The Express Tribune Magazine - November 17

NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

THE SINGING BUDDHA For Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, excellence was a spiritual state

NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

Feature

Cover Story

A stint with the [extra] ordinary

The Singing Buddha

Pakistan Man will rescue the country from all evil, but can he save himself?

For Nusrat Fasteh Ali Khan, excellence was a spiritual state

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Feature

Cereberal Bliss The Khayaal Festival in Lahore was a celebration of the finest minds and ideas

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4

Regulars

6 People & Parties: Out and about with the beautiful people

38 Review: A Restless Wind and 42

I Am Malala Movember: Raising prostate cancer awareness

Magazine In-charge: Sarah Munir and Sub-Editors: Dilaira Mondegarian and Manahyl Khan Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Essa Malik, Jamal Khurshid, Samra Aamir, Munira Abbas, S Asif Ali & Talha Ahmed Khan Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Executive Editor: Muhammad Ziauddin. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk Twitter: @ETribuneMag & Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ETribuneMag Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com

Zainab Khan and Sehar Khan

People & Parties Hamza Tarar exhibits his prêt collection along with Hina Zafar’s jewellery designs in Lahore PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS & PR Sadaf Khawar and Rabz Sajeel

Sadia Loan and Sabina Zafar

Aiman Zafar, Saman Hamdani and Mishaal Hamdani Shaheema Rehman

Ayesha Khan and Shahbano Sajid

SEPTEMBER 22-28 2013

Amina Saeed

Humera Malik

Fatima Aamir and Sobia Aamir

Farah Asrar and Hina Salman

SEPTEMBER 22-28 2013

Amani Moazzam and Mashaal Moazzam Ayesha Qadeer, Yab Zahra and Hira Malik

Arooj Gulzar and Hina Salman

Alyzeh Gabol

Attiya Noon

People & Parties Fashion Central opens its first multi-brand store in Lahore PHOTOS COURTESY FAISAL FAROOQUI AND HIS TEAM AT DRAGONFLY Fatima and Sadia

Zaina Feerasta

Nabia and Ayesha with a guest

Saba Waseem

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Guest

Salima, Pervez and Ashraf Feerasta Daredia

Shezeen and Shireen

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Hajra Hayat, Rima and Ayesha Imran

Huma Amir Shah

Mailha Salman, Fatima Kasuri and Nazish Zahoor

Sadia Zaheer and Sahr Iqbal

Annie and Uzma Sheraz

Sadaf Raza

Nida Sheikh and Ayesha Qadeer

Zahra Raza

Bushra Aftab

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Sara and Salman with their daughter

Salima, Sammy K and Annie

Arun, Humaira and Fia

PHOTOS COURTESY FAISAL FAROOQUI AND HIS TEAM AT DRAGONFLY

Aleena Raza and Rushna Shahjahan

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Hira and Huma Kiran and Maham

People & Parties Shubinak launches its flagship store in Islamabad PHOTOS COURTESY REZZ PR AND EVENTS

Qurat

Javeria and Komal

Mehmoona and Rashida

Maheen Asif and Nuzhat Shah

SEPTEMBER 22-28 2013

Faizan Ahhab and Nadia

Amina

Sulmeen Ansari and Malaika Adnan

Ayesha

SEPTEMBER 22-28 2013

Shabana Zubair

PHOTOS COURTESY REZZ PR AND EVENTS

Fatima Ahsana

Raheela

Aleena

Seemi Ali

Samina Aizaz

Iffat Gulzar and Rima Farid

SEPTEMBER 22-28 2013

Natasha Adil

Jasrah Sehgal

Ayesha and Mariam

Amina

SEPTEMBER 22-28 2013

SEPTEMBER 22-28 2013

SEPTEMBER 22-28 2013

FEATURE

ordinary

a stint with the [extra]

Pakistan Man will rescue the country from all evil, but can he save himself?

BY JAHANZAIB HAQUE DESIGN BY TALHA AHMED KHAN

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No. It’s a guy in a green suit sporting a wicked moustache, a poorly sketched logo and a cape!

Meet Pakistan Man — the latest comic superhero to emerge as part of a growing trend of desi comics spilling over from the virtual world into print. Dubbed Pakistan’s first superhero, a claim some in the local community of amateur illustrators would dispute, Pakistan Man is the brainchild of 24-year-old Hassan Siddiqui, a marketing graduate from Iqra University, Islamabad. The self published comic is the logical final culmination of a childhood passion for drawing cartoons.

The road to Pakistan Man was paved however, as it does for many aspiring young Pakistani cartoonists — on Facebook.

“HS comics were launched on Facebook in 2011. I’m the owner and artist,” Siddiqui says, narrating how the social network helped him build a fan base and improve his skills.

“Facebook is a great way to show your art to people. It is a very important tool for any artist to start-up because it gives you instant feedback from your fan. You also have to be careful not to make mistakes in your work and deliver something which is on trend.”

Honing his art on social media, Siddiqui developed a fan following of over 13,000 on the HS comics Facebook page. While most of his toons were simple one-liners or 2-3 panel affairs on local politics and culture, the young illustrator/writer decided to work on a larger creative project around a local superhero, an idea he had first conceived in college.

The first issue of the comic is a fairly simple origins story, though its message is somewhat convoluted, something that perhaps unintentionally reflects the very real issue of existing conflicting narratives about Pakistan and national identity. While Pakistan Man seems to be an everyman superhero with a democratic bent, he also seems comfortable toppling the government. An overly simplified messiah, he is determined to save the homeland from all forms of injustice, including Meera’s English.

The son of a poor family, living in a small village called Sastapur, Pakistan Man dons his heroic avatar after a chance encounter with iconic hero Sultan Rahi. Five years of rigorous training and moustache growing later, armed with a superhero costume and the ability to fly, he is ready to save Pakistan as instructed by his mentor Sultan Rahi.

18 NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

In the ensuing adventure, the man in green takes down pagal Sikandar, smacks a renowned female celebrity with an English dictionary, and then goes on to defeat The Corruptor, an evil super villain who is naturally a fraudulent politician sitting in the Parliament.

The drawings are basic, the inking is digital and the plot is predictable, but perhaps necessary for an origins story. “Pakistan Man is meant to represent the Pakistani people, showing how anyone can become a superhero,” Siddiqui explains. The fact that Meera is assaulted with a dictionary is “just a joke”. The Corruptor is an amalgamation of Pakistan’s leaders, and the fact that he is forced to flee the Parliament is a playful spin. “I wouldn’t say it is meant to send any big message about democracy. I don’t want people to take anything too political from my comic book, it is meant for people to have a good laugh and enjoy a good story which they can relate to,” explains Siddiqi.

The young creator points out that one of the biggest challenges to drawing comics in Pakistan is trying to tackle any issue without offending people. The lack of knowledge about comic books as an alternate form of creative expression does not help the situation either.

Fortunately, the challenge of finding a publisher for the comic was bypassed by going the self-publishing route. “I had wanted to publish a comic book for the longest time.

The total cost was about Rs25,000... I covered this with the help of a friend who also worked on it,” Siddiqui says matter-of-factly.

While inspired by the recent launch of Umro Ayar, an Urdu Comic book by Kachee Goliyan, Siddiqui set aside aiming for any monetary gains from the first issue of Pakistan Man.

The son of a poor family, living in a small village called Sastapur, Pakistan Man dons his heroic avatar after a chance encounter with iconic hero Sultan Rahi

“We felt it would be hard to convince paying sponsors for the first issue. Hopefully seeing our success we can get some sponsors for our next issue. Any profits generated from the first issue will go to the Edhi Foundation,” he says.

Whether Pakistan Man sees a second or third issue or ends 16 pages deep depends on how the current version fares with the audience. “Depending on the success of the first issue, Pakistan Man ’s story may continue… hopefully in the future there will be more issues,” Siddiqui says.

While the dedication to publishing comics in the face of multiple hurdles is impressive, at the end of the day, Pakistan Man offers little that is not amateur or already seen before. The drawings are just a step above high school doodles and not in a self-deprecating, ironic way. The plot is tired, while the writing and jokes are childish, and unlikely to appeal to anyone over the age of 15. If our man in green does return, here’s hoping he works on his one-liners more than his punches. T (Pakistan Man is available at The Book Shop and Famous Books, Islamabad and Idris Book Bank, Rawalpindi for Rs90. The comic can also be ordered online from the HS Comics Facebook page for Rs145, including delivery charges.)

NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

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THE SINGING BUDDHA For Nusrat Fasteh Ali Khan, excellence was a spiritual state

BY JAMILE NAQI DESIGN BY ESSA MALIK

Hearing Nusrat is not just music, it is an act of worship. There seems to be a consensus amongst those who heard the maestro as he breathed life into notes. Defying the conventional genres that melodies are usually neatly stacked into, he would transcend to a level of rhythmic devotion that was lost on ordinary minds. Immersed in the spiritual, he never lost grip over any note or any tremor, his tehreek, mutki, phandayy — nothing short of perfect. As the music washed over your senses and your pulse vibrated to the beat, you ached to fade into his mystical abyss, fully aware that what you were experiencing was not ordinary.

This was the magic of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Pakistan did not have a Bocelli or Pavarotti at the time, neither did we have our own version of the Beatles or Led Zepplin, but it did not matter because we had Nusrat. Born in Faisalabad, he inherited a 600-year-old tradition of qawwali from his forefathers and went on to become the Shahanshah-eQawwali or the The King of Kings of Qawwali. But his genius was not just limited to qawwali. His collaborations with renowned musicians like Peter Gabriel and Eddie Vedder saw a marriage of the electric guitar and the tabla, producing some of the richest fusions of the time.

Unsurpassed in his musical range, his knack for improvisation and the sheer intensity of his chords made him one of the most significant voices from the region. While millions revered the musician, few knew Nusrat — the man. Dr Pierre-Alain Baud, a researcher, academic and author of his biography Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the messenger of Qawwali, spent several years in Nusrat’s company. In an interview during his recent visit to Lahore, he recounts his experiences with the melodic enigma.

NFAK giving a passionate performance during the 1980s.

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PHOTO: DR PIERRE-ALAIN BAUD NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

COVER STORY

At Bidi Studio, Paris for a recording in 1993.

PHOTO: DR PIERRE-ALAIN BAUD

With group members rehearsing at Bidi Studio, Paris. PHOTO: DR PIERRE-ALAIN BAUD

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Featured in the 1997 issue of TIME magazine.

PHOTO: DR PIERRE-ALAIN BAUD NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

1. What was your first exposure to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s qawwali music?

The first concert I attended took place in Paris in 1985 at Theatre de la Ville. It was organised by Soudabeh Kia, a FrenchIranian lady. She was the first person to introduce Nusrat to non-resident Pakistani audiences.

In 1985, Nusrat was still completely unknown in France, apart from some Sufi or South-Asian music aficionados. A major part of the audience that evening was Pakistani or Indian and the response was just like in Pakistan; people standing up from their seats and going down (Theatre de la Ville hall is very steep) to the stage to offer ‘vel’ (donations) or requesting him to sing such or such an item; a couple of sensitive listeners went into a trance.

2. And your response?

Oh, it was an astonishing discovery, widening my knowledge of Sufi music in a huge way. And Nusrat was such a presence.

He had the Beloved floating in the air…

A-ma-zing, really a-ma-zing!

3. What can you tell us about your first meeting with Nusrat?

After this 1985 shock (as a mere lay listener among a 1,000 people), I heard him again live in 1988 or maybe was 1989. I had been listening again and again to his recordings. But the encounter moment came in autumn 1991. I met him when I was en route to attend his concert at an old French monastery. It was an autumn morning.

We were at the Railway station in Tours, France. He was there, the ‘Singing Buddha’ from the Theatre de la Ville in Paris, waiting for the connection that would take him and his musicians to Fontevraud Abbey for his last concerts of the year in France. We,

Well, I think what stands out when you look at Nusrat is his devotion to Sufism. Qawwali as an art-form has a long history, and was used as a tool to bring people towards Islam. His family had a 400-yearold history, with the art.

I think for me what stands out is that he was the first real star to have come out of South Asia who was truly international. Madonna and Pavarroti wanted to record albums with him, Mick Jagger had come to Lahore to listen to him and there was a massive following across the globe.

He performed as a traditional qawwal for many years initially but could not attain the status of his father and uncle. It was really, Imran Khan who was then raising funds for his hospital, that changed things. Performing at those fundraisers, he met great musicians such as Peter Gabriel, Eddie Vedder and his reputation as an artist became global. This is his real impact, in such a short span he was the most popular Pakistani and the biggest celebrity to make an impact from South Asia. Socialite/ Philanthropist - YOUSUF SALLI

A group performance at Chergourg, France in 1993.

PHOTO: DR PIERRE-ALAIN BAUD

Performance at Lok Virsa, Islamabad. PHOTO: SAJID MUNIR

members of the enthralled audience who had already seen him perform thrice in Paris the week before, were going to the Abbey too, to witness the incredible freedom of his voice once again.

The shock this meeting produced was scorching. Uncertain, trembling words started a conversation, which slowly grew into a dense dialogue in the shade of the priory. Generous exchanges [were] interrupted by unexpected vocal demonstrations, stunning silences [and a] fiery look‌ Years later, having accompanied him on numerous international tours, I remained a spectator stunned by his vertiginous voice: I do not fully understand the mystery of his song, but an intimate resonance intrigues and unnerved me as soon as he sat down, cross-legged on the stage and hurled out his mad love song to the Divine.

4, This meeting at Fontevraud was the beginning of your association with Nusrat?

Yes. After the few days we spent together at Fontevraud, he invited me to follow him on his tour to Italy, and then to meet him at his home in Pakistan. From that point of time, I accompanied him for over five years, on a number of his international tours, in the capacity of an assistant of his major promoter. For the past 30 years, [Kia}on behalf of Paris municipal Theatre de la Ville, has been promoting numerous Pakistani artists worldwide.

I went with him to a number of European countries, Brazil, Tunisia, and was with him in New York. I followed him to dozens of places in Pakistan and went wherever he was going. He has been a great institution for me [with] respect to the Pakistani society.

5. Say more about Nusrat the man.

He had innumerable facets: enigmatic and innocent, colossal and peaceful, inspired and ordinary, all parts of the same person who inflamed myriads of spectators in La-

PHOTO: REUTERS

An underrated aspect about Nusrat saheb, is his ability as composer which most people tend to forget. On a broader level, modern music needed Nusrat, not the other way around. He was a complete package and had very different vocals, which appealed to a lot of people who collaborated with him.

He was a very good teacher and understood how to impart that knowledge to others. I come from a family of composers and instrumentalist myself, but Nusrat’s work as composer was very natural. Most composers have to think of a beat while composing the melody but for him this was inherent.

I know RD Burman has used a lot of his work and AR Rahman is heavily influenced by him too. Musician - Sahir Ali Bagga

NFAK with his troupe.

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PHOTO: DR PIERRE-ALAIN BAUD NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

COVER STORY I spent about 10 years attached to him and met him regularly even before that. His entire day was consumed by music — it was all he really needed. I recall many nights when we would end up singing or making compositions till dawn. I think what I loved about him was his work as composer.

When I had first started parody it was because of the increasing vulgarity in local theatre. I had always looked at parody as a way of paying tribute to our artists and stars. In Nusrat’s case, I remember the first time I performed in front of him, he was in a giggling fit. He ended up becoming one of my biggest supporters.

As someone who spent a lot of time with him, I can tell you he had very innocent and pure personality. I don’t think I have ever seen him lose his temper or get angry. But one thing was constant, he loved music and played 24 hours a day. Comedian - HASSAN ABBAS

In his lodge before a performance, in Cherbourg, 1993.

PHOTO: DR PIERRE-ALAIN BAUD

hore, Paris, Florence, Tokyo or New York, crossing linguistic and cultural, generational and social barriers with the greatest of ease. To further elaborate, I will quote myself from a fragment of the portrait I sketched about him in my biography foreword: “Singing Buddha in Tokyo, Quintessence of the human voice in Tunis, The Voice of Paradise in Los Angeles, The Spirit of Islam in London, Pavarotti of the East in Paris, Shahenshah-e-Qawwali in Lahore . Over the space of about 15 years, this chosen singer, one of God’s madmen, one of God’s sweetest, shot to planetary fame.

And then he disappeared, too early…leaving a thousand footprints behind.

A man of superlatives: weight (impressive), octaves (six, supposedly), albums (125 at the beginning of the 1990s according to the Guinness book of records, maybe twice that many by now), videos that can be consulted on the Internet site YouTube (over 2,000, certain of which have been viewed a million times in a single year), concerts (by the thousands), Google references (hundreds of thousands), cassettes and CDs ( by the millions).

And yet a man of deep simplicity. His all-consuming mission was to spread a message — the kind and beautiful words of the Sufi poets, mystics, permeated by an Islam reflecting love and union.

A man outside of time, bewitching us with the madness of his declarations of love addressed to the Divine. A man truly of his times too, open to all kinds of experiments, all kinds of fusion. Rooted and universal. Committed and free.”

6. Who were the people around Nusrat?

Well, in Pakistan, basically his close family members, though I would say, at the same focal level, his qawwali party men, which included his younger brother, Farrukh, and for a long time his cousin-brother, Mujahid Mubarak, as well as his bother-in-law and other cousins.

In fact, he was spending much time with his party, always rolling from one concert venue to another, from a recording to a class, spending a huge amount of time travelling. He had hectic tour schedules.

As a bridegroom.

At Rishi Kapoor’s wedding ceremony, Mumbai.

PHOTO: DR PIERRE-ALAIN BAUD

PHOTO: USTAD GHULAM HAIDER

Unlike many musicians or individuals who consider music as something that is part-time, Nusrat was the complete artist, from top to bottom. His index finger would move in a rhythmic motion even when he was asleep. That was his genius, he was always lost in composition and music consumed his life.

He was a very straight-forward and kind individual who generously shared his craft and never paid heed to the commercial side of his career. In fact, I recall his manager at AlHamra asking him to take more of an interest because many people would make money from his music without giving his share. It was also known that he had composed a few songs for Bollywood and received something like Rs18 as payment.

But he was never bitter. Music was part of his blood and all that mattered. Academic/Writer - AQEEL RUBY

7. I heard Nurat ate maybe 25 parathas for breakfast. Is that true? What was his favourite dish?

As far as I know, no! He was definitely a good eater (as we say in French). He appreciated eating but not [upto] this point. I am not sure [what his favourite dish was] but the most common one he was eating was roti and meat, the basic menu of Punjabi middle class men, no?

8. I heard Nusrat live in Central Park, New York, in the late 1990s. The impact of hearing his qawwali live is unforgettable. But when I hear Nusrat on CD it does not carry the same inspiration?

In the old days, the LP’s and records carried the full range of the singer’s voice — from the lowest to the highest pitch. Now CDs use stabilisers and other devices (for recording) and only capture the middle range of highs and lows. So you don’t get the full drama, power and passion of the vocalist.

9. Did your time spent with Nusrat change you in any way?

Definitely. He has been a major go-between, between my French European contemporary identity and my larger Sufi/spiritual/mystic individual soul, projected towards the Universal, the One. We may have lost Nusrat too soon. In August 1997, at the age of 48, his body finally resigned to cardiac failure after battling with a failing liver and kidneys. But when you leave behind a universal DNA in the form of timeless melodies and an army of musicians who spend their entire careers trying to hit the notes Nusrat glided over effortlessly, the music never really dies. ADDITIONAL INPUT: SHER KHAN

During different performances across Pakistan, 1993. PHOTOS: USTAD GHULAM HAIDER

FEATURE

Cereberal Bliss

The Khayaal Festival in Lahore was a celebration of the finest minds and ideas

BY NUZHAT SAADIA SIDDIQI PHOTOS BY NUZHAT SAADIA SIDDIQI & MALIK SHAFIQ DESIGN BY ASIF ALI

On a crisp autumn morning, one of the four organisers of Khayaal Festival of Art and Literature, Ayesha Husain, stood in front of a small audience at the Alhamra Arts Council Hall 1 and shared her thoughts on why Lahore needs an alternative social narrative which is positive and all-inclusive. She explained why she and her colleagues, Zainab Qureshi, Amna Omar and Nuria Rafique-Iqbal came together to form Khayaal Creative Network, stressing the need for preserving Lahore’s and Pakistan’s unique socio-cultural identity. Audience

members, while few in numbers, agreed. Meekal Hasan and his troupe of musicians vowed the audience with a soulful rendition of the national anthem and so began an extravaganza that was a much needed balm to the usually intellectually parched social calendar of the city.

Similar to the Lahore Literary Festival held earlier this year, Khayaal Festival featured back-to-back discussions and sessions over a period of two days fused with musical and dramatic performances.

The major difference was that the festival had veered away from the confines of bookish discus-

32 A panel of experts during a session discussing Pakistani films.

NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

Reshma sang from the heart. She couldn’t reel her voice into what was considered ‘proper’. That was her talent Singer Farida Khanum

A woman’s sexuality unsettles everyone, it’s the most frightening thing in any civilisation Writer Mohsin Hamid

sions and paired the worlds of literature and art together to concoct a delightfully stimulating mix of the serious and the whimsical. On one hand we had renowned academics and publishing experts talking about the perils of publishing in Pakistan and on the other there were writers talking about the limitations of writing on art. From a conversation about the aching beauty and sheer travesty of wandering through Pakistan to a discussion on how to take Pakistani theatre from the absurd to the absolute, this was only the first half of the first day of the festival.

Art and literature make us realise the fluidity of identity Lahore came out to see and hear the literary darling Mohsin Hamid. The author’s elusive wit and understated charm was matched by the effervescently upbeat Mira Sethi. Proving to be an engaging interviewer, she narrated how a local bookshop owner had languidly informed her “Hamid ki kitaab top par hai aaj kal” (Hamid’s book is a topseller these days). The conversation was based on the collective bibliography of the author, with a few choice questions inevitably thrown in the mix about Mira Nair’s cinematic adaptation of Hamid’s book, The Reluctant Fundamentalist. About a question referring to his female characters, Mohsin Hamid sagely mentioned how “women’s sexuality unsettles everyone; it’s the most frightening thing in any civilisation”. He added that his female characters exist independent of their male counterparts and perhaps are not conventional.

He drew a laugh and cheers from the crowd when he mentioned what he tells people who ask him why he doesn’t write in Urdu. “I’m a fish,” he said, “why don’t you fly? Someone asks the fish.

Because I’m a fish! Says the fish.”

We are nothing without our filth and fury

Today’s plays either show the women to be weak or conniving.This simplification of complex issues needs to stop Writer Haseena Moin

Salman Shahid took to a darkened stage, armed with printouts of Manto’s infamous story Thanda Gosht, narrating it with halting grace. A sitar nawaz sat beside him, punctuating the ferocious melancholy of the narrative with the strings. However, it was young auteur Sarmad Sultan Khoosat who stole the session when he read one of Manto’s essays and later showed a short film which served as 33 NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

FEATURE

A small craft fair was run by Daachi Foundation outside the main halls. an introduction to his upcoming masterpiece Main Manto. Shot beautifully, the film promises to be a visceral in-depth look at the life of the man behind the stories; the madness, the sound and the fury.

Sarmad said the film will be released in Pakistan in the first half of next year after it has done a tour of the international film festivals.

In sharp focus Perhaps the biggest crowd-puller of the day happened in the form of a session that brought together the crews of two of the biggest cinematic hits Pakistan has had in the past few months.

Bilal and Kamran Lashari and Amir Munawwar represented Waar and Vasay Chaudhry and Javed Sheikh joined them to represent Mein Hoon Shahid Afridi. Much to the moderator’s delight, and to the surprise of the audience, the studly Shamoon Abbasi who played the villain in Waar also showed up in the crowd and was invited on stage mid-discussion. The conversation touched upon the revival of cinema and the evolution of the art of cinematic storytelling in Pakistan.

Some of the audience members debated whether Waar was too violent, abrasive, and full of foul language. They also pointed out that perhaps the film pandered a very stereotypical image of Pakistan at war with itself when it comes to terrorism, and 34 that certain foreign elements are to blame for evNOVEMBER 17-23 2013

The festival had veered away from the conďŹ nes of bookish discussions and paired the worlds of literature and art together to concoct a delightfully stimulating mix of the serious and the whimsical

Juggun Kazim and Zeba Bakhtiar pictured speaking at the two-day conference.

Kamil Mumtaz with Nuria Rafique Iqbal during a session.

ery mishap. Bilal Lashari belied his years when he very soberly countered each statement by saying that his was a big budget action film not unlike a Hollywood production, which are far more violent. As for the controversy surrounding the funding of the film coming from ISI, he said, “Well, the ISPR is enjoying all the free credit right now.”

Vasay Chaudhry was a riot when he admitted that as the writer of Mein Hoon Shahid Afridi, he couldn’t divert the audience’s attention from previous sporting films from across the border such as Lagaan and Chak De India, so he focused only on having a laugh through the script.

“There are perhaps four per cent people in this country who have everything,” Vasay added, “and then there is the 96% who have nothing but the power of prayers carrying them through life. Mein Hoon was an ode to that.”

Can television be credited as being an intelligent medium at all?

Remains of the next day The second day of the festival saw more numbers in attendance along with many of the panelists from day one. Nabiha Meher Shaikh, an educationist and women’s rights activist working with the NGO Simorgh introduced their recent publications to young attendees and their parents. The books included a hefty tome about Raja Rasalu and many translated feminist texts, textbooks for children and mainly collections of works of women’s writers of Pakistan. Khayaal Festival also had a small craft fair being run by Daachi Foundation outside the main halls. The day featured simultaneous talks in not two but all three halls of Alhamra, making it even harder to choose between sessions.

Sarmad Sehbai, Asghar Nadeem Syed and Haseena Moin, in a discussion with Sarmad Sultan Khoosat, brought out the proverbial claws when discussing the current state of Pakistani drama.

In an engaging session, the three veteran television writers shared three different theories of what is wrong, or right, with Pakistani drama today. On question of Turkish dramas killing the business of good Pakistani dramas, Sarmad Sehbai vociferously countered the argument that competition was necessarily a boon for Pakistani drama makers, a view held steadfastly by Asghar Nadeem Syed. As for drama writers having a social duty and moral obligation to write intelligent material, he also added that no revolutions should be expected from the writers when they are paid peanuts and are driven to write in things that drive marketing revenue for the seth media. Haseena Moin joined in by saying that the ratings and marketing aspect of dramas has killed the age old demand of telling a good story.

“I wrote strong female characters that were bold and courageous and could have a good laugh along the way. Today’s plays either show the women to be weak, submissive and oppressed or the conniving home-wrecker,” she said. “This simplification of complex issues needs to stop.”

Asghar Nadeem Syed interjected that he had written a drama about the four girls who were buried alive in Balochistan and it got good ratings and feedback, so the door was not entirely closed on intelligent writing. “Unfortunately 35 NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

FEATURE

Raza Rumi speaks about his new book at one of the sessions.

Ali Sethi moderating a session with renowned singer, Farida Khanum.

the media has assumed the role of sole caretaker of public debate and discourse,” he added.

“Our role models, legends and new talent have all been sidelined by revenue driven political tamasha.”

the spirited remake by Abrarul Haq. The fact that their film has been sent as an official Foreign Language Film nominee to the upcoming Oscars was of much delight to the film-makers, although they admitted they did not have the budget or the contacts in LA to run a campaign to promote their film.

Farjab Nabi announced that their next film project will be crowd-funded so the people should get ready to put in their money if they want another exciting film.

Bubble of water The session featuring first time film-makers Meenu Gaur, Mazhar Zaidi and Farjad Nabi added a refreshing perspective to the ongoing conversation about the revival of Pakistani cinema. “[Around] 95% of our film’s crew was first time film-makers. Our art direction came from students of National College of Arts (NCA) and Beaconhouse National University (BNU), and all our leading men with the obvious exception of Naseeruddin Shah were first time performers,” said Meenu Gaur. When asked about whether it was easy to follow through with her ideas for the film, she said that Pakistan’s film industry is free from the hegemonic model Bollywood has now assumed. Aspiring Pakistani film-makers have a clean slate and a level field to try out their stories.

Farjad Nabi was adamant that the story they wanted to tell in the film grew as the actors improvised. Fresh from being under Naseeruddin Shah’s tutelage, they were also ready to explore new ideas. “The stories truly are all out on the streets, it’s just that no one’s telling them.”

Mazhar Zaidi recollected the remaking of the classic Saahir Ali Bagga song Paani Da Bulbula by showing a documentary clip of the man him36 self, talking about the history of his version and NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

The songbird among us Perhaps the most moving session was the one that featured, in all her glory, the grand dame of Pakistani classical music, Farida Khanum. Moderated by Ali Sethi, whose enthusiasm for classical music often bubbled over, the session turned into a mehfil of sorts when surprise guest Ghulam Ali joined the two on the stage. The lofty conversation veered from the 800-year-old tradition of classical music, the evolution of Raag Aiman, anecdotes about pronunciation of words in ghazals, memories of Radio Pakistan and how Farida Khanum’s singing has sustained three generations now.

The session took another poignant turn when Farida Khanum paid tribute to the legendary folk singer Reshma, who had died earlier that day.

“She sang from her heart and her whole being.

She couldn’t reel her voice into what was considered proper, and that was her talent. It was perhaps too visceral for some people, but she didn’t care,” Farida Khanum said. Ghulam Ali recalled

Copies of Raza Rumi’s book, Delhi by heart were available for sale at the Khayaal Festival.

Reshma’s simplicity despite her celebrity status, stating how he had once helped her get her payment from a concert promoter who had tricked her out of it.

Me, all of us, and everyone

The stories are all out on the streets, it’s just that no one is telling them Film-maker Farjad Nabi

Our role models, legends and new talent have been sidelined by revenue driven political tamasha Writer Asghar Nadeem Syed

The festival ended with an inspired performance by indie musicians Poor Rich Boy. A complete flip-over from the last session, first time attendees of the performance doubted if the band could add anything of substance after the graceful strains of Farida Khanum’s session. However, to obliterate everyone’s negative expectations, the band delivered a rousing performance of some of their most interesting hits. Lead singer Umer Khan lightly added that it was his “turn to tell stories”. And indeed he did, from a philosophical parable about man who goes searching for a tree with a treasure buried underneath it and the power of dreams, the session was a melodious reminder of the significant talent there is among our youth.

Entry to the festival was free but it was organised carefully with a lot of thought and heart, and one hopes that the next Khayaal Festival will be promoted properly so that more people can attend.

The lack of crowds at this event, however, did not take away from the quality of the experience, and reminded everyone why Lahore is still the cultural 37 heart of Pakistan.

NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

Princely Pursuits A Restless Wind drifts along, hoping to find direction

BY ZAHRAH MAZHAR

Intertwining with the past and the present, A Restless Wind is an intense read that takes you on a whirlwind journey from London to India.

Zara, a Muslim in Britain, is a successful lawyer. At 35, she is about to become the Queen’s Counsel. She’s married to an Englishman, Peter, who she fell in love with almost instantly. On paper, her life is on track, but in her mind, she’s confused and restless.

Her state of unhappiness starts with cases of illegal immigrants seeking asylum from the communal violence in Gujrat, travels into her marriage that she no longer finds exciting and ends with memories of Qila, her ancestral home in the town of Trivikrampur. All the while, she thinks of aunt Hana, the matriarch of the aristocratic House of Ramzi, whose ill health finally pushes Zara to visit Qila after ten years.

“A trip to Trivikrampur will do you good.

Get some balance back. Right now you’re lost,” offers Peter as support to Zara. But as page after page of A Restless Wind by Shahrukh Husain will tell you, it’s not that simple.

The moment Zara lands, she’s confronted by her first love, Jay, better known as the Maharaja of Trivikrampur, Jayendra Singh Varma, who had swept her off her feet when they were studying at Oxford. Along with the complexity of their relationship, we dive into the lives of other people around Zara — her

Available at Liberty Books for Rs1,195

cousin Saif, the spiritual head of the Ramzi clan, his suspicious wife Pebbles, their daughter Sharmeen and aunt Hana, who raised Zara after her mother abandoned her.

Zara’s relationships and her inner journey unravel against the backdrop of tension between Hindus and Muslims in Gujrat, along with political trappings. Shahrukh Husain also tells us how the rajas of the princely states try to find their place in an evolving nation.

A Restless Wind isn’t about Zara finding herself; it’s about tying her past and the present together into one person. “But which ‘you’ were they talking about? The career woman? An orphaned, abandoned child? A voiceless, nameless immigrant? Or the scion of a noble household, brought up to the knowledge of a line that began further back than the thirteenth century?” Zara wonders to herself at the start of the book.

It’s a pleasant book to read and Husain’s work as a children’s book author comes in handy as she weaves a tale of royalty and contemporary lives. The narrative is simple and constant throughout the book. What isn’t constant, however, is the pace and captivating storylines which readers find in the first half of the book. Somewhere in the middle, as Zara tries to juggle family, her marriage, a pining love and her identities, the book loses its momentum by taking on too much.

Instead of tying up the loose ends, ironically what the protagonist herself is after, the book introduces new characters and somewhat random storylines. This, sadly, leaves the ending a bit haphazard and almost rushed. T

Local roots, foreign ties

38

The Namesake

by Jhumpa Lahiri

Salt and Saffron

by Kamila Shamsie

Jhumpa Lahiri’s debut novel tells the story of a Bengali couple who move to the United States and try to strike a balance between retaining their cultural values and adopting new ones. What follows is the first 30 years of their son’s life, born and brought up in the States, and how he has to choose his ancestral values without any feelings of connection. The Namesake is witty, poignant and undoubtedly one of Lahiri’s best works.

Another debut novel, Salt and Saffron by Kamila Shamsie covers Aliya’s journey back to Karachi right after finishing college in the States. She reconnects with her relatives and the city, learns to understand and put up with the Pakistani family style and, most interestingly, finds out her family’s history which relates to her present day life.

NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

The Village Bride of Beverly Hills

by Kavita Daswani A change from tracing back roots, Kavita Diswani’s light hearted book looks at how Priya, the youngest of four sisters, moves from Delhi to Los Angeles after her marriage. Living in a joint family, Priya has to keep up with what her in-laws expect of an Indian bahu while also adapting to the American lifestyle — juggling life, love, career and traditions.

BOOK

UNDERSTANDING MALALA The story of a young girl who just wants to go to school

BY MINA SOHAIL Young, bright-eyed, Malala Yousafzai leaves the likes of Jon Stewart speechless, candidly tells Christiane Amanpour she would visit the Buckingham Palace as it is the order of the Queen, and has been named as one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. But her story is a far cry from the splendour she now sees.

In her autobiography, I Am Malala, co-authored by Christine Lamb, a British journalist, the 16-year-old takes us through the everyday life of a young girl in the Taliban infused city of Swat. The memoir traces her life and the incidents in her hometown that forced her to speak out publicly for the right of education for girls, long before she was shot and thrust into international limelight.

The book begins with an intriguing description of the Pashtun culture and Swat, a place she often refers to as the Switzerland of Pakistan. A brief history of the Pakistani political landscape dating back to Gen Zia’s regime, told mostly through her father’s recollection, gives a broader perspective on the geo-political dynamics that have shaped the country in its present form. We learn significantly about her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, who once struggled for his own education. As a teacher and an activist, he persistently campaigned for the rights of the people of Swat. Unlike most men in his tribe, who mourned the birth of daughters, he took great pride in Malala and named her after a renowned female Pashtun warrior.

And Malala was every bit of the warrior that her father envisioned her to be. Using accounts from her personal life, the book allows you to see for yourself that Malala is no ordinary girl. Her spirit is almost tangible when you see her questioning everyday injustices, that even many adults have made peace with. For example, she shares the story of a 10-year-old girl married to an old man, an incident that troubled her deeply. “I am very proud to be Pashtun, but sometimes our code of conduct has a lot to answer for, especially in its treatment of women,” she says. She continues to debate the legitimacy of the Taliban mindset, especially when it came to stopping girls from going to school. And with her father’s support, she ensures that these questions make way to the right ears.

Malala’s mother, an illiterate but progressive woman, would share her concern for her daughter’s safety but would not prevent her from speaking up. In fact a poignant detail in the book is the moment her mother learns of the ruthless attack on her daughter, was the day she was to start learning how to read and write.

The book does not offer a thorough critique of the West’s military operations in the region, and it can be debated that a significant portion is a reflection of her father and Lamb’s analysis of Pakistani history and politics, rather than that of the 16-year-old herself.

However, it allows you to taste the fear of living in a regime where books are shunned and the wrong length of your beard can get you killed. It enables you to understand how bewildering the current situation in the country can be for a young child who just wants a normal life.

I moustache you a question As the world gears to grow a moustache this November to raise awareness about prostate cancer, we ask a few Pakistanis about their plans

BY MANAHYL KHAN DESIGN BY KIRAN SHAHID

In 2003, two friends, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery started the Movember movement in Melbourne, Australia with an aim to generate interest and funds for men’s health and prostate cancer. A disease that only affects men, this cancer is a tumour growing in the prostrate — a gland in the male reproductive system.

According to Cancer Research UK, an estimated 900,000 men worldwide were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008, accounting for almost one in seven (14%) cancers diagnosed in men. With an initial following of 30 men, the independent charity movement now boasts over 1.9m moustache growers and donors in 21 countries.

How does it work?

At the start of November, or Movember, men can register an online profile with a clean shaven face. The Movember participants known as Mo Bros have the rest of the month to grow and groom their moustache, while raising money along the way to benefit men’s health and research opportunities.

However, there are some strict criterion regarding the moustache — it cannot be joined to the sideburns, as that is considered a beard. Neither can the handlebars be joined to the chin. Lastly, each Mo Bro is expected to conduct himself like a country gentleman.

KAMIL KHAN - Sales manager “It gives me real pride when I’m asked about the moustache and I get to tell them about prostate cancer. People don’t know one in eight men could possibly get it. I feel satisfied knowing I’m contributing to a cause no matter how small that contribution maybe.”

BUSHRA PAREKH - Event planner

Where’s Pakistan in the movement?

While brands align themselves to the movement internationally with print ads and painting moustaches on airplanes (British Airways), the movement has not yet reached Pakistan. In fact, the official Movember website does not even show Pakistan as a choice in the country section.

Zair Maqsood, CEO of N-Gents in Karachi, says he has not heard too many people asking or talking about Movember.

“I see the potential but people have not picked up on it yet.

We can’t do much, but I am giving moustache and beard grooming advice this month.”

Procter & Gamble partakes in Movember internationally through its men’s brand Gillete by producing print ads on the movement, but locally it has not been seen promoting the campaign.

Though brands may be slower to catch on, some Pakistanis are fully aware of the movement and want to do their bit towards raising awareness and funds. T

FAISAL MUNSHI - Entrepreneur “It is to create awareness. I want to encourage everyone to read up and donate towards men’s health to better understand the risks and prevention methods related to prostate and testicular cancer.”

SHEHROZE SUBZWARI - Actor

“I can’t grow a moustache, but I believe

“Growing facial hair right above my

in the cause and want to support it in

upper lip is not for a new look for a

my own way.”

character I’ll be playing, it’s to be a part of the Movember movement for the awareness of men’s health i.e. prostate cancer and associated

HATIM LOTIA - Operations manager

charities.”

“I saw the trend of ‘Movember’ growing on social media sites! I researched about it and saw that it was for an actual cause. So I’m growing a moustache and sharing the actual reason with all my

NABA QAMAR - Aspiring banker “Put your ’stache where your mouth is! If I can do more than just talking about it, so

friends and family.”

42 NOVEMBER 17-23 2013

You can donate or join the movement by logging on to www.movember.com

can you!”