Sunday Plus by The Nation

TheNation

november 13, 2011

interview

Mahirah ready to take on….

travel

Uzbekistan a travelogue

comment

Let’s go to the movies! Let’s go see the stars!

inside this week november 13, 2011

Interview

talented actress Mahira Khan to know about 08 Meet her life and style

16 18 26 1826

style

Runway to carpet

Travel

A Kaleidoscopic view of the beautiful Uzbekistan

Comment

Portrayal of white and non-white characters in movies is always in opposite.

58 Brad Pitt: hits a home run again

08 Mahirah ready to take on….

Hollywood

interview

30. Movie

Review of the latest Hollywood flick to hit theatres this week

Style

week brace for impact of CLUB X brand 34 This on the fashion horizon.

Society

Editor’s note We are back with another exciting issue of your very own magazine, Sunday Plus. This week we are in conversation with the talented actress and fashion icon Mahira Khan. Learn how she manages her personal and professional life. Her revelations will definitely make you start thinking. This week take a tour with us to the enchanting land of Uzbekistan. You will be mesmerised by the beautiful landscape and the grandeur of historical buildings. Read about why the portrayal of white and non-white characters in Hollywood movies is always in opposite. On our style pages brace for impact of the CLUB X brand. You would simply love the stylish clothes that this brand has to offer. In the Hollywood section Brad Pitt talks about his role in new film Moneyball and what makes it somewhat different from the ones he had been doing earlier. And this week in our ‘Picks of the week’ section, we are again presenting a little something for our readers to quiz their mind with.

Hollywood

Hollywood star Brad Pitt talks about his role in new film Moneyball

Horoscope

62 Astrological forecast for the week

TheNation

Sunday plus Editor-in-Chief Majid Nizami

Picks of the week

on the happenings and events in 40 Report your metropolis

the smart wish-list for the 64 Gobestthrough buys and best picks for everyone

Send us your comments and feedback at splus@nation.com.pk

Deputy Managing Director Rameeza Nizami

Editor The Nation Salim Bokhari Editor Magazine: Emanuel Sarfraz Editorial Staff: Bishakha Khadka Kunwar, Madiha Syedain, Sadaf Pervez & Navirah Zafar Creative Head: Faiz-ur-Rehman Creative Team: Shoaib Qadir, Faisal Fazal, HM. Nouman For advertising: Bilal Mahmood, 0300 - 8493206 Muhammad Zaeem 0301 - 8463306 Salman Ahmed 0300 - 4116792 Shiraz Akbar 0333 - 2310851 Khalid Sheikh 0345-5130728

interview

By Madiha Syedain

Mahirah ready to take on…

Beauty is what beauty does. And this beautiful actress is determined to swim against the flow and carve out a niche for herself as a serious actress. For someone who comes from a non-filmy background, Mahirah Khan is super charged and content about her debut in the world of movies as a second lead in Shoaib Mansoor’s thought-provoking venture ‘Bol’. Confident, classy as well as stylish in real life, Mahirah started her career as a video jockey for MTV Pakistan but played the character that required to be totally opposite on screen. However, those who have caught this pretty girl on-screen vouch that she indeed would be having a rosy journey ahead.

08 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

interview

November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 09

interview

ven though her role was small, she is on Cloud 9 these days as her work has been highly appreciated by all. Bound to set her mark in the industry, Mahirah considers it a dream come true. For others, this debut in the big screen couldn’t get any bigger, but she did not hesitate to return to small screen with current dramas like Sarmad Khosat’s ‘Humsafar’ (Hum TV) and Mehreen Jabbar’s ‘Neeyat’ (ARY Digital). She has been particularly admired for her role, ‘Khirad’ in the play ‘Humsafar.’ Her innocent looks and heart rendering performances have made her an inspiration. While talking to SUNDAY PLUS, the talented and dedicated artist MAHIRAH KHAN talks about her passion of acting and efforts to maintain a successful life.

S+: You have got a major breakthrough earlier in your career. How does it feel to be an icon? Mahirah Khan: I'm not sure about becoming an ‘icon,’ but whatever it is that I have achieved I am grateful for it. I know I have a responsibility on my shoulders, however small that is I am ready to take it on. S+: Who were your biggest influences that inspired you to become a VJ/ 10 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

actress? Mahirah Khan: I never wanted to become a VJ, always wanted to be an actor though. I remember watching a movie at my phupos and wanting to be inside that screen. Might sound cheesy but anytime I saw a good film I was inspired to be in it, in any capacity. S+: Tell us about your family? Mahirah Khan: My family is the best part about me…while growing up we lived in one big house - my dada dadi, phopo, my parents, brother, cousins and all of us. I am very close to both my mother and father's side of the family and can’t imagine my life without them. S+: What has been the role of your family in your success? Mahirah Khan: If they hadn't believed in me I would never be here. S+: How do you manage your personal and professional life? Mahirah Khan: It’s hard but I manage.

For starters, I take up as little work as possible, sometimes I feel bad because I lose out on some amazing work and when I am working I lose out on precious time with family. S+: How was your experience of working in Shoaib Mansoor’s film? Mahirah Khan: Excellent! It was a pleasure to work with him. He is true to his word and a genius. S+: What are the positive sides of being an actress? Mahirah Khan: You can live freely through different roles and you can be anyone you want. That’s the most fun part. S+: What is the hardest thing for you as an actress? Mahirah Khan: I hate revisiting bad memories for scenes. As an actor I think it is very hard to satisfy yourself, because you are never happy with how you've performed, it can always be better.

interview

The lighter side… Personal style… Bohemian. Your hobbies… Listening to old songs… Gadgets you buy…I don't buy gadgets. Brand you buy…I don't shop Brands. Perfumes… Romance - Ralph Lauren. Juicy Couture. Some beauty advices… Hair and teeth, take care of them and you'll always look good - One of the many things my nani says. Favourite designer…Feeha Jamshed How do you stay in shape? I eat. Best feature of your body/face…I'm not sure… What are the things an actress cannot be without? Focus, when I lack focus I am terrible at my job. Things you can’t live without… Things don't matter, people do. I can’t imagine living without certain people in my life. Favourite destination… New York, Holland Life is… I haven't figured it out yet. One accessory you can’t leave without…my rings What are you reading nowadays? Our Lady of Alice Bhatti by Mohammad Hanif. What are you humming nowadays? Kya khayal hai - Zeb Haniya for the Dewarists! Things that turn you on… So many things like good music, good weather, interesting conversations etc. Things that turn you off… Indifference! One thing you would like to change about Pakistan… The people of this country could be more proactive. Personally, what genre of films you like? All kinds… I am drawn towards old films. Where do you see yourself in next five years…Doing what I love doing, better at whatever I am doing; be it being a mother or an actress. Any regrets… Yes! Mahirah in three words… Passionate, Indecisiv e, Loving

12 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

S+: Describe your feelings when you were acting for the first time? Mahirah Khan: I felt a little bit nervous, but as soon as I said my first lines and Shoaib saab said 'okay,' it gave me butterflies in my stomach. S+: In the last two years, we have seen a mushrooming numbers of VJ on music channels. How do you feel about it? Mahirah Khan: Well as far as I am concerned there are no music channels anymore, because there is hardly any music. Unfortunately, we had killed the music ourselves…record labels and the situation of the country being major reasons for its downfall. The last VJ, I remember on television was Ali Safina. I wish we see a music boom because we have talented people in this industry. S+: You must have worked in numerous music shows, tell us how many

exactly, and which has been your most memorable role to date? Mahirah Khan: As you said - numerous shows. I have lost count. I was a VJ for two years. I have interviewed some amazing musicians, had some fantastic shows. Ali Azmat, is probably the best to interview! S+: This year not a single artist could release his album, even the top artists like Atif Aslam and Strings could come up with only few singers. Is our music industry on decline, if so how can we come out of this situation? Mahirah Khan: Like I said, record labels are a big reason for the decline of our music industry. Musicians need to survive also, they need good lucrative deals with these label companies. Otherwise they will go back to their bank jobs or start acting etc. Of course, the situation of this

interview

country does not help. Concerts are at an all-time low which is another main way of income for musicians. S+: While selecting the role, which things (the script, co-stars, director etc.) do you consider? Mahirah Khan: All of it, mainly the story, but I like working with people who I admire, who I have enjoyed seeing on television etc. So everything matters, I always ask about the director, the cast, story. S+: How did you land the role of Khirad (Humsafar) and how much the character resembles you in real life? Mahirah Khan: Well Momina Duraid, was the first person to ask me to act. I cannot tell you the amount of roles we spoke about, that I was suppose, to do. There was a time when I wasn't ready. I was expecting a child. Then the film kept getting postponed. Then I got an offer to work with Mehreen and I am a big fan of hers. So I ended up going to New York for that. When I got back, I fulfilled a commitment I had made a very long time ago to Momina, which was to act in one of her serials. I am so glad it was Humsafar and thankful to her for trusting me with Khirad. Some people say, I am a lot like Khirad, I don't think so. Khirad is stronger than me, more patient than me and she is much more honest than me. I wish I was like her actually but I also wish Khirad had a sense of humour. S+: Which role do you still yearn to get in? Mahirah Khan: So many… all of them. I have just started! S+: Which contemporary actors do you think are professionally good? Mahirah Khan: I think Saba Qamar, Aaminah Sheikh, Nimra Bucha, Sanam Baloch and Sanam Saeed… to name a few are excellent. I also think Naveen is very good in Humsafar! S+: So far you have selected very serious roles. In what kind of characters does Mahira Khan’s own personality reflect? Mahirah Khan: I am dying to do a comedy, I was supposed to but because I can only do very few projects during the year I had to opt out. I have 14 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

a funny side to me but I also have a serious side to me, till now I haven't played a character that completely reflects my personality. S+: What do you feel about the standard of dramas being produced? Mahirah Khan: Standards have improved. There was a slump in the middle when dramas being made were influenced from Indian dramas. We are now going back to our roots. We have some excellent writers and directors

who are committed to making good watchable television plays. S+: Have you received any movie offers? Mahirah Khan: Yes I have, but none to write home about. S+: Future plans… Mahirah Khan: Lots of plans but trying not to plan at the same time. In a nutshell the goal for now and later is to be at peace.

STYLE

o t y a Runw

Aminah Haq

Ammar Belal

Kamiar Rokni

his latest collection

Aminah is donning our favourite designer, Kamiar Rokniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shirt

Our dapper designer Ammar Belal is wearing this well-

from his last collection Folkistan. We wish she had modelled

stitched jacket from his latest collection, Disco Inferno.

the shirt even on the runway, but no complaints what-so-ever.

For others, this flower power bohemian jacket would

wearing

have looked a tad too much, but he works the printed floral jacket and stripped tie perfectly.

16 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

STYLE

t e p r a c d e r

Frieha Altaf

Kiran Haroon

Khaadi Khaas

Adnan Pardesy

We have to admit that with age comes fashion novelty and

Kiran Haroon is one lucky person to be sporting one-designer

wearing

Frieha is one person who has proven us right. She is donning

wear after another everyday during fashion weeks. She

this black and white maxi dress from Khaadi Khaas’s latest

works wonders in this solid cobalt blue muslin dress from

colelction “The City Within”. But again a little advice from us

Adnan Pardesy’s latest collection “Coquetry”. We would have

is that, she should have worn some platform heels to add

preferred her in a different hairstyle and that shadi-wala

an extra oomph to the geometric dress.

earring is a big no-no. November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 17

TRAVEL

By Dr. Moin Qureshi

Uzbekistan : a travelogue Bolo Hauz Mosque

Retirement is usually taken as a relaxed phase of life when one has to do nothing and is answerable to none. It is the point at which the practicability of a man comes to an end and his ‘productivity’ witnesses a stand-still. If he is a writer, he writes less and fights more (with wife and children) in the vast gap of time which he finds difficult to fill. Honestly speaking, it is the other way round with me.

aving retired about a decade back, I find myself busier than the days of my ‘functional’ life. To me, you are as old as you feel. Life is a country that the old have seen, and lived in. Those who want to travel through it can only learn form them. I still work tirelessly from dawn to dusk with the only difference that I am now accountable to myself. I am my own boss – guiding, chiding and admiring my demeanour in an effort

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State Museum of Temurids

A living legend

Khazrati Imam

November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 19

TRAVEL

An ancient buildings of Uzbekistan Registan Square, Samarkand

Islam is by far the dominant religion in Uzbekistan as Muslims constitute 90% of the population. The Uzbek language is the only state language and since 1992 it is officially written in Latin alphabet.

Uzbek hats to pass the remaining few days at my disposal in a purposeful manner. Once a year, I avail a time-out from my tight working schedule and proceed on a trip abroad. Usually, this is in June-July when the weather at home turns blistering with heat and humidity oppressively hostile. This year, I chose Uzbekistan, one of the 15 independent states that emerged from the dissolution of the USSR in December 1991. I was smitten by weather (which proved more unforgiving than ours), otherwise, the tour proved another rewarding experience of life. Accompanied by my wife, I paid a week-long visit to this beautiful country of beautiful, loving and caring people. We stayed in Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara and saw the most unbelievable 20 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

sights with our own eyes. For us, it was a unique trip in which we had to arrange for transport, sight-seeing and boarding all by ourselves. Hotel reservations, air journey, travel itinerary and allied services were facilitated by the GSA of Uzbekistan Airways in Islamabad. The Uzbekistan Airways flights operate from Lahore – only. It is pertinent to point out that its operations had taken a start from Karachi, the largest city and the business hub of Pakistan. It is high time that Lahore and Islambad are also included in the flight schedule which are sure to boost Uzbek tourism. The two-hour long flight from Lahore to Tashkent was smooth and comfortable. The charming, active and agile flight attendants looked after the passengers well. They were on their toes all through the journey. It would be of interest to note that there is no time lag between Pakistan and Uzbekistan. Hence, we didn’t need to adjust our watches after landing on Tashkent airport which is fairly adequate in size and facilities taken the number of flights and the present volume of tourism. It, however, needs immediate modernization as the country is opening up to the world. The Republic of Uzbekistan, formerly a constituent republic of the USSR (1924-91) in the Soviet Central Asia occupies an area of 172,741 sq. miles with a population of over 27 million. In the wake of the failed August 1991 anti-Gorbachev coup in the USSR, the republic’s parliament declared its independence in

September, 1991. President Islam Karimov, who had initially supported the anti-Gorbachev junta, resigned from the Communist Party Politburo and Central Committee. In December 1991, Uzbekistan joined the new federation, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Ever since its independence, it is fast on the path of progress and development. Islam is by far the dominant religion in Uzbekistan as Muslims constitute 90% of the population. The Uzbek language is the only state language and since 1992 it is officially written in Latin alphabet. It has a number of words of our national language (Urdu) with the same meanings like “Chashma” (spring), “Watan” (homeland) “Nan” (bread), “Golistan” (garden), “Emir” (ruler), “Registan” (desert), “Tamasha” (public concert) and many more. Certain Urdu words are used there in different meanings such as ‘Istiqlal’ (independence). Certain words are pronounced differently, like “Minor” (minar), “Chor” (chaar). The name of a taxi driver was Fozil which apparently is our “Fazil.” However, I was enamoured with the word “Rahmat” (blessing) which is used in the Uzbek language to mean “thanks.” When you listen to “Rahmat” from a smiling Uzbek, you would like him to repeat it – as we did on several occasions. Uzbekistan has a wide blend of ethnic groups and cultures with the Uzbek being the majority group. In 1995, about 71% of Uzbekistan’s population was Uzbek. The

travel

Ark Fortress, Bukhara chief minority groups were Russians (8%), Tajiks (5%), Kazaks (4%) and Tatars (2.5%). The country has a literacy rate of 99.3%. However, the citizens do not understand any other language except their local language or the Russian. English-speaking persons may be counted on fingers. Even a common place like “railway station” could not be understood by our driver. We had to get it written in the Uzbek language by our hotel’s receptionist. Surprisingly, the words written in Tashkent were not understood in Samarkand and the ones written in Samarkand were alien to the cab driver in Bukhara. It appears that the Uzbek authorities are not fully aware of the immense tourism potential of their country. In 2002, ancient pyramids were discovered by Russian and Uzbek archaeologists believed to be as old as 2700 years. The country is home to one of the largest deserts in the world known as Kyzylkum which also extends to Kasakhstan. Al-khwarizmi who introduced the use of Arabic numbers and founded Algebra was born in Uzbekistan. The country is the fourth largest producer of cotton-fibre in the world. Textiles, food processing, machine-building, metallurgy and natural gas are the main industries of Uzbekistan. Among the fruits, we liked watermelon the most. It appeared as though the pulp was dipped in honey. Nowhere in the world had we tasted such a luscious watermelon. The need of the hour is to project, promote and publicize the touristic attractions of this newly created country to the world. To achieve this end, the Uzbek authorities will have to adopt a more liberal policy of visa and immigration. Maximum literature on tourism should be published and tourism infrastructure should be developed to meet the international standards. More significantly, the railway system needs complete 22 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

Shakhi Zinda, Samarkand

Uzbek Traditional Dance

One of the myriad magnificent monuments of Amir Timur in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a beautiful country, the people too are winsome, hospitable and warm-hearted. Their behaviour with the foreigners, especially the Muslims is more like brothers. They meet and greet with open arms and smiling faces instantly conquering your heart.

overhauling – the earlier the better. At present 3-5 hours’ delay in train journeys is a matter of routine. This racks the nerves of the passengers, especially the foreign tourists. Uzbekistan Airways is, one the other hand, a world class airline. Whereas Uzbekistan is a beautiful country, the people too are winsome, hospitable and warm-hearted. Their behaviour with the foreigners, especially the Muslims is more like brothers. They meet and greet with open arms and smiling faces instantly conquering your heart. They seem determined to make their mark in the comity of nations. They are the custodians of Islamic culture, architecture and civilization. I hope that friendship between Pakistan and Uzbekistan will flourish in the years to come.

COMMENT

By Navirah Zafar

e h t o t o g s â&#x20AC;&#x2122; t Le s!Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sgo e i v o m estars! seeth ent in ntertainm e f o s rm ular fo ch and e most pop ies can tou h v t o f o m , e e n s o a ience b empts creen is in their att a wide aud The silver s o h d c u n s a c h it ia f med oday. W her forms o the world t t o o ducers and n s ro y p a t w a h t in r s e e v wond influence li and do nce. It is no ie d u a s that can e e h g t a s in s a e rt e m t h to en ovies wit fill their m rs e k a . m film s in society rd o h c e iv it strike sens

24 SuNday Plus November 13, 2011

COMMENT

ovies cannot solely be confined to entertainment, but an in-depth study helps understand what baggage is brought with them: a whole setup of ideologies, attitudes and mechanism of the controlling power. Media organisations and filmmakers start developing movies with preconceived notions of communities, races, religions and genders. There are many factors such as script, dialogues, characters, shots, wardrobe, lighting, makeup and many more which constitute the buildup of any portrayal. It is through these units, one can understand how downplay of various non-white characters results in positive and negative portrayals. A handful of firms dominate the globalised part of the media system. Many media organisations lack delivering social values and responsibility, they merely serve the purpose of exploiting consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; minds in order to instigate a stereotypical image of anything which is not white. The findings of a research carried out by Mehtab Ismail, a media student at the University of the Punjab, revolved around the premise that non-white characters are always portrayed in negative connotations against their white counterparts. American cinema has always been a pioneer in creating, sustaining and reinforcing imagery of non-whites. Race for many may vary, but it is a complex term defined not by biology as much as by politics, history, fear and social hierarchy. Often these forces are disguised as

scientific truths, in order to assert their authority as objective. The objectivity, assumed to reside in photographic media including film, makes it apparent as to why images of races have such authority on the minds of ordinary people. Race is an ideological term bearing imagined, stereotyped social and behavioural qualities or as an ever changing socio-cultural

November 13, 2011 SuNday Plus 25

COMMENT

construction. The portrayal of white and non-white characters in movies is always in opposite. The white muscular male is always shown as law abiding, down to earth, protecting environment and looking to benefit everyone in his surroundings. On the other hand, the evil non-white be it black, Asian, Native American or Caribbean, is in one way or the other trying to create menace and destruction in society of the white. When black men appear in Soderbergh films, such as Out of Sight, Traffic and Full Frontal, they frequently threaten white nuclear families or white heterosexual couples. Such a portrayal of black masculinity corresponds to long-standing national hysteria about perceived black threats to white bodies. Mahwish Shaheen, an adminstrator at an accountancy institution, believes the stories of black characters are always in secondary plots and the stars of the plot evidently remain the white main lead. Actually, it’s very disturbing to see that any film with a black subject matter that receives great reviews from the film establishment invariably perpetuates and reinforces stereotypical images and contrived messages about black people and their place in the 26 SuNday Plus November 16, 2011

world. As one moves forward to other ethnic groups such as Chinese, an eye opening plot is seen in the movie Around the World in 80 days. When Passportaut (Jackie Chan) reaches his village, most of the village people and Passportaut Grandmother are shown excessively inducing themselves and the protagonist (Steve Coogan) with liquor/ alcohol, thus demeaning the depiction of Asian Chinese. Also in the movie: Ace Ventura When Nature Calls, the monks were depicted as an oddity. There were two different shots of the Asian Monks. In the first shot, they are seen mediating and in the second shot, when they come to know about Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey) leaving their temple, they celebrated. The audience first saw the monks in the temple while they were meditating. In the next scene, he monks were shown dancing, jumping in the air, drinking champagne and yelling with joy. These exaggerated depictions of Chinese monks reflect how contemporary American popular movies make a spectacle out of ethnicity. In this race of image construction, we can’t leave the ever famous and always in the limelight Muslims, it is the new found hobby of filmmakers to categorically scrutinise Muslims in any form or stature. The movie Hidalgo(2003) which Disney claims to be made on a true story is not. The movie has some alarming dialogues spoken by Al-Riyadh (his royal excellency played by Omer Sharif). In a dialogue, “On cold nights, my wives sleep in the stable tents so that Al-Hattal (stallion) is comfortable and appeased”, Muslim women are depicted as subject to Muslim men’s cruelty. Other dialogues such as one in which Katib(villain) refers to the Prophet as “even the blessed Prophet was a raider in his time” are blasphemous towards Islam.

Hierarchies are structured on the ground of social, economic and historical power relations between dominant and subordinate groups. The struggle for power has long been an unresolved issue among the power elites. Race demarcation has always been done on socio-cultural beliefs and prejudice of people, society, organisations and media. By racial hierarchy, one contends that race in media is divided into levels and divisions on the basis of colour. Movie reviews further unveil that Blacks, Chinese, Muslims and Red-Indians as seen on the screen have been objectively and subjectively signified as rapist, drunks, fundamentalists and savages. By placing coloured groups with the above mentioned connotations, media systematically, without making it seem irrational or illogical, frames non-whites as the race inferior to white masses.

HHH

RIGHT OFF THE SHELF

Anuntoldstory

Title: Julian Assange: The Unauthorised Autobiography Author: Julian Assange Pages: 300 Price: Rs. 1095 Genre: Biography

Despite being rushed, unfinished and disowned by its subject – making it perhaps the first ever unauthorised autobiography – this book is surprisingly revealing about one of the most infuriating and self-defeating awkward customers ever to have been born. And it reminds us of the huge amount Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have contributed to this epochal time and how important the principle of free publication is.

note from his publisher at the beginning explains that Assange found the book too personal and withdrew co-operation, performing the usual disservice to himself and also to the novelist Andrew O’Hagan, whose writing he unjustly criticised. If Assange would only control his need to storm from every room, leaving the most appalling static behind him, we might eventually get the account that WikiLeaks deserves. But this isn’t bad at all, as far as it goes, and the most fascinating part is what Assange objects to: the personal stuff. Assange was the product of a relationship between his country girl mother, Chris28 SuNday Plus November 13, 2011

tine, and a man with a gentle voice who spoke to her at an anti-Vietnam war rally in Sydney. “It [the voice] belonged to a 27year-old, cultured guy with a moustache. He asked if she was with anyone and when she said ‘no’ he took her hand.” Not long afterwards, Julian was born into a hippie set-up in north Queensland. They moved house often and quite soon he learned “how to master the environment and conquer danger”. He spent a lot of time exploring a disused mine, sometimes burning ants with a magnifying glass. “At an early stage,” he says, “I realised there was a social element to all this. I put a gang together, the better to get things done and

RIGHT OFF THE SHELF have fun while doing it.” A solemn-faced, slightly scary Tom Sawyer or William Brown emerges. Assange’s upbringing consisted of one cult, multiple homes, more than 30 schools and two stepfathers, one of whom left him with the name Assange. He was clearly a handful and probably manipulative. He advises his schoolmates that dirt is a certain way to stop bleeding and on another occasion organises his friends to dig a tunnel under the neighbours’ fence in order to supply his folks with tomatoes. As he gets older, his mother’s peripatetic existence seems more pathological and a fugitive pattern sets in. His father and two stepfathers disappear from the narrative without much explanation and it becomes clear that Julian has fairly big issues in the authority department. The unfinished nature of the book might mean that quite a lot has been let through by Assange that a second or third round of editing might have seen adjusted or eliminated. At times, it looks as though he

is artfully supplying scenes from childhood to explain the adult outlaw, but then there are real shafts of light such as the moment when he talks about a teacher called Mr King. “In my view, even then, a lot of teachers were prissy, but this guy was strong in a way that seems important. He was a very competent individual and I felt safe with him – I clung to the idea of manly competence.” In his late teens, Assange meets his real father, who has become a yoga teacher. He describes becoming angry as he walked round his dad’s bookshelves. There is a really good section in which he talks about the first computer hacking placing a large part of his mind in the space of the computer. You glimpse the thrill of his trespass when he hacks into the Nortel network of 11,000 computers, which he likens to “walking in the Sistine Chapel at midnight”. He is an awkward odd fish, but just like his 18th-century libertarian forebear, the promiscuous John Wilkes, who was also

casual with the truth and other people’s money, Assange has been right on some of the big things, notably the publication of the Iraq war logs, the film of the US gunship shooting up innocent civilians and journalists and the US diplomatic cables, which contributed to the successful overthrow of at least two of three dictators in the Maghreb. But he was dead wrong and stupid to release a mass of unredacted cables this summer, because it makes it that much more difficult to defend the legitimate war on secrecy, which he does not own. The book could have been so much better and it is a great pity that he didn’t sit in the room long enough with O’Hagan and his publisher to put together the arguments that he still needs to make. Instead, a deepseated vanity seems to have taken hold, which pushes him further into isolation and towards an utterly unnecessary martyrdom. This story isn’t over.

HHH

A letter to Pakistan

Author: Karen Armstrong | Pages: 100 | Price: Rs. 95 | Genre: Mind & Spirit Synopsis: In this letter, Karen Armstrong urges the people of Pakistan to rediscover compassion in their daily lives as a way to overcome the clash of cultural and religious traditions in a globalized world. She quotes references from the Qur’an as well as other religious texts, elaborating a, thought-provoking programmes for integrating compassion in our thoughts and actions to make the world a better place to live in.

Desperate in Dubai

Author: Ameera Al Hakawati | Pages: 560 | Price: Rs. 595 | Genre: Fiction

Synopsis: Oozing with men, money, and Maseratis, Dubai is the ultimate playground for the woman who knows her Louboutins from her Louis Vuittons. But for some, there is a lot more at stake than a Hermes Birkin. Leila has been in search of a wealthy husband for over a decade. Nadia moves to Dubai to support her husband s career, only to have her sacrifices thrown in her face. Sugar escapes the UK in an attempt to escape her past. Lady Luxe, the rebellious Emirati heiress, scoffs at everything her culture holds sacred. Until the day her double life starts unravelling at the seams. Set against a backdrop of luxury hotels and manmade islands, Desperate in Dubai tells the tale of four desperate women as they struggle to find truth, love, and themselves.

Relic Master: The Dark City

Author: Catherine Fisher | Pages: 384 | Price: Rs. 1250 | Genre: Fiction Synopsis: Welcome to Anara, a world mysteriously crumbling to destruction, where nothing is what it seems: Ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. The only hope for the world lies in Galen, a man of the old Order and a Keeper of relics, and his sixteen-year-old apprentice, Raffi. They know of a secret relic with great power that has been hidden for centuries. As they search for it, they will be tested beyond their limits. November 13, 2011 SuNday Plus 29

movie

TICK TOCK TICK TOCK In a future where people stop aging at 25, but are engineered to live only one more year, having the means to buy your way out of the situation is a shot at immortal youth. Here, Will Salas finds himself accused of murder and on the run with a hostage - a connection that becomes an important part of the way against the system. The futuristic ‘In Time’ reels out a doomsday scenario that has Justin Timberlake playing a Robin Hood-like character who saves the lives of the poor.

30 SuNday Plus November 13, 2011

THE PLOT

In Time takes us to the ‘not so distant’ future where humans have been genetically engineered to stop ageing at 25. Whilst you keep your looks forever, the downside is you’ve officially ‘clocked on’ and the countdown to your death begins. With a full year disconcertingly displayed on your forearm, the only thing that can save you is more time. In this world, time is money- you work for more time, you bargain with time and you pay with time. The rich, living in New Greenwich, live at a slow pace, which shows how little they care about their time. They eat slow, drive slow, and they never run. Those in Dayton, the slum timezone, are the opposite. They are living ‘one day at a time’ and everyone is in a hurry. In between the rich and poor we

movie have the usual suspects within a society, a police force known as ‘time keepers’, criminal ‘minute men’ and time lenders. There are even time missions where the poor go to scrape together whatever time they can. Justin Timberlake plays outspoken ghetto dweller Will Salas who finds himself the lucky benefactor of a century. At first he is keen to take his mother and leave the dirty streets behind, until an inevitable tragedy sees him change his focus. Desperate to turn the system on its head, he starts a crusade to change society. Along his way he meets Sylvia Weis, played by Amanda Seyfried, the daughter of a wealthy time lender. Together they wreak havoc, corrupting a system designed to keep the poor in their place.

THE GOOD AND THE BAD

When science fiction thrives, when it transports you into a brave new world of intriguing, complicated ideas, it’s terrific. It’s the rare cinematic genre that can be both illuminating and uplifting. Drama can pull at your heartstrings and comedy can tickle your funny bone, but nothing caters to the brain better than future shock speculation. Perhaps this is why the latest from Gattaca god Andrew Niccol, In Time, fails. It doesn’t do anything for mind, body, or spirit. Instead, it offers Justin Timberlake as a brooding semi-action hero, Amanda Seyfried in a horrible pageboy haircut, and Cillian Murphy as the Agent Smith substitute. Along the way, some interesting concepts

are carted out, only to be undermined by limp direction and sparse storytelling. The film’s biggest flaw is the constant reinforcement of its clumsily implemented metaphor for financial inequality, primarily through time-based puns and jokes. It’s a cool concept at its base, but when one must hear “I haven’t got any time” again and again, it becomes irritating. Science fiction may be the cinema of ideas but, as this latest slice of dystopian drudgery from ‘Gattaca’ director Andrew Niccol proves, there comes a point when ideas aren’t enough. Justin Timberlake struggles to bring a spark of life to the role of Will Salas, the day-at-a-time ghetto punk who hits the temporal jackpot when a suicidal rich kid bequeaths him a century. Upping sticks for swanky New Greenwich, playground of the undying elite, he falls in with bored heiress Sylvia (Amanda Seyfried), but it’s not long before the law starts sniffing around, and the young lovers decide to go crazy, RobinHood style. The clever central conceit aside, there’s nothing new here: despite the presence of stars like Timberlake and Seyfried, the entire film feels incredibly cheap, shot in a series of pseudo-futuristic urban hellscapes which look suspiciously like downtown LA. Attempts at a subtextual link to the current global downturn are largely worthless, as we simply have no idea how this complex world – let alone its economy – functions. Niccol’s major problem is timing: action

sequences and dialogue scenes lie flat on the screen, while his tendency to play around with pacing means that any tension quickly dissipates. Life’s too short.

IN TIME

RATING: 5/10 THE PLAYERS: Genre: Action, Sci-Fi &Thriller

director: Andrew Niccol

Cinematography: Roger Deakins

Actors: Amanda Seyfried, Justin Timberlake, Cillian Murphy, Vincent Kartheiser, Olivia Wilde

writers: Andrew Niccol

Music: Craig Armstrong

At The Premiere:

Justin Timberlake

Rachel Roberts & Andrew Niccol

Jenna Elfman & Bodhi Elfman

Joey Lawrence

Jennifer Stone

Yaya DaCosta

Inbar Lavi & Christoph Sanders

Jennette McCurdy

Amanda Seyfried

Matthew Bomer

Shyloh Oostwald

Olivia Wilde

Vincent Kartheiser

November 13, 2011 SuNday Plus 31

style

34 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

style

Brace for impact! Attention! CLUB X has been spotted on the Fashion horizon, heading in your general direction at what

appears to be speed equal to breakneck cool. The sky turns dark as smoky charcoal grays and sleek blacks meet ultra-classy jackets, sweaters, dirty denims and knits, at terminal velocity what we have here is not the end, but a new beginning. The countdown has already begun.

November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 35

style

36 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

style

November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 37

style

Brand: Club x Campaign Fall/Winter 2011 Photography Khawar Riaz Coordination & PR Zohaib Zaman

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style

sadia faisal

een Mahhan K

Sara Gillani

sha Ayea r N si

otted Sunday Plus sp l ca lo r some of ou ng ti or sp s ie it celebr er gn si de h tc no top p of to e ar outfits that : cy the afan

Maheen Khan h spotted witut ch Krizmah cl

amna Haq

i Sara Gillan Khurramâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ha dons Ayesll tion latest co ec

3 4

r Ayesha Nasi wears i Tina Durran

Mathira wearing i Tina Durran

6 7

med Vaneeza Ah in it (2) Mohsin outf Aamina Haq in an l creation Ammar Bela

caught en vogue

Saadia Faisal wearing an Saira Rizw

Mathira

vaneeza Ahmed

November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 39

society

House of Couture showcase 1

Lahore : House of Couture recently showcased their in-house designers work through a small fashion segment. The event was handled by Bilal Mukhtar Events & PR.

1 Kashif & Fatimeh 2 Afshan & Haroon 3 Zille & Sonia 4 Sehr & Musarat 5 Fatima & Bilal Mukhtar 40 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

6 Mareekha & Shakir

society

7 Rashum, Tasneem & Mehreen 8 Mahjabeen 9 Aroosa & Mahi 10 Noor & Sara 11 Hamza, Mehwish & Ayesha November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 41

society 1

Charity gala in London LONDON: Nickie Nina participated in a fashion show held to raise funds for a U.K. based charity called Medical Aid For Pakistan.

1 Nickie with models 2 Sadya 3 Nickie with Rear Admiral Amjad Hussain 4 Usman and Diana 5 Lena 6 Sarah with Ravisha 7 Hajra

8 Maria

9 Diana and Liana 10 Akmal and Farah Khushi 3

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society

Accessorize me! FAISALABAD: Accessorize launched their latest outlet at Sitara Mall.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of Accessorize at Sitara Mall

Saima Saeed & Sonia Khurram

Shahaid & Jannat

Mrs Faiq Javed

Naureen with her friend

Anushka & Munize

Dabir, Aleem & friend

Sharmeen Asim & Jannat Shahid

November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 43

society

Tableau of emotions KARACHI: Mahin Hussain celebrated 31/2 years of her label with a special art installation by Iraj. It was a tableau of emotions, and reactions. Makeup and hair was courtesy â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Huma and Zara Salonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Styling had been done by Mahin Hussain. The PR was managed by Catalyst PR and Marketing.

1 Maheen Husain 2 Iraj Mansoor 3 Mathira 4 Nosheen Masood 5 Aysha Omer 6 Sanam Chudery & Ranna Khan 7 Frieha & Saba Insari 4

44 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

society

8 Samar Mehdi with Batool Mehdi 9 Mehvas 10 Shehzray 11 Jamil Baig & Uzma Jamil Baig 12 Saima Mahmood 13 Mahin Hussain and Jabran Aman 9

November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 45

society

Tutti Frutti ISLAMABAD:

International brand TUTTI FRUTTI Frozen Yogurt opened its doors in Pakistan with a Razz mattaz Launch Event! The Red carpet Event was held with all the added oomph and glamour handled by Rezz PR and Events.

1 Ammara & Nadia 2 Amina , Sadia &

Nadia

3 Zeenia & Sainia 4 Roohi, Ayesha & Samina

5 Nazia & Sania 6

Yasir, Omer, Sameer & Kukki

46 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

society

7 Roshanay & Hassan Bajwa

8 Zafar & Sadia

9 Samreen & Samma 10 Irfan & Ayesha 11 Gen. Asif Yasin, Kamran Lashari & Host Taher Yasin Malik

November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 47

society 12

12 Natasha & Rezz Aly Shah 13 Aleezay & Sunny 14 Abida 15 Nazia 16 Sobia & Zarpash 48 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

society

Star-studded exhibition 1

LAHORE: LAHORE: Well-known designer Ayesha Khurram and celebrated jewellery artist Nosheen Amir of Ennz Jewels recently held a starstudded exhibition at her DHA outlet. The eventâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PR and media coordination was handled by Voila. Asad Sheikh,

1 Huma & Nosheen Ayesha Khurram with

2 her husband 3

3 Hassan Ellahi 4 Nachit Noore 5 Madiha Abrar 6 Mariam Shams 8 Mishal and Rabia

8 Mehreen

8 Natty and Sara Gillani

November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 49

society

Dinner time Karachi: Abdul Kader Jaffer, Chairman & CEO of Pakistan Japan Business Forum, hosted a dinner in honour of foreign delegates of Multilateral Investment & Trade Conference 2011 at his residence.

1 Abdul Kader Jaffer, Chairman & 2

CEO of Pakistan Japan Business Forum Guest

3 Guest 2

4 Aziz Memon, Nisar Khuro, Kalim Farooqui

5 Barrister AR Sattar with Mr Slawoj Puszkarski, President Aurex LPG, Mujeeb Ur Rehman

6 guest 7 guest 8 guest 9 guest 10 Hussain Dawood, Chairman Dawood Group, Iqbal Ali Mohamed

50 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

11 Mr. Ireneuz Makles, Mr. Kalim Farooqui,Mr.

Aslam Pervaiz,Mr. Mujeeb Ur Rehman,Mr. Slawoj PUSZKARSKI, President Aurex LPG, Mr. A.R. Sattar with other

society

Ensembleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brand new space! 1

LAHORE: Ensemble proudly announced the opening of their brand new retail space in Lahore at the centrally located and renowned 10 Q. Having first opened their boutique in the city some two years back, the newly located Ensemble launch was a major success attended by leading designers, media personalities, fashionista and socialites alike.

4 3

1 Sophie Anjum 5 Khawar Riaz 52 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

2 Aaminah Haq & Ammar Belal 6 Saad & Zainab Qureshi

3 Shazia

4 Shezray Khalid & Selina R Khan

7 Shoaib Shafi & Faraz Manan

8 Shehrnaz, Shezray & Hani

society

Zara Qureshi, Shafaq Habib & Zahra Saeed

Rana Noman

Juggun Kazim

Mahnoor & Naveen Anwar

Zarmina

Munib & Rabia Nawaz

Asmaa

Shafaq Habib

Annie of Alleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nora

Asma Khan & Uzma Rao

Nina Akbar

Shehrnaz, Uma, Zeba & Asma November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 53

society

1 Anma Kardar

2 Nomi Ansari

3 Mehdi, Zeba &Shahzad

7 Moeed & Faryal of Muse 54 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

8 Nabiha

4 Sonia Humayun

9 Nida Bano

5 Shezray Husain

10 Zahra Saeed

11 Zeba Husain

6 Hina Waseem with Mashal 12 Honey Waqar

society

Cream Launch

Karachi: Skin care cream Ren was recently launched at a local hotel.

8 7 6 10

1 Aimen and Abeer 2 Rida Ali

3 Aroob and Hiba 4 Aoan

5 Samar

6 Madiha 7 Sehrish 8 Robert 9 Rui and Marielle 10 Munib and Hadi November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 55

hollywood

56 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

hollywood

Brad Pitt is aware that his portrayal of a baseball-team manager in the new film Moneyball is somewhat different from his previous roles. After all, the actor has played a Nazi-hunter, a vampire, a cowboy hitchhiker, a detective on the trail of a serial killer, the Greek warrior Achilles, a terrorist, an assassin and the outlaw Jesse James. He has ridden on horseback and dodged both flying glass and flying fists for physical roles in movies like Troy, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Fight Club.

November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 57

hollywood

Sports films traditionally work on some level of this idea of winning, overcoming adversity, I think it’s something in our DNA why we love our sports heroes and sports team. By contrast, Pitt spends most of Moneyball sitting in a chair and making deals over the phone with other baseball teams. The movie, based on the 2003 Michael Lewis book, stars Pitt as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A’s. In 2002, Beane figured out how to use analytics and statistics to compensate for his team’s payroll, which was relatively small compared to what other majorleague teams had to spend — and won 20 games in a row to set a new American League record. It’s more than baseball, it’s a revolution – one that challenges old school traditions and puts Beane in the crosshairs of those who say he’s tearing out the heart and soul of the game. Alongside Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, ‘Moneyball’ stars Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright, Stephen Bishop, Kathryn Morris, and Chris Pratt. Check out what Brad Pitt had to say about the film below. Q: This project had been gestating for a while, what kept you interested for so long? Brad Pitt: First I would say that it’s

complicated material; it’s not your conventional story or story line, with conventional character arcs. So it took a lot of shots at it, and a lot of people getting their fingerprints on it, to try to hammer out what it would be. Ultimately I couldn’t let go of this story of these guys, who by necessity were trapped in an unfair game, an unfair situation. By necessity they had to think differently, they had to reinvent themselves. In doing so they ran up against great bias and a vitriolic wall, which really tested who they were. At the end of the day it’s a story about our values, about how we value people, what we value as success, what we value as failure, how we understand our own value, that the value system is warped with bias and prejudice – these kinds of questions. There are so many themes, I could go on about 70’s films I thought it could relate to, and these characters, but ultimately it’s about values. It took Bennett Miller to crack the story. Q: What themes rung true to you with ‘Moneyball‘? Brad Pitt: I’m a sucker for an underdog 58 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

story. The title of the book is ‘Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game,’ how these guys were able to survive and stay competitive, questioning the things we accept every single day. Because we are doing something the same way for so long, does that mean it’s right for today? We don’t stop and question the context of why those decisions were made, that speaks to me – why if we were inventing the automobile today, would it run on a finite resource that we’d have to go to war for, that it’d take so much of our GDP? No, we’d probably make it run like our laptops. It’s this kind of questioning I find very inspiring. If we were doing it today, is this how we would do it? Q: When creating your character, did you draw from that questioning way of thinking, did you relate to your own experiences? Brad Pitt: I related it more to my

upbringing. I grew up in a very Christian environment, a healthy environment and a loving a family, but there were just parameters that I didn’t understand, that I always questioned. It took me until my adult years, or leaving home until I could really try on something different for myself, new things. You’re really dealing with certain things as you grow up, figure out what works for you and what doesn’t. I just related to that time, it’s a very personal time, when you lose that comfort system, you cut the tether and you find yourself very on your own with nothing to hold on to. Q: Do you have a favourite sports movie? Brad Pitt: As a kid I loved ‘The Bad News

Bears,’ we talked a lot about that one. Also ’North Dallas Forty’ with Nick Nolte, I think that was the first R-rated movie I snuck into, so it has a special place in my heart (laughs). Sports films traditionally work on some level of this idea of winning, overcoming adversity, I think it’s something in our DNA why we love our sports heroes and sports team. My team (New Orleans Saints) lost the other night to the Green Bay Packers, very disappointing, but so be it, the loss you can take personally (laughs) – it makes for a very interesting genre!

advertorial

guide to managing Dentin Hypersensitivity and keeping oral health problems at bay. It’s safe to say that there is hardly anyone in the world who isn’t fond of eating and drinking. These are the basic pleasures of life we indulge in, with each of us enjoying different tastes, cuisines and concoctions. We tantalize our taste buds with a variety ranging between spicy, sour, sweet, fizzy, hot and cold items, every day. But never once does it cross our minds that we could have to give up relishing these scrumptious items because of a certain oral health problem - a problem that could cause us to live without the experience of mouthwatering delicacies. One of the reasons for this is that we simply don’t give priority to oral health care… Because Oral Health Counts too! Pakistanis tend to give ailments such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol levels much more importance than they do to the ones affecting their teeth. They select what to eat and drink according to other problems but ignore their oral health after the consumption of this food. Contrary to what we may think, the health of our teeth is as important as the rest of our body’s. So while it’s easy to take our teeth for granted, we must realize that they too, can suffer many grave problems, including: • Mouth cancer [the incidence of which runs quite high in the Indo-Pak Subcontinent] • Tooth decay • Gum/periodontal disease • & even Tooth Sensitivity What is tooth sensitivity & how does it affect us? Tooth sensitivity makes it very hard to enjoy that much needed steaming cup of coffee in the morning or that delectable scoop of ice cream one just can’t say no to. A simple sip or bite causes a sharp, painful sensation to run through the teeth that vanishes almost as soon as it is felt. This pain is an indication of sensitive teeth and is experienced with the consumption of hot or cold food and beverages; it can also be triggered by very sweet or sour foods. In medical terms, this problem is called Dentin Hypersensitivity.

Some like it hot, some like it cold Hypersensitivity is caused due to exposed dentin - the middle layer of a tooth, which is made up of tiny openings called tubules. Inside each tubule lies a nerve fiber that comes from the center of the tooth. The dentin is usually protected by enamel. However, when the enamel wears off and dentin is exposed, cold or hot temperatures and stimuli can trigger sharp pain in these tooth nerve fibers. The following causes can trigger tooth sensitivity: • Poor oral hygiene • Receding gums that expose the dentinal surface • Brushing teeth too hard. This wears away the enamel layer • Frequent consumption of acidic food or drinks • An old filling with a crack or leak • Untreated cavities • Gum surgery that exposes a tooth’s dentinal surface What do dentists recommend for managing tooth sensitivity? The good news is that tooth sensitivity is treatable and can be easily managed through the following ways: • Using a good toothpaste, specially formulated to reduce sensitivity that also helps prevent future sensitivity problems • Brushing twice a day and flossing daily • Using a tapered brush with ultra-soft bristles, especially formulated for sensitive teeth and gums • Not brushing too hard thus preventing gums from receding and enamel being eroded But first things first… The primary action one should take in order to combat tooth sensitivity or any oral health problem, for that matter, is visit a dentist. This is imperative in order to gain a full

understanding of the problem and get it treated before it reaches a damaging stage. Also, one good thing is that for common problems like Tooth Sensitivity, there are trusted over-the-counter products available, that can provide them with fast pain relief, at affordable prices. Which toothpaste will do the trick? There is a variety of toothpastes available for sensitivity. But the predicament is that, even though people dealing with this problem primarily want pain relief, they don’t like to experience the bitterness of medicated toothpastes! They want a toothpaste that, apart from being effective, has a refreshing, minty flavor and contains fluoride for cavity protection. Amongst various over-the-counter anti-sensitivity toothpastes available, Colgate Sensitive is one that caters to all these consumer needs. Colgate Sensitive is an effective toothpaste that builds a protective layer around the exposed dentin. Used with Colgate Sensitive 360 Pro-Relief Toothbrush with its ultrasoft tapered bristles specially formulated for sensitive teeth and gums, it provides fast relief and effective management of your sensitivity problem. Enjoy all the Flavors of Life with Healthy teeth! In conclusion, healthy teeth mean a happier lifestyle because the regular use of anti-sensitivity toothpaste means we don’t have to resist tempting hot and cold food and beverages. But in order to avoid serious damage to our teeth and gums, protecting them from all kinds of oral problems and diseases is more important than we think. Choosing the right toothpaste and toothbrush, plus focusing on oral hygiene, can help us keep our teeth free from cavities, tooth decay and other potential gum and mouth problems. So here’s to keeping our teeth healthy. November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 59

interview

By Zameer Sheikh

AzmeAlishan: A motivation towards social work The thought of youth lacking patriotism was a disturbing notion for many. Youngsters were losing hope. Every other personwas ready to leave the country. This was a moment of great concern for Tahir .A Khan and his team. Because when the younger generation is deprived of hope, the nation loses its potential to grow. Keeping this in view, theythought of launching a patriotic movement, Azme Alishan.

60 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

AzmeAlishan aims at bringing hope to the youth and helping them move forward.If one looks around atother neighboring countries, i.e., India, Afghanistan, SriLanka and Iran, an abundance ofPakistani youth are at the top. Pakistani people are leading in every field. But still our people are losing hope that is why the idea of AzmeAlishan came up. Through this platform they are trying to evoke passion in our youth. Our country Pakistan is gifted with innumerable resources. All we need is the right guidance. In the present scenario, Pakistani youth is scoring highest marks in the Cambridge System. They are also leading the way in the field of IT. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Imran Khan, Jahangir Khan, Jan Sher Khan, Dr. Abdus Salam, Aisam ul Haqhave brought a lot of pride to our country. In conversation with Tahir .A Khan, he narrates his experience of launching ad maintaining the power house known as AzmeAlishan. Q: How much successful have you been till now? Khan:AzmeAlishan aims at using the media to give positive messages to youth and to make them do something for the country. We have got very encouraging results. It is not easy to work in the present scenario but still we organized a lot of programs and the overwhelming participation of youth surprised us.Our youth has a lot of potential; all they need is encouragement. When we started to encourage them, a lot of youngsters started joining us and presently a large number of young people are associated with the movement. Before the launch of AzmeAlishan, we organized a diya lighting ceremony and hundreds of people took part in it. We also came up with “Nishan-e-Azm” activity, where

people were invited to claim a pixel of an online image of Minar-e-Pakistan and make an Azm about Pakistan. Then on 23rd March 2010, i.e., the 70th Anniversary of Pakistan Resolution, we officially launched AzmeAlishan at Awan-e-Iqbal, Lahore. Azme Alishan also arranged road shows in which famous TV anchor Faisal Qureshi invited the youth of Lahore to be a part of the movement and make an Azm for the development of Pakistan. A national song competition was arranged in May last year in which youngsters with magical voices were given a platform to display their talents. Young singers from Pakistan and all over the world sent more than 100 songs entries from which our judges shortlisted 30 songs for the competition.Then a digital library “Manzar Pakistan” was set up. This library is present on the website of Azme Alishan, where Pakistanis whether from all over the world can upload their images, stories, audio and video files related to Pakistan. Q: What did the Independence Day series entail? Khan: In August last year, we came up with a series of programs for the celebration of Independence Day. These programs involved a preview of our activities. This series of programs came to an end with the grand finale of AzmeAlishan’s national song competition. The competition was won by Zubair and Zohaib, sons of a meter reader from Karachi, for their song “Pakistan”. The panel of judges included renowned personalities from Pakistani music world, i.e., Strings, Shahzad Hassan and Arshad Mehmood. In September last year, AzmeAlishan gathered volunteers to help the flood affected people. A large number of youngsters took part in the flood drive with great pas-

interview

sion and gathered funds from Lahorein the form of edible items,i.e. flour, rice, lentils, dry milk and drinking water. Through this campaign thousands of flood affected people in Sindh and Southern Punjab were supplied with edible items and drinking water. What measures have you taken to involve the youth for this cause? Khan:To show their solidarity for the cause, internationally acclaimed artists including Strings and Atif Aslam dedicated their song “Ab Khud Kuch Karna Parega” to the movement; so that youth can be encouraged tocome forward and work for the country. This song invites every Pakistani to make an Azm and start the journey to a glorious future. AzmeAlishan organized a T20 championship in Lahore. AzmeAlishan also organized a debate competition “Jawan Qayadat”. The idea behind this competition was to encourage the trend of dialogue and exchange of views among our school going youth;so that they can realize the problems faced by the country and come up with their solutions. The debate competition was on aired on TV and the winners of the program were given cash prizes as well as the golden chance to make their voices heard in the Senate. A documentary “Home from Home” was also produced. This documentary film features three young Pakistanis who live abroad. This film showcases the perspectives and analyses of these young Pakistanis on Pakistan’s culture, identity, modern trends, extremism and other social and political issues. This year AzmeAlishan’s second annual awards were organized in which those dynamic individuals were nominated who have done remarkable efforts for the pride and betterment of Pakistan. This year the nomination criterion for the Azm Awards was expanded due to which every individual had an opportunity to become a part of nominations and voting process. The award ceremony was held in Karachi. In February this year, famous sufi artist Arieb Azhar joined the movement and dedicated his song “Mere Des Main Hain ImkanBohat”to AzmeAlishan. In March, Azm Award ceremony was held. These awards celebrated the unsung

heroes of Pakistan. Apart from all these activities, AzmeAlishanremained engaged in a lot of social and welfare work. Q: What makes young peopleto take part in AzmeAlishan’s activities? Khan:AzmeAlishan is working to rekindle the fire of patriotism. That is the reason why youngsters are joining our movement. We want the Pakistani nation to join hands and become a unit. The negative forces trying to divide our youngsters should never succeed. Following our footsteps, a large number of youth is becoming a part of this drive and doing a lot of humanitarian work like us. Q: Tell us about the people, who are already playing an active part in your movement? Khan: Besides me, Mujeebur Rehman Shami, Sajjad Mir, Salim Bukhari, Mohsin Naqvi, OriaMaqbool Jan, Dr. Safdar Mehmood and many other people are active members of the drive. Q: How do you rate AzmeAlishan’s performance of the last two years? Khan:Our aim is to fill our youth with passion and make them to develop an Azm for the betterment of our homeland. Few years back, usage of words like Azm and passion was very limited. But after the launch of our movement, several companies and organizations have started using these words. We rate it as our success. Our duty was to light the first lamp. And it is our success if the more lamps are being lighted. Q: What is the criterion for the Azm Awards? Khan:Azm Awards are given to those talented people who are engaged in making Pakistan a better place through their individual efforts. For the awards, entries are invited through media and awards are given after a formal evaluation of the work. Q: How was the response to National Song Competition? Khan: The response was great. AzmeAlishan has created a website on which different activities are carried out throughout the year and youngsters from all over Pakistan take part in it.

The experience of National Song Competition held last year was awesome. People from all over Pakistan sent their songs to AzmeAlishan. Our jury selected the best songs from which 10 songs were shortlisted for the competition. The winner of the competition was NabeelShoukat for his song “Hai Ye Pakistan”. AzmeAlishan National Song Competition served as a platform for the youth of Pakistan to express themselves through music and work for the betterment of the country. Another aim behind this competition was to promote the people and organizations working for some social cause. In this regard, NabeelShoukat’sAzm was to work for the education and highlight its importance. To turn his Azm into reality, he worked with “Manzil”. Manzil is an NGO, which establishes schools in slumsso that the less privileged children could be provided with quality education. Pakistan’s internationally acclaimed music band, Fuzon’s lead vocalist RameezMukhtar, lead guitarist and producer Shallum Xavier and music composer and producer Emu were among the judges of the show. Video of NabeelShoukat’s national song will soon be produced and recorded. Q: How much governmental support is

Our aim is to fill our youth with passion and make them to develop an Azm for the betterment of our homeland. involved in your work? Khan: AzmeAlishan is a movement which is led by non-political people. That is why our decisions are not influenced by the government. We have not invited any political personality in any of our programs organized so far. Q: What are the future plans of AzmeAlishan? Khan: We want the nation to work with passion and try to find out the solutions of their problems on their own without waiting for the government to intervene. The aim of our movement is to invite every single individual to work for Pakistan. We are aware of the fact that we cannot solve each and every problembut still we can find out the solutions to a large number of issues only if we make an Azm to work with passion.

November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 61

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62 Sunday Plus November 13, 2011

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November 13, 2011 Sunday Plus 63

PICKS OF THE WEEK

HOTTESTT,, NEWES… LATEST

We at Sunday Plus are sharing our exclusive recommendations with all our readers. Read on for the best buys, the trendiest brands and the most enticing eateries that you need to know about. We slog through the jungle to bring you the hippest happenings and must-have information, right here in your copy of Sunday Plus: your essential weekend luxury.

Sports Bar

Ensemble Expands in Lahore!

Ensemble proudly opened their brand new retail space in Lahore at the centrally located and renowned 10 Q. Having first opened their boutique in the city some two years back, the newly located Ensemble in Lahore now retails a diversity of Karachi and Lahore’s premier designers and is in keeping with the brands’ commitment of providing a comfortable retail experience along with a more extensive fashion selection from designers like Nomi Ansari, Faryal and Moeed of Muse, Honey Waqar, Ammar Belal, Fahad Hussayn, Munib Nawaz to name a few.

At The Sports Bar, you won’t find waitresses in orange shorts serving you beer... now, wait a minute, don’t be disappointed. After all, this is Pakistan, right?What you will find is an upscale sports bar theme which caters to refined tastes and those who appreciate an enjoyable atmosphere where they can hang out with friends, watch sports throughout the season, listen to live music, come to Movie night, Dance Salsa, Sing Karaoke... and order some not-so-typical Sports Bar Food. Location: C-22 Suite No.1, 26th Street , Tauheed Commercial Area Phase 5, DHA, Karachi, Pakistan

Available at 10 Q, Lahore

White Musk Libertine

The Body Shop will launch White Musk Libertine, a new fragrance for women, in October. White Musk Libertine is described as a ‘”new generation White Musk” and The Body Shop’s “‘most feminine fragrance to date”. It is a flanker to the brand’s popular White Musk (1981), and follows recent efforts White Musk White Hot Summer, White Musk Midnight Iris, White Musk Breeze and White Musk Sport. Available at Body Shop outlets across Pakistan

64 SuNday Plus November 13, 2011

Congrats ActOne! ActOne, Pakistan’s and Oldest Center for Arts and Wellness recently entered a bid to become a part of the Guinness Book of World Records. In association with Caltex, ActOne is conducting one hundred flash mobs all over Karachi. A flashmob is simply put a dance or any other performance by a group of individuals for the public or with the public for the purposes of raising awareness. ActOne is the only organization with the capacity to create flash mobs with well over thousand people! ActOne has already submitted a request to be considered for the Guinness of Book. It will take about a month for confirmation from the Guinness Book of World records authority. Here is wishing them all the best for their endeavor.