BOL NEWSPAPER | December 4 2022

The enigmatic Fawad Khan

He may not have been as active as his fans want, but Fawad Khan is here to stay

Phase II - The rise: TV, Film, and Bollywood!

By Omair Alavi

KARACHI

during the last 15 years. However,

one thing that has remained constant is the love of audiences from around the world for the Humsafar actor, Fawad Khan who has reclaimed his position as the most bankable actor in the country. While he keeps gathering feathers in his cap, his latest flick has become the first film from Pakistan to enter the Rs. 200 crore club. He have debuted with Shoaib Mansoor’s Khuda Kay Liye in 2007, but Fawad Khan was already a sellable commodity. He started his career as a singer in the late 1990s and then joined hands with Ahmed Ali Butt’s music band to create Entity Paradigm (EP). In between, he made his acting debut with Jutt and Bond and since then, there has been no stopping. Turning producer through his home production Neelofar brought his career to a full circle, but the 41-year-old hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Maybe that is because of his ability to pick the right projects. Let’s take a trip down memory lane to crack the enigma that is Fawad Khan.

Phase I - The start: How Jutt and Bond helped form EP!

Born on 29th November 1981 in Karachi, Fawad Khan spent his early years abroad with his family and returned to Pakistan in his early teens. In those days, pop music and rock music were the rages and everyone who had a talent for music was part of the music scene. Like most talented youngsters, Fawad was also part of that scene and was quite popular in the underground circuit in Lahore as a rock singer. Call it fate but his dashing debonair personality caught the attention of the makers of the TV show Jutt and Bond, and he was cast as Bond, in Ahmed Ali Butt’s Jutt.

Not even Fawad knew that one day, two decades later to be exact, the ‘other’ role would make him the most popular actor in the country.

‘When I was doing Jutt and Bond, I was learning the ropes of acting, as I was entering the field. It never entered my mind that one day I would be playing the role of ‘Jutt’ anywhere, be it in a film or a TV. Had that Fawad Khan met this Fawad Khan, he might have got the shock of his life because those two are poles apart.’ The actor told BOLD while discussing his early years in the industry.

It was only after the success of the title track of Jutt and Bond that Fawad and Ahmed joined hands with Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan aka Zulfi to come up with Entity Paradigm (EP), a music band that went on to reach the final of the inaugural Pepsi Battle of the Bands in 2002. At that time, many compared Fawad Khan to Hollywood star Tom Cruise because of his boyish looks but when pop icon Zoheb Hassan said the same thing in the grand finale of the Pepsi Battle of the Bands, everybody started noticing the resemblance.

Did that resemblance factor in Fawad’s success, that’s one of the many questions that only Fawad can answer. However, when asked about his ability to switch between singing and acting, all he could do was unleash his million-dollar smile, and thank his fans.

Be it a character based around the time of partition (Dastaan) or one inspired by a classic Urdu novel (Mirat ul Uroos), Fawad was at ease playing the main lead. However, Humsafar gave his career the once-in-a-lifetime boost every actor desired and propelled him to stardom

As if Fawad Khan wasn’t popular enough, director Shoaib Mansoor cast him as a rockstar turned religious fanatic in his directorial debut Khuda Kay Liye alongside Shaan Shahid and Iman Ali. Despite the presence of veterans like Naeem Tahir, Seemi Raheel, and of course Shaan in the cast, Fawad Khan impressed all with his brilliant portrayal of a confused youngster. Since the film industry was going through a tran sition fifteen years back, Fawad chose to return to TV to con tinue his acting ambitions, and for the next five years, he was amongst the most popular actors in the country, thanks to Das taan, Akbari Asghari, Humsafar, and Zindagi Gulzar Hai in which he played the romantic lead to perfection. Be it a character based around the time of partition (Dastaan) or one inspired by a classic Urdu novel (Mirat ul Uroos), Fawad was at ease playing the main lead. However, Humsafar gave his career the once-ina-lifetime boost every actor desired and propelled him to stardom. Not many knew that it was Humayun Saeed who was supposed to play Ashar, but since he had some health issues, he asked Fawad to fill in, who was working in Humayun’s production Akbari Asghari and agreed to listen to his senior.

And as they say, the rest is history. No one else would have been able to do justice to Ashar’s character, which is today considered to be the blueprint for good husbands. After all, who wouldn’t love the person who stood against his mother and defended his innocent wife on national TV? He carried the ideal lover boy persona in Zindagi Gulzar Hai which made him popular across the world, including India which was unable to resist the charms of the new ‘Khan’ on the block.

Enters Shashanka Ghosh’s Khoobsurat remake where Sonam Kapoor was paired opposite Fawad Khan, giving the ‘Disney princess’ her ‘Prince Charming’, considering the film was co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures India. Not only was Fawad able to carry himself well in that flick, but he also managed to bag more films, including Kapoor and Sons, and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil opposite Alia Bhatt and Siddharth Malhotra (Kapoor and Sons) and Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil).

Fawad Khan was just brilliant in all three films, in Khoobsurat he played a royal prince who falls for a clumsy physiotherapist who enters their household to look after the father, in Kapoor and Sons he played a writer who not only became popular because of his brother’s novel but was also a closeted gay. Although his role wasn’t a major one in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, he stood his ground as the third member of the love triangle that also featured Anushka Sharma and Ranbir Kapoor and stole the show whenever he shared the frame with either of them. These films helped him cement his place in the Bollywood industry which was looking for a suitable replacement

for the three Khans – Aamir, Salman, and Shah Rukh.

When they had the replacement in sight, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) and the Film Producers Guild of India banned Pakistani artists from working in the country due to Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the Uri Attack. Bollywood’s loss was Pakistan’s gain as Fawad returned to Lahore and planned his next move, which was going to be bigger, better, and more bombastic than anything he had done before.

Phase III - The Calm before the Storm!

Good things come to those who wait, and Fawad waited for the project of his dreams. He did play cameos in Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 (which was later edited out because no one wanted to watch an imperfect Fawad) and Parey Hut Love but that wasn’t enough for his fans. They wanted him back as the Fawad Khan they knew, and for that, he stayed in touch with his fandom through TV commercials. From selling real estate to deodorant, from being part of the confectionary products to selling cars, Fawad Khan was there. He spent his time well, spent a few seasons as a judge with the same Pepsi Battle of the Bands that brought him to the fore, and even sang the anthem for the Pakistan Super League’s fourth edition, but that big thing was still missing.

Until director Bilal Lashari offered him the role in his retelling of the legendary character. But Fawad doesn’t have fond memories from the initial days of the film’s shoot since it landed him in the hospital.

‘To play the character, I had to physically transform from a 78-kilogram guy to a proper bulky Jatt, and that wasn’t the issue because I have been there and done that in the past. I had less experience of gaining weight than losing it so after gaining 20 kilograms in 1 and a half months and performing action stunts with the help of the international action team, my kidneys stopped working and I had to end up in a hospital bed. The situation would have been different with any other actor but since I am a type 1 diabetic, the preexisting condition didn’t do me any favors. It made me understand that gaining weight is easier than losing it (smiles) and I am still in the process of taking it down to where I was.’

Fawad Khan also added that his performance in Bilal Lashari’s epic was helped by two factors – not working with Hamza Ali Abbasi, and reuniting with Mahira Khan and Humaima Malik. ‘Hamza and I didn’t know each other too well before the film, we have always been very cordial with one another. However, we became good friends during the shoot and now we are good friends because we spent a lot of time together during the making of the film. His character is one of my favorite characters in the film and the reason why I managed to do well on screen was because of him, since I try to feed off others’ energy, and Hamza was super energetic.’

‘While not knowing Hamza helped me in playing the protagonist, knowing the ladies (Mahira Khan and Humaima Malik) helped me work well with them since I had worked before with Mahira (in Humsafar) and Humaima (in Akbari Asghari).

We were all playing different characters from what we had played on TV, and the comfort level

After enthralling audiences in this part of the world, it was about time that Fawad Khan went international and that happened when director Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy chose him to play the grandfather of the character that goes on to become Ms. Marvel, in the Ms. Marvel series

with them helped the final product.’

He also mentioned that since he wasn’t fluent in the Punjabi language, he hadn’t seen the original Maula Jutt, which was released even before he was born.

‘To be honest, I hadn’t watched the original Maula Jutt because I didn’t understand the Punjabi language, which I had to learn to play the title role. As you have seen, Nasir Adeeb’s script is more poetic than prose and that’s why I had to grasp the language, understand it and deliver it as per the director’s instructions. Thankfully I was able to do justice with it, otherwise, I wouldn’t have forgiven myself, considering I am the harshest critic of my work.’

He also said that comparing his performance to the late Sultan Rahi’s would be unfair because Sultan Rahi and Mustafa Qureshi are legends, and it is highly unlikely to displace them from their positions. They did a film when technology wasn’t around and even then, came up with a masterpiece that is still relevant after five decades.’

Phase IV - The massive return!

After enthralling audiences in this part of the world, it was about time that Fawad Khan went international and that happened when director Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy chose him to play the grandfather of the character that goes on to become Ms. Marvel, in the Ms. Marvel series. Despite being made to walk with a limp, and partnered with a ravishing Mehwish Hayat, Fawad Khan was on top of his game in the Disney Plus series. He not only looked fit for the part but was also used as an attraction for the fans who missed him dearly on the screen.

That wasn’t the only comeback vehicle he chose for his return; he was also part of Tapmad’s Barwaan Khiladi where he played the Cricket coach to Danial Zafar’s character. Sporting a beard and donning a tracksuit, Fawad Khan looked perfect as a coach and was one of the reasons why the audience subscribed to the OTT platform which was not doing well till then.

When asked about the 15-year gap between his two major film releases, Fawad Khan said that since the film industry was in the developing phase, he chose to work elsewhere until the time was right to work in a Pakistani film.

‘I wasn’t away from the scene due to some planning, it just happened. When I did Khuda Kay Liye in 2007, the film industry was trying to find its feet, and that’s why I took a break from films and returned to TV. I did some good projects on the smaller screen which helped me enter films in India, which is why I was missing from the action when the second wave of revival hit the Pakistan film industry. I was busy in India for some time – not that long – but came back in 2016, after which I kept myself busy with different projects, most notably the recent movie of which the shooting commenced in 2017.’

Two of his films – Neelofar and Money Back Guarantee – are ready for release and might be screened in a cinema near you before you know it.

‘It might seem odd but I shot Money Back Guarantee in the second half of 2018 and began my home production Neelofar at the start of 2019. It features me and Mahira Khan in the lead and I am quite excited about it since it is my first project as a producer. As for my absence, well COVID-19 is to be blamed for that because cinemas shut down temporarily for two years, which caused a delay in the release of my films. It would be better if you blame fate instead of me (laughs) because I was up for the challenge. I don’t think I have any fault in that, all I can say is ‘Better late than never.'

Throwback to the 90s!

Tich Button has an excellent soundtrack, but the TV-style treatment might not impress the cine-goers

By Omair Alavi KARACHI

Tich Button is a happygo-lucky film that is released twenty years too late. Films like these were a rage in the 1990s, however, with the passage of time, things change. Luckily, for producer Farhan Saeed and Urwa Hocane, as well as firsttime director Qasim Ali Mureed, nothing much has changed in Pakistan, with the film industry being on top of that list. Although its teaser and trailer were released before the game-changing event known as The Legend of Maula Jatt, it still manages to attract viewers who still believe in love, the 90s style!

The Plot Kaka Sahab (Farhan Saeed) is a fun-loving do-gooder who wants to stay happy and keep everyone around him happy.

When his cousin Shakila (Sonya Hussyn) is all set to marry his buddy Saqib (Feroze Khan, also a cousin), the latter gets cold feet and asks Kaka to help, who somehow finds himself getting married to Shakila. Things go awry when Saqib brings his friend Leena (Iman Ali) to meet his grandparents, but falls in love with Shakila, complicating Kaka Sahab’s

good work. Does Saqib manage to reconcile with Shakila before it's too late or do things become better for them all, go and watch Tich Button to find out.

The Good Farhan Saeed couldn’t have chosen a better script to launch his film career and although he sings just one song here, he could have sung more, considering he is a top-class singer. At times he might remind the audience of Shah Rukh Khan but that’s something he can’t escape since most of us have grown up watching SRK. The next big thing about the movie was Iman Ali who looked graceful, beautiful, and lovely, all at once. Her fans missed her on the big screen and her entry was cheered in the cinema, something not many leading ladies of today could pull off. The second leads Sonya Hussyn and Feroze Khan looked good but had very few scenes together, maybe because of the controversies they were involved in. The best thing about the film was utilizing Sohail Ahmed perfectly, who recently appeared across the border and did wonder with his acting. Here, he gets to show his range as a versatile actor and impresses all with his ability to change gears and deliver. The scenes filmed in Turkey are like a breath

Photos: File

of fresh air even though many recent films have been made in the same country. Last but not the least, the soundtrack was brilliant since it had everything for everyone, from romantic duet like Ehsaan Hai Tumhara, to dance number Main Ni Boldi, item song Pretty Face, and the happy-go-lucky Jutt Song, which were very intelligently incorporated in the background score by Mohsin Allah Ditta. Although the songs didn’t take the film forward, the background score did and is one of the highlights that you take back once you exit the theatre.

The Bad

In a world where everything is online, how was Saqib not aware that his own phupi’s daughter Shakila was bold and beautiful? Considering they were first cousins, it seems highly impossible

since these days, third and fourth cousins are connected socially as if they were always this close. Also, there was no need to involve a letter that changed the whole scenario since it looks vague and stupid at the same time. Despite the presence of the best cinematographers – Pakistan’s Suleman Razzaq and Turkey’s Yalcan Avci – some scenes in the film’s final print seemed grainy for some reason, especially the long shots. In fact, in Kaka Sahab’s introductory song, one can’t forget the presence of lighting equipment in the background, which had nothing to do with the story.

As for the script, too many characters were the biggest drawback of the film. Qavi Sahab’s character could have had more dialogues where he becomes nostalgic, Noor ul Hasan had nothing to do at all, and the same could be said of the two mothers –Samiya Mumtaz and Gul e Rana – who looked in TV mode than film mode. Marina Khan did have a better role but like most of the characters, there wasn’t any backstory. Writer Faiza Iftikhar never fails to impress on TV, but she could have worked double hard on her film debut which lacked focus. And yes, while the buffalo found the motivation to give milk, Feroze Khan’s character kept changing sides until it was too much for the audience, who wanted the film to end, which it did in typical DDLJ style, at the railway station.

The Verdict 3/5

If you have seen Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, then watching Tich Button wouldn’t be an issue, since it has been created more or less in the same vein. It’s a happy-go-lucky film where an SRKesque hero tries to do the right thing, but is taken for granted until he finally realizes that only he can save himself and his love. With the help of an impressive soundtrack where Farhan Saeed should have sung most of the songs, Tich Button is here to stay despite its issues.

Also, it could have been named anything but Tich Button because the two main guys weren’t closely bonded friends like Jay Veeru from Sholay but were more like Ravi Verma – Vijay Verma from Deewar, with the one being good, and the being not-sogood. While corruption was the issue between the two brothers in the Indian flick, here it was neglecting the nephew for his own son, which wasn’t highlighted the way it could have been. You can call it a film revolving around a love triangle or quadrangle, but since it gave a happy-go-lucky feeling, it might end up doing better at the box office than expected.

Moroccan bar celebrates 1942 film classic ‘Casablanca’

80 years after the classic wartime film "Casablanca" hit the silver screen, tourists are flocking to a bar in Morocco searching for the spirit of Humphrey Bogart's iconic, fictional nightclub

AFP Casablanca: Some 80 years before, the Moroccan port city entered the cultural imagination of the United States at a key point in World War II, thanks to the moody romance for the film "Casablanca," starring Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund and Bogart as Rick Blaine.

Just days after its initial screening in November, 1942, American forces snatched Casablanca from Vichy control during Operation Torch, a string of allied landings in North Africa that helped change the course of the war.

But Morocco was still under Vichy rule when the film was made, so director Michael Curtiz shot his entire masterpiece at Warner Brothers' studios in California.

Decades later, former US diplomat Kathy Kriger opened a real-life "Rick's Cafe" in Casablanca itself as a tribute to

the film.

Complete with cocktails and piano, the venue is modelled on Blaine's eponymous bar, and became an instant hit with tourists when it opened its doors in 2004.

"I absolutely had to come, even though I knew that the film wasn't shot here," said Wendy, a tourist from Vancouver. "The place is a unique experience, nostalgic and romantic. You have to see it once in your life."

Fellow tourist Alexandra, from Spain, said she had not seen the film but was "fascinated" by the place.

"In my imagination, the city of Casablanca is linked to Rick's Cafe," she said. Stepping into the chic bar next to Casablanca's old city feels like walking back in time.

Tables are laid out on two levels, amid sculpted stucco columns in a traditional Moroccan style.

"It's not an exact replica of the cafe in

the film," said restaurant manager and pianist Issam Chabaa. "The only thing that was perfectly reproduced in the end was its spirit."

The interior is littered with reminders of the film that inspired it — wrought iron candle holders, beaded lampshades, a jazz and blues repertoire from the era and posters of the film.

Of course, the restaurant houses a piano, similar to the one on which Dooley Wilson's character Sam played "As Time Goes By" — the theme song of Rick and Ilsa's affair.

"All that's missing is a roulette wheel and the smoky, dramatic atmosphere of the time," said Irish diner Tony.

He and his companions said they were not cinema buffs, but could nevertheless recite lines from the film.

"We'll always have Paris," quoted one, referring to Blaine and Lund's romance shortly before Nazi Germany invaded France in 1940.

Blaine recites the enduring line to Lund

as he convinces her to part ways with him, sacrificing their love affair to help her husband, a Czech resistance fighter, escape the Nazis.

"Casablanca" gave allied forces a propaganda boost as they gained control of North Africa, which became a springboard from which to liberate western Europe.

The film's US release came in January 1943 as president Roosevelt took part in the Casablanca Conference in preparation for that push.

Historian Meredith Hindley, author of a book on wartime Casablanca, said the film formed "part of the American war experience in a way that was never intended".

"It just becomes part of the American cultural fabric," she said.

The film has remained one of Hollywood's most beloved works.

American drummer Najib Salim, who has performed at Rick's Cafe for 15 years, described it as "timeless".

"It will always be anchored in legend," he said.

Disney seeks old magic

Bob Iger, the ex-CEO of Disney who stepped down from his position in 2020, is all set to return

AFP

In a dramatic twist worthy of a "Star Wars" spin-off, Disney ditched CEO Bob Chapek and brought back Bob Iger, Hollywood's most respected executive, who faces a huge challenge to revive the Magic Kingdom.

Iger's return comes as Disney is trying to negotiate an uncertain era, where investors have lost faith in some of the most storied names in US media as companies bleed cash in the hunt for customers to streaming platforms.

Disney's board of directors rehired Iger for a twoyear contract that will add to the 15 years he ruled over the company until 2020, when he handed the reins to Chapek.

But Disney's share price has slumped 40 percent this year and Chapek was unceremoniously fired after less than three years in the top job, much of it struggling to fill the big shoes left by Iger. Iger's leadership was extraordinary even by Hollywood's standards.

The 71-year-old led Disney to new frontiers when he bought the Star Wars and Marvel franchises and launched the Disney+ streaming service to rival Netflix head-on. He also bought 21 Century Fox from media baron Rupert Murdoch and held on to sports network ESPN despite calls to sell it, maintaining an empire that stretched from theme parks to local TV stations and cruise ships.

The return of Iger was cheered on by Wall Street, with Disney's share price surging by six percent in November, and analysts recommending the stock for the first time since he exited the company.

But some analysts were not so sure, warning that the world that Iger left in early 2020 — before Covid-19, before the streaming wars — had changed.

"The bold move might feel like the right one, however the business is at a different phase of growth," said Paolo Pescatore, analyst at PP Foresight.

"It will take time and immediate success is not guaranteed."

The core problem for Iger will be to turn a profit

Photos: File

at Disney+ when, according to the latest figures in November, it burned through four billion dollars in just 12 months.

Launched in early 2020, Disney+ streams all that the Star Wars and Marvel franchises and Disney have to offer, releasing new content at a furious rate, but that weighs heavily on finances.

On the positive side, the Disney+ platform continues to gain subscribers and had 164 million customers at the end of September.

But the financial hole has put pressure on Disney's other sectors: Theme parks and merchandising have succeeded for now to keep the Disney group in the green. The pressure has grown worse as the economic outlook sours.

Netflix doubles production capacity in Spain

Audio-visual

series, with the southern European nation's landscapes resembling the American West and attracting Hollywood from the 1960s

AFP Netflix, the world’s leading online video streaming platform, has opened new film studios in Spain, doubling its production capacity in the country that has become a hub of audio-visual creation in Europe.

The new facilities include five film sets and around 30 editing suites in La Ciudad de la Tele, a vast production complex in the town of Tres Cantos, north of Madrid.

Netflix has now doubled its production capacity in Spain with 10 sets in total, including spaces for production, make-up, hairstyling e and a changing room.

The entertainment platform inaugurated its first studios outside the United States on the same site in 2019, shortly after Spanish series "La Casa de Papel" became its first global hit in a language other than English.

The Tres Cantos hub has since become Netflix's main production site in the European Union, with more than 30 films and series shot there in 2022, including "Welcome to Eden" and "Elite".

Spanish Culture Minister Miquel Iceta welcomed the news, saying he wanted to encourage major platforms and producers to set up in the country.

Audio-visual producers are increasingly choosing Spain for the filming of series, with the southern European nation's landscapes resembling the American West and attracting Hollywood from the 1960s.

The Spanish government aims to increase audio-visual production in the country by 30 percent by 2025.

Photos: File

Households are winnowing down entertainment subscriptions to just one or two, a cold reality that has seen the Netflix share price plummet by 50 percent in a year.

For Jonathan Kees of Daiwa Capital Markets America, Disney's current troubles are also a result of choices made by Iger.

"Iger pushed for the creation of Disney+, which has become an expensive business venture," the analyst said.

As for the 2019 purchase of 21st Century Fox, "that purchase alone loaded up the Disney balance sheet with an incredible amount of debt, which is not what investors are valuing in this current stock market."

And even under the hugely respected Iger, Disney

will face pressure from activist investors looking for quick results.

The Third Point fund, which increased its stake in Disney this summer, is among the most vocal on the matter.

Dan Loeb, its founder and CEO, has previously demanded that Disney hive off the ESPN sports media business from the rest of the group before reversing his position.

And according to the Wall Street Journal, the return of Iger is decried by activist fund Trian, which acquired more than $800 million worth of Disney shares after the stock market tumbled after poor results.

"At the end of the day, it's his legacy that's at stake," Pescatore said.

Dance with poetry

AFP

changing someone's life."

Inside a high-security Portuguese prison, six inmates are moving gracefully around in a series of improvised dance moves, clutching props and following the rhythm of the music.

Outside, the high walls of Linho prison in the western suburbs of Lisbon are lined with barbed wire and a loudspeaker barks instructions for prisoners in a metallic voice.

But in the contemporary dance studio, in a converted former chapel, inmates are dancing freely to classical music with an object of their choice: a scarf, ball, plastic bags or a light bulb.

"Dance -- with poetry!" calls out the teacher, 47-year-old dancer Catarina Camara.

She hopes the classes -- part of a social dance project that began in April 2019 -- can help change the mindset of some of the young prisoners.

"When we are here, it feels like we are not in prison," says 30-year-old inmate Manuel Antunes.

"We can let ourselves go, carried by the moment and by what we feel."

There are around 500 prisoners in Linho, many of them young men who have committed serious offences and been handed sentences of 15 years or more.

Around a dozen are now taking part in the dance project.

"It would be very naive to say that artistic practice saves people," says Camara.

"But art, combined with other factors, can be decisive in

She says many of the prisoners are "boys who grew up on the street and who had to fend for themselves very early."

"They messed up. Some seriously messed up, and they really need to be supported."

Fabio Tavares, 28, says he is one such person.

Never interested in contemporary dance before Camara's class, he believes it has "completely transformed" him.

"I thought it would be useless... (but) the dance and discussions that we have here help me to see things differently," he says.

The results have been positive beyond the direct impact of the classes too, according to prison director Carlos Moreira.

Prisoners participating in the dance project are "more tolerant towards others" and less likely to breach prison rules, he says.

Camara hopes that because "dance offers this experience of freedom", it can help the men "prepare for the space of freedom" they will find on their release from prison.

When he has finished his sentence, Tavares plans to continue dancing and has already been offered training by choreographer Olga Roriz.

Roriz, who works with Camara, staged a performance with the prisoner-dancers last summer in Lisbon.

The dancers are now preparing for their own show inside the prison.

"I feel light when I'm here," says Tavares.

"Sometimes it even feels like I'm not in prison but out, in a normal dance class."

producers are increasingly choosing Spain for the filming of

The dance classes, a part of a social project that began in Portugal in April 2019, are aimed at changing the mindset of young prisoners

Adab Festival: more than just a literary affair

The focus of the fourth Adab Festival wasn't entirely literary as many sessions ventured into uncharted terrain

By Taha Kehar KARACHI

Last weekend, the treelined driveway leading up to Karachi's Frere Hall wasn't as deserted as it usually is. The venue, which is a remnant of the city's colonial past and now serves as a library and exhibition space, witnessed frenetic activity as people thronged the fourth Adab Festival. Literary festivals have become increasingly popular over the last decade or so and the two-day extravaganza provide a much-needed reprieve from the humdrum of city life.

The opening address

The inauguration ceremony was held at the British Council Hall — a tented central auditorium situated in the front lawn. After the National Anthem was sung, students of St Joseph's Convent School sang the Adab Festival's anthem. This year's literary extravaganza focused on the theme of climate change and the keynote speakers drew attention to the gravity of the environmental catastrophes that have assailed Pakistan in recent years.

Federal Minister for Climate Change

Sherry Rehman, the first keynote speaker, reflected on the insidious ways in which climate change had adversely impacted people's personal choices. She also revealed that the industrial and agricultural sectors have faced considerable challenges owing to climate change. "For three years, Pakistan has been home to the hottest cities of the planet," she said. Rehman added that the temperatures in these cities haven't been conducive to agricultural and industrial activities. She urged citizens to adopt a proactive role and view themselves as primary stakeholders in the struggle to tackle climate-re-

lated catastrophes. The federal minister argued that state involvement would be futile if the elite in urban centres don't realise their ethical duty towards the environment. Rehman asserted that climate literacy, especially among children, was a key ingredient towards achieving positive change.

Environmentalist Tariq Alexander Qaiser, the other keynote speaker, also emphasised upon the existential challenges posed by global warming. In her welcome speech, Ameena Saiyid paid rich tribute to Asif Farrukhi, the co-founder of the festival who passed away in the summer of 2020. Urdu poet Zehra Nigah also spoke to audiences about the benefits of these festivals which, she believes, have fostered a spirit of creative freedom. “Such freedom is a blessing in these trying times,” she added.

Talking points

A whole spectrum of panel discussions and book launches were organised during the two-day festival. Novelist Moni Mohsin flew into the city to launch her new book The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R. Journalist Peerzada Salman's book Between the Ephemeral and the Eternal was also inaugurated. In addition, Yasir Latif Hamdani's book on Quaid-eAzam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was among the titles that were released. Storytelling sessions were also conducted during the

two-day festival. Through some sessions, literary pursuits were approached through an innovative lens. For instance, a noteworthy discussion highlighted the unique ways in which the surge in streaming services has altered the way books are being written. Asma Mundrawala and Saife Hasan performed a dramatic reading of the letters Faiz Ahmed Faiz and his wife Alys Faiz wrote to each other. The letters are tinged with both mundane reflections about day-to-day affairs, and heart-breaking meditations on his jail term and absence from home.

Yet, the focus wasn't entirely on literary endeavours and a vast number of sessions ventured into uncharted terrain. A series of sessions about coastal urban resilience, stem-cell research, the plight of Pakistan's economy and quality education were memorable and insightful.

Unique facets of Pakistani cinema were also emphasised. The most intriguing session in this regard was a panel discussion on Balochi cinema where clips from the film Doda were screened. Doda, which is set against the backdrop of Lyari, seems to have ended the rather long interlude that has beset Balochi cinema since the 1970s.

A large crowd attended the vibrant conversation between Aliya Iqbal Naqvi and award-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy titled 'The Stories We Show'.

During this session, Obaid-Chinoy shed light on her experience of working on two episodes of Ms Marvel. After gaining accolades as a documentary filmmaker, she wanted to explore new vistas that could have a broader impact. When she discovered that the creators of Marvel were going to embark on the project, she wrote to them and em-

phasised the need for a Muslim woman to be portrayed as a superhero. She eventually pitched her ideas to them and got the job.

"Ms Marvel gave me the opportunity to hire talented professionals from Pakistan and present the country's talent," she added.

Obaid-Chinoy added that Ms Marvel is her "love letter to Pakistan". Furthermore, she spoke at length about the significance of Partition to the series and her efforts to authentically portray that turbulent period in history on screen. Obaid-Chinoy said that though Karachi is a pivotal character in the show, she wasn't able to shoot in the city. Instead, she transplanted "a cleaner version" of the city to Bangkok, where the Karachi sequences were shot.

Art exhibition

Fauzia Minallah's exhibition, titled 'The Lost Lullaby of Mother Earth', was open to the public during the festival at the Sadequain Gallery. The art show consists of work centred on the theme of climate change that Minallah has produced over the last six years while living in Germany and Pakistan.

As per the artist, she has become exceedingly conscious of her own carbon footprint.

"When I turned 50, my greatest ambition was to become a grandmother, but not anymore," Minallah wrote in her artist statement placed within the premises of the gallery. "Due to climate change, my sons don't want to bring children into the world. I don't

blame them. They may or may not change their minds, but in the meantime [I'm] painting imaginary children of the future."

In her curatorial note for the exhibition, Pomme Amina Gohar applauded Minallah's artistic endeavours that reflect "her tremendous love of nature". "Minallah's creative practice is a stalwart of Pakistani art that embodies a love for Mother Nature, something which is critical in this day and age," she writes. "A true artist at heart, her infamous dots inspired by the oldest form of aboriginal art weave a path through her paintings [and focus on the message of] preservation."

The booksellers

Various publishers and booksellers also set up stalls at the venue. Though a vast majority of people gravitated towards the food stations situated in the opposite direction, a few bookworms were spotted browsing through the stacks of books at the stalls. Such festivals have provided valuable opportunities for publishers and booksellers to connect with their target audiences.

"The Adab Festival has provided an excellent platform for readers, writers and publishers who have mutual regard and love for literature," publisher Safinah Danish Elahi told BOLD. "We as a nation need to explore what it means to be readers again, and such festivals reignite our quest and curiosity to find stories that resonate with us."

Talha Rathore’s unseen dance of life

In Shades of Tranquility, Rathore scrutinises the interplay of opposing forces and the unremitting struggle for peace through understanding and reconciliation

By Bold Desk

In an age when most artists are concerned with conveying a narrative or a message, be it through figurative or abstract works of art, Talha Rathore evidently is much more interested in evoking a mood through her miniatures. Her work also has the added benefit of being instantaneously distinctive, which is why it’s easy to understand the widespread recognition she has garnered both in Pakistan and overseas. The now New York-based artist has made a name for herself as one of Pakistan’s foremost contemporary miniaturists, with her usage of warm and earthy hues characterising much of her work. Rathore’s latest series of paintings, which were on display at the Chawkandi

Art Gallery from 17th-28th November, 2022, demonstrated not only her measured control over her craft but also the surgical precision which underscores all her paintings.

The show, titled Shades of Tranquility, immersed viewers in a forest of weeping trees. Rathore’s delicate strokes and restrained touch brought to life a variety of trees on the canvas, each of varying proportions and conveying a different emotion.

However, the one common factor shared by all of Rathore’s trees was their serpentine and wispy nature, which the artist had drenched in autumnal colours. However, instead of standing upright, her trees were

more like cascading hair, drifting and falling to either side with effortless ease. While some trees appeared to be blowing in the wind, others were either bent in submission or simply weighed down by an unseen burden. The crooked trunks, sinewy branches and silken leaves appeared to be more like flames ready to lick anything that stood in their way as opposed to stoic trees resolutely standing erect. As the artist puts it, the malleable and lyrical forms of the tress, leaves and seeds “become both poetic metaphors for a state of scrutiny and an endless search for a language of identity.” Rathore has stated that she has a fasci-

nation with unicellular microorganisms, which she manifests through her depiction of trees. The seeds in her work serve as representations of the cellular components which define us and also herald change, thus dictating biological forms and ensuring survival. These hidden alterations which are constantly taking place below the surface of every organism are what Rathore has described as the “vibrant unseen dance of life.”

In Shades of Tranquility, Rathore scrutinises the interplay of opposing forces and the unremitting struggle for peace through understanding and reconciliation. Her gen-

tle paintings revel in the beauty of growth and evolution and are an ode to the microscopic changes which always surround us because, in her words, “I increasingly feel that to exist is magic.”

The acclaimed contemporary miniaturist’s work invited viewers to revisit the vitality of nature, whether at the unicellular level or at a grander scale. Intrigued by what she describes as “battalions of little enigmas,” her signature unicellular microorganisms act metaphors for surveillance and a search for language. These organic forms take on a greater significance today, where ill-informed attitudes towards bacte-

ria and viruses often overlook their benefits. Rathore thus champions the ecology of existence and its endless possibilities, examining the interplay of contradictory forces and the continuous struggle for harmony and resolution.

The Gujranwala-born artist has ensured that her work stands apart from other artists who pursue miniature art as a discipline, and even from those who engage in landscape paintings. The frail and ephemeral quality of her paintings often appear to viewers like something from a half-remembered dream. Evidently, Rathore’s training in miniature paintings at

the National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore has served her well. The artist has previously received the UNESCO Bursary Award for Young Artists and has exhibited her work at Japan's Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, The Asian Art Museum (San Francisco), The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum (Connecticut), The Queens Museum of Art (New York), and the World Bank Art Gallery, (Washington DC). Her art exhibition In Shades of Tranquility at the Chawkandi Art Gallery was the perfect embodiment of all concepts and ideas which have underpinned her miniature paintings over the years.

Photos: Asim Rehmani/BOL NEWS

Hollywood is no more "the wild, wild West”

AFP Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie believe Hollywood has largely kicked its former drugfilled excesses, as their new film "Babylon" about 1920s Tinseltown hedonism entered the Oscars race.

The eagerly awaited Paramount film from "La La Land" director Damien Chazelle, also starring Tobey Maguire and Jean Smart, had its first screening for critics in November at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles.

It charts the fortunes of largely fictional Hollywood actors and producers trying to navigate the transition from silent films to "talkies" — as well as a lifestyle of cocaine-fuelled, no-holds-barred parties and wild on-set misbehaviour, all depicted in graphic detail.

Asked at a post-screening discussion if "Babylon" had made her nostalgic for the film industry's so-called "Golden Age," Robbie noted that "there's way less drugs now" in Hollywood.

"Sadly true!" joked Pitt.

The movie from Chazelle, who won a youngest-ever best director Oscar for "La La Land" and was also nominated for the screenplay of "Whiplash," is one of the final major award contenders to be shown to voters this year. Reviews remain under embargo.

Across three hours, "Babylon" portrays a nascent 1920s and 1930s Los Angeles

How to make a mockery of National Anthem

By BOLD Desk

For fools rush in where angels fear to tread. In a similar vein, many an undersised artiste resort to standing upon the shoulder of giants to exalt their creative stature through blending, remixing, reproducing or by making alternate versions of those classic masterpieces that are perennial in terms of their national significance and have a near-perfect precision that cannot be achieved even by those who have successfully been inducted into the hall of fame of the music world.

filled with wild parties featuring drugs, elephants and topless dancers, along with spendthrift, lawless film sets in the California desert.

It also tackles topics such as racism, and the devastating effect that rapidly evolving technology had on stars of the silent era, many of whom were abandoned almost overnight by the industry.

Chazelle said he was inspired to make the film after reading about the "weird phenomenon where towards the end of the 20s, there was this rash of suicides, deaths that seem that they could have been suicidal drug overdoses."

Those deaths coincided with Hollywood's transition from silent films to sound, and "gave it this brutal face," said Chazelle, who based his characters on multiple real silent-era stars and moguls. Pitt said he and Chazelle had discussed a period of history when Hollywood was "the wild, wild west."

"I had kind of dismissed that era — hadn't really paid attention to it — because it's not an acting style I relate to. It's not what we gravitate to now. It's very big," he said.

"They had to communicate because they don't have language, of course.

"They had to communicate with the face... it wasn't until I sat down and saw some of the films at Damien's urging that you find a real charm in them, and a warmth in them."

"Babylon" is released in North American theatres December 23, and elsewhere next year.

However, when a below-average musician like Shehzad Roy, with not a single popular song or top music hit on his credit in a sub-optimal career now over-three-decades-long, jumps the remixing bandwagon, there must be something wrong, either with himself or with the music he seems hellbent on reproducing in one way or another.

More’s the pity, this time Roy’s guinea pig was not an ordinary filmy song; it was Pakistan’s national anthem, the most revered piece of music that represents the country’s collective ideology and epitomises the identity of the nation as a whole.

With no-holds-barred, nobody in Pakistan or under the sun can dare match the whole load of patriotism and national devotion as Shehzad Roy continues to display on and off screen and he often does so with gusto as it has recently been done in accomplice with a Coke Studio sensation, Wahab Bugti, and that too at the centre stage of the Lux Style Awards.

The latest addition of the Lux Style Awards (LSA) courted plenty of controversy for a variety of reasons, be it from the nominations, winners or the on-stage performances at the show held in Lahore. One of the surprising but quite justified criticisms to come out of the award ceremony was actor Adnan Siddiqui’s disapproval of the rendition of Pakistan’s national anthem by the Roy-Bugti duo played at the LSA 2022. Adnan Siddiqui has hit the nail on the head by voicing his concerns over the travesty of national anthem at the hands of Shehzad Roy. Siddiqui took to Instagram to write, “There is a protocol to be followed for national symbols, respect accorded to them so much so that the first alphabet of national symbols are written in uppercase. What next because we are creative and should celebrate diversity? Hoist the National Flag upside down and design our own version of the Emblem?”

Although Shehzad Roy and Wahab Bugti’s unique take on Pakistan’s national anthem was seemingly appreciated by those present at the star-studded ceremony, Siddiqui, however, was of the opinion that artistes should not take creative liberties, especially when it comes to something which is closely linked with the history, national fabric and identity of Pakistan.

However, Siddiqui’s take on this issue fuelled a vociferous debate online, with many prominent celebrities coming to the defence of Roy and Bugti’s performance. Sajal Aly clapped back by saying, “Let us stop policing how we express our patriotism: our Constitution celebrates many ethnicities, languages and cultures that co-exist in the country. When will we do the same?” Singer-cum-actor Farhan Saeed also took to Instagram to stand by Roy and Bugti’s rendition, saying,

Net-zero in fashion - A pipe dream

AFP The world's fashion giants have pledged to trim their carbon footprint but that goal remains elusive at a time "fast fashion" is all the rage — a topic in the spotlight at the UN climate summit.

With a chance to strut their climate commitments at COP27 talks, clothing brands and manufacturers discussed global warming — but some admitted that their pledge to halve emissions by 2030 and reach netzero by mid-century may be a stretch.

"Are we there yet? Of course not. Are we on track?

I would say ... maybe," Stefan Seidel, senior head of sustainability at Puma, told a panel at the COP27 in the Egyptian seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. Greenpeace and other groups have urged the sector — already under fire for often exploitative labour practices — to slow down or end the wasteful trend of mass-producing low-cost clothes that are quickly thrown away. Fast fashion, they charge, uses up massive amounts of water, produces hazardous chemicals and clogs up landfills in poor countries with textile waste, while also generating greenhouse gases in production, transport and disposal.

The fashion sector was responsible for four percent of global emissions in 2018 — about the same as Britain, France and Germany combined — according to the McKinsey consultancy firm.

Some 30 firms — from retail giants H&M and Zara owner Inditex to sports apparel rivals Adidas and Nike — signed up to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action at the COP24 summit in Poland in 2018.

At the time they pledged to cut emissions by 30 percent by 2030 and to be net-zero emitters by midcentury. A year ago they set the new, more ambitious goal of slashing their CO2 emissions by half by the end of the decade, with more than 100 companies now signatories to the pledge.

But meeting the target is a major challenge for an industry with long and complex supply chains that span the globe, industry insiders admit.

Industry figures at COP27 barely mentioned the "fast fashion" business model, which critics say is at the heart of the problem, focussing instead on ideas around the use of renewable energy in factories and regulation.

But greening the entire supply chain and introducing climate-friendly standards among suppliers of raw materials and factories is a monumental task.

Leyla Ertur, head of sustainability at H&M, said the Swedish firm has more than 800 suppliers.

And Marie-Claire Daveu, sustainability chief at Kering Group, which owns luxury brands Gucci and

Yves Saint Laurent, said: "Even us, we're not big enough to change all the supplies chains. That's why collaboration is key." Ali Nouira, an Egyptian manufacturer, told another COP27 panel that certification bodies do not even exist in the region.

"When we manufacture, we need to have all the right certifications and the carbon footprints and all that, and for a small brand coming out from Egypt that is extremely difficult and also costly," Nouira said.

"We also manufacture for other brands, in Europe and other places," he said. "And we're pressured to have the certifications and also to go down with our prices, so they can continue to make the profits they

make."

Photos: File

Nicholas Mazzei, head of environmental sustainability at online retailer Zalando, said there had been a culture change in developed countries, with banks offering lower interest rates to companies that commit to a net-zero target.

"If you make that transformation, you may end up paying nothing because the loans are so low the costs are basically free," Mazzei said.

But suppliers face big costs as sewing clothes in factories requires more energy than that used by retail stores at the end of the supply chain.

"We need, at a far bigger scale, more renewable energy than brands do," said Catherine Chiu, vice president of corporate quality and sustainability at Kong Kong firm Crystal International Group.

"Even if we install solar panels in all of our 20 plants, that would only represent 17 percent of the energy consumption of the group," she said.

Delman Lee, vice chair for sustainability at TAL Apparel, another Hong Kong garment manufacturer, said it has been decarbonising its operations for a decade.

But with subsidiaries in countries including Vietnam and Ethiopia, it is complicated to navigate the different regulations, Lee said. Aiming to become a net-zero business "is a leap of faith commitment," Lee said. "You commit to something you don't know how to achieve."

“For God’s sake, the last thing we want is to add another thing to the ‘not to do’ list of Pakistan. This is beautiful, enjoy it.” Siddiqui later clarified that he had not talked about the ethnicity of the singers and that his words were being mischaracterised to stoke an “unnecessary controversy.”

Whatever is the case, enough is enough for the likes of Shehzad Roy who like to piggyback on the others’ masterpieces to prove their artistic credentials simply by distorting the original pieces to stay relevant in the music world. Even in doing so, he must be able to draw a line as things with such a huge national importance as national themes cannot be allowed to be reduced to a pawn for personal glorification.

In the end, can Roy really do something extraordinary on his own? Your guess is as good as ours.

Sunita, Hassan wash dirty linen in public

By Bold Desk

A recent interview by acclaimed model and actress Sunita Marshall appears to have not gone down too well with her husband Hassan Ahmed. While appearing on a YouTube channel to discuss her life both on and off screen, Marshall had spoken candidly about her husband’s struggles during the start of his career.

Speaking about the early days of their relationship, the model said, “Hassan had just dropped out of his job at an advertising agency because he wanted to become an actor. This was not my decision; it was his decision and I fully supported it. I was glad because watching me is obviously what gave him the drive to enter the drama industry. I was doing very well at the time.” Marshall also went on to explain that many people at the time were really inquisitive about Ahmed’s background, and some assumed that he must be very wealthy since he was in a relationship

with the starlet. Marshall, however, said that any such speculation was pure fiction, and that Ahmed had to struggle to make a name for himself as an actor. She even elaborated that often months would pass by without Ahmed receiving any offers for TV shows, which often left him dejected, especially when Marshall would tell him that he might have to seek a new line of work if he didn’t get an acting gig in the next six months. While the couple obviously managed to power through this rocky period and attained their individual success, Ahmed has now come out to dispute Marshall’s recollection of that particular time in their lives. The actor took to social media to share his thoughts on his wife’s interview, saying that her version of those events were “incorrect, and even if they were correct, they should have been stayed between husband and wife. Not everything should be made public.” Ahmed concluded by saying that only he knew the struggles he had faced in life and that he would openly talk about them only when he felt the time was right.

Photo: File

Photos: File

The world's leading clothing brands and manufacturers have failed to trim their carbon footprint

Photo: File

Shehzad Roy needs to draw a line as 'Qaumi Tarana' cannot be used for personal glorification

Thierry Mugler: Couturissime exhibition 2022

BY Bold Desk

Born in January, 1994 in Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States, Hunter Doohan is an actor and writer, known for the film series, Your Honor (2020), Wednesday (2022) and Truth Be Told (2019). Best known for his wonderful acting in the film Soundwave (2018), Doohan started his showbiz career in Hollywood as his high school passion. He is one of those young American actors to find artistically rewarding roles in film after film. Being the most talented young screenwriter, he started writing short scripts and directing films to create content for himself as in his early stage as an actor, no one in the film industry was ready to give him a role. The film Soundwave earned him the Best Actor award at Northern Virginia International Film and Music Festival. Of late, he has amassed wide acclaim for ‘Your Honor,’ a critically acclaimed limited series by Showtime, an American primetime network that is owned by Paramount Media Networks. In ‘Your Honor,’ a legal thriller, Hunter Doohan plays a high-school senior Adam Desiato, who is badly struggling after causing a hit-and-run accident that too at the first death anniversary of his mother who died in a mysterious murder.

'But you're a woman'

Nour al-Janabi is the first Iraqi woman carpenter and furniture-maker to carve up stereotypes and break the gender barrier in a male-dominated field

AFP

With hammer and saw, Nour al-Janabi is building her latest creation, a candy-pink sofa, in the carpentry workshop she runs in maledominated and conservative Iraq.

"At the start, relatives criticised me," said the 29-year-old carpenter and furniture-maker, who is also a mother of four.

"They would say: 'But you're a woman... You're an amateur... It's a men's trade'."

Covered in velvet or imitation leather, the sofas and armchairs that she designs, makes and mends in her south Baghdad workshop go from rustic style to Louis XV. Her order book is full, with new lounges starting at a cool 700,000 dinars (around $480).

Janabi has been making furniture for several years, and launched her business, Nour Carpentry, a few months ago. She recently moved operations from her home to a house turned workshop, where she has four employees — one of them her retired husband.

"But it's not right to say it like that," she said with an embarrassed smile, her hijab covering her hair.

In oil-rich Iraq, women make up just 13.3 percent of the labour force, according to the World Bank, while the World Economic Forum ranked the country 154 out of 156 in its latest Global Gender Gap Report.

A study published last year by two UN agencies noted that while most Iraqis consider tertiary

education equally important for men and women, "attitudes toward equal rights in employment are discriminatory against women".

Janabi attributes her success largely to do-it-yourself tutorials that she first posted on Facebook to share her passion for carpentry and furniture-making.

She uploads videos — about everything from how to re-stuff an old sofa to using a sander — to TikTok and Instagram too, where she has more than 94,000 followers.

"I am the first Iraqi woman to do this trade and break the barrier in this field," she claimed, in a country still largely dominated by conservative attitudes about women's role in society, and where those perceived as too independent are sometimes even considered immoral.

She said she receives comments from women and men telling her:

"You make Iraq proud and you have accomplished something."

"May God give you strength and health!" one user commented on a video of Janabi presenting a sofa decorated with a floral pattern.

One of her clients, Abu Sajjad, dropped by to see how his sofa repairs were going — untroubled by prejudices some others might harbour against dealing with a female carpenter and business owner.

Most working women in Iraq are teachers or nurses, though a small number have entered the police or armed forces.

Laverne Cox

Susanne Bartsch

Amy Fine Collins

Kylie Jenner

Photos: File

The timeless elegance of Ayeza Khan

With a distinctive grace that evokes a bygone era, Ayeza Khan's poise and style ensures that she stands out no matter what outfit she's wearing

Indian remix of Aap Jaisa Koi draws ire

By Bold Desk For the past few years, Indian film industry has made a habit of churning out remixes and modern renditions of popular hits from the past. This has meant that the Indian film industry has reworked not only iconic Indian songs but also several Pakistani classics. The latest victim of this ongoing trend is none other than the evergreen Nazia Hassan track Aap Jaisa Koi. A song that for many evokes the nostalgia of the early 1980s, Aap Jaisa Koi is one of the many songs by Hassan which continues to hold a special place in the hearts of music fans not just in Pakistan but around the world. Therefore, it is easy to understand why the latest rendition of this song has drawn such visceral public backlash and criticism. The song has been remixed for the forthcoming Ayushmann Khurrana film ‘An Action Hero,’ which is slated to hit theatres on December 2, 2022. Recently unveiled on a YouTube channel T-Series’, the remix features vocals by Zahra S Khan and Altamash Faridi, with the video for the track showing Khurrana dancing alongside Malaika Arora against a burlesque-style backdrop. Social media users were quick to call this auto-tuned version of Aap Jaisa Koi a pale imitation of the original, suggesting that Indian film industry should focus on producing new songs instead of “butchering” classics. Earlier this year, netizens were up in arms when it was revealed that the film ‘JuggJugg Jeeyo’ featured a remix version of Abrar-ul Haq's Nach Punjabun. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that a song by Nazia Hassan has been remixed poorly. The Karan Johar film ‘Student of the Year’ featured a lacklustre rendition of Hassan’s Disco Deewane, and it looks like Indian music producers are hellbent on remixing all of Nazia Hassan’s disco hits.

Arijit Singh puts his own spin on Pasoori

While this year’s season of Coke Studio felt like a breath of fresh air due to the many original songs it showcased, there’s no denying that the breakout track from the show was Ali Sethi and Shae Gill’s Pasoori. The song has now amassed millions of views on Spotify and YouTube, making it not only one of the most well-received songs to come out Coke Studio but also one of the most-beloved Pakistani tracks in recent times. Since the track gained global praise, it was only natural that it would be loved in India too. Now the track has been covered by none other than Arijit Singh, one of India’s most high profile singers and musicians. A video of Singh singing Pasoori at a concert in Mumbai as the audience belted out the Punjabi lyrics along with him recently went viral. While many felt that Singh did the song justice, others felt that his version of Pasoori was too tame and lacked the upbeat energy which made the original track such a sensation. Known for his soulful voice, it isn’t surprising that Singh’s cover of Pasoori was more mellow that Sethi and Gill’s funkier version of the Coke Studio track.

Quick Style arrives in Pakistan

Norwegian dance group Quick Style touched down in Pakistan this week after gaining a rapid social media following due to their impressive dance skills. The group became a viral sensation, particularly in Pakistan, after a video of them dancing at a friend’s wedding garnered thousands of views online. As a result of their new found fame, Quick Style collaborated with Coke Studio to partake in the first Coke Studio Live held in Dubai earlier this year. They performed alongside Kana Yari singer Wahab Ali Bugti at the event, using their hip-hop dance sensibilities to entrance audiences. Their current visit to Pakistan is a continuation of their collaboration with Coke Studio, which includes a nationwide tour. Founded by Pakistani-Norwegian twin brothers Suleman Malik and Bilal Malik, and their Thai-Norwegian friend Nasir Sirikhan, the members of the troupe can be seen in videos on their social media accounts grooving to popular tracks alongside various celebrities. Coke Studio announced that Quick Style were in Karachi by unveiling a picture of the four members standing in front of Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum declaring “The boys are here”. So far, the group has already met actress Syra Yousuf and can also be seen busting a move with Mahira Khan to the hit tune More Saiyyan from the film Parey Hut Love. Fans of the dance group are eager to see what else they have planned for their Pakistan trip.

When Michael Jackson turned into a werewolf

First released in 1982, "Thriller" by Michael Jackson consecrated him as the "King of Pop" and the iconic song remains a musical lodestone even after 40 years

AFP

Mixing rock, pop and RnB like never before, Michael Jackson's "Thriller", 40 years old, became the most successful album of all time and defined a coming era with its audiovisual ambition.

"Thriller" has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide since its release on November 30, 1982.

It consecrated Jackson as the "King of Pop" and remains a musical lodestone.

Even renewed allegations of paedophilia in the 2019 documentary "Leaving Neverland" failed to dent his popularity, and Jackson's reach has continued to grow, with his music currently ranked 60th in the world on Spotify with 36.7 million monthly streams.

His influence is still all over the charts, not least in the form of The Weeknd, whose music has channelled Jackson, from an early cover of "Dirty Diana" (2010's "DD") through to his recent chart-topping album "Dawn FM".

"Michael is somebody that I admire. He's not like a real person, you know? When I started making music, that's all I wanted to aspire to, just like every other musician," the Canadian singer-songwriter told GQ magazine recently.

Much of the magic on "Thriller" is thanks to producer Quincy Jones, who had worked with Jackson on 1979's "Off The Wall".

"The record company didn't want Quincy for 'Off The Wall'. They took a dim view of this producer from the jazz world — music that sold peanuts in the eyes of the industry," said Olivier Cachin, author of two books on

Jackson.

But the collaboration saw sparks fly — literally on one occasion.

"When we were finishing 'Beat It'... we were working five nights and five days, with no sleep. And at one point, the speakers overloaded and caught on fire!" Jones recalled to Rolling Stone.

"Thriller" was the moment when Jackson started to pull in influences from across pop culture, with Eddie Van Halen's hard rock solo on "Beat It", and pop ballad "The Girl is Mine" with Paul McCartney.

There were pioneering rap rhythms on "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" and a sample from "Soul Makossa" by saxophonist Manu Dibango (who got a large pay-out after Jackson's team failed to secure authorisation).

Initially, the record failed to break on to the newly established MTV channel, which refused to show the video for megahit single "Billie Jean" on the grounds that black music did not "fit" with its white-dominated rock programming.

The boss of Jackson's parent label at CBS, Walter Yetnikoff, "threatened to publicly denounce MTV as huge racists and block their access to videos of rock artists in its catalogue", said Cachin.

Yetnikoff won that battle but then found himself clashing with Jackson over his plans for a $1 million video for the album's last single, the title track "Thriller". Jackson wanted to work with director

Photos: File

Photos: File

John Landis, having loved his movie "An American Werewolf in London", while Yetnikoff thought the plan was pointless when the album was already at number one. "But Michael had a vision, and he was stubborn," said Cachin. The resulting 14-minute mini-film was premiered at a Hollywood cinema before a star-packed crowd and helped re-energise sales of the album. Not only did it see Jackson turn into a werewolf and bring the living dead out of their graves, but it launched a whole new branch of the music business — extravagant and ambitious videos that came to define the next two decades of pop culture.

Tring, tring! Let’s pedal together

Urban residents in Pakistan are embracing group cycling as a healthy, community building activity that can help to promote better quality of life and nurture civic sense

By Noman Ahmed KARACHI

The Covid-19 pandemic has helped people across the globe to become increasingly health-conscious and be more attentive to their physical and mental well-being. The people in Pakistan are no exception as they are now understanding the importance of having and maintaining a good overall health and its numerous benefits, especially stronger immunity. This is now being reflected in more and more people, particularly in urban areas, are taking part together in a variety of healthy activities, one of which is group cycling.

The presence of cycling groups in Pakistan is not a recent phenomenon since various cycling groups have been active in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad since 2009. Within the span of 12 years, however, the number of active members of such groups has grown manifold. Their popularity has now led to a mushrooming of cycling groups catering to residents in specific localities in Karachi. The PECHS, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and North Nazimabad are to name a few. Separate groups for families, professional cyclists, and long-distance cyclists have emerged, while growing numbers of younger people over the years have been joining these groups in pursuit of better health, community belonging, and social interaction.

The Covid-19 pandemic affected group cycling trends differently in different cities. For instance, cycling groups in Lahore and Islamabad witnessed a growth in membership whereas groups in Karachi noted an overall decline, but they are now witnessing a rebound across the metropolitan.

Each group has one or more standard routes. Cyclists in Karachi prefer the longer roads connecting the major commercial areas as these have next to zero traffic early in the morning in particular. Shahrah-e-Faisal, Clifton, Seaview, and Defence are the areas of choice for Karachiites. In Lahore, cyclists make their way from Liberty Market to Johar Town. Special routes are designed occasionally to cover important city landmarks and historical places along the way.

Most cycling trips average between 25km and 35km and are held on weekends, or alternate weekends, early in the morning to avoid traffic and to benefit from the relatively cleaner air. Each ride takes approximately 1.5 to 2 hours to complete. The groups pause occasionally as needed, but the highlight of each ride is the highly anticipated breakfast break.

An average ride includes 20 to 30 cyclists, but special rides organised to mark events such as Independence Day, Pakistan Day, or Quaid-i-Azam Day attract many more attendees. Cause-related rides

that are coordinated by NGOs or multinationals feature more than 400 cyclists on an average.

Women and children are also part of these groups. The number of women cyclists in particular has grown rapidly, and they make up nearly 30% of the cyclists in each trip. Some groups offer separate groupings for children where the rides are shorter, have more stops, and are comparatively slow-paced. In fact, adults with no cycling expe-

rience are encouraged to learn the ropes and gain some confidence with these groups before joining the regular cyclists. While the groups’ membership on such social media platforms as Facebook goes into the thousands, fewer than 100 members are active cyclists. People drop in and out of trips for various reasons. Very few people, according to the organisers, have the kind of discipline required to make cycling an

Photos: File

integral part of their lifestyle. Each group has their own screening process which helps to ensure everyone’s safety. Membership to the online groups requires answering a few basic questions. After screening their social profiles, applicants are invited to a ride, which is followed by an interview with the management. None of the groups charge a membership or ride fee.

Exercise is not the only benefit that these cycling groups offer. Growing urbanisation means that communities across the city have become isolated from each other. Cycling trips allow residents to visit parts of the city that they wouldn’t be able to otherwise due to traffic, distance, or lack of time.

All the cycling groups rely on social media to raise awareness, develop a community and share updates. These pages also offer helpful information about road safety and general bike maintenance for new as well as experienced cyclists. Contact details of local bike mechanics and shops renting and selling bikes are posted to facilitate cyclists who want to practice on a rented cycle before buying a new one.

While almost all cycling groups participate in cause-related rides that are often sponsored by corporations, none of the groups organise commercial rides or undertake any kind of for-profit activity.

Over the past 2 years alone, several rides have been organised to raise awareness about heart health, breast cancer, drug abuse, and literacy. Organisations such as Developments in Literacy, Tabba Heart Institute, and The Citizens Foundation collaborate closely with these groups to hold city-wide

rides as well as multi-city rides.

Organising these trips is an exercise of passion.

The work typically starts at around 3am as the coordinator checks to make sure that the right number of cycles, spare tires and repair tools are present at the starting point. A truck is typically arranged for this purpose, in addition to first-aid kits and other essentials. Reminders are sent out and several last minute checks are carried out. The rides usually start a little while after the Fajr prayers, with the exact time varying according to the season.

With a sizable numbers of residents cycling on the roads, government support is always appreciated but is not always forthcoming. Based on the valuable feedback provided by Zaheeruddin Khawaja (Early Bird Riders), Adeel Shahid (Critical Mass Lahore), Taimur Amjad and Tausif Islam (Critical Mass Karachi), and cyclists Zeeshan Khalid and Asaad Zaheer, it has come to know that the cycling lanes are either absent or neglected across all cities. The Pakistan Cycling Federation has not developed any programme to promote urban cycling or to support the groups operating currently. The administration in Lahore seems to be the most supportive as a police escort, a warden, and a rescue motorcycle accompany the cyclists to ensure their safety.

Groups outside of Lahore typically have to arrange their own security, except for corporate rides where the number of cyclists can exceed 300. In Karachi, barring cooperation from the traffic police, local administrations are not as supportive. Repeated requests to the local authorities have not moved them to provide security to cyclists on the road. The main road on Defence Phase 8 in Karachi, for instance, is popular with cyclists due to low traffic. However, a very large number of stray dogs presents a persistent safety risk, despite the efforts of different NGOs to vaccinate them regularly. The road is also often strewn with shattered pieces of glass bottles and other waste.

Compared with Islamabad and Lahore, the growing garbage piles in Karachi pose another challenge for cyclists. Fortunately, incidents of harassment or theft are almost negligible as the cyclists find safety in numbers. It would help the cyclists immensely if ambulances could be placed along these frequently used routes because, at present, members are forced to use their own conveyance or call for an Edhi ambulance in case of an injury or accident.

It is encouraging to see urban residents in Pakistan are now pedalling together to embrace a healthy, community building activity to promote better quality of life and nurture civic sense in the country’s constantly expanding cities. At the same time, however, adequate support from the civic authorities and government bodies would be extremely welcome.

Welcome to a winter wonderland

Harbour City - A shimmering fantasy fairyland

One of the largest shopping malls in town has turned into a "Unicorn MerryGo-Round Paradise" this year, leading visitors to the land of fairy tales. Walking through the Ocean Terminal Forecourt, visitors will be surrounded by a myriad of sparkling Christmas trees, both earth-bound and sky-high. Also not to be missed: the Unicorn Merry-Go-Round Palace, featuring hundreds of glamorous star-like lights hanging from the ceiling: the best photo spots for your Instagram post!

Date: 17 November 2022 - 2 January 2023

Venue: 3-27 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

- The tallest outdoor Christmas tree in town

This holiday season, an over-20-metre, gloriously lit Christmas tree sits centre stage at the romantic Christmas town in West Kowloon Cultural District harbourfront - the heartland of Hong Kong WinterFest - brought to you by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Featuring music and special twinkling lighting effects, the city's tallest outdoor Christmas tree, paired with gorgeous panoramic views of the world-famous Victoria Harbour, will be tempting your smartphone camera. Don't forget to visit Christmas Wonderland during the Christmas period, where Christmas-themed lodges await you to embark on a fantastic Christmas journey

Date: 25 November 2022 - 1 January 2023

Venue: Harbourside Lawn West, West Kowloon Cultural District

Tai Kwun - Modern light show x historical landmark

The revitalised heritage compound in Central will be spiced up with festive celebrations this December. The romantic Christmas sights and sounds will fill the air in Tai Kwun, with a grand Christmas tree sitting in Parade Ground. To top it all off, a dazzling light show will also take place in the evenings. An array of joyous surprises awaits, including the fun-filled circus performances and melodious music performances, promising you a modern Christmas time in one of Hong Kong's most historic landmarks.

Date: From 1 December 2022 onwards Venue: 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong

Lee Tung Avenue - Asia's largest disco ball decoration

It's all about the glitz and glam this festive season at Lee Tung Avenue. Asia's biggest disco ball - at 7 metres tall, and covered in over 2000 mirror pieces - hovers over the Avenue's tree-lined walkway, while golden hits from the 70s and 80s blast through the air. On Christmas Eve and New Year's Day, LTA will Let It Snow - by featuring snow "effects" when the skies turn dark. Put on your sparkliest disco outfit on Christmas Day to join the Christmas Night Fever, complete with dance performances and live DJ entertainment.

Date: 18 November 2022 - 2 January 2023

Venue: 200 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai

LANDMARK - Oversized gingerbread bakery adventure

With the activation of the charitably scrumptious Mrs Claus Bakery at LANDMARK's lofty, high-ceilinged atrium, the spirit of giving is at an alltime high at the shopping complex this merry season. While a giant gingerbread house, floating aircraft and hot-air balloon, together with cutesy animal friends marking the Bakery premises, there is no shortage of picture-perfect moments on site. Save some film roll for Mrs Claus and her trusty sidekick, Gingerbread Man!

Date: 24 November 2022 - 2 January 2023

Venue: 15 Queen's Road Central, Central

A mirror to society

The novel Our Tainted Souls by Minaal Khan paints a vivid picture of the reality of living in contemporary Pakistan

By Hassan Naqvi LAHORE

Termed as “A story for our times,” by acclaimed author Awais Khan, the novel Our Tainted Souls by Minaal Maan is based a story that tackles some of the key issues that plague our society today. The novel delves into the harsh reality of what it is like to live in modern-day Pakistan while trying to navigate the undeniable tests and difficulties that arise. The author shows what it is like to be part of a system that fosters prejudice and bias while trying to reclaim one’s own identity and purpose.

The novel takes you on a journey from the glittering glass structures of Lahore to rural Punjab and carefully weaves a tale of hope, optimism, triumph and perseverance. ‘Our Tainted Souls’ takes two people from opposite ends of the social spectrum to show us the world through their eyes. This is a world where everything is not as it seems to be and where the internal struggle to be the kind of person one wants to be is a complex one, marred with obstacles that are put there to benefit only the few.

Through her characters, the author explores the ideas of inequality, family ties and fighting your inner demons to become the kind of person that you can be proud of. The choices that her characters are presented with are not easy and she skillfully portrays their inner struggle while crafting a story that is bound to stay with the reader for a long time to come.

The plot revolves around two main characters, Ahmed and Seher, both of whom come from very different worlds but share the same inner conflicts. Ahmed is the only offspring of an influential politician who is corrupt to the core. He possesses everything except for personal freedom, and he longs to be different. His ideals clash with those of his father, opening the door for conflict more often than not.

Seher belongs to Zaleemabad, a village close to Lahore, and is also stuck in a metaphorical cage of prejudices and pretentious ideals. Being coerced into a marriage to a man she loathes is what finally drives her to want to change her life. She has always questioned the rigid norms set out by society and yearns to escape from the

shackles of the patriarchal culture of her village.

Both of these characters then set out on separate journeys of self- discovery and have to conquer several obstacles before that can happen. Their determination with a positive outlook is what makes the reader root for them till the very end. One fact that is profoundly echoed throughout the story is that we each are on our own personal journeys and must choose to make our own happy endings happen rather than depending on anyone else. The author shows this through Seher as she navigates through her life, making choices that will determine her future rather than waiting for someone to do it for her. Seher questions everything she has ever been told about the world and thinks about the reasoning rather than continuing to believe in it blindly.

Another topic that the author explores is that of dowry. A long practiced tradition when it comes to marriages, Minaal Maan rightfully questions the legitimacy of the tradition through Seher as she is enraged at the idea of people judging a family with regards to the dowry they give. The larger the dowry, the more respect was given to the family of the bride. It was directly linked to the honour of women, and at some point became the means to preserve a new bride’s honour. Seher, blessed with the power

of common sense, questions this outdated tradition. She also questions the idea of misusing religion to justify all sorts of brutal claims and traditions by people who would ironically only use it to benefit themselves rather than looking at the bigger picture. Through Ahmed we see a side of Lahore that is not too different from the villages on its outskirts. People are bound by the same things; family loyalty, money and the prejudices and hypocrisy displayed by the city’s inhabitants. In this environment, someone who wants to be a better person and is hell-bent on creating change around him is bound by his family and, more importantly, their lust for power. The author also portrays the idea of power and how it corrupts the very essence of our being through characters such as Ahmed’s parents and grandfather. We see exactly how deep-rooted their ideals are and how much these ideals impact everyone around them. The author explores the idea of redemption through Ahmed and shows that it is possible since he decides to leave all that he has learned behind and in an attempt to change himself.

In ‘Our Tainted Souls,’ we see the result of generational wealth of the filthy rich and their utter carelessness towards the impact of their exhibitionism. We see how their lives are superficial and empty yet are portrayed as glamorous. The symbolism throughout the story is another treat for readers. The smog that envelopes Lahore represents the vile thoughts and ideals of its people and shows how their prejudices and biases help hide the truth. The absence of the fog when Seher enters Lahore can be interpreted as hope. The elm tree in Seher’s house that refuses to die even after numerous storms represents her determination to survive and the idea that no matter what life throws at her she still manages to stand up.

The author Minaal Maan is also gifted at writing descriptions. Her vivid illustrations of Lahore as well as the streets and fields of Zaleemabad truly make the reader feel as though they are seeing it all unfold before them. Dark, brutal, but hopeful nonetheless, Our Tainted Souls is truly a mirror to the society we live in and paints a vivid picture of the reality of living in contemporary Pakistan.

Rare 'Don Quixote' editions up for auction

AFP

Ed Maggs examines a shelf of leather-bound antique books that his family have been selling from their landmark London shop for the last 170 years.

It was at Maggs Bros. Ltd that a Bolivian diplomat acquired two volumes of "Don Quixote", the Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes, which are now up for auction.

The books go on sale in Paris on December 14, where they are expected to fetch between 400,000 and 600,000 euros ($414,000 to $621,000) combined.

They were last bought in the 1930s by diplomat, Jorge Ortiz Linares, who was subsequently Bolivia's ambassador to France in the 1940s.

He was the son-in-law of Simon Patino, a Bolivian industrialist living in Paris, who made his vast fortune in tin mining in the early 20th century.

Ortiz was an avid collector and was on the hunt for an original edition of "Don Quixote", which many consider to be the first modern novel.

The tale of a poor Spanish gentleman who reads so many chivalric romances that he thinks he is a knight was a huge success when it was published in 1605.

In the 1930s, Ortiz's research led him to the British capital, which Maggs describes as "arguably the most important centre for the rare book trade" in the world.

Maggs is the great-great-grandson of Uriah

Maggs, who founded the bookstore in 1853.

Over the years, it gained a reputation among British royalty and exiled monarchs such as Manuel II of Portugal and Spain's Alfonso XIII.

The bookshop, now in Bedford Square near University College London and the British Museum, came to own 1,358 rare editions of Spanish-language books.

They were collected in a catalogue published

in 1927 "still quoted by bibliographers today", says Jonathan Reilly, an expert on the Maggs bookshop.

Reilly points to one of the works that caught Ortiz's eye: two first editions of "Don Quixote" -- Book I, published in 1605, and Book II, which came out 10 years later. Both were on sale for £3,500 -- the equivalent of nearly £174,000 ($210,000) -- and "a real fortune at the time", he added.

Ortiz, however, was out of luck and found that the books had already been sold. But he left his details just in case.

In 1936, he received a long-awaited call from the bookseller and made a trip to London as soon as he could.

"Why did he get on an airplane immediately?

The book collector is sometimes enthusiast, sometimes a little bit obsessed," said Maggs.

Ortiz ended up buying a third edition of Book I and a first edition of Book II, said Anne Heilbronn, head of books and manuscripts at Sotheby's auction house.

He paid £100 (about £5,600 today) for the first edition and £750 (£42,000 today) for the second.

Since then, the books have remained out of public view but can now be seen at Sotheby's in London before the Paris sale next month.

The first editions of Don Quixote Book I are rare because many were lost in a shipwreck near Havana when they were sent en masse to Latin America, the auction house said.

Published in 1608, the third edition was the last to be printed during Cervantes' lifetime and was corrected by him, Heilbronn said.

"All the translations we have today come from this third edition so it's important," she added.

What makes the books unique is that they were bound in the 18th century for an English collector. Such early bindings of the book are very rare, said Heilbronn.

On his visit to Maggs Bros on December 21, 1936, Ortiz bought three other gems: a first edition of Cervantes' "Novelas ejemplares" published in 1613, and "La Florida del Inca" (1605).

In the latter, Garcilaso de la Vega recounts the conquest of America from the point of view of indigenous peoples.

Ortiz also bought the "Hispania Victrix" (1553) about the conquest of Mexico, which is the first work in history to mention California. The five works will be returned to the bookseller for a few hours before leaving for Paris.

They will then be auctioned off along with the 83 other items in the Ortiz Linares collection put together with the help of antiquarian bookseller Jean-Baptiste de Proyart.

Total

The many faces of Ismail Tara

The legendary Ismail Tara could play any character at the drop of the hat, and showed his class in the super-hit weekly comedy show 'Fifty Fifty'

There was no bigger star in Pakistan during the 1980s than Ismail Tara, who went on to become the face of the Saturday Night Live-inspired Fifty Fifty. He could play any character at the drop of a hat and that’s what made him the most successful component of the TV show that ran in two stints for five years. He could be believable as a Disco Chor, a Traffic Constable, a Qawwal, or even a fan of Punjabi films, and it was this diversity that helped him throughout his career, post-Fifty Fifty. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and analyze the recently departed Ismail Tara’s performance in different getups, and how he made a name for playing ethnic, comic, and epic characters during his prime.

As the Mimic

Long before Umar Sharif and Moin Akhtar became household names for mimicking renowned actors, it was Ismail Tara who began the trend on TV in Fifty Fifty. In one of its most famous skits, he played a talented youngster who was asked to mimic actors like Darpan, Waheed Murad, and Kamal Irani to name a few at an audition and was accepted by the director in the end, played by Ashraf Khan. It was the mimicry that was spot on and inspired others to add mimicry to their arsenal, for it was a talent that would have gone unnoticed had it not been for Ismail Tara.

As the Traffic Constable

What does the name Mustansar Hussain Tarar bring to mind when you hear it? If it takes you back to the Fifty Fifty skit, then you aren’t alone. In that skit, Ismail Tara plays a Traffic Constable who couldn’t write the name of Ashraf Khan’s character who claimed to be Mustansar Hussain Tarar. When he finally did manage to get the name right with the help of his son, he got stuck at the father’s name section and had to bribe the rider to forget the incident. His ‘Uri Uri’ to stop the traffic was so famous that people still talk in that language when sitting amongst friends.

What made Ismail Tara

the darling of entire Pakistan during the 1980s was his ability to play any person belonging to any ethnicity to perfection

As the Newscaster

And then there was the skit where a newscaster (played by Ismail Tara, of course) fell in love with an air hostess (Asma Abbas). It was the brilliance of Ismail Tara that made the skit popular and had social media been active in those days, it would certainly have gone viral. The way he starts and ends his sentences, the way he conducts himself in the presence of others and his manners reminded the viewers of the newscasters of those days, and maybe even today. Asma Abbas also did a great job as the air hostess, making the skit eternally loveable, across generations.

As the Pakistani Cowboy

In the 1980s, a cold drink commercial was quite popular in which a cowboy entered a salon in the middle of nowhere, demanded the product, and after quenching his thirst took one for the road. Ismail Tara played the Pakistani version of

Thanks to the reruns of Fifty Fifty in the 1990s, Ismail Tara’s take on Aziz Mian Qawwal remains popular even today, as do the many film songs they made fun of

or even delivering a few lines in the traditional Aziz Mian style, depending on the nature of the song. If you still remember Petrol Ke Daam Sonay Ke Daam, then clearly you were mesmerized by Ismail Tara’s brilliance back in the day!

As The Disco Chor

Nothing done on the TV screen in Pakistan can match the magnificence of Ismail Tara’s dance on Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean where he first danced to the beat of the song to enter a poor man’s house, then searched the whole house for loot and on not finding anything, exited after donating a few rupees to the house owner. The way he danced made the viewers smile back then, and anyone who comes across the skit is unable to control his laughter. That’s not all, Ismail Tara’s dance steps on One Way Ticket were also quite popular and were recreated in Fifty Fifty as well as many other TV shows and films, including his own refreshed take in the end credits of Jawani Phir Nahi Ani some seven years back.

that cowboy who entered a restaurant, demanded tea, and after getting served, pulled a gun on the manager for hiding the sugar. The skit aired during the time when the country was going through a shortage of sugar, but the way this skit was executed made it extremely popular. He also repeated the same getup in another skit where two cowboys fight a duel for the pass of Neelam Ghar, which was hugely popular, especially in the 1980s.

As the Qawwal

Thanks to the reruns of Fifty Fifty in the 1990s, Ismail Tara’s take on Aziz Mian Qawwal remains popular even today, as do the many film songs they made fun of. Be it Mala’s Tera Naam Mera Naam song from Jaise Jantay Nahi or the classic Aaj Mujh Ko Kia Hua Ismail Tara’s rendition as well as the performance was impossible to ignore. He would either be seen moving his head from right to left, eating pan between the song,

As Anyone Pakistani!

What made Ismail Tara the darling of entire Pakistan during the 1980s was his ability to play any person belonging to any ethnicity to perfection. If his Murad Khan in Murad Khan and Mary act was the quintessential Pathan, the guy who idolized Sultan Rahi was the perfect Punjabi munda and the same can be said of the Yattay Gattay guy who was visibly Bangali or could be anyone else. The buck doesn’t stop here as the Kia Keh Raha Hai Bhai Bihari Babu was as relatable as the Nahi Ray Haan Ray Waah Ray Makrani dude. He even played the immigrant Dada (Heeaan Se Huaan fame), the villainous KESC guy as well as the Customs Officer to perfection. During his lifetime he told this scribe that at one time, he was singled out at the airport by Customs Officers who wanted him to stop making fun of them because no one was giving them their daughters!

KARACHI By Omair Alavi

Photos: File