-scenes credits on several other of her music videos. Swift is one of the most successful artistes of the last few decades.
Demand for her forthcoming "Eras" tour was so strong that Ticketmaster's systems crashed last month when tickets went on sale.
Multi-Grammy-winning Swift — she has 11 — is the only solo artiste to win two best direction awards at the MTV Music Video Awards.
Her 10th studio album, "Midnights," was released to critical acclaim in October.
After having recently been awarded the LUX Style Award for Best Actor in a TV Drama, Feroze Khan has added another feather to his cap due to the success of his song Mangain Sabki Khairain. While the actor has been in the public spotlight for a variety of personal reasons and allegations, it is his professional success that has been winning him accolades recently. The actor’s debut song was his first foray into the realm of music and it looks like fans have responded positively to his first release. The Habs actor’s song has crossed 1.4 million views on YouTube and has also raked in lots of positive feedback. Mangain Sabki Khairain is a rap song by Khan, and it looks like the Khuda Aur Mohabbat star is also a talented vocalist. Khan had previously expressed an interest in starting his own channel, and it looks like YouTube has given him that platform with his YouTube channel called FK. Mangain Sabki Khairain is a rap song which consists of lyrics and words sung in Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi and English, which gives a very different flavour to his music. Released on November 4, 2022, the hit song has amassed more than a million views in a month. Interestingly, it seems like the love for Khan’s song is not limited to Pakistan. Comments under the video of Mangain Sabki Khairain have listeners expressing their appreciation from India, Bangladesh, Nepal and the United States. Given its global appeal, it is easy to see why the Mangain Sabki Khairain video on YouTube reached a million views within the span of eleven days.
Clef, the new to market NFT gaming concept, bringing Web3 technology to the music industry has announced the launch of Clef Mixing.
A feature which allows music enthusiasts to not only own their own music NFTs produced by Clef's unique music generating algorithm, but to also create their own tracks by mixing melodies themselves. Unlike regular generative art/NFT picture collectibles, Clef melodies can be used in the metaverse or in the physical universe. Melody owners can listen and use their tracks as ringtones, soundtracks, their personal authenticator, their doorbell ring and some might even choose to use in a commercial capacity, in advertisements for example.
To celebrate the launch of Clef, 15 new melodies have been introduced and the Clef algorithm calculates how unique a player's song is, based on how many times the combination of elements is used in other melodies created within the platform, adding a further gamification element for users. As part of the launch incentive, players will also be in with the chance to mix new tracks or keep parent melodies for free. All players will have the opportunity to trial mixing selected tracks with a free trial.
Clef is built on the Waves Blockchain and is the first new project to have been accepted into the Waves Camp's investment and incubation programme. As a participant, Clef will receive mentorship from Waves core developers and guidance from Waves ecosystem veterans, as well as
get access to the full suite of services including marketing, community building, and business development support. Waves Camp was created to incubate and accelerate new ideas and projects in the Waves ecosystem, with a programme to support developers and entrepreneurs looking to build the products and services of a world enhanced by decentralized technology.
According to Katia, CEO and Founder of Clef, Clef aims to bring the music industry and music collectors into the blockchain space. With the growing awareness and appreciation of digital collectibles, NFTs and blockchain-based entertainment, this is an exciting space of development in the expanding Web3 sector.
Clef is a brand new NFT gaming concept around NFT music. It is built on Waves blockchain and aims to create a new movement within DeFi.
Clef has created a music generating algorithm that issues NFT songs with signature electronic sounding. Users can generate a song by combining simple music elements and songs can be mixed with each other to create new tracks with advanced sounding. Users can release their songs to the music chart, where songs compete for the listeners' liking. This is all powered by a smart economy that delivers royalties to the owners of the best songs.
"We really wanted to attract people who weren't necessarily solely within the crypto and blockchain space as we want Clef to be as accessible as possible. That's why we've deployed breeding mechanics, combining the passions of music, gaming and NFT in the build of Clef, and in turn producing what we believe to be an extremely engaging game within the blockchain space," Katia added.
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By
Music enthusiasts can now listen and use their songs as ringtones, soundtracks, personal authenticator, and their doorbell ring and can even use songs in advertisements
LAHORE By Hassan Naqvi
Maha Tiwana, a young and energetic interior designer, has made a name for herself with her innovative designs in a short span of time. Living up to her claim of designing a lifestyle in place of spaces, Maha Tiwana per se has emerged as a distinctive brand of interior decoration under the name of MK Interiors.
As interior decoration is something which always fascinates her, Maha Tiwana did her professional diploma in this subject years back and in the meantime, she kept designing for her friends and family members. Until the summer of 2022, Tiwana finally took the leap of faith and undertook her first commercial project, and since then there is no looking back. Just within a period of 5 months, she successfully completed about six commercial and residential projects and is working on multiple projects at the moment.
In her exclusive interview with BOLD this week, Maha Tiwana talks about the beginning of her career, her overall journey in the field and the road she has yet to travel as an emerging interior designer of the country.
BOLD: What were the factors that led you to the field of interior designing?
Maha Tiwana: What I love about being an interior designer is the fact that not a single day is ever the same for me. Today, I may be picking up some unique designs for throw pillows, and the next day I may be busy checking out new paint samples. The field piqued my interest from the word go as being an interior designer helps me turn my goals into a concrete reality. The position allows me to use my latent creative impulse along with analytical skills to make things happen both with precision and perfection. This gives me an inner satisfaction to play with colours and textures while improving the people’s quality of life at the same time. In a word, the field of interior designing evolved into a passion for me over time, and the more I learned, the more I wanted to continue learning and improving. Not only does the interior designing allow me to work with problem-solving situations just like a jigsaw puzzle, it also allows me to build creative, beautiful things that are both functional end resultoriented. For instance, creating a design solution for a living room is just like solving a puzzle by employing both creative and functional aspects of design in the making. Imbued with creativity and fanciful, yet practical imagination, the world of interior designing offers all the things that a true artist can happily chase after.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get inspired by almost everything. In fact, inspiration is everywhere, but only for someone who is eager to find them. You just need to have
an open mind to accept and try to see the detail in the smallest of things scattered around you. Do you feel as if new entrepreneurs such as yourself are cordially welcomed in a country like ours? Do you face any obstacles being a selfemployed interior designer?
Yes. If you have the potential and talent then people do appreciate your work. A challenge I foresee in this role is the fear of falling behind the schedule, which is not possible. There are things which are under my control, but there are many such aspects which are beyond my personal reach. I understand that there are times when a litany of unexpected issues and unforeseen situations arise. However, I don’t want a client to get frustrated because I am unable to deliver the project on time due to any justifiable or groundless reasons.
When you say that ‘You don't design spaces, but a lifestyle,’ what message do you want to convey to your prospect clients?
Being a firm believer in sustainability, I design for the long haul so my clients don’t have to redesign the same space soon. I employ the best of my creative abilities to build and craft the most beautiful things that are enriched with both aesthetic attributes and functional values.
And this all-inclusive task entails a host of challenges, right from the process of solving a design problem, working with a limited budget to making the most of the resources I have. I take into account the client’s wants and needs, as well as the limitations of the space in order to create a room, which is both beautiful and functional in the end.
You cater to your clients' personal needs and distinctive tastes, irrespective of their complex nature, implementation challenges and the feasible ways to tackle them. Has this approach proven to be more challenging, as compared to having an all-purpose, predefined model in hand that is accommodating to everyone?
No. The customization of a solution is the most interesting part of this journey. Different people tend to have dissimilar tastes, a universal fact that makes it quite challenging to work according to their mindset and design as per their likes and dislikes. Still staying true to my own aesthetic values is the kind of challenge which thoroughly excites me.
How important is social media in marketing your services?
There is no second opinion about the significance
of social media, which is now more than just
a trend and has become one of the essential aspects of a business’s marketing strategy. Social media platforms can help you connect with your customers, increase awareness about your brand as well as boost your leads. I follow many interior designers on social media, which helps me keep track of the latest trends and find out more about different design styles. However, the use of social media is not enough to drive business growth. Can you tell us about the design process you employ when working with a client?
I usually start by creating a mood board for each client that includes images of colours, textures and patterns they like. I also include furniture pieces and accessories they want to incorporate into their space. This helps me create a colour palette, floor plan and overall style for the room. Then, I show them my initial sketches so they can provide their feedback. We repeat this process until we have a final sketch that both of us are happy with. I start by researching different styles of furniture and accessories that I think would work well in the space. Then, I create mood boards with my top choices for each style so I can compare them sideby-side. After this, I narrow down my selections based on price and functionality. Finally, I meet with the client to discuss their preferences and
finalize my decision. As a designer, you need to create something for your client that fits their vision but using such creative skills and expertise they don't have.
You have obviously put in a lot of effort and hard work in building your brand. Could you walk us through that experience?
In fact, the field of interior designing is something which I have always taken very seriously but never really thought about starting a career in it. However, a few months ago one of the family friends asked me to design her office and at that moment, I had no idea how to take up the challenge. However, by the grace of Allah Almighty, everything turned out to be as per my friend’s expectations. After that, I was offered a few more projects so that’s when I realised that this really is my passion and there is, in fact, nothing more rewarding then being able to turn my passion into a profession.
Do you have a particular work routine or a designated place to work at?
It depends as at the start of the day, I first assess if there are any set of materials that I need to buy to fulfil my client’s needs. Then late in the afternoon, I’ll go and inspect my projects and update my clients about the progress. If I’m not required to outsource materials or fabrics, I’ll use my spare time and update myself with the current trends being followed by the other interior designers. Later, I check if there are any design boards that I need to make. If there are, I design them and later send them to the clients for their feedback, as this is how things take place in this field.
How important is the feedback that you get from your clients?
It’s the most exciting part of the whole journey.
Seeing my clients satisfied and happy in the end is the biggest motivation. It is always fulfilling when I find my client satisfied with my work as this helps me deliver the best I can. Also, by listening to them, I feel confident that my work will not clash with their goals. A timely feedback helps in removing all the hassles you have to cope with to get things done with perfection.
Do you keep consulting with your clients during the project or prefer to listen to them when the project is finally done?
I always take time to listen to my clients and understand their concerns to execute the project the way they want. Then, I work with them to come up with a practical solution that can make both of us happy. I start by knowing about their style preferences and what suits them accordingly.
Then I sketch out some preliminary ideas based on the research I’ve done, which helps me narrow down the most effective design elements for the project. Finally, I create a detailed plan for each of the spaces I am supposed to design from scratch. What's next for Maha Tiwana, an emerging interior designer?
Hopefully, a lot of more exciting stuff.
Bold Desk
By
This is a common perception that an expensive personal care product is always good for the hair and skin.
However, have you ever thought about why these products don’t do the magic which they claim in their ads?
The answer is that whatever is made with chemicals would give temporary relief, but in the long run it will eventually damage your hair and skin.
This article is particularly for those who are now regretting spending heaps of money on the so-called expensive, high-end shampoos and hair care products to get the desired results. The good news is that there is a simple solution you can always use to get rid of damaged hair. Here we tell you how to make these hair masks.
As it goes, bananas, mixed with coconut oil, aloe vera and honey, will give you instant results. Take one ripe banana and aloe vera leaf. Extract the pulp of aloe vera from its leaf and put both ingredients in the blender. Blend it until it turns into a thick paste. Apply the mixture onto the roots of your hair extending it until the ends. You can apply it with bare hands or with the help of a hair colour brush. If there is any mixture left, cover your hair with it and leave the mask for two hours. Wash your hair and rinse the mask properly.
Nurses and specialist doctors have been added to New Zealand's "Green List", which allows skilled workers to get residency
AFP
New Zealand has offered overseas nurses and midwives an immediate pathway to residency, as the country tries to address an acute shortfall of medical staff.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said changes to the immigration system meant those eligible can get fast-tracked residency. Specialist doctors have also been added to New Zealand's "Green List", which allows skilled workers in hard-to-fill roles to get residency.
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation estimates the country needs around 4,000 more nurses. Earlier this year, health minister Andrew Little said New Zealand needed hundreds of mental health nurses alone.
The country only fully opened its borders in August, after more than two years of travel restrictions to combat Covid-19. Ardern told reporters that the message to nurses everywhere now is that New Zealand is the "best place to live, work and play".
"We need to be as competitive as we can be," she said, defending against allegations that her government had been slow to address shortfalls.
The change to the immigration settings drew criticism from the opposition, who said the move should have come sooner.
"The government's major back-down on giving migrant nurses a direct pathway to residence should have happened a year ago," said National Party's immigration spokeswoman Erica Stanford.
"Leaving migrant nurses off the fast track to residence pathway was nothing short of madness while New Zealand faced critical staff shortages."
Ten additional professions have also been added to the Green List, including roles across the healthcare, education and construction sectors to help boost the country's workforce. Unemployment in New Zealand is just 3.3 percent, with only 97,000 people currently out of work and looking for a job.
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Maha Tiwana, a young interior designer from Pakistan, talks to BOLD about her journey and the road she has yet to travel in this challenging field
Annie Ernaux is the 17th woman awarded the Nobel Literature Prize since it was started in 1901
on
AFP The Nobel Prize is an institution "for men", the feminist laureate Annie Ernaux of France said an interview ahead of formal awards ceremony.
"It manifests itself by this desire for tradition. Being bound to traditions is perhaps more masculine, it is a way to transmit power to each other", the 82-year-old author said.
Honoured by the Swedish Academy for "the courage and clinical acuity" of her work, Ernaux is just the 17th woman awarded the Nobel Literature Prize since it was first handed out in 1901, and the first French woman.
"Speech has almost always been monopolised by men and I have noticed that women are often less verbose in their speeches than men, knowing full well that they are more practical", she said, adding it was time for the Nobels to modernise.
"It's hard to say but could we consider less pomp, fewer long gowns and tails?
That wouldn't be bad", she suggested with a smile, a reference to awards ceremony and banquet attended by the Swedish royal family and more than 1,200 guests.
But since arriving in Stockholm for a week of festivities celebrating this year's laureates, Ernaux said she had been struck by "the solemnity, the splendour of the prize" and "the scope and the role" that comes with it.
The feminist and activist said she wanted to dedicate her Nobel "to all those who suffer, who suffer from domination in one way or another, from racism, from everything that is a form of inequality. And to all those who struggle and go unrecognised".
While she "really had no desire to win prizes", the award had boosted her desire to write, Ernaux said. She planned to "continue writing" and "enjoy my old age".
"I think it's an age where you can reflect on a lot of things and so for me, that means writing them down too, of course".
By Omair Alavi KARACHI
He may not be the ideal person to join hands with, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he surely has no match when it comes to sound advice. Marvel Studios’ Be More Loki: Alternative Thinking from the God of Mischief shows why Loki always knows what the right thing to say is, and why it is the right thing to say. He may have his own ulterior motive, but that doesn’t discredit him from giving the best advice, most of which is part of this book.
This book caters to those who want to climb the ladder to success, achieve their goals, and want to be known as the people with the best responses. Since not many people have climbed the ladder of success, achieved their goals, and came back with deadly responses like Loki, he qualifies for the job. These pages have chronicled most of the funny responses that Loki has delivered in various timelines, be it on the good side of his brother Thor, his bad side, or somewhere in the middle.
Author Glenn Dakin must be commended for following Loki’s life and times (and timelines, of course!) from his first appearance in the MCU to his last in the TV show Loki that gave a new meaning to the word ‘variant’.
It is divided into five parts just to bring the readers and the subject to a level playing field. While the first part is called ‘Making an Impact’, the second and third ones are ‘Climbing the Ladder’ and ‘Working with Others’, whereas ‘Knowing your Limits’ and ‘Reaching the Top’ complete the book.
The book tells you how the God of Mischief would do if he had to work in an office, and prove his worth as a leader. Most of those who have followed Loki’s career know that he loves to play the boss, but does it mean that he would be able to succeed as a boss, that’s the question. If he follows his own one-liners which are given a full page across the explanation of that one-liner, then there is no force on Earth that could undo Loki, and defeat him.
After all, he always makes a grand entry even if it is to save people from a mess he created, he always moves around as the special one, has the confidence of a God (he is a God!), and calls a spade, a spade. These things are mentioned in the first section and the same format is followed in the succeeding sections where most of the time, Loki’s actions are explained as something that only a genius (or a God) could come up with. Some-
times the results are hilarious and sometimes they are deep but, in both cases, the readers take back something they can apply in their own lives.
While the book explains to the readers the importance of standing for something, it also tells them that sarcasm sometimes helps in easing the situation, complimenting your friends or foes can have a butterfly effect and that sometimes helping your enemy’s enemy is a good thing. Add to that the mighty advice of being comfortable with who you are to giving clear orders, and you have a book that would make you a better man, a better friend, and an even better colleague.
It would be incorrect to say that we don’t need guidance in our lives because every one of us does, and even if that guidance comes from a bad guy who tried to conquer Earth, it would carry weight because of the experience behind that act. Who doesn’t remember Loki declaring ‘Your Savior is Here’ in one of his film appearances or ‘No Chaos, sounds boring’ in his first TV appearance, like his many one-liners, these two have a history, one which is worth following by the readers.
After all, he is the only character in the MCU who has had the experience of working with the good guys as well as the bad guys, besides being the tormentor of all for a time period. His perspective is different from his fellow protagonists and antagonists and that’s why he stands out in the crowd and those claiming that his horned helmet makes him stand out don’t know his history. His words of wisdom are always helpful because while they can make you talk like a tyrant when the need arises, they will help your subordinates keep praising you since Loki’s actions will make them realize that you are the best man for the job, and they can’t afford to dethrone you since you are the ‘savior’.
Written in the form of a journal, Marvel
Studios’ Be More Loki: Alternative Thinking from the God of Mischief is a superhero’s guide for those who don’t want to struggle anymore, and want to know what makes their superiors different from them. The way every Loki one-liner is explained to the readers not only makes them relive the sequences in which he delivered that line but also feel his pain, especially in the part where Hulk, Smash, and Loki feature together. After all, without Loki, Marvel Cinematic Universe wouldn’t have existed the way it does at the moment. He is the person who helped create The Mighty Avengers, and he will be the person who will give your career the direction it is missing.
French writer Dominique Lapierre, the author of best-selling books on India like "Freedom at Midnight" and "City of Joy" and whose novels sold tens of millions of copies, has died
AFP
"At 91, he died of old age," his wife Dominique Conchon-Lapierre told the French newspaper Var-Matin. She added that she is "at peace and serene since Dominique is no longer suffering".
Born on July 30, 1931, in Chatelaillon, Lapierre has sold about 50 million copies of the six books he wrote in collaboration with the American writer Larry Collins — the most famous being "Is Paris Burning?"
The non-fiction book published in 1965 chronicled the events leading up to August 1944, when Nazi Germany surrendered control of the French capital, and was adapted for the silver screen by Francis Ford Coppola and Gore Vidal.
His 1985 novel "City of Joy" — about the hardships of a rickshaw puller in Kolkata — was also a massive success. A film based on it was released in 1992, starring Patrick Swayze and directed by Roland Joffe.
Lapierre donated the bulk of his royalties from "City of Joy" to support humanitarian projects in India.
When he visited Mother Teresa in Kolkata in the early 1980s, he presented her with $50,000, admitting it was "only a drop in the ocean of need".
The Albanian nun reportedly replied: "If this drop did not exist, even the ocean would not".
In 2005, Lapierre said that thanks to his funding of humanitarian work, as well as donations from readers, it became "possible to cure a million tuberculosis patients in 24 years (and) to care for 9,000 children with leprosy".
"It's not enough to just be a best-selling author," said the adventure-loving novelist, who spoke fluent Bengali.
"You need to fight against the injustices you write about in your books."
'Idol' in West Bengal
Born to a diplomat father and a journalist mother, Lapierre worked as a reporter for French magazine Paris-Match in the 1950s — a job that sent him around the world.
In West Bengal, he was "revered as an idol" — according to a 2012 article by Paris Match magazine — when he banged the drum for funding for humanitarian centres as donations dried up following the economic crisis in
the United States and Europe.
After "Is Paris Burning?”, he continued his fruitful partnership with Collins.
The duo specialised in highly researched dramatisations of historical events, such as the creation of Israel ("O Jerusalem", 1972) and the Indian independence movement in "Freedom at Midnight" (1975) — largely considered a moving and seminal account of the Partition of Indian subcontinent.
Their success was credited to how they complemented each other — Lapierre had contacts in the French intelligence services while Collins with the CIA. Both authors also wrote in their respective languages, and translated each other's work.
And if Lapierre's prose tended to the lyrical, Collins insisted on a firm grounding in facts. They also co-wrote "Or I'll Dress You in Mourning", a
biography of the Spanish bullfighter El Cordobes, and two fiction thrillers about terrorist plans to destroy New York — "The Fifth Horseman" in 1980 and "Is New York Burning?" in 2004.
The first had Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi as the villain, and the second was inspired by the September 11, 2001 attacks by terrorists. For a long time, Lapierre lived near Collins in SaintTropez, their residences separated by a tennis court.
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Nobel Prize in Literature 2022 laureate French writer Annie Ernaux attends a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, on December 6, 2022, ahead of the Nobel Prize award ceremony
December
10. Photos: File
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It was a relatively promising start for gender equality when London's Royal Academy of Arts was set up in 1768, with two women artists included among its 40 founding members.
But that was a false dawn -- it would not be until the 1930s that another woman was elected a full member of the Academy.
While a few big names -- Frida Kahlo, Georgia O'Keeffe, Alice Neel, Tracey Emin -- give the impression that the art world has opened up since then, the Western canon remains dominated by men.
Among the 18 leading museums in the United States, 87 percent of works are by men, according to the Public Library of Science.
The Prado in Madrid has 335 works by women out of 35,572 -- less than one percent -- and only 84 are on public display.
Historical misogyny
Attitudes are changing.
The Prado held a women-only exhibition in 2020 which highlighted its "historical misogyny", in the words of curator Carlos Navarro.
Serbian performance artist Marina Abramovic will be the first woman to get a solo show that takes over all the main galleries of the Royal Academy next year.
Increasing the share of overall works is tougher for museums that focus on the distant past -- at least, that is the excuse of the Louvre in Paris, whose paintings stop at 1848, and include just 25 women among 3,600 artists.
But at Britain's Tate, there has been scope for improvement.
Only five percent of its pre-1900 collection is by women, but this rises to 20 percent for artists working after 1900, and 38 percent for those born after 1965.
"With each rehang at each of Tate's four galleries, the gender balance improves," said Polly Staple, head of Tate's British Art collection.
"When Tate Modern opened its new displays in 2016, half of all the solo displays were dedicated to women artists, and this balance has been maintained ever since."
As for private buyers, change has also been slow.
"Today, all museums pay attention to equality, the number of solo exhibitions for women artists is increasing... but in reality they remain largely under-represented in auction houses," an art market insider told AFP, requesting anonymity. But with women increasingly welcomed into art courses from the late 20th century onwards, the tide is turning here, too.
Canvas Gallery is currently housing the artistic creations of Ghulam Mohammad. Titled Continuance, his latest body of work sees the artist attempt to reconstruct language and identity, hoping to arrive at something more than just itself. The artist notes, "Carving out words and recomposing them is a cathartic act, in which I try to break language down into its most basic constituents and attempt a reconstruction of language and identity, trying to arrive at something more than just itself". Ghulam Mohammad is a Jameel Prize winning artist, and he employs text and language in his work, primarily cutting up text from Urdu books and creating intricate visuals with meaning. From far above, it gives the illusion of a sea of submerged letters, however, up close in the details lies the magic and the depth of his ideas that come through from reconstruction of existing language through carving. Ghulam Mohammad’s latest work attempts to recompose the existing text through repetition and carving into new forms of works, focusing on the essence of text and language and how they come together. As an art form, text and paper carving is an intricate, extremely labour-intensive work that reflects its details and the depth of thought in the final result. Ghulam Mohammad's practice to work with Urdu script and cutting it out to create large-scale pieces gives the art style a twist of its own due to the Urdu script and its beautiful curves. The show remains open until 22 December, 2022.
The 2022 report by market-tracker Artprice found that women accounted for eight of the 10 best-selling artists under the age of 40.
'The whole story'
It is not enough to blame the past, argues Katy Hessel, author of the recent "The Story of Art Without Men".
Women artists, such as Italy's Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1656) or Flemish painter Clara Peeters, were "known during their lifetime but have been erased over the centuries", she said.
Unearthing these forgotten names has been hugely popular. Her podcast, The Great Women Artists, has more than 300,000 subscribers.
"Imagining that a woman could invent some-
thing remained an anthropological taboo for a very long time," said Camille Morineau, who founded research group Aware (Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions), to gather data on the topic.
As curator at the Centre Pompidou in Paris in 2009, she hung nothing but female artists from its collection for two years, "to prove there were enough of them in the museum reserves to tell the whole story of 20th- and 21st-century art".
New avenues of (re)discovery are still to come, added Hessel, highlighting Algeria's Baya or Singapore's Georgette Chen, as the sort of non-Western names who have "never really been part of our history".
A unique collection of traditional and contemporary hand-woven, woollen carpets is currently on display at the Koel Art Gallery. These timeless carpets are woven by the hands of some legendary craftspeople with years of experience in this field. The art of carpet making is a skill which is often passed down from generation to generation, and the adherence to the craft is reflected in the design of the carpet. Farsh-e-Zareen displays the work of the artisans who work under the stewardship of Jaffar Khalid, whose family has about 54 years of experience in carpet production. Designs of these woollen carpets are inspired from Pakistan’s traditions, art and nature. These intricate patterns attempt to create magic through their rhythmic textures which are combined with dramatic colours from the rich natural dyes of plants and the soil. Skilfully woven by artisans, these carpets are made with the purpose of becoming an integral part of homes for a lifetime. Countries like Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey and Pakistan have a rich history of producing some of the finest carpets known to man. Given that this is a skill which dates back centuries, Koel Art Gallery is eager to provide a platform for this craft so that it is both appreciated and preserved from centuries to come. The exhibition runs from 15 December, 2022 to 3 January, 2023.
Mussarat Arif’s latest work, Seba, pays tribute to the renowned Sindhi Sufi poet, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, whose verses have inspired Arif through the decades. Saba illuminates the artist’s engagement with spirituality and the insights they have revealed to her. Her pieces invoke issues of memory, heritage and spirituality. Arif’s practice is informed by both the verses of Bhittai and the mark-making traditions of her roots. Raised in a home which encouraged embroidery and sewing, and coming from a region that preserves and celebrates textiles and craft, Arif respects both the material and the process. She incorporates the rilli, an art form that recycles fabric scraps, to make us question “the philosophy of the modern world” that prizes the new and discards the old. Now based in America, Arif draws from her lineage as a Sindhi Khatri, a group that has often been artisans throughout history. Using artefacts and processes synonymous with her region, she invokes issues of memory and spirituality in material-rich works. Her multi-disciplinary practice incorporates a range of mediums, including sculpture, drawing and textile. Arif melds the vocabulary of the domestic household by incorporating fabrics and the rilli pattern with wood, metal and copper.
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Among the 18 leading museums in the United States, 87 percent of works are by men
