MAY 17-23 2015
MAY 17-23 2015
MAY 17-23 2015
Feature
All-weather friend
Cover Story
Not renowned for accurate predictions, the Pakistan Meteorological Department is fighting hard to turn the tide
Nepal, before the earthquake When Kathmandu’s historic structures stood tall and proud
32 Feature
Stop the fall
24 Feature
Shooting in the sky
Fighter pilot Hamid Faraz talks about his passion for aerial photography
38
4
The Himalayan Yew tree faces extinction in the face of mass deforestation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
36 Regulars
6 People & Parties: Out and about with beautiful people
40 Reviews: Movies and documentary films
42 Health: No known cure exists for Rett syndrome
Magazine Incharge: Dilaira Dubash. Senior Subeditors: Sanam Maher and Ali Haider Habib. Subeditor: Komal Anwar Creative Team: Jamal Khurshid, Essa Malik, Mohsin Alam, Talha Ahmed Khan, Hira Fareed, Maryam Rashid, Eesha Azam & Sanober Ahmed Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk Twitter: @ETribuneMag & Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ETribuneMag Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Abeera and Fatimeh
Amber Liaqat and Fatima
Aden Rehan and Shireen Rehman
6 MAY 17-23 2015
Foha Raza
Mariam Mushtaq
Shahreen and Sameen Kasuri
Khadija and Fatima
Sumbal, Mahrukh and Firam
Mariam and Aasia
PHOTOS COURTESY LOTUS CLIENT MANAGEMENT & PUBLIC RELATIONS
Sapphire opens its flagship store in Gulberg III, Lahore
PEOPLE & PARTIES Amina Hassan, Amina Shan and Iram Zeeshan
Saadia Asad launches her new 2015 Spring/Summer lawn collection in Lahore
Simky, Asma and Nayna
8 MAY 17-23 2015
PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS & PR
Anam Anis and Anum
Sadia Asad and Asad Alam
Bisma Gillani
Sara Ali and Noreen
PEOPLE & PARTIES Ali Ahmad, Mr and Mrs Hadi Santoso, Saleha and Yasmin
PHOTOS COURTESY NEW WORLD CONCEPTS PR
Saleha Qureshi launches her flagship boutique at Zamzama Mall in Karachi
Sabeen
Rabia
Zainab
10 MAY 17-23 2015
Noor
Bushra Butt
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Shafaq Fahad
Farida Qureshi and Ghazala Saifi
12 MAY 17-23 2015
PHOTOS COURTESY NEW WORLD CONCEPTS PR
Kinza, Barirah and Nadia
Nida Butt with Friends
Maheen and Hyder
PEOPLE & PARTIES Hasan Sheryar Yasin
Fashion Pakistan hosts the 2015 Telenor Fashion Pakistan Week held at the Pearl Continental Hotel in Karachi
Marya Javed, Anber Javed and Natasia Khalid Nabila
Hailey Gates
14 MAY 17-23 2015
Wasim Akram, Shaneira Akram and Deepak Perwani
PHOTOS COURTESY LATITUDE PR
Sanam Chaudhri
PEOPLE & PARTIES
Shazah Ayub
Rubya Chowdhry
Nubain and Wardha
Anusha Bawany
Anushe Shahid
16 MAY 17-23 2015
Omar Jamil and Sidra Khan
Fayezah Ansari
PHOTOS COURTESY LATITUDE PR
Amna Baber
(Left): Durbar Square in Kathmandu. The area houses several temples. PHOTO CREDIT: ABDUL AZIZ KAZI (Right): A woman walks out from her house, which was damaged in the April 25 earthquake, at a village on the outskirts of Lalitpur, Nepal. PHOTO: REUTERS
BY GULNAZ MONDEGARIAN DESIGN BY EESHA/HIRA
A trip down memory lane, when Kathmandu’s historic structures stood tall and proud
COVER STORY When an earthquake shook Nepal on April 25 and again on May 12 — leaving more than 8,000 people dead and injuring twice as many — I couldn’t help but reminisce about my time spent in the country in 2013. Nepal may not offer an impressive first impression, but the more time you spend there, the more you fall in love with the land’s untouched beauty and hospitality. Two years ago, Nepal was at the peak of development. The government had pumped money into building wider roads in Kathmandu, the capital city, and the country was heading towards prosperity and progress. Although poverty was endemic, people were filled with a renewed sense of hope for the future. Elections were to be held in a month’s time and there was palpable sense of change in the air. Nobody could have imagined that two years down the line a single natural calamity would shatter the
A local resident stands in front of the ruins of his home after the April 25 earthquake, in Bhaktapur Nepal. PHOTO:REUTERS
THE EARTHQUAKE HAS FLATTENED MANY OF THE STRUCTURES MENTIONED, BUT IT WON’T BE ABLE TO WIPE OUT FOND MEMORIES OF THIS PEACEFUL CITY AND THE MOMENTS WE SHARED WITH ITS HOSPITABLE POPULACE
promise of a new Nepal. I was in the country to attend a week-long teachers workshop in Kathmandu. My Pakistani colleagues and I, along with other attendees, were stationed at the Park Village Resort in Thamel. Our mornings and afternoons were taken up by the workshop and daily assignments, but in the evenings we were free to step out to explore the city. Kathmandu does not have much of a night life. The city is not very active after 8:30 pm; most of the shops close down before 9:00 pm, except in the tourist district of Thamel, which houses numerous restaurants, hotels and shops that remain open till late. Here you will find vibrant pashmina shawls and their cheaper local substitute, yak wool shawls. If you venture out late at night, however, be warned that you’ll have no option but to take an expensive taxi ride back to your hotel. Since most of us were visiting Nepal for the first time, we wanted to familiarise ourselves with its historical sites and culture. One of the famous tourist attractions we visited was the Hanuman Dhoka Palace Museum in Kathmandu, a residential and administrative centre of Nepali Kings from ancient times. The Palace was originally founded during the Licchavi period, with several structural additions, including a statue of Hanuman to protect the Palace against enemies in 1672, made by King Pratap Malla in the 17th Century. Although monarchy was formally abolished in Nepal in 2008, the structure housing thrones used during their crown prince’s accession and coronation have been carefully preserved. Since tourists are strictly forbidden from taking pictures inside the museum, we were forced to safely secure our cameras inside free lockers provided to tourists. History and religion are placed on the same pedestal in Nepal. Along with historical sites, Kathmandu is replete with temples and stupas. There was even a statue of sitting Buddha in one of the resort’s many gardens. To witness the rituals and get a deeper sense of the religiosity among people, we decided to visit a temple of Lord Shiva located at a 15-minute walking distance from the resort. A receptionist at the hotel had informed us that if we wanted to observe the rituals, we must visit the temple early morning. To our surprise, there was a large group of people, young and old, present at the temple at around 7:00 am. At the centre of the structure was a heavily-fenced pond containing a large statue of Lord Shiva in a sleeping posture. Devotees, including schoolchildren in their uniforms, gathered around the pond laying flowers and praying for good health and prosperity. Taking pictures
Katmandu’s Durbar Square, a Unesco world heritage site. PHOTO CREDIT: ABDUL AZIZ KAZI
COVER STORY of Lord Shiva and the temple, however, was strictly forbidden. The earthquake has flattened many of the structures mentioned above, but it won’t be able to wipe out fond memories of this peaceful city and the moments we shared with its hospitable populace. While taking a casual stroll through a lane close to the resort on our final evening in the city, we stumbled upon a grand first birthday celebration taking place nearby. Upon realising that we were tourists, the family instantly invited us to attend the function and be a part of the merriment by witnessing the customs. The family not only lavished us with attention, but also invited us for dinner despite our strongest refusal. With Nepali music in the background and the aroma of spicy lentils and rice wafting through the air, we concluded our trip in the city on a high note. Nothing will make me happier right now than knowing that the family and the little one are safe somewhere in the city. Gulnaz Mondegarian has 28 years of teaching experience and likes to write during her spare time.
Durbar Square has been one of the most famous spots for tourists in Kathmandu. PHOTO CREDIT: ABDUL AZIZ KAZI
NOBODY COULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT A SINGLE NATURAL CALAMITY WOULD SHATTER THE PROMISE OF A NEW NEPAL
Local residents walk past collapsed houses, at Lamosangu village in Sindhupalchowk. PHOTO:REUTERS
RELIEF EFFORTS Multiple teams of rescuers from more than 20 countries have been using sniffer dogs and heat-seeking equipment to find survivors in the rubble of Nepal’s worst earthquake in more than 80 years. Relief efforts continue undeterred after the latest earthquake on May 12. Pakistan has been dispatching C-130 aircraft carrying 30-bed hospitals, specialised search and rescue teams and relief goods to Nepal since the last week of April. Army doctors — including specialists such as gynecologists and radiologists — are part of the Pakistani rescue teams. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has approved provision of 20,000 tents, 20 tons of rice and medicines for earthquake relief on the request of the Nepalese authorities. Pakistan has sent food items including 2,000 ready-to-eat meal packs, eatables, water bottles, medicines, 200 tents, and 600 blankets. India has sent 16 teams of the National Disaster Relief Force, in addition to medical assistance and relief provisions. Helicopters have also been provided to rescue those in remote areas. Washington announced an initial sum of $1 million in aid, and pledged a disaster response team to assist in rescue efforts. Australia has pledged $5 million through charitable organisations. Japan, no stranger to earthquakes, sent an initial team of 70 to aid the rescue of those stranded in far off areas. China sent an initial team of 62 rescue workers, including sniffer dogs.
ALL-WEATHER
FRIEND How the Pakistan Meteorological Department disseminates information before, during and after a disaster TEXT AND PHOTOS BY SHAHZAD ANWAR | DESIGN BY MARYAM RASHID
In the last week of April, 45 people died in Peshawar as a small cyclone tore through the city, bringing down trees and power lines, and destroying houses in its wake. The tragedy, officials say, was unexpected and unprecedented — the head of the provincial meteorological office Mushtaq Shah told the media at the time, “We’ve never experienced such a devastating wind storm before in this region.” He added that the cyclone’s winds, clocking in at more than 75 mph, were a ‘completely new phenomenon’. Pakistan is a natural disasterprone country and frequently faces hydrological and geological disasters; but one agency is tasked with predicting the occurrence of such disasters, buying sufficient time for the authorities to mount a defense against the vagaries of potentially destructive weather patterns. So what does the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) do and how does it bolster the work of disaster management agencies?
Dealing with disasters
At the time of its establishment in 1947, the PMD inherited only 15 meteorological observatories from the Central Meteorological Organisation operating in the subcontinent. Today, Pakistan has around 100 Met stations which collect data on an hourly basis
A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting from a natural process of the earth. Such disasters include floods, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunami. According to the federal flood commission, there have been 22 major floods in Pakistan between 1950 and 2014. These floods have affected more than 600,000 square kilometres of land and left an estimated 12,000 people dead. Pakistan suffered losses of roughly $16 billion after the 2010 floods. In Sindh’s Thar district, meanwhile, it is not water that causes natural disasters, but the lack thereof. Every 10 years, the district faces a crippling drought and last year, an estimated 124 died due to water scarcity here. Additionally, one of the worst natural calamities Pakistan has had to cope with occurred in 2005, when 85,000 were killed and one million were left homeless after an earthquake hit the northern region of the country. In such disasters, the role of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) is crucial. Both a scientific and services department, the PMD functions under the Cabinet Secretariat, Aviation Division and is responsible for providing meteorological services throughout Pakistan for numerous public activities and projects which require weather information. The PMD has a network of observation stations and a telecommunication system for the speedy dissemination of data to meteorological offices to analyse data for issuing forecasts and warnings. At the time of its establishment in 1947, the PMD inherited only 15 meteorological
The Pakistan Meteorological Department in Islamabad is responsible for providing meteorological services throughout Pakistan.
observatories from the Central Meteorological Organisation operating in the subcontinent. Today, Pakistan has around 100 Met stations which collect data on an hourly basis. The data looks at wind direction and speed, maximum temperatures, humidity, solar radiation, pressure, visibility, clouds and wind. This information is then sent to regional centres which analyse this data and send it to the national meteorological climate centre. The centre later forwards the data to the national forecasting centre, where it is analysed.
All systems in place The PMD issues three types of weather forecasts: short-range forecast for 24 hours that is 90% accurate, medium range forecast for five to seven days that is more than 80% accurate and long-range forecast for one to three months that is 70% accurate. A national monitoring system for droughts and other environmental factors has been set up in Islamabad, while regional centres exist in Peshawar, Quetta, Lahore and Karachi. “There are four kinds of droughts: meteorological, agricultural, hydrological and socio-economic,” explains chief meteorologist Hazrat Mir. “Pakistan faces frequent droughts in Thar, which create serious health problems, shortage of food and water in the area coupled with cold waves, which aggravate the situation in the winter.” There are 50 Additional Warning Stations (AWS) in Sindh and Balochistan, and 100 more AWS have been proposed. The PMD issues a forecast twice daily through INMARSAT Coastal Station in Perth, Australia, for ships at sea. The Maritime Distress & Safety System issues warnings when any port is threatened and bulletins are issued for the fisheries via radio broadcasts. Pakistan is a coordinator of AREA IX — including Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia — since 1976 and issues coastal warnings to all ships and national authorities within the area.
How forecasts are made
The PMD has more than 100 surface observatories across Pakistan and equipment to measure air temperature, rainfall, pressure, wind direction, humidity, sunshine duration and soil moisture. Different kinds of thermometers and Stevenson Screens are used to measure temperatures and rain. Ameno meters measure wind speed and wind vanes analyse wind direction. Sunshine recorders and evaporation tanks look at humidity and soil moisture while barometers measure air pressure. Radio Sonde is used through balloon flights to measure wind speed, direction, humidity and temperatures at different levels in the atmosphere. “To assess the moisture content in clouds and the intensity of the weather system at higher altitudes, there is a network of radar systems covering the country,” explains Mir. “These radars include Quantitative Precipitation Measurement (QPM) and state-of-theart Dopplar Radars.” The PMD uses different types of Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models and regional models to gather data. The data is then transmitted to the National Meteorological Communication Centre (NMCC), Karachi, which is the PMD’s data bank. As soon as the data is received at NMCC Karachi, it is converted into World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) standards. The information is then provided to forecasting centres at different stations including Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad and at 17 airports. This data is arranged in codes defined by WMO and also shared with WMO. Forecasters also use satellite imageries, radar pictures and model prediction in the generation of forecasts. Data is plotted on surface charts after every three hours, while upper air charts and constant pressure charts of different atmospheric level are plotted every 12 hours. Despite the rigorous monitoring, nature’s fury often comes without warning. And destruction and devastation cannot always be prevented even when the disaster is pre-empted. But more often than not, monitoring and evaluation of weather changes can help save many lives. It is up to the Pakistan Meteorological Department to know which way the wind blows. T Shahzad Anwar is an Islamabad-based reporter for The Express Tribune. MAY 17-23 2015
35
O
ST P
THE FALL
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s mighty Himalayan Yew tree faces extinction as its myriad benefits are exploited TEXT AND PHOTOS BY HAMID KHAN DESIGN BY EESHA AZAM
A natural habitat of Himalayan Yew in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Ayubia National Park.
While Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa often makes headlines for terrorism, suicide bombings and other acts of violence, a little known fact about the province is that it is home to 1.3 million hectares of forest area. However, this lush greenery is under threat as the issue of deforestation does not get the same attention that the region’s turbulent political and security conditions do. The Himalayan Yew (Taxus wallichiana), commonly known as ‘Barmi’ in the Hazara, Mansehra, Balakot, Naran and Kaghan and Galyat regions, has perhaps suffered the greatest due to this deforestation. According to a survey supported by the World Wide Fund (WWF) and conducted by a student, Farrukh Qureshi, of Haripur University, only 20% of the Himalayan Yew remains in the northern region of Pakistan. The species has been rigorously exploited for medicinal uses, creation of fodder 36 and wood for fuel. MAY 17-23 2015
THE GREATEST THREATS Native to the region stretching from Afghanistan through the Himalayas and to the Philippines, including Pakistan and India, the Yew has many uses. The tree’s leaves and bark are used to produce ‘Taxol’, a potent drug treating and preventing the growth of cancerous cells, particularly in cases of breast and ovarian cancers. The plant has also been used to treat common colds, cough, fever and pain and is a popular ingredient in Ayurveda and Unani medicine. Tauseef Khan, a pharmacist working with a multinational pharmaceutical company, says no pharmaceutical company in Pakistan produces Taxol currently and it is imported into the country. China, India, Afghanistan and Nepal export the Yew’s bark and roots. According to Khan, in order to produce one gramme of placlitaxel — which costs up to $25,000 (Rs2,544,375) — at least 10 kilogrammes of the Yew’s roots, skin and leaves
are needed. Khan explains that the reaping of the bark kills the tree, but it is possible to extract the drug from clippings of the tree, as is done with the European Yew. Additionally, he cautions that the reaping and trade of the Yew’s bark should be controlled so as to save the species. After all, if the Yew species dies out, the production of Taxol would be near impossible, he adds. Meanwhile, local communities in the Galyat region, Mansehra, Naran and Kaghan use the tree’s wood for firewood as it does not decay fast. According to a 2011 WWF report, the Yew’s wood is used in five major towns of Galyat sub-division for gravestones, pillars in mud houses and firewood. Moreover, a study conducted by the University of Peshawar found that in five villages around Ayubia National Park, 10 to 15 Yews are cut down annually to produce wooden grave markers or tombstones, as this wood lasts longer than other types. It is these benefits of the Yew that have, ironically, placed it on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s annual “red list” of endangered species. Saboor Chohan, associated with the business of herbs in Mansehra district, explains that previously, herbal medicines would be produced using the bark, roots and leaves of the Himalayan Yew — components that were easily and cheaply sourced from people living in the mountainous northern region of the country. However, as the Yew is slowly disappearing in these areas, the prices of roots and bark have increased.
The bark of the Himalayan Yew is reaped to make the drug Taxol.
Medical marvel Uses of the Yew in traditional medicine teas and juices or extracts are used O Herbal to treat high fever, painful inflammatory
conditions, respiratory infections, indigestion and epilepsy.
a poultice, the Himalayan Yew can be used O As on infected wounds and burns. bark and leaves are used in steam baths to O The treat rheumatism. from the bark is used to treat fractures O Paste and headaches. extracts or decoctions of the stem O InarePakistan, used in the treatment of tuberculosis. shoots of the plant are used to prepare O Young a tincture for headaches, feeble and falling pulse, coldness of extremities and diarrhea.
Saving the Yew On average, a Himalayan Yew is anywhere between 33 feet to 66 feet tall and roughly seven feet wide. This species is believed to be between 3,000 to 4,000 years old and is considered among the oldest species in the world. In some parts of Pakistan, where the trees are not felled as frequently, one can find up to 79 Yew trees per hectare. In areas of greater deforestation, however, there are only up to three trees per hectare. To combat the species’ sharp decline, the WWF has established two nurseries for the vegetative propagation — reproduction or cloning — of the Yew in its natural habitat in Swat and Ayubia. This is a test case. “If the WWF succeeds in growing the Himalayan Yew, this would be a great achievement,” Kamran says. Additionally, the WWF has been working with local community leaders to discourage use of the Yew in the production of gravestones. Sub-divisional Forest Officer Galyat region Itzaz Mehfooz says the forestry department in the province takes care of all kinds of trees, but pays special attention to the Himalayan Yew because of its medicinal value. “It is good that the Yew has no other commercial importance, otherwise it would have vanished completely by now,” he says. Hamid Hussain is an Islamabad-based journalist. He tweets @Hamidlawangeen MAY 17-23 2015
37
Shooting in the sky Aerial photography is no easy task but for photographer and fighter pilot Hamid Faraz, it’s a breeze BY TAHIR KHAN DESIGN BY SANOBER AHMED
The Chinese president’s plane is accompanied by PAF JF-17 Thunders as it enters Pakistani airspace. PHOTO: HAMID FARAZ
The Chinese president’s visit to Pakistan last month set the tone: for ‘all-weather’ friends, the sky is the limit. It was, therefore, befitting for President Xi Jinping’s aircraft to be escorted by eight PAF JF-17 Thunders as it entered Pakistani airspace on April 20. And the man behind the iconic photograph shifts focus to tell The Express Tribune about his profession and passion. “I am a fighter pilot by profession, but aviation photography is my passion,” says Air Commodore Hamid Faraz, days after he captured the shot of the Chinese head of state’s plane being escorted by fighter jets. Capturing a moment while both the photographer and subject are airborne is no walk in the park, but for Faraz, 50, 38 it is a walk in the clouds. “It was a huge responsibility MAY 17-23 2015
but the air force trusted me with the job and I prepared extensively. I have done aviation photography earlier. It was the experience that give me the confidence to do this well,” he adds. Taking a photo of another plane from a fighter jet is extremely difficult. “The photographer has to keep in mind a number of things when he is sitting in the cockpit. If the angle is not right, the reflection of the cockpit will spoil the photo,” explains Faraz, adding that it was a major challenge and an important occasion. The pilot flying the jet carrying the photographer was also briefed in advance. During the flight, Faraz further guided the pilot to ensure that both of them were on the same page. Being a fighter pilot himself, Faraz is more comfortable compared to many other airborne photographers. But
Faraz has captured several airborne photographs, but this was the first time he took pictures of a Head of State’s plane
Air Commodore Hamid Faraz.
Though a fighter pilot by profession, Faraz says his passion is photography. PHOTO COURTESY: HAMID FARAZ the planning was nevertheless meticulous, he says. “You have to assess the sun’s position, how you will capture the image of the plane and how much distance you will maintain to take a good photograph.” Faraz has captured several airborne photographs, but this was the first time he took pictures of a Head of State’s plane. For this particular assignment, Faraz took over 100 photographs and also shot a video. “You come to know about the results only once you download the pictures to a computer.” And the results were satisfactory, shares Faraz. “My photographs could be compared with the world’s best photographers,” he says with pride. “The
backdrop and lighting were as I had imagined them to be before embarking on the mission.” He eventually settled for a picture with an excellent view of the blue sky and a complete undercast of white clouds, with the aircraft close to the horizon, he shares. The photograph is symbolic because the JF-17 programme is a joint venture between Pakistan and China, stated to be the flagship of friendly relations between the two states. The JF-17 is jointly designed and produced at Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, offering a unique opportunity for strategic engagement between the aviation industries of both countries. Additionally, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has a tradition of welcoming visiting heads of states/governments of friendly countries, says PAF Director Media Air Commodore Syed Muhammad Ali. PAF’s incumbent Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, also had the honour of leading such a formation during his illustrious career, shares the PAF spokesperson. As a wing commander, Aman led a formation of F-16 aircraft escorting the visiting Chinese president Jiang Zemin in December 1996. T Tahir Khan is an Islamabad-based reporter for The Express Tribune. He tweets @taahir_khan
39 MAY 17-23 2015
All about aesthetics
Visually appealing as it may be, The Age of Adaline’s hokey story makes the film fall flat BY ALLY ADNAN
Wonderful art direction, brilliant costume design, flawless recreations of period cityscapes and a few very fine performances make The Age of Adaline a rather enjoyable film. But the film’s contrived, manipulative and insipid story keeps it from becoming the great film it could and should have been. Directed by Lee Toland Krieger, the film tells the story of a young lady named Adaline (Blake Lively) whose happy marriage ends with the death of her husband during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. She subsequently survives a near fatal car accident to emerge as an ageless person who is destined to remain at a youthful 29 years of age for the rest of her life. Adaline decides that keeping her agelessness a secret is the only way she can lead a ‘normal’ life and changes her identity every 10 years to make sure that no one catches on to her. The strategy results in her having no lasting romantic relationships or friendships in life. The only constant emotional tie is that with her daughter Flemming (Ellen Burstyn). Life goes on for Adaline until she meets the handsome Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) and falls in love. The romance creates complications that Adaline has managed to avoid for decades and is not equipped to handle. Things come to a head when she spends a weekend with Jones’ family and Ellis’ father, William Jones (Harrison Ford), reveals a secret that shakes everyone’s lives, forcing them to confront issues and take decisions that are neither easy nor convenient. The Age of Adaline fails for one primary reason. It is more interested in its hokey gimmick — agelessness caused by lightening, freezing and some other over-explained and under-conceptualised pseudo-scientific theory — and the decidedly dull life of its heroine, than it is in examining the subjects of love, regret, tragedy, aging, mortality and sacrifice that would lend heft and soul to the film. 40 The actors are ready and capable of handling a script that deals MAY 17-23 2015
intelligently with these issues but the writers, J Mills Goodloe and Salvador Paskowitz, seem doggedly committed to a shallow story full of melodramatic contrivance, manufactured emotion and exaggerated drama. Lively and Huisman act with competence, believability and style but are easily outdone by the magnificent Ford, Kathy Baker, who plays the role of Jones’ mother, and Burstyn, who are all on top of their game in The Age of Adaline. Two scenes in the movie, in particular, are masterful displays of the tremendous acting talent of the three seasoned stars. The first takes place in a diner where Adaline meets her daughter. During the course of the meal, she comments on her daughter’s excessive use of salt. The much older Ellen Burstyn, who plays the daughter, reacts like a rebuked teenager, showing adolescent petulance and defiance with slight but discernable changes in voice, tone and mannerisms. The second scene takes place in the home of Ellis Jones’ parents. Harrison and Baker are getting ready to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary when the memory of the husband’s unfulfilled romance with a beautiful woman is rekindled. His wife is soon jealous of the omnipresent memories of her husband’s long lost love. The result is an altercation where Baker displays a wife’s love, jealousy and incomprehension and Ford shows a husband’s conflict, regret and helplessness caused by unrelenting romantic memories. The scene is likely to leave students of cinema in total awe and amazement. The two powerful scenes, remarkable though that they are, hurt The Age of Adaline instead of helping it. They remind the audience that the fine performances of Ford, Baker and Burstyn belong to a far superior film than its writers allow it to be. Rating: Ally Adnan lives in Dallas and writes about culture, history and art. He tweets @allyadnan
DOCUMENTARY
Looking in, looking out Bubbles allows the viewer to look at domestic violence from a child’s perspective BY SARAH MUNIR
Domestic violence in South Asian households has been a subject of one too many films. But what really drives the point home in Nasheed Qamar Faruqi’s short film Bubbles is how ugly that abuse looks to a child. Set in a small apartment in London, the film explores the tense dynamic between a defeated wife (Shabana Azmi), her hostile husband (Bhaskar Patel), their son (Christopher Simpson) and docile granddaughter (Yasmeen Siddiqui). Given the somber nature of the subject, Faruqi could not have chosen a better cast as each of them delivers a sophisticated yet powerful performance. Azmi is unsurprisingly brilliant in her portrayal of a woman who checks off all the boxes for a good domesticated wife, but has lost her soul in the process. Everything, from her posture to the hollow look in her eyes, is on the money and breaks your heart. Patel skillfully plays a typical South Asian husband who growls and snarls within the confines of his home but transforms into a whimpering, submissive shadow of himself as soon as he leaves his comfort zone. Simpson delivers as the conflicted son, torn between respecting and defying a parent, and Siddiqui brings the right amount of innocence to the role of Bubbles. Even though the film’s running time is barely 15 minutes, the tension in some of the scenes will leave you reeling for a few seconds. For instance, the lyrics from a famous Bollywood song that loosely translate to “imagine what it would feel if no one could enter
or leave” playing through most of the film feels sinister. The lyrics seem fitting for a family that seems to exist in isolation from the outside world, but is bound by misery. Given the film’s short format, the lack of backstory for each character is understandable. However, it does not stop you from wishing that Faruqi had revealed a little more. For instance, why does Azmi answer with just a sigh when Bubbles questions her about her parents’ whereabouts? Is Patel’s passive-aggressive behaviour hinting towards a greater power struggle faced by male immigrants who compensate for a lack of control over their alien surroundings by violently reinforcing their dominance at home? But perhaps that would have taken away from the film’s key message of forcing the audience to rethink violence within families and the impression it leaves on a young mind. Rating: Sarah Munir is a freelance multimedia journalist. She tweets @SarahMunir1
41 MAY 17-23 2015
THE REALITY OF
RETT SYNDROME
There is no cure for the disorder — only vigilance can lead to early diagnosis and intervention BY SAADIA KHAN | DESIGN BY HIRA FAREED
Rett syndrome, a rare brain disorder, was first identified by Dr Andrease Rett in 1966 but wasn’t widely recognised until a second article about the disorder was published in 1983 by Swedish researcher Dr Bengt Hagberg. The neurodevelopmenal disorder that affects girls, particularly at the age of four, is characterised by normal early growth and development, followed by a slowing of development, loss of purposeful use of hands, distinctive hand movements, slowed brain and head growth, problems with walking, seizures and intellectual disability. While the disorder has no cure, early intervention and diagnosis is possible if parents recognise and report developmental and behavioural problems in their child.
The Three Stages Of Progression
Diagnosis of Rett syndrome is based on a pattern of symptoms and behaviour. Therefore, observation is the only key to diagnosis.
1
This stage typically begins between the ages of six to 18 months. Symptoms are often overlooked as they appear vague to many parents and doctors. These symptoms include a delay in achieving milestones, delay in attaining motor skills, such as sitting or crawling, poor eye contact and decreased interest in play. This stage can continue for up to one year.
2
Also known as ‘rapid destructive stage’, this stage is characterised by neuro-cognitive regression and loss of purposeful hand movements, such as wringing, clapping and washing, and speech difficulties. Patients develop breathing difficulties and hyperventilate and develop autistic type of behaviour with poor social communication. The patient may also deal with muscular weakness and rigidity. Some girls show improvement in social behaviour with time, while others remain in this stage for years.
Rett syndrome is often misdiagnosed as cerebral palsy and autism. A prenatal diagnosis by screening can be carried out.
Only about one in
10,000 -15,000 girls develop the condition
42
3
This begins between the ages of two to 10 years and can last for years. There may be an improvement in behaviour, but this stage is characterised by seizures (80% of Rett syndrome patients have seizures) and arrhythmia along with a deterioration of movement, a worsening of scoliosis (curving of the spine), spasticity of limbs (a side effect of paralysis that varies from mild muscle stiffness to severe, uncontrollable leg movements) and walking difficulties (50% develop walking difficulties).
Possible Coping Strategies Speech therapy Physical therapy Cardiac monitoring Psychoanalysis along with the use of anticonvulsants and antipsychotics to curb self harm Nutritional rehabilitation Management of feeding issues or constipation
Saadia Khan is a pediatric resident from Multan. She tweets @drkhanchc MAY 17-23 2015