The Express Tribune hi five - May 10

Ms MAY 10, 2015

ISSUE NO. 151

In conversation with Sheheryar Munawar

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Are cooking shows making you fat?

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inside En vogue —

Summer glam

Domestic goddess —

Eggs with a twist

Section In-Charge: Dilaira Dubash Sub-Editors: Amna Hashmi Nisma Chauhan Designer: Umar Waqas Feedback: women@tribune.com.pk

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The dynamic Manizhe Ali

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The buzz

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, MAY 10, 2015

By Nisma Chauhan Design by Hira Fareed

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, MAY 10, 2015

anxiously await the arrival of Sheheryar Munawar Siddiqui, the 26-year-old actor and filmmaker all of Pakistan has been swooning over. I feel completely star-struck and the adrenaline rush is gradually taking over me. It isn’t every day that I find myself in the company of celebrities, let alone someone who has taken over the local entertainment industry since his first serial Meray Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley, back in 2012.

My mind is still contemplating the hundreds of ways I could end up making a complete fool of myself when Sheheryar walks in, clad in a fitted black shirt, blue jeans and a pair of nerdy glasses. There is a sense of purpose in the way he shakes my hand and apologises for making me wait before plopping onto his seat and lighting up a cigarette. I can tell he means business — a man of substance and not just another charming male celebrity.

Nonetheless, ‘charming’ would be an understatement for Sheheryar. “You see, I generally don’t do many interviews and when I do, I want everything to be proper,” he tells me, regarding our pre-interview arrangements. He comes off as a bit of a perfectionist and when he tells the housekeeper to bring him some tea, this trait becomes even more evident.

“Meray hee cup mein laana,” he instructs sharply before turning to me. “I am very finicky,” he admits, laughing as he requests a blow-by-blow run through my plan for the interview.

Once I am done explaining, Sheheryar begins the story of how he — a graduate of the prestigious Institute of Business Administration — stumbled upon acting, something he had apparently never given much thought to before.

“I never wanted to become an actor,” he shares, “In fact, my interest has always been behind the camera. But then I happened to get an opportunity to be in the forefront and took it as a means to launch myself in the industry. I didn’t get to attend film school so when I was offered my first role, I thought I might as well start from here and see where it leads to.” As fate would have it, Sheheryar exploded onto the limelight, gathering praise, fame and fortune whilst working his way up. Eventually, the exponential growth of his career did lead him to his true calling as he is currently working as an assistant director at The Vision Factory, under the guidance of talented filmmaker Asim Raza. “A director is an artist and his emotional quotient must be extremely high for him to comprehend what makes audiences tick, “explains Sheheryar.

“It is a status that I hope for, at some point.”

I must admit that I am a tad bit surprised — and confused —

by Sheheryar’s indifference towards the limelight, considering that he has become a household name in the local spheres.

But he is a jack of all trades who recently acted in and also co-produced Asim’s latest offering, Ho Mann Jahaan. With so much on his plate, including the stellar supporting cast of Mahira Khan and Adeel Hussain, it must have been very difficult to manage, I ask, to which Sheheryar laughs and says, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!” Still, he admits to having taken on a little too much for his age and jokes about how it did almost kill him. “I would take a breather for two seconds to detach myself from the world and snap into Arhaan, the character I played in Ho Mann Jahaan.” While he reflects on juggling his two stressful roles in the project, I catch my first

glimpse of the sheer passion Sheheryar has for the art of direction and filmmaking, in general. Just to prepare for his characters, he goes out of his way to understand the dynamics of their story in order to be “reacting, rather than acting.”

Ever the perfectionist, Sheheryar claims, “I am not a serious person in general but when it comes to my profession I take things very, very seriously.”

Through the course of the interview, I begin to realise Sheheryar’s dichotomous personality which, unfortunately, gets concealed beneath his cool vibe and dapper looks. Sheheryar is amongst the few lucky ones who can enjoy their jobs thoroughly but also revel in the non-professional environment. He is a perfectionist who simultaneously refuses to take himself too seriously, lest it suck the fun out of his life. Sheheryar’s laid-back disposition seems to be blissfully unaware of the effect his voluminous hair and cheeky smile have on Pakistan’s female population and when I ask him why he seems to attract a certain type of roles (protagonist belonging to the upper echelons of society) only, Sheheryar laughs to his heart’s content. “Mein tau bohut ghareeb admi houn, yaar,” he says, grinning from ear to ear. “Meri bohut chohti chohti khushiyaan hein jo logon ko bari lagti hein.” But before I can wrap up the question, he explains himself just in time. “An actor should be versatile and able to portray any role. I actually feel quite offended when someone says I look a certain way.” In fact, the character of Arhaan — a middle-class boy looking to become a musician — was Sheheryar’s attempt at breaking the typecasting. “I did a lot of research for Arhaan, from learning how to deliver certain dialogue to even holding a cup the right way,” he shares, so much so that it has become difficult for Sheheryar to become Sheheryar again.

Read on to find out what Sheheryar has to say about the following

Politics “At one time, I really wanted to join politics to make a change but after reading and watching the recent news, I think it has become very scary.

Politics makes an animal out of even the nicest of people. For me, simply being a good citizen and not bothering my fellow citizens counts as giving back.”

Bollywood “As an actor or any other professional, one aspires to keep getting bigger and better. We can’t deny Bollywood is a much bigger platform for artists so it isn’t so much about going to India or Bollywood as it is going to a better opportunity.

In India, actors receive the recognition and star power that they deserve, which is always nice.

That said, I personally wouldn’t just jump onto the bandwagon as I am too finicky. I would rather wait for something both Indian and Pakistani audiences can identify with.”

His upcoming release, Kambakht Nonetheless, he isn’t complaining. According to Sheheryar, it is up to him and his fellow members of the entertainment fraternity to expel the negative connotations our society attaches to the media. “This is how change manifests itself, through time, from one generation to another. Change is an evolution, rather than a revolution,” he explains. “The more people come into the industry, the more it will grow and breed competition, making us strive for better.” Values, morals and responsibility are at the core of everything Sheheryar takes on. “If I have given my word to someone and advised them to do something, I should be able to stand by them and do it as well!”

With so much integrity, Sheheryar never forgets to be thankful for the success he has garnered in such a short span of time. “Fame itself has never been a driving factor for me.

In fact I avoid it,” he says. “My mantra is jiyo and jeenay do and that’s how it should be for everyone, around the world.”

“Unfortunately, it’s still stuck in post-production.

The producer, my friend Hamza Ali Abbasi, would know better as to when it will be out.”

Senior actors of Pakistan “I have been extremely lucky that I got to work with Bushra Ansari, Nimra Bucha, Usman and Arshad Sahab, Behroze Subzwari and other seniors of our industry. Even the senior musicians I’ve worked with are really welcoming and supportive because they don’t feel threatened or think that I am competing with them. They are very confident of their talent and capabilities.”

Favourite Bollywood directors “Zoya Akhter, hands down! She is an excellent director with some crazy, artful shots, beautiful people, beautiful clothes and amazing sets.”

Favourite actors

PHOTOS: FACEBOOK.COM/SHEHERYARMUNAWAROFFICIAL

“Personally, I find Julia Roberts to be extremely beautiful and talented. I love Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale too, although I don’t think the Batman series is amongst his best performances.

Closer to home, Ranbir Kapoor and Farhan Akhter take the cake in the male category while Alia Bhatt outshines her female contemporaries. She is so young but very smart in the way she picks up on the sensitivities of her character.”

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En vogue

Harmony showcases its latest formals Coordination: Umer Mushtaq Hair and makeup: N-Pro and N-Gents Label: Harmony Photography: Rohail Khaled Models: Saima Azhar and Omer Shahzad

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, MAY 10, 2015

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, MAY 10, 2015

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Lifestyle

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, MAY 10, 2015

have a nutritional value of zero, considering it is probably rich in unsaturated fats like full-cream butter. Indulging in such recipes regularly would do little than add unneeded adipose to our bodies.

Dr Nargis Asad, a clinical psychologist at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) in Karachi, highlights a different aspect of this phenomenon. “There are two sets of viewers: ones who watch cooking shows for entertainment and those who watch to cook,” she explains. “Most of my patients are stay-at-home individuals whose only activity is to watch and cook but they still don’t gain weight. People who do gain weight are generally the ones fond of eating the food.” Dr Nargis also believes excessive eating and obesity could have underlying emotional implications like depression or anxiety. “But a precise correlation is difficult to make,” she adds.

In general, food networks are being criticised for spreading the ‘obesity epidemic’ and giving little regard to nutritional value, so long as their audiences remain hungry for more. Dr Moti Khan, a nutritionist at AKUH suggests that, “Most chefs are ill-informed about calorie content and nutrition. Our culture is such that we revel in oily foods and dishes made with desi ghee.

Considering this, we can conclude that our society adapts quickly to what is being shown on television, ultimately leading to unnecessary weight gain.” Dr Moti adds that Pakistanis have no concept of daily exercise which increases waist lines, obesity and diabetes. “These can only be eliminated via a healthy diet,” she says.

As suggested by Dr Moti, leading a healthy lifestyle isn’t too difficult once one gets on track.

All we need to do is incorporate activities that challenge us physically and use up our energy.

This way, we can maintain a sound weight, even if we can’t detach ourselves from our favourite cooking shows.

By Natasha Khalid

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Design by Essa Malik

Over the past 20 years, television has burgeoned into a global industry with thousands of channels for us to choose from. Entertainment and music are no longer the only options available; travel, history, arts, sciences and reality are just some of the other genres on offer.

But, nowhere is this more prominent than in the number of food networks that have sprung up during the past decade. In Pakistan alone, there are now four major channels dedicated solely to culinary art, featuring shows conducted by both renowned professional chefs and local food enthusiasts.

One can attribute this to our country’s ever-increasing obsession with food and drink but one thing is for sure: these channels have opened our eyes to the whole new dimension of food preparation. While some of us watch shows like MasterChef or The Ultimate Cake Off simply to pass time or stimulate our appetites, many are hooked onto them religiously. For the latter, cooking shows are but a daily class of sorts where they can learn new recipes and culinary tips to incorporate into their lives. Thanks to adrenaline-packed scripts and a scrumptious recipes, food networks have successfully usurped the attention once enjoyed by Indian soap operas for. Unfortunately, there is a downside to our addiction to cooking shows, as suggested by international food journal Appetite.

According to a recent study, women between the ages of 20 and 35, who derive information from cooking shows and regularly implement that information in their own cooking, weigh 11 pounds more than those who don’t cook or watch cooking shows at all. In other words, women who learn a recipe on television and then try to reenact it at home are more likely to gain weight.

The ideology behind this is fairly simple: most ingredients used by professionals on television are full-fat and unhealthy, so as to not compromise on taste. Also, a large number of recipes are better suited to special occasions and every day. For instance, a mouthwatering cake that was prepared within 15 minutes of one episode would cater to a large group of people but

Domestic goddess 7

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, MAY 10, 2015

By Hirra Pervaiz

Helpful tips for the perfect Shakshuka Poached eggs nestled in a peppery and flavourful tomato sauce

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp Large onion (chopped) 1 Garlic cloves (roughly chopped) 4 Large ripe tomatoes (chopped) 4 Tomato puree (canned or homemade) 1/4 cup Cumin powder 1 tsp Red chili flakes 1 tsp Coriander powder 1 tsp Dried basil 1/4 tsp Eggs 3 Salt to taste Black pepper to taste Fresh coriander for garnish (chopped)

Method • Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized skillet and sauté the onions until they become translucent. Add garlic to the mix and cool until you can smell the aroma.

• Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook the mixture on medium heat for about five minutes or so.

• Add the tomato puree and remaining spices to the skillet and mix thoroughly.

Cook until all the ingredients combine and the sauce begins to thicken, stirring occasionally. You may adjust the seasoning according to your preferences.

• Make wells in the sauce and crack in the eggs, making sure the yolk doesn’t break. Put a lid on the skillet and reduce heat to a lower temperature.

• Allow the eggs to cook for about 15 minutes on low flame. (You can adjust the flame according to how you like your yolk.)

• Uncover and remove the dish from the stove, sprinkle some salt, pepper and coriander before serving it with bread.

Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Yield: Serves 2

• If the tomato sauce is too dry and sticking to the pan, pour in some water and mix well. But remember that Shakshuka is supposed to be dry and not a watery liquid. Be mindful of how much water you add.

• You can add bell peppers, jalapenos and other spices to the sauce. Some crumbled feta cheese on the top also tastes great with Shakshuka.

• This dish can also be baked in the oven. Once the tomato sauce is prepared, crack in the eggs, place the skillet in a pre-heated oven and bake.

The best breads for Shakshuka A Shakshuka is designed for scooping and swiping. If you wish to lay off carbs, then you can have it with a spoon but you will be missing out big time! Shakshuka is a great dish to dunk some soft, warm bread in, especially on lazy Sunday mornings. Try out these bread types which taste delicious with a Shakshuka. We promise you’ll forget all about watching carbs.

• Plain white or brown bread.

• French bread (the size and shape of the slices allows easy dunking).

• Garlic bread (the cheese and garlic flavours enhance the taste).

• Cheese toast (this is a great alternative to adding cheese to the Shakshuka itself).

• Parathas (plain or minced-meat ones).

Woman of the week 8

With my daug hter, Zohray.

Me

Film-maker Visual Artist /

Hard at work in Berlin.

At times, oblong faces tend to look like a stretched version of a square. But mostly, they are rectangular with one dimension (the length) being greater than the other.

Deep tones applied to roots, hints of highlights around the ends and above the ears can add a slimming effect and give your face some much-needed angles.

For most of us, the word ‘contouring’ is a reminder of hours spent before the mirror, trying to define our cheekbones, jawline and nose with the help of makeup. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian have endorsed the technique, thanks to its ability to perform optical illusions on our faces and literally, change our appearance completely. But regular contouring is now done and dusted and the beauty industry has moved on to another hot, new and somewhat related trend to obsess over: hair contouring.

Yup, you read that right. Hair is the new canvas for contouring and it’s gaining popularity fast. In fact, world-renowned hair expert Charles Worthington has recently introduced hair contouring at his salon in London, prescribing light or dark tones based on customers’ skin colour and features. Read on to find out how you can define your face or enhance your complexion, thanks to some meticulously placed high and low lights!

Generally, faces that are circular in shape tend to have strong bone structures — and often, extra fat — which can be softened by light tones around the hairline and from ear to ear. Darker tones should be limited to the lower ends of the strands, below the ear, to give a brighter and more elongated feel to the face. This will make the face appear leaner.

In the case of heart-shaped faces, the facial features taper towards the chin, forming an inverted triangle of sorts. For such faces, it is best to place lighter-coloured strands around the jawline and ears to soften the angular bottom half of the face and create an egg-like appearance.

People with oval faces are very lucky.

The shape suits almost all hairstyles and colours, making it ideal for hair contouring. Oval faces rarely require enhancing but a hairstyle can always be accentuated more with added shine, deep colour tones and thick textures.

These are characterised by wide features and prominent outlines which can be diminished via multi-tonal layers or light and dark around the corners, temples and jawline. Not only will this add more depth to the face, it will also soften the outline and make the face appear narrow and defined.

Design by Essa Malik