The Express Tribune hi five - September 14

Ms SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

ISSUE NO. 117

Pretty in Pastels

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In conversation with Azfar Rehman

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inside lifestyle —

Growing up with a depressed parent

domestic goddess —

Coffee Cup Cakes

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Section In-Charge: Sarah Munir Sub-Editor: Nisma Chauhan

The Dynamic Chef Shai

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the buzz

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

by Ayeza Sumsam Mohiuddin

elaborates, his face lighting up with a smile, “I have always been an extrovert and so I felt that my expressiveness can prove to be a great asset for me when it comes to projecting a powerful presence on screen.”

And he wasn’t wrong about that.

Azfar got his break in television in 2006, as a host of a celebrity talk show Spotlight with Azfar Rehman.

The show was a huge success and ran for almost four years. One of his few

Good looks and being good at what you do can be a lethal combination in any industry. By utilising both these strengths to his advantage, actor, Azfar Rehman has proven that showbiz is no different. In an exclusive interview for Ms T, the charming actor spills the beans on his journey from a regular outgoing young boy to an acclaimed actor with 27 serials under his belt along with direction, modeling and hosting gigs.

When lady luck strikes One of the first things that caught me off-guard about Azfar was his immaculate sense of punctuality. Having heard countless horror stories about celebrities who keep reporters waiting for hours, I had chosen a café-cumart gallery for the interview so I could keep myself entertained during the long wait. To my pleasant surprise, however, the charming actor walked in exactly on time.

Clad in jeans and a black round neck T-shirt with an earthy beige cap, he

exuded a sense of casual confidence.

And I didn’t have to wait too long to find out that being an extrovert came to Azfar naturally. In fact, it was probably his upbeat attitude and energy that landed him in front of the camera in the first place.

“I was nearly 16 and was wandering in Agha’s supermarket with a couple of my friends one day,” recalls Azfar, as he speaks about his acting debut in a television commercial. “Call it destiny or a mere coincidence, but the director Saqib Malik was also shopping there when he saw me.” Subsequently, Saqib’s assistant approached Azfar and asked him if he wished to act in a commercial. “My friends persuaded me to go for it and that’s how I got started.”

But it wasn’t just destiny that sparked his interest in showbiz.

Working at an advertising agency gave Azfar the opportunity to closely observe how the television industry worked and made him realise that he wanted to be a part of it. “You see,” he

defining moments on that project was when he had the morning show host, Nadia Khan, as a guest. “For 10 years, Nadia Khan had not given a single interview and the fact that she agreed to come on my show was indeed an accomplishment!”

From there onwards, there was no looking back for Azfar. His roles in drama serials Dugdugi, Ladies Park, Sitamgar, Baityaan, Mehar Bano aur Shah Bano, Noor Pur Ki Rani, Mohab-

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

bat Rooth Jaye Toh and Phir Chand Pe Dastak received much acclaim and made him an instant hit with the audience. Even though, he doesn’t regret any of the projects he has done so far, two of his projects remain very close to his heart. The first one, Yeh Guriya Meri Hai, was a telefilm in which he played a character who suffers from Autism while the second one was drama serial Ishq Mein Teray in which he played an obsessive lover who dies at the serial’s climax.

On six packs, patriotism and the ideal woman Given the immense versatility in Azfar’s work, one can’t help but wonder how he manages to do justice to each role. “Simplicity along with the power of sheer observation is what makes an actor good enough,” he shares. Even though he advocats diversity in roles, Azfar claims that he will never be able to play a character that he does not believe in. “I always feel that the character one plays is in essence also an endorsement of that particular act or issue being highlighted.” For example, he would not be comfortable playing an abusive husband or an anti-Pakistan character. “That is just not who I am or what I simply want to endorse in front of my fans.”

His patriotism is also evident when he speaks animatedly about the recent screening of Pakistani dramas in India and their instant success with overseas audiences. “Our dramas are more realistic as opposed to our Indian counterparts and I can proudly say that our dramas are now being dubbed in various languages such as Arabic, Turkish and Syrian.”

Infact, the renowned serial Dhoop Kinare was also adapted and broadcasted on India’s Sony

PHOTOS: ZAAWIYA STUDIO

Entertainment Channel.”

Moreover, he believes that if an opportunity pops up for Pakistani actors to showcase their talent across the border, then they should certainly take it up. “I would also go in case such a prospect comes my way. However, it is highly important to note that I would always come back to Pakistan.”

Azfar, who has spent almost a decade in the television industry also has some solid advice for newcomers looking to make a mark in the field. “I have learnt that one needs to take their career very seriously. The goals need to be concretely defined. We really need to understand that success is not a mere position but a life long continuous process.” And with his upcoming projects which include a drama serial directed by Mohsin Mirza and another serial Surkh Jora, Azfar is working hard and leading by example.

Besides doing justice to powerful characters, there is something else that is on top of Azfar’s bucket list right now. Even though he is already quite fit, the actor now wants a sixpack and claims that he is working vigorously towards this goal. “If I intend to be on the big screen, then having a six-pack is crucial to ensure success.”

As the interview drew to a close, I asked Azfar about his ideal woman, a detail I was sure a lot of his fans would appreciate. “It is very important for a woman to be educated and have a career but then she should learn to strike a balance between her personal and professional life as well,” he shares.

It certainly seems like a far enough demand given that he lives by the same principle himself. And we wish this dynamic artist all the luck with his future endeavours!

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en vogue

Origins latest collection is ideal for every outing.

Coordination: Catalyst PR & Marketing Makeup & Photography: Deevees Label: Origins Model: Sara Sarfaraz

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

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lifestyle

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

by Tehmina Khan

Feelings of sadness and unhappiness are usually short-lived. However, if these feelings start interfering with one’s daily lives, they could be early signs of depression, a common but serious illness. Living with depression can take an obvious toll on the mental and physical well-being of not just on the patient themselves but also on those around them.

Hence, it is important to recognise it as a legitimate medical problem and seek the required help.

After-effects of depression on children The words and actions of a parent stay with a child for a long time. Hence, seeing a parent or parents struggle with sadness or long-term depression can have a dark impact on a child’s mind. Dr Uzma Ali, associate professor at the Institute of Clinical Psychology, University of Karachi, points out that parents suffering from depression can gravely influence children. “Depression keeps parents from fulfilling their duties towards their children due to lack of concentration and irritability,” says Ali, adding that if the parent had been suffering from depression even before marriage, the condition can also be transferred to the kids genetically.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, children and teenagers between the ages of 11 and 18 are influenced the most when a parent or parents are suffering from depression. *Mikael Ilyas, a law student, was 17 years old when his dad lost his job and became clinically depressed. “My dad went completely quiet — he wouldn’t speak to anyone, he wouldn’t leave the house, he wouldn’t even smile or touch his food for days,” recalls Mikael, confessing that he also resorted to drugs to escape the tension at home.

The use of drugs to escape the reality at home is possibly one of the worst effects of depression on teenagers, but it can also manifest in other ways. When 24-year-old *Nadia Malik, lost her dad three years ago, she started smoking. “My mother became a completely different person,” she recalls.

Thoughts of ending her own life also crossed Nadia’s mind several times when she saw her mother severely depressed.

Children who have even one parent suffering from depression have a greater chance of becoming depressed themselves, leading to a ‘cycle of depression’, according to the 2006 report Depressed Parents and the Effects on Their Children.

Understanding the problem One out of every four adults below the age of 25 has experienced depression once in their lives.

According to the Journal of the American Medical As-

sociation, 2003, women are twice as likely to suffer from depression as compared to men. However, in order to treat depression, it is essential to detect it first.

Moreover, depression is not only a mental health condition, it also has adverse effects on the patient’s physical health. According to the Mayo Clinic Organisation, an individual suffering from depression can also become vulnerable to other illnesses such as insomnia.

Reach out for help Depression is caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors and as serious as it may be, Marium Muneeb, an M.Phil in Psychology candidate at Bahria University, believes it is also completely reversible. “The treatment is a combined approach comprising of active communication, a positive approach to life, medication if required and complete support by family and friends,” explains Muneeb. However, the worst thing is ignoring the symptoms and delaying treatment.

“Depression should be taken seriously because there are countless number of cases that ended with patients committing suicide, simply because no one else seemed to understand,” she adds.

Ali also agrees that depression can get worse over time and medication alone cannot help a patient recover fully. “It is true that anti-depressants can correct the chemical imbalance and control the release of neurotransmitters in the body, but counselling and psychotherapy have a major role to play in the treatment as well,” she elaborates.

The key is to help patients get professional medical attention before the problem gets worse. “My aunt dragged my mother to a doctor she knew,” says Nadia, adding that, after counselling sessions for two years her mother finally accepted her father’s death. “I’ve been going to the same doctor too, for a couple of my own issues and it really helps,” adds Nadia.

On the other hand, Mikael’s drugs consumption became minimal after his dad found another job after almost a year and overcame his depression.

However, the period affected his grades at school, making him lose the opportunity to enrol into a good university. It is clear that depression has far reaching effects, not only on the sufferers but also on the people around them. In a society like ours where depression is brushed off as a passing phase and those suffering from it are expected to just snap out of it, the consequences can be lifelong. *Names have been changed to protect identity

domestic goddess 7

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

Recipe This scrumptious easy-to-make dessert is ideal for tea parties.

Huba Akbar is currently pursuing a Bachelors degree in Mass Communication and Journalism.

In her free time, she likes to write, design clothes and cook.

Method • Put brewed coffee and boiling water into a mixing bowl and stir until smooth.

• In a separate bowl, add butter, flour, sugar, milk and eggs and whisk thoroughly.

• Add a tablespoon full of mixture into cup cake cases.

• Top it with caramel sauce, coffee mixture and a teaspoon of milk.

Ingredients:

• Bake at 160oC for about 15 minutes or until it rise and change colour to golden brown.

• Garnish with colourful bunties and enjoy!

Butter 1/2 cup

Baking powder 1/2 tsp

Sugar 1/2cup

Boiling water 1tbsp

Eggs 2

Caramel sauce 1/2 cup

Brewed coffee 1/2 cup

Bunties for garnish

Self-rising flour 1 cup

woman of the week 8

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

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With Zuba ida T ariq.