BOL NEWSPAPER | September 25 2022

Gone are the days when leading roles were limited only to younger actresses. The world is changing for the better and so are the standards for the selection of actresses, for quality characters. In the past, actresses like Audrey Hepburn had to quit films before her 40th birthday (she did make a brief comeback) because of the lack of quality roles for elderly women, but today, it's an open field.

Actresses like Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Madhuri Dixit, and Sania Saeed are still in command despite crossing fifty, and the same can be said for Viola Davis, whose Woman King is all set to screen in cinemas next month. Young or old, if you are fit for the character, you are in the running. Let’s comb through the entertainment world to find out which actresses are not stopping after their golden jubilee, and how have they managed to stay relevant through multiple generations.

Hollywood, where being over fifty is no handicap! She might not be a Hollywood product, but Helen Mirren is everything Hollywood desires. The 77-year-old has the experience to play any kind of character at the drop of a hat, and her fans weren’t surprised when she was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance as Queen Catherine in Catherine the Great. For someone who already has five BAFTAs, four Emmys, two Golden Globes, and one Oscar at home to celebrate her career, she is not slowing down. She will be appearing as the main antagonist in the superhero flick Shazam! Fury of the Gods and by doing that, she will be sending healthy signals to all the elderly actresses out there, that anything is possible.

Talking of awards, earlier this month, the Emmys were held and while many fresh faces were nominated for their performances, however, some older folks weren’t far behind. Most prominent amongst them was the 73-year-old Meryl Streep who already has three Oscars, nine Golden Globes, three Emmys, and two BAFTAs to her name, but she is still hungry for more. She was nominated with the ensemble cast of Don’t Look Up where she played the US president in 2022, which was her second such nomination after Big Little Lies three years earlier. When she was nominated for an Academy Award for the record 21st time in 2018, she was one year shy of her seventieth birthday, which is no small feat.

The 65-year-old Frances McDormand has won four of her three Academy Awards after turning sixty, which complement her two Primetime Emmy Awards, and one Tony Award. She is amongst the select group of performers who have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting and shows no signs of quitting anytime soon. The same goes for Emma Thompson who might be two years younger than Frances McDormand, but she also has two Academy Awards, two BAFTAs, and two Golden Globes, besides a Primetime Emmy Award to her name. Who can forget her character in Cruella of Baroness von Hellman last year but also in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, where she led the cast despite being past her 60th birthday. She is also part of Jemima Khan's What's Love Got to Do with It and will be seen in Matilda the Musical next month.

Veteran TV and film actress, playwright, and singer Bushra Ansari maybe 66 years old, but when she is in a frame, her towering personality is the only thing that’s visible to the audience

If you are 58 years old and want to know whether the audience would be ready to accept you as a lead actress, then just take a look at Sandra Bullock. The Speed actress is amongst the most successful actresses of this generation and was part of two flicks this year – The Lost City and Bullet Train. The Oscar-winning actress who began her career in the late 1980s is still active as the main lead, and although she wants to take a break, her fans don’t want her to.

And if you thought that the 57-year-old Viola Davis was just limited to TV as Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder, then think again. She is the only African American actress to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting - winning an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Tony Awards and has repeatedly played Amanda Waller in the DC Universe. She will be seen donning the title role in The Woman King where she plays an African warrior who trains the next generation to fight their enemies.

If you didn’t know that the ever-graceful Nicole

Kidman was 54 years old when she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for Being the Ricardos last year, then don’t worry because many were surprised. The 55-year-old gorgeous Australian is the proud winner of an Academy Award, six Golden Globes, two Emmy, and one BAFTA, and doesn't look more than 40 years old. Her fans are waiting for her return as Queen Atlanna in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom where she plays the mother of the superhero but in flashback sequences, which shouldn't be odd considering she is fit to play the character.

For someone who will be turning 55 next month, Julia Roberts looks remarkably fit for her age. Not only has she won an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards, she is ready to set the screen alight with Ticket to Paradise, which will reunite her with her Ocean's XI collaborator George Clooney. The two play a divorced couple who are going to attend their daughter's wedding and will try to sabotage it because, in their opinion, the wedding is a mistake. Sounds like My Best Friend's Wedding, right? Hope it's as much fun as the classic 90s romcom! She may not be a big name in films but there is no bigger name on TV than the 53-year-old Jennifer Aniston who still gives 'Rachel' vibes wherever she goes. The Friends character that got her an Emmy and a Golden Globe may be her identity but she followed it with successful films like Bruce Almighty Horrible Bosses, and Murder Mystery to name a few. She also made a comeback to TV with The Morning Show, which not only reunited her with her onscreen sister from Friends - Reese Witherspoon - but also got her nominated for another Golden Globe. Despite being over 50, she continues to climb the ladder towards success and shows no signs of slowing down, and is likely to be seen in the sequel to Murder Mystery, soon.

Nominated for four Academy Awards and BAFTAs, winning two each (one each after turning fifty), and taking home four Golden Globe Awards, Renée Zellweger has achieved it all. But Bridget Jones actress wants to keep proving that age isn’t a barrier but a milestone. After winning an Oscar for playing Judy Garland in 2020, the 53-yearold actress returned to Netflix with the limited series The Thing About Pam, garnering nominations for herself from Hollywood Critics Association.

When two years before her fiftieth birthday Cate Blanchett played the elder sister of Thor and Loki in Thor: Ragnarok, it surprised both her fans and her followers, but she didn't stop there. The 53-year-old Australian came back stronger with performances

in Ocean's 8 Don't Look Up, and Nightmare Alley, and is also part of the voiceover cast that appeared in Pinocchio recently. For someone who has won two Academy Awards, and three BAFTAs, she was also nominated for an Emmy for her performance in Mrs. America, but that award continues to elude her. However, the sky seems to be the limit for her and that is where she is headed. And just when it seemed that the 53-year-old J Lo had nothing more to offer, the pop culture icon managed to bag as many as three lead roles in films, out of which Marry Me has already been released this year. She will be back as the leading actress in Shotgun Wedding and The Mother for Amazon Prime and Netflix and if that doesn't show that she is back in demand, nothing will.

Bollywood moves forward with realistic casting!

Unlike Hollywood, Bollywood folks seem to have a calendar in hand while selecting actresses for the main lead; even though actresses in their 40s like Kajol, Rani Mukerji, and Raveena Tandon get an occasional project where they lead the cast, it isn’t enough. Yes, it might be a step in the right direction considering Waheeda Rehman, Sharmila Tagore, and Zeenat Aman had to quit playing main leads before their 40th birthday.

KARACHI By Omair Alavi

The first one to break that barrier was Sridevi, who played the title character in not one but two films, one before her fiftieth birthday and one after. In English Vinglish (2012) she played a desi mom who learns English just to gain self-respect, while in Mom (2017), she played a desperate mother who becomes a vigilante after her stepdaughter is sexually assaulted at a party. Her untimely death one year later at the age of 54 saddened her fans who were anxious to watch her in more age-appropriate roles than her contemporaries who were either retired or playing mothers to younger men.

While Sridevi played the main lead, there were others who played second fiddle to leading men like Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan who played the main role all their life. In the last dozen years, Hema Malini has played main roles with or without Amitabh Bachchan

top billing because she was the most senior person on the set, even more, senior than Anil Kapoor who seems to have been around since forever.

For those who have grown up watching Madhuri Dixit, the woman with the million-dollar smile will never grow old, however, she made her transition to TV at 55, and excelled. She made her Marathi language debut at the age of 51 with Bucket List, and followed it with Total Dhamaal in 2019, which featured her opposite her frequent co-star Anil Kapoor. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in Filmfare for Kalank in 2020 while made her Netflix debut with The Fame Game earlier this year, where she can pass easily for a forty-year-old, with a radiant smile.

Pakistan where the desirable women of the 90s are still in demand today

Let’s move on to the only media industry in the country

and that includes her performance in Sadiyan where she and Javed Sheikh played the parents of a young Muslim who was raised as a Sikh by Rekha and Rishi Kapoor.

One year later she was Big B's estranged wife in Buddha Hoga Tera Baap , which was followed by other films, including Ek Thi Rani Aisi Bhi in 2017. Her last flick Shimla Mirchi was released in 2020, in which the then 71-year-old didn't look her age at all.

Did you know there was an actress who made her Hollywood debut five decades after her actual film debut, and her name is Dimple Kapadia. She was 63 when she made her international debut with Christopher Nolan's Tenet in 2020, and even played the Prime Minister of India in A Thursday, which was released earlier this year on an OTT platform. Had it not been a common fact that she was the mother of Twinkle Khanna, many would have mistaken the 65-year-old mother as her elder sister.

Dimple Kapadia’s contemporary in film Neetu Singh also recently staged a comeback to films, and at 64 seems to have picked up from where she left four decades back. She played Anil Kapoor’s wife and Varun Dhawan’s mother in Jugjugg Jeeyo but the best part is, she got the

In 2021, singer Aima Baig and actor-cum-producer Shahbaz Shigri announced their engagement. However, the former couple has now revealed that they have decided to part ways and are not together anymore. Aima took to Instagram to address the conversation surrounding the situation, and said that the decision was a mutual and amicable one. The singer said that she wanted to make sure that this was talked about in a respectful manner and that both her and Shahbaz are doing fine and are ready to start a new chapter of their lives. She also went to add that, “I will always respect this person for giving me a good time”. While Aima has said her piece regarding the situation, Shahbaz is yet to comment on the break-up specifically. He had, however, recently said that, for the time being, he is done with relationships.

A recent video of Pakistani actress Resham throwing food and plastic waste into a river resulted in online furore. In the video, the actress, who was on her way to Charsadda, can be seen throwing meat, bread and a plastic bag into a river. Several high-profile celebrities like Meesha Shafi and Shaniera Akram were quick to call out Resham for this harmful practice and the damaging environmental impact of polluting the water. Resham initially rebuked the criticism by saying that this was not a big issue and that the country has bigger problems, stating, “Women are gang raped here every day. Violence against women is commonplace. I was merely offering sadaqah (charity)”. However, the actress did eventually apologise for her actions and said it happened out of “carelessness” and that it was the “biggest mistake of her career”. Since the incident, Resham has taken part in a “litter cleaning initiative” and helped to clean up and collect roadside garbage.

where actresses are preferred due to their social media presence, their good looks, and youthful appearances. More the followers, the meatier the role, but there are a few actresses who have defied all that with their elegance, their beauty, and above all, their ability to stay relevant.

Veteran TV and film actress, playwright, and singer Bushra Ansari maybe 66 years old, but when she is in a frame, her towering personality is the only thing that’s visible to the audience. She has been around since the 1970s and besides being an actress of repute, she has dominated the scene as a singer too. At 66 years, she is a living legend who can do comedy, host TV shows, sing songs, and judge music shows besides writing plays when no one else is writing for her.

She is still active as a leading actress after five decades and was even competing for the attention of the same man in Zebaish as her niece Zara Noor Abbas. Be it playing the title character in Seeta Bagri or her vocals as Dirtee in an animated series for kids a few years back, Bushra Ansari is leading the way for all those women who feel that age restricts them from trying hard.

Don’t be surprised to find yesteryear beauties Atiqa Odho and Mahnoor Baloch in the list of those who have crossed fifty, because contrary to popular belief, they have. They have been around since the 1990s and while Mahnoor Baloch was found conning two boys – Faysal Qureshi and Aijaz Aslam – in an Eid play last year, Atiqa Odho plays the boss on TV, even if it is not a leading role. Her performance last year in Pyar Ke Sadqay was certainly not a supporting character since it was her character who drove the play and ended it, not the leading man or the leading lady.

And then there is the woman who doesn’t age, Sania Saeed. The actress who just turned fifty was the main lead (alongside Saba Qamar) in Sarmad Khoosat’s Kamli released a few months back and won over the audience as the blind woman who didn’t tell her brother’s wife of his death. She even stays relevant on TV with pivotal characters in plays like Raqeeb Se Dour , and Sang-e-Mah Her ability to adapt any character and make it her own isn’t something that she has developed over the years but a talent that she always had, otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to play a young mother in Aahat and a youngto-old lawyer in Sitara Aur Mehrunissa in the 1990s.

American comedian and talk-show host Jimmy Fallon recently took a dig at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy made fun of the prime minister struggling with his earphone during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The comedian showed the video clip to his audience and commented, “That guy is the leader of 220 million people.” While the video seemed to have Jimmy and his audience in fits of laughter, many on Twitter were quick to call out the hypocrisy of such jokes and the blind eye Western nations turn towards the real problems facing countries like Pakistan. The fact that Jimmy had used his platform for a pointless joke instead of trying to draw attention towards the devastating flooding that Pakistan has experienced came across as being in very poor taste to many viewers of the show.

Bakhtawar – A tale of gender disguise

Based on a fresh, home-grown narrative, Bakhtawar is set in a world that is closer to reality, and is more relatable

By Noman Ahmed KARACHI

With eight episodes aired so far, the TV serial Bakhtawar has been enjoying popularity and acclaim both among the audience and the who’s who of Pakistan’s TV industry. The credit mainly goes to the leading actress Yumna Zaidi, who glides in and out of Bakhtawar and her ‘twin brother’ Bakhtiar (Bakhtu) effortlessly, infusing both of her characters with a distinct personality almost in every scene. Along with Yumna’s acting chops, what makes Bakhtawar so entertaining is its fresh, home-grown narrative, allowing the audience to witness contemporary, urban female and male anguish through the eyes of one character.

The world that Bakhtawar inhabits — between rural Pakistan and a low-income working class of Karachi — is hard, gritty, dangerous, and toxic — pretty close to the life that most average Pakistanis witness day in and day out. While cross-dressing and gender disguises have been popular plot devices from Ancient Greek plays to Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Pakistani television has also offered stories featuring protagonists who play dual genders in disguise such as Rozi and Ishq Zahe Naseeb. However, Bakhtawar is set in a world that is closer to reality, and thus, more relatable. Playwright Nadia Akhtar remains true to the escapist fantasy typically associated with gender disguise, but blends it with realism to make Bakhtawar appealing to prime-time viewers who are willingly taken in by Bakhtawar’s earnest confidence to pull off her disguise each time. But just when the shenanigans start becoming too unbelievable, the writer adds a scene where we cannot help but empathise with Bakhtawar/Bakhtu.

Trapped within an oppressive, patriarchal social setting and suffering neglect from an abusive and absent father, Bakhtawar, a young girl, escapes with her mother (Huma Nawab) to the big city, hoping to get a job and pursue an education. Losing her sister to a forced marriage and kid brother to disease — her only two bonds to her community make the escape fairly simple. Early experiences in such a big city teach Bakhtawar that being a girl without male protection reduces her chances for a safe, respectable and independent living and also puts her own survival at stake. Hence, she chops off her hair, dons a baggy shirt, and becomes Bakhtu.

As Bakhtu, she feels liberated, safe, and comes across a new world replete

with opportunities to grow and make a decent living. Now she can get a job, pay the house rent, and complete her Bachelor’s. The audience, who have been rooting for Bakhtawar all along, having seen her suffer at the hands of evil men in control of her life — such as her father, uncles, landlord, and manager — finally hope for a turn in her fortune, as does Bakhtawar herself. But both learn that life as Bakhtu is also fraught with challenges and being a man, or one without a high level of masculinity, can also be tough.

Bakhtu is viewed with suspicion by her landlord Haji Nazar (Saqib Sumeer), and teased by the repellent Sheeda (Sunil Shankar) and his neighbourhood gang. He is rejected when he applies for work and is sexually harassed by customers at the dhaba where he finally lands a job.

Just when Bakhtu’s life seems to be stuck in a rut, he

Pakistan's greek tragedy

The play ‘Antigone’ is well-connected with the present-day situation in the country

comes across Malik Dilawar (Zaviyar Naumaan), a stereotypical young, handsome and wealthy boy. He is the only person who treats Bakhtu with some decency, and Bakhtawar bravely risks her life to save him from a gun attack. Dilawar returns the favour by offering Bakhtu a job at his office, and thus Bakhtu enters Dilawar’s world, one of glamorous excess — the hallmark of marketing-driven private TV productions nowadays. In this universe, the only way an individual can succeed is by getting a fluke entry into privileged circles. This is the world where people live in nothing less than mansions, study abroad even against their wishes, inherit business empires, travel in bulletproof cars, and cannot get away from this lifestyle surrounded by armed guards and ensuing security concerns.

Bakhtu wins Dilawar’s trust, much to the envy of his staff, and the annoyance of his politician cum businessman father. Both Bakhtu and Dilawar find a common interest in poetry, and Bakhtawar experiences the awakening of first love.

Enter Hooriya (Noreen Gulwani), Dilawar’s possessive fiancé, whose first interaction with Bakhtu sets the tone for what seems to be a perpetual territorial war over Dilawar. In fact, almost every character in Dilawar’s world is onedimensional, whose sole purpose is either to be powerful,

serve the powerful, or exploit the powerful. This could be a blessing in disguise as it maintains our interest strictly where it deserves to be.

Bakhtawar offers the audience a unique opportunity to experience what it means to be a young man or woman struggling for their share of happiness in a very unfair world. Many serials focus on suffering women by portraying men as the only villain in their lives. Bakhtawar, on the other hand, shows how society makes it hard for young men and women to build a future for themselves, and that it is possible for a person to sense the pain of both.

Yumna is a scene-stealer and proves her acting prowess through her facial and vocal expressions coupled with her body language, something that even experienced actors have struggled with. As Bakhtu, she holds the pitch of the character perfectly, always mindful that she is not acting like a man, but a woman-acting-like-a-man. She holds her own against veterans like Huma Nawab, Fazila Qazi, Qaiser Nizamani, and young Zaviyar Naumaan. However, the actor who truly complements her style is Sunil Shankar. As the street-smart ruffian named Sheeda, Sunil’s dialogue delivery and body language perfectly convey his uncanny curiosity over Bakhtu’s demeanour while lusting after Bakhtawar.

One hopes that in the forthcoming episodes Dilawar’s character will evolve into something more than merely a filthy-rich saviour, and the story does not devolve into a rags-to-riches fairy-tale, love triangle, or a family drama having a formulaic happy ending when a rich boy finally marries a poor girl.

By Sara Danial KARACHI

The National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) recently staged the Urdu rendition of Jean Anouilh’s book and play, Antigone, a 5th-century BC tragedy inspired by Greek mythology. Considering the current political fabric and social concerns facing Pakistan, the play is pertinent and is well-connected with the present-day situation.

A blood-soaked tribute of a simple girl to her loved one, the play begins with a faint cry of resistance and builds into a political thriller with relevance to all times and regions. Even though such tensions were experienced in varied forms and intensity, one could easily feel the discord that literally belonged to the Greece of ancient times. It allows the discussion on issues that can be associated with the treatment of individuals and decisions authorised by abusive governments. Conflict, basic rights of citizens, and authoritarianism are the dominant forces of the play, as is the case with every political power in almost every state and society.

Moving on to the plot: Following the bloody siege of Thebes by Polynices and his allies, the city stands tall. A war ensued between Polynices and his brother Eteocles over the succession of the throne. And both

are dead, killed by each other, according to the curse of Oedipus, their father. Outside the city gates, Antigone (Maha Hasan) tells Ismene (Raana Kazmi) that Creon (Khalid Ahmad, who also doubled as the director of the play) has ordered that Eteocles, who died defending the city, is to be buried with full honours, while the body of Polynices, the invader, is left to rot and become scavenger fodder. Creon has also declared that anyone attempting to bury Polynices shall be publicly stoned to death. Outraged, Antigone reveals to Ismene, a plan to bury Polynices in secret, despite Creon's order.

When Ismene timidly refuses to defy the king, Antigone prepares as a ‘lone rebel’ for an honourable burial of her brother.

When Creon discovers that someone has offered a ritual burial to Polynices, he demands that the guilty one be found and brought before him. He learns that Antigone, his niece, has dared to defy his order. He is furious. Antigone makes an impassioned argument, declaring Creon's order to be “against the laws of the gods themselves”. Enraged by Antigone's refusal to submit to his authority, Creon declares that she and her sister will be put to death.

Haemon (Hasan Kamal), Creon's son who was to marry Antigone, first requests and later argues with his father regarding his desire, Haemon accusing Creon of ar-

rogance, and Creon accusing Haemon of unmanly weakness in siding with a woman. Haemon leaves in anger, swearing never to return. Without admitting that Haemon may be right, Creon amends his pronouncement on the sisters: Ismene shall live, and Antigone will be sealed in a tomb to die of starvation, rather than stoned to death by the city. Creon is warned by a blind prophet Tiresias that the gods disapprove of his leaving Polynices unburied and will punish

the king's impiety with the death of his own son. After rejecting Tiresias angrily, Creon reconsiders and decides to bury Polynices and free Antigone. But Creon's change of heart comes too late. Antigone has hanged herself and Haemon, in desperate agony, kills himself as well. On hearing the news of her son's death, Eurydice, the queen, also kills herself, cursing Creon. In despair, Creon accepts responsibility for all the tragedy and prays for a quick death. The play ends

with a sombre warning that pride will be punished by the blows of fate.

With regard to the play’s nuances, Raana Kazmi believes Antigone is such a special play, and Khalid Ahmed's translation does the complete justice. “As a director, he leads you on an exploration of the character and the story, both answering questions as well as seeking answers from you. I play Ismene, Antigone's sister, who is compliant and believes she has to be this way to serve the purpose. During the course of the play, we see her journey from saying a submissive yes to a determined no,” according to Raana Kazmi.

Khalid Ahmad as Creon was impressive and his performance was well-received by the audience. Maha Hasan as Antigone also gave a strong performance. Being the director of the play, Khalid Ahmad was nothing short of brilliant as a 2-hour-long play stood out by solid performances coupled with an exceptional direction.

Talking about her experience of working under Khalid Ahmad, Hasan Kamal says, “It was a dream come true and a trifecta for me to share the stage with Khalid sahib, act under his direction and be a part of the immaculate translation of Antigone. Of

course, it was intimidating in the beginning, but I don't think I could've explored, questioned, and discovered this play and the character any better than anyone else but him. It's been an enriching experience, not just as an actor but as a person, too.”

Speaking about her character, Hasan added, “Antigone is about a girl who is full of passion for all things pure. She's a rebel, a girl who questions and believes in practicing her right as an individual and wishes to live an uncompromised life, even if it comes at the cost of dying. I have been involved in screen-acting for the past three years and this is a classical play technically as I was switching from a naturalistic acting style to a classical one. It was a novelty for me to work around such a text. Antigone is an extremely layered character, peppered with the self-discovery that this character experiences in such a short span of time. To understand those elements and to portray them thoroughly requires a lot of cognizance.”

The attempt to develop an immediate relevance to current affairs within the script is especially apparent and presents the dilemmas of the play as explicitly analogous to the on-going civil crisis in Pakistan.

By Omair Alavi KARACHI

Whenever the history of Pakistani cinema would be written, the name of Zeba Begum would be there amongst those who helped Pakistani films find fame and popularity across the globe. During the 1960s and the 1970s, she was not just on top of her game but also featured in films that would change the way films were being made in the country.

Tue to her name, Zeba wasn’t just a pretty face, which dominated the scene but she was one of the few actresses who dared to play characters that others had to think twice about. She played a young-to-old character in Insaan Aur Aadmi before she turned 25, was amongst the first actresses to play a tomboyish character in Mohabbat Zindagi Hai, and returned to films when the then Pakistan President requested her to represent the country abroad.

After bidding farewell to her acting career, she continued her association with the film industry and appeared as the unofficial First Lady of the industry and served as the chairman of one of the three censor boards in the country.

Earlier this month on 10th September, the veteran actress celebrated her 77th birthday, and there is no better time to pay a tribute to her legacy, than on her big day. Read on:

Phase one – The initial years

Zeba Begum was born Shaheen Bano in the United Indian city of Ambala, Punjab on 10th September 1945, and migrated with her family to the newly-created Pakistan when she was three years old. After completing her education, she changed her name to Zeba when she ventured into films and initially struggled since her competition was with Sabiha Khanum, Nayyar Sultana, and Musarrat Nazir who were ruling the screen. However, what set her apart from others was her beauty, elegance, and ability to take on difficult characters and that’s why after she made her debut with Chiragh Jalta Raha, no one was able to stop her from rising to the top.

Before she became the leading lady of Waheed Murad in the 1960s, she appeared in his home production Jab Se Dekha Hai Tumhein opposite Darpan. The success of the film made her every director’s first choice heroine since they were on the lookout for someone who could be paired with the younger leading men. Her first hit pairing was with Syed Kamal with whom she gave numerous hit flicks like Tauba, Aashiana, and Aisa Bhi Hota Hai between 1963 and 1965, however, Heera Aur Pathar changed the dynamics.

Produced by Waheed Murad, the film featured him as the leading man as well, and thanks to Pervez Malik’s direction, Masroor Anwar’s lyrics, and Sohail Rana’s music, it went on to establish the ‘chocolate hero’ as the most desirable bachelor. However, without Zeba, his career might not have begun as well as it did, since she was the leading lady of nearly all of his successful films between 1964 and 1967.

They were there in Kaneez and Eid Mubarak (both 1965), went on to appear in Armaan and Jaag Utha Insaan (both 1966), and were part of Maa Baap Rishta Hai Pyar Ka Ehsaan, and Insaniyat (all 1967) after making it big with Heera Aur Pathar. Besides being good-looking and charming, Zeba was able to play different kinds of characters that included getting married for the sake of her daughter, falling in love despite being already married, and playing a Cinderella-esque ‘sister’ who takes the blame to save her cousin after she is suspected of having an affair.

It was her performance in Armaan (the film where she played Cinderella to Waheed Murad’s Prince Charming) that not only helped her career but also heralded it towards the top. At the time of its release, it was the most successful Pakistani flick of all time, and when it completed its Platinum Jubilee – 75 weeks in cinemas – Waheed Murad and Zeba were the talk of the town. If he had performed the romantic version of Akele Na Jana, then she was the one who breathed life into the tragic tandem that helped the film end on a happy note.

Nearly all their films did well at the box office and although they weren’t cast opposite each other in Josh, their chemistry as the leading man and the leading lady always set the screen on fire. However, there was another actor with whom she had shared the screen and with whom she was romantically involved, unknown to her fans. His name was Mohammed Ali and on September 1966, Zeba suddenly married her Chiragh Jalta Raha co-star with whom

she went on to deliver a number of hits, including the first few as the co-producer.

Phase two – The Ali Zeb years

Although Zeba had been married twice before tying the knot with Mohammed Ali (with Khawaja Rehmat Ali and film actor Sudhir), her innings as Mrs. Mohammad Ali saw her approach change towards films. She refused to work with other leading men of the day, including her former romantic leads Waheed Murad, Syed Kamal, and even upcoming actor Nadeem. Whenever she acted in a film with Waheed Murad or Nadeem, it was either as a sister-in-law or as a former lover (in case of Nadeem in Daman Aur Chingari).

It was during this period, however, that she turned producer and helmed Aag and Jaise Jantey Nahi with her husband which kick-started her second coming. If Mohammed Ali was on the lookout for a reliable partner, so was Zeba and the two complimented each other in such a way that whenever they were paired together, it more or less guaranteed that the film would do well. They went on to become the most charismatic pair in the history of Pakistani cinema and continued to rule the screen for two more decades.

Her best performance came in Insaan Aur Aadmi where she played Mohammed Ali’s love interest before being forced to marry another man. Not only did the role give her the chance to play the rare young-to-old character that leading ladies usually avoid but she excelled in both. At 25, she not only played the young girl with conviction but as Talat Hussain’s mother (whom he had not met before), she was on top of her game.

After proving her class as an actress, Zeba continued to act in films but as an older woman, giving younger actresses like Babra Sharif and Mumtaz the space they needed to shine as leading ladies. She was paired with her husband in all her films but managed

Most memorable songs filmed on Zeba

While Zeba Begum’s contemporaries like Rani, Shabnam, and others were well-versed in dancing, Zeba Begum’s forte was her elegance, grace, and beauty. She was not just the perfect face for the vocals of Noor Jehan, Naheed Niazi, Mala, Runa Laila, and even Naheed Akhtar, but had the emotions required to present their voices on screen. Throughout the 1960s and the 1970s, she filmed some of the best songs of the era and it would be an injustice not to include her most memorable songs in a tribute to her.

Songs Films Year

to carve a separate identity for herself in all the characters she played. She got her third Nigar Award for Best Actress (the first one was for Armaan, the second one for Insaan Aur Aadmi) for Mohabbat where she outshone everyone else, including her husband Mohammed Ali. In Mohabbat, she played the main lead as the woman whose fortunes change with the passage of time.

Phase three – The comeback years

For the first dozen years of her career, Zeba was the leading lady every director wanted to have in their films but after 1974, she began to keep a low profile and although her films managed to do well, she didn’t stay as active as her rivals. However, she took her position as the unofficial ‘First lady of Pakistani cinema’ seriously and represented the country wherever her husband Mohammed Ali went. It was due to their popularity abroad that the late President of Pakistan General Zia ul Haq asked Mohammed Ali and Zeba to represent Pakistan in veteran actor Manoj Kumar’s film Clerk, a move that resulted in failure but the Pakistani couple had nothing to do with it.

Although Zeba had been married twice before tying the knot with Mohammed Ali (with Khawaja Rehmat Ali and film actor Sudhir), her innings as Mrs. Mohammad Ali saw her approach change towards films. She refused to work with other leading men of the day, including her former romantic leads Waheed Murad, Syed Kamal, and even upcoming actor Nadeem

In a film that was supposed to lessen the tensions between the two countries, actor and director Manoj Kumar deliberately edited scenes featuring Mohammed Ali and Zeba, and even made the tall Pakistani actor play his elder crippled brother, which didn’t sit out well with the Indian or Pakistani fans of Mohammed Ali and Zeba. It was the only time when Ali Zeb (as they were commonly referred to) worked in an Indian film, but it wasn’t their first international venture. That distinction goes to Tiger Gang which was a co-production between Italy and West Germany and was titled FBI Operation Pakistan in the West.

Also, Clerk wasn’t their last hurrah together, it was Mohabbat Ho To Aisi Ho which came out in 1989. Not many know but the film initially had Waheed Murad playing the second hero but since he died suddenly in 1983, it was shelved until actor using Sherry Malik replaced the deceased actor and it was completed in 1989. After quitting acting in the 1980s, Zeba Begum supported her husband Mohammed Ali in his charity work. They founded Ali-Zeb Foundation in the mid-90s to help Thalassemia patients across the country which continues to aid those in need for free treatment. She was also voted amongst the 25 greatest actors of Asia (along with her husband Mohammed Ali) in a poll conducted by none other than the CNN, and if that doesn’t prove her class, nothing would.

Zeba Begum continued to remain associated with films after her husband’s death in 2006, but not in front of the camera, but as the Chairman of the Punjab Censor Board. Despite turning 70, she used her experience to rate films and must be complimented for a job well done, since it was during her tenure that the cinema industry revived with films like Na Maloom Afraad. Although she was criticized for banning Shoaib Mansoor’s Verna in 2017, her point of view was appreciated when the film failed at the box office due to the bad execution of a sensitive subject. One hopes that she continues to inspire generations of actors and filmmakers and imparts her experience to them, so that Pakistani cinema returns to its former glory, and remains indebted to her for her invaluable contribution.

Almonds

Almonds are edible oval nuts with a hard shell and are one of the most preferred nuts because of their taste. Other than the fact that almonds can be easily stored, they are prized for their protein content of superior biological quality, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, as well as vitamin E. They are included in heart-protective diets (almonds themselves resemble a heart). They help with anaemia, vision disorders and hypertension and also reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and depression. Almond milk is easy to digest and does not cause gastrointestinal fermentation. Therefore, it is recommended for nursing mothers and small children. However, only the sweet types of almonds are useful, as the bitter ones contain large amounts of oils that can be harmful to health.

Brazilian walnut

With the highest fat and selenium content, Brazilian walnuts provide indispensable help in the fight against cataracts, male infertility and early menopause, atherosclerosis of the heart and brain vessels. It strengthens the immune system and has anti-carcinogenic properties that can not only prevent but also stop the development of malignant tumours. It is enough to eat two nuts, and the sele nium contained in them (also known as the trace element of longevity) begins to perform its invisible work in the human body. It attracts with its high calcium content – 4-5 times higher than other nuts and seeds. It is also rich in iron, magnesium, zinc, B vitamins and vitamin E. It is recommended during pregnancy and menopause (to prevent osteoporosis). It improves metabolism, affects the quality of skin, hair and nails, and acts as an aphrodisiac. The presence of phytosterols reduces the risk of certain types of cancer.

Macadamia

Macadamia, also known as Australian nut, is the most high-calorie nut, with a specific taste and a number of useful properties. It is a good source of proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fibre, potassium, calcium, iron, selenium, as well as B vitamins and vitamin PP. It helps with arthritis, diabetes, metabolic disorders, migraine, and hypertension. It reduces the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, protecting against cardiovascular diseases. Macadamia oil is one of the most preferred in cosmetics because of its highly protective and rejuvenating properties.

Sunflower seeds

Peanuts

Peanuts contain the most vitamin B3 and folic acid, probably because they grow underground. This makes them a suitable food during pregnancy. They reduce the risk of heart attack, protect against Alzheimer’s disease and other degenerative problems. Like cashews, peanuts contain oxalates and should be avoided by people with kid ney or gallbladder problems.

Hazelnuts

Like almonds, hazelnuts contain potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, as well as B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E. They are recommended for bronchitis, joint pain, chronic fatigue, nervous tension, and are recommended to be consumed after severe infectious diseases. Rich in fat, hazelnuts go rancid easily, but because of their low carbohydrate content, they are often included in weight loss diets.

Pistachios

Pistachios are the richest in iron (after sesame) and have the highest potas sium content. They also contain six times more antioxidants than green tea, as well as an enviable amount of arginine (an essential amino acid that is involved in building muscle tissue). They contribute to the proper functioning of the cardio vascular and nervous systems, to the strengthening of bones and teeth (due to the presence of phosphorus and calcium), and increase male potency.

Cashew

Cashews, the most delicious nut, are rich in protein, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, B vitamins and vitamin A and have anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties too. Care must be taken with cashews, as they contain oxalates and the toxin urushiol. The latter is located in the shell of the nuts and should be carefully removed.

Linseed

Linseeds are an excellent source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, dietary fibre and lignans. The latter are responsible for its loosening action. Flaxseed is very useful during diets, for the prevention of colon cancer and high blood pressure, and in Alzheimer’s disease. It is good for people with im paired metabolism. The recommend ed daily dose is 1-2 tbsp (crushed or ground) as an addition to the salad.

Pine nuts

Extremely rich in proteins, pine nuts are an important nutritional supplement for pregnant women and small children as well as for the elderly. They contain more amino acids than meat and milk, as well as many vitamins and minerals. They have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular, digestive and nervous systems, improve metabolism, and strengthen libido. They are best eaten raw as they are sensitive to

Walnuts

Walnuts serve as a very good source of iron, iodine, copper, phosphorus, zinc, fibre, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E. They protect the cardiovascular system and the brain. Due to their high energy value, they are suitable food, especially for people performing heavy physical work. Thanks to the iodine content, they are used as a treatment for thyroid gland diseases. The ideal option is to eat five walnuts a day.

Hemp seeds

Hemp seeds have an ideal balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They are rich in pro teins, germanium, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, silicon, chromium, zinc, as well as a number of vitamins (group B, A, E, D, K). Hemp seeds stimulate digestion, suc cessfully affect infections of the excretory system, and treat skin problems (acne, eczema, psoriasis).

Pumpkin seed

AFP

Taking a daily multivitamin and mineral tablet may slow the gradual cognitive decline that happens naturally as we get older. At the end of a three-year trial, people who had taken a commercially available multivitamin-mineral supplement had a cognitive age that was 1.8 years younger than those who took a placebo. Hence, taking a commercially available multivitamin and mineral supplement for three years led to people doing better in memory and cognitive tests compared with those taking a placebo tablet.

“It’s an eye opener,” says Laura Baker at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The benefits of taking multivitamin pills have been debated among doctors. They were once widely recommended as an “insurance policy” for people with poor diets, based on studies that found those who take them tend to have better health.

But these studies weren’t randomised, placebo-controlled trials – the best kind of medical evidence – and when such trials were done, they found no benefit from taking supplements for most healthy people. It seemed the earlier results arose because vitamin tablets are more popular with people who look after their health in many other ways.

The latest research is a randomised trial in nearly 2300 US people aged between 65 and 100 years old. Baker and her team began the study because they wanted to see if flavanols, compounds found in chocolate that are claimed to have health benefits, would help

Sunflower seeds are referred to as a super-food rich in omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, as well as B vitamins and vitamin E. Idea for the brain due to their high magnesium and phosphorus content, they reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol in the body and are recommended for high blood pressure. They regulate body temperature and acid-base balance. The presence of vitamin P makes it an excellent prophylactic against a number of diseases, including cancer.

With the highest content of zinc and unsaturated fatty acids, pumpkin seeds provide large amounts of proteins, vitamins (group B, C, E) and resinous substances. It has an anti-inflammatory and anthelmintic effect and helps in periods when the body’s defences need to be strengthened. If crushed and boiled, it becomes a medicine against insomnia and constant pains.

delay cognitive decline with age. The trial included a group that took a standard multivitamin and mineral pill as a comparison.

At the start of the trial, the participants did an array of cognitive tests for memory, verbal and number skills over the phone, with the results merged into a single score. They were then randomly chosen to take either a flavanol supplement, the combined multivitamin and mineral tablet or a placebo once daily for three years. Similar cognitive tests were repeated every year over the three years.

All the groups did somewhat better, on average, after one and two years, while at three years, their scores roughly plateaued. This was probably because over the first two years people were becoming more familiar with how to do the tests, says Baker.

Those who took the multivitamin and mineral supplements scored slightly higher than those who took the placebo tablet, but there was no significant benefit in the flavanol group. It isn’t known which components of the multivitamin and mineral tablet were responsible.

The benefit from the multivitamin was greater in people with heart or circulatory disease, such as having had surgery to widen the blood vessels to their heart. This may be because “cardiovascular disease has significant consequences for brain health”, says Baker.

“These findings are quite promising and can have a significant impact on public health,” says Rebecca Edelmayer at the Alzheimer’s Association, a US charity. But they don’t provide good enough evidence to support recommending supplement use, as the finding needs to be confirmed in a larger group of people, she says.

Italian fashion has found its feet again, with industry turnover up by 25 percent in the first half of 2022

AFP Chinese buyers are back and business is booming as Milan Fashion Week (MFW) opened recently on an optimistic note, despite the shadows cast by the soaring cost of energy. Almost 70 catwalk shows and 110 presentations are scheduled over the next six days, featuring the giants of Italian fashion, from Gucci to Fendi, Prada, Versace, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana and Bottega Veneta.

The return of a mostly full live programme in February after two years of coronavirus was marred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But this season the international jet set are back in force, from 300 journalists to 450 buyers expected, including the first Chinese delegation since the pandemic closed borders across the globe.

Among the key events of spring/summer 2023 are Moncler's 70th birthday celebrations and Ferragamo's catwalk show at the site of its future Milan hotel.

Meanwhile a number of personnel changes are causing interest, with Marco de Vincenzo having taken over as new creative director at Etro, Filippo Grazioli at Missoni and Andrea Incontri at Benetton.

New faces Valentina Ilardi, Marco Rambaldi and Matty Bovan will also be closely watched as an indication of future trends.

And the mood is upbeat. After the pain of the pandemic, Italian fashion has found its feet again, with industry turnover up by 25 percent in the first half of 2022.

It represents "the strongest growth in the sector for 20 years", says Carlo Capasa, head of Italy's chamber of fashion.

The growth is similar to that of the first half of 2021, when it rebounded after the 2020 lockdowns, leading the chamber to forecast annual turnover for 2022 of more than 92 billion euros

There are clouds on the horizon, however, with Europe facing rampant inflation and an energy crisis linked to the Ukraine war. The growth this year is partly explained by the increase in prices but stripping taking that into account, turnover still increased by more than 18 percent, returning to levels seen before the 2008 financial crisis.

Exports increased significantly in the first five months of 2022, up 21.9 percent for fashion, and 30.2 percent in related sectors.

The US and South Korean markets had the strongest performance, while there were slowdowns in China and in Russia, where the luxury goods industry has been hard hit by Western sanctions.

Exports to Russia fell 26 percent in clothes fashion, 68 percent for jewellery and 56 percent for eyewear.

"The energy crisis has a significant impact on fashion because the entire upstream supply chain is energy intensive," Capasa said.

"To manufacture fabric or a bag you need raw materials that consume a lot of energy."

He said the cost of energy previously made up about 10 percent of the final product, and is now at least 30 percent.

"Prices cannot be adjusted indefinitely and that puts companies in the difficult position of asking if it is worth bothering," he said.

With Italy facing a new government after elections on Sunday, he expressed hope that "dramatic measures" to help counter rising energy costs.

Kendall Jenner Gigi Hadid

Emily Ratajkowski

Bella Hadid

By Bold Desk KARACHI

Madiha Iftikhar started her acting career at the age of 17 when she first appeared in a TV serial ‘Partition Aik Safar.’ The drama serial was based on the real life stories of people who went through the throes of the Partition of the subcontinent into the two states of India and Pakistan. Gifted with ravishing looks and immense potential for modelling, Madiha soon emerged as a sought-after commercial model. Her modelling career started in 2011 when she appeared in an ad campaign of a skin-whitening product and even became the official brand ambassador for the cosmetic brand. In 2013, she hosted Raunaq-e-Ramadan transmission and as an actress, she performed in many TV serials such as Kitni Girhen Ab Baaki Hain Dil Dard Dhuan Kaise Yeh Junoon Sarkar Sahab Ishq Ki Inteha and many others. Madiha took a break from the showbiz world after her marriage and is now making a comeback. Despite her on-and-off appearance in the showbiz, Madiha Iftikhar is a name to be reckoned with.

BOLD: You have been away from television for quite a long time. Any particular reason?

Madiha Iftikhar: I think I've answered this question many times before. The reason for my prolonged absence from the TV screen is that that I got married and then moved to another country. Sometimes the change is difficult but I managed to work it out. I have not yet left the showbiz world but have been on a much-needed break from the TV screen. You have done selective roles in the past as well. Are you picky about roles or the right role didn’t come to you?

People have their own perspectives on hiring actors and the same goes in media. Finding a role for my age is not difficult for writers and directors if the channel allows them to cast according to their perception and let everyone play their actual age. We have so many characters to show to our audience but, unfortunately, we tend to indulge in lobbying and favouritism. This has to stop as we are losing great talent in this race. Give everyone a chance to prove themselves. We need new faces in the industry and cannot run it with the same actors. Actors must be cast as per the demands of the characters not as per the wishes

of the social media followers.

Do you face any difficulty in finding an appropriate role for yourself as there are a lot of new faces coming in?

I believe I am lucky enough to have such people around me who are not only my friends but my well-wishers too, willing to cast me in their forthcoming projects. It's always difficult to come back if you belong to a fickle showbiz world and then take a break for a while.

How’s your life going after marriage as you have not openly spoken about it on television or on any other platforms?

I have been leading a good married life and I am thankful to Allah for giving me such a supportive husband. We have a real connection and are more like friends to each other. We don't let each other down and that's the reason that I am hap pily married.

In this day and age, being active on social media is a big deal. Do you agree with it?

Yes I agree! But sometimes being ac tive on social media all the time takes half of my energy. So I get active for months and then go offline to recharge myself. I re ally appreciate people making the most of this platform. It is indeed a difficult task but one

has to do it to get things going.

In one of your interviews with Nida Yasir, you said that people body shame you because you are thin. How do you deal with it?

I think body shaming others has become a trend now, and people are using social media to give their toxic views. Instead of getting rid of this bad habit altogether, it has now emerged a common practice for people to pass on negative comments to others. Personally speaking, I don't even feel bad about it. One feels it's one’s right to make others feel uneasy with their undue comments. At first, it was rather difficult for me to cope with this negative experience as well but then I started praying for their mental health because only that's what they desperately need. This has to stop now! You used to host a TV morning show. How things have changed when you were on a break. Are there any plans of re-hosting?

I wouldn’t mind hosting a TV show again provided it is informative or is based on a good concept where we can add value to people's life and change their perspective towards many issues we are facing these days.

How did the industry welcome you?

It was a warm welcome indeed. I was offered some new projects that you will see soon on TV channels.

Who do you look up to when it comes to acting?

Julia Roberts mostly.

Any role models in the industry?

Everyone is a role model in their capacity. I

can't name a specific individual as I try to see and learn different aspects of life from many individuals working in the industry. . There are many new faces joining the industry. Who are you enjoying working with most?

Having just started working again recently, I have had an opportunity to work with a few faces who, no doubt, are very sweet and smart. It all depends on how you treat them. Its karma, darling! If I treat them nicely they will also do the same and that's what I used to do when I joined the showbiz industry.

Any bittersweet lessons learnt so far?

Yes. Stop spreading false news about people around you. Since you don't know their real story, it's better to focus on your work. Just live and let live.

What is your plan for now?

I am focusing on my acting career. Besides, I've launched an organic product called 'Herboil by Madiha Iftikhar,' which is based on 100% pure hair oil, rose extracts and body soaps. More new products will be launched soon. I am also working to build a dedicated community in Pakistan for deaf and hard-of-hearing people, especially children for their welfare and support. Any concluding note that you would like to make?

Be nice to everyone around you. If you have something, which is beneficial to others, please share it with a big heart. Stop criticizing people on their looks and their lifestyle, stop trolling on social media and make a safe environment for everyone.

By Omair Alavi KARACHI

Indian film director R Balki is known for his meaningful films and has delivered Cheeni Kum, Paa, Shamitabh and Pad Man in the last 15 years. His latest flick Chup: Revenge of the Artist has been released in India and is billed as a homage to master filmmaker Guru Dutt who committed suicide at the age of 39, way back in 1964. While the film deals with critics who somehow are responsible for the box office result of Guru Dutt’s 1959 classic Kaagaz Ke Phool, there are those who want to know who Guru Dutt was, and that’s where biographer Yasser Usman’s Guru Dutt – An Unfinished Story comes in. It is the perfect way to know Guru Dutt, the man who raised the bar for others to follow at a time when most filmmakers were busy making films, instead of doing something extra that was the need of the hour. Those with a keen eye on world cinema claim that Guru Dutt was India’s Don Juan and Nietzsche rolled into one, but there was more to Guru Dutt than meets the eye. Yasser Usman, who had already penned excellent biographies on Rajesh Khanna, Rekha, and Sanjay Dutt, brings Guru Dutt’s career and struggles to the fore and makes the readers understand why the now legendary Indian filmmaker took his own life before accom-

plishing his dreams. The author follows the familiar format of his previous biographies and depends on comments from all those who were associated with Guru Dutt. Unlike the previous books where he conducted multiple interviews with actual (read alive) people, he only had Guru Dutt’s sister Lalitha Lajmi because she is the only one who remains alive after more than half a century of her brother’s death. For comments of friends and colleagues, including the deceased Dev Anand, Johnny Walker, B R Chopra, and Abrar Alvi, Yasser Usman had to rely on archived interviews, and printed books, and the same technique applied to the very-much-alive Waheeda Rehman who must have had her reasons for not talking about her mentor, again. This book brings forward many facts that weren’t even known to most ardent fans of Guru Dutt. Yes, an online search can make you realize that he was born Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone on 9 July, 1925, and had his name changed to Gurudatta Padukone following a childhood accident. But did you know that the future filmmaker began his career in theatre, trained as a dancer under the great Uday Shankar, and fulfilled the promises he made before achieving success. That he was so in love with his work that when he started his own production company, he went on to become a one-man army who was not just the producer, but the director, actor, as well as financier. For outsiders, he had everything one could have in life, be it fame, money, and a happy family, but this book explores Guru Dutt who wasn’t known to the public. His deeply troubled personal life, his eccentricities, and his ups and downs are explored in these pages. It is from this book that the readers find out that Guru Dutt wasn’t stable at all during the final months of his life. When he destroyed his newly-built house, no one spoke to him before the deed was done; his final suicide attempt wasn’t his first, and he was heartbroken after his muse Waheeda Rehman decided to move on to a successful career. He was a man who needed love, affection, and attention but his tumultuous marriage, his alleged affair, and of course, the critics didn’t understand that at that time. Life wasn’t always cruel to Guru Dutt, and this book scouts that angle as well. He began his career as someone who was at ease with all kinds of genres, hence indispensable for the Indian film industry. Before he ventured into

acting, he was the young director behind the Hollywood-inspired Baazi, and Jaal, which is why when he finally did face the camera, he wasn’t a newbie like many others.

According to this book, he had an eye for talent, and it was that very eye that gave the Indian film industry actors like Johnny Walker and Waheeda Rehman, and while he was able to change the name of the former from Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi, the latter refused to adopt a stage name and stayed Waheeda Rehman. He also was someone who liked to experiment, and the lovely song Jaane Kahan Mera Jigar Gaya Ji from Mr. & Mrs. 55 is proof of his genius, where he had the cameraman move the camera from beneath the tables, effortlessly.

The best part about this book is that it begins like a non-linear film and then continues as a linear one. He starts the narration with an alive Guru Dutt, and ends it with his death, giving the readers what they want.

The length of the chapters is brief, and the titles are relevant, because the shorter the chapter, the more intriguing the narrative, and the more intriguing the narrative, the longer the readers have the book in their hands. Don’t be surprised if you end the book in two or three sittings, because it covers nearly everything about Guru Dutt that could have been covered.

One question that comes to mind after finishing this biography is: Was one more book on Guru Dutt really necessary? After all, his mother Vashanti Padukone had written My Son Gurudutt nearly fifteen years after her son’s death, and views of his frequent collaborator Abrar Alvi are present in Ten Years with Guru Dutt: Abrar Alvi’s Journey that came out in 2008, besides author Nasreen Munni Kabir’s two books and a documentary on the famed filmmaker. Yes, there was because Yasser Usman’s book caters to the audience of today, those who don’t have time to read lengthy biographies and be bored to death by details they don’t want to know.

If you still have questions about Guru Dutt’s career, such as why he chose to act in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam or why he didn’t lend his name to Chaudhvin Ka Chand don’t be afraid of searching for the answers. This book covers it all and is laced with never-seen-before photographs that add credence to these pages. The author must be commended for breathing life into the career of a filmmaker who had a lot to offer but lost it all to criticism that was unwanted, unwarranted, and unnecessary.

By Nadine Sayegh CALIFORNIA

For Marvel comic fans, the introduction of the new character ‘Sabra’ has generated considerable excitement.

A joint production of Marvel Comic Universe (MCU) and Disney, as announced at the D23 Expo held in California, the comic will have Israeli actress Shira Haas cast as ‘Sabra’ in the forthcoming Captain America franchise, New World Order.

The announcement, however, came under heavy criticism as many called it extremely bizarre and tone deaf. Criticisms range from the title of the film itself, to ‘Sabra’ being plagiarised from an Israeli comic creator and to her background, and even the very clear anti-Palestinian rhetoric in the comic where she first appeared.

The title of the film, New World Order, is quite problematic as it is fascist and clearly reminiscent of World War II anti-Semitism (‘New Order’). Sources cite that the villain for this installation will be ‘Red Skull,’ who is indeed a fascist.

This begs the question: is the introduction of ‘Sabra’, a Mossad spy, trained by Israeli forces, and emblazoned with the Star of David in the same hues of blue and white on the Israeli flag, was a poorly thought out public relations scapegoat to counter potential claims of anti-Semitism?

What is in a name?

If the word Sabra is said in the Arab world, one of two things are thought of, first is the fruit grown on the cacti of the region, the prickly pear; and second, the 1982 massacre of up to 3,500 people (the majority being Palestinians) in a period of two days in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon, which was fuelled, facilitated, and sponsored by the Israeli government.

Generally, particularly in the Levant, it is considered a very dark day of grief and loss in history.

Coupled with the fact the MCU and Disney made this announcement days before the massacre's annual commemoration, it comes as no shock as there have already been calls to boycott the franchise.

While the word is apparently used amongst Israelis to refer to a Jew born in Israel, and also used to refer to the prickly pear, the actual transliteration of the Hebrew word is “tza-bar”. This is similar to the Arabic “sab-ra”, but it is neither pronounced nor transliterated in the same manner. It is possible that this is a matter ‘lost in translation’ or even pronunciation. However, the fact that Sabra’s real name is Ruth Bat-Seraph, an overtly Jewish name and more of a tongue twister than ‘tzabar’, it is contradictory that they would name the character in the transliteration from Arabic and not Hebrew – particularly where the connotation is so heavy for a large group of people.

Furthermore, it brings into question whether the

use of this word is an attempt to replace the connotation in the public mind from the atrocities committed by Israeli forces in Lebanon, to a glorified Israeli ‘superhero’ from the US pop culture.

Character history Sabra first appeared in a 1981 edition of the Incredible Hulk comic book series. There she was introduced as a Jerusalem-born Israeli, raised in a Kibbutz, or settlement, and as having trained and actively working for Israeli forces. She is a Mossad spy and a police officer who develops mutant

powers which essentially boost all her natural abilities. She is draped in a costume that resembles the Israeli flag and some of her additional weapons are specifically designed by the Israeli army. The scenes depicted in her comic debut are entirely a reduction of Palestinians in particular and Arabs in general. In sum, Sabra versus the Hulk, featuring a young Palestinian boy named ‘Sahad’, a beggar or a street urchin who builds a bond with the Hulk in the streets of Tel Aviv. Sahad explains to the Hulk, “Sometimes it's very hard to be an Arab in Israel. Both my people and the Israelis believe the land is theirs. They

could share it, but two very old books say they must kill each other over it. Me? I don’t read books.”

First, the boy is never referred to as Palestinian, only as Arab. In fact, Palestine is not mentioned once; Arab terrorists are shown bombing a cafe, “In the name of Arab sovereignty over these lands.” This explosion injures the boy and the Hulk picks him up and runs away trying to save him, he is chased by Sabra into the Jordanian desert. She accuses him of being in allegiance with the ‘Arab assassins’ and murdering the boy. In the final scene, "It has taken the Hulk to make her see this dead

Arab boy as a human being," the comic reads. "It has taken a monster to awaken her own sense of humanity."

The overall narrative around her character is overtly racist as was the tone of her introduction into the MCU in this comic. It begs another question, why introduce a character that is very clearly politically biased in an issue that is currently affecting millions of lives?

Considering that today the Mossad has built notoriety on extrajudicial assassinations across the world, and has acted with continuous impunity to the ire of communities and governments alike, glorification of this violence is done in particularly poor taste.

The narrative presented through this character is reductive and frankly insulting towards the actual issues happening in Palestine today and she is very clearly coming through with her own public relations agenda. While the MCU-Disney film is set to be released in 2024, if this sets the precedent for the character, it will certainly be poorly received in today's socio-political climate.

Captain America as propaganda

It is quite fitting that ‘Sabra’ will make her screen debut alongside Captain America, a character created as part of the unofficial World War II propaganda effort in 1941. In his first ever appearance, he punches Hitler in the face.

In an essay, R. Joseph Parrot explains, “Stories of fanciful Nazi invasions reinforced the real sense of insecurity that accompanied the war, while stereotyped depictions of Japanese enemies mirrored the dehumanising propaganda used by allied governments.” His popularity was so instilled in a wartime mentality, and an abject vilification of the US enemies that in 1949, after the war effort, Captain America fell out of interest as, “post-war sales faltered without a real-world conflict to give the character weight”. While Captain America today is a more distilled version of his previous self, he remains a patriot and aligned with the US interests.

Stereotypical and dehumanising depictions of Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims, alongside a reductive explanation of the Palestinian struggle, places Sabra in the same space. To highlight this, for example, in a recent CNN article, Avner Avraham, an ex-Mossad film consultant explained that the film will help the TikTok generation learn about the Mossad, “it helps the branding,” he says. Adding that the exposure will help in recruitment of sources from other countries. The culmination of these criticisms should have given significant pause towards the introduction of Sabra onto the big screen; the character structure is archaic, her background is one dimensional, and her presence in popular culture problematic. It can only be assumed that with a multi-million dollar investment behind this film, she is here by design and with a calculated purpose.

It seems that featuring Pakistani content doesn't make business sense to the streaming service

By Taha Kehar KARACHI.

Netflix has become tantamount to an addiction in Pakistan. It is rare to find anyone in our social circles who hasn't been taken in by the magnetic appeal of the world’s most popular subscription streaming service. However, the content we're binge-watching on Netflix with great alacrity has been produced in other countries, which is, therefore, a reflection of an unpalatable truth.

How often does one encounter Pakistani content on Netflix?

To know the answer, you just need to log on Netflix's website, type 'Pakistan' in the search bar and see how many Pakistani shows or films come up in your search results?

When I conducted this somewhat arbitrary exercise a few weeks ago, I was astounded to find a haphazard mix of Indian and Pakistani content. After a careful scrutiny, I discovered only a handful of authentically Pakistani films and shows - none of which were Netflix originals. I rejoiced at seeing Pinky Memsaab on the streaming service. Teefa in Trouble was another Pakistani film that popped up. At one point, I recall coming across Pakistani TV serials such as Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Humsafar - though, I must admit, they didn't instantly turn up in my search. It's fascinating to note that these shows have also been increasingly popular over the years in the Indian market. This raw and searing reality might inspire some of our jingoistic audiences to raise objections over the excessive priority given to viewing Pakistan through an 'Indian lens'. This experiment, though steered by speculations, must serve as an eye-opener for most discerning viewers. Many of them will be compelled to ask: where's all the Pakistani content on Netflix?

The question, unfortunately, is a no-brainer and doesn't merit an intricate explanation packed with conspiracy theories and stealthy narratives of exclusion, if not victimhood. Netflix isn't keen on producing Pakistan content as it doesn't strike them as a viable prospect from a purely business standpoint.

Sceptics are likely to take umbrage to this declaration. After all, isn't everyone we know a subscriber to the streaming service?

Guess again. In fact, if you're a fellow Netflix subscriber, ask yourself: how many freeloaders know your login details and access your account?

It is, therefore, unsurprising that even statistics present a dismal picture of the country’s overall subscribers. As per data provided by the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority, the country had under 100,000 subscribers in 2020 -- a drop in the ocean if we consider the millions of people who subscribe to the service in other countries. There is a strong likelihood that the number might have increased in the last two years.

Even so, the truth of the matter is that featuring Pakistani content doesn't make business sense when people don't bother to obtain subscriptions. At the same time, websites are readily banned and blocked in the country -- a disincentive for a foreign

company that would ideally prefer an uninterrupted, uncomplicated experience on its streaming service.

Local producers have often complained about the tedious and exorbitant process involved in approaching the streaming service. As per a report in the Arab News, pitches are only accepted if they are authorised by a specific copyrights firm.

The process, though costly, seldom reaps dividends. This is primarily because the streaming service isn't obliged to respond to queries as it doesn't have designated agents who are scouting for Pakistani content.

Be that as it may, it doesn't hurt anyone to dream up a utopian scenario, even if it runs the risk of being just another pipedream.

Korean cinema has been trying to figure out how to connect

AFP Smash hits like Parasite and Squid Game may make it look easy. However, it took plenty of years for South Korean cinema to learn how to reach unprecedented global audiences through stories about the competitiveness and violence of modern life, says Lee Jung-jae, one of the most successful actors and filmmakers in South Korea.

Lee spoke to the media just days after making history as the first foreign-language performer to win the Emmy for best actor in a drama with "Squid Game" - the most-watched Netflix show of all time.

"As a piece of work that is not in English that we're able to bring to the global audience, we're very happy about that," says Lee.

"Even from Korea everybody was so happy and they were sending me congratulating messages. When I go back there's a lot of interviews and things waiting for me!" he said during an interview at the Toronto film festival.

The brutal social satire about misfits and criminals competing for cash in twisted versions of schoolyard games followed in the footsteps of South Korea's "Parasite," which two years earlier became the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture at the Oscars.

"For a long time, Korean cinema has been trying to figure out how to connect better with global audiences. Now, as a result of these year-long efforts, we see a lot of high-quality content that has resonated around the world and won critical acclaim," according to Emmy-winner Lee.

It has also been a huge commercial success:

If Pakistanis were to miraculously persuade Netflix to set up operations in the country, a concerted attempt would have to be made to overhaul the streaming service -- that is, after the shared celebrations come to an end. This would have to be a phase-wise process that collectively allows us to cultivate a streaming service suited to our tastes and interests.

First, a serious endeavour would have to be made to improve the range and choices of Pakistani shows available on Netflix. A panel of media personnel of varying age groups and expertise would need to be appointed to vet the existing television content and YouTube-based web series to gauge their eligibility to appear on Netflix.

Priority would need to be given to shows that have a sustained fan following and would be actively bingewatched on the platform. These could include timeless shows such Ankahi, Tanhaiyan, Waris, among other series that have attracted a wider viewership over the decades. Their inclusion on the platform would have the dual effect of catering to the tastes of loyal fans as well as allowing new audiences to discover these shows. During the selection process, the panel would have to select shows that have appeared on PTV and other private channels.

Since television remains a dominant medium in Pakistan, the panel would have to resist the urge to plug recent content onto the streaming service. The emphasis would be on placing those shows on the platform that aren't being rerun on television or have garnered immense popularity on television. As a result, the content showcased on Netflix would be diverse and intriguing. At the same time, the panel would need to make an attempt to keep the platform as ethnically inclusive as possible. Old television shows from PTV's transmissions in other languages as well as private channels in Sindhi, Balochi, Punjabi and Pashto would have to be given priority.

Second, local actors, directors and producers would have to be roped in to create original Netflix series and films. Pakistanis can no longer be portrayed as hackers on Money Heist or played by Indian actors (like we saw on Squid Game). From a thematic standpoint, these shows and movies would need to be authentic in their portrayal of Pakistan and deviate from the propaganda peddled by India and the West.

In addition, the content of the original Netflix series would need to be a radical departure from what is featured in Pakistan TV plays. It would be refreshing to see shows that break taboos and resist the temptation to adhere to predictable, if not stereotypical, narrative arcs. The depiction of women and other vulnerable sections of society would have to be far more nuanced than what it is on television.

As I pen down these suggestions, I'm mortified by how idealistic they sound. My only consolation is that idealism can be our only crutch when choices are limited. We live in an age when Netflix defines our tastes, temperaments and talking points. At this critical juncture, it would be heartening to see Pakistan featured on the streaming service. Till then, we'll have to make do with whimsical experiments with the search bar on Netflix before we proceed to watch yet another season of Breaking Bad

better with global audiences

Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk is writing an eagerly-awaited second season, with Lee teasing that his character Seong Gi-hun "will be completely different" this time around.

But before them comes Hunt, Lee's directorial film debut, which earned a prestigious "gala presentation" premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival — relatively rare for an Asian-language film.

The twisty Cold-War era spy thriller in which Lee also stars is loosely based on real 1980s political events, including an attempted assassination of South Korea's president and the defection of a North Korean pilot.

Lee says the film shares some themes with Squid Game — including its unflinching depiction of violence, as rival South Korean spies turn against and even torture one another. For instance, it too looks at how an "overly competitive society could actually lead to people hurting each other."

Hunt has already topped the box office in its home country, and will be released in North American theatres and on-demand streaming on December 2 by Magnolia Pictures. But in a further sign of how Korean movie-making is adapting to the needs of its new-found audience, the final version reflects a more global film.

Following its initial screening at the Cannes film festival in May, some critics complained the plot was difficult to follow for Western audiences not familiar with Korean politics, so Lee re-cut it to simplify some elements, and revised the subtitles. But, he emphasised, the film is less about Korean history and more about "how this violence is happening all around the world globally," hurting ordinary people.

"This film is about these two protagonists and whether their principles are righteous. What's most important is, because it's an espionage action-drama, that I just want you to really enjoy the film," he said.

When Parasite director Bong Joon-ho stunned Hollywood by winning Best Picture at the Oscars in 2020, he spoke about the importance of overcoming "the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles."

Lee says he has not discussed South Korea's newfound global clout with Bong, but agreed that the country's culture "has become widely understood globally" as the world becomes more inter-connected via technology such as global streaming and social media.

"In Korea actually we watch a lot of content from different countries and all around the world, so it's very natural for us. The world is a lot closer now... Korea's distinctive story is not something that is difficult for foreign audiences to understand,” according to Lee Jung-jae.

"It's natural. With everyone growing closer to each other, it's not difficult to understand the emotions —whether it's pain or grief — of others, because we live in a world where feelings are shared instantly."

The sheer scale of devastation caused by the disastrous flooding in Pakistan has led to global outcry against the damaging impact of climate change, with many high-profile individuals doing their utmost to help raise funds for those whose lives and livelihood have been wrecked by the flooding. However, American actress Angelina Jolie has chosen to go one step further. The Hollywood icon arrived in Pakistan this week in an attempt to help the flood affectees and to bring global attention to this on-going national crisis. Angelina previously visited Pakistan in the aftermath of the earthquakes which occurred in 2005 and 2010. The activist and humanitarian arrived in Dadu, Sindh in the hopes of understanding the on-the-ground situation, engaging in dialogue with the affectees, and trying to engineer solutions to prevent the reoccurrence of such disasters. Partnering with the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) emergency response operations, Angelina’s visit should help aid not just the short-term relief effort but also the conversation around the long-term ramifications of flooding and the displacement of people.

Director Saim Sadiq’s first feature film appears to have added another feather to its cap. The film, which won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard Category and the Queer Palm award at Cannes, was recently shown at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film, which has already garnered global acclaim and coverage, explores the themes of gender identity, sexuality, and the societal ramifications of these personal issues. Joyland received a prolonged standing ovation at TIFF, which marked the film’s North American premiere. The event was attended by Saim and members of the film’s cast and crew. Sarmad Khoosat, whose production house Khoosat Films produced the film, said “We are so obliged and overwhelmed by the accolades and appreciation continually given to Joyland”. It looks like the outpouring of love for this film won’t be stopping anytime soon.

There’s no denying the fact that Pakistan’s Coke Studio has transcended borders and gone onto become a global phenomenon. The videos of Coke Studio’s songs on YouTube have racked up millions of views, and the comments on these videos give an idea of the truly international audience that is tuning in to listen to these Pakistani songs. As the platform continues to break new ground and gives a voice to new artistes alongside the established ones, it will now physically represent Pakistan on foreign shores too. After the success of Coke Studio Season 14, which was helmed by Xulfi, Dubai will be hosting a Coke Studio live which will feature a variety of artistes who have contributed some hit songs to the latest season of the show. The singers taking part in the concert are Karakoram, Young Stunners, Faisal Kapadia, Ali Sethi and Shae Gill, Justin Bibis and Hasan Raheem. The event will take place in Dubai on October 14th.

Titled ‘Probable Disbeliefs,’ Aroosa Rana’s latest collection of work is an outcome of the dialogue she initiates between the mathematical equation of probability and the possibilities of creating something in the world of art. Through this exploration, Aroosa questions the nature of absolute truth and reality. Her work is highly innovative since it employs a variety of mediums, including photographs, videos, and digital media to examine how the virtual and the real are constantly blurred in both contemporary life and art due to technological advances. This solo presentation, which has been on display at Canvas Gallery Karachi since 13th September, presents images which abide by certain mathematical equations of the probable and the improbable.

In 2019, renowned artist Sohail Zuberi gave viewers and insight into his decade-long engagement with a small stretch of beach in Karachi. This beach, located in the midst of urban developments, serves as a lens through which the city of Karachi can be explored. Sohail will now be resuming this conversation in a follow-up to his earlier show at Koel. Titled ‘Archaeologies of Tomorrow – II,’ his collection will be available for members of the public to see at Koel Gallery from September 24-October 5, 2022. Working with found objects and a documentation of chance encounters along the way, Sohail has created an archive-based body of work which comments on the site’s ever-changing physical, cultural and social landscape. Given the warm reception and acclaim that Sohail’s earlier work received, his latest solo exhibition has a high bar to meet.

The group exhibition MMXXII opened its doors to Karachi’s art lovers on 20th September at the Full Circle Gallery. What makes this show particularly appealing is the sheer breadth and depth of artwork on display here. This group show features the work of 15 artists: Aamir Raza, Afiya Asif, Anas Abro, Alefiya Abbas Ali, Ayesha Shariff, Bilal Jabbar, Fatima Khalid, Mohammad Abdul, Nabita Zafar, Rimsha Talpur, Saad Kazi, Sheema Khan, Shazad Zar, Sidra Tul Muntaha, Syeda Kainat Jillani. Curated by Babar Moghal, the show also features the work of younger, up and coming artists, with artists like Kainat, Bilal, and Afiya only recently having graduated from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture. Alongside these newcomers, the exhibition also houses the work of more established artists like Aamir, Ayesha and Abdul. Those interested in seeing this exhibition can view it till 30th September.