BOL NEWSPAPER | February 19 2023

KARACHI By Maheen Aziz

The name, Zia Mohyeddin, might have one literal meaning, but he was a multitalented man of many colours and facets. He was like a tall tree with many stronger branches and under the shadow of which many intellectuals, actors and prolific personalities grew.

It is not an easy task to describe Zia Mohyeddin. Not at all. Which facet would one describe? Zia as a friend, colleague, thespian, teacher, actor, mentor, orator, director, or a writer?

Having had a voice that touched many hearts and eyes holding many stories, the wrinkles on his face reflecting not only his age but also oozing his profound experience of decades. His friendly gesture earned him many fans and friends, while his unmatchable prowess on stage and screen helped him stand out of the crowd of other performers. Zia Mohyeddin passed away on February 13 and his sudden death sent shock waves all across the world of culture and entertainment.

People knew that there was only one Zia Mohyeddin who was the only player in the ring. A force to be reckoned with, he won not only fame and recognition but respect and love from around the world.

From old-age people to youngsters, he was equally famous among all.

“Zia Mohyeddin was an outstanding actor and a consummate theatrical specialist.

Other than his proven artistic credentials, he was also widely acknowledged as a writer and essayist who mostly covered his life-

I will always remember him with great fondness and reverence.

I hope people realise the fact that he was such a towering powerhouse of wisdom, knowledge and intellect and how big his death affected all of us

Junaid Zuberi CEO, NAPA

long journey, reflecting on his childhood and youth as well as highlighting the works of literature and music, especially South Asian music. Zia Mohyeddin wrote with great insight and exceptional sensitivity, which helped him earn a multi-dimensional fame. He was known for his felicity in writing with special sense of nuances, added another dimension to his already diverse multi-pronged cultural sensitivity. It was indeed a privilege to work closely with him,” says Javed Jabbar, Pakistan’s leading writer and politician.

“Almost 40 years of my association with Zia Mohyeddin has sadly come to an end. I learnt so much from him about theatrics and Urdu literature, which helped me a lot in achieving perfection. However, his mentoring will never end because each of his recorded performances will serve as a lesson for all practitioners, performers and future thespians,” according to Arshad Mehmood, a seasoned actor and music composer.

Junaid Zuberi, the CEO of the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA), shared his thoughts while remembering Zia Mohyeddin. He said, "The death of Zia Mohyeddin has left an intellectual vacuum in his wake. He literally belonged to a bygone world ruled by intellect, wit and wisdom and professed these values across his artistic journey, which are otherwise rare and almost extinct. His quintessential brilliance and perfection set a standard to be followed by others. He was larger than life, yet humble to the core. He was a very private person, introverted from head to heels and preferred to spend his time in reading, writing and reflecting. I am fortunate to have spent many precious moments in his company. I was always embarrassed when he would come to my office to talk to me. I always requested him to call me instead but he liked visiting my office. He had a vast repertoire of amusing anecdotes and stories that he often shared. I will always remember him with great fondness and reverence. I hope people realise the fact that he was such a towering powerhouse of wisdom, knowledge and intellect and how big his death affected all of us.”

According to Junaid Zuberi, the world of performing arts has lost one of its most amazing thespians. From Pakistan to London and across the world, Zia Mohyeddin reigned supreme both on stage and on screen."

“It is impossible to do justice to his lifelong work and contributions to the theatre, culture and art scene by merely putting them down on paper or by writing about them. But one thing is for sure - he touched a million lives and did what very few are

able to do,” Zuberi added.

“I remember when I was on a flight to Karachi, Zia Mohyeddin was also travelling on the same flight. Those days I had just started working on my first book and was going to Karachi, especially for that purpose. My dad was with me and nudged me to approach him as he was someone without whom the book would not be complete. I went over to his seat, and he gave me his office number and I was able to see him the very next day.

As I went into his office in the old, decaying building of the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA), he stood up to greet me with the warmest smile and asked how I wanted to photograph him. I was obviously intimidated by being asked to 'direct' him, so I asked him for suggestions but he gently refused and said that I was the boss there. We started off by having him read some poetry for the camera. Slowly I realised that he was the last living actor in my favourite film, Lawrence of Arabia. For a photo, I asked him to re-enact the role he played in the film and his face seamlessly changed into the expression of Tafas, the guide of Lawrence, as he portrayed the harsh desert surroundings and the horror of seeing Sherif Ali from afar (Omar Sharif's character). It truly felt like the very scene had transported itself here in that small office through augmented reality. If he was such a force to be reckoned with onstage, it is no wonder that he did this so beautifully and took me into a different time and place. This experience best described Zia Mohyeddin to me- the power of his prose, and his generosity. May he rest in peace, and may his family and friends find the patience to bear with this loss."

As Gene D. Phillips, an American author, writes in his book ‘Beyond the Epic: The Life and Films of David Lean,’ he explained how desperately Lean wanted Zia to be cast in his film Lawrence of Arabia. He further explains that Lean wanted his old buddies to be around him as he had not made films in several years. "When it came to filling the part of Aziz, the male lead, there was no question in Lean's mind that the actor must be Indian. Zia Mohyeddin had created the role of Dr Aziz on the London stage in Rau's play, and Lean had cast him in Lawrence's guide in Law-

Zia Mohyeddin was an outstanding actor and a consummate theatrical specialist. Other than his proven artistic credentials, he was also widely acknowledged as a writer and essayist

Javed Jabbar Writer and politician

rence. He considered Mohyeddin for Aziz, but by 1983, the actor was simply too old."

Zia Mohyeddin was a charismatic teacher who would bring the subjects to life. Being selected as his student was one of the acievements for students. Ansaar Mazhar reminiscence his time at NAPA with his great teacher. “During my auditions I forgot my lines as I was performing in front of the living legend, Zia Sahab. He had a smile on his face. I do not know if I could impress him or not, but I got selected.”

“He was punctual and always valued time. Our diction class would start at 3pm and he would always be on time. He was kind and really helpful, unlike most of the teachers today. He would not get tired of explaining even we asked him ten times.

Students would desperately wait to enter their third year as Sir Zia used to teach acting himself in the second trimester of third year. He used to act for us to teach us how to act and believe me, the way he would act would give life to the character even when he performed Romeo, it seemed as if he is the real Romeo who is screaming in the love of Juliet.”

There is no doubt that Zia Mohyeddin was a perfectionist and he had a love for Urdu language. Ansaar further shared that he was a truly devoted and a passionate person. His love for theatre was to a level of madness. “Even at his funeral, Mr Akbar Islam (one of our teachers) told us that he kept repeating that NAPA

should stay and live.” Ansaar’s voice shakes while he remembers his teacher.

“He was very popular among students. When his car would arrive, students would wave at him and he would smile and wake back at us. His entry in the institute was like of a film star around who fans would gather and get excited to interact. Even when I went to NAPA today, I felt that he will be arriving anytime soon. But, this is so unfortunate that he will not be among us anymore.”

Zia Mohyeddin was a renowned orator. The way he would sprinkle words and use expressions seemed to be like a magician casting a spell. His voice throw was so intense and powerful that it would leave an impact on the listeners. He was a friend of friends, a strong-headed person who had his goals and thoughts clear, not only to him but to the ones he wanted to welcome in his clan.

Rahat Kazmi, a veteran TV and film actor, said that he had met Zia a very long time ago. "By that time, we had not started working together. But one day Zia came to my house and said, "Rahat! We have founded NAPA here.” I congratulated him. He asked me to work at NAPA and how could I say no to Zia? I agreed and the rest is history."

He went on to explain that in those 18 years, there were many plays that Zia directed and many in which he assisted him. "He was a very dedicated professional and a perfectionist with no compromise on professionalism. He was also a classist. He was not forthcoming and easy as most of the people are because he was so utterly involved in his profession that he never cared to talk about his personal life or anybody else's life."

"I would say that if we did not know Ghalib in Urdu how would we know Ghalib?

It is his poetry and his work that we know.

Zia Mohyeddin would always say that it is not the life that is important, it is the work that lives on. He stood for classism and should be known as a man par excellence. The working relationship was so strong and deep that I cannot easily describe." Rahat takes pauses while sharing his memories.

Ahmed Shah, President of the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, told BOLD that his relationship with Zia Mohyeddin was precious and deep. "Many people would claim that they knew Zia better or knew him closely. However, he was open to me would speak his heart out in my presence. From his childhood to his youth, I knew everything about him. He would often call me to his house and we would talk for hours sometimes without keeping a track of time. He told me how his handwriting and Urdu improved and how his father sent him to a strict Urdu teacher who would make him write on a wooden board. Hence, he was a legend but also a normal human being. He was an introvert and kept a distance from people because he did not want others to take advantage of his liberty. He was indeed a gem of a person."

He lamented his death and said that Zia had a session in the recently concluded festival of the Arts Council in Lahore and they both had so many plans for the forthcoming sessions in the US. "He called me and apologised that he could not attend the session in Lahore as Chunno (Zia's wife) was taking him to the hospital. He was a thorough professional, a gentleman and a man of his words. We had a warmth in our relationship and the way he would praise me and my work is worth-mentioning.

"When there were no indoor theatres and open-air theatres in Pakistan, I was still heading the Arts Council and it was my honour that when Zia returned from

He was not forthcoming and easy as most of the people are because he was so utterly involved in his profession that he never cared to talk about his personal life or anybody else's personal life

Rahat Kazmi Veteran actor

England he performed his first play under the banner of the Arts Council."

Ahmed Shah revealed that the people who were deemed expert in the Urdu language were actually humble to admit that they did not actually know Urdu until they met Zia Mohyeddin, and Naseeruddin Shah is one of them. "Zia recited Javed Siddiqui's Khaka last month at the Arts Council and that was his last recitation. Javed called me at the passing away of Zia and said that it was such a big loss indeed. Zia Mohyeddin had fans and followers from across the world," he added. He would often stress over the need to improve one’s Urdu language skills, particularly when it comes to pronunciation such small words like ’Garm,’ ’Narm,’ and ’Sahih.’ He said in his interviews that he never watched television as the TV industry is playing a major role in damaging the Urdu language.

It was his ‘Zia Mohyeddin Show’ on PTV where he called Z.A. Bukhari as a guest and acknowledged that he was indebted to ZA Bukhari for the numerous corrections he had made in his Urdu language skills.

While discussing the life of Zia Mohyeddin, one of my acquaintances informed me that he introduced the word 'Teyka’. And when he would come on the TV screen, he would say, 'Toh Phir Lagao Teyka'." He also did many voice-overs. I remember that in our childhood we would often switch to PTV Home in the month of Muharram to watch a documentary on Karbala recorded in voice-over by Zia Mohyeddin and it was well articulated and deep that I still remember each word of it and the way he presented it. His voice had kind of a magic that would take one into a trance.

Zia Mohyeddin will live in the air of NAPA, in the plays, he directed, the characters he created, in the excellence of his students, in the echoes of the theatre rooms, and in the eyes of the audience whose eyes might fill with tears remembering him. His eyes are shut, but the path he had paved in serving the arts and theatre will forever be preserving his legacy, he is silent but his voice is rooted deep in the hearts of his fans. He will live through his plays, narrations, stories, poetry and oration, he will live in the memories. It takes generations to produce an orator like Zia Mohyeddin. An irreparable loss for the generations to come, his passing has left a worrisome void that seems impossible to fill.

As rightly said by Allama Iqbal; Hazaro saal nargis apni benori pe roti hai, Bari mushkil se huta hai chaman main dedawar paida

"For a thousand years, the narcissus has been lamenting its blindness; With great difficulty, the one with true vision is born in the garden."

A trailblazing thespian and an allround performer, Zia Mohyeddin’s death has left an intellectual vacuum in the world of performing arts

A mirror to the realities that characterise a society like ours, Sar-e-Rah takes aim at different social stereotypes and their implications

By Mehak Aziz KARACHI

After a series of hit drama serials, director Ahmed Bhatti has come up with “Sar-e-Rah,” a new TV series written by Adeel Razzaq. Since the airing of its first episode, Sar-e-Rah has become the talk of the town, due to the intensity of grave realities of a typical Pakistani society, as shown in the TV series.

An amalgamation of reality check and everyday drama that happen in our lives, Sar-e-Rah, an eight-episode series, aims at touching every layer of a hierarchal social mindset and portraying such ubiquitous phenomena as male chauvinism, humiliation of women, and the like. The first scene, for instance, unfolds the story with an uneducated daughter-inhouse, played by Saba Qamar, who makes a bold

decision to drive a taxi to support the family. Other than accentuating the potential of a woman as a breadwinner, the opening scene also highlights the manipulative role of a male family member who, directly or indirectly, seems to enjoy all benefits in life due to his strong position in the society. Her brother, unable to arrange the fee of his of BBA programme, is shown as refraining from doing an odd, part-time job and playing his due role as a bread earner just like his father does.

Coming across different people as a taxi driver, Saba Qamar’s story shows how hard it is for a woman to work with dignity in a buttondowned society like ours. In addition to that, her courageous stand makes her a source of inspiration to the other women when she breaks her 6-yearold engagement out of frustration while waiting for her cousin to get married.

Starring Saba Qamar, Hareem Farooq, Saboor Aly, Muneeb Butt and Sunita Marshall, each episode is based on a different story and highlights the prevailing social realities and how people are confronted with a range of societal taboos in different forms. The art direction of the show is exemplary as well as the set design, lighting and the whole shebang.

Featuring truly a relatable story to the audience, the TV series Sar-e-Rah represents the story of every girl who faces financial constraints, of every parent who invests on their sons but ignores their daughters, and of every passenger who tends to share his or her story with a taxi driver. The idea behind showing a female taxi driver is

heartening as it injects the feeling of respect for those who are not financially sound and are trying to make their ends meet, irrespective of their gender identities. Defying gender stereotypes, Sar-e-Rah takes aim at obscure facts that characterise a society like ours by revealing the way it functions with all merits and demerits.

By Omair Alavi KARACHI

The cinema of the Indian subcontinent is mostly known throughout the world for its song and dance routine but once in a while comes a film that changes the views of the West with its powerful storytelling and impressive execution. In India, such films are welcomed with open arms whereas in Pakistan they aren’t allowed to be released because of various reasons. Khamosh Pani was one such film that wasn’t given the NOC to be screened way back in 2003 and the makers had to be content with festival screenings as well as foreign releases, until 2023 when the film was finally screened the way it was meant to be, in a movie theatre.

The plot

The story is set in 1979, in a village named Charkhi in the Pakistani Punjab where people from all walks of life reside peacefully. Their lives are turned upside down when two government-backed extremists (Sarfaraz Ansari and Adnan Shah Tipu) arrive from the city to recruit youngsters to fight in the Afghan war, and under the guise of teaching their version of Islam, they disturb the peace in the area. That’s when Saleem (Aamir Malik) loses interest in his girlfriend Zubeida (Shilpa Shukla), which sort of makes his mother Ayesha (Kirron Kher) suspicious, who then confronts her son for falling for the wrong version of Islam. However, when one of the Sikh pilgrims reaches Ayesha’s doorstep while searching for her long-lost sister, things go from bad to worse for Ayesha, who is boycotted by all, including her acquaintances (Arshad Mahmud, Fareeha Jabeen, Salman Shahid, Abid Ali) for hiding her past.

The good Khamosh Pani is the perfect representation of Pakistan under military dictator Zia ul Haq

where you were either pro-Zia or anti-Zia. It revolves around the lives of these two kinds of people in a remote village, where once religion is used as a tool by extremists, things begin to go awry. The locals who stand against the extremist side of the religion are bullied by those backed by the establishment while women are treated with disrespect, something that’s visible from the scene where their school wall is extended so that passersby aren’t able to take a sneak peek inside.

And if that’s not enough, the way Kirron Kher and Aamir Malik portray their characters is nothing short of award-worthy because due to their anonymity, they were able to pass as their characters, and not as themselves. At the beginning of the film, they had a great chemistry that became toxic by the time the film reaches its completion, which is impressive as well as commendable. The way

The film industry in France is looking ways to compete with Hollywood blockbusters and American streaming platforms

By Eric Randolph

"Asterix" returns to the big screen

as France tries to match Hollywood by weaponising nostalgia in the battle for box office success.

Critics may bemoan the crushing lack of originality in Hollywood in recent years, as risk-averse studios fall back on their catalogue of familiar superhero and sci-fi franchises.

But there is no doubting that it works: the top 10 of almost every country's box office last year comprised nothing but Hollywood sequels, reboots and video game adaptations.

That is particularly frustrating for France, where ministers wonder whether they are getting a return on vast state subsidies lavished on the film industry.

Roselyne Bachelot, culture minister from 2020 to 2022, was scathing about her country's filmmakers in a recent book.

"Direct subsidies, advances on receipts, tax exemptions... have created a protected industry which not only doesn't care much about audiences' tastes but even expresses contempt for 'mainstream' and profitable films," she wrote.

Paris-based Pathe wants to be an exception, not least because it also runs a large chain of cinemas.

Borrowing from the Hollywood playbook, it has thrown large budgets at "Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom", and "The Three Musketeers" which follows in its wake. A reworking of "The Count of Monte Cristo" and

a Charles de Gaulle biopic are also in the pipeline. Pathe president Ardavan Safaee said last year that the French system of producing hundreds of small, arty films "isn't viable in the long-term" and that France needs "more spectacular" fare to compete with Hollywood blockbusters and

streaming platforms. The strategy will likely work at home: the four previous live-action Asterix movies (between 1999 and 2012) sold some 35 million tickets in France and almost the same again around Europe. The latest takes no chances, with popular stars

the director has incorporated VCRs, TV, religious pamphlets, sermons, and the need for a beard makes you hate the era more than you already do.

Renowned TV actors late Abid Ali, Arshad Mahmud, Salman Shahid, Fariha Jabeen, Nisar Qadri, and Rehan Sheikh also make their appearances in the film and without their mention, the review would have been incomplete. Arshad Mahmud not only sang a song with Begum Khursheed Shahid (Salman Shahid’s mother) but was partly responsible for the background score. From the very first frame till the last the narrative was gripping and doesn’t let the audience’s attention waver, and the team behind the making must be commended for that.

The bad

There is hardly anything wrong with Khamosh Pani except the fact that at times it looks dragged. Maybe that has more to do with the original cut being twenty years old when the storytelling style

was different. Other than that, everything from the art direction to the characterization is executed perfectly. Although Shilpa Shukla (of Chak De India, BA Pass fame) made her debut in the film, she somehow looks more Indian than the rest of the primarily Pakistani cast.

Verdict 4/5

Better late than never is the best way to describe the screening of Khamosh Pani in NAPA last weekend. It was screened in Karachi once before during the now-defunct KARA Film Festival but that was for a selected audience. Thanks to the latest screening that was attended by some of the cast members, more people were able to watch it this time and were pleasantly shocked by what they witnessed. They finally saw the movie which for twenty years remained a benchmark for others to follow and got to witness the reasons why it became the first Pakistani film to achieve international fame and recognition.

Today, Khamosh Pani is celebrated internationally as a modern classic and was rereleased in Europe on the 70th anniversary of the partition of the Indian subcontinent. Not only was it awarded the highest prize at Locarno Film Festival – the Golden Leopard – it also won the highest international award for at that time relatively lesser-known Indian actress Kirron Kher who played the central character. Also, it was the first South Asian film to enter Sundance Film Festival and even won a theatrical release worldwide including in the Indian cities of Mumbai and Delhi where it ran parallel to Yash Chopra’s Veer Zara for more than two months.

Viewing it today will make the audience feel that by not releasing it in cinemas in 2002, the military establishment of the time erred massively. Films like these need to be viewed in cinemas, and not on other platforms, and had it been given permission to screen, who knew that it might have ended up winning an Oscar for the country.

(including Marion Cotillard and Vincent Cassel as Cleopatra and Julius Caesar) alongside cameos from rappers, YouTubers and even footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic designed to tempt younger viewers back to cinemas.

"Big films like this represent the joy, the celebration of making cinema in a very free and very broad way," said Gilles Lellouche, who inherits the large britches of Obelix from previous star Gerard Depardieu.

Outside Europe, the prospects are less clear.

The makers had hoped for success in China, where the film is set. Director Guillaume Canet (who also stars as Asterix) travelled with President Emmanuel Macron to Beijing in 2019 to win the right to film on the Great Wall. But the pandemic ultimately scuppered the plan, and the film has yet to find a Chinese distributor. Britain and the United States are also tricky

markets since audiences are unaccustomed to dubbed or subtitled family fare.

It has been more than a decade since "The Artist" and "The Intouchables" broke records abroad. But despite occasional blockbusters like "Lucy" and "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" from Luc Besson, overseas ticket sales have been on a downward trend.

That could change. It's no surprise that "Asterix" is being released on Netflix in the US -- the streamer has done much to overcome traditional American aversion to subtitles with hit foreign shows, including France's "Lupin" and "Call My Agent".

"The time is right for updates of 'The Three Musketeers' and 'Asterix' to find success in America where fans are hungry for films and shows with diverse and exciting points of view," said Paul Dergarabedian, of US media analysts Comscore. —AFP

After 20 years, Sabiha Sumar’s Khamosh Pani was finally released in Karachi

Yesteryear Bollywood Superstar Waheeda Rehman turned 85 this February; know her through this book!

KARACHI By Omair Alavi

If you think that the madness that makes fans follow Bollywood stars is new, then think again, because whenever Waheeda Rehman used to be near a crowd, it would go berserk, wanting to catch a glimpse of her, even if it meant fighting with her leading man. In Conversations with Waheeda Rehman, veteran writer Nasreen Munni Kabir chronicles the actress’s career from a dancer to a Bollywood legend, that too in the actor’s own words.

No, this book is neither an autobiography nor a biography. Still, it would fall under the category of Conversations, where the author’s main job is to bring on paper the words that flow out of the subject’s mouth on different occasions. Fans of autobiographies and biographies might call it lazy writing but when Waheeda Rehman speaks, others can only listen.

If you still don’t believe how popular Waheeda Rehman was during the prime of her career, just go through this book and you will know it straight from her heart. In this book, she tells NMK about her entry in films, her refusal to change her name and to wear clothes without a dupatta, and how she managed to get her way while being a newbie in the industry. She also gets to talk about her leading men like Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Sunil Dutt, and others, including the one we all want to know about.

The name’s Dutt, Guru Dutt who introduced Waheeda Rehman to the film world, and fell in love with her which ended in suicide after she refused to reconcile with him in one of their last meetings. She explains in a few words her relationship with her mentor and speaks about their earlier films, such as Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Chaudvin Ka Chand, and Sahib Biwi aur Ghulam but doesn’t talk about the affair much. However, bulks of the pages are dedicated to Guru Dutt which sort of bores the readers who want to know about Waheeda Rehman, not an affair she never acknowledged. After all, for an actress who has been around since the 1950s, she has seen it all. She was there when the three giants – Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, and Raj Kapoor – ruled

the cinema; she was part of both the Rajesh Khanna wave as well as the Angry Young Man era which succeeded it. She gives her insights into all these eras but they are dwarfed when compared with Guru Dutt and the mention of his sad domestic life.

Thankfully, her transition from being a beautiful face to a talented actress gets mentioned in these pages, as does her experience of doing character roles to keep herself going.

If you didn’t know that Waheeda Rehman played a vamp in her debut film, that Guide was made both in English and Hindi, that she had to give 104 takes for a scene in Pyaasa, and that she doesn’t feel great about modernday songs, all you have to do is go through these pages and know all there is to know about the journey of Waheeda Rehman. She explains why change is always needed and describes the many changes that occurred around her since her debut in the mid-50s.

The worst thing about this book is the author’s way of getting the job done. She might know a lot about Waheeda Rehman but the book is for the readers, not for the writer and there are many instances that require an explanation from the author, which doesn’t happen here. The writer pens the conversations as it is, and in the end, makes the readers wonder whether their money was well spent went down the drain.

Yes, the anecdotes mentioned in these pages make things interesting like her decision not to change her name didn’t make her first director Raj Khosla happy; Raj Kapoor got into a fight with her fans during the shoot of Teesri Kasam who wanted to catch a glimpse of hers; she looked so sensual in the title song of Chaudhvin Ka Chand that the Censor people were alarmed and wanted to dim down the ‘effect’; and she was the original choice to play Amitabh Bachchan’s mother in Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham but dropped out due to her husband’s illness.

Waheeda Rehman talks about it at length as does her transition to an actress who does selective films, and how she has managed to stay relevant in an industry that forgets actors once they are out of sight The readers also find out that before Vijay Anand finally cast Waheeda Rehman as Rosie in Guide, Satyajit Ray had suggested her to read the book on which it was based because at that time he was interested in making the movie. Now that Guide would have been great, but the one that was finally made wasn’t far behind.

By Baptiste Dedieu

Donning khaki and adjusting the camera, 32-year-old YouTuber Gildas Leprince becomes Mister Geopolitix, bringing foreign affairs to a younger crowd who might otherwise not be interested.

With almost 200,000 YouTube subscribers, mainly young viewers under the age of 35, Leprince dissects the thorniest diplomatic subjects of the day using analysis in a studio, interviewing experts and also reporting from the field. Whether travelling with the French Army in Estonia, or shadowing a humanitarian, Mister Geopolitix is also present on Instagram and TikTok. His most recent videos, often the result of painstaking research and sometimes travelling, have included "Understanding the Middle East in 30 Minutes" and a reportage on "NATO against Russia".

"Seventy percent of my community is between 18 to 35 years old," said Leprince, who styles himself as "Mister Geopolitix" online. To attract an audience on YouTube more used to entertainment than geopolitics, he uses plenty of maps, while also slipping in references to shows like the Netflix series "Narcos".

"The visuals are amazing, and he's the only one who does field reporting," said Vincent Lievre, 23, who's been following the channel since 2017.

Then a law student, he discovered the YouTuber in his first video, titled "Who owns the sea?"

"I only cover a topic when I can bring added value. That's why I haven't tackled yet the war in Ukraine," said Leprince.

Although his audience is mainly male, Charlotte Wyn, 20, has been watching Mister Geopolitix videos for three years.

What she likes is that he doesn't push his personal views: "I can make my own opinion (and) it remains fun."

But the channel has also impressed experts.

"It's good to have content suited towards a younger crowd, with an attempt at outreach" but where guests can still "express themselves in-depth," said Marc Hecker, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri).

He's twice appeared on the Mister Geopolitix channel. Pierre Razoux, academic director of the Mediterranean Foundation of Strategic Studies (FMES), added: "His goal is to provide the most neutral information possible while making himself accessible to his viewers, mainly composed of high school and university students."

It's also a way to fight against "preconceived ideas on the internet," Razoux added, proud of the 170,000 views reached by his video with Mister Geopolitix. Unlike these experts, Leprince did not study international relations. After a Master's degree in Economics with a focus on international development, he embarked on a 9-month journey to explore the geopolitical issues within the Mediterranean basin. He launched Mister Geopolitix upon his return in 2016. "Not having any real geopolitical or au-

diovisual background, I initially learned as much as I taught," adds Leprince.

A bartender and paramedic on the side, he watched his income increase as he gained an audience, from publishing deals as well as traditional product placements.

The deals include books, comics and even a board game. Julie Gallois, 32, was able to play it with her friends. "I learned a few things, and so did they," she said.

Leprince has been living 100 percent from Mister Geopolitix since 2019, and was able to pursue his dream of reporting.

Whether in Egypt, Mexico, or even the Arctic, Mister Geopolitix has been able to produce a dozen "geopolitical adventures."

His most-watched clip?

A report on the French military fighting illegal gold mining in French Guiana. The French Army has regularly opened its doors to content creators since 2015, following a partnership with the YouTuber Tibo InShape.

"We know that this is what people are watching, and that allows us to reach a wider public," said Yann Gravethe, of France's defence ministry.

Being embedded inside the armed forces is not an issue for Leprince: "I'm not being compensated, they don't have any editorial input and this allows me to access areas where I wouldn't have been able to go independently."

With a new studio in the process of being built, Leprince is now preparing new projects, with the same old goal: to make his viewers discover new geopolitical topics. -—AFP

and Lahore, the play is now being performed at the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) in Islamabad, with the collaboration of the European Union.

Featuring such renowned actors as Ali Junejo and Rasti Farooq, the play ‘Both Sit in Silence for a While’ guarantees spectators an edge-of-your-seats experience. ’ Packed with musings and reflections, ’Both Sit in Silence For a While’ revolves around all the fun 'what if's' I could throw at these two, I chucked at them mercilessly. To see what would

happen,” according to Ali Junejo, the lead actor of the play. Having started his career as a theatre artiste in Karachi, Ali Junejo has previously performed in several plays, such as ‘Waiting for Godot’, ‘Dead End’ and ‘Equus’. Junejo has also made his film debut in ‘Joyland,’ an international award-winning film produced by Saim Sadiq. The film has earned Junejo two awards as best actor.

Rasti Farooq, who acts alongside Junejo and is also the co-producer of the play, said, “Both Sit in Silence Fora While’ tickles that part of my brain that wants to see people be unreasonable and merciless with one another. Because oftentimes that’s the place where most of us hide in our most private moments. It’s been a supreme joy traversing that space with Ali.”

Rasti Farooq has performed in various plays and short-films, including ‘Stand

Alone’, ‘Gidh’ and ‘May I Have This Seat?’ She made her feature film debut in with Ali Junejo in ‘Joyland’. Olomopolo Media is breaking barriers as it brings an unconventional story, an intimate audience experience, as well as a boundary-bending take on being coupled,” Kanwal Khoosat, co-producer, stated.

In his address on the occasion, Dr Riina Kionka, the Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, said, “The European Union supports art and culture in Pakistan and globally as part of its commitment to promoting cultural diversity and fostering mutual understanding between people of different backgrounds. We believe that it can help to foster a sense of shared identity and belonging to build bridges between different communities based on mutual recognition and respect.”

With no educational background in international relations, YouTuber Gildas Leprince brings global affairs to a younger crowd in a more exciting way

‘The European Union supports art and culture in Pakistan,’ says Dr. Riina Kionka, Ambassador, European Union

(Left to right): Co-producer Kanwal Khoosat, Actors Raasti Farooq and Ali Junejo and European Union Ambassador Dr Riina Kionka talking to the media. PHOTO: FILE

By Bold Desk Kinza Hashmi, a Pisces by her zodiac sign, is an emerging TV actress and fashion model from Lahore. She started her showbiz career in 2014 when she made a debut in a TV serial titled ‘Adhura Milan.’ Having made her debut successfully, she later appeared in many TV serials, such as ‘Maikay

Ko Dedo Sandes,’ ‘Zindagi Mujhy Tera Pata Chahye,’ ‘Meri Bahuwain,’ ‘Sila Aur Jannat,’ ‘Manchahi,’ ‘Sangsar,’ ‘Faraib’ and many others.

Kinza is best known for playing a leading role in the telefilm ‘Rok Sako To Rok Lo’ and for the TV serial ‘Ishq Tamasha,’ for which she was nominated for ‘Best Actress in Negative Role’ at Hum Awards. She has also been nominated as Best Supporting Actress for ‘Daldal’ as well as Best Actress Female for the TV serial ‘Gul-o-Gulzar’ at Pakistan International Screen Awards.

Other than television serials, she has appeared in many telefilms, including ‘Hona Tha Pyaar Biya,’ ‘Rok Sako To Rok Lo,’ ‘Haqeeqat,’ ‘Pyar Mein Blind,’ and ‘Ruposh.’ She has also performed in many music videos, including ‘Kalam Pak Ramzaan,’ ‘Ye Watan Tumhara Hai,’ ‘Sajna’ by Sibtain Khalid, ‘Zara Zara’ and ‘Pyar Nahi Phir Kerna.’

Many people took to social media to share their candid views about the most expensive collection

By Bold Desk ‘M By Mahira,’ a clothing line recently launched by Mahira Khan, has become the talk of the town but for all the wrong reasons. Mostly comprising minimal ivory ensembles, Mahira’s maiden fashion collection is inspired by her late maternal grandmother named Razia. "The scent of fresh Nargis by her bedside. A plethora of books filled her shelves and fed her soul. The sound of her bangles, sometimes gentle, always sweet," according to her Instagram post. "I was very close to my nani and was always deeply inspired by her timeless poise, grace and elegance," she added. ‘M By Mahira’, according to her, will mainly comprise white outfits, because she is fond of white colour. "If I had to wear one thing for the rest of my life, I would choose a white kurta shalwar," she said.

The newly-launched fashion line looks quite simple, yet stylish at the first sight, however, all her efforts seem to go in vain because of the overly priced clothes, including dupatta, trousers, kurtas, and tunic suits, available on the official website.

Being sold at PKR 3500, the embroidered ivory dupatta is the cheapest article from her clothing line, while the silk tunic set, consisting of a trouser and a shirt, is strangely priced at a walloping PKR 24,950, not to exclude a plain white-linen kurta available at PKR 13,000. Shocked by such overpriced clothes being sold under the name of Pakistan’s leading showbiz star, many people took to social media to share their candid views about unreasonably expensive clothes being sold in the guise of fashion. To one’s surprise, Mahira Khan’s overly priced clothing line has also been sold out.

Emma Brooks

Reneé Rapp Jordin Sparks

Brandee Evans

Truly a sapphire girl with glinting eyes, the rise of Neelam Muneer at the top of stardom is a tale of consistent journey and of never looking back. Believe it or not, it’s never easy to nail it like Neelam in an erratic world like showbiz as despite her infancy, the multitalented actress and fashion model has commendably established her showbiz credentials as a fully grown celebrity. She is young, smart and splendid; there’s definitely much more to the girl who gleams like gold. And what's not to like?

The track ‘Sab Sitaray Hamaray’ is composed by Abdullah Siddiqui and features Asim Azhar and Shae Gill, along with rapper Faris Shafi

By Bold Desk

Released by the Pakistan Cricket Board

(PCB) on February 11, 2023 with much fanfare and pomp, the official anthem for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 8, has come out to be a lost cause and has miserably failed to meet expectations. Touted as the country’s biggest as well as long-awaited musical anthem of the year, the track

‘Sab Sitaray Hamaray’ is composed by Abdullah Siddiqui and features a new breed of young singers such as Asim Azhar and Shae Gill, along with rapper Faris Shafi. The anthem for PSL season 8 starts with Shae Gill's vocals and is followed by singer Asim Azhar, while rapper Faris Shafi added a lacklustre as well as padding rap to the track. The

lyrics of the new anthem are co-written by Asim Azhar, Faris Shafi, Ali, Raamis and Abdullah Siddique, who also composed the official anthem for PSL season 7. Overall, the anthem for Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 8 is being dubbed an insipid track which severely lacks vibrancy and a moving tone. Its lyrics are not inspiring, while adding a rap to the official anthem makes the track a mediocre, run-of-the-mill production.

The opening ceremony of PSL 8 was recently held in Multan prior to the tournament opener between defending champions Lahore Qalandars and 2021 winners Multan Sultans. Multan is going to host a total of five fixtures, Rawalpindi will stage 11 home games, while Lahore and Karachi will host 9 matches each. The final will be played in Lahore on March 19.

Staying true to her name, Arooj Aftab is shining on the sky of the music with all her singing talents and a deep mellifluous voice.

She has all the merit to be referred to as the ‘Grammy Girl,’ being the first singer from Pakistan to have twice taken the stage of one of the most prestigious awards in the music world. The U.S.-based Pakistani artiste might have missed out this year another Grammy award to her credit, but Arooj Aftab performed her nominated song, Udhero Na, alongside Anoushka Shankar in the 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th Grammy Awards. Sharing the experience with people on her Instagram handle, Arooj Aftab wrote: "Every day I wake up in a new dream, and each dream seems to get more and more beautiful than the last. Every day I wake up and it’s all actually real too. So thank you to the hand on my shoulder, the touch of the celestial, for protecting me and guiding me to these places." She further said, "Music is often referred to as a healer, a balm over a wound, a spiritual practice, but it is also an instigator of change. The two of us, Anoushka Shankar and I, standing on the Recording Academy stage together, performing Udhero Na, I think the power of art did say f word to

By Bold Desk

politics that night."

The singer set the tone for the night with her grammy-nominated track and haunting vocals. The song may not have won Aftab her second Academy Award but her meditative voice and range, accompanied by the British-Indian sitar player’s mastery over the instrument, sure did win hearts.

The Brooklyn-based star has on numerous occasions made Pakistan proud since winning last year for Mohabbat. Even before that, Aftab had a loud and loyal fanbase in Pakistan. Her iteration of Hafeez Hoshiarpuri’s 1921 composition racked up several million streams before earning a coveted place in Barack Obama’s 2021 summer playlist and eventually winning at the Academy Awards.

Aftab was also the only artist to have won a Grammy for Best Global Music Performance before Sunday, considering the category was introduced last year, beating out the likes of Burna Boy, Yo-Yo Ma, and Wizkid.

This time, however, Aftab was nominated for one Grammy Award for Udhero Na, once again in the Best Global Music Performance category. The year before, she also took home the inaugural award for Best Global Music Performance with Mohabbat, along with her Best New Artist nomination. Shankar, on the other hand, has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards to date.

Mekaal Hasan Band, an international sufi rock band, has recently announced the launching of the Rivayat series.

Rivayat, according to Mekaal Hasan, covers a blend of traditional music styles from folk to classical and semi-classical, such as ghazal, thumri, qawwali, and various instrumentals. “Together as a body of music, this collection truly highlights the stories and the music of the people who have created it and whose history is subsumed in this music,” he said.

“Rivayat has been cooking up for years now. For years I have been recording and putting together a catalogue of music and artistes that truly represent Pakistan’s mass taste. They are not musicians you are going to see on a big platform but those who can make an instant connection with the audience,” Mekaal Hasan added.

According to the press release, the new music album includes renowned performers like sons of the Tufail Niazi known as Niazi Brothers, along with emerging talent such as Manwa Sisters, Asad Abbass and Wahdat Rameez and many others. The presser reveals the Rivayat series includes a mix of

solo performances and joint works with other international musicians and artistes.

“Rivayat is a grassroots project. Its emphasis is on showcasing artistes from working-class backgrounds whose music and contribution has been pushed into oblivion in the past 15 years or so. This is different from Coke Studio because you won’t find any familiar faces in it or artistes with an established project,” according to Mekaal Hasan.

Though the young musician went an extra mile to find a sponsor for the project, but all those efforts went in vain unfortunately. “Some of them did show interest, but nobody followed up so I got tired of waiting and decided to launch Rivayat on my own,” he added.

“Be it Javed or Sharmista, I have always worked with new talent, and you will find a number of youngsters being added to the classical catalogue via Rivayat, so the series offers you quality music and a new generation of musicians,” Mekaal Hasan said.

He feels enough pride in launching emerging, yet lesser-known musicians through the series. The press release further reveals that all songs in the series were recorded live in one take, featuring both standalone performances as well as collaborations with global musicians.

By Maggy Donaldson

Beyonce, the music royal whose art has shifted the culture time and again, long ago cemented herself as one of the world's seminal stars.

In February, she made history again, becoming the most ward-winning artiste in Grammys history, surpassing the late classical conductor Georg Solti's long-standing record of 31 lifetime trophies.

Speaking through tears, the regal artiste donning a metallic Gucci corset gown with elbow-length black leather gloves thanked her family, including her three children and husband Jay-Z, who looked on from the crowd.

"I'm trying not to be too emotional. And I'm trying to just receive this night," she said. She paid special tribute to the queer community, who she credited with inventing the genre she celebrated in her historically layered record that pays homage to pioneers of funk, soul, rap, house and disco.

But to the shock of everyone and the fury of fans on social media, Beyonce -- whose tour announcement is virtually

guaranteed to trigger a ticketing crash for the ages -- missed out on the Album of the Year award.

This time, it went to British pop phenom Harry Styles, six years after she lost the award to Adele. She has also never won Record of the Year, despite having the most nods ever for the category, with eight.

So the Beyonce paradox lives on: the same night she further burnished her GOAT -- greatest of all time -- status, the legendary artist also lengthened her streak as the Recording Academy's most snubbed nominee.

Born Beyonce Giselle Knowles in Houston, Texas, the now 41-year-old has been in the upper echelons of pop music since her teenage years. She initially rose to fame as part of the girl group Destiny's Child -- whose smash hits included "Survivor" and "Say My Name" -- before embarking on a wildly successful solo career.

From setting the standard for the overnight album drop to delivering her earth-shattering "Homecoming" show at Coachella in 2018, Beyonce has long bucked the industry's conventional wisdom, and is simultaneously one of music's

most private and most-watched stars. Her paradigm-shifting 2016 album "Lemonade," which emphasized Black womanhood against the backdrop of America's heritage of slavery and culture of oppression, remains one of the most venerated musical projects in recent memory.

Then she dropped the critically acclaimed song "Black Parade" in June 2020, amid nationwide protests ignited by the murder of an unarmed Black man, George Floyd, at the hands of a white police officer. "She's arguably the most culturally important artist in the world," Merck Mer-

curiadis, the music publishing mogul who was once Beyonce's manager, said.

"Renaissance," her house-tinged 2022 dance record, offered a pulsating, sweaty collection of club tracks. Eminently danceable and rife with nods to disco and EDM history, the 16-song album was an instant hit and earned wide praise for its deep ambition.

Prior to releasing her opus, Beyonce had dropped the single "Break My Soul" to acclaim, setting the tone for her house revival that highlighted the Black, queer and working-class artistes and communities who moulded the electronic dance genre, which first developed in Chicago in the 1980s.

Beyond her music, she is a fashion icon -- she actually was named just that by the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2016 -- with her own athleisure line Ivy Park. She has appeared in a handful of films including "Dreamgirls."

She sang Etta James classic "At Last" for Barack and Michelle Obama at an inaugural ball in 2009, and then belted out the national anthem at his second inauguration in 2013. She has twice performed at halftime of the Super Bowl. According to Forbes, her net worth as

of last year was $450 million.

'Artiste of our lives'

Despite losing the Album and Record of the Year Grammys for what feels like the umpteenth time, the outpouring of love from her peers made clear it was still Beyonce's night.

"You never know with this, you know, this stuff," a sheepish Styles told journalists backstage, when asked if he had also expected a Beyonce triumph for top album.

"I don't think you can look at any of the nominees and not feel like they deserve it."

And Lizzo, who bested Queen Bey for Record of the Year, delivered a heartfelt tribute to one of her idols, challenging the audience to keep their eyes dry.

"In the fifth grade, I skipped school to see you perform," she said at the podium, speaking directly to a clearly touched Beyonce.

"You changed my life," she continued, Beyonce's eyes also welling up. "The way you make me feel, I was like, I want to make people feel this way with my music. So thank you so much."

"You clearly are the artiste of our lives!" —AFP

A grassroots project, the series showcases lesser-known talented musicians from working-class backgrounds

The 41-year-old singer has been in the upper echelons of pop music since her teenage years

By Bold Desk

Oscar-award winning filmmaker Sharmeen

Obaid-Chinoy has recently launched ‘Neela Asmaan,’ an international art residency programme for artists in Pakistan. Neela Asmaan, a project of SOC Films, will be held in the most beautiful Shigar Valley in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. The programme will offer both emerging and established Pakistani artists a wonderful opportunity to make a piece of art by taking plenty of inspiration from the scenic surroundings of one of the most beautiful regions of the world.

“Neela Asmaan is a unique opportunity for artists to refocus and create original

works in a supportive and nurturing environment,” Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, founder of SOC Films, said. “We are excited to bring this programme to life and support the next generation of talented artists,” she added. The art residency programme is open to artists, visual artists, design practitioners, photographers, writers, architects, philosophers and climate change activists. Under this one-of-the-kind programme, the participants will be provided a free accommodation and shared studio spaces, along with a hefty stipend of PKR 100,000 to cover their travel and other expenses.

It will be the first-ever

By Bold Desk Being held from February 17 to February 23, the London Fashion Week (LFW) is going to feature a Pakistan fashion brand Rastah for the first time in the history of one of the world’s largest clothing trade shows.

Rastah, a premier artisanal urban wear

Pakistani brand that officially aims to de-contextualize and re-interpret the local artisanship and sartorial heritage of the South Asian region, will be the first-ever ‘Made-in-Pakistan’ fashion brand, which will showcase its creations on February 17, the opening day of the London Fashion Week 2023, which is no doubt the biggest bi-annual fashion weeks of the world.

“It’s taken a lot of planning,” according to Zain Ahmed, creative director, Rastah.

“We worked for a long time on creating the

Applications for the flagship Neela Asmaan programme will be accepted from the third week of February. Those interested to take part in the two-to-four-week long residency programme will need to submit a Statement of Intent to convey their artistic credentials as well as a clear vision they have for their forthcoming art project. As per the programme’s format, each participant will be paired with an art mentor, who will give them timely feedback in order to hone their creative talents and artistic skills.

AFP Entertainment giant Disney is laying off 7,000 employees, as CEO Bob Iger announced a reorganization of the company he returned to lead last year.

The job cuts follow similar moves by US tech giants dialling back from a hiring spurt that began during the height of the pandemic.

"I do not make this decision lightly," Iger said on a call to analysts after Disney posted its latest quarterly earnings.

In its 2021 annual report, the group said it employed 190,000 people worldwide, 80 percent of whom were full-time.

"We are going to take a really hard look at the costs for everything that we make, both across television and film," Iger said.

"Because things in a very competitive world have just simply gotten more expensive."

The storied company founded by Walt Disney said its streaming service saw its first ever fall in subscribers last quarter as consumers cut back on spending. Subscribers to Disney+, the streaming arch-rival to Netflix, fell one percent to 161.8 million customers on December 31, compared to three months earlier. Analysts had broadly expected the decline, and the Disney share price climbed more than five percent in postsession trading.

"There are still big challenges ahead for Disney," Insider Intelligence principal analyst Paul Verna said in a note to investors. "Its traditional TV business is eroding, its streaming operation is not yet profitable, and it's facing pressure from an activist investor to rein in costs and plan for a post-Iger succession."

Disney is also going to look at the volume of content it makes and the pricing of its streaming services, Iger told analysts.

"We were in a global arms race for subscribers," Iger said of Disney+ early days as a challenger to Netflix and Amazon Prime.

"I think we might have gotten a bit too aggressive in terms of our promotion; and we are going to take a look at that."

Disney remains devoted to blockbuster franchises that include recent Marvel super hero film "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," and has sequels in the works to hit animation films "Frozen" and "Zootopia," Iger said.

It remains to be seen whether the layoffs and corporate restructuring will appease critics and set Disney on more solid footing, Verna cautioned. Across its vast entertainment empire that includes theme parks, film studios and cruise ships, the Disney Group saw revenues of $23.5 billion for the three month period, better than analysts predicted.

Iger, who stepped down as CEO in 2020 after nearly two decades helming the storied company, was brought back after the board of directors ousted his replacement Bob Chapek. It was disappointed in his ability to rein in costs. Chapek was also singled out for centralizing power around a small group of executives who made important decisions on content despite having little Hollywood

experience. Iger's new stint as CEO is facing major headwinds, including a campaign by activist investor Nelson Petz who is demanding major cost-cutting after he said Disney overpaid to buy the 20th Century Fox movie studio. Disney is also caught in a spat with Florida governor Ron DeSantis who is looking to wrest back control of the area around Walt Disney World that has until now been controlled by the entertainment giant. The politically conservative DeSantis, who is tipped as a possible US presidential candidate, is furious at Disney for criticizing a state law banning school lessons on sexual orientation. Disney+'s struggles come as its arch-rival Netflix has emerged from its own rough patch and announced a solid boost in new subscribers for the end of last year. In its own effort to rein back costs, Netflix has begun a campaign to stop password sharing among its hundreds of millions of global subscribers. In February, Netflix revealed it had begun to crack down on password sharing in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain as it continues to roll out its new policy worldwide.

brand to showcase its fashion creations at one of the

largest clothing trade shows

weren’t sure that paying customers within Pakistan would be attracted towards streetwear that comes at a high price tag. It turns out that all we needed to do was convince them that the brand was worth their money. The same customers who buy designer formal-wear are very willing to invest into a Rastah hoodie or a jacket if they are convinced that they like the brand.”

“In terms of craft, it is very detailed.

Eighty per cent of the collection has been created with hand-woven fabric and the traditional embroideries indigenous to our region are there, translated to the narrative of the brand’s particular signature. You’ll see dabka, zari, gota, stone and bead-work but it might be on a leather jacket in a contemporary abstract composition. We also always employ a lot of hand-printing in our collections,” he concluded.

kind of collection that would be the right pitch for LFW. Once we did get selected, we were required to pay a hefty participation fee. Luckily, they liked our collection so much that they gave us a concession.”

“At Rastah, we work with a team of craftspeople and this time, we couldn’t just send the fabric to them. All the artisans were gathered in our studio, from the weaver to the hand embroiderer to the tailor. Quality control is always a concern but this time we had to be even more stringent,” Ahmed added.

“We might have sacrificed commercial concerns with this collection, but it is important for us to set Rastah apart as a Pakistani brand which functions outside of the enclosed echo chamber that encompasses Pakistani fashion. There are many brands within Pakistan that are happy with the

profits that they are earning from the local market. The world, however, is changing. Fashion has become globalised and if brands don’t think beyond immediate gains, eventually they will end up in hot water,” he stated.

According to Zain Ahmed, “I think it will be amazing in terms of building the brand’s credibility. Hopefully, it will lead to us showcasing on the LFW runway or perhaps, at New York Fashion Week. One day, we hope to have pop-up stores in cities like New York or London and then, open up a flagship store in Pakistan,” he says.

Zain Ahmed believes that their marketing efforts are paying them dividends as over 44 percent of their total sales are generated from the local market. “Honestly, we hadn’t expected this. We knew that eyeballs were drawn to us locally but we

Shah Rukh Khan-starrer film brings back the old school way of celebrating cinema in theatres as a community viewing experience

AFP Indian film actor Shah Rukh Khan has expressed his gratitude to millions of fans after his new film "Pathaan" smashed Indian box office records following its release in January last week, bringing hope to the Indian film industry after a spate of weak showings.

"Pathaan" recorded the highest-ever box office collections for a Hindi film for its opening and second day in India, and raked in 2.5 billion rupees ($30 million) in its first five days, trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted.

Its international ticket sales soared past one billion rupees ($13.7 million) in just three days, according to Yash Raj Films, which produced the movie.

It comes after glitzy Hindi-language Indian films struggled at the box office following the reopening of Indian cinemas about a year ago after a pandemic hiatus.

The release of "Pathaan", 57-year-old Khan's first film in four years, had been highly anticipated.

Khan, popularly known as "King Khan", has a huge fan following around the world. The film also features Indian star Deepika Padukone and action hero John Abraham.

In recent months, "Pathaan" and other Indian films -particularly those starring actors from India's Muslim minority such as Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan-- have

been criticised by Hindu right-wingers on social media, with activists calling for boycotts.

Hard-line Hindu groups had called for "Pathaan" to be banned because Padukone wore a saffron-coloured bikini -- a colour associated with their religion -- in one of the film's songs.

But Shah Rukh Khan thanked fans for showering love on the film and "bringing life back to cinema", supporting the film "in spite of the fact that there might have been things that could have curtailed the happy release".

"I just want to say there is so much love from all sides and we can never show enough gratefulness," he said at a press interaction in Mumbai.

Videos shared on social media have shown fans in Indian cinemas dancing and cheering during the film.

"The unprecedented celebratory success of 'Pathaan' I think speaks volumes about where we are headed as the Hindi movie industry," theatre chain owner Akshaye Rathi said.

"Here we are back to the old school way of celebrating cinema in theatres as a community viewing experience."

Last year, films from southern India, such as Telugu-language "RRR", dominated box office takings.

"RRR" has also been feted internationally, winning a Golden Globe for best song and scoring an Oscar nomination in the same category.

The art residency programme is a unique opportunity for the next generation of talented artists, says Sharmeen

‘Made-in-Pakistan’

world’s

By Omair Alavi KARACHI

Some are good playwrights but bad poets; some are bad playwrights but good poets while a few are just moderately okay in both departments without making much of a difference. Amjad Islam Amjad was probably the first person in the entire subcontinent who was at ease whether it be writing a TV drama, a song, or a poem. He preceded many of his successors including renowned Indian scriptwriter and poet Javed Akhtar who once said in a TV interview that plays like Waris made them up their own game as scriptwriters.

Born as Amjad Islam in Lahore on 4th August 1944, Amjad was always interested in literature and despite his earlier interest in Cricket, he ended up doing his Master's in Urdu Literature from Punjab University, after which he became a lecturer at the MAO College, where he continued to teach despite achieving fame at a young age. Before his 30th birthday, he was a celebrated poet whose poems graced the pages of Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi’s magazine Fanoos. While many youngsters were busy getting inspired by his work as a poet, he took a strange turn and became a playwright who first started with comedy and later started writing dramas that highlighted the evils of society.

While he used Amjad in his name twice for poetry purposes, he kept it when he turned playwright with one-off TV plays; with Ya Naseeb Clinic he became a TV regular and by the time he penned Waris five years later, he had become a household name. He didn’t let success get to his head and

kept churning hit TV dramas, dabbled in a couple of films, and was the national television’s go-to compere when they were in need of a host for an informative program. Since he was well-versed in all topics, he could handle all kinds of programs but was at ease when it was related to literature, history, or dramas.

Amjad’s brilliance can be judged from the fact that he was simultaneously a brilliant playwright, a seasoned poet, a veteran author, and a master of ceremonies, and had no equal in either of the categories. If he penned down superhit plays in the 80s and the 90s, he also wrote down a few films, penned over fifty books, and was a regular host on first PTV, and later private TV channels. No mushaira (poetry show) was ever complete on TV without his participation and people who grew up in the era thought of him as a compere who loved to recite poetry instead of the other way around.

Amjad Islam Amjad’s sudden death at the age of 78 is nothing short of a tragedy for the followers of Urdu literature in Pakistan and around the world where he was considered a living legend in his life, and where he will always enjoy the cult status due to his work which will keep him alive forever. Let’s take a look at his individual magnificence as a playwright, poet, author, and host and realize that it will take years to find someone remotely on the same level as the great man.

The Brilliant Playwright

If ever a list is compiled of the best TV dramas ever aired on PTV, Waris will feature among the top three dramas on the list. It was not only the first colour drama that tackled society's evils (ala Shaukat Siddiqui’s Khuda Ki Basti) but also made the audience of the smaller screen realise that they can be treated to a filmi story on TV if told the right way.

During a conversation with the author, Amjad Islam Amjad revealed that when the General Manager of PTV, Lahore Kunwar Aftab approached him for a serious drama, he was known more for his comic scripts, especially Ya Naseeb Clinic which was based on an incident that took place in reality. He was able to rise up to the challenge due to his interest in English fiction where characterisation was used to make the readers aware of the evils in the society, rather than showing them the act and that was what he tried to incorporate in Waris. He also went on to add that at first, he was quite confident that the play he was writing would do well but when it became a massive hit, he was over the moon. He claimed that had he been told 40 years back that Waris would be remembered by the audience after 4 decades he wouldn't have believed that.

According to Amjad Islam Amjad, the problem with Urdu dramas before Waris was that they weren’t used to highlight social evils and only people with literary backgrounds had the guts to cross that bridge. He was happy that he was one of the few people who managed to bridge the gap between TV dramas and literature and since the audience was deprived of that, they loved the new kind of play.

If one takes a look back at Waris, the story takes place on many levels simultaneously and every road ends at Chaudhry Hashmat, played by Mehboob Alam. Be his own son who wants his daughter to marry his estranged brother’s son so he can have two stakes in his father’s estate or the angry young man who left his studies to pursue his brother’s killer, whom he hasn’t met, or has no idea how he looks. Add to that the grandsons’ battle for Chaudhry’s affections, the story of a government-sponsored dam, and a hunt for treasure and you have a play that is better than many films, let alone TV dramas. The play made Amjad Islam Amjad a household name and he went on to pen many different kinds of screenplays. While Samandar and Dehleez were in the Waris mold, there was Waqt, a play on police reforms, Fishaar which spoke about student politics, and many

Lahore hosted the first edition of the Pakistan Literature Festival (PLF) from February 10 to 12

By AR Malik LAHORE

The recently concluded first edition of the Pakistan Literature Festival (PLF) in Lahore will be remembered for many good reasons. As a rule, it does not happen every day that literature, art and music lovers see leading literary figures of the time under one roof. However, the three-day fair, for example, gathered all kinds of towering figures at one place, and showcased a variety of events blended with literature, music, arts, fun, and so on.

“It’s a conscious effort to put up such a show which has a mix of literature, music as well as performing arts, representing all national and local and folk regimes,” Muhammad Ahmed Shah, Chairman, Pakistan Arts Council said. Ahmed Shah, the moving spirit behind the PLF, added that the launch of the literary festival from Lahore is also a planned effort as the historical city being the cultural capital of Pakistan should be acknowledged and celebrated with such literary-rich works.

From Lahore, the PLF will move on to Gwadar, followed by Muzaffarbad, Gilgit-Baltistan, Peshawar, Islamabad and Karachi. However, that is not the end as the PLF will then move on to New York, San Francisco, Houston, Dallas and Chicago in June and finally to Toronto in July.

Lahore hosted the PLF from February 10 to 12 with jampacked sessions from morning till night. The three days of the PLF offered healthy debates on contemporary, previous and future trends of politics, poetry, arts and literature.

The festival opened on Friday noon at the Alhamra lawns in front of an energetic, responsive crowd. Besides a number of eateries, over a dozen bookstalls graced the occasion too. Presided over by Sindh Minister Education and Culture Syed Sardar Ali Shah, the inaugural session, however, was engulfed with somberness when the news of the death of poet Amjad Islam Amjad was shared.

The inaugural ceremony began with the recitation of Fatiha for Amjad Islam Amjad who was expected to be a part of the PLF. The panelists, moderators and session subjects of the first day were all crowd puller. The inaugural festival day was graced by Iftikhar Arif, Khursheed

Rizvi, Nayyer Ali Dada, Ijazul Hasan, Justice (Retd) Nasira Iqbal, Salima Hashmi, Mustansar Hussain Tarrar, Kishwar Naheed, Ata ul Haq Qasmi, Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, Munawar Saeed, Hamid Mir, Kamran Lashari, Zafar Masood, Razi Ahmed, Anwar Maqsood and Faqir Ijazuddin. The day one concluded with the performance of Ali Azmat and Sain Zahoor.

In the following days, singers Ali Zafar, Ali Azmat, Sain Zahoor, Sahar Ali Bagga, Natasha Baig, Ukrainian singer Kamaliya, and several others enthralled the audiences. The sessions included "Cultural Challenges of the 21st Century”, “Pakistan and Iqbal's Thought," "Sohail Ahmad’s (Azizi's) Talk with Ahmad Shah," "What's New in Urdu Fiction?,” "Punjabi Literature in the 21st Century,” "From Farid to Farid,” "Tradition of Public Intellectuals,” the book launch "Kahani Bige Ghar Ki" by Asma Shirazi, “An Ancient Land & its Modern Storytellers,” "Children's Literature,” "Ahmad Bashir's Family,”

"Najjowanu Ke Naam - Conversation with Hamid Mir,” Mustansar Hussain Tarar’s discussion on the book "Mein Bhanan Dilli De Kangre,” "Lahore Purkamal,” "A session with new age poet Ali Zareon,” “A session with film star Shaan Shahid,” "East Pakistan, Broken Star,” "The launch of ‘Letters to the new critic’,” "TV - Reflection of Pakistani Society?,” “Yadagar-e-Zamana Hai Yeh Log,”

“Seventy-Five Years of Pakistani Art” and “Mushaira,”

“Folk Tales of Punjab,” "Pakistan`s Deep Air Quality Cri-

sis: Next Steps & Imperatives,” "My Land, My People,"

"Education Journey Ahead?,” "Scent of Unrepentant Palm Trees,” the book launch of "Kunj-e-Qafs,” "We Will See,” “Sukhan-e-Iftikhar ceremony,” "Saraiki language and literature,” “A session with singer Ali Zafar,” “State of Economy in Pakistan and the Way Forward,” "Remembering Amjad Islam Amjad,” "Anwar Maqsood's Pakistan,” "Final Meeting, Lifetime Achievement Award, Resolutions,” and a classical dance show by Naheed Siddiqui.

As the festival was youth centric, all sessions were dominated with youth’s presence. In Hamid Mir show, the audiences, frustrated with the journalist’s one-side version of the events, stood up and protested against him for not mentioning the name of Arshad Sharif among the victims of the highhandedness. Moreover, most of the speakers kept on breaching red lines in one or another by mentioning the volatile economic conditions, lack of opportunities for the youth and government’s efforts to breach the Constitution by delaying the electoral process.

The festival can be called a big success given the turnout of the crowd, their lively response to the panellists’ discussion and the quality of discussion.

As big as PLF. such festivals also see some mismanagement for it is not easy to get everything on time, thus the festival saw the lack of time management. Often, the sessions culminated late, resulting in the late start of the ensuing sessions. Most of the sessions concluded unfinished given the high number of panellists. The session on ‘Does Pakistani TV reflect the Pakistani society?” had eight panellists – B Gul, Sanam Saeed, Munawar Saeed, Sohail Ahmed, Noorul Huda Shah, Asghar Nadeem Syed, Kashif Nisar and Amna Mufti. The session was moderated by Yasir Hussain. The session started 15 minutes late because the earlier session of “Talk with Shan Shahid” concluded late. Now, each panellist was given hardly three to five minutes to speak on the issue. Sanam Saeed got only two minutes to speak.

Nevertheless, the credit for this show goes to the only man standing today for cultual activism and that is Ahmed Shah. Moreover, his excellent rapport with all dignitaries made the event a star-studded festivity.

more including Din, Raat, and his final drama in the early 2000s, Sherdil which revolved around the lives of Air Force cadets. Add to that his two successful films Qurbaani and Jo Darr Gaya Wor Marr Gaya and we had someone who could do no wrong. Impressive, isn’t it?

The Seasoned Poet Long before he became a playwright, Amjad Islam Amjad had made a name for himself as a poet and was a regular feature in Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi’s literary magazine Fanoos. When Amjad Islam Amjad did turn to script writing, those who had read his poetry knew that he was quite special because only someone well versed in the language as well as who understands storytelling could have excelled in both categories and Amjad did that easily. His poetic collection which began with ‘Barzakh’ in the early 70s and ended with ‘Zindagi Ke Meley Main’ five years before his death consisted of more than a dozen books, which is impressive, to say the least. He didn’t just stop there since he was never content with one-dimensional work and went on to pen ghazals that became popular, as well as lyrics for films in both India and Pakistan.

If you didn’t know that Noor Jehan’s evergreen song Main Tere Sang Kaise and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s first Bollywood hit Mann Ki Lagan from Pooja Bhatt’s Paap were penned by Amjad Islam Amjad, then you need to read more about him because clearly, you are way behind.

And when Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam was selected to sing a couple of songs in Shehzad Rafique’s Salakhein, Amjad Islam Amjad penned the lyrics of both the songs – Naina and Barish – which are still popular after two decades. Not only were his songs for children published in multiple volumes, he also translated poems from other languages notably Arabic, and English, while his own poems were translated into English, Italian, and Turkish.

The Veteran Author

After conquering two different fields – playwrighting and poetry – it was natural for Amjad Islam Amjad to switch his attention to prose and that’s exactly what he did. Not only did he publish his TV dramas into novels – Waris, Dehleez and Ya Naseeb Clinic were as good as the plays – he also penned travelogues which put him in competition with his friend and contemporary Mustansar Hussain Tarrar. Add to that his criticism of literature, his sketches of people he met, his anthologies especially on women poets, and his column collection, and you have more than fifty books bearing Amjad Islam Amjad’s name doing well in the market.

To venture in so many fields at the same time would have been impossible for normal human beings but Amjad Islam Amjad was always busy doing what he believed he should be doing. With that trademark smile brightening the lives of all those he came in contact with, Amjad Islam Amjad passed away on the same day the Pakistan Literature Festival opened in his birth city Lahore. He was among the speakers in many sessions while a few sessions were supposed to be about him, but his final exit brought curtains down when all his companions were there to bid him farewell.

The man of miscellaneous talents

Before making it big in the entertainment industry, Amjad Islam Amjad was an educationist and always considered his most important work – teaching. According to those who had seen him mesmerise students in a hall, Amjad was himself when he was amongst young minds and was able to mold them by just psychoanalyzing them, and was against using books in the classroom. That’s why when he was appointed as deputy director of the Punjab Arts Council in 1975 and was later assigned to the Department of Education in the 1990s, he was at his happiest. He continued to teach at MAO College, Lahore after retiring from government service and held the responsibility as the director of Children’s Complex which is one of the many things he would be remembered. However, with his demise, the TV audience lost a master of ceremonies who was at ease no matter what the subject was. His specialty was literature but if there was a poetry recital being recorded for TV, then there was no other name in anyone’s mind than Amjad Islam Amjad who sort of knew all poets like the back of his hand, was familiar with their work and knew how to control the audience who are usually loud and rough in Mushairas.

By Omair Alavi KARACHI

Anchor turned director Kamran Shahid’s upcoming films Huey

Tum Ajnabi is all set for an Eid ul Fitr release this year.

This was announced last week at the trailer launch event of the film in Lahore in which most of the cast appeared alongside the captain of the ship. Kamran Shahid who is a well known TV anchor and journalist told journalists during the event that his film was based on true events and revolved around the saddest event in Pakistan’s history, the fall of Dhaka. Although the film would have been ideally released during the 50 year anniversary of the event in 2021, it was delayed due to various reasons, including Covid. The event was attended by the film’s leading man Mikaal Zulfiqar, Shamoon Abbasi, Mehmood Aslam, Shafqat Cheema, and Sohail Ahmed as well as the writer and director Kamran Shahid himself. Although his father film actor Shahid had bankrolled the film, he wasn’t able to make it to the launch ceremony due to per-

sonal reasons whereas the film’s leading lady Sadia Khan had some prior commitments. The film’s title track was played live by Baqir Abbas and his crew and mesmerized the audience which included journalists and well wishers.

Though he is no more with us, the legacy he has left behind will always keep him alive